News Story not available

This story has been published on: 2021-10-08. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.

This story is no longer available on our site.
South Africa: Educators celebrated and acknowledged on World Teachers' Day

As the world commemorates World Teachers' Day, Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga has applauded and thanked teachers for their resilience, courage and dedication to their work, even under difficult circumstances brought about mainly by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Held annually on 5 October since 1994, World Teachers Day commemorates the anniversary of the adoption of the 1966 International Labour Organisation recommendation concerning the status of teachers.

The day represents a significant effort to raise awareness, understanding and appreciation for the vital contribution that teachers make to education and development.

The past year has been an extremely difficult time for our teachers, hence I take this opportunity to thank all of you, our teachers, for your resilience, courage and dedication to your work under very difficult circumstances brought about mainly by COVID-19, Motshekga said.

The Minister said she is proud to be part of the movement to appreciate the role of every teacher across all corners of the country.

Dear teachers, we acknowledge you on this special day that is World Teachers Day. Despite all the daily challenges you are faced with, you have kept going, you have become our hope to produce and harness future leaders, you are mothers of all professions, from whose hands every country is built, she said.  SAnews.gov.za

This story has been published on: 2021-10-05. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
by Steve Suwannarat

Thailand plans to arrest illegals who oppose Myanmars military junta. Myanmar refugees will be accepted only if the international community foots the bill. Hitherto, exiled Myanmar groups and media relied on Thailand, but now Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha and Myanmars strongman General Min Aung Hlain are cozying up.

Bangkok (AsiaNews)  Tensions and conflicts in Myanmar have historically found an echo in Thailand. Now however the Thai government plans to leave no room for the adversaries of Myanmars military regime.

In the past, during Myanmars long military dictatorship, Thailand has been a place of refuge for opponents. Now Thai authorities want to identify and arrest those who are illegally in the country and oppose the military junta in power in Myanmar.

Furthermore, the Thai government informed foreign embassies in Bangkok that only a few people seeking asylum in the country will be accepted and for a limited period of time, as long as the international community provides funding.

This is the usual line adopted by Thai authorities; however, for decades, Thailand accepted a large number of Myanmar refugees, mostly ethnic Karen, putting in them in nine camps along the border.

At present, they number around 130,000, many of them Thai-born, generally integrated into local communities despite the lack of rights and documents that would allow them, for example, to freely move and have access to educational, health and welfare services.

Following the election of a democratic government in Myanmar, Thailand started however to encourage their return.

Likewise, Thai authorities remained relatively tolerant towards Myanmar dissidents until recently, granting them some freedom of action against their countrys dictatorship, provided it did not involve weapons.

This included independent mass media, which were for a long time the primary source of information on Myanmar under military rule as well as during the civilian government led by Aung San Suu Kyi.

Recently, the situation has soured and could get worse after Myanmars self-styled government-in-exile called for military action against the ruling junta.

For Thailand in fact, the prospect of a new massive influx of refugees on the western borders remains a frightening possibility, especially in view of the pandemic situation.

Now, increased restrictions must be seen in terms of the closer relations between the militaries of Thailand (also in power albeit in a civilian cloak) and Myanmar, as well as the personal relationship between Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha, a former coup general, and the leader of Myanmars military junta, General Min Aung Hlain.
A teacher and PHD candidate has been awarded the coveted Helen David Lifetime Achievement Award.

Anistatia R. Miller and her husband Jared Brown are the latest recipients of the Tales of the Cocktail Foundation accolade, which recognises the impact of an individual and his or her body of work and its contribution to the global hospitality industry over a long and industrious career.



Anistatia and Jared have written about the history of drinks and spirits since 1995 when they first launched their website Shaken Not Stirred: A Celebration of the Martini which was converted into a book by the same name and published by HarperCollins the following year. Their thirty-four subsequent books on the history of drink and other subjects include the two-volume award-winning Spirituous Journey: A History of Drink and most recently The Distiller of London. Under their publishing imprint, Mixellany Limited, they have revived classic cocktail titles such as the Cafe Royal Cocktail Book.

In 2004, they co-founded the Museum of the American Cocktail with Dale and Jill DeGroff and, between 2007 and 2009, they refurbished Exposition Universelles des Vins et Spiritueux, a private wine and spirits museum in southern France. They organised educational programmes for the London Bar Shows from 2007 to 2010 and the Havana Club Cocktail Grand Prix in Cuba from 2012 to 2019. The couple have also developed a wide range of spirits including gin, vodka, and ruou de (a traditional Vietnamese spirit) as well as consulted on rums, whiskies, and vermouth and currently curate a free digital library of vintage cocktail books.

They have written thousands of articles for a wide range of publications in the United States and Europe and have made TV appearances in the UK on The Hairy Bikers and Tony Robinsons History of Great Britain.

History has always been my passionand obsession, said Anistatia. I am humbled and honoured to receive acknowledgement for delving into drinks history and educating both drinks industry professionals and the public about this rich, complex subject.

Progress only transpires with a firm understanding of the past. Thanks to the University of Bristol I'm honing my research skills even further so I can provide them with an even stronger portrait of what was and what could be."



Previously, Anistatia was the historical consultant for the content of Londons Beefeater Visitor Centre and an archivist for the historical records of Plymouth Gin. After a 43-year break from academia, she earned an MA in History and completed an MsC in English Local History from the University of Oxford. Currently, she is teaching early modern history while finishing her PhD thesis at the University of Bristol on sixteenth through eighteenth-century English brewing.

Tales of the Cocktail CEO Eileen Wayner said: It is our honour to recognize Jared Brown and Anistatia Miller with the Tales of the Cocktail Foundation Helen David Lifetime Achievement Award.

Jared and Anistatia work tirelessly to uncover the mysterious and intricate truths of our industry, reviving nearly forgotten cocktail elements and sharing their discoveries through newly distilled creations.

Naming Jared and Anistatia as the recipients of the 2021 Helen David Lifetime Achievement Award, a recognition that honours those who have made lasting impacts on the hospitality industry, was an easy decision for our Spirited Awards committee, and we look forward to following along with their continued contributions to the cocktail community.
If My People... New England

NEWS PROVIDED BY

Hidden Manna Ministries

Sept. 27, 2021

MEDIA ADVISORY, Sept. 27, 2021 /Christian Newswire/ -- This year we celebrate the 400th anniversary of the first Thanksgiving. In 1620, a small group of Christians, led by the Holy Spirit, found their way to what is now Plymouth Massachusetts to plant a church! Yes, this courageous group of men and women wanted to establish a Christian outpost in the new world. It was an incredible voyage, followed by a challenging winter where half of these brave believers perished. But by the fall of 1621, the survivors not only stabilized, but had forged a relationship and introduced Christianity to the Native Americans whose land they occupied. They all came together and marked this accomplishment with a feast to celebrate and give thanks to God.

Fast forward to 2021. Instead of the unity with our neighbors that the first thanksgiving celebrated, we find a world divided and people at odds with one another. Instead of looking UP to God for guidance and to give thanks like our ancestors did, we look left or right where we find distrust, disharmony, and

misinformation. Now more than ever before, we need the intercession of our Father to lead us out of this darkness and into the light. We need to pray regularly, fervently, and with purpose and ask for God's help.

At noon on October 2 at the Monument to the Forefathers in Plymouth, the location of the first Christian outpost in the new world, we will pray together and ask God to heal our country. Pastor Greg Winslow, descendant of Edward Winslow's family, who was one of the Christians who arrived on the Mayflower, will lead this historic gathering of Mayflower descendants and Native Americans to pray for unity and healing for all nations under the Gospel, as the Native Americans and new settlers did on that First Thanksgiving . He will be joined by:

Pastor Negiel Bigpond -- Apostle of Morning Star Church of All Nations



Huron Claus -- President/CEO of Chief Inc



William Federer -- Author and Radio Host



Pastor/Historian Paul Jehle-Historian and Senior Pastor of New Testament Church

This event is the latest in a series of prayer gatherings sponsored by If My People-New England, an organization dedicated to bringing peace and healing based on 2 Chronicles 7:14:

"If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land."

We invite you to join us In Plymouth, Massachusetts's for this clarion call to humble, pray, seek and turn once again towards the Lord.

It's time to return again to God in prayer, as they did during the first Thanksgiving, and see God heal our land.

For more info: www.ifmypeopleNE.org

This event will be live-streamed at:

SOURCE Hidden Manna Ministries

CONTACT: Greg Winslow, ifmypeoplene@gmail.com
New Study Shows Many Evangelical Protestants Now Plan for Online Church to Be Part of Their Lives, Even Without a Pandemic

NEWS PROVIDED BY

Infinity Concepts

Sept. 27, 2021

EXPORT, Penn.,Sept. 27, 2021 /Christian Newswire/ -- Because of COVID-19, more than three out of every four evangelical Protestants in the US have experienced watching church online instead of attending in-person. More important is that going forward, the majority who did, now want to make online viewing part of their normal church experience.

These findings come from the new report, The Ripple Effect: Congregations, COVID, and the Future of Church Life, from Infinity Concepts and Grey Matter Research. The study, which included over 1,000 American Evangelical Protestants, examines the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on church attendance and attitudes about the experience. Most notably, the study explores how evangelicals want to attend church in the future.

Nearly nine out of ten evangelicals (87%) were attending church on at least a semi-regular basis prior to the outbreak of the pandemic. Among churchgoers, 89% stopped attending for at least a short time due to the pandemic, and more than three out of four viewed church services online as one of the substitutes for in-person attendance.

This experience with viewing church online led to a number of important developments. First, "One statistic that really stands out to me from this study is that a surprisingly large number of evangelicals do not necessarily see superior advantages to attending in-person services," says Mark Dreistadt, Infinity Concepts Founder and President. "We found that 45% of those who experienced online church services now believe that worship online is equal or superior to the in-person experience in at least one of the eight areas we explored."

The two areas in which online viewing was most likely to have a perceived advantage were their personal comfort (26% said online viewing is superior to in-person attendance in this area) and their ability to experience different churches (24%).

Where evangelicals are most likely to see in-person church as the superior experience is in their level of connection/engagement with the church (81%), having an authentic worship experience (73%), the music/singing (69%), and the ability to give the service their full attention (67%).

Second, among those who viewed online services as a substitute for in-person church, 19% not only viewed services from their own church, but also from at least one church they did not regularly attend prior to the pandemic. Another 13% only viewed services from a church other than their own, but this may have been because their regular church did not offer online services.

"One of the most fascinating and potentially important findings is how many evangelicals took the opportunity to 'digitally visit' other churches, even though their own church was streaming services," says Ron Sellers, President of Grey Matter Research & Consulting. "One has to wonder whether this will ultimately lead to 'church nomads' who surf the internet for new church experiences rather than putting down roots and becoming part of a church community."

The study finding with the greatest potential to impact churches going forward has to do with evangelicals' future plans. With COVID restrictions ever-changing, infections continuing, and no true end to the pandemic in sight, online church services are going to be a necessary option for the foreseeable future. For most evangelicals who experienced it, the option to worship online is also one they hope will continue long after the pandemic is behind us.

"Our findings show that only 44% of evangelical Protestants who viewed services online want to return exclusively to in-person worship once the pandemic is over," Dreistadt noted. "That means 56% would at least like to keep their options open in the future. That's 21 million evangelical adults."

This desire raises a lot of strategic questions for churches. If online becomes an accepted option for many evangelicals, how will that impact giving? How will it impact Sunday school, youth and children's programs, and other traditionally in-person activities that may not be available online? What will happen with smaller churches that may not have a high-quality streaming service, or even any at all?

Much remains unknown about the lasting impact of online services as a substitute for in-person attendance. But Grey Matter and Infinity Concepts hope their partnership on this research helps churches, denominations, and ministry leaders think and plan strategically.

"Our study raises a lot of 'what ifs' for the future direction of congregations," Sellers noted. "The pandemic gave millions of evangelicals an online church experience whether they wanted it or not  and many found out that they wanted it, at least occasionally. It's time to start talking about how this will impact the future for churches."

To request a copy of the full report, please contact Darrell Law, Infinity Concepts VP & Chief Growth Officer at darrell@infinityconcepts.com or 724.930.2801.

Definition of "Evangelical Protestant"

This study used the definition of "evangelical" favored by the National Association of Evangelicals. Respondents who agreed strongly with four statements about their spiritual beliefs (The Bible is the highest authority for what I believe, It is important for me to encourage non-Christians to trust Jesus Christ as their Savior, Jesus Christ's death on the cross is the only sacrifice that could remove the penalty of my sin, and Only those who trust in Jesus Christ alone as their Savior receive God's free gift of eternal salvation), and who were not aligned with a non-Protestant faith group (e.g. Catholic, Orthodox, Mormon) were included in the study.

About Infinity Concepts:

Infinity Concepts is a brand communication agency that inspires people of faith to action through consulting, branding, fundraising, public relations, creative, traditional media, and digital media. With almost 20 years of experience, Infinity Concepts specializes in reaching and engaging the Christian audience.

About Grey Matter Research:

Grey Matter Research is a marketing research and consumer insights company with extensive experiencing serving both the charitable and religious sectors. The company conducts consumer insights work that helps organizations make wiser, more informed decisions based on knowledge rather than suppositions.

SOURCE Infinity Concepts

CONTACT: Karen Hepp, 724-930-2809
Vietnam-funded bridge and road project launched in Cambodia

A bridge and road project, the construction of which was funded with donations from Vietnamese expats and businesses in Cambodia, was launched in Troey Koh, Kampot city, the capital of Kampot province, on September 26.













Ribbon is cut to launch the project in Cambodia. (Photo: VNA)



The project comprises of a bridge, embankment and a 50-m road leading to Thao Kong Ta Ang Communal House, a place for cultural and religious gatherings of local people.



The Vietnamese Consulate General in Preah Sihanouk has raised a total of 18,000 USD from Vietnamese people, businesses and organisations in Cambodia for the construction of the project which started in early August.



The project will benefit more than 600 local households, many of which are Vietnamese, and help shorten travel time to school for about 200 Cambodian students.



Vice governor of Kampot city Men Vannara highlighted the significance of the project, saying it will enable students to safely travel to school, particularly during the rainy season.



He thanked the government of Vietnam, the Khmer-Vietnam Association and Vietnamese missions in Cambodia for their contribution to the project.



Vietnamese Consul General to Preah Sihanouk Vu Ngoc Ly, for his part, said the project demonstrates the unity and humanity between the peoples at the time of COVID-19. He expected it will help recover the local economy and strengthen relations between Vietnamese expats and local authorities.



The launch of the project was among a series of events to mark the 55th anniversary of the Vietnam-Cambodia diplomatic ties (June 24, 1967  2022).
HCM City plans to reopen some activities from October 1

HCM City is gathering opinions to reopen various activities from October 1 after the Covid-19 outbreak has been controlled in the city.



Various activities to be reopened with conditions





During a press conference on September 26, Pham Duc Hai, deputy head of HCM City Steering Committee for Covid-19 Prevention said that the city planned to allow the reopening of many activities from October. The Department of Transport is consulting on how to regulate the traffic inside the city and organise inter-province traffic.



Le Hoa Binh, vice chairman of HCM City People's Committee had sent an urgent document asking localities authorities to give feedback on the plan and propose measures to better control the outbreak while restarting the economy.



According to the plan, crowds of more than 10 people will still be banned. However, if all of the participants have been fully vaccinated, a crowd with fewer than 50 people is allowed.



Barriers and checkpoints at hundreds of alleyways removed.







Consular offices, foreign economic and cultural offices in Vietnam must operate at 30% capacity. Factories and firms that require all employees to go to the offices must make sure that their employees have been vaccinated. Several construction sites, agricultural households will be allowed to operate. Hair salons must work at 50% capacity while resorts and tourist spots must work at 30% capacity.



However, bars, beauty salons, cinemas, dance clubs, and karaoke bars will still close. Cultural and religious activities will mostly be banned.



The city will maintain the 51 checkpoints leading in and out of the city. They will increase patrol in areas with high traffic flows.



On September 27, barriers and checkpoints at hundreds of alleyways along Pham Van Bach and Cong Hoa streets in Tan Binh District, have been removed.



Nguyen Van Tai, a local on Pham Van Bach Street, said, "The barriers were put up three months ago to better control the outbreak. We mostly went to the alleyway entrance to receive food and other necessities. Everyone is glad that travelling can be somewhat normal again."
Over 1.3 million Covid-19 vaccine doses transferred to Health Ministry

The Vietnam Vaccine Joint Stock Company (VNVC) on September 27 transferred 1,317,500 doses of the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine to the Ministry of Health.













The Vietnam Vaccine Joint Stock Company transfers 1,317,500 doses of the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine to the Ministry of Health on September 27.

The vaccines belong to VNVC's contract to buy 30 million doses from AstraZeneca which was signed in November 2020. So far AstraZeneca has delivered nearly 15 million doses in the contract to Vietnam.



The Vietnamese Ministry of Health is responsible for carrying out the national Covid-19 vaccination campaign which gives free vaccination to all local people.



According to the ministry, Vietnam has received nearly 53 million doses so far through the COVAX facility, foreign government aid, and commercial contracts.



The country aims to vaccinate 70 percent of its population by next April.



By the end of Sunday, the country had conducted over 38.36 million Covid-19 vaccine shots, with over 7.94 million people having received two doses.
Putin, Trump met for a second, undisclosed time at G20, reports say

US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin had a second, undisclosed meeting during the G20 summit in Hamburg, news reports said Tuesday.

GALLERY

Trump"s longer official bilateral meeting with Putin at the G20 was the first face-to-face meeting between the two presidents. The US president has said he wants to improve US-Russian relations so that they can work together on global problems like the war in Syria.

Washington (dpa) - The second meeting lasted about one hour and took place after the more that two-hour meeting that had previously been disclosed and widely described in news reports, according to the Washington Post and other US news media.It took place at a couples-only dinner for G20 leaders on July 7, a senior administration official said, according to the news reports. Trump initiated the meeting by leaving his seat in the Hamburg Philharmonic to sit next to Putin.The only other person present was Putins official interpreter. There was no information on what they discussed.The White House did not respond to dpas request for comment.Trumps longer official bilateral meeting with Putin was the first face-to-face meeting between the two presidents. The US president has said he wants to improve US-Russian relations so that they can work together on global problems like the war in Syria.But the newly disclosed conversation could result in further criticism of the president over contacts between members of his presidential campaign and the Russian government.Multiple probes have been launched to look into Russias meddling in the election.In another Russia-related announcement late Tuesday, the White House said Trump intended to nominate veteran diplomat and businessman Jon Huntsman as US ambassador to Russia.If Huntsman, the former Republican governor of Utah, is confirmed by the Senate to the diplomatic post it would be his third ambassadorship. Huntsman previously served as US ambassador to China and to Singapore.Huntsman is chairman of the foreign policy research institute Atlantic Council and heads a cancer foundation. He also sits on the boards of directors of major companies such as Hilton, Chevron and Ford. He and his wife Mary Kaye have seven children.
12 injured in arson attack as German anti-foreigner sentiment rises

Twelve people including seven minors have been injured in two arson attacks on adjacent apartment buildings housing "people with a foreign background," police in the German town of Augsburg said Thursday.

GALLERY

Wallerstein, Germany (dpa) - A police spokesman said the attacks, which occurred overnight into Thursday in the Swabian town of Wallerstein, may have been motivated by xenophobic sentiment, but that other lines of enquiry were also being pursued.A 22-year-old heavily inebriated man who was near the buildings when the fires were being doused has been arrested.The incident is the latest in a torrent of anti-immigrant and anti-foreigner crimes in Germany, where over 1 million people mainly from war-torn countries in the Middle East have sought asylum in 2015.By mid-November, the authorities had recorded 1,610 violent crimes against migrants and their accommodations.The buildings targeted overnight to Thursday were not refugee hostels, however. They were apartment buildings housing people of foreign extraction.Also on Thursday, police in the German capital said a mosque in the district of Kreuzberg had filed a complaint after receiving a package with a severed pigs head and a copy of the Koran in it.Pigs are considered to be impure by Muslims.
Renzi makes peace with EU's Juncker as both condemn blind austerity

Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker buried the hatchet on Friday, teaming up to condemn "foolish and blind" austerity policies following months of bickering between Rome and Brussels.

GALLERY

Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi (R) and EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker (L) arrive for a press conference following their meeting at Chigi Palace, in Rome, Italy, 26 February 2016.

Rome (dpa) - Renzi has emerged as a leading critic of the European Unions executive, accusing the commission of being too bureaucratic, too close to Germany, and too focused on policing austerity. Speaking in Rome, Juncker defended the European Unions executive arm while aligning himself with Renzis calls for growth and jobs."The commission I lead is not an ensemble of technocrats and bureaucrats, it is made up of politicians, including several former prime ministers," Juncker said. "It is not a commission that extols the virtues of a foolish and blind austerity.""We should not lose sight of the absolute need for Europe to regain the path of more sustained and lasting growth: a Europe that accepts as a fait accompli such a high number of unemployed is not certainly the Europe I dream of," he added."Jean-Claude said today that austerity is stupid: I endorse and subscribe to this," Renzi said in a joint press conference, vowing to still work to reduce Italys huge mountain of public debt, the EUs second highest in relative terms after Greece.But both leaders dodged questions on whether Italy will be allowed to drift from EU deficit reduction targets this year and next, as was the case in 2015 thanks to "flexibility" provisions that give leeway to countries with a good reform record.In a regular review of EU countries economies, published in parallel to Junckers Rome trip, the commission found that Italy was still suffering from "structural weaknesses" hampering its growth and resilience, including high public debt.Renzi repeated that his country was no longer the EUs problem child thanks to his governments reforms, but the commission gave a mixed assessment, praising acts like an overhaul of the job market while criticizing tax giveaways."The cut to property taxes on first residences from 2016 is not consistent with repeated recommendations [from fellow EU governments] to shift taxation away from productive factors onto property and consumption," the commission noted.Renzi and Juncker also found common ground on migration, the main topic of an EU-Turkey summit scheduled for March 7.Without naming specific offenders, the commission chief blamed EU governments for resisting a plan to redistribute asylum seekers across the bloc, and accused many of them of fleeing from common sense solutions.The Italian leader said the EU should also join forces to repatriate migrants who dont qualify for asylum, and repeated warnings to Central and Eastern European countries that are stonewalling EU burden-sharing requests."I hope that [Juncker] may be able to win the battle with some colleagues," Renzi said. "People cant ask for solidarity only when it comes to grabbing European funds, and forget it when it comes to helping with migrants," he added.In the run-up to the talks, the Italian premier dismissed suggestions he had raised anti-EU rhetoric for vote-grabbing reasons, insisting he was driven by a sincere desire to reform the EU and bore no grudge against Brussels.Juncker, who scolded Renzi in January for "vilifying and criticizing the commission on every street corner," said Friday that Rome and Brussels have similar views on many fronts, despite "partial disagreements" and occasional "maladroit" moves from both sides.On Monday, Italy unveiled a blueprint for EU reforms, including calls to set up a eurozone unemployment benefits scheme. The paper took aim at Germanys large trade surplus, which the commission also criticized in its Friday economic reports.Juncker, who also met President Sergio Mattarella and his still influential predecessor Giorgio Napolitano, praised the Italian document for "giving renewed courage to those who still believe in the need for Europe."
Rio de Janeiro (dpa) - A Brazilian policeman who was on security duties at the Rio Olympics has died of his injuries following a shoot-out in a favela complex.



Helio Vieira died late on Thursday, Justice Minister Alexandre de Moraes said on his Facebook page.



Vieira was with two officers when their vehicle came under fire on Wednesday at the Mare complex north of Rio, some nine kilometres from the international airport. The two other officers were slightly injured.




Man in the pub who drove Britain's Brexit debate

United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP) leader Nigel Farage has survived being run over, testicular cancer and a plane crash, as well as some vicious criticism by the British media and politicians.

GALLERY

UK Independence Party (UKIP) leader Nigel Farage (L) arrives to deliver a speech on UKIPs plans for the coming months, at the Emmanuel center in Westminster, London, Britain, 04 July 2016. During the speech, Farage announced he is resigning as UKIP leader.

London (dpa) - One of the most flamboyant characters in British politics resigned as UKIP leader in May 2015 after he narrowly failed to win a seat in parliament. He returned as leader days later after a petition from thousands of disappointed UKIP members.Announcing his resignation again on Monday, Farage insisted he would not repeat that comeback, saying Britains vote to leave the European Union in last months referendum "means that my political ambition has been achieved."The 52-year-old likes supporters to see him as a jovial, ordinaryandHe was often pictured grinning at photographers while clutching a pint of "bitter" beer, sometimes in the Westminster Arms pub, close to Britains parliament, but far enough away to reflect his status as a self-styled political outsider.In his referendum campaigning Farage seized upon the reluctance from Britains two largest parties - the Conservatives and Labour - to engage in any meaningful discussion of communities affected by immigration.His shunning by right-wing eurosceptics in the ruling Conservatives only enhanced the anti-establishment image of a man who is a cult hero to many UKIP members.It was Farages description of Herman Van Rompuy, the president of the European Council, as havingwhile dismissingthat brought him to most Europeans attention in 2010.Nigel Paul Farage (pronounced to rhyme with carriage) was born in the southern English county of Kent, the son of an alcoholic stockbroker who left Farages mother when he was just 5 years old.After attending the prestigious private school Dulwich College, Farage eschewed university when he reached 18, choosing instead to follow his father into the City as a commodities trader.In his early 20s he experienced his first brush with death when he was knocked down by a car after a drunken night in the pub where he had been arguing about British-Irish relations.He survived, only to be diagnosed with testicular cancer shortly afterwards. But he overcame the illness - he has reportedly expressed- and went on to marry twice and father four children.His first dabble with politics came with the Conservative Party, but he left to become one of the founding members of UKIP when Britain signed the 1992 Maastricht treaty, which paved the way for greater political union and the euro currency.Charismatic and articulate, Farage quickly climbed the party ladder, becoming a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) in 1999 and party leader in 2006.He resigned for a brief spell in 2009 to fight a seat in the 2010 general election, an attempt which failed as UKIP polled just 3 per cent. It was during campaigning that he survived a plane crash with minor injuries.The UKIP leader and his party have sailed apparently unscathed through several scandals about MEPs expenses, accusations of racism and sexism, infighting, and Farages alleged affairs.In 2013 Marta Andreasen, then the partys only female MEP, defected to the Conservatives, accusing Farage of being "anti-women" and a "Stalinist dictator".Another ex-UKIP MEP, Nikki Sinclair, stood up in the European Parliament to accuse Farage of using taxpayers money to fund jobs for both his German wife and a woman she said was his former mistress.But the mud flung at Farage failed to halt the rise of UKIP to become Britains third-largest party in a general election in May 2015, winning 13 per cent of the votes. His apparent invincibility had led one BBC reporter to dub him "non-stick Nigel."Following the Brexit referendum, Farage used his speech in the European Parliament to gloat over his success.he told fellow MEPs.
Russia stops disposing of weapons-grade plutonium, suspending US deal

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday suspended a deal with the United States to dispose of excess supplies of weapons-grade plutonium, citing a large deterioration in bilateral ties.

GALLERY

Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) visits the Przewalskis horse re-introduction centre at the Orenburg Nature Reserve, Russia, 03 October 2016.

Moscow/Washington (dpa) - Russia will not proceed with the programme amid recent "threats to strategic stability as a result of unfriendly US actions towards Russia," Putin said in his order, posted on the governments legal information website.The White House called Russias decision to unilaterally withdraw from the agreement "disappointing."The agreement had shown the US and Russia had made non-proliferation a priority."The United States is interested in limiting proliferation and trying to reduce the risk associated with potential nuclear terrorism," spokesman Josh Earnest said.Putin also accused the United States of failing to fulfill its half of the deal. The pact was agreed in 2000 to dispose of dozens of tons of plutonium, enough for thousands of nuclear weapons.Earnest however stressed the US has upheld the agreement since it took effect in 2011 and "would like to see the Russians continue to do the same thing."Meanwhile, Putin submitted a bill to parliament to set preconditions for the programme to be resumed, including a reduction of US military infrastructure in certain NATO states, as well as the removal of US sanctions against Russia.Relations between the US and Russia have deteriorated amid Russian involvement in Syria as well as Ukraine, and the State Department on Monday broke off diplomatic engagement with Russia on Syria amid a spiral of escalating violence."Weve obviously been quite disappointed about a range of Russian decisions however both inside of Syria but also in Ukraine. And unfortunately the announcement about the Plutonium Management and Disposition Agreement is more in line with those kinds of decisions that have only deepened Russias isolation in the international community," Earnest said.
First minister leaves Merkel cabinet to become opposition leader

German Chancellor Angela Merkel's labour minister officially left her post on Thursday, a day after she was voted in as the leader of the Social Democratic Partys (SPD) parliamentary group when it goes into opposition.

GALLERY

Andrea Nahles, who served as labour minister in the grand coalition government between Merkels Christian Democrats (CDU) and the SPD, was officially released from her duties by German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier.

Berlin (dpa) - Andrea Nahles, who served as labour minister in the grand coalition government between Merkels Christian Democrats (CDU) and the SPD, was officially released from her duties by German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier.In her new post as opposition leader, Nahles - who pushed through an impressive amount of legislation as head of the Labour Ministry - will have the privilege of getting the first response to the chancellor in parliamentary debates.The move comes four days after Merkels conservative bloc reached a historically-low rate of support in an election that is forcing the long-serving chancellor to attempt an untried coalition with the environmentalist Greens and the pro-business Free Democrats (FDP).The SPD has ruled out the option of forming another grand coalition with the CDU. This move has prevented the right-wing populist Alternative for Germany (AfD), which has won parliamentary seats for the first time, from becoming the leading opposition party."Our country will need a functioning government and a strong and responsible opposition," Steinmeier said at Berlins Bellevue Palace after dismissing Nahles form the government.
Containing China not antidote to America's hegemonic anxiety

Xinhua) 08:11, September 27, 2021

Photo taken on May 28, 2021 shows the U.S. Capitol building behind a traffic sign in Washington, D.C., the United States. (Xinhua/Liu Jie)

Such morbid fascination with containing others stems from the mounting anxiety of the United States, the world's sole superpower whose dream of global hegemony has run into intractable predicaments.

BEIJING, Sept. 26 (Xinhua) -- In recent years, the U.S. government has indulged in suppressing China, which ranges from illegal arrests of Chinese citizens and unwarranted oppression of Chinese enterprises to reckless interference in China's internal affairs and sinister attempts to form anti-China cliques.

Such morbid fascination with containing others stems from the mounting anxiety of the United States, the world's sole superpower whose dream of global hegemony has run into intractable predicaments.

America's anxiety can find its deep roots in Washington's long-standing hubris, which has been prevailing throughout the U.S. history. Since the declaration of independence in 1776, the United States has been bent on expanding its territory and influence.

After the United States' total industrial output jumped to the first place in the world in 1894, its expansion ambition has gone global. Since the end of World War II, the United States has reaped massive gains through military and financial supremacy.

With the collapse of the Soviet Union, the United States embraced its unipolar moment, and geared up to impose American-style values and democracy around the world.

From plotting "color revolutions" and promoting the "Neo-Monroe Doctrine" abroad to turning against its allies and quitting international treaties and bodies, Washington has spared no effort to defend its hegemonic status.

Photo taken on Sept. 17, 2021 shows the U.S. Capitol building, seen through a barrier fence, in Washington, D.C. (Xinhua/Liu Jie)

However, the United States is increasingly finding that its pursuit of global hegemony is encountering some serious challenges, which is mostly exemplified in its anti-pandemic debacle and the chaotic military withdrawal from Afghanistan.

As Francis Fukuyama, a senior fellow at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies at Stanford University, pointed out, the long-term sources of American weakness and decline are more domestic than international.

Regrettably, Washington seems to have failed to realize that. To alleviate the anxiety resulting from its own problems, Washington has been accelerating its pace of containing China.

According to a recent study from Oxford Economics, a leading global advisory firm, Americans witnessed a boom of savings during the pandemic, but most of the gains went to the wealthiest 20 percent of Americans.

What's worse, deep-rooted racism, xenophobic tendencies and extremism in the United States are spreading along with the virus, with violence against Asian immigrants surging across the country.

People rally to protest against anti-Asian hate crimes on Foley Square in New York, the United States, April 4, 2021. (Xinhua/Wang Ying)

Meanwhile, the intensifying bipartisan struggle is tearing up the U.S. society, which severely undermines the continuity and rationality of the U.S. government's decisions.

The United States is suffering from these problems not because of China. Therefore, containing China can in no way to mitigate America's growing anxiety. Instead, containment is a double-edged sword. While containment has indeed hit some Chinese industries, but at the same time, it has increased the burden on America's domestic enterprises and ordinary people.

In the eyes of Martin Wolf, chief economics commentator at the Financial Times, "there will be much competition, but there must also be deep co-operation" between the two countries, and "containing China is not a feasible option."

The China-U.S. relationship is widely deemed as the most consequential relationship in the world. The two countries and the rest of the world will benefit from China-U.S. cooperation but suffer from their confrontation. A healthy and stable development of China-U.S. relations is not only in the fundamental interests of the two peoples, but also a common expectation of the international community.

Washington must be aware that its anxiety will never be relieved by smearing or attacking China. The antidote for the United States is to devote itself to combatting the pandemic, bridging social gaps and improving the welfare of its own people.

Washington should also sober up to the fact that China's peaceful development is unstoppable and can never be contained. Getting bilateral relationship right is not optional, but something must be done and must be done well.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
China-Africa expo unleashes new cooperation potential

Xinhua) 08:15, September 27, 2021

CHANGSHA, Sept. 26 (Xinhua) -- The Second China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo opened Sunday, unleashing new potential for cooperation between China and Africa.

The four-day event, held both online and offline, and themed "New Start, New Opportunities, and New Accomplishments," has attracted nearly 900 enterprises from about 40 African countries and China, according to the organizers.

The expo in Changsha, capital of central China's Hunan Province, features exhibitions on the fruits of China-Africa economic cooperation, African brand commodities and specialty products such as coffee and nuts. The event also includes forums on cooperation in areas such as food and agricultural products, the healthcare industry, financing, infrastructure and the private sector.

The expo has a total exhibition area of 94,000 square meters this year, with Algeria, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, South Africa and Senegal the guest countries of honor.

"China-Africa economic and trade cooperation is at a critical period of transformation, upgrading, and improving quality and efficiency," said Wang Bingnan, China's vice minister of commerce, at the opening ceremony.

Organizing a successful China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo and building a high-level pilot zone for economic and trade in-depth cooperation will effectively promote China-Africa market connectivity and the sharing of factors and resources, while contributing to stabilizing and facilitating industrial and supply chains and the building of a new development pattern, Wang added.

First launched in 2019, the expo is a major platform for strengthening economic and trade cooperation between China and African countries. Among the new measures to promote two-way trade, the expo this year included new special events to promote African products such as coffee.

In Africa, a key region of SANY's international development, the company will focus on major engineering projects and infrastructure construction to provide cost-effective products and more efficient and perfect services, said Liang Wengen, chairman of China's machinery giant SANY Group. The Changsha-based company first exported its products to Africa in 2002 and has long been a leader among Chinese exporters of machinery to the continent.

"The company will also actively share its experience in industrialization development with African enterprises, especially SANY's experience in exploring intelligent manufacturing, to contribute more wisdom to Africa's industrialization development and industrial upgrading," Liang added.

By the end of 2020, China had been Africa's largest trading partner for 12 consecutive years. Bilateral trade registered robust growth this year, with trade volume rising 40.5 percent year on year to 139.1 billion dollars in the first seven months. It is a record high, year on year, according to China's Ministry of Commerce.

With the support of the China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo, small and medium-sized African enterprises have established partnerships with Chinese companies and entered the Chinese market, Senegalese President Macky Sall said via video at the expo's opening ceremony.

Noting that China and Africa together constitute a market of more than 2.5 billion consumers, Sall said the two sides should reinforce complementary advantages in the agriculture and industry sectors to optimize industrial transfer, as well as economic and trade cooperation.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
Germans vote in crucial poll for Merkel's successor

Global Times) 08:22, September 27, 2021

Whoever takes office, Germany will remain "pragmatic" on China ties despite short bumpy road: analysts

In what has been dubbed by observers as a "most uncertain election," Germans are voting to decide who will succeed long-serving Chancellor Angela Merkel. Yet what is certain is that the next German leader will carry on Merkel's "pragmatic" policy toward China as it stands for the best interest of Europe's bellwether.

Polls opened at 8 am local time in Germany on Sunday, marking the final sprint in this important election, not only for Germany, but also for Europe and the world. A clear indication is expected to appear when voting comes to an end at 6 pm German time on Sunday - midnight of Beijing time on Sunday.

The two camps in the current ruling coalition - the conservative CDU/CSU alliance and the center-left Social Democrats - are almost neck and neck as voters prepare to choose. The latest opinion polls show the center-left Social Democrat Party (SPD) leading on about 25 percent, while Merkel's Christian Democrats (CDU) conservative alliance is lagging on around 22 percent, Deutsche Welle reported.

Chinese observers said that opinion polls in Germany are more reliable than other Western polls, yet the small margin between the two parties renders them to predict two outcomes: One is a coalition headed by the CDU and the Christian Social Union in Bavaria (CSU), led by Armin Laschet. The other is a coalition led by Olaf Scholz of the SPD. In either case, the coalition would be joined by the Greens and the pro-business Free Democrats.

The China factor

Less than three days before the poll opened, candidates from seven major parties engaged in a final televised debate, where they touched on the relationship with China, one of Germany's most important trade partners.

Laschet said that he supports Merkel's stance on China and believes Germany must continue being China's "reliable friend." Scholz avoided talking about China, only stressing the need for a strong and independent Europe on the diplomatic front.

The fact that China failed to become the focus of this German election means the parties do not greatly diverge on foreign policy, including on China, therefore, it can be predicted that Germany will largely adhere to its traditional foreign policy toward China.

"For one thing, the SPD's Scholz follows the line of former leader Gerhard Schroder, which stresses a pragmatic approach and a rather independent values system different from [that of] the US," Zhao Junjie, a research fellow at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences' Institute of European Studies, told the Global Times on Sunday.

"Its values system traces back to the founding of the party in the 1860s, when it started out as a workers' party, one of the first Marxist-influenced parties in the world. It was once Europe's largest Marxist party."

Experts noted that if chosen as leader, Scholz will carry on Merkel's pragmatic policy and will not drag Germany into reckless attacks of other countries. The SPD leader has said very little on China.

The SPD's 15-page position paper on China from last year was replaced by a couple of paragraphs in this year's manifesto.

The CDU's Armin Laschet has made his position on China clear. When the party launched its campaign in June, the Financial Times quoted Laschet as questioning the logic of criticizing China on human rights, saying Germany's relationship with China was guided by strong commercial ties.

"The China-Germany intergovernmental consultations will most likely be inherited by Scholz if he takes office," Zhao said. "And the mechanism will continue in the long run, as it will discuss matters of actual cooperation between the two sides which will not be dropped whoever takes office."

Yet experts predicted that the China-Germany relations will likely hit a short period of bumpy road after a new leader takes office, as the two small parties, the Greens and the Free Democrats, who are hawkish on China, are likely to join a coalition government.

"Yet such turbulence will be short-lived, as Germany will eventually sway back to sensibility," Jiang Feng, a scholar with Shanghai International Studies University, told the Global Times on Sunday.

Chinese analysts also pointed out that the China-Germany intergovernmental consultations - the long-standing mechanism between the Chinese and German governments - are a forum where senior members of the two governments can periodically discuss major policymaking issues or resolve discrepancies.

Stay neutral

Prior to the German election, the chasm between Europe and the US deepened after the hasty US troop withdrawal from Afghanistan stunned its European allies. Most recently, France was outraged by a nuclear submarine deal among the US, Australia and UK, which caused the cancelation of a $66 billion submarine deal between Paris and Canberra.

"In the moment, everybody is choked to realize the Americans have changed gear and that Biden, although a nice and polite person compared to Trump, still pursues what they started under Obama, to forge an alliance to contain China Germany is not interested in being drawn into any type of confrontation with China," an expert on Germany in China told the Global Times on condition of anonymity, noting that although Germany seeks military protection from the US, Berlin disagrees with Washington's hostile position against Beijing.

Speaking to the Financial Times in June, after US President Joe Biden's first official trip to Europe, Laschet suggested many in Europe were skeptical of Biden's hawkish attitude to China.

"The question is - if we're talking about 'restraining' China, will that lead to a new conflict? Do we need a new adversary?" he said. "And there the European response was cautious, because, yes, China is a competitor and a systemic rival, it has a different model of society, but it's also a partner, particularly in things like fighting climate change."

Jiang pointed out that German politicians see very clearly that the US plans to counterbalance France and Russia with Germany, while at the same time making use of the Eastern European countries to check Germany. But Germany knows that its development is inseparable from China.

Take climate change. Germany will find it hard to push forward climate change-related issues without China's help, and its business and trade cannot thrive without the Chinese market, said Jiang, "especially after the pandemic, it is hard to decouple from Beijing."

"Germans are quite conservative in their political attitudes, they like constant governments, not too much change and disruption. And if they get the feeling that somebody wants to take them in the leech, they hide in privacy and pay back at the poll station," the above-mentioned anonymous expert said.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun)
FC-31 stealth fighter, GJ-11 stealth attack drone that belong to China's "20" aircraft family on display at Airshow

Global Times) 08:30, September 27, 2021

A model of a J-20 stealth fighter jet is on display at the exhibition stand of the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC), as the China Airshow 2021 in Zhuhai, South China's Guangdong Province, opened to media on Sunday. Models of other AVIC aircrafts of "20 family" including GJ-11 drone, Y-20 transport plane, FC-31 stealth fighter jet and Z-20 helicopter are also on display. (Photo: Yang Sheng/GT)

After a year's postponement due to COVID-19, the long-awaited Airshow China in Zhuhai, South China's Guangdong Province will display some of the country's latest weaponry and equipment not only in the air, but also on land and sea. A particular highlight will be dazzling flight performances by the most advanced fighter jet of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force, the J-20, the Global Times learned on Sunday in a visit to the exhibition shortly prior to its planned opening on Tuesday.

A number of advanced aircraft in service with the PLA, such as the J-16D electronic warfare aircraft, WZ-7 high-altitude drone and WZ-8 high-altitude, high-speed drone, are on static display in the outdoor exhibition area for the first time.

Some of the aircraft are still partly covered up to be revealed only on opening day.

All of the aircraft in the outdoor exhibition area are the real thing.

In the exhibition hall of the state-owned Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC), scale models of the "20" aircraft family, namely the J-20 stealth fighter jet, the Y-20 large transport aircraft and the Z-20 utility helicopter, are displayed on a giant rotary table in the center, together with the model of a GJ-11 stealth armed reconnaissance drone.

A model of the FC-31, China's second stealth fighter jet, which is placed near an entrance to the hall attracted attention from many media outlets.

Even if they do not have "20" in their names, the GJ-11 and the FC-31 are both key members of the "20" aircraft family, Zhou Guoqiang, general manager assistant at AVIC, told a group of reporters on Sunday.

A J-20 conducted a rehearsal flight at the air show site on Saturday, but that cannot represent the real performance on the upcoming opening ceremony on Tuesday, Zhou said. "I can tell you for a fact that the performance that day will be much more spectacular."

Military observers expect the J-20 to make more daring and challenging moves compared with its previous flights and further display its outstanding maneuverability, particularly when it has reportedly switched to domestically developed engines from imported Russian ones.

A new iteration of the WS-10 Taihang Turbofan engine is on display at the booth of Aero Engine Corporation of China.

Apart from aircraft, China's state-owned arms firms also brought their wares, including group force and maritime weapons and vehicles including main battle tanks, armor vehicles, artilleries, long-range rocket launchers, missiles and unmanned maritime combat vehicles.

In the exhibition hall of China North Industries Group Corporation Limited (NORINCO) and China South Industries Group, hundreds of items that cover mobile assaults, fire assaults, unmanned systems, all-terrain mobile synthetic battalion system, individual combat equipment, wheeled fire attack equipment, terminal defense combat system, precision ammunition and civilian firearms have been displayed.

The China-made QBZ-191 automatic rifle will make its debut at the airshow. The rifle was first revealed to the public in the military parade in Beijing to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China in 2019.

Over 30 types of ground equipment, such as the combat tank VT4, the lightweight VT5 and the 8x8 armored tank VN1 will perform a variety of tactical operations including slope climbing, water obstacles crossing and snake-like maneuvers.

Li Heng, spokesperson of the NORINCO exhibition hall, told media that the VT4 and VT5 tanks are star products in the international market, and the VN-16 is the most advanced amphibious armored vehicle in the world. The VN-16's running speed in the water can reach 25 kilometers per hour and it can run safely in the sea state 4 condition and conduct accurate strike in the sea state 3 condition.

Companies including China State Shipbuilding Corporation Limited also put maritime weaponry and equipment on display, including the JARI-USV, a made-for-export ship drone with modularized and integrated designs.

The ship drone only has a length of 15 meters and a displacement of 20 tons, but it is capable of conducting air defense, anti-ship and anti-submarine missions thanks to a phased array radar system, vertical-launched missiles and torpedoes, China Central Television said in an earlier report.

China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation will reveal the HT-1E ship-borne universal vertical launching system capable of launching four missiles from a single launch unit.

China First Heavy Industries will exhibit a type of single barrel 76mm deck gun designed for small surface vessels.

Models of China's main battle vessels, including aircraft carriers, destroyers, frigates and submarines are also on display.

By offering all types of weaponry and equipment, Airshow China has become a world-class, comprehensive defense exhibition, analysts said.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun)
Int'l wine culture, tourism expo kicks off in China's Ningxia

Xinhua) 08:36, September 27, 2021

Photo taken on Sept. 25, 2021 shows the venue of the first China (Ningxia) International Wine Culture and Tourism Expo in Yinchuan, northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. The first China (Ningxia) International Wine Culture and Tourism Expo is held from Sept. 25 to 27. (Xinhua/Wang Peng)

YINCHUAN, Sept. 26 (Xinhua) -- The first China (Ningxia) International Wine Culture and Tourism Expo opened online and offline on Sunday in Yinchuan, capital of northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region.

Co-organized by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, among other authorities, the expo has attracted 183 vineyards and wine-related enterprises from around the world.

Themed "Chinese Wine: a Marvel to the World," the event is scheduled to feature six main activities, including an international wine contest, an exhibition of wine-manufacturing equipment, and forums on wine production, wine culture and wine tourism.

At the ceremony, Pau Roca Blasco, director general of the International Organization of Vine and Wine (OIV) extended his best wishes for the opening of the expo via video link.

The establishment of the National Open Development Comprehensive Pilot Zone for the Grape and Wine Industry, decided upon by the national authorities of China, has become a method of promotion and an engine for the development of the region, and is also recognition of Ningxia's status as the wine capital of China, he said.

In July this year, the pilot zone, the first of its kind in China, was set up in Ningxia with the objective of turning the region into China's Bordeaux.

Over the years, Ningxia has grown into a major wine-making region in China. It has 211 wineries -- completed or under construction -- with an annual output of 130 million bottles of wine.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
Zimbabwe receives more China-donated vaccines against COVID-19

Xinhua) 08:45, September 27, 2021

Zimbabwean Vice President Constantino Chiwenga (front), who is also the country's minister of Health and Child Care, speaks during a handover ceremony of China-donated vaccines at Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport in Harare, Zimbabwe, on Sept. 26, 2021. Zimbabwe on Sunday received the fourth batch of Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine doses from China. (Photo by Chen Yaqin/Xinhua)

HARARE, Sept. 26 (Xinhua) -- Zimbabwe on Sunday received the fourth batch of Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine doses from China.

Chinese Ambassador to Zimbabwe Guo Shaochun handed over the consignment to Zimbabwean Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, who is also the country's minister of Health and Child Care, at Harare's Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport.

Speaking after the vaccine handover, Chiwenga expressed gratitude to China for supporting Zimbabwe's fight against COVID-19.

"Since the devastating pandemic was first reported in this country on March 20, 2020, the People's Republic of China has been generously providing both technical and material assistance," he said. "The government of Zimbabwe is grateful for the kind gesture by the leadership and the government of the People's Republic of China to complement our efforts towards attaining herd immunity."

Chiwenga said the donations were a testament to the cordial relations between the two countries, adding that China continues to support Zimbabwe in a world characterized by disparities in accessing vaccines, premised by countries focusing on their own populations.

Speaking on the same occasion, Guo reassured China's commitment in making vaccines a global public good.

"China is serious about building a community with a shared future for mankind. China is committed to the common values of humanity, including peace, development, fairness, justice, democracy and freedom," he said.

Zimbabwe has so far received four batches of vaccine doses from China since the start of the vaccination program in February.

Slightly over 3 million Zimbabweans have received one dose of the vaccine, while more than 2.1 million people -- about 15 percent of the country's population of 14 million -- are now fully vaccinated.

This makes Zimbabwe one of the highly vaccinated countries in Africa.

The arrival of the latest batch comes as authorities are aggressively pushing for the public to get vaccinated following a drop in daily vaccinations.

Earlier this month, the government announced that unvaccinated civil servants have up to Oct. 15 to be vaccinated after which they will not be allowed to report for duty.

The country has already made it mandatory for people to get vaccinated to go to markets, gyms, restaurants and university exams, with some private companies also making it mandatory for their employees to be vaccinated.

To date, Zimbabwe had registered 129,505 confirmed cases of COVID-19, including 121,128 recoveries and 4,603 deaths.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
Symposium commemorating renowned writer Lu Xun held in Beijing

Xinhua) 09:09, September 27, 2021

Huang Kunming, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and head of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee, attends a symposium commemorating the 140th birth anniversary of Lu Xun, a famous Chinese writer from the 20th century, in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 26, 2021. (Xinhua/Yue Yuewei)

BEIJING, Sept. 26 (Xinhua) -- A symposium commemorating the 140th birth anniversary of Lu Xun, a famous Chinese writer from the 20th century, was held in Beijing on Sunday.

Huang Kunming, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and head of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee, attended the symposium and called on people to learn from the noble character of Lu Xun and carrying forward his spirit.

Lu Xun was the most influential representative of the cultural and literary circle in modern times and made pioneering contributions in several fields, Huang said.

Noting that Lu Xun was dedicated to the pursuit of truth and progress, Huang said the writer always joined hands with the CPC and was the Party's most faithful and trustworthy comrade and friend.

Hosted by the China Writers Association, more than 100 people attended the symposium, including the relatives of Lu Xun, writers, scholars and representatives from all walks of life across the country.

Lu Xun is the pen name of Zhou Shuren (1881-1936). His works, including "The True Story of Ah Q" and "A Madman's Diary," placed him among the leading Chinese writers that ushered Chinese literature into the modern era.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
Tesla sets up data center in China

Xinhua) 09:22, September 27, 2021

Employees work at the Tesla Gigafactory in Shanghai, east China, Nov. 20, 2020. (Xinhua/Ding Ting)

HANGZHOU, Sept. 26 (Xinhua) -- U.S. car manufacturer Tesla has set up a data center in China to localize all data generated from its business in the country, including production, sales, service and charging, its chief executive Elon Musk said.

"All personally identifiable information is securely stored in China without being transferred overseas. Only in very rare cases, for example, when spare parts are ordered from overseas, is data approved for transfer internationally," Musk said in a video address at the 2021 World Internet Conference Wuzhen Summit, which kicked off on Sunday in Wuzhen, east China's Zhejiang Province.

"Data security is key to the success of intelligent and connected vehicles. It is not only closely linked to individuals' interests, but also matters to the whole society," said Musk.

Tesla is working with regulators on finding the best solution for data security, he added.

In 2019, Tesla built its first Gigafactory outside the United States in Shanghai, with a designed annual production capacity of 500,000 units. It is expected to achieve a localization rate of about 90 percent in the factory by the end of this year.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
Any attempt to suppress developing countries doomed to fail: Chinese FM

Xinhua) 09:24, September 27, 2021

People queue up to vote in a polling station in Niamey, Niger, on Dec. 27, 2020. (Xinhua)

Every country has the right to achieve its own development through efforts, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said, adding that the collective revitalization of developing countries is the most distinctive feature of the times and an important symbol of the progress of human society as a whole.

BEIJING, Sept. 26 (Xinhua) -- Any attempt to suppress the development of developing countries, no matter what despicable methods are adopted, is doomed to failure, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Sunday.

In a phone conversation with Niger's Foreign Minister Hassoumi Massaoudou on the sidelines of the ongoing general debate of the United Nations General Assembly, Wang said Niger is China's good friend, good brother and important cooperative partner in Africa.

China appreciates Niger's friendly policy towards China and its support for China's legitimate position on issues concerning China's core interests, which demonstrates the high level of mutual trust between the two sides, he said.

Boxes containing COVID-19 vaccines from China are seen at the Niamey International Airport in Niamey, Niger, on March 21, 2021. (Chinese Embassy in Niger/Handout via Xinhua)

In the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, the two countries have worked together to overcome difficulties and made smooth progress in major cooperation projects, Wang said.

China, he added, is ready to work with Niger to map out pragmatic cooperation for the next stage and promote the continuous development of bilateral relations.

Every country has the right to achieve its own development through efforts, Wang said, adding that the collective revitalization of developing countries is the most distinctive feature of the times and an important symbol of the progress of human society as a whole.

China is ready to work with Niger to support each other in the international and regional arena, jointly uphold basic norms governing international relations and international equity and justice, and safeguard the legitimate development rights of developing countries, he said.

Noting that development is a master key to addressing all problems, Wang also said China is willing to share governance experience with Niger and other developing countries.

China welcomes Niger to join the Global Development Initiative proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping and the Initiative on Partnership for Africa's Development jointly launched by China and Africa to promote synergy with the African Union's Agenda 2063 and so on, he said, so as to tackle challenges through development, help African countries achieve stronger, greener and healthier development and accelerate progress on the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

An aircraft carrying COVID-19 vaccines from China arrives at the Niamey International Airport in Niamey, Niger, on March 21, 2021. (Chinese Embassy in Niger/Handout via Xinhua)

For his part, Massaoudou said Niger and China share a long-term friendship and have firmly supported each other. The people of Niger harbor friendly feelings toward China and its people, and sincerely thank China for providing timely help for Niger's development, he said.

China's development conforms to the general progressive trend of human society, Massaoudou said. The country's success has been a blessing for all mankind and provided experience and inspiration for developing countries, he added, and will help promote the continuous development of African countries.

Niger is willing to expand cooperation with China in various fields and build a model of the Africa-China friendship, he said, and Niger fully agrees with and firmly supports the Global Development Initiative proposed by Xi, which meets the development needs of African countries.

Thus, Niger is willing to work with China to jointly safeguard developing countries' inalienable right to develop and their legitimate right to choose their own development paths, he added.

Both sides agreed to join hands in deepening China-Africa cooperation and pushing for the successful holding of the upcoming session of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation in Senegal, to consolidate and demonstrate China-Africa solidarity, Massaoudou said.

The two sides also exchanged views on regional security among other issues.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
Looking for COVID-19 wonder drug

Xinhua) 09:28, September 27, 2021

Patients recovered from COVID-19 prepare to get on an ambulance to a medical facility for rehabilitation in Xiamen, east China's Fujian Province, on Sept. 25, 2021. Seven COVID-19 patients were discharged from hospital in the city of Xiamen, east China's Fujian Province, on Saturday after recovery. (Xinhua/Jiang Kehong)

BEIJING, Sept. 26 (Xinhua) -- Since the outbreak of the pandemic, scientists worldwide have been looking for drugs to treat COVID-19 successfully. As variants of the virus have emerged to challenge the vaccines' effects, Chinese drug researchers and developers try to find the right medicine to beat the virus.

Chinese researchers and pharma companies are hunting for the right one in two ways: biological macromolecular drugs based on antibodies and small molecular compounds that can inhibit virus invasion and replication.

Rapid advancements have been made in biological macromolecular drugs, most of which are antibodies, including monoclonal antibodies and antibody cocktail therapy. Some countries have approved antibody drugs for marketing and emergency use. They are used in the early stage of COVID-19 to lower the risks of developing into severe cases.

Monoclonal antibodies enlist human-made proteins that act like human antibodies in the immune system to fight off harmful pathogens such as viruses. They may also be used in combination with other treatments to form a cocktail.

The antibody drugs bind to the virus, blocking the access to human cells and inhibiting the infection and replication inside human cells, said Zhu Qing, senior vice president of Brii Biosciences and head of the company's biopharmaceutical department.

Earlier this month, the China National Biotec Group affiliated with Sinopharm unveiled Human COVID-19 Immunoglobulin (pH4) for Intravenous Injection, which was approved for clinical trials.

In August, Sinopharm also announced that its research team had discovered a potent neutralizing antibody against the Delta variant that could be effective in the short-term prevention and early treatment of COVID-19 triggered by the variant.

The monoclonal antibody, called 2B11, can effectively block the binding of novel coronavirus to the ACE2 enzyme attached to the membrane of cells in the intestines, kidney, testis, gallbladder and heart, preventing the virus from infecting cells.

In July, Tsinghua University, the Third People's Hospital of Shenzhen and Brii Biosciences launched phase II clinical trials in China on a cocktail therapy of monoclonal antibodies BRII-196 and BRII-198. They were derived from antibodies isolated from people who had recovered from COVID-19.

The cocktail therapy also entered clinical trials in the United States, Argentina, South Africa, Brazil, the Philippines, and Mexico. The data suggested that BRII-196/BRII-198 could be a potent new treatment option for COVID-19.

Compared with biological macromolecular drugs, small molecular compounds have various mechanisms to play their roles by inhibiting the invasion, replication, assembly, and release of viruses.

DC402234 (FB2001), a COVID-19 drug candidate mainly developed by a research team at the Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, entered Phase I clinical trial in the United States in March. It is a compound designed and synthesized through analyzing the crystal structure of the coronavirus' membrane protein.

DC402234 became the cover story of the journal Science in June.

Ding Sheng, dean of School of Pharmaceutical Sciences at Tsinghua University, told Xinhua that it is hard to apply antibody drugs in early prevention. The antibody drugs, which need to be injected, are inconvenient to use among mild cases and non-hospitalized patients. They are also more costly, cannot adapt to the mutant variants well, and need cold-chain transportation.

Compared to their bigger counterparts, small molecular drugs have advantages in a large-scale promotion. They can be taken orally and stored at room temperatures.

Ding noted that small-molecule drugs could be quickly used in high-risk groups such as close contacts, or help patients with mild symptoms to improve their condition.

However, it takes a relatively long time to verify the drug's toxicity, making the R&D of small molecular drugs much slower.

Experts have pointed out that vaccines and drugs are both pivotal in controlling the spread of the virus. According to the current situation, researchers should focus on developing drugs for effective early prevention, drugs that can reduce mortality, and broad-spectrum antiviral drugs that can deal with mutant strains in the future.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
Chinas Dunhuang Academy seeks to bring back lost cultural relics through digitalization

People's Daily Online) 10:00, September 27, 2021

File photo shows a duplicated mural displayed at an exhibition held in Dunhuang in northwest Chinas Gansu province. (Chinanews.com/Yang Yanmin)

The Dunhuang Academy in China is planning to kick off a project to collect digital versions of Dunhuang antiques that have been lost overseas, said an official with the academy, Chinanews.com reported on Sept. 25.

The academy will invite museums, universities, research institutes, enterprises and public institutions to take part in the effort in its bid to acquire the digital resources through multiple channels and in various ways, Luo Huaqing, deputy director of the Dunhuang Academy said at a seminar on Dunhuang studies held between Sept. 24 and 25 in Dunhuang, northwest Chinas Gansu province.

Due to historical reasons, nearly 50,000 pieces of cultural relics unearthed at the Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes were lost overseas. Over the course of about 100 years, Dunhuang researchers from home and abroad have more or less uncovered the number, content and value of cultural relics previously preserved at the ancient Dunhuang caves, Luo explained in a speech he delivered during the meeting.

The core of the project is to acquire digital information about the lost cultural relics, said Luo. Because the cultural relics are presently housed by different organizations that boast different levels of digitalization and adopt varied attitudes towards the restoration project, the Dunhuang Academy decided to carry out the project in various ways, including consultations between domestic and foreign cultural organizations, authorizations by foreign organizations, acquisitions of digital resources through cooperation, and authorizations from foreign organizations to publish the catalogs of Dunhuang antiques they have collected, he explained.

Luo disclosed that the National Library of China, Shanghai Ancient Books Publishing House, China National Silk Museum, and Zhejiang University have been authorized to acquire digitalized images of Dunhuang antiques that have been lost overseas, expressing the hope that through the project, a database and a sharing platform can be established through coordination, widespread participation, as well as unity and collaboration between various parties.

To facilitate the restoration project, the academy has kicked off a parallel project with a total investment of 250 million yuan. It will carry out the project in the course of 10 years. The Dunhuang Academy has more than 30 years of experience in the digitalization of cultural relics. In 2016, it launched a database, sharing with the world a collection of high-definition photos and video resources on 30 caves in the Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes for free.

(Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun)
China donates 300,000 vaccine doses to Madagascar

CGTN) 11:14, September 27, 2021

300,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses donated by the Chinese government have arrived in Madagascar. Nearly 150,000 people in the East African island country will benefit from the jabs.

Madagascar's Health Minister Landriya Manthani thanked the Chinese government for its support, as the country strives to implement its national vaccination program.

So far, China has provided or is providing vaccines to more than 100 countries and four international organizations. It has exported more than 1.2 billion doses to more than 60 countries, ranking first in the world.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun)
Village in E China's Jiangsu kicks off fishing season

People's Daily Online) 13:10, September 27, 2021

More than 700 vessels were recently seen setting sail to look for their first sea products of the year near Haifeng village, Sheyang county, Yancheng city in east Chinas Jiangsu province as a fishing ban has been lifted.

As many as 60 kinds of sea products, including yellow croaker and mackerel, can be found in the sea. The annual fishing ban, which has been implemented for years, aims to ensure the sustainability of fishing activities and protect marine species. As a result of these measures, the production efficiency of the industry has continued to increase year after year. At present, the annual per capita disposal income of villagers in Haifeng village has exceeded 30,000 yuan ($4,641).

(Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun)
Seasonal festival fills Buenos Aires Chinatown with harmony

Xinhua) 14:17, September 27, 2021

People shop at a supermarket in Chinatown in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Feb. 9, 2021. (Photo by Martin Zabala/Xinhua)

After several months of limited tourist activities, the Chinatown community is gradually returning to its usual energy, coinciding with the China's Mid-Autumn Festival and China's National Day holidays.

BUENOS AIRES, Sept. 26 (Xinhua) -- Chinatown in Buenos Aires, one of the main tourist attractions in the Argentinean capital, is getting ready to celebrate China's National Day with social distancing and anti-pandemic measures in place.

After several months of limited tourist activities, the Chinatown community is gradually returning to its usual energy, coinciding with the China's Mid-Autumn Festival and China's National Day holidays.

Preparations for the National Day celebrations are taking place, with small cultural exhibitions to show the traditional Chinese culture.

The most important event will be held on Oct. 2, according to organizers. Street artists will be invited to perform here and volunteers will give short speeches.

The idea of this year's celebration is to bring a message of harmony and cultural exchanges to people who frequently visit Chinatown, organizers said, noting that all activities will comply with epidemic prevention regulations.

"In China, we traditionally celebrate festivals with our families and friends. For example, we will go out for a walk or climb mountains to celebrate the traditional Chinese festivals," said Yu Yonghui, a merchant who owns a small supermarket in a neighborhood.

The national flags of China and Argentina are flying at the entrance to Yu's "Super Chunghwa" supermarket, demonstrating the friendly relationship between the two countries.

"Today, due to the pandemic, it is difficult for us to return to China, so we decided to celebrate the festival here with our relatives and not to gather in closed places," Yu said. "Thanks to technology, we can use WeChat and make video calls to our families back in China and celebrate it together."

(Web editor: Shi Xi, Liang Jun)
Recent announcements made by foreign investors on additional investment to expand production in Vietnam reflect their trust in Vietnams prospects for economic recovery, reported the Dau tu (Investment Review) newspaper.

The Swiss company Nestle said it is pouring an additional over 130 million USD, raising its total investment in Vietnam to 730 million USD to carry out a number of its projects in the next two years.

Urs Kloeti, Factory Manager of Nestle Bong Sen, was quoted by the newspaper as saying that his company believes in Vietnams role as an international and regional manufacturing hub in the future.

Alongside Nestle, other foreign firms have committed to maintaining operations in Vietnam despite the fourth wave of COVID-19 outbreaks that have forced various localities to apply stringent preventive measures.

Tetra Pak of Sweden has confirmed that it will pump 5 million EUR (5.86 million USD) to expand its existing 120-million-EUR plant in Binh Duong southern province.

The investment demonstrates the companys trust in Vietnams strong economic recovery after the pandemic, according to Managing Director and President at Tetra Pak Vietnam Eliseo Barcas.

In particular, the LG Display project in Hai Phong northern port city has received additional investment twice this year, with 750 million USD in February and 1.4 billion USD in August.

Earlier this month, authorities in the northern province of Quang Ninh presented an investment registration certificate to a 365.6 million USD project of Jinko Solar Vietnam Co. Ltd., an affiliate of the Jinko Solar Holding Co. Ltd. The firm channeled nearly 500 million USD into a project in the province in March.

Despite current challenges triggered by the pandemic, Japanese firms in Vietnam are working to adapt and improve their production system in the new situation, said Chief Representative of the Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO) in Hanoi Nakajima Takeo.

For his part, Alain Cany, Chairman of the European Chamber of Commerce (EuroCham) in Vietnam, said the European business community is determined to stand side by side with the Vietnamese Government in this tough time and believes that the Government will successfully bring COVID-19 under control like it did before.

As they have showed their determination to maintain operations in Vietnam, most foreign investors hope that the Government will promptly devise a clear plan for reopening and economic recovery, or else current investment plans will be delayed and newcomers cannot enter the country to study investment possibilities.

Despite COVID-19 impacts, foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows into Vietnam during the first nine months of this year rose 4.4 percent year on year to 22.15 billion USD, reported the Foreign Investment Agency under the Ministry of Planning and Investment.

The total imports-exports value of the FDI sector in the first eight months of the year also surged 31.2 percent to 297.43 billion USD, with exports accounting for 156.64 billion USD./.

VNA
39th Chinese naval escort taskforce sets sail for missions

EditorLi Wei Time2021-09-27 16:25:02

The special operations soldiers assigned to the 39th Chinese naval escort taskforce man the rail on the comprehensive supply ship Taihu before departure from a military port in Qingdao, East China's Shandong Province, on September 26, 2021, for the escort missions in Gulf of Aden and Somali waters.

Sun Luming, Zhao Yang

QINGDAO, Sept. 27 -- The 39th escort task force of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) left a military port in Qingdao, Shandong Province, on September 26 for the Gulf of Aden and Somali waters to take over merchant ships escort mission from the 38th Chinese naval taskforce there.

The 39th escort taskforce is comprised of the guided-missile destroyer Urumqi, guided-missile frigate Yantai and comprehensive supply ship Taihu, with dozens of special operations soldiers and two ship-borne helicopters on board. It is the first time for the guided-missile destroyer Urumqi to participate in the escort mission.

During the preparation period, the taskforce conducted targeted training on anti-terrorist and anti-piracy operations and replenishment at sea, verified the feasibility of escort operational plans and coordination of troops.
By Li Chun

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) "Peace Mission 2021" joint anti-terrorism military exercise wrapped up at the Donguz training range in Russias Orenburg Region on September 24. Progressive exercise subjects and improved coordination are highlighted in the exercise, which demonstrated the SCOs unwavering resolve and commitment to safeguarding peace and regional stability in the past 20 years.

Staying abreast with the times

Just like a mirror, the latest exercise of the SCO Peace Mission series not only reflected the past realistic-combat experience, but also implied the needs of anti-terror combat at present and for some time to come.

It drew on lots of useful experience from several regional military conflicts in recent years, such as the Syrian war and the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, tried some new tactical and training approaches that have been proven, and studied some hotspot issues in current anti-terror operations, for example, how to cope with the UAV that has been frequently used by terrorist forces in terrorist attacks recently.

Senior Colonel Li Shuyin, a researcher at the Chinese PLA Academy of Military Sciences, said that only by staying abreast with the times and closely following the changes in the form of battles and the enemys fighting tactics can the Peace Mission series better enhance the capability of striking and deterring international armed terrorists, as well as preserving regional security and stability.

In-depth integration

The series of Peace Mission exercises under the SCO framework has been held more than ten times, always striving to raise the level of integrated operations, which is both a key and a crux.

According to Cui Haibo, a Chinese military officer participating in the recent exercise, the integration is reflected in three aspects. The first is the integration of forces, with participating troops from different countries working in coordination to fight against international terrorist forces. The second is legal and theoretical integration, which provides the legality for mutual support among the parties. And the third is strategic integration, which enables the participating troops to complement each other on the command level.

To what extent the participating troops can make joint plans largely reflects the degree of integration of the exercise and guides their combined operations in the live-fire stage, said Senior Colonel Li Shuyin, adding the fact that commanders from different countries worked side by side and jointly commanded the troops indicated integration in real and deep sense.

Fulfilling the Peace Mission in solidarity

In addition, the Peace Mission 2021 has demonstrated the SCO member states staunch resolve and acting capability to crack down on the three forces (terrorism, separatism and extremism), and their level of cooperation in defense and security.

The SCO is not a military alliance aimed at countering aggression against any member, said Li. The exercises under this framework are focused on fighting international terrorist organizations in the region.

In line with the expectations of the member states, the Peace Mission joint exercise serves two purposes, that are, enhancing the SCO members capability of fighting against the international terrorist organizations through exchanges and mutual learning, and sending a clear signal to those organizations that SCO is capable of defeating them.

At the same time, exercises like this help the member states better understand each other and deepen their friendship and mutual trust, so as to work in solidarity when faced with security threats, and jointly preserve peace and stability thats more valuable than gold.
BEIJING, Sept. 27 -- The British Royal Navy frigate HMS Richmond sailed through the Taiwan Strait on September 27 and openly hyped it up. The Eastern Theater Command of the Chinese Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) sent naval and air forces to track and monitor the British warship in the whole course, said Senior Colonel Shi Yi, spokesperson for the PLA Eastern Theater Command, in a written statement released on Monday.

Snr. Col. Shi pointed out that the British side has tried in vain to create a sense of presence by sending its military vessel to pass through the Taiwan Strait, and such ill-intentioned behavior undermines peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and fully exposes its speculative mentality.

Troops of the PLA Eastern Theater Command are staying on high alert at all times, and will resolutely counter all threats and provocations, Snr. Col. Shi stressed.
BEIJING, Sept. 27 -- In order to enhance the rescue capability on the battlefield, the Chinese naval hospital ship Peace Ark recently conducted a comprehensive maritime rescue exercise for seven consecutive days and nights in the East China Sea. The Peace Ark is a 10,000-tonne level hospital ship specially built for maritime medical rescue. With more than 300 beds and adequate facilities, it is equivalent to a Class A tertiary hospital on the sea.
"There are strong concerns over infections spreading outside the capital region over Chuseok, and we urge everyone to avoid private gatherings as much as possible," a government official said Wednesday.

Some 2,080 people tested positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday alone, and infections in the Seoul metropolitan area soared to a record 1,656 or 80.5 percent of total infections.

Coronavirus infections are surging again as Chuseok, the biggest holiday of the year in Korea, approaches. The daily tally of new infections stood at 1,943 as of Thursday morning, over 1,000 for over more than two months, with most of cases found from the capital region.

Health authorities blame a growing number of private gatherings and the reopening of schools and universities that began their new semesters. In June, infections among schoolkids stood at only 22.5 per 100,000, but they surged to 83.7 last month. The Delta variant now accounts for 98.5 percent of cases.

More worryingly, so-called breakthrough infections among fully vaccinated people increased by 876 from a week ago to reach a cumulative 4,731.

So far 34.58 million people have had at least their first vaccine shot, accounting for 67.3 percent of the population and close to the government's target of 70 percent by Chuseok. But only 40.3 percent are fully vaccinated, which is slower than the 60 percent or more of many advanced countries.

As the bulk of vaccine supplies arrived recently, the government is considering slashing the six-week interval between first and second jabs of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines to the originally recommended three and four weeks.

When asked if health authorities believe herd immunity is achievable, a spokesman said, "The scientific definition of herd immunity is a form of indirect protection from an infectious disease that can occur when a sufficient percentage of a population has become immune to an infection, and 80 percent of adults and more than 90 percent of senior citizens must be inoculated. But if herd immunity means returning to 2019 when everyone could walk around without face masks, that could be difficult."
In Switzerland, a controversial same-sex marriage referendum has been resoundingly approved by voters of the conservative, rich Alpine country.

Nearly two-thirds of Swiss citizens, more than 64 percent, have voted to legalize same sex marriage and grant gay and lesbian couples the same rights as heterosexual partners. All 26 Swiss cantons, even the most traditional, Appenzell Inner Rhoden, accepted the proposal.

Backers of the same-sex marriage campaign erupted into applause and cheers when the results were announced. A member of the marriage campaign committee, Matthias Erhardt, called the outcome a big achievement and the crowning vote of a 40-year struggle in the country for same-sex marriage equality.

The government also welcomed the result, saying it put an end to current existing inequalities in the treatment of people and an end to the imposition of the state on how its citizens should lead their lives.
Boy band Bangtan Boys, also known as BTS, on Sunday opened this year's "Global Citizen Live," a 24-hour broadcast featuring performances by some of the world's biggest stars.

The event was streamed on YouTube, with more than 70 artists from six continents taking part.

The concert was put together by the New York-based organization Global Citizen in support of efforts to end the coronavirus pandemic, defend the planet and defeat poverty.


Children and pregnant women will finally get their vaccine shots from next month as booster jabs begin for the elderly and high-risk groups.

Targets will be children aged 12-17, but younger kids are being excluded. They will be given Pfizer's vaccine, which is permitted here for those over 12. Pregnant women will get the Pfizer or Moderna mRNA vaccines.

The U.S. already began vaccinating children aged 12-15 in May and Israel in June. The U.S. is also recommending vaccination for pregnant women, believing that they are at a higher risk of becoming seriously ill if infected with coronavirus.

Europe, Japan and the WHO have no regulations against vaccination of pregnant women, though some countries remain hesitant to vaccinate children.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's sister Yo-jong last Saturday said peace talks between the two Koreas are possible provided the North is treated with respect.

She was responding to President Moon Jae-in's proposal at the UN General Assembly earlier in the week to declare a formal end to the Korean War.

"I think that only when impartiality and the attitude of respecting each other are maintained, can there be smooth understanding between the North and the South," said Kim Yo-jong, who often acts as her brother's attack dog.

Talks could help solve issues like "the re-establishment of the North-South joint liaison office and the North-South summit, to say nothing of the timely declaration of the significant termination of the war," she added according to the official [North] Korean Central News Agency.

But she also demanded that South Korea abandon its "double standard" in condemning North Korea's development of nuclear weapons and intercontinental ballistic missiles while developing its own submarine-launched ballistic missiles.

Seoul welcomes the remarks, saying the inter-Korean hotline must be urgently restored to get talks underway. "For these discussions, the inter-Korean communication line must first be restored swiftly, as smooth and stable communication is important," the Unification Ministry said in a statement.

The clock is ticking for Moon, whose term ends next May and who has staked his entire legacy on a diplomatic coup.

But Moon's proposal fell on deaf ears in the international community, which is focused on the U.S.' new anti-China alliances. The members of the anti-China Quadrilateral Security Dialogue -- Australia, India, Japan and the U.S. -- in a joint statement last Friday urged North Korea to completely and irreversibly scrap its nuclear weapons before sanctions can be lifted.


The Korea series "Squid Game" has risen to the top spot on Netflix global charts. FlixPatrol, which tallies the ratings of streaming programs, last Friday said "Squid Game" beat the British teen comedy series "Sex Education" to the most-watched spot and held it for the next two days. The show about a high-stakes survival competition ranked at the top in 66 countries including Brazil, France, Germany, Japan, Saudi Arabia and the U.S.

/Courtesy of Netflix

The soaring popularity has inevitably generated a flood of memes, and the Tiktok hashtag also has drawn 8 billion views, while there are 550,000 Instagram posts about the series. People have posted video clips of playing Korean children's games that are depicted in the series, and users are recreating them on the global gaming platform Roblox.

Actor Simon Pegg poses in a track suit featured in "Squid Game" and with merchandise in this picture from his Instagram on Sept. 25.

Netflix founder Reed Hastings and actor Simon Pegg have posted photos of themselves on Instagram wearing the track suits featured in the series, and Mnchester United star Jesse Lingard took a selfie watching the show on a giant TV at home. Pop culture critic Jung Duk-hyun said, "A globally popular genre fused with a framework that is relatable for foreign viewers worked in its favor. The feeling of alienation in a highly competitive society appears to have struck a chord not only with young Koreans but young people around the world." In "Squid Game," down-on-their-luck players are taken to a mysterious location where they must compete in one children's game after another to win a W45.6 billion prize or face death (US$1=W1,180).
White Rabbit milk to hit Southeast Asian store shelves

By:Wu Qiong | From:english.eastday.com | 2021-09-27 14:06

After hitting the surrounding provinces markets, the White Rabbit flavored modified milk jointly created by two Shanghai companies will be seen on the shelves of other countries.

Co-developed by Bright Dairy and Guanshengyuan Group, the exported milk will soon be available in 7-Eleven convenience stores in Southeast Asia.

For some time, Shanghais time-honored brands have become popular in overseas countries. In 2019, Bright Dairy and Guanshengyuan Group launched White Rabbit-flavored milk, winning popularity among both domestic and overseas consumers. People even tried every possible way to take the milk with them during outbound travel but were banned at the airport. At the same time, the copyright of the White Rabbit candy under Guanshengyuan was infringed in the United States.

The brands popularity overseas propelled us to speed up the step of going global, said Ding Song, quality system manager of the East China Central Factory of Bright Dairy.

After learning of the companies needs, Xinzhuang Customs provided guidance and supervision for the entire process from raw materials to finished products for the export of their milk products. It was found out that the total number of colonies per milliliter of raw milk is over 20 times higher than the national standard, and the number of somatic cells in raw milk is the same as the EU standard.

It turned out that the contracted standard between Bright Dairy and the importer is the milk companys technical standard for milk, which the importer has no objection to at all. Therefore, the Shanghai quality level has been recognized overseas.



(Photos/Xinmin.cn)
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. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site.

0108263 License for publishing multimedia online



Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349
Jacksonville, Florida. - With next week, the number of stimulus programs may impact millions of bank accounts of Americans . It is expected that the US House will vote on the 13 trillion US dollars on Wednesday. Although the House has no Republicans to s...
Bill Gates, co-founder and former CEO of Microsoft, and his wife, Melinda French Gates, announced on Monday that they plan to divorce after 27 years of marriage. "After a great deal of thought and a lot of work on our relationship, we have made the decis...
As the energy crisis in Texas deepens , millions of people have no electricity, heating, or even running water. In the end, although millions of Texans who did not have access to the severe cold have restored electricity, they were destroyed The nightmar...
According to Russian Satellite Network reports, on the 26th local time, Russian President Putin and US President Biden had a call. This was the first call between the two parties after Biden took office. The Kremlin Information Bureau announced that Puti...
It is reported that tourism revenue in 2020 will drop sharply to 17.45 billion euros, a decrease of 26.85 billion euros from 2019. Carlo Sangalli, chairman of the Federation of Italian Chambers of Commerce, said that the current situation in the national...
While the US presents itself as an advocate of expanding vaccine supplies, the world is rapidly becoming more dependent on China for vaccines as the COVID-19 pandemic makes it difficult for India to fulfill its vaccine supply agreement. "Not only has Chi...
The Iraqi judiciary has moved to arrest a group of people for attending a conference advocating the normalization of ties between Bagdad and Tel Aviv.

Arrest warrants were issued against the head of the Sunni Awakening Movement, Wissam al-Hadran, former lawmaker Mithal al-Alosi and Sahar Karim al-Taie, an employee at the Ministry of Culture, the Iraqi Supreme Judicial Council reportedly said in a statement.

Other participants are reportedly also facing demand for arrest.

The accused, Sunni and Shia tribal figures, attended Friday a peace conference in Iraqi Kurdistans capital of Erbil in northern Iraq, that called for establishing relations between Iraq and Israel. The gathering was organized by the Center for Peace Communications, a New York-based nonprofit that seeks to advance closer ties between Israelis and the Arab world.

We are a gathering of Sunnis and Shias, comprising members of the Sunni Awakening Movement of the Sons of Iraq, as well as intellectuals, tribal leaders, and active youth from the protest movement of 2019-2021. We call for Iraq to enter into relations with Israel and its people through agreements similar to the Arab countries that have normalized, a statement by the conference participants said.

Iraq and Israel have no diplomatic relations and the anti-Israeli sentiment is wide spread in the Middle East country. Iraqi law continues to issue strict penalties to citizens and residents who maintain contact with Israelis.

The Friday conference comes amid a change of policy by many countries in the region towards Israel.

Last year, four Arab nations  the UAE, Bahrain, Sudan, and Morocco  normalized their relations with Israel.
Silent Forces Exercise (SIFOREX) 2021 concluded with a closing ceremony taking place in Callao, Peru, Sept. 24. SIFOREX, conducted Sept. 19-24, is a Peruvian-hosted naval exercise that focuses on anti-submarine warfare (ASW) proficiency. It provides a unique opportunity for naval forces to conduct ASW operations against multiple submarines in a complex environment.

Follow Navy Recognition on Google News at this link

Los Angeles-class fast-attack submarine USS Columbia (SSN 771) (Picture source: US Navy)



The primary focus of SIFOREX is ASW operations, but the exercise also provided events in anti-surface warfare (ASuW) and submarine escape and rescue (SMEREX). A ship rider exchange was also conducted during the exercise allowing countries to participate in operations on each others respective ships.

Participating U.S forces included USS Mustin (DDG 89) with two embarked MH-60R helicopters from the Scorpions of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 49, the Los Angeles-class fast-attack submarine USS Columbia (SSN 771), one P-8A Poseidon aircraft from Patrol Squadron (VP) 9, as well as staff from U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/U.S. 4th Fleet, Commander Submarine Force Atlantic, and Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 40.

Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Mustin (DDG 89) (Picture source: US Navy)



Peruvian forces included four ships, two submarines, two fixed wing aircraft and two helicopters. In addition, Colombia and Mexico both provided ships and helicopters, while Australia, Ecuador, Germany, Italy, and Spain, sent exercise observers.

"This exercise served as an excellent training opportunity for my crew," said Cmdr. Corey D. Barksdale, commanding officer of Columbia. "It isn't often we have the opportunity to train and hone our skills with diesel submarines, surface, and air assets from partner nations. Learning how to operate together in a controlled environment gives us the tools and knowledge we need to be successful in real-world operations. I am incredibly proud of what my team was able to accomplish."

Units accomplished training objectives in command and control, ASW, and ASuW using different scenarios. During these scenarios, situations were simulated to train submarine units in evasion procedures against surface and air units, improve contact classification and attack procedures under different threats, and train in search, detection, tracking, classification, and attack against surface targets.

P-8A aircraft (Picture source: US Navy)



ASW is an important mission set for the P-8 Poseidon aircraft, said Lt. Cmdr. Dan Krier, officer in charge of the VP-9 detachment. SIFOREX gave us the chance to have contact time on live submarines, and also to complete advanced qualifications and operational readiness assessments for the crew.

The exercise improved overall interoperability and readiness between participating naval forces. It served as a valuable training opportunity for ships, aircraft, submarines, and staffs.

SIFOREX has been a routine exercise since 2001, becoming a biennial exercise in 2006, occurring every even year since. The exercise was not conducted in 2020 and was rescheduled to 2021 to coincide with UNITAS LXII and the Peruvian bicentennial.
Your browser does not support the video tag.
Emory Land Acknowledgment Emory University acknowledges the Muscogee (Creek) people who lived, worked, produced knowledge on, and nurtured the land where Emorys Oxford and Atlanta campuses are now located. In 1821, fifteen years before Emorys founding, the Muscogee were forced to relinquish this land. We recognize the sustained oppression, land dispossession, and involuntary removals of the Muscogee and Cherokee peoples from Georgia and the Southeast. Emory seeks to honor the Muscogee Nation and other Indigenous caretakers of this land by humbly seeking knowledge of their histories and committing to respectful stewardship of the land.

Emory University President Gregory L. Fenves issued the following statement Sept. 27

The Emory Board of Trustees has approved an official Land Acknowledgment for Emory University.

This statement is a recognition of the Muscogee (Creek) and other Indigenous nations, who were displaced in the years before Emorys founding. It sheds light on a tragic chapter in the Emory story and in the history of the United States. And it also reminds us of the important work that lies aheadto create a university community that is more inclusive of Native and Indigenous perspectives, learning, and scholarship.

The land acknowledgment was composed by a group of Emory leaders, historians, and experts from across the university, building upon years of work undertaken by faculty, staff, and students to recognize the legacy of Native and Indigenous dispossession on the lands of Emorys campuses. The statement aligns with the recommendations of the Task Force on Untold Stories and Disenfranchised Populations, which will help our community understand viewpoints and narratives that have been overlooked or omitted from Emorys history.

This statement is about accountability as much as it is about understanding our past. And my hope is that it will inspire powerful conversations on our campuses as well as action and engagement.

To that end, today I am announcing the formation of a working group to advance plans for the development of a Language Path on the Emory campuses to honor the Muscogee (Creek) Nation and highlight the Muscogee language and culture. The chairs of the working group will be Malinda Maynor Lowery, Cahoon Family Professor of American History in Emory College; and Gregory McGonigle, Dean of Religious Life and University Chaplain.

The university has also begun taking steps to establish a stronger connection with the Muscogee Nation. We are linked through our history, and it is my hope that we can work together and be a part of each others present and future for the benefit of our communities.

As we did for the first time last year, Emory will continue to recognize Indigenous Peoples Day moving forward. And the university will work to develop and offer academic and community programming to deepen our knowledge of the lives and legacies of Native and Indigenous peoples. As a first step, the upcoming In the Wake of Slavery and Dispossession symposium will be hosted from September 29 to October 1 at Emory.

These actions are aligned with the official Land Acknowledgment, as we chart our course for the future.

Gregory L. Fenves

President
|

Welcome Guest! You Are Here:

It has been decided to introduce internal Ombudsman Scheme to address grievances of large NBFC customers, says RBI Guv.

RBI proposes to introduce framework for retail digital payment in offline mode across India, says Guv Das.

IMPS limit to be increased from Rs 2 lakh to Rs 5 lakh: RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das.

Let there be no concern about adequacy of liquidity; RBI will ensure adequate liquidity to support growth: Guv Das.

Conduct of monetary policy will be guided by domestic circumstance, assessment: RBI Governor.

RBI projects retail inflation for fiscal ending March 2022 at 5.3 pc.

Food inflation expected to remain muted in coming month on back of record production of foodgrains: RBI Governor.

Capacity utilisation in manufacturing sector recovered in Q2, further improvements expected in ensuing quarters: RBI Guv.
Kamla Bhasin (24 April 1946 - 25 September 2021)

My friend Kamla Bhasin

by Dr V. Rukmini Rao

I first met Kamla in the late 70s , when she came to visit the National Labour Institute. She invited me to stay with her in Bangkok when I visited and since then, we have remained friends. We may not have always agreed and maintained the same perspectives, but we could work together smoothly.

Kamla had the quality to draw in people with her charisma, her obvious love of life and fun side. Kamla was an evolving learning person all her life and contributed her learning generously to all around her.

While our journey together started by addressing violence against women, she worked to promote adolescent girls rights, and in Sangat training programs she specially invited me to address environmental issues. She worked on many other issues, health, sensitizing men, promoting democracy and others. Kamla did not believe in national boundaries. Having been born on the other side of the border before partition, she promoted Peace in the region and saw herself as a South Asian. She dreamed of a united South Asia on the lines of the European Union.

Kamla lived the slogan, the personal is political. When her daughter Meeto was born, she started writing nursery rhymes describing that girls were equal to boys. When she faced personal family crisis, she discussed how our suggestions of going to courts for justice did not work. She changed her inputs into her training accordingly. Kamla had a grasp of current social structures, therefore she invited influencers to South Asian feminist training programs be it government officials from the Maldives, media representatives or potential women political leaders in the region.]

Much will be written about her contribution to the womens movement, but I would like to share the essential Kamla. She nutured friendships over generations,she turned her personal crises into opportunities for learning for all, she was strong and loving. She did not hesitate to apologize if she was wrong. Kamla quickly became the life spirit of every meeting she organized. She sang feminist songs she had written, and more recently only spoke and wrote in hindi. She could get everyone to move quickly and galvanized all women, young and old with the slogan, " Hum leke rahenge Azadi"..... we will take our freedom .

And she taught women to be spirited and free, teaching them to wolf whistle to gain attention. When she was in hospital she continued to worry about developments in Afghanistan and how to support young women who needed to leave or confront the taliban. A feminist to the end, my friend Kamla Bhasin - Rukmini Rao

o o

Kamlaben Bhasins contributions to the womens movement have been immense. From song and dance, to storytelling and movement-building. We will remember you. Members of our domestic workers cooperative singing a song, which she wrote.

 SEWA Cooperative Federation (@SEWAFed) September 25, 2021

https://twitter.com/SEWAFed/status/1441706699971203073?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

o o

Indian Express

How Kamla Bhasin made South Asian feminism a force

Urvashi Butalia writes: She built institutions and solidarities with her unusual feminist weapons  laughter, songs, slogans and art

Written by Urvashi Butalia

Updated: September 27, 2021

At Kamla Bhasins funeral on Saturday, people stood silently as her sister, Bina, performed the last rites. Shortly after, a young woman began a conversation with Kamla, addressing her as if she were still alive. Words turned into song and soon the entire gathering of feminist activists  working-class, elite, religious, non-religious, old, young and others whose lives Kamla had touched, broke into song.

As Kamlas favourite songs, many that have become anthems for the womens movement, rang out across the cremation ground, people tapped their feet, clapped their hands, swayed to the rhythm and then, gradually, fell silent. A group of women  her close friends, her beloved relatives  then lifted her and took her in for her last departure. Inside they raised slogans, those she had shouted in so many feminist gatherings, and once again they sang songs of farewell and love.

Ever since her aggressive cancer was diagnosed three months ago, Kamla knew she did not have long to live and joked often of the bulawa that was imminent. In hospital, on what was to be her last day, she fought energetically to live, and demanded that her hair be blow-dried, her toenails painted. Back home the next day, the life now gone out of her, her face still held her characteristic smile, mischief lurking at its edges.

It was some 40 years ago that Kamla Bhasin arrived on the feminist scene in Delhi. In one of our early encounters at an anti-dowry protest, she brought along her husband and daughter  at the time an infant  and they soon became a constant feature of our marches.

Later, in our street play, Om Swaha, she became the sutradhar, energetically sounding the damru, laughingly making up nonsense rhymes to invite bystanders and curious onlookers into the play, disarmingly making spontaneous comments on now a shirt, now a dupatta, making them feel special. I think it was perhaps that moment that turned her into the ace communicator she was to become later in life, talking with equal ease to a grassroots worker or an international official.

At the time, she had a day job with the Food and Agricultural Organisation, and her offices were located inside the UN building in Delhi, an unlikely locale for a woman who was much more at home spinning and rocking on her feet in the streets. But it was the South Asian regional remit of that job that Kamla would return to in her activist years, to build enduring solidarities and friendships across the South Asian region, and to make South Asian feminism a force.

She did this through her formidable and unusual arsenal of feminist weapons: Laughter, joy, friendship, songs, slogans, art, dance, books and so much more. She organised  often with the dancer Chandralekha  some of the early feminist poster-making workshops. In one of these was created the iconic poster that announced the arrival of her particular brand of feminist math: One-plus-one equals 11.

She set up institutions and campaigns: Jagori, of which she was an integral part, Sangat, through which she shared feminist concepts with less privileged women, One Billion Rising, a campaign that attempted to show that the numbers of women demanding their rights ran into billions.

Her enthusiasm and commitment to the womens movement  her home and her belonging  meant that even personal tragedies, the loss of her young daughter, the lifelong illness of her son, did not deter her and she bounced back from each one, the laughter intact on her face, the hurt hidden in her heart. One of her favourite coinages was: One does not fall in love, one rises in love  something that was the truth of her life. Many such were shared privately with her feminist comrades amid much laughter: Mary conceived without sinning, oh Lord let me sin without conceiving, We dont want copper-T, we want proper T and a song, Amma dekh, amma dekh, teri movement bigda jaye!

Kamlas life was also a testament to that most precious of things that feminism across the world has given us: The strength of female friendships. When a powerful critique was mounted against her on social media for statements she made on trans issues, it was her close group of friends that rallied round her and helped her understand the harm her words could do.

It was these same friends, spread across different cities and countries, who came together when her illness was diagnosed to help her sort out her affairs  the most important of which was the care of her son  and who created a roster of weekly support, putting their lives on hold to be with her full time as carers for that period. To be able to so generously give of the immense store of love that you have, and to be its recipient in equal measure, was something that came effortlessly to Kamla.

In our patriarchal world, the passing of a feminist life is rarely seen as a loss to society. In the last few months, we have seen several such departures: Gail Omvedt without whose writings and activism our understanding of caste would have been so much poorer; Sonal Shukla, who, like Kamla, made fun, reading, song, dance, and learning the central plank of her work; Rati Bartholomew, who gave her life to theatre. And Kamla herself.

They leave behind a world, more specifically the world of the womens movement, both enriched and impoverished. Enriched by the lives they fully and generously gave to it and impoverished by the loss of so much more that they had to give.

This column first appeared in the print edition on September 25, 2021 under the title Singing like a feminist. The writer is publisher, Zubaan

o o

scroll.in

Nandita Das: My fearless friend Kamla Bhasin believed in shaking the status quo with joy

She taught me, and many others, that the world could be in a better place with poetry, stories, songs and laughter.

by Nandita Das

[September 27, 2021]

I first met Kamla Bhasin at the office of a womens organisation in Delhi  Jagori or Sakhi, I cannot recall. What I remember is that it was a room full of feisty women, of all ages. Though the feistiest, loudest and the most joyous of them all, was Kamla. I was 18 and she was almost 25 years older than me. But she was simply Kamla to all.

Fresh out of college, doing street theatre, I truly believed that she was changing the world. And she was. Inspiring women to speak up, instilling a sense of purpose in her fellow activists and shaking the status quo around her with joy and an unwavering focus. That was the free-spirited Kamla and she didnt change till her last breath on Saturday, September 25.

Today I am glad that the foundation of my social commitment was nurtured by Kamla, whose activism wasnt angry or didactic. She taught me, and many others, that the world could be in a better place with poetry, stories, songs and laughter.

Over the years, our paths crossed every now and then, at morchas, rallies, meetings and gatherings. She formed Sangat, a feminist network and brought people together. She connected me with so many amazing women from around the world. All those who were deeply committed to the cause of gender equality and justice.

Around the same time, both of us were part of an initiative called the South Asians for Human Rights. Many of the idealists that led it are now gone  Kuldip Nayar, Asma Jehangir, IK Gujral, Nirmala Deshpande, IR Rehman and now Kamla Bhasin. She spearheaded many other initiatives, including One Billion Rising. But she was equally comfortable being a footsoldier, cheering from the sidelines. Her slogan shouting would fill us with josh, the kind of enthusiasm that makes you fearless.

When things got grim and we would shrink into helplessness, Kamla, with her indomitable courage and incorrigible wit, would infuse everyone with hope. She would start singing, laughing and energising people around her. It was contagious. No one could ever forget her if they met her even once. She would always call, message or email, if she saw anything about me. And invariably it started with: Meri pyari dost, or my dear friend.

I often wondered what strength she accessed deep within her to be such a relentless crusader, even as she faced so many personal and health crises, which she openly spoke about, whether it was suffering childhood abuse, a traumatic marriage and separation, her sons complete dependency on her due to his cerebral palsy, her cancer gnawing at her. But the worst was when her only daughter Meeto, whom she loved madly, died by suicide at the young age of 27.

My son and I, like scores of other children and child-like adults, had enjoyed the stories and poems Kamla wrote for her. She came home, when my son was about five, to give me her childrens books. Meeto was often the main character in them. I remember having a long call with her soon after the devastating tragedy. Kamla broke down, but only momentarily. She renewed her pledge to work for all the Meetos in the world. Only she could do this.

I just checked, her last message to me was on March 29: Dear N, your conversation with Azra (Raza, the oncologist and author) was amazing. Lots of love on Holi and every other day. Love, Kamla.

Even if we had long spells of not speaking or writing to each other, it was comforting to know that she existed. She would stand up for anyone who needed her, bring sanity and grace to every conversation, and inspire, at all cost. There was no room for cynicism or pessimism in her world. I owe her my feminist ideology, my faith in optimism, and the belief that a revolution with love is the only one worth being part of.

I had to write this today, despite the pain. I have hardly been writing in the last few years, except for a few obituaries about people I loved and admired. The last ones were for Om Puri, Mrinal Sen and Kuldip Nayar. They are all gone, leaving behind a great legacy of their work. But what about the conversations, the laughter, the warm affectionate hugs?

Advertisement

Today, I write about Kamla, in a stream of consciousness, not only to share my pain, but also to mark my gratitude to her for giving me so much unconditional love and instilling a deep sense of purpose in what I do.

Kamla will live on. Through her work, books, initiatives. Through her smile and that mischievous twinkle in her eyes. As if she was saying, I am shaking their orthodoxy, their bigotry, and they dont even know it! Her voice still rings in my ears, when she would sing,

Tu bolegi, moonh kholegi, tab hi toh zamana badlega Dariya ki qasam, maujon ki qasam, ye tana-bana badlega Speak up, only then will the world change I swear by the river and its tide.

o o

"Loss To Womens Movement": Feminist Icon Kamla Bhasin Dies At 75

A poet and an author, who identified herself as a "social scientist by training", Kamla Bhasin wrote multiple books - a large number of them on feminism and womens issues - since she started working on developmental issues in the 1970s.

Edited by Swati BhasinUpdated: September 25, 2021

https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/feminist-icon-kamla-bhasin-dies-at-75-loss-to-womens-movement-2553119

o o

The Hindu, September 26, 2021

Kamla Bhasin: Feminist, poet, protester, secularist

by Special Correspondent, New Delhi:

She placed gender in systems and structures which abled gender imbalance

A feminist. A regular, diminutive figure at several protests in Delhi. An occasional appearance at music concerts, if time allowed her. A song writer whose songs have been a source of inspiration, sung across borders that divide. A poet whose verses are adrenalin shots for women. A secularist to the core. Call her a force of nature if you will. In her 75 years, Kamla Bhasin was more than just a friendly, smiling face. She represented and touched women struggling for a toehold in public places denied to them, moving on in her later years to question the state and governments for their inability to put an equitable system in place. Quiet, firm and unrelenting, her passing

away today found an outlet on Twitter where women acknowledged, in 147 characters, the debt they owed to her.

"You may go into a village with an idea or a plan. But only if youre willing to learn and be educated by the people you are there to serve, will you make progress. When youre willing to listen to them, you will begin to see their reality, how caste and class operate, and how inequitable society is," she had shared in the course of an interview.

A developmental sociologist and author, she embraced feminism in the course of her journey across rural Rajasthan, after she returned from Germany in the 1970s. Bhasins travels through the countryside opened her eyes to the real world far removed from Delhi offices. The founder of womens organisation Jagori, her energies were initially focussed on smashing the patriarchy responsible for the dismal state of women.

Graduating further, she placed gender in systems and structures which abled gender imbalance, and moved a full circle to question the state and elected governments for perpetuating inequalities.

The 1990s reform saw Bhasin connecting the dots between gender disparity and an unrelenting system, which often found an expression in songs that became popular. People could relate to the home-spun quality of her verses, shorn of highfalutin words. She took on multinational soft drinks manufacturers that drained out water from lakes, depriving people from accessing potable water all of this found an expression in ditties penned by Bhasin.

Making time in her life for women, and acknowledging the contribution of men who have furthered the cause of equality, embracing secularism as the life-breath of democracy, Bhasin will be certainly missed by half the population that makes up Indias numbers. The other half, too, will feel her absence.

Item #3

DAWN, September 26, 2021

Pak-India womens rights icon Kamla Bhasin passes away

by Jawed Naqvi

NEW DELHI: She could unassumingly cheer a passionate meeting of India-Pakistan peace activists from the back benches. It would be difficult to tell her own nationality though. She could signal the end of a long night for the regions women from her wheelchair, with rousing poetry when she was ill. But she would clarify quickly. The journey was not anti-men, but against patriarchy.

Kamla Bhasin, who passed away on Saturday at 75 after a short struggle with cancer, would perhaps be best remembered for grafting a slogan that Pakistani women first used against Gen Ziaul Haqs dictatorship on the body politic of India the universal and unalloyed demand for Azadi, the fight for freedom.

It was back in 1991, according to one version of the slogans journey to India, that Bhasin, in her forties caught peoples attention at the Womens Studies Conference at Kolkatas Jadavpur University, as she beat a little drum and chanted a slogan. Azadi against patriarchy while being surrounded by other women.

Azadi is now a common clarion call at almost every student protest. More recently, the expression echoed during student leader Kanhaiya Kumars popular chanting, demanding Azadi from discrimination, Brahmanism, and poverty, at Jawaharlal Nehru University in 2016 and later, at the anti-CAA-NRC protests that have challenged Indias new and communally inspired citizenship laws.

The slogan also made its way to pop culture, as part of the movie Gully Boy, starring Ranveer Singh as a rap artist, in a song by Dub Sharma. Bhasin was an eminent poet and a flagbearer of womens rights in India and South Asia since the 1970s.

She was born on April 24, 1946, in the district of Mandi Bahauddin, now in Pakistan, then shifted along with her family to Rajasthan after partition.

In an interview with The Quint in 2019, she said she heard the slogan first in the 1980s among feminists in Pakistan. "Pakistan at that time was ruled by Ziaul Haq. The first group that rose up against Ziaul Haq was not a political party, it was a group of Pakistani feminists. I witnessed one such meeting and thats where they chanted it. The chant went: Aurat ka naara azadi/Bachchon ka naara azadi/Hum leke rahenge azadi/Hai pyara naara azadi."

Inspired by the chant, Kamla Bhasin improvised and came up with her own poem based on its essential spirit. "I know enough women who are totally patriarchal, who are totally anti-women, and I have known men who have worked for womens rights their whole life.

"Feminism is not biological: feminism is an ideology."

What began as a womens battle cry was soon harnessed to the struggles of labourers, dalits, adivasis and so on. During One Billion Rising from South Asia, a campaign to end violence against women, she recited the now famous lines. "From patriarchy Azadi/from hierarchy Azadi/from endless violence Azadi/from helpless silence Azadi for self-expression Azadi/for celebration Azadi."

After quitting her job at the UN in the 1970s, Kamla Bhasin began to work full-time on her feminist network Sangat.

Tributes poured in from across South Asia as Bhasin was given a tearful funeral at Delhis Lodhi electric crematorium. "She was not only a womens rights activist, but also a philanthropist who set up and helped setting up many fine public interest institutions like Jagori in HP & School for democracy in Rajasthan," said senior human rights lawyer Prashant Bhushan. "She will be missed by many."

o o

o o

o o
Coalition for Nuclear Disarmament & Peace (CNDP)

A-124/6, First Floor, Katwaria Sarai, New Delhi - 110016,

E-mail: cndpindia[at]gmail.com, Website: www.cndpindia.org

26 September 2021

1. The Coalition for Nuclear Disarmament and Peace (CNDP), India expresses its deep concern at the U.S. agreement to sell nuclear submarines and Tomahawk missiles to Australia and also at the ongoing quadrilateral security dialogue of which India is a part.

2. We call attention to the absurdity of U.S. involvement in a security dialogue in the Asia-Pacific region. The United States has no legitimate security interests in this part of the globe and is simply looking to confront and thereby contain China, which it perceives as a threat to U.S. hegemony.

3. The United States finds itself unable to maintain its economic hegemony, which has been in steady decline. But U.S. military hegemony remains unchallenged and, for decades, the United States has accounted for 40% of world military expenditure. As a declining empire, the United States seeks confrontation where it is strongest: by fostering a new arms race in the Asia-Pacific region.

In the wake of what has happened in Afghanistan these US machinations will, as a reaction, promote a counter-alliance between China, Russia, Iran and Pakistan that worsens the prospects of peace and stability in South Asia as well as furthering a nuclear and conventional arms race in this region.

4. The U.S.-Australia agreement involves the sale of nuclear submarines that function using highly enriched uranium (HEU). HEU can also be used to manufacture nuclear weapons. This agreement sets a precedent for trade in HEU and therefore undermines arms-control efforts. We call attention to the hypocrisy of the United States and Australia who have previously been vocal on questions of non-proliferation when it suits their interests. It is possible that this precedent will encourage governments in India, China, Pakistan, Indonesia, South Korea, Japan and others to seek trade in HEU.

5. The sale of U.S. Tomahawk missiles to Australia undermines the Missile Technology Control Regime.

6. Frances dismay at the U.S.-Australia deal is not simply because it has lost a lucrative defence contract. France lays claim to the worlds largest exclusive economic zone (EEZ) involving large areas around islands in the South Pacific region that it thereby patrols. The EEZs of the US and Australia are the second and third largest respectively.

It is notable that all three countries involved here are either colonial states or settler-colonial states and these large EEZs are reminders of how they continue to exploit this legacy. This deal is an indication that protection of their respective EEZs will be further militarised thus reinforcing the privatisation of the resources of the seas and oceans when this should be a part of humanitys common heritage.

7. We find it deplorable that the Indian government seeks to play the role of a junior partner of the United States in these geopolitical machinations.

8. We urge the Indian government to challenge these attempts to militarize and colonize the seas. We also urge the Indian government to stay clear of the emerging conflict between the U.S. and China and adopt an independent foreign policy.

9. As the COVID-19 pandemic reminds us, nuclear weapons and military expenditure have very little to do with the true challenges that face humanity in the 21st century. Peace, international cooperation and investment in peoples welfare instead of weapons serve as far better guarantors of a countrys security.

Achin Vanaik

Arun Mitra

Lalita Ramdas

N.D. Jayaprakash

Sukla Sen

Suvrat Raju
Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying's Regular Press Conference on September 27, 2021

2021/09/27

As agreed upon by the two sides, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi and EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell will hold the 11th China-EU High Level Strategic Dialogue on September 28. Against the backdrop of rising instability and uncertainty in international situations, it is necessary for China and the EU to conduct strategic communication and strengthen coordination and cooperation. The two sides will exchange views on China-EU relations, dialogues and cooperation in various areas, and international and regional issues to promote sound and steady development of China-EU relations and jointly respond to global challenges. This strategic dialogue will be convened via videoconference.

CCTV: Through unremitting efforts of the Chinese government, Ms. Meng Wanzhou returned to China on the night of September 25. This has heartened the Chinese people and drawn much attention from international media, which is widely believed as a victory for China. Do you have any comment?

Hua Chunying: The Meng Wanzhou incident is a political frame-up and persecution against a Chinese citizen, an act designed to hobble Chinese high-tech companies as represented by Huawei. Through unremitting efforts of the Chinese government, Ms. Meng Wanzhou has finally returned to her home country safe and sound. We are truly happy for this.

Since Meng was groundlessly detained in early December, 2018, our Party and the Chinese government have attached high importance and President Xi Jinping gave personal attention to this. The Foreign Ministry, together with the Chinese embassies in the US and Canada and the Chinese Consulate General in Vancouver, has worked at various levels and on multiple occasions, provided consular protection and assistance to Ms. Meng Wanzhou, and lodged solemn representations with the US and Canada, asking them to drop the erroneous charges against Meng and ensure her safe return to China as early as possible. Other departments concerned have also done a large amount of in-depth and careful work. The Chinese people have given their full support throughout this course, and an online petition demanding the immediate and unconditional release of Meng collected 15 million signatures within a short time. The news of Meng's return to China got 400 million thumbs-ups on the online platform of the China Media Group on the night of September 25, and that number is larger than the combined populations of the US and Canada. In these two days, some college students came to the Foreign Ministry to present flowers to thank the Chinese government for its efforts to rescue and help Meng return to China, saying that they are truly proud of their home country. This is so moving. Just as Ms. Meng said, "Without a powerful motherland, I would not have my freedom today." It is thanks to the relentless efforts of the Party and the Chinese government and the full support of all the Chinese people nationwide that Ms. Meng is able to come back to her home country safe and sound. Justice may be late, but never absent. This again fully proves that a strong China under the leadership of the CPC will always have the back of every single Chinese citizen. The Party and the Chinese government have the firm will and strong capability to firmly uphold the legitimate and legal rights and interests of Chinese citizens and companies as well as the interests and dignity of the Party and our nation. No force can hold back China's progress!

CNN: China stressed many times that the cases of Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor are completely different in essence from the Meng Wanzhou incident. On the same day when Meng Wanzhou regained freedom, Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor were allowed to return to Canada. Does China think the timing is purely coincidental? Some foreign individuals believe that the timing of the two Canadian citizens' release proves that China conducts "hostage diplomacy" and "coercive diplomacy". Some Chinese scholars say the arrest of the two Canadians, following Meng Wanzhou's arrest, is a common practice in major-power games, and is China's response to the US and its allies in a way that they can understand. How do you respond to that?

Hua Chunying: I noticed you said the cases of Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor are completely different in essence from the Meng Wanzhou incident. This is totally right. The Meng Wanzhou incident is completely different in essence from the two Canadians' cases. The Meng Wanzhou incident is a political frame-up and persecution against a Chinese citizen, an act designed to hobble Chinese high-tech companies. Now Ms. Meng Wanzhou has returned to China safe and sound. Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, suspected of committing crimes of endangering national security of China, applied for release on bail for medical reasons. After the confirmation from related departments and diagnosis of professional medical institutes of China and under the guarantee of the Canadian ambassador to China, the Chinese courts concerned decided to release them on bail in accordance with law and national security authorities enforced the decision.

We noticed that after relevant information came out on September 25, many Canadian media outlets pointed out that the Meng Wanzhou incident is full of politics and void of the rule of law, and that the Canadian side should not have done the dirty work for the US. Canada should draw lessons and act in ways that serve its own interests. As for the timing, I want to point out that the groundless detention of Meng Wanzhou is a serious mistake made by the US and Canada, which they should have corrected long ago.

You just cited some Chinese scholars' views. Chinese scholars can freely express their views on media platforms. Their points actually express the hope that the Chinese government and China's diplomacy can be more capable of better protecting the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese citizens and enterprises.

State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi just had a phone call with the Foreign Minister of Venezuela. State Councilor Wang Yi stressed that China firmly defends the legitimate rights and interests of its people without any compromise. The practice of arbitrary detention of foreign nationals out of political motives and with made-up excuses of all forms is through-and-through coercion and bullying, and affronts international rules and human conscience. We believe that more countries will step forward as China did and defend all kinds of illegal unilateral sanctions, long-arm jurisdiction and political framing, jointly uphold international equity and justice and defend the basic norms governing international relations.

In these days, many young students came voluntarily to the foreign ministry to send flowers, and our Spokesperson's Office has been turned into a sea of rose blossoms. My colleagues and I are moved because the flowers represent Chinese people's sincere support and recognition for our Party and the government for their ability to firmly defend the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese citizens and businesses, and the public sentiment and opinion.

I also want to take this opportunity to thank all those who care for and support Ms. Meng, and my deep thanks also go to all friends who care for and support China's diplomacy. I hope Chinese people's aspiration can be shared through your reports to people of other countries.

Beijing Daily: According to reports, Canadian Foreign Minister Marc Garneau said in an interview on September 26 that Canada's "eyes are wide open", and the government is now following a fourfold approach to China: "coexist," "compete," "cooperate" and "challenge". What is China's response?

Hua Chunying: State-to-state relations can only be built on mutual respect, equality and mutual benefits. China-Canadian relations are no exception.

We hope Canada can keep its eyes wide open, have a clear understanding of the situations, and adopt rational and practical China policy.

MASTV: German media polls show that the Social Democratic Party (SPD) is currently leading in the election of the lower house of the parliament. As Chancellor Merkel is outgoing, how do you comment on China-Germany relations during her term in office? What is your expectation for the development of China-Germany relations going forward?

Hua Chunying: China-Germany relations have seen sound development overall in recent years. China attaches importance to developing relations with Germany, believing that the steady and sound development of China-Germany relations meets the shared interests of the two countries. China noticed that the preliminary results of the German general election have been released. We stand ready to work with the new German government to stay committed to upholding China-Germany relations and maintaining bilateral dialogue and cooperation, continue to advance practical cooperation between the two countries in the spirit of mutual benefits and openness, and promote sound and sustained progress of the bilateral relations in line with the principle of mutual respect and seeking common ground while shelving differences.

Chancellor Merkel attaches importance to developing relations with China. She visited China for 12 times during her term, and launched and co-chaired all six rounds of China-Germany inter-governmental consultations. She helped to deepen and substantiate practical cooperation and friendly interactions in various areas with China, which have brought tangible benefits to the two countries and the two peoples, and made contribution to China-Europe exchange and cooperation and world peace and stability. China highly appreciates this. Facts have shown that as long as China and Germany keep consolidating and deepening mutual trust and follow the approach that focuses on cooperation on an equal footing for mutual benefits, the bilateral relations can continue to achieve new development. We hope the new German government can carry on the practical and balanced China policy and consolidate the keynote of cooperation in China-Germany relations.

Bloomberg: To follow up on your comment on Meng Wanzhou. You listed a number of things that the Chinese government had done to secure her release. Does the government's involvement in securing her release from the Canadian detention, the Chinese ambassador accompanying her on her return to China, and the big display from state media when she landed over the weekend undercut the argument that Huawei is independent of the government of China?

Hua Chunying: The Party and the Chinese government attach great importance to safeguarding the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese citizens and enterprises. Chinese Ambassador to Canada Cong Peiwu accompanied Ms. Meng Wanzhou back to China.

You said these efforts seem to call into question Huawei's independence. As an American media outlet, you know that US leaders have mentioned to China on several occasions that they hope US companies can be provided with more convenience and a better environment in their operation in and cooperation with China. Does this mean that no American companies are independent? What is the relationship between US businesses and US government? The government of any country has the responsibility and obligation to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of its enterprises and citizens.

The Paper: Some foreign media believe that Meng Wanzhou's smooth return to China marks a major victory in China's resolute diplomatic struggle on the Meng Wanzhou's case. Do you agree with that?

Hua Chunying: Thanks to the unremitting efforts of the Chinese government and the strong support of the Chinese people, Ms. Meng Wanzhou has returned to China safely after more than 1,000 days of groundless detention. If we are to use the word "victory", this is a victory of the Chinese people and the force of justice.

Hubei Media Group: We noticed that on September 26, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi attended and delivered a keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the Sustainable Development Forum 2021 via video link. Can you share more information?

Hua Chunying: Thank you for your attention to the Sustainable Development Forum hosted by China. As you said, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi attended and delivered a keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the Sustainable Development Forum 2021, where he further expounded on the profound connotation of the Global Development Initiative put forward by President Xi Jinping at the General Debate of the 76th UNGA, and proposed China's position and proposition on implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and promoting cooperation on international development.

The Global Development Initiative proposed by China calls on the international community to accelerate implementation of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, pursue more robust, greener and more balanced global development and build a global community of development. This major initiative charts a course for global development cause and cooperation on international development. The world is facing the combined impacts of changes unseen in a century and the COVID-19 pandemic and the implementation of UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development faces new challenges. Against such a backdrop, the Global Development Initiative follows the core approach that puts people at the center, makes promoting people's well-being and achieving all-round development of the people the fundamental purpose and end goal, sets people's longing for a better life as the objective, adheres to the guideline of practical cooperation, and upholds the spirit of partnership featuring openness and inclusiveness. It holds tight development, the master key to solving all problems, and works to resolve difficulties in development and create more development opportunities in an effort to leave no country and no one behind. China calls on all to take the opportunity of implementing the Global Development Initiative, deepen anti-pandemic cooperation, step up coordination on macro policies, uphold a green and low-carbon approach, equity and justice and true multilateralism and drive forward international development.

China is ready to work with all parties to usher in bright prospects of international cooperation, and continue to make relentless efforts in building a community with a shared future for mankind.

Shenzhen TV: It is reported that after China's foreign ministry published the Fact Sheet: US Interference in Hong Kong Affairs and Support for Anti-China, Destabilizing Forces, the US State Department said in response that the actions of the US were fully consistent with international law and suggesting otherwise was simply an attempt by Beijing to divert attention from "its own bad conduct", and undermined the city's appeal as a hub of openness and free exchange. What is the ministry's response?

Hua Chunying: A question to the US. Among the 102 items listed in the Fact Sheet: US Interference in Hong Kong Affairs and Support for Anti-China, Destabilizing Forces, which is not based clear facts and solid evidence?

The remarks by the US once again prove that the so-called international law the US talks about is nothing but a cover for its wanton interference in others' internal affairs to pursue hegemony and bullying based on its own liking and self-interests in the name of freedom and democracy. The "emperor's new clothes" is being seen through by more and more people

Hong Kong is a society with the rule of law, where the residents have their legal rights and freedom fully protected in accordance with law. Hong Kong ranks the third in the Global Financial Centres Index report released recently. This again shows the degree of freedom and openness in Hong Kong as an international financial center is widely appreciated. However, if the US attempts to seek any freedom of wantonly interfering in China's internal affairs and undermining Hong Kong's security and stability, I can make it clear to the US: No way!

China Daily: On September 24, more than 60 countries made a joint statement at the UN Human Rights Council, supporting China's positions on issues related to Xinjiang, Hong Kong and Tibet, and opposing interference in China's internal affairs in the name of human rights. What is China's comment?

Hua Chunying: On September 24, at the 48th session of the Human Rights Council, Pakistan spoke on behalf of 65 countries. It stressed issues related to Hong Kong, Xinjiang and Tibet are China's internal affairs that allow no foreign interference and supported the implementation of One Country, Two Systems in Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. It opposed politicization of and double standards on human rights issues, opposed groundless accusations against China out of political motives and based on disinformation and opposed interference in China's internal affairs in the name of human rights. More than 30 countries supported China's legitimate positions by making statements in national capacity or co-signing a letter. The fact that nearly 100 countries spoke for justice again at the Human Rights Council fully shows justice can always prevail.

A handful of Western countries, in total disregard of facts and truth, have fabricated lies and rumors and interfered in China's internal affairs, which is rejected by developing countries. They attempt to oppress and contain other countries under the pretext of human rights and trample upon international rule of law, which is met with a firm fightback. Facts have proven again that Chinese people will never allow any attempt to politicize human rights issues with double standards and harm the basic human rights of the people of other countries, nor will the countries and people who uphold fairness and justice in the world. We urge those Western countries to seriously reflect upon what they have done, change their course and return to the right track of dialogue and cooperation.

FSN: Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor were released on bail for medical reasons and reports also said that China may resume the case against them if they violate the conditions of bails. So first of all, will the foreign ministry be able to elaborate on what those medical reasons are and also elaborate on what the conditions of bail are as well. Also ,would you be able to share whether or not the US or Canada set as a condition for the release of Meng Wanzhou that the two Michaels had to be returned to Canada as well?

Hua Chunying: You may have learned from media reports that Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor applied for release on bail for medical reasons. After the confirmation from related departments and diagnosis of professional medical institutes of China and under the guarantee of the Canadian ambassador to China, the Chinese courts concerned decided to release them on bail in accordance with law.

Relevant reports also listed facts in details that they were suspected of committing the crime of endangering China's national security. The two defendants confessed to their crimes, and they should strictly abide by the decision on bail made by relevant Chinese courts. In case of violation, China can resume, in accordance with law, the trial of the alleged criminal acts anytime while on bail. I would refer you to competent authorities for specific details.

As for your question on condition, I just said that the groundless detention of Meng Wanzhou is a serious mistake made by the US and Canada, which they should have corrected long ago.

China News Service: Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov noted on September 25 that nuclear submarines use weapons-grade uranium. He added that if Australia acquires nuclear-powered submarines within the framework of the new AUKUS defense alliance, Russia will probably have to request IAEA oversight. What's your comment on that?

Hua Chunying: My colleague has made clear China's position on this issue before. We believe that the cooperation between the US, the UK and Australia on nuclear submarines poses a serious risk of nuclear proliferation and violates the spirit of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). The concerns expressed by the Russian side are completely legitimate and reasonable.

The export of nuclear submarines to Australia, a non-nuclear weapon state, would involve the transfer of sensitive nuclear materials such as weapons-grade highly enriched uranium and related technology and equipment. There are gaps in the IAEA's safeguards system, which cannot effectively prevent Australia from using relevant nuclear materials to manufacture nuclear weapons. China is firmly opposed to the US, the UK and Australia's malicious exploitation of loopholes in the NPT and the IAEA safeguards mechanism, and will firmly safeguard the authority and effectiveness of the international nuclear non-proliferation regime.

At the same time, China would like to remind all parties of the serious harm of double standards on the non-proliferation issue adopted by the US, UK and Australia. The US and UK put geopolitical interests above international nuclear non-proliferation rules and help Australia become the first non-nuclear weapon state to introduce nuclear submarines, which will encourage other non-nuclear weapon states to do the same, and bring far-reaching negative impact to the resolving of non-proliferation hotspots in the region. Moreover, Australia's introduction of nuclear submarines will undercut the South Pacific Nuclear Free Zone Treaty and ASEAN countries' efforts to build a Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone (NWFZ) in Southeast Asia, and severely sabotage regional peace and stability.

China again urges the three countries to heed the call from the international community, abandon outdated Cold War mentality and narrow-minded geopolitical concepts, revoke the wrong decision, faithfully fulfill international non-proliferation obligations and do more that benefits regional peace and stability.

Reuters: Can I clarify that China's position is that the release of Meng and the release of Kovrig and Spavor is entirely coincidental? And secondly, a British warship passed through the Taiwan Straits today. Do you have any comment on that?

Hua Chunying: We have stated many times that the Meng Wanzhou incident is completely different in essence from the cases of Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor. Many media outlets, including those in Canada, pointed out that the Canadian side should not have done the dirty work for the US and should draw lessons. The groundless detention of Meng Wanzhou is a serious mistake made by the US and Canada, which they should have corrected long ago.

As to your second question, China's position is very clear. We hope some country can do more that helps to build mutual trust and truly safeguards regional peace and stability.

Prasar Bharati: Last week, India's Ambassador to China Vikram Misri has said that India has continued to issue visas to Chinese businessmen to visit India despite current differences in the bilateral relations, but he expressed his disappointment over China's continued visa ban on Indian students, family members, businessmen, marine crew etc. and has termed it as unscientific approach. Do you have any comment or response to this, particularly to China's unscientific approach as mentioned?

Hua Chunying: Since the start of COVID-19, China has been following science-based prevention and control measures in accordance with law, and has done our utmost to protect people's health and safety, and safeguard their life and production. Given the ongoing spread of the coronavirus across the globe, the Chinese government has to adopt a series of management measures, which is timely adjusted in accordance with the evolving situation, in order to ensure the safe, healthy and orderly flow of Chinese and foreign travelers. China's prevention and control measures are scientific, professional and appropriate. I want to stress that China applies quarantine measures equally to all inbound travelers, including its own citizens.

With effective prevention and control measures in place, China is willing to work with all countries, India included, to make proper arrangement for the exchanges of personnel in the context of COVID-19.

Bloomberg: In your early answer about Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, you said they pleaded guilty and then they were released on bail. Is that a fact that they pleaded guilty? That's a statement I haven't heard before.

Hua Chunying: Maybe you missed those media reports on the matter. Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor made confession to their crimes and wrote materials of confession and repentance.

Beijing Youth Daily: On September 23, the US House of Representatives passed the amendment bill of the Fiscal Year 2022 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) which recommends the US administration to consider imposing sanctions against 35 Russian senior officials and businessmen under the "Global Magnitsky Act." Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov and Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova made strong response to that. Do you have any comment?

Hua Chunying: We noted relevant reports and strong response on the Russian side. China firmly rejects the US pointing fingers at other countries and imposing unilateral sanctions under the pretext of human rights. China believes that all countries should abide by international law, opposes wanton use or threat of unilateral sanctions, maintains that all countries should resolve differences through equal-footed negotiations and rejects willful issuance of ultimatum. The US totally disregards the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, international law and the basic norms governing international relations. Such hegemonic and bullying practices are just unpopular. They have been opposed by Russia and China, and will meet rejection and opposition from more and more countries.

Global Times: it is reported that Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov on September 26 said the recent US proposal for a "Summit for Democracy", was more in the spirit of a Cold War, as it declares a new crusade against all dissenters. What's your comment?

Hua Chunying: I fully agree with Foreign Minister Lavrov. By putting together this so-called "Summit for Democracy", the US is in essence drawing a ideological line for bloc politics. This will only lead to division and confrontation, which will find no support as it runs against the trend of the times.

A crucial criterion of democracy should be whether the people's expectations, needs and aspirations are met, and whether they enjoy tangible benefits. Whether it is good or not should not be judged by what we say, but what we do. In the US, the top one percent own, govern and have it all. Is this democracy? The US politics is split and polarized, and it's "America against America". The government doesn't have the support of half the people. Is this democracy? Fooling the people and abusing their trust and making empty promises without delivering on them, is this democracy? The US has waged wars overseas based on lies and rumors, in which people lost their lives and slipped into poverty, while arms dealers and big capitalists lined their pockets. Is this democracy? Callous to people like George Floyd who can't breathe and innocent people died by gun violence, the government just sits back. Is this democracy? Living a good life while resorting to all means to suppress other countries the right to development and deny their people a good life, is this democracy?

The US side should do some soul-searching, make a correct and objective assessment of itself. It should stop acting as "the spokesperson for democracy" at will and applying double or even multiple standards on the issue of democracy, let alone trying to use the issue of democracy as a tool to suppress other countries. We hope that the US will abandon the Cold War mentality, reject the wrong practice of seeking cliques and zero-sum game, and work with other countries to practice international relations featuring mutual respect, fairness, justice and win-win cooperation, and promote the common values of humanity of peace, development, fairness, justice, democracy and freedom.

TASS: The first-ever in-person Quad summit among the US, Japan. Australia and India was concluded in the White House yesterday. The themes of discussions reportedly focused on China. What does the foreign ministry have to say about this?

Hua Chunying: We are following the Quad summit held by the US, Japan, India and Australia.

For some time, these countries have been keen on insinuating China with the so-called "rules-based order", playing up and inciting the so-called "China threat" theory, and driving a wedge between regional countries and China. China is firmly opposed to this. In response to your question, I would like to emphasize three points.

First, facts have long proved that China is a builder of world peace, a contributor to global development, a defender of the international order and a provider of public goods. China's growth means a growing force for world peace and a blessing for regional prosperity and development. China cannot be accused of "coercion" or "disruption of order".

Second, what most countries in the world recognize and accept is the international system with the UN at its core, the international order based on international law and the basic norms governing international relations based on the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, rather than the so-called "order" unilaterally defined by one or few countries. Numerous facts have shown that the US wants an order in which it wantonly smears, coerces and interferes in other countries without paying any price. It is an order in which US hegemony and bullying prevail, while the whole world grovels to the US. This so-called "order" runs counter to the trend of peace, development and cooperation of the times and the common aspiration of people around the world. It is unpopular and will never succeed.

Third, China always believes that any multilateral mechanism should conform to the trend of the times for peace and development, help enhance mutual trust and cooperation among countries, and should not target or undermine the interests of any third party. Relevant countries should abandon the outdated Cold War zero-sum mentality and ideological bias, stop forming closed and exclusive "cliques", and do more to promote solidarity and cooperation among countries in the region as well as regional peace and stability.

RIA Novosti: Last week, the former United Nations Under-Secretary-General Sha Zukang called on Beijing to re-examine its no-first-use policy on nuclear weapon. I wonder what's China's comment on his suggestions in light of new security alliance among Australia, the UK and the US. Will China consider the change of this policy?

Hua Chunying: China's nuclear policy has been clear and consistent. China has been an active advocate for the comprehensive prohibition and complete elimination of nuclear weapons. We unequivocally made the pledge of not being the first to use nuclear weapons at any time or under any circumstances and unconditionally not using or threatening to use nuclear weapons against non-nuclear weapon states or nuclear-weapon-free zones. China is the only nuclear weapon state to make and honor this commitment.

Every Chinese who loves his country is entitled to express his views on national security. Many of their views actually reveal the concern over the unilateral and hegemonic policies of the US in the field of strategic security. We hope the US government can heed the voice of ordinary Chinese people, earnestly reduce the role of nuclear weapons in national security policies, respect the legitimate security concerns of other countries, and play its due role in maintaining global strategic balance and stability.

Prasar Bharati: A follow-up. You just said that China is willing to have good arrangements for bilateral travel with India. But as I understand, China is not issuing any visas for travelers from India. So are you saying that China is planning to soon start bilateral travel with India? What did you mean? Can you kindly explain a little bit?

Hua Chunying: Maybe you didn't quite understand what I said. On the visa issue that you care about, the prevention and control measures that China has to adopt amid COVID-19 are not targeting India, but applied to everyone. China applies entry measures equally to all inbound travelers, including its own citizens. Like I said earlier, with effective prevention and control measures in place, China is willing to work with all countries, India included, to make proper arrangement for the exchanges of personnel in the context of COVID-19. China's prevention and control measures are scientific, professional and appropriate. We will make timely adjustments and proper arrangements in light of the changing situation and needs.
Late bloomers, horses light on luck and those who came up short of expectations all have a chance to put a little money in the bank in the annual Autumn and Harvest Series at Ontario racetracks this fall.

For Ontario Sired two and three-year-olds, the Autumn Series is for non-winners of $10,000 lifetime as of midnight Sept. 30, 2021 and is raced in October at Flamboro Downs and The Raceway at the Western Fair District, while the Harvest Series is for non-winners of $30,000 in 2021 as of midnight on September 30 and is raced at Woodbine Mohawk Park, with the two-year-olds going postward in October and the three-year-olds in November. Nominations for both the Autumn and Harvest Series are due Friday, Oct. 1.

Its a good little series for horses that didnt make it as [Ontario Sires Stakes] Gold horses or top Grassroots horses; it gives them a chance to make a little money, said trainer Ashleigh Hensley, who captured the Harvest Series three-year-old pacing filly final last fall with Rose Run Victory. Its good for people selling their three-year-olds too.

Shadow Play daughter Rose Run Victory was purchased by Pennsylvania-based owners Burke Racing Stable LLC, Weaver Bruscemi and Phillip Collura at the end of her Ontario Sires Stakes season and won the second leg and the final of the Harvest Series, banking $34,650 for her new owners. Rose Run Victory had tried her hand at both the Grassroots and Gold Series levels in the provincial program before changing hands, but failed to qualify for the post season at either level.

Peter, Curtis and Amy Clements of Dobbinton, Ont. captured the 2020 three-year-old trotting filly Autumn Series Final at The Raceway at the Western Fair District with Cool Princess, who missed out on an Ontario Sires Stakes campaign after an early season injury. With wins in the first leg and the final and a second in the second leg, the Royalty For Life daughter netted her owners $17,975.

It was really nice to have these tracks offer that non-winners of $10,000 as of September; it worked out really well for us. We knew she had a little bit of go and she could get around a half really well, so it was kind of our game plan to take her there and it actually ended up working out really well for us, going to London, said Curtis Clements, who trained and drove the filly to the win. I am kind of glad they offer those things at the tracks, especially for people who have a lot more B horses than maybe A horses.

Both Hensley and Clements have horses that fit the Autumn and Harvest Series conditions again this fall. Clements will be hoping for repeat success in the three-year-old trotting filly Autumn Series with P C Free Wheeling, a Wheeling N Dealin homebred that made her career debut earlier this month. The Hensleys recently purchased three-year-old Muscle Mass gelding Rosies War Bonds, who is headed for the Harvest Series, and trainer Ron Burke and his partners have also acquired a trio of Ontario Sired youngsters that fit the conditions.

They bought them so that they can race them in the last couple Grassroots and then put them in there (Harvest Series), said Dundas, Ont. resident Hensley. It kind of helps to pay for the horse they just bought if they can have some luck in it.

Complete details, including a nomination form and conditions, are available here for the Autumn Series and here for the Harvest Series.

Nominations for the Harvest and Autumn Series can be paid online through Woodbine's website or SC Stakes Online. For additional information, please contact Dana Keyes in the Woodbine Mohawk Park race office at 905-854-7805.

(With files from OSS)
The 2021 onGait.com Fall Yearling Sale concluded this weekend with 65 yearlings selling for a gross of $618,200, with an average sale price of $9,510.

The sales topper was Tactical Moment, from the first crop of Tactical Landing, with a winning bid of $40,200 from European horsemen of Stroy Inc. Double Spring Farm of Ohio was the consignor.

Morrisville Equine Institute of New York sold six yearlings, including the Huntsville colt Circling The Prey for $37,700 to Greg Luther of Ohio.

Maryland's Fox Den Farm yearling consignment was led by G Force, a son of Rustys All In, with a high bid of $25,800 from Steve Le Blanc of Delaware.

Established in August 2001, onGait.com comes off a record-breaking year with more than $15 million in sales of racehorses and breeding stock. As always, those unable to access OnGait by computer can call Maurice at (561) 706-4839.

For recent auction results, click here.

(With files from onGait.com)
If My People... New England

NEWS PROVIDED BY

Hidden Manna Ministries

Sept. 27, 2021

MEDIA ADVISORY, Sept. 27, 2021 /Standard Newswire/ -- This year we celebrate the 400th anniversary of the first Thanksgiving. In 1620, a small group of Christians, led by the Holy Spirit, found their way to what is now Plymouth Massachusetts to plant a church! Yes, this courageous group of men and women wanted to establish a Christian outpost in the new world. It was an incredible voyage, followed by a challenging winter where half of these brave believers perished. But by the fall of 1621, the survivors not only stabilized, but had forged a relationship and introduced Christianity to the Native Americans whose land they occupied. They all came together and marked this accomplishment with a feast to celebrate and give thanks to God.

Fast forward to 2021. Instead of the unity with our neighbors that the first thanksgiving celebrated, we find a world divided and people at odds with one another. Instead of looking UP to God for guidance and to give thanks like our ancestors did, we look left or right where we find distrust, disharmony, and

misinformation. Now more than ever before, we need the intercession of our Father to lead us out of this darkness and into the light. We need to pray regularly, fervently, and with purpose and ask for God's help.

At noon on October 2 at the Monument to the Forefathers in Plymouth, the location of the first Christian outpost in the new world, we will pray together and ask God to heal our country. Pastor Greg Winslow, descendant of Edward Winslow's family, who was one of the Christians who arrived on the Mayflower, will lead this historic gathering of Mayflower descendants and Native Americans to pray for unity and healing for all nations under the Gospel, as the Native Americans and new settlers did on that First Thanksgiving . He will be joined by:

Pastor Negiel Bigpond -- Apostle of Morning Star Church of All Nations



Huron Claus -- President/CEO of Chief Inc



William Federer -- Author and Radio Host



Pastor/Historian Paul Jehle-Historian and Senior Pastor of New Testament Church

This event is the latest in a series of prayer gatherings sponsored by If My People-New England, an organization dedicated to bringing peace and healing based on 2 Chronicles 7:14:

"If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land."

We invite you to join us In Plymouth, Massachusetts's for this clarion call to humble, pray, seek and turn once again towards the Lord.

It's time to return again to God in prayer, as they did during the first Thanksgiving, and see God heal our land.

For more info: www.ifmypeopleNE.org

This event will be live-streamed at:

SOURCE Hidden Manna Ministries

CONTACT: Greg Winslow, ifmypeoplene@gmail.com
New Study Shows Many Evangelical Protestants Now Plan for Online Church to Be Part of Their Lives, Even Without a Pandemic

NEWS PROVIDED BY

Infinity Concepts

Sept. 27, 2021

EXPORT, Penn.,Sept. 27, 2021 /Standard Newswire/ -- Because of COVID-19, more than three out of every four evangelical Protestants in the US have experienced watching church online instead of attending in-person. More important is that going forward, the majority who did, now want to make online viewing part of their normal church experience.

These findings come from the new report, The Ripple Effect: Congregations, COVID, and the Future of Church Life, from Infinity Concepts and Grey Matter Research. The study, which included over 1,000 American Evangelical Protestants, examines the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on church attendance and attitudes about the experience. Most notably, the study explores how evangelicals want to attend church in the future.

Nearly nine out of ten evangelicals (87%) were attending church on at least a semi-regular basis prior to the outbreak of the pandemic. Among churchgoers, 89% stopped attending for at least a short time due to the pandemic, and more than three out of four viewed church services online as one of the substitutes for in-person attendance.

This experience with viewing church online led to a number of important developments. First, "One statistic that really stands out to me from this study is that a surprisingly large number of evangelicals do not necessarily see superior advantages to attending in-person services," says Mark Dreistadt, Infinity Concepts Founder and President. "We found that 45% of those who experienced online church services now believe that worship online is equal or superior to the in-person experience in at least one of the eight areas we explored."

The two areas in which online viewing was most likely to have a perceived advantage were their personal comfort (26% said online viewing is superior to in-person attendance in this area) and their ability to experience different churches (24%).

Where evangelicals are most likely to see in-person church as the superior experience is in their level of connection/engagement with the church (81%), having an authentic worship experience (73%), the music/singing (69%), and the ability to give the service their full attention (67%).

Second, among those who viewed online services as a substitute for in-person church, 19% not only viewed services from their own church, but also from at least one church they did not regularly attend prior to the pandemic. Another 13% only viewed services from a church other than their own, but this may have been because their regular church did not offer online services.

"One of the most fascinating and potentially important findings is how many evangelicals took the opportunity to 'digitally visit' other churches, even though their own church was streaming services," says Ron Sellers, President of Grey Matter Research & Consulting. "One has to wonder whether this will ultimately lead to 'church nomads' who surf the internet for new church experiences rather than putting down roots and becoming part of a church community."

The study finding with the greatest potential to impact churches going forward has to do with evangelicals' future plans. With COVID restrictions ever-changing, infections continuing, and no true end to the pandemic in sight, online church services are going to be a necessary option for the foreseeable future. For most evangelicals who experienced it, the option to worship online is also one they hope will continue long after the pandemic is behind us.

"Our findings show that only 44% of evangelical Protestants who viewed services online want to return exclusively to in-person worship once the pandemic is over," Dreistadt noted. "That means 56% would at least like to keep their options open in the future. That's 21 million evangelical adults."

This desire raises a lot of strategic questions for churches. If online becomes an accepted option for many evangelicals, how will that impact giving? How will it impact Sunday school, youth and children's programs, and other traditionally in-person activities that may not be available online? What will happen with smaller churches that may not have a high-quality streaming service, or even any at all?

Much remains unknown about the lasting impact of online services as a substitute for in-person attendance. But Grey Matter and Infinity Concepts hope their partnership on this research helps churches, denominations, and ministry leaders think and plan strategically.

"Our study raises a lot of 'what ifs' for the future direction of congregations," Sellers noted. "The pandemic gave millions of evangelicals an online church experience whether they wanted it or not  and many found out that they wanted it, at least occasionally. It's time to start talking about how this will impact the future for churches."

To request a copy of the full report, please contact Darrell Law, Infinity Concepts VP & Chief Growth Officer at darrell@infinityconcepts.com or 724.930.2801.

Definition of "Evangelical Protestant"

This study used the definition of "evangelical" favored by the National Association of Evangelicals. Respondents who agreed strongly with four statements about their spiritual beliefs (The Bible is the highest authority for what I believe, It is important for me to encourage non-Christians to trust Jesus Christ as their Savior, Jesus Christ's death on the cross is the only sacrifice that could remove the penalty of my sin, and Only those who trust in Jesus Christ alone as their Savior receive God's free gift of eternal salvation), and who were not aligned with a non-Protestant faith group (e.g. Catholic, Orthodox, Mormon) were included in the study.

About Infinity Concepts:

Infinity Concepts is a brand communication agency that inspires people of faith to action through consulting, branding, fundraising, public relations, creative, traditional media, and digital media. With almost 20 years of experience, Infinity Concepts specializes in reaching and engaging the Christian audience.

About Grey Matter Research:

Grey Matter Research is a marketing research and consumer insights company with extensive experiencing serving both the charitable and religious sectors. The company conducts consumer insights work that helps organizations make wiser, more informed decisions based on knowledge rather than suppositions.

SOURCE Infinity Concepts

CONTACT: Karen Hepp, 724-930-2809




It's probably safe to say there is only one city marshal in the state  heck, the country  who would knowingly retain a convicted felon on his roster of reserve deputies.

It's just another in a long line of examples of Brian Pope doing whatever the hell he wants to do with his office with no regard for the public's best interest.



The embattled Lafayette city marshal is facing a seven-count felony indictment charging him with perjury and malfeasance in office. The charges largely stem from lies Pope told under oath about the role the Chad Leger for Sheriff campaign played in a 2015 press conference and Pope's use of public resources to smear Leger's opponent, all of which was revealed after The Independent sued the marshal for public records related to the presser. He is set to go to trial in September.

More recently, The IND revealed that Pope is making more than $220,000 a year in large part by personally collecting  illegally, it seems  fees from city court and a percentage of garnishments administered by his office (and he is now asking the council for more money after spending hundreds of thousands of dollars of public money on his and The IND's legal fees in the public records lawsuit). That hasn't gone over well with voters.



Williams took the stand Thursday and claimed the alleged sex act never occurred and that the victim was the aggressor who tried to bribe him with sex to help with drug charges.

He told the jury that he was present when the woman was booked and bonded out of jail on drug possession charges.



He testified the next time he saw her he was off duty and at the Guillory Bonding Co. Williams said it was during that second meeting that she began to tell him of her troubles after moving from Houston to Lafayette.



Williams said he suggested they go into another room out of the presence of others for her to tell about her problems. While in the room, he said, she began to cry and laid her head on his shoulder.

He told the jury that he consoled her and the woman persisted in asking for help with her drug charges, even though he insisted he could provide no assistance.



Eventually, he said, she offered to perform a sexual favor in return for his help with the drug charges. He recalled she said I dont even like sex. I just want to get out of Lafayette.



While making a phone call in the room, Williams said, the woman began taking off her clothes and later unzipped her pants, but he denied his pants were lowered as the victim claimed Wednesday.



If his pants had been lowered, he said, his off-duty pistol would have fallen out of his back pocket.



He said he refused to allow the woman to proceed, then left the room without engaging in any sexual activity.





For a story early last year, The Independent requested from Pope a list of all of the men and women he had commissioned as deputies, full-time and reserve, since taking office. What the list revealed was that he had been doling out badges and commission cards to an extraordinary number of reserve deputies , more than 60 at last count. Thats 10 times what I had, his predecessor, Nickey Picard, told The IND at the time. Reserves are unpaid volunteers who serve as support staff to full-time deputies, supposedly undergoing the same training as full-time officers. In Popes case, however, many of the reserves are nothing more than honorary deputies who have recorded zero training and log little or no hours assisting the department, the marshals own records show.Missing from what Pope provided  it soon became evident that he had commissioned so many reserves that he lost track of them  was the name Ricky Williams. A parallel public records request for all deputies names to the Lafayette Parish Clerk of Court and the Lafayette Parish Sheriffs Office, which as a courtesy once processed and printed the cards for the marshals office, turned up the name of Williams and eight other reserves whose names Pope had not supplied. Williams was commissioned in June 2015.As The IND pointed out in the original story about his penchant for deputizing, " Pope & his posse ," some of Pope's reserves had questionable pasts. But the problem with Williams is that he is a convicted felon, having been found guilty of attempted aggravated crime against nature in April 1982 after a woman testified that he forced her to perform a sexual act on him the previous December. Williams was given a two-year sentence in the parish jail.Williams was a police officer with the Lafayette Police Department at the time of the crime and was fired shortly after refusing to take a polygraph, according to local media reports.Mike Harson, then an assistant district attorney, prosecuted the case, in which Williams was initially indicted for aggravated crime against nature, a charge that mandated a sentence of three to 15 years. Harson argued that Williams used his job as a policeman to obtain sexual favors from the woman. Another man, a bail bondsman named Irving Reed, was indicted on a charge of false imprisonment in connection with the incident.According to an April 9, 1982, account from The Advocate, which covered the jury trial:

It was the victims testimony, however, and that of a key witness that swayed the jurors. Testifying the day before Williams took the stand, the woman explained that the incident took place her first night on the job at the bonding company.



According to The Advocate:



The woman said she followed Williams into a room at the bonding company office after he seemed sympathetic about rude behavior by another man at the office.



Once in the room, she said, Williams made threats that I would never see my children again and that he could obtain revocation of her bond set for her on drug possession charges.

She said she submitted to Williams demand after he told her he could kill her and suffer no consequences.



After the incident, the woman testified, she cowered in the corner of a room and cried, but did not go to the police.



After having an incident like that with a policeman, another officer was the last person I wanted to see, she said under intense cross-examination by defense attorney Max Jordan. ...



She said Reed told her if she told anyone about the incident my body would be found in the morgue chewed up by alligators. ...



The last witness of the day was Joseph Comeaux, a janitor at the bonding office.



Comeaux corroborated much of the womans testimony and said he heard her crying and noticed she was upset when she came out of the room.



She was so scared, she was scared of me, he said.



Comeaux said he also overheard Williams tell the woman to shut up in a violent tone of voice.

The Marshal conducts background checks on all persons who are considered to become a commissioned deputy marshal (both full-time or reserve).



It is the Marshals policy that if any unexpunged felony conviction is noted on the background check, then the person is not eligible to become a deputy marshal. There was nothing to indicate that Ricky Williams was a convicted felon. In fact, Reserve Deputy Marshal Williams has over 30 years of licensed private investigation experience, holding licenses in multiple states (a feat which could not occur if a felony conviction existed in the first instance).

When The IND learned of Williams criminal record in the fall, we reached out to Pope with questions about why he would commission a convicted sex offender. Through his attorney, Joy Rabalais, Pope offered the following:The IND has since been unable to determine whether Williams had his record expunged (there is no documentation in the parish courthouse records) or was pardoned by a governor, but Pope is not the only source to confirm that Williams record has been wiped clean.Mike DiBenedetto, also a reserve deputy who runs a private security company in Lafayette, had been employing Williams until DiBenedetto was notified of the criminal conviction by one of Debenedettos clients, River Ranch, last fall. DiBenedetto, a Lafayette police officer from 1980 to 2005, was with the department at the time of the conviction but insists he did not recall it when he, too, ran a background check on Williams. I just forgot all about it. It was like 36 years ago, DiBenedetto tells The IND. Ive got high-end neighborhoods. I would not jeopardize my contracts.DiBenedetto says Williams has his own security company now and acknowledges that while Williams was terminated as an employee, he does some contract work for us offsite, offering that Williams helps with events like weddings and receptions.Until April of this year, Williams was licensed by Louisianas Board of Private Investigator Examiners. Thats when his license expired, and he did not renew it, leaving him with six months from the date of the lapse to pay the annual renewal fee or reapply, a board representative tells The IND.On his 1992 application for licensure, obtained via a public records request, Williams answers "Yes" on a question about whether he had ever been discharged or asked to resign from any position, but when asked if he had ever left a position under circumstances he wanted to explain, he writes, No. On a separate page he signs an "affidavit of truthfulness" swearing that he has not been convicted of a felony.Portions of Williams application were not provided to The IND, along with an accompanying privilege log, as is required by law when public records are withheld. Among the documents not made available were a June 16, 1993, letter from the board chairman to the board attorney and attachments to the letter; the subject was Request for attorney advise on licensure issue. Also withheld was a letter to the board from Lafayette criminal defense attorney Thomas Guilbeau with the subject listed as Information regarding licensure background.It appears that Williams application was approved some time in early 1993. The minutes of the board's April 27, 1993, meeting in which he is listed as having complied with all the board's requirements and was awaiting board approval do not indicate that his pending license was discussed in executive session at that time. Telling from the minutes, however, is denial of another applicants license because he was a convicted felon who has not been pardoned by the Governor of Louisiana.Other than provide the redacted application, the board representative did not answer additional questions about Williams.The IND checked back in with Pope this month to see if Williams remains a reserve deputy marshal  and Pope confirmed that he does. Records Pope supplied to this news organization last year showed that Williams was not given a badge, which means he likely only carries a commission card. Records provided by Pope last year indicated Williams had not undergone any training or put in any volunteer hours. Before posting this story, we were not able to determine whether that has changed. We will update the story after Pope responds.

Reached by phone, Williams, 60, declined to comment  albeit politely  about his past.



Ricky Williams paid for his crime and deserves the freedom he has earned. But he should never be able to represent a law enforcement agency, and it's unlikely neighborhood organizations would want him providing their security.For Brian Pope, however, there are no rules and no accountability. He's proven that time and time again.But he will have to answer to his actions in court come September, not to mention the possibility of a recall election that could finally put an end to this error in Lafayette law enforcement.
British oilfield services company Petrofac has pleaded guilty on seven counts of bribery committed to obtain projects in Iraq, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. A plea agreement was reached with the UK Serious Fraud Office (SFO).

In a statement on Sunday, Petrofact said: "Pursuant to this plea agreement, the company has today indicated guilty pleas to seven counts of failing to prevent former Petrofac group employees from offering or making payments to agents in relation to projects awarded between 2012 and 2015 in Iraq, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, contrary to Section 7 of the UK Bribery Act 2010. These offers or payments were made between 2011 and 2017. All employees involved in the charges have left the business."

A sentencing hearing is scheduled to take place at Southwark Crown Court commencing on September 27, 2021.

The statement further said the penalty will be determined at the sole discretion of the court, adding it may take into account "submissions by the company as to its ability to pay, along with the SFOs recognition that Petrofac is a changed company with transformed leadership, personnel, compliance and assurance processes".

According to Rene Medori, Petrofac Chairman, said: This was a deeply regrettable period of Petrofacs history. We are committed to ensuring it will never happen again. We have fundamentally overhauled our compliance regime, as well as the people, and the culture that supports it. Our comprehensive programme of corporate renewal has been acknowledged by the SFO. Petrofac has been living under the shadow of the past, but today it is a profoundly different business, in which stakeholders can be assured of our commitment to the highest standards of business ethics, wherever we operate.

Sami Iskander, Group CEO, said: With my new management team we are rebuilding the company into a new Petrofac thats relevant for the future, across both traditional and new energies, built on a foundation of the highest ethical standards. --Tradearabia News Service
Bahrain is considering several options to support the financial and economic recovery and to maintain social support for eligible citizens, including adjusting the rate of the value-added tax (VAT), it was revealed at a key meeting.

Government ministers attending a joint meeting of the legislative and executive branches noted that the best option is always which has the minimum effect on citizens, especially those with limited income. They stressed keenness to maintain the exclusion of 49 basic food commodities from VAT, in addition to basic services and 1,400 government services, said a Bahrain News Agency report.

The joint meeting was chaired by Speaker of the Representatives Council Fawzia bint Abdullah Zainal, in the presence of Shura Council Chairman Ali bin Saleh Al Saleh, Finance Minister Shaikh Salman bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, Minister of Labour and Social Development Jamil bin Mohammed Ali Humaidan, Minister of Parliament Affairs Ghanim bin Fadhel Al Buainin, Minister of Industry, Commerce and Tourism Zayed bin Rashid Al Zayani, Shura Council First Deputy Chairman Jamal Fakhro, Second Deputy Chairman Jamila Salman, Representatives Council First Deputy Speaker Abdulnabi Salman Ahmed, Second Deputy Speaker Ali Zayed and Heads and members of the Shura and Representatives Councils Financial and Economic Committees, it said.

The meeting reviewed plans and initiatives related to financial and economic recovery after the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.

The government team stressed that Bahrain, in line with the directives of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, has prioritised citizens health in all stages of dealing with the pandemic which faced the whole world. They said the efforts were focused first on protecting the health of citizens and residents, combat the virus and preserve national achievements. Then, they added, the kingdom took steps to support the national economy and the private sector, maintain economic growth, create quality opportunities for citizens, protect jobs and ensure stability of the labour market.

The government team pointed out the launch of the financial and economic package to maintain continuity of the states programmes to achieve sustainable development and weather the economic impact of the pandemic on the private sector. They also pointed out the initiatives taken to support citizens and alleviate the repercussions of the pandemic on them, in line with the directives of His Majesty the King and under the follow-up of the government led by HRH Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister.

The government team clarified that the results achieved until February 2020 of the Fiscal Balance Programme to balance government expenditures and revenues exceeded the interim goals set. They said due to the repercussions of the coronavirus pandemic on the world and the economic situation, in general, those results did not continue, which is what prompts at the current stage to adopt initiatives to protect the society through economic recovery, enhancing financial stability and putting the fiscal balance programme on track to achieve its goals.

They said to avoid any direct impact on citizens, the goal of the fiscal balance programme will be modified to 2024, said the report.

The Minister of Finance and National Economy pointed out the governments adherence to the principles adopted in achieving the goals of the fiscal balance programme. He pointed out the steps taken by the government in this regard such as rationalising and boosting the competence of expenditure, reducing the operational ones, maintaining social support for eligible citizens, ensuring continuous provision of good quality services for citizens and continuing the fiscal balance programme according to its goals through achieving economic recovery during the next phase.

The Minister stressed that priority in the next phase will be given to the importance of the national economic recovery through implementation of initiatives that are consistent with the current requirements to bring the growth rates back to their aspired levels. He praised the one-team spirit in facing challenges, stressing keenness on putting the supreme national interest above any other consideration.

The Speaker praised the constructive cooperation between the government and the legislative branch to serve citizens. She hailed keenness of the government to inform the legislative branch about future plans and projects and their impact on the community. She stressed that the meeting reflects keenness of the legislative and executive branches to maintain continuous coordination and cooperation to ensure success of plans and initiatives aimed at achieving the goals of the Economic Vision 2030.

The Shura Council Chairman stressed the positive economic indicators of Bahrain over the past eight months of 2021. He said the results, parallel to the levels recorded in 2019, before the global spread of the coronavirus pandemic, affirm the Kingdoms financial stability and excellence in implementing policies to achieve sustainability of the national economy, the report said.
MidChains, the virtual asset trading platform based in Abu Dhabi and part of Hub71s cohort, has completed its first trades across all its listed assets. MidChains is a fully regulated and supervised trading platform acting under the Financial Services Regulatory Authoritys (FSRA) regulatory framework of Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM).

MidChains has confirmed trades across Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin and Bitcoin Cash and is the first regulated platform in the UAE to have conducted trades across all these virtual assets on September 1. MidChains current listed crypto assets for trading make up more than 65% of the global market cap of the cryptocurrency market.

As one of the first fully regulated virtual asset trading platforms in Abu Dhabi, MidChains is backed by notable regional and international investors including Mubadala Investment Company (Mubadala), Miami International Holdings, and DisruptAD, ADQs venture platform.

MidChains is the first and only fully-regulated virtual asset trading platform to receive sovereign wealth fund backing in the region.

"We are thrilled to have completed our first trades on the MidChains platform, andgiving our clients  whether they are institutions or individuals  the ability to trade freely, safely and equally, said Basil Al Askari, co-founder and CEO of MidChains. ADGM has a robust virtual asset regulatory framework which gives market participants that the peace of mind to put their capital to work to trade, store, and withdraw virtual assets. We are proudly an Emirati company building a global business.

Mohammed Ali Al Shorafa, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development, said: Abu Dhabis FinTech industry is moving forward at pace with the introduction of revolutionary solutions and technology that improve the offering across the entire ecosystem. With its innovation-first mindset, MidChains is set to transform the way that trading is conducted across the UAE and beyond. We congratulate MidChains on completing its inaugural trades and look forward to celebrating the future successes of a homegrown innovator.

Ibrahim Ajami, Head of Ventures & Growth at Mubadala, added: Completing its inaugural trades is a significant milestone for MidChains. Mubadala is committed to investing in homegrown entrepreneurs creating innovative new businesses, and we invested in MidChains early in its lifecycle based on our belief in its ability to bring virtual asset trading to the region in a secure and regulated way. We are pleased to see the companys trading platform now fully operational, and we look forward to our continued collaboration.

Thomas P Gallagher, Chairman of MGEX and Chairman & CEO of MIAX, added: We congratulate MidChains on completing its first trades and believe the launch of the platform is a critical milestone on its path to become an integral part of the global digital trading ecosystem. MidChains has assembled an exceptional management team and as it executes on its business model we believe it will become the preeminent platform for trading digital assets, both in the UAE and throughout the world.-- TradeArabia News Service
Colliers, a global leader in real estate services industry, said it has won a total of 8 first place awards at the Euromoney Real Estate Awards 2021 and also reclaimed the title of 'Best Advisors and Consultants Overall' in the Middle East region at the annual event.

The 17th annual survey of the global real estate markets was conducted between March 8 and May 21, 2021 and the results were announced last week.

In addition to the advisors & consultants award, Colliers was voted the first in Agency Letting/ Sales, Property Valuaton and Research.

Senior executives fill in the survey at country level and results are based on peer nominations and

vote participation scores.

Colliers won big at the awards clinching the award for: Middle East  Advisor & Consultant Overall;

Middle East  Agency  Letting/Sales; Middle East  Property valuation; Midde East  Research;

Saudi Arabia - Advisor & Consultant Overall; Saudi Arabia  Agency  Letting/Sales; Saudi Arabia  Property Valuation and Saudi Arabia - Research.

On the major win, Colliers CEO for Mena Region Ian Albert said: "We are honoured once again to receive these industry accolades and recognition from our clintele and peers. Reclaiming our overall first place in the region is something that we as a company are extremely proud of."

"Our teams will continue to focus on the main goal, which has and will always be providing our clients with the best service and expertise," he added.-TradeArabia News Service
Saudi Arabias Ministry of Education has signed 41 cooperation agreements, in addition to signing 7 executive programmes in the field of higher education and scientific research with Tunisia, Egypt, Japan, Qatar, Jordan, Pakistan and Indonesia.



The ministry is keen to strengthen the relations with the various international and regional organisations related to education through Saudi National Commission for Education, Culture and Science, as well as the relations with non-profit organizations and international education groups, Dr Saleh bin Ibrahim Al-Qasoumi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Education was quoted as saying by Saudi Press Agency (SPA).



Dr Al-Qasoumi indicated that educational interests in the countries of the world are currently focused on recovery plans and readiness to return to schools after the Coronavirus pandemic, in addition to strengthening educational skills and knowledge.
The 5th Arab Water Forum ended on a high note offering cost-effective solution to water scarcity in the region including a landmark technological breakthrough, producing cost-effective pure drinking water  both on commercial and industrial scale  from atmosphere.

The three-day event saw experts unveil a 'game-changing' solution to tackle the region's water scarcity, a crucial age-old life-threatening problem, in front of more than 600 delegates, officials, water experts, policy-makers and government ministers of a number of Arab countries.

All those industry experts and government officials who had been seeking a cost-effective solution to rising problem of water scarcity, were witness to the live demonstration of the process of producing water from thin air and the opportunity to taste the water as well, said the organisers.

This could eliminate the use of bottled mineral and desalinated water, thus reducing energy usage and carbon footprint, they stated.

The air-to-water technology comes at the right time to protect life on planet  by offering a cost-effective alternative solution to water scarcity. The atmosphere holds six times more water than the combined water flow in all the rivers in the world  that could provide the cost-effective solution to growing water scarcity.

Five companies that showcased the air-to-water technology and the water producing machines at the forum, said, the technology has the power and capacity to provide enough clean drinking water to serve the needs of the worlds 7.5 billion people  in a sustainable manner, they added.

"With six times more water in the atmosphere than all the worlds rivers combined, our goal is to help solve the worlds water scarcity and security challenges by accessing Earths greatest untapped water source - the atmosphere - to sustainably advance humanity and ensure communities have access to safe, clean drinking water and sanitation facilities," remarked Roheen Berry, the CEO of Beyond Water.

"In the Middle East and Africa region, where water security regularly tops government agendas alongside food security and industrial growth  all of which demand high water usage  we are in a unique position to make real change via scalable anywhere-anytime solutions which can change the lives of countless communities across the region, improve the environment, and foster new employment opportunities in a diverse array of sectors," stated Berry.

Currently 783 million people worldwide do not have access to clean water - equating to approximately one in 10 people globally  according to the World Health Organisation.

With climate change, this number is going to increase drastically. Within a decade from now, it is believed that 50 percent of the world's population will live in areas without access to clean, fresh, and safe drinking water.

"It is the best Arab Water Forum that I have seen and the best managed event, including the panel discussions as well as the exhibition where latest technologies and innovations are displayed, especially the air-to-water technology that can solve the water scarcity problem in the Arab World," remarked Prof Dr Mahmoud Abu Zeid, President of the Arab Water Council.

"I am sure the government officials of the Arab countries participating at this event will take note of the innovative solutions and implement them in their countries," he stated.

The 5th Arab Water Forum, therefore ended on a high note offering a game-changing solution to a crucial age-old life-threatening problem in front of more than 600 delegates, officials, water experts, policy-makers and government ministers of a number of Arab countries  who have been seeking a cost-effective solution to increasing water scarcity in the Arab World.

The air-to-water technology, which has been under experimentation for more than 20 years, has now been perfected through research and development in many parts of the world from India to the United States. Water produced from the atmosphere now not only costs less than the desalinated or bottled waters, it is now available for home use, office use and industrial use.

Noel Greenway, Managing Partner, Great Minds Event Management, says, The commercial and industrial-scale availability of drinkable air or air-to-water technology makes the Forum a landmark conference in its history and we are happy to see that it happened here in Dubai now that makes the event more significant and historic.

The 5th Arab Water Forum has provided the answer that the leaders and experts in the Arab World has been looking for  making it the most memorable edition in its history. If the policy-makers undertake the right initiatives to implement this technology at the country level, it will change our future, ensure water security, food security, reduce energy and make life sustainable, he added.

More than 600 delegates and participants from 22 Arab countries have reiterated their strong commitment to water security for peace and sustainable development in the Arab World at the three-day triennial Arab Water Forum.

Exhibitors and sponsors expressed their happiness with the exposure and attention at the Arab Water Forum.

Rahul Mathur, CEO of International Operations at Airowater, said, This is our first-time participation at such an event and we are happy with the outcome. The forum was well organised and we are very happy with the exposure we received and the awareness that we created on our products and services at the event.
The value of exports of Bahrain origin increased by 103% to BD386 million ($1.01 billion) during August 2021, compared to BD190 million for the same month of the previous year, said the Information &eGovernment Authority (iGA) in a new report.



The top 10 countries in terms of the value of exports of national origin purchased from Bahrain accounted for 79% of the total value, with the remaining countries accounting for 21%, according to iGAs foreign trade report of August 2021.



Saudi Arabia ranked first among countries receiving Bahraini exports of national origin, importing BD77 million from Bahrain. Meanwhile, the US was second with BD62 million and the UAE third with BD53 million.



Unwrought aluminium alloys emerged as the top products exported during August 2021 with BD110 million, agglomerated iron ores and concentrates was second with a value of BD108 million and unwrought aluminium (not alloyed) third with BD15 million.



The total value of re-exports increased by 31% to reach BD58 million during August 2021, compared to BD44 million for the same month of the previous year. The top 10 countries accounted for 86% of the re-exported value, while the remaining countries accounted for the 14%. The UAE ranked first with BD18 million, Saudi Arabia second with BD12 million, and Hong Kong third with BD4 million.



Four-wheel drive cars the top product re-exported from Bahrain with BD9 million, gold ingots came in second place with BD5.1 million, and parts for aircraft engines came third with BD5 million.



The trade balance, difference between exports and imports, the value of the deficit of the trade balance reached BD53 million during August of 2021 versus BD194 million for the same month of the previous year with increase of 73%.



The value of imports increased by 16%, reaching BD496 million during August 2021 compared to BD428 million for the same month of the previous year. The top 10 countries accounted for 72% of the value of imports, with the remaining countries accounting for 28%.



According to the report, Brazil ranked first when it came to imports to Bahrain, with a total of BD92 million, China was second with BD65 million; and the UAE was third with BD33 million.



Non-agglomerated iron ores and concentrates emerged as the top product imported into Bahrain with a total value of BD105 million, while aluminium oxide was second with BD28 million, and parts for aircraft engines third with BD21 million.  TradeArabia News Service
Tulpar modular armoured tracked vehicle with its Mizrak turret system and Cobra II MRAP mine-resistant ambush protected vehicle will be exhibited at Otokar stand at DSEI 2021.

Otokar, the pioneer land systems company of Turkish Defence Industry, exhibiting its prowess at DSEI 2021 from September 14 to 17, 2021 in London, UK.

Highlighting Otokars strong R&D capabilities General Manager Serdar Gorguc said: Our combat proven know-how in land systems and related R&D, engineering and testing capabilities as well as our wide product range puts us at the forefront of the global defence industry. In the last 10 years, we had allocated 8% of our revenue for our R&D and testing activities.

We continue to introduce innovative solutions in land systems by taking into account the current and future requirements of modern armies and security forces. We analyse the different needs and expectations of our users for land systems, simulate these requirements in house and develop solutions that meet these requirements in the fastest manner thanks to our excellence in R&D, engineering and testing.

As a qualified NATO and United Nations supplier, nearly 33 thousand military vehicles of Otokar are actively used in more than 35 countries in different climates and geographies around the world. We are ready to meet the different requirements of armed forces, not only by supplying products but also through transfer of technology and local production models. During DSEI, we will introduce our capabilities in land systems to potential users and develop our cooperation with our existing users, said Gorguc.

Emphasising Tulpar Tracked Armoured Vehicles success in trials Gorguc said: Tulpar has been tested and qualified by Otokar R&D Centre in the past years. But in the recent user trials and tests we saw that performances obtained by the potential users are similar to those obtained in Otokars own trials, and Tulpar performed very well in different geographical and climate conditions. We believe that Tulpar is a very capable tracked armored vehicle to meet the current and future requirements of modern armies.

Tulpar stands out with mobility, high firepower, and survivability features. The vehicle is designed as a multi-purpose vehicle with variants ranging from 28,000 kg to 45,000 kg to fully satisfy the future global requirements. Future-oriented perspective of modularity is to increase operational flexibility by using common components and a common chassis over wide range of vehicle variants. Tulpar comes in several variants that share common subsystems.

Tested in the toughest climates and on rough terrain, Tulpar boasts best-in-class ballistic and mine protection with modular armour technology and armor structure that can be configured and scaled according to threats.

In addition to providing an effective solution in missions that require high fire and destruction power, Tulpar can serve in all kinds of combat environments from urban, built-up areas and light bridges to woodlands and all terrains especially soft surfaces where main battle tanks are unable to operate due to their heavy weights.

Mizrak is an unmanned remote controlled weapon station which is designed for wheeled and tracked armored fighting vehicles. It is remotely controlled from inside the vehicle under armor.

Displayed Mizrak is with 30 mm cannon and 7.62 mm coaxial MG. Mizrak has the latest generation digital fire control system architecture having dual-axes independently stabilised commander and gunner sights utilised with highest performance thermal camera, day camera and laser range finder.

Cobra II Mine-resistant Ambush Protected Vehicle (Cobra II MRAP) is developed to ensure high survivability in risky areas. The vehicle provides superior protection for the crew against ballistic, mine and IED threats while maintaining high cross-country mobility in battlefield conditions with its independent suspension system.

It is specifically designed to provide high reliability, ease of maintenance and quick removal / installation of power pack.

With its modular design, Cobra II MRAP provides high payload and spacious internal space for integration of weapon systems and mission equipment. The vehicle can be configured with alternative seating layouts for up to 11 personnel with 3 or 5 door configurations as per specific user requirements.

-- TradeArabia News Service
Etihad Airways recently announced the launch of the next phase of digital transformation for its finance division, which will leverage Microsoft AI to automate its bank reconciliation process.

The move will address the increasing demand for improvement in productivity and operational effectiveness in the post-Covid era, said a statement.

Etihad is set to make significant gains on efficiency by implementing the solution, as well as reducing the risk of human errors given the large number transactions and manual reconciliation tasks currently in scope, it said.

The pandemic has created more demand for digital transformation. However, the ability to execute on this has really rested on having the right people and technology partners in place  this is where Etihad has been exceptionally well positioned said Adam Boukadida, Chief Financial Officer, Etihad Aviation Group.

This latest initiative follows Etihads successful deployment of Microsoft AI capabilities to support automated payment inspection earlier this year and is part of a continued partnership between the two entities in driving the adoption of AI across the company.

Its only recently that AI tools have come into the hands of finance professionals in both a cost-effective and practical way. Its exciting to see how core processes such as bank reconciliations, payment controls and cash forecasting, can be super-charged as a result, said Bhavesh Shivshanker, Head of Financial Operations, Etihad Aviation Group.

Bank reconciliations are a tedious and labour-intensive process in most global organisations and we are excited about the ability to automate this through the use of technology. Our longstanding partnership with Microsoft has made it easier for us to initiate our automation plan to enhance efficiency, expand cost-reduction and optimise operations, said Frank Meyer, Chief Digital Officer, Etihad Aviation Group.

AI will be a great transformer across several sectors including aviation, empowering the creation of higher-value services that can lead to overall economic growth, said Jens Hansen, Microsoft EMEA VP for Data & AI. We do not foresee AI fully replacing humans in the workforce; rather we see it as a universally accessible tool to augment human abilities. And Etihad Airways has been a frontrunner in preparing todays workforce for the jobs of the future by setting an example in its harnessing of AI.

Microsoft finance has been on its own journey to transform, making sure the learnings of this journey are shared across other organisations. Digital transformation in finance has become more and more a necessity to overcome many of the challenges we currently face as finance leaders. It was my pleasure to kick off the discussions around such collaboration between Etihad Airways and Microsoft, and start this journey together. Its great to see Etihad Airways taking major steps towards leading with innovation, and becoming a leader in that domain by realizing value from adopting AI and business process automation, said Massimo Melessaccio, MEA CFO for Microsoft.

Microsoft will soon celebrate the second anniversary of the opening of its UAE data centres. Since entering service, the facilities have energised the regions dynamic digitisation culture, as enterprises reimagined their industries and delivered resilience and business continuity.

Microsoft innovates with confidence and our UAE cloud regions are actively contributing to the success of our customers and the enhancement of the regions competitiveness, added Naim Yazbeck, Regional Director, Enterprise and Partner Group (EPG), Microsoft UAE.  TradeArabia News Service
Fifteen Indian states and union territories have confirmed their participation at the India Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai, a media report said.



These states and union territories will take part in the world exposition along with their delegations for planned business-to-government and government-to-government meetings, reported Emirates News Agency WAM, citing organisers of the events at the Pavilion.



"These states will exhibit their culture, food and business opportunities at the India Pavilion," the report quoted a press release.



In addition, nine ministries and departments of the Indian federal government will take part in Expo 2020 Dubai via the India Pavilion. Business houses which form the vanguard of Indian industry, several Indian-owned enterprises in the UAE and global conglomerates with large operations in India will also actively participate in the activities at the India Pavilion through their presence.



"Showcasing Indias innovation potential and capabilities, an Indian Innovation Hub has been developed to offer a platform for budding innovators and startups to showcase their capabilities, the press release said.



Indias Ambassador to the UAE, Pavan Kapoor, said: "It is very clear that by sheer dint of our proportion of population, by our connections that we have here, we will be one of the largest participants at Expo 2020 Dubai."



Dr Aman Puri, Consul General of India in Dubai and Deputy Commissioner General for India at Expo 2020 Dubai, added: "This is a significant time in the history of both India and the UAE and Expo 2020 Dubai is a tremendous opportunity to further cement our already flourishing ties."
Enoc, the Official Integrated Energy Partner of Expo 2020 Dubai, has joined hands with Tashkeel, the Dubai-based multidisciplinary art and design organisation, to manifest the groups participation theme Reimagine Energy in art.

This collaboration sees two leading artists, Wissam Shawkat and eL Seed, create breathtaking public artworks reflecting Reimagine Energy on the exterior of Enocs spectacular pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai.

Sheikha Lateefa bint Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Founder and Director of Tashkeel said: Fifty years of innovation and creativity have brought the UAE to where it stands today  a world leader driven by a multicultural society rooted in the traditions and values of the people of this land. As we look ahead, the energy of imagination shall fuel our futures; uniting ambition and vision so that we may strive beyond the boundaries of possibility.

Artists empower societies with the drive and direction to pursue their passion. I am pleased that the partnership between Tashkeel and Enoc has led to two of the leading artists in contemporary Arabic script  Wissam Shawkat and eL Seed  creating profoundly meaningful as well as ambitious works that bear testament to the power of art and its innate ability to allow us to see the unseen and imagine the impossible.

Saif Humaid Al Falasi, Group CEO, Enoc, said: As a wholly-owned entity of the Government of Dubai and the Official Integrated Energy Partner of Expo 2020 Dubai, we are proud to collaborate with a globally renowned art and design entity such as Tashkeel. Our aim from this project is to engage Expo 2020 Dubais visitors in the conversation around the future of energy in an approachable and creative way; while celebrating and supporting outstanding talent from the UAE and the broader Arab world.

The architectural theme of Enocs pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai draws on the design of oil storage tanks with five distinctive structures, including four houses taking visitors on an unprecedented multi-sensory journey through four distinctive narratives: Discover  what energy is; Harness  what energy enables; Connect what energy needs; and Reimagine  what energy promises.

eL Seed, the globally renowned artist, whose practice crosses the disciplines of painting and sculpture, has designed a vertical gallery infused with his signature Arabic script, displaying a reimagination of energy and reflecting French writer Stendhals famous quote Love is the miracle of civilisations on the facade of House 4.

Inspired by Enocs participation theme of Reimagine Energy, award-winning calligrapher, artist and designer Wissam Shawkat used the balustrade of House 3 as a platform to connect with the visitors of Enocs pavilion through a thought-provoking masterpiece that seeks to inform and inspire visitors from around the world, engaging them with the vitality and dynamism of modern Arabic lettering.

Taking visitors on an immersive journey that explains the role of energy in our past, present and future, Enocs pavilion will open up new horizons for triggering conversation around the evolution of the energy sector. A tour of the pavilion will offer visitors 15 minutes of unprecedented experiences that draw on the many facets of the overarching theme, Reimagine Energy.-- TradeArabia News Service
Enoc Group, the Official Integrated Energy Partner of Expo 2020 Dubai, will be the exclusive host of the Middle Easts first LPG Week, the World LPG Associations (WLPGA) flagship event.

Under the theme Energising Tomorrow, LPG Week 2021/Dubai will be hosted from December 5 to 9 in Dubai World Trade Centre and will be held under the patronage of Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President, Dubai Civil Aviation Authority. Chairman, Dubai Airports. Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Airline & Group.

LPG Week event travels the globe annually bringing together CEOs of major LPG companies, government ministers and representatives of major intergovernmental organisations as well as media, to explore the LPG business, discuss its growth potential and forge new business relationships.

This years LPG Week will follow a hybrid concept. In parallel with the in-person event, LPG Week 2021 will also take place on the Swapcard online event platform, available on web and mobile. This offers a great opportunity to engage with an even larger group of LPG stakeholders across the globe.

Saif Humaid Al Falasi, Group CEO, Enoc, said: At Enoc, we understand our responsibility towards providing clean energy for future generations. Our partnership with the World LPG Association is aligned with our commitment to support the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050 to help generate 75% of Dubais total power output from clean energy by 2050.

We are proud to exclusively host LPG Week 2021 at a time when the world will be witnessing the greatest events of all times, Expo 2020 Dubai. LPG Week offers a great opportunity to discuss industry best practices as well as challenges through knowledge exchange discussions that will support the industrys transformation.

WLPGA CEO and Managing Director, James Rockall said: The World LPG Association is very happy to reunite the global LPG industry after the Covid-19 pandemic at the inaugural LPG Week in Dubai in 2021. With its world class infrastructure and excellent connections with the whole world, Dubai is the perfect place to host LPG Week. Strong support from business and government from the UAE as well as the opportunity to associate LPG Week with Expo 2020 Dubai proved very compelling reasons in our decision to select Dubai.

LPG Week reunites the full LPG value chain under an umbrella of dedicated conference sessions, engaging meetings and workshops, business and exclusive networking opportunities and a major global exhibition.-- TradeArabia News Service
King Salman Energy Park (Spark) has reached an agreement with Hutchison Ports to set up a joint venture that will manage and operate the dry port and bonded logistics zone within the energy industrial city.

Designed to ensure ease of access to global markets, the 3-sq-km dry port will enable the future joint venture to capture the growing demand for logistics services for energy-related products in the Middle East and beyond while also serving the neighbouring industrial cities.

A first-of-its-kind, the dry port will connect the regions fully integrated energy hub to the world.

Spanning over a 50 sq km area, Spark is a sustainable, global energy hub in Saudi Arabias Eastern Province. It is a manufacturing, service center and logistics unit for the energy sectors and an integral part of the Saudi Vision 2030.

On completion, Spark will create significant employment, further diversify the economy, and attract additional foreign investment into the kingdom.

Chairman Mohammed Y. Al Qahtani summarised the significance of the agreement: "We are so proud to give investors another reason to do business at Spark. Hutchison is a world class ports and terminal operator, and the step we take together today will give Sparks investors ease of access to local and global markets."

"Furthermore, the logistic hubs will also serve the eastern region and its industrial cities. It will also help us fulfil our IKTVA promise to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the world by giving local manufacturers the physical infrastructure they need," he added.

Hutchison Ports Group Managing Director Eric Ip said: "Saudi Arabia is an important market and we are very excited to participate in this ambitious, game-changing mega project. As the worlds leading port group, we will leverage our logistics expertise to create value and competitiveness for the tenants of Spark."

The Saudi energy park's first phase is divided into a number of clusters: logistics zone, industrial hub, business district, digital hub, and residential and commercial areas.

The dedicated dry port and logistics zone will include warehouses and storage facilities, a bonded area and on-site customs clearance, he added.

President and CEO Saif Al Qahtani said: "Our partnership with Hutchison Ports marks an important milestone in the ongoing development of Spark. The dry port and logistics zone will be the key to unlocking the potential of our strategic location in the Eastern Province, a region which is known for its unmatched oil and gas resources."

"We are tremendously excited to work with Hutchison Ports to help connect our investors to the world, allowing them to operate efficiently and save on transport times and costs," he added.-TradeArabia News Service
Hotel Indigo Dubai Downtown has partnered with Heroes of Hope, a not-for-profit charity, to curate and host a four-week art programme sponsored by ArtistPals, to encourage people of determination to be pioneers of their own futures.

The final artworks created by the young artists of determination, during the programme, will be presented at an event, as part of the Art Series at Hotel Indigo Dubai Downtown, on October 10 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Contemporary British artist, humanitarian and one of the world's celebrated living artists Sacha Jafri, will be present at the event, as Guest of Honour, to support this initiative.

During the four-week programme, eight talents of determination were welcomed at the hotel for guided tours to draw inspiration from the collections of art and design.

Resident Art Manager Astrid Lesuisse organised workshops with leading artists with distinct backgrounds and styles to share their individual skills and techniques with the group. Participating artists included self-taught Emirati artist Badr Abbas, British-born artist Belinda Freeman, Iranian visual artist Asareh Ebrahimpour, Franco-Algerian-Spanish embroidery artist Chloe Robin, and French artist Anne-Laure Roy.

Talking about the initiative, hotel General Manager Laura Eggleton said: We aspire to nurture and promote talent and believe it is important to inspire young creative minds. As part of Hotel Indigos brand ethos, it is important we connect with our community, and as such we are delighted to partner with Heroes of Hope as we create a space for people of determination to develop their artistic capabilities as they showcase their art.-TradeArabia News Service
The Red Sea Development Company (TRSDC), the developer behind the world's most ambitious regenerative tourism project in Saudi Arabia, has unveiled the designs for the Desert Rock mountain resort, that boasts stunning vistas and stargazing opportunities on the west coast.

With this new project, TRSDC is taking the virtual reality concept a step further carving a luxury hotel into a rock mountain for its future guests to literally immerse themselves in, said a statement from the company.

The unique rock formations included in the resort architecture were produced by a series of cataclysmic seismic events thousands of years ago, and so the architecture has been designed to keep this natural beauty while also reducing energy consumption, supercharging the ecosystem, and regenerating native flora.

This innovative architecture model offers guests a completely unique and unmatched form of luxury, combining nature and sustainability as one.

Set in one of the most dramatic desert landscapes in the world, the Desert Rock resort is being integrated into the stunning mountainside and offers panoramic views of the mountain canyons below and a canopy of stars above.

As part of The Red Sea Project, TRSDC recently revealed a first look of Desert Rocks designs, which are intended to celebrate Saudi Arabias spectacular natural beauty and Nabatean heritage.

"Since the inception of the Desert Rock project, creating a development that combines luxury, sustainability and an immersive experience for our guests has been at the heart of it all," remarked its CEO John Pagano.

"We cannot wait to welcome guests to enjoy a stay at this unique property," he stated.

Inspired by the surrounding beautiful mountains, volcanoes and wadis, Desert Rock will feature 48 villas and 12 hotel suites. A variety of accommodation styles will be available to best meet guests needs, from ground level dwellings to crevice hotel suites midway up the mountain.

"An impressive feat of engineering, a select number of rooms will sit within the excavated rock-scape, giving guests access to stunning views of Saudi Arabia and opportunities for star gazing, all from the comfort of your room," explained Pagano.

"Desert Rock offers a never before seen opportunity for guests to connect physically and metaphysically with one of the most dramatic desert landscapes in the world," stated Chad Oppenheim, Founder of Oppenheim Architecture, the design and planning firm behind the concept.

"Our key intention when designing the resort was to build with the land, not on it, and to be mindful of the stunning nature elements that already exist at the site, amplifying its natural beauty," he noted.

Explaining the concept, Oppenheim said: "Guests will enter the resort through a hidden valley nestled between the mountains. Most roads leading into the resort will follow the edge of the main wadi, hidden behind landscape mounds, to provide uninterrupted views."

"This will also minimise sound and light pollution, allowing guests to fully absorb the surrounding dramatic desert landscape," he stated.

"The resort features state-of-the-art facilities, including a world-class spa and fitness centre, remote destination dining areas as well as a feature lagoon oasis," he added.

Visitors will be able to hike with members of the local community who will provide educational tours of the area. Dune buggies will also be on hand to hire as part of the site-wide activities program, making it the idyllic holiday destination for those seeking adventure and relaxation alike.

TRSDC pointed out that it is championing the ancient history of the area, which is positioned at the crossroads of continents, connecting Asia, Africa, and Europe.

For centuries, Saudi Arabia has been a meeting point for civilisations and a crossing point for caravans on the incense trade route carrying spices, myrrh, cotton, ebony, and silk, said the statement.

The Nabateans - an ancient Arab people who inhabited northern Arabia and the southern Levant and who are perhaps best known for their rock-cut monumental tombs in Petra, Jordan - inhabited the kingdom's western region some 2,000 years ago and constructed their second largest city there at Madain Salih, a few hours drive from Desert Rock.

The Desert Rock resort will be open for guests to visit as part of Phase One of the Red Sea destination is set to be completed in 2023.-TradeArabia News Service
African Migration, Global Inequalities, and Human Rights:

Connecting the Dots William Minter Nordiska Afrikainstitutet, Uppsala, 2011 PDF available for download at

http://nai.diva-portal.org/smash/record.jsf?pid=diva2:442755 HTML version available at links in table of contents below. CONTENTS Foreword

Executive Summary

Introduction

Framing Migration

The Diversity of African Migration

Migration Frameworks: International and Internal

Migration and Global Inequalities

Migration and Development

Migration and Human Rights

Varieties of Migrants' Rights Organizing

Framing Advocacy Agendas

References: Books, Reports, and Articles

References: Websites

Annex: Implications for Development Goals and Measures next section | Table of Contents FOREWORD The era of the so-called Washington consensus of market fundamentalism is long past. The developed countries are mired in structural economic crises, while emerging powers such as China, India and Brazil are advancing their economic presence on the world scene and inspiring new policy debates about the prerequisites for development. And a recent joint study by China's International Poverty Reduction Centre and the Development Assistance Committee of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) suggests that "Africa will be the next big emerging region". The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) set poverty-reduction targets for the year 2015, but they did not fundamentally break with the ideology of market fundamentalism. Addressing only "poverty", these goals avoided fundamental issues of international inequality and social injustice. However, it is now clear to many people, including many policymakers in both rich and poor countries, that economic growth is meaningless unless it is accompanied by measures to reduce the structural inequalities in societies. The post-MDG agenda must focus on addressing the underlying structures of production, distribution and ownership  and of power  that perpetuate imbalances. In Africa, that means we need developmental states that have the capacity to advance both economic growth and social justice. We need new politics that empower the poor and values that advance common objectives and ethical principles. We need new institutions that really work on behalf of the marginalised segments of society. There must be incentives to improve productivity growth, jobs and incomes, as well as resources for realising human aspirations and human security. But in our globalised and globalising world, no country, large or small, can advance its own interests without considering its neighbours, its trading partners, its region and, indeed, the entire global order. Developmental states need a developmental world. In this essay commissioned by the Nordic Africa Institute, William Minter takes migration as an indicator of the need to move beyond the national dimension. Migration, he argues, should not be seen as a self- contained issue, considered in the destination countries as a problem to be managed or in countries of origin as an adjunct to development. Rather, migration should be understood as a process emerging from the relationships between countries, especially inequalities of power and wealth. New measures beyond the MDGs must include the national level of analysis, but also directly address the imbalances between countries. One must also focus on the rights of migrants themselves. Bringing together results from areas of research most often considered separately, Minter stresses that fundamental human rights are due both to those who decide to leave their countries and those who decide to stay. The rights of migrants are threatened by anti-migrant sentiment, xenophobia and the criminalisation of migration in places as diverse as Norway, Italy, Libya and South Africa. And the rights of the global majority in developing countries are still threatened by a systematically biased global economic order. Until fundamental inequalities between countries are addressed, the pattern of migration in today's world will continue to evoke the spectre of South Africa's apartheid era, when authorities tried to confine blacks to their "homelands", except when their labour was needed elsewhere. African development and global development, in short, require more than measures to address growth and poverty. Conflicts over migration are dramatic indicators that "development" must also directly confront morally unacceptable global inequalities. Professor Fantu Cheru

Research Director

The Nordic Africa Institute previous section | next section | Table of Contents EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The concerns of destination countries and the framing of migration as a problem have long dominated public debate on international migration, and to a lesser extent, policy analysis and scholarly research. Anti-migrant sentiment, leading to restrictive legislation, official abuses against immigrants, and in extreme cases xenophobic violence, is widespread in countries as diverse as South Africa, Libya, Italy, Switzerland, and the United States. Migrants are widely blamed for crime, for "taking our jobs," and for threatening national identity. Empirical evidence to the contrary has had relatively little impact on public opinion. At the same time, there has been increasing attention in recent years to the impact of migration on the development of migrants' countries of origin, with emphasis on the potential contributions of remittances, efforts to counter the "brain drain" of skilled professionals, and the role of the diaspora in investment and "co-development." Migrants' rights organisations, particularly in Western Europe, have taken the lead in highlighting the need for protection against abuses of the human rights of migrants themselves. There is also increasing scholarly attention to the topic, as well as multilateral institutional attention by, for example, the UN's Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Migrants and the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights. But it is still true that the rights of migrants themselves are most often marginalized in official discussions between migrant-receiving and migrant-sending countries. In 2009, the UNDP Human Development Report called for "win-win-win" approaches to migration policy that would provide benefits for receiving countries, sending countries, and migrants. Such scenarios will have little chance of success unless steps are also taken to address fundamental issues of global inequality so that both those who stay and those who move have access to fundamental human rights. The growing phenomenon of irregular migration, and more generally of "problem" migration that leads to conflict, does not result only from specific national policies. It also derives from rising inequality within and between nations, combined with the technological changes that make migration a conceivable option for larger and larger numbers. Thus trends in migration do not only point to problems or opportunities for development; they also signal fundamental issues facing both those who move and those who do not. This essay highlights the relationships between different migration issues and the broader context of global inequalities. It "connects the dots" rather than exploring any one issue in depth. It is intended to stimulate further debate and research that can contribute to re-framing migration not as a technical issue for migration specialists, but as one of the fundamental issues that must be addressed in order to bring about a more just global order. While African refugees, numbering some 2.8 million at the end of 2009, are prominent in the international image of African migrants, they constitute less than 10% of all African-born migrants living outside their country of birth. The majority of African migrants, like the majority of migrants from other world regions, do not fit the definition of refugees fleeing violence or political persecution; rather, they are seeking to escape economic hardship and find better living conditions. Much of that migration is indeed "forced," but the force involved is that of economic inequality between countries and regions. This paper first reviews African migration by region and then traces frameworks for understanding migration, particularly the links between migration and global inequalities. This sets the context for exploring the specific issues of migration and development and migration and human rights. The paper concludes with examples of migrants' rights organizing, observations on framing advocacy agendas, and an annex suggesting the implications of migration for expanding development goals and measures. In North Africa, the majority of migrants go to Europe or the Middle East. In Africa's other regions, most migrants move to countries within the African continent, with smaller proportions moving to Europe, North America, the Middle East, or other regions. In West Africa, the movement is largely within the region, from inland to the coast. In Southern Africa, migrants flow predominantly to South Africa. In Central and East Africa, the flows vary markedly by country, depending on geography and on the history of colonial and linguistic ties. In considering migration and development, the dominant themes of research and debate have been remittances and the flow of skilled labour (brain drain/ gain). There has been more attention in recent years to the broader roles of the diaspora population, but the complexity of diaspora relationships remains one of the major areas that needs further attention. In practice, protection of the rights of migrants, including both refugees and other migrants, falls far short of that already agreed in international law. Although the 1990 Convention on the Rights of Migrant Workers has been ratified by only 44 states, including no major destination country, multiple international human rights agreements require respect for the rights of all people, regardless of migrant status. The failure to respect these universal human rights, and particularly the rights of irregular migrants, is reinforced by anti-immigrant public opinion, by right-wing political mobilisation, and by the practices of governments in their management of migration systems. Any effective defence of migrants' human rights will require greater organization by migrants themselves, as well as coalitions with other allies committed to justice and human rights. As illustration, the essay includes brief mentions of four cases of migration-related activism in different contexts: the Sans-Papiers in France, the Black Alliance for Just Immigration in California, the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU), and the Migrants' Rights Network in the United Kingdom. A final section lays out summary observations about advocacy related to migrants' rights in destination and transit countries, to immigration "reform" and "managed migration," and to migration and global human development. An annex proposes possible additions to measures of progress based on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), stressing (1) measures of global inequality and inequality between countries involved in migration systems, (2) measures that might make the MDG goal 8 of "partnership" less vague, and (3) measures for countries of origin on policies related to emigration and relationships with their diaspora populations.
by Vladimir Rozanskij

Economic aid and commercial opening in exchange for the fight against the network of Fethullah Gulen, Erdogan's arch-enemy. The "Gulenists" have a strong presence in Central Asia. The goal is to bring trade to the billion dollar mark. Expert: the Turks act like masters in Kyrgyzstan.

Moscow (AsiaNews) - Turkey wants to step up its investment in the mining industry in Kyrgyzstan. The goal is to support energy production, tourism, health and education in the Central Asian country, bringing bilateral trade up to a billion dollars. Starting with Biskek, Ankara is continuing its plan for neo-Ottoman unification in Central Asia.

In return, the Turks expect concrete help in the "fight against terrorism". This means pressure on the "Gulenist" exponents still present in Kyrgyzstan. They are the supporters of Fethullah Gulen, historical former ally and now enemy of Turkish President Erdogan. Gulen is the founder of the Hizmet movement and many of his followers have integrated themselves into the Kyrgyz administrative and economic system.

Kyrgyzstan is in desperate need of financial support and is forced to bow its head to "Sultan" Erdogan. Ankara and Biskek discussed plans for cooperation on September 10. The meeting took place in the Kyrgyz capital, during the 10th Economic Forum of the Turkish-Kyrgyz Intergovernmental Commission for Business Cooperation, which was attended by the chairman of the Kyrgyz Council of Ministers, Ulubek Maripov, and Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay.

According to Oktay, "the billion plan is just the beginning - we need to work towards a billion budget." In the first eight months of the year, trade between the two countries stopped at just over half a billion dollars: still a 78% increase over 2020.

About 300 Turkish companies work in Kyrgyzstan, mostly in construction, transportation and trade. "Our potential is much more ambitious - Oktay added - and concerns the textile sector, agriculture, logistics, energy and digitalization." Turkish specialists will make an assessment on hydro-energy goals, to build a large hydroelectric station on the Naryn River soon.

The Turks are also willing to solve the Kyrgyz customs problems, provide know-how for the development of tourism and much more. Maripov assured that Turkey is considered one of the main partners in Biskek. He proposed a number of perspective projects, and the creation of a special investment fund, according to the will of Kyrgyz President Sadyr Zaparov.

Turkish-Kyrgyz relations have improved greatly since Zaparov's visit to Ankara last year, when the two governments signed memoranda that could now move into the implementation phase. That is, if the Kyrgyz manage to get rid of the Gulenists. Andrej Grozin, an expert at the Russian Academy of Sciences doubts it. Interviewed by Nezavisimaja Gazeta, Grozin points out that the network of educational and academic institutions "Sepat", created by Gulen in the various Central Asian republics, is still active in Kyrgyzstan. Only Uzbekistan and Tajikistan closed them immediately, accepting Erdogan's demands.

So far the Kyrgyz have limited themselves to renaming it "Sapat". To date, it remains the main educational network in the country, which has caused a chill in relations with Turkey, which considers all Sepat-Sapat students to be terrorists. Just before Zaparov's visit to Ankara, the Turkish secret service had kidnapped the director of the Sapat network, Orhan Inandi, from Kyrgyz territory, demanding that the leader of Biskek condemn him as a terrorist.

"Turkey feels in a certain way as the master of Kyrgyzstan, without fully recognizing its sovereignty," says Grozin, according to whom the "cleaning up of Kyrgyzstan" has a symbolic value from the cultural and social point of view. Maripov and Oktay together inaugurated the "Maarif" school complex in Biskek, dedicated primarily to the study and dissemination of the Turkish language. Students will be offered to finish their studies in Turkey. Another very effective symbol is the beginning of the construction of a large mosque in the Kyrgyz capital, financed by the Turks for about 35 million dollars.
The military blames telecommunications disruption on ethnic military forces. Internet blackout impacts mostly anti-coup strongholds. Anti-coup groups fear this is the prelude to major military action against them.

Yangon (AsiaNews/Agencies)  Myanmars military junta has denied responsibility for Internet failure in Chin State, blaming instead ethnic militias with which they clashed in recent days.

According to The Irrawaddy, Internet services by Myanmars three main telecom operators were blocked in Chin State on 6 pm last Thursday, including three townships in the Magway region.

Telecommunications were also suspended yesterday in Pinlebu, Kawlin and Wuntho townships in northern Sagaing region.

The areas under blackout are strongholds of anti-coup forces, which in recent days have inflicted heavy losses on the Myanmar military.

On Saturday, the junta's foreign minister denied that the State Administration Council, Myanmars ruling body, was responsible for the blackout.

In fact, the recent Internet connections were disrupted due to the terrorist acts such as destroying of communication towers by terrorist groups, the ministry said in a statement.

The ministry urged some foreign missions in Yangon to thoroughly verify information before making statements.

The military has blocked the Internet before. It did so in the weeks following the 1 February coup, when it arrested former pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi and other members of the National League for Democracy.

The recent blackout could be the prelude to a major military operation against anti-regime groups, anti-coup groups fear.

In blocking the Internet, the military wants to disrupt information sharing by ethnic forces about troop movements and attacks, as well as censor news about its atrocities, such as the recent bombing of residential areas.

In the meantime, following the appeal by the exiled National Unity Government to rise up against the military junta fighting has intensified.

In Chin, where resistance forces control rural areas, the military bombed the towns of Thantlang, Hakah and Mindat in response to attacks by local forces.

Since April, the Chin Defence Forces have engaged coup troops in at least 300 armed clashes.

According to their spokesman, nearly 500 soldiers have been killed, compared to about 60 civilian resistance fighters.

In addition to interfering with the communications of anti-coup forces, the internet blackout is hindering civilian access to information about the COVID-19 pandemic and disrupting a number of local businesses as online money transfer services cannot be used.
by Vladimir Rozanskij

The Putin regime wants to exploit the legislature to shelter institutions from dissent. More restrictions on the oppositions are expected. Goal to extend the use of electronic voting, more manipulable from above. Radical proposal: replace elections with referendums confirming who is in power.

Moscow (AsiaNews) - The first session of the new Russian State Duma opens on September 29, with organizational tasks in the choice of speaker and new parliamentary leaders. After the presidential greetings and the ritual fulfillments, already from October the deputies will be called to a very intense legislative activity.

The outcome of the elections has left a bitter taste in the mouths of Russia's leaders, confirming their power, but also revealing a growing impatience. The intention is therefore to take advantage of the five-year period ahead to strengthen the institutions, sheltering them from any form of dissent. Already in the first weeks the government will deliver the draft of the financial law for the biennium 2022-2024, to be elaborated at federal and regional level.

At least twenty legislative proposals will be put on the agenda, starting with those related to the economy and social issues: the ban on withdrawing money directly from debtors' accounts, allowing parents of disabled children to stay free of charge in hospital with their children, up to fines for failure to respect the rights of animals. In general, the fear is that in the smokescreen of all these initiatives they want to impose a strong squeeze on the economy of the country, in crisis for years.

To avoid future surprises and electoral uncertainties, the cards will continue to be shuffled in the voting system. The Putin regime wants to prevent what is defined as "foreign interference" through the support of "extremist groups" such as those of Aleksej Naval'nyj and information sources less aligned with the "party of power". The much-discussed electronic voting, which appears to be more manipulable from above, will most likely be extended to elections at all levels, including presidential ones. At the same time, the Kremlin will impose more systematic restrictions on IT giants, whose access to the Russian network will be subject to greater controls.

Another measure that is already being discussed is the passage to an almost completely majority and uninominal electoral system, in order to take away the importance of parties and their percentages, even if the absolute majority is firmly in the hands of the Putinists. The most radical proposal could be the elimination of elections, to be replaced with simple referendums of confirmation of the regime and its representatives, given that the population has not shown great interest in the challenge of electoral lists.

The few voices of dissent, relegated almost entirely outside the parliamentary halls, speak instead of initiatives to repeal electronic voting. A human rights activist, Marina Litvinovic (see photo 2), has proposed to create a coalition of all opponents "to prevent millions of votes of the citizens of our country from being stolen as in these elections", and to fight against any other form of falsification of results. A series of public demonstrations has also been announced, with dates all to be defined.

In order not to be immediately blocked by the police, given that almost any form of demonstration is now forbidden in Russia, Litvinovich proposes to use "the only form of meeting still possible: that of the elected deputies with their voters". She herself, a candidate for the liberals, did not get the seat, but several communist deputies of the KPRF have declared their willingness to hold such meetings, open to citizens.

2022 will provide teh occassion for other important elections in Russia, especially at the municipal level, and many fear that they may be the last elections of the Putin era.
Millions of deaths from poor hygiene and health could be avoided each year. We should not project our priorities onto populations who live on other continents, where other needs are more urgent; where, for example, drinking water and daily bread are in short supply.

Vatican City (AsiaNews)  Pope Francis met in audience a group of participants in the general assembly of the Pontifical Academy for Life.

In his address, the pontiff spoke out against a throwaway culture that allows the direct murder of children through abortion and uses stealth euthanasia against the elderly by giving them only half of the medical drugs they need out of financial consideration.

In the same line of thought, Francis called for free medical care for all and slammed a medical system that treats the diseases of the rich but not those that afflict the poor, such as tuberculosis and malaria.

Children that we do not want to accept are thrown away through an abortion law that sends them back to their maker by directly killing them. Today this has become a 'normal' thing; [but] such a habit is very bad; it is truly murder. In order to truly grasp this, we should perhaps ask ourselves a double question: Is it right to eliminate, to end a human life to solve a problem? Is it right to hire a hitman to solve a problem? Thats abortion.

Likewise, we have the elderly who are treated a bit like 'waste material because they are not needed ... Yet they are wisdom, the roots of the wisdom of our civilisation, a civilisation that discards them!

Indeed, in many places a law of stealth euthanasia, as I call it, exists. It is the one that makes us say: 'medicines are expensive, only half should be given'. This means shortening the lives of the elderly. In so doing, we deny hope, the hope of the children who bring us the life that makes us go forward, and the hope that is in the roots that the elderly give us. Instead, Let's discard both.

Francis also spoke about the pandemic and how it shows that it is not enough for a problem to be serious for it to come to peoples attention and be addressed. This is the case of the devastating impact of certain diseases such as malaria and tuberculosis. Poor health and hygienic conditions cause millions of avoidable deaths in the world every year. If we compare this with the concern caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, we can see how the seriousness of a problem and the corresponding mobilisation of energy and resources is perceived differently.

"Of course, taking all measures to stem and defeat COVID-19 on a global level is the right thing to do, but this moment in history in which our health is directly threatened should make us more aware of what it means to be vulnerable and live daily in insecurity. In doing so, we will also be able to assume responsibility for the serious conditions in which others live and in which we have so far been little or not at all interested.

Thus, we shall learn not to project our priorities onto populations who live on other continents, where other needs are more urgent; where, for example, drinking water and daily bread are in short supply, not only vaccines. I dont know if one should laugh or cry, cry sometimes, upon hearing rulers or community leaders advise slum dwellers to sanitise themselves several times a day with soap and water. My dear, have you ever been to a slum: There is no water there, they know nothing about soap.

Please, let us take care of these people, when we think about health. I welcome any commitment to a fair and universal distribution of vaccines; this is important, but it must be done taking into account broader criteria of justice to meet health needs and promote life looking at health in its multiple dimensions at a global level.
A summit between the two leaders is scheduled for September 29 in Sochi, on the Black Sea. They will seek a difficult understanding on northwest Syria where there is a new escalation of violence. Russian fighter jets have hit in different points of the province of Idlib: five militiamen dead and 12 wounded among civilians. Ankara strengthens its military presence on the ground.

Damascus (AsiaNews/Agencies) - On the eve of the talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Moscow and Ankara fuel the winds of war in north-western Syria: the Turks have sent troops to reinforce the last stronghold in the hands of the rebels (Idlib province); the Russians have escalated the air raids. In the target military objectives of the militias fighting against the government of Damascus.

Local inhabitants and military sources and the opposition confirm Russian air force fighters have attacked and hit yesterday the villages around the city of Afrin. The escalation began last week and in recent days has seen a further acceleration.

Witnesses report the death of five fighters among the pro-Turkish militias, at least 12 civilians were injured in the Russian bombing. Moscow's military campaign has spread over a territory that goes from Jabal to al Zawya, in the province of Idlib, touching also the area of Afrin on the border with the sector controlled by Ankara. In this area there have also been skirmishes with the Syrian army and pro-Iranian militias.

The military escalation comes two days before the summit of the leaders of the two countries, scheduled for September 29 in Sochi (Russian resort town on the Black Sea) to discuss the agreement reached last year and that put an end to the Russian offensive. A military operation with very serious humanitarian consequences, with about a million refugees in Idlib in what experts have called the most massive displacement campaign of the last decade.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stressed that progress in implementing the agreement has been slow. He then added that Ankara's obligation to end the jihadist military presence, according to Moscow the real cause of the violence, will also be discussed. In the last two weeks, however, Turkey has reinforced dozens of bases where thousands of soldiers are stationed, fueling tension in a region already marked by conflict.

Turkey and Russia (along with Iran) are the regional powers that in the past have promoted and supported the Astana peace talks on Syria. The scheme made it possible to reach a hard won and fragile ceasefire. As part of the agreements, Ankara snatched a 120 km long strip of land between the towns of Ras al-Ain and Tal Abyad, within which it intends to relocate up to two million Syrian refugees hosted in Turkey. In reality, behind the operation strongly desired by Erdogan there is also the objective of preventing the birth of an independent Kurdish state.
16 students from the capital's Civil Defense University taken to hospital after showing symptoms attributable to the coronavirus. The Workers' Party Central Committee has been silent on leader Kim Jong-un's condition.

Seoul (AsiaNews/Agencies) - Some students of the Civil Defense University who had participated in the parade for the 73rd anniversary of the founding of North Korea were taken to the hospital because they showed symptoms traceable to Covid-19.

Daily NK which is based in Seoul and linked to the South Korean Unification Ministry today reported 16 university students between the ages of 30 and 40 were taken to the hospital three days after the celebration, held on Sept. 9, because they had nausea, high fever and breathing difficulties.

Located in Pyongyang's Ryongsong district, the Civil Defense University trains commanders of North Korea's paramilitary reserve. According to Daily NK even before the parade, the students were already showing a slight fever, but the university decided not to report it to the parade commanders saying it was just a cold.

After being rushed to the hospital, the Central Pandemic Emergency Committee put the entire university on lockdown: all students were banned from leaving their dorms for at least 15 days and the facility was sanitized.

Five officials deemed responsible were fired and forced to do hard labor.

In the face of skepticism from the global scientific community, the North Korean regime has consistently stated that it has not recorded any Covid infection. Despite the high number of cases emerging among parade participants, the Central Committee of the Workers' Party - in power since 1945 - has maintained silence about leader Kim Jong-un's "personal safety," writes Daily NK.

"Usually, when something like this happens, they say an incident has taken place that could have brought serious harm to the personal safety or health of the Supreme Leader [Kim], but in this case, nothing of the sort has been said, said the source. So Pyongyang residents are saying this could be because the Supreme Leader and his cadres are all vaccinated.
by Melani Manel Perera

For more than two months, teachers have been on strike demanding the government increase their salaries. Distance learning has also stopped in a country still struggling with COVID-19. Catholic bishops want political leaders to get children back into schools.

Colombo (Asia News)  The Catholic Bishops' Conference of Sri Lanka (CBCSL) is backing teachers and principals who have been on strike for over two months demanding a fair salary and an end to a number of anomalies and delays in salary payment.

The CBCSL is urging the government to focus on the problems teachers and principals face and listen to them after 20 years of neglect. The bishops call on political leaders to take immediate action to provide adequate solutions to strikers demands.

For the past 78 days, Sri Lankan teachers and school principals have been engaged in labour action for higher wages. For many years, their salaries have been among the lowest in Asia.

More than 260,000 teachers and principals are involved in the strike, and have taken part in several protests, such refusing to take part in online classes, taking part in street protests, and refusing to release exam results.

In its statement, the CBCSL stresses that "teachers cannot stand on the street to get their paycheques, and urges the authorities to do everything possible to ensure that children can return to class as soon as possible.

We are not asking the government to pay us right now, said a Catholic music teacher in Balangoda, Sabaragamuwa province, speaking to AsiaNews.

We know that due to a weak economy this government cannot pay us now. We are willing to receive the arrears later, but we need an immediate and proper official response from the government. We do not believe in other things.

The controversy regarding educators salary comes on top of the problems of distance learning after a whole year of school lockdown because of the epidemic.

Over this period, the government, including Education Minister Dinesh Gunawardena, remained essentially silent, leaving teachers and principals to take independent action vis-a-vis distance learning.

Protests were held across the island in July and only stopped in August due to the spread of the Delta variant of SARSCoV2, the cause of COVID-19, which led to yet another lockdown, one that is still ongoing.

However, the strike continues on digital platforms. Today the Teacher-Principal Trade Union Alliance held a briefing online.

The government is working to suppress our struggle, said Alliance President Joseph Starline. We were arrested and sent to quarantine. Various attempts are being made not to solve the problem but to suppress us, he added.

The latest move by the government is to convince people to allow school to reopen making them believe that the solution is in the next budget. But we are not fooled by such stories." Instead, we shall further expand our struggle.
Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism.
Your Colleagues

Two UB faculty win Fulbright awards

By TESSIE MAR and KARA SWEET

UB has two new Fulbright faculty award winners: Diana Aga and Robert M. Straubinger. Aga, director of the UB RENEW Institute and Henry M. Woodburn Professor of Chemistry, College of Arts and Sciences, will travel first to Portugal and then to the Philippines to complete her Fulbright Global Scholar Award. In both countries, she will conduct research to understand and control the spread of antimicrobial resistance in the environment through discharges from municipal wastewater treatment plants. Straubinger, a UB Distinguished Professor in the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, will travel to Belfast, Northern Ireland, for the 2021-22 academic year, where he will hold the Fulbright-Queens University Belfast Visiting Professorship. His project is to develop nanotechnology approaches and bio-inspired therapeutic agents to improve treatment of fatal cancers, specifically pancreatic adenocarcinoma.

Studying antibiotic resistance

Diana Aga

The Fulbright Global Scholar Award requires grantees to spend at least one month in at least two countries in two different world regions, with a total of three to six months abroad. While exact details of her arrival and departure to the host countries remain uncertain due to COVID-19, Aga tentatively plans to travel to Portugal in March 2022, and to the Philippines in May 2022. Antimicrobials in the environment are particularly insidious because of the numerous pathways through which they may enter the environment. When humans take antibiotics, our bodies do not completely absorb them, Aga explains. The excess drugs are excreted and go into the wastewater, which can contribute to the emergence of antibiotic resistance in bacteria that are exposed to low concentrations of these drugs. Industrial and agricultural wastes are other avenues through which antibiotics enter the environment, where they may also contribute to the spread of antibiotic resistance. Some pathogenic bacteria that infect humans are no longer responding to antibiotics because they have developed resistance to these drugs. They have been dubbed as superbugs because they can survive treatment by multiple antibiotics. This is a huge problem because the existing antibiotics are now rendered useless against them, Aga says. The problem of antimicrobial resistance is worsening due to outdated wastewater treatment plants inability to filter them out of wastewater, an issue impacting many parts of the world, including regions of Asia, she says. In Manila, the Philippines, Aga will study cost-effective solutions to treat water before it is discharged into the environment. In Portugal, Aga will work with an environmental microbiologist at the Catholic University of Portugal  Porto, School of Biotechnology. She will learn techniques to study the diversity and ecology of bacteria in human-impacted areas, and determine the risk of antibiotic-resistance transmission from the environment to humans. Agas Fulbright work ties into her broader research. She is also supported by a U.S. National Science Foundation grant through the Partnerships for International Research and Education (PIRE) program, where she, students and researchers from other universities examine water samples from all over the world to characterize residues of antibiotics and presence of antibiotics resistance genes.

Researching pancreatic cancer treatments

Robert Straubinger
Campus News

UB nursing students life as a refugee ends in citizenship, kindness, achievement

At left: Bikash Regmi with his wife, Kumari. Eldest daughter, Arohi, holds her brother, Arpan. Youngest daughter Ariana sits on her father's lap. At right top, Regmi's family at the refugee camp. Bottom right, 7-year-old Regmi and his family before they fled Bhutan.

By CHARLES ANZALONE

One of my proudest moments is achieving the college degree, despite the challenges I faced as child, teenager and adult due to being stateless for two decades. 

The photograph still moves UB nursing doctoral student Bikash Regmi to tears. Its September 1992, and 7-year-old Bikash stands surrounded by his family in the small town in Bhutan, where he grew up. It was taken just before he and his family left the country in fear.

There was a likelihood we might be killed, Regmi says. So we decided to give this picture to our dear and near ones  in case the worst happens, they will remember us by looking at this picture.

Its that picture, as much as anything, that rekindles the sorrow of his early life: the day the principal at his school came into the classroom and told his sister and him to go home and never return; the night his family heard neighbors crying and screaming while being tortured by government police; the afternoon his father never returned from his teaching job. His family knew he had been either kidnapped or arrested.

For 22 years, Regmi was a man without a country, one of millions of refugees whose lack of citizenship with any country takes both physical and psychological tolls. After leaving his small Asian town at dawn on Sept. 7, 1992  a desperate attempt to save our lives  Regmi and his family spent 17 years in a refugee camp in Nepal with 100,000 other Bhutanese Nepalese.

His story is one of redemption and determination to make a better life. He came from the refugee camp to Syracuse in September 2009, became a U.S. citizen in 2014, earned bachelors (nursing) and masters (family nurse practitioner) degrees from SUNY Polytechnic Institute in Utica, and married a fellow Nepali Bhutanese refugee he met while volunteering at Catholic Charities in 2012.

Regmi (his first name is pronounced Bee KASH) has compiled a litany of activism, leadership, charitable work, tireless devotion to education and media attention to become an admired figure in the School of Nursing, where he is now taking classes remotely. He expects to earn a PhD within three or four years; his research area is advance care planning/end of life care focusing on refugee populations, especially Bhutanese Americans.

One of my proudest moments is achieving the college degree, despite the challenges I faced as child, teenager and adult due to being stateless for two decades, he says. Nobody wants to be stateless. My father always tells me, Government of Bhutan snatched everything from him, when we were forcefully evicted from our homeland. But (the) only thing he was able to bring was his education.

UB has allowed me to continue my education, and provides me the invaluable tool for building crucial knowledge on research. It gave me an opportunity to enhance my critical thinking skills and expand my knowledge in the interest of my research.
Nepal's main Opposition party, the Communist Party of Nepal - Unified Marxist Leninist (CPN-UML) continued to obstruct the proceedings of the House of Representatives (HoR) raising dissatisfaction over allowing expelled lawmakers to take part in the meetings.

As always, the main Opposition party lawmakers picketed the rostrum and chanted slogans at the outset of the meeting. The UML has continued its obstruction even after the Speaker's request.

Speaker Agni Prasad Sapkota had urged the main Opposition party MPs to cooperate in continuing the House proceedings, reminding of the provision in the House of Representatives Regulations which states that a topic which is under consideration of the court cannot be discussed in the Parliament session.

The Parliamentary business has resumed even amid the protest and obstruction.The main opposition party has continued to obstruct the parliamentary business since the beginning of the parliament session, demanding action it recommended against 14 of its lawmakers be moved ahead.

The UML had expelled the 14 lawmakers elected from the UML ticket who split from the party and joined the CPN (Unified Socialist). It had sent a letter to the HoR Secretariat informing it of its action. The main opposition party has been alleging the speaker of not taking prompt action against the 14 lawmakers against whom it had taken action.

Yet, in the midst of the sloganeering, Speaker Sapkota handed over a letter from the President's Office confirming the Appropriation Bill. Similarly, Secretary of the Parliament Secretariat Gopal Nath Yogi informed that the Finance Bill and the National Debt Raising Bill have been passed by the National Assembly.

According to Monday's agenda, the meeting ended with completing the set agendas in 10 minutes. The next meeting of the House of Representatives will be held on September 30.

(ANI)
The membership just narrowly passed the acceptance of the offer, said Ronnie Gonzalez, a spokesman for Automobile Mechanics Local 701 in Carol Stream, which represents about 6,000 active members, including the striking auto mechanics. The disappointment by those voting against the offer is as a result of being on strike for eight weeks while over 120 dealers not in the NCDC association ratified virtually the same deal without having to go out on strike.
FILE - In this July 2, 2021 file photo, a United Airlines jetliner taxis down a runway for take off from Denver International Airport in Denver. United Airlines has been fined, Friday, Sept. 24, 2021, $1.9 million over 25 delayed flights in which passengers were stuck on the ground for at least three hours. It's the largest fine ever imposed by the U.S. Transportation Department for such long delays.(AP Photo/David Zalubowski, file) (David Zalubowski/AP)
The Niles-Maine District Library announced Thursday that it is now accepting applications from residents interested in filling a vacancy on the board of trustees.
Embattled Crestwood mayor charged in red-light camera probe to step down, but may find fill a new position with the village at the same pay
Community Consolidated School District 21 leaders held a breakfast with stakeholders to lay out SD21 strategic plans, and announced idea for a wellness center to be building inside the administrative and community building to be constructed.
Katherine Rosenberg-Douglas

This Quick Response Team reporter has edited and reported in California, Texas and Florida during a nearly 20-year-long career focusing on crime and breaking news. She joined the Trib in 2016 after returning to her hometown of Crystal Lake with her husband and their twins.
With an established and frequently adapted classic, its useful to tip your hand and let the audience know what its in for straight away. The new films pacing and rhythm reveals Gerwigs full-gallop approach to the four March sisters, their mother and their intertwining private lives during and after the Civil War. The way Gerwig handles them, the March familys stories are treated as a disarming comedy of manners under serious, cloudy skies. She doesnt stop there: By the end of this Little Women, freer visually as well as narratively compared to Lady Bird," Alcotts story and Jo Marchs story dovetail into a third, hybrid tale of one womans freedom from want.
What happened in the culture was swift, also visceral and surprisingly long lasting. The Matthews band lost a little bit of its environmental luster. This group whose Ben & Jerrys flavor donated proceeds to combat climate change  in the early 2000s  was now also and seemingly forever an Internet punchline about attempted river pollution gone awry. It also had to admit that it toured in five separate buses, and the culprit vehicle was the one used by band violinist Boyd Tinsley. (Side note: A sign youve made it as a rock band is when you not only have a full-time violinist, but that violinist has his own tour bus.)
Just because you move the lines to move people from one district into another district, the voting pattern might not be the same, he said. It still depends on the candidate and on the issues. Theres a lot of stock thats put in these prognostications that may not turn out the way people are expecting.
The university also decided to immediately discontinue social events or official recruitment activities at fraternities that are part of the Interfraternity Council until at least Oct. 17. In the statement, school officials said that includes events with nonmembers, such as alumni. It also warned that any individuals or organizations that violate the restriction will be referred to the Office of Community Standards.
In addition, prosecutors agreed that they would not object if Warren tries to serve his sentence in his native England. Inmates repatriated to the United Kingdom are automatically released on the equivalent of parole after serving half of what remains of their sentences, according to the British charity Prisoners Abroad. That means that Warrens prison term could be shortened by 15 years or more and allow him to serve his time closer to family and friends.
DeNicolo alleged in the lawsuit that Ferguson taunted her with the phrase throughout her tenure at the station, which ended in May 2020. He also berated her in front of other workers and demanded personal favors, such as pressuring her to babysit his children for a decade beginning in 2003, leading her to be known around The Mix as Erics babysitter, the suit said.
Medicaid paid for 65.9% of births to Black women in 2019, but hundreds of thousands of American women have no Medicaid access. This is because of whats called the Medicaid gap  a flaw in our laws that places millions of people in a financial bracket where they are too poor to access the private insurance marketplace and too rich (though still living essentially in poverty) to access Medicaid. For years, we have been pushing for a Medicaid expansion to cover these individuals, which would not only save lives but also bring down health care costs across the board.
As we continue to think critically about transportation in our city and increasing access for the folks who need it most, we cannot afford to understate the decades of mistreatment Black Chicagoans endured because of the taxi industry and how ride-shares helped level the playing field. While its easy to look back through rose-colored glasses, we all know its not the reality of history. We will not so easily forget how we were treated, and we urge others not to either.
Anyone with some tread on their tires whos been fired by email can recognize the protocol. The writer blathers on about your years of dedication to your job, their gratitude for all you have done for all this time, and then hits you with some self-justifying jargon: the need to update systems, maybe, or the need to rebuild or better serve someone or some group. These days, perhaps even in the name of equity or inclusion.
The Mayor did not believe then, now or in the future its appropriate for Mark Flessner to get any work from the City of Chicago, Lightfoot spokesman Cesar Rodriguez said in a statement. At no time has she ever thought or articulated that he should get any City work and that opinion has not changed.
Its a reminder that the church isnt just this little, bitty congregation here in little, bitty Beecher, Illinois. Its all the people of God all across the country, he said. When one member grieves, we all grieve. When one member rejoices, we all rejoice. Its a testament to Gods great love and being with us in this time.
On Sept. 7, Alejandro Lopez, 19, of the 500 block of Belvidere Road, Waukegan, was ordered held without bond after he was charged with first-degree murder, home invasion, discharge of a firearm and aggravated unlawful use of a weapon in the Sept. 4 shooting death of Stanley Butler III in an apartment in the 1700 block of Dodge Avenue.
According to the suit, it is the Cook County Department of Public Health that must obtain a court order to require a person to quarantine. The lawsuit cites a section of the Illinois Department of Public Health Act, which states that no person or a group of persons may be ordered to be quarantined except with the consent of that person or group or court order, unless the local health department believes immediate action is required to protect the public.
On August 27, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence of the United States released a summary of the intelligence community assessment on COVID-19 origins, which does not rule out either natural exposure or laboratory accident as the origin of SARS-CoV-2. The report wrongly claims that China "continues to hinder the global investigation, resist sharing information and blame other countries". The statement by the White House issued on the same day also purported that China tries to hold back international investigation and rejects calls for transparency. It urges like-minded partners to exert pressure on China. The Chinese side expresses its firm opposition and strong condemnation to this.

First, a report fabricated by the U.S. intelligence community is not scientifically credible. The origin-tracing is a matter of science; it should and can only be left to scientists, not intelligence experts. There has been no lack of "masterpieces" by the U.S. intelligence community, such as using a tube of laundry powder to convict Iraq of possessing weapons of mass destruction, or staging the "white helmets" video as evidence for chemical weapon attack in Syria. Now, the US side is using its old trick again. Ignoring the Report by the WHO-China joint mission, it chooses to have its intelligence community put together a report instead. How can this possibly be science-based and reliable origin-tracing?

Second, the assertion of lack of transparency on the part of China is only an excuse for its politicizing and stigmatizing campaign. Since the outbreak of COVID-19, China has taken an open, transparent and responsible attitude. We have released information, shared the genome sequencing of the virus, and carried out international cooperation to fight the disease, all done at the earliest possible time. On December 27, 2019, Wuhan authorities made the first reporting of suspected cases. On December 30, emergency notices were issued on the treatment of pneumonia of unknown cause. On December 31, China informed the WHO China Country Office of cases of pneumonia of unknown cause detected in Wuhan. On January 3, 2020, China began sending regular updates about the novel coronavirus to the WHO and other countries, including the United States. On origin-tracing, China has followed a science-based, professional, serious and responsible approach. We are the first to cooperate with the WHO on global origin-tracing, and we have invited WHO experts to conduct the investigations twice in China. We were completely open, transparent and cooperative when the experts were in China. They visited every site on their list, met every individual they asked for, and were provided with all the data they wanted. The formulation of the Report of the WHO-China joint mission issued on March 30, 2021 follows WHO procedures and adopts a scientific approach. It is authoritative and science-based. The openness and transparency China has displayed has won full recognition from international experts.

Third, the report by the U.S. intelligence community shows that the U.S. is bent on going down the wrong path of political manipulation. The U.S. has registered the most infections and death cases from COVID-19 in the world, and the American people have paid a heavy price. The report by the intelligence community is based on presumption of guilt on the part of China, and it is only for scapegoating China. Such a practice will only disturb and sabotage international cooperation on origin-tracing and on fighting the pandemic, and has been widely opposed by the international community. Over 300 political parties, social organizations and think tanks from more than 100 countries and regions have submitted a joint statement to the WHO Secretariat, firmly opposing politicization of origin-tracing. Doesn't the U.S. side feel it necessary to listen to what they have to say?

Finally, the U.S. has been shying away from tracing the origin in the United States and closing the door on any such possibility. If the US.. side is "transparent and responsible", it should make public and examine the data of its early cases. The timeline of the outbreak in the United States has been revised to earlier dates several times. In at least five American states, there had been infections before the first confirmed case in the U.S. was announced. According to a latest coverage from American media, the first COVID-19 death in the U.S. was in early January 2020, several weeks earlier than previously announced by the authorities, which was early February.

In addition, Wuhan Institute of Virology has received two visits from WHO experts and the WHO-China joint study report has reached the clear conclusion that introduction through a lab accident in Wuhan is "extremely unlikely". If the US insists on the lab leak theory, isn't it necessary for the U.S. side to invite WHO experts to Fort Detrick and the University of North Carolina (UNC) for investigation? Fort Detrick has long been engaged in coronavirus research and modification. After its shutdown in 2019 because of serious safety incidents, disease with symptoms similar to COVID-19 broke out in the U.S. The team of Professor Ralph Baric in the UNC possesses extremely mature capability in synthesizing and modifying coronavirus. From January 2015 to June 2020, the UNC reported to the National Institutes of Health 28 lab incidents involving genetically engineered organisms. Six of them involved coronaviruses including SARS, MERS and SARS-CoV-2. However, instead of finding out what happened in its own labs first, the U.S. keeps slinging mud at others.

China's position on global origin-tracing is consistent and clear. This is a matter of science. China always supports and will continue to participate in science-based origin-tracing. What we are against is political manipulation, presumption of guilt and putting blame on others. Any Phase II origins study must be a comprehensive extension of Phase I and conducted in multiple places and countries to find out the truth.

The report by the U.S. intelligence community has not produced an exact answer the U.S. side wants. Continuing such an effort will also be in vain, because its subject is simply non-existent and anti-science.
Photo taken on Sept. 26, 2021 shows a view of the opening ceremony of the second China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo & China-Africa Economic and Trade Cooperation Forum held in Changsha, central China's Hunan Province. [Photo/Xinhua]

The Second China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo opened Sunday, unleashing new potential for cooperation between China and Africa.

The four-day event, held both online and offline, and themed "New Start, New Opportunities, and New Accomplishments," has attracted nearly 900 enterprises from about 40 African countries and China, according to the organizers.

The expo in Changsha, capital of central China's Hunan Province, features exhibitions on the fruits of China-Africa economic cooperation, African brand commodities and specialty products such as coffee and nuts. The event also includes forums on cooperation in areas such as food and agricultural products, the healthcare industry, financing, infrastructure and the private sector.

The expo has a total exhibition area of 94,000 square meters this year, with Algeria, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, South Africa and Senegal the guest countries of honor.

"China-Africa economic and trade cooperation is at a critical period of transformation, upgrading, and improving quality and efficiency," said Wang Bingnan, China's vice minister of commerce, at the opening ceremony.



Organizing a successful China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo and building a high-level pilot zone for economic and trade in-depth cooperation will effectively promote China-Africa market connectivity and the sharing of factors and resources, while contributing to stabilizing and facilitating industrial and supply chains and the building of a new development pattern, Wang added.

First launched in 2019, the expo is a major platform for strengthening economic and trade cooperation between China and African countries. Among the new measures to promote two-way trade, the expo this year included new special events to promote African products such as coffee.

In Africa, a key region of SANY's international development, the company will focus on major engineering projects and infrastructure construction to provide cost-effective products and more efficient and perfect services, said Liang Wengen, chairman of China's machinery giant SANY Group. The Changsha-based company first exported its products to Africa in 2002 and has long been a leader among Chinese exporters of machinery to the continent.

A staff member walks past the exhibition area of Pilot Zone for In-depth China-Africa Economic and Trade Cooperation during the second China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo held in Changsha, central China's Hunan Province, Sept. 26, 2021. [Photo/Xinhua]

"The company will also actively share its experience in industrialization development with African enterprises, especially SANY's experience in exploring intelligent manufacturing, to contribute more wisdom to Africa's industrialization development and industrial upgrading," Liang added.

By the end of 2020, China had been Africa's largest trading partner for 12 consecutive years. Bilateral trade registered robust growth this year, with trade volume rising 40.5 percent year on year to 139.1 billion dollars in the first seven months. It is a record high, year on year, according to China's Ministry of Commerce.

With the support of the China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo, small and medium-sized African enterprises have established partnerships with Chinese companies and entered the Chinese market, Senegalese President Macky Sall said via video at the expo's opening ceremony.

Noting that China and Africa together constitute a market of more than 2.5 billion consumers, Sall said the two sides should reinforce complementary advantages in the agriculture and industry sectors to optimize industrial transfer, as well as economic and trade cooperation.
U.S. car manufacturer Tesla has set up a data center in China to localize all data generated from its business in the country, including production, sales, service and charging, its chief executive Elon Musk said.



"All personally identifiable information is securely stored in China without being transferred overseas. Only in very rare cases, for example, when spare parts are ordered from overseas, is data approved for transfer internationally," Musk said in a video address at the 2021 World Internet Conference Wuzhen Summit, which kicked off on Sunday in Wuzhen, east China's Zhejiang Province.

"Data security is key to the success of intelligent and connected vehicles. It is not only closely linked to individuals' interests, but also matters to the whole society," said Musk.

Tesla is working with regulators on finding the best solution for data security, he added.

In 2019, Tesla built its first Gigafactory outside the United States in Shanghai, with a designed annual production capacity of 500,000 units. It is expected to achieve a localization rate of about 90 percent in the factory by the end of this year.
Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, Sunday congratulated Eric Chu on being elected chairman of the Chinese Kuomintang (KMT) party.

Based on the common political foundation of upholding the 1992 Consensus and opposing "Taiwan independence," over the years the two parties have engaged in positive interactions, promoted the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations, brought benefits to people on both sides, and achieved notable results, Xi said in his congratulatory message.

Xi expressed his expectations that the two parties adhere to the common political foundation, uphold the national interests, and work together to seek the wellbeing of the people, maintain peace across the Taiwan Strait and achieve national reunification and rejuvenation.

Chu, in his reply, expressed gratitude to Xi.

Noting that the people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait are all Chinese, Chu voiced his deep hope that the two parties can enhance mutual trust, exchanges and cooperation upon the foundation of upholding the 1992 Consensus and opposing "Taiwan independence."

Chu expressed the hope for advancing the peaceful development of cross-Strait ties, working together to benefit people on both sides, and promoting peace and stability in the Strait.
The 39th fleet of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy set out from the city of Qingdao, in east China's Shandong Province, on Sunday to conduct an escort mission in the Gulf of Aden and the waters off Somalia.

The fleet is composed of the guided-missile destroyer Urumqi, the missile frigate Yantai, and the supply ship Taihu, with dozens of special-operations soldiers and two helicopters on board.

In preparation for the mission, the fleet conducted training on the use of weapons, counter-terrorism and anti-piracy, as well as replenishment at sea.

The PLA Navy began conducting escort missions in the Gulf of Aden and the waters off Somalia in December 2008.
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang has signed a State Council decree to abolish three sets of administrative regulations on childbirth affairs.

A set of regulations on technical services for family planning was abolished, due to services and institutes being included in the maternal and child healthcare service system as basic public services, according to the State Council's announcement.

As China has already scrapped the fines for couples who violate the family planning law to have more children than they are allowed, the regulations on charging such fines will no longer exist.

The State Council also revoked the rules for family planning work related to the migrant population, considering that migrants now enjoy equal access to relevant basic public services.
A gravitational-wave research center under the China National Space Administration (CNSA) was inaugurated on Sunday in the city of Zhuhai, in Guangdong Province.

According to the CNSA, the gravitational-wave research center, located at the Zhuhai Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, will develop a series of experimental satellite platforms and payloads to promote China's space gravitational-wave detection.

At the inaugural ceremony, Wu Yanhua, deputy director of the CNSA, said that the CNSA and Sun Yat-sen University would build the research center into an international frontier for gravitational-wave detection.

The establishment of the research center is a new milestone for the Tianqin program, said Luo Jun, president of Sun Yat-sen University and an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Luo noted that the center would bring together more experts to promote technological breakthroughs and innovation in China's independent space gravitational-wave detection and contribute to the development of China's space industry.

The Tianqin program, meaning "harp in the sky," was initiated by Sun Yat-sen University in 2015. It will consist of three satellites forming an equilateral triangle around the earth by 2035. Like a harp in space, the "harp's strings" will be plucked by any gravitational waves that arrive.

The Tianqin-1 satellite, the first satellite to test the technologies of the program, was launched on Dec. 20, 2019.
Huge controversy erupted recently after Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States announced a new technological and military pact known as "AUKUS." Under the terms of the deal, the three countries will work together to supply nuclear powered submarines to Australia, while America will share its sensitive technology with the country.



Although not mentioned by name, the move is widely understood to be aimed at confronting China as part of the U.S.'s "Indo-Pacific strategy" with the goal of attaining military supremacy in the broader region. Beijing condemned the move as reckless and irresponsible.

The deal involved Australia scrapping a AU$90 billion contract for submarines with France, who responded with fury and downgraded their diplomatic ties with Canberra and Washington.

This is a definitive sign of how American foreign policy focus is consolidating its goals amid the U.S.'s dramatic withdrawal from Afghanistan over the summer, and how it is placing less emphasis on its European allies in favor of those in the Pacific.

The United States is jumping into a "new Cold War," using Australia as its military ally of choice, coupled with the United Kingdom at a distance. The move risks an enormous arms race which may have a destabilizing impact, undermining peace, stability and prosperity in the Pacific.

The biggest danger of arms races is that they proliferate tension, suspicion and risk, which can lead to miscalculations and in turn lead to devastating conflicts.

Even though President Joe Biden pledged in a recent address to the United Nations that he does not want a Cold War scenario, his actions have nonetheless created the risk of one.

In addition, the saga has demonstrated the unreliability of the United States as a partner for Europe, revealing a longstanding trend in American diplomacy whereby it places its own interests ahead of those it claims to be "allies."

The AUKUS deal involved overturning an existing contract between Australia and France, which prompted Paris to temporarily recall its ambassador to the United States. This serves as a reminder to European countries that they should not be so quick to align their interests with Washington, and should instead do what best suits them  a principle which France has often described as "strategic autonomy." The EU has frequently been hesitant about joining a U.S. Cold War effort against China, and must be wary that this military pursuit may damage their interests.

The AUKUS pact is an issue which will define the region's future over the next few decades, irrespective of the outcome. It is one which comes with enormous risks and poses huge challenges, seeking to forcefully upend the status quo in the pursuit of affirming American hegemony.

Despite growing challenges, action and dialogue must be taken to regulate regional stability, and ensure that the strategic interests and bottom lines of all parties are respected.

Tom Fowdy is a British political and international relations analyst and a graduate of Durham and Oxford universities. He writes on topics pertaining to China, the DPRK, Britain and the U.S. For more information please visit:

http://www.china.org.cn/opinion/TomFowdy.htm

Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors, not necessarily those of China.org.cn.

If you would like to contribute, please contact us at opinion@china.org.cn.
You are here: World

 Flash

Heavy fighting struck various areas of Yemen's oil-rich northern province of Marib on Sunday amid intensified airstrikes, a military official said.

"More than 28 members of the Houthi rebel group and 16 soldiers of the pro-government Yemeni forces were killed during the past 24 hours in Marib's fighting," the local military source said on condition of anonymity.

The Houthi fighters carried out simultaneous attacks against several positions controlled by the pro-government forces in the southern and northwestern areas of Marib, he said.

He clarified that the Houthis used explosive-laden drones and missile attacks to target the pro-government forces stationed in Marib.

"The Houthis succeeded in achieving limited on-ground progress after launching a number of multi-pronged attacks in the fighting with the pro-government forces," he added.

Warplanes of the Saudi Arabia-led coalition carried out a series of airstrikes targeting Houthi-controlled areas and reinforcements in Marib's western part, according to the official.

The Houthis began in February a major offensive on Marib in an attempt to seize control of the oil-rich Yemeni province, the government's last northern stronghold.

Yemen's civil war flared up in late 2014 when the Iran-backed Houthi group seized control of much of the country's north and forced the internationally recognized government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi out of the capital Sanaa.

The Saudi-led Arab coalition intervened in the Yemeni conflict in March 2015 to support Hadi's government.
Just as there are tricks to skateboarding, art, or anything in life, there are tricks to processing information. So here are a few tricks they don't teach in school. These are tricks that will change the connections you make in a wide range of scenarios and inspire depth of conversation and understanding.

Japanese Vs. Western Thinking.

Greek thought was very ego centric. From this influence, our arguments become attached to our person, and discussion becomes a battlefield in which egos are killed or glorified on the basis of whose argument "won". The point of many of our discussions is not to discover and grow. It is to tear the other argument down and win. It is adversarial.

When ego is involved, truth, logic and understanding are sacrificed. What are they sacrificed for? The arguer does not receive an applause, in fact others generally find this egotistical argumentation quite obnoxious. Contrary to how we might fantasize, no one respects us for winning.

Edward De Bono explores an alternative approach to argumentation that is revealed in Japanese board room meetings. Where westerners had a proposal that they would argue for, Japanese members didn't make any proposals. Instead, they would offer information that they knew.

They would not interpret the information or decide what should be done about it, each member would simply offer the facts. They would continue to build upon their information until a more complete picture had formed, and the way forward illuminated itself to everyone present (Six Thinking Hats, 1999).

Separating ourselves from our arguments allows for far richer discussions that elevate truth, friendship and curiosity.

Facts Vs. Interpretation

There are rich takeaways to De Bono's observation. One is that there is a difference between fact and interpretation. The fact is that the suicide rates in religious countries are lower. Researchers have provided many possible interpretations for that fact: greater social cohesion found in religious communities decreases suicide, greater moral objections decreases suicide, or greater stigma decreases the rates of suicide reporting (Kanita D. et al., 2005).

As seen, one fact can have a myriad of interpretations. In any conversation, separating facts from interpretation clarifies what has been proven and what needs more evidence.

From those interpretations, we can employ a Jewish concept. Do not search for the best interpretation but the best interpretations. Consider that from the range of potential interpretations truth is complex enough to be reflected in all of them.

Pendulums

Friends and I were discussing examples of poor treatment of women when one spoke up quite bitterly of how women act. At this point, knowing how to spot pendulums in ideas was quite useful.

Men vs. Women might appear to be a debate with two obvious extremes, but the division should not be men against women. The proper distinction is between those who respect others and those who don't.

What could have been a competition on victimhood became filled with appreciation for each others experiences and my friend's hurt was redirected from women to certain behaviours in people.

Running to or running from

Understanding the motivation for our conversation is fundamental to finding blind spots in ideas. As good as an idea may sound, if it is fear based it will likely just exhaust you. As a motivator, fear works wonders in the short term but in the long term it hollows your soul.

A Christian friend of mine was trying to convince me that Australia needed to close its borders to refugees because we can't risk being overwhelmed by Muslims. In the course of our conversation, it was apparent that unless the underlying fear was dealt with, she would not be able to see the Christian values she was undermining.

This is not to take a stance on whether borders should be closed or not. This is to say that as long as our reasoning is motivated by fear, it will be narrow and we will miss the opportunities our circumstances present. Therefore, with any concept that we engage with, we should ask ourselves if we are running from something, or to something.

Using these four methods of conversational judo: Japanese Vs. Western thinking, fact vs. interpretation, Pendulums, and running to or running from, we can analyse information in more creative, accurate and fun ways.
Paper bottlesare an eco-friendly product designed to meet both consumer demand without harming the environment these are eco-friendly packaging bottles. The Paper Water Bottle which are manufactured with pulp material is made from mixtures of plant-based fibers to make it user-friendly, operationally efficient, and easy to biodegradable. Global Paper bottles market size was estimated USD XXmillion in 2018 andit is expected that the market will grow with CAGR of XX% from 2018-2025. In 2025the market is expected to reach at USD XX million.

Market Dynamics:

The paper bottle market is growing rapidly as government regulationsare playing vital role. In countries such as India and China government has banned the plastic materials due to which it has huge demand for these bottles. Also, severalmarket trends comprise growing population and recent technological developments in biodegradable packaging. These factors are the major reasons for the rise in paper bottles market.

Market Players:

Paper water bottle, Lyspackaging, Anhui Idea Technology Ltd., Biopac Co., Ch2oose, Taizhou merry port Plastic Products Co. Ltd., Vegan bottle, Mitsubishi Plastics, Raepack Ltd.and others are some of the prominent players in the Paper bottles market.The players are majorly focusing on the development of progressivepaper bottlesto promote the paper bottles globally.

Click Here to Get Sample Premium Report @ https://www.trendsmarketresearch.com/report/sample/3180

Market Segmentation:

Paper bottles market can be divided on the basis of materials used and capacity. On the basis of material, the paper bottle market is segmented into organic material and biodegradable plastic.

Further, on the basis oforganic material the market is segmented intosugarcane pulp. paper, algae (agar powder) and bamboo and on the basis of biodegradable plastic the market is segmented intoPHA (polyhydroxyalkanoates), plant-based PLA (poly-lactic acid), Cellulose-based plastics, Poly-butylene succinate and PET (polyethylene terephthalate).

Moreover, the paper bottles can also be segmented on the basis of capacity 5ml-100ml, 100ml-500ml, 500ml-1000ml and other paper bottles. The demand for a different capacity of paper bottles varies depending on its application.

Based on region the market is segmented into North America, Europe, APAC, Latin America and Middles east and Africa. It is expected that North America will dominate the paper bottles market.

You can Buy This Report from Here @https://www.trendsmarketresearch.com/checkout/3180/Single

Market segmented on the basis of material:

 Organic material

 Paper

 Sugarcane pulp

 Bamboo

 Algae (Agar powder)

 Biodegradable plastic

 Plant-based PET (polyethylene terephthalate)

 PHA (polyhydroxyalkanoates)

 PLA (poly-lactic acid)

 Cellulose-based plastics

 Poly-butylene succinate

Market segmented on the basis of capacity:

 5 ml  100 ml (small)

 100ml  500ml (medium)

 500ml -1000 ml (large)

 Others

Market segmented on the basis of region:

 North America

 US

 Canada

 Mexico

 Europe

 UK

 Germany

 France

 Rest of Europe

 Asia-Pacific

 China

 Japan

 India

 Australia

 Rest of Asia-Pacific

 Latin America

 Brazil

 Rest of Latin America

 Middle East and Africa (MEA)

 South Africa

 Saudi Arabia

 Rest of MEA

Request For Report Discounts @https://www.trendsmarketresearch.com/report/discount/3180
Bone marrow aspiration and trephine biopsy are usually performed on the back of the hipbone, or posterior iliac crest. An aspirate can also be obtained from the sternum (breastbone). For the sternal aspirate, the patient lies on their back, with a pillow under the shoulder to raise the chest. A trephine biopsy should never be performed on the sternum, due to the risk of injury to blood vessels, lungs or the heart.

The need to selectively isolate and concentrate selective cells, such as mononuclear cells, allogeneic cancer cells, T cells and others, is driving the market. Over 30,000 bone marrow transplants occur every year. The explosive growth of stem cells therapies represents the largest growth opportunity for bone marrow processing systems.

Europe and North America spearheaded the market as of 2016, by contributing over 74.0% to the overall revenue. Majority of stem cell transplants are conducted in Europe, and it is one of the major factors contributing to the lucrative share in the cell harvesting system market.

Click Here to Get Sample Premium Report @ https://www.trendsmarketresearch.com/report/sample/3184

In 2016, North America dominated the research landscape as more than 54.0% of stem cell clinical trials were conducted in this region. The region also accounts for the second largest number of stem cell transplantation, which is further driving the demand for harvesting in the region.

Asia Pacific is anticipated to witness lucrative growth over the forecast period, owing to rising incidence of chronic diseases and increasing demand for stem cell transplantation along with stem cell-based therapy.

You can Buy This Report from Here @https://www.trendsmarketresearch.com/checkout/3184/Single

Japan and China are the biggest markets for harvesting systems in Asia Pacific. Emerging countries such as Mexico, South Korea, and South Africa are also expected to report lucrative growth over the forecast period. Growing investment by government bodies on stem cell-based research and increase in aging population can be attributed to the increasing demand for these therapies in these countries.

Major players operating in the global bone marrow processing systems market are ThermoGenesis (Cesca Therapeutics inc.), RegenMed Systems Inc., MK Alliance Inc., Fresenius Kabi AG, Harvest Technologies (Terumo BCT), Arthrex, Inc. and others

Request For Report Discounts @https://www.trendsmarketresearch.com/report/discount/3184
The commodity chemicals are foreseeing a rise in the market growth because of the economic expansion and rising gross domestic product (GDP) of developing and developed countries worldwide. The worldwide market for commodity chemicals is segmented into organics, petrochemicals, plastics, explosives, resins, synthetic rubbers, films, fibers and inorganics. These segments comprise several types of chemicals, for instance, acetic acid, methanol, propylene, polyvinyl chloride, hexane, benzene, melamine, methyl, acetone, glycol, esters, glycerines, adipic acid, butyl acetate, bisphenol, butanediol in addition to butadiene.

There are high expansion prospects in the Asia Pacific market as a result of developing economies like India, Indonesia and China. These nations have flourishing manufacturing sectors that get ample back up from the respective governments. The Asia Pacific commodity chemicals market also gets huge support from gulf nations such as Iran, Syria, Saudi Arabia and Iraq in the structure of a bulk supply of crude oil and natural gas. The main economical aspect which influences the buying decisions of the end customers is the price. Price is the foremost determining aspect since the product distinction in the instance of these commodity chemicals is extremely low. Though, the rigid governments regulation all over the world in relation to the environment and health side effect of chemicals as well as fluctuating prices of natural gas as well as crude oil are laying noteworthy challenge for the industry.

Download Research Sample with Industry Insights @ https://www.trendsmarketresearch.com/report/sample/3282

Countries Tariffs on Chemicals to Impact the Worldwide Markets

Recently, Chinas tariffs on chemicals, polymers are considered to alter the regional trade. Among which the US commodity chemical products market is indicated to be most impacted on the basis of exports to China since a percentage of overall production during the year 2017 are styrene, monoethylene glycol (MEG), linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE), EVA copolymers, ethylene dichloride (EDC) and high density PE (HDPE) , on the basis of an study of select chemicals trade flows. Nevertheless, China is still considered to have a dominant part as the worlds largest importer.

Manufacturers Merge to Produce the Various Types of Commodity Chemicals to Meet the Exact Customer Requirements

Direct Purchase this Market Research Report Now @ https://www.trendsmarketresearch.com/checkout/3282/Single

LyondellBasell has recently finished the $2.25bn acquisition of A Schulman high-performance composites, plastic compounds as well as powders supplier. The acquisition, as indicated by LyondellBasell, doubles more than the companys present compounding business as well as broadens its extend to the high-margin end, growing markets such as construction materials, automotive, packaging and electronic goods. The joint business is likely to function as a separate advanced polymer solutions reporting sector. Also the A Schulman assets and the companys present propylene compounding assets, the segment would include polybutene-1 resins and catalloy thermoplastic resins. Likewise incorporated in the advanced polymers solutions sector would be engineered masterbatches, powders, and composites that are all novel to the product portfolio of LyondellBasells.

Likewise, The Dow Chemical company ended its force majeure on VAM (vinyl acetate monomer) recently, elevating the proclamation for Europe, Latin America, Asia Pacific and India, the Middle East, Africa, in addition to the sales dominance on VAM in North America.

Request for Sample with Complete TOC and Figures & Graphs @ https://www.trendsmarketresearch.com/report/requesttoc/3282

LyondellBasell Industries and the Dow Chemical Company are the leading makers in the commodity chemicals market and apart from them, a few of the major market players operating in the worldwide market for commodity chemicals are BASF SE, Chem China, Bayer AG, INEOS Group Holding, Evonik Industries, Sumitomo Chemicals, Asahi Kasei, Mitsubishi Chemical Holdings Corporation, PPG Industries, Linde Group along with Akzo Nobel. Thus, market players are gaining a competitive edge and taking efforts to enhance their product portfolio in the commodity chemicals market.
Sara Ali Khan chose to wear a bright coloured sari and sport a bindi while attending the Global Citizen concert, representing India, and has won kudos from netizens. Really proud of this girl. Wearing a saree in a global event shows how she respects Indian culture. A true example of a bhartiya nari, said one netizen.

The Global Citizen concert is a 24-hour music festival attended by a host of actors.

This years event was themed around an appeal to world leaders, philanthropists and corporations to defend the planet, defeat poverty and take action on climate change and famine and advance vaccine equity.

In her speech at the event, Sara said, With all the pain and hardships the Covid-19 pandemic has inflicted on the whole world, the truth is, it has gotten us together for a common cause. This pandemic has shown us that no matter where you come from, we are all susceptible to tough times. We must, therefore, fight this virus together. Thanks to our scientists, we have a weapon to fight it, the vaccine. I know that there are still amongst us, people who have concerns about the vaccine and are fearful of taking it. But I strongly believe it is our duty to educate and guide everyone about vaccine because its only then, can we begin to rebuild, reset and rejuvenate.
Members of Bhartiya Kisan Union Ugrahan stop the Delhi-Shri Ganganagar Intercity Express during farmers' Bharat Bandh against central government's three farm reform laws, at Daun Kalan village near Patiala, Monday, Sept. 27, 2021. (PTI)

NEW DELHI: Normal life was hit in several states on Monday as farmers blocked highways and squatted on railway tracks at many places in response to the Bharat Bandh called against the three contentious agriculture laws that the government is refusing to roll back.

The shutdown, called by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), an umbrella body of over 40 farm unions spearheading the agitation against the new laws, left thousands stranded for hours across India, particularly in the northern belt of the country. The farmers unions have been protesting for about 10 months at Delhi borders against the new laws which were cleared by the President a year ago.

Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait said protesting farmers were ready for talks with the government, but no discussions are happening. The solution to the ongoing protests against the new agriculture laws can be achieved through dialogue and not in the courts of law.

Mr Tikait, who has become the face of the agitation, said the farmers stir was not only against the three laws and for legal guarantee on the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for crops but also against privatisation of agriculture. I dont know what is going to be the end of this protest but the movement has begun and the countrys youth, who often remained away from discussion on farming-related issues, is also joining it.

The bandh, supported by several Opposition parties, began at 6 am with farmers hitting the roads in protest against the agri laws. The parties supporting the bandh included the Congress, the Aam Aadmi Party, Samajwadi Party, Telugu Desam, the Bahujan Samaj Party, Left parties and Swaraj India.

Expressing support for the farmers, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said their non-violent "satyagraha" is still resolute but the "exploitative" government does not like this and that is why a Bharat Bandh has been called.

The maximum impact of the bandh was witnessed in Punjab and Haryana where farmers blocked national highways, state highways, link road and railway tracks. There were protests at several places in western UP and Rajasthan also.

The shutdown was almost complete in Punjab where transport services remained suspended during the entire bandh period. Even shops and other commercial establishments remained closed at most places in the state.

In Haryana, the protesters blocked highways at Sirsa, Fatehabad, Kurukshetra, Panipat, Hisar, Charkhi Dadri, Karnal, Kaithal, Rohtak, Jhajjar and Panchkula districts. The farmers also squatted on railway tracks at several places in the two states.

Ferozepur's divisional railway manager Seema Sharma said some passenger trains were cancelled while some others were rescheduled.

In West Bengal, Left activists blocked roads and railway tracks, but normal life remained largely unaffected in the state. Markets and shops remained open as usual, while public transport operated normally except for a few hitches.

In Jharkhand, protesters disrupted vehicular traffic at several places. Shops also remained shut in Ranchi, while government offices and banks functioned as usual. Farmers took out rallies on the major roads and held meetings in the state.

Public transport was also hit in Kerala where the bandh was supported by the ruling LDF and the Opposition Congress-led UDF. KSRTC bus services were off the road with almost all trade unions in the state taking part. People who had to travel opted for private modes of transport while others stayed home.

In Karnataka, the shutdown did not have any major impact in the initial few hours with all businesses and establishments functioning normally and transport services available. However, farmers' attempts to organise a Rasta Roko at major national and state highways led to disruption in vehicular movement in several parts of the state, especially in Bengaluru.

Demonstrations and rallies were also held across Jammu district led by CPI(M) leader M.Y. Tarigami. Hundreds of activists and farmers took out a rally and sat on dharna on the main road in Jammu, leading to disruption of traffic. Addressing the activists, he said the three "anti-farmer" laws are bound to "destroy" the agriculture sector and threaten India's food security.

The bandh, however, elicited mixed response in Maharashtra, where symbolic protests were held at many places. The ruling Congress and NCP supported the bandh but the Shiv Sena remained non-committal. State NCP chief and water resources minister Jayant Patil participated in the protests organised by his party unit in Aurangabad. At a public meeting, Mr Patil led the workers wearing black badges to hold a symbolic protest.

Gujarat largely remained peaceful, though there were reports of highways being blocked briefly which affected traffic movement. Vehicular movement on a national highway connecting Surat and Mumbai was blocked in Kamrej for some time by protesters, who burnt tyres on the arterial stretch. Later, police detained about 25 people and restored vehicular movement.
An elderly farmer holds a flag as he with others gather at the protest venue. (Representational Image/AFP)

Bengaluru: The 'Bharat Bandh' called by farmer unions to protest the Centre's three farm laws has not had any major impact on the normal life in the initial few hours since it began on Monday, with all business and establishments functioning normally and transport services available.

Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai appealed to farmer unions that have called for the bandh not to cause inconvenience to public who are just recovering from the impact of COVID-19, and asked them to express their difference in any other form.

The protest by farmers and attempts by them to organise a 'Rasta Roko' on major national and state highways during the dawn-to-dusk bandh has led to disruption in vehicular movement in several parts of the state, especially in Bengaluru, and this is likely to intensify later in the day, with more farmers gathering.

Farmers' organisations have planned a protest march to Town Hall from K R Puram and other parts of Bengaluru city and will converge there at about 11 am, for a rally, farmer leader Kodihalli Chandrashekar said. There are also reports about police detaining some protesters and farmer leaders.

Meanwhile, speaking to reporters in Hubbali, the chief minister appealed the protesters to express their protest in any other forms, but not to cause inconvenience to public by observing a bandh.

"People have just started recovering from COVID and are indulging in businesses and other financial activities, people should not face any trouble again....I have appealed to the protesters not to cause inconvenience to people and cooperate," Bommai said.

Police have been instructed to take all the necessary precautionary measures to maintain peace and order in the wake of Bharat Bandh, Home Minister Araga Jnanendra said in a statement on Sunday night.

Directions have been given to maintain a special vigil to see to it that no untoward incidents take place in Bengaluru city, district centres and all sensitive areas in the state, he said.

With several organisations only extending moral support for the bandh, it is unlikely to have any major impact on the normal life in the city and other parts of the state, police sources said.

Citing losses due to COVID pandemic and its induced lockdown, public transport (KSRTC and BMTC) employees' unions, hotel owners association, lorry, auto, rickshaw and taxi owners unions have said they support the protest, but will continue to operate. Metro services are also operating as usual.

The Associated Managements of Primary and Secondary Schools in Karnataka (KAMS), association of private schools in the state had said that schools will remain open and they are extending only moral support for the bandh.

Restaurants and eateries were seen functioning as usual.
Telangana Chief Minister KCR with Piyush Goyal, Minister of Commerce and Industry, Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution at Udyog Bhavan in New Delhi on Monday. (Photo:DC/ D. Kamraj)

HYDERABAD: Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao has extended his Delhi tour for the second time this month, generating much heat in political circles in the state.

As per original schedule, the Chief Minister had to return to Hyderabad on Sunday evening and attend the ongoing monsoon session of the Legislative Assembly on Monday. But he continued his Delhi visit on Monday and met Union minister for food and public distribution Piyush Goyal. There is no official confirmation from the CMO over when the Chief Minister would return to Hyderabad.

Rao left for Delhi for a three-day visit on September 24 to attend the meeting convened by Union home minister Amit Shah with Chief Ministers of Naxal-affected states on September 26.

Rao also met Union Jal Shakti minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on September 25 and discussed the Centre's gazette on irrigation projects on the Krishna and the Godavari.

On Monday, the CM took up the issue of paddy procurement with Goyal and FCI's refusal to purchase boiled rice from Telangana. Earlier this month, Rao left for Delhi on September 2 and laid foundation for construction for the TRS office in Delhi. He was supposed to return in three days after meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi and union home minister Amit Shah. He met them on September 3 and 5 respectively but stayed in Delhi for nine days and returned on September 10.

Rao's extended stay in Delhi for the second time triggered speculation in political circles as it followed his one-to-one meeting with Amit Shah for over an hour at his residence on Sunday evening after the Naxal-affected states meeting.

The Chief Minister on Monday met Piyush Goyal and brought to his notice that Telangana was producing 60 lakh metric tonnes of boiled rice every year but the FCI has agreed to procure only 24.75 lakh metric tonnes. He urged him to procure at least 50 lakh metric tonnes and said if not, the state government would suffer heavy losses.
After liquor shops, the state government will extend reservations for Backward Classes (Goud community), Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes for setting up bars in the state. (Representational Photo:DC)

HYDERABAD: After liquor shops, the state government will extend reservations for Backward Classes (Goud community), Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes for setting up bars in the state.

Replying to questions raised by various members in the Legislative Assembly during Question Hour on Monday, excise minister V. Srinivas Goud said the new policy extending reservations for liquor shops and bars would be launched soon.

He said the state government had recently issued orders extending reservations for Gouds, SCs and STs while granting licences to set up liquor shops in the state and the same would be implemented for bars as well.

Goud said these reservations would help these communities become economically stronger. He stated that reservations were so far confined to only education and employment but the Telangana government was the only state in the country which introduced reservations to set up businesses.

The new excise policy is due for implementation from November 1 and fresh licences will be issued for liquor shops and bars for a period of two years. As part of the policy, the state Cabinet recently approved 30 per cent reservations to Gouds, SCs and STs in giving licences for setting up liquor shops in the state. Of this, 15 per cent quota was earmarked for Gouds, 10 per cent for SCs and 5 per cent for STs.

The state currently has 2,216 liquor shops and 1,100 bars. The government is planning to determine reservations district-wise and allot shops through the draw of lots. The existing licences were issued in October 2019 for a two-year

period valid till October 31, 2021.

Although the new licences should be issued before November 1, the government recently extended the existing licences by one more month till November 30 after liquor shops and bar owners requested extension stating that they had incurred loss in business for three months due to Covid lockdowns and restrictions from March 2020.
Data study: 18 months of ammo sales during a pandemic, protests, and the Biden presidency

By Sam Jacobs



In our previous data study on the initial effects of the pandenmic on our business, we outlined increased sales due to the publics growing leeriness of COVID-19, starting from February 23, 2020 when the news coverage became ominous.

That's only part of the story, however, because over the last 18 months, we've experienced a particularly charged election year, BLM protests amid calls to "defund the police," a contentious transfer of power, and most recently a surprise ban on popular Russian ammo.

These events in particular, set against the backdrop of the ongoing response to the pandemic, resulted in demand spikes. Looking at the data below, you'll get a sense of a high level trend during the pandemic and then see how that trend changed during certain specific time periods, like the BLM protests, when already-elevated demand went up even more.

To give a pre-pandemic baseline of sorts, over the past 18 months our overall sales have increased as follows:

590% increase in revenue

604% increase in transactions

271% increase in site traffic

77% increase in conversion rate

This data is from February 23, 2020 - August 23, 2021, when compared to the previous 18 months (August 24, 2018 - February 22, 2020).

Below are tables which list the top 10 states, ordered by our total sales volume, and how they fared during these recent demand spikes when compared to the previous time period, respectively. We also listed which calibers were most popular in those top states. Here is how to interpret our data:

State Ranking by Sales Volume displays the total sales volume (how much was ordered in United States dollars) on a state-by-state basis in column one. Column two shows how much sales have increased percentage-wise in that particular state during the designated time period. Only states to which we sell are shown.

displays the total sales volume (how much was ordered in United States dollars) on a state-by-state basis in column one. Column two shows how much sales have increased percentage-wise in that particular state during the designated time period. Only states to which we sell are shown. Most Popular Caliber by Sales Volume displays the most popular caliber based on sales volume in that state in column three, as well as the increase for that caliber by state during the designated time period. Columns five and seven display the second and third most popular calibers based on sales volume in that state; columns six and eight display how much the sale of those particular calibers has increased on a percentage basis.

And now without further adieu, here's our data on the prolonged increase in demand for ammunition - and how recent events have further spiked that demand.

18 Months of Ammunition Sales During the Pandemic: State Ranking by Sales Volume

Note: These figures compare February 23, 2020 - August 23, 2021 to the previous 18 months, August 24, 2018 - February 22, 2020. Due to city and state laws, Ammo.com does not ship ammunition to Alaska, Hawaii, Massachusetts, California, Washington, D.C., New York City, or Chicago. These jurisdictions, along with a handful of other states, have been excluded from the table above.

Demand Spike: Ammunition Sales Following the Surprise Ban on Russian Ammo in August 2021

Following the Biden Administration's announcement banning the importation of Russian ammunition, we saw an immediate spike in sales of calibers produced in Russia. The most popular calibers of imported Russian ammunition are 7.62x39, known as The Hammer of Lenin," and 5.56x45, largely due to the Soviet Unions huge legacy capacity to mass produce select rifle rounds, predominantly in steel casings.

Sales Figures for 7.62x39 Ammo

Below are the figures from August 17, 2021 - August 23, 2021, compared to the previous period, August 10, 2021 - August 16, 2021.

124% increase in revenue

52% increase in transactions

91% increase in site traffic

Sales Figures for 5.56x45 Ammo

Below are the figures from August 17, 2021 - August 23, 2021, compared to the previous period, August 10, 2021 - August 16, 2021.

48% increase in revenue

41% increase in transactions

38% increase in site traffic

State Ranking by Sales Volume of 5.56x45 Ammo State % Increase 1. Arizona + 359% 2. Texas - 43% 3. Pennsylvania + 62% 4. Florida - 44% 5. Illinois + 465% 6. Michigan + 410% 7. Washington + 125% 8. Oregon - 1% 9. Colorado + 1,016% 10. Maryland + 87%

Note: Due to city and state laws, Ammo.com does not ship ammunition to Alaska, Hawaii, Massachusetts, California, Washington, D.C., New York City, or Chicago. These jurisdictions, along with a handful of other states, have been excluded from the table above.

Demand Spike: Ammunition Sales During the Contested Transfer of Power in January 2021

Below are the figures from January 4, 2021 - January 22, 2021, compared to the previous period, December 16, 2020 - January 3, 2021, at a nationwide level and at a state level:

78% increase in revenue

33% increase in transactions

73% increase in site traffic

Note: Due to city and state laws, Ammo.com does not ship ammunition to Alaska, Hawaii, Massachusetts, California, Washington, D.C., New York City, or Chicago. These jurisdictions, along with a handful of other states, have been excluded from the table above.

Demand Spike: Ammunition Sales During the BLM Protests Amid Calls to "Defund the Police"

Below are the figures from May 28, 2020 - June 5, 2020, compared to the previous period, May 19, 2020 - May 27, 2020, at a nationwide level and at a state level:

200% increase in revenue

192% increase in transactions

99% increase in site traffic

Note: Due to city and state laws, Ammo.com does not ship ammunition to Alaska, Hawaii, Massachusetts, California, Washington, D.C., New York City, or Chicago. These jurisdictions, along with a handful of other states, have been excluded from the table above.

Conclusion

The pandemic lead to a sharp increase in demand for ammunition. This increase has continued for the past 18 months. It's been further exacerbated by a particularly charged election year, BLM protests amid calls to "defund the police", a contentious transfer of power, and most recently a surprise ban on popular Russian ammo. If you'd like to read our analysis as to what drove the initial increase in demand for ammunition, you can find that here.

Sam Jacobs is a writer for Ammo.com where this originally appeared.
Conservatives need to stop viciously attacking each other By Rachel Alexander

I heard about this bizarre occurrence of a very conservative Catholic historian going after a very conservative Catholic journalist, making him out to be something different, and was so jarred by his statements, which have significantly hurt the journalists career, that I thought it needed to be exposed. The left is already doing a good job of destroying conservatives, including threatening conservative organizations into canceling their employees, a significant problem in recent years. So why are we going after our own so viciously? Dexter Duggan writes for The Wanderer , a conservative Catholic publication and the oldest national weekly Catholic paper in the U.S. Previously, he worked with Catholic historian and professor James Hitchcock when they were both contributing editors at the National Catholic Register. Hitchcock referred favorably to some of Duggans articles in his own column. So Duggan was shocked when Hitchcock published a book called Abortion, Religious Freedom, and Catholic Politics in 2016 that misconstrued multiple things Duggan had written. The book purports to be a review of opposing Catholic views on abortion, but Duggan says it is really just an attack on two Catholic news sites, the National Catholic Reporter and Duggans conservative The Wanderer. Hitchcock said The Wanderer doesnt regard abortion as a crucial issue, which isnt true, its a core issue for the publication. Much of the problem with the book is Hitchcock ignores all the pro-life reporting Duggan and others at The Wanderer have done promoting the pro-life cause, pretending it doesnt exist. Duggan says, Despite the broader-sounding title, much of the book is an attack on The Wanderer, including me as one of its writers. He said Hitchcock has effectively gotten him portrayed as a traitor to the pro-life cause and a bad-faith Paleoconservative, neither which is true. Of 20 pages that address Duggan, Duggan says only one thing about him is accurate. Hitchcock said Duggan gave unqualified support to a fanatically pro-abortion politician. He was referring to Duggans writings 40 years ago about Barry Goldwater. But Duggan had a very nuanced, typical conservative pro-life view of Goldwater; he wasnt an avid supporter of him at first due to his mediocre record on abortion in the Senate, but after Goldwater pledged support for a Human Life Amendment, winning the endorsement of nationally renowned pro-life doctor Carolyn Gerster, Duggan warmed up to him. After Goldwater safely won reelection to his last term in the Senate, and started reverting back to a less pro-life position, Duggan called him out for it in his articles. When Duggan wrote about Goldwater back at that time in 1981, Hitchcock had nothing but praise for his writing. Duggan says much of Hitchcocks criticisms of him bizarrely consist of taking quotes from people Duggan was reporting on and attributing them to Duggan instead. Hitchcock attributed a remark critical of John McCain  who Hitchcock apparently really likes, which is strange considering McCains mediocre record on pro-life issues as well as other issues  to Duggan that was actually made by Rob Haney, a Phoenix conservative activist who is also Catholic and known for his dislike of McCain. McCain angered Arizona Right to Life over his advocacy of taxpayer-funded fetal stem cell research. Duggan explains , Hitchcock reached all the way down to the 30th paragraph in my story in the September 19, 2013, Wanderer, to harvest that harsh comment likening McCain to a mad scientist. Hitchcock wasnt just grabbing for the first words he saw, but read deeply into the story for a nugget that suited his deceptive tactics. When Duggan quoted a couple of political strategists predicting that conservatives would defeat McCain from getting reelected one year, Hitchcock attributed the quote to Duggan. One of Duggans articles quoted a Washington Times reporter describing Sarah Palin, she is eager to campaign for Republicans, independents, and even Democrats who share her values on limited government, strong defense, and energy independence. Hitchcock twisted it to say, In 2009 Duggan placed his hopes in either conservative Democrats, a possible third party, or Sarah Palin. Duggan said this was part of Hitchcocks effort to make The Wanderer look like it shirks Republicans. The Global Catholic Network EWTN interviewed Hitchcock twice about his book. EWTN promoted the book and offered to take orders for it from the audience. Hitchcock portrayed himself as an authority on The Wanderer, saying he regularly read it and marked it up. Duggan said this was deceptive, considering Hitchcock ignored so much of The Wanderers coverage that contradicted his cherry-picked examples. Duggan tried in vain to get the publishers and EWTN to correct the errors. He sent eight certified letters to EWTN about the errors, but they blew him off. Hes offered to appear on the network to explain his side, but they ignored his request. The Chips n Salsa show invited him on instead where he told his story. Hitchcock has only responded to him once, in 2019, with four curt sentences accusing him of being a bad Catholic. Duggan has now been fighting to clear his name for over four years. Hitchcocks book is widely circulated among Catholic conservatives, used as a textbook at 167 institutions around the world. Its not clear why Hitchcock launched such a vicious attack on his former colleague. It may be due to the fact Hitchcock was a former Democrat, so he aligned more with McCain and less with Goldwater. Duggan has such a wonderful, humorous style of writing that reading about his struggles pushing back against this attack is quite amusing. But its not funny because its destroying his reputation; many within the audience he caters to have heard about the criticism and are inclined to distance themselves from him. EWTN and the current publisher of Hitchcocks book need to do the right thing and issue corrections. Four years of damage to Duggans reputation and thousands of dollars spent by him on attorneys all due to enabling a grudge. Contact Taylor & Francis and tell them they need to correct the wrong. Rachel Alexander and her brother Andrew are co-Editors of Intellectual Conservative . She has been published in the American Spectator, Townhall.com, Fox News, NewsMax, Accuracy in Media, The Americano, ParcBench, Enter Stage Right and other publications. Home
The Iranian nuclear threat is not years away  it is now By Amb. Dore Gold

A version of this article appeared on the N12 website in Hebrew. On August 4, both Minister of Defense Benny Gantz and Foreign Minister Yair Lapid briefed ambassadors from the member states that sit on the UN Security Council. While the occasion for their joint appearance was the escalation of terror attacks using UAVs against international shipping, most of the international attention was drawn to the statement by Defense Minister Gantz that Iran had violated all the guidelines established by the JCPOA (the Iran deal) and, as a result, it was only around 10 weeks away from acquiring weapons grade materials necessary for a nuclear weapon. This was not speculation by yet another columnist, but rather a statement in the clearest terms by the defense minister of Israel. In response to the interviews, Lapid added several weeks later that he wanted to save the public from a sense of panic from the news that Iran had become a nuclear threshold state. He based his argument by drawing a distinction between a state that had become a threshold state and a state that had become a threshold state only with respect to the amount of enriched uranium it had in its possession. While not defining how much time Iran needed to actually produce a nuclear bomb, he did say it was not just a matter of months. When asked how close Iran was to a nuclear weapon, he answered: It was a lot more. Israels situation with Iran poses a real dilemma for diplomacy. On the one hand, diplomacy must always be accurate. The Iranians specialize in deception. Israel does not and should not play that game. On the other hand, Israel must build an international coalition against Irans determination to deploy nuclear forces and threaten the security of Israel, the Middle East, and the entire world. It must motivate potential members of that coalition to understand the urgency of the situation and why the time to act together has arrived. It is important to lay out what specialists mean by Iran having an operational nuclear weapons program. There are three elements involved. First, Iran needs delivery systems to carry its nuclear weapon to a target. In 1998, Iran first tested its Shahab-3 missile which was based on North Korean technology. In 2003, the Shahab-3 missile became operational in the Iranian armed forces. It had a range of 1,300 kilometers  the distance required to strike Israel from bases located on Iranian territory. Between 1998 and 2017, Iran conducted 21 flight tests using the Shahab-3. In 2015, the Iranians released video tapes for the first time showing that Iran had created a system of underground missile bases, from where it could launch its missiles from silos. In other words, the need for a delivery system to launch nuclear weapons should not hold up Irans quest for a fleet of nuclear weapons. Iran was already there. Second, commentators like to point out that the weaponization of uranium into an actual explosive device (in Hebrew kvutzat haneshek) takes time to develop. However, the quarterly reports from the International Atomic Energy Agency during 2011 already contained worrying information back then. The May 2011 report presented Iranian military research that had taken place including the removal of the high conventional explosive payload from the warhead of the Shahab-3 missile and replacing it with a spherical nuclear payload. Iranian documents that were in the hands of the IAEA acknowledged that detonation of its warhead was to take place at an altitude of 600 meters. That happened to be the height of the first atomic explosion in 1945 over the Japanese city of Hiroshima. Third, while uranium is normally found in two forms or isotopes  U-238 and U-235  only U-235 can undergo nuclear fission and release the energy of an atomic bomb. Natural uranium is only 0.7% U-235. Enrichment seeks to increase that level to 3.5% for a civilian reactor and to 90% for an atomic weapon. While the Iran deal limited the level of permitted enrichment to 3.5%, by 2019, Tehran was enriching to 4.5%, and later to 20%, declaring that it was ready to go up to 60%. Because uranium enrichment is the most difficult step for states with nuclear ambitions to take, Tehrans massive investment in enrichment is the most important indicator of Iranian determination to go the whole way to become a nuclear weapons state. Finally, when the enrichment process begins, the uranium that is injected into centrifuges is in a gaseous form. To build a nuclear warhead, the uranium has to be in the form of metal. In August 2021, the IAEA verified that Iran was producing uranium metal. It now seemed that Iran was preparing to make the final push to an atomic weapon, but that would not take years or months but rather, far less. It would be a mistake to conclude that Israel has a great deal of time because the Iranians work sequentially, completing one component of their program before moving on to the next. The authoritative Institute for Science and International Security has made clear that the Iranians worked under the assumption that their work on the components would not be sequential and not be separated but rather had to be conducted in unison. In Israel there has been a tendency for political leaders to blame each other for the situation that has emerged. There is only one party that is to blame and that is the Iranian leadership. Right after the first nuclear agreements were reached between Iran and the European Unions EU-3 in 2005, Tehran was burying the evidence of its nuclear work at various facilities that were supposed to be inspected. This has been the pattern ever since. Unfortunately, the Western powers have been torn between their own naivete and their desire to protect their commerce with Iran. The inaction that resulted is what allowed the Iranian nuclear program to continue to expand. Ambassador Dore Gold has served as President of the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs since 2000. From June 2015 until October 2016 he served as Director-General of the Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Previously he served as Foreign Policy Advisor to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Israels Ambassador to the UN (1997-1999), and as an advisor to Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. Home
A member of the Proud Boys militia revealed to his FBI contact that the riot in the US Capitol building was not planned, as opposed to claims of the Democrats. Since January 6, the administration has painted a narrative tying in the Proud Boys and Trump loyalists to an alleged insurrection to discredit the former president.

The administration has been trying to prove that the Capitol uprising was planned, but it has not been confirmed.

Since then, the Democrats and the Biden administration are pinning everyone involved as insurrectionists, saying it is a threat to the nation, which many conservatives disagree with.

Proud Boys member informed FBI contact as Jan. 6 incident unfolded

The unknown affiliate of the alleged far-right Proud Boys militia was an FBI informant participating in the January 6 incident. On that day, he sent relevant texts to his FBI contact as the incident occurred, reported the Daily Mail.

He added that he was a follower of the group's ranks and not one of the leaders at the top. Clarifying that accusations saying their top leaders never planned the breaking in the US building. It was by mere coincidence when it happened during the counting of the 2020 election results for the president.

Reports from The New York Times suggest there is more to what the FBI actually knew what was happening on that date. Saying law enforcement agencies were not straightforward over what was transpiring as the Proud Boys member revealed to FBI Contact details firsthand.

Read Also: Pipe Bomb Layer Caught on Camera Before Capitol Breach

The paper cites how the informant and his group went close to the Washington monument on the morning of January 6 to hear then-President Trump speak during the 'Stop the Steal' rally.

Since July 2020, the informant has given info to the federal investigators, and he said that the group was supporting Trump.

There was confusion in the group that prided itself in its patriotism about whether they committed to entering the capitol, saying that no ill intent was meant to enter the building. During the mad melee, the informant passed information that barriers were put aside by those said to be wholly Trump supporters. However, the FBI contact had not realized there was something amiss.

FBI informant's statement challeges prosecutors on proving Capitol uprising was planned

Despite what the Democrats and the media alleged was a plan to invade the capitol, it was not the case for the Proud Boys.

The informants' statements noted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) will make it hard for federal prosecutors to go after conservatives like the Proud Boys. Trying to pin a plot on that day will be frustrated a bit.

Furthermore, the informant entered the Capitol and immediately got out through one of the windows when he heard that someone was shot inside by a police officer. The intelligence from the FBI might be part of the House committee formed to look into the events of January 6.

To date, more than 600 of the alleged rioters have been charged for the January 6 riot, with 15 who were Proud Boy members, cited CBS News. They have pleaded guilty and have to testify later on. The FBI added its methods are not up to discussion regarding matters, including the information the Proud Boys member revealed to FBI contact.

Related Article: After Failed Conviction Pelosi Says Democrats Starting Independent Probe to Investigate Capitol Breach

@ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Border Patrol agents are outraged with President Joe Biden, who they believe has thrown them under the bus for the Haitian migrant crisis.

They are particularly enraged by the White House's haste in passing judgment on photos of a mounted agent swinging his horse's reins while confronting an immigrant, which was initially misinterpreted as showing him whipping the man.

That claim has previously been disproved, with the photographer himself claiming that his shot did not reveal such a thing. Despite this, Biden called the image and video "outrageous."

Biden warns Border Patrol agents may lose jobs

Texas Governor Greg Abbott stated the state would recruit any Border Patrol agents who are afraid of losing their jobs after Biden warned they "will pay" for their treatment of Haitians at the border, despite false accusations that they used their horses' reins as whips.

He said that the Biden administration made life tough for Border Patrol agents by failing to enforce immigration rules and protect the border, NY Post reported. If the agents' employment is in jeopardy due to a "president who is abandoning his duty to secure the border, you have a job in Texas," he says.

Democrats seized on pictures published last week showing mounted Border Patrol agents directing their horses to prevent Haitian migrants from crossing the Rio Grande River near Del Rio, Texas, and accused the agents of whipping their horses.

The photographer, Paul Ratije, admitted that the agents were "swinging" the reins but said that "it may be misinterpreted when looking at the image."

Meanwhile, George P. Bush made a weekend trip to the southern border and chastised Joe Biden and his administration for the anger over photos of officers on horseback handling illegal immigrants.

After pictures emerged showing Border Patrol agents in Del Rio using what some interpreted as whips to wrangle primarily Haitian migrants in the Department of Homeland Security's ramped-up deportation efforts, the White House declared on Thursday that they would no longer be allowed to ride on horseback.

Read Also: Joe Biden Vows To Provide Pfizer COVID-19 Booster Shots After CDC Signals Green Light to 60 Million Vulnerable Americans

George Bush slams Biden for the anger over false interpretation of Border Patrol photos

Bush is running for Attorney General of Texas. On Twitter, he argued that officers use horses as a method of mobility over the southern border's "challenging terrain." Bush has been outspoken in his opposition to Biden's border policy, as per Daily Mail.

In July, he joined the Texas Defense Task Force, suing Biden and DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas for "illegally blocking the construction of the border wall."

Bush also gave "emergency authorization" to fund border wall construction on Texas land, as well as agreements with Customs and Border Protection CBP to lease land from the state to improve enforcement and operations.

Following the release of these pictures of Border Patrol agents on horseback last week, outrage arose. Some said they were using what appeared to be lariats to whip migrants. Others justified their conduct, stating they were simply riding and directing their horses appropriately with the split reins.

According to Mayorkas, the agents in question were transferred to administrative tasks, and an inquiry into the incident in question was begun. The due process appears to be a foreign notion to the Biden administration at times, particularly when dealing with the border crisis, The Hill reported.

After President Biden announced during a brief press conference on Friday that his Border Patrol agents were responsible and would be punished, this basic legal concept - so essential that it occurs twice in the United States Constitution - sprang to mind.

According to a survey issued Thursday by the nonpartisan Pew Research Center, 37 percent of American adults are "not at all confident," while another 20% are "not too confident" in the administration's handling of immigration. Notably, since March, Democrats' favor of the administration's immigration policy has plummeted 12 points, while independents' approval has decreased 10 percent.

Related Article: US Border Crisis Deepens as Thousands of Haitians Swarmed US; Human Rights Leaders Decry Treatment of Migrants

@ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Republican Congresswoman and former United States President Donald Trump are once again at odds after the female politician fired back at the Republican businessman for uploading an edited photo that had Cheney's body with former President George Bush's face,

On Thursday, Liz Harrington, Trump's spokesperson, posted the modified image of Cheney online. The former president is expected to campaign for Cheney, who is the daughter of Dick Cheney, the vice president during Bush's presidency, during the female lawmaker's 2022 midterm race against an official supported by Trump.

Trump's Attacks Against Cheney

Cheney responded to the former president's actions by uploading an unedited photo of Bush on Twitter on Sunday. "I like Republican presidents who win re-election," the female official's caption read. The statement referred to both events where Bush won re-election in 2004 and Trump's statement against late Senator John McCain, where he said, "I like people who weren't captured."

Despite Cheney showing support for most of Trump's legislative agenda, she has recently become one of the most prominent GOP members to oppose the Republican businessman during the last days of the latter's presidency. The Wyoming representative voted in support of Trump's second impeachment after the events of the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, Newsweek reported.

The Wyoming official is also on the House Select Committee tasked with the responsibility of investigating the events of the Capitol Hill incident. Cheney and Rep. Adam Kinzinger from Illinois are the only two Republicans who are members of the committee.

Read Also: Panel Approves $3.5 Trillion; Pelosi Wants To Bring $1 Trillion Infrastructure Bill To the House Floor Next Week

Trump's latest attack against Bush and Cheney is the most recent of his attempts to rebuke his predecessor for supporting the female politician. The Republican businessman is taking advantage of the situation to express his criticism of GOP members who have begun splitting off from the party after the Jan. 6 Capitol riot incident.

The Republican businessman previously accused Bush on Wednesday of being a "RINO", which meant, "Republican In Name Only." He also criticized his predecessor for the start of the U.S. invasions of both Iraq and Afghanistan, Independent reported.

Investigation of the Capitol Hill Riot

The situation comes after last week when the House Select Committee subpoenaed four of Trump's top advisers, including his chief of staff. The decision was due to documents and depositions of the former president's actions on the day of the incident and the days prior.

In an interview, Cheney said that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called her to discuss the creation of the committee. The latter asked the former to join, who immediately agreed to be a member. Cheney said that it was important that she participated in the investigation to make it bipartisan. The lawmaker added that no one will question her conservative credentials if she was part of the committee.

When asked about her feelings of being labeled as a traitor by her GOP colleagues, Cheney said she could no longer sit on the sidelines as Trump continued to spread disinformation and make money off of claiming that the 2020 presidential elections were rigged. The Wyoming representative said the whole United States was betrayed by the former Republican president, CBS News reported.



Related Article: Chairman of House Homeland Security Committee Condemns the 'Horrifying' Treatment of DHS to Haitian Migrants

@ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Barbers in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, are no longer allowed to shave men's beards or play music in their shops, according to a statement released by the province's Taliban-led virtue and vice department.

New Regulations Under the Taliban Rule

The new rules are the most recent in a long line of limitations imposed on Afghans based on the Taliban's rigid interpretation of Islamic Sharia law. Taliban interim government has been implementing different restrictions and policies that somehow reflect their group in the 1990s, as per CNN News.

The local authority said on Sunday that shaving beards and playing music in barbershops and public baths are now absolutely banned, effective immediately. If it is discovered that a barbershop or public bath has shaved someone's beard or played music, they will be dealt with according to Sharia rules, and they will not have the right to protest.

Meanwhile, the Taliban did not specify what will be the corresponding sanctions and punishments if this new regulation will be violated. It can be remembered that one of the founders of the Taliban said that execution and amputation will be returned in Afghanistan, according to a published article in MSN News.

Read Also: Taliban Members Bring Four Bodies of Alleged Kidnappers to the Main Square, Militia Group Hang One of Them

Reports of Taliban's Harsh Crackdowns

While the Taliban have stated that their rule will be more moderate than their previous administration, there have been numerous reports of harsh crackdowns since they seized power in August, including the detention and assault of journalists, the use of whips against women protesting, and the public hanging of alleged criminals.

Despite promises that female students will be permitted to study, the organization has not allowed Afghan girls and women to continue secondary school. Afghan youngsters have already been summoned to attend classes, according to a published report in KESQ.

The Taliban prohibited women and girls from attending school and employment, as well as severely restricting their rights, while they were in control from 1996 to 2001. Women have been entirely excluded from the country's new, conservative administration and have been forced to quit their jobs in certain cases.

What is Sharia Law?

The legal system of Islam is known as Sharia. It is based on the Quran, Islam's sacred book, as well as the Sunnah and Hadith, the Prophet Muhammad's actions and sayings. Religious experts may provide judgments as advice on a specific subject or question if a solution cannot be found immediately from these.

In a published article in BBC News, Sharia literally translates to "the clear, well-trodden road to water" in Arabic. Sharia is a rule of conduct that all Muslims should follow, including prayers, fasting, and charitable contributions to the needy. Its goal is to assist Muslims to comprehend how to conduct their lives in accordance with God's desires in every way.

Sharia is primarily a rule of ethical behavior, as well as a code of worship and charity, according to Islamic thinkers, but it also addresses criminality. In Sharia law, crimes are divided into two categories: "hadd" offenses, which are severe crimes with fixed punishments, and "tazir" offenses, which are less serious crimes with the judge's discretion.

Some nations that apply Islamic law impose or enforce such punishments for hadd offenses, and studies show that Muslim opinions about severe punishments for such offenses vary greatly.

Theft is one of the Hadd offenses that, in the harshest interpretations of Sharia, may result in the offender's hand being amputated. In the implementation of hadd punishments, there are many protections and a high bar of evidence. However, experts claim that this seldom occurs in reality.

Related Article: Amputations, Executions To Return in Afghanistan Under Taliban Government; Interim Officials Working To Develop New Policy



@ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Former United States President Donald Trump could potentially face criminal charges for his involvement in the interference of Georgia's elections, based on a new analysis.

The Brookings Institution, a leading think tank in Washington, D.C., was responsible for conducting the assessment. It discovered evidence that suggests Trump and his allies attempted to overturn his election loss in Georgia by pressuring officials to "change the lawful outcome of the election."

Trump Could Face Criminal Charges

One of the most crucial pieces of evidence that the agency found was a call that the Republican businessman made to Republican Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger on Jan. 3. The discussion between the two officials was found to include a request by Trump to "find 11,780 votes" to get him a lead against the opposition, Joe Biden.

Throughout the call, Trump was reportedly heard saying multiple times that there was no possible way he lost in election counts in Georgia. The Republican claimed that he won against Biden by hundreds of thousands of votes, Business Insider reported. The former president's allegations were found to be false as Biden won by roughly 12,000 votes.

The analysis also found that Trump publicly pressured and personally contacted several Republican Georgia officials to demand their support in his overturning of the election. The list of individuals includes Gov. Brain Kemp and Attorney General Chris Carr. Trump allegedly called them directly to get their support in his "increasingly desperate plans to decertify his loss."

Read Also: Liz Cheney Fires Back Against Donald Trump After Former President Uploads Photo of Congresswoman With Bush Face

Brookings Institution concluded that Trump's post-election conduct in Georgia left himself vulnerable to potential state charges predicated on multiple crimes. "These charges potentially include criminal solicitation to commit election fraud; intentional interference with performance of election duties; conspiracy to commit election fraud; criminal solicitation; and state RICO violations," the report said.

The agency compiled its report based on publicly available reporting and evidence and legal analysts reviewed leaked audio of the Trump and Raffensperger audio, Newsweek reported. The incident comes as Trump visited Georgia on Saturday to rally supporters.

Attempt to Overturn Georgia Election Results

The decision of whether or not Trump will be charged for his actions related to the Georgia elections will have to wait until Fulton County district attorney Fani Willis decides. The official will be looking at all available evidence and will consider the presumption of innocence to which all American citizens are entitled.

Based on the report, Trump could be charged under Georgia's Racketeer Influenced Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act Stature. While the term may inhibit thoughts of Mafia bosses, the legislation is much broader. If Trump committed the criminal acts through an enterprise, he will be eligible to receive a RICO charge.

All of the allegations against Trump share one similarity, that he repeatedly used misinformation and intimating statements to urge officials to change the outcome of the Georgia election. The businessman's efforts continued even after Republican elected officials certified Biden's win in the state.

Despite Trump failing to overturn the election results, he is still eligible to receive criminal charges for attempting to do so, The Washington Post reported.



Related Article: Joe Biden Condemns Border Patrol Agents Over False 'Whipping' Allegations, Gets Backlash From DHS Officials

@ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
State officials in New York are considering the use of National Guard personnel to fill in for staffing shortages of the state's health care workers due to a mandate that requires workers to get vaccinated, which takes effect on Monday.

On Saturday, Gov. Kathy Hochul is expected to release a plan that would detail the steps she and other officials can take to supply more workers. The plan is set to be used in the event that large numbers of hospital and nursing home employees do not meet the state's deadline.

Sending Out the National Guard

"We are still in a battle against COVID to protect our loved ones, and we need to fight with every tool at our disposal," Hochul said in an address. The official's words could mean that they could declare a state of emergency to allow health care workers licensed outside of New York to practice their profession in the region.

Officials have other options at their disposal, including the deployment of medically trained National Guard personnel, partnering with the federal government to station Disaster Medical Assistance Teams to several local health and medical systems. Authorities could also put out requests for medical professionals, NPR reported.

Despite the mandate, many health care workers have still not gotten their coronavirus vaccinations with only days left before the deadline. The situation could lead to thousands of employees being forced to stop working starting next week.

Read Also: Border Patrol Outrage at Joe Biden's Claims They "Strapped" Migrants; George Bush Hits at the Administration's To Disparage Agents

Hochul said that she was monitoring the situation in the state as closely as she could to determine whether or not she needs to resort to a state of emergency. In the prepared release, she said that officials were working on providing a sufficient workforce to the health care department to support hospitals and other health care facilities.

New York City officials were temporarily blocked from enforcing a similar vaccine mandate for its teachers and school workers while the state made its preparations. While the vaccine mandate was scheduled to take effect on Monday, a federal appeals judge on Friday granted a temporary injunction and referred the case to a three-judge panel on an expedited basis, Military reported.

New York's Vaccine Mandate

In a statement, New York State Health Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucket said that the mandate was set in place to support both the closing of the vaccination gap and curb the spread of the Delta variant. However, many, including the Civil Service Employees Association, members of the New York State Correctional Officers, and Police Benevolent Association, have filed lawsuits against the mandate.

Civil Service Employees Association Communications Director Mark Kotzin released a statement where he said while the agency was supportive of keeping people safe, legislation should respect the legal bargaining rights of workers.

However, Hochul defended the mandate and said they would be replacing workers who refuse to get the vaccine by the deadline. She argued that unvaccinated personnel was the reasons why the United States and New York specifically have not been able to go back to a sense of normalcy amid the health crisis. The plans are in place as many healthcare workers have already been fully vaccinated, CBS News reported.



Related Article: Chairman of House Homeland Security Committee Condemns the 'Horrifying' Treatment of DHS to Haitian Migrants

@ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
On Saturday, Huawei Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou returned to China after a three-year imprisonment in Canada on fraud charges.

The internet giant's CFO flew in Shenzhen, China's southernmost city, donning a traditional red-colored patriotic dress. Meng Wanzhou waved to the media and well-wishers who had gathered to meet her as she stepped off the plane, saying she was "speechless" the minute her feet touched Chinese land.

Japanese netizens hailed Meng Wanzhou's return to China after nearly three years in detention in Canada, comparing her homecoming to Japan's swift submission to US persecution over 30 years ago. Some feel that the situation now would be different if Japan had continued to make efforts like the Chinese government, as per Global Times.

Meng Wanzhou reaches agreement with US authorities

According to a global affairs expert, the Japanese government has sacrificed the most basic economic interests of its people in order to serve the US plan, which is a terrible tragedy.

If Japan had been able to fight as valiantly as China did at the time, it could now play a significant part in world politics and economics, rather than being seen as a vassal state of the United States.

Meng Wanzhou was arrested in Canada in December 2018 at the request of the US government on fraud charges. Following a trial, Canada's Justice Department announced that Meng has been granted permission to leave the country.

After striking an arrangement with US authorities, she was released on Friday. Meng told reporters after being freed from Canadian prison that her life had been turned upside down for the last three years, and that it had been a difficult period for her as a mother, wife, and company leader.

Per Republic World, Meng is accused of misleading HSBC about the true nature of Huawei's relationship with Skycom, putting the bank in risk of violating US anti-Iran sanctions.

Wanzhou's release was facilitated by a deal that allows her to publicly reject guilt on key counts while agreeing to America's claims. The Chinese group's CFO signed a "statement of facts" confirming that she made fraudulent claims and representations to HSBC on purpose as part of the deal.

Read Also: UK Gas Crisis: Prices May Rise To $1260 Per MWh as Energy Firms Face Collapse Due To Botched Strategy

Huawei says it will continue defending the company against the US

Meng Wanzhou's return to China without facing legal consequences is being exploited to bolster nationalist sentiment by supporting the narrative that Huawei and China were innocent victims of the US.

In a statement released on Saturday, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying reiterated Beijing's stance on the issue, saying it was "an act of political persecution against a Chinese citizen" with "materials sufficient to show Meng's innocence."

Many Chinese citizens, analysts say, regard her release as a success for the government, although the company's top financial officer has acknowledged to misconduct, albeit without admitting crime.

The Chinese people are really delighted and excited, according to Wang Yiwei, a professor of international relations at Beijing's Renmin University, since they believe China has become a leader in the digital era after being an underdog since the industrial revolution.

According to Lu Xiang, a research fellow in US studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Huawei reflects China's rapid technological advancement and is one of the few areas where China is ahead of the US.

This increases national pride, which naturally draws support. Huawei said in a statement on Friday that it will "continue to defend itself in the US District Court for the Eastern District of New York" against the charges, SCMP reported.

Related Article: Canadian Court Releases Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou After US Extradition Case Ends



@YouTube

@ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Australian officials are planning to ease coronavirus lockdown restrictions for residents who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 after announcing the plans on Monday that are in line with the reopening of the economy before the end of the year.

Travel restrictions in New South Wales, which is the country's most populous state, will slowly be lifted from Oct. 11 to Dec. 1. The plan comes as vaccination rates across the region are gradually pushing through 70%, 80%, and 90%.

Ease of COVID-19 Lockdown Restrictions

But the requirements of the eased lockdown restrictions mean that unvaccinated residents will not be eligible to enjoy activities such as community sports, dining out, and shopping, until the final date. In a televised briefing, state Premier Gladys Berejiklian addressed the issue by saying that people who want to participate have to be vaccinated to protect other people.

Berejiklian said that the announcement's message to Australians is that if they want to eat outside with their friends and welcome people inside their homes, they need to be vaccinated against the coronavirus. The official did not reveal details on how the government's block on the activity of unvaccinated residents will be implemented, Reuters reported.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said he was expecting Australia to fully reopen its international border well before this year ends. Local governments in the region have agreed to slowly ease lockdown restrictions on overseas travel once the nation has reached a vaccination rate of 80% of its population aged 16 years and older.

Read Also: Salmonella Outbreak Stretches Across the US; CDC Continues To Investigate the Food Source

Morrison said that the first part of the plan would be to allow Australians to travel outside of the country and let citizens come back home. An estimate assumed that over 90% of the country's target age group will be fully vaccinated by the end of November. On Monday, New South Wales reported 787 new local infections and 12 deaths within the past 24 hours.

The lockdown restrictions in Sydney will begin to ease on Oct. 11 after having 70% of its population fully vaccinated. Berejiklian said that 85% of the target population in the area have already been partially vaccinated, The Mercury News reported.

Drop in the Number of Coronavirus Cases

Officials are set to lift the stay-at-home orders in Sydney and New South Wales after the regions hit the vaccination rate thresholds. Across the region, fully vaccinated residents will be able to enter pubs, restaurants, and shops with their friends and families.

"It is just this week and next week that we have to hang in there for. We are nearly, nearly there, and let's not give up at the last minute," Berekjilian said.

Deputy premier John Barilaro said in a statement that the "blueprint for freedom" would soon allow residents to travel across New South Wales when the threshold of 80% vaccination rate is reached.

Restrictions placed on funerals and weddings that limited the number of guests would also be lifted at the same time. On top of that, sporting fixtures will also be allowed to resume operations after the rate is achieved. The situation comes after New South Wales reported much fewer infections since September where 1,500 cases were recorded, Times of India reported.



Related Article: Joe Biden Vows To Provide Pfizer COVID-19 Booster Shots After CDC Signals Green Light to 60 Million Vulnerable Americans

@ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Department of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas supported the deportation of Haitian migrants on Sunday, calling the US immigration system "broken."

Mayorkas Defended Biden Administration Decision To Deport Haitian Migrants Back To Their Home of Origin

In a recently published article in Newsweek, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas claimed the decision to remove some Haitians from Texas this week was "not a mistake" and was made in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mayorkas said that is how a public health imperative is carried out. The nation is experiencing a pandemic. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has Title 42 jurisdiction, which they use to safeguard migrants, local communities, employees, and the general public in the United States. The pandemic is still wreaking havoc on the nation. Title 42 is an immigration policy, not a public health policy.

Read Also: US Border Agents on Horseback Chasing Haitian Migrants Stirs Outrage; Democratic Lawmakers Demand Accountability

Thousands of Haitian Migrants Deported to Their Home of Origin

His remarks came after the Department of Homeland Security said on Friday that 2,000 Haitian migrants were deported swiftly after more than 14,000 crossed the Rio Grande into Del Rio, Texas, in the previous week. Deportation flights will continue "on a regular basis," since people may be deported without a chance to apply for asylum under pandemic powers, per The Washington Newsday reports.

In the last week, the US has permitted about 12,400 migrants to temporarily remain in the nation while pursuing their claims before an immigration court. According to Mayorkas, about 8,000 migrants have willingly departed the United States for Mexico in the last week.

The increase of refugees comes after Haiti was struck by a devastating 7.2-magnitude earthquake this summer, a tragedy made much worse by President Jovenel Mose's murder on July 7 and the country's devastated economy. The DHS was forced to rapidly speed up deportation operations in Texas due to the fast influx of migrants in only one week, prompting outrage from several prominent Democratic legislators, according to a published report in NBC News.

Chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee Condemned the 'Horrifying' Treatment of the DHS

In a letter to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas dated Friday, Representative Bennie Thompson addressed the problem at the southern border, urging the US government to "do better" to allow refugees to seek asylum safely.

The Biden administration had promised the American people a more humane border approach, Thompson wrote. Del Rio's handling of asylum seekers falls short of expectations. Because the country's situation remains dire, the immediate suspension of repatriation flights to Haiti is the first step toward alleviating the situation, according to a published article in Associated Press.

Thompson condemned the treatment of migrants after watching footage of border patrol officers on horseback reportedly striking out at Haitians with leather reins. According to the Department of Homeland Security, they temporarily stopped the Del Rio horse patrol team on Thursday, and the agents' behavior was being investigated.

As a consequence, the Democratic leadership of the House of Representatives has called on the Department of Homeland Security to modify its use-of-force policies and improve border patrol officer training. Before placing men and women on the front lines to defend the border and deal with migrants and other vulnerable populations, he believes the USBP should equip them with the greatest available training.

Related Article: Chairman of House Homeland Security Committee Condemns the 'Horrifying' Treatment of DHS to Haitian Migrants

@ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Gabby Petito's good friend, Rose Davis, recently shed light on the kind of person she thinks Brian Laundrie is.

While speaking with People, Davis also said that she's confident Brian Laundrie is hiding in the wilderness because he's equipped to survive in that kind of environment for months.

"He's out in the wilderness, I promise you. He's out there. He is. If he's alive, he's out there, camping out... He lived in the Appalachians by himself for months," David told People.

Brian Laundrie charismatic but jealous

During an interview with News12, Davis described Laundrie as charismatic but very jealous.

"He also wanted what he wanted when he wanted it, and he'd find a way to get it. Not in a violent manner, but if he didn't want Gabby to do something, he'd find a way to make it so she couldn't do it," she told News12.

While speaking with 48 Hours, Davis also said that Laundrie could sometimes exhibit some toxic traits. She also stressed that Laundrie has a way of getting what he wants all the time.

"And I don't mean in a physical way, he's gonna force it. He's just gonna... I don't want people to say I'm calling him a full manipulator, but he'll manipulate the situation to get what he wants out of it. And, you know, he didn't want her to go out one night with me and he stole her I.D. because you can't get into the bar without your I.D.... and, you know, this was really upsetting to her, you know, you're engaged. It's not, you know, it's not supposed to be like that," she told 48 Hours.

Read Also: Gabby Pettio's Mom Details The Odd Text She Received Days Before Brian Laundrie Returned Home Without Her Daughter

FBI still searching for Gabby Petito's fiance Brian Laundrie

Petito was reported missing on Sept. 11 by her family, who noticed that Laundrie returned to their Florida home after a cross-country trip without the 22-year-old.

Three days later, Laundrie reportedly went on a hike by himself and never returned home. His parents eventually reported him missing to the police amid fears that he could be hurt.

Immediately after Laundrie's disappearance, the FBI and other groups searched for him in the wilderness, but they had not yet found him.

Two weeks ago, Petito's body was found near the nature park where a witness last saw their van.

While speaking with 60 Minutes Australia, the witness shared a video she took during her trip to Florida with her family.

In the clip, Petito and Laundrie's van can be seen parked at an odd spot near the nature park.

The same witness was also the one that directed the police officers to Petito's body. And their autopsy later that her death was a homicide.

Another witness saw Petito and Laundrie arguing at a small restaurant in the area. And they said that the couple refused to stop arguing with the waitress and only backed off after they were asked to leave the restaurant.

Gabby Petito's family and friends are mourning her death

Now, the family and friends of Petito are urging Laundrie to come clean and tell them what happened. They also ask for the public's help to direct them to Laundrie if they ever see him anywhere.

Petito was described as someone who is loving and has a penchant for adventure. And those closest to her said that she would be sorely missed.

Related Article: Experts Explain Why It Might Be Difficult To Find Brian Laundrie Despite Mounting Evidence Against Him

@ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
It has been discovered that Prince Harry sneaked away from the royal family in 2018 for a secret meeting with Oprah Winfrey and a producer in a London hotel room.

Prince Harry met with the talk show host in secret to prepare his Apple TV series on mental health, according to Jon Kamen, chairman and CEO of media business RadicalMedia and the executive who accompanied the renowned couple that day.

According to Kamen, he saw Prince Harry open up to Oprah about his mental health issues and thought that this would be the basis for the series, which premiered in May.

The meeting indicates that over a year before the pair shocked the royal family and the world by announcing their decision to leave their jobs as working royals and start a new life in Hollywood, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were already carving out business enterprises and building up their Hollywood contacts.

Duke of Sussex met with Oprah ahead of "Megxit"

In April 2019, Kensington Palace announced that Harry would collaborate with Oprah Winfrey on a mental health series, as per Daily Mail. Throughout the process, Prince Harry met with Winfrey via Zoom sessions, first in England, then in Canada, and last in California.

The prince shared his high-ranking contacts with first-time producers and recommended forming an advisory board to help them negotiate the difficult issues they were dealing with. Harry also selected issues, sought out people from beyond the West to interview, and played an active role in the shoe's early editing, taking comments on the production quicker than Winfrey.

Per MIRROR, it has been reported that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are acting like "quasi-royals," causing concern at Buckingham Palace. The Sussexes are in New York City for a three-day charm blitz, visiting schools and making speeches.

However, according to an insider, the trip has "all the hallmarks of a royal visit," which may cause concern at the Palace. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle famously left the royal family, dubbed "Megxit," to go to the United States and start a new life.

Read also: Amber Heard Brings Legal Battle Against Johnny Depp in LAPD Amid Actor's $50 Million Defamation Suit To Ex-wife

Prince Harry, Meghan Markle rumored filming in New York

In subsequent interviews, they have leveled a number of criticisms at the Firm, including charges of racism. However, according to a Palace insider, the pair is still following the "royal model" and may be attempting to create a "rival court" to Prince William and Kate Middleton.

According to reports, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry recorded their trip to New York City for a rumored Netflix series on their lives. On their frantic trip this week, the pair was joined by their personal cameraman, fueling rumors that they were filming their work.

According to Page Six, the cameraman followed the Duke and Duchess throughout the city, even running ahead of them for the perfect shot before they toured the 9/11 Memorial on Thursday.

Matt Sayles, the couple's own photographer, was also on hand to capture important moments throughout their trip to New York. The pair is said to have been surreptitiously filming their vacation to New York City for a rumored Netflix documentary.

It comes amid reports that the pair is working on a "fly-on-the-wall documentary on their lifestyle" as they adjust to reality after leaving the royal family. The Sussexes first made headlines when Prince Harry was seen wearing a microphone while visiting the famed soul food restaurant Melba, as per The Sun.

Related Article: Prince Harry, Meghan Markle's New York Trip Criticized by British Press, Compares With Prince William, Kate Middleton



@YouTube

@ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Kim Yo Jong, North Korea's supreme leader Kim Jong Un's sister, said on Sunday that an inter-Korean meeting may be discussed if mutual respect is developed.

According to NHK World, she feels that a seamless understanding between North and South Korea can only be reached if impartiality and mutual respect are maintained.

Jong also proposed re-establishing the North-South joint liaison office, issuing a declaration to formally end the Korean War, and holding a North-South summit, claiming that constructive discussion may lead to significant and beneficial solutions.

Kim Yo Jong dissatisfied with South Korea-US military drills

She expressed her dissatisfaction with both South Korea and the US, stating that North Korea's self-defense actions in response to military threats on the Korean Peninsula are criticized as provocations while the US' efforts are lauded as deterrents.

In September, North and South Korea conducted ballistic missile tests within a few hours of one other, Republic World reported. The military display might heighten tensions on the Korean Peninsula, which are already high owing to delayed nuclear talks between Pyongyang and the United States.

According to the South Korean military, the North Korean missiles traveled 800 kilometers towards the Sea of Japan after being launched inland. North Korea, as a self-proclaimed nuclear state, is barred from testing ballistic missiles capable of carrying nuclear weapons.

However, after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's disastrous summit with former US President Donald Trump in Vietnam in February 2019, discussions to cease the country's missile development have come to a halt.

She proposed the discussions while noting South Korean President Moon Jae-in's request for a political declaration to end the 1950-53 Korean War as a means of bringing peace to the peninsula, which he made in a speech to the United Nations General Assembly.

Read Also: China's Xi Jinping Vows To Halt Building Coal-Burning Power Plants Abroad Ahead of Climate Talks

North Korea open for talks with South to heal strained ties

She stated that North Korea is prepared to resume "constructive" talks with South Korea to discuss how to mend and heal strained ties provided the South ceases to provoke the North with hostile policies, implausible claims, and double standards.

Per Daily Mail, the Unification Ministry of South Korea stated it is closely considering Kim Yo Jong's comments. According to a statement from the ministry, South Korea will continue to work to reestablish relations with North Korea.

North Korea is placing indirect pressure on Seoul to work on arranging talks to ease sanctions as it presses for a declaration of war's end, according to Nam Sung-wook, a professor at Korea University in South Korea.

Last week, South Korean President Moon Jae-in asked for a formal cease-fire between the two Koreas and their allies - the United States, which backs the South, and China, which backs the North - to stop the conflict.

A top North Korean ministry first dismissed the notion as "premature." Kim Yo Jong, though, acknowledged the concept was "admirable" in an unexpected statement issued Friday. However, she stated that the North would only consider the idea if the South ended its "hostile policies" toward them.

South Korea successfully tested its first submarine-launched ballistic missile earlier this month, just hours after the North conducted its own test. North Korea has frequently chastised South Korea for its yearly military drills with the United States, as NY Post.

Related Article: North Korea Threatens Nuclear Arms Race After US Announces New Alliance, Submarine Deal With The UK and Australia



@YouTube

@ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Prince William and Kate Middleton's attitude towards Prince Harry and Meghan Markle was reportedly one of the reasons why the Sussexes decided to quit The Firm.

"Meghan: A Hollywood Princess" author Andrew Morton released six new chapters to add to his 2018 book about the Duchess of Sussex. And one of the chapters sheds light on the Cambridges' alleged feud with Prince Harry and Markle.

According to Morton, Prince William and Middleton's cold treatment and alleged bullying of Markle and Prince Harry were significant factors in the siblings' feud.

"The Duchess of Cambridge's coolness towards Meghan, and William's alleged bullying contributed to a devastating 'Cain and Abel' fallout between the brothers. Harry was the 'prime mover' in souring relations between the Sussexes and the Royal Family, but it was Meghan who 'took the hit," Morton wrote in his book according to the Daily Beast.

Did Prince Harry, Meghan Markle lie about the palace's lack of support?

The author also questioned Prince Harry and Markle's claims that the palace didn't support the latter's wellbeing.

While speaking with Oprah Winfrey, Markle revealed that she had some suicidal thoughts due to the British tabloids' constant scrutiny. She and her husband added that they tried seeking the help of the palace, but they were shunned away.

"Far from abandoning Meghan, the Palace had a team which spent 'hundreds of hours monitoring social media accounts' and 'violent threats were reported to the police," Morton countered the couple's claims. It is unclear where Morton got this information about the couples' relationship with each other.

Read Also: Prince William Defends Family Against Interview Claims

Prince William accused of bullying Prince Harry, Meghan Markle again

This isn't the first time that Prince William was accused of bullying Markle and Prince Harry.

The Times UK previously reported that Prince Harry and Markle left The Firm after being told 'no' by Prince William and the other royals multiple times.

Following the allegations, Prince William and Prince Harry released a joint statement denying the claims.

"Despite clear denials, a false story ran in a UK newspaper today speculating about the relationship between the Duke of Sussex and the Duke of Cambridge. For brothers who care so deeply about the issues surrounding mental health, the use of inflammatory language in this way is offensive and potentially harmful," they said via the BBC.

Months earlier, the Duke of Sussex admitted that he and Prince William are on different paths at the moment. However, Prince Harry also expressed his love for his older brother.

Prince Harry, Meghan Markle's racism claims

As for Prince William, he has not publicly commented on the issue about his relationship with Prince Harry and Markle. But following the couple's interview, he denied claims that some royal family members are racist.

Earlier this year, Prince Harry and Markle revealed some concerns over Archie's skin color before he was born. Prince Harry also claimed that Prince Charles stopped taking his calls. Markle, on the other hand, put an end to the rumors that she made Middleton cry.

However, Prince Harry and Markle's interview in March garnered them more criticisms from royal fans. Some even questioned whether Markle's claims about wanting to take her own life were valid.

Related Article: Prince William Had Bitter Argument With Harry, Calls Meghan Markle 'That Bloody Woman,' After Bullying Claims, Royal Expert Reveals

@ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Bill Gates recently threw shade at his fellow billionaires, Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos.

During his interview with James Corden on "The Late Late Show With James Corden," the host asked Gates for his thoughts on other billionaires investing in space and travel.

The billionaire and philanthropist said that he's more obsessed with eradicating diseases on earth than in space.

Corden also asked Gates why he thinks other billionaires are obsessed with space travel at the moment.

"I don't know. I have become obsessed with things like Malaria and HIV and getting rid of those diseases and I would probably bore people at cocktail parties talking about diseases. Space? You know, we have a lot to do here on earth," Gates said The Late Late Show with James Corden.

Bill Gates has been throwing shade at Elon Musk for months

This is not the first time that Gates made a dig towards Musk, the CEO of Tesla and the boss of SpaceX.

In his book "How To Avoid A Climate Disaster," Gates said that, unlike Musk, he wants to focus his efforts on solving issues on earth and not on Mars.

While speaking with Kara Swisher on the "Sway" podcast, Gates acknowledged all of Musk's contributions to climate change. However, he doesn't think Musk's solutions are real ones.

Read Also: Bill Gates On Climate Change Inept Private Sector Cannot Tackle It, Help Must Come From Rich Countries And Carbon Taxes

"Well, it's important to say that what Elon did with Tesla is one of the greatest contributions to climate change anyone's ever made. And you know, underestimating Elon is not a good idea. He added that he's not a Mars person' and that he doesn't 'think rockets are the solution," he said via News18.

Gates also claimed that Tesla excels in producing the best cars, but there's still a need to tackle other industries to make a more significant climate change difference.

Elon Musk, SpaceX complete first all-civilian mission on space

Earlier this month, Musk made headlines after successfully completing their first all-civilian mission to orbit.

Following their trip to space, several NASA officials and Bezos, Boeing, and Lockheed Martin tweeted their congratulatory messages for the civilians and Musk. However, Joe Biden didn't congratulate Musk, so he took this as an opportunity to shade the POTUS.

On a Twitter post, @rhensing asked Musk to weigh in on Biden's lack of enthusiasm following his and SpaceX's efforts to raise millions of dollars for St. Jude.

Hes still sleeping  Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 19, 2021

Musk said that Biden must not have said anything because he's still sleeping.

Bill Gates, Melinda Gates finalize divorce

As for Gates, the former Microsoft CEO also made headlines following the fall out of his marriage to Melinda Gates. After announcing their split, multiple sources claimed that the billionaire cheated on Melinda with a Microsoft employee.

Last month, it was confirmed that the exes had finalized their divorce, per CNN. Neither party will pay spousal support, and no financial details will be available to the public.

Related Article: Elon Musk Shades Joe Biden After POTUS Failed To Praise SpaceX Following Their Successful All-Civilian Mission To Orbit

@ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Donald Trump has not officially declared his plans to run for the presidency, but he has dropped multiple clues.

During an interview on "The Water Cooler," Trump was asked what would prevent him from campaigning in the 2024 election. "I guess a bad call from a doctor or something, right? You get that call, they say... 'Come on down here and see us because we had a bad report.' Things happen, through God, they happen. But I feel so good," Trump said.

Trump also made a dig at Dr. Anthony Fauci, the head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. The ex-POTUS declared that he did the exact opposite of what Fauci urged Americans to do when it comes to COVID-19.

"He was there for like 40 years or something, right? He was part of the furniture. If you think about it, I really did pretty much the opposite of whatever he said," he said.

Donald Trump dropping clues about his campaign plans

Trump previously hinted at his plans to run for office during his visit to the police precinct near the Trump Tower to commemorate the 20th anniversary of 9/11. While there, one of the officers asked Trump if he would run in the 2024 election.

"Oh, that's a tough question. Actually, it's an easy question. I know what I'm going to do, but we're not supposed to be talking about it yet. But I think you're going to be very happy," Trump said via Huffington Post.

Read Also: Donald Trump Beats Joe Biden In 2024 Presidential Election Poll After Afghanistan Chaos, Civil Unrest Brexit Warning

Donald Trump slams Lindsey Graham

Meanwhile, Trump has seemingly earned the support of Lindsey Graham, who expressed his desire for the former to run for office again in 2024.

Over the weekend, Graham told a crowd on the second day of the Mackinac Republican Party's Leadership Conference that he wants Trump to campaign via Business Insider. His statement earned cheers and applause from the crowd. Graham's statement came as a shock because Trump just slammed him days later.

Graham and Mike Lee previously investigated Trump's allegations that the 2020 election was stolen from him. However, Graham and Lee did not find any evidence to prove Trump's claims.

After learning the results of the investigation, Trump became visibly upset. "I spent virtually no time with Senators Mike Lee of Utah, or Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, talking about the 2020 Presidential Election Scam or, as it is viewed by many, the 'Crime of the Century. Lindsey and Mike should be ashamed of themselves for not putting up the fight necessary to win," Trump said in a statement via Yahoo! News.

Melania Trump's husband also accused Graham of letting Americans get away with the biggest Election Hoax in history.

Graham has also been very vocal about his dislike for Trump during the 2016 elections. Back then, he called the POTUS a "kook," a "race-baiting bigot," "and the most flawed nominee" in the history of the Republican Party. A year later, Graham and Trump met during a meeting, and the former became an ally of the latter.

Related Article: Donald Trump To Announce 2024 Run For Presidency Any Day From Now, Says GOP Rep. Jim Jordan

@ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
NASA launched the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope in the middle of 2020, and it promises breakthroughs and discovery of the unknown as the telescope boasts features that are far better than the Hubble Space Telescope.

With a panoramic field view at least a hundred times greater than Hubble's, the Roman Space Telescope can capture space images and data in just a single exposure, unlike the Hubble Sapce Telescope that usually needs multiple individual exposures patched up into a mosaic.

To illustrate that difference, check out this image and video clip:

Aside from the panoramic field view, the Roman telescope produces sharp images due to its high resolution while efficiently surveying the sky a thousand times faster than Hubble. According to NASA, these main features that clearly go beyond the capabilities of the Hubble can lead to a better understanding of galaxies.

Roman's spectroscopic capabilities are just as vital as its wide-field imaging capabilities for galaxy research. A spectrograph divides light from an object into a spectrum, which is a rainbow of colors.

Scientists can learn many characteristics about an object's distance or composition from this spectrum of colors that would otherwise be unavailable. Roman imaging, paired with the capacity to deliver a spectrum of any object within the field of view, will allow researchers to understand more about the cosmos than either imaging or spectroscopy alone.

The Roman Space Telescope and Understanding the Unknown

Establishing a better understanding of the universe requires a tool that gathers more than the usual data that we have been studying already. The Roman Space Telescope can determine galaxy formation and evolution over a period of cosmic time. They can provide data on the largest structures in space and how they hold onto clues about the formation of the universe.

As scientists consider several factors affecting the changes among galaxies, the Roman Space Telescope can help gather information about the history of star formation, how fast these formations went on for a period of time, and how a generation of stars affect the next ones via stellar winds and supernova explosions. Surveying a large number of galaxies can bring out the details needed for such data.

Read also: Hubble Space Telescope Is Back! NASA Addresses Major Computer Glitch

Swara Ravindranath of the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) said, "Roman will give us the ability to see faint objects and view galaxies over long intervals of cosmic time. That will allow us to study how galaxies assembled and transformed."

On top of the incredible capability of the Roman Space Telescope, what is most exciting is the possibility of discovering previously unknown details that could not be investigated before.

NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, manages the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, together with the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, Caltech/IPAC in Southern California, NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and a team of scientists from various research institutions.

Related article: Hubble Images and Videos: NASA Predicts Supernova Blast in 2037, Albert Einstein's Theory Explained
Actress Ko Hyun-jung in a scene from JTBC's series, "Reflection of You" / Courtesy of JTBC



By Kwak Yeon-soo



As TV networks are getting better at producing series that portray female characters to be just as multifaceted as their male counterparts, the fall line-up for K-dramas are poised to tell stories revealing the complexity and nuance of a diverse range of women.



Ko Hyun-jung is returning to the small screen with JTBC's "Reflection of You," which will start airing Oct. 13. In the 16-part series, Ko portrays Hee-joo who grew up poor but became a successful painter and essayist. Despite her success, Hee-joo feels oddly empty and lonely until she meets Hae-won, a young woman that reminds her of her youthful self.



Ko, known for playing ambitious and charismatic characters, was last seen in 2019 drama "My Lawyer, Mr. Joe 2: Crime and Punishment."



Jun Ji-hyun, whose Netflix series "Kingdom: Ashin of the North" released in July, will next be seen in tvN's upcoming drama "Jirisan" that will premiere on Oct. 23.



Created by "Kingdom" scriptwriter Kim Eun-hee and directed by Lee Eung-bok, it depicts the story of rangers of the Jirisan National Park who climb through the mysterious and unexplored regions of the mountain, trying to rescue lost trekkers.





Actress Lee Young-ae in a scene from JTBC's series, "Inspector Koo" / Courtesy of JTBC
From left, pianists Andras Schiff and Rudolf Buchbinder / Courtesy of Mast Media and Vincero





By Park Ji-won







There's good news for classical music fans who missed performances in 2020 marking the 250th anniversary of the birth of German composer and pianist Ludwig van Beethoven due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Some upcoming performances are featuring renowned pianists and Beethoven specialists from outside of Korea.







Pianists Andras Schiff and Rudolf Buchbinder will arrive in Korea for the first time since the outbreak of the pandemic and play famous works by Beethoven and other composers in various locations across the country.







Schiff, a Hungarian who is known as a specialist of Beethoven's sonatas, will be holding a recital at Seoul Arts Center on Oct. 7 where he will play Beethoven's Sonata No. 17, 26 and 32 as well as Bach's "Chromatic Fantasia and Fugue in D minor," "Capriccio in B-flat major" and "Musical Offering, BWV 1079." After he turned 50, Schiff went on tour to play the complete Beethoven sonatas in 20 cities around the world, receiving multiple awards in various countries.







He will be holding a recital at Daegu Concert House with the same program on Oct. 7. He will have special joint concerts with Korean pianist Kim Sun-wook under the title, "Four Hands Concerts," at Tongyeong Concert Hall on Oct. 12 and at Seoul Arts Center on Oct. 14 where they will play the duets of Mozart and Schubert.







Austrian pianist Rudolf Buchbinder, who released recordings of Anton Diabelli and Beethoven in 2020 and 2021, will hold concerts playing the works of the two composers at Seoul Arts Center from Oct. 19 to 20. The concerts were originally planned for last year, but were delayed to this year due to the pandemic. He has released about 100 albums over the course of his career spanning more than 60 years, winning multiple awards with his performances and recordings.







At the first concert at the art center, he will focus on playing Beethoven's famous sonata works: sonatas No. 8, 10, 14, 20 and 21. On the second day, he will present his program on Anton Diabelli, which he came up with last year along with the release of his album "The Diabelli Project."







He will play variations of the composer's works created by contemporary composers Lera Auerbach, Brett Dean, Toshio Hosokawa, Christian Jost, Brad Lubman, Philippe Manoury, Max Richter, Rodion Shchedrin, Johannes Maria Staud, Tan Dun and Jorg Widmann as well as classical Diabelli variations made in the 18th and 19th centuries.







He will be also playing Diabelli variations at Daejeon Arts Center on Oct. 21 and playing Beethoven at Daegu Concert House on Oct. 24.






Public Procurement Service Administrator Kim Chung-woo / Courtesy of Public Procurement Service
Korea Development Bank headquarters in Seoul / Yonhap



President Moon to discuss relocation plan next month





By Park Jae-hyuk



Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum's recent remarks on moving state-run financial institutions out of the Seoul metropolitan area are raising concerns that such a move will make it more difficult to attract talent and foreign investors, according to industry sources and experts, Monday.



"Foreigners will avoid investing in Korea, if they have to visit multiple regions that are distant from each other to meet officials of state-run financial institution," said an insider of one of the state-run financial institutions facing relocation.



He cited the National Pension Service (NPS) Investment Management which was moved to Jeonju, North Jeolla Province, as an example. The pension fund has been suffering for several years from the outflow of investment experts following its relocation, eventually deciding to hire inexperienced fund managers to cope with the employee shortage.



Specifically, Kim's remarks are unnerving the employees of Korea Development Bank (KDB), the Industrial Bank of Korea (IBK), the Export-Import Bank of Korea (Eximbank) and the Korea Investment Corp. (KIC), given that he mentioned more details about the government's ambitious plan.



Earlier expectations were that the relocation of state-owned financial institutions would be difficult for the government before President Moon Jae-in ends his term, due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the presidential election next year.



Presidential Committee for Balanced National Development Chairman Kim Sa-yeol also said earlier this month that the relocation of public institutions seemed to have been postponed over political reasons.



But the prime minister said on Sunday that the plan will become more tangible, once President Moon meets with mayors and provincial governors this autumn. This was a reiteration of his previous remarks at the National Assembly, Sept. 13, when he said that the Moon administration would soon disclose its thoughts about relocating public institutions outside of the greater Seoul area.



While the state-run financial institutions are concerned about decreased productivity after their departures from Seoul, the government is apparently trying to accelerate its efforts to move them, before the end of Moon's five-year term next year.



Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum speaks during a meeting at the Government Complex Seoul, Sunday. Yonhap



According to sources familiar with this issue, Cheong Wa Dae plans to hold meetings with the President and mayors and provincial governors in mid-October.



The prime minister said 150 of the 400 public institutions staying in the capital area have over 100 employees, and that the government is considering relocating those 150 institutions to promote the development of remote regions outside the nation's capital.



Multiple state-run financial companies, however, are now said to be subject to the forthcoming relocation, which will follow the previous one that forced over 150 other public institutions to leave the Seoul metropolitan area earlier.



In addition, they are feared to be dispersed across different regions, because Busan, North Jeolla and Gangwon provinces are attempting to accommodate state-run financial firms. Busan wants KDB, the Korea Deposit Insurance Corp. and the Korea Trade Insurance Corp., while North Jeolla Province seeks to have IBK and KIC. Gangwon Province has tried to accommodate the Bank of Korea and the Financial Supervisory Service headquarters.





Industrial Bank of Korea headquarters in Seoul / Yonhap




Rep. Yoo Dong-soo, head of task force for cryptocurrency under ruling Democratic Party of Korea speaks at the beginning of a meeting at Yeouido, Seoul, June 23. Korea Times file
gettyimagesbank



A North Korean state media outlet on Monday denounced the United States as the "most heinous human rights abuser" for using human rights as a means to pressure other countries and realize its global dominance.



The Korean Central News Agency made the claim in an article written by a researcher on international affairs, adding that such U.S.' "hypocritical moves under the cloak of human rights" should be destroyed in order to build a free and prosperous new world.



"'Human rights' touted by the U.S. are nothing but a trick to easily realize its wild ambition for dominating the world," the KCNA said. "The U.S. is the most heinous human rights abuser in the world that severely disturbs the normal and peaceful development of sovereign states under the pretext of 'human rights.'"



"Unless the U.S. hypocritical moves under the cloak of human rights protection are smashed, it is impossible for each country to achieve its independent development and to build a free, prosperous and new world," it added.



The KCNA cited as examples for the U.S.' violations of human rights its decadeslong "blockade" on Cuba that has caused "trillion dollars of damage" to its people and attempt to hurt "China's political stability" by taking issue with Xinjiang and Hong Kong matters.



"No wonder, the U.S. abuses the 'human rights issues' for putting political pressure on the anti-imperialist independent countries," it said. "Now many countries resolutely stand against the U.S. human rights farce for curbing their development."



North Korea itself has been labeled one of the world's worst human rights violators, but Pyongyang has refuted the outside criticism, calling it a U.S.-led attempt to overthrow the regime. (Yonhap)


Kim Yo-jong, the sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un / Yonhap



North Korea remained unresponsive to South Korea's calls via liaison and military hotlines Monday despite cautious optimism created after the sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un said the two Koreas could discuss improvements in long-strained relations.



"North Korea did not answer our opening call through the South-North joint liaison office at 9 a.m.," a unification ministry official said. A military official also said a call via the military hotline went unanswered.



The North also did not respond to the South's daily call at 5 p.m. via the liaison office.



Kim Yo-jong, the powerful sister of the North Korean leader, issued two statements last week in which she said the two Koreas could discuss improvement in inter-Korean relations, reestablishment of the Kaesong liaison office and even a summit on conditions that Seoul drops its double-standard and hostile attitudes against it.



The statements followed President Moon Jae-in's offer for a formal end to the 1950-53 Korean War in his U.N. speech. The unification ministry saw Kim's statements as positive and expressed hope for the resumption of cross-border communication and dialogue.



"It is more important than anything else to have communication in a smooth and stable manner so as to realize denuclearization, the establishment of lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula, and the advancement of relations between the South and the North through dialogue and cooperation," Lee Jong-joo, the ministry's spokesperson, told a regular press briefing.



"The government expects a swift restoration of the liaison communication line and resumption of government-to-government dialogue, as well as discussions and the creation of solutions to a variety of pending issues facing the two Koreas," she added.



Inter-Korean relations have remained in a deadlock since the no-deal summit between the United States and North Korea in early 2019. The ties chilled further after North Korea blew up the Kaesong liaison office and cut off all cross-border communication lines in protest of anti-Pyongyang leaflets sent from the South.



The lines went briefly back online in late July, but the North has not answered Seoul's regular calls  twice a day  again as it bristled at joint military drills by South Korea and the U.S.



The two Koreas are still technically at war, as the Korean War ended in a cease-fire, not a peace treaty. (Yonhap)








By Lee Hyo-jin







Starting in October, owners who have not registered their pet dogs will face a fine of up to 600,000 won ($510).







The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs announced Sunday that it will launch a crackdown from Oct. 1 on dog owners over a set of pet-related rules, including pet registration and requirements on leashes and muzzles in public areas.







The mandatory registration system aims to strengthen responsibility among pet owners and reduce the number of abandoned dogs.







Under the rules, all dogs two months or older should be registered at local governments or designated veterinary clinics. Owners can choose between pendants or electronic microchips which are embedded under the dog's skin.







The punishment for having an unregistered dog is a 200,000 won fine, while owners who repeatedly fail register their pets face bigger fines  400,000 won if they are caught twice and 600,000 won for the third time.







In addition, those who have not leashed their dogs in public areas will face a fine of 200,000 won on the first notice, 300,000 won on the second, and 500,000 won on the third.







The authorities, in cooperation with local government officials, plan to launch inspections in areas frequently visited by dog owners, such as parks and playgrounds for pets.







In addition, owners of dogs categorized as "aggressive breeds"  Tosas, American pit bull terriers, American Staffordshire terriers, Staffordshire bull terriers, rottweilers  and dogs crossbred from these, must make sure their canine companions are muzzled and leashed in public areas.










Presidential contenders of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) attend a TV debate at a local broadcaster's studio in Seoul's Mapo District, Sunday. On the left is five-term lawmaker Hong Joon-pyo and on the right is former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl. Joint Press Corps



By Jung Da-min



Former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl, the current frontrunner among presidential hopefuls of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP), has been hit by his rival contender who said during a TV debate that Yoon lacks understanding of the country's security issues.



Yoon responded to questions with answers that some deemed insufficient or off point when it comes to the country's security, thus raising doubt on whether he is qualified to serve as president.



In the latest televised debate among PPP presidential contenders, Sunday night, Rep. Hong Joon-pyo, the runner-up among the two in opinion polls, asked Yoon for his opinion on the remarks of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's sister Kim Yo-jong.






Banners fly near Seongnam City office in Gyeonggi Province, Friday. The top one reads "Who owns Hwacheon Daeyu?" an asset management company that stirred a controversy with its sizable dividends gained from a land development project in the city. The bottom banner reads the profits earned from the project should be returned to the citizens of Seongnam. Yonhap



Ruling, opposition parties trade barbs over development project in Seongnam



By Nam Hyun-woo



A controversial land development project in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, is becoming a major issue in the upcoming presidential election, as its snowballing effects are hurting both the ruling and opposition parties.



The main opposition People Power Party (PPP) has been criticizing Gyeonggi Province Governor Lee Jae-myung, the leading presidential contender of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), throughout this month, over the suspicion that he gave business "favors" to an asset management company and its trust account company when he was mayor of Seongnam.



The two firms together earned more than 400 billion won ($340 million) in dividends over the past three years from the project to develop Seongnam's Daejang-dong area, which was carried out during Lee's tenure from 2010 to 2018.



However, the issue has now taken a twist against the PPP, as Rep. Kwak Sang-do left the party following reports that his son worked for the company involved, Hwacheon Daeyu Asset Management, and collected 5 billion won in severance pay. With the DPK now countering by calling the issue the "PPP political scandal," observers anticipate that the presidential election will also be affected by how the controversy unfolds.



On Monday, Kim Man-bae, a former journalist who is the largest stakeholder in Hwacheon Daeyu, appeared at Yongsan Police Station to answer questions on the suspicions surrounding the development project.



Kim refuted allegations of political influence or favors regarding how the company could receive such huge dividends, and also on how the company's board could be packed with influential legal figures as advisors including a former chief justice, former prosecutor general and former special counsel Park Young-soo, who investigated the impeached former President Park Geun-hye's corruption case.









Kim and his company are at the center of the controversy related to the Daejang-dong development project, because Hwacheon Daeyu and its trust account company, SK Securities, received a respective 57.7 billion won and 346.3 billion won as dividends, which are 1,154 times their initial investment of 50 million won and 300 million won. Hwacheon Daeyu was established in 2015 with capital of 50 million won, and SK Securities was investing into special purpose company, named Seongnam's Yard Corp. (SYC), on behalf of seven special purpose companies fully owned by Hwacheon Daeyu.



The project was pursued in a public-private partnership, carried out by SYC, which was established in 2015, and invested in by Seongnam Development Corp., having a 50 percent stake, and a consortium comprised of five financial firms having a 43 percent. Hwacheon Daeyu and SK Securities, which invested 350 million won, took up the remaining 7 percent.



As the home prices of the Daejang-dong area spiked after the development began, the project raked in more than 1 trillion won in profits, which provided a huge payout to Kim and the other investors in Hwacheon Daeyu.



Despite having only a combined 7 percent stake, Kim's side took 68 percent of the total dividends SYC earned in the three years, because SYC's contract limited its largest stakeholder  Seongnam Development Corp.  and second-largest stakeholder  the consortium  to a fixed amount of dividends first, leaving the remainder for Hwacheon Daeyu.



As the controversy expanded, Hwacheon Daeyu then said it invested 35 billion won into the project out of 40 billion won it borrowed, but this raised further questions as one of the people who extended the loan was a member of the SK Group owner family.





Gyeonggi Province Governor Lee Jae-myung speaks after a Democratic Party of Korea primary vote in Gwangju, Saturday. Yonhap
On the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the admission of the two Koreas to the United Nations, this is the first of two articles that will review the U.N.'s involvements on the Korean Peninsula since the two Koreas were established 73 years ago in the aftermath of World War II and deliberate on its future role.



By Park In-kook





Thirty years ago, the United Nations admitted the two Koreas, however, the paths of the two countries have diverged dramatically ever since. South Korea now ranks as the world's 10th largest economy, while North Korea is among the most isolated and poorest of countries, notorious for human rights violations. The stark disparity between the two Koreas aligns well with Professor Dan Acemoglu's thesis in his best-seller, "Why Nations Fail."



The U.N.'s presence on the Korean Peninsula can be traced back to 1948, when it recognized the Republic of Korea as the only lawful government on the Korean Peninsula through U.N. General Assembly Resolution 195(III).



The resolution states: "The Government of the Republic of Korea is based on elections which were a valid expression of the free will of the electorate of that part of Korea," and "that this is the only such government in Korea." To this day, South Korea remains the only country whose legitimacy was established by the U.N.



The U.N. marked an important milestone in promoting democracy and peace in Korea by adopting General Assembly Resolution 112(II) in 1948, which recommended that "after the elections, the National Assembly should convene and form a national government."



The resolution also stated that "the number of representatives from each voting area or zone should be proportionate to the population"  a fundamental principle of representative democracy that could serve as an invaluable guideline for the peaceful unification of Korea.



Less than two years after the establishment of the new government, the Korean War broke out in June 1950. The military attack by North Korea, with the Soviet Union's support, posed a direct challenge to one of the founding goals of the U.N.: "To save succeeding generations from the scourge of war."



The U.N. Security Council promptly responded to restore peace and security on the Korean Peninsula by adopting Resolutions 82, 83 and 84, which called for an immediate cessation of hostilities and for the withdrawal of North Korean forces to the 38th parallel.



The Security Council also recommended that U.N. members provide military forces and other assistance to a unified command led by the United States  known as the United Nations Command (UNC), while authorizing the UNC to use the U.N. flag in operations against North Korean forces. Since then, the UNC has epitomized the U.N.'s presence on the Korean Peninsula.



During the long armistice  which remains in force to this day  the UNC has played an indispensable role in maintaining peace on the Korean Peninsula, primarily by enforcing the Armistice Agreement and providing a command that could marshal multinational forces during a crisis or conflict.



At this point, it is worth revisiting the context in which the U.N. was able to mobilize 16 member states to send troops to a remote country in the Far East in the early 1950s. It is true that such a swift deployment of forces was mostly led by the United States, but we should remember that during this period the horrors of World War II were still vivid in people's memories, and the international community was yearning for the U.N. to meet its founding goal of maintaining peace and security.



The international community's instinctive reaction was that the armed attack could trigger a disastrous chain of events leading to another global conflict.



The U.N. Charter stipulates that the primary responsibility for maintaining international peace and security falls in the hands of the Security Council. However, the General Assembly exceptionally expanded its horizon in its involvement in peace and security issues at the outbreak of the Korean War by adopting Resolution 377(V), the "Uniting for Peace Resolution."



The resolution states that "if the Security Council, because of lack of unanimity of the permanent members, fails to exercise its primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security  General Assembly shall consider the matter immediately  [to make] appropriate recommendations to members for collective measures, including ... the use of armed force."



This is significant in that it provided an invaluable precedent for the U.N. General Assembly to play a more active role in resolving conflict situations, even when a permanent member of the Security Council exercises its veto to block the adoption of a resolution.



It is also worth noting that General Assembly Resolution 711(VII) of 1953 welcomed a "political conference of a higher level," and recommended that the U.N. "provide the conference with services and facilities." The resolution paved the way for the Berlin Conference, which in turn led to the Geneva Conference in 1954, where the two Koreas gathered to discuss issues of peace and unification.



Although an agreement was not reached at these conferences, the resolution symbolized the inherent role of the U.N. to encourage efforts to promote dialogue and provide momentum for the two Koreas to engage in further steps toward durable peace and co-existence.



Despite having adopted a number of resolutions on the Korean Peninsula, the U.N. could not adopt any legally binding decision or mandate for achieving sustainable peace or unification of the Korean Peninsula.



This may be in part related to the constant fluctuations in inter-Korean relations and the delicate dynamics of the geopolitical environment surrounding the Korean Peninsula, where the interests of the major regional powers tend to collide.





Park In-kook is former Korean Ambassador to the United Nations. He is now president of the Chey Institute for Advanced Studies.


US request threatens free trade principle



The U.S. administration is taking flak for having asked global semiconductor makers including Samsung Electronics to submit data on their supply and demand, inventory, ordering and customer sectors. The White House made the request during a virtual meeting it hosted with representatives from major automobile and chip manufacturers, Thursday.



In the third of such meetings this year, the White House even indicated it would use compulsory measures based on the defense procurement act (DPA) unless the companies complied with its demands. U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo cited the need for the U.S. to more actively address the worsening semiconductor shortage. "It is time to get more aggressive. The situation is not getting better, in some ways it is getting worse," she said in an interview with Reuters.



Raimondo's request comes as the shortage in chip supplies has caused U.S. automakers to cut production, affecting thousands of U.S. workers. Yet, it is not proper for the American administration to call on global companies to release confidential business information. It is excessive market intervention by any other name.



The secretary explained the "voluntary request" was made in order to find a solution to the chip crisis. However, her statement can be taken to mean she is urging the companies to provide semiconductors first to U.S. automobile, mobile device and home appliance manufacturers, which are suffering setbacks due to cuts in production amid the lingering shortage of chips. The production stalemate has been worsening with the suspension of semiconductor assembly lines in Southeast Asia due to the persisting COVID-19 pandemic.



It is inappropriate for the U.S. to apply the coercive measure of asking for such data from global enterprises to protect its own domestic companies. The move is tantamount to undermining the values of free trade which the U.S. has so far vehemently advocated for. Should the U.S. administration insist on such an "America first" stance, it will likely inflict damage on other countries' companies including Korea's automakers Hyundai and Kia.



Since the onset of President Joe Biden's administration, the U.S. has focused on building up the semiconductor supply chain, describing it as "significant national infrastructure," a move also motivated to prevent China from flexing its muscles in the chip sector. In response, Korea's Samsung Electronics was cooperative, with its plan to set up a foundry plant in the U.S.



Against this backdrop, Washington deserves the growing criticism against it for employing this forceful attitude while neglecting the spirit of its free trade agreements with other countries. Such a "haughty" move will also result in undercutting solidarity with its key allies  such as Seoul  as it will eventually create a mutually uncomfortable situation in the market.



Korean companies are facing growing difficulties in coping with the toughening stances of the U.S. amid intensifying global competition in the chip segment. Businesses and the government should combine their efforts in tackling the growing hardships by mobilizing all possible means including effective diplomatic maneuvering.


By Deauwand Myers





Recently, I wrote on Jay Park about his controversial music video: displaying guns, tattoos, and the usual tropes and stereotypes too many people associate with being a black American. I argued that the bigger problem was not cultural appropriation, as much as a reductive, narrow, boring, uncreative imagining of black American life.



Then when this newest scandal emerged with black, American rapper "DaBaby," where he spews vile anti-gay and stigmatizing remarks about sexually transmitted diseases within sexual minority communities, a lot of the Internet was ablaze with criticism.



But wait. DaBaby routinely calls black women crude, misogynist terms, uses the n-word, extolls women if they are sexually pliant, and on and on. There was no such outcry about these lyrics and the countless other rappers who deploy this same kind of trash. In fact, plenty of minority groups and the larger Caucasian audience sing along with these lyrics with glee.



This exposes the point I made in a previous article: minority groups, like the LGBTQ+ community at large, particularly those who are non-black, do not and have not in a large and substantive fashion engaged in the dismantling of white supremacy, anti-blackness, and anti-black female sexism and objectification. Only when virulent homophobic, anti-Asian, or anti-Semitic comments or lyrics are spouted is there a chorus of condemnation.



This abject example of double standards is disheartening for its rank hypocrisy, and frankly, cruelty. Let's go back to the Jay Park incident. So, his wearing Afrocentric braids and carrying guns in a video was sophomoric and culturally appropriative, but when all the videos with him or his label mates include scantily-clad women dancing suggestively, and are clearly present as flesh backdrops (of Korean and black descent), there wasn't a mumbling word. In this way we see what we see time and time again, women's bodies are disposable and can be commodified like any property, and the "woke" masses stay as quiet as Peter when he was asked about Jesus three times.



Let's call a thing a thing. It has always been OK with everyone, including too many black people, for other blacks to use racial slurs to other black people, and objectify women's bodies, especially black women's bodies. We, as a global society, and indeed in Korea, Japan, and the U.S., are far, far too comfortable with black-on-black degradation, the violent, reductive sexualizing of women's bodies, the fetishizing of said bodies, rank consumerism, and yes, living a life of hedonistic dissipation.



Oh, but let's not use homophobic language, because that would include white gay men, famously uncaring and unbothered with the destruction of their colored counterparts. Title 9 (of which a larger proportion of white, female professionals have prospered from), Civil Rights, Voting Rights, hate crime legislation, and so on were all championed most fervently, with all the death, bloodshed, and pain attendant to that, by black people with their own black bodies.



Black people have always been the bridesmaid, never the bride. DaBaby, and a host of other rappers, along with their white superiors, have always prospered from the internalized self-hatred of black people, and since that anti-blackness is shared like a good cocktail worldwide, there are and most probably will never be any repercussions for this kind of thing.



This doesn't mean the giants within the rap industry aren't geniuses, and a lot of their content I enjoy. NOTORIOUS B.I.G. chief among them. And one must ask the nuanced question, if hip-hop is art, can't expletives and racial slurs be used in that artform just as it is deployed in exquisite literature from black writers, for example? "Beloved," "The Color Purple," and "The Bluest Eye" are masterpieces that contain very controversial subject matter and language.



And as an English major in undergrad and graduate school, plenty of writers I like and read were horrible human beings: racist, sexist, anti-Semitic, etc. The Bible, if made into an epic mini-series, could only be shown on HBO, and be given an NC-17 rating, particularly the Old Testament. I mean, have you read what's in there?



DaBaby's comments, just like some of Jay Park's choices, are problematic in their own ways, no doubt. And what DaBaby said was so over-the-top, I get the furor. But that same energy from lots of folks, especially some people of racial and sexual minorities, is often absent when anti-black language and imagery is involved, regardless of who it's coming from.



No other group uses racial slurs against themselves so often and so consistently in all walks of life than black people. That doesn't mean other people, who are non-black, can then think such language/imagery is fair game to deploy or enjoy. It just means we, as a society, have a whole lot of work to do.





Deauwand Myers (deauwand@hotmail.com) holds a master's degree in English literature and literary theory, and is an English professor outside of Seoul


Sontag Hotel in Seoul, circa 1910. Robert Neff Collection



By Robert Neff



In March 1912, Sontag Hotel was the place to be in Seoul. Some described it as a place of political intrigue  backrooms haunted with shady characters plotting anarchy and unrest. Others, like Roy Chapman Andrews, saw it as a place to begin a great adventure. It was filled with gold miners from the Western-owned concessions in the northern part of the peninsula. In fact, according to Andrews, "Seoul resembled nothing so much as an American mining town amid oriental surroundings."



Andrews was seeking adventure and had selected to stay at Sontag Hotel while he organized an expedition party to explore the Baekdu Mountain  the tallest mountain on the Korean peninsula and one often associated with mysticism and adventure.



Andrews observed that "one did very much as one pleased [in Korea,] for the Japanese had taken over the country so recently that there were very few restrictions." Despite this claim, he still sought and obtained permission from the Japanese authorities. The Japanese government even provided him with a Japanese translator.



Unfortunately, he did not put down his first impressions of his translator, but one can imagine Andrews viewed him with some skepticism when he appeared at the hotel wearing a frock coat and a silk hat.





Andrews and his party in a Korean village in 1912. Robert Neff Collection



Andrews and his party (the translator and a Korean cook) soon found themselves on the northeastern coast of Korea near the Manchurian border. It was here that he had his next adventure.



The Korean villages in the region were being terrorized by the "Great Invisible," a name they bestowed upon a huge and deadly tiger. The Korean tigers were ferocious, almost mystical creatures, that laired in the mountains and forests, and occasionally hunted men, even to the gates of Seoul. The "Great Invisible" was no exception. "Already it had killed a half a dozen children and hardly a day passed that some tearful peasant did not report a new loss to the gendarmes." The people pleaded with Andrews to kill the tiger.



One of the Korean legendary tiger-hunters (famed for their bravery and shooting skills) was assigned to assist the foreigner. This tiger-hunter was an elderly man, but an excellent hunter with nerves of steel, who had in the past, killed two tigers by crawling into their lairs and shooting them with an old muzzle-loading rifle.





The "Great Invisible," circa the 1910s. Courtesy of Diane Nars Collection



For nearly two weeks, the hunters played cat and mouse with the tiger. The tiger would strike in a village and the hunters would try to guess where it would strike next and wait for it. Finally they cornered the tiger in one of its lairs, and after waiting nearly a day for it to come out, the old tiger-hunter goaded Andrews into crawling into the lair. Fortunately for the tiger (or perhaps Andrews), it heard the hunters' approach and escaped out a rear exit.



The American was secretly relieved (although a little disappointed), but pretended to be angry that fate had deprived him of his tiger. They continued to hunt for the tiger for an additional week, but the "Great Invisible" eluded them, and worn out, they abandoned their hunt. They did, however, succeed in ridding the villagers of another threat: a huge wild boar that Andrews shot twice before it finally died only five feet away from Andrews' feet.



Westerners often heard tales of tiger attacks, usually from third or fourth parties, and some actually managed to kill a tiger themselves. Andrews summed up tiger hunting as, "one has to out-guess the beast or have luck very much on one's side." He may not have been lucky enough to get a tiger, but he did have the misfortune of viewing the remains of an unfortunate girl who had fallen victim to the "Great Invisible." It was a horrible sight and one that probably stuck with him for many years.





Stopping for a meal while hunting in 1912. Robert Neff Collection



After the failed tiger hunt, he tried to hire Korean porters to accompany him to the wilderness region of Baekdu Mountain, but no one would accompany him out of fear. It was only through the efforts of the Japanese gendarmes  who forced four men and their ponies to accompany him  that Andrews was able to set out. Andrews, a remarkable and well-educated man, seems to have been fairly ignorant of Korea. He believed that he was the first to explore the region around Korea's highest mountain, but, in fact, several Westerners had already explored the region in the late 19th century, and had written about it.



The trip was anything but uneventful. There were no trails, and the ground was badly overgrown in some places, while in others it was swampy, making walking torturous and dangerous. For several days it drizzled, and the deeper they went into the forest, the fewer animals there were, and the quieter, more desolate the region became. The Korean porters soon became completely disheartened and threatened to abandon Andrews in the middle of the night, taking the ponies and supplies with them. Andrews and the translator were forced to take turns at watch at night to ensure that the porters did not abandon them, and Andrews warned the porters that if they tried anything, he would shoot them without mercy.





One of the deer killed by Andrews in 1912. Robert Neff Collection



Finally they made it to the base of the mountain, but because of the deep snow drifts, they did not ascend the mountain. After spending several days in the vicinity of the mountain, Andrews and his party made their way towards the Yalu River. Here they discovered that the region was abundant with wildlife, and they spent several days hunting and relaxing. It was also here that he encountered a band of Manchurian bandits. These bandits, armed with flintlock rifles, preyed upon the Chinese and Korean merchants in the region, generally taxing them, but on occasion robbing and killing them. Andrews was able to make his way through the area by befriending these bandits (he fed them dinner), and they provided him with information to avoid the other bands of bandits.



When Andrews and his party finally arrived at a Korean settlement, they were treated as heroes. His porters bragged about his compass and how it had brought them through the dangers of the wilderness, and past the Manchurian bandits. It was here that he parted with his porters, after they built him a timber raft. By this raft, he sailed to the mouth of the Yalu River and made his way from there to Seoul, where he arrived at Sontag Hotel wearing ragged Korean clothing.



He wasn't surprised to discover that he had been reported dead. It would not be the first time that he was thought to have died while on one of his adventures, and later led him to say: "I have 'died' so frequently since, that I am quite accustomed to it; it seems to be the best little thing I do."





Junks floating on the Yalu River in 1912. Robert Neff Collection
A Samsung flag is seen at the company's headquarters in southern Seoul / Korea Times file



By Kim Bo-eun



Samsung has a number of urgent tasks to address, such as pursuing sizable acquisition deals to maintain its competitiveness and investing to scale up its foundry production in the U.S.



But beyond a business standpoint, another key task is to change its governance structure, not only to boost efficiency but also to ensure Samsung's leadership abides by the law.



Samsung faces greater legal scrutiny due to a major scandal involving impeached President Park and her confidant Choi Soon-sil that was unveiled in 2016, for which Samsung chief Lee Jae-yong was imprisoned but released on parole last month. Lee had been convicted of bribery in return for the former president's help in smoothing his leadership succession from his late father Lee Kun-hee. All eyes will be on Lee following his release on parole to ensure the company complies with the law.



Samsung's corporate strategy office, better known as its "control tower" that took control of all matters relating to Samsung's owners, was disbanded following the scandal.



Dozens of Samsung affiliates operate without official centralized control. Three key affiliates  the main electronics unit, the life insurer and construction arm C&T  each operate a taskforce that partly takes the role of the control tower. This has posed difficulties for the group. Samsung is now reviewing setting up another control tower.





Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong / Korea Times file
Seegene CEO Chun Jong-yoon / Courtesy of Seegene



This is the second in a series of articles to highlight the growing importance of the biotech industry after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and shed light on the nation's biotech companies.  ED.



By Baek Byung-yeul



At a time when the government is striving to foster biotech as one of the nation's key industries, the local molecular diagnosis company Seegene is spearheading the initiative.



Last year, Seegene made its name known around the world by quickly developing its COVID-19 test kits following the outbreak of the coronavirus.



Although the virus was not yet spreading rapidly in Korea, the company presumed that it would in the near future as the number of virus victims was increasing greatly in China, so it rolled out its test kits just two weeks after it began developing them.



Seegene's test kits are still used widely around the world as the risks of COVID-19 variants are still weighing on the world. Thanks to the effectiveness of its products, the company posted 1.1252 trillion won ($957 million) in sales in 2020, surpassing the 1 trillion won sales milestone for the first time in its history.



To expand its presence further in the global medical diagnostics market, the company developed new COVID-19 diagnosis equipment. It is more affordable and smaller in size thus enabling more hospitals to acquire and make use of its molecular diagnosis equipment.



On Monday, Seegene announced at an annual event of the American Association for Clinical Chemistry (AACC) that it has developed a fully automated polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing system called AIOS.



The AACC, which held its Annual Scientific Meeting & Clinical Lab Expo in Atlanta, is an international scientific society focusing on clinical laboratory science and its applications to healthcare, featuring about 700 in vitro diagnostic companies from around the world.





HLB transforming into prominent biopharma company ABL Bio leading Korea's new drug development Samsung Biologics aims for win-win growth with local bio industry LG Chem expands presence in China, Japan with bio products During the expo, Seegene showcased its AIOS system, which provides high-throughput real-time PCR workflow, starting from nucleic acid extraction to interpretation of test results. The company said it is the industry's first fully automated syndromic real-time PCR testing system designed with a modular concept.



"Going forward, the key in fighting COVID-19 is to overcome the limitations of molecular diagnosis only being carried out in large hospitals manually by experts," Seegene CEO Chun Jong-yoon said.



He said its AIOS could be an answer to that problem, as small local hospitals can also conduct PCR tests using the new equipment.



"A noteworthy feature of AIOS is that its PCR testing system is composed of independent and detachable modules together," the company said. "Unlike other single-body systems, AIOS is designed with an extraction liquid handler and PCR instrument integrated with a robotic arm module developed in-house. Hospitals and laboratories can either purchase the full package of the AIOS system or integrate their existing instruments on site if they already have Seegene's liquid handler or real-time PCR instrument."



Another feature of the AIOS is that it uses a syndromic-based inspection automation system, referring to a type of test that scans pathogens and detects the cause of a disease. Compared to other makers' diagnosis equipment, the company elaborated its AIOS is much more efficient in terms of time and cost.



The company added AIOS can be applied with various reagents to diagnose various respiratory diseases and human papillomavirus (HPV) expanding its range of efficacy.



"The product is smaller and lighter than existing equipment and does not require much space, so it can be introduced not only in large hospitals but also in small and medium-sized hospitals. So far, small and medium-sized hospitals have not fully recognized the need for molecular diagnosis, but the demand is expected to increase as its effectiveness has become widely known due to COVID-19," the company official said.



Citing Korea's example, small and medium-sized hospitals, which account for most of the diagnosis market, have not been using molecular diagnosis. So the company said it expects the AIOS will bring it new opportunities to meet with more customers.



"AIOS represents Seegene's decades-long commitment to developing cutting-edge technologies in the molecular diagnostics field," the Seegene CEO said. "I believe AIOS will contribute to public health by making MDx more accessible in everyday life."



Thanks to its effective and agile response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Seegene was ranked 20th on the list of the 50 most innovative companies this year by the U.S.-based business magazine Fast Company. This is the first time a local molecular diagnosis company made it onto the list, alongside global leading biopharmaceutical companies such as Pfizer and Moderna.



Seegene CEO Chun said in a recent interview with a local newspaper that the company's receiving of this honor was made possible by its unflinching concentration on real-time PCR testing for over 20 years.




Kim Hyeon-soo, the minister of agriculture, food and rural affairs, speaks in a video message during the U.N. Food Systems Summit last week. Courtesy of Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural affairs



By Yi Whan-woo



Kim Hyeon-soo, the minister of agriculture, food and rural affairs, addressed Korea's plan for food security during the U.N. Food Systems Summit last week, the ministry said Monday.



In a video message, Kim highlighted the nation's strategies to enhance access to adequate amounts of nutritious and safe food, and also to produce environmentally-friendly agricultural goods.



Such initiatives, according to the ministry, are aimed at backing sustainable development goals (SDGs), the specifics of which had been discussed at last week's U.N. General Assembly in New York City.



The summit is aimed at setting the stage for global food systems transformation to achieve the U.N. SDGs by 2030. It attracted U.N. representatives, government officials, business leaders, researchers and members of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) from more than 150 countries.



"Minister Kim made it clear that Korea will be an active part of the fight against poverty, expansion of school nutrition programs and other global efforts for food security," the ministry said in a press release.



The ministry said the U.N. event was beneficial in terms of reaching a consensus that issues on food security should be approached in a systematic manner and that such a system is linked to virtually every shared goal of humankind.



"The government will capitalize on official development assistance to contribute to global security," the ministry said.



The five key areas discussed during the summit were how to nourish all people, boost nature-based solutions, advance equitable livelihoods, decent work and empowered communities, build resilience to vulnerabilities, shocks and stresses; and support means of implementation.



Also attending the summit were U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi who represented the G20 nations, and U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization Director General Qu Dongyu.



Secretary-General Guterres lauded the meeting for "injecting new life into multilateralism" and for "leading the way to food systems that can drive the global recovery in three fundamental ways."



"As the pandemic physically pushed us apart, the preparations for this summit brought us together," Guterres was quoted as saying in a statement. "Through national dialogues, governments gathered together businesses, communities and civil society to chart pathways for the future of food systems across 148 countries. Over 100,000 people came together to discuss and debate solutions  many of which are now being shared at this summit."



The summit was the fruition of a proposal Guterres made in 2019 on the occasion of World Food Day.


BAT Rothmans Country Manager Kim Eun-ji holds up the company's newly launched heat-not-burn cigarette glo pro slim at a world premiere ceremony in Seoul, Monday. Courtesy of BAT Rothmans



By Kim Hyun-bin



British American Tobacco (BAT) Rothmans aims to expand its share of the domestic heat-not-burn cigarette market by diversifying its product portfolio, the company said, Monday.



"We have experienced a drop in market share, but achieved a successful rebound last year," Kim Eun-ji, country manager of BAT Rothmans, said during an online press conference. "BAT Rothmans aims to increase its market share by expanding its product portfolio through enhancements in tobacco heating products,."



She was appointed as country manager of BAT Rothmans last year.



In addition to new products, the company unveiled its business vision comprised of three main goals.



First, BAT Rothmans said it will place top priority on customer satisfaction and the production of less harmful products.

Second, it will continue contributing to the local economy and the environment. Lastly, it pledged to keep fostering global talent to fuel future growth.



"This year, we worked to simplify our business structure. BAT Rothmans aims to contribute to the Korean market by providing less harmful products and fostering global talent to achieve sustainable long-term growth," Kim said.





The newly-released BAT Rothmans glo pro slim heat-not-burn nicotine-delivery devices / Courtesy of BAT Rothmans
German Finance Minister, Vice-Chancellor and the Social Democrats (SPD) candidate for Chancellor Olaf Scholz waves on stage at the SPD headquarters after the estimates were broadcast in Berlin after the German general elections, Sept. 26. AFP-Yonhap



Germany's Social Democrats narrowly won Sunday's national election, projected results showed, and claimed a "clear mandate" to lead a government for the first time since 2005 and to end 16 years of conservative-led rule under Angela Merkel.



The center-left Social Democrats (SPD) were on track for 26.0 percent of the vote, ahead of 24.5 percent for Merkel's CDU/CSU conservative bloc, projections for broadcaster ZDF showed, but both groups believed they could lead the next government.



With neither major bloc commanding a majority, and both reluctant to repeat their awkward "grand coalition" of the past four years, the most likely outcome is a three-way alliance led by either the Social Democrats or Merkel's conservatives.



Agreeing a new coalition could take months, and will likely involve the smaller Greens and liberal Free Democrats (FDP).



"We are ahead in all the surveys now," the Social Democrats' chancellor candidate, Olaf Scholz, said in a round table discussion with other candidates after the vote.



"It is an encouraging message and a clear mandate to make sure that we get a good, pragmatic government for Germany," he added after earlier addressing jubilant SPD supporters.



The SPD's rise heralds a swing left for Germany and marks a remarkable comeback for the party, which has recovered some 10 points in support in just three months to improve on its 20.5 percent result in the 2017 national election.



Scholz, 63, would become the fourth post-war SPD chancellor after Willy Brandt, Helmut Schmidt and Gerhard Schroeder. Finance minister in Merkel's cabinet, he is a former mayor of Hamburg.



Scholz's conservative rival Armin Laschet, signalled his bloc was not ready yet to concede, though his supporters were subdued.



"It hasn't always been the first-placed party that provided the chancellor," Laschet, 60, told the round table. "I want a government where every partner is involved, where everyone is visible  not one where only the chancellor gets to shine," he said in an early attempt to woo smaller parties.



Schmidt ruled in the late 1970s and early 1980s in coalition with the FDP even though his Social Democrats had fewer parliamentary seats than the conservative bloc.





Christian Democratic Union (CDU) leader and Chancellor candidate Armin Laschet, left, followed by German Chancellor Angela Merkel, arrives to address the audience at the CDU headquarters after the estimates were broadcast on television in Berlin after the German general elections, Sept. 26. AFP-Yonhap
In this 2008 December file photo, former Rwanda army's Colonel Theoneste Bagosora sits at the Rwanda International Criminal Tribunal in Arusha. AFP-Yonhap



Theoneste Bagosora, a former Rwandan army colonel regarded as the architect of the 1994 genocide in which more than 800,000 ethnic Tutsi and Hutus who tried to protect them were killed, died in a hospital in Mali on Saturday.



His son Achille Bagosora announced the death in a Facebook post: ''Rest in Peace, Papa.''



Bagosora was serving a 35-year sentence after being found guilty of crimes against humanity by the then-International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda. Bagosora, 80, had been sentenced to life in 2008 but on appeal his sentence was reduced to 35 years in prison.



Known as a hardliner within the National Republican Movement for Democracy and Development party of Rwandan President Juvenal Habyarimana, Bagosora in 1993 was appointed cabinet director in the defense ministry and took control of military and political affairs in the country.



The position made him answerable only to the president. When the president died in a plane crash, Bagosora took over the affairs of state and ordered the massacre of Tutsi, Donat Rutayisire, a genocide survivor who knew him, told The Associated Press.



Canadian Gen. Romeo Dallaire, head of United Nations peacekeepers in Rwanda at the time, described Bagosora as the ''kingpin'' behind the genocide.



After the genocide, Bagosora fled into exile in Cameroon. He was arrested there in 1996 and flown to face trial in Arusha, Tanzania in 1997. His trial began in 2002 and lasted until 2007.



Bagosora was found guilty in connection with the killing of 10 Belgian peacekeepers and responsible for the deaths of the Rwandan prime minister and head of the constitutional court. He was also found responsible for organized killings of Tutsi at numerous sites in Rwanda's capital, Kigali, and in Gisenyi in the west of the country.



Reacting to the news of Bagosora's death, Rwanda's ambassador to the Netherlands, Olivier Nduhungirehe, said Bagosora didn't show remorse for his crimes.



''The main reasons against Bagosora's request for early release were that he never accepted responsibility for genocide, showing no sign of remorse or regret; and that he is a man with a forceful personality who at times is unable to control himself,'' Nduhungirehe said in a Twitter post.



Bagosora's application for early release was turned down earlier this year, with the judge ruling that he had failed to demonstrate rehabilitation. (AP)


On 9 July 2021, 422 workers at the Campi Bisenzio GKN plant near Florence received a text message. It came from the British multinationals management, communicating that the workers were immediately and collectively dismissed. However, the plant is not in crisis. There is a market for the production of drive shafts and other components for the automotive sector that the plant is capable of producing. So why the sackings?

The answer is found in the fact that Melrose Industries PLC bought up GKN in 2018. If you look at their website, they say that, Melrose buys good manufacturing businesses with strong fundamentals whose performance can be improved. So they themselves admit that GKN is a good manufacturing business. But they dont limit themselves to improving performance. As they themselves explain, Melrose finances its acquisitions using a low level of leverage, improves the businesses by a mixture of significant investment and changed management focus, sells them and returns the proceeds to shareholders.

In plain English this means that Melrose is planning on asset-stripping the plant in Florence, cutting human resources  i.e. sacking the workforce  and relocating production elsewhere, where labour costs are lower, in order to maximise profits, or as they say, return the proceeds to shareholders. Up to the end of 2020, the Melrose group boasted of having returned 4.7billion to shareholders since its establishment. In all this, they have had not the slightest concern for the hundreds of families who suffer significantly when factories close and workers lose their jobs.

Melrose has also found a friend in the Italian government and in particular the prime minister Draghi, the former governor of the European Central Bank. When the pandemic hit Italy, millions of workers were at risk of losing their jobs. There was a very angry and militant mood among workers across the country. This was particularly evident among engineering workers. Under this pressure, the then Conte government introduced a freeze on sackings. The bosses reluctantly had to accept this. Later, however, Draghi came to their rescue.

GKN workers outside the factory gates / Image: fair use

The Melrose multinational group was helped by the new Draghi government, which came into office in February 2021. Within just a few months, on 30 June, it removed the freeze on sackings, which had been in force since March 2020 when the Covid emergency began. What we have here is an example of the bosses order, and the Draghi government obeys and carries it out. This has been the situation in Italy for the last few months.

The case of GKN is not an isolated one. We have seen the same thing being repeated at Whirlpool, Timken, Gianetti Ruote, Elica, Blutec, Riello, which are just a few of the factories facing imminent closure. However, the bosses have encountered a problem: the workers everywhere have been fighting back against the closures. However, the fightback at the GKN plant in Florence and at the Whirlpool plant in Naples has been particularly militant.

The GKN workers were concerned that strike action alone would not be enough. They feared that the new owners would organise for the machinery to be taken out of the factory. So the workers took the decision to occupy the plant. Within a few days of the announcement of the sackings at GKN, there was a Florence-wide general strike and a demonstration of over 10,000 people that filled the Santa Croce square in the city. Two weeks later, a large demonstration, with similar numbers, marched through the industrial and working-class neighbourhoods around the factory.

The struggle of the GKN workers in Florence has become an important point of reference for radicalisation in Italy. After the closure of their plant was announced, the workers responded with an occupation of the factory and a general strike and mass protests were organised in solidarity in Florence / Image: Michele Lapini

August is usually a month in which very little happens in Italy as it is the traditional holiday period. In spite of this, the struggle did not stop, and around 5,000 people flooded the streets of Florence city centre on 11 August (the day of the liberation of Florence from Nazi occupation in 1944) in solidarity with the GKN struggle. The GKN shop stewards and the factory action committee (the core of the most active workers) have been very good at mobilising the support of the city and the suburbs. Their slogan Insorgiamo (Rise up) has become very popular, and not only in Florence.

The final deadline for the implementation of the sackings, 22 September, was rapidly approaching. Management was determined to push ahead with its decision. The government meanwhile was making vague promises. The union leaders, meanwhile, had utterly failed to promote a united front of all the factories in crisis.

The working class in Italy is making its voice heard again. And while it is true that we are not yet seeing a generalised movement, we can see that below the surface there is enormous anger that could explode at any moment. What is holding it back, for now, is the lack of a fighting trade union leadership.

However, in spite of this total lack of leadership from the national union leaders, on 18 September, a huge demonstration of at least 25,000 workers and youth, flooded Florence city centre yet again. It was a very lively and militant demonstration  probably one of the biggest we have seen anywhere in Italy since the end of lockdown.

Comrades of Sinistra Classe Rivoluzione joined the huge demonstration in solidarity with the GKN workers on 18 September / Image: Sinistra Classe Rivoluzione

Militant slogans were chanted throughout the march, calling for strike action and solidarity. As the demonstration filed past, there was tremendous applause from people on the balconies of their flats looking down. Militant class struggle stamped its mark on the day in one of the most famous tourist cities in the world. At the end of the demonstration, in one of the final speeches, one of the leaders of the shop stewards committee made an appeal to the CGIL [General Confederation of Italian Workers, the equivalent of the TUC in Italy] to unite the various disputes and call for a general strike. The audience answered with a huge ovation.

What followed shows that all-out, militant workers action pays off. The workers at the plant have been piling on the pressure and spreading their influence among the wider population. On Monday, 20 September, this forced the judges to decree that Melrose was guilty of anti-union behaviour, violating article 28 of the Workers Statute, a law passed back in 1970 that gives workers a certain degree of protection against unjustified sackings.

This was a clear victory for workers at GKN in Florence, and it has boosted the morale of the striking workers. However, the judges ruling does not resolve the matter once and for all. Whilst he has halted the sackings  for now  at the same time he reaffirmed the right of the company to close the plant and simply pointed out that the closure and consequent sackings had to be negotiated with the unions. Again, we see how the law is not the same for everyone  in the final analysis, it defends the interests of the bosses.

The union leaders have made an appeal to the government to intervene in the dispute. But the government is not impartial. Draghi has stated clearly that, in order to come out of the crisis, some factories (the weakest, the less competitive) will have to be closed. The unions are asking the government to introduce a law to prevent relocations. Orlando, the Minister of Labour, is about to submit a bill to parliament requesting that multinationals that wish to make redundancies give at least six months notice so that negotiations can take place, and to give the company time to rethink its plans or find a new buyer. There are, of course, no penalties or fines for those companies who relocate anyway, and no demands for the return of any government loans these companies may have received in the past.

Right from the very beginning, the union leadership has given Draghi a blank cheque, and the workers have so far paid the price for this. It is self-evident that, of its own free will, the government will not make any real concessions to the workers. Every victory must be imposed by militant strike action. There is no other way of forcing a capitalist to stay and keep open a factory if he thinks it is no longer profitable.

The only real answer to the present situation is for nationalisation under workers control, starting with GKN and then adding all the other factories facing closure. Nationalisation is the only way of defending industrial assets and jobs, and workers control is the only guarantee that the factory will not be run in the interests of profit.

Like their brothers and sisters in Italy, GKN workers at the Birmingham Erdington plant in Britain are also facing the threat of closure by the same asset-stripping company / Image: Socialist Appeal

The workers of the factories under attack need to promote a coordinating action committee with the aim of organising a national meeting of worker representatives from the companies in crisis, with a clear programme. Such a coordinating committee would also have the task of controlling the union officials involved in the negotiations and making sure they abide by the demands of the workforce as a whole. Too many times we have seen very militant and courageous strikes literally betrayed by the union leaders who have signed off on rotten, watered-down agreements, or who have simply bent to the pressures of the bosses.

The union leaders nationally must take on their responsibility and call now for a general strike to defend jobs and stop factory closures. The judges decision has provided some time, but this time must not be wasted. The immense and widespread solidarity that exists among the wider working class towards the GKN workers must be used in a major showdown with the Melrose Fund.

We have now also heard of the latest developments in Britain, where Melrose is planning to close down the GKN Erdington plant in Birmingham, leaving over 500 workers without a job. The workers of GKN in Florence and in Birmingham are facing the same ruthless boss: Melrose. They share the same interests. What is needed is coordinated strike action to stop the bosses from destroying the lives of hundreds of workers in both Italy and Britain.
The National Assembly of Pakistan is the country's sovereign legislative body. It embodies the will of the people to let themselves be governed under the democratic, multi-party Federal Parliamentary System. The National Assembly makes laws for the Federation in respect of the powers enumerated in the Federal Legislative list. Through its debates, adjournment motion, question hour and Standing Committees, the National Assembly keeps as check over the Executive and ensures that the government functions within the parameters set out in the Constitution and does not violate the fundamental rights of citizens. Only the National Assembly, through its Public Accounts Committee, scrutinizes public spending and exercises control of expenditure incurred by the government. The Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a Federal State comprising four provinces of Balochistan, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the Punjab and Sindh; Islamabad is the Federal Capital with Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). These federating units offer a lot of diversity and variety in terms of languages, levels of social and economic development, population density and climatic conditions. The Members of the National Assembly are to be elected by direct and free vote in accordance with law. CONSTITUTIONAL ROLE Article 50 of the Constitution provides that the Parliament of Pakistan shall consist of President and the two Houses known as the National Assembly and the Senate. The National Assembly has an edge over the Senate by legislating exclusively on money matters. With exception to money Bills, however, both the Houses work together to carryout the basic work of the Parliament, i.e. law making. LEGISLATIVE PROCEDURE The Bill relating to the Federal Legislative List can be originated in either House. If the House passed the Bill through majority vote, it shall be transmitted to the other House. If the other House passes it witdout amendment, it shall be presented to the President for assent. If the Bill, transmitted to the other House, is not passed within ninety days or rejected, it shall be considered in a joint sitting to be summoned by the President on the request of the House in which the Bill was originated. If the Bill is passed in the joint sitting, with or without amendments, by the votes of majority of the members of the two Houses, it shall be presented to the President for assent. If the Bill is presented to the President for assent, he shall assent to the Bill in not later than ten days.If it is not a Money Bill, the President may return the Bill to the Majlis-e-Shoora with a message requesting that the Bill be reconsidered and that an amendment specified in the message be considered. The Majlis-e-Shoora shall reconsider the Bill in a joint sitting.If the Bill is passed again, with or without amendment, by vote of the majority of the members present and voting, it shall be presented to the President and the President shall give his assent within ten days; failing which such assent shall be deemed to have been given. Under the Constitution, the Parliament may also legislate for two or more Provinces by consent and request made by those Provinces. If the Federal Government proclaims State of Emergency in any province, the power to legislate about that province is vested in the Parliament.But the Bills passed by the Parliament during the State of Emergency, shall cease to be in force after the expiration of six months from the date Emergency is lifted. Nevertheless, the steps already taken under these Acts shall remain valid. In exercises of its constitutional role, the Parliament also has other very important duties to perform.The President, who is at the apex, is elected by members of both Houses of the Parliament and the Provincial Assemblies. The Prime Minister, who heads the Cabinet and is meant to aid and advise the President in his functions, belongs to the National Assembly. He enjoys the confidence of the majority of the members of the National Assembly. Members of the Cabinet are appointed by the President on the advice of the Prime Minister. In the formation of the Cabinet the major portion (75%), goes to National Assembly while the rest (25%) are taken from the Senate. There is a democratic procedure to remove the Prime Minister from his office if he loses confidence of the majority of the members of the National Assembly. In this respect a resolution for a vote of no-confidence is moved by not less then 20% of the total membership of the National Assembly. If the resolution is passed by majority of the total membership of the National Assembly, the Prime Minister immediately relinquished powers. Similarly, for the removal or impeachment of the President, not less than one-half of the total membership of either House may give in writing its intention to do so, to the Speaker National Assembly, or, as the case may be, to the Chairman Senate, for moving a resolution for the purpose. In a joint sitting of the two Houses, convened for the purpose, and after the deliberations, if the resolution is passed by the votes of not less than two thirds of the total membership of the Parliament, the President shall cease to hold office immediately on the passing of the resolution. In case emergency is proclaimed, the Parliament holds the authority to extend the term of the National Assembly. Under the Constitution, the Parliament may also, on the request of the Federal Government, by law, confer functions upon officers or authorities subordinate to the Federal Government.
State

NSCN (I-M) invited to Delhi to hold talks: Rio

Neiphiu Rio (File)

Correspondent KOHIMA, SEP 27 (NPN) | Publish Date: 9/27/2021 2:37:48 PM IST

After resuming talks in Nagaland between former special director of Intelligence Bureau AK Mishra and NSCN (I-M) leadership, chief minister Neiphiu Rio said the Centre has invited NSCN (I-M) to Delhi to continue the talks.

Interacting with media persons on the sidelines of an event organised by TaFMA here on Monday, Rio said there would be only one interlocutor for all the negotiating groups.

Rio said that Union home minister Amit Shah had also asked him and Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma to assist and make the Naga Political Groups (NPGs) come to an understanding for an early political solution so that peace and development could be accelerated.

Though there had been some differences between the Centre and NSCN (I-M) over some issues, Rio expressed happiness over resumption of talks after a gap of nearly two years. When asked whether Niki Sumi-led NSCN (K) would be holding talks with Government of India, Rio replied that though the group and AK Mishra could not meet this time, he said they were in touch.

On September 21, state chief minister Neiphiu Rio his Assam counterpart Himanta Biswa Sarma held closed-door meeting with the NSCN (I-M) leadership headed by ato kilonser and chief negotiator Th. Muivah at Police complex, Chumoukedima.

It may be recalled that the Sarma, who is also the convenor of the North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA), was assigned by Union Home minister Amit Shah in 2020 with the task of studying the political situation in Nagaland and also hold discussions with the legislators and civil society groups.

Tasked to get everyone on board before a final agreement was inked over the protracted Naga issue, Sarma, in 2020, had said that the Centre had taken all the North Eastern states into confidence on the Naga peace issue and it was unlikely that there would be any contention among them.

Not in a hurry for cabinet reshuffle: Meanwhile, on the likelihood of a cabinet reshuffle following the formation of United Democratic Alliance (UDA), chief minister Neiphiu Rio clarified that the alliance constituents were not in a hurry though discussions were on.

Since all have come together for Naga political issue, he said their objective was to get things in order after which they would focus on UDA.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-09-26 19:35:53|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

Mourners and relatives carry the body of Palestinian Osama Soboh during his funeral in Burqin village west of the West Bank city of Jenin, on Sept. 26, 2021. Palestine on Sunday condemned Israeli soldiers for killing five Palestinians in two separate incidents in northern West Bank and northwest of Jerusalem. (Photo by Nidal Eshtayeh/Xinhua)

RAMALLAH, Sept. 26 (Xinhua) -- Palestine on Sunday condemned Israeli soldiers for killing five Palestinians in two separate incidents in northern West Bank and northwest of Jerusalem.

"Palestine condemns the two awful crimes committed on Sunday morning by the Israeli occupation forces in Jenin in northern West Bank and northwest of Jerusalem," the Palestinian Authority said in a press statement.

"These crimes are a continuation of the series of the Israeli violations and field executions that had never stopped against our people," the statement said, adding that the policy would lead to "more tension and instability."

It said Israel was "directly and fully responsible" for the escalation and its consequences," calling on the international community to "hold Israel accountable" for the crimes.

On Sunday morning, the Palestinian Ministry of Health said in a statement that two Palestinians were killed and nine injured by Israeli soldiers when they stormed the village of Burqin west of Jenin.

Governor of Jenin Akram Rajoub said an Israeli army force stormed Burqin, killed one Palestinian and seized the body of another.

Meanwhile, the Palestinian liaison office with the Israeli side said Israeli soldiers killed three other Palestinians in the village of Beit Anan, northwest of Jerusalem.

Palestinian eyewitnesses in the village said that a special Israeli security force stormed the village, clashed with Palestinian gunmen and killed three, among which one was a militant member of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas).

An Israeli army spokesman said in a press statement that they killed four Hamas members in a crossfire during a unique security campaign aimed at arresting Hamas militants in several West Bank areas. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-09-26 19:57:32|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

The 39th fleet of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy sets out to conduct an escort mission in the Gulf of Aden and the waters off Somalia, at a port in Qingdao, east China's Shandong Province, Sept. 26, 2021. The fleet is composed of the guided-missile destroyer Urumqi, the missile frigate Yantai, and the supply ship Taihu, with dozens of special-operations soldiers and two helicopters on board. The PLA Navy began conducting escort missions in the Gulf of Aden and the waters off Somalia in December 2008. (Photo by Liu Zaiyao/Xinhua)

JINAN, Sept. 26 (Xinhua) -- The 39th fleet of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy set out from the city of Qingdao, in east China's Shandong Province, on Sunday to conduct an escort mission in the Gulf of Aden and the waters off Somalia.

The fleet is composed of the guided-missile destroyer Urumqi, the missile frigate Yantai, and the supply ship Taihu, with dozens of special-operations soldiers and two helicopters on board.

In preparation for the mission, the fleet conducted training on the use of weapons, counter-terrorism and anti-piracy, as well as replenishment at sea.

The PLA Navy began conducting escort missions in the Gulf of Aden and the waters off Somalia in December 2008. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-09-26 23:50:22|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

Malaysian Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob (on the screens) addresses the general debate of the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) via video at the UN headquarters in New York, Sept. 25, 2021. (Cia Pak/UN Photo/Handout via Xinhua)

"The fight against climate change will be a stark litmus test of our ability to manage the global commons through multilateral action. No country acting alone can move the needle," Singapore Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan said.



UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 26 (Xinhua) -- World leaders on Saturday in their deliberations at the General Debate of the UN General Assembly, called for efforts to uphold multilateralism to tackle global challenges.

In a pre-recorded speech, Malaysian Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob stressed the importance of peaceful coexistence and multilateralism.

"Multilateralism and peaceful coexistence are mutually reinforcing. We need to realize that as we progress further, we should be far more integrated and stronger as a family of nations," said the prime minister, adding that respect and mutual understanding must be the backbone and essence in the interactions and discourse.

"The (COVID-19) pandemic has shown that we need to improve our resolve to strengthen international cooperation and multilateralism, and consider ourselves as a family of nations," he said. "At the same time, the world family must be made a more peaceful, prosperous, sustainable and equitable one. We must close ranks and enhance our unity and cohesion. We must live in peaceful coexistence. Only then will we have a chance to succeed."

Singapore Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan, who delivered a speech in person, said the most important lesson from the COVID-19 pandemic is that multilateral cooperation is essential to overcome global challenges.

Singapore's Minister for Foreign Affairs Vivian Balakrishnan addresses the general debate of the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) at the UN headquarters in New York, Sept. 25, 2021. (Cia Pak/UN Photo/Handout via Xinhua)

"Only coordinated international action can lead us to a sustainable, inclusive, and resilient recovery. This is why the role of the United Nations is so crucial, especially for small and developing countries," he said.

Balakrishnan said the world also needs a sustained and ambitious global response to address climate change.

"The fight against climate change will be a stark litmus test of our ability to manage the global commons through multilateral action. No country acting alone can move the needle," he said.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who also delivered his speech in person, warned against attempts to undermine the central role of the United Nations in world politics.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov addresses the general debate of the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) at the UN headquarters in New York, Sept. 25, 2021. (Cia Pak/UN Photo/Handout via Xinhua)

"Essentially, we have no other option, as the broad cooperation (mechanism) of the United Nations is particularly relevant now, when the number of problems on the international agenda is increasing, the range of cross-border threats is expanding, numerous regional hot spots of tension have a substantial potential to destabilize," said Lavrov.

For Russia, it is obvious that one can only effectively counter threats and challenges through concerted efforts in strict compliance with the universally recognized norms of international law -- first and foremost, the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, he said.

"This global organization should play a central coordinating role in world politics, fully unleashing its potential of universal multiculturalism and legitimacy," said Lavrov.

Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen also warned against foreign interference.

"History has told us time and again that interference, and worse, military options, to impose different systems of governance are not the solutions. Far from it, they have only led to many more deaths, human suffering and misery, social and economic strife," he said in a pre-recorded speech.

If the recent events in Afghanistan and many more before it are lessons to be learned, there is great merit to respect the wishes of each nation and their people's rights to self-determination, he said. That is why there is now a compelling reason to strengthen multilateralism and rules-based international cooperation.

Climate change is another impending challenge that requires urgent and concrete global actions at all levels, he added.

Lao Prime Minister Phankham Viphavanh said the key lesson from COVID-19 is to uphold genuine cooperation in the local and international community.

"Lessons from the pandemic have taught us that where there is unity, mutual cooperation and support, there the success of containing COVID-19 prevails," he said. "I have firm confidence that the upholding of multilateralism, conflict resolution through peaceful means and development cooperation under the UN Charter, remain true and relevant mechanism for us to address and battle against the global crises we are facing."

Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said the crises and challenges that the world faces today also provide an opportunity to learn from past lessons, to reorient our approach and to better prepare for the future.

"With this in mind, I would like to encourage everyone to turn crisis into opportunity. This demands a reaffirmation of faith in multilateralism since no national capabilities, however large, can on their own be adequate to effect meaningful change or transition."

He expressed his confidence that multilateral cooperation in response to the COVID-19 pandemic will lead to great advances in the field of medical science. Equally, the strength of the international community in tackling global warming will serve as a catalyst for breakthroughs in advanced technology and innovation, he said.

"Resilient adaptation and swift response to challenges will be an asset for us to address the problems of today, to be better prepared for challenges of tomorrow, to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, and ultimately to build back a better world," said the prime minister. 
Source: Xinhua| 2021-09-27 00:08:55|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

Zimbabwean Vice President Constantino Chiwenga (front), who is also the country's minister of Health and Child Care, speaks during a handover ceremony of China-donated vaccines at Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport in Harare, Zimbabwe, on Sept. 26, 2021. Zimbabwe on Sunday received the fourth batch of Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine doses from China. (Photo by Chen Yaqin/Xinhua)

HARARE, Sept. 26 (Xinhua) -- Zimbabwe on Sunday received the fourth batch of Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine doses from China.

Chinese Ambassador to Zimbabwe Guo Shaochun handed over the consignment to Zimbabwean Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, who is also the country's minister of Health and Child Care, at Harare's Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport.

Speaking after the vaccine handover, Chiwenga expressed gratitude to China for supporting Zimbabwe's fight against COVID-19.

"Since the devastating pandemic was first reported in this country on March 20, 2020, the People's Republic of China has been generously providing both technical and material assistance," he said. "The government of Zimbabwe is grateful for the kind gesture by the leadership and the government of the People's Republic of China to complement our efforts towards attaining herd immunity."

Chiwenga said the donations were a testament to the cordial relations between the two countries, adding that China continues to support Zimbabwe in a world characterized by disparities in accessing vaccines, premised by countries focusing on their own populations.

Speaking on the same occasion, Guo reassured China's commitment in making vaccines a global public good.

"China is serious about building a community with a shared future for mankind. China is committed to the common values of humanity, including peace, development, fairness, justice, democracy and freedom," he said.

Zimbabwe has so far received four batches of vaccine doses from China since the start of the vaccination program in February.

Slightly over 3 million Zimbabweans have received one dose of the vaccine, while more than 2.1 million people -- about 15 percent of the country's population of 14 million -- are now fully vaccinated.

This makes Zimbabwe one of the highly vaccinated countries in Africa.

The arrival of the latest batch comes as authorities are aggressively pushing for the public to get vaccinated following a drop in daily vaccinations.

Earlier this month, the government announced that unvaccinated civil servants have up to Oct. 15 to be vaccinated after which they will not be allowed to report for duty.

The country has already made it mandatory for people to get vaccinated to go to markets, gyms, restaurants and university exams, with some private companies also making it mandatory for their employees to be vaccinated.

To date, Zimbabwe had registered 129,505 confirmed cases of COVID-19, including 121,128 recoveries and 4,603 deaths. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-09-27 00:43:48|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

People watch an aerobatic performance during the Malta International Airshow in Qawra, Malta, on Sept. 26, 2021. Aviation enthusiasts were in for a treat over the weekend as the Malta International Airshow got underway with some 50 aircraft from around the globe, some of which graced the skies with shows of aerobatics. (Photo by Jonathan Borg/Xinhua)

VALLETTA, Sept. 26 (Xinhua) -- Aviation enthusiasts were in for a treat over the weekend as the Malta International Airshow got underway with some 50 aircraft from around the globe, some of which graced the skies with shows of aerobatics.

The much-anticipated airshow was spread between Saturday and Sunday after an absence of three years, first due to funding trouble and then due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

It closed off on Sunday with a show by the world-famous Red Arrows of the Royal Air Force of Britain. It was the 9th time that the British aerobatic team visited Malta, with the last time being in 2014.

Crowds were also treated to static and flying displays by flying crews from the Maltese and foreign air forces.

The Malta Aviation Society organised the airshow for the first time in 1993.

Aviation enthusiast Bertu Grima told Xinhua that he had been looking forward to the airshow every year but had to do without it for three years.

He said his passion for aviation has now passed on to his two sons who were equally thrilled to be standing near the jets during the static display.

Another aviation enthusiast, Vicky Vella, said there is no other show that excites her so much as the airshow. "These planes are simply amazing," she said, "I'd love to fly one, one day, but I'd have to become a pilot first," she said. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-09-27 10:05:28|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

BEIJING, Sept. 27 (Xinhua) -- China's State Council Information Office will release a white paper titled "China's Epic Journey from Poverty to Prosperity" at 10 a.m. Tuesday, and a press conference will be held by the office. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-09-27 11:31:11|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

BEIJING, Sept. 27 (Xinhua) -- The origins tracing of COVID-19 should be conducted worldwide for future pandemic prevention, an article published by The Lancet has said.

In the article jointly penned by a group of Chinese scientists, the authors noted that there are "no data to support the notion that any laboratory had handled SARS-CoV-2 or its proximal ancestor before the COVID-19 pandemic."

Referring to various studies conducted so far across the world, the article said it is "entirely possible that SARS-CoV-2-related viruses could cross the species barrier between humans and animals repeatedly in many parts of the world."

"In fact, it is almost certain that such animal-to-human transmissions are happening repeatedly," the article said.

Noting that based on research findings to date, SARS-CoV-2 could have a complex origin, the article said the investigation of its origins is "a hard task."

"Any hypothesis that lacks scientific evidence may lead to separation within the scientific community and among different population groups," said the article, adding that such speculation is not conducive to the unity and cooperation needed in the global fight against COVID-19 and other pathogens and is contrary to the spirit of science and humanitarianism. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-09-27 16:48:37|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

Staff members count votes for Germany's federal elections in Cologne, Germany, Sept. 26, 2021. (Photo by Tang Ying/Xinhua)

Olaf Scholz, SPD's chancellor candidate who is also incumbent vice-chancellor and finance minister, received long-time applause from his party members in SPD's headquarters in Berlin after the preliminary exit poll had projected the leading position of his party.

BERLIN, Sept. 27 (Xinhua) -- Germany's center-left Social Democratic Party (SPD) won Sunday's general election with 25.7 percent of the votes, beating the conservative union CDU/CSU, according to the provisional election results released by the Federal Returning Officer early Monday morning.

The SPD's share of the votes surged by 5.2 percentage points from four years ago, while its main rival the conservative union of Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and its sister party Christian Social Union (CSU) suffered heavy losses.

The provisional results showed the CDU/CSU union took only 24.1 percent of the vote in this year's parliamentary election, 8.9 percentage points lower as compared with that of last election. It marks the end of the dominant role of the conservatives ever led by incumbent Chancellor Angela Merkel for over a decade in the country's Bundestag, or the lower house of Parliament.

Chancellor candidate of Germany's Social Democratic Party (SPD) Olaf Scholz (2nd L) attends a rally at the SPD headquarters in Berlin, Germany, on Sept. 26, 2021. (Photo by Stefan Zeitz/Xinhua)

Olaf Scholz, SPD's chancellor candidate who is also incumbent vice-chancellor and finance minister, received long-time applause from his party members in SPD's headquarters in Berlin after the preliminary exit poll had projected the leading position of his party.

"I'm happy to see so many here and of course I'm happy about the election result ... Many citizens want that the next Chancellor is Olaf Scholz," he said.

Four years ago, it had taken over 170 days after the election until the new federal government was sworn in. Once again, tough negotiations for a coalition agreement are likely to happen since the provisional election results indicated a more fragmented parliament, in which parties have to scramble for alliances to cross the threshold of 50 percent of all seats.

Meanwhile, with Annalena Baerbock as chancellor candidate, the Green Party received 14.8 percent of votes in the election, making it the third-largest political faction in parliament, followed by the business-friendly Free Democratic Party (FDP) and the right-wing and Eurosceptic party Alternative for Germany with 11.5 percent and 10.3 percent respectively, according to the Federal Returning Officer.

Scoring 4.9 percent of the votes, the far-left Die Linke (Left Party) failed to pass the five-percent threshold to enter the parliament.

Various three-party coalitions, the "traffic-light" coalition between SPD, Greens and FDP, and the "Jamaica" alliance -- CDU/CSU, Greens and FDP, among others, are conceivable, as many observers predicted.

Photo taken on Sept. 26, 2021 shows Armin Laschet (C, front), leader of German Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and chancellor candidate of CDU/Christian Social Union (CSU), during the live streaming of a rally held at the headquarters of Christian Democratic Union (CDU) in Berlin, Germany. (Xinhua/Lu Yang)

Armin Laschet, the CDU/CSU chancellor candidate and also minister-president of the North Rhine-Westphalia state, told a televised debate late Sunday that he wanted to get it done by Christmas, and Scholz echoed his main rival by saying that he wanted the negotiations on forming a new government to be speedy.

"My wish is to get over it quicker. It would be absurd to name a date. But it would be good if it were over by Christmas," Scholz said.

Around 60.4 million people are eligible to vote in Germany this year, and the country is divided into 299 electoral districts.

According to official statistics, voters' turnout of Sunday's general election stood at 76.6 percent, slightly higher than that of four years ago. 
Source: Xinhua| 2021-09-27 19:44:34|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

by Xinhua writer Ding Lei

NAIROBI, Sept. 27 (Xinhua) -- Africa has been accelerating digital transformation since the outbreak of COVID-19 and the continent is now a hotspot for rapid growth of mobile payment, electronic commerce, remote work and online education.

The booming internet market is offering more opportunities for cooperation between Africa and China that are both at the forefront of the world's digital evolution.

DRIVING RECOVERY

The COVID-19 pandemic is hitting Africa hard. African countries have imposed sometimes severe restrictions on populations to contain the spread of the coronavirus, including lockdowns and curfews. As a result, digital payments and e-commerce have become a new norm for households, playing a crucial role in scaling up economic recovery on the continent.

"People basically have gone cashless right now, and it's convenient to use mobile money as everyone has one now. It's a win for both clients and us," said Mirriam Maluli, a menswear store owner in the city center of Nairobi, Kenya.

South Africa's leading online payment gateway PayFast reported its transactions via QR code payments surged 412 percent between March 2020 and February 2021, as digital payments are convenient and safe for people whether shopping in person or online.

The pandemic has also pushed a surge in internet demand and network connectivity. Kenya's telecommunications service provider Safaricom PLC registered a 39.8 percent year-on-year growth in active 4G devices and a 43.7 percent rise in homes connected for fiber-to-the-home service between April 2020 and March 2021.

A recent survey by Dalberg Group, a global consulting firm, found that digital devices and services have improved the daily lives of 84 percent of Kenyans, while nearly one third said using digital services has boosted their incomes.

According to a report released in April by Visa Consulting and Analytics, Visa Inc.'s payments consulting arm, sub-Saharan Africa registered a 42 percent year-on-year growth in e-commerce sales from 2019 to 2020.

STRONGER COOPERATION

The pandemic has provided a growth opportunity for cooperation between Africa and China on digital transformation.

Cainiao Smart Logistics Network, the logistics arm of Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group, launched an air cargo route between China and Nigeria in June, marking its first China-Africa air freight service.

"As one of Cainiao's key emerging markets, Africa has witnessed a booming demand from local consumers purchasing items such as apparel, home appliances and electronic accessories from China," said Cainiao in a press release.

Founded by Chinese entrepreneur Yang Tao, Kilimall is one of the major e-commerce platforms operating in east Africa. Lu Xiaoyong, marketing manager at Kilimall, told Xinhua that Kilimall sales have more than doubled since the pandemic.

According to Lu, consumers in Africa have moved from offline to online due to the pandemic-related lockdown measures, providing an opportunity for e-commerce expansion in Africa.

With more African households embracing online shopping, the e-commerce market will continue to boom following rising smartphone penetration rate, increasingly mature mobile payment systems and falling mobile data costs, said Lu.

In an interview with Xinhua, Sitoyo Lopokoiyit, CEO of M-Pesa Africa, Africa's leading fintech platform operator, said there are good opportunities for Africa to partner with China and make the digital technology reach more people on the African continent.

OPay, a Chinese-backed Nigerian fintech startup, is expanding rapidly and bringing accessible banking service to more vulnerable people during the pandemic.

Qiu Zhien, CEO of Opay Nigeria, told Xinhua that Opay now has 7 million registered app users across the country, with monthly gross transactions exceeding 3 billion U.S. dollars.

PROMISING OUTLOOK

Despite the pandemic, Africa has shown strong growth potential. According to the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, the African continent was projected to grow at a rate of 3.9 percent in 2020 and 4.1 percent in 2021, making the region one of the most attractive markets in the world.

"Our data indicates that the appetite for businesses to move online hasn't slowed down. Digital payments are increasingly becoming the standard for retail in our current climate," said Jonathan Smit, managing director and founder of PayFast, in a statement.

A report jointly produced by Google and the International Finance Corporation estimated that Africa's internet economy would reach 180 billion U.S. dollars by 2025, accounting for 5.2 percent of the continent's gross domestic product (GDP). By 2050, the potential could grow further to 712 billion dollars, or 8.5 percent of GDP.

According to the e-Conomy Africa 2020 report, propelling the growth is a combination of increased access to faster and better quality internet connectivity, a rapidly expanding urban population, a growing tech talent pool, a vibrant startup ecosystem, and Africa's commitment to creating the world's largest single market under the African Continental Free Trade Area.

Huang Meibo, director of International Development Cooperation Academy at Shanghai University of International Business and Economics, told Xinhua that Africa is one of the regions in the world where its population is younger and growing faster, with 60 percent of the population under the age of 25.

In the long term, Huang said, Africa is poised to become one of the most promising digital economy markets in the world. (Xinhua reporters Guo Jun in Abuja, Jing Jing in Johannesburg, Wang Ping in Addis Ababa, and Lyu Tianran in Cape Town also contributed to the story.) Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-09-27 22:14:50|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

BEIJING, Sept. 27 (Xinhua) -- Now it takes only 14 hours for Kenyan fresh flowers to reach the Chinese city of Changsha, and young Africans can get various Chinese products with just a few clicks on keyboards at home.

At the opening ceremony of the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) held in September 2018, Chinese President Xi Jinping proposed that China would launch eight major initiatives in close collaboration with African countries, including a decision to open a China-Africa economic and trade expo in China.

To fully implement this decision, the first China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo (CAETE) was held in 2019 in Changsha, the capital city of central China's Hunan Province, which turned out to be a great success. And the second CAETE, which opened Sunday in the same Chinese city and has attracted nearly 900 enterprises from 40 African countries and China, will not only show the world how Xi's proposal has facilitated bilateral trade, but also unleash new potential for cooperation between the two sides.

BETTER LIFE FOR CHINESE, AFRICANS

For Dieudonne Twahirwa, managing director of Goshora Farm PLC, Rwandan supplier of agro-product of both local and international markets, this year is "a lucky year" as his company has gained access to China, "a good and stable market."

Twahirwa said his company used to sell dried chili peppers to India and Europe, but those markets have been "unstable."

"Now I can say with confidence that China is a reliable market," he said, adding that cooperation with China will increase farmers' sales and improve their welfare.

On Aug. 4, customs authorities in Changsha said that China has imported its first dried chili peppers from Africa. Products from Twahirwa's company were among them.

"We have decided to increase imports, particularly non-resource products, from Africa," Xi said at the opening ceremony of the Beijing Summit of the FOCAC in 2018.

A year later, during the first CAETE, companies from Hunan Province and Rwanda signed a contract for the purchase of dried chili peppers. Since then, Rwanda has become the first African country to enter the Chinese market with its local dried chili peppers.

Coffee is another non-resource African product that is popular with Chinese consumers. For example, located in the China-Africa Economic and Trade Incubation Zone in Changsha's Gaoqiao Grand Market, the African Coffee Street has gathered more than 20 leading Chinese enterprises in this field.

In the eyes of Jing Jianhua, owner of Own Master, a cafe which will open soon with coffee beans all from Africa, Chinese consumers will be able to enjoy pure African coffee at a more affordable price.

African products are becoming an indispensable part of the Chinese life, Jing said.

According to an official report released Saturday, China had remained Africa's largest trading partner for 12 consecutive years by the end of 2020, despite the headwinds of the COVID-19 pandemic.

NEW PLATFORM OF CROSS-BORDER E-COMMERCE

In less than 30 minutes, butter from Mali, white peppercorns from Cameroon, peanuts from Senegal and other African products have all been emptied out by Chinese consumers in a live stream run in Changsha.

Meanwhile, Chinese products are also sought after by African merchants in live streams. "In addition to star products such as wigs or clothing exported to Africa, luggage and small-scale agricultural machinery also have good markets and complete industrial chains on the African continent," said Wu Di, director of the Foreign Trade Service Center at Gaoqiao Grand Market.

During the FOCAC in 2018, Xi proposed that China "will set up relevant mechanisms to promote e-commerce cooperation with Africa." Over the years, via an active implementation of Xi's proposal, which has been an important part of the eight major initiatives, more and more opportunities have emerged in cross-border e-commerce between China and Africa.

For instance, Chinese and African companies have worked together to encourage the export of African specialties to China through cross-border e-commerce platforms during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Impacted by the pandemic, African consumers are more likely to switch their purchase from physical stores to the internet, giving a strong impetus to the development of e-commerce, said Lu Xiaoyong, marketing manager of Kilimall, a main East African e-commerce platform founded in Kenya in 2014.

COOPERATION CHANNEL THROUGH INTERCONNECTIVITY

In a congratulatory letter sent to the first CAETE, Xi said it is hoped that the two sides will strengthen coordination to better implement the eight major initiatives put forward at the Beijing summit of the FOCAC, actively explore new paths for cooperation, open up new points of growth for collaboration, and promote China-Africa economic and trade cooperation to a new level.

In light of Xi's remarks in the letter, Hunan has sought to explore new mechanisms for economic and trade cooperation with Africa. A new pilot free trade zone (FTZ) in the province was launched in September 2020, with a focus on building a world-class advanced manufacturing cluster, an international investment and trade corridor linking the Yangtze River Economic Belt and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, and a leading area for in-depth economic and trade cooperation between China and Africa.

Recently, the first five containers of red grapefruit from South Africa arrived at Yangshan Port in Shanghai, becoming the first trial order of barter trade in the pilot FTZ in Hunan.

Besides, the expansion of routes for passenger transportation and freight shipping has vigorously facilitated economic and trade exchanges between China and Africa.

On Sept. 15, central China's industrial hub of Zhuzhou launched a combined sea-rail transport service to Africa. The first consignment of goods is expected to arrive at Mombasa Port in Kenya on Oct. 15.

Compared to traditional river-sea shipping, the sea-rail transport service can shorten the logistics time to East Africa by 10 days and that to West Africa by nine days, saving 3 percent of the transport cost.

The sea-rail transport service is expected to cover 11 African seaports and 20 roads and railways in inland Africa in the first phase, said Guo Ning, a customs official in Hunan. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-09-28 00:51:22|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

Photo taken on Oct. 3, 2020 shows the night view of Victoria Harbor in south China's Hong Kong. (Xinhua/Wu Xiaochu)

-- Hong Kong's institutional strengths under "one country, two systems" and other inherent strengths remain intact after it returned from chaos to stability thanks to the implementation of the national security law in Hong Kong.

-- Hong Kong's economic freedom and competitiveness continued to be well recognized by international institutions, remaining in leading positions in various rankings.

-- Looking ahead, Hong Kong's financial industry will be able to explore more opportunities amid the development of the whole country.

HONG KONG, Sept. 27 (Xinhua) -- A report released by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government on Monday pointed out that Hong Kong has retained its sound business environment and unique advantages under "one country, two systems," and the financial hub is still attractive to businesses and investors around the world.

The "Report on Hong Kong's Business Environment: A Place with Unique Advantages and Unlimited Opportunities" was released at a press conference by Paul Chan, financial secretary of the HKSAR government.





STABILITY RESTORED

The report, the first of its kind released by the HKSAR government, comes as the global financial hub has returned to stability from chaos over the past year and is gathering momentum for a more prosperous future.

While the social unrest in 2019 dealt a severe blow to the society and economy of Hong Kong and upset Hong Kong's business environment, peace and stability were restored after the implementation of the national security law in Hong Kong and the improvements to Hong Kong's electoral system, the report said.

Thanks to these measures, Hong Kong's institutional strengths under "one country, two systems" and other inherent strengths remain intact, and the implementation of the national security law in Hong Kong has reinforced the sound and robust rule of law and judicial independence, it said.

The "one country, two systems" principle has been the cornerstone of Hong Kong's economic development since Hong Kong returned to the motherland in 1997, the report noted.

According to the report, the Hong Kong economy has always been positioning itself to leverage the support from the motherland while engaging with the world. In supporting the mainland's reform, opening-up and continued development by providing high value-added services, Hong Kong has gradually developed into an international financial, trade and transportation center.

The report listed a series of indicators highlighting Hong Kong's financial strengths and resilience.

In the 12-month period following the implementation of the national security law in Hong Kong, funds raised through initial public offerings increased by more than 50 percent year-on-year, and the average daily turnover of the Hong Kong stock market was up by nearly 70 percent from the level before the implementation of the law. The assets under management of the asset and wealth management business in Hong Kong grew by 21 percent, and the amount of bond issuance arranged by Hong Kong ranked first in Asia.

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 Central area in Hong Kong, south China. (Xinhua/Wang Shen)





GLOBALLY RECOGNIZED

Hong Kong's economic freedom and competitiveness continued to be well recognized by international institutions, according to the report.

The International Monetary Fund affirmed Hong Kong's position as a major international financial center.

The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development said that Hong Kong will remain an important financial hub in Asia and a gateway to investment in the Chinese mainland, thanks to a favorable tax regime, simple listing process, absence of capital controls and a good regulatory framework.

Canada's Fraser Institute ranked Hong Kong as the world's freest economy in the Economic Freedom of the World 2021 Annual Report. The Global Competitiveness Report published by the World Economic Forum in 2019 ranked Hong Kong third globally, while the World Competitiveness Yearbook 2021 published by the International Institute for Management Development ranked Hong Kong seventh globally, the report noted.

The report said that foreign businesses remain generally confident about Hong Kong's business environment as chambers of commerce from the United States, Britain, Australia and Malaysia all agree that Hong Kong remains an ideal place for international business.

People do exercise in Tsim Sha Tsui in Hong Kong, south China, Dec. 21, 2020. (Xinhua/Lo Ping Fai)





BRIGHT FUTURE

Looking ahead, the report believes Hong Kong's financial industry will be able to explore more opportunities amid the development of the whole country.

The report stressed that the 14th Five-Year Plan for national socio-economic development promotes high-quality development and aims to accelerate the establishment of a new development pattern featuring dual circulation, which takes the domestic market as the mainstay while enabling the domestic and international markets to interact positively with each other.

"Now the local epidemic situation has stabilized, and the national 14th Five-Year Plan is bringing countless new opportunities to Hong Kong," Chan said at the press conference.

"We will continue to serve as the gateway connecting our country and the rest of the world and perform the functions of a 'super-connector,' a high value-added services platform, an international talent and capital pool and more, and also be an internationally preferred place of doing business," he said. 
Source: Xinhua| 2021-09-27 21:38:38|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

NAIROBI, Sept. 27 (Xinhua) -- At least 15 al-Shabab militants were killed after their vehicle ran over an improvised explosive device (IED) the group had planted earlier in an area between Kiunga and Ishakani near Kenya-Somalia border on Sunday.

Kenya Defence Force (KDF) spokesperson Esther Wanjiku confirmed the early Sunday incident, saying there were no casualties on the KDF side. Wanjiku revealed that the IED had been planted in the road by a different team of the al-Shabab group before the latter team unknowingly ran over it.

The attack targeted security vehicles operating in the areas under the Linda Boni security operation. Wanjiku said the massive patrols had been launched in the general area of the incident to flush out any militants who could still be hiding there.

The militant group is believed to have fighters operating in the area's Boni forest that has a poor communication network and terrains slowing down police operations.

Boni Forest is an operation zone as the national government has since 2015 conducted a multi-agency security exercise dubbed Linda Boni, which is aimed at flushing out al-Shabab militants believed to be hiding there. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-09-27 22:19:10|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

CAIRO, Sept. 27 (Xinhua) -- The Egypt-China Friendship Association hailed the longstanding ties of cooperation and friendship between the two countries at a seminar held here on Sunday.

The event, attended by a number of Egyptian and Chinese diplomats, business people, experts, writers and others, was held to celebrate the 72nd anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China.

Ahmed Waly, head of the association, said that a few decades after the founding of the PRC, the country has become a pioneer in economy, science and technology and is the first to succeed in eliminating absolute poverty.

"The various channels of cooperation between the two countries include high-level mutual visits, international and regional organizations, the mechanisms of the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum and the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, and the Belt and Road Initiative in which Egypt takes part," Waly said in his opening remarks at the seminar.

For his part, Chinese Ambassador to Egypt Liao Liqiang joined the symposium via video link.

He noted that this year marks the centenary of the founding of the Communist Party of China and the 65th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Egypt.

"Over the past 65 years, the Chinese-Egyptian relations stood steadfast in front of the tests of various changes thanks to the strategic guidance of the leaders of both countries," said the Chinese ambassador.

"China and Egypt have been sharing good and hard times and exchanging support, especially after the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic, as China and Egypt enhanced cooperation to fight the pandemic together," Liao said.

The volume of trade between China and Egypt reached 14.53 billion U.S. dollars in 2020, marking an increase of 10.1 percent compared to the previous year, he added.

Among the attendees were Egyptian parliamentarian Tarek el-Khouly, and Diaa Helmy, secretary-general of Cairo-based Egyptian-Chinese Chamber of Commerce. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-09-27 12:56:50|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

by Guo Shuang and Martina Fuchs

LONDON/GENEVA, Sept. 27 (Xinhua) -- China's idea of an ecological civilization could promote global biodiversity and climate change talks in the future, Nigel Topping, the United Kingdom's High Level Climate Action Champion for UN climate talks, has said.

Topping made the remarks during an exclusive interview with Xinhua after attending the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).

At the general debate of the UNGA, Chinese President Xi Jinping said the country will step up support for other developing countries in developing green and low-carbon energy, and will not build new coal-fired power projects abroad.

China's pledge regarding coal-fired power projects is indeed a big news item from the UN meeting, said Topping.

"One of the ideas which come from China, which is the most exciting, is this idea of ecological civilization which, for me in two words, sums up what we're trying to build together," Topping said.

"Ever since I heard the term 'ecological civilization', I was like 'yes', that's what we're all trying to build, that's what we have to build," he stressed. "Because if we don't build an ecological civilization, actually we continue to undermine the ecological foundations of our civilization."

The British government appointed Topping in January 2020 as host of the COP26 climate talks in Glasgow. His tasks include driving actions from businesses, investors, organizations, cities, and regions on climate change and coordinating this work with governments and parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

"I think we have a very strong sense of the need to recognize that the economy is embedded in the ecology. It's not the other way around," he said, noting that the economy must be in service of ecology and society, not vice versa, and that is the "right relationship."

Topping, with nearly two decades of experience working in the private sector, said "there's a lot of great work being done in greening the financial system in China."

"The countries in the world which have the resources to invest overseas have a real responsibility to come together and make sure that that's really driving towards ecological civilization," he added. "Building on that, no coal finance, how do we really accelerate green finance everywhere in the world. There are a few areas I think for really strong collaboration."

The 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (COP15) will be convened in two parts this year and next year in Kunming, Yunnan Province, while the UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) will take place in Glasgow, Scotland, later this year.

The two important events were like "brother and sister," Topping said. "My expectation is that these two COPs prove to be a turning point towards a decade of action."

"We don't need to debate the problem anymore. We actually don't need to debate the goal. The goal is an ecological civilization, a regenerative civilization. Heal ecosystems, restore our lakes and rivers, restore the climate," he said. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-09-27 21:32:13|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

NICOSIA, Sept. 27 (Xinhua) -- Cyprus will terminate, at the end of October, its economic support program to businesses and employees, which was introduced after the onset of the coronavirus pandemic in early 2020, Labor and Social Insurance Minister Zeta Emilianidou said on Monday.

Emilianidou, who is in charge of applying the program, said that the current conditions do not warrant its continuation.

"The economy is back on the path of growth, unemployment has dropped sharply, consumption is vibrant, and tourism is doing better than expected," Emilianidou told the state-run Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation (CyBC) radio.

She said that the unemployment rate currently stood at 5.2 percent, which is better than the best unemployment figure recorded in 2010, before the onset of the economic crisis that forced Cyprus into a 10-billion-euro (11.7 billion U.S. dollars) bailout in 2013.

Finance Minister Constantinos Petrides has said that gross domestic product (GDP) growth is expected to exceed 5.5 percent in 2021 and reach four percent in 2022.

He said that the focus of the 2022 state budget, which will be presented soon to Parliament, will be shifted from support to growth. Development expenditure will be increased by 10 percent to 12 percent, he added.

Economic growth this year and next will help recoup the losses caused by the coronavirus pandemic, which forced authorities to impose extended lockdowns on the operation of businesses.

Finance Ministry projections show that Cyprus' GDP will reach its pre-pandemic (2019) level of 21.1 billion euros.

"After 18 months of support to the tune of more than one billion euros, neither the businesses nor their employees need state support anymore," Emilianidou told the state broadcaster.

Spokesmen for the hoteliers' association and the tourism sector, which benefited most from the support program, said that tourism has been brisk since the summer months of July and August.

They said that the country's hotels, which are currently hiring employees for next year, are faced with a severe shortage of low-level support staff. (1 euro=1.17 U.S. dollars) Enditem
| 2021-09-27 23:21:21|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

-- Germany's center-left Social Democratic Party (SDP) has won the country's federal election.

-- Merkel has brought economic prosperity to Germany by shaking off the tag of "sick man of Europe" and helping the country achieve a national budget balance and almost full employment before the pandemic.

-- Expert thinks that the new government should transform the economy to a climate-neutral one, reduce rising debt, and deal with demographic change.





by Xinhua writers Shen Zhonghao, Ren Ke, Zhang Yuan, Zhu Sheng

BERLIN, Sept. 27 (Xinhua) -- Germany's center-left Social Democratic Party (SDP) has won the country's federal election, beating the party of outgoing Chancellor Angela Merkel, according to provisional results released early Monday morning.

This came after Merkel, who has been the German chancellor for nearly 16 years, announced in 2018 that she would not seek a fifth term, and followed nail-biting campaigns by major parties this year.

Though Merkel's era is coming to an end, the Iron Lady's legacy is widely expected to remain consequential, as her political wisdom of championing pragmatism and multilateralism continues to be valuable and insightful in guiding Germany's future relations with Europe and the rest of the world.

A voter casts a ballot at a polling station in Cologne, Germany, Sept. 26, 2021. (Photo by Tang Ying/Xinhua)

TIGHT RACE

The SDP won Sunday's elections with 25.7 percent of the vote, while the conservative union of Merkel's Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and its sister party Christian Social Union (CSU) took 24.1 percent, the results showed.

The SDP's share of the vote surged by 5.2 percentage points from four years ago while the CDU/CSU union's share is 8.9 percentage points lower than in the last election.

Olaf Scholz, the SPD's chancellor candidate and also incumbent vice-chancellor and finance minister, received applause from his party in the SPD's headquarters in Berlin after the preliminary exit poll had projected the leading position of his party.

"I'm happy to see so many here and of course I'm happy about the election result," he said.

With Annalena Baerbock as chancellor candidate, the Greens garnered 14.8 percent of the vote, making it the third-largest political faction in the parliament, followed by the business-friendly Free Democratic Party (FDP) and the far-right and Eurosceptic party Alternative fuer Deutschland (AfD), according to the Federal Returning Officer.

Chancellor candidate of Germany's Social Democratic Party (SPD) Olaf Scholz (L) attends a rally at the SPD headquarters in Berlin, Germany, Sept. 26, 2021. (Photo by Stefan Zeitz/Xinhua)

Many observers have predicted that various three-party coalitions -- the "traffic-light" coalition between the SPD, Greens and the FDP, and the "Jamaica" alliance comprising CDU/CSU, Greens and the FDP -- among others are conceivable.

Both Scholz and his main rival, Armin Laschet, the CDU/CSU chancellor candidate and also minister-president of the North Rhine-Westphalia state, have expressed the wish to get the negotiations on forming a new government done speedily.





MERKEL'S LEGACY

During her tenure, Merkel has brought economic prosperity to Germany by shaking off the tag of "sick man of Europe" and helping the country achieve a national budget balance and almost full employment before the pandemic.

"Those were 16 good years for Germany," Laschet said on Sunday evening, praising Merkel's contributions.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel arrives for the EU summit in Brussels, Belgium, June 24, 2021. (European Union/Handout via Xinhua)

Merkel kept her composure when facing the European debt crisis a decade ago by imposing austerity measures on financially weak member countries of the eurozone. When a refugee crisis got worse in 2015, she displayed stoic calm and strength, saying: "We can do this."

An advocate of multilateralism and win-win diplomacy, Merkel had strongly criticized America's isolationism and some of its other controversial policies and measures, standing for cooperation among countries to address common challenges, such as climate change, anti-globalization, inequality, and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Merkel has also been committed to promoting friendly and pragmatic exchanges and cooperation between Germany and China. As a result, the bilateral relations have witnessed steadfast development, with trade and economic cooperation as a highlight.

Official statistics show that China has been Germany's largest trading partner since 2016, with two-way trade amounting to around 248.4 billion U.S. dollars in 2020, despite the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In an interview with Xinhua, former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder urged the next government to keep a pragmatic China policy. Professor Ferdinand Dudenhoeffer, director of CAR Center Automotive Research Duisburg, expressed confidence that the Germany-China relations can continue to be shaped in a sensible way.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel (L) and Armin Laschet, leader of German Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and chancellor candidate of CDU/Christian Social Union (CSU), attend an election rally of CDU for Germany's federal elections in Aachen, Germany, Sept. 25, 2021. (Photo by Tang Ying/Xinhua)

CHALLENGES AHEAD

Despite their various divergences, the German parties have a lot in common in their policy priorities in such areas as environment, economy, and security, offering a glimpse of major domestic challenges for Merkel's successor.

Earlier this year, Merkel's cabinet agreed on a climate plan aimed at achieving carbon neutrality by 2045. Scholz and Annalena Baerbock, the chancellor candidate of The Greens, have both expressed support for tackling climate change.

Thiess Petersen, senior adviser at the German Bertelsmann Foundation, told Xinhua that he thinks the new government should take up three major tasks immediately when it comes to economic policy -- transforming the economy to a climate-neutral one, reducing rising debt, and dealing with demographic change.

For over a decade, Germany has been playing an essential role in the European Union (EU) as well as in multinational frameworks, with Merkel's stewardship as a key factor.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel (R) talks with German Finance Minister Olaf Scholz before her speech in the Bundestag in Berlin, Germany, Aug. 25, 2021. (Xinhua/Shan Yuqi)

As Merkel is to exit from power, Brussels is expected to wait until a new German government is formed before making major decisions, such as approving a package of measures to counter climate change. Paris is reportedly concerned that a standoff in Berlin could put a strain on the French presidency of the EU Council beginning early next year.

Besides, it's widely believed that Germany will seek to achieve strategic independence amid the cooling of the trans-Atlantic relationship due to fickleness from the United States.

(Xinhua writers Li Xiaopeng, Jiang Xuelan, Lu Yang, Shan Yuqi, Zhang Yirong, and Wang Qing also contributed to the story; Video reporters: Jiang Xuelan, Ren Ke, Zhu Sheng, Li Xiaopeng, Shen Zhonghao, Zhang Yirong; Video editor: Zhao Yuchao)
Source: Xinhua| 2021-09-27 22:46:53|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

by Matthew Rusling

WASHINGTON, Sept. 27 (Xinhua) -- Negotiations over U.S. President Joe Biden's 3.5-trillion-U.S.-dollar spending bill have hit a "stalemate," leaving the fate of his entire first-term agenda up in the air.

The president on Friday said negotiations have hit a deadlock amid heated disagreements between progressives and moderates in his party, which could sink his massive social spending bill.

Biden said he believed his party would ultimately reach a consensus on a 1.2-trillion-dollar infrastructure bill backed by Republicans, as well as his 3.5-trillion-dollar social spending package.

"Now we are at this stalemate," and "we are going to have to get these two pieces of legislation passed," Biden said Friday at the White House.

But it remains unknown how that will happen, as progressives and moderates in the Democratic Party are digging their heels in, and it remains unclear whether any of them will budge.

That leaves the fate of Biden's core economic and social agenda unknown.

"If Democrats pass a bill of any significant size, it will be a plus for his poll numbers. If Democrats are not able to pass a bill due to internal divisions, that would be a major blow to Biden's presidency and his public support," Darrell West, a senior fellow at Brookings Institution, told Xinhua.

Clay Ramsay, a researcher at the Center for International and Security Studies at the University of Maryland, told Xinhua that if Biden simply passes the smaller bipartisan infrastructure bill, that will not be enough for the president to bounce back in the polls.

Among Americans, 45.7 percent approve of the job Biden is doing, and 50.3 disapprove, according to Friday's Real Clear Politics average of polls.

"It will not, because in the public, Democrats are also more worried about Biden now and some are moving from a 'strongly support' to a 'somewhat support' stance," said Ramsay.

Christopher Galdieri, an assistant professor at Saint Anselm College, said he does not think passing the 3.5-trillion-dollar bill will directly translate into a boost in the polls, "but it will improve his reputation in DC and with voters as someone who is able to get things done."

"The last month or so has been one story after another in which the administration is not driving events but instead looks responsive to others. So a big legislative win would turn that perception around, I think," Galdieri told Xinhua.

Indeed, the Delta variant of COVID-19 is surging in the United States among those who have declined to get vaccinated.

While around half of the U.S. population became vaccinated in a matter of months, millions of others do not want to get the jab. That, plus the botched Afghanistan withdrawal, are dragging down the president's polling numbers.

An article in The Hill, a U.S. political publication, argued that Biden is badly in need of a win.

"If anyone needs a big win right now, it's the embattled 46th president," Joe Concha, a contributor, contended.

A Gallup article released earlier this week found that among all U.S. presidents after WWII, only former U.S. President Donald Trump saw lower ratings at a similar point in his presidency.

Pollsters point to the administration's bungled withdrawal from Afghanistan as the main reason for the decline, as well as the surging Delta variant among the unvaccinated.

"Two-thirds of Biden's slide among independents since he took office has occurred in the past three months," Gallup wrote earlier this week.

Meanwhile, the midterm elections are over a year away, but experts said Biden is navigating dangerous political waters.

That is because the midterms act as a referendum on the U.S. presidency.

Mary Avery, an office administrator in the U.S. state of New Jersey, said Biden has done a "terrible" job, citing the withdrawal in Afghanistan. Enditem
ZIMBABWE Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) chairperson Justice Loice Matanda-Moyo yesterday said major perpetrators of corruption in the country were bigwigs, making it difficult for ordinary citizens to report them due to lack of whistleblower protection legislation.

Matanda-Moyo said this in Harare while addressing a Zacc workshop on whistleblower protection facilitated by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the United Kingdom government in partnership with the Zimbabwean government.

Whistleblowers can provide information that leads to successful convictions and asset recoveries, thereby saving the nation from losing the needed revenue. In the spirit of wise words by Narendra Kumar, Whistleblowers need to keep blowing the whistle until the people wake up from deep slumber, she said.

However, we need to take into cognisance that most corruption perpetrators are powerful persons. Therefore, without adequate protection, potential whistleblowers are reluctant to come forward with information fearing victimisation. Consequently, without a whistleblower framework in place, it will be difficult to win the war against corruption.

Matanda-Moyo said Zacc was advocating for amendments to the Prevention of Corruption Act to ensure it protected whistleblowers and promoted exposure of graft in communities.

Under the proposed amendments, Zacc members of staff who reveal the identity of whistleblowers will face six months in prison and be subject to internal disciplinary action.

The graft buster is targeting to prosecute 180 cases of corruption this year and claims to have successfully investigated and arrested over 100 individuals from tip-offs by whistleblowers.

Mechanisms for the protection of whistleblowers can also be prone to abuse, hence the importance to provide a mechanism that prevents such abuse from occurring, Matanda-Moyo said.

She said the National Anti-Corruption Strategy (2020-24) launched by President Emmerson Mnangagwa on July 11, 2020 had a pillar focusing on whistleblower and witness protection.

UNODC official Suhaas Ema said the crafting of whistleblower protection legislation was imperative for Zimbabwe to fast-track implementation of the United Nations Convention against Corruption, and successfully eradicate graft. Ema said the reporting channels for whistleblowers should be inclusive to avoid gender bias in exposing corruption.

The policy on protecting whistleblowers should guard against unjustified treatment within workplaces such as dismissals, suspensions or general harassment. The policy on whistle-blower protection should also provide prevention mechanisms to stop retaliation by perpetrators, she said.

United Nations resident co-ordinator Maria do Valle Ribeiro said: We all need to acknowledge that information about acts of corruption comes to the fore when a whistleblowing system is designed to encourage more reports from citizens and officials in public and private sectors.

Ribeiro said if whistleblowers knew and trusted that they would be protected from retaliation, reprisal and victimisation, there would be more reports against graft.

British ambassador to Zimbabwe Melanie Robinson, who attended the workshop, emphasised that the protection of whistleblowers was pivotal. Newsday
A FRESH diplomatic row is brewing between President Emmerson Mnangagwas government and the United States embassy in Harare over allegations that Joe Bidens administration was clandestinely planning to train opposition MDC Alliance polling agents to safeguard their vote in the 2023 elections.

On Saturday, Presidential spokesperson George Charamba sensationally claimed on his Twitter handle @Jamwanda2 that government had received intelligence that two unnamed high-ranking MDC Alliance officials approached the US embassy seeking assistance in the training and equipping of 50 election agents ahead of the 2023 polls.

Charamba described the move as an unwarranted interference in the countrys political affairs, warning the US government that it was skating on thin ice.

CHAMISA-ASSISTED GROSS UNITED STATES INTERFERENCE IN THE POLITICS OF ZIMBABWE: On 21st September 2021, two MDC-CHAMISA officials, one very high-ranking, another standing for youth wing, approached the PUBLIC AFFAIRS SECTION of the US EMBASSY in HARARE with a request for the same to assist with the training and equipping of 50 election agents ahead of 2023 harmonised elections, Charamba tweeted.

An official of @usembassyharare advised them to put together a formal request. In the meantime, @usembassyharare has begun agitating for by-elections in Zimbabwe in which it is a clear contestant through its funded proxy. Unless the two MDC-CHAMISA officials (come) out and explain themselves speedily, I will go a step further to help them out. Meanwhile, @usembassyharare needs to be reminded it is skating on very thin ice in the middle of the Savannah!!!

But MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisas spokesperson Nkululeko Sibanda said there was no reason why Charamba should fret over issues of training of election agents as it was aimed at promoting free and fair elections.

Charamba is speaking from a museum. Why does he think that training of election agents is political interference? It is archaic. There is no interference in the training of election agents, he said.

He actually should be supporting it because it promotes free and fair elections. We cannot enjoy cheated elections. We need reforms that allow us to avoid disputed polls.

In 2018, different political analysts attributed Chamisas loss to Mnangagwa to inadequate deployment of agents to monitor the elections at remote polling stations.

This is not the first time that government and Zanu PF officials have attacked Western embassies, particularly the US and British, for pushing a regime change agenda.

Last year, Zanu PF acting political commissar Patrick Chinamasa threatened to declare the former US ambassador to Zimbabwe Brian Nichols a persona non grata after accusing him of funding civic society organisations to revolt against government.

Political analyst Eldred Masunungure said: By virtue of them being civil servants, government officials are obligated to abide by the formal diplomatic procedures on relating with foreign embassies. We have seen government officials doubling as ruling party spokespersons, hence the need for streamlining the communication strategies from within the government.

Careless attacks on foreign embassies risks complicating the relations of the government and other States. (Information ministry secretary) Ndavaningi Mangwana earlier this (last) week advised the US embassy to approach the Foreign Affairs ministry, which was noble and should be two-way. Government spokespersons know where the US embassy is and should seek to address their concerns in a diplomatic way.

He said it was against the law for local political parties to receive funds from other States, but the rule of law should be applied to all individuals violating the statutes.

The law prohibits funding of political parties from outside, including Zanu PF, which has, however, received funds from several governments, China included, Masunungure said.

But Zanu PF party acting spokesperson Mike Bimha dismissed the claims that the ruling party had received foreign funding.

Zanu PF is broke, that is why we are mobilising funds from our supporters. We recently launched a programme to mobilise US$140 million from our supporters, which translates to US$14 million from each province. We run a number of programmes which require funding, hence the internal mobilisation. Funding political parties is not Chinas way of doing business. It invests in a government. That Zanu PF has been funded by China are unfounded claims, he said.

Meanwhile, US charge daffaires and acting ambassador to Zimbabwe, Thomas Hastings, last Friday urged citizens to register to vote in the forthcoming 2023 elections.

Hastings said this in Bulawayo during a tour of Princess Margaret Health Clinic funded by the Organisation for Public Health Interventions and Development.

He applauded the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) for resuming voter registration following relaxation of COVID-19 lockdown restrictions.

We applaud Zec for its efforts at the voter registration process, also for beginning the census and delimitation processes. I believe in one of the tweets we had, a quote from our Vice-President Kamala Harris which said the right to vote is the right which unlocks all the rights. The upcoming delimitation exercise  creation of new electoral boundaries  will be conducted using census data, Hastings said.

This is something that we feel very strongly about  we feel democracy is very important. We feel that voter registration is, of course, a key piece to having good elections. That is why we are pleased to see voter registration underway here, and yes, we encourage Zimbabweans to take part in voter registration.

He said COVID-19 was not an excuse, arguing that other countries such as Zambia recently held elections during the pandemic.

The Constitution of Zimbabwe says there should be by elections when there are vacancies. I know under COVID-19, there have to be considerations for safety, but many countries in the world, including our own, have managed to hold elections safely even during COVID-19, he said.

Hastings said Zimbabwe had done well in its COVID-19 vaccination exercise, hence the country should be confident enough to conduct by-elections. Newsday
IF there is a country likely to be hurt the most by Chinese President Xi Jinpings decision for Beijing to stop building new power plants overseas, it is Zimbabwe.

Among several African countries with large deposits of coal, it is heavily dependent on China after it had sanctions imposed on it by the United States and some European countries because of former President Robert Mugabes human rights abuses and a policy of seizing land from white farmers.

Zimbabwe was planning to build several coal-fired power plants costing a total of US$15 billion, with Chinese lenders initially committing to fund them.

Private funding was not forthcoming, partly because of growing opposition from environmental campaigners.

But on Tuesday, in a pre-recorded speech to the United Nations General Assembly, Xi sounded a death knell for several coal projects, including in Zimbabwe, for which Chinese lenders were expected to provide financing.

Chinese cash funds African coal plants despite environmental concerns. The southern African nations demand for power exceeds its supply, causing it to seek to build more plants.

Its electricity shortage means it cannot attract power-intensive manufacturing companies.

Xis pledge could halt dozens of coal power projects in Africa, although there had already been a notable slowdown in new financing since Xi last year announced a target for net-zero emissions by 2060.

China is the single largest financier of coal-powered plants overseas as well as the largest producer and consumer of coal.

But Beijing has not funded any coal projects abroad in the first half of this year and the countrys largest financier of such projects, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, said it would start phasing out coal from its portfolio.

The bank in July declined to fund the US$3 billion Sengwa coal project, in Zimbabwes north, as pressure grew from activists and communities.

Independent climate change think-tank E3G says Zimbabwe is among the laggards  also including Botswana and Mozambique  who continue to pursue coal-fired plants, bucking the global trend of retiring or not funding the environmentally destructive energy source.

The Zimbabwean government has been vocal in its continued pursuit of new coal, even as Chinese financiers pull out, E3G said in its latest report about the collapse of the global coal pipeline.

The country has 990 megawatts of coal power plants under construction and 4,5GW in the pipeline, but the Chinese governments freeze on funding them is likely to force it to seek alternative sources of financing or shift to solar and hydro power.

What is China doing about climate change?

Besides Zimbabwe, Botswana and Mozambique, other countries that may be forced by Chinas decision to stall their coal plant plans include Kenya, Djibouti, Madagascar, Malawi and South Africa.

Xis statement means existing and agreed projects will be honoured but new projects will be off the table, according to Yun Sun, director of the China programme at the Stimson Centre in Washington.

Groundwork, an environmental justice organisation working in South Africa, welcomed Xis statement, calling it a victory for the thousands of community activists in countries including Zimbabwe, Kenya, Ghana, Senegal, Ivory Coast and South Africa who had challenged their governments and China and said no to coal.

We challenge President Xi to end support from all Chinese institutions  that keep Africas coal mines, plants and other infrastructure under construction or planned, Groundwork said.

Lauri Myllyvirta, the lead analyst at the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air, said the announcement signalled a major policy shift for China and leaves no international financing for new coal.

Making any new financing or equity investment commitments to coal power projects overseas would be toxic for any Chinese bank or power company, Myllyvirta said.

For projects that havent yet achieved financial close, thats likely to be the end of the story.

However, Myllyvirta said it was not yet clear what forms of involvement in coal power projects had een ruled out, and where the line would be drawn for projects that were already initiated.

According to Boston University Global Development Policy Centre, the Chinese State has funded coal projects worth US$43 billion since 2000, mainly in Asia and southern Africa.

Now that the worlds major governments have led by example and banned overseas coal plants, it is time for the private sector, which finances 87% of overseas coal, to follow suit, said Kevin Gallagher, the centres director.

We will not meet our global climate and development goals if the private sector continues to finance overseas coal.

Chinese cash funds African coal plants despite environmental concerns Christoph Nedopil Wang, the founding director of the Green Belt and Road Initiative Centre, said Chinese financial institutions and engineering companies had historically been an important source of financing and engineering capacity for overseas coal development.

The door has been shut to [governments] in coal-rich countries to ask for Chinese financing and engineering in new coal projects, Wang said.

But he said there was not yet clarity on whether the announcement would halt already announced coal-fired projects.

Rishikesh Ram Bhandary, a climate finance and international climate negotiations expert, said Chinas decision was likely to bolster the voices calling for a greater focus on renewables within these countries.

However, he said it was unlikely to have an immediate impact on South Africa and Zimbabwe.

As our database shows, the coal-fired power plants funded by the Chinese policy bank are already under construction or in operation, he said.

Of course, we need further details from the Chinese government to fully understand what the announcement includes and excludes.

With the last source of major public finance for coal-fired power plants being removed, countries such as South Africa and Zimbabwe will need to think carefully about the policies they need, and the infrastructure required to significantly scale up renewables.  South China Morning Post
FORMER Marondera Central legislator Caston Matewu (MDC Alliance) has described the recall of more than 40 fellow party MPs by the Douglas Mwonzora-led MDC-T party as a major setback for many constituencies, which have clocked almost a year without parliamentary representation.

Matewu said this during a media training workshop held in Marondera on Friday.

Parliamentary representation can change a lot of things. Currently, people are not being represented at all. Take for example constituencies like Goromonzi that have an MP. People there can knock on their MPs door and state their problems. These MPs will then take these concerns to the responsible ministers and solutions can be brought forward, Matewu said.

He said the recalls would hinder development in cities.

Marondera also lost six MDC Alliance councillors through the recalls, believed to be part of a Zanu PF underhand project to decimate the opposition party leader Nelson Chamisas support base.

More than 80 councillors countrywide were recalled, but government has delayed the holding of by-elections citing COVID-19 regulations.

Recently, the recalled legislators filed an urgent application at the High Court in a bid to compel government to facilitate the holding of by-elections.

However, the courts dismissed the application as not urgent.

Matewu said the current political, economic and social crises being experienced in the country could only be addressed through the holding of by-elections to fill the vacant parliamentary and council seats.

According to the Constitution, elections should be held within 90 days of the vacancy. But its almost a year now after MPs and councillors were recalled. Some were recalled more than a year ago. The excuse has been COVID-19, but it is surprising that Malawi and Zambia have successfully held their elections in the COVID-19 era. South Africa will hold its own by-elections. In

Zimbabwe it is the other way round, he said. Newsday
Cape Town, South Africa (PANA)  Climate envoys from the European Union on Monday arrived in South Africa to address the feasibility of implementing a coal retirement plan ahead of the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Glasgow in November
Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso (PANA) - Burkina Faso's political actors resumed political dialogue on Monday after a three-month suspension when the opposition demanded the resignation of the defence and security ministers
|

Welcome Guest! You Are Here:

It has been decided to introduce internal Ombudsman Scheme to address grievances of large NBFC customers, says RBI Guv.

RBI proposes to introduce framework for retail digital payment in offline mode across India, says Guv Das.

IMPS limit to be increased from Rs 2 lakh to Rs 5 lakh: RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das.
Investigation into new criminal case over fraud of Togliattiazot owners almost completed

 RAPSI, Vladimir Burnov

10:00 27/09/2021

MOSCOW, September 27 (RAPSI)  Investigation into a criminal case over fraud on an especially large scale (Article 159.4 of the Russian Criminal Code) committed by stealing export products of Togliattiazot in 2012 through 2013 is currently at its final stage and is being prepared for the referral to the Prosecutor General's Office for approval, a source in the investigating authorities has told RAPSI.

In a similar criminal case over large-scale fraud committed in 2008 through 2011, the Komsomolsk District Court of the city of Togliatti on July 5, 2019, sentenced Vladimir and Sergey Makhlai, as well as Andreas Zivy, to 9 years in prison, their Swiss partner Beat Ruprecht and ex-general director of the plant Yevgeny Korolev - to 8.5 years in prison and fines. They were found guilty of large-scale fraud committed by a group of persons by prior conspiracy (Article 159.4 of the Russian Criminal Code).

The court also granted civil claims brought by ToAz minority shareholder Uralchem, which was recognized as a victim in the case, against a group of 20 individuals and legal entities in the amount of 10.3 billion rubles (about $140 million) in compensation for damages suffered by the company itself as a shareholder of the plant and 77.3 billion rubles (about $1 billion) of compensation for damages suffered by ToAZ itself. Uralchem was appointed as the debt collector both in its own favor and in favor of ToAZ.

The convicted individuals were arrested in absentia; moreover, their property and a majority interest were seized.

The abovementioned persons are also involved in this new criminal case. The facts of the theft committed by them are confirmed by final decisions of commercial courts on tax crimes committed within the incriminated period, which are of prejudicial significance.

As per information provided by investigative authorities, the expert examination carried out as part of the probe confirmed that the damage to Togliattiazot and its minority shareholders caused by the fraudulent actions of the suspects in 2012 through 2013 could amount to more than 53 billion rubles (about $726 million).

According to experts, it would be logical to expect that within the framework of the new criminal case the victims are to file civil claims for the indicated amount and that there will be respective seizures of properties and assets. Presumably, the defendants in this case could be the beneficiaries of Togliattiazot and their companies.

Lawyer Konstantin Ganderov, in the event of a conviction, assesses the possibility of satisfying a new civil claim as extremely high, given the existing prejudicial effect.

In general, the amount of damage to Togliattiazot caused by theft by the owners of the enterprise could significantly exceed 100 billion rubles ($1.4 billion). The recovery of the damages is currently being carried out within the framework of enforcement proceedings.
Neo-Nazis preparing a terrorist attack in Russias city of Ufa arrested by court - FSB

 TASS, Vitaly Nevar

12:11 27/09/2021

MOSCOW, September 27 (RAPSI)  Five residents of the city of Ufa in Russias Republic of Bashkortostan have been arrested by a court decision on charges over preparing a terrorist attack with the use of improvised explosive devices, the Public Relations Center of the Federal Security Service (FSB) informs RAPSI.

The attack was planned on a facility belonging to law enforcement agencies, investigators allege.

As a result of the measures taken, the said five residents of Ufa, born in 2001-2003, who were members of a neo-Nazi group, were detained, the body said in a statement.

Ready to use improvised explosive devices (IEDs), improvised explosives and components for its synthesis, nine bladed weapons, instructions for the manufacture of explosive devices, as well as portraits of the leaders of the Third Reich, nationalist Bandera and nationalist paraphernalia were seized at their places of residence, the statement reads.

The case against the defendants was initiated by the Russian Investigative Committee on charges incluidng preparation for a terrorist act, training in order to carry out terrorist activities, and illegal manufacture of explosives or explosive devices.
Long prison term given to Russian historian for student murder upheld

 RAPSI

14:31 27/09/2021

MOSCOW, September 27 (RAPSI)  The St. Petersburg City Court on Monday upheld sentence passed on Russian historian Sokolov, who had received 12.5 years in high-security prison for killing his postgraduate student Anastasia Yeshchenko and arms trafficking.

The historian was convicted last December. A part of the prison term, 1.5 years, the historian got for the possession of firearms.

As established by a district court in St. Petersburg, Sokolov murdered his female student in the course of a domestic quarrel by shooting her four times in the head from a saw-off gun; after that he dismembered her body and tried to bury the remains in a local river; he was caught in the act.

The historian pleaded guilty.

Sokolov is a historian and ideologist of reconstruction of Napoleonic period battles. He has been conferred the Legion of Honor, the French national award instituted by Napoleon Bonaparte.
Bill on improvement of public authority reaches State Duma

 RAPSI, Vladimir Burnov

16:59 27/09/2021

MOSCOW, September 27 (RAPSI)  A draft of a new law on regional power, which lifts the ban on governors from being elected for two consecutive terms and contains a number of other innovations, has been submitted to the State Duma.

The draft federal law "On general principles of the organization of public authority in the constituent entities of the Russian Federation" was prepared in development of the provisions of the Russian Constitution on a unified system of public authority, according to one of the authors of the bill, Chairman of the State Duma Committee on State Building and Legislation Pavel Krasheninnikov.

The lawmaker also noted that in the future, changes in legislation on local self-government will also be required.

As it has been already said above, the bill lifts the limitation on the terms of office for governors, and, in order to ensure the stability of the system of public power, the term of office for heads of regions and regional legislative bodies is established for 5 years.

Within the framework of the National Anti-Corruption Plan for 2021-2024, the bill expands the grounds for the early termination of the powers of regional senior officials due to the loss of the President's confidence. For the heads of the subjects, there are introduced such measures of responsibility as warning, reprimand, dismissal and temporary suspension from duties, which are to be applied by the President of the Russian Federation.

Also, in order to increase the transparency of regional authorities, the bill provides that the positions of regional lawmakers are to be equated to state posts in a constituent entity of the Russian Federation, regardless of whether they work on a permanent basis or without interruption from their main activities. This provision is to impose additional restrictions on the deputies of regional legislative assemblies provided for by law.

The bill also proposes to revise the list of powers of the constituent entity of the Russian Federation with the aim of consolidating them and eliminating too precise detailing.

In order to ensure conciliation procedures and to resolve possible disagreements between the federal authorities and the authorities of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation, including on the transfer of powers between these authorities and the achievement of their agreed decision, public authorities are vested with the right to appeal to the State Council.

It is proposed to establish a uniform approach in the names of state authorities of the constituent entity of the Russian Federation - "Head of the constituent entity of the Russian Federation" and the name of the supreme executive body - "Government of the constituent entity of the Russian Federation."

In the draft law it is indicated that the system of public authorities of a constituent entity of the Russian Federation consists of the legislative body of the constituent entity, the highest official of the constituent entity, the supreme executive body of the constituent entity, and other public authorities of the constituent entity, formed in accordance with the Constitution (Charter) of the constituent entity of the Russian Federation.

On the basis of the principle of the unity of the public power system, it is stipulated that federal executive bodies are to have the right to participate in the formation of regional executive bodies in the fields of education, health care, finance, as well as housing and construction supervision (in the manner and cases established by federal law).

As concerns regional laws, it is proposed to establish a general rule that the laws of a constituent entity of the Russian Federation come into force 10 days after the day of their official publication, unless they have established a different procedure for their entry into force.

The possibility of remote interaction of public authorities, remote participation in meetings of the legislative body of the subject is provided by the bill.

It is stipulated that the public authorities of the region provide the population with access to information about their activities.

It is envisaged that the main part of the provisions of this draft law will enter into force on June 1, 2022. Certain articles of the document are to come into force from the date of the official publication of the law.
The Intercept, September 23, 2021

By Peter Maass

IF YOU ARE waiting for an American general to resign or be fired over the drone strike that killed seven children and three men in Kabul last month, you will likely experience the meaning of infinity.

You might think that the Pentagon would be scrambling to find a general to take the fall for what can no longer be denied: that the U.S. military killed 10 Afghans on August 29, called it a righteous strike against terrorists, and then had to admit the truth after journalists found out what happened. But dont bet your bitcoin on it. The military is already saying that standard targeting protocols were followed for the Kabul attack; the problem was a faulty assumption or two, we meant well, next time well do better.

The generals are in a corner. If they admit that the Kabul massacre is resignation-worthy  and in a healthy society, a massacre would be  they would have to admit that resignations should have occurred after the multitude of U.S. bombings and attacks in the past 20 years that killed large numbers of civilians doing nothing more sinister than attending a wedding party, seeking care at a hospital, or picking pine nuts. The Kabul bombing was an outlier only in the amount of attention it received; the killing of civilians has proven to be a feature rather than a bug of the 9/11 wars.

The generals who have overseen two decades of carnage in Afghanistan and Iraq are inept at winning wars, but they possess one skill in abundance: a knack for avoiding career consequences for their too-many-to-count errors. The generals, as well as the politicians who approve ever-rising military budgets, have managed to lull the country to sleep with a euphemistic lullaby about what they want us to limply understand as an infrequent phenomenon of collateral damage.

The lack of resignations, whether forced or voluntary, attests to a character trait that is not traditionally attached to U.S. generals but should be: cowardice.

Moral Cowardice

Lets focus on moral cowardice. Since 2001, not a single general has had the courage to say, Enough, I will not be part of this killing and deception any longer, it is wrong and harmful to all, here are my stars. Again and again, the generals have tolerated, excused, and lied about the slaughter of civilians in the 9/11 wars  at least several hundred thousand noncombatants have been killed in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the number is probably far higher. What happened in Kabul last month is a case study of all those pathologies of denial poured into one tragedy.

Courage is required to admit that you were dead wrong, to take an unpopular stand against your brethren, to cast shame on them, to bring on their disapproval. Courage is also necessary to sustain an objector in the aftermath of breaking away. Though a dissenting general would retire with a generous pension, he could forget about landing the lucrative corporate gigs, usually with military contractors, that shower millions of dollars on former commanders who lend their prestige to forever warfare.

In other words, it doesnt require a ridiculous amount of courage for a general to do the right thing.

We have to look elsewhere, far below the militarys upper echelons, to find the courage that ending 20 years of unlawful warfare requires. Look, for example, to Daniel Hale, who worked on the intelligence side of drone warfare for the Air Force and came to be repulsed by it. In 2015, Hale leaked classified military documents that revealed the underside of the U.S. drone program and in particular the weaknesses of its targeting protocols and its tendency to kill people who were not the intended targets. The Intercept published classified documents about problems in the U.S. drone program in an eight-part series in late 2015.

With drone warfare, sometimes nine out of 10 people killed are innocent, Hale has explained. You have to kill part of your conscience to do your job.  I stole something that was never mine to take  precious human life. I couldnt keep living in a world in which people pretend that things werent happening that were.

Today, Hale is not pulling down six figures a year as a board member of Raytheon Technologies or Lockheed Martin. He is serving a 45-month prison sentence for violating the Espionage Act.

Fire the Generals

Of course, getting rid of the senior leadership of the armed forces would be an incredibly radical move, but Andrew Bacevich has put forward a plan to do just that.

Bacevich is a retired Army colonel who in recent decades emerged as one of the most prominent intellectual critics of American foreign and military policy. On the 20th anniversary of 9/11, he published a lightly noticed article proposing a wholesale clearance of the nations military leadership due to their losing streak. Its winking title was A Modest Proposal: Fire All of the Post 9/11 Generals  but Bacevich stressed that his piece was not a Swiftian satire.

Allow me to suggest  a purge, he wrote. Oblige all active duty three- and four-star generals (and admirals) to retire forthwith. Rebuild the ranks of the senior officer corps with members of a younger generation willing and able to acknowledge the shortcomings of recent American military leadership at the top.

To find the replacements, Bacevich suggested that the secretary of defense  though not the current one, Lloyd Austin, who was a four-star general until recently  personally interview one- and two-star generals who show promise and ask this one question: On a scale of one-to-ten, where one is lousy, ten excellent, and five mediocre, how would you rate U.S. military performance over the past 20 years? Generals who give a rating of five or below would proceed to the next round, consisting of writing an essay in two hours that answers the question, What is the problem and how do we fix it?

Bacevich concluded, Those essays should provide the basis for selecting and assigning the next generation of senior leaders.

Theres no need to wonder whether the next generation would be better than the present one, because Bacevichs plan is not going to be adopted; the generals dont want it, and the politicians dont want it. Were stuck with a cadre of military leaders who lack the courage to admit the dishonor of killing civilians.
A Place for All Conservatives to Speak Their Mind.
By SA Commercial Prop News

Ster-Kinekor, one of South Africas large cinema chains enters business rescue to safeguard the interests of the company, as customers stay away from movie theatres due to the Covid-19 pandemic.



There is still no respite for Mall Landlords as one of SAs large cinema chains, Ster-Kinekor which occupies big pockets of space in many shopping centres, went into business rescue.

Lockdown has brought out simmering tensions between mall landlords and their big retail tenants. Is it over now? Not by a long shot.

The bruising is not over for South Africa's landlords. In fact, analysts expect more severe pain is still on the way for the listed property sector as more retail tenants are buckling under pressure and some office leases would be up for renewal.

Ster-Kinekor, one of South Africas large cinema chains, announced in January the group would enter business rescue to safeguard the interests of the company, as customers stay away from movie theatres due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

It owns 60-65% of the market, having 55 movie complexes making up 400 screens and 64000 seats, with 154 of those screens being state-of-the-art 3D cinemas.

SA movie theatres and some gyms were paying only a fraction of the rent they owe months into the coronavirus crisis, delivering a blow to shopping centre owners hoping for a faster recovery.

Until February 2020, Ster-Kinekor was profitable and highly cash generative, with good prospects of future, ongoing profitability, the company said.

In a statement, Ster-Kinekor said its board of directors took the decision in an attempt to facilitate the rehabilitation of the company.



As a result of the Covid-19 pandemic and the lockdown instituted by government at the end of March 2020, all cinemas were required to shut down, and only permitted to reopen under strict conditions as from the end of August 2020.



Since then the company has been operating under various forms of restriction, including curfews and mandatory limits to the number of guests per auditorium. In addition, there has been an impact of the rescheduling of blockbuster film contents from the original date, the statement read.



It said the continued lack of content for the next four to five months meant that the business was heading for further operational and cash flow challenges.



The board is of the view that the safe harbour that business rescue provides, in terms of providing a legal moratorium, will assist the business to return to profitability, once operating restrictions have been lifted, when international film distributions start to flow again.



Ster-Kinekor acting CEO Motheo Matsau said: For our customers, it is important to note that our cinemas remain open for business. Movie goers can continue to book their movie tickets through our website, app or in-store. All cinemas have instituted strict Covid-19 protocols, which mean temperature checks and hand sanitising on arrival and inside the auditoria and mask wearing as appropriate. Every two seats are kept vacant for social distancing.



Stefan Smyth, a partner at EY SA, where he leads their Africa turnaround and restructuring strategy practice, was appointed as the business rescue practitioner.
Hours after returning from the US, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday evening inspected ongoing the construction work of a new Parliament house.

According to sources, he reached the construction site of the new parliament building around 8.45 p.m. and stayed there for around an hour.

This was his first visit to the construction site.

"Without any information and security details, Prime Minister Modi reached the construction site of the new Parliament building which is part of Central Vista project. He stayed there for around an hour and took stock of ongoing work. He took information of ongoing construction activities of the new Parliament building," a source said.

The Prime Minister returned on Sunday afternoon from the US where he had held bilateral talks with US President Joe Biden, participated in the Quad summit, and also addressed the UNGA.

Last year, he laid the foundation stone of the new Parliament building and it is likely to be completed by next year.

Earlier this month, Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister, Hardeep Singh Puri had said next year, the Winter session of Parliament will be held at the new Parliament.

"The next Republic Day parade on January 26 will be held on the new Central Vista. Next year's winter session of Parliament on the 75th year of Independence of the country will be held in the new Parliament," he had said.

The Central Vista project also includes the construction of a common Secretariat for Central government offices, the Prime Minister's office and residence, the Special Protection Group building and the Vice President's Enclave.
Just days after top Congress leader from Kerala, V.M.Sudheeran stepped down from the political affairs committee (PAC) of the party, on Monday he also quit as an AICC member.

The 73-year-old veteran quit from the PAC -- the highest decision-making body of the state unit of the party on Saturday, that came as a shock to many so when he called it quits from the AICC membership it did not baffle many.

Sudheeran is a former state party president, legislator, Lok Sabha member, minister, former Speaker and is known for his clean image in almost five decades of his public career.

He, according to sources in the know of things, has send his resignation letter to the AICC and is believed to have expressed his ire against the state party leadership led by new appointees President K.Sudhakaran and Leader of Opposition V.D.Satheesan.

Sudheeran has refused to open up in any manner on why he has been creating ripples.

"One cannot link Sudheeran's quitting to that of a few leaders leaving the party, which happened early this month. Sudheeran is definitely one of the tallest Congress leader in the state. Things in the party unit here have been in shambles, ever since they lost the April 6 assembly polls, giving Pinarayi Vijayan his historic second successive term. There appears something more, which only he will be able to tell," said a top critic.

Ever since the Sudhakaran-Satheesan team took over with the full blessings of the party high command in Delhi, ignoring the traditional faction managers of Oommen Chandy and Ramesh Chennithala which has been a norm, affairs in the state party unit has not gone down well among many Congressmen in the state.
Bharat Bandh called by the Samyukt Kisan Morcha and supported by the ruling DMK in Tamil Nadu turned out to be a damp squib with the public not responding at all to the shutdown-call.

In urban centres of Tamil Nadu, like state capital Chennai, Coimbatore, Madurai, Erode, Salem, Trichy, and other district capitals, there was no response to the bandh call. Vehicles, including state transport vehicles, autos, and taxis were plying as usual in Chennai and all other urban centres of Tamil Nadu.

In Kumbakonam, however, 30 Communist Party of India (Marxist) workers were arrested for blocking a train. Police arrested the CPM cadres and removed them.

In Guindy, Chennai, a group of people led by CPM Politburo member, Ramakrishnan conducted a protest march and a roadblock against the farm laws of the Government of India.

Ramakrishnan and the CPM cadres were arrested and removed by the police. In Chennai city also a group of CPM, CPI, and CPI-ML activists tried to block the road in support of the Bharat Bandh call of Samyuktha Kisan Morcha. Police arrested the cadres and removed them from the spot to ensure smooth traffic.

Police also removed some Left workers who were picketing the Mount road in support to the Bharat Bandh.

M. Pandyan a shop owner at TNagar in Chennai said, "I don't know why there is a Bandh and we don't generally shut our shops during any Bandhs except maybe a Bandh called over the water issue." He said that he was a DMK supporter but does not subscribe to the bandh call.

Kamal Haasan-led Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) cadres though were seen in large numbers protesting at various places of Chennai and Coimbatore.

K.S. Ashok Kumar, of Tambaram Chennai who is a daily wage worker and an MNM party cadre while speaking to IANS said, "We have protested in Tambaram, Mount Road, and Guindy in Chennai against the draconian farm laws. Police removed us."

DMK farmer wing general secretary, Periyasamy had made a fervent appeal to the people of Tamil Nadu to cooperate with the Bharat Bandh but it did not evoke any response.

Schools and colleges are also functioning normally in Tamil Nadu and there are no incidents of forced closure of shops or establishments in the state.
A 48-year-old man set himself ablaze in front of the residence of Chief Minister M.K. Stalin here on Monday morning, police said.

He was rescued by the police personnel stationed at the residence and admitted to the Kilpauk Medical College with 40 per cent burns.

The police said the man has been identified at Vetrrimaran from Tamil Nadu's Tenkasi district and the reasons for his suicide attempt were not yet clear.

The Abhiramapuram police have registered a case.

The police said that his condition was critical.

State health minister Ma Subramanian visited Vettrimaran at the Kilpauk Medical College Hospital.
Jai Kisan Andolan founder Yogendra Yadav on Monday said that today's Bharat Bandh evoked unprecedented response across the nation. Speaking to IANS, Yadav said that the day will prove a milestone in the history of the farmers movement. "Those demeaning the farmers agitation by calling it a movement of a few farmers have got a befitting reply today", added Yadav.

The day long Bharat Bandh was called by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) and other farmers unions to mark one year of the passing of the new farm laws. The bandh ended at 4 p.m. and traffic movement has resumed on all routes to the national capital which were blocked by the agitating farmers since morning. The bandh was called from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Talking to IANS, Swaraj India leader Yogendra Yadav said we have earned the support of farmers throughout the country. He added that our agitation is now reaching the far flung areas of India and all are supporting are protest against the new farm laws. Crossing regional barriers this movement has reached every corner of India and farmers have participated in the Bharat Bandh from all states and made it a success, Yadav said.

On being asked about a dialogue with the Centre, Yadav categorically said that a democracy is run by the people and this movement has turned into a peoples movement where all sections have active participation, we are hopeful that the government will listen to us.

Emphasising the Centre's lacklustre attitude, he said that before every such large scale action the agriculture minister said that the government is open to dialogue with the farmers unions but they never call us for talks. The minister should tell us the date and time when they want us to meet, said Yadav, adding that we don't have any invitation for talks from the government.

On the question of political parties' involvement in the protest, he said that we are thankful to those who supported us during the Bharat Bandh. But this protest doesn't belong to any political party and hence no political leader can use the Samyukta Kisan Morcha stage as the representative of the party.

However, despite the farmers' bandh, public transport remained operational in the national capital. DTC buses, Delhi Metro, auto-rickshaws and other modes of public and private transport ran smoothly in the capital city. Barring the four entry points to the city that were blocked by the farmers, all communications remained normal. The call for the bandh was supported by over 100 farmer unions, 15 trade unions, political parties and several state governments.

The farmers exempted emergency services, all essential services, medical emergency and rescue and relief work including personal emergency. The SKM had assured that the bandh will be enforced in a voluntary and peaceful manner. It ended peacefully without much visible impact.
Rank-and-file Taliban fighters have been having too much fun in Kabul after seizing the Afghan capital without a fight last month, and the Taliban leadership has now issued a stern order to stop, The Wall Street Journal reported.

Thousands of young Taliban men from all over the country, many of whom have never been to a big city before, were deployed in Kabul after the Afghan republic collapsed on August 15.

When not on duty, they sightsee, picnic and visit amusement parks, in a tangle of guns and turbans. Taliban fighters from elsewhere in Afghanistan have also come to gawk at Kabul on tourist trips, WSJ said.

Top urban attractions for relaxing Taliban are Qargha lake, with its swan-shaped pedal boats, the Kabul zoo, and the Wazir Akbar Khan neighborhood, where visitors stroll on a grassy hill overlooking the city.

"I used to infiltrate in, to gather intelligence or to shoot people we were targeting," said Shafiullah Masood, a 24-year-old from the province of Wardak, at the City Park amusement centrE with a gang of Taliban friends, waiting to go on the swinging pirate boat ride. "I'm happy that people are enjoying a peaceful life here now."

The Taliban government's DefenCe Minister Mawlawi Mohammad Yaqoob, a son of the Islamist group's one-eyed founder Mullah Omar, wasn't amused. In a recent speech, he castigated the fighters for going sightseeing, hanging out in big groups, making aimless trips to markets and to the Kabul airport, or exploring government buildings, the report added.

"Stick to the tasks you have been assigned," he said in an audio message released Thursday. "You are damaging our status, which has been created with the blood of our martyrs."

One key instruction was to stop taking so many selfies. Mawlawi Yaqoob was particularly annoyed that the Taliban foot soldiers pull out their phones to take pictures with leaders of the movement whenever they come across them. As these photos end up on social media, they compromise security by giving away locations and activities of the Taliban's senior members, he warned, WSJ said.

Mawlawi Yaqoob also ordered the Taliban fighters to improve their attitude and appearance, bringing their beards, hair and clothes into line with Islamic rules.

Taliban men sporting shoulder-length hair, stylish clothing and mirror sunglasses and wearing Servis Cheetah white high-top sneakers are a frequent sight across Kabul.

The Taliban fighters are also driving around too fast, Mawlawi Yaqoob complained, and not obeying traffic rules. The Taliban have appropriated fleets of Ford Rangers and Toyota Land Cruisers from senior officials of the former Afghan republic and from the army, government ministries and police, the report said.

"This is the behavioUr of the warlords and gangsters of the puppet regime," he said, referring to the US-backed government the Taliban overthrew. "If we continue to act like this, God forbid, we will lose our Islamic system."

So far, Mawlawi Yaqoob's killjoy admonishments appear to have had only a limited impact on the Taliban foot soldiers, many of them still in their teens and bedazzled by novelties such as wheeled office chairs. Their encounters with the modern world have spawned an entire genre of mocking memes that have proliferated on Instagram, the report added.

Ehsanullah and fellow Taliban fighters at the amusement park have been told to hand over their Kalashnikovs and American-made M16 rifles at a special booth. There, a notice from the Taliban leadership instructs them to do so, saying that the presence of guns on rides scares women and children.

"Initially, the public was not familiar with us, our dress, our language," added Ehsanullah, who goes by one name. "Gradually, people are starting to relax around us."

(Sanjeev Sharma can be reached at Sanjeev.s@ians.in)
Northbrook, IL -- (SBWIRE) -- 09/26/2021 -- The report "Construction Lubricants Market by base oil [Synthetic oil, Mineral oil], type (hydraulic fluid, engine oil, compressor oil, gear oil), equipment type (Earthmoving, Material Handling, Heavy Construction Vehicle) - Global Forecasts to 2026" The market is projected to reach USD 6.5 billion by 2026, at a CAGR of 3.0% from USD 5.6 billion in 2021. This growth is primarily triggered by the increasing demand from the construction industry. APAC is the largest construction lubricants market due to the stringent industrial standardizations pertaining to the high growth of the construction industry in the emerging countries such as China, India, Japan, and South Korea . The region is estimated to be the most populated in the world, which creates immense opportunity for the construction lubricants market to grow.



Download PDF Brochure @ https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=163720562



Mineral oil is the largest base oil of construction lubricants market.

Mineral oil is the largest segment of construction lubricants; the segment accounted for the largest, in terms of value, in the global market in 2020. Mineral oil-based lubricants are light mixtures of alkanes and cyclic paraffin. Mineral oil-based construction lubricants are available in light and heavy grades, depending on the usage and requirement. They are consumed in large quantities in the construction industry because of their low cost. Despite the increasing use of synthetic lubricants, the utilization of high volumes of mineral-based lubricants is expected to continue in the construction industry during the forecast period due to the increasing demand from APAC and the Middle East & Africa.



Hydraulic fluid is estimated to be the largest type of lubricant of the construction lubricant market during the forecast period.

Hydraulic fluid is the largest type of construction lubricants; in terms of value, in the global market in 2020. Hydraulic fluid is a type of lubricant that is used to lubricate hydraulic equipment. The primary functions of hydraulic fluid are energy transmission, lubrication, and heat removal. It also reduces the maintenance cost of the gears and hydraulic equipment operating at high speed. The use of appropriate hydraulic fluid helps prevent equipment failure, eliminates downtime, and reduces operating cost. The growth of the hydraulic fluid market is primarily triggered by the huge demand from the APAC region and growing industries such as automotive, construction, and manufacturing.



Speak to Analyst @ https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/speaktoanalystNew.asp?id=163720562



APAC is estimated to be the largest market for construction lubricants during the forecast period.

APAC is the largest market for construction lubricants, followed by North America and Europe. The construction lubricants market has experienced growth in terms of the number of projects such as dams, airports, and hydroelectric projects, because of which many international companies have started their manufacturing plants in this region. Some of the man-made marvels and remarkable construction projects such as the Beijing New International Airport (China) and South to North Water Transfer Project (China) are set up in the region. The region is estimated to be the most populated in the world, which creates immense opportunity for the construction lubricants market to grow.



The key market players profiled in the report include ExxonMobil Corporation (U.S.), Royal Dutch Shell Plc. (Netherlands), Total Energies SE(France), China Petrochemical Corporation (Sinopec Corp), Chevron Corporation (US), PetroChina Company Limited (China), FUCHS Petrolub SE (Germany), and Lukoil (Russia) among others.



Impact of COVID-19 on construction lubricants market.

The construction lubricants industry got affected negatively by the pandemic. Owning to the pandemic situation, several countries around the world went into lockdown, to curb the spread of the virus. Due to this the supply and demand chain got disrupted affecting the market. The industries, manufacturing units, infrastructural projects and mining operations got on hold for the past two years due to the pandemic situation.



The fluctuating price of raw materials used to make construction lubricants and COVID-19 pandemic have hindered the growth of the construction lubricants market. The companies on a brighter side are expecting the situations to get back to normal and the market to improve in the near future. The countries such as China, US, among the others are back on their feet continuing their regular work.



Get 10% Customization on this Report @ https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/requestCustomizationNew.asp?id=163720562



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, "Knowledgestore" 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

sales@marketsandmarkets.com
Scientists from the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History and elsewhere have sequenced and analyzed the genomes of 82 individuals that lived between 800 BCE and 1000 CE in Etruria and southern Italy.

The Etruscan civilization occupied a large area of central Italy during the Iron Age, including the modern-day regions of Tuscany, Lazio, and Umbria.

This culture is renowned for its outstanding skills in metallurgy, its sophisticated cultural representations, and its extinct language, a non-Indo-European language not yet fully understood.

Given the peculiarities distinguishing the Etruscan culture from its contemporary neighbors, the geographical origins of populations associated with the Etruscan civilization have long been a topic of intense debate as far back as ancient times with two main competing hypotheses.

The first proposes an Anatolian-Aegean origin as indicated by the ancient Greek writers Herodotus and Hellanicus of Lesbos.

This hypothesis is supported by the presence of Ancient Greek cultural elements in Etruria during the so-called Orientalizing period, between the 8th and 6th century BCE.

The second advocates for an autochthonous development as described in the 1st century BCE by the historian Dionysius of Halicarnassus. According to this hypothesis, the Etruscan population originated locally from people associated with the Bronze Age Villanovan culture around 900 BCE.

While the current consensus among archeologists favors the latter hypothesis, the persistence of a probable non-Indo-European language isolate surrounded by Italic Indo-European-speaking groups is an intriguing and still unexplained phenomenon that requires further archeological, historical linguistic, and genetic investigations, said studys senior author Dr. Johannes Krause, director of the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, and colleagues.

For the study, the authors extracted and analyzed DNA from a set of 82 individuals that were grouped on the basis of their radiocarbon dates and genetic affinities into three time intervals: 48 individuals from 800 to 1 BCE (Iron Age and Roman Republic), 6 individuals from 1 to 500 CE (Imperial period), and 28 individuals from 500 to 1000 CE (12 from central Italy and 16 from southern Italy).

The results of the analysis show that:

(i) individuals associated with the Etruscan culture carried a high proportion of steppe-related ancestry, despite speaking a non-Indo-European language; if the Etruscan language was indeed a relict language that predated Bronze Age expansions, then it would represent one of the rare examples of language continuity despite extensive genetic discontinuity; the steppe-related ancestry in Etruscans may have been mediated by Bronze Age Italic speakers, possibly through a prolonged admixture process resulting in a partial language shift;

(ii) after the Bronze Age admixture, the Etruscan-related gene pool remained generally homogeneous for almost 800 years, notwithstanding the sporadic presence of individuals of likely Near Eastern, northern African, and central European origins;

(iii) eastern Mediterranean ancestries replaced a large portion of the Etruscan-related genetic profile during the Roman Imperial period;

(iv) a substantial genetic input from northern European ancestries was introduced during the Early Middle Ages, possibly through the spread of Germanic tribes into the Italian peninsula;

(v) the genetic makeup of present-day populations from central and southern Italy was mostly in place by the end of the 1st millennium CE.

Considering that steppe-related groups were likely responsible for the spread of Indo-European languages, now spoken around the world by billions of people, the persistence of a non-Indo-European Etruscan language is an intriguing and still unexplained phenomenon that will require further archaeological, historical, linguistic and genetic investigation, the researchers said.

This linguistic persistence, combined with a genetic turnover, challenges simple assumptions that genes equal languages and suggests a more complex scenario that may have involved the assimilation of early Italic speakers by the Etruscan speech community, possibly during a prolonged period of admixture over the 2nd millennium BCE, added University of Florences Professor David Caramelli, senior co-author of the study.

Although more ancient DNA from across Italy is needed to support the teams conclusions, ancestry shifts in Tuscany and northern Lazio similar to those reported for the city of Rome and its surroundings suggests that historical events during the 1st millennium CE had a major impact on the genetic transformations over much of the Italian peninsula.

The Roman Empire appears to have left a long-lasting contribution to the genetic profile of southern Europeans, bridging the gap between European and eastern Mediterranean populations on the genetic map of western Eurasia, said first author Professor Cosimo Posth, a researcher in the Senckenberg Centre for Human Evolution and Palaeoenvironment at the University of Tubingen.

The findings were published in the journal Science Advances.

_____

Cosimo Posth et al. 2021. The origin and legacy of the Etruscans through a 2000-year archeogenomic time transect. Science Advances 7 (39); doi: 10.1126/sciadv.abi7673
Page Content

On Friday September 23, 2021, Minister Richardson had an introductory meeting with the acting director of Enforcement policy and International policy at Dutch Customs Mrs. Irene Uitermark and Dutch Customs strategic Policy Advisor International Affairs Mr. Bert De Haas at the Head of Office of the Customs Administration in the city of Rotterdam. Dutch Customs has been assisting Sint Maartens Customs since 2018 as part of the mutual agreement on strengthening Sint Maartens borders. Minister Richardson thanked acting director Mrs. Uitermark for Dutch Customs assistance to Sint Maarten and informed the director of the areas where she would like to see increased cooperation. Sharing an island with an open border poses certain challenges for the country said Minister Richardson. I would like to see our Customs organization become better equipped at identifying these challenges and dealing with them in a more efficient way. For example, we know that Sint Maarten has a large market for counterfeit items of especially high-end brands. When our laws to combat the illegal sale of counterfeit items are not properly enforced it negatively affects Sint Maartens reputation internationally as the quality of all our goods are called into question. Mrs. Uitermark shared that counterfeit items are also an issue in the Netherlands, and that investigations have shown that oftentimes the counterfeit market is closely linked to criminal activity. Minister Richardson also conveyed her wish to see increased cooperation in the areas of education and training of Customs officers on Sint Maarten to further professionalize and strengthen the organization. The willingness to assist in these areas was communicated to Minister Richardson and she was informed that special focus will be given to this topic under the new protocol for border protection. In the Netherlands Customs falls under the Ministry of Finance and it does not enforce rules on criminal cases. Instead, for criminal cases there is a close working relationship between Customs and the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee. Often times the information that Customs obtains from its operations is quite valuable for criminal cases. Dutch Customs acting director Mrs. Uitermark emphasized the importance of close cooperation and the exchange of information between partners in the chain. After the introductory meeting with the acting director of Enforcement policy and International policy at Dutch Customs Mrs. Irene Uitermark, Minister Richardson and her delegation travelled to the Port of Rotterdam at the Maasvlakte II which encompasses the largest freight port of the European Union. At the Port of Rotterdam, Minister Richardson was met by Regional Director of Customs Jan Kamp and his colleagues and received a presentation on Customs operations. The Minister was also given a tour of the Customs facility and practical training grounds where custom officers can train in a simulated ship environment to become more familiar with real life scenarios that they may encounter.





Impressive was the term used by Minister Richardson to describe the large scale and highly efficient operation that is managed by Dutch Customs to handle the flow of goods. Minister Richardson also had the opportunity to meet with a Dutch Custom officer who worked in Sint Maarten alongside Sint Maarten Custom officers for a period of two (2) years as part of technical assistance provided through the Plan of Approach on strengthening border protection. Minister Richardson expressed her gratitude to the officer for his service in Sint Maarten. After visiting Customs, Minister Richardson travelled to Schiphol airport where she was received by Royal Marechaussee coordinator Schiphol colonel Elwin van der Molen. He gave a short introduction about the task of the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee and its operations on Schiphol airport. The presentation was followed by an extensive tour of the operations in the field, where Minister was given the opportunity to utilize a KIOSK, identify a fraudulent document and learn about the functionalities of the various departments within the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee from persons working in the field. Seeing the wide scope of the border operation carried out by the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee was an important aspect of Minister Richardsons work visit. The Minister was given extensive information which she intends to utilize to strengthen the Sint Maartens immigration organization. At the end of the tour the Minister was presented with commemorative gifts from the KMAR for which she expressed her thanks. She also thanked Colonel Van Der Molen and his colleagues for their warm welcome and their committed dedication to continue to assist Sint Maarten. The day was concluded with a meet and greet discussion with young Sint Maarten professionals and students in the Netherlands which was coordinated through the office of the honorable Minister of Plenipotentiary, Rene Violenus and his Cabinet. Members of United Sint Maarten Connection (USC) and Unleashed Potential Group (UPG), both foundations who cater to and create a space for Sint Maarteners in the Netherlands, were also present during the meet and greet. The conversation was a very positive one with too little time available, as such it was agreed that a virtual continuation will be planned.
Page Content

GREAT BAY, Sint Maarten (DCOMM)  Fire Chief/National Disaster Coordinator Clive Richardson from the Office of Disaster Management (ODM) said on Monday, major Hurricane Sam will pass over 300 miles at its closest point northeast of Sint Maarten late Wednesday or early Thursday, according to the Meteorological Department of Sint Maarten (MDS) and therefore poses no direct threat to the country.

Richardson reminds residents and the business community to continue to remain vigilant and prepared, as additional weather systems are forming in the Central Atlantic Ocean.

ODM along with the MDS will continue to monitor these weather systems as they progress.

The remaining storm names for the 2021 Atlantic hurricane season are: Victor and Wanda.

Continue to monitor local weather reports issued by the Meteorological Department of Sint Maarten for advisories related to any adverse weather.

For official weather-related information, check out the website of the Meteorological Department of St. Maarten (MDS): www.meteosxm.com or visit their social media page Facebook.com/sxmweather/

The community is urged to learn more about hurricane hazards and how to prepare for a storm/hurricane strike by visiting the Government website: www.sintmaartengov.org/hurricane where you will be able to download your Hurricane Season Readiness Guide and Hurricane Tracking Chart.

Listen to the Government Radio station  107.9FM - for official information and news before, during and after a hurricane.
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: </%method> 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: </%perl> 28: <table width="90%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> 29: <tr> ... 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(0x7f5006fed3a8)', 'main') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 951 HTML::Mason::Request::call_dynamic('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f5006e9b570)', '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(0x7f5006fed3a8)') 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(0x7f5006e9b570)') 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(0x7f5006fd9490)') 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(0x7f5006e9b570)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 165 HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f5006e9b570)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 831 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handle_request('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f5006aa8508)', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f50076c5b78)') called at (eval 487) line 8 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handler('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f50076c5b78)') called at -e line 0 eval {...} at -e line 0
New IRTS Committee members

Following a committee meeting held on Saturday 18th, we are pleased to announce the appointment of three new members to the Irish Radio Transmitters Society (IRTS) Committee:

Louis Ryan, EI8KI , Michael Fitzgerald, EI9GGB, and Robert Brandon, EI5KH

The meeting also welcomed Roger Greengrass EI8KN as the new VHF/UHF manager.

The new IRTS Examination Board are also pleased to announce that 65 candidates sat the HAREC examination on 11th September. A further examination will be held in Dublin on November 27th. The closing date for applications to sit this examination is 8th November 2012.

The IRTS is looking for a volunteer to act as Secretary. This will involve processing of correspondence to and from the Society as well as minuting all Society meetings. It is a senior position and the member who undertakes the job must have been a licensed member of the Society for a minimum of three years. They will be co opted to the committee if approved. If you would like to find out more you can send an email outlining your interest to committee /at/ irts.ie

In line with moving the Society to the future and to a younger membership profile we would also appreciate contact from any members of the society who may have a little time on their hands and would like to volunteer to take an active role in any of the multiple task involved in administering the IRTS.

A few of these roles are currently not filled and some are held by officers and committee members who have been doing the job for many years and may feel it is time to hand on to a younger generation.

If you feel you might have a part to play in the future of the Society please get in touch via committee /at/ irts.ie mentioning any specific area in which you might have an interest or just a willingness to find out whats needed

IRTS
The Yardman

Written by: Jim McMillen

Available In: eBook|Paperback

Author Website: http://www.jimmcmillenbooks.com/

Pint-sized alias Jesse Phillips drifts into a small West Texas town in 1938. A yard care operator, he lives in quiet anonymity. Connecting a 1942 Pennsylvania slaying to a 1937 horrific Indiana murder, police close in on fugitive suspect Jesse while revengeful killers race to track him down. History-woven, bone-chilling episodes cross Illinois, Missouri, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Louisiana.
Fitness Confidential

Written by: Vinnie Tortorich with Dean Lorey

Available In: eBook|Paperback

Author Website: http://www.vinnietortorich.com/

For decades, Vinnie Tortorich has been Hollywoods go-to guy for celebrities and athletes looking to get fit fast. Now, in this hilarious, r-rated memoir, Hollywoods most outrageous personal trainer exposes the fitness world while getting you into shape. Whats the best piece of fitness equipment money can buy? Why are health clubs worse than used car lots? Vinnie tells all!
DOMESTIC VIOLINS-A Blanchard House Mystery

Written by: Cynthia Morrow

Available In: eBook|Paperback

Author Website: http://www.cynthiamorrowmysteries.com/

When violist and amateur psychologist Althea Stewart and her best friend, cellist Grace Sullivan, host a memorial luncheon for a deceased friend, the event erupts into a full scale riot, leaving a dead body in its wake. Everyone from the Russian mob to Interpol wants to know who killed the chef, especially the musicians who have gone from being pampered houseguests to prime murder suspects
The Gifts of the Fairy Melusine

Written by: Barak Bassman

Available In: eBook|Hardcover|Paperback

Author Website: https://amzn.to/2Z3uM1L

At the beginning of the First Crusade in the year 1096, bands of marauding Crusader knights attack and massacre Jewish communities across the Rhineland in Germany. Yet one of the victims, a wine merchant from Worms who had lost his wife and son, receives a second chance at life: a magical fairy named Melusine brings him back to life and offers him a way out of the travails of Jewish history. If Reuven will love and marry her, then she will make him a wealthy and powerful Christian lord with vast estates and heroic and bold warrior sons. In despair he agrees, but then learns over time that he cannot so easily abandon the tragedy that destroyed his community. In the end, he must choose between the pleasures of the fairys magical gifts and the pull of searing memory.
The Vampire and The Wandering Jew

Written by: Barak A. Bassman

Available In: eBook|Paperback

Author Website: https://www.amazon.com/Barak-A.-Bassman/e/B018WMTDLO?ref_=dbs_p_pbk_r00_abau_000000

Brother Nicholas, a monk in medieval Germany, found himself rejected and isolated: scorned by the Jewish community who raised him because of his conversion to Christianity, and distrusted by his fellow churchmen as a former Jew, whose faith is always subject to doubt and suspicion. He finally flees to a remote castle, in a distant, impoverished land, to serve as the new confessor to the mysterious Lady Catherine, who has ruled the fortress as a recluse ever since her husband was mysteriously murdered in his bed.There he will discover the unholy and occult practices that have kept the Lady Catherine eternally young and beautiful, and which will test his own faith. And even more wondrous is the castles prisoner, whose blood is drawn for her Ladyships dark rites: Cartaphilus, the legendary Wandering Jew cursed by Jesus Christ on the Via Dolorosa to roam the Earth forever with no rest for his tormented soul. A meditation on faith and betrayal, The Vampire and The Wandering Jew explores one mans agonizing attempt to follow his spiritual calling and the divine will in the face of petty human resentments and deeper, more insidious evil.
The Arab-Brazilian Chamber of Commerce (ABCC) has announced its first-of-its-kind Brazil - UAE: Economic Sustainability Forum in the Amazon Region to be held on October 3, 2021, in Dubai.

Top government and private sector figures led by Brazilian Vice President Hamilton Mourao and Abdulla Bin Touq Al-Marri, UAEs Minister of Economy, will headline the first edition of the high-profile forum.

Brazilian Ambassador to the UAE Fernando Igreja will lead the opening ceremony alongside Abdullah Mohammed Al Mazrouei, Chairman of the Federation of UAE Chambers of Commerce and Industry and Marcos Montes Cordeiro, Executive Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture of Brazil. Mariam bint Mohammed Al Mheiri, UAEs Minister of Climate Change and Environment is the forums high-ranking key speaker.

They will be joined by key decision-makers, entrepreneurs, investors, traders, and representatives from the UAE and Brazils business communities.

ABCC will host the forum in cooperation with the Ministry of Economy of the UAE and the Federation of the UAE Chambers of Commerce and Industry.

The discussions will be divided into three sessions with key themes. The first session will look into the Partnership in Innovation and Digital Technologies for Sustainable Development. The second and third sessions will focus on the Cooperation between the UAE and Brazil in Food Security and Environmental Sustainability and Economic and Business Sustainability - leading experiences from the UAE and Brazil respectively.

Osmar Chohfi, President of ABCC, said: The upcoming sustainability forum is a venue where stakeholders could explore untapped current and future opportunities and new paradigms that have emerged amid a myriad of environmental and social challenges. It comes at a time when the sustainability movement has accelerated, especially during this pandemic. Sustainability, being an important pillar of the economic diversification policies of some of the Arab nations, is offering Brazil and the Arab region another area to expand their ties. The event will serve as an ideal place to examine how their alliance can benefit from this important concept, as well as tackle the most innovative solutions to a wide range of environmental issues.

During the forum, we will provide information, analysis and discussions on sustainability standards and more at the intergovernmental level. The attendees will emphasise why is there a need for us to change our mindset and approach in light of the latest global developments. They will dive deep into how companies can capture multibillion-dollar opportunities arising from the mounting sustainability calls. Within this context, the forum will contribute to the global communitys efforts to build a resilient economy that acknowledges the limits of our natural resources and mitigates the impact of human activities on the environment, Chohfi added.

The Brazil - UAE: Economic Sustainability Forum in the Amazon Region will take place amid the UAEs increased environmental sustainability initiatives in line with its Vision 2021 and National Agenda.

The Emirates targets to generate 27% of its energy requirements from renewable sources, bring down its per capita greenhouse gas emissions and deploy agricultural technology to achieve a 30% productivity improvement within the sector.

Furthermore, it has allocated $544 million to build a sustainable city in the country while $1.63 billion in investments were raised to make Dubai a Green Paradise by 2025.

On the other hand, Brazil, considered a global leader in the renewable energy transition, is well-positioned to share its experiences on how to strike a balance between economic growth and the environment. More than 46% of the countrys energy grid is powered by renewable energy sources today. Worldwide, Brazil has the third-largest renewable electricity generation capacity.-- TradeArabia News Service
An agreement has been signed for building an integrated mining metallurgical complex on the Tebinbulak iron ore deposit in Uzbekistan.

It is a strategically important project for Uzbekistan, which will create jobs, develop domestic iron ore deposits and use energy efficient technology.

Enter Engineering, the largest EPC contractor in Central Asia and a leader in Russia, and thyssenkrupp AG, the leading German industrial engineering concern, have announced the signing of an Agreement of Intent for the project.

The agreement, worth 50 million ($58.48 million), relates to Enter Engineerings exclusive role as construction partner in the project.

The implementation period for Enter Engineerings construction role is two years with the plant launch anticipated for September 2023.

The two parties also signed an agreement for the start of preparatory work on the project, including a contract for the supply of high-tech equipment, its design, supervision during installation and commissioning at the facility.

The innovative High Pressure Grinding Roll (HPGR) technology, which is highly efficient, will be used to help process up to 60 million tonnes of iron ore per year, whilst reducing energy consumption.

Bakhtiyor Fazylov, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Enter Engineering, said: We are delighted to partner with a leading global company such as thyssenkrupp. Applying German standards, we will create a high-quality raw material base for the domestic metallurgical industry. This project also embodies all the goals Enter Engineering strives for: protecting Uzbekistans national interests in the international market, supporting the interests of domestic consumers, and creating jobs.

Reza Poorvash, CEO thyssenkrupp Mining Technologies Europe and Asia, said: To date, more than 140 units of HPGR equipment have been sold in the mining industry. In the CIS countries, thyssenkrupp takes a leading position among mining companies that use this technology, in practice confirming the high quality and reliability of the German brand."

Roman Karl, Managing Director thyssenkrupp Mining Technologies CIS, commented: The project will use one of the most energy efficient and innovative technologies to significantly reduce energy consumption. HPGR has been used since 1985 in the cement industry, and since 1986 in the mining industry for use in the grinding process to ensure a high level of product fineness. Full integration of this technology within Industry 4.0 is also important."

The complex is significant for Uzbekistan because of its multiplier effect. As well as creating new jobs in remote areas, it will help develop domestic iron ore to provide the countrys existing metallurgical complexes with raw materials. It will also support development of infrastructure, creation of service enterprises and increasing in trade between countries.

Tebinbulak deposit is located in the Karauzyak district of Karakalpakstan, in the north-west part of Uzbekistan. The field covers 5.2 sq km and predicted life cycle is 27 years.

Cooperation between Enter Engineering and thyssenkrupp is supported at a high inter-governmental level. The agreement signing ceremony was attended by Alisher Sultanov, Uzbekistans Minister of Energy. Sultanovs ministry is engaged in a national effort to convert aging industries to new energy-saving technologies. Also present was the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Federal Republic of Germany to Uzbekistan, Thilo Klinner.

Klinner said: Today is a very important moment. A contract has been signed on a strategic project, which is symbolic for the upswing in the relationship between Germany and Uzbekistan. Germany, and our companies such as thyssenkrupp, are proud to be technology partners in this important endeavour.

Since 2016, the reform process in Uzbekistan has already yielded remarkable results, and this project will help develop our countries close cooperation even further.-- TradeArabia News Service
Dettol, Galaxy, Nescafe and Juhayna are the FMCG brands that enjoy the best brand health among the residents of Egypt, YouGovs FMCG/CPG Rankings 2021 reveal.

The FMCG rankings in Egypt are divided into five sub-categories: Personal Care, Home care, Snacks, Beverages and Food Pantry. Each category ranking features the top ten brands that have the best brand health among the residents of the country.

The rankings are compiled using YouGov BrandIndex Index score, a measure of overall brand health calculated by taking the average of the net Impression, Quality, Value, Satisfaction, Recommend and Reputation scores collected from an online nationally representative sample between August 1, 2020 to July 31, 2021.

PERSONAL CARE

Covid-19 boosted the demand for health and hygiene products as people started realising the importance of personal hygiene. This also reflects in the FMCG rankings for Egypt, where leading hygiene brand Dettol (35.0) took the first place and emerged as the healthiest brand in the Personal Care category.

Oral health brands Sensodyne, Signal and Close Up also appear in the list in second (28.6), fourth (23.6) and tenth (16.8) respectively.

Dove is placed in third (23.8), Johnsons in fifth (22.3), while its sub-brand Johnsons Baby is in the sixth place (18.6).

Head & Shoulders, Lux and Rexona complete the top ten in Egypt, appearing in the sixth (18.3), eight (17.7) and ninth (17.1) place respectively.

HOME CARE

In the Home Care category, hygiene brand Dettol again emerges at the top of Egypt rankings, with an Index score of 44.0.

Ariel is in second in the list (31.5), followed by Persil, Pril and Clorox in third (31.1), fourth (26.5) and fifth (26.4) respectively.

Downy appears in sixth (25.1) and the famous stain remover brand Vanish lands in seventh (20.8).

Other brands completing the top ten list for Home Care category are Fairy (18.3), Harpic (14.2) and Tide (12.0).

SNACKS

Within the Snacks category chocolate brand Galaxy leads the Egypt rankings with an Index score of +42.8. The packaged snacking food brand Molto takes the second (34.4) place, followed by Nutella in third (32.5).

Along with Galaxy, other chocolate brands like Kit Kat, Cadbury and Mandolin also feature in the list in fourth (31.8), fifth (31.3) and tenth (23.1) respectively.

American biscuits & cookie brand Oreo is sixth (30.1) in the rankings, followed by PepsiCos snacking brand Sunbite in seventh (27.4).

The rest of the list features Chipsy in eight (25.6) and Bake Rolz in ninth (24.7).

BEVERAGES

In Beverages category, global coffee brand Nescafe emerged as the healthiest brand with an Index score of 34.4. Almarai came in the second (33.8) place, followed by American beverage brand Schweppes in third (33.5).

Middle Easts beverage brands Fayruoz, Juhayna Juices and Rani take the fourth (33.1), eighth (23.9) and the ninth place (22.9) respectively. On the other hand, international soft drink brands Pepsi and 7 Up land in fifth (32.6) and seventh (24.5), respectively.

The top ten list also includes popular tea brands, Lipton- Yellow Label Black Tea placed in sixth (27.9) and its green tea variant- Lipton Green tea in tenth (20.7).

FOOD PANTRY

The Food pantry category is topped by Egypts indigenous brand Juhayna (34.0), followed by El Rashidi El Mizan (32.1) in second with Saudi brands Halwani in third (23.8) and AFIA (23.1) in the fourth place.

Gulf regions famous food manufacturer Atyab takes the fifth position (21.0).

Other brands making an appearance in the list are Heinz in sixth (21.0), Vitrac in seventh (20.6), Bake Rolz in eight (18.4), El Doha in ninth (16.7) and finally Americana in tenth (14.1).-- TradeArabia News Service
Delhi: Difference between official records and Hospital reports indicate underreporting of Dengue

New Delhi, Sep 27 (UNI) As the cases of viral illnesses start to ebb, vector-borne diseases are showing a steep rise in the national capital. Out-patient departments of Delhi hospitals are reporting a rise in the daily cases of Dengue.

According to the data collated by municipal corporations, Delhi reported 62 cases of Dengue last week, a rise by mere 9 cases in a week previous to the last week when 53 cases were recorded. However, the hospitals are reporting cases of Dengue in a day equivalent to the civic bodies' weekly tally.

A dozen of private and government hospitals UNI spoke to indicated underreporting of Dengue cases.
Fall Issue of UWyo Magazine Celebrates Interdisciplinary Partnerships

The worlds -- and Wyomings -- biggest issues cant be solved by one viewpoint or one discipline alone. They require multiple perspectives, approaches and ideas.

This belief inspired University of Wyoming President Ed Seidels interdisciplinary pillar -- one of his four strategic planning pillars for UW, the other three addressing inclusivity and being more digital and entrepreneurial.

The fall issue of UWyo Magazine, UWs flagship publication, celebrates interdisciplinary collaborations as well as partnerships across the university and between UW and the private sector.

Interdisciplinary work being done by people across the university and beyond is truly wide-ranging, impactful and interesting, says Chad Baldwin, associate vice president for marketing and communications. While the magazine stories are only a sampling of how silos have been surmounted to help fulfill UWs mission, were confident that readers will get a strong sense of this movement by reading this particular issue.

In this issue of UWyo Magazine, readers will find features on the following topics, among others:

-- UWs partnership with several entities to help roll out COVID-19 vaccines.

-- The Wallop Civic Engagement Program K-12 Curriculum Project, which brings expertise in a variety of areas into classrooms across the state.

-- How the Department of Anthropology gives students hands-on experience while serving the nation by partnering with the military and law enforcement.

-- Two exciting interdisciplinary programs from the Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources.

-- UWs partnership with Shanghai University of Sport, which benefits students from both institutions.

-- New offerings in geospatial science from the Wyoming Geographic Information Science Center that will prepare students for work in a variety of fields.

-- A partnership between the UW Art Museum and the College of Law regarding the theft and repatriation of cultural artifacts.

-- How College of Engineering and Applied Science students partnered with 9H Energy on a solar installation near Laramie.

The breadth of interdisciplinary work and private-sector partnerships going on at UW is impressive, and this issue highlights just a few of these vast efforts, says Micaela Myers, UWyo Magazine managing editor.

To read the fall issue online, go to www.uwyo.edu/uwyo.
UWs MSHSA Degree Program Names New Program Coordinator

Jen Paintin

The University of Wyomings Master of Science in Health Services Administration (MSHSA) degree program recently selected Jen Paintin as its new program coordinator.

The MSHSA degree program is an accredited online program that is offered through the UW School of Pharmacy in the College of Health Sciences. The program provides educational opportunities for new or midcareer pharmacists, other health care professionals and graduate students from multiple disciplines to advance their careers.

Paintin began her new role Aug. 3. As program coordinator, she will work closely with Elliott Sogol, UW School of Pharmacy director of postgraduate education and continuing education, to research complex problems, inquiries and situations, and recommend alternative solutions. Paintin also will prepare detailed reports and documentation; provide logistical support for the continuing education and MSHSA programs; develop, coordinate and administer student enrichment within the MSHSA program; and provide individual student consultation and problem-solving.

We are excited to have Jen join our team, Sogol says. She brings a wealth of knowledge from different areas of the university, and she will be an asset to our students, faculty and the program overall. Her dedication to helping others will add to our overall approach of providing the highest level of services to our students.

Paintins professional interests include supporting students in their academic experience and assisting them with achieving their educational goals. She will advise and counsel students, and facilitate and pursue opportunities that will enhance the general welfare of students within the MSHSA program.

I plan to provide leadership and advising for student leadership organizations, Paintin says. I also plan to coordinate leadership training opportunities with other program directors and assistant deans.

She says one of her goals is to coordinate services and programs with other university departments to ensure smooth delivery of services, coordinated program efforts and reduced duplication of efforts.

Paintin earned her bachelors degree in communication from UW in 2010. She is a fifth-generation Wyoming resident.

For more information about the MSHSA program, visit www.uwyohealthadminms.org.
Wyoming Cybersecurity Conference to Feature UW Speakers

A number of University of Wyoming faculty and staff members are scheduled to speak during the Wyoming Cybersecurity Conference Oct. 6-8.

The virtual conference is organized by the CyberWyoming Alliance, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide security awareness, education and outreach programs to Wyoming. To register, go to www.cyberwyoming.org/conference/.

Gov. Mark Gordon opens the conference at 8 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 6, with a prerecorded message, followed by Mikki Munson, from the Wyoming Office of Homeland Security.

UWs participants include:

-- Professor Jean Garrison, director of the Malcolm Wallop Civic Engagement Program, wholl open and lead the Thursday, Oct. 7 session starting at 8 a.m.

-- Professor Stephanie Anderson, wholl address Russias Cyber Attacks Against the U.S. and Its Allies at 9 a.m. Oct. 7.

-- Rocky Case, director of Manufacturing Works, a partnership of UW, the National Institute of Standards and Technology and the Wyoming Business Council. Hell speak Friday, Oct. 8, about upcoming work at F.E. Warren Air Force Base.

-- Steve Lupien, director of UWs Center for Blockchain and Digital Innovation, wholl speak at 9:50 a.m. Oct. 8 about the center.

-- Assistant Professor Whit Stewart, wholl speak after Lupien about how blockchain is used in wool production. Hell be joined by masters student Courtney Newman, from Fort Collins, Colo.

-- Assistant Professor Mike Borowczak, wholl address What Is a Non-Fungible Token, and Why Should We Care? at 11 a.m. Oct. 8.

-- Anne Alexander, vice provost for strategic planning and initiatives, wholl discuss UWs strategic planning digital pillar at 11:30 a.m. Oct. 8.

The complete schedule is available at www.cyberwyoming.org/conference/. The conference is free to education and government employees, as well as students.
You have permission to edit this article.

Edit Close
If you have an event you'd like to list on the site, submit it now!

Submit
Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-19 23:19:04|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

JOHANNESBURG, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- Lesotho's Prime Minister Moeketsi Majoro has requested development partners to help it as it planned to rebuild following floods that caused destruction in the country.

The recent heavy rains that damaged the infrastructure, agricultural production and food security prompted Majoro to declare a six-month state of emergency.

"This situation has further been exacerbated by cyclone 'Eloise' which affected neighboring countries, bringing heavy rains into the country," Majoro said, noting that some citizens had been left without the necessary services due to the destruction of infrastructure including bridges.

The prime minister said his country would require around 100 million rand (about 6.82 million U.S. dollars) to deal with the damage.

Majoro in June last year visited South Africa and held talks with President Cyril Ramaphosa over a number of issues. While South Africa played a crucial role in ensuring peace during the previous administration under Tom Thabane, it's not clear if Lesotho would approach the country for assistance.

Political analyst Trust Matsilele told Xinhua that it would be in the interest of South Africa to help Lesotho as it had so much to benefit from the country including receiving water from Lesotho Highlands Water Project. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-26 05:57:29|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

BUJUMBURA, May 25 (Xinhua) -- Two people were killed and several others were injured in grenades explosions that happened on Tuesday evening in Burundi's commercial capital Bujumbura, the Burundian security ministry said.

"One person died on the spot and another one died after being evacuated in a health facility due to grenades blasted by terrorists around 7 p.m. (5 p.m. GMT) in Bujumbura's city center," the ministry said in a tweet, adding that one of the terrorists was injured by his grenade and was arrested.

Eyewitnesses told Xinhua that two grenades were blasted at the main bus station in Bujumbura city center, while another one was blasted near a market in Ngagara neighborhood in northern Bujumbura. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-19 22:38:41|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

DAR ES SALAAM, June 19 (Xinhua) -- Tanzania's Zanzibar President Hussein Mwinyi has invited businessmen from east Africa and beyond to put up heavy investment on the Islands that will help drive the blue economy.

Mwinyi said Zanzibar is open for heavy investment in diverse sectors of the blue economy, including deep-sea fishing, ports infrastructure, marine transport, petroleum and gas, and tourism, said a statement issued on Saturday by the East African Community (EAC).

President Mwinyi made the appeal during a CEO Evening Roundtable Engagement dinner on EAC regional integration organized by the East African Business Council on Friday night.

In his address read on his behalf by Zanzibar's Second Vice-President Hemed Suleiman Abdalla, President Mwinyi said: " Zanzibar also requires heavy investment in modern agriculture, real estate and conference tourism."

"Investment in these sectors will spur business within the East African Community in addition to increasing national revenue and improving the lives of the people of Zanzibar," said Mwinyi.

He said that Zanzibar had been a centre of maritime and international commerce for centuries with merchants from the Islands proving their worth in regional and global markets.

Peter Mathuki, the EAC secretary general, said Tanzania and Kenya, two members of the EAC, have huge potential for investment in the blue economy with shorelines on the Indian Ocean. Other member states of the EAC are Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and South Sudan. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-09-06 19:09:55|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

COLOMBO, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka's Tourism Minister Prasanna Ranatunga said tourism promotion initiatives with Russia and Ukraine have been launched to uplift the country's tourism industry, as the government aimed to revive the sector which was severely hampered by the COVID-19 pandemic, local media reported here Monday.

Ranatunga told local journalists that Russia and Ukraine were among the top 10 countries with the highest number of tourist arrivals to Sri Lanka in recent years.

According to the tourism ministry, 24,320 tourists arrived in the country recently and of those, 250 were tested positive for COVID-19 upon arrival.

Of these infections, about 150 returned to their home countries after recovery, and 100 are currently receiving treatment in the country, the ministry added.

Sri Lankan authorities said that direct flights between Sri Lanka and Russia will commence from Nov. 4, following an agreement between Russia's Aeroflot airline and Sri Lanka's Civil Aviation authority in Moscow, Russia.

The tourism ministry said that steps will be taken to hold such discussions with leading airlines around the world in the future with the aim of promoting Sri Lanka as an attractive tourist destination.

Sri Lanka's tourism sector has been one of the worst affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, and the government is now looking at ways to revive this sector which is one of the leading foreign exchange earners in the country.

An estimated 4 million people are directly and indirectly employed in the tourism sector in Sri Lanka. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-09-16 21:43:22|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi (R) meets with Mongolian Deputy Prime Minister Sainbuyan Amarsaikhan in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, Sept. 16, 2021. (Xinhua)

DUSHANBE, Sept. 16 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Thursday met with Mongolian Deputy Prime Minister Sainbuyan Amarsaikhan in the capital of Tajikistan here, with both sides vowing to promote bilateral cooperation.

Wang said that China and Mongolia are friendly neighbors linked by mountains and rivers, and that the development of bilateral relations maintains a good momentum.

China has always pursued a good-neighborliness policy, and is willing to continue to help Mongolia develop its economy and improve people's wellbeing, Wang said.

He noted that both sides should continue to uphold mutual respect for each other's independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity, core interests and major concerns, and provide political guarantees for the stable and healthy development of bilateral relations.

China will firmly support Mongolia's fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, steadily promote bilateral cooperation on major projects, and create more growth points for cooperation, Wang said, adding that China supports Mongolia in strengthening its cooperation with the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.

For his part, Amarsaikhan said that China is Mongolia's good neighbor and partner.

With China's help, Mongolia is gradually emerging from the worst in fighting the pandemic, Amarsaikhan said, expressing his sincere gratitude to China for supporting Mongolia's fight against the pandemic, especially the provision of high-quality vaccines.

Amarsaikhan added that Mongolia firmly supports China in safeguarding its core interests, adheres to mutual respect for each other's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and attaches great importance to strengthening cooperation with China in the fields of economy, trade, education, and humanities.

He also hoped that the two sides will strengthen high-level exchanges, lift the level of bilateral cooperation, and further strengthen the friendship between the peoples of the two countries. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-09-27 13:07:20|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

SYDNEY, Sept. 27 (Xinhua) -- The Australian state of New South Wales (NSW) announced the building of a new national park in Western Sydney that will become home to a number of locally extinct Australian wildlife species.

NSW Minister for Energy and Environment Matt Kean said Sunday the project commencing construction in early 2022 "will be the first national park declared in Western Sydney in over one decade."

"We are turning it into a special conservation area, which will be home to some of our most threatened and endangered native animals," said Kean.

Over the next 18 months, over 500 hectares of bushland in Shanes Park, 50 km west of central Sydney, would be converted into a predator-free sanctuary for some 30 animals, that previously inhabited the area.

Among the species is the Australian eastern quoll, which has been listed as "endangered" since 2005. Like many marsupial species, its primary threat comes from predation from introduced species.

"Visiting Shanes Park will be like stepping back in time to see the Australian bush alive with native animals as it was before foxes, cats and rabbits had such a devastating impact," said Kean.

Findings from a 2020 report from the Threatened Species Recovery Hub found that cats and foxes alone kill around 2 billion native animals in Australia every year, and have previously driven a number of Australian birds and marsupial species to extinction.

To combat this, all predator species will be eradicated from the area and a 6-feet-high perimeter fence will be built to provide sanctuary. Once established, the park's ecosystem health will be regularly monitored and evaluated.

NSW Minister for Jobs, Investment, Tourism and Western Sydney Stuart Ayres said the park would also be the latest addition to Sydney's growing list of attractions when it opens to the public by early 2023.

"This will become a must-see destination for visitors not only from the Greater Sydney and across the state, but also from interstate and around the world." Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-09-27 17:40:40|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

WELLINGTON, Sept. 27 (Xinhua) -- New Zealand will allow recognized seasonal employer (RSE) workers from Vanuatu, Samoa and Tonga to arrive into the country without COVID-19 quarantine upon their arrivals in October.

Agricultural Minister Damien O'Connor on Monday announced the one-way quarantine free travel commencement dates for seasonal workers from Pacific countries including Vanuatu, Samoa and Tonga.

Starting from Oct. 4 for Vanuatu workers and Oct. 12 for Samoan and Tongan workers, the move is considered a part of New Zealand's program of reconnecting with the world.

"This will provide much needed certainty for our growers as they gear up for summer and autumn harvesting," O'Connor said in a statement.

People arriving under the scheme must meet strict health conditions. These include requirements to be 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. Employers will be providing the self-isolation facilities, he said.

They must also complete their vaccination post-arrival, the minister said.

"Despite the challenges of a COVID world, which has constrained the number of RSE workers who could come through Managed Isolation and Quarantine, the government has remained committed to the RSE scheme," he said.

The horticulture sector is worth over 6 billion NZ dollars (4.2 billion U.S. dollars) to New Zealand's exports, the minister said, adding RSE workers are essential to the economic recovery from COVID-19, which is export-led.

The pilot scheme is to test systems in preparation for "a broader and safe reopening of the borders," O'Connor said.

Samoa, Tonga and Vanuatu have not had any community cases of COVID-19, according to the minister.

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.

As of August 2021 around 7,000 RSE workers were in New Zealand, statistics show. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-09-27 17:53:31|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

TOKYO, Sept. 27 (Xinhua) -- Japan's Shinsei Bank on Monday refused a proposal from SBI Holdings Inc. to conditionally extend its unsolicited tender offer for the bank until November, local media reported Monday.

Shinsei said its proposed extension to Dec. 8 would give shareholders sufficient time to assess the information provided and better make decisions on whether to tender their shares. The bank is preparing to launch a defense against the hostile takeover from SBI.

SBI, a major online financial group with the goal of becoming the fourth megabank of Japan, in early September launched a tender offer to shareholders of Shinsei Bank, aiming to raise its stake in Shinsei from the current 20 percent to a maximum of 48 percent.

Later, in response to Shinsei's request for an extension until Dec. 8, SBI on Friday offered to extend the offer period until Nov. 24 from the initially set date of Oct. 25 if four conditions are met.

In setting the four conditions, SBI demanded Shinsei not to buy time by posing "low priority" questions and urged the bank to guarantee that SBI could exercise its voting rights at an extraordinary shareholders' meeting where Shinsei wishes to get approval for its planned defense against the takeover.

If the tender offer went smooth, SBI would rebuild the current Shinsei management and chart a course toward the repayment of large debts the bank accrued during a public bailout.

Shinsei's predecessor, the Long-Term Credit Bank of Japan was collapsed in 1998 and received 370 billion yen (3.34 billion U.S. dollars) in public funds. SBI has taken issue with Shinsei's failure to repay public funds in the past two decades.

To prevent the possible takeover, Shinsei planned to issue share warrants, or the right to receive shares, to current shareholders to dilute SBI's holdings.

Shinsei said it would "inevitably" implement some of the defense measures if SBI refused to extend the tender offer period and failed to submit a revised plan by Thursday at noon. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-09-27 21:30:29|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

Wendell Cooke, who started learning Chinese in 1994, shares his experience on Chinese learning during the opening reception of New Zealand Chinese Language Week in Wellington, New Zealand, Sept. 27, 2021. (Xinhua/Lu Huaiqian)

WELLINGTON, Sept. 27 (Xinhua) -- The opening reception of New Zealand Chinese Language Week was held on Monday evening at the Beehive, the Executive Wing of the parliamentary complex in Wellington.

From Sunday to Saturday, New Zealand will host a variety of colorful activities such as learning Chinese language and Chinese Kungfu, enjoying Chinese folk music, experiencing Chinese cuisine, Chinese calligraphy workshops, and Chinese lion dance performances.

Chinese Ambassador to New Zealand Wu Xi extended her congratulations to the event. She said the Chinese Language Week is increasingly becoming an important platform and brand for China-New Zealand people-to-people exchanges, helping more New Zealanders to better understand China and Chinese culture.

"Understanding is the foundation of friendship, and language is the bridge of communication. People-to-people exchanges have always been an indispensable part in China-New Zealand bilateral relations, and studying each other's language plays an important role in our interactions."

"A more open and prosperous China will definitely create new opportunities for the whole world including New Zealand," Wu said.

Speaker of the House of Representatives Trevor Mallard, together with New Zealand Chinese Language Week Trust Chair Jo Coughlan, presented 2021 Youth Ambassadors and Chinese Superstars with honorary certificates. He said China-New Zealand exchanges have a deep history of two centuries.

The theme of this year's Chinese week is "food and hospitality," which displayed the common values of the two countries.

Former New Zealand Ambassador to China and Chairman of the Council of the Confucius Institute at Victoria University of Wellington Tony Browne said the Chinese have become an important part of the New Zealand community.

Browne said the pandemic has affected Chinese teaching in New Zealand because Chinese teaching assistants were unable to come to New Zealand due to the border restriction. He hoped these Chinese Superstars would do something in community to offset these negative impacts.

Wendell Cooke, who started learning Chinese in 1994, was one of this year's Chinese Superstars. "I had just arrived back in NZ after completing a student exchange to Brazil, and having learned Portuguese (I) really felt I wanted to try an Asian language. I didn't know much about China at the time but it seemed really interesting, so pretty much on this basis began my Mandarin journey."

"The most rewarding aspect is being able to communicate with older Chinese people who haven't learned English. It just opens up another world to be able to communicate with people who have lived really different lives. Also finding out about different aspects of Chinese culture and being able to speak with practitioners of different arts is really rewarding."

The Chinese Language Week started in 2014. It is another language week held in New Zealand after Maori Language Week and Pacific Island Language Week, and the first national "Chinese Language Week" initiated and established by the people of Western countries.

According to statistics from the New Zealand Ministry of Education, the number of primary and secondary school students in New Zealand learning Chinese was nearly 70,000 before the epidemic, with more than 400 primary and secondary schools offering Chinese courses.

Chinese has become the primary foreign language of choice for primary school students in New Zealand. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-09-27 21:51:38|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

TOKYO, Sept. 27 (Xinhua) -- The Japanese government said on Monday that it would ease quarantine rules for travelers who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 starting Oct. 1, shortening the required period for self-isolating at home from 14 days to 10 days.

Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato said at a press conference that people who have been fully vaccinated would be allowed to go outside after a 10-day quarantine period as long as their COVID-19 tests were negative.

For people traveling from any of 45 countries and regions including Britain, India, and the Philippines, the existing rules of Japan required them to spend three of the 14 days in a government-designated facility due to a heightened risk of introducing COVID-19 variants. However, fully vaccinated people would no longer be required to do so under the new rules.

Japan currently does not allow the entry of foreign nationals in principle. Most of the arrivals were Japanese citizens or foreign nationals who had been living in Japan.

Kato said the relaxed quarantine rules were the first in a series of steps in a review of Japan's border measures, adding that the country in the future would consider allowing entry depending on the COVID-19 situation abroad while taking steps including restrictions on movement and testing. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-09-27 22:17:16|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

MANILA, Sept. 27 (Xinhua) -- The Philippines and China on Monday lauded their "robust" bilateral cooperation amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

During an online reception celebrating the 72nd anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, Philippine Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin thanked China for its assistance, saying China "has not kept its economic progress to itself."

China's National Day falls on Oct. 1.

"In Chinese fashion, it believes that wealth is not gained by impoverishing others, but in helping to make the bridge, and therefore mutually profitable partners in progress," Locsin said in his remarks.

"The Philippines knows this well," Locsin added. "China is consistently one of our top trading and investment partners" and a "trusted supporter" of the Philippine government's "Build, Build, Build" infrastructure program, he said.

"In the darkness brought on by COVID-19, China lit the first light of hope by being the first to help. It gave crucial medical equipment and supplies, shared invaluable insights of its medical teams, donated vaccines, and facilitated the procurement of the same," he said.

The Philippine top diplomat recalled that his country kickstarted its vaccination rollout because of China's early and continuous supply of vaccines. "No doubt, it saved countless lives," he added.

"As we restart the Philippine economy during these hard and uncertain times, we can count on China to accelerate our recovery," Locsin said.

For his part, China's Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian said that "robust anti-epidemic cooperation has been carried on."

Huang recalled the support of the Philippine government and the Filipinos at the height of China's battle against COVID-19 early last year, prompting China to extend "every help and support to the Philippines by promptly providing well-needed medical supplies."

China was the first country to provide COVID-19 vaccines to the Philippines.

Meanwhile, Ambassador Huang said China and the Philippines "have joined hands to safeguard solidarity and cooperation in promoting science-based origins tracing instead of politicizing this issue."

"Practical cooperation has made remarkable progress. The synergies between (China-proposed) Belt and Road Initiative and the (Philippines') 'Build, Build, Build' program have been continuously deepened," the Chinese envoy said.

Huang said the government-to-government projects between the two countries have witnessed significant progress. "Thirteen projects, while more projects are being implemented, have been launched and completed."

In the first half of this year, Huang noted that bilateral trade in goods topped 37.5 billion U.S. dollars, up 53.5 percent year-on-year, and China's direct non-financial investment in the Philippines increased by 2.3 times.

"China has become the Philippines' second-largest export market while remaining its largest trading partner and largest source of imports," he added, adding that "friendly exchanges have become even closer."

"We have been committed to managing differences, enhancing mutual trust, and exploring practical cooperation through friendly dialogues and consultations, to safeguard peace and stability in the South China Sea," Huang said. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-09-27 23:14:05|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

PHNOM PENH, Sept. 27 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia exported 194,525 tons of dry rubber in the first eight months of 2021, an increase of 8 percent over the same period last year, according to a General Directorate of Rubber report released on Monday.

The country made gross revenue of 325 million U.S. dollars from exports of the commodity during the January-August period this year, up 40.5 percent year-on-year, the report said.

"A ton of dry rubber averagely cost 1,673 U.S. dollars during the first eight months of this year, about 386 dollars higher than that of the same period last year," Him Oun, director general of the General Directorate of Rubber, said in the report.

The Southeast Asian nation exports the commodity mainly to Malaysia, Vietnam, Singapore and China.

According to the report, so far, Cambodia has planted rubber trees on a total area of 404,160 hectares, in which the trees on 314,319 hectares, or 78 percent, are old enough to be tapped. Enditem
NATASHA UYS

TO say Gwen Lister is a respected figure in local media circles would be quite an understatement.

She provides a powerful example of fierce determination in how she has carved out a place for herself in history books.

In her recently published memoir, 'Comrade Editor', she writes about the various factors that shaped and compelled her to stand up against the apartheid government and fight for the liberation of Namibia.

Led by her moral compass and trusting her gut, Lister has built a legacy as the first female newspaper editor in southern Africa.

Through thoughtful personal reflection, Lister walks the reader through some truly exceptional experiences in her life, beginning by describing herself as both a bold and insecure youngster.

Lister grew up in the Eastern Cape and moved around often due to her father's job as a bank employee.

She became aware of the tense political climate in South Africa quite early on, and her social conscience and political awakening regarding the inequalities between black and white were ignited at school, where she was taught by progressive nuns.

She describes a pivotal moment in her early teens, what she calls her 'Rosa Parks experience', on a bus in Cape Town.

She had offered her seat to an elderly black woman overburdened with parcels in the 'whites-only' section, and received a barrage of racial abuse from fellow white passengers.

Lister says the incident made a deep impression.

"The hurt in her eyes strikes me like a bolt of lightning. In that instant, my life changed irrevocably . . . I resolved never again to remain silent in the face of injustice," she says.

After graduating from the University of Cape Town, Lister, reluctant to undergo the typical two-year internship required at most major South African newspapers, set her sights on South West Africa, where her father was stationed at Tsumeb.

When a vacancy cropped up at The Windhoek Advertiser, she applied.

A particularly humorous moment in the book is her account of her job interview, conducted by the legendary Hannes 'Smittie' Smith, who was already drunk mid-morning, she recalls.

Smittie first berated her as a female journalist and then dragged her off to the pub where he proceeded to get well and truly drunk, she says.

Lister got the job.

She was appointed by Jurgen Meinert, the owner of John Meinert Printing and The Windhoek Advertiser, against Smittie's wishes.

He believed women belonged either "barefoot in the kitchen or naked in bed".

Some very exciting years followed, characterised by finding her own voice and becoming a powerhouse of political journalism.

Smittie's daughter Yanna Smith, who also ventured into journalism, says a large part of 'Comrade Editor' describes her childhood.

"I am glad she came forward and captured the essence of my dad. I think he would have liked her honesty and would have expected nothing less," says Smith.

"In those years my father was a god to me, and he just loved her . . . and combined with how exceptionally pretty and clever she was, she was like a goddess to me. I remember how hard she worked. I wanted to be just like her. In one word, she was accomplished - in everything," says Smith, who describes Lister as steadfast.

"If she was on a story, one could be assured it would be correct, fair, concise and enduring. Her work ethic and commitment are remarkable. She set the standard for all of us - girls and boys. And her politics are based on humanity and fairness. Unwavering. That is her legacy for me."

BIRTH OF A NATION

'Comrade Editor' tells three stories in one - that of Lister as a woman, the birth of an independent Namibian nation, and the founding of The Namibian.

She provides just enough personal insight to give the reader a rare sense of intimacy, speaking candidly on a number of personal experiences, such as the impact her father's heavy drinking had on her, as well as the trials she faced with sometimes unsupportive partners.

"Many of those who encouraged me to write the book said they didn't just want the narrative of what led up to the birth of Namibia, they also wanted insight into Gwen the person," says Lister.

"That was difficult. Having guarded my privacy very closely for obvious reasons over the years preceding, I now had to dig deep and introspect about myself and my journey. The choices I made as a woman, journalist, activist and editor, and some of the conflicts I dealt with in the process."

The book was written in fits and starts over the years due to a busy working life.

Shining through is the heady excitement of the political build-up to independence, which reignites the sense of exhilaration of the time.

As expected, 'Comrade Editor' is politics heavy, going into great detail about important events and figures in the run-up to independence and after.

Lister wrote mostly from memory and by going through old newspapers and some of her old diaries which survived the apartheid years.

The manuscript was completed in mid-2020. Lister sent it to a few publishers, who mostly baulked at the length.

"Finally, NB Publishers [Tafelberg] showed interest, but also insisted on a fairly brutal edit to more than half of the original," she says.

This process was challenging due to the complexity of trying to weave together three strands of her personal journey and do justice to all three.

After essentially being pushed out of the Windhoek Observer, which she started with Smittie in 1978 after leaving The Windhoek Advertiser, Lister and a few other staff members left the newspaper in protest.

What followed were some tough years, but these only served to strengthen her resolve.

More so in the face of her arrest in 1984 under the official secrets and post office acts.

Lister was released a few days later, and soon, with funding from the European Community, she began preparing to launch the first edition of The Namibian.

It hit the streets 36 years ago this week on Friday, 30 August 1985.

All 10 000 copies sold out.

The founding staff of the newspaper included Rajah Munamava, Chris Shipanga and Dudley Viall, who were part of a team of fewer than 10.

The title 'Comrade Editor' actually stems from a nickname given to Lister by Shipanga, who never imagined it would one day be the title of her book.

"When the racist and apartheid authorities wanted to literally take the wind out of her sails, she always courageously fought back, and in the process risked her life," Shipanga says.

"This book is not merely an account on life, journalism and the birth of Namibia, but also a brutally honest story about her personal journey. The author is simply a very rare gem in as far as the Namibian media landscape is concerned, and today, the fruits of her labour are there for all to see."

With Lister at the helm of The Namibian as editor, she was responsible for managing all aspects of the paper, and had to make important, at the time potentially life-threatening, editorial decisions daily.

In the face of a barrage of death threats, the firebombing of The Namibian's offices in 1988, and a grenade attack in 1990, Lister remained resolute.

She was arrested a second time in 1988, while a few months pregnant with her second child - this time for refusing to name a source.

The book details behind-the-scenes events leading up to Namibia's independence and sheds light on Lister's association with the slain liberation activist Anton Lubowski and his assassination just three days before Nujoma's return to Namibia in September 1989.

The sense of euphoria at the time of independence is palpable in the narration of Namibia's first free and fair election, and the subsequent withdrawal of the South African Defence Force.

The reader witnesses the swearing in of Namibia's first president through the eyes of the press stationed on the field of Independence Stadium at midnight on 20 March 1990.

"Setting any pretence of impartiality aside, I joined the crowd in chanting 'down, down, down' as the South African flag was lowered until it touched the ground. As the new Namibian flag was hoisted, I wept unashamedly and saw tears on the faces of most reporters and photographers around me too," Lister recounts.

WOMAN JOURNALIST

Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Namibia Media Books By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later.

Journalist Tuyeimo Haidula read the manuscript before publication and offered her observations and the perspective of young Namibians. She describes the book as candid, gracefully written and at times laugh-out-loud funny.

"It reminded me why I started journalism. It rekindled the fire in me to fight against injustice and to reach those furthest left behind."

The book is dedicated in part to women journalists such as Haidula, who was mentored by Lister to break barriers and take up "space on The Namibian's front page".

Gender is still an obstacle for women journalists, says Haidula. This is something Lister pushed to the limits, even being verbally and physically abused in the process.

"She writes compellingly of the intricacies of marriage and family with honesty and the kind of confidence that comes with being a person of integrity who knows who she is and is comfortable with it - and is not willing to be anything less," says Haidula.

Touching on some important political events, 'Comrade Editor' provides historical context to Lister's life in journalism and the history of the country.

"This is especially to the benefit of readers not familiar with Namibia, but also for many of our young people, who aren't necessarily that familiar with our past," says Lister.

"It could never be the whole story on the history of the Namibian struggle, or the complete saga about the birth and growth of The Namibian or our country for that matter."

Lister stepped down as editor in 2011, taking on a different role in heading up the Namibia Media Trust, which advocates media freedom, free expression and access to information.

Far from showing any signs of slowing down, she continues to remain relevant in the field and is very active on Twitter, where she has been known to share her "opinions for Africa".

"I still believe in a future for print," she says.

"But it will be different from the heyday of the newspaper when entire editions sold out before the onset of the digital era."

'Comrade Editor' is available at local bookshops.
Safaricom Ethiopia PLC will start operating in 2022 as per the business license agreement, said Ministry of Finance.

Discussing the progress and the next steps with regard to Safaricom Ethiopia PLC investments in Ethiopia, Peter Ndegwa,Safaricom PLCChief Executive Officer said that his company is committed to operate as per the license for commercial launch in 2022.

Ahmed Shide, Ethiopian Minister of Finance and EyobTekalign (PhD) State Minister of Finance, held fruitful discussions with a delegation from Safaricom PLC and Safaricom Ethiopia PLC, led by Peter Ndegwa.

Peter reaffirmed the commitment of SafaricomEthiopia PLC to work with local companies and ethio telecom with a view to fostering public service.

Ahmed Shideon his part confirmedthat the Government of Ethiopia is highly committed to support Safaricom Ethiopia PLC to bring about a difference concerning telecom service quality, coverage and innovation. He also said that the Government renews its pledge to help scale up investment in telecommunications sector in the country.

Safaricom Ethiopia PLC's investment in Ethiopia is anticipated to create thousands of direct and indirect jobs as the company kicks off its operations capitalizing on communications services.
This Sunday, September 5, the population of Conakry woke up to confusion.

The international press reports that heavy gunfire was heard in the strategic district of Kaloum, which houses the presidential palace.

Some well-established sources in the Guinean capital report that a coup d'etat was led by elements of the Groupement des forces Speciales, They specified that President Alpha Conde would be kept safe.

The elite unit of the army said to be at the origin of this coup is led by a certain Colonel Mamady Doumbouya, identified as a former legionnaire of the French army who returned to the country in 2018. He is a soldier described as a "hothead" because of his last tug of war with the Minister of Defense, which was over his desire to be a part of the unit that he had led for four years.

According to the same sources, located in the Malian capital, the "putschists" are currently facing off with presidential bodyguards.

Alpha Conde thus faces his umpteenth coup attempt. Since his re-election in 2020, for a third term, he has faced permanent instability on the political, social and security fronts.

Translated from the original story in French by Bacary Dabo.
Katima Mulilo  The ministers of international relations of Botswana and Namibia signed a communique at the end of their two-day engagement held in Kasane and Katima Mulilo on Friday.

Botswana's Lemogang Kwape and eputy Prime Minister Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah called on security clusters from the two countries to implement resolutions in the signed agreement, which include, among others, to co-exist peacefully.

The agreement is aimed at bringing to a close the subject of the killing of three Namibians and their Zambian cousin last year by the Botswana Defence Force. The parties also reaffirmed their continued willingness to share natural resources along the border.

Three brothers, Tommy, Martin and Wamunyima Nchindo, and their cousin Sinvula Muyeme, were shot by BDF on 5 November 2020, on suspicion they were part of a poaching syndicate.

In April this year, President Hage Geingob, while visiting the family, said government will consider the request by the family of the slain fishermen to view the contents of the report into the killing.

In March this year, Botswana leader Mokgweetsi Masisi told journalists during a working visit at the Namibian State House that the joint investigation report into the shooting was not yet for public consumption.

At the time, Masisi claimed there was a judicial process that still needed to be completed in Botswana before the report is released to the public.

"As is the case in Botswana and the incident took place in Botswana, there is a judicial process. Unfortunately, for the time being, the matter is sub judice," Masisi was quoted as saying.

"There is a process that still needs to be completed in Botswana. I would advise strongly not for the report to be made public until so authorised by a competent court. The content of the report established all the facts. Let us not go ahead of the truth until the competent court authorises it."

The two parties also said: "It will also be necessary to develop and enter into joint agreements to establish a joint permanent command centre to enable the security forces of the two countries to conduct joint patrols; to apprehend culprits and bring them to book. That is very important because both our countries cannot condone crime," stated Nandi-Ndaitwah.

Her counterpart also shared the same sentiments, stressing that residents of Zambezi region and Chobe district share blood relations; therefore, it is pivotal they maintain peace at all times.

Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Namibia Governance Botswana By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later.

He further revealed that an independent body has opened an inquest into the killing of three Namibians and their Zambian cousin last year by the Botswana Defence Force.

"We do not want anyone of us to live in fear. We want the water to be still, and it is my certain hope that peace and hope, love and kindness that have existed between our two countries will prevail," said Lemogang.

Other resolutions in the signed agreement include the call for the speedy implementation of the agreement signed between the two countries in February last year for the residents of Impalila and Kasika to use border passes when they cross over to Kasane.

In addition, the communique also calls for the Chobe Distric Council and the Zambezi Regional Council to enter into a twinning agreement, which will, among others, enhance cooperation between the two local authorities, as well as facilitate regular engagements by the traditional authorities.
(Continued)

IN recent times, professional critics have had their fill of writing about presidential election malpractices in Africa. I came across one such piece by Justice Novati Rutenge, which was published in THE CITIZEN newspaper on Monday, 11th September, 2017.

Its title was 'Decades on, just why can't we get our elections right?' And he went on as follows: "Kenya's 2017 elections were a cautionary tale of how electoral malpractices can divide a nation and led to deep-seated turmoil . . . After taking what seemed to be all the steps in the right direction in terms of setting up a foolproof electoral process, just how did Kenya manage to have botched elections? . . . However, this issue is not unique to Kenya, for most African countries still have a long way to go before they start holding proper and meaningful elections".

And one year earlier in 2016, I had seen similar, scathing criticism, regarding Uganda's Presidential election which had been held in February 2016; in which, under the heading "Africans are given to stealing elections", the writer asserted that " Presidential elections in Uganda have been stolen by the declared winner, President Yoweri Museveni, and therefore, in terms of sustaining democracy, they were actually useless and meaningless".

Hence, in the light of the seemingly positive Zambia's Presidential election outcome (where there have been no claims of votes being stolen) I suppose that, in all fairness, such critics will now agree that even in Africa we still can have our elections right.

The useful lessons from Zambia. One simple lesson is that, despite the stated overwhelming odds, it is still possible for an opposition party to win an election in Africa.

And Zambia was actually the first country to show this possibility when, in their first ever multi-party general election which was held in 1991, Opposition party candidate Frederick Chiluba convincingly defeated the incumbent President Kenneth Kaunda.

We devoted last week's discussions on the lessons which could be usefully learnt from the just ended Presidential election in Zambia which brought President Hakainde Hechelema to power, having beaten the incumbent President Edgar Lungu by a landslide of around a million votes; and Edgar Lungu gracefully conceded defeat.

However, in that presentation we were able to focus on only one aspect, namely the opinion that had been expressed by one of the country's leading newspapers THE CITIZEN, in its editorial on this subject.

That editorial had presented a view which seemed to indicate that 'the independence of Zambia's electoral commission is all that accounts for the more "positive" results, which enabled an opposition candidate to soundly defeat the incumbent President.

And I made an attempt to challenge that point of view (with reasoned arguments), with the aim of presenting my own perspective on that matter.

Today's presentation will endeavour to put that perspective on record; which, briefly, is that there are many other important lessons which we could profitably learn and benefit immensely from them.

These includes the following:- (a) the basic causes for the ruling party's election defeat; (b) the incumbent's gracious acceptance of defeat; and (c) the need to invest greater trust and confidence in the country's electoral Authority.

The basic causes for Zambia's ruling party's election defeat. Lesson 1: the ruling party's unsatisfactory performance. Commenting on what propelled Hichelem's victory; a political commentator Professor Nic Cheeseman of the University of Birmingham, told DW from Lusaka, that the long term economic decline is what led to the downfall of Edgar Lungu's government: "A lot of Zambians blame the Patriotic Front government for the economic difficulties they have been facing. they connect it to corruption, and the rising country's debt".

He explained further that "many Zambians feel that the situation is not going to get better under the Patriotic Front leadership, and are now banking on Hichelema's reputation as a successful businessman, who could perhaps be better at managing the economy.

Another Zambian political analyst, Neo Simutanyi, opined that the election results could be seen as a "protest vote" against Lungu's rule. "This election was much more a rejection of the Patriotic Front" he told DW.

Apart from these economic woes, other observers also noted "a worrying trend towards authoritarianism towards the end of Lungu's rule".

His administration was accused of "targeting. critical media houses and journalists who reported alleged corruption; and opposition politicians were arrested for questioning government decisions", including Hichelema himself, who says he has been arrested 15 times". These appear to be the principal causes that facilitated Zambia's ruling party's election defeat.

They could be compressed and rephrased to read thus: "Zambia's ruling party's election failure was caused primarily by the grave dissatisfaction by the majority of the Zambian voters, regarding its unsatisfactory performance and delivery". In other words, the majority voters' dissatisfaction was the primary cause of its ejection from power. Lesson 2 : the gracious acceptance of defeat by the incumbent President.

One obvious reason which motivates an incumbent president to refuse to accept the results of an election, is his insatiable ambition to stay in power. Adlai Stevenson, that well known US statesman of the early 1960, is on record as having said the following, in a speech he delivered in January 1963:- "Power corrupts, but lack of power corrupts absolutely"

It is precisely for this reason, that in 1984, Mwalimu Nyerere persuaded his colleagues on the CCM National Executive Committee, to accept the principle of imposing a constitutional limitation to the President's term of office.

It may be helpful to revisit his reasoning in support of this principle; which was as follows:- "No matter how able or efficient a leader might be, there comes a time when his ability and efficiency, will be impaired by his advancing age.

Similarly, no matter how popular a leader might be, there will come a time when his popularity will vanish, not necessarily because of any mistakes he has committed, but simply because the people are tired of seeing the same person in the same office for a long period of time It is for these reasons that I have personally decided to retire at this moment in time.

continued thus:- "But it is obviously not easy for every incumbent President himself to make this decision to exit from office; for there will always be people around him with strong vested personal interests, who will be telling him that he is still needed,

And neither will it be easy for any of his own party organs, to ask the incumbent President to vacate office, for there will always be people therein with the same strong vested personal interests, who will actively encourage him to stay in power. I thus believe, that the Constitution is the best placed authority to decide for a leader at that level, what is the right time for him to quit".

Many African countries soon followed suit, and introduced similar provisions in their countries' Constitutions. It is, presumably, the 'absolute' corruption induced by the fear of being in a state of 'lack of power', which drove some Presidents to change their Constitutions by removing such provisions which imposed limitations to Presidential terms in office.

Indeed, that happened even here in Tanzania when, under the second-phase government of President Ali Hassan Mwinyi, attempts were made to change the Constitution in order to enable the incumbent to remain in office after the expiration of his second term.

And similar attempts were also made in Zanzibar during President Salmin Amour's Presidency, in order to enable him to contest for a third term in the 2000 Zanzibar Presidential election.

Happily, in both cases, these miserable attempts failed; solely because the ruling party (CCM) just refused to entertain them. Hence, the fact of incumbent President Edgar Lungu's willingness to accept defeat, was a good lesson, which others in similar situations, should follow. Lesson 3 : the need to invest greater trust and confidence in the Electoral Commission .

In last week's article, we quoted the words from THE CITIZEN newspaper' editorial of 18th August, 2021 which seemed to cast grave doubt on the independence electoral commissions which are appointed by Heads of State; asserting that "they can hardly be described as independent in the first place".

And I was quick to challenge that assertion, for reasons which I clearly stated. I will now elaborate further on that matter, by adding a few more points.

Indeed, lack of confidence in our own National Electoral Commission, has been on the cards of the opposition parties ever since the reintroduction of multi-party politics in our country way back in 1992; as evidenced by their persistent demand for a new Constitution, which will allegedly make provision for such an independent electoral authority.

When President Ali Hassan Mwinyi appointed the first electoral commission in preparation for the first multi-party general election of 1995, he took care to appoint some high judicial officers, who could be trusted to carry out their duties "without fear or favour".

But, not long after they had started discharging their responsibilities, the opposition parties started singing the same song that was repeated by the CITIZEN editorial quoted above, namely that they had no confidence in that Commission, claiming that "since its members were appointed by the President, who is at the same time the Chairman of the ruling party CCM, they would be biased in favour of the ruling party candidates".

Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Tanzania Governance Zambia By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later.

For the inquiring mind, such assertions will inevitably raise the question: What kind of independence are they looking for? The question arises because, as we pointed out in last week's article, constitutional independence is already guaranteed to the National Electoral Commission by articles 74(7) and 74(11) of the Constitution of the United Republic of Tanzania, 1977.

Thus, clearly, the Constitution is not the problem; which, obviously, lies elsewhere. And, in my humble opinion, it lies squarely in their individual mindsets. This is because the dictionary definition of the word "independent" is given as follows :- "being dependent on, or controlled by, other people or things".

Now, there are certain statutory requirements, which necessarily oblige the electoral commission to be dependent on other authorities. The electoral commission's statutory dependence.

There are two types of 'dependence relationships' which the national electoral commission cannot possibly avoid. One is its dependence on the Parliament of the United Republic.

Since the commission is required to perform its duties and functions strictly in accordance with the laws of the land, and itself has no power, or authority, to enact or amend any law; it is entirely dependent on Parliament in respect of that function.

The second aspect of dependence, is that the commission needs money, or a budget, which will enable it to perform its functions. But since the Commission does not have its own independent sources of revenue, it must depend on the government of the day to provide the requisite funds; and this dependence on the government cannot possibly be avoided, because it is in-built in the governance system itself.

Unfortunately though, this dependence carries with it the obvious danger that a President with an insatiable ambition to remain in office; could, unethically, postpone a general election on the pretext that the government does not have enough funds to conduct such an election!

piomsekwa@gmail.com / 075476757
Rwanda is piloting the possibilities of making HIV-prevention pills-which are currently only accessible to key populations in the country-available to all.

The pilot for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is at its early stage but has reached more than 196 health facilities countrywide, according to Rwanda Biomedical Centre (RBC)

PrEP is pill taken by HIV-negative people to protect them from infection.

Taking pills can stop the HIV virus from establishing an infection in a person who has been exposed.

In Rwanda, not everybody can access these pills. Those who do have access to them are selected based on eligibility criteria and have to fall under a certain category or group of people.

"These current target groups are, discordant couples where the partner who is HIV negative takes them to avoid contracting the virus, the second group is for female sex workers because they have multiple sexual partners and their condom use is low," said Jean Pierre Ayingoma, Key Population Strategic Officer at RBC. The third group, he added, is gay people because they are at high risk of contracting the virus or they do not know their HIV status.

The pilot process which started last year in just ten health facilities in Kigali will determine the effectiveness affordability and accessibility of the drug in Rwanda.

"We started with these people because they are at substantial risk of contracting the virus more than others, but once the pilot phase is over... our plan is to see how we can roll out these pills in pharmacies and more health centres so they can be accessible to everyone," Ayingoma said.

While no study about the drug has been conducted in Rwanda, various research elsewhere has shown that when used properly the substantial risk it can reduce the risk of contracting HIV by 92-99 per cent.

Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Rwanda AIDS By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later.

Male users have to take the pills seven days before the substantial risk and female 21 days.

Ingabire Emery Jocelyne Associate Director, a Community Outreach at Health Development Initiative (HDI), said 60 per cent of new HIV infections are key populations-groups at increased risk of contracting HIV.

"So, it was crucial to start with these groups, for example, for female sex workers their (HIV) prevalence is 45.8 per cent, and for the general population it's three per cent," she said.

For these people to access PrEP pills, she explained, we have programs under which we identify these people, and we record them and know who they are.

It is through these programmes that they can get help in accessing the pills in different health centres, she said.

Sage Semafara, the Executive Secretary at Rwanda Network of people living with HIV, welcomed the prospects of a universal rollout of these drugs.

According to the 2019 report by RBC, the prevalence of HIV among adults in Rwanda was three per cent. This corresponds to approximately 210,200 adults living with HIV in Rwanda with more women (3.7 per cent) than men (2.2 per cent) living with HIV.
Africa Moyo  Deputy News Editor

The presence of France's Ambassador to Zimbabwe Mr Laurent Chevallier at yesterday's commissioning of Phase 1 of the US$13 million Seed Co maize conditioning plant indicates the continued acceptance of the Second Republic by countries that previously cut ties with Harare, President Mnangagwa said.

Since coming into office in November 2017, President Mnangagwa deliberately embarked on an engagement and re-engagement drive to mend relations with all countries that had shut their doors on Zimbabwe while striving to maintain good relations with those that have stood with Harare during difficult times.

And after Brexit, Paris feels less constrained to pursue an independent and more accommodating stance on Zimbabwe

President Mnangagwa yesterday commended the French Government for supporting the Zimbabwean economy, adding that Harare was committed to deepen the long-standing fraternal relations with Paris.

"We have seen here His Excellency, the French Ambassador (Mr Chevallier); we rarely have European ambassadors attending our programmes," said the President.

"This speaks to the continuous acceptance of the Second Republic internationally. At the time of our independence, France came to join us and supported this country at independence in various sectors (such as) agriculture, defence and security.

"We would wish that relationship be restored, strengthened and broadened. We, therefore, stand ready to accept more French companies. Above that, we seek cooperation with the rest of the world under our Foreign Policy of engagement and re-engagement; engagement with those who would want to engage with us and re-engagement with those who have disengaged, that is the Second Republic's policy."

Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines External Relations Governance Zimbabwe By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later.

President Mnangagwa thanked the French government for the support that it continues to render to Zimbabwe's economy.

Seed Co's maize conditioning plant was made possible through a loan facility from a French company, Proparco, which focuses on financing private sector development.

The Limagrain Group, an international agri-business based in France, is Seed Co's major shareholder.

Limagrain operates as a cooperative and was founded and is directed by farmers.

They have, over the years, grown to become the largest seed company in Europe, specialising in vegetables, field crops and cereal products.

Limagrain's vegetable seed division is the second largest company in the industry.

Other top French companies operating in Zimbabwe include global fuel giant Total, Saint-Gobain Construction Products that commissioned a US$1 million Weber plant for tile adhesives in Harare's Msasa industrial area last year and the Lesaffre Group that acquired Anchor Yeast Private Limited in 2016.

As the engagement and reengagement drive continues, President Mnangagwa has been invited to attend the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference, also known as COP26, which is scheduled for the city of Glasgow, Scotland.

The President is expected to take advantage of the conference to engage a number of leaders and investors, informing them of the economic and political reforms that have been adopted in Zimbabwe since 2017.
International school feeding charity Mary's Meals programme is now reaching out to more than 2 million children in 19 countries globally with life-changing meals every school day.

And in Malawi alone, 30% of its primary school population -- about 1,043,455 children enjoy being served nutritious meals by this non-profit organization that initially aimed at feeding around 200 children in two Malawian schools in 2002.

In Africa, more than 335,143 children in Zambia are served meals in schools each day; 125,414 in Kenya and 144,208 in Liberia.

Other countries that Mary's Meals reaches out to hungry school children across four continents include Haiti, India, Syria, Lebanon, Ethiopia, Thailand, Myanmar, Uganda, South Sudan, Niger, Madagascar, Zimbabwe, Benin, Ecuador and Romania.

In a statement, Mary's Meals Account Director, Juliet Tshele said the "the nutritious meals are served in the schools by local volunteers who are determined to help the next generation to build a brighter future".

"This is a major milestone as Mary's Meals now has 2 million reasons to celebrate, as it has reached more than two million children across a multitude of countries," Tshele said.

The celebration of the landmark achievement of feeding 2 million children every school day will be officially announced and celebrated in the remote desert region of Turkana, Kenya, where communities serve the much-needed daily meals to children attending Early Childhood Development centres.

The virtual celebratory event, which will have Mary Meal's founder Magnus MacFarlane-Barrow in attendance, will be broadcast at 8pm CAT and open to all through: marysmeals.org/2-million.

Tshele said one of the children will make the announcement while the charity's founder is expected to share the charity's reflections and highlights as well as contributions from hundreds of members of the Mary's Meals global family.

This landmark comes just six years after reaching the major milestone of feeding one million children each day and the statement quotes MacFarlane-Barrow, founder and CEO of Mary's Meals, as saying: "Today we celebrate an amazing moment in the Mary's Meals story. Today, two million children ate Mary's Meals in a place of education.

"When we set out on this path nearly 30 years ago we were overwhelmed by people's goodness in donating -- and that's been the story ever since.

"I thank you with all my heart on behalf of each of those children, for every bit of hard work, for every gift given, for all those unique things each person brings to this enormous Mary's Meals' table. Thank you, and please let's keep going forward.

"For every one of those children that ate today, many more are still waiting for Mary's Meals to come to their school, so we go on. But this happy day shows us that this vision of ours is possible."

The charity had humble beginnings to say the least: a one-off good deed from a shed in the Highlands of Scotland eventually led to a small school feeding programme in Malawi, aiming to bring vital meals to around 200 children in two schools while they learned.

"Serving daily meals in a place of education helps even the most vulnerable children to attend school and concentrate in lessons, giving them the freedom to learn and the chance to fulfil their potential," said MacFarlane-Barrow continues to say.

"The charity's impressive growth is fuelled by countless acts of kindness from people from all walks of life. The growing global movement - which now has fundraising affiliates in more than 15 countries - has allowed the school feeding programme to expand and continue reaching out to children in the greatest areas of need, often working with local partner organisations in more remote or challenging areas."

In addition, Mary's Meals not only feeds huge numbers of children attending government-run schools in Africa, but also brings daily meals to children finding hope in non-formal education centres in India; the sons and daughters of vulnerable migrant workers in Thailand; young people engaging in education while awaiting trial in prisons in Niger and Madagascar.

It also feeds children affected by the ongoing conflict in Syria - through feeding programmes in Aleppo and neighbouring Lebanon; and many thousands of young learners in Haiti, which has been plagued by years of political unrest and damage from natural disasters.

Mary's Meals recently published a five-year impact study showing promising results in reducing child hunger, giving children energy, improving children's wellbeing and helping more children to access education.

The charity believes that a steady supply of food in school is changing the story for young people who might otherwise be working or begging for their next meal or too worried about hunger to engage in lessons.

Mary's Meals says this latest milestone has prompted changes to another story - the founder's bestselling book 'The Shed That Fed A Million Children' -- which has been fully updated with a new preface, chapter and epilogue and will be published by HarperCollins (in English) September 30, 2021.

The new material charts the journey of the last six years -- since the announcement that Mary's Meals was feeding one million children each school day -- and includes reflections on the way the global pandemic played out for the charity and its partners, and the communities serving the meals.

Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Malawi Education Company By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later.

The Founder also gives a harrowing account of conversations with a close colleague working on the front line in Tigray, Ethiopia, to bring assistance and comfort to those fleeing violence across the region.

The public is encouraged to visit marysmeals.org to find out more of Mary's Meals and how to get involved or to order a copy of the Founder's fully updated book, 'The Shed That Fed 2 Million Children'.

The average global cost to feed a child with Mary's Meals for a whole school year is 15.90/US$21.00/ 18.30.

Mary's Meals is committed to spending at least 93% of donations directly on its charitable activities. This is only possible because most of the charity's work is done by an army of dedicated volunteers --including more than 80,000 in Malawi alone.

The Mary's Meals campaign was born in 2002 when Magnus MacFarlane-Barrow visited Malawi during a famine and met a mother dying from AIDS.

When schools closed because of the CoVID-19 pandemic, Mary's Meals continued to reach almost every child enrolled in its school feeding programmes through community distributions of food parcels and essential hygiene items.

This was to ensure that its work wasn't interrupted during this challenging time by enabling parents or guardians to cook daily meals for the children at home, in their temporary place of education and reduced household hunger and fear.
THE government is taking measures, including establishment of a permanent national committee to address challenges of cyber bullying, controlling fraud and cyber theft through mobile phones in the country.

This was stated by the Deputy Minister for Communications and Information Technology Engineer Andrew Kundo before the National Assembly here yesterday while answering a question from Emmanuel Mwakasaka (Tabora Urban-CCM)

In his question, the Member of Parliament (MP) wanted to know the government's extra strategy to address the problem of fraud and cyber theft through mobile phones.

Responding, the deputy minister told the House that the government had already taken steps to create a safe environment for citizens, especially on the internet.

He said that in 2015 the government enacted the Cyber Crime Act aimed at legally recognising the offences committed on the networks in order to take appropriate action when such offences are identified and the Electronic Transactions Act with a view to identify online transactions.

At the same time, Engineer Kundo said, the government has established a Cyber Crime Unit under the Police Force to investigate cybercrime including any form of cyber theft and to prepare case files in collaboration with the National Prosecution Office.

According to the deputy minister, suspects arrested for misuse of networks are subject to appropriate action.

"In February 2021 the government has formed a National Committee to oversee the misuse of telecommunication services and products which involves all Ministries and institutions involved in dealing with cybercrime," he said.

Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Tanzania Governance ICT By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later.

The Deputy Minister also noted that the Committee is a permanent committee, which advises the government on how to address network challenges.

"The government in collaboration with mobile phone service providers has introduced a system through the number" 15040 "to receive and lock the numbers that have been reported and confirmed to send messages or make fraudulent calls," he noted.

According to Eng. Kundo, after confirming the numbers to have been involved in such acts, the relevant number is locked, the National Identification Authority (NIDA) identity card used to register, the relevant number is closed to register and the device used (phone) is also locked so that it does not work.

He said that the Government would continue to intensify efforts to educate the public on the effective and efficient use of Information and Communication Technology for social and economic development.
The conference organised in Yaounde by Strategies To Empower People, STEP, sought to change the endemic mindset of dependence on others to succeed in life.

Over 400 people on Friday, September 10, 2021 met in the Yaounde Conference Centre for the annual Leadership Summit "to be more optimistic, determined and conscious of their abilities," explained Fiola Manmo, President of Strategies To Empower People, STEP Africa, organisers of the free conference.

"We often think every good thing must come from others. It is true we need people to evolve, but the resolve must come from us. We expect to see people leave the conference with new purposes, encouragement and strength. We want to see young people take care of their families and leave behind wealth for future generations," Fiola noted.

The conference - the second to hold in Cameroon after last year's in Douala - was mostly about personal testimonies on leadership and wealth creation. The 9 speakers were Ron Johnson, St Clair Mitchell, Diana Mcconaty, Thierry Nyamen, Demetrus Sutton, Alain Monthe P., Jacques Ncheho, Alphonse Ngameni and Fiola Manmo.

"We believe leadership is an indispensable ingredient - not just for the development of a nation - but also people, homes, businesses... . It is critical that the next generation be prepared today for the challenges of tomorrow. Most of these challenges will concern leadership," Pastor St Clair Mitchell, Founder of Strategies To Empower People Universal, told Cameroon Tribune.

According to him, "The culture in Cameroon is better prepared to receive the Kingdom message. Cameroonians and Africans in general understand worship and what it means to pay tribute to the King. All this translates into good leadership because scriptures tell us that if you are a friend to the wise, you become wise. But if you are companion of fools, you will be destroyed."

Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Cameroon Business Children By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later.

"It was God's idea to create people of different races with unique qualities. No nationality needs to depend on another to succeed. Every nationality has the potential to succeed and create wealth if only they come into relationship with God," said Pastor Ron Johnson, Chancellor of Logos University, USA. Apart from being an architect, he also constructs schools, churches and homes across the globe.

Asked why most of the world's most prosperous nations are not necessarily Christian, Johnson said: "This is partly true. Unbelievers also practise Biblical principles and succeed. The Bible says if you give, more will be given back to you. Look at America. There is no nation that gives like America. Every time there is a problem, America wants to give. This has created an environment whereby God's blessings reside on America. God has not blessed America because the people are good, but because they give. The key to prosperity is giving," Pastor Johnson pointed out. He mentioned other Biblical principles of wealth creation to include integrity, hard work, love for one another and being blessed to be a blessing to others. "These principles work everywhere in the world because people connect with God," Johnson underscored.

The 2021 STEP Leadership Summit in Cameroon ends on Saturday Sept 11, 2021 with a visit to an orphanage in Yaounde. "We will spend time with the children, play with them and then offer gifts," Fiola Manmo said.
?? Lanzamiento de la Estrategia Caso por caso hasta llegar a casa, actividad encabezada por la Primera Dama @LiliaParedesN y la ministra de la mujer @AnahiDurandG. #SemanaDeLosDerechos????????????



Galeria fotografica: https://t.co/cPUW7uqj9K pic.twitter.com/3WXJgMWI34




Other countries include the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman, Czech Republic, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Australia, and Singapore.





In total, 192 countries have their own pavilion at the event venue and offer remarkable experiences to Expo 2020 Dubai visitors. However, only 10 have been selected as the best in terms of innovation and beauty by the UAE magazine.





Timeless Peru





The Peruvian pavilion entitled 'Timeless Peru' and set up by Peru's Exports and Tourism Promotion Board (PromPeru)  includes a virtual tour of the many landscapes and tourist attractions scattered in various regions across the country.

In addition, Peru will showcase the different aspects of its artistic and cultural life, the wide range of agricultural and fishery products, as well as its mineral wealth, fauna, and flora.





"From immersive 4D virtual displays to a glowing exterior, this pavilion will focus on the country's rich biological diversity," reads the magazine's description on the Peruvian pavilion.

Additionally, the publication underlines that the interactive exhibition will feature a sensory experience where visitors can delve into the country's history, culture, and roots.

"Visitors can also relish Peruvian superfoods in the changing light of culinary delights at the pavilion to promote the country's national cuisine," Emirates Woman added.





(END) NDP/JCR/RMB

Emirates Woman an important UAE magazine with a focus on current trends and lifestyle has created a list of the most stunning pavilions at the Expo 2020 Dubai site, and Peru is the only country of the Americas featured on such list.Published: 9/26/2021
?? ATENCION | Si tienes 21 o 22 anos, y vives en Lima Metropolitana y Callao, #VacunateYa contra la COVID-19. ???



? Acude segun tu programacion en https://t.co/FMfPvIH3kQ



Una es ninguna. Ponte las dos dosis. ???? pic.twitter.com/MA1joFFjTL
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 27, ARMENPRESS. The major crimes department of the Investigative Committee of Armenia continues its investigation into the criminal case on the war of aggression unleashed by the Azerbaijani government against the Republic of Artsakh on September 27, 2020, its deployment of pre-recruited mercenaries, employment of prohibited methods of warfare and munitions, indiscriminate, premeditated and coordinated attacks at civilians of Artsakh, namely the bombardments of civilian infrastructures and population, and gross violations of international humanitarian law.

The Investigative Committee said that according to its data 3781 servicemen and civilians were killed in Artsakh and Armenia as a result of the war unleashed by Azerbaijan. As of 2021 September 27, there are 231 servicemen classified as missing-in-action. The fates of 22 civilians also remain unknown.

So far, the Azeri authorities have returned a total of 108 POWs, including both servicemen and civilians.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 27, ARMENPRESS. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Artsakh has issued a statement today on the anniversary of the War unleashed by Azerbaijan against Artsakh, the ministry told Armenpress.

The statement reads:

A year ago, on September 27, Azerbaijan, with the direct participation and support of Turkey and international terrorist groups, unleashed a large-scale war against the Republic of Artsakh.

During the 44-day aggression, Azerbaijan employed indiscriminate weapons prohibited by international conventions against the population of Artsakh, grossly damaging the economic and civil infrastructure as well as the environment. The Republic of Artsakh suffered thousands of human losses as a result of the war, and most of its territory was occupied. Only thanks to the deployment of the Russian peacekeeping mission in the region the aggression of the criminal triple alliance was stopped.

However, even after the cessation of hostilities, Azerbaijan continues its blatantly aggressive, anti-Armenian and expansionist policy at the state level, grossly violating all the agreements, norms of international law and principles of humanity.

To this day a great number of prisoners of war are kept in inhumane conditions in Azerbaijan being subjected to torture and humiliated.

Azerbaijan systematically carries out cultural Genocide and destroys the Armenian historical heritage in the occupied territories of Artsakh.

The ceasefire is regularly violated by Azerbaijan, with an aim to evict Armenians from Artsakh through psychological pressure and intimidation.

Today, more than ever, we are determined to strengthen and develop our independent and sovereign statehood and to decide our own political future, excluding any kind of status within Azerbaijan.

The foreign policy priorities of Artsakh continue to be the international recognition of the independence of the Republic of Artsakh, preservation of its status as a geopolitical subject, de-occupation of the territories of Artsakh, ensuing the continuation of the negotiation process with the full-fledged participation of Artsakh within the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group, development of relations with various countries and structures.

The key to the effective implementation of all these goals is the strengthening of the Armenia-Artsakh-Diaspora trinity, conducting a realistic foreign policy guided by state interests.

On this sad day, we are rightfully proud of the courage and heroism of the defenders of the Motherland. We pay tribute to those who sacrificed their lives for the sake of freedom and independence of Artsakh. Long live the Republic of Artsakh!
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 27, ARMENPRESS. Armenian government officials and politicians are visiting the Yerablur military cemetery to pay tribute to the memory of the victims of the 2020 Artsakh war unleashed by Azerbaijan one year ago on this day.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Deputy Prime Minister Suren Papikyan, Secretary of the Security Council Armen Grigoryan, Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructures Gnel Sanosyan and other government officials have laid flowers at Yerablur honoring the memory of the fallen troops.

Bright Armenia party leader Edmon Marukyan, together with his party members, and many other politicians also visited the military cemetery Monday morning.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 27, ARMENPRESS. The population of Armenia held a moment of silence today in memory of all heroes fallen at the 2020 44-Day Artsakh War.

On this occasion Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan was at the House of Soldier and honored the fallen troops together with the defenders of the homeland.

September 27 marks the anniversary of the 44-Day War unleashed by Azerbaijan against Artsakh. Despite the statement on the ceasefire signed on November 9, Azerbaijan still refuses to return all Armenian captives.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 27, ARMENPRESS. Defense Minister of Armenia Arshak Karapetyan visited today the Yerablur Military Pantheon to pay tribute to the memory of the servicemen fallen at the 2020 Artsakh War.

I bow before the tombs of all soldiers. We have both fallen friends, soldiers here, as well as my servicemen are here. We will do everything for this place to be a pantheon, not to look like a cemetery, the minister told reporters.

He stated that these servicemen have been killed in action, but have not died.

September 27 marks the anniversary of the 44-Day War unleashed by Azerbaijan against Artsakh. Despite the statement on the ceasefire signed on November 9, Azerbaijan still refuses to return all Armenian captives.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 27, ARMENPRESS. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, once again displaying overt aggression and threats, said that the Zangezur corridor must be opened.

We are still displaying patience, Aliyev told Anadolu news agency in an interview. But our patience has limits too. The second Karabakh war showed what happens when our patience gets exhausted. Therefore, we are giving Armenia the opportunity to fulfill all terms of the November 10 statement and act responsibly.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 27, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian sent a congratulatory letter to President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow on the 30th anniversary of Independence, the Armenian Presidents Office said.

I am sure that under your leadership Turkmenistan will continue its path to progress and prosperity.

The centuries-old ties and the warm traditions of friendship between the peoples of Armenia and Turkmenistan are a firm base for the strengthening of the relations between our countries and the full exercise of the existing potential.

I am confident that with joint efforts we will manage to ensure the further development of the mutually beneficial cooperation between Armenia and Turkmenistan, the Armenian President said in his letter.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 27, ARMENPRESS. France will spare no effort to contribute to the resumption of dialogue between Armenia and Azerbaijan within the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmanship, aimed at the lasting settlement of the conflict and the stabilization of the situation in the South Caucasus, the French Embassy in Armenia said in a statement issued today on the occasion of the anniversary of the 2020 Artsakh War.

Today, at 11:00, the Embassy of France in Armenia held a moment of silence in memory of the victims of last years bloody conflict. We express our sincere condolences and support to the families of the victims and injured, the statement says.

September 27 marks the anniversary of the 44-Day War unleashed by Azerbaijan against Artsakh. Despite the statement on the ceasefire signed on November 9, Azerbaijan still refuses to return all Armenian captives.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 27, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian congratulated President of Cyprus Nicos Anastasiades on the occasion of the 75th birthday, the Armenian Presidents Office said.

Armenia attaches great importance to the relations with Cyprus which are based on common civilizational values, centuries-old friendship and mutual interests. I am sure there is a huge potential for strengthening the bilateral ties, which will be supplemented by new ideas and initiatives with joint efforts, the President said in his letter, adding: I hope the strategic partnership and mutual understanding between Armenia and Cyprus will expand and deepen in the future for the benefit of our peoples. Our compatriots living in Cyprus also greatly contribute to the Armenian-Cypriot partnership. They have their investment in the social, economic and cultural life of Cyprus and also an invaluable contribution to the strengthening and development of the friendship between our peoples.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 27, ARMENPRESS. The autumn session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, which will take place on September 27-30, kicks off in Strasbourg, ARMENPRESS reports, citing the official website of the PACE, on the first day of the session the report prepared by Paul Gavan, a delegate from Ireland, themed The humanitarian consequences the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan, will be discussed.

According to the draft report, the Parliamentary Assembly regrets the tragic humanitarian consequences of the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict. It is mentioned that the conflict had two major outbreaks, one of which lasted from 1991 to 1994, and the second was the Six-Week War of 2020.

"During the last six-week war, more than 3,900 Armenians, more than 2,900 Azeris, were killed or missed in action, as well as many civilians were killed. More than 91,000 Armenians and 84,000 Azeris have been displaced," the draft report said.

The rapporteur, Paul Gavan, also made recommendations to Armenia and Azerbaijan on the steps that could help overcome the humanitarian consequences of the war in the short and long term period, and advance the peace and reconciliation process. According to the rapporteur, the international community, including the Council of Europe, is ready to help both countries.

And in the draft resolution the Parliamentary Assembly reminds that by joining the Council of Europe in January 2001, Armenia and Azerbaijan pledged to use exclusively peaceful means to resolve the conflict. Therefore, the Six-Week War of 2020 is a violation of those commitments, which must be properly addressed by the Council of Europe.
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 27, ARMENPRESS. The UN Office in Armenia will continue to provide humanitarian and rehabilitation assistance to the persons displaced from Nagorno Karabakh and affected communities, ARMENPRESS reports reads the statement issued by the Office on the occasion of the 1st anniversary of the start of the 44-day war unleashed by Azerbaijan against Artsakh.

It is noted that the team of the UN Office in Armenia, together with the entire Armenian people, commemorates all those who died in the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, expresses its sincere condolences to all the families.

Through the UN Interagency Response Plan, together with our partners, we will continue to provide humanitarian and rehabilitation assistance to the persons displaced from Nagorno Karabakh and its surrounding regions, who have found shelter in Armenia, as well as the affected communities, reads the statement.
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 27, ARMENPRESS. Deputy Prime Minister of Armenia Suren Papikyan visited Nubarashen penitentiary institution on September 27. The Deputy PM was accompanied by Justice Minister of Armenia Karen Andreasyan, Head of the Penitentiary Service of the Justice Ministry Sergey Atomyan and MP representing the Civil Contract Party Trdat Sargsyan, ARMENPRESS was informed from the Offic eof teh Deputy Prime Minister.

The Deputy Prime Minister toured the administrative area of "Nubarashen" penitentiary, got acquainted with the place and conditions of the convicts' detention.

He visited the canteen, got acquainted with the menu of the day, as well as got acquainted with the visiting rooms for convicts. Suren Papikyan toured the infrastructure of the penitentiary institution, got acquainted with the building conditions, property and territorial capacities.

During the tour, the possibility of building a new penitentiary institution was discussed, the issues of improving the living conditions and improving the quality of food were touched upon.
Russian President Vladimir Putin is unlikely to trust his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, despite Western pressure mounting on Turkey. Independent geopolitical analyst Paul Antonopoulos has noted this in an article posted on InfoBrics.

September 27, 2021, 10:45 Russia is warned of danger of Erdogan's betrayal because of West

STEPANAKERT, SEPTEMBER 27, ARTSAKHPRESS: The article reads as follows:

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Thursday that unlike his relationships with George W. Bush, Barack Obama and Donald Trump, which worked well, he has not gotten off to a good start with his U.S. counterpart Joe Biden since his arrival in the White House on January 20. Erdogan also vented that the source of his frustration with Washington was the removal of Turkey from the F-35 fighter project two years ago after purchasing the Russian-made S-400 air defense system. Turkey is also frustrated at Washingtons Syria policy and newfound enthusiasm to be involved in the Nagorno-Karabakh issue in a meaningful way.

The acquisition of the S-400 system did not only result in Turkeys expulsion from the F-35 program, but also led to U.S. sanctions last year. Ankara claims to have already paid $1.4 billion towards 100 of the stealth fighter jets. Many Turkish military contractors were to also be involved in the project. Yet, despite the sanctions and removal from the F-35 program, the Turkish president remains steadfast in his decision to acquire the S-400 system. In fact, he plans to purchase more units of the air defense system.

For us, the S-400 affair is done. It is not possible to go back on that. The United States must understand. We, Turkey, are honest, but unfortunately, the United States were not and are not, he said, adding that Ankara would go knocking on other doors so that Turkey can purchase what it needs for its defense.

It appears that one of the doors that Erdogan will be knocking on is that of his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.

The two leaders are due to meet in the Black Sea resort city of Sochi on September 29. Erdogan said that he would discuss with Putin bilateral relations and Syria, particularly the situation in Idlib. In his statement, he said that the pair will make a decision on the fate of Turkish-Russian relations. We will also discuss Syria. The Turkish president stressed that he has not seen any Russian mistake towards our relations.

It raises the question whether Moscow would be willing to trust Erdogan, especially given that his friendly rhetoric can just as easily turn vicious. It is recalled that Turkey is responsible for the deaths of many Russian military personnel in Syria, attempted to change the power balance of the South Caucasus out of Moscows favor by enthusiastically encouraging and backing Azerbaijan to capture Armenian-held Nagorno-Karabakh, and undermined Russian interests in Africa by propping up the then Libyan Muslim Brotherhood government.

Although a variety of actors, such as NATO, Israel and the Peninsula Arab countries, all initially conspired together to support the war against the Syrian state, a decade later and the war is continuing mostly because of Turkeys unilateral aiding, training and financing of jihadist forces in northern Syria. Venting his frustration, Erdogan would in fact claim the opposite and say that Biden is transporting weapons to YPG terrorists operating in Syria. The Peoples Protection Units (YPG) is the Syrian branch of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK)  but the YPG are directly supported by Washington. Ankara considers the PKK and its affiliations as terrorist organizations because of their calls for Kurdish independence or autonomy, as well as equal human rights.

The U.S. has effectively been locked out of the Syrian quagmire, having failed to dislodge Bashar al-Assad from power or weaken Russian and Iranian influence in the region. They now only control areas held by the YPG in Eastern Syria. This region also happens to be Syrias food bowl and source of domestic energy, something that the U.S. weaponizes against the Syrian government.

Russia and Turkey have competing interests in Syria, with the former wanting to maintain the decades long status quo and the latter attempting to reconquer, through hard and soft power, its former imperial Ottoman possession. However, Turkey has shown in the past that it is willing to work alongside Russia and Iran in the context of the Astana Platform on the Syrian file to wane and limit U.S. influence on the peace process. As disappointing as it may be for Turkey as it is desperately attempting to become a Great Power, the reality is that its presence in Syria depends on Russia.

Despite permeating issues between Moscow and Ankara, particularly because of Turkeys policies regarding the South Caucasus, Ukraine and other areas of interests, there are actual opportunities for deepening ties and collaboration.

Following positive remarks by Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on the potential reconciliation between Armenia and Turkey, Erdogan announced that Ankara will soon take some steps to establish a platform with six countries to create a regional synergy to resolve issues. It can be assumed that these six countries are Turkey, Russia, Iran, Georgia, Azerbaijan and Armenia.

Effectively, as Turkeys economy continues to tumble, it no longer has the capabilities to operate on multiple fronts at the same time. It is likely that Erdogan wants a new regional format to relieve a pressure front knowing full well that the U.S. and France plan to exploit the Nagorno-Karabakh issue against Turkey.

In this way, Turkey is once again turning to Russia to relieve mounting pressure from the West. Although Erdogans suggestions of creating a regional platform to resolve issues is a positive step in the right direction, given his consistent untrustworthy behavior and betrayals in the past, Moscow would on the one hand be enthusiastic about such a bloc, but will also be wary knowing that Turkey very often turns back to the West easily if it can gain any kind of advantage, especially if it related to domestic considerations as his ratings continue to reach new lows.
Today, on the anniversary of the 44-day Artsakh War, in memory of the heroes killed in the 44-day Artsakh war, a requiem service was held in the Cathedral of the Mother of God in Stepanakert.

September 27, 2021, 14:15 Requiem service held in Stepanakert in memory of 2020 Artsakh War victims

STEPANAKERT, SEPTEMBER 27, ARTSAKHPRESS: As Artsakhpress reports, a minute of silence was declared in the whole territory of the Republic.



The Primate of the Artsakh Diocese, His Grace Bishop Vrtanes Abrahamyan noted:

That one minute was a minute of silence and reflection, because at that moment we all prayed. A minute of silence was followed by a march to the Stepanakert City Memorial.

The President of the Republic of Artsakh, Arayik Harutyunyan, high-ranking state and military men, thousands of Artsakh people laid flowers and wreaths at the monument erected in memory of the Armenians who have fallen for the defense of the homeland.
On September 27, a memorial service dedicated to the fallen freedom fighters of the 44-day Artsakh War was held in Stepanakert School Number 8.

September 27, 2021, 17:50 Memorial event dedicated to the memory of the victims of the 44-Day War held in Stepanakert

STEPANAKERT, SEPTEMBER 27, ARTSAKHPRESS: As "Artsakhpress" reports, the attendees of the meeting laid flowers at the memorial plaque erected in memory of the 16 graduates of the school who died in the 44-day war.

During the memorial service, the students performed literary and artistic performances.

According to school Principal Lyova Gevorgyan, in 2020 their students, imbued with patriotism, have been on the battlefield since September 27, with the unconditional and unwavering support of all Armenians. They fought in order to create their own destiny with their own hands.

During the 44-day war in Artsakh, 16 graduates of the school sacrificed their lives for the sake of the homeland, bridging the years they lived through to Armenian history.

They have put the honor of the nation above their own life," said Lyova Gevorgyan, in particular.

The event was attended by Stepanakert Mayor Davit Sargsyan, relatives of the fallen graduates and guests.
Taliban local officials have issued a ban on shaving beards in Afghanistan's southern province of Helmand, local media have reported.

The Taliban's director of information and culture, Hafiz Rashed Helmand, told local daily newspaper Etilaatroz on Sunday that the decision was made by the Taliban's religious police during a meeting with barbershop owners in the province.

An official letter issued by Taliban authorities has been circulating on social media, in which Taliban officials in the province warned barbershops of consequences if it is proven that they have shaved someone's beard.

The Taliban regime's official spokesman did not immediately respond to request for comment.

The hardliners overthrew the internationally-backed Afghan government last month.

Since then, the regime has imposed gender-based segregation on university classes and prevented women from working in public. In addition, girls are not allowed to attend school beyond sixth grade.

On Saturday, the Taliban displayed the bodies of four men it alleged were kidnappers in the western Afghan city of Herat.

During the Taliban's regime in the late 1990s, the extremist group was known for punishing crimes with public lashings, publicly stoning people to death and amputating people's limbs.

Afghans and governments worldwide are watching to see whether the militant Islamists will govern more moderately this time, although there has been little indication of this so far.
Sept. 13 marked the 50th anniversary of the Attica prison riot that left 29 inmates and 10 prison guard hostages dead. It was the worse prison riot in U.S. history.

Deanne Quinn Miller was just 5 years old when her father, William Quinn, was the only corrections officer who was killed by an inmate during the riot. She recounts the search for the truth of what happened to her father and her fight for justice for the hostages who lived and the widows of the hostages who were killed when state troopers and corrections officers violently retook the prison in her riveting new book, The Prison Guard's Daughter."

Deanne's young mother had two young daughters and another on the way when her husband was held hostage with dozens of other corrections officers as over 1,200 inmates at the Attica maximum security prison overtook the guards on Sept. 9, 1971, and held 42 guards hostage in the prison yard. That day, William Quinn's badly beaten body was brought to the gate, and he was taken to a hospital where where he perished from his injuries two days later.
Auburn Community Hospital will lose some employees due to the COVID-19 vaccine mandate, but it likely won't affect services provided at the medical facility.

Monday is the deadline for health care workers to either get the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine or lose their jobs. The directive was issued by former Gov. Andrew Cuomo in August. Gov. Kathy Hochul is standing by the order, even as some hospitals face staffing shortages.

Hochul is taking action to allow out-of-state medical personnel and trained members of the National Guard to work at hospitals and other health care facilities in need of staff.

Statewide, 84% of New York's 450,000 hospital workers are fully vaccinated. According to the state Department of Health, 80% of Auburn Community Hospital's 1,100 employees are fully vaccinated. The number does not include any employees who have received at least one dose but are not fully vaccinated.

The hospital did not disclose that statistic in a statement released to The Citizen. It's also unknown how many employees are refusing to get vaccinated and will lose their jobs.
City

 Patrick J. Brink, 47, 49 Frances St., Auburn, was picked up on a bench warrant Sept. 24.

 Brandy M. Marks, 36, 101 Quill Ave., Unit G38, Auburn, was charged Sept. 24 with endangering the welfare of a child.

 Harold J. Wallace Jr., 33, transient, Auburn, was picked up on a bench warrant Sept. 24.

 Kevin J. Bouley, 30, 131 Swift St., Auburn, was picked up on a bench warrant Sept. 25.

 Dean R. Pitcher, 32, 77 Osborne St., Auburn, was charged Sept. 25 with three counts of petit larceny.

 Kaitlyn M. Schilling-Williams, 29, 40 Lincoln St., Auburn, was picked up on a bench warrant Sept. 25 and charged with endangering the welfare of a child.

 Matthew J. Bell Sr., 52, 18 Baker Ave., Apt. 4, Auburn, was picked up on a bench warrant Sept. 26.

 Mark W. Shear Jr., 35, 69 Owasco St., Lower Apt., Auburn, was charged Sept. 26 with second-degree aggravated harassment and second-degree obstructing governmental administration.

 Stephanie R. Wilson, transient, Auburn, was charged Sept. 26 with third-degree criminal trespass.
All but one school district in the Cayuga-Onondaga BOCES system has reported COVID-19 cases over the past two weeks, according to data provided to the state Department of Health.

The Auburn Enlarged City School District, the largest of the nine local districts, had 59 confirmed COVID-19 cases from Sept. 13 through Sept. 26. Most of the cases (48) were students, while seven teachers and four staff members also tested positive.

There were cases in each of the district's seven schools. Auburn High School had the most (17), followed by 12 cases at Owasco Elementary School and eight at Auburn Junior High School. Herman Avenue Elementary School had seven, Casey Park and Seward elementary schools each had six and Genesee Elementary had three.

Auburn had a majority of the 104 confirmed COVID-19 cases in Cayuga County-area school districts. Port Byron and Weedsport each had 11 cases among students and staff. Cato-Meridian reported seven cases, all of whom are students. Union Springs had six cases and Jordan-Elbridge had five. Moravia (three) and Skaneateles (two) round out the local districts with cases.

Southern Cayuga is the lone school district that didn't report any confirmed cases.
Former Wells College president Frances Tarlton Sissy Farenthold died Sunday in Houston six days short of her 95th birthday, according to the college.

Farenthold served as Wells College's 13th president from 1976 to 1980 and was the first woman to be president of the Aurora college.

Farenthold is survived by three children, including George Farenthold II, whose wife Lisa Marsh Ryerson also served as Wells College president. A private burial is planned this week; a public, in-person memorial service is being planned at the University of Texas law school at a later date, depending on public health conditions.

"On behalf of the Board of Trustees and the entire community, I send my deepest sympathies to George and Lisa and their family as we remember a woman who was a trailblazer, an innovator, and an inspiration to women around the world," said Wells College President Jonathan Gibralter in a statement released Monday.
Beyond the U.S., political leaders are voicing support for the concept. Last year, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern endorsed employers implementing a four-day workweek to help stimulate domestic tourism in response to industry downturn brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. In February of this year, the Spanish government agreed to test a 32-hour workweek pilot without cutting workers pay. Ireland and Scotland also have trials planned.

Proponents cite many benefits, including reduced burnout, improved physical and mental health, increased gender equity, and positive environmental impacts. It is easy to imagine what we might do with an additional day  spend time with family and friends, pursue a hobby, enroll in classes, become politically engaged, sleep. Many in favor of the four-day workweek envision a more fulfilled (and rested) community.

Some leaders will see the research and be convinced that a pilot in their organization is worthwhile. Others will resist the idea. Leaders should get curious about any resistance that arises. What theories or beliefs are at the root of their concerns? Many leaders were taught that face-time with employees is the only way to ensure accountability, productivity and teamwork. Less face-time, which is inherent to the four-day workweek model (and work-from-home arrangements), can feel to some like a loss of control. The leaders we need today lean into this discomfort and make decisions that will propel their organizations to be the best for their employees, their clients, their communities and the world.
Polestar, the electric-carmaker controlled by Volvo Car AB and its owner Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Co., has agreed to go public through a merger with blank-check company Gores Guggenheim Inc.

The transaction will imply a $20 billion enterprise value, Polestar said in a statement Monday, confirming an earlier report by Bloomberg News.

The deal will bring in about $800 million of cash from Gores Guggenheim and $250 million from institutional investors.

(Also read | Polestar aims to produce world's first climate-neutral electric car by 2030)

Based in Gothenburg, Sweden, Polestar is a rival to Tesla Inc. and EV maker Lucid Motors. The companys second vehicle and first all-electric car, the Polestar 2, started production in March at Geelys plant in Luqiao, China. In June, the company said the Polestar 3 -- an SUV -- will be built in Ridgeville, South Carolina, in a plant opened by Volvo Cars in 2018.

Gores Guggenheim, led by Chairman Alec Gores and Chief Executive Officer Mark Stone, is sponsored by affiliates of Gores Group and Guggenheim Capital. It raised $800 million in a March initial public offering and expects to close the deal with Polestar in the first half of next year.

Polestar doesnt disclose exact sales figures, but deliveries of the Polestar 2, which went on sale in the U.S. in late 2020, are in the thousands" there and tens of thousands" worldwide, a spokesman said in June.

(Also read | Volvo Cars increases stake in EV maker Polestar to 49.5%)

Starting at $49,900 for the dual-motor version, the Polestar 2 has to contend with a 27% tax in the US because its produced in China; a single-motor version priced at $45,900 will arrive this fall. Pricing for the Polestar 3 hasnt been disclosed, though it will likely cost more because its larger and more luxurious.

This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.
" " Eric Fischer /Flickr/(CC BY 2.0) Jaywalking is crossing the street somewhere other than at an intersection or crosswalk. And it's probably illegal.

You're in a rush and don't want to head all the way to the crosswalk to cross the street. Anyway, who cares, right? The store you need is directly across the street  not anywhere near the intersection. So you go ahead and cross when traffic is clear.

What you've just done is jaywalked  crossed the street somewhere other than at an intersection or crosswalk. And it's probably illegal. But why?

Mostly it has to do with pedestrian safety in general. And it makes sense, considering National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) data shows a total of 6,283 pedestrian deaths in 2018, a 3 percent increase from 2017.

Furthermore, while pedestrians represent only 3 percent of those involved in traffic incidents, they account for 14 percent of traffic deaths. Even though 70 percent of pedestrian fatalities are from accidents outside of intersections, many are at intersections and crosswalks where pedestrian crossings are concentrated.

So, jaywalking is illegal for safety reasons. Got it. But jaywalking's history  and enforcing it  is more complicated than you might expect.

Advertisement

History of the Jaywalking

According to Merriam-Webster, the term "jaywalking" is derived from an older, more obscure term, "jay-driving." Jay-driving was used to describe drivers of horse-drawn carriages who stubbornly drove on the wrong side of the road.

One of the earliest known uses of jay-driving in print was in the Junction City, Kansas, Junction City Union in June 1905; the Kansas City Star used the term jaywalking in October that same year. In both cases, the word "jay" meant someone who was inexperienced at what they were doing, such as a hick or a rube, and carried serious derogatory implications.

However, the earliest uses of jaywalking described poor sidewalk manners, rather than illegally crossing the street, and Merriam-Webster says it's unknown why the meaning of the term evolved.

One might assume that once the automobile became common, the car also became a status symbol  class wars were tied to those who could afford to drive and those who were stuck walking. But in fact the opposite is true. According to an essay in Salon, the drivers were the outsiders, outnumbered by pedestrians who resented being displaced to the sidewalks. This phase lasted well into the 1920s, when the automobile industry lobbied to make cities more car-friendly  and to make jaywalking first a faux pas, and eventually a crime. Crosswalks were added to streets in 1911, and laws against jaywalking were widespread by the 1930s.

" " In the heart of the shopping district on State Street, Chicago, in the early 20th century, pedestrians, horse-drawn carriages and street cars all shared the road. Library of Congress

Advertisement

Jaywalking as a Crime

These days, if you're hit while jaywalking, your rights as a pedestrian vary from state to state. Most states view the situation differently depending on whether the pedestrian was in a "controlled" crossing, with a crosswalk, or an "uncontrolled" crossing, with no markings or signals.

Further complicating matters, traffic signals don't always have the same meaning in every state, and some states have local "distracted walking" laws that let law enforcement issue citations for offenses such as texting while crossing an intersection. Then there are states like Michigan that have no statewide crosswalk laws, leaving it up to cities and towns to write and communicate their own regulations.

So when you're behind the wheel, how do you keep up with all the laws? Well consider that old mantra you might have learned way back in drivers' education: The "right of way is something you give, not take." Though laws for drivers, again, vary from state to state, in general, drivers must yield the right of way to pedestrians in crosswalks and at intersections with stop signs or traffic signals. But pedestrians are also expected to yield the right of way to drivers wherever there is no established place for pedestrians to cross.

Still, in 19 states, drivers are supposed to yield to a pedestrian anywhere in the roadway. In even more states, drivers are supposed to stop and yield to pedestrians in specific proximity to the vehicle. Confused yet?

To try to make things simpler, for law enforcement at least, the NHTSA's publication "Pedestrian Safety Enforcement Operations: A How-To Guide" instructs officers to "cite both drivers and pedestrians, but focus on drivers, as they are the less vulnerable population." In other words, pedestrians and drivers often share responsibility for collisions, but drivers should remember that they are much less likely to suffer bodily harm.

Advertisement

Do Pedestrians Always Have the Right of Way?

But you've constantly been told pedestrians always have the right of way, even if they're jaywalking. Is that not true? Surprise, there are a couple of answers to this question. First, it depends again on local laws. Second, if you're driving and hit a pedestrian and they're injured, does it really matter who was "right"? Probably not.

The NHTSA's guidelines for pedestrian safety emphasize that pedestrians are still responsible for their own safety; however, it is also the obligation of motorists to be on the lookout for pedestrians  everywhere and at all times.

And what about the jaywalkers? Are they likely to get penalized for the practice? In general, the answer is probably no (see Now That's Sad for more info).

The law enforcement best practices guide from NHTSA notes that "enforcement of pedestrian safety laws has typically been minimal," though jaywalking laws are just a small part of that overall category, and NHTSA doesn't provide details about jaywalking laws specifically. (We reached out to the NHTSA, who declined to comment on jaywalking enforcement, citing it as a matter for local law enforcement agencies.)

In short, yes, jaywalking is illegal is most jurisdictions. But it falls on both drivers and pedestrians to be aware of local laws, but even then, common sense and a priority on safety should prevail.

So, if you as a motorist hit someone who is jaywalking, or if you as a pedestrian are hit by a car while jaywalking, the legal consequences will vary depending on where you are. Aside from the legal issues, as the offending motorist or pedestrian victim, the bottom line is that a potentially life-altering incident occurred because one or both of you were simply not paying enough attention.

Now That's Sad According to Salon and CounterPunch, current enforcement against jaywalking disproportionately targets people of color. For example, in the mostly white college town of Champaign-Urbana, Illinois, 89 percent of people cited for jaywalking are black. Even when jaywalking enforcement isn't overtly racist, it may target pedestrians in misleading or unfair ways, as a means of revenue generation rather than safety improvement.
" " General Motors manager of EV charging and infrastructure Kelly Helfrich is responsible figuring out why people don't buy electric vehicles, and then changing their minds. Jeffrey Sauger/Jeffrey Sauger for General Motor

Whether you've jumped on board with electric cars or you're still beholden to the gas pump, the car market, and driving as we know it, is evolving for the better. Much of that is because of the efforts of people like Kelly Helfrich. She is an electric vehicle grid integration and strategy manager at General Motors. Part of her job is to determine why people don't buy electric cars (EVs) and then come up with ways to change their thinking.

The Chevrolet Bolt, a small electric hatchback that can go for 259 miles (416 kilometers) on a full charge, is one car currently benefiting from Helfrich's efforts. But much of her team's work focuses on improving the experience of owning an electric car, something that will benefit future owners of electric General Motors vehicles, even cars we don't yet know about.

In other words, Helfrich is shaping the future of driving and car ownership. We talked to her about what it's like to be a female working on changing the minds of future car buyers.

Advertisement

Changing Minds About EVs

"The reason I joined GM was because it had been so out front and public about its renewed focus and vision to become an all-electric vehicle company and that really excited me," Helfrich says. "Another reason I joined GM is because I think [GM chairperson and CEO] Mary Barra is awesome, and I think she's a great example of a humble leader and clearly she's brilliant. But I think she really represents the humility I look up to and the fact that she's the first woman CEO in this field is a huge deal. That [was] a huge motivator for me."

After joining General Motors, Helfrich was with Maven, GM's car-sharing service, which was discontinued in April 2020. Her main role there was to get rideshare drivers interested in the Bolt, the first affordable, long-range EV on the market. Now she's one of a few women determining ways to improve how EVs interact with the electrical grid.

That means she works to find how EVs can be charged at times when power is most plentiful and costs less, and eventually, even how to feed extra power back to the grid. Everything she does helps benefit the environment and will also make EVs easier and more affordable for their owners.

Helfrich has spent about four years at GM, and she's become a pro at explaining why more car shoppers should give EVs a chance. Market research shows that cost, range (how far an EV can go) and charging are the three factors that make people hesitant to buy them, and it's Helfrich's job to make the charging issue a nonissue.

"People tend to think of charging an EV like a gasoline vehicle where you have to go somewhere to charge it and see times quoted like 'This car takes 30 minutes at a public fast charger to get X number of miles of range,'" she explains. "But the reality is, 80 to 90 percent of people's charging activity is done at home or at work."

" " Helfrich wants people to rethink charging EVs and think of it more like charging a cellphone. You just plug it in and leave it. General Motors

Advertisement

Getting EVs to Talk to the Electrical Grid

Helfrich likes to say, however, charging an EV really takes about five seconds because that's all it takes to the owner to plug it in. "Charging an EV is basically like charging your cellphone," she says. "People have no idea at what point throughout the night their cellphone becomes fully charged. They just know that in the morning when they wake up, it's going to be at 100 percent."

But she says, there are many people out there that still haven't even sat behind the wheel of an EV, so it's also her team's job to work on that demographic, too. "The adoption rates for EVs are definitely increasing significantly but there are still a lot of people who have never driven an electric vehicle," she says. "So our team's job is to close that education awareness gap and make sure people are comfortable with the driving experience that comes with an EV and that they know that the charging piece is easy and taken care of."

Speaking of cell phones, Helfrich also works on projects like the myChevrolet mobile app. It's not exclusive to the Bolt, but does include features specific to the electric car, including a setting that allows owners to schedule their charging for when electric rates are at their lowest  typically overnight. It's also integrated with public charging networks so drivers can locate them on the go and pay directly from the app.

But one of its coolest features is the Energy Assist setting. It allows drivers to create routes for road trips  complete with charging stops along the way  so they can optimize their car's energy.

"I know as an EV driver that's taken many road trips, the worst thing you can experience is relying on a public DC fast station and not knowing if it's under maintenance before you get there," Helfrich says, "so we've solved that."

Helfrich and her team do a lot of cool stuff behind the scenes, as well, to ensure EVs are operating at peak potential. They work with OnStar to understand when EV owners charge their cars most often and then discuss that data with utilities companies to determine ways to use power more efficiently.

For example, a utility that collects power from a wind farm might collaborate with GM so that Bolt owners in that area who opt in to charging at the most efficient times via the app will automatically charge when that wind power becomes available. That saves the utility from using energy to store that wind power, so it's a win-win for the car owner and the utility.

" " The Chevrolet Bolt EV is assembled at the General Motors Orion plant in Orion Township, Michigan. Jeffrey Sauger/Jeffrey Sauger for Chevrolet

Advertisement

The Future of EVs

In the future, Helfrich says, EVs will even be able to share their excess power back to the grid, further optimizing their ability to use renewable energy resources as often as possible.

Helfrich's been in her current role since around the beginning of 2020, and, like everything going on this year, her job is changing in ways she never expected.

"[The coronavirus] pandemic has changed everything. I can't tell you what will happen in the long term because of course, but for the short term, less people are driving, and so there's less charging to manage," Helfrich says. She notes that GM hasn't done market research on the topic, but suggests, "I do think that in some ways this pandemic has made people perhaps more willing to consider EVs, especially in some of these cities where early on, they were noticing how much better the air quality was because people weren't driving."

This story is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story.

Now That's Interesting Mary Barra, who Kelly Helfrich credits as inspiration for joining General Motors, is the first female CEO of an international automaker, and a driving force behind the company's initiatives to improve safety and energy efficiency. Barra joined GM in 1980 while still a student, ascended through the ranks in product development and became CEO in 2014.
Shanghai (Gasgoo)- Zhejiang Geely Holding Group (Geely Holding) expects to operate 5,000 smart battery swapping stations worldwide by 2025 through E-ENERGEE, the battery swapping service platform under Geely Technology Group, according to a post on Geely Holding's WeChat account.



E-ENERGE's battery swapping station; photo credit: Geely Holding



E-ENERGEE recently showcased its core technical components and solutions at an exhibition held in Beijing to display the achievements in the development of China's new energy vehicle (NEV) industry. For example, such parts as locking device and water-circulating fast-swap module all went through over 16,000 durability tests to guarantee 10 plus years of service life for battery swapping system; E-ENERGEE's self-developed 7-layer safety management solution is able to automatically eliminate hidden safety hazards within only 10 seconds.

According to Geely Holding, E-ENERGEE offers an open platform which is compatible with multiple types of vehicles with wheelbases between 2,700mm and 3,100mm, and enables a battery swap to be completed within 60 seconds.

E-ENERGEE has so far deployed battery swapping stations in more than 10 provinces and cites in China, including Tianjin, Chongqing, Zhejiang, Shandong, Jiangsu, Hunan, Hainan, and Anhui, only one year after the first one was launched in Chongqing.

Geely Technology Group started the R&D of battery swapping technology platforms and battery swappable car architectures in 2017, and has already pumped several billion yuan. Through joint efforts of over 1,000 staff members and more than 30,000 tests, the company has obtained 1,000 plus patents related to battery swapping technologies, and built a full-chain open platform integrating vehicles, battery swapping stations, and electricity.
Beijing (Gasgoo)- ByteDance, Chinas tech company owning the popular video platform TikTok, recently introduced its automotive cloud business and is reportedly in talks with an auto company about intelligent driving cloud services.

photo credit: ByteDance

Sources disclosed that ByteDance has been recruiting specialists from the cloud service departments of Amazon and JD.com for its own automotive cloud business. In the meantime, the company plans to team up with an automaking startup and an autonomous freight service provider regarding intelligent driving cloud service projects.

The automotive cloud business of the company is reportedly to provide services in three major sectors, namely the IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS. As of now, the company gave a no comment on the matter.

According to ByteDances current five-year business plan revealed by the source, the automotive cloud project is divided into two phases. First, from 2021 to 2022, the company intends to expand its overall cloud service portfolio, including vehicle to everything (V2X) cloud, autonomous driving cloud, and commercializing the cloud service as an add-on to its current products.

Next, from 2023 to 2025, the company sets a target of matching Tencent in overall revenue.

Additionally, in September last year, the company formed a V2X team as its first move into the auto-service-to-business territory. It is said there are roughly 50 people in its R&D team, in Beijing and Shanghai, and a product has already been released.

The V2X platform integrates the entire contents ecosystem of the company, including TikTok, and adopts an AI context to voice TTS technology. The company has reached installation agreements with Geely and Changan Auto over the said platform. Hundreds of thousands of units have been installed now, a person close to the matter told a local media outlet.

Moreover, the company has participated in the A-round investment of Chinas autonomous driving company QCraft, and the investee provides scenario and simulation capability to ByteDances automotive cloud.

ByteDance is also negotiating with SAIC Groups mapping subsidiary, Heading Data Intelligence, which wants to receive ByteDances strategic investment or establish a joint venture.

Notably, the founder of ByteDance, Zhang Yiming, emphasized the companys stance of not making cars during a conference with the V2X department in June.
Shanghai (Gasgoo)- On September 27, a pre-production satellite rolled off the assembly line at Geely's satellite manufacturing factory in Taizhou, Zhejiang province, marking the commencement of the scale production for Geely's commercial satellites, according to a post on the WeChat account of Geely Technology Group.



Ceremony held to celebrate birth of first satellite at Taizhou Xingkong's plant; photo credit: Geely Technology Group



The newborn satellite was developed in-house by Geespace, a subsidiary of Geely Technology Group, and manufactured by Taizhou Xingkong Intelligent Connectivity Technology Co.,Ltd. (Taizhou Xingkong), which is also controlled by Geely Technology Group.

The plant of Taizhou Xingkong possesses China's first private capital funded smart AIT (assembly, integration and testing) center for pulsating modular satellites. It is also the country's first factory integrating volume production capabilities of both aero devices and automobiles. Besides, the factory adopts flexible production facilities to satisfy the assembly, integration, and testing for communications, navigation, remote sensing satellites in different specifications.

The Taizhou-based plant will feature an annual capacity of 500 satellites, said Geely Technology Group.

In February 2021, Taizhou Xingkong was approved by China's National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) to manufacture commercial satellites, the second one in the country to obtain such permit.



Photo credit: Geely Holding



As part of efforts to build a space-ground integrated mobility ecosystem, the development of commercial aerospace business will support Geely in many fields like future mobility service, intelligent manufacturing, UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) transportation, and city management.

Geely said it is ambitious to use its low-orbit satellites to provide low-latency centimeter-level positioning service for such smart mobility applications as cloud-based vehicle management, autonomous driving, automatic parking, and low-altitude flights.
Beijing (Gasgoo)- Chinas annual vehicle sales in 2021 are expected to realize growth after falling for three consecutive years even though new vehicle sales have decreased for four months in a row from May this year, an official from the countrys Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) said today.

Wang Bin, deputy director general of the Department of Market Operation and Consumption Promotion, said that the decreasing rate of August vehicle sales volume widened by 5.9 percentage points from the previous month.

The official attributed the decrease to several reasons. During the same time last year, the sales saw a significant rise as the pent-up demand for new vehicles was unleased thanks to the governments effective control over the epidemic and timely policies for promoting automobile consumption.

However, in August this year, the auto market was plagued by the sporadic domestic spread of the virus and global chip shortage, which slowed down production, supply, and demand, the official added.

Besides, after years of rapid growth, Chinas auto market is entering into a steady stage of development under the influences of the environment, traffic, safety, and income.

The ministry will continue to adopt favorable measures to spur the market demand. The Ministry of Commerce will work with other departments to form new development pattern for auto industry which features echelon consumption, high-efficient usage and green circular development.

The ministry is also pushing to eliminate unreasonable restrictions of second-hand vehicle trading, allowing cross-province registration and vehicle relocation. Additionally, the regulators plan on actively promoting new energy vehicles in rural areas, increasing new car consumption.
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.

Ford to deliver Mustang Mach-E in China from December

Jim Farley, president and chief executive officer of Ford Motor company said the automaker will start to deliver the Mustang Mach-E to Chinese consumers from December.

BMW CEO: China is leading digital innovation

BMW Group CEO Oliver Zipse said that China is leading digital innovation and Chinas intelligent and connected vehicle segment has set an example for the world. The speed of technology iteration in China is unmatched, and BMW wants to be more involved in new technology development in China.

China has 10,836 charging piles for expressways

A spokesman of Chinas Ministry of Transport said that 439 charging piles had been added to the service areas of expressways, making the total amount to 10,836.

Li ONEs cumulative sales total 81,773 vehicles

The president of Li Auto revealed that the automaker has delivered a total of 81,773 vehicles since the models delivery. And 5,000 vehicles has been delivered to Beijing.

Photo credit: Li Auto

Changan executive expects new energy vehicle sales to reach 4 million in 2022

Yang Dayong, vice president of Changan Auto, expects annual new energy vehicle sales in China to reach 4 million units in 2022 and no less than 8 million units in 2025.

AMAP registers new company in Beijing

AMAP, China's leading mapping, navigation and location-based services provider, set up a new mobility technology company in Beijing with a registered capital of RMB10 million. The new companys business covers internet information service and ride-hailing service.

HOZON Auto introduces first digitalized model: NETA S

Chinas EV automaker startup HOZON Auto introduced its self-developed digitalized new model, the NETA S, during the World Internet Conference.

MOFCOM expects growth of 2021 auto sales in China

Chinas annual vehicle sales in 2021 are expected to realize growth after falling for three consecutive years even though new vehicle sales have decreased for four months in a row from May this year, an official from the countrys Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) said today.

BAIC BJEV, Huawei cement cooperation on co-brand's R&D, marketing

BAIC BJEV, the NEV arm of BAIC Group, and Huawei Technologies Co.,Ltd. (Huawei) signed on Sept. 26 a framework agreement to deepen their strategic cooperation on the building of a co-brand under which ARCFOX-branded vehicles are equipped with Huawei's HI solution, according to the annoucement of BAIC BluePark New Energy Technology Co.,Ltd. (BAIC BluePark), the parent company of BAIC BJEV.

BYDs Song PLUS series to hit 100,000 units of outputs on September 27

The 100,000th vehicle of the BYD Song PLUS series will roll off the production line at BYDs car manufacturing plant in Xi'an, the capital of China's Shaanxi province, on Sept. 27, the automaker announced via its Weibo account.

Commercial vehicle subsidiary of FAW Group to establish new energy vehicle unit

The commercial vehicle arm of China's major automaker FAW Group, FAW Jiefang, plans to announce its new energy strategy on September 29th, and at the same time, a new energy business unit will be established.

Tesla to expand investment in China, aids building of digitalized future

Elon Musk, CEO of the U.S.-based EV manufacturer Tesla, delivered an online speech on Sept. 26 at the opening of the World Internet Conference 2021, saying Tesla will continue to expand investment and R&D efforts in China.

BMW to invest another RMB25 billion in Shenyang

Chairman of BMW Group, Oliver Zipse, announced that the group plans to step up its future investment in Liaoning Province, home-base of its joint venture BMW Brilliance Automotive, according to media outlet Xinhua.

SAIC Audi starts presale of Audi A7L 3.0T version

Audi, which only produced vehicles at Volkswagen Group (VW)'s joint venture with FAW Group after entering the Chinese market more than three decades ago, began output with VW's another partnership, SAIC Motor, this year to further enhance its luxury presence in the world's largest auto market.

HUAWEI partners with MIIT subsidiary

Chinas EIDC (Equipment Industry Development Center) signed a strategic collaboration agreement with telecom giant HUAWEI to develop the intelligent connected vehicle industry during the WICV (World Intelligent Connected Vehicles Conference) on September 25th.
Beijing (Gasgoo)- Chinas EIDC (Equipment Industry Development Center) signed a strategic collaboration agreement with telecom giant HUAWEI to develop the intelligent connected vehicle industry during the WICV (World Intelligent Connected Vehicles Conference) on September 25th.

HUAWEI, EIDC signing ceremony; photo credit: MIIT EIDC



Per the agreement, the EIDC and HUAWEI will sincerely cooperate in auto industry regulations, technology criteria, tests evaluation system, and platform establishment to promote further the quality and development of China's ICV industry.

The EIDC is a direct public subordinate of the government institute MIIT (Ministry of Industry and Information Technology), responsible for providing management support and regulation suggestions for the equipment industries. The center is in charge of organizing policy and regulation symposiums regarding the intelligent connected vehicle segment and coordinating the ICV workgroup (ICV-2035)'s working progress, accelerating the innovative ecosystem construction and industrialization process.

In May 2019, HUAWEI established an intelligent vehicle solutions business unit (BU) to provide incremental parts to ICVs. HUAWEI adheres to its "platform + ecosystem" strategy and focuses on building operating systems for autonomous driving, smart cabin, and vehicle control domain platforms, helping automakers produce better cars.

The current COO of the BU, Wang Jun, said earlier, HUAWEI has invested more than $1 billion in auto parts R&D this year, with a team of over 5000 members, and put over 30 intelligent vehicle parts products on the market.
Beijing (Gasgoo)- Insurance registrations of China-made Volkswagen (VW) ID. vehicles saw month-on-month decrease in August as three out of the four ID. models had registrations decline during the month, according to data of the China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission (CBIRC).

Data of the CBIRC showed that the biggest auto market registered 4,833 locally-made ID. vehicles last month, down by 4.22% when compared with July. Among the four ID. models VW produced here, only monthly registrations of the ID.6 CROZZ managed to increase. By the end of August, the total insurance registrations of the ID. vehicles amounted to 15,645 vehicles.

Among the ID. vehicles registered in August, 3,074 vehicles were registered by individual consumers while 1,754 were bought by business consumers. 5 were registered for renting.

Only two cities in China registered over 100 ID.4 CROZZs in August. Changchun, where FAW VW is located, had the most ID. 4 CROZZs registered. Chengdu, the city with the highest registrations of the ID.4 CROZZ, registered 40 ID. 4 CROZZs last month.

Monthly registrations of the ID. 4X in Shanghai more than halved from 1,317 vehicles in July to 601 vehicles in August. Lianyungang, a prefecture-level city in northeastern Jiangsu province, ranked second by monthly registrations of the ID.4X, but only one ID.4X was registered by individual consumer there.

TOP 5 cities by August ID.6X registrations remained the same as July list. Shanghai also registered much fewer ID.6Xs in August.

Monthly registrations of the ID.6 CROZZ surged from 407 vehicles in July to 1,047 vehicles in August. Beijing and Changchun registered over 100 ID.6 CROZZs last month.
Country

United States of America US Virgin Islands United States Minor Outlying Islands Canada Mexico, United Mexican States Bahamas, Commonwealth of the Cuba, Republic of Dominican Republic Haiti, Republic of Jamaica Afghanistan Albania, People's Socialist Republic of Algeria, People's Democratic Republic of American Samoa Andorra, Principality of Angola, Republic of Anguilla Antarctica (the territory South of 60 deg S) Antigua and Barbuda Argentina, Argentine Republic Armenia Aruba Australia, Commonwealth of Austria, Republic of Azerbaijan, Republic of Bahrain, Kingdom of Bangladesh, People's Republic of Barbados Belarus Belgium, Kingdom of Belize Benin, People's Republic of Bermuda Bhutan, Kingdom of Bolivia, Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana, Republic of Bouvet Island (Bouvetoya) Brazil, Federative Republic of British Indian Ocean Territory (Chagos Archipelago) British Virgin Islands Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria, People's Republic of Burkina Faso Burundi, Republic of Cambodia, Kingdom of Cameroon, United Republic of Cape Verde, Republic of Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad, Republic of Chile, Republic of China, People's Republic of Christmas Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Colombia, Republic of Comoros, Union of the Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, People's Republic of Cook Islands Costa Rica, Republic of Cote D'Ivoire, Ivory Coast, Republic of the Cyprus, Republic of Czech Republic Denmark, Kingdom of Djibouti, Republic of Dominica, Commonwealth of Ecuador, Republic of Egypt, Arab Republic of El Salvador, Republic of Equatorial Guinea, Republic of Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Faeroe Islands Falkland Islands (Malvinas) Fiji, Republic of the Fiji Islands Finland, Republic of France, French Republic French Guiana French Polynesia French Southern Territories Gabon, Gabonese Republic Gambia, Republic of the Georgia Germany Ghana, Republic of Gibraltar Greece, Hellenic Republic Greenland Grenada Guadaloupe Guam Guatemala, Republic of Guinea, Revolutionary People's Rep'c of Guinea-Bissau, Republic of Guyana, Republic of Heard and McDonald Islands Holy See (Vatican City State) Honduras, Republic of Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region of China Hrvatska (Croatia) Hungary, Hungarian People's Republic Iceland, Republic of India, Republic of Indonesia, Republic of Iran, Islamic Republic of Iraq, Republic of Ireland Israel, State of Italy, Italian Republic Japan Jordan, Hashemite Kingdom of Kazakhstan, Republic of Kenya, Republic of Kiribati, Republic of Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Republic of Kuwait, State of Kyrgyz Republic Lao People's Democratic Republic Latvia Lebanon, Lebanese Republic Lesotho, Kingdom of Liberia, Republic of Libyan Arab Jamahiriya Liechtenstein, Principality of Lithuania Luxembourg, Grand Duchy of Macao, Special Administrative Region of China Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Madagascar, Republic of Malawi, Republic of Malaysia Maldives, Republic of Mali, Republic of Malta, Republic of Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania, Islamic Republic of Mauritius Mayotte Micronesia, Federated States of Moldova, Republic of Monaco, Principality of Mongolia, Mongolian People's Republic Montserrat Morocco, Kingdom of Mozambique, People's Republic of Myanmar Namibia Nauru, Republic of Nepal, Kingdom of Netherlands Antilles Netherlands, Kingdom of the New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua, Republic of Niger, Republic of the Nigeria, Federal Republic of Niue, Republic of Norfolk Island Northern Mariana Islands Norway, Kingdom of Oman, Sultanate of Pakistan, Islamic Republic of Palau Palestinian Territory, Occupied Panama, Republic of Papua New Guinea Paraguay, Republic of Peru, Republic of Philippines, Republic of the Pitcairn Island Poland, Polish People's Republic Portugal, Portuguese Republic Puerto Rico Qatar, State of Reunion Romania, Socialist Republic of Russian Federation Rwanda, Rwandese Republic Samoa, Independent State of San Marino, Republic of Sao Tome and 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
As autumn comes, the leaves gradually turn cardinal red at the Red Leaves Valley in Jiaohe city, Jilin province, providing tourists with stunning scenery. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]



As the 20th China Jilin Jiaohe Changbai Mountain Red Leaf Tourism Festival kicked off on Monday, tourists can enjoy the unique fall foliage at the Red Leaves Valley in Jiaohe city, Jilin province.

Located at the western foot of Changbai Mountain, the valley is filled with majestic mountains, flowing streams and scattered villages.

In the lush woods along the valley grow a variety of trees, such as maple, birch, larch and ginkgo.

The leaves, which gradually turn cardinal red with the arrival of autumn, will offer the most stunning scenery for tourists around early October.
















Meng Wanzhou, Huawei's chief financial officer, makes a brief speech at the Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen, September 25, 2021. /Xinhua



The release and return of Meng Wanzhou to China breaks a three-year impasse that has plagued relations between Beijing and Ottawa. The Huawei CFO was subject to trumped up, politicized charges from a U.S. administration that goaded Canada into doing its bidding to the detriment of the China-Canada relationship.

What now? The drama of course speaks a truth that has been known a long time, that Canada is overtly subservient to the United States in its own international relations, even when it is not in its national interests to do so. It has emulated Washington's strategic hostility towards China, and left analysts questioning whether even after Meng's release, relations might remain stagnant in the cold.

Canada doesn't have a China problem so to speak, it has an American problem.

China and Canada have good reasons prior to be on friendly terms. Canada is home to one of the largest overseas Chinese diasporas in the world, a total of 1.77 million, or 5 percent of the total population. There is no other country in the English-speaking world that holds such a population size. The two countries were also import bilateral trade partners.

Yet by weaponizing Huawei and Meng, the U.S. sought to articulate China as an enemy of Canada and Ottawa's liberal, pro-U.S. establishment inevitably fell into this trap as Beijing moved to defend its own interests in the wake of a prominent figure being arrested at America's request. Canada and its apologists repeatedly insisted that Meng's arrest was conducted "in line with the rule of law," but the U.S. had no commitment to the rule of law whatsoever. Former President Donald Trump openly stated that she was a bargaining chip.

China had no reason to believe that the arrest of Meng was being conducted in good faith, yet despite this Canada continually insisted it had "done nothing wrong" and failed in every single instance to criticize Washington's behavior in causing this international incident. They wholesale bought into the "China threat" mantra instead.

The United States, in order to legitimate its own broader geopolitical agenda against China, needed a justification to make countries "take sides" with it when they would not otherwise do so. And Canada took the side.

As a result, if relations between China and Canada are to progress from this impasse, Canada must pursue a path of self-reflection and soul-searching. If it decides to take on China solely on behalf of the United States as it did with Meng Wanzhou, it will lose  both in the battle and in the overall international relations. It has nothing to win from being Washington's puppet. If Canada chooses to pursue a more independent foreign policy based on balance and neutrality, with respect for China's interests and people, both parties can prosper and move forwards.



Justin Trudeau's re-election will also take the heat off him for sometime to appear "tough" against China. Despite this, there are some other tests which lay ahead too in the near future. These will include Ottawa handles the process of China's application to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership. Will Canada support China's entry? Or will it seek to block it? Canada is welcome of course to seek negotiations for its own economic interests and terms for itself, but should avoid tapping into U.S.' geopolitical fervor. In this case, it should also uphold its commitment to the one-China policy regarding the DPP's attempt to push Taiwan away from the Chinese mainland.

The path forwards for China-Canada relations is all about the decisions Canada chooses to make. The Meng Wanzhou saga is ultimately the product of a mistake Canada made in being too hasty and too uncritical in appeasing the demands of the United States. The failure of Canada's media and political classes to acknowledge this is the biggest problem their country's foreign policy faces. Canada allowed America to speak for itself repeatedly. A sovereign country shouldn't kowtow to another.

Improvement rests upon Canada's willingness to self-reflect, to question its relationship to America more and to stop selling itself out as an instrument for Washington's games without any considerations for the consequences. The China-Canada relationship must exist as a fair bilateral relationship between two countries, not a "trilateral" one where Ottawa just sits as a surrogate of Washington.

(from CGTN)
"An elephant never forgets" is an English proverb.

WXC, 721



by Vegan Vet Arielle | May 30, 2019

Todays Small Memories

My dear strong but very elderly and proud French Mum died today 2 years ago  as she wanted it  in her bed at home  the bed she had had all her life, with her 3 daughters and loving husband with her. It was both beautiful and emotional to witness and every year around this time I wonder why a small grey cloud hangs over me.

The little cloud is a reminder of the time spent caring for my elderly Mum before she died as she cared for me in her life and I know that from today, I can look forward and be happier.

The yearly cycle of grief seems to be one that is not unique to us, but to elephants too. My Dad told me about a recent talk he had been to given by the wife of deceased conservationist Lawrence Antony where a herd of elephants had been rehomed by Lawrence Antony and they returned from the bush to his home exactly a year after his death to mourn quietly as a herd together and remember him.

I found this clip about this remarkable man who had a passion to help these incredible animals 

Lawrence Anthony was born on September 17 1950 in Johannesburg, where his grandfather, a miner from Berwick-upon-Tweed, had emigrated in the 1920s to work in the gold mines. His father founded an insurance business and, as he established new offices around southern Africa, Lawrence was brought up in a series of small towns in rural Rhodesia, Zambia, Malawi and finally Zululand, South Africa.

Anthony followed his father into the insurance business and later worked in property development. But his heart was always in the African bush he had loved as a child. He became involved in working with Zulu tribespeople to try to rebuild their historical relationship with the bush, and in the mid-1990s he decided to turn his hobby into a career, buying the 5,000-acre Thula Thula game reserve in KwaZulu-Natal.

Subsequently he founded the Earth Organisation, a conservation group that encourages pragmatic local action, and was instrumental in the creation of two new reserves, the Royal Zulu Biosphere in Zululand and the Mayibuye Game Reserve in Kwa Ximba, which provide local people with jobs and income through tourism, while helping to secure the future of the regions wildlife from creeping development.

Elephants had never been part of Anthonys plan for Thula Thula, but in 1999 he was telephoned by a conservation organisation which asked whether he would be willing to take on a herd of nine animals which had escaped from every enclosure they had ever been in, wreaking havoc across KwaZulu-Natal, and were considered highly dangerous. Realising that the elephants would be shot if he declined, Anthony agreed to give them a home.

They were a difficult bunch, no question about it, he recalled. Delinquents every one. But I could see a lot of good in them too. Theyd had a tough time and were all scared, and yet they were looking after one another, trying to protect one another.

Anthony decided to treat the elephants as errant children, working to persuade them, through words and gestures, that they should not behave badly and that they could trust him. He concentrated his attention on Nana, the matriarch of the herd: Id go down to the fence and Id plead with Nana not to break it down, he said. I knew she didnt understand English, but I hoped shed understand by the tone of my voice and my body language what I was saying. And one morning, instead of trying to break the fence down, she just stood there. Then she put her trunk through the fence towards me. I knew she wanted to touch me. That was a turning point. Soon they were allowed out into the reserve.

Anthony and his wife, Francoise, became so close to the elephants that on some occasions they almost had to chase them out of their living room. Days after Nana gave birth to a son, she emerged from the bush to show off the newborn to her human friend. A few years later, after Anthonys first grandchild was born, he returned the compliment, though he recalled that it was some time before his daughter-in-law would speak to him again.

He told the story of the elephants in The Elephant Whisperer (2009, also co-written with Graham Spence).
MAGA cartoonist Ben Garrison is also trying horse dewormer and a lot of zinc to beat the disease he declined to get vaccinated against.

Gizmodo:

Ben Garrison, a right-wing cartoonist known for his opposition to vaccines and his extremely flattering drawings of former President Donald Trump, told Gizmodo late Sunday that he contracted covid-19 and has been sick for about two weeks. But allegedly getting covid hasn't changed Garrison's mind about modern medical science.

Garrison, who lives in Montana, believes that he got covid-19 while dining out at a restaurant a couple of weeks ago. Montana has seen a disturbing rise in coronavirus cases in recent weeks, with about 900 new cases each day.



"We're taking Ivermectin and various vitamins including a lot of Zinc," Garrison continued, explaining what he's doing to treat the disease. The cartoonist also notes he's taking beet root juice. None of this has been proven to treat or prevent covid-19, with monoclonal antibodies and vaccines being the only real ways to fight this pandemic, which is still raging in many parts of the world.
According to newly-released projections from the US Bureau of Reclamations, there's a significant chance that both Lake Powell and Lake Mead  the largest hydroelectric power sources in the country  will stop working in the next few years.

Lake Powell had already dropped to about 33% of its capacity in July 2021. According to the Bureau's new calculations, there's a 34% chance of reaching "critically low reservoir elevations" by 2023. There's a 25% chance it'll happen by 2024.

Lake Powell isn't quite as dire, with only a 12% chance of dropping to critically low capacity by 2024. That likelihood goes up by another 10% in 2025, and will likely keep going up. from there. Or, as CNN puts it:

There is also a greater than 1-in-5 chance that water levels in Lake Mead will fall below 1,000 feet above sea level in 2025. That is barely 100 feet above what is considered "dead pool," the level at which water can no longer flow through Hoover Dam.

Lake Mead provides water for 25 million people in the western US, while Lake Powell supports about 5.8 million homes and businesses between Nebraska and Nevada.

Climate change is real.

5-Year Probabilistic Projections [US Bureau of Reclamations]

There's a 1-in-3 chance Lake Powell won't be able to generate hydropower in 2023 due to drought conditions, new study says [Drew Kann / CNN]

Image: Gayinspandex / Wikimedia Commons (CC-BY-SA 3.0)
The Wall Street Journal reports that lawmakers are giving up on a bipartisan police reform effort.

The legislation, sparked by nationwide protests in 2020, would have banned chokeholds and qualified immunity for law enforcement. It also would have created national accountability standards for police.

House lawmakers passed the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act in March, but the law fizzled in the Senate. Over months of negotiations, it had been weakened to the point where it wasn't meaningful.

Mr. Booker said Democrats couldn't give any more concessions. "We had moved a long way from the George Floyd bill," he said referring to Democrats' version that had passed the House twice.

"In a year unlike any other, when the American people spoke up, marched and demanded reforms in policing, law enforcement unions and partisan politicians chose to stand on the wrong side of history," NAACP President Derrick Johnson said.

President Biden responded with a statement:
You can always spot a spineless politician when they can't answer a simple question with a "yes" or "no," or even a "maybe." Take Greg Abbott, the so-called governor for "freedoms" in Texas.

Fox host Chris Wallace asked Abbott on Sunday a straight-forward question: "A Republican State Representative says that he is going to offer a new measure that would restore the exception to the Texas abortion law for victims of rape and incest. If that came to your desk, will you sign it or not."

To which Abbott could not answer. Instead, throughout the segment, when asked the same question repeatedly, Abbott could only ramble on about how these women "deserve support," and how he was creating a "sexual assault survivors task force."

After trying several times to get a straight answer, Wallace asked, "Just to lock this down, are you saying that you will not sign an exception for rape and incest?"

To which the slippery governor answered, "That bill is not going to reach my desk."
What Ive Been Getting Wrong About Sexual Stamina and My Partners Pleasure

My Partner and I Were Making This Huge Mistake in Bed  Are You?

I thought she wanted me to keep going. She thought I wanted to keep going. Turns out neither of us particularly wanted to keep going. Do you see where this is going?

For my partner, Kristen, and I, our sex generally happens in three main phases. First, foreplay. Second, she climaxes from manual stimulation. Third, we have intercourse until I climax. (Thats oversimplified, sure, but you get the point.)

Recently, in a post-coital conversation, we discovered something crucial about phase three: it was lasting too long... for both of us. I was spending most of my energy trying not to climax, assuming she wanted it to last longer. Meanwhile, because Kristen doesnt orgasm from penetration, she was thinking, "This has been fun, but I wish hed kinda hurry up."

RELATED: Prolong Your Pleasure With Our Handy Guide

After dating for a full year, how did we fail to realize this foundational misunderstanding about our sex life? What influences have shaped my (often misguided) expectations about my partners pleasure and my own sexual performance? And how can partners improve their dialogue to maximize each others comfort and pleasure?

How Insecurities Fueled My Sexual Expectations

Kristen and I communicate really well about a lot of things, including sex. Still, my erroneous assumptions about endurance are so deeply ingrained, I never even considered discussing them (and neither did she). Since our conversation, Ive been exploring what these assumptions are, exactly  where they come from, how theyve shaped my personal sexual identity, and how they manifest themselves in my intimate relationships.

Some of my need to extend our intercourse was about my desire to pleasure my partner, and much of it, I realize, was also about grappling with my own anxieties. Yes, I have high standards for myself sexually because Kristen deserves the best in bed, and in all places; its about her. Its also about me: I tie my sexual performance  specifically my ability to bring Kristen to climax, as well as my stamina during intercourse  to my masculinity and overall self-esteem. I need to please her because I need to feel manly, to feel adequate.

Turns out I was setting unrealistic standards for myself, all based on societal pressures and not on her pleasure or mine.

Facts and Myths About Sexual Endurance

Before reading on, try to guess what sex therapists say: How long would intervaginal sex need to last in order for it to be adequate or desirable? How long for sex to be considered too long or too short?

Go ahead and guess. Ill wait

Ok, times up.

The answer, according to sex therapists in a 2008 study, is that intervaginal coitus among heterosexual couples  not including foreplay  lasts about 3 to 13 minutes. The therapists broadly deemed 1-2 minutes too short, 3-7 minutes adequate, 7-13 minutes desirable, and 10-30 minutes too long. More recently, in 2019, University of Florida professor Laurie Mintz, author of the book Becoming Cliterate: Why Orgasm Equality Matters  And How to Get It, told NBC News that for the average heterosexual couple, penetration lasts 3-5 minutes.

And yet, for many guys, including me, I felt pressure to last longer without checking to see if thats what my partner desired, too.

Sources of Pressure to Last Longer in Bed

If a man develops sexual perceptions and expectations from porn or movies, he may put unrealistic and undue pressure on himself, says Dr. Paulette Sherman, psychologist and host of The Love Psychologist podcast. He may ignore real-world cues from his current partner and fail to ask her what she desires and needs.

Like many men, I derived much of my early sexual (mis)education from porn, including untrue lessons about endurance. I remember filling my parents computer with untold viruses by downloading hardcore scenes where men and women are having intercourse for over an hour, with the man having no problem lasting that long and the woman depicted as enjoying every moment of it, to the tune of multiple vaginal orgasms.

Of course, it's now that I see those scenes as unrealistic, doctored, or otherwise distorted by movie magic and medical interventions. My 12-year-old self, however, when my notions about sexuality and pleasure were being formed and solidified, didnt. Even now, as an adult man with plenty of real-life sexual experience, Ive internalized a lot of those unrealistic and dangerous standards.

Music, movies, and pop culture, too, reinforce norms about outsized sexual endurance in men. Ill admit I feel the heat of embarrassment when Missy Elliott says she doesn't want a one-minute man or when Saweetie looks to ride the dick all night. Perhaps all night is what Saweetie wants, but its not what all women want  or what all men should be expected to provide.

The penis moves in rhythms and tides, Sarah Byrden, a sex educator and speaker, said in a 2019 interview. It is not designed to be consistently erect as it is depicted in all kinds of media  able to be erect inordinate amounts of time  and that is where huge performance pressure comes."

And if 10-30 minutes is too long for most women, all night could be veer towards boring and/or painful.

Orgasm: The Real Key to Pleasure for Both Partners

When we talk about pressure to perform in bed among men, we are often talking about sexual stamina during intercourse. And yet, while penetrative sex is important and desirable for most heterosexual couples, the female orgasm  as opposed to the length of intercourse  is, according a 2016 study, by far the most important single predictor of sexual satisfaction for women.

The study also notes that female orgasms are important for heterosexual men, too, who feel as though they have the physical responsibility to stimulate their partner to climax and, as Ive experienced, tend to feel inadequate if their partner doesnt orgasm.

Academics continue to document and understand the orgasm gap between the sexes: that 95% of heterosexual men report they usually or always orgasmed during sex, compared to 65% of heterosexual women, who were the least likely of all groups across gender identities and sexual orientations.

There is much to be said here about the societal emphasis on mens pleasure and the devaluing of womens, but for the sake of this piece, the point is that, for most heterosexual women, achieving orgasm is more important than long-lasting intercourse, especially because most women wont climax from intervaginal coitus alone.

In a 2015 study, 36% of women reported that clitoral stimulation helped them orgasm during intercourse, whereas only 18% orgasmed from intercourse alone. Like many women, Kristen requires clitoral stimulation  sometimes in addition to penetration, but often without it  in order to climax.

What Im trying to fight against is the pervasive myth that orgasms from vaginal penetration  including the g spot  are better, more ideal, the right way, wrote Mintz, when in fact the vast majority of women need clitoral stimulation to orgasm.

Scientists also note that physical factors like kissing, petting, and foreplay increase the likelihood of a womans orgasm. Even more important were mental and emotional factors, like emphasis on orgasm, sexual self-esteem, along with openness of sexual dialogue with partners. Additionally, the 2016 study reveals that a relationship that felt good and worked well emotionally, and where sex was approached openly and appreciatively, promoted orgasms.

Better Communication  And Better Sex  Going Forward

Couples miscommunicate about each others comfort, needs and desires in bed because they are afraid to bring it up, says Sherman. They write the script or story for their partner instead of asking them and listening. This can cause communication gaps, resentment, and awkwardness in bed.

As with so many issues in a relationship, good sex is about finding out what each partner wants, what each partner can give and marrying the two. Its about communication, collaboration, and compromise.

These days, after Kristen climaxes from manual stimulation and we begin intercourse, weve set clearer expectations and enter phase three with open dialogue.

As for the general agreement we've landed on? Ill keep going until shes ready, and then shell tell me to finish, at which point Ill almost certainly be ready to climax (practically on command). It works well, because a) she gets to go for as long or short as she wants, b) I dont have to guess how long is long enough and put undue pressure on myself to keep going, and c) when she commands me to finish, its really hot.

And sure, it doesnt always work out perfectly. If Im worried about climaxing before shes ready, I can pull out for a time and we can do, you know, other stuff. Or sometimes I do end up climaxing before she says to; its not perfect, but we talk about it, and its OK. Well try again next time.

While Kristen and I have strong communication and great sex, both dimensions of our relationship  and the intersection of the two  are still a work in progress.

In other words, were getting there, but were not finished yet.

You Might Also Dig:
Sale sign, value, discount

Written by Adam Othman at The Motley Fool Canada

The Canadian stock market has been on a tear since recovering from the pandemic-fueled sell-off frenzy in February and March 2020. Barring some recent volatility since early September 2021, the S&P/TSX Composite Index has been rising consistently to new all-time highs. At writing, the Canadian benchmark index is up by 16.74% year to date.

In a market that seems to be climbing consistently, surprisingly, a few TSX stocks appear to have attractive valuations. Today, I will discuss two grossly undervalued stocks that you should keep a close eye on right now. Investing in the companies today could set you up for substantial wealth growth through the significant upside these companies have to offer.

Scotiabank

While considering a Canadian Big Six bank as a value stock might not make sense, the Bank of Nova Scotia (TSX:BNS)(NYSE:BNS) is certainly an asset you can consider for that purpose. The Canadian bank boasts an expansive presence in the Latin American Pacific Alliance countries, namely Peru, Mexico, Columbia, and Chile.

Experts predict that the economy in these four countries will grow at a faster rate than G7 countries. While the onset of COVID-19 and its economic fallout might have caused a considerable delay on that front, the hopes of moving into a post-pandemic era are becoming more apparent.

At writing, Scotiabank stock is trading for $78.09 per share and is up by 15.31% year to date. The Canadian banking stock boasts a juicy 4.61% dividend yield. While it would be a worthwhile investment due to its juicy dividend yield alone, Scotiabank stock also presents significant upside potential if you can buy the stock before it starts its upward movement on the stock market.

Pembina Pipeline

Pembina Pipeline (TSX:PPL)(NYSE:PBA) stock is trading for far lower valuations than its peers, making it an attractively priced stock that could offer you significant upside potential in the coming years. The Canadian pipeline infrastructure company has strong growth prospects that could propel its share prices to higher levels as the energy demand recovery continues.

Story continues

Higher demand for oil and gas implies that the volume of commodities that the company will be transporting will rise. With the combination of cost-saving measures and rising commodity prices, Pembina Pipeline could massively increase its profit margins and generate more substantial cash flows that could fuel its growth.

At writing, the stock is trading for $39.80 per share and is up by over 30% year to date. The stock boasts a juicy 6.33% dividend yield. Between the attractive dividend yield and upside potential, Pembina Pipeline stock could be an excellent addition to your portfolio.

Foolish takeaway

The recent-most market correction was not a significant downturn. After a sharp 2.61% dip in the five days between September 15 and September 20, the S&P/TSX Composite Index is back on an upward trend. The slight volatility might have worried many investors about what the immediate future holds.

However, investors seeking stocks with the potential to deliver stellar long-term returns should be looking at it as an opportunity to invest in high-quality companies at a discount.

Scotiabank stock and Pembina Pipeline stock could be excellent additions to your portfolio for this purpose.

The post 2 Grossly Undervalued TSX Stocks to Buy Today appeared first on The Motley Fool Canada.

The Motley Fools First-Ever Cryptocurrency Buy Alert

For the first time ever, The Motley Fool has issued an official BUY alert on a cryptocurrency.

Weve taken the exact same detailed analysis that weve used to find world-beating stocks like Amazon, Netflix, and Shopify to find what we believe will be the ONE cryptocurrency to rise above more than 4,000 cryptocurrencies.

Dont miss out on what could be a once-in-a-generation investing opportunity.

Click here to get the full story!

More reading

Fool contributor Adam Othman has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends BANK OF NOVA SCOTIA and PEMBINA PIPELINE CORPORATION.

2021
Flag of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (Taliban) is raised at the military airfield in Kabul

By Stephanie Nebehay

GENEVA (Reuters) - The ousted Afghan government and activist groups called on the main U.N. human rights body on Monday to investigate reports of targeted killings and restrictions on women and free speech by the ruling Taliban.

The appeals, which came as the European Union (EU) prepares to submit a draft resolution on Afghanistan, was backed by the head of the country's independent commission on human rights, who said that many of its own activities have been suspended.

The U.N. Human Rights Council held an emergency session last month after the Taliban takeover, but activists said that the Pakistan-led resolution that was adopted was too weak. That text asked U.N. rights boss Michelle Bachelet to report back, giving her few resources or power.

Bachelet told the forum on Sept. 13 that Taliban had broken promises by ordering women to stay at home and by carrying out house-to-house searches for former foes.

An EU draft resolution circulated at this session, seen by Reuters, condemns executions and violence against protesters and media. If adopted, it would appoint a special rapporteur, but not a full-fledged inquiry.

"We urge Council members, in line with the Council's mandate, to adopt a resolution in this current session establishing a dedicated and effective mechanism to monitor the human rights situation in Afghanistan, a must for accountability and prevention," Nasir Ahmad Andisha, Afghanistan's ambassador, still in function, told the Geneva forum.

Activists said that a special rapporteur - independent experts who usually have full-time jobs - would fall short.

"A mere special rapporteur with some assistance from (the UN rights office) is not enough," Ken Roth, executive director of Human Rights Watch, told a panel event. "Given the complexity of the country, an investigative mechanism needs a full team, with dedicated resources and a clear mandate."

Agnes Callamard, secretary-general of Amnesty International who is a former U.N. investigator on unlawful killings, said that human rights monitoring was "extraordinarily important" now.

Story continues

"The preservation of evidence is also critical to send a clear message to the Taliban that international crimes do not go unnoticed or unpunished," she said.

Shaharzad Akbar, chair of the Afghanistan independent human rights commission who has fled the country, said the Taliban has carried out targeting killings mainly against former national security forces and some ordinary citizens.

"They are creating an environment of fear for everyone, including for human rights defenders, women's rights activists and journalists that are still in the country, most of them in hiding," she told the panel.

"We have reports of extrajudicial killings of detainees," she said.

Taliban authorities in the western Afghan city of Herat killed four alleged kidnappers and hung their bodies up in public to deter others, a local government official said on Saturday.

(additional reporting by Emma Farge; editing by Angus MacSwan)
FILE PHOTO: General view of a branch of the Bank of Ireland in Dublin

DUBLIN (Reuters) - Bank of Ireland blamed state-imposed curbs on bankers pay and bonuses for the announcement on Monday that Chief Financial Officer Myles O'Grady would leave the bank and join Irish food group Musgrave.

Ireland capped executive pay at 500,000 euros ($552,300) a year during the euro zone's costliest banking rescue more than a decade ago. It banned all forms of variable pay and fringe benefits for even junior bank staff, restrictions lenders complain impedes them in attracting and retaining talent.

Bank of Ireland Chief Executive Francesca McDonagh said on Monday this had left the country's largest bank by assets at a competitive disadvantage to other companies and fellow members of the stock exchange which are not restricted in the same way.

"Myles' decision to leave the Irish banking sector highlights the challenge that remuneration restrictions represent for Irish banks in attracting and retaining talent," McDonagh said in a statement.

"The normalisation of our operations is now vital to the long-term sustainability of the indigenous banking sector," she said.

O'Grady will remain in his position until he joins Musgrave in April 2022, the food retail, wholesale and foodservice company said in a statement. Musgrave owns the country's largest supermaket chain, SuperValu.

O'Grady's predecessor, Andrew Keating, left the bank two years ago to take up a senior financial role at Irish building materials supplier CRH.

In 2018, former Allied Irish Banks Chairman Richard Pym described Ireland's banks as a training ground for rivals after his bank lost its chief executive and chief financial officer within weeks.

The Irish government, which pumped 64 billion euros or almost 40% of annual economic output into its banks following the 2008 global financial crisis, has said it has no plans to ease the restrictions.

It still retains a majority stake in AIB and permanent tsb and is selling down its 12% holding in Bank of Ireland.

(Reporting by Padraic Halpin; Editing by Edmund Blair and David Evans)
Fever dream has lately become an overused term in film marketing and criticism alike, often generically applied to anything faintly strange or surreal with fractured storytelling trickery and a lick of gauzy ambience. As a title for the latest feature from Peruvian director Claudia Llosa, it serves a similarly loose, woolly purpose, despite not being particularly apt: A psychological thriller in which two mothers fear their childrens souls have gone adrift, the films narrative unfolds less as fever dream than waking nightmare, though its hazy, sunstruck styling lends it a certain somnambulant quality.

As with Argentine writer Samanta Schweblins celebrated source novel  co-adapted by the author with Llosa  the films original Spanish title is rather more evocative. Translating as The Rescue Distance, referring to the protagonists constant mental calculations as to how long it would take her to reach her daughter in an emergency, it touches on the storys more urgent themes of parental responsibility and helplessness, as well as the loaded existential poser at its core: Is it better to lose someone you love altogether or have them become a stranger to you? These intriguing elements are too often lost in the semi-mystical murk of Fever Dream, which is ultimately : Sure enough, it will be globally released on the platform on Oct. 13, a few weeks after premiering in competition at San Sebastian.

More from Variety

Seven quiet years have passed since Llosas first English-language feature, Aloft, which, despite the star presence of Jennifer Connelly and Cillian Murphy, wasnt the career-changer she might have hoped for: A turgid, New Agey mother-son drama, it largely diminished the critical goodwill she had accrued from her Oscar-nominated film The Milk of Sorrow. Though it could stand to be more searching as a character study, and more suspenseful as a thriller, Fever Dream may well represent more of a commercial breakthrough, even as it returns the director closer to home turf: not Peru, but Chile, whose sun-kissed, stone-speckled countryside lends the film its consistently gorgeous backdrop. (Pablo Larrain has a co-producing credit.) The precise setting, however, remains ambiguous: From the outset, this is not a story of certainties.

Story continues

A glitchy, ominous opening sequence threatens a full-on horror film, beginning with extreme close-ups of human body parts and undulating slugs. A woman is dragged by unseen forces across a damp, dark forest floor as a young boys disembodied voice counsels her to stay awake: What you see, we all see. Itll take us some time to figure out how this discombobulating framing figures into proceedings as we cut to real-world daylight  as the same woman, Amanda (Spanish star Maria Valverde), arrives at an idyllic rural cottage for an extended getaway, her young daughter Nina (Guillermina Sorribes) in tow. Soon after, their friendly, vibrant neighbor Carola (Dolores Fonzi) arrives bearing pails of drinking water, with a warning not to trust what comes out of the tap: unsurprising on a farmstead, perhaps, though the first hint that theres something unsound about the area.

The two women hit it off, though the film has barely established their friendship when the timeline splinters into Carolas past, when she lived in the house Amanda is now occupying. Back then, she and her husband, Omar (German Palacios), planned to breed show horses, before a stallions mysterious death plunged them into debt. Meanwhile, in a seemingly related twist of fate, their young son, David (Marcelo Michinaux), fell suddenly and drastically ill, upon which a local faith healer (Cristina Banegas) advised a spiritual migration, transferring the diseased portion of his spirit into another body.

David survived, though according to Carola, the surly, near-feral preteen (an impressive Emilio Vodanovich) he has grown into is not her son. Amanda hears her story with appropriate skepticism, though its not long before shes persuaded that something is eerily amiss with the boy, and fears that a part of sweet, loving Ninas spirit may go missing too. Yet just as you think Fever Dream might be settling into an effectively disturbing study of parental neglect by delusion, Llosa finds another hessian rug to pull out from under us: Is there really something, quite literally, in the water? Are the toxins sprayed onto the crops, and carried by worms and insects, not just unnatural but unearthly too?

On paper, the face-off between nature and human nature in Schweblins novel makes it a good fit for Llosa, whose earthy previous films have often centered on that very tension. Yet the more Fever Dream tries to ground its story in explanations and earnest environmental panic, the more irretrievably it spirals into silliness, bordering on incoherence: The thinly drawn characters scarcely have appreciable souls to speak of, inside or outside their bodies, so its hard to take their escalating spiritual crisis quite as seriously as the filmmakers do. Which is a shame, because as a purely atmospheric exercise, Fever Dream often has the goods. Oscar Fauras seductive lensing implies secrets hidden in dusky shadows and blinding sunlight, while Natalia Holts viola-heavy score is a thing of mournful, jittery beauty. Theres half a good film here: Where the rest has migrated to is another of its mysteries.

Best of Variety

Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Montana's will donate 100,000 meals over the course of a week

TORONTO, Sept. 27, 2021 /CNW/ - Montana's BBQ & Bar  believes in a Canada where no one goes hungry, and are happy to announce their partnership with Food Banks Canada to help end food insecurity in Canada. As part of the initiative Montana's will donate the equivalent of two meals for every dine-in visit or takeout order made in the week leading up to Thanksgiving, October 4 - 10, in hopes of donating over 100,000 meals that week.

Montanas partners with Food Banks Canada to combat food insecurity (CNW Group/Montana's)

"Montana's is excited to expand our partnership with Food Banks Canada to donate a minimum of 100,000 meals to people in need across the country," says Adrianne Largo, Director, Marketing of Montana's. "It's been a hard couple of years for everyone, and we're happy to do our part to give back. Corporate social responsibility is a key tenet of Montana's values and we will continue to actively support our local communities."

"We are so grateful for the support of Canadians, and for partners like Montana's who care about their neighbours experiencing food insecurity. We all have a role to play in solving hunger," shares David Armour, CEO, Food Banks Canada. According to HungerCount , in 2019, 5,570,329 meals and snacks were provided by Food Banks CanadaRepresenting over 1,084,386 visits to local food banks across Canada in one month alone.

To participate, visit any Montana's location for dine-in or take-out from October 4-10, 2021.

About Montana's BBQ & BAR

Montana's BBQ & BAR is a Canadian comfort food joint that is famous for in-house smoked pork ribs, 100% Canadian steaks and juicy burgers. Montana's celebrates fun-to-eat, finger-licking smoked and barbecued comfort food that breaks the 'proper' rules. Our vibe is fun, casual and unpretentious, where you can laugh heartily and enjoy your friends and family. Montana's is owned by Recipe Unlimited Corporation, Canada's oldest and largest full service restaurant company. Find out more at www.montanas.ca . Follow Montana's on Facebook , Twitter , Instagram and TikTok.

Story continues

About Recipe

Founded in 1883, Recipe Unlimited Corporation is Canada's largest full-service restaurant company. The Company franchises and/or operates some of the most recognized brands in the country including Swiss Chalet, Harvey's, St-Hubert, The Keg, Montana's, Kelsey's, East Side Mario's, New York Fries, Prime Pubs, Bier Markt, Landing, Original Joe's, State & Main, Elephant & Castle, The Burger's Priest, The Pickle Barrel, Marigolds & Onions, 1909 Taverne Moderne, Fresh Since 1999 and Ultimate Kitchens.

Recipe's iconic brands have established the organization as a nationally recognized franchisor of choice. As of June 27, 2021, Recipe had 25 brands and 1,327 restaurants, 82% of which are operated by franchisees and joint venture partners, operating in 11 countries (Canada, USA, Bahrain, China, India, Macao, Oman, Panama, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE). Recipe's shares trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol RECP. More information about the Company is available at www.recipeunlimited.com .

About Food Banks Canada

Food Banks Canada provides national leadership to relieve hunger today and prevent hunger tomorrow in collaboration with the food bank network from coast-to-coast-to-coast. For 40 years, food banks have been dedicated to helping Canadians living with food insecurity. Over 4,500 food banks and community agencies come together to serve our most vulnerable neighbours who  last year  made 1.1 million visits to these organizations in one month alone, according to our HungerCount report. Over the past 10 years, as a system we've sourced and shared over 1.4 billion pounds of food and Food Banks Canada shared nearly $168 million in funding to help maximize collective impact and strengthen local capacity  while advocating for reducing the need for food banks. Our vision is clear: create a Canada where no one goes hungry. Visit http://www.foodbankscanada.ca/ to learn more.

SOURCE Montana's

Cision

View original content to download multimedia: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/September2021/27/c4456.html
Unboxed Podcast: Lessons from the Campus

Join Cisco Meraki for an insightful conversation with Jenna Linskens, Director of Learning & Innovative Technology of Ithaca College, on lessons learned in the last 14 months in higher education.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 27)  President Rodrigo Duterte will not let slide Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corp.'s supposed practice of changing the expiration dates of medical-grade face shields should this be proven true, his spokesman said Monday.

"Meron silang sinasabing tampering of manufacturing date, tignan po natin kung merong katotohanan 'yan. At kung mapapatunayan naman 'yan, the President will not tolerate that kung talagang nangyari po 'yan," said Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque.

[Translation: They said something about tampering of manufacturing date (of face shields), let's see if there's truth to that. And should this be proven tre, the President will not tolerate that if it really did happen.]

RELATED: Duterte: Bayanihan 1 in effect when govt bought medical supplies from Pharmally

Pharmally official Krizle Grace Mago admitted in the recent Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing that they changed the expiration dates for face shields procured by the government for medical frontliners, calling it a "supply concern."

The spokesman said there is a need to "substantiate" her claim and see whether her testimony would actually stand.

"Hindi pa siya eyewitness so hindi ko nga alam kung ano 'yung bisa, 'yung bigat ng sinabi dahil hindi naman siya 'yung nagpalit ng petsa. So hindi ko nga alam kung paano niya nalaman 'yan," Roque added.

[Translation: She's not yet an eyewitness so I don't even know the effectivity, the weight of what she said because she wasn't the one who changed the dates to begin with. So I don't even know how she found out about that.]

The Cabinet official also slammed Vice President Leni Robredo's previous statement alleging the embattled firm was able to bag billions of pesos in deals for the procurement of COVID-19 medical supplies with the help of someone currently in power.

"Absolutely bereft of merit. Salitang pang-eleksyon, desperadong manalo," Roque said.

[Translation: Statements for election season, (from someone) desperate to win.]

However, Robredo has yet to declare her official plans for the 2022 polls.

Roque likewise stated that the Senate probe into the controversy will "absolutely not" lead to Duterte. The chief executive earlier declared his intent to run for vice president in next year's elections.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 28)  President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday lambasted anew the Senate probe into the governments purchase of medical supplies for COVID-19 response, this time saying the investigation is "more than martial law."

His latest rant came days after the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee ordered the transfer of detained Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corporation director Linconn Ong to the Pasay City Jail for allegedly lying during hearings.

On Monday morning, Senator Panfilo Lacson confirmed that the transfer did not push through. Ong is still under the custody of the Senate Sergeant-at-Arms.

Akala ko ba ayaw ng mga taong Pilipinas ng martial law? Eh tignan mo yung ginagawa ng Senado ngayon, it is just more than a martial law, Duterte said during his public address.

[Translation: I thought people in the Philippines dont like martial law. But look at what the Senate is doing now. It is just more than a martial law.]

Buti pa ang martial law, dalhin ka pa doon sa korte ng military (At least under martial law, youre brought to a military court) At least there is a court hearing, and the person accused is afforded the right to be heard, he added.

The President also accused senators of sticking to preconceived ideas, adding it defeats the purpose of an investigation.

Magtatanong kayo, kung ayaw ninyo ang sagot, magagalit kayo tapos you threaten, We will cite [you] in contempt and we can detain you forever. Is that how a civilized Congress works? Takutan ba ito? Duterte said.

[Translation: You will ask, but you will get mad if you dont like the answer and you will threaten, We will cite you in contempt and we can detain you forever. Is that how a civilized Congress works? Are you resorting to intimidation?]

The President earlier compared senators to Nazi interrogators, saying they bombard resource persons with questions during hearings.

Duterte also reiterated that he is not defending Pharmally.

The firm bagged at least seven contracts amounting to over 8.6 billion from the government despite having only 625,000 in capital. It is being investigated for supplying allegedly overpriced medical items amid the pandemic.

Earlier, Pharmally official Krizle Grace Mago admitted that the company may have "swindled" the government following her testimony that the firm tampered the expiration dates of face shields intended for medical frontliners.
(CNN) -- Angela Merkel is about to bow out as chancellor of Germany after 16 years, marking the start of a new era for Europe's largest economy.

The results of Sunday's election are hard to predict, and the formation of a government could take weeks or months to play out. But when the dust settles, polls indicate that the new chancellor could be the left-leaning Social Democratic Party's Olaf Scholz, who steered Germany's economy through the pandemic as finance minister in a coalition with Merkel. Meanwhile, the Greens could more than double their number of seats in parliament.

Scholz's SPD and the Greens could partner with the pro-business Free Democratic Party, gaining enough power to shift the country's economic agenda to the left. Taxation and spending could increase as political leaders double down on digitization and climate policy, while wariness about rising government debt may take a back seat.

"Greens and liberals in a coalition would bring the freshest innovative forces that we have had in a while in a German government," said Carsten Brzeski, ING's global head of macro research.

Spend more, worry later?

Global banks say that the eventual outcome of post-election jockeying among the parties is far from certain, while advising investors to prepare for two potential results: a coalition of the SPD, Green Party and the FDP, or a narrow victory for Merkel's center-right Christian Democratic Union, led by Armin Laschet, which would also likely need to team up with the Greens and FDP.

The former option would mark a move to the left, but would be less dramatic than an alliance between the SPD, Greens and hard-left Die Linke. This result, which could produce much more ambitious efforts to redistribute wealth and levy taxes, has been downplayed by analysts, and would likely take investors by surprise.

Whichever combination takes charge will have to manage the ongoing recovery from the coronavirus pandemic. Germany's economy is on track to grow by 2.9% this year and 4.6% next year after contracting by 4.9% in 2020, according to the latest projections from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.

Yet recent data indicates momentum could be slipping. The Ifo index, which tracks the country's business climate, fell for the third month in a row in September, according to data released Friday. Slower growth in China, snarled supply chains and surging gas prices are likely to be taking a toll.

This pullback could add to pressure on the country's new leaders to scrap Germany's notoriously strict fiscal rules so they can keep spending on the domestic economy.

The country enshrined a so-called "debt brake" in the constitution in 2009, severely limiting public borrowing after the financial crisis with few exceptions. Because of the pandemic, debt rules were suspended until 2023. That allowed German borrowing to jump, with the country's debt-to-GDP ratio climbing sharply to 70% in 2020.

Though such a ratio pales in comparison with the United States, where debt is now projected to exceed annual GDP, Germany's centrist parties have been eager to get the country's public finances back under control. The Greens, meanwhile, want more permanent easing of debt rules.

UBS strategists Dean Turner and Maximilian Kunkel think the debt brake  which has become a key tenet of German fiscal conservatism  is likely to remain in place, since overturning it would require a two-thirds majority in parliament.

Still, they expect Germany's new leaders will find other ways to increase spending to address the climate crisis, an issue that gained even greater prominence after devastating flooding hit the country in July.

"The one common area of agreement for all parties is the need to tackle climate change," Turner and Kunkel wrote in a recent research note. Whatever coalition emerges, they continued, green investment "will rise."

Tackling the climate crisis

Brzeski expects that the incoming governing coalition, no matter its makeup, will create a special investment vehicle to circumvent the debt brake, allowing money to flow to green initiatives.

With a more liberal coalition government, however, some timelines could be moved up.

"[The Greens] would likely push for an acceleration of the green transition of the German economy as a pre-condition for entering government," Goldman Sachs said in a recent note to clients.

The Green Party has called for a 70% cut in greenhouse gas emissions from 1990 levels by 2030, compared to the current government goal of 65%. It also wants coal plants shuttered by the end of this decade, rather than by 2038, and for new cars to be emissions-free by that point, too.

This could set up a clash with Germany's most powerful businesses. In its latest strategy update, Volkswagen said it wanted 50% of sales to come from electric cars by 2030, rising to almost 100% in 2040.

How much the state should intervene could generate friction between coalition members.

"The biggest controversy will be: How do you change people's behavior?" Brzeski said. "Do you do this by incentives, and by educating people, or do you do this by [increasing] prices and costs?"

A left-leaning government in Germany could also lead to an increase in taxes for the wealthiest Germans, with the SPD proposing a new wealth tax on the super-rich.

But banks are emphasizing that it remains hugely unclear how the election will play out  and the more conservative CDU could still prevail, keeping Germany more firmly on its current fiscal and economic path.

This story was first published on CNN.com "Germany is the biggest economy in Europe. What if it shifts left?".
Uh-oh! It could be you, or it could be us, but there's no page here.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 27)  The country's COVID-19 case tally breached 2.5 million on Monday after the Department of Health reported 18,449 more people have been infected.

The total tally is now at 2,509,177, where 6.3% or 158,169 are active cases.

Of the newly reported cases, the DOH said 97%, or 17,953, were detected within the past two weeks. It added that Metro Manila is the top contributing region, accounting for 3,060 or 17%, followed by Calabarzon with 2,465 cases or 14%, and Central Luzon with 1,922 or 11%.

Two testing laboratories failed to submit their reports on time, according to the DOH. They contribute around 0.07% of all samples tested and 0.04% of positive cases, based on data over the last 14 days.

Monday's bulletin showed that from the currently ill patients, 78.7% have mild symptoms, 15.3% are asymptomatic, 3.42% are considered moderate cases, 1.7% are severe, and 0.8% are critical.

Meanwhile, the positivity rate  or the percentage of infected individuals out of all tested  stood at 23.5%, based on 68,678 tests reported on Sept. 25.

Recoveries also rose to 2,313,412, after 21,811 more got well, the DOH said.

Fatalities, on the other hand, climbed by 93, for a total of 37,494, after three days of reporting zero deaths due to technical issues in the data repository COVIDKaya system.

The department said the 93 deaths do not include yet the backlogs from Sept. 24 to 26. It added that it will report these backlogs in separate advisories.

Usually released at 4 p.m., the latest update was only made public past 9:30 p.m. This was after the DOH retracted the version it sent at 6:30 p.m., citing the need to make some revisions.

After final validation, the DOH said it reclassified as fatalities 117 cases previously tagged as recoveries. Another 227 patients earlier reported as survivors turned out to be active cases.

The department also said it deleted 130 duplicates from its data, including 61 recoveries and four deaths.

Among Filipinos residing abroad, the Department of Foreign Affairs said 121 more contracted the coronavirus, another 74 got well, and two died due to the disease.

The total number of infected Filipinos abroad stands at 23,277, including 13,465 recoveries and 1,387 fatalities.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 27)  Both houses of Congress on Monday passed on final reading their versions of a bill which would extend the voter registration period for the 2022 elections.

The Senate and the House of Representatives unanimously approved Senate Bill No. 2408 and House Bill No. 10261, respectively, after the Commission on Elections refused to move the Sept. 30 deadline.

The Senate version proposed an extension until Oct. 31, 2021. Meanwhile, the House bill didn't specify a date, only stating that the last day of registration shall be 30 days after the measure is enacted.

In pushing for the legislation, lawmakers have cited the series of suspension of the voter registration in the past months due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

It is necessary to allot another month, they said, to prevent the disenfranchisement of a large number of Filipinos.

The upper and lower chambers would have to submit a reconciled version of the bill to President Rodrigo Duterte, who will decide whether or not to sign it into law.

Meanwhile, top-level Comelec officials also met on Monday to discuss the mounting calls for extension, the poll body's spokesman James Jimenez said in a briefing. He added they are now preparing the recommendation to be submitted to the en banc.

The final decision is expected on Wednesday  just a day before the current registration deadline.

Comelec previously argued an extension could jeopardize other poll preparations. However, it also said that if the law is passed, they would have no choice but to comply.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 27)  The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) reported the recovery on Monday of two more bodies in waters off northern Cebu, bringing the total number of confirmed deaths to seven.

The PCG continued search and rescue operations, identifying the latest recovered remains as those of Frankie Chavez, the boat's captain, and Renante Forsuelo.

Another body, found late Sunday afternoon, has been identified by authorities as Hermono Ronamo.

On Saturday night, authorities said a group of local divers from Bantayan Island found the bodies of Norberto Parlotzo and Rommel Engle

On the afternoon the next day, the coast guard retrieved two bodies, identified as Julit Salvo and Victor Calvo.

The vessel sank between the waters off Tanguingui Island in northern Cebu and Gigantes Island in Iloilo on Friday, the coast guard said.

Two fishermen remain missing: Julian Dungog and Manuel Auditor.

On Friday afternoon, its sister vessel FV Old Man and The Sea successfully rescued 22 of the 31 crew members.

Based on one of the survivors' accounts, the PCG said the boat encountered strong winds and big waves at 1 a.m. on Friday while on fishing operations.

Health personnel from Cadiz City provided medical treatment to the survivors. The PCG said it ensured that the fishermen were in good physical condition before they were transported back to their respective families.

In a separate maritime incident, the PCG said a crew member's body was pulled from a submerged ferry in Ormoc City.

The body was retrieved from a roll-on/roll-off (RORO) vessel that figured in an accident at the port of Ormoc City.

In a statement Saturday, the PCG said the victima female purser aged 33 years oldwas found under several pieces of cargo carried by the MV Lite Ferry 3.

"There were no passengers on board the vessel but was loaded with cargo," Danilo Lines Inc., owner of the vessel, said in a Facebook post.

The distressed ship had 16 crew members, 15 of whom were successfully rescued shortly after the ferry sank while maneuvering to dock at Ormoc Port late Friday night.
(CNN)  Adequate rates of vaccination can help prevent the rise of new mutations that could force people to get booster after booster dose of Covid-19 vaccine, the head of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Sunday.

The CDC and the US Food and Drug Administration recommended booster shots for many Americans last week to help preserve their immunity.

But that doesn't necessarily mean people will need to keep getting boosters. CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky told CBS's "Face the Nation."

"Our goal right now is to stay ahead of the virus. We want to boost now so we don't end up in a vulnerable place," Walensky said.

"We will see if we can get the amount of transmission down in this country, and truly around the world, which we are also working to do, and then we are anticipating and hoping we will not have more mutations that will require more boosting in the future."

'Our hospitals are filled with unvaccinated people'

Covid-19 is killing so many people in Idaho that some funeral homes are running out of space to store the bodies.

"We are working nonstop. We're exhausted. We're frustrated," Ada County Coroner Dotti Owens said. "Funeral homes are out of storage. Our hospitals are out of storage."

The county bought a mass fatality trailer late last year to accommodate a larger number of bodies, but even that is filling up, Owens said.

"Now we're packing them in there," she said. "Our internal cooler is full."

What's happening in Idaho is tragic, but perhaps not surprising.

Idaho has one of the lowest vaccination rates in the US, with 41.3% of residents fully vaccinated as of Saturday, according CDC data.

Only two states had lower vaccinations rates: West Virginia (40.3%) and Wyoming (41%).

And the average rate of Covid-19 deaths was more than four times higher in the 10 least-vaccinated states compared to the 10 most-vaccinated states, a recent CNN analysis showed.

In Idaho, Covid-19 has killed an average of 20 people a day over the past week, according to CDC data published Saturday.

At Cloverdale Funeral Home in Ada County, "our refrigeration facility here at Cloverdale is substantial, and it's full," managing partner Steve Salove told CNN affiliate KIVI.

He said part of the problem is many victims' family members are also sick with Covid-19 -- meaning bodies have to be stored until they recover and can attend a funeral service.

About 90% of Idaho's ICU beds were occupied, with 58.6% taken up by Covid-19 patients, according to data from the US Department of Health and Human Services.

Alaska is calling for additional medical staff to help with Covid-19 cases.

The state is seeking 297 registered nurses, 114 nursing assistants and a variety of other technicians and therapists to help hospitals that are struggling with staffing and near capacity. The endeavor will likely cost the state about $1 million per day, which will be reimbursed by the federal government, officials said.

The new resources come as the state has authorized hospitals to enact crisis standards of care, allowing the facilities to ration resources when overwhelmed by patients.

The CDC director said she's worried about hospitals in some states running out of beds.

"And when you see that, you worry that people may not be able to come in and get the proper care if they have a motor vehicle accident or if they're having a heart attack," Walensky told CBS on Sunday.

"People who are not vaccinated are 10 times more likely to be in the hospital. Our hospitals are filled with unvaccinated people."

Some schools have to pause in-person learning

The Filer School District in Idaho closed Friday due to "excessive staff absences and the shortage of substitute teachers," district officials said in a Facebook post.

Students will not learn remotely during the break, which ends October 4.

The district's Covid-19 dashboard showed 11 school staff and 56 students have tested positive for Covid-19 since school began September 7.

A combination of absences among teachers, kitchen staff, custodians and other workers as well as a lack of substitute teachers is making it difficult for the district to operate, Schroeder explained.

"It's hard to say if the absences and shortages have been caused by Covid-19," FSD Superintendent Kelli Schroeder told CNN in an email. "There are several other staff members who are out for illness and other reasons."

Children typically don't get infected in schools where proper precautions are taken, the CDC director said.

"Our science has demonstrated that the disease generally comes in from the community, and when schools are practicing the proper mitigation and prevention strategies, it is not where the transmission is actually happening," Walensky told CBS.

The CDC has recommended mask wearing for students, teachers and visitors in schools from kindergarten through grade 12, along with improved ventilation, physical distancing and testing on a screening basis.

"We know how to keep them safe," Walensky said. "When we don't use the proper mitigation, they're more likely to have outbreaks."

The good news for kids: the CDC chief said she think it might be OK to go trick-or-treating this year.

"Oh, gosh, I certainly hope so. If you're able to be outdoors, absolutely. Limit crowds. I wouldn't necessarily go to a crowded Halloween party," Walensky told CBS.

"I think we should be able to let our kids go trick-or-treating in small groups, and I hope that we can do that this year."

GOP governor: 'Vaccinations remain our ticket out of this pandemic'

Ohio, Gov. Mike DeWine recently announced the "Vax to School" program, which residents ages 12 and 25 may enter with proof of vaccination.

The program will give five scholarships worth $100,000 and 50 scholarships worth $10,000. All scholarship money can be used toward any type of education or job training the winner chooses.

DeWine noted an "alarming trend" of Covid-19 cases in young Ohioans, including 42,000 cases in children between the ages 5 and 17 since school started August 15.

"Vaccinations remain our ticket out of this pandemic," DeWine said. "Vaccinations are the way that we stop our hospitals from being overcrowded."

Correction: An earlier version of this story understated the value of Ohio's "Vax to School" program. Prizes will include 50 scholarships worth $10,000 each and five $100,000 scholarships.

This story was first published on CNN.com, "Want to help prevent more variants down the road? Get vaccinated, CDC director says"
Missing hiker Vaughn Fetzer has been found deceased in the area of Colorado's 14,345-foot Blanca Peak.

Recovery operations will take place Monday and it has been requested that all non-search and rescue members stay out of the Blanca Peak area, which is located in Colorado's Sangre de Cristo range, Alamosa Volunteer Search and Rescue said.

Rockfall risk has been an ongoing concern during its mission in the area related to Vaughn. One crew member was injured while the search was taking place when a rock dislodged and struck him in the leg.

Details about specifically where Vaughn was found were not released, nor was a suspected cause of death.

Crews had initially narrowed their search to the technical Gash Ridge area, which extends off the eastern side of Blanca Peak. It is a non-standard route that's rated somewhere between class four and class five.

It is unclear if this is ultimately where Fetzer was found. Fetzer was last heard from on Sept. 18.
The latest African country to attempt to open up its telecoms sector to competition is Djibouti in the Horn of Africa.

According to Bloomberg, the country has said that it plans to offer a significant minority stake in state-owned operator Djibouti Telecom, which, apparently, is in the process of rolling out a 4G network, to a strategic partner. This is said to be part of a plan for the country to open up the sector and modernize its economy, though how much of Djibouti Telecom is to be sold off is not yet known.

While this move seems to mirror the recent attempt of Djiboutis neighbour Ethiopia to open up its telecoms sector (among other sectors), the differences between the two countries, in terms of size and opportunities, are fairly significant. Ethiopia is the second-most populous country in Africa after Nigeria, with a population estimated at around 118 million. Djibouti has a population of just under one million.

That said, Djibouti is positioned on one of the worlds busiest shipping routes. It also hosts landing infrastructure for twelve high-capacity undersea cables.

Significantly the Djibouti government has been quoted as assuring would-be investors that there will be the chance to expand into mobile money and data centres. Mobile money in particular has been a sticking point for investors in Ethiopia, where restrictions on new entrants have given the incumbent operator a clear run at a very big mobile money market.

It will be interesting to see whether new entrants have more luck in Djibouti.
After almost three years, Canadian authorities have released Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou after US authorities abandoned their attempt to extradite her.

Huawei and the US Department of Justice have reached an agreement that did not require Meng to plead guilty, and will see the fraud charges against her dropped at 14 months. She will face no further prosecution, and following the withdrawal of the US extradition request, she has now returned to China.

The executive  who is the daughter of Huawei founder Ren Zhengfei  has been under house arrest in Canada since she was detained in Vancouver on fraud charges brought against her by US authorities. China has repeatedly railed against Mengs detention, with Foreign Ministry representative Hua Chunying describing it as a typical case of arbitrary detention as recently as September 25th.

The US alleged that Meng had misled HSBC over Huaweis relationship with Iran-based Skycom Tech, which was found by independent sources to have been effectively controlled by Huawei. The Chinese vendor has stated that it will continue to defend itself against this claim, although as part of the agreement Meng conceded that she had lied to HSBC about the relationship between the companies.

As explained by Acting U.S. Attorney Nicole Boeckmann for the Eastern District of New York: In entering into the deferred prosecution agreement, Meng has taken responsibility for her principal role in perpetrating a scheme to defraud a global financial institution. Her admissions in the statement of facts confirm that, while acting as the Chief Financial Officer for Huawei, Meng made multiple material misrepresentations to a senior executive of a financial institution regarding Huaweis business operations in Iran in an effort to preserve Huaweis banking relationship with the financial institution.

In a move widely seen as retaliatory, China detained two Canadian citizens without charge for 18 months. Both were released before Meng had completed her return journey to China.
The Government of Togo and Bboxx, a next generation utility, have announced what is described as the first-ever memorandum of understanding (MoU) to sell smartphones in Togo on a pay-as-you-go basis.

The MoU will, the parties claim, improve digital inclusion and the delivery of digital public services through deployment of smartphones in the country.

The rollout of handsets is expected in 2022, as part of a Togo Smartphone initiative.

The programme will be in three phases. Phase 1 will involve market research, capturing important insights regarding customer preferences and requirements, including data plans and hardware. Phase 2 will see smartphones made available, on salary deduction or pay-as-you-go basis, to civil servants and public sector workers to incentivise the transition to digital public service delivery.

Phase 3 will see smartphones made available to the Togolese public, again via affordable financing options like pay as you go.

The MoU follows the Government of Togos prioritisation of making the digital economy a lever to accelerate the development of important sectors. A new strategy  called Togo Digital 2025 - is currently being implemented to drive these ambitions further.

Bboxx is best-known, to date, for manufacturing, distributing and financing decentralised solar-powered systems in developing countries. So far, Bboxx has deployed more than 500,000 solar home systems.

Bboxx first entered the Togo market in 2017. Through its joint venture, Bboxx avec EDF, solar home systems are provided on a pay-as-you-go basis using mobile money, and supported through an innovative digital subsidy, the CIZO Cheque, through a partnership with the Government of Togo under the flagship CIZO Initiative. The initiative (cizo means lighting up in the local Guin language) aims at making households rely more on solar power and boosting electrification in rural communities.

Bboxx has over 1,000 staff across nine offices sited in a number of countries including the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, and Togo. Its head office is in the UK and its manufacturing operations are in China.
Working from home has increased their workload since they have to take care of children and do more chores, according to 40 percent of parents.

The survey by recruitment company Adecco Vietnam found roughly the same ratio working outside of regular hours to balance work and family needs.

More than a quarter of working parents suffer from burnout, the online survey which polled 390 people nationwide in August said.

Working parents now spend 23.2 hours per week on housework and childcare, 6.3 hours more than before the epidemic started.

Over a third of employers do not offer any support to working parents.

Some 25 percent of working fathers and 12 percent of working mothers had their wages cut.

The former are worried about their financial status, security and job prospects and relationship with their spouses, while the women are stressed about the safety and health of the family, lack of childcare support and grocery shopping.

What the respondents expect most from their companies are flexible working hours (48 percent) followed by childcare allowance (35 percent), mental health and wellness programs (30 percent) and additional paid leave (26 percent).

They also have certain worries about returning to the workplace.

The risk of Covid infection is their top concern (56 percent) followed by changes in daily routine (36 percent) and loss of flexibility (27 percent).

Besides providing certain benefits like flexible work hours to all employees, employers should also consider parent-oriented components such as childcare allowance, gifts for Childrens Day and parental leave, Chuong Nguyen, associate director of recruitment at Adecco Vietnam, HCMC, said.
Nguyen Phan Que Mai's debut novel 'The Mountains Sing' has won the runner-up prize at the 2021 Dayton Literary Peace Prize in the U.S.

The book is set against the backdrop of the Vietnam War and tells an enveloping tale of the Tran family as seen through the eyes of matriarch Tran Dieu Lan and her granddaughter, Huong.

As Huong comes of age, Lan teaches her what it takes to survive and live with compassion.

"The Mountains Sing is my yearning for peace, for human compassion, for forgiveness, for hope, and for humans to love humans more," Mai is quoted as saying in the contest website.

"I echo my call for peace in the form of this novel, through the words of my character Huong: 'Somehow I was sure that if people were willing to read each other, and see the light of other cultures, there would be no war on earth.'"

Nguyen Phan Que Mai with her book 'The Mountains Sing'. Photo courtesy of Mai's Facebook

Her book beat off several other strong contenders, including Louise Erdrichs Night Watchman, winner of the 2021 Pulitzer Prize for fiction, and Douglas Stuarts 'Shuggie Bain,' the 2021 Booker Prize winner for fiction.

Scottish-German novelist Alexander Starritt's 'We Germans' claimed the top prize in the fiction category.

As the runner-up, Mai will receive $5,000.

Her book will be honored at a gala in November in Dayton, Ohio, alongside other finalists this year and last year.

Mai, who has a PhD in creative writing from Lancaster University in the U.K., is the author of eight books in Vietnamese covering the gamut from poetry to non-fiction, and she has been translated and published in more than 15 countries.

The Mountains Sing, also her first English work, also won a Lannan Literary Awards Fellowship for contribution to peace and reconciliation and the BookBrowse Best Debut Award for 2020.

The Dayton Literary Peace Prize aims to celebrate the power of literature in promoting peace, social justice and global understanding.
Hoang showcased his Quintessence collection at the Milan Fashion Week on Sept. 25. The 10 outfits, which took him eight months to finish were inspired by Vietnams traditional silk and bamboo weaving craftsmanship.

Stranded in Italy, he could not return to Vietnam due to the pandemic, but managed to find all the materials he needed right there.
Passengers at the Terminal 5 departures area at Heathrow Airport in London, March 2021. Photo by Reuters

The government has given permission for reopening the U.K. visa application center in Da Nang City on Monday over a month after it closed.

It would only work on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., meaning there would be significantly fewer appointments available than usual, the British embassy in Hanoi said in its official Facebook page.

Earlier the British visa application centers in Hanoi and HCMC were also allowed to resume limited operations.

Last week the Hanoi office was allowed to open all five days a week after the capital eased its lockdown.

Da Nang recorded nearly 4,900 Covid cases in the ongoing wave, but has managed to bring the outbreak under control.

The central city plans to fully reopen on October 1.

Currently 12,000 Vietnamese students are studying in the U.K., according to official statistics.

Britain lifted almost all social distancing measures and restrictions last month. Vietnam is currently on its amber list, which requires visitors to self-isolate for 10 days at home on arrival.
The United States has imposed sanctions against four members of a network of Iranian regime intelligence operatives.

The action follows the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New Yorks announcement in July of criminal charges against four Iranians for attempting to kidnap a U.S. citizen on U.S. soil and forcibly return her to Iran.

The target of the kidnapping has identified herself as Masih Alinejad, an Iranian American journalist, rights activist, and Iranian regime critic, who, among other activities, hosts a popular television program on the Voice of America.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken called the kidnapping plot an egregious violation of fundamental international norms. He pointed out in a statement that beyond this specific plot, The United States remains aware of ongoing Iranian interest in targeting other American citizens, including current and former U.S. officials.

The four designated Iranians are senior Iran-based intelligence official Alireza Shahvaroghi Farahani, who leads a network of intelligence operatives that includes the three other sanctioned individuals: Mahmoud Khazein, Kiya Sadeghi, and Omid Noor. Secretary Blinken noted this network was tasked not only with the kidnapping of the Iranian-American journalist, but also with targeting Iranian dissidents in the United Kingdom, Canada, and the United Arab Emirates.

The four Iranian operatives were designated as acting on behalf of Irans Ministry of Intelligence and Security, or MOIS, a U.S.-sanctioned entity and one of the most feared institutions in Iran. As the U.S. Treasury Department noted in a separate announcement about the sanctions levied against the Iranian intelligence network, MOIS has played a key role in the Iranian governments brutal human rights abuse against Iranians, and Iranian repression, often carried out at the hands of MOIS, has also stretched beyond Irans borders, with a string of similar plots in Europe and elsewhere.

The designations of the four Iranian operatives mean that any property the men hold in the United States is blocked; no U.S. persons can do business with them; and foreign financial institutions that engage in significant transactions with them are also subject to sanctions.

Secretary of State Blinken said the United States will not tolerate efforts to intimidate independent journalists or silence their voices. We will hold those responsible to account. And we will not tolerate any attacks on U.S. citizens here or abroad.
The horrific scenes captured at the Southern border where Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) agents were seen using their horses to corral and scare Haitian migrants prompted criticism from immigrants and human rights activists.

This behavior and allegations that the agents used their reins to control their horses as whips are being investigated by the Department of Homeland Security.

Regardless of the allegations of whipping, the video footage clearly shows that agents used their horses to intimidate and disburse crowds that included children. Agents were also captured, yelling profanities and racist comments at the migrants.



Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas called the footage troubling and reaffirmed the commitment of DHS to processing migrants in a safe, orderly, and humane way. We can and must do this in a way that ensures the safety and dignity of migrants.

However, these comments have not quelled criticisms from immigration activists and some policymakers that question the utility and efficiency of agents and CPB more widely. One question on the minds of many after this incident was how much these agents make.

As of June 2021, the starting salary for a Border Patrol Agent ranged between $49,508 and $78,269, commiserate with experience. Within a few years, however, the salary can reach more than $100,000. Agents are also offered generous benefits, just like other federal workers. These include paid sick leave, federal holidays, and high-quality health insurance, and government retirement accounts.

How many border patrol agents are there?

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) was established after the events of September 11th. Customs and Border Patrol had previously been split under the Departments of Justice and Labor but was moved to the DHS after its creation.

In 1992, there were 4,139 CBP agents. By 2003, that figure had grown to 10,717. Today, it is nearly double, standing at 25,756. Under President Obama, this number grew and then decreased, only to be increased once again under President Trump.

Most of these agents are stationed at the Southern border, a historical trend that has persisted as the force has grown. In 2016, around 84 percent of agents could be found there.

A brief history of enforcement at the Southern border

While the United States has long claimed to be a "refuge" for migrants. The Statue of Liberty is enshrined with a poem that reads: "Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free."

However, many migrants, regardless of their point of entry, have been met with racist and dehumanizing treatment. This is especially true with migrants hoping for a better life in the land of opportunity from the Southern border. While the media has taken to covering the violence inflicted on migrants at the Southern border in greater depth in recent years, it has been happening for more than a century.

It is not the violent practices that have changed, only the origin of the victims who experience it.

In the early 1900s, the US Department of Commerce began to hire "mounted watchmen" to patrol the Southern Border, some of whom were Texas Rangers. The Texas Rangers have a long and violent past but were seen as highly effective in preventing migrants from entering the US.

Before taking on immigration enforcement, one historian, Doug Swanson, found that just after Texas was annexed by the US, the Rangers "hunted runaway slaves and murdered so many Mexicans and Mexican Americans that they were as feared on the Mexican border as the Ku Klux Klan was in the Deep South."

Swanson highlights that this history happened just over one hundred years ago and that today we would call the Rangers "death squads" based on the actions they carried out. This included the mass murder of Mexican Mexicans and Mexican Americans, "some of those were bandits who had attacked white-owned farms and ranches, but many of them had committed no crimes. You know, they were guilty of having brown skin."

The Texas Rangers were one of the groups tasked with preventing illegal crossings in 1904, primarily to track down Chinese migrants who were prevented from entering the country due to discriminatory immigration quotes detailed in the Chinese Exclusion Act.

Over the years, leaders from the Texas Rangers have been invovled in shaping CBP, a fact left out of the Department of Homeland Security brief history of the agency. The history posted on DHS's website reads that in the early days, Rangers were "sporadically assigned to patrol duties by the state, and their efforts were noted as "singularly effective."

While CPB grew into a formal institution within the immigration enforcement governing apparatus, the practices and links to the Texas Rangers were not cut. Still today, the Rangers support the Texas Department of Public Safety with enforcement and investigations.

CBP's increased presence at the Southern Border (1980 -- Present)

The history also details the responses CBP took after the "tremendous increase of illegal migration to America" in the 1980s and 1990s. To respond to the influx, CBP increased its "manpower and the implementation of modern technology. Infrared night-vision scopes, seismic sensors, and a modern computer processing system helped the Patrol locate, apprehend, and process those crossing into the U.S. illegally."

The history details how effective these methods were, noting how various operations led to a "drastic reduction in apprehensions," which allowed them to "able to concentrate on other areas, such as establishing anti-smuggling units and search and rescue teams."

However, with the increases in migration continuing, it is clear that this approach failed to address the root causes of the problems that motivate people to flee thier homeland.

During the Cold War, the United States spent the better more than fifty years touting American greatness -- spreading the message the American values and way of life are superior. Telling those abroad that the American Dream is possible even for those not born here.

The approaches taken by CBP may have been able to reduce "illegal entries in San Diego by more than 75%" in the 1990s... but should that be the metric of success? T

his approach did not prevent the deaths of children in their care.

It did not stop the sexual assaults that took place in detention centers.

And without a real strategy to address the root causes of migration, these heartbreaking events, like what was seen last week, will continue to happen.

DHS and CBP may argue that this is the responsibility of the State Department or USAID, but these excuses are tired. Shifting the blame does not solve the problem, but it seems to be the government's primary response to these sorts of situations.

Republican politicians may try to scapegoat immigrants by saying that they increase crime or steal jobs, but these claims just aren't backed by data. History and records tell us that the material conditions for most people living in Haiti are extremely difficult.

Debt, to the tune of $21 billion in today's dollars, was imposed on them by the French after they gained independence hindered the new nation's development for one hundred years.

In 2010, a 7.3 magnitude earthquake killed more than 200,000 people and left the county's infrastructure in ruin. After this event, many fled to other countries in Latin America in search of economic opportunities.

The BBC interviewed Fiterson Janvier, who said he left Haiti in 2014 and had passed "through eleven different countries" before getting to the United States. When asked how he felt about being imminently deported back to Haiti -- the fate the majority of the migrants will face -- he said, "There is nothing for me there. Nothing. If they're going to send me back, they may as well just kill me. Just end it all."

Give me your huddled masses; yearning to breathe free is a promise made to those looking for a better life. It is a promise that the United States has failed to keep, particularly to the most desperate who make it to our border.
Headlines

- La Palma airport now operational again after clean-up

- Spanish volcanologist explains what will happen when the lava reaches the sea on La Palma. (Details)

- More than 513 buildings destroyed by lava flow, which now covers over 237.5 hectares

- Villages of Tacande and Tajuya evacuated amid increased explosive activity and new vents. Ash plume now 4km high

- New lava flow caused by cone fracture moving "more quickly and more fluidly"

- Lava flow "advancing quickly towards the coast", says president of La Palma local government

- Spain PM Sanchez to declare La Palma "catastrophe zone"

- Active volcanoes in the Canary Islands: an overview

- When was the last volcanic eruption in the Canary Islands? (Details)

- The question on many minds: What happens when the lava reaches the ocean? (Details)

Related articles:
Last month Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that New York City public school teachers and staff will be required to be vaccinated against covid-19, but a recent court ruling has thrown the city-wide mandate into doubt.

De Blasio had hoped that ensuring that all 148,000 staff members in the nation's largest school district were fully vaccinated would help slow the spread of the Delta variant across the city. Department of Educations in Los Angeles, Chicago and Washington have already introduced similar rules, but the NYC mandate is now under threat.

On Friday the US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit blocked the 27 September deadline that De Blasio had introduced, preventing the mandate from coming into force. The court has set a hearing on the dispute for Wednesday after city officials requested an expedited process.

Will the NYC schools vaccine mandate come into force?

The courts decision last Friday marked a significant defeat for De Blasio who is under pressure to lower the citys covid-19 infection rate. In letters to the court in recent days, the citys legal team have argued that preventing the mandate going into force threatens public safety.

A letter signed by Corporation Counsel Georgia Pestana warns that the mandate is essential for the "safe resumption of full school operations for the citys nearly one million students."

It continues: "The order also upsets the reliance interests of parents and caregivers across the city - who need clear and sound safety protocols when they send their children to public schools in the city day after day.

What effect could a vaccine mandate have on New York schools?

The consequence of the courts decision last week was that city officials will have to wait longer for it to come into force, but the De Blasio administration remains confident that the additional restrictions will eventually be implemented.

A Department of Education spokeswoman, Danielle Filson, said: Were confident our vaccine mandate will continue to be upheld once all the facts have been presented, because that is the level of protection our students and staff deserve.

In the past teachers and other school staff in NYC had been able to submit to regular testing to opt-out of the vaccine requirements but that option will no longer be available, if the new mandate is introduced.

As of last Friday the citys Department of Education said that 82% of employees had been vaccinated, and 88% of teachers. But there remain around 10,000 teachers who would not currently be able to enter a school if the mandate were introduced, along with many more members of school staff.

However last week De Blasio insisted that there would be no shortfall of teaching staff, saying: We have a lot of substitutes ready. A lot is going to happen between now and Monday but beyond that we are ready even to the tune of if we need thousands, we have thousands.
On Saturday a huge derailment on an Amtrak train in Montana left three dead and hospitalised at least seven passengers, but investigators are still unsure how the tragic accident occurred.

The ten-car Amtrak Empire Builder train 7/27 was completing a journey from Chicago to Seattle/Portland when eight cars jumped the tracks at around 4pm. The incident happened near Joplin, Montana, a small town of just 150 people around 30 miles south of the Canadian border.

In total there were 141 passengers and 16 crew members on board when the cars left the track and Amtrak CEO Bill Flynn issued a statement on Sunday, mourning those killed in the derailment.

"We have no words that can adequately express our sorrow for those who lost a loved one or who were hurt in this horrible event. They are in our thoughts and prayers," Flynn said.

Ongoing investigation to uncover the cause of the tragedy

In response to the incident a 14-member National Transportation Safety Board investigative team was despatched to the site to look into the cause of the accident. The team includes both investigators and railroad signal specialists, and law enforcement also inspected the scene on Sunday.

Matt Jones, spokesperson for BNSF Railway confirmed that the area of track where the accident took place was last inspected on Thursday, just two days before the fateful journey.

David Clarke, railroad safety expert and director of the Center for Transportation Research at the University of Tennessee, has said that the accident appears to have occurred near a switch, which is used when the railway moves from a single to double track.

Clarke asked: Did the switch play some role? It might have been that the front of the train hit the switch and it started fish-tailing and that flipped the back part of the train.

However at this stage the cause has not been confirmed and trains operating in the area will now run a reduced service until the accident is better understood. New technologies introduced in recent years have largely prevented the human error incidents were had previously been the largest cause of railway derailments.

Allan Zarembski, director of the University of Delawares Railway Engineering and Safety Program, told AP News that the new positive train control systems had virtually eliminated major derailments by human error. He suggested that the Montana derailment had likely stemmed from an issue with the train track or equipment on board.
Perhaps Barcelona's win over Levante on Sunday will mark a before and after in the future of the the club after the departure of Lionel Messi. In his previous spell in charge as president of the club, Joan Laporta had a superb group of youth team players coming through, including Messi. Now what he finds are unpaid bills and unaffordable payment commitments. But this is no surprise and shooting the piano player is not the solution.

Nico and Gavi start for Barcelona

I remember Ronald Koeman making Pedri and Ansu Fati starters, to freshen up that team, the one that Messi led, the one that conceded eight goals against Bayern Munich without showing any signs of coming back. Yesterday saw two youngsters play in midfield alongside veteran midfielder Sergio Busquets. Nico (19) and Gavi (17) are two young prospects coming into the first team. The team worked, from an attacking point of view, with Memphis always looking to carve something out. The afternoon was completed by the much applauded return of the club's new number 10, Ansu Fati, who scored a goal that the Camp Nou faithful will remember for many years to come.

Full screen 1342812300BARCELONA, SPAIN - SEPTEMBER 26: Ansu Fati of FC Barcelona celebrates with Ronald Araujo after scoring their side's third goal during the LaLiga Santander match between FC Barcelona and Levante UD at Camp Nou on September 26, 2021 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images) David Ramos (Getty Images)

It was a good time for Barcelona fans and their president to relax a little. The 3-0 defeat to Bayern, and the team's attitude, was a real blow. The draw at home to Granada was another disappointment. But between departures and injuries, so many players were missing that we even missed Martin Braithwaite. The injured players will return, the new wave looks promising, Philippe Coutinho and Ousmane Dembele can make things happen, Memphis is magnificent, Pedri will be back just like Ansu Fati. It's not about putting Riqui Puig and Samuel Umtiti in just for the sake of it, it's about letting Koeman develop his plan and not to judge him at his lowest, when he had half his squad out injured.
Conductor Dong Quang Vinh (Photo: nhandan.vn)

Conductor Dong Quang Vinh was born in 1984 to a family of traditional musicians. His father is Meritorious Artist Dong Van Minh who both performs and makes traditional musical instruments. His mother is Meritorious Artist Mai Thi Lai, a professor of 16-chord zither at the Vietnam National Academy of Music (VNAM).

At the age of 9, Vinh began learning to play the bamboo flute at the VNAM. He was invited to perform on stage in Japan when he was 12. In 2004, Vinh was sent by the Vietnamese government to study orchestral conducting at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music and was awarded the most distinguished student scholarship by the China National Foundation.

Dong Quang Vinh has been guest conductor of the Shanghai Opera House Symphony Orchestra, the Shanghai Conservatory of Music Symphony Orchestra, the Shanghai University Chinese Traditional Orchestra, the Zhe Jiang Theatre, and the Chinese National Traditional Orchestra.

Vinh conducted numerous Shanghai youth orchestras attending Chinese national competitions for student orchestras and has won a number of first prizes. During his 9 years of study in China, he performed with famous Chinese artists and carried out various projects that combine Vietnamese and Chinese folk music as part of the effort to promote understanding between the two countries.

He obtained a masters degree in 2013 with highest scores attainable and returned to Vietnam. In Vietnam, he is the conductor and teacher of orchestral conducting of the VNAM; principle conductor of the Vietnam National Opera and Ballet; artistic director and conductor of Hanoi Voices Choir (HVC); director of the Suc Song Moi (New life) Bamboo Ensemble.

The birth of Suc Song Moi came from Vinhs idea that Vietnamese music brought vitality from traditional instruments made of bamboo. The ensemble has been invited to perform at many national and international programmes. Suc Song Moi was also honored as an inspiring orchestra which brings traditional art closer to the people of Vietnam and the world.

Dong Quang Vinh has been praised by the Xinhua News Agency as a person connecting the musical friendship between Vietnamese and Chinese youths.

Along with the success of the bamboo ensemble in Vietnam, in 2018, Dong Quang Vinh was selected by the US government as the only representative from ASEAN to attend the project promote social change through the arts. He was also one of the two Asian representatives participating in the International visitor leadership project (IVLP)./.
Rubber is one of Vietnam's key export items to the Cambodian market

Despite this growth, the country ran a trade deficit of USS354.4 million with the neighbouring country throughout the reviewed period.

One of the main reasons behind the trade deficit was increases in import turnover of six main products from the Cambodian market compared to the same period from last year, with imports of cashew nuts and rubber witnessing the highest rises.

Furthermore, the country also spent approximately US$1.83 billion on importing cashew nuts from Cambodia in the first eight months of the year, representing a 7.1-fold increase on-year. In addition, Vietnamese rubber imports from the neighbouring country stood at 5.3 times higher compared to the figure from the same period last year, hitting US$821.8 million.

Vietnamese registered investment in Cambodia reached over US$2.85 billion, primarily in agriculture, including cashew and rubber planting.

Vietnamese businesses also invested in Cambodia as a means of taking advantage of cheap labour costs and favourable conditions in terms of land, climate, and incentives, before also exporting their products back to the nation.

As a means of balancing the trade value with Cambodia, the country is striving to promote processing as a means of improving the added value of export goods, increasing yields and quality of cashew and rubber, whilst also seeking to expand export markets for cashew nuts and rubber products.

Close attention should therefore be paid to strictly controlling the import of these goods in order to ensure origin rules whilst simultaneously intensifying inspection of commodities exported to the country through Cambodia.

Vietnam advised to attract more FDI to boost economic growth

Despite a decrease in foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows into Vietnam in recent months due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, economists assessed Vietnam remains attractive to foreign investors and needs to take advantage of FDI attraction opportunities to boost economic growth, reported VNA.

Illustrative image (Source: VNA)

According to The Australia Financial Review, Vietnam is likely to remain foreign investors favoured destination. Though rapidly rising Delta COVID-19 infections have hit manufacturing in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnams commercial hub, the big-picture story of Vietnam being a favoured destination for foreign investment is not expected to change, the daily newspaper said. Even as forecasts are trimmed, economists have faith the nation will bounce back.

In recent decades, Vietnam has excelled in reeling in the big fish in electronics, footwear and clothing, it said. Low labour costs, reliable infrastructure and a smooth bureaucratic process have attracted the likes of Samsung, Foxconn, Nike, Adidas, Gap and Levis.

As of September 20, FDI inflows into Vietnam increased by 4.4 percent year-on-year to 22.15 billion USD, reported the Foreign Investment Agency under the Ministry of Planning and Investment.

In the period, 12.5 billion USD was poured into 1,212 newly-licensed projects, up 20.6 percent in value but the number of projects was down 37.8 percent over the same period last year. Meanwhile, 6.6 billion USD was added into 678 underway projects, a year-on-year rise of 25.6 percent in capital but down 15.8 percent in project number. Foreign investors also invested nearly 3.2 billion USD to share purchase deals, down 43.8 percent compared to the same period last year.

The agency attributed the decreases in the numbers of new and expanded projects to the travel restrictions and long quarantine policy, which made it hard for foreign investors to make surveys for their planned projects. Lockdown and travel restriction measures also affected operations of FDI firms.

Nguyen Van Toan, Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Association of Foreign Invested Enterprises, stated that due to serious impact of the pandemic, many FDI enterprises faced difficulties in production and business activities. However, these difficulties are only temporary and the possibility of foreign investors moving their supply chain out of Vietnam is very small.

Moving a factory out of one country to set up another in other country is very complicated. Therefore, in the immediate future, FDI enterprises have not yet moved out of Vietnam, but they may have to push some orders to other production facilities to avoid supply chain disruption, Toan added.

Trinh Van Quang, Vina CPK Project Development Manager, said that Vietnam is still considered a country benefiting from the wave of investment shift. This once again confirms that Vietnam's investment environment is really attractive to FDI investors, not just because of the advantage of cheap labour and low rental costs compared to other countries in the region.

HCM City prepares for reopening after September 30

The downward trend in new COVID-19 infections and a high ratio of vaccination have been among good signals creating the momentum for Ho Chi Minh City to reopen its economy after September 30 as planned, reported VNA.

A view of HCM City (Photo: VNA)

According to the city Department of Health, as of September 26 morning, 9.4 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines had been injected, with 6.8 million people, or 94.5 percent of local residents over 18 years old receiving the first shots and 2.6 million others getting full two shots.

Meanwhile, the ratio of new infections in red and orange zones detected through mass testing has declined from 3.7 percent to 1.1 percent after six testing drives. In the seventh testing drive from September 20, the ratio was 0.3 percent.

Defining health care strategy as one of key factor for the re-opening plan, Nguyen Van Vinh Chau, Vice Director of the city Health Department said after vaccination reaches full coverage, the city will focus on managing COVID-19 patients in the community, while strengthening the treatment system, and conducting testing on high-risk groups.

Currently, HCM City has 90 COVID-19 treatment facilities, with 3,280 beds for critical patients, he said.

At the same time, the city is building 11 strategies for the new normal period, including those on health care, social welfare, and business production.

Secretary of the city Party Committee Nguyen Van Nen affirmed that its time for the city to make necessary preparations for living safely with the virus.

Green card has been piloted in a number of localities hosting a large number of businesses, including District 7, Cu Chi and Can Gio district, as well as export processing zones and the High-Tech Park since September 16.

Lam Dinh Thang, Director of the municipal Department of Information and Communications said that the COVID-19 green card is a tool to manage people meeting all safety criteria against COVID-19, which is part of the citys plan on partly opening and a suitable step towards the new normal situation after September 30.

Currently, the city Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control has issued 15 sets of safety criteria for seven sectors in preparation for reopening. People who want to engage in production, business, travel, shopping and social activities must hold the COVID-19 green card.

The city Department of Transport has also designed a plan to receive labourers from other localities, while a number of major wholesale markets in District 7 and Cu Chi and Can Gio district have opened again, work at many construction sites have resumed and tens of thousands of shippers have returned to work, showing that life in the city is generally returning to the new normal./.
At the event (Photo: VNA)

Accordingly, the project comprises a bridge, embankment and a 50-m road leading to Thao Kong Ta Ang Communal House, a place for cultural and religious gatherings of local people.



A total of 18,000 USD has been raised from Vietnamese people, businesses and organisations in Cambodia by the Vietnamese Consulate General in Preah Sihanouk for the construction of the project, which started in early August.

The project will benefit more than 600 local households, many of which are Vietnamese, and help shorten travel time to school for about 200 Cambodian students.

According to Vice Governor of Kampot city Men Vannara, the project will enable students to safely travel to school, particularly during the rainy season.

He thanked the government of Vietnam, the Khmer-Vietnam Association and Vietnamese missions in Cambodia for their contribution to the project.

For his part, Vietnamese Consul General to Preah Sihanouk Vu Ngoc Ly said the project shows the unity and humanity between the peoples during the time of COVID-19. He expected it will help recover the local economy and strengthen relations between overseas Vietnamese and local authorities.

The event was among a series of events to mark the 55th anniversary of Vietnam-Cambodia diplomatic ties (June 24, 1967  2022)./.
Zimbabwean Vice President Constantino Chiwenga (front), who is also the country's minister of Health and Child Care, speaks during a handover ceremony of China-donated vaccines at Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport in Harare, Zimbabwe, on Sept. 26, 2021. Zimbabwe on Sunday received the fourth batch of Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine doses from China. (Photo by Chen Yaqin/Xinhua)

HARARE, Sept. 26 (Xinhua) -- Zimbabwe on Sunday received the fourth batch of Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine doses from China.

Chinese Ambassador to Zimbabwe Guo Shaochun handed over the consignment to Zimbabwean Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, who is also the country's minister of Health and Child Care, at Harare's Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport.

Speaking after the vaccine handover, Chiwenga expressed gratitude to China for supporting Zimbabwe's fight against COVID-19.

"Since the devastating pandemic was first reported in this country on March 20, 2020, the People's Republic of China has been generously providing both technical and material assistance," he said. "The government of Zimbabwe is grateful for the kind gesture by the leadership and the government of the People's Republic of China to complement our efforts towards attaining herd immunity."

Chiwenga said the donations were a testament to the cordial relations between the two countries, adding that China continues to support Zimbabwe in a world characterized by disparities in accessing vaccines, premised by countries focusing on their own populations.

Speaking on the same occasion, Guo reassured China's commitment in making vaccines a global public good.

"China is serious about building a community with a shared future for mankind. China is committed to the common values of humanity, including peace, development, fairness, justice, democracy and freedom," he said.

Zimbabwe has so far received four batches of vaccine doses from China since the start of the vaccination program in February.

Slightly over 3 million Zimbabweans have received one dose of the vaccine, while more than 2.1 million people -- about 15 percent of the country's population of 14 million -- are now fully vaccinated.

This makes Zimbabwe one of the highly vaccinated countries in Africa.

The arrival of the latest batch comes as authorities are aggressively pushing for the public to get vaccinated following a drop in daily vaccinations.

Earlier this month, the government announced that unvaccinated civil servants have up to Oct. 15 to be vaccinated after which they will not be allowed to report for duty.

The country has already made it mandatory for people to get vaccinated to go to markets, gyms, restaurants and university exams, with some private companies also making it mandatory for their employees to be vaccinated.

To date, Zimbabwe had registered 129,505 confirmed cases of COVID-19, including 121,128 recoveries and 4,603 deaths.

4

1

Editor: JYZ
Common sense dictates the need for contacts between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, but due to Kyiv's stance, they are not yet possible, Russian presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov said.

"Sound logic dictates the need for contacts between the two presidents. But reality shows that these contacts are hardly possible as long as Kyiv is sticking to this position," he said in an interview with Vladimir Solovyov during the Moscow. Kremlin. Putin show on the Rossiya 1 (VGTRK) television.

Commenting on Zelensky's words that his meeting with Putin will take place when the Russian president is ready for it, Peskov noted that the Russian leader "was ready yesterday."

The problem is that "the work on the implementation of the Minsk Package of Measures has been deadlocked," the Kremlin spokesman said.

"Active attempts to reactivate this process again are being made by ministers and political advisers who are dealing with this issue in the context of the Four. But in reality it is definitely deadlocked. And this deadlock is connected exclusively with Ukraine's position," he said.

Peskov explained that Ukraine does not want to fulfill the Minsk Agreements and seeks to replace them with something else. Additionally, Kyiv refuses to implement the agreements reached later in Paris.

Besides, Kyiv is trying to present Russia as a party to the conflict, the Kremlin spokesman said.

"This is not so after all. After all, this is an internal Ukrainian conflict. And of course, it can be resolved only if the Ukrainians here and there begin to talk to each other," the press secretary said.
Even before the elections in the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG), Ukraine carried out systematic work with all the political forces of the FRG and now expects to form a coalition favorable for the development of Ukrainian-German relations, Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said.

"Even before these parliamentary elections, we systematically worked with all the leading political forces in Germany. The name of the chancellor is important, but Ukraine is most interested in what the coalition will be. From the combinations that I see now, the coalition will be favorable for the development of Ukrainian-German relations," the press service of the Foreign Ministry quoted Kuleba as saying when speaking on the air of the TSN. Results of the Week program on the 1 + 1 TV channel.

He noted that he talked with leader of the Social Democrats Olaf Scholz when he was in Berlin, and President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky talked with leader of the Christian Democrats (CDU/CSU) Armin Laschet. "We worked with each of the political forces that will now conduct coalition negotiations and proved to them Ukraine's position on key issues," the minister said.

He noted that Germany is the country where such long-term and systematic work is needed to achieve positive results in bilateral relations.

According to him, the development of relations with strategic partners, including Germany, is one of the key priorities of the Foreign Policy Strategy of Ukraine.
Kyiv disappoined with Budapest's decision to sign contract with Russia for supply of gas bypassing Ukraine, shifts meeting of intergovt commission, to apply to EC  MFA

Ukraine is surprised and disappointed with Hungary's decision to sign a new long-term contract with Russia's Gazprom in Budapest on September 27, 2021, regarding gas supply to Hungary bypassing Ukraine, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

"We view this as nothing but a political, economically unfounded decision, which has been made to the benefit of the Kremlin and to the detriment of national interests of Ukraine and Ukrainian-Hungarian relations, in violation of the principles of the Treaty of Neighborliness and Cooperation between Ukraine and the Hungarian Republic dated December 6, 1991," the statement said.

The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry has initiated a delay of the next meeting of the Joint Ukrainian-Hungarian Intergovernmental Economic Cooperation co-chaired by the two foreign ministers, which was planned for September 29-30.

"Earlier today, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry initiated a delay of the Commission meeting, considering that the Hungarian-Russian gas agreement will have a substantial influence on the energy security of Ukraine and Europe, and will create new circumstances that require a comprehensive analysis of risks and threats and coordinated efforts of countries of the region in order to minimize its negative implications," the statement said.

The Ukrainian side will also apply to the European Commission to provide an assessment of the conformity of the new Hungarian-Russian gas agreement with European energy legislation.
Ukrainian issues are not included in the agenda of the autumn session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), said Lesya Vasylenko, member of the permanent delegation of the Verkhovna Rada to PACE, MP of the Holos faction.

"Unfortunately, in the Assembly a fear of being branded 'Russophobes'... prevails over the obligation to protect the principles of international law and human rights recorded in the Convention. This is manifested in the fact that Ukrainian issues are not included in the agenda of the PACE autumn session," Vasylenko wrote on Facebook on Monday.

According to her, the topic of the debate "Political persecution of indigenous peoples in Crimea by the Russian Federation", proposed by the Ukrainian delegation, did not receive support at the bureau, where these topics are approved.

"They explain it that literally in June a resolution on the rights of the Crimean Tatar people was adopted," Vasylenko said.

The MP also noted that "there is a nuance with the choice of a judge from Ukraine to the ECHR."

"Although the delegates have an understanding that the judge from Ukraine should be changed for a long time (two years ago), but they do not really want to discuss the situation in political groups," said the member of the Ukrainian delegation to PACE.

Vasylenko also said that the session would discuss the situation in Afghanistan, the migration crisis in Latvia, Lithuania and Poland due to the situation in Belarus, and the crisis in the Western Balkans.

The autumn session of the PACE opened in Strasbourg (France) on Monday.
The government has adopted the proposal of the Holos party on the specifics of work for vaccinated people during quarantine, but entrepreneurs require more systemic support both during the lockdown and in general, they need systemic and balanced steps, the Holos party leader, MP Kira Rudyk said.

"We welcome the fact that the government is already using some of our proposals. But this is not enough to support entrepreneurs and encourage the economy to recover faster. The state should come up with a consistent and systematic program to support the economy, not create problems for business (more precisely, not aggravate the challenges already created by the coronavirus), and also understand that without the support of people, economic development is blocked," the press service of the political force quotes the MP.

The Holos has developed a business support plan, which, according to Rudyk, contains several simple steps. First of all, the party proposes to redirect UAH 10 billion to support entrepreneurs: this will be enough to provide funding to those whose business may not survive the lockdown.

Secondly, it is necessary to adopt the Holos bill No. 5132, which provides for an extension of the moratorium on business inspections and exempts entrepreneurs who are forced to restrict their work during lockdowns from the payment of single social tax.

At the same time, the Holos urges not to pass bill No. 5600, which is actually a financial terror for Ukrainians. Instead, the party proposes its alternative - bill 5600-1, which "guarantees equal tax rules for all and abolishes tax breaks for oligarchic business and monopolies."

In addition, the political force focuses on the need to provide for a long-term reduction in tax pressure on entrepreneurs and employees. It concerns taxes on personal income, single social tax and a reduction in labor tax from 41.5% to 35%.

"Ukrainian officials and MPs of the mono-majority perceive small and medium-sized businesses as an endless source of money for their projects and whims. But only the support of entrepreneurs will allow not only to overcome the consequences of the coronavirus, but also form the foundation for long-term economic development and a high standard of living of Ukrainians," Kira Rudyk said.
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has launched a five-year project "Governance and Local Accountability (Hoverla) Activity" with a budget of $74 million in Ukraine.

"I would like to welcome everyone with the start of the new project to increase the efficiency and accountability of the Hoverla local government agencies," Shmyhal said at an event to present the relevant project in Kyiv on Monday.

According to the prime minister, there is a need to expand the project, as there is a demand for this from territorial communities.

In turn, U.S. Charge d'Affaires in Ukraine Kristina Kvien said the new program is a continuation and expansion of the U.S. support for the reform of decentralization in Ukraine. She said the United States reviews the decentralization reform as one of the most successful since 2014.

The U.S. Charge d'Affaires in Ukraine said at the beginning this reform had opponents, but the Ukrainian authorities successfully continued to carry it out.

Kvien also said that further it is necessary to adopt amendments to the Constitution. She urged Ukraine officials work together to complete this process.

The Hoverla project aims to assist the Ukrainian government in promoting and implementing decentralization reform by supporting local government agencies that should become more wealthy, accountable to citizens and able to effectively provide services. The project will help the government to more clearly define and delineate powers between authorities at different levels.

The goals of the project are to ensure the growing institutionalization and efficiency of the local government system in Ukraine, to promote more independent regional governance, to create mechanisms that will help citizens play an increasing role in local government.

The management structure of the project includes a central office in Kyiv and six regional offices, which will cover seven regions and more than 50 communities with their support.

The support provides for assistance in the implementation of transformations at the local level, strengthening the consistency of local governments and their officials to exercise the relevant powers.
Holocaust Memorial Center Babyn Yar welcomes the National Bank of Ukraine's introduction of commemorative coins in circulation for the 80th anniversary of the Babyn Yar tragedy, but is concerned about the lack of references to Jews and Jewish symbols on them.

"Our center welcomes the steps of the Ukrainian state aimed at honoring the memory of the victims of the Holocaust [...] However, we were concerned about the tendency to present the tragedy of Babyn Yar as a kind of universal misfortune of humanity, which is not directly related to the Holocaust. The presence of universal symbols on coins that can symbolize any tragedy as: a heart pierced by a bullet, anthropomorphic figures representing shot families, concentric circles resembling targets - is a kind of attempt to tell the story of the Holocaust without mentioning the Jews," the memorial center said in a statement.

The document says that "I would not like to place such an important event on a par with the Soviet policy of memory, when Jews were removed from the mention of the victims of Babyn Yar in a directive way, replacing them with amorphous 'Soviet citizens." The center expresses hope that the National Bank will not act like the Soviet propagandists, will not erase the facts and make the victims of this symbol of the "Holocaust from bullets" anonymous.

The statement says that the absence of references to Jews and Jewish symbols on the commemorative coin is the same as the Holocaust without Jews or the Holodomor without Ukrainians. "There can be no universalization, depersonalization, denationalization, since Jews were killed during the Holocaust only for being Jews," the statement says.

The Holocaust Memorial Center Babyn Yar reported that on September 27, 2021, the National Bank of Ukraine puts into circulation two commemorative coins of UAH five and ten, dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the tragedy in Babyn Yar.
The Cabinet Minister of Ukraine and the U.S. government have signed an "Additional agreement to the Contract on the implementation of task development" for a total of $9 million.

"The life and health of people is always a priority of the government. Due to this deal, Ukraine will be able to direct additional financial resources to strengthen the consistency of the health system and improve the efficiency of treatment of diseases," the government's press service said, citing Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal.

It is noted the additional agreement provides for the allocation of $7 million to improve the health of Ukrainians and $2 million to ensure economic growth.

Shmyhal and USAID Mission Director in Ukraine James Hope signed the document, and Charge d'Affaires of the United States in Ukraine Kristina Kvien signed a letter of certificate.
NABU delaying investigation on suspicion of Foreign Intelligence Service ex-officer Zontov, as it cannot prove his guilt in court  attorney

KYIV. Sept 27 (Interfax-Ukraine)  The National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) is delaying the investigation of the case on the suspicion of an attorney-at-law, a former officer of the Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine Yuriy Zontov of incitement to obtain unlawful benefits, since there is no evidence of guilt that will be accepted by the court, attorney-at-law Oleksandr Kornaha said.

"No new suspicion was announced to Yuriy Zontov on September 17. In fact, the suspicion previously incriminated to Zontov was changed," Zontov's attorney said during a press conference at Interfax-Ukraine on Monday.

He said the renewed suspicion included an inaccurate declaration as a separate item.

Kornaha said that, proceeding from the renewed suspicion, "the role of judge Vovk and the role of Zontov boils down to the fact that these persons only had to find out the movement in the case."

"We have established the fact that it was a provocation of a crime," the attorney said.

"We cannot get to the examination in essence. NABU understands the groundlessness of suspicions [...] It is impossible to prove Zontov's guilt in the suspicions announced to him, as NABU has already appealed to the District Administrative Court of Kyiv City three times with an extension of the investigation," Kornaha said.

"NABU will continue to delay the investigation, compromise Zontov in the media in every possible way, re-report partial information and keep the society confused [...]. We will be able to prove innocence as soon as NABU dares to transfer this criminal proceeding to consider it in essence, and will not delay the reasonable time of pretrial investigate and look for new reasons for keeping Zontov in custody," the attorney said.
On October 7 and 8, the capital of Ukraine will host the Kyiv International Economic Forum (KIEF), which for the seventh year has brought together well-known world economists, influential businessmen, representatives of the Ukrainian establishment, and authoritative economic experts.

The main issue of the forum in 2021 is peace in an era of radical changes. The COVID-19 pandemic has shown how fragile our perception of reality is. Traditional sectors of the economy are under serious attack, while technology is gaining in importance. The world's best experts, analysts, entrepreneurs, and top management will offer their expertise to find answers to the most important questions of the development of the world economy.

Why is it important to visit KIEF 2021?

KIEF is the main platform for business representatives, economists, scientists, and investors, within which global trends are discussed, a development vector for 2021 is formed, new business contacts are established and partnerships are strengthened.

For the first time in Ukraine, the partner of this Forum will be one of the best international educational platforms for professional discussions about the economy - Economist Impact. The platform will host two panel discussions - The Role of Emerging Markets in Global Economic Recovery and Welcome to the Health-care Revolution.

During traditional networking, the world's best experts, investors, and entrepreneurs will share their insights and answer questions, so that you can not only present your ideas but also build a complete business development strategy.

Over 130 speakers from leading international organizations and private companies, in particular WTO, EBRD, OECD, Club of Rome, World Economic Forum, McKinsey & Company,Mastercard and others, will share their vision of the future of the global economy.

The most important trends in the development of markets, issues of leadership in the new economy, as well as authentic examples of the transformation of the global economic system will not go unnoticed by the speakers of the Forum. Panelists will also talk about the latest technological advances in the development of medicine, the importance of which has grown incredibly in the face of a global pandemic.

The KIEF team strives to make Ukraine a new point of attraction for European and world investments through the development of modern production facilities. We help to establish contacts with the largest foreign investors who are ready to provide experience, knowledge, and capital for the development of the best projects.

The permanent strategic partner of the Forum is the UFuture holding company, which unites the companies and social projects of Vasyl Khmelnytsky.

The initiator of the forum Vasyl Khmelnytsky commented on the idea of creating and holding the Forum: We live in an age of global and very rapid changes. They inspire and excite at the same time. Ukraine faces a choice: to hold on to fragile stability or to move boldly in an innovative direction. Today we can make a quantum leap in development - for this, we need knowledge, cooperation, and decisive action. I see the success of our common future in the synergy of a modernized public sector, the energy of entrepreneurs, and the talent of scientists. We must unite for the global goals facing humanity. It is time to move forward, transform business and economy in accordance with the requirements of the present. After all, KIEF is held so that we feel the trends of the future and become the ones who bring them to life.

Kyiv International Economic Forum is a unique platform for the exchange of views and expertise for the economic development of Ukraine and the world. The forum brings together about 130 speakers to address key business development challenges, with an emphasis on adaptability and innovation.

Tickets and detailed information about the Forum are available at the link: https://forumkyiv.org/en/forum/2021/terms
Ukrainian Bar Association welcomes you to participate in the  annual judicial forum "Independent judiciary  the basis of the state in times of turbulence"

Date and time: September 30  October 1, 2021, 09:30  19:30 (Kyiv time).

Place: Hilton Kyiv, 30 Taras Shevchenko blvd, Kyiv, Ukraine.

Attention! Pre-registration is required to attend the event

https://uba.ua/eng/registration/4098/

The main goal of the event is to discuss topical issues related to the functioning of the judicial system in Ukraine with the representatives of judicial institutions, international and national experts. You will see such representative among the participants of the forum: judges of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine, of the Supreme Court, representatives of the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine, People's Deputies of Ukraine, judges and practicing lawyers, international experts, representative s of the Council of Europe, and the Media.

This year, the topic of the forum is Independent Judiciary  the basis of the state in times of change. The event is organized by the Ukrainian Bar Association in cooperation with the Council of Europe Project Support to the Implementation of the Judicial Reform in Ukraine. The program coordinator of the event is Anna Ogrenchuk, President of the Ukrainian Bar Association, Managing Partner at LCF Law Group.

The event will be held in an adaptive quarantine measures.

Main topics and Expert Talks:

The connection between the society development and the judiciary.

New tools for simplifying access to justice  recommendation of the Council of Europe and Ukrainian development.

Mediation: principles of the Council of Europe and possible ways of their implementation in Ukraine.

Strategy for the development of the justice system and constitutional justice for 2021  2023.

Judicial reform, reform of the U: recent developments and priority steps.

Ensuring the unity of judicial practice: the recommendations of the Council of Europe and the achievements of the judiciary of Ukraine.

Procedural dilemmas as challenges to ensuring the right to a fair trial.

Antitrust disputes.

20 years of implementation of ECHR decisions in Ukraine: an adult view of the state of affairs.

Enforcement of judgments: the international aspect.

All presentations by foreign experts are provided with simultaneous translation.

https://uba.ua/eng/

https://judicialforum.uba.ua/en/

FOR QUESTIONS ABOUT PARTICIPATION AND PARTNERSHIP:

+38 (044) 492-88-48, conference@uba.ua

Tatiana Osaulenko, event coordinator.

FOR MEDIA ACCREDITATION AND EVENT COVERAGE:

+38 (044) 492-88-48, pr@uba.ua

Yuliya Matvyeyeva, PR and international partnership coordinator.

Interfax-Ukraine  Media partner of the event.
The Supreme Leader of Iran Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has criticized certain actions against the government and "particularly the President."

Lightly criticizing President Hassan Rouhani's hardline opponents, Khamenei noted, "Desecration is forbidden, especially among the country's top officials."

Speaking in a meeting with the members of the National Coronavirus Combat and Prevention Headquarters on Saturday, Khamenei claimed, "You have the right to criticize, but criticism is different from insult and desecration.

Rebuking Rouhani's critics , Khamenei accused them of behaving like Americans, "Such behavior and humiliation is the way Americans have notoriously exposed themselves in the world during their debates."

Khamenei was referring to a fundamentalist member of parliament's recent remarks against Rouhani.

On Friday, the chairman of the Iranian parliament's influential Commission for National Security and Foreign Policy, Mojtaba Zonnour, said that Rouhani deserves to be executed a thousand times a day and that the Iranian people would agree with his views.

Zonnour was reacting to Rouhani's speech on October 14, when Rouhani referred to an event in Islam, insisting that Imam Hassan made peace with Mu'awiyah because "the overwhelming majority of society and people" wanted peace.

Rouhani's critics immediately described the remarks as a prelude to his willingness to negotiate with the United States.

However, Rouhani's remarks were not unprecedented. In a speech in July 2015, Rouhani also invoked the historic peace made in the year 661 by his namesake, Imam Hassan, to step down in favor of Mu'awiyah and prevent a new war between the then-emerging Sunni and Shiite sects. "Imam Hassan made a crucial decision during difficult circumstances that could have destroyed the Muslim community," Rouhani said, praising Imam's decision as "heroic flexibility.

Following his words, fundamentalists and close allies of Khamenei blasted Rouhani with a barrage of criticism. Zonnour dismissed Rouhani's comments as showing his openness to U.S. negotiations, reiterating that if the majority of Iranians were to decide, they would demand Rouhani's execution.

Nonetheless, in his speech today, Khamenei condemned Zonnour's remarks as "vilifying" the Islamic Republic President.

Khamenei also called on the regime's officials to maintain "internal unity and cohesion" in the current situation.

In recent days, some members of parliament have repeatedly threatened to impeach Rouhani, though it appears that after Khamenei's Saturday remarks, impeaching Rouhani is taken off the MPs' agenda.
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on Wednesday that the U.S. sanctions imposed on the nation were taking their "last breaths."

"When $50 billions of Iranian oil sales are not in the country [frozen abroad], it is obvious that the people suffer," Rouhani told a cabinet meeting, adding that Iran is in a "state of war" and "there are casualties, and the lives of the people are becoming difficult."



This is while Islamic Republics support for Shiite militant groups across the Middle East along with undisclosed funds of the tax-exempt state run corporations have been pointed out by critics as major reasons of intensifying the hardship.

Since the U.S. withdrew from the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action nuclear deal with world powers, not only have Washingtons sanctions against Tehran have been reinstated, but the administration of President Donald Trump has also added many other Iranian government officials to its sanctions list.

The severity of the sanctions and the consequences of the COVID-19 outbreak along with what experts view as major mismanagement and corruption in the system have led to soaring prices for foreign currencies and a variety of essential goods in Iran.

In another part of his remarks, Rouhani said that he "feels and senses" the people's problems, and all government's efforts are focused on "reducing these difficulties."

Elsewhere in his remarks, Rouhani said, "The government fully understands the problems of the people and has made every effort to resolve them.

Rouhani further claimed that Washington's recent sanctions indicate "Iran's success and U.S. desperation without pointing out his reasons.

President Trump previously said that he is ready for a new round of talks with Iran to reach a comprehensive agreement, which will also cover Irans missile program and role in the region. Washington has repeatedly accused Iran of "destabilizing" the regional and threatening global peace and security.

Nonetheless, Iranian officials, particularly Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, have rejected any talks with the President Trump administration, calling it "poisonous."

Democratic nominee Joe Biden is the current front runner in the U.S. November 3 presidential election, which could pave the way for easing sanctions and even possible talks between Tehran and Washington.

However, the U.S. envoy to Venezuela and Iran, Elliott Abrams, noted on October 26 that even if Biden wins next week's presidential election, lifting sanctions on Iran will be no easy task.

"Those who think that Biden will take over the presidency in January and that all sanctions will be lifted within two or three days of his presidency will find that even if they (Democrats) want to lift the sanctions, this will not be possible," Abrams said.

In recent days, U.S. officials have accused Tehran of meddling in the election to prevent Trump from winning. Iran has denied the allegations.
"It doesn't matter to Iran who will win the upcoming presidential election in the U.S. Whoever comes to power in America has no choice other than surrender to the Iranian nation," Iranian President Hassan Rouhani told onlookers at a weekly cabinet session on Wednesday.

Irans official news agency, IRNA, fully covered Rouhani's remarks at the meeting, mostly devoted to the Donald Trump administration's policies toward Iran.

Rouhani accused Washington of devising a four-year plot that has implemented for three years against Iran.

The plot will be foiled, Rouhani claimed.

In May 2018, the U.S. exited the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, Irans 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, and subsequently re-imposed batches of devastating sanctions on Iran.

The ever-increasing sanctions hit hard the vital sectors of Irans economy, including oil and gas, banking, shipping, and metals.

Iranian authorities have repeatedly admitted that the sanctions have led to a sharp fall in Iran's national currency value, the rial, and left the country's economy struggling with turmoil and severe shortages.

Nevertheless, Rouhani insisted, "We did not and will not surrender. They are the ones who will undoubtedly give in eventually."

The U.S. has stated that it seeks to bring Iran to the negotiating table over its nuclear and missile program and regional policy by exerting maximum pressure on Tehran. However, Iranian officials, specifically Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, have ruled out any talks with Washington.

Sanctions on Iran have caused a sharp decline in the countrys oil exports as the economys most important source of income, and the exchange rate of Iran's national currency against the U.S.dollar has reached 320,000 rials.

In another part of his remarks, Rouhani said, "Non-oil exports are crucial for the country. The enemies tried to stop the export of crude and oil condensates and petroleum products, which were among our important exports in the past. Still, the diversity of the country's exports prevented them from succeeding."

He also claimed that the country's non-oil exports during the eight years of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's presidency between 2005-2013 were $170 billion. Still, during his term over the past seven years), that number reached $301 billion so far and is expected to reach $340 billion by the end of next summer.

For the first time since the beginning of the new Iranian calendar year, which began on March 20, 2020, Iran has added gasoline exports to the list of its "non-oil exports."
The Senate  Egypt's upper consultative house  elected the heads, deputy heads and secretary-generals for each of its 14 committees on Wednesday.
Morocco's King Mohammed VI on Thursday named a new government, led by billionaire tycoon Aziz Akhannouch whose National Rally of Independents (RNI) trounced incumbent Islamists in elections last month.
Representing Africa AT ITS RED Sea resort of Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt was nominated to host the 27th edition of the ...
Following last weeks UN Security Council (UNSC) statement urging Egypt, Ethiopia, and Sudan to resume negotiations on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) under the auspices of the African Union (AU), Christophe Lutundula, the foreign minister of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the current chair of the AU, visited the three countries in an attempt to get the talks back on track.

The UNSC statement reflects the international consensus that negotiations must resume within a reasonable timeframe, says Mohamed Hegazi, a former deputy to Egypts foreign minister.

It is an expression of the view of all member states, and gives observers of the negotiations more room to intervene in order to reach a mutually acceptable and binding agreement.

The statement, sponsored by Tunisia, the only Arab state currently sitting as a non-permanent member of the UNSC, read: The UNSC encourages Egypt, Ethiopia, and Sudan to resume negotiations at the invitation of the chairperson of the AU to finalise expeditiously the text of a mutually acceptable and binding agreement on the filling and operation of the GERD, within a reasonable timeframe.

William Davison, Ethiopia senior analyst at the International Crisis Group, said that the statement was predictable because there has been growing international concern about the failure to reach an agreement on GERD, in addition to an appeal from Egypt for the council to intervene.

One positive thing is that the parties will be pressured more to reconvene under the AU, while the international concern may mean powerful nations will provide more diplomatic, technical, and possibly financial support to the process.

During a three-leg tour last week Lutundula attempted to bring the three countries views closer by tabulating a list of points of agreement and disagreement. Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukri said Egypt was happy to study the DRCs points and provide feedback, and during a joint press conference Lutundula said Cairo looked forward to receiving an invitation to resume the AU-sponsored talks with Sudan and Ethiopia at the earliest opportunity.

Shoukri highlighted two issues: that talks should be supported by the active participation of the international community as well as the AU, and a timeframe for negotiations be set.

Khartoum and Cairo both welcomed the UNSC statement which, a diplomat speaking on condition of anonymity said, urges Ethiopia to engage seriously in the talks to reach a binding agreement.

Ethiopia reacted angrily to the statement, describing it as a historic misstep that undermines Tunisias responsibility as the rotating UNSC member for Africa.

It is regrettable that the council [has chosen to impose] itself over an issue of water rights and development that is outside its mandate, said Addis Ababa.

It seems likely that Ethiopia's opposition to the UNSC statement is based on the inclusion of the phrase legally binding agreement, which is something that Egypt and Sudan have been pushing for while Ethiopia has resisted, Davison explained.

While there have certainly been technical arguments over the legal status of any agreement, the most immediate, tangible disagreement related to this aspect may be the dispute resolution mechanism and Ethiopias rejection of international arbitration as a last resort, says Davison.

The UNSC also underlined the need to return to the Declaration of Principles signed in Khartoum in 2015 which stipulates that downstream countries [Egypt and Sudan] should not be harmed by the construction of the dam.

The statement was issued two months after the UN held its second session on GERD during which Addis Ababa denounced the draft resolution as inappropriate. Two weeks later, and in the absence of an agreement, Ethiopia went ahead with the second filling of the GERD reservoir.

Ethiopia has repeatedly rejected proposals presented by Cairo and Khartoum to widen mediation over GERD and include parties other than the AU. Both Egypt and Sudan would like the European Union, the US, and the UN to be more closely involved.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 23 September, 2021 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly

Search Keywords:

Short link:


Guterres underlined the UN support for the mediation efforts made by the African Union regarding the dam dispute

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has affirmed the importance of resuming dialogue on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) in a spirit of reaching a compromise, a UN statement said.

Guterres made the remarks in a meeting on Friday with Ethiopias Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Demeke Mekonnen in New York on the sidelines of the 76th session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA).

Guterres underlined the UN support for the mediation efforts made by the African Union regarding the dam dispute, the statement added.

Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia have recently expressed readiness to engage in the AU-sponsored negotiations aiming to resolve their dispute over the mega dam Addis Ababa is building on the Blue Nile.

The UN Security Council issued a statement earlier in September encouraging the three sides to return to the AU-sponsored talks to reach a binding deal.

Rounds of AU-sponsored talks to resolve the decade-long dispute have collapsed, with Egypt and Sudan expressing grave concerns about the potential impact of the GERD.

Egypt and Sudans call for a legally-binding agreement on the filling and operation of the dam have been resisted by Ethiopia, which implemented the second phase of filling the dams reservoir unilaterally in July without an agreement.

In TV remarks on the fringe of the UNGA meetings, Egypts Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said Egypt welcomes an anticipated decision by DR Congo, the current chair of the AU, to resume the GERD negotiations.

Shoukry affirmed the importance of Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia resuming the GERD negotiations in a framework that is strengthened by the participation of international observers, hailing the international role in this regard as indispensable.

Earlier this month, DR Congos Foreign Minister Christophe Lutundula embarked on an official visit to Ethiopia, Sudan, and Egypt to discuss arrangements regarding the resumption of the GERD talks.

Shoukry, during a press conference with Lutundula in Cairo, said Egypt received a vision and plan from the DR Congo on the resumption of the AU-sponsored talks regarding the GERD during the coming period.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


We renew our rejection of any unilateral act and affirm the necessity to reach a binding agreement on the dam filling and operation, Hamdok told the UNGA on Saturday

Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok told the 76th UN General Assembly (UNGA) General Debate that Sudan suffered damages during the filling phases of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD).

In recorded remarks, Hamdok urged that a binding deal should be reached to spare Sudan probable harm to its citizens and on the safety of its dams.

Ethiopia unilaterally implemented the second phase of filling its mega dam last July without reaching a binding deal with both Egypt and Sudan on the filling and operation of the dam.

Egypt and Sudan, who repeatedly affirmed the need to reach a deal that would end their concerns on their water interests and peoples livelihoods, have denounced Ethiopias unilateral filling of the dam.

The two countries have also blamed failure of negotiations under the auspices of the African Union (AU) on Ethiopias intransigence.

We renew our rejection of any unilateral act and affirm the necessity to reach a binding agreement on the [dam] filling and operation, Hamdok told the UNGA on Saturday.

He noted that such agreement will spare our country the probable damages that threaten the means of livelihood of half of Sudans population.

Hamdok warned that such unilateral acts by the Ethiopian side threaten the safety of operation of Sudans dams and negatively affect irrigation of agricultural projects and drinking water plants.

The Sudanese PM also warned of the negative social, economic, environmental effects of these unilateral acts along the Nile River.

We suffered some of these damages during the first unilateral filling [of the dam] last year and the second unilateral filling over the past weeks despite the numerous and costly preventive measures that we have taken to avoid these impacts, Hamdok affirmed.

Sudans report of harms due to the second filling comes although Ethiopia late in July claimed that the second GERD filling was implemented in accordance with the Declaration of Principles (DoP) signed with Egypt and Sudan in 2015.

The DoP obliges the three countries to take all the necessary procedures to avoid causing significant damage among them while using the Blue Nile.

Earlier this month, the UN Security Council issued a presidential statement urging the three countries to resume their AU-sponsored talks on the GERD and reach a binding agreement.

This came two months after the UNSC convened to discuss the issue as per a request by both Egypt and Sudan, a step that Ethiopia has slammed.

The UNSCs session came after the parties failed during the previous rounds of negotiations to reach any agreement due to the intransigence regarding the dam issue, Hamdok said told the General Debate.

He affirmed that this failure came despite the great efforts exerted by the past and current African Unions presidencies.

Hamdok said placing the GERD file before the UNSC aimed at enhancing the current path of negotiations under the umbrella of the African Union in a way that allows the achievement of the desired agreement.

The Sudanese PM stressed his countrys readiness to resume its participation in any peaceful move or initiative that leads the parties to an agreement that meets the interests of them all.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has affirmed the importance of resuming GERD dialogue in a spirit of reaching a compromise, a UN statement said.

Guterres made the remarks in a meeting on Friday with Ethiopias Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Demeke Mekonnen in New York on the sidelines of the UNGA.

Guterres underlined the UN's support for the mediation efforts made by the African Union regarding the dam dispute, the statement added.

Following the UNSCs presidential statement in September, Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia have recently expressed readiness to engage in the AU-sponsored negotiations aiming to resolve their dispute over the mega dam.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


Gunmen in Nigeria have freed 10 pupils abducted in the north-west state of Kaduna after collecting a ransom, The National reported Monday quoting a school official

The pupils were released on Sunday afternoon, nearly three months after they were seized by the gunmen in Kaduna, the Rev John Hayab said.





Their release comes about a week after 10 of their schoolmates were freed.



Eleven of the 121 pupils from the Bethel Baptist High School in Kaduna are still being held, Hayab said, expressing frustration at the refusal of the gunmen to release all of the children at once.



Gunmen have abducted at least 1,400 schoolchildren in Nigeria in the past year, the UN childrens agency says

Search Keywords:

Short link:


Egypts Ministry of International Cooperation released a communique on Monday announcing a policy roadmap built around the final recommendations of Egypts International Cooperation Forum (Egypt-ICF) 2021 to consolidate international efforts to achieve the UNs global sustainable development goals (SDGs).

The strategy draws upon the insights of prominent leaders in Africa, Europe, Asia, and Latin America; multilateral and bilateral development partners; along with the private sector and civil society.

Egypt-ICF 2021 was held on 8 September over two days with the aim of pushing international efforts towards implementing the UNs global sustainable development goals (SDGs) by 2030 amid the ongoing pandemic by repositioning emerging economies as key allies in global development.

According to the recommendations, emerging economies need a new social contract that is based on a redesigned global governance system to ensure a green economic recovery in the post-COVID-19 economy.

They also need to sketch new pathways for the emergence of innovation-driven sectors, rethink social protection and green recovery, and progressively transform the labour market to mark the beginning of a new quality of growth.

Laying the foundations of a new inclusive economy, the recommendations of the Egypt- ICF focused on designing pathways to foster more effective and agile multilateral cooperation capable of addressing the pressing and emerging global challenges of developing economies, and thereby, reintegrate their position in the future economy.

It also asserted the importance of following-up on commitments and agreements at various global summits and international platforms, including the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness and the Accra Agenda.

It also encouraged the initiation of an inclusive, multi-stakeholder global dialogue on the establishment of a universal monitoring framework to track the implementation of such commitments.

South-South and triangular cooperation add value to conventional forms of development cooperation, which facilitate access to technical and financial resources, promote knowledge sharing, the exchange of experience, technical know-how, and ultimately contributes to sustainable development, according to the final communique.

It added that South-South cooperation does not substitute North-South cooperation, which is key to bridging the technological gap between the global North and South.

To promote transparency and open governance, the recommendations also enable each country to take innovative approaches in mapping their progress to align the results of international development cooperation projects with the SDGs objectives, and strengthen inclusive and impactful engagement with development partners, governments, global policymakers, the private sector, and civil society.

In order to recognise the persistent SDGs financing gap, an additional $3.7 trillion a year will be required to achieve the SDGs by 2030.

All nations and international organisations must be called upon to capitalise on the indispensable role of the private sector and private investments in achieving the SDGs through the promotion of sustainable corporate practices and impact investment, according to the recommendations.

Egypt-ICF also called for encouraging businesses to implement more inclusive economic policies that increase cross-institutional collaboration and align all stakeholders towards environmental, social, and governance principles, hence fostering impact investing and creating sustainable value chains.

To advance global environmental governance and pursue green and low-carbon development to proactively tackle climate change, the communique highlighted the need to seize opportunities that arise from technological progress and to support emerging economies to upgrade their economic and industrial structures as well as the energy mix at a faster pace.

Regarding the African Continental Free Trade Area, the recommendations proposed that the role of the economic bloc in boosting growth and integration of the African economies must be reaffirmed, which can come about through negotiations relating to the enactment of an e-commerce protocol as a guiding tool in order to harmonise data regulations, facilitate cross-border digital trade, and enable digital taxation on e-commerce.

They also affirmed the urgency of harnessing the potential of digital technologies to provide women-led businesses with vast opportunities and enhance their competitiveness by improving accessibility to digital technology  especially for individuals residing in rural areas  providing women with the necessary digital skills and strengthening their entrepreneurial capacity.

The international community must support the development of a roadmap that outlines short-, medium-, and long-term solutions for building resilient agricultural and food systems, the communique said.

It would entail guidelines to facilitate knowledge sharing; promote technology transfer; adopt country-led sustainable agricultural methods; foster smart-climate practices; and support the diversification of livelihoods among rural communities, seeing as they are the most vulnerable to food scarcity in the face of climatic shocks.

In this respect, the communique noted that economic infrastructure is one of the most prominent sectors with persistent financing gaps, ranging from $770 billion up to $950 billion, which require formulating strategic infrastructure development plans as well as gauging the number of annual investments needed.

The recommendations also urged the embracing of a people-centered approach to development, as investment in human capital is the starting point to meet the aspirations of all nations for a better life.

This should be attained by increasing the development funds directed to develop those citizens capabilities, as well as strengthen the health and educational services, and social protection programmes for the lower-income classes. Hence, taking part in creating resilient societies that are capable of having a better future.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


Two members of Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards have died of their injuries after a fire at a research facility west of Tehran, the Corps said on its website Monday.

Its Sepahnews website said two of three casualties in Sunday's blaze died in hospital "due to the seriousness of their injuries", naming them as "martyrs" Seyed Morteza Karimi and Hossein Abedi.

The website gave no details on the cause of the fire but said it was put out by the centre's firefighters.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


Ethiopia's women's minister, the first federal official to acknowledge rape had taken place during the Tigray war, announced her resignation Monday, without specifying a reason

"Any situation that compromises my ethics is contrary to my convictions and values, and betraying those beliefs is a breach of trust to myself and our citizens," Filsan Abdullahi Ahmed said in a statement posted on Twitter.

"For reasons of a personal nature that weigh heavily on my conscience, I regretfully submit my letter of resignation effective immediately."

In February, Filsan said rape had "without a doubt" taken place during the now 10-month-old war in the northern region of Tigray between government forces and rebels, and set up a task force to investigate.

Last month she told AFP the task force's report had been sent to the attorney general and that it was up to law enforcement officials to determine the scale of the crimes and who was responsible.

She said she believed law enforcement officials were "doing their best" but that she hoped the work would move faster.

"I can't say to you, 'No, it's absolutely fine the time they took.' For me, I would prefer them moving at a faster pace so I can say justice has been served, and I hope we will see justice has been served."

Filsan did not respond to requests for comment Monday.

Her resignation comes one week before Abiy, whose Prosperity Party scored a landslide victory in national elections earlier this year, is set to name a new government.

Sexual slavery alleged

Amnesty International said last month that Ethiopian troops and allied Eritrean forces had raped hundreds of women and girls in Tigray, subjecting some to sexual slavery and mutilation.

Survivors told Amnesty they had been gang-raped while held captive for weeks, raped in front of their families, and had objects including nails and gravel inserted into their vaginas.

AFP has also documented allegations of gang rape committed by Ethiopian and Eritrean soldiers.

In May, the attorney general's office said three soldiers had been convicted and sentenced for rape and that another 25 had been charged with "committing acts of sexual violence and rape".

Investigations were continuing, it said.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


Egypt's Prime Minister Mostafa received on Monday Brazil's Vice President Hamilton Mourao at Cairo International Airport, the Egyptian Cabinet announced.

VP Mourao and his accompanying delegation will be in Egypt for several days.

The cabinet added that the Brazilian VP is going to meet with the Egyptian PM as well as other officials to discuss ways to boost bilateral cooperation between Egypt and Brazil in different fields.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


Egypt is expected to see a peak in coronavirus cases in a matter of three weeks, an Egyptian health official said in a televised interview on Monday, as the country is currently going through a fourth wave of the pandemic.

We have three weeks before we reach the peak of the fourth wave  I am hoping we dont record high numbers, Hossam Hosny, the head of the Scientific Committee to Combat the Coronavirus at the Ministry of Health said.

He stressed the Egyptian Ministry of Healths readiness to handle the fourth wave effectively.

Egypt has been witnessing a steady increase in daily infections and deaths since early August due to the new wave, with 667 new cases and 39 fatalities recorded on Sunday.

The Egyptian government, in parallel, is intensifying its efforts to vaccinate citizens against COVID-19 to achieve its target of 40 million immunised Egyptians by the end of 2021.

Egypt stared rolling out its inoculation campaign earlier this year, with over 13 million people vaccinated so far.

Hosny urged all Egyptians to stick to all precautionary measures during the coming period.

The studies have shown that the immunity provided by vaccines is temporary and lasts only from 3 months to one year depending on each individual, he added.

He warned those who have previously recovered from COVID-19 infections against depending on the natural protection given by the virus.

The immunity granted by the virus once it leaves an individuals system is not a long-term protection, as it lasts for no more than three months, with some cases even losing the anti-bodies within only a month, the official noted.

He added that a decision regarding vaccinating children as well as offering a third booster shot to citizens who were inoculated at least 6-8 months ago will be taken within the week.

Egypt is currently considering lowering the 18-year age limit for COVID-19 vaccination, as the country seeks to reach higher inoculation rates in a short period of time to achieve herd immunity.

Health Minister Hala Zayed has also said earlier this month that giving booster shots of coronavirus vaccines is under consideration.

Egypt has recorded a total of 300,945 infections, including 17,149 deaths and 254,060 recoveries.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


Egypt will set up 1,100 centres nationwide for university students to receive COVID-19 vaccinations, the health ministry announced on Monday.

The centres are comprised of 830 vaccination centres previously set up by the health ministry as well as 270 converted youth centres, Health Minister Hala Zayed said in a statement on Monday.

The minister also issued directives for vaccination dates to be set within 24 hours for university students who register on the official vaccination website.

The government aims to vaccinate all university students and staff before the academic new year kicks off in mid-October.

The minister also said the Egypt Health Passport mobile application should be launched soon to help identify whether citizens are vaccinated.

A persons vaccination status on the app will be colour-coded, where those who are fully vaccinated will receive a green notification, those who have had one dose will receive a yellow notification, and those who have not been vaccinated will receive red notifications.

The government has announced that it plans to vaccinate 40 million citizens by the end of 2021.

According to recent figures, over 13 million people have been vaccinated in Egypt.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


Egypt's President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi inaugurated in the northern governorate of Port Said on Monday morning the water treatment plant of Bahr Al-Baqar, the largest of its kind worldwide.

The plant comes at a cost of EGP 20 billion and with a production capacity of 5.6 million cubic metres per day, presidential spokesman Bassam Rady said.

The triple-treated water from the Bahr Al-Baqar plant will be transferred to North Sinai to contribute to the reclamation of 476,000 feddans.

The plant is one in a series of national projects to develop Sinai and enhance the optimum use of water resources in the country, Rady added.

Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, ministers, and officials attended the inauguration ceremony.

El-Sisi inspected the Bahr Al-Baqar plant and inaugurated via video-conference water desalination plants in Sinais Nuweiba, Ras Sedr, Abu Zenima, and Dahab cities, as well as pumping stations in Port Said and the Delta.

The armed forces play a role in securing Sinai's development projects against terrorism, he added.

El-Sisi said the state has to spend EGP 160 billion to reclaim 500,000 feddans in Sinai, noting that the reclamation of each feddan costs EGP 300,000.

The pipes used in the wastewater treatment plant of Bahr Al-Baqar were completely manufactured by Egyptians to generate more job opportunities and save the hard currency.

El-Sisi, during the ceremony, also ordered the government, and the army if necessary, to intervene to remove violating irrigation facilities on the environs of Nile canals nationwide within the coming six months.

He warned that that the government will deny violators access to subsidies on bread and other state services until the violations are removed.

Speaking at the ceremony, Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly said the cost of the national projects to serve Sinai, either already completed or underway, have come at a cost of EGP 700 billion.

With the completion of these projects, almost every part of the Sinai will have benefited from the development process and we will benefit from all the development capabilities available in Sinai as much as possible, Madbouly said.

Since 2014, the state has spent EGP 76 billion in the electricity sector as part of its efforts to develop Sinai, Madbouly said, adding that these efforts pave the way for the private sector and the investors to take part in Sinais development.

The inauguration of the Bahr Al-Baqar plant is part of the national project to reclaim and cultivate more than 674,000 feddans in Sinai, of which nearly 200,000 feddans have already been cultivated.

Minister of Irrigation and Water Resources Mohamed Abdel-Ati said at the ceremony that the states plan to cover the local water needs until 2050 will cost the state EGP 100 billion.
Egypts President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi said on Monday that the government  and the army if necessary  will intervene to remove building violations on irrigation facilities in the vicinity of Nile canals nationwide within the coming six months.

El-Sisi warned that the government will deny those who abuse agricultural lands and irrigation facilities access to subsidies on bread and other state services until the violations are removed.

Six months and these [illegal] bridges will be cleaned up; and if necessary, the army will intervene, El-Sisi said.

The president made his remarks during the inauguration of the Bahr Al-Baqar Water Treatment Plant  the largest of its kind in the world  in Port Said governorate.

Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, cabinet ministers, and state officials attended the inauguration ceremony.

The interior ministry, the governorate and  if needed  the armed forces will ensure that all these violations made over the past 20 or 30 years are removed in six months, El-Sisi said.

The president affirmed that violations, be they on agricultural lands or facilities, such as canal branches, are no longer acceptable.

Egypt has allocated EGP 700 billion to secure a decent life for its people, so it will not accept any transgressions on state lands, El-Sisi added.

We are racing against time to develop, modernise, and restore the efficiency of our water facilities... Both the state and the people have a role to play in this regard.

El-Sisi noted that the water flow through the Niles Rosetta branch in Lower Egypt was reduced from 80 million cubic metres to 30 million cubic metres due to violations, saying this affects the quantity of water reaching agricultural lands.

While we line canals and adopt procedures we will not accept that anyone transgresses on our capabilities and what we do to improve the living conditions of the people, the president said.

Bahr Al-Baqar and other water-related facilities

The Bahr Al-Baqar Wastewater Treatment Plant inaugurated on Monday 27 September cost EGP 20 billion and has a production capacity of 5.6 million cubic metres per day, Presidential Spokesman Bassam Rady said.

The pipes used in the wastewater treatment plant were completely manufactured by Egyptians to generate more job opportunities and save hard currency.

Along with the Bahr Al-Baqar plant, El-Sisi also inaugurated, via videoconference, water desalination plants in South Sinais cities of Nuweiba, Ras Sedr, Abu Zenima, and Dahab, as well as pumping stations in Port Said and the Delta.

Improving water usage

El-Sisi said the amount of water flowing into Egypt is not much and will not increase, so the state has to improve its water usage.

Egypt will have to spend EGP 140 billion on a general project to raise the efficiency of its water usage and reduce the misuse of its water supply, which includes a nationwide sub-project to line Egypts canals, he explained.

The state is shouldering EGP 80 billion to line canals spanning a total distance of 20,000-30,000 kilometres, the president said, stressing that farmers will not bear the cost of this project that will serve many Egyptians working in the agricultural sector.

The project to line the canals is a matter of national security for Egypt, El-Sisi said.

The country has to cultivate crops that meet the peoples needs or else it will have to import the needed produce and deplete its hard currency, which will further exhaust the economy.

The president warned I will not accept any negative practices. If these were tolerated and ignored in the past, I do not do that. I do not know how to turn a blind eye to these things."

"If I knew how to turn a blind eye to such things, I would have turned a blind eye to what happened in 2011, 2012, and 2013," he added, referring to the turbulent period between 2011 and 2013.

Two wars in Sinai

El-Sisi said that the state is engaged in two wars in Sinai: "a war against terrorism and another for construction."

"The state has carried out land reclamation and implemented development projects in Sinai."

"The Egyptian Armed Forces is entrusted with securing Sinais development projects, which the terrorists do not want to happen," he added.

The president said that the state has to spend EGP 160 billion to reclaim 500,000 feddans in Sinai, noting that the reclamation of each feddan costs EGP 300,000.

Additionally, the triple-treated water from the Bahr Al-Baqar plant will be transferred to North Sinai to help in the reclamation of 476,000 feddans.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


A Swedish appeals court on Monday found Jean-Claude Arnault, the man at the centre of a sex scandal that forced the postponement of this year's Nobel Prize in Literature, guilty of an additional rape and increased his prison term.

A lower court in October had convicted Arnault, who is married to Swedish Academy member Katarina Frostenson, of one rape but acquitted him of another. The lower court verdict was appealed by both the prosecutor and the defence.

The appeals court convicted him of both rapes of the woman in question in an unanimous decision and lengthened his prison sentence by six months to 2-1/2 years. Arnault had denied all charges.

"My client is very grateful and very relieved about the verdict from the Court of Appeals. This vindication also means that my client can finally move on with her life," Elisabeth Massi Fritz, the woman's lawyer, told TT news agency.

Arnault's lawyer said the verdict would be appealed to the Supreme Court.

Arnault, a photographer and well-known cultural figure in Sweden, was accused of sexual misconduct by 18 women in a newspaper article in November last year. All but one of the women's allegations were dropped due to a lack of evidence or because the statute of limitations had passed.

In an internal investigation initiated by the Academy he was also alleged to have leaked the closely-guarded names of Nobel prize winners on seven different occasions.

Arnault denied all charges, including that of being the source of leaks.

The accusations against him caused a feud among members of the academy, which picks winners for the Nobel Prize in Literature, and evolved into its biggest crisis since it was founded by King Gustav III more than 200 years ago.

The Nobel Foundation, which controls the prize money donated by Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, has warned it could drop the Swedish Academy from awarding the prestigious prize if it does not make further changes in response to the scandal.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


The judge investigating last year's deadly Beirut port explosion had to suspend his work on Monday, a court official said, after what rights groups and victims' families condemned as another blatant case of political obstruction

In a second such suspension, Tarek Bitar will pause blast investigations until a court votes on whether to replace him in response to a complaint filed last week by ex-interior minister Nohad Machnouk, the official said on condition of anonymity.

Machnouk is one of a raft of top officials suspected of negligence ahead of the port explosion that killed more than 200 people on August 4 last year.

If removed, Bitar would be the second investigator to be sacked since the explosion amid widespread accusations of obstruction by Lebanon's political barons, who have largely dodged interrogation.

Bitar's predecessor Fadi Sawan was removed in February, after ex-ministers he had called in for questioning submitted a similar request for a replacement.

The latest move sparked an outcry from rights groups and relatives of blast victims, who accused the political elite of undermining the investigation into Lebanon's worst peacetime disaster.

Aya Majzoub, Lebanon researcher at Human Rights Watch (HRW), said the case "should make it patently clear that the Lebanese political class will do everything in their power to derail, obstruct and undermine the investigation and escape justice".

"These brazen obstructions of justice should be a wake up call to the international community to authorise an international fact-finding mission," she told AFP.

Ibrahim Hoteit, whose brother was killed in the blast, accused the political class of "deliberately wasting time" to thwart accountability.

"If Bitar is removed... we will burn down the country and we will turn to violence," he warned.

- Obstruction -

More than a year after the blast that destroyed swathes of the capital, the probe has yet to identify a single culprit.

Calls for an independent international investigation have been roundly rejected by Lebanon's political leaders.

The explosion was caused by hundreds of tonnes of haphazardly stocked ammonium nitrate, but what lit the fire remains unclear.

Top officials in parliament, government and top security agencies were all aware of the fertiliser's presence and its potential dangers, but failed to act.

In a report last month, HRW accused Lebanese authorities of criminal negligence in their handling of the ammonium nitrate shipment, and called for broad international sanctions against them.

Bitar in July demanded that parliament lift the immunity of Machnouk, ex-finance minister Ali Hassan Khalil and former public works minister Ghazi Zaiter so that they can sit for questioning.

He has also asked for national security chiefs and ex-army commander Jean Kahwagi to be investigated.

But parliament has turned down his request and top leaders, including the powerful Shiite movement Hezbollah, have accused Bitar of political bias.

Hezbollah has reportedly threatened Bitar, according to local media.

- 'Disguising' -

The relatives of blast victims have been pressing for accountability for months.

They have organised rallies and even stormed the houses of ex-ministers to denounce political interference.

A protest scheduled for Wednesday at the Justice Palace was announced before the news of the probe's suspension.

But "it could now develop into something bigger", Hoteit said. "Their houses are a target for us," he said of political leaders.

Paul Naggear, who lost his three-year-old daughter Alexandra in the blast, said it was "disgusting" that the investigation was once again suspended.

"Bitar was our last chance at having a strong and intelligent judge" presiding over the case, he said.

Naggear said he hoped the suspension would boost turnout at this week's protest.

"We are going to crank our mobilisation up a notch," he said. "We were more or less peaceful until now. I think this will change."

Search Keywords:

Short link:


Since its release at the end of last month, coinciding with the American withdrawal from Afghanistan and the twentieth anniversary of the September 11 attacks, the Afghanistan Papers: A Secret History of War has caused great controversy in political and popular circles in the United States and abroad, a controversy that propelled it to top-seller lists within a few weeks. Its author, Craig Whitlock, a veteran reporter, has made the rounds on talk shows and news channels in American media, sharing his opinion that the US so-called "War on Terror" in Afghanistan was a tragedy and a major crime.

Craig Whitlock is responsible for covering the Pentagon and national security for the Washington Post. He also headed the newspaper's Berlin office and covered terror networks in Europe, South Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa. He has reported in more than 60 countries and has been nominated three times for the Pulitzer Prize for Journalism.

In an interview with Al-Ahram, Whitlock reveals how American leaders and officials lied simply with their refusal to admit failure, how the "War on Terror" turned into a war on the truth and the silencing of the media, and why it will be difficult to ensure accountability for the failures of the US in Afghanistan.

Al-Ahram: How does the book differ from the much-discussed series of articles published in The Post in late 2019?

Craig Whitlock:In addition to the documents that The Post published in 2019, the book is based on thousands of pages of additional documents about the war in Afghanistan, including the transcripts of several hundred oral-history interviews with US troops and senior officials who served under President George W. Bush. Also, the book is a chronological narrative of what went wrong in Afghanistan between 2001 and 2021.

AA: What were the reactions of those interviewed for the book after it was published? You have mentioned they had spoken freely as they did not believe their words would be published.

CW: Since the books release, no one who was interviewed for the Afghanistan Papers has denied what they said in the original, documented interviews. Perhaps they were not eager to see their unvarnished commentary published, but no one has denied making their remarks.

AA: What, in your opinion, was the most shocking information in the Afghanistan papers?

CW: The most shocking information, to me, were the blunt admissions that US policy in Afghanistan was inept and dysfunctional. Douglas Lute, a US army general who oversaw war policy under both Bush and Obama, said: We were devoid of a fundamental understanding of Afghanistan  we didnt know what we were doing We didnt have the foggiest notion of what we were undertaking. Ambassador Richard Boucher, a diplomat in charge of South Asia policy under Bush, said the same thing: We did not know what we were doing. In addition, two commanding generals admitted they had tried to fight the war without a functional strategy. There was no campaign plan. It just wasnt there, said US Army general Dan McNeill, who served under Bush. British general David Richards, who commanded US and NATO troops from 2006 to 2007, added: There was no coherent long-term strategy.

AA: You demonstrate in your book the contradiction between what leaders and decision-makers really believed and what they said in public. In your opinion, why did they continue to lie instead of finding an alternate strategy to withdraw with dignity?

CW: Senior US officials who were responsible for the war over the last 20 years are still very reluctant to admit that they did not tell the truth to the American people about how the conflict was going. No one wants to take responsibility and admit that they personally lied or deceived the public, even though my book contains documented example after example of this. At the same time, while individuals do not want to take responsibility, there is a growing acknowledgment that the US government and military overall were not forthright. Even President Biden has acknowledged that the US government lied to the public about how the war was going before he became president.

AA: Throughout the 20 years of the war, was there any official who told the truth in the media?

CW: The book does highlight the case of one US general who told the truth in public about how the war was going  and he was sacked for it. Army General David McKiernan commanded the war from 2008 to 2009 under President Bush and President Obama. In his public remarks, he was the rare general who admitted things were not going well. In large parts of Afghanistan, we dont see progress, he acknowledged in October 2008. We are in a tough fight. So, the idea that it might get worse before it gets better is certainly a possibility.

AA: Were there any indication of his words being taken seriously?

CW: In May 2009, the Pentagon announced that McKiernan had been fired. No clear reason was given, but whatever the purpose, the message sent to the rest of the generals was this: If you tell the public that the war is heading in the wrong direction, you could lose your job.

AA: You write that the Afghanistan war was grounded in near-unanimous public support when it began in 2003. There was no need, then, for the Pentagon brass to lie about the war. Why did they lie despite that fact that there was no clearly articulated mission?

CW: After the 11 September 2001 attacks, the US Congress authorized the use of military force against Al-Qaeda by a vote of 420-1, and public opinion surveys showed that more than 80 percent of Americans supported military action in Afghanistan. At first, there was no need for the Pentagon brass to deceive the public about the war. Within a few months, the Taliban had been forced from power and Al-Qaedas leaders had been captured, killed or had fled Afghanistan. At that point  by early 2002  Americans assumed they had won the war for good. Gradually, however, the Taliban regrouped and the insurgency intensified. Thats when the lies and deception started to become more pronounced, because no US president or general wanted to admit that they were suffering setbacks in a war that Americans thought they had already won.

AA: One interviewee notes that the war could have ended in weeks if direct negotiations with the Taliban had been undertaken, which the US did do in the end with the peace agreement in Doha. Why did the US fail to take this path from the start? How did the US misread the situation? Who is to blame, the White House, the Pentagon, diplomats?

CW: In the interviews and documents from the Afghanistan Papers, several former diplomats and analysts said the United States and its allies made a mistake in not allowing Taliban representatives to attend the conference in Bonn, Germany in late 2001, when all of Afghanistans other political factions gathered to agree on a new political system and a timetable for writing a new constitution. The Bush administration  especially George W. Bush and Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld  categorized all Taliban leaders and fighters as terrorists and said the United States would not negotiate with them or allow them to join the new Afghan political system. In that regard, US officials put the Taliban in the same category as Al-Qaeda. Yet Al-Qaeda and the Taliban, while supportive of each other, were two very different groups with different agendas. Al-Qaeda was solely responsible for the September 11 terrorist attacks and consisted mostly of foreign fighters with a global agenda. The Taliban, in contrast, was a broad-based Afghan movement that still retained considerable support among the population. It was unrealistic for the Bush administration, or its Afghan allies in the Northern Alliance, to think that they could completely eliminate the Taliban. By refusing to include the Taliban in the new Afghan political system at a point when the Taliban was weak and defeated, this sowed the seeds for the insurgency to take root.

AA: What did the US get out of all that effort in Afghanistan. Was the occupation of Afghanistan worth it?

CW: After 20 years, it is difficult to see any lasting achievements for the United States in Afghanistan. The war was initially successful in reducing the threat from Al-Qaeda and killing or capturing many of its leaders. Eventually, Osama bin Laden was killed in Pakistan, and the core Al-Qaeda network has not been able to conduct another terrorist attack in the United States on the scale of the September 11 hijackings. But now that the Taliban is back in power  and controls more of Afghanistan than ever before  there is a real concern that Al-Qaeda could find refuge again in Afghanistan. Separately, there is no question that all the money and time and sacrifices the United States made to create a democratic system of government in Afghanistan did not succeed.

AA: The US did not have any victories in Afghanistan. It allowed the Taliban to regain power, and rebuilding the country failed as well. The withdrawal and handing over power to the Taliban undermines the morality and feasibility of the "War on Terror"? What do you think?

CW: This is a difficult question and gets at a heart with one of the main failings of the war: The United States failed to articulate exactly what it was hoping to accomplish in Afghanistan. At first, the goal and objective seemed clear and focused: to destroy Al-Qaeda and prevent a repeat of the 9/11 attacks. That part was successful for many years. But then the mission became blurry. The United States soon became embroiled in a civil war in Afghanistan, fighting the Taliban and other insurgents, instead of just Al-Qaeda. And the attempts to build a new Afghan government and to modernize Afghanistan were largely unsuccessful.

AA: Some analysts consider the "War on Terror" a golden goose for the military and defence industry, where military contractors thrived with US forever war in Afghanistan, Iraq and other places. This has also opened the doors for corruption. What do The Afghanistan Papers say about this?

CW: The Afghanistan Papers make clear that the United States helped open the doors for corruption in Afghanistan by flooding the country with more money than it could absorb. This money came in the form of humanitarian aid, reconstruction projects, and especially military spending. One State Department official, Barnett Rubin, said in an interview for the Afghanistan Papers: There is one indispensable ingredient for corruption  money  and we were the ones who had the money.

AA: The degree of misrepresentation about the war by military and civilian leaders should drive the creation of extensive oversight mechanisms. How can this be achieved to prevent the recurrence of such mistakes?

CW: Accountability for the US failures in Afghanistan will be hard to achieve because so many different people and institutions were responsible: Democrats and Republicans, the Congress and the White House, the Pentagon and the State Department. The only independent institution in the American political system that is likely to drive accountability is the news media. The news media, of course, can bring problems to light but has no direct power to pass laws or change official policies to prevent the recurrence of such mistakes.

AA: Secretary of State Antony Blinken blamed the Trump administration for its February 2020 peace deal with the Taliban, which he said tied Bidens hands and caused the quick and unexpected collapse of the Afghan government and security forces that led to the Taliban takeover. What do The Afghanistan Papers say were the indications of what we are witnessing today?

CW: There has been a lot of political finger-pointing in America about who is to blame for the chaotic withdrawal of the United States and for the Talibans return to power. Setting that aside, however, it is clear from The Afghanistan Papers that US officials have known for many years that the Afghan army and security forces were weak, corrupt and no match for the Taliban in the long term. Yet year after year, US officials kept saying in public that the Afghan security forces were getting stronger and would be able to defend their government.

AA: The US bitter experience in Iraq and Afghanistan has undercut faith in American foreign policy for the Middle East and fostered resentment over the US intervention in some countries in the name of American national security. How do your interviewees deal with this issue?

CW: Several current and former US officials interviewed for the Afghanistan Papers acknowledge that the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq have undercut public support for American foreign policy in the Middle East. However, they say the war in Iraq was much more damaging in this regard. Although the war in Afghanistan failed in the end, most countries around the world supported the United States in 2001 and understood why it took military action in Afghanistan. That was never the case in Iraq.

AA: It seems that the US did not learn from the lesson of Vietnam. What are the most important lessons for the future?

CW: This is one of the biggest puzzles about the war. In 2001 and 2002, soon after the war in Afghanistan began, President Bush and senior officials in his administration reassured the public that they had learned their lessons from the war in Vietnam and that they would not allow the United States to get bogged down in an endless war in Afghanistan. Yet they still allowed it to happen. This was perhaps the result of overconfidence and hubris.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


The EU on Monday urged Iran to allow inspectors access to a nuclear site, while Tehran argued the facility was exempt from a recent agreement with the UN watchdo

The Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said on Sunday it had been denied "indispensable" access to the TESA Karaj centrifuge component manufacturing workshop near Tehran contrary to a September 12 agreement with Iran.

Iran's ambassador to the IAEA Kazem Gharibabadi on Monday rejected the charge on Twitter.

"During the discussions in Tehran and Vienna, Iran indicated that... equipment related to this Complex are not included for servicing," he wrote, referring to IAEA work on its surveillance equipment.

Sunday's IAEA statement "isn't accurate and goes beyond the agreed terms," he added.

At a Vienna meeting of the IAEA board of governors, the EU said it urged Iran to allow access "without any further delay", expressing its "deepest concern".

"This is a worrying development," the statement said.

This month's agreement between the IAEA and Iran came days after the nuclear watchdog had decried a lack of cooperation from Tehran.

Agency inspectors had been allowed to service monitoring and surveillance equipment and to replace storage media at "all necessary locations" except the TESA Karaj workshop, the IAEA said on Sunday.

IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi in his latest report on Iran informed member states that the Islamic republic had granted all other access from September 20-22.

The IAEA's latest report comes amid stalled EU-brokered negotiations to revive a 2015 landmark agreement scaling back Iran's nuclear programme in exchange for sanctions relief.

That deal started to fall apart in 2018 when the US withdrew from it and reinstated sanctions. Iran in turn again started to ramp up its nuclear activities.

Talks began in April in Vienna between Tehran and the remaining five parties to the 2015 deal aimed at bringing Washington back into the agreement.

But that dialogue has been stalled since June, when ultraconservative Ebrahim Raisi won Iran's presidential election.

Iran's foreign minister said Friday that talks would restart "very soon", but the US has called for a clear timetable.

"(It's) important ViennaTalks resume asap from where we left off on 20 June," Vienna-based EU Ambassdor Stephan Klement wrote on Twitter on Monday.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg on Monday voiced concern over China's "expanding nuclear arsenal" and urged Beijing to engage in arms-control talks

China is not a NATO adversary but it must "uphold its international commitments and act responsibly in the international system", he told Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in a videolink call, the Alliance said in a statement.

Stoltenberg "raised NATO's concerns over China's coercive policies, expanding nuclear arsenal and lack of transparency on its military modernisation," it said.

He stressed that "reciprocal transparency and dialogue on arms control would benefit both NATO and China".

The situation in Afghanistan, with which China shares a tiny stretch of border, was also raised, with the NATO secretary general saying there should be "a coordinated international approach, including with countries from the region, to hold the Taliban accountable for their commitments on countering terrorism and upholding human rights, not least the rights of women".

Search Keywords:

Short link:


US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman will travel next month to Pakistan and India, bitter rivals that have clashed on the way forward in Afghanistan, the State Department announced Monday.

Sherman, after CIA chief Bill Burns, will be one of the first high-level officials under President Joe Biden to visit Pakistan, which has long irritated the United States over its relationship with the Taliban.

Sherman will meet senior officials in Islamabad on October 7-8 after an earlier visit to New Delhi and Mumbai on October 6-7, when she will meet officials and civil society leaders and address the US-India Business council's annual "ideas summit," the State Department said.

The trip comes as India, one of the top allies of the Western-backed Afghan government that collapsed last month, urges the world to pay closer attention to Pakistan's role in the turmoil.

Pakistan was the primary backer of the 1996-2001 Taliban regime, and has been accused by US officials of keeping the insurgents alive through covert support.

Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan, in an opinion piece published Monday in The Washington Post, called his country a "convenient scapegoat."

"In Afghanistan, the lack of legitimacy for an outsider's protracted war was compounded by a corrupt and inept Afghan government, seen as a puppet regime without credibility, especially by rural Afghans," he wrote, elaborating on themes in his address Friday to the UN General Assembly.

He urged the world to engage the Taliban government "to ensure peace and stability."

Biden, who like his predecessors has sought strong relations with India, has yet to speak to Khan, although Secretary of State Antony Blinken met his Pakistani counterpart on the sidelines of UN meetings last week and thanked Islamabad for help in evacuating Americans from Afghanistan.

The State Department said that Sherman will also visit Uzbekistan. The United States has been working with regional nations to ensure it can maintain forces that can strike quickly in response to any threats from extremist movements such as Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group inside Afghanistan following the US withdrawal.

Sherman will separately hold her latest talks with Russia on Thursday in Geneva.

It will be the second meeting of the so-called Strategic Stability Dialogue set up at a June summit between Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin to reduce tensions and talk through disagreements.

The first meeting in late July focused heavily on arms control, one area where Biden has expressed an eagerness to cooperate with Russia despite concerns on multiple fronts including hacking and Moscow's alleged support for interference in US elections.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


Scientists have found evidence of a resistant form of malaria in Uganda, a worrying sign that the top drug used against the parasitic disease could ultimately be rendered useless without more action to stop its spread

Researchers in Uganda analyzed blood samples from patients treated with artemesinin, the primary medicine used for malaria in Africa in combination with other drugs. They found that by 2019, nearly 20% of the samples had genetic mutations suggesting the treatment was ineffective. Lab tests showed it took much longer for those patients to get rid of the parasites that cause malaria.

Drug-resistant forms of malaria were previously detected in Asia, and health officials have been nervously watching for any signs in Africa, which accounts for more than 90% of the worlds malaria cases. Some isolated drug-resistant strains of malaria have previously been seen in Rwanda.

Our findings suggest a potential risk of cross-border spread across Africa, the researchers wrote in the New England Journal of Medicine, which published the study on Wednesday.

The drug-resistant strains emerged in Uganda rather than being imported from elsewhere, they reported. They examined 240 blood samples over three years.

Malaria is spread by mosquito bites and kills more than 400,000 people every year, mostly children under 5 and pregnant women.

Dr. Philip Rosenthal, a professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, said that the new findings in Uganda, after past results in Rwanda, prove that resistance really now has a foothold in Africa.

Rosenthal, who was not involved in the new study, said it was likely there was undetected drug resistance elsewhere on the continent. He said drug-resistant versions of malaria emerged in Cambodia years ago and have now spread across Asia. He predicted a similar path for the disease in Africa, with deadlier consequences given the burden of malaria on the continent.

Dr. Nicholas White, a professor of tropical medicine at Mahidol University in Bangkok, described the new papers conclusions about emerging malaria resistance as unequivocal.

We basically rely on one drug for malaria and now its been hobbled, said White, who also wrote an accompanying editorial in the journal.

He suggested that instead of the standard approach, where one or two other drugs are used in combination with artemisinin, doctors should now use three, as is often done in treating tuberculosis and HIV.

White said public health officials need to act to stem drug-resistant malaria, by beefing up surveillance and supporting research into new drugs, among other measures.

We shouldnt wait until the fire is burning to do something, but that is not what generally happens in global health, he said, citing the failures to stop the coronavirus pandemic as an example.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


In Iran s holy city of Qom, where Shia scholars study and pilgrims travel to a shrine of Imam Al-Rida, the Islamic Republic s coronavirus outbreak began and still rages to this day.

In Iran's holy city of Qom, where Shia scholars study and pilgrims travel to a shrine of Imam Al-Rida, the Islamic Republic's coronavirus outbreak began and still rages to this day.

While Iran works to vaccinate its 80 million people, many in Qom have not sought out the shots, authorities say. In one recent week, the city administered only 17,000 shots daily out of its capacity of 30,000, provincial health department chief Mohammad Reza Qadir said.

One reason for that is a hesitancy by some based on religion. In the outbreak's first days, religious leaders were reluctant to close shrines and holy sites despite the risks of virus transmission in crowded and inadequately ventilated spaces.

Some sites briefly closed but they later reopened and remained available through repeated, battering phases of the pandemic. Overall across Iran _ the Middle Eastern country hardest hit by the pandemic _ there have been 5.5 million confirmed virus infections. More than 119,000 people have died, putting tremendous pressure on cemeteries across the country. Officials acknowledge the toll is likely far higher.

Qom's Behesht-e-Masoumeh cemetery is the final resting place of thousands. Each day, families can be seen weeping as they bury their loved ones, wrapped in traditional shrouds. All have dug new gravesites in which they typically bury the dead very deep in the ground.

Many hospitals are filled with victims, some in medically induced comas, even as authorities warn of a possible sixth surge in infections striking the country.

It was in Qom, some 125 kilometers (80 miles) southwest of Tehran, that the coronavirus first took hold in Iran. Authorities suggest it was spread by an Iranian businessman who returned from China, where the virus first appeared in Wuhan province in 2019. Qom's Shia seminaries draw Chinese students. The city is also is located along a $2.7 billion high-speed train route that a Chinese company is building and near a solar power plant Beijing is helping construct.

But whatever started the pandemic here, the virus still rages.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


Cool tech at WIC 2021: driving an excavator using 5G

By:Wu Qiong | From:english.eastday.com | 2021-09-26 18:31

You can now drive an excavator using 5G technology, making mining as easy as a game. In the exhibition area of China Telecom at the annual World Internet Conference (WIC) being held in Wuzhen, Zhejiang Province, you can see how an operator can drive the excavator while sitting in a room. Several unmanned transportation vehicles can be busy in the mining area, but the operators of the excavators can be thousands of miles away. As the staff said, featuring large bandwidth and low latency, 5G technology can be applied in remote control and unmanned driving.

(Video by Wang Pengchong)
Shanghai Express of China-Europe freight line to leave Tuesday

By:Wu Qiong | From:english.eastday.com | 2021-09-27 14:10

The first Shanghai Express of the China-Europe freight line is to set off on September 28. Departing from Shanghai, it is running to Hamburg with goods made in China and then returning with exhibits for the fourth CIIE (China International Import Expo).

The 50-car train will be loaded with items varying from clothing, auto parts and solar panels to tableware, furniture, daily necessities, machine components, lanterns and other equipment.

Departing from Shanghai, it will pass the Alataw Pass and finally arrive in Hamburg, Germany. After the first train has completed its journey, it will run regularly every week.

Thanks to the China-Europe freight line, the transportation time can be compressed to 2 weeks or so, which is half the time compared to ocean transportation, said Wang Jinqiu, chairman of the Shanghai Oriental Silk Road Multimodal Transport Company. Whats more, the logistics cost of each standard container will be reduced by at least 30%. The opening of the express line will offer a new logistics option for us to export to countries along the Belt and Road and countries in Europe, added Wang.

The Shanghai Express will return to Shanghai from Europe in mid-October, carrying exhibits from European countries to be showcased at the fourth CIIE.

(Photos/Jiefang Daily)
KYODO NEWS - Aug 5, 2021 - 23:53 | World, All

Ebrahim Raisi took office as Iran's president on Thursday, vowing to pursue a "fully peaceful" nuclear program and calling for international sanctions to be lifted.

Raisi said in his speech after being sworn-in that the policies of sanctions and pressure against Iran have not succeeded, and that his government would support diplomatic initiatives to end them.

Regarding Iran's nuclear ambitions, he said in his remarks in parliament, which were broadcast over state-run Press TV, with English translation, that nuclear weapons "have no place in our defense doctrine" and are "religiously forbidden" by Islam.

Raisi vowed to proceed in a "tireless manner" to realize the people's calls for development and justice, stabilize the currency and revive the economy, while "resisting the expansionist policies by the arrogant, aggressive powers."

He said he would lead an "administration of national unity," adding, "I am here to serve the population of more than 80 million Iranians."

The former judiciary chief and conservative hard-liner was on Tuesday endorsed by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as the new president of the country, which has had tense relations with the international community including the United States over issues such as nuclear development.

Leaders and senior officials from overseas attended his inauguration ceremony in Tehran.

Among them was High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy of the European Union Enrique Mora, according to a report by Iran's semi-official Fars news agency.

Mora has mediated indirect talks between Iran and the United States on Washington's returning to a 2015 deal with six major powers -- Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States -- agreeing to limit Iran's nuclear activities in return for sanctions relief.

The 60-year-old anti-U.S. Muslim cleric, who won his landslide victory in the presidential election in June, is the first conservative hard-liner to come into power in eight years.

He replaced relatively moderate President Hassan Rouhani who had advocated constructive cooperation with the international community.

The Rouhani administration struck the 2015 deal, which initially had a positive impact on the economy. But in 2018, after then President Donald Trump pulled the United States out of the agreement, subsequent U.S. sanctions caused rising prices, a plunging currency and high unemployment in Iran.

Raisi has promised to continue indirect talks with the United States on reviving the nuclear deal, though his unwillingness to compromise may intensify the confrontation between the two countries.

In addition to sanctions that have damaged Iran's economy, the country has been struggling with a surge in coronavirus infections and other problems such as water shortage amid drought, which have exacerbated public dissatisfaction with the government.

Raisi himself was placed under U.S. sanctions for allegedly being involved in executions of political prisoners in 1988 when he was a Tehran deputy prosecutor.

After being sworn in, Raisi will form his Cabinet within two weeks.

Current Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, who led Iran's talks with the six major powers when they struck the 2015 deal, is likely to be replaced by a conservative hard-liner, according to sources close to the matter.

Related coverage:

Hard-liner Raisi endorsed as Iran's new president by supreme leader

Japan foreign minister eyes visit to Iran in Aug.: sources

Iran elects conservative hard-liner Raisi as new president
By Eriko Arita, KYODO NEWS - Sep 27, 2021 - 18:53 | Feature, All, Japan, 3/11 Fukushima

A citizens' organization in Japan that publishes independent analysis in English on nuclear power issues is struggling financially, threatening its ability to remain the major source of specialized public information on Japan's nuclear industry for an international audience.

The Citizens' Nuclear Information Center based in Tokyo has published the free bimonthly English newsletter Nuke Info Tokyo since 1987 but is having to crowdfund to keep publishing amid financial difficulties caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

The nonprofit organization, which also produces a monthly newsletter in Japanese for a domestic audience, had previously financed the cost of the English publication by holding paid seminars at which it also solicited donations and sold books, as well as collecting membership fees.

But it has been unable to hold the events since early 2020 when coronavirus infections began to impact Japan, Hajime Matsukubo, CNIC secretary general, told Kyodo News.

Membership -- already in decline -- has also dropped further amid the pandemic and its effect on the economy, he said.

"Membership decreased by about 100 last year alone under the coronavirus outbreaks and (membership) is around 2,100 now," Matsukubo said, admitting the decline in membership also owed to a waning of public interest in nuclear issues in recent years.

"We had more membership right after the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster, but the public's interest in nuclear power issues faded as time passed," he said. "Members are also aging, and many quit as they retired."

Following the core meltdown triggered by the massive earthquake and tsunami at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant on March 11, 2011, concerns spiked over radiation released from the plant, making the newsletter, which publishes insights from independent experts, and its archived articles a vital source of public information in English.

Philip White, a former editor of Nuke Info Tokyo, wrote that he fielded calls around the clock from the foreign media by referring to the archived English-language articles at the time of the disaster.

"The international media was hungry for critical information to counter the sanitized version offered by the government and the nuclear industry. Our English website offered clearly referenced Nuke Info Tokyo articles," he wrote.

Current editor Caitlin Stronell said although she was not working with CNIC then, she followed the group's press briefings that were streamed daily. Specialists from the group and former nuclear power plant engineers explained the situation in Fukushima.

"I can imagine how important it was this information got out to the world," Stronell said. "Meanwhile, the government was just saying 'there is no immediate threat to health.'"

Matsukubo argues that the government and electric power companies operating nuclear plants tend to withhold information, not just when accidents occur but also in normal times.

Although the government has said the Fukushima plant is under control, it is uncertain how many more years it will take to deal with over a million tons of treated radioactive water from the plant and decommission damaged reactors.

The government continues to deem nuclear power a major energy source, although, since 2014, it has said it aims to decrease its reliance on such power.

The basic energy policy being revised by the government says that nuclear power, which produces no carbon dioxide, should be used together with renewable energy sources to achieve carbon neutrality in 2050.

CNIC's newsletter has covered government policies, the technical and safety aspects of nuclear plants, opposition to nuclear power, and its health implications and economic impacts.

Running the English newsletter, staffed by Stronell, four freelance translators, and an editor who is also co-director of the group, costs around 1.5 million yen ($13,700) per year. While the translators used to work voluntarily, CNIC started to pay them in 2009 -- though they receive half or less than the market rate.

At this time, the newsletter, which had been printed and mailed to readers with a postage fee charged only to readers in Japan, was made available for free online. Several hundred readers regularly refer to the newsletter, among them journalists, NGO staff, and academics.

Another co-director of CNIC, Hideyuki Ban, said that researchers worldwide have quoted Nuke Info Tokyo in their work.

"Nuke Info Tokyo is the only newsletter in English that specializes in the situation of nuclear power in Japan and has covered a wide range of issues from citizens' standpoints for decades," Ban said.

CNIC was founded in 1975 by scientists, including the late Jinzaburo Takagi, a nuclear chemist who began his career in the nuclear industry but later voiced concerns about atomic power.

The first issue of Nuke Info Tokyo was released in 1987 after Takagi attended an international conference in Vienna and was shocked to learn that attendees there knew little about nuclear power issues in Japan.

This year, CNIC mainly received questions from people overseas on treated radioactive water to be released from the Fukushima plant out to sea following a government decision in April.

Ban said the group has conducted lectures on the issue for a South Korean civic group and an anti-nuke organization in the Philippines. Both countries have expressed concerns over the water dumping.

CNIC is also closely watching the discussion of nuclear power policies by the four candidates of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party's leadership race scheduled for Wednesday.

One of the candidates, Taro Kono, has said Japan should give up a policy of reprocessing spent nuclear fuel, maintaining that plutonium extracted from spent fuel would be of no use, while another candidate, Fumio Kishida, advocates keeping the policy.

Ban said he is paying attention to Kono's comments as putting a halt to reprocessing spent nuclear fuel would, in his opinion, mean a significant step in the right direction.

To coincide with the policy discussion, CNIC held a virtual seminar on Friday to draw attention to the issues and help people make up their minds on the right policy for Japan.

Stronell said she hopes to run an article on the seminar given by experts in the newsletter.

"I think the most important thing is having independent experts' information on nuclear power accidents like Fukushima and other problems to let people make decisions about their own health and future," Stronell said. "And so for us to continue to do this, and that's what the crowdfunding project is about, any support is very much appreciated."

Related coverage:

Japan decides to release water from Fukushima nuclear plant into sea

Q&A: Release of Fukushima nuclear plant treated water into sea

FOCUS: Fukushima plant water release to prolong seafood safety woes
KYODO NEWS - Sep 27, 2021 - 21:32 | Feature, All, Japan

Kei Komuro, the boyfriend of Princess Mako, returned to Japan on Monday for the first time in about three years from the United States, where he lives, to prepare for their marriage amid a controversy over a financial dispute involving his mother.

Komuro, 29, is expected to hold a press conference together with the niece of Emperor Naruhito after roughly two weeks of coronavirus quarantine and the two plan to register their marriage in October before starting a new life in the United States, where Komuro is working at a law firm, sources familiar with the matter have said.

Wearing a suit without a necktie and his long hair tied back in a ponytail, Komuro arrived at Narita airport near Tokyo at around 3:30 p.m. flanked by security guards amid huge media attention.

Bowing to around 170 waiting members of the press, he proceeded through the airport in silence, subsequently leaving around 5 p.m. in a black van trailed by numerous security vehicles.

He arrived at his mother's home in Yokohama roughly two hours later to a throng of reporters gathered outside her condominium, where he is expected to quarantine for two weeks.

The couple's wedding has been attracting a great deal of public and media attention, with many Japanese tabloid magazines and TV talk shows airing details about Komuro and his family. His arrival was broadcast live on TV.

Komuro left for New York in August 2018 to study at Fordham University's law school, from which he graduated with a Juris Doctor degree in May this year.

Their wedding has been postponed for about three years following a string of media reports about a dispute between Komuro's mother and a former fiance over 4 million yen ($36,000) in financial support, including money spent on Komuro's education.

In April, Komuro issued a statement seeking to correct what he called misunderstandings among the public about his mother's financial status.

Shortly after releasing the statement, Komuro offered to make a payment to his mother's former fiance in an effort to settle the money dispute. But there has been no progress in the case since then.

"If they love each other and want to get married, then I wish to congratulate them," said a 43-year-old woman from Chiba Prefecture who happened to be at Narita airport on Monday.

But another woman, 69, from Sapporo said Komuro "should ensure accountability before getting married," referring to the financial troubles of his family.

The Imperial Household Agency is planning to forgo the usual rites associated with imperial family members' weddings, such as an official engagement ceremony called "Nosai no Gi," and a "Choken no Gi" event to officially meet with the emperor and empress prior to marriage.

While female imperial family members traditionally receive a lump-sum payment of up to about 150 million yen upon their departure from the household, the agency will likely accept Princess Mako's unprecedented request that she not receive any such payment, government sources have said.

Under the current rules, female imperial family members lose their royal status upon marrying a commoner. The payment, which would be financed by taxpayers' money, is intended to maintain the dignity of former royal family members.

If the money is not gifted to Princess Mako, 29, the eldest daughter of Crown Prince Fumihito, it will be the first time in Japan's postwar history that a female imperial family member has not received such a payment upon marrying a commoner.

Since Japanese imperial family members do not have passports, the princess needs to first create a family registry with Komuro as an ordinary citizen before applying for her passport.

After submitting legal papers to register the marriage, the princess is expected to move from her imperial residence to a Tokyo condo while preparing for her new life in the United States.

Komuro and the princess met in 2012 as students at International Christian University in Tokyo and were unofficially engaged in September 2017.

Their wedding was initially scheduled to take place on Nov. 4, 2018, but the agency announced in February that year the postponement of ritual ceremonies related to their marriage following reports on the financial dispute.

Related coverage:

Japan gov't to accept Princess Mako's decision to decline marriage money

Princess Mako's boyfriend to return to Japan on Sept. 27 ahead of marriage

Princess Mako's boyfriend to return from U.S. to register marriage
KYODO NEWS - Sep 27, 2021 - 12:19 | All, Japan

The Japanese government adopted on Monday a draft cybersecurity strategy for the next three years, naming China, Russia and North Korea as cyberattack threats for the first time.

The strategy, expected to be endorsed by the Cabinet soon, said the situation in cyberspace contains the "risk of rapidly developing into a critical situation" and that the three states are suspected of being involved in hostile cyber activities.

It also said Japan will take "tough countermeasures using every effective means and capability available," including diplomatic responses and criminal prosecutions.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato urged members of the Cybersecurity Strategic Headquarters to "work with local governments while giving sufficient consideration to gaining the public's trust and steadily implement measures stated in the strategy."

Japan did not confirm any cyberattacks affecting the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games this summer, he said.

Japan will accelerate cooperation in the cyber field with its partners in the Quad framework -- the United States, Australia and India -- as well as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to realize a free and open Indo-Pacific region, the draft strategy said, in an apparent effort to counter China's growing clout.

From the standpoint of eliminating risks to economic activities, the strategy noted the need to ensure that critical infrastructure such as submarine cables are well protected and to create new safety and reliability standards for IT devices.

With the launch of the Digital Agency on Sept. 1 for promoting digitalization of the country, the draft called for simultaneous promotion of cybersecurity and digital reforms.

The strategy, which will replace the current one adopted in July 2018, triggered criticism from China as being "groundless slander" against China and Russia when it was compiled in July.
KYODO NEWS - Sep 27, 2021 - 18:45 | World, All

China on Monday criticized the leaders of the United States, Japan, Australia and India, who held their "Quad" summit meetings in Washington late last week, for "agitating threats" allegedly posed by the Communist-led government.

During the first in-person summit of the group of major Indo-Pacific democracies, the leaders of the four countries on Friday showcased their deepening ties in the face of China's security and economic assertiveness.

Their joint statement released after the meeting did not directly mention China, but their agenda items were apparently connected to the Asian power's rise, including its territorial claims in surrounding waters as well as trade and other issues.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told reporters that the United States has blatantly interfered in internal affairs of other nations, which would hurt peace, development and cooperation in the international community.

"China's development is the growth of the power for world peace and the gospel of regional prosperity," Hua said, adding the administration of U.S. President Joe Biden should "stop engaging in closed and exclusive small circles" for the sake of stability in the region.

The Quad originated in 2004 in response to the Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami. But in recent years, the group has gained traction as a counterweight to China's growing clout in the Asia-Pacific region amid increasing Sino-U.S. rivalry.

Biden has placed emphasis on the Quad as one of the "new configurations" designed to take on the challenges of this century, along with the just-launched Indo-Pacific security partnership among Australia, Britain and the United States, dubbed AUKUS.

The Global Times, a tabloid of the ruling Communist Party, said Saturday that the Quad is an "initiative that aims to incite disputes and confrontation under the banner of cooperation especially in the Western Pacific."

Most countries, however, have not been "wanting to pick sides" between China and the United States, the newspaper said, adding Washington "could not form an anti-China coalition like what it did to the Soviet Union during the Cold War."

Related coverage:

Quad expands cooperation to space, regularizes summit amid China rise

FOCUS: Biden's Indo-Pacific shift under scrutiny as AUKUS alliance is formed
By Tomoyuki Tachikawa, KYODO NEWS - Sep 27, 2021 - 23:04 | World, All

An apparent plea bargaining between China and the United States late last week signals that the world's two major powers may be trying to prevent their economic and security tensions from escalating further, diplomatic sources said.

A possible change in Sino-U.S. ties could also force Japan to reconsider its diplomacy toward China, as the government of Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga has just followed suit with Washington on regional issues including Taiwan, the sources added.

On Friday, the chief financial officer of Chinese tech giant Huawei Technologies Co., Meng Wanzhou, who admitted to fraud charges, was released by Canadian authorities around three years after she was detained in Vancouver on behalf of the United States.

The move by the U.S. Justice Department came as President Joe Biden, who has been criticized for having triggered political confusion in Afghanistan, said in a U.N. speech last week, "We are not seeking a new Cold War or a world divided into rigid blocs."

Chinese President Xi Jinping has also sought stable relations with the United States amid the economic uncertainty stemming from a potential default of property developer China Evergrande Group, whose liabilities have swelled to nearly 2 trillion yuan ($309 billion).

Immediately after the release of Meng, the daughter of Huawei's founder, Ren Zhengfei, two Canadians detained in China on espionage were discharged from prison. The detention of the two men had been regarded as Beijing's retaliation for Meng's arrest.

Such developments indicated China and the United States have been willing to improve their ties, as they are believed to be "tired" of continuing an "endless battle" that could eventually harm the global economic and security order, one of the sources said.

In the wake of the bargaining, Beijing and Washington are expected to begin "full-fledged preparations" for the first direct summit between Xi and Biden, who took office in January, he said.

Should the two nations start to aim at a thaw in their relations, Japan, one of the closest U.S. allies in the world, would have to map out a new strategy on how to get along with its neighbor that has been irritated by Suga's interference in Taiwan affairs.

At their summit in Washington in April, Suga confirmed with Biden "the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait." It marked the first time in 52 years that Japanese and U.S. leaders have mentioned Taiwan in a joint statement.

A scholar familiar with Sino-Japanese ties said, "Taiwan is a core interest of China. Japan has suddenly meddled in the issue since Biden became the U.S. president. China has been reluctant to maintain the positive momentum in relations with Japan."

"As long as China cannot get a clue to ease strains with the United States, it would extend an olive branch to Japan, which may work as a broker between the two countries. But if it judges it unnecessary to do so, Japan-China ties would worsen," he said.

Along with Washington, Tokyo has also lambasted Beijing's crackdown on Hong Kong's pro-democracy movement and its alleged human rights abuses against the Muslim Uyghur minority in China's far western Xinjiang region.

In Japan, Suga, who has served as prime minister for about one year, will be replaced in October. His policy toward China has resembled a tool for bolstering Japan's security relations with the United States, frustrating the Communist-led government, the scholar said.

Meng's release "could be a turning point in U.S.-China ties. Japan's next prime minister should hammer out a well-balanced diplomatic strategy toward China, while keeping a close eye on how U.S.-China relations would develop ahead," he said.

A deterioration of China-Japan ties would have a "bigger and more direct impact on peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region than those between the United States and China," the scholar said.

"So far, it seems that Japan has not come up with its own concrete and practical strategy on how to deal with issues surrounding China's regional and global assertiveness. This is dangerous," he added.

In December 2018, Canada arrested Meng at the request of the United States, which accused her of helping Huawei evade U.S. sanctions on Iran. Her detention became one of the sources of tension between Beijing and Washington.

As Huawei is known as a leader in the field of next-generation 5G mobile communications, former U.S. President Donald Trump, Biden's predecessor, imposed export restrictions on products of the Chinese company on security grounds.

In evident retaliation for Meng's arrest, China had detained two Canadian citizens -- former diplomat Michael Kovrig and businessman Michael Spavor.

When she arrived in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen from Vancouver on Saturday night on a charter flight, Meng, clad in a red dress, stepped out of the cabin, with the crowd waving national flags and chanting "welcome home."

"President Xi Jinping cares about the safety of each and every Chinese citizen, including me. I am deeply moved," Meng was quoted as saying in front of the crowd by the official Xinhua News Agency.

The Global Times, a tabloid of the ruling Communist Party, hailed Meng's release, ironically saying on Sunday, "A detente in the China-U.S. relationship will bring no less benefit to the U.S. than to China."

"The Biden team may have felt that it is unable to comprehensively contain China, and intended to contract some fronts of conflict with China," the newspaper added.

On Friday, meanwhile, the leaders of the United States, Japan, Australia and India showcased their deepening ties in the face of China's rise, at their first in-person summit in Washington of the group of major Indo-Pacific democracies.

Their joint statement issued after the meeting, however, made no direct reference to China. Beijing also did not release a statement condemning the Quad soon after the summit, although it had done so following previous gatherings by the group.

Related coverage:

Huawei executive released by Canada after 3-year detention

2 Canadians detained in China released as Huawei executive goes free

Biden strengthens ban on investments in Chinese defense, tech firms
KYODO NEWS - Sep 27, 2021 - 16:25 | All, Japan

Digitalization minister Takuya Hirai was treated to expensive meals by Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corp. on two occasions, the Digital Agency said Monday amid a deepening ethics scandal at the just-launched organization.

Hirai had previously said he paid his share for the meals, which took place last year on Oct. 2 and Dec. 4. But the agency said he only did so this June after learning that a weekly magazine was preparing to write a story on the wining and dining.

Last week, the agency said its No. 2 bureaucrat, Koichi Akaishi, was taking a pay cut as punishment for being treated to three meals worth 120,000 yen ($1,085) by NTT executives in violation of the ethics code for government employees.

The agency at the time declined to name the company that paid for the meals, but admitted Monday it was NTT and that Hirai had attended two of the three meals.

Hirai has already said he will voluntarily return a month's salary over his involvement.

A subsidiary of NTT supplies software used by the Cabinet Secretariat, and the parent company issued a statement apologizing for its "insufficient recognition" of the ethics code, which forbids government employees from receiving favors from stakeholders.

The Shukan Bunshun magazine reported in June that NTT executives including CEO Jun Sawada had taken Hirai to an exclusive restaurant in Tokyo's upscale Azabu district.

The scandal could hurt public trust in the agency, which was launched on Sept. 1 as part of Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga's drive for the government to implement digital technology more effectively.

Related coverage:

Digital Agency exec punished, minister returns salary over dining

Japanese lawmaker found guilty of casino bribe claims false charges

Japanese lawmaker Akimoto given 4-yr jail term over casino graft
KYODO NEWS - Sep 27, 2021 - 15:14 | Arts, All, Japan

Tokyo police arrested Monday two men from western Japan on suspicion of copyright infringement in connection with the circulation of prints of Japanese-style artworks by late master Nihonga painters including Ikuo Hirayama.

Former art dealer Yuzo Kato, 53, and block print studio manager Masashi Kitabata, 67, are suspected of conspiring to produce prints of works by famous traditional Japanese-style painters without permission from their families, thus violating the copyrights they hold, investigative sources said.

Authorized prints must be made from blocks produced by craftspeople with permission from the copyright holder.

According to the sources, Kato allegedly sold some of the prints delivered by Kitabata to other dealers, who then distributed them to department stores in Japan.

Kato from Osaka Prefecture and Kitabata from Nara Prefecture were arrested for allegedly making seven copies of five artworks including Kaii Higashiyama's 1972 lithograph piece titled "Forest with a White Horse" without the family's approval over a two-year period from January 2017, the sources said.

After an earlier probe by an art dealers' association, Kato had said via his lawyer, "I apologize for any inconvenience caused to copyright holders, buyers, and the art industry. I will work to repair the damage."

Meanwhile, Kitabata said in an earlier interview with Kyodo News that he produced roughly 20 prints each of about 40 artworks at the request of Kato for about eight years, adding, "I was in need of money. I thought (Kato) had obtained permission."

The Contemporary Graphic Art Dealers Association of Japan launched a probe after a staff member noticed an unusually high volume of works by Hirayama was in circulation in spring last year.

The unauthorized prints were elaborate enough to deceive many, except for specialists, who noticed that the signatures and coloring were slightly unnatural.

Kato, who was a member of the association, admitted to selling the unauthorized prints during the probe. He was then expelled from the organization in December last year.

The association said in February that the probe has confirmed unlicensed copies of a total of 10 artworks by renowned Japanese artists -- Hirayama, Higashiyama and Tamako Kataoka.

After appraising a total of 201 pieces of the 10 artworks brought in by dealers that were suspected to be unauthorized, an art experts group said in May that 120 pieces, or about 60 percent, were found to be unlicensed.

"It is truly regrettable that people involved in the art industry have been arrested in a case that has caused so much inconvenience to art lovers and others concerned," said Yasuhiko Aoki, head of the association's ad-hoc investigation team.

"We hope that the truth will be revealed and we will continue to cooperate with investigative authorities as much as possible," he added.

In February, Japanese department store operator Sogo & Seibu Co. said that a total of 71 art prints it sold between 2009 and 2020 with sales amounting 55 million yen ($497,000) were suspected to be unauthorized and began processes for refunds.
KYODO NEWS - Sep 28, 2021 - 00:09 | All, Japan

A South Korean court on Monday ordered the sale of local assets of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd., which were earlier seized by former plaintiffs in lieu of compensation in a wartime forced labor lawsuit they won against the Japanese company, court officials said.

It is the first time that a South Korean court has ordered the sale of a Japanese company's assets in relation to the issue. If the assets are actually liquidated, it will likely worsen already frayed relations with Japan, which is contemplating retaliatory measures.

The local daily Kyunghyang_Shinmun, in its online edition, reported that the Daejeon District Court on Monday ordered the sale of trademark rights and patent rights of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries in the country.

The two former plaintiffs are South Korean women in their 90s who were conscripted as laborers during World War II when Japan ruled the Korean Peninsula. They said they were promised opportunities to study and earn money but were instead put to work at factories of the company in Japan during the war.

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries called the court's decision "extremely regrettable" and echoed Japan's official stance that all South Korean claims stemming from its 35-year colonial rule were settled under a 1965 bilateral agreement under which it provided grants and loans to Seoul.

Even though the Daejeon District Court has rejected its past appeals, the company vowed to immediately appeal the court's latest decision.

It is likely to be some time before the actual sale of the assets could take place because even if the company's appeal is rejected in the first instance, it can fight up to the third instance, during which time they cannot be sold.

According to the South Korean newspaper, two sale orders were issued by the judge for the company's two trademark rights and two patent rights, for a total of about 210 million won ($178,000) for each of the two former plaintiffs, including late damages.

Their lawyers reportedly said there might be various sale methods, such as setting up an auction, with prices calculated on the basis of an already-conducted appraisal of the trademark and patent rights.

South Korean President Moon Jae In said in January that the liquidation of Japanese assets in South Korea was "undesirable," showing his stance of seeking a diplomatic solution to the problems.

But such a solution has remained elusive and the ties between the two countries remain at their lowest level in decades over wartime labor and compensation issues including the one involving Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.

Japan has said the series of the court procedures in South Korea are against international law.
KYODO NEWS - Sep 5, 2021 - 20:56 | World, All, Coronavirus

Nineteen Chinese warplanes entered Taiwan's air defense identification zone on Sunday, the self-governed island's Defense Ministry said, as 400,000 doses of coronavirus vaccine donated by Poland arrived.

Taiwanese media speculated that Beijing, which considers Taiwan a renegade province to be reunified, sent the airplanes in response to the arrival of the vaccine developed by Britain's AstraZeneca Plc.

The 19 warplanes, including 10 J-16 fighters, four H-6 bombers and one Y-8 anti-submarine aircraft, entered the zone southwest of the island before turning back, according to the ministry.

The vaccine doses arrived at Taoyuan International Airport in northern Taiwan early Sunday morning. A spokesman at the office of Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen expressed appreciation for the goodwill gesture from a "democratic partner."

Poland has become the fourth European country to supply COVID-19 vaccines to Taiwan, after Lithuania, Slovakia and the Czech Republic. All four countries maintain diplomatic ties with China, but are in the middle of re-evaluating their relations with China and Taiwan over Beijing's alleged human rights abuses and tightening of control over Hong Kong.

According to the presidential office and other sources, the island provided 1 million medical-use masks to Poland in April last year. After virus cases spiked in Taiwan this May, Poland provided 1,500 pieces of protective gear to Taipei city.

Related coverage:

28 Chinese air force planes enter Taiwan's air defense ID zone

25 Chinese warplanes enter Taiwan's air defense identification zone

20 Chinese warplanes enter Taiwan's air defense identification zone
KYODO NEWS - Sep 27, 2021 - 22:51 | All, World

Germany's Social Democratic Party has claimed victory in Sunday's general election, edging out the conservative bloc led by Chancellor Angela Merkel, according to the preliminary final results.

The results released Monday by the German election committee showed the Social Democrats, or the SPD, won 25.7 percent of votes, narrowly beating Merkel's conservative bloc of the Christian Democratic Union and the Christian Social Union, which received a record low 24.1 percent.

Members of the German Social Democrats react to initial results at SPD headquarters in federal parliamentary elections on Sept. 26, 2021, in Berlin. (Getty/Kyodo)

Merkel is stepping down after 16 years in power and the focus now is on coalition talks ahead of the formation of a new government for Europe's largest economy.

The SPD's Olaf Scholz, 63, and the CDU's Armin Laschet, 60, are vying to succeed Merkel, 67, as the country's next leader.

Both are aiming to team up with other parties, namely the Greens and the Free Democratic Party, to form a new government by the end of the year.

But with tough negotiations on the horizon given the conflicting agendas among parties, it remains difficult to predict when the new coalition will be formed.

The SPD has won 206 seats in the lower house of German parliament, followed by the CDU-CSU bloc with 196 seats, the pro-environmental Greens with 118 and the FDP with 92.

Scholz has promised to raise the minimum wage and increase taxes for high-income earners, while Laschet has pledged to achieve carbon neutrality in 2045 without causing job losses.

The percentage of votes won by the CDU-CSU bloc was at an all-time low, apparently affected by a gaffe by Laschet, who was caught joking and laughing during a visit to a flood-hit town in July.

Related coverage:

Biden, Merkel vow to defend democratic values amid China's rise

Japan welcomes German, French commitment to Indo-Pacific
KYODO NEWS - Sep 28, 2021 - 11:08 | All, Japan, Coronavirus

The Japanese government said Monday it will ease quarantine rules for people entering the country who have been vaccinated against COVID-19 starting Oct. 1, shortening the required period for self-isolating at home from 14 days to 10 days.

People who have been fully vaccinated will be able to go outside as long as they test negative for the virus after 10 days following their arrival, Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato told a press conference.

Only shots developed by Pfizer Inc., Moderna Inc. or AstraZeneca Plc are eligible, and a "vaccine passport" either issued in or recognized by Japan is required.

People traveling from some countries including Britain and India that Japan sees as having a heightened risk of introducing coronavirus variants had needed to spend the first three of the 14 days in a government-designated facility, but will no longer be required to do so if they are fully vaccinated.

Meanwhile, Japan will tighten quarantine rules for travelers from nine countries, who will now need to spend the first six of the 14 days in a government-designated facility with no exemptions for those that have gotten both of their shots.

The countries are Argentina, Brazil, Costa Rica, Colombia, Peru, the Philippines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago and Venezuela.

Japan currently does not allow the entry of foreign nationals in principle, with arrivals mostly limited to Japanese citizens and foreign nationals already living in the country.

Kato said the relaxed quarantine rules were the first in a series of steps in "a review of our border measures."

"Going forward, we will consider allowing entry depending on the COVID-19 situation abroad, while taking steps including restrictions on movement and testing," he said.

Related coverage:

Japan to experiment with proof of vaccination at big sporting events

U.S. to shift in Nov. from travel bans to vaccine proof for visitors

Japan business lobby seeks to end quarantine for vaccinated arrivals
New Delhi:

The candidates who have appeared for the MTET 2019, we have some important news for you. The results of the Mizoram Teacher Eligibility Test (MTET), conducted by the Mizoram Board of School Education, has been released. The students can now check the results on the official website of the Mizoram Board of Secondary Education to check their result online. The official link to check the MTET 2019 result is - https://www.mbse.edu.in.

The Mizoram Teacher Eligibility Test (MTET) was conducted on January 22. The Mizoram Education Board has uploaded the MTET 2019 result PDF on its official website. The PDF has details of candidates such as Roll number, Name, Father's Name, and Result status. The result status of all the candidates who appeared for only Paper I or only for Paper II or for both papers - is mentioned in the PDF.

For the convenience of the students, we have mentioned the steps through which the candidates can download the MTET Result 2019. The candidates will first have to visit the official website of the board. Then, they will have click on the result link available on the website. The candidates will then have to enter all the required details like name, roll number. Now, the candidates will be able to check the status of the result - Unqualified/Qualified.
New Delhi:

Robert Vadra, who was grilled for two consecutive days, is back at the Enforcement Directorate office again for questioning in the money laundering case. The central probe agency had questioned him for over 8 hours on Thursday and for almost six hours on Wednesday in connection with alleged criminal charges of dubious financial dealings. The son-in-law of UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi has been refusing any links with arms dealer Sanjay Bhandari and his relative Sumit Chadha, the ED officials think otherwise. According to the probe agency, a mail reveals the extent of dealings between all three in the money laundering case.

On Saturday, the ED officials grilled him for over four hours beginning at around 11 am. News Nation has the list of questions that ED officials asked during the questioning. The main questions that were asked are:

A

1: How many properties you own in India?

2: Where are these properties located?

3: Around what time did you purchase these properties?

4: In which Indian and foreign companies have you invested?

5: From whom did you buy the properties?A A

A

Apart from these, the morning grilling also focussed on a piece of information in which Sanjay Bhandari had allegedly booked ticket for Vadra. According to the document seen by News Nation, the Enforcement Directorate questioned Vadra over his links with arms dealer Sanjay Bhandari. It is learnt that Bhandari had earlier revealed to Income Tax department that he had booked Vadra's ticket from France's Nice to New Delhi in August 2012.

A

The ED has also asked Vadra to furnish income tax returnes from 2001 to 2014. News Nation also has the mail on which the ED is basing its probe. The mail is written by Chadha complaining about not receiving any afundsa for the London house renovation. In the mail with aBrynston Sqa written in subject line, Chadha rues over delay in payment. aHi Robert, Hope all is well. Any update on when some funds will be sent, have not heard back from anyone and & would appreciate if you can let me know so I can plan my cash flows (sic).a

#NewsNationExclusive: ED questions #RobertVadra over his links with arms dealer Sanjay Bhandari. Bhandari had earlier revealed to Income Tax dept that he had booked Vadra's ticket from France's Nice to New Delhi in August 2012.



Follow LIVE updates: https://t.co/0DzhkcxQOS pic.twitter.com/RilqobKun6 a News Nation (@NewsNationTV) February 9, 2019

Chadha goes on to say that he was doing the job as a favour. aAs you are aware I am not doing this project for any commercial gain only to complete a task taken on a favour & my ability to complete without unnecessary stress will be greatly assisted if I can be given some clear assurances & timelines on when I will be reimbursed,a Chadha wrote.

Contrary to what Vadra has been claiming the mail shows that Chadha renovated the London property on his order. aI have commenced completion of all the remaining structural works at the property in relation to the floors, bathrooms & heating systems. All materials have been procured & installation has begun of the wooden floors, hope to have full team on site to install bathrooms from middle of next week as good news is that I have been able to arrange express delivery of the majority of core bathroom fittings,a Chadha wrote.

To this, Vadra has replied from his Yahoo account. aWas not aware that nothing had reached you. Will look into it in the morning and let Manoj sort it out. Will be in London soon. You take care,a Vadra wrote.A A

Here are some of the questions ED officials asked Robert Vadra on February 6:

1. Is London's 12 Brighton Squire property yours?

2. Whatas your connection with the London property, why mails were sent to you regarding its renovation?

3. Is it right that the floor plan of this property was sent to you? In 2010, when these mails were coming to you, this property was with the arms dealer Sanjay Bhandari. Then why did the email come to you? Is this property linked to you?

4. A fund was also sought to build a property from you, and in response, you also responded to Sumit Chadda who had sent the mail. You had assured him for the fund, why were you arranging for the fund?

5. Why was the copy of every email sent to you was given to Sanjay Bhandari?

6. How do you know Sanjay Bhandari and Sumit Chadda?

7. Do you know the Indian national CC Thampi, who lives in Dubai, and who bought this property from Sanjay Bhandari?A

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

Bharatiya Janata Party president Amit Shah on Monday wrote an open letter to the people of Andhra Pradesh where he launched a blistering attack on Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and said that the TDP chief has destroyed the trust of the people. BJP president Amit Shah said the Andhra Pradesh chief minister knows that his political fortunes are declining rapidly and so he was back to theatrics in his desperation for grabbing headlines. Naidus delusional politics is about to end, he said, adding that the BJP has full faith in Satyameva Jayate (truth prevails).

In his letter posted on social media, Shah said people will teach Naidu a befitting lesson in the coming elections for joining hands with the Congress, which bifurcated the state in a unilateral, hasty and unscientific manner, ignoring its interests. The assembly elections in the state will be held simultaneously with the Lok Sabha polls. Lashing out at Naidu, Shah said his party is aware that Naidu has Congress blood in him but it never expected that he will go to the extent of even surpassing the Congress in speaking lies and in carrying a hate campaign against the central government, Modi and the BJP.

The Andhra Pradesh chief minister had started his politics as a Congress member and joined the TDP, which was founded by his father-in-law N T Rama Rao, later. With Naidu now in an alliance with the Congress, Shah mocked him for joining hands with a party which imposed Emergency and dismissed the N T Rama Rao government in 1984.

Sensing defeat in the coming elections, he has made multiple U-turns and is carrying out malicious propaganda against the Centre and the BJP leadership to divert peoples attention from his failures, the BJP president said. In his long letter, Shah cited a number of central projects being taken up in the state in addition to those mentioned in the Act that divided it in 2014  leading to the formation of Telangana.

Various ministries have approved additional projects to Andhra Pradesh with an outlay of more than Rs 3 lakh crores, Shah said, asserting this illustrates the manner in which the Union government prioritised its assistance to the state.

Responding to demands of special category status to the state, he said the Centre has been constrained by the 14th finance commissions recommendations which, he added, did not make a distinction between special and general category states for financial support and tax devolution.

As a result, the Centre in consultation with the state government worked out special assistance for Andhra Pradesh, Shah said. Hitting out at Naidu for his U-turn, the BJP chief said he had hailed the special package announced on the assemblys floor and in several public forums, and had even declared that a special category status was not a panacea and did not help states development.

In fact, the Andhra Pradesh assembly had passed a resolution thanking the Central government for approving a special economic package for the state, Shah noted. Apparently, panic has set in now and the TDP leader is scared that his omissions and commissions would be exposed, he claimed.

That is why he is going to the extent of accepting the leadership of the Congress which has ruled and ruined the country, compromised the integrity of every institution and is neck-deep in scams and scandals, he said.

Full text of the letter:

AN OPEN LETTER TO PEOPLE OF ANDHRA PRADESH

DESPERATE HISTRIONICS BY TDP LEADER TO MISLEAD PEOPLE OF ANDHRA PRADESH

My Dear People of Andhra Pradesh,

The Telugu Desam leader and AP Chief Minister, N. Chandrababu Naidu is back to theatrics and histrionics. His desperation for grabbing headlines is understandable as he is aware that his political fortunes are declining rapidly.

Shri Naidu knows that he has lost complete credibility among the people of Andhra Pradesh and as a result is announcing a series of sops to woo different sections. Sensing defeat in the coming elections, he has made multiple U-turns and is carrying on a malicious propaganda against the Centre and BJP leadership to divert peoples attention from his failures. He is going too far by personally attacking Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, and even did not have the courtesy to receive the Honble Prime Minister when he came to the state.

However, the enlightened and politically conscious people will see through his desperation to retain power. They will teach a befitting lesson to him in the coming elections for having joined hands with the Congress, which has bifurcated the state in a unilateral, hasty and unscientific manner, ignoring the interests of the state. People will always remember that Congress had dethroned former Chief Minister, Shri N T Rama Rao in a most undemocratic manner in 1984.

In his lust for power, the TDP leader has destroyed the very anti-Congress foundation on which the party was built by its founder, Shri N T Rama Rao. Congress betrayed the people of Andhra Pradesh while dividing the state and now TDP leader wants to work for bringing back Congress to power. His actions smack of political opportunism.

He hailed the special package announced by the NDA government on the floor of the Assembly, in party meetings, public forums and press conferences, and even declared that Special Category Status was not a panacea and did not help states with such status to develop. At that time other parties demanded Special Category Status, he called them names arrested many people agitating for such status. However, he made a complete U-turn and is today raising this issue himself. Unnerved by the prospect of TDP facing an uncertain electoral future, he is resorting to cheap gimmicks, distorting facts and misleading the people of Andhra Pradesh by making patently false accusations against the BJP-led NDA government and Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi.

It should be noted that Congress never bothered about the aspirations of the people of Telangana, coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions of the erstwhile Andhra Pradesh state.

Had there been even an iota of sincerity towards the people of Andhra Pradesh, UPA would have included the provision of Special Category Status in AP Reorganization Act. Similarly, why did it not facilitate speedier implementation of Polavaram project by transferring the seven mandals located in Khammam district to Andhra Pradesh? Why did it not promulgate an ordinance in this regard? Let Shri Naidu and the Congress answer the above questions before accusing anybody. Till then, they have no moral right to criticize the Central Government.

Unlike UPA, the Modi Government in its very first cabinet meeting in May 2014 had approved an ordinance for transfer of in 222 villages in seven mandals in two districts to pave way for the execution of the Polavaram project. Shri Naidu falsely, as is his typical habit, falsely claims credit for what the Central Government has done solely on its own initiative. Also the Polavaram Ordinance Bill was passed in the first Parliament session after NDA assumed power. Not only that, Polavaram was declared as a national project and the execution of the project was handed over to AP Government at the request of Shri Chandrababu Naidu, which was unprecedented. These actions spoke more loudly than words about the sincerity of NDA government towards people of Andhra Pradesh.

As committed in the Act, Polavaram irrigation project has been declared as National Project. Further, it has been decided to provide 100% of the remaining cost of Irrigation Component of the project for the period starting from 1.4.2014, to the extent of the Cost of Irrigation Component on that date and till date Rs. 6,764.70 crores has been released.

Shri Naidu is probably under an illusion that people will believe whatever he alleges with regard to the fulfilment of the provisions contained in the AP Reorganization Act. In fact, the Modi Government has not only implemented most of the assurances in a record time, but also walked an extra mile to fast-track the progress of Andhra Pradesh. It has accorded highest priority to handholding Andhra Pradesh.

As his wont, Shri Naidu indulged in political skulduggery, back-stabbed his allies and violated the principles of coalition dharma. Ever since he had snapped ties with NDA for his own political survival, he has been letting loose a deluge of disinformation against the NDA government. In a bid to cover up his own failures and inability to implement the populist promises made by him to the people, he has been blaming the Centre without any rhyme or reason. It is pertinent to mention here that at a meeting of the NDA in 2017, Shri Naidu himself took the lead and moved the resolution that the coalition should fight the next elections in 2019 under the leadership of Shri Modi by highlighting the development agenda of the NDA.

We are aware that Shri Chandrababu Naidu has Congress blood in him. But we never expected that he will go to the extent of even surpassing the Congress in speaking lies and untruths and in carrying a hate campaign against the Central Government, the Prime Minister and the BJP.

We were particularly shocked at the manner in which he started spreading canards to justify his U-turn after having realized that he was bound to lose the upcoming elections as he had failed to keep up promises.

What is even more shocking is the manner in which Shri Naidu is twisting facts about assistance provided by the Centre to the Andhra Pradesh government. On many occasions, he had endorsed the special package announced by the Centre in lieu of special category status.

I would like to recall that Shri Naidu that had hailed the special package on the floor of the assembly on Mar 16, 2017 and said that every benefit that would have come under SCS to the state, would accrue through the special economic package.

In fact, the Andhra Pradesh Assembly had passed a resolution thanking the Central Government for approving a special economic package for the state.

At that time, Shri Naidu had also called a meeting of senior leaders of his party and hailed the benefits of the special package and categorically stated that special category status was not a panacea. He reiterated the same in the Assembly also.

In fact, he had declared that special package was better than special status and also ridiculed his political opponents by asking what was the present status of the states which were given special status for the past many years and why did they not develop?

The TDP leader also dismissed the claims of other parties that special category status would entail special tax incentives to the state and went to the extent of challenging them to prove their claim.

Now with the support of a section of willing media, he has been indulging in false propaganda at all forums and virtually made the TDP subservient to the Congress. Let me also remind all Telugu people of Andhra Pradesh that in the past Shri Naidu had lambasted the Congress President, Shri Rahul Gandhi for visiting Andhra Pradesh and questioned the purpose of his visit.

Apparently, panic has set in now and the TDP leader is scared that his omissions and commissions would be exposed. Thats why, he is going to the extent of accepting the leadership of the Congress Party which has ruled and ruined the country, compromised the integrity of every institution and is neck-deep in scams and scandals.

The TDP leader joined hands with a party which had imposed Emergency and had dismissed his father-in-lawthe popularly elected Telugu Desam founder and former Chief Minister, Shri N T Rama Rao in 1984.

I appeal to the enlightened Telugu people to see the evil designs of the Telugu Desam leadership which is burying the basic principles on which Telugu Desam was founded.

Although the AP Reorganization Act provided a window period of 10 years for implementing various provisions, the NDA government not only speedily sanctioned a record number of educational, developmental and other infrastructure-related projects, but also released funds for executing them. Never in the history of independent India have so many projects been sanctioned in such short span of time to a single state by the Centre. This fact in itself speaks volumes about the commitment and sincerity of the NDA government towards developing Andhra Pradesh.

As per Section 93 of AP Reorganization Act, the Central Government is committed to all necessary measures as enumerated in the 13th Schedule for the progress and sustainable development of successor states within a period of 10 years.

Of the 11 new educational institutions under the Acts 13th Schedule (Section 93), as many as ten institutions have started functioning much ahead of the stipulated schedule. A Tribal University is also coming up. The teninstitutions are IIT, NIT, IIM, IISER, IIIT, AIIMS, Central University, Petroleum University, Agricultural University, and National Institute of Disaster Management NIDM

As regards eight infrastructure projects, Government of India had to examine the feasibility of six projects within six months from the appointed date and initiate action on two others within 10 years. Following feasibility studies, action has been initiated on five projects.Despite non viability of the three other projects the government of India is exploring other alternatives.

A greenfield petrochemical complex is proposed to be established at Kakinada by HPCL-GAIL. The Central Public Sector Enterprises have proposed to invest more than a lakh crore in Andhra Pradesh. These includeGreenfield petrochemical complex at an estimated cost of Rs. 39,145 crore. GAIL and HPCL have already signed an MoU with AP Government in this regard.

The Government has decided to expeditiously take up the Vizag-Chennai industrial corridor. In the very first phase, 800-kilometer long Vizag-Chennai Industrial Corridor (VCIC) segment of East Coast Economic Corridor was taken up. ADB approved US $ 631 million (loans and grants) for VCIC and released US $ 370 million as the first tranche. Krishnapatnam-Chennai-Bengaluru growth corridor was sanctioned.

Apart from upgrading Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada and Tirupati airports to International airports, the night landing facility at Rajahmundry Airport was made operational and the runway expansion is going on with great speed. In Kadapa Airport, the runway was expanded and a new Terminal Building was inaugurated.

Similarly, rapid rail and road connectivity from the new capital of the successor state of Andhra Pradesh to Hyderabad and other important cities of Andhra Pradesh is being taken up. NHAI has agreed to Rs. 20,000 crores for a 384 km Anantapur-Amaravati expressway and Rs. 19,700 crores for outer ring road to capital town of Amaravati. The revival of Buckingham Canal at a cost of Rs. 7,015 crores is another major project to improve inland water transport facilities. Road and inland transport projects worth more than Rs. 1 lakh crores have been approved. Later, Shri Naidu publicly thanked the Centre for the same.

For better Rail connectivity in the region, project worth Rs. 50,000 crores have been sanctioned, which are at various stages of execution. 2,584 km of railway lines are being doubled with an outlay of Rs. 23,137 crores. 2,213 km of new lines are being laid at a cost of 20,301 crores. 15 new projects have been sanctioned with an outlay of Rs. 26,403 crores. The work of new line between Vijayawada and Guntur via Amaravati has been sanctioned in 2017-18 at a cost of Rs. 2,679.59 crores which provides connectivity to the new capital city, Amaravati. The other main projects include a 309 km long new line Nadikude-Srikalahasti at a cost of Rs. 2,289 Cr, Guntakal-Guntur (401 km) doubling project with electrification at a cost of Rs. 3,631 Cr. AP Express, Super-fast daily train Visakhapatnam-Delhi,Humsafar Non-Daily Express trains Vijayawada-Howrah and Tirupati-Jammutawi are running.

Rs. 2,500 crores assistance for Capital City, for development of essential infrastructure etc has been provided. A record number of houses for the poor were sanctioned  the highest ever for any state -11.29lakh houses under the PMAY-Urban programme. Also four Smart Cities and several projects under AMRUT scheme for development of urban infrastructure were sanctioned. Amaravati has been included under Heritage City Development and Augmentation Yojana (HRIDAY) for holistic development.

Rs. 1,050 crores development grant for 7 backward districts of the state covering Rayalaseema and North Coastal Region has been provided.

The Centre also notified tax incentives in seven backward districts under section 32(1)(iia) and section 32AD of the Income-Tax Act.

Accordingly, any manufacturing undertaking set up from April 1, 2015 to March 31, 2020 in these districts is eligible for 15% of higher additional depreciation and 15% of investment allowance on the cost of plant and machinery acquired by it during that period.

The Centre also extended support to make Andhra Pradesh surplusin power and ended the chronic power shortage and power cuts that plagued the state. This was made possible due to the launch of Power for All and Ujwal DISCOM Assurance Yojana (at a benefit of Rs. 4,400 crore). The Government also sanctionedSolar Parks and Ultra Mega Solar Power Project at a cost of about Rs. 24,000 crore. 2.2 crores LED bulbs were provided to consumers saving Rs. 1,100 crores for consumers annually. In addition, 23.8 lakh streetlights were replaced with LED streetlights saving taxpayers money by reducing cost.

The Government of India after examining the feasibility reports of Metro Rails for Vishakhapatnam and Vijayawada-Guntur-Tenali Metropolitan Urban Development Authority wanted to implement these projects in the quickest possible time. The revised proposals for both the projects are awaited from AP government.

As regards Duggirajupatnam project, it was found to be unviableand the AP government was asked to suggest an alternative site. The state Government has still not come forward with a proposal. In a bid to hoodwink people, Shri Naidu laid the foundation stone as a minor port for Ramayanapatnam project without financial support.

After SAIL had declared the proposal to set up a steel plant at Kadapa as unviable, the Centre constituted a Task Force, which held consultations with the state Government and wanted to take it up under PPP mode with support from both state and Centre. However, Shri Naidu indulged in political one-upmanship and laid foundation stone without financial allocation.

The issue of establishing a new railway zone was studied by a Railways committee and is under examination due to the operational complexities and inter-state issues.

The infrastructure projects will get off the ground soon and get completed even before the stipulated time of 10 years mentioned in the Act.

As regards granting Special Category Status to Andhra Pradesh, the Centre has been constrained by the recommendations of the 14th Finance Commission, which did not make a distinction between special and general category states for financial support and tax devolution. As a result, the Centre in consultation with the state Government worked out special assistance for AP.

The Central Government has agreed to give a special assistance measure forAndhra Pradesh for five years, which would make up for the additional Central share the state might have received during these years, i.e. 2015-16 to 2019-20, as envisaged in the then Prime Ministers statement dated 20.2.2014.

This will be in the form of Central Government funding for externally aided projects for Andhra Pradesh.In view of the FRBM limits of the state, the Centre wanted the state Government to create a SPV so that money can be transferred to the SPV. This was conveyed by the Centre to the state government officials during their discussions on February 67, 2018. Still the response from the state government is awaited.

In view of the special circumstances in which Andhra Pradesh found itself following the bifurcation, the Central Government went beyond the provisions contained in the Act.

In fact, various Ministries have been requested to give additional and special projects to Andhra Pradesh and more than Rs. 3 lakh crores worth of such projects (along with those mentioned in the AP Reorganization Act 2014) are being implemented in the state. In fact, several projects not mentioned in the AP Reorganization Act were also sanctioned.

The Union Government also went out of its way to approve Special Assistance Measure to Andhra Pradesh by way of special dispensation in funding of Externally Aided Projects (EAP). In an incredibly quick time, several projects were sanctioned under this special assistance. The state did not exploit full potential of the offer, and failed to submit the adequate proposals.

National Council of Education Research and Training (NCERT) and National Investment Manufacturing Zones (NIMZ) were approved much earlier but these projects could not progress as the needed land is yet to be allocated by state government.

RINL and GoAP signed MOU that envisages investment of around Rs. 38,500 crores to take up various projects at Visakhapatnam with an employment opportunity to around 3,000 people.

A separate High Court for Andhra Pradesh has already started functioning from January this year.

The Centre paved the way for the development of capital city by denotifying forest land in the capital region following a request from the Government of Andhra Pradesh.

A total amount of Rs. 1,37,977.25 crores has been released so far as per recommendations of the 14th Finance Commission. As regards revenue deficit for 2013-14, the Central Government has arrived at an amount of Rs. 4,117.89 crores as Resource Gap for that year and an amount of Rs. 3,979.50 crores has already been released to Andhra Pradesh.

Various Ministries have sanctioned and approved additional projects to Andhra Pradesh with an outlay of more than Rs. 3 lakh crores. This illustrates the extraordinary manner in which the Government of India prioritized Andhra Pradesh in its assistance.

Below are the list of institutions and projects that are sanctioned or approved, and are at various stages ofcompletion, which being taken up as for all round development of Andhra Pradesh in addition to those mentioned in AP Reorganization Act.

National Academy of Customs, Excise and Narcotics at Palasmudram , Anantapur district;

Central Institute of Plastics Engineering and Technology at Surampalli Vijayawada;

NIOT Ocean Research facility at Thupilipallam, Nellore district;

Regional Institute of Education, (NCERT) Nellore (land yet to allotted by state);

MSME Technology Centre at Pudi, Visakhapatnam;

National Kamadhenu Breeding Centre at Chintaladevi, Nellore District;

Indian Culinary Institute at Tirupathi;

Regional Centre for Mental Health and Rehabilitation at Nellore;

Doordarshan Kendra at Vijayawada;

All India Radio station at Vijayawada;

New Regional Passport Office at Vijayawada;

Passport Seva Kendra at Bhimavaram;

School of Planning and Architecture at Vijayawada inaugurated, sanctioned in 2008 but on which no progress was made for nearly 10 years;

BEL Night Vision devices manufacturing at Nimmakuru;

BEL Missile manufacturing plant Pala Samudram, Anantapur District;

Naval Alternative Operational Base in Rambilli;

Naval Air Station in Bobbili at advance stage of planning;

DRDO Missile Test Facility at Nagaylanka;

National Open Air Range Evaluation Centre in Kurnool district at a cost of Rs. 500 crores;

Troops Training Centre in Chittoor with an outlay of Rs. 500 crores;

Multi modal logistic hub at Vishakhapatnam;

Container freight station at Visakhapatnam;

Multimodal logistic park at Kakinada;

Spices Park at Guntur;

SAMEER-A Centre for Electromagnetic Environmental Effects at Vishakhapatnam;

MOU signed by RINL and GoAP for expansion of Vizag steel plant with an outlay of Rs. 38,500 crores;

Greenfield Electronics Manufacturing Cluster being setup in Chittoor district;

Central Research Institute for Yoga and Naturopathy is being set up in Krishna District;

Under Swadesh Darshan, Kakinada Hope Island Coastal Tourism Circuit and Nellore Coastal Tourism Circuit;

Asias first medical devices manufacturing hub atat Vishakhapatnam.

In the end, I would like to say to all of you that Shri Chandrababu Naidu has broken the trust of the people of Andhra Pradesh. His delusional politics is about to end. Our full faith and belief is in aaaaaaa aaaa. Let us jointly contribute to the development of Andhra Pradesh and India.





For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
Mumbai:

A Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) constable, posted as security guard at civil rights activist Teesta Setalvads house here, allegedly committed suicide Saturday morning, police said.

Bhawar Lal Naik (43) allegedly shot himself with his service rifle while on duty at Setalvads bungalow in suburban Santacruz, a police official said.

The reason behind Naiks extreme step was not known, he said, adding that no suicide note was found from the spot. Naiks body had been sent for autopsy, the official added.

Santacruz police have registered a case of accidental death and further probe was on, he said.
Bhubaneswar:

The state BJP on Saturday promised a host of welfare measures including permanent land patta, concrete house to the poor and jobs to the youth in Odisha if it is voted to power in the upcoming Assembly elections 2019. Senior BJP leader and Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan made these announcements at a party meeting in Bhubaneswar. Addressing the event, Pradhan said if the party is voted to power in the state, no one will be left without permanent land patta along with pucca house.

Similarly, all the jobless youth would be provided with employment and self-employment opportunities, he said, appealing to the people to vote for the BJP to ensure speedy development of the state and welfare of all.

Stating that Narendra Modi Government at the Centre has taken a slew of measures for the poor in the country since it came to power in 2014, Pradhan said the BJP will also provide facilities like drinking water, toilets, electricity and LPG connections to the people in Odisha.

Hitting out at the BJD government in the state, he claimed that Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has failed to provide basic amenities to the people despite being in power for the last 19 years.

The BJD government has also failed to provide jobs to the people, he said adding that a large number of jobless youths have been migrating to other states in search of employment. Senior BJD leader Sameer Dash said the announcement is nothing but a political stunt to hoodwink people.
highlights In 2014 Lok Sabha polls, the BJP for the first time won 7 seats in Assam.

The BJP continued its success of 2014 in the 2016 Assam Assembly polls.

The AGP has already quit the NDA over the Citizenship Amendment Bill.

New Delhi:

Lok Sabha Elections 2019: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has finally sounded the poll bugle and declared the schedule for the Lok Sabha Elections 2019 on March 10. The Lok Sabha Elections 2019 will be held in seven phases, starting from April 11. The results will be declared on May 23. 91 constituencies will go for polls in the first phase on April 11, followed by 97 constituencies in the second phase on April 18. The third phase will be held on April 23 and fourth on April 29, fifth on May 6, sixth on May 12 and seventh phase on May 19. 115 constituencies will go for polls in the third phase, 71 in the fourth phase, 51 in the fifth phase, 59 in the sixth phase and 59 in the seventh phase. We are also gearing up for the elections and are coming up with a series: 2019 Lok Sabha Election Analysis: What happened in 2014 Lok Sabha Polls? What will happen this year? Now, let's look at the political scenario in the state of Assam. The Sarbananda Sonowal-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has been ruling the state since 2016. This is the first BJP government in the state. The Congress party is on a backfoot in the state after Tarun Gogoi's stint as the state's chief minister from 2001 to 2016. However, the party can hope to revive its fortunes after the Asom Gana Parishad's (AGP) withdrawal of support from the BJP government over the issue of Citizenship Amendment Bill. The BJP government is still enjoying the backing of the Bodoland People's Front (BPF) and has no immediate threat. In 2014 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP performed well in the state and was able to reduce the Congress tally in the state considerably. Let's discuss this in detail. Also Read: Lok Sabha Elections 2019: When will you vote? Know poll dates of your seat here

Lok Sabha Elections 2019: When will Assam vote?

The polling in the state will be held in three phases on April 11, 18 and 23. Tezpur, Kaliabor, Jorhat, Dibrugarh and Lakhimpur will vote on April 11 whereas Karimganj, Nawgong, Mangaldoi, Silchar and Autonomous District will go for polls on April 18. The remaining four seats of Gauhati, Kokrajhar, Dhubri and Barpeta will vote on April 23.

What happened in Assam in 2014 Lok Sabha Elections?







In 2014 Lok Sabha Elections, the BJP for the first time won 7 seats in Assam. The 2014 polls in Assam were held in three phases on April 7, 12 and 24. The state has 14 Lok Sabha seats and both the Congress and the Badruddin Ajmal-led All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) won 3 seats each. The Independent candidate was successful from Kokrajhar Lok Sabha seat. The BJP received 55,07,152 votes with a vote share of 36.86 per cent, while the Congress was able to garner 44,67,295 votes in the state with a vote share of 29.90 per cent. The AIUDF got 22,37,612 votes with 14.98 per cent of the vote share. The AGP that ruled the state twice between 1985 to 1990 and 1996 to 2001 got 5,77,730 votes with a dismal vote share of 3.87 per cent and drew a blank. According to our analysis, the BJP was ahead in 69 Assembly segments during the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. The Congress was leading on 23 and the AIUDF on 24.

The saffron party had retained Gauhati, Nowgong and Mangaldoi Lok Sabha seats and won Tezpur, Jorhat, Dibrugarh and Lakhimpur seats for the first time in its electoral history. The Congress won Autonomous District, Kaliabor and Silchar seats. Some of the prominent winners in 2014 were Bijoya Chakravarty (BJP-Gauhati), Raman Deka (BJP-Mangaldoi), Rajen Gohain (BJP-Nowgong), Sarbananda Sonowal (BJP-Lakhimpur), Gaurav Gogoi (Congress-Kaliabor), Sushmita Dev (Congress-Silchar) and Badruddin Ajmal (AIUDF-Dhubri). Sonowal resigned in 2016 from Lakhimpur and took over as the chief minister of the state. BJP candidate Pradan Baruah retained the seat for the party in a bypoll. In 2009 Lok Sabha elections, the Congress won 7 seats in the state. The BJP came second with 4 seats in its kitty. The AGP, the BPF and the AIUDF won a seat each.

Kabindra Purkayastha (BJP), Joyram Engleng (BJP), Urkhao Gwra Brahma (Independent), Chandra Mohan Patowary (BJP), Phani Bhusan Choudhury (AGP), Birendra Prasad Baishya (AGP), Kirip Chaliha (Congress), Moni Kumar Subba (Independent), Joseph Toppo (AGP), Bijoy Krishna Handique (Congress), Paban Singh Ghatowar (Congress) and Ranee Narah (Congress) lost the elections.



What was the result of Assam Assembly Elections in 2016?







The BJP continued its Lok Sabha success of 2014 in the Assam Assembly Elections in 2016. The party had formed a formidable rainbow alliance with the AGP, the BPF and other parties to take on the ruling Congress party. The Grand Old Party was battling the 15-year-old anti-incumbency under Tarun Gogoi that time. The saffron party along with its allies defeated the Congress and won 86 seats in the 126-member strong Assembly. The BJP won 60 seats on its own and received 49,92,185 votes with a vote share of 29.51 per cent. Its allies the AGP and the BPF won 14 and 12 seats respectively.

The AGP garnered 13,77,482 votes with 8.14 per cent of votes while the BPF received 6,66,057 votes with 3.94 per cent of votes. The Congress was reduced to only 26 seats with a vote share of 30.96 per cent, while the AIUDF won 13 Assembly seats with a vote share of 13.05 per cent. The Congress and the AIUDF received 52,38,655 and 22,07,945 votes respectively. In 2011 Assembly elections, the Congress swept the state with 78 seats and the AIUDF was successful on 18 constituencies. The BJP won just 5 seats whereas the AGP was able to get 10 seats.

What is the current scenario in 2019?

The BJP is under fire over the issue of Citizenship Amendment Bill not only in Assam but in the entire North Eastern region. The AGP has already withdrawn from the alliance and some other allies such as the NPP and the IPFT are threatening the BJP over the Bill. However, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah are of the opinion that the Bill is very essential for the country. Shah has recently indicated that the Modi government would bring the legislation only if there was a consensus among all parties. According to the Bill, the illegal migrants belonging to the Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Christian or Parsi communities coming from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh to not be imprisoned or deported. The Bill has created a stir in Assam as it contradicts the Assam Accord of 1985, which clearly states that illegal migrants heading in from Bangladesh after March 25, 1971, would be deported.





Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) leaders Atul Bora and Prafulla Kumar Mahanta in a rally. (File photo: PTI)



Meanwhile, the BJP defeated the Congress and the AIUDF in the recently concluded panchayat polls. The AGP, which was the part of the ruling coalition that time, contested the elections separately and lost. According to the Assam State Election Commission, the ruling party had won 9,025 Gram Panchayat Member (GPM) seats out of 21,990 seats. Apart from that, the BJP had won 991 Gram Panchayat President seats, 1,020 Anchalik Panchayat Member seats, and 212 Zila Parishad Member seats. The Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) had won 1,676 GPM seats, 137 Gram Panchayat President seats, 117 Anchalik Panchayat Member seats and 19 Zila Parishad Member seats.



What will happen if AGP decides to go with Congress?

The AGP had received less than 1 per cent votes in Karimganj, Silchar and Dhubri in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. But the party had got more than 5 per cent votes in Lakhimpur (7.35 per cent), Kaliabor (6.69 per cent), Barpeta (6.11 per cent), Gauhati (5.72 per cent), Mangaldoi (5.39 per cent), Dibrugarh (5.13 per cent) and Jorhat (5.01 per cent). It had got only 2.86 per cent of vote share in Nowgong and 4.13 per cent in Tezpur.
New Delhi:

The joint questioning of former Trinamool Congress MLA Kunal Ghosh and Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar at Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) office in Shillong in connection with the Saradha chit fund and Rose Valley scams concluded on Monday for the day. The questioning by the CBI was done as per the directions of the Supreme Court. On Sunday, in an interestingly turn, Kumar and former TMC MP Kunal Ghosh were questioned by making them sit face to face at the probe agency's office in Shillong.

The Supreme rejected the plea of some investors to monitor ongoing CBI investigation into Saradha chit fund scam in West Bengal.

A two-member CBI team, who are the Investigating Officers in the Saradha and Rose Valley scams, arrived in the Meghalaya capital in the afternoon. Kumar and Ghosh were grilled in the initial period by a 10-member team of the CBI.

The Kolkata Police chief was quizzed for nearly nine hours on Saturday by three senior CBI officers about his alleged role in tampering of crucial evidence in the case, they said. Kumar had led the special investigation team (SIT) formed by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to probe the Saradha scam before the case was handed over to the CBI by the apex court.



For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
Dubai:

A Pakistani national was sentenced to seven years in jail by a Dubai court for stabbing his Indian roommate to death in 2018 over an argument on leaving the lights on, a media report said. The Dubai Court of First Instance on Sunday convicted the 37-year-old Pakistani man and ordered his deportation after the end of jail-term, the Khaleej Times reported.

The convict, who was staying with the victim and others in a room at a workers accommodation in Jebel Ali on the southern outskirts of Dubai, was intoxicated and unruly at the time of the incident on October 1, 2018, an Indian foreman told the prosecutor.

He recalled that the accused went to his room and turned the lights on. The man disturbed his roommates as he was also talking on his mobile phone and they were sleeping, the 46-year-old supervisor said.

A verbal brawl ensued. The foreman then left the room and the victim told the accused, who was on a visit visa, to pack up and leave the room as he was not on a resident visa, the paper said.

Also Read | Youth from Bihar commits suicide by jumping off Mayur Vihar Flyover in Delhi

The defendant did leave the room but then the victim assaulted him as the latter threatened to beat the workers up when he would come back to the accommodation.

This prompted the defendant to take a knife out of his baggage and stab the victim. The accused then fled the scene, the foreman said. According to a forensic expert, who examined the victims body, the cause of death was a deep stab wound in the chest.

The victim was not under the influence of alcohol or drugs at the time he was stabbed, the expert said in his report. The Pakistani defendant, who is in detention, admitted he had consumed alcohol prior to the incident. He claimed he did not intend to kill the victim.

The defendant can appeal the conviction ruling within 15 days.

For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New York:

Mexican mobster Joaquin El Chapo Guzman has been convicted of crimes spanning a quarter-century in a trial that laid bare his lavish lifestyle and penchant for extreme violence as head of one of the worlds most powerful gangs. The 61-year-old former boss of the notorious Sinaloa cartel  famed for his brazen escapes from Mexican prisons  faces life in prison for smuggling tons of cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine and marijuana into the United States.

He was also found Tuesday guilty on money laundering and weapons possession charges during a three-month trial in which witnesses described the mob boss beating, shooting and even burying alive those who got in his way.

The verdict was a tremendous victory for the rule of law, for Mexico, the United States and other countries that have been victims of the Sinaloa cartel, Mike Vigil, former head of international operations for the US Drug Enforcement Administration, told AFP.

Chapo Guzman was the worlds greatest drug lord of all time, Vigil added. He surpassed other drug lords, including Pablo Escobar.

In a three-month trial that unfolded like a real-life telenovela, Guzmans ex-henchmen and a former mistress took the stand under the gaze of the stocky gangster, whose nickname is Spanish slang for shorty.

His young wife, onetime beauty queen Emma Coronel, showed up almost every day in court to be with her husband.

After sentencing on June 25, Guzman is likely to be transferred to a so-called supermax prison in Colorado, sometimes called the Alcatraz of the Rockies and considered one of the most secure in the US.

His conviction is seen as a big win for the US, which failed to obtain the extradition of Escobar, the Colombian drug lord who was killed in a police operation in 1993.

Guzmans lawyer Bill Purpura said his client had expected the verdict but was a guy who never gives up and had vowed to appeal.

During the trial, the government presented 56 witnesses and troves of incriminating material, including intercepted calls between Guzman and his associates, and conservations taped secretly by informants.

Some of the most eye-watering testimony came from a former hitman who offered gruesome details about acts of torture and killings of rivals personally carried out by his then boss.

Isaias Valdez Rios told the court he saw Guzman leave one captivea rival from the Arellano Felix cartelin a chicken coop for two days After two interrogations, Guzman shot the manbefore ordering him buried alive.

On another occasion, the court heard, Guzman beat two members of the Zetas cartel with a thick tree branch till their bones were broken before shooting them dead.

Guzman was not on trial for murder, but federal prosecutors attempted to depict him as a violent and ruthless man, ready to do anything to protect his business.

Former employees testified that the cartel paid bribes of millions of dollars at the highest levels of government, including to former President Enrique Pena Nieto, who denies the allegation.

The trial also offered a glimpse at the opulent lifestyle led by Guzman, who grew up in poverty.

His ex-pilot and former cartel manager for Mexico City testified that Guzman had four airplanes, numerous houses including a mansion in Acapulco, a yacht named Chapito and a ranch that included a zoo and a small railway.

In his closing arguments late last month, another of Guzmans lawyers, Jeffrey Lichtman, asked the jury not to convict on the basis of the garbage testimony of government witnesses.

Lichtman contended that Guzman was merely a scapegoat, and that the real culprit in the drug trafficking operations was Ismael El Mayo Zambada, the co-founder of the Sinaloa cartel.

Mayo has been the largest narcotrafficker for decades in Mexico. He has never been arrested. He has paid hundreds of millions of dollars to stay free, Lichtman said.

The government, meanwhile, appealed to the jury not to let Guzman escapean allusion to his two spectacular jail breaks in Mexico, the last in 2015 through a tunnel from a shower area in his cell.

The defense called just one witness, an FBI agent put on the stand in an attempt to undermine the credibility of one of Guzmans cocaine suppliers who had testified against him.

The defenses strategy centered on attacking the credibility of the cooperating witnessesformer secretaries, pilots, cocaine suppliers, Guzmans top trafficker in the United States, a manager, an accountant, a former communications chief, and a former lover.

Most are serving prison sentences and hoped to have their penalties reduced in return for their cooperation with prosecutors.

For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Amit Shah on Tuesday flagged off the 'Mera Pariwar, Bhajpa Pariwar' campaign from his residence in Ahmedabad. The campaign aims to plant the BJP flag at five crore homes of its workers and sympathisers across the country. "This BJP flag is a symbol of development, belief and nationalism, and shows how appeasement, casteism and family rule is ending in the Modi era," Amit Shah said, during the campaign launch. Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani was also present on the occasion. BJP sources have described the drive as a part of its mass mobilisation campaign for Lok Sabha elections, expected to be held in April-May.

Gujarat: BJP President Amit Shah flags off 'Mera Pariwar, Bhajpa Pariwar' campaign from his residence in Ahmedabad. Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani also present. pic.twitter.com/da7ns8LFXA  ANI (@ANI) February 12, 2019

Among other measures, the party has been reaching out to beneficiaries of different government schemes, like Jan Dhan bank accounts, the building of toilets, Mudra loans and LPG connection scheme, to mobilise people in its support.

ALSO READ | Mamata Banerjee to join AAP's anti-BJP rally today in Delhi

"We have already verified details of over 9.5 crore new members out of the 11 crore it had claimed to enrolled during its membership drive following its victory in 2014, news agency PTI quoted a source as saying.



"The BJP had received over 17 crore votes in 2014. Now we have details of of 9.5 crore members in our record. There are 35 crore beneficiaries of Jan Dhan bank accounts, seven crore under Mudra and over six crore under Ujjwala scheme to give free LPG connection to the poor," a leader said.



He added the party has targeted different groups for mobilisation ahead of the polls.



ALSO READ | Election Analysis 2019: What happened in Gujarat in 2014 Lok Sabha Polls?



On Monday, Amit Shah wrote an open letter to the people of Andhra Pradesh where he launched a blistering attack on Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and said that the TDP chief has destroyed the trust of the people. BJP president Amit Shah said the Andhra Pradesh chief minister knows that his political fortunes are declining rapidly and so he was back to theatrics in his desperation for grabbing headlines. Naidus delusional politics is about to end, he said, adding that the BJP has full faith in Satyameva Jayate (truth prevails).
highlights Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is schedule to visit Jaipur today.

Priyanka was accompanied by Rahul Gandhi and Jyotiraditya Scindia.

The trio embarked on a roughly 25-km-long roadshow in Lucknow.

New Delhi:

Newly appointed Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Monday made her political entry in Uttar Pradesh accompanied by Congress president Rahul Gandhi and in-charge of the western region, Jyotiraditya Scindia. Priyanka arrived at the Lucknow airport afternoon to a rousing reception by party leaders and workers. As her 'rath' rolled on, it was a selfie galore with enthusiastic partymen taking vantage positions to click prized photographs for posterity.

When the trio embarked on a roughly 25-km-long roadshow through major thoroughfares of the state capital, rose petals were sprinkled and marigold garlands showered at their cavalcade. A day before her maiden visit to the state as Congress general secretary in-charge of western Uttar Pradesh, Priyanka Gandhi said she hopes to start a "new kind of politics" in which everyone will be a stakeholder.

Accompanied by Congress president Rahul Gandhi and in-charge of the western region, Jyotiraditya Scindia, the beaming 47-year-old sported a kurta and a stole and waved at the teeming party workers jostling for a glimpse. "Come, let's build a new future, new politics with me. Thank you," she said in her message to the people ahead of the visit to the state. When the three leaders embarked on a roughly 25-km-long roadshow, from the airport to the party headquarters, to woo voters in the Lok Sabha polls, rose petals and marigold garlands were showered at their cavalcade.

As her 'rath' inched through major thoroughfares, enthusiastic people and party members took vantage positions to click a prized photo. Enthusiastic Congress workers took to the streets to celebrate the arrival of the two new AICC incharges, with party tricolours and hoardings all over giving the city a festive look.

Since early morning, Congress workers were seen busy giving final touches to the arrangements for the roadshow, distributing food packets, tea and water to passersby. Patriotic songs were played on loudspeakers perking up the mood.

Some posters showed Priyanka in 'Durga Mata' avatar riding on a lion. "Maa Durga ka roop behen Priyankaji (Sister Priyankaji is Maa Durga's incarnation) said one poster, while some others highlighted her resemblance to Indira Gandhi, her grandmother.

Besides workers of other front organisations of the party, some Congress workers -- said to be members of Priyanka sena, a little-known outfit -- were seen wearing pink T-shirts with her photograph.

Massive crowd accompanied Priyanka Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi's convoy

"With the Priyanka Sena at the Nehru Bhawan, Lucknow it is almost celebration here," tweeted Sushmita Dev, president of all India Mahila Congress. An enthusiastic party general secretary Shailendra Tewari has customised his car to welcome Priyanka with the banner reading, "Aa gai priyanka...baj gaya danka... brashtachar ki ab lagegi Lanka..."

A day before her maiden visit to Uttar Pradesh as Congress general secretary, Priyanka Gandhi said that together with the people of the state she hopes to start a "new kind of politics" in which everyone will be a stakeholder. The two general secretaries will interact with party workers at the state Congress office in Lucknow on February 12, 13 and 14.

Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee spokesperson Rajiv Bakshi told PTI that Priyanka Gandhi's entry into formal politics will enthuse party workers to regain lost ground in the state in the Lok Sabha polls. "This is an opportunity for the Congress to strike back in the most crucial state of the country where the organisation had all through been wanting her to plunge into active politics," he said.

Priyanka Gandhi is the Congress' big hope for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections who will be shouldering the responsibility of reviving Congress fortunes, especially in the eastern part of Uttar Pradesh, say party insiders.

Her entry into active politics has been at a time when the party is not only witnessing one of the most difficult times electorally but has also been sidelined by prospective allies for the 'mahagatbandhan' with the Samajwadi Party and BSP totally ignoring it in forming their alliance.

Priyanka Gandhi is pitched as a big draw with her charisma and voter connect, but her 'rescue Congress' mission remains a daunting task in the state where the party has been pushed on the margins with the advent of caste-based politics since the last 30 years.

Though she is no stranger to such roadshows with her brother, she is seen campaigning for the first time outside the Gandhi family constituencies of Amethi and Raebareli and her political acumen and connect with the public will be at the test for the first time.

The last two Lok Sabha by-elections in eastern Uttar Pradesh, for the Gorakhpur and Phulpur, were disastrous for the Congress. Party candidates managed to fetch only around 19,000 votes each and registered only a 2 per cent vote share in each constituency.

In 2014, the Congress just managed to retain the Gandhi family constituencies of Amethi and Raebareli, as compared to the 21 it had won five years earlier. The party's vote share also dropped by almost 50 per cent between 2009 and 2014.

Eastern Uttar Pradesh, the area where Priyanka Gandhi will be active is presently the strongholds of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. UPCC general secretary Dwijendra Tripathi said making two general secretary incharges of Uttar Pradesh showed the seriousness Rahul Gandhi attaches to state.

"Both are young and popular, he said. They have a certain hold over the public and have leadership qualities and a rapport with the common man." Congress leaders said Priyanka Gandhi's into active party politics will galvanise the workers, helping them take on the dual challenge posed in the state by the BJP and the SP-BSP alliance.A

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

NASAs New Horizons spacecraft has beamed back new images of Ultima Thule, which show that the most distant world ever explored is much flatter than previously thought. "The new images are creating scientific puzzles about how such an object could even be formed, mission scientist Alan Stern said in a statement. "Weve never seen something like this orbiting the sun. The images of the KBO  officially named 2014 MU69  were captured by the New Horizons as it raced away at over 50,000 kilometres per hour on January 1. NASAs New Horizons hurtled past Ultima Thule on New Years Day this year, taking pictures and gathering data as it flew within 3500 kilometres of the 32-kilometre-long rock. The latest pictures were taken after the spacecraft had passed it, revealing a different angle, Newscientist reported.



ALSO READ | Scientists hope DNA in water could be way to save rare fish

The images were taken nearly 10 minutes after New Horizons crossed its closest approach point.

This really is an incredible image sequence, taken by a spacecraft exploring a small world four billion miles away from Earth, said mission principal investigator Alan Stern, of Southwest Research Institute in the US.



The first close-up images of Ultima Thule  with its two distinct and, apparently, spherical segments  had observers calling it a snowman.

However, more analysis of approach images and these new departure images have changed that view, in part by revealing an outline of the portion of the KBO that was not illuminated by the Sun, but could be traced out as it blocked the view to background stars.

We had an impression of Ultima Thule based on the limited number of images returned in the days around the flyby, but seeing more data has significantly changed our view, Stern said.

It would be closer to reality to say Ultima Thules shape is flatter, like a pancake. But more importantly, the new images are creating scientific puzzles about how such an object could even be formed. Weve never seen something like this orbiting the Sun, he said.



The departure images were taken from a different angle than the approach photos and reveal complementary information on Ultima Thules shape.



ALSO READ | Gigantic cavity in Antarctic glacier signals rapid decay: NASA



The shape model we have derived from all of the existing Ultima Thule imagery is remarkably consistent with what we have learned from the new crescent images, said Simon Porter, a New Horizons co-investigator from the Southwest Research Institute.

For all the Latest Science News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

The Gujjar quota agitation entered day four on Monday. Demanding 5 per cent reservation in government jobs and educational institutes, the Gujjar community members blocked National Highway-11, which connects Jaipur with Agra, in Rajasthan's Dausa district.

On Sunday, the protest had turned violent when shots were fired and police vehicles were torched in Dholpur district, forcing the authorities to impose prohibitory orders under CrPc section 144 in Dholpur and Karauli districts. It still remains in force in the areas. The agitators blocked NH-11 and continued their blockade from previous days at other places. Since the agitation began on Friday, it has affected the movement of more than 250 trains.

"NH-11 was blocked at Sikandara in Dausa. A state highway was blocked in Bundi district's Nainwa on Sunday and Malarna road in Sawai Madhopur and Karauli-Hindaun road at Budla village in Karauli have also been blocked," DGP, Law and Order, M L Lathar said.

Dausa SP Prahlad Singh said vehicles heading towards the blockade area on the national highway were diverted to alternate routes. "The traffic is being diverted and things are under control. The blockade is peaceful," the SP said. He said efforts were being made to clear the blockade.

As of now, one national highway, one state highway and two arterial roads and Delhi-Mumbai railway tracks are blocked in Rajasthan, leading to cancellation and diversion of several trains. The North Western Railway said in a bulletin four trains had to be diverted on Monday. The trains are: Hazrat Nizamuddin-Udaipur (12963), Amritsar-Mumbai Central (12904), Firozpur-Mumbai Central (19024) and Dehradun-Kochiveli (22660). Gujjar agitation leader Kirori Singh Bainsla and his supporters began their sit-in on railway tracks in Malarna Dungar of Swai Madhopur on Friday.

Bainsla is demanding 5 per cent quota for Gujjar, Raika-Rebari, Gadia Luhar, Banjara and Gadaria communities in jobs and education and has refused to clear the railway tracks. "We will not move from the tracks if the announcement is not made. There is only one demand and that is 5 per cent reservation," Bainsla's son Vijay Singh said. A state government delegation, including Tourism Minister Vishvendra Singh and IAS officer Neeraj K Pawan, held talks with the protestors on Saturday but they refused to end their agitation until their demand is met through an official announcement.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

The Democrats and the Republicans have reached an agreement to avert another federal shutdown of the US government. According to the Associated Press, negotiators from both parties say lawmakers have reached an agreement in principle to fund government, avoid shutdown. It is still not clear whether the agreement also includes any funding for the proposed wall on the southern borders of the US. On January 26, US President Donald Trump had ended the longest shutdown in the countrys history. However, the January 26 announcement meant that the US government would open, albeit temporarily. If not for todays agreement, the shutdown would have come into effect sometime later next week.

Functioning of several key wings of the US government, including Security and State departments, were paralysed for nearly four weeks now because of the partial government shutdown.

President Trump insists that building a wall is the only solution to protect the nation from a large flow of illegal immigrants and drug smuggling.

The Democrats are opposed to any such funding. After Trump walked out of a meeting at the White House last week, Democrats have refused to come to the negotiation table.

Pelosi and the Democratic party argue that such a funding is a wastage of tax payers payer and does not reflect the ethos of American culture.

The divide between the parties has led to some 800,000 federal government employees being rendered without work.

The shutdown on January 12 broke the previous record of 21 days of US government shutdown under the Bill Clinton administration in December 16, 1995 to January 5, 1996.

Besides the border issue, the divide between Trump and Pelosi deepened after he denied her a military plane for an "excursion" to Brussels and war-torn Afghanistan, a tit-for-tat retaliation after the House Speaker asked the president to reschedule his annual State of the Union address slated for January 29.

Pelosi, who is third in line to the presidency, had made the suggestion citing security reasons triggered by the shutdown that has entered its 28th day.

For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
Kolkata:

Trinamool Congress president and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will leave for New Delhi on Tuesday to participate in the mega rally of non-BJP leaders convened by Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on February 13 against the Narendra Modi government. "As per the schedule Banerjee will leave for New Delhi on February 12 and attend the opposition rally convened by AAP on February 13. She will also meet leaders of various opposition parties," a TMC leader said on Monday.

AAP's 'Tanashahi Hatao, Desh Bachao' (Remove Dictatorship, Save Country) rally will be organised at Jantar Mantar on February 13 and all parties which had attended the January 19 mega opposition rally called by Banerjee will be present in it.

The Congress is, however, unlikely to participate in the AAP rally that will be attended by Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief, Chandrababu Naidu. Naidu is holding a day-long fast in Delhi Monday demanding that the Centre fulfil all promises made during the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh in 2014.

Leaders of more than 23 political including Delhi Chief Minister and AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal had attended the Kolkata rally held in Brigade Parade Grounds by Banerjee, who is a strident critic of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and one of the prime movers behind the efforts to cobble up an anti-BJP alliance ahead of the coming Lok Sabha polls.

Kejriwal had expressed his support to Banerjee again when she was on a Save the Constitution dharna from February 3 to 5 here after the CBIs failed bid to question Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar in connection with chit fund cases.

With the Lok Sabha elections just months away, the AAP rally would help to bring the opposition leaders together and firm up a mahagathbandhan to challenge the BJP-led NDA, sources in the party had said.
New Delhi:

Twitter team, including Twitter India representatives, arrived at Parliament to appear before the Parliamentary Committee on Information Technology (IT) over the issue of safeguarding citizens' rights on social media platforms on Monday. However, theA committee has passed a resolution unanimously that they will not meet any Twitter officials until senior members or CEO of the Twitter Global team depose before the panel. The committee has given 15-day deadline to Twitter. Earlier Twitter had refused to appear before the panel, citing 'short notice' of the hearing. The Parliamentary Committee, headed by BJP MP Anurag Thakur, had issued a summon to Twitter via an official letter on February 1.A

The parliamentary committee meeting was scheduled for February 7, but was later postponed to February 11 to allow the Twitter CEO and senior officials more time to make themselves available. Twitter cited "short notice of the hearing" as the reason, despite being given 10 days to travel, the sources said.

Twitter team including Twitter India representatives arrive at Parliament to appear before Parliamentary Committee on Information Technology today. Earlier Twitter had refused to appear citing 'short notice' of the hearing. The Committee had called Twitter via a letter on Feb 1. pic.twitter.com/UZkLoEIyu3 a ANI (@ANI) February 11, 2019

A The letter sent to Twitter by the Parliamentary IT Committee on February 1 clearly stated that "it may be noted that the Head of the Organisation has to appear before the Committee". It further stated that "He/She may be accompanied by another representative."A The Parliamentary IT Committee received a letter on February 7 from Vijaya Gadde, Twitter's global lead for legal, policy, trust and safety, stating,A "No one who engages publicly for Twitter India makes enforcement decisions with respect to our rules for content or accounts in India."

Deputing a junior employee to represent Twitter at the Indian Parliamentary IT Committee has not gone down well with Indian lawmakers especially since they have no decision making authority, the letter from Gadde said. This comes at a time when there are growing concerns about safeguarding citizens' data privacy and election interference through social media platforms.

A Twitter's conduct is being watched globally and their response is being seen with concern as India's Parliamentary hearing is amongst the fourth in the world after the US Congress, Singapore and EU hearing.

(With PTI inputs)

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

The Gujjar agitation in Rajasthan over quota in jobs and education entered the fifth consecutive day on Tuesday as agitators blocked roads and railway tracks. As many as three trains were cancelled and two diverted in the Sawai Madhopur district of the state. The district collector issued a notice to Gujjar leader Kirori Singh Bainsla asking him to vacate railway tracks. The sit-in has affected the movement of over 300 trains through the region so far. Internet services in the Sawai Madhopur district have been suspended till Wednesday.

Demanding 5 per cent reservation in government jobs and educational institutes, the Gujjar community members blocked National Highway-11, which connects Jaipur with Agra, in Rajasthan's Dausa district on Monday as well. The Jaipur-Kota Highway in Tonk and a few other roads in Karauli and Sawai Madhopur districts were also blocked.

Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot reiterated that the agitating Gujjar community members vacate the railway tracks and come forward to hold dialogue.

He said the state government will do whatever it possibly can to address their issues and they should raise their demand before the Centre.

I want to appeal to the community members to hold talks. Whatever will be possible at the state governments level will be done. They should also raise their demand before the Centre, Gehlot told reporters in Jaipur.

He said that the one per cent reservation the community was getting at present was because of the decision taken by the former Congress government led by him.

Several trains have been cancelled, many diverted. It is a loss for the country and its economy. People are suffering and I would appeal them to hold talks, the chief minister said.

Bainsla, who along with his supporters began the indefinite sit-in on railway tracks in Malarna-Dungar of Sawai Madhopur on Friday evening, has so far refused to back off.

We will not move from the tracks unless the announcement is made. There is only one demand, that is five per cent reservation, Bainslas son Vijay Singh said.

(With PTI inputs)

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

Here are the Live updates:

11.57 am:A Anil Ambani knew he was going to get Rafale deal, what PM has done is treason and in violation of Official Secrets Act, says Rahul Gandhi.

11.55 am:A Now PM needs to answer how did Anil Ambani knew 10 days in advance of theA Rafale deal. Defence Minister, HAL, Foreign Secy don't know but Anil Ambani knew. If this is true then PM is in violation of official secrets act, criminal action must be initiated on this basis, says Rahul Gandhi.

11.52 am:A What PM has done is criminal and that itself puts him in jail, says Rahul Gandhi on Rafale deal.

11.50 am:A PM Modi has compromised national security. He has leaked defence information to a person who was not supposed to have it, the Congress president said.

11.46 am: CAG is not Comptroller and Auditor General report, it is ChowkidaarA Auditor General report, says Gandhi.

11.45 am:A Anil Ambani, who met the French defence minister, mentioned an MoU he is looking forward to sign after the Indian prime minister's visit to France, ays Rahul Gandhi.

11.44 am:A Ambani says he is first looking to make commercial helicopters.Thi s is a breach of the official secrets act... the PM is the only other person who knows about this... in fact Anil Ambani opened his company after this meeting.The Prime Minister is acting as Anil Ambani's middleman, says Rahul Gandhi.

11.43 am: An email has come into light that states "A. Ambani visited the Minister's office... Mentioned MoU in preparation & intention to sign during PM visit". How is Anil Ambani meeting the French Defence Minister prior to PM's visit? asks Congress President.

11.43 am: A new mail had emerged regarding the Rafale deal. This email is clear. An Airbus executive wrote that Mr Anil Ambani met the French Defence Minister and told him 10 days before the Rafale deal was signed that he was going to get it, says Rahul Gandhi.A

11.42 am:A
New Delhi: PM Narendra Modi was reactivated in Delhi as he returned from a busy US visit. He attended a reception of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) after returning from the US on Sunday. He was accorded a grand welcome by several leaders including party national president JP Nadda. Then he also met the general public who had come to catch a glimpse of him. PM Modi arrived at night to review the construction of the new Parliament House. However, PM Modi's visit came suddenly, which was not pre-planned.

Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi inspects construction works of the new parliament building in New Delhi. pic.twitter.com/RQdGVlGcRv  BJP (@BJP4India) September 26, 2021

PM Modi went at the site of the Central Vista Project for an hour and enquired about its progress from the people engaged there. There was no security arrangement or prior notice of his visit. Everything happened suddenly. It may be recalled that on December 10, 2020, PM Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone of the new Parliament House. Leaders of several parties, ambassadors of several countries and industrialist Ratan Tata were also present at the function. Let us tell you that the new Parliament House, which is being constructed in an area of 64,500 square metres, will be built by 2022. The plan is to hold the Winter Session of Parliament here in 2022. 971 crore. This ranges from construction work to safety and other things.

Through social media, many celebrities praised PM Modi's busy schedule and his hard work and dedication. People said that even after spending so much time on the plane, PM Modi has started working as soon as he arrives. People said no one will believe that he have returned from e US after holding 24 meetings in 65 hours. When the pictures went viral on social media, users started comparing it to former Congress president Rahul Gandhi, who goes on holidays in Shimla-Thailand and Italy day after day.

The Indore-Daund Express derailed near Lonavla railway station

Canada to allow direct flights from India, lifts ban after 5 months

Indore: MBA cuts throat and sent photo to her friend, hospitalized
Sanaa: As many as 44 people were reportedly killed as heavy fighting continued between Yemeni security forces and the Houthi militia in the oil-rich province of Marib amid intensified airstrikes, a military official said. "28-eight members of the Houthi rebel group and 16 soldiers of the pro-government Yemeni forces were killed during the past 24 hours in Marib's fighting," the official said.

The Houthi fighters carried out simultaneous attacks against several positions controlled by the pro-government forces in the southern and northwestern areas of Marib, the official said. "The Houthis succeeded in achieving limited on-ground progress after launching a number of multi-pronged attacks in the fighting with the pro-government forces," the official added. He clarified that the Houthis used explosive-laden drones and missile attacks to target the pro-government forces stationed in Marib.

Warplanes of the Saudi Arabia-led coalition carried out a series of airstrikes targeting Houthi-controlled areas and reinforcements in Marib's western part, according to the official. The Houthis began in February a major offensive on Marib in an attempt to seize control of the oil-rich Yemeni province, the government's last northern stronghold.

Yemen has been mired in a civil war since late 2014 when the Iran-backed Houthi rebels captured control of several northern provinces and forced the Saudi-backed government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi out of the capital Sanaa.

North Korean missile launches show serious threat, Says U.S official

UN chief calls for nuclear weapons to be eliminated

VIDEO: Taliban's creepy face begins to appear, four bodies hanging from crane at intersection
Moscow: Russian President Vladimir Putin has gone into self-isolation after new coronavirus infection cases were detected in his entourage. President Putin will not visit Tajikistan this week for regional security meetings for the same reason, the Presidential Office Kremlin reported on Tuesday. "Vladimir Putin said he should remain in self-isolation for a certain time-frame due to coronavirus cases found in his team," the Kremlin statement said.

#BREAKING Putin to self-isolate over coronavirus cases in inner circle: Kremlin pic.twitter.com/RVzl8GoeB6  AFP News Agency (@AFP) September 14, 2021

It may be recalled that the Kremlin made the statement while giving details of a call between President Putin and Tajikistan's President Emomali Rahmon. Tell you that Putin has taken both doses of corona vaccine Sputnik-V. He took the second dose in April. The spokesperson said the President is perfectly healthy, but he will remain in isolation as he is exposed to infected people. However, the spokesperson did not say how long Putin would remain in isolation, but he said he would continue his work. Peskov did not comment on with whom Putin came in contact.

Earlier, the Kremlin reported that Putin and Tajikistan President Emomali Rahmon had a phone conversation. Putin had earlier attended several events on Monday. He met Russian Paralympic players, participated in a coordinated military operation with Belarus, and met Syrian President Bashar Assad. During his meeting with Paralympic players, Putin said he may soon have to "go into isolation."

Afghan women not accepting 'Burqa-Hijab,' shared such photos in protest against Taliban

Saudi Arabia Cabinet approves new law to protect personal data

Know when and how world ozone day celebrations began
Quality education is one of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. As per the UN report title Quality Education: Why it Matters, the delivery of quality education is questionable in Central and South Asia and the Sub-Saharan regions. Quality education in Nepal has remained a big challenge, for we are still struggling to maintain physical infrastructures such as constructing permanent school buildings and connecting ICT into classrooms for teaching and learning.

The existence of two types of schools, the private and the public, in Nepal has also led to some confusion regarding the delivery of quality education. There are a few private as well as public schools in Nepal that have been able to establish themselves as good institutions in certain locations owing to their successful effort to delivering value-oriented education. In the meantime, there are also some other private and public schools that are indeed struggling to deliver value-oriented education.

Therefore, the common assumption the public has these days in Nepal that all private schools deliver quality education because these institutions have adopted English as a medium of instruction might not reflect a real scenario. It is high time that we debunked this public perception. Quality education should not be mistaken for the medium of instruction adopted in school, rather it should be assessed in terms of the support that the academic institute provides for the overall development of learners.

Efforts for everyones benefits

Representational image

To ensure quality education at all schools, the local or national bodies of the Nepal government that take care of education may develop certain policies and action plans that benefit both public and private institutions. Such initiatives need to ensure the provision of a platform for both public and private school managers and teachers to share their understanding and experiences together and learn from each other for the promotion of quality education in the respective institutions.

This idea also aligns with one of the aims of the National Education Policy, 2019, that states to effectively manage and monitor the public educational institution and strengthen the process of transforming public education system by mixing the existing best practices of public and private educational institutions [authors translation].The concept I would like to highlight here is  if the common platform is established for both institutions where teachers and academic managers from both above-average public and private schools share their experiences, those sharings can be a guide for all academic institutions to grow towards excellence.

The platform can range from a small-scale one-day sharing session to a large-scale conference organised in a school or any other institution on a regular basis in which many academic managers and teachers take part to share their work and learn from each others experiences. In this way, this approach can help build their own experiences into an effective way to support the neighbouring academic institutions.

Changing perspectives

File: Children, masked, attend a class at their school amid the coronavirus infection risk, in Kathmandu.

Of course, such attempts will also gradually help change the perspective of some government officials working in the education sector that the private academic institutions are mostly benefit-oriented. Rather, the private academic institutions contribution will be equally valued and can be integrated as a support mechanism approach to assist any institutions that require help. In the same way, the sharing from the public institutions that have been highly successful will be encouraged further and their attempts also can become a guide for other academic institutions that require some help to work towards excellence.

The current educational scenario is that any structured teacher development programme is mostly run in an isolated way, primarily either for public school managers and teachers or for private school managers and teachers. As a result, there is no sharing of the successful practices these school managers and teachers have gained in either context across their own institutional type. The cognisance of their own successful practices can be encouraging guidelines for other academic managers and teachers to uplift their institutions.

Now, it is high time that local or national bodies working on education built some kind of forum, be it formal or informal, where teachers and academic managers from both institutions can join and talk together for enhancing the status of their own institutions. Teachers can share the best classroom practices whereas academic managers can share the holistic approach that they have adopted to better their institutions.

After all, both types of institutions in Nepal have contributed significantly to education. They should continue doing so.
Home  Just In  Red tax: Everything you should know about Nepal protest over sanitary pad price

On warm afternoons in Kathmandu, groups of women are protesting at Maitighar Mandala almost every day. Almost all of them lie down on the ground with red paint on their pants. Holding placards like dont impose a tax on my period, think more than blood money and period is taxing in itself, the women and a few men are protesting the rise in sanitary pad tax in the country.

This comes after the House of Representatives approved a replacement bill in the House of Representatives to amend the annual Nepal budget plan 2021/22. The approval of the budget subsequently increased the price of sanitary pads in the market, creating a hullaballoo on social media and the country.

Campaigners argue a sanitary pad should not be considered as a luxury item and asked for a tax rebate. But businesses and importers of the product say the price hike was a result of an increase in tax by the government. But, the government says it has not increased any tax.

So what happened?

Here, we explain.

Did the government hike the price?

A demonstration in Kathmandu demanding the government lift tax levied on sanitary pads, in Kathmandu, on Monday, March 8, 2021. Photo: Chandra Bahadur Ale

According to the Finance Ministry, the government has been putting a 15 per cent customs tax on sanitary pads since the fiscal year 2012-13. A 10 per cent tax is imposed on raw materials used to make them in Nepal. But, the budget ordinance brought on May 29 changed it to 5 per cent as the government wanted more businesses to make sanitary pads in Nepal instead of importing them.

Regarding the allegation made by businesses, the ministry states it has not increased any form of tax on sanitary pads. The ministry released a statement on September 24, stating some people were spreading fake news and attacking the government without doing due research.

So, who is responsible?

That said, the government has not said anything about the price hike.

After the new budget was passed, businesspersons increased the prices of sanitary pads imported from countries like India, China and Taiwan. Prices have gone up by Rs 10 per packet.

The Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies and Department of Commerce, Supplies and Consumer Protection that should be monitoring this and taking actions against the importers and business have made no comments so far. They have turned a blind eye to this.

How many sanitary pads are imported?

Nepal imports a lot of sanitary pads. According to the Department of Customs, Nepal imported 1.73 million kilograms of sanitary pads worth Rs 1.05 billion in the fiscal year 2020/21. Out of that, the government pocketed over Rs 300 million in taxes.

In two months of the current fiscal year (2021/22), 24.5 million sanitary pads have been imported at a cost of Rs 239 million. The government has already pocketed Rs 59.6 million in taxes, according to the Department of Customs.

So, what do the campaigners want?

A packet of sanitary pads in Nepal costs between Rs 40 and Rs 300.

Even though the government has not increased tax on sanitary pads, it still imposes a 13 per cent value-added tax (VAT) on the product. This is imposed on pads being manufactured in Nepal and imported from abroad.

But, this goes against the governments National Dignified Menstruation Policy that wants to make products that deal with menstruation cheap and accessible to all. The policy states it wants to change it from a luxury item to a basic necessity item and paves the way for more Nepali companies to produce it in the country. The policy also talks about tax rebates and grants to businesses producing them in Nepal.

If the government wants to be progressive, it needs to remove the 13 per cent vat too, says campaigner Radha Paudel.

Dignified menstruation needs to be looked at from multiple perspectives, says Paudel. She says that products like reusable pads, disposable pads, menstrual cups and tampons should be made available everywhere cheaply.

Sanitary pads that imported are not very sustainable to the environment. The government should also make sure we slowly phase them out and promote pads made in the country, says Paudel.
" " Humpty Dumpty is often portrayed as an egg but the nursery rhyme makes no mention of this. HowStuffWorks

The nursery rhyme "Humpty Dumpty" is one of the most well-known verses for English-speaking kids, telling the story of a character who fell off of a wall and no matter how anyone tried, couldn't be put back together.

Humpty-Dumpty sat on a wall

Humpty-Dumpty had a great fall

All the kings horses and all the kings men

Couldnt put Humpty together again

So, what's the story behind this? And why couldn't poor Humpty be put back together?

In popular culture, Humpty Dumpty is portrayed as an egg with human-like qualities like legs, arms, a face and clothing. But if you read the lines of the poem, it doesn't say that Humpty is an egg anywhere. The key to understanding this poem is to realize it is actually a riddle.

"In Iona and Peter Opie's 'The Oxford Dictionary of Nursery Rhymes,' they talk about the origins of the riddle and its recurrence in different European cultures. The earliest traces come from 1848, in a magazine description of girls gathering their skirts together and pretending to be eggs while trying to retain their balance," emails Katherine Magyarody, an independent academic researcher with a Ph.D. in children's literature.

Advertisement

Theories About Humpty Dumpty

The Humpty Dumpty rhyme first appeared in 1797 in a book titled "Juvenile Amusement," by Samuel Arnold. In the original poem, the third line reads, "Four-score men and four-score more," meaning 80 men plus 80 more, since a score is equal to 20. Regardless of which version you read, there are several curious answers to the riddle that is this nursery rhyme.

One theory is that Humpty Dumpty is supposed to be England's King Richard III. In the tragedy written by Shakespeare named after the notorious king, he's depicted as "a poisonous hump-backed toad," though it's probably because the Bard had to write plays that would please his patron if he wanted to stay employed. (Shakespeare's patron Ferdinando Stanley was a direct descendent of one of Richard's enemies). In reality, King Richard III who ruled for only 26 months, fought for the rights of the ordinary person and enacted many laws against corruption and bribery.

Poor Richard was part of just another chapter in England's dramatic political theater, killed in battle at the Battle of Bosworth in 1485, kicking off the reign of the Tudors. It's claimed that Richard III's horse was named 'Wall' and that he fell off and was so severely bludgeoned that he couldn't be saved. He was the last English king to die in battle. (Richard III's body was found in a parking lot in Leicester, England in 2012.)

Humpty Dumpty also appeared in an 1803 edition of "Mother Goose's Melody," where he's depicted as a fat boy, with a last line says, "Couldn't set Humpty up again." In 1842, the popular British satire weekly, Punch, claimed that Humpty was a symbol for Cardinal Wolsey. Others have agreed. Apparently Wolsey was a plump man, who enjoyed sitting on the walls of Cawood Castle's high tower in York; fell from grace with Henry VIII for not getting permission from the pope so he could divorce his first wife and marry Anne Boleyn; and was arrested by the King's men.

Advertisement

Egg on Your Face (or Face on Your Egg?)

" " This illustration of Alice and Humpty Dumpty by Sir John Tenniel is taken from the 1889 book "The Nursery Alice" by Lewis Carroll. (The watercolor is by Gertrude Thomson.) Carroll made Humpty's portrayal as an egg famous. Photo12/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

Humpty Dumpty rose to popularity again with the publication of Lewis Carroll's "Through the Looking Glass," in 1871 where the egg-man has an entire chapter dedicated to him.

"[T]he egg only got larger and larger, and more and more human: when she [Alice] had come within a few yards of it, she saw that it had eyes and a nose and mouth; and when she had come close to it, she saw clearly that it was Humpty Dumpty himself. 'It can't be anybody else!' she said to herself. 'I'm as certain of it, as if his name were written all over his face."

A humanoid egg fits right in with the story's bizarre cast of characters, but this is also the first time Humpty Dumpty is depicted as the character we are familiar with today. Lewis Carroll invented the character as an egg. In a 1903 edition of "Mother Goose's Nursery Rhymes," Humpty Dumpty is printed as a riddle, with the solution at the bottom reading 'An egg,' with an illustration to match.

"Humpty Dumpty sticks in our imaginations because of his iconic appearance in Lewis Carroll's 'Through the Looking Glass,' the second of the 'Alice in Wonderland' books. I think that John Tenniel's illustrations become the touchpoint for all later images of Humpty," says Magyarody. "In Alice and Humpty's encounter, Alice repeats  and therefore establishes  a version of the Humpty Dumpty rhyme. What's interesting is that Alice's version is a distortion  she replaces 'Couldn't put Humpty together again' with 'Couldn't put Humpty Dumpty in his place again,' thereby removing the violent egg-breaking of the original into something gentler. (Humpty isn't satisfied with her innovation, and dislikes being called an egg.)"

In the 1950s, an article in Oxford magazine wrote a spoof article whose theory ended up taking hold. It purported that Humpty Dumpty was in fact a cannon in Colchester, England, that was used during a 1648 siege during the English Civil War. The village, including its churches and its castle, were surrounded by a protective stone wall. At St. Mary's at the Wall Church, the forces defending the town put a cannon on top of the church tower and nicknamed it Humpty Dumpty. When it came under fire by Parliamentary armies (who targeted the foundations the cannon was on), the tower toppled, killing 'one-eyed' Jack Thompson, who was manning the cannon. Both tower, man and cannon were destroyed and couldn't be put back together again. However, historians doubt this is the real explanation.

Another theory holds that Humpty Dumpty is really a drink. The first appearance of the word Humpty Dumpty in print was in 1690, in a slang dictionary, where it is defined as "ale boiled with brandy," with a possible connection being that strong beer was commonly called "hum." By 1785, Francis Grose, in his book "A Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue," notes both the drink definition and the definition of "a short, clumsey (sic) person of either sex." As for the cocktail, modern-day mixologists have revived it with this unique recipe.

Now That's Cool DC Comics portrays Humpty Dumpty as Humphry Dumpler, a man with an egg-shaped head that speaks in rhyme and whose attempts to 'fix' things that he perceives as 'broken' always end in disaster. In the animated movie, "Puss in Boots," Humpty Alexander Dumpty, an egg with a face and limbs, becomes Puss in Boots' brother at the orphanage where they're raised, but his life of crime later makes him the suave cat's archenemy. He's also the name of a song released by indie pop trio AJR about a person who puts on appearances but falls apart in private.
Description

Merchants Hospitality is pleased to announce the return of OktoberFest NYC 2021, New York Citys largest outdoor Oktoberfest festival at their waterfront restaurant & bar, WATERMARK, at Pier 15. This years festivities will kick off Friday, September 10th and will span seven weeks. The open-air, family-friendly festival will run rain or shine all week long. Guests will have access to a variety of activities including ping pong, corn hole, and volley pong on weekdays.

Perched on the edge of the stunning double-level Pier 15 and adjacent to NYCs historic South Street Seaport, guests will have the opportunity to enjoy the temperate early fall weather while taking in the breathtaking views of the Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Williamsburg Bridges. Pier 15 will be transformed into a lively celebration of traditional German foods, Oktoberfest decorations, fun games for the entire family and of course the star of the showauthentic German beers. Expect traditional Hofbrau as well as Weihenstephan and Radeberger beer. Watermarks interior bar will provide a full-service bar in addition to German beer with wine, cocktails, and non-alcoholic beverages.

OktoberFest NYC 2021 is located at Watermark Bar at 78 South Street Pier 15. This is an outdoor event. General admission to OktoberFest NYC 2021 is complimentary. Patrons can RSVP online to confirm attendance, or they can reserve a VIP table or cabana and skip the line for their group with a prepaid deposit. For more information, please visit OktoberFests Website or visit on social media on Instagram or Facebook. #OktoberFestNewYork

OktoberFest NYC 2021 will begin on September 10, 2021 and run through October 24, 2021.Hours of Operations are as follows: Monday - Thursday from 4pm-11pm, Friday from 2pm-12am, Saturday from 11am-12am, and Sunday from 12pm-11pm.
Comment

Spending the federal cybersecurity budget: what's next?

In 2020, cyberattacks against the U.S. government organizations cost $18.88 billion in recovery costs and downtime. In an effort to drive down this cost and improve our cybersecurity posture, this year the federal government has announced a number of initiatives, from the infrastructure bill to the Joint Cyber Defense Collaborative and White House Cybersecurity Summit.

Yet, even as Congress begins to release billions of new cyber budget dollars, today's adversaries continue to adapt, changing the threat landscape once again. Constantly innovating, increasing their skillset and speed, the adversary's innovation is matched only by their determination and funding.

So, where should government invest first?

Legacy systems: According to the recent Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs report, "Federal Cybersecurity: America's Data Still at Risk," seven of the eight agencies studied used legacy systems or applications that are no longer supported by the vendor with security updates. I can attest that a large number of federal agencies have incurred a huge amount of technical debt, struggling to meet patching deadlines while maintaining accessibility. Legacy systems are a prime target for today's cybercriminals. Since that won't change for some time, let's fully protect them now -- bugs and outdated versions included -- while we work to change our paradigm.

Information sharing: Federal agencies have valuable threat information but are often unable to share with other agencies because of limited permissions and other protocols. Highly pertinent information can age out quickly, becoming less valuable to friendlies over time. In addition to sharing information more quickly among themselves, federal agencies need a safe and secure way to quickly share critical information with state and local counterparts, who are increasingly coming under attack by determined adversaries.

Staffing: The federal government has stated a need to hire hundreds of thousands more cyber security professionals. It should also focus on improving the government brand, aspiring to the same level of innovation and excitement offered by the private sector. Many outmoded and archaic processes -- both people and technology-based -- still exist. We can drive innovation by eliminating friction in core processes, automating full protection and focusing on deterministic measures to end supply-chain poisoning and ransomware.

Innovation: The threat landscape continues to shift, as proved by a host of headline-worthy breaches over the past months in both the private and public sector. Taking a deterministic viewpoint in our approach to protection has become imperative. Probabilistic measures such as heuristic analysis -- looking in the rear-view mirror to try to predict the future -- are clearly failing us.

Private-public collaboration: Today's cybersecurity threats can't be solved by the federal government or Big Tech alone. Neither can our collective approach to the crisis be incremental. We will never get there by being a little bit faster, a little bit stronger, a little bit smarter than the last shiny cyber object. This problem requires a whole new approach and way of thinking.

We need a moonshot. Absolute interdiction.

Deterministic, automated protection is possible, so let's fully protect our software, bugs and all, and resolve this crisis once and for all.
Study funded by U.S. Trade and Development Agency grant will serve as blueprint for broader EV adoption in Southeast Asian countries

OVERLAND PARK, Kan., September 27, 2021--(BUSINESS WIRE)--A global leader in decarbonization solutions and zero-emission transportation infrastructure, Black & Veatch announces its selection as technical expert in SCG International Corp. Co.s effort to electrify its transportation fleets. More broadly, the project seeks to be a blueprint for sweeping EV adoption and infrastructure throughout Thailand and other markets that SCG serves.

The U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) has awarded a grant to SCG International to study to the best path for accelerating EV adoption at hundreds of sites across SCGs portfolio of business, including cement. Black & Veatch will be a critical partner on the project, providing a strategic roadmap for SCGs decarbonization of its transportation fleet.

The grant also will cover designing pilot projects at three identified sites for SCG International to test the viability of electrifying its substantial fleet of logistics vehicles, as well as its ready-mix concrete trucks. The grant also will explore establishing infrastructure for EV taxis in Bangkok.

"Having helped several others make the transformative transition of their fleets to electrified vehicles, Black & Veatch embraces the opportunity to provide SCG International with our executable EV expertise, helping them do the same as they pursue their forward-looking decarbonization quest," said Deepa Poduval, Black & Veatchs Global Strategic Advisory practice lead.

"This USTDA-funded effort to help carve one companys path to zero-emission transportation holds the greater promise of eventually becoming the broader blueprint for EV adoption and related charging infrastructure throughout Thailand and its neighboring countries, improving lives and health within the region," Poduval added.

Story continues

Abhijit Datta, SCG Internationals managing director, said that company is fully committed to advancing SCG Group's decarbonization objectives, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and achieving net-zero transition by 2050.

"I would like to express our sincere gratitude to USTDA as well as Black & Veatch for their support, guidance and efforts that have made this project possible," he said. "We look forward to our strong future collaboration."

The project advances the goals of USTDAs "Global Partnership for Climate-Smart Infrastructure," which connects U.S. industry to major clean energy and transportation infrastructure projects in emerging markets.

Editors Notes:

For a download of Black & Veatchs ebook "Electric Fleets: 8 Steps to Medium- and Heavy-Duty Fleet Electrification," click here.

To view a January 2021 LinkedIn Live Session titled "The Electric Fleet Power Play," in which Black & Veatch transportation and clean energy experts answered audience questions about fleet electrification, click here.

About Black & Veatch

Black & Veatch is an employee-owned global engineering, procurement, consulting and construction company with a more than 100-year track record of innovation in sustainable infrastructure. Since 1915, we have helped our clients improve the lives of people around the world by addressing the resilience and reliability of our most important infrastructure assets. Our revenues in 2020 exceeded US$3.0 billion. Follow us on www.bv.com and on social media.

About U.S. Trade and Development Agency

The U.S. Trade and Development Agency helps companies create U.S. jobs through the export of U.S. goods and services for priority infrastructure projects in emerging economies. USTDA links U.S. businesses to export opportunities by funding project preparation and partnership building activities that develop sustainable infrastructure and foster economic growth in partner countries.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210927005741/en/

Contacts

JIM SUHR | +1 913-458-6995 P | +1 314-422-6927 M | SuhrJ@BV.com

24-HOUR MEDIA HOTLINE | +1 855-999-5991
Billboards in Times Square, strategic U.S. markets tout benefits of Canadian energy

Canadian Energy Centre billboard in New York City's Times Square on Sept. 27, 2021.

Canadian Energy Centre billboard in New York City's Times Square on Sept. 27, 2021.

Canadian Energy Centre billboard in New York City's Times Square on Sept. 27, 2021.

Canadian Energy Centre billboard in New York City's Times Square on Sept. 27, 2021.

Calgary, Alberta, Sept. 27, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The first phase of a new Canadian Energy Centre (CEC) awareness campaign launched in the United States today asks Americans to choose Canadian oil imports first for solutions to cleaner energy production and a break from rising prices at the pumps.

This includes informing Americans the U.S. has a choice from where it imports oil, and that Canada is a better, closer, cleaner and friendlier option compared to countries like Russia and Saudi Arabia. The US uses approximately nine million barrels of oil per day beyond what is produced domestically.

The friendly campaign with the message Cleaner, Closer, Committed to Net Zero was launched today with billboards in Times Square and in strategic high-profile locations in New York City and Washington D.C. The approximately $240,000 initiative is a reminder to Americans that their friends and allies in Canada hold solutions to cleaner energy and lower gas prices  and the key to a strong post-pandemic economic recovery.

The outdoor and online campaign will direct people to information about Canadas responsible energy development at www.friendlyenergy.com. The campaign will also feature a grassroots component that calls on Canadians and Americans to respectfully advocate to the president and U.S. lawmakers about the benefits of Canadian energy.

We want to give our American friends the information they need to urge their leaders to look to safe, responsible and increasingly less intensive crude from Canada that U.S. refiners need and that will help keep gas prices down, said Canadian Energy Centre CEO Tom Olsen.

We are speaking out for the many Canadians and Americans dismayed that the U.S. government asked OPEC+ countries for more oil to curb rising gas prices, rather than working with Canada.

Story continues

Olsen pointed out the U.S. government closed the door on the Keystone XL pipeline, which would have been the first pipeline operated at net-zero emissions and eventually powered by renewable energy resources.

While Keystone XL's fate has been decided for now, there remains urgency in letting Americans know any further threatened sanctions in the U.S. on pipelines by state governments and activist-led court challenges will be detrimental to American families, struggling to get back on their feet from the economic impacts of COVID-19.

While Americans would like the country to be truly energy independent, it is vital to note that there is still a need to import oil from foreign countries. Of the top ten countries from which the U.S. imported oil in June 2021, three were designated Not Free (Russia, Saudi Arabia and Iraq) and three were designated as Partly Free (Mexico, Nigeria and Colombia). The campaign will highlight that oil from Canada is a better option for America.

Specifics for the billboard advertising include:

Two digital billboards in Times Square for a four-week period and online display campaign promoting Canada as the responsible and reliable energy provider for the U.S.

A static digital billboard, located in Astor on New Yorks Grand Central Parkway, for a two-week period targeting traffic heading to LaGuardia Airport, the Mets Citi Field Stadium and a chokepoint for traffic to Queens.

Three full-motion digital billboards for a two-week period on the exterior of the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C., home of the NBAs Washington Wizards, the NHLs Washington Capitals and the NCAAs Georgetown Hoyas.

Canadas responsible energy production is a critical element to helping our First Nations people find a pathway to prosperity. It only makes sense for our friends and allies in the United States to use oil produced here, in place of that being imported from Russia, Saudi Arabia and other countries. Thousands of Indigenous people on both sides of the border benefit from the industry, through jobs and other benefits that help to address poverty. We are able to do so while ensuring the land is protected. Protecting the land is part of our culture. We believe climate change is a real issue. But we dont believe that cutting off oil and gas is the way to go to reaching a low-carbon future. Canadas energy industry can lead the way for the world. We applaud the Canadian Energy Centre for undertaking this important initiative.

-Dale Swampy, CEO of the National Coalition of Chiefs

Canadian oil and gas exports to the U.S. support thousands of jobs and families on both sides of the border. Canadas oil industry operates to some of the highest environmental standards, and there is a real commitment to constant improvement. Americans should make sure their policy makers are choosing Canadian oil and gas over places like Russia, Saudi Arabia and Iran. Thank you to the Canadian Energy Centre for getting the message out.

- Scott Archer, Business Agent with UA Local 663 in Sarnia, Ontario (United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipe Fitting Industry of the United States and Canada)

EPAC supports the CEC concept of direct public advocacy in major U.S. centers, which will speak about clean Canadian energy. Im sure most Americans would prefer to use oil from their friends and allies here in Canada, as opposed to imports from jurisdictions with limited focus on the environment, labour rights, and indigenous participation, for example.

The CEC continues to build momentum and positive results for Albertas energy products and is critical to the long-term success of Canadas positive energy brand.

-Tristan Goodman, President of the Explorers and Producers Association of Canada.

- 30 -

Attachments

CONTACT: Shawn Logan Canadian Energy Centre 587-391-1589 shawn.logan@canadianenergycentre.ca




BeInCrypto 

Predatory marketing campaigns by crypto trading platforms in Canada have been flagged by the Canadian Securities Administrators (CSA) and the Investment Industry Organization of Canada (IIROC).

The marketing and advertising that crypto trading platforms have engaged in may be in breach of existing securities legislation and may have raised public investor concern, by using gambling style promotions that encourage risky trading.

This, in the view of the IIROC President and CEO Andrew Kriegler, must factor into the consciousness of trading platforms. Kriegler advocates that all marketing and advertising should meet requirements to treat investors fairly and honestly.

This story was seen first on BeInCrypto Join our Telegram Group and get trading signals, a free trading course and more stories like this on BeInCrypto
BURNABY, BC, Sept. 27, 2021 /CNW/ - Cymax Group Technologies, a leading multi-channel e-commerce and e-commerce enablement provider, has been named one of Canada's top performing companies in 2021 by the Globe and Mail. The Report on Business list of Canada's Top Growing Companies ranks Canada's boldest businesses based on three-year revenue growth. Cymax Group earned position number 294 of 448 on this year's list for its three-year growth of 118%.

E-Commerce leader Cymax Group named one of Canadas Top Growing Companies by the Globe and Mail. (CNW Group/Cymax Group Technologies Ltd.)

"It's an honour to be recognized as one of Canada's top growing companies," said Riz Somji, CEO of Cymax Group. "This past 18 months have impacted so many industries across Canada, it's inspiring to see so many companies adapting and thriving in this environment, as we collectively navigated change and uncertainty."

From design to delivery, Cymax Group is elevating the e-commerce and freight experience for its furniture vendors and clients through its end-to-end solutions that seamlessly integrate with marketplaces and carrier partners. Cymax Group's AI-powered multi-channel platform helps its retail partners optimize products, manage listings and inventory and rapidly scale across leading channels and its own boutique marketplaces, Homesquare and Cymax Business. Its logistics business, Freight Club, helps vendors of all stripes fulfill their e-commerce parcel and less than full truckload (LTL) shipments using its network of carriers across North America.

"We've seen a seismic shift in consumer demand as the pandemic has encouraged many to purchase large, essential pieces for their home or office online," adds Somji. "I'm very proud of my team for stepping up to the challenge and working so hard to help our vendors and clients succeed. Through very difficult times, Cymax Group has helped hundreds of companies manage through both unprecedented demand as consumers shifted to online purchases and severe challenges in the supply chain as much of the world continues to struggle with Covid-19."

Story continues

Launched in 2019, the Canada's Top Growing Companies editorial ranking celebrates entrepreneurial achievement in Canada by identifying and amplifying the success of growth-minded, independent businesses in Canada. In total, 448 companies earned a spot on this year's ranking after completing the in-depth application process.

"As we look toward the future, Canada's Top Growing Companies offer both inspiration and practical insights for other firms facing similar challenges," says James Cowan, Editor of Report on Business magazine. "The entrepreneurs behind these companies are smart, tenacious and unwavering in their commitment to their goals."

Cymax Group was also named a finalist for Company of the Year  Anchor in the BC Tech Association's 2021 Technology Impact Awards (TIAs) and Somji was recently named one of seven EY Entrepreneur Of The Year 2021 Pacific award winners, which recognizes entrepreneurs leading companies whose unbounded innovation, growth and prosperity is transforming lives. Winners for both awards will be announced this fall.

About Cymax Group Technologies

Cymax Group is a leading provider of eCommerce technology and services that enable seamless activation and scale from design to delivery. Through boutique marketplaces Homesquare and Cymax Business, Cymax offers exclusive access to new markets and consumers; Channel Gate delivers integrated tech and services across leading marketplaces, and Freight Club provides retailers access to an expanded carrier network and enterprise rates through its logistics tech platform.

www.cymaxgroup.com

About The Globe and Mail

The Globe and Mail is Canada's foremost news media company, leading the national discussion and causing policy change through brave and independent journalism since 1844. With award-winning coverage of business, politics and national affairs, The Globe and Mail newspaper reaches 6.4 million readers every week in print or digital formats, and Report on Business magazine reaches 2 million readers in print and digital every issue. The Globe and Mail's investment in innovative data science means that as the world continues to change, so does The Globe. The Globe and Mail is owned by Woodbridge, the investment arm of the Thomson family.

The full list of 2021's Canada's Top Growing Companies winners, and accompanying editorial coverage, is published in the October issue of Report on Business magazine, now available online.

SOURCE Cymax Group Technologies Ltd.

Cision

View original content to download multimedia: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/September2021/27/c5170.html
AUBURN, Ala., Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The growing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Alabama families has revealed a desperate need for consolidation of up-to-date information on available food resources into an accessible, web-based location.

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey has been one of the strongest supporters of End Child Hunger in Alabama since the Hunger Solutions Institute in Auburn Universitys College of Human Sciences started the initiative in 2013.

The Hunger Solutions Institute in Auburn's College of Human Sciences, in turn, developed the End Child Hunger in Alabama, or ECHA, County Food Guide to support the growing number of Alabama households facing food insecurity.

With the assistance of five institute team members, nearly 100 community volunteers and more than 2,500 hours of commitment, the food guide at aub.ie/foodguides now boasts a statewide database of nearly 7,000 food resources.

The National Food Access and COVID Research Teama group of researchers studying the impact of COVID-19 on food access, food security and food systemsreports the pandemic has created an increase in food insecurity from 25% to 38%.

The food guide provides information about food resources through an interactive map of Alabama counties, which are clickable to access the listings of food resources in each county. Statewide volunteers and community partners maintain and update the map on a regular basis.

Residents in every county have utilized the web-based map, with Lauderdale, St. Clair and Marengo counties accounting for the most page views. Since spring 2020, more than 10,000 people were reached on ECHA social media regarding the food guide.

The Hunger Solutions Institute started End Child Hunger in Alabama, its first initiative, in 2013 as a statewide effort to move Alabama into the top 25% nationally in child food security.

Food security is defined as having reliable access to a sufficient quantity of affordable, nutritious food. Food insecurity is not having that access. In Alabama, one in four children faces food insecurity and one in four households is food insecure, meaning 17% of the population is not getting enough food.

In ECHA's first five years, the rate of child food insecurity in Alabama dropped almost 4%, according to Alabama Possible, a statewide nonprofit organization that removes barriers to prosperity in Alabama through education, collaboration and advocacy.

Story continues

The ECHA County Food Guide is an extension of the ECHA mission, especially under current circumstances that may hinder a family's ability to find affordable and nutritious food. Since ECHA's inception, Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey has been one of its strongest supporters. She continues to follow the work of Auburn's Hunger Solutions Institute and the progress ECHA has made for Alabamians.

"The ongoing health crisis continues to take a toll on families in Alabama and around the globe. Sadly, the impacts of this virus are reaching our youngest citizens, and for some, this could mean worrying about their next meal," Ivey said. "As a longtime advocate for End Child Hunger in Alabama, I am proud to see a new, comprehensive tool that will greatly aid those who need it most, especially during the evolving COVID-19 situation."

Alicia Powers, Hunger Solutions Institute managing director, echoed Ivy's advocacy to end child hunger.

"ECHA partnering organizations diligently work to ensure every child in Alabama has access to nutritious foods," Powers said. "In the case of COVID-19, access must include not only ensuring the physical presence of a food resource, but also informing the public of the most up-to-date operating procedures for food resources. The Hunger Solutions Institute is pleased to coordinate and maintain the ECHA County Food Guide supporting Alabamians as we all continue to navigate the impact of COVID-19."

ECHA's network now includes more than 50 key state leaders and has supported successes involving child nutrition programs, state legislation, public campaigns and many other initiatives.

The End Child Hunger in Alabama County Food Guide was one of seven programs recognized before Auburn home football games this season.

Auburn University is a nationally ranked land grant institution recognized for its commitment to world-class scholarship, interdisciplinary research with an elite, top-tier Carnegie R1 classification, life-changing outreach with Carnegie's Community Engagement designation and an undergraduate education experience second to none. Auburn is home to more than 30,000 students, and its faculty and research partners collaborate to develop and deliver meaningful scholarship, science and technology-based advancements that meet pressing regional, national and global needs. Auburn's commitment to active student engagement, professional success and public/private partnership drives a growing reputation for outreach and extension that delivers broad economic, health and societal impact.

Cision

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/end-child-hunger-in-alabama-provides-county-by-county-food-guide-resources-301386047.html

SOURCE Auburn University
Top companies covered in Europe canned beverages market are Anheuser-Busch InBev (Leuven, Belgium), Diageo Plc. (London, U.K.), Heineken NV (Amsterdam, Netherland), Pernod Ricard S.A. (Paris, France), Carlsberg Breweries A/S (Copenhagen, Denmark), Coca-Cola HBC AG (Zug, Switzerland), PepsiCo Inc. (New York, U.S.), Anadolu Efes Biracilik ve Malt Sanayii A.S. (Istanbul, Turkey), Red Bull GmbH (Fuschl, Austria), Nestle S.A. (Vevey, Switzerland), and more players profiled

Pune, India, Sept. 27, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Europe canned beverages market size is expected to gain momentum by reaching USD 205.99 billion by 2028 from USD 156.38 billion in 2021 while exhibiting a CAGR of 4.0% between 2021 to 2028. In its report titled, Europe Canned Beverages Market, 2021-2028. Fortune Business Insights mentions that the market stood at USD 154.48 billion in 2020.





Market Segmentation:

By product type, the market is segmented into alcoholic beverages, dairy-based beverages, sports & energy drinks, RTD coffee & tea, fruits & vegetable juices, and others.

Based on type, the alcoholic beverages segment held 31.73% of the Europe canned beverages market share. This is attributable to the large alcohol consumption population in the region. For instance, according to a report by the Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), in 2018, the average alcohol consumption among European adults was around 10 liters. However, in today's scenario, people prefer to drink less but better. Such a factor is likely to boost the revenues from the light beers in the region.

Based on the distribution channel, the market for Europe canned beverages is divided into supermarkets/hypermarkets, specialty stores, convenience stores, online retail, and others. Lastly, in terms of region, the report talks about only Europe.





What does the Report Provide?

The market report provides a thorough analysis of various factors such as the drivers and restraints that will impact the markets growth. In addition, the report provides country insights that cover different regions of the country, contributing to the growth of the market. It includes the competitive landscape, recent industry developments that involve the strategies, new launches, and several other insights of leading players that will contribute to the markets growth.

Story continues





Get a Sample PDF Brochure:

https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/enquiry/request-sample-pdf/glycerine-market-102168





Driving Factors

Rising Demand for Soft Drinks to Drive Market Growth

The increasing demand for soft drinks is expected to drive the Europe canned beverages market growth. For instance, as per the data presented by the Union of European Soft Drinks Associations (UNESDA), in 2019, the sales volume of soft drinks in Europe was 50,041.2 million liters. Its consumption increased by 0.7% from the previous year. Besides this, growing consumer preference towards alcohol subscription box services is further anticipated to fuel the market. As data by Craft Gin Club, an alcohol subscription box service provider, reported USD 13.20 million of its annual revenues in 2018, compared to USD 4.87 million in 2017.





Country Insights

Increased Consumption of Soft Drinks and Alcoholic Beverages to Aid Growth

The increased consumption of packaged beverages such as soft drinks and premium quality alcohol in Europe is set to boost growth. For instance, according to the data published by the UNESDA Soft Drinks Association, in 2019, total sales of soft drinks & diluting in Europe were nearly 128,853.6 million liters. Additionally, the increased awareness among the European population about health & fitness is further driving the region's demand for vegan energy drinks.

Germany's canned beverages market stood at USD 40.53 billion in 2020. Furthermore, the country is anticipated to lead the overall European canned beverages industry due to the large alcohol consumption among the German population.





Competitive Landscape

Key Players to Focus on Collaborations to Intensify Competition

The market for Europe canned beverages is consolidated by the presence of major companies that are striving to maintain their position by establishing partnerships, collaborations, and new launches. For instance, in April 2020, Anadolu Efes Biracilik ve Malt Sanayii A.S. collaborated with AB InBev to launch Kvass. It is a non-alcoholic beverage that will offer consumer demand for the tinned light beers in the Russian region, and this is expected to favor the market's growth in the forthcoming years.





Browse Detailed Summary of Research Report with TOC:

https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/glycerine-market-102168





Key Industry Development

January 2021 English songwriter Ellie Goulding acquired a major stake in the U.K.-based SERVED. The company SERVED is planning to expand its canned seltzers business in the France, Ireland, and Spanish markets.





List of Key Market Players Profiled in the Europe Canned Beverages Industry Report:

Anheuser-Busch InBev (Leuven, Belgium)

Diageo Plc. (London, U.K.)

Heineken NV (Amsterdam, Netherland)

Pernod Ricard S.A. (Paris, France)

Carlsberg Breweries A/S (Copenhagen, Denmark)

Coca-Cola HBC AG (Zug, Switzerland)

PepsiCo Inc. (New York, U.S.)

Anadolu Efes Biracilik ve Malt Sanayii A.S. (Istanbul, Turkey)

Red Bull GmbH (Fuschl, Austria)

Nestle S.A. (Vevey, Switzerland)





Inquire Before Buying This Research Report:

https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/enquiry/queries/glycerine-market-102168





Major Table of Content:

Introduction Research Scope Market Segmentation Research Methodology Definitions and Assumptions

Executive Summary

Market Dynamics Market Drivers Market Restraints Market Opportunities

Key Insights Overview on the Beverages Consumption Trend Supply Chain Analysis Industry SWOT Analysis Recent Industry Developments - Policies, Mergers & Acquisitions, and New Product Launches Market Analysis and Insights (in Relation with COVID-19) Impact of COVID-19 on the Market Supply Chain Challenges due to the Pandemic Potential Opportunities Due to COVID-19

Europe Canned Beverages Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast, 2017-2028 Key Findings / Summary Market Size Estimates and Forecast By Product Type (Value) Alcoholic Beverages Dairy-based Beverages Sports & Energy Drinks RTD Coffee & Tea Fruits & Vegetable Juices Others By Distribution Channel (Value) Supermarkets/Hypermarkets Specialty Stores Convenience Stores Online Retail Others By Country (Value) The U.K. Germany France Italy Spain Greece Romania Rest of Europe



TOC Continued!





Speak to Our Expert:

https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/enquiry/speak-to-analyst/glycerine-market-102168





Have a Look at Related Research Insights:

Refinery Catalyst Market Size , Share & COVID-19 Impact Analysis, By Type (Zeolites, Metallic, and Chemical Compounds), By Application (FCC, Alkylation, Hydrotreating, Hydrocracking, Catalytic Reforming, and Others), and Regional Forecast, 2021-2028

Ammonium Sulfate Market Size , Share & COVID-19 Impact Analysis, By Application (Fertilizers and Industrial), and Regional Forecast, 2021-2028

Heat Transfer Fluids Market Size , Share & Industry Analysis, By Type (Silicone Fluids, Aromatic Fluids, Mineral Oils, Glycol Based Fluids, and Others), By Application (Oil & Gas, Chemical, Concentrated Solar Power, Food & Beverages, Plastics, Pharmaceutical, HVAC and Others), and Regional Forecast, 2020-2027





About Us:

Fortune Business Insights delivers accurate data and innovative corporate analysis, helping organizations of all sizes make appropriate decisions. We tailor novel solutions for our clients, assisting them to address various challenges distinct to their businesses. Our aim is to empower them with holistic market intelligence, providing a granular overview of the market they are operating in.

Phone:

US:+1 424 253 0390

UK: +44 2071 939123

APAC: +91 744 740 1245

Email: sales@fortunebusinessinsights.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fortune-business-insights

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FortuneBusinessInsightsPvtLtd

Twitter: https://twitter.com/FBInsightPvtLtd




By Giulio Piovaccari

MILAN (Reuters) -Italian luxury car maker Ferrari and its parent company Exor, the holding vehicle of the Agnelli family, are joining forces with with Jony Ive, the creative mind behind many of Apple's iconic products, and fellow designer Marc Newson.

The duo - who together developed Apple Watch - belong to the LoveFrom creative collective of designers, architects writers, engineers and artists based in London and California.

LoveFrom will explore "a range of creative projects with Exor in the business of luxury" in addition to the collaboration with Ferrari, the companies said in a joint statement on Monday. The partnership is a multi-year deal.

A Ferrari spokesman said the pair will have a broad remit - potentially involving both car designs and other businesses including fashion.

Ive had been mentioned in the Italian press among possible candidates to replace Louis Camilleri when he suddenly stepped down as chief executive of Ferrari last year.

In the end Ferrari turned to technology industry veteran Benedetto Vigna to drive the luxury sports car maker known for its roaring, high-octane engines into a new era of silent, electric powertrains.

In a sign of its ambition to widen the appeal of its brand, Ferrari in June unveiled its first in-house fashion collection and inaugurated a new restaurant in its hometown of Maranello. It hopes its brand extension strategy will account for 10% of its profits in a decade.

Meanwhile Exor has recently moved its first steps into luxury. Last year it became the largest shareholder in Chinese luxury group Shang Xia, co-founded by France's Hermes, and in March it took a 24% holding in high-end shoemaker Louboutin for 540 million euros.

More recently, it entered a partnership to invest in Italian high-end consumer goods with The World-Wide Investment Company Ltd, one of Hong Kong's oldest family offices.

With a financial war chest of 2.5 billion euros available for acquisitions to 2023, Exor is often mentioned as a potential partner for bigger fashion brands such as Giorgio Armani.

London-born Ive, 54, left Apple in 2019 after 27 years, having played a big role in the designs of the iMac and MacBook computers as well as the iPod, iPhone and iPad. Newson, an Australian, has designed everything from Qantas business class seats to Nike sneakers.

(additional reporting by Elisa Anzolin; editing by Silvia Aloisi and David Gregorio)
SINGAPORE, Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Leading hyper growth FINTECH in trade and supply chain finance #dltledgers has appointed Sanjeev Chatrath as their new Chief Revenue Officer with over 25 years of experience in Financial Services, Data, and Information Technology Industries, consulting across Asia-Pacific and the MENA region. Based out of the company's Singapore headquarters, he will focus on building further product release and GTM across its 5 regions and execute on its planned geo expansion into Europe.

Sanjeev Chatrath - #dltledgers CRO

Sanjeev has held numerous senior leadership roles with multi-national firms including Citigroup, Standard Chartered Bank, Thomson Reuters, and IBM and has a proven track record of building, and leading diverse, high-performing teams while delivering pioneering solutions for many of world's leading Banks, Corporations and Non-Bank Financial Institutions. He is one of the top professionals in the finance sector and this adds to the growing numbers taking up leadership roles in FINTECHs.

The #dltledgers blockchain platform is a pioneer in trade and supply chain finance digitisation with its subscription based "plug-and-play" solution, having executed over S$4 billion worth of trade finance transactions, involving over 400+ subscribed customers, 45 banks, and 4500+ ecosystem and network partners. The company raised its Series A in early 2021 from global VCs and is on it path for a pre series B raise in Q4 this year.

Overall, FinTech companies in Singapore raised just over $1bn in the first six months of 2021 across 97 deals and investment is on track to surpass the funding amount seen in before the pandemic. Singapore has been on an upward trajectory with the annual funding growth rate rising above 47%. For the first half of 2021, Singapore FinTech companies already acquired 97 deals, as opposed to the 89 deals that was raised for the entire year of 2019. In 2021, out of the 66 deals with disclosed value, 62 were below $50m. Comparing the deals from 2019 and H1 2021, there is a noticeable trend that more investors this year are willing to invest lower levels of funding compared to the appetite for that type of transaction in 2019.

Story continues

This increased funding in Singaporean fintech start-ups also points to the rising financial inclusion in Southeast Asia, with more players entering the digital finance system to cater to the large underbanked and unbanked population. In the Q1 of 2021 Fintech funding in Asia-Pacific surged to US$5.56 billion, more than double the same period last year. The figure puts the year 2021 well on track to surpass pre-COVID-19 levels during which Fintech in APAC raised a total of US$9.3 billion in 2019, according to a new report by S&P Global Market Intelligence.

#dltledgers had a fully subscribed Series A funding with a total of US$7 M. In 2021 close, backed by 2021 revenue growth on the north of 150% YoY, new product launches and volume growth, the company is raising its Pre Series B funding.

Apart from its current platform, the company has also expanded its platform into Corda, R3's flagship enterprise blockchain platform  enabling businesses in trade finance to streamline business operations, maintain inter-operability, while reducing transaction and record-keeping costs.

Over the past few months, #dltledgers has expanded rapidly with several global and regional bankers in senior roles, who have been hired to help power its growth engine, customer first strategy and innovation. The company's longer-term objective is to leverage on its massive trade data to create a more sophisticated framework for managing risk and liquidity within global trade and supply chain finance. Sanjeev joins in at an exciting time, where there are several initiatives across the globe.

Speaking on his appointment Sanjeev said, "I am excited about the tremendous potential of #dltledgers to address long-standing industry challenges by leveraging its distributed computing platform, and AI-based cognitive solutions to enable digitization of trade and supply chain financing. I am looking forward to work with banks and corporations around the world to promote a more sustainable future for everyone while improving their customer experience, financial performance, operational efficiency, and risk management. I look forward to spearhead the anticipated series B round of investment with the plans for a global expansion into Europe and North America and be a part of this hyper growth."

Farooq Siddiqi, CEO said, "Sanjeev is a great addition to our leadership team. The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated digitalization in all sectors, including international trade, which remains hindered by inefficient paper-intensive processes. In Q1 of 2021, #dltledgers have launched SmartFin which services SMEs, apart from its core business in Corporates, banks, ports, carriers and logistics frameworks. Its exciting times and we need more Senior FSI leaders to join FINTECHs in our growth stage. I am excited and with our new CRO, he will support our plan for 200% YoY in 2022".

The inter-enterprise blockchain technology of #dltledgers enables firms to capture multi party transactions in a most secure framework. Customers build smart contracts on the fly, authenticate, and share contract, trade data and documents linked to physical commodity cargoes, and supports the speedy and accurate validation, reconciliation and matching of the information exchanged between trading parties. This is serviced as an end-to-end one stop Trade Finance digitisation framework for banks, corporates, carriers, ports and all of logistics supply chain.

In 2020, the Singapore Trade Finance Registry was successfully Pilot run by 35+ banks on the #dltledgers blockchain platform. TradeDoc Validation was built for double finance and fraud prevention and released as a multi-bank framework which runs at the central bank or a central framework utility for individual banks. It is based on a collaboration established by the bank-led working group, and allows for real-time matching of title documents including Bills of Lading (BL), Letters of Indemnity (LOI), and Charter Party Bills of Lading (CPBL).

Banks have now sought to invoke tighter controls, increase transparency, and adopt new technology to avoid losses in this business. Under the leadership of Standard Chartered Bank and DBS Bank, this group has pioneered an industry-wide solution using blockchain technology , which has been named the Trade Finance Registry, which was pilot run in dltledgers platform. The initiative involves 35+ banks, to name a few ABN Amro Bank, Lloyds Bank, ANZ Bank, ICICI Bank, OCBC Bank, Natixis Bank, UOB Bank, Deutsche Bank, CIMB, and Rabobank, although as the project gains momentum others are waiting to be included. At the heart of this collaboration is the ability for each bank to validate whether or not another financial institution has already submitted a particular title instrument for financing purposes. Underpinned by blockchain, it is possible to share this data such that it does not violate client confidentiality and compliance rules, while still reducing the risk to the finance provider. This was successfully Pilot run in 2020 by dltledgers in Singapore.

"With our upcoming dltledgers 2.0 platform release in November 2021, our customers will be able to incorporate their own networks with ease and run end-to-end trade digitisation with connectivity across our 4500+ business partners. This will be a game changing moment for the industry," said Farooq Siddiqi, CEO.

About #dltledgers

#dltledgers is the leading, independent fintech platform for trade and supply chain digitisation and finance in blockchain. Based in Singapore, the multi-party transaction platform facilitates inter-enterprise collaboration, connecting the "digital islands'' across its value chain to create a trusted trade framework and supply chain ecosystem for its users, thus offering a risk model for lending. Network participants include buyers, sellers, trading companies, and banks and alternate lenders, as well as carriers, logistics partners, insurers, ports, and a variety of certifying bodies and government agencies. #dltledgers blockchain platform is a pioneer in enterprise blockchain to go into full production and has executed S$4 billion worth of live trade finance transactions, involving over 400 subscribed customers, 45 banks, and 4500+ ecosystem partners.

The platform helps corporates and banks to authenticate their commercial documents, contracts and bank interactions, enabling them to automate multi-party transactions, stream-line processes and reduce costs. The net result is faster, more cost-effective trade execution, more robust, auditable collaboration between enterprises and often improved capacity to obtain financing.

www.dltledgers.sg

SOURCE dltledgers
LOS ANGELES, September 27, 2021--(BUSINESS WIRE)--AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), the worlds largest HIV/AIDS care provider globally, voiced deep disappointment today over Germanys decision to back the current World Health Organization (WHO) chiefs bid for a second term at the helm of the beleaguered United Nations agency.

Multiple news reports indicate that Germany and 17 other countries have expressed their support for nominating Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus as the next WHO Director-General, and that he is running unopposed by any other candidate. The nomination process concluded last week, but the envelopes with official nominations will not be unsealed until the end of October. The final decision will be made at the World Health Assembly in May 2022. Tedros, former Ethiopian minister for health and foreign affairs, was not co-sponsored for reappointment by Ethiopia or any other African nation.

"With only one candidate in the runningone who has been repeatedly criticized for his abysmal handling of the pandemic and pandering to Chinathis looks like a sham election. Germany has already damaged its global humanitarian image by opposing patent waivers on COVID-19 vaccines, and now it is throwing its weight behind a candidate who, based on abundant past experience, is clearly not qualified to handle the crisis the world is in," said AHF President Michael Weinstein. "The choice of only one candidate is indicative of the dysfunction at the WHO. How can anyone say that Tedros has done such a magnificent job that no other candidates should even be considered? This election is the clearest sign yet that the WHO is broken and needs wholesale restructuring."

If elected for a second term, Tedros will remain in office for another five years. With a track record that included delays in declaring COVID-19 a public health emergency, then further delays with declaring it a pandemic, praise for Chinas transparency, a lack of clear messaging on critical public health measures, and the inability to secure sufficient vaccines and resources, particularly for Africa, a second term could spell dire consequences for the pandemic recovery.

Story continues

Regrettably, sensible public health measures are too often sacrificed in the interest of global politics. History might judge harshly Germany and others who opted for business as usual at a moment when the world needed new and bold leadership to overcome COVID-19.

AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), the largest global AIDS organization, currently provides medical care and/or services to over 1.6 million clients in 45 countries worldwide in the US, Africa, Latin America/Caribbean, the Asia/Pacific Region and Europe. To learn more about AHF, please visit our website: www.aidshealth.org, find us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/aidshealth and follow us on Twitter: @aidshealthcare and Instagram: @aidshealthcare

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210927005684/en/

Contacts

US MEDIA CONTACT:

Ged Kenslea, Senior Director, Communications, AHF

+1.323.308.1833 work

+1.323.791.5526 mobile

gedk@aidshealth.org

Denys Nazarov, Director of Global Policy &

Communications, AHF

+1 323.308.1829

denys.nazarov@ahf.org
Reduces Client Unemployment Costs and Significantly Reduces Standard Turnaround Time for Unemployment Claims from 3-7 Days to 24 Hours

RICHFIELD, Ohio, Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Group Management Services (GMS) , a Professional Employer Organization (PEO) headquartered in Richfield, OH, unveiled its custom integration between PrismHR's ClientSpace CRM platform and the State Information Data Exchange System (SIDES). GMS is the first PEO to have this integration, which demonstrates its ongoing commitment to streamline business processes and continuously bring more value to its clients.

GMS celebrates 25 years in the PEO industry (PRNewsfoto/Group Management Services Inc.)

SIDES is a secure, electronic, and nationally standardized platform that helps states and employers/TPAs easily and electronically exchange key information about unemployment insurance claims. With the integration between SIDES and ClientSpace, the standard three to seven-day turnaround for unemployment claims is reduced to only 24 hours, while saving GMS at least 15 hours per week in manual downloading and uploading of claims.

GMS is committed to moving to 100% digital/paperless in its product offerings. "This solution is going to help GMS keep our clients' unemployment insurance rates as low as possible by reducing overpayments and ensuring the exchange of complete and valid information with data checks. Additionally, the electronic transmittal of data will save GMS over 36,000 pages of paper per year, in our Ohio offices alone," said Christian Tracey, Chief Technology Officer, GMS.

"Partnering with GMS to integrate SIDES into ClientSpace is an exciting example of the innovation we can deliver through collaboration with our customers and a shared commitment to supporting their small business clients," said Tim Pratte, President, HRO Business Unit at PrismHR. "The integration is now being piloted with customers in additional states and we will announce its availability to all PrismHR customers in the coming months."

Story continues

About Group Management Services:

Headquartered in Richfield, OH., Group Management Services represents nearly 2,000 companies, representing over 38,000 employees, in 11 different locations throughout the United States. We help companies and organizations in the areas of payroll, human resources, risk management, and workers' compensation. For more information on GMS, visit: https://www.groupmgmt.com/about-us/ .

About PrismHR:

PrismHR provides a complete platform to help PEOs and ASOs manage payroll, benefits, and HR efficiently for their clients. Their PEO and ASO customers support more than 80,000 small businesses using the PrismHR platform. For more information on PrismHR, visit https://www.prismhr.com

Media Contact:

Contact Name Halle Schossler, Marketing Manager

Phone Number 330.418.5672

Email Address Hschossler@groupmgmt.com

Cision

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/gms-unveils-custom-unemployment-insurance-information-integration-301385939.html

SOURCE Group Management Services Inc.
FILE PHOTO: A 3D printed Android mascot Bugdroid is seen in front of a Google logo in this illustration

By Foo Yun Chee

LUXEMBOURG (Reuters) -Alphabet unit Google on Monday blasted EU antitrust regulators for ignoring rival Apple as it launched a bid to get Europe's second-highest court to annul a record 4.34-billion euro ($5.1 billion) fine related to its Android operating system.

Far from holding back rivals and harming users, Android has been a massive success story of competition at work, representatives of Google told a panel of five judges at the General Court at the start of a five-day hearing.

The European Commission fined Google in 2018, saying that it had used Android since 2011 to thwart rivals and cement its dominance in general internet search.

Regardless of how the court rules, Google, Apple, Amazon and Facebook will have to change their business models in the coming years to ensure a level playing field for rivals following tough new rules proposed by European Union antitrust chief Margrethe Vestager.

"The Commission shut its eyes to the real competitive dynamic in this industry, that between Apple and Android," Google's lawyer Meredith Pickford told the court.

"By defining markets too narrowly and downplaying the potent constraint imposed by the highly powerful Apple, the Commission has mistakenly found Google to be dominant in mobile operating systems and app stores, when it was in fact a vigorous market disrupter," he said.

Pickford said Android "is an exceptional success story of the power of competition in action".

Commission lawyer Nicholas Khan dismissed Apple's role because of its small market share compared with Android.

"Bringing Apple into the picture doesn't change things very much. Google and Apple pursue different models," he told the court.

Khan cited Google's agreements which forced phone manufacturers to pre-install Google Search, the Chrome browser and the Google Play app store on their Android devices, and payments to pre-install only Google Search as conduct that did not allow for competition.

Story continues

He said Google's dominance as an incumbent and the immense barriers for rivals resulted in "a virtuous circle for Google but a vicious circle for anybody else".

Android, free for device makers to use, is found on about 80% of the world's smartphones. The case is the most important of the European Union's three cases against Google because of Android's market power. Google has racked up more than 8 billion euros in EU antitrust fines in the last decade.

German phone maker Gigaset Communications GmbH, which is backing Google, said its success as a European smartphone maker was due to Android's open platform and lamented the negative impact of the Commission's decision on its business.

"The licence fee for the Play Store that Google now charges as a result of the contested decision represents a significant portion of the price of Gigaset's smartphones aimed at price-sensitive consumers," its lawyer Jean-Francois Bellis told the court.

Lobbying group FairSearch, whose complaint triggered the Commission case, was however scathing about Google's tactics with phone makers.

"Google adopted a classic bait and switch strategy. It hooked (them) on a supposedly free and open source operating system subsidised by its search monopoly, only to shut that system to competition through the web of restrictions at issue in this case," its lawyer Thomas Vinje told the court.

A verdict may come next year. The case is T-604/18 Google vs European Commission.

($1 = 0.8537 euros)

(Reporting by Foo Yun Chee; Editing by Kirsten Donovan)
A transformation of the international health system is needed due to the inequity reflected in the distribution of covid-19 vaccines to developing countries

TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras, Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- In his speech to the UN General Assembly, President Juan Orlando Hernandez proposed a reform of the international health system, especially of the World Health Organization (WHO), due to the inequity reflected in the distribution of covid-19 vaccines to developing countries that, despite having the money, were not able to obtain access to them.

In meeting with the Secretary General of the UN, Antonio Guterres, Hernandez said that an emergency fund should be created with the contribution of all countries to guarantee equitable access to vaccines or any other medicine.

"We cant afford waiting another pandemic to optimize the Covax mechanism's vaccine purchase system," said the Honduran leader.

"Today, the whole world is facing a pandemic that has brought us to our knees. At the beginning, Covax experienced issues with being able to fulfill the distribution of vaccines to member countries, a critical moment in which our lives are at stake".

This situation put into evidence the important fact that the WHO should not wait for problems to arise to prepare for solutions. They cannot be unprepared to face this or any other emergency.

"In addition, there was the problem that the countries that managed or requested the procurement of vaccines could not do so either because the most powerful countries had them monopolized," he stressed.

Hernandez suggested that this situation can be avoided in the future by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) with access to resources, considering that the great majority of the countries have assigned budgets for purchasing vaccines. "Then it is only a matter of regionalizing the research and production systems throughout the world, such as some pharmaceutical companies are doing" he

Story continues

In addition, Hernandez said that countries that tend to hoard everything need to react, as happened with vaccines against covid-19.

He gave as an example that if the United States does not send vaccines to Latin America, it will continue to be at risk in terms of the pandemic, and the same will happen with Europe in relation to Africa.

Hernandez and Guterres held a bilateral meeting at the UN offices, within the framework of the United Nations General Assembly, where they also addressed issues related to climate change and the proposal of Honduras to support the implementation of a system flood control.

Source: https://presidencia.gob.hn/press/blog-node/presidente-hern%C3%A1ndez-propone-ante-la-onu-reformar-el-sistema-de-la-oms

Cision

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/honduras-president-at-un-proposes-reforms-to-the-who-system-301386018.html

SOURCE Government of Honduras
The hotel and hospitality management software market will have Amadeus IT Group SA, Cisco Systems Inc., and Honeywell International Inc. as major participants during 2021-2025.

NEW YORK, Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The "hotel and hospitality management software market segmented by Deployment (Cloud-based and On-premise) and Geography (Europe, APAC, North America, MEA, and South America) - Forecast and Analysis 2021-2025" has been added to Technavio's offering. The hotel and hospitality management software market size is expected to reach a value of USD 994.71 million during 2021-2025.

Attractive Opportunities in Hotel and Hospitality Management Software Market by Deployment and Geography - Forecast and Analysis 2021-2025

Understand the driving forces behind Hotel And Hospitality Management Software Market and target Potential Customers Here:

Request a Free Sample Report

The pandemic-focused report highlights the impact of lockdowns, supply chain disruptions, demand destruction, and change in customer behavior during 2020. Technavio analysts have curated the reports extensively through both qualitative and quantitative research methodologies to derive the most industry-relevant and business-relevant outcomes.

Companies across the globe are focusing on creating a Resilient Business Model in the Face of COVID-19. Vendors are continuing their ongoing operations while building resilient business models as the path to recovery from the pandemic is being carved out.

The recovery process involves various phases including:-

Recognizing the existing business model

Focusing on agile execution of proposed and approved changes.

Conceptualize scenario-based planning to mitigate future crisis situations.

Retrieve Actionable Data Points to Make Critical Business Decisions

Key Considerations for Market Forecast:

Impact of lockdowns, supply chain disruptions, demand destruction, and change in customer behavior

Optimistic, probable, and pessimistic scenarios for all markets as the impact of pandemic unfolds

Pre- as well as post-COVID-19 market estimates

Quarterly impact analysis and updates on market estimates

Access Technavio's Subscription Platform For 14 Days Free Trial of Before Buying Full Report

Technavio's SUBSCRIPTION platform

Story continues

Reports that might interest you:

Global Gym Management Software Market - Global gym management software market is segmented by deployment (cloud-based and on-premise) and geography (North America, Europe, APAC, South America, and MEA).

Download Exclusive Free Sample Report

Global Event Management Software Market - Global event management software market is segmented by deployment (cloud-based and on-premise) and geography (North America, Europe, APAC, MEA, and South America).

Download Exclusive Free Sample Report

Top 3 Vendor Analysis of Hotel And Hospitality Management Software Market

Amadeus IT Group SA:

The company offers a wide range of hotel and hospitality management software solutions such as Amadeus Central Reservation System, Amadeus Channel Management RezExchange, Amadeus Cloud Property Management, Amadeus DirectBook, Amadeus Fraud Management, and many more solutions to cater every single need of customers.

Cisco Systems Inc.:

The company offers hotel and hospitality management software that addresses every common industry concern about employee productivity, complicated and outdated communication systems, energy costs, and lost revenue streams.

Honeywell International Inc.:

The company offers hotel and hospitality management software that works with a wide range of third-party equipment to reduce operational and lifecycle costs while giving room to grow, automates workflows and gives the ability to holistically view and manage systems through its Enterprise Buildings Integrator.

View our report snapshot here to get a detailed share analysis of market participants during COVID-19 lockdown:

https://www.technavio.com/report/hotel-and-hospitality-management-software-market-size-industry-analysis

Hotel and Hospitality Management Software Market 2021-2025: Segmentation

Hotel and hospitality management software market is segmented as below:

Deployment

Geography

The hotel and hospitality management software market is driven by the reduction in overall operational costs and increasing requirements for large-scale client management. In addition, the rising demand for mobility is expected to trigger the hotel and hospitality management software market toward witnessing a CAGR of over 6% during the forecast period.

Get Actionable Insights on each Contributing Segments. Download Free Sample Report:

https://www.technavio.com/talk-to-us?report=IRTNTR43784

Market Drivers

Market Challenges

Market Trends

Vendor Landscape

Vendors covered

Vendor classification

Market positioning of vendors

Competitive scenario

About Us

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focuses on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios.

Contact

Technavio Research

Jesse Maida

Media & Marketing Executive

US: +1 844 364 1100

UK: +44 203 893 3200

Email: media@technavio.com

Website: www.technavio.com/

Technavio (PRNewsfoto/Technavio)

Cision

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/hotel-and-hospitality-management-software-market-report-featuring-top-players-including-amadeus-it-group-sa-and-cisco-systems-inc--17-000-technavio-research-reports-301384433.html

SOURCE Technavio
- Enfortumab vedotin is the first and only antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) approved in Japan for patients with advanced urothelial cancer -

TOKYO and BOTHELL, Wash., Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Astellas Pharma Inc. (TSE:4503, President and CEO: Kenji Yasukawa, Ph.D., "Astellas") and Seagen Inc. (Nasdaq:SGEN) today announced that Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) has approved PADCEV (enfortumab vedotin) for radically unresectable urothelial carcinoma that has progressed after anti-cancer chemotherapy. The New Drug Application received priority review.

Astellas Pharma Inc. and Seagen Inc. are co-developing enfortumab vedotin under a 50:50 worldwide development and commercialization collaboration.

Radically unresectable urothelial carcinoma is urothelial cancer that cannot be treated by surgical removal of the urinary bladder or the kidney and the ureter due to tumor growth.

"Unfortunately, advanced urothelial cancer has a relatively poor prognosis and can be challenging to treat with currently available therapies," said Andrew Krivoshik, M.D., Ph.D., Senior Vice President and Head of Development Therapeutic Areas, Astellas. "The MHLW's review of enfortumab vedotin in just six months, supported by overall survival data from a pivotal Phase 3 clinical trial, reflects the seriousness of this condition and the potential benefit of enfortumab vedotin for patients in Japan."

The approval is primarily based on the global Phase 3 EV-301 clinical trial, which included sites in Japan. The trial evaluated enfortumab vedotin versus chemotherapy in adult patients with locally advanced or metastatic urothelial cancer who were previously treated with platinum-based chemotherapy and a PD-1/L1 inhibitor. At the time of pre-specified interim analysis, patients who received enfortumab vedotin (n=301) in the trial lived a median of 3.9 months longer than those who received chemotherapy (n=307). Median overall survival was 12.9 vs. 9.0 months, respectively [Hazard Ratio=0.70 (95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 0.56, 0.89), p=0.001]. The most common (20%) adverse reactions included alopecia, peripheral sensory neuropathy, pruritus, fatigue, decreased appetite, diarrhea, dysgeusia and nausea.

Story continues

Each year in Japan, more than 24,300 people are diagnosed with bladder cancer and an estimated 9,500 die from the disease.1 Enfortumab vedotin is the subject of a robust clinical development program aimed at addressing unmet needs across the continuum of urothelial cancer and in other solid tumors.

About Urothelial Cancer

Urothelial cancer is the most common type of bladder cancer (90 percent of cases), and can also be found in the renal pelvis (where urine collects inside the kidney), ureter (tube that connects the kidneys to the bladder) and urethra. Globally, approximately 573,000 new cases of bladder cancer and 212,000 deaths are reported annually.2

About the EV-301 Trial

The EV-301 trial (NCT03474107) was a global, multicenter, open-label, randomized Phase 3 trial designed to evaluate enfortumab vedotin versus physician's choice of chemotherapy (docetaxel, paclitaxel or vinflunine) in 608 patients with locally advanced or metastatic urothelial cancer who were previously treated with a PD-1/L1 inhibitor and platinum-based therapies. The primary endpoint was overall survival, and secondary endpoints included progression-free survival, overall response rate, duration of response and disease control rate, as well as assessment of safety/tolerability and quality-of-life parameters. Results were published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

About Enfortumab Vedotin

Enfortumab vedotin is an antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) that is directed against Nectin-4, a protein located on the surface of cells and highly expressed in bladder cancer.3,4 Nonclinical data suggest the anticancer activity of enfortumab vedotin is due to its binding to Nectin-4 expressing cells followed by the internalization and release of the anti-tumor agent monomethyl auristatin E (MMAE) into the cell, which result in the cell not reproducing (cell cycle arrest) and in programmed cell death (apoptosis).4 PADCEV is co-developed by Astellas and Seagen.

Important Safety Information

For important Safety Information for PADCEV, please see the Package Insert.

About Astellas

Astellas Pharma Inc. is a pharmaceutical company conducting business in more than 70 countries around the world. We are promoting the Focus Area Approach that is designed to identify opportunities for the continuous creation of new drugs to address diseases with high unmet medical needs by focusing on Biology and Modality. Furthermore, we are also looking beyond our foundational Rx focus to create Rx+ healthcare solutions that combine our expertise and knowledge with cutting-edge technology in different fields of external partners. Through these efforts, Astellas stands on the forefront of healthcare change to turn innovative science into value for patients. For more information, please visit our website at https://www.astellas.com/en.

About Seagen

Seagen Inc. is a global biotechnology company that discovers, develops and commercializes transformative cancer medicines to make a meaningful difference in people's lives. Seagen is headquartered in the Seattle, Washington area, and has locations in California, Canada, Switzerland and the European Union. For more information on our marketed products and robust pipeline, visit www.seagen.com and follow @SeagenGlobal on Twitter.

About the Astellas and Seagen Collaboration

Astellas and Seagen are co-developing enfortumab vedotin under a 50:50 worldwide development and commercialization collaboration. In the United States, Astellas and Seagen co-promote enfortumab vedotin. In the Americas outside the US, Seagen holds responsibility for commercialization activities and regulatory filings. Outside of the Americas, including in Japan, Astellas holds responsibility for commercialization activities and regulatory filings.

Astellas Cautionary Notes

In this press release, statements made with respect to current plans, estimates, strategies and beliefs and other statements that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements about the future performance of Astellas. These statements are based on management's current assumptions and beliefs in light of the information currently available to it and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to: (i) changes in general economic conditions and in laws and regulations, relating to pharmaceutical markets, (ii) currency exchange rate fluctuations, (iii) delays in new product launches, (iv) the inability of Astellas to market existing and new products effectively, (v) the inability of Astellas to continue to effectively research and develop products accepted by customers in highly competitive markets, and (vi) infringements of Astellas' intellectual property rights by third parties.

Information about pharmaceutical products (including products currently in development), which is included in this press release, is not intended to constitute an advertisement or medical advice.

Seagen Forward Looking Statements

Certain statements made in this press release are forward looking, such as those, among others, relating to the clinical development program for PADCEV, including its efficacy, safety and therapeutic uses. Actual results or developments may differ materially from those projected or implied in these forward-looking statements. Factors that may cause such a difference include, without limitation, the possibility that delays or setbacks in the commercialization of PADCEV, adverse events or safety signals, and adverse regulatory actions may occur. More information about the risks and uncertainties faced by Seagen is contained under the caption "Risk Factors" included in the company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2021 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Seagen disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

1 Cancer Information Service, Projected cancer statistics. Published 2021. https://ganjoho.jp/en/public/statistics/short_pred.html. Accessed September 22, 2021

2 American Society of Clinical Oncology. Bladder cancer: introduction (9-2020). https://www.cancer.net/cancer-types/bladder-cancer/introduction Accessed September 22, 2021.

3 PADCEV [package insert]. Northbrook, Ill.: Astellas Pharma US, Inc.

4 Challita-Eid P, Satpayev D, Yang P, et al. Enfortumab Vedotin Antibody-Drug Conjugate Targeting Nectin-4 Is a Highly Potent Therapeutic Agent in Multiple Preclinical Cancer Models. Cancer Res 2016;76(10):3003-13.

Cision

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/japans-mhlw-approves-padcev-enfortumab-vedotin-for-advanced-urothelial-cancer-301385330.html

SOURCE Astellas Pharma Inc.
NEW DELHI, Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- As per the report "Global Machine Tools Market  Industry Dynamics, Market Size, and Opportunity Forecast to 2027" published by Astute Analytica, the machine tools market is forecast to grow at compound annual growth of 4.7% during the forecast period, 2021-2027.

Astute Analytica Logo

Request for a sample report: https://www.astuteanalytica.com/request-sample/machine-tools-market

When processing or machining metal or other stiff materials, machine tools are typically used for cutting, drilling, grinding, shearing, or other forms of deformation. Machine tools have a variety of advantages, the most important of which is the ability to produce in large quantities with minimal effort. As a result of the benefits of machine tools and the growing favorable government measures for the manufacturing sector's growth, the machine tools market is expected to rise in the coming years.

In addition to automation, smart manufacturing methods incorporate big data capabilities, the Internet of Things, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and more. In a range of industries around the world, industrial automation is assisting in increasing efficiency and output. Because machine tools function in real-time to give control of various sections involved in the manufacturing process and other industrial requirements, the expansion of industries is proportional to the growth of the machine tool market.

The industrial sector's strong emphasis on increasing efficiency and decreasing downtime is projected to fuel the overall growth. Emerging countries like China, India, Argentina, Poland, Brazil and others has become a hub for the manufacturing sector. In the global context, the Asia-Pacific area is one of the greatest importers of machine tools; large share of population in the APAC region boost the continues growth of the manufacturing sector to meet the rising demand for goods and services. As a result, smart technology is becoming more prevalent in manufacturing operations, as it aids organizations in enhancing efficiency, maximizing resources, and developing new goods.

Story continues

The growing demand for mass production in industries such as aerospace and military, and other industries is likely to increase machine tool usage. Metal cutting tool demand is increasing in tandem with the increased use of metals in numerous industries, which projects well for the market growth.

Furthermore, the manufacturing industry is benefiting from favorable government rules and policies, which is driving up the demand for machine tools. For example, in 2016, China's government simultaneously implemented "Made in China 2025" and "Industry 4.0." The goal of the effort is to minimize China's reliance on foreign technology imports while increasing investment in domestic inventions by 40% by 2020 and 75% by 2025. It also aspires to transform China's manufacturing capabilities into a more technologically advanced nation.

Machine tools have a number of advantages, the most important of which is bulk and hassle-free production. As a result, the machine tools market is predicted to increase in the coming years due to the increasing benefits of machine tools and the growing favorable government initiatives for the manufacturing sector's growth.

However, the high expense of installing CNC machines prevents small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) from incorporating machine tools into their operations. The machines, including CNC milling machines, cost roughly US$ 35-40 per hour to run, according to Prototech Asia. As a result, worries about machine tool installation and the high cost of adopting machines within SMEs are limiting market expansion.

Rising adoption of automatic tools by various manufacturing industries generates profitable opportunities in the market

The use of autonomous tools is projected to be driven by the growing number of smart factories in the industrial sector, as well as increased spending by manufacturers on new equipment to maintain product quality and precise measurements. As per the secondary sources, 43% of the world's smart factories are operational, while 33% have developed a smart factory initiative. In the next 3-5 years, the remaining 8% will adopt smart factories.

As the Industry 4.0 concept gains traction across the manufacturing sector, it is having an impact on the machine tool market, which is attempting to integrate into smart systems. By reducing idle time, Industry 4.0 has the potential to improve the usage of machine tools in production operations.

Furthermore, industry participants are relying on strategic alliances such as partnerships to develop lucrative opportunities for the market. For example, in 2017, DMG MORI and FUCHS PETROLUB SE signed a collaboration agreement that will allow the two firms to collaborate on the development of novel lubricant solutions and services for machine tool applications.

With their manufacturing facilities, foreign players like as Trumpf and Amada have a strong presence in the country. Furthermore, there are a number of small and medium-sized domestic firms active in the production of machine tool parts and components. As a result, during the projection period, these factors will augment the growth of the machine tools market.

Asia Pacific dominates the global market of machine tools

Global market includes the following regions - North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa (MEA) and South America. Asia Pacific dominated the market in 2020, with a revenue share of more than 54.1%. This is owing to regional governments' attempts to promote local manufacturing, such as "Make in India" and "Made in China 2025." Middle-class customers' per-capita income has risen, resulting in increased expenditure on goods. Manufacturing businesses are investing in new production plants and machines to meet demand and seize opportunities in the Asian market. Furthermore, low-cost manufacturing competitiveness, such as lower labor costs, young populations, and low raw material costs, has led end-user industries to shift their businesses to Asian countries, resulting in a rapid increase in machine tool demand.

However, due to increased demand for machine tools from incumbents in the aerospace and defense, automotive, and oil and energy industries, among other industries and industry verticals, the North America regional market is expected to grow at the highest CAGR over the projected period. The US-China trade agreement, which might result in a major rise in Chinese agricultural imports from the United States, could lead to an increase in agricultural equipment investment. The USMCA's expected passage will likely expand trade across North America and lead to additional investment in capital-intensive industries.

Competitive Scenario

Trumf, DMG MORI, General Technology, Amada Co. Ltd. and Okuma Corporation dominate the global machine tools industry, which is observed to possess competitive type of the market. In order to stay competitive among the top players, the corporations are using technological breakthroughs into their innovation and expansion initiatives. Market companies' primary strategies include new product development, agreements/partnerships, expansions, mergers, and acquisitions.

Have Any Query Or Specific Requirement? Feel Free To Ask Our Industry Experts At : https://www.astuteanalytica.com/request-sample/machine-tools-market

Segment Summary

Market size analysis based on revenue and volume in several categories is included in the report's market segments. These include product type, automation type, industry, sales channel and region. The highest share of each segment is well illustrated in the report. For instance, in the product type category, milling machines are expected to expand at the fastest rate of 7.4% over the forecast period, while soluble type is expected to account for the largest proportion of nearly 20% in 2020.

Similarly, the CNC machine tools among the automation type dominated the market with more than 50% share in 2020 and is also projected to grow at a fastest CAGR of 5.1% during the forecast period.

Get Full Research Summary on "Machine Tools Market" https://www.astuteanalytica.com/industry-report/machine-tools-market

The report provides thorough analysis of Global Machine Tools Market  Industry Dynamics, Market Size and Opportunity Forecast to 2027, based on the following.

By Product Type

By Automation Type

By Industry

By Sales Channel

By Geography

Buy Now this Premium Report to Grow your Business https://www.astuteanalytica.com/request-sample/machine-tools-market

OR

Find more research reports on Industrial & Heavy Machinery by Astute Analytica.

About Astute Analytica

Astute Analytica is a global analytics and advisory company which has built a solid reputation in a short period, thanks to the tangible outcomes we have delivered to our clients. We pride ourselves in generating unparalleled, in depth and uncannily accurate estimates and projections for our very demanding clients spread across different verticals. We have a long list of satisfied and repeat clients from a wide spectrum including technology, healthcare, chemicals, semiconductors, FMCG, and many more. These happy customers come to us from all across the Globe. They are able to make well calibrated decisions and leverage highly lucrative opportunities while surmounting the fierce challenges all because we analyze for them the complex business environment, segment wise existing and emerging possibilities, technology formations, growth estimates, and even the strategic choices available. In short, a complete package. All this is possible because we have a highly qualified, competent, and experienced team of professionals comprising of business analysts, economists, consultants, and technology experts. In our list of priorities, you-our patron-come at the top. You can be sure of best cost effective, value added package from us, should you decide to engage with us.

Contact us:

Nishi Sharma

BSI Business Park, H-15,Sector-63, Noida- 201301- India

Phone: +1-888 429 6757 (US Toll Free); +91-0120- 4251598 (Rest of the World)

Email: sales@astuteanalytica.com

Website: www.astuteanalytica.com

Follow US: LinkedIn | Twitter

Cision

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/machine-tools-market-size-to-reach-95-169-1-million-by-2027--cagr-4-7-exclusive-report-by-astute-analytica-301385413.html

SOURCE Astute Analytica
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - September 27, 2021) - New Oroperu Resources Inc. (TSXV: ORO) ("New Oroperu") is pleased to announce that its wholly owned Peruvian subsidiary, Aurifera Tres Cruces S.A. ("ATC") has entered into an agreement with Minera Boroo Misquichilca S.A., formerly Minera Barrick Misquichilca S.A. ("MBM"), to acquire the surface land rights held by MBM on the Tres Cruces property.

On December 18, 2006, ATC and MBM entered into a Mining Assignment Agreement (Contrato de Cesion Minera) for the purpose of MBM's operations on the Tres Cruces property, which terminated on September 10, 2021. Pursuant to the Mining Assignment Agreement, ATC and MBM have entered into agreements for the transfer to ATC and payment to MBM, at book value, of the land surface rights held by MBM over the Tres Cruces property. ATC is obligated to make payment to MBM and complete the transfers on the earlier of November 4, 2021 and 7 business days following the closing of the Arrangement Agreement between First Light Capital Corporation and New Oroperu (See News Release dated June 17, 2021). Following the payment and transfer of the surface land rights to ATC, the termination of the May 31, 2002, Share Purchase Option and Joint Participation Agreement between MBM and New Oroperu et al. will be executed, and the Tres Cruces drill core will be released to ATC.

New Oroperu thanks those involved to complete these surface land transfers. We look forward to the development of the Tres Cruces project, following the completion of the Arrangement Agreement with First Light Capital Corporation, to be renamed as Anacortes Mining Corporation.

Anacortes Mining Corporation is well financed and staffed to continue the advancement of the Tres Cruces project towards feasibility under the guidance of Jim Currie, President.

About New Oroperu

New Oroperu is a junior exploration company based in Vancouver, B.C., which owns the Tres Cruces gold project in Peru. The Tres Cruces gold project currently hosts a mineral resource estimate of 2.474 million ounces of gold at 1.65 g/t in the Indicated category, which includes 630,000 ounces of leachable gold resources. This mineral resource is described in a NI 43-101 Technical Report & Resource Update for the Tres Cruces project, North-Central Peru, prepared for New Oroperu by Jeffrey D. Rowe, James N. Gray and Ruperto Castro Ocampo with an effective date of March 16, 2021, which has been filed on New Oroperu's profile on SEDAR and can be viewed at www.sedar.com.

Story continues

Jeffrey D. Rowe, P.Geo., a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects, has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information contained in this news release.

For further information, please contact Christina McCarthy, V.P. Corporate Development of New Oroperu, at (416) 712-6151, email christina@oroperu.com or K. Wayne Livingstone, President and Chief Executive Officer of New Oroperu, at (604) 638-1408, email kwl@oroperu.com.

About First Light

First Light is a capital pool company pursuant to Policy 2.4 of the TSXV. Except as specifically contemplated in such policy, until the completion of its Qualifying Transaction (as defined in the policy), First Light will not carry on business, other than the identification and evaluation of companies, businesses or assets with a view to completing a proposed QT. Investors are cautioned that trading in the securities of a capital pool company is considered highly speculative.

For further information, please contact Jim Currie, President and Chief Executive Officer of First Light, at (604) 764-7108.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Information

This news release contains forward-looking statements which constitute "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation ("Forward-looking Statements"). All statements included herein, other than statements of historical fact, are Forward-looking Statements and are subject to a variety of known and unknown risks and uncertainties which could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those reflected in the Forward-looking Statements.

The Forward-looking Statements in this news release may include, without limitation, statements about New Oroperu's current expectations and projections for the closing of the Arrangement Agreement, the payment and transfer of the surface land rights, the termination of the May 31, 2002 agreement with MBM and the transfer of the Tres Cruces drill core to ATC. Often, but not always, these Forward-looking Statements can be identified by the use of words such as "anticipated", "estimated", "potential", "open", "future", "assumed", "projected", "used", "detailed", "has been", "gain", "planned", "reflecting", "will", "anticipated", "estimated" "containing", "remaining", "to be", or statements that events, "could" or "should" occur or be achieved and similar expressions, including negative variations.

Forward-looking Statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which are beyond the ability of New Oroperu to control or predict and which may cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the Forward-looking Statements. Such risks, uncertainties and factors include, among others, the completion and timing of the Arrangement Agreement, the payment and transfer of the surface land taxes, the termination of the May 31, 2002 agreement with MBM and the transfer of the Tres Cruces drill core to ATC; changes in general economic conditions and financial markets; political risks; risks relating to the current and potential adverse impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the economy, financial markets and the parties' operations; and risks inherent in mineral exploration. Although Forward-looking Statements contained in this news release are based upon what each of the parties believe are reasonable assumptions at the time they were made, such statements are made as of the date hereof and New Oroperu disclaims any obligation to update any Forward-looking Statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise, except as required by law. There can be no assurance that these Forward-looking Statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, investors should not place undue reliance on Forward-looking Statements.

This news release does not constitute an offer to sell, or solicitation of an offer to buy, nor will there be any sale of any of the securities offered in any jurisdiction where such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful, including the United States of America. The securities being offered as part of the Private Placement have not been, and will not be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act"), or any state securities laws, and accordingly may not be offered or sold in the United States except in compliance with the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act and any applicable state securities laws, or pursuant to available exemptions therefrom.

Completion of the Transaction is subject to a number of conditions, including but not limited to, TSXV acceptance and if applicable pursuant to TSXV requirements, majority of the minority shareholder approval. Where applicable, the Transaction cannot close until the required shareholder approval is obtained. There can be no assurance that the Transaction will be completed as proposed or at all.

Investors are cautioned that, except as disclosed in the filing statement to be prepared in connection with the Transaction, any information released or received with respect to the Transaction may not be accurate or complete and should not be relied upon. Trading in the securities of a capital pool company should be considered highly speculative.

The TSXV has in no way passed upon the merits of the Transaction and has neither approved nor disapproved of the contents of this press release.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/97724
MENLO PARK, Calif. & DALLAS, September 27, 2021--(BUSINESS WIRE)--ReCode Therapeutics (the "Company"), a biopharmaceutical company pioneering disease-modifying genetic medicines using its proprietary LNP delivery platform, today announced the appointment of Nicholas P. France, M.D., MRCPCH, as senior vice president, clinical development. In this role, Dr. France will lead all clinical and regulatory activities and serve as a key member of the executive leadership team.

"Nick has had an impressive career successfully leading clinical and regulatory activities for novel therapeutics at all stages of development," said David Lockhart, Ph.D., CEO and President, ReCode Therapeutics. "He joins our team during an important period of growth as we work to rapidly advance our two lead programs for primary ciliary dyskinesia and cystic fibrosis into the clinic, while we also maximize our LNP delivery platform. We are excited to have him on board and look forward to his leadership as we pursue our mission to develop disease-modifying genetic medicines that can offer better outcomes for patients with unmet medical needs."

Dr. France is an accomplished rare disease clinical drug developer with extensive clinical, regulatory and business development expertise across all phases of development. He previously served as vice president and head of clinical research at ESCAPE Bio, where he helped lead the transformation of the company from a preclinical to a clinical organization and had responsibility for all aspects of global clinical development and translational medicine. Prior to ESCAPE, Dr. France held positions of increasing responsibility in global biopharma organizations with a focus on developing clinical and regulatory strategy and building high performing clinical groups in emerging and early-stage biotech companies. He was senior director, clinical development for neurosciences and rare diseases with Roivant Sciences and Axovant Sciences, and executive director, clinical development at Strongbridge Biopharma. Other prior roles included global clinical program director at CSL Behring, and clinical development director, neurosciences and rare diseases at GlaxoSmithKline. During his career, Dr. France has successfully led a number of clinical programs through regulatory meetings for pivotal stage studies and has served in clinical leadership roles on the development of several assets that achieved regulatory approval including migalastat, AFSTYLA and Retigabine. He currently serves as a scientific medical advisory board member for the INADCure Foundation. He earned a B.S. in pharmacology from Kings College London (University of London) in the U.K. and his M.D. from the University of Warwick Medical School (U.K.) after which he trained in Pediatrics in London with a focus on Intensive Care Medicine. Dr. France is also a member of the Royal College of Pediatrics and Child Health.

Story continues

About ReCode Therapeutics

ReCode Therapeutics is an integrated genetic medicines company developing disease-modifying therapeutics using its powerful LNP delivery technology to target organs and tissues beyond the liver. The Companys pipeline includes lead programs for patients with life-limiting genetic respiratory diseases, including cystic fibrosis and primary ciliary dyskinesia. The Company is leveraging its proprietary LNP platform and nucleic acid technologies and utilizing systemic and direct delivery for mRNA-mediated replacement and gene editing/correction in target cells, including stem cells. For more information, visit www.recodetx.com and follow us on Twitter @ReCodeTx and LinkedIn.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210927005270/en/

Contacts

Media Contact:

Will Zasadny

Canale Communications, Inc.

Will.zasadny@canalecomm.com

(619) 961-8848

Investor Contact:

Sarah McCabe

Stern Investor Relations

sarah.mcCabe@sternir.com

IR@recodetx.com
The morsels of creamy cheese boast flavorful core centers in two popular varieties

Alouette Gourmet Bites

Alouette Gourmet Bites

Alouette Gourmet Bites

NEW HOLLAND, Pa., Sept. 27, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Adding a new, snackable product to its offerings, Alouette Cheese has started to roll out Gourmet Bites: small balls of its signature, creamy cheese filled with flavor-packed centers.

The snackable cheese balls come in two flavors: Garlic & Herb, based on Alouette's best-selling spreadable cheese, and Caramelized Onion, an elevated spin on a popular snacking flavor. Perfect for entertaining, the small morsels are fun and indulgent, with less than 100 calories per serving.

As many Americans spent more time at home over the past year, they craved unique snacks to fill their dining rooms with excitement. Until now, cheese snacks have been largely dominated by more kid-friendly options. Alouette's Gourmet Bites give adults the savory snack they crave, with a touch of sophistication and a burst of flavor.

Prior to their U.S. release this year, Alouette's Gourmet Bites were popular across Europe, with Caramelized Onion a favorite among French shoppers.

"We're thrilled to introduce our American audience to a new way of enjoying Alouette's flavorful spreadable cheeses," said Mikhail Chapnik, Vice President of Marketing at Savencia Cheese USA. "Gourmet Bites offer an elegant and elevated snacking option that's unique in the U.S. market."

To keep Gourmet Bites fresh, they are sold in resealable trays that can be opened one section at a time. The trays make it easy to serve to friends and family or enjoy the ready-to-eat bites straight from the fridge.

The Alouette story began in 1974 when a renowned French cheesemaker Jean-Noel Bongrain sought to combine French techniques and well-loved American flavors with his unique specialty products, starting with signature spreadable cheeses.

Whether you enjoy it as an appetizer or as a small snack, Alouette's Gourmet Bites will fill your kitchen with fun and flavor. They are available now at ShopRite and Harris Teeter stores.

Story continues

###

About Savencia Cheese USA: Savencia Cheese USA is a family-owned subsidiary of Savencia Fromage & Dairy - the world's leading specialty cheese producer. Savencia Cheese USA specializes in crafting high-end cheeses under the Alouette, Supreme, Chavrie, Dorothy's and Smithfield brands. Additionally, Savencia Cheese USA imports fine cheeses from France featuring cheeses such as Ile de France, Saint Andre, Saint Agur and Etorki. For more information, please visit: www.savenciacheeseusa.com.

Contact:

Janice Beiner, Marketing Manager, Savencia Cheese USA, (717) 344-9143, janice.beiner@savencia.com

Related Images













Image 1: Alouette Gourmet Bites





Gourmet bites on a cheeseboard.



















Image 2: Alouette Gourmet Bites Caramelized Onion





Picture of packaging



















Image 3: Alouette Gourmet Bites Garlic & Herbs





Picture of packaging









This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com.

Attachment




Administrator of the Small Business Administration, Isabella Casillas Guzman, joined Small Business House Committee Chairwoman, Rep. Nydia M. Velazquez (D-NY) to discuss the importance of American-manufacturing for critical supply chains.

BROOKLYN, N.Y., September 27, 2021--(BUSINESS WIRE)--On September 25th, Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), Isabella Casillas Guzman, and Rep. Nydia M. Velazquez (D-NY) visited Brooklyn Navy Yards American PAPR LLC, a personal protective equipment (PPE) manufacturer that produces powered air-purifying respirators (PAPRs) for healthcare workers and industrial workers. The visit kicked off an all-day tour of small businesses and manufacturers in New Yorks 7th Congressional District.

"Having been a small business owner myself and having grown up in a family of medical professionals, I understand how important small businesses like veteran-led American PAPR are for frontline healthcare workers near and far as we continue to fight the COVID-19 pandemic," said Administrator Guzman. "American PAPR and its 17-state supply chain serve as an example as to how small businesses can create good jobs locally, build Made in America supply chains and grow our economy."

Representing more than 30 million small businesses in the United States, Guzman was sworn in as the 27th Administrator of the SBA on March 17, 2021. Guzman is committed to helping small business owners and entrepreneurs start, grow, and maintain resilient businesses. Previously, Guzman served as the Director of the California Office of the Small Business Advocate, where she was a voice on behalf of small businesses and startups in the fifth largest economy in the world.

"Were grateful for the opportunity to showcase our facility to Administrator Guzman and provide a glimpse of our start-to-finish PPE assembly and manufacturing process," said CEO Giles Kyser. Were also incredibly thankful to Rep. Velazquez for recommending our facility as part of the SBAs small business tour in the 7th Congressional District. Small businesses are the core of our nation and we welcome all leaders both locally and in Washington who are committed to strengthening our economy."

Story continues

American PAPR launched in response to the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in an effort to protect Americas healthcare heroes on the front lines. The fully NIOSH-approved FELIX-200 PAPR is engineered and designed to provide the highest level of respiratory protection against viral diseases with its integral face shield and loose-fitting face mask that doesnt require fit testing. In 2020, their original PAPR, the FELIX-100, was deployed to medical facilities in dire need across the country in response to the initial surge. American PAPRs seventeen-state supply chain enables the manufacturer to produce hundreds of PAPRs weekly.

To learn more about American PAPR and the FELIX-200 PAPR, please visit https://american-papr.com/.

About American PAPR LLC

American PAPR LLC is a veteran-led personal protective equipment manufacturer based in New York City, and recently moved its headquarters and manufacturing facility to a new space at the Brooklyn Navy Yard. American PAPR meets the industry's strictest quality standards per 42 CFR Part 84 and is committed to providing high quality, state-of-the-art respiratory protection to medical professionals.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210927005748/en/

Contacts

Rachael Payton

rachael@rokksolutions.com
NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / September 27, 2021 / The Law Offices of Vincent Wong announce that class actions have commenced on behalf of certain shareholders in the following companies. If you suffered a loss you have until the lead plaintiff deadline to request that the court appoint you as lead plaintiff. There will be no obligation or cost to you.

Activision Blizzard, Inc. (NASDAQ:ATVI)

If you suffered a loss, contact us at:https://www.wongesq.com/pslra-1/activision-blizzard-inc-loss-submission-form-2?prid=19891&wire=1

Lead Plaintiff Deadline: October 4, 2021

Class Period: August 4, 2016 - July 27, 2021

Allegations against ATVI include that: (1) Activision Blizzard discriminated against women and minority employees; (2) Activision Blizzard fostered a pervasive "frat boy" workplace culture that continues to thrive; (3) numerous complaints about unlawful harassment,

discrimination, and retaliation were made to human resources personnel and executives which went unaddressed; (4) the pervasive culture of harassment, discrimination, and retaliation would result in serious impairments to Activision Blizzard's operations; (5) as a result of the foregoing, the Company was at greater risk of regulatory and legal scrutiny and enforcement, including that which would have a material adverse effect; (6) Activision Blizzard failed to inform shareholders that the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing had been investigating Activision Blizzard for harassment and discrimination; and (7) as a result, Defendants' statements about Activision Blizzard's business, operations, and prospects, were materially false and misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis at all relevant times.

Zymergen Inc. (NASDAQ:ZY)

If you suffered a loss, contact us at:https://www.wongesq.com/pslra-1/zymergen-inc-loss-submission-form?prid=19891&wire=1

Lead Plaintiff Deadline: October 4, 2021

This lawsuit is on behalf of investors who purchased ZY common stock pursuant and/or traceable to the documents issued in connection with the Company's April 2021 initial public offering.

Story continues

Allegations against ZY include that: (1) during the qualification process for the Company's optical film product, Hyaline, key customers had encountered technical issues, including product shrinkage and incompatibility with customers' processes; (2) though the qualification process was critical to achieving market acceptance for Hyaline and generating revenue, Zymergen lacked visibility into the qualification process; (3) as a result, the Company overestimated demand for its products; (4) as a result of the foregoing, the Company's product delivery timeline was reasonably likely to be delayed, which in turn would delay revenue generation; and (5) as a result of the foregoing, Defendants' positive statements about the Company's business, operations, and prospects, were materially misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis.

Selectquote, Inc. (NYSE:SLQT)

If you suffered a loss, contact us at:https://www.wongesq.com/pslra-1/selectquote-inc-loss-submission-form?prid=19891&wire=1

Lead Plaintiff Deadline: October 15, 2021

Class Period: February 8, 2021 - May 11, 2021

Allegations against SLQT include that: (1) SelectQuote's 2019 cohort was underperforming; (2) as a result, the Company's financial results would be adversely impacted; and (3) as a result of the foregoing, Defendants' positive statements about the Company's business, operations, and prospects were materially misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis.

To learn more contact Vincent Wong, Esq. either via email vw@wongesq.com or by telephone at 212.425.1140.

Vincent Wong, Esq. is an experienced attorney who has represented investors in securities litigations involving financial fraud and violations of shareholder rights. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.

CONTACT:

Vincent Wong, Esq.

39 East Broadway

Suite 304

New York, NY 10002

Tel. 212.425.1140

Fax. 866.699.3880

E-Mail: vw@wongesq.com

SOURCE: The Law Offices of Vincent Wong





View source version on accesswire.com:

https://www.accesswire.com/665660/SHAREHOLDER-ALERT-ATVI-ZY-SLQT-The-Law-Offices-of-Vincent-Wong-Reminds-Investors-of-Important-Class-Action-Deadlines




Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - September 27, 2021) - TNR Gold Corp. (TSXV: TNR) ("TNR", "TNR Gold" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that, further to the Company's news release dated July 14, 2021, International Lithium Corp. ("ILC") announced the purchase by Ganfeng Lithium of ILC's remaining 8.58% stake in Litio Minera Argentina S.A., the owner of the Mariana Lithium Project in Salta Province, Argentina. TNR Gold holds a 1.8% net smelter returns ("NSR") royalty on the Mariana Lithium Project.

The news release issued on September 21, 2021 by ILC stated:

"The board of International Lithium Corp. (the "Company" or "ILC") is pleased to announce that it has agreed to the sale of its remaining 8.58% stake in Litio Minera Argentina S.A. "LMA", the company owning the Mariana lithium salar project in Argentina, and also to sell its other rights in the project, including the right to acquire a further 10% in the Mariana project. The legal entity acquiring is Ganfeng Lithium Netherlands Co., B.V., a subsidiary of the Company's partner Ganfeng Lithium Co. Ltd."

The news release issued by ILC on July 8, 2021 stated:

"The Company has now received a 300-page report (the "Report") from strategic partner Ganfeng Lithium Co. Ltd., ("GFL") that contains an updated mineral resource estimate for the Mariana lithium brine project (the "Project") located in Salta, Argentina. This Report was not prepared for public NI43-101 reporting standards, and therefore the Company is unable to disclose it fully. However, in the interests of investor transparency and to avoid selective disclosure, we are disclosing the following details from the Report which have already been disclosed in a news release issued by Ganfeng Lithium on July 6, 2021, and/or in a news release by the Salta Government in Argentina on June 16, 2021.

Story continues

Highlights from the Report which are already in the public domain are as follows:

The resource estimate contained in the Report, detailed in the table below, includes:

6,854,000 tonnes of lithium carbonate ("Li 2 CO 3 ") equivalent (LCE) in the Measured and Indicated Resource categories, an increase of 55% over the 2019 estimate of 4,410,000 tonnes of Measured and Indicated Resource (Company news release, February 6, 2020)

an additional 1,267,000 tonnes of Li 2 CO 3 in the Inferred Resource category

these amounts are also now stated as 7,863,000 tonnes of lithium chloride equivalent in the Measured and Indicated Resource categories, and an additional 1,454,000 tonnes of lithium chloride equivalent in the Inferred Resource category

Ganfeng have reported that an Environmental Impact Report approval has been received from the Salta regional government in Argentina for the construction of a plant with a designed annualized capacity of 20,000 tonnes per annum of lithium chloride. The Salta regional government has disclosed in a news release following its discussions with Ganfeng that the likely project expenditure from now to bring the Mariana Project to full production is around US$600 million.

Report - Mariana Lithium Brine Project, Argentina

Further to previous Company news releases dated March 8, 2017, April 20, 2017, and February 6, 2020, ILC has received the Report for the Mariana lithium brine project containing an update to the resource estimate for the Project. Golder Associates Consulting Ltd. ("Golder") prepared the Report based on an independent lithium brine resource estimate by Geos Mining Minerals Consultants ("Geos") based in Sydney, Australia.

Resource Category Aquifer Volume (Mm3) Brine Volume* (GL) Brine Density (g/mL) Li

(mg/L) K

(mg/L) Li

(kt) LCE#

(kt) LiCl#

(kt) Measured 17,653 2,648 1.217 315 9,598 833 4,436 5,089 Indicated 9,286 1,393 1.213 326 10,044 454 2,418 2,774 Inferred 4,747 712 1.211 334 10,121 238 1,267 1,454 Measured + Indicated 26,939 4,041 1.215 319 9,752 1,287 6,854 7,863

* Brine volumes are reported using a conservative aquifer average specific yield (SY) of 15%. Due to the nature of brine deposits, it is not relevant to estimate Mineral Resources to a specific cut-off grade. However, a nominal grade cut-off value of 230 mg/L Li has been applied for reporting purposes only.

# Based on standard conversion rates, and assumes full extraction and conversion.

LCE = Lithium Carbonate Equivalent; conversion factor 5.324 (Ministry of Energy and Mines, British Columbia, Canada).

LiCl = Lithium Chloride; conversion factor 6.1078

Figures have been rounded. Well efficiency and production efficiency are modifying factors to resources and reserves, respectively.

The Qualified Person who prepared the brine resource estimate in the Report is Llyle Sawyer, MAIG of Geos. The effective date for the estimate is June 4, 2021.

Mineral resources are not mineral reserves as defined by the Canadian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, and the Company cannot guarantee that the resources reported here will be converted to mineral reserves. Mineral resources that are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability."

Kirill Klip, Executive Chairman of the Company, commented, "We are pleased with the great news when it comes to Ganfeng Lithium and the Mariana Lithium Project. I am also very pleased to see that Ganfeng Lithium has consolidated 100% of the Mariana Lithium Project and advanced it to the construction stage. This news comes after a 55% increase in measured and indicated resources following the previously announced 2020 increase of more than 250% in measured and indicated resources from the 2017 resource estimate at Mariana Lithium Project. We extend our congratulations to Ganfeng and salute to people of Argentina on the celebration of 'Pachamama' - the ritual that thanks the earth for all that we receive from it. This ritual was performed at Mariana Lithium in September after successful approval of the Environmental Impact Report by the Salta regional government in Argentina and granted approvals for the construction of a plant with a designed annualized capacity of 20,000 tonnes per annum of lithium chloride.

We are very pleased to see that this new plan represents a 100% increase of previously planned lithium annual production rate presented in the Mariana Project preliminary economic assessment ("PEA"), announced in our news release of January 28, 2019. It was the first PEA on the project and provided a potential value for the total NSR Royalty from Mariana's life of mine cashflow, which has now been very significantly increased.

We welcome the news from the Salta regional government following its discussions with Ganfeng that the likely project expenditure to bring the Mariana Project to full production is approximately US$600 million.

TNR does not have to contribute any capital for the development of Mariana and our NSR Royalty does not depend on the size of ILC's diluted ownership in the Mariana Lithium Project. The 1.8% Mariana NSR Royalty on the entire Mariana Lithium Project is a very important part of TNR Gold's portfolio. The essence of our business model is to have industry leaders like Ganfeng Lithium as operators on the projects that will potentially generate royalty cashflows to contribute significant value for our shareholders."

The ILC press releases and website material appear to be prepared by Qualified Persons and the procedures, methodology and key assumptions disclosed therein are those adopted and consistently applied in the mining industry, but no Qualified Person engaged by TNR has done sufficient work to analyze, interpret, classify or verify ILC's information to determine the current mineral resource or other information referred to in its press releases. Accordingly, the reader is cautioned in placing any reliance on the disclosures therein.

ABOUT TNR GOLD CORP.

TNR Gold Corp. is working to become the green energy metals royalty and gold company.

Over the past twenty-five years, TNR, through its lead generator business model, has been successful in generating high-quality exploration projects around the globe. With the Company's expertise, resources and industry network, it identified the potential of the Los Azules Copper Project in Argentina and now holds a 0.36% NSR Royalty on the entire project, which is being developed by McEwen Mining Inc.

In 2009, TNR founded International Lithium Corp. ("ILC"), a green energy metals company that was made public through the spin-out of TNR's energy metals portfolio in 2011. ILC holds interests in lithium projects in Argentina, Ireland and Canada.

TNR retains a 1.8% NSR Royalty on the Mariana Lithium Project in Argentina. ILC has a right to repurchase 1.0% of the NSR Royalty on the Mariana Lithium Project, of which 0.9% relates to the Company's NSR Royalty interest. The Company would receive $900,000 on the completion of the repurchase. The project is currently being advanced in a joint venture between ILC and Ganfeng Lithium International Co. Ltd.

TNR provides significant exposure to gold through its 90% holding in the Shotgun Gold porphyry project in Alaska. The project is located in Southwestern Alaska near the Donlin Gold project, which is being developed by Barrick Gold and Novagold Resources Inc.

The Company's strategy with Shotgun Gold Project is to attract a joint venture partnership with one of the gold major mining companies. The Company is actively introducing the project to interested parties.

At its core, TNR provides significant exposure to gold, copper, silver and lithium through its holdings in Alaska (the Shotgun Gold porphyry project) and Argentina (the Los Azules Copper and the Mariana Lithium projects) and is committed to the continued generation of in-demand projects, while diversifying its markets and building shareholder value.

On behalf of the Board of Directors,

Kirill Klip

Executive Chairman

www.tnrgoldcorp.com

For further information concerning this news release please contact +1 604-229-8129

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.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information

Except for statements of historical 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", "will", "could" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "could" occur, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. Specifically, forward-looking statements in this news release include, but are not limited to, statements made in relation to: TNR's corporate objectives, changes in share capital, market conditions for energy commodities, the results of McEwen Mining's and ILC's PEAs, and improvements in the financial performance of the Company. Such forward-looking information is based on a number of assumptions and subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to those discussed in the sections entitled "Risks" and "Forward-Looking Statements" in the Company's interim and annual Management's Discussion and Analysis which are available under the Company's profile on www.sedar.com. While management believes that the assumptions made and reflected in this news release are reasonable, should one or more of the risks, uncertainties or other factors materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described in forward-looking information. In particular, there can be no assurance that: TNR will be able to repay its loans or complete any further royalty acquisitions or sales; debt or other financing will be available to TNR; or that TNR will be able to achieve any of its corporate objectives. TNR relies on the confirmation of its ownership for mining claims from the appropriate government agencies when paying rental payments for such mining claims requested by these agencies. There could be a risk in the future of the changing internal policies of such government agencies or risk related to the third parties challenging in the future the ownership of such mining claims. Given these uncertainties, readers are cautioned that forward-looking statements included herein are not guarantees of future performance, and such forward-looking statements should not be unduly relied on.

In formulating the forward-looking statements contained herein, management has assumed that business and economic conditions affecting TNR and its royalty partners, McEwen Mining Inc. and International Lithium Corp. will continue substantially in the ordinary course, including without limitation with respect to general industry conditions, general levels of economic activity and regulations. These assumptions, although considered reasonable by management at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect.

Forward-looking information herein and all subsequent written and oral forward-looking information are based on estimates and opinions of management on the dates they are made and are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. Except as required by law, the Company assumes no obligation to update forward-looking information should circumstances or management's estimates or opinions change.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/97652
GUANGZHOU, China, Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The first 130th Canton Fair "Promotion on Cloud" event connected with France on September 22. Mr. Chu Shijia, Vice President and Secretary General of the Canton Fair, Director General of China Foreign Trade Centre announced: "Trade Bridge" - the 130th Canton Fair "Promotion on Cloud" event is officially launched!

Integrating virtual and offline formats to connect Paris and Guangzhou, more than 100 representatives from well-known French multinational companies, financial institutions, inspection agencies, design companies, building materials supermarkets and business associations attended the event.

Guests including Shen Xiang, Minister of Economic and Commercial Affairs of the Chinese Embassy in France; Chu Shijia, Vice President and Secretary General of the Canton Fair, Director General of China Foreign Trade Centre; Alain Eygreteau, Vice-President of Paris Ile-de-France Chamber of Commerce; Gao Shugang, Deputy General Manager of Bank of China Paris Branch and Cheng Hui, Director of ADEO Services International Buying Office attended and addressed the event.

Trade Bridge  the first 130th Canton Fair Promotion on Cloud event held successfully (PRNewsfoto/Canton Fair)

As a crucial platform for international trade cooperation, the Canton Fair is an important link in the global industrial and supply chains. Shen Xiang encouraged French companies to make full use of the platform to further cooperation and exchanges with Chinese companies, offering different options for how French and Chinese firms could collaborate, and contributing to the expansion of Sino-French economic and trade cooperation.

The event introduces the Fair's highlights of the exhibitions, events and featured booths which are designated to echo China's "dual circulation" strategy, as well as its innovative presentation to encourage companies to showcase new products both online and offline.

Chu Shijia noted that the Canton Fair has been receiving support from the French and Chinese business communities over the past 65 years. He hoped that the French business communities can find business opportunities and lead on the win-win cooperation between the two countries.

Story continues

Alan Eygreteau said the international supply chain took a big hit due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and buyers are actively seeking business partners and suppliers. The Canton Fair is the perfect venue for tackling such challenges.

With China being France's largest trading partner in Asia, the Canton Fair has regularly welcomed nearly 3,000 French buyers at each one of its editions. Through the Fair, companies worldwide can gain comprehensive insights into the latest trends of Chinese products and the market potential in China.

SOURCE Canton Fair
(Bloomberg) -- For Sof and Kridos Arnaoutis, the U.K.s fuel crisis quickly evolved from an inconvenience that disrupted their weekend plans into a serious financial risk for their business.

Most Read from Bloomberg

It started out with inflated taxi fares for a night out in Londons bar-and-club district of Soho, said Kridos Arnaoutis, who with his brother runs a plumbing supplies company. A few hours later, it turned into a long struggle to find enough fuel to get his drunk friends back to their homes.

By Monday morning, the shortages of gasoline and diesel were having a more sobering effect with wider repercussions for the U.K.s economy.

My delivery van is running on fumes, said Sof Arnaoutis, the owner of Excel Plumbing and Heating Supplies in north London. One of my guys is out looking for fuel right now.

His firm had already been struggling to get supplies from overseas because of a driver shortage and the fuel crisis is making that problem even worse.

Ive had two delivery guys bringing spare plumbing parts already cancel on me this morning, said Arnaoutis. Ive probably got to cancel some upcoming deliveries this week, so Ill be in trouble financially.

Major U.K. industries from food processing to utilities were already reeling from the effects of Brexit, a supply-chain crisis and record surge in energy prices. The sudden disruption to road-fuel supplies threatens to spread that pain even deeper into the economy, leaving small businesses, care workers and taxi drivers unable to do their jobs.

What started last week as a limited problem affecting one company quickly snowballed into a national crisis.

On Thursday, BP Plc said it had been forced to shut down a handful of its 1,200 U.K. fuel stations and restrict supplies to others because it didnt have enough drivers for its delivery trucks. Government ministers toured TV studios to say there was no fuel shortage and the closure had only affected five sites, but their reassurances had little effect as lines began to grow at pumps around the country.

Story continues

By the weekend, the surge in buying was starting to empty fuel stations. Long lines of vehicles desperate to fill their tanks before supplies ran out were blocking busy London roads and the police were intervening to control traffic or stop fights at the pumps.

The U.K. government, facing criticism that it had sat back and let the supply-chain crisis worsen for months, announced some emergency measures and is considering bringing in army drivers to get fuel flowing again, but business groups say the crisis is unlikely to be solved quickly.

There was no sign of improvement as the working week got underway on Monday, with fuel stations shut down at every point of the compass in London. From Balham Hill in the south to the Holloway Road in the north, service stations had covered their pumps and put out signs saying fuel was unavailable. Still, cars and vans continued to drive through vainly seeking supplies.

At a station in Southfields, southwest London, police were called to break up a dispute that erupted when a person on a motor scooter tried to jump ahead in a line of more than 40 motorists, some of whom said theyd been waiting over an hour.

Companies that sell gasoline and diesel are struggling to provide clear time-lines on when the situation will normalize. In the meantime, people who rely on motor vehicles to get to their jobs or run their businesses face growing uncertainty.

Business Impact

Ive been in business 30 years and this has only happened to me once before, in the mid-90s, said Julian Stone, owner of the American Dry Cleaning Company, which has 45 stores around London and the south-east of England.

Just six out of 15 vans had enough petrol to operate on Monday, he said. The company has had to limit service because it cant promise to return customers their clothes as soon as they want.

In a city thats been transformed by the stay-at-home mandates of the Covid-19 pandemic, its not just the delivery of goods thats become a vital part of economic activity. Many services are now delivered to peoples doors by entrepreneurs who rely on their vehicles.

Im a mobile personal trainer, I tend to go to my clients houses, said Adam Knowles, who lives and works near Earlsfield in southwest London. His vehicle is essential for carrying equipment such as dumbbells or kettle-bells, but as of Monday morning he had no fuel. If I dont deliver those PT sessions, I dont make any money, he said.

Key Workers

For London Mayor Sadiq Khan, the priority was securing supplies of fuel for the people that keep the city ticking over -- hospital workers, in-home carers, taxi drivers.

Weve got to get the army in as soon as possible, Khan said in an interview with Times Radio. The mayors office is working with the Department of Transport to try to make sure some petrol stations were reserved for those key workers that needed it.

Groups from the Unite labor union to the British Medical Association echoed that call, but for now the government wont take further steps until it can see whether a suspension of competition rules -- allowing companies to coordinate fuel supplies to the most affected regions -- will have any effect, according to a person familiar with the matter.

That leaves the situation on the ground getting worse, not better, said Steve McNamara, General Secretary of the Licensed Taxi Drivers Association.

Increasingly many of the groups members are traveling to motorways, where fuel stations generally still have supplies, McNamara said. Thats a round trip of 40 miles, 50 miles, which on a cab that does 250 to 300 miles on a tank of petrol is a bit extortionate. But what do we do?

After half a decade lurching between one political and economic drama and another -- from Brexit to the coronavirus pandemic to a global supply chain crisis -- the toll on the country is increasingly evident.

At Cricks Corner coffee shop in Londons Archway district, manager Henry Coombes demonstrated the breadth of disruptions suffered by U.K. businesses, and the resilience required to keep going.

We couldnt get any cups delivered for days when that ship blocked the Suez Canal, said Coombes. But were fine for now. All our bread is delivered by bike.

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

2021 Bloomberg L.P.
(Bloomberg) --

Most Read from Bloomberg

The U.K. suffered fuel shortages as the government struggled to respond to panic buying, and a strike vote this week at a key distributor threatened to dampen optimism that the crisis would end soon.

The government has already caved in to industry demands to issue 5,000 short-term visas to truck drivers, yet business leaders and unions said it wouldnt be enough. Fuel supplies have run dry at numerous sites around the country, threatening the ability of key workers to do their jobs.

The risk is that a prolonged fuel crisis will damage the post-pandemic recovery, putting more strain on already stretched supply lines.

Key Developments:

Suppliers expect demand to ease in coming days

The trucking company that works for BP Plc could face strike action

Some U.K. refueling stations are limiting purchases to about 30 pounds ($41)

Government suspends competition rules in the sector so that companies can share information

Some members of Petrol Retailers Association are reporting 90% of sites have run dry. BP says it has run out of fuel at a third of its stations

Brexit is to blame for the crisis, says Olaf Scholz

Ministers to meet on Monday

Timestamps are London

Possible Strike at BP Supplier (6:54 p.m.)

Some drivers at Hoyer, a U.K. company that handles fuels deliveries for BP, will vote this week on strike action. The vote over pay currently affects about 10 workers at the fuels distributor, according to a spokesman for the Unite union, which represents the affected drivers. The result will be out on Friday.

According to Hoyer, some drivers decided not to accept an offer in July to increase their remuneration package by more than 20%. The company is now offering those terms to new drivers, and the offer remains open to existing employees, it said in a statement dated Sept. 25.

Story continues

U.K. Energy Crisis May Curb BOE Monetary Tightening (5:10 p.m.)

The U.K.s gasoline supply shortage coupled with surging power prices could dent confidence enough to hold back the Bank of Englands ability to tighten monetary policy, according to Nomura.

Analysts at Nomura say increased fuel prices in the wake of panic buying could push inflation higher and hurt the U.K.s economic recovery as consumers face rising costs.

We remain concerned about the risk that higher energy prices often lead to lower confidence, particularly at a time when rising virus case numbers could yet scupper the nascent economic recovery as we head into the winter period, Nomura analysts wrote in a note on Monday.

Suppliers See Fuel Demand Easing In Coming Days (4:45 p.m)

A group of companies including BP, Shell U.K., and Esso say they expect demand to ease in the coming days and theres no shortage of fuel at refineries and terminals.

As many cars are now holding more fuel than usual, we expect that demand will return to its normal levels in the coming days, easing pressures on fuel station forecourts, the companies said in a statement.

The group, which also includes fuel transport companies, says its working closely with the government to help ensure supply is available.

Calm Down, Says Fuel Deliverer Hoyer (3:15 p.m.)

One of the U.K.s major fuel transporters is telling motorists to take a breather.

As long as people continue to buy or store fuel that they dont need then it will be difficult to replenish sites, said Allan Davison, managing director for Hoyer Petrolog U.K. We once again urge people to calm down, fuel up when they need to and the situation will then be able to recover.

The company is 100% focused on our delivery operations and deliveries are getting through nationwide, he added. UNISON Calls for U.K. to Use Emergency Powers (2:40 p.m.)

UNISON, one of the U.K.s largest unions, is calling on Johnsons government to invoke emergency powers to resolve the fuel crisis. Heres a tweet from its volunteer and community sector, which represents workers at charities and non-profits.

Fuel Retailers Quiet on Resupply (1:25 p.m)

With a crisis in U.K. retail fuel supply now in its fourth day, companies that sell gasoline and diesel are struggling to provide clear timelines on when the situation will normalize. Have a look at this tracker on the latest statements from providers.

Health Workers Need Priority for Fuel: Doctors Group (1:13 p.m.)

As pumps run dry there is a real risk that NHS staff wont be able to do their jobs, Chaand Nagpaul, council chair of the British Medical Association, said in a statement.

While the government has said it is putting plans in place to alleviate the shortage of HGV drivers to transport fuel, the results of this wont be immediate, he added. Healthcare and essential workers must therefore be given priority access to fuel so they can continue their crucial work and guarantee care to patients.

Government in Wait-and-See Mode Before Calling in Army (12:25 p.m.)

The U.K. government is ready to bring in the army to help ease the crisis, but its waiting to see if a suspension of competition rules -- allowing companies to coordinate fuel supplies to the most affected regions -- will have any effect first, according to a person familiar with the matter.

As no formal data is yet showing an improvement, the government is preparing for any additional measures that are needed, and it would bring in military drivers in a worst-case scenario, the person said. The current expectation is that they wont be needed.

Ministers will meet to discuss the supply chain issue again later Monday.

Labour Slams Supply Chain Chaos (12:15 p.m.)

The main opposition Labour Partys finance spokeswoman, Rachel Reeves, slammed the supply chain chaos presided over by Johnsons Conservatives, blaming it on a failure to prepare for Brexit.

Speaking to a packed hall at the partys annual conference in Brighton, she received resounding applause, proclaiming the Tories have lost control.

Meat Production Could Stall If Fuel Shortage Worsens: Association (12:04 p.m.)

U.K. abattoirs rely on critical workers from meat inspectors to veterinarians to keep plants operating, many of whom often work at multiple factories across long distances. If they cant get fuel to travel to work sites, production could quickly slow, according to the British Meat Processors Association.

We have heard reports from a couple of companies already that theyre missing some of these key workers, a BMPA spokesperson said by email. So far it has not caused any plants to completely shut, but we are monitoring the unfolding situation very carefully.

Motoring Group Sees More Drivers Stranded (11:38 a.m.)

There was an increase in the number of roadside assistance drivers helping people who ran out of fuel over the weekend, according to Simon Williams, a spokesman for automotive services group RAC. He didnt specify how large the uptick was.

The group also expects to see fuel demand ease in the coming days as so many drivers filled up over the weekend, Williams said. He said drivers should only take the fuel they need, as stock-piling fuel in containers is only making the situation worse, while also being dangerous.

Fuel Shortages Seen Continuing Until End of Week (11:37 a.m.)

The spate of panic buying that emptied fuel stations over the weekend may last for several more days, but should burn out by the end of the week.

It could take several days or a week or so to catch up and replenish all the stations, said Tim Doggett, chief executive of the Chemical Business Association, whose members include companies that work in fuel production and distribution. The forecourts have just been overwhelmed by demand.

Even after the immediate crisis dies down, the U.K. will still have a major problem with truck drivers. As much as 20% of vehicles in some companies involved in fuel distribution are inactive due to the driver shortage and other issues, while the governments 5,000-visa policy wont be enough to fix the problem, Doggett said. Pressure on the fuel supply chain is also likely to increase in run-up to the peak Christmas season, he said.

Its just too little, too late, Doggett said. Weve been calling for more action since May.

Business Group Demands Quick Solution to Fuel Crisis (11:33 a.m.)

The Confederation of British Industry, the U.K.s biggest business lobby group, said the government needs to find quick solutions to the problem. While the prime minister is right to push for a much more resilient, high-skilled, high-paid economy in the longer run, in the short term he needs to focus on increasing the number of truck drivers and getting the economy moving, CBI Director-General Tony Danker told Times Radio.

If youre sitting at your lunch and the light bulb goes out, you can fold your arms and say we need new wiring, but actually you need a new light bulb, right? Danker said.

Uber Waiting Times Grow as Drivers Search for Fuel (11:10 a.m.)

Uber Technologies Inc. had already seen its U.K. waiting times increase as drivers departed to other ride-hailing apps. Now they are spending more time searching for fuel, hindering their ability to meet demand for fares, according to James Farrar, general secretary of Britains App Drivers and Couriers Union.

Drivers arent compensated for this time and cant raise prices themselves, so the fuel crisis is eating into their earnings, Farrar said. An Uber spokesman said the company is not seeing a direct impact yet due to the fuel shortages but is monitoring the situation closely.

Airports Arent Affected by Crisis in Road Fuels (10:41 a.m.)

Air travel has been spared from any disruption because jet fuel is mostly pumped directly to large onsite storage facilities at airports. London Heathrow, the U.K.s largest airport, has an independent network primarily supplied by pipeline, spokesman Weston Macklem said. London Luton has likewise seen no impact, said spokesman Neil Bradford.

Fuel Stations Remain Shut Around London Due to Lack of Supply (10:24 a.m.)

At all points of the compass around London, numerous fuel stations had no supplies for motorists.

From Balsam Hill in the south to the Holloway Road in the north, some sites operated by Royal Dutch Shell Plc had covered their pumps and put out signs saying fuel was unavailable. Still, cars and vans continued to drive through the site seeking supplies. One BP Plc site in Shepherds Bush, in the west of the city, had cordoned off all of its pumps with red and white tape.

One of the few stations in London that had any fuel for sale early on Monday morning caused a small traffic jam on the Albert Embankment, across the Thames from the Houses of Parliament, as trucks and taxis lined up to fill their tanks.

Tesco Plc, the supermarket chain that has more than 500 of its own fuel stations around the U.K. and a further 200 which are operated by Esso with a Tesco Express store on site, said it is not rationing fuel.

While the retailer has experienced some temporary outages of fuel in a number of areas, it had good availability of fuel, according to a statement on Monday.

London Taxi Drivers Seek Special Status as They Struggle to Find Fuel (9:29 a.m.)

The London Taxi Drivers Association said on Twitter that it has been urging City Hall to lobby the government to designate some fuel stations for the use of essential workers only.

One black-cab driver told Bloomberg how she tried 10 north London gas stations on Saturday night, queuing for two hours at one site before the police came to clear away motorists when it ran out of fuel. She eventually found a BP garage open at 6am on Sunday morning.

I ended up searching from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m., because I wouldnt have been able to work the next day if I didnt, said Miss Bell, waiting for customers at a north London taxi rank on Monday. She declined to give her first name.

Union Says Government Bid to Attract More Truck Drivers Will Fail (9:03 a.m.)

Poor working conditions mean the U.K.s bid to attract truck drivers on short-term visas will be a dead end, said Edwin Atema, head of research and enforcement at the FNV union, which represents drivers across Europe.

The EU workers we speak to will not go to the U.K. to help the U.K. out, Atema told BBC Radio 4 on Monday.

Across Europe, drivers who are plagued by exploitation have been leaving the industry as multinational companies drive down costs, Atema said. But the situation is particularly acute in the U.K. because there is no collective agreement for the whole road transport industry, he said.

London Mayor Says Emergency Services Have Fuel, Key Workers Struggling (8:56 a.m.)

London Mayor Sadiq Khan said his office is working with the Department of Transport to try to find ways of securing fuel supplies for key workers.

Our emergency services and our buses have enough and theyve got some in reserve, Khan said in an interview with Sky News. Were hearing stories about care workers, people who work in hospitals who need their car to go to hospital, black cab drivers, private-hire vehicle drivers not being able to fuel up.

In a separate interview with Times radio, Khan said weve got to get the army in as soon as possible, to help deliver fuel supplies.

Labour Party Accuses Government of Worsening Panic (8:25 a.m.)

The opposition Labour Party blamed the government for the current situation, saying it was complacent before the fuel crisis occurred and has stoked panic through poor communications.

The government is tweeting out in capital letters: There is no fuel crisis, Labour treasury spokeswoman Rachel Reeves told Times Radio on Monday. I dont know anything thats more likely to induce panic.

Action taken by the government to resolve the shortage of truck drivers falls short of what is needed, Reeves said.

Some Fuel Retailers Say 90% of Sites Are Dry: PRA (7:10 a.m.)

The Petrol Retailers Association, representing service stations in the U.K., said some of its members in England have all but run out of fuel.

It looks as though the panic-buying has really been exacerbated in the main urban centers, particularly in England, Brian Madderson, chairman of the PRA, said on Sky News. Some larger retailers report 50% of sites are dry; some even report as many as 90% dry yesterday.

While the issue is quite acute, Madderson said I am keeping my fingers crossed it will be less of a problem by the end of the week.

Kwarteng Enacts Emergency Protocol (Sunday)

Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng triggered the Downstream Oil Protocol to exempt the industry from competition rules temporarily.

The move allows companies to share information so they can prioritize deliveries to where they are needed most. And it makes it easier for the government to work with producers, suppliers, hauliers and retailers.

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

2021 Bloomberg L.P.
Wendy's is the only QSR with its own phone and digital assistant to supplement its new and improved mobile app

TORONTO, Sept. 27, 2021 /CNW/ - Wendy's Canada today announced the launch of its new Wendy's Phone, which comes equipped with a revolutionary digital assistant to answer all your hunger-related questions: Wendy herself. Only 20 of these exclusive mobile devices are available, and you could be a lucky winner by entering Wendy's Canada's Twitter contest between now and October 17, 2021.

The Wendy's Phone (CNW Group/Wendy's Restaurants of Canada)

Wendy's is the first Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) with its own phone and didn't cut any corners in its development. The Android-based device features its own branded OS skin and a new digital assistant, Wendy, providing you the clever quips that only Wendy's can provide. Just say "Hey, Wendy" and you can set an alarm, get directions, even ask Wendy to tell you a joke. If you must take pictures of your food, there's no better way to do it than on the Wendy's phone, complete with front and rear facing cameras with more megapixels than the Baconator has bacon. An integrated GPS navigation system leads you to your closest Wendy's, and ample battery life allows you to watch Wendy's ads, order Wendy's and watch videos while eating Wendy's. No additional subscription required. Just add your sim card with your active wireless plan and you're good to go.

"We've developed the Wendy's phone for our Canadian fans, and it supplements our new and improved mobile app, which now allows for mobile payment and exclusive offers for the freshest food in town," says Lisa Deletroz, Senior Director, Marketing, Wendy's Canada. "Canadians can win their very own Wendy's phone for a limited time, ensuring they watch their favourite shows, listen to their beloved playlists and order a Frosty and the very best burgers made with 100% Canadian fresh never frozen beef* with the hottest device on the market. All they need is the Wendy's app."

Story continues

For your chance to win**, simply download the new and improved Wendy's app, screenshot the menu item you're craving and add it to your favourites, and post it to Twitter using #WendysPhone and #Contest.

Wendy's also revamped its mobile app and offers new features to provide even more convenience to Canadians. Ordering Wendy's from a phone has never been easier on iOS and Android and new app offerings include:

Mobile Order & Pay

Frequently updated offers delivered straight to the app

Never forget a gift card again. Just load it, use it, and check your balance at any time

Check out nutrition facts for all your Wendy's favourites

Load funds and pay for your meal

Quickly answer one of life's most important questions: "Where's my nearest Wendy's?"

For more information on the Wendy's phone and contest, visit www.heywendy.ca

About Wendy's

Wendy's was founded in 1969 by Dave Thomas in Columbus, Ohio, U.S.A. Dave built his business on the premise, "Quality is our Recipe," which remains the guidepost of the Wendy's system. The first Wendy's restaurant in Canada opened in 1975 and the brand is best known for its made-to-order square hamburgers, using fresh, never frozen Canadian beef, freshly-prepared salads with hand-chopped lettuce, and other signature items like chili, baked potatoes and the Frosty dessert. The Wendy's Company is committed to doing the right thing and making a positive difference in the lives of others. This is most visible through the Company's support of the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption Canada and its signature Wendy's Wonderful Kids in Canada program, which seeks to find a loving, forever home for every child waiting to be adopted from the North American foster care system. Today, Wendy's and its franchisees employ hundreds of thousands of people across more than 6,800 restaurants worldwide with a vision of becoming the world's most thriving and beloved restaurant brand. For details on franchising, connect with us at www.wendys.com/franchising .

Visit www.wendys.ca and www.squaredealblog.com for more information and connect with us on Twitter and Instagram using @wendyscanada, and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/WendysCanada .

*Fresh beef available in the contiguous U.S., Alaska, and Canada.

**Wendy's "Hey Wendy" Wendy's Phone Twitter Contest: No purchase necessary. Contest closes Oct 17, 2021 at 8:00:00 p.m. ET. Open to age of majority residents of residents of Canada (excluding Quebec) who can receive direct messages on Twitter. Twenty (20) prizes are available to be won at the start of the contest, each consisting of one Wendy's Phone (approximate retail value $600 each). Wireless activation, service and data or messaging plans not included. Odds of winning depend on the number of eligible entries received immediately prior to each random drawing. Skill-testing question required. For full contest rules, including how to enter, visit heywendy.ca."

The Wendy's Phone (CNW Group/Wendy's Restaurants of Canada)

The Wendy's Phone (CNW Group/Wendy's Restaurants of Canada)

Wendy's Logo (CNW Group/Wendy's Restaurants of Canada)

SOURCE Wendy's Restaurants of Canada

Cision

View original content to download multimedia: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/September2021/27/c1134.html
The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) has warned Afghanistan's economy is on the verge of collapse and the country faces a humanitarian catastrophe after the collapse of the government last month and subsequent takeover by Taliban militants.

Afghanistans economy is spiraling out of control. The formal banking system could collapse any day now because of a lack of cash. Ive spoken to families who tell me they are surviving on tea and small scraps of old bread," NRC Secretary-General Jan Egeland said during a visit to Kabul on September 27.

Following the collapse of the Western-backed government last month in the face of a blitz offensive by the Taliban, many governments froze Afghanistan's assets and aid as they weighed what stance to adopt toward the new rulers, prompting a worsening of the economic situation and leaving millions struggling to afford skyrocketing prices.

Hundreds of thousands of internally displaced people are in desperate need of shelter, clothing, and food to survive the coming winter, Egeland said.

We are in a race against the clock to save lives before the harsh winter arrives and temperatures drop to as low as -20 degrees Celsius. Hundreds of thousands of displaced people urgently need shelter, warm clothes and food in the coming weeks."

Since January, more than 664,000 people across Afghanistan have been displaced, which brings the total number of internally displaced people to 3.5 million, NRC said in a statement.

According to the statement, one out of every three citizens in the country is acutely hungry," and more than 93 percent of Afghan households did not have sufficient food in the past week, according to the latest WFP phone surveys.

Donors must focus on providing fast and efficient solutions to delivering urgent aid for children, women, and men that simply cannot wait any longer, it added.

The statement said more than 18 million out of the countrys estimated 32 million inhabitants rely on humanitarian aid to survive.

Earlier this month, the international community pledged more than $1.2 billion in humanitarian aid to Afghanistan.

Afghanistan was heavily dependent on international funding for the last 20 years, with three-quarters of the entire public spending budget coming from aid.

With reporting by dpa
Afghanistan will not address the United Nations General Assembly on September 27 after the ambassador for the government ousted by the Taliban withdrew his name from the schedule.

Ghulam Isaczai, the current UN ambassador who represents Afghanistan's government ousted by the Taliban, was due to be the last speaker at the meeting but pulled out amid a competing claim by the militants to address the world body, according to reports from the Reuters and AFP news agencies.

Isaczai did not immediately respond for comment about the move.

The Taliban-led government last week asked to address the gathering of world leaders at the United Nations and nominated the Islamist group's Doha-based spokesman, Suhail Shaheen, to be Afghanistan's UN ambassador.

The move was openly opposed by Germany, whose foreign minister said a "show" by Afghanistan's new rulers would serve no purpose.

Isaczai has also asked to renew his accreditation.

UN accreditation issues are dealt with by a nine-member credentials committee whose members include the United States, China, and Russia. It traditionally meets in October or November.

Based on reporting by Reuters and AFP
A statue of Pakistan's founder, Mohammad Ali Jinnah, was destroyed in Balochistan while a paramilitary soldier was killed in separate attacks in the restive southwestern province.

Jinnah's statue, which was erected at the Marine Drive square in the coastal city of Gwadar in June, was destroyed on September 26 when an explosive device placed beneath the monument blew up, official sources told RFE/RL.

According to a text circulated via WhatsApp to journalists in Quetta, the provincial capital, the Baloch Republican Army (BRA) claimed responsibility for the bombing.

The Dawn newspaper reported that the Balochistan Liberation Front (BLF) also claimed responsibility.

The BRA and BLF are among several separatist armed groups fighting for Balochistan's independence from Pakistan.

Calling the destruction of Jinnah's statue a terrorist attack, Balochistan Chief Minister Jam Kamal Khan said in a statement that those involved would be arrested and punished.

Also on September 26, one Frontier Corps personnel was killed and another two wounded in an attack on their checkpost in the Mach area of Balochistan.

The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), another separatist group active in the province, claimed responsibility for that attack.

The assault came a day after four Frontier Corps troops were killed in a roadside bomb explosion in the Harnai area of Balochistan.

One captain and a lieutenant suffered injuries in the bombing, which was also claimed by the BLA.

Baluch separatist groups have increased their attacks on Pakistani security forces in recent months.

Ethnic Baluch politicians and separatists accuse the Pakistani state of exploiting their resource-rich province, a charge rejected by Islamabad.

China is developing the seaport of Gwadar, an effort that is part of the multibillion-dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor project.

The deep-sea port is a key component of the Belt and Road Initiative, a multinational infrastructure and development plan pushed by Beijing throughout much of Central and South Asia.
China is calling for sanctions against Afghanistan to be lifted as part of a wider push by Beijing to gain international political support for the Talibans rule in the country.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi urged his counterparts during talks with G20 ministers on September 23 to unfreeze Afghanistans foreign assets and stop exerting political pressure on the Taliban following the hard-line Islamist groups August toppling of the former UN-backed government.

Economic sanctions on Afghanistan must end, Wang said during remarks delivered virtually. The various unilateral sanctions or restrictions on Afghanistan should be lifted as soon as possible.

Beijings international moves to limit the economic and political leverage on the Taliban are set to continue on September 28 when Wang holds official talks with European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell.

The meeting, via video link, should tackle a variety of topics from human rights abuses in Xinjiang to a frozen trade deal with the bloc.

But how to engage with the Taliban and manage the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan will also factor into the strategic dialogue between Beijing and Brussels.

The Taliban has not been officially recognized internationally since it seized power in August amid the withdrawal of U.S.-led NATO forces from Afghanistan. It has since set up an interim government led by hard-liners that has faced international criticism for failing to address the worst fears about its treatment of many Afghans, especially women, and links to terror groups.

China has emerged as a pragmatic backer of the Talibans new rule and has longstanding relations with the group focused on protecting Chinese security and counterterrorism concerns.

Since the Talibans takeover, Beijing has promised investments into Afghanistans economy and pledged to send humanitarian aid to the country. In response, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said that China was the groups closest partner.

Beijing has also begun to press other nations to engage with the group, a strategy that has begun to yield results.

Kyrgyzstan became the first Central Asian country to send delegates to meet with the Taliban in Kabul after Talantbek Masadykov, the deputy chairman of the Kyrgyz Security Council, and another official met with representatives on September 23.

This was followed by a September 26 meeting between the Talibans acting foreign minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, and Kazakhstans ambassador in Kabul to discuss bilateral trade.

A Reluctant Embrace

Beijings calls for greater engagement with the Taliban have been gathering steam in recent weeks and were on display in Dushanbe during the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit on September 16 and 17.

The SCO is a China-led political and security bloc that also has India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan as members.

The recent meeting in Tajikistan was focused on Afghanistan and was also the first-ever joint meeting with the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), a Russian-led military alliance that does not include China.

Speaking at the summit via video link, Chinese leader Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin pledged to work together to prevent violence and instability spilling over Afghanistans borders into the wider region as they announced plans to share intelligence and hold regular talks about the situation in the country.

Members of the SCO and CSTO are all neighbors of Afghanistan; it is a community with shared stakes and shared security, Xi said during remarks at the summit. At this critical juncture, it is essential to play together and jointly uphold peace and stability. I hope these proposals would contribute to the goals of achieving common shared security in our region.

Putin also signaled a softening on the Kremlins line regarding the Taliban, calling for better coordination across the region toward potentially recognizing the group as the legitimate government in Kabul.

In a calculated dismissal of its 20-year insurgency against the government in Kabul and its UN backers, the Russian leader praised the Taliban for coming to power without bloodshed and said that other countries would have to find a way to work with the group.

As for recognition, we have to align our positions and build a dialogue, Putin said.

The Kremlin is also in the process of negotiating a visit for a Taliban delegation to Moscow, according to a report from the Russian new agency RIA Novosti.

A similar sentiment was shared by Pakistan, one of the Talibans main backers and a key player in the region, which pressed other countries to engage with the group.

At the same time, the international community has to realize: What is the alternative? What are the options? This is the reality, and can they turn away from this reality? Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi told the AP during a September 24 interview.

A Difficult Road Ahead

Despite the growing acceptance of Taliban rule among some of Afghanistans neighbors, the militants still face a bumpy path in their quest for international recognition.

Tajikistan, which shares a 1,357-kilometer border with Afghanistan, remains opposed to the Talibans rule and has allowed exiled politicians and officials from the toppled Afghan government to live in the country, where they are reportedly seeking financial and political support.

Officials in Dushanbe have also raised the alarm about Tajik militants who fought alongside the Taliban potentially making plans to cross the border into Tajikistan, an official at Tajikistan's Border Service told RFE/RLs Tajik Service.

These moves prompted a strong rebuke from Abdul Ghani Baradar, the acting deputy head of the Talibans interim government, who accused Tajikistan of interfering in Afghanistans internal affairs during a September 26 interview with Al Jazeera.

Many Western leaders are also still strongly opposed to the group, and China will need to continue to lobby on the Talibans behalf in order to allow access much-needed funds to govern Afghanistan.

Afghanistan has long been dependent on foreign aid, which accounts for approximately 43 percent of the countrys GDP, according to The World Bank.

But access to funds has dried up since the Taliban came to power. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) blocked access to $440 million in assistance due to a lack of recognition of the Taliban regime as a legitimate government. The World Bank and EU also suspended aid.

The push for wider recognition for the Taliban also comes as Afghanistan now finds itself on the brink of economic collapse and a worsening humanitarian crisis.

The United States and various European countries have promised more than $1 billion in emergency aid, but Washington has also frozen the Afghan central banks $9.5 billion reserves, which are held in the United States.

This leaves Washington with important leverage over Afghanistans economic future, which remains a point of frustration for Beijing as it lobbies other nations to cautiously accept the Taliban's leadership in Kabul.

Afghanistans foreign exchange reserves are national assets that should belong to and be used by its own people, and not be used as a bargaining chip to exert political pressure on Afghanistan, Wang said during his G20 remarks.
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.
The prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) says he is seeking urgent authorization to resume investigations into war crimes and crimes against humanity in Afghanistan, focusing on the actions of the Taliban and the Islamic States local affiliate.



The request was being made to the court's judges in light of developments since the Taliban seized control of most of Afghanistan last month, Prosecutor Karim Khan said in a statement on September 27, citing concerns that Afghanistan could not carry out independent investigations.

Judges at the ICC authorized a probe by Khan's predecessor, Fatou Bensouda, in March 2020, but the investigation was paused shortly thereafter on request by the now-deposed government in Kabul while it investigated war crimes there itself.



The probe covered offenses allegedly committed by Afghan government troops, the Taliban, and U.S. forces dating back to 2002. The decision to investigate Americans led to the Trump administration slapping sanctions on Bensouda, who left office over the summer at the end of her nine-year term.



Khan, who was sworn in as the new chief prosecutor in June, said there was "no longer the prospect of genuine and effective domestic investigations" in Afghanistan.



"Current de facto control of the territory of Afghanistan by the Taliban...represents a fundamental change in circumstances necessitating the present application" to reopen the investigation, he said.



"I have therefore decided to focus my office's investigations in Afghanistan on crimes allegedly committed by the Taliban and the Islamic State-Khorasan Province (IS-K) and to deprioritize other aspects of this investigation," the prosecutor added.



The decision to end the ICC focus on alleged U.S. abuses in Afghanistan triggered criticism.



"Stunned," tweeted Katherine Gallagher, a lawyer for Afghan victims of what they say was torture by U.S. forces, adding that Khan had given them no advance warning of the move and they only found out when they read a press release.



Amnesty International campaigner Samira Hamidi said a U.S. drone strike days before the U.S. military pullout from Afghanistan following a 20-year presence that killed 10 members of an Afghan family showed that the ICC "needs to revisit this decision and hold the U.S. accountable too."

With reporting by AFP and AP
Founded along the South Platte River by prospectors who first struck gold on its banks, Denver has grown up around the waterway, from a makeshift encampment established in 1858 to a city of nearly 750,000 people anchoring a metro area nearly four times that size.
Politicos play the race card with reckless abandon. As such, the words racist and racism are losing punch. These words are the crudest and
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.
More than 100 students and parents from Academy District 20 staged walkouts and demonstrations on Monday in protest against the mask mandate the district announced Friday.

Carrying signs, placards and American flags, dozens of students stood outside Rampart and Pine Creek high schools, chanting and waving at passing cars while class was in session inside their respective school buildings.

Colorado Springs largest school district handed down the mask mandate on Friday afternoon, citing a spike in positive COVID-19 cases and quarantines. More than 2,000 students and faculty members have been quarantined in the first six weeks of school, according to Superintendent Tom Gregory.

The mandate, which applies to all students, staff and visitors regardless of vaccination status, went into effect Monday.

Students said they were protesting what they viewed as an infringement upon their right to make basic decisions about their own health.

I think everyone should have their own choice on whether to wear a mask or not, said Pine Creek sophomore Alexis Peterson.

There are studies that show that masks dont even help, said Rampart junior Gia Vreeman. They just make it more difficult to breathe. When you can't breathe normally, its hard to concentrate and focus.

Other students expressed concern that the mask mandate will lead to other, more stringent restrictions.

I lost my whole sophomore year because of this stuff, said junior Taylor Mallory. Classes, sports, activities, everything. Im scared theyre going to screw up this year too.

Students and parents also bristled at a perceived inconsistency in the mask mandate. According to the directive, students are allowed to remove their masks as they move from class to class during passing periods.

That makes zero sense, Vreeman said. If were really at risk without masks, why are we allowed to take them off in the halls?

Right  like COVID doesnt spread in hallways, said Pine Creek sophomore Isiah Chacon.

At around noon, a crowd gathered outside the District 20 administrative building on Chapel Hills Drive. Carrying signs with slogans like, Let our children breathe, and, My child, my choice, more than 50 district parents and students  some of whom appeared to be elementary school age  stood outside the main entrance and occasionally spilled into the parking area.

We want our kids freed, said organizer Jay Inman. Forcing our kids to wear masks all day is basically child abuse.

District 20 spokeswoman Allison Cortez said the mask mandate is part of a concentrated effort to keep kids in classrooms.

We certainly respect everyones right to peacefully gather and protest," Cortez said. "But, we are not here to debate the effectiveness of masks or quarantines. We are required by state law to follow quarantine protocols."

"At this point, the only way to keep our students in school and out of quarantines is to move to a masking requirement," she added. "We cannot risk our schools being closed or moving back to remote learning.
CISA chief floats fines to compel threat info sharing

To ensure cyberattack victims in critical infrastructure sectors share timely information on threats, the Biden administration is increasingly looking for ways to compel disclosure. While the executive branch can authorize such requirements for federal contractors and certain regulated industries, a wide ranging breach disclosure mandate would need legislation.

So far efforts to craft a federal standard to replace the more than 50 state-based and territorial disclosure laws have failed to gain traction, but that could change in the wake of well-publicized breaches like the Colonial Pipeline ransomware attack.

At a Sept. 23 hearing of the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency Director Jen Easterly stressed the importance of threat information sharing.

"It's long past time to get cyber incident reporting legislation out there," CISA Director Jen Easterly told lawmakers on the committee. "It's very important for us to both be able to render assistance to any entity that suffers an attack, but to be able to analyze that information and to share it more widely, because we know that in today's world, everything is connected, everything is interdependent, and thus everything is vulnerable."

Easterly said in her testimony that any legislation will need some way to get private companies to cooperate with disclosure requirements in the heat of an ongoing attack.

"I do think a compliance and enforcement mechanism is very important here. I know some of the language talks about subpoena authority. My personal view is that is not an agile enough mechanism to allow us to get the information that we need to share it as rapidly as possible to prevent other potential victims from threat actors. So I think that we should look at fines. I just came from four and a half years in the financial services sector where fines are a mechanism that enable compliance and enforcement."

Easterly also spoke to the importance of establishing CISA as the "operational lead" in federal cybersecurity as part of any update of the Federal Information Systems Modernization Act, while also "holding departments and agencies specifically accountable for the investments that they make in their cybersecurity teams," adding that, "we need to move from this compliance and box checking to true operational risk management."

This article was first posted to FCW, a sibling site to GCN.
Kansas, Missouri launch program to promote local security initiatives

With seven major military bases and 11 national security installations seated near Kansas City, the governors of Kansas and Missouri announced the National Security Crossroads, a bipartisan, multi-state initiative to raise the profile of and improve national security missions in the area by highlighting the expanding base of security-related operations.

The Crossroads region stretches from Wichita and Manhattan, Kansas, to the bi-state St. Louis area and represents a growing base of military, cybersecurity, and public-private partnerships, officials said.

The programs objectives are to attract and expand local federal missions, draw and retain a skilled workforce, increase interaction with federal agencies and improve veteran hiring.

The National Security Crossroads intends to facilitate collaboration between installations and educate state and federal legislators, as well as others in the region, on the value of the Crossroads and its associated missions.

The concept for the National Security Crossroads was developed at the Kansas City National Security Campus, which is managed and operated by Honeywell Federal Manufacturing & Technologies.

The National Security Crossroads is a means for federal agencies to draw in potential partners and suppliers who can strengthen national security and velocity through an affiliated network, Honeywell FM&T President Eric Wollerman said. The Crossroads enables a smart network of partners to leverage contacts and information effectively throughout the region.

This partnership will leverage our regions existing industry, dedicated personnel, and strategic location in the heart of the nation to support military missions and members, expand new technologies and industries, attract skilled workers, and drive economic growth through good-paying job creation for both Missouri and Kansas, Missouri Gov. Mike Parson said.

By leveraging our strategic location, strong military community, and existing cybersecurity partnerships, this initiative will make Kansas and Missouri integral to our national security for years to come, Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly said.
INDUSTRY INSIGHT

4 steps to zero-trust maturity -- without starting from square one

President Joe Bidens May 12 Executive Order on Improving the Nations Cybersecurity called for the federal government to advance toward a zero-trust cybersecurity architecture. It compelled every federal agency to develop a plan for implementing such a framework within 60 days -- a task many are struggling to complete.

Zero trust is a security concept that starts with the assumption that no user or device is implicitly trusted and that entities must be authenticated and authorized every time they request access to an IT resource. The National Institute for Standards and Technology and the Department of Defense have both issued guidelines for achieving a zero-trust architecture.

Because the EO is fairly high-level, many civilian agencies are unsure where to begin. The good news is that for most agencies, getting started isnt as difficult as it might seem. To embark on the journey to zero trust, consider these first steps:

1. Understand what a zero-trust architecture requires

The NIST zero-trust architecture, while high-level, describes the tenets of zero trust and the components a zero-trust framework should include. Agencies should start by communicating and internalizing these guidelines within the organization.

A good example is standing privileges -- access rights that by default are always on. Many IT systems are deployed with preset root accounts that allow system administrators to perform privileged operations such as data backup and restore.

Zero trust dictates that these accounts should be active only when theyre needed. Agencies can use their existing access logs to see how often sysadmins use privileged accounts to log in to a system. They should establish a policy to remove accounts that havent been used for a set period -- one week, say, or one day, depending on requirements -- and then grant administrator access only when its needed.

In addition, DOD, the Department of Homeland Security and the intelligence community (IC) are all well along the path to zero-trust maturity. By looking at the strategies for how theyre achieving zero trust, such as network segmentation, agencies can see how they might apply in their organization.

It may be unrealistic to have air-gapped multi-domain enclaves, but the concepts of micro-segmentation and need-to-know access inherent in zero trust borrow from these realms. Agencies can aim for the same governance for understanding and managing what has access inside their zero-trust security boundaries.

2. Leverage existing cybersecurity technologies and processes

Once agencies understand zero-trust requirements, theyll realize they most likely dont have to rip and replace their existing technology stack. In many cases, they might not even need new security solutions, at least to begin the zero trust journey. For example, some existing enterprise automation tools can be repurposed to help manage privileged accounts to support zero trust or collect the necessary telemetry for dynamic and behavior-based access decisions.

After all, the concept of zero trust has been around for decades, and many security tools provide protections that already meet zero-trust mandates. What changes is the lens through which agencies view these tools. Zero trust provides a framework for making these technologies work together in a cohesive way.

To start taking advantage of existing security solutions, inventory what is already in place. Agencies have long been required to implement access controls, for instance. They might also have solutions for multi-factor authentication (MFA), say, or user behavioral analytics. By comparing existing tools against what zero-trust guidelines call for, agencies can quickly get a sense of how they can leverage existing investments and where they have gaps. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agencys recent draft maturity model can help measure these gaps and gauge where investments should be made.

3. Take advantage of open-source solutions that promote zero trust

The open-source community is a great source of solutions to fill those gaps. One thing the open-source community does well is innovate, and it should be no surprise that its innovations include cybersecurity technologies and standards -- many of which are designed around zero trust.

A good example is Keycloak, an open-source identity and access management solution. A key capability is single sign-on across applications in the same security realm. SSO provides centralized access control, an important component of zero trust. Applied to a system that doesnt otherwise dynamically manage access, a mature SSO solution that includes Keycloak capabilities can apply rules and processes to enable a single point of access enforcement. Common access authentication and consistent request interfaces provided by Keycloak help ease the user-experience transition and encourage adoption.

4. Realize that zero trust is a journey, not a destination

Remember: zero trust isnt a technology or product; its a framework. Agencies can apply the architecture to their current technologies and use cases. But theyll also have to apply it as they implement new technologies and applications. As agencies integrate existing systems and build out new ones, theyll need to align them with zero trust. For example, that might mean rejecting applications that dont allow for fine-grained access control.

Going forward, agencies will want to continually improve their zero trust defenses. For example, they can more closely analyze user behaviors, apply more quality checks when making decisions about access control and draw tighter perimeters for more robust layered defenses. Implementing machine learning algorithms that can spot risky activities along with human-based reviews or rules-based systems may be a good starting point.

The time to begin implementing zero trust has already passed. But getting started isnt as daunting as it might seem. And it has never been more crucial to begin the journey toward stronger cybersecurity that helps to protect operations and support the agency mission.
abs8 wrote:

can I apply in R1 before receiving the GMAT official score report or do I need to wait for the official score before applying . As we immediately get to know the scores post writing GMAT but official report takes around 1-2 weeks.

You need to give your GMAT before applying- you can not submit an improvised score after submitting the application. While applying you will be asked to upload a score report (if you do not have the official score report then upload the unofficial one-the one which you would get immediately after finishing your exam). This is also what is mentioned in the ISB application portal as well. Hope I have answered your query.
Michigan Ross MBA Deadlines

Round Application Due Decisions Released Round 1 Sep 20, 2021 Dec 8, 2021 Round 2 Jan 10, 2022 Mar 18, 2022 Round 3 Apr 4, 2022 May 11, 2022

Essays

Part 1: Short-answer questions.

Select one prompt from each group of the two groups below. Respond to each selected prompt in 100 words or less.

Group 1

I want people to know that I:

I made a difference when I:

I was aware that I was different when:

Group 2

I am out of my comfort zone when:

I was humbled when:

I was challenged when:

Part 2: Career Goal Essay

What is your short-term career goal and why? (200 words)

_________________
After the occupying Turkish army and its mercenaries occupied the cities of Serekaniye and Gire Spi in 2019, they intensified their attacks on the villages and cities of NE, Syria.

Qamishlo canton's people have shared their positions on the matter with ANHA agency

Citizen Mediya Sido condemned the violent attacks of the occupying Turkish state on Tal Tamr and Ain Issa, and said that they will continue their struggle and resistance against the attacks of the Turkish state.

She went on to say" that the international forces are silent about the genocide committed by the Turkish state and said: "This indicates the cooperation of international forces with the Turkish state, which killed even children in Afrin and Serekaniye, meaning that the attacks of the Turkish state target all components of NE, Syria."

She mentioned the international forces' talk about human rights, while they do not possess any humanity "because children and women are being killed before their eyes. However, they remain silent." Mediya saluted the resistance of the people of Ain Issa against the attacks of the Turkish occupation state, and said, "We are with you. We hope that the people and fighters will fight for their land."

Shaha Saeed explained that the international forces support the Turkish occupation state in occupying the lands of NE, Syria, and said: "What does the Turkish state want from the people of Zergan, Tal Tamr and Ain Issa? Let them leave our areas, which are killing their women and children daily."

Shaha indicated that "Russia and America say that we are protecting the people in north and east Syria from the attacks of the Turkish occupation state, but the brutal attacks are taking place before their eyes without moving a finger. We wish victory and success for our forces that defend the lands of north and east Syria."

Suzdar Beysi also explained that the destruction of the despotic Turkish state is taking place before the eyes of the Russian and American forces. He stated that the aim of targeting civilians by the occupying Turkish state is to evacuate areas and villages in north and east Syria, and continued, "We will never give up our land for the Turkish state and its mercenaries."

He pointed out that the people of north and east Syria with all their components; It resists the attacks of the occupying Turkish state, and is ready to defend its land alongside its forces.

T/S

ANHA
" " Even though deer ticks (Ixodes scapularis) (two far right) are much smaller than wood ticks (Dermacentor variabilis) (two far left and top right) , they have much stronger mouthparts to hold on to their victim's skin. Bernard Lynch/Getty Images

July marks the high season for Lyme disease. If you're in an area of the United States where Lyme is inclined to fester  the mid-Atlantic and northeastern regions of the country mainly, but it's in the north central part of the country, too, and spreading  this time of year might make you a little nervous about being around all those nasty, bitey little ticks that carry the disease.

And news coming from the Centers for Disease Control sounds awful grim. The number of confirmed cases of Lyme disease in the U.S. has more than doubled since 1997, (the most recent year for final figures is 2017) and cases increased 17 percent between 2016 and 2017 alone. While cases used to be mostly isolated to the Northeast, now the CDC considers half of the counties in the United States high-risk for Lyme disease. Did we say the news sounded grim?

The thing is ... take a breath. Calm down. Lyme disease, first identified in the U.S. in the 1970s, is not particularly mysterious or anywhere close to untreatable, despite the horror stories that you may have heard or those message boards  gasp!  that you've read on the internet.

"The problem is that there are a lot of people that think they have Lyme disease that actually haven't," Phillip Baker, the executive director of the American Lyme Disease Foundation, says. "That's a problem."

Lyme disease should not be taken lightly. If you think you may have it,you need to see a doctor. The sooner, as with any sickness, the better. By some estimates, somewhere around 300,000 possible cases of it are diagnosed every year.

But the vast majority of those cases  this is important to remember for the nervous among us  are handled with a simple round of oral antibiotics. If caught early, especially, people recover quickly and completely.

"I don't want to minimize it. Lyme disease is a serious disease. It's important that people that have it get diagnosed properly and treated," Baker says. "But it's not something that's impossible to handle. It's very manageable. It's not an infection that's difficult to treat. In fact, nine times out of 10, if it's diagnosed correctly and treated correctly, people don't have any problems."

Advertisement

What Is Lyme Disease?

Simply put, Lyme disease is an infection caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi, which is transmitted through those tiny, bitey blacklegged ticks. It's often characterized by symptoms like fatigue, headache, fever and, tellingly, an expanding skin rash, erythema migrans (EM), that normally looks circular with a "bulls-eye" in the middle. The rash usually pops up anywhere from three to 30 days after a tick bite; the average time is about a week.

The ticks latch on to you and feed on your blood during the late spring and summer months (July!). The little buggers usually nest in hard-to-see places, like in the hair of your scalp, in your armpits and (oof) in your down-there areas. Ticks normally have to be attached for 36 to 48 hours, or even longer, to transmit B. burgdorferi, which is why it's a good idea to check yourself immediately and thoroughly when you've been in areas where ticks hang out.

If Lyme disease goes untreated and gets into later stages  weeks to months or even more after the bite  it can cause things like a temporary facial paralysis or severe swelling and arthritis in a joint. Heart palpitations, which happens when the bacteria invades the heart, are rare, occurring in 1 percent of reported cases of Lyme disease. Other severe symptoms are possible.

Still, even then, treatment is generally very effective.

By the way, you can't transmit Lyme disease through sex or kissing or holding hands. Nor can you pass it through breast milk.

" " Lyme disease is often characterized by symptoms like fatigue, headache, fever and, an expanding skin rash, that normally looks circular with a "bullseye" in the middle. Wikimedia Commons/CC BY-SA 3.0

Advertisement

Diagnosing Lyme

The problem with diagnosing Lyme disease is that it involves symptoms that are common to many other illnesses. Headache? Fever? Fatigue? Soreness? That could be anything, and that makes getting the correct diagnosis that much more critical.

The key to diagnosis may be the EM rash (which occurs in up to 90 percent of Lyme disease cases). If you see that  remember, it usually pops up, on average, about a week after you've been bitten  especially if you've been someplace where a tick might have nailed you, see a doctor and let him or her make the call on where to go from there. Even if you don't have the rash, there are times you might think about heading to a physician. From the American Lyme Disease Foundation:

If you live in an endemic area [where Lyme disease is prevalent], have symptoms consistent with early LD and suspect recent exposure to a tick, present your suspicion to your doctor so that he or she may make a more informed diagnosis.

A diagnosis is very difficult to make on symptoms alone, so blood tests may be helpful, though they also can be tricky (and, in some circles, controversial, too). It takes a while for humans to produce the antibodies that are measured by a blood test, so if you're tested too soon, you might get a negative result even if you're infected. And the first test sometimes can come up false-positive, too.

That's why experts, and the Centers for Disease Control and Protection (CDC), call for a two-tiered test to confirm diagnosis; if the first test is positive, doctors sometimes will call for a different type of test (a Western blot test), which identifies specific classes of the antibody that your body is producing.

It's important to note here that some patient advocate groups are not very trusting of the tests or the guidelines on how Lyme disease should be treated.

"There's so much misinformation about there. That's why I do what I do," says Baker, who spent more than 30 years as a research scientist at the National Institutes of Health, many of them involved with Lyme disease. "You can't go by symptoms alone to diagnose Lyme disease. There are at least 250 or 260 different medical conditions that have symptoms that are almost what people see with Lyme disease.

"What you need are reliable, objective laboratory tests to make the diagnosis. [The tests for Lyme disease] are very good ... very reliable tests."

" " Each dot represents one case of Lyme disease and is placed randomly in the patients county of residence. CDC

Advertisement

Treating Lyme Disease

Once a positive diagnosis is made for Lyme disease, treatment is relatively simple and straightforward, usually involving an oral antibiotic (typically doxycycline) for 14 to 21 days. Relief from symptoms often comes within days of starting treatment. Late-stage Lyme disease  defined as weeks, months or years after the bite  may call for intravenous antibiotics. These treatments do the trick for most people, though if Lyme isn't caught until the late stages, it can do lasting damage.

Some affected patients report continuing symptoms even after treatment, what is sometimes called "chronic" Lyme disease. It's the most-debated topic in the Lyme disease community.

Most experts and studies don't recognize a "chronic" form of the disease; the antibiotics, they say, rid the body of the infection. Continuing symptoms  what's known as Post-Treatment Lyme Disease Syndrome (PTLDS)  are believed to be the result of something else. From the CDC:

Some experts believe that Borreliaburgdorferi can trigger an "auto-immune" response causing symptoms that last well after the infection itself is gone. Auto-immune responses are known to occur following other infections, including campylobacter (Guillain-Barre syndrome), chlamydia (Reiter's syndrome), and strep throat (rheumatic heart disease).

Despite varying views on diagnosis and treatment, despite the argument over whether Lyme disease can become chronically debilitating or if it just turns into some other sickness, it's important to remember this: Lyme disease, especially if caught early  and a large part of that is awareness by the person who may be infected  is eminently treatable.

That should make everyone breathe a little easier.

Advertisement

The Last Word: Prevention

The best way to deal with Lyme disease, of course, is to not get it in the first place:

Avoid ticks by staying away from especially woody or leafy spots in late spring or summer. If you live in a tick-heavy area or an area of the country known for Lyme disease, be especially aware.

When outdoors, use insect repellents like DEET , and treat your clothes and footwear with the insecticide permethrin . (Though, interestingly, deer ticks are arachnids, not insects.)

Once you come indoors, check your clothes and footwear so you're not carrying ticks into the house.

Shower as soon as you can after possible exposure to ticks, and check all over your body. Check the kids and pets , too. Remember, it generally takes at least 36 hours of blood sucking for a tick to transmit the bacterium to you. If you catch a tick before it gets too settled, you can nip Lyme disease in the bud.

NOW THAT'S INTERESTING Is there anything creepier than having a tick neck-deep into your skin? Yecch. Here's how to remove one: Snag it, as close to the skin as you can, with a pair of your best skinny tweezers and pull, slowly, straight out. Don't twist. If some of the little bugger stays in the skin, don't mess with it too much. The area could become infected. Wash the area with soap and water or rubbing alcohol. The CDC suggests that you dispose of a live tick by putting it in alcohol, placing it in a sealed bag, wrapping it tightly in tape or using the old standby: Flushing that bitey son of a biscuit eater down the toilet.
" " Anna (right), a resident of the Villa Sacra Famiglia Nursing home in Rome, Italy, hugs her daughter through a plastic screen in the "Hug Room." The nursing home inaugurated the Hug Room in March 2021 so guests and their families could hug each other while still remaining separated and protected from COVID-19. Antonio Masiello/Getty Images

Social distancing, to your everyday homo sapien, is nothing more than a painful oxymoron. You can't be both social, something that humans inherently are, and distant. You can't be together and apart.

Still, over the past year-plus, during a pandemic that has tested the limit of our humanness, that's what's been expected of us; to not gather, to separate, to keep 6 feet (2 meters) between us yet still carry on as if our entire social existence hasn't been trashed. It's practically inhuman.

Is it really a coincidence that the agreed-upon social-distancing buffer is the same depth at which we bury each other?

Social distancing, as smart as it may be to keep the coronavirus at bay, has cost us a lot during the past year or more. Luckily, though, we're resilient. And as we begin to take the first tentative steps out of this government-approved and medically sound self-exile, we have something that can fix all the stress and loneliness that have piled up during our social distancing.

That's right, you newly vaccinated, yearning to break free. It's time, finally, for a great, big hug.

" " In March 2021, the Centers for Disease Control updated its recommendations for fully vaccinated adults which now means grandparents can visit and hug their unvaccinated grandchildren without wearing masks or physical distancing, as long as none of the unvaccinated family members are at risk of severe COVID-19. SOPA Images/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

Advertisement

The Power of Hugging

Like the rest of us, scientists have long suspected the healing capacity of a good hug. Unlike the rest of us, they've gone about trying to prove it.

"There's a lot that we still need to learn, and there's a lot we don't know," says Michael Murphy, a research professor in the department of psychological sciences at Texas Tech University. "What seems to be emerging is that hugs, as well as other forms of affectionate touch, are really powerful ways of reminding people that they're cared about, they belong, that they have someone in their corner.

"We expect touch. When we're born, we're placed in our mother's arms almost immediately. In that first year of our life, we spend a lot of time being held by other people. And as we grow up, we seek out hugs and touch and cuddling as a way of connection. I think what has been lost in this past year are these really easy opportunities to be reminded of connection."

While he was at Carnegie Mellon, Murphy was the lead author of a hug-centered 2018 article in the scientific journal PLOS One. In a series of interviews with 404 adults over a two-week period, the researchers found, in the science-speak of the paper's title, that "Receiving a hug is associated with the attenuation of negative mood that occurs on days with interpersonal conflict." That is to say, generally, hugs help to blunt the negative impacts that personal conflicts may cause in our daily lives.

Other papers have found similarly that hugs aren't just reserved for simple social greetings. Hugs and other forms of physical touch can really change a person's moods. A 2006 brain-wave study in which 16 married women were threatened with an electrical shock showed that simply holding hands with their husbands helped calm the brain's reactions to the possible threat. Further, holding hands with their husbands in what was considered a higher-quality marriage lessened the brain's threat response even more.

" " Surab Nasrallah (right) hugs executive director Margarita Kechichian before visiting her father on the first day of in-room family member visits at the Ararat Nursing Facility in the Mission Hills March 24, 2021 in Los Angeles. Mario Tama/Getty Images

Advertisement

What Happens When We Hug?

Some of the body's physiological reaction to hugs may center on oxytocin, a hormone normally associated with childbirth. Oxytocin, among other roles, stimulates uterine muscles to contract to begin labor. In a 2014 study, it also was found to show a link between hugging and lower blood pressure.

Oxytocin is known as the "cuddle hormone," to the non-scientific among us.

Hugs and other forms of personal touch also may trigger our endogenous opioid system, which can release all sorts of feel-good and stress-relieving chemicals

"Laboratory studies ... suggest that things like hugs help us feel safer and more cared-for, and feeling safer and more cared-for in turn makes us less sensitive to physical pain and less reactive when we're faced with potentially threatening experiences," Murphy says. "This lab work has shown that hugs and other touch behaviors promote a number of beneficial processes. Touch promotes less cardiovascular reactivity related to stress. The more stress we have, the more our heart rate goes up, our blood pressure goes up; we mount the fight or flight response. And receiving warm, affectionate touch can dampen that."

Researchers still have plenty of questions about how hugs work: What happens when we go without? Are all hugs alike? How do different cultures around the world view the worth of hugging? What about people who don't like to be hugged? How long is too long for a hug?

The answers may not be evident yet. But for now, getting back to a partial side hug, an enveloping wraparound, a hello hug, a goodbye hug, an arm around the shoulder, a squeeze around the waist, or a big, swallow-you-up-or-be-swallowed bear hug will be plenty for the hug-starved.

"I've certainly heard anecdotally from family members and friends who have been fully vaccinated, of them lingering in their hugs with their fellow friends and family members who are also vaccinated. Just sort of lounging in that feeling of being able to do that again," Murphy says. "I think there's a lot of thirst there."

NOW THAT'S INTERESTING One 2011 study from the University of Dundee in Scotland concluded that most (but certainly not all) hugs last about three seconds. Which happens to be about the same time, the researchers found, as a French two-kiss greeting, a wave goodbye or hello, and a breath (in and out). The study bolstered a hypothesis that humans live in the present in three-second bursts. The researchers timed hugging among athletes at the 2008 Beijing Olympics
" " Micellar water contains purified water with tiny balls of cleansing oil called micelles. These balls act like little magnets, drawing oil, dirt and other impurities away from the skin. MOAimage/Getty Images

If you follow any type of beauty regimen, chances are you've been hearing more and more about micellar water (pronounced mi-se-lr). It's touted for its ability to effortlessly remove makeup, dirt and oil from the skin with just a couple swipes of a cotton ball  no water or cleanser  and leaving the skin clean and moisturized.

Once a well-kept secret among the French, micellar water has come out of obscurity in recent years and become one of the more talked-about beauty products among social media influencers.

What exactly is micellar water and where did it come from? Let's take a closer look.

Advertisement

Hard Water, Soft Sell

We have Paris' notoriously hard water to thank for micellar water. Hard water contains a lot of dissolved minerals like calcium and magnesium that strip away the skin's natural oils and can dry out and irritate skin.

As the story goes, French women became fed up with subjecting their faces to such harsh water. Enter Jean-Noel Thorel. The French pharmacist-biologist and founder of the Bioderma line of skincare products came to their rescue in 1991 with an invention he called micellar water.

For years after, the only way to get your hands on the product was to travel to France and buy it from a pharmacy. Like a lot of things that aren't readily available on the international market, micellar water became a much-praised and sought-after beauty product. It didn't even make its way to the U.K. until 2013. By the time it got to the States shortly thereafter, people were nipping at the bit to give it a try.

It didn't take long for competition to create their own formulations of Thorel's micellar water. These products are marketed under numerous brand names and sold online and at retail stores across the country from as little as $5 for Epielle Beauty to upward of $60 or more for big names like Yyves Saint Laurent.

Advertisement

So What Is Micellar Water?

"I first heard about micellar water was in 2015, when a client asked me about it," says Mindy Reese, a licensed medical aesthetician working in Nashville, Tennessee. "I have people ask me about products all the time. I have to research them because products come out so frequently."

What she read sounded innocent enough: Micellar water is not a facial toner, as one might think at first. Toners are designed to cleanse the skin and contain ingredients like alcohol, salicylic acid, witch hazel or glycolic acid. Micellar water, on the other hand, is much simpler. It contains purified water with tiny balls of cleansing oil called micelles. These balls act like little magnets, drawing oil, dirt and other impurities away from the skin. The product often contains other hydrating ingredients like glycerin or hyaluronic acid.

But don't be fooled by the term "water," Reese cautions. "It doesn't feel anything like water. It feels softer, almost slippery." It's also not intended to be splashed on the face like water. You simply soak a cotton ball or pad with the product and swipe it across your face and ... that's it. No rinsing necessary. And, you don't really need moisturizer afterward because micellar water leaves your skin feeling moisturized, though some prefer to add it anyway.

" " There are so many different brands of micellar water available on the U.S. market now, including Jean-Noel Thorel's original line Bioderma, Burt's Bees and Garnier SkinActive. Amazon

Advertisement

It's Not for Everyone

With hard water not nearly as much of an issue in the United States as it is in Paris, it's the convenience factor that's winning over a lot of users. Micellar water is praised by models and fitness instructors who want to mop their faces quickly between activities, and people who travel frequently who don't have access to water to refresh before meetings.

Micellar water is promoted for all skin types, but Reese cautions against it for people with acne. (It made her acne-prone client break out.) "It leaves a film, a residue on the skin for hydration. So, if you're already acne prone, blackhead prone, have cystic acne or clogged pores, then that potentially could cause you to have breakouts," she says. "That's what it was doing to my client."

People who wear heavy makeup or waterproof mascara may also need to follow up with a separate cleanser or makeup remover. But for people with dry skin and small pores, micellar water should be fine, she says.

If you do use choose to use micellar water, Reese recommends not substituting it for every face washing. It's best to use it in the morning "because you are mostly bare faced," she says. "I wouldn't use it at night because I'd be concerned that it wouldn't remove makeup completely."

Now That's Interesting L'Oreal-owned Garnier recently created a TikTok "rewind" challenge for its micellar water product and tapped influencers to promote the campaign using an original song the company created. Garnier sweetened the pot, offering $300 to up to 10 participants who tagged #MicellarRewind. The result? A staggering 3.2 billion views for a comparatively inexpensive advertising campaign.
" " Flickr ( CC By-NC-ND 2.0 The Korean War Veterans Memorial, located near the Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., was dedicated on July 27, 1995.

Seventy years ago, on June 25, 1950, North Korean tanks rolled across the 38th parallel, the line that separated communist North Korea from U.S.-backed South Korea. As a top secret U.S. intelligence cable from Tokyo to Washington concluded, the incursion wasn't just a mere raid. "The size of the North Korean Forces employed, the depth of penetration, the intensity of the attack, and the landings made miles south of the parallel on the east coast indicated that the north Koreans are engaged in an all-out offensive to subjugate South Korea."

The Korean War, which ultimately would pit the U.S. against China in the first-ever confrontation between the two superpowers, would claim the lives of an estimated 2.5 million military members and civilians, including nearly 34,000 Americans. The fighting would cease with an armistice on July 27, 1953, but the Geneva Conference of 1954 failed to produce a peace treaty, and the North and South remained tense enemies.

That's the way things pretty much have continued, though in 2018, North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un and South Korean President Moon Jae In announced that they would work together toward a peace treaty. But after the collapse of a February summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un, those tensions seem likely to remain for a while longer.

Advertisement

The "Forgotten War"

In the U.S., the Korean War is sometimes called the "forgotten war" because it's overshadowed by the conflicts that came before and after it  the stirring victory of World War II and the lengthy, painful ordeal of the Vietnam War. "Modern Americans don't think about it much," explains Edward Rhodes, a professor on the faculty of the Schar School of Policy and Government at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia, and an expert in American foreign and national security policy. "Vietnam was more traumatic, and World War II was more victorious."

Nevertheless, the overlooked conflict has exerted a powerful influence that is still felt today. According to Rhodes, the war forever changed the course of U.S. foreign and national security policy, compelling the U.S. to accept a permanent military involvement around the globe, even in peacetime. It also helped drive the creation of a vast U.S. nuclear arsenal to deter possible communist aggression with the threat of annihilation, and a global nuclear arms race that still continues.

Advertisement

Why North and South Korea Split

All this happened, according to Rhodes, after Korea, a nation that had been occupied by the Japanese from 1910 to 1945, was split in two by the U.S. and the Russians after World War II. "It was a practical matter," he explains. "There were Japanese armies that had retreated into Korea from Manchuria, and they needed to be disarmed. We split that large task with the Soviet Union, with the understanding that the Soviets would disarm the Japanese in the north, and we would do it in the south." But as the Cold War developed between the U.S. and its European allies and the Soviets, the temporary partition turned into a permanent one, with the formation of a communist regime headed by Kim Il Sung in the North and an authoritarian pro-American government headed by Syngman Rhee in the South. Each regime saw itself as the real government of Korea and its rival as illegitimate, Rhodes explains.

Kim Il Sung decided to settle the matter by invading South Korea, and in May 1950, finally obtained reluctant approval from his patron, the Stalin regime, according to this Soviet diplomatic cable. About a month later, Kim launched a surprise attack, which initially had devastating results. "The South Korean forces just dissolved," Rhodes says.

Advertisement

Truman Goes to War Without Congress

The U.N. Security Council  taking advantage of a Soviet boycott of the body  then passed a measure calling for member nations to assist the beleaguered South Koreans. That mandate enabled U.S. President Harry Truman to respond militarily without having to go to Congress for a declaration of war.

Up until that point, the U.S. hadn't seen South Korea as having much strategic importance, Rhodes says. "But when the North Korean tanks rolled across the border, the image that flashed in Truman's mind was that this was a repeat of what the Nazis did," he explains. "His response is to stand up, thinking that if we had stood up to Hitler early on, the world would have been a better place."

Advertisement

General Douglas MacArthur in Command

An outnumbered contingent of U.N. forces formed a desperate line of defense around Pusan, the only part of South Korea not captured by the communists, and managed to hold off the invaders for two months. That gave Gen. Douglas MacArthur, who had been placed in overall command of the U.N. forces, enough time to make an audacious amphibious landing at Inchon, near the South Korean capital of Seoul on Sept. 15, 1950, cutting off the overextended North Koreans.

MacArthur's forces chased the invaders back north across the 38th parallel, and by mid-October had captured the North Korean capital of Pyongyang. But MacArthur, overconfident, kept pushing the North Koreans back to the Yalu River, the border with China. China then responded with a massive counterattack of between 130,000 and 300,000 troops. This time, it was the U.N. forces who were driven back. A bloody stalemate on the ground developed, as the U.S. pounded North Korea from the air. MacArthur eventually was relieved of his command by Truman and replaced with Gen. Matthew Ridgeway. The U.S. abandoned the idea of a total victory and shifted to a holding action against the communist forces.

" " Soldiers of the 2nd Infantry Division, from Fort Lewis, Washington in action in Korea. U.S. Army

"MacArthur embraced the idea that there's no substitute for victory," Rhodes says. "You beat the enemy, and they surrender." But after the Chinese intervention, "we're in a situation where there's got to be a substitute for victory, because how are we going to fight the manpower of China. There's a realization that we can't fight this war to victory, and it's hard for the American people to accept."

The longer the war stretched on, the more unpopular that it became back in the U.S. Many of the soldiers sent to Korea were reservists who had served in World War II. "They've got homes and families and jobs, and then they were called up and sent to fight another war," Rhodes explains. "There was a feeling that this wasn't fair."

Advertisement

Eisenhower Ends the Fighting

Eventually, Truman's successor, President Dwight Eisenhower, ran on a promise that he would go to Korea and seek an end to the conflict, and actually did that a month before his inauguration in 1953, as this article from the Eisenhower Presidential Library explains.

But though Eisenhower had ended the fighting, the Korean War still shaped his policies. "Eisenhower looked at this as the wrong war at the wrong time, using the wrong weapons," Rhodes says. "He reaches the conclusion that with the Cold War going on with the Soviets, we have to plan for the long haul. We're going to sustain this kind of military deterrence." That led to resources being pumped into the development of a massive nuclear deterrent that could be used to contain the Soviets. Additionally, Eisenhower began attempting to form alliances with more and more countries, in an effort to create a unified front to hold off communist aggression.

"The U.S. was forced to take China more seriously as a military power after fighting to a stalemate in the Korean War," Charles K. Armstrong, the Korea Foundation Professor of Korean Studies in the Social Sciences at Columbia University, says in an email. "Gen. MacArthur [had] severely underestimated the Chinese military's willingness to confront the U.S. and capacity to fight, leading to a bad rout for U.N. forces in the initial months after China entered the war."

China's participation in the Korean War also consolidated Mao's rule and dashed the hopes of some Americans the communist regime could be "rolled back" and replaced by Chiang Kai-shek's Nationalists, Armstrong says.

"Mao's willingness to support the North Koreans directly, as opposed to Stalin's reluctance, helped to solidify China-North Korean relations and cause the North Koreans to be more distrustful of the Russians," Armstrong says. "For the U.S., China was seen from the Korean War onward as the primary ally of North Korea and the primary great power that was an enemy of the U.S. in Korea."

Advertisement

Korean War Set the Table for Vietnam

The armistice ended the fighting, but North Korea, now backed by the Chinese, remained as a belligerent enemy to South Korea. That ongoing threat meant that U.S. forces couldn't just withdraw and come home. "The North Korean invasion in the emerging Cold War convinced American policy-makers that the U.S. needed a permanent military presence in Asia and Europe in order to contain communist aggression," Armstrong notes.

Additionally, the Korean War helped set the table for another, even bloodier and more painful future conflict. According to Armstrong, Korea led directly to the U.S. decision to help the French against communist-led insurgency in colonial Vietnam, and then, after the French defeat, to intervene in support of an anti-communist regime in South Vietnam, which blocked an election called for by the 1954 Geneva Conference. That helped set the stage for the Vietnam War.

" " General Douglas MacArthur observes the naval shelling of Incheon during the Korean War. Nutter/CCO Public Domain

Advertisement

A Lasting Legacy

"The most lasting legacy of the Korean War for the U.S., was the establishment of a global military presence over the long term, and a commitment to confront communism throughout the world during the Cold War, and for Korea and East Asia, ideological and military confrontation that has lasted seven decades," according to Armstrong.

That's included a U.S. force stationed in South Korea as a deterrent to North Korea, which in turn has a massive array of long-range artillery and rockets equipped with chemical and biological weapons aimed at Seoul, according to this recent article from the Council on Foreign Relations. That's in addition to the nuclear weapons and ballistic missile arsenal that Trump so far has been unable to persuade the North Korean regime to give up.

Learn more about the Korean War in "The Coldest War" by James Brady. HowStuffWorks picks related titles based on books we think you'll like. Should you choose to buy one, we'll receive a portion of the sale.

Now That's Interesting As Rhodes explains, North Korea isn't like most countries, where the state typically develops a political system with parties and organizes an army to protect it. Instead, in North Korea, "the state is a superstructure that floats on top. What's really fundamental is the party and the army."

Advertisement

Originally Published: May 1, 2019
The first World Dairy Expo in two years kicks off tomorrow, and exhibitors, attendees, presenters, and staff are excited to be back in action for the cattle shows, educational sessions, trade show, and more. While much of the event will be familiar to those returning, there will be some changes and new opportunities to look forward to. Heres what you should know if youre planning to travel to Madison.

The dairy cattle show

Exhibitors are certainly ready for the return of Expos breed shows. Entries in the Dairy Cattle Show are looking similar to 2019, even up a little, said Expos communications manager Katie Schmitt. She expanded upon a few changes that will ensure these animals and their exhibitors have the best experience possible:

 The Youth Showmanship Contest will now take place on Monday at 2 p.m. to better facilitate the contestants and their families. The Youth Fitting Contest remains on Sunday at 10 a.m.

 The cattle tent and sale pavilion have been combined into one structure.

 The Junior Champion of each open and junior breed show will receive a cash award sponsored by Cargill.

 The Supreme Champion Heifer of the Junior Show will receive the inaugural Michael Hellenbrand Memorial Trophy. Hellenbrand served on the World Dairy Expo Executive Committee and Board of Directors while breeding and developing elite show heifers of all breeds and providing opportunities to junior exhibitors to lease or purchase calves.

The grounds

Visitors will notice a clear improvement soon after they enter the Expo gates with the newly expanded Trade Center. The facility now features glass walls, temporary flooring, and room to house the World Forage Analysis Superbowl and more trade show booths.

That trade show capacity is important because the Arena Building has become the new home of The Tanbark, the social and networking hub on the grounds. With more room for meeting, The Tanbark will be the ideal spot for everything from grabbing a bite to eat to hearing world-class speakers.

The events

Tanbark Talks will offer that opportunity for insightful presentations at 8 a.m. Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday in The Tanbark. Also new are the Expo en Espanol presentations geared toward Spanish-speaking dairy managers and leaders in the Exhibition Hall. Expo Seminars, Dairy Forage Seminars, Virtual Farm Tours, and Knowledge Nook Sessions are all back this year.

The Tanbark will also host the first-ever Sunset Celebration on Friday evening. Tickets for this free concert featuring Dillon Carmichael and Meghan Patrick can be ordered on Expos website.

Expo will welcome numerous dairy youth to compete in judging contests on Monday and FFA activities on Tuesday. Young professionals can take advantage of a hot job market by participating in the new Career Connections, which will feature an online job board as well as an in-person event on Friday at 9:30 a.m. Companies and farms looking for talent can sign up on Expos website.

The app

The World Dairy Expo app will be the best way to stay up-to-date with daily schedules, maps, and locations of exhibitors and events throughout the week. Schmitt highlighted a few exciting features attendees will want to utilize:

 Build a custom schedule and utilize interactive maps

 Search for cattle exhibitors in the barns by state, animals, or name

 Find trade show companies and their location on the grounds by category

 Enter the Railbird Judging Contest to judge one cow class in each breed show

Downloading the app will not only enhance your Expo experience; it will also give you a chance to win a trip to Nashville! Any user that makes a profile before October 2 is entered to win two tickets to Dillon Carmichaels album release party on October 19 at the Opry, two tickets to a private Mitchell Tenpenny concert on October 20, and a $2,000 travel voucher. Three winners will be selected on October 4.

The pandemic

Dairy enthusiasts from around the country will be meeting at Expo next week, and to keep everyone safe, the Public Health Madison and Dane County face covering emergency order for enclosed public spaces will be in effect. However, the New Holland Pavilions and the cattle tent are not classified as enclosed spaces.

Free PCR COVID-19 testing will be available in the east lobby of the Coliseum from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Tuesday through Friday along with free COVID-19 vaccinations.

A change on the way

Last week, Expo announced that the schedule of the event will shift starting in 2022. Youth contests will be held on Sunday, with the dairy cattle show kicking off on Monday and trade show opening on Tuesday. Everything will conclude on Friday evening with the naming of the Supreme Champions.

The changes were made to better accommodate the needs of trade show exhibitors while maintaining necessary time for showring events, Expo said. The new schedule also introduces a rotation for the breed shows. More information about these changes is available here. The 2022 event will be held October 2 to 7.

To comment, email your remarks to intel@hoards.com.

(c) Hoard's Dairyman Intel 2021

September 27, 2021
Payment provider Mastercard is seeking to become a trusted digital identity provider and, to this end, has applied for accreditation under the Australian Government's Trusted Digital Identity Framework.

The TDIF defines the standards, rules and guidelines for firms that can operate as digital identity providers.

In a statement, Mastercard said it would work with the government's Digital Transformation Agency to check whether its technology could be to verify identity and age digitally.

The company will work with the DTA to learn from private sector trials, to gauge effects on retailers and consumers experiences and also online expectations when implementing the TDIF.

Mastercard has three aims. It wants to enable consumers to create a high-quality and reusable digital identity based on documents such as passports or driving licences.

The second aim is to protect digital identity data using encryption and facial biometrics and ensure that only the data owner can access and use it.

Mastercard is also looking to work with other digital identity providers to share verified identity data with organisations in a secure, global network.

Australians are increasingly expecting no disruptions between their online and physical lives, and identity is an area that must keep pace with those expectations," said Richard Wormald, division president, Australasia, Mastercard.

"Public-private pilots have the potential to make it easier to use these verified identities securely, everywhere they travel.

Connecting with trusted third-party digital identity platforms is key to scaling digital identity more broadly.

"Without interoperability, its very hard to build beyond local deployments. This is why Mastercard continues to collaborate with like-minded organisations, giving citizens new ways to verify their identity without having to hand over any physical documents or surplus information."
Huawei chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou is back in Shenzhen after she was freed on Friday under a deferred prosecution agreement drafted by the US.

Meng was taken into custody in Toronto in December 2018, on a request by American authorities, with the reason being that she had allegedly violated US trade sanctions against Iran.

Meng is the deputy chairperson of Huawei's board and the daughter of the company's founder, Ren Zhengfei.

A statement from the US Department of Justice said the agreement would end the extradition proceedings which had been going on in Canada since Meng was arrested.

Two Canadian citizens who were taken into custody by China, allegedly for spying, and also sentenced to prison terms recently, were freed and returned to their home country.

The charges against Meng will be cancelled at the end of 2022, if there is no further allegation of violation of sanctions.

The DoJ did not outline how it planned to enforce any action in China, in the event that Meng did allegedly violate US laws again.

The department provided a long account of its side of the story, outlining how Huawei allegedly took part in what was described as a scheme to defraud financial institutions.

Contacted for comment, a Huawei spokesperson pointed iTWire to a statement issued by one of Meng's lawyers, William Taylor.

"I'm very pleased that Sabrina Meng and the US Department of Justice have reached a deferred prosecution agreement and it has been approved by Judge Donnelly," he said.

"Under the terms of this agreement, Ms. Meng will not be prosecuted further in the US and the extradition proceedings in Canada will be terminated.

"She has not pleaded guilty and we fully expect the indictment will be dismissed with prejudice after 14 months. Now, she will be free to return home to be with her family."
Mobile accessory maker Zagg has revealed its cases and screen protectors for the iPhone 13 family, plus screen protectors for the Apple Watch Series 7.

Zagg's range of Gear4 cases for iPhone 13 include MagSafe compatible and non-MagSafe models.

The MagSafe compatible lineup comprises Crystal Palace Snap ($59.95; transparent, non-yellowing and dye transfer resistant, plus 4m drop protection); Santa Cruz Snap ($59.95; black or blue, transparent, 4m drop protection, and includes recycled plastics); Milan Snap ($59.95; rose or gold colour gradients, transparent, non-yellowing, 4m drop protection); Vancouver Snap ($69.95; textured surface, air vents, 4m drop protection); Denali Snap ($69.95; non-slip grip, 5m drop protection), and Brooklyn Snap ($69.95; made from vegan leather and recycled plastics, 4m drop protection).

For those who prefer non-MagSafe cases, Zagg offers the Havana ($39.95; 3m drop protection), Crystal Palace ($49.95; polycarbonate backplate, and 4m drop protection), Santa Cruz ($49.95; metallic colour-matched, 4m drop protection), and Denali ($49.95; non-slip grip, 5m drop protection).

All these cases feature an antimicrobial treatment to inhibit the growth of odour-causing bacteria and guard against degradation from microorganisms.

For every Gear4 protective case sold via zagg.com, the company will donate to Eden Reforestation Projects the cost of planting a tree.

Zagg also offers a range of InvisibleShield glass protectors for Apple's new phones.

The baseline Glass Elite ($49.95) is said to be the strongest ever InvisibleShield tempered glass screen protector.

Glass Elite VisionGuard ($69.95) adds a layer that is said to filter up to 40% of blue light (435-440nm) without changing the other colours, and the Glass Elite Privacy ($59.95) includes a two-way filter for screen privacy when it's viewed from the side.

Those concerned with privacy and who use their phones in landscape and portrait orientation may prefer the Glass Elite Privacy 360 ($59.95) that provides screen privacy in both modes.

Finally, the Glass XTR ($79.95) provides additional impact protection, a hydrophilic layer to reduce friction on the surface of the screen, and blue light filtering.

All of the Glass models include fingerprint repelling and antimicrobial treatments.

Zagg offers three screen protectors for Apple Watch Series 7.

Ultra Clear ($39.95) is said to protect from scratches and drops; GlassFusion ($49.95) incorporates "military-strength materials" for "virtually unbreakable screen protection", and GlassFusion 360+ ($59.95) combines a TPU bumper to protect the bezel and a "virtually scratch and shatter-proof" screen protector incorporating an antimicrobial treatment.

"The new Apple devices will empower Aussies to embrace living their mobile lives to the fullest, and we are proud to protect those devices with industry-leading cases and screen protection," said Zagg APAC senior marketing manager Shane Newman.

"At Zagg, we protect better, which means we do more than just protect people's digital devices from drops and falls. We integrate the latest innovations such as D3O impact protection and Eyesafe blue light filtration into the products consumers use to enhance their digital experiences. Our focus is on protecting the devices that hold memories, funny texts, important messages, and priceless pictures."

Some of these products are available immediately from zagg.com, with others following in the coming weeks. They will also be available from retailers including JB Hi-Fi and Harvey Norman.
1. Yes. There should be absolute certainty that the election was free and fair.

2. Yes. The audit could and should lead to stronger laws governing elections in the state.

3. No. Former President Trump wants the audit to further cast doubt on the 2020 vote.

4. No. Its a waste of money, an attempt by Abbott to gain favor among Trump backers.

5. Unsure. It seems unnecessary but it may provide some worthwhile findings.

Vote

View Results
Compton Community College District Publishes Redistricting Action Plan; Applications Being Accepted for Redistricting Committee

The Compton Community College District (CCCD) recently published its redistricting action plan as part of a public process to review and modify the elected trustee area boundaries.

Every 10 years, local community colleges, city councils, and other local agencies must adjust their elected trustee area boundaries in order to equalize the population. Currently, trustees in the CCCD must live in the trustee area they represent. Residents vote by trustee area, whereas, they may only vote for candidates who reside in their specific trustee area.

In September 2021, the CCCD initiated discussions on the process required to modify trustee area boundaries. Governing Boards of community college districts are required, by February 28, 2022, to adjust the boundaries of any or all trustee areas by using census population figures from the U.S. Department of Commerces Census Bureau decennial census of the countrys population conducted in 2020 and validated by the Population Research Unit of the California Department of Finance.

ADVERTISEMENT

This month, the District is making a public request for applications from those who are interested in serving on the Districts Redistricting Committee. Interested applicants should submit a one-page letter of interest along with a resume, to Keith Curry, President/CEO of the Compton Community College District, at 1111 E. Artesia Boulevard, Compton CA 90221, or [email protected], by 4:30 p.m. on November 2, 2021. For more information, call 310-900-1600, Ext. 2000. The committee members will be appointed by the President/CEO of the Compton Community College District.

The CCCD Board of Trustees will schedule public hearings in January 2022, with plans to present a recommendation for new trustee area boundaries in February 2022.

REDISTRICTING ACTION PLAN

October 2021

Ratify contract for Map Consultants  Redistricting Partners at the October 19, 2021, Board meeting. Redistricting overview by Mapping Consultants  Redistricting Partners at October 19, 2021, Board meeting. President/CEO establishes a Compton CCD Redistricting Committee with representation from each Trustee Area. The committee will gather input and provide the strengths and weaknesses of each proposed map from the Mapping Consultants to the Board of Trustees relative to the District boundaries.

November 2021

Deadline for potential Compton CCD Redistricting Committee applicants to submit their resumes and cover letter to the President/CEO office. Publicize via President/CEO outreach to groups and organizations throughout the District; news releases, website, and social media. Schedule first Compton CCD Redistricting Committee meeting.

December 2021

Schedule second Compton CCD Redistricting Committee meeting. Schedule a public hearing on the Compton CCD Redistricting Plan and proposed map for the Compton CCD Trustee Areas at January 2022 Board meeting. Place a legal advertisement in the local newspapers announcing the January 2022 Redistricting public hearing. Publicize via news releases to media lists, including local, state, federal elected officials, school district boards and superintendents and chambers of commerce; also publicize on Compton College website and social media accounts.

January 2022

If needed, schedule a third Compton CCD Redistricting Committee meeting. Conduct public hearing on Compton CCD Redistricting Plan and proposed map for the Compton CCD Trustee Areas. Compton CCD Board of Trustees receives for review the proposed map for the Compton CCD Trustee Areas.

February 2022

Compton CCD Board of Trustees adopts, by resolution or ordinance, Compton CCD Trustee Areas. Submit new Trustee Areas to the Los Angeles County Recorders office before February 28, 2021 deadline.

November 2022

1. Proposed Compton CCD Trustee Areas are effective for the November 2022 elections.

Please visit the District website for more information about the redistricting process at http://www.compton.edu/district/district_information/district-redistricting.aspx.




The Australian Koala Foundation says Australia has lost about 30 percent of its koalas over the past three years. The non-profit group says drought, wildfires and development projects played a part in the drop in the koala population. They are urging the government to do more to protect the creature's environment.

The group estimated the koala population has dropped to less than 58,000 this year from more than 80,000 in 2018. The biggest decrease was in the state of New South Wales, where the numbers have dropped by 41 percent.

Deborah Tabart leads the Australian Koala Foundation. She called the drop "quite dramatic."

Only one area in the study was estimated to have more than 5,000 koalas. Some areas were estimated to have as few as five or 10.

Tabart said the country needs a koala protection law.

She added, "What we're concerned about is places like western New South Wales where the drought over the last ten years has just had this cumulative effect - river systems completely dry for years, river [red gum plants], which are the lifeblood of koalas, dead."

The loss in New South Wales likely sped up after large forest areas were destroyed by wildfires in late 2019 and early 2020. But some of those areas already had no koalas.

Land clearing by property developers and road builders has also destroyed the koalas environment.

"I think everyone gets it, we've got to change. But if those bulldozers keep working, then I really fear for the koalas," Tabart said.

Im Jonathan Evans.

James Redmayne reported on this story for the Reuters news service. Jonathan Evans adapted this story for Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor.

________________________________________________

Words in This Story

drought  n. a long period of time during which there is very little or no rain

dramatic  adj. sudden and extreme

cumulative  adj. increasing or becoming better or worse over time through a series of additions

lifeblood  n. the most important part of something; the part of something that provides its strength and energy

bulldozer  n. a powerful and heavy vehicle that has a large curved piece of metal at its front and that is used for moving dirt and rocks and pushing over trees and other structures


Officials in American cities are raising concerns that new federal money to expand high-speed internet services may favor rural areas.

Leaders in cities say the rule could hurt some urban communities that also want financial help to upgrade their internet services.

The money is part of a $350 billion government aid program for state and local governments to help them recover from the coronavirus crisis. The U.S. Treasury Department approved use of the aid for expanding and improving high-speed internet services.

But a government rule sets eligibility requirements based on internet speeds. To receive assistance, communities must have internet upload speeds below 3 megabits per second (Mbps), and download speeds under 25 Mbps. The U.S. Federal Communications Commission defines high-speed internet  also known as broadband  as being above these speeds.

The Treasury rule is aimed at providing financing to remote, rural areas that have slow or no internet service. But officials in cities believe the eligibility requirements do not pay attention to their internet needs. They say that although city areas have broadband available, internet speeds may not be fast enough to meet local demands.

For example, some broadband speeds in cities might not be fast enough to permit a whole family to work, study and watch video at the same time, these officials say. Such a need became very common in U.S. households during the coronavirus pandemic.

Detta Kissel is a retired Treasury Department lawyer who used to write agency rules. She now works on efforts to expand broadband services in her community in Arlington, Virginia. Kissel told The Associated Press the rule is basically prioritizing those rural areas over the underserved urban areas where there is more population.

Several cities have urged the Treasury Department to change the rule. The cities include Washington D.C., Los Angeles, Milwaukee, Wisconsin and San Antonio, Texas. Some officials want the government to define underserved areas as places with internet download and upload speeds below 100 Mbps.

One study suggests that, by changing the definition of high-speed internet, 82 million households and businesses instead of 11 million would see gains from the aid. The study was carried out for America's Communications Association, which represents small and medium-sized internet providers.

If the Treasury Department goes forward with its rule as proposed, internet speeds in some rural areas currently lacking broadband could jump ahead of some city areas. That possibility has been criticized by some mayors.

The inner city of Memphis is as in a dire need of broadband connection as rural Tennessee," said Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland.

In Milwaukee, people already have at least one internet provider offering download speeds of 25 Mbps and upload speeds of 3 Mbps. But in some parts of the city, fewer than half the households have internet service because of the cost, said David Henke, the city's chief information officer.

If you dont have a job and you cant afford broadband, thats kind of a cycle," Henke said. "Youre locked out of remote learning, remote work, telemedicine and participating basically in a modern society.

Broadband industry groups have urged the Treasury Department to keep to its plan to provide money to areas with the slowest internet speeds.

Although the public comment period ended in July, the Treasury has set no date to publish the rule's final version. A Treasury official said the process of examining the comments is likely "to continue into the fall.

Im Bryan Lynn.

Editors Note: An earlier version of this story switched the numbers that help to define slow internet.

The Associated Press reported this story. Bryan Lynn adapted the report for VOA Learning English. Mario Ritter, Jr. was the editor.

We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page.

________________________________________________

Words in This Story

upgrade  v. to improve something by making it newer or better quality

eligible  adj. qualified to take part in a program or activity

remote  adj. far away, from a distance

prioritize  adj. to decide which of a group of things are the most important and require attention first

urban adj. belonging or relating to a city

dire  adj. very serious or bad

afford  v. have enough money to buy something

cycle n. a set of events or actions that happen again and again in the same order

participate  v. take part in
Footprints discovered in New Mexico suggest that early humans were in North America around 23,000 years ago, researchers reported recently.

The fossilized footprints were found in a dry lake in White Sands National Park in 2009. Scientists at the U.S. Geological Survey recently studied seeds stuck in the footprints to estimate their age. Evidence suggested they were from 21,130 to 22,800 years ago.

The findings may help scientists answer a basic question: When did people first arrive in the Americas, after spreading out from Africa and Asia?

Most scientists believe the migration path included land, now underwater, that linked Asia with what is now the state of Alaska.

Past research has suggested that humans arrived in the Americas from 13,000 to 26,000 years ago. Such findings were based on different kinds of evidence  including stone tools, fossil bones and genetic studies.



The recent study gives a more solid baseline for when humans were in North America.

Fossil footprints are more direct, clearer evidence than cultural artifacts, modified bones, or other more conventional fossils, the researchers wrote in the publication Science.

What we present here, they said, is evidence of a firm time and location."

Location means a place or position.

Based on the size of the footprints, researchers believe that some were made by children who lived during the last ice age.

David Bustos, the parks resource program manager, saw the first footprints in ancient wetlands in 2009. He and others found more in the park over the years.

We knew they were old, but we had no way to date the prints before we discovered some with (seeds) on top, he said.

Bustos said the researchers had to work quickly and carefully to secure pieces of the footprints for study. The footprints were made of extremely fine earth material and could easily be damaged.

The only way we can save them is to record them  to take a lot of photos and make 3D models, he said.

Earlier digs in White Sands National Park have uncovered fossilized tracks left by a saber-toothed cat, dire wolf, Columbian mammoth and other ice age animals.

Im John Russell.

Christina Larson reported on this story for the Associated Press. John Russell adapted it for Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor.

________________________________________________

Words in This Story

footprint  n. a track or mark left by a foot or shoe

fossilized  adj. having been changed into a fossil. A fossil is something (such as a leaf, skeleton, or footprint) that is from a plant or animal which lived in ancient times

artifact  n. a simple object (such as a tool or weapon) that was made by people in the past

modify  v. to change some parts of (something) while not changing other parts

conventional  adj. used and accepted by most people : usual or traditional
Scientists studying the genetic material of Japanese people say that three ancient populations were ancestors of modern Japanese rather than two.

The research was published last week. It suggests that the genetic ancestry of modern Japanese is more complex than experts had thought.

The researchers studied the genetic information of 17 ancient Japanese people. They took deoxyribonucleic acid, or DNA, from the bones of 12 ancient people for the study. They also used earlier information from five other individuals. They then compared the DNA to that of modern Japanese people.

The research confirmed that there were two ancient groups of people in Japan. The first was an early group of hunter-gatherers. They first appeared between 20,000 and 15,000 years ago during what is called the Jomon period.

The second group is estimated to have first come from Northeastern Asia about 3,000 years ago. That group is believed to have brought modern rice farming methods to Japan during what is called the Yayoi period.

The researchers said these two groups are thought to be the main genetic ancestors of modern Japanese people.

But the researcher said they found that 71 percent of modern Japanese genetic ancestry comes from a third population that arrived about 1,700 years ago. The people of this period, known as the Kofun, are believed to have brought cultural ideas such as centralized leadership. These migrants had an ancestry similar to Han people in modern China.

Shigeki Nakagome was one of the leaders of the research published in Science Advances. He is with Trinity College Dublin in Ireland. He said, We are very excited about our finds on the tripartite structure of the Japanese populations. He said the findings were important because they used the study of ancient genetic material to rewrite the origins of modern Japanese.

Daniel Bradley is a co-leader of the research and is also with Trinity College Dublin. He said the ancient DNA showed ancestry in a way that could not be seen using modern genetic material.

The Kofun period is named for the large burial places made of earth that the people then built for their rulers. During that period, important technologies were arriving from China by passing through the Korean Peninsula.

Chinese characters started to be used in this period, such as Chinese characters inscribed on metal implements, for example swords, Nakagome said.

Scientists use the word implement to describe early weapons such as swords.

Japan is an island nation that includes thousands of islands. Its geography made migration in ancient times difficult. The first people are believed to have reached Japan when world sea levels were lower, more than 30,000 years ago.

The researchers said the genetics of Japans population have not changed very much since the Kofun period, which lasted about 400 years.

Im Mario Ritter, Jr.

Will Dunham reported this story for Reuters. Mario Ritter Jr. adapted it for VOA Learning English. Susan Shand was the editor.

__________________________________________________

Words in This Story

tripartite adj. involving three people, groups, or parts

origin n. the point or place where something begins or is created : the source or cause of something

characters n. (pl.) a symbol (such as a letter or number) that is used in writing or printing

inscribed adj. to place writing on an object often by cutting into the material itself

We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page.
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

It took years for Elle Moxley to get a diagnosis that explained her crippling gastrointestinal pain, digestion problems, fatigue, and hot, red rashes. And after learning in 2016 that she had Crohn's disease, a chronic inflammation of the digestive tract, she spent more than four years trying medications before getting her disease under control with a biologic drug called Remicade.

So Moxley, 33, was dismayed to receive a notice from her insurer in January that Remicade would no longer be covered as a preferred drug on her plan. Another drug, Inflectra, which the Food and Drug Administration says has no meaningful clinical differences from Remicade, is now preferred. It is a "biosimilar" drug.

"I felt very powerless," said Moxley, who recently started a job as a public relations coordinator for Kansas City Public Schools in Missouri. "I have this decision being made for me and my doctor that's not in my best interest, and it might knock me out of remission."

After Moxley's first Inflectra infusion in July, she developed a painful rash. It went away after a few days, but she said she continues to feel extremely fatigued and experiences gastrointestinal pain, constipation, diarrhea and nausea.

Many medical professionals look to biosimilar drugs as a way to increase competition and give consumers cheaper options, much as generic drugs do, and they point to the more robust use of these products in Europe to cut costs.

Yet the U.S. has been slower to adopt biosimilar drugs since the first such medicine was approved in 2015. That's partly because of concerns raised by patients like Moxley and their doctors, but also because brand-name biologics have kept biosimilars from entering the market. The companies behind the brand-name drugs have used legal actions to extend the life of their patents and incentives that make offering the brand biologic more attractive than offering a biosimilar on a formulary, listing which drugs are covered on an insurance plan.

"It distorts the market and makes it so that patients can't get access," said Dr. Jinoos Yazdany, a professor of medicine and chief of the rheumatology division at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital.

The FDA has approved 31 biosimilar medications since 2015, but only about 60% have made it to market, according to an analysis by NORC, a research organization at the University of Chicago.

Remicade's manufacturer, Johnson & Johnson, and Pfizer, which makes the Remicade biosimilar Inflectra, have been embroiled in a long-running lawsuit over Pfizer's claims that Johnson & Johnson tried to choke off competition through exclusionary contracts with insurers and other anti-competitive actions. In July, the companies settled the case on undisclosed terms.

In a statement, Pfizer said it would continue to sell Inflectra in the U.S. but noted ongoing challenges: "Pfizer has begun to see progress in the overall biosimilars marketplace in the U.S. However, changes in policy at a government level and acceptance of biosimilars among key stakeholders are critical to deliver more meaningful uptake so patients and the healthcare system at-large can benefit from the cost savings these medicines may deliver."

Johnson & Johnson said it is committed to making Remicade available to patients who choose it, which "compels us to compete responsibly on both price and value."

Biologic medicines, which are generally grown from living organisms such as animal cells or bacteria, are more complex and expensive to manufacture than drugs made from chemicals. In recent years, biologic drugs have become a mainstay of treatment for autoimmune conditions like Crohn's disease and rheumatoid arthritis, as well as certain cancers and diabetes, among other conditions.

Other drugmakers can't exactly reproduce these biologic drugs by following chemical recipes as they do for generic versions of conventional drugs.

Instead, biosimilar versions of biologic drugs are generally made from the same types of materials as the original biologics and must be "highly similar" to them to be approved by the FDA. They must have no clinically meaningful differences from the biologic drug, and be just as safe, pure and potent. More than a decade after Congress created an approval pathway for biosimilars, they are widely accepted as safe and effective alternatives to brand biologics.

Medical experts hope that as biosimilars become more widely used they will increasingly provide a brake on drug spending.

From 2015 to 2019, drug spending overall grew 6.1%, while spending on biologics grew more than twice as much14.6%according to a report by IQVIA, a health care analytics company. In 2019, biologics accounted for 43% of drug spending in the U.S.

Biosimilars provide a roughly 30% discount over brand biologics in the U.S. but have the potential to reduce spending by more than $100 billion in the next five years, the IQVIA analysis found.

In a survey of 602 physicians who prescribe biologic medications, more than three-quarters said they believed biosimilars are just as safe and effective as their biologic counterparts, according to NORC.

But they were less comfortable with switching patients from a brand biologic to a biosimilar. While about half said they were very likely to prescribe a biosimilar to a patient just starting biologic therapy, only 31% said they were very likely to prescribe a biosimilar to a patient already doing well on a brand biologic.

It can be challenging to find a treatment regimen that works for patients with complicated chronic conditions, and physicians and patients often don't want to rock the boat once that is achieved.

In Moxley's case, for example, before her condition stabilized on Remicade, she tried a conventional pill called Lialda, the biologic drug Humira and a lower dose of Remicade.

Some doctors and patients raise concerns that switching between these drugs might cause patients to develop antibodies that cause the drugs to lose effectiveness. They want to see more research about the effects of such switches.

"We haven't seen enough studies about patients going from the biologic to the biosimilar and bouncing back and forth," said Dr. Marcus Snow, chair of the American College of Rheumatology's Committee on Rheumatologic Care. "We don't want our patients to be guinea pigs."

Manufacturers of biologic and biosimilar drugs have participated in advertising, exhibit or sponsorship opportunities with the American College of Rheumatology, according to ACR spokesperson Jocelyn Givens.

But studies show a one-time switch from Remicade to a biosimilar like Inflectra does not cause side effects or the development of antibodies, said Dr. Ross Maltz, a pediatric gastroenterologist at Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, and former member of the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation's National Scientific Advisory Committee. Studies may be conducted by researchers with extensive ties to the industry and funded by drugmakers.

Situations like Moxley's are unusual, said Kristine Grow, senior vice president of communications at AHIP, an insurer trade group.

"For patients who have been taking a brand-name biologic for some time, health insurance providers do not typically encourage them to switch to a biosimilar because of a formulary change, and most plans exclude these patients from any changes in cost sharing due to formulary changes," she said.

Drugmakers can seek approval from the FDA of their biosimilar as interchangeable with a biologic drug, allowing pharmacists, subject to state law, to switch a physician's prescription from the brand drug, as they often do with generic drugs.

However, the FDA has approved only one biosimilar (Semglee, a form of insulin) as interchangeable with a biologic (Lantus).

Like Moxley, many other patients using biologics get copay assistance from drug companies, but the money often isn't enough to cover the full cost. In her old job as a radio reporter, Moxley said, she hit the $7,000 maximum annual out-of-pocket spending limit for her plan by May.

In her new job, Moxley has an individual plan with a $4,000 maximum out-of-pocket limit, which she expects to blow past once again within months.

But she received good news recently: Her new plan will cover Remicade.

"I'm still concerned that I will have developed antibodies since my last dose," she said. "But it feels like a step in the direction of good health again."

2021 Kaiser Health News.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

About half of young children who were tested for lead had detectable levels of the toxic metal in their blood, according to a new study published in the peer-reviewed journal JAMA Pediatrics on Monday.

While most of the kids had relatively smaller amounts, about 2% had a level that is considered high. The research tracked more than 1.1 million children under the age of 6 years who underwent lead testing from October 2018 through February 2020.

The findings are likely to raise public health alarms in the U.S., especially amid concerns that lead exposure may be worsening during the pandemic, as well as new questions about the significance of lower levels of lead exposure.

"The broad picture is: Kids have lead in the U.S.," said Morri Markowitz, who directs the lead poisoning prevention and treatment program at Children's Hospital at Montefiore and was not involved in the study. "For lead there's no too low. We want zero."

Kids get exposed to lead in their environment, often through lead paint in older homes. Other sources include lead pipes that bring water into houses and lead found in soil outdoors. There is no level of lead in blood that's known to be safe, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization.

Lead is known to cause likely irreversible damage to still-growing young children, including by harming the brain and nervous system and leading to issues with learning, behavior, hearing and speech.

The new study is the first to examine low levels of lead in children's blood, enabled by more sensitive technology, said Harvey Kaufman, a co-author of the study. Kaufman is also senior medical director at Quest Diagnostics Inc., which performed the testing for the study.

The researchers expected that some children would have detectable amounts of lead in their blood, "but we were surprised that it was half of all children who were tested," he said.

The authors of the study also found connections between lead exposure and poverty, old housing and predominantly Black and Hispanic communities, which is broadly consistent with other lead research.

"These findings confirm that we still have a long way to go to end childhood lead poisoning in the United States," wrote Philip Landrigan and David Bellinger in a corresponding editorial also published Monday in the journal, and "underscore the urgent need to eliminate all sources of lead exposure."

The Biden administration's plan to replace lead pipes as part of a broader infrastructure package is an important step but needs to be accompanied by removing lead paint from U.S. homes, which "remains the predominant source of children's lead exposure," they said.

Keeping kids from lead exposure could save the U.S. as much as $84 billion for kids born in 2018 alone, in the form of benefits to the economy and public health, a group of researchers found in 2017.

Previous CDC surveys have found that about 2.5% of young children in the U.S. have blood lead levels of 5 micrograms per deciliter or higher. The CDC began using the threshold in 2012 as a so-called reference value, to identify children and guide families in taking lead-reduction measures.

The new JAMA Pediatrics study found, similarly, that 1.9% of children tested had blood lead levels of 5 micrograms per deciliter or more. Around 50.5% of the kids had detectable levels of lead, mostly between 1 and 2 micrograms per deciliter.

Kaufman said the population tested was "fairly representative" of the U.S., though he noted there was some selection bias in terms of whose doctor ordered up lead testing.

Only 18 states and the District of Columbia require that health providers screen either all children or high-risk children specifically, while the rest either have only recommendations or don't list requirements or recommendations publicly, according to the study.

Overall children's lead exposure has been reduced significantly over time, including through measures like a federal ban on lead paint in 1978. Kids' blood lead levels dropped by about 95% between the late 1970s and the 2011 to 2016 period, researchers have previously found.

"There's lead in the environment, and it persists," said Markowitz, of Children's Hospital at Montefiore. "It's way better than 50 years ago, in terms of how much lead is out there, but it's still there."

Explore further Lead levels in preschool kids lower, but vigilance is needed

2021 Bloomberg L.P. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
A nurse greets a young girl as she arrives with her mother to receive a dose of the Soberana-02 COVID-19 vaccine, in Havana, Cuba, Thursday, Sept. 16, 2021. Cuba began inoculating children as young as 2-years-old with locally developed vaccines on Thursday.Credit: AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa

Cuba has begun commercial exports of its homegrown COVID-19 vaccines, sending shipments of the three-dose Abdala vaccine to Vietnam and Venezuela.

President Miguel Diaz-Canel announced the arrival in Vietnam on his Twitter feed Sunday. The official Cubadebate news website said the shipment included 900,000 doses purchased by Hanoi and 150,000 more donated by Cuba.

Vietnam's President Nguyen Xuan Phuc visited Cuba last week and toured the laboratory that produces the vaccine, announcing an agreement to buy at least 5 million doses.

Cuba's Center of Genetic Immunology and Biotechnology also announced that initial shipments of the Abdala shots were sent to Venezuela over the weekend.

That country's vice president, Delcy Rodriguez, announced in June that Venezuela had agreed to buy $12 million worth of the Cuban vaccine, though officials have declined to say how many doses were involved.

Another Cuban-developed COVID-19 vaccine is being produced in Iran.

Cuba also hopes to extend exports of its locally developed vaccines, and last week asked the World Health Organization to approve them, which many countries require before importing vaccines.

Cuban scientists have said the vaccines are more than 90% effective against illness, thoughlike all vaccinesless so against mere infection.

A mother holds her daughter who is injected with a dose of the Soberana-02 COVID-19 vaccine, in Havana, Cuba, Thursday, Sept. 16, 2021. Cuba began inoculating children as young as 2-years-old with locally developed vaccines on Thursday.Credit: AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa

Cuba plans to fully vaccinate 90% of its population by the end of Novembera key step to reopening an economy heavily dependent on tourism.

Cubas director of epidemiology, Francisco Duran, said Monday that the country of some 11 million people has registered 860,799 infections with COVID-19 and 7,279 deaths during the pandemic.

Explore further Cuban COVID vaccine Abdala 92 percent 'effective', maker says

 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Use this form if you have come across a typo, inaccuracy or would like to send an edit request for the content on this page. For general inquiries, please use our contact form. For general feedback, use the public comments section below (please adhere to guidelines).

Please select the most appropriate category to facilitate processing of your request
(HealthDay)The death of eight babies has prompted the Boppy Company and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to recall more than 3 million baby loungers, they announced Thursday.

When babies are placed on their back, side, or stomach on these loungers, there is a danger of suffocation. Between December 2015 and June 2020, eight infants died after being placed in these loungers, according to the CPSC and the Golden, Colorado-based company.

"These types of incidents are heartbreaking," Acting CPSC Chairman Robert Adler said in the recall notice. "Loungers and pillow-like products are not safe for infant sleep, due to the risk of suffocation. Since we know that infants sleep so much of the timeeven in products not intended for sleepand since suffocation can happen so quickly, these Boppy lounger products are simply too risky to remain on the market."

Boppy is "devastated to hear of these tragedies," a Boppy spokesperson said in the recall notice. "The lounger was not marketed as an infant sleep product and includes warnings against unsupervised use."

The recall involves all Boppy Newborn Loungers, which were sold in three models: the Boppy Original Newborn Lounger, the Boppy Preferred Newborn Lounger, and the Pottery Barn Kids Boppy Newborn Lounger. Parents and caregivers should stop using the loungers immediately and reach out to the company for a refund.

More information: More Information

Copyright  2021 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Credit: Audra Book, UVA Engineering Communications

This year, the public was introduced to messenger ribonucleic acid, or mRNA, when it became a hero in the worldwide race to develop COVID-19 vaccines. Scientists lab-engineered mRNA to instruct human cells how to recognize, and then destroy, the spike protein that is the entryway for the virus.

Highly effective and precise, the approach offered a glimpse into the power of mRNA technology. Messenger RNA could one day help the human body tackle diseases like cancer with the same effectiveness.

Yanjun Qi, an associate professor of computer science in the University of Virginia's School of Engineering and Applied Science, could hold the key to making that happen.

DNA, a human's genetic code, holds the instructions that direct cells in performing all biological functions. Messenger RNA carries those instructions to the cells. Scientists hope to harness the body's DNA-to-mRNA-to-cell action pathwaya process called gene expressionfor precision medicine.

Before that potential can become a reality, however, researchers must discover what instructions the genes in our DNA are sending through messenger RNA.

Qi is on the leading edge of this discovery. She is using powerful deep-learning models to analyze biomedical data to uncover how genes and messenger RNA interact.

"The relationship between the DNA's instructions; their messengers, the mRNA; and how they direct cell activity is not really clear for the majority of disease," Qi said. "What we are trying to understand is the DNA-to-the-messenger-RNA step, because it informs us how the genetic code is connected to the expression of disease."

Uncovering those connections could lead to a future with highly targeted therapies. Just as mRNA can instruct a cell to block a virus from invading the body, the DNA's messengers could one day arm cells with the relevant instructions to mount a front-line defense against disease, well before it can even take hold.

Qi stresses that the work is in the earliest stage of discovery.

"Huge amounts of data about genetic code are being compiled," she said. "The question is how to make sense out of that data for useful purposes. We are creating artificial intelligence tools to find things that are entire unknowns right now. We are talking about long time horizons, and we believe we are going to get there."

The far-reaching finish line reflects the sheer size of the task. A human's genetic code includes 6 billion data points that are contributing to gene expressions, which are then connected to the more than 1013 (10 million million) cells of the human body.

"There are biological pathways from genes to the mRNAs to proteins that perform millions of functions," Qi said. "Decoding such a massive amount of detail into specific pathways for disease is a gargantuan task."

That is where the powerful artificial intelligence-based computer models come into play. They can detect patterns in the data that make it easier to find those connections.

"A model can generalize inferences from what it has seen before and apply that to unknowns and more quickly recognize something new," Qi said. "Each new finding helps narrow focus of the ongoing search because the computer is learning from the history of the data to recognize basic rules."

When new rules are uncovered, researchers can extrapolate them and go outside the existing knowledge.

In her role as adjunct faculty member in both the UVA School of Medicine's Center for Public Health Genomics and the UVA School of Data Science, Qi collaborates with biological researchers in different areas of medicine to model data for a better understanding of genetic code and its relationship to disease.

A lifelong interest in holistic and natural approaches to science, combined with a keen desire to create the mathematical tools to solve complex problems, put Qi on the path that overlaps AI with biology and medicine.

"Computer science is a skill and a tool because the algorithms we create are agnostic and can tackle any task," she said. "A good tool can profoundly solve the task."

Qi's longest-running collaboration since joining UVA Engineering in 2013 is with Center for Public Health Genomics resident member Clint L. Miller, an assistant professor in the School of Medicine's Department of Public Health Sciences. The two have created a tool that can be used on specific data to study genetic factors related to cardiovascular disease risk.

Miller initially reached out to Qi for her expertise when a student in his lab expressed interest in learning more about artificial intelligence methods.

"After the first meeting, we realized that we had complementary research programs and similar interests, so we naturally started collaborating," he said.

Miller points out that the fields of genomic medicine and genetic-informed drug discovery are rapidly evolving due to the plummeting cost of DNA sequencing combined with the rise of more scalable computational analysis tools.

"We are now at a key inflection point where the integration of large-scale human genetic datasets with AI-based predictive algorithms can be harnessed to develop the next generation of precision medicines," he said. "The goal of our work in this space is to accelerate the discovery and translation of genetic-based medicines."

Miller, who holds secondary appointments in biomedical engineering as well as biochemistry and molecular genetics, believes that the key to innovation lies in bridging knowledge gaps across disciplines. By combining his expertise in the biology of disease with Qi's knowledge of machine learning, they hope to answer the most pressing biomedical questions in the field.

In every collaboration, Qi equally weighs the power of listening, learning and forming understandings with the power of the AI models themselves.

"I am always trying to build good tools," she said. "In order to create good tools, you have to understand your user. I seek to understand the problems that the biologists I collaborate with are trying to solvespecifically what data are they using."

This year, Qi was recognized for her contributions to research that advances medicine when she was recruited as a National Scholar of Data and Technology by the National Institutes of Health. She will be contributing ideas and tools that will leverage large genomics datasets to provide better understanding of Alzheimer's disease in the quest for effective treatments.

Explore further Cholesterol jab: Why gene silencing drugs may work better than current treatments
Credit: Shutterstock

During COVID-19 we've seen racism and discrimination against migrant and refugee communities erode trust between them and authorities.

So as the Delta variant spreads, we must find ways to build that trust.

With greater trust, we can improve contact tracing and the chance of people following public health advice. This is essential if we are to help prevent more infection, illness and death.

A new report by the Asian Australian Alliance on COVID-19-driven anti-Asian racism makes for some chilling reading. https://t.co/TKIsoSlVfD  Green Left (@GreenLeftOnline) July 29, 2021

More racism and discrimination

COVID-19 has exacerbated existing tensions between some migrant and refugee communities and parts of the wider population, including government and health authorities.

Migrants have been blamed for spreading COVID-19; international students have faced racism, and have reported poor mental and physical health; and people of Chinese background or those of "east Asian appearance" have suffered racist slurs and physical attacks.

Then there are the refugee communities of non-English speaking backgrounds. Many have arrived after experiencing war and human rights abuses by other governments only to face tough social distancing restrictions and the use of police and military to enforce lockdowns in Australia.

This has led to some concerns about being reported to government, having their visa canceled, being detained or deported.

As a result of this past trauma and the risk of losing their temporary visa status, some people have been reluctant to participate in contact tracing and follow public health advice.

Making matters worse has been some media outlets and social media sharing racist and harmful stereotypes.

"Garbage' and 'cash cows': temporary migrants describe anguish of exclusion and racism during COVID-19 https://t.co/rjEgXcyu5N via @ConversationEDU  Julianne Schultz (@JulianneSchultz) September 16, 2020

Understand diversity

Building trust requires recognizing the diversity of communities. For example, the phrase "culturally and linguistically diverse" is often used to describe migrant and refugee communities of non-English speaking backgrounds. While the phrase has merit in some situations, it disguises differences between and among communities.

For instance, the term "migrant" refers to people who have chosen to move from one country or area to another. Migrants can include international students, business owners, professionals and those wanting to work and join family already living in Australia.

In contrast, refugees arrive after suffering from psychological distress and trauma due to war, torture and/or conflict. Some refugees may have lower levels of education, literacy and financial support.

Any projects aimed at communicating health information with such communities need to learn about the variations and differences within and between them. Differences include varying levels of education, language and literacy skills, preferences in old and new media, and differing cultural understandings of health.

Some communities have a more communal approach to health, which influences how to best share information. Rights and access to government supports also differ, including employment support and Medicare.

Engage with communities

We can improve contact tracing, the sharing of public health advice and, most importantly, build trust, by better engaging with communities.

This means involving communities in decision-making and how services are developed and delivered. Governments and health agencies should engage with communities and ask them what skills and support they need to manage the pandemic and daily life.

Bilingual community facilitators, also known as bicultural community workers, may be needed. These help bring together community members and health agencies to moderate discussions, hold workshops, develop solutions and build relationships and trust for the long term.

Know there's more going on

We can also build trust by improving access to training, education, employment, affordable housing and other social factors. These can help improve health outcomes.

Without appropriate support and tailored health communications it's more likely people will be forced to break COVID restrictions, like going to work when sick, or gather in family groups for support. Without understanding or trusting public health advice, contract tracing for COVID is much harder.

Help grow stronger communities

Communities of people with migrant and refugee backgrounds can be supported to find their own solutions to the challenges and opportunities of everyday life.

This "capacity building" might include holding workshops with families, or supporting young people to develop their abilities as leaders. For this to happen, governments need to work closely with non-government organizations.

Such programs would help build stronger relationships within Australian society that help more people feel like they belong. With stronger relationships and greater capacity in communities to deal with health issues, more people are likely to trust the procedures of contact tracing and public health advice.

Where to now?

Health agencies, governments and others working with people from refugee and migrant communities can make real and positive differences by helping to build trust with migrant and refugee communities of non-English speaking backgrounds.

Our challenge now is doing this gradually and with care.

More respectful and sensitive engagement could be one of the most important ways we reduce the terrible illness and death from COVID, and combat the stigma and racism that has come with it.

Explore further One third of migrant and refugee women experience domestic violence, major survey reveals

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Hepatitis B in newborns is a public health issue in the Pacific islands. Credit: ChiemSeherin (https://pixabay.com/users/chiemseherin-1425977), Pixabay (https://pixabay.com/photos/3616187/)

The Pacific island nations are falling back on immunization targets, especially those for diseases spread through mother-to-child transmission, according to WHO officials.

Po Lin Chan, medical officer at the WHO regional office, explains to SciDev.Net that "vaccination has helped reduce prevalence to one percent in the Pacific islands, but reaching 0.1 percent prevalence among children requires additional interventions built on maternal, newborn and child health programs, including antenatal screening of pregnant women for hepatitis B alongside that for HIV and syphilis."

WHO's Western Pacific regional office's response to the issue was to add hepatitis B to an existing vaccination program to eliminate mother-to-child transmission of HIV and syphilis with a goal of reaching 0.1 percent prevalence by 2030.

WHO's recommendation is based on China's example. "Since 2010, China has been providing universal testing for each pregnant woman, for HIV, syphilis and hepatitis B and modeling suggests that China will achieve the elimination target by 2029," Chan says.

For the Pacific islands, according to the epidemiologist Caroline Van Gemert from the Burnet Institute of Melbourne, which is involved in the Vanuatu Health Program, elimination will not be reached even by 2030, unless things change on the ground dramatically. The team presented its work at the World Congress of Epidemiology, held September 36.

"To achieve elimination of mother-to-child transmission infections, a country needs to be able to prove that elimination targets are reachedbut data are not collected, there are huge gaps that need to be filled to monitor elimination," Van Germert tells SciDev.Net.

Only Guam, which is administered by the US, is reporting any data, says Van Germert. "I know that other countries are screening pregnant women, but data aren't released," she says. Plus, screening is not systematic. "In Vanuatu, it depends on the clinic and the availability of tests. Testing is available more in hospitals than in the community healthcare facilities," she says.

WHO guidance recommends administration of drugs such as Tenofovir to pregnant women who are infected, to avoid transmission to their babies.

"Treatment is not available on every island. Whether it is at a national scale or at the health care facility level, I couldn't gather data," Van Germert says.

According to Van Germert, Pacific countries could fill in a WHO tracking form that has several indicators. "It's already what WHO does with UNAIDS for HIV surveillance. Every year countries file global AIDS monitoring data," she adds.

Immunization drives also need to be improved. While some islands have had a universal child immunization program for decades, total coverage is elusive because of logistics between the main islands of each country and the outer islands.

"It is expensive to reach some of the islands since access is only by boat. It is also hard to maintain the cold chain needed to keep vaccines doses viable," says Chan. If the deployment of COVAX  the multilateral mechanism for the distribution of vaccines for COVID-19is successful, there will be lessons to be learned for the delivery of other vaccines including hepatitis B.

Provided by SciDev.Net
Credit: Towfiqu Barbhuiya/Unsplash

The worst of the pandemic may finally be over, according to new modeling results from a consortium of researchers advising the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The team's COVID-19 Scenario Modeling Hub, which is co-coordinated by researchers at Penn State, projects that COVID-19 cases will decrease across the United States, barring the emergence of any new variants or major changes in behavior.

"This projected decline in cases could be due to a number of factors, including the availability of vaccines to children ages five to 11, which may be available in the next few weeks, and the increasing number of people that are now immune due to either vaccination or natural exposure to the virus," said Katriona Shea, professor of biology and Alumni Professor in the Biological Sciences at Penn State.

The researchers combined nine different mathematical models from different research groups to project the trajectory of the pandemic over the next six months. They published their results online on Sept. 22.

"Synergizing results from multiple models has been shown to give much more reliable projections than any one model alone," said Shea, who published a paper early in the pandemic demonstrating a technique for minimizing uncertainty by combining multiple models together to make projections.

The team specifically examined four potential scenarios, including whether childhood vaccine uptake will be high and whether a more infectious new variant will emerge.

"The most likely scenario is that children age five to 11 will be approved for vaccination and that no new superspreading variant will emerge," said Shea. "In this case, by March 2022, COVID-19 infections across the United States could slowly and steadily drop from about 140,000 per day today to about 9,000 per day, and deaths could decline from about 1,500 per day today to fewer than 100 per day."

These numbers are similar to those that characterized the U.S. in March 2020 when the virus was just starting to spread throughout the country, added Shea. They are also lower than the numbers seen in the U.S. earlier this summer, after the vaccines had been available for several months and before the Delta variant had begun to gain the upper hand.

"Importantly," she said, "the most likely scenario does not project a winter surge."

Shea noted that, at the state level, however, the team's results suggest significant variation in projected cases.

"States like Florida and Georgia that have seen high caseloads over the past few months are projected to experience rapid decreases in cases due to high levels of immunity," she said. "In contrast, states, like Pennsylvania, where the caseloads haven't been as high in recent weeks, may not see the same decline in cases since a greater proportion of people remain vulnerable to infection."

Vaccine availability to children ages five to 11 is also expected to contribute to a drop in COVID-19 cases, with several thousand fewer deaths and tens of thousands of fewer cases across the U.S. And if a new, more transmissible variant appears, the drop could comprise hundreds of thousands of fewer cases and a similar relative decrease in hospitalizations.

"It's important to remember that these are not forecasts," said Shea. "We are thinking about what-ifs, not what is most likely. So, we look at multiple possible scenarios based on different sets of assumptions about possible future conditions. There's a lot that could change. If we see a new variant or any other unexpected things happen, these long-term trends may not hold. The virus has surprised us again and again."

Shea noted that by getting vaccinated everyone can play a part in ending the pandemic.

"At the individual level," she said, "the risk for you and your child decreases significantly if you are all vaccinated."
(HealthDay)Pfizer plans to request approval for use of its COVID-19 vaccine in children under 12 soon.

"It is a question of days, not weeks," Pfizer chairman and CEO Albert Bourla told ABC News on Sunday when asked about when the company will submit vaccine data on children aged 5 to 11 to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Right now, COVID-19 vaccines are only approved for children 12 and older, which is concerning as more younger children are getting sick as the highly contagious Delta variant dominates across the United States, CNN said.

Nearly 26% of all COVID-19 cases nationwide are reported in children, according to recent data published by the American Academy of Pediatrics. And an average of 266 children were hospitalized with COVID-19 every day last week, according to Sunday's data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Once the data from Pfizer is presented, expert panels from the FDA and the CDC will analyze the information and decide whether to recommend the vaccine, CNN reported.

Once the vaccine is available to younger kids, the challenge will be getting them vaccinated. Less than 50% of eligible U.S. adolescents are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to a CNN analysis of CDC data.

In the meantime, the CDC recommends that children and school staff wear masks and maintain physical distancing while inside school buildings.

"We know how to keep them safe," CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky told CBS Sunday. "When we don't use the proper mitigation, they're more likely to have outbreaks."

Former FDA Commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb encouraged parents to vaccinate their children when they can.

"This is a dangerous pathogen," Gottlieb told CNN. "I wouldn't be so cavalier about this virus, we know that this virus has long-term consequences in a lot of people who contract it, including children."

Explore further FDA warns against 'off-label' use of Pfizer vaccine in younger children

More information: Visit the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for more on Visit the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for more on COVID vaccines.

Copyright  2021 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Credit: Shutterstock

Today, we use the term "long COVID" to describe the lingering symptoms some people have many weeks or months after infection.

But how long COVID came to be recognized by doctors and the wider community shows us the power of patient activism, networking, research skills and persistence.

Using social media, patients collected evidence of their symptoms, and advocated for themselves and for further research. Even the term long COVID stems from this activism.

Support on Twitter, Facebook, TikTok

When growing numbers of COVID survivors began realizing their symptoms were persisting or worsening, patient-led groups quickly sprang up online. Social media was crucial in helping survivors collect evidence, network and advocate.

As early as March 2020, people with continuing COVID symptoms began drawing attention to their experience on Twitter.

I promised a thread of my family's experience of coronavirus (GP confirmed). For context, I've had pneumonia & PVF previously, and my immune response is not the best (endocrine issue). I'm in a network of eight people who've had it. 1/  Dr. P is on ASOS (@preshitorian) March 25, 2020

Some people began to call themselves "COVID long-haulers." The term comes from truck-drivers who regularly work long shifts.

US teacher Amy Watson started the trend with a selfie posted to Facebook from the day she was first tested for COVID in March 2020. Watson wore a trucker's cap in the photo.

Once Watson realized her COVID symptoms were continuing longer than expected, she began describing herself as a "long hauler" and started a private Facebook group using the same name.

Several other Facebook support groups for COVID survivors have sprung up since then. They include COVID-19 Long Haulers Support, with over 51,000 members and Long COVID Support Group, with over 44,000 members.

Archaeologist Elisa Perego invented the #LongCovid Twitter hashtag in May 2020.

Now we have a wide range of Twitter hashtags and account names including: #LongCovidKids, @LongCovidPhysio, @LongCovidItalia, @LongCovidNYC and @LongCovid in Academia.

Several British patients who were part of the Long COVID SOS advocacy group made a YouTube video, Message in a Bottle, which they uploaded in July 2020. It has since received more than 57,000 views.

The video captured the attention of the World Health Organization's COVID-19 response team, which invited group members to a meeting to discuss their experiences.

Video-sharing platform TikTok also features #COVIDlonghauler content, with millions of views. Young people who made these short videos describe their experiences of long COVID and warn viewers to be careful about protecting themselves from infection.

As momentum grew, the medical profession and peak health bodies such as the World Health Organization began to accept the name long COVID as a diagnosis.

Patients' evidence matters

We now recognize that patient-led evidence is crucial in learning more about COVID's effects on the body.

People with long COVID have worked together to collect evidence about the condition. University researchers, from medical and non-medical backgrounds, living with prolonged COVID symptoms have often led the charge.

Many health-care workers contracted COVID. They could reflect on the experience recovering from the disease from both a professional and personal viewpoint.

This video, featuring COVID survivors, captures the struggles they face weeks and months after infection.

Researchers wanted to learn more

Websites such as COVIDCAREgroup offer members the opportunity to take part in medical and public health research.

People with COVID founded the online Body Politic support group. In an example of patient-led research, researchers with long COVID at University College London initiated and led a web-based survey to research the condition. They advertised the survey on the Body Politic website. The findings were published in a medical journal this year.

Although estimates vary, we now know about 10% report symptoms 12 weeks after their COVID diagnosis.

Survivors report 200 symptoms across ten organ systems. And longer-term symptoms can even occur in people whose initial ones were moderate or mild.

Many people who got COVIDeven young, healthy peopleare still experiencing long-term symptoms from infection. Vaccination gives your immune system the tools it needs to fight an unpredictable virus.  Dr. Tom Frieden (@DrTomFrieden) May 30, 2021

It's not just long COVID

The outstandingly successful example of long COVID is the latest of a history of patient-led support, information sharing, activism, fund raising and involvement in research.

People with new or rare diseases or those whose conditions are contested have often had to fight hard to have their illness acknowledged and appropriately treated.

When HIV/AIDS first emerged in the early 1980s, patient activist groups had major successes in combatting stigma and fighting for support, health care, medical research and drug development.

The most well-known activist organization was ACT UP, based in the US and led by the LGBTQI community. ACT UP members relied on street marches, protests and rallies to spearhead political action.

Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is another example. People with this syndrome have had to challenge doctors' assumptions their symptoms are "all in their mind" because the causes and markers of their illness are still open to speculation.

The medical profession has sometimes criticized advocates for being overly "militant" in their efforts to be heard and receive effective treatment.

Yet patient-led research and activism have made great strides in achieving their goals in achieving recognition for HIV, CFS and many other conditions.

The development of the internet in the 1990s assisted these efforts, as has social media since the early 2000s.

Dedicated platforms such as PatientsLikeMe have sprung up, offering a variety of condition-specific support groups and access to clinical trials. PatientsLikeMe has a COVID-19 forum with over 100,000 members.

A positive step

The success of patient-led groups in putting long COVID firmly on the medical and health policy map is one positive step in countering the effects of the continuing pandemic.

However, many members of successful patient-led groups are highly educated and socioeconomically advantaged, with excellent access to digital devices and the internet.

Long COVID has sometimes been described as a "silent" disease, because damage to the body can be overlooked. Some patients have been able to break the silence.

However, it remains important to find ways for marginalized and disadvantaged groups and people living in low-income countries to benefit from these kinds of initiatives. More than ever, the voices of these groups should be heard.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

New research being presented at the Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD), held online this year (27 Sept-1 Oct), finds that the COVID-19 response has left more than a million people with diabetes in the UK without access to the routine blood testing they need properly to manage their diabetes.

Estimates extrapolated from data from six testing centers across the UK, covering around 6% of the total population, indicate that 2.5 million diagnostic diabetes tests were missed or delayed during the 6-month lockdown (an average of 400,000 a month) in the UKincluding 213,000 missed pre-diabetes and 68,500 missed diabetes diagnoses, with the resulting delay in lifestyle advice and treatment.

A further 1.4 million monitoring tests in people with diabetes were also missed nationally, including over 500,000 in people with high blood glucose levels, increasing the likelihood of immediate and long-term complications such as hyperglycaemia, heart disease, kidney disease, blindness and nerve damage, in addition to life-threatening conditions such as heart attack and stroke.

It is important that people with diabetes keep blood glucose (sugar) levels as close to the normal range as possible. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has brought unprecedented disruptions to many routine healthcare services, including blood testing monitoring that is key to diabetes diagnosis and management.

"As many as a third of COVID-19 deaths in the UK have been people with diabetes, and more may be at risk of the worst of the virus' effects because so many have been unable to manage their diabetes effectively or have gone undiagnosed", says lead author David Holland from The Benchmarking Partnership, UK. "Uncontrolled diabetes wreaks havoc on the body. Failure to focus on the wider implications for people with diabetes and other groups with chronic conditions may put them at increased risk of poor outcomes from COVID-19, as well as longer-term health problems."

In this study, researchers investigated the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on diabetes diagnosis and management, using routinely collected laboratory data on the key diabetes test, glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c)a measure of blood sugar levels over the preceding three months. They analyzed data from six UK testing centers (supporting 3.7 million people, 6% of the UK population) between October 2017 and September 2020, including 3.6 million HbA1c tests on 1.7 million people.

From these data, the researchers estimated the number of missed HbA1c tests, both for diagnostic and management purposes, during the UK lockdown between 23rd March, 2020 and 30th September, 2020. They then calculated the potential impact of these missed tests on diabetes monitoring (those already diagnosed with diabetes), screening (as part of general health), and the detection of new cases.

The findings indicate that HbA1c testing fell dramatically during the 6-month UK lockdown. Compared to the 12 months before the lockdown, the number of monitoring tests dropped from 32,000 to 19,000 per month during lockdown, screening tests fell from 46,000 to 32,000 a month, and diagnostic tests more than halved from 31,000 to 12,000.

The researchers estimate that during the 6-month lockdown, in people with diabetes, 79,000 monitoring tests were missed28,500 of these tests would have been in people with poorly controlled diabetesleading to missed blood sugar control targets with the associated risk of complications. Results suggest that this delay in monitoring was linked with an average increase in HbA1c of 2-3 mmol/mol.

In addition, an estimated 149,000 general screening tests in high-risk groups were also missed during the lockdown, including nearly 27,000 missed pre-diabetes diagnoses. A further 142,000 diagnostic tests were also missed, of which 12,000 would be expected to be in the pre-diabetes range and 3,800 in the diabetes range.

According to David Holland, "COVID-19 caused more damage than we realized. Access to GP services became particularly difficult during the pandemic, with GP practices canceling or postponing appointments for routine testing and review as the country went into 'lockdown'. Furthermore, many 'high risk' patientsincluding people with diabeteswere reluctant to visit their GP, fearful that they might catch COVID-19. This of course had a significant impact on testing, with overall test volume reduced by 80% during April 2020 and slow to recover in subsequent months. Even now, in September 2021, HbA1c test volumes are only just starting to reach the levels we would typically expect to see. The impact may last well beyond the crisis, potentially creating long-term health repercussions and placing new demands on an already overburdened NHS. The healthcare system urgently needs to find a way to test and review the most at-risk diabetic patients before the increased risks they face to their long-term health become a reality."

Explore further First COVID lockdown had major impact on type 2 diabetes diagnosis and monitoring
Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

Are workplace vaccine mandates prompting some employees to quit rather than get a shot?

A hospital in Lowville, New York, for example, had to shut down its maternity ward when dozens of staffers left their jobs rather than get vaccinated. At least 125 employees at Indiana University Health resigned after refusing to take the vaccine.

And several surveys have shown that as many as half of unvaccinated workers insist they would leave their jobs if forced to get the shot, which has raised alarms among some that more mandates could lead to an exodus of workers in many industries.

But how many will actually follow through?

Strong words

In June 2021, we conducted a nationwide survey, funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, that gave us a sample of 1,036 people who mirrored the diverse makeup of the U.S. We plan to publish the survey in October.

We asked respondents to tell us what they would do if "vaccines were required" by their employer. We prompted them with several possible actions, and they could check as many as they liked.

We found that 16% of employed respondents would quit, start looking for other employment or both if their employer instituted a mandate. Among those who said they were "vaccine hesitant"almost a quarter of respondentswe found that 48% would quit or look for another job.

Other polls have shown similar results. A Kaiser Family Foundation survey put the share of workers who would quit at 50%.

Separately, we found in our survey that 63% of all workers said a vaccine mandate would make them feel safer.

Quieter actions

But while it is easy and cost-free to tell a pollster you'll quit your job, actually doing so when it means losing a paycheck you and your family may depend upon is another matter.

And based on a sample of companies that already have vaccine mandates in place, the actual number who do resign rather than get the vaccine is much smaller than the survey data suggest.

Houston Methodist Hospital, for example, required its 25,000 workers to get a vaccine by June 7. Before the mandate, about 15% of its employees were unvaccinated. By mid-June, that percentage had dropped to 3% and hit 2% by late July. A total of 153 workers were fired or resigned, while another 285 were granted medical or religious exemptions and 332 were allowed to defer it.

At Jewish Home Family in Rockleigh, New Jersey, only five of its 527 workers quit following its vaccine mandate. Two out of 250 workers left Westminster Village in Bloomington, Illinois, and even in deeply conservative rural Alabama, a state with one of the lowest vaccine uptake rates, Hanceville Nursing & Rehab Center lost only six of its 260 employees.

Delta Airlines didn't mandate a shot, but in August it did subject unvaccinated workers to a US$200 per month health insurance surcharge. Yet the airline said fewer than 2% of employees have quit over the policy.

And at Indiana University Health, the 125 workers who quit are out of 35,800 total employees, or 0.3%.

Making it easy

Past vaccine mandates, such as for the flu, have led to similar outcomes: Few people actually quit their jobs over them.

And our research suggests in public communications there are a few things employers can do to minimize the number of workers who quit over the policy.

It starts with building trust with employees. Companies should also make it as easy as possible to get vaccinatedsuch as by providing on-site vaccine drives, paid time off to get the shot and deal with side effects, and support for child care or transportation.

Finally, research shows it helps if companies engage trusted messengers including doctors, colleagues and family to share information on the vaccine.

In other words, vaccine mandates are unlikely to result in a wave of resignationsbut they are likely to lead to a boost in vaccination rates.

Explore further Houston Methodist suspends nearly 200 workers who refuse COVID-19 vaccines

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

The coronavirus pandemic has made vaccine production a hot topic covered daily in the Danish media. How much can be produced and when can the coveted vials be delivered? The Danish vaccine producer Bavarian Nordic asks itself the same questions when they are to produce their vaccine against the highly contagious smallpox virus at the company's new vaccine factory in Kvistgard just outside Elsinore.

To answer these questions, Bavarian Nordic resorts to mathematical modeling to enable them to produce as many vaccine doses as possible, limit wastage, and inform customers as accurately as possible about the time of delivery. The mathematical model tool has been developed in collaboration with DTU Management and was taken into use at the end of 2020.

Vaccine against eradicated disease

The last registered outbreak of smallpox was in Somalia in 1977, and the same year Denmark stopped its smallpox vaccine program. Three years later, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared that the disease had been eradicated globally. So why does Bavarian Nordic continue to produce smallpox vaccine? This is due to the fear of bioterrorism, where smallpox virus is used as a biological weapon. Soldiers, nurses, and other frontline personnel therefore still receive the vaccine when operating in war and conflict zones where such terrorist attacks are a realistic threat. In addition, some countries are still building up stocks of smallpox vaccine as emergency preparedness.

Complex production planning

The production of smallpox vaccine is a complicated process. It all starts with the production of a raw product with a high concentration of the active substance. The active substance is Bavarian Nordic's own patented virus, which has been modified so that it cannot multiply in human cells.

The concentration of the active substance varies, depending on which production batch it originates from, one reason being that like other drugsit is degraded gradually. To arrive at the exact strength of the finished vaccine, the production planner must therefore choose the right mix of production batches from the warehouse and also add the correct amount of diluting fluid. And this must be done in a way that ensures that as many vials as possible are produced. In addition, Bavarian Nordic must take into account the production capacity of the filling factory where the finished vaccine is made. These are just some of the parameters that the production planner must deal with.

"It used to be insanely time consuming to make a production plan. It was done manually, and you could almost tear a week out of the calendar to prepare the planit was heavy going," says Michael Vver Jrgensen, Supply Chain Planner at Bavarian Nordic.

When Bavarian Nordic had then prepared a production plan, they could not even know for sure that it was the optimal way of doing things, and there was often undesirable large wastage. Therefore, the company approached DTU Management a couple of years ago, because there had to be a way to do this better and easier. Associate Professor Richard Martin Lusby was given the assignment of helping Bavarian Nordic.

Richard Martin Lusby elaborates on the problem: "If you were to prepare the optimal production plan manually, you would need to make hundreds of thousands of active choices. It's quite simply not possible to do this systematically. You need to have a mathematical model to help you."

Mathematical model

Over the past few years, Richard Martin Lusby has therefore developed a mathematical model that is based on so-called integer programming. The model is written in a spreadsheet, where Michael Vver Jrgensen can enter all relevant data. When he then presses the calculate button, the complex calculations are made in the cloud. "It typically takes no more than five to ten minutes before a usable result is available.

The result is a production plan, and the plan generates a value for how good it is," explains Richard Martin Lusby, who continues:

"Our model allows us to estimate the theoretically optimal solution, and if you allow the model to make calculations for ten minutes, you will typically be within one percent of what is theoretically optimal."

The short calculation time provides Bavarian Nordic with completely new opportunities.

"It's an easy way to test different input parameters, so we can see whether it can be done more optimally," says Lasse Bengtson, who is a Tech Transfer Scientist with detailed knowledge of the physical-chemical properties which the vaccine ingredients possess.

Michael Vver Jrgensen supplements: "It has also become a decision-making tool. I think this is a huge advantage." We can test a number of different scenarios and present them to the management, who can then say what is a good or bad idea. Mind you, without us having to spend a whole month preparing it."

Current and future needs

In the spring, there was a special need to plan production using the new tool, explains Michael Vver Jrgensen:

"Our filling factory was brand-new. We had accumulated a certain amount of stocks of the active substance before the factory was ready, and we were to come up with the best possible plan for using and getting as much as possible out of these stocks.

These were batches of the raw product which had been produced over a long period of time and which therefore had very different strength due to the degradation that occurs over time. This made the calculation particularly difficult, because the individual batches could be mixed in more than one billion different wayswith widely differing results.

Once Bavarian Nordic had overcome this backlog, the situation was different. The filling factory would then continuously take delivery of the batches from the raw production.

"There will be less material for us to combine on an ongoing basis. So we're not quite on top of how precisely we will 'play' with the model tool in the future," says Michael Vver Jrgensen.

But one thing is certain: Bavarian Nordic will use the tool for much more than the smallpox vaccine.

"We also need to produce rabies vaccine and vaccine against tick-borne encephalitis, and it may well be that we will need to use the modeling tool for these," ascertains Lasse Bengtson, who also sees opportunities for some of the other vaccines currently in the pipelineincluding a COVID-19 vaccine.

Bavarian Nordic thus sees great opportunities in the mathematical planning tool, andin reply to the question about how satisfied they are with the new tool in their toolbox, the answer is clear:

"On a scale from one to 10, this is a 10," states Lasse Bengtson.

Michael Vver Jrgensen says "Definitely."

Explore further Smallpox vaccine study yields favorable results
Aerial view of the UKs national synchrotron, Diamond Light Source Ltd (Diamond) on the Harwell Science and Innovation Campus in Oxfordshire. Credit: Diamond Light Source

In little more than a year from the onset of COVID-19, scientists successfully developed vaccines against the SARS-CoV-2 virus for world-wide use.

Three main factors contributed to this extraordinary feat.

One, unprecedented collaboration between international scientists. Two, scientists were able to obtain exquisitely detailed images of the virus proteins and the human proteins that they interact withright down to the positions of the atoms.

Three, expertise and infrastructure, developed over many years, involving tens of thousands of scientists supported by national governments and substantial private investment. Developing this skilled workforce was only possible because societies agreed to sponsor their best researchers to solve acute problems by providing appropriate tools and resources.

The African contribution to this massive achievement proved quite small. African researchers remain challenged by the lack of sustainable and accessible funding, infrastructure and expertise.

In late May President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that South Africa was "developing a local vaccine manufacturing plan to produce vaccines locally through strategic partnerships and technology transfer." The goal, he said, was to cover the entire vaccine production value chain. He said Africa wants to do things for itself and that "we must also look at how vaccine manufacturing capacity developed during COVID-19 can be repurposed for the future production of other vaccines and related technologies."

In this article we unpack how the three-year START program (Synchrotron Techniques for African Research and Technology)funded with a grant from the UK Research and Innovations' Science and Technology Facilities Councilsubstantially prepared South Africa's capacity to do this type of work. It trained students and postdoctoral research assistants at eight South African universities and the country's National Institute for Communicable Disease (NICD). It also allowed access to the UK's national synchrotron, Diamond Light Source. Funded through a 3.7 million (about US$5million) Global Challenges Research Fund grant, the initiative provided an exceptional combination of expertise and experimental resources.

Innovative technologies

Understanding biological systems is critical to the prosperity, and possibly, survival of the human race. Without it, we are threatened by disease, energy and food insecurity, pollution and climate change. Studying biological macromoleculessuch as proteins at atomic resolutionempowers us to develop drugs, vaccines, herbicides and pesticides. And it helps us design non-polluting industrial processes to create the chemicals that we need.

The branch of science that deals with this is called Structural Biology.

Structural biologists unravel the intricacies of protein structures using highly brilliant synchrotron radiation in a technique called X-ray crystallography or by cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM). These structures form the basis for developing new drugs or vaccines to stop diseases. In particular, the recently developed, Nobel prize-winning, technique of cryo-EM was essential for the development of the COVID-19 vaccines.

However, Africa largely remains a spectator in the race to build these innovative technologies despite START showing how it could be done. The program has yielded extraordinary impact with relatively modest investment over a short space of time. It has triggered a step change in structural biology research in Africa, demonstrating what is needed and that it works. Existing research hubs and networks were strengthened, and new ones developed. Young career scientists grew in confidence and skills through international collaborations, mentoring, writing proposals and crunching data.

The South African groups regularly collected data at synchrotrons and electron microscopes to augment our understanding of potential treatments. These have included SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19), snakebite venom, HIV, tuberculosis, malaria, human papilloma virus, cardiovascular disease, as well as equine diseases. Work has also been done to create industrial enzymes for the manufacture of medicines and commodity chemicals.

The structural biology laboratory at the NICD, for example, focused on understanding the antibody response to communicable diseases such as HIV and COVID-19 to guide the search for effective vaccines. In addition, the NICD has developed structural biology projects to understand how antibodies recognize and stop SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern.

The START grant has contributed to:

research papers in leading international journals,

the development of a small but growing network of suitably equipped labs across South Africa,

vibrant international collaborations, and

numerous early career scientists trained in world class Structural Biology, including synchrotron and cryo-EM techniques.

Unfortunately, the funding for START has ended.

Now what?

National government must build on the foundations of the START program. Only a sustained national policy will ensure that structural biology can achieve world-class science and grow relevant research across Africa.

Structural biology remains a niche science on the continent, largely ignored by the infrastructure roadmaps. Ramaphosa's vision of African vaccines needs to be supported by a national strategy for structural biology. The aim would be to grow the community of scientists. This, in turn, would massively impact vaccine and drug development as well as other regional challenges.

Teaching, training and infrastructure in protein crystallography and cryo-EM need to expand dramatically from a tiny base.

The structural biology community requires a modern cryo-EM center in South Africa. This would require substantial investment beyond the means of critically stressed tertiary education institutions.

The support of the international community is crucial.

The COVID-19 pandemic has shown how important it is to have both national and international approaches to research and development with access to the right type of world class equipment, training and expertise.

Vaccines need to be developed in Africa against diseases arising in Africa. This makes financial sense and places emphasis on Africa solving Africa's problems. The World Bank has estimated that the slow rollout of COVID-19 vaccines could cost the continent $14 billion a month. Even this pales in comparison to the long-term cost of malaria, tuberculosis, HIV, and other poverty-related diseases.

Required steps involve:

Local infrastructure and capacity. The infrastructure put in place by the START program needs to be expanded to national reference laboratories, sustainably funded, well-equipped and staffed by experts.

Capacity retention. Early career researchers trained in South Africa need to be retained to prevent loss of knowledge and expertise. The need to provide all young researchers opportunities to further develop their careers is obvious. But this cannot be done without growth. It is therefore urgent to implement policies that stimulate the structural biology research environment and create new posts. This is key to ensuring that diversity, fresh ideas and novel approaches relevant to Africa are brought into the local and international scientific community.

Access to international infrastructure. Synchrotrons, neutron sources and cryo-EM facilities around the world are open to African researchers. The challenge is to produce world-class research and competitive proposals to gain access. Funding for this must come from the South African Treasury. This should be enhanced by membership of international organizations.

START has boosted the skills and enthusiasm of South African bioscientists. They have seen the benefit of a structural approach in designing medicines for African diseases. The program has opened doors to international co-operation and technology that Africa can't afford. Young researchers have committed to careers in structural biology, hoping to practice their skills locally. Local research into both vaccines and medicines has started.

Ramaphosa's desire to develop vaccines in South Africa could be realized by building on the foundation that has been laid. But only if there's substantial and sustained investment in both human resources and infrastructure.

Explore further S.Africa's Aspen releases first batch of Johnson vaccine

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

Women with type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease (CVD), or at high risk of developing CVD, are less likely to reach recommended treatment targets than men, according to an international study involving almost 10,000 patients with type 2 diabetes, being presented at the Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD), held online this year (27 Sept-1 Oct). Nevertheless, women were less likely to experience adverse CVD outcomes apart from stroke.

The authors say that a better understanding of gender disparities is needed to improve the implementation of recommended care for the prevention of cardiovascular disease in women with type 2 diabetes.

"Despite evidence of the benefits for managing cardiovascular risk factors (such as lowering blood pressure and cholesterol levels) in people with type 2 diabetes, an unacceptable proportion of affected women are not reaching recommended treatment targets", says lead author Giulia Ferrannini, MD, from the Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden. "Cardiovascular disease is the leading killer of women, but it has never been more preventable and treatable. The reasons why women are not receiving the same standard of treatment as men are complex and require further investigation so that women with type 2 diabetes can be treated more effectively."

CVD is the main cause of illness, poor quality of life and death in individuals with type 2 diabetes. Previous studies have suggested that type 2 diabetes is associated with a higher risk of fatal coronary heart disease, stroke and death in women than men. To find out more, researchers investigated whether there are gender differences in risk factor management and outcomes of patients with type 2 diabetes, who had either a previous cardiovascular event or cardiovascular risk factors.

They analyzed data from 9,901 adults (46%, 4,589 women; average age 66 years) taking part in the REWIND triala multicentre, randomized, placebo-controlled trial in 24 countries involving adults with type 2 diabetes with a wide range of cardiovascular riskand followed for an average of 5.4 years. Significantly fewer women than men had a history of CVD (20% vs 41%).

The researchers analyzed use of cardioprotective therapies and the achievement of guideline-recommended treatment targets at the start of the study and after two years. They also analyzed the risk of individual cardiovascular outcomes including fatal/nonfatal stroke, fatal/nonfatal heart attack, cardiovascular death, death from any cause, and severe heart failure, after adjusting for several factors that could have influenced the results (including age, lipid levels, and blood pressure.

Although the majority of women and men met treatment targets for blood pressure and low-density lipoprotein (LDL, or bad) cholesterol at the start of the study, women were less likely to receive recommended medications, like ACE inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) for blood pressure (80% vs 83%), and statins for cholesterol-lowering (73% vs 81%). Over 2 years follow-up, women remained less likely than men to achieve LDL cholesterol treatment goals, regardless of whether they had previously had a cardiovascular event.

Nevertheless, in the REWIND trial, women were less likely than men to experience adverse cardiovascular outcomes except strokeincluding a 46% reduced risk of heart attack and death from any cause and a 38% lower risk of being hospitalized for heart failure.

The authors note that the analysis was exploratory in nature and its interpretation may be limited because treatment approaches differ across geographies and by the types of cardiovascular disease. They also note that risk factor management in a cardiovascular trial may overestimate the use of cardioprotective medications compared to general clinical practice.

According to Dr. Ferrannini, "Even in a trial like REWIND where most people were adequately treated for their cardiovascular risk factors, women with type 2 diabetes were less likely to reach recommended treatment targets than men and were prescribed fewer cardioprotective drugs. Despite this, women remain at an advantage, having a lower risk for future cardiovascular events compared to their male counterparts, except for stroke; this is possibly due to gender differences in the pathophysiology of disease. However, it is important to consider all gender disparities that exist in the real-world setting that prevent women with diabetes to keep such advantage, including time to diagnosis, use of invasive revascularization procedures, and use of guideline-recommended treatments. Women with type 2 diabetes are at high cardiovascular risk and should not be neglected in its comprehensive management."

Explore further New medication helps heart health in people with chronic kidney disease, Type 2 diabetes
The Minister for State for European Affairs, Thomas Byrne, T.D., has travelled to New York to participate in two high-level UN meetings on nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation.

Today, Monday 27 September, Minister Byrne will chair a meeting of the Security Council to mark the 25th anniversary of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty.

Nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation is a long-standing foreign policy priority for Ireland, and the meeting has been organised as one of the key events of the Irish presidency of the Security Council in September.

Earlier, Minister Byrne said:

Decades of nuclear test explosions have affected the lives and health of generations of people around the globe and left a lasting mark on the environment. By prohibiting all nuclear testing, the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty inhibits states from developing new nuclear weapons. It is therefore an important step along the path to a world without nuclear weapons, with their devastating consequences for all of humanity. I call for signature and ratification of the Treaty by all states, and for re-doubling our efforts to secure the entry-into-force of this landmark Treaty. This 25th anniversary is an opportunity to demonstrate that the international community can work together, in pursuit of the common good.

Tomorrow, Minister Byrne will address a High-Level Meeting of the UN General Assembly on the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons.

Speaking ahead of that meeting, Minister Byrne said:

I am deeply concerned about the prospect of a new arms race, and ongoing nuclear modernisation programmes. In the face of this, it is more important than ever that we commit our collective efforts to eliminate the threat posed by the very existence of nuclear weapons. These indiscriminate weapons afford us no security, and the only way we can guarantee humanitys safety from devastating humanitarian consequences is their total elimination.

While in New York, Minister Byrne will also hold a number of meetings with senior UN officials and representatives of other Security Council Member States.

ENDS

Notes to editors
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Belarus V.Makei participates in the 76th session of the UN General Assembly (third day)

On September 24, 2021 the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus, Vladimir Makei, met with the Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Office, Vladimir Voronkov.

The interlocutors discussed topical issues of cooperation between Belarus and the UN in the field of combating terrorism and the challenges the international community faces in the field of counter-terrorism cooperation.

V.Voronkov noted the active and constructive nature of the contacts of the Belarusian side with the UN Counter-Terrorism Office. The UN Under-Secretary-General thanked Belarus for organizing and holding together with the UN in September 2019 in Minsk the International High-level Conference Countering Terrorism through Innovative Approaches and the Use of New and Emerging Technologies, which laid a solid foundation and gave a serious impetus to subsequent multilateral forums on countering terrorism.

V.Makei informed his interlocutor about Belarus support for the fight against terrorism within the framework of regional associations, in particular in the CSTO. The parties agreed on the need to intensify contacts between the UN Counter-Terrorism Office and the CSTO, taking into account the developing situation in Afghanistan.

The sides confirmed the inadmissibility of manipulating the issues of combating terrorism in order to achieve narrow political goals. It was noted that this impedes progress in the negotiation and adoption of new international agreements that meet modern challenges in the field of counterterrorism.



print version
PRESIDENT RODRIGO Duterte who accepted the endorsement of his own political party, the PDP-Laban, for him to run as Vice President in next y...
Share this:

September 27, 2021 by Steve Gross

Category: Elections



RCW 42.17A.555s prohibition on the use of government facilities to support or oppose a ballot measure or candidate is a perennial favorite topic for inquiries here at MRSC. This blog will focus on questions weve recently received on this subject.

My colleague Linda Gallagher wrote a comprehensive summary of this issue in her June 1, 2021 blog Election Season Tips & Reminders. She summarized the prohibitions in RCW 42.17A.555 and explained how those are balanced against RCW 41.06.250(2), which makes it clear that public employees and elected officials retain their normal civil rights and can be involved in political campaigns in their private capacity. Pop over and read that post, then come back and well look at some additional questions.

Use of Official Titles and Political Messages

Can I use my official title when speaking in public?

Elected officials and employees may use their title but should clarify that they are speaking on their own behalf and not on behalf of the agency.

Can I have a campaign or political messages on private cars parked on public property or worn as buttons or clothing while in public facilities?

Yes, in both cases. But for buttons and clothing, the agency could adopt a policy that requires plain and unadorned clothing at work.

Public Disclosure Commission (PDC) Interpretation 04-02 allows bumper stickers on private vehicles even if they are parked on agency property.

The same interpretation says employees can wear campaign buttons or similar items while on the job if the agencys policy generally permits employees to wear political buttons. Additionally, PDC Interpretation No. 92-01 says wearing such buttons is a form of personal expression, and the PDC does not consider it a "use of facilities." The interpretation notes that an agency's enabling statute or a local ordinance, rule, policy, etc. could prohibit the wearing of any/all political pins by all agency staff.

However, Interpretation 92-01s language allowing the agency to have a policy prohibiting political pins was written before the Reed v. Gilbert case was decided. In Reed, the U.S. Supreme Court said that for content-based regulations of speech to work (in that case, the towns sign code) the town had to show that their regulations furthered a compelling governmental interest and was narrowly tailored to that end.

So, your agencys policies can probably restrict clothing or buttons for customer-facing employees because it has a legitimate interest in maintaining an efficient workplace; in this case, not having the public impute an individuals specific message to your agency as a whole. Your agency also has a legitimate interest in deciding whether allowing an employee to wear something with a political message impairs harmony among coworkers. The balance being that while employee A has a right to their opinion, they dont necessarily have the right to impose that opinion on employee B.

One caution  if you are going to impose such restrictions make sure that your restrictions are viewpoint and content-neutral. Instead of saying that no political or campaign language is allowed but allowing other language, consider a policy that says, The only writing allowed on clothing is the name of the agency and/or the agencys logo; otherwise, clothing worn at work must not have any language, images, or pictures.

Use of Public Facilities

What counts as a public facility?

RCW 42.17A.555 says that public facilities:

(I)nclude, but are not limited to, use of stationery, postage, machines, and equipment, use of employees of the office or agency during working hours, vehicles, office space, publications of the office or agency, and clientele lists of persons served by the office or agency.

MRSC interprets the phrase broadly and believes the term includes agency-owned social media pages. However, we believe it does not include privately-leased space on agency property unless the lease specifically addresses this use.

Must the agency prevent campaigning during public comment periods of meetings?

Yes. PDC staff has informally told us (and we agree) that the use of official meeting time in council/board chambers for campaign purposes would violate RCW 42.17A.555. One exception would be if the legislative body is considering a resolution supporting or opposing a ballot measure. In that case, to the extent the agency allows public comment on the action, it will not violate the statute if the agency allows public comment on whether the agency should (or should not) adopt the resolution.

Signs and Signature Gatherers

Can political signs be posted in the right-of-way?

A perennial question. Political signs may not be prohibited in the parking strip portion of the right-of-way (that area between the curb and the sidewalk), but probably can be excluded in the median, traffic circles, and other portions of the right-of-way if a similar prohibition applies to all signs. Political signs within the parking strip portion of the right-of-way generally require the consent of the abutting property owner. See Jill Dvorkins August 19, 2021 blog Regulating Signs During Election Season for an in-depth look at this question.

Does my agency have to allow signature gathering on agency property?

It depends on the traditional use of the property. For example, your agency probably does not have to allow it in your building lobby or other internal common area. But if its an outdoor public plaza you might have to allow signature gathering, especially if the plaza was intentionally opened for use by the public as a place for expressive activity or if it has been traditionally used in this manner.

For a more comprehensive review of this subject look at our Use of Public Facilities in Election Campaigns topic page. And as always, if you have specific questions send them to us on our Ask MRSC page.

MRSC is a private nonprofit organization serving local governments in Washington State. Eligible government agencies in Washington State may use our free, one-on-one Ask MRSC service to get answers to legal, policy, or financial questions.
Evelyn Celis, 51, left, with her daughter Eviann Palacios, 17, and granddaughter Sienna May Temb, 2, gather for a photo after three adult members of the family received their Covid-19 vaccinations at the University of Guam Calvo Field House in Mangilao on Friday, Sept. 24, 2021. Nearly 87% of vaccine-eligible residents in Guam have been fully vaccinated, leaving some 18,000 residents at least 12 years old who are not vaccinated.
Migrants from Haiti, who returned to the Mexican side of the border to avoid deportation, queue for breakfast at a shelter set by the National Migration Institute in Ciudad Acuna, Mexico on Sept. 25, 2021.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott speaks during a news conference near the International Bridge between Mexico and the U.S., where migrants seeking asylum in the U.S. are waiting to be processed, in Del Rio, Texas on Sep. 21, 2021.
California farm workers visited a winery owned by the company Gov. Gavin Newsom founded as they continue to protest his veto of a bill that would have made it easier to vote in union elections.

The stop at PlumpJack Winery vineyard on Saturday followed a United Farm Workers march on Thursday to the pricey French Laundry restaurant in Yountville, where Newsom celebrated a lobbyist's birthday in November as he was asking other Californians to avoid indoor gatherings because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Elizabeth Strater, director of strategic campaigns for The United Farm Workers, said about two dozen marchers participated in the French Laundry demonstration.

Quality journalism doesn't happen without your help. Subscribe today! Support local news coverage and the people who report it by subscribing to the Napa Valley Register. Special offer: $1 for your first 6 months!

Strater said organizers felt "a lot of anger and a huge sense of betrayal" after learning the governor vetoed the bill. During a contentious recall election that threatened to oust Newsom from office, the labor union backed the first-term governor.

Newsom founded PlumpJack, a wine and hospitality company, in 1992. He is not involved in its management. He placed his assets, including his stake in the company, in a blind trust after he won election as governor in 2018.

Newsom last week vetoed Assembly Bill 616, a measure that would have allowed farm workers to cast ballots by mail in union elections.
"The evidence from looking at climate models is that we can expect that lightning will increase," said David Romps, who directs the Berkeley Atmospheric Sciences Center and co-authored the study. "My best guess is that by the end of the century -- if we continue to burn coal and fossil fuels -- we anticipate an increase of the number of lightning strikes by 50 percent."

Lightning plays an outsized role in wildfires: More than 40 percent of wildfires in the West, largely in places other than California, were caused by lightning, and those fires accounted for more than 70percent of the acreage burned between 1992 and 2015, according to the U.S. Forest Service.

"Lightning is so dangerous, usually it stays pretty much on the east side of the state, but last year it was all over the place, including the Coast Range," said David Carle, whose book, Introduction to Fire in California, is a primer on the subject. "I think we have learned that dry lightning storms are a real problem."

The strangeness of last year's lightning-sparked fires -- striking in coastal ranges unaccustomed to electrical storms -- was underscored by the absence of rain, meaning that powerful natural energy hit the ground precisely where overgrown, dry vegetation waited, with no rain to quench the sparks.
One of Napas longtime bed and breakfast inns has pulled back the curtain on a 20-month, multi-million dollar renovation.

And what a reveal it is.

Sparkling chandeliers, plush couches and chairs, new linens and draperies, soaking tubs, walk-in showers, a showcase kitchen, outdoor gathering space, original art and golden accents are just a few of the luxury touches that the McClelland House inn now offers overnight guests.

Quality journalism doesn't happen without your help. Subscribe today! Support local news coverage and the people who report it by subscribing to the Napa Valley Register. Special offer: $1 for your first 6 months!

Its been a labor of love, said partner and innkeeper Choolwe Kalulu.

In 2019, longtime owner Celeste Carducci-Ahnfeldt sold the downtown mansion, previously known as the McClelland-Priest Bed and Breakfast inn.

Listed at $3.995 million, the B&B sold for $3.273 million. The 1878-79 Victorian-Italianate mansion, at 569 Randolph St., has operated as a B&B since 1991. It was originally named after its first two owners.

Since then, Kalulu said theyve invested way more than $1 million into the property, including an earthquake retrofit, adding a basement, an elevator, an additional suite, a new kitchen and more. There are six suites total.

This property was very iconic to us, he said when asked what drew them to the mansion.

You cannot replicate a property like this, said Kalulu, citing the homes architecture, history and downtown location. We really value the history. We thought it had a very unique story to tell.

And with downtown Napa growing as it has, We felt this was the best time to do this; to ride on this wave.

In addition, the owners felt the Napa area could accommodate an inn that is both very luxurious but also approachable (and) very Napa-like.

Were not selling rooms per se, were selling an experience, he said.

In 2019, the inn's new owners had been operating as is for several months when COVID-19 hit. For lack of a better word, the pandemic came at the right time, Kalulu said. He and his partners had already planned a renovation, and now they had the opportunity.

We loved the property for what it was but it was Celestes vision, Kalulu said. We just needed it to have our identity and stamp on it, while still respecting the historical nature of the home, he said.

Of course, That drove the cost up, he admitted.

Along the way, there were other surprises.

We found some old medicine vials from the 1800s underneath the stairs. We found a bottle of Robert Mondavi wine from when they were just starting out. They also found out that we used to have a well on the property, inside the former garage/carriage house.

Actually, The surprise was that we managed to achieve the vision which was to create a warm place that didnt feel like Grandmas house.

Kalulu oversaw the renovation, which covered from top to bottom, literally, he said.

Originally from Zambia, Kalulu came to the U.S. to attend EmbryRiddle Aeronautical University in Florida. For a time, he worked as a private pilot. Later, he worked at an inn in San Francisco where I just fell in love with hospitality, said Kalulu.

After meeting a woman from the area, in 2004 he moved to Napa. Today, Kalulu keeps his eyes on the inn 24/7: he lives next door to the mansion. He also works at Napa Valley College as an IT specialist.

The McClelland House is not your typical anonymous hotel, he said.

The goal is to create a unique experience, by offering upscale amenities but also services such as a 24-hour concierge, luxury vehicle on call, electric bikes and free mini-bar items. Culinary and wine experiences are another key ingredient.

Yes, Sometimes its not economical for us, but weve found out that when we go all out, it somehow comes back.

We knew this concept would work.

So far, hes right.

The weekends are super busy  a full house every weekend, said Giselle Luce, the hotel general manager. The weekdays are lower, which is normal for a small inn.

Luce said rates currently range from $499 to $989, depending on length of stay and day of the week.

To compare, according to hotel data service STR, the average rate for a Napa County lodging room in August was $462.76.

Rates at The George, another historical home also remodeled into a luxury inn, range from $375 to $825, depending on length of stay and day of week, according to its website.

Where are guests at the McClelland House coming from?

Before the pandemic, it was a mix, of visitors from Europe, the east coast and elsewhere, said the innkeeper.

Today, many are coming from the Bay Area, such as San Francisco. After the COVID-19 pandemic shutdowns, I think they just want to get out, he said.

How does it feel to finally open the renovation for guests?

Its a huge relief but now its mostly the anxiety of making sure we live up to the dream of rebranding, said Kalulu.

Former innkeeper Carducci-Ahnfeldt said from the photos shes seen of the renovation, Theyve done a phenomenal job.

She especially noted the work in the kitchen.

Im happy, said Carducci-Ahnfeldt, who now lives in Bozeman, Montana but travels to Napa about once a month.

It went into very good hands that could definitely put more money into it and take it to the next level, she said.

McClelland-Priest house history The McClelland-Priest house gets its name comes from its first two owners. It was built for Joseph A. and Anna West McClelland in 1878. They had no children, and the house passed to a cousin following Josephs death in 1919. In the 1930s, the house was purchased by Carlton and Ethel Priest. Following Carltons death, Ethel lived at the Randolph Street house until the year before her death. In 1986, 94-year-old Ethel passed away at a local rest home. Two years later, Carducci, (before she became Carducci Ahnfeldt), saw the house. The ornate ceilings and architectural features reminded her of her mothers Italian home, and Carducci said she knew the McClelland-Priest house would be the perfect place for her to make a transition from her previous career in the corporate world to innkeeping. Buying the house was in of itself a task, said the innkeeper, who purchased the house from the Priest estate and heirs for about $400,000.

You can reach reporter Jennifer Huffman at 256-2218 or jhuffman@napanews.com

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.
After more than 70 years, a grade school campus in Napa Countys vineyard-dotted west is a step closer to going on the block.

The former home of Carneros Elementary School and the Stone Bridge School may soon be offered for sale after the board of Napa Valley Unified School District, which closed the campus this summer, voted Thursday night to declare the 9.7-acre campus surplus property. The decision follows the endorsement of a sale by a district-appointed advisory team last month.

The vacant campus at 1680 Los Carneros Ave. is the first of three the district plans to review for possible sale or reuse, following NVUSDs approval of school closures, cancellations and replacements as local enrollment has steadily declined  along with state education funding that allotted on a per-student basis. Enrollment has slid from more than 18,300 in 2014-15 to about 16,500 this fall, and a district study estimates a student count as low as 14,300 by 2027-28.

Quality journalism doesn't happen without your help. Subscribe today! Support local news coverage and the people who report it by subscribing to the Napa Valley Register. Special offer: $1 for your first 6 months!

The school district also is pondering the futures of the former Yountville Elementary School, which shut down in June 2020, and Harvest Middle School on Old Sonoma Road, which is set to close after the 2021-22 year.
WELLINGTON, New Zealand  New Zealand's prime minister says the government will start a pilot program of home-isolation for overseas travelers, ahead of what she expects to be increasing vaccination levels.

Currently New Zealanders have to quarantine in hotels for two weeks when they return home from abroad.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Monday a pilot program that will allow New Zealanders to quarantine at home will include 150 business travelers who arrive between Oct. 30 and Dec. 8. The program will involve monitoring and testing.

The only reason that we are running this self-isolation pilot now is in preparation for a highly vaccinated population, Ardern said.

The intention is that in the first quarter of 2022 when more New Zealanders are vaccinated, it will be safer to run self-isolation at home, she added.

Of the eligible population in New Zealand aged 12 and older, 43% had been fully vaccinated, Ardern said.

In Auckland, the nations most populous city which has been locked down since Aug. 17 after the highly-contagious delta variant leaked from hotel quarantine, 82% of the eligible population had at least a single dose of the double-shot Pfizer vaccine, she said.
The transition center was set up earlier this year at the request of the White House in response to earlier migrant surges, Villareal said. It provides the families with a place to shower, have a meal, and contact sponsors who would pay for their plane or bus tickets to join them while their cases go through the immigration process.

Most of the Haitian migrants are expected to ask immigration judges for asylum or some other legal status  requests that could be denied and lead to eventual deportation.

Villareal says he encounters migrants with stories similar to that of his parents, who immigrated from Mexico in search of a better life, not to be a burden on society.

These people are just here seeking an opportunity, he said.

Mobilization of faith-based groups began almost from the start of the sudden migrant surge in Del Rio, with Haitians converging from various Latin American countries to which they had fled from their beleaguered Caribbean homeland.

Volunteers from a coalition of Christian churches and other groups in that region along the U.S.-Mexico border prepared more than 10,000 sandwiches for Haitian migrants camping under the bridge that connects Del Rio with Mexicos Ciudad Acuna, said Shon Young, president of the Val Verde Border Humanitarian Coalition.
Authorities have arrested a 30-year-old woman on suspicion of starting the blaze that erupted Wednesday and grew explosively in hot and gusty weather in the region about 200 miles (322 kilometers) northeast of San Francisco.

Alexandra Souverneva, of Palo Alto, was charged Friday with felony arson to wildland with an enhancement because of a declared state of emergency in California, Shasta County District Attorney Stephanie Bridgett said.

Souverneva pleaded not guilty. She is also suspected of starting other fires in Shasta County and throughout the state, Bridgett said. It wasnt immediately known if she has an attorney who could speak on her behalf.

The Fawn Fire has charred more than 13 square miles (34 square kilometers) of heavy timber.

Its the latest destructive blaze to send Californians fleeing this year. Fires have burned more than 3,750 square miles (9,712 square kilometers) so far in 2021, destroying more than 3,200 homes, commercial properties and other structures.

Those fires include a pair of big forest blazes burning for more than two weeks in the heart of giant sequoia country on the western slope of the Sierra Nevada. More than 1,700 firefighters battled the KNP Complex Fires, which covered 70 square miles (181 square kilometers) by Sunday.
I think states have tried to plan as if everybodys going to be offered a booster, he said, suggesting they will be overprepared for the more narrow recommendations issued by the FDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

California, for example, estimated earlier this month that it would need to administer an extra 63 million doses by the end of 2022  if initial shots for children under 12 were approved and boosters were open to everyone.

U.S. health officials late Thursday endorsed booster shots of the Pfizer vaccine for all Americans 65 and older  along with tens of millions of younger people who are at higher risk from the coronavirus because of health conditions or their jobs.

California, with nearly 40 million residents, has the lowest transmission rate of any state and nearly 70% of eligible residents are fully vaccinated. That leaves nearly 12 million people not vaccinated or not fully vaccinated.

Dr. Mark Ghaly, California's health secretary, said the state will rely largely on pharmacies and primary care providers to give boosters to seniors while some large counties and health care groups will use mass vaccination sites.
Further, the Springfield had a design flaw. By the second or third shot, its breech overheated, thus jamming the shell inside. Springfield cartridges kept in leather belt loops accumulated grit, which also prevented shell ejection. In combat, troopers employed pocketknives to pry out shells and verdigris. General Custers men at the Little Big Horn in June 1876 may have resorted to doing this while under attack by the massed warriors. It was therefore perhaps the worst kind of training on-the-job.

As of July 15, 1870, wily Secretary Belknap usurped General of the Army William Tecumseh Shermans authority in regard to the appointment of post traderships at frontier forts. Shermans annual salary was also reduced from $18,700 to $16,500.

Ironically, it was Sherman who had recommended Belknap for Secretary of War to Grant the previous year, in order to replace John Rawlins, who had passed away on Sept. 6, 1869. (In 1862 at Shiloh, Union Col. Belknap helped save the day.)

+5 U.S. History: Native Americans stun U.S. Cavalry at Little Bighorn History enthusiast John Futini recalls perhaps the most famous loss in the history of the U.S. Army  Custer's Last Stand.

Belknap ordered soldiers at forts to only buy at trading posts run by his appointed sutlers. Exorbitant prices at these traderships for service personnel, paid just $13 per month, gouged the soldiers slim wages. If a cavalry trooper lost his carbine while in the field, he had to pay double the price to purchase the necessary replacement, as a penalty.
Armenian News - NEWS.am starts a series of publications dedicated to the second Artsakh war, in which it will present the official and real chronology of events, day after day.

Many events remained in the shadows, many information was hidden, during the war, and even more so in the months following the catastrophe, many questions accumulated, the answers to most of which have not yet been voiced: why and how Shushi fell, why official information and information received from front, contradicted each other, why the Prime Minister confidently said during the interview that at the moment the Armenian forces had launched a counterattack and were crushing the back of the opponent's arm.

Exactly one year after the 44-day war, Armenian News - NEWS.am presents a chronicle of those days, making it possible to more soberly assess the course and events of the war.

So, the 44-day war:

Day one - September 27

Press secretary of Artsakh President Vahram Poghosyan made the first announcement about the outbreak of hostilities on September 27 at 08:00 am.

A few minutes later, on his Facebook page, addressing the proud citizens, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan announced that the opponent had launched an offensive in the direction of Artsakh.

According to him, the defense army successfully resisted the attack. At the end of the message was posted the first wording-promise "we will win."

At 08:30 on Facebook, it turned out that Armenian ex-Defense Minister David Tonoyan, who was abroad at that time, posted on Facebook. He noted that he had a telephone conversation with the personal representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office in the Karabakh conflict zone Andrzej Kasprzyk.

According to the minister's words, Azerbaijan began "another provocation", although it was already known that this was not a provocation, but large-scale military actions along the entire perimeter of the line.

For the first time, the former press secretary of the Defense Minister Artsrun Hovhannisyan, who in recent months, as well as during the coverage of the July battles, self-proclaimed himself the official representative of the direct enemy fire.

At 10:30, the President of Artsakh made a video message with a promise of victory.

I assure you that our Armed Forces are strong in their positions, and the answer will be proportionate. All responsibility for the situation lies with the military-political leadership of Azerbaijan, and it will answer for every loss. This is a war not for life, but for death, which we accept as the whole nation and we will defeat the nation, Arayik Harutyunyan noted.

Azerbaijan did not declare war, but began, and immediately announced that it was allegedly going over to a counteroffensive.

Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II interrupted his visit to Italy, postponed his meeting with Pope Francis and announced his return to Armenia. He called on the people to unite and all political forces to subordinate contradictions to the needs of defending the Motherland.

At 11:00, the Defense Ministry announced that about 10,000 citizens applied to military commissariats with a request to enroll in the army and go to the contact line in Karabakh, noting that there was no need for this.

A few minutes later Nikol Pashinyan made a third entry on the social network.

"Nothing will stop us on the way to defend the Freedom and Rights of the people of Artsakh," he wrote.

How exactly Pashinyan defends the rights of the people of Arats, including, in recent months, raises many questions.

On the first day of the war, around noon, some Armenian media was called on to adhere to the official news policy under martial law and refrain from disseminating theses of Azerbaijani propaganda.

Until noon, the Ministry of Defense issued several reports on the losses of the Azerbaijani side: helicopters, drones, armored vehicles. Nothing was reported about the destruction of manpower.

Arayik Harutyuyan distributed a second video message, noting: "We have information that over the past few days, volunteers or mercenaries have been delivered to Azerbaijan on different planes from Turkey and other countries. For a long time, the Turkish army has actually been in Azerbaijan, under the pretext of exercises, but we understand what the goal is. For several days now, they began a general mobilization, presenting, of course, a false agenda, they say, Armenia is preparing for war. We have always prepared for war, but at the same time we are not supporters of it. They will answer for any sacrifice. We are in favor of negotiations, and today we declare: come to your senses, before it is too late."

During and after the war, Pashinyan made contradictory statements about whether he knew or not about the impending war, meanwhile, from the words of Harutyunyan it becomes clear that the war was not inevitable.

Harutyunyan hints that a few days ago, from the UN rostrum, Ilham Aliyev accused Armenia of intending to attack Azerbaijan. The next day, in his speech, Pashinyan did not respond with a single word to the slander, thereby making it easier for Azerbaijan not to come under international pressure because of the war with Artsakh.

Exactly at noon, despite the fact that Artsrun Hovhannisyan's warning had already been sounded, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan posted a video on the situation in Artsakh on his Facebook page.

Artsakh President announced general mobilization and martial law.

Minutes later, Pashinyan announced his intention to hold a meeting of the Security Council. The prime minister also wrote that the government will discuss the issue of declaring martial law and partial mobilization.

Ankara accused Armenia of "attacking" Azerbaijan. Turkish President's spokesman Ibrahim Kalyn said that Ankara supports Baku and condemns the latest actions of Armenia in Azerbaijan. Prior to that, only Russia from the international community called on the parties to immediately end hostilities and sit down at the negotiating table.

Press Secretary of the Armenian Defense Minister Shushan Stepanyan shared two videos showing how the Armenian armed forces knock out Azerbaijani military equipment, including tanks, as well as enemy personnel. Nothing specific was reported about the number of enemy casualties.

At about 12:30 pm, Pashinyan posted on Facebook that martial law and general mobilization were declared in the Republic of Armenia by the decision of the Government. He called on the personnel assigned to the troops to appear at their territorial military registration and enlistment offices.

An hour before this, the Ministry of Defense reported on the accumulation of volunteers at the military registration and enlistment offices, noting that this was not necessary.

During the day, Russian and Turkish Foreign Ministers Sergei Lavrov and Mevlut Cavusoglu discussed the situation in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone. Later, the co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, the President of the European Union Charles Michel and the head of the Council of Europe, Maria Peichinovich Buric, made an appeal to end hostilities. The Foreign Ministers of France and Ukraine made statements. Pope Francis called for peace. Appeals were also made by NATO, Germany, Iran and other countries.

The senior officers of the Armenian Armed Forces presented the operational situation resulting from the hostile military actions unleashed along the entire line of contact, as well as the punitive measures carried out by the Armenian Armed Forces to contain the enemy's actions and proportionate actions.

Pashinyan noted that the task of the Armenian Armed Forces is one - victory, and the entire Armenian people, as always, support the army.

After 10pm the PM spoke about the lost positions mainly in the direction of Talysh and on the southern flank: there are dozens of victims, dozens of wounded, as well as dozens of wounded and civilian casualties.
Russian President Vladimir Putin is unlikely to trust his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, despite Western pressure mounting on Turkey. Independent geopolitical analyst Paul Antonopoulos has noted this in an article posted on InfoBrics. The article reads as follows:

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Thursday that unlike his relationships with George W. Bush, Barack Obama and Donald Trump, which worked well, he has not gotten off to a good start with his U.S. counterpart Joe Biden since his arrival in the White House on January 20. Erdogan also vented that the source of his frustration with Washington was the removal of Turkey from the F-35 fighter project two years ago after purchasing the Russian-made S-400 air defense system. Turkey is also frustrated at Washingtons Syria policy and newfound enthusiasm to be involved in the Nagorno-Karabakh issue in a meaningful way.

The acquisition of the S-400 system did not only result in Turkeys expulsion from the F-35 program, but also led to U.S. sanctions last year. Ankara claims to have already paid $1.4 billion towards 100 of the stealth fighter jets. Many Turkish military contractors were to also be involved in the project. Yet, despite the sanctions and removal from the F-35 program, the Turkish president remains steadfast in his decision to acquire the S-400 system. In fact, he plans to purchase more units of the air defense system.

For us, the S-400 affair is done. It is not possible to go back on that. The United States must understand. We, Turkey, are honest, but unfortunately, the United States were not and are not, he said, adding that Ankara would go knocking on other doors so that Turkey can purchase what it needs for its defense.

It appears that one of the doors that Erdogan will be knocking on is that of his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.

The two leaders are due to meet in the Black Sea resort city of Sochi on September 29. Erdogan said that he would discuss with Putin bilateral relations and Syria, particularly the situation in Idlib. In his statement, he said that the pair will make a decision on the fate of Turkish-Russian relations. We will also discuss Syria. The Turkish president stressed that he has not seen any Russian mistake towards our relations.

It raises the question whether Moscow would be willing to trust Erdogan, especially given that his friendly rhetoric can just as easily turn vicious. It is recalled that Turkey is responsible for the deaths of many Russian military personnel in Syria, attempted to change the power balance of the South Caucasus out of Moscows favor by enthusiastically encouraging and backing Azerbaijan to capture Armenian-held Nagorno-Karabakh, and undermined Russian interests in Africa by propping up the then Libyan Muslim Brotherhood government.

Although a variety of actors, such as NATO, Israel and the Peninsula Arab countries, all initially conspired together to support the war against the Syrian state, a decade later and the war is continuing mostly because of Turkeys unilateral aiding, training and financing of jihadist forces in northern Syria. Venting his frustration, Erdogan would in fact claim the opposite and say that Biden is transporting weapons to YPG terrorists operating in Syria. The Peoples Protection Units (YPG) is the Syrian branch of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK)  but the YPG are directly supported by Washington. Ankara considers the PKK and its affiliations as terrorist organizations because of their calls for Kurdish independence or autonomy, as well as equal human rights.

The U.S. has effectively been locked out of the Syrian quagmire, having failed to dislodge Bashar al-Assad from power or weaken Russian and Iranian influence in the region. They now only control areas held by the YPG in Eastern Syria. This region also happens to be Syrias food bowl and source of domestic energy, something that the U.S. weaponizes against the Syrian government.

Russia and Turkey have competing interests in Syria, with the former wanting to maintain the decades long status quo and the latter attempting to reconquer, through hard and soft power, its former imperial Ottoman possession. However, Turkey has shown in the past that it is willing to work alongside Russia and Iran in the context of the Astana Platform on the Syrian file to wane and limit U.S. influence on the peace process. As disappointing as it may be for Turkey as it is desperately attempting to become a Great Power, the reality is that its presence in Syria depends on Russia.

Despite permeating issues between Moscow and Ankara, particularly because of Turkeys policies regarding the South Caucasus, Ukraine and other areas of interests, there are actual opportunities for deepening ties and collaboration.

Following positive remarks by Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on the potential reconciliation between Armenia and Turkey, Erdogan announced that Ankara will soon take some steps to establish a platform with six countries to create a regional synergy to resolve issues. It can be assumed that these six countries are Turkey, Russia, Iran, Georgia, Azerbaijan and Armenia.

Effectively, as Turkeys economy continues to tumble, it no longer has the capabilities to operate on multiple fronts at the same time. It is likely that Erdogan wants a new regional format to relieve a pressure front knowing full well that the U.S. and France plan to exploit the Nagorno-Karabakh issue against Turkey.

In this way, Turkey is once again turning to Russia to relieve mounting pressure from the West. Although Erdogans suggestions of creating a regional platform to resolve issues is a positive step in the right direction, given his consistent untrustworthy behavior and betrayals in the past, Moscow would on the one hand be enthusiastic about such a bloc, but will also be wary knowing that Turkey very often turns back to the West easily if it can gain any kind of advantage, especially if it related to domestic considerations as his ratings continue to reach new lows.
Newspaper: Armenia state to no longer cover treatment expenses of patients not vaccinated against coronavirus?

Newspaper: Armenia judicial system to be in volatile situation in short time

UN Human Rights Council agrees to appoint special rapporteur on Afghanistan

Launch of Armenian Studies Program announced during Armenia President's visit to Sapienza University

Will Turks be able to enter 26 countries of Schengen Area without visas?

Dinner served in honor of Armenia President and his wife in Italy

Armenian parliamentary standing committee chairman meets with Russia Ambassador

Armenia Ombudsman submits to Pope Francis reports on tortures of Armenian POWs in Azerbaijan

Customs Attache: There hasn't been and there is no bias against Armenian drivers at Upper Lars checkpoint

Greece-France defense agreement will allow them to help each other in case of third country's attack

Turkish FM: Turkey's position on supporting Ukraine's "integrity and sovereignty" remains unchanged

Russian peacekeeping forces, charitable organizations provide assistance to boarding school in Karabakh

Zakharova: Moscow proceeds from priority to ensure geopolitical stability in South Caucasus

Armenia President pays tribute at Altar of the Homeland monument at Venice Square in Rome

Turkey, Iran to hold political consultations

Karabakh FM expresses condolences over death of Vigen Chitechyan

Armenia territorial administration and infrastructure minister has new deputy

Armenia Deputy PM Mher Grigoryan receives US Ambassador

Armenia Security Council Secretary, Netherlands Ambassador attach importance to fight against corruption

Digest: Armenian POW returned from Azerbaijan, PACE speaks on mandatory COVID-19 vaccination risks

Armenia and Italy are deepening cooperation in justice sector

Apprehended ARF-D members are released

Armenia high-tech industry minister receives Russia Ambassador

Armenia Embassy in Russia hosts delegation led by Armenian parliamentary speaker

Decisions to arrest Armenia ex-defense minister, arms supplier are appealed

Dollar continues going down in Armenia

Artsakh President to Putin: Your role in process of peaceful, final settlement of Karabakh conflict is invaluable

Amir-Abdollahian: We consider inadmissible Zionist regime provocative movement in our region from Azerbaijan territory

Iran FM announces readiness to visit Armenia, Azerbaijan

US ambassador to Armenia attends unveiling of new x-ray machine donated to Ashtarak city hospital (PHOTOS)

Putin: Russia attaches great importance to close cooperation with strategic ally Armenia

Police disrupt ARF youths protest outside Armenia government building

Armenian Patriarch of Constantinople meets with the Pope, in the Vatican

UK envoy to Armenia does not comment on Armenian-Azerbaijani relations, Karabakh situation

Iran Supreme Leaders representative leaves Azerbaijan

Armenias Pashinyan to Russias Putin: We are grateful for your efforts to establish peace in South Caucasus

Putin, Aliyev confer on situation in South Caucasus

Putin, Erdogan discuss regional issues

4 new cases of coronavirus reported in Artsakh

PACE new resolution urges to ensure that COVID-19 vaccination is not mandatory

Zelensky sacks Ukraine ambassador to Armenia

PM: Armenia, Armenian people are grateful to Japan

Armenia PM: We have made decision regarding local elections

Armenia, Italy presidents farewell ceremony held in Rome (PHOTOS)

Sarkissian to Putin: Armenia highly values your contribution to maintenance of peace, stability in region

Having legal system is important for business development in fair environment, says UK ambassador to Armenia

Armenia President, Italy PM meeting in Rome (PHOTOS)

Baku not ruling out another meeting between Armenia, Azerbaijan FMs

Armenia President meets with Rome mayor

1,309 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia

Biden approval rating hits new low in latest poll

Armenia ombudsman in Italy parliament, presents evidence of Azerbaijan torture of Armenian captives

World oil prices dropping

Serial killer in US lured by social media is sentenced to 160 years in prison

Newspaper: Armenia authorities face new problems in setting up parliament committee of inquiry into 44-day war

Newspaper: Opposition Armenia bloc plans to hold forums, rally

Armenia PM admits that in 2018 he could have disclosed Karabakh negotiation process content

Armenia health minister: Out of 2,446 hospital beds for coronavirus patients, 2,300 are occupied

China-Taiwan military escalation reaches peak in past four decades

Armenia President: We welcome pro-Artsakh documents adopted by nearly 50 regional and city councils of Italy

Armen Sarkissian meets with President of Italian Senate

Nikol Pashinyan: Armenia to build new nuclear power plant, negotiations have been launched

Italy's Quirinal Palace hosts exhibition featuring works of Aivazovsky, Saryan and other Armenian painters

Armen Sarkissian meets with President of Italy's Chamber of Deputies Roberto Fico

Catholicos of All Armenians meets with Pope Francis at the Vatican

Armenia ex-Ambassador to The Netherlands Vigen Chitechyan dies

Armenia PM again says he is guilty for all the failures of the Armenian side during last year's war

FM: Discussion on occupied territories of former NKAO will create new threats to Armenia

Karabakh emergency situations service: Rescue squad finds remains of another Armenian soldier in Jrakan

Mattarella: Armenia and Italy can boast about their friendly relations

Nikol Pashinyan: Armenia agreed to stop the hostilities on October 7, 2020

Iran, EEU begin talks to reach agreement over permanent treaty on free trade zone

An abundant TechnoFall with Inecobank - NFC payments and more

Armenia FM says his Indian counterpart will visit Yerevan in the next few days

Deputy PM: A comprehensive study of documents agreed by Armenian and Azerbaijani is necessary

Digest: Azerbaijan using Armenia's airspace, Baku says it's ready to mend relations with Yerevan

Health minister: All coronavirus vaccines in Armenia meet quality standards

Armenia health minister: Those who recovered from COVID-19 also need to get vaccinated

Armenia Deputy PM announces name of another POW returned from Azerbaijan

Armenia and Italy Presidents hold personal talks at Quirinal Palace

Armenian FM: MFA welcomes Iran's stance on inviolability of Armenia's borders

EU ready to share experience with Azerbaijan and Armenia in borders demarcation and delimitation

Dollar dropping in Armenia

Lavrov: Russia, Iran discussed 3 + 3 format concept with Turkey, Caucasus countries participation

Hossein Amir-Abdollahian: Iran won't accept geopolitical changes in the Caucasus

Armenia Ambassador meets with Iranian Deputy FM

Armenia Parliament Speaker visits Armenian church of Russia and New Nakhijevan Diocese

Armenia to host event with companies having made investments worth over $2,000,000,000

Aliyev announces start of process of opening communications with Armenia

Civil Aviation Committee confirms Baku-Nakhchivan flight through Armenia airspace Wednesday

Armenia government programs under EU assistance package are discussed

Azerbaijan lodges complaint with ECHR for review of case of assassination attempt against Lapshin

Armenian MP also on list of Erdogan's petition to strip several Turkey lawmakers of parliamentary immunity

Armenia Deputy PM Suren Papikyan has new advisor

Armenia State Revenue Committee chief has new deputy

Italy President to Armen Sarkissian: OSCE Minsk Group is the format for sustainable and peaceful solution

Armenia ombudsman emphasizes to Vatican Secretary of State urgency of returning Armenian captives in Azerbaijan

Aliyev: Azerbaijan is ready to launch negotiations with Armenia for normalization of relations

Armenia Parliament Speaker meets with Russian State Duma chairman

Ruling faction MP: Armenia airspace has never been closed to Azerbaijan civilian air transportation
Newspaper: Armenia state to no longer cover treatment expenses of patients not vaccinated against coronavirus?

Newspaper: Armenia judicial system to be in volatile situation in short time

UN Human Rights Council agrees to appoint special rapporteur on Afghanistan

Launch of Armenian Studies Program announced during Armenia President's visit to Sapienza University

Will Turks be able to enter 26 countries of Schengen Area without visas?

Dinner served in honor of Armenia President and his wife in Italy

Joaquin Caparros on Vahan Bichakhchyan's absence

Armenian parliamentary standing committee chairman meets with Russia Ambassador

Zelarayan: I will seek to be on good terms with Mkhitaryan

Joaquin Caparros and Lucas Zelarayan holding press conference (LIVE)

Armenia Ombudsman submits to Pope Francis reports on tortures of Armenian POWs in Azerbaijan

Customs Attache: There hasn't been and there is no bias against Armenian drivers at Upper Lars checkpoint

Greece-France defense agreement will allow them to help each other in case of third country's attack

Turkish FM: Turkey's position on supporting Ukraine's "integrity and sovereignty" remains unchanged

Russian peacekeeping forces, charitable organizations provide assistance to boarding school in Karabakh

Zakharova: Moscow proceeds from priority to ensure geopolitical stability in South Caucasus

2023 UEFA European Under-21 Championship: Armenia-Serbia: 1-4

Armenia President pays tribute at Altar of the Homeland monument at Venice Square in Rome

Turkey, Iran to hold political consultations

Karabakh FM expresses condolences over death of Vigen Chitechyan

Armenia territorial administration and infrastructure minister has new deputy

Armenia Deputy PM Mher Grigoryan receives US Ambassador

Armenia Security Council Secretary, Netherlands Ambassador attach importance to fight against corruption

Digest: Armenian POW returned from Azerbaijan, PACE speaks on mandatory COVID-19 vaccination risks

Armenia and Italy are deepening cooperation in justice sector

Apprehended ARF-D members are released

Armenia high-tech industry minister receives Russia Ambassador

Armenia Embassy in Russia hosts delegation led by Armenian parliamentary speaker

Decisions to arrest Armenia ex-defense minister, arms supplier are appealed

Dollar continues going down in Armenia

Artsakh President to Putin: Your role in process of peaceful, final settlement of Karabakh conflict is invaluable

Amir-Abdollahian: We consider inadmissible Zionist regime provocative movement in our region from Azerbaijan territory

Iran FM announces readiness to visit Armenia, Azerbaijan

US ambassador to Armenia attends unveiling of new x-ray machine donated to Ashtarak city hospital (PHOTOS)

Draw for qualifying round of UEFA Euro 2024 to take place in Frankfurt

Putin: Russia attaches great importance to close cooperation with strategic ally Armenia

Police disrupt ARF youths protest outside Armenia government building

Armenian Patriarch of Constantinople meets with the Pope, in the Vatican

UK envoy to Armenia does not comment on Armenian-Azerbaijani relations, Karabakh situation

Kanye West helps Kim Kardashian launch a new show

Iran Supreme Leaders representative leaves Azerbaijan

Armenias Pashinyan to Russias Putin: We are grateful for your efforts to establish peace in South Caucasus

Putin, Aliyev confer on situation in South Caucasus

Putin, Erdogan discuss regional issues

4 new cases of coronavirus reported in Artsakh

PACE new resolution urges to ensure that COVID-19 vaccination is not mandatory

Zelensky sacks Ukraine ambassador to Armenia

Prince Philip doesn't include Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in his will

PM: Armenia, Armenian people are grateful to Japan

Leonardo Bonucci apologizes to fans for red card

Armenia PM: We have made decision regarding local elections

Armenia, Italy presidents farewell ceremony held in Rome (PHOTOS)

Moderna vaccine against COVID-19 to be available Friday at Armenia polyclinics, dispensaries

Tina Turner sells rights to her songs for tens of millions of dollars

Health minister: 14% of Armenia population received first dose of coronavirus vaccine

Sarkissian to Putin: Armenia highly values your contribution to maintenance of peace, stability in region

Having legal system is important for business development in fair environment, says UK ambassador to Armenia

Armenia President, Italy PM meeting in Rome (PHOTOS)

Baku not ruling out another meeting between Armenia, Azerbaijan FMs

Armenia President meets with Rome mayor

1,309 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia

Biden approval rating hits new low in latest poll

Unknown burst into house of Will Smith's daughter

Armenia ombudsman in Italy parliament, presents evidence of Azerbaijan torture of Armenian captives

World oil prices dropping

Serial killer in US lured by social media is sentenced to 160 years in prison

Newspaper: Armenia authorities face new problems in setting up parliament committee of inquiry into 44-day war

Newspaper: Opposition Armenia bloc plans to hold forums, rally

Armenia PM admits that in 2018 he could have disclosed Karabakh negotiation process content

UEFA Nations League: Spain reach final

2022 World Cup qualifiers: Armenia head for Iceland

Barca CEO: Club has been technically bankrupt since April

Armenia health minister: Out of 2,446 hospital beds for coronavirus patients, 2,300 are occupied

UEFA Nations League: Spain defeating Italy after first half (2-0) (PHOTOS)

China-Taiwan military escalation reaches peak in past four decades

Armenia President: We welcome pro-Artsakh documents adopted by nearly 50 regional and city councils of Italy

Armen Sarkissian meets with President of Italian Senate

Nikol Pashinyan: Armenia to build new nuclear power plant, negotiations have been launched

Italy's Quirinal Palace hosts exhibition featuring works of Aivazovsky, Saryan and other Armenian painters

Armen Sarkissian meets with President of Italy's Chamber of Deputies Roberto Fico
The Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) foreign ministry on Monday released a statement on the anniversary of the war unleashed on September 27, 2020 on Artsakh by Azerbaijan. The statement notes as follows:

A year ago, on September 27, Azerbaijan, with the direct participation and support of Turkey and international terrorist groups, unleashed a large-scale war against the Republic of Artsakh.

During the 44-day aggression, Azerbaijan employed indiscriminate weapons prohibited by international conventions against the population of Artsakh, grossly damaging the economic and civil infrastructure as well as the environment. The Republic of Artsakh suffered thousands of human losses as a result of the war, and most of its territory was occupied. Only thanks to the deployment of the Russian peacekeeping mission in the region the aggression of the criminal triple alliance was stopped.

However, even after the cessation of hostilities, Azerbaijan continues its blatantly aggressive, anti-Armenian and expansionist policy at the state level, grossly violating all the agreements, norms of international law and principles of humanity.

To this day a great number of prisoners of war are kept in inhumane conditions in Azerbaijan being subjected to torture and humiliated.

Azerbaijan systematically carries out cultural Genocide and destroys the Armenian historical heritage in the occupied territories of Artsakh.

The ceasefire is regularly violated by Azerbaijan, with an aim to evict Armenians from Artsakh through psychological pressure and intimidation.

Today, more than ever, we are determined to strengthen and develop our independent and sovereign statehood and to decide our own political future, excluding any kind of status within Azerbaijan.

The foreign policy priorities of Artsakh continue to be the international recognition of the independence of the Republic of Artsakh, preservation of its status as a geopolitical subject, de-occupation of the territories of Artsakh, ensuing the continuation of the negotiation process with the full-fledged participation of Artsakh within the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group, development of relations with various countries and structures.

The key to the effective implementation of all these goals is the strengthening of the Armenia-Artsakh-Diaspora trinity, conducting a realistic foreign policy guided by state interests.

On this sad day, we are rightfully proud of the courage and heroism of the defenders of the Motherland. We pay tribute to those who sacrificed their lives for the sake of freedom and independence of Artsakh. Long live the Republic of Artsakh!
The foreign ministry of Armenia on Monday released a statement on the first anniversary of the military aggression unleashed by Azerbaijan against Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh). The statement reads as follows:

On September 27, 2020, Azerbaijan, with the direct support and involvement of Turkey and with the participation of foreign terrorist fighters from the Middle East, unleashed a large-scale war against the Republic of Artsakh with the aim of depriving the people of Artsakh of the right to live free and secure in their homeland and master their own destiny.

Today we bow and pay tribute to the memory of our heroes of all Artsakh wars, who fell for the cause of freedom and in protection of dignity and the right to life of their compatriots.

The 44-day war, launched on September 27, was accompanied by large-scale violations of international humanitarian and human rights law, war crimes and other mass atrocities by Azerbaijan. During the hostilities, the armed forces of Azerbaijan deliberately targeted civilian infrastructure and peaceful settlements, including the capital Stepanakert, with artillery and air strikes, including with prohibited weapons, which resulted in civilian casualties and destruction. The committed mass crimes were thoroughly documented and presented to international organizations and specialized international bodies. The works in this direction will continue in various international platforms.

The 44-day war was a pre-planned and prepared military aggression aimed at removing the Nagorno-Karabakh issue from international agenda through use of force and annihilation of the Armenian population. This is evidenced by the actions of Azerbaijan in the pre-war period, as well as the policy adopted by Azerbaijan following the war. The Armenophobic policy and the consistent threats of use of force pursued by the leadership of Azerbaijan for years, the rejection of proposals by the international mediators to resolve the conflict and strengthen the ceasefire, systematic and regular ceasefire violations, excessive accumulation of weaponry in violation of international obligations and periodic offensive military drills along the line of contact, refusal to join the UN Secretary-General's call for a global ceasefire, as well as post-war statements denying the very existence of Nagorno-Karabakh, demonstrate that Azerbaijan has never been interested in a peaceful settlement of the conflict.

Azerbaijan has been consistently hindering the efforts of the international community, in particular the countries of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs, to establish a humanitarian ceasefire, as a result of which the three ceasefires agreed at the Ministerial level on the initiative of Russia, France and the United States were not implemented. The Trilateral Statement on the ceasefire established on the initiative of the President of Russia on November 9, followed by the entry of Russian peacekeepers into Nagorno-Karabakh, halted the Azerbaijani aggression and created conditions for ensuring the comprehensive security of the population in Artsakh.

As a result of the Azerbaijani-Turkish aggression unleashed against Artsakh, the Armenians of Artsakh encountered numerous humanitarian issues: more than 90 thousand Armenians of Artsakh were forced to leave their permanent residences, the majority of whom have currently returned to Artsakh. More than 40,000 people were deprived of their homes and property, vital infrastructure was destroyed, including schools and hospitals. In this regard, the Republic of Armenia attaches great importance to the unimpeded access of international humanitarian organizations and other specialized bodies into Artsakh, which is of vital importance in the context of a comprehensive and effective solution to the humanitarian crisis resulting from the war.

After around a year Azerbaijan is still holding a number of Armenian prisoners of war and captured civilians as hostages violating its obligations undertaken by both the November 9 Trilateral Statement and international humanitarian law.

The Azerbaijani authorities not only continue their hostile policy towards the people of Artsakh, but also rename Armenian settlements in the territories fallen under their control, destroy and desecrate religious sanctuaries and cultural heritage. These actions and the complete ethnic cleansing of the Armenian population once again reveal the fact that the guarantee of physical security and the right to life of the Armenians of Artsakh is impossible under the jurisdiction of Azerbaijan.

The realities shaped on the basis of the use of force, mass violations of human rights, as well as the consistent actions of similar nature by Azerbaijan following the war, can not create a sustainable foundation for regional peace and security. The comprehensive and lasting settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict presume the determination of the status of Artsakh taking into account the realization of the inalienable right to self-determination, ensuring of the security of the people of Artsakh, safe and dignified return of the displaced population to their settlements throughout Nagorno-Karabakh, preservation of Armenian cultural and religious heritage in the territories fallen under the Azerbaijani control.

Only the agreements reached within the framework of the peace process can open a new page for peace, security and development in the region.

The Republic of Armenia stands for the full-fledged launch of the peace process of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict within the framework and mandate of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmanship. At the same time, the urgent settlement of humanitarian issues, including the repatriation of all prisoners of war, captured civilians and addressing of the cases of enforced disappearances is of utmost importance.

Armenia will consistently stand for the restoration and protection of the rights of the people of Artsakh and make every effort to reach a just, comprehensive and lasting settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, guarantee the right of the Armenians of Artsakh to free and safe life with dignity in their homeland.
Paul Gavan, rapporteur of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) on the humanitarian consequences of the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan, is concerned about Azerbaijans aggressive rhetoric.

The report presented during the session of the PACE concerned the allegations of war crimes. Gavan declared that several atrocities have been presented on social platforms and called attention to the fact that 34,000 Armenians arent able to return to their homes, live in dire condition and are in need of shelter, and women are particularly affected. According to Gavan, the international society has no access to the conflict zone, but Russia can enter and plays a major role in the provision of humanitarian aid.

According to Gavan, border tension is a cause for concern and, in this regard, it is necessary to plan to create a buffer zone and ensure monitoring on the part of international organizations.

The rapporteur also attached importance to raising the issue of destruction of cultural heritage and added that hate speech is also a serious issue, especially in Azerbaijan.
French delegate to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) calls on protecting the population of Nagorno-Karabakh and prevent degradation of the situation.

In his speech at the session of the PACE, the delegate emphasized that the issue of prisoners of war needs to be solved by goodwill, adding that dozens of Armenian soldiers remain in captivity and that the complaints to the European Court of Human Rights are multiplying.

Delegate Bernard Fournier informed that the conflict has left its traces and that the PACE needs to help the conflicting sides lead the dialogue. He added that the issue of prisoners of war is very complicated since Armenia believes that not all prisoners of war have been released and that he would like for Azerbaijan to release all the prisoners of war.

According to him, what is also troubling is the issue of unexploded ammunition and demining, as well as the fact that some Armenian refugees havent been able to return to their homeland and wont return until security is ensured. He also attached importance to the role of the OSCE Minsk Group.
The army and volunteer soldiers fought for every centimeter [of land]. This is what President of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) Arayik Harutyunyan said during a meeting with youth today, as reported Public Television of Artsakh.

Azerbaijan wasnt the only one that was actually waging a war against Artsakh. According to confirmed reports, there were 7,000 terrorist mercenaries alone. There was a huge difference since Azerbaijan was supported by Turkey, Pakistan and Israel and dozens of planes loaded with modern armament would land at airports in Azerbaijan on a daily basis. As for us, we were alone, Harutyunyan said, adding that the format and logic of the resolution of the conflict has remained the same, regardless of the change of situation.

The process of negotiations continues, and there is no change in the agenda, that is, the right to self-determination remains as a baseline course, and our struggle for this will continue. We will continue the negotiations and peaceful struggle for territorial integrity, and this may last decades. In these conditions, it is necessary to maintain the demographic image of Artsakh, that is, the aim of housing is to provide displaced Armenians of Artsakh with homes, he stated.
Hong Kong reports three imported Covid-19 cases

Hong Kong's coronavirus situation remains stable. Image: Shutterstock

The Centre for Health Protection on Monday reported three imported Covid-19 cases.



The infected travellers flew in from Kazakhstan, the Philippines and Egypt.



All were fully vaccinated and none had any symptoms.



Hong Kong has so far reported 12,196 Covid-19 infections.



Two-thirds of residents aged 12 or above have taken at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine.
One dead in strong quake on Greek island of Crete

One dead in strong quake on Greek island of Crete

A strong earthquake struck the Greek island of Crete on Monday, killing a man who was working in a church that collapsed and injuring nine others, the civil protection agency said.



The quake, measuring magnitude 5.8 according to the National Observatory of Athens, struck at 0617 GMT, 23 kilometres from Heraklion, the capital of Greece's largest island.



The quake sent panicked residents rushing into the streets and damaged old buildings.



The man died in the farming town of Arkalochori which was particularly badly hit, said Spiros Georgiou, spokesman for the civil protection agency.



He said nine people were slightly injured.



Images on ERT public television showed old buildings that had collapsed in Arkalochori and surrounding villages near Heraklion.



"It's an earthquake that we did not expect, for the moment there are aftershocks of 4.5", said seismologist Efthymis Lekkas, quoted by the ANA news agency.



The minister for civil protection Christos Stylianides, accompanied by Lekkas and other experts were to visit the site later Monday, ERT said.



Greece is located on a number of fault lines, and is sporadically hit by earthquakes.



In October, 2020 a magnitude 7.0 hit in the Aegean Sea between the Greek island of Samos and the city of Izmir in western Turkey.



Most of the damage was in Turkey where 114 people were killed and more than 1,000 injured.



In Greece, two teenagers were reported dead on Samos. (AFP)
Passengers walk on the tarmac to board a commercial aircraft bound to Kabul at Herat Airport on September 22, 2021. HOSHANG HASHIMI/AFP via Getty Images

About 100 Americans are still waiting to leave Afghanistan, Reuters reported on Monday.

US troops left on August 30, effectively ending the war in Afghanistan.

This makes it more difficult for US citizens and permanent residents to return home.

See more stories on Insider's business page.

About 100 US citizens and permanent residents are still waiting to leave Afghanistan, an anonymous senior State Department official told reporters on Monday, according to Reuters.

"Our highest priority in Afghanistan, of course, remains helping those American citizens who wish to leave the country now to do so," the official said.

The war in Afghanistan effectively ended on August 30 as the remaining US troops left the country, making it more difficult to evacuate Americans who want to come back home. But roughly 85 Americans and 79 legal permanent residents have left Afghanistan on various flights since the last troops departed, per what the official told Reuters.

The Biden administration faced bipartisan criticism over its handling of the Afghanistan withdrawal - particularly over the fact that Americans and thousands of Afghan allies were left behind.

As the US entered the final stages of the pullout, the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan. The militant Islamists marched into Kabul in mid-August after rapidly taking over major cities - often without much of a fight from Afghan forces. The Taliban takeover prompted panic in Kabul and scenes of chaos at the capital city's airport, as thousands of people desperately tried to flee the country. The US was able to evacuate roughly 124,000 people after the Afghan government fell.

During the evacuations, ISIS-K staged a devastating suicide attack near the airport, killing 13 US service members and 169 Afghans. The US responded with drone strikes, one of which killed 10 Afghan civilians - including seven children.

Since the US completed the withdrawal, the Taliban established an all-male interim government. Among the ministers is the leader of a US-designated terror group who's wanted by the FBI.

Though the militants have sought to pose as moderates since regaining control of Afghanistan, they've also violently cracked down on dissent and been accused of human rights violations. One of the founders of the Taliban also recently told the Associated Press that the militant group will bring back public executions and hand amputations as a form of punishment.

Read the original article on Business Insider
By Stephanie Nebehay

GENEVA (Reuters) - The ousted Afghan government and activist groups called on the main U.N. human rights body on Monday to investigate reports of targeted killings and restrictions on women and free speech by the ruling Taliban.

The appeals, which came as the European Union (EU) prepares to submit a draft resolution on Afghanistan, was backed by the head of the country's independent commission on human rights, who said that many of its own activities have been suspended.

The U.N. Human Rights Council held an emergency session last month after the Taliban takeover, but activists said that the Pakistan-led resolution that was adopted was too weak. That text asked U.N. rights boss Michelle Bachelet to report back, giving her few resources or power.

Bachelet told the forum on Sept. 13 that Taliban had broken promises by ordering women to stay at home and by carrying out house-to-house searches for former foes.

An EU draft resolution circulated at this session, seen by Reuters, condemns executions and violence against protesters and media. If adopted, it would appoint a special rapporteur, but not a full-fledged inquiry.

"We urge Council members, in line with the Council's mandate, to adopt a resolution in this current session establishing a dedicated and effective mechanism to monitor the human rights situation in Afghanistan, a must for accountability and prevention," Nasir Ahmad Andisha, Afghanistan's ambassador, still in function, told the Geneva forum.

Activists said that a special rapporteur - independent experts who usually have full-time jobs - would fall short.

"A mere special rapporteur with some assistance from (the UN rights office) is not enough," Ken Roth, executive director of Human Rights Watch, told a panel event. "Given the complexity of the country, an investigative mechanism needs a full team, with dedicated resources and a clear mandate."

Agnes Callamard, secretary-general of Amnesty International who is a former U.N. investigator on unlawful killings, said that human rights monitoring was "extraordinarily important" now.

Story continues

"The preservation of evidence is also critical to send a clear message to the Taliban that international crimes do not go unnoticed or unpunished," she said.

Shaharzad Akbar, chair of the Afghanistan independent human rights commission who has fled the country, said the Taliban has carried out targeting killings mainly against former national security forces and some ordinary citizens.

"They are creating an environment of fear for everyone, including for human rights defenders, women's rights activists and journalists that are still in the country, most of them in hiding," she told the panel.

"We have reports of extrajudicial killings of detainees," she said.

Taliban authorities in the western Afghan city of Herat killed four alleged kidnappers and hung their bodies up in public to deter others, a local government official said on Saturday.

(additional reporting by Emma Farge; editing by Angus MacSwan)
Tony Rivetti / ABC

Amid a calamitous year (and then some) marked with historic civil unrest, a full-blown pandemic and a whiplashed economy, we could all use some words of encouragement. And to whom shall we turn for those prized pearls of wisdom? Might we suggest financial advisors. These money-minded folks are able to see the state of the economy in a way that the average American doesnt always get to see  unless theyre hiring them or their services. They bring a detached, big-picture perspective to financial affairs, understanding situations not only according to how they feel in the short term, but what they mean in the long term.

Take a Look: Small Ideas That Turned Into Million-Dollar Businesses

Find Out: 7 Surprising Costs That Come With Starting a Business

Just as people lean on mentors in their respective fields, financial advisors look to successful people in their industry for guidance and perseverance. GOBankingRates consulted 11 different money experts to learn: What quotes spoken by great financial thinkers do they turn to in these times of trouble? How can these words of wisdom help out the average American right now, no matter their money situation?

Last updated: Sept. 9, 2021

Albert H. Teich / Shutterstock.com

Suze Orman

The only way you will ever permanently take control of your financial life is to dig deep and fix the root problem. If you're not staying on top of your money, you are putting your financial well-being at risk.

Ebony J. Howard, CPA, a financial expert for RetireGuide.com, loves how this quote establishes how to maintain financial security. She added that this bit of Suze Orman's wisdom is essential to help folks become adequately prepared for any crisis that may arise during COVID-19. Ensuring that you have built an emergency savings fund to cover at least six months worth of expenses is the key to stay afloat  while focusing on keeping spending habits under control, lowering debts and only the necessities."

Discover: See the Full List of Money's Most Influential and More

Story continues

Daniel Zuchnik / WireImage

Warren Buffett

Over the long term, the stock market news will be good. In the 20th century, the United States endured two world wars and other traumatic and expensive military conflicts; the Depression; a dozen or so recessions and financial panics; oil shocks; a flu epidemic; and the resignation of a disgraced president. Yet the Dow rose from 66 to 11,497.

Warren Buffett wrote these prescient words in The New York Times op-ed in 2008 during the Great Recession. Now, in the bellows of the COVID-19 recession, these words ring true again to Asher Rogovy, chief investment officer at Magnifina.

The pandemic is certainly the biggest economic event which has occurred for many years [and] there was a violent market reaction in March and April, but many analysts predict that by this time next year, it will no longer be affecting the stock market, Rogovy said. This is Buffett's wisdom: to invest with a very very long-term horizon. He is the master at putting aside emotions and focusing strictly on the numbers. According to our research, only 30% of bear markets since 1950 have lasted more than three and a half years. The most recent one didn't even last three quarters.

Learn: 12 COVID-Proof Money Tips From Financial Planners

Kathy Hutchins / Shutterstock.com

Mellody Hobson

"I know many members of our community steer clear of Wall Street because of the perception that the stock market is risky, but I am convinced the biggest risk of all is not taking one."

Tremaine Wills, investment advisor at Mind Over Money, holds dear this quote from Mellody Hobson, co-CEO of Ariel Investments. As a new advisor working to close the wealth gap, this message resonates deeply with me, Wills said. Fear of risk cripples many clients into not taking action which can seal in the fate of perpetual financial stress.

As this pandemic rages on, making any financial moves might feel extra perilous, but try to consider the risk from a place of abundance rather than of fear.

See: All You Need To Know About the Economy and Your Money

Debby Wong / Shutterstock.com

Mark Cuban

Creating opportunities means looking where others are not.

Nicole Tanenbaum, partner and chief investment strategist at Chequers Financial Management, appreciates this pearl of wisdom from famed entrepreneur Mark Cuban.

The ability to take a contrarian view as an investor and take advantage of others' herd mentality can often lead to great outcomes for your portfolio if done using a systematic and strategic approach, Tanenbaum said. Investing in out-of-favor sectors and asset classes when others are shunning them can provide opportunities to create long-term value. This allows the strategic investor to take advantage of short term emotionally-fueled market dislocations. Specifically, setting an allocation objective and sticking to it over time is key, which allows for rebalancing over time as the portfolio moves away from its original target allocation. In other words, buying more stocks as prices fall and selling them as prices rise.

With the stock market on a rollercoaster during this pandemic, its worthwhile to heed this advice and take advantage of some of those sliding share prices.

Check Out: 25 Companies Making the Most Money From Coronavirus

iStock.com

Dave Ramsey

"Live like no one else now so you can live like no one else later."

This Zen riddle of a quote from Dave Ramsey is a go-to for Jeff Rose, CFP and founder of the personal finance website Good Financial Cents.

The pandemic is real and not going away anytime soon, Rose said. Most people are in a hold their breath approach  hoping that their job remains secure, or a new job is just around the corner and their savings won't run out. They aren't looking to change the way they live, but that's not the right approach to take: It's time to be proactive and cut your spending vigilantly, find ways to start making money (like driving for InstaCart or delivering for Amazon) to boost those savings, and find ways to cut current debt, like refinancing student loans and curbing spending habits.

More Tips: Steal These Money Secrets From 25 Millionaires Under 25

Kent Sievers / Shutterstock.com

Charlie Munger

If you want to be an outlier in achievement, just sit on your a** and read most of your life.

This tough love quote from Warren Buffetts right-hand man Charlie Munger speaks to Sammy Azzouz, JD, CFP, president of Heritage Financial and author of The Boston Advisor blog. It highlights the importance of financial literacy and underscores that curiosity and education are key to smart money moves.

2020 has brought us a lot of things we never would have wanted, but one positive is the ability for people to read more about things theyve always wanted to learn, like how to improve their personal finances or to pursue the next leg of their careers, Azzouz said.

Budgeting Guide: How To Create a Budget You Can Live With

Chase Brock / GOBankingRates

Farnoosh Torabi

"Money is a resource. It's not good, it's not bad, it's not evil, it's just a resource."

Tracy Shen, holistic wealth advisor, managing partner at Florin Group, is endeared to this quote from personal finance expert and journalist Farnoosh Torabi because it instructs us to see money without any drama and to regard it in a more simple and detached way.

This helps some of our clients since they have anxiety with money, Shen said. So we teach them to build a positive relationship with money by finding out their money beliefs.

If you find yourself worrying about money right now, take a deep breath and a step back. Ask yourself whether you think of money as good or evil and then focus on letting go of those associations so as to regain perspective and hopefully, feel a little less stressed.

See: More Stimulus Money May Be Coming Your Way  Heres What To Do With It

Equim43 / Wikimedia Commons

Benjamin Graham

In the end, how your investments behave is much less important than how you behave.

This witty insight from Benjamin Graham, known as "the father of value investing, appeals to Richard Best, a writer for DontPayFull who has over 30 years of experience in financial services. He likes it because it underscores the importance of not letting emotions rule your actions.

Graham and many of the other legendary investors believe investing without a solid investment plan, or the patience and discipline to stick with one, can leave a person vulnerable to [their] emotions, which invariably leads to disastrous results, Best said. Emotions are what make investors do things they later regret, such as fleeing the market after a steep decline or buying at the peak of market euphoria  both of which can have a devastating impact on their long-term investment performance.

In these pandemic-ridden times, the air is charged with fear and anguish. Feel your feelings, but dont let them sneak into your financial decision-making.

Find Out: The First Thing You Should Do With Your Social Security Check

Charles Krupa/AP/REX/Shutterstock

Peter Lynch

Invest in what you know.

This pithy pearl from Peter Lynch, former fund manager for Magellan at Fidelity, is valued by Tricia Rosen, CFP, Principal, Access Financial Planning, in good times and in bad.

[It means] take advantage of your specialized, local knowledge of a product, service, or company to identify opportunities before they become more widely known, Rosen said. Research them further and then invest in them if they seem like a well-run, viable business. Granted, he said it before the internet and a Google search was common, and when active management was king, but it still holds true today. Most successful products and services get their initial momentum through word of mouth, so when you see a product or service which seems to provide a strong value, its worth looking into further to see if they would be a good investment opportunity.

Again, investing during a struggling economy can feel weird or even frightening  but dont let anxiety stop you from doing your homework; after all, even now people are still becoming billionaires for the first time.

Helpful: 17 Tips To Live Comfortably Off Just a Social Security Check

Randy Miramontez / Shutterstock.com

Zig Ziglar

Expect the best. Prepare for the worst. Capitalize on what comes.

Howard Dvorkin, chairman of Debt.com, appreciates this no-nonsense quote by the sales icon Zig Ziglar during these dark times.

"Since the start of the pandemic, Ive urged Americans to hold onto what they have and pay off debt where they can," Dvorkin said. "Most people were wise, and credit card spending came to a halt in the second quarter. Many financial intuitions foresee a slow and hard recovery, but there is still time for people to reassess their recession savings plan. Its best for most people not to continue their spending as normal, and this holiday season, Im begging people to keep in mind: the worst is not yet over."

Be Aware: Unplug These Appliances That Hike Up Your Electricity Bill

Doucefleur / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Jim Rohn

"Time is more valuable than money. You can get more money, but you cannot get more time."

This quote from entrepreneur, author and motivational speaker Jim Rohn inspires Anthony Appleton-Tattersall, CA, MBA, director of AAT Accounting Services, who finds that it carries special meaning during the pandemic.

During Covid, many people have found out just how much their time is worth, Appleton-Tattersall said. Money is still important of course, but so many are considering switching or downshifting career moves that should have been front of mind years ago.

More From GOBankingRates

This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Advice From Mark Cuban, Warren Buffett and Other Experts That Can Help You Survive a Crisis
Afghanistan's ambassador to the United Nations pulled out of delivering an address to world leaders at the General Assembly later Monday, a UN spokesperson said.

Ghulam Isaczai, who represented president Ashraf Ghani's regime that was ousted last month, had been due to defy the Taliban with a speech but his name was removed from the list of speakers early Monday.

"The country withdraws its participation in the general debate," Monica Grayley, a spokeswoman for the assembly's president, confirmed to AFP.

She added that Afghanistan's mission to the UN had not cited a reason for the withdrawal.

The Taliban wrote a letter to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres last week requesting that its new foreign minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, be allowed to "participate."

The letter insisted that Isaczai "no longer represents" Afghanistan at the global body.

The letter said that the Taliban had nominated their Doha-based spokesman Suhail Shaheen as Afghanistan's permanent representative to the UN.

The note came after Guterres had received a separate letter from Isaczai, dated September 15, containing the list of Afghanistan's delegation for the session.

That letter listed Isaczai as Afghanistan's permanent representative.

The UN still considers Isaczai the head of Afghanistan's mission.

"Only the mission can withdraw," from addressing the assembly, a UN official told AFP on condition of anonymity.

The Afghan mission was not immediately available for comment.

A nine-member credentials committee that included the United States, Russia and China, has to approve the Taliban's request but it did not meet in time.

prh-pdh/mlm
QOM, Iran (AP)  In Iran's holy city of Qom, where Shiite scholars study and pilgrims travel to a shrine believed to be a gate to heaven, the Islamic Republic's coronavirus outbreak began and still rages to this day.

While Iran works to vaccinate its 80 million people, many in Qom have not sought out the shots, authorities say. In one recent week, the city administered only 17,000 shots daily out of its capacity of 30,000, provincial health department chief Mohammad Reza Qadir said.

One reason for that is a hesitancy by some based on religion. In the outbreak's first days, religious leaders were reluctant to close shrines and holy sites despite the risks of virus transmission in crowded and inadequately ventilated spaces.

Some sites briefly closed but they later reopened and remained available through repeated, battering phases of the pandemic. Overall across Iran  the Middle Eastern country hardest hit by the pandemic  there have been 5.5 million confirmed virus infections. More than 119,000 people have died, putting tremendous pressure on cemeteries across the country. Officials acknowledge the toll is likely far higher.

Qom's Behesht-e-Masoumeh cemetery is the final resting place of thousands. Each day, families can be seen weeping as they bury their loved ones, wrapped in traditional shrouds. All have dug new gravesites in which they typically bury the dead very deep in the ground.

Many hospitals are filled with victims, some in medically induced comas, even as authorities warn of a possible sixth surge in infections striking the country.

It was in Qom, some 125 kilometers (80 miles) southwest of Tehran, that the coronavirus first took hold in Iran. Authorities suggest it was spread by an Iranian businessman who returned from China, where the virus first appeared in Wuhan province in 2019. Qom's Shiite seminaries draw Chinese students. The city is also is located along a $2.7 billion high-speed train route that a Chinese company is building and near a solar power plant Beijing is helping construct.

Story continues

But whatever started the pandemic here, the virus still rages.

Here is a gallery of images from Qom by Associated Press photographer Vahid Salemi.

___

Follow Associated Press photographers and photo editors on Twitter at www.twitter.com/AP_Images and on Instagram at www.instagram.com/apnews.
Survivors of the November 2015 Paris attacks will testify at a historic trial from Tuesday, reliving the most traumatic events of their lives as they try to put the horror into words.

One by one over the coming weeks, 300 survivors as well as family members of the victims of the murderous assault on November 13 are to take the stand.

The suicide bombing and gun assaults by three teams of jihadists on bars, restaurants, the Bataclan concert hall and the national stadium -- planned in Syria and later claimed by the Islamic State group -- left 130 people dead and around 350 physically injured.

Some of the survivors told AFP that, as daunting as it was to tell their stories in a packed courtroom with the accused present, they felt it had to be done.

"I want to go through with this, it's part of my reconstruction effort," said 31-year old Marko, who sat on a terrace at the Belle Equipe cafe in central Paris with a group of friends when the gunmen attacked, killing one of them, Victor.

"I want to face these people, I want them to see who their victims were -- What happened to us, and to those who are gone," Marko told AFP.

That night, 39 people were killed on terraces of bars and cafes.

A total of 14 defendants are being tried in person at the biggest trial in modern French history, and six others will be judged in their absence, with most of them facing life sentences.

Among them is the only surviving gunman, Salah Abdeslam, a dual French-Moroccan national.

- 'Completely petrified' -

The presiding judge has scheduled 15 witness statements by survivors per day, starting with those who were at the Stade de France stadium, followed by those in cafes and finally the survivors of the Bataclan concert hall massacre.

"I'm completely petrified," said 43-year old Edith Seurat, who made it out of the Bataclan alive.

At first, she said, she didn't see the point of going over the dramatic events again because "everything has been said a thousand times".

Story continues

Instead, she said, she wanted to talk about her life since the dramatic events.

But when she went to listen in to the trial in its opening phase she realised that each investigator had a different version of events that night.

"Perhaps I underestimated the importance of bearing witness, and maybe I will now focus on what I saw and heard," she said.

Many witnesses needed help to overcome their unease about addressing the court, said Gerard Chemla, a lawyer representing 15 of the survivors who have come forward.

Many grappled with survivor's guilt, the fear of having nothing interesting to say and the fear of breaking down, he said.

"To be overwhelmed by emotion or to cry in public is not a sign of failure," Chemla told his clients.

The witnesses will be facing the court as they testify, with the bench of the accused placed behind them.

During prep, many of the survivors wondered whether they should turn around to address the accused, especially Abdeslam.

When Abdeslam last week told the court that the attacks had been "inevitable", Marko, who was in the audience, jumped to his feet.

"I started to shout abuse at him," he said. "An injured friend talked me down, but I still remained standing until the end, staring at him," he said.

The trial is scheduled to continue until May 2022.

mdh/jh/js/ach
(Bloomberg) -- A supplier to Beyond Meat Inc. said consumers of plant proteins should brace for higher prices following a spike in pea costs.

Most Read from Bloomberg

Peas are a key ingredient in some alternative proteins, where demand is growing. At the same time, European pea supply was hurt by adverse weather, while a drought in Canada cut pea output there by 45%, causing prices to more than double from last year, Frances Roquette Freres SA said.

The dramatic increase in prices will inevitably lead to costs being transferred to customers, Roquette said in a statement on Monday. The company has also been hit by high energy prices.

Demand for alternative proteins has expanded in recent years as climate change and health concerns drive consumers to products like plant-based burgers. Roquettes warning of higher prices also comes as food costs in general are near the highest in a decade amid harvest worries, higher shipping costs and supply-chain disruptions.

Beyond Meat didnt immediately respond to a request for comment.

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

2021 Bloomberg L.P.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman attends a session of the Shura Council in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on November 20, 2019. Bandar Algaloud/Courtesy of Saudi Royal Court/Handout via Reuters

Jake Sullivan traveled to Saudi Arabia on Monday to meet with Saudi Crown Prince MBS.

This came just days before the anniversary of Jamal Khashoggi's brutal murder.

The Biden administration is pushing for a ceasefire in the devastating Yemen conflict, which MBS is the architect of.

See more stories on Insider's business page.

National security advisor Jake Sullivan traveled to Saudi Arabia on Monday to meet with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, often referred to as MBS, just days before the anniversary of the brutal murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

Sullivan traveled to Saudi Arabia as the Biden administration pushes for a ceasefire in the Yemen conflict, a devastating war that Prince Mohammed is the architect of.

The national security advisor, who will also visit the UAE this week, was joined on the trip by National Security Council Middle East and North Africa Coordinator Brett McGurk and US special envoy for Yemen Tim Lenderking.

"Security cooperation, mutual support for a comprehensive ceasefire in Yemen and the need for immediate steps to mitigate Yemen's humanitarian crisis" will be among the topics Sullivan covers during his meetings in the Middle East, a senior administration official told NatSec Daily.

Khashoggi was murdered by agents of his own government in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2, 2018. The Saudi journalist had entered the consulate in order to obtain documents necessary to marry his fiancee, Hatice Cengiz, a Turkish citizen. Khashoggi, who was a columnist at the Washington Post at the time, was often critical of the Saudi royal family in his writing.

Though it was widely agreed upon that Prince Mohammed had ordered Khashoggi's murder, President Donald Trump pushed against efforts by congressional lawmakers in Washington to punish the Saudi government. Trump touted the importance of arms sales to the Saudis as he rejected attempts in Congress to end US support for the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen.

Story continues

President Joe Biden on the campaign trail pledged that Saudi Arabia would be made a pariah over Khashoggi's killing, and vowed to reassess the US relationship with Riyadh. Not long after Biden came into office, the White House announced the president's official communications with the Saudis would involve King Salman and not the crown prince - the kingdom's de facto ruler. It was a significant diplomatic snub.

In February, the Biden administration released a declassified US intelligence report that explicitly implicated Prince Mohammed in Khashoggi's killing.

"We assess that Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman approved an operation in Istanbul, Turkey to capture or kill Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi," the report said. "The Crown Prince viewed Khashoggi as a threat to the Kingdom and broadly supported using violent measures if necessary to silence him."

Biden faced criticism for ultimately declining to sanction Prince Mohammed despite the damning details in that report.

The president in February also announced that the US would move to end support for the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen, but critics say Biden hasn't shown much progress on this front.

Meanwhile, congressional lawmakers continue to push for an end to US support for the Saudis in Yemen.

Last week, a bill introduced by Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna to stop US logistical and intelligence support to Saudi Arabia in Yemen passed in the House.

The UN has referred to the situation in Yemen as the world's worst humanitarian crisis.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Chris Furlong

The sight of enraged Brits lining up for hours at gas stations as panic-buying grips the nation has united Europe in schadenfreude.

Chaos has descended on Britains urban areas over the past few days after a severe shortage of truck drivers made it impossible for gas to be delivered as normal, sparking a mass national freakout. On Monday, BP confirmed that a third of U.K. gas stations had run out of fuel and news crews showed scenes of red-faced anger in miles-long lines of vehicles, including one report from the aptly-named BBC reporter Phil McCann.

The problem, according to the gas companies, is not supplyits people panic-buying after a lack of delivery drivers made it seem as if gas was running out across the country. Shell, ExxonMobil, and Greenergy said in a statement that the disorderly scenes throughout Britain are down to temporary spikes in customer demandnot a national shortage.

Scenes of chaos, umbrage, gesturing and profanity around the UK as drivers queue for hours at petrol stations amid concerns of a fuel shortage 



Read more: https://t.co/nY8AJMxTWQ pic.twitter.com/NHpJJRRdTq  Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) September 27, 2021

And thats where Brexit comes in.

Over the past few months, Brits have noticed massive gaps appearing on supermarket shelves, restaurants have been shutting down after running out of chicken, and there have even been ominous warnings of an imminent national beer shortage. Thats all due to a huge 100,000-strong shortfall in truck drivers, in large part due to European drivers leaving the country behind following its withdrawal from the European Union.

Things have gotten so bad that the British government, led by the man who spearheaded the Brexit campaign, Prime Minister Boris Johnson, announced last week that it will beg 5,000 European drivers to come back with the offer of temporary visas lasting until Christmas Eve. But, after the past five years of anti-EU rhetoric, they seem in no mood to help.

Story continues

Edwin Atema, a boss at the Netherlands-based FNV Union which represents drivers across Europe, turned the air blue on British breakfast radio Monday morning when he was asked if the EU workers he represents might be tempted to take up Johnsons offer of a three-month visa.

The union rep hit back: The EU workers we speak to will not go to the U.K. for a short-term visa to help the U.K. out of the shit they created themselves. After a little gasp, the BBC Radio Four host responded: Thank you. Not ideal language but we get the message.

Here it is (full interview starts a couple of minutes earlier) pic.twitter.com/AB9915f4sw  George Blank (@MrGeorgeBlank) September 27, 2021

Government officials have also not wasted any time getting their digs in. French European Affairs Minister Clement Beaune said Monday that the national shortages in Britain were proof that voters were misled when they decided to leave the EU five years ago. Every day, we see the intellectual fraud that was Brexit, Beaune told a news network in France.

Olaf Scholz, whos set to replace Angela Merkel as German chancellor after an election victory, said with a detectable smirk, The free movement of labor is part of the European Union and we worked very hard to convince the British not to leave the Union. Now they have decided different, and I hope that they will manage the problems coming from that.

For their part, the British government has inevitably denied that Brexit is the cause of the national chaos. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps claimed Friday that Brexit helped provide a solution to the issue by allowing the government to change truck driver test requirements and open up its temporary visa offer to European drivers. Ive seen people point to Brexit as if it is the culprit here. In fact, they are wrong, he told Sky News.

But, worryingly for Johnson, the public doesnt seem to agree. One poll published Sunday showed that British voters, including those who voted to leave the EU voters, blame Brexit for the truck driver crisis, with 68 percent saying that Brexit is either partly or completely to blame.

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.
MarketWatch

It may also be a strategy by some lawyers: spring a prenup at the last minute, acting like its the most natural thing in the world with the intention of reducing the time and momentum for negotiation. During the MarketWatch Mastering Your Money video town hall event last week, I put your question to Irene Angelakis, a divorce attorney and adjunct professor at the Hofstra University School of Law in Hempstead, N.Y., and her answer  quite frankly  surprised me. Always consult with an attorney; do not sign anything without having an attorney review it, especially a prenuptial agreement, she added.
Sep. 27Broomfield police arrested 19-year-old Broomfield resident Trevor Woodruff in connection with a shooting outside a Walgreens on Saturday that left one man dead and two people hospitalized.

Woodruff was arrested on suspicion of first degree murder, attempted first degree murder and first degree assault, according to Broomfield police.

Broomfield police received a call about 11:30 a.m. Saturday for shots fired in the parking lot of the Walgreens located at Midway Boulevard and Zuni Street.

A man was found dead in the parking lot, while a woman and a juvenile male also were shot and taken to local hospitals. The woman was in stable condition, according to Broomfield police, while the juvenile was in critical condition. None of the victims names have been released.

Detectives are continuing to investigate the altercation that led to the shooting, according to Broomfield police, and don't believe the shooting was connected to Walgreens.
By Josh Horwitz

SHANGHAI (Reuters) -China's Xiaomi Corp said on Monday it was engaging a third-party expert to assess allegations by Lithuania that its smartphones carry built-in censorship capabilities.

Lithuania's Defence Ministry last week urged consumers to throw away Chinese phones after a report by its National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) alleging that Xiaomi phones have built-in censorship capabilities.

The dispute has blown up against a backdrop of souring relations with China, which demanded in August that Lithuania withdraw its ambassador in Beijing and said it would recall its envoy to Vilnius after Taiwan said that its mission there would be called the Taiwanese Representative Office.

"While we dispute the characterisation of certain findings, we are engaging an independent third-party expert to assess the points raised in the report," a Xiaomi spokesperson said.

Xiaomi emerged as the top smartphone vendor in Europe for the first time in the second quarter of 2021, shipping a record 12.7 million units there, research firm Strategy Analytics said.

Along with other Chinese rivals on the Android operating system, Xiaomi has enjoyed a surge in market share following the enforcement of U.S. sanctions against Huawei Technologies Co Ltd, which crippled its once-dominant smartphone division.

At the time of last week's allegation, Xiaomi said that its device "does not censor communications to or from its users".

CONTENT FILTERING

Xiaomi did not specify in its statement on Monday which third-party organisation it was engaging for the assessment, although a spokesperson told Reuters it was based in Europe.

The company said it uses advertising software to shield users from content such as pornography and references that offend local users, which it said was standard in the industry.

Lithuania's Deputy Defence Minister said Xiaomi, by saying it operates a blacklist to filter illegal content, "is admitting the phones are capable of content filtering".

Story continues

"Our investigation found that the blacklist for the filters contained only politically motivated terms. If a new list turns up, that would not negate our findings, it would just show that the company is trying to repair its reputation", Deputy Minister Margiris Abukevicius told Reuters.

In its report, Lithuania's NCSC alleged that flagship phones sold in Europe by Xiaomi have a built-in ability to detect and censor terms such as "Free Tibet", "Long live Taiwan independence" or "democracy movement."

The capability in Xiaomi's Mi 10T 5G phone software had been turned off for the "European Union region", but can be turned on remotely at any time, the report said.

Xiaomi said with regard to data privacy, it was compliant with two frameworks for following Europe's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), namely its ISO/IEC 27001 Information Security Management Standards and the ISO/IEC 27701 Privacy Information Management System.

(Reporting by Andrius Sytas in VilniusEditing by Jacqueline Wong and Alexander Smith)
Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks, at the Embassy of Ecuador in London. AP

The CIA discussed "options" to assassinate or kidnap WikiLeaks' founder in 2017, Yahoo News reported.

Director Mike Pompeo reportedly wanted revenge after WikiLeaks published secret CIA documents.

Assange was at the time holed up in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London.

See more stories on Insider's business page.

The CIA in 2017 pitched senior Trump administration officials plans to kidnap or assassinate the WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, who was holed up in a London embassy, a Yahoo News investigation found.

The report, which Yahoo News said was based on interviews with more than 30 former US officials, said the CIA was enraged by WikiLeaks' publication in 2017 of thousands of documents detailing the agency's hacking and covert surveillance techniques, known as the Vault 7 leak.

The Yahoo News report said senior officials inquired about "options" for what to do about Assange, including the feasibility of assassinating or kidnapping him.

CIA Director Mike Pompeo - who later became secretary of state - was determined to take revenge on Assange after the leak, Yahoo News reported.

In 2017, Pompeo designated WikiLeaks a "non-state hostile intelligence service," meaning it could be targeted with the same aggressive actions used against foreign states' intelligence agencies.

A former senior counterintelligence official told Yahoo News that "there seemed to be no boundaries" during discussions with the Trump administration about Assange in 2017.

Pompeo and other senior officials "were completely detached from reality because they were so embarrassed about Vault 7," a former national security official told the publication. "They were seeing blood."

Yahoo News said it could not confirm whether the discussions were escalated to the Trump White House. The CIA and Pompeo did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.

In 2017, Assange was living in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London. He had been taking refuge there since 2012, after Swedish prosecutors opened an investigation into him following allegations of rape and molestation.

Story continues

Assange had claimed that if he were extradited to Sweden for questioning, he would be sent to the US, where he said he would face persecution. Assange had been charged in the US with offenses related to WikiLeaks' publication of thousands of confidential US diplomatic cables.

Yahoo News reported that US officials picked up intelligence suggesting that Russia was planning to smuggle Assange out of the UK to Moscow, prompting a search for ways to ensure that he wouldn't escape.

Among the possible scenarios to prevent a getaway were engaging in a gun battle with Russian agents on the streets of London and ramming the car that Assange would be smuggled in, former officials told Yahoo News.

Ultimately, assassination plans were dropped because of legal concerns at the highest levels of the Trump administration, Yahoo News reported. The report also described concerns that a kidnapping would derail US attempts to prosecute Assange.

UK authorities arrested Assange in April 2019 after Ecuador withdrew its asylum protections. He is being held in the Belmarsh prison in London, as a UK judge in January refused the US's request for his extradition.

"As an American citizen, I find it absolutely outrageous that our government would be contemplating kidnapping or assassinating somebody without any judicial process simply because he had published truthful information," Barry Pollack, Assange's lawyer in the US, told Yahoo News.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Rep. Karen Bass smiles during a July news conference at Barrio Action Youth and Family Center while talking about the newly expanded federal child tax credit. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

So, word on the street is U.S. Rep. Karen Bass is going to run for mayor of Los Angeles.

As my Times colleagues Dakota Smith and David Zahniser reported last week, three sources who asked to remain anonymous predicted she would join the increasingly crowded field of candidates vying to succeed Eric Garcetti in 2022.

Additional anonymous sources, these quoted by the Washington Post, said that Bass would make an announcement as soon as this week  "barring unexpected changes."

And indeed, on Monday morning, she made it official.

Our city is facing a public health, safety and economic crisis in homelessness that has evolved into a humanitarian emergency, Bass said in a statement. Ive spent my entire life bringing groups of people together in coalitions to solve complex problems and produce concrete change  especially in times of crisis.

With my whole heart, I'm ready. Let's do this -- together.



I'm running for mayor.https://t.co/CLkJfFddHT  Karen Bass (@KarenBassLA) September 27, 2021

Cue the breathless speculation over what it all means.

For one, Bass is vying to become only the second Black person and the first woman to be elected mayor.

To pull it off, she will have to beat out L.A. City Council members Kevin de Leon and Joe Buscaino, plus City Atty. Mike Feuer. There's also Jessica Lall and Mel Wilson, both bigwigs in the business world, and possibly former L.A. Unified schools Supt. Austin Beutner.

And if she does pull it off, it will mean giving up an influential role as a six-term member of Congress  where she just wrapped up a stint as head of the Congressional Black Caucus  for one in which Bass will have to share power with the City Council.

But still, even with all of those supposed political risks, it's hard to understand why Bass wouldn't run for mayor. And frankly, it's also hard to understand why she wouldn't win.

Story continues

As a longtime progressive with a national profile, she surely would be able to get more done in an increasingly lefty Los Angeles than she would in a Congress held hostage by partisan gridlock in Washington.

Case in point, the collapse of negotiations over the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act.

Democrats in the House passed the bill  twice  in hopes of finally reforming police departments by creating a nationwide registry of problematic officers, prohibiting racial profiling and ending the shield officers have from lawsuits, known as qualified immunity.

But, of course, Democrats ran into a wall of resistance in the Senate. Ultimately, Bass and the rest of the negotiating team were just unable to reach an agreement with Republicans, led by Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina.

"The compromises that had been made over in the Senate were going to move the needle forward. But it wasnt going to be transformative," Bass told my colleague Nolan D. McCaskill last week. "Its sad. But at this point, I just felt like we were just running around in circles and we were never going to get to yes on anything. And so I think its important to recognize when you cannot go further and to close."

And to think, Bass has a reputation  forged as speaker of the California Assembly during Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's administration  for being collaborative, willing and able to work across the partisan aisle. But in hyperpartisan Washington, she clearly hasn't had much luck lately.

Why continue to put up with that?

Can you imagine anything more maddening than having to try to find common ground with dozens of increasingly delusional and hypocritical Republicans every day? Or having to take House Minority Leader and Trump lackey Kevin McCarthy (R-Bakersfield) seriously?

Or, for that matter, having to deal with the Republican Party's followers.

In the first three months of this year, more than 4,100 threats were made against members of Congress, my colleague Sarah D. Wire reported. That's on pace to double the 8,600-plus reports that U.S. Capitol Police received last year.

Again, why continue to put up with that?

Instead, as mayor, Bass would have a much easier time getting along with progressives on the L.A. City Council, as well as in county government on the Board of Supervisors and in the district attorneys office  especially since the last attempt to recall George Gascon went nowhere.

The mayor has the authority to hire and fire department heads and commissioners. The office also comes with the power of a massive bully pulpit  and, unlike some politicians, Bass is known as someone who is unafraid to use one to speak her mind.

She would have all the building blocks to propose expansive policies that could actually reform the criminal justice system in a "transformative" way, including by addressing the size of the Los Angeles Police Department.

She also probably would find progressive allies willing to tackle homelessness and the horrors left behind by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has disproportionately affected the Black and Latino residents of the South L.A. neighborhoods that she represents in Congress.

In fact, according to her spokesman Zach Seidl, addressing those dual humanitarian crises is the main reason why Bass is running for mayor.

She does not want to see these two issues tear the city apart," he told The Times last week. "Los Angeles has to come together."

Bass already has street cred for figuring out how to solve complicated societal problems.

Way back in 1990, she founded Community Coalition to help the people of South Los Angeles who at the time were dealing with a scourge of crack cocaine addiction (and now, similarly, are dealing with a rise in fentanyl and heroin use).

During the pandemic, the nonprofit has provided many of the volunteer boots on the ground, helping to run vaccination sites and going door-to-door to persuade reluctant Angelenos to get the jab. It's working, too. I know because I've followed those volunteers.

So, of course, Bass is going to run for mayor. If she wins, she will be the best thing to happen to progressive politics in Los Angeles  and maybe the nation  in decades.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Adam Oakes, a Virginia Commonwealth University Freshman, died in February after a fraternity party - and eight people have been arrested in connection with his death (Oakes Family)

Eight people have been arrested in connection with the alleged hazing death of Virginia Commonwealth University freshman Adam Oakes, police said.

The victim, who was only 19, was found dead after a 26 February fraternity party. The medical examiner found in a May report that the cause of death was alcohol poisoning, and witness accounts suggest the freshman was encouraged to drink the equivalent of 40 shots of liquor.

Three additional people have been indicted and are expected to turn themselves in shortly.

Mr Oakes was pledging Delta Chi at VCU  about a two-hour drive south of Washington DC. The fraternity was expelled from the campus in June.

The alleged actions of these individuals are an affront to the values of Delta Chi, the fraternitys international headquarters said after the Friday arrests. Our policies are clear as it relates to the expected conduct of members including that no member shall engage in or condone acts of hazing, the fraternity stated. Any individual found responsible should be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.

The VCU freshman hailed from Sterling, Virginia  about a half-hour drive from campus. Hed gone to high school at Potomac Falls with his VCU roommate, Alec Cardullo-Munoz, who told local media that the aspiring fraternity member had been thrilled to receive a bid from Delta Chi.

He just wanted to feel accepted and be with these guys, his roommate said.

Those arrested were Benjamin J Corado, 19; Quinn A Kuby, 22; Riley K. McDaniel, 21; Alessandro Medina-Villanueva, 21; Jason B Mulgrew, 21; Christian G Rohrbach, 22; Colin G Tran, 20; and Enayat W Sheikhzad, 22.

Charges range from unlawful hazing of a student to the purchase and provision of alcohol to a minor.

VCU ordered both an internal and external review follow the freshmans tragic death. Dean of Students Reuban Rodriguez earlier this month announced a hold on fraternity and sorority recruitment.

Mr Oakes death was the latest in a spate of fatal hazing incidents across the United States that have sparked increased awareness and broader crackdowns on Greek life on campus.

His family published an obituary in March which detailed how the freshman - an only child - was a beloved son, grandson, nephew, cousin, and friend. He will be remembered for his warm disposition, kindness, sweet smile, giant bear hugs, and loving heart. All who knew him loved him and he loved them. Adams life was cut short, but we will keep his memory alive.
Elizabeth and Damian Hurley arrive at Milan Fashion Week. (Getty Images )

Most mothers and their teenage sons don't enjoy the same things.

They don't echo each others' high-fashion clothing taste, praise one another extravagantly on Instagram, or fly around the world to pose hand-in-hand for photographers.

Most mums and sons, however, are not Elizabeth and Damian Hurley. Actor and businesswoman Elizabeth, 56, is so close to Damian, 19, he has even snapped her in her own line of bikinis, frolicking by a pool, and, she says, they have "never had a row".

This week, they arrived together at haute couture spectacle Milan Fashion Week. Elizabeth wore cleavage-baring Versace with gold spike heels, while her son wore a slim Versace jacket that revealed most of his torso. Both allowed their flowing hair to fall in waves past their shoulders.

Hurley has had a longstanding association with Versace after hitting headlines in what became known as "that" dress at the premiere of Four Weddings And A Funeral in 1994. The safety-pinned creation was recently reworked for model Damian to wear in a photoshoot.

Damian rocks his mum's famous look. (Darren Gerrish/Getty Images)

Damian has been modelling since he turned 17 in campaigns for makeup artist Pat McGrath, and his striking resemblance to his mother has been noted.

"A supermodel is born," said McGrath. "Its no surprise that as the offspring of the iconic Elizabeth Hurley, Damian is a bright, young, emerging star who has an absolutely magnetic personality, energy and an exceptional look."

Read more: Elizabeth Hurley reacts to son Damian 'callously' being cut out of family fortune due to being born out of wedlock

The son of businessman Steve Bing, who died by suicide last year, Damian grew up the only child of a single mum, though is reportedly very close to Hurley's ex-husband Arun Nayer, a textiles heir.

Raised in the spotlight, on set with his mum and mingling with her famous friends, he recently recalled: Our parents love to say that Brooklyn Beckham and I were caught raiding and trying on our godfather Elton Johns sunglasses when we were extremely young.

Story continues

Mum and son in Australia in 2011, when Elizabeth Hurley was dating Shane Warne. (Scott Barbour/Getty Images)

He's also friends with fellow supermodels.

Naomi Campbell is a force of nature, I worship her," he said. "She went out of her way to look out for me when we worked together last year and Im always blown away by her professionalism. (And) Helena Christensen is the sexiest woman on the planet.

In interviews, mother and son speak glowingly of one another, making it clear just how similar they are.

Both my mother and I are incredibly scruffy by nature. The second were not being photographed, we revert to slobbery with alarming ease, Damian has said.

"Yes, were very close. Thank goodness, because its really just the two of us," Elizabeth said. "Of course, hes left me streets behind because hes young and knows everything, but otherwise we have the same sensibility, which is great."

They look like one another  'Ive got some pictures of me around his age where there are a lot of facial similarities'  and they behave like each other too, according to an interview with You magazine.

"Weve got each others backs, always," said the elder Hurley.

"Weve never had a horrible fight, were never rude to each other and Ive always encouraged him to speak up when something is annoying or upsetting him. I try really hard to avoid stony silence."

Watch: Elizabeth Hurley, 56, has summer fun as she poses on a bike in a blue bikini

Read more: Elizabeth Hurley hits back at critics of snow photoshoot after Piers Morgans creepy comment

"I rather think Ive simply been blessed with a child whose personality gels with mine...it's definitely nature not nurture."

Damian now works with his mother's fashion team, saying, I just shot with...part of the team that photographed some of my mums coolest editorials, and weve wanted to work together for ages."

He even appeared in her E! soap opera, The Royals, playing the specially-created role of Prince Hansel of Lichtenstein.

On the pink carpet, with Elizabeth in her role as breast cancer fundraising ambassador. (Getty Images)

Though she 'took the first eight years of his life off from acting', The Austin Powers actor said, "being on set is where hes happiest," adding that she was "amazed at just how good he was."

Though some commentators called various photos taken by a teen son of his bikini-clad mum 'creepy', both have dismissed the shoots as light-hearted fun.

"Damian is a great photographer, and he instinctively knows what younger people want to see, but thats all." Said Hurley. "I can assure you I do not drag him to Mauritius every weekend to take my picture."

Damian appears highly confident in the body department himself, recently telling Tatler Magazine, "I spend far too much of the summer naked. I love the sun and hate tan lines."

Elizabeth wrote "Glorious child" with three heart emojis under Damian's own recent swimwear post.

At home in Hurley's Hertfordshire mansion during lockdown, the two enjoyed watching 'something scary' on Netflix - "Given Im a single mother and hes an only child, by default we spend a lot of time together and we are utterly comfortable in each others company."

Now, however, Damian has left home to pursue his modelling career, and Elizabeth recently said, "I feel its the right time. There is going to be a big difference, for sure, but it is the natural order and the way of the world."

Damian was cut out of his billionaire father's will, which reportedly left him $180 million, by his paternal grandfather, despite Steve Bing making contact with Damian shortly before his died. The ruling was later overturned.

In response, Damian shared an instagram picture of himself and his mother, captioned Grateful for my beautiful family, today and every day.'

Watch: Elizabeth Hurley slips into a revealing bikini ahead of her 56th birthday
Kristin Davis, Sarah Jessica Parker and Cynthia Nixon are seen on the set of "And Just Like That..." James Devaney/GC Images/Getty Images

The reboot will be titled "And Just Like That..." and will appear on HBO Max.

The cast of "Sex And The City." Paramount Pictures/Getty Images

A trailer for the series, which was first shared in January, shows a montage of New York City scenes and the phrase, "And just like that... The story continues..."

The reboot will be a 10-episode limited series.

The cast of the original "Sex and the City." HBO

Rather than a new season of the original series, the reboot is being described as a "new chapter" entirely.

The show will follow the main characters "as they navigate the journey from the complicated reality of life and friendship in their 30s to the even more complicated reality of life and friendship in their 50s," according to an August press release.

Each episode will be a half-hour, just like the original.

Sarah Jessica Parker, Cynthia Nixon, and Kim Cattrall in "Sex and the City." HBO

"We have some new stories to tell," Sarah Jessica Parker wrote on Instagram. "We are excited."

Production began in July 2021, and photos show the cast filming around New York City.

Cynthia Nixon, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kristin Davis on set in New York City. Photograph by Courtesy of HBO Max

The cast of "And Just Like That..." shared the first look at the new show on July 9, almost 17 years after the original series finale aired.

"And just like that, it was day one!!" Cynthia Nixon captioned a photo on Instagram of herself, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kristin Davis on set.

Many of the cast members have been photographed during filming, and we've already had a glimpse at some incredible fashion.

The show will be released in December 2021 on HBO Max.

Kristin Davis, Sarah Jessica Parker and Cynthia Nixon are seen on the set of "And Just Like That..." James Devaney/GC Images/Getty Images

Before the official release was announced, an August press release showed "And Just Like That..." was among HBO Max's fall programming.

In October, a video from the set of "And Just Like That..." revealed the new series will come out in December.

Story continues

"[We are] shooting, as we speak, the next chapter of 'Sex and the City'  or as we like to call it, 'And Just Like That'  with some beloved friends," Sarah Jessica Parker said in the video. "'And Just Like That' will premiere in December on HBO Max."

Three of the original series' four leads will return - all except for Kim Cattrall, who played Samantha Jones.

Sarah Jessica Parker and Kim Cattrall in "Sex and the City." James Devaney/WireImage/Getty Images

According to an HBO Max news release, the new series will star Sarah Jessica Parker (Carrie Bradshaw), Kristin Davis (Charlotte York Goldenblatt), and Cynthia Nixon (Miranda Hobbes) playing their original characters.

Kim Cattrall, who played sex-positive publicist Samantha Jones, will not be returning to the new limited series.

In response to two comments on her Instagram post about whether Cattrall would be returning to the next chapter, and whether the two disliked each other, Sarah Jessica Parker said, "No. I don't dislike her. I've never said that. Never would. Samantha isn't a part of this story. But she will always be a part of us. No matter where we are or what we do."

An HBO executive revealed Samantha's character would be written out of the show but with a believable reason.

Kim Cattrall as Samantha Jones in "Sex and the City." Paramount Pictures/Newsmakers/Getty Images

In an interview with TVLine in February, HBO Max chief content officer Casey Bloys explained how the show would address Cattrall's absence.

"Just as in real life, people come into your life, people leave," Bloys said. "Friendships fade, and new friendships start. So I think it is all very indicative of the real stages, the actual stages of life."

Mr. Big, played by Chris Noth, will be in the series reboot.

Sarah Jessica Parker and Chris Noth seen filming "And Just Like That..." Gotham/GC Images

Noth played the role of Carrie's emotionally unavailable love interest in all six seasons of the original show and in both of the feature films.

Executive producer Michael Patrick King confirmed in May that Noth will be returning to play the role of Mr. Big. He's also been pictured on set in New York City, alongside Parker.

"I'm thrilled to be working with Chris again on 'And Just Like That'" King said in a statement. "How could we ever do a new chapter of the 'Sex and the City' story without our Mr. Big?"

Despite some internet rumors that the iconic couple would be broken up in the reboot, a new promo for the series showed Carrie and Mr. Big kissing.

Carrie and Mr. Big in the new "And Just Like That..." trailer. Youtube/HBO Max

In August, Noth was spotted on set alongside Sarah Jessica Parker, who was notably not wearing a wedding band.

Rumors have swirled for over two months about the fate of Mr. and Mrs. Preston after a portion of the show's script was reported on by Page Six. The leaked pages made it appear as though the couple's marriage was on the rocks or over entirely.

However, the new promo, which was released on September 19, seems to put those rumors to rest  unless the scene is from before their relationship hit the rocks. Or, as some fans suggest, the scene could even be part of a flashback sequence. We'll have to wait until the show is released to know for certain.

Willie Garson, who played Stanford Blatch, was seen filming scenes before his death in September.

Sarah Jessica Parker and Willie Garson filming a scene for the movie "Sex and the City." Marcel Thomas/FilmMagic/Getty Images

Garson had alluded to his return to the series in January by posting a photo to Instagram with a headline announcing "And Just Like That..." Kristin Davis also commented on the post, saying, "Of course Stanford will be back !!"

Garson was spotted filming the series over the summer. However, on September 21, Garson's son announced that Garson had passed away, aged 57. Tributes from his fellow cast members and friends began to pour in and HBO confirmed the loss.

"The 'Sex and the City' family has lost one of its own. Our amazing Willie Garson," executive producer Michael Patrick King said in a statement to Variety.

"His spirit and his dedication to his craft was present every day filming 'And Just Like That.' He was there  giving us his all  even while he was sick. His multitude of gifts as an actor and person will be missed by everyone. In this sad, dark moment we are comforted by our memory of his joy and light."

Other series regulars are also expected to be back.

Mario Cantone and Kristin Davis on location for "Sex and the City." James Devaney/WireImage/Getty Images

Mario Cantone, who played Stanford's husband and Charlotte's friend Anthony Marentino, will also return to the reboot, the network confirmed.

Bridget Moynahan, who played Mr. Big's much-younger wife before they divorced, was also seen on set in the summer.

David Eigenberg, who played Miranda Hobbes' love interest Steve Brady, will also be returning.

Cynthia Nixon and David Eigenberg are seen filming in New York City in July 2021 for "And Just Like That..." FZS/MEGA/GC Images via Getty Images

Despite earlier reports that Eigenberg wouldn't be returning to play Steve Brady, Miranda's bartender boyfriend-turned-husband, executive producer Michael Patrick King confirmed on June 9 that Eigenberg would be reprising his role, and he's also been seen on set.

Evan Handler will also be back as Charlotte's husband, Harry Goldenblatt.

Evan Handler, Cynthia Nixon, and David Eigenberg are seen filming "And Just Like That..." Gotham/GC Images via Getty Images

Handler played Kristin Davis' love interest in seasons five and six, as well as in both of the "Sex and the City" films. The character of Harry is universally adored by fans of the show, who were excited to learn on the reboot's Instagram page that he would be returning.

"I'm schvitzing like a pudding at a picnic THIS IS AMAZING," one fan commented.

Others wondered about his storyline and how it would play into the other characters'. Referencing Goldenblatt's career as a divorce attorney, one user commented, "Will somebody be needing his services?"

John Corbett, who played Aidan Shaw, also said he'll be appearing in "quite a few" episodes of the reboot, although that has yet to be confirmed by HBO Max.

John Corbett. Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for Celebrity Fight Night

Corbett appeared throughout three seasons of the six-season show, in addition to the second "Sex and the City" movie. Even 17 years after the show's finale, he remains a fan-favorite character.

"I'm going to do the show," Corbett told Page Six in April.

However, Corbett's casting has not been officially confirmed by the network so far. He has not been seen on set and was not among the cast listed in HBO Max's fall line-up announcement.

There'll be additions to the cast, too. The show will be getting three new main characters, all of whom are people of color.

Cynthia Nixon, Kristin Davis, Kim Cattrall, and Blair Underwood. Dimitrios Kambouris/WireImage/Getty Images

Ahead of announcing the reboot, it was apparent that diversity was at the forefront of the cast and crew's minds. TV Line reported in February that showrunner Michael Patrick King and veteran "Sex and the City" writer Elisa Zuritsky will work alongside three non-white writers to craft the scripts: comedian and author Samantha Irby, former "Fresh Off the Boat" co-executive producer Rachna Fruchbom, and "Black Lightning" writer Keli Goff.

TV Line later reported that Nixon, Parker, and Davis' group will be joined by three non-white actors, in an effort to make the show more realistic and inclusive.

HBO Max chief content officer Casey Bloys told TV Line that Parker and King "didn't want to tell a story with all-white writers or an all-white cast" because "it's not reflective of New York."

"They are being very, very conscious about understanding that New York has to reflect the way New York looks today," he said.

The first new cast member to be announced was Sara Ramirez, a nonbinary actor who famously played Dr. Callie Torres on "Grey's Anatomy."

Sara Ramirez in 2018. Theo Wargo/Getty Images

Ramirez' casting is an important one  "Sex and the City" has been criticized in the past for its lack of diversity and lack of prominent storylines featuring non-white and LGBTQ+ characters.

In the reboot, the "Grey's Anatomy" star will play comedian and podcast host Che Diaz. According to Deadline, Diaz is a nonbinary, queer character who has risen to fame through their "outrageous sense of humor and progressive, human overview of gender roles," which they discuss regularly on their podcast. Sarah Jessica Parker's character Carrie Bradshaw will be a regular guest on their podcast.

"Everyone at 'And Just Like That' is beyond thrilled that a dynamically talented actor such as Sara Ramirez has joined the 'Sex and the City' family," executive producer Michael Patrick King said in a statement. "Sara is a one-of-a-kind talent, equally at home with comedy and drama  and we feel excited and inspired to create this new character for the show."

Nicole Ari Parker, Sarita Choudhury, and Karen Pittman were also confirmed as members of the new series cast.

Nicole Ari Parker, Sarita Choudhury, and Karen Pittman. Gotham/GC Images/Dia Dipasupil/Joe Scarnici/Getty Images

"Empire" actress Nicole Ari Parker will play a Park Avenue mother of three and documentarian. Prior to being confirmed as a cast member, she was spotted on set alongside Sarah Jessica Parker, Kristin Davis, and Cynthia Nixon.

"Little Fires Everywhere" actress Sarita Choudhury will play Seema Patel, a "single, self-made powerhouse Manhattan real estate broker." Karen Pittman of "The Morning Show" also joins the cast as Dr. Nya Wallace, a law professor at Columbia.

"Everyone at 'And Just Like That' is thrilled to have these amazing and vibrant actors join the 'Sex and the City' family," executive producer Michael Patrick King said in a statement, according to Deadline. "Each of them will add their unique spark and big heart to these new characters and the stories we are about to tell."

In August, it was announced that "Hamilton" star Christopher Jackson will play Lisa Todd Wexley's husband, Jackson Herbert Wexley. LeRoy McClain, whom you might know from "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel," will portray Andre Rashad Wallace, Dr. Nya Wallace's husband.

Charlotte's and Miranda's children are all grown up - they will also be making an appearance on the show.

Cathy Ang seen on the set of "And Just Like That..." in July. James Devaney/GC Images via Getty Images

Niall Cunningham will play a grown-up version of Miranda and Steve's son, Brady Hobbes, and will have a girlfriend in the show. He is best known for his role as Tyler in "Life in Pieces."

Cathy Ang will portray Charlotte and Harry's oldest daughter, Lily Goldenblatt, while Alexa Swinton will play the role of their younger daughter, Rose.

Kristin Davis' character, Charlotte, will have a new furry best friend in the reboot.

Kristin Davis is seen filming "And Just Like That..." on July 12, 2021. Jose Perez/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images/Getty Images

Davis was spotted on the set of the show's reboot walking a French bulldog, hinting that her Cavalier King Charles Spaniel from the original series, Elizabeth Taylor, will not be making an appearance.

Michael Patrick King will return as executive producer.

"Sex in the City" executive producer Michael Patrick King and Sarah Jessica Parker in 2000. Kevin Winter/Getty Images

King, who directed the two feature films and even wrote a script for a third movie that was scrapped, will return as the limited series' executive producer. Parker, Nixon, and Davis will also executive produce the new installment, according to HBO Max.

Darren Star, the original creator of the series who also masterminded the recent Netflix series "Emily in Paris," is not said to be involved.

The reboot will address the coronavirus pandemic.

Sarah Jessica Parker is seen at the SJP By Sarah Jessica Parker store in downtown Manhattan on February 10, 2021. Jose Perez/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images/Getty Images

Parker told Vanity Fair in January that the coronavirus pandemic will "obviously be part of the storyline, because that's the city [these characters] live in. And how has that changed relationships once friends disappear? I have great faith that the writers are going to examine it all."

Read the original article on Insider
BOISE, Idaho (AP)  A former Idaho state lawmaker charged with rape earlier this month has been arrested in Georgia.

Aaron von Ehlinger is being held without bond in the Clayton County, Georgia jail on a fugitive from justice charge, according to court records. He was arrested Saturday in connection with the Idaho warrant, which charges him with rape and sexual penetration with a foreign object.

Von Ehlinger was a Republican state representative from Lewiston, Idaho when a 19-year-old legislative intern reported that he brought her to his apartment under false pretenses and raped her. At the time, von Ehlinger denied all wrongdoing and maintained he had consensual sexual contact with the woman. The AP doesnt name people who report sexual assault unless they agree to be publicly named.

A legislative ethics committee, however, found that von Ehlinger engaged in behavior unbecoming and said they would support a vote to remove him from the Idaho Statehouse. Von Ehlinger resigned from office before the vote was held.

The Idaho warrant, issued Sept. 9, would have allowed him to be freed after his arrest as long as he posted bond. But von Ehlinger did not turn himself in over the subsequent two weeks.

The details surrounding von Ehlinger's arrest in Georgia were not immediately released. Von Ehlinger made his first court appearance on the fugitive from justice charge Monday, when a judge denied him bond.

Online court records do not show if von Ehlinger has obtained an attorney, and he couldnt be reached for comment.

Georgia's fugitive from justice charge is frequently used for extradition cases, when a person is charged with a crime in one state and arrested in another. Defendants can either agree to be sent back to the state where the original charge was filed, request a hearing on the matter or ask to be released on bond. Generally, the state where the original charge was filed has about 30 days to retrieve the defendant, but sometimes that timeline is extended.

If he is convicted of the charges in Idaho, von Ehlinger could face up to life in prison and be required to register as a sex offender.
The Guardian

Small contingent of US special forces and marines training local forces in latest sign of rising US-China tensions Taiwan soldiers walk behind an armoured personnel carrier during an annual military drill in Taichung, central Taiwan, in 2017. Photograph: Sam Yeh/AFP/Getty Images The US has been secretly maintaining a small contingent of military trainers in Taiwan for at least a year, according to a new report, the latest sign of the rising stakes in US-China rivalry. About two dozen US special
PATRICK T. FALLON

A nationwide surge in the availability of bogus prescription pills containing fentanyl is killing unsuspecting Americans at an unprecedented rate, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) warned Monday in an urgent bulletin.

More than 9.5 million counterfeit pills were seized so far this year, which is more than the last two years combined, states the Public Safety Alert, the agencys first in six years. DEA laboratory testing reveals a dramatic rise in the number of counterfeit pills containing at least two milligrams of fentanyl, which is considered a lethal dose.

The number of fentanyl-laced counterfeit pills seized by the DEA has soared nearly 430 percent since 2019, the agency saysclaiming that two out of every five of those pills contained a potentially lethal dose, according to the DEA lab. The barrier to entry for dealers is low. Pill-pressing machines can be purchased online for a few hundred dollars. A die to stamp each tablet with the Xanax logo runs $155.

A counterfeit Xanax pill DEA

Counterfeit pills are made to look like the real thing, and are often almost impossible for an average person to tell apart. Some of the most commonly faked drugs include opioids such as Oxycontin, Percocet, Vicodin, and Xanax, as well as stimulants used to treat ADHD like Adderall, counterfeit versions of which can contain pure meth. More than 93,000 people died in the United States of a drug overdose last year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And fentanyl, says the DEA alert, is the primary driver of this alarming increase in overdose deaths. Earlier this month, actor Michael K. Williams died after using heroin and cocaine he didnt know had been laced with fentanyl, the New York City medical examiners office announced last week.

A real Xanax pill DEA

A review of court filings from across the nation offers a glimpse at just how pervasive the problem of fentanyl-spiked pills has become. (And no, you cant overdose on fentanyl just by touching it.)

Story continues

In Ohio, a local man allegedly pressed phony Xanax pills using fentanyl on a machine in his home. The product, which reportedly looked identical to the real thing, was responsible for numerous overdose deaths in the area, according to prosecutors.

In Tennessee, the DEA identified a drug trafficker selling tablets that looked nearly identical to Percocet pills but were in fact a mixture of alprazolam, acetaminophen, and fentanyl. At least one user died after taking what they thought were 10 mg Percocets, and at least seven others were hospitalized.

In South Florida, a husband found his wife dead of an overdose after she took what looked like legitimate oxycodonePercocetbut was actually a counterfeit containing a fentanyl analog.

This alert does not apply to legitimate pharmaceutical medications prescribed by medical professionals and dispensed by licensed pharmacists, states Mondays DEA bulletin. The legitimate prescription supply chain is not impacted. Anyone filling a prescription at a licensed pharmacy can be confident that the medications they receive are safe when taken as directed by a medical professional.

Drug traffickers know their market backwards and forwards, according to the DEAs 2020 National Drug Threat Assessment. Mexican traffickers have consistently chosen to counterfeit a brand of licit 30 mg oxycodone pills that have been regularly diverted for years to the street market for opioids, the report states, explaining that dealers are taking advantage of an established market for these pills to increase the profit margins with fentanyl.

But being able to fill prescriptions at a pharmacyor, more accurately, not being able to fill themis inextricably linked to the issue at hand, according to Tracey Helton, a recovering opioid user who now works as a harm reduction counselor in Chicago.

With supply intentionally constricted by authorities trying to make a dent in the addiction problem without an associated decrease in consumer demand, the market for fakes was ready and waiting to be exploited.

Cartels have figured out that you can buy fentanyl very, very cheap, and make pills using a press and sell them as Percocets, Helton told The Daily Beast. People fighting cancer cant get pain prescriptions. They swung so far back in the other direction, a narrow opening for making money has turned into a cavern.

Fentanyl-laced drugs are a relatively recent development, and their distribution has ramped up to unprecedented levels thanks in part to the dark web, said Adam Scott Wandt, an assistant professor of public policy at New York Citys John Jay College of Criminal Justice.

Wandt, who received a grant from the Department of Justice to study the effects of the dark web on underground drug markets, said U.S. law enforcement is essentially treading water in dealing with the fentanyl crisis.

Theres no doubt in my mind that the DEA and Customs and Border Protection and other law enforcement agencies are perfecting their game in trying to seize fentanyl when it gets shipped into the U.S., Wandt told The Daily Beast. Its not like law enforcement is sitting on their hands, but as the government gets better [at their job], so do drug dealers.

To Wandt, making any headway on the issue requires a two-pronged response. That is, as the largely failed war on drugs has shown, the U.S. is not going to arrest its way out of the countrys insatiable demand for mind-altering substances.

To be sure, authorities need to get a better handle on tracking the precursor chemicals that are used to manufacture illicit fentanyl, said Wandt. Police also need to crack down on dark web markets, and try to disrupt the retail supply chain, he explained.

But thats not going to do it alone, said Wandt, who noted the importance of viewing the fentanyl problem as a public health issue and making things like beds in rehab centers available for those who need them.

We did it to ourselves, said Wandt. We accidentally started a second wave opioid crisis in this country that was worse than the first wave that we had. And theres no doubt in my mind that there are a huge number of people that did not mean to become opioid-addicted, that went to their doctors looking for legitimate help, and then spiraled out of control from there. Purdue Pharma and other companies were telling doctors that [Oxycontin] wasnt too addictive, that it was safe to use. And its caused us catastrophic results.

Helton equates the rise of counterfeit pills containing fentanyl with the days of Prohibition, when people couldnt get liquor and made bathtub gin from ingredients that routinely poisoned them.

With fentanyl entering the recreational drug supply in such numbers, all drug users today need to think like heroin users, said Helton. Normally, someone using, say, Xanax, wouldnt think about having a supply of Narcan on hand when they take a pill. Or having someone around to administer the shot if they begin to OD. Not anymore.

I started doing overdose prevention in 1999, and we were telling people to use with a friend, Helton said. Now were back to the same thing. Its not like when people find out their cocaine has fentanyl in it, they're going to stop using. But how do you use it more safely? What if one of [my teenagers] friends takes a fake Xanax bar? Because it's happening. Were not trying to scare anyone. Were trying to get them to be prepared in a way that they have never been prepared before.

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.
A Florida deputy who was shot twice while performing a traffic stop on a still-at-large suspect died from his injuries Sunday afternoon.

Nassau County Sheriffs Deputy Joshua Moyers, 29, died at UF Health in Jacksonville around 2:20 p.m. Sunday, two days after he was shot, Sheriff Bill Leeper announced.

Please keep Joshs family and fiance in your thoughts and prayers as we navigate this terrible tragedy, Leeper said in a statement.

Moyers was shot once in the face and once in the back around 2:30 a.m. Friday when he pulled over the driver of a stolen minivan, identified by police as 35-year-old Patrick McDowell despite giving a fake name when he was pulled over.

When Moyers attempted to get McDowell, a trained Marine, out of the car, the suspect allegedly shot him in the face, then again in the back after he fell.

McDowell and the woman in the passenger seat then drove off, racing across train tracks just seconds before the warning arms came down, according to the Nassau County Sheriffs Office.

When the pair got out of the car and hid in a shed nearby, the woman told McDowell that she didnt want to be involved, left and called police.

A deputy called in for backup arrived less than a minute after the shooting and found Moyers.

A massive manhunt is still underway for McDowell, with more than 300 investigators from multiple law enforcement agencies around the state searching for the suspect.

Leeper said Saturday that officials believe McDowell is still in the area after finding his flashlight and hat.

Police also believe McDowell shot a K9 officer on Friday with a rifle that has since been recovered.

If youre in a home, and he breaks in your home and you have a gun, blow him out the door, Leeper said. Because hes like a rabid animal. He will kill you.

A reward of more than $50,000 is available for information that leads to McDowells arrest.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Nassau County Sheriffs Office at 904-225-5174 or Crimestoppers at 1-866-845-TIPS.

McDowell was last seen wearing a black T-shirt, white undershirt, camouflage shorts and black shoes. He is listed at 60 and 170 pounds with brown hair and blue eyes, with a tattoo on his left shoulder that says Death Before Dishonor and another on his right arm that says EGA.

Moyers is survived by his fiancee, Ivy.
Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission officers ride up a private road near the entrance of the Carlton Reserve during a search for Brian Laundrie, on Sept. 21, 2021, in Venice, Florida. AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack

A Florida rancher told Fox News he doesn't think Brian Laundrie is in the swamp police are searching.

The 25,000-acre Carlton Reserve is unsurvivable for more than a few days, Alan McEwen said.

He added Laundrie likely isn't dead in the reserve because he hasn't seen buzzards flying overhead.

Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

A Florida cattle rancher told Fox News he doesn't believe Brian Laundrie is dead or alive in the swamp police are searching.

Laundrie went missing on September 17, just two days after he was declared a person of interest in the disappearance of his fiancee, Gabby Petito. Her body was found in Wyoming, where the couple had been on a cross-country road trip.

Laundrie's parents told authorities he was camping in the Carlton Reserve, a 25,000-acre recreational preserve in Florida.

Alan McEwen, a rancher who has been helping the North Port Police Department in their search, remains doubtful that Laundrie would have made it more than a few days in the swamp-like woods, let alone two weeks. And if he were dead in the reserve, they'd have found the body by now, McEwen said.

"Anything dead you find in the woods, you're gonna look up, you're gonna see buzzards flying like crazy," he told Fox News. "No buzzards, no body is my theory. And I haven't seen any buzzards flying."

This police camera video provided by The Moab Police Department shows Brian Laundrie talking to a police officer after police pulled over the van he was traveling in with his girlfriend, Gabby Petito, near the entrance to Arches National Park on Aug. 12, 2021. The Moab Police Department via AP

Since Laundrie went missing, storms have flooded the woods and parking lot where Laundrie left his car, Fox News reported.

If he were somehow able to brave the wet conditions, the Carlton Reserve is habitat to major predators, including alligators, panthers, black bears, feral hogs, and rattlesnakes.

Plus, McEwan told Fox News it's easy to enter the reserve and go off in a number of directions that lead to major highways or other wilderness areas.

"I've been in the woods in and out all my life  I have learned a lot in my life, and one thing I know is no one is gonna survive out there for two weeks on foot," McEwen said.

North Port Police Department spokesman Josh Taylor told Insider on Monday that the search for Laundrie in the reserve is going to be "scaled back" this week and the FBI is now leading the search.

Read the original article on Insider
Good morning and welcome to Fox News First. Here's what you need to know as you start your day 

Gabby Petito case: Dispatch recordings show Utah police were told male struck female

Minutes after Utah police were told about a report of a man striking a woman and taking off in a white Ford Transit van with Florida plates, officers pulled over Brian Laundrie and Gabby Petito and appeared to zero-in on her as the aggressor, dispatch radio recordings show.

"RP (reporting party) states seeing a male hit a female, domestic," the dispatcher states at around 4:38 p.m. MT on the day of the incident. "He got into a white Ford Transit van, has a black ladder on the back, Florida plate."

The dispatch audio, first obtained by the investigative unit at FOX 13 Utah , shows the dispatcher did in fact inform the officers of allegations that Laundrie had been the aggressor  shedding new light on a situation that initially seemed like police didn't know about the witness' claims.

After an officer asks for the witness phone number and victim location, the dispatcher again indicates that Laundrie had struck Petito.

"Phone number is [redacted], names [redacted]," the dispatcher responds at 4:42 p.m. "Im not sure [inaudible], but the female who got hit, they both, the male and the female, both got into the van and headed north."

Under Utah law , officers are required to make an arrest or issue a citation when they have "probable cause to believe that an act of domestic violence has been committed." Moab city officials announced an external investigation into their police departments handling of the call earlier this week.

GABBY PETITO: SEARCH FOR BRIAN LAUNDRIE WILL BE SCALED BACK AND TARGETED: LIVE UPDATES

In other developments:

- Gabby Petito: Search for Brian Laundrie will be 'scaled back and targeted': LIVE UPDATES

- Gabby Petito case: FBI visits Brian Laundrie's family's home, asks for items to help with 'DNA matching'

- Nancy Grace takes a deep dive into murder mysteries surrounding Murdaugh family

Story continues

FedEx employee out after posting TikTok rant vowing not to deliver to homes supportive of Biden, BLM, or Harris

A former FedEx employee is out of a job after posting a profanity-laced rant on TikTok in which he vowed never to deliver packages to the homes of people who support, President Joe Biden , Vice President Kamala Harris , or Black Lives Matter.

The employee, identified as Vincent Paterno, posted the video on TikTok on Sept. 16. In the video, he appears to be seated in a delivery truck.

"What's up TikTok," Paterno says while wearing his FedEx uniform. "Just wanted to come on here and let all you know, [I]f you have a Joe Biden, Kamala f---ing camel toe (flag) posted up  Black Lives Matter  I will not deliver your s---. I will not deliver your s---. I will bring that back to the station. And Ill keep doing that s---. Have a good day."

Comments on the video predicted his imminent firing.

It remains unclear whether Paterno was fired or quit his job. Multiple reports said Paterno was fired. Paterno himself said in TikTok comments that he quit. FedEx only said that Paterno is no longer with the company.

"We are appalled by the behavior depicted in this video, which does not reflect the views of FedEx," a representative said in a statement. "This individual is no longer providing service on behalf of the company." CLICK HERE FOR MORE .

In other developments:

- Newt Gingrich: Biden's border disaster  here's why it will just keep getting worse

- Brittany Aldean, her kids sport anti-Joe Biden clothing on social media

- Trump turns up heat in attacks on top Georgia Republicans, touts pro-Trump candidates

- COVID cover: Biden issues new policy to distract from multiple crises, critics say

- WaPo columnist savaged for downplaying $3.5 trillion bill and saying it will be paid for

Petco Park deaths 'appeared to be suspicious,' police say

A horrific incident at Petco Park over the weekend was being described by police as "suspicious" as the San Diego Padres played their final game at the stadium on Sunday.

A woman and a child fell to their deaths on Saturday moments before the Padres were about to play the Atlanta Braves. San Diego police said an investigation was ongoing into their deaths but noted that it "appeared to be suspicious," according to the San Diego Union-Tribune .

A 40-year-old woman and 2-year-old boy fell from the third level of the ballpark and were pronounced dead shortly after 4 p.m. local time, police said. Their identities were not immediately released. Police said the father was at the ballpark when the fall occurred.

"Our hearts obviously go out to the family, but also to the people who here could potentially be traumatized who saw this," Lt. Andra Brown said Saturday, via the newspaper. "Its a horrible, horrible thing. Thats why were giving it a very serious look."

Brown said police are still speaking with the father of the child. She said he was not married to the woman who died, according to CBS 8 .

Police kept the area shut down Sunday as they continue to investigate, according to FOX 5 San Diego . Police were hoping for any witnesses to the incident to come forward. The Padres said they were not commenting further other than offering their thoughts and prayers, citing an ongoing investigation. CLICK HERE FOR MORE .

In other developments:

- These NFL teams remain unbeaten through Week 3

- Chiefs give health update on Andy Reid after coach was taken to hospital

- Aaron Rodgers leads Packers to thrilling victory over 49ers

- Lions fans boo ownership during Calvin Johnson's Hall of Fame ceremony

- Collin Morikawa clinches Ryder Cup victory for US: 'Its a dominant win'

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

TODAY'S MUST-READS:

- Liz Cheney: I was wrong to oppose gay marriage in the past

- Watch anti-vaccine mandate protesters storm food court in Dem-run city

- Scott rips liberal elites for not working with the GOP on police reform

- Co-host reveals surprising curve about COVID tests that pulled them off air

- 18 months of rough headlines for CNN's star anchor

THE LATEST FROM FOX BUSINESS:

- Fed preparing for doomsday situation as standoff continues in Congress

- Multimillionaire Bidens use of S corporations draws scrutiny by Republican who sees hypocrisy

- WHO seeks to revive stalled inquiry into origins of Covid-19 with new team

- Bitcoin miners eye nuclear power as environmental criticism mounts

- China wields new legal weapon to fight claims of intellectual property theft

- Cargo piles up as California ports jostle over how to resolve delays

CLICK HERE TO PLAY FOX NEWS CROSSWORD PUZZLE OF THE WEEK

SOME PARTING WORDS

Fox Nation host Nancy Grace took a dive into the mysterious murder saga surrounding the Murdaugh family during the special "Murdaugh Murder Mystery A Nancy Grace Investigation," which aired Sunday evening.

"So far we can connect five dead bodies to the Murdaugh family," Grace said. "Are those coincidental connections, or is there something more to it?"

"Their [family] name is not only revered but feared, depending on who you talk to," the host added. "None of that matters to me at all."

Not signed up yet for Fox News First? Click here to find out what you're missing.

Fox News Go Watch page is now available, providing visitors with Pay TV provider options in their area carrying Fox News Channel and Fox Business Network.

Fox News First was compiled by Fox News' David Aaro. Thank you for making us your first choice in the morning! Well see you in your inbox first thing Tuesday.
A memorial for Gabby Petito at North Ports City Hall (Getty Images)

Authorities have banned members of the public from leaving flowers at a makeshift Gabby Petito memorial at the Laundrie family home in Florida.

A delivery worker from a local florist in North Port who tried to leave flowers at the home on Monday afternoon was ordered to remove them by police.

The exchange was caught on video by reporter Brian Entin.

Theres no memorial here, the police officer says. Public works are going to come here and throw it in the garbage.

After police left, more members of the public arrived and were able to leave flowers at the address.

Meanwhile, the search of the alligator-infested Carlton Reserve near the Laundrie home has been officially taken over by FBI.

North Port Police said on Monday the search of the reserve was likely to be scaled back, as torrential rainfall had left trails under waist-deep water, hindering search efforts.

I dont think youre going to see those large-scale types of efforts this week, North Port Police Department spokesperson Josh Taylor said.

Hopefully, water will lower in areas hard to currently access.

The Laundrie home has attracted a large presence of members of the public and media since Brian Laundrie disappeared two weeks ago.

Protesters with loudhailers have turned out each day to call for Mr Laundries parents Christopher and Roberta to tell authorities what they know about his whereabouts.
Annalena Baerbock. Filip Singer - Pool/Getty Images

First place isn't all it's cracked up to be.

Germany's Social Democratic Party pulled out a close victory on Sunday, finishing just ahead of the conservative Christian Democratic Union-Christian Social union in the country's parliamentary elections. The party was far short of a majority, but the win puts them in a good position to head up the country's next governing coalition in the post-Angela Merkel era. That is, unless they're upended in their quest by the election's third- and fourth-place finishers.

The left-leaning Green Party and the pro-business, liberal Free Democrats are both primed for a "kingmaker" a role, and they seem well-aware of it. "We have been given a clear mandate by the voters to ensure a new beginning in our country," said the Green's co-leader, Annalena Baerbock, per the Financial Times.

FT reports that both parties have agreed that, despite their political differences, they're going to confer before making any deals with the other parties because. "Neither the CDU/CSU nor the SPD stand for a new start," said Christian Linder, the leader of the FDP. "That is why it makes sense that our two parties speak to each other first." Read more at the Financial Times.

You may also like

Jimmy Fallon and Nicole Kidman almost make it through an interview without residual awkwardness from dating miss

Democrats are governing like Republicans

How America's shredding of international law enabled the Tigray crisis
Dozens of people have been killed in two attacks in Nigeria's northwest while suspected jihadists raided a military base in another nearby state, officials said on Monday, as the region struggles with a surge in violence.

Criminal gangs known locally as bandits have terrorised northwest and central Nigeria for years, but they have become more brazen in recent months and the military has renewed operations in a bid to end the attacks.

On Sunday, unidentified gunmen attacked Madamai village in Kaduna State, leaving 34 residents dead and seven others wounded," state security commissioner Samuel Aruwan said.

Troops came under fire before forcing the assailants to withdraw after an intense exchange, he said in a statement.

Also on Sunday, gunmen attacked a church in the Kachia district of Kaduna State, killing at least one person, he said.

Sunday's violence led to reprisals by unidentified assailants on communities in Kacecere in Kaduna, which left another eight dead, six injured and several houses razed, Aruwan said in a second statement without giving details on when that violence took place.

The bandits who raid villages, steal cattle, kidnap for ransom and burn homes, have no known ideology.

But analysts see signs of growing cooperation between the gangs and jihadists fighting a 12-year Islamist insurgency in the northeast.

The military began an anti-bandit campaign earlier this month in Zamfara State and other northern states have imposed restrictions on movement and trade as well as a telecoms blackout to try to control the gunmen.

Armed bandits have been fleeing their camps in Zamfara and spilling into neighbouring states, according to officials and residents.

Nigeria's military said suspected Islamic State-aligned fighters and criminals were behind an attack on a base in northwest Sokoto State that a resident and medical source had said killed 17 security personnel.

The Islamic State West Africa Province group is active in the northeast since 2016, a thousand miles away from the northwest.

Story continues

- Base attack -

Security forces said they had repelled the other major attack on Sunday morning which occurred at Burkusuma camp, in Sabon Birni, Sokoto state, close to the border with Niger.

"Troops... successfully repelled an attack by suspected Islamic State West African Province (ISWAP) terrorists and bandits on the Forward Operation Base (FOB) at Burkusuma," Director of Defence Information Benjamin Sawyer said in a statement Monday.

News of the attack was slow to emerge due to limited communications as authorities in Sokoto have imposed a partial restriction on mobile phone networks.

"The attackers came in large numbers using a telecom network provided from a neighbouring country," Sawyer added.

A resident of Sabon Birni, Attahiru Umeh, said the gunmen "killed 17 security personnel including five soldiers, nine policemen and three civil defence corps officers."

A medical source at a public hospital in the capital Sokoto said he was aware of 17 bodies of "uniformed personnel" brought to the morgue in Sabon Birni.

Police and military sources declined to say how many people were killed or injured in the attack.

"Many of the ISWAP fighters were eliminated while some scrambled away with various degrees of injuries," said Sawyerr.

The military said some of the fighters fled to Bassira, in neighbouring Niger, and that efforts were ongoing with Nigerien forces to stabilise the area.

A source in Niger told AFP that "a dozen Nigerian soldiers, between 12 and 14, sought refuge in Niger, in Bassira, after an attack on their base by bandits." The soldiers were sent back to Nigeria on Sunday, the source added.

Sabon Birni district has been repeatedly attacked by armed groups along with neighbouring Rabah and Isa districts.

In May last year, 60 people were killed when gangs raided multiple villages in the district, according to officials.

The gangs have been increasingly targeting schools this year, kidnapping students and schoolchildren to squeeze ransom from authorities and parents.

lhd/pma/pvh
The Daily Beast

NewsmaxA noticeably uncomfortable Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) nervously chuckled on Wednesday night when he was asked about Stephanie Grishams claim that he cozied up to former President Donald Trump to mop up the freebies like there was no tomorrow.And in the end, Graham didnt deny the former Trump press secretarys accusation that hes Senator Freeloader.Towards the end of his Tuesday night interview with the South Carolina lawmaker, Newsmax anchor Rob Schmitt brought up the claims from G
The funding proposals in the big infrastructure legislation being hashed out in Congress have the potential to transform the way people and goods move about the country  while also reducing their carbon footprint and addressing inequities in transportation.

Stay on top of the latest market trends and economic insights with Axios Markets. Subscribe for free

The big picture: More people would be driving electric cars, for example, and lower-income people would have better access to public transit to get to affordable housing, work and school.

High-speed trains could well become the preferred way to travel between certain metro areas, rather than flying, which is harmful to the environment.

Cleaner hydrogen trucks could also get a boost from more R&D funding.

Between the lines: People whove been on the fence about purchasing an electric vehicle could be persuaded to buy one for two reasons:

Bigger tax credits  up to $12,500 per vehicle  would be more widely available, making EVs more affordable.

Range anxiety  the fear of being stranded with a dead battery  would be less of a worry because $13.5 billion would be spent on EV infrastructure, including more public charging stations.

The intrigue: Not everyone can afford a car  or a home  so House Democrats are proposing an innovative program that would link public transit and affordable housing.

A joint program between the Federal Transit Administration and the Department of Housing and Urban Development would provide $10 billion in grants to support struggling communities.

If approved, lower-income people would have better access to jobs, health care and education.

Their neighborhoods could be enhanced, with $4 billion proposed to remove highways that divided communities.

What we're watching: More people could be riding the train too, if Congress goes ahead with a big increase in government funding for rail, which is seen as a more efficient and sustainable mode of transportation.

The bipartisan infrastructure bill includes $66 billion for Amtrak and other rail projects.

Through budget reconciliation, House Democrats want to add $10 billion more for high-speed rail that would connect to local and regional transportation networks.

More from Axios: Sign up to get the latest market trends with Axios Markets. Subscribe for free
(Bloomberg) -- iPhone assembly operations in China are beginning to reduce their energy consumption because of a sudden power crunch in the country, which has triggered government-imposed curbs on a range of businesses.

Most Read from Bloomberg

Pegatron Corp., a key partner for Apple Inc. and one of the assemblers of its iPhone, said on Monday that its taking energy-saving measures to comply with local government policies. Still, the firms responsible for producing the Apple handset have avoided drastic cutbacks in production so far and appear to be getting preferential access to energy in order to keep operations going, according to people familiar with the situation.

Pegatrons iPhone facility in the eastern city of Kunshan will be only modestly affected, two of the people said, asking not to be named because the information is not public. Theres been no major impact on a nearby Luxshare Precision Industry Co. iPhone assembly unit, and the company continues to ready key products for shipment in line with its original schedule, one of the people said.

Curbs on industrial energy use have been imposed across several provinces, including economic powerhouses Jiangsu and Guangdong, as Chinese officials pursue President Xi Jinpings carbon-neutral push and react to escalating coal and gas prices. The continued operations of Apple suppliers suggest Beijing may be excepting the advanced manufacturing sector from its power sanctions.

Pegatrons iPhone production facility in Shanghai and Foxconn Technology Groups key Apple handset manufacturing base in Zhengzhou -- known as iPhone City -- have continued uninterrupted, several of the people said.

Story continues

Read more: China Power Crunch Is Next Economic Shock Beyond Evergrande

Pegatron has been adopting energy- and water-saving measures over the past few years and there is a comprehensive response program for the current situation to reduce the impact on our operations and production capacity, the company said in a texted statement.

While the iPhone supply chain appears resilient for now, executives at major Apple suppliers are closely monitoring developments, according to the people. Foxconn and Luxshare representatives did not respond to requests for comment and an Apple spokesperson did not immediately respond.

Exports remain a key growth driver for China, with Foxconn and other tech hardware manufacturers being the countrys top exporters and among its biggest employers.

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

2021 Bloomberg L.P.
BAGHDAD (AP)  Representatives from Iran and Saudi Arabia have held a new round of talks in Baghdad, two Iraqi officials said Monday, in the first such meeting between the regional foes since a new president was sworn in in Tehran.

The meeting held last week discussed pending issues between the two countries according to a previously agreed on roadmap, including diplomatic representation between the two countries, according to one Iraqi official.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to give official statements, said the meeting was not on a ministerial level, but described the talks as positive.

Iraq has recently played the role of mediator between the two regional foes whose rivalry has often played out to deadly consequences in Iraq and elsewhere in the region.

Multiple rounds of discussions have been held in Baghdad since the first direct talks between Riyadh and Tehran took place in early April. Saudi Arabia has sought talks with Iran as the kingdom tries to end its years-long war in Yemen against Iran-backed Houthi rebels, having lost an unflinching supporter in President Joe Bidens predecessor, Donald Trump. Iran, meanwhile, appears to have calculated that a gradual detente with Saudi Arabia, a longtime U.S. ally, will work in its favor during renewed nuclear talks with Washington and world powers.

Last month, Baghdad hosted a regional conference that brought together Arab heads of state and senior officials including the foreign ministers of Iran and Saudi Arabia. The meeting, meant to ease Mideast tensions, cemented Baghdads new role as mediator.

The meeting last week is the first since Iranian hard-line President Ebrahim Raisi took office in August. It was not clear how much progress, if any, has been made in the talks.

Iran and Saudi Arabia have long been regional rivals. Relations worsened considerably in 2016, when Riyadh removed its diplomats after protesters attacked its embassy in Tehran and consulate in Mashhad in retaliation for the kingdom executing a prominent Shiite cleric, Nimr al-Nimr.
Though he is beset by turmoil overseas, confronting chaos at the border and struggling to contain a deadly pandemic back home, the presidents main challenge this week comes from his own party.

With his economic and domestic policy agenda on the line, President Joe Biden needs a big win from his fellow Democrats, whose early unity around his presidency has been strained as summer turns to fall. Bidens now trying to coax them back together  and avert an electoral disaster in 2022.

From Camp David, he worked the phones with lawmakers over the weekend, urging them to support the multitrillion spending package party leaders are looking to pass this month. Senior adviser Steve Ricchetti, Biden top economic adviser Brian Deese, another economic adviser, David Kamin and the White Houses legislative affairs team led by Louisa Terrell lobbied lawmakers too, visiting the Hill, calling members and holding Zoom sessions with them.

Allies are spending another $4 million in ads starting this week urging unity around two massive spending plans, according to numbers made available to POLITICO by Climate Power & the League of Conservation Voters. And Build Back Together, an outside group closely aligned with the White House, is pushing out messaging to local media outlets, which it views as the most trusted news, asking Democrats to convey that Bidens economic plans are popular, popular, popular, according to the groups talking points, the toplines of which stress middle class tax cuts, jobs and making the wealthiest Americans and corporations pay more.

Collectively, it is a throw-everything-at-the-wall attempt to push through a $3.5 trillion Democrat-only social and climate spending plan along with a bipartisan infrastructure package with a $550 billion price tag. And it illustrates the sense of desperation that has taken over the party as those agenda items seem painfully close to failing in Congress.

The impact on Democrats if they come up short: Disastrous, said John Podesta, a veteran Democrat and former counselor to Barack Obama.

Story continues

You need all three of those things to have any hope of keeping their majorities in the 2022 midterms, Podesta said, referring to the American Rescue Plan, a $1.9 trillion Covid relief package that passed in the spring, as well as the two pending plans. If you pull out the fact that when Democrats were in control they couldnt do anything for you, then drawing attention to how wacky the Republicans have become doesnt mean a lot.

Inside the White House, the tension heading into this week is palpable, aides and allies said.

The presidents approval numbers have been stuck in the mid-40s for weeks. Each attempt at recalibration on its pandemic response  the main force driving down his numbers  has been overshadowed by other world events, from the U.S. troop withdrawal from Afghanistan to the troubling scenes of Haitian migrants gathering at the southern border.

Hungry for progress on the domestic front, the White House is now in a compromising state of mind. The president has made it clear he is willing to accept less than the $3.5 trillion that has been the sticker price for his Build Back Better plan, even as his aides publicly say that the cost will ultimately be nothing since it will all be paid for.

Inside the White House, the goal increasingly is to simply get the package over the goal line.

They need a win, said Amanda Loveday, senior adviser with Unite the Country, a pro-Biden super PAC, pointing to Afghanistan, the economy and turmoil at the U.S. border on top of the pandemic. Theyre all connected. If youre able to get more Americans vaccinated, youre able to see the economy continue to grow. All of it is an intersecting web, the nucleus is a better America for the people of this country.

Where the White House finds optimism is in the experience of its staff. A person familiar with the White Houses thinking noted that those in charge of ultimately cutting the deals, like Ricchetti, have been in tough legislative battles in past administrations and even earlier this year.

They understand that until the vote has been cast, they should be worried, the person said. That was the case with the rescue plan, that was the case with the bipartisan infrastructure deal coming together, that was the case with the budget resolutions and that is going to be the case with both of these bills. That until the votes have actually been cast, they'll be working as hard as they can to make sure they do pass.

But few legislative vehicles are as complicated to pass as the current package, which relies on progressives and moderates in the party to find commonality on massive domestic spending and taxation policy while trusting each others motivations. Democratic allies of the White House said this past week that they feared the presidents team had been caught off guard by the stalemate between the two sides of the party and was playing a massive game of catch up with House votes slated on both the infrastructure component and reconciliation bill this week.

In anticipation of those votes, new ads funded by Climate Power and the League of Conservation Voters  two of the most aggressive champions of the climate components of the reconciliation bill  will go live on TV and digitally this week. The new spending is in addition to $9 million in ads the groups have already been aired in key districts. Rep. Kathleen Rices (D-N.Y.) New York district and Rep. Stephanie Murphys (D-Fla.) Florida district are among those targeted with ads underscoring the need to tackle climate change.

A Tuesday news conference held by Climate Power and League of Conservation Voters will also amplify messaging that ties climate change to the economic packages. Reps. Sharice Davids (D-Kan.), Steven Horsford (D-Nev.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Susie Lee (D-Nev.), Mikie Sherrill (D-N.J.), and Lauren Underwood (D-Ill.) are set to join the groups.

Last week, Podesta sent a memo to every Democratic congressional office warning the party could lose its majority if lawmakers didnt coalesce around a bigger spending package. He also pushed for the need to act on the climate while underscoring the political realities that would keep various Democratic factions from getting what they wanted. It was a major turn for Podesta, who earlier this year had urged the White House to not hold out for Republicans on an infrastructure package.

Jesse Ferguson, a Democratic strategist who regularly helps run focus groups that look at issues facing the White House, downplayed Bidens dropping polling numbers as a typical consequence of the realities of governing.

Anyone who has thought that initial polling numbers at the start of the administration would hold for four years doesnt understand the partisan climate in which we live, he said.

But Bidens numbers  with a Gallup poll last week putting him at just 43 percent approval  remain a concern both in the White House and among Democrats facing tough midterms next year. Donald Trumps Gallup approval was in the upper 30s at this time in 2017 and Republicans took a pummeling in the midterms the following year.

Still, Ferguson said in the samplings hes seen, Americans are pointing more and more to a faction of the minority they blame for holding back the countrys progress on Covid. The biggest imperative going forward, he said, is to now show he is successfully solving these problems and at the same time when they cant be solved, making clear whos to blame.

Sam Stein contributed to this report.
Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) asks questions to a panel of pharmaceutical company CEOs during a hearing held by the Senate Finance Committee on "Drug Pricing in America: A Prescription for Change, Part II" February 26, 2019 in Washington, DC. The committee heard testimony from a panel of pharmaceutical company CEOs on the reasons for rising costs of prescription drugs. Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images

Wyden is introducing a bill to mandate states provide at least 26 weeks of benefits.

"This system has been intentionally broken to minimize the numbers of jobless workers who can access it," he said in a statement.

The Oregon Democrat wants to include the measure in a $3.5 trillion spending plan.

See more stories on Insider's business page.

Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon, chair of the Senate Finance Committee, unveiled a new bill on Monday to compel states to provide at least 26 weeks of unemployment benefits, a move aimed at establishing a uniform standard for jobless Americans.

The legislation is an attempt to forge a national standard out of the country's patchwork of state unemployment systems, which vary greatly from one state to the next. For example, Florida residents qualify for up to 19 weeks of jobless payments, but Alabama residents can only get unemployment checks for 14 weeks, per the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.

"This proposal makes a down payment on long-overdue reform to our unemployment system, and was designed to fit in our upcoming package," Wyden said in a statement to Insider. "This system has been intentionally broken to minimize the numbers of jobless workers who can access it, and we're going take significant steps toward fixing it."

The measure is also backed by Sens. Sherrod Brown of Ohio and Michael Bennet of Colorado. Brown heads the Senate Banking Committee.

Wyden said the plan would ensure six months of benefits and coverage for part-time workers and improve the administration of aging state unemployment programs. The bill would compel state online filing systems to be available around the clock and be accessible for non-English speakers, among other fixes. It also intends to prevent states from cutting the length of unemployment benefits, as many did after the Great Recession.

"Senator Wyden's bill offers Democrats a way to make a down payment on long overdue fixes to the unemployment system," Andrew Stettner, a senior fellow and jobless-policy expert at the left-leaning Century Foundation, said in a statement to Insider.

Story continues

Bennet, Brown, and Wyden want the measure to form part of the Democratic $3.5 trillion spending plan that's moving through Congress. It is not clear whether the provisions will garner unanimous support from all 50 Senate Democrats needed to clear the party-line reconciliation process.

Wyden has long pushed to overhaul how states manage their unemployment programs after many melted down at the onset of the pandemic. Millions of out-of-work Americans reported delays in receiving checks, with many jamming phone lines or lining up at state offices in frantic efforts to secure government assistance.

Last year, Congress approved several measures to beef up unemployment checks, with $600 per week from March 2020 through July 2020. After a lapse, lawmakers authorized $300 weekly federal benefits from December 2020 until September 6, along with extending eligibility to gig workers and long-term unemployed people.

Those federal initiatives expired on Labor Day, cutting off at least 8.5 million people from all jobless aid.

"After abruptly ending pandemic extended benefits amidst the Delta surge, the least Congress can do is make sure jobless workers get at least 26 weeks of benefits regardless of where they live and lose their job," Stettner said.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Los Angeles County is moving to dismiss nearly 60,000 marijuana convictions, an ongoing effort to reverse the "injustices of drug laws," District Attorney George Gascon announced Monday.

Why it matters: It comes more than four years after Californians voted to legalize the drug, and two years after state law tasked prosecutors to review the convictions.

Stay on top of the latest market trends and economic insights with Axios Markets. Subscribe for free

About 20,000 of the convictions to be dismissed were for "felony possession or cultivation of marijuana," with some cases dating as far back as the 1970s, per the Los Angeles Times.

Roughly 66,000 cannabis convictions were dismissed in Los Angeles County last year, per the release. Gascon, acting as district attorney for San Francisco, had expunged more than 9,300 cases in 2019.

What they're saying: "Dismissing these convictions means the possibility of a better future to thousands of disenfranchised people who are receiving this long-needed relief," Gascon said in a statement.

"It clears the path for them to find jobs, housing and other services that previously were denied to them because of unjust cannabis laws," he added.

More from Axios: Sign up to get the latest market trends with Axios Markets. Subscribe for free
Lauren Patten accepts the Tony Award for best performance by an actress in a featured role in a musical for

Lauren Patten thanked her trans and nonbinary friends and colleagues Sunday while accepting the Tony Award for best featured actress in a musical for her performance in Jagged Little Pill.

Many Broadway fans, however, felt Patten would have done better to reject the honor outright.

Jagged Little Pill, which opened on Broadway in December 2019, uses songs from Alanis Morissettes 1995 album of the same name to relay a 21st-century parable about mental health, sexuality, racism and addiction. Patten stars as Jo, a tormented teen whose chilling version of You Oughta Know is the musicals most buzzed-aboutmoment.

We are in the middle of a reckoning in our industry, Patten told the Tonys crowd in her acceptance speech. First and foremost, I want to thank my trans and nonbinary friends and colleagues who have engaged with me in difficult conversations, that have joined me in dialogue about my character Jo.

I believe that the future for the change we need to see on Broadway comes from these kinds of conversations that are full of honesty and empathy and respect for our shared humanity, she continued. And I am so excited to see the action that comes from them, and to see where that leads our future as theater artists in this country.

Watch Lauren Pattens Tony Awards acceptance speech below.

As acclaimed as Pattens performance is, however, her win comes amid a flurry of controversy for Jagged Little Pill. Earlier on Sunday, the Actors Equity Association announced it was launching an investigation after two of the shows cast members, Nora Schell and Celia Rose Gooding, claimed that the production workplace was harmful to transgender and nonbinary people.

Schell, a nonbinary actor who uses they/them pronouns, claimed Friday on social media that members of the shows creative team forced them to delay critical and necessary surgery to remove growths from my vagina that were making me anemic early in the musicals run. That same day, Gooding announced that she would not return to the show after the casts Tony Awards performance, citing the harm Jagged has done to the trans and nonbinary community.

Story continues

On Sunday, actor Antonio Cipriano also announced he was leaving the musical. As a member of the [Broadway] community, I recognize my privilege and take responsibility for being part of the harm caused, he tweeted.

Not surprisingly, news of Pattens win didnt sit well with many viewers on social media.

Was kind of hoping they would play off Lauren Patten before she even got to the stage.  OnStage Blog (@OnstageBlog) September 26, 2021

that lauren patten would accept that award just bears testament to the fact that no amount of accountability conversations can change how she believes her entitlement to play that role is more important than what any trans person feels  raya (@intoanewlife) September 26, 2021

if lauren patten actually believed what she said, she would drop out of the show and decline the award.  Gage Tarlton (@gaygetarlton) September 26, 2021

Lauren Patten is so talented and I was mesmerized when I saw her in JLP. But it SUCKED to see her get up on that stage and take that award when there are trans and non-binary actors who will never get CLOSE to the Tonys BECAUSE OF THIS SITUATION. https://t.co/qgrUpW8Tbs  angelina  (@angelina_umb) September 26, 2021

In addition to the recent allegations, Jagged Little Pill previously sparked the ire of the nonbinary community by changing Jo from a gender-nonconforming character to a cisgender woman as the musical moved to Broadway after a Boston run.

Producers Vivek Tiwary, Arvind Ethan David and Eva Price initially denied changing Jos gender identity, but they later acknowledged theyd made mistakes in how we handled this evolution.

In a process designed to clarify and streamline, many of the lines that signaled Jo as gender-nonconforming, and with them, something vital and integral, got removed from Jos character journey, the producers wrote in a Sept. 17 statement. We should have protected and celebrated the fact that the non-binary audience members saw in Jo a bold, defiant, complex, and vibrant representation of their community.

In a Sept. 18 Instagram Live interview with actor Shakina Nayfack, Patten revealed shed considered leaving Jagged Little Pill amid the furor surrounding her character. Ultimately, she said, she wanted to be part of the reopening of the show on Broadway, and vowed that the character of Jo would be played by trans and nonbinary actors in the future.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated.

Related...
Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) told CBS' "60 Minutes" in an interview broadcast Sunday that Americans "deserve better than having to choose between" President Biden's "disastrous" policies and former President Trump, "who violated his oath of office."

Why it matters: Cheney made the remarks after CBS' Lesley Stahl put it to her in the interview that Republicans feel that her joining the House select committee in charge of investigating the Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol riot helps "keep the focus on Trump instead of on the shortcomings of the Biden administration."

Get market news worthy of your time with Axios Markets. Subscribe for free.

U.S. Rep. Cheney says she didnt hesitate when Nancy Pelosi asked her to join the House committee investigating Jan 6. Millions of people around the country have been betrayed... and deceived by Donald Trump... And so to me, there's just not a question. https://t.co/xJU3YsVkzm pic.twitter.com/zRSh0Yfknv  60 Minutes (@60Minutes) September 26, 2021

What she's saying: "Those who think that by ignoring Trump, he will go away, have been proved wrong," Cheney replied.

"And in my view, the American people, they deserve better than having to choose between what I think are the really disastrous policies of Joe Biden  in a whole range of areas, really bad for our economy.

"From a national security perspective, what's happened, what he's done in Afghanistan: very dangerous policies for the country. But the alternative cannot be a man who doesn't believe in the rule of law, and who violated his oath of office," she added.

The big picture: The Wyoming Republican Party formally censured Cheney in February for voting to convict Trump for a charge of inciting the U.S. Capitol insurrection, of which he was acquitted after the Senate failed to reach the required two-thirds majority.

Story continues

Her criticism of Trump saw her ousted as GOP conference chair and she faces a tough reelection campaign after the former president endorsed Cheney's challenger in the Wyoming House primary contest, Harriet Hageman.

Yes, but: Cheney told Stahl "a lot" of Republicans in the House and the Senate have privately praised her for speaking out against Trump.

Pressed by Stahl on why the lawmakers wouldn't publicly support her, Cheney said there's a perception that they would put themselves in "political peril" if they're seen to go against Trump.

"That's a self-fulfilling prophecy because if Republican leaders don't stand up and condemn what happened then, the voices in the party that are so dangerous will only get louder and stronger," Cheney added.

Go deeper: Cheney says she was "wrong" to oppose same-sex marriage

Editor's note: This article has been updated with new details throughout.

More from Axios: Sign up to get the latest market trends with Axios Markets. Subscribe for free
South Africa's ruling ANC, riven by corruption and tarnished by its failure to redress poverty and inequality, will on Monday unveil its manifesto for upcoming local elections hoping to woo back supporters and stop opposition inroads.

The party of Nelson Mandela is the last of the major parties to do so, following the main opposition Democratic Alliance (DA) and the leftist Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF).

But the ANC's campaign has been in full swing for the past two weeks, with President Cyril Ramaphosa leading party officials criss-crossing impoverished townships and villages.

On Sunday, a smiling Ramaphosa went door to door in eastern Johannesburg, sat next to potential voters, patting them on the shoulder, and picked up a young boy sporting an oversized yellow campaign T-shirt.

On Sunday evening, hoping to rebrand the ANC to appeal to youths, Ramaphosa boasted that a quarter of the ANC's 10,000 candidates were young people.

"Our hopes are pinned on this group of young people we have deployed," he said at an event in Johannesburg.

"It is these candidates, once elected, who will be our builders, to correct the mistakes of the past... to build strong municipalities that involve and serve all residents," Ramaphosa said.

The party which has ruled South Africa since the end of apartheid in 1994 suffered its worst electoral setback during the last local polls in 2016, eking out just under 54 percent nationally while losing an absolute majority in five of the six largest cities, including Johannesburg and Pretoria.

Its main rival the DA, which is still struggling to shake off its image as a predominantly white party, launched its manifesto online because of Covid-19 restrictions.

- The ANC 'are looting' -

DA leader John Steenhuisen said the party was fielding a candidate in every ward in the country for the first time in history.

"The DA governs less than 10 percent of South Africa's municipalities, but the top five performing municipalities are all DA-run," he bragged.

Story continues

"You may ask yourself: Why? What is it about these towns and cities that make them work when neighbouring municipalities are imploding?" he said, touting the party's slogan of "local government that works".

The radical leftist EFF unveiled its manifesto at a Sunday rally where little heed was paid to Covid social distancing protocols, which have been largely relaxed though outdoor gatherings are still limited to 500 people.

Thousands of supporters dressed in the EFF's red and black converged at a square in rundown central Johannesburg.

Among them was white-bearded Tebugo Maboka, 66, one of the few elderly supporters at the rally.

He ditched the ANC for the EFF, saying the ruling party had lost the plot, with its leaders only taking care of themselves "instead of the people".

"All these years, ANC is more about destruction than development of our economy. They are looting. They only think of benefitting themselves. We empowered them by giving our vote but they don't deliver on their promises," he told AFP.

On the podium, EFF leader Julius Malema, 40, slammed the "white capitalists who captured and continue to control" ANC leaders.

Analysts say the ANC will struggle to regain its lost voter base during the November 1 elections because of deep-rooted internal conflict, general disarray and gross mismanagement of some of the municipalities it controls.

"When the ANC has lost votes in the local government, it was because of divisions in the ANC, not necessarily because of the strength of the opposition parties," Sandile Swana, an independent political analyst.

ger-sn/gd
DGLimages / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Stretching your nest egg as far as possible is something that's most likely front of mind for retirees who aren't very wealthy. With no new sources of income aside from Social Security or possibly a pension, it's important to find a place to retire that won't drain your savings.

Related: Here's Exactly How Much Savings You Need To Retire In Your State

Read: Ways Investing Will Change in the Next 25 Years

However, getting a clear sense of exactly how long your retirement savings will last requires understanding how much it costs to live in the state you're calling home. As anyone trying to get by somewhere with a high cost of living can attest, even basic necessities can quickly start to winnow down your retirement account. And it only gets more complicated if you decide you don't want to spend your entire retirement in the same place, as your costs won't be consistent throughout your retirement.

See: Mutual Funds: Everything You Need To Know

That's why GOBankingRates performed a study to compare the cost of living in every state and determine how long you can survive off of $100,000. Granted, $100,000 won't buy you a lot of time in any state. But, these results will give you a sense of just how much you need to save.

Last updated: Sept. 24, 2021

kieferpix / Getty Images/iStockphoto

50. Hawaii

Annual Expenditure: $85,243

$100,000 Will Last: 1 year, 2 months, 3 days

To say that Hawaii is the most expensive state to live in is something of an understatement: Hawaiians pay over $20,000 more per year than the second-most expensive state, California. You'll need over $2 million to survive retirement in this state -- the most in the country.

See: 42 Easy Ways To Save For Retirement

MundusImages / Getty Images

49. California

Annual Expenditure: $64,516

$100,000 Will Last: 1 year, 6 months, 18 days

California's not an easy place to stretch your retirement dollar, with the cost of housing coming in at more than double the average for the country.

Check Out: How Long $1 Million in Savings Will Last in Every State

Story continues

xavierarnau / iStock.com

48. New York

Annual Expenditure: $61,267

$100,000 Will Last: 1 year, 7 months, 17 days

Some might gripe that the only thing imperial about the Empire State is how much it costs to live there, with the average New Yorker needing more than $60,000 a year to cover expenses.

See: 10 Best Retirement Plan Options

pkujiahe / Getty Images/iStockphoto

47. Alaska

Annual Expenditure: $59,895

$100,000 Will Last: 1 year, 8 months

Costs in Alaska are generally high  particularly for healthcare and utilities  but there's one area where the state won't eat so far into your nest egg: Alaska is the most tax-friendly state for retirees.

Discover: How To Protect Your Retirement Savings During the Coronavirus Pandemic

WilliamSherman / Getty Images

46. Maryland

Annual Expenditure: $59,666

$100,000 Will Last: 1 year, 8 months, 2 days

Maryland is one of the more expensive states for retirees to live in, but a lot of the older residents can afford it: It's one of the states with the richest retirees.

RyanJLane / Getty Images

45. Oregon

Annual Expenditure: $59,483

$100,000 Will Last: 1 year, 8 months

Oregon has a cost of living that's 30% higher than the country as a whole. However, if you're dead set on enjoying the beautiful coastlines of the Pacific Northwest in your golden years, consider making your home in Brandon. It's the best city in the state to buy a home.

FilippoBacci / Getty Images/iStockphoto

44. Massachusetts

Annual Expenditure: $58,385

$100,000 Will Last: 1 year, 8 months, 16 days

Massachusetts is not a state that's kind to your retirement savings, with sky-high housing costs playing the biggest part in making things difficult. It's also the state where a comfortable retirement costs the most at about $65,000 a year.

JayLazarin / Getty Images

43. Connecticut

Annual Expenditure: $58,156

$100,000 Will Last: 1 year, 8 months, 18 days

Not only is Connecticut one of the pricier states in the country to live in, but for many retirees, the source of their income might not be as stable as they would hope. Connecticut is the worst state for pensions in the U.S.

BDphoto / Getty Images

42. Rhode Island

Annual Expenditure: $55,914

$100,000 Will Last: 1 year, 9 months, 13 days

If you've compiled an impressive nest egg over the course of your career, Rhode Island isn't a great place to keep it protected.

KenWiedemann / Getty Images

41. New Jersey

Annual Expenditure: $54,175

$100,000 Will Last: 1 year, 10 months, 3 days

Like many of the most expensive states in the country, the main culprit for New Jersey's high cost of living is housing, with New Jersey residents paying almost 50% more than the average American for a place to live.

XKarDoc / Getty Images/iStockphoto

40. Vermont

Annual Expenditure: $53,718

$100,000 Will Last: 1 year, 10 months, 9 days

Not only is Vermont a tough place to maintain your nest egg, it's also a pretty rough spot for building it up as well. The Green Mountain State is the state where it's hardest to save $1 million for retirement, found another GOBankingRates study.

Take Action: Do These 13 Things To Boost Your Retirement Savings Now

edella / Getty Images

39. Maine

Annual Expenditure: $53,214

$100,000 Will Last: 1 year, 10 months, 15 days

It's possible that the high cost of living in Maine has some residents thinking big in terms of what it means to be wealthy. In a GOBankingRates survey, the most common answer for what it meant to be "rich" in Maine was an income of $10 million a year or more, the highest answer for any state.

CHBD / Getty Images/iStockphoto

38. New Hampshire

Annual Expenditure: $51,247

$100,000 Will Last: $1 year, 11 months, 12 days

If you're dead set on living in New Hampshire in retirement but you're looking to avoid some of those high costs, steer well clear of the 03854 ZIP code  home to New Castle Island. It's the most expensive ZIP code in the state.

ImagineGolf / Getty Images

37. Nevada

Annual Expenditure: $50,469

$100,000 Will Last: $1 year, 11 months, 23 days

If you want to spend your golden years in the Silver State, prepare to spend a little more. Costs are at least 10% higher than the national average across every category except for utilities, where they're actually 20% under what the rest of America pays.

Joel Carillet / Getty Images

36. Washington

Annual Expenditure: $49,554

$100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 5 days

If you're surprised to see Washington so far down this list, keep in mind that it's home to Seattle, one of the most expensive cities in the country. To live comfortably in Seattle you need nearly $90,000 a year, which outpaces everywhere but the usual suspects in the San Francisco Bay Area, New York and Washington, D.C.

1MoreCreative / Getty Images

35. Delaware

Annual Expenditure: $48,227

$100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 25 days

Although Delaware might be on the higher side for costs, it can also offer some great ways to protect your nest egg: It's one of the best states to retire rich in the country.

Adventure_Photo / Getty Images

34. Colorado

Annual Expenditure: $47,540

$100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 1 month, 5 days

The cost to live comfortably in Denver is over $77,000 a year, making it one of the most expensive cities in the country. If you want to stay in the Rocky Mountain State but don't like the "mile high" costs in Denver, consider Colorado Springs where it's over $10,000 a year cheaper.

urbancow / Getty Images

33. Montana

Annual Expenditure: $47,540

$100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 1 month, 5 days

If you were hoping to keep your nest egg healthy after retiring to Montana by investing well, you might find it harder there than elsewhere. Montana is one of the worst states to grow your money, according to a separate GOBankingRates study.

Joel Carillet / Getty Images

32. Virginia

Annual Expenditure: $46,717

$100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 1 month, 19 days

You'll pay less for groceries, utilities and transportation than the average American if you opt to retire to Virginia, but there's clearly more to the story. That would be the cost of housing, which is over 10% higher than the national average.

catnap72 / Getty Images

31. Pennsylvania

Annual Expenditure: $46,305

$100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 1 month, 26 days

Pennsylvania is the first state on this list where housing costs are actually below average when compared to the country as a whole. However, if you're looking to stretch your retirement savings as far as possible, you can still do better, especially when Pennsylvanians pay more than average for groceries, utilities and transportation.

RiverNorthPhotography / Getty Images

30. South Dakota

Annual Expenditure: $46,305

$100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 1 month, 26 days

There's one thing you don't have to worry about in South Dakota: state income tax. That's because it's one of the seven states without any, which could make a significant difference in how long you can stretch that nest egg.

sharply_done / Getty Images/iStockphoto

29. Minnesota

Annual Expenditure: $45,848

$100,000 Will Last: $2 years, 2 months, 6 days

No state is closer to the average cost of living than Minnesota, where costs are just 0.2% higher than the country as a whole. That's not true statewide, though, as Minneapolis is among the more expensive major cities in the country. The cost to live comfortably there is $77,512 a year.

Shutterstock.com

28. North Dakota

Annual Expenditure: $45,298

$100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 2 months, 15 days

One place you probably won't overspend in North Dakota is on housing. Even if the state's most expensive ZIP code  the 58503 ZIP north of Bismarck  has a median home price of $339,600, that's still less than half of what it is for Hawaii.

nycshooter / Getty Images

27. Florida

Annual Expenditure: $45,253

$100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 2 months, 16 days

Florida might only be middle-of-the-pack for stretching a six-figure retirement fund, but it's still a popular destination for many retirees. And you have plenty of options to choose from in terms of which Florida city stacks up the best for you.

Take Action Now: How To Protect Your Retirement Savings During the Coronavirus Pandemic

peeterv / Getty Images/iStockphoto

26. South Carolina

Annual Expenditure: $44,978

$100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 2 months, 21 days

The question of how long $100,000 lasts in retirement might be especially apt for South Carolina. A GOBankingRates survey determined that most residents of the Palmetto State have about $50,000-$100,000 saved for retirement.

ablokhin / Getty Images

25. West Virginia

Annual Expenditure: $44,292

$100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 3 months, 3 days

West Virginians are paying less for housing and utilities than most Americans, but that's counter-balanced by higher-than-average costs on groceries and "miscellaneous" expenses.

Kirkikis / Getty Images

24. Illinois

Annual Expenditure: $44,246

$100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 3 months, 3 days

Illinois is the first state on the better half of this survey, with the average retiree being able to squeeze a full three months out of the third year on that initial $100,000. And if you decide you want to make the Windy City your home, you'll have plenty of options in selecting from the many different suburbs around the city.

amygdala_imagery / Getty Images

23. Utah

Annual Expenditure: $44,200

$100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 3 months, 4 days

Regardless of how long it lasts, Utah is doing plenty to help you build that retirement account. It's the state where it's easiest to save $1 million for retirement.

dlewis33 / Getty Images

22. Wisconsin

Annual Expenditure: $44,063

$100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 3 months, 7 days

You can make $100,000 last over two years in retirement if you're living in the Badger State. However, if you're thinking you'll just need to earn $100,000 in that last year before you hang it up, you should know that you only take home $67,124 from a $100,000 salary after taxes in Wisconsin.

wanderluster / Getty Images

21. Arizona

Annual Expenditure: $43,285

$100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 3 months, 22 days

Arizona's costs are lower than the national average in every category except utilities, helping retirees stretch their savings.

iofoto / Getty Images/iStockphoto

20. North Carolina

Annual Expenditure: $42,965

$100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 3 months, 28 days

If you're looking for a place to live in retirement where you're not in the hustle and bustle of the city but also still close enough to take advantage of city living on occasion, North Carolina might be the place to look. Three of the best suburbs for retirement are in the Tarheel State: Bermuda Run, Fairfield Harbour and Sunset Beach.

Are High-Yield Savings Accounts Worth It? Heres Everything You Need To Know

peeterv / Getty Images/iStockphoto

19. Louisiana

Annual Expenditure: $42,736

$100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 4 months, 3 days

Not only is Louisiana among the better states for stretching your savings in retirement, it's also the best state to grow your money, found a separate GOBankingRates study.

Shutterstock.com

18. Nebraska

Annual Expenditure: $42,736

$100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 4 months, 3 days

Nebraska's cost-of-living scores are either at or below the national average in every category except for transportation. However, at least some of the money you can save on things like groceries and housing will end up with the state government: Nebraska is the least tax-friendly state for retirees.

Shutterstock.com

17. New Mexico

Annual Expenditure: $42,507

$100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 4 months, 7 days

If you enjoy life in the big city but can't handle the high cost of living that usually comes with it, New Mexico might offer you the best compromise. You only need to make $53,384 a year to live comfortably in Albuquerque, one of the lowest figures among the 50 largest U.S. cities.

Davel5957 / Getty Images/iStockphoto

16. Ohio

Annual Expenditure: $42,416

$100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 4 months, 9 days

Housing is especially affordable in Ohio, coming in at almost 25% less than what the average American is paying. Add that to costs that are either below average or less than 2% over it, and it's not hard to see why Ohio cracked the top 20 in this study.

Shutterstock.com

15. Idaho

Annual Expenditure: $42,416

$100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 4 months, 9 days

Idaho's scenic landscape could be considered incentive enough to retire there, but the state's low costs are an additional perk, allowing you to last into the fifth month of your third year on $100,000.

Shutterstock.com

14. Kentucky

Annual Expenditure: $42,370

$100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 4 months, 10 days

Kentucky's biggest cost advantage over other states is in its housing, where you'll pay almost 20% less than the national average. With a median home price of just $136,600, the cost of a home in this state is one many Americans can actually afford.

Shutterstock.com

13. Iowa

Annual Expenditure: $42,050

$100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 4 months, 17 days

Like many states in the Midwest, Iowa boasts low housing costs that help push the overall cost of living down significantly. However, while it's housing leading the charge, Iowa's costs are below what the average American pays across the board.

Purdue9394 / Getty Images

12. Indiana

Annual Expenditure: $41,867

$100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 4 months, 20 days

Indiana offers retirees the chance to stretch their savings much further than most of the country; this is important to the Hoosier State, as Indiana is the state with the poorest retirees in the country.

Jeremy Hardin / Getty Images/iStockphoto

11. Wyoming

Annual Expenditure: $41,821

$100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 4 months, 21 days

The cost of living in Wyoming is lower than it is for the country as a whole, but the high cost of healthcare for seniors could quickly erase much of that benefit. Employing either homemaker services or a home health aide will run you about $5,000 a year.

Zview / iStock.com

10. Texas

Annual Expenditure: $41,775

$100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 4 months, 22 days

Texas offers a range of advantages to its elderly residents when it comes to stretching retirement dollars. In fact, eight of the 30 best cities to retire on a budget of $1,000 a month or less are in the Lone Star State.

krblokhin / Getty Images/iStockphoto

9. Georgia

Annual Expenditure: $41,546

$100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 4 months, 27 days

Low costs in Georgia mean a retiree can make $100,000 last them for almost two years and five months. Even if you're living well by saving on basic costs, though, not everyone is in the same situation: Atlanta is among the places in the U.S. with the most income inequality.

Shutterstock.com

8. Kansas

Annual Expenditure: $40,952

$100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 5 months, 9 days

Kansas is a great state to retire to if you want to stretch your nest egg as far as possible, and it's even better if you're living off of a pension funded by the state: Kansas is one of the best states for pensions.

Joel Carillet / Getty Images

7. Tennessee

Annual Expenditure: $40,906

$100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 5 months, 10 days

Whether it's the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville or Beale Street in Memphis, Tennessee is a great state for American music. Of course, if you're retired and living there, it's the low costs that might be music to your ears.

TriggerPhoto / Getty Images/iStockphoto

6. Missouri

Annual Expenditure: $40,677

$100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 5 months, 15 days

Although most costs are lower in Missouri, the Show-Me State is especially affordable when it comes to housing. A year of a roof over your head costs an average of just $11,597, making it one of just five states where you can expect to pay under $12,000 per annum.

Dont Miss: Best Online Savings Accounts for Earning High-Yield Profits

Shutterstock.com

5. Alabama

Annual Expenditure: $40,631

$100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 5 months, 16 days

You can expect to stretch your retirement savings by retiring almost anywhere in the Yellow Hammer State, but that's especially true if you decide to call the city of Birmingham home: It's one of the cheapest places to retire in the entire country.

dlewis33 / Getty Images

4. Arkansas

Annual Expenditure: $40,631

$100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 5 months, 16 days

The cost of a comfortable retirement in Arkansas is very low, coming in below any other state in the country save for Mississippi and its incredibly low cost of living.

RiverNorthPhotography / Getty Images

3. Michigan

Annual Expenditure: $40,586

$100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 5 months, 17 days

The Great Lake State is as welcoming as it is scenic, and the low costs mean you can enjoy more of it with your nest egg.

Tiago_Fernandez / Getty Images

2. Oklahoma

Annual Expenditure: $40,403

$100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 5 months, 21 days

Oklahoma has low costs statewide that will help you stretch $100,000 to almost a full two and a half years. And unlike many states, that extends to the state's largest city as well: $1 million will last you 24 and a half years in retirement in Oklahoma City, making it one of the most affordable U.S. cities for retirees.

Shutterstock.com

1. Mississippi

Annual Expenditure: $38,435

$100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 7 months, 6 days

No state has a lower cost for a comfortable retirement than Mississippi, where you can expect to pay almost a third less for housing than the country as a whole. All told, the cumulative cost of living in Mississippi is 16% lower than the national average.

Andrew Zarivny / Shutterstock.com

How Long $100K in Retirement Will Last in Every State

States on either coast might offer a lot in terms of great weather and loads of culture, but they certainly ask a lot in terms of your pocketbook. The 15 states where $100,000 stretches the least in retirement include all five states on the Pacific Ocean (Hawaii, California, Oregon, Washington and Alaska). On the East Coast, the worst states for your retirement nest egg are New York, Maryland, New Jersey and all six of the states that make up New England.

On the other end of the list, it's hard to miss that states from the South and the Midwest have the lowest costs by far. Of the 15 states where your $100,000 in retirement savings goes the furthest, all but two (Idaho and Wyoming) are in one of those two regions.

[rock-component slug="more-from-gobankingrates-2]

Methodology: In order to determine how long $100,000 will last the average retiree in each state, GOBankingRates found the average total expenditures for people 65 and older, which includes groceries, housing, utilities, transportation and healthcare. GOBankingRates then multiplied that by the cost of living index in each state to find the average annual expenditure cost for each state. Once the annual cost was found, it was divided by $100,000 and then converted into years, months and days to show how long the average annual expenditure for people 65 and older would last in every state. This research was conducted in August 2018.

This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: How Long $100K in Retirement Will Last in Every State
French President Emmanuel Macron was struck by an egg while attending an event in Lyon on Monday.

French publication Lyon Mag posted a video of the incident, which occurred at the SIRHA food and hospitality fair, on its Twitter page. In the end, however, the yolk was on the assailant, as the clip showed the egg bounce off Macron's shoulder without cracking. The culprit was subsequently detained by authorities.

The egg "bounced off Macron's shoulder and burst on the floor right in front of me," Florence Lago, a journalist with Lyon Mag, told CNN.

BYSTANDER SLAPS FRENCH PRESIDENT EMMANUEL MACRON

Au #sirha2021, @EmmanuelMacron victime d'un jet d'oeuf. Le projectile a rebondi sur l'epaule du President de la Republique. Le jeune homme a ete interpelle par le service d'ordre - IMAGES LYONMAG pic.twitter.com/n10POB2MEn  Lyon Mag (@lyonmag) September 27, 2021

The intent behind the egg throw was not immediately clear. Lago said she saw a man throw the egg but did not hear him say any words or shout. Security officers escorted the man away from the premises, Lago added.

A spokesperson for the Elysee Palace told CNN the incident was overblown, saying, "There is no story."

"The President walked around for two hours, he was warmly welcomed and everything was calm. There is nothing to say about it because it did not disrupt his walking around," added the spokesperson, who claimed to have been with Macron.

Macron is no stranger to physical attacks by angry protesters at public gatherings. In 2017, he was struck by an egg that cracked on his head.

In June, a bystander slapped the French leader in the face as he shook hands with crowd members in the Drome region of southeastern France.

Story continues

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

France's presidential election is less than a year away, and Macron has been closely monitoring his approval after his party performed poorly in regional elections in June. Political experts have said that the low voter turnout in the elections this summer makes it hard to determine whether Macron will face a significant challenge for reelection.

Washington Examiner Videos

Tags: News, France, Emmanuel Macron, Europe, Egg

Original Author: Kaelan Deese

Original Location: Macron shellshocked by egg lobbed at his head during Lyon visit
Olivia Carson, the Maine student at the center of a U.S. Supreme Court case over religious school choice, graduated from Bangor Christian Schools this year. So even if the court rules states can no longer exclude schools that teach religion from their voucher programs, Carson will have moved on to study business at Husson University.

But other families, and those on all sides of the school choice issue, are already speculating about how far the courts conservative majority will go.

One of those families is the Nelsons, the other plaintiffs in Carson v. Makin, which the court will hear Dec. 8. This fall, Troy and Angela Nelsons son Royce will be a sophomore at Erskine Academy in South China, Maine  the secular private school the family chose when they had to forgo the religious school they believed was best for their kids, said Michael Bindas, a senior attorney with the libertarian Institute for Justice, who represents the plaintiffs in the lawsuit over the states town tuitioning policy.

Troy and Amy Nelson sent their children Alicia and Royce to Erskine Academy, a secular private school that participates in the tuition assistance program. Alicia has graduated and Royce will be a sophomore this fall. (Institute for Justice)

Get essential education news and commentary delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up here for The 74s daily newsletter.

The Supreme Court moved in the direction of greater religious freedom last year with its opinion in Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue, which focused on a tax credit scholarship program. But the decision was limited. While the court said states cant ban religious schools from choice programs simply because theyre religious, they left open the question of whether states could exclude them because they might spend the money on religious instruction. Focusing on that second question, the 1st Circuit Court of Appeals sided with Maine. Now Carson asks the Supreme Court to take the next step and rule that religious schools can participate in choice programs regardless of their curriculum. Some argue a ruling for the plaintiffs in Carson would be another step toward allowing religious organizations to run charter schools  a worst-case scenario for many advocates.

Story continues

In the short term, the outcome in Carson would affect New England states with tuition assistance programs, in which towns without a school cover the cost of tuition at public or private schools.

In June, the 2nd Circuit ruled that students in Vermont can use public funds at religious schools. So far the state hasnt appealed the ruling, perhaps waiting for the Supreme Court to weigh in on Carson. And maybe in anticipation of the justices siding with the plaintiffs, Gov. Chris Sununu in neighboring New Hampshire signed legislation in July removing the restriction on religious schools in that states tuitioning program.

Related: Court Scraps Vermont Ban on Sending Tax Dollars to Religious Schools

A decision for the plaintiffs could prompt some states to get out of the voucher business if they cant place restrictions on curriculum, noted Preston Green, an education professor at the University of Connecticut.

Other states with private school voucher programs, such as Florida, Indiana and North Carolina, already allow religious schools to participate.

Most legislatures do the right thing when they adopt these programs, said Bindas, with the Institute for Justice, adding that Espinozas opponents argue the decision didnt specifically say states cant ban religious schools because they teach religion.If the Supreme Court rules correctly, that argument will be removed from the arsenal of the school choice opponents.

A more recent ruling in a case involving a Catholic social services agency has some legal experts suggesting moderates on the court wont go too far.

Derek Black, a constitutional law professor at the University of South Carolina, said he doesnt think the court is ready to jump off the cliff and say the state cant even restrict money being spent on the bread for communion.

While it didnt directly focus on education, the courts 9-0 June ruling in Fulton v. City of Philadelphia is relevant, Black said. In that case, the justices held that the city couldnt exempt some foster care agencies from its nondiscrimination policy while denying the same exception to a Catholic agency just because it was opposed to placing children with same-sex couples.

While the decision was unanimous, conservative Justices Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas and Neil Gorsuch argued for a broader interpretation in favor of greater religious freedom. But Justice Amy Coney Barrett, joined by Justices Brett Kavanaugh and Stephen Breyer, opted for more narrow protections that still allow government agencies to generally enforce nondiscrimination laws.

Do the justices want to create breathing space for religion? Yes, Black said. Do they want religion to overcome the state? No.

Related: Church, State and Choice: Wednesday Supreme Court Hearing Could Affect Debate on Public Funding of Religious Schools and Inclusion of Gay Students

Dominoes falling

The possibility of a ruling in favor of the Carsons nonetheless alarms those who believe such programs violate the First Amendment.

Green doesnt think a decision for the plaintiffs would immediately lead to churches or other religious organizations running charter schools, but added, Youre really, really close.

This is about dominoes falling and its a deliberative legal strategy, he said. They dont need to do it right away. They just need to establish a true line where they can make these legal arguments.

Nicole Garnett, a law professor at the University of Notre Dame and a colleague of Justice Barrett when she taught there, addressed the issue last December. She argued in a report for the conservative Manhattan Institute that even the Espinoza decision allowed for religious charter schools.

Related: With Barrett Poised to Join Conservative SCOTUS Majority, Lower Courts Weigh Granting More Students Access to Private and Religious Schools

Garnett said that while states established charters as new public schools, they share similarities with private schools because parents choose them.

As programs of private choice, charter school programs may include religious schools, she wrote, adding, If charter schools are permissible, religious charter schools must be permitted.

But Nina Rees, president and CEO of the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, rejects the notion that charters are private.

Charter schools are public schools and are subject to the First Amendments Establishment Clause, she said. Charter schools have never been able to, and cannot now, teach religion. Neither Espinoza nor a win for plaintiffs in Carson changes that.

She stands by that position despite an Aug. 9 ruling by the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals in a case over whether charter schools uniform policies can require girls to wear skirts. The court ruled that charters are not state actors and that requiring girls to wear skirts violates their constitutional rights. This decision could strengthen the argument for religious charters.

In a recent op-ed, Black and Rebecca Holcombe, former Vermont education secretary, wrote that religious charter schools would take a wrecking ball to public school funding.

States would suddenly become financially responsible for millions of students who previously chose to forgo public education, they wrote. In places already struggling to maintain public infrastructure, public budgets would now be on the hook for religious infrastructure.

But one thing is clear, Garnett wrote: Whether advocates pursue the issue through legislation, an attorney generals opinion or in the courts, the legality of religious charter schools will be tied up in litigation, perhaps for years.

Olivia Carsons parents, David and Amy Carson, can relate. They filed their initial complaint about the states tuitioning program in 2018, when Olivia started 10th grade.

Bangor Christian Schools  where a church, classroom buildings and a radio station sit on a 35-acre, wooded campus  is a family tradition. Olivias parents attended the school. So did David Carsons mother. Her aunt and uncle work there, and Olivia spent all of her K-12 years there.

Olivia Carson graduated from Bangor Christian Schools in June. (Amy Carson)

We kept [Olivia] at Bangor Christian just because of the environment and the academics, said Amy Carson, who manages the paperwork for her husbands construction business. Its been good for her, being an only child. Its like a whole other family.

Related: Sign up for The 74s newsletter
WARSAW, Poland (AP)  A court in Poland convicted a man on Monday of instigating a murder in 2002 and participating in subsequent cannibalism and handed him a 25-year prison term.

The body of the victim was never found and his identity isn't known. But the court in Szczecin, in northwest Poland, gave credence to the testimony of one of the defendants and to their phone conversations, which were bugged by investigators.

The court said that five men abducted an unidentified man after a dispute at a bar with the main defendant, identified only as Robert M., in the village of Lasko.

At Robert M.s instigation, one of the men killed the captive man and all five then sealed a pact of silence by cannibalizing the body.

The story surfaced years later when some of them started talking about it in public after drinking alcohol.

Four of the men were arrested in 2017, but the one suspected of committing the murder died months before the arrests.

Charges of desecration of the body have expired under the statute of limitations, leading to only the main instigator, Robert M., being sentenced on Monday.
Martin Compston starred as Royal Navy officer Craig Burke in 'Vigil'. (BBC)

Martin Compston has joked he will sack his agent after the finale of submarine drama Vigil left some viewers disappointed.

The Line Of Duty star played Royal Navy officer Craig Burke in the new BBC Sunday night drama starring Suranne Jones and Game Of Thrones actor Rose Leslie, which came to an end after six episodes with a wrapped-up conclusion that some complained was anticlimactic.

Compston responded to a Tweet from viewer Dave James who said: "So thats #vigil and #lineofduty that had really c**p endings, choose the next series wisely @martin_compston you dont want to make it a hat trick."

I know Dave pal Ive made an arse of it. One the biggest new drama of the year the other biggest drama of the year/century. Agents for the sack  https://t.co/h86IPr1Sy3  martin compston (@martin_compston) September 26, 2021

The 37-year-old Scottish actor retorted: "I know Dave pal Ive made an arse of it. One the biggest new drama of the year the other biggest drama of the year/century. Agents for the sack."

Read more: 'Vigil' creators tease possibility of a second series

Compston's character was killed off in the first episode of Vigil, which saw Jones play a police officer brought on board the Royal Navy vessel to investigate his mysterious death.

Suranne Jones starred as police officer Amy Silva in submarine drama 'Vigil'. (BBC)

Vigil was named the BBC's most-watched new drama of 2021 after 10.2 million viewers tuned in to its opening episodes in the first week.

The final episode saw sonar expert and Russian spy Matthew Doward arrested for murder only to reveal in police questioning the plot had all been part of a PR exercise to persuade the government to defund nuclear weapons.

Earlier this year Compston returned as DI Steve Arnott in the sixth series of Sunday night crime drama Line Of Duty.

Watch: The trailer for Vigil was teased when Line Of Duty concluded in May

Story continues

The finale of the BBC police corruption series was watched by a record-breaking 12.8 million people.

But Compston felt obliged to address fans on Twitter after reaction to the identity of the corrupt police officer known as 'H'  who the AC-12 team have been hunting since the first series in 2012  caused some disappointment when it was finally revealed to be minor character DCI Ian Buckells, played by Nigel Boyle.

Martin Compston has starred with Vicky McClure and Adrian Dunbar in six series of 'Line Of Duty'. (BBC)

He said: "Hey folks now the madness is slightly dying down, just want to thank everybody who reached out about last night and the series as a whole, we've truly been blown away by the reaction and love for the show we're proud of it. Fully understand it wasn't the 'urgent exit' type ending some anticipated but we appreciate you sticking with us."

While some viewers were unhappy with the ending of Line Of Duty others are eager for the BBC to make yet another series.

'Vigil' creators have teased a second series could be on the cards. (BBC)

And there has been similar reaction to Vigil, with some fans eager to see more from the characters introduced in the first series.

Read more: Line Of Duty star Tommy Jessop steals the spotlight at the NTAs

Writer/creator Tom Edge told Yahoo UK: We had a blast doing it and there are some incredibly talented cast playing characters that we all enjoyed getting to know.

"So I think there are lots of possibilities and if were lucky enough to get to explore them further, then that would be terrific. It was a pleasure making this one, and great to get back on board whatever we did next.

Watch: Ellie Taylor reveals the first time she watched Ted Lasso
Photo Illustration by The Daily Beast/Photos Getty Images

While the federal sex crimes investigation into Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) has not fueled the kinds of explosive headlines it generated when the news first broke in late March, the case shows no signs of a slowdown.

In fact, legal experts told The Daily Beast, the perceived lull is nothing outside the norm and can be chalked up to a number of factorsincluding a wide range of charges that investigators could be exploring. Although Gaetz and his allies like to interpret the lack of charges as an indication of innocence, the delays could just as easily suggest that the charges that could be coming down the pike are extremely grave and complex.

And if you were looking for an indication of just how seriously Gaetz himself is taking the prospect of charges, look no further than the high-powered team of attorneys the beleaguered Florida man has brought on for his defense.

That team features a trio of powerful litigators from New York City, well outside the bounds of the Middle District of Florida, where the Justice Department investigation is being handled.

Bombshell Letter: Gaetz Paid for Sex With Minor, Wingman Says

Gaetz is personally represented by Marc Mukasey, who has defended the Trump Organization in several high-profile disputes, as well as Isabelle Kirshner, a partner at Clayman & Rosenberg LLP. Kirshner is a top Manhattan criminal defense attorney who also represented former New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman after multiple women accused him of physical assault.

Separately, the Gaetz campaignFriends of Matt Gaetzalso looked north when in June it retained New York-based trial lawyer Marc Fernich. Fernichs client list includes child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, Mexican drug lord Joaquin El Chapo Guzman, and convicted sex trafficker Keith Raniere, who led the NXIVM cult. While Fernich is familiar with sex crimes cases, he does not have experience with campaign finance law.

The assembled team seems to reflect the self-styled Florida mans politics, personality, and public relations strategy.

Story continues

On the political side, Mukasey, a former federal prosecutor himself, has gained a reputation as the go-to attorney for high-profile conservatives and MAGAworld affiliates. He has represented the Trump Organization and Trump family members in a number of cases, including the ongoing criminal and civil investigations in New York. Mukasey concurrently serves as defense counsel for Ken Kurson, a friend of Jared Kushner who received a presidential pardon from Trump but is currently fighting state charges in New York in connection to alleged spying on his former wife.

This $100,000 Donation by Matt Gaetz Raises All the Eyebrows

However, The Daily Beast reported last week that Mukasey has been less active in Trumpland, starting around the time he signed on with Gaetz. And this month he officially withdrew as Eric Trumps counsel in the NYAG civil investigation.

Kirshner, a former Manhattan assistant district attorney and the only woman in the crew, keeps a lower public profile, but has racked up an impressive record over decades in practice, including defending high-profile men against charges of sexual misconduct.

Her most notable recent clients in that arena include Robert Hadden, the disgraced former Columbia University gynecologist accused of sexually assaulting a number of patients, including Evelyn Yang, wife of erstwhile presidential contender Andrew Yang. Kirshner also represented former NYAG Eric Schneiderman, who resigned in 2018 amid accusations of physical assault from several women. Prosecutors declined to press charges, however, citing statutes of limitations and deficiencies in the law.

Tristan Snell, a former assistant New York attorney general, told The Daily Beast that the lineup suggests the congressman is anticipating a trial.

It looks like a scorched-earth approach, Snell told The Daily Beast. These are all big out-of-town lawyers. If your goal is to resolve something, you typically hire the top criminal defense attorney in the district, someone whos a repeat customer there and has a good working relationship with that U.S. Attorneys office. But these attorneys can go down there, burn down the building, and not have to worry about going back in the next day.

Former federal prosecutor Jill Wine-Banks shared that interpretation.

The fact hes hiring trial lawyers would suggest that they are preparing for a trial, not a negotiation. But its not unusual for a trial lawyer to go above a prosecutor into the DOJ to make their plea on behalf of their client, she said. That said, I cant think of any time that happened to me in my experience, where a decision not to indict was made because of a meeting.

Rep. Matt Gaetz Snorted Cocaine With Escort Who Had No Show Govt Job

Wine-Banks added that Gaetz will still need to retain local counsel, someone with some connection to the prosecution, who can persuade them. She also observed that out-of-town defense entails a huge cost.

Another former federal prosecutor, Barb McQuade, a professor from practice at the University of Michigan Law School, said she agreed that bringing in aggressive lawyers from out of town suggests a scorched earth strategy.

It may be effective in the court of public opinion, but rarely effective in a court of law, McQuade said.

Gaetz reportedly faces a range of criminal allegations, including sex trafficking a minor, obstruction of justice, campaign finance violations, and a sweeping political influence scheme. The investigation stemmed from the indictment last summer of his self-declared wingman, Joel Greenbergthe former Seminole County tax collector who in May pleaded guilty to an array of charges, including sex trafficking the former teen at the center of the Gaetz inquiry.

Matt Gaetz Is Blowing Piles of Cash on Scandaland on Roger Stone

With that plea, Greenberg entered into a cooperation agreement with the government, which could spell trouble for Gaetz. The day Greenberg entered the plea, his attorney told reporters, Im sure Matt Gaetz is not feeling very comfortable today.

Gaetz completely denies the allegations. And, as he often notes, he has not been charged with a crime. A spokesperson declined to comment for this article, citing a policy not to discuss attorneys or legal strategy.

An attorney familiar with the investigation, however, told The Daily Beast that Gaetzs defense team not only illustrates the seriousness of the allegations, but also the scope of the investigation.

This is a sitting congressman, and theyll fight everything tooth and nail, the attorney said.

Youve got to keep in mind there are a number of crimes under investigation here, the attorney continued. Theres the [alleged] sex trafficking, prostitution, obstruction of justice, and the [Department of Justice] Public Integrity Unit has an even larger case with the political influence and marijuana stuff. And on top of that, it seems campaign finance as well.

The campaign finance dimension is a more recent development.

While it was previously reported that the campaign had paid Fernich $25,000 for legal consulting, it was not known what that work was for. But a person familiar with the matter has confirmed to The Daily Beast that Fernich is representing the campaign in connection with the Justice Departments investigation. However, while Fernich has experience representing famous unpopular clients in high-wire cases, including sex crimes, he does not have experience in campaign finance law.

CNN reported in April that the feds were examining Gaetzs possible use of campaign donor money in connection with travel and other expenses for the women. And The Daily Beast reported in May that Gaetz had tapped his donors to pay for a hotel room at a 2019 Orlando-area fundraiser, where he allegedly did cocaine with an escort. The campaigns formal onboarding of Fernich in June suggests Gaetz is taking the prospect of campaign finance violations seriously.

The firms website touts Fernichs style and his eye for subtle, novel and creative arguments that other attorneys may miss, claiming that such arguments can make potential winners out of seemingly hopeless cases, spelling the difference between victory and defeat.

Aside from the Gaetz campaign, no federal political committee has paid Fernich for legal services, according to Federal Election Commission data.

Currently, the site lists Friends of Matt Gaetz - Campaign Committee for U.S. Congressman as a client, fourth on the marquee after Gambino family mob boss John Gotti, El Chapo, and Epstein. All three were convicted. Raniere, who was sentenced to 120 years in prison last year on sex trafficking charges, gets next billing after the Gaetz campaign.

Wine-Banks called the campaigns choice of Fernich hilarious, but noted that defense attorneys specialize in gymnastics. You have to become an instant expert in certain things, she said.

McQuade said the choice of Fernich suggests the campaign may be mostly concerned with presenting a bellicose image.

Clients often hire lawyers based on recommendations of others or reputations for being aggressive, even though the lawyer lacks experience in the relevant subject matter or practices in a different jurisdiction, she observed, nodding to Fernich. In these situations, I sometimes think that the purpose of the representation is more about public relations than effective representation in court.

4 Women Say Matt Gaetzs Wingman Pressured Them to Have Sex

Another attorney familiar with the investigation told The Daily Beast that it wouldnt surprise me to see Greenbergs sentence delayed until the Gaetz matter is dealt with. Not just an indictment, but through a trial.

Snell said Gaetzs legal lineup resonates with his combative response to the first reports about the investigation this spring.

Based on hiring these attorneys, I think he could be taking an aggressive approach, to try to shred the credibility of the prosecution, perhaps turn the tables and put them on trial, Snell said. He added that by passing on hiring top attorneys in Orlando, where the case is being handled, Gaetz can afford to be a little more antagonistic in the investigative stage. Gaetz isnt poisoning his own well, either, Snell pointed out, as his panhandle congressional district is several hours west.

Snell also observed that Gaetzs instinct reminded him of former President Donald Trumpfighting back with hyperbolic allegations of extortion, a deep state plot, and a politically motivated prosecution.

In an op-ed days after the investigation became public, Gaetz called out President Joe Bidens attorney general by name.

Although Im sure some partisan crooks in [Attorney General] Merrick Garlands Justice Department want to pervert the truth and the law to go after me, I will not be intimidated or extorted, Gaetz wrote. (The investigation into Gaetz was reportedly opened last summer under Trump-appointed AG Bill Barr.)

Snell remarked of the tactics, To a criminal, prosecution feels like blackmail.

Gaetz, who sits on the House Judiciary Committee charged with overseeing the agency that seized his phone under a warrant last December, has since then routinely complained that he is the target of a deep state attack. And though he has dialed that rhetoric back a bit, recent press statements from unnamed defense attorneys in the case suggest the Gaetz team will attempt to malign the character of the two star witnesses in the caseGreenberg and the former teenregardless of possible corroborating evidence.

But while Gaetz may be happy with his high-powered counsel, the hiring process wasnt entirely smooth.

Two weeks before the campaign hired Fernich, it had retained D.C. firm Zuckerman Spaeder at the same dollar amount$25,000. But that relationship appears to have died on the vine.

Reached for comment on Wednesday, a firm spokesperson told The Daily Beast that Zuckerman Spaeder does not represent Congressman Gaetz, individually, nor his campaign.

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.
Reuters

STOCKHOLM (Reuters) -German Benjamin List and Scottish-born David MacMillan won the 2021 Nobel Prize in Chemistry on Wednesday for developing new tools for building molecules that have helped make new drugs and are more environmentally friendly. Their work on asymmetric organocatalysis, which the award-giving body described as "a new and ingenious tool for molecule building", has also helped in the development of plastics, perfumes and flavours. "Organic catalysts can be used to drive multitudes of chemical reactions," the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences said.
PRISTINA, Kosovo (AP)  The NATO-led KFOR mission in Kosovo on Monday increased its patrols on the border with Serbia in a bid to deescalate tensions between the two Balkan foes over a dispute about license plates.

KFOR has increased the number and time length of the routine patrolling all around Kosovo, including northern Kosovo, the force said in a statement.

The U.S. Embassy in Serbia tweeted that American and Canadian defense officials had visited the Jarinje and Brnjak border crossings to gain a better understanding of the situation.

They were glad to note KFOR was on site as a stabilizing factor, the U.S. Embassy tweeted.

KFOR, with around 4,000 troops from 28 countries, is led by NATO but is supported by the United Nations, the European Union and other international actors. Its aim is to stave off lingering ethnic tensions between majority Kosovo Albanians and minority Kosovo Serbs.

The move comes a day after Serbia President Aleksandar Vucic warned NATO that Serbia will intervene in Kosovo if Kosovo Serbs come under serious threat from the majority Kosovo Albanians.

Serbia has raised its military alert last week, and Serbian military jets and helicopters were flying close to the border with Kosovo in an apparent show of force.

A week ago after Kosovo governments decision, ethnic Kosovo Serbs blocked the Kosovo-Serbia border with trucks to protest the rule on replacing the number plate of the vehicles with a temporary one when entering the country, paying five euros for a two-month period.

Kosovo sent in special police to protect the country's border officers and their installations while implementing the new rule, according to Prime Minister Albin Kurti. Kosovo authorities say they were matching Serbia in a license plate move that heightens tensions in the Balkans. Kosovo says a 10-year-old deal achieved during the European Union-facilitated negotiations between the two countries expired Sept. 15 and it was applying the same rule Serbia used for vehicles entering into their country from Kosovo.

Story continues

Serbia doesnt recognize its former province of Kosovo as a separate nation and considers their mutual border only as a temporary boundary.

Last weekend, Kosovo government officials say a public building was set on fire and another was hit by grenades that didnt explode in what they described as criminal acts related to a protest by ethnic Serbs.

On Monday, Kurti repeated the offer that both countries lift the rule of temporary license plates as the solution. He also said they were open to talks in Brussels, but Belgrade was declining to hold them.

Vucic has described Kosovos recent license plate move as a criminal action, and he made the withdrawal of all Kosovar special police a condition of EU-mediated negotiations to resolve the dispute.

The EU, NATO and the U.S. have urged Kosovo and Serbia to immediately exercise restraint and refrain from unilateral actions.

A bloody 1998-1999 crackdown by Serbian troops against Kosovo Albanian separatists ended after NATO intervention, and Kosovo declared independence in 2008. It has been recognized by the U.S. and other Western nations, but not by Serbia and its allies Russia and China.

___

Llazar Semini reported from Tirana, Albania. Dusan Stojanovic contributed to this report from Belgrade, Serbia.
Sep. 27Ohio Living Breckenridge Village announced it will hold a two-week State Tested Nursing Assistant training class, Oct. 18 through Oct. 29.

Students must be able to attend each session, Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., according to a news release. The class is free and students will be paid hourly to take the course.

Students who complete the course will receive an Ohio Department of Health Certificate of Completion and will be eligible to register for the state nurse aide test, the release stated.

Training will consist of at least 59 hours in the classroom and at least 16 hours of supervised resident care in a long-term care facility.

To register for the course, students must: Apply at careers.ohioliving.org; be at least 18 years of age; have a high school diploma or the equivalent; and complete an interview with the leadership team. The deadline to apply for the class is Oct. 8.

Applicants can contact Bryan Seward at btseward@ohioliving.org or 330-208-2404 with any questions.
In The Know by Yahoo

Latina YouTube star Paula Galindo, aka Pautips, is taking her beauty influencer status to the next level. Today, the Colombian-born makeup guru launched her partnership with LUXIE Beauty, a cosmetics brand that specializes in creating vegan, cruelty-free makeup brushes.

The September launch date is especially meaningful, as it aligns with Latinx Heritage Month.

Decode and demystify Gen Z's latest online slang terms with In The Know's new glossary.

Ive always come here, and Ive said, Im Latina. Im proudly Latina,' Galindo, who has amassed more than 9 million YouTube followers and 8 million Instagram followers across Latin American and the U.S., told In The Know. And if we as Latinos, we come together and we support each other, were gonna grow a lot.

The LUXIE x PauTips collection features three sets of allergen-free makeup brushes and has a distinct Miami flair. From the Miami Nights set, which includes eye blending and shading brushes, to the Art Deco blending set inspired by the Miami Beach Art Deco scene, these brushes aim to bring the Latinx-influenced city right to your makeup mirror.

Join In The Know by Yahoos Parenting Facebook group, where you can connect with other new parents, find trending content, product recommendations & more!

I do believe in this product. Thats why we collabed, said the 26-year-old, who has since relocated to Miami. And they believe in my talent, in my influence, so it was a perfect match.

LUXIE Beauty CEO Conor Riley agreed, noting that the focus on eye brushes was no accident.

One of the most important things was to value Pau for what she does, Riley told In The Know. And what she does, that no one else does, is these unique eye looks that have a lot of relevance, I think, now that people are wearing masks.

The LUXIE x Pautips collaboration seems to be a match made in beauty heaven.

Story continues

Were building something special, Riley said.

For Galindo, the partnership is yet another opportunity she has seized on her hard-won road to success.

Ive always taken a chance, working for it, and then again and again and again and again, the influencer said. Every single step that I have taken to be here, it has made me the woman that I am today.

Galindo added that she also wanted to use this opportunity to further connect with her Latinx community.

I wanted to be inspirational for Latin people that are dreaming about coming here and doing big things, Galindo shared. I think its possible and achievable.

In The Know is now available on Apple News  follow us here!

If you enjoyed this story, read about these 5 Gen Z activists who are changing the world.

More from In The Know:

Jesus Morales has donated more than $130,000 to vendors throughout Southern California

This $15 drugstore foundation is going viral (again) on TikTok

The best iron Ive ever owned: Amazon shoppers love this 2-in-1 hair straightener and curler

Sephoras 2021 Accelerate program features 8 new BIPOC beauty brands

The post Pautips and Luxie Beauty collab celebrates Latinx Heritage Month appeared first on In The Know.
(Refiles to identify Bystrianin as head of Ocalenie Foundation in paragraph 11)

WARSAW (Reuters) - Poland's interior minister said on Monday material related to Islamic extremism had been found in the phones of migrants crossing its border with Belarus and he called for a 60-day extension to a state of emergency along the frontier.

The European Union member state declared the emergency at the start of September over a surge in migration that Polish and EU officials blame on Belarus. But Poland's nationalist government has drawn criticism from rights groups over its treatment of migrants, five of whom have died on the frontier.

"(The situation is) extremely tense...I will apply to the Council of Ministers (cabinet) for an extension of the state of emergency by 60 days," Interior Minister Mariusz Kaminski told a news conference.

During the briefing Polish officials showed material which they said were text messages and other images linked to Islamic extremism found on some of the migrants' electronic devices.

Reuters could not independently confirm the veracity of the messages or images.

Poland's opposition and human rights groups have accused the ruling right-wing nationalist Law and Justice (PiS) party in the past of stoking prejudice against immigrants for political gain.

During the 2015 migrant crisis, the PiS leader said refugees from the Middle East could bring disease and parasites to Poland.

Most of the current migrants have come from Iraq, Afghanistan and Africa.

On Monday, Kaminski said the government was not trying to stigmatise the migrants but merely presenting evidence it had uncovered to show that some migrants crossing the border could pose a threat to national security.

He said that Polish security services had found links to extremism in 50 out of 200 migrants questioned.

Piotr Bystrianin, head of the Ocalenie Foundation refugee aid charity, said the minister showed no proof that any of the migrants posed a security threat.

Story continues

"The aim was precisely to stigmatise these people, arouse fear and try to find some pseudo-reasons for maintaining the state of emergency. It's pure propaganda, turning people against refugees like in 2015...," he said.

Poland and the EU have accused Belarus of encouraging migrants from Iraq, Afghanistan and African countries to cross the EU's external borders to put pressure on the bloc over sanctions Brussels has imposed on Minsk over rights abuses.

However, the European Commission and rights groups fear that Poland is forcing migrants at the border back into Belarus, violating their right to seek asylum and putting them at greater risk.

(Reporting by Alan Charlish, Pawel Florkiewicz and Anna Wlodarczak-Semczuk; Editing by Mark Heinrich)
Gabby Petito. North Port Police Department

It could take a long time for police to name a suspect in Gabby Petito's killing.

Criminal-justice experts said it may be difficult for police to collect evidence from her remains.

CUNY professor Joseph Giacalone said police may need to gather evidence from multiple crime scenes.

Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

Police may not name a suspect in Gabby Petito's homicide case for a long time. Experts said investigators would face significant hurdles to finding and testing physical evidence because the case spans multiple states and her body was left in the wilderness for weeks.

Petito was reported missing by her mother on September 11 after her fiance, Brian Laundrie, returned home to Florida from a cross-country road trip without her. Laundrie was named a person of interest in Petito's disappearance at the time, but her death has since been declared a homicide. Petito's body was found in Grand Teton National Park on September 19.

Laundrie himself has been missing since September 13 and has been charged with credit-card fraud in connection with Petito's disappearance, but he has not faced any additional charges in Petito's death.

Criminal-justice experts said it could take police awhile to name a suspect in the case because gathering physical evidence would be difficult. Police have not disclosed Petito's cause of death, and Joseph Giacalone, a criminal-justice professor at the City University of New York, said he thought they were withholding it for a reason.

"If she's strangled, the evidence is going to be limited," Giacalone told Insider. "In the respect that you're not going to have blood everywhere and, you know, hair fibers or all that other stuff."

Giacalone said that once police found physical evidence, it could still be a long process to name a suspect because testing the evidence for DNA could take "awhile to get back."

Pulling physical evidence from Petito's remains may also be difficult for investigators because it was left in the national park for several weeks and may have become "very skeletonized," according to George Kirkham, a professor emeritus at Florida State University's College of Criminology and Criminal Justice.

Story continues

"I don't know what will be available in terms of forensic evidence after that stage of decomposition," Kirkham said. Kirkham added that police should be able to determine a cause of death.

Giacalone said police may face challenges while gathering evidence because they could be dealing with multiple crime scenes, including the area where Petito's body was found and Petito and Laundrie's van.

Police seized the van in which Petito and Laundrie traveled across the country from the house of Laundrie's parents earlier this month. Giacalone said investigators would be "going over it with a fine-toothed comb."

"Each scene will hold a significant piece of physical evidence that they will need to put this all together," Giacalone said.

Read the original article on Insider
During a press briefing Monday, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki repeated the Biden administrations refrain that the countrys immigration system is broken and that Republicans are uninterested in fixing it.

For all of those Republicans who are standing at the border and giving speeches about how broken the system is, why dont you join us and be a part of the solution?, she said.

Immigration reform is desperately needed, she said, urging Republicans to collaborate with Democrats on a legislative fix. Her comments come after Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas announced that 12,000 Haitian migrants were released into the country after camping under a bridge in Del Rio, Texas for weeks.

Republicans have argued that Bidens decision to roll back a spate of Trump-era immigration measures created the crisis. Meanwhile, Psaki has suggested that Biden at least partially inherited the situation from his predecessors administration, when they contend the massive migrant influx into the country began.

Vice President Kamala Harris, who Biden tapped to manage the border issue many months ago, as well as Homeland Security Secretary Mayorkas, have continued to emphasize the root causes in Central American countries, such as gang violence, political corruption, and economic turmoil, as the priorities theyre focusing on.

At least weeks press briefing, Psaki echoed a similar sentiment to Monday, saying There are a lot of Republicans out there giving speeches about how outraged they are about the situation at the border. Not many who are putting forward solutions.

Many GOP lawmakers have proposed reinstating Trump-era measures that significantly curbed immigration, namely the Remain in Mexico policy, which required that asylum-seekers wait in Mexico while their claims were being adjudicated. The policy disincentivized illegal immigration because migrants who would have otherwise filed a fraudulent asylum claim and then refused to show up for their hearing were not admitted in the first place.

Story continues

Even Democrats have railed against the Biden administration for allowing what theyve called a humanitarian crisis to erupt at the border, although a criticism largely directed at the debunked allegation that border agents were whipping migrants while riding horseback last week. Mayorkas, Psaki, Harris, and Biden all fanned the flames of that accusation, leading the White House to outright ban agents from using horses to guard the border in Del Rio.

Officers have expressed outrage and frustration over the smearing rhetoric. Border Patrol morale is reportedly suffering due to the administrations scapegoating. The wave of migration, which has been accompanied by a surge of human and drug trafficking, has pushed the number of illegal border crossings to a 20-year high.

More from National Review
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP)  SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico  A pharmacy owner in Puerto Rico has pleaded guilty to illegally vaccinating two dozen children against COVID-19 with shots that had not been approved as safe for that age group, federal authorities said Monday.

The U.S. Attorneys Office said Liz Ann Banchs fully inoculated minors between the ages of 7 and 11 with the Pfizer vaccine from late May until late June.

The vaccine is currently approved for those 12 years and older, though Pfizer announced last week that a version of its vaccine, with much-reduced doses, is safe and works for children ages 5 to 11 and that it will soon seek U.S. authorization for that age group.

Authorities said the illegal vaccination occurred at Farmacia Gabriela, Inc. in the southern mountain town of Juana Diaz. They said Banchs faces up to five years in prison and up to a $250,000 fine.
Glenn Youngkin, the businessman turned Republican nominee for governor in Virginia is reminding voters of his opponents past as an election truther.

Youngkin has sought to thread the needle between enthusing Republicans and not offending moderates, a difficult task made trickier by former president Donald Trumps suggestion last Thursday that Youngkin could only prevail if he embraced the MAGA movement.

The candidate has affirmed that he believes President Joe Biden won the 2020 presidential election, but raised eyebrows when in a recent sit-down with Axios, he declined to say whether he would have voted to certify it were he a member of Congress.

Terry McAuliffe, who is vying for a second term against Youngkin, was critical.

How can Glenn not say that he wouldnt object? Really? After all that happened? We cant let someone so beholden to the madness of Donald Trump anywhere near the Governors Office. https://t.co/0oQ9WaA046  Terry McAuliffe (@TerryMcAuliffe) September 26, 2021

Youngkin has responded by reminding voters of McAuliffes own history of sowing doubt in Americas electoral system, with a new page on Twitter being promoted by his campaign.

In particular, McAuliffe has long been insistent that George Bush stole the 2000 presidential election. Shortly after taking over as chairman of the Democratic National Committee in 2001, for example, McAuliffe claimed that the Supreme Court had tampered with the results.

Terry McAuliffe repeatedly claimed the 2000 election was stolen. It's on tape. #BigLie pic.twitter.com/mAY2mIyMtc  Team Youngkin (@TeamYoungkin) September 27, 2021

At the 2004 Democratic National Convention, McAuliffe insisted to a roaring crowd that we actually won the last presidential folks, they stole the last presidential election!

Story continues

Big liar @TerryMcAuliffe told a #BigLie in 2004: "They STOLE the last presidential election!" pic.twitter.com/UImRxe0tEt  Team Youngkin (@TeamYoungkin) September 27, 2021

McAuliffe is on the record asserting that Al Gore did win the election as late as 2017, and he even strangely has asserted that his father passed away, at least in part, as a result of Bushs victory.

The FiveThirtyEight polling average shows a tightening race between Youngkin and McAuliffe, with the latter holding a lead of less than three percentage points. Virginia has not had Republican governor since Bob McDonnell, who was succeeded by McAuliffe in 2014.

Youngkin clarified his position on Monday, saying he absolutely would have voted to certify the 2020 election and reminding reporters that he has always recognized Biden as the legitimate president.

More from National Review
(Nassau County Sheriffs, Florida)

Police in Florida have told residents to shoot a former US marine who is on the run after allegedly killing a sheriffs deputy during a traffic stop.

Bill Leeper, the sheriff of Nassau County in Florida, described Patrick McDowell as a rabid animal and warned residents to blow him out the door if he tried to break into their house.

On Monday morning his department raised the reward for Mr McDowells capture to $54,000 after deputy Joshua Moyers died of his wounds on Sunday night.
Senate Republicans just blocked a bill passed by the House that would prevent a government shutdown at the end of the month because it also would have suspended the debt ceiling. Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the Republican leading the effort to sink the bill, continues to insist his party has no responsibility for dealing with the debt limit, though he admits that a failure to do so could cause enormous damage to the U.S. economy.

Economists have warned that a U.S. default on its obligations would be calamitous. If you actually crossed that line and got to a place where the government wasnt paying off its obligations, I think it would create a very negative dynamic not only in the US but around the world, New York Fed chief John Williams said Monday.

Federal Reserve Governor Lael Brainard encouraged lawmakers to act. Congress knows what it needs to do. Its done it before. It needs to step up; it has responsibilities, she said at a meeting of business economists. The American people have had enough drama over the last two years.

The global consulting firm RMS ran simulations of what could occur if the U.S. defaulted, and the results were not pretty. This would be the first artificially induced debt ceiling crisis since the 2011 debacle, and has the potential to hurt the real economy, global financial markets and the credit rating of the United States, the RMS analysts wrote. Even a short-term default crisis carries with it the probability of a 0.99 percentage point decrease in fourth-quarter growth this year and up to a 1.76 percentage point decrease in the annual growth rate next year.

Democrats on their own: Assuming Republicans cannot be persuaded to back a debt limit suspension, Democrats are expected to take steps to avoid default by using the reconciliation process to increase the debt limit. That process, which would be separate from the reconciliation bill Democrats are using with the Biden spending plan, would take time, as long as two weeks, coming perilously close to a default date that could potentially arrive in mid-October.

Story continues

Democrats have been slow to move on the reconciliation option. Though it may be part of a bluffing game, Senate Budget Chair Bernie Sanders (I-VT) said last week that there is no backup plan for the debt limit.

It is incomprehensible to me  that you have a Republican Party that would allow the largest economy to default on our loans and money that has already been spent, especially spent during the Trump administration, Sanders said. But I dont think thats going to happen, he added. I think Republicans may be a little bit crazy, but theyre not that crazy.

Like what you're reading? Sign up for our free newsletter.
Reuters

A former SS guard, now 100 years old, hobbled into a German courtroom on a walking frame on Thursday to face charges of helping to send more than 3,000 people to their deaths in a Nazi concentration camp during World War Two. Prosecutors say Josef S., a member of the Nazi party's paramilitary SS, contributed to the deaths of 3,518 people at the Sachsenhausen concentration camp by regularly standing guard in the watchtower between 1942 and 1945. Some people interned in Sachsenhausen were murdered with Zyklon-B, the poison gas also used in other extermination camps where millions of Jews were killed in the Holocaust.
Goljuma (R) praised the Taliban: "Women like me are not like women in Kabul"

The interior of the house made of mud bricks was cool, clean and calm. A man called Shamsullah, who had a small son clinging to his leg, ushered his visitors into the room where they received guests.

A rug covered the floor and cushions ran along the walls that were at least two-feet thick. A few treasures were on display. A small cabinet with half a dozen tiny coloured glass bottles. But the family are poor, and any possessions they had were destroyed or looted during the last 20 years of war.

The house was a refuge from the hot sun and dusty air outside. It was surrounded by high mud walls, like all the family compounds in the fields that became battlefields in Marjah, Helmand province. Inside the walls they were ready to harvest a few more puffballs of cotton to be added to the bale Shamsullah had already taken from the fields outside.

Shamsullah ushered in his mother, Goljuma. He said she was 65. She had wrapped herself in a long shawl that covered her head and body down to her knees, with a small gap so she could peer out.

Sometimes I caught the flash of an eye and the bridge of a nose. Goljuma's voice was strong as she talked about a life full of sadness and a war that destroyed her life and killed her four eldest sons. Shamsullah, the youngest, was the only one left. He was 24, but his face was 10 years older.

Goljuma's first son to die, 11 years ago, was Zia Ul Huq. He was a fighter for the Taliban. "My son joined the Taliban because he understood that the Americans wanted to destroy Islam and Afghanistan," she said.

The other three sons died within a few months in 2014. Quadratallah was killed in an air strike. Two other brothers, Hayatullah and Aminullah, were arrested in a police raid on the family home. Shamsullah said his brothers were forced to sign up for the army, where they were killed. As the only survivor, Shamsullah said God decided he had to take on the responsibilities of the family.

Story continues

"Have you ever tried to balance five water melons on one hand? That's how it is for me," he told me. His duties include ensuring the welfare of the widow of his oldest brother, Zia, the Taliban fighter.

"I miss my brothers," Shamsullah said. "My eldest brother's wife married my next brother when he died. When he was killed, my next brother married her. When he was killed my fourth brother married her. I married her when he was killed."

In 2010, Marjah was chosen as the first set piece operation of the US troop "surge" ordered by President Barack Obama. The idea was that reinforcements would deliver knockout blows that would change the course of the war decisively in favour of the government in Kabul and the American, British and other allied forces that sustained it.

"As we push the Taliban out, there is nothing but a bright future ahead: good schools, good health clinics, a free-flowing market," a US military press release that year predicted.

The fields of cotton and opium poppies in Marjah turned into a nightmare for the foreign troops that fought the elusive Taliban insurgents. Three months into the long drawn-out operation the US Commander General Stanley McChrystal called Marjah "a bleeding ulcer". It was fought over many times in the next 10 years.

Goljuma was contemptuous of Western leaders who said they were trying to make Afghanistan a better place for the people. "I don't know anything about their mission. They destroyed the country," she said.

She was incredulous when I asked her about the opportunities that women were able to take and now are heartbroken to lose. "So many of our people suffered a lot while they were here. They killed our husbands, our brothers and our sons," she said. "I like the Taliban because they respect Islam. Women like me are not like women in Kabul."

She said before the Taliban won the war everyone was scared of them. Now they are relieved it is over.

Taliban fighters in Lashkar Gah. The group took control of Kabul on 15 August

One question, however, is whether she was speaking freely. The Taliban media office insisted the BBC team travelled with an armed Talib bodyguard and a translator it approved as a condition of our presence in Helmand. If they had not been there, we might have heard more about the fear the Taliban drilled into many Afghans.

But I did not doubt Goljuma's sincerity when she condemned the destruction inflicted on Helmand's traditional farming community by the world's most powerful militaries, and her grief about her four dead sons.

In 2001, shortly after the 9/11 attacks on America the US, the UK and their allies invaded Afghanistan with a clear mission: to destroy al-Qaeda and punish the Taliban for harbouring them.

It is what happened next that is much harder to understand and to justify; an unwinnable war that cut across all that they tried to do to improve the lives of Afghans.

Development, like democracy, cannot come from the barrel of a gun. The West had victories along the way. Indeed, a generation of urban men and women were educated and had their horizons transformed. But those benefits did not reach poor and barely educated people in the countryside like Goljuma's family.

When the Taliban first seized power in 1996, they used violence to enforce their religious and cultural beliefs. Now, most Afghans are too young to remember the years before 9/11 and the invasion.

In Lashkar Gah, young Talibs reacted to the BBC cameras by taking out their mobile phones, filming us and taking selfies with the foreigners. Mobile data is cheap here; our Taliban escort watched BBC Pashto on his phone. The world is open to them in a way that it wasn't in the 1990s, when the Taliban banned photography.

Their group's fighters are no longer boys who grew up with no knowledge of the outside world. So will they force their own fighters, let alone the rest of the population, to give up smartphones, the internet and a world that beckons them on? This time it might be harder to bend and break a country.
By Robin Emmott

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny was nominated on Monday for the European Parliament's annual human rights prize as European Union lawmakers sought to keep the public spotlight on his pro-democracy network, which has been banned in Russia.

Navalny, 45, who was poisoned in August 2020 by what Western nations said was a nerve agent, is serving a 2-1/2-year sentence for parole violations he calls trumped up. The EU has imposed sanctions on Russian officials over Navalny's poisoning and imprisonment.

Moscow denies any wrongdoing and accuses the EU of interfering in its domestic affairs.

"It is vital that we in the European Parliament confirm our relentless support for Navalny and stress that his wellbeing is the responsibility of (Russian President Vladimir) Putin," Peter van Dalen, a Dutch centre-right EU lawmaker, told an assembly meeting.

The 50,000 euro ($59,000) Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought, named after Soviet dissident Andrei Sakharov, is awarded every year. The winner will be announced on Oct. 21, with a prize-giving in December.

Past laureates include South African president Nelson Mandela, Venezuela's democratic opposition and Pakistani education activist Malala Yousafzai.

Other 2021 nominees include a group of prominent Afghan women, Bolivian politician Jeanine Anez and British-based human rights non-governmental organisation Global Witness.

($1 = 0.8537 euros)

(Reporting by Robin Emmott and Clement Rossignol; Editing by Angus MacSwan)
Associated Press

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (AP)  A teacher has resigned from a North Carolina charter school after telling Black students in her class that if not for the Constitution, they would be her field slaves, a comment that one parent said brought attention to other racist incidents at the school. Winterville Charter Academy sent a memo which also referred to racially insensitive words being used by children in the class without any action from the teacher. The school leadership team acted immediately upon learning about a racially insensitive lesson and student remarks, and is currently working to address ongoing concerns from parents that racially insensitive student remarks continue, said Colleen Cullison, spokesperson for National Heritage Academies, the parent company for the school.
Ninja Van, a Singapore-based logistics startup, has closed a $578 million Series E round to support its operations infrastructure and technology systems growth.

Investors include Chinas Alibaba Group as well as existing investors DPDgroups GeoPost, Facebook co-founder Eduardo Saverings B Capital Group, Monks Hill Ventures and Zamrud, a sovereign wealth fund controlled by Brunei, based on its statement.

The latest round topped at a valuation of more than $1 billion prior to a potential initial public offering as early as next year, according to media reports. The company's spokesperson declined to comment on the valuation.

The Series E brings the firm's total funding up to $976.5 million, the spokesperson told TechCrunch.

This round comes after its $279 million Series D round at about $750 million of valuation in April 2020 and an $87 million Series C round in Jan 2018.

Ninja Van will use the proceeds to strengthen its operations including micro supply chain solutions to optimize e-commerce opportunities in Southeast Asia.

Ninja Van claims it delivers approximately 2 million parcels a day, with more than 1.5 million active shippers and around 100 million recipients.

Founded in 2014 by CEO Lai Chang Wen, CTO Shaun Chong and CPO Boxian Tan, the company operates its business across Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines. It currently employs more than 61,000 staff.

"We strongly believe in the potential of e-commerce in Southeast Asia, in particular the power of technology-enabled logistics to fuel e-commerce growth. With Ninja Van's vast presence and extensive local insights in the region, we are confident that our partnership with Ninja Van would enable us to better serve participants in the e-commerce ecosystem across the region. said Mr. Kenny Ho, head of Investment for Southeast Asia, Alibaba Group.
Bravo

Kathy Hilton is building a fabulous new home from the ground up, but she has no intention of living in it when it's done. "This is one of my projects," The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills newcomer explained to Sutton Stracke in the preview clip above from the show's October 6 episode. "I am going to sell this." Although Kathy once planned to move into the home with her husband, Rick Hilton, she decided to take it on as a project when Rick expressed that he wanted to stay in their current Bel-Ai
People holding a giant rainbow flag

Swiss voters turned out on Sunday to vote in a referendum to legalize same-sex marriage, adoption for same-sex couples, and access to sperm donation for married women couples. The successful vote marks Switzerland as one of the last Western European countries to approve same-sex marriage and the thirtieth country in the world to do so.

Results show that the measure passed with about 64 percent of people voting in favor of same-sex marriage, reported the Associated Press. The measure won a majority in each of the countrys 26 cantons.

More than 50 percent of Swiss citizens participated in the vote, according to Agence Presse France.

The country has had legal same-sex civil partnerships since 2007 and registers about 700 partnerhips per year. The change in the law will make it easier for foreign spouses of Swiss citizens to get citizenship.

It is a historic day for Switzerland, a historic day when it comes to equality for same-sex couples, and it is also an important day for the whole LGBT community, Jan Muller, a member of the vote yes national committee, told AFP.

The Swiss have dropped a massive yes into the ballot box, Olga Baranova, a spokesperson for the committee, said.

Today does not change my country, Baranova said. Today reflects the change of mentality over the last 20 years. It is really the reflection of a very broad and very important acceptance of LGBT people in society.

Leading up to Sundays vote, both sides of the referendum accused each other of tearing down posters and hostile campaigners. Opponents of marriage equality said that the change would destroy traditional family values  specifically that it would end fatherhood.

The referendum also followed a lengthy battle for marriage equality in the country of 8.6 million people. In December 2020, the Swiss parliament approved a bill legalizing same-sex marriages. However, opponents gathered enough signatures  50,000  to put the bill to a referendum due to the countrys direct democracy system.

Story continues

Swiss Justice Minister Karin Keller-Sutter told AFP the first same-sex marriages should be able to take place from July 2022.

Whoever loves each other and wants to get married will be able to do so, regardless of whether it is two men, two women, or a man and a woman, Keller-Sutter said. The state does not have to tell citizens how they should lead their lives.
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP)  The Taliban banned barbershops in a southern Afghanistan province from shaving or trimming beards, claiming their edict is in line with Shariah, or Islamic, law.

The order in Helmand province was issued Monday by the provincial Taliban government's vice and virtue department to barbers in Lashkar Gah, the provincial capital.

Since I have heard (about the ban on trimming beards) I am heart broken," said Bilal Ahmad, a Lashkar Gah resident. "This is the city and everyone follows a way of living, so they have to be left alone to do whatever they want.

During their previous rule of Afghanistan, the Taliban adhered to a harsh interpretation of Islam. Since overrunning Kabul on Aug. 15 and again taking control of the country, the world has been watching to see whether they will re-create their strict governance of the late 1990s.

Some indication came on Saturday, when Taliban fighters killed four alleged kidnappers and later hung their bodies in the public squares of the western city of Herat.

"If anyone violates the rule (they) will be punished and no one has a right to complain, said the order issued to the barbers. It wasn't immediately clear what penalties the barbers could face if they don't adhere to the no shaving or trimming rule.

During the Talibans previous rule, the conservative Islamists demanded that men grow beards. Since being ousted from power following the U.S.-led invasion in 2001, many men have opted for no or cleanly trimmed beards.

Barbershop owner Jalaluddin, who like many Afghans goes by only one name, said he hoped the Taliban would reconsider their demands.

I request our Taliban brothers to give freedom to people to live the way they want, if they want to trim their beard or hair," he said. "Now we have few clients coming to us, they are scared, they dont want to trim their hair or beards, so I request them let people free, so we have our business and people can freely come to us.

Another barbershop owner, Sher Afzal, also said the decree hurts the bottom line. If someone comes for a haircut, they will come back to us after 40 to 45 days, so it is affecting our business like any other businesses, he said.

Video courtesy of NBCUniversal. For more, check out NBC.com.
BAUCHI, Nigeria (Reuters) - Ten more students who were kidnapped by gunmen from a school in Nigeria two months ago have been released after ransom was paid, the school administrator said.

About 150 students were missing after armed men raided the school in Kaduna state in the northwest in July, the 10th mass school kidnapping since December, which authorities attributed to criminal gangs seeking ransom.

The bandits have been releasing the students in batches after getting ransom payments.

Administrator of the Bethel Baptist High school Reverend John Hayab said after the latest release, 11 students remained in captivity and the school was working to ensure they were freed soon.

"I am happy to tell you that 10 of our abducted students of Bethlem Baptist High school have regained their freedom but had to pay ransom," he told Reuters late on Sunday.

He declined to say how much was paid.

Such kidnappings at schools in Nigeria were first carried out by jihadist group Boko Haram, and later its offshoot Islamic State West Africa Province, but the tactic has been adopted by other gangs seeking ransom.

(Reporting by Ardo Hazzard, Writing by MacDonald Dzirutwe; Editing by Robert Birsel)
Sep. 27ROTTERDAM  A man who arranged to meet someone he believed to be 14 years old at a park in Rotterdam fled when approached by police and did so in a boat, state police said.

Troopers kept track of him and soon took him into custody as he attempted to exit the water at a boat launch near Freemans Bridge, troopers said.

Paul E. Gallione, 48, of Voorheesville, was arrested last Wednesday and charged with second-degree attempted rape and second-degree attempted criminal sex act, both felonies.

He is accused of engaging in sexual communication over social media with a state police investigator whom he believed to be a 14-year-old girl, troopers said.

Gallione then arranged to meet the person at Gateway Landing Park in Rotterdam. The park is located near the Western Gateway Bridge.

He arrived for the meeting in a small personally owned boat, state police said, but investigators were waiting for him.

When they approached, though, he took back to the water and fled down the river, troopers said.

Investigators kept track of him and soon caught up to him at a boat launch near Freemans Bridge, state police said. He was taken into custody as he attempted to remove his boat from the water.

Gallione was processed and released on an appearance ticket to appear in court later.

GAZETTE COVERAGE

Ensure access to everything we do, today and every day, check out our subscribe page at DailyGazette.com/Subscribe
Two former employees at a New York bank branch conspired with an accountant to fraudulently apply for over $3 million in COVID relief loans, prosecutors said in a case unsealed Friday.

Why it matters: It's believed to be the first COVID-related fraud case brought against bank employees who attempted to exploit federal pandemic loan programs, according to Reuters.

Get market news worthy of your time with Axios Markets. Subscribe for free.

Anuli Okeke, formerly a branch manager at a major financial institution in New York, worked with Charlene Wint, a supervisor at the same branch, and tax preparer Hashim Campbell to provide false tax documents and help borrowers submit Paycheck Protection Program applications that contained false information.

They along with unnamed co-conspirators received kickbacks once the borrowers secured the loan proceeds.

Wint and Campbell have pleaded guilty. Okeke made an initial appearance before a U.S. magistrate judge and was released on a $100,000 bond.

What they're saying: "As alleged, the defendants plotted to steal millions in funds that were specifically earmarked by Congress to provide emergency assistance to small businesses and vulnerable workers during a global pandemic and time of great economic hardship," Acting U.S. Attorney Kasulis said in a statement.

"Together with our law enforcement partners, this Office will vigorously prosecute defendants who shamelessly seek to enrich themselves by taking advantage of government programs that are designed to help those in need during the COVID crisis."

The big picture: Over 500 defendants face charges for similar fraud schemes, per Reuters.

More from Axios: Sign up to get the latest market trends with Axios Markets. Subscribe for free
'No fuel' signs at a Shell petrol station in Grove Park, London, UK. Photo: Chris J Ratcliffe/Getty

European markets closed marginally high on Monday after a frenetic weekend in the UK, which saw several petrol pumps empty of fuel and massive queues where it was still available even as ministers appealed to avoid "panic buying."

At the close, FTSE 100 (^FTSE) in London was up only by 0.28%, the CAC 40 (^FCHI) in Paris 0.37%, and the DAX (^GDAXI) 0.41%.

In the US, stocks were mixed at the open as bond yields rose and oil climbed to a nearly three-year high. The S&P 500 (^GSPC) fell 0.3% and Nasdaq (^NDX)100 was also down 1.3%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) rose 0.6%.

In the UK, the spiralling petrol crisis forced the government to suspend competition law via the Downstream Oil Protocol to help oil companies to work together to deliver fuel to petrol stations that are running dry. The protocol would help fuel producers, suppliers, hauliers and retailers to prioritise the delivery of fuel to the parts of the country and strategic locations that are most in need.

The UK's business secretary Kwasi Kwarteng agreed to temporarily exempt the industry from the Competition Act 1998 after a meeting with oil companies and retailers on Sunday. This will allow oil companies to share information and optimise supply without risking breaching competition rules.

Oil prices have risen steadily over the past week. Chart: Yahoo Finance UK

Earlier the FTSE 100 in London was up 0.62%, the CAC 40 in Paris ticked up by 0.53%, and the DAX rose by 0.90% after an inconclusive result in the German election on Sunday.

Angela Merkel's Christian Democratic Union (CDU) came second behind the Social Democratic Party (SPD) which received the largest share of the vote. The SPD got 25.7% of the vote while chancellor Merkel's CDU/CSU bloc (CDU's political alliance with the Christian Social Union) got 24.1%. The Greens are in third place, with a record 14.8% vote, putting them in a key position when it comes to forming the government. The verdict means the parties will need to form a coalition, with negotiations that could take months. "Markets are not likely to be concerned for now," said UBS analyst Paul Donovan.

Story continues

Read more: CBI backs Labour's pledge to scrap business rates

In the UK, meanwhile, according to some media reports prime minister Boris Johnson is considering using the army to deliver fuel to petrol stations across the country. Johnson is expected to consult senior members of the cabinet about "Operation Escalin," an existing Ministry of Defence contingency plan to ensure petrol stations don't run dry in the event of a supply crisis.

Environment minister George Eustice, however, told Sky news the government was not considering using the army to help with fuel deliveries. "We've no plans at the moment to bring in the army to actually do driving," Eustice said.

Watch: UK panic buying, up to 90% of fuel pumps dry

The Petrol Retailers Association (PRA), which represents almost 5,500 independent outlets, said 50% to 90% of its members had reported running out of fuel and has predicted that the rest would soon follow.

Fuel stocks remain normal at refineries and terminals although deliveries have been reduced due to the shortage of HGV drivers. Delayed deliveries and unusual buying levels have led to supply pressure and a number of forecourts stockouts," PRA executive director Gordon Balmer told Yahoo Finance UK.

UBS, in its note, said the crisis was down to supply and demand issues: "Reports of supply chain shortages led to panic buying of petrol. Demand exceeded the exceptional supply in some areas, closing petrol stations. In a week or two, demand is likely to be below normal, as people use the fuel 'stockpiled' in their vehicles."

Nordea Investment Funds, an asset manager, pointed to the larger shock the UK economy is going through  linked to higher inflation, supply-chain disruptions and the loss of low skilled workers from the EU.

Read more: Bitcoin and ethereum rally as China crypto ban fails to deter investors

"The consequence is over the past few days a wave of panic in petrol stations forcing the British government to elect for temporary visas for truck drivers (far too few in too poor a condition) and to possibly send the army to do deliveries. The impact on delayed growth and higher inflation may be sizeable and more so than forecasts suggest. What is distinctly not British is the excessive pessimism on growth next year," said Sebastien Galy, senior macrostrategist at Nordea.

Markets in Asia, meanwhile, have mostly started the week on a positive note, with the Hang Seng (^HSI) up 0.28%, Nikkei (^N225) up 0.04%, and the Kospi (^KS11) 0.25%. The Shanghai Composite (000001.SS) was down -1.30%, as materials (-5.91%) and industrials (-4.24%) in the index have significantly underperformed, which comes amidst power curbs in the country, according to a note from Deutsche Bank.

Watch: What are SPACs?
Massachusetts has seen "dozens" of state troopers submit resignations following a vaccine mandate for state employees, State Police Association President Michael Cherven wrote in a statement Monday.

The big picture: Of those who resigned, some plan to return to work in other departments that offer "reasonable alternatives" such as mask-wearing requirements and regular testing, Cherven wrote. The union represents some 1,800 officers.

Get market news worthy of your time with Axios Markets. Subscribe for free.

He added that the strict mandate would further exacerbate staffing shortages.

About 20% of State Police employees remain unvaccinated, per CBS Boston.

State employees are required to get the shot by Oct. 17 or risk losing their jobs.

Exemptions to the mandate are available for those with medical or religious reasons.

Driving the news: Earlier this week, the union filed a lawsuit to delay the mandate, which a federal judge rejected.

Like this article? Get more from Axios and subscribe to Axios Markets for free.
ProFootball Talk on NBC Sports

Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians said that he thought cornerback Richard Sherman played really, really well in his debut with the team last Sunday night, but Sherman had a less charitable take on how things went. Sherman was thrown into the fire as a starter after signing with the Buccaneers last Wednesday and he remained [more]
A teacher in Washington state was ordered to take down a pro-police flag in her classroom over claims it is a "political symbol," while messages supporting Black Lives Matter and LGBT pride flags are allowed in the school.

"They told her that it's controversial to have that flag up. That it makes kids and staff feel unsafe, which to me, that does not make sense at all," the teachers brother, Chris Sutherland, told "The Jason Rantz Show" on KTTH of the situation.

Sutherland is a former police officer with the Marysville Police Department in Washington, and his sister had hung the "Thin Blue Line" flag to support him in her classroom at Marysville Middle School. The flag was also surrounded by photos of her brother.

OREGON TEACHER REMOVES AMERICAN FLAG FROM CLASSROOM, SAYS IT 'STANDS FOR VIOLENCE AND MENACE AND INTOLERANCE'

The teacher, who wished to remain anonymous, said an assistant principal at the school first took issue with a "Thin Blue Line" sticker on her laptop .

The assistant principal said that there were "concerns about how students, families, and community members might interpret what the image is intending to communicate and that this interpretation may cause a disruption to the learning environment," Rantz reported after examining an HR document on the incident.

The objections, however, were soon dropped and the teacher later posted the flag in her classroom.

A second assistant principal then ordered the flag to be taken down, and an HR representative for the district said in a Letter of Clarification to the teacher that the district was "highly concerned about the impact of this political symbol on students, staff, and families of Marysville Middle School."

OREGON SCHOOL BOARD VOTES TO BAN BLM, PRIDE FLAGS

The district told the teacher to "refrain from using the 'Thin Blue Line Flag' symbol" in the school or she may face "further disciplinary action."

Story continues

In the school, however, messages supporting BLM and LGBT flags are allowed, according to Sutherland.

"There's also, she was telling me, BLM stuff hanging on walls, which she was told is OK. Just for whatever reason, just the Thin Blue Line flag cannot be hung up there," Sutherland, who was also a resource officer during the fatal Marysville Pilchuck High School shooting in 2014, told Rantz.

The teacher also displayed a pride flag in her classroom to support a gay relative, Rantz reported.

The district did not immediately respond to Fox News request for comment on the matter, but Rantz said the district refused to explain why BLM and pride flags were allowed, but not pro-police flags.

The teacher ultimately removed the "Thin Blue Line" flag from her classroom, but detailed in a message to HR that the ordeal "has been the most traumatic and hostile" situation shes experienced at the school.

CALIF TEACHER WHO REMOVED US FLAG, SUGGESTED STUDENTS PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO PRIDE FLAG REMOVED FROM CLASSROOM

"It's hurtful because I can hear in her voice how much it actually hurts her being told to [take down the flag]," Sutherland said. "So when [she] and I talk about it, back and forth, it's frustrating because I know how much she cares and how much this means to her. For her to have to go through that  it's just not fair."

Sutherland added that his sister will continue her fight to get the flag back up in her classroom and without fear of being fired for it.

COLLEGE STUDENTS CONFRONT WHITE PEERS WITH 'POLICE LIVES MATTER' STICKER: 'YOU ARE RACIST'

The incident follows the anti-police sentiment that swept the nation last year following the death of George Floyd while he was in police custody, and the resulting defund the police movement.

Multiple teachers have removed American flags from their classrooms in recent days, with one in the Portland area removing it because it "stands for violence and menace and intolerance, and I will not fly that in my room."

Another teacher in California was recently removed from her classroom after a viral video showed her admitting that she encouraged her students to pledge allegiance to a gay pride flag after she removed the American flag from the classroom because it made her "uncomfortable."

Students also have faced backlash over attire or stickers supporting police, including just this week when Arizona State University students were confronted over a "racist" sticker on a computer reading "Police Lives Matter" and were told to leave the area where they were studying, according to a viral video of the incident.
The White House warned Monday that the looming government shutdown could hamper efforts to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.

Congress has only a few days to pass a fiscal-year spending deal, and with Republicans and Democrats at loggerheads, some public health measures could be affected, said White House press secretary Jen Psaki.

"It is never a good thing for the government to shut down, and that is why we are doing everything we can to prevent that from happening," Psaki opened in response to a question from CNN's Kaitlan Collins on the subject.

BREAKING DOWN INFRASTRUCTURE, DEBT CEILING, AND GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN FIGHTS

Psaki acknowledged that many public health operations would continue even in the event of a shutdown, but said that "having services shut down [and] staffing cut in some agencies is not in the interests of addressing any crisis we face, including the pandemic."

"So will they continue to work at 100% when it comes to pandemic response, or what is the preparation for that," Psaki said. "Again, public health officials, for the most part, would be exempt, but government shutdowns also are hugely costly."

Congress has until midnight on Thursday to pass a funding package for fiscal year 2022. The Biden administration is urging lawmakers to pass a continuing resolution that would extend that deadline in addition to providing new funding for the resettlement of Afghan refugees, direct aid for states affected by recent severe weather disasters, and raise the debt ceiling.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

You can watch Psaki's entire press briefing below.

Washington Examiner Videos

Tags: News, Joe Biden, Jen Psaki, White House, Government Shutdown, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Original Author: Christian Datoc

Original Location: White House warns government shutdown could hurt fight against COVID
(Bloomberg) -- Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has declined to return calls from the beleaguered head of the International Monetary Fund, Kristalina Georgieva, since a scandal broke, indicating that the Biden administrations withholding of support for her goes beyond its public statements.

Most Read from Bloomberg

Since Georgieva was accused earlier this month of improperly intervening in a World Bank report in her prior job there, she has made attempts to speak with Yellen but has failed to get through, people familiar with the matter said, speaking on the condition of anonymity. The report from law firm WilmerHale, commissioned by the World Bank, alleged that Georgieva -- who took the helm of the IMF in 2019 -- pressured bank staff to boost Chinas business-climate rating.

Georgieva previously had easy access to Yellen, the people said, given the close nature of multilateral engagement between the IMF and the Treasury. The pair spoke regularly earlier this year, Yellens calendars indicate, as the U.S. and IMF worked on initiatives including the funds planned $650 billion global reserves injection.

The U.S. is the largest shareholder in both the IMF and World Bank, and the Treasury Department manages those relationships.

U.S. Treasury spokeswoman Alexandra LaManna declined to comment on Yellens recent contact with Georgieva. An IMF spokesperson also declined to comment, as did a spokesperson for Georgieva.

The credibility of the IMF is clearly being damaged, said Timothy Ash, a strategist at BlueBay Asset Management in London and a veteran analyst of emerging markets. He said Georgieva should step aside until the investigations are complete.

Story continues

Read more: World Banks Malpass Weighed Changes That Threatened China Rank

A Treasury official said the department has reviewed the allegations of improper conduct and finds them to be concerning and serious. The department is awaiting the IMFs own assessment, the person said, speaking on the condition of anonymity.

The IMF ethics committee is currently reviewing the findings of the World Bank-commissioned report.

As we have made clear, Treasury believes the reports findings are serious and have warranted a full review by the IMF of the managing directors role in the Doing Business Report, Treasurys LaManna said, reiterating a statement made earlier this month. Our primary responsibility is to uphold the integrity of international financial institutions.

Signature Gatherings

The lack of communication comes in the run-up to the IMF and World Bank annual meetings, being held Oct. 11-17. Those are signature gatherings for the two Washington-based institutions, and bring together finance ministers and central bank chiefs from around the world.

Members of both parties are voicing concerns about Georgieva. While several Republican lawmakers called for Treasury to probe the allegations, two prominent Democrats -- House Financial Services Committee Chair Maxine Waters and Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chair Robert Menendez have also called the allegations troubling.

Georgieva has rejected allegations of meddling in the World Banks Doing Business ratings index for China. The report, which the World Bank discontinued by after ethics issues were found with its preparation, was used by investors -- and often touted by governments -- as a gauge of competitiveness.

In a three-page letter to the head of the IMF boards ethics committee dated Sept. 21, Georgieva said she was surprised by law firm WilmerHales conclusion in a Sept. 15 report that she played a key role in changes related to Chinas ranking in the 2018 report.

This is simply untrue, Georgieva wrote.

Georgieva has received support from other quarters, including from former World Bank chief economist and Nobel laureate Joe Stiglitz.

The IMF has pledged a thorough, objective, and timely review of the allegations against Georgieva. Last week, after the WilmerHale audit was released, Georgieva said she disagreed with the findings and told fund staff at a town hall that she asked staff to double-check or triple-check data, but never change its ultimate message.

(Updates with analyst comment in sixth paragraph.)

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

2021 Bloomberg L.P.
Tokyo police have arrested two men for their alleged involvement in producing and selling forged prints of works by prominent Japanese painters.

They include forgeries of works by Higashiyama Kaii, a key postwar artist in Japan.

The suspects are 53-year-old Kato Yuzo, who operated an art gallery in Osaka City, and 67-year-old Kitabata Masashi, who owns a print factory in the city of Yamatokoriyama, Nara Prefecture. The police arrested them on Monday on suspicion of copyright violations.

An investigation by an art dealers' association discovered counterfeit prints of 10 works by Higashiyama and two other Japanese painters, Hirayama Ikuo and Kataoka Tamako.

The association says the counterfeits were sold at department stores in Tokyo and Osaka in the past several years.

Tokyo police suspect the two men were involved in the production and sale of fake prints of a work titled Kusa-aomu by Higashiyama, among others.

In an interview with NHK in February, Kitabata admitted that he was asked by Kato more than eight years ago to produce fake prints. But Kitabata said he didn't know how they were distributed.

An organization of art appraisers in Tokyo says at least 120 prints submitted by their owners for assessment were fakes.
Mumbai (Maharashtra): Shiv Sena on Monday alleged that All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi is behind-the-scenes facilitator of Bharatiya Janata Partys (BJP) successful journey in the country, and called him undergarment of the contractor parent BJP.

In its mouthpiece Saamana, Shiv Sena asked BJP if the ruling partys politics could not progress without using the name of Pakistan.

Asaduddin Owaisi, the behind-the-scenes facilitator of the successful journey of the Bharatiya Janata Party, and his party seem to be doing their best, Shiv Sena said adding that with Assembly elections fast approaching in Uttar Pradesh, Owaisi has made all the preparations to create caste and religious animosity in the state.

Two days ago, on his way to Lucknow from Prayagraj, Owaisis supporters gathered on the way and raised slogans of Pakistan Zindabad. The details of such slogans are not recorded in Uttar Pradesh for so many days, but as Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections near, Owaisi comes, he gives provocative speeches at places, he provokes his autocratic supporters and then there is Pakistan Zindabad, said Saamana.

The party further claimed that the AIMIM chief tried to make a similar communal divide during the last Assembly polls in West Bengal and Bihar.

If Owaisi had not jumped on bigotry, the command of power in Bihar would have been in the hands of a young man named Tejashwi Yadav. But once this mercantile policy was decided to divide votes and buy victory by taking the help of bigotry, what could be done! it stated.

The mouthpiece stated that leaders like him Owaisi have beengroomed many times before and have been destroyed with time. It said the Muslim community of the country has become wise, and have started to understand what is in their own interest.

Till the time Owaisi cannot show the courage to say that Muslim society cannot be ignored in the politics of the country, and without Muslims coming into the mainstream of the nation, they will not get their rights, prestige. Till then Owaisis leadership would be seen as one of those who help their suparibaaz mai baap contractor parent by dividing votes, it added.

From Ram Mandir to Vande Mataram, only a flurry of protest cannot be a policy to give direction to any Muslim society, noted Saamana.

Muslims are the citizens of this country and they should make their way by following the Constitution of the country. The day Owaisi will have the courage to say that, Owaisi will get the prestige as the leader of the nation, otherwise he will be seen only as the undergarment of a national party like BJP, it added.

Will BJPs politics could not progress without using Pakistan? it asked at last.
Union Government responds to Maharashtra Govt's request of caste census in 2021 enumeration

New Delhi, Mon, 27 Sep 2021 Supratik Mitra

The centre in an affidavit to the top court has said that it would not be feasible to collect data regarding caste identities and that exclusion of information regarding any other caste, apart from SCs and STs, from the purview of the census is a conscious policy decision. Effectively ruling out caste as a part of the 2021 census.



The Ministry of Social Justice filed the affidavit in the Supreme court in response to the Maharashtra government seeking directions from the census department to collect data on the Backward Class of Citizens (BCC) in the 2021 enumeration.



The centre told the court, a caste-wise enumeration in the Census has been given up as a matter of policy from 1951 onwards and thus castes other than SCs and STs have not been enumerated in any of the Census since 1951 till today.



The affidavit further explained, while the preparation for the 1951 Census, the first after independence, was underway, the Government of India had decided on the policy of official discouragement of caste. It was decided that in general, no race/ caste/ tribe enquiries should be made and such enquiries should be restricted to the Scheduled Castes and Tribes notified by the President of India in pursuance of Articles 341 and 342 of the Constitution.



This affidavit comes at a time, the centre is facing pressure from opposition parties, and even its allies like JD(U) to collect data on caste beyond SC and ST, as part of the 2021 census.



The centre in court also referred to the feasibility of collecting such data, suggesting that the population Census is not the ideal instrument to collect such information. It pointed to operational difficulties which according to the Centre would endanger the sanctity of the census itself.



Unlike the SC and ST lists, which are exclusive to the Central subject, the government claims that there are several state and union territory lists of Other Backward Classes (OBCs). Orphans and destitute are included as OBCs in several states. In certain instances, SCs who converted to Christianity are listed as OBCs, which would require the enumerator to verify both the OBC and SC lists, which they couldn't do, according to the affidavit.



The Centre said that while there are 2,479 OBCs in the country as per its list, the numbers as per state and union territory lists are 3,150.



To add to the problems the government pointed to phonetically similar cast names, the use of gotra, etc. It suggests that it would prove to be a great challenge for the enumerators, who are generally pooled from school teachers, who do not pose the means to verify the information.



Besides that, the government also said that the phases of the 2021 exercise have already been decided after a lot of deliberation and almost all preparatory work is in place. The government said, census preparations initiate three to four years in advance, and the Central Government issued the necessary notification on the questions to be asked, a total of 31, on January 7, 2020, and inclusion of any additional question in the consensus schedule at this stage is not feasible.



The Supreme court also pointed to past decisions of the high court which have previously rejected caste-wise data collection.
PM CARES is not a government fund says affidavit submitted to Delhi HC

New Delhi, Mon, 27 Sep 2021 Supratik Mitra

The Delhi High Court has been told that the PM CARES Fund is not a Government of India fund and that the money it raises does not go to the Consolidated Fund of India.



Responding to a petition seeking a direction to declare the PM CARES Fund a 'State' under the Constitution to ensure transparency in its functioning. An affidavit was filed by an Under-Secretary at the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) who is serving on an honorary basis in the PM Cares Trust, according to which the trust operates with transparency and its funds are audited by an auditor - a chartered accountant selected from the Comptroller and Auditor General of India's panel.



The affidavit filed by Pradeep Kumar Srivastava, Under Secretary at the PM's Office, also adds, "To ensure transparency, the audited report is put on the official website of the trust along with the details of utilisation of funds received by the trust.



The officer said in the affidavit that, "I state that when the petitioner is claiming to be a public-spirited person and seeking to pray for various reliefs only for transparency, it does not matter whether PM Cares is a 'State' within the meaning of Article 12 of the Constitution of India."



It added that irrespective of whether the trust is state or other authority within the meaning of Article 12 of the constitution, or whether it a public authority within the meaning of provisions of the Right to Information Act (RTI), it is not permissible to disclose third party information.



It stated that the trust accepts all donations via online payments, checks, or Demand Drafts and that the amount collected is audited, with the audited report and trust fund expenditures posted on the website.



The officer stated that he is serving on an honorary basis in the PM Cares Trust, which is a charitable trust that is neither formed nor governed by the Constitution, any law passed by Parliament, or any State legislature.



The court was hearing a petition brought by Samyak Gangwal, who claimed that the PM CARES Fund is a 'State' since it was established by the Prime Minister on March 27, 2020, to provide help to Indian people in the aftermath of the current COVID-19 Pandemic.

His lawyer informed the court that if the PM CARES Fund is determined not to be a "State" under the Constitution, the use of the domain name "gov," as well as the Prime Minister's picture and state insignia, must cease.



The Prime Minister, Defense Minister, Home Minister, and Finance Minister are the fund's trustees, said the petition and the Centre portrayed the fund as being set up and administered by the Government of India shortly after its establishment through top government personnel.

Thus, to guarantee transparency and accountability, the petition has requested that the PM CARES website be audited regularly and that the information of donations received be made public.



A bench of Chief Justice DN Patel and Justice Amit Bansal has fixed the matter for further hearing on September 27.
Veteran Congress Leader from Goa quits, fueling speculation of a shift to TMC

Goa, Mon, 27 Sep 2021 Supratik Mitra

Veteran Goa Congress leader Luizinho Faleiro resigned from his 40-year-old party today, with indications that he may join Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress. Shortly before resigning from the Congress and as an MLA, he lavished admiration on Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, calling her the only "streetfighter" capable of challenging the BJP.

"Mamata Banerjee has given a tough fight to Narendra Modi. The Mamata formula has won in Bengal," Luizinho Faleiro told addressing reporters. When asked to confirm his party switch, he asserted that he would remain a "Congressman of the wider Congress family." This is speculated to imply, that Trinamool is the Congress offshoot that is best equipped to fight the BJP.



"I met some people. They said I am a Congressman of 40 years. I will continue to be a Congressman of the Congress family. Among all four Congresses, it is Mamata who has given a tough fight to (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi and their juggernaut. PM Modi had 200 meetings in Bengal. Amit Shah had 250 meetings. Then there was ED, CBI. But the Mamata formula has won," said the former Chief Minister.

"We need such fighters which are in the same party ideology, policies, principles and programmes. I would like the larger picture of all Congress parties to come together to fight the BJP, calling the Bengal CM a streetfighter.

Though it has not been made public as of yet, many people are reading into signs such as the fact that Trinamool Congress leader Derek O'Brien has recently begun following Mr Faleiro on Twitter.

This will be the second high-profile defection to the Trinamool after Sushmita Deb. While Ms Deb has been handed a significant role in Tripura ahead of next year's elections, Mr Faleiro is expected to strengthen the Trinamool in Goa, where the Congress is significantly weakened and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is campaigning fiercely.

Derek O Brien and Prasun Banerjee, senior leaders of the Trinamool Congress, were in Goa for discussions with Mr Faleiro, ahead of next year, when Goa, along with Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, and other states, will have its Assembly elections.

Mr Faleiro served as the Congress's Tripura in charge for the 2019 national election, and he may also aid the Trinamool in the northeastern state, where it is trying to extend its influence and challenge the ruling BJP.

Faleiro resigned as a Congress MLA for the Navelim seat on Monday morning. While tweeting just before he quit, Lets end this suffering of Goans and bring a new dawn in Goa.
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.
Arizona auditors look pleased with themselves after reporting their dubious findings to the state senate. Photo: Ross D Franklin/AP/Shutterstock

After more than five months and around $6 million (most of it privately raised among Trump supporters), the legendarily ludicrous Arizona audit of the 2020 election results from Maricopa County (home of Phoenix) ended with the filing of an official report late last week. The headlines in most of the mainstream media focused on the most conspicuous finding by Cyber Ninjas, the outfit conducting the audit on behalf of Republican state senators: A hand recount of 2.1 million ballots cast in Maricopa (which accounted for about two-thirds of the states vote) confirmed, and even slightly increased, Joe Bidens margin of victory there.

But MAGA folk have concluded the rest of the audit and the rest of the report have revealed yet-to-be-resolved anomalies in mail ballots; Trump himself is even claiming it proved he won Arizona, which is as mendacious as anything else hes said about the 2020 elections, but is nonetheless holy writ among his core followers. And the suspicions Cyber Ninjas raised will be used to justify similar audit efforts in other states, most notably Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Texas.

The alleged smoking toy gun can be found in a chart contained in the reports executive summary that neatly lays out the findings ranked by the severity of the impact on the 2020 results from Maricopa. Two at the top are deemed critical: Mail-in Ballots Voted From Prior Address and Potential Voters That Voted in Multiple Counties. Actual election experts, who have been following the Arizona audit like firefighters watching arsonists in action, had this to say about such findings and their dubious factual basis, as reported by the Washington Post:

[T]he report claimed that more than 23,000 mail ballots were submitted by voters who moved before the election  a group Trump described Friday as phantom voters.

But the report itself included important caveats about the finding, noting that there are potential ways that the ballots were cast that would not violate the law. And it found that a third of those ballots were cast by registered Republicans. Whats more, Cyber Ninjas acknowledged that the ballots were identified by comparing voter registration rolls to information maintained by a commercially available address validation tool, adding that some error is expected.

The same documentation problems apply to the multiple counties allegation, and the idea that such apparent anomalies illustrate partisan shenanigans is undercut by the evidence that Republican ballots were proportionately present in the suspicious numbers. And there are entirely innocent explanations for these anomalies that the auditors either ignored or were too oblivious to understand, as the Associated Press noted. With respect to the phantom voters, for example:

While the review suggests something improper, election officials note that voters such as college students, those who own vacation homes and military members, can move to temporary locations while still legally voting at the address where they are registered.

A competent reviewer of an election would not make a claim like that, said Trey Grayson, a former Republican secretary of state in Kentucky.

Its typical of the MAGA mind-set: In a review of the audit findings, Margot Cleveland of the Federalist suggested that the absence of reliable information on actual voter identity was attributable to Maricopa Countys refusal to turn over its entire voter database to Cyber Ninjas. Where there is no smoke you assert a fire and then everything smells funny.

Similarly, a claim in the report (cited as representing a high level of severity in compromising the results) that some voters may have returned multiple ballots misses the fact that under Arizona law voters were allowed to cure minor defects in mail ballots, which would have been recorded as multiple submissions without actually indicating anything illegal or out of the ordinary.

The bottom line is, aside from Trumps characteristically unsupported claims that the audit proved he won Arizona, the issues that the auditors raised but could not competently address will be used to justify additional investigations, some by Republican pols seeking the favor of the former president and his followers. For example, Arizona attorney general Mark Brnovich, who is facing a highly competitive Republican primary for a 2022 U.S. Senate nomination, has announced he will take all necessary actions that are supported by the evidence and where I have legal authority in response to the audit findings. And just last week Texas governor Greg Abbott, who is running for reelection and then possibly for president, quickly knuckled under when Trump demanded an audit in his state:

Eight and a half hours after former President Donald J. Trump made a public demand for Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas to back legislation to create a forensic audit of the 2020 election, the Texas secretary of states office announced a comprehensive forensic audit of the results from four of the states largest counties.

That this has nothing to do with legitimate questions about the 2020 results should be made plain by the fact that no one disputes Trumps 2020 win in Texas. This is auditing for the sake of auditing. There is no reason to think it will ever end until Trump has undermined faith in our electoral system enough to suit his purposes.
Julian Assange after his arrest in 2019. Photo: Jack Taylor/Getty Images

In 2016, WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange released hacked Democratic Party emails that were widely credited with boosting President Trumps underdog campaign. But if Assange thought that meant he would receive more generous treatment from the U.S. once Trump won, he was mistaken. An explosive Yahoo! News story published this weekend reports that some Trump officials, most notably onetime secretary of State and former CIA head Mike Pompeo  were hell-bent on punishing Assange, specifically for his leak of CIA hacking tools in 2017. And they were willing to go to extreme, likely illegal lengths to do so.

In 2019, Assange was removed from the Ecuadorian Embassy by British authorities, arrested, and transferred to a London prison as a legal case around his possible extradition to the U.S. unfolds. (The charges against him revolve around his associations with Chelsea Manning, not subsequent leaks.) Yahoo revealed that the way things played out in the end were relatively tame compared to what might have gone down.

Here are the five biggest takeaways from their story.

1.

When Pompeo declared WikiLeaks a non-hostile state intelligence service in 2017, it was a change in rhetorical posture but also a designation that opened the door for far more aggressive surveillance of the organization under the aegis of offensive counterintelligence, Yahoo reports. Pompeo began planning for the fate of Assange himself. He and other officials proposed that Americans seize Assange from the Ecuadorian Embassy, transfer him to a second country where he could be interrogated, then move him to the U.S.  the kind of maneuver the U.S. preferred for many terror suspects post 9/11. In a less drastic scenario, intelligence officers would simply turn Assange over to the British after kidnapping him from the embassy. These extreme moves appeared to be on very shaky legal ground, especially because Assange had not been formally charged in the U.S., and there was fierce internal opposition to carrying them out. Some White House lawyers officials were reportedly so concerned about the plan that they alerted lawmakers in an effort to draw attention to it.

2.

Yahoo reports that as the rendition plot was being batted around, U.S. intelligence caught wind that Russia was about to conduct its own operation at the embassy: taking Assange back to Russia. The U.S. began preparing to block that from happening  preparations that veered into cinematic territory:

In response, the CIA and the White House began preparing for a number of scenarios to foil Assanges Russian departure plans, according to three former officials. Those included potential gun battles with Kremlin operatives on the streets of London, crashing a car into a Russian diplomatic vehicle transporting Assange and then grabbing him, and shooting out the tires of a Russian plane carrying Assange before it could take off for Moscow. (U.S. officials asked their British counterparts to do the shooting if gunfire was required, and the British agreed, according to a former senior administration official.

With Ecuador having signed off on the plan to exfiltrate Assange to Russia and a bevy of undercover agents from various countries stationed around the embassy, the stage seemed set for some sort of showdown. But Assange himself rejected the idea, and the Russians canceled the operation after learning that the Americans were aware of it.

3.

Yahoo reports, Some senior officials inside the CIA and the Trump administration even discussed killing Assange, going so far as to request sketches or options for how to assassinate him. Trump reportedly raised the idea in a 2017 meeting. But if kidnapping Assange was a legally shaky proposition (at best), assassinating him was truly a bridge too far for a preponderance of decision-makers  even for the Trump administration.

That kind of lethal action would be way outside of a legitimate intelligence or counterintelligence activity, a former senior intelligence community lawyer told Yahoo. The plan went nowhere.

4.

Yahoo reports that a Spanish security company Ecuador had hired to help shield its embassy from prying eyes was in fact doing double duty  working for U.S. intelligence as well. Thus, American officials were privy to Assanges minute-to-minute movements:

The Spanish firm was providing U.S. intelligence agencies with detailed reports of Assanges activities and visitors as well as video and audio surveillance of Assange from secretly installed devices in the embassy, the employees testified. A former U.S. national security official confirmed that U.S. intelligence had access to video and audio feeds of Assange within the embassy but declined to specify how it acquired them.

It is not clear to what extent the surveillance of Assange aided the U.S. in its calculations regarding its plans, or lack thereof.

5.

The American governments grudge against WikiLeaks stretches back to Barack Obamas first term, when Assange first made his name by publishing a video of a U.S. air strike in Iraq, then leaking vast caches of classified diplomatic cables. The Obama team generally paid more attention to rule-of-law considerations than its successors did. But in 2013, WikiLeaks assisted Edward Snowden in traveling from Hong Kong to Russia after he had leaked explosive National Security Agency documents to several journalists. At that point, some Obama officials wanted to designate WikiLeaks, as well as two of those journalists, Glenn Greenwald and Laura Poitras  as information brokers, rather than journalists. This would have made it easier for the government to potentially prosecute them. The plan was ultimately vetoed.

Poitras told Yahoo that the attempt was bone-chilling and a threat to journalists worldwide, while Greenwald said, I am not the least bit surprised that the CIA, a longtime authoritarian and anti-democratic institution, plotted to find a way to criminalize journalism and spy on and commit other acts of aggression against journalists.
A latter-day Sherman, Trump destructively invades Georgia yet again. Photo: Sean Rayford/Getty Images

Donald Trump has spent a good part of this year patrolling state Republican parties to enforce compliance with the Big Lie of a stolen 2020 presidential election. A particular target for the MAGA discipline tour is Georgia, where he appeared this last weekend at the State Fairgrounds in Perry. Even though this was an event for a factional leader at war with several Republican elected officials, David Shafer, the state GOP chairman was there with bells on, and led the crowd in a chant of Audit! Audit! Audit!

Beyond Shafer, the Peach State MAGA posse was out in force, including House members Marjorie Taylor Greene and Andrew Clyde, and former Trump Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue. The stars of the evening, however, were the so-called Trump Ticket of candidates who are in contested Republican primaries: Senate candidate and long-time Trump crony Herschel Walker; candidate for lieutenant governor Burt Jones; and secretary of State candidate (and sitting congressman) Jody Hice. Jones is running to succeed Trump enemy and well-known RINO Geoff Duncan, who did not bother to run for reelection after serially disrespecting the Big Lie, and Hice is Trumps weapon of vengeance against secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, who dared certify Bidens Georgia win and then refused to reverse it later.

A good time was had by all as the former president ranted and snarled and smirked, but there was something missing: there was no Trump-endorsed gubernatorial candidate to feature and celebrate. That was a glaring omission since with the possible exception of Raffensperger, there is no greater Georgia Republican villain in Trumps eyes than Governor Brian Kemp, who seconded and then defended the Biden certification. Yes, Trump stooge and Democrat-turned-Republican Vernon Jones was around, but hes simply not taken seriously as a challenger to Kemp. Trump also did a shout-out to former Senator David Perdue, whom hed dearly love to dispatch to take down the incumbent governor, but Perdue doesnt appear interested.

This bugs the 45th president, as he made clear in Perry, according to CNN:

How little regard does Trump have for the current Republican governor? So little that in a campaign appearance in Georgia over the weekend, Trump sounded like he would be just fine with Stacey Abrams, Kemps 2018 opponent, becoming governor in 2022.

And Stacey Abrams, who still has not conceded, and thats OK, Trump said of the former state senator. Stacey, would you like to take his place? Its OK with me.

  Of course having her, I think, might be better than having your existing governor, if you want to know what I think. Might very well be better.

This was actually part of a Trump rant in which he taunted Kemp and Raffensperger for surrendering to Stacey Abrams because they were afraid of her; fearing a woman is a big no-no in MAGA-land. But you have to figure some of the audience, trained to think of Abrams as the incarnation of Black Feminist Evil, didnt get the joke.

Kemp certainly understands that his long-awaited 2022 rematch with Abrams is his ace-in-the-hole against Trumps effort to get rid of him. Before Trump got so interested in Georgia politics, Kemp and Abrams were the two warring personalities  one a moderate-to-progressive crusader for voting rights, the other a politically incorrect conservative proud of his reputation for voter suppression  er, I mean election integrity. Indeed, Trumps first big foray into Georgia Republican politics was to endorse Kemp against Lieutenant Governor Casey Cagle in the 2018 GOP primary runoff, an act that now makes him think of the governor as an ingrate.

Perhaps Trump will eventually find his dream candidate to challenge Kemp. But for the time being, hell have to be satisfied with disrupting the Georgia GOPs state ticket by dissuading his candidates from any relationship with the man who will likely run the GOPs Georgia campaign in 2022. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution asked all three statewide Trump endorsees about Kemp, and they all refused comment or changed the subject.

This has to quietly concern Georgia Republicans who remember how Trumps narcissism probably cost their party two Senate races in January, along with control of the Senate as a whole. Even if he didnt really endorse her, Stacey Abrams may come to think of Trumps destructiveness as an asset if she does run for governor in 2022.
Decrease Font Size Font Size Increase Font Size

Article body

A new report from Auburn University illustrates how it is addressing the United Nations sustainable development goals.

The document, completed this summer, highlights the extent to which Auburn is engaged with each of the UNs 17 sustainable development goals, or SDGs. The UN adopted the goals in 2015 as a path to address global challenges and achieve a better, more sustainable future for all by 2030.

Auburn demonstrated moderate or high engagement in the goals for: Zero Hunger; Good Health and Wellbeing; Clean Water and Sanitation; Decent Work and Economic Growth; Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure; Reduced Inequalities; Sustainable Cities and Communities; Responsible Consumption and Production; Life Below Water; Life on Land; and Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions.

Mike Kensler, director of the Office of Sustainability, said it is imperative to know where Auburn stands in its engagement with the various SDGs because it allows the university to identify opportunities for continued and future engagement.

We are excited to document all the ways Auburn University is engaged with the rest of the world to address these challenges and transform them for a better world, he said. We are not surprised by this level of contribution, but we are gratified. There is still work to be done.

Auburns Academic Sustainability Program, Hunger Solutions Institute in the College of Human Sciences and Office of Sustainability collaborated to measure the universitys engagement with the goals. They collected and analyzed data related to the goals in teaching, research and outreach from every college, school and department, including courses, majors, minors, graduate programs, faculty research, centers and institutes and student organizations at the university from 2016-18.

The group is currently gathering data for the 2019-21 engagement report, which could be completed by fall 2022.

The Office of Sustainability will continue its work to push campus forward on all goals, with the Hunger Solutions Institute, or HSI, taking the lead on SGD 2, Zero Hunger.

SDG 2 is central to the mission of HSI, which is to leverage collective efforts of postsecondary education institutions to promote the adoption and advancement of best practices to address food and nutrition security, said Alicia Powers, HSIs managing director. We are poised to continue expansion of our work toward Zero Hunger on Auburns campus, in our surrounding community and throughout Alabama, the country and globally.

Auburn took a major step in its commitment to addressing the goals in 2019, when it joined the U.S. chapter of the U.N. Sustainable Development Solutions Network, or SDSN. Auburns involvement allows faculty to collaborate with network scholars and organizations around the world in efforts to fulfill the SDGs at local, national and global scales.

The Office of Sustainability created a new landing page to illustrate Auburns work in each of the 17 goals. The office plans to mark Campus Sustainability Month with a social media campaign, focused on Auburns activities in SDGs, throughout October.

Additionally, the Be Well Hut will feature the SDGs on the Haley Concourse on Wednesday, Sept. 29.
In May of 2016, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued a final rule Improve Tracking of Workplace Injuries and Illnesses to revise its recording and reporting occupational injuries and illnesses regulation. The final rule requires employers in certain industries to electronically submit to OSHA injury and illness recordkeeping data included on the 300A, 300, and 301 forms.

Fall safety remains a number one concern in both the general and construction industries. As building functionality and design evolves, its become more complex: with varying job types and work sites, traditional solutions like guardrails dont always fit the bill. For various reasons, harnesses and lanyards can be the most economically or logistically suitable choice. An OSHA-certified anchor point is a critical component of any harness and lanyard system. Usually, theyre installed on the roof (or elsewhere on your building), ready to connect to a lifeline or lanyard, which then connects to a harness to prevent its wearer from falling. But a fixed anchor point doesnt always allow for the versatility that brought you to choosing a harness system to begin with.
Global oil demand will plateau before the end of this decade and decline strongly after 2030, TotalEnergies said in its Energy Outlook 2021 unveiled on Monday.

Previously, TotalEnergies had expected peak oil demand at some point around 2030, with a slow decline after that.

The French supermajor presented two scenarios for global energy and oil demand to 2050Momentum, a forward-looking scenario, and Rupture, a scenario in which the world could reach well-below 2 degrees Celsius global warming compared to pre-industrial levels.

The Momentum scenario includes the acceleration of current market trends and the commitment of countries to net-zero emissions by 2050. The scenario assumes Chinas emissions reaching their peak in the middle of the 2020s, and the country achieving around 60 percent decarbonization by 2050.

According to TotalEnergies Momentum scenario, natural gas will be key to the energy transition, while oil consumption will start decreasing after 2030.

Oil demand will plateau before 2030, with a strong decline thereafter, reaching 64 million barrels per day (bpd) in 2050 in the Momentum scenario and 40 million bpd in 2050 in the Rupture scenario, the major said.

Net-zero will require massive adoption of sustainable liquid fuelswith biofuels first and hydrogen-based fuels after thatin all modes of transportation, according to TotalEnergies.

In May this year, Total rebranded to TotalEnergies after its shareholders approved nearly unanimously the resolution to change the companys name, thereby anchoring its strategic transformation into a broad energy company in its identity, the company said.

Our ambition is to be a world-class player in the energy transition. That is why Total is transforming and becoming TotalEnergies, chairman and CEO Patrick Pouyanne noted.

Total is betting on profitably growing its liquefied natural gas (LNG) and renewable businesses as part of its strategy and net-zero agenda.

Last year, Pouyanne told French newspaper Le Parisien that the firm aims to be among the worlds top five producers of renewable energy. The companys operations mix today is 55 percent oil, 40 percent gas, and less than 5 percent electricity from renewables, Pouyanne said, noting that in 2050, Totals operations would be divided into 20 percent oil, 40 percent gas, and 40 percent renewable energy.

By Tom Kool of Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
Iran and Venezuela have struck a deal to swap heavy Venezuelan crude for Iranian condensate, Reuters has reported, citing unnamed sources familiar with the deal.

According to these sources, the swaps are set to begin this week and last for six months, although they could be extended. The imports of Iranian superlight crude will help Venezuela revive its falling oil exports amid U.S. sanctions that, among other problems, have cut off the country's access to the light oil that is used to blend with its superheavy to make it exportable.

For Iran, the deal will bring in heavy crude it could sell in Asia, the Reuters sources also said. The diluted Venezuela crude will also likely go to Asian buyers.

Reuters also reported that, according to the U.S. Treasury Department, the deal could constitute a breach of sanctions, to which both Venezuela and Iran are subjects.

"Transactions with NIOC by non-U.S. persons are generally subject to secondary sanctions," the Treasury Department said in response to a Reuters request for comments on the deal. It added that it "retains authority to impose sanctions on any person that is determined to operate in the oil sector of the Venezuelan economy."

Despite the sanction noose, Venezuela has been ramping up its oil exports, generating vital revenue. According to a recent Reuters report, the country, which is home to the world's largest oil reserves, exported more than 700,000 bpd of crude in Julythe highest daily export rate since February.

Most of the oil went to China and Malaysia, although the latter is usually only a stop along Venezuelan oil's trip to China. The same report noted that three of the five crude oil blending facilities in the Orinoco Belt were operational, and another crude upgrader was preparing to restart operations after a year's pause.

Iran, meanwhile, recently revealed plans to attract some $145 billion in oil and gas investments from both local and foreign sources.

"We plan to invest $145 billion in the development of the upstream and downstream oil industry over the next four to eight years, hence I welcome the presence of domestic and foreign investors in the industry," Javad Owji, Iran's new oil minister, said during a meeting with executives from China's oil giant Sinopec.

By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
The Sudanese government has reached an agreement with protesters to lift blockades off Red Sea ports, including an export hub for South Sudan oil.

Reuters reports that local tribes have been protesting against bad economic conditions in eastern Sudan and have blocked roads and ports, including one that ships crude oil from South Sudan to international markets.

The agreement between the government and the protesters staved off an imminent disaster: the petroleum ministry warned that the storage capacity of Sudan's oil export terminal would fill up within ten days. If that had happened, South Sudan oilfields would have had to stop producing.

Landlocked South Sudan is home to most of the oil reserves of the old united Sudan, and while most of these reserves have yet to be tapped, the country is producing well above 100,000 bpd, hitting a high of 185,000 bpd earlier this year, right before its first-ever licensing round.

Currently, South Sudan has five producing blocks, operated by China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), India's Oil and Natural Gas Corporation, and Malaysia's Petronas.

"The oil licensing round aims to attract interest from a diverse group of foreign investors to a region that is already home to oil and gas majors from China and Malaysia," said the country's Ministry of Petroleum at the time.

South Sudan broke from Sudan in 2011, taking with it around 350,000 bpd in oil production. But then civil war broke out in South Sudan in 2013, which further complicated oil production.

In 2018, the warring factions in South Sudan signed the so-called Khartoum Declaration of Agreement, in which the parties to the South Sudan conflict declared a permanent ceasefire, and the governments of Sudan and South Sudan explored ways to rehabilitate the oil sector in South Sudan.

According to the South Sudan Petroleum Ministry, as much as 90 percent of the country's oil wealth remains unexplored.

By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
Humble ISD opens Guy M. Sconzo Early College High School

Sept. 18 will be remembered as an integral part of Humble history. On this day in 2021, the brand-new Guy M. Sconzo Early College High School facility was dedicated to the work and legacy of the late Guy M. Sconzo, former superintendent of Humble ISD.

He is best known for his work in several areas of child education, providing opportunities for less fortunate children and ensuring legislation is passed on their behalf.

The event took place from 2 to 4 p.m. and was kicked off by current student ambassadors who took guests and attendees on tours of the campus. Twelfth grade student ambassador, NHS member and leader of several clubs, Laurel Hawkins, lead a group of attendees saying, This school is an amazing opportunity that we are honored to be a key part of a legacy  not just for ourselves, but for students in the future.

The tours included break areas, collaboration centers, classroom technologies and music provided by the Humble High School Chamber Group.

The new campus is built to support 600 students. It is designed to provide a seamless pathway from high school to college. Students take college courses along with their high school classes, which gives them the opportunity to graduate with a high school diploma and an associate degree from Lone Star College-Kingwood.

This high school option boasts a small-school environment with individualized learning in which students are divided into small homerooms called families that remain in place throughout their tenure.

Students experience a college-preparatory environment with numerous support systems in place to foster learning through group projects, internships and service projects to serve the community. During their high school career, each graduating class donates thousands of hours of service to the community. Each class typically earns an average of 5,600 hours of college credit and approximately $1.5 million in scholarship money.

The Pillars of Success for Guy M. Sconzo ECHS include academics, service, family, AVID and clubs.

The formal ceremony took place in the large study area on the main level. There were several members of the community in attendance, including Sconzos family along with members of the city council, the school board, teachers, local government officials, current students, future students and many more.

Dr. Elizabeth Fagen, Humble ISD superintendent, spoke. Thank you for sharing Guy with us. Guy was a warm person and his presence was felt in our community. I certainly have big shoes to fill. He knew that this school would be something better than it started out as. Formerly known as Quest High School, this was a campus that moved from place-to-place with limited funds. We are so proud to give this school a permanent home for over 400 students  soon to be 600. This has become a beautiful campus for his namesake. Id like to introduce PBK Architects who took our vision far beyond imagination.

Several leaders of PBK presented the Sconzo family with framed art of the campus so they would be able to look at his legacy daily.

Humble ISD School Board President Martina Lemond Dixon added, We have lost someone very close to us. Guy formed leaders in business, education and government so our kids could grow and prosper. He modeled courage and faithfulness like a knight  just like the school mascot. His name will now be on thousands of diplomas.

Houston Mayor Pro Tem Dave Martin stated, Guy taught me about service learning and that giving back is always key. There are times I look out of the corner of my eye and see Guy and still think about the difference he made through the programs he implemented.

Texas House Member Rep. Dan Huberty of District 127 continued with similar sentiments and remarks, As a former member of the school board, I was always impressed on how well he communicated. Guy had a sense of humor and a unique ability to bring out the best in people.

Guys wife, Diane Sconzo, tearfully concluded and thanked everyone for this honor of her husbands work by saying, I want to thank you for this incredible tribute on behalf of my family. He learned the importance of education early on. He never wanted to stop advocating for the students  it was his life mission.

Born in 1952, Sconzo served children for four decades. During his time in Humble ISD, the district experienced a 60% growth. Upon Sconzo's retirement from Humble ISD, an endowment fund was set up in his honor to support teachers in implementing creative learning projects in their classrooms. To give, visit humbleisdfoundation.org/DrGuySconzo.asp.

This dedication event concluded with a ribbon cutting ceremony where Diane, surrounded by family and local community members, cut the ribbon to open the campus.

https://ourtribune.com/headlines/23701-a-partner-to-all-remembering-guy-sconzo.html
The Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation Company Limited (BOST), has reduced its $624 million trade debt to $39 million within the past four years.



Seventy-three per cent of the debt was paid from the companys internally generated funds.



This was disclosed by the Managing Director of BOST, Mr. Edwin Alfred Provencal at a press conference in Accra on Sunday, 26 September 2021.



BOST, he noted, has also succeeded in reducing the claims from Bulk Distribution Companies from $37 million to $11 million.



Touching on more success stories of the company, Mr Provencal also said pipes and other accessories that were bought in 2011 are finally en route to Ghana from Houston, USA adding that BOST has recorded an increase in revenue-earning assets from 17 per cent to 75 per cent within two years.



BOST was incorporated in December 1993 as a private limited liability company under the Companies Act,1963 (Act 179) with the Government of Ghana as the sole shareholder.



BOST has the mandate:



To develop a network of storage tanks, pipelines and other bulk transportation infrastructure throughout the country. To rent or lease out part of the storage facilities to enable it generate income To keep Strategic Reserve Stocks for Ghana To own, manage and develop a national network of oil pipelines and storage depots To manage the Zonalization policy of the National Petroleum Authority(NPA) and To develop the Natural Gas Infrastructure throughout the countryIn this regard, BOST is responsible for building strategic reserve stocks to meet a minimum of six weeks of national consumption in the short and medium term and to increase stock level to 12 weeks in the long term.



To adequately fulfil its mandate, BOST has developed a network of storage and pipeline infrastructure throughout the country. The Company currently has six depots nationwide located in the Accra Plains, Mami Water, Akosombo, Kumasi, Buipe and Bolgatanga. Pipelines link the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) to the Accra Plains Depot which in turn is linked to the Mami Water Depot and ends at the Akosombo Depot.



Another pipeline links the Buipe Depot to the Bolgatanga Depot. For petroleum products to reach the northern parts of the country, it is conveyed by pipeline from the Tema Oil Refinery through the Accra Plains Depot and Mami Water to Akosombo where it is loaded onto River Barges to Buipe. It is then conveyed to Bolgatanga by 261km-8-inch pipeline.



The Depot in Kumasi receives products by Bulk Road Vehicles (BRVs) from the Accra Plains Depot. BOST has built four barges to convey petroleum products from Akosombo to Buipe for onward transmission to Bolgatanga. However, the Bolgatanga Depot was recently recommissioned after several years of inactivity thus making it necessary for Buipe to feed Bolgatanga by pipeline.









Source: classfmonline.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 Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) has stated that the government would soon import machinery to boost rice production and other agricultural yields in the country.



These agriculture machines are expected to be purchased from Brazil and India.



This came to light when the Minister of Food and Agriculture, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto, visited the Global Africa Development Company (GADCO), a rice farm and processing factory at Fievie in Sogakope in the Volta Region on Sunday.



He is in the Volta Region for a two-day working visitSunday, September 26 to Monday, September 27, 2021.



The visit constitutes phase two of his ministrys tour of farms and ongoing projects in the region.



According to the minister, it was his expectation that by the year 2023-2024, Ghana will be agriculturally stable, especially in rice production.



He noted that comparing local rice to foreign rice, the former was nutritious and delicious than the latter.



I am very excited at what I have seen at GADCO and the other places I have visited, he elatedly expressed.



He, therefore, gave the assurance that as the Minister of Food and Agriculture I will ensure the general improvement of the agriculture sector.



The General Manager of GADCO, Mr. Joel Tsatsu, speaking to the media said his company was of one the biggest when it comes to rice production in the country.



Our rice farm covers 1500 acres of land, he disclosed.



However, he said, oftentimes his company is faced with the problem of availability of fertilisers, thus describing the situation as worrying.



Another problem is the lack of agriculture machinery to boost production, he said.



Mr Tsatsu used the opportunity to call for support from the agriculture industry and the government as a whole.



Earlier, the minister of food and agriculture visited the INVITRO Labs Free Zone Company, a Dutch company, and inspected a tissue culture facility and nursery also in Sogakope.



He later visited tomato and onion farms at Tegbi in Anloga and a warehouse in Dzodze where he inspected and held a meeting with the operators.

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
Ghana is set to take advantage of this years exposition in Dubai, United Arab Emirate to revive investments in its economy and at the same time, help restore economic growth as the country emerges from the economic downturn brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.



Dubbed Dubai Expo2020, the exhibition event is projected to bring together approximately 192 countries and is expected to draw between 25 to 30 million visitors, making it the largest international gathering of its kind in the UAE and the history of expositions.



The Expo, if not for the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic was originally scheduled to be held from 20th October 2020 to April 10th, 2021. However, with countries easing restrictions and with activities gradually returning to normalcy, the event has been postponed and rescheduled to start from 1st October 2021 to 31st March, 2022.



Addressing journalists at a press conference in Accra on Monday September 27, 2021, on the countrys preparedness towards the Expo, Deputy Minister for Trade and Industry, Herbert Krapa said it provides Ghana with a golden opportunity to showcase the countrys trade potentials, investment opportunities and tourist destinations on a global stage.



Ghanas participation in the Expo is intended to underscore governments industrial transformation agenda, promote private sector businesses, and showcase our investment opportunities to attract investment into critical sectors of the economy, such as energy, trade, water and sanitation, environment, agriculture, education and tourism.



It will also offer us an opportunity to display our rich cultural heritage, promote value addition to our abundant raw materials and highlight our friendly business climate, he added.



He said as part of Ghanas exhibition content is a 200 meter-square pavilion segmented into Business Cluster, Culture Cluster and Ghana Report Zone that presents a brief overview of Ghanas vision and plan for the future, its stable, mutual-value approach to investment, reputation as the gateway to Africa and commitment to a future driven by business and growth.



These Clusters, he explained presents opportunities in trade and investment, banking and finance, infrastructure and telecommunications technology, mining, oil and gas, agriculture, manufacturing, textiles and garments, healthcare and pharmaceuticals, education, property, and real estate that investors can tap into.



Ghanas participation themed, Ghana: Limitless Opportunities seeks to showcase the numerous investment opportunities in the various sectors of the Ghanaian economy for sustainable development.



On his part, CEO of the Ghana Investment Promotion Center (GIPC), Yoofi Grant said for Ghana to rip the benefits of the Expo, government has earmarked key business-related activities to be undertaken as part of Ghanas participation in the event. He said the Planning Committee has put together a Ghana Business and Investment Forum where various investors will meet to explore areas in the Ghanaian economy that they can direct their investments towards.



Additionally, he indicated that there will be monthly presentations by experts on investment opportunities in Sanitation and Environment, Food and Agriculture, Energy, Education, Tourism, Culture and Arts, Lands and Natural Resources noting that the presentations will center on opportunities for food, agriculture and livelihood, travel and connectivity, and opportunities in knowledge and learning.

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 Minister of Education, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, has charged the governing boards of four technical universities to remove all barriers that prevent students who are determined to acquire technical skills from enrolling at the technical universities.



The minister wondered why some senior high school (SHS) graduates were denied admission simply because they had obtained grade D7 in the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).



Again, he said, Visual Arts students who were determined to pursue engineering courses should be given the chance because they were most creative and innovative, while science students could also be given the chance to pursue Arts courses at the tertiary level.



The minister, who gave this charge at the inauguration of the four governing boards at separate events in Accra yesterday, said Ghana needed critical skills for transformation, hence the need for the boards to be flexible in their approach to teaching and learning.



Dont find yourself bound by rules in such a way that you cannot restructure the curriculum so long as the end result will inure to the benefit of this country.



Not low standards, but if the student is determined to pursue a particular career programme, let us provide him or her with the opportunity, he said.



The boards are for the Koforidua, Kumasi, Bolgatanga and Tamale Technical universities.



The governing board of the Koforidua Technical University is chaired by Prof. Samuel Obeng Apori, while that of the Kumasi Technical University is chaired by Prof. Ben Baffoe-Bonnie.



The boards of the Tamale and the Bolgatanga Technical universities have Dr Al-hassan Emil Abdulai and Prof. Francis Atindaana Abantanga, respectively, as chairpersons.



The minister led the board members to take their oaths of office and secrecy.



Technical education



Technical education, Dr Adutwum said, had become the fulcrum of the countrys transformational agenda, saying it was time for the technical universities to be uniquely placed to take a keen interest in producing graduates with employable skills and critical thinking abilities.



Do not just be interested in teaching and learning but also what happens to the students after graduation; talk to companies to know the skills they need and design courses to meet the demand.



I am calling for the training of engineers who are not out to repair cars built by the white man but those who will design tools that can be used to transform the fortunes of this country, he said.



Engineering



Additionally, he said, the world over, there was a high demand for engineers, hence the need for technical universities to boost the number of engineers that graduated from their universities in order to get the required number of engineers needed for the economic transformation of the country.



He further noted that a country such as Vietnam, with a population of over 90 million, was producing 100,000 engineers annually, a situation which had given that country leverage for giant firms, including Samsungs manufacturing plant.



Ghana, with a population of approximately 30.8 million, he said, should be producing 33,000 engineers annually to meet the market demand and also attract leading global technology and engineering firms.



The minister, who is also the Member of Parliament for Bosomtwe, noted that his office was working with the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) to offer Bachelor of Science in Engineering courses, rather than Bachelor of Technology, for students to regard the technical universities as a place of choice for those who wanted to pursue engineering.



The government is making great investments in the educational sector because we believe it is the best way to transform the country, he said.



He further urged the boards to frequently organise job fairs and engage SHS heads to encourage their students to enrol at the technical universities in order to have a unique selling point.



Dr Adutwum asked members of the boards to put their differences aside and use their versatile experiences to work on the same wavelength for the interest of the universities.



Responses



The chairpersons of the various boards thanked the President for the honour done them by their appointment to the boards, as it gave them the opportunity to serve the country.



They, among other things, said they would work closely with the ministry to uplift the image of their respective organisations and help achieve the governments transformational agenda, using education as a tool.

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 Minister of Information, Mr Kojo Oppong Nkrumah has stated that threats of extremist elements in the West African sub-region have become highly pronounced and require the general public to be brought to a higher level of consciousness.



He said recent reports of a possible terrorists attack in some parts of the sub-region and issues of piracy in the Gulf of Guinea called for extra vigilance to avert a possible attack and community disturbances.



He has, therefore, called on the media to support efforts to get the public to be security aware to promote their individual safety and the safety of communities



He was speaking during an engagement with the media in Cape Coast in the Central Region last Thursday.



We havent paid a lot of attention to these rising terrorist attacks giving what is happening in countries surrounding us.



He added the general public must be brought to a higher level of awareness of security issues.



Recruitment



The minister revealed that some of the terrorist organisations had recruited some citizens who could wreak havoc in communities in the country.



In some places, they have recruited some of our people and they may come into our communities to prey on unsuspecting minds



He charged the media to effectively collaborate with security agencies to prevent extremist activities from spreading into the country, especially along border communities.



Touching on COVID 19 and its impact on the economy, he said it was evident that the pandemic had had a serious socio-economic impact on the world and Ghana.



He stressed that the blatant disregard for the COVID-19 preventive measures was worrying and could cause a delay in economic recovery.



The focus of the government is to help the Ghanaian economy to fully recover from COVID-19 and it takes robust economic fundamentals for all other sectors to function.



He emphasized that recovery stems from many of a countrys vaccinated population to maintain a robust economy.



He noted that the government was working effortlessly to ensure that the targeted 20 million of the nation's population to be vaccinated was achieved.



Mask up



He charged the public to continuously put on the face mask and get vaccinated when the opportunity is offered to protect themselves and others from COVID-19 infections.



He called on the media to eschew indecent language and untruths and to protect the media landscape from elements that sought to bring the image of the profession into disrepute.



He said if the media chose to overlook such negative practices, it would reduce the public confidence and respect for the media.



Mr Oppong Nkrumah said the government would continue to strengthen agencies to ensure that journalists were protected in their line of work.



He said the ministry was mobilising support and bursaries to build the capacities of media practitioners and improve their efficiencies.



He said a coordinated mechanism for the safety of journalists had been put in place.



Regional Minister



The Central Regional Minister, Mrs Justina Marigold Assan, commended the media for their support towards promoting the development of the region and appealed for help to project the region in a positive light.



The media has been urged to promote security consciousness in the communities to promote the safety of individuals and communities.





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 Government of Ghana (GoG) on 16th May 2018, signed a Master Project Support Agreement with Sinohydro for the Construction of Priority Infrastructure Projects for $2.00 billion in exchange for the proceeds of refined bauxite. The MPSA was designed to be implemented in phases to enable GOG to develop its Integrated Aluminium Project over time.



According to documents sighted by MyAbclive.com, (10) EPC Contracts and 10 Deferred Payment Agreements were signed on 1st September 2018 for the construction and rehabilitation of selected roads and interchanges under the Phase 1 at a total amount of US$ 646,637,879.74.



Under the DPA arrangement, GOG Is not required to repay any part of the Finance Facility Amount to Sinohydro until expiry of 3.5 years from the date of the DPA where the proceeds from bauxite or refined bauxite is expected to be used to repay.



All projects commenced on different dates based on the approval of Sinosure and fulfillment of all the conditions precedent.



The grace period and repayment is calculated from commencement date of construction per project and not the date the agreements were signed.



ABC NEWS and myabclive.com can authoritatively state that currently, construction on six out of the 10 lots have started and are at various stages of completion. Three lots (1, 2 and 5) are expected to start by the end of 2021. Lot 9 has been replaced with a different project, and, therefore, needs to go through the entire process again.



Partners have been selected for the commencement of the Integrated Aluminum Project



Repayment of the Sinohydro MPSA would be proceeds from refined bauxite, and, therefore, the need for the projects to be executed while considering the progress of the Integrated Aluminum Project. It would be recalled that a fortnight ago, GIADEC successfully selected Rocksure International as its strategic partner to develop one of four projects being executed under the IAI value chain.



President Akufo-Addo who witnessed the signing of the agreements between the two parties at a brief event held in Accra said that the IAI remains an integral part of his governments industrialization agenda.



https://myabclive.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/IMG_3290.mp4







Breakdown of the Various Projects



LOT 8



The following roads are at various stages of construction



SELECTED FEEDER ROADS IN ASHANTI AND WESTERN REGIONS



1 Achiase Wansamere  Awisasu Feeder Road



2.Mpasatia  Town Roads



3.Nyinahin  Adupri Feeder Road



4.Nyinahin  SeresoTimpon  Achiasejxn Feeder Road



5 Nyinahin  Town Roads



6.Nyinahin Market jxn.  Pentecost Church Feeder Road



7.Nyinahini  Kyekyewere Feeder Road



8.Kessekrom  Adiembra Feeder Road



LOT 6



The following roads are at various stages of construction



SUNYANI INNER CITY AND RING ROAD



1.DR. BERKO MAIN ROAD



2.DR. BERKO LINK



3.MAYFAIR MAIN ROAD



4.MAYFAIR LINK 1 (LHS)



5.INNER RING ROAD LINK



6.ST. LAWRENCE SCH. ROAD



7.MATFAIR LINK 2 (LHS)  ST. MARYS SCH. LINK



8.MAYFAIR LINK 3 (RHS)



9.MUNGO PARK ROAD



ST. VITUS SCH. ROAD

PRIORY ROAD

PRIORY ROAD LINK 1

BUSSINESS SCH. ROAD

BUSSINESS SCH. LINK

15 .POINT 4 HOTEL ROAD



16 .PWD  STADIUM BASIC. ROAD



17 .PWD  ATRONIE ROAD LINK



18 .POINT 4 HOTEL  NEW TOWN ROAD



NEW TOWN  ATRONIE LINKS (3NR.)

20 .ESTATE  INNER RING LINK (G)



LIVING GRACE ROAD

22 .GOLDEN INTELLECTUALS  LIVING GRACE LINK



GOLDEN INTELLECTUALS SCH. ROAD

24 .ODUMASE  FIAPRE LINK ROAD



SUNYANI INNER RING ROAD

RING ROAD(B1 TO B5)

KYIRIBAA ROAD(B7)

28 .AHENFIE HOTEL ROAD



29 .AHENFIE HOTEL LINK

30 WATER WORKS ROAD(B6)



LOT 7

The following roads are at various stages of construction



CAPE COAST AND WESTERN REGION ROADS PROJECT



1.Amamoma Road Bypass



2 .Amamoma Road 1



3 .Amamoma Road 2



4 .ATL Road



5 .Ogua Hall Road



6.Amamoma Road 3



7.Kwaprow Link Road



8.Akotokyir Anglican School Road



9.Akotokyir Town Road



Akotokyir Road 3

Kakumdo Road

12 .Cape Coast Polytechnic Road



13 .Amissano Road



14 .PPAG Road



Methodist Mission House Road

PPAG Loop

Chrisnam School Road

Ecole Francaise Road

19 .Eyifua Road



20 .Eyifua Link



English Arabic Road

Methodist Mission Link

GHA Road

24.Academy Street



Wesley Girls Link

Prestea Hunni valley Town Roads

OTHER ROADS AND INTERCHANGES &

STATUS



-Tamale Interchange (Ongoing)



-PTC Roundabout Interchange Takoradi (Ongoing)



-Construction of Hohoe  Jasikan  Dodo Pepesu Roads (Ongoing)



-Accra Inner City Roads to start by end of 2021.



-Kumasi Inner City Roads to start by end of 2021



-Adenta-Dodowa Dual Carriageway to start by end of 2021



MyAbclive.com has visited most of the project sites and has videos and pictures as proof of works ongoing.







Source: Gordon Asare-Bediako, MyABCLive









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 Attorney-General (A-G) and Minister of Justice, Mr. Godfred Yeboah Dame, has brokered a deal to allow Ghanaian law graduates, lawyers and judges to benefit from scholarships to embark on further studies in the prestigious Georgetown University Law Center in Washington DC, United States of America (USA).

The deal is the culmination of months of negotiations between the Office of the A-G and the Scholarship Secretariat, on the one hand, and the Office of the A-G and the Georgetown University Law Center, on the other.



The agreement seeks to implement a joint graduate scholarship programme over the next five years and results from an intention to strengthen the ties between the Georgetown University and the legal fraternity in Ghana, enhance the linkages between the people of Ghana and those of the USA and improve cooperation between the two countries in the field of legal education.



It was made official last Thursday when the Attorney-General visited the USA last week.



Mr. Dame signed the agreement for the A-Gs Office, while the Executive Vice-President and Dean of the Georgetown University Law Center, Professor William M. Treanor, signed for his institution.



Under the agreement, the Georgetown Law Center, in collaboration with the Scholarship Secretariat, will offer scholarships to five Ghanaians selected by a selection committee every year, to pursue Master of Laws (LLM) and doctorate in Law (SJD) degrees every year for the next five years.



The committee will be set up between the two parties and chaired by a Ghanaian alumnus of the Georgetown Law Center.



The agreement comes into force immediately and will admit students to the Georgetown Law Center from 2022.



Shaping Ghanas development agenda



Speaking at the signing ceremony in Washington DC, Mr. Dame expressed his delight at the opportunities the programme offered, saying it would further help enhance Ghanas bar.



He said it was significant that Georgetown was not only famed for its tradition of training lawyers but had also made an impact on the Judiciary, the Legislature and the business world.



Georgetown has had a relatively long tradition of training lawyers, since 1870. The quality of the training imparted by Georgetown is reflected in the soundness of the contribution by its alumni to the development of America and the world.



It has produced alumni who have served and continue to serve in important offices of the Federal Government of the United States, the judiciary, the legislature, the business world and academia, he said.



I have no doubt that the richness of its Law Faculty will positively impact on the number of Ghanaian lawyers and law graduates to profit from this agreement, the A-G intimated.



He also said the breadth of programmes the Georgetown Law Center offered would be of immense benefit to Ghana.



The breadth of programmes the Georgetown Law Center offers is the most diverse in the United States. Courses such as international economic law, arbitration and dispute resolution, securities and financial regulation and national security law will be of immense assistance in the shaping of the developmental agenda of Ghana, he stressed.



Functional legal system



The A-G also said the agreement was further proof of his desire to ensure that Ghana had a functional and relevant legal system that was good enough to meet the challenges of an emerging economy.



This agreement is in furtherance of my desire to ensure that Ghana has a functional and relevant legal system capable of meeting the challenges of an emerging economy, and that lawyers are equipped with the skills required in a modern economy.



In this regard, back home, the government has already taken significant steps with the massive increase in student admission to the Ghana Law School last year, coupled with the ongoing construction of the Law Village Complex, as well as the steady construction of a new 12-storey building for the Office of the A-G.



I assure you of the quality of Ghanaian law graduates and lawyers to be selected for the pursuit of the programme. I believe the quality of the products will compel you to increase the scholarships to afford more Ghanaians the opportunity to pursue the programmes in the next few years, Mr. Dame said.



Prof. Treanor expressed his delight at the personal leadership of the A-G in the development of the programme and the signing of the agreement.



He expressed the hope that with the A-Gs leadership, further areas of cooperation with the Georgetown University Law Center, particularly in the training of judges, could be explored in the very near future.



The Dean of International and Graduate Programmes at the Georgetown University, Prof. Madhavi Sunder, who was also at the signing ceremony, expressed satisfaction with the partnership and hoped that it would be expanded in the near future to create more opportunities and benefits for Ghana and the Georgetown Law Center.



Scholarship Secretariat



Providing further details on the programme, the Registrar of the Scholarship Secretariat, Mr. Kingsley Agyemang, said Georgetown would provide a substantial amount of money to cater for the cost of tuition for the beneficiaries, while the secretariat would provide the remaining cost of tuition, as well as cater for the welfare of the students.



Georgetown has agreed to fund a substantial part of the cost of tuition for students, while the government of Ghana will fund the rest, in addition to costs associated with our duty of care of Ghanaian students under our patronage.



For this, we have the A-G to thank. His initiative has brought us to this point, he indicated.



Georgetown University



The Georgetown University is a private university in Washington, DC.



It is the oldest Catholic and Jesuit higher educational institution in the US, founded in 1789 by John Carroll, the first Bishop and Archbishop of the US, in the national capital of the United States.



Famous alumni include two former US presidents, Bill Clinton and Lyndon Johnson, as well as several other Heads of State, including King Felipe VI of Spain and King Abdullah II of Jordan.









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 Ghana Prisons Service is seeking private sector partnership to establish industrial complexes to train convicted prisoners in productive activities.



This has become necessary because spaces for training are not available in some prisons, while most of the workshops have been converted to accommodation for inmates.



Besides, the management of the service believes that the government alone cannot address all the challenges in the countrys prisons, for which reason private sector collaboration is necessary.



The acting Director-General of the service, Mr. Isaac Kofi Egyir, who made this known when he paid a courtesy call on the Editor of the Daily Graphic, Mr. Kobby Asmah, in his office in Accra last Friday, said the industrial complex, to be sited outside the main prisons, would be a win-win affair.



Accompanied by some management members of the service, including the Director, Operations, Mr. Samuel Akolbire, and the Head of Public Relations, Chief Supt Courage Atsem, Mr. Egyir said the visit was part of efforts by the leadership of the service to engage its major stakeholders to enhance the work of the service.



Challenges



Mr. Egyir said budgetary constraints, overcrowding and inadequate workshops to train inmates were major problems that needed to be addressed.



The government is doing so much, but we all know that it has so many competing demands for the national cake. So we have relied very much on agriculture. Together with the Church of Pentecost, we are establishing five camp prisons preoccupied with agriculture to augment what we are doing, he said.



He said for 10 years now daily feeding grant per inmate had remained GH1.80 and the service had relied on agriculture to supplement government efforts.



Representations were made to the government recently and it is reviewing the feeding grant, he added.



Success stories



Detailing some of the successes chalked up by the service in the face of the challenges, Mr. Egyir said a second batch of 58 prisoners had been enrolled in tertiary programmes at the College of Distance Education of the University of Cape Coast.



He said the programme was being run in collaboration with the Plan Volta Foundation, a non-for-profit organisation.



Our students have been excelling in the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) and the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), he explained.



COVID-19



Touching on the COVID-19 in the prisons, Mr. Egyir noted that Ghana had been recognised as one of the two countries in Africa that did not record an outbreak of the disease in prisons.



For that, he said, he had received a Humanitarian Global Award.



Maintain relationship



Welcoming the acting Director-General of Prisons, Mr. Asmah noted that notwithstanding the few resources available to the service, it was working hard to overcome the challenges.



He said it would be a disservice to the nation for anyone to close his or her eyes to the challenges .



We at Graphic can assure you that our doors are always open, and in partnership we will tell your success stories; and through that we believe society can understand your needs and support you, accordingly, he said.



Reformation



Mr. Asmah said the prison must not be a place where people went and came back more hardened.



Its a reformation centre offering reformational services, but if the resources are not as expected, then obviously the service will not meet its target, he said.



He said the same way that the success stories of the service had been told, so also your challenges should not be swept under the carpet.



Present at the meeting were the Foreign Editor of the Daily Graphic, Ms. Mary Mensah, and a Deputy News Editor, Mr. Kwame Asare Boadu.





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
Some angry demonstrators on Saturday afternoon, September 25, 2021 attacked the Divisional Police Headquarters at Lamashegu, a suburb in the Tamale Metropolis, as well as the Northern Electricity Distribution Company (NEDCO) main office of the Volta River Authority (VRA).



The perpetrators who are yet to be identified, broke some glass windows of the Divisional Police Headquarters and the NEDCO/VRA office, as well as those of some vehicles parked at the divisional headquarters.



It is unclear why the attack, however it comes in wake of a recent NEDCO/VRA led operation with the support of the police in Zujung, Lamashegu and Nakpan Zou in the Tamale Metropolis to clamp down on power thefts, during which some police officers who were part of the operation were alleged to have assaulted some residents in those communities in a viral video.



Police

The Northern Regional Police Crime Officer, Superintendent Bernard Baba Ananga who confirmed the attacks to Graphic Online said the reason for the attacks is not immediately known but investigation was underway to establish the cause of the attack and bring the perpetrators to book.



He said some residents of the area decided to hold a press conference following the Tuesday incident in which some police officers were seen assaulting some residents.



He said some of the residents however, decided to embark on what he described as an illegal demonstration and it was during that protest march that some of the residents attacked the divisional headquarters and the NEDCO/VRA main office in town and vandalised some property.



Supt Ananga said no arrests have been made but investigations were underway.



Graphic Online gathered that the residents embarked on the demonstration to submit a petition to some chiefs within the metropolis over recent police brutalisation of some persons over alleged illegal power connection.



Tempers however flared up when the demonstrators got to the police headquarters at Lamashegu where they were alleged to have attacked and in the process damaged some property.



The demonstrators then marched to the main office of the NEDCO/VRA in town and also damaged some property.



The angry demonstrators from the NEDCO/VRA office headed to the Northern Regional Police Headquarters but could not enter as the police had mounted a barricade before a military contingent was called in to stop the demonstrators.



Apology

The Police High Command in the region and NEDCO/VRA have since apologised for the misconduct of the police officers during the said operation to clamp down on illegal connection



The Police Administration has also interdicted four police officers in connection with the alleged assault on the residents during the operation.





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
Ho has received yet another endorsement, as one of the cleanest cities in Ghana. This time, not only was it described as clean, but also endorsed for having clean air.



Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, the Minister of Information was the one who gave this latest endorsement. He said, Ho not only looks and feels clean, but also breathes clean.



The Minister who was struggling to find the perfect words to explain his experience noted that the level of cleanliness is something that must be emulated by other city authorities across the country to make Ghanas dream of becoming the cleanest in Africa a reality.



He made the remarks in Ho when he interacted with the media at the Ghana Journalist Association (GJA)-Volta Press Center. The interstation was part of the Ministers nationwide media tour.



Prior to the media engagement, the Minister interacted with Regional Minister, Dr. Archibald Yao Letsa, the Volta Regional Coordinating Council (VRCC)and regional offices of state owned media houses like, Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC), Graphic Communications, Ghanaian Times, Information Services Department and the Ghana News Agency.



Visit Volta is Fantastic Idea



The Ofoase Ayirebi Member of Parliament while admiring the greenery and tourism potential of the Volta Region commended the official tourism promotion programme of the Volta Region; Visit Volta, saying the initiative was a fantastic idea.



He observed that the initiative has seen an improvement in hotel bookings and visits into the region.



Here in the Volta Region you are embarking on a fantastic initiative  the Visit Volta initiative, and already the tourism numbers that are coming in, if you check from the hotels, are beginning to demonstrate, over the weekends, that people are responding to it, he said



The Visit Volta Initiative is a concept birthed by the VRCC, the Ghana Tourism Authority, the Association of Ghana Industries and other partners. The concept leverages on the influence of renowned media personalities who hail from the Region, as ambassadors.



The ambassadors include the 2017 Journalist of the Year, Bernard Avle, veteran MC and Broadcaster, Kafui Dey, Dzifa Gbeho- Bampoh, Emefa Apawu among others.



Mr. Oppong Nkrumah who was once a Journalist acknowledged the medias role in driving tourism and investments and urged them to do all they can to make the Visit Volta initiative a success.



Volta Trade and Investment Fair



The Visit Volta drive coincides with this years Volta Trade and Investment Fair slated for November 2021. The Fair which is the Fifth in the series hopes to make the region a leading tourist destination in the sub-region and also attract investments.



The Volta Regional Minister, Dr. Archibald Yao Letsa commended the media for their consistent support of the good initiatives of the government in the region and hoped it will grow stronger.



The GJA Volta Chairman, Anthony Bells Kafui Kanyi welcomed the Information Ministers visit and commended him for leading an initiative to transform state-owned media houses in the country.









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 NDC Member of Parliament(MP) for Buem Constituency in the Oti Region, Kofi Adams, has waded into the speculation of Dr Kwabena Duffuor lacing his boots to contest the NDC Presidential Primaries, saying the former Finance Minister will not put himself up for any trouble.

According to him, something would have to go wrong before Dr Kwabena Duffuor would think of contesting John Mahama in the Presidential Primaries as he has a good relationship with the former President.



Speaking on Okay FMs 'Ade Akye Abia' Morning Show, the former NDC National Organizer cast doubt on reports that Dr Duffuor harbours such thoughts.



I doubt if Dr Duffuor with his kind of experience and the work he has done in this country, and looking at his age will put himself through this trouble. I know the man very well and unless something went wrong, I dont think that Dr Duffuor will put himself through such trouble, he indicated.



He counselled that anybody who want to run against John Dramani Mahama for the right to be flagbearer of the NDC should take a clue from the results of the 2019 Presidential Primaries, when the other five flagbearer hopefuls failed to even poll 5 per cent of the total votes.



Whiles admitting that it is the democratic rights of every NDC member to put their names for an election, Kofi Adams, who stopped short of singling anyone out for criticisms, cautioned against possible candidates using the NDC presidential primaries as a guise to seek fame.



He, however, pointed out what such candidates, if they are so hell-bent on gaining popularity, can do to satisfy that desire.



If anybody wants to be popular and he has money, even the filing fee alone, if he gives it to bloggers, they will help make him popular rather than to contest a Presidential Primaries that John Mahama is involved.



Bloggers can promote that person than to waste his money to contest John Mahama to gain popularity. We have not opened nominations and so I dont want to mention names and besides, Dr Kwabena Duffuor has not declared his intention to contest the Presidential Primaries, he insisted.

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
North Korea is willing to consider having another peace summit with South Korea if mutual respect between the neighbors can be assured, North Korean state news agency KCNA has said.



Kim Yo Jong, the sister of North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un, made the announcement according to KCNA. North Korea's pursuit of nuclear weapons has complicated the question of both countries formally ending their war, which halted with an armistice, rather than a peace treaty, leaving US-led UN forces technically still at war with the North.



For decades, North Korea has sought an end to the 1950-53 Korean War, but the United States has been reluctant to agree, unless it gives up nuclear weapons.



Last week, September 22, at the United Nations General Assembly, South Korea's president Moon Jae-In stated he will like both countries together with the US and China to declare an end to the war and now North Korea has responded saying they could have another peace summit if both countries respect each other.



"I think that only when impartiality and the attitude of respecting each other are maintained, can there be smooth understanding between the north and the south," said Kim Yo Jong, a confidante of her brother.



Constructive discussions offer a chance for solutions on issues such as "the re-establishment of the north-south joint liaison office and the north-south summit, to say nothing of the timely declaration of the significant termination of the war", Kim said.



In her remarks, Kim said she noted with interest the intense discussion in the South over the renewed prospect of a formal declaration.



"I felt that the atmosphere of the South Korean public desiring to recover the inter-Korean relations from a deadlock and achieve peaceful stability as soon as possible is irresistibly strong," she said. "We, too, have the same desire."

On Sunday, responding to the remarks, Seoul's unification ministry said in a statement, "For these discussions, the inter-Korean communication line must first be restored swiftly, as smooth and stable communication is important."



South Korea welcomed the news on Sunday, with the Unification Ministry saying it expected to swiftly engage in talks with Pyongyang, while urging the need to restore a hotline link between the two.



The hotline, maintained by South Korea's military to handle relations with Pyongyang, has not operated since August, as North Korea stopped answering calls.









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 Taliban have banned barbering salons in Afghanistan's Helmand province from shaving or trimming beards, saying it breaches their interpretation of Islamic law and that anyone caught violating the rule will be punished.



Since taking over power last month in Afghanistan, the Taliban have carried out harsh punishments on opponents.

T5.



On Saturday, 25th September, the group's fighters shot dead four alleged kidnappers and their bodies were hung in the streets of Herat province.



And now barbers in the capital Kabul have said they have been warned against trimming beards.



In a notice posted on salons in southern Helmand province, Taliban officers warned that hairdressers must follow Sharia law for haircuts and beards.



"No one has a right to complain," the notice, which was seen by the BBC, read.



"The fighters keep coming and ordering us to stop trimming beards," one barber in Kabul said. "One of them told me they can send undercover inspectors to catch us."



Another hairdresser, who runs one of the city's biggest salons, said he received a call from someone claiming to be a government official. They instructed him to "stop following American styles" and not to shave or trim anyone's beard.



During the Taliban's first stint in power from 1996 to 2001, the group banned flamboyant hairstyles and insisted that men grow beards.



The new instructions suggest a return to the strict reign of the group's past tenure in power, despite promises to the West to be more considerate and milder in it's government this time around.













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 former chairman of the Electoral Commission (EC), Dr Kwadwo Afari-Gyan has disagreed with a proposal to make the Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) a statutory body with its functions backed by law.



According to Dr Afari-Gyan, changing IPAC from a mechanism through which political parties offered suggestions to the EC to a body whose functions were backed by law would interfere with the independence of the EC, as enshrined in the 1992 Constitution.



Dr Afari-Gyan, who was instrumental in the formation of the IPAC, said: The Constitution clearly says that in doing its work, the EC should not take instructions from any person or body external to the commission. The IPAC is such a body. Accordingly, IPAC decisions cannot be binding on the EC. If they were, it would, in effect, amount to nothing less than meddling with the independence of the commission.



His views were contained in a statement he sent to the state-owned Daily Graphic detailing his views on some reforms in Ghanas electoral system proposed by the largest opposition party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC).



IPAC clarification

As part of their recommendations, the NDC proposed that the selection of the EC chairperson should be done by Parliament instead of an appointment from the President. The party also asked that the commission be divided into two with a responsibility of managing political parties and running elections.



Reacting to the recommendations of the NDC in an interview on Asaase Radio, Dr Serebour Quaicoe, the director of electoral service at the EC said: What I can say is they have written officially to the commission and we have replied officially to them to table their requests at the IPAC meeting so that it will be a decision of IPAC and not a specific party.



He added: Monumental decisions like the ones proposed by the NDC can be agreed on and implemented only after there is a consensus on the proposals at the IPAC level.



Touching on calls for the EC to take charge of security during elections, Dr Quaicoe emphasised that security during elections is not the responsibility of the EC, but the duty of the Ghana Police Service.



Everybody has a role to play in an election. The IGP is supposed to provide security for elections. So ensuring security during elections is the role of the IGP and not the EC. The Electoral Commission just provides information to the police on when and where their services would be needed.





Source: asaaseradio.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
Senior Psychologist, Prof. Joseph Osafo, has cautioned politicians against politicizing the developing fake pregnancy and kidnapping story at Takoradi, Western Region, involving a 29-year old woman named Josephine Panyin Mensah.



Mrs. Panyin Mensah is a suspect at the centre of the fake story.



She reportedly got missing and, recounting her ordeal after being found, disclosed she was kidnapped.



Another shocking revelation aside her kidnapping is that she was nine months pregnant when her alleged kidnappers picked her away.



But after thorough investigations by the Police, it's turned out that she faked her story and is currently facing prosecution.



She was arraigned before a Takoradi Circuit Court on Monday, September 27 and, with five lawyers defending her, has been granted a GHC 50, 000 bail with two sureties.



Her case has been adjourned to October 14, 2021.



Mrs. Panyin Mensah's issue has however turned political as some people are shifting blames on the President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo with they reportedly claiming the President has a hand in this case.



Prof. Joseph Osafo, making submissions on Peace FM's 'Kokrokoo' programme, bemoaned the political twist on the issue.



Speaking to host Kwami Sefa Kayi, he briefly warned those politicizing the matter saying, "we cannot polarize everything in this country on political or partisan lines. We have to stop it!''





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
The Ministry of Information has announced the governments plans to assign spokespersons and press secretaries for Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Chief Executives across the country.



The Minister of Information, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, who announced during a media encounter at Koforidua, the Eastern Regional capital said the move will enable MMDCEs to focus on their core job and also help them provide timely and adequate information to the public.



Kojo Oppong Nkrumah explained, We are working to ensure that they (MMDCEs) can have PROs and Press Secretaries who can engage you more. Even the president himself is leading the work and I am the one who is traveling from Takoradi to Ho, Cape Coast, Oti Region to Koforidua so I can engage you, the same way the mayor, the MMDCE is doing several things, occasionally he may be able to speak to you but we must help him by getting him a press secretary or spokesperson who can on regular basis be responding to you.



Mr Oppong-Nkrumah charged the media as the fourth estate of the realm to help the government by highlighting issues of security and terrorism as they posed threat to the sovereign integrity of the country.



He noted that the West African sub-region was highly dominated with terrorist activities but said the governments systems were alert, adding, it was imperative for the media to play their role professionally to support.



On other matters, the Eastern Regional Minister also said the construction of the 160-bed capacity Regional Hospital is progressing steadily, contrary to some reports that suggest that the project has been stalled.



According to the Regional Minister, the project was being constructed in phases and that the method of designing and construction of a regional hospital took some time.





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
Assembly Members of the Ayawaso Central Municipal Assembly have confirmed Alhaji Mohammed Ababio Quaye as the Municipal Chief Executive for a second term.



Alhaji Quaye, who had been nominated by President Akufo-Addo to serve another term secured the votes of all 17 Assembly Members, including 12 elected and five government appointees, in an exercise supervised by officials of the Electoral Commission on Monday (September 17) in Accra.



In his acceptance speech, Alhaji Quaye promised to work with all residents to ensure that development projects are brought to the Municipality



"To achieve this, I will continue to introduce more reforms to help improve the Assembly's Revenue Mobilization drive and also to aggressively tackle the menace of sanitation and crime-related issues in the Municipality," he said.



"Furthermore, I would like to assure you of a transparent and accountable administration, as well as teamwork in solving the challenges of the Municipality".



He also expressed gratitude to President Nana Addo for re-nominating him and the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Henry Quartey as well as the Assembly Members for the overwhelming endorsement.



Alhaji Quaye also committed to running a transparent administration and employing teamwork to solve the challenges of the Municipality.



Vote



In an act that foretold his overwhelming endorsement, Alhaji Quaye was assured by the Assembly Members that he did not have to make an address before the vote because they had worked with him for over one year.



The Presiding Member, Mr Hudu Ismai urged the Assembly Members to spare Alhaji Quaye the discomfort of having to come before them again because his re-nomination by President Akufo-Addo was in recognition of his hard work and achievements in the constituency.



"Honourable Alhaji Quaye is not a new member in our midst, we know him well and now he has earned renomination from the President for his hard work, achievements and moral standards. It is based on this that I urge you to vote overwhelmingly for our Chief Executive," Mr Ismai said.



The Greater Accra Regional Minister, Mr Quartey who doubles as the Member Parliament for Ayawaso Central said he was confident that Alhaji Quaye would be retained but appealed to the Assembly Members to ensure that he received 100 per cent of the vote.



"I know you will confirm him but bring him back to land a hundred per cent, so that Ghana would be proud of your constituency. I would be proud of my constituency and the Ayawaso Constituency would be proud of you," Mr Quartey said.



"I plead with you, Honourable Assembly Members just make it one touch and a hundred per cent".



The voting and declaration of results were conducted in under 30 minutes with Alhaji Quaye being congratulated by the Regional Minister and all Assembly Members after the results were declared.

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
Many players have talked extensively about the reasons the Ghanaian movie industry is in decline and veteran actor/producer Kofi Falconer is the latest to wade into the discussions.



In an exclusive interview with Graphic Showbiz recently, Kofi Falconer said while people may point to lack of funding, poor storylines and lack of professionalism, he puts the biggest part of the blame at the doors of producers.



According to him, most producers these days are more interested in what they will gain rather than telling good stories.



If anyone tells you there are no good stories, the person is lying. There are good stories. There are good story writers but the producers are interested in those that will give them money quickly, they are focused on what they will gain when they invest and so these good stories are shelved.



They do not think about the future, they do not think outside the box and they do not like going for actors who are skilled. It is only a few such as Shirley Frimpong Manso who are going for quality.



In my days, when you wrote a script, you gave it to people to critique. Even as an actor, when you were given a script, you could give suggestions and all those steps made our movies excellent, he said.



When Graphic Showbiz sought Kofi Falconers opinion on the current crop of actors, he indicated that some of them lacked principles.



Most of the people we have now are not disciplined. They do not understand that acting is a profession so having a minute role doesnt make you an actor. When I say discipline, it encompasses a lot - the way you walk, talk, dress, etc.



Some of the young ones do not respect time. You will give them a call time and they will come at whatever time they want. In my time, as soon as you showed such traits, the director or producer would just kill your character there and then.



I had that experience with one actor and he got angry but I told him my piece of mind. Why will you not pick your calls on a day you are supposed to shoot? he stated.



He was, however, quick to add that he couldnt blame them much as well.



I do not blame them too; it is because of where we find ourselves and the world we are in. Now anything goes. Its all about money unlike previously when passion was the driving force. Again, the laws in the country do not work. In other countries, you cannot just go there and start shooting movies but in our country, it is like that. Everything goes, he said.





Kofi Falconer also urged the National Film Authority to be up and doing to revive the movie industry.



Its been a while since it was established; its purpose was to scrutinise the movie industry so that people would not just take a camera and go shoot anything or people would not just call themselves actors but till date, we have not heard anything.



"In addition to all that, maybe, just maybe, we had to suffer for the new ones to come and enjoy. We paid our dues by following our passion so they could come and make money, he said.



Kofi Falconer has starred in several productions including EOCO Boss, Chronicles of Odumkrom and Big Man Wahala.

Source: Graphic Showbiz









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
Gospel musicians Saraphine Afari and Florence Afari have launched their maiden album titled Tumi Wura.



The event, which took place at the Church of Pentecost in Accra Sunday, formed part of the vision of their ministry to preach to everyone and to the most distant part of the earth.



Speaking exclusively with The Finder, Saraphine Afari explained that the album is made up of songs such as Yesu Mogya, Tumi Wura, Jesus, Kronkron, Ayeyi, Obekasa and Ofata'.



She further stated that the songs came as a sign of Gods act of kindness, mercy and love for them, adding that they want people to feel the impact of God in their lives.



Ms Afari noted that the album means everything to them and highlights how God's favour has been extended to their family.



We want our songs to come out to teach people about the works of God and make them know that He is really working in our lives and that of others, she explained.



She added that Saraflo Ministries has been in existence for the past three years, and our hope is that through our music people will hear about God and change their bad ways."



Speaking on what inspired the songs, Florence Afari indicated that the lyrics were revealed by the Holy Spirit to Saraphine Afari, after which they came together to compose the songs.



According to them, they were inspired after Saraphine Afari fell sick and they saw the manifestation of God's hands in the family.



"Only God can see us through a holy life, she emphasised.



She was optimistic that people would acknowledge God's presence in their lives after listening to their songs.



"We pray that people will take good care of themselves in order to stay out of trouble or even fall sick in this difficult time," she said.



According to them, the songs are currently available on YouTube, Instagram and Facebook.



They called on sponsors to come to their aid as they have plans of composing more songs for the glory of the Lord and also make an impact on the lives of people.



Various gospel ministers, chiefs and dignitaries from the Church of Pentecost were present to grace the occasion.



The Saraflo Ministries expressed gratitude to God for making all things possible and also showed appreciation to all the special guests, pastors and everyone who made it to the event.



The Paramount Chief of the Kpalime Traditional Area, Togbega Atikpladza Agbi Yao VIII, called on everyone to support the work of Saraflo Ministries and pledged his support for the group.



He further urged everyone with the talent of song ministration to come together and praise the Maker with songs.



May the Almighty God see talents like Saraflo Ministry grow in our communities for people to look up to such conducts, he stressed.

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
" " Mass cremations like this in New Delhi are becoming commonplace in India because of the skyrocketing deaths due to COVID-19. Exposure Visuals/Shutterstock

In the past several weeks, the world has looked on in horror as the coronavirus rages across India. With hospitals running out of beds, oxygen and medicines, the official daily death toll has averaged around 3,000. Many claim that number could be an undercount; crematoriums and cemeteries have run out of space.

The majority of India's population are Hindu, who favor cremation as a way of disposing of the body. But the Muslim population, which is close to 15 percent, favors burying its dead.

Generally, tradition holds that the body is to be cremated or buried as quickly as possible  within 24 hours for Hindus, Jains and Muslims, and within three days for Sikhs. This need for rapid disposal has also contributed to the current crisis.

Hundreds of families want their loved ones' bodies cared for as quickly as possible, but there is a shortage of people who can do the funerals and last rites. This has led to a situation where people are paying bribes in order to get space or a furnace for cremation. There are also reports of physical fights, and intimidation.

As a scholar interested in the ways Asian societies tell stories about the afterlife and prepare the deceased for it, I argue that the coronavirus crisis represents an unprecedented cultural cataclysm that has forced the Indian culture to challenge the way it handles its dead.

" " Relatives carry the body of a person who died from COVID-19 to be buried at a graveyard in Delhi. Many Muslim burial grounds have run out of space and have resorted to tearing up their parking lots to allow for more bodies. Exposure Visuals/Shutterstock

Advertisement

Cremation Grounds and Colonial Rule

Many Americans think of cremation happening within an enclosed, mechanized structure, but most Indian crematoriums, known as "shmashana" in Hindi, are open-air spaces with dozens of brick-and-mortar platforms upon which a body can be burned on a pyre made of wood.

Hindus and Sikhs will dispose of the remaining ashes in a river. Many shmashana are therefore built near the banks of a river to allow for easy access, but many well-off families often travel to a sacred city along the banks of the river Ganges, such as Hardiwar or Benares, for the final rituals. Jains  who have traditionally given significant consideration to humanity's impact on the environmental world  bury the ashes as a means to return the body to the earth and ensure they do not contribute to polluting rivers.

The workers who run shmashana often belong to the Dom ethnicity and have been doing this work for generations; they are lower caste and subsequently perceived as polluted for their intimate work with dead bodies.

The act of cremation has not always been without controversy. In the 19th century, British colonial officials viewed the Indian practice of cremation as barbaric and unhygienic. But they were unable to ban it given its pervasiveness.

However, Indians living in the United Kingdom, South Africa and Trinidad often had to fight for the right to cremate the dead in accordance with religious rituals because of the mistaken and often racist belief that cremation was primitive, alien and environmentally polluting.

" " Family members wearing protective suits perform the last rites, including decorating the body of a loved one who died of COVID-19 with brightly colored flowers before their cremation at the Hindu Moksha Dham crematorium in Beawar. Sumit Saraswat/Shutterstock

Advertisement

Rituals and a Long History

The earliest writings on Indian funerary rituals can be found in the Rig Veda  a Hindu religious scripture orally composed thousands of years ago, potentially as early as 2000 B.C.E. In the Rig Veda, a hymn, traditionally recited by a priest or an adult male, urges Agni, the Vedic god of fire, to "carry this man to the world of those who have done good deeds."

From the perspective of Hindu, Jain and Sikh rituals, the act of cremation is seen as a sacrifice, a final breaking of the ties between the body and the spirit so it may be free to reincarnate. The body is traditionally bathed, anointed, and carefully wrapped in white cloth at home, then carried ceremonially, in a procession, by the local community to the cremation grounds.

While Hindus and Sikhs often decorate the body with flowers, Jains avoid natural flowers for concern of inadvertently destroying the lives of insects that may be hidden within its petals. In all of these faiths, a priest or male member of the family recites prayers. It is traditionally the eldest son of the deceased who lights the funerary pyre; women do not go to the cremation ground.

After the ceremony, mourners return home to bathe themselves and remove what they regard as the inauspicious energy that surrounds the cremation grounds. Communities host a variety of post-mortem rituals, including scriptural recitations and symbolic meals, and in some Hindu communities the sons or male members of household will shave their head as a sign of their bereavement. During this mourning period, lasting from 10 to 13 days, the family performs scriptural recitations and prayers in honor of their deceased loved one.

Advertisement

The Changing Times of COVID-19

The wave of death from the COVID-19 pandemic has forced transformations to these long-established religious rituals. Makeshift crematoriums are being constructed in the parking lots of hospitals and in city parks.

Young women may be the only ones available to light the funerary pyre, which was previously not permissible. Families in quarantine are forced to use WhatsApp and other video software to visually identify the body and recite digital funerary rites.

Media reports have pointed out how in some cases, crematorium workers have been asked to read prayers traditionally reserved for Brahmin priests or people from a higher caste. Muslim burial grounds have begun to run out of space and are tearing up parking lots to bury more bodies.

" " India is facing nearly 3,000 deaths every day due to COVID-19. Here, men suit up in protective gear before the cremation of a family member at Hindu Moksha Dham crematorium in Beawar. Sumit Saraswat/Shutterstock

Advertisement

The Work of the Dead

While other important rituals such as marriage and baptism may take on a new appearance in response to cultural changes, social media conversations or economic opportunities, funerary rituals change slowly.

Historian Thomas Laqueur has written on what he calls "the work of the dead"  the ways in which the bodies of the deceased participate in the social worlds and political realities of the living.

In India's coronavirus pandemic, the dead are announcing the health crisis that the country believed it had conquered. As recently as April 18, 2021, India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi was holding crowded political rallies, and his government allowed the massive Hindu pilgrimage festival of Kumbh Mela to proceed a year early in response to the auspicious forecasts of astrologers. Authorities began to act only when the deaths became impossible to ignore. But even then, the Indian government appeared more concerned about removing social media posts that were critical of its functioning.

India is one of the world's largest vaccine-producing nations, and yet it was unable to make or even purchase the needed vaccines to protect its population.

The dead have important stories to tell about neglect, mismanagement or even our global interdependence  if we care to listen.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. You can find the original article here.

Natasha Mikles is a lecturer in philosophy at Texas State University where she teaches classes in Asian and world religions.
" " The stage was set for the first presidential debate between nominees Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump at Hofstra University, New York in 2016. Can a third party candidate ever be viable against the Democrats and the Republicans? Drew Angerer/Getty Images

In early September, former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz announced he would not be running as an independent for the 2020 presidential election. "Schultz's decision, after spending months away from public life because of health issues, will come as a relief to Democratic leaders, who feared an independent candidacy by a self-funded billionaire would hobble their eventual nominee," wrote The Washington Post. "Despite growing frustration with the country's politics, his aborted run serves as a cautionary tale about the resiliency of the country's two-party political system."

It sure does. In 2008 (and 2012 and 2016), former New York City mayor and fellow billionaire Michael Bloomberg also flirted with a White House run as a third-party candidate. Bloomberg ultimately concluded that third-party candidacies are a lost cause and put his money behind the Democrats.

But even if American voters are fed up with the two-party system  68 percent said in 2018 the two major parties don't represent their views and that a third option is needed  could they ever actually agree on a candidate? And more importantly, is the U.S. electoral system engineered so that any presidential candidate without a D or R after their name doesn't stand a chance of being anything other than a spoiler (see Ralph Nader 2000)?

Advertisement

Getting on the Ballot

In 19th-century America, mounting a third-party presidential campaign was as easy as rallying supporters, naming a candidate and passing out ballots. If the major parties  the Whigs and the Democrats at the time  nominated lousy candidates at their summer conventions, third-parties like the Liberty party and Free Soil party had plenty of time to get their guy's name on the ballot by November.

"The ballot access rules now totally preclude that," says Micah Sifry, author of "Spoiling for a Fight: Third-Party Politics in America" and founder of Civic Hall. Independent candidates have to collect crazy numbers of signatures in every state, some with filing deadlines as early as June of the election year. So, it's impossible for a third-party candidate to enter the race after the major party conventions. "There's absolutely no give in the system."

Advertisement

No Debates, No Chance

Even if a well-organized and well-funded independent presidential campaign gathers all the necessary signatures, fights off the inevitable legal challenges from the major parties, and manages to get its candidate's name on ballots in all 50 states, another significant hurdle remains  access to the debates.

Sifry says that the nonprofit Commission on Presidential Debates has set prohibitively high barriers for entry into the nationally televised debates, which are crucial for name recognition among voters. According to the Commission's rules, candidates need to be polling 15 percent or higher nationally to earn a spot at the debates, which is why you almost never see Libertarian or Green Party candidates behind a debate podium.

"How do you get to be over 15 percent if you're not included in the debates?" asks Sifry.

Just look at the example of Texas billionaire Ross Perot, who ran as an independent in the 1992 presidential election. This was before the Commission on Presidential Debates established its 15 percent rule and Perot was polling at a meager 1 percent a week before the first debate with Bill Clinton and George H.W. Bush. Perot's strong performance in all three televised debates led to the greatest third-party performance of the modern era with Perot winning 18.9 percent of the popular vote (but not a single electoral vote).

Compare Perot's performance with Libertarian and Green Party candidates Gary Johnson and Jill Stein in 2016, whose low polling numbers (9 percent and 3 percent respectively) barred them from sharing the debate floor with Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton. Johnson won just 3 percent of popular vote and Stein only took 1 percent.

Advertisement

How a Third Party Can Still Win

While Sifry believes that the current electoral process has been "rigged" by Democratic and Republican lawmakers to "artificially advantage them," he and others still see a possible, if remote path to victory for an independent.

Daniel Franklin, an associate professor of political science at Georgia State University, says that the only way a third party can get traction is by owning a single policy issue that's been completely ignored by the two major parties and has huge salience for voters. He points the Republican Party of the 1850s, a third party that rose to prominence on its anti-slavery stance.

"In the 1856 election, neither the Democrats nor the remnants of the Whig Party would touch the slavery issue with a ten-foot pole," says Franklin, "And in 1860 that gave Abraham Lincoln a political lane to the White House."

The question, then, is what issue would be salient enough with a large block of the American electorate to propel a third-party to the presidency? Even though more than two-thirds of Americans say they want a third-party option on the ballot in 2020, they have very different ideas of where that candidate should sit on the political spectrum. A third want a centrist party; about 11 percent want a party more liberal than the Democrats; and a fifth want one more conservative than the Republicans, according to one study.

Also working against third-party hopefuls is the fact that Democrats and Republicans have gotten very good at neutralizing upstart candidates by co-opting their best ideas. Franklin says that Perot blazed into the popular consciousness in 1992 with his crusade against the deficit, but Clinton and Bush stole his thunder by making the national debt one of their talking points.

"Issues like ending child labor, establishing a minimum wage, the direct election of senators  all of those were originally third-party ideas that one or both of the major parties adopted," says Sifry.

Now That's Interesting 2016 Green Party candidate Stein said she didn't "spoil" the election for Hillary Clinton because she brought new voters to the polls, but Franklin's research found that voter turnout actually goes down in presidential elections where third-party candidates get significant votes.
" " Seats reserved for Apple and FBI representatives before the start of a House Judiciary Committee hearing titled 'The Encryption Tightrope: Balancing Americans' Security and Privacy,' in March 2016 Drew Angerer/Getty Images

In fall 2013, a young man named Ross Ulbricht was arrested at a public library in San Francisco, distracted by two FBI agents posing as a couple in the middle of a loud and passionate argument. That distraction proved crucial as another agent swept in to grab Ulbricht's laptop before he could close it. If Ulbricht had closed it, the computer's hard drive would've encrypted itself and made it much more difficult to prove the U.S. government's case against the man.

What was Ulbricht's crime? The 29-year-old ran an online criminal marketplace called Silk Road, and his laptop showed him still logged in as the site's administrator and provided the feds with a detailed diary of his every movement and criminal action. In February 2015, he was convicted on charges of money laundering, hacking and conspiracy to commit drug trafficking. The files copied from his hard drive before they could be encrypted were crucial to the prosecution.

" " A supporter of Ross Ulbricht, the creator and operator of the Silk Road underground market, stands in front of a Manhattan federal court house on the first day of jury selection for Ulbricht's trial. Spencer Platt/Getty Images

Advertisement

Encryption Everywhere

Since Ulbricht's arrest, encryption has become more widespread, with everything from iPhones to Facebook's Messenger app using it. Many devices advertise encryption as a selling point. State and federal security and law enforcement officials are less enamored of it, not surprisingly. Writing in 2015, New York County District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance Jr. noted "criminal defendants charged with all manner of crimes, including rape, kidnapping, robbery, promotion of child pornography, larceny, and presumably by those interested in committing acts of terrorism" appreciated the safety that the iOS 8 operating system provided them.

"Criminal defendants across the nation are the principal beneficiaries of iOS 8, and the safety of all American communities is imperiled by it," wrote Vance.

The longstanding issue came under particular scrutiny in 2016, after FBI and Apple argued over access to San Bernardino shooter Syed Farook's iPhone (the FBI eventually did gain access). In 2017, the FBI said it was sitting on nearly 7,800 encrypted devices the agency claimed contain evidence critical to putting more criminals behind bars. The agency later revised that estimate downward, to less than 2,000, writes ZDnet.

Advertisement

The Encryption Standoff

What to do about those encrypted devices? Well, the U.S. Department of Justice has lobbied for a law mandating that tech companies develop tools that would allow law enforcement to circumvent encryption and access data on their customers' devices. No such law has been drafted, but the agency is still pursuing the matter.

This effort is not unprecedented. In 1993, Congress considered a law mandating the use of the so-called "Clipper chip," which would store a copy of an encryption key for law enforcement and allow the decryption of secure files with a warrant. The chip, however, had serious technical vulnerabilities and was met with massive backlash that killed the project just three years later.

So what is the DOJ requesting? "[It's] calling on technology companies to develop a technical solution that allows them to respond to lawful court orders without fatally compromising security" and support strong encryption standards, emails a DOJ spokesperson who asked not to be named.

A way to do this without compromising encryption simply does not exist, wrote cybersecurity expert Matt Blaze in a 2015 Washington Post op-ed. (Blaze published the guide to the Clipper chip's vulnerabilities in 1994.) Moreover, such a solution would effectively create an exploitable backdoor. This is extremely consequential. When programmers apply an encryption algorithm, they use a library of proven approaches. These algorithms are developed by experts who have advanced degrees in mathematics, and they're thoroughly tested in the wild. The same algorithms that encrypt your text messages on an iPhone and your laptop's hard drive are pretty much the same kinds of algorithms that encrypt your online purchases and banking sessions.

Advertisement

Far-reaching Consequences

And this is ultimately why undermining encryption is a cure far worse than the disease. We rely on encryption algorithms to secure our private data and the nearly $2.8 trillion global e-commerce market. A backdoor allowing a third party to read details of transactions means there will be a built-in way to snoop on countless credit card purchases. It also could be used to capture online banking sessions and other personal data useful for blackmail, identity and credit card fraud. Today, this sort of hacking requires tricking the user into giving hackers access to their computers and internet connections. A backdoor would make such snooping far easier because nothing would be required of the victims other than using the web.

Online shopping would no longer be safe as currently heavily encrypted transactions would be trivial to decrypt. Online banking would be like giving random strangers a copy of your bank statements along with account and routing numbers. And while global e-commerce cratered, credit card processing terminals at brick-and-mortar stores also would be deeply compromised because they too run the same algorithms to secure your data. Cash would become the only safe way to buy things, setting the global economy back decades. Even then, using the ATM means risking having your PIN and debit card numbers swiped within a now easily penetrable network.

But only government would have these shortcuts or skeleton keys, right? Wrong. If encryption is weakened for governments, it's also weakened for hackers because you're effectively solving an equation for which there's only one answer. It's impossible to solve the same math problem and come up with two completely different answers depending on the person solving it. And if there's a skeleton key to break encryption for law enforcement, the people who have access to it can be millionaires many times over selling it to hackers, and some of them inevitably will.

For their part, a DOJ spokesperson notes via email that the term encryption backdoors "is unhelpful and is not what the Justice Department is seeking," adding that "diminished access to the content of lawfully obtained data is not just an issue for Governments alone, but a mutual responsibility for all stakeholders." The spokesperson also writes that "the Governments of the Five Eyes encourage information and communications technology service providers to voluntarily establish lawful access solutions to their products and services they create or operate in our countries."

While this seems anodyne enough from a political standpoint, the lack of specificity indicates that the DOJ wants some way to decrypt data on command with a warrant, despite security experts saying that such a way simply does not exist due to the rules of mathematics. Whatever happens, one thing is certain: Encryption will remain a fiercely contested issue for years to come.

Now That's Interesting Five Eyes is the name of the network of five countries that share intelligence with each other. It's composed of the U.S., Canada, New Zealand, Australia and the United Kingdom.
View of the Belo Monte Hydroelectric Power Plant in Altamira, Para State, Brazil.

When climate researcher Dailson Bertassoli went to measure greenhouse gas emissions at the Belo Monte hydropower plant in Brazil, the first thing he noticed was the bubbles.

Developers have built hundreds of hydroelectric plants in the Amazon basin to take advantage of the allegedly "green" energy generated by its complex of rivers.

But climate researchers now know hydropower is not as good for the environment as once assumed. Though no fossil fuels are burned, the reservoirs release millions of tons of methane and carbon dioxide as vegetation decays underwater.

So called run-of-river (ROR) dams like Belo Monte along the Xingu River, which have smaller reservoirs and channels allowing reduced river flow, were meant to address the problem, but a study Friday in Science Advances found that has not been the case.

Bertassoli's team studied methane and carbon dioxide emissions during Belo Monte's first two years of operation and compared the results to levels prior to the reservoirs being filled, finding a threefold increase in greenhouse gas emissions.

"Once you have the flooding of dry land, the organic matter that was trapped in the soil starts to degrade," the professor of geology and climate change at the University of Sao Paulo told AFP.

These were the source of the bubbles he saw at one of the plant's reservoirs.

"Instead of a natural river, we now have a reactor that favors the production of methane," he added.

And as fellow author and climate researcher Henrique Sawakuchi pointed out, these "smaller" reservoirs are still quite large, with the largest on a partly dammed river where dead trees stand starkly white amid vast stagnant green channels.

Sawakuchi's brother Andre Sawakuchi, a University of Sao Paulo professor focusing on climate change and river systems who also participated in the study, added that this analysis highlights two issues to consider when building hydropower plants in the region.

One is the local environmental impact on aquatic species unique to the area," he told AFP. "The other is the social impact to indigenous communities that live along the river."

Checkered history

Indigenous and environmental groups protested the Belo Monte's proposed construction back in the 1990s, causing it to be abandoned before being revived again as an ROR plant in 2011.

Environmental groups protested the loss of the forest that had to be cleared for the site while indigenous groups resisted the loss of flooded land and redirected or siphoned natural river flow.

Andre Sawakuchi argues it is important to keep the Amazon flowing, despite increasing energy needs, and not to "disrupt this natural cycle with hydropower plants of any type.

"This is the pulse of the river," he said. "With a hydroplant, there is no more pulse."

The authors concluded in their study that if Brazil must continue to build ROR dams along the Amazon, then it is important to at least avoid flooding vegetation, thereby increasing greenhouse gases.

A 2019 study by the Environmental Defense Fund found that some of the world's hydropower plants are carbon sinksmeaning they take in more carbon through photosynthesis by organisms living in the water than they emit through decompositionwhile others are net emitters.

"There is no utopia here," Bertassoli said. "Especially for countries that look so hard at hydropower as a sustainable 'green' answer to their energy needs."

Explore further Calculating the albedo-climate penalty of hydropower dammed reservoirs

More information: Dailson J. Bertassoli et al, How green can Amazon hydropower be? Net carbon emission from the largest hydropower plant in Amazonia, Science Advances (2021). Journal information: Science Advances Dailson J. Bertassoli et al, How green can Amazon hydropower be? Net carbon emission from the largest hydropower plant in Amazonia,(2021). DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abe1470

 2021 AFP
Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

Highly positive social outcomes are linked to biodiversity efforts in Amazonian Sustainable-Use Protected Areas, according to new research from the University of East Anglia (UEA).

The study investigated the social consequences of living both inside and outside Sustainable-Use Protected Areas containing aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems in Brazil's state of Amazonas. Researchers used data from more than 80 local semi-subsistence communities along a 2,000-km section of the Jurua River, the second-longest tributary of the Amazon River.

Amazonian Sustainable-Use Protected Areas (PA) are a joint initiative sponsored by government agencies to expand protection of the Amazon rainforest in Brazil.

Communities inside the PAs consistently enjoy better access to health care, education, electricity, basic sanitation and communication infrastructure, according to research published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). The paper, "Sustainable-use protected areas catalyze enhanced livelihoods in rural Amazonia," is published today.

The research was co-led by Dr. Joao Campos-Silva, a postdoctoral researcher at Norwegian University of Life Sciences with Carlos Peres, a Professor of Conservation Science at UEA's School of Environmental Sciences.

Less tangible measures of welfare, such as perceptions of the future, were also better in communities inside PAs. Moreover, living within a PA was the strongest predictor of household wealth, followed by cash-transfer programs and family size (number of people per household). These collective co-benefits clearly influence life satisfaction, with only five percent of all adult residents inside PAs aspiring to migrate to urban centers, compared to 58 percent of adults living in unprotected areas.

The researchers said sustainable-use PAs can encourage multi-partnerships, strong local associations, land tenure, co-management, economic subsidies, strong leadership, public policies and polycentric governanceresulting in clearly enhanced local welfare well beyond biodiversity protection.

Tropical PAs are typically understaffed and underfunded and will continue to become increasingly degraded due to poor resource management, growing populations and external encroachment, the researchers said. It remains unclear how to implement existing PAs under conditions of scarce financial resources, if not hostile political climates.

Prof Peres said: "Contrary to the prevailing perception in rural development, local communities can accrue substantial benefits, rather than incur opportunity costs, from tropical forest protected areas.

"These protected areas (PAs) can, therefore, deliver multiple co-benefits to different stakeholders at local to global scales. This is particularly the case of tropical freshwater systems worldwide, which are poorly managed, yet are inhabited by hundreds of millions of local users.

"In low-governance tropical regions, where PAs are severely starved by dysfunctional environmental agencies, it is critical to forge successful working alliances with local communities that can ensure win-win socioecological outcomes."

Dr. Campos-Silva said: "Beyond a conservation triumph, well-implemented sustainable-use protected areas can work as a socio-ecological laboratory, where new conservation tools can be developed and expanded to larger scales, aligning social welfare and biodiversity protection within Amazonia."

With the Brazilian PAs severely understaffed and underfunded, affecting implementation, strengthening the Amazonian PA network toward a full implementation is imperative for both government- and non-government agencies that aspire to a sustainable future for Amazonia that is socially fair.

Prof Peres said: "The new study is a story of optimism that provides a rare positive outlook on the future of protected areas in many developing countries."

The study was carried out under the full support of Instituto Jurua, a non-profit conservation NGO working in the Amazon.

Explore further Amazon fishery management provides rare 'win-win' for conservation and poverty alleviation
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

A new phase of matter, thought to be understandable only using quantum physics, can be studied with far simpler classical methods.

Researchers from the University of Cambridge used computer modeling to study potential new phases of matter known as prethermal discrete time crystals (DTCs). It was thought that the properties of prethermal DTCs were reliant on quantum physics: the strange laws ruling particles at the subatomic scale. However, the researchers found that a simpler approach, based on classical physics, can be used to understand these mysterious phenomena.

Understanding these new phases of matter is a step forward towards the control of complex many-body systems, a long-standing goal with various potential applications, such as simulations of complex quantum networks. The results are reported in two joint papers in Physical Review Letters and Physical Review B.

When we discover something new, whether it's a planet, an animal, or a disease, we can learn more about it by looking at it more and more closely. Simpler theories are tried first, and if they don't work, more complicated theories or methods are attempted.

"This was what we thought was the case with prethermal DTCs," said Andrea Pizzi, a Ph.D. candidate in Cambridge's Cavendish Laboratory, first author on both papers. "We thought they were fundamentally quantum phenomena, but it turns out a simpler classical approach let us learn more about them."

DTCs are highly complex physical systems, and there is still much to learn about their unusual properties. Like how a standard space crystal breaks space-translational symmetry because its structure isn't the same everywhere in space, DTCs break a distinct time-translational symmetry because, when 'shaken' periodically, their structure changes at every 'push'.

"You can think of it like a parent pushing a child on a swing on a playground," said Pizzi. "Normally, the parent pushes the child, the child will swing back, and the parent then pushes them again. In physics, this is a rather simple system. But if multiple swings were on that same playground, and if children on them were holding hands with one another, then the system would become much more complex, and far more interesting and less obvious behaviors could emerge. A prethermal DTC is one such behavior, in which the atoms, acting sort of like swings, only 'come back' every second or third push, for example."

First predicted in 2012, DTCs have opened a new field of research, and have been studied in various types, including in experiments. Among these, prethermal DTCs are relatively simple-to-realize systems that don't heat quickly as would normally be expected, but instead exhibit time-crystalline behavior for a very long time: the quicker they are shaken, the longer they survive. However, it was thought that they rely on quantum phenomena.

"Developing quantum theories is complicated, and even when you manage it, your simulation capabilities are usually very limited, because the required computational power is incredibly large," said Pizzi.

Now, Pizzi and his co-authors have found that for prethermal DTCs they can avoid using overly complicated quantum approaches and use much more affordable classical ones instead. This way, the researchers can simulate these phenomena in a much more comprehensive way. For instance, they can now simulate many more elementary constituents, getting access to the scenarios that are the most relevant to experiments, such as in two and three dimensions.

Using a computer simulation, the researchers studied many interacting spinslike the children on the swingsunder the action of a periodic magnetic fieldlike the parent pushing the swingusing classical Hamiltonian dynamics. The resulting dynamics showed in a neat and clear way the properties of prethermal DTCs: for a long time, the magnetisation of the system oscillates with a period larger than that of the drive.

"It's surprising how clean this method is," said Pizzi. "Because it allows us to look at larger systems, it makes very clear what's going on. Unlike when we're using quantum methods, we don't have to fight with this system to study it. We hope this research will establish classical Hamiltonian dynamics as a suitable approach to large-scale simulations of complex many-body systems and open new avenues in the study of nonequilibrium phenomena, of which prethermal DTCs are just one example."

Pizzi's co-authors on the two papers, who were both recently based at Cambridge, are Dr. Andreas Nunnenkamp, now at the University of Vienna, and Dr. Johannes Knolle, now at the Technical University of Munich.

Meanwhile, at UC Berkeley, Norman Yao's group has also been using classical methods to study prethermal DTCs. Remarkably, the Berkeley and Cambridge teams have simultaneously addressed the same question. Yao's group will be publishing their results shortly.

Explore further Observing a prethermal discrete time crystal
Credit: Pixabay

The world is heading towards a trillion-sensor economy where billions of devices using multiple sensors will be connected under the umbrella of Internet-of-things. An important part of this economy is constituted of light/photo sensors, which are tiny semiconductor-based electronic components that detect light and convert them to electrical signals. Light sensors can be found everywhere around us, from household electronic gadgets and health-care equipment to optical communication systems and automobiles.

Over the years, there has been marked progress in research on photosensors. Scientists have endeavored to develop sensors that can detect a high dynamic range of lights and are easy to manufacture and energy efficient. Most light sensors used in cost-effective consumer products are energy efficient but are susceptible to noiseunwanted light information in the external environment, which adversely affects their performance. To tackle this issue, products have been designed using light-to-frequency conversion circuits (LFCs), which show better signal to noise ratio. However, most LFCs are made of silicon-based photodetectors that can limit the range of light detection. Also, use of LFCs leads to chip area wastage, which becomes a problem when designing multi-functional electronic circuits for compact devices.

Now a team of researchers from Incheon National University, South Korea, led by Prof. Sung Hun Jin, has demonstrated a highly efficient system of photodetectors that can overcome the limitations of conventional LFCs. In their study, which was made available online on 10 June 2021 and subsequently published in volume 17, issue 26 of the journal Small, they report developing complimentary photosensitive inverters with p-type single walled carbon nanotubes (SWNT) and n-type amorphous indium-gallium-zinc-oxide (a-IGZO/SWNT) thin film transistors.

Prof. Jin explains, "Our photodetector applies a different approach with regard to the light-to-frequency conversion. We have used components that are light dependent and not voltage dependent, unlike conventional LFCs."

The new design architecture allowed the team to design LFC with superior chip area efficiency and compact form factor, making it suitable for use in flexible electronic devices. Experiments conducted using the photosensor system indicated excellent optical properties, including high tunability and responsiveness over a broad range of light. The LFC also showed possibility of large area scalability and easy integration into state-of-the-art silicon wafer-based chips.

The LFC system developed in this study can be used to build optical sensor systems that have high-level signal integrity, as well as excellent signal processing and transmitting abilities. These promising properties make it a strong contender for application in future Internet-of-Things sensor scenarios. "LFCs based on low dimensional semiconductors will become one of the core components in the trillion sensors area. Our LFC scheme will find application in medical SpO 2 detection, auto-lighting in agriculture, or in advanced displays for virtual and augmented reality" concludes Prof. Jin.

Explore further Plastic solar cells combine high-speed optical communication with indoor energy harvesting

More information: Jinheon Jeong et al, Flexible LighttoFrequency Conversion Circuits Built with SiBased FrequencytoDigital Converters via Complementary Photosensitive Ring Oscillators with pType SWNT and nType aIGZO Thin Film Transistors, Small (2021). Journal information: Small Jinheon Jeong et al, Flexible LighttoFrequency Conversion Circuits Built with SiBased FrequencytoDigital Converters via Complementary Photosensitive Ring Oscillators with pType SWNT and nType aIGZO Thin Film Transistors,(2021). DOI: 10.1002/smll.202008131

Provided by Incheon National University
Collared cheetah in the Namib Desert. Credit: Ruben Portas

Anthrax is an infectious bacterial disease endemic in some parts of Africa. It affects people, livestock as well as wildlife. Using GPS telemetry data, a team of scientists from the Cheetah Research Project of the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (Leibniz-IZW) reconstructed a special case of anthrax infection in Namibia: Three free-ranging cheetahs in the Namib Desert died within 24 hours after feeding on a mountain zebra that tested positive for the disease. The zebra is the first described case of a wild animal infected with anthrax in this arid region. The case also shows that there might be previously unknown risks to cheetah populations in the desert. It is described in detail in the scientific journal Frontiers in Veterinary Science.

Since 2015, scientists of the Leibniz-IZW Cheetah Research Project (CRP) conduct a National Cheetah Survey together with the Namibian Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism (MEFT). The purpose is to obtain data on cheetah density and distribution across the country. Within this framework, a coalition of three cheetah males was captured in the Namib Desert and one animal equipped with a GPS collar. The recorded location and movement data were regularly downloaded during aerial tracking flights. On one of these flights, on October 5th 2019, the carcass of a collared cheetahone of the members of the coalitionwas located from the aircraft. During the following ground inspection, the other two cheetahs were also found dead. "The GPS data of the collared cheetah revealed that they died within a time window of six hours a few days before we found them," says Ruben Portas, CRP scientist. "Evaluating their most recent movements, we identified a cluster of GPS locations approximately two kilometers away from the location where they were found dead." At this spot the cheetahs spent 20 hours on the day before their death. When visiting this cluster, Portas found the carcass of an adult mountain zebra. The GPS and activity data from the collar suggested that the cheetahs fed on it. Bacillus anthracis, the cause of Anthrax infections, was isolated from buccal and nasal swabs collected from the dead zebra, making it the first confirmed anthrax infection in a wildlife species in the Namib Desert.

Carnivores are typically less susceptible to anthrax than herbivores. Cheetahs in particular have a high constitutive innate immunity which provides them with a rapid first line of defense against pathogens such as Bacillus anthracis. "However, when a high load of bacteria is ingested, for example with meat from a contaminated carcass, their potent constitutive innate immunity might be overloaded," explains CRP project head Bettina Wachter. "Cheetahs scavenge only rarely, which reduces their exposure to anthrax infected prey. As a result, they do not produce high antibody titres, which would be another line of defense. Thus, cheetahs die quickly when infected, as studies in Etosha National Park in northern Namibia have shown."

The pathogen was not detected in any of the three cheetahs found in the Namib, but the scientists consider it very likely that anthrax was the direct cause of their death. Bacterial cultures from highly susceptible animals that quickly die are often anthrax negative, because the animals might die already at a low presence of bacteria in the blood or from a high load of toxin released by Bacillus anthracis when destroyed by the immune system. Additionally, the vegetative form of the pathogen only develops when exposed to air quickly after the death of the host. The cheetahs were untouched for 11 days after their death and their bodies were not opened by scavengers, which might also explain the negative results of the lab tests for anthrax.

Anthrax is an unstudied disease in arid habitats. When wildlife dies in the Namib Desert, causes are often attributed to drought, hunger and the challenging desert conditions. "The few reported cases in which diseases such as anthrax were tested in the arid environments of Namibia are when livestock or people were directly affected," says Portas. "We do not know the prevalence of anthrax in the Namib desert and how wildlife populations are affected by the disease. For other habitats, such as the Etosha National Park, there is a large body of research showing that anthrax has a key ecological role in the environment."

This first confirmed case of anthrax in the Namib Desert in wildlife demonstrates that the disease might by endemic in the desert and other arid environments. Most of the Namib Desert is included in protected areas where cheetahs and other species find an important refuge from conflict with humans. Thus, this new knowledge may be important for assessing risks to the species. "Although few data are available, no other disease has shown such an impact on the cheetah population and certainly requires further research that may lead to appropriate conservation measures," Wachter concludes. "This study shows that data recorded by GPS collars have the potential to disclose additional important information in addition to spatial movement information."

Explore further France begins vaccinating cows, sheep against anthrax

More information: Ruben Portas et al, GPS Telemetry Reveals a Zebra With Anthrax as Putative Cause of Death for Three Cheetahs in the Namib Desert, Frontiers in Veterinary Science (2021). Ruben Portas et al, GPS Telemetry Reveals a Zebra With Anthrax as Putative Cause of Death for Three Cheetahs in the Namib Desert,(2021). DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2021.714758
Uneven distribution of lifetime exposure. All-category exposure multiplication factors across birth cohorts under the current pledges scenario for a range of (a) geographic regions and (b) income groups (see fig. S4 for the region definitions (112)). The factors are computed relative to the mean exposure of a reference person with year-1960 life expectancy under pre-industrial climate conditions. The kink in the curve for the Middle East and North Africa for cohorts below 20 years in 2020 can be explained by the sudden drop in life expectancy for these cohorts in Iraq and Syria. Credit: DOI: 10.1126/science.abi7339

International research led by Prof. Wim Thiery of the VUB research group BCLIMATE shows that children are to face disproportional increases in lifetime extreme event exposureespecially in low-income countries. Under current climate policy, newborns across the globe will on average face seven times more scorching heatwaves during their lives than their grandparents. In addition, they will on average live through 2.6 times more droughts, 2.8 times as many river floods, almost three times as many crop failures, and twice the number of wildfires as people born 60 years ago.

"Our results highlight a severe threat to the safety of young generations and call for drastic emission reductions to safeguard their future," says Thiery, climate scientist at VUB and lead author of the study.

The Fridays for Future movement led by the world's youth has drastically increased awareness around the importance of climate change mitigation for future generations. Next to school strikes and protest marches, young people are now also suing their governments, for instance for violating their fundamental rights under the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child.

First study to bridge climate science and demography

Scientifically, aspects of climate change like droughts or heatwaves are often studied by comparing different time windows or discrete levels of warming. However, this ruling paradigm in climate and impact research has so far not quantified how younger generations will experience a different climate change burden. Current research therefore insufficiently grasps how the climate change burden differs across generations and countries.

Bridging between climate science and demography, the international research team now for the first time quantified lifetime exposure to droughts, heatwaves, crop failures, river floods, tropical cyclones, and wildfires. They computed lifetime exposure for every generation born between 1960 and 2020, and this for every country in the world and for every global warming scenario between today's 1 degrees Celsius and 3.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial. To this end, the team generated an unprecedented collection of climate change impact simulations and combined these with future global temperature trajectories and demographic information on life expectancy, population density, and cohort size.

The results show that for a 3 degrees Celsius global warming pathway, a six-year-old in 2020 will experience twice as many wildfires and tropical cyclones, three times more river floods, four times more crop failures, five times more droughts, and 36 times more heatwaves relative to a reference person living under pre-industrial climate conditions. Under a 3.5 degrees Celsius warming scenario, children born in 2020 will even experience 44 times more heatwaves.

At and above 1.5 degrees Celsius of warming, lifetime exposure to heatwaves, crop failures, droughts, and river floods for people born after 1980 is unmatched by pre-industrial climate conditions.

"This basically means that people younger than 40 today will live an unprecedented life even under the most stringent climate change mitigation scenarios," says Thiery.

Regional differences

Behind these global numbers hide important regional variations. Young generations in low-income countries will face by far the strongest increases with a more than fivefold increase in overall lifetime extreme event exposure. While 53 million children born in Europe and Central Asia since 2016 will experience about four times more extreme events under current pledges, 172 million children of the same age in sub-Saharan Africa face an almost sixfold increase in lifetime extreme event exposure, and even 50 times more heatwaves.

"The combined rapid growth in population and lifetime extreme event exposure highlights a disproportionate climate change burden for young generations in the Global South," adds Thiery. "And we even have strong reasons to think that our calculations underestimate the actual increases that young people will face."

Youth summit and COP26

With the UNFCCC Youth Summit running 2830 September in Milan and with COP26 upcoming in Glasgow end of October, international climate negotiations are gaining critical momentum.

"Limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius instead of following current policy pledges substantially reduces the intergenerational burden for extreme heatwaves, wildfires, crop failures, droughts, tropical cyclones, and river floods," says Prof. Joeri Rogelj, climate change expert at Imperial College London and co-author of the study. "The results of the study published in Science and the accompanying report curated by the NGO Save The Children therefore highlight the utmost need to ramp up ambitions and embark on immediate action."

"Our results underline the sheer importance of the Paris Agreement to protect young generations around the world," adds Thiery. "If we manage to drastically reduce our emissions in the coming years, we can still avoid the worst consequences for children worldwide. At the same time, a sobering message for the youth in low-income countries emerges, where incredibly challenging extreme events are robustly projected, even under the most stringent of climate action futures."

More information: Wim Thiery et al, Intergenerational inequities in exposure to climate extremes, Science (2021). Journal information: Science Wim Thiery et al, Intergenerational inequities in exposure to climate extremes,(2021). DOI: 10.1126/science.abi7339

Provided by Vrije Universiteit Brussel
Pictures of the Adelpha corcyra and Adelpha alala butterflies pictures in Colombia's Antioquia department.

Like the more than 3,000 species of butterflies in Colombia, agronomist Juan Guillermo Jaramillo underwent his own metamorphosis several years ago, as his passion for photographing nature took an unexpected twist.

The 65-year-old, who used to run an animal feed business, originally took photographs of birds, but he is now a key figure in the world of Colombian butterflies.

Jaramillo is the co-author of an inventory that led to Colombia being recognized as having the widest variety of butterfly species in the world.

The list he worked on was published in the British Natural History Museum in Londonwhich has the world's largest collection of butterfliesin June.

The Checklist of Colombian Butterflies identifies 3,642 different species in the Andean country, which makes up 19.4 percent of the known global varieties.

But Jaramillo is keen to point out he is not a collector.

"I broke from the traditional image associated with butterflies of collectors that kill them, put them in an envelop and then pin them to the inside of a box," Jaramillo told AFP.

"I'm simply not capable of killing them."

Like bees, butterflies are pollinators vital to the ecosystem. They are also an important source of food for birds and snakes.

Yet their habitats are under threat from deforestation, agriculture and global warming.

Jaramillo, who lives in the southwestern Antioquia department, has an archive of 220,000 photos of butterflies and has captured images of 1,500 different species.

The Altinote ozoneme have velvety black wings with red patches at the base of the forewings, and are mostly found in cloudforests.

Tricking the butterflies

Jaramillo has spent the last 15 years trekking through jungles and woodlands in search of the "winged jewels"a dangerous pastime given those areas are infested with armed groups and drug traffickers.

The signing of an historic 2016 peace accord between the government and the marxist guerrilla Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia after more than half a century of armed conflict sparked hope areas previously off limits would become safe for scientists and naturalists.

But it was not long before armed rebels and drug-traffickers returned.

"I want to go to many places but there are some I don't go to out of fear," said Jaramillo.

When he does venture out, Jaramillo takes with him a camera, tripod and a container of pink liquid he prepares every morning: shrimp bait.

Having tried various other types of bait, he found shrimp worked best.

Juan Guillermo Jarmaillo has made his own shrimp bait liquid that he spreads on rocks and leaves to attract the butterflies.

He spreads the foul-smelling bait on rocks and leaves by a rushing stream, and even lays out cotton balls soaked in the liquid.

"That's how I make them think it's bird droppings," he explained.

"When the butterflies land on a leaf they stay there for quite some time... they're almost like models," he added.

"Without the bait, it would be impossible to see certain species in the woodland because they live in very tall trees."

Another potential barrier is the weather.

"If there's no sun, there are no butterflies."

Some like it hot

Jaramillo used to be a bird watcher and also compiled an inventory of the species he observed.

Colombia boasts the widest varieties of bird species and orchids, according to the United Nations's Convention on Biological Diversity.

It was the switch from film to digital photography that sparked Jaramillo's conversion to butterflies.

Juan Guillermo Jaramillo says he has taken photographs of 1,500 different species of butterflies, almost half the number of varieties there are in Colombia.

A butterfly settles on the side of Juan Guillermo Jaramillo's nose.

"Taking a good photo of birds is very difficult because you need very big, heavy lens."

While filming birds, he also took photos of butterflies and was amazed by their colors and shapes.

It opened up a vast world to Jaramillo. After beetles, butterflies and moths are the most numerous insect on the planet with almost 160,000 described species.

"In Colombia, I think there are about twice as many species of butterflies as birds," American Kim Garwood, Jaramillo's fellow inventory author, told AFP.

"In the Andes I have been told there are about 10-15 percent of the butterfly species that are undescribed. We have many photos of undescribed species."

Near his farm on a road with little traffic, Jaramillo, who is retired, says he is in the perfect place to photograph butterflies when the sun rises and the day's warm air helps them stay aloft.

But Jaramillo's work doesn't end with sunset, as at nightfall, he turns his lens onto moths.

"With butterflies and moths, I have work for this lifetime and 10 more," he said.

 2021 AFP
The quake hit the small town of Arkalochori particularly badly.

A strong earthquake struck Crete early Monday, killing a man, injuring nearly a dozen others, damaging a town and sending panicked residents rushing into the streets on Greece's largest island.

The quake, measuring magnitude 5.8 according to Greece's seismological observatory, killed a man who had been repairing a church.

The 62-year-old was crushed by rubble in the small agricultural town of Arkalochori, where nearly a dozen were hurt, 30 kilometres (19 miles) southeast of the island capital of Heraklion.

Evangelia Christaki, whose husband is disabled, said she just had enough time to flee as her house shook.

"I grabbed my husband and we rushed out, everything in the house was falling," the 62-year-old, who works at a supermarket, told AFP as the couple sat under a tree for shade.

They were joined by her 96-year-old mother-in-law, whose home collapsed.

"Fortunately, our home was not too badly damaged," said Christaki.

'We are so scared'

"But the authorities have told us to stay outdoors over the next hours. In any case, we are so scared," she said.

The US Geological Survey measured the quake at a magnitude of 6.0.

The tremor struck at 9:17 a.m. (0617 GMT), 23 kilometres (14 miles) from the Crete capital of Heraklion. Dozens of aftershocks followed.

The quake measured magnitude 5.8 according to Greece's seismological observatory.

"So far, one man is dead and 11 people are in hospital suffering mostly from fractures, according to a spokesman from the National Centre for Emergency Care.

Spiros Georgiou, spokesman for the civil protection agency had earlier said Arkalochori was particularly badly hit.

Images on ERT public television showed old buildings that had collapsed in Arkalochori and surrounding villages near Heraklion.

"It's an earthquake that we did not expect, for the moment there are aftershocks of 4.5," said Efthymis Lekkas, the head of Greece's quake protection agency, quoted by the ANA news agency.

However, experts said the quake was likely to be the main one.

The minister for civil protection Christos Stylianides said tents with a capacity to host 2,500 people would be deployed before nightfall.

"We will provide shelter and food so nobody will face hardship," Stylianides told reporters at the stricken area.

Map locating the epicentre of a quake that hit the island of Crete in Greece Monday.

The dead man had been repairing a church with his son alongside him.

Civil protection minister Christos Stylianides said tents with a capacity for 2,500 people would be deployed before nightfall.

He added that officials needed to inspect neighbouring villages which have a large number of old stone buildings.

The Athens observatory said the epicentre of the quake was 346 kilometres south of Athens at a depth of 10 kilometres.

Greece is located on a number of fault lines, and is sporadically hit by earthquakes.

The last deadly quake in the country occurred on March 3 in the central town of Elassona, killing one person, injuring 10 and causing major damage.

Last October 30 a magnitude 7.0 hit in the Aegean Sea between the Greek island of Samos and the city of Izmir in western Turkey.

Most of the damage was in Turkey where 114 people were killed and more than 1,000 injured.

In Greece, two teenagers were reported dead on Samos.

 2021 AFP
Morgan Treadwell, Ph.D., Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service rangeland specialist, San Angelo, lights part of a 1,000-acre prescribed burn of tall prairie grass near Fort Worth. Credit: Brian Treadwell

Rangelands in the Great Plains, and the ranchers who depend on them, are losing battles against an invasion of brush and shrubs on historical grasslands.

Ranchers are under increasing stress due to changing environmental conditions and subsequent losses of rangelands to woody plants, but a relatively new management approach shows promise in turning the tide against encroaching brush and shrubs.

Texas A&M AgriLife Research scientist Brad Wilcox is among a group of researchers, extension specialists and educators who hope pyric herbivory will one day become a routine point of conversation in rangeland conservation and wildfire mitigation.

Pyric herbivory utilizes controlled patch burns to promote forage growth. Over thousands of years, fire and mixed animal grazing helped shape the Great Plains, which cover more than 452 million acres across 12 states.

Wilcox, Ph.D., AgriLife Research ecohydrologist in the Department of Ecology and Conservation Biology in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Bryan-College Station, said the invasion by woody plants like cedar and mesquite presents a host of problems for producers, native ecosystems, and properties in both rural and urban areas.

Wilcox is leading a consortium of researchers, extension specialists and educators looking to help ranching operations and landowners prevent and reverse rangeland losses by replicating natural fire and grazing.

This undertaking, the Prairie Project, is a team effort that spans many institutions, agencies and disciplines. The project promotes pyric herbivory, mixed animal grazing and other disturbance regimens on rangelands in the Great Plains to make these areas more resilient to woody plant encroachment, wildfire and extreme heat events.

The Texas A&M University-led project is a collaboration with Oklahoma State University and the University of Nebraska and is funded via a five-year, $10 million U.S. Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture grant to test and promote pyric herbivory and other replicated natural disturbance regimens.

Protecting the Great Plains with fire, grazing

Native rangelands are the most endangered habitat in the U.S. and globally. Rangelands represent 30% of the land area in the U.S. and 40% of landscapes around the world, but many of these ecosystems are under pressure from encroaching, dense woodlands.

Woody shrubs lead to lost forage volume, which reduces producers' operational capacity and sustainability, especially during increasingly volatile weather associated with climate change, Wilcox said. Woody shrubs also directly contribute to wildfire intensity and potential for loss of life and property.

Pyric herbivory utilizes controlled burns and a mix of grazing animals like goats and cattle to fill the roles naturally occurring fire and native grazers played in protecting prairie grasslands from encroaching woody plant species. This relatively new management approach is designed to help livestock producers reclaim rangelands lost to woody plants.

Wilcox said research has shown a wide range of benefits from using prescribed fire to minimize wildfire fuel and to create ecologic biodiversity that supports wildlife and agricultural operations. But adding the animal component with grazers and browsers and promoting ungulate species to keep woody plant species in check between burns is where pyric herbivory becomes a winning combination.

"We are trying to spark large-scale public change when it comes to utilization of this disturbance regime that these grasslands evolved under," he said. "The science is clear about the benefits of using fire, but we are arguing that pyric herbivory and adding browsing animals such as goats and other ungulates to cattle operations is the most effective and efficient way to restore the Great Plains."

The Prairie Project: a public, private partnership

The project is enormous in span, Wilcox said. It is an extremely collaborative effort between the institutions, the respective facets within them and the people executing the mission to produce research, extension and education elements that support the Prairie Project's goals.

Researchers hope to provide best practice recommendations that make rangeland ecosystems more resilient and productive to support healthier environmental and economic conditions throughout the Great Plains states. Extension specialists and agents will develop ways to demonstrate to producers and the public the benefits of the science-based methods, with an eye toward fostering generational changes in how rangelands are managed.

The educational element will utilize the missions of research and extension to target the wide array of demographics within the Great Plains, from rural producers to urban dwellers and kindergartners to graduate students and future natural resource professionals.

Elements of the consortium are also working with eight participating ranches in Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas to gather data on various experiments being conducted by teams of researchers and graduate students. The ranches also provide the Prairie Project with locations to demonstrate pyric herbivory's effectiveness.

"For as broad and big as this project is, it's been a seamless cooperative effort, and participation with the ranches is critical," Wilcox said. "They provide us a network of demonstration ranches where we can apply management practices and evaluate how various methods are working. They also provide us a place to apply the extension outreach and education components to showcase the effectiveness of pyric herbivory and related practices."

Spreading pyric herbivory methods like wildfire

Morgan Treadwell, Ph.D., Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service rangeland specialist in the Department of Rangeland, Wildlife and Fisheries Management, San Angelo, said wildfires around the U.S. and world are making people increasingly aware of ways to mitigate their severity, including the use of prescribed burns. But to a great extent, the general public remains fearful of fire.

But landowner adoption rates of pyric herbivory concepts, she said, especially among ranching operations, are likely to increase due to its appeal as a cost-efficient brush management strategy. Having sustainable methods for control is important because ranches face constant threats of being overwhelmed by woody plants.

Treadwell, who is leading the AgriLife Extension efforts, said the project's ability to facilitate and promote peer-to-peer learning about pyric herbivory, and the opportunities and challenges the method can present, will be a crucial part in establishing momentum.

"Legacy ranch owners and new landowners alike need inspiration to connect with the land," she said. "Right now, I think many of them feel overwhelmed by the extent woody brush encroachment is occurring and don't know where to start. But the results of pyric herbivory are difficult to ignore, and if they see it work on other ranches and learn how it could be implemented into their operations, I think the practice will spread like a wildfire."

Treadwell said one benefit of the cooperative effort between states is that producers and industry professionals in each state perform well in certain aspects of pyric herbivory. Nebraska and Oklahoma have implemented successful campaigns to reduce woody plants with fire, whereas Texas has used browsers successfully.

"There is relevancy to this project from a range of perspectives, whether it is production agriculture or protecting people and property in urban-rural interfaces," she said. "But in all this is a great example of our land-grant mission. We are affecting agents of change that will ultimately create a more sustainable and profitable environment for the public and producers, respectively."

Generational transformation through education

Ben Wu, Ph.D., professor for undergraduate teaching excellence in the Department of Ecology and Conservation Biology, said education will take time. But public awareness about climate change, drought and wildfires makes it easier to share the benefits of the practice.

He will lead the education component of the project that hopes to make generational changes in how the public views fire. His team will deploy an array of teaching and promotional tools to reach students in classrooms, producers in the field and the general public through various mediums.

Wu said prescribed fire as a wildfire mitigation tool is gaining momentum. Widespread embrace of practices like prescribed burns and pyric herbivory appears to be growing as drought-stricken states grapple with wildfires in rural-urban interface.

The public is aware that woody material fuels wildfire intensity, which in turn makes wildfires more difficult to control or extinguish. Public awareness in turn is creating opportunity to engage policy makers about the benefits of using prescribed fire to remove fuel or to serve as a fire break that can save lives and property and prevent billions of dollars in losses associated with wildfires.

Introducing pyric herbivory concepts that provide additional benefit to both public safety and agricultural production presents a natural fit within the current discussions, Wu said.

"This summer has been difficult to watch, but it also provides context and opportunity for adding to important conversations about wildfires. The majority of problems related to wildfire is the amount of woody material," Wu said. "We argue that pyric herbivory helps manage woody plants and the environment challenges drought, heat and subsequent wildfires represent. So, this benefits the native habitat and wildlife, the producers these rangelands support, and public safety."

Committed to rangeland restoration, management

The Prairie Project's success will require long-term commitment, Wilcox said. But the NIFA grant shows a commitment by the USDA to seek economically viable ways to manage encroachment of woody plants that has worsened over the past century.

"This problem won't be solved in five years," he said. "But we are laying the groundwork for sustained success."

Explore further Population changes, priorities cause woodlands to increase
MegaGate, a novel method for cloning target genes of interest into vectors, is much more efficient at producing successful gene-bearing vectors (left) than other existing methods like Gateway (right). Credit: Wyss Institute at Harvard University

Today's genetic engineers have a plethora of resources at their disposal: an ever-increasing number of massive datasets available online, highly precise gene editing tools like CRISPR, and cheap gene sequencing methods. But the proliferation of new technologies has not come with a clear roadmap to help researchers figure out which genes to target, which tools to use, and how to interpret their results. So, a team of scientists and engineers at Harvard's Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard Medical School (HMS), and the MIT Media Lab decided to make one.

The Wyss team has created an integrated pipeline for performing genetic screening studies, encompassing every step of the process from identifying target genes of interest to cloning and screening them quickly and efficiently. The protocol, called Sequencing-based Target Ascertainment and Modular Perturbation Screening (STAMPScreen), is described in Cell Reports Methods, and the associated open-source algorithms are available on GitHub.

"STAMPScreen is a streamlined workflow that makes it easy for researchers to identify genes of interest and perform genetic screens without having to guess which tool to use or what experiments to perform to get the results they want," said corresponding author Pranam Chatterjee, Ph.D., a former graduate student at the MIT Media Lab who is now the Carlos M. Varsavsky Research Fellow at HMS and the Wyss Institute. "It is fully compatible with many existing databases and systems, and we hope that many scientists are able to take advantage of STAMPScreen to save themselves time and improve the quality of their results."

Frustration is the mother of invention

Chatterjee and Christian Kramme, a co-first author of the paper, were frustrated. The two scientists were trying to explore the genetic underpinnings of different aspects of biologylike fertility, aging, and immunityby combining the strengths of digital methods (think algorithms) and genetic engineering (think gene sequencing). But they kept running into problems with the various tools and protocols they were using, which are commonplace in science labs.

The algorithms that purported to sift through an organism's genes to identify those with a significant impact on a given biological process could tell when a gene's expression pattern changed, but didn't provide any insight into the cause of that change. When they wanted to test a list of candidate genes in living cells, it wasn't immediately clear what type of experiment they should run. And many of the tools available to insert genes into cells and screen them were expensive, time-consuming, and inflexible.

"I was using methods known as Golden Gate and Gateway to clone genes into vectors for screening experiments, and it took me months and thousands of dollars to clone 50 genes. And using Gateway, I couldn't physically barcode the genes to identify which one got into which vector, which was a crucial requirement for my downstream sequencing-based experimental design. We figured there had to be a better way to do this kind of research, and when we couldn't find one, we took on the challenge of creating it ourselves," said Kramme, who is a graduate student at the Wyss Institute and HMS,

Kramme teamed up with co-first author and fellow Church lab member Alexandru Plesa, who was experiencing identical frustrations making gene vectors for his project. Kramme, Plesa, and Chatterjee then set to work outlining what would be required to make an end-to-end platform for genetic screening that would work for all of their projects, which ranged from protein engineering to fertility and aging.

From bits to the bench

To improve the earliest stage of genetic researchidentifying genes of interest to studythe team created two new algorithms to help meet the need for computational tools that can analyze and extract information from the increasingly large datasets that are being generated via next-generation sequencing (NGS). The first algorithm takes the standard data about a gene's expression level and combines it with information about the state of the cell, as well as information about which proteins are known to interact with the gene. The algorithm gives a high score to genes that are highly connected to other genes and whose activity is correlated with large, cell-level changes. The second algorithm provides more high-level insight by generating networks to represent the dynamic changes in gene expression during cell-type differentiation and then applying centrality measures, such as Google's PageRank algorithm, to rank the key regulators of the process.

"The computational part of genetic studies is like a Jenga game: if each block in the tower represents a gene, we're looking for the genes that make up the base of the Jenga tower, the ones that hold the whole thing up. Most algorithms can only tell you which genes are in the same row as each other, but ours allow you to home in on how far up or down the tower they are, so you can quickly identify the ones that have the biggest influence on the cell state in question," said Chatterjee.

The STAMPScreen workflow is an integrated pipeline that allows researchers to quickly and easily analyze an experimental database for potential genes of interest (1), choose which screening tool to use (2), create a screening library (3), and use next-generation sequencing to screen genes in vivo (4). The individual steps can also be used in other workflows. Credit: Wyss Institute at Harvard University

Once the target genes have been identified, the STAMPScreen protocol moves from the laptop to the lab, where experiments are performed to disrupt those genes in cells and see what effect that perturbation has on the cell. The team of researchers systematically evaluated multiple gene perturbation tools including complementary DNA (cDNA) and several versions of CRISPR in human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs), the first known head-to-head comparisons performed entirely in this highly versatile yet challenging cell type.

They then created a new tool that allows CRISPR and cDNA to be used within the same cell to unlock synergies between the two methods. For example, CRISPR can be used to turn off expression of all isoforms of a gene, and cDNA can be used to sequentially express each isoform individually, allowing more nuanced genetic studies and greatly reducing background expression of off-target genes.

Scanning library barcodes

The next step in many genetic experiments is generating a screening library for introducing genes into cells and observing their effects. Typically, gene fragments are inserted into bacterial plasmids (circular pieces of DNA) using methods that work well for small pieces of DNA, but are cumbersome to use when inserting larger genes. Many of the existing methods also rely on a technique called Gateway, which uses a process called lambda phage recombination and the production of a toxin to kill off any bacteria that did not receive a plasmid with the gene of interest. The toxin in these plasmids is often cumbersome to work with in the lab, and can be inadvertently inactivated when a "barcode" sequence is added to a vector to help researchers identify which gene-bearing plasmid the vector received.

Kramme and Plesa were working with Gateway when they realized that these problems could be solved if they eliminated the toxin and replaced it with short sequences on the plasmid that would be recognized and cut by a type of enzyme called meganucleases. Meganuclease recognition sequences do not appear in the genes of any known organism, thus ensuring that the enzyme will not accidentally cut the inserted gene itself during cloning. These recognition sequences are naturally lost when a plasmid receives a gene of interest, making those plasmids immune to meganuclease. Any plasmids that do not successfully receive the gene of interest, however, retain these recognition sequences and are cut to pieces when a meganuclease is added, leaving only a pure pool of plasmids containing the inserted gene. The new method, which the researchers dubbed MegaGate, had a cloning success rate of 99.8% and also allowed them to barcode their vectors with ease.

"MegaGate not only solves many of the problems that we kept running into with older cloning methods, it is also compatible with many existing gene libraries like the TFome and hORFeome. You can essentially take Gateway and meganucleases off the shelf, put them together with a library of genes and a library of barcoded destination vectors, and two hours later you have your barcoded genes of interest. We've cloned nearly 1,500 genes with it, and have yet to have a failure," said Plesa, who is a graduate student at the Wyss Institute and HMS.

Finally, the researchers demonstrated that their barcoded vectors could be successfully inserted into living hiPSCs, and pools of cells could be analyzed using NGS to determine which delivered genes were being expressed by the pool. They also successfully used a variety of methods, including RNA-Seq, TAR-Seq, and Barcode-Seq, to read both the genetic barcodes and the entire transcriptomes of hiPSCs, enabling researchers to use whichever tool they are most familiar with.

The team anticipates that STAMPScreen could prove useful for a wide variety of studies, including pathway and gene regulatory network studies, differentiation factor screening, drug and complex pathway characterizations, and mutation modeling. STAMPScreen is also modular, allowing scientists to integrate different parts of it into their own workflows.

"There's a treasure trove of information housed in publicly available genetic datasets, but that information will only be understood if we use the right tools and methods to analyze it. STAMPScreen will help researchers get to eureka moments faster and speed up the pace of innovation in genetic engineering," said senior author George Church, Ph.D., a Wyss Core Faculty member who is also a Professor of Genetics at HMS and Professor of Health Sciences and Technology at Harvard and MIT.

"At the Wyss Institute we aim for impactful 'moonshot' solutions to pressing problems, but we know that to get to the moon, we have to first build a rocket. This project is a great example of how our community innovates on-the-fly to enable scientific breakthroughs that will change the world for the better," said Wyss Founding Director Don Ingber, M.D., Ph.D., who is also the Judah Folkman Professor of Vascular Biology at HMS and the Vascular Biology Program at Boston Children's Hospital, as well as Professor of Bioengineering at Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences.

Additional authors of the paper include Helen Wang, Bennett Wolf, Merrick Smela, Xiaoge Guo, Ph.D., and Richie Kohman, Ph.D. from the Wyss Institute and HMS.

Explore further Move over CRISPR, the retrons are coming

More information: An Integrated Pipeline for Mammalian Genetic Screening, Cell Reports Methods, 2021.
By analyzing images taken by NASA's Hubble Space Telescope from 2009 to 2020, researchers found that the average wind speed just within the boundaries of the Great Red Spot, set off by the outer green circle, have increased by up to 8 percent from 2009 to 2020 and exceed 400 miles per hour. In contrast, the winds near the storm's innermost region, set off by a smaller green ring, are moving significantly more slowly. Both move counterclockwise. Credit: NASA, ESA, Michael H. Wong (UC Berkeley)

Like the speed of an advancing race car driver, the winds in the outermost "lane" of Jupiter's Great Red Spot are accelerating  a discovery only made possible by NASA's Hubble Space Telescope, which has monitored the planet for more than a decade.

Researchers analyzing Hubble's regular "storm reports" found that the average wind speed just within the boundaries of the storm, known as a high-speed ring, has increased by up to 8 percent from 2009 to 2020. In contrast, the winds near the red spot's innermost region are moving significantly more slowly, like someone cruising lazily on a sunny Sunday afternoon.

The massive storm's crimson-colored clouds spin counterclockwise at speeds that exceed 400 miles per hour  and the vortex is bigger than Earth itself. The red spot is legendary in part because humans have observed it for more than 150 years.

"When I initially saw the results, I asked 'Does this make sense?' No one has ever seen this before," said Michael Wong of the University of California, Berkeley, who led the analysis published today in Geophysical Research Letters. "But this is something only Hubble can do. Hubble's longevity and ongoing observations make this revelation possible."

We use Earth-orbiting satellites and airplanes to track major storms on Earth closely in real time. "Since we don't have a storm chaser plane at Jupiter, we can't continuously measure the winds on site," explained Amy Simon of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, who contributed to the research. "Hubble is the only telescope that has the kind of temporal coverage and spatial resolution that can capture Jupiter's winds in this detail."

Credit: Space Telescope Science Institute

The change in wind speeds they have measured with Hubble amount to less than 1.6 miles per hour per Earth year. "We're talking about such a small change that if you didn't have eleven years of Hubble data, we wouldn't know it happened," said Simon. "With Hubble we have the precision we need to spot a trend." Hubble's ongoing monitoring allows researchers to revisit and analyze its data very precisely as they keep adding to it. The smallest features Hubble can reveal in the storm are a mere 105 miles across, about twice the length of the state of Rhode Island.

"We find that the average wind speed in the Great Red Spot has been slightly increasing over the past decade," Wong added. "We have one example where our analysis of the two-dimensional wind map found abrupt changes in 2017 when there was a major convective storm nearby."

To better analyze Hubble's bounty of data, Wong took a new approach to his data analysis. He used software to track tens to hundreds of thousands of wind vectors (directions and speeds) each time Jupiter was observed by Hubble. "It gave me a much more consistent set of velocity measurements," Wong explained. "I also ran a battery of statistical tests to confirm if it was justified to call this an increase in wind speed. It is."

What does the increase in speed mean? "That's hard to diagnose, since Hubble can't see the bottom of the storm very well. Anything below the cloud tops is invisible in the data," explained Wong. "But it's an interesting piece of data that can help us understand what's fueling the Great Red Spot and how it's maintaining energy." There's still a lot of work to do to fully understand it.

Each loop in this video represents approximately 10 Earth hours or one Jupiter day, approximating what it would look like if the Great Red Spot were constantly illuminated. By analyzing this set of data from NASAs Hubble Space Telescope, researchers were able to simulate what the wind flow looks like around Jupiters Great Red Spot: Just south of the Great Red Spot is an eastward jet and at the southern border is a westward jet. Credit: NASA, ESA, Michael H. Wong (UC Berkeley)

Astronomers have pursued ongoing studies of the "king" of solar system storms since the 1870s. The Great Red Spot is an upwelling of material from Jupiter's interior. If seen from the side, the storm would have a tiered wedding cake structure with high clouds at the center cascading down to its outer layers. Astronomers have noted that it is shrinking in size and becoming more circular than oval in observations spanning more than a century. The current diameter is 10,000 miles across, meaning that Earth could still fit inside it.

In addition to observing this legendary, long-lived storm, researchers have observed storms on other planets, including Neptune, where they tend to travel across the planet's surface and disappear over only a few years. Research like this helps scientists not only learn about the individual planets, but also draw conclusions about the underlying physics that drive and maintain planets' storms.

Explore further Hubble captures crisp new portrait of Jupiter's storms

More information: Michael H. Wong et al, Evolution of the Horizontal Winds in Jupiter's Great Red Spot from One Jovian Year of HST/WFC3 Maps, Geophysical Research Letters (2021). Journal information: Geophysical Research Letters Michael H. Wong et al, Evolution of the Horizontal Winds in Jupiter's Great Red Spot from One Jovian Year of HST/WFC3 Maps,(2021). DOI: 10.1029/2021GL093982

Provided by Space Telescope Science Institute
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

More than half of U.S. newspaper jobs have been cut since 2008. A new study from the University of Kansas explores how journalists have dealt with the emotional and physical toll of unemployment and how they adjusted to new jobs and careers. Those findings likely illustrate what the thousands more journalists who lost jobs during the pandemic will experience in coming years.

Researchers from the William Allen White School of Journalism & Mass Communications replicated a study of former journalists originally conducted in Australia. In surveying more than 300 journalists who left the field, the study found large percentages of former journalists who suffered depression, shock and financial difficulties, but also significant numbers who reported relief and improved lifestyle. And the responses were highly predicted by whether they chose to leave or were forced out of their job.

Scott Reinardy, Malcolm Applegate Professor in News Management and Editing at KU, was co-author of the study with Lawrie Zion of La Trobe University in Australia and Annalise Baines, doctoral candidate in journalism & mass communications at KU. It was published in the Newspaper Research Journal.

"The U.S. has always been a little ahead, not in a good way, in terms of layoffs, buyouts and intense changes in the industry. I don't know exactly why, but that has been reflected in the research," Reinardy said. "For this study, you had one group with a plan that they pursued, and another, though not necessarily caught off guard, were put in a place of trauma. You're talking different stressors, and that was also reflected in the data."

The study aimed to determine how job loss affected the well-being of journalists, the coping strategies they used following job loss and how reemployment affected their well-being. The first group, which included people who left newspapers on their own, mostly had a positive reaction to leaving their jobs. Nearly half (49%) used language such as "relieved, excited and happy," while 21% used language such as "sad, devastated and depressed" when discussing their emotional reaction. In the second group, which included journalists who were laid off or took a buyout, 70% of participants reported they felt "devastated, depressed, disappointed, heartbroken, stressed, sad, irritated and angry."

Among coping strategies, former journalists reported taking comfort among family, friends and colleagues, getting a new job or searching for one, professional therapy or taking no actions. Those who left mostly reported no coping strategies at 38%, compared to 28% who used new jobs or the search for new work, and 22% reported friends, family or colleagues as support. Among those bought out or laid off, social connections were the most frequently reported at 42%, while no action measured 28% and a new job or work search registered 17%.

Respondents were also asked how they were faring in new jobs or careers. Some returned to newspapers, while many others moved into other fields or careers. Positive, negative and neutral well-being in new jobs were reported at 52, 17 and 32%, respectively, for those who left on their own. Those forced out indicated their experiences in the same order at 48, 28 and 24%, respectively.

Former journalists widely reported, though, that their skills honed from years working in newspapers were largely transferrable to a variety of new jobs and that they were encouraged by that. About 14% of journalists surveyed returned to newspapers.

"This provided statistical and anecdotal evidence that the skills it takes to research, write, synthesize information, problem-solve and think critically are highly valued in other jobs," Reinardy said. "Many found jobs using their skills they learned as journalists in new careers."

Respondents reported a variety of emotions and experiences about their current well-being, with some noting they still missed the work, some feeling reduced stress about deadlines and being the next to be laid off, as well as persistent depression or the feeling of "dying but not being dead," as one respondent said. Overall, 62% of those who left on their own reported positive well-being now, while 54% of those forced out signaled the same. Negative and neutral responses from the groups were at 7 and 10% and 31 and 35%, respectively.

The findings confirm that losing a job is stressful and the journalists who did so experienced negative effects on their identity, social contacts and self-worth, perhaps not surprisingly, Reinardy said. It also reinforced, however, that the way in which one leaves a job makes a significant difference in emotional and physical well-being. The findings likely indicate what journalists who lost jobs during the pandemic will experience, though early indications show the majority were laid off or had positions eliminated as opposed to leaving on their own.

"Losing your job can be traumatic, but choosing to do so makes a difference," Reinardy said. "I don't know what the experience will be for journalists who lost their jobs during the pandemic, but this suggests there will be similar ramifications. Although there are other opportunities now that weren't there from 2008 to '19, so I would like to think the trauma won't be as great, but it does raise the question."

Explore further Study finds journalists hold strongly to professional identity, even when forced to leave field

More information: Scott Reinardy et al, "It's like dying but not being dead" U.S. newspaper journalists cope with emotional and physical toll of job losses, Newspaper Research Journal (2021). Scott Reinardy et al, "It's like dying but not being dead" U.S. newspaper journalists cope with emotional and physical toll of job losses,(2021). DOI: 10.1177/07395329211030577
Credit: Walthery, CC BY-SA 4.0

A small, winged pest some people even think is pretty is getting a lot of attention online, as agriculture and natural resource experts warn that it can do considerable damage to grapes and, once established, is difficult to kill.

Lycorma delicatulabetter known as the dreaded spotted lanternflymade its way from Asia to the United States at least a decade ago, and agriculture officials now fear it's slowly making its way to Michigan and other nearby states.

Adult spotted lanternflies are identifiable by their bright body and wing colors.

"It's a pest we are concerned about in the state of Michigan," said Robert Miller, an invasive species expert with the state's agriculture department. "We are asking the public to be on the lookout and to report it if they think they see it. I can't say if and when it will arrive. But I think there's a possibility we'll see it eventually."

In the meantime, the internet is turning the insect into an evil Mothra.

In the last few days, there have been multiple online reports and warnings. Many, if not most, of the headlines, invoke the language of violence and death. CBS: "There's a beautiful spotted insect flying across the U.S.and officials want you to kill it." The New York Times: "Die, Beautiful Spotted Lanternfly, Die"

Other publications got even more creative: The Staten Island (N.Y.) Media Group mentions a squishathon, the Gothamist, also in New York, screams, "We're Gonna Need A Bigger Boot," and NJ.com wants you to watch a video of a guy who "killed thousands of spotted lanternflies in days."

It could be considered a lot of clickbait.

But beyond the hype, the lanternfly is a real problem without much of a solution.

Miller points out one of the consequences of global travel and trade is that insects, animals, and plants are increasingly ending up in places they shouldn't be, and in many cases destroying the environments around them.

Invasive species are not a new problem.

When Christopher Columbus sailed the ocean blue in 1492 he initiated what historians now call the Columbus Exchange, a transfer of ideas, diseases, crops, and even populations between the New World and the Old World.

The spotted lanternflywhat ag departments have been calling SLFwas first detected in southeastern Pennsylvania in 2014 but appeared to have been in the United States for two to three years already. They are about an inch long and half an inch wide, with eye-catching wings.

When their wings are open they show a yellow and black abdomen and bright red hind wings with black spots transitioning to black and white bands at the edge. Egg masses look like old chewing gum, with a gray, waxy, putty-like coating.

The bugs, which hop more than fly, likely arrived in America aboard a shipping container.

Since then, the bug has spread to Delaware, Virginia, New Jersey, New York, Maryland, West Virginia, Connecticut, and Ohio.

Earlier this year, one was spotted in Indiana. It was the farthest west the insect has been found.

California, which produces many crops the spotted lanternfly could destroy, declared a quarantine to prohibit the introduction of the spotted lanternfly into the state. It's not clear how much good that will do, but California said the most likely way for it to spread is through its egg cases.

And New York has deputized residents in its fight to stop it, launching an app to log where they are found.

Earlier this month, a kid in Kansas pinned one on a 4-H display at the state fair.

If the spotted lanternfly enters Michigan, it could affect Michigan's agriculture and natural resources, damaging more than 70 varieties of crops and plants including grapes, apples, hops, and hardwood trees. In subdivisions, it leaves a stick, stinky residue on trees that attracts mold and other critters.

Pesticides can kill it, but it will also kill other things, too.

In Michigan, if you find spotted lanternfly eggs, nymphs or adults, take photos, make notes of the date, time and location of the sighting, and report it to the state department of agriculture at MDA-Info@Michigan.gov or 800-292-3939. If possible, collect a specimen for verification.

Explore further Spotted lanternfly spreading in New York state

2021 www.freep.com.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
The Philippines is regularly rocked by quakes due to its location on the Pacific "Ring of Fire", an arc of intense seismic activity that stretches from Japan through Southeast Asia and across the Pacific basin.

A strong earthquake hit off the Philippines' main island Monday, but there were no immediate reports of damage, the US Geological Survey and local officials said.

The deep 5.7-magnitude quake struck off Batangas province on Luzon island at 1:12 am (1712 GMT), with residents in the nearby capital of Manila woken by their buildings shaking.

The quake was recorded at a depth of 98 kilometres (60 miles), the USGS said. The local seismological agency warned of damage and aftershocks.

Deep quakes tend to do less damage than shallow tremors.

But authorities near the epicentre said they had not received any reports of damage.

"It was really strong," Jose Clyde Yayong, a disaster officer in Tagaytay city in the neighbouring province of Cavite.

"So far there are no untoward incidents relating to the earthquake."

Leonardo Tristan, a disaster officer in Looc town on Occidental Mindoro island, said the force of the quake sent some residents rushing outside.

"My wife was shouting 'there's an earthquake!'" Tristan told AFP.

The Philippines is regularly rocked by quakes due to its location on the Pacific "Ring of Fire", an arc of intense seismic activity that stretches from Japan through Southeast Asia and across the Pacific basin.

 2021 AFP
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

Although female giraffes have closer "friends" than male giraffes, male giraffes have more "acquaintances" than females, according to a new study by an international team that includes a Penn State biologist. The study demonstrates that giraffes form a complex multilevel society that is driven by differences in the social connections among individuals, which could have conservation implications for the endangered giraffes.

"The degree to which an animal is connected to others in its social network influences reproductive success and population ecology, spread of information, and even how diseases move through a population," said Derek Lee, associate research professor at Penn State and an author of the paper. "Information about sociality therefore can provide important guidance for conservation."

The research team examined social connectedness and social movements of endangered Masai giraffes in the Tarangire Ecosystem of northern Tanzania using data collected over 5 years. The work, led by Juan Lavista Ferres of the Microsoft AI for Good Research Lab, involved constructing the social network of more than 1,000 free-ranging giraffes. The team presents their results in a paper appearing Sept. 27 in the journal Animal Behaviour.

"We found that male giraffes overall had higher social connectedness than females, which means males interact with greater numbers of other individuals than females," said Lee. "Older males had the shortest social path length to all the other giraffes in the network. This might reflect the mating strategy of males, who roam widely across the landscape searching for females to mate with and make connections in the process. Young males had the most social ties and moved most often among groups, reflecting social exploration as they prepare to disperse away from their mothers."

According to the study, adult female giraffes tend to have fewer but stronger relationships with each other than males and younger females, a trend that has also been observed in giraffe populations elsewhere in Africa. The researchers previously found that relationships among female giraffes allow them to live longer.

The results reveal an additional layer of complexity to giraffe societies beyond what was seen in earlier research. Previous research showed that adult females in this population have formed about a dozen distinct groups, or communities, of 60 to 90 individuals that tend to associate more with each other than with members of the other groups, even when the groups use the same spaces. The current study builds on this knowledge and found that the full population, including calves and adult males, has a more complex structure: The female communities are embedded within three socially distinct larger groups called 'super-communities' of between 800 to 900 individuals, and one 'oddball' super-community of 155 individuals in a small, isolated area.

"Among giraffes, adult females have enduring social relationships and form distinct and stable social communities with a relatively large number of other females, while, in their perpetual search for mating opportunities, adult males connect the adult female communities, forming super-communities," said Monica Bond, a postdoctoral research associate at the University of Zurich and an author of the paper. "This type of complex society has evolutionary and conservation advantages, because the dynamics of the social system should allow gene flow between groups, which is an important part of maintaining a healthy and robust population."

The current research adds to a growing body of literature demonstrating that giraffes live in a socially structured society, despite the fact that herds have what researchers call "fission-fusion" dynamics, with the size and composition of the population constantly changing as animals move through the environment. Fission-fusion grouping dynamics are common among mammals, such as elephants, bats, some primates, and cetaceans, but, according to the researchers, this study is the first to demonstrate that giraffes reside in a complex society with dynamic herds embedded into stable communities within stable super-communities, all of which are driven by the variation in social connections among individuals.

"The large scale of the study, in terms of the size of the landscape and the sheer number of animals, enabled us to uncover an upper apex level of social structure that was previously unknown," said Lavista. "Using Microsoft's AI tools allowed us to visualize and analyze a large volume data to gain meaningful insights about giraffes over the 5 years of study."

The researchers believe the complex nature of giraffe populations could impact conservation efforts for these endangered giraffes, including translocation efforts that move individuals to new areas. They caution that translocating a small number of individuals to new areas should be limited, because such invasive actions destabilize the intricate web of social relationships among giraffes.

Explore further Leaving by staying: Dispersal decisions of young giraffes

More information: Juan M.Lavista et al, Social connectedness and movements among communities of giraffes vary by sex and age class, Animal Behaviour (2021). Journal information: Animal Behaviour Juan M.Lavista et al, Social connectedness and movements among communities of giraffes vary by sex and age class,(2021). doi.org/10.1016/j.anbehav.2021.08.008
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

Research from the University of Sydney, led by Professor Joel Negin from the School of Public Health, set out to describe the burden, geographic distribution, and outcomes of firearm-related violence in New South Wales during 20022016.

"Firearm-related injuries were recorded for 2,390 people; for 849 people, the injuries were caused by assault (36%), for 797 by intentional self-harm (33%), and for 506 by accidents (21%)," Negin and colleagues reported.

"Overall rates of firearm injuries were 4.1 per 100,000 males and 0.3 per 100,000 females; the overall rate was higher in outer regional/rural/remote areas (3.8 per 100,000) than in major cities (1.6 per 100,000) or inner regional areas (1.8 per 100,000).

"During 20022016, the overall firearm-related injury rate declined from 3.4 to 1.8 per 100,000 population, primarily because of declines in injuries caused by assault or accidental events.

"The rate of self-harm injuries with firearms was highest for people aged 60 years or more (41.5 per 100,000 population). Local rates of intentional self-harm injuries caused by firearms were strongly correlated with those of licensed gun owners."

The authors wrote that rates of self-harm with firearms "are higher for older people, men, and residents in outer regional and rural/remote areas, while assaults are higher for younger people, men, and residents of major cities."

With regard to self-harm, the authors wrote that "few studies have examined firearm-related risk factors for suicide."

"Recent data on rates and outcomes for people who survive attempted suicide using a firearm have not been published," they wrote. "Identifying risk factors, including periods of increased risk, is essential for directed interventions for reducing the number of suicide deaths."

Because of Australia's "unique" legislative framework around firearm ownership, more local research was essential, Negin and colleagues concluded.

"A more comprehensive Australian national profile of firearm-related violence, its relationship with socio-demographic factors, its costs, and its impacts would support researchers and policymakers developing and testing interventions and policies for reducing firearm-related violence," they wrote.

More information: Joel Negin et al, Gun violence in Australia, 20022016: a cohort study, Medical Journal of Australia (2021). Journal information: Medical Journal of Australia Joel Negin et al, Gun violence in Australia, 20022016: a cohort study,(2021). DOI: 10.5694/mja2.51251

Provided by Medical Journal of Australia
Palaeontologists from Flinders University excavating fossils near Lake Pinpa, South Australia. L to R: Aaron Camens, Amy Tschirn, Jacob Blokland and Kailah Thorn. Credit: Trevor Worthy, Flinders University

A 25-million-year-old eagle fossil found in South Australia adds to the long evolutionary history of raptors in Australia.

Palaeontologists from Flinders University have unearthed Australia's oldest eagle fossils on a remote outback cattle station, describing a new fossil species which lived during the late Oligocene. Named Archaehierax sylvestris, this species is one of the oldest eagle-like raptors in the world.

"This species was slightly smaller and leaner than the wedge-tailed eagle, but it's the largest eagle known from this time period in Australia," says Flinders University Ph.D. candidate Ellen Mather, first author in the new paper published in the peer-reviewed journal Historical Biology.

"The foot span was nearly 15 cm long, which would have allowed it to grasp large prey. The largest marsupial predators at the time were about the size of a small dog or large cat, so Archaehierax was certainly ruling the roost."

"With eagles at the top of the food chain, they are always few in numberand so are infrequently preserved as fossils," says co-author Associate Professor Trevor Worthy.

"It's rare to find even one bone from a fossil eagle. To have most of the skeleton is pretty exciting, especially considering how old it is."

The Australian environment during the Oligocene was very different to today.

The remains of Archaehierax were found on the barren shore of a dry lake (known as Lake Pinpa) in a desolate sandy desert habitat during ongoing Flinders University investigations into a lost ecosystem, when Australia's interior was covered in trees and verdant forests.

However, living in forests provides some challenges for an animal that flies. So how did Archaehierax avoid collisions with trees and branches while it hunted?

A comparison of the prepared fossil tarsometatarsus (foot bone) and a hypothesised silhouette of Archaehierax sylvestris (left) compared to the wedge-tailed eagle Aquila audax (right). The scale bar is 10 mm long. Credit: Jacob Blokland

"The fossil bones reveal that the wings of Archaehierax (pron. ah-kay-hi-rax) were short for its size, much like species of forest-dwelling eagles today. Its legs, in contrast, were relatively long and would have given it considerable reach," says Ms Mather.

"The combination of these traits suggest Archaehierax was an agile but not particularly fast flier and was most likely an ambush hunter. It was one of the top terrestrial predators of the late Oligocene, swooping upon birds and mammals that lived at the time."

Archaehierax would have hunted koalas, possums and other animals in trees surrounding a vast shallow lake, on which waterfowl, cormorants and flamingoes were abundant.

Out of all the species known from this site, Archaehierax is one of the best preserved; the partial fossil skeleton is comprised of 63 bones.

"I have studied this system for many years now, and this is the most exquisite fossil we have found to date," says Associate Professor Trevor Worthy.

Credit:  Jacob Blokland

"The completeness of the Archaehierax skeleton allowed us to determine where it fits on the eagle family tree. It shows a range of features unlike any seen among modern hawks and eagles," Ms Mather explains.

"We found that Archaehierax didn't belong to any of the living genera or families. It seems to have been its own unique branch of the eagle family," she says.

"It's unlikely to be a direct ancestor to any species alive today."

Explore further No leg to stand on for Australia's flamingos

More information: An exceptional partial skeleton of a new basal raptor (Aves: Accipitridae) from the late Oligocene Namba Formation, South Australia, Historical Biology, www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/1  8912963.2021.1966777 An exceptional partial skeleton of a new basal raptor (Aves: Accipitridae) from the late Oligocene Namba Formation, South Australia,
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

Deep beneath Mars' red clay surface lie ancient oceans now frozen into ice sheets. Earth's moon has hidden water deposits, toopockets embedded deep inside its rocks.

It's the kind of liquid treasure scientists at NASA hope to one day mine using specialized drilling tools on the moon or Mars.

As NASA looks for new technology to use in space, the agency is mining a different treasure to help develop those tools: the ingenuity of student engineers.

To that end, 10 student teams from universities around the countryincluding a team from Virginia Techgathered Friday at the Hampton Road Convention Center to share prototypes of remote-controlled drilling machines, during the "Moon to Mars Ice and Prospecting Challenge." The event was a three-day competition that began Thursday and ended Saturday.

The students' prototypes attempted to extract and harvest the most water from ice buried within simulated lunar and Martian landscapesdirt, clay, sandpacked inside giant blue tubs. It's a technology NASA needs. Rather than sending tons of water into space with the astronauts, it's easier and saves millions to extract the water there.

"The most interesting thing about this is it has to be completely hands off. It has to be done mostly autonomously," says Shlok Agarwal, a 21-year-old senior leading the Virginia Tech team. "This helps us explore the surface of Mars and get water there. But if we were to send this without astronauts, we can control everything on that rig from down on Earth."

The water is needed for life-sustaining purposes and to produce rocket fuel for bringing astronauts home.

It takes plenty of mass for missions to Mars, said NASA Langley Research Center aerospace engineer Chris Jones, and reducing that is a primary goal. If astronauts can make the fuel or life support goods, such as water and oxygen, it will help lighten their shipping load.

"For every pound you might have on the surface of Mars, it might take 20 to 30, even more times that (weight) launching from Earth to get it there,' Jones said. "Saving a few 1,000 pounds of fuel on Mars could very easily turn into tens, or hundreds of thousands of pounds leaving Earth."

Rick Davis, the assistant director for science and exploration at NASA,scientists discovered evidence of water on the moon and Mars within the past 15 years.

On the moon, water deposits are mixed in the soil, likely from comets impacting the moon's surface, he said. Additionally, the moon has craters that don't receive sunlight and, as a result, stay extremely cold. If water is deposited in a crater, it stays there.

But because it's so cold on the moon, most machines don't work well.

"Accessing (the water) is a very tricky thing," Davis said.

Billions of years ago. there were oceans and glaciers on Mars similar to Earth, Davis said. But as the red planet started losing its atmosphere and became more frozen, some oceans evaporated. Some are still there, but when NASA launched satellite orbiters to search for underground lakes, the agency found something unexpected.

"We found all these ice sheets," Davis said.

For the competition, students are being judged on how much water their rigs can extract, either in the form of chips, liquid or steam, Jones said. They also will be judged on their process and how realistic their concept is for use on the moon and on Mars.

A winning team will be announced Monday, NASA Langley officials said.

Agarwal said he has been working on this project since his sophomore year and created the squad he named and now leadsthe Martian Subsurface Analysis Team or MSAT. This school year, he received 80 applications from students who want to join.

Anaya Acharya, 21, a team member majoring in electrical engineering at Tech, said her mother, who has a master's in physics, encouraged her to pursue engineering.

"She always had this small guilt of not doing engineering. She was kind of one of my supporting role models," Acharya said. "There's hope for like, for very young engineers, who can come and develop something for the society."

2021 Daily Press.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
The 20212022 TRacking Aerosol Convection interactions ExpeRiment (TRACER) aims to collect data on the evolution of convective clouds and the environment at locations around Houston, Texas. Scientists from Brookhaven National Laboratory are collaborating with the University of Houston (foreground) and other partners using instrumentation from the U.S. Department of Energy's Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) user facility. Credit: ARM

A team of atmospheric scientists from around the nation is descending on the Houston, Texas, area for the next 14 months to seek answers to a vexing question: Do tiny specks of soot, dust, smoke, and other particles suspended in Earth's atmosphere help determine the severity of thunderstorms? The knowledge gained may make weather forecasts more accurate and provide crucial data for improving predictions about how aerosols may affect Earth's future climate.

The Houston deployment will also provide detailed data on local air quality. As an extensive field study in a metropolitan area, it will give scientists a unique opportunity to explore the effects of industry, vehicle emissions, and the built environment on weather and climate.

"We want to know how aerosols, the tiny particles that water condenses onto to form cloud droplets, influence the physics of deep convective cloudsthe kind that often pack lightning and pour rainand then how those same weather conditions affect the local aerosol characteristics and urban air quality," said Michael Jensen, a meteorologist at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Brookhaven National Laboratory and principal investigator for the TRACER field campaign. TRACER is short for TRacking Aerosol Convection interactions ExpeRiment, a study being carried out by DOE's Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) user facility.

Working in close collaboration with researchers at the University of Houston, TRACER scientists from Brookhaven, Los Alamos National Laboratory, and other institutions will collect data on aerosols and atmospheric characteristics for a full year. The team will deploy a suite of instruments supplied and operated by ARM at four locations just outside the city. During an intensive study period from June through September 2022, additional partners from the National Science Foundation, NASA, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, and other agencies will join the team to catch the peak of Houston's summer storm season.

With a humid subtropical climate, numerous isolated convective storms, and a range of industrial and natural aerosol sources, Houston is the perfect place for the study.

"We're a coastal environment, so it's particularly challenging to forecast the weather," said James Flynn, research associate professor in the University of Houston Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences in the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics. "We have a lot of thunderstorms; we have pollution and some natural sources of fine particles."

Examples include dust, sea salt, particles emitted by diesel engines, soot from combustion processes at power plants and refineries, lots of urban road traffic, and even smoke from wildfires in California and Colorado.

Some research suggests that such aerosols can change the lifecycle of clouds, delaying the onset of precipitation. If that happens, as clouds grow, water droplets may get bigger. "And when they do fall, it's a gully washer," Flynn said.

TRACER data will improve understanding of these processesand our ability to predict when the deluges will occur.

ARM deployment

The ARM instruments, housed in 10 mobile shipping containers, are collectively known as "the first ARM Mobile Facility," or AMF1. Many of these instruments, including an Aerosol Observing System outfitted at Brookhaven Lab, have traveled to locations around the world from the Arctic to the tropics to collect atmospheric data.

ARM team members set up the ARM Mobile Facilitya series of containers outfitted with sophisticated atmospheric and meteorological sampling equipmentat the La Porte (Texas) Municipal Airport. Equipment at this main site for the TRACER campaign will operate from October 1, 2021, through September 30, 2022. Credit: ARM

"This is the first deployment of the ARM Mobile Facility in an urban coastal environment," said Sally McFarlane, DOE program manager for ARM. "The warm, moist air from the Gulf of Mexico helps drive the formation of a lot of isolated, moderately strong stormsthe ones that are probably ripe to be impacted by aerosols. Those coastal conditions and Houston's mix of industrial and natural aerosol sources make the area an ideal laboratory for studying aerosol-cloud interactions."

An ARM team will set up the containers, each housing racks of instruments and intake vents, near Galveston Bayan area with lots of industry, refineries, and transportation. Several of the containers also host sophisticated radars (which use radio waves) and lidars (which use laser light pulses) to measure the height, depth, and amount of water in cloudsamong other important variables. Additional meteorological instruments will operate in an adjacent instrument field. Collectively these tools will track cloud properties; the size, number, and chemical composition of aerosols; precipitation; and variables such as temperature and humidity that affect atmospheric stability.

Sampling throughout the atmosphere

Over the course of the year, the ARM team will also launch more than a thousand weather balloons carrying additional battery-powered sensors, called radiosondes, aloft. The balloons will travel through and above the clouds, to an altitude up to 17 kilometers (nearly 56,000 feet)often making it to the stratospheresending additional data on temperature, humidity, pressure, and winds back to the research station below.

Some balloon-borne instruments will also measure the concentration of ozone through the depth of the atmosphere.

"We'll use these ozone measurements to learn about air quality and how thunderstorms redistribute air between the surface and aloft," Flynn said. Surface ozone is generated when chemicals emitted as part of automobile exhaust and industrial processes react with sunlight. So, when storms transport air from the surface upward through the atmosphere, the pollutant can serve as a tracer for TRACER.

Land, sea, atmospheric interactions

During the intensive study period next summer, scientists from TRACER and partner agencies will also deploy additional equipment near the town of Guy, Texas, southwest of the city. Two tethered balloon systems, one at the site in Guy and one at Smith Point on the east side of Galveston Bay, will carry instruments to measure winds, small aerosol particles, and ozone in the lowest layers of the atmosphere. The measurements on the shore of Galveston Bay will provide important information about how the bay influences the local atmospheric circulation.

Meanwhile, the instruments in Guy will collect data in a more rural location.

"We expect to see lower aerosol concentrations, so this site will serve as a contrast to the AMF1 site and allow comparison of the cloud and precipitation characteristics under these very different conditions," McFarlane said.

Between the two main land sites, a scanning ARM precipitation radar in Pearland will track the properties of clouds.

Brookhaven Lab meteorologist Michael Jensen describes the TRACER campaign. Credit: ARM

"This radar will collect data on cloud properties, including the velocity of vertical updrafts that affect how fast clouds grow, form ice, and produce rain and lightning. It will operate during the entire study period," Jensen said.

Then, during the intensive study period, using unique observational techniques, the radar will be able to look at finer details in the cloudsincluding the size and shape of the cloud droplets and whether they are ice or liquid. "It will be able to look at the atmosphere over each site as they are experiencing different aerosol conditions," Jensen said.

The radar will be driven by software developed by Brookhaven scientist Pavlos Kollias and programmed using artificial intelligence (AI) and existing data sets. "This software allows the radar to select the storms we think are going to develop and move over the sites, and then zoom in and scan at high resolution to explore details of how aerosols are impacting the precipitation drops in there," Jensen said.

Sharing and applying data

All data collected by ARM will be freely available to anyone who wants to analyze it.

"We hope the things we learn here, the processes within convective activity, how pollution impacts storms, will be applicable in other major urban areas that have a lot of convection," Flynn said. "With a lot of projects, you're really getting down to some real core science. People sometimes aren't sure why it matters. This is one of those projects that is very applicable to everyday life here in Houston."

The research will be applicable beyond the Houston area as well. DOE's Atmospheric System Research (ASR) program has already committed to fund 10 TRACER projects led by university-based researchers.

"TRACER's scientific objectives are aligned with ASR's focus on cloud, aerosol, precipitation, and radiation processes," said Jeff Stehr, a DOE program manager for ASR. "Convective clouds occur all around the world, but there are still many questions about how they are affected by their environment. TRACER will improve our understanding of how these clouds form, grow, and decay in and around a coastal urban environment. The initial set of ASR-funded projects involve research teams from around the country, and will add measurements as well as modeling to the TRACER campaign."

Data collected by TRACER will also be helpful for understanding processes relevant to how hurricanes form and how long they last.

And while weather and climate operate on different timescales, they're both about "the physics of Earth's atmosphere," Jensen said. "Understanding storms is important for understanding climate because storms redistribute heat and moisture through the atmosphere. And that redistribution is affected by small-scale processes in the atmosphere including interactions with aerosols. That's what we struggle with in the models of climate and weather."

"TRACER will fill in some of the missing data to help us improve those models."
A rabbit on the University of East Anglia campus.Credit: Tristan Holden, University of East Anglia

European wild rabbits are a 'keystone species' that hold together entire ecosystemsaccording to researchers at the University of East Anglia.

Their grazing and digging activity keeps the ground in a condition that is perfect for sustaining other species that would otherwise move onor die out.

But their numbers are declining regionally, nationally and globally. And they are even being classed as endangered in their native region, the Iberian Peninsula.

The findings come as efforts to save England's most threatened species from extinction are turning the tide for wildlife in Norfolk and Suffolk thanks to the Shifting Sands project.

Shifting Sands is one of 19 projects across England that make up the national Back from the Brink initiative. Together, these projects aim to save 20 species from extinction and benefit over 200 more.

Lead partner of the rabbit workstream and rabbit expert Prof Diana Bell, from UEA' School of Biology, said: "The Breckland-based Shifting Sands project was set up to save some of the region's rarest wildlife.

"After several years of hard work by this multi-partner project, the fortunes of species classed as declining, rare, near-threatened or endangered are now improving in the Brecks.

"The project has seen species recover in record numbersincluding endangered beetle and plants, one of which is found nowhere else in the world.

"Rabbits are incredibly important because their grazing and digging activity keeps the ground in a condition that is perfect for sustaining other species.

"Sadly, rabbit populations have declined dramatically in the UK and across Europe, and the European wild rabbit is now listed as endangered in its ancestral Iberian Peninsula range. Their decline is largely due to a spill-over of new viruses from commercially bred rabbits.

"The Shifting Sands project has shown us how important rabbits are to entire ecosystems, and it is vital that these habitats are conserved and protected.

"We encouraged a rabbit revolution in the Brecks and we have produced a toolkit in partnership with Natural England to help landowners of similar rabbit-dependent habitats to do the same."

"Simple cost-effective ways of encouraging rabbits include creating piles of felled branches, known as brush piles, and banks of soil."

Monitoring over the past three years has shown the interventions are working, with evidence of significantly higher amounts of rabbit activity.

Prof Bell said: "Our work resulted in evidence of rabbit activity in significantly higher numbers. 91 percent of brush piles showed paw scrapes and 41 percent contained burrows. Even when burrows did not form, the brush piles helped expand the range of rabbit activity."

The UEA research team worked in collaboration with Natural England, Forestry England, Plantlife, Breckland Flora Group, Norfolk Wildlife Trust, Suffolk Wildlife Trust, Butterfly Conservation, Buglife, the Elveden Estate and the RSPB to deliver this ambitious partnership project.

It has seen five kilometers of 'wildlife highways' created, more than 100 specimens of rare plants re-introduced, habitat created and restored across 12 sites, species encouraged, and landscape-management practices improved.

As a result, seven species of plant, bird and insect are increasing in number and many more are benefiting in turn.

Among those species recovering are rare plants such as the prostrate perennial knawel that is unique to the Brecks, basil thyme and field wormwood. The endangered wormwood moonshiner beetle, lunar yellow underwing moth and five-banded digger tailed wasp are also increasing. All these species are identified in the UK's Biodiversity Action Plan as being priorities for conservation.

The open habitat maintained by rabbits supports two rare plants: the prostrate perennial knawelfound nowhere else in the worldand field wormwood.

Pip Mountjoy, Shifting Sands project manager at Natural England, said: "The Brecks were described by Charles Dickens as "barren." They are anything but. Their 370 square miles of sandy heathland, open grassland and forest support almost 13,000 species, making it one of the UK's most important areas for wildlife.

"That wildlife is under threat. Felling trees and encouraging a species that is often considered a pest may seem a strange solution. But in this instance, carefully managed 'disturbance' is exactly what this landscape and its biodiversity needs."

"The project's interventions have provided a lifeline for this unique landscape, and shown how biodiversity can be promoted by 'disturbing' placesnot just by leaving them alone. "

"These rare habitats are becoming overgrown and species are declining as a result of changing land management practices and human impacts. It's our responsibility to restore and maintain these spaces for nature. Some of these species exist only here and, if lost, will be lost forever."

Explore further Feds say New England cottontail doesn't need protection

More information: More information about the Brecks, Shifting Sands, Back from the Brink and a toolkit to help rabbit conservation is available via More information about the Brecks, Shifting Sands, Back from the Brink and a toolkit to help rabbit conservation is available via https://naturebftb.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Shifting-Sands-Techniques-to-encourage-European-rabbit-recovery.pdf
A Komodo dragon on Rinca Island, East Nusa Tenggara. Credit: Ministry of Environment and Forestry Republic of Indonesia

The Indonesian endemic world's largest lizard komodo dragons (Varanus komodoensis) recently entered the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) list of "Endangered" species, marking it as having high risk of extinction.

This announcement is quite shocking. Neither I nor other academics in the field of conservationwho are also IUCN membersfrom Indonesia were invited to discuss the reassessment of the komodo dragons status. Only taxonomists from Indonesia were invited to related meeting in Singapore last year.

Before the status change, the komodo dragons had been in "Vulnerable" status, or one level under Threatened, since 1996.

According to the IUCN, the komodo dragons are threatened by the impact of climate change and that in the next 45 years, the rising of global temperature and subsequent sea levels will reduce more than 30% of the ancient lizard's habitat in Komodo National Park.

Data accuracy is vital

In my experience assessing various species, Endangered status is decided with stringent criteria. Some questions would undoubtedly come up: is there a genetic change? Is there excessive poaching or habitat encroachment? Has their habitat been reduced?

Experts from all over the world will discuss all of those questions with strong scientific evidence.

However, the komodo dragon's recent assessment seems to be based on an assumption: the risk of sea-level rise caused by global warming.

This risk is based on a study published in July 2020. Using modeling and spatial analysis, the study analyzed the correlation between subsequent sea-level rise and the komodo dragon habitat.

The study predicts that the komodo dragon's habitat could decrease by around 887% by 2050. This decrease could reduce the lizard's population by between 2799%.

These are predictions. What if the effects of global warming can be reduced drastically? If the sea level actually rise, could it reduce the dragon's population?

A number of adult Komodo dragons fight for meat while being fed at the Surabaya Zoo, East Java. Credit: Herman Dewantoro/Antara

These questions still need to be further investigated. We know komodo dragons actively move on hills

This species is also an excellent swimmer; they can even swim between islands. The komodo dragons are also capable of diving up to 4.5 meters deep.

Furthermore, since five years ago, komodo's population is stable. Currently, there are 3,458 komodo dragons, of which 1,383 are adults.

I suggest we reassess the komodo dragon's status on the Red List because limited evidence can lead to errors in actions.

We also need to recall that in 1996 the IUCN classified Javan gibbon (Hylobates moloch) as Critically Endangeredfrom previously Threatened. This status is one category away from Extinct in the Wild.

This classification raised controversy, leading to further discussions being carried out.

The discussions revealed that the IUCN only received limited data on the Javan gibbon population: around 2,000. In fact, valid data showed the population reached 5,000. Eventually, in 2008, IUCN classed gibbon as "Endangered."

Stronger conservation effort still needed

Although the population is stable, the komodo dragon is still a vulnerable species. We need a stronger effort to conserve them.

One thing that needs to be considered is limiting human interactions. Currently, tourists, especially on Rinca Island, can get quite close with the komodo dragons. This can lead to changes in the lizard's behavior and increase the risk of disease transmission.

The 15 tourist paths on Komodo Island must be strictly monitored. If necessary, for the sake of the lizard population, some of the tracks should be moved to other islands.

Saving the komodo dragons also means conserving their natural prey, such as deer and pigs. The dragon's predatory instincts must be maintained so that the species can survive in the wild, without excessive intervention from humans.

Explore further Study reveals surprising history of world's largest lizard

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Credit: Bax Lindhardt

DTU and Royal Greenland have collaborated on a new technology that can measure the thickness of the ice glaze on frozen prawns. This is important to know so that the prawns stay fresh and consumers get the right quantity of prawns. The solution is based on terahertz waves, and the technology can be used to measure the thickness of innumerable materials.

How do you measure the thickness of an eggshell, a road stripe or the ice glaze on a prawn? Simon Lehnskov Langepostdoc at DTU Fotonikknows how. He heads a research team that is developing a compact and inexpensive device for quick and efficient measurement of the thickness of all kinds of materials.

The idea is to utilize a specific type of electromagnetic waves called terahertz radiation. This radiation can penetrate many different substances, andat the transition between two different materialspart of the radiation is reflected and forms a small echo. By measuring the echo, the researchers can determine the thickness of the material with great precision.

In 2017, Simon Lehnskov Lange chatted with people from DTU Food, and they knew that Royal Greenland needed a quick and smart method for measuring the thickness of the ice layer on ice-glazed prawns.

At Royal Greenland, process developer Niels Bkns explains why it is important to ensure an even layer of ice on the frozen prawns:

"The glazing protects the prawns from rancidness, i.e. from drying out and unwanted chemical changes. As long as the prawns are frozen, it's not so much about food safety, but more about quality. The ice glazing prolongs the shelf life, becausewithout itthe prawns would dry out and not taste very good."

"We glaze by spraying water from nozzles on the deep-frozen prawns. We've found out that 10 to 12 percent water covers the prawns well. But in the industrial glazing process, the glazing is done with differences in process parameters. Maybe the water from the water nozzles is slightly too hot or cold, and the size of the prawns may vary a little. This means that the glazing thickness is not completely constant, and it's really a challenge to control the glazing content in the practical production," says Niels Bkns.

Ice weight must not be included

Ice-glazed food products are typically sold by weight, and here the ice weight must not be included. When a consumer buys a bag of 200 grams of frozen prawns, there must be at least 200 grams of defrosted prawns when the ice glaze has melted. As the prawns are only weighed after the glazing for technical reasons, it is, however, important for the manufacturer to know exactly the quantity of ice used. Otherwise, consumers will get too many or too few prawns.

Today, Royal Greenland manually checks the glazing percentage using a time-consuming and impractical method. The company would rather have a system in which the glazing thickness is measured continuously, allowing the glazing to be adjusted automatically in real time. If too much ice is used, the water nozzles can be turned down slightlyand vice versa. Royal Greenland has five large prawn factories in Greenland and Canada, and each of them can receive 80 tons of raw prawns a day and turn them into 27 tons of frozen, shelled prawns. There is consequently a lot of money to be saved by being able to measure accurately.

Here, the researchers from DTU Fotonik might be able to help Royal Greenland.

"We ran a small pilot project in which we glazed some prawns, and we discovered that we were able to measure the ice thickness, which is typically between half a millimeter and one millimeter," says Simon Lehnskov Lange and continues:

"So we agreed to try it out on a slightly larger scale. We brought a system to Royal Greenland's factory in Aalborg, where we validated the technology and demonstrated that we can measure prawns of all sizes and typesalso under the prevailing conditions in such a factory, where, for example, it's quite cold. We're now patenting the method for measuring ice glazing thicknesses on foods," says Simon Lehnskov Lange about the results from the research project, which is named GLAZE.

Primary focus on foods

Measuring the thickness of ice on prawns is just one possible application of the technology. Terahertz radiation is stopped by metals, liquid water, and water vapor, but it can otherwise penetrate and measure the thickness of a large variety of materials. Therefore, the technology is also useable in many different industries, for example for continuous control of the quality of surface treatments. But first, the technology must be developed so that it is affordable for companies.

If they succeed in developing a price-friendly system that can measureseveral times per secondthe ice thickness of prawns passing by on a conveyor belt, Royal Greenland is a sure customer. And other producers will then follow suit, Simon Lehnskov Lange hopes:

"We're initially looking at food inspection, where we've now started to study other uses, for example measuring the thickness of eggshells."

A thick eggshell means a solid egg that can withstand the journey all the way to the consumer or that can protect the fetus until the chicken is hatched. Many eggs are lost because the shell is too thin.

Traditionally, egg producers have measured the thickness of eggshells by cracking the egg and using a micrometer screw. There are also methods where you do not have to waste the egg, but where the shell thickness is measured using acoustic methods. You can get a measure of the shell thickness by striking the egg and measuring its resonant frequency, or you can use ultrasound for a more direct measurement.

However, these measuring methods require direct contact with the egg, and they take time, and are cumbersome. With terahertz radiation, you get a quicker, high-tech solution that works without direct contact between the measuring instrument and the egg.

Price must come down

But it will be a while before the technology from DTU is ready for the market, says Simon Lehnskov Lange.

"We started with a system that cost 1.5 million Danish kroner. If we're to use the technology in the food industry, the price of our terahertz system must come down a lot. So we looked at whether we could produce a more inexpensive version by replacing the most expensive components with cheaper versions based on well-known semiconductor technology," says Simon Lehnskov Lange, who elaborates:

"We're now working on a demonstration model that is much smaller and designed to make it profitable for companies if we can get the technology mass-produced. We hope to have such a model ready for testing by the end of 2021."

In the work towards a less expensive and more compact version, the researchers receive help from FORCE Technology, where the role of the Center for Applied Photonics includes ensuring commercialization of Danish, photonics-based technology.

Simon Lehnskov Lange still remembers the first meeting at FORCE Technology, whichafter hearing about the idea for the terahertz measurementsgave him a challenge, namely to measure the thickness of a road stripe:

"I went home with a piece of road, complete with asphalt and road stripe! In the laboratory, I ran it under our laser and found out that we could measure the thickness of the road stripethe terahertz radiation could penetrate the material. In fact, we could measure both the thickness of the stripe and the asphalt below."

System on a chip

This convinced FORCE Technology that the DTU researchers were on to something.

"We saw a technology with a huge potential which can be used to the benefit of the industry, not just in Denmark, but worldwide," says Henrik Mertz, who heads the center at FORCE Technology.

"We have the experience and knowledge needed to develop prototypes. We're not optical specialists like the extremely competent university researchers, but we understand the world and the issues to be dealt with. And we can transform the researchers' knowledge and ideas into something that is operational and application-oriented," he continues.

The engineers at FORCE Technology dissect the DTU system and identify the components that can be optimized in relation to making it more compact and, especially, less expensive. The DTU researchers receive help with business development and good advice on how a final product must be composed and documented to be approved for sale, including CE marked. In addition, FORCE Technology has a wide network of companies that may be able to use the technology to create new applications.

Although a fully functional demonstration model may be ready as early as this year, there is still a fair way to go before the high-tech measuring instrument is ready for mass production. But Simon Lehnskov Lange is optimistic, and his ambition is that the solution will end up being a 'system on a chip':

"We hope thatin the long termwe can get the price down below 1,000 euros. And we will continue to develop the system to make it so compact that it is no bigger than a fingernail, with all the technology integrated in a single chip."

Explore further Cautious prawns win battle for food
Fig. 1: Definition and measurement of strain in halide perovskites. Credit: DOI: 10.1038/s41563-021-01097-x

Perovskite solar cells are in many ways already as efficient as conventional crystalline silicon-based solar cells; perovskite has the added benefit of being much more cost-effective than its silicon counterpart. Perovskites are also being introduced in various devices such as light-emitting diodes, lasers, memory devices and much more.

In a paper published by Nature Materials, researchers from the University of Surrey, University of Cambridge and University of Toronto, Canada, explain the origin, characterisation, pitfalls and opportunities for strain in perovskite materials. The team also explain their vision of how the research community can use strain to unleash the full potential of perovskite materials.

Dr. Wei Zhang, a corresponding author and Senior Lecturer from the University of Surrey, said: "Many in the photovoltaic research community are rightly excited about the potential of perovskite materials, not only when it comes to green technologies such as solar cells but other electronic devices. In this study, we look at factors that influence the efficiency and stability of devicesand explore the role strain may play on perovskites. A comprehensive understanding of strain in perovskites will lead to perovskite materials with remarkable optoelectronic novelty."

Dr. Sam Stranks, a corresponding author and University Lecturer from the University of Cambridge, said: "Strain appears to play an important role in perovskite solar cells, yet the phenomenon in these materials is not well understood. We hope this work will challenge existing assumptions and encourage new efforts to understand and ultimately harness these effectsto deliver high-efficiency solar cells as well as new devices with new functionality."

More information: Dongtao Liu et al, Strain analysis and engineering in halide perovskite photovoltaics, Nature Materials (2021). Journal information: Nature Materials Dongtao Liu et al, Strain analysis and engineering in halide perovskite photovoltaics,(2021). DOI: 10.1038/s41563-021-01097-x
Ice melange, a combination of ice shelf fragments, windblown snow and frozen seawater, can act as a glue to fuse large rifts in floating ice in Antarctica. Researchers at UCI and NASA JPL found that a thinning of the substance over time can cause rifts to open, leading to the calving of large icebergs. Credit: Beck / NASA Operation IceBridge

Glaciologists at the University of California, Irvine and NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory have examined the dynamics underlying the calving of the Delaware-sized iceberg A68 from Antarctica's Larsen C ice shelf in July 2017, finding the likely cause to be a thinning of ice melange, a slushy concoction of windblown snow, iceberg debris and frozen seawater that normally works to heal rifts.

In a paper published today in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the researchers report that their modeling studies showed melange thinning to be a major driver of ice shelf collapse. The circulation of ocean water beneath ice shelves and radiative warming from above, they say, gradually deteriorate ice melange over the course of decades.

As ice shelves are thought to buttress and prevent land-borne glaciers from more rapidly flowing into the ocean, this new knowledge about rift dynamics illuminates a previously underappreciated link between climate change and ice shelf stability.

"The thinning of the ice melange that glues together large segments of floating ice shelves is another way climate change can cause rapid retreat of Antarctica's ice shelves," said co-author Eric Rignot, UCI professor of Earth system science. "With this in mind, we may need to rethink our estimates about the timing and extent of sea level rise from polar ice lossi.e., it could come sooner and with a bigger bang than expected."

Using NASA's Ice-sheet and Sea-level System Model, observations from the agency's Operation IceBridge mission, and data from NASA and European satellites, the researchers assessed hundreds of rifts in the Larsen C ice shelf to determine which ones were most vulnerable to breaking. They selected 11 top-to-bottom cracks for in-depth study, modeling to see which of three scenarios rendered them most likely to break: If the ice shelf thinned because of melting, if the ice melange grew thinner, or if both the ice shelf and the melange thinned.

"A lot of people thought intuitively, "If you thin the ice shelf, you're going to make it much more fragile, and it's going to break,'" said lead author Eric Larour, NASA JPL research scientist and group supervisor.

Instead, the model showed that a thinning ice shelf without any changes to the melange worked to heal the rifts, with average annual widening rates dropping from 79 to 22 meters (259 to 72 feet). Thinning both the ice shelf and the melange also slowed rift widening but to a lesser extent. But when modeling only melange thinning, the scientists found a widening of rifts from an average annual rate of 76 to 112 meters (249 to 367 feet).

The difference, Larour explained, reflects the different natures of the substances.

"The melange is thinner than ice to begin with," he said. "When the melange is only 10 or 15 meters thick, it's akin to water, and the ice shelf rifts are released and start to crack."

Even in winter, warmer ocean water can reach the melange from below because rifts extend through the entire depth of an ice shelf.

"The prevailing theory behind the increase in large iceberg calving events in the Antarctic Peninsula has been hydrofracturing, in which melt pools on the surface allow water to seep down through cracks in the ice shelf, which expand when the water freezes again," said Rignot, who is also a NASA JPL senior research scientist. "But that theory fails to explain how iceberg A68 could break from the Larsen C ice shelf in the dead of the Antarctic winter when no melt pools were present."

He said that he and others in the cryosphere studies community have witnessed ice shelf collapse on the Antarctic Peninsula, stemming from a retreat that began decades ago.

"We have finally begun to seek an explanation as to why these ice shelves started retreating and coming into these configurations that became unstable decades before hydrofracturing could act on them," Rignot said. "While the thinning ice melange is not the only process that could explain it, it's sufficient to account for the deterioration that we've observed."

Joining Rignot and Larour on this NASA-funded project were Bernd Scheuchl, UCI associate project scientist in Earth system science, and Mattia Poinelli, a Ph.D. candidate in geoscience and remote sensing at Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands.

Explore further Slushy iceberg aggregates control calving timing on Greenland's Jakobshavn Isbr

More information: Physical processes controlling the rifting of Larsen C Ice Shelf, Antarctica, prior to the calving of iceberg A68, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2021). www.pnas.org/content/118/40/e2105080118 Journal information: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Physical processes controlling the rifting of Larsen C Ice Shelf, Antarctica, prior to the calving of iceberg A68,(2021). DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2105080118
Credit: Oregon State University

Mechanical thinning alone can calm the intensity of future wildfires for many years, and prescribed burns lengthen thinning's effectiveness, according to Oregon State University research involving a seasonally dry ponderosa pine forest in northeastern Oregon.

Findings of the study, led by OSU research associate James Johnston and published in Forest Ecology and Management, are important because reducing accumulated fuels on federal forestland has been a congressional priority for nearly two decades; research such as this helps determine which techniques work.

Johnston's team looked at years of data for multiple forest parcelsmechanically thinned stands and unthinned control standsand used computer modeling to predict the behavior of future fires. The collaboration included his Oregon State College of Forestry colleagues Julia Olszewski, Becky Miller and Micah Schmidt, plus Lisa Ellsworth of the OSU College of Agricultural Sciences and Michael Vernon of Blue Mountains Forest Partners.

"Most of the studies that have been published so far suggest mechanical thinning that isn't followed by prescribed fire is not as good for moderating fire severity than thinning combined with prescribed fire," Johnston said. "Some studies have even suggested that thinning without prescribed fire can increase wildfire severity by adding to the buildup of fine fuels on the forest floor."

Mechanical thinning refers to the use of commercial equipment such as a feller-buncher, which cuts and stacks whole trees, or a cut-to-length harvester and forwarder that results in logs of specific lengths being sent to the mill. In the study areas, all trees up to 53 centimeters in diameter at breast height were removed, and hand crews cut down trees too small for commercial use.

"Our work shows that mechanical thinning can moderate fire behavior even in the absence of prescribed fire," Johnston said. "That's good news since prescribed fire on national forests has remained flat over the last 20 years because of shortfalls in U.S. Forest Service capacity, a risk-averse agency culture and regulatory constraints on smoke."

Fuels built up for a year or two after thinning and then declined, and litter and duff declined dramatically as a result of thinning, he said. Forest litter refers to any non-living organic matter that's fallen to the ground and yet to undergo much decay; duff is the layer of decayed and decaying organic matter between the litter and the soil.

"Although the models show that thinning alone moderates fire behavior for a number of years, prescribed fire is still a key tool for meeting fuel reduction and fire management objectives in the ponderosa pine forests of the southern Blue Mountains and elsewhere," Johnston said. "Prescribed fire will extend the longevity of what the mechanical thinning accomplished when the conifers regenerate significantly and those surface fuels start to rise above desired thresholds."

Across western North America, seasonally dry forests were historically characterized by frequent, low-intensity surface fires that led to the persistence of older trees living in open stands, he said. But starting about 130 years ago, the logging of old, fire-resistant trees, unregulated grazing and a national culture of fire suppression combined to bring much greater tree density, fuel continuity and surface fuel loading.

"Those changes along with a warming climate have led to increasingly large, fast-moving, stand-replacing fires that have significant negative impacts on old-growth habitat, water quality and human infrastructure," Johnson said. "Consequently a range of non-governmental organizations, tribal, state and local governments and private landowners are trying to adapt by reducing fuels."

Johnston notes that Congress has taken several steps to increase the pace and scale of fuel reduction treatments on Forest Service lands across the West, including the 2009 authorization of the Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program, which funds thinning on high-priority national forest landscapes.

The southern Blue Mountains, the subject of this research, are one of those high-priority areas, and between 2012 and 2020 more than $17 million has been spent to thin 87,000 hectares in the 220,000-hectare area.

"Less than one-fifth of the area treated with mechanical thinning in the southern Blues has also been treated with prescribed fire," Johnston said. "Prescribed fire has been significantly slowed by budget constraints, local opposition to fire use, and restrictions imposed by COVID-19 response measures. But our modeling shows thinning can do a lot on its own in terms of rate of fire spread, flame length and crown fire potential. Investments by Congress in fuel reduction thinning in eastern Oregon are working."

The Forest Service and Blue Mountains Forest Partners funded this research.

In another paper recently published in the journal Forests, Johnston and OSU colleague Chris Dunn collaborated with John Hogland of the U.S. Forest Service to show that the vast majority of the Malheur National Forest can be restored to ecologically desirable conditions through the commercial harvesting of woody biomass and some timber harvesting.

"The profit margins in most areas, approximately 80% of the landscape, are quite small, and removing material without incurring a financial loss usually requires the removal of sawlogs," Johnston said. "It's a reasonable tradeoff, a good tradeoff. Saw timber is part of what needs to come out of the woods to manage fuels and reduce fire risk."

Explore further Thinning forests no defence against fires

More information: James D. Johnston et al, Mechanical thinning without prescribed fire moderates wildfire behavior in an Eastern Oregon, USA ponderosa pine forest, Forest Ecology and Management (2021). Journal information: Forest Ecology and Management James D. Johnston et al, Mechanical thinning without prescribed fire moderates wildfire behavior in an Eastern Oregon, USA ponderosa pine forest,(2021). DOI: 10.1016/j.foreco.2021.119674
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

Increasing global warming from currently one to two degrees Celsius by mid-century might lead to about 25 percent more people put at risk by tropical cyclones, a new study finds. Already today, hurricanes and typhoons are among the most destructive natural disasters worldwide and potentially threaten about 150 million people each year. Adding to climate change, population growth further drives tropical cyclone exposure, especially in coastal areas of East African countries and the United States. Considering the joint impact of climate change and population growth provides an untapped potential to protect a changing world population.

"If we add population growth to 2-degrees Celsius global warming, in 2050, we could even see an increase of ca. 40 percent more people exposed to cyclones," says Tobias Geiger, researcher at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) and the Deutscher Wetterdienst (DWD), lead author of the new study to be published in Nature Climate Change. "As the global population is projected to peak around mid-century, more people will face more intense cyclones, due to climate changeputting that higher population at greater risk."

The global ambition is to limit warming to well below two degrees, yet compared to unmitigated climate change even reaching two degrees Celsius of global warming 50 years later could lead to a quite different outcome, as an interdisciplinary team of scientists from Germany, Switzerland and the US found in a computer-based analysis: Until 2100, population models project an unforced, regular declining population in cyclone prone areas on a global scale. This would partially compensate for the additional exposure caused by warming as Geiger underlines: "If we rapidly reduce greenhouse gas emissions and reach two degrees Celsius of global warming only in 2100, this would limit the increase of people in danger of cyclones to 20 percent. This finding is key as it shows that reducing global warming potentially postpones severe tropical cyclone impacts to the late second half of the century, when there would be far fewer people at risk."

Timing is key when assessing exposure to cyclones

In the study, the scientists analyzed the joint impacts of demographic development and climate change on people exposed to tropical cyclonesand found that timing of when certain warming levels are reached becomes crucial. The results are even more obvious on the country level, explains Johannes Gutschow: "Our model shows, with unprecedented detail, that in 2050 all countries at high risk of tropical cyclones are projected to see a rise in exposure. Due to the projected population growth, we found exposure changes of nearly 300 percent in some East African countries, up to 100 percent in the United States and also a strong increase for the Arabian Peninsula. For the US, this will most likely result in more cyclone damages, while other strongly affected world regions might also face more poverty and forced migration."

Under less rapid warming scenarios this picture changes: Delaying two degree of warming to 2080 or 2100in line with a projected population declinewould result in a reduction of exposed population in the Caribbean and in East Asia, in particular in Japan, China, and the Korean peninsula compared to a scenario where a two degree global warming would occur already in 2050. Johannes Gutschow adds: "Basically, our computer model can calculate the impact of any given warming scenario, on a global and country scale, and its implications for the number of people at risk by tropical cyclones. Our findings most likely also hold true for a variety of other climate extremes whose occurrence only depends on absolute warming and not on the timing."

Informing the U.N. climate summit COP26 on re-considering national contributions

This can also inform decisions at the 2021 U.N. world climate summit, COP26, which will be an occasion to re-consider the insufficient Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement: "The current NDCs scenario would lead to about two degrees of warming around mid-century and a continuous rise of warming thereafter," says Katja Frieler, co-lead of PIK's Research Department on Transformation Pathways. "In line with the NDCs, the number of people at risk of cyclones would keep rising throughout the century, for instance in the hurricane-prone regions of the US." Frieler underlines: "Emission reductions that would limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius could cumulatively protect over 1.8 billion people from exposure to tropical cyclones until the end of this century compared to the warming under currently proposed emission reductions. It is thus high time to rapidly reduce greenhouse gas emissions to keep as many people safe as possible."

Explore further Study: Climate change is disproportionately affecting children

More information: Tobias Geiger, Johannes Gutschow, David N. Bresch, Kerry Emanuel, Katja Frieler (2021): Double benefit of limiting global warming for tropical cyclone exposure, Nature Climate Change, DOI: 10.1038/s41558-021-01157-9, www.nature.com/articles/s41558-021-01157-9 Journal information: Nature Climate Change Tobias Geiger, Johannes Gutschow, David N. Bresch, Kerry Emanuel, Katja Frieler (2021): Double benefit of limiting global warming for tropical cyclone exposure,
Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

Federal biologist Erin Fedewa boarded a research vessel in June in Dutch Harbor, Alaska, and journeyed to a swath of the Bering Sea that typically yields an abundance of young snow crab in annual surveys.

Not this summer. At this spot, and elsewhere, the sampling nets came up with stunningly fewa more than 99% drop in immature females compared to those found just three years earlier.

Biologists also found significant downturns in the numbers of mature snow crab as they painstakingly sorted through the sea life they hauled up.

"The juveniles obviously were a red flag, but just about every size of snow crab were in dramatic decline," Fedewa said. "It's very scary."

This collapse in the Bering Sea snow crab population comes amid a decade of rapid climatic changes, which have scrambled one of the most productive marine ecosystems on the planet in ways that scientists are just beginning to understand. The changes are forcing them to reconsider how they develop models to forecast harvest seasons.

As waters warm, some older crab have moved northwest, young crab are being gobbled up by an increased number of predators and disease is on the rise. All of this could be making crab more vulnerable to excessive harvesting, and that has increased concern over the impacts of trawlers that accidentally scoop up crab as they drag nets along the sea floor targeting bottom-dwelling fish.

The forecast for the 2022 winter snow crab season is bleak. At best, it is expected to be considerably less than 12 million pounds. That would be down from a 2021 harvest of 45 million pounds and a fraction of the more than 300 million pounds taken during two peak years in the early 1990s.

The iconic Bering Sea red king crab, which can grow up to 24 pounds with a leg-span up to 5 feet, also are in trouble. In a big blow to the commercial crabbers, many of whom are based in Washington, the October harvest for these crab has been canceled, something that has only happened three times before.

Overall conservation measures are expected to wipe out most of the value of the annual Bering Sea crab harvest, worth more than $160 million during the past year, according to Jamie Goen, executive director of the Seattle-based Alaska Bering Sea Crabbers.

"We have gotten a double blow, and the economic impact is unlike anything we have experienced in this industry," Goen said.

The harvest cutback also will hit some Alaska communities that rely on the crab fleets to help sustain their economies. St. Paul, in the Pribilof Islands northwest of Dutch Harbor, is the site of a major crab-processing plant operated by Seattle-based Trident Seafoods, and depends on crabbing not only to generate activity for its port but also to pay taxes that prop up the local government.

Crabbers want more done to protect crab from some types of fishing, including trawling.

Goen said that crabbers will be pressing fishery managers to step up protective measures, such as expanding zones where trawling is not permitted and finding a way to estimate the unseen death toll of crab passing under nets.

"We need other (fishing) sectors to come forward and protect the crab," Goen said.

Both king and snow crab are caught off Alaska by steel-framed pots set along the bottom by a fleet of some 60 vessels. Each boat typically employs six to seven crew, some of which have been featured in the Discovery Channel's long-running reality television series "Deadliest Catch."

Most of the king crab harvest and snow crab sold in the United States in recent years has been imported from other countries.

But the downturn in U.S. stocks could push consumer prices higher.

Less ice, warmer water

Ocean conditions are key for scientists studying the decline of Bering Sea crab, which for all species are now estimated to be at their lowest overall levels in more than four decades.

"This is huge," said Bob Foy, director of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Alaska Fisheries Science Center. "It is a massive shift for our ecosystem in the Bering Sea, and the implications for other fisheries are just starting to be thought through."

He notes snow crab juveniles looked to be on an upward trend just two years ago. Then, in the space of 48 months, they appeared to have imploded.

One focus of research is the Bering Sea ice that forms each winter, and acts like a giant platform for growing algae at the base of the food chain. As it freezes, the ice sheds a dense layer of cold, briny seawater that eventually forms a cold pool on the bottom, prime conditions for young snow crab.

In some recent winters, there has been a big reduction in the extent and thickness of the ice.

During these weak ice years, the size of the cold pool has shrunk, a retreat closely mapped by federal researchers.

One of the crab's voracious predatorscoddo not like the chill temperatures in the cool pool. The warmer temperatures appear to have made it possible for cod to hunt far more young snow crab, according to Fedewa, who said analysis of cod bellies show they are eating more crab.

"The assumption is that the thermal barriers in cold-water habitat that have protected juvenile snow crab from predators like Pacific cod are basically breaking down," Fedewa said.

King crab also may be suffering from increased predation.

Earlier federal research in the 1980s showed that young Bristol Bay sockeye salmon like to feed on larval king crab. In recent years, there have been a series of strong sockeye runs that may be due, at least in part, to warmer and more favorable conditions in the lakes where they rear before heading to saltwater.

"That is a hypothesis that needs to be looked at more," Fedewa said.

Shifting populations

The warming trends in the Bering Sea appear to be increasing the numbers of crab found farther north. The trends, tracked through surveys, are not fully understood.

The fall Bering Sea king crab harvest was canceled because of low numbers of mature females.

But this summer's survey found an increase in mature king crab females in more northern areas. These crab were tallied outside the main survey zone, and thus not used to calculate potential harvests.

Snow crab populations also appear to be shifting.

This last winter, crab skippers reported an unusual harvest season when the main concentrations of snow crab were found some 500 miles northwest of Dutch Harbor, which is about twice the typical distance for February and March fishing.

"The crab that we found were good crab. They were just way farther away than we traditionally fish," said Tom Suryan, who has fished crab for than 40 years and plans to retire.

Suryan, skipper of the Bristol Mariner, said that he was about 60 miles from the maritime boundary with Russia.

Others' boats were even closer.

"I could literally spit across the Russian border. I mean, we were on itdown to the quarter mile," said Owen Kvinge, captain of the Seattle-based Arctic Sea, who suggests some of the U.S. crab may have moved into Russian waters.

Tumultuous past

Though crab populations fluctuate, there also are cautionary tales of collapses in Alaska that continue to haunt the industry.

In the 20th century, the Gulf of Alaska was the site of a major king crab fishery that boomed and then went bust. Shut down in the early 1980s, it has yet to resume.

The Bering Sea king crab fishery also has a tumultuous history. The annual catch soared to about 130 million pounds in the early 1980s, then crab stocks crashed and the harvest was shut down. Since 1996, in the aftermath of two consecutive years of closures, the harvests have never topped 22 million pounds, and fell to 2.6 million pounds last year.

In a whistleblower complaint filed earlier this year with NOAA Fisheries, a former federal fishery biologist based in Kodiak alleged that federal surveys in the 1970s and 1980s were carried out improperly, with extra tows made in random locations and other steps taken to deliberately inflate the estimates of crab populations.

The whistleblower, Braxton Dew, said the faulty surveys set the stage for overfishing, which he called the primary cause of the king crab collapse. "It was a precipitous collapse, and that's because of all the bogus numbers that were used," Dew alleged in a recent interview.

Foy, the director of NOAA's Alaska Fisheries Science Center, said that survey methods have changed and improved since the time period cited in Dew's complaint, and that even back then the results were subject to reviews that offered checks and balances.

Later this fall, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game is expected to decide whether the 2020 snow crab (also known as opilio) harvests can proceed, and also is responsible for setting levels for small Bering Sea harvests for bairdi crab and golden king crab.

In the years ahead, crabbers are hoping populations can rebound if strong conservation measures are quickly put in place.

Yet their livelihoods could face a perilous future if the warming climate works against recovery.

"The environmental pressures are enormous," Suryan said. "Perhaps Bering Sea crab are an indicator speciesthe proverbial canary in the coal mine. I don't know. But things are changing, of that we can be certain."

Explore further West coast dungeness crab stable or increasing even with intensive harvest, research shows

2021 The Seattle Times. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
September 27, 2021 in FileMaker (E)

[prMac.com] Prague, Czech Republic - 24U Software today is pleased to announce the immediate availability of Gonector 2.1, a new version of the plug-in that enables custom FileMaker apps running on iPhone or iPad to seamlessly integrate with professional mobile hardware devices, such as digital scales, RFID readers and mobile printers.



The new version adds support for printing labels, including those with embedded UHF RAIN RFID tags, using the Zebra ZQ630RFID mobile printer or other compatible devices. Gonector 2.1 can read or write data to the RFID label being printed in order to pair the RFID-encoded identification with whatever is printed visually on the label. The plug-in uses Bluetooth to connect to the printer, so it does not have to rely on Wi-Fi availability, and support for Bluetooth Low Energy makes it easy to access the same printer from multiple iOS devices.



Version 2.1 brings:

* Support for Zebra ZQ630 RFID and compatible mobile label printers

* Compatibility with the Apple silicon Macs for development

* Minor usability and performance improvements



About Gonector:

Gonector is a FileMaker plug-in that allows a native application for iPhone or iPad, built using the FileMaker iOS App SDK, to communicate directly with mobile hardware devices. Being able to interact with professional mobile devices enables developers to use the FileMaker platform to create POS, inventory and other heavy-duty mobile business apps with friendly, fast, and reliable user interface.



The first version of Gonector was released in July 2018. It has enabled custom apps, such as JOGS, to replace manual work with modern technologies, such as RFID and digital scales, without compromising the ease of use and development efficiency provided by the Claris FileMaker platform.



Duncan McDavid, CEO of Jacoma Estates said about JOGS and its use of Gonector: "The product we received from 24U has been helpful for us because it's given us a competitive edge over some of our suppliers. We've got a much quicker system in terms of procurement products and a much more transparent system... It's cut out a lot of inefficiencies both through removal of paper paperwork and paper-based processing but we're also able to do a lot more transactions now so our return on investment into the system has been very good."



The JOGS application combines digital scales, RFID and mobile receipt printers to bring modern technologies to one of the poorest countries in Africa. But Gonector can be used even for more than just the devices it explicitly supports. With its function, designed for reading weight from digital scales, Alan Meinhart from Three Z Printing also successfully used Gonector to read data from a specialized sensor in order to accurately measure paper consumption during print jobs.



Since plug-ins cannot be added to FileMaker Go, adding these features to a mobile FileMaker app requires the use of the FileMaker iOS App SDK. This can be significantly simplified to just a few clicks by using the 24U's Xgode service. With this service, adding the Gonector to the app is a matter of clicking a checkbox and selecting the devices to enable.



Requirements:

For development, Gonector 2.1 requires any Mac running macOS 10.13 or later and FileMaker Pro 16 or later, or an x86 PC running Windows 7 or later and FileMaker Pro 16 or later. macOS Big Sure 11.3 or later and Xcode with Swift version 5 is necessary for building the iOS and iPadOS apps containing Gonector 2.1. Alternatively, the 24U's Xgode online service can be used. Apps built with Gonector 2.1 can be installed on iOS 13.1 or newer.



Pricing and Availability:

Gonector 2.1 is immediately available for download free of charge as a fully functional 14-days trial version. Development dummy plug-in does not require activation, iOS version embedded into an app can be activated with a license that is tight to specific bundle ID of the app. Licenses for Gonector start at $499 (USD) per year for app deployed to up to 20 users. For more information, please contact HOnza Koudelka.

With customers in 76 countries and 30 years of experience with the Claris FileMaker platform, 24U excels in developing new or taking care of existing custom desktop, web and mobile apps, optimizing their performance, identifying and resolving potential issues and liabilities, improving reliability, stability and scalability, integrating them with other systems including various hardware devices, and extending them beyond expectation. As a Claris Platinum Partner, 24U helps global businesses around the world to maintain sustainable growth by working with their in-house developers or completely taking care of the maintenance and development of their business solutions. (C) 2021 24U s.r.o. All rights reserved. 24U, 24U Software are trademarks of 24U s.r.o. FileMaker is a trademark of FileMaker, Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

###
September 27, 2021 in Education (E)

[prMac.com] Salmon Arm, British Columbia - NeoNet Corp has integrated BigBlueButton Conference rooms with WebSonar Libraries to provide a compelling solution for the education community. BigBlueButton was developed by the Technology Innovation Management (TIM) program at Carleton University's Institute for Technology Entrepreneurship and Commercialization in Ottawa, Canada, in 2007.



Educators appreciate the intuitive nature of the BigBlueButton's feature set, including tools that make it easier for teachers to focus students on the lesson. Features like screen sharing, a multi-user whiteboard, breakout rooms, easy group polling, and so much more foster collaboration and keep students engaged. BigBlueButton immediately feels familiar. It features web conferencing elements of user list, chat, and presentation laid out in a left-to-right format for easy readability. Regardless of the number of students, you can always see who is talking as their names highlight above the presentation. For chat, BigBlueButton always shows who is typing.



* Easy presentation upload with the support for PDF, text, images and Microsoft PowerPoint, Word, and Excel documents

* Whiteboard annotation of slides for highlighting content

* Breakout rooms to get students engaged in collaborative learning

* Public and private chat

* Quick And Easy Polling That Encourage More Student Engagement

* Multi-user whiteboard for student engagement

* Shared notes for easier group collaboration

* Easy, intuitive screen sharing that keep students engaged

* A hand-raising feature

* The ability to easily share video links within the main presentation area and playback is controlled by the instructor



WebSonar Libraries:

Imagine a private, secure, personal library that you can access from any web browser and can decide who you want to share and collaborate with with a simple password. NeoNet Corp has developed a Made in Canada document management solution that solves the social network information privacy problem.



WebSonar is based on Virginia Systems' Sonar Professional search engine that was originally developed in 1988. WebSonar combines this powerful search engine with a standard web server to provide a flexible and scaleable, browser based information management solution. WebSonar Libraries provide a platform for sharing that does not require users to trade their privacy. Every individual library can host an unlimited number of documents. Each Library's home page has a unique URL, provides search functions and a ten page looped slide show. The library's document access is controlled by the library owner.



There is no limit to the number of participants in a library group. Each group member can be provided with the upload password by the library owner so they can contribute content as well as participate in the exchange. You can set the access to your content to private or public. If it is set to private visitors will require the upload password to browse the content. Use the Comments link for discussion.



"If you think the internet is not working in its current incarnation, you can't change the system through think-pieces and F.C.C. regulations alone. You need new code."



For a limited time you can subscribe for $5.00 (USD) a month to obtain your own private, personal conference room that includes an online document library where you can archive and share all your digital resources in one convenient location.

NeoNet Corp was established in Salmon Arm British Columbia in 2017 by Jake Jacobson and Duane Bemister to integrate CREATEit with WebSonar to provide an iPad cloud document management platform that is independent and free from tracking. A safe and practical solution to enable student collaboration and presentation. Copyright (c) 2021 NeoNet Corp. All Rights Reserved. Apple, the Apple logo, iPhone, iPad and iPod are registered trademarks of Apple Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries. Other trademarks and registered trademarks may be the property of their respective owners.

###
DAVE BAUTISTA IS THE BEST, WWE DRAFT KICKS OFF FRIDAY IN CHARM CITY, A PACKED NXT 2.0 , WWE RETURNS TO PR & MORE

If you ever needed proof that WWE Hall of Famer-elect Dave Bautista is one of the best people anywhere, check out this story:

A neglected puppy who needed surgery after she was found with a metal chain embedded in her neck now has a real-life superhero as her new "dad": Marvel actor and former WWE wrestler Dave Bautista. https://t.co/GOwJNUHxOQ  FOX 13 Seattle (@fox13seattle) September 26, 2021

The WWE Draft will kick off this Friday 10/1 on Smackdown on FOX from Baltimore, Maryland at the Royal Farms Arena with Drew McIntyre vs. Roman Reigns locally announced and Edge confronting Seth Rollins announced for the broadcast. Sasha Banks will also return to Friday Night Smackdown this week after attacking Bianca Belair and Becky Lynch last night on the 2021 Extreme Rules PPV.

We have heard of manufacturing issues with the new A&E WWE Legends Biography DVD releases where the wrong packaging is reversed, so Volume 1 actually has Volume 2's DVDs when opened up. We've had a few readers who ordered them from Amazon that have had that occur, so, be aware.

Our friends at www.HighspotsAuctions.com will be hosting a virtual signing with WWE Hall of Famer Scott Hall this Tuesday evening. For more, click here.

Beyond Friday's Smackdown Draft broadcast and tonight's Raw episode, also slated for WWE's week are the following:

Tomorrow's edition of NXT 2.0 from the WWE Performance Center in Winter Park, Florida on the USA Network:

*WWE NXT Women's Champion Raquel Gonzalez vs. Franky Monet.

*WWE NXT Cruiserweight Champion Roderick Strong vs. Grayson Waller.

*WWE NXT Women's Tag Team Champions Io Shirai & Zoey Stark vs. Toxic Attraction.

*No DQ match: B-Fab vs. Elektra Lopez

*Indi Hartwell & Dexter Lumis's honeymoon.

*The debut of Lash Legend's Lashing Out.

Wednesday morning, WWE's The Bump will stream on the WWE Network, Peacock, YouTube and WWE's social media platforms featuring WWE U.S. Champion Damian Priest and Sheamus, among others, appearing.

Thursday's edition of NXT UK will feature Jordan Devlin vs. Joe Coffey on Peacock and the WWE Network.

This Saturday, WWE returns to San Juan, Puerto Rico featuring Roman Reigns, Bobby Lashley, Rey Mysterio, Damian Priest, Bianca Belair, Charlotte Flair, Drew McIntyre, Big E, Sasha Banks and Seth Rollins announced. It will be interesting to see how the company draws for that event as due to an executive order issued locally on 9/14, children under 12 are not allowed in "mass events" and would not be admitted into the Coliseo de Puerto Rico where the show is being held.

This Sunday 10/3, WWE will hold a Supershow in Lexington, Kentucky at the Rupp Arena, featuring WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns & WWE Smackdown Tag Team Champions The Usos vs. Finn Balor and The Street Profits advertised locally as the main event. Also listed for the event are The New Day, Bobby Lashley, Bianca Belair, RK-Bro, AJ Styles, Omos, Nikki A.S.H., Charlotte Flair and more.

If anyone is attending any of the live events, PWInsider.com is seeking live reports.

If you enjoy PWInsider.com you can check out the AD-FREE PWInsider Elite section, which features exclusive audio updates, news, our critically acclaimed podcasts, interviews and more by clicking here!
DREAM MATCH TO HEADLINE HOUSE OF GLORY WRESTLING'S RETURN, EVENT TO STREAM LIVE ON FITE.TV

Brian XL's House of Glory Wrestling, which produced AEW's Private Party among other stars, will make its FITE.TV debut, streaming the promotion's first live event since shutting down due to the COVID-19 pandemic on Friday 11/12 from the NYC Arena in Jamaica, Queens.

The main event of the show, which has to be seen as a generational dream match will see New Japan star Will Ospreay face off with The Amazing Red for the first time ever in Red's hometown of New York City. Back in 2019, the two met before, once as part of New Japan Pro Wrestling's Super J-Cup and then for Chicago's Warrior Wrestling as part of a six man tag, but this bout would mark the first time they have squared off in a HOG ring.

Ospreay has praised Red as an inspiration for his own career in the past, noting back in 2019 before they ever wrestled, "I can bring back that Amazing Red that we all grew up watching, because I was, Amazing Red vs. Low Ki at NWA: TNA was one of the first indie matches I watched and I was just like, God, whoever this Amazing Red is, busting out Infrareds off the top rope, Code Reds, and doing like Jackie Chan stuff.' I was just like, This is the guy' and it would always be like, here he is, and hes gone, and hes back, and hes gone, and hes back, and hes gone. I know in my heart of hearts, that this one match, one match, Will Ospreay vs. Amazing Red, I can bring that man back, I can bring his spark back, I know I can, and he knows I can as well."

HOG has been marketing the show hard in New York City, including a billboard in the Times Square area:

Tickets are already on sale at this link.

The FITE.TV iPPV can be ordered by clicking here.

If you enjoy PWInsider.com you can check out the AD-FREE PWInsider Elite section, which features exclusive audio updates, news, our critically acclaimed podcasts, interviews and more by clicking here!
FORMER WWE & ZERO-ONE STAR RYAN SAKODA PASSES AWAY

PWInsider.com is sad to report the recent passing of former WWE and Wrestling Society X star Ryan Keiji Sakoda on 9/2. There is no word on the cause of death as of this writing. Sakoda was only 46 years old. He had been most recently working for Disney at their Grand California Hotel.

Originally born in Japan, Sakoda migrated to California where he was Ryan attended an All-League Linebacker for Glen A. Wilson High School. He began training to enter pro wrestling under Billy Anderson and Jesse Hernandez and became a regular for for Rick Bassman's UPW in California, where he worked initially as Keiji Sakoda in 2000. At the time, Sakoda teamed and/or wrestled against The Prototype (John Cena), Samoa Joe, Frankie Kazarian, Mike Knox and Donovan Morgan, among others. He and Kazarian worked as a team on WWE Jakked, putting over Kaientai.

Sakoda was picked up by Jimmy Hart's XWF in 2001, working their TV tapings under the ring name Vapor, where he wrestled against names like Norman Smiley, Lex Lovett and Jimmy Snuka Jr.

Bassman's UPW opened the doors for Sakoda to wrestle for ZERO-ONE in Japan. In ZERO-ONE, he and Samoa Joe held the NWA Intercontinental Tag Team Titles. During that run, Sakoda worked with Steve Corino, Nathan Jones, Spanky and more.

In 2003, Sakoda started to pick up more bookings as an enhancement talent for WWE in the Southwest and by the fall of that year, he was signed,

In WWE, Sakoda had a short run on the main roster on the Smackdown brand paired with Akio (James Yun aka Jimmy Yang) and Yoshihiro Taiji. As a team, he and Akio worked with The Dudley Boyz, Rikishi & Scott 2 Hotty, Paul London & Spanky, The World's Greatest Tag Team and The FBI (Nunzio and Johnny Stamboli), among others. Sakoda was never given any sort of consistent push as a singles star or as part of his team with Akio and was released in August 2004.

After his time in WWE, Sakoda returned to ZERO-1, where he was a member of Team Emblem alongside Shinjiro Otani and Masato Tanaka. He popped up in the HUSTLE promotion as Quick Cook Lee as well.

Sakoda was also part of the MTV Wrestling Society X series that aired for a single season. In WSX, Sakoda came in and kidnapped Team Dragon Gate with the idea he had re-programmed them. The plan had been for Sakoda to have a more active role in the second season had the series lived on with the plan being Team Dragon Gate vs. The Cartel vs. a Team of comprised of Nigel McGuinness & Fergal Devitt (WWE's Finn Balor) managed by Prince Nana and possibly Jade.

After WWE and WSX, Sakoda continued to wrestle in the California wrestling scene until September 2007.

In 2015, Sakoda filed a lawsuit alongside fellow former WWE talents Luther Reigns and Russ McCullough, alleging they were seriously injured during their time working for the company. Ryan Sakoda alleged in the suit that WWE was operated by "intimidation and abuse" and that the company disregarded his health and safety, and that of others, to a degree that left him "traumatized."

In the lawsuit, Sakoda alleged that he and others were "forced to wrestle injured or you lost your job" and that concussions were not discussed or treated. When he suffered a concussion after being knocked out by a superkick in 2003, Sakoda claimed in the lawsuit that WWE medical staff simply told him not to go to sleep or he might die. In the suit, Sakoda alleges that in 2015 was suffering from "numerous symptoms including but not limited to headaches, severe migraines, memory loss and severe depression."

Sakoda's case was moved to the State of Connecticut and later dismissed. Like a number of similar cases that revolved around CTE-related allegations against WWE that were all combined into one massive case. The cases were all eventually permanently dismissed by The Supreme Court.

PWInsider.com sends our deepest condolences to the family, friends and fans of Ryan Sakoda.

An online obituary for Sakoda can be found at this link.

If you enjoy PWInsider.com you can check out the AD-FREE PWInsider Elite section, which features exclusive audio updates, news, our critically acclaimed podcasts, interviews and more by clicking here!
Timothy Collins has worked as a financial adviser since 1999, focusing on portfolio customization, with a concentration on correlation arbitrage and risk-managed growth. He started Collins Capital Advisors in 2007, which has evolved into TangleTrade Management, LLC. Currently, he operates Retro Wall Street, a site focused on education, trader mentoring and humor. You'll find him spending his days in the Retro Wall Street chat room.

Prior to joining his first firm, American Express Financial Advisors, in 1999, Collins worked as a staff accountant for United Information Systems in Bethesda, Md. He has also worked as a financial analyst for Securities Pricing and Research in Annapolis, Md. Collins is a graduate of McDaniel College (formerly Western Maryland College), with degrees in business administration, economics and sociology and is a winner of the Bates Prize.
Bret Jensen was chief investment strategist from 2008-2011 for Simplified Asset Management (S.A.M.), a small long/short hedge fund based in Miami. The fund was in top 5% of long/short hedge funds for total return in its first full year (2009) as ranked by Hedgeco fund database (more than 450 funds in category). Jensen has nearly 20 years of experience in the financial services industry, including more than a decade of managerial experience at American Express. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in finance from Arizona State University. His personal blog is at http://www.bretjenseninvests.com. Jensen acts as corporate secretary for Florida Alternative Investment Association, which encompasses more than 100 managers managing more than $30 billion in assets under management. Follow Bret on Twitter: @Bret_Jensen.
Thank you for reading!

Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading.
" " Unite d'Habitation in Marseille is arguably the most influential Brutalist building of all time. It's also one of 17 projects by 20th-century French architect Le Corbusier to be added to UNESCO's list of internationally significant architecture sites. Flickr/Denis Esakov/(CC 3.0)

Strike up a conversation about the world's most beautiful buildings, and it might be a while before anyone mentions an example of Brutalist architecture. There could be numerous French buildings on the list like the Palace of Versailles or something more recent like the Sacre-Coeur Basilica, but Le Corbusier's Unite d'Habitation in Marseille probably won't be at the top of anybody's list.

Yet that building, completed in 1952, has been called the architect and designer's "most significant and inspiring" by ArchDaily. Made of beton-brut concrete, which was inexpensive in post-World War II Europe, the innovative building housed 1,600 individuals and included spaces for dining, shopping and gathering. And its heavy look and raw material established Brutalism, a style that has been fighting for its rightful place in the imagination of architecture lovers ever since.

Advertisement

What Is Brutalism?

Brutalism is an architectural style that came out of the postwar era and is defined by several key characteristics, including large building forms, unique and striking shapes, heavy-looking materials, and unfinished surfaces and materials, says Brandon Buck, RIBA and design director at global design firm Perkins&Will. Buck also is leading the team enhancing the Brutalist Richard Seifert building at 41 Tower Hill, London.

It is the unfinished surfaces that are responsible for Brutalism's name  the raw concrete it's known for is called beton brut in French. The style predominantly makes use of this exposed concrete and sometimes brick with an overlay of a monochrome color palette. Of course, there is a need for other materials in construction, like steel, timber and glass, but those are secondary.

"I think it's hard not to be impressed with the striking nature of Brutalist architecture," says Buck, who compares the style to walking through a modern art museum  even if you don't love everything, it makes you stop and wonder and feel something.

" " Brandon Buck, design director at global design firm Perkins&Will, is leading the team enhancing the Brutalist building at 41 Tower Hill, in London, seen here. Perkins&Will

Advertisement

Brutalism, Popular or Not?

With the understanding that the moniker attached to this 20th-century style of architecture relates to raw concrete rather than it's "brutal" nature, it's curious that it has earned such a negative image.

"If you think about popular culture, there is a raft of movies that painted Brutalist buildings in a bad way because of what was happening around those buildings," Buck says. He cites the housing estate in the film "A Clockwork Orange" as an example. Uses like this in popular culture have fed into the reputation of Brutalism's, well, brutalness.

In fact, Brutalist buildings are sometimes touted as ugly or hated. But it's important to keep in mind that the style had an important purpose and historical context.

"At the time, in the late '50s early '60s, the cost of concrete was pretty affordable," says Buck. In the postwar era, there was a surplus of energy and a big push for labor, so concrete felt like a sensible building material at the time. It became popular for authoritative buildings like government and university structures, as well as social housing.

In that era, people liked it. Architects that advocated for the style "sought to project a sense of strength through these large, fortress-like designs," Buck explains.

Yet even with the focus on sensibility and authority, Brutalist architecture had a softer side in that it displayed the rawness and imperfections of handmade items.

"There is something very human about that," says Buck.

Advertisement

Brutalism for Home Decor and Interiors

If you're looking to incorporate Brutalist style into your life, you don't have to move to a mid- to late-20th century building to do it. Home decor influenced by Brutalist ideas is readily available. A piece of Brutalist-inspired sculpture might also do the trick.

"There is an interest and appeal for that type of piece to be in people's homes and office spaces," says Buck.

The Vault explains that today's Brutalist interiors begin with a large textured base and maintain an emphasis on natural materials. What's new is that polished and chrome metallics may be added. The clean shapes and forms present a good juxtaposition against other palettes that are more colorful or include things like brass and copper, Buck explains.

"The tone of the concrete and its imperfections go well with other material palettes from an interior design perspective," he says.

Advertisement

Is Brutalism Making a Resurgence?

After falling out of favor in the 1980s, partially due to its association with totalitarianism, writes Jessica Stewart for My Modern Met  think socialist modernism  Brutalism appears to be making a comeback. It's not that new Brutalist buildings are popping up like it's the 1960s, but rather existing structures are getting a second look and being enhanced, refurbished and retrofit.

"That's really a big movement right now," says Buck. The solid structure of Brutalist buildings is often compatible with adding several stories, so today's architects can keep the essence of a building and provide a better feel and environment that feeds into the community.

"People see the merits of Brutalism now and are using some of those characteristics in different ways," he says.

In a lot of the Brutalist architecture, the fenestration is minimal or minimized in proportion to the spans of the concrete, so one enhancement is often to increase the size of the openings. This was one of the goals with the controversial 2018 Cooper Carry update to the Marcel Breuer-designed Central Atlanta Library. Recladding of a facade can also be used to improve the performance of the building in order to control heat loss or gain, according to Buck.

Thanks to the combination of their initial functionality, their structural soundness and connection with many important architects, Brutalist buildings are experiencing a revival in this century. Like it or not.

"They do tend to be striking," says Buck. "They do tend to demand a response."

Advertisement

Famous Brutalist Buildings

Brutalist buildings and structures can be found throughout the world; you've probably seen many without realizing it. In addition to Le Corbusier's Unite d'Habitation that started it all, his Notre Dame du Haut in Ronchamp, France, is "one of the most important buildings of the 20th century," according to Dezeen.com.

" " Considered by many critics to be Le Corbusier's finest work, the Notre Dame du Haut chapel features a huge curving board-marked concrete roof that shows a break away from the functionalism of the architect's earlier buildings. Sobli/RDB/ullstein bild via Getty Images

In the U.K., wife and husband team Alison and Peter Smithson "led British Brutalism through the latter half of the 20th century," according to ArchDaily, designing "streets in the sky" modern housing, as well as the headquarters of the Economist and a building at Oxford University.

Swiss-British architect Richard Seifert was prolific in his creation of Brutalist buildings, including the 34-story "'beehive' grid of glass and concrete" Centre Point in London, which was unused for decades and has now been redeveloped into a high-end residential tower. Barbican Centre and Estate is another of London's famed Brutalist structures; its architects at Chamberlin, Powell and Bon were inspired by the Unite d'Habitation.

" " The architects at Chamberlin, Powell and Bon who designed London's epic Barbican Centre were inspired by the Unite d'Habitation. Jordi Prats/Shutterstock

Another attempt at "reimagining apartment living," Moshe Safdie's Habitat 67, built for the 1967 World's Fair in Montreal, combined the concrete of Brutalism with Japanese Metabolism for a look that is defined by modular cubes.

" " Habitat 67, designed by the Israeli-Canadian architect Moshe Safdie as the Canadian Pavilion for the World Exposition of 1967, was originally intended as an experimental solution for high-quality housing in dense urban environments. Taxiarchos228/Wikimedia/(CC BY-SA 3.0)

Boston is home to many examples of Brutalist architecture, including Boston City Hall, which has been described as a "concrete fortress." Its design is the result of an international contest for which the winning concept was submitted by Gerhard Kallmann, Noel McKinnell and Edward Knowles, admirers of Le Corbusier.

" " Boston City Hall's design is the result of an international contest for which the winning concept was submitted by Gerhard Kallmann, Noel McKinnell and Edward Knowles, admirers of Le Corbusier. DEA/M. BORCHI /De Agostini via Getty Images

One of the most recognizable Brutalist buildings is the Geisel Library at University of California San Diego. Designed by William Pereira, completed in 1970 and constructed of reinforced concrete and glass, the building's two-story pedestal holds six additional stories, cantilevered above it.

" " One of the most recognizable Brutalist buildings is the Geisel Library at University of California San Diego, which was designed by William Pereira. Geisel Library

Now That's Interesting The iconic Geisel Library at UCSD was originally called the Central Library but was renamed in 1995 for Audrey and Ted Geisel (better known as Dr. Seuss) after Audrey donated $20 million to the university. It is also home to more than 20,000 pieces of Dr. Seuss' original work and memorabilia.
" " After Hurricane Matthew in 2016, Waterkeeper Alliance and Sound Rivers discovered a layer of coal ash more than an inch thick on the Neuse River from the Duke Energy H.F. Lee facility spill. Pete Harrison, Waterkeeper Alliance & Matt Starr, Upper Neuse Riverkeeper/Sound Rivers

Shortly after Hurricane Matthew pounded North Carolina in October 2016, swelling the Neuse River to a level never seen before, Matthew Starr ventured out on the river to see some of the damage himself. It was almost otherworldly.

"When the flood water receded, I was out on the boat, doing a patrol on one of the inactive ash ponds, and it really looked like a winter wonderland," says Starr, the Upper Neuse Riverkeeper for Sound Rivers, a nonprofit that monitors and protects the Neuse and Tar-Pamlico River basins. "Here was this white, very fine ash up in the trees, on the water, on the trunks, on the leaves. It was just everywhere. If you just slightly bumped a tree, it would just rain down this very fine ash.

"Fast forward two years later ... not a single shovel of ash has been removed."

The ash Starr talks about is coal ash, an ecological can that the state  and the whole country  has been kicking down the road for decades. In 2014, more than 30,000 tons (27,215 metric tons) of coal ash spilled into the Dan River near Eden, North Carolina in something the locals came to call "The Heartbreak on the Dan." Brian Williams, the Virginia program manager for the Dan River Basin Association  the 214-mile (344-kilometer) river that crosses the Virginia-North Carolina line eight times  was one of the first on the scene.

"The river ran gray for weeks after that," Williams says now. "People still ask me, 'Is it safe to go wading in the river?' ... I don't know. I can't say the same thing about it that I used to be able to."

Advertisement

What Is Coal Ash?

Coal ash is just what you'd figure it to be: what's left over from burning coal. Though coal consumption has dropped dramatically in recent years  it peaked in 2007, and the electric power sector used less coal in 2017 than in any year since 1983, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. But power plants throughout the nation still use a staggering amount of it. About 717 million tons (650 million metric tons) of it were consumed in 2017, most used to produce electricity. (About 30 percent of the nation's energy still comes from coal.) And, of course, millions and millions of tons of coal ash are left over from when the U.S. was more coal-dependent.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says that coal ash is one of the largest types of industrial waste produced in the United States. More than 130 million tons (117 million metric tons) of the stuff was generated in 2014 alone. Though there are some uses for the ash  to strengthen things like wallboard and concrete, mainly  most is discarded into dry landfills or wet ponds near the power plants where it was produced, as it has been for decades, and where it just sits.

Until, that is, something happens. A flooding river or lake nearby. A dam break. And then catastrophe.

"Almost every major river in the Southeast has at least one coal ash pond [nearby]," Rebecca Fry, the director of the Institute for Environmental Health Solutions at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, said in an email.

Rivers and streams near coal-burning plants are used to cool machinery and produce steam. But they also provide a way out for the ash if it's not disposed of properly. And the problem with coal ash getting loose in the environment is that it is, in a word, toxic. From Physicians for Social Responsibility:

"[C]oal ash typically contains heavy metals including arsenic, lead, mercury, cadmium, chromium and selenium, as well as aluminum, antimony, barium, beryllium, boron, chlorine, cobalt, manganese, molybdenum, nickel, thallium, vanadium, and zinc. If eaten, drunk or inhaled, these toxicants can cause cancer and nervous system impacts such as cognitive deficits, developmental delays and behavioral problems. They can also cause heart damage, lung disease, respiratory distress, kidney disease, reproductive problems, gastrointestinal illness, birth defects, and impaired bone growth in children."

The worst coal ash spill ever came in December 2008, when a dike at a storage site at the Tennessee Valley Authority's Kingston Fossil Fuel Power Plant burst, releasing 5.4 million cubic yards of wet ash into the surrounding land in Roane County, Tennessee. The sludge covered some 300 acres (121 hectares), befouling land and waters and prompting a years-long cleanup.

More than 30 workers charged with getting rid of the coal ash already have died, allegedly from long-term exposure to the toxins. At least 200 more are sick or dying. Lawsuits are pending.

North Carolina has had a few spills. After the Dan River disaster, rains from Hurricane Matthew in 2016 and Hurricane Florence in September 2018, caused coal ash to spill into other North Carolina rivers. Though Duke Energy, the state's largest utility, says the damage from the Hurricane Florence spill is minimal, a statement released Sept. 28, 2018, by the Upper Neuse Riverkeeper and Waterkeeper Alliance disputes that claim. An analysis by Pace Analytical not only found levels of arsenic nearly 18 times higher than the North Carolina standard for drinking water supply and fish consumption, but it also found elevated levels of lead and other heavy metals in the water.

"Are we going to see, 20 years from now, heavy metals in shellfish? Who knows? Probably. We just can't say right away," Williams says. "We can definitely say that concentrated heavy metals are not good in the environment."

" " Duke Energy's Sutton Power Plant was flooded during Hurricane Florence in September 2018, triggering massive coal ash spills into the local waterways. Jo-Anne McArthur, Upper Neuse Riverkeeper

Advertisement

What Can Be Done?

This is not a problem limited to the Southeast. According to the EPA, coal ash disposal (ash is also known as "coal combustion residuals," or CCR) "currently occurs at more than 310 active on-site landfills, averaging more than 120 acres (48 hectares) in size with an average depth of over 40 feet (12 meters), and at more than 735 active on-site surface impoundments, averaging more than 50 acres (20 hectares) in size with an average depth of 20 feet (6 meters)."

Those are active sites. There are as many as 1,100 coal ash disposal sites around the country.

Some of the ash is stored in pits where it is mixed with water, which helps to keep the dusty ash settled. Some is stored dry. Some of these sites are covered. Some of the pits are lined. Environmentalists note that, even when sites aren't flooded or retaining walls aren't compromised, the minerals in the ash still can seep into water tables to infect drinking water.

"We know everything's not OK. Just sweeping this under the rug is not cutting it," Williams says. "What's going to fix this is good ideas and admitting, 'Yeah, this is a problem and we've got to figure out a solution."

Utilities, fearful of the huge costs associated with cleaning up these sites, favor sealing off the landfills and the ponds that hold coal ash. Groups like EcoWatch are leery of that solution. "To stop legacy pollution from these sites," says the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, "coal ash must be removed from old, leaking impoundments and moved to dry, lined storage away from rivers and other waterways."

Starr agrees. "This isn't without a fix. The fix is to excavate all of the coal ash. Once you remove all the coal ash ... the threat is removed. Excavating the coal ash, putting it away from our water resources and putting it into a lined landfill  your kitchen garbage has more strict restrictions on it  that's what you have to do. The fix is to remove it."

A rule dictating stricter federal standards for coal ash disposal, passed in 2015 under the Obama administration, was eased earlier in 2018 by the Trump administration. But a U.S. Court of Appeals decision in August 2018, not only threatens to gut the Trump rollbacks but calls on the EPA to pass even tougher rules than called for during the Obama era.

Disposal of all the coal residue is going to take years and years to pull off, all while plants across the country continue to produce it. That means coal ash will be a problem  for everybody  for the foreseeable future.

"It's not about the coal. It's about the water," says Tiffany Haworth, the executive director of the Dan River Basin Association. "We can't do much about coal that was burned 50 years ago. We just have to suck it up and do the best we can with that. The bottom line is protection of the waterways that are essential to life."

NOW THAT'S INTERESTING According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, burning a pound of coal produces enough energy to light 10 100-watt bulbs ... for about an hour.
" " Aerial view of submerged cars and bicycles in a flooded street July 21, 2021, in Zhengzhou, Henan Province of China. The heavy rain across Henan Province began on July 16, with Zhengzhou being one of the hardest-hit areas. Visual China Group via Getty Images

They don't call them "flash" floods for nothing. On July 20, 2021, panicked subway riders in the Chinese city of Zhengzhou pleaded for help as flood waters filled up their subway cars, trapping them inside. Many commuters were swamped up to their necks as they sent texts and cellphone videos out.

At least 12 commuters died and five were injured, according to the BBC. In another rescue operation in Henan province, about 500 people were rescued from subway tunnels filled with floodwaters. The flash floods occurred after days of torrential rains in China caused several dams and reservoirs to breach, requiring more than 200,000 emergency rescues.

Advertisement

Flash Floods and Speed

Flash flooding problems like this are hardly limited to China. At the same time flash floods were occurring in China, major flooding was also happening in Western Europe, Colorado and Arizona. Every year, flooding in general is responsible for more deaths around the world than any other type of natural disaster. But flash floods are particularly dangerous because of their signature trait: speed.

The U.S. National Weather Service defines a flash flood as "a rapid and extreme flow of high water into a normally dry area, or a rapid water level rise in a stream or creek above the predetermined flood level." (That's the point at which the water spills out over the banks and covers dry terrain.) While certain types of flood can take days to unfold, the NWS notes that most flash floods break out in the span of six hours or less.

Dam failures and ice jams can both generate flash floods. However, these are usually the result of heavy rainfall that's sustained over a long period and doesn't get absorbed into the soil. Floods are common during China's rainy season, but they have been getting worse, and scientists blame that on climate change and urbanization, according to ABC News.

Advertisement

The Soil's Job

Soaking up water is one of the main services provided by soil. Rainwater that doesn't get absorbed into the ground and instead flows over it is called "runoff." Let's say your hometown gets a sudden downpour. If the soil is already oversaturated with water when the rain starts falling, it won't be able to soak up much more of the liquid. As a result, there could be an awful lot of runoff  and that greatly increases the odds of a flash flood breaking out.

Yet if the soil is too dry, that can also be a problem. Dry dirt tends to be compact, which limits its ability to absorb water, as well. Another point worth mentioning is the fact that not all substrates are created equal: Loose, sand-based dirt has a much easier time soaking up rainwater than clay-heavy soils do. And then there's the added problem of urbanization. Manmade surfaces like concrete and asphalt are (for the most part) quite bad at absorbing even small amounts of rainwater.

With this information in mind, let's review the Zhengzhou incident, which killed at least 25 people and displaced hundreds of thousands of others. The city received more than its annual average rainfall in just four days  and nearly 24 inches (624 millimeters) in just one hour on July 20, according to the World Meteorological Organization. An abundance of roads and waterlogged soil led to significant runoff, which turned streets into rivers that poured into the region's tunnels and subways.

Advertisement

Monitoring and Prevention

Alright, so what can be done about flash floods like these? Some communities utilize artificial ponds that capture runoff before it hits populated areas. Officials in Southern China (home of Zhengzhou) have spent decades rethinking flooding management, particularly how to manage the Yangtze River, China's longest. The focus since 1998 has been on nature-based solutions, including planting billions of trees and restoration of floodplains along the Yangtze.

But perhaps more drastic action is needed: one that includes planning for a new normal of rain and floods because climate change will make flash floods like these more common in the future.

Now That's Deceiving Driving in floodwater is a terrible idea. The Centers for Disease Control says that more than 50 percent of all flood-related deaths involve drivers attempting to pass through moving water. Cars can get swept away by as little as 12 inches (30 centimeters) of flowing floodwater  and it only takes half as much to knock a pedestrian off his or her feet.

Advertisement

Originally Published: Jun 14, 2018
Minister of State for External Affairs and Culture (MoS), Meenakshi Lekhi and Uzbek Foreign Minister Abdulaziz Kamilov.

New Delhi [India], September 26 (ANI): India and Uzbekistan discussed the importance of maintaining close and regular consultations on the evolving situation in Afghanistan and the need to ensure that the territory of the country is not allowed to be used for any terror activities.

The discussion took place during the meeting between the Minister of State for External Affairs and Culture (MoS), Meenakshi Lekhi and Uzbek Foreign Minister Abdulaziz Kamilov.

Lekhi visited Uzbekistan from 23-26 September 2021. This was her first official visit to any Central Asian country after assuming charge.

Lekhi met with Kamilov during which they touched upon important areas of bilateral, regional and multilateral cooperation, according to a statement by the Ministry of External Affairs.

She emphasised on expeditious implementation of development projects in Uzbekistan under the USD 1 billion Line of Credit.

Both sides also agreed for concluding their ongoing negotiations at the earliest for the proposed Bilateral Investment Agreement.

"The discussions dwelt upon the importance of maintaining close and regular consultations on the evolving situation in Afghanistan and the need to ensure that the territory of Afghanistan is not allowed to be used for any terror activities. MoS conveyed India's full support to the current Uzbek Presidency of the SCO," the MEA's statement read.

During the visit, Lekhi also met with the Culture Minister of Uzbekistan Ozodbek Nazarbekov.

They had a productive discussion on further intensifying cooperation in different spheres of culture given the deep cultural and civilisational connection between India and Uzbekistan.

These included cooperation in the field of archives, films, preservation of Buddhist sites, creation of 'India Study Rooms' in different Universities of Uzbekistan, translation of literary works,

The Cultural Exchange Programme for the period 2021-25 was signed during the visit. A 50-member strong Indian delegation comprising film personalities of India will be participating in the Tashkent Film Festival next week.

Lekhi had a number of speaking engagements during her visit.

"These included a lecture on 'India's democratic traditions' at the Tashkent State University of Law and an address on 'India-Uzbekistan relations- Strengthening Strategic Partnership' at the Bukhara State University as part of " Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav'. She met distinguished indologists from the Tashkent State Institute of Oriental Studies and other institutions and discussed ways to further promote India studies and philosophy in Uzbekistan," the statement read. (ANI)
The fogging measures being undertaken (Photo/ANI)

Kalaburagi (Karnataka) [India], September 27 (ANI): Karnataka's Kalaburagi City Corporation has initiated a mass fogging drive to combat the increasing dengue cases in the city, said corporation officials on Sunday.

Speaking to ANI, the Kalaburagi City Corporation's Commissioner, Snehal S Lokhande said, "The corporation has been continuously undertaking fogging measures since the onset of Monsoon. However, with the increasing Dengue cases due to rainfall, we have decided to conduct a mass fogging drive in a phased manner throughout the city".

Lokhande said that the fogging drive would cover every area of the city, irrespective of the locality.

Urging the people to stay cautious, the City Corporation's Commissioner asked the masses to cooperate with the measures undertaken by the Kalaburagi City Corporation and the health department to control the Dengue, Chikungunya and other related diseases. (ANI)
Representative Image

Kabul [Afghanistan], September 27 (ANI): The Taliban have banned hairdressers in Afghanistan's Helmand province from shaving or trimming beards, a media report said.

"The Taliban have banned stylish hairstyles and shaving beards in Helmand province in southern Afghanistan," The The Frontier Post reported citing the Taliban's letter.

The publication further stated that officials from the Ministry of Islamic Orientation, at a meeting with representatives of men's hairdressing salons in the provincial capital, Lashkar Gah, advised against styling hair and shaving beards.

The order, distributed on social networks, also contains a request not to play music or hymns on the premises of hairdressing salons, The Frontier Post reported.

Meanwhile, the Taliban is re-imposing repressive laws and retrograde policies. They are imposing laws that defined its 1996-2001 rule when they enforced their version of Islamic Sharia law.

Amid reports of large-scale human rights violations by the Taliban in Afghanistan, the outfit earlier had put on public display the bodies of four people who were killed after they allegedly carried out a kidnapping in the western city of Herat.

It is been over a month since the Taliban captured Kabul after an aggressive and rapid advance against Afghanistan government forces amid the withdrawal of US and NATO troops from the country.

The country plunged into crisis last month after Kabul fell to the Taliban and the democratically elected government of former president Ashraf Ghani collapsed. (ANI)
Newly elected chairman of Taiwan's Kuomintang Eric Chu. (Photo Credit - Reuters)

Beijing [China], September 27 (ANI): Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday sent a congratulatory letter to the newly elected chairman of Taiwan's Kuomintang Eric Chu, expressing hopes that the two parties will work together to maintain peace across the Taiwan Straits and strive for national reunification.

Chu replied on Sunday that people on both sides of the Straits are descendants of common ancestry. He hoped the parties will enhance mutual trust, integration and exchanges based on the 1992 Consensus and on opposition to "Taiwan independence", and move forward the peaceful development of relations for the benefit of the people as well as the peace and stability across the Straits, reported China Daily.

The "1992 Consensus" refers to what's described as a confirmation between Kuomintang and China that the two sides belong to one China. Kuomintang was in power at that time.

Xi noted that the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the KMT have interacted positively in the past based on the 1992 Consensus, which endorses the "one-China principle" and opposes "Taiwan independence", promoting the peaceful development of cross-Straits relations and benefiting people on both sides of the Straits.

Xi's message is seen as an attempt to draw the Kuomintang closer to China, as Taiwan under the Democratic Progressive Party administration has been deepening ties with Washington.

Chu, who badly lost the 2016 presidential election to current President Tsai Ing-wen blamed Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) for tensions with Beijing after pursuing anti-China policies.

China refuses to talk to Tsai, calling her a separatist. She says Taiwan is already an independent country called the Republic of China, the island's formal name, and that only Taiwan's people have the right to decide their own future.

On Saturday, the Kuomintang (KMT), the main opposition party to the Democratic Progressive Party, elected former chairman Eric Chu as its leader, and Chu pledged to rebuild an exchange platform across the Straits.

Chu, 60, a former mayor of New Taipei City, beat his rivals including KMT incumbent Johnny Chiang and two other contenders with 85,164 votes, or 46 per cent of the ballots.

China claims Taiwan as its own territory and has stepped up military and political pressure to force the democratically ruled island to accept Chinese sovereignty, even though most Taiwanese have shown no interest in being governed by Beijing. (ANI)
Home > News > Announcing Our Newest Deans in Academic Affairs

Announcing Our Newest Deans in Academic Affairs

Simons Rock has announced the appointment of several new deans to help guide the future of academic affairs and student support services at the institution.

Dr. Kristy McMorris has been named the new Dean of Studies and Brendan Mathews has been selected as the new Dean of Faculty & Curricular Development. Additionally, Dr. John Morrell has been named the new Associate Dean for Bard Academy and First Year Students, and Dr. Ken Knox has become the new Associate Dean of Studies for the Sophomore Year and the Upper College.

We are pleased to announce the appointments of Kristy, Brendan, John, and Ken to these four new roles. Each of them are impressive scholars and key members of the Simons Rock community who bring a wealth of experience in supporting the many aspects of our academic programs, our students, and our faculty, noted Provost and Vice President John B. Weinstein. Moreover, the addition of these new roles will bolster our unique academic program with a focus on supporting and guiding both faculty and students at every stage of their Simons Rock journey.

In her new role, Dr. Kristy McMorris will provide leadership and administrative oversight of students academic experience at both Bard Academy and Bard College at Simons Rock. Most recently the Dean of Bard Academy, Kristy has been an early college educator for nearly a decade, and began her work as a member of the faculty in Literature at Bard High School Early College in Queens, New York. She was the founding director of the Bard Early College at Harlem Children's Zone Promise Academy and was Bard Fellow at Bard College at Simon's Rock from 2016 to 2018. Kristy is also an associate for the Bard Institute for Writing and Thinking. She holds a PhD and an MA from New York University and a BA from Howard University.
Slate has relationships with various online retailers. If you buy something through our links, Slate may earn an affiliate commission. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change. All prices were up to date at the time of publication.

Jonathan Franzen novels dont come along often, but they always arrive encrusted in a lot of paraliterary baggage fomented on social media. With all due respect to the proponents of peeved Franzen discourse (which in my opinion is not a lot of respect), Im just going to skip the long tedious prologue many reviewers seem to find obligatory, addressing Franzens persona, his publishers publicity campaigns, how he doesnt get the internet, and etc. Do you really need to read any more of that? I didnt think so.

Advertisement

Franzens superb latest, Crossroadsthe first volume in a trilogy friskily titled A Key to All Mythologies, after the tome the desiccated scholar Mr. Casaubon labors over in Middlemarchmostly takes place in the last months of 1971, with each chapter told from the point of view of one of five members of the Hildebrandt family. (The inner life of the sixth and youngest member, Judsonborn at about the same time as Franzen himselfremains unknown to the reader.) Everything about the Hildebrandts is middle-ish. They are unprosperous members of the white middle class living in a suburb of Chicago, where Russ Hildebrandt is an associate minister at the First Reformed Presbyterian Church. Beneath that bland surface, however, roil passions, antipathies, rivalries, and hatreds. For example, Russ, who takes the first chapter, has lost interest in Marion, his wife; lusts after a pretty widow; and detests the man who now controls Crossroads, the youth group that Russ founded.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Crossroads is exactly the sort of mildly groovy, earnest name a Protestant youth group would have had in 1971, but it also refers to the title of a song by the legendary early-20th-century bluesman Robert Johnson. The lyrics describe Johnson falling to his knees, pleading with God for mercy, but he was also rumored to have sold his soul to the devil at the crossroads in exchange for becoming a master guitarist. Each of the Hildebrandts is presented with a dark bargain of some kind in the course of the novel. Each of them struggles to be good as he or she understands it, and some of them believe in God. Crossroads is a novel that takes the religious beliefs of its characters seriously, without ever forgetting how easily faith can twist itself into absurdity.

Advertisement

Sign up for the Slate Culture Newsletter The best of movies, TV, books, music, and more, delivered to your inbox. 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.

The social change convulsing America in 1971 only lightly shapes the crises that beset the Hildebrandts. Unlike Franzens previous two novels, 2010s Freedom and 2015s Purity, Crossroads is light on curmudgeonly social commentary. (Readers who prefer his breakout 2001 novel, The Corrections, will surely welcome this.) For Russ, who organizes volunteer work in the inner city and at a Navajo reservation, the 70s bring a humiliating shift in identity. Not so long ago, while living in New York City, he and Marion were the It couple, into whose married-student apartment other young seminarians crowded three or four nights a week to smoke their cigarettes, listen to jazz, and inspire one another with visions of modern Christianitys renaissance in social action. But the younger minister who usurped him as the leader of Crossroads takes a more psychological and streetwise approach, focusing the youth group on heartfelt confessions and discussions of intragroup relationships, an intimation of the Me Decade to come.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

As with the best of Franzens fiction, the characters in Crossroads are held up to the light like complexly cut gems and turned to reveal facet after facet. Russ, whose squirming attempts at adultery encourage the readers contempt, approaches his relief work with a countervailing maturity. What Russ most liked about Theo, the Black pastor whose congregation he aids, was his reticence, which spared Russ from the vanity of imagining that the two of them could be interracial buddies. On the other hand, that humility also comes tangled up in narcissistic self-loathing. Listening to Johnsons Cross Road Blues, Russ tells himself he is an outsider, a latter-day parasitea fraud. It came to him that all white people were frauds, a race of parasitic wraith-people, and none more so than he. At times, the lust he feels for his comely parishioner seems like a pretext to punish himself as a perverse validation of his faith. The sense of rightness at the bottom of his worst days, Russ thinks, the feeling of homecoming in his humiliations, was how he knew that God existed.

Advertisement

Although they dont realize it, Russ and Marionthe novels most magnificently realized charactershare this attraction to Christianitys masochistic side. They met in Arizona. He was working for the Navajo and she was going through an ecstatic Catholic stage following a catastrophe shes only partially confessed to Russ, an affair and a breakdown and a transaction with a person she firmly believes to have been Satan. The affair, with a married salesman at the Los Angeles car dealership where Marion worked, haunts her. It was both the best and worst time of her life, and it is the emotional epicenter of the novel. Crossroads feels purged of showy writing and stylistic set pieces, but the long flashback recounting this interlude feels bleached with the merciless glare and punishing downpours of winter afternoons on treeless Southern California boulevards. The way Franzen conveys this atmosphere without calling attention to how well hes conveying it is in tune with the deferential spirit of the novel.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

The characters in Crossroads are held up to the light like complexly cut gems and turned to reveal facet after facet.

Of Russ and Marions three oldest children, Clem is the least vivid creation, a college student whose sexual awakening triggers an idealistic rejection of his draft deferral. Becky, the Hildebrandts only daughter and a virginal cheerleader, expertly navigates her high schools social hierarchy until a guitarist belonging to Crossroads catches her eye. He has a girlfriend, but it strikes Becky that going out with the musician would be a crowning confirmation of her status, and she sets about stealing him. Of all the Hildebrandts, Becky enjoys the most unsullied experience of religious feeling, a golden light that suffuses her the first time she gets stoned. Crossroads is sustained structurally by a web of oppositions like these. The suffering entangled with Russ and Marions versions of faith certainly seems unhealthy, but the complacent glow of Beckys revelation appears, by the end of the novel, to be leading her down a more perilous path.

Advertisement

All of the characters moral conundrums seem to converge in Perry, a 15-year-old genius who, when he first appears, savors his mastery of the fundamental economy of Crossroads: public display of emotion purchased overwhelming approval. To be affirmed and fondled by a roomful of peers, most of them older, many of them cute, was exceedingly pleasant. A dressing-down from Becky, however, inspires him to try to be good, a condition the very nature of which perplexes him. How is it possible, Perry wonders, for someone as clever as himself to do a good deed, when he is helpless not to calculate the ancillary selfish advantages accruing from his charitable act. Suppose that his mind works so quickly that, even as hes performing the act, hes fully aware of these advantages. Is his goodness not thereby fully compromised?

Advertisement

Advertisement

These were the preoccupations of Franzens late close friend David Foster Wallace, with whom Perry also shares a ravenous susceptibility to addiction. At a particularly farcical Christmas party, Perry even gets into a debate on the foundation of morality with a rabbi and a priest, and holds his own until the shrewd hostess, perceiving that the kid has been sneaking glasses of her potent glogg, kicks him out. But of all the mind-twisting problems that torment Perry, he never wonders if he is calculating because he is an addict or if he became an addict because he sees people as the means to an end. Clever as he may be, Perry, like all the Hildebrandts, remains oblivious to the most essential questions.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Like all the Hildebrandts, and like most human beings. The power of this enveloping novel, facilitated by neatly turned plot elementswill Russ win the widow? What will happen when Marion goes back to L.A.? Will Perry survive a spectacularly foolish attempt to buy a bag of peyote buttons on the Navajo reservation?finally resides in how uncannily real, how fully imagined these people feel. Its easy to despise Russ for his indifference to Marion and the matronly weight shes put on in bearing and raising his kids. After all, he despises himself for it, noting that Hating her looks was yet another of the jobs she quietly and capably took on for him, as brutal a line as Franzen has ever written. But as the couples full story emerges, it becomes clear that the real Marion, the one he married, has encased herself in something less material but far more deadening than adipose, a layer of Midwestern niceness that both stifles her and keeps her alive, even as it corrodes her marriage.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Real people are tricky puzzles, volatile blends of self-knowledge and blindness, full of inexhaustible surprises and contradictions. Literary characters seldom achieve a comparably unpredictable intricacy because they are, after all, artifacts made by equally blinkered human beings, and furthermore they are the means to an artistic end. Franzen hasnt always given his readers characters as persuasively flawed as the Hildebrandts. He hasnt always tried to. But in Crossroads, his satirical and didactic impulses largely in check, his touch gentled, Franzen has created characters of almost uncanny authenticity. Is there anything more a great novelist ought to do? I didnt think so.
Dear Prudence is online weekly to chat live with readers. Heres an edited transcript of this weeks chat.

Jenee Desmond-Harris: Happy Monday. It finally feels like fall where I amwhich makes me realize we only have a little bit more time for regular problems before we have to make room for holiday drama! Ask away 

Q. The worried wife next door: We recently received an anonymous letter in the mail that reads as follows:

Dear Neighbors,

Advertisement

Wanted to give you a heads up as you seem to be the only other white family on our block. I am working on getting the very loud Hispanic males at [street address of the house next to ours occupied by entirely renters] out or arrested. BEWARE! They are dangerous, loud, and likely trafficking drugs. Protect your family! You have been warned.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Anon

First things first, we are far from the only white family on the street. I also know the neighbors, unless there is someone else living there; Ive only seen an older Hispanic couple, two Black males, and a middle-aged Hispanic man and his daughter. The loudest thing about them is a pet bird, and while I occasionally smell weed smoke, its legal in our state and we also smoke occasionally, so I cant pass judgment there. I highly doubt there is drug trafficking going on from that house.

Advertisement

My husband thinks its a developer trying to use us to get the house because its in bad shape and can likely sell for close to $2 million. I think it could be something more nefarious and want to take the letter to the cops. However, I do recognize I have a blindspot due to my privilege as a white woman. My experience with police has been very negative from past instances of assault, and I do not necessarily feel they are the solution to all my problems. I also understand these experiences are nothing compared to the experiences of people of color with police. Despite this, I do realize that if something serious happens, the police would need to be involved and this letter could be evidence.

Advertisement

Advertisement

I am blinded by my worry that something bad is going to happen and that I could make things worse for my neighbors. Or is my husband right that there is an icky but inevitably harmlessif we dont react to itfinancial motivation behind the letter?

A: I have no idea whether the person who wrote the letter is a sincere racist busybody who for whatever reason hasnt been able to find their community on Nextdoor, or if they are an eager developer. But they did want to scare you, and it worked. I also have no idea what you mean by something more nefarious. I cant imagine what the police would be able to do if you brought the note to them. Also, even if its true (I dont think it is) that your neighbors are terrible people who are really up to no good, what is the threat to you? That youll hear them while theyre being loud? That people coming by to buy drugs will create extra traffic on the street? I cant convince myself to get worried here. Throw the note away and relax.

Advertisement

Advertisement

How to Get Advice From Prudie:

 Send questions for publication here. (Questions may be edited.)

Advertisement

 Join the live chat Mondays at noon. Submit your questions and comments here before or during the discussion.

Q. Out of sight, out of mind: I grew up on the West Coast but have been living on the East Coast since I finished college. Pre-COVID, I traveled back to the West Coast often to visit family, and of course made time to see my friends who still live there.

The issue is when my West Coast friends visit the city where I live now. When I learn a friend plans to visit my city, I tell them Id love to see them if they have time. If I get a response at all, its after theyve already left, saying, Im sorry I couldnt see you, my schedule was full. This just feels unfair to me when I make time during my brief visits home to see these longtime friends. It makes me think that I feel a friendship with these people more than they feel a friendship with me.

Advertisement

I obviously wont say anything to them, and it will not prevent me from enjoying seeing them when I visit my hometown again, but is it unreasonable to feel angry and forgotten? What else can I do to let them know that Id love to see them when theyre here, and hope they might like to see me too?

Advertisement

A: I would never call you unreasonable for feeling angry and forgotten, but I think there might be another way of looking at this. On the surface, youre making time for them when you visit their city, and theyre not making time for you when they visit your city. But when you take a more detailed look, are you sure these situations are always comparable? For instance, I can imagine that when your friends come to your city, theyre there for work, but when you visit your hometown, youre there for leisure. That makes a big difference when it comes to how much time there is to socialize. When they say My schedule was full, they might very well be describing days full of meetings sandwiched between meals with colleagues that truly dont include any unscheduled hours. If they do have a night free, they might really need it to decompress. Meanwhile, when you head West, youre staying with family, on vacation, just looking for things to do!

Advertisement

Advertisement

Then theres the issue of how practical getting together actually is. For example, being in New York means very little in terms of meeting up if the people you know are spread out across the boroughs and nobody who lives there wants to get on the train to come have dinner near your office and hotel in Midtown. On the other hand, at home on the West Coast, you probably have access to a car and relatively easy parking, which makes getting to a restaurant or wherever to meet up with friends a much less daunting task.

Advertisement

Advertisement

I say all that to say: Dont take it personally! But I do think you can make it more likely that youll be able to spend time with your friends when theyre in your city, if you make it clear that youre willing to go out of your way and work around their schedules. Try something like, Next time you come to town, let me know, even if youre too busy to get together. Or if you think youll have half an hour one day, Ill come meet you for coffee at the restaurant on the first floor of your office or we can go for a 20-minute walk and catch up.

Advertisement

Q. Wanting to be a team: My husband of nine years lost his job during the pandemic. This isnt the first time hes struggled to find a job; hes gone without full-time work for long stretches before. This time, its been over a year and I was fully on-board with him not working until he was fully vaxxed. That was April 22. Hes been looking, but hasnt applied for anything yet. He says nothing interests him, and that hes just going to have to get a job he hates. Every time I bring this up (no matter how gently), it turns into an argument.

Advertisement

Advertisement

I am able to support us pretty well, but we are now in our 40s. If either of us ever want to retire, we have to be saving more now. Ive been saving for close to 20 years and have a decent retirement fund, but I cant do this alone. I dont judge him, and I love him, but I think Ive made it too easy for him not to worry about finances. He says all I care about is money and storms off. This is clearly not true. I dont want a divorce. I want a partnership. I am still contributing to retirement, but at half what I was before the pandemic, and Im having to take money from savings each month just to cover our expenses. He knows this. Weve cut back on everything possible. We live in a small place that I purchased in my early 20s, so there is no selling and downsizing. I dont know another way to get across to him that I need his help and actually get it. Im not trying to make him feel badly; Im trying to make sure we have shelter and food when we are old. It makes me feel that Im not important. He wont have a constructive conversation with me about making a plan. I feel like Im drowning in worry and he feels attacked.

Advertisement

Advertisement

A: I always have to ask in these situations: Do you think he could be struggling with depression? Even if this behavior isnt brand new, theres the possibility that hes been dealing with mental health issues for some time and would get a new burst of energy for life with talk therapy and/or medication.

Advertisement

If thats not the issue, youll have to have an honest conversation with yourself about whether your desire to not be divorced is stronger than your desire to not be broke in your old age. Maybe youll look at the numbers and decide that you wouldnt be that much better off single than you would be with a husband who doesnt contribute, and you want his company. Or maybe youll decide that his refusal to work is a deal-breaker for you, either because its going to put you in a difficult place or because its frustrating to feel taken advantage of. This isnt unreasonable! After all, what is marriage if it doesnt involve someone taking your concerns about your ability to survive seriously? But the point is, if you want peace, you have to make a decision and act on it. You can either accept him the way he is and plan a life that involves you as the only breadwinner, or you can decide you cant live this way and file for divorce. What you dont want is to spend the rest of your life worried about money and resenting him.

Advertisement

Get Dear Prudence in Your Inbox 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.

Q. Vaccination station: I am getting married pretty soon. Everyone that can be vaccinated isexcept for my father, who believes in conspiracy theories and refuses to get jabbed. I know that I cannot and I do not want to force anyone into getting vaccinated. However, there are people who are immunocompromised, including my fiance and mother-in-law. I do not feel comfortable risking the health of these people simply because of his beliefs. We didnt start our relationship until a few years ago. Am I in the wrong for not inviting him?

Advertisement

A: No.

Q. At my wits end: I have a friend George who is gay and met a friend, Brian, in May/June. Brian left in August to study abroad in Rome. Before Brian left, they spent a lot of time together. They arent romantically involved but Brian already talked about them living together and said I love you, but when George said it to Brian, he added just as friends.

Advertisement

George has the tendency to be clingy and now I see he is becoming obsessed. I say this because if Brian (now in Rome) doesnt call or text him back, it is the end of the world, George is the worst person ever, he is losing this relationship, etc. I keep reminding him that he is in Rome and busy, but that isnt good enough. Hes constantly talking about Brian and not hanging out with his other friends.

Advertisement

Advertisement

How do I go about bringing up that Georges obsessed and clingy behavior will have him lose this relationship?

A: The next time George is acting like its the end of the world because Brian left him on read, ask if he wants your advice on the situation. If he says no, just go about your business and dont worry about it. If he says yes, say something like, I dont know all the details of your relationship but Im worried about how much time youre spending being upset over Brian. I also know how much you like him and I think giving him a hard time about not being in touch might push him away. I would hate that for you because I know how much you care about him. As a friend, I want to offer to help keep you distracted so you can enjoy your life while hes overseas. What do you think?

Advertisement

Advertisement

If hes receptive, greatyou can make plans for the two of you with other friends, gently urge him not to spend the whole time staring at his phone, and try to remind him of the non-Brian things that used to bring him joy. But if hes not, youll just have to watch him crash and burn. Remind yourself that, as hard as it can be for a friend to observe, sometimes people just need to go through what they need to go through. This might just be an important experience that teaches him a lesson about how not to interact withand turn his happiness over tohis crushes.

Introducing the How to Do It podcast

Your wildest sex advice questions are now being answered in your headphones. Listen to new episodes with Stoya and Rich every Sunday, with exclusive episodes for Slate Plus members on Mondays.

Advertisement

Q. Re: The worried wife next door: I think you misread what the writer was saying. I took it to mean she wants to talk to the cops because she thinks the people who wrote the letter might be a danger to the people living next door. Not that she believes the letter at all.

A: Youre so right, I did misread it! Thanks, and sorry about that. But Im still not sure what the police could do in response to this note.

Q. Re: Vaccination station: Being firm here might get him vaccinated. My cousin was very firm that no vax meant no seeing her baby. Our right-wing mediabrainwashed grandma actually broke down and got the vaccine because she wanted to see the baby (my dad took her). I fully believe my cousin being firm with our grandmother likely saved her life as shes elderly and very high-risk. Stay firm, social consequences may get him vaxxed.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

A: Thats encouraging. I was mostly thinking about protecting the other wedding guests, but if he ends up getting vaccinated, that would be an amazing bonus! It also just occurred to me that the wedding could encourage him to fake it. Letter writer: Watch out for fake vaccination cards!

Discuss this column on our Facebook page!

Classic Prudie

Q. Worried about my bedroom skills: I got out of a long-term relationship a few months ago, and am starting to get back on the dating scene. Not looking for anything serious at this point, just casually dating. My problem is that my ex, during an intimate moment and in a fit of frustration, once told me that I was only OK, not great in bed. Obviously, this was hurtful, and it made me feel very unattractive. I nearly broke up with him over it, but we talked it through, chose to stay together, and continued having regular sex. I didnt think about it much for the remainder of our relationship. Now that I am dating again, I cant stop thinking about it. Am I bad in bed? Am I enthusiastic enough? Too enthusiastic? I know my ex was a jerk for not finding a more tactful way to communicate his needs, but this is seriously messing with my confidence. How can I feel like Im a good lover? How do I get my exs voice out of my head?
How to Do It is Slates sex advice column. Have a question? Send it to Stoya and Rich here. Its anonymous!

Dear How to Do It,

I am a 44-year-old married man with a secret. Prior to the pandemic, I traveled extensively for workand I would take advantage of my evenings in other cities to become Tammy. Im a crossdresser. Over time, I became increasingly bold, and socializing during travel turned into flirting, which eventually led to experimentation and sexual activity with men while dressed.

Advertisement

I will add that I am deeply motivated by the attention and validation that I receive from men who are into this sort of thing. Im actually not into the sex but feel attractive, empowered, and alive when being courted or pursued by a guy. The sex is just part of the deal. As a man, I have been introverted and shy and never thought of myself as particularly attractive. As Tammy, I look good and feel fantastic, alive. You might be surprised at exactly how many men in completely vanilla settings will hit on an attractive crossdresser. I certainly was at first.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

So far, I have managed to compartmentalize this part of my life surprisingly well. Recently, however, I have been overcome by feelings of guilt and sadness. My wife is a wonderful, loving, attractive woman who does not deserve a lying, deceiving person like myself. I have tried many times to stop, and have managed to pause this activity for a while. The pandemic obviously put it on hold for a long time, but now that my routine is going back to normal, I recently had the opportunity to revisit Tammy and felt really bad afterward. I dont want to continue to lie and deceive my wife, yet Tammy is a big part of who I am. I have had gender dysphoria my entire life and chose not to transition. Instead, I managed it somewhat by escaping to Tammy on occasion. I must admit that I have had a lot of fun with this, but it also has made matters worse because I have become a dishonest, deceiving person with my loved ones, even when I am an otherwise sincere and transparent person in all my dealings. What do I do?

Advertisement

Truth or Tammy

Dear Truth or Tammy,

You wrote: I dont want to continue to lie and deceive my wife, yet Tammy is a big part of who I am. Well, guess what? These things are not mutually exclusive. You can tell your wife the truth and you can keep being Tammy. How your wife will react to the truth is another matter. She may, in fact, decide to stop being your wife. But you owe her the opportunity to make an informed decision. I dont feel that it would be much use to shame you and intentionally make you feel worse than you already do, but I also think you need to take a harder look at yourself and stop making excuses. You have been repeatedly dishonest over time. You may be sincere and transparent in all your other dealings, sure, but that is immaterial to your pattern of behavior. A chronic shoplifter is only in the stores he steals from for probably a fraction of his day. The time he spends not shoplifting makes him no less a thief.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

You didnt explain why you havent told your wife about Tammy. Perhaps this is a decision informed by past comments or general beliefs; perhaps you are simply assuming that shed have a negative reaction based on cultural norms. A more troubling scenario would be one in which the sneaking around is part of the fun or even offers an erotic thrill. Thatd be more difficult to untangle. But, look, the current situation is causing you considerable shame and distress. Your wife deserves better, you deserve better, and Tammy deserves better. She deserves to live in this world without having deception and cheating tainting her existence. The coming out process can be messy, and not everyone can bloom elegantly and flower-like into themselves; sometimes people get hurt along the way. I suspect that might be whats happening here, and I dont mean to excuse your lies but to put them into perspective and offer you hope of a healthier future. Consider seeing a therapist who specializes in gender issues. The World Professional Association for Transgender Health websites provider database may provide you with some needed assistance.

Advertisement

My Friends Are Suddenly Getting Naked Onlinebut Thats Not Even What Worries Me

On the new How to Do It podcast. Subscribe now!

Advertisement

Dear How to Do It,

Im a single trans man in his mid-20s. Ive been on testosterone for about five years. Before I transitioned I lived as an out lesbian (and a gold-star one at that) with a few female partners over the years. I was never interested in men, other than perhaps jealousy from wanting to BE one when I got closer to figuring out my gender identity. However, after I began testosterone and started living as a man, I started to have fleeting thoughts here and there about men. The kicker is that for years, even as a lesbian, I would primarily watch gay porn. Something about primal sex between two men always turned me on. I know there is literature online about lesbians watching gay porn, and Ive even seen some female-to-male forums discussing former lesbians, now trans men, developing an attraction to men.

Advertisement

Advertisement

About three or so years ago, I curiously ventured into the online gay hookup world and created a Grindr account. In that time, Ive probably spoken with over a hundred men, all online, and never met up with one. I get off on sharing intimate photos back and forth. Even better if they send me snippets of them jerking off. Pretty much half the time I masturbate nowadays, I download all the apps where I have communicated with men anonymously (Kik, Snapchat, Grindr) and for the entire time I am pleasuring myself, I sext with various men. While I am jerking off, the idea of hooking up with a man excites me to no end. I talk a big game with these men too. But, literally as soon as I cum, I delete everything from my phone and am disgusted by the prospect of being with a man. I am just so confused by myself. Sometimes I think Im bi, but the only time I want to be with a man is when Im horny. Never do I see a man in public and think of him as attractive in the same way I do a woman. When I look to the future, I also picture myself dating women and settling down with one. I guess all this comes down to the main question: Do you think I am shamefully suppressing an attraction to men, or something else is going on? What is your arm-chair take on my sexting carousel when masturbating? I know telling someone what you think their sexuality is may be a fine line to walk, but I just really am at a loss for this habit Ive developed.

Advertisement

Advertisement

 Confused

Dear Confused,

I think you are luxuriating in the liminal. One of my all-time favorite studies examined Craigslist cruising as a self-contained behavior, that is, an erotic event in itself regardless of whether actual sex resulted in these online interactions. The study found that self-identified heterosexual and bisexual respondents were more likely to find erotic the process of browsing sex ads on Craigslist, the posting of them, and the email exchanges than the gay men who answered. Though success rate of such exchanges (i.e. resulting sex) was measured in the survey, it was not the focus of the report. The authors Brandon Andrew Robinson and David A. Moskowitz surmised that in seeking to explore and experiment instead of enacting their desires offline, bisexual and heterosexual men seeking men might find internet cruising and emailing to be an erotic tool for sexual self-expression, satisfaction, and possible identity development outside of venues specifically designated for gay men. Additionally: The anonymity and accessibility of the internet allows these men to find pleasure in cruising for other men without having to reveal their own identity, without actualizing gay (i.e., physical sex with another man) behavior, and also without upsetting their potential partners or having sex outside of their relationship.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

So, the thrill of the act could arise from how near-yet-far it is to sexual contact with other men. Much has changed since the survey was conducted in 2008 (the paper wasnt published till 2013). Craigslist no longer allows sex ads, and geolocation apps like Grindr seem to be the primary means that men coordinate sex with men virtually. However, its not unreasonable to interpret your cruising as similar to that of the respondents, just with 13 years of technological process under your belt. Perhaps this is so erotic to you precisely because it is not actual sex with another man, nor does it ever have to be, precisely by your choosing. Or maybe this is a way of you exploring a side of yourself that is underdeveloped, as you suspect. Certainly, it is not at all uncommon to be repelled by your turn-ons in non-erotic contextsthe disgust response tends to diminish when we are engaged sexually. You seem to have a good grip on what youre into and feeling, which makes me doubt that youre repressing much here. I think youre just feeling things out, and your sexting with men could just be one of those it is what it is situations. No biggie!

Advertisement

Help us keep giving the advice you crave every week. Sign up for Slate Plus now.

Dear How to Do It,

Im 30-year-old woman who has never had sex. I suspect Im on the asexuality spectrum, since I do have crushes on men and women but Im not easily sexually attracted to them. On top of that, I deal with anxiety, which annoyingly flares up whenever I try to start dating. Recently, I tried to push past my anxieties and got on a dating app mostly because the lockdown made me feel super horny and crave human touch. However, once I started talking to someone that wanted to meet up in person, my anxiety got so bad I had to go on medication and stopped talking to the guy. I think part of the reason my brain freaks out at the thought of finally having physical intimacy is because Ive been putting it off for so long. I also think meeting people on dating apps isnt ideal for my mental health; I think I would do better meeting people in person and having things develop organically, but honestly in COVID times that seems hard to do. Help!

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Horny but Hesitant

Dear Horny but Hesitant,

Its hard to get over the humps we consciously avoid; over time, they can start to look more like mountains. But I have to wonder if there isnt something else going oncould your reaction have anything to do with past trauma that you didnt mention? Just something to keep an eye out for as you figure this out. You might do well to talk to or even consider dating other ace peoplethere are forums and apps that a Google search will turn up. It may be less intimidating to connect with people who know where youre coming from (or may be coming from). I agree that apps are not for everyonethey can be impersonal, foster casual cruelty, and they deny access to some crucial elements of attraction (like the way people carry themselves). The pandemic rages on, yes, but things are more open now. You need not peruse a meat market where people are packed in like cattle and breathing into each others mouths to find a potential matchtake up a group hobby or a sport or join a book club. Something to get you out and in front of people so that you can see their humanity and they can see yours.

Advertisement

Did you write this or another letter we answered? Tell us what happened at howtodoit@slate.com.

Dear How to Do It,

Im a woman in my mid-30s who grew up in a very conservative Christian community. This is pertinent because it may be the reason Im just not really that into sex, although when I left that community I spent a lot of time reading erotica and sex-positive material and getting in touch with my sexuality, such as it is. I dont think Im asexual, because I masturbate with a vibrator once a week or so and do enjoy sex from time to time. Ive only had three partners, all in long-term relationships, and have been married for eight years. My husband would like to have a lot more physical affection than we currently havenot just sex, but also fondling, cuddling, etc. I dont think my disinterest in sex is because of him, because hes a very attentive lover, and Ive never been all that into sex even with previous partners. Its so much work for not much payoff, in my experience! I just dont experience a lot of fulfillment or satisfaction from sex and rarely crave it, except in special moments like reuniting after a separation or other times of emotional closeness. I feel guilty because I know my husbands physical needs arent being met and its hard on him. I would fake it, but faking it feels wrong, because he wants the intimacy and emotional connection, and hes trying to kiss me and gaze into my eyes while Im mentally composing my grocery list. Should I talk to a sex therapist about this? Is it even something I can reasonably expect to improve on?

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

 Not Feeling It

Dear Not Feeling It,

There are absolutely ways to improve the erotic connection with a mate. Ian Kerners So Tell Me About the Last Time You Had Sex lays out several, including guidance for psychological stimulation. His rationale goes: There are two powerful pathways for creating arousalthe physical and the psychogenicand if youre only using one channel, then at best youre only using 50 percent of your capacity for arousal. The two categories of psychological stimulation he explores are face-to-face (things like sharing a fantasy or watching a partner masturbate) and side-by-side (reading erotica together or watching porn with a partner). Does any of this sound remotely appealing or even feasible? Its OK if the answer is no, it just makes everyones jobs a little more complicated.

Advertisement

The thing is, you have determined you are not asexual using uninformed criteria. It may seem counterintuitive, but asexual people masturbate and enjoy sex. Typically, what is considered to divide allosexuals from asexuals is desire or lust; the former have it, the latter dont. There are plenty of reasons for enjoying sex without said desire (for release, for example), but if you arent experiencing desire for other people (or, in the case of objectum sexuals, objects), you may be asexual. Reading Angela Chens Ace may open your eyes to your own experience, or it may help you clarify why you arent ace. Its worthwhile, either way. In any event, what do you want to do about your husband if you determine that sex will likely remain a rarity? Is it fair to ask him to go at your pace? Do you want to consider allowing him alternate outlets for his own desire? You will, in all likelihood, have to confront this issue. Better to get in front of it now than have it sneak up from behind later.

 Rich

More How to Do It

My husband and I have been married for more than 25 years and have had what I consider a great marriage overall. Couple of kids, couple of cats, house, etc. Nothing out of the ordinary. And that (nothing out of the ordinary) largely describes our sex life too. Its been kind and loving, but not particularly kinky. My husband has always been aware hes not particularly well endowedbut recently thats, uh changed.
Elon Musk and Grimes were a match made on Mars, but here on Earth, I guess that just wasnt enough: On Friday, Musk confirmed to Page Six that their relationship has gone bustor, rather, that the two are semi-separated, whatever that means. This is sad for the reasons its sad when anyone breaks up, but its also sad specifically because the Musk and Grimes pairing was one of the most consistently entertaining and bizarre news stories of the past few years. As their relationship played out against the backdrop of a chaotic Trump administration and then a pandemic, it was nice to have the occasional distraction they provided. Think of all they gave us in the three short years they were together: That very first red-carpet appearance at the Met Ball. The time rapper Azealia Banks was (allegedly) trapped in their home. A son named X  A-12. So many strange tweets. As a tribute to Grusk, lets revisit their greatest hits.

The origin story

Legend has it that Musk and Grimes met on Twitter when Musk slithered into Grimes DMs to bond over an extremely nerdy pun about artificial intelligence shed once made. This was in 2018, and the two began dating soon after. Page Six broke the news then, too, and in no time they were being photographed together at the Met Ball. As strange as the idea of the two of them was, the sight was even stranger: He looked like a comic book villain at a black-tie wedding and she looked like a vampire at prom.

break up with elon NOW

As is appropriate for a couple who met via Twitter, that platform is also where some of the most memorable moments of Musk and Grimes relationship played out. Her fans noticed that, upon embarking on her relationship with Musk, she updated her bio to remove the word anti-imperialist from it, a prelude to the many times she would spar with fans over Musks business dealings and just how sinister they actually were. He never stopped his workers from unionizing, she tweeted soon after they started dating, and sure, he had donated to Republicans, but that was the price of doing business in the U.S. In the ultimate lovey-dovey display, at one point, Musk and Grimes had matching anime profile pictures.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

grimes and elon musk broke up.. lets never forget these iconic pfps pic.twitter.com/5tRl7601VP   (@ilovekakashi69) September 24, 2021

They both had a tendency to reply seemingly randomly to their followers, which sometimes got them in trouble and other times resulted in accidental poetry, such as when one Twitter user wrote to Grimes, break up with elon NOW, and she responded, simply, no.

Advertisement

break up with elon NOW  spooky pelada de Ipanema (@sinofag) July 22, 2018

no  Miss Information  (@Grimezsz) July 22, 2018

That confusing cameo from Azealia Banks

It was during these heady first months of their relationship that rapper Azealia Banks made a memorable appearance in their story. In August 2018, Grimes reportedly invited Banks to stay at Musks estate, where the two were going to work on music together, but Banks claimedvia a wild series of posts on Instagram Stories, a form she helped pioneerthat instead, she ended up trapped there a la Get Out while Grimes was busy comforting Musk as he dealt with the fallout from one of his ill-advised tweets. Musk and Grimes have disputed this account, but since the breakup was announced, Banks has been taking a victory lap, writing in (of course) an Instagram Story, Ok girl, can we finally make those darn songs now that apartheid Clyde is out of the way? We were really supposed to eat these bitches up.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Grimes later told the Wall Street Journal of these early days that she was simply unprepared for the level of attention their relationship received. I just thought I could keep going along in my funny little way, and then you casually respond to someone in a tweet and its on Fox News, and youre like, Ugh, you know?

Its a seminal film

At points, the couple seemed to get the hang of having a relationship in public. There were a few instances when they delighted their fans and amused the rest of us with their exchanges on Twitter and no one got sued that we know of, such as the time in 2019 when he asked whether the movie Space Jam was good and she replied:

Advertisement

Is Space Jam good?  Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 13, 2019

Its a seminal film  Miss Information  (@Grimezsz) October 13, 2019

X  A-Xii

In January 2020, Grimes revealed to the world that she was pregnant with a photo shoot where she was styled like an alien, which was not unusual for her, but an alien with a baby bump, which was new.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Elon tweeted in his erratic way throughout the pregnancy, leading to the classic tweet a few weeks before the baby was born that read, My gf @Grimezsz is mad at me.

My gf @Grimezsz is mad at me  Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 1, 2020

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Not long after, their baby was born, and they revealed his name, if you can call it a name, to the world. (Originally X  A-12, the name was slightly altered a few weeks later to X  A-Xii to comply with California law.) True to form, the name reveal didnt come in an official announcement but in Musks replies to random Twitter users. That day, Musk also posted a photo of the newborn edited to look like he had face tattoos. Typical new dad stuff! When Grimes tweeted an explanation of the babys name several hours later, Musk replied with a small correction.

X, the unknown variable 

, my elven spelling of Ai (love &/or Artificial intelligence)

A-12 = precursor to SR-17 (our favorite aircraft). No weapons, no defenses, just speed. Great in battle, but non-violent 

+

(A=Archangel, my favorite song)

( metal rat)  Miss Information  (@Grimezsz) May 6, 2020

Advertisement

Advertisement

SR-71, but yes  Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 6, 2020

The beginning of the end

Musk continued to cause drama on Twitter after the babys birth, notably when, less than two weeks after little X arrived, he posted to his followers, Take the red pill. Grimes mother stepped in that time and responded to the tweet, If your partner went through a challenging pregnancy and childbirth in the last two weeks, and you were over 16 years old, would you be blaring MRA bullshit on Twitter right now? She deleted it, but before she did, her daughter liked the tweet.

I love you but please turn off ur phone

In late July 2020, Musk tweeted, Pronouns suck, a statement many interpreted to be transphobic. Before long, Grimes replied to the tweet, I love you but please turn off ur phone or give me a dall [sic]. I cannot support hate. Please stop this. I know this isnt your heart.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Seeing this awkward scene play out in public was somewhat uncanny. Here was one of the richest men in the world tweeting like a teenage boy, and his alt-pop star girlfriend, who gave birth to his baby two months before, asking him to stop in public. She had defended his behavior in the past, but she seemedI say speculativelyto be at a breaking point.

Goodbye to Grusk

Their relationship still lasted another year and change. They were mostly quiet publicly for the rest of it. One exception came in May 2021, when Musk hosted Saturday Night Live and Grimes appeared in a sketch with him, playing Super Mario character Princess Peach to his Wario.

Advertisement

As recently as the summer, they continued to reply to each others jokes and musings about death on Twitter.

Advertisement

Canada

USA

Mexico  Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 4, 2021

Cant believe they came up w NAFTA just to escape this acronym  Miss Information  (@Grimezsz) June 4, 2021

Advertisement

I will welcome death when it comes  Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 13, 2021

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

I dont! Plz make me a cyborg body   Miss Information  (@Grimezsz) August 13, 2021

Advertisement

I particularly liked when Musk tweeted, Free Britney, and Grimes replied, Thank u. Finally, they agreed on something! But it must have been too little, too late.

Free Britney  Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 5, 2021

Advertisement

Thank u  Miss Information  (@Grimezsz) July 5, 2021

Advertisement

Their last interaction appeared to be when Grimes responded to a photo of a SpaceX launch in mid-August.

Advertisement

Blue Origin: Launch from a spaceport that does not exist



SpaceX: pic.twitter.com/WYfCQc2srF  Everything SpaceX (@spacex360) August 13, 2021

Advertisement

Advertisement

  Miss Information  (@Grimezsz) August 13, 2021

As much as Im going to miss these two knuckleheads, Im fairly confident Musk will continue to misbehave on Twitter, in ways both entertaining and legitimately destructive, and Im happy for Grimes that she no longer has to expend energy defending him. Maybe she can add anti-imperialist back into her bio now. Or better yet, get off Twitter completely.
On May 10, 2011, then President Barack Obama gave a speech in El Paso, Texas on immigration. Using the border as a prop, Obama made the case for immigration reform as both a human rights and economic imperative. His hope was to convince people to pressure their representatives to help push for comprehensive reform. After all, his administration had gone above and beyond what was requested by the very Republicans who said they supported broader reform as long as we got serious about enforcement, and yet they were still at an impasse. At that speech Obama praised his administrations efforts at beefing up security at the border by doubling the size of the Customs and Border Patrol in his tenure, and got a rise from the audience by praising the agents he saw on horseback who looked pretty tough.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

I couldnt help but think of this speech after seeing photos last week of whip-wielding Border Patrol officers threatening Haitian migrants who were trying to enter the U.S. to apply for asylum. My mind went back to the Obama event not only because Obamas mention of CBP agents on horseback demonstrated that anyone in President Bidens administration claiming surprise at the images was at best being obtuse, but also because the speech is an example of how Democrats have consistently let Republicans set the parameters of immigration agenda such that any hope for change is dead on arrival.

Presidents Biden, Obama, and Clinton all conceded the Republican position that immigration is a problem and that therefore a precondition for reform is border security. What the country needs to be secure from exactly has never been particularly clear. However, the abstract threat created by immigration has justified the very real expansion of laws and policies that expose immigrants to inhumane treatment and endanger their lives. These have included the expansion of the categories of crimes with immigration consequences, an ever-growing budget for the Department of Homeland Security used in part to deepen the militarization the Southern border year after year, the growth of immigration detention, the continued surveillance of immigrant communities, and the relaxation of procedural protections for immigrants being prosecuted in federal court for the crimes of illegal entry or re-entry. Moreover, these measures have created the institutional backdrop and support that gives agents of the state tremendous discretion in the use of force against migrants, as we saw at the border last week with the mounted patrol. (The Biden administration has since banned the use of horse-mounted agents, though specifically in Del Rio, Texas.)

Advertisement

Advertisement

Evidently, this system of crimmigrationas scholars have labeled itis not the creation of Democratic administrations alone. However, it is impossible to overstate the responsibility that Democratic administrations have had in perpetuating the institutions, laws, and policies that undergird the criminalization of immigration and immigrant communities.

Advertisement

By accepting that immigration is a problem, Democrats put themselves in the difficult position of justifying greater security at the border, while at the same time supporting a more open country when it comes legal immigration. One need not be a nativist to argue that if immigration is a problem then why is it necessary to change the laws such that we have more immigration? If immigration is a problem, then all we need to do is close the border. This argument becomes even more forceful in a world in which the Republican party is controlled by nativists and the politics of fear.

Advertisement

Moreover, framing immigration as a problem justifies the need for having punitive deterrence measuressuch as the mounted agents with whipsas a cornerstone of immigration policy. While the Biden administration has not pursued deterrence with the vengeance Trump did, it has embraced many elements of his predecessors policies. In contravention of international law it has prevented people from seeking asylum by keeping the U.S. border effectively closed through Title 42; deported Haitians, Salvadorans, and Nicaraguans to the middle of the Guatemalan jungle; and continued to issue official statements telling people not to come to the United States. Moreover, the administration has done little to curb the Border Patrols violence, leading to the images the world saw last week. (Its worth noting that much like other types of law enforcement agencies, the Border Patrol is also insulated from judicial accountability for much of its wrongdoing).

Advertisement

Advertisement

Using force, violence, and repression to control immigration is not only inhumane, but also risks reifying the notion that immigrants are criminal. As I have argued elsewhere, both the criminalization of illegal entry, with the high visibility of prosecution and persecution of this crime, and the continued rhetoric and harsh enforcement of immigration laws foment the creation of the crimmigrant.

Advertisement

Its true that the politics of immigration have long been complicated. Even President George W. Bush was famously unable to pass immigration reform through Congress. But with the rise of nativism in the Republican party and the embrace of such previously fringe white supremacist concepts as great replacement theory, the politics of immigration reform are now much more perilous than they were in the 2000s. As Spencer Ackerman has forcefully argued, immigration became the galvanizing issue for the right in the aftermath of 9/11 and the rise of nativism as the dominant force in the Republican party. Its been proven time and again, though, that the way out of this impasse is not to concede and hope Republicans accept an olive branch. If we learned anything from the Obama era is that this approach is not going to work.

The only way that actual reform will be possible is to abandon the longstanding framework the Democrats have used to understand immigration. Immigration is not both a problem and a boon, it is just a boon. It is time more people in power have the courage to embrace and promote that view.
Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley was first elected to political office in 1958, midway through the second term of President Dwight Eisenhower. I learned this fact earlier this year and have thought about it every day since. At 88, he is the oldest Republican senator, and second-oldest overall by a few months (to California Sen. Dianne Feinstein), in the oldest Senate in American history. He will turn 89 shortly before the 2022 midterms, in which, as he announced on Friday morning, he will seek reelection yet again. If he wins, which he probably will, his six-year term will end when he is 95.

Advertisement

Grassley announced his intention to run at 4 a.m. Iowa time with a .GIF of him jogging, as he does each morning following his sharp 8 p.m. bedtime. (Lobbyists, and not always the ones most on the up-and-up, used to intercept Grassley on his morning jogs and then join him and his wife for breakfast. Simpler times.)

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Its 4 a.m. in Iowa so Im running. I do that 6 days a week. Before I start the day I want you to know what Barbara and I have decided.



Im running for re-electiona lot more to do, for Iowa. We ask and will work for your support. Will you join us? #GrassleyRuns #GrassleyWorks pic.twitter.com/cwv8yu9wkx  Grassley Works (@GrassleyWorks) September 24, 2021

Advertisement

In many occupations, an 88-year-old thinking about re-upping a contract through 2028 might get pulled aside by his close confidantes for an uncomfortable conversation. That is not the case in the Senate. The National Republican Senatorial Committee and its chairman, Florida Sen. Rick Scott, have been urging Grassley to run all year. Mitch McConnell pushed Grassley to run.

To understand whyaside from them enjoying Grassleys companylets take a brief tour of whats going on in a couple of other Senate races where Republicans have announced their retirement.

Advertisement

In Missouri, where Sen. Roy Blunt wont seek reelection, the crowded GOP primary features a disgraced ex-governor who on Friday encouraged Arizona to decertify its election results, even after the audit found more votes for Joe Biden, as well as the rich guy who pointed a gun at Black Lives Matters protesters in 2020 from the lawn of his castlethe main image when you visit his campaign websiteand is now posing as a farmer of sorts.

Advertisement

In Ohio, lets put it like this: One of the main Republican candidates duking it out for retiring Sen. Rob Portmans seat, Josh Mandel, is currently feuding on Twitter with two of Martin Luther King Jr.s children. The Trump-off between Mandel and his main competitor, Hillbilly Elegy author J.D. Vance, has been straightforwardly disturbing to watch.

Advertisement

If Grassley were to retire, the Senate Republican primary to fill his seat would be equally, if not more, insane. It would be expensive and risk nominating a joke candidate who would then require resources to get across the finish lineand, once across the finish line, would be a real pain in office. Grassley, by contrast, is pretty close to a sure bet. A Des Moines Register poll last week showed Grassley leading the likely Democratic nominee, ex-Rep. Abby Finkenauer, by 18 points.

Advertisement

Advertisement

So, its not always ego. The needs of the party, and all those in its constellation, is often a reason why older members and senators stick around when they could be enjoying retirement. In 2014, Mississippi Sen. Thad Cochran was in his mid-70s. He was convinced to run again, though, to prevent a true-believing Tea Party candidate, Chris McDaniel, from taking the seat. Cochran was a longtime member of the Appropriations Committee and by then the ranking Republican on it, and much of K Street earned its salary through its connections to him. Cochran pulled off a grueling primary win, with much help from the Chamber of Commerce, and coasted in the general election. He retired early for health reasons, in 2018, and died in 2019. But it was good for McConnell as long as it lasted.

Advertisement

Chuck Grassley is in much better health, at 88, than Thad Cochran was in his mid-70s. You can expect his campaign to spend a lot of energy playing with metaphors about running, as his announcement did, to prove his youthful vigor and unlimited stock of energy. It will probably work out better for him than the infamous 2018 campaign of pushup contests did for Florida ex-Sen. Bill Nelson. We expect a similar campaign in 2027, when Grassley is again coaxed to run for reelection to prevent a primary between seven Capitol insurrectionists and the by-then moderate option, Steve King.
Texas politics is a rough business, and recent headlines prove that. The state has recently passed a highly restrictive voting law and an abortion law that invites citizens to spy on, report, and sue others who are performing the procedure. But despite a Republican lock on political power, Texas boasts an increasingly diverse population, and many progressive leaders who are making an impact on the state and the nation. That includes twins Julian and Joaquin Castro. Julian served as mayor of San Antonio and HUD secretary before running for the Democratic nomination for president in 2020. And Joaquin currently represents the 20th District of Texas in the U.S. Congress after many, many years as a state legislator. The Castro brothers recently joined me as part of the Texas Tribune Festival to talk about the state, national politics, and their political futures. Heres a transcript of our conversation, featured on this weeks episode of A Word. It has been edited and condensed for clarity.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Julian, you ran for president in 2020. You really, really champion issues like prisons and housing. And so, here we are, were eight months into the Biden administration. Where would you grade them on how theyve addressed some of the things that you were passionate about when you were running in the primary last year?

Julian Castro: Well, I give President Biden high marks on taking care of business. He has done the things he most needed to do, which is to get shots in peoples arms and to focus on making sure our economy is good. There is still important unfinished business, whether were talking about the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act or immigration reform, that still needs to happen and, hopefully, willpartially, at least, in this reconciliation budget. So, I give the administration high marks for a lot of what they focused on and have accomplished. And theres a world of difference between what Biden is doing and what Trump did in terms of competence and everything else, heart and compassion, and effectiveness.

Advertisement

At the same time, I believe that we need to pursue a nation where everyone counts. And the fact is that too many people are still being left out in America. And so, this Congress and the president have still a lot of work to do to make sure that we get to an America where everyone counts.

Advertisement

So Joaquin, you have a different perspective. Youre actually in Congress. Do you think the Biden administration is doing enough on things like pursuing the insurrectionists? Or, more specifically in Texas, doing something about voting rights? Do you think that theres enough urgency on the part of your colleagues all the way up to the administration?

Advertisement

Joaquin Castro: Let me start with the first one, the Jan. 6 insurrection. Early on as the FBI started investigating and arresting people, I thought that what they were doing was too light, actually. Now there are hundreds and hundreds of people that have been arrested, and theres still these ongoing cases. So, in that sense, I think that the response has been more appropriate for what happened and for what the folks did. And I think not only was it insurrection, it was an attempted coup.

Advertisement

On voting rights, I mean, look, the president has made it clear that he supports HR 1 and HR 4. I do think that hes going to have to continue to really get in there and twist arms, so to speak. I know theres a compromise now in the Senate that Joe Manchin has led; its kind of the Joe Manchin version of a voting rights act. And if they can get 10 Republican votes for that, thatll be amazing. But, we know thats also going to be very tough to make happen. I think theyre going to give a little bit of time to see if thats even possible, but Im very skeptical along with many others that thats going to happen. And if its going to be a matter of changing the filibuster to get voting rights done, thats where the presidents really going to have to step in and use all of his powers of persuasion, LBJ-style from the 1960s, where he was able to work with Democratic senators and get them to go along with his agenda on civil rights, on voting rights, on Medicare, all of it. But its going to be a real test for President Biden, I think, when we get to that moment, probably shortly.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

I always thought it was very key, when we looked at what Gov. Greg Abbott has been doing in Texas, that they attacked voting rights first; they suppressed the vote. And then, they went after abortion rights in order to almost make sure that they wouldnt face consequences electorally next year.

What kinds of things are you hearing from advocates on the ground about abortion rights? What kinds of stories are you hearing? A lot of us who arent in Texas, we wonder about this.

Julian Castro: Well, theyve tossed away 50 years of legal precedent, 50 years of a guaranteed right for a person to have an abortion. Theres a lot of fear out there, whether were talking about activists who, of course, are still resolved to push back, and to claw back this law. Or everyday people out there, that this right is being taken away and what that means for the ability of folks to control their own body. That is cause of a lot of fear.

Advertisement

We hear companies now saying that theyre having problems recruiting employees to Texas, or keeping them in Texas. We hear companies saying that theyre not going to consider relocating to Texas, even though they were before. So, not only is it causing a lot of fear, and its affecting the ability of women to control their own bodies, its also hurting the Texas economy. And thats becoming more and more clear. This SB 8, the abortion legislation, is going to cause a real backlash.

Advertisement

Joaquin, so some company that youre talking to, to try and negotiate to bring to your district, to bring to Texas, theyre calling you now saying, What the heck? We have people who want to leave now. What are you saying when youre getting these phone calls?

Advertisement

Advertisement

Joaquin Castro: Its a combination of things. First, the federal response in trying to stop SB 8 from fully taking effect, thats one part. But really part of it is a plea in the long term for companies and people that have a different vision for the states politics to actually stay in Texas, and fight back, and stand up to this. Because, in a sense, these far-right folks who have passed this law, they win if everybody that disagrees with it leaves. For them, thats a twofer because not only have they enacted their policies, but theyve discouraged people from sticking around or from coming.

That said, we saw Salesforce recently that said it was willing to relocate any of its Texas folks who wanted to leave because of SB 8. You asked Julian about what the average person thinks, and I just think the average person thinks that its overkill. The idea that if somebody rapes you and youre going to be made to have that persons child, I think most people think that thats right-wing overkill.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Julian, I want to go back tosince we talked about this when I had you on the podcast about a month or so agohow COVID is also contributing to another crisis that were facing, this housing crisis. Can you talk a little bit about how that looks in Texas with COVID rates still rising and people not having places to stay, and no eviction moratoriums.

Julian Castro: Yeah, its a perfect storm for misery. Rising COVID rates, the lapsing of the eviction moratorium. Also, the cutoff of unemployment insurance. Now, the boost cutoff had happened for Texas some time ago, but many folks are losing their benefits overall. And so, there are a lot of people either who have become homeless, or are living on the edge, perhaps theyre doubling up with a family member, or friends, or people living in their car. And we had a rental affordability crisis well before this pandemic.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Ultimately the answer is that, as a country, we need to get much more serious about truly investing in housing thats affordable to the middle class and to lower-income people. Theres a little bit of hope on the horizon, the reconciliation budget included over $300 billion of investment in affordable housing. That would be the biggest investment that weve made in generations. So, thats a long-term solution. In the meantime, states, including Texas, need to be as good as possible at enacting local or statewide eviction moratoriums, where they can. And making sure that the rental assistance that Congress provided for, $47 billion, gets into the hands of renters and landlords that need it.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Joaquin, you did an op-ed in Variety talking about one of the reasons that we see such disconnects between the government and Latino community is the lack of effective and diverse representation of Latinos out of Hollywood. You mentioned statistics. Only about 5 percent of Latinos ever get speaking roles. Half the times, theyre criminals, or monsters, or something else like that. And this is something that Im very passionate about for all communities.

So first, I want to talk about this with both of you guys from a micro level. When it comes to programming, how do you guys find programming that you think is a positive representation of Latino people for your children?

Joaquin Castro: They, of course, watch the Dora the Explorer movie and the cartoon. And some of the childrens shows, I think over the years, have gotten better about presenting a more diverse cast of characters. So, thats good. But its still a big challenge. And youre right, Jason, when we talk about this, anytime you mentioned Hollywood, people kind of think thats fluffy. Its not a hard issue, like health care, or immigration, or Medicare for all, or some issue like that. But I actually think that this issue is a foundational issue for many communities, including the Latino community because Hollywood, although there are competitors now like social media, is still, in the United States, the main image, defining and narrative creating institution about groups of people.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

And so, I really started this work in earnest after what happened in El Paso, Texas, in 2019, where you had a guy that drove 10 hours and killed 23 people because he said he considered them, Hispanic invaders to Texas. And I thought about, where does a guy like that get these ideas? And the more I looked at it, and thought about it, and researched it, the more I realized you had this very dangerous overlap between the traditional stereotypes of Latinos that have come out of media over the years and from Hollywood as lazy as drug dealers, as illegal. And then, the political world where you had people like Donald Trump and other politicians, even more now, that will abuse those stereotypes for their own political gain. And the reason that theyre able to do that, in large part, is because the Latino narrative in the United States is missing. Theres a void there.

And, by the way, its not just for the Latino community. Its been dangerous over the years for the African American community, especially the stereotyping. Its dangerous for the Muslim American community over the years, especially after 9/11too often when you see them on television, or on film, theyre cast as terrorists, or evil people. The Asian American community, I think, has been going through some of that as well, particularly on the political endall those hate crimes because the president called it all those different viruses and so forth. So, there are many communities that are confronting this issue. And unless we change the institutions that create the images and drive the narrative, then people are going to continue to be profiled in a dangerous way.
Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch wants to empower American women by abolishing their constitutional right to an abortion. In an interview Thursday with Eternal Word Television Network, the Republican attorney general explained that outlawing abortion will help women who are forced to birth children, giving them a chance to really redirect their lives. These women have all these new and different opportunities that did not exist when Roe came down in 1973, Fitch said. And so, according to Fitch, Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization, the upcoming Supreme Court case that could overturn Roe v. Wade, will not be a tragedy but a blessing.*

Advertisement

This argument crops up in Mississippis Dobbs brief, in which Fitch claimed that women simply do not need abortion access any longer. Numerous laws enacted since Roeaddressing pregnancy discrimination, requiring leave time, assisting with childcare, and morefacilitate the ability of women to pursue both career success and a rich family life, she wrote. It is shocking to hear this claim from Fitch, whose state refuses to enact laws that would grant basic protections and security to new and expectant mothers.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

The fact is: Mississippi remains a dangerous and difficult place to bear, birth, and raise a child for lower-income parents. And the Supreme Court can only embrace Fitchs fantastical thinking by denying this brutal reality.

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.

At every stage of pregnancy, life is difficult for Mississippians who are not wealthy. The states maternal mortality rate is substantially higher than the national average, and its infant mortality rate is the highest in the nation. And the racial disparities are staggering. Black mothers die at about three times the rate of white mothers. While Black infants only make up 43 percent of births, they are more than half of the premature births and nearly 60 percent of the infant deaths. Black infants also experience birth defects at four times the rate of white infants.

The states most eager to restrict abortion have the most devastating rates of infant and maternal mortality.

A huge amount of this pain and death could be avoided if expectant mothers had access to medical care. But they do not, because Mississippi refuses to provide the necessary funding. More than half of the states counties lack an OB-GYN or a delivering hospital. It is no surprise that children born in these counties disproportionately suffer low birth rates and infant mortality. Mississippi could address this problem by expanding Medicaid, an act that would cover up to 300,000 people, including thousands of expectant mothers, and pour money into rural health services. But the states Republicans have refused, effectively denying care to thousands of lower-income mothers.

Advertisement

Advertisement

For newborns and their parents, the situation is equally grim. The lack of medical services in the states rural regions prevents infants from receiving adequate care. And the state kicks new mothers off Medicaid just two months after birth. This year, bipartisan lawmakers in the Mississippi Senate pushed to permanently extend postpartum Medicaid coverage to a full year after birthbut Republican legislators in the Mississippi House scuttled the proposal. The states high uninsured rate would be even worse if Fitch had her way: Last year, the attorney general asked the Supreme Court to repeal Obamacare, a decision that would have stripped health insurance from at least 111,000 Mississippians.

Advertisement

To many new parents, then, Mississippi offers an excruciating choice: Return to work immediately or lose your health insurance. Mothers who do return to work may be paid less than their male peers: Mississippi is the only state in the nation with no law guaranteeing equal pay for equal work. The United States is one of just two countries in the world with no national paid leave policy for parents. And like most states, Mississippi does not mandate paid parental leave. (State workers, including Fitchs own employees, receive no guaranteed paid parental leave, either.)

Advertisement

Advertisement

Low-income parents in Mississippi may qualify for child care assistance if they work at least 25 hours every week. But the state regularly puts beneficiaries through redetermination, which requires them to reapply for the subsidies; many are then denied reenrollment for opaque reasons. During the pandemic, an aggressive redetermination forced as many as 4,100 parents off this assistance, depriving up to 7,300 children of child care.

The unfortunate truth is that a huge number of new parents in Mississippi cant afford to secure adequate care for their children, and the state refuses to provide sufficient aid. It has no minimum wage law, which means the federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour applies. The parent of a young child who earns the minimum wage cannot even begin to cover the costs of care for their child. As a brief filed in Dobbs by 154 economists points out, the mother of an infant making $15 an hourmore than twice the minimum wagefaces infant childcare costs that total one-third of her gross pay. Mississippi law is not just indifferent toward new parents; it is hostile to them.

Advertisement

It is cruel and tragic that the states most eager to restrict abortion have the most devastating rates of infant and maternal mortality. The Mississippi Legislature could have spent the last few years helping new and expectant parents. Instead, it passed a series of laws that would force people to carry unwanted pregnancies, then refused to enact basic measures to protect their health before, during, and after childbirth. (While Dobbs involves a 15-week ban, the state has already passed a six-week ban, too, and Fitch has asked SCOTUS to greenlight bans at every stage of pregnancy.)

In her EWTN interview, Fitch asserted that banning abortion would empower Mississippi women. But in reality, it is more likely to kill them.
The problems at Rikers Island, New York Citys notorious jail, begin before you even get there. One guy I spoke to the other day said he had been waiting, like, 18 hours for a bus to pick him up. And when it did pick him up, it was 3:30 in the morning, said Jan Ransom, who reports on the jail for the New York Times. People are sleepy, hungry.

This guy was transferring from a holding pen in a city courthouse to the intake facility at Rikers. Its where you are first processed. And intake is the place that every detainee I speak with says is disgusting. Theres feces on the floor, urine, throw up, Ransom said. You often wait hours for food. You could be waiting the equivalent of two shifts, which could mean 16 hours or 24. Intake doesnt have any beds. Its not designed to be comfortable. So you have people trying to make the best of a really, really bad situation.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Im not sure anyone expects a jail to be nice. But over the last few weeks, after touring Rikers facilities, New York politicians have described the conditions in graphic detail. What brought these representatives to the jail in the first place was even more staggering: a rising death toll. So far this year, 12 inmates have died. Two in the last week. And whether its because theyre sick with COVID or because theyre protesting working conditions, correctional officers, who are supposed to be taking care of these workers, havent been showing up to work in shocking numbers.

On Mondays episode of What Next, I spoke with Ransom about the story of how New York Citys most notorious detention facility keeps getting worse. And why it is so hard to do anything about it. Our conversation has been edited and condensed for clarity.

Advertisement

Mary Harris: So over the last few years, theres been a push to reform Rikers and even close it down completely, but Im wondering where you would start that story. And how we ended up at this point?

Jan Ransom: There are probably many beginnings, but the one that comes to mind for a lot of people was that of Kalief Browder. Kalief Browder was a 16 year old who had been accused of stealing a backpack from someone in the Bronx. And he was held on Rikers Island for three years and spent much of that time in solitary. This was before a lot of the reforms around solitary confinement for young people went into effect or was even really discussed in a huge way. So he was pretty much tortured during his time there. He was assaulted by correctional officers, assaulted by other detainees. He was the victim of what became known as the program, which meant if you defied a correction officer, they would allow other detainees to assault you. And so there was video of Kalief Browder being badly beaten by other detainees.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

And he hadnt been found guilty of anything. And he was a teenager.

Right. He had not been found guilty of the crime of which he was accused, and actually the charges were eventually dropped against him. But once he was released from Rikers, he struggled to cope with what he experienced. [Kalief Browder finally left Rikers in 2013, but the abuse he endured there followed him, and two years later, he took his own life.]

His story shed light on the atrocities that were happening on the island. And Mayor Bill de Blasio vowed to end solitary for young people, which he did. He wanted to also move them off the island, which eventually happened. And so this spurred a push to change things on the island and eventually lead to calls to close Rikers Island.

Advertisement

I remember two years ago the City Council voted to close Rikers and develop an $8 billion plan. For me, as someone whod been watching the debate over Rikers for a long time, it seemed almost unbelievable. And I still look back on it, like, Did that happen? Are we closing Rikers? And then when I hear stories about how conditions are deteriorating, I just think: How is this still happening?

Advertisement

Yeah, definitely, I mean, you wonder. I think the disappointing thing for a lot of people who have been pushing for this to happen is that now there is this delay. There was the belief that it would be delayed for a year due to financial reasons, but now were hearing it could be longer. So theres a lot up in the air here when we talk about the closure of Rikers.

Advertisement

The citys plan to close Rikers is ambitious. It requires building four new jails to house detainees, spread all across the city. These facilities are intended to be more humane holding places, closer to inmates own communities, with space dedicated to educational programs and big visiting areas.

Advertisement

But plenty of people dont want new jails built in their neighborhoods. So the plan began to stall.

Then the pandemic hit. And while COVID exposed all the ways inmates were at riskbecause of inadequate hygiene and an inability to social distancefor a brief moment, for advocates, the pandemic presented an opportunity.

There became this very urgent push to empty the jails. You had the district attorneys throughout the city, the mayors office, the police departmentit was all hands on deck trying to figure out who could be released safely back into the community. And they focused on people who were held on minor nonviolent offenses. You also had bail reform in the background, which also helped in bringing the jail population to the lowest it had been since the 1940s. It dropped to about 3,900 people.

Advertisement

Advertisement

At the time, I remember advocates talking about this moment as a potential moment of change they could build on. Is that how it worked out?

No, it did not work out that way. During the summer, you suddenly saw a spike in crime. And around the same time, there was also a quiet reversal of some of the reforms that had been made under the bail law earlier in the year, which, along with the effort to save people from dying of COVID, also led to people being released on certain offenses that were no longer bail eligible. But because crime went up, you had the police department and their unions now pushing this idea that it was because of bail reform or it was because people were released at the height of the pandemic, although there was no data to show any correlation. You had judges who then were, instead of sending someone to a rehab program or a program to deal with the nature of the crime that theyve been accused of, now sending them to Rikers, because they dont want to be the judge who let someone out who ended up committing a heinous crime. And so you saw this vision that you dont have to incarcerate everyone for everything sort of explode.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

So what did that do to the jail population?

It increased. The jail population had reached the lowest it had been in decades, and now its almost double that. Theres over 6,000 people in the city jail system right now. And that in conjunction with the staff absenteeism has just stressed the system further.

How did the staff absenteeism start?

Last year, I spent a lot of time talking to correctional officers, trying to get an understanding of how the pandemic has been affecting them. They are in the jails just like the detainees and sometimes spending many, many hours. And when the pandemic hit the jail system, correctional officers felt the least supported. And just to provide some context, the majority of correctional officers are people of color and women. Oftentimes, I would talk to them and theyd say, We dont have any PPE, we have no way to protect ourselves, were in here for 12, 18, 20 hours. And I know Im going to get COVID. They felt so unsupported by the administration, by the commissioner. They felt like no one had their back, and that caused morale to drop. On top of that, they are working in a pandemic and theyre seeing the effects of that on their colleagues. Their colleagues are actually legitimately sick with this virus; some die. And the morale just drops even further. And so you get to a point where some officers decide not to come in anymore and theyve gone AWOL.

Advertisement

Advertisement

And then meanwhile, you have the incarcerated population, who are just the victims of all of this fighting, left without food or medication or supervision. When you look at all that, do you blame the virus? Do you blame someone else?

Advertisement

The pandemic, yes, it caused a strain on a system that was already struggling. So it definitely did not start with the pandemic, but the pandemic did not help things.

Can we talk about how elected officials are trying to respond? Because a week or so ago, Gov. Kathy Hochul signed the Less Is More Act, which is supposed to speed up people getting out of jail for technical parole violations and missed curfews. Even though it doesnt go into effect right away, she did have this list of 200 inmates who she said can be released from Rikers immediately. So how will actions like that affect the population?

Advertisement

So before that, if you were someone who was picked up on a technical parole violation, you could be waiting in jail for months to get out. It could take up to a month, if not longer, to see a judge just to figure out if the parole officer had enough evidence to keep you in. Now, under the new order that was signed, people can qualify for a release after having been in jail for 30 days. And so that will definitely make a difference in terms of the jail population. And that was the point. And so you saw the release of around 191 people, and more releases are expected in the coming months.

Advertisement

But is that sort of a drop in the bucket, with almost 6,000 inmates in Rikers right now?

Advertisement

Yes, definitely a drop in the bucket, but if you ask people who are advocating for people on the inside, they say every little bit helps: Whether its one person or 200, if they can be let out, then they should. Especially in light of a dozen people having died within the citys jail system already this year.

Advertisement

It strikes me looking at the history youve told about Rikers that a key player is the mayor, Bill de Blasio. He was mayor during the response to Kalief Browders death. And he was mayor when City Council decided they were going to close Rikers. How has he responded to this crisis moment?

A lot of people say he responded too slow. With this issue of absenteeism, a lot of people say that the mayor should have stepped in earlier to address it instead of waiting to the point where we now have 12 people dead and nearly a third of the uniformed staff out. So far, hes pushed for the governor to sign Less Is More, which shes done. In turn, advocates have pushed him to release city-sentenced detainees. These are people who are serving a year or less in jail. InsteadIm hearing this from detainees who are part of this effortcity-sentenced detainees are now being sent to prisons to serve out the remainder of their terms.

Advertisement

Advertisement

And so even farther from their families and everything else.

Yes. And jails and prisons are culturally different for a number of reasons. Obviously, if youre going to prison, youre serving more time. And so that raises a number of questions.

But hes also considering bringing in private security to take over roles that are not so much detainee-facing, more like the perimeter security. But you have the unions pushing back on that.

None of it seems aimed at actually fixing the root problem.

Many would say it does not. When he released his plan, a lot of people criticized him for it and said its not enough, that these are changes that wont bring officers back. These are changes that continue to alienate them, at least according to what the union has said. So, yeah, theres a lot of frustration that hes just not really addressing the root cause of this.

Advertisement

Advertisement

With someone being incarcerated, it shouldnt mean that they dont have a right to basic health care, mental health care, food, a sanitary environment, to feeling protected and safe. All of that is part of their constitutional rights that doesnt disappear because theyre on Rikers or theyre within the city jail system.

Was there a moment when you thought as a reporter like, Oh, maybe reporting on people in jail in New York is going to change? Its going to look really different. And now youre wondering maybe its not. Maybe its just going to look like this for a while longer.

When things got as bad as they are now, I was stunned, and I dont usually get stunned easily. Just the fact that were having people die on a regular basis, the fact that you have nearly a third of the force just not coming in, it speaks to not just how bad things are, but even perhaps how bad theyve always been. You think about what it takes to get to this point, and it doesnt happen overnight. In most situations, when you reach this kind of crisis, youve always been riding the fence; you just didnt fall over to the other side yet. And I think were seeing the system fall over to the other side.

Subscribe to What Next on Apple Podcasts

Get more news from Mary Harris every weekday.
Rapid antigen COVID tests are cheap to produce, easy to use, and can report results in a matter of minutes. Theyre a powerful tool for stopping the spread of COVID because they allow people to test frequently and, if results are positive, quarantine immediately rather than waiting one to five days for a PCR test result. So why hasnt the U.S. embraced rapid antigen tests more fully? Michael Mina argues that the country has overlooked the power of rapid antigen tests because weve been consumed by a singular focus: vaccines.

Advertisement

On Fridays episode of What Next: TBD, I spoke with Michael Mina, who teaches at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and has been preaching the gospel of cheap rapid antigen tests for 18 months. First, he was a lonely voice. Now hes part of a growing chorus, saying that for less than $1 per test, we could break the chain of transmission. So whats stopping us?

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Lizzie OLeary: Lets break down the universe of COVID testing in the US right now. You can get a PCR test, which is a molecular test, or a rapid antigen test. And I think the common understanding is that a PCR is slower but more accurate. Is that correct?

Advertisement

Michael Mina: Its not, because accuracy is entirely dependent on what your objective is. The conversation has been 100 percent dominated by physicians and clinical laboratory directors who are completely focused on medical diagnostics. And in a medical diagnostic, youre not asking, How are we going to stop spread across the community? Youre asking, Does my patient have any evidence that they currently have COVID or did in the recent past?

But if our goal is instead to identify people who are currently transmitting the virus to other people, then actually the rapid test is much more accurate. The important thing is theyre specific, meaning they are only going to turn positive when youre actually actively transmitting the virus. If the goal is to detect infectious people, then a rapid test is actually much more accurate, not less.

Advertisement

Why are we all so into to PCR tests, then?

Advertisement

We have so devalued and underfunded public health that we literally dont have a regulatory framework or laws to even ask the question, what is a public health test? Theres no definition of a public health test. And because of that, the only lens we have in this country is a medical diagnostic test. I think the only reason were so infatuated with the PCR test is because its a founder effect. It was the first tool that got started for COVID.

OK. So lets say you, Michael Mina, are like the COVID boss of everything. Youre the COVID czar. What does a day in the life look like if your kids got a runny nose?

Advertisement

Advertisement

This pandemic is an information problem. And by that, I mean, the only reason we quarantine, we keep people home from school, we do any of this stuff is because we dont know if theyre infected with COVID. If my kid had a runny nose today and I thought, Oh, maybe they were exposed at school yesterday, I would go and pull out a rapid test. In 15 minutes from start to finish, I would have an answer. And I would feel good about saying, Its OK for you to go to school. It is OK for you to be out in the world as far as COVID is concerned. So its simple.

Advertisement

So what does it look like at scale, if a school-system-worth of parents is using rapid tests or a workplace or a county?

Advertisement

One of the most simple examples of how these tests can be used at scale is this test to state program. Im really tired of seeing schools close down. Kids have been out of school for so long, and we quarantine whole classrooms of people when one person turns positive in the classroom. But instead of quarantining the whole classroom of students for 10 days because one person was positive, you just test each of those students every day for the next seven days and each morning you test at home and if theyre negative, they can go to school and if theyre positive, they dont.

If everyone starts testing themselves at home, will that make it harder for public health authorities to have an accurate sense of positivity rates and community spread?

Advertisement

I would forego having the data if it meant that the outbreaks disappear. Thats our number one goal: to not have people get infected. But these rapid tests do not have to be done without any reporting. So right now, theres one company in the country who does this, maybe in the world, Im not sure. And its eMed. eMed actually worked with the CDC to actually allow you to take a rapid test at home, but with a proctor whos actually like watching you do it, over your phone or over your computer. So they just watch you swab your nose. If youre an adult, they ask you to see your ID, so they can actually give you a real laboratory report. And they report out to the public health officials in all 50 states.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Currently only a handful of home antigen tests have emergency use authorization from the FDA. How is that impacting our access to these tests?

The entire bottleneck for the United States is the authorization of the tests. We have very few tests available to us in the United States. If you go to Germany, they have almost 70 different manufacturers producing teststhats created market competition. Its driven costs of the actual test down. The real problem in the United States is that we have failed to authorize enough of these tests. Not because the tests dont work, but because of how we define these tests.

The FDA defines the tests as medical devices. They want rapid antigen tests to show sensitivity comparable to PCR tests. Only a handful of companies met that requirement and could get emergency use authorization for their tests. Other companies have the technology but not the authorization.

Advertisement

Essentially the FDA said, OK, well, now we have some companies, were going to raise the bar even more. So its just become harder. And I talk a lot to all these companies, and all of them say, We just dont understand. Can you help us? It just feels like the FDA is like changing the goal posts on us at every time.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Theres a push to reclassify these tests as a public health tool and not a medical device, what would that take?

Ive tried for over a year to get the FDA to evaluate these differently than a medical device. Its been essentially an immutable wall. So what that would take is for, I think, an executive action from the president, which would state that the tools used for public health testing during this public health emergency are designated as public health tools. And if that happens, then the FDA does not evaluate public health tools. So if the president can come out and say this, then the onus can move over to the CDC to evaluate these tests.

Advertisement

Advertisement

So the number one thing would be as part of this process, the CDC could say, OK, as a public health agency, we are going to recognize our peer trusted public health agencies like the U.K. and Germany, and any test that they have had good experience with, with millions and millions of the tests that theyve done, we will automatically give a certification for our use in the United States. Some of the largest companies in the world have told me directly that if that happened, they could start tripling the United States access to rapid tests overnight.

Advertisement

The Biden administration recently rolled out a new COVID plan, which emphasizes more than just vaccination. It includes ramping up production of antigen tests and buying 280 million of them for community testing centers, nursing homes, and jails. Plus, theyve pushed big retailers like Walmart and Kroger to offer antigen tests at cost. What was your reaction to this plan?

Advertisement

I think the most important piece of the plan as far as testing goes is that we now have the president of the United States re-upping his initial emphasis on recognizing the power of these tools. The actual number of tests that are going to be purchased is not going to make much of a difference. Two hundred eighty million, it sounds like a lot of tests, but when you have 330 million people in a country, thats less than one test per person. And the benefit of testing, whether its PCR or rapid testing, is frequency of the test. If youre not doing a test frequently, you have no idea if youre asymptomatically spreading. So were about to see a testing crisis because of the COVID-19 action plan. The vaccinate or test part of it is going to massively drive demand for tests.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

That just pushes people toward testing.

Exactly. So were about to see a crisis, because we dont actually have an increased scale. He did talk about invoking the Defense Productions Act. But actually thats not the problem. The companies that we do have evaluated and authorized in the U.S. are pretty much at their maximum of scaling anyway. Were going to see a problem where were going to continue having empty shelves of rapid tests.

And then its going to push it all to the PCR labs. And very quickly the delays in PCR are going to go from one or two dayswhich I would say is already too much to stop transmissionto five days again. And then you have a useless public health tool.

Advertisement

You have been beating this drum for 18 months and suddenly I feel like your name is everywhere. Do you feel different? Do you feel like youre making some sort of progress?

Last year, I felt like it was me on a mountaintop screaming into an abyss and people were like, Who the heck is that crazy guy? And what the hecks he talking about? And whats changing is now that people are seeing this and feeling it. The public is frustrated that they go to CVS and they see empty shelves.

Advertisement

I think that this is placing political pressure on the president and on the decision makers and on the FDA to say, How do we change this system? How do we get America up to speed? And Im sick of our government and academics saying certain segments of our population are the problem. The virus is the problem. The only solution we have for a public health problem like this is the public. And rapid, at-home tests are the exact kinds of tools that allow the public to feel empowered to take control of their slice. And if enough of the public does do that, then the slices add up and were taking care of the whole pandemic.

Future Tense is a partnership of Slate, New America, and Arizona State University that examines emerging technologies, public policy, and society.
Pet shops in Spain banned from selling animals



A new Animal Welfare Law aims for zero sacrifice of animals in Spain

In a major move to reduce the number of animals being abandoned and put to sleep in Spain, a new Animal Welfare Law currently being ironed out by the central government will introduce a wave of new protection measures, including prohibiting pet stores from selling animals.

The new law, according to the Director General of Animal Rights, Sergio G. Torres, will cut down on incidences of impulse buying, which often lead to the pet being surrendered to a shelter and ultimately being killed.

Included in the new rules will be stricter regulations on when an animal can be euthanised, and they will prohibit shelters and sanctuaries from putting an animal to sleep to make more space just because they are caught. In addition, the behaviour of a pet will not be enough of a reason for an owner to put an animal down.

While the Spanish government has been working to tighten the reins on dog breeders in particular for many years, the new legislation will not only enforce a registry, but will limit the number of litters any one individual is permitted to produce. For private pet owners, the law will allow a maximum of five animals per individual; any more, and a special permit will need to be obtained. This will only apply after the new rules come in, and wont be enforced retroactively for people who already have more than five pets.

Finally, in an effort to encourage the protection of native animal species, zoos in Spain will no longer be permitted to buy exotic animals from other countries, and will instead be supported to reintroduce and conserve indigenous animals. Already, the Director General has tasked the Madrid zoo with repopulating the Iberian otter through a specialised breeding programme.

Image: Archive
"I'm still alive" Pope Francis replies to question on how he's doing.

The Pope meeting with bishops, priests, religious, consecrated persons, seminarians, and catechists at the Cathedral of St. Martin in Bratislava. (Source: TASR)

Font size: A - | A +

Most of the time he is serious, but Pope Francis showed during his four-day visit to Slovakia that he can have fun as well.

Here are seven witty remarks the pope uttered while visiting the country:

27. Sep 2021 at 17:51 | Michal Frank
Award-winning Slovak director who filmed with murderesses: I no longer have quick answers

Peter Kerekes' movie received an award in Venice for best screenplay.

Peter Kerekes (1973), Slovak film director, screenwriter and producer. His latest film, 107 Mothers, won a prize in Venice in 2021. (Source: Sme - Marko Erd)

Font size: A - | A +

They murdered out of passion. They murdered their husbands, boyfriends and girlfriends. They face the consequences of their actions in a Ukrainian prison. Several of them became mothers there, and they are aware that once their children reach three years of age authorities will take them away.

Slovak director Peter Kerekes listened to their many stories, and then went on to create a film in which the murderesses play themselves.

He called the movie 107 Mothers.

The film is a great success for Slovak cinematography, with the film debuting at the prestigious Venetian film festival for the entire world of cinema to see before coming to Slovak cinemas. The Sme daily interviewed the films director via phone while he was in Venice.

After this experience, I am a different Peter Kerekes, he judged.

Kerekes together with Ivan Ostrochovsky gained the award for best screenplay in Venice.

For several years, you shared an environment with female prisoners convicted for murder. How did it make you feel?

It was, obviously, a bizarre feeling at first. We felt a little scared and a little shy. Eventually, however, we got used to them, and I must admit that I miss the environment a little.

In a 2017 interview, I told you that we are filming at a male prison. I wasnt satisfied with the results so we practically had to restart filming.

Why?

I dont know, maybe I am a bad director and dont know how to work with men. The material we had seemed very superficial to me, and the only good thing that I could pull out of it was a good trailer. When we began to film with women, a lot more intrigue and questions seemed to surface.

While men were more or less satisfied with what I wanted, it was the opposite with women. I let them tell their stories, which became the basis of our film. Their confessions were extremely interesting.

You look at the protagonist-murderesses with heartfelt emotion. Where did it come from?

27. Sep 2021 at 16:14 | Kristina Kudelova
https://sputniknews.com/20210926/seoul-calls-on-pyongyang-to-restore-communication-lines-ahead-of-possible-talks-1089432673.html

Seoul Calls on Pyongyang to Restore Communication Lines Ahead of Possible Talks

Seoul Calls on Pyongyang to Restore Communication Lines Ahead of Possible Talks

Kim Yo Jong, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's sister and key adviser, spoke twice last week regarding a possible pathway for Pyongyang and Seoul to repair... 26.09.2021, Sputnik International

2021-09-26T23:48+0000

2021-09-26T23:48+0000

2021-09-26T23:47+0000

south korea

north korea

kim jong-un

korean peninsula

/html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content

https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/107963/70/1079637023_0:320:3072:2048_1920x0_80_0_0_ef4af37503309579355db5e039707e5c.jpg

On Sunday, South Korea's Unification Ministry issued a call encouraging the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) to restore a communication hotline between the two countries. Officials noted that Kim Yo Jong's recent statement of North Korea being open to conditional talks is "meaningful" toward reconciliation, denuclearization and peace on the Korean Peninsula. The South Korean government is reportedly eager to resume stable communications with the DPRK. The hotline between the two nations was previously restored back in July, when both countries vowed to improve their communication. While liaison officials of both nations have agreed to communicate, the hotline only remained active for a few weeks. North Korean officials cut the communication line in June 2020, after the DPRK contended that South Korea had failed to block activists from distributing airborne anti-North Korea leaflets. That same month, Pyongyang razed a building used for the inter-Korean liaison office established in 2018. According to the DPRK, South Korea has systematically breached multiple agreements, including the Panmunjom Declaration signed in 2018 by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in. The agreement details that both North Korea and South Korea must "cease all hostile acts." Kim Yo Jong appeared to have made reference to this section of the agreement when she urged South Korea to halt what she referred to as its "hostile policies" toward North Korea. As for the prospect of another summit between the Koreas, Kim Yo Jong contended that a meeting between the North Korean leader and the South Korean president could only be held within an "impartiality and the attitude of respecting each other." Kim's sister pointed out that both the summit, and discussions on the end of the war between the two Koreas, could wait. She emphasized in a separate, Saturday statement that South Korea also seeks to re-establish communication and reunification talks on the Korean Peninsula.

Crookim Everyone knows that the US will swoop in and destroy whatever chance there is of dialogue between the 2 Korea's..... 1

Thomas Turk Crookim.. maybe this time, N and S Kollea will tell the Mad Murllikans to fluck off. 1

4

south korea

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

2021

Evan Craighead

Evan Craighead

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

Evan Craighead

south korea, north korea, kim jong-un, korean peninsula
https://sputniknews.com/20210927/beijing-blasts-quad-security-dialogue-says-it-causes-disorder-in-asia-pacific-1089440793.html

Beijing Blasts Quad Security Dialogue, Says It Causes 'Discord' in Asia-Pacific

Beijing Blasts Quad Security Dialogue, Says It Causes 'Discord' in Asia-Pacific

The so-called Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, better known as the Quad, is an informal security pact between the United States, Australia, India and Japan... 27.09.2021, Sputnik International

2021-09-27T09:02+0000

2021-09-27T09:02+0000

2021-09-27T10:05+0000

asia & pacific

/html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content

https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/09/19/1089387639_0:0:3053:1717_1920x0_80_0_0_4d6ca7ff36f0cade26cb6c0790fc6fb6.jpg

China is opposed to the Quad security dialogue because it creates "discord" among countries of the Asia-Pacific region, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson has announced.Speaking to reporters Monday and commenting on the meeting of Quad leaders hosted by US President Joe Biden on Friday, spokesewoman Hua Chunying accused 'some states' of exaggerating the danger supposedly posed by China.At Friday's meeting, Biden told reporters that the Quad represents four "democratic partners who share a world view and have a common vision for the future."Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison described that vision as encompassing "a region that we wish to be always free from coercion, where the sovereign rights of all nations are respected and where disputes are settled peacefully and [in] accordance with international law."Chinese media slammed the meeting, with an editorial in the Global Times warning that if the three countries following the US strategy of "containing China" "go too far," they "will become cannon fodder as China will resolutely safeguard its interests."For his part, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said that any "closed" and "exclusive clique" of nations targeting other countries in Asia would be "doomed to fail," and stressed that Beijing was interested in "solidarity and cooperation," not conflict, among regional countries.Last week, speaking before the United Nations General Assembly, Chinese leader Xi Jinping reiterated that China would "never invade or bully others, or seek hegemony," and called for other countries to join China in promoting "win-win cooperation in conducting international relations" instead of "forming small circles" or thinking in terms of "zero-sum games."The Quad is one of over half-a-dozen bilateral and regional alliances formed by the United States to take on and try to hem in China. Earlier this month, Washington's relations with its French allies took a hit after the US, the UK and Australia secretly created yet another security pact known as AUKUS without informing anyone.The status of Taiwan and the South China Sea are two of the major hotspots driving tensions between Beijing on one side and the US and its allies on the other. The People's Republic has repeatedly slammed Washington over its meddling in Taiwanese affairs, and considers the island an integral part of China destined for eventual peaceful reunification. In the South China Sea, China lays claim to wide swathes of the strategic and resource-rich maritime territory, with other countries, including Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and the Philippines contesting these claims. The US, which is not a party to the territorial dispute, has nevertheless expressed its support to claimants other than China, and regularly sails warships through the region. Beijing, which established a regional dialogue for settling the territorial disputes in the early 2000s, has asked the US to mind its own business and to keep its fleet out of Chinese waters.

Tom Hanks Only discord for you china and that was its goal. 4

1

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

2021

Ilya Tsukanov

Ilya Tsukanov

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

Ilya Tsukanov

asia & pacific
https://sputniknews.com/20210927/bidens-domestic-agenda-faces-do-or-die-moment-in-anticipation-of-three-crucial-votes-1089456431.html

Bidens Domestic Agenda Faces Do-or-Die Moment in Anticipation of Three Crucial Votes

Bidens Domestic Agenda Faces Do-or-Die Moment in Anticipation of Three Crucial Votes

The presidents congressional allies are racing against the clock to hammer out a deal with the GOP, while simultaneously pushing a $3.5 trillion budget bill... 27.09.2021, Sputnik International

2021-09-27T16:24+0000

2021-09-27T16:24+0000

2021-09-27T18:16+0000

joe biden

united states

/html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content

https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/04/1d/1082757387_0:157:2666:1657_1920x0_80_0_0_ab6cba7552e397f5188fb84400923966.jpg

Monday marks the start of a week that could make or break President Joe Bidens domestic legislative agenda, with his Democratic allies in Congress facing a trifecta of crucial votes.The next few days will be a time of intensity, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi wrote in a letter to her caucus on Sunday. She repeated the message on Sunday morning talk shows and Twitter.The resolution is the answer for avoiding numerous fast-approaching crises on the horizon, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, who put the debt ceiling bill on the agenda, said.Needing a 60-vote majority in the 100 seat Senate to advance, the bill is widely expected to fail, with Republicans who voted for over $6 trillion in stimulus spending over the past-year-and-a-half suddenly remembering that they are fiscal conservatives looking to drive down debts and spending.Congressional sources told CNN that if the debt ceiling vote fails as expected, the Democrats will agree to scrap the debt ceiling suspension portion of the bill in favour of a short-term funding agreement to prevent shutdown and default. Democratic leaders previously indicated that they want the debt ceiling issue to be bipartisan, but have also sought to avoid blame from the public for a new government shutdown ahead of the 2022 mid-term elections.Along with the debt ceiling issue, House Democrats promise to conclude negotiations on two key pieces of spending  the Build Back Better Act and the $1.2 trillion Bipartisan Infrastructure Framework  with the latter measure whittled down from about $2 trillion to attract Republican support.You know Im never bringing a bill to the floor that doesnt have the votes, Pelosi told ABC News on Sunday, adding that you cannot choose the date to hold a vote and have to go when you have the votes in a reasonable time.Some Democrats, including Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut, are expected to agree to GOP demands to bring down the budget bills price tag to bring what he characterised as painful negotiations to completion.Complicating matters is wildcard Senator Joe Manchin  a conservative Democrat who regularly votes against his own partys legislative initiatives. Manchin has previously promised to torpedo the $3.5 trillion spending plan  citing excessive pork such as expanded Medicare and, concerns over the specifics of a clean energy programme.In her remarks to ABC News on Sunday, Pelosi admitted that it seems self-evident that the $3.5 trillion figure would be trimmed before it can pass.On Monday, the White House put out a memo expressing confidence over the overwhelming support it claimed the presidents agenda has among the public.As we enter the final phase of legislative negotiations over the Presidents economic package  the evidence is overwhelming that the wind is at our backs and the public is eager for both of these packages to become law, the White House said, referring to the $1.2 and $3.5 trillion spending bills.A poll by Pew Research last week found that 49 percent of those surveyed support the $3.5 trillion spending package, with 25 percent opposed and 25 percent uncertain.Avoiding an Economic CatastropheThis weeks votes follow warnings by Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen earlier this month warning Congress that America would plunge into a financial and economic crisis if the two parties could not agree on raising the debt ceiling.US federal debt currently stands at over $28.8 trillion, with total obligations amounting to over $85 trillion, or more than four times the US GDP.

https://sputniknews.com/20210926/infrastructure-plan-pelosi-says-she-never-brings-a-bill-to-floor-that-doesnt-have-the-votes-1089427094.html

https://sputniknews.com/20210920/us-treasury-chief-warns-economic-catastrophe-will-befall-america-if-debt-ceiling-deal-not-reached-1089249212.html

TruePatriot The time is now to let it die. The votes should be NO, NO, and NO. The US is simply out of money, has no way to increase it, and must start cutting the spending. A good 50% off the military bill would be a good place to start since Afghanistan is done, and Syria and Iraq can easily follow. Shutting all foreign bases can follow that, too. 2

1

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

2021

Ilya Tsukanov

Ilya Tsukanov

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

Ilya Tsukanov

joe biden, united states
https://sputniknews.com/20210927/bojo-mulls-scrambling-army-to-deliver-fuel-amid-panic-buying-triggered-by-hgv-driver-shortfall-1089435280.html

BoJo Mulls Scrambling Army to Deliver Fuel Amid Panic Buying Triggered By HGV Driver Shortfall

BoJo Mulls Scrambling Army to Deliver Fuel Amid Panic Buying Triggered By HGV Driver Shortfall

The UK Government has been faced with a fuel crisis driven by a shortfall of about 100,000 licensed lorry drivers due to the COVID-19 pandemic and post-Brexit... 27.09.2021, Sputnik International

2021-09-27T05:42+0000

2021-09-27T05:42+0000

2021-09-27T06:31+0000

boris johnson

fuel

news

britain

brexit

post-brexit

kwasi kwarteng

grant shapps

uk

uk fuel crisis

/html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content

https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/09/19/1089404159_0:160:3073:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_e3a7c4ebdf9b58355765edb9505c27b3.jpg

British Army soldiers could be drafted in to drive fuel to petrol stations across the country in line with an emergency plan considered by Boris Johnson, reported The Guardian. The Prime Minister and his senior cabinet members will ostensibly be scrutinising on Monday afternoon how to apply so-called Operation Escalin to resolve the acute supply issues on UK forecourts if panic-buying continues, claimed sources cited by the outlet. The Ministry of Defences contingency plan to ensure that fuel continues to flow in the event of a supply shortage was originally conceived amid planning for the eventuality of a no-deal Brexit. In line with the plan, hundreds of military personnel would be making fuel deliveries by driving a reserve fleet of 80 tankers, according to UK media reports. However, implementation of the plan to help alleviate the fuel station delivery crisis may allegedly take up to three weeks due to a plethora of reasons, such as the prior mobilisation of many soldiers on other deployments. Furthermore, military drivers with existing heavy goods vehicle (HGV) licences would likely require extended training to drive fuel tankers to obtain additional safety qualifications. On Sunday, ministers including Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps and Home Secretary Priti Patel are said to have gathered to discuss options amid the crisis that included Operation Escalin. The plan was also mentioned as an option to resolve the situation last week, according to media reports. However, at the time Downing Street dismissed the likelihood of having to activate it. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps was asked if the military might be scrambled to deliver fuel, as he appeared on the BBCs Andrew Marr Show.Panic-Buying Fuels Crisis The report comes as British motorists have faced long queues amid panic buying, with some petrol stations forced to shut down due to lack of fuel as a result of shortage of drivers to transport it from depots to forecourt pumps. The Chairman of the Petrol Retailers Association (PRA), Brian Madderson, was cited by Sky News as saying that petrol and diesel stations across the UK were increasingly running dry.Madderson had earlier warned, speaking on BBC Radio 4's The World This Weekend, that it would take up to a week to restock the two-thirds of the 5,500 independent fuel stations the organization represents as they had run dry by Sunday night. He also slammed the crisis as potentially becoming a self-perpetuating one if motorists continued to panic-buy. The fuel shortages have been driven by a shortfall of about 100,000 qualified drivers in the heavy goods vehicle (HGV) sector. Several principal reasons are blamed for the crisis, such as the coronavirus pandemic affecting driver trining and the post-Brexit exodus of Europen drivers, ccording to the trucking industry. Accordingly, there are not enough hauliers to deliver petrol to the pumps. The HGV driver shortge has hammered supply chins, with Tesco, like BP, restricting fuel deliveries to its petrol sttions. In a knock-on effect, other sectors have also been affected by the lack of drivers, with supermarket chain Tesco warning that the country may face panic buying before Christmas amid shortages of some products.The government has been urged to find a swift solution to the problem, such as temporarily waiving visa restrictions and encouraging workers from abroad to fill the void. On Sunday night, Kwasi Kwarteng announced that the oil industry would be temporarily exempt from the 1998 Competition Act. The measure, said UK officials, would make it easier for firms to share information, so that they can more easily prioritise the delivery of fuel to the parts of the country and strategic locations that are most in need.Kwarteng conceded there had been some issues with supply chains, but insisted there was still plenty of fuel at refineries and terminals. On Saturday, the government announced it would offer temporary visas to 5,000 foreign fuel tanker and food lorry drivers allowing them to be eligible to work in the UK for three months, until Christmas Eve, to dodge major supply disruptions. Freight industry group Logistics UK hailed the policy as "a huge step forward in solving the disruption to supply chains". Furthermore, emergency measures include sending nearly one million letters to drivers with HGV licences to urge them to return to the industry, while there are also plans to train an additional 4,000 people to become HGV drivers, reported The Guardian.A joint statement from energy companies including Shell, ExxonMobil and Wincanton said:

Norman Camilleri Just give them decent pay and working conditions and they'll come on their own. No need for army or 'temporary visas'. 2

CountTo5Manual want to see how many drivers will come to work 3 months only, especially before christmas and then what..they are not strawberries pickers but qualified drivers who work long term.. 1

5

britain

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

2021

Svetlana Ekimenko

Svetlana Ekimenko

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

Svetlana Ekimenko

boris johnson, fuel, news, britain, brexit, post-brexit, kwasi kwarteng, grant shapps, uk
https://sputniknews.com/20210927/british-warship-plows-through-taiwan-strait-amid-beijing-taipei-tensions-1089438053.html

British Warship Plows Through Taiwan Strait Amid Beijing-Taipei Tensions

British Warship Plows Through Taiwan Strait Amid Beijing-Taipei Tensions

Chinese President Xi Jinping earlier called for more efforts to ensure peace and security in the Taiwan Strait, as a US Navy Arleigh Burke-class guided missile... 27.09.2021, Sputnik International

2021-09-27T08:16+0000

2021-09-27T08:16+0000

2021-09-27T08:18+0000

vietnam

xi jinping

china

east china sea

taiwan

taiwan strait

taiwan strait

president xijinping

/html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content

https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/102821/83/1028218327_10:0:1912:1070_1920x0_80_0_0_32e3ab38b9c54a6572f132f0874ea7e1.jpg

A British warship, the HMS Richmond, sailed through the Taiwan Strait on Monday. On its Twitter account, the Type 23 frigate of the Royal Navy, which is part of the UKs Carrier Strike Group 21 (CSG21) led by the HMS Queen Elizabeth, announced that it was passing through the Taiwan Strait en route to Vietnam, to link up with the Vietnam People's Navy. The HMS Richmond also made reference to a "busy period working with partners and allies in the East China Sea." HMS Richmond had been deployed in the East China Sea taking part in United Nation's sanctions enforcement operations against North Korea which ban the sale of fuel to the country over concerns regarding its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programmes. When asked to comment on the incident, Taiwan Defence Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng was cited by media in Taipei as saying: Volatile Situation in Taiwan StraitEarlier, Chinese President Xi Jinping warned of a volatile situation in the Taiwan Strait, calling for more efforts to ensure peace and security in the area. In a congratulatory letter to Eric Chu, the newly elected leader of the Kuomintang (KMT), Taiwan's main opposition party, Xi stressed that "at present, the situation in the Taiwan Strait is complex and grim" and that "all the sons and daughters of the Chinese nation must work together with one heart and go forward together". In late August, Beijing slammed Washington for allegedly undermining stability in the Taiwan Strait after two US warships passed through. The American Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer, USS Barry's recent transit through the Taiwan Strait was lambasted as a provocation of the kind that shows that it [Washington] is the destroyer of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, and a security risk creator in the region", according to Shi Yi, a spokesperson for the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA). The US Navy stated that it had conducted a "routine" transit through the Taiwan Strait, in a mission implemented "in accordance with international law". The current sailing of a UK frigate route through the sensitive Taiwan Strait on Monday comes amid heightened tensions between China and Taiwan, which split from the mainland during a civil war that resulted in the Communist Party taking control in 1949. Since then, Taiwan, officially called the Republic of China, has been governed independently from the mainland, with Beijing viewing the island as its province. Taiwan, which has its own elected government, maintains political and economic relations with several nations that treat it as a sovereign state. Beijing, whose official policy envisions a peaceful unification of Taiwan with Mainland China, has engaged in rounds of talks with island authorities over several decades. The Chinese Foreign Ministry also called on Taiwan to acknowledge its future lies in "reunification" earlier this year.Taipei has persistently rejected Beijings proposal for "one country, two systems".

mandrake A chinese destroyer at each end of the taiwan straits plus a few jets sitting ready on shore should tell the sodomites to feck off for good. The quickest end of the formosa 9

mandrake Problem is a quick takeoverof the island a la king kong. Most formosa inhabitants are pro china but the island is steered by a bought and paid corrupt cliqiqu of criminals! 6

9

vietnam

china

east china sea

taiwan strait

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

2021

Svetlana Ekimenko

Svetlana Ekimenko

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

Svetlana Ekimenko

vietnam, xi jinping, china, east china sea, taiwan, taiwan strait, taiwan strait, president xijinping
https://sputniknews.com/20210927/china-slams-uk-for-harbouring-evil-intentions-after-british-warship-sails-through-taiwan-strait--1089451028.html

China Slams UK for Harbouring Evil Intentions After British Warship Sails Through Taiwan Strait

China Slams UK for Harbouring Evil Intentions After British Warship Sails Through Taiwan Strait

Earlier on Monday, the official Twitter account of warship HMS Richmond posted a picture of the vessel navigating the contentious Taiwan Strait after a busy... 27.09.2021, Sputnik International

2021-09-27T15:04+0000

2021-09-27T15:04+0000

2021-09-27T15:04+0000

news

world

china

uk

/html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content

https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/104817/16/1048171638_0:182:3501:2151_1920x0_80_0_0_1f36dd400877c164e8f5f215923a70cf.jpg

China slammed Britain for its evil intentions after a Royal Navy frigate sailed through the Taiwan Strait on Monday. This kind of behaviour harbours evil intentions and damages peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, the People's Liberation Army's Eastern Theatre Command was cited as saying by Chinese state media People's Daily.In its Twitter post, the outlet added that Chinas air and naval forces had been ordered to follow and warn HMS Richmond as it proceeded on its way to Vietnam.The irate Chinese response followed a post on the official Twitter account of British warship HMS Richmond. The Type 23 frigate of the Royal Navy, which is part of the UKs Carrier Strike Group 21 (CSG21) led by HMS Queen Elizabeth, announced that it was passing through the Taiwan Strait on its way to Vietnam. HMS Richmond also made reference to a "busy period working with partners and allies in the East China Sea" after being deployed to participate in the United Nation's sanctions enforcement operations against North Korea. The developments come amid heightened tensions between China and Taiwan, which has its own constitution, military, and democratically-elected government. Taiwan split from the mainland during a civil war that resulted in the Communist Party taking control in 1949. Beijing continues to view the island as a breakaway province, while the authorities in Taipei have persistently rejected Chinas proposal for "one country, two systems." The latter envisages a peaceful unification of Taiwan with mainland China. Tensions between The People's Republic of China on one side and the US and its allies on the other have been flaring over two contentious issues: the status of Taiwan and the South China Sea.Beijing has repeatedly condemned Washington over its perceived meddling in the affairs of Taiwan, which it considers an integral part of China. Beijing lays claim to wide swathes of strategic and resource-rich maritime territory in the South China Sea, with other countries, such as Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, and the Philippines laying down contesting claims of their own. The US, which is not a party to the territorial dispute  while displaying support to claimants other than China  regularly sails its warships through the region. In late August, Beijing denounced Washington for undermining stability in the Taiwan Strait after two US warships passed through. The American Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer, USS Barry's recent transit through the Taiwan Strait was similarly lambasted as a provocation that shows that it [Washington] is the destroyer of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, and a security risk creator in the region," according to Shi Yi, a spokesperson for the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA). Recent tensions in the South China Sea have been ratcheted up after the announcement of a new security pact between Australia, the UK, and US called AUKUS. Albeit not mentioning China by name, the alliance is seen as part of a strategy to offset China's assertiveness in the contested South China Sea region. Beijing denounced the three-way security pact as "extremely irresponsible." The alliance risked "severely damaging regional peace... and intensifying the arms race," said Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Zhao Lijian.

Seam Stupid English bullying at work...! 7

Nigrutin C'mon they were looking for lorry drivers there. 4

6

china

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

2021

Svetlana Ekimenko

Svetlana Ekimenko

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

Svetlana Ekimenko

news, world, china, uk
https://sputniknews.com/20210927/convenient-scapegoat-imran-khan-urges-west-against-blaming-pakistan-for-unwinnable-afghan-war-1089450229.html

'Convenient Scapegoat': Imran Khan Urges West Against Blaming Pakistan For 'Unwinnable' Afghan War

'Convenient Scapegoat': Imran Khan Urges West Against Blaming Pakistan For 'Unwinnable' Afghan War

Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan has addressed several reports which claim that Islamabad is actively supporting the Taliban* and that the terrorists could... 27.09.2021, Sputnik International

2021-09-27T16:37+0000

2021-09-27T16:37+0000

2021-09-27T16:37+0000

imran khan

news

us

asia & pacific

india

afghanistan

/html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content

https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/107740/39/1077403974_0:0:2048:1152_1920x0_80_0_0_53fc31b7b969481fffa70df4ce7bc364.jpg

In an opinion piece published in The Washington Post on Monday, Khan criticises the Afghan and Western governments for making his country "a convenient scapegoat" for the outcome of the war in Afghanistan.Khan hits out at successive Pakistani governments and former military chief Pervez Musharraf, saying that they had sought to please the US instead of pointing out the flaws of a military-driven approach in Afghanistan.Citing an incident of the US support for the Afghan Taliban way back in the 1980s, PM Khan points out how then US President Ronald Reagan hosted them at the White House during the days when the CIA and Pakistan's spy agency ISI trained them to fight against the Soviets."Once the Soviets were defeated, the United States abandoned Afghanistan and sanctioned my country, leaving behind over 4 million Afghan refugees in Pakistan and a bloody civil war in Afghanistan. From this security vacuum emerged the Taliban, many born and educated in Afghan refugee camps in Pakistan," he argues."Fast forward to 9/11, when the United States needed us again  but this time against the very actors we had jointly supported to fight foreign occupation," adds Khan.He laments how General Musharraf, who was then ruling over Pakistan, turned a blind eye to US drone attacks and gave the CIA a foot hold in Pakistan.He also regrets how Pakistani troops were sent into the semi-autonomous tribal areas on the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, "which had earlier been used as the staging ground for the anti-Soviet jihad.""The fiercely independent Pashtun tribes in these areas had deep ethnic ties with the Taliban," he writes.Between 2005 and 2016, Khan shares, about 16,000 terrorist attacks were conducted against Pakistan by over 50 militant groups, who viewed Washington and Islamabad as collaborators.Pakistan "a Convenient Scapegoat"Calling former Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari "the most corrupt man to have led my country," Khan has blasted both him and former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, accusing them of not worrying about the collateral damage caused by US drone strikes. "In Afghanistan, the lack of legitimacy for an outsiders protracted war was compounded by a corrupt and inept Afghan government, seen as a puppet regime without credibility, especially by rural Afghans," he says.Khan highlights that Islamabad offered Kabul a joint border visibility mechanism, suggesting biometric border controls, advocated fencing the border, and other measures. However, each and every idea was rejected."Instead, the Afghan government intensified the 'blame Pakistan' narrative, aided by Indian-run fake news networks operating hundreds of propaganda outlets in multiple countries," the article continues. Khan says that the collapse of the Afghan Army and the Ashraf Ghani government could have been avoided if a more realistic approach was adopted. 'Engage With New Afghan Government'Khan opines that the "right thing" right now for the world to do would be to engage with the new Afghanistan government for the sake of peace and stability, and by assuring constant humanitarian aid, the Taliban will have greater incentive to honour the global community's demands."Providing such incentives will also give the outside world additional leverage to continue persuading the Taliban to honor its commitments," he adds.On 15 August, Taliban insurgents took control of the last government-controlled border crossing, leaving Kabul Airport as the only route out of the country. They subsequently surrounded and captured the Afghan capital after the city surrendered without a fight, and Ghani fled for the UAE.On 6 September, the Taliban announced that the last resisting province, Panjshir, had come under their control. Shortly after, the group announced the formation of a new interim government of Afghanistan. Mohammad Hasan Akhund, who has been on the UN sanctions list since 2001, became the head of the new cabinet.*The Taliban is a terrorist group banned in Russia and many other countries.

https://sputniknews.com/20210927/iraq-wmds-architect-john-bolton-claims-terrorists-could-get-nukes-in-wake-of-us-afghan-pullout-1089453600.html

Francesco Slossel Pienamente d'accordo: il flop dell' Afghanistan e al 100/100 una faccenda statunitense, ricordo ancora le parole d' un mio amico Pakistano sulle perplessita relative agli afghani che si muovevano nel suo paese! 0

Thomas Turk ''.. agreed to every American demand for military support after 9/11. '' Come on Imre, can't even you get that right.. or, no gonads, eh? So the Mad Murikan conspiracy theory was OK? That.. an Arab in an Afghan cave who shut down the 1/2T$ US air defenses with his laptop, then had one of his 22 his L Pilots, this one couldn't solo a Cessna172 with 600 logged hours, fly a hologram, at the impossible ground level speed of 580mph, right through a Twin Tower, and 'crush' it so well, that the remains could be removed overnight in 4 hours, instead of taking 4 years. That being.. Millions of tons of twisted steel girders, glass, concrete, air con machines and ducts, plumbing and sanitary ware, wiring and emergency genes, office equipment,, and 3000 HUMANS.. that in 2 100M high mounds.. (physics), not forgetting, the 2 remaining central cores, 417M high(!)! as the floors had 'pancaked', according to NIS. Search ''.9/11 Hologram Plane Theory - Bill Cooper RIP Nov 5 2001''.

2

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

2021

Sangeeta Yadav https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/08/1b/1080292803_0:121:960:1081_100x100_80_0_0_7490b319dab9611e309056b177265184.jpg

Sangeeta Yadav https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/08/1b/1080292803_0:121:960:1081_100x100_80_0_0_7490b319dab9611e309056b177265184.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

Sangeeta Yadav https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/08/1b/1080292803_0:121:960:1081_100x100_80_0_0_7490b319dab9611e309056b177265184.jpg

imran khan, news, us, asia & pacific, india
https://sputniknews.com/20210927/covid-lockdowns-have-led-to-giant-rats-emerging-from-uk-toilets-expert-says-1089441813.html

COVID Lockdowns Have Led to Giant Rats Emerging From UK Toilets, Expert Says

COVID Lockdowns Have Led to Giant Rats Emerging From UK Toilets, Expert Says

On top of the ongoing fuel crisis, the uncertainty over post-Brexit free trade, and the remnants of the COVID pandemic, an oversized rat infestation is yet... 27.09.2021, Sputnik International

2021-09-27T10:58+0000

2021-09-27T10:58+0000

2021-09-27T10:58+0000

united kingdom

rats

infestation

/html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content

https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/09/1b/1089442627_0:177:1920:1257_1920x0_80_0_0_2685f77570feb6b1868a3106d6305a1a.jpg

Huge rats have been invading homes through toilets in Britain, pest experts have revealed.According to the boss of Ace Pest Control, Andrew Dellbridge, rodents in Norwich have become bigger and braver after coronavirus lockdowns. UK experts warned the public last year that lockdowns could create the ideal conditions for rate infestations across the country.Social media is now awash with comments about how to tackle the rat invasion. Terry Walker, founder and managing director of TP Pest Control Services, said that due to the amount of rubbish and type of waste people are throwing out, rats are growing bigger and fatter than ever.A spokeswoman for Norwich City Council advised pet owners against feeding their cats and dogs outdoors, and told them not to leave food out.

united kingdom

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

united kingdom, rats, infestation
https://sputniknews.com/20210927/exiled-president-ghani-urges-international-community-to-recognize-talibans-rule-in-afghanistan-1089439859.html

Ashraf Ghani's Twitter Page Posts Message Indicating He Didn't Endorse the Taliban's Rule

Ashraf Ghani's Twitter Page Posts Message Indicating He Didn't Endorse the Taliban's Rule

Last month, Ashraf Ghani left Kabul for the United Arab Emirates after the Afghan capital had been seized by the Taliban* group as part of their sweeping... 27.09.2021, Sputnik International

2021-09-27T08:32+0000

2021-09-27T08:32+0000

2021-09-27T09:12+0000

afghanistan

ashraf ghani

world

afghanistan

news

/html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content

https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/08/15/1083676913_0:144:3129:1904_1920x0_80_0_0_81cdc26adff08dcd97fb96541453256e.jpg

Exiled Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has warned about the hacking of his Facebook account, where a call purportedly urging international recognition of the Taliban movement (banned as a terrorist organization in Russia) was published earlier. The statement included calls for reportedly helping the Islamist group, recognizing it and unfreezing Afghan assets. After the Taliban came to power in Afghanistan, the US froze nearly $9.5 billion in assets belonging to the Afghan central bank. The International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and the European Union also suspended funding for projects in the Islamic republic.On 13 September, Taliban spokesman Suhail Shaheen told Sputnik that the new Afghan government was prepared to take all possible legal steps to unfreeze Afghanistan's foreign assets in the United States.Ashraf Ghani's Twitter page has posted a message indicating his official Facebook account had been breached.Last month, Ashraf Ghani fled Kabul for the United Arab Emirates after the Taliban siezed the Afghan capital. The Islamist group had launched a lightening-swift offensive in the wake of departing US and NATO forces, reclaiming control over the war-torn country.The new Afghan government formed by the Taliban movement is not seeking the extradition of former President Ashraf Ghani but wants to return the funds allegedly taken away by him; Zabihullah Mujahid, deputy minister of culture and information of the interim Afghan government, said in an interview with Sputnik.* Taliban is a terror group banned in Russia

Francesco Slossel Un presidente dovrebbe avere piu a cuore la situazione del proprio paese piuttosto che uno stupido accoul di social media! 1

Tim6311 Why?

2

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

ashraf ghani, world, afghanistan, news
https://sputniknews.com/20210927/german-elections-does-cdu-have-any-chance-of-forming-coalition-with-greens--free-democrats-1089460401.html

German Elections: Does CDU Have Any Chance of Forming Coalition With Greens & Free Democrats?

German Elections: Does CDU Have Any Chance of Forming Coalition With Greens & Free Democrats?

Germany's centre-left Social Democrats (SPD) outperformed the centre-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU) 25.7% to 24.1% in Sunday's parliamentary elections... 27.09.2021, Sputnik International

2021-09-27T19:41+0000

2021-09-27T19:41+0000

2021-09-27T19:41+0000

european union

news

world

opinion

germany

election

green party of germany

social democratic party of germany (spd)

christian democratic union (cdu)

free democratic party (fdp)

/html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content

https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/09/1b/1089445644_0:83:3072:1811_1920x0_80_0_0_995964036d07ebd728b7f699afd5ce9f.jpg

SPD leader Olaf Scholz, who has been serving as vice-chancellor of Germany and federal minister of finance since 14 March 2018, is racing against the clock to kick off negotiations with the Greens and the Free Democratic Party (FDP) over a new government coalition.Nevertheless, CDU leader Armin Laschet said he would also try to form a three-party alliance with the Greens and Free Democrats in a bid to find a path to power. Previously, Merkel hailed Laschet as a "bridge-builder who will get people on board" at the final CDU rally in Aachen. The CDU leader's unwillingness to concede may potentially lead to a protracted power struggle. As for Merkel, she will stay in power until the coalition is formed. According to some observers, the coalition negotiations may last until Christmas.Two Possible Scenarios for SPD and CDUThere are two scenarios of how things could pan out for the SPD and the CDU, according to Professor Christian Schweiger, chair for Comparative European Governance Systems in the Institute for Political Science at the Chemnitz University of Technology in Germany.In any event, the Liberals and Greens will join the new government, the professor stresses. However, a three-party ruling coalition could make Berlin's political strategy less stable and less predictable, according to the professor.For example, "there's a big gap between the foreign policy approach of the Greens on the one hand and the CDU and the FDP on the other hand" in a potential Jamaica coalition, he explains. Things will not be any easier if Olaf Scholz comes out on top, according to Schweiger: there are serious divisions between the FDP and the SPD. For instance, the SPD is regarded as more "Russia-friendly," while the FDP is more oriented towards the United States, he notes. Meanwhile, the Greens are expected to continue to adhere to their pacifist and anti-war agenda which could, potentially, complicate Berlin's relations with NATO. In January 2021, the German Greens "went nuclear" over the NATO call for Berlin to do more for the transatlantic alliance, according to Politico.Laschet Would Continue Merkel's Approach in Terms of Foreign PolicyIn Schweiger's view, the Jamaica coalition of the CDU, Greens, and the FDP under Laschet would "offer the most stability in terms of foreign policy." The professor recalls that Laschet promised to continue the country's foreign policy and European strategy of his predecessor, Angela Merkel.Meanwhile, it cannot be completely ruled out that Laschet could manage to form a coalition despite a narrow defeat. Schweiger notes that Christian Lindner, the FDP leader, has hinted at the possibility of a Jamaica coalition in one of his recent interviews. At the same time, Robert Habeck, who has served as co-leader of Alliance '90/The Greens since 2018 alongside Annalena Baerbock, "clearly seems to be in favour of a coalition with the CDU," according to the academic.The professor assumes that there "could well be a situation where Habeck and Lindner find common ground and argue very strongly in favour of a Jamaica coalition and win the argument with their own parties."Scholz Would Try to Make EU More Independent, But Likely to Shelve EU Army IdeaWhoever forms the new coalition government, Germany is likely to focus on domestic issues, environmental policies and the effects of the pandemic and is less likely to be engaged in the European Union under a three-party coalition, according to Schweiger.Tim Buthe, professor of International Relations at TUM School of Governance, Technical University of Munich, holds a different view. He cites Scholz, who has recently stated that the main goal of German policy under his government would be to create a strong EU.While a potential Scholz government is likely to focus on making the EU independent from super-powers, the professor doubts that the SPD leader will push for the creation of a European Army  an idea previously considered by Chancellor Merkel. Besides that, the Greens, who are likely to enter the governing coalition, would not be very enthusiastic about it, the professor remarks. A European Army has long been "a mostly symbolic project," according to Buthe."Upgrading that substantially would imply a greater military role for Germany in world affairs," he says. "I don't anticipate that being a priority item on the agenda of the new government."

vot tak "Meanwhile, the Greens are expected to continue to adhere to their pacifist and anti-war agenda" ... Total horse govno. The zio-greens are as aggressive as merkrl's zio-quislings and got along quite well with that toxin. Another likudite propaganda piece from the psaki look a like. 2

vot tak Thumbs down, neocon.

2

germany

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

european union, news, world, opinion, germany, election, green party of germany, social democratic party of germany (spd), christian democratic union (cdu), free democratic party (fdp), european army
https://sputniknews.com/20210927/greens-to-strive-for-vice-chancellor-office-in-future-german-government---reports-1089463069.html

Greens to Strive for Vice-Chancellor Office in Future German Government - Reports

Greens to Strive for Vice-Chancellor Office in Future German Government - Reports

BERLIN (Sputnik) - The Greens will leverage their third place in the German general election to have one of its members, presumably party co-chair Robert... 27.09.2021, Sputnik International

2021-09-27T21:57+0000

2021-09-27T21:57+0000

2021-09-27T21:57+0000

the greens

germany

angela merkel

coalition

german vice-chancellor

green

conservative

/html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content

https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/09/1b/1089462202_0:0:3640:2048_1920x0_80_0_0_9e72ba65cde2092b40f5408b9125b282.jpg

Earlier in the day, Habeck said that the Greens prioritize negotiating a coalition with the Social Democrats and the liberal Free Democrats but consultations with the conservative CDU/CSU bloc are also possible.The pivot to Habeck and away from the party's chancellor candidate, Annalena Baerbock, is explained by the party being convinced that she had a weaker showing than expected. Baerbock also failed to win her single-member constituency while Habeck was elected directly into the Bundestag, thus confirming his popularity.According to the German newspaper, the party thinks that it needs a shake-up. Just a few days ago, Habeck had his first talks with the Free Democratic Party (FDP), which is also aiming to enter the new coalition government.The German parliamentary elections took place on Sunday. The Social Democratic Party outperformed outgoing Chancellor Angela Merkel's ruling CDU/CSU bloc by 1.6 percentage points. The Greens and the FDP came in third and fourth, respectively.The parties will now begin negotiations to form a coalition.

https://sputniknews.com/20210927/german-elections-does-cdu-have-any-chance-of-forming-coalition-with-greens--free-democrats-1089460401.html

vot tak The greens are the neo liberal version of merkel's nazis (neocons). They are not green by any stretch of imagination. The quislings are light blue.

1

germany

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

the greens, germany, angela merkel, coalition, german vice-chancellor, green, conservative
https://sputniknews.com/20210927/icc-prosecutor-requests-to-resume-investigation-of-war-crimes-in-afghanistan-1089449895.html

ICC Prosecutor Requests to Resume Investigation of War Crimes in Afghanistan

ICC Prosecutor Requests to Resume Investigation of War Crimes in Afghanistan

MOSCOW (Sputnik)  International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor Karim Khan said on Monday he has asked the court to let him resume the inquiry into alleged... 27.09.2021, Sputnik International

2021-09-27T13:36+0000

2021-09-27T13:36+0000

2021-09-27T13:36+0000

international criminal court (icc)

asia

afghanistan

/html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content

https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/09/0e/1089057336_0:160:3073:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_ed4fa0bc334ed1d92fde47438c13185d.jpg

"Today, I filed an application for an expedited order before Pre-Trial Chamber II of the ICC seeking authorization for my Office to resume its investigation in the Situation in the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan," Khan said in a statement.The prosecutor's office started the Afghan investigation on 5 March 2020. Three weeks later, government asked the ICC to let it investigate the crimes on its own and the court agreed. Khan praised the former government for its effort but called into question the ability of the new government to ensure an "adequate and effective" continuation of the probe.He expressed readiness, however, to "constructively engage" with the new government "in accordance with the principle of complementarity."The Taliban* formed an interim government in Afghanistan earlier this month. The ICC hopes to investigate the atrocities committed by the Islamist movement in the years preceding its takeover in August, including indiscriminate attacks on civilians, targeted extrajudicial executions, persecution of women and girls, and crimes against children.*A terrorist group outlawed in Russia and many other countries.

Dicksonrp I agree  with this,BUT WHAT ABOUT PALESTINE??? I think 1,000,000% Palestine war crimes investigation should also proceed BEFORE Afghanistan one. 3

ema.ruv Crimini di guerra...? Solo quando USA, ISRAELE, INGHILTERRA, GIAPPONE, EUROPA... MA, soprattutto, la NATO, verranno processati, iniziera un lungo periodo di tranquillita per il mondo....!!!! Ma proprio l' 0NU e la loro fonte di potere. Il silenzio imposto dall' ONU su inchieste contro un qualsiasi paese menzionato sopra parla chiaro. L' 0NU oramai e inutile, non protegge i giusti e non colpevolizza i malvagi quindi di fatto l' ONU e il COMPLICE N 1 DEGLI ASSASSINI ATLANTICI E LORO ALLEATI...!!! 2

4

asia

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

international criminal court (icc), asia, afghanistan
https://sputniknews.com/20210927/india-may-sideline-china-as-talks-underway-with-taiwan-to-overcome-domestic-chip-shortage-1089436107.html

India May Sideline China as Talks Underway With Taiwan to Overcome Domestic Chip Shortage

India May Sideline China as Talks Underway With Taiwan to Overcome Domestic Chip Shortage

The global semiconductor shortage has hit the automobile industry hard, forcing manufacturers to either cut output or temporarily halt production. Maruti... 27.09.2021, Sputnik International

2021-09-27T12:51+0000

2021-09-27T12:51+0000

2021-09-27T13:32+0000

taiwan1

china

india

semiconductors

taiwan semiconductor manufacturing company (tsmc)

/html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content

https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/0b/02/1080954125_159:0:3800:2048_1920x0_80_0_0_a46ad46edf1590cce83a64cc2d2bef4d.jpg

Amid the global shortage of semiconductors, Bloomberg reports that India and Taiwan are in talks to set up a chip manufacturing plant in South Asia before the end of this year. The chip plant  worth an estimated $7.5 billion  will scale up India's supply for 5G devices and electric cars. Semiconductors play a vital role in the global supply chain, and the Taiwan Semi-Conductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) is the world's largest third-party chip manufacturer. Holding over 55 percent of the foundry business of chip manufacturing, TSMC's customers include Qualcomm, Nvidia, and Apple.Last week, after Taiwanese officials attended a meeting in the White House, the country announced that it's "actively" working with all stakeholders to address the global semiconductor shortage.The chips are usually made of silicon and perform a wide variety of functions including power display and the transfer of data. A chip shortage can grind the production of cars, fridges, laptops, TVs, and a host of other electronic devices to a standstill. According to a Bloomberg report, the manufacturing of these chips cannot be increased at short notice because it takes months to make them. In India, the dearth has led to a delay in the launch of a new smartphone by billionaire Mukesh Ambanis Reliance Industries Ltd. that has been co-engineered with Google. According to media reports, India imports almost all of its semiconductors to meet demand, which is set to surge to around $100 billion by 2025 from this year's $24 billion.New Delhi is also reportedly looking into possible locations for the plant and will put up 50 percent of the project's capital expenditure from 2023. Meanwhile, Taiwan is "demanding" reduced tariffs on the raw materials used for making semiconductors.The discussions come weeks after US President Joe Biden sought increased supplies of chips. Last week, the Quad' partners  the US, Japan, Australia, and India  launched a joint initiative to map capacity, identify vulnerabilities, and bolster supply-chain security for semiconductors and their vital components. Due to the ongoing pandemic, the world is witnessing a scarcity of semiconductors, which has affected manufacturing and chip sales in several countries. Reports suggest that soured relations between the US and China are also responsible.

https://sputniknews.com/20210412/white-house-calls-semiconducter-chip-shortage-a-national-security-issue-1082608832.html

Dicksonrp Oh those lick bottom Taiwanese dogs.... 1

1

taiwan1

china

india

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

2021

Sushmita Panda https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/05/12/1082926186_0:0:2048:2048_100x100_80_0_0_4474d0d7e27a36878eb8727832be74b4.jpg

Sushmita Panda https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/05/12/1082926186_0:0:2048:2048_100x100_80_0_0_4474d0d7e27a36878eb8727832be74b4.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

Sushmita Panda https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/05/12/1082926186_0:0:2048:2048_100x100_80_0_0_4474d0d7e27a36878eb8727832be74b4.jpg

taiwan1, china, india, semiconductors, taiwan semiconductor manufacturing company (tsmc)
https://sputniknews.com/20210927/iraq-wmds-architect-john-bolton-claims-terrorists-could-get-nukes-in-wake-of-us-afghan-pullout-1089453600.html

Iraq WMDs Architect John Bolton Claims Terrorists Could Get Nukes in Wake of US Afghan Pullout

Iraq WMDs Architect John Bolton Claims Terrorists Could Get Nukes in Wake of US Afghan Pullout

The ex-Trump national security advisor, whose former boss once referred to as one of the dumbest people in Washington, has been criticised by detractors over... 27.09.2021, Sputnik International

2021-09-27T15:04+0000

2021-09-27T15:04+0000

2021-09-27T15:28+0000

united states

afghanistan

john bolton

/html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content

https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/08/1d/1083747449_0:0:1922:1082_1920x0_80_0_0_6675b0fc968345099728bb8c7f1383e5.jpg

Former Trump National Security Advisor and George W. Bush-era Undersecretary of State John Bolton fears that the US pullout from Afghanistan could lead to the Taliban* or another terrorist group getting nukes.But beyond that, China, which already has a lot of influence in Pakistan, is gonna increase its influence, put more pressure on India. So this is a big development in that part of the world, Bolton added.The former policymaker suggested that the US has to look at China and its threat to US interests across the board in order to prevail on all fronts. I think the United States needs to come to grips with this threat, needs to talk to its friends, needs to build up alliances, and needs to be prepared for a long struggle here across the full spectrum of potential power  economic, political, and military, he said.The former national security advisors comments come in the wake of remarks by Chinese President Xi Jinping at the United Nations General Assembly last week stressing that Beijing would not seek hegemony by invading or bullying others, and urging other countries to promote win-win cooperation in conducting international relations.Bolton to Biden: Take Out Pakistans NukesBolton, who became one of the principle architects of the 2003 US invasion of Iraq, has criticised Pakistan repeatedly in recent weeks for its alleged two-faced approach to Washington in the aftermath of last months calamitous US withdrawal from Afghanistan. Speaking to the Washington Post last month, Bolton hinted that the White House should consider taking preventative action to destroy Pakistans nuclear weapons if it became apparent that a future terrorist regime in Islamabad (or even todays government or like-minded successors) appears ready to transfer nuclear capabilities to terrorists.Bolton has also blasted Biden and his former boss, Donald Trump, over their decision to withdraw US forces from Afghanistan, suggesting that the risk of a radicalised Pakistan was one of the reasons American troops should have stayed in the war-torn country indefinitely.Bolton, 72, has supported nearly every US regime change war and colour revolution attempt since the 1970s, starting from the US war in Vietnam, which he backed politically but did not fight in thanks to a student deferment and enlistment in the Maryland Air National Guard. Boltons detractors have dubbed him a chicken hawk  someone who is ready to send other people into harms way while being too much of a chicken to fight in such conflicts himself.* A terrorist group outlawed in Russia and many other countries.

https://sputniknews.com/20210922/xi-jinping-vows-china-will-never-invade-or-bully-states-calls-to-reject-zero-sum-games-1089303229.html

Hampar Tokatlian John should have another brain to Bolt on as this one is much too paranoid and stupid. 6

Hess Bolton is a criminal. In any civilised society, he would be arrested and put in jail. 6

10

afghanistan

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

2021

Ilya Tsukanov

Ilya Tsukanov

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

Ilya Tsukanov

united states, afghanistan, john bolton
https://sputniknews.com/20210927/israeli-pm-bennett-accuses-iran-of-seeking-to-dominate-mideast-under-a-nuclear-umbrella-1089449138.html

Israeli PM Bennett Accuses Iran of Seeking to Dominate Mideast 'Under Nuclear Umbrella'

Israeli PM Bennett Accuses Iran of Seeking to Dominate Mideast 'Under Nuclear Umbrella'

Tel Aviv has spent over a decade accusing Tehran of secretly pursuing nuclear weapons, and has threatened to take unilateral military action against the... 27.09.2021, Sputnik International

2021-09-27T13:19+0000

2021-09-27T13:19+0000

2021-09-27T16:48+0000

middle east

/html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content

https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/03/12/1082377215_0:156:3001:1844_1920x0_80_0_0_20a5939df0633d78bb39d30f1193adcb.jpg

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett has accused Iran of seeking to "dominate" the Middle East using nuclear weapons."Over the past few years Iran has made a major leap forward in its nuclear R&D, its production capacity, its enrichment. Iran's nuclear weapon programme is at a critical point. All red lines have been crossed, inspections ignored, all wishful thinking proven false. Iran is currently violating the [International Atomic Energy agency's safeguard agreements and its getting away with it. They harass inspectors and sabotage their investigations, and they're getting away with it. They enrich uranium to the level of 60 percent, which is only one step short of weapons-grade material and they're getting away with it," Bennett complained.Suggesting that Iran's nuclear programme had hit a "watershed moment," the Israeli prime minister warned that Tel Aviv's "tolerance" has run out. "Words do not stop centrifuges from spinning," he said. "Israel will not allow Iran to acquire a nuclear weapon. And I want to tell you something  Iran is much weaker, much more vulnerable than it seems," Bennett added, emphasizing Tel Aviv and its allies can and would "prevail" against Tehran.Alleged Terror TiesBennett went on to accuse Iran of being the root of all evil in the Middle East. "For the past three decades, Iran spread its carnage and destruction around the Middle East, country after country. Lebanon, Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Gaza. What do all these places have in common? Well, they're all falling apart, their citizens hungry, their economies collapsing. Like the Midas touch, Iran's regime has the mullah touch. Every place Iran touches  fails!" the prime minister alleged.Bennett accused Iran of sponsoring terrorism in the region and delivering drones and other weapons to militants to attack US forces in Iraq, Saudi oil refineries, and commercial ships at sea.Back-and-Forth Insults at the UNAt his own speech to the UN General Assembly last week, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi dubbed Israel an "occupier Zionist regime" and accused Tel Aviv of being the world's biggest sponsor of "state terrorism," "whose agenda is to slaughter women and children in Gaza and the West Bank." Raisi spent most of his speech criticising the United States, however, blasting the US "hegemonic system" and suggesting that the "project of imposing Westernised identity" had "failed miserably," causing only "blood spilling and instability, and ultimately defeat and escape" in countries like Afghanistan.What's Old is New AgainPM Bennett's comments on Iran's alleged pursuit of nuclear weapons are not new. His predecessor, Benjamin Netanyahu, famously appeared at the General Assembly in 2012 with a cartoon bomb on a poster board, suggesting that Tehran was just weeks or months away from building a nuke. Time passed, and these "Iranian nukes" never materialised, but Israeli officials have continued to allege that the Islamic Republic is on the brink of nuclear weapons status for years on end.Iran denies having any intention to create nuclear arms, or weapons of mass destruction of any kind, and destroyed its stocks of chemical weapons in the 1990s before joining the Chemical Weapons Convention in 1997. The country's successive supreme leaders  Ruhollah Khomeini and Ali Khamenei  have each issues religious rulings banning weapons of mass destruction as incompatible with Islam.Iranian officials have blasted Western governments over their alleged "shameful" double standards when it comes to Israel's nuclear weapons, including an utter lack of pressure to force Tel Aviv to join the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and disarm, or to abide by the NPT and other international treaties. Israeli officials do not formally comment on whether the country has nuclear arms, instead pursuing a policy of "nuclear ambiguity." At the same time, Israel reserves itself the right to bomb, sabotage or otherwise act to stop activities of any Middle Eastern nation it thinks has an active nuclear weapons programme. To that end, the country bombed an Iraqi nuclear reactor in 1981, struck an alleged nuclear research facility in Syria in 2007, and assassinated at least half-a-dozen Iranian nuclear scientists. The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute estimates that Israel has about 80 nukes, with other estimates suggesting the country's arsenal may number up to 400 warheads.

Nostromo Khazar Khagnate, whose people were Jewish, extended from the Volga-Don steppes to the eastern Crimea and the northern Caucasus. So wtf are Jews doing in Palestine. They occupied the wrong lands and now they are shaking out of fear because nobody wants them there. 16

Observation Post These rotchild khazars are psychopathic liars. 15

27

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

2021

Ilya Tsukanov

Ilya Tsukanov

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

Ilya Tsukanov

middle east
https://sputniknews.com/20210927/maybe-jetlag-from-the-us-tour-indian-lawmaker-hits-out-at-pm-modi-for-leaving-his-domain-1089439493.html

'Maybe Jetlag from the US Tour': Indian Lawmaker Hits Out at PM Modi for Leaving His 'Domain'

'Maybe Jetlag from the US Tour': Indian Lawmaker Hits Out at PM Modi for Leaving His 'Domain'

Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone of the new Parliament building on 10 December 2020, and the project is likely to be completed by the end... 27.09.2021, Sputnik International

2021-09-27T13:41+0000

2021-09-27T13:41+0000

2021-09-27T13:41+0000

narendra modi

india

prime minister's office of india

india

/html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content

https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/09/0f/1089089125_0:0:3073:1728_1920x0_80_0_0_0498a974b667a59becec1d55384bca13.jpg

Indian parliamentarian Asaduddin Owaisi has objected to the way Narendra Modi is supervising the construction site of the new Indian Parliament complex being built in New Delhi, saying it is not the prime minister's domain. The prominent Muslim leader and head of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen (AIMIM) party pointed out on Monday that Modi had inspected the construction site without being accompanied by Om Birla, speaker of Lok Sabha, the Indian parliament's lower house.According to Owaisi, the step violated the principle of "Separation of Powers that is part of the basic structure of the constitution".Modi made an unannounced visit to the site where the new parliament building is being built, late on Sunday night, a few hours after his return from the US. He spent almost an hour at the construction site conducting a first-hand inspection of the project expected to be finished by the end of next year. Modi's nocturnal inspection of the site drew all sorts of reactions, with one person suggesting that it was a photo opportunity to divert public attention from what the tweeter described as an "embarrassing" trip to the United States. During the three-day US visit, Modi held bilateral talks with President Joe Biden, participated in the first in-person Quad summit and addressed the United Nations General Assembly.The new parliament building is part of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government's ambitious Central Vista project and is being built at a cost of $116 million.The Central Vista project aims to redevelop a 2-mile stretch that lies at the heart of Lutyens' Delhi built by the British in the 1930s. The project's implementation has required the demolition and rebuilding of several iconic government buildings.

india

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

2021

Priya Yadav https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/02/01/1081944855_0:29:2048:2077_100x100_80_0_0_fcca548f1670eac15afebf8b8e336044.jpg

Priya Yadav https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/02/01/1081944855_0:29:2048:2077_100x100_80_0_0_fcca548f1670eac15afebf8b8e336044.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

Priya Yadav https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/02/01/1081944855_0:29:2048:2077_100x100_80_0_0_fcca548f1670eac15afebf8b8e336044.jpg

narendra modi, india, prime minister's office of india, india
https://sputniknews.com/20210927/moscow-warns-possible-expansion-of-nato-infrastructure-in-ukraine-would-violate-russias-red-lines-1089448603.html

Moscow Warns Possible Expansion of NATO Infrastructure in Ukraine Would Violate Russias Red Lines

Moscow Warns Possible Expansion of NATO Infrastructure in Ukraine Would Violate Russias Red Lines

This summer, the Western-backed government in Kiev pressured the North Atlantic Alliance to take steps to immediately begin the process to accept Ukraine... 27.09.2021, Sputnik International

2021-09-27T13:03+0000

2021-09-27T13:03+0000

2021-09-27T13:35+0000

russia

ukraine

nato

/html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content

https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/106710/68/1067106873_0:160:3073:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_66fbcecbd03b9b03b055d5fabe767534.jpg

The deployment of additional NATO infrastructure in Ukraine would violate one the red lines spoken about by President Vladimir Putin, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has indicated.These are the kinds of actions that will ensure the strategic interests and security of our two allied states, Peskov said, commenting on Lukashenkos remarks in a briefing with reporters.Ukraines AlignmentUkrainian lawmakers abandoned the countrys non-aligned status in 2014, in the aftermath of the US and-EU-backed Maidan coup detat, which ousted unpopular but democratically elected president Viktor Yanukovych. In 2016, lawmakers adopted an additional measure to define NATO membership as a key foreign policy goal for Kiev. In 2019, Ukraines parliament approved amendments to the constitution confirming the countrys course toward NATO and the EU.Russia has expressed concerns over the prospects of yet another Eastern European nation joining the Western security bloc. Despite commitments made to Mikhail Gorbachev in 1990 not to expand eastward, NATO has since swallowed up every single former member of the Moscow-led Warsaw Pact, plus the Baltic States and several republics of the former Yugoslavia.In June, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky demanded a yes or no answer from US President Joe Biden and other NATO members on Ukraines accession to the alliance, citing the alleged Russian threat. Biden, whose own family has been implicated in alleged corrupt dealings in Ukraine, responded by telling Zelensky that Kiev would still have to clean up corruption and meet other criteria before becoming eligible for the alliances action plan for membership.NATO already regularly carries out drills with Ukrainian ground forces, air defence troops and navy, and occasionally stations limited contingents of troops in the country to train forces to alliance standards. Washington and its allies have also provided the country with hundreds of millions of dollars in lethal and non-lethal military assistance. Moscow has warned that these deployments and exercises serve to undermine regional security. Russia has also expressed concerns about the string of US military biological laboratories near its borders in countries such as Ukraine and Georgia.

https://sputniknews.com/20210415/ukraines-ambassador-to-germany-says-kiev-may-have-to-build-nukes-if-it-cant-join-nato-1082640859.html

FeEisi These fake training centers will be positioned in places to spy on Russia. In Afghanistan it was revealed most US bases were used for spying on central Asia. 3

FeEisi "US Used Military Bases in Afghanistan to Keep Watch on Entire Region, Russian Diplomat Says" Sputnik article 3

5

russia

ukraine

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

2021

Ilya Tsukanov

Ilya Tsukanov

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

Ilya Tsukanov

russia, ukraine, nato
https://sputniknews.com/20210927/nearly-half-of-germans-prefer-spds-nominee-scholz-as-new-chancellor-poll-shows-1089438927.html

Nearly Half of Germans Prefer SPD's Nominee Scholz as New Chancellor, Poll Shows

Nearly Half of Germans Prefer SPD's Nominee Scholz as New Chancellor, Poll Shows

BERLIN (Sputnik) - Almost 50% of Germans would welcome the Social Democrats' (SPD) leader, Olaf Scholz, as a federal chancellor, a poll conducted by the Wahlen... 27.09.2021, Sputnik International

2021-09-27T07:53+0000

2021-09-27T07:53+0000

2021-09-27T08:19+0000

europe

germany

elections

/html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content

https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/09/1b/1089439687_0:160:3073:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_ce69ed367c3077d18382f718ecd30851.jpg

The Christian Democratic Union of Germany (CDU) leader Armin Laschet received the preliminary support of 24% of voters, and Annalena Baerbock, the Green Party chancellor candidate, was chosen by only 14% of the poll participants.When asked about the traits of a prospective chancellor, 67% respondents believed Scholz to be the most fitting candidate. But 29% thought that Laschet would cope with the work the best, and 23% were sure of Baerbock.The data were collected via phone interviews with 1,338 Germans, that was made a week prior to the election, and via the poll conducted on the election day among 41,373 voters.Additionally, the exit polls carried out by the national ARD and ZDF broadcasters, showed that the SPD had lead in the federal election, followed by the conservative CDU/CSU block and the Greens.The election took place in Germany on Sunday. In compliance with the results, the government will be formed and a new chancellor will be appointed. Incumbent Chancellor Angela Merkel announced her intention to step down after 16 years of serving as the German leader.

germany

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

europe, germany, elections
https://sputniknews.com/20210927/north-koreas-kcna-labels-us-most-heinous-human-rights-abuser--1089434374.html

North Korea's KCNA Labels US 'Most Heinous Human Rights Abuser'

North Korea's KCNA Labels US 'Most Heinous Human Rights Abuser'

The claim appeared in a Monday article published by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), and authored by an international affairs researcher. 27.09.2021, Sputnik International

2021-09-27T04:12+0000

2021-09-27T04:12+0000

2021-09-27T04:11+0000

pyongyang

human rights

north korea

korean central news agency (kcna)

dprk

/html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content

https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/107286/09/1072860985_0:10:2908:1646_1920x0_80_0_0_048e5fd0026bc2c1b8a254f06e61a4f4.jpg

The North Korean state media outlet denounced the US as manipulative and power-hungry for global dominance when it comes to human rights abuses. The researcher contended that the US' "hypocritical moves under the cloak of human rights" must be destroyed before the US realizes global dominance. "Now many countries resolutely stand against the US human rights farce for curbing their development," the outlet concluded. The report comes in the wake of Pyongyang's assertion that the US should be held accountable for the US-led coalition's "gross violation of human rights."At the time, North Korea's Foreign Ministry declared that the US mission gave rise to a number of "inhumane crimes" before it "came to an end with the hasty flight of US troops."

vot tak The DPRK are exactly correct here. 4

Kiwi 110% correct. 4

3

pyongyang

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

2021

Evan Craighead

Evan Craighead

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

Evan Craighead

pyongyang, human rights, north korea, korean central news agency (kcna), dprk
https://sputniknews.com/20210927/norways-post-covid-19-re-opening-turns-life-threatening-amid-drunken-street-fights-1089434871.html

Norway's Post-COVID-19 Re-Opening Turns 'Life-Threatening' Amid Drunken Street Fights

Norway's Post-COVID-19 Re-Opening Turns 'Life-Threatening' Amid Drunken Street Fights

Plans to re-open Norway came abruptly, with only a single day's notice. While critics said that this hastiness and a failure to prepare the public contributed... 27.09.2021, Sputnik International

2021-09-27T05:25+0000

2021-09-27T05:25+0000

2021-09-27T05:25+0000

news

europe

norway

scandinavia

coronavirus

covid-19

/html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content

https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/103338/99/1033389946_0:160:3077:1890_1920x0_80_0_0_a9c18f0838a87fdeab05c0e363d68dea.jpg

As Norway eased most of the COVID-19 restrictions which had been in place for months, the country's streets filled with celebrating citizens. However, the celebration was marred with drunken fights and riots; Norwegian police described it as a messy night.While Culture Minister Abid Raja ventured that all Norway has been longing for a re-opening for 18 months and encouraged his compatriots to take back the culture and everyday life, leading by example and going to a dance party, the process had a flip side, as disturbances were recorded throughout the country.Amid long queues at Oslo's nightclubs and pubs, the police registered at least 50 fights and disruptions over the course of several hours alone. One man was hospitalised with serious head injuries after an assault. Furthermore, police handled a stabbing and an alarm about a man with a machete on a bus. There was a significantly greater workload than before, during the summer. There were a lot of people out already in the afternoon and it continued during the night, Rune Hekkelstrand of the Oslo Police told national broadcaster NRK.However, the disturbances were by no means limited to Oslo. In Tnsberg, Skien and Bergen, police had to intervene to break up several major riots and mass fights; 12 people were arrested in the city of Agder, NRK reported.The city of Trondheim reported that people fainted in pub queues from congestion. A police spokesman told that the queues outside nightclubs were so long and dense and that people pressed so hard that some lost their breath.The police in Stavanger described a busy night with many assignments related to parties and celebrations, including disturbances, expulsions and violations of night peace.The news of the upcoming re-opening came abruptly, with only a single day's notice. Critics say that this hastiness and failure to correctly prepare the public has contributed to the ensuing chaos.However, the prime minister stuck to her guns and defended the decision. She argued it would have been foolish to wait, as the opening has been advocated by the country's infection control authority.Since the start of the pandemic, Norway, a nation of 5.3 million, has seen 187,000 cases with 850 deaths. As of now, over 67 percent of its population is fully vaccinated.

https://sputniknews.com/20210924/norway-becomes-first-western-country-to-raise-key-rate-since-start-of-covid-19-pandemic-1089357255.html

vot tak Garbage zio-media murdoch level article. Thumbs down. 1

1

norway

scandinavia

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

2021

Igor Kuznetsov

Igor Kuznetsov

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

Igor Kuznetsov

news, europe, norway, scandinavia, coronavirus, covid-19
https://sputniknews.com/20210927/paris-says-france-not-abandoning-mali-by-upgrading-its-military-presence-in-sahel-1089455479.html

Paris Says France Not 'Abandoning' Mali by Upgrading Its Military Presence in Sahel

Paris Says France Not 'Abandoning' Mali by Upgrading Its Military Presence in Sahel

PARIS (Sputnik) - Changes to the French military presence in Africa's Sahel region constitute neither France's withdrawal from Mali nor a unilateral decision... 27.09.2021, Sputnik International

2021-09-27T15:58+0000

2021-09-27T15:58+0000

2021-09-27T15:58+0000

france

mali

africa

troops

troop withdrawal

/html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content

https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/01/03/1081639170_0:0:1920:1080_1920x0_80_0_0_fd3d2564264497d3763221cfaac74fd2.jpg

"The transformation of our military presence in the Sahel is neither a withdrawal from Mali, nor a unilateral decision, and it is wrong to say otherwise," a French foreign ministry spokesperson told a briefing, noting that the issue was negotiated with the Sahelian and Malian authorities during a G5 summit in France's Pau in January 2020.France remains committed to supporting Mali and other G5 Sahel states in their fight against terrorism, the diplomat added, recalling that a French soldier was killed during a counterterrorist operation in Mali last week.The remark came in response to Malian Prime Minister Choguel Kokalla Maiga's address to the UN General Assembly on Sunday, during which he called France's withdrawal a "unilateral" move that was coordinated neither with the UN nor with the Malian government. Paris abandoned Mali "mid-flight to a certain extent," prompting the African nation to explore new ways to ensure its security on its own or with new partners, Maiga said.In June, French President Emmanuel Macron announced changes to the French military presence in Africa's Sahel region, including the end of the counterterror Operation Barkhane in the Sahel by the first quarter of 2022. Instead, the French leader said that a broader international effort would be made.France launched the mission in cooperation with the armed forces of Mali, Burkina Faso, Chad, Mauritania, and Niger in 2014.

https://sputniknews.com/20210920/mali-looks-for-plan-b-to-bolster-our-national-defense-as-french-mission-exits-leaving-chaos-1089254906.html

france

mali

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

france, mali, africa, troops, troop withdrawal
https://sputniknews.com/20210927/probe-into-beirut-port-blast-suspended-as-lawsuit-filed-against-judge-report-says-1089446619.html

Probe Into Beirut Port Blast Suspended as Lawsuit Filed Against Judge, Report Says

Probe Into Beirut Port Blast Suspended as Lawsuit Filed Against Judge, Report Says

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The investigation into the explosion at the port of the Lebanese capital of Beirut, which killed over 250 people in August 2020, was... 27.09.2021, Sputnik International

2021-09-27T12:03+0000

2021-09-27T12:03+0000

2021-09-27T12:07+0000

beirut

news

middle east

blast

/html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content

https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/05/05/1082810200_0:320:3072:2048_1920x0_80_0_0_a05cb1d60844a168310764f5f0c4a212.jpg

The lawsuit was reportedly filed by ex-Lebanese Interior Minister Nohad Machnouk, whom the judge wanted to summon for questioning. According to An-Nahar newspaper, the investigation is suspended until the appellate court makes a ruling.The deadly explosion rocked the port of Beirut on 4 August 2020, leaving at least 218 people dead, 7,000 injured and about 300,000 people homeless. The blast was blamed on thousands of tonnes of ammonium nitrate stored at the port. The damage to the city's infrastructure caused by the blast was estimated at $15 billion.Following the blast, the government of Lebanon declared a two-week state of emergency in the city but this, however, did not prevent people from taking to the streets in protests against the government for their failure to prevent the disaster and address many other pressing economic issues.

Dicksonrp All maneuvers being done already, to cover the zio terrorist isrealhell mini Nuke devastation of the Beruit port 2

Observation Post Who and why would some entity fire a mini nuke into the Port of Beirut? 1

2

beirut

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

beirut, news, middle east, blast
https://sputniknews.com/20210927/registration-cock-up-hundreds-of-finnish-cars-get-number-plates-with-word-dk-1089437793.html

Registration Cock-Up: Hundreds of Finnish Cars Get Number Plates With Word 'D**k'

Registration Cock-Up: Hundreds of Finnish Cars Get Number Plates With Word 'D**k'

The Finnish Transport and Communications Agency appeared to have no list of blocked letter combinations when it comes to number plates, due to the fact that... 27.09.2021, Sputnik International

2021-09-27T07:27+0000

2021-09-27T07:27+0000

2021-09-27T07:27+0000

news

europe

sweden

finland

scandinavia

/html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content

https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/105054/05/1050540538_0:0:1920:1080_1920x0_80_0_0_7d2fd92d14f150f0b5caaea88806f35a.jpg

Due to an oversight by the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency, hundreds of cars received registration plates with letters reading KUK, which is the vulgar word for male private parts in Swedish, one of the country's official languages.The unexpected letter combination was met with a combination of anger and laughter.My Swedish guests laughed so hard they started to cry, artist Thomas Lundin wrote on Facebook of the cock-up.I am Finnish-speaking but of course I got it when the car dealer informed me about the matter. I thought it was somewhat funny, one of the cock-victims told the newspaper Hufvudstadsbladet.Salesman were reportedly instructed by the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency to inform everyone who gets a car with cocky plates that the letter combination is offensive in Swedish and that customers can therefore replace the registration plates free of charge.Another driver said she initially didn't care, but had to rethink and take the offer after hearing reactions from Swedish-speaking friends and colleagues. The Finnish Transport and Communications Agency blamed the attention-grabbing plates on human error.Three-letter words are unusual in Finnish, which is known for its use of double letters. In neighbouring Sweden, the country's Transport Agency has a list of blocked letter combinations (including KUK), which so far doesn't exist in Finland.A vestige of Finland's 500 years under the Swedish throne, the country still maintains a Swedish-speaking population numbering some 300,000 people. The so-called Finland Swedes maintain a strong identity and are seen either as a separate ethnic group, while still being Finnish, or even as a distinct nationality. The Swedish-speaking population is clustered in large cities, along the coastline and on the self-governing archipelago of Aland.

Thomas Turk Igor needs some homework. Dick is Murikan slang. We Limeys call it a cock. In Finnish (slang) it's MUNAA. So. if I had a number plate.. MUNAA,, what would I know till a Finnish lady cop stopped me, for pulling the piss?

1

sweden

finland

scandinavia

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

2021

Igor Kuznetsov

Igor Kuznetsov

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

Igor Kuznetsov

news, europe, sweden, finland, scandinavia
https://sputniknews.com/20210927/russian-embassy-calls-on-us-authorities-to-ensure-that-yaroshenko-gets-medical-assistance-1089433495.html

Russian Embassy Calls on US Authorities to Ensure That Yaroshenko Gets Medical Assistance

Russian Embassy Calls on US Authorities to Ensure That Yaroshenko Gets Medical Assistance

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - Russian diplomats have visited Russian national Konstantin Yaroshenko who is serving a prison term in the US state of Connecticut and... 27.09.2021, Sputnik International

2021-09-27T01:31+0000

2021-09-27T01:31+0000

2021-09-27T01:30+0000

konstantin yaroshenko

russian embassy

medical assistance

/html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content

https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/106745/09/1067450961_0:5:460:264_1920x0_80_0_0_410cf01d21f4df119c962d0cc322b19e.jpg

"Senior diplomats of the Embassy paid a consular visit to Konstantin #Yaroshenko, who has been deprived of his right for a qualified medical assistance in prison. We assured our compatriot that we will continue to strive for the observance of his rights and legitimate interests," the embassy said in a statement.According to the release, the Russian side is calling on US authorities to ensure that all Russians imprisoned in the United States get the medical assistance they need.Earlier in September, a US federal court ruled against the motion for a compassionate release of Yaroshenko, who characterized the decision not to release him over health concerns as being unmotivated.Yaroshenko was arrested in Liberia in May 2010 on suspicion of drug trafficking. A year later, he was extradited to the United States and sentenced to 20 years in prison for allegedly taking part in a conspiracy to smuggle a large amount of drugs into the country. Yaroshenko has denied all charges.On December 19, 2020, Yaroshenkos legal defense filed a motion for a compassionate release on health grounds. Later in December, the US government expressed opposition to Yaroshenkos early release.

vot tak Torture, the israeloamerican specialty. 2

FeEisi The US kidnaps and pressures third countries to extradite citizens from China, Russia, Iran and Venezuela. 2

2

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

konstantin yaroshenko, russian embassy, medical assistance
https://sputniknews.com/20210927/russias-gazprom-hungary-sign-15-year-contract-for-gas-supplies-1089447765.html

Hungary Accuses Ukraine of Meddling Amid Budapest's 15-Year Contract for Gas Supplies With Russia

Hungary Accuses Ukraine of Meddling Amid Budapest's 15-Year Contract for Gas Supplies With Russia

Earlier in the day, the Russian gas giant Gazprom and the Hungarian government signed a contract for gas supplies until the end of 2036. 27.09.2021, Sputnik International

2021-09-27T12:42+0000

2021-09-27T12:42+0000

2021-09-27T13:44+0000

news

world

russia

hungary

economy

gas

/html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content

https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/102639/75/1026397535_0:241:2984:1920_1920x0_80_0_0_6988fd29eb197f982224c074a5dad592.jpg

Hungary has accused Ukraine of meddling in its internal affairs after Kiev criticised it over the signing of a new 15-year natural gas supply deal with Russia's Gazprom.This comes after earlier on Monday, Russia's Gazprom and Hungary signed a 15-year contract for gas supplies. The signing ceremony in Budapest was attended by Gazprom Export chief Elena Burmistrova and Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto.Under the contract, Gazprom will be delivering 4.5 billion cubic meters of gas to Hungary annually. As it was reported previously, 3.5 billion cubic meters will be shipped through Serbia and one billion more through Austria.The agreement enters into force on 1 October. Terms can be changed after 10 years.

Observation Post The Ukraine comedian is not amused. 13

NthrnNYker59 Hungary just didn't want to pay that transit surcharge that Gazprom is going to impose on ALL energy supplies that transits uKRAPistan ----- as I've said before ... Russia has no desire to subsidize the sub human uKRAPiTrash deadbeats with the profits of it's energy exports ---- and now we find that the member states of the EU doesn't want to either. 13

6

russia

hungary

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

news, world, russia, hungary, economy, gas
https://sputniknews.com/20210927/russias-security-service-detains-five-neo-nazis-planning-terror-attack-in-bashkiria-1089437592.html

Russia's Security Service Detains Five Neo-Nazis Planning Terror Attack in Bashkiria

Russia's Security Service Detains Five Neo-Nazis Planning Terror Attack in Bashkiria

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) announced on Monday that it thwarted preparations for a terrorist attack in the Republic of... 27.09.2021, Sputnik International

2021-09-27T07:01+0000

2021-09-27T07:01+0000

2021-09-27T07:01+0000

russia

terrorist attack

russian federal security service (fsb)

/html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content

https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/107438/95/1074389527_0:6:1256:713_1920x0_80_0_0_94d81262e75f584f07557757e91e5f78.jpg

"Preparations to carry out a terror attack at a law enforcement agencies' facility in the Republic of Bashkortostan were thwarted ... Five residents of Ufa, born from 2001-2003, were detained, these are members of a neo-Nazi group who were preparing a terrorist attack using improvised explosives and explosive devices," the FSB said in a statement.Ready for use improvised explosive devices, explosives and components, nine bladed weapons, instructions for manufacturing explosives, and portraits of Third Reich leaders and nationalist Stepan Bandera were seized in the detainees' places of residence and their cache.Criminal probe was initiated into preparations for carrying out a terrorist attack and illegal manufacture of explosives, the FSB said. All the suspects were placed under detention as a pre-trial restriction.

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

russia, terrorist attack, russian federal security service (fsb)
https://sputniknews.com/20210927/texas-gov-abbott-vows-to-employ-us-border-patrol-agents-whose-jobs-are-at-risk-by-biden-admin---1089433746.html

Texas Gov. Abbott Vows to Employ US Border Patrol Agents Whose Jobs Are 'At Risk' by Biden Admin

Texas Gov. Abbott Vows to Employ US Border Patrol Agents Whose Jobs Are 'At Risk' by Biden Admin

US President Joe Biden garnered GOP criticism by telling reporters on Friday that "there will be consequences" after US Border Patrol agents on horseback were... 27.09.2021, Sputnik International

2021-09-27T02:17+0000

2021-09-27T02:17+0000

2021-09-27T02:16+0000

haiti

texas

us border patrol

agents

rio grande

us-mexico border

biden administration

/html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content

https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/09/14/1089251856_0:0:3072:1728_1920x0_80_0_0_211d9fc895973e7820c398f72330b4be.jpg

Texas Governor Greg Abbott (R) came to the defense of mounted US Border Patrol agents seen charging Haitian migrants earlier this month, stating that the blame was on Biden and his administration, rather than on the actions of horse-riding border officers. US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas announced during a September 24 news conference that there were "no longer any migrants" camping under the International Bridge in Del Rio.The DHS Secretary confirmed that expulsions are continuing as the Biden administration continues to uphold Title 42, a 1944 public health authorization that allows the government to cite public health concerns to deport migrants from the country without due process. The agents under DHS investigation have since reportedly been assigned to administrative duties, and will not be interacting with migrants until the probe wraps, Mayorkas added. Top officials at the Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR), the compliance arm of US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), have been assigned to lead the investigation. Mayorkas highlighted that findings from the probe will be made public by the DHS. Many GOP lawmakers and politicos remarked that Biden got ahead of the probe's findings by making a number of presumptive remarks on who needs to "pay" for the incident during his Friday address to the public. The US president also endorsed a debunked claim that Haitians were whipped by Border Patrol agents. "The only actions so far taken by this administration is to make it worse, is to go after Border Patrol agents," Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-TX) said on Saturday. "Their morale is low, they are getting no medical care, theyre forced to process thousands and thousands of people a day who probably have COVID, who probably have other diseases."

vot tak Employ them as what? Bum toys? 2

vot tak Another neocon article to thumb down. 2

2

haiti

texas

rio grande

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

2021

Evan Craighead

Evan Craighead

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

Evan Craighead

haiti, texas, us border patrol, agents, rio grande, us-mexico border, biden administration
https://sputniknews.com/20210927/turkish-cypriot-president-says-un-recognition-of-northern-cyprus-not-there-yet-unrealistic-now-1089449283.html

Turkish Cypriot President Says UN Recognition of Northern Cyprus 'Not There Yet,' Unrealistic Now

Turkish Cypriot President Says UN Recognition of Northern Cyprus 'Not There Yet,' Unrealistic Now

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - Northern Cyprus does not expect to receive a full UN recognition at the moment because it is not realistic and "the situation is not... 27.09.2021, Sputnik International

2021-09-27T13:23+0000

2021-09-27T13:23+0000

2021-09-27T16:54+0000

north cyprus

world

un

/html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content

https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/0a/0a/1080729105_0:161:3069:1887_1920x0_80_0_0_6fb9f5b9b183fc4f39173cb0c8dad0d3.jpg

"Thats not realistic. I cannot expect that now because the situation is not there yet," Tatar said. "What I want is the sovereign equality. I want this to be acknowledged. If it is not acknowledged, then we are prepared to sit at the negotiating table to formally discuss the Cyprus topic. I dont expect recognition tomorrow, thats not realistic. I wish that they recognize us because we are a fully-fledged state."Tatar says that Northern Cyprus is prepared to formally negotiate the Cyprus issue when its sovereign equality and equal international status are recognized, and believes that the UN chief should propose that to the United Nations Security Council.Tatar adds that they insist that such a settlement should be based on two cooperating independent states living side by side."It is impossible to reunite. It is impossible for the two peoples to merge because we have been separated the last 60 years. We don't know them, they don't know us. We speak Turkish, they speak Greek. We are Muslims, they are Christians. Different culture, everything is different. How can you reunite? Its impossible. The reality on the island is that we have two different states, we should reconcile and the two states should cooperate."Tatar stresses that the Cyprus problem was both long-standing and complex, as it involved not only Turkish Cypriot people but also the regional stability.According to Tatar, North Cyprus is willing to cooperate with the Republic of Cyprus, for example to share the government and resources, however, it insists that the Turkish military should remain on the island.Cyprus, populated by Greek and Turkish Cypriots, has been a stumbling block for Turkey and Greece for almost half a century. The island was de facto divided in 1974, when Turkey deployed armed forces to Cyprus after an attempt to unify Cyprus with Greece. In 1983, the self-proclaimed Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus was formed, recognized solely by Turkey.Negotiations on the reunification of Cyprus have been conducted almost from the moment of its division. The United Nations has attempted brokering reunification talks, but the negotiation has reached an impasse."The international community should always remember that Turkey is a side," he notes. "Cyprus problem is not only between Turkish and Greek Cypriots, it does also involve Turkey because Turkey is a guarantor power and we have a lot of relationship with Turkey. Turkey has saved us from great massacre The Turkish Cypriots suffered a lot, we were going through genocide twice, a lot of people have been buried, some alive, [including] children."At the same time, President Tatar points out that there's no need for UN peacekeepers in Cyprus."We definitely want Turkish guarantee. We definitely want some Turkish troops on the island for our security because thats the only way we will secure on the island. Otherwise, we will be exposed to risks and other terrorist activities."In July, the self-proclaimed Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, backed by Ankara, unilaterally demilitarized the UN-protected quarter of Varosha, a town in the buffer zone that separates the Greek and Turkish communities on the island. The UN Security Council condemned the move, saying it violates all previous United Nations resolutions on Cyprus.The UN mission on Cyprus, UNFICYP, was established in 1964 to prevent the escalation of violence between the Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots. On January 30, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) adopted a resolution extending the mandate of the peacekeeping force by another six months. The UNSC decision was criticized by Turkey as not making tangible contribution to the efforts toward the settlement of the Cyprus issue.

https://sputniknews.com/20210924/n-cyprus-to-convey-at-un-talks-its-desire-for-sovereign-equality---president-1089385664.html

https://sputniknews.com/20210918/turkish-foreign-ministry-condemns-decision-of-southern-european-states-on-cyprus-1089184426.html

north cyprus

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

north cyprus, world, un
https://sputniknews.com/20210927/twitter-feature-rolling-bitcoin-major-milestone-for-cryptocurrency-coingecko-co-founder-says-1089451168.html

Twitter Feature Rolling Bitcoin Major Milestone for Cryptocurrency, Coingecko Co-Founder Says

Twitter Feature Rolling Bitcoin Major Milestone for Cryptocurrency, Coingecko Co-Founder Says

WASHINGTON (Sputnik), Ekaterina Chukaeva - Twitter's new feature of allowing its users to tip their favourite content creators with bitcoin is a major... 27.09.2021, Sputnik International

2021-09-27T13:54+0000

2021-09-27T13:54+0000

2021-09-27T13:54+0000

world

twitter

bitcoin

/html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content

https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/03/0a/1082304601_0:260:2714:1787_1920x0_80_0_0_45c40ad03478d15c4fa47127efec0fd1.jpg

"This a major milestone for bitcoin, and moves it one step closer to mass adoption, and as a means of payment. Crypto Twitter is already a well-known nickname for the space as many crypto users are active on Twitter," he said.According to Ong, Twitter is solidifying its position as the go-to social media platform for cryptocurrency enthusiasts.When asked whether the use of bitcoin via Twitter will be legal enough, Ong replied that Bitcoin tips on Twitter are similar to users receiving tips in US dollars via traditional payments.Speaking on how the Twitter feature would affect Coingecko, the world's largest independent cryptocurrency data aggregator, and its operations, Ong replied that currently, CoinGecko receives tips from customers via crypto addresses on its website.Bitcoin, the grandfather of digital coins, remains highly popular despite being rather volatile this year, rallying more than 800% at one point from a year ago before dropping to about half its value, causing huge losses for some speculators.On Thursday, Twitter announced that it had added Bitcoin to the payment modes in its tipping service, extending business legitimacy to the cryptocurrency. In a separate statement, Twitter said that users on its site can seamlessly tip using Bitcoin via Strike, the payment application built on the Bitcoin Lightning Network that allows people to send and receive the digital currency.Earlier in September, El Salvador made headlines when it became the world's first country to accept cryptocurrency as legal tender. The government hoped thus to save millions a year on fees charged for sending money from abroad, predominantly from Washington. However, reacting to the decision, the World Bank rejected a request from the Latin American nation to help with the implementation of the cryptocurrency as legal tender.

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

world, twitter, bitcoin
https://sputniknews.com/20210927/uk-ministers-reportedly-told-to-shut-down-indyref2-debate-as-fueling-sturgeons-secessionism-1089448322.html

UK Ministers Reportedly Told to 'Shut Down' Indyref2 Debate as 'Fueling' Sturgeon's Secessionism

UK Ministers Reportedly Told to 'Shut Down' Indyref2 Debate as 'Fueling' Sturgeon's Secessionism

Earlier, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon claimed she had an unarguable mandate to hold a second referendum on Scottish independence. The Scottish National... 27.09.2021, Sputnik International

2021-09-27T13:42+0000

2021-09-27T13:42+0000

2021-09-27T13:42+0000

scotland

boris johnson

nicola sturgeon

news

scottish nationalist party (snp)

scottish independence

uk

/html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content

https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/104745/28/1047452879_0:161:4015:2419_1920x0_80_0_0_a8873d5100183df404288652c05d3f27.jpg

UK ministers have been instructed by the government to steer clear of talking about Scottish independence to avoid playing into the hands of nationalists led by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, reported The Times.According to a private edict, the Tory politicians are purportedly urged to embrace a show-not-tell stance, prioritising policies that will benefit the UK, instead of arguing the case for a union with Britain.Downing Street is advising ministers to turn the spotlight on Sturgeon and the crisis faced by her Scottish National Party (SNP) over the National Health Service (NHS). Nicola Sturgeon has been accused of going into hiding as the NHS and Scottish Ambulance Service are at breaking point over the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, the debate around a second referendum on Scottish independence (commonly shortened to indyref2) from the UK should be shut down as if it were held any time soon, claim sources, it would be very hard for unionists to win.This comes after Lord McInnes of Kilwinning, former director of the Scottish Conservative & Unionist Party, was appointed as UK Prime Minister Boris Johnsons adviser on the union. A veteran of the Better Together campaign, McInnes has reportedly been vehemently urging to wind down the debate on Scottish independence with the SNP. Sturgeon Touts Unarguable Mandate Earlier in September, Nicola Sturgeon claimed she possessed an unarguable mandate to hold a indyref2. The SNP leader held up her party's victory at the Holyrood elections in May as signalling she has the right to implement the manifesto we put before the country. According to Sturgeon, she hoped to hold a re-run of the 2014 referendum within this term of Parliament, Covid permitting, by the end of 2023". In 2014, Scots voted by a margin of 55% to 45% to remain in the United Kingdom.The coalition between the Scottish National Party and the Scottish Greens, stated the Scottish First Minister, will prepare a detailed prospectus for independence before voters go back to the polls. The First Minister said she would seek co-operation, not confrontation with the UK Government to secure a vote. Any formal referendum can only take place if it is greenlit by Boris Johnson. The Prime Minister has clearly indicated he is not in favour of doing so, arguing that the first referendum was supposed to be a once in a generation event. This comes as a poll held in September suggest that while Scots are divided on whether to leave the Union, more than half (52 per cent) believed there should not be a referendum on Scottish independence in the next two years. Conducted by Panelbase for the campaign group Scotland in Union, the survey showed that with undecideds included, Remain would see 52 per cent support, Leave 39 per cent, with 9 per cent saying they dont know.

Ntl Health crisis in Scotland and the rest of the UK is generated by the London government decisions, isnt it? 1

1

scotland

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

2021

Svetlana Ekimenko

Svetlana Ekimenko

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

Svetlana Ekimenko

scotland, boris johnson, nicola sturgeon, news, scottish nationalist party (snp), scottish independence, uk
https://sputniknews.com/20210927/us-deputy-secretary-of-state-to-visit-geneva-for-stability-talks-with-russia---state-dept-1089457559.html

US Deputy Secretary of State to Visit Geneva for Stability Talks With Russia - State Dept.

US Deputy Secretary of State to Visit Geneva for Stability Talks With Russia - State Dept.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman will lead the US delegation to Geneva for strategic stability dialogue with Russia scheduled for... 27.09.2021, Sputnik International

2021-09-27T17:04+0000

2021-09-27T17:04+0000

2021-09-27T17:04+0000

news

world

russia

united states

/html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content

https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/105437/89/1054378993_0:0:2583:1453_1920x0_80_0_0_90964a86ee3db26673767190f6bfda9a.jpg

"Deputy Secretary of State Wendy R. Sherman will travel to Geneva, Switzerland on September 29 to lead a US interagency delegation to a September 30 US-Russia bilateral Strategic Stability Dialogue. She will be joined by Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Bonnie Jenkins," the statement said.The State Department noted that the two delegations last met in Geneva on 28 July."The Strategic Stability Dialogue follows from a commitment made by President Biden and Russian President Putin in their June 2021 Geneva meeting to have a deliberate and robust dialogue that will seek to lay the groundwork for future arms control and risk reduction measures. Deputy Secretary Sherman will also travel to Bern to inaugurate the first U.S.-Swiss Strategic Partnership Dialogue with Swiss State Secretary Livia Leu," the statement added.Sherman will then travel to Tashkent, Uzbekistan, where she is due to meet with senior officials and civil society members on 4 October. She will also visit New Delhi, India, on 6 October for a series of bilateral meetings as well as for the India Ideas Summit which will be held on 6-7 October. Also on 7 October, Sherman will travel to the Indian city of Mumbai for talks with business and civil society.Sherman will complete her trip on 7-8 October in Islamabad, Pakistan where she is to meet with senior officials.

Norman Camilleri The US only enters bilateral talks when it feels at a disadvantage 1

Hess Utter shameful. An anti-Muslim Russophobe is leading US delegation.

3

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

news, world, russia, united states
https://sputniknews.com/20210927/us-drug-enforcement-administration-warns-of-fake-prescription-pills-with-fentanyl-meth-1089457043.html

US Drug Enforcement Administration Warns of Fake Prescription Pills With Fentanyl, Meth

US Drug Enforcement Administration Warns of Fake Prescription Pills With Fentanyl, Meth

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - The US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) issued a warning to the public on Monday about an increasing number of fake pills with... 27.09.2021, Sputnik International

2021-09-27T16:40+0000

2021-09-27T16:40+0000

2021-09-27T16:40+0000

us

/html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content

https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/107964/10/1079641052_0:0:3121:1756_1920x0_80_0_0_1b79ae9d46b9f801e2003fa71436c9f0.jpg

Today, the Drug Enforcement Administration issued a Public Safety Alert warning Americans of the alarming increase in the lethality and availability of fake prescription pills containing fentanyl and methamphetamine. DEAs Public Safety Alert, the first in six years, seeks to raise public awareness of a significant nationwide surge in counterfeit pills that are mass-produced by criminal drug networks in labs, deceptively marketed as legitimate prescription pills, and are killing unsuspecting Americans at an unprecedented rate, the DEA said.The DEA said that they have seized fake pills of the aforementioned nature in all 50 states, totaling more than 9.5 million counterfeit pills seized so far this year  more than twice the number of the last two years combined.Criminal drug networks manufacture the pills to look like legitimate pharmaceuticals including oxycodone, hydrocodone, Xanax, and Adderall. They are then frequently sold on social media and other online marketplaces, making them available to everyone including minors, according to the agency.While the majority of the fake pills are manufactured in Mexico and then brought into the US, the chemical precursors for the production of the drugs come from China, the DEA added.They noted that the public warning does not apply to legitimate prescription medications prescribed by a doctor and dispensed by a licensed pharmacist, as that supply chain is unimpacted by the fake pills.

us

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

us
https://sputniknews.com/20210927/us-navy-says-bahrain-has-agreed-to-join-its-new-drone-and-ai-powered-persian-gulf-task-force-1089444657.html

US Navy Says Bahrain Has Agreed to Join Its New Drone and AI-Powered Persian Gulf Task Force

US Navy Says Bahrain Has Agreed to Join Its New Drone and AI-Powered Persian Gulf Task Force

Earlier this month, the US Navys 5th Fleet, responsible for naval operations in the Persian Gulf, the Red Sea, the Arabian Sea and part of the Indian Ocean... 27.09.2021, Sputnik International

2021-09-27T11:03+0000

2021-09-27T11:03+0000

2021-09-27T11:12+0000

bahrain

persian gulf

us navy

task force

/html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content

https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/09/1b/1089443463_0:0:3072:1728_1920x0_80_0_0_7d3b2ca0e1ecc958c6452787a06a39a5.jpg

Bahrain has become the first nation in the Gulf agreeing to partner with the US 5thFleet in the accelerated integration of new unmanned military systems, the Fleets public affairs department has announced. In a press statement, the 5th Fleet said that senior Bahraini officials, including the commanders of the Gulf sheikdoms Coast Guard and Navy, recently met their US counterparts at a US naval installation in Bahrain to discuss expanding cooperation and be shown the latest US military drone vehicles.This initiative enables us to expand maritime domain awareness on, above and below the water to enhance regional deterrence, Cooper added.The commander did not specify what countries the US-led forces would be deterring against.Coopers comments follows the creation of Task Force 59, a new Mideast-based task force using drone technology and artificial intelligence (AI), earlier this month.The US Navy characterizes the Middle East regions unique geography, climate and strategic importance as an ideal environment for the use of its new drones in areas including the Strait of Hormuz, the Suez Canal and the Bab-al-Mandeb Strait three key choke points for international trade.The unmanned systems set to be used by Task Force 5 are reportedly set to include those tested in April by the Pacific Fleet, including new long-endurance aerial surveillance drones, surface vessels like the Sea Hawk and Sea Hunter, and torpedo-style underwater drones.Iran has repeatedly urged the US and other extraterritorial countries to stay out of the Persian Gulf, and has urged countries of the region to form an independent security partnership known as the Hormuz Peace Initiative (HOPE). Iran introduced the initiative at the United Nations in 2019, and invited regional countries, including its regional rival Saudi Arabia, to join, but has yet to receive a response.Tensions between Iran on one side and the US and its allies on the other flare up regularly in the Gulf. This summer, tensions were ratcheted up again after a deadly 29 July drone attack on the Mercer Street, an Israeli-managed oil tanker. Tel Aviv and the US almost immediately accused Iran of responsibility for the act of terrorism. Tehran vocally denied the claims and accused Israel and its allies of engaging in false flag operations aimed at starting a regional confrontation or to scuttle US-Iran nuclear negotiations.

bahrain

persian gulf

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

2021

Ilya Tsukanov

Ilya Tsukanov

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

Ilya Tsukanov

bahrain, persian gulf, us navy, task force
https://sputniknews.com/20210927/us-preparing-docs-to-sanction-india-over-s-400-purchase-claims-bjp-parliamentarian-1089438256.html

US Preparing Docs to Sanction India Over S-400 Purchase, Claims BJP Parliamentarian

US Preparing Docs to Sanction India Over S-400 Purchase, Claims BJP Parliamentarian

The United States has applied its Countering Americas Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) legislation against countries like China and Turkey for... 27.09.2021, Sputnik International

2021-09-27T09:02+0000

2021-09-27T09:02+0000

2021-09-27T09:02+0000

pentagon

u.s. department of state

s-400

joe biden

narendra modi

us

turkey

china

sanctions

lloyd austin

/html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content

https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/0a/10/1080790628_0:271:3159:2048_1920x0_80_0_0_95d5dd637ac62dbde14010e6ad6a801d.jpg

US will certainly impose CAATSA sanction against India as the first batch of S-400 air missile defence system is expected to be delivered in November, claims former cabinet minister and senior parliamentarian Subramanian Swamy.The US believes that as India continued its bilateral engagement with China despite the People's Liberation Army encroaching on lands in Ladakh, New Delhi should not have any problem with Washington despite sanctions, the BJP parliamentarian underlined.The US and India have remained tight-lipped about the $5.43 billion deal during the three-day visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the US. Modi held meetings with US President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.India's Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla said that the two leaders discussed the defence relationship, particularly the option of the two sides looking at practical new projects that could impart new momentum to the defence relationship. In March of this year, US Secretary of Defence Lloyd J. Austin III had urged Indian leaders to avoid buying Russian defence equipment, including S-400s, if the country wants to prevent the risk of sanctions. Last month, India's ambassador to Russia D.B. Venkatesh Varma, reiterated that New Delhi would implement the contract considering specific defence and national security needs. In October 2018, India signed a $5.43 billion deal with Russia for five S-400 Triumf regiments despite objections from the US.The US imposed sanctions on Turkey in December 2020 following the delivery of first batch of S-400s from Russia. The US claims that the S-400s threaten its F-35 fighter jets and NATO's broader defence systems.

FeEisi India can impose counter-sanctions on the US. India can ban buying airliners from Boeing citing safety reasons. India can ban buying weapons from the US partially or completely. India can use the AUKUS as a reason to back out of the anti-China Quad alliance. India can buy more Iranian oil. 11

FeEisi Since the US is trigger-happy about sanctions, this can be used to make the Indian military less dependent on US military equipment. The US can bully India to do its bidding by withholding repair parts and specialist. 8

12

us

turkey

china

india

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

2021

Rishikesh Kumar https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/08/04/1080055820_0:0:388:389_100x100_80_0_0_40018ee210946d65d49ffba4f4c008e1.jpg

Rishikesh Kumar https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/08/04/1080055820_0:0:388:389_100x100_80_0_0_40018ee210946d65d49ffba4f4c008e1.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

Rishikesh Kumar https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/08/04/1080055820_0:0:388:389_100x100_80_0_0_40018ee210946d65d49ffba4f4c008e1.jpg

pentagon, u.s. department of state, s-400, joe biden, narendra modi, us, turkey, china, sanctions, lloyd austin, india, s-400, caatsa, india
https://sputniknews.com/20210927/vietnam-plans-to-open-phu-quoc-island-to-fully-vaccinated-foreigners-this-fall-ambassador-says-1089450513.html

Vietnam Plans to Open Phu Quoc Island to Fully Vaccinated Foreigners This Fall, Ambassador Says

Vietnam Plans to Open Phu Quoc Island to Fully Vaccinated Foreigners This Fall, Ambassador Says

MOSCOW (Sputnik), Ksenia Shakalova - Vietnam intends to reopen the popular tourist island of Phu Quoc for foreign tourists who are fully vaccinated against... 27.09.2021, Sputnik International

2021-09-27T13:44+0000

2021-09-27T13:44+0000

2021-09-27T13:44+0000

vietnam

asia

russia

tourists

/html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content

https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/09/1b/1089450465_0:293:3072:2021_1920x0_80_0_0_fa2da04a9cbc951c654f3345d5bc063c.jpg

"The COVID-19 pandemic has severely affected the tourism industry in Vietnam. Currently, Vietnam plans to gradually open the tourism industry to foreign tourists, with priority given to Russian tourists, from November 2021 to Phu Quoc. After that, we will consider welcoming guests to some other localities such as Khanh Hoa, Da Nang," Khoi said.Foreign tourists will have to provide a certificate testifying to the owner's full immunization by a COVID-19 vaccine registered in Vietnam, with the second dose received at least 14 days and not more than 12 months before the time of entry.Phu Quoc was set to welcome fully vaccinated foreign tourists starting October. However, last week, the Vietnamese authorities decided to postpone the reopening because of low local immunization rates.Russians tourists are especially welcomed in Vietnam, as prior to the pandemic, the number of Russian arrivals soared, reaching more than 600 in 2019.

vietnam

asia

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

vietnam, asia, russia, tourists
https://sputniknews.com/20210927/white-house-national-security-advisor-sullivan-to-travel-to-saudi-arabia-uae-official-says-1089449523.html

White House National Security Advisor Sullivan to Travel to Saudi Arabia, UAE, Official Says

White House National Security Advisor Sullivan to Travel to Saudi Arabia, UAE, Official Says

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan will travel to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates alongside regional US... 27.09.2021, Sputnik International

2021-09-27T13:27+0000

2021-09-27T13:27+0000

2021-09-27T13:27+0000

saudi arabia

jake sullivan

world

us

/html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content

https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/02/02/1081963399_0:156:3002:1845_1920x0_80_0_0_f254cf2f20b30517fcaf1c5cdea00da1.jpg

"National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan will travel to the Middle East, including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), joined by National Security Council Middle East and North Africa Coordinator Brett McGurk and U.S. Special Envoy for Yemen Tim Lenderking. Mr. Sullivan will meet with senior leaders on a range of regional and global challenges," Horne said in a statement.Sullivan will become the most senior official in the administration of US President Joe Biden to visit Saudi Arabia. According to media reports, he will hold a meeting with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to press the kingdom to halt its military actions in Yemen.The announcement comes as Washington is increasing pressure to end the war in Yemen. Last week, the US House of Representatives adopted an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act that would terminate US military logistical support to Saudi warplanes and intelligence sharing as it relates to the war in Yemen.In the early months of the new US administration, Biden announced a suspension of US support for Saudia Arabian offensive operations in its conflict with Yemen. The US has been the principal supplier of arms to Saudi forces and has frequently targeted alleged terrorists in the country with drone strikes.

Dicksonrp The main reason for their visit is to convey bee instructions from their gods and leader Satanyahoo and gayboy Bennett.... Nothing more. 2

vot tak He really misses "the guys" there. Best bu... Well best not said as the comment would probably get deteted. :-D 1

3

saudi arabia

us

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

saudi arabia, jake sullivan, world, us
https://sputniknews.com/20210927/who-are-the-candidates-to-take-over-as-german-chancellor-from-angela-merkel-1089442003.html

Who Are the Candidates to Take Over as German Chancellor From Angela Merkel?

Who Are the Candidates to Take Over as German Chancellor From Angela Merkel?

Germanys voting base of 62 million headed to the polls on Sunday to vote in a federal election that will result in a new chancellor taking over from Angela... 27.09.2021, Sputnik International

2021-09-27T10:48+0000

2021-09-27T10:48+0000

2021-09-27T10:48+0000

the greens

spd

germany

angela merkel

christian democratic union/christian social union (cdu/csu)

armin laschet

social democratic party of germany (spd)

cdu

olaf scholz

/html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content

https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/09/1a/1089429093_0:0:2690:1514_1920x0_80_0_0_d9a5dea0e80d1ab913a550592b44de38.jpg

Germany's Social Democrats (SPD) party won in the nation's federal election on Sunday after what has been described as a "neck and neck" race. The SPD gained 25.7% of the votes, while the conservative Christian Democratic Union/Christian Social Union bloc witnessed a historic loss, coming in second, garnering approximately 24.1% of votes, according to results released by the electoral commission early on Monday. The Greens, who briefly spurted ahead in the polls, came in third with 14.8%. The Free Democratic Party, with 11.5% of the votes, and the Alternative for Germany Party, with 10.3%, rounded out the top five. Ahead of the elections, each of the leading parties chose their candidate to replace Angela Merkel after her 16-year stint at the helm. However, since World War II, no party in the country has ever won enough seats to form a government on their own, and they've been forced to seek out coalition partners. The candidate for the party with the most seats in the Bundestag, the legislative branch of the German political system, tries to form a coalition to build a majority. Sometimes, it may take weeks or months to form the coalition, with the previous chancellor remaining in the position in a caretaker capacity. After an agreement is hammered out on a coalition, it is voted on and ratified by the individual parties. It is only then that Germany's president officially puts forward a candidate for chancellor, and a simple majority vote is then required from parliament to either give its approval or not. Potential candidates to replace Merkel are her long-time ally and successor in the Christian Democratic Union/Christian Social Union (CDU/CSU) bloc, Armin Laschet; Olaf Scholz, leader of the SPD; and the leader of the German Greens, Annalena Baerbock. Olaf Scholz At his party's headquarters in Berlin, SPDs Olaf Scholz declared on Monday that he has the mandate to form a new German government with the Greens and Free Democratic Party. According to Scholz, the Social Democrats, Liberals (FDP) and Greens should all be a part of a new German government. The 63-year-old is a lawyer by background, called to the bar in 1985 as specialising in labour and employment law. The politician became a member of the SPD in the 1970s and was a member of the Bundestag from 1998 to 2011. He was mayor of Hamburg from 2011 to 2018, then took over as Deputy Leader of the Social Democratic Party from 2009 to 2019. Scholz was elected as General Secretary of the SPD in 2002, serving alongside Chancellor Gerhard Schroder. He then proceeded to become his party's Chief Whip in the Bundestag, In 2007 he entered the first government of Angela Merkel in 2007 as Minister of Labour and Social Affairs. After the SPD exited the Government in the wake of the 2009 election, Scholz led the SPD in Hamburg. After his partys victory in the 2011 elections, Scholz became First Mayor of Hamburg until 2018. In the fourth Merkel Government in 2018, Scholz was appointed to serve as both Minister of Finance and Vice Chancellor of Germany. On 10 August 2020, the SPD party executive nominated Scholz to be the party's candidate for Chancellor of Germany at the 2021 federal election. Armin LaschetArmin Laschet, Governor of Germany's most populous state of North Rhine-Westphalia since 2017, is a candidate from Angela Merkel's party  the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) - to succeed her as chancellor. A champion of multiculturalism, Laschet supported Angela Merkel amid the backlash over her migrant policies that resulted in the 2015 refugee influx in Germany. The 60-year-old is the son of a coalminer in Aachen, in western Germany, near the border with Belgium and the Netherlands.Laschet was raised in a Roman Catholic family of German-speaking Walloon origin, has a law degree and worked as a journalist before venturing into politics. In 1994 he was elected to the German Bundestag, becoming a Member of the European Parliament in 1999. In 2012 he became leader of the state party in North Rhine-Westphalia, and was elected Prime Minister of the state in 2017. Laschet was elected leader of the CDU on 16 January 2021, after he scored 52.8% of delegates votes against rival Friedrich Merz in the second round of the contest. He has since positioned himself as the natural heir to the chancellorship. On 20 April 2021 Armin Laschet was confirmed as the CDU/CSU candidate for Chancellor of Germany, However, his campaign has been gaffe-prone. Thus, during destructive flooding this summer in North Rhine-Westphalia, Lascher was caught on camera laughing during a solemn ceremony for the victims. He has also been widely criticised over his COVID-19 pandemic response in the region, with the Sueddeutsche Zeitung newspaper slamming him as "indecisive, sometimes acting impulsively". The politician had earlier indicated that all was not lost yet, after Germany's Social Democrats were announced to have scored a narrow win in the nation's federal election on Sunday, vowing he would "do everything we can to build a government led by the (conservative) Union". Annalena BaerbockIn her youth, co-leader of the Green Party, Annalena Baerbock, was a competitive trampolinist. Now the 40-year old political scientist and international law expert is The Greens' candidate for chancellor and the youngest person ever to run for the position in Germany. Baerbock, a married mother of two, began her political career in Brandenburg. In 2018 she was elected co-leader of the Green Party with Robert Habeck. Baerbock has been urging the country to tackle decarbonizing the automobile sector; transitioning to renewable energy sources, while phasing out use of; and reappraising trade relationships with China and Russia. The politician has been plagued by scandal, ranging from reports that she paid tax on Christmas bonuses years later, to plagiarism allegations regarding her book, "Now: How We Renew Our Country". Critics suggested excerpts in the tome resembled some newspaper stories.

germany

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

2021

Svetlana Ekimenko

Svetlana Ekimenko

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

Svetlana Ekimenko

the greens, spd, germany, angela merkel, christian democratic union/christian social union (cdu/csu), armin laschet, social democratic party of germany (spd), cdu, olaf scholz
https://sputniknews.com/20210927/woman-faces-up-to-9-years-in-prison-for-starting-cali-wildfire-after-allegedly-boiling-bear-urine-1089449004.html

Woman Faces Up to 9 Years in Prison for Starting Cali Wildfire After Allegedly Boiling Bear Urine

Woman Faces Up to 9 Years in Prison for Starting Cali Wildfire After Allegedly Boiling Bear Urine

She is also believed to be behind other forest fires across the state, local media reports say. 27.09.2021, Sputnik International

2021-09-27T14:57+0000

2021-09-27T14:57+0000

2021-09-27T14:57+0000

news

united states

wildfire

shaman

/html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content

https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/09/1b/1089450944_27:0:774:420_1920x0_80_0_0_be5ea271711983e19ea9353b5247557d.png

A 30-year-old woman is facing up to nine years in prison for allegedly starting a wildfire in Shasta County, California, last week, which destroyed over 40 homes. The defendant, Alexandra Souverneva, has pleaded not guilty and explained that she had been hiking to the Canada border  after becoming thirsty, she apparently came across a puddle of what she thought was bear urine before making a fire to boil it. According to the Reddit Record Searchlight, after the fire began, Souverneva became trapped and called the fire department. When the fire brigade arrived at the scene, the woman was asked to empty her pockets; in her possession was a bag containing CO2 cartridges, a cigarette lighter, and an item that contained a "leafy substance she admitted to smoking that day," California Fire officer Matt Alexander said, as quoted by the New York Post.On LinkedIn, Souverneva's current occupation is listed as "shaman" and it also indicates that she was a Ph.D student at SUNYs New York College of Environmental Sciences and Forestry.A preliminary hearing for the defendant will be held on 7 October.

https://sputniknews.com/20210807/apocalypse-now-california-suffers-from-disastrous-wildfires-1083542725.html

vot tak This is what happens when you let new yorkers move to your state. 3

1

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

2021

Sofia Chegodaeva

Sofia Chegodaeva

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

Sofia Chegodaeva

news, united states, wildfire, shaman
Wild River Swan and driver Jonathan Lachance were the upset winners at odds of 9-1 in the $5,000 Preferred Pace for fillies and mares in a wild affair from the start at the Hippodrome 3R on Sunday, Sept. 26.

Jans Legacy (Jocelyn Gendron) was the first on the lead in the fifth race with Fern Hill Bella (Carol Voyer) grabbing the two-hole spot. Meanwhile, driver Pascal Berube and Platine Alpha were on the outside but could not clear Jans Legacy by the opening quarter-mile in :28.1.

Still parked out first-over at the half-mile in :57.4, Platine Alpha was hanging tough on the outside as Jans Legacy continued to cut the mile.

As the field reached the backstretch, Steven Gagnon came three-wide with Kiss Me Bad and that flushed a second-over Wild River Swan and Lachance to swing out three-wide with both horses hoping to clear by Platine Alpha.

But the lone three-year-old in the race was not done yet as they reached the three-quarters in 1:27.3, still with four horses abreast on the final turn.

By the top of the stretch, Platine Alpha finally had enough, Wild River Swan had collared Jans Legacy and then down the stretch was able to hold off Kiss Me Bad to win by one length in 1:58. Jans Legacy was third.

Wild River Swan paid $20.90 in winning for the second time this year. The eight-year-old mare by Sportswriter is owned and trained by Dr. John Bradbury of Cookshire-Eaton, Que.

In the ninth race $5,500 Preferred Handicap Pace, race favourite Dreydl Hanover and driver Pascal Berube went out to the early lead with Farmers Tan (Carol Voyer) in the pocket seat to the opening quarter in :27.3.

A pesky Maracasso and driver Steven Gagnon were also moving first-over but could not get by Dreydl Hanover by the half-mile in :57.1. D Gs De Vito (Jonathan Lachance) still decided to follow the first-over cover.

In the backstretch, Lachance decided to make his move three-wide by the three-quarters in 1:26.3 and was able to clear by Maracasso and went right after Dreydl Hanover.

D Gs De Vito had all the momentum in his favour as he went on to win by 1-3/4 lengths in 1:56.2 with Hooter Shooter (Samuel Fillion) closing for second and Dreydl Hanover finishing third.

A five-year-old gelded son of Sportswriter, D Gs De Vito earned his seventh win on the year from 18 starts for trainer Guylaine Fortin and owner/breeder Daniel Surprenant of Saint-Valentin, Que. He paid $5.80 to win.

In the fourth race pace, two two-year-olds, race favourite Ritchie Alpha (Pascal Berube) and 21-1 long shot Le Massif (Steeve Genois) battled neck and neck to the wire. It took the photo finish camera to declare Le Massif the winner by a nose in 2:00. The Shanghai Phil colt, trained by Melanie Boulianne, paid $44.50 for the maiden-breaking win.

Track Notes: Both Jonathan Lachance and Samuel Fillion had driving doubles while Louis-Philippe Turcotte had a training double. Next Sunday, the Quebec Jockey Club and Standardbred Canada will host the annual Lucien Bombardier Pace for two-year-old fillies with an estimated purse at $30,000. Post time on Sunday is 12:10 p.m.

To view Sunday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Sunday Results - Hippodrome 3R.

(With files from Quebec Jockey Club)
Trainer Valerie Grondin won both $15,710 Maine Standardbred Breeders Stakes (MSBS) for three-year-old pacing fillies on opening day of the 149th Cumberland (ME) Fair on Sunday, Sept. 26.

The opener was captured by Pembroke Junebug, who got up by a nose in the final strides to clip 1-5 favourite Justcallmecasey in 1:58.4. Driven by David Ingraham, the daughter of Western Maverick is also owned and was bred by Grondin. Pembroke Junebug paid $31.60 to win.

Grondin came right back to grab the second $15,711 MSBS split with series point leader Pembroke Ali in 1:59.1. Driven by Heath Campbell, the daughter of Western Maverick is owned by Bill Varney and was bred by Lynn-Marie Plouffe. She paid $3.20 to win.

Fan favourite Southwind Terror returned to his winning ways at his favourite track. The 11-year-old son of Camluck won the fastest race of the day, stopping the timer in 1:57.2 for driver Aaron Hall on behalf of owner/trainer Stanley Bubier Jr. Southwind Terror went on a tear during the Spring/Summer meet at Cumberland, winning five-in-a-row during the month of June. He paid $3.40 to win.

Aaron Hall jumped up again and won the finale, earning the 300th victory of his career. The 28-year-old reinsman was born in Augusta, Maine and has been driving since 2010, but has picked up the pace to more than 400 drives per year since 2018. Hall, the son of trainer/driver Ryan Hall, also eclipsed $1 million earlier this season.

Hall noted that it took some time to get where he is today, and was especially grateful to reach that personal milestone.

Ive been very fortunate over the last couple of years that some great trainers have given me opportunities to drive," said Hall. "I appreciate it more than I can express, especially in Maine where the driving colony is so deep. Im hoping to keep building on this years success and establish myself in a group of so many great drivers we have here.

Winter Asher-Stalbaum, the 18-year-old son of Larry The Bomber Stalbaum, picked up his 10th victory of his rookie driving year. Competing on the Maine fair circuit, many of the horses Winter has been driving are trained by Winters older sister Riley, which has given the Baby Bomber a very respectable 0.370 UDRS.

Its no surprise that the next generation of the Asher-Stalbaum clan is successful, given the strong work ethic and early harness racing upbringing that the family employs in their everyday activities.

Mondays card features two divisions of the MSBS for three-year-old trotters. The $15,972 first race has another Valerie Grondin-trained favourite, Pembroke Regal, who leads all sophomore male trotters in the point standings. The son of Pembroke Slugger is owned and was bred by Bill Varney and scores from post five for Gary Mosher (5-2), who picks up the catch-drive.

Wild Oats is second in the points and gets trainer/driver Ivan Davies (3-1) from post two. A son of Boy Band, he was bred and is owned by Mike Andrew.

The fillies trot into race three for $15,967, and they are led by Emmajean Jellybean (post five, 5-2) who is the point leader for the three-year-old fillies. Driven by Steve Wilson for trainer Sherry Cushing, the daughter of Mister Anson has never been off the board in her last 10 starts.

Grondin sends out Pembroke Secret (Gary Mosher, 2-1, post four), who is coming off a win in her last start, defeating the aforementioned Jelly Bean.

There are eight races on the Monday card with the first post slated for 1:30 p.m. The Cumberland Fair continues through next Sunday, Oct. 3. Trainers are reminded to continue to check the condition sheets and utilize the USTAs online entry system for racing at the Cumberland Fair.

The Saturday, Oct. 2 card is highlighted by announcer Bill Ellis Maine Family Feud, which potentially pits two members of a local harness racing fraternity against one another for fun and bragging rights. But the driving is serious business, as the licensed drivers will be drawn by lot in the race office, along with the post positions, and the special events carry an increased purse of $5,000 each.

The scheduled drivers families include: Mark & Matt Athearn, Mike & Nick Graffam, Aaron & Ryan Hall, David Ingraham & Kelly Case, Bo & McGwire Sowers, Ron & Charlene Cushing, Drew & Heath Campbell, Gary & Joey Mosher, and John Nason & Andy Harrington.

Each participant will be introduced along with a meet-and-greet, and the winning drivers will toss special Maine Family Feud T-shirts to the crowd.

Cumberland is the next to last Maine-bred legs before the rich MSBS finals at Bangor on Saturday, Oct. 16, listed as $80,000e for the sophomores and $60,000e for the freshmen. In addition, if entries permit there will be several $25,000e MSBS consolation races on Wednesday, Oct. 20.

First Tracks Cumberland has been tapped to manage and facilitate the Fair meet on behalf of the Cumberland Farmers Club. Drivers and Trainers will automatically be paid their occupational percentages through the First Tracks paymaster system, just as they had been during the Spring/Summer extended pari-mutuel meeting.

Racing resumes at First Tracks Cumberland for our winter meeting, beginning November 3 and racing through December 31, 2021. Post time 11 a.m.

(With files from First Tracks Cumberland)
The Virginia horse community and Shenandoah Downs harness track honoured Re Elect during their Veterans Day promotion.

The 25-year-old gelding stood on the track with Maggi Romano while the National Anthem played, to pay special tribute to the veterans in the stands.

Re Elect's last race was at Colonial Downs in 2002. He then went on to a second career in the Indiana National Guard, where he served 17 years. He was retired as Sergeant First Class in 2020. Shenandoah Downs fans were eager to meet the true equine military hero.

It is amazing to see the life that many Standardbred retirees can have a second career with a little help from their owners.

(With files from SBOANJ)
Longtime respected horseman Mike Campbell of Hanwell, N.B. passed away on Saturday, Sept. 25 at the Doctor Everett Chalmers Hospital. He was 73.

Born in Charlottetown, P.E.I, he was a son of the late Cyril and Reta (Hennessey) Campbell.

Mikes career in harness racing was legendary. It was in the stable of his grandfather Wal Hennessey that his love of horse racing began. Sleigh rides with Wal and time spent in the barns started a passion that lasted a lifetime.

He worked with some of P.E.I.'s finest horsemen before heading out on his own. His journey landed him on harness racings biggest stages in Ontario, New York, Florida and the Maritimes. Mike raced and won against the best drivers and trainers of the time. Harness racing led him to the love of his life, Joan, after they met at Fredericton Raceway in the 1960s. Training horses is where he excelled and among the many standouts, a few favourites were Igoddago, Bob Collins, Vulga Wil and Warbucks Pick. He drove winners of 1,120 races and more than $1 million in addition to earning 400 training wins with his stable banking more than $580,000 in purses. Mike was inducted into the Fredericton Raceway Hall of Fame in 2014.

Despite all of his trips to the winner's circle, Mike would tell you that the best things in his life were Joan, Lori, Luke and Leo. For him, they hung the moon and stars and were the reason his eyes sparkled so brightly. Nothing made him happier than spending time with his family. Mike's friends meant the world to him and their adventures would make for a best selling book. He was larger than life.

Mike is survived by his loving wife of 49 years, Joan Campbell, their daughter Lori Campbell-Gay (Stacy) of Fredericton, two grandsons, Luke and Leo. His siblings, Celeste Currie of Halifax, Hugh Campbell (Heather) of Charlottetown, Joan Campbell CSM of Charlottetown and Jim Campbell of Charlottetown. Beloved in-laws, Sandra, David, Carol, Paul, Kathy, Glen and Mark, as well as several nieces, nephews and cousins. He was predeceased by a brother Paddy Campbell.

There will be no visitation or service at this time. A celebration of Mikes life will be held at a later date. Interment will be in the Hermitage Cemetery.

Donations in memory of Mike, may be made to the Canadian Diabetes Association, or a charity of the donors choice.

Online condolences and expressions of sympathy may be expressed at bishopsfuneralhome.com.

Please join Standardbred Canada in offering condolences to the family and friends of Mike Campbell.
Besides the HONOR Pad V7 tablet, the company also released a new lineup of laptops. One of them was another HONOR MagicBook V 14 which may be similar to those that are familiar but it's special. It's the company's first Intel Evo laptop as well as the first to have Windows 11 OS.

Speaking of Intel Evo, the MagicBook V 14 is featuring an Intel Core i5-1132H and Intel Core i7-11390H processors. The memory capacity is pretty high, though, offering 16GB of RAM and 512GB of NVMe storage. Despite that, it's not exactly a laptop for gaming as it's just using an NVIDIA MX450 GPU.

On the exterior, the MagicBook V 14 is using a 14.2-inch LTPS LCD with some nice features. Besides the 100% sRGB colour gamut, you can also find 90Hz refresh rate supports, 2.5K resolution and even an aspect ratio is 3:2. On top of that, there is a 5MP dual front camera for online conference calls and quad-speakers around. It also has four microphones for directional pickup and up to 5 metres of sound detection.

There are other notable features as well such as a cooling system that consists of dual fans and heat pipes. You can also find a fingerprint sensor on a power button and HONOR claimed that the 1.5mm keycaps are stain-resistant. Coming in Starry Sky Gray and Dawn Blue, below are the official price tags:

MagicBook V 14 (i5, integrated GPU) - 6199 Yuan (~RM4018)

MagicBook V 14 (i5, NVIDIA MX450 GPU) - 6999 Yuan (~RM4537)

MagicBook V 14 (i7, NVIDIA MX450 GPU) - 7999 Yuan (~RM5185)

It's unclear if HONOR Malaysia plans to import these new laptops but we shall wait and see. Until then, stay tuned for more trending tech news at TechNave.com.
Your Phone software by Microsoft, which serves as a bridge between Android devices and Windows 10, is all set to get a makeover for Windows 11.

While things do not seem to have changed dramatically like new functionality is on the cards in the short term, we know a bit into the app at Microsofts recent Surface event as it still reminds us of its existence.

Your Phone app, too, gets a new look as do the other apps updated for Windows 11, with softer set of colors and rounded corners. However, its in the interface where the real improvement lies.

If you go into the app right now, youll see separate sections for Notifications, Messages, Calls. Also, Apps if you own a supported Samsung device or a Surface Duo. With the new version, XDA Developers spotted that notifications now feature along the left-hand side of the app, with can respond directly from your desktop or laptop.

Other items to have been relocated are Messages, Photos, Apps and Calls that now appear at the top of the screen. The now little less cluttered look should make the app a bit more accessible to newcomers. Although, it can be a bit confusing to those who have got used to the current layout.

From this brief glimpse its encouraging to see that the app hasnt been forgotten about even if it doesnt get so many changes, and while its understandably not as impressive as the synergy between iPhones and Macs (where things like iMessage and Photos are always in perfect sync), its still useful for those that spread their working life across form factors.

And with Microsoft fully on board with Android, having waved the white flag on Windows Phone some time ago, a lot more people can benefit.

Is it necessary?

Many have reportedly said they installed the Your Phone software for Windows 10 upon release, but havent booted it up again since. Why? Because the stuff they thought they needed it for already has perfectly good systems in place.

But for some it will prove invaluable, and that  combined with the upcoming Android app support for Windows 11  makes Microsofts OS a natural home for Android users.

Microsoft Windows 11 will be released on October 5 as a free upgrade to Windows 10, but the rollout is going to be staggered, so dont expect to see it on your screen immediately unless you buy a new device  such as Microsofts own Surface Pro 8, Surface Pro X, Surface Go 3 or the innovative new Surface Laptop Studio.
A human rights-based approach is essential in regulating artificial intelligence technologies. Credit: Shutterstock

Events over the past few years have revealed several human rights violations associated with increasing advances in artificial intelligence (AI).

Algorithms created to regulate speech online have censored speech ranging from religious content to sexual diversity. AI systems created to monitor illegal activities have been used to track and target human rights defenders. And algorithms have discriminated against Black people when they have been used to detect cancers or assess the flight risk of people accused of crimes. The list goes on.

As researchers studying the intersection between AI and social justice, we've been examining solutions developed to tackle AI's inequities. Our conclusion is that they leave much to be desired.

Ethics and values

Some companies voluntarily adopt ethical frameworks that are difficult to implement and have little concrete effect. The reason is twofold. First, ethics are founded on values, not rights, and ethical values tend to differ across the spectrum. Second, these frameworks cannot be enforced, making it difficult for people to hold corporations accountable for any violations.

Even frameworks that are mandatorylike Canada's Algorithmic Impact Assessment Toolact merely as guidelines supporting best practices. Ultimately, self-regulatory approaches do little more than delay the development and implementation of laws to regulate AI's uses.

And as illustrated with the European Union's recently proposed AI regulation, even attempts towards developing such laws have drawbacks. This bill assesses the scope of risk associated with various uses of AI and then subjects these technologies to obligations proportional to their proposed threats.

As non-profit digital rights organization Access Now has pointed out, however, this approach doesn't go far enough in protecting human rights. It permits companies to adopt AI technologies so long as their operational risks are low.

Just because operational risks are minimal doesn't mean that human rights risks are non-existent. At its core, this approach is anchored in inequality. It stems from an attitude that conceives of fundamental freedoms as negotiable.

So the question remains: why is it that such human rights violations are permitted by law? Although many countries possess charters that protect citizens' individual liberties, those rights are protected against governmental intrusions alone. Companies developing AI systems aren't obliged to respect our fundamental freedoms. This fact remains despite technology's growing presence in ways that have fundamentally changed the nature and quality of our rights.

A side event at the 76th Session of the UN General Assembly on New Tech and Human Rights.

AI violations

Our current reality deprives us from exercising our agency to vindicate the rights infringed through our use of AI systems. As such, "the access to justice dimension that human rights law serves becomes neutralized": A violation doesn't necessarily lead to reparations for the victims nor an assurance against future violations, unless mandated by law.

But even laws that are anchored in human rights often lead to similar results. Consider the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation, which allows users to control their personal data and obliges companies to respect those rights. Although an important step towards more acute data protection in cyberspace, this law hasn't had its desired effect. The reason is twofold.

First, the solutions favored don't always permit users to concretely mobilize their human rights. Second, they don't empower users with an understanding of the value of safeguarding their personal information. Privacy rights are about much more than just having something to hide.

Addressing biases

These approaches all attempt to mediate between both the subjective interests of citizens and those of industry. They try to protect human rights while ensuring that the laws adopted don't impede technological progress. But this balancing act often results in merely illusory protection, without offering concrete safeguards to citizens' fundamental freedoms.

To achieve this, the solutions adopted must be adapted to the needs and interests of individuals, rather than assumptions of what those parameters might be. Any solution must also include citizen participation.

Legislative approaches seek only to regulate technology's negative side effects rather than address their ideological and societal biases. But addressing human rights violations triggered by technology after the fact isn't enough. Technological solutions must primarily be based on principles of social justice and human dignity rather than technological risks. They must be developed with an eye to human rights in order to ensure adequate protection.

One approach gaining traction is known as "Human Rights By Design." Here, "companies do not permit abuse or exploitation as part of their business model." Rather, they "commit to designing tools, technologies, and services to respect human rights by default."

This approach aims to encourage AI developers to categorically consider human rights at every stage of development. It ensures that algorithms deployed in society will remedy rather than exacerbate societal inequalities. It takes the steps necessary to allow us to shape AI, and not the other way around.

Explore further Rights group launches tool to stem cybercrime in Africa

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
In this Jan. 8, 2020, file photo, the Google exhibit building shows off a variety of devices with Google Assistant, including Android smartphones and Wear OS smartwatches during the CES tech show in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA. Google is heading to a top European Union court on Monday, Sept. 27, 2021 to appeal a record EU antitrust penalty imposed for stifling competition by abusing the dominance of its Android operating system. Credit: AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin, File

Google headed to a top European Union court Monday to appeal a record EU antitrust penalty imposed for stifling competition through the dominance of its Android operating system.

The company is fighting a 2018 decision from the EU's executive Commission, the bloc's top antitrust enforcer, that resulted in the 4.34 billion-euro ($5 billion) finestill the biggest ever fine Brussels has imposed for anticompetitive behavior.

It's one of three antitrust penalties totaling more than $8 billion that the commission hit Google with between 2017 and 2019. The others focused on shopping and search, and the California company is appealing all three. While the penalties involved huge sums, critics point out that Google can easily afford them and that the fines haven't done much to widen competition.

In its original decision, the commission said Google's practices restrict competition and reduce choices for consumers.

Google, however, plans to argue that free and open source Android has led to lower-priced phones and spurred competition with its chief rival, Apple.

"Android has created more choice for everyone, not less, and supports thousands of successful businesses in Europe and around the world. This case isn't supported by the facts or the law," the company said as the five-day hearing opened at the European Court of Justice's General Court.

In this Monday, Nov. 18, 2019 file photo, the logo of Google is displayed on a carpet at the entrance hall of Google France in Paris. Google is heading to a top European Union court Monday Sept, 27, 2021, to appeal a record EU antitrust penalty for stifling competition by abusing the dominance of its Android operating system. Credit: AP Photo/Michel Euler, File

The EU Commission declined to comment. The court's decision is not expected until next year.

Android is the most popular mobile operating system, beating even Apple's iOS, and is found on four out of five devices in Europe.

The Commission ruled that Google broke EU rules by requiring smartphone makers to take a bundle of Google apps if they wanted any at all, and prevented them from selling devices with altered versions of Android.

The bundle contains 11 apps, including YouTube, Maps and Gmail, but regulators focused on the three that had the biggest market share: Google Search, Chrome and the company's Play Store for apps.

Google's position is that because Android is open source and free, phone makers or consumers can decide for themselves which apps to install on their devices. And because it's the only one bearing the costs of developing and maintaining Android, Google has to find ways to recoup that expense, so its solution is to include apps that will generate revenue, namely Search and Chrome.

In this Oct. 5, 2015 file photo, a man walks by the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg. Google is heading to a top European Union court on Monday, Sept. 27, 2021 to appeal a record EU antitrust penalty imposed for stifling competition by abusing the dominance of its Android operating system. Credit: AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert, File

The company also argues that just because its apps come pre-installed on Android phones, it doesn't mean users are excluded from downloading rival services.

The Commission also took issue with Google's payments to wireless carriers and phone makers to exclusively pre-install the Google Search app. But Google said those deals amounted to less than 5% of the market, so they couldn't possibly hurt rivals.

Following the ruling, Google made some changes to address the issues, including giving European Android users a choice of browser and search app, and charging device makers to pre-install its apps.

Explore further Google to charge for apps on Android phones in Europe

 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Credit: FabrikaSimf/Shutterstock

With Japan riding the crest of its postwar economic miracle, Sony chairman Akio Morita and Japan's Minister of Transport Shintaro Ishihara unleashed a manifesto. The document, published in 1989, contained a prophecy that propelled it to domestic bestseller status, and into the concerned hands of officials at the CIA.

At the time, the authors noted, the American and Soviet superpowers had become "dependent on the initiative of the Japanese people" in developing new technology, as exemplified by the country's dominant production of semiconductor chips. For Morita and Ishihara, this signaled "the end of modernity developed by Caucasians" and the emergence of "an era of new genesis" led by Japanese technological supremacy.

Fast forward to 2021, and Japan's high-tech image is peeling away. "Japan needs a software update," the New York Times tells us. The country's octogenarian IT minister, Naokazu Takemoto, has been mocked for his inability to maintain a functioning website. Japan, it seems, is lagging behind in the global race to digitize, despite being the home of Panasonic and Mitsubishi, of bullet trains and neon-lit urban life.

And nowhere is this better symbolized than in the country's ongoing love affair with the fax machine. The 20th-century technology is still a fixture in many Japanese offices, where there remains an insistence on paper documents bearing personal seals. But rather than asking why Japanese businesses have patiently stood by their buzzing fax machines, perhaps we should really be asking: why do we find it so surprising? Why do representations equating Japan to high technologies persist so tenaciously, despite evidence to the contrary?

An obvious culprit is "techno-orientalism." One application of the term orientalism has been in describing the romanticisation of the east, in the eyes of the west, as a place of exoticism and mystical wisdom. Japan's booming microelectronics industry opened a new possibility for orientalist fantasy: techno-orientalism, or the idea that the east could represent an exotic, technoscientific future. Think here of how neon-lit Tokyo helped inspire Blade Runner's aesthetic and Neuromancer's television-colored skies.

But look further back, and there's a deeper history, entangled with modern imperialism, that feeds into our idea of contemporary Japan. The fantasy of advanced technological development has long been fundamental to defining Japanese national identityas "modern," relative to both its Asian neighbors and the west.

Japanese identity

It was no accident that when Akio and Shintaro spoke in 1989 of Japan's rise, they framed it as "the end of modernity developed by Caucasians." Japan entered the modern international order staring down the barrels of cannons mounted on American steamships. In negotiating the country's opening, western imperial powers impressed upon Japan their overwhelming mechanical might, reinforced by an "ideology of dominance based on technology."

In response, technological development became the cornerstone of Japan's national agenda. As encapsulated in slogans such as "oitsuke oikose""catch up and overtake"the goal was to create native industries, infrastructure and military capacity that would eventually offer Japan parity with, or even superiority over, the west.

This "techno-nationalism" also served as a fundamental motive for Japan's imperial expansion. By the late 1930s, Japanese engineers referred to their work in the puppet state of Manchuria (an area covering Northeastern China and parts of neighboring Russia) as "gijutsu hokoku," or "service to the country through technology."

One of Japan's earliest and most significant investments in faxing occurred in 1936, on the occasion of that year's Berlin Olympics. A telephotographic network was established between Tokyo and Berlin to transmit not only pictures of the event, but also an illustrated photoletter from Hitler to Nippon Electric.

Shortly after, in 1941, the Japanese Planning Agency outlined a vision of how Japanese engineering combined with raw materials from its Asian empire might create an autonomous zone free from domination by Western technologies. Foreshadowing the words of Morita and Ishihara half a century later, this vision of a "new order" intersected with broader wartime debates about how Japan might "overcome modernity"a term largely understood to be synonymous with overcoming the West.

Reality bites

This national fantasy, a projection of what Japan could or should become at the level of state and industry, persisted through Japan's 1980s technological ascendancyjust as the fax machine was enjoying its heyday. But the exuberant postwar bubble would burst.

During the "lost decade" of the 1990s, Japan's economy entered a recession, then shrank. An aging population and marked gender and income inequality became the matter of daily headlines. From this perspective, slow digitalisation is merely one index of a general malaise gripping the country since the end of its economic miracle. Nevertheless, even as the gap between fantasy and reality widened, Japan's high-tech image remained an integral part of the popular imagination.

The persistence of this image in the face of contradictory evidence is less surprising given how technological prowess has been a fundamental part Japanese national identity for over a century. If renewed attention on Japan's love affair with the fax machine tells us anything, it's perhaps less that Japan is mired in the pre-digital past, but rather that the age when Japan defined its relation to modernity through advanced technology may be coming to an end.

Explore further Japan approves chip development project with Taiwan's TSMC

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

An anonymous security researcher who goes by the name illusionofchaos has posted a report on the Russian-based IT blog Habr, describing four zero-day vulnerabilities he found in Apple's latest iOS mobile operating system and his interactions with Apple's security bounty program representatives. In his post, he claims he discovered four vulnerabilities in iOS, three of which are outstanding and a fourth which he further claims was fixed but that he was not given credit for.

Apple started its security bounty program several years ago. The idea is that non-Apple employees can examine Apple's products and code and try to identify vulnerabilities. Security researchers who identify vulnerabilities are monetarily rewarded. Apple overhauled its program back in 2019, hoping to make it more accessible and to increase payouts to researchers. Unfortunately, the program has been receiving complaints from security researchers who claim that the team at Apple is difficult to reach. In this new effort, illusionofchaos suggests that Apple is putting its user base at risk by not making fixes to its new operating system that are found by researchers such as himself.

Illusionofchaos claims that the first vulnerability he found allowed user-installed apps to access iOS data without first being granted permission. He further claims that after sending Apple a report of his findings, he received messages suggesting the company would look into the issue. Later, he found that the issue has been resolved, but he was not credited with the find.

Illusionofchaos claims also that he has three other outstanding vulnerabilities he has reported to Apple. The first he calls gamed zero-dayhe describes it as a vulnerability that exposes Apple ID email, name and other information. The second, which he calls Nehelper Wi-Fi zero-day, exposes Wi-Fi information. And the third, which he calls NeHelpler Enumerate zero-day, allows interested parties to see information about apps that are installed on a device.

Illusionofchaos claims that he notified Apple about all three vulnerabilities and received an initial response, but since then, has only received messages telling him that Apple is investigating the issue. After threatening to make the vulnerabilities public and still receiving no feedback, Illusionofchaos followed through with his threat by posting his findings on a blog. Apple has not yet publicly responded to the claims made by Illusionofchaos.

Explore further Apple reveals two iOS zero-day vulnerabilities that allow attackers to access fully patched devices

 2021 Science X Network
Credit: University of Pittsburgh

When choosing a processor for space computing, there are many factors that come into play: because of the rigors of a harsh environment, developers must find the optimal balance between size, weight, power and cost. An important variable in this design is the processor architecture, which can have a significant impact on balancing performance and power consumption.

Students at the University of Pittsburgh's NSF Center for Space, High-performance, and Resilient Computing (SHREC) examined the RISC-V architecture for space computing and presented their results at the 2021 IEEE Space Computing Conference. They were awarded the Best Paper Award for Research in Space Computing for their work.

"RISC-V is exciting because it's open-source and benefits from collaborative development," said Michael Cannizzaro, lead author on the paper and an electrical and computer engineering Ph.D. student at Pitt's Swanson School of Engineering. "There is a large community, ranging from individuals to large companies, that are contributing to this development."

RISCor Reduced Instruction Set Computeris a more efficient approach to computing that uses a simple, optimized set of instructions compared to other architectures. RISC-V, in particular, is lauded for its modularitya unique characteristic that sets it apart from other designs and allows users to add specialized functionality to individual systems.

"With RISC-V, the base set of instructions essentially acts as a foundation on which a processor designer can easily develop a system that includes all the features they want, without any unnecessary extras," Cannizzaro explained.

Typical architectures are proprietary and require licensing, but RISC-V's open-source structure decreases development costs and allows a wider audience of innovators to explore its applications. According to the SHREC team, RISC-V may be particularly appealing for space missions.

"The architecture's modularity means that different implementations of RISC-V can be used in a variety of space systemsfrom navigation and image processing to communications and machine learning," said Evan Gretok, an electrical and computer engineering Ph.D. student at Pitt, who also contributed to the study. "However, no one can benefit from these features if the architecture itself can't perform computations in time and within the strict power consumption constraints of spacethat's where our work comes in."

This research is the starting point of a more in-depth investigation into a promising new architecture that may potentially lead to a space-ready RISC-V computer.

"We are currently working on extending this work by incorporating additional architectures, processing platforms, and benchmark tests," Cannizzaro added. "These new additions will help us make the best conclusions about the RISC-V architecture and its readiness for space.

"RISC-V is moving forward at a very fast pace, and we're excited to see all the new systems that are developed with this technology in the near future."

Explore further Alibaba reveals processor based on RISC-V architecture

More information: Cannizzaro, Michael James (2021) RISC-V Benchmarking for Onboard Sensor Processing. Master's Thesis, University of Pittsburgh. (Unpublished) Cannizzaro, Michael James (2021) RISC-V Benchmarking for Onboard Sensor Processing. Master's Thesis, University of Pittsburgh. (Unpublished) d-scholarship.pitt.edu/40400/
This photo provided by Wikimedia Commons shows Maryana Iskander, Co-Founder Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator South Africa, on Nov. 17, 2017. he non-profit that operates Wikipedia, one of the world's most popular websites, has a new CEO, Maryana Iskander, whose background spans continents and fields Credit: Gabriel Diamond/Wikimedia Commons via AP

The non-profit that operates Wikipedia, one of the world's most popular websites, has a new CEO, Maryana Iskander (and yes, she has a Wikipedia page ). She'll take over at the Wikimedia Foundation in January and says that her priorities are diversifying Wikipedia's volunteer writers and editors and promoting the foundation's mission of advocating for access to information.

Iskander's background spans continents and fields. She has led South African non-profit Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator, which focuses on helping young Africans find jobs, since 2013. She has also been COO of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, worked at consulting firm McKinsey and clerked for the U.S. Court of Appeals.

She recently talked with The Associated Press about her plans for the volunteer-managed online encyclopedia, which launched in 2001.

Q: What attracted you to Wikipedia?

A: It's hard to imagine who wouldn't be interested. The job profile starts with this extremely striking statement about the fact that knowledge belongs to all of us. The idea that anything belongs to all of us is really quite revolutionary. It's like we're living in a world in which increasingly most things don't feel common and don't feel shared. And the chance to be part of an organization that I think has that as a core value was hugely appealing and connects to a lot of the things that I've done in my career before.

Q: Wikipedia is famously created and edited by its army of volunteer contributors. What do the Wikimedia Foundation's 500-plus employees do?

A: The foundation itself enables the actual platform and the software and the technology. It's a big operation to be able to do that. We also provide support to these communities all over the world in different forms because their needs are very different. We do a huge amount of policy and advocacy work.

Q: What are the biggest challenges for Wikipedia?

A: Most of the content on Wikipedia comes from the global north. It doesn't represent the full sum of human knowledge. How do we get more content both about and from people in the global south?

A second priority is that most of the issues that Wikipedia faces are not Wikipedia's alone. And so how do you think about building ecosystems with other partners (to deal with) online harassment or misinformation. None of these are things that a single organization or a single platform can solve on its own.

Q: Wikipedia contributors are heavily male and most often come from Europe and North America. How do you want to involve more women and people from other countries?

A: Every country and frankly, language community, is different. But one of the things that we've learned about how Wikipedia has increased its presence in Nigeria is that it's important to first try to raise awareness about Wikipedia, so that people have an understanding of it as a resource. Then people will be more interested in coming in to be contributors.

Q: Wikimedia has an annual budget of over $100 million. There is some criticism that the foundation has plenty of money to fund its expenses and yet is begging its users for money. Is that donation ask something you think is important and going to continue?

A: Wikipedia is the only top 10 website in the world operated as a not-for-profit, so it's trying to deliver a set of services on a fraction of the budget of the big tech platforms. I think our intent is never to harass readers or users. But in fact, what we see is that lots of people are very happy to make what is usually a pretty small contribution in support of something that they use and find valuable. And that is important because it keeps us from needing to sell personal information or sell ads or do the things that would compromise the neutrality and integrity of the platform.

Explore further Craigslist founder donates $500K to curb Wikipedia trolls

 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Interested in seeing New Hampshires famous fall foliage but not looking forward to crowded roads, hiking trails or mega-resorts? You can leaf peep til your hearts content when you follow these tips for autumn foliage that take you off the beaten track, courtesy of the innkeepers of Snowvillage Inn, Jen and Kevin.

Fall Foliage Tip #1

Book a little early or a little late - Columbus Day, or as it is now called Indigenous Peoples Day, takes place October 8-11, and is the busiest time to visit the White Mountains for foliage viewing. Try leaf-peeping earlier or later. Midweek is better too - lower lodging rates and fewer crowds.

Fall Foliage Tip #2

Track Peak Foliage - The state of New Hampshire publishes a foliage tracker that advises on the current state of color throughout the state. While Columbus Day is often peak foliage, it is highly dependent on weather and other factors. If you can be flexible with your schedule, keep track of real-time peak foliage. It may be earlier or later than usual, in which case you can use that flexibility to be here when others are not.

Fall Foliage Tip #3

Take The Road Less Travelled - Sure, the Kancamangus, Pinkham Notch and Crawford Notch are popular destinations for road trips to view fall foliage in the White Mountains. But wed suggest a better route - one that is curvy and fun to drive, with lakes and rivers, mountain views and yes, foliage. Its Route 153, and you can pick it up just a few miles from the Snowvillage Inn, and travel south along the Maine border. Visit a Farm Museum or an Animal Sanctuary along the way. Enjoy the views of Lovell Lake. Enjoy lunch at the rustic Poor Peoples Pub in Sanbornville before heading back north to the Inn.

Fall Foliage Tip #4

Hike Local - Why hike better known trails with so many others when you can enjoy other just as beautiful mountains close to the Inn. Foss Mountain is just minutes away and offers an easy hike with breathtaking views, especially during foliage season. Or explore Marys Mountain nearby Freedom, for excellent views of Ossipee Lake. (Be sure to stop by Yankee Smokehouse for a pulled pork sandwich after that hike!) Ask hosts Jen and Kevin for their tips for local hikes.

Fall Foliage Tip #5

Stay Put - When you stay at the Snowvillage Inn, you can park your car and forget about it. Our Inn has the best views in the region - including spectacular views of the mountains and foliage unlike anything youve ever seen before! Sit on our screened-in porch, drink a craft cocktail and watch the sunset over the mountains. Or walk through our extensive on-site trail network. Youll even have exclusive access to nearby Crystal Lake, with Eatons iconic Little White Church, tucked in below breathtaking autumn leaves. Many rooms have mountain views so you dont even have to get out of bed to view fall foliage! Sounds like a great excuse to sleep in before enjoying your scratch-made breakfast before heading out for the day!

Choose Your Accommodations Here.






Job Title: Management Assistant (Fresher A Level Admin US Embassy Jobs)

Organisation: United States US Embassy in Kampala

Duty Station: Kampala, Uganda

Salary: USD $34,021 (UGX 120m)

Announcement Number: Kampala-2021-032

About US:

The United States Embassy in Kampala, Uganda has enjoyed diplomatic relations with Uganda for over 30 years. Ambassador Natalie E. Brown currently heads the U.S Mission to Uganda. The Mission is composed of several offices and organizations all working under the auspices of the Embassy and at the direction of the Ambassador.

Among the offices operating under the U.S Mission to Uganda are:

United States Agency for International Development (USAID)

Centers for Disease Control (CDC)

Peace Corps

Job Summary: The Management Assistant provides full administrative and clerical support to all Embassy sections including filling in for all direct hire/EFM Office Management Specialists during temporary absences/periods of short staffing. Incumbent shall assist in managing special projects including CODELs and POTUS and escort pouch when required. Incumbent shall work on temporary basis and supervised by the Management Counselor.









Qualifications, Skills and Experience:

The applicant for the United States Embassy Management Assistant job should have completed Secondary School

At least two years of administrative or secretarial experience is required.

Knowledge of correspondence procedures and general customer service is required.

Knowledge of office protocol matters, logistics and related office requirements is required.

Proper and efficient secretarial and office management procedures.

Typing level II (40wpm) is required.

Basic knowledge of Microsoft Office, Outlook and Internet is required.

Ability to work flexible hours is required.

Must be tactful, possess good judgment and be able to communicate with employees at all levels.

Ability to accurately proofread written material to eliminate errors, well-organized, ability to meet deadlines and to work in a multi-tasking environment is required.

Must be eligible to obtain a secret clearance.

Basic numerical skill required.

How to Apply:

All those interested in working with the US mission in Kampala should send their applications online at the link below.

Click Here

Deadline: 11th October 2021

For more of the latest jobs, please visit https://www.theugandanjobline.com or find us on our facebook page https://www.facebook.com/UgandanJobline
ONE of the surprises emerging from the presentation of the 2022 budget on Monday by Minister of Finance, Colm Imbert, was his announcement that the Government proposed to offer for sale 10,869,565 ordinary shares in First Citizens Holdings Ltd.
The older residents of Belmont and environs may remember back in the 1980s there used to be 
I appreciate the position taken by Mr Kevin Baldeosingh on the reasons why he will not get 
Coffee lovers in Vietnam will soon be able to enjoy a new organic coffee, while helping revitalize one of the worlds most fragile farming regions.

The Reviving Origins KAHAWA ya CONGO coffee (Hope of Congo) from Nespresso is a smooth and fruity seasonal blend, grown on the rain-rich volcanic soils of Lake Kivu in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) where the once-thriving coffee farming community has been devastated by decades of political and economic instability.

The KAHAWA ya CONGO coffee is the first organic blend in Nespressos Reviving Origins program, its long-term approach to restore coffee production in regions impacted by adversities such as conflict, economic hardship, and environmental disasters.

Since its launch in 2019, the program has enabled production of exceptional coffees from challenged areas of Zimbabwe, Uganda, Colombia and now, the DRC, to become available as seasonal coffees for Nespresso coffee lovers.

The brands unique sustainable sourcing model in coffee producing countries, the Nespresso AAA Sustainable Quality Program, provides the foundation for its work in Reviving Origins regions and involves more than 110,000 farmers across the world.

Were delighted to introduce one of the worlds finest and most exclusive blends to consumers, said Fabio De Gregorio, regional business development manager.

Through our Reviving Origins program, were helping the farmers of Kivu to restore Congolese coffee to its full glory and rebuild their livelihoods, while bringing vital social support to enhance the welfare of the communities behind our KAHAWA ya CONGO coffee.

With this blend, consumers can enjoy a truly unique taste experience, and play an important role in reviving coffee and communities in the DRC after decades of conflict and economic instability.

Reviving coffee and communities in Kivu

Just four decades ago, coffee was the second-most important export for the DRC and ranked among the worlds finest, but years of upheaval have led to coffee volumes falling 10-fold since 1980.

For many hard-working communities that have farmed these lands for generations, their way of life is now at risk of disappearing.

Nespresso, together with global non-profit TechnoServe, the U.S Agency for International Development (USAID), and coffee trader Virunga Coffee/Olam International, is working with 2,500 farmers in South Kivu to improve coffee quality and yield, and embed sustainable farming practices, while increasing incomes.

Nespresso is also in the process of expanding the program across North Kivu to potentially include up to 1,700 organic certified farmers.

I see my remaining days being better than those in the past, because I am going to work, assured of receiving regular pay and a bonus each time after the coffee sale, said Kivu coffee farmer Turanyi Kabasura.

In my whole life, no one has ever given me such a bonus.

I can use that to develop other strategies, such as raising small livestock, or my wife can run a small business.

I am starting to see the results of my work.

The project also goes beyond coffee, with plans in place to tackle healthcare challenges impacting farming communities in the DRC.

In partnership with the Eastern Congo Initiative (ECI), Nespresso is investing CHF 1 million in supporting the establishment of 23 water access points across the Kivu region, in addition to one primary and five mobile health clinics, which will deliver 13,000 health consultations per year to local communities, helping in the fight against cholera, a major health issue in the country.

An exquisite taste experience

The rain-rich volcanic soils along the Kivu lakeshores of the Eastern Congo are ideal for growing specialty arabica.

The Organic KAHAWA ya CONGO coffee is split roast, meaning that a small portion of the beans gets a darker roast to bring out the full intensity and body of the coffee.

In cups, the smooth and balanced arabica reveals alluring sweet cereal and nutty aromas, reflecting its ideal terroir origin.

With milk, meanwhile, these aromas are transformed into a light, sweet, and creamy cup full of biscuity notes, a hint of walnut, and a silky texture.

KAHAWA ya CONGO has an intensity of eight as a Double Espresso. It is available online and at Nespresso boutiques from September 13.

Flourishing variety

Alongside this launch, Nespresso is reintroducing three other seasonal Reviving Origins coffees for 2021, helping bring long-term economic stability to local farmers, as well as showcasing their craftsmanship to the world:

* AMAHA awe UGANDA  a single origin coffee with medium acidity and body, grown in the Rwenzori Mountains of Uganda

* TAMUKA mu ZIMBABWE  a flowery espresso from the famous Honde Valley in Zimbabwes eastern highlands

* ESPERANZA de COLOMBIA  a rich and balanced arabica espresso, with fruity notes and fine acidity, from the Colombian regions of El Rosario and Caqueta

For further details on these coffees and Nespresso activities, please visit https://www.nespresso.vn.

About the Reviving Origins program

Nespresso first discovered the potential of reviving a forgotten coffee when it ventured to South Sudan in 2011. The limited edition SULUJA ti SOUTH SUDAN became the countrys second export after oil in 2015 and 2016, and helped to diversify the economic base of the worlds youngest nation.

In 2016, Nespresso launched the limited edition AURORA de la PAZ, its first coffee from Caqueta, Colombia, and CAFECITO de CUBA, the first Cuban coffee to come to the United States in more than fifty years (exclusive for the U.S.).

In 2019, Nespresso officially launched its Reviving Origins program alongside new single-origin coffees from Eastern Zimbabwe  TAMUKA mu ZIMBABWE  and Colombia  ESPERANZA de COLOMBIA  followed by Puerto Rico  CAFECITO de PUERTO RICO.

In 2020, Nespresso introduced AMAHA awe UGANDA from the Rwenzori Mountains regions of Uganda, and now KAHAWA ya CONGO from the Kivu region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

About Nestle Nespresso

Nestle Nespresso SA is the pioneer and reference for highest-quality portioned coffee. The company works with more than 110,000 farmers in 15 countries through its AAA Sustainable Quality Program to embed sustainability practices on farms and the surrounding landscapes.

Launched in 2003 in collaboration with the NGO Rainforest Alliance, the program helps to improve the yield and quality of harvests, ensuring a sustainable supply of high-quality coffee and improving livelihoods of farmers and their communities.

Headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland, Nespresso operates in 82 countries and has over 13,900 employees. The global retail network currently operates 809 boutiques in 532 cities. For more information, visit the Nespresso corporate website: www.nestle-nespresso.com.
Brandon Hurleys trademark orange beard is a familiar sight to Vietnams netizens thanks to his wildly popular YouTube and TikTok videos in which he showcases various aspects of Vietnamese culture using fluent Vietnamese.

In just a few short years, Hurley, who goes by Phuc Map (Map is the Vietnamese word for Fat while Phuc is a common Vietnamese name), has accrued more than 429,000 subscribers on his YouTube channel Phuc Map Vlog and 455,600 followers on his TikTok @phucmapvlog.

Brandon Hurleys trademark orange beard is a familiar sight to Vietnams netizens. Photo courtesy of Brandon Hurley

An American who speaks Vietnamese

In early 2019, Hurley began drawing the attention of local netizens after a video went viral of him wearing Vietnamese womens pajamas on the streets of Ho Chi Minh City with his pet chicken.

The story [of that first viral video] was about a foreigner who wanted to dress in the traditional outfits of Vietnam, but accidentally bought traditional pajamas worn by women, Hurley explained.

This foreigner also heard that dogs are commonly stolen in Vietnam, so he thought a chicken would be a better pet.

Honestly, the videos would not have been any good if I did not speak Vietnamese.

My ability to speak conversational Vietnamese made the videos what they were.

I told myself in the beginning that if roughly 40 percent of people didnt like the video, I would stay away from content like that.

"After one million views, the video still has a 98.8 percent like-to-dislike ratio, so its safe to say people enjoyed it.

Brandon Hurley is seen wearing Vietnamese womens pajamas in a supplied photo taken with his pet chicken on the street of Ho Chi Minh City.

Like other vloggers', Hurleys content covers a wide range of topics, from cultural quirks, to local food, travel, and life in Vietnam.

Some of Hurleys most-viewed videos include 'Which region of Vietnam has the best food?,' 'Tet (Vietnamese Lunar New Year) explained by a foreigner in Vietnam,' and 'The most delicious banh canh cua (crab noodles) in Vietnam.'

Foreigners and locals alike tend to be stunned by the fluent Vietnamese Hurley puts on display in such videos.

In a video shot before Ho Chi Minh City implemented social distancing to prevent the spread of COVID-19 which was posted on his YouTube channel in early June, Hurley led his audience on a tour of his neighborhood in Tan Binh District.

With a cap, sunglasses, and a face mask, the American man ventured through local streets, coconut smoothie in hand, striking up conversations with locals.

I can walk into any of these places and have a conversation. 99 percent of the people are friendly and will have a conversation with me, Hurley told his audience.

According to Hurley, the inspiration behind his videos is that he always tries to be someone that makes other people laugh.

I wouldn't call myself a comedian, but I would say I am capable of putting a smile on the faces of others, he shared.

To be honest, I started my YouTube channel in Vietnam to test my Vietnamese in a humorous way. Some of the videos became mainstream and most of the audience enjoyed my work.

Hurley believed that his audience consists of people who are interested in Vietnam, Vietnamese culture, and the Vietnamese language.

Brandon Hurley is seen wearing 'ao ba ba' in a photo he provided Tuoi Tre News.

'Vietnam has changed my life forever'

Before making the decision to settle down in the country, Hurley had spent time in Thailand, Malaysia, and Cambodia.

Coming to Asia was his first experience outside of his home country.

I am very pleased with my choice to live in Vietnam, Hurley said.

Every country has its problems, but overall, I am thoroughly impressed with the different aspects of Vietnam, from the food and the people to the daily life.

"This is a place I want to live.

After being in Vietnam for roughly four years, Hurley married a Vietnamese woman and got a tattoo of Vietnams map.

I decided to get my Vietnam tattoo after four years in the country," he said.

"Even before I started my YouTube channel, I felt like Vietnam had changed my life forever, and it was one way for me to always remember my second home.

Brandon Hurley is seen in an 'ao dai' in a supplied photo taken with his dog in Ho Chi Minh City.

In emphasizing why he has chosen Vietnam as his home, Hurley insisted on his admiration for the people and the community.

There is a visible difference in the community of Vietnam compared to my country," he remarked.

"In general, Vietnamese see themselves as one unit, one group, one family, whereas in America, they have lost their sense of unity and everyone finds reasons to take sides on different issues.

The definition of Vietnam in my heart is a community of people that work together to achieve the same goal, a country whose bond in their society can be a great example for other countries throughout the world.

I admire what Vietnam has, and even though I will always be a foreigner here, I feel very welcomed at the same time."

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
The so-far successful battle this month in California to save the world's biggest trees from ever-worsening forest blazes seems to offer an important lesson: You can fight fire with fire.

Human-caused climate change has made the western United States hotter, drier and more vulnerable to increasingly destructive wildfires, which have this year taken a horrific toll on the region's forests.

That has included threatening huge sequoias like the General Sherman, which looms 275 feet (83 meters) above the forest floor.

Firefighters were able to beat back the flames as they ate into California's Giant Forest, thanks to decades of prescribed burns that starved the blaze of fuel.

"It sounds a little strange to say this, but there actually has not been enough fire in California for about a century," said Rebecca Miller, a researcher at the University of Southern California.

"There were policies in place at the federal and the state level throughout much of the 20th century to prevent fire, because there was an incorrect belief that fire was bad for the environment."

California's sequoias wrapped in foil as governor signs climate bill. Photo: AFP

Fires are part of the natural cycle of forest life, clearing away excess vegetation, purging pests, and making space for new growth.

In the wilderness, these fires eventually burn themselves out.

But as human settlement has encroached further into formerly wild spaces, tolerance for these fires has diminished and firefighters are under instructions to put out all blazes as soon as possible.

Now there is a growing realization that this policy is actually contributing to the worsening of forest fires -- giving them so much more fuel and making them hotter, faster and more destructive.

Instead, the thinking goes, we should actually be helping smaller fires to burn.

The practice was key to protecting Giant Forest, home to the General Sherman, says Mark Garrett, a spokesman for the force trying to tame the still-active KNP Complex fire.

Parts of the Sequoia National Forest have burned in the most recent blazes. Photo: AFP

'Best tool we have'

The sequoias of Giant Forest, some of which are up to 3,000 years old, have survived countless previous fires.

Their thick bark protects them from flames, and their cones actually need the heat of smaller fires to open up and spread their seeds.

But even these imposing giants cannot cope with the mega blazes tearing through California's parched landscape.

Around 10,000 of them -- up to 14 percent of the world's total -- perished in a huge fire last year.

So there was considerable nervousness when flames from the KNP Complex started eating into the Sequoia National Forest.

Garrett says it was the first time an uncontrolled fire had come so close to the General Sherman, which was wrapped in a protective foil.

But thanks to years of controlled burns, the fire couldn't get much of a purchase, said Garrett.

"We're seeing things we haven't seen before, like near 300-foot trees being killed because of the smaller trees in between them that are carrying that fire," he told AFP.

Controlled burns are "the best tool we have right now."

California redwood trees grow taller - over 100 metres - but sequoias are the largest trees by volume in the world. Photo: AFP

The next General Sherman

But not everyone agrees.

"It is not an effective strategy and it's been very much overblown," says ecologist George Wuerthner.

Controlled burning has to be so widespread and so regular that it's prohibitive.

"We just can't be doing the whole landscape at that kind of frequency. It's misleading to suggest that that's a panacea for preventing large fires."

Former forest service official Andy Stahl says worthwhile controlled burns would cost billions of dollars.

"You can't just burn it, walk away from it and say, 'Well I don't have to do that again for another 100 years."

"No, you have to go back there in another five or 10 years and do it again," said Stahl, who is executive director of FSEEE, an organization focused on ethical forest management.

Sequoias can survive - and even thrive - in low-level fires, using the heat to open their cones and spread their seeds, but can be killed in the hotter, faster fires that are gripping California. Photo: AFP

Which explains why there are very few areas in the western United States where the practice is common -- apart from around Giant Forest.

"It's a very, very small footprint in a small National Park."

For Garrett, there is simply no choice: "We need more money. We need more people. This needs to be done, all over the mountains and the federal lands.

"We don't have a lot of brand new sequoia trees in the Giant Forest because it hasn't seen fire in so long.

"We need that new generation to replace the General Sherman 2,000 years from now."
Top leaders of Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia have met in Hanoi to discuss cooperation orientations between the three countries, the Vietnam Government Portal reported.

Vietnamese Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, President of the Cambodian Peoples Party and Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen, and General Secretary of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party and President Thongloun Sisoulith convened the meeting on Sunday.

They spoke highly of the significance and importance of the event, briefing each other about recent situations in each country, including socio-economic development in the current COVID-19 pandemic.

The leaders agreed on the importance of the traditional relations, solidarity, and friendship of the three neighboring nations and charted orientations for cooperation in the coming time.

They consented on strengthening cooperation in various fields for the benefit of the three peoples and for the sake of peace, stability, cooperation, and development in the region and the world.

On the same day, PM Hun Sen also had bilateral meetings with State President Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, while General Secretary Sisoulith met with President Phuc.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
Read what is in the news today:

Politics

-- Vietnamese Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, President of the Cambodian Peoples Party and Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen, and General Secretary of the Lao Peoples Revolutionary Party and President Thongloun Sisoulith discussed cooperation orientations at a meeting in Hanoi on Sunday.

COVID-19 Updates

-- Da Nang will remove unnecessary COVID-19 checkpoints to help residents avoid travel hurdles, Luong Nguyen Minh Triet, deputy secretary of the municipal Party Committee, said at a meeting on pandemic control on Sunday evening.

-- More than 900 residents of northern Bac Giang Province, including 45 children under two years old, went back to their hometown on three repatriation flights from Ho Chi Minh City, Binh Duong Province, and Dong Nai Province -- the three virus hotbeds in Vietnam currently -- on Sunday afternoon.

-- Authorities inaugurated a technology center in District 7, Ho Chi Minh City on Sunday afternoon to serve the dual goal of preventing and controlling COVID-19 and beefing up economic recovery in the low-risk district.

-- Functional forces in Ha Nam documented 49 additional local COVID-19 cases on Sunday, raising the total number of infections detected in the northern province following the discovery of the first transmission about a week ago to 179. The province has recorded only 256 coronavirus infections since the ongoing fourth bout hit Vietnam on April 27.

-- Hanoi has reported no new COVID-19 cases for 48 hours, the municipal Center for Disease Control said on Monday morning.

Society

-- Police in Ho Chi Minh City are investigating a case in which local people down an alley in District 7 found a man dead with his head detached from his body on Sunday afternoon. Police officers apprehended a suspect in the case.

-- Lightning struck and killed an 18-year-old girl while she was finding a shelter from a rain on her way to pick rose apples for a living in southern Can Tho City on Sunday afternoon.

-- Ho Chi Minh City will seek residents feedaback within this month or early October, on its plan to restore the Tran Hung Dao Statue, a landmark at Me Linh Roundabout in District 1, local authorities said at a press conference on Sunday afternoon.

-- Heavy downpours from Thursday to Saturday last week killed one person and inundated nearly 700 houses and over 3,000 hectares of crops in north-central Nghe An Province.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
No new COVID-19 infection was detected in Hanoi from 12:00 pm on Saturday to 12:00 pm on Sunday, a record that has not been seen since July 5.

According to an announcement from the Hanoi Department of Health at noon on Sunday, the capital city had not seen any new case from 6:00 am to 12:00 pm Sunday, which marks 24 consecutive hours of zero new infections.

As of Sunday morning, Hanoi health officials had administered over 6.7 million COVID-19 jabs to residents, with nearly 950,000 being follow-up doses.

As the COVID-19 epidemic has been brought under control, Hanoi has resumed numerous services after two months of suspension, including providers and sellers of essential goods, barbershops and hair salons, banks, and post and telecommunications service providers.

However, local authorities still ban public gatherings of 10 people and more as well as meetings and events attended by more than 20 people in a room, except essential cases subject to strict epidemic prevention measures.

The administration requires a minimum distance of two meters between people in public places.

App-based transport service providers are allowed to operate at no more than 50 percent of their vehicle fleet from 9:00 am to 10:00 pm every day.

Many infection clusters, including the one at alley No. 322 of Nguyen Trai Street in Ha Dong District, have been put under control.

However, infections are still found in the community, as seen from the case of a construction worker in Hoai Duc District, who tested positive for the coronavirus after being hospitalized for a labor accident.

Officials have pinpointed 26 direct contacts and 313 indirect contacts of the newly-detected patient, all of whom have received negative test results, according to the Hanoi Center for Disease Control.

Since the pandemic erupted in Vietnam in early 2020, Hanoi has documented 4,458 COVID-19 cases, including 51 deaths, the Ministry of Health reported on Monday.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
Functional forces have removed COVID-19 barricades from hundreds of alleys across Ho Chi Minh City after the municipal authorities announced the change on the weekend.

The city is expected to remove all COVID-19 checkpoints and barricades along local streets and alleys by September 30, Tran Hoang Ngan  head of the Ho Chi Minh City Institute for Development Studies  said at an online seminar on Saturday, recounting several points of a meeting a day earlier.

However, the checkpoints at the citys entrances will remain in operation to ensure safety for the key southern economic region in general, he added.

Following the announcement, iron wires, tables, and chairs has no longer obstructed people going in and out of many alleys in the city as of Monday morning.

In a number of alleys, local residents assigned one another to inspect visitors and coming delivery workers.

Although movement restriction remains, seeing the entrance to our alley clear of barricades makes me feel relieved, said Hien, a resident of an alley on Phan Van Tri Street in Binh Thanh District.

An alley is cleared of barricades on No Trang Long Street in Binh Thanh District, Ho Chi Minh City, September 27, 2021. Photo: Le Phan / Tuoi Tre

Barricades have caused stress and emotional exhaustion to many people in Ho Chi Minh City over the past few months, according to Pham Thi Thuy, a psychotherapist.

In addition, barricades make the city esthetically ugly, according to the expert.

In all aspects, the existing barricades have a certain impact on peoples lives, so they should be removed as soon as possible, said Thuy.

Ho Chi Minh City has recorded more than 371,000 local COVID-19 cases, with over 14,000 deaths, since the fourth wave started in the country on April 27, according to the Ministry of Healths data.

The city has implemented social distancing measures at various levels since May 31 and is looking to gradually carry out economic recovery plans in new normal conditions.

An alley is cleared of barricades on Phan Van Tri Street in Binh Thanh District, Ho Chi Minh City, September 27, 2021. Photo: Le Phan / Tuoi Tre

An alley is cleared of barricades on Phan Van Tri Street in Go Vap District, Ho Chi Minh City, September 27, 2021. Photo: Le Phan / Tuoi Tre

Scaffolding replaces barricades at the entrance to an alley in Ho Chi Minh City, September 27, 2021. Photo: Le Phan / Tuoi Tre

An alley is cleared of barricades on Xo Viet Nghe Tinh Street in Binh Thanh District, Ho Chi Minh City, September 27, 2021. Photo: Le Phan / Tuoi Tre

A mobile barricade is left at the entrance to an alley in Ho Chi Minh City, September 27, 2021. Photo: Le Phan / Tuoi Tre

A table replaces barricades at the entrance to an alley on Do Xuan Hop Street in Thu Duc City under Ho Chi Minh City, September 27, 2021. Photo: Le Phan / Tuoi Tre

Tran Quy Cap Street is cleared of barricades in Binh Thanh District, Ho Chi Minh City, September 27, 2021. Photo: Le Phan / Tuoi Tre

An alley is cleared of barricades on Do Xuan Hop Street in Thu Duc City under Ho Chi Minh City, September 27, 2021. Photo: Le Phan / Tuoi Tre

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
A makeshift market that was opened in District 5, Ho Chi Minh City on Sunday has attracted a lot of customers amidst the prolonged social distancing period.

The District 5 Peoples Committee established the makeshift market with an aim to help local residents buy food and essential items safely as well as to gradually bring life back to the 'new normal.'

Located on Tan Da Street in Ward 10, District 5, the market offers more than 200 essential products.

All merchants have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

In order to shop, residents must present a ticket issued by local authorities.

A makeshift market on Tan Da Street in District 5, Ho Chi Minh City, September 26, 2021. Photo: Chau Tuan / Tuoi Tre

About 400 people were allowed to enter the market on Sunday, Dao Thi Anh Tuyet, a district official said, adding that they were required to come at different times to prevent large gatherings.

Authorities in District 5 are planning to reopen Hoa Binh and An Dong Markets in the near future.

All customers must comply with pandemic prevention and control regulations, while merchants must be fully vaccinated and undergo COVID-19 testing at least once every three days, Tuyet elaborated.

A resident shows a ticket to enter the makeshift market in District 5, Ho Chi Minh City, September 26, 2021. Photo: Chau Tuan / Tuoi Tre

According to Pham Thi Hoa, a 64-year-old resident, being able to go shopping at the makeshift market following a long social distancing period made her feel that life has been normal again.

I hope authorities will open more similar markets so that other people can go outside and shop for groceries, Hoa added.

Seafood is sold at a makeshift market on Tan Da Street in District 5, Ho Chi Minh City, September 26, 2021. Photo: Chau Tuan / Tuoi Tre

Ho Chi Minh City has recorded 371,660 local COVID-19 infections, including 12,522 cases in District 5, since the fourth wave began on April 27.

The city has imposed social distancing at various levels since May 31 to contain the spread of the virus.

Residents are required to socially distance while shopping at the market. Photo: Chau Tuan / Tuoi Tre

A military officer helps a resident carry groceries. Photo: Chau Tuan / Tuoi Tre

Merchants at the market must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Photo: Chau Tuan / Tuoi Tre

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
After arriving in Vietnam, a shipment of over 1.3 million jabs of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine has been handed over to the Ministry of Health to continue feeding the countrys accelerated immunization campaign.

The ministry received 1,317,500 vaccine doses from the Vietnam Vaccine Joint Stock Company (VNVC) on Monday, as part of the 30-million-dose contract signed between VNVC and the manufacturer in late 2020.

The latest shipment, which arrived in Ho Chi Minh City last Friday, has taken the total number of vaccine doses delivered to Vietnam from this source to nearly 15 million, including five million this month.

VNVC has previously agreed to hand over all the vaccine doses under this contract to the ministry on a non-profit basis and pay all relevant expenses, including that on vaccine storage.

To date, the country has received more than 54 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine from different sources, including COVAX Facility, contract purchases, and donations.

This vaccine volume accounts for 36 percent of the countrys target to secure 150 million doses to vaccinate two-thirds of its 98-million population.

The government has approved the purchase of more than 51 million doses of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, over 30 million AstraZeneca jabs, and 10 million Cuban-made shots, among others.

The health ministry has approved eight COVID-19 vaccines for emergency use in the country, namely the UKs AstraZeneca, Chinas Sinopharm, Russias Sputnik V, the UAEs Hayat-Vax, Cubas Abdala, and three U.S. products including Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson.

Meanwhile, Vietnams Nano Covax vaccine, after some successful trials, is undergoing further steps to be licensed for emergency use as the first made-in-Vietnam COVID-19 vaccine.

The country is speeding up COVID-19 vaccination as part of the preparations for recovering its socio-economic operations after months of lockdown.

So far, over 30.42 million first shots and some 7.94 million second jabs have been administered to people nationwide, according to the ministrys data.

Since the pandemic hit Vietnam in early 2020, the Southeast Asian nation has documented 756,689 coronavirus infections, ranking 44th among 222 countries and territories in the world.

The country has also recorded 527,926 COVID-19 recoveries and 18,584 deaths, which is equivalent to around 2.5 percent of the tally of patients, or 0.4 percentage points above the global mortality rate.

Except Cao Bang, the coronavirus has spread to 62 out of its 63 cities and provinces, with Ho Chi Minh City topping the list with 372,180 infection cases and 14,379 fatalities.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
In the final episode of Back to Nature, Aaron & Holly roam Desert Country in Central Australia.

They meet Traditional Owners and look at the Milky Way with astrophysicist and Gamilaraay woman Karlie Noon, from inside an impact crater.

The Arrernte believe Altjira, the creator, made everything.

Aaron and Holly climb Alherrkentye-Trephina Gorge, a rusting quartzite rock formation, from which they look north to Aarons grandmothers country. Nearby, they visit a giant ghost gum, the largest in Australia. Its roots extend far underground.

We meet Eastern Arrernte Elder, Paul Williams, an Apmereke-artyweye (traditional landowner), and his cousin, Damian Ryder a Kwertegerle mape (caretaker of the land). Their advice is simple: wherever you go, talk to the land.

We travel west to Pmurlangkinya-Palm Valley, intersecting the path of the Lhere Pirnte, the Finke River, one of the worlds oldest rivers. In the Finke River Valley Aaron and Holly discover a real desert oasis, surrounded by Red Cabbage Tree Palms. The Western Arrernte People believe that the palms were born from the sparks of the fire from Urabunya, blown across country.

Aaron and Holly arrive at Tnorala-Gosse Bluff. Here are the spectacular remains of a crater, formed by a meteor or asteroid that crashed 142 million years ago.

We meet astrophysicist and Gamilaraay woman Karlie Noon. In the Western Arrernte Dreaming, a group of Sky Women danced as stars, one placing her baby in a coolamon that fell to Earth, forming the crater. Karlie, Aaron, and Holly stargaze, where they see the coolamon constellation. They discuss how we are all connected and belong: to each other, to the Earth, to the universe.

8pm Tuesday on ABC.
Actor Kerry Armstrong gave her agent a directive. No more doormat roles.

I want the women that I see my mum, my friends, I want to put them on the screen now. They are wild and unimaginably strong. They are leading us into places of great warmth, dignity, curiosity, humour, she reveals.

Ive said to my agent, I wont do another doormat, I wont do another dummy.

I want to start to do roles that are challenging, but I want to start to see women who are actually making the world a much more interesting and worthwhile place. I want girls in our lives to stop worrying about their eyebrows, and start wondering about their souls and their hearts and their minds. I deeply and utterly want to stay in Australia and work here and not be tempted again to go overseas.

Im looking at my counterparts over there and the roles that theyre doing are fascinating. Whereas here were still just a little bit clunky. Its fine in your 40s and 50s but it seems to me that late 50s, 60s, 70s, grandma, wife, friend, is just one thing we do.

Armstrong is currently appearing in Season 2 of ABC Comedy Frayed, written by and starring Sarah Kendall.

The 80s-set comedy set in Newcastle (and London) sees Armstrong resume her role as family matriarch Jean, a complex, formidable woman trying to stay sober, who is mother to prodigal daughter Sammy (Kendall) and man child son Jim (Ben Mingay). Its a role that inspired her as soon as she read the script.

Shes one of the most wonderful characters Ive ever been lucky enough to play. I have to dig deep every time, mainly because everybody else is so funny that every time Jean walks onto the set its like Schroeder in Peanuts -the character who walks around with a dark cloud over their head! she tells TV Tonight.

Im so used to being the funny one of course, in Razzle Dazzle, or in SeaChange. I love humour. Thats probably one of my greatest strengths.

So many of our roles for women over 60s have been mums, grandmas

She adds, Were starting to grow up and catch up to Europe, to Britain and to the States. So many of our roles for women over 60s have been mums, grandmas, next door neighbours, wives. To see a standalone character who is independent, incredibly intelligent, extraordinarily strong, authentic to her core, doesnt wear a scrap of makeup, always worn the same clothes hasnt changed in any way for years and years is a wonderful thing.

To have something that you know you could push against, it has to be as strong as a tree. Jean will not bend. She will not falter, and so hopefully you can see that in the second series.

With Season 1 ending on an unexpected death, Season 2 shifts to a crime comedy with an ambitious cop (Hamish Michael) determined to uncover the killer. Meanwhile Sammy and her two teens, Lenny (Frazer Hadfield) and Tess (Maggie Ireland-Jones) head back to the UK to attempt to win back Sammys mansion from her previous lawyer (Robert Webb).

The cast also features Doris Younane, Matt Passmore, George Houvardas and Diane Morgan (Motherland, After Life).

Chameleon Armstrong recalls meeting Diane Morgan for the table reading.

I had just come off SeaChange. So I had this very blonde hair, was tanned and I think I just had a pair of shorts and a T shirt, my hair in a ponytail. Diane said to me, Who are you playing? I said Jean and she said Thats not right. But what she meant was I didnt look anything like she would imagine, she recalls.

You went from this sunny, blonde-hair-in-a-pony with a big grin, to this incredibly gnarled-looking woman

She actually said to me afterwards,Oh Kerry, all my friends just love what you do. I just couldnt believe that you went from this sunny, blonde-hair-in-a-pony with a big grin, to this incredibly gnarled-looking woman.

It would surprise less Aussies given Armstrongs body of work extends back to the early 1970s, first on Australias last black-and-white drama, Marion and followed by work on The Sullivans, Prisoner, Skyways, All Together Now, Come In Spinner, Police Rescue, MDA, Bed of Roses, The Wrong Girl, Neighbours and film roles on Amy, Lantana, Oyster Farmer and Pawno.

Famously in the 1980s she also landed roles on Dynasty (pictured above) and Murder She Wrote. before returning to Australia.

I was mostly trained in the States and by people with huge passion. I was very lucky to be next to Stanley Tucci, Pacino, Tim Robbins, Helen Hunt. We were encouraged to speak up, she explains.

I guess when I got back to Australia, I was still speaking up and at times I was probably a bit outspoken. Now I think voices have equal weight and theres a respect amongst people.

Actors are actually just as smart as you for years sometimes it felt like you were a Lego piece, just being moved around the board by somebody. And thats a misinterpretation. Thats not a director so much as as a kind of chess player.

Youll see the times that Ive needed to pay school fees or a mortgage

Yet there have also been surprising detours, including appearances on reality television. Armstrong makes no apologies, confirming they were driven by financial demands.

Dotted through my life, youll see the times that Ive needed to pay school fees or a mortgage. Youll see me dancing or eating spiders or whatever the hell I have to do, she insists.

Im incredibly proud of those moments because they are the opposite of who Kerry is. I cant bear the whole celebrity thing. That tag doesnt fit me at all. But I really like that I will get down and get my hands dirty or my reputation sullied because my children are far, far more important.

Her start in performing also began at a young age. Raised in Spain, she performed at the age of just 10 in a play of The Little Prince. It was such a pivotal moment, she even remembers a line of dialogue she can still recite.

Its only with the heart that one can see rightly. Whats essential is invisible to the eye, she quips.

I remember saying that out loud on stage, and had almost an epiphany.

The little girls a conduit

There was a talent scout there who told my parents, The little girls a conduit. So I think youre either a conduit or not.

At the moment Ive had such a big life and such an extraordinary life that I believe at this time in my life Im here to, in some ways, hopefully tell stories that will be enlightening, illuminating, entertaining.

I had Katharine Hepburn and Greer Garson and Julia Blake and all these incredible women in my life ahead of me. And I thought, When I grow up, I want to be like them.'

Frayed returns 9pm Wednesday on ABC.
Production has begin on an 8 part observational series for Nine at not-for-profit organisation The Animal Welfare League of South Australia.

For the Love of Pets, shot in 4K, will follow staff, volunteers and animals, from vets performing life changing surgeries to the team working to re-home more than 4,000 pets per year.

The series has been commissioned by Nine and executive produced by Context Medias Peter Jenetsky and Tim Clucas, alongside series producer Kym Slaby.

Were honoured to work in our community, helping lost, stray and abandoned pets get the care they desperately need. We hope that this incredible opportunity to show our work will highlight the heartfelt bonds between owners and their pets, raise awareness of the value of pets in our community, and, most importantly, help more pets find loving homes, says Julie Bellamy, CEO of AWL.

Natalie Lawley, Managing Director of Escalade Media, said, For the Love of Pets provides the international audience with a prime-time series with unique differences that provide a fresh look at this genre of pet programming. Escapade has pre-sold the series to TVNZ in New Zealand and is discussing the series with clients across the globe. We look forward to confirming more deals shortly.

EP Peter Jenetsky said, Its a privilege to have been granted rare access to go behind the scenes of AWLs incredible state-of-the-art Animal Care Centre and to tell the stories of the talented and deeply committed team of staff and volunteers. Television audiences here in Australia and around the world will be touched and inspired by the deeds of the people in this organisation who strive every day to give every single animal that comes into AWLs care the best shot at finding a happy and fulfilling life with new adopting pet parents.

Escapade Media will handle international distribution and sales, with the show already pre-sold to TVNZ.

It will air on Nine in 2022.
Three months after police violently suppressed pro-democracy protests in Eswatini, formerly known as Swaziland and Africas last absolute monarchy, the movement has carried on quietly. Young people have played an important role in the protests, with the last wave of the opposition centred around school boycotts at various high schools and universities around the country throughout the month of September. Videos online show crowds of students leaving their classes in protest.

Eswatini is a small, landlocked country in southern Africa. Its leader, King Mswati III, has ruled for 35 years by decree. Officially, at least 27 people were killed in the frenzied protests that erupted in Eswatini in late June 2021. However, rights groups maintain that this number may actually be much higher, closer to 100.

Initial protests dwindled after several weeks full of looting, burning tyres and buildings, and violent police reprisals. But high school and university students have continued to mobilise quietly, organising walkouts and delivering petitions to parliamentary representatives.

Students and young people have been key to the pro-democracy movement, which emerged from anger and allegations of police brutality after a young law student died under mysterious circumstances blamed on police last May.

Pro-democracy protesters in Swaziland have been calling for elections and the right to elect the countrys prime minister, plus accountability from parliamentary representatives whom they say are silent on issues such as police brutality and corruption.

Currently, the king appoints the prime minister, as well as ministers, heads of agencies and judges. Eswatini has been an absolute monarchy since the 1970s, shortly after its independence from the United Kingdom.

This movement is a decider of our future

Thabo (not his real name) is a university student in central Eswatini involved with a national student union association. The FRANCE 24 Observers team has chosen not to publish his real name due to security concerns.

Story continues

All the universities and students of higher learning institutions have been part of the pro-democracy movement. Our motto of the student union is clear, it says we are members of the community before we are students. Therefore, we decided to say, Lets take it back to our communities. We decided to go back and petition our different representatives in the different constituencies.

For Thabo, the fight for democracy is more important than missing classes and sitting exams in an already interrupted school year:

The protests are hand in hand with the issue of Covid-19 and different school calendars, university calendars, have changed. Some universities are still doing their first semester, some are trying to finish the second semester. Some people who were supposed to graduate this year are graduating next year because, following the unrest [in June and July], the prime minister decided to shut down everything, including schools  everything was at a standstill. What has happened throughout this process and this movement is important in particular to young people and students. Thats because it is a decider of our future. Even though we can try to pursue our studies in the different universities in the country, without a free democratic Swaziland that will create opportunities for us as young people, we will be in a serious situation in the future. Therefore, this process and these protests are going to assist in changing the political arena of the country. These protests have been organised with young people and old people and the influence from different communities, because all we need is freedom and freedom for all. The king of the country is the law himself. Everything is decided by him. The operations that we have in this country are no longer bearable.

Speaking up can be dangerous for students in Eswatini: on September 19, soldiers attacked students at the William Pitcher College who were on strike after not receiving their allowances and refunds for Covid-19 university closures. The soldiers reportedly fired teargas in university residences and struck students with batons.

High schoolers on strike

The student protests have not been limited to the university level: throughout the month of September, high school students in several regions in Eswatini have organised boycotts. On September 23, students of 10 different high schools all left their classes, mainly in the southern region of Shiselweni, raising fears that students would be behind for exam season in October.

Some students responded that they wouldnt sit their exams until two Members of Parliament (MPs) arrested in July were released, according to local media.

Key figures in the democracy movement, MPs Bacede Mabuza and Mthandeni Dube were arrested on July 26 on terrorism charges. On September 20, the trial for the two MPs was delayed from mid-October to late November, several days after their applications for bail were denied, reigniting anger in the pro-democracy movement.

Videos show high school students from Nkanini High School boycotting their classes on September 22. Some students hold a sign saying, Free our arrested MPs.

The prime minister responded to this wave of school protests on September 23, saying that children were being used to subconsciously push the agendas of other people".

On the throne since 1986, King Mswati III has 15 wives and more than 25 children. He has been accused of using state funds to fund a luxurious lifestyle for himself and his family. Following several months of demonstrations and calls for change, the king has not given way to protesters demands.

According to the World Bank, more than 58% of Eswatinis population was living below the poverty line in 2016, and the 2020 unemployment rate was around 23%. Youth unemployment is estimated to be even higher, at over 50%.
A British warship has sailed through the Taiwan Strait - a move that angered China, which claims self-governing Taiwan as part of its territory.

China's military followed and warned the British warship that sailed across the waters the People's Liberation Army said on Monday, adding that Britain was engaging in behaviour that "harboured evil intentions".

"After a busy period working with partners and allies in the East China Sea, we are new en route through the Taiwan straight to visit Vietnam and the Vietnam People's Navy," the official account of the frigate HMS Richmond said on Twitter.

Warships from the US Navy navigate through the strait on roughly a monthly basis, drawing condemnation from China.

American allies have traditionally been more reluctant to pass through the strait but have been increasing their activity, and in the South China Sea - much of which China also claims at its waters - more generally.

In 2019, another Royal Navy ship, the HMS Enterprise, a survey vessel, navigated the strait.

A spokesperson for the Ministry of Defence said: "HMS Richmond is navigating the Taiwan Strait in accordance with international law to the next destination. Wherever the Royal Navy operate, they do so in full compliance with international laws and norms, and exercise their rights to freedom of navigation and overflight provided by the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). HMS Richmond is no exception."

Taiwan's defence minister Chiu Kun-cheng did not comment directly, according to Reuters.

"When they pass through the Taiwan Strait our nation's military will have a grasp of the situation, but will not interfere," he said.

Chinese state media, People's Daily, wrote on Twitter: "PLA on Mon tracked and monitored a British frigate sailing through Taiwan Strait.

"With ill intentions, UK's move destroyed peace and stability in the area. China is on high alert and is ready to respond to all threats and provocations at any time: PLA Eastern Theater Command."

Story continues

Earlier this year, Taiwan's foreign minister Joseph Wu told Sky News that Taiwan and the British government had not discussed military plans related to the strait, although he said the HMS Queen Elizabeth carrier strike group was welcome in the region.

In a joint statement in February, Japan and the UK "reaffirmed the importance of upholding freedom of navigation in the South China Sea and urged all parties to exercise self-restraint and refrain from all activities likely to raise tensions."

The Communist state has greatly increased its incursions into Taiwan's self-declared air defence identification zone (ADIZ), regularly dispatching bombers, fighters and other aircraft.

On June 15, 28 military airplanes flew into Taiwan's ADIZ - the highest number in a single day so far.

China has never discounted the use of force to ensure what it calls the "reunification" of Taiwan and China.

Taiwan has never been ruled by the Chinese Communist Party and has its own constitution, military and democratically-elected government.
FILE PHOTO: A woman poses with a smartphone showing the Boohoo app in front of the Boohoo logo on display in this illustration

(Reuters) - Online fashion retailer Boohoo said on Monday it intended to sign a new agreement with its garment workers in Bangladesh that makes retailers liable for legal action unless their factories meet labour safety standards.

The company's European rivals H&M and Inditex-owned Zara have already signed the updated agreement that was announced in August.

The new pact, called the International Accord for Health and Safety, replaces the Bangladesh Accord, which was struck in the aftermath of a building collapse in 2013 that killed more than 1,100 garment workers in the south Asian country.

The news comes a year after Boohoo accepted all recommendations of an independent review that found major failings in its supply chain in England after newspaper allegations about working conditions and low pay in factories in the Leicester area.

(Reporting by Muvija M in Bengaluru; Editing by Saumyadeb Chakrabarty)
A day after Norway lifted coronavirus lockdown restrictions, the police reported several violent clashes and mass brawls as people crowded streets, bars, nightclubs and restaurants in many cities in celebration. The restrictions had been in place for 561 days.

Norwegian prime minister Erna Solberg had announced on Friday that all Covid-19 restrictions will end the next day at 4pm local time. It is 561 days since we introduced the toughest measures in Norway in peacetime. Now the time has come to return to a normal daily life, she said. The announcement caught many Norwegians by surprise.

But hours after the restrictions were lifted, the police reported several rowdy celebrations across some of the big cities in the Nordic nation. Celebrations by Norwegians, which started on Saturday afternoon and lasted until the early hours of Sunday, led to unrest in several places, including in the southern city of Bergen and the central city of Trondheim.

Reports said that the situation was worst in Oslo, the capital city. The police received an alert about a man carrying a machete on a bus in Oslo.

There was a significantly greater workload [on Saturday] than during the summer, Oslo police spokesperson Rune Hekkelstrand told Norwegian public broadcaster NRK. There were a lot of people out already in the afternoon and it continued during the night.

Ms Solbergs decision to lift restrictions abruptly was met with criticism. One Oslo nightclub manager, Johan Hoeeg Haanes, told local newspaper VG: Thats exactly what I predicted would happen. It was a life-threatening situation in the city because they [the government] didnt give us at least a few days advance notice.

He added that this was a dangerous situation as police said all places were packed.

Ms Solberg defended her decision by saying that Norway shall not have strict restrictions unless they are professionally justified. People must be allowed to live as they wish, she said, adding that health experts had supported her decision.

Story continues

In Norway, neither vaccination status certificates nor Covid-19 test results are required to enter venues. Nearly 70 per cent of the 5.3 million population has received both shots of a Covid-19 vaccine. Around 76 per cent have had at least one dose.

Ms Solberg urged other citizens to get vaccinated. She said: Even though everyday life is now back to normal for most people, the pandemic is not over. People will still get sick and, therefore, it is important that everyone gets vaccinated.

Denmark lifted its Covid-19 restrictions on 10 September. Norway is the second country in the Nordic region to do the same.
For the second year in a row, the University of North Georgia (UNG) and the Consulate General of Mexico in Atlanta have teamed up to offer scholarships to seven students. Recipients gain professional development in service, leadership and research skills.

The $7,000 grant is funded through the Institute of Mexicans Abroad (IME) via the IME-BECAS Program; becas is the Spanish word for scholarships. UNG added another $7,000 in matching funds. Recipients must be of Mexican descent. UNG chose five students pursuing bachelor's degrees and two pursuing associate degrees as the recipients from 70 total applicants. The recipients each receive a portion of the $14,000 in scholarship funds.

The service and research components of the scholarship program are new for 2021-22.

"We added the research element to better prepare our students academically," Leri Argueta, associate director for diversity recruitment in Undergraduate Admissions, said. "We also want to ignite our students' passion for serving their communities by conducting research on issues in the Latinx community."
University of North Georgia (UNG) students who wonder if attending job fairs works can just ask recent graduate Ansley Israel.

"I got both my internship with Fidelity Information Services (FIS) and my current position from participating in the Handshake career fairs through UNG," the August 2021 graduate said. "Having a job secured before graduation was a huge relief. Through networking, attending career fairs, and keeping my LinkedIn account current, I was able to secure my dream job prior to graduation without having to search at all."

Students can accomplish the same things in time for UNG's upcoming jobs fair. The next one is scheduled for 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 26, in the Robinson Ballroom of the Student Center on the Gainesville Campus

Career Services specialist Lori Cleymans said Israel earned the internship and secured a job because she prepared for the job fairs. Cleymans said these results are typical among students who seek out Career Services for help with their resumes, cover letters, mock interviews and job searches.

"This process doesn't have to be scary," she said. "We can meet with students or alumni in person or virtually to help them."
For the last three decades normalising diplomatic relations with Azerbaijan and Turkey was impossible when Armenia occupied twenty prevent of Azerbaijani territory in 1994-2000. But the situation has radically changed following the 44-day Second Karabakh War allowing Armenian nationalists to give up their fantasies about a Greater Armenia composed of eastern Turkey and western Azerbaijan (Karabakh), a goal which the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF)/Dashnaks has long supported. As Eurasia Review writes, the Dashnaks traditionally held a strong influence over the Armenian diaspora and continue to hold influence over Armenias Ministry of Foreign Affairs as seen its continued support for the right to self-determination of the so-called Republic of Artsakh.

With Azerbaijan now in control of Karabakh and seven surrounding districts an opportunity has arisen for Armenia to negotiate a post-conflict peace treaty with Azerbaijan. The basis for this would be Armenian nationalists dropping their fantasies about a greater Armenia, accepting Azerbaijani sovereignty over Karabakh and ending demands for self-determination of the Republic of Artsakh.

Since becoming an independent state in the early 1990s, Armenia has oriented towards autocratic and imperial Russia and theocratic Iran. 25,000 Armenians in Karabakh are holding three million Armenians to ransom. Both countries are under extensive international sanctions. Armenia pursued a pro-Russian foreign policy and joined Russian-led integration projects, such as the CSTO (Collective Security Treaty Organisation) and Eurasian Economic Union.

Armenia has no land border with Russia and overland trade must go through Georgia with whom relations have been poor. With Yerevans support for a Greater Armenia through miatsum (unification of Armenia and Karabakh) it is not surprising Georgians are suspicious of separatist sentiment among its Armenian minority

Armenia shares a small 44 km border with Iran with whom it has sought (unsuccessfully) to balance against over-reliance on Russia. Armenias much longer borders with Turkey and Azerbaijan have remained closed because of its occupation (until last years 44-day war) of a fifth of Azerbaijani territory.

Armenia should sign a comprehensive post-conflict peace treaty with Azerbaijan which would bring five strategic benefits to Armenia.

Firstly, Armenia could begin to pursue a balanced foreign policy between Europe and Eurasia, thereby reducing its reliance on rogue states Russia and Iran. Russia has no interest in seeing an economically prosperous Armenia as the Kremlin only views the country as part of its Eurasian sphere of influence and as a territory to locate Russian military bases.

Secondly, Armenia could participate to a far greater extent in the European Unions (EU) Eastern Partnership which would be far more beneficial to its development than Vladimir Putins Eurasian Economic Union. Armenia has until now straddled between the Eurasian Economic Union, which it is a member of, and the EU. The normalisation of relations with Azerbaijan followed by that with Turkey would provide Armenia with increased opportunities to integrate into the EUs Customs Union through the DCFTA (Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Association).

Armenia should take its cues from Ukraine which has massively increased its trade with the EU since signing an Association Agreement in 2014. The EU accounts for nearly half of Ukrainian exports. Boosting trade is one important benefit but what are also important are other benefits to the Armenian economy, such as the EUs demands for higher standards, less corruption, fewer regulations, and better-quality products.

Thirdly, the opening of Armenias borders with Turkey and Azerbaijan would massively boost regional trade and thereby economic growth. Armenia would be able to reduce the dominance of Russia and Iran in its trade by joining regional integration projects from which it has been hitherto excluded. Participation in these would greatly benefit the Armenian economy and reduce the outflow of its population seeking employment and a better life elsewhere.

Two million Armenians live and work in Russia. This is a huge number considering there are only three million people in Armenia.

Azerbaijan and Turkey have a combined population of 92 million which represents a huge potential market. Both countries are next door to Armenia and therefore exports to them would dramatically reduce transportation costs compared to trade with far away Russia and Iran.

Fourthly, reducing ties to Russia and Iran would improve Armenias poor international image. Armenia has voted, together with rogue states North Korea, Syria, Myanmar, Iran, Venezuela, and Nicaragua, against every UN resolution denouncing Russias occupation of Crimea. Armenian politicians of cues demand the right to the self-determination of Republic of Artsakh based on Russias discourse on self-determination of Crimea.

Reliance on Iran coupled with a stagnant economy has given Armenia the temptation to assist Tehran to bypass international sanctions imposed by the US and other Western countries. Armenia has acted as an intermediary for Bulgarian arms to Iran which Tehran transferred to pro-Iranian terrorist groups in Iraq, and which were then used to launch attacks against US troops. Armenia has supplied biochemical equipment to an Iranian front company in the UAE. Armenia has assisted in deception schemes to provide aircraft which mysteriously undertake emergency landings in Tehran and are then corporate raided into the countrys civilian airline fleets. Armenia has been sanctioned by the US government for providing air services and banking services respectively to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps-Quds Force, designated a foreign terrorist group by the US, and Iranian government.

Fifthly, Armenia would be able to participate in regional energy projects, such as the Southern Gas Corridor thereby negating Armenias reliance on imports of gas from Iran. Until now pipelines have bypassed Armenia by exporting gas and oil into Europe via Turkey and Georgia though the Baku-Tbilisi-Supsa, Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan, Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum, and Trans-Anatolian pipelines.

The potential is enormous for Armenia to participate alongside its Azerbaijani, Turkish and Georgian neighbours in these expanding energy hubs, pipeline projects and exports.

The ending of Azerbaijans occupation of Azerbaijan territory in last years 44-day war has opened the potential for Armenia to escape from its reliance on rogue states Russia and Iran. Armenian politicians and nationalists should negotiate a post-conflict peace treaty which recognises the former Soviet internal republican boundaries as post-Soviet international borders. This would require relinquishing claims to Karabakh and support for the self-determination of the so-called Republic of Artsakh.

Armenia could choose to not sign a treaty but this would lead to a continuation of decades of economic stagnation and international opprobrium. Or Armenia could accept the new realities brought about by the end of the Karabakh conflict, become less reliant on Russia and Iran and boost its economy, standards of living and trade by participating in regional and European integration.
It is a fact that due to its strategic geographical position, Central Asia has faced many serious security concerns in recent years. Indeed, with the recent political change in Afghanistan, Central Asia has been concerned about its border security. Therefore, Central Asia can be considered as a critical security region, Daily Sabah writes.

As a matter, transnational extremist networks linking Central Asia to neighboring states, notably Afghanistan, are a concern. As the NATO-led international coalition prepares to leave Afghanistan, regional powers, notably Russia, are increasing their military engagement. Thus, one might state that Central Asia as a region is facing significant security challenges.

One of the threats that the Central Asian region encounters is linked to the lack of cooperation among countries in the region. Central Asia's security challenges are determined by the region's position in the international framework. A lack of a regional security complex has led to the presence of global players of both governmental and private nature to take hold in the region. In most cases, this presence is linked to a desire to acquire access to natural resources or to carry out geopolitical projects that, in any event, pose significant security risks to the region.

Additionally, various Central Asian states are gravitating toward various neighboring regional powers, causing a significant weakening of the Central Asian countries' affiliation and, ultimately, a transformation of the entire regional structure. This would become an undisputed security challenge in the region as stated by professor Rustam Burnashev in his article Security Challenges in Central Asia.

Uzbekistans role

Moreover, another challenge that may confront Central Asia has to do with the development process underway in many countries of the region such as Uzbekistan. Uzbekistan is fostering its ties with the European Union and is carrying out several reforms on many diverse levels. As a consequence, as highlighted by Burnashev, the real or potential transformation of international law by certain powers operating at global and regional levels, as well as possible changes in the understanding of the concept of national sovereignty and the principle of non-interference, are among the key security challenges facing Central Asian countries. Central Asia is heavily reliant on the Westphalian regime of international security because it lacks adequate domestic and regional security structures. As a result, its future metamorphosis could pose the largest security threat in subsequent years.

Finally, environmental issues can be seen as another security threat in the region. The most problematic aspect of these issues is illustrated in the fact that environmental issues in Central Asia are a common problem. However, the lack of cooperation might have severe consequences.

To conclude, security challenges in Central Asia can have serious consequences. Hence, international and intra-regional cooperation must be promoted in order to tackle these threats as its the key to resolving such issues. In addition, cooperation with Central Asia is also in the leading countries' best interests because it helps them reduce regional security risks while also promoting regional partnership.
The Turkish builder of what was supposed to be the largest energy project in independent Georgia's history has announced that it is pulling out of the project. The decision came after months of anti-dam protests that forced a pause in construction. Now Georgia could owe millions in compensation.

The move is a significant victory for a broad protest movement that opposed the Namakhvani hydropower projects potential harm to the local environment and argued that the companys contract with the Georgian government was deeply unfair to the state, Eurasainet writes. The decision by the construction company, ENKA Renewables, became public on September 20. The company cited long-standing breaches of contract and force majeure in its decision to pull out of the $800 million project. The company has not offered further explanation. However, the contract, which had been made public only through the efforts of the local investigative news outlet ifact.ge, listed over a dozen force majeure circumstances that would allow it to pull out. Among them was protests which threaten or hinder construction for more than 21 days within any six-month period. Construction work on the dam has been paused for several months after nearly a year of protests, which hit their peak this spring, led to a government promise to review elements of the contract including construction permits and the environmental impact.

Unfair contract

The roots of an idea to build a giant hydropower plant on western Georgias Rioni River date back to the Soviet era. Following Georgias independence there were numerous attempts to revive the project and in April 2019 the government finally reached a deal with ENKA. The Namakhvani hydropower project would encompass two separate power plants on the Rioni: The lower one would have a 510-hectare reservoir and produce 333 megawatts of electricity, and the upper would have a one-square-kilometer reservoir and produce 100 megawatts. In total the project would produce about 12 percent of the countrys electricity.

But it was strongly opposed by local residents. Up to 300 families would have to have been resettled, and there were fears that the massive project could change the regions microclimate and endanger its unique grape varieties, Tvishi and Usakhelouri.

The Institute of Earth Sciences at Ilia State University and the National Center for Seismic Monitoring wrote an open letter to the government, arguing that the environmental impact report prepared for the project understated the risk of seismic instability. They said that the dam could withstand an earthquake of 5 on the Richter scale, but that the region could experience an earthquake as strong as a 7.

Fears about the project's impacts have been exacerbated by problems that other recently built dams in Georgias mountains have suffered. In 2017, the tunnels of the Shuakhevi dam in Georgias southwestern Adjara region collapsed just two months after its launch. The dam also was the subject of nationalist protests; the fact that the land for the dam construction was sold for the token price of 121 laris ($39) was seized upon by right-wing Georgians who see Turkey as an age-old enemy of Georgia. Georgian land is not for sale was a common refrain on posters at anti-dam demonstrations.

Most crucially, critics argued that Namakhvani would be a bad deal for Georgian energy consumers. The NGO Social Justice Center, in an analysis of the contract, noted that it obliges Georgia to buy electricity at a higher price than it pays other suppliers. It also emphasized that the agreement does not create employment guarantees for Georgian citizens and gives the company unlimited rights to natural resources.

Perhaps the most controversial part of the contract was the stipulation that compensation for all types of damages and losses in case of force majeure is the obligation of the state. Even the government reportedly saw the contract as unfair. According to a Ministry of Justice document obtained by the local news website Mtis Ambebi: "The vast majority of liabilities fall on the government of Georgia [and state-owned companies], while, on the other hand, [the company] is maximally protected by the same agreement."

Government officials have called the allegations of unfair conditions exaggerated and insist that the project is safe. But as protests swelled, Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on April 24 announced a 9-12 month moratorium on construction until more research could be done. The protest leaders celebrated ENKAs announcement. Given the unfair nature of the contract, the state suffers even from a cancelation, because the company wins in every case, Varlam Goletiani, a resident of the valley and the leader of the Saving Rioni Valley movement, told RFE/RL. But if the company had stayed in the Rioni Valley, the losses would have been far greater.

What now?

Georgias Economy Ministry has confirmed receiving ENKAs notice, saying that the company plans to terminate the contract in a month. Over the next month we will continue to communicate with the investor company to find the right and, most importantly, state-justified solution that will not harm our investment environment, the ministry said in a statement.

But officials have not given further comments on what will happen. Among the many questions remaining: Will ENKA continue to own the land for the next 99 years, as their purchase agreement stipulated? Will the state find a new investor and contractor or seek to build the dam itself? Will any compensation be paid?

As the company terminated the contract at the pre-construction stage, it could demand the purchase of transferred assets  such as land  in payment at the market price. According to the contract, the government is obliged to buy them. Under the contract, if the parties are unable to resolve the dispute through a settlement, they will eventually have to resort to arbitration in Paris. The details of that process  including whether it is even happening  will be confidential, meaning it will once again take place beyond the reach of public scrutiny.
Exactly a year ago, on September 27, 2020, Azerbaijan's Patriotic War began. On that day, Armenia's occupying forces subjected the positions of the armed forces of Azerbaijan along the front line and the adjacent populated areas in Azerbaijan to intensive fire with the use of large-calibre weapons, artillery and mortars. Baku decided to launch a counter-offensive operation to ensure the safety of the civilian population. Vestnik Kavkaza offers its readers to follow the events of the 44 days of Azerbaijan's Patriotic War as they were covered a year ago.



The Patriotic War began around 5 o'clock in the morning, when Armenia began firing, at 7 o'clock in the morning the Azerbaijani army launched a counter-offensive in the occupied territories, later called "Iron Fist".



After only two hours it was reported that the Armenian Minister of Defence fled the country. Then the first photo documents were received about the casualties of the shelling of the peaceful Azerbaijani residents, as well as the Armenian Defence Ministry's first fakes were published. Soon a list of victims of the new Armenian invasion was published.

At the same time, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry called on the civilian population of the occupied regions not to approach the military facilities of the occupation forces, while separatists and illegal settlers began to evacuate from Karabakh and other regions occupied by Armenia, although Yerevan announced a general mobilization.



The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry reported Armenia's attempt to attack the Azerbaijani front-line and border settlements. The first international reactions came from Russia, which called for an end to hostilities, and Turkey, which condemned Yerevan's aggression. The CSTO proposed to settle the conflict peacefully, the OSCE Minsk Group limited itself to expressing regret for the death of the civilian population. The first expert forecasts about the prospects of the Patriotic War were voiced: the de-occupation of the occupied Azerbaijani lands is inevitable, which will have a positive economic impact.



The counterattacks of the first day were focused on three locations: Mount Murovdag, Tartar-Agdam direction and Fizuli-Jabrail direction. The capture of Murovdag was required to control the main road in the occupied lands, the counteroffensive in Agdere was intended to break through the occupants' defense line in the most difficult area, forcing the invaders to concentrate significant forces there, and the battles for the breakthrough to Fizuli would later turn out to be a key event in the beginning of the Patriotic War.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan declared martial law in the republic. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev made his first address to the population during the Patriotic War, in which he emphasized that Baku has no military targets on the territory of Armenia and that Azerbaijani troops are acting exclusively on Azerbaijani soil.



The first battles were so fierce that Armenia, unlike previous incidents, immediately began to admit its losses, since then Yerevan was publishing the names of the killed invaders daily. Already at noon, the Armenian occupation forces said that Azerbaijan took control of the roads in the occupied territories. Meanwhile, the Armenian Defense Ministry reported that the occupation army does not yet need volunteers, although Pashinyan called on all Armenian citizens liable for military service to visit the military registration and enlistment offices.

The Azerbaijani community of Karabakh demanded the immediate withdrawal of the Armenian occupation forces from Azerbaijan. Turkish journalists who were in the Tartar District came under fire, which the Armenian troops conducted across the peaceful Azerbaijani settlements. In the afternoon, the first international negotiations on the situation took place: the Russian Foreign Ministry contacted first with Yerevan, and then with Ankara, and somewhat later with Baku.

By 13:00, the Azerbaijani army had already liberated a number of settlements occupied for almost three decades: the villages of Garakhanbeyli, Garvyand, Horadiz, Yukhary Abdurrahmanly in the Fizuli District and the Boyuk Myarchanli and Nyuzgar villages in the Jabrayil District, after an hour and a half Ashagy Abdurakhmanly was liberated. Thus, there was a breakthrough of the line of defense of the occupiers in the southern direction. In the direction of Agdere and on Murovdag, the dominant heights were taken under control.



At about 14:00, the EU began calling for an end to hostilities: including President of the European Council Charles Michel, Council of Europe Secretary General Marija Pejcinovic Buric, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell, OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Edi Rama, NATO Secretary General's Special Representative for the Caucasus and Central Asia James Appathurai and Pope Francis. They were joined by Georgia represented by President Salome Zurabishvili.



From Armenia's side, fakes about Azerbaijani losses were prepared in advance using archive footage. Meanwhile, the evacuation of separatists and occupiers from the Tartar-Agdam direction - from Agdere, Talish and Sugovushan, where the Azerbaijani troops were rapidly advancing, was in full swing. Ilham Aliyev, having gathered the Security Council of Azerbaijan, stressed that the counter-offensive operation would put an end to injustice.

Soon after 15:00, the first video about the course of the Patriotic War appeared - similar videos shot with drones will then be published by the Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan on a daily basis. Shortly before 16:00, the occupying forces in Agdere, which had fallen into a stalemate in the first hours of hostilities, were asked to surrender.



At the same time, Nikol Pashinyan made his first appeal to the international community, in which he promised a large-scale regional war that would definitely go beyond the territory of Azerbaijan to the lands of neighboring countries. After that, Iran called on the parties to ceasefire, and Kazakhstan expressed its readiness to become a mediator in the settlement of the conflict. The Russian community of Azerbaijan also appealed to the world community, indicating that the aggression of Armenia threatens the stability of the entire Greater Caucasus.



The initial losses in the Armenian army were so great that by 17:00 the republic was running out of blood for transfusion. Nikol Pashinyan made another threat - about the readiness to "recognize the independence" of the separatists in Karabakh, which Armenia has never done - but at the same time urged the Karabakh Armenians and illegal settlers to flee to Armenia.

By 17:30, more than 100 Armenian invaders were recognized as killed and wounded, the invaders began to abandon military equipment, and videos showing the flight from Agdere were published.



Shortly before 18:00, it became known about the first important event of the Patriotic War - Mount Murovdag was liberated. Thus, already on September 27, the road from Armenia to Agdera was cut, the occupation troops lost the most convenient route for the delivery of reinforcements.



After that, all conscripts until the age of 55 were called up for military service in Armenia. Ilham Aliyev introduced martial law in Azerbaijan, but no mobilization was announced. Nikol Pashinyan held a phone talk with Russian President Vladimir Putin for the first time (he would later call the Russian leader every day).

At 18:30 it became known that separatists, occupants and illegal settlers were fleeing from Khankendi. Armenia published fake news about the battles on the border with Azerbaijan, while the battles were fought on Azerbaijani soil. It turned out that as a result of Armenian shelling, five members of one family in the Azerbaijani village of Gashalti, Naftalan region, were killed. The Prosecutor General's Office of Azerbaijan has begun to prepare documents for the international tribunal against Armenia. The elimination of the ammunition depots of the occupying forces is being actively carried out.



In the evening, Estonia proposed to initiate the United Nations Security Council consultations on military operations in the occupied lands of Azerbaijan, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres promised to hold talks with Ilham Aliyev and Nikol Pashinyan. Pashinyan at an emergency meeting of the Armenian parliament proposed to agree to the recognition of the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, but was refused. Yerevan's puppet regime in the occupation zone recognized the liberation of a number of settlements. The United States was last to react to the fighting.

Thus, on the first day of Patriotic War, September 27, 2020, the Azerbaijani army managed to take control of the most important point in the northern sector of the front - Mount Murovdag, advance to Talysh and Sugovushan in the northeastern direction and break through the defenses of the occupiers in the southern direction, where the invaders were expelled not only from the settlements of the Fizuli district, but also from the villages of the Jebrail district, located in the depths of the occupation zone.
Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Egypt Ararat Mirzoyan and Samekh Shukri discussed the prospects for cooperation on September 26, according to the press service of the Armenian Foreign Ministry.

The meeting took place on the sidelines of the 76th UN General Assembly.

The parties noted the importance of enhancing the political dialogue, exchanging views on the implementation of mutually beneficial projects in the trade and economic sphere.

They also discussed cooperation in the Egypt-Eurasian Union format, as well as a number of issues on the regional agenda.

Mirzoyan noted the importance of restoring the negotiation process on Nagorno-Karabakh within the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmanship.
A meeting of the foreign ministers of the Turkic Council member countries will be held in Azerbaijan, Trend reports, referring to the statement of Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu at a joint press conference with his Azerbaijani counterpart Jeyhun Bayramov.

At today's meeting of the Foreign ministers of the Turkic Council countries in Istanbul, issues of preparation for the summit of the heads of the participating countries of the organization were discussed.

The summit is scheduled for November 12 in Istanbul, Cavusoglu noted.

"A meeting of the foreign ministers of the Turkic Council countries will be held in Azerbaijan before the summit," Cavusoglu said.
Azerbaijan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement on the occasion of the September 27 - Remembrance Day in the Republic of Azerbaijan, according to the MFA press service.

"Azerbaijan is ready to normalize relations with Armenia, on the basis of strict observance of the principles of international law, in particular sovereignty, territorial integrity, and inviolability of international borders," the statement reads.

"We call on Armenia to respect these fundamental principles to ensure peace, security, and prosperity in the region and comply with its international obligations," the ministry added.
Preliminary trials of a combination of the Sputnik Light and AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccines have shown that it produces high antibody titers, the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) said in a statement.

"According to the results of preliminary trials, the rate of antibodies neutralizing the spinous protein of the SARS-CoV-2 virus rose by four times and more in 85% of volunteers on the 57th day of trials," the statement reads.

According to RDIF, the data is based on the observation of the first 20 people participating in the trials who received both components of the combination of vaccines, the first of them being the AstraZeneca jab and the second one Sputnik Light. There was a 29-day interval between the two doses. Trials in Azerbaijan were launched in February 2021. According to RDIF, 100 volunteers are currently participating in the research.

The preliminary analysis of data received in Azerbaijan earlier showed that 100% of volunteers developed antibodies neutralizing the spinous protein of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, as well as the high safety of the vaccine combination as there were no serious side effects and no coronavirus cases were recorded among those vaccinated.

Apart from Azerbaijan, clinical trials of the combination of vaccines are taking place in the United Arab Emirates and Russia as part of a global program. Regulators have also granted permission to conduct research in Belarus.
A march, as a sign of deep respect for Azerbaijani soldiers and officers, who died in the battles for the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, as well as for the killed civilians and missing Azerbaijanis during the Patriotic war, was held in Baku on September 27  the Day of Remembrance.

Supreme Commander-in-Chief, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and First Vice-President Mehriban Aliyeva attended the march. The head of state laid the foundation stone for the Patriotic War Memorial Complex and the Museum of Victory.

A nationwide moment of silence to honor the memory of the martyrs was observed at 12:00 PM on September 27 across Azerbaijan.

Following the groundbreaking ceremony, President Ilham Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva arrived at the Seaside Boulevard and paid tribute to the memory of heroic martyrs of the country.

The warships sounded sirens and fired volleys. The president and the first lady also visited the Alley of Honors to commemorate national leader Heydar Aliyev.
The foundation of the Patriotic War Memorial Complex and the Museum of Victory will be laid today, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev said today, addressing the nation on the occasion of the Day of Remembrance.

"The foundation of the Patriotic War Memorial Complex and the Museum of Victory will be laid today. This is also an issue that was resolved by my order in December last year. A magnificent monument in honor of the heroes of the second Karabakh war will be erected in Baku, in one of the most beautiful places of our city," the Azerbaijani leader stated.

Ilham Aliyev added that a minute of silence will be declared across the country at 12 o'clock on Monday.
President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has today addressed the nation on the occasion of the Day of Remembrance, when the Patriotic War was started - the counter-offensive operation "Iron Fist", which ended the 28th anniversary of the occupation of the Azerbaijani territories and forced Armenia, the country-aggressor, to capitulate after the defeat.

"Dear fellow countrymen, exactly one year ago, Armenia committed a military provocation against Azerbaijan and fired on our battle positions and residential areas. As a result of this cowardly shooting, our civilians and servicemen were killed in the first hours. In response to this bloody crime, the Azerbaijani Army launched a large-scale counter-offensive on my order and won a complete victory in the second Karabakh war which lasted 44 days. On 2 December last year, by my order, 27 September was declared the Day of Remembrance in Azerbaijan. Today, we bow once again to the memory of our heroic martyrs who died in the second Karabakh war and ask Allah to rest their souls in peace. We will forever keep our martyrs in our hearts," he said in the fist place.

"At the same time, the foundation of the Patriotic War Memorial Complex and the Museum of Victory will be laid today. This is also an issue that was resolved by my order in December last year. A magnificent monument in honor of the heroes of the second Karabakh war will be erected in Baku, in one of the most beautiful places of our city. I must also say that a minute of silence will be declared across the country at 12 o'clock today," the Azerbaijani leader added.

"The second Karabakh war is our glorious history. This victory will go down in history forever. The Azerbaijani Armed Forces have restored our territorial integrity by crushing the enemy army in 44 days. I have repeatedly said that the Azerbaijani people will never come to terms with the occupation. I have repeatedly said that we will return our lands at any cost. I have repeatedly said that if the enemy does not leave our lands of its own free will, we will expel them from our lands, and this is exactly what happened. We did not come to terms with the defeat in the first Karabakh war, gathered strength, mobilized all our forces, strengthened our army, invigorated the country's economy, enhanced the authority of our country and honorably fulfilled our historic mission. We have expelled the enemy from our lands and restored justice and international law. We have restored our national dignity. Today, the people of Azerbaijan live as a victorious people. Today, the Azerbaijani state lives as a victorious state. From now on, we will forever live as a victorious nation and a victorious state," Ilham Aliyev stressed.

"As Armenia was being defeated on the battlefield, it perpetrated the most heinous acts yet again by staging military provocations against our civilians. More than a hundred civilians fell victim to Armenian fascism. Our towns and villages were under constant fire. Armenia used banned weapons, white phosphorus bombs and ballistic missiles. But there was nothing that could stop us. The people of Azerbaijan showed tremendous determination, resolve and courage to cope with all these provocations. No one and nothing could stop us. During the war, I repeatedly appealed to the people of Azerbaijan and said that no-one and nothing could stop us. We were waging war in the interests of justice. We were waging war of dignity. We were waging war for national pride. We were waging holy war," the Azerbaijani president recalled.

"During the war, we all lived by one motto  we will go forward in the face of death. The people of Azerbaijan stood behind the Azerbaijani Army and gave it additional strength. The death of innocent people, the destruction of our cities and villages did not break the resolve of the Azerbaijani people. We were moving forward every day, we were winning every day, we were receiving information about new successes every day. There was not a single day in the 44 days on which we would take a step back. Meanwhile, the contemptible enemy was forced to retreat even though they had a favorable position, the natural terrain of the area was a great advantage to them and they had built five to six lines of defensive fortifications in 30 years. During the 44-day war, not a single soldier deserted from the Azerbaijani Armed Forces. However, there were more than 10,000 deserters in the Armenian army. We are proud of our martyrs and wounded veterans, as well as our soldiers and officers who showed heroism in the Patriotic War. Their heroism and self-sacrifice will never be forgotten. We have shown the whole world that the Azerbaijani people are a great nation, the Azerbaijani people never intended to come to terms with this injustice," he pointed out.

"The 44-day Patriotic War was a celebration of national will, national spirit and national dignity. We won the battle on the battlefield. More than 300 towns and villages were liberated on the battlefield. We achieved this victory by shedding blood and offering martyrs, and we forced the enemy to kneel before us and sign the act of capitulation, an enemy that had been challenging us for 30 years, had been trying to trample on the honor and dignity of the Azerbaijani people for 30 years. The impudent, furious and impertinent enemy knelt before us, waved the white flag, surrendered and was forced to sign an act of capitulation in the early hours of 9 November. As a result of that, hundreds of towns and villages were returned to us without a single shot being fired or a single person becoming a martyr," the Azerbaijani leader noted.

"Thus, Azerbaijan has restored its territorial integrity. We have resolved the war by military and political means. The war is now in the past. The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict has been consigned to history. There is no administrative territory called Nagorno-Karabakh in Azerbaijan, and if someone wants to resurrect the dead entity called Nagorno-Karabakh, let them resurrect it in their own territory, create an entity called Nagorno-Karabakh in their territory, create a republic or an association. And we recognize it, but not in Azerbaijan! This issue has been resolved. I say this as President of Azerbaijan and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces. Everyone must and will reckon with these words," Ilham Aliyev stressed.

"Today, on the Day of Remembrance, I would like to express my special gratitude to brotherly Turkey, which supported us the most throughout the 44 days. Brotherly Turkey and the fraternal Turkish people were in solidarity with Azerbaijan since the first hours of the war and showed their support for Azerbaijan. The statements made by Turkish leadership and by my dear brother, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, gave us great political support, gave us additional strength, and we will never forget that. The 44-day Patriotic War showed the Turkish-Azerbaijani unity to the world again. We are grateful to all other countries for their political support. I know that the hearts of millions of Azerbaijanis living abroad were beating in unison with their historical homeland. They were watching the battles every day and rejoicing in our success. I must also say that during the 44 days and afterwards, even today, I have been receiving thousands of letters. I receive letters of support and letters of solidarity from citizens of Azerbaijan, the Azerbaijanis living in other countries, as well as citizens of different countries who are friends of Azerbaijan. Although a year has passed since the war, the entire international community has already acknowledged and accepted our victory. Today, Azerbaijan is the party forming the agenda in the region, including Azerbaijani-Armenian relations," the Azerbaijani president said.

"In 44 days, we have not only restored our territorial integrity, we have not only expelled the enemy from our land, we have not only restored our national dignity, we have also smashed the head of Armenian fascism. Anyone visiting the liberated lands today can see the manifestations of Armenian savagery with their own eyes. All our cities have been razed to the ground, all our historical sites and mosques have been completely destroyed or desecrated by the Armenians. Of the 67 mosques, 65 are completely destroyed, while the rest of our half-destroyed mosques were used by the hated enemy to keep animals, cows and pigs in order to insult us, to insult Muslims all over the world. I am confident that Muslims of the world will respond adequately to that. I receive letters from many Muslim countries about this issue. We are doing tangible work to circulate information about Armenian atrocities committed in the years of occupation, about Armenian fascism. We are informing and will continue to inform the whole world about this. Therefore, our victory, as I said, is a victory over Armenian fascism," he said,

"There has been a change of government in Armenia, but the nature of the enemy does not change. The Azerbaijanophobia and Islamophobia, which are rampant in Armenia, have reached the level of mental illness. Hatred against the Azerbaijanis has become an official ideology there. Otherwise, so much atrocity would not have been committed. Anyone who comes to the liberated lands is terrified. This couldnt have been done by humans. I can even say this couldnt have been done by animals either. The perpetrators of this are depraved, impertinent, Azerbaijani-phobic mass, a tribe. It cannot be described in any other way, and the whole world should see that. Armenia's patrons should see that. Even though they are reluctant to see this, they must and they will see this. We will show that, we will show the whole world whom we have taught a lesson and what evil we have saved our region from. After all, shouldnt the enemy who plundered and destroyed all our historical sites, national treasures and resources for 30 years have been taught a lesson? Nevertheless, I repeatedly said before the war that if the Armenian leadership vacates our lands of its free will in accordance with the norms and principles of international law, the war will be ruled out, of course. I said this many times during the war as well. I said that the Armenian leadership should provide us with a timetable stating the dates of which it would leave our lands, and we were ready to stop the war. But they did not do that. Forty-four days later, after the Armenian armys back had already been broken, after we had liberated Shusha, which is considered an impregnable fortress, and then more than 70 villages from the invaders, the enemy was forced to surrender. This lesson is an eternal lesson for them and let no-one forget about that!" the Azerbaijani leader called on.

"Armenian fascism has been destroyed, but its manifestations are visible. This is a very dangerous trend, especially for the Armenian state proper. I am saying this today, on the Day of Remembrance, revering the memory of our martyrs, that if we see Armenian fascism rising again, if we see a new threat being posed to our people and state, we will crush Armenian fascism again without any hesitation whatsoever. Everyone should know this! The Iron Fist, the symbol of war and victory, is still in place, and let no-one forget about that!" Ilham Aliyev added.

"Dear fellow compatriots, on the Day of Remembrance I bow once again to the memory of all our martyrs, to the souls of the martyrs of the first and second Karabakh wars, and I ask Allah to rest them in peace. I want to tell their relatives, as I told them in the past, that their blood would not and did not remain unavenged. We have avenged their blood! I said we would take revenge for them on the battlefield, and this is exactly what happened. Our heroic soldiers and officers who gave us this Victory are the source of our pride. Their heroism, their bravery and self-sacrifice have already become a saga. From now on, we will live as a victorious country, a victorious people, and we will build and restore the liberated lands. Life is returning to those lands, people are returning. Our main goal today is to provide for this return as soon as possible. I would like to end my appeal with the words that are an integral part of our victory: Karabakh is ours! Karabakh is Azerbaijan!" the Azerbaijani leader concluded.
Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett met with Bahraini Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani and United Arab Emirates Minister of State in the Foreign Ministry Khalifa Shaheen Almarar on Sunday night, hours before he is set to speak before the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).

"I am so very happy to meet you," said Bennett. "I felt it's important that we meet after a year of the Abraham Accords, which, from our perspective, is very meaningful."

"First of all, I want to tell you that I met the king of Jordan and the president of Egypt, and they are, of course, delighted with the relationship between our countries, and I want to assure you of continuity," added the prime minister. "We are stable, we believe in this relationship and we want to expand it as much as possible."

This was Bennett's first meeting with senior ministers from Abraham Accords signatory countries, The Jerusalem Post reported.
Presidents Vladimir Putin of Russia and Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey will discuss a wide range of issues at their upcoming meeting, including the situation in Syria, Afghanistan and Libya, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Monday.

"I think that Syria will top the agenda, as well as Afghanistan, they will also exchange views on Libya and other global issues," he said when asked about the agenda of the talks.

Peskov emphasized that "every time, the presidents have things to discuss." According to him, apart from regional issues, the agenda of the upcoming talks will also include economic matters "because there is indeed a lot of common work in terms of bilateral relations, including joint economic projects, trade and economic ties," the Russian presidential spokesman noted. "This is what the two countries' companies are interested in, this is why the presidents always discuss it," he added.

Putin and Erdogan are expected to hold talks in the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi on September 29. The Turkish leader said earlier that he planned to discuss the Syria issue with Putin in order to come to an important solution. The two leaders last met in March 2020 in Moscow. Later, they spoke on the phone and via video conference due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The memory of the martyrs of the Patriotic War has been honored with a minute of silence in Azerbaijan.

Traffic flow in the country was suspended. A minute of silence is accompanied by the honking of cars, metro trains, and ships in Baku Bay.

As a sign of deep respect for the memory of martyrs - soldiers and officers who heroically fought in the second Karabakh war of Azerbaijan and sacrificing their lives for their Motherland, who raised the Azerbaijani flag in the Azerbaijani territories liberated from Armenia occupation, by order of President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev issued an order dated December 2, 2020, a decision was made to annually celebrate September 27 as Remembrance Day.

On September 27, 2020, Armenia's armed forces subjected the positions of the armed forces of Azerbaijan along the front line and the adjacent populated areas in Azerbaijan to intensive fire with the use of large-calibre weapons, artillery and mortars. Baku decided to launch a counter-offensive operation to ensure the safety of the civilian population. As a result of the 44-day combat operations, Azerbaijan liberated the provinces of Fuzuli, Jabrayil, Zangilan, Qubadli , as well as significant territories in Khojavend, Khojaly and Shusha districts, including the city of Shusha. In the middle of the night of November 9-10, a statement on the completion of the Karabakh war was signed by the leaders of Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia.
The Russian-Pakistani joint exercises entitled Druzhba-2021 are beginning at the Molkino range in Russias Krasnodar Region, the Southern Military District said in a statement.

"The Russian-Pakistani joint Druzhba-2021 military exercise which will be held between September 27 and October 6 at the Molkino range in the Krasnodar Region is aimed at strengthening and developing the bilateral military cooperation," the statement reads. According to the district, Pakistani special ops unit officers arrived in Krasnodar on Monday.

The statement notes troops participating in the drills will practice a wide range of tasks, including counterterrorist operations as well as elimination of illegally armed units as the opponent uses improvised explosive devices. Around 100 Russian and 100 Pakistani service members will take part in the exercises.
Tajikistan is interfering in the internal affairs of Afghanistan, the acting deputy head of the Afghan government formed by the Taliban movement (outlawed in Russia), Abdul Ghani Baradar, said.

"Tajikistan interferes in our affairs, for every action there is a reaction," Baradar said on Sunday in an interview with al Jazeera TV channel.

A day earlier, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said on Twitter that the movement had sent thousands of fighters to the Afghan province of Takhar, which borders Tajikistan. According to Mujahid, this was needed to counter security threats.

The Taliban began ramping up their offensive in the spring when foreign troops started their withdrawal from Afghanistan. On August 15, as foreign forces were still in the process of departing, the Taliban entered Kabul. By August 31, the U.S. troops left the country, ending the nearly 20-year mission. Several days later, the Taliban announced the composition of its interim government.
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Turkey would coordinate all steps that would be taken in terms of re-establishing relations with Armenia amid positive statements in that regard, but no meeting has been scheduled with his Armenian counterpart in this regard.

Speaking at a joint news conference with his Azerbaijani counterpart Jeyhun Bayramov, Cavusoglu said Turkey wants peace and stability to prevail in the region after the war. He noted that Azerbaijan has proposed a comprehensive peace agreement with Armenia, but the latter has not responded positively to the request.

Cavusoglu noted that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and President Ilham Aliyev frequently hold talks on the phone as "two presidents and two brothers" on a regular basis but no special instructions have been given for a meeting soon, Daily Sabah reported.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev on September 27 in connection with Remembrance Day, AzerNews reports citing Azertag.

The Turkish president once again expressed his condolences to Aliyev over the martyrs killed in the Great Patriotic War.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan also conveyed his congratulations on the glorious victory of the Azerbaijani army in the Second Karabakh War.

Aliyev thanked the Turkish leader and praised the political and moral support provided by Erdogan to Azerbaijan during the Patriotic War. The heads of state expressed confidence that friendly and fraternal relations between Azerbaijan and Turkey would continue to develop and strengthen in all directions.
U.S. Ambassador to Azerbaijan Earle Litzenberger paid his respects to those who lost their lives in the 2020 Second Karabakh War, according to the embassy's Twitter.

"We extend our deepest condolences to the families of those killed and injured last year and in the many years of the Karabakh conflict," the tweet reads.

September 27 is marked as the Day of Remembrance in Azerbaijan as a sign of deep respect to Azerbaijani soldiers and officers, all Azerbaijani martyrs who fought heroically in the second Armenia-Azerbaijan Karabakh war, to liberate Azerbaijan's occupied lands, and sacrificed their lives for the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan.

On September 27, 2020, Armenia's armed forces subjected the positions of the armed forces of Azerbaijan along the front line and the adjacent populated areas in Azerbaijan to intensive fire with the use of large-calibre weapons, artillery and mortars. Baku decided to launch a counter-offensive operation to ensure the safety of the civilian population. As a result of the 44-day combat operations, Azerbaijan liberated the provinces of Fuzuli, Jabrayil, Zangilan, Qubadli , as well as significant territories in Khojavend, Khojaly and Shusha districts, including the city of Shusha. In the middle of the night of November 9-10, a statement on the completion of the Karabakh war was signed by the leaders of Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday welcomed a meeting of the foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan and expressed the hope that such efforts will lead to a peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Xinhua reports.

"The secretary-general welcomes the statement by the co-chairs of the OSCE (Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe) Minsk Group of Sept. 24, 2021, on the joint meeting of the foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan that took place under their auspices on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly," said Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for Guterres, in a statement.

One year after the hostilities in and around Nagorno-Karabakh, the secretary-general is encouraged by the resumption of direct engagement at the level of the foreign ministers and hopes that such efforts will continue as part of a broader dialogue to resolve outstanding issues and reach a lasting peaceful settlement, said the statement.

Guterres reiterated his full support to the efforts of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs and the personal representative of the OSCE chairmanship-in-office to that end. He urged all concerned to focus their attention on advancing peace and cooperation at all levels for the benefit of the people in the region, it said.

The United Nations stands ready to support such efforts through its ongoing humanitarian, recovery, development and peacebuilding work on the ground, said the statement.
In the context of todays issues and Industry 4.0 rolling out globally, low investment in technological innovation and human resources development is undermining the competitiveness of Vietnams economy and businesses.

Some companies have gone from near bankruptcy to thriving because they embraced high technology. Photo: Le Toan

In recent months, Vietnam has been urged by international organisations to invest more in innovation and research and development, which will help the country attract more high-quality investment and climb regional and global value chains further.

The World Bank has just released a report titled Vietnamese Science, Technology and Innovation which stated that a digital gap persists when it comes to automation in manufacturing. A miniscule number of businesses in Vietnam use technologies associated with Industry 4.0  for example, robotics or 3D printing.

Given that only 29 per cent of firms use machines controlled by computers  meaning digital technology of Industry 3.0 - and only 8.7 per cent use this technology intensively, is a matter of concern, said the report. The results show a significant distance to the technological frontier and dampens down the prospects of leapfrogging. Businesses in Vietnam need to continue accumulating innovation capabilities, first by upgrading processes to the use of digital technologies and then to more sophisticated Industry 4.0 ones. The dividends of doing so can be very large.

Moreover, firm investment in digital technology infrastructure in Vietnam remains low as indicated by the digital enabling index. The index measures the average investment compared to a situation of full use of digital infrastructure  from cloud services to computers  and ranges between zero and 100 where a value of 100 indicates complete access to each digital enabler.

The enabling index for Vietnam suggests that on average businesses are operating at 38 of the full digital infrastructure index. While on average internet infrastructure is at 75, the access/use to digital platforms is only 27 of potential and 4 for cloud services, stated the survey.

According to Phan Hong Mai, an economic expert from the National Economics University in Hanoi, domestic businesses are aware of the importance of innovation, but they mainly focus on this regard in terms of improving product quality. Basically, it means they attempt to make old products better rather than comprehensively improve the process from product design to distribution, Mai said. Concurrently, upgrading products makes sense for only Vietnamese businesses but will not create new products for the world, and then will not lead to a rise of Vietnams position in the global value chain.

The Ministry of Science and Technology also reported that under its recent survey, only 10 per cent of local businesses uses modern technologies and focuses on intensive training for human resources.

For example, Rang Dong Light Source and Vacuum Flask JSC used to be on the brink of bankruptcy. However, it rose to become one of Vietnams top 500 biggest enterprises within 10 years thanks to application of high technologies and workforce training. Annually, Rang Dong contributes over $10 million to the state budget.

Innovation-oriented reform

Vietnam has been a trailblazer in its development success over the last 30 years. Sustained rapid growth averaging around 7 per cent since 1988 has led to an almost five-fold increase in its per capita income, propelling the economy to middle-income status in just one generation.

Driven by trade and investment openness, the country has attracted efficiency-seeking direct foreign investment and generated jobs in export-oriented, labour-intensive segments of global value chains (GVCs) in manufacturing. Today, Vietnam is the second-largest smartphone exporter, producing over 40 per cent of Samsungs global phone products  an embodiment of the success of its growth strategy.

Building on achievements like these, Vietnams ambition is to join the club of upper middle-income countries by 2035 with South Korea, Singapore, and Japan as its role models.

According to the World Bank, the challenges of the global slowdown in growth and trade, combined with rapid changes in technologies related to Industry 4.0, have been put into sharp relief by the COVID-19 economic shock. Vietnam remains significantly exposed to economic spillovers from this shock due to its deep integration with the global economy, with manufacturing GVCs and tourism particularly at risk.

Adoption and diffusion of digital and new technologies associated with Industry 4.0 offer opportunities for increased productivity growth and are also critical for building resilience in businesses in the face of crisis, said the World Bank report. Accelerated technological change - particularly the new wave of digitalisation, automation, and increasingly sophisticated AI - is expected to reshape Vietnams low-cost labour-intensive manufacturing-led export strategy. Technological disruption in production and distribution processes, nonetheless, will affect different manufacturing sub-sectors at varying speeds, and opportunities are emerging in services as a necessary complement to the success of manufacturing.

New business models, as evidenced by the entry of digital platform-based startups and super app groups like ZaloPay and MoMo, along with the increasing attractiveness of Vietnam as a destination for venture capital and private equity investors, are promising. COVID-19 has demonstrated the need to step-up the pace of adoption and diffusion of technologies, new business models, and digital solutions to support business flexibility and growth, according to the report.

The 13th National Party Congress recently noted that science and technology, and innovation in particular, must become an important driving force in the new growth model, especially in the context of the rapidly developing Industry Revolution 4.0.

The Political Report, the most important document adopted at the congress, set a target that Vietnam will hit an average annual growth rate of 6.5-7 per cent in the 2021-2025 period. To this end, high-tech application in many sectors of the economy and fostering innovation are one of the key solutions.

The country will also prioritise attraction of foreign-invested projects with high technology, an environmentally-friendly nature, and usage of skilled labourers and projects investing in sectors that need to be prioritised for development. The projects, moreover, are also required to have a connection and technology transfer with domestic enterprises and facilitate these enterprises to develop and effectively engage in GVCs.

Besides further improving the domestic investment and business climate, the country will also improve human resources quality, attract and foster talented people, and boost innovation and application of scientific and technological achievements, especially those from Industry 4.0. All of these will lay new momentum for national rapid and sustainable development, noted the Political Report.

Looming risks

According to a report by the United Nations Development Programme on achieving the Sustainable Development Goals in Vietnam, the country faces some key risks including challenges of economic uncertainty, re-shoring manufacturing back towards developed economies, trade wars accompanying rising nationalism, the effects of climate change, and Industry 4.0-induced changes in GVCs, employment and human development.

In addition to such challenges, Vietnam must address a number of specific issues related to balancing continued growth and maintaining a focus on inclusion, while pushing for greener growth, said the report.

It suggested that Vietnam must better prepare for, and adapt to, the impact of Industry 4.0 on drivers of growth and job creation. Accelerating Industry 4.0 offers both opportunities and risks in terms of future employment creation, as Vietnam embarks on new growth pathways. It is anticipated that automation and AI will displace jobs in several sectors that have been driving Vietnams growth.

The International Labour Organization suggested 70 per cent of jobs in Vietnam were at risk of automation. Sectors with a very high proportion of jobs at risk of automation include agriculture, forestry, and fisheries (83.3 per cent at risk); manufacturing (74.4 per cent); food and beverages (68 per cent); textiles and garments (85 per cent); electronics (75 per cent); wholesale and repair of motor vehicles (84.1 per cent); service sector (about 32 per cent); and general retail (70 per cent).

An Oxford Economics and Cisco report on technology and the future of ASEAN jobs issued in 2018 also forecasted that 7.5 million jobs (largely in agriculture, manufacturing, wholesale, and retail) would be displaced by AI in the next 10 years in Vietnam. At the same time, millions of new jobs with different functions in the same segments would be created. Thus, the net job loss is about 1.7 million, 90 per cent of which will be in the agricultural sector.

Source: VIR
According to the Ministry of Planning and Investment, Ho Chi Minh City and five provinces in the Southeast region will likely have negative growth in 2021.

In January-August 2021, HCM Citys industrial production index decreased by 6.6%, FDI attraction decreased by more than 43%, disbursement rate of public investment was only 30%.

According to the Ministry of Planning and Investment, the growth of gross domestic product (GRDP) in the southeastern region and the Mekong Delta in 2021 is forecasted to be -0.13%, much lower than the expected growth rate of 6.2 - 6.5% for the Southeast region in 2021.

The Southeast region includes Ho Chi Minh City, Tay Ninh, Binh Duong, Binh Phuoc, Dong Nai and Ba Ria - Vung Tau provinces.

At a recent online conference on developing plans for socio-economic development and public investment in 2022 of the southeast region and the Mekong Delta, HCM City Vice Chairman Vo Van Hoan was reported to say that in January-August 2021, the citys industrial production index decreased by 6.6%, FDI attraction decreased by more than 43%, disbursement rate of public investment was only 30%, 3,000 enterprises were dissolved, 12,000 enterprises were temporarily suspended, and budget revenue only reached 70% of the estimate. Normally, HCM City collects 1,400 billion VND/day, but it dropped to 800 billion VND/day in August.

Vice Chairman Hoan made four recommendations to help recover the citys economy.

Firstly, the Ministry of Planning and Investment will advise the Government to set up a special working group on economic recovery after the pandemic. In order to recover the economy, it is necessary to make decisions involving many industries, fields and localities, requiring huge resources.

Secondly, the Ministry of Planning and Investment should advise the Government to soon submit to the National Assembly for approval a scheme to allow HCM City to keep 23% of the budget revenue that the city has to transfer to the national budget instead of 18% in 2022.

Thirdly, the Ministry of Planning and Investment should advise the Government to promote private investment in health, culture, education, etc. by allowing Ho Chi Minh City to pilot auctions for public land in order to have more capital for epidemic prevention and control.

Fourthly, the Ministry of Planning and Investment will advise the Government to prioritize the allocation of capital from the state budget for three key projects that the city has proposed.

The University of Economics and Law (HCM City National University) cites Ho Chi Minh City as the largest city in Vietnam. Its population accounts for 9.4% of the country and 50.44% of the southeastern region. Statistics in 2020 showed that the migrants accounted for 21.9% of HCM Citys population, equivalent to more than 2 million people. It is estimated that the total number of people living in the city is more than 11.5 million.

Ho Chi Minh City is the largest economic center of Vietnam with 254,699 enterprises operating as of December 31, 2020, accounting for 31.4% of the total number of enterprises in the country.

In recent years, HCM City's GRDP accounts for about 24%-25% of the country's GDP.

Previously, budget revenue in Ho Chi Minh City accounted for nearly one third of the national budget. Since the General Statistics Office adjusted regulations on statistics and reallocation of contributions of economic groups operating in many localities, the budget revenue in Ho Chi Minh City fluctuates around 25%-27% of the national budget.

The tax revenue per capita in HCM City in 2019 was estimated at over 45 million VND/person, 2.7 times higher than the national average, while the budget expenditure per capital in the city was about 7.3 million VND/person, equal to about 51% of the national average.

The rate of budget revenue allocated for HCM City has continuously decreased from 33% in 2000-2003 to 29% in 2004-2006, 26% in 2007-2010, 23% in 2011-2016 and 18% in 2017-2021. With a 5% decrease compared to the previous period, it is estimated that in the period 2017-2021, the allocated budget revenue for the city decreased by about VND 9,000 billion per year.

According to the Law on State Budget 2015, Clauses 1 and Articles 13 and 15 of Decree 163/2016/ND-CP dated December 21, 2016 on the implementation of a number of the law's articles, State budget revenue in any province and city consists of three groups: revenue collected for the central government (temporarily called group 1); revenue collected for the local budget (group 2); and revenue to be shared with the central government (group 3).

Based on these regulations, the allocated budget revenue for HCM City mentioned above belongs to group 3. Recently, the city has proposed to the central government to keep from 23% of the budget, which means revenue in group 3, not the total budget revenue.

According to the HCM City Business Association, when the 4th Covid-19 wave occurred on a large scale and became serious, the vast majority of 288,333 businesses with 3,240,000 employees in the city had to stop operation. Only 715 out of 1,527 enterprises in high-tech industrial parks and export processing parks have maintained operation at different levels, with about 65,000 employees still working out of a total of 345,000 employees.

Based on available statistics, the research team of the University of Economics and Law believes that economic damage in HCM City is serious, occurring in all sectors of the economy.

Even if the city can control the epidemic from September 15, disadvantages will continue to spread, creating negative impacts, severely depleting financial capacity in both individuals and households and the business sector, if the Government and Ho Chi Minh City do not quickly create a large enough and timely motivation.

If HCM City is slow in economic recovery, the growth of the entire southern key economic region will decrease, the unemployment rate will increase, and national budget revenue will be negatively affected.

Stores on a HCM City street are all closed during the time of social distancing.

Creating a driving force for HCM Citys economic recovery will have a positive impact, pulling the whole southern key economic region to stability and recovery, the University of Economics and Law commented.

The economic recovery strategy of HCM City is not limited to purely economic aspects, but requires coordination with policies on social security and health, labor-employment, transport, education-training and others.

Powered by recovery programs

The University of Economics and Laws experts say that solutions are needed to help HCM City recover after the pandemic.

First, a Government special working group is needed on economic recovery in Ho Chi Minh City and the southern key economic region.

Second, central budget allocation is needed for HCM City with at least 13,200 billion VND for a welfare support package worth VND50,000/person/day for more than two months ending in mid-October 2021.

The Ministry of Finance should issue government bonds to raise capital for HCM City to enable the city to promptly disburse capital for approved public investment projects.

The central government should also allow HCM City to keep 23%, instead of 18% as present, of the budget revenue of group 3 to have resources to create a driving force for effective economic recovery.

Other suggestions: Raise the public debt ceiling of Ho Chi Minh City and to allow the city to issue local government bonds to finance projects in health infrastructure; transport infrastructure, especially transport projects connecting HCM City with the southern key economic regions; and digital economic infrastructure and digital transformation.

Based on statistics until the end of August 2021 and assumptions about the citys ability to control the pandemic, the University of Economics and Law proposes three scenarios on HCM Citys economic prospects in 2021 as follows:

Scenario 1 (expected): To basically control the epidemic by September 15, 2021 and an additional 2 weeks of buffer before establishing a "new normal" from October 2021. Estimated GRDP of 2021 at current prices will be 1.74% lower than 2020.

Scenario 2 (worse): The epidemic lasts until the end of September 2021, the "new normal" state to be established in the late second half of October 2021. Economic damage is very serious, with estimated GRDP 2021 to decrease deeply by 13.48% compared to 2020. The economy is very likely to fall into a recession.

Scenario 3 (good): The epidemic is controlled better than scenario 1, accompanied by adequate and thoughtful preparation for the end of the social distancing, resuming activities from 15 September 2021. It is estimated that 2021 GRDP will decrease by about 0.85% compared to 2020.

Lan Anh
Vietnamese corporations have asserted their position and strength after many large acquisition deals. Big names are confident about holding onto the domestic market, even knocking out foreign retail giants.

Billionaires Pham Nhat Vuong and Nguyen Dang Quang made a big deal in 2019.

Vietnam's retail market became vibrant in the past decade with the entry of large corporations from Thailand, South Korea, Japan, and France. The local retail market used to be controlled by foreign giants. The expansion of Metro (Germany), Big C (France and then transferred to Thailand), Lotte (South Korea), and Aeon (Japan) overwhelmed Vietnamese brands such as FiviMart, Intimex and Hapro.

However, the correlation between domestic and foreign forces began to change after Vingroup of Vietnam's richest man Pham Nhat Vuong joined the market. With the Vinmart brand, the speed of opening new stores was unprecedented. At the same time, this band conducted acquisitions of smaller supermarket chains - stores such as Ocean Mart, Fivimart, Maximark, Citimart, Vinatex Mart, Zakka and Shop & Go, etc.

Vinmart surpassed foreign retailers to become the largest retail system in Vietnam with about 2,600 supermarkets - stores. This brand is valued at more than US$3 billion.

In late 2019, a turning point occurred in the retail market: the handshake between billionaire Pham Nhat Vuong of Vingroup and of billionaire Nguyen Dang Quang of Masan to form a new empire as Vinmart was acquired by Masan.

For the first time, Vietnamese entrepreneurs mastered a big game, and the largest retail system did not fall into the hands of foreign corporations. Domestic manufacturers do not have to worry much about the possibility of being cut off o contracts, or Vietnamese goods being removed from store shelves ad in the case of BigC or Metro before.

This cooperation brings many benefits: expanding the distribution system for Masan Group and providing necessary safety for billionaire Pham Nhat Vuong to realize his dream of building a Vietnamese car brand and bringing it to the world.

The deal between two Vietnamese billionaires has protected the achievements of Vietnamese enterprises, after a series of French, German, and Malaysian retail giants had to say goodbye to Vietnam, from Metro to Parkson to Auchan.

Thaco Group of billionaire Tran Ba Duong has recently bought 35% of shares of Hung Vuong Seafood, one of the leading seafood processing and exporting enterprises in Vietnam, after injecting billions of US dollars to save Hoang Anh Gia Lai Group of tycoon Doan Nguyen Duc.

Thaco's subsidiary, Thadi (specializing in agriculture) of billionaire Tran Ba Duong, will invest in Hoang Anh Gia Lai's livestock segment, including seafood and pig farming. Duong once rescued HAGL Agrico, aiming to build a unique agricultural empire in Indochina and to help a leading agricultural enterprise in Vietnam not fall into the hands of foreign enterprises.

At Bibica, a big local confectionery brand, PAN Food, a subsidiary of Nguyen Duy Hung's PAN Group JSC, has held more than 50% of Bibica shares after a battle with Lotte Group from South Korea.

Bibica's representative once admitted to making the mistake when cooperating with Lotte. The cooperation did not go as expected because the Korean giant wanted to turn Bibica into their subsidiary. Many people did not expect that the Bibica brand could stand firm and thrive again. Nguyen Duy Hung's SSI disrupted Lotte's plot to acquire Bibica.

Position in the domestic market

This is not the first time that domestic corporations have prevented the expansion of foreign investors in the field of food processing. In 2016, it was also Nguyen Dang Quang's Masan Group that surpassed CJ CheilJedang of South Korea to win the right to buy and become a strategic shareholder of Vissan JSC. Earlier, this group successfully acquired two famous feed brands Proconco and Anco or Vinacafe Bien Hoa in 2011.

In 2019, Masan launched Masan MeatLife, entering the US$10 billion pork market, challenging the number one position of CP Group of Thai billionaire Chearavanont. Masan MeatLife also listed its shares on the stock market with a starting capitalization of $1.1 billion.

The appearance of Masan MeatLife is considered a good sign for Vietnamese businesses and farmers in the competition in the domestic market against big foreign players. For more than a decade ago, in the field of agriculture - Vietnam's strength - C.P Group of Thailand once stirred up the market, including animal feed, pig slaughtering, poultry, eggs and processed products.

After a decade waiting for the right time, Vietnamese enterprises made an impressive debut in the field of pig breeding and pork processing. A few months after its debut, Masan MeatLife's revenue reached several tens of billions of VND per month. Its distribution system also increased more than 10 times, to nearly 500 units and now it is a network of 2,600 Vinmart/Vinmart+ stores.

In the beverage sector, in 2012, tycoon Tran Quy Thanh's Tan Hiep Phat rejected an investment proposal worth US$2.5 billion from Coca-Cola. This group is realizing its ambition to conquer the No. 1 position in Southeast Asia in the beverage indstry.

As for the aviation sector, Vietnamese businesses are growing. Vietjet Air of billionaire Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao, Bamboo Airways of Trinh Van Quyet, etc. are growing stronger, increasing domestic market share and outperforming regional airlines to look towards the global market.

Some other Vietnamese businesspeople have also built large corporations, increasingly showing their strengths in domestic and regional markets, such as BRG of Nguyen Thi Nga, T&T of Do Quang Hien, and Geleximco of Vu Van Tien.

In the past, Vietnamese businesses were only strong in agriculture and seafood fields, but now have products and services in other fields.

The recent billion-dollar deals, bold decisions and cooperation between domestic enterprises are very positive signs. This proves that Vietnamese entrepreneur have the strength to rise to the leading position, contributing to protecting Vietnamese brands and the domestic market.

M. Ha
The National Committee on E-Government has been restructured and renamed as the National Committee on Digital Transformation. The Committee has 16 members, chaired by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh is Chairman of the National Committee on Digital Transformation.

On September 24, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh signed and promulgated a decision on consolidating and renaming the National Committee on E-Government into the National Committee on Digital Transformation.

Besides the Prime Minister as its chairman, the Committee has two vice chairs, including the Standing Vice Chair who is the Deputy Prime Minister in charge of information and communication and the Minister of Information and Communications.

The Committee also has members who are the Ministers of Public Security, Science and Technology, Finance, Planning and Investment, Home Affairs, Health, Education and Training, Industry and Trade, Construction, Agriculture and Rural Development, the Head of the Government Office, Governor of the State Bank of Vietnam and Deputy Minister of Information and Communications.

The National Committee on Digital Transformation is responsible for researching and proposing to the Government and the Prime Minister and assisting the Government and the Prime Minister in directing and coordinating the implementation of guidelines, strategies, mechanisms and policies on creating a legal environment to promote the process of national digital transformation, closely linked with administrative reform; building and developing e-Government, digital government, digital economy, digital society and smart city; facilitating the implementation of the fourth industrial revolution in Vietnam.

The Committee is also in charge of giving opinions on strategies, programs, mechanisms, policies, schemes and projects related to digital transformation; and building and developing e-Government, digital government, digital economy, digital society and smart city under the authority of the Government and the Prime Minister.

The Committee also has the task of helping the Government direct ministries, agencies and localities to implement digital transformation goals, tasks and solutions, to develop e-Government, digital government, and digital economy, digital society and smart city; coordinating the implementation of interdisciplinary strategies, programs, mechanisms, policies, schemes, projects and solutions on digital transformation, building and developing e-government, digital government, digital economy, digital society and smart city.

The Committee will jointly coordinate the implementation of the National Digital Transformation Program; monitor and coordinate the implementation of relevant contents of the National Strategy on the Fourth Industrial Revolution to 2030.

The Committee is assigned to helpthe Government and Prime Minister inspect and speed up the implementation of interdisciplinary strategies, programs, mechanisms, policies, schemes, projects and solutions on digital transformation, construction and development of e-government, digital government, digital economy, digital society and smart city and the implementation of the National Digital Transformation Program.

The Prime Minister also decided to establish a Working Group to assist the Committee based at the Ministry of Information and Communications. This working group is led by the Minister of Information and Communications and has vice heads who are the Deputy Ministers of Information and Communications, Planning and Investment, Industry and Trade, Construction and a leader of the Committee for the Management of State Capital at Enterprises.

The working group includes representatives of department-level officials of a number of ministries, agencies and leaders, experts from major telecom groups like the VNPT, Viettel, Vietnam Post, FPT and some local and international experts on e-Government, digital government, digital transformation, digital economy, smart city, and digital society. In case of necessity, the Working Group is allowed to mobilize domestic and foreign consultants to perform assigned tasks.

Approved in June 2020, the National Digital Transformation Program to 2025, with a vision to 2030, set the target of turning Vietnam into a digital national, a stable and prosperous country that pioneers in testing new technologies and models; fundamentally and comprehensively renovating management and administration activities of the Government, production and business activities of enterprises, people's ways of living and working, developing a safe, humane, and wide digital environment by 2030.

The National Digital Transformation Program aims at the dual goal of developing a digital government, digital economy, and digital society, as well as forming Vietnamese digital technology enterprises that are capable of going global, with some specific fundamentals.

Van Anh

Vietnam develops indicators for digital economy statistics The Ministry of Planning and Investment is working on the draft Circular on the Set of Statistical Indicators for the Digital Economy.
On September 26, 2021, a shipment of a total of 2.6 million doses of AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine arrived in Ho Chi Minh City. This is another contribution from Germany towards the Vietnamese vaccination campaign.

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs To Anh Dung (R) receives a token of the vaccine from German Ambassador to Vietnam Guido Hildner.

The vaccine donation originates from German stockpiles and follows an offer made by German Chancellor Dr. Angela Merkel to Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.

At a ceremony in the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs on September 27 to honor this vaccine delivery, German Ambassador to Vietnam, Dr. Guido Hildner, in the presence of Vietnamese Deputy Foreign Minister To Anh Dung and representatives of the Ministry of Health stated:

This is already the second delivery of vaccines from Germany within two weeks. Together with the COVAX shipment on 16 September, Germany's support to Vietnam now totals 3.45 million doses of vaccine. This support is an expression of our solidarity with the people of Vietnam. It also underscores our commitment to the Strategic Partnership with Vietnam, whose 10th anniversary we are celebrating this year. Germany stands with Vietnam in fighting and overcoming the COVID-19 pandemic.

Beyond vaccine deliveries, Vietnam and Germany are also working closely together to fight the pandemic. For example, the Vietnamese government handed over more than 100,000 masks to Germany in spring 2020. In summer 2021, several German federal states provided Vietnam with a total of 1 million rapid antigen tests, as well as masks, full-body protection suits and special refrigerators.

Development cooperation between Germany and Vietnam is also contributing to overcoming the COVID-19 pandemic. Up to 104 million euros will be used to implement ongoing and future activities in the areas of technical and vocational training, pandemic prevention, One Health, Green Recovery, social security and digitalization. These also include the establishment of a center for pandemic prevention together with the Vietnamese Ministry of Health and the creation of advisory services to combat illegal wildlife trade.

In May 2021, the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) established one of four new global centers for health and pandemic prevention in Vietnam aiming at preventing infectious diseases and helping treat them

Le Ha

Germany supports Vietnam with over 850,000 vaccine doses via COVAX A delivery of 852,480 AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine doses has arrived in Hanoi on September 16. This is a contribution from Germany towards the Vietnamese vaccination campaign.
With specific conditions, Ho Chi Minh City has asked for the Prime Ministers permission to apply special regulations to reopen the economy.

A street of HCM City. Photo: Thanh Tung

HCM City Chairman Phan Van Mai has sent a petition to the Prime Minister about the application of special regulations for reopening the citys economy.

In the petition, the city praised the efforts to develop the Guidelines "Safe and flexible adaptation, effective control of the Covid-19 epidemic". However, with specific conditions, the city recommends the Prime Minister to consider:

To allow the city to apply its own regulations decided by the Prime Minister to be able to open the economy. Ho Chi Minh City will coordinate with relevant authorities to research and report to the Prime Minister on this issue.

To give priority to allocate Covid-19 vaccines for the city and the southern key economic region to soon achieve vaccine coverage according to the provisions of the above-mentioned Guidelines.

Previously, HCM City had developed a plan to prevent and control the Covid-19 epidemic and economic recovery after September 15 and consult competent authorities, experts and people.

The plan consists of four phases: the pilot phase from September 16 to September 30; Phase 1 from October 1 to October 31; Phase 2 from November 1, 2021 to January 15, 2022 and Phase 3 after January 15, 2022.

According to this plan, the city's economic reopening roadmap depends heavily on the level and recommendations of the health sector on the development of the epidemic to make adjustments.

The city is also working out specific policy for people with "Covid green cards". A green card would be for people with at least 1 dose of vaccine at least 2 weeks after the vaccination date, and people who have had Covid-19 and have a certificate of completion of quarantine after recovery.

Ho Van

HCMC plans to receive workers back for work from October 1 The Department of Transport of Ho Chi Minh City, on the afternoon of September 24, informed that it had just submitted to the municipal People's Committee a plan to coordinate with provinces to welcome workers back to the city.
Allies think that such help and other forms of support may be crucial to Liz Cheney maintaining her seat, both in terms of raising the millions of dollars she will need to combat Trump's financial juggernaut and motivating her own constituents.

The reelection campaign of Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY) is being supported by a large number of Republicans, including members of the Trump administration and members of Congress.

According to rumors on Wednesday, former President George W. Bush will hold a fundraiser for Cheney next month, providing her with a boost from the Republican Party's traditional wing of support.

On the other hand, supporters think that more Republicans sympathetic to Cheney's brand of conservatism will come out of retirement to rally behind her in a primary knife fight against attorney and old friend Harriet Hageman.

Rep. Landon Brown (R), a Cheney ally said, "I'll knock on doors, I'll make calls if I have to, I'll use my social media presence, professionally and personally," said state Rep. Landon Brown (R), a Cheney ally. "I think it's going to be much more than many people anticipate," he added. "You're gonna see a lot of the people that are out there that do support her and recognize her value ... and it's just going to be a matter of who shows up more and who can get more people to the polls."

The Dallas fundraiser Bush will host with Republican strategist Karl Rove next month is so far the most visible expression of support for Cheney from a faction of the party that has become increasingly marginalized as former President Trump tightens his grip on the party. Former Vice President Cheney will join Bush and Rove.

As has Country First, an independent group headed by Illinois Representative Adam Kinzinger (R), another outspoken Trump critic inside the Republican Party, the former Speakers Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) and John Boehner (R-Ohio) have both contributed money and support to the Wyoming Republican.

Allies think that such help and other forms of support may be crucial to her maintaining her seat, both in terms of raising the millions of dollars she will need to combat Trump's financial juggernaut and in terms of motivating her own constituents.

According to Joe McGinley, former chairman of the Natrona County Republican Party, "Rep. Cheney has been successful in collecting funds in the past, and having party stalwarts like President Bush voice up would only help."

"The greater the number of individuals that stand up and speak out on your behalf, the more it will aid in rallying the troops."

Later in the year, Cheney ruffled Trump's feathers when she voted to impeach him for his role in inciting the violence that occurred on January 6.

Even though he had left office, she continued to attack him, and she drew considerable condemnation after accepting Speaker Nancy Pelosi's (D-CA) invitation to join the special House committee investigating the insurgency.

As a consequence of the backlash against her, House Republicans voted in May to remove Cheney from his position as party chairman.

Eventually, Trump came out in favor of Hageman earlier this month, calling Cheney a "RINO," which stands for "Republican in name only," and the Democrats' "number one provider of sound bites," according to a blistering statement released by the White House.

Cheney's supporters universally agree that Trump's participation will present major obstacles for her reelection campaign. Still, others believe that his endorsement may motivate some of Cheney's followers to participate in the campaign.

Mark Christensen, a former Campbell County commissioner and supporter of Cheney, said, "Everybody here was just sitting around waiting to see who got picked. ... Now that everybody's had a little bit of time to sit back and watch, I think that she'll start to see some things moving."

As part of their strategy to counter the Trump-led offensive, Cheney's team will likely carefully time their endorsement and funding announcements to maximize their overall effect.

However, she does have the benefit of the calendar on her side.

Since the state's primary doesn't take place until August, Cheney will have plenty of time to shore up her defenses. She will also have as much time as possible between her contentious impeachment vote and when voters will cast their ballots, which supporters believe will be crucial in the primary election.

"I think that the anger aimed towards her is waning with time. If the election had taken place in March 2021, right after the impeachment, she would have been gone," Christensen said.

The summer, when primary voters started to pay attention to the nomination fight, was expected to be the time when Cheney would make significant endorsements, according to observers.

Besides figuring out when Cheney's allies will show out in force, her supporters are split on who they believe is most equipped to defend her.

Some believe that support from people like Bush is essential, citing the former president's power and link to a less volatile brand of conservatism as reasons for their belief.

President Bush, for example, has taken the initiative and spoken out. "That is usually what Wyoming people believe in, that flavor of politics that is centered on ideas rather than personalities," McGinley said.

On the other hand, many others are concerned that bringing in too many outsiders would hurt Cheney by confirming that she is too worried about national politics.

According to Paul Bertoglio, chairman of the Natrona County Board of Commissioners, "her fundraising in Texas will annoy people because it isn't in Wyoming, it's out of state, and all that stuff."

Even if it meant upsetting Trump, Bertoglio predicted that some of Wyoming's elected officials would come out in favor of Cheney and that those more familiar with her conservative voting record should take priority over individuals like Bush. He was correct.

"As elected officials, we all make a vote or two that annoys your constituents to the point where they say, 'I will never vote for you again.'

Finally, when people look at your whole record and compare it to someone else's, they say: 'You know what? Maybe I can see beyond that.'

"And I think she needs to bring in those who say, 'Wait a minute, you have to look at her whole record,'" he adds. "Wait a minute, you have to look at her entire record," he adds.

"I think they will," Bertoglio replied when asked if Wyoming lawmakers would back a candidate who was opposed to Trump's selection. "I believe they will."

"They are aware of the fact that she did an excellent job."

With a few exceptions, she is not a RINO or anything like that, except a few of occasions when she voted against what Trump did."

Nonetheless, since the primary is being regarded as a litmus test for Trump's authority, it is anticipated to draw the last remaining national leaders opposed to the president.

"This is something we're going to see a lot more of," Republican strategist Doug Heye said.

"However, I'm not sure whether it will be sufficient.

I don't think we'll know until after the primary, but it's clear that this is about one member of Congress as much as it is about the direction of the Republican Party in the coming years."

On the other hand, Cheney's fans gleefully proclaim that the former president is destined to defeat, saying that the marginalization of Cheney's style of conservatism, combined with the former president's expected active involvement in the campaign, would be too much for him to overcome.

The Wyoming Values PAC, an independent political action committee, received advice from a Cheney acolyte who said, "There is no Cheney wing, just a Cheney slice of the party that is quickly going away."

Allies think it is unlikely that Cheney's conservative wing of the party will escape losing the primary election.
We have just received an update from Anna McCosh at the Fagen Fighters WWII Museum regarding some of the activities occurring at their marvelous museum in Granite Falls, Minnesota over the past couple of months. These details include a brief restoration update on Curtiss SB2C-5 Helldiver BuNo.83393 which is steadily marching towards its first flight in nearly eight decades. We hope our readers will enjoy learning more, so we will let Anna take it from here

A highlight at the museum this summer has been having a number of WWII Veterans visiting with us  we had really missed seeing them during 2020. We captured some delightful video footage when 98 year-old, former US Navy pilot Vincent Neuman of Eugene, Oregon visited with his family; we filmed in front of the museums SNJ-4 Texan BuNo.27234 [the complete restoration of this gem is covered in Warbird Digest #74].

It has been wonderful getting to see people like Vincent Neuman and their families again, not to mention hosting other visitors from all over the country.

An unexpected highlight towards the end of August featured the opportunity to fly one of our fighters in formation with a brace of Air National Guard F-16s which we learned were due to fly past our museum. Of course we were going to make this work  no matter the time of day nor how many meetings were going on at the time! Evan Fagen pulled out our P-40K Warhawk Aleutian Tiger (42-10083), filled the tanks up with gas and took off just in time to form up with the jets as they approached Granite Falls. Seeing a formation of such legendary aircraft types together  both modern and ancient  never gets old.

On the restoration and parts side, the month of September has involved a lot of inventory-taking  both the parts cache we purchased from Jay Wisler in 2017 and our own supply out at the restoration shop. For anyone who has worked inventory, you know that its a bear to do, and can easily end up neglected as a result. It requires a lot of upkeep, maintenance, and attention. Our aim this summer (and continuing into fall) is to get an all-encompassing grip on everything we have, so we can better serve the warbird community. Moving thousands of warbird parts from Jays warehouse in Tampa, Florida to Minnesota is no small task, but make no mistake  we are committed to doing it right! Every day we make progress and get more organized, but there are moments which seem a little more daunting than others! While we work the inventory, we are simultaneously providing parts to projects all over the world. And it is our honor to check through our stock for any parts which others might need, so please do make your requests known to us at team@fagenfighters.com or call +1 (320) 435-0514.

The team is also making good headway on our Helldiver project! The flaps are undergoing final assembly (see pictures), and the main electrical harnesses are now installed. We are beginning to paint the cowling and canopy parts in their final colors and getting ready to test the landing gear hydraulic system. Lastly, we are also starting to install the bomb bay doors. This plane is a magnificent beast  it is marvelous to see more and more progress each day!

And thats all for this update. The museum is still open and will remain so for the remainder of fall during normal hours: Tuesdays  Saturdays, 10:00 a.m to 4:00 p.m. Please come to check us out!

Please visit Fagen Fighters Restorations website for more information about our restorations and available warbird parts.

And, of course, please click HERE to learn more about the museum and upcoming events.
SPACE

Millennium's small satellite business & market are both in motion

Jason Kim was one year into a stint at Raytheon Technologies segment when the nearly two-decade market veteran got the pitch to return to the company he says he grew up with.

Kim spent the 10 years prior to Raytheon at Millennium Space Systems, the small satellite maker Boeing acquired in 2018 and operates as a subsidiary focused on alternative models for space access and business.

So why go back to become CEO of Millennium and take it through the next phase of its strategy as a non-fully integrated arm of its blue chip owner?

Were still a small company, about 450 people at the moment and growing, and with that small company culture, you really know everybody, you know a lot about each other, and you depend on each other and help each other out, Kim told me in an interview at the SATELLITE 2021 trade show in National Harbor, Maryland.

On the surface, there is a slight paradox of Millennium touting its small company identity within a global industrial giant like Boeing. The nearly 20-year-old Millennium is a part of Boeings space and launch business unit.

Kim said part of Millenniums attraction is that given its status as non-fully integrated, it can still draw on Boeings financial resources and contribute to the owners larger technology roadmaps through prototyping and other efforts.

By the same token, Millennium has the freedom to create its own roadmaps with technologies and techniques brought in from outside the traditional aerospace-and-defense sector.

One of the roadmap items Kim mentioned was three-dimensional printing of structures to help develop satellites at larger volumes and faster speeds of 12-to-13 months versus years.

The word hybrid also came up frequently in our conversation thread about roadmaps and where they are going.

We also see the future in a hybrid of ground processing and onboard processing, which will enable even lower latency communications for decision-makers to go from sensing to actual information, Kim said.

Theres a hybrid future of small satellites and large satellites working together, we are investing in technologies to enable safety of flight between the small and large satellites.

Safety is becoming a more paramount topic as outer space gets more crowded given the ever-increasing numbers of satellite launches each year, which eventually translates to growth in space debris.

Millennium participated in an effort to tackle that problem late last year, when two of its satellites launched via a Rocket Lab vehicle to use tethering technology and bring satellites back to earth from low-Earth orbit.

Kim said the idea there is to make so-called LEO orbit more sustainable and the DRAGRACER demonstration last year de-orbited two satellites eight months sooner than previously expected.

That is also in keeping with Boeings overall environment and sustainability goals, an umbrella under which Kim said Millennium is additionally working on the development of safer fuels.

But where the owner of Millennium particularly comes into play is the production aspect and at scale given how Kim sees the overall small sat market as going more from prototypes to constellations.

I can see that happening already with satellite communications, but I also see it with things like missile warning and missile defense, Kim said.

In one example, Millennium holds a contract with U.S. Space Force to evaluate sensors for satellites to detect and track ballistic missiles. Kim said the goal there is to help incorporate better capability than geosynchronous orbit, or GEO, and less complexity than low-Earth orbit.

That effort called Missile Track Custody Prototype could also serve as an example of the hybrid-type constellation Kim spoke of with large and small satellites working together, particularly as the small sat market further matures.

As we move more toward constellation building in addition to prototype development, were standing up high-volume production systems and thats the mind-blowing part, Kim said. Were taking a lot of the production expertise from Boeing and applying that to small satellites to become more efficient, to be more affordable.

Thats where youre developing satellites in terms of weeks not months.
Solo bidder wins $500M anti-drone contract

Building technologies and systems to counter the prevalence of drones that threaten troops on the battlefield or just fly into areas were they arent wanted is a growing business opportunity for many companies.

Thats why it surprised me that only one company bid on a nearly $500 million contract to research and prototype systems to counter small unmanned aircraft.

PAR Government System Corp. of Rome, New York, was the sole bidder and winner of a $490.4 million Air Force contract. The company will conduct research, design and prototype a system. The contract also will cover operational evaluation, integration, transition and support.

While PAR was the only bidder, an Air Force industry day for the project drew attendees from multiple large business including BAE Systems, CACI International, Dynetics, KBRwyle, Leidos and Northrop Grumman, according to solicitation documents posted by Deltek.

The contract was let by the Air Force Research Lab.

In reviewing the solicitation, the Air Force made it clear that it was looking for a single prime to award the contract to. And there doesnt appear to be anything in the solicitation that seems designed to scare off other bidders.

There could be a 100 reasons not to bid for the companies that stayed on the sideline. But either way, its a great win for PAR.
Some carriers allow only in-store changes

In some instances, a company may restrict customer accounts so changes can only be made in the store with a government-issued ID, says Kevin Lee, who is pursuing a doctorate in computer science and is co-author of the Princeton report.

T-Mobile says its account holders must choose a 6-to-15-digit PIN, and that a customers phone number cannot be ported without verification of that PIN. T-Mobile also offers what it calls Account Takeover Protection, which adds additional security to accounts by blocking unauthorized users from transferring your lines to another wireless carrier. AT&T similarly lets you create a unique passcode youll have to provide before account changes can be made, including port requests initiated by another carrier.

Cash App, which is owned by Square Inc. and not a bank, recently unleashed an artificial intelligence-driven feature that it says flags potential spam or scams for payments in the app.

But you can take steps as a smart consumer to minimize the risk. Heres what experts suggest.

Don't give out personal info

 Dont reply to calls, emails or texts that request personal information. If you get such a request for account or personal information, contact the company directly on your own, using a phone number or website you know to be genuine.

 Use multi-factor authentication. As previously noted, two-factor authentication, 2FA for short, will be useless if the code to verify your identity arrives on the crook's phone and he already knows your passcode.

But a knee-jerk reaction may be to turn off 2FA altogether, and that is actually even more dangerous, Lee says. Enabling this extra layer of security only adds to the username and password requirements, potentially making it tougher for attackers to hijack. At the end of the day, its still better than nothing.

David Strom of the Avast digital security firm is among the experts who recommends switching your second authentication factor from SMS texting to an authenticator app such as Authy or Google Authenticator. He also points to Zenkey, a mobile app available in the Google Play Store and Apple App Store, resulting from a collaboration among AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon. Youll need to get the Zenkey version tied to your specific mobile provider.

Protect your phone and SIM

 Protect the physical device. That means using the facial recognition or fingerprint scanning options common in smartphones today, Velasquez says, along with a PIN.

 Protect the physical SIM. You can lock your SIM with a numerical PIN you would have to enter every time you restart a device or remove a SIM. You can create such a PIN inside the settings on your iPhone or Android device.

 Be careful what you post online. This generally means avoiding the kind of information often prompted by security questions, including birthdates, the name of your pet, your best friends first name and high school mascot.

 Keep your email inbox clean. Wipe out the messages that don't need to be there, including any with passcodes, PINs, Social Security numbers, and billing statements that may reveal some or all of these details if your device is ever hacked.

Share landline, not mobile number

 Dont overshare your mobile number. AT&T recommends using your landline when sharing a number with a dry cleaner, grocery store or other businesses. Unless you have business reasons to do otherwise, dont include your number on social media or as part of your email signature.

You also can get a free phone number to give to businesses or acquaintances that you don't want to have access to your real number, and it will ring on your phone. This burner number is something that can protect your privacy and is easily disposable if you want a different one later.

 Report suspicious activity. If you notice something unusual, contact your mobile provider, bank and credit card company right away, and make certain your account credentials havent been changed. You may want to file an identity theft report with the Federal Trade Commission.

In its letter to Thomas acknowledging that her phone had been compromised, T-Mobile offered other sound advice: Consider placing a fraud alert with any of the three major credit bureaus  Equifax, Experian or TransUnion  which signals creditors to get in touch with you before opening a new account in your name.


New Tenements Acquired, Benmara Battery Metal Project NT

Adelaide, Sep 27, 2021 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Resolution Minerals Ltd ( ASX:RML ) ( FRA:NC3 ) is pleased to announce that it has signed a binding term sheet with Cedar Resources Pty Ltd (Vendors) as a 12 month Option to Purchase a 100% interest in two granted Tenements, EL31287 and EL32229. Which covers approximately 542km2 bordering Resolutions existing Benmara Project. Upon completion, and at Resolution's election, Resolution will hold a 100% unencumbered interest in the two Tenements.Resolution also has successfully lodged applications for two exploration Tenements adding a further 1,025km2 upon grant.- Binding term sheet to acquire 100% of two (2) surrounding granted tenements, adding 541km2- Additionally, two (2) new tenement applications lodged, adding 1025km2 to existing ground- Prospective for sediment hosted battery metals and unconformity style uranium- Along strike from the Walford Creek Deposit *40Mt @ 2% Cu Eq on the Fish River fault- 2,500m RC drilling currently underway testing large scale potential battery metal targets- Resolution is well funded with recent $1.7m PlacementResolution Minerals Managing Director Duncan Chessell commented: The Benmara Project is prospective for sediment hosted battery metals and unconformity style uranium. With this new acquisition and two new tenement applications, Resolution now holds a commanding ground position of 2,230km2 of the key prospective areas of this under explored region. While we are actively drilling on the project, testing large scale sediment hosted battery metals targets, we are also reviewing the potential for unconformity style hard rock uranium given the recent strengthening of uranium spot prices.The share-based terms of the tenement acquisition will retain valuable funds for drill testing the project quickly before committing to a full purchase in 12 months' time.Transaction DetailsResolution has an Option to Purchase a 100% unencumbered interest in the two granted Tenements (as detailed above from Cedar Resources Pty Ltd) and associated information from the Vendors. This will be staged in two parts, the Option to Purchase and the Outright Purchase. During the Option Period of 12 months, RML will be required to keep the tenements in good standing and be the Operator of the tenements.The Consideration for the Option to Purchase, an exclusive 12 month Option to acquire a 100% interest in the two Tenements, is $50,000 in RML shares (valuation based on the 5 day VWAP prior to 25 September 2021) which is subject to shareholder approval or cash if shareholder approval is not obtained. The Company intends to seek shareholder approval at its 2021 AGM for the share issue.The Consideration for the final stage of the agreement of Outright Purchase shall comprise a payment of $250,000 in RML shares (subject to future shareholder approval) or cash, at Resolution's election.The number of shares to be issued will be calculated using the VWAP over the 5 day period prior to Resolution's election to proceed. Alternatively, RML may elect at the end of the Option Period to "walk away" with the vendor retaining an unencumbered 100% interest in the tenement following the 12 month evaluation of the Tenement. RML may extend the Option period by cash payment of $20,000 / month.Completion will be subject to standard conditions precedent (if required), including: any approvals required by ASX, shareholder approval, Ministerial consent and other conditions precedent usual for this type of transaction.New Tenements ApplicationsResolution has lodged applications for Tenements EL32849 and EL32850 adding 1,026km2 of prospective exploration tenure, subject to grant. These tenements cover the SW extension of the margin of the South Nicholson Basin - the same geological setting where drilling is currently underway testing for sediment hosted battery metals. Drilling results from the current program on the Company's existing tenement EL32228 will inform the prospectivity of these new underexplored tenements, with grant typically taking 4-6 months.To view more details, please visit:About Resolution Minerals Ltd

Resolution Minerals Ltd (ASX:RML) is a mining company engaged in the acquisition, exploration and development of precious and battery metals - such as gold, copper, cobalt, and vanadium.

The company is led by Managing Director Duncan Chessell and an experienced team with proven success in corporate finance, marketing, metallurgy and geoscience. This equips Resolution Minerals with the tools to meet the changing demands of the mining markets.

Resolution Minerals Ltd Listed on the ASX in 2017 with a focus on the exploration of the Wollogorang Copper Cobalt Project. It has since aquired the Snettisham Vanadium Project and more entered into a binding agreement witth Millrock Resources to earn up to 80% of the highly prospective 64North Gold Project.


Beetaloo Operations Update

Sydney, Sep 27, 2021 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Empire Energy Group Ltd ( ASX:EEG ) ( OTCMKTS:EEGUF ) announce the Beetaloo Operations Update.- Extended production testing operations at Carpentaria-1 in EP187 to recommence this week- Empire Board has approved the next phase of capital investment which includes the drilling of the Carpentaria-2H vertical pilot and horizontal appraisal well and the Charlotte 2D Seismic Survey in EP187 with operations expected to be carried out in Q4 2021- Empire has received a Refundable Research and Development Tax Offset of $5.37 million in cash- Current cash at bank is ~$31.1 million and next phase of capital expenditure is fully fundedRecommencement of Carpentaria-1 EPT OperationsOn 16th July 2021, EPT operations at the Carpentaria-1 well were suspended and the vertical well was shut-in due to COVID-related travel restrictions. Empire will reopen the well and restart Extended Production Test ("EPT") operations on or around 28th September 2021.The EPT operations are expected to further enhance Empire's understanding of the relative productivity of each of the Velkerri Formation shale targets (A, B, Intra A/B and C) and the gas composition of produced hydrocarbons. The data collected will inform technical decisions and the optimum placement of the Carpentaria-2H horizontal well, and future horizontal appraisal drilling across EP187. Empire also intends to enhance the artificial lift system at Carpentaria-1 to better determine the productivity of the Velkerri Formation shales.The initial Carpentaria-1 vertical well EPT flowed at an instantaneous peak rate of >1.6 mmcf / day and at an averaged flow rate of 0.25 mmcf / day over a 17-day test period, during which time the well was dewatering. The final production rate recorded was 0.25 mmcf / day prior to the shut-in of the well.Carpentaria-2H Horizontal Appraisal Well Field Work UnderwayThe Carpentaria-2H well pad is located ~4.5 kilometres to the north of the Carpentaria Highway and McArthur River Pipeline on an existing 2D seismic line approximately 11km North of Carpentaria-1. The target Velkerri Formation shales are shown by mapping to be more than 200 metres deeper at the Carpentaria-2 location than the same sequence in Carpentaria-1.Civil works for the Carpentaria-2 well pad and access roads are advancing well. Water bore drilling has been completed.The drilling of the Carpentaria-2H well is expected to commence in late October once final Northern Territory approvals are received. The Carpentaria-2 vertical hole section will be drilled through the Velkerri Formation shale sequence followed by an extensive formation evaluation program. The vertical hole section will be immediately plugged back and the horizontal Carpentaria-2H hole section drilled into the Velkerri Formation shale to be high-graded by the pilot hole and Carpentaria-1 formation evaluation and production testing. Hydraulic fracture stimulation and EPT of the Carpentaria-2H horizontal well, which will be designed to test the commercial production potential of the well, is planned to start early in the 2022 dry season once technical data has been collected and analysed.Following drilling operations, Empire will commission an updated independent resource assessment which, in the success case, would materially upgrade contingent resources in EP187 by derisking hydrocarbon resources in the area between Carpentaria-1 and Carpentaria-2H.Empire has commenced long-lead item acquisition for the well and expects to announce the selected drilling contractor shortly.The drilling and civil construction portion of the program is expected to cost ~$11.5 million (before reimbursement of 25% of relevant funds under the Beetaloo Co-operative Drilling Program grants estimated to be ~$2.5 million - $3 million).Charlotte 2D Seismic SurveyThe EP187 Charlotte 2D Seismic Survey is scheduled for Q4 2021. On-ground activity will commence shortly with line clearing followed by seismic line acquisition. The seismic acquisition program is expected to take a total of seven weeks. Seismic acquisition will run simultaneously with the drilling of the Carpentaria-2H well, which is being drilled on an existing seismic line.The seismic program will be a seven-line survey with a total line length of approximately 165 kilometres. The purpose of the survey is to better define the continuity and structure of Velkerri Formation shales by providing further data to enhance Empire's 2019 Broadmere 2D Seismic Survey and to map the areal extent of the shale basin in the southern area of EP187. The survey will also aid future appraisal drilling activity.The seismic program is expected to cost $1.3 million (before reimbursement of 25% of relevant funds under the Beetaloo Co-operative Drilling Program grants estimated to be ~$0.3 million).Empire receives Refundable Research and Development Tax OffsetThe R&D Tax Incentive scheme is designed to encourage companies to undertake R&D activities and pioneer technical innovation in Australia. The scheme entitles companies with an aggregated turnover of less than $20 million to access a refundable tax offset of 43.5% of eligible expenditure on eligible R&D activities.Empire's eligible R&D activities relate to technical innovation in respect of the Carpentaria-1 vertical well, including the development of new fracture stimulation techniques to extract hydrocarbons from a Mesoproterozoic source.Empire has received a refundable tax offset in the amount of $5.37 million cash under the Federal Government's Research and Development ("R&D") Tax Incentive Scheme in relation to eligible R&D activities undertaken during the financial year ended 31 December 2020. This is a separate scheme to the Beetaloo Cooperative Drilling Program grants Imperial recently entered into.Deloitte Tax Services advised Empire in relation to the preparation of the Research & Development Tax Incentive application.Empire's current cash balance is approximately $31.1 million. Empire has already spent approximately $0.5 million on long-lead items for its upcoming drilling program.Commonwealth Beetaloo Cooperative Drilling Program UpdateOn 7th July 2021 the Commonwealth Minister for Resources and Water announced approval of up to $21 million in grant funding to Empire under the Beetaloo Cooperative Drilling Program ("Grant Decision").On 28th July 2021, an activist organisation called Environment Centre NT Inc ("ENT") commenced proceedings in the Federal Court against the Minister and Commonwealth seeking judicial review of various government decisions relating to the Beetaloo Cooperative Drilling Program, including the Grant Decision ("Proceeding").On 10th September 2021 Empire's wholly owned subsidiary, Imperial, entered into three grant agreements with the Commonwealth ("Grant Contracts").On 23rd September 2021, the Federal Court granted leave to ENT to join Imperial to the Proceeding. An Amended Originating Application, naming Imperial as the third respondent, was served on 24th September 2021. The relief sought by ENT, if upheld, would include a declaration that the Grant Contracts are void.The Proceedings are being defended by the Minister and the Commonwealth, and will now also be defended by Imperial, to the extent the Proceedings relate to the Grant Contracts.The Amended Originating Application does not allege any wrongdoing by Empire or Imperial (or any of its officers).To view tables and figures, please visit: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.
JOPLIN, Mont.  A team of investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board was at the site of an Amtrak derailment in north-central Montana that killed three people and left seven hospitalized Sunday, officials said.

The westbound Empire Builder was en route from Chicago to Seattle when it left the tracks about 4 p.m. Saturday near Joplin, a town of about 200.

Trevor Fossen was first on the scene. The Joplin resident was on a dirt road nearing the tracks Saturday when he saw a wall of dust about 300 feet high.

I started looking at that, wondering what it was and then I saw the train had tipped over and derailed, said Fossen, who called 911 and started trying to get people out. He called his brother to bring ladders for people who couldnt get down after exiting through the windows of cars resting on their sides.

The train was carrying about 141 passengers and 16 crew members and had two locomotives and 10 cars, eight of which derailed, Amtrak spokesman Jason Abrams said.

A 14-member team including investigators and specialists in railroad signals would look into the cause of the derailment on a BNSF Railway main track that involved no other trains or equipment, said NTSB spokesman Eric Weiss.

Law enforcement said the officials from the NTSB, Amtrak and BNSF had arrived at the accident scene just west of Joplin, where the tracks cut through vast, golden brown wheat fields that were recently harvested. Several large cranes were brought to the tracks that run roughly parallel to U.S. Highway 2, along with a truckload of gravel and new railroad ties.

Several rail cars could still be seen on their sides.

The accident scene is about 150 miles (241 kilometers) northeast of Helena and about 30 miles (48 kilometers) from the Canadian border.

Amtrak CEO Bill Flynn expressed condolences to those who lost loved ones and said the company is working with the NTSB, Federal Railroad Administration and local law enforcement, sharing their sense of urgency to determine what happened.

The NTSB will identify the cause or causes of this accident, and Amtrak commits to taking appropriate actions to prevent a similar accident in the future, Flynn said in the statement.

Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte said BNSF was readying replacement track for when the NTSB gives the go-head. BNSF has assured me they can get the line up and running in short order, he said.

Railroad safety expert David Clarke, director of the Center for Transportation Research at the University of Tennessee, said accident scene photos show the derailment occurred at or near a switch, which is where the railway goes from a single track to a double track.

Clarke said the two locomotives and two cars at the front of the train reached the split and continued on the main track, but the remaining eight cars derailed. He said it was unclear if some of the last cars moved onto the second track.

Did the switch play some role? It might have been that the front of the train hit the switch and it started fish-tailing and that flipped the back part of the train, Clarke said.

Another possibility was a defect in the rail, Clarke said, noting that regular testing doesnt always catch such problems. He said speed was not a likely factor because trains on that line have systems that prevent excessive speeds and collisions.

Matt Jones, a BNSF Railway spokesman said at a news conference that the track where the accident occurred was last inspected Thursday.

Because of the derailment, Sundays westbound Empire Builder from Chicago will terminate in St. Paul, Minnesota, and the eastbound train will originate in Minnesota.

Most of those on the train were treated and released for their injuries, but five who were more seriously hurt remained at the Benefis Health System hospital in Great Falls, Montana, said Sarah Robbin, Liberty County emergency services coordinator. Two were in the intensive care unit, a hospital spokeswoman said.

Another two people were at Logan Health, a hospital in Kalispell, Montana, spokeswoman Melody Sharpton said.

Robbin said emergency crews struggled without success to cut open cars with special tools, so they did have to manually carry out many of the passengers that could not walk.

Liberty County Sheriff Nick Erickson said the names of the dead would not be released until relatives are notified.

Robbin said nearby residents rushed to offer help when the derailment occurred.

We are so fortunate to live where we do, where neighbors help neighbors, she said.

The locals have been so amazing and accommodating, passenger Jacob Cordeiro said on Twitter. They provided us with food, drinks, and wonderful hospitality. Nothing like it when the best comes together after a tragedy.

Cordeiro, who is from Rhode Island, just graduated from college and was traveling with his father to Seattle to celebrate.

I was in one of the front cars and we got badly jostled, thrown from one side of the train to the other, he told MSNBC. He said the car left the tracks, but did not fall over.

Im a pretty big guy and it picked me up from my chair and threw me into one wall and then threw me into the other wall, Cordeiro said.

Chester Councilwoman Rachel Ghekiere said she and others helped about 50 to 60 passengers who were brought to a school..

A grocery store in Chester, about 5 miles (8 kilometers) from the derailment, and a nearby religious community provided food, she said.

Allan Zarembski, director of the University of Delawares Railway Engineering and Safety Program, said he didnt want to speculate but suspected the derailment stemmed from an issue with the train track, equipment, or both.

Railways have virtually eliminated major derailments by human error after the implementation of positive train control nationwide, Zarembski said. He said NTSB findings could take months.

Bob Chipkevich, who oversaw railroad crash investigations for several years at the NTSB, said the agency wont rule out human error or any other potential causes for now.

There are still human performance issues examined by NTSB to be sure that people doing the work are qualified and rested and doing it properly, Chipkevich said.

Chipkevich said track conditions have historically been a significant cause of train accidents and noted most of the track Amtrak uses is owned by freight railroads and must depend on those companies for safety maintenance.

___

Bellisle reported from Seattle and Snow reported from Phoenix. Associated Press writers Tom Krisher in Detroit and Michelle Liu in Columbia, South Carolina, contributed reporting.

___

This story has been corrected to show that the train was traveling from Chicago to Seattle. Also corrects Minneapolis to St. Paul, Minnesota, where the Amtrak station is located.
Copyright  2021 Albuquerque Journal

Albuquerque veterinarian Diana DeBlanc is stuck on rhinos.

She cant really explain where her fascination for the mammoth, horned beasts started. She remembers drawing pictures of them when she was a young child.

But she knows when she got hooked for good. She was a veterinary student at Colorado State University in Fort Collins when a baby rhinoceros was brought in from the Denver Zoo. The young animal had a fatal disease and could not be saved.

But it gave me my first hands-on opportunity to work with rhino, she said. And that was that.

Soon, DeBlanc will embark on her third trip since 2017 to South Africa, where 90% of the worlds rhinos live. On this trip, as in the previous two, she will strive to care for and preserve a rhinoceros population about to be poached into extinction.

Rhinos are being killed in unprecedented numbers so that their horns, believed by some cultures to possess potent medicinal properties, can be sold for huge sums on the black market. Also endangered are young rhinos left orphans by the poachers guns.

In 2017, there were 18,000 white rhino and 2,500 black rhino at Kruger (National Park in South Africa), DeBlanc said. This year, there are 3,500 white rhino at Kruger and 250 black rhino. If we dont stand to action, we are facing the extinction of rhinos in five years.

African adventure

DeBlanc was born in Gallup and grew up there among pets that included rabbits, hamsters, a lot of dogs, cats, a horse and reptiles, but no rhinos.

When she was 6, she told her father, a physician, that she wanted to have a pet shop when she grew up.

The next day, he found a reason to take one of our animals to the veterinarian, and he had the vet talk to me, DeBlanc said.

Change of plan. DeBlanc started visiting that vet to watch animal doctors in action. When she was 14 or 15, she went to work there.

She earned her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from Colorado State in 1995 and worked in mixed-animal practices until 2003, when she opened Performance Equine Veterinary Services, which focuses on horses and mules.

Her African adventure started in 2017 when she revealed to members of her book club that she wanted to work with rhinos. One of the clubs members found a volunteer opportunity for DeBlanc at the Care for Wild Rhino Sanctuary in South Africa. She was there for a couple weeks in 2017.

Mostly, I was shoveling rhino poo and feeding young rhinos, she said in an interview at her North Valley home. But they knew I was a vet, so whenever a horse or a dog (used in anti-poaching patrols) needed looking at, theyd ask me.

And she had a bit of an adventure on that first excursion into South Africa.

They would turn these 21 older rhinos out into the protection zone during the day and ask who wanted to walk the 21 in later, DeBlanc said. Who wouldnt want to go for a walk with rhinos? On the way out, they showed us these mambas (highly venomous snakes) climbing into trees.

Rhinos can be extremely dangerous and unpredictable, so DeBlanc was warned that if during the walk in with the 21, she was told to run, she should do that as fast as she could and climb the nearest tree.

But they had just said there were mambas in the trees, DeBlanc said. On the way in, a female rhino turned around and started pawing like a bull. They yelled Run! and I did. I could feel the ground trembling under this 6,000-pound animal.

She got to and up a tree. If there were any mambas in residence, they kept to themselves.

The hardest work

In 2018, Care for the Wild reached out to DeBlanc and offered her a job as the sanctuarys veterinarian for several months. She would be responsible not just for the rhinos but for the dogs, horses and any other animals in the sanctuarys care. She accepted and was there from late May through August 2019.

It was some of the hardest work I have ever done, she said. I took care of all of the animals, but the rhinos were my primary concern, their feeding and medicines. You work 12 days in a row, 10 to 12 hours a day, before getting a day off. You get tired. I figured I worked 82 of the 89 days I was there.

May through August is South Africas winter.

It gets dark at 6 p.m., and it gets cold, cold. Even freezing, she said. But by 10 a.m., its not bad, getting into the 70s. Its high-desert terrain, very similar to New Mexico, except it gets a lot more rain. I love it.

Both white and black rhinos are at the Care for Wild sanctuary. Despite their names, both species are gray or brownish. The primary distinction is the shape of the animals lips. The white rhino has a flat broad mouth used for grazing, and the black rhino has a pointed mouth useful for pulling leaves and twigs from trees and plants. Both species have two horns, but the South African black rhinos two horns often grow to the same length, making it an especially desirable target for poaching.

In addition to rhinos, the Care for Wild sanctuary is home to zebras, giraffes, wildebeest, warthogs, two lions and two hippos.

Hippos are more dangerous than rhinos, DeBlanc said. They are huge and surprisingly fast, and they have better eyesight than rhinos. I would go hiking and see there were baboons all around and how big they were.

Many of Africas creatures are dangerous, but perhaps there are none more deadly in South Africa today than poachers.

Grisly work

Vietnam and China are the chief markets for rhino horns, DeBlanc said. The horns, ground into a powder, are sold as cures for everything from gout to sexual dysfunction. She said rhino horn powder is sometimes mixed with cocaine to kick up the value of the drug.

Ounce for ounce, rhino horn is as valuable as gold on the black market. DeBlanc said a large horn could sell for as much as $1 million.

But thats what the people at the top of pile pull in. DeBlanc said the South African poachers, usually a team of three, get about $25,000 for a team or $8,000-plus each for their grisly work. Still, thats a fortune in a country with the highest unemployment rate in the world.

One of the primary methods used by people working to save rhinos from poaching is cutting off the rhinos horns so that poachers might not consider them worth killing.

Next month in South Africa, DeBlanc will travel from Kragga Gamma Game Park to Care for the Wild Rhino Sanctuary. But as much as she cherishes being in the field and taking a hands-on role in caring for rhinos, DeBlanc understands the need to raise money. She donated all her pay for her three months of work at Care for the Wild in 2019 to the sanctuary.

In 2020, she started doing public speaking to raise money for the Council of Contributors, an organization dedicated to funding efforts to protect and preserve rhinos.

Im always fundraising, she said.

As important as that is, she believes that bringing attention to the rhinos plight is just as vital.

Three rhinos are killed at Kruger National Park every day, she said. If we can bring awareness to these endangered animals, all the better.

WANT TO HELP?

Diana DeBlanc, Albuquerque large-animal veterinarian and advocate for rhinos, suggests that people who want to help save rhinos from extinction go to the website of the Council of Contributors, councilofcontributors.com. The site offers a way to donate money to the cause.
LEAD/COAL STUDY EYE-POPPING: The data comes courtesy of constant reader Bob Anderson of the Lead Coal Safety Brigade.

And even to veteran Albuquerque drivers, its pretty shocking.

Bob shared a copy of the Rest-in-Red Feasibility report done by Lee Engineering for the city of Albuquerque this summer. Rest-in-Red refers to having an intersection all-red when there is no traffic so it can immediately respond with a green signal when a vehicle pulls up. In laymans terms, the signal will stay red if it clocks your approaching vehicle speeding, meaning you will have to stop moving altogether.

Well, unless you run red lights, that is. Not unheard of in Albuquerque. But back to the study, which looked at speeding on Lead and Coal in January and February of this year as well as crash da

ta from 2014 to 2018 on those corridors.

SPEED: The posted speed limit on these corridors is 30 mph. Yet during the days speed was measured for the study, vehicles were clocked on Lead going 57, 86, even 104 mph. On Coal they hit 62, 92, even 141 mph.

CRASHES: The study found that on Lead, the intersections at University, Girard and Yale experienced the most significant number of crashes with 74, 64 and 62 crashes, respectively. On Coal, the intersections at Yale and University experienced the most significant number of crashes with 77 and 74 crashes, respectively. The top contributing factors were driver inattention, failure to yield right of way, following too closely, and improper backing. The study says the intersections of Lead and Girard/Yale/Cedar and Coal and Girard/Carlisle/Yale had crash rates two to three times the mean.

Its up to city leaders to decide if the studys recommended intersection upgrades at $30,000 to $56,000 a pop will slow drivers down and get them to pay attention. But given the data who can argue the status quo is OK?

WHY ONLY TURNS ONTO I-25 ON ARROW? Virginia Myers, asks in an email why are left turns from San Mateo/Osuna and the Pan American Frontage Road onto Interstate 25 south allowed only on a green arrow, even when there is no on-coming traffic?

Virginia says this is causing a major back-up issue on San Mateo, with traffic trying to get on I-25 and traffic getting off I-25 during rush hour because the green arrow doesnt last that long. I dont know if many traffic accidents were occurring there. I never saw any accidents. On weekend mornings the wait is ridiculous because there is no on-coming traffic. Wouldnt a better solution be to have a blinking yellow arrow light that would allow traffic to turn to get onto I-25 when there is no on-coming traffic like  on Second and Alameda? If thats not possible, how about a longer time for the green-turn arrow?

Apparently, there were a lot of crashes, but changes could be on the way.

Kimberly Gallegos of the New Mexico Department of Transportations District 3 office says, The decision to modify the signal phasing was coordinated between the city of Albuquerque and DOT. The reason was due to number and type of crashes that have been occurring at the intersection. The NMDOT traffic section will review the location and look at modifying the signal phasing, such as (a) length of green time, (b) change from a protected-only leading left turn to a protected-only lagging left turn, (c) change Time of Day plan, etc. DOT will make the observation and see how this works, once these modifications are made.

FYI the reference to leading and lagging means the arrow comes before, or after, the regular green signal.

FIXES FOR U.S. 550: Karen A. emails, My husband has been driving on U.S. 550 for nearly 50 years and has witnessed the continued deterioration of 550 from Aztec to the Colorado state line to a point where it has become a disgrace to our state. Many out-of-state travelers use this road. It has to be one of the worst sections of any highway in the state. Any plans to resurface that stretch of 550 in the near future?

Jim Murray, public information officer for state Department of Transportations District 5, says yes. We are aware of the deteriorated condition of that stretch of U.S. 550, and it is very high on our list of repaving projects. As soon as funding becomes available, we will be putting this project out to bid. We are hoping that this will occur within the next 12 months.
About $7 million worth of environmentally friendly upgrades will be made to the Albuquerque International Sunport  part of a nationwide project by the Federal Aviation Administration to make airports more sustainable.

In Albuquerque, the money will fund zero-emissions passenger shuttle buses and charging stations, as well as more environmentally friendly units that power and pump air into taxiing planes.

This is a great example of how we can power our economic recovery by also meeting our responsibility on climate, said Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M. Im proud to welcome this major investment in the Sunport that will support cleaner air over Albuquerque, reduce carbon pollution, and help a critical economic driver for our state build back better from the pandemic.

The entire project funds about $431 million worth of upgrades to airports across the country.

Some of the money comes from COVID-19 relief packages, which directed money to help airports rebound after the pandemic slowed air travel.

HOUSING EFFORT: New Mexico Rep. Melanie Stansbury this week joined dozens of progressives in Congress by co-sponsoring legislation that would extend an eviction moratorium for renters until the end of the COVID-19 public health emergency.

The Keeping Renters Safe Act of 2021 would clarify a federal law to give the secretary of the Health and Human Services Department the authority to issue such a moratorium. Last month, the Supreme Court struck down a Biden administration order extending the eviction moratorium. The bills sponsors are Rep. Cori Bush, D-Mo., and Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass.

Housing is a fundamental human right, like access to food and water. Hundreds of thousands of Americans are facing evictions due to the pandemic. Ensuring families can stay housed is a matter of public health and basic human decency. Having grown up in a community where so many struggle and having seen these challenges firsthand, I know how crucial this legislation is, Stansbury, who grew up in Albuquerque, said in a news release. 

In August, Stansbury posted a video to Twitter in which she made an emotional plea to the president to extend the eviction moratorium. In the video, she recalled childhood experiences with housing and food insecurity, including months she spent sleeping in a tent in a friends backyard after her mother had an accident and lost her job.

Julia Friedmann, a spokeswoman for Stansbury, said that extending the moratorium would give renters more time to access rental assistance money. She also said landlords who depend on rent checks can access aid packaged in COVID relief bills that was designed to help small landlords.

Friedmann said that $46 billion in rental assistance was made available for renters, but much of that money hasnt yet reached those who need it.

Ryan Boetel: rboetel@abqjournal.com
PHOENIX  Hundreds of thousands of drivers will be getting $32 refund checks from the Arizona Department of Transportation.

About 200,000 checks are going out in the mail this month, worth about $6.6 million, according to ADOT.

The Arizona Republic reported that the refunds involve a controversial public safety fee that was part of vehicle registration costs that was approved three years ago and later rescinded.

Sen. Michelle Ugenti-Rita, R-Scottsdale, told the newspaper that she added the refunds into the state budget for people who paid the fee in June because ADOT should not have charged it that month after its repeal.

It is completely inappropriate for the legislative branch to give taxing authority to an agency, Ugenti-Rita said of the fee. There are a whole host of reasons this was just bad news all around.

Legislators approved the fee in 2018 to pay for the Arizona Department of Public Safety, which runs the state Highway Patrol.

Funding for the department previously had come from money that otherwise would have paid for road repairs and upgrades.

The fee initially was estimated to be $18 a year and was intended to free up money for road repairs. But the amount of the fee was not set in law and was left to ADOT to determine.

After ADOT announced the fee amount of $32, public outcry swelled and Ugenti-Rita and other lawmakers rescinded it the following year.

But the 2019 law repealing the fee left it in place for fiscal 2020 and fiscal 2021. The money all went to the Department of Public Safety and not ADOT.

The states fiscal year runs from July to June. People who register their vehicle in June have valid registrations through the end of June.

Ugenti-Rita said ADOT should have stopped charging the fee at the end of May, according to the Republic.

ADOT still charged the fee to those registering in June. Those people had registrations that were valid through June 30 and should not have paid the fee, Ugenti-Rita said.

Ugenti-Rita said she brought it to the attention of the Governors Office and received Gov. Doug Duceys approval to include refunds for those June registrations added to the state budget.

ADOT spokesman Douglas Pacey said processing the 200,000 refunds is about four-five months worth of work condensed into one month.

He said ADOT had to lease an additional printer to prepare the checks.

They are the ones that messed up, Ugenti-Rita said of the agency. They never should have charged the fee to begin with.
TUCSON, Ariz.  An inmate at the Pima County jail in Tucson has died after being hospitalized for COVID-19, according to authorities.

County sheriffs officials said the inmate was taken to a hospital on Sept. 6 after testing positive for the virus.

Deputies were told Saturday afternoon that the man he had been pronounced dead.

Sheriffs officials saiy the inmates name is being withheld until his relatives are notified.

They said the man was booked into jail on July 25 after being extradited from Maine to Pima County for two probation-violation warrants on narcotics charges.
BRIGHTON, Colo.  A man suspected of shooting and wounding a Littleton officer several days ago has been arrested following a standoff.

The officer, David Snook, remained hospitalized Saturday.

The Brighton Police Department wrote in a Facebook post that they received a tip Friday that the suspect was inside a home in the area, and when officers arrived, someone barricaded themselves inside. Officers negotiated with the man for seven hours until he was arrested without incident, authorities said.

Rigoberto Valles Dominguez, 33, was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder of two Littleton police officers, Snook and Cpl. Jeff Farmer, authorities said in a statement. It wasnt immediately known if Dominguez has an attorney to comment on his behalf, and he could not be immediately reached for comment.

The shooting happened in Littleton on Monday night, as Snook and Farmer responded to a report of shots fired. They were chasing a suspect when the man turned and shot several times toward the officers, according to the Littleton Police Department. Snook was hit three times in the chest, arm and leg before Farmer and another officer were able to move him to a police vehicle and get him to the hospital for treatment.
LAS VEGAS  As Chad Taylor looked toward the Callville Bay Marina Lounge from a houseboat on Lake Mead, he reflected on a much different time.

In the mid-1990s, the building was right at the waters edge. Today, its nearly a quarter-mile (half-kilometer) from the shoreline.

Taylor, whose father was then general manager of the marina, works as marketing director for Lake Mead Mohave Adventures, a boat rental and recreation company that sets customers up for getaways on Lake Mead and Lake Mohave.

Lake Mead, which is fed by the Colorado River, is at its lowest water level since Hoover Dam was completed and the reservoir filled in the 1930s.

The water level now is 1,067 feet (325.2 meters) above sea level, about 35% of capacity, according to the federal Bureau of Reclamation. A pronounced bathtub ring of mineral deposits shows the decrease since the lake level peaked at 1,225 feet (373.4 meters) in 1983.

At Callville Bay, the receding water recently revealed a small boat that once sank below the surface of the lake and has now reemerged.

Who knows what history is in this boat, Taylor said. With the water levels going down, theres new things and places to explore.

After inspecting the boat, Taylor climbed onto a dock, which was being taken apart, piece by piece like a Lego set, so it can be moved farther into the lake. Its a continuous process for a crew of several dock workers, some of whom were contracted by Lake Mead Mohave Adventures for the sole purpose of playing dock dominoes.

Part of the process involves lifting dock anchors with a crane on a boat. The anchors weigh thousands of pounds.

Every one of the screws in these pieces of dock were put in by hand, Taylor said. I used to do that as a kid, all day, every day for months.

Moving docks can get expensive for the company, but sales have increased since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic in early 2020, Taylor said.

When COVID hit, people decided they wanted to get outside more. Groups started coming and they havent really stopped coming, he said. Our summer season last year, we ran that all the way into November because of demand.

This year has been different because many families returned their children to traditional in-person schools, Taylor said. That has meant less time for outdoor adventures.

From a business standpoint, were doing fantastic, Taylor said. Were just having to work tirelessly to ensure access on a daily basis. What the water levels are doing, thats a daily thought for us. Well work for the next six or eight months, a full-time crew of people, to move this dock.

Lake Mead Mohave Adventures is not the only business that has had to adjust to lower water levels at Lake Mead and on the Colorado River.

In Laughlin, Bre Chiodini, owner of Laughlin River Tours and another business that rents out personal watercraft, said shes had to reduce some operations because of river levels, which are controlled by the Bureau of Reclamation.

If the water stops flowing, everything stops moving down here, Chiodini said. Were completely dependent on the Colorado River. Most of our businesses, hotels, resorts, casinos, other businesses, they hinge on the river. Its scary when you move, like we are now, from drought contingency plans to drought restriction plans.

Chiodini runs her businesses with her husband, Trevor Chiodini. Theyre keeping an eye on river levels, which can change daily, but are also investing in their businesses.

They recently paid more than $2 million for a new tour boat to replace their 112-passenger dinner cruise craft named Celebration. But their success depends on a thriving Colorado.

It could get to the point where we cant run our businesses, Bre Chiodini said. Its scary to think about the future of the river. Were supposed to take delivery of our new boat next year.

Next year, the Bureau of Reclamation will reduce water deliveries to Nevada, Arizona and Mexico. Thats largely because a good chunk of the Western U.S. is in a 20-plus-year drought.

The topic of who gets water and how much is both heated and complicated, and thats not expected to change anytime soon.

The Colorado River Basin, an area covering close to 250,000 square miles (647,500 square kilometers), provides drinking water and irrigation for millions of people in seven Western states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming.

According to bureau figures, the farmed acres fed by the Colorados waters are responsible for about 60% of the nations supply of vegetables and about 25% of the countrys fresh fruit and nut crops.

But the restrictions enacted in an effort to sustain the river will clamp down on how much water can be used.

The reduced deliveries next year are expected to add about 3 feet of water to Lake Mead, said Patti Aaron, a spokeswoman for the Bureau of Reclamation. The snowpack in the Rocky Mountains serves as the primary source, 90% or more, of water for the Colorado River. Every drop of rain we get is great, but that does not make a big difference.

With the unpredictable nature of how the continued effects of climate change will affect the Colorado Rivers water sources, its a waiting game to see if the bureau enacts more restrictions.

Were now in our 22nd year of drought, and we dont know when thats going to end, Aaron said. Certainly, we hope that comes to an end. We hope to have a wetter period soon.

At Desert Adventures, a Boulder City-based company that offers outdoor recreation packages like kayak tours on Lake Mead, Dominique Ianni said business had been steady, although some out-of-town groups have canceled in recent months because of worries about COVID-19.

Weve gotten a lot of people who wouldnt normally be on the water, Ianni said. At times during the pandemic, its been very busy. Business has been up and down. The water level on the lake has been very noticeable, though. Its very noticeable from even just a few months ago.

Back at Callville Bay, Taylor, a self-described optimist, said he believes Mother Nature would allow Lake Mead to refill at some point.

If the lake keeps receding, though, Taylor said, Lake Mead Mohave Adventures will simply keep moving those pieces of dock.

There are people making plans now at many different levels, Taylor said. Everybody is on the case now. We just dont know what tomorrow will bring at this point. If you go out to the middle of that lake, theres still a lot of water out there. Were renting boats every day. As fast as they come back, they go right back out.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala.  A nonprofit organization that documents the history of LGBTQ people in the South has been awarded a $600,000 grant for work in Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi and the Florida Panhandle.

The Birmingham-based Invisible Histories Project, established in 2016, said it received the funding through The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. The money will help the organization expand its collections, do more work in the community and increase access and diversity, the group said in a statement.

There are so many LGBTQ histories that are sitting in closets, attics, basements and storage spaces all over the Deep South. Without the intervention of IHP they will remain there until they are lost or destroyed, Josh Burford, a co-founder and the head archivist, said in a statement.

Drawing heavily on members of the LGBTQ community who saved items for years, the organization said it has gathered 75 collections in Alabama, 20 in Mississippi and five in Georgia. With progress slowed by the coronavirus pandemic, the group said it plans to expand into the Panhandle region late next year or in 2023.

The group is planning its next Queer History South conference, Archives for All, Yall, in February in Dallas.
TUCSON, Ariz.  Over a dozen B-1 bombers decommissioned by the Air Force have been flown to a so-called boneyard in Arizona.

The last of the 13 bombers destined for storage or disposal at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson arrived Thursday after being flown from a base in California, an Air Force statement said.

The Air Force decommissioned a total of 17 B-1s, with the other four going to various locations for testing and other purposes.

With the retirements of 17 of the B-1 bombers, 45 others remain in the Air Forces active inventory.

In addition, four of the B-1s sent to Davis-Monthan will be stored in a manner that would allow them to put back into use if needed.

The Air Force said retiring some of its B-1s will allow it to give more attention to remaining B-1s to increase their readiness while the service transitions to a bomber fleet consisting of only two types of aircraft  rebuilt B-52s and a new model, the B-21.
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti  Youre lucky, the U.S. officials said. Youre going to see your family.

The authorities had called out numbers corresponding to raffle-like tickets the Haitians had been issued when they were detained after crossing the border into Texas. As each number was called, another bedraggled immigrant stood up.

Everyone was happy, recalled Jhon Celestin. But I was not happy. I saw it was a lie.

The prize was a one-way trip back to the place they had so desperately wanted to escape. And so it was that Celestin arrived in Haiti aboard the last flight Wednesday to the capital of Port-au-Prince, a city the 38-year-old left three years ago in search of a better-paying job to help support his family.

He is among some 2,000 migrants that the U.S. expelled to Haiti this week via more than 17 flights, with more scheduled in upcoming days. Staying in Haiti is not an option for many of them. Like Celestin, they plan to flee their country again as soon as they can.

It had stopped drizzling as Celestin left the airport and stepped out into streets choked with dust and smoke, carrying a bag in one hand and his 2-year-old daughter in the other.

Chloe, born in Chile, looked around quietly at her new surroundings as Celestin and his wife asked to borrow someones phone to call a taxi. It would be more expensive, but they didnt want their toddler riding on a motorcycle  a common means of transport in city where vehicles must veer around smoldering garbage dumps, heavy traffic and the occasional burning barricade.

After a 35-minute ride, they arrived at a house whose basement they would share with a cousin who had been expelled from the U.S. the day before. The home is located a couple blocks away from where 15 people were killed in a shooting rampage in June, including a journalist and political activist. Among those charged was a police officer.

This is not what I imagined, being here, said Celestins wife, 26-year-old Delta de Leon, who was born in the Dominican Republic to a Dominican father and a Haitian mother. But here I am, although I hope to leave soon because the one thing Ive never wanted for my daughter is for her to grow up here.

Haiti has more than 11 million people; about 60% make less than $2 a day. A cornerstone of its economy is money from Haitians living abroad  $3.8 billion a year, or 35% of the countrys GDP.

The Haiti to which the migrants are returning is more violent, more impoverished and more politically unstable than the one they left. It is struggling to recover from the July 7 assassination of President Jovenel Moise and from a 7.2-magnitude earthquake that struck southern Haiti in August, killing more than 2,200 people and destroying or damaging tens of thousands of homes. Thousands of people live in squalid shelters after their homes were razed in recent months as a result of rampant gang violence.

Celestin and his wife dont plan on staying long.

On his first day back in Haiti, Celestin spent several hours sprawled on the queen-sized bed he shared with his wife and daughter. He chatted on the phone with his sister, who lives in Chile, and with friends elsewhere as he planned his familys departure. He paused only to get a haircut and to figure out how to pick up a money transfer, since he had previously sent all his identification documents to his family in Miami in hopes he would be reunited with them with this month.

The new plan is to return to Chile, where he built homes as a construction worker after obtaining a visa. With the pandemic drying up jobs and freezing the economy, the family decided to try their luck at the U.S.-Mexico border, traveling by foot, bus and boat at night for about a month.

What hurt me the most, what frustrated me the most, was the dead people I saw, migrants who died along the way, said de Leon.

The toll of that trip, the conditions at the border and the recent deportation flight with a sick child  Chloe had developed an incessant cough while the family camped under a Texas bridge  meant de Leon didnt sleep much her first night in Haiti.

I cried because I dont want to be here, she said.

De Leon intends to cross the border into the Dominican Republic with her daughter as soon as possible to reunite with her father, sister and brother while her husband flies ahead to Chile.

But first, the family planned to go to the coastal city of Jacmel in southern Haiti to see more relatives, a risky trip because it entailed crossing gang-controlled territory. Buses often form convoys for safety, and sometimes pay gangs for safe passage. The violence in that neighborhood has reached such high levels that Doctors Without Borders recently closed its clinic there after 15 years.

Breakfast on that first morning in Haiti consisted of spaghetti and bits of avocado. Normally, Chloe has milk and fruit, but de Leon said she was waiting on a money transfer to buy some basic food items. She worried about her daughters health, and about her future.

The future I want for her is a better life, a more comfortable one, the kind a poor person can give their children, she said. If that life has to be in the United States, so be it. If it has to be in Chile, let it be in Chile. But let it be a better life.

On their second day in Haiti, the couple decided to take the risk and go to Jacmel. A minibus waited as Celestin and de Leon grabbed their bags and put on new shoes they had bought earlier that morning: black-and-white sneakers for him, white sandals for her.

Na pale! Celestins cousin called out to them in Creole  Well talk! And the couple boarded the minibus, placing their little girl between them as they embarked on the treacherous road to Jacmel.

___

Coto reported from San Juan, Puerto Rico.
WASHINGTON  Gen. Mark Milley has been the target of more political intrigue and debate in two years as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff than any of his recent predecessors were in four. One after another, firestorms have ignited around him  unusual for an officer who by law is a whisperer to presidents and by custom is careful to stay above the fray.

From racial injustice and domestic extremism to nuclear weapons and the fitness of Donald Trump as commander in chief, Milley has become entangled in politically charged issues, regularly thrusting him into the news headlines.

Milley is expected to face tough questioning on those and other issues when he testifies with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin at a Senate hearing Tuesday and a House panel Wednesday. The hearings originally were meant to focus on the Afghanistan withdrawal and the chaotic evacuation from Kabul airport last month.

But since then, Milley has come under fire from Republicans for his portrayal in a new book as having taken unusual  some say illegal  steps to guard against Trump potentially starting a war with China or Iran or ordering an unprovoked nuclear attack in the final months of his presidency. Milley was reported to have agreed with House Speaker Nancy Pelosis assertion in a January phone call that Trump was crazy.

Even during Milleys swing through Europe last week, headlines dogged him and reporters quizzed him. Mostly he batted questions away or buried them in detailed historical precedent.

Burly and square-jawed, with a bushy slash of eyebrows over often mischievous eyes, Milley is quick with a quip and frequently a curse. Born in a Boston suburb, Milley has Irish roots and an oversized personality that belies a sharp intellect and a penchant for digging deep into military history. The Princeton-educated Milley often meets simple questions with a deep dive into history that can reach as far back as the Greeks, cover long stretches of both world wars, and expound upon the context and concepts of war.

So as he faced accusations of disloyalty for what the book Peril, by Bob Woodward and Robert Costa, reported as assurances to a Chinese general that he would warn him of a U.S. attack, Milley gripped his identity as a soldier who answers to civilian leaders. He declined to make his case in the media, instead telling reporters that he will lay out his answers directly to Congress. His only brief comments have been that the calls with the Chinese were routine and within the duties and responsibilities of his job.

I think its best that I reserve my comments on the record until I do that in front of the lawmakers who have the lawful responsibility to oversee the U.S. military, Milley said. Ill go into any level of detail Congress wants to go into.

While some in Congress have charged that he overstepped his authority, President Joe Biden has stood by him.

Loren Thompson, a longtime observer of the U.S. defense establishment as chief operating officer of the nonprofit Lexington Institute, says Milley is a victim of Washingtons extreme partisanship and perhaps of his own efforts to shape his public image.

His views and descriptions of his behavior behind closed doors, pop up too frequently in tell-all books like the Woodward and Costa book, Thompson said. So perhaps Milley has taken a more active approach to trying to shape his image, and that has not served him well.

Not all of Milleys controversies have been related to Trump. At a House hearing in June, Milley passionately defended the militarys openness to allowing young officers to study ideas they might not agree with, such as critical race theory, and he said he wanted to understand white rage and the motivations of those who participated in the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol.

Joint Chiefs chairmen traditionally keep a low public profile. Of the 19 who preceded Milley, none was fired, nor does it appear he will be. Among recent chairmen, only Marine Gen. Peter Pace served fewer than four years when the George W. Bush administration did not tap him for another two-year term, citing the divisiveness of his association with the Iraq war.

Created in 1949, the job of chairman is to advise the president and the defense secretary. By law, the chairman commands no troops. The role has grown in public prominence during the two decades of U.S. warfighting in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Milley commanded troops during tours in both wars. Those battles, where he lost many soldiers, helped chart his path as he rose from an armor officer in 1980 to Army chief of staff 35 years later.

His move into the chairmans office on Sept. 30, 2019, came with an unusual twist.

Nearly a year before he was sworn in and just days before James Mattis resigned as defense secretary, Trump announced that Milley was his choice to succeed Gen. Joseph Dunford as chairman. The timing was unusually early in Dunfords tenure, and it may have had as much to do with Trumps antagonism toward Mattis as his belief that Milley was right for the job.

Thats how Trump described it when he lashed out at Milley this summer following reports that Milley had feared last year that Trump might use the military in a coup. Trump said he picked him as chairman to spite Mattis, who he believed didnt like Milley. In fact, Mattis had recommended the Air Forces top general for the job, not Milley.

Milleys gregarious nature might have initially appealed to Trump, but he soon soured on him. In June 2020, Milley privately opposed Trumps talk of invoking the Insurrection Act to put active-duty troops in the streets of Washington to counter protests sparked by the killing by Minneapolis police of a Black man, George Floyd.

Milley also expressed public regret at being part of a Trump entourage that strolled across Lafayette Square on June 1, 2020, to be positioned near a church where Trump held up a Bible for photographers. Critics hit Milley for appearing to be a political pawn. Days later, Milley said he had made a big mistake. Through the months that followed, he seemed at risk of being sacked by Trump.

In the book I Alone Can Fix It, Washington Post reporters Carol Leonnig and Philip Rucker reported that on the day President Joe Biden was sworn in, Milley expressed relief to former first lady Michelle Obama.

No one has a bigger smile today than I do, Milley said.
WASHINGTON  President Joe Bidens national security adviser Jake Sullivan is traveling to Saudi Arabia on Monday to meet with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as the U.S. presses for a cease-fire in the yearslong war between the kingdom and Houthi rebels in Yemen.

Sullivan will be the highest-ranking Biden administration official to visit Saudi Arabia. Besides seeing the crown prince, often referred to by his initials, MBS, Sullivan is expected to meet with deputy defense minster Khalid bin Salman, a brother to the crown prince, according to two senior administration officials. The officials were not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity.

The Biden White House has largely steered clear of the crown prince since making public in February a CIA report that showed MBS likely approved the killing of Washington Post columnist and Saudi critic Jamal Khashoggi in a 2018 operation at the kingdoms consulate in Istanbul.

But the White House has resolved that bringing an end to perhaps the worlds most complex conflict cant be done without engaging with the most senior Saudi officials face to face, one senior administration official said.

National Security Council spokesperson Emily Horne said Sullivan was traveling to Riyadh on Monday and would also visit the United Arab Emirates, a Saudi ally in the war, but did not provide additional details. Axios first reported that Sullivan was planning on traveling to the region.

Sullivan is being dispatched at a moment when the situation in Yemen, the Arab worlds poorest country, has further deteriorated. Fighting has intensified in the key city of Marib, as Iran-backed rebels have sought to oust the Saudi-backed government from the oil-rich city in the countrys north.

International efforts to end the war have been fruitless. Tim Lenderking, the U.S. special envoy for Yemen, called out the Houthis in July for continuing to refuse to engage meaningfully on a cease-fire and political talks. Saudi Arabia offered a cease-fire proposal to Yemens Houthi rebels earlier this year as it looked to rehabilitate its image with the Biden administration.

The Saudis have drawn international criticism for airstrikes killing civilians and embargoes exacerbating hunger in a nation on the brink of famine.

The new U.N. special envoy to Yemen, Hans Grundberg, recently declared that the country is stuck in an indefinite state of war and resuming negotiations to end the more than six-year conflict wont be easy.

Yemens war began in September 2014, when the Iranian-backed Houthis seized Sanaa and began a march south to try to seize the entire country. Saudi Arabia, along with the United Arab Emirates and other countries, entered the war alongside Yemens internationally recognized government in March 2015.

The U.S. sold bombs and fighter jets to Saudi Arabia that the kingdom later used in strikes on Yemen that also killed civilians. The Obama administration in 2015 initially offered U.S. targeting assistance to Saudi Arabias command-and-control operations that was supposed to minimize civilian casualties in airstrikes. It didnt, and Obama ultimately cut back on the program.

Under President Donald Trump, targeting assistance continued although his administration later stopped U.S. refueling operations for Saudi jets.

Biden announced weeks into his administration that he was ending all American support for offensive operations in the war in Yemen, including relevant arms sales. But there has been little progress on the ground in resolving what the United Nations says is the worlds worst humanitarian crisis.

White House officials are hopeful that the appointment of Grundberg will bring a new dynamic and put pressure on all sides to bring an end to the conflict, according to two senior administration officials.

Sullivan is being joined for the talks with the Saudis and the UAE by Lenderking and NSC senior director for the Middle East Brett McGurk. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin planned to travel to Saudi Arabia earlier this month while he was in the region but postponed due to what the administration said were scheduling issues.

The high-level White House push comes after Lenderking traveled to Saudi Arabia and Oman, which has pressed for an end to the war. In addition, Secretary of State Antony Blinken had talks with his counterpart members of the Gulf Cooperation Council on the margins of the U.N. General Assembly.

Sullivans visit to Saudi Arabia also comes as the administration is looking for ways to resurrect the Iran nuclear deal. The Saudis and the UAE fiercely oppose returning to the deal with Iran that was originally brokered in 2015 by the Obama administration only to be scrapped by Trump in 2018.

Addressing the U.N. General Assembly on Friday, Irans new foreign minister Hossain Amir Abdollah said the country will return to nuclear negotiations in Vienna very soon. But he accused the Biden administration of sending contradictory messages by saying it wants to rejoin the pact while slapping new sanctions on Tehran and not taking an iota of positive action.

Biden and his team have made a U.S. return to the deal  to which Britain, France, Russia, China, Germany and Iran are signatories  one of their top foreign policy priorities. But the U.S. has made limited headway in indirect talks, and Tehran has bristled at Biden administration officials call for a longer and stronger deal than the original, which expires at the end of 2030.
SAN MARINO  San Marino residents on Sunday voted overwhelmingly to legalize abortion, rejecting a 150-year-old law that had criminalized it and making the tiny republic the latest majority Catholic state to approve the procedure under certain circumstances.

Some 77% of voters approved a referendum proposal calling for abortion to be legal in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, according to official returns broadcast on San Marino RTV. Abortion would also be legal beyond that point if the womans life is in danger or if her physical or psychological health is at risk because of fetal anomalies or malformations.

With the yes votes winning, San Marinos Parliament must now draft a bill to legalize the procedure. Turnout for the referendum was 41% in the microstate of 33,000 people surrounded by Italy.

San Marino, one of the worlds oldest republics, had been one of the last European states that still criminalized abortion. With Sundays result, it now joins other predominantly Catholic states like Ireland, which legalized abortion in 2018 and neighboring Italy, where abortion has been legal since 1978. Abortion is still illegal in Malta and Andorra, and Poland introduced a near-total ban on the procedure this year.

The San Marino referendum was set after around 3,000 people signed a petition drive to overturn the microstates abortion law, which dates from 1865.

Women in San Marino seeking an abortion usually go to neighboring Italy for the procedure. But proponents of the referendum argued that put an undue financial burden on them and penalized women who got pregnant as a result of rape.

Sara Casadei of the Noi Ci Siamo campaign that pushed for a Yes vote in the referendum, was pleased with the outcome.

We supported this for the simple reason that it seemed right that women have a choice and arent forced to go somewhere else, but to have the services on our own territory, she said.

Dr. Maria Prassede Venturini, a pediatrician and representative of the Welcome Life campaign that backed a No vote, said her group would continue working for a culture welcoming life that focuses care on the two main protagonists: the mother and child.

Opponents of the measure had argued that in San Marino, even minors can receive free contraception at pharmacies, including the morning-after pill. The Catholic Church had strongly opposed the measure.

In the buildup to the vote, the bishop of San Marino, Monsignor Andrea Turazzi, said the Catholic Church was decidedly against the decriminalization initiative, though he said the campaign had raised awareness about the need to provide better services and care, especially for mothers in need.

The Vatican firmly opposes abortion, holding that human life begins at conception and that all life must be protected from conception until natural death.

For us, its inconceivable that a mother resorts to abortion because of some economic troubles, Turazzi told Vatican News.

Voter Federica Gatti said as she cast her ballot that a womans decision to terminate a pregnancy or not involves several personal, religious and moral reasons, but that the state must provide its citizens this opportunity.

___

Nicole Winfield reported from Rome.
WASHINGTON  Three Supreme Court justices delivered the same plea in rapid succession in recent days: Dont view justices as politicians.

The justices have reason to be concerned. Recent polls show a sharp drop in approval of a court now dominated by conservatives.

The call by justices Clarence Thomas, Stephen Breyer and Amy Coney Barrett for the public not to see court decisions as just an extension of partisan politics isnt new. But the timing of the recent comments is significant, just after a summer in which conservative majorities on the court prevailed over liberal dissents on abortion, immigration and evictions, and at the start of a blockbuster term.

The future of abortion rights and expansions of gun and religious rights already are on the docket. Other contentious cases could be added. The outcome in each could fracture the court along ideological lines, with the courts six conservative justices chosen by Republican presidents prevailing over its three liberals nominated by Democrats.

To some observers, the Supreme Court is facing the most serious threat to its legitimacy since its decision in Bush v. Gore two decades ago that split liberals and conservatives and effectively settled the disputed 2000 presidential election in favor of Republican George W. Bush.

I think we may have come to a turning point. If within a span of a few terms we see sweeping right-side decisions over left-side dissents on every one of the most politically divisive issues of our time  voting, guns, abortion, religion, affirmative action  perception of the court may be permanently altered, said Irv Gornstein, executive director of Georgetown Universitys Supreme Court Institute.

Paul Smith, who has argued before the court in support of LGBTQ and voting rights among other issues, said people are increasingly upset that the court is way to the right of the American people on a lot of issues.

But views of the court have dipped before, then rebounded, from a public that doesnt pay too much attention to the courts work and has trouble identifying most of the justices.

Tom Goldstein, the founder of the court-focused SCOTUSblog website who argues frequently before the justices, doubts this time will be any different. He says the court has built up an enormous font of public respect, no matter what it does.

Still, Thomas, Breyer and Barrett took aim at the perception of the court as political in recent speeches and interviews.

Breyer, the courts eldest member at 83 and leader of its diminished liberal wing, has spoken for years about the danger of viewing the court as junior league politicians.

But he acknowledged it can be difficult to counter the perception that judges are acting politically, particularly after cases like the one from Texas in which the court by a 5-4 vote refused to block enforcement of the states ban on abortions early in pregnancy. The majority was made up of three justices appointed by President Donald Trump and two other conservatives, with the three liberals and Chief Justice John Roberts in dissent.

Its pretty hard to believe when a case like those come along that were less divided than you might think, Breyer said in an interview earlier this month with The Washington Post.

Barrett echoed Breyers comments soon after.

My goal today is to convince you that this court is not comprised of a bunch of partisan hacks, the Trump nominee said in a talk in Louisville, Kentucky, at a center named for Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, who was sitting on the stage near the justice.

McConnell engineered Barretts swift confirmation just days before last years presidential election and little more than a month after the liberal icon, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, died. Barretts confirmation was arguably the most political of any member of the court. She was confirmed on a 52-48 vote, the first in modern times with no support from the minority party.

McConnells push to confirm Barrett in the final days before the election stood in contrast to his decision to hold open the seat held by Justice Antonin Scalia when Scalia died months before the election in 2016 and President Barack Obama, a Democrat, sought to name a replacement.

In an appearance a few days after Barretts, Thomas said the justices themselves were to blame for shifting perceptions of the court by taking on roles that properly belong to elected officials. The court was thought to be the least dangerous branch and we may have become the most dangerous, he said at the University of Notre Dame, where Barrett taught law for many years.

Three new polls, all conducted after the courts Texas abortion vote, have shown sharp drops in approval of the court. Just 40% of Americans approve of the court, according to the latest Gallup poll. Thats among the lowest its been since Gallup started asking that question more than 20 years ago. Approval was 49% in July.

The change in the composition of the court and the controversies over Trumps three nominees have prompted calls from liberal interest groups to expand the court and institute term limits for the justices, who have lifetime tenure under the Constitution.

At the moment, those changes seem unlikely to succeed. But one group, Demand Justice, said this past week that it is planning to spend more than $100,000 on advertising in the coming weeks to promote the idea of court expansion. And a court reform commission established by President Joe Biden is supposed to issue a report by November.

Some court-watchers think the efforts of the liberal groups, rather than the courts actions, are responsible for changing views of the justices.

I do think theres a sustained campaign to delegitimize the court that has gotten some traction on the left, said Roman Martinez, a Washington lawyer who regularly argues before the court.

At one point of another, most of the justices have talked about the importance of the court maintaining its legitimacy and the need for justices to rise above partisanship.

Every single one of us needs to realize how precious the courts legitimacy is. You know we dont have an army. We dont have any money. The only way we can get people to do what we think they should do is because people respect us, Justice Elena Kagan said at a Princeton University event around the time of Kavanaughs confirmation.

A couple of months later, Roberts spoke up in defense of judicial independence, but he did so to combat criticism of judges from Trump. After Trump described a judge who ruled against him as a biased Obama judge, Roberts memorably tangled with the president.

Roberts said: We do not have Obama judges or Trump judges, Bush judges or Clinton judges. What we have is an extraordinary group of dedicated judges doing their level best to do equal right to those appearing before them.
JERUSALEM  Israeli troops conducted a series of arrest raids against suspected Hamas militants across the occupied West Bank early Sunday, sparking a pair of gun battles in which five Palestinians were killed and two Israeli soldiers were seriously wounded.

It was the deadliest violence between Israeli forces and Palestinian militants in the West Bank in several weeks. The region has seen an increase in fighting in recent months, with tensions fueled by Israeli settlement construction, heightened militant activity in the northern West Bank and the aftermath of a bloody war between Israel and Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip last May.

The Israeli military said it had been tracking the Hamas militants for several weeks and that the raids were launched in response to immediate threats.

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said the militants were about to carry out attacks in real time. He praised the Israeli forces, saying they acted as expected. They engaged the enemy and we back them completely.

In a statement, the military said it launched five simultaneous raids and soldiers opened fire after being shot at in two locations. It said five militants were killed and several others were arrested.

It also said an officer and a soldier were seriously injured, possibly inadvertently by Israeli fire.

The Palestinian Health Ministry said two Palestinians were shot dead near the northern West Bank city of Jenin and three others were killed in Biddu, north of Jerusalem.

Hamas confirmed that four of the dead, including all three killed in Biddu, were members of the Islamic militant group. Palestinian officials said a 16-year-old boy was also among the dead, though it was not immediately known if he was a militant.

The Palestinian Authority, which administers semi-autonomous areas in the West Bank, condemned the killings and said the Israeli government was fully and directly responsible for this bloody morning and the crimes committed by the occupation forces.

But Hamas also criticized the Palestinian Authority, which maintains security coordination with Israel in a shared struggle against the Islamic group.

Hamas spokesman Abdulatif al-Qanou said that recent meetings between Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli officials encouraged the occupation again to pursue the resistance.

Hamas, which rules the Gaza Strip after seizing it from the Palestinian Authority in 2007, praised those killed as heroic martyrs. It called on its supporters to devise tactics and means that harm the enemy and drain it with all possible forms of resistance.

Also Sunday, Israel released Khalida Jarrar, a prominent Palestinian lawmaker, after nearly two years in prison. Jarrar, a senior figure in the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, has been in and out of Israeli prisons for years  often without being charged.

The PFLP has an armed wing and is considered a terrorist group by Israel and Western countries, but Jarrar has not been implicated in attacks. She was sentenced to two years in prison in March for membership in a banned group but given credit for time already served. She was freed several weeks before her sentence was to end.

Recent months have seen a rise in violence in the West Bank, with more than two dozen Palestinians killed in sporadic clashes with Israeli troops and during protests.

Many of the clashes have occurred near Beita, a Palestinian village where residents regularly demonstrate against an unauthorized settlement outpost, and near Jenin, which is known as a militant stronghold.

Last month, Israeli troops clashed with Palestinian gunmen during a late night raid in Jenin, killing four Palestinians. Sundays clashes came a week after Israel recaptured the last of six Palestinian fugitives who tunneled out of a maximum-security Israeli prison earlier this month. The escapees were from Jenin, and two were caught there after an extensive search.

Israel captured the West Bank in the 1967 Mideast war and has established dozens of settlements where nearly 500,000 settlers reside. The Palestinians seek the West Bank as part of their future state and view the settlements as a major obstacle to resolving the conflict.

Meanwhile in New York, Israels Prime Minister Naftali Bennett met Sunday evening with officials from the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain to mark this months first anniversary of Israels relations with the two Arab countries. The so-called Abraham Accords  signed under the Trump administration  have led to the opening of embassies, the launch of direct flights and a raft of agreements to boost economic ties.

Speaking to Bahraini Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani and UAE Minister of State in the Foreign Ministry Khalifa Shaheen Almarar, Bennett said he wanted to assure them of continuity of the agreements since he replaced Benjamin Netanyahu.

We believe in this relationship and we want to expand it as much as possible, Bennett said.

The Israeli prime minister is to address the U.N. General Assemblys annual meeting of world leaders on Monday morning.

___

Associated Press writer Edith M. Lederer in New York contributed to this report.
UNITED NATIONS  The dispute between Afghanistans new Taliban rulers and its former government over who should speak at the United Nations annual meeting of world leaders finally has an answer: no one.

The Taliban had challenged the credentials of the ambassador from Afghanistans former government, and asked to represent the country at this years General Assembly summit, which began Sept. 21 and ends Monday.

But all challenges to credentials must be heard by the assemblys credentials committee, which generally meets in November and did not convene earlier to hear the challenge.

U.N. spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said that as of Friday, Afghanistans currently recognized U.N. ambassador, Ghulam Isaczai, was listed as speaking for the country.

But, Dujarric told The Associated Press on Monday morning: We were notified Saturday by the Afghan Mission that they would no longer be speaking.

Afghanistan was scheduled to deliver the final address of the gathering of presidents, prime ministers, monarchs and ministers on Monday afternoon. But it was not on the list of speakers issued Monday morning.

A phone message seeking comment was left with Afghanistans U.N. mission.

The Taliban overran most of Afghanistan last month as U.S. and NATO forces were in the final stages of their chaotic withdrawal from the country after 20 years and argue that they are now in charge and have the right to represent the country at the United Nations. Isaczai represents former president Ashraf Ghanis government.

In a letter to U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, the Talibans newly appointed foreign minister, Ameer Khan Muttaqi, said Ghani was ousted as of Aug. 15 and that countries across the world no longer recognize him as president.

Therefore, Muttaqi said, Isaczai no longer represents Afghanistan and the Taliban was nominating a new U.N. permanent representative, Mohammad Suhail Shaheen. He was a spokesperson for the Taliban during peace negotiations in Qatar.

We have all the requirements needed for recognition of a government, Shaheen told the AP last Wednesday. So we hope the U.N., as a neutral world body, recognize the current government of Afghanistan.

When the Taliban last ruled from 1996 to 2001, the U.N. refused to recognize their government and instead gave Afghanistans seat to the previous, warlord-dominated government of President Burhanuddin Rabbani, who was killed by a suicide bomber in 2011. It was Rabbanis government that brought Osama bin Laden, the mastermind of 9/11, to Afghanistan from Sudan in 1996.

The Taliban have said they want international recognition and financial help to rebuild the war-battered country. But the makeup of the new Taliban government poses a dilemma for the United Nations. Several of the interim ministers  including Muttaqi  are on the U.N.s so-called blacklist of international terrorists and funders of terrorism.

When the credentials committee members do meet, they could use Taliban recognition as leverage to press for a more inclusive government that guarantees human rights, especially for girls who were barred from going to school during their previous rule, and women who werent able to work.

The committees members are the United States, Russia, China, Bahama, Bhutan, Chile, Namibia, Sierra Leone and Sweden.
Faith-based groups  many of them longtime advocates for a more welcoming immigration policy  have been scrambling to keep up with fast-paced developments in the Haitian migrant crisis, trying to assist those in need while assailing the harsh Border Patrol tactics employed against them.

Before thousands of Haitian migrants dispersed last week from a camp in the border city of Del Rio, Texas, a coalition of churches and other groups was providing them with sandwiches, water and other essentials. Since dispersing, many of the migrants have received help from faith-based groups in Houston and El Paso as they seek to connect with relatives and sponsors throughout the United States.

Immigration hardliners criticize some of the efforts by religious activists, saying their efforts encourage still more migrants to come. But those providing the assistance see it as an extension of their religious mandate to help the needy.

We are apolitical, said Carlos Villareal, a Houston-area leader in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which has mobilized volunteers at a short-term transition center in Houston to assist hundreds of migrants arriving from Del Rio.

Our concern is mainly with the families, that we can help them, Villareal said. Its also the Golden Rule  do unto others as you would have done unto you.

The transition center was set up earlier this year at the request of the White House in response to earlier migrant surges, Villareal said. It provides the families with a place to shower, have a meal, and contact sponsors who would pay for their plane or bus tickets to join them while their cases go through the immigration process.

Most of the Haitian migrants are expected to ask immigration judges for asylum or some other legal status  requests that could be denied and lead to eventual deportation.

Villareal says he encounters migrants with stories similar to that of his parents, who immigrated from Mexico in search of a better life, not to be a burden on society.

These people are just here seeking an opportunity, he said.

Mobilization of faith-based groups began almost from the start of the sudden migrant surge in Del Rio, with Haitians converging from various Latin American countries to which they had fled from their beleaguered Caribbean homeland.

Volunteers from a coalition of Christian churches and other groups in that region along the U.S.-Mexico border prepared more than 10,000 sandwiches for Haitian migrants camping under the bridge that connects Del Rio with Mexicos Ciudad Acuna, said Shon Young, president of the Val Verde Border Humanitarian Coalition.

Their work began with about 20 churches and grew to more than 100 churches and other organizations, said Young, who is associate pastor at City Church Del Rio.

His church also collected donations, and the coalition set up an Amazon wish list that included juices, hand sanitizer and snacks. The response  from U.S. and Haitian organizations and from far-flung individual donors  has been overwhelming, Young said.

The camp held more than 14,000 people at its peak. Many of the Haitian migrants are being expelled and flown back to Haiti, but many others who gathered in Del Rio have been released in the United States, according to two U.S. officials.

The Department of Homeland Security bused Haitians from Del Rio to El Paso, Laredo and the Rio Grande Valley along the Texas border, and added flights to Tucson, Arizona, one of the officials said. They are processed by the Border Patrol at those locations.

The El Paso Baptist Association has been offering migrants COVID-19 testing and providing food, clothes and a place to sleep while they contact their family members or others sponsors. Since late July, the association has assisted more than 300 migrants, most of them Haitian, and was expecting many more to arrive from Del Rio, said Larry Floyd, the groups executive director.

Catholic-led and other faith-based nonprofits have long been at the forefront of efforts to support migrants and asylum seekers along the Mexican border, providing crucial services on both sides of the Rio Grande.

Pope Francis has praised the work of Sister Norma Pimentel, the executive director of Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley. Other well-known groups include Jewish Family Service of San Diego, which provides housing and other assistance to migrants, and Annunciation House in El Paso, which provides shelter to migrants while they arrange travel to other U.S. cities.

Annunciation House, which says its mission is based on Catholic social justice teaching, has geared up to receive several hundred migrants coming from Del Rio, said executive director Ruben Garcia.

First theyre tested, Garcia said. Once theyre COVID tested, we begin to accommodate them.

At times, faith-based groups have injected themselves into a polarizing national debate over immigration policies. Although many praise their work to help migrants, some critics say it encourages more people to come to the U.S.

A lot of these religious groups conflate two issues  they are rendering assistance to people who are in front of them who need help. Thats different from advocating government policy that would import more people like that, said Mark Krikorian, executive director of the Center for Immigration Studies. The center favors more restrictive immigration policies.

Many religious leaders joined a call last week organized by the national nonprofit network Faith in Action urging President Joe Bidens administration to stop deporting migrants to Haiti without giving them a chance to seek asylum in the U.S. and to protest their treatment after images surfaced of Border Patrol agents on horseback using aggressive tactics.

That is unconscionable and cannot be tolerated today, said the Rev. Alvin Herring, Faith in Actions executive director.

The Network Lobby for Catholic Social Justice has called for more oversight of U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The networks government relations director, Ronnate Asirwatham, says CBP has a history of systemic abuse and racism.

The group joined more than 160 Catholic organizations in a letter asking Biden to end Title 42 authority, named for a section of a 1944 public health law that then-President Donald Trump used in March 2020 to effectively end asylum at the Mexican border.

Herring, who traveled to Del Rio with other faith leaders to assess the situation first-hand, says it is vital to press for Bidens administration to make good on its commitments to migrants.

We see the singling out of our Haitian brothers and sisters for this despicable abuse, which we believe is racist and immoral, he said.

__

Contributing to this report, from Santa Fe, New Mexico, was Cedar Attanasio, a reporter with The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative.

___

Associated Press religion coverage receives support from the Lilly Endowment through The Conversation U.S. The AP is solely responsible for this content.
Norway on Monday moved into the highest-risk category on the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's list of travel advisories for destinations around the world.

The Scandinavian country moved up to "Level 4: Covid-19 Very High" just as the country relaxed most of its domestic Covid-related restrictions over the weekend. Neighbors Sweden and Denmark are listed in the CDC's Level 3 category.

In Eastern Europe, Bulgaria also moved into the Level 4 category on Monday.

Destinations that fall into the "Covid-19 Very High" Level 4 category have had more than 500 cases per 100,000 residents in the past 28 days, according to CDC criteria.

People should avoid traveling to locations designated with a "Level 4" notice, the CDC recommends. Anyone who must travel should be fully vaccinated first, the agency advises. Nearly 90 destinations are now listed as Level 4.

Both Norway and Bulgaria were previously listed as "Level 3: Covid-19 High." The Level 3 category applies to destinations that have had between 100 and 500 cases per 100,000 residents in the past 28 days.

The CDC's travel notices range from Level 1 ("low") to Level 4 ("very high"). The CDC does not list the United States in its travel advisories.

The two new destinations added to Level 4 on September 27 are:

 Bulgaria

 Norway

New Level 3 destinations

Six destinations moved to Level 3 on September 27:

 Bangladesh

 Equatorial Guinea

 Panama

 Saint Barthelemy

 Singapore

 Slovakia

Three places moved down from Level 4: Bangladesh, Panama and Saint Barthelemy (St. Barts).

The other three moved up into the higher-risk Level 3 category. Equatorial Guinea moved up from a previous Level 1 designation, and Singapore and Slovakia moved up from Level 2.

Destinations carrying the "Level 2: Covid-19 Moderate" designation have seen 50 to 99 Covid-19 cases per 100,000 residents in the past 28 days.

You can view the CDC's risk levels for global destinations on its travel recommendations page.

In its broader travel guidance, the CDC has recommended avoiding all international travel until you are fully vaccinated.

"Fully vaccinated travelers are less likely to get and spread Covid-19. However, international travel poses additional risks, and even fully vaccinated travelers might be at increased risk for getting and possibly spreading some Covid-19 variants," the agency said.

The-CNN-Wire

 &  2021 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved.
REDDING, Calif. - A man who has been in and out of prison was arrested after he assaulted his mother on Sunday, Redding Police Department said.

Police responded to the 6600 block of Southgate Dr. for a family disturbance around 9:18 a.m. on Sunday.

The reporting person told police that her son, 37-year-old Joshua Rocha of Redding, assaulted her.

She told police Rocha dragged her through the house by the neck.

Officer arrived at the scene and found the victim and the suspect.

Rocha would not comply with officers and became more aggressive. Police said he took his shirt off and challenged officers.

Officers used a bean bag gun to take Rocha into custody. He was taken into the Shasta County Jail and is facing multiple charges including assault likely to cause great bodily injury, kidnapping and resisting arrest.

Police said Rocha has been in and out of prison most of his life since 2002.
CHICO, Calif. - Police arrested a suspect in connection to molesting kids inside a business and resisting arrest on Sunday, according to Chico Police Department.

The Chico Police Department responded to a business located on the 100 block of East 20th St. for a report of a man touching multiple juveniles inappropriately around 2:10 p.m.

Police said the suspect, later identified as 27-year-old Charlie Anders, was unknown to the juveniles.

Anders was taken out of the business by the management of the store while police were notified.

Police located the description of Anders at the Community Park at 20th St.

During an arrest, Anders began to resist arrest with violence and kicked an officer.

Police were able to arrest Anders who is now facing multiple charges, including molesting a child and resisting arrest with force or violence.
BANGOR, Calif. - A fire destroyed a house that also served as a sober living facility in Bangor.

CAL FIRE said flames were first reported just before 2 a.m. Monday, on Drobish road near Pleasant Grove lane.

When firefighters arrived the building was already completely engulfed in flames, so it was too late to save the house.

"It sounds like this building was possibly built in the 1940s era, it was a single-story wood-frame residential structure," said Fire Captain Roy Skinner.

The fire also spread to some nearby grass, but firefighters were able to stop the forward progress at an eighth of an acre.

CAL FIRE said their concern was the threat to wildland because there was so much dry grass around the burned home.

"A lot of receptive fuels, this fire was throwing quite a bit of ember into the air and embers out into the fire itself with the wind carrying the embers," Skinner said. "Any of those embers that land in the dry grass could start another fire, we did have engines patrolling out in front to look for possible new starts from the ember cast off of this structure."

CAL FIRE also had a tough time fighting the house fire because of the low water supply so several water tenders had to come.

"Water supply is always a challenge and an issue in areas where there are no municipal water systems in place," Skinner said.

There were two people inside the house at the time of the fire both of them escaped unharmed.

It was not just a house, it was also a sober living facility, which neighbor Karen Copeland helped with as an employee.

"It was our primary main building for SLE (Sober Living Environment), we are a community outreach as well as veterans," Karen Copeland said. "We're here to help anybody in need, anywhere from homeless, drug addiction, etc."

No other nearby buildings burned. The cause is still being investigated by CAL FIRE.
Avanse Financial Services, a technologically advanced, education-focused non-banking financial company (NBFC) announced the appointment of Mr. Vineet Mahajan as its Chief Financial Officer. Vineet brings a wealth of experience to his new role of managing the financial operations of the organization. He has more than two decades of extensive experience across various segments of the financial industry. He comes with a strong track record in portfolio securitization, resource raising, balance sheet finalization, budgeting, management reporting, regulatory compliance, asset & liability management and more.

Vineet Mahajan will be based out of Mumbai head office and will drive the financial performance of the organization. He will play an important role in building a strong franchise across Governance, Compliance, Risk, Liability & Asset positions and will create capabilities for future growth of the organization.

He joins Avanse Financial Services from Aavas Financiers Ltd. where he served as the Treasury Head for almost 2 years. He has also worked with Edelweiss Group for almost 8 years and has successfully managed borrowings and spearheaded multiple debt public issues. As the Chief Financial Officer of the retail finance business of this organization, he managed the financial operations and compliances. He also worked with renowned organizations such as Lakshmi Vilas Bank, Deutsche PostBank Home Finance Ltd. and more.

Speaking on the appointment, Amit Gainda, CEO, Avanse Financial Services said, We are pleased to welcome Vineet to our leadership team. His deep and extensive experience in leading financial operations along with integrated expertise in the domain will enable us to strengthen our leadership position in the education financing space. We are confident that his leadership, finance and accounting proficiency will benefit Avanse Financial Services and all its stakeholders. We look forward to working with Vineet and successfully implement his in-depth insights in our business of democratizing education and education lending.

I am thrilled to join Avanse, an organization with a unique approach towards making education financing seamless and affordable for every deserving Indian student, said Vineet Mahajan. The company has exceptional strengths, a strong business model, robust parentage and a proud history. I look forward to working with this competent team to achieve the organizations priorities, accelerate growth and enhance value for our stakeholders.

Avanse has fulfilled educational dreams of ~1.2 lacs academic aspirants across ~12,000 institutes and courses in ~50 countries. Avanse has also provided growth and working capital to ~1K educational institutes catering to over ~5-6 lacs students.
Burda Media India, one of the largest international media companies in India, today announced the appointment of Rahul Gangwani as Editor-in-Chief for its brand Lifestyle Asia India.

In his role, Gangwani will oversee the Lifestyle Asias editorial team, developing the brands editorial strategy and spearheading the rollout of new brand campaigns and events.

I am thrilled to welcome Rahul to the Burda family. With his creative vision and extensive experience in the media industry, Rahuls appointment is a great opportunity for us to continue accelerating our growth in India and find new ways to engage with our most sought-after audiences across Asia, said Bjorn Rettig, CEO of Burda Media India and Asia.

Im excited to be joining Lifestyle Asia and the Burda Media India team to bring a fresh take on lifestyle content in India, said Rahul Gangwani, incoming Editor-in-Chief of Lifestyle Asia. As the brand approaches its third anniversary in India, this is a pivotal time for us to explore new content verticals that resonate with readers. I look forward to working with the Lifestyle Asia team in India and across Asia on this journey.

Gangwani is a seasoned editor, having previously held the role of Group Digital Editor at Filmfare, a Worldwide Media company. During his time at Filmfare, Gangwani became a recognisable name in the media industry, tapping into the growing shift towards digital content and pop culture trends.

Reflecting the companys continued focus on leveraging its digital capabilities and growth across the region, the appointment follows the recent addition of Annesha Sanyal as Head of Sales and Brand Solutions, Lifestyle. Prior to joining Burda Media India, Sanyal held the role of General Manager at Worldwide Media, leading the sales division for Grazia Indias West region until 2019, before shifting to the FMCG category.
With the tremendous demand for medical treatment during the COVID-19 crisis, advertising by Hospitals/ Clinics has increased manifold in the pandemic times. As per TAM AdExs overview of Hospital/ Clinics advertising across TV, Print, Radio and Digital for the period Jan-Aug21 (till August 24, 2021), Digital was the most preferred medium for advertising by this category, witnessing a growth of 2.5x. This was followed by Radio, where the category advertising grew by 72%.

Digital

Hospital/ Clinics advertising on Digital grew by 2.5x during Jan-24th Aug21, compared to Jan-24th Aug20. GHV Advanced Care was the top advertiser of the Hospital/ Clinics category, with a share of 17% and its brand Pristyn Care topped among the brands during Jan-24th Aug21.

The Top 10 advertisers and brands added 54% and 53% share of the Digital Ad Insertions, respectively.

Display creatives bagged more than half of the Hospital/ Clinics Ad Insertions at 56%, followed by Video Creatives, which had a 44% share, during Jan-24th Aug21.

Desktop Video topped among Digital Platforms with 28% of the category Ad Insertions, closely followed by Mobile Display and Desktop Display with 27% share each.

Radio

Hospital/ Clinics advertising on Radio grew by 72% during Jan-24th Aug21, compared to Jan-24th Aug20. Apollo Hospitals Enterprise was the top advertiser of the Hospital/ Clinics category, while Sudha Women & Fertility Hospital topped among the brands during Jan-24th Aug21. The Top 10 advertisers and brands added 26% and 22% share of the Radio Ad Volumes, respectively.

Birth Right Hospital was the top new brand, followed by Anil Neerukonda Hospital during Jan-24th Aug21, compared to Jan-24th Aug20. Over 480 new brands appeared for Hospital/ Clinics category during Jan-24th Aug'21.

On Radio, Gujarat saw the highest advertising in the category with 26% share of the Ad Volumes, followed by Maharashtra with 14% share and Andhra Pradesh with 13% share.

Category advertising on Radio was preferred in the Afternoon time-band, closely followed by the Evening time-band. Almost 70% of Hospital/ Clinics Ad Volumes were in the Afternoon & Evening time-bands during Jan-24th Aug21.

Television

Hospital/ Clinics Ad Volumes on TV saw a rise of 11% during Jan-24th Aug21 over the same period in Y 2020. Indira Infertility & Test Tube Baby Centre was the top advertiser of the Hospital/ Clinics category and its brand Indira IVF topped among the brands during Jan-24th Aug21. The Top 10 advertisers and brands both added 49% share of the TV Ad Volumes. Owaisi Hospital & Research Centre was the top new brand, followed by Vayro Research & Skin Care Clinic during Jan-24th Aug21, compared to Jan-24th Aug20. Over 350 new brands appeared for the Hospital/ Clinics category during Jan-24th Aug21.

With a share of 70%, News genre dominated the categorys ad volumes, followed by GEC with 10% share. The Top 3 channel genres grabbed 89% of the Ad Volumes for Hospital/ Clinics category during Jan-24th Aug21. With almost half of the Ad Volumes (49%), News Bulletin was the most preferred program genre to promote Hospital/ Clinics ads on Television. The Top 2 program genres  News Bulletin and Feature Films  together covered 60% of the category Ad Volumes.

Prime Time was the most preferred time-band for Hospital/ Clinics ads, followed by Afternoon & Morning time-bands. Together, the Prime Time, Afternoon and Morning time-bands combined accounted for almost 70% of the Ad Volumes.

Advertisers of Hospital/ Clinics category preferred 20-40 second ads with 57% share of Ad Volumes, followed by >40 second ads with 25% share.

Print

Category Ad Space in Print grew by 17% during Jan-24th Aug21, compared to Jan-24th Aug20. Indira Infertility & Test Tube Baby Centre was the top advertiser of the Hospital/ Clinics category and its brand Indira IVF topped among the brands during Jan-24th Aug21. The Top 10 advertisers and brands added 17% and 16% share of the Ad Space, respectively. Neelkanth IVF (Neelkanth Fertility) was the top new brand, followed by Speciality Diagnostic Laboratries during Jan-24th Aug21, compared to Jan-24th Aug20. Over 7,000 new brands appeared for the Hospital/ Clinics category during Jan-24th Aug21.

During Jan-24th Aug21, Hindi language publications topped with 55% share of the Hospital/ Clinics Ad Space, followed by English publications with 11% share. The Top 3 Publication languages together contributed 73% share of the category Ad Space. General Interest publication genre dominated with 98% share of Ad Space.

North Zone topped in Hospital/ Clinics with 42% share of Ad Space during Jan-24th Aug21, followed by South Zone with 24% share. Bareilly and Varanasi were the Top 2 cities in overall India for the category advertising in Print.

In Hospital/ Clinics category, Sales Promotion had 9% share of the Ad Space in the Print medium. Among Sales Promotions, Discount Promotion occupied 91% share of the Ad Space, followed by Add-on Promotion with 6% share during Jan-24th Aug21. Among the Sales Promotions advertisers, Jerath Path Labs & Allergy Testing Centre topped with 15% share of category Ad Space, followed by Aanjan Path Labs with 9% share during Jan-24th Aug21.
Havas Creative Group India has announced the appointment of Debopriyo (Debo) Bhattacherjee as EVP & Planning Head  North, effective immediately. In his new role, Debo will be responsible for providing strategic guidance to Havas Creative with a special focus on all brands of Reckitt and a portfolio of brands from the Dabur stable. He will also be spearheading many leading clients like Suzuki, Norton, Fortis, William Grants, ITC and working closely with the Senior Leadership team to drive new client acquisitions and ensuring seamless adoption of the process of integration and collaboration across the group.

Debo, will be based out of the Gurgaon office and will be reporting to Neeraj Bassi, Chief Strategy Officer, Havas Group India.

Debo is a strategic planner with 17 years of work experience. He has worked with reputed agencies in India and Southeast Asia such as Ogilvy, Dentsu, DDB and McCann to name a few. He also served as the Head of Strategy Planning for over three years in Havas at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. His expertise lies in solving business problems by sparking and nurturing creative possibilities. During his storied career, he has worked on a multitude of blue-chip accounts, namely, Unilever, Danone, Mondelez, LOreal, Coke, Mitsubishi, Toyota, Diageo, SABMiller, Carlsberg, Maxis, AXA, ICICI, PETRONAS and Tesco, among others.

Manas Lahiri, President  Havas Creative Group India, said, Havas Gurgaon has had an amazing momentum in the last few years. And we now have some fantastic brands that require a senior strategic professional with multi-industry experience. Debo has both the experience and knowledge of handling brands across a wide range of categories. He has been part of the Havas network earlier and understands the culture of Integration that Havas offers to its clients. His unique perspectives and ideas will undoubtedly increase our abilities to produce interesting work for our client portfolio.

Commenting on the appointment, Neeraj Bassi, Chief Strategy Officer, Havas Group India, said, I am delighted to welcome Debo onboard. He brings a lot of value to the team because of his passion for understanding customer concerns and finding creative solutions to business problems. Im confident that his strategic planning skills will help us continue to achieve our goal of making brands more meaningful.

Im thrilled to join Havas Village Gurgaon and spearheading the planning for our key office in creative. For me, it is a homecoming to a network that I admire, and especially in India, its currently one of the most talked-about agencies with a tremendous momentum and an interesting mix of marquee clients in its portfolio. So, with the change in consumer behaviour specially post the pandemic, the endeavour will be to keep working on creating differentiated strategies for all the leading brands of Reckitt, Dabur, Suzuki and many others. Im looking forward to working with the dynamic team of Havas Village India, said Debo.

Debo is an alumnus of Lal Bahadur Shastri Institute of Management, New Delhi. Its a passion that stimulates Debo to constantly develop his understanding of people and triggers a keen interest in unearthing conflicts and dilemmas we face in our lives. Debo loves taking long walks and enjoys clicking photos of things that make him take a second look.
Riding high on the humongous success of her last release, Mimi, Kriti Sanon is smiling all the way to the bank! Kritis bubbly and girl-next-door image has earned her a loyal and massive fan base which has been on the rise, especially post the release of the family drama, Mimi.

For those who keep a tab on Kritis social media, swears by the growing popularity of the successful star and her association with prestigious brands. Needless to say, the success of Mimi has catapulted her to the top league of actresses today and has also resulted in the rapid increase in her brand endorsements. No wonder, she is being considered as the latest poster girl for new-age brands.

A source informs, Kriti is quite a hit in the brand world with a list of impressive brand associations. Her brand endorsements have always been varied, be it a popular jewellery brand, online shopping portal, premium watch and FMCG (Fast moving consumer goods) among others that ride on the perception of her youth appeal, hard work and steady growth  things that Kriti has always stood for.

Not just filmmakers and producers waiting to sign her on the dotted line for their projects, the versatile and bankable actress enjoys massive popularity amongst the youth and has huge followers on the social media that makes her a brands delight. She easily fits in for any brand looking for a national as well as international appeal and that adds to her advantage, the source adds.

With one of the most envious lineups ahead, there is no looking back for Kriti, who has big banner projects like the Pan-India film, 'Adipurush', 'Bachchan Pandey, 'Bhediya', 'Ganapath', 'Hum Do Hamaare Do' along with other unannounced projects.

Way to go Kriti!
Sandeep Dahiya, CEO - Times Lifestyle Enterprise, and Director - Brand Extension, BCCL, has put in his papers and decided to move on. Hed continue to be with the group till mid-November, for a smooth transition.

Dahiya spent 8 years at the group, spearheading the launch of Times legacy brands into newer consumer categories. Under his leadership, Femina FLAUNT became one of the bestselling exclusive womens fashion brands within Shoppers Stop in over 25 cities, over the last 5 years. At Times Lifestyle Enterprise, Dahiya lead the Times Groups foray in the beauty space, with the launch of Femina FLAUNT Studio Salon - a company-owned, company-operated format, in Mumbai. Over the last 18 months, Femina FLAUNT Studio Salons quickly expanded, with sign-ups of over 25 franchised salons, and launch of 5 franchised outlets.

Confirming the development, Dahiya, commented Its been a great journey over the last 8 years - of learning, leading and growing. Working closely with Vineet Jain has been a privilege, and have much to thank him for my growth and learning here. He further added With so much happening in the fashion and beauty space - new consumer awareness, newer platforms, and exciting business-building frameworks, its time for me to explore newer challenging avenues.

With over 25 years of experience, Dahiya moved to the Times Group from Viacom18, where he spent 8 years, heading its Consumer Products Business - creating a scalable & sustainable business model in new categories for brands and IPs of MTV, Nickelodeon, Vh1, and Colors.
SBI General, one of Indias leading General Insurance companies has launched a distinctive health program, 7 Minutes to Good Health. Through this easy and effective guided program, the Company reiterates its commitment towards health on a larger scale.

Health focus has always been a priority for SBI General. With this initiative SBI General encourages people to practice 7 minutes of right breathing techniques daily which will help them transform their body and mind.

With this initiative, SBI General also unveils its new brand association with Vidya Malvade, an actor and yoga enthusiast, who will be the face for this health property and will be showcasing the right breathing techniques in the guided video and many live sessions on social media platforms.

SBI General Insurance has partnered with The Yoga Institute, the oldest centre of yoga in the world to curate this guided health program.

This is a nationwide health awareness initiative by SBI General.

Shefali Khalsa, Head  Brand and Corporate Communications, SBI General Insurance, said,

With recent challenging times, we have observed the focus on health has not just increased but has also become a necessity. Taking a clue from this, we started shaping up our thoughts to curate something very practical yet simple to basics, and today we unveil #7MinutesToGoodHealth, as SBI Generals flagship health property. 

She further added, Breathing right is of utmost importance and the core objective of this health property. To enable this, we have launched a guided video which stars Vidya Malvade, depicting the right breathing techniques.

#7MinutesToGoodHealth by SBI General Insurance is all about simple 7-minute breathing program that can help in many health benefits.
As part of its latest brand initiative, TATA Tea Chakra Gold, the second largest tea brand in South India, today created a massive sand art installation celebrating Tamil Nadus iconic state pride elements at VGP Beach, Chennai. The effort is part of the brands commitment to celebrate Tamil Nadus regional pride and continue to be an integral part of the Tamil way of life.

The state is synonymous with excellence and achievements across different spheres of life, and is underpinned by Tamilians unique code of conduct- being process-oriented and celebration of perfection. Tata Tea Chakra Gold too continues to strive and remain a hallmark of the perfect cup of tea. The new pack refresh campaign is based on this central insight, highlighting the brands Tea for Tamilians proposition.

The sand installation, designed by renowned Indian Sand Artist Padma Shri Sudarsan Pattnaik, featured famous motifs and elements deeply rooted in Tamil Nadus culture. Some of these elements are also part of the new pack, like the intricate golden motifs from the Kanjeevaram saree designs, Kolam, gestures and poses from the Bharatnatyam dance form, and Tanjore dolls narrating legendary tamil stories, besides other emblems from the states capital.

Elaborating on the new pack, Puneet Das, President, Packaged Beverages, India & South Asia, Tata Consumer Products Limited, states, In continuation of our journey to being one of Tamil Nadus most loved tea brand over the year, we have now refreshed our pack with elements celebrating Tamil pride and way of life to perfection. We feel that renowned sand artist Padma Shri. Sudarsan Pattnaik is the perfect artist to creatively bring alive the motifs of the state in an engaging manner in celebration of the Tamil way of Life
President Hassan Rouhani has again vowed revenge on the United States for last year's killing of Irans most powerful general, Qasem Soleimani, who was the head of the countrys overseas military operations unit known as the Quds Force.

Accusing US President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo of the savage assassination, Rouhani warned Dec. 29 that Iranians wont let them get away and have every right to avenge the blood of their popular commander.

The Iranian president gave Soleimani full credit for flushing the Islamic State out of neighboring Iraq and Syria, and explained his killing as a sign of the US governments unease with his achievements against the terror group, which he said was nurtured by the West and Zionists and was seeking to disrupt the Middle East.

Since the deadly Jan. 3 strike on Soleimanis convoy in Baghdad, the Islamic Republic has repeatedly promised retaliation. In the immediate aftermath, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, also Irans commander in chief, ordered a ballistic missile attack on the US-run Ain al-Asad airbase in neighboring Iraq. But that was just a small slap in the face, Rouhani said during his last 2020 address to the Iranian Cabinet.

As long as you are in the region, our revenge has yet to be exacted, the Iranian president added, referencing the US military presence, which Tehran has persistently opposed. Describing the fight as resistance, the Islamic Republic has targeted American interests through proxy militia it has been funding and training over decades. The US maximum pressure policy introduced by President Donald Trump has, however, shrunk Irans cash reserves, reportedly affecting its ability to assist such groups. Yet Rouhani noted with defiance that despite Soleimanis death, Resistance is continuing with the same zeal and enthusiasm.

In an ongoing escalatory episode in recent days, Iran and the United States have been engaged in harsh rhetoric after the US Embassy in Baghdad was targeted with a series of rocket attacks blamed on Iran-backed forces, and the United States dispatched a guided-missile submarine and two cruisers to the Persian Gulf. With the US move widely seen as a preemptive measure in preparation to neutralize Iranian plans on the one-year anniversary of the Soleimani killing, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif warned, Washington will be responsible for any adventurism in the region.

Speculation has been rife recently in Iranian media circles about a possible new cycle of tensions to be triggered by Trump before his departure from office next month. His Iranian counterpart said Dec. 29 that the region should enjoy better stability and security once the "heinous murderer" is out of the White House.
According to an adviser to Irans parliament speaker, Amir Hussein Abdollahian, Irans supreme leader sent a letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin about the need to strengthen ties and the status of the nuclear deal.

Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf travelled to Moscow to personally deliver the letter from Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. According to Abdollahian, who published the note on Khameneis website Khamenei.ir, This trip was timed for when there are new tenants in the White House and sends Iran's allies the message that we will not be delayed any longer with White House's games with respect to the nuclear deal.

The United States exited the nuclear deal, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), in 2018 and reapplied sanctions on Iran, severely impacting the country's economy. Iran, citing Article 37 of the agreement, took steps to reduce its compliance with the JCPOA but technically remained within the agreement. Now the two sides are debating which will return to full compliance first.

The letter also emphasized the need to focus on Asia. The 21st century is the Asian century, Abdollahian wrote, adding that many Asian countries including Russia, China, India, Pakistan, Malaysia and Indonesia have significant roles to play and many of them have not yet realized their full capabilities.

Abdollahian also addressed a domestic controversy over Ghalibaf not personally meeting with Putin, writing that due to the urgency of the letter Putin wanted to immediately read it rather than waiting for the mandated health protocols. After reports that Ghalibaf was to personally meet with Putin, Iranian media outlets reported that due to quarantine requirements, the planned meeting with Putin would not take place. Ghalibaf instead delivered the letter to his Russian counterpart. Abdollahian insisted that the meeting with Vyacheslav Volodin was done while Volodin was acting as Putins adviser and not as his title as the head of Duma  in an apparent effort to elevate the status of the meeting.

The fallout led to highly partisan gloating in Tehran, where supporters of Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif shared pictures of Zarifs previous meeting with Putin. Ghalibaf, a conservative politician and former presidential candidate who some suspect still harbors presidential aspirations and was perhaps looking to use this trip to elevate his stature, has been critical of the Hassan Rouhan administration's domestic and economic policies.

Perhaps Tehran chose to reveal the letter's contents because of the controversy over what some took as a snub of Ghalibaf. In Irans look east policy, Russia, along with China and India, have been major focus points for the country in terms of increasing ties and trade. After the US withdrawal from the nuclear deal and many countries in Western Europe avoiding trade with Iran, Iran has been forced to seek alternative partners.
The Haitian migrant crisis is another catastrophe in a seri-s of disasters that plagues the beleaguered Harris-Biden administration.

There were harrowing images and videos of Haitian migrants wading across the top of a dam over the Rio Grande River to get to Texas. There was also footage of over fifteen thousand migrants crowding in what appeared to be a makeshift migrant camp under the International Bridge in Del Rio, Texas.

Whenever a crisis arises, the first instinct of the Democrats is not to resolve the problem. They instead focus on punishing the messenger, blocking the story, and spinning the narrative to distract. They know they can rely on their myriad lackeys in the mainstream media to spin any story to their advantage.

A day after the videos were made public, The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) brought in a two-week flight restriction over Del Rio, Texas. This enabled them to block the Fox News drone from taking videos of immigrants under the bridge after mass border crossing by thousands of Haitians. Embarrassed by the resulting controversy, the outrageous order later was rescinded.

But that was just not enough, they desperately needed another angle to distract from this obvious catastrophe.

That distraction came in the form of an image on social media that appeared to show a border agent on horseback whipping a fleeing Haitian immigrant of color.

Twitter screengrab

This photo was like a gift from heaven for the spin masters and it launched a thousand ships of outrage.

AOC, fresh from her MET Gala catastrophe, used Twitter to virtue signal and to denounce the Border Patrols actions.

It doesnt matter if a Democrat or Republican is President, our immigration system is designed for cruelty towards and dehumanization of immigrants. Immigration should not be a crime, and its criminalization is a relatively recent invention. This is a stain on our country.

Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., echoed AOCs sentiment in her Twitter post

These are human rights abuses, plain and simple. Cruel, inhumane, and a violation of domestic and international law, Omar said in the post. This needs a course correction and the issuance of a clear directive on how to humanely process asylums seekers at our border.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki was outraged, too; she said President Joe Biden found footage of Border Patrol agents on horseback whipping at Haitian migrants at the border "horrific" and "horrible." "I don't know anyone who could watch that video and not have that emotion," Psaki told CBS.

Kamala Harris on Friday was also outraged; she said the situation brought to mind how such tactics have been used against the Indigenous people of our country, [have] been used against African Americans during times of slavery. Human beings should not be treated that way

Joe Biden carried the baton in the outrage fest by condemning the U.S. Border Patrol, calling the behavior of agents on horseback outrageous and vowing they will face consequences for their actions.

Its horrible what you saw. To see people like they did, with horses, running them over, people being strapped, its outrageous. I promise you, those people will pay. There is an investigation underway right now and there will be consequences, said Biden.

The toadies in mainstream media were relieved that they no longer had to focus on another of Bidens failures. They gleefully dedicated hours outraging about systemic racism and institutionalized xenophobia.

There was also a promise by officials to launch a full-scale investigation into what has taken place at the border.

Finally, White House press secretary Jen Psaki announced that Border Patrol agents will no longer be permitted to use horses to guard the border in Del Rio, Texas after horrific photos emerged.

As the cacophony of outrage was getting louder Paul Ratje, the photographer who took the image of Border Patrol, set the record straight.

He said that some of the Haitian men upon seeing the border agents began to run, and tried to go around the horses. But said that he and his colleagues did not witness Border Patrol agents using whips on any of the migrants.

The border agents, too, denied that they used whips while dealing with migrants.

It appears that the reins used to give subtle directions or cues to horses were confused with whipping. Since the photo was capturing the horse in motion, the rein was in the air and that appeared like a whip being directed at the fleeing Haitian migrant.

Alas, the lie had already travelled around the world and back again while the truth was lacing up its boots. The lie was shouted from the top of the mountain through a megaphone while the facts were merely whispered.

Do not be surprised if the media lackeys now compliment the Harris-Biden administration for their compassion and bringing a stop to the inhumane practice of whipping, despite knowing the facts.

Do not be shocked if the folks in the mainstream media begin their next news cycle with even if this story has proved to be inaccurate, we need to continue with our conversation about systemic racism

Do not be astonished if the Border patrol agents are termed as supporters of President Trump.

Do not be astounded if politicians and media personnel knowingly repeat this lie.

The question remains why does this happen over and over again?

The story could have been debunked by calling any of the border officials or the photographer, but facts are no longer their goal.

The root cause of these repeated failures is the news organizations no longer consider reporting facts to be their function. They work for the Democrat party and will do everything in their power to help the Democrats and push their narrative. There is no difference between the Democrats in active politics and Democrats in the media pretending to be objective agents.

When they discover a photo of what looks like border patrol agents whipping fleering Haitian immigrants, they are so overcome by a desire for it to be true that they abandon all journalistic due diligence and gleefully carry the story. In their minds, the story is about right-wing racist white supremacist Texan border patrols officers brimming with such bigotry that they yearn to relive and re-enact the era of slavery.

The situation is so bad that the people working for the mainstream media know that they will be handsomely protected, awarded, rewarded and promoted for a lie that promotes the Democrat agenda while they could be punished for carrying facts that present President Trump or the Republicans favorably.

This isnt a mistake, this was purposeful. The idea of pushing this narrative may have even been the result of active collaboration between the Biden people and personnel in the mainstream media.

This story is merely a symptom of the grave illness of collusion between the mainstream media and the Democrat establishment that has afflicted Washington for decades.

There is no cure for this illness simply because Washington doesnt see it as an ailment. They feel they are on the right side of history; spinning or falsifying is perfectly fine since they are working for the cause. They are proud to be propagandists, hence any course correction is quite out of the question.

The citizen looking for fact based information hence has no option but to presume every story to be false until proven true.

To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here.
From Russia with Love was the second in the James Bond series featuring Sean Connery as 007. Bond was sent to assist in the defection of a Soviet consulate clerk after Bond killed Dr. No in the first of the series. Today we have a remake, more in keeping with modern times.

Now we have Dr. Dementia, also known as President Biden, assisting in the defection, actually resettlement, not of Soviets, but of Afghans, hundreds of thousands of them. Instead of James Bond, we have Donald MAGA as the good guy, with Dr. Dementia punishing America for the audacity to elect Donald as president once, and likely twice.

After the Biden administrations ill-conceived and poorly executed Afghanistan surrender and evacuation, over 100,000 Afghans have been evacuated to numerous countries, including the U.S. How many Americans are still in Afghanistan?

YouTube screen grab

The administration doesnt seem to know, or if they do know, they are not sharing the actual number, but that is another story. The New York Times shared that at least 250,000 Afghans who worked with the U.S. are still there. How many of those evacuated thus far worked with the U.S.? How many are Taliban soldiers? How many are those who tried to get in earlier and couldn't pass vetting? Good questions but all the White House Press Secretary can answer is a promise to circle back on that question.

My state of Colorado is set to receive 1,500 Afghan refugees. Where they will go within Colorado is unclear, but Colorado taxpayers will be paying for their upkeep and expenses. This is likely the case in other states, too.

Colorado Senate Bill 199, passed last June, leaves Colorado taxpayers picking up the tab for our new guests. This bill mandates, that lawful presence is not a requirement of eligibility for state or local public benefits.

In other words, illegal immigrants and refugees, without legal status through citizenship, a green card, or a visa, and instead here under humanitarian parole status, will be eligible for food, housing, education, and health care generously provided by Colorado taxpayers. Anyone from anywhere can cross the border or have the government fly them here and enjoy a permanent vacation at the all-inclusive resort called America.

Will these refugees be appreciative? Many will. Others will take advantage of the largess and freedoms of their new home country. As recently reported by the Department of Justice, two Afghan men, recent arrivals in the U.S. courtesy of President Biden, have been indicted for sex crimes against minors and domestic abuse while living at Fort McCoy in Wisconsin. Last week, a female U.S. military member was attacked by several male Afghan refugees housed at Fort Bliss, in New Mexico.

Well, those might be one-off incidents involving a few bad actors. Or perhaps not. In 2018, an Afghan migrant received a life sentence in Germany for raping and murdering a German student. Two years later, again in Germany, an Afghan migrant raped an 11 year-old girl, was arrested and released after 12 days, then raped a 13 year-old girl. This year, three Afghan men gang-raped and murdered a 13 year-old girl in Austria.

WelcomeUS, a nonprofit refugee organization, notes how, refugees have made incredible contributions to our country. I wonder if sex crimes against minors and domestic abuse are among these contributions? Who are the honorary co-chairs of this welcoming organization? No surprise here, Mr. and Mrs. Obama, Bush, and Clinton. Will any of them or their families have to worry about gang rape or murder? Hardly. Thats for the deplorables to deal with, reminiscent of most of their policies and initiatives during their time in the White House.

Aside from violent crime, what else may some refugees be bringing? How about measles, a highly contagious viral illness largely eradicated in the U.S. The Associated Press reported six Afghan refugees, settled in Virginia and Wisconsin, carrying measles. Several weeks ago, the U.S. halted refugee-filled U.S.-bound flights from Afghanistan due to some refugees having measles. Pretty soon we may need a measles vaccine mandate for Americans.

The CDC released an alert last week, not about the potential benefits of inexpensive therapeutics for early COVID treatment but instead a warning for physicians to be on the alert for refugees infected with measles, mumps, leishmaniasis, and malaria. The CDC is aware of 16 confirmed cases of measles and four of mumps. How many more cases are they unaware of?

Other unusual diseases of concern are, gastrointestinal infections, including shigellosis, giardiasis, cryptosporidiosis, hepatitis A, rotavirus, and viral diarrheal diseases. Further down in the alert do they get around to mentioning COVID, observing COVID incidence in this population has been notably low.

How can that be? Afghanistan is only 4 percent vaccinated, and if COVID is now a disease of the unvaccinated as we are being told, wouldnt that be a concern for the CDC with virtually all of the refugees, on a statistical basis, being unvaccinated? Dr. Anthony Fauci wants mandatory vaccinations for American schoolchildren but he has been mum on refugees from Afghanistan or elsewhere.

Beyond Afghanistan, refugees are coming to America from all over the world, mostly via our open southern border. CNN reports that the U.S. is on track to encounter 2 million migrants on the southern border before the end of the year. How many more are not encountered, sneaking across undetected? Twice as many? Five times as many?

Where are they all going or being resettled? What is their health status? How many are bringing COVID or other nasty infectious diseases to America? The CDC issues guidance for immigrants and refugees, that they be checked for COVID, gonorrhea, TB, syphilis, leprosy, and mental health. What about those entering America undetected or caught and released? Who is checking then? Or does that not concern the CDC? At least not as concerning as a heathy two-year-old American kid who wont keep his or her mask on while on an airplane.

Is the Biden administration bothered? They are, but not about the refugees pouring into America, instead outraged over the audacity of border control agents on horseback doing their job, with the media unable to tell the difference between horse reins and whips. The CNN and Washington Post news crews need to get out more as they probably dont see many horses on the Upper East Side or in Georgetown.

As Milton Friedman once said, Its obvious you can't have free immigration and a welfare state." Yet here we are with the Biden administration intentionally or inadvertently attempting to prove Friedman correct by gifting America with millions of new refugees and illegal immigrants. Maybe some to a neighborhood near you, along with diseases and criminal intent, all from Afghanistan with love.

Brian C. Joondeph, M.D., is a physician and writer. He is on sabbatical from social media.

To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here.
A recent story out of Kansas City, the town in which I live, suggests just how eager the Left is to control our lives, right down to the food we eat. The story involves a friendly hole-in-the-wall cafe whose brave proprietor had had enough.

A little background is in order. In 2008, I somehow emerged as the public face of the opposition to a ballot measure that called for a ban on smoking in bars and restaurants in Kansas City. What made this unusual, and what made me an effective spokesman, was that I never smoked. Well, not that effectivemy side lost the election, narrowly.

My side, as I saw it, was not pro-smoking, but pro-freedom. I argued that no law prevented entrepreneurs from banning smoking in their establishments, and no law forced anyone to eat or drink at a place where others smoked. Indeed, once I saw the election results, I half-regretted not having opened a non-smoking restaurant of my own.

Unfortunately, freedom is a much scarcer commodity today than in 2008. Back then, health officials used their bully pulpit to persuade citizens. These officials had one set of solid facts on their side, namely that smoking is dangerous, and one set of dubious assertions, namely that second-hand smoke is a health hazard. In 2008, citizens were allowed to weigh the evidence.

In 2020, although all the evidence was dubious, we were allowed to weigh nothing. There were no petitions to sign about coronavirus restrictions, no ballots to cast. Even if there had been a vote, a tightly controlled media, local and national, actively censored information that conflicted with an official orthodoxy that changed from week to week.

Health officials in Jackson County, Missouri, proved as fickle as health officials anywhere. Home to the greater part of Kansas City, Jackson County was the only Biden county in Western Missouri. Predictably, city and county officials think the way Democrats have been programmed to think.

An unusually honest New York Times article from March 2021 told us just how Democrats do thinkor, more precisely, dont think. The story shared the results of a comprehensive Gallup survey on COVID a year into the pandemic. To its humble credit, the Times owned up to the paradox contained in those results.

For many liberals, wrote the Times, Covid had become another example of the modern Republican Partys hostility to facts and evidence. Yet on the one defining question for which the answer was knowable and provable, liberals proved appallingly ignorant.

That question read, What are the chances someone with COVID must be hospitalized? The correct answer was 1-5 percent. Yet 41 percent of Democrats said more than 50 percent, and another 28 percent of Democrats said more than 20 percent. Think about these numbers. Aided and abetted by the major media, public health officials persuaded nearly 70 percent of Democrats that COVID was massively more dangerous than it actually is.

Republicans did considerably better on this question, but not well enough to brag. Too many Republicans believe their health officials and rely on major media. Amanda Wohletz, the proprietor of Raes Cafe in suburban Blue Springs, is not among them.

Wohletz accepted the mask mandate when first issued in spring 2020. Like most Americans, she did not know enough about COVID to distrust officialdom. For a few months in early 2021, those officials lifted the mandate but re-imposed it in summer 2021. Although the number of reported COVID cases had increased, the surrounding counties did not feel the need to demand the largely useless masks. Neither did Wolentz.

In 2008, non-smokers had a reasonable beef. Almost every eatery allowed smoking. In 2021, every eatery in Jackson County accepted the mask mandate except for Raes. Nevertheless, unnamed customers of Raesor so we are toldforced the closure by reporting the cafes mask-free atmosphere to the county health department.

From the media reaction, you would think that Wohletz had opened a wet market with a BYOBBring Your Own Bats sign. No, what Wohletz actually posted was a sign that read, Our authority comes from God. Everyone who ate at Raes accepted that authority, at least Wohletzs interpretation of it.

Almost everyone. Unnerved by a years worth of mainstream panic porn, the complainants had to be shocked at the sight of American citizens, staff and customers alike, willing to make their own choices and manage their own health risks. These wusses had lost their taste for freedom. Drunk on a potent cocktail of ignorance and arrogance, they enlisted the state to crush their fellow citizens freedom as well.

Fearful that other restaurants would follow Raes example, county officials revoked its food permit. Despite numerous warnings and attempts by the County to work with the business's owner, she has refused to take corrective action and has made it clear that she has no plans to do so, huffed the county.

Exploiting a loophole on the books, Rae re-opened as a private club with a reasonable $1 entry fee. In a corrupt, Democratically-controlled county like Jackson, few thought Wohletz would prevail. She didnt. Finally, on Thursday, a Jackson County judge ordered the restaurant closed as a public or private establishment.

We remain committed to taking the actions needed to protect the health and safety of our community during this difficult and challenging time, said the Jackson County executives office on learning the judges decision. Together we will get through this pandemic and in the end, we will have a stronger, more compassionate and caring community.

Yes, Jackson County, nothing says caring and compassionate like a boot on the neck.

Jack Cashills latest book, Barack Obamas Promised Land: Deplorables Need Not Apply, is now widely available. See www.cashill.com for more information.

Image: Pixabay / Pixabay License

To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here.
Russell Moores essay in Christianity Today celebrating the removal of Robert E. Lees equestrian statue in Richmond (in place since 1890) is not even a celebrationits a dance on Lees grave. You would expect a former president of the Southern Baptist Conventions Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission to have a certain amount of grace and tact, and not act like the stereotypical bully in an 80s teen drama. Yet when Moore writes that Lee at long last retreated from Richmond he casts himself into that part beautifully.

On second thought, he does more than that. Moore makes himself first cousin to Aesops ass who donned a lions skin to terrify his village. If Moore and Lee were to meet face to face, it is no contest who would come out not just the victor but the man, and who would be stripped of his patchy lion fur.

But tone is only the dressing of an essay; the thesis is the main course. Here, Moore fails again, pontificating that Christianity demands Lees statue be removed from its plinth and Lee himself from our collective memory. The reason, he says, is because in fighting for the South, Lee was actively fighting for a slave system, for a community in which some people were seen as members and others were seen as property to be exploited and tortured. This, he says, is the contradiction to Christs redefinition of community where there was "neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free." As such, when people revere the myth of Robert E. Lee, they, deny membership in a community that is broader and richerwhere the whole body suffers when one person is maimed or raped or kidnapped or enslaved or lynched. Implied in his reasoningthey are also turning their backs on Christ.

Moores lack of grace is no indication of his technical work as a theologian; the Devil can quote Scripture. But we can say he is no historian. The causes of the Civil War are still debated by historians today. True, the accepted narrativeslavery was the sole causeis justified by citing many of the declarations of secession in which the preservation of slavery is often a cornerstone reason for secession. They will also quote Confederate Vice-President Alexander Stephens Cornerstone Speech"Our new government is founded [] upon the great truth that the negro is not equal to the white manfor the millionth time and pronounce the case closed.

If Moore had done more than simply peck at the surface, he would have found facts that glitch this narrative. For example, the fact that only 25% of Southerners were slaveowners in 1860. Of this number, only about 0.01% were slave owners in the Hollywoodized, Gone With the Wind sense, with sprawling plantations, bejeweled with white mansions, where hundreds of slaves, tilled, planted, harvested, built, and worked under the flinty eyes of horseback riding overseers. In fact, the supermajority of that 25% of Southerners who owned slaves were small farmers who owned one or two slaves, whom they worked alongside in the fields.

The point isnt that slaverys morality is determined by the number of slaves you own, but that most Southerners had no stake in the slavery question, making it specious as the sole cause of the Civil War. This is strengthened when we remember that by 1864, the Confederate government openly called to emancipate slaves and their families if they bore arms in the Confederate Army, a plan implemented in March 1865.

A richer, more primordial, reason for Southerners to fight was in defense of their homeland. Today, we see our state merely as part of our address that can be changed with three tanks of gas and a few hours drive. In the 19th century, a resident of Lynchburg, Virginia, regarded Virginia as his true home and the United States as the equivalent of his neighborhood. This view of ones home state was true on both sides of the Mason-Dixon Line, although most Northerners simply thought that the United States neighborhood was indivisible. Leading up to the firing of Fort Sumter, there was plenty of reason for Southerners to believe that their homeland was in danger.

North and South had always been different and in very profound ways. For example, the North was Congregationalist while the South was largely Episcopalian. The North saw history linearly, moving forward toward some great destiny planned by God while the South prescribed to the cyclical theory of history. Even the concept of honor differed.

These differences grew until New Englands (i.e., the North) motivation was seen as the complete destruction of the South. James Henley Thornwell, a famous theologian of South Carolina, wrote:

The parties in this conflict are not merely abolitionists and slave-holdersthey are atheists, socialists, communists, red republicans, Jacobins on the one side and the friends of order and regulated freedom on the other. In one word, the world is the battleground, Christianity and atheism the combatants, and the progress of humanity is at stake.

Thomas Smyth, another cleric from the same state, classified Northerners as Bible-haters, anti-Christian levelers, and anarchists.

Abraham Lincolns election set their suspicions ablaze. As historian Bradley Birzer explained, when most Southerners saw Lincoln, they saw John Brown, canonized by his execution (Emerson said Brown would make the gallows as glorious as the cross.). And with many abolitionists saying Browns raid on Harpers Ferry and his plans to ignite slave revolts in the South to destroy it were too tame, the South felt justified in its suspicion.

In this tumultuous atmosphere, Lee did not ardently defend slavery nor did he fight for its preservation. He fought to preserve his homeland, Virginia, after it had taken the unwise (in his mind) decision to secede.

As a man of Christian faith, Lee fought with dignity and honor, doing all he could to reconcile the two sides after his surrender at Appomattox Courthouse. Think whatever we want about Lee personally or his decisions, honest people should agree that his memory deserves to be remembered and honored for the qualities and virtues he displayed in the hell of war.

Whats more, his memory needs to be remembered. Duty, honor, dignity, magnanimity, faith are all qualities sorely lacking today. Lee, as an embodiment of those virtues, was and needs to be a stumbling block in a society that has accepted Satanism as its unofficial religion. His statue, overlooking the skyline of Richmond, was not actively hurting minorities, as Moore claimsunless the pain was the tickling feeling in the back of the brain that here was a great man, in terms of character and deeds, against whom we are paltry by comparison.

Moore would sacrifice this necessary corrective for a fad, essentially damning us to a shallow (even evil) existence, with no guide to something better, all for thirty cents worth of praise. Even worse, he would sacrifice his own faith for those coins.

Cheering the erasure of history automatically puts you at odds with your faith, when your faith is rooted in the flow of history (C.S. Lewis wrote that Christianity was the myth that actually happened) and when the Founder of your religion distinctly divided the world between Himself and lies. In a civilization where Christianity is already weak , its a bargain worthier of Faust than Paul.

Image: Robert E. Lee statue removed from its graffiti-covered plinth. YouTube screen grab.

To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here.
In many ways, arrogant leftist thinking -- indeed, the leftist paradigm in its entirety -- led to the disaster that is Afghanistan.

Many, especially those of Afghan background, have made this clear in the aftermath of Americas withdrawal. Consider the words of Baktash Ahadi, an Afghan-American who served as an interpreter for the U.S. military for years:

How could Afghanistan have collapsed so quickly? As a former combat interpreter who served alongside U.S. and Afghan Special Operations forces, I can tell you part of the answer -- one that's been missing from the conversation: culture. When comparing the Taliban with the United States and its Western allies, the vast majority of Afghans have always viewed the Taliban as the lesser of two evils. To many Americans, that may seem an outlandish claim. But the Americans also went straight to building roads, schools and governing institutions -- in an effort to win hearts and minds -- without first figuring out what values animate those hearts and what ideas fill those minds. We thus wound up acting in ways that would ultimately alienate everyday Afghans.

In other words, because they were oblivious to the importance of culture and convinced that only the material matters -- roads, schools, buildings, etc. -- American leadership in Afghanistan failed.

Afghan woman in Western clothing bowling in Kabul before the surrender (YouTube screengrab)

Unfortunately, this failure far transcends American leadership; to increasing numbers of Westerners in general, the word culture often conjures at most physical, surface differences -- exotic food or dress -- nothing essential.

In reality, cultures consist of entire and distinct worldviews with their own unique sets of rights and wrongs, often rooted in a religion or philosophy. Cultures bring much more to your town than, say, the convenience of having Indian cuisine down the street. As European historian Hilaire Belloc once explained:

Cultures spring from religions; ultimately the vital force which maintains any culture is its philosophy, its attitude toward the universe; the decay of a religion involves the decay of the culture corresponding to it -- we see that most clearly in the breakdown of Christendom today.

Looked at another way, all values prized by the modern West -- religious freedom, tolerance, gender equality, monogamy -- did not develop in a vacuum but are rather inextricably rooted to Judeo-Christian principles that, over the course of some two millennia, have had a profound influence on Western epistemology, society, and, of course, culture. Its not for nothing, nor is it a coincidence of history, that these values were born and nourished in Western -- not Islamic, Buddhist, Hindu, Confucian, or pagan -- nations.

Even so, and due to relativistic type thinking, most Western people assume that all of the aforementioned values are somehow innate to all peoples; that, given the proper material circumstances -- new roads, schools, health care, prosperity, etc. -- all peoples will become just like them, secular materialists (irrespective of their Asian or African cultures/religions, which, again, are seen as limited to food, dress, rituals, ceremonies, and the like).

The great irony is that such thinking is extremely arrogant and ethnocentric -- two things that leftists always warn against yet are most guilty of doing. While the conservative acknowledges, for example, that Islam has its own principles, the liberal ignores these, believing instead that Muslims are just like us. This view, which arrogantly brushes aside Islams role in the Muslims life, doesnt seem ethnocentric because the us is not believed to be particular (Western or Christian) but universal.

In short, growing numbers of Western people see themselves as the culmination of human history -- progressive thinkers who have left all cultural and religious baggage behind -- and are convinced that all the peoples of the world are destined to follow their lead and develop like the West, which is no longer seen as a distinct culture but rather the end point of all cultures (given the proper, often material, circumstances).

Thus, and returning to the question of Afghanistan, Western leadership saw its tribal Muslims as embryonic Westerners: whatever their religion or culture dictated, surely these were skin deep; given the proper circumstances, surely the Afghan peoples nascent or innate appreciation for a division between religion and state, feminism, pluralism, and tolerance would eventually take root and blossom.

Put differently, Afghanis (and later Iraqis) were made in our image (except, of course, we forget the spiritual and intellectual -- in a word, cultural -- roots of our image).

Always overlooked in this arrogant calculus is that Muslims have their own unique and ancient worldview and set of principles -- their own culture -- which in turn prompt behavior that is deemed radical by Western standards (falsely assumed to be universal standards).

It was this blind spot to culture that proved disastrous in Afghanistan and, no doubt, will continue to prove disastrous for all such future experiments that ignore the metaphysical and focus only on the physical.

Raymond Ibrahim, author of Sword and Scimitar, is a Shillman Fellow at the David Horowitz Freedom Center; a Judith Rosen Friedman Fellow at the Middle East Forum; and a Distinguished Senior Fellow at the Gatestone Institute.

To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here.
The Daily Mail headline was striking: "Man, 30, and woman, 27, are arrested after cops find 21kg of carfentanil  enough to kill 50 MILLION people: Powerful sedative is 100 times more potent than fentanyl." Fifty million people is just a little less than one seventh of the American population. That's a staggering number. And while the story does not report how Andres Jesus Morales and Christine Ponce got hold of that amount of carfentanil, the Southern California location and Morales' name suggest a Latin American connection  which inevitably leads one to thoughts about Biden's open border.

The story is a simple one: in Riverside, California, located a mere 112 miles from Tijuana, Mexico, just on the other side of the American border, police found 21 kilograms of carfentanil in Morales's and Ponce's home. In addition, they possessed cocaine and heroin. The carfentanil is what veterinarians use when they sedate large animals such as elephants, and it's so dangerous that they wear protective gear when using it.

The Riverside District Attorney's office, even though it plays down the sensationalism one sees in the Daily Mail's headline, makes it clear that this drug had incredibly deadly potential:

Carfentanil is an analog of the manmade opioid fentanyl. It is highly regulated and not intended or approved for use on humans. And it is more potent and potentially much more deadly than fentanyl. Fentanyl is 50 times more potent than heroin and 100 times more potent than morphine. It only takes about two milligrams of fentanyl to be a fatal amount. Carfentanil is 100 times more powerful than fentanyl and 10,000 times more potent than morphine. A lethal dose of carfentanil in humans would be at the nanogram level  much smaller than the two milligrams of fentanyl that can kill. If mixed in with other drugs, the 21 kilos of carfentanil seized could have been enough to potentially kill more than 50 million people.

To give you a sense of its lethality, the DEA uses a picture of the amount of fentanyl that can kill a person, which is equal to a few grains slightly bigger than Lincoln's ear is on a penny. An amount that is 1/100 of Lincoln's ear is estimated to be all the carfentanil it takes to kill a person.

So, where does carfentanil come from? It comes from the same place that most of the fentanyl flooding America originates: China. According to Wikipedia (which is probably correct about this):

Authorities in Latvia and Lithuania reported seizing carfentanil as an illicit drug in the early 2000s.

Around 2016, the United States and Canada reported a dramatic increase in shipment of carfentanil and other strong opioid drugs to customers in North America from Chinese chemical supply firms. In June 2016 the Royal Canadian Mounted Police seized one kilogram of carfentanil shipped from China in a box labeled "printer accessories". According to the Canada Border Services Agency, the shipment contained 50 million lethal doses of the drug, more than enough to annihilate the entire population of the country, in containers labeled as toner cartridges for HP LaserJet printers. (Hyperlinks and endnotes omitted.)

Under pressure from America, China announced in early 2017 that it was banning carfentanil production. However, given the beckoning open border, it's easy to believe that China is back in business, whether with or without its government's official imprimatur.

After all, since the Biden administration threw open the southern border, even the drive-by media had to admit that drug-smuggling, especially of fentanyl, was surging  by 4,000 percent over the last three years. Why shouldn't there be carfentanil in there too?

At the start of Trump's administration, when Obama's border policies were lax, fentanyl was flooding into Southern California from Mexico. When Trump was so desperate to seal the border, it wasn't "racism"  it was to protect American jobs and, very much, to protect American lives. Biden has undone all of that in just nine months.

Rome didn't fall in a day, but it's incontrovertible that what led to its collapse was rot from the inside combined with unlimited immigration from the outside. The flow into Rome of people who didn't share Roman values started as trickles from outposts of the empire and ended with the Visigoths and Vandals sacking Rome, ending a streak of extraordinary success that saw Rome dominate the "known world" for almost 800 years.

As we watch endless human traffic heading across the border, all in search of American largesse, along with sex-traffickers, drug cartels, smuggled drugs, gangs, and random criminals, we are witnessing a replay of what happened to Rome. We can act to stop it now, or we can just sit back and watch the end of the American experiment after only 238 years, drowned under a sea of unnecessary poverty, drugs, and violence.

Image: Deadly amount of fentanyl from the DEA, with added text from Andrea Widburg. Public domain.

To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here.
Maxine Waters, bastion of sanity that she is, recently called an image of a U.S. Border Control officer using his horse to prevent an illegal Haitian migrant from entering America a "whipping." She also said it was "worse than what we witnessed in slavery." Really? Why then are literally millions of non-Caucasian people desperately attempting to enter the country?

During the slavery era, the "Underground Railroad" was employed to bring escaped slaves to the North and out of bondage. Today, countless thousands of non-Caucasians are traveling into supposedly racist America. Are they all stupid? Masochists?

The American South of the mid-1800s didn't need to build a wall to keep slaves out. It did everything it could to keep them in. Today, the U.S. desperately needs to complete a wall to keep people out. These facts alone prove the lie behind the "America is systemically racist hoax" being perpetrated by the utterly corrupt government-mediaBig Techacademia complex.

Democrats now routinely employ unhinged, preposterous language in what should be a laughable attempt to smear all things Republican/Trumpian/traditional. It is as vile as it is ridiculous. Unfortunately, many people have been so dumbed down by government schools and the Democrat-owned corporate media that they can no longer tell the difference between bald-faced lies and the truth...or discern fantasy from reality.

So Democrats say things like, "The January 6 Capitol riot was the worst attack on our democracy since the Civil War!"

"Trump is worse than Hitler!" "You're right, Bob! He's worse than Stalin and Pol Pot, too!"

"Larry Elder is the black face of white supremacy!"

"Republicans hate the planet, fresh air, clean water, and want to throw your grandmother off a cliff!"

"The non-vaccinated are murderers!"

"Abortion is women's health care!"

Etc., etc., etc.

What if we all talked like that? What if Republicans/conservatives engaged in such preposterous prattle and deranged dialogue? Such actual hate speech?

"The ongoing BLM and Antifa riots are worse than World War II!"

"Bernie Sanders is worse than Stalin!" "You're right, Bob! He's worse than Ho Chi Min and Mao Zedong, too!"

"Justin Trudeau is the black face of white supremacy!"

"Brian Stelter's girth rivals that of the sun!"

"Given that the vaccines themselves are causing the coronavirus to rapidly mutate into more deadly forms, the vaccinated are murderers!"

"Joy Reid is dumber than a houseplant."

And all of the latter "quotes," though preposterous, would be far less so than what Democrats routinely utter.

Because, after all, they are worse than the Devil.

Graphic credit: Public Domain Pictures.

To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here.
I have long believed that the demand for hate crimes by whites far exceeds the supply, which is why so many fake crimes (see here, here, and here, for examples) are perpetrated by racial and sexual minorities. These hoaxes seek to gin up hatred and also create a sense of vulnerability, if not terror, among the people allegedly targeted. Hoaxes are therefore even more despicable than genuine hate crimes. In my view, faking a hate crime ought to be punished even more severely than an actual "sincere" (which seems an odd word to use, but at the moment I have no better term) hate crime.

But it gets even worse when a tax-exempt institution like a college or university seeks to disguise a hate crime hoax as a sincere hate crime. And that appears to be what prestigious and expensive Emory University has just done. Matt Lamb of The College Fix reports (emphasis added):

Emory University's Police Department on Wednesday arrested the man accused of writing racial slurs and swastikas at its autism center in early August. Roy Lee Gordon Jr. (right) is charged with second-degree burglary, Emory officials said in a news release that indicated Gordon is also the same person who allegedly wrote the "N-word" and drew swastikas at the Emory Autism Center last month. He is a former employee of the university. A police mugshot published by the Atlanta Journal Constitution shows that Gordon is black. This is the first time his race has been revealed publicly.

It's the first time Gordon's race has been revealed because Emory did everything in its power to prevent that information from coming out, leading to the presumption by members of the university and Atlanta communities that the perp was one of those dreaded white supremacists we hear about so often but so rarely see in real life.

Lamb continues:

Although Emory officials have known the man accused of the racial vandalism is black since early August, they have not informed the campus community of his race, which may have put a different interpretation of the incident on it. Asked for a mugshot and information on what Gordon is accused of stealing, and what his possible motivation was for allegedly committing these acts, Emory spokesperson Gana Ahn told The College Fix on Thursday that, "Unfortunately, we are unable to share any additional details beyond what is in the statement."

Emory enjoys tax-exempt status because, as a university, it is presumed to operate in the public interest. Concealing information in order to gin up both race-hatred and feelings of persecution is not in the public interest.

To be sure, arrested is not the same as being found guilty. But concealing the race of the arrested suspect is just as bad as concealing the race of a person convicted. The intent is the same: to spread hatred and fear based on a lie.

To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here.
The compulsion to find out whether the Wu Flu started in the Wuhan lab, and at whose behest the research was done, has been almost as strong as the desperate drive to stop anyone from finding the answer. On Sunday Morning Futures, Maria Bartiromo discussed this with Devin Nunes, wishing for the answer. Concurrently with watching the show, I opened my email and found a link from Alex Berenson to the March 24, 2018 document outlining the gain of function research.

The document is a detailed description of the proposed research, complete with a chart of expected milestones (page 31). Page 10 has an easy, colorful chart (unlike the density of the verbiage) showing us laypeople what they intend. Page 22 shows a management plan, divided into Host-pathogen prediction and Intervention development stages. This one document is the "holy s---!" origin proof.

Notice that Peter Daszak wrote it. Besides being the head of EcoHealth Alliance, which proposed and arranged for the research in Wuhan, he was the only U.S. representative in the WHO's investigation of...COVID's origins  the same man oft-quoted as saying there is "NO evidence" that the lab leak theory is true.

Daszak has ties to Fauci. Before this research started, Fauci provided $600,000 to the Wuhan lab supporting it. That information was obfuscated, and emails between the two were redacted but finally released in July.

I think if I were to put together a Venn diagram of COVID, the central connector would be one Dr. Fauci. He funded EcoHealth Alliance, which funded and administered the Wuhan research. Fauci also has close ties to Moderna, including the fact that NIAID (National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases), which he's chaired since 1984, funded the Moderna trial. He pushed Remdesivir, an expensive drug that didn't work to cure COVID patients. And he was a key player in denigrating and banning hydroxychloroquine, the first cheap, easily obtainable drug that worked to stop COVID's progress.

Fauci's been at it a long time, and there's a world of history to follow if you want. His wife, Christine Grady, heads the department of bioethics at the NIH (National Institutes of Health). You know, the body that presides over the ethical questions of testing vaccines.

I could go on, but I want to get to my "part two." After plowing through the Daszak document (I admit I have an unhealthy inability to stay awake when reading scientific papers, but I got enough to know it's real), I listened to Dr. Scott Atlas in a lengthy interview the Epoch Times sponsored. It's an hour you won't regret if you have the time.

Atlas, who you may remember served briefly on Trump's advisory committee on COVID, has a book, A Plague upon Our House, coming out in November. He's a measured, reasoned voice. I don't agree with everything he says, but he talks about the ethics of vaccinating children and the unknown long-term effects of the vaccines.

Atlas makes a lot of good points. He talks about the politicization of virus and vaccines as a mistake. Starting around minute 23, he talks about the heart inflammation issues in young males. He talks about censorship and how it has destroyed our trust in professors and doctors. If you can't listen to the whole thing, I recommend picking up at minute 23 and listening for the next 10 minutes or so. His ethical questions about using our children as shields for our own health are logical and impactful. You may find yourself going back and listening from the beginning.

We now know beyond a doubt that the whole pandemic has been mishandled, and is continuing to be mishandled, in the U.S. and elsewhere. We also can see alternative approaches: Norway, for instance, just decreed that normal life should resume, downgrading the pandemic to an endemic problem, meaning something that will always be with us, like the flu.

It's time to take a critical look at our COVID response and then to change it drastically. With no leadership from the top, this may be impossible.

Dr. Fauci is still the voice of COVID USA. He's had his hand in every aspect of the virus, from creating it to masking us, shutting society, and resisting early treatment, leading to hundreds of thousands of deaths. His current stance, that everyone should be vaccinated regardless of age, health status, or previous COVID infection, is destructive to our lives and economy.

Far from being the face of our public health, Fauci is the face of destruction. It's time he was indicted, not extolled. It's also time we stood up and said "no" as loudly as possible  no to vaccinating our children, no to mandates, no to masks, and no to all the rules that keep us from living free lives. The more of us do that, the faster this will end.

Image: Anthony Fauci by DonkeyHotey. CC BY 2.0.

To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here.
Multiple reports say that Haitian migrants, ostensibly in federal custody, have "hijacked" several buses while being transported and forced out their drivers. The incidents, they say, have occurred while migrants have been taken from the camp beneath the Del RioCiudad Acuna International Bridge to processing centers across the region, as well as from the processing centers to local airports for deportation flights, and could cause the U.S. government's immigration enforcement operations to be halted.

A senior federal law enforcement official recently told the Washington Examiner: "They've been basically overpowering the drivers and they've actually hijacked a couple of the buses and driven them down the road a little ways and escaped. This happened multiple times."



No, not this bus. (YouTube screengrab, cropped.)

The same official added: "They're moving the detainees, but they're not shackled  they're not restrained in any way. Yesterday some detainees kicked a window out and 22 escaped."

How the hell can migrants who are supposedly in custody hijack buses and essentially take the bus drivers into custody? How feckless, naive, and weak have we become? Is there anything the Biden administration can do competently and with determination? Other than thumbing its collective nose at the Constitution, browbeating American citizens into accepting an unvetted experimental substance into their bodies, and generally taking away the freedoms the Founders bequeathed them?

For the love of God, the Biden administration has accepted  proactively manufactured, to be more precise  defeat in Afghanistan. To the Taliban, semi-nomadic goat-herders from the ninth century! It has allowed China to get away with murder. Mass murder, actually. And it is letting China figuratively walk all over us while appearing to wish to imitate the Chinese Communist Party's push to usurp and obliterate any and all of its citizens' remaining freedoms.

How bad is it? The United States Army Garrison Japan recently announced that it probably couldn't even repel a potential incursion by monkeys.

The Biden administration has also ceded our southern border to anyone who cares to stroll in from Mexico, and/or who has walked to it from Central America, regardless of criminal history, and without being tested for coronavirus. Completely unvetted. Sex traffickers, drug-runners, terrorists? Come on in! (Just be aware: once you are an American citizen, you will have to get vaccinated and use everyone else's correct pronouns. Or else.)

And now it can't even prevent migrants from hijacking the buses used to transport them.

What's next? Will we be suddenly and dastardly attacked by Albania...causing the Biden administration to surrender? Will the Girl Scouts of America threaten to take over the Capitol unless every American commits to buying a minimum of ten boxes of their cookies every year in perpetuity?

To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here.
It's one thing for doddering Joe Biden to utter something inchoate about the border crisis he himself created, but it's quite another when a sane person comes out to explain and justify the same senile fact-free gibberings as something normal.

This brings us to Homeland Security chief Alejandro Mayorkas, who was sent out by the White House to do the Sunday talks, in what's obviously the same role that Susan Rice played in the Benghazi days of 2012. He's the designated liar.

Here he is, on Fox News Sunday with Chris Wallace, via YouTube:

Here he is on CNN with Jake Tapper via YouTube:

While he's unflappable, he isn't quite as good a liar as Rice was, given that he laid out a lot of damning facts, calmly and coolly, apparently in the vain hope that his demeanor would entice the press to simply glide on by with those facts as something normal.

To wit, we learned that contrary to what the Biden administration told us earlier about "mass deportations," more than 10,000 illegal border crossers, many at that squalid encampment in Del Rio, Texas, have not all been deported back to Haiti (as the administration claimed earlier). They've been released into the U.S., some with court dates, some with requests to get court dates, all of whom are free to move about the country.

"Approximately, I think it's about ten thousand or so, twelve thousand," Mayorkas told "Fox News Sunday." "It could be even higher," Mayorkas said. "The number that are returned could be even higher. What we do is we follow the law as Congress has passed it."

He justifies it as simply following the law, effectively converting the Border Patrol into an escort service for tens of thousands of illegal border-crossers, with the occasional one picked out for deportation photos to presumably keep the Sunday talks and discontented independent voters driving Biden's poll numbers down happy.

The numbers that Mayorkas said were returned came to about 3,000 thus far, but he made sure to say that number could be higher. Question: If 12,000 have already been released into the interior of the U.S., where is he going to get the "higher" number of migrants to send back, supposedly on Title 42 COVID concerns?

The released migrants have no COVID concerns to worry about. We learn that none of the other 12,000, or 14,000, or however many it may be, has been tested for COVID (or measles, leprosy, leishmaniasis, mumps, tuberculosis, malaria, or the whole host tropical diseases they may be bringing in with them)  as Mayorkas sent them on their way into the U.S. interior on other grounds. Masks for your two year-old, proof of vax from you as you try to buy groceries or ride a plane, but no testing at all for unvetted foreign nationals entering the country illegally in search the best benefit packages.

Mayorkas kept justifying it as following the law, on the grounds that all 12,000 of them, most of them previously classed as refugees from 2010 and settled in reasonably decent countries such as Chile and Brazil, are in dire need of asylum and each should be free to make his case.

Wallace pointed out that some 30,000 more were in the pipeline for this kind of "asylum" processing and the good result the first batch of asylum-seekers got, entering the U.S. illegally and being allowed to stay, certainly would serve to notify the others. According to Gallup, some 158 million people worldwide are interested in moving to the United States, so the pipeline may be long, but that instant relief, instant papers, and instant escort service on the spot from the Border Patrol now, ultimately led by Mayorkas, certainly should make illegal entry more attractive than legal entry, particularly for people with few skills, low education, and zero knowledge of the English language  or a criminal record or two.

The Border Patrol, see, is an escort service, he pretty well said. Asked about the "patently false" (as Jake Tapper put it) narrative about Border Patrol agents on horses using "whips" (which ignorant reporters confused with split reins, used in rough, roadless terrain to keep horses from strangling on brush) to supposedly beat migrants illegally entering the country, Mayorkas was particularly bad. The Border Patrol agents, he suggested to Wallace, were "individual persons" acting in their own capacity rather than standard agents acting according to their training. He made gushy comments praising the Border Patrol as a whole, but these guys, he effectively explained, were bad apples, kind of like Derek Chauvin.

He got worse when he was asked by both Tapper and Wallace about how these agents now under professional investigation could expect to be judged fairly, given that Joe Biden had already declared, Queen of Heartsstyle, that "those people will pay." He refused to answer Tapper's question as to who ordered the agents to the river crossing where illegals were pouring into the U.S., and then he said the only purpose for the mounted patrols was to "gather information and sometimes help people." Apparently, they were supposed to help the foreign nationals illegally entering our country in, instead of protect the border.

Mayorkas demonstrated that he was one cool, slippery character, someone who packages the wide open border as normal now and something to get used to. He repeatedly downplayed the extent of the crisis even as both Wallace and Tapper tried to bring the surge in numbers up. He admitted that more than tens of thousands were let in, not sent back, and then insisted that the Border Patrol was now a migrant escort service.

Then, in his contentment, he declared the immigration system "broken," as if he were not the guy who broke it.

What kind of a smooth liar and charlatan is this? He's obviously the designated liar, the spin master, the normalizer of the crazy. What a valuable guy he is for Joe Biden. And what a disaster for the country.

Image: Screen shot from CNN video via shareable YouTube.

To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here.
We love horses in Texas. We love law enforcement officers. And we really like it when law enforcement officers ride on horses. Heck, we have a museum in Waco for the Lone Ranger, the most famous one on a horse.

This is why there is so much outrage down in South Texas over the infamous "whip" claim, especially since the officer was not using one.

David Marcus tells the story:

In Del Rio, Texas, this weekend the mood can be described as the quiet after the storm. The mass of migrant humanity under the bridge here has been broom cleaned by the Biden administration. But the place is still shook. My cab driver, just minutes after arriving at the tiny airport told me, "Nothing like this has ever happened before. We get people coming across the border, but not 15,000." The overwhelming thing you realize upon arrival in Del Rio is just how small it actually is. It is a main strip with the usual haunts, a Walmart, and some few dozens of blocks extending out into America until there is almost nothing.

The town was overwhelmed and the people here appreciate those men on horses:

What kept the town safe, what kept the situation under control were the border agents from all over the country who swept into Del Rio. Yes, the same ones that Biden and the White House are smearing as racists to cover for their own failures. We can safely say no one is happy that the Biden White House decided to play the race card on the Border Patrol agents. It's an ugly instinct in today's Democrat party. They blame the police when thugs burn cities and now the men on horses when they tried to protect a small town like this one. What I'm picking up in conversations with friends and media reports is that border towns are tired of illegal immigration. Most of these border residents coexist well with their neighbors in Mexico. Many have relatives on the other side of the border. They celebrate Christmas and Thanksgiving and dress up their daughters for "quinceaneras" with families who live on both sides. These people are not against immigration, but they do hate illegal immigration because it upsets the order of their many communities.

The Biden administration is not getting support down on the border for attacking the agents trying to keep order in their neighborhoods.

PS: You can listen to my show (Canto Talk).

Image: PublicDomain Pictures.

To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here.
Israel was delighted and grateful when Sudan, a large Muslim nation in Africa, joined the Abraham Accord nations in a unique normalization process initiated by President Donald Trump between moderate Arab and Muslim states and Israel.

Sudan has, for decades, been a troubled nation, particularly under the leadership of Omar Hassan al-Bashir, a war criminal who seized power in a bloody coup in 1989. He was the first head of state to be indicted by the International Criminal Court in 2009 on charges of genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes over mass killings, rape, and pillage against civilians in Darfur.

It is estimated that two million people were killed during the fifteen years of Sudan's civil war. During the period of Bashir's rule, Sudan became a state sponsor and protector of radical Islamic terror groups.

Israel has a covert history with Sudan. Special forces used Sudanese territory, at that time an enemy state, to airlift Ethiopian Jews to Israel. They were escaping a civil war, starvation, and persecution, and the IDF based their operation on fooling a hostile regime and their army.

In one amazing operation, in May 1991, the IDF rescued 14,000 Ethiopians using 34 planes making forty flights over a 36-hour period, by bringing the refugees to a remote Sudanese location and airlifting them to a new life in the Jewish State.

In 2019, Bashir was ousted from power in another military coup, but one that backed a smooth transition in power, and is currently in prison on charges of money-laundering and corruption pending his transfer to the ICC on more serious charges.

Despite the seriousness of the ICC charges against him, Bashir was protected diplomatically by the Arab League, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, Russia, and Iran, the last of whom was a major supplier of weapons to the Bashir regime.

During his reign of terror, Bashir sided with Saddam Hussein against the United States. He harbored major terrorists, including Osama bin Laden. Bashir developed close personal relations with Hamas leaders. Iran used Sudan as a conduit to smuggle weapons to Hamas in Gaza.

Sudan became a hub for Hamas's illegal financial dealings, including money-laundering and their drug trade via trustees, real estate dealings, and money transfers via currency exchange bureaus.

Sudan may be a poverty-strapped nation, but, at the time of his arrest, authorities found an estimated $130 million in various currencies in suitcases at Bashir's home.

As the new Sudan attempts to stabilize a bankrupt economy and a divisive political past, stirring the pot is the Palestinian Authority, which is trying to make the case that confiscated Hamas assets in Sudan belong to them as the self-proclaimed representatives of the Palestinian people.

Sudan claims they did not seize any legitimate private property, but assets that had been illegally misappropriated by Hamas under the criminal Bashir regime and rightly belong to the Sudanese people.

Now Sudan is trying to transition into a democracy. Sudan's outreach to Israel has several advantages for a country trying to stabilize itself. Israel is respected as the advanced intelligence, security, and military leader in the Middle East. It is also known as a willing enabler to moderate countries that has attracted several Muslim countries to break with traditional enmity and instead link themselves with the burgeoning nation in the region.

Sudan also knows that Israel is the gateway to the United States, which has not taken kindly to Sudan's history.

To help in Sudan's efforts to transform into a democratic society, the United States removed Sudan from its state sponsors of terrorism list and is on course to give Sudan $50 billion in debt relief.

In April 2021, the Sudanese interim government canceled its Israel boycott laws.

Sudan is interested in Israel's expertise in advanced agricultural development and solar energy expertise to help its domestic agricultural production and to modernize its energy needs.

Israel and the United States are keen to stabilize Sudan.

It is now up to Sudan to prove it wants democratic progress and prosperity more than to exploit Israel, and more importantly the United States, as a pauper uses others to prop up bad habits. This deception is being done by many regional actors, including the Palestinian Authority, the regional example of bad actors pretending to be paupers but unwilling to divest from corruption and support for terror.

Charity is one thing, but it must come with transparency, accountability, and results.

Barry Shaw is senior associate at the Israel Institute for Strategic Studies.

Map credit: TUBS, CC BY-SA 3.0 license.

To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here.
David Remnick, of The New Yorker, put up a podcast over the weekend. He opened by saying that, while the Biden administration and the U.N. are working hard on climate change, it's too late. As the California wildfires show, catastrophic climate change is here. (Never mind that California has had cyclical droughts and fires for centuries.) That's why Remnick respectfully gave The New Yorkers' bully pulpit podcast to Andreas Malm, a lecturer at Lund University in Sweden, who thinks it's time to blow things up.

Remnick, in his anal little scholar's voice, gently introduces Malm as a professor who "studies the relationship between climate change and capitalism." And, having studied that, Malm "advocates for far more drastic than we've seen so far."

How drastic?

Well, as Remnick explains, Malm's recent book is entitled How to Blow Up a Pipeline. And while "it's a bit more nuanced than the title suggests," even Remnick agrees that, "at its core, he really does want environmental activists to rethink their commitment to non-violence and embrace tactics of sabotage."

Then Remnick has a polite and respectful interview with Malm, as the latter details his rage and the need to destroy property. Malm started small, in 2007, deflating tires on thousands of SUVs, but found it an inconsequential effort, since it merely inconvenienced the SUVs' owners rather than permanently damaging the vehicles. It did affect SUV sales, but it wasn't enough for a climate fanatic.

Remnick, again without judgment, asks how Malm went from deflating tires to writing a book about blowing up pipelines. Malm explains that in 2018, Europe had a heat wave, and Malm felt "panic and desperation." (These people have no sense of history. This is what the Earth does, although it affects more people today than in the past because there are more people today than in the past.)

As far as Malm is concerned, it's time for "the movement to diversify its tactics and move away from its exclusive focus on polite, gentle, and perfectly peaceful civil disobedience." (No more Mr. Broccoli.)

What then, asks Remnick, does Malm recommend? It's as if Remnick were not talking to a crazed anarchist trying to pitch the world back into a pre-modern era in which 50% of all children died before the age of 5 and, for those who survived, life was, as Thomas Hobbes said, solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short.

Malm explains that he wants all the usual climate activist stuff (marches, strikes, etc.), plus some more aggressive means:

I am in favor of destroying machines, property  not harming people. That's a very important distinction.

Having made that subtle but important distinction, Malm gets down to the nitty-gritty, detailing what needs to be done:

I think property can be destroyed in all manner of ways. Or it can be neutralized in a very gentle fashion, as when we deflated [the tires on] the SUVs or in a more spectacular fashion, as in potentially blowing up a pipeline that's under construction.

Currently, Malm has a hypothetical target, which is a pipeline that the French oil company Total is helping Uganda and Tanzania build. For Malm, it's impossible to imagine the benefits of fossil fuel. All he sees is the chimerical horror of "climate change"  and because he sees that as an existential crisis, it makes perfect sense for him to say, "If people in that region were to attack the construction equipment, blow up the pipeline before it's completed, I would be all in favor of that."

Unsurprisingly, Malm finds inspiration in the BLM movement. He is unaware of or unperturbed by the fact that it destroyed poor communities across America, resulted in almost two dozen deaths, caused over $1B in property damages, and left the average American with a decided distaste for BLM.

The main point here is that The New Yorker, a respected (albeit hard-left) American institution, gave a respectful interview to, and a bully pulpit for, a fanatic who is advocating violence that, no matter how he phrases it, invariably kills people.

The reason for Remnick's respect isn't hard to find: he and Malm share the same existential fear. Because they're marinated with the lies and lunacy of the climate change movement, they fervently believe that the world is about to end.

I'm willing to bet that Remnick, at least, lives the life of a CO2 glutton, because that's what all the elites do as they preach climate fanaticism to the masses. Still, even as he benefits from fossil fuels (which he's sure he deserves), the fears filling his lizard brain mean he wants to see our energy systems blown sky-high. In that way, he convinces himself that he's helping save the world from the rest of us poor shlubs who dream of comfortable homes; reliable transportation; and long, healthy, well-fed lives  all the products of modern fossil fuels.

Image: Andreas Malm, climate fanatic and violence advocate by Code Rood (cropped). CC BY-SA 2.0.

To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here.
Today's news forcibly reminded me why our Second Amendment matters so much. The abstract principles behind it make eminent sense, but two news stories really bring home how wise our Founders were to include the people's right to bear arms in our Bill of Rights.

Although few people remember this fact, the first shots fired at Lexington and Concord in 1775 occurred because British troops were heading to Boston to seize arms and powder that the colonists had been gathering. That battle sparked an eight-year-long revolution against a tyrannical government that held that colonists were money-making machines for the British homeland while denying them their rights.

When the Americans secured their victory, they understood that it couldn't have occurred without their access to arms  access long guaranteed to British Protestants under the Bill of Rights of 1689. It was therefore a "no brainer" for the Founders to remind the federal government, via the Second Amendment, that the people have an inherent right to keep and bear arms, one that is subject to only the lightest and most necessary infringement.

The Founders' wisdom has been borne out by the history of the 20th and (to date) 21st centuries. Although the drive-by media love to lead with stories about gun crimes, there are two data points even more significant than the fact that most seem to occur in Democrat-run, heavily gun-controlled regions.

The first is that, per a CDC study published under the Obama administration, having a gun is the safest self-defense strategy. Even more significantly, defensive use of guns occurred between 500,000 to 3 million times per year, far outweighing the annual 30,00040,000 gun deaths in America (most of which are suicides).

The second fact is that, while criminals are bad, there is no killer more efficient than a government turning on its unarmed citizens.

In 1915, Turkey killed 1.5 million unarmed Armenians.

From the 1920s to the 1930s, the Soviet government killed approximately 7 million unarmed Kulaks.

From the 1960s to the 1970s, communist China killed between 23 million and 50 million unarmed Chinese.

From 1933 to 1945, the Nazis killed 6 million unarmed Jews, along with 220,000 homosexuals, 250,000 gypsies, and up to 10 million Slavic people.

From 1975 to 1979, Pol Pot's communists killed one quarter of Cambodia's citizens.

From 1954 to the present, the North Korean government has killed an estimated 1.3 million North Koreans.

Today, we have no idea how many Uighurs the CCP is killing.

You can expect Afghanistan to become a new killing field. Just last month, the Taliban ordered all citizens to surrender their privately owned weapons.

To avoid mass slaughter, government should have a respectful fear of its citizens  so much so that it stays carefully within a constitution's clearly delineated lines, especially because free, well governed citizens are peaceable. Things get bad very fast when a citizenry rightly fears its government.

That's the abstract picture. Here are two stories, one about guns for individual self-defense and the other about a government run amok.

In Florida, Patrick McDowell, an incredibly dangerous criminal, slaughtered deputy sheriff Joshua Moyers. He's now on the run. Nassau County sheriff Bill Leeper had something important to say regarding this fugitive:

This guy is dangerous. If you're in a home and he breaks into your home and you have a gun, blow him out the door cause he's like a rabid animal.

Sheriff Leeper knows that America has more good guys with guns than bad guys with guns, and he's warning them that they must defend themselves.

Meanwhile, in Australia, using the impossible "COVID ZERO" standard as an excuse, the government in Victoria has gone stark raving mad. These scenes are from Melbourne (hat tip to Red State):

The Australian police, We are here to stop the spread of COVID. This is for your safety! as they jump out of an armored vehicle, shoot at people on the sidewalk, and smash them to the ground with their rifles. pic.twitter.com/yxCzSgtUCx  Aaron Ginn (@aginnt) September 25, 2021

And in case people wonder whether this really is Australia, the photograph in this tweet about protests in Melbourne has a picture that perfectly matches the street scene when the police attack people on the sidewalk, right down to the man in the wheelchair.

Australia is out of control pic.twitter.com/eIUZw2YhVs  Matt Vespa (@mVespa1) September 25, 2021

Additionally, this is a government that has no intention of ever giving up the power it's just acquired:

According to our health officials over here in Australia, we are never going back to normal. pic.twitter.com/9mxNJc5t73  Evelyn Rae (@_evelynrae) September 25, 2021

Did I mention that Australia has some of the world's strictest gun control laws?

Biden is open about his desire to eliminate all privately owned arms in America. Sadly, a lot of Republicans are on board with the plan.

However, the two stories I discussed above, as well as the history of government mass murder in the 20th and 21st centuries, make it very clear that the most dangerous place in which a person can find himself is when in which individual citizens, most of whom are decent, law-abiding, moral people, are denied the right to keep and bear arms.

Image: Australian police attacking citizens. Twitter screen grab.

To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here.
During the American Revolutionary War and the War of 1812, between Great Britain and the United States, the border between British Canada and upstate New York saw some of the fiercest fighting, much of which took place around Lake Champlain. This freshwater lake situated across the US-Canada border provided the British a direct invasion route into the heart of America. Had this important travel corridor from the mighty Saint Lawrence to the Hudson fell into the hands of British troops, the results of the American Revolutionary War could have been very different.

Anxious to prevent another invasion attempt, immediately following the War of 1812, America decided to fortify the shores of Lake Champlain. A small sandy spit called Island Point was chosen as the site for an octagonal fort. The fort, when finished, was to have 30-foot-high walls and 125 cannons that could blow out of waters any British ship attempting to sail past.

Fort Montgomery, also known as Fort Blunder. Photo credit: Axel Drainville/Flickr

Construction of the fort began in 1816, and continued for two years when a survey conducted jointly by the United States and Great Britain discovered a problemthe fort was being built on the wrong side of the border. The actual border passed almost a mile south of the fort.

Once the embarrassing mistake was discovered, construction of the fort was hastily stopped and the unnamed citadel earned the nickname Fort Blunder. For the next 20 years, the abandoned fort was pilfered by local residents who carried away stones and building materials from it and used them to build their homes and public buildings.

In 1842, American and British diplomats sat down to discuss this and many other boundary problems. The original border between New York and Quebec, as ratified by the 1783 Treaty of Paris, was supposed to pass along the 45th parallel, according to which Fort Blunder is on Canadian soil. The United States insisted that the new boundary be pushed up north just enough so that the half-finished fort could return to US soil. This was agreed, and it became one of number of tradeoffs negotiated during the signing of the Webster-Ashburton Treaty of 1842.

At last, Fort Blunder belong to the United States. Without wasting any time, the US began reconstructing a new fort, and named it Fort Montgomery, in honor of the Revolutionary War hero General Richard Montgomery who was killed during the 1775 invasion of Canada.

The fort was still being built when the American Civil War broke out in the 1860s. Amidst rumors of possible British intervention against the Union from Canada, there was a frenzied attempt to complete and garrison the fort. When the basic structure was eventually completed, Fort Montgomery had 48 feet high walls, taller than the previous fort. By 1886, the fort was armed with seventy four guns, all with their barrels trained northward towards Canada.

However, by then, the possibility of an attack from the Canadian side had become so far fetched that the idea of fortifying the US-Canada border was seen as absurd. Slowly over the next half a century, the forts old guns, which were already made obsolete by modern artillery, were removed. Once again local scavengers took the fort apart and carried away untold amounts of bricks, lumber, windows, and doors for private use. Eventually, a large part of the fort was demolished and the stones were used in the foundation of a new bridge across Lake Champlain. What little remains of Fort Montgomery today rests on private hands.
In 1884, an Orthodox Christian community that had recently moved to Madaba, a city in western Jordan, began the construction of a new Church of St. George. Under Ottoman law, a Christian church could only be built on the ruins of an older church, and this was done in this case. As workers cleared the ground over what had been the ancient church, there emerged the remains of a mosaic of a very peculiar kind. At that time it was common to find buried mosaic remains linked to the glorious Byzantine and Umayyad past of Madaba. But no previous find could compare with the one that was made in the church of St. George. The colorful mosaic that appeared at their feet depicted sites across the Holy Land, including different geographical features and hundreds of inscriptions in Greek.

Fragment of the Madaba Mosaic Map, the oldest floor mosaic map of the Holy Land and Jerusalem in the Saint George s Church. Photo: Siempreverde22 | Dreamstime.com

Pnina Arad reports for Haaretz:

The Madaba map is the earliest known map to display the Holy Land and the only known instance in the first millennium of a map depicting a country in full. That is to say that the Madaba map was novel due to the fact that it represented a new kind of visual medium  a graphic description of an entire country, one of the striking features of which was that it didnt show roads. The map does show mountain ranges, rivers, streams, architectural symbols representing towns and holy sites. The holy places are depicted via simple structures with red roofs, probably symbolic representations of churches that existed there. The towns are represented through a range of symbols that hint at their varying importance. The Greek titles mostly note place names, but there are also short inscriptions associating particular locations with specific biblical events. ... What we have here is a picture that combines topography and religious tradition, and that eliminates the gaps between past and present. The inscriptions create a narrative that seemed to have two aims: to place the past of the Scriptures in the geographic space of the land, and to conceptualize that land as a sacred space. When the inscriptions are categorized by content, one finds that they describe four types of locations: places linked to the divine presence; places where miracles happened; sites where biblical figures operated; and the tombs of biblical figures and martyrs. All of this hints that the country depicted in the map is a land in which God revealed his presence and power, a land that is holy by virtue of the fact that biblical figures acted there in the past, and is still holy to this day due to the presence of their remains.

The discovery of the map in 1886 excited the locals, but the Greek Orthodox Christian authorities in Jerusalem were slow to react. It wasnt until a decade later in the mid-1890s that the librarian of the Jerusalem patriarchate, Kleopas Koikylides, visited Madaba to inspect the find. Koikylides immediately realized the importance of the artwork. After carefully cleaning, measuring and drawing the mosaic, Koikylides returned to Jerusalem to officially present it to the Patriarch.

Full view of the mosaic map of Ancient Middle East and The Holy Land at The Greek Orthodox Church of Saint George in Madaba, Jordan. Photo: Ramillah | Dreamstime.com

In January 1897 the Patriarchate asked its most qualified researcher, Professor Georgios Arvanitakis of the Holy Cross School of Theology, to make an exact copy of the mosaic. Arvanitakis drew a copy of the map and a plan of the church with the location of the mosaic. Upon his return to Jerusalem a month later, he marketed his design through reproductions.

The news of the discovery spread quickly among academic circles and different archaeological expeditions were organized from Jerusalem in the race to publish the first complete study of the mosaic. Koikylides, the first to identify the find, and Arvanitakis, the first to investigate it in depth, published their respective reports in March 1897.

The Madaba Map depicts Jerusalem with the New Church of the Theotokos, which was dedicated on 20 November 542. Buildings erected in Jerusalem after 570 are absent from the depiction, thus limiting the date range of its creation to the period between 542 and 570. The original mosaic measured 21 meters by 7 meters and contained more than two million tesserae. Only two large fragments of this mosaic was discovered, occupying an area of approximately 5 meters high by 10 meters long. These two fragments depict an area from Lebanon to the Nile delta, and from the Mediterranean Sea to the Arabian Desert, which includes the territory of the Holy Land. The map is organized around the Jordan River and the Dead Sea as the main axes. It is believed that the representation of Madaba would occupy a relevant place in line with Jerusalem.

Photo: Matyas Rehak | Dreamstime.com

Photo: Frenta | Dreamstime.com

The discovery of the Madaba Map increased archeological interest in this forgotten city, located 33 kilometers from Jordan. Since then, the ruins of a dozen churches and chapels and a considerable number of private residences have been discovered there, as well as hundreds of mosaics. Most of Madaba's mosaics are from the Byzantine period and contain floral and animal motifs as well as scenes of hunting or wine production. The most complete example is the church of the Apostles, which also contains a medallion with the personification of the sea. From the Umayyad period, the mosaic of the church of the Virgin Mary stands out, of geometric type, with dedicatory inscriptions.

The surprising profusion and quality of the mosaics found in the various buildings of Madaba has given this place the moniker the city of mosaics. As a result, the city established the Madaba Institute for Mosaic Art and Restoration the only institute in the Middle East specialized in teaching mosaic conservation and production techniques.

Interior of Greek Orthodox Church of St. George, famous for its extensive mosaic decoration, including the mosaic map of the holy land. Photo: Grandbrothers | Dreamstime.com

Interior of Greek Orthodox Basilica of St George. with the mosaic map of Holy Land in Madaba, Jordan. Photo: Dmitry Chulov | Dreamstime.com

Tourists visit Byzantine Orthodox Basilica of St George with the mosaic map of Holy Land in Madaba, Jordan. Photo: Dmitry Chulov | Dreamstime.com

References:

# Pnina Arad, Why Roads Aren't Marked on the Madaba Map, the Earliest Map of the Holy Land, Haaretz

# Ruben Montoya, The Mosaic Map Of Madaba, National Geographic

# El mapa mosaico de Madaba, National Geographic

# Wikipedia
Samsung may be looking to change the names of the Galaxy S22 series, and confuse consumers at the same time. The Galaxy S22, S22+, and S22 Ultra surfaced in CAD-based renders quite recently. Those images revealed the designs of all three phones.

That being said, 91mobiles says that @OnLeaks told them that the Galaxy S22+ may be referred to as the Galaxy S22 Pro instead. Following that, Chun, a tipster, shared some additional naming information.

Most Galaxy S22 series phones may feature different names

He said that the Galaxy S22+ will indeed be called the Galaxy S22 Pro. The vanilla Galaxy S22 wont offer a name change, it will still be called the Galaxy S22. The Galaxy S22 Ultra, on the other hand, well, it may include the Note branding.

Advertisement

The Galaxy S22 Ultra may actually launch as the Galaxy Note 22 Ultra, if the tipster is to be believed. That may seem surprising, but recently we heard that Samsung is looking to revive the Note series with the S22 Ultra.

That handset will not only support an S Pen, but it will ship with it docked, like the Galaxy Note 20, and its predecessors. The device will also offer a different design compared to the Galaxy S22 and S22+ / S22 Pro.

This change does make sense, to a degree

Therefore, this may even make sense, in a way. It will confuse consumers, though. If it ends up being true, Samsung will essentially release two Galaxy S-branded phones, and a Note-branded handset in January.

Advertisement

Do take this information with a grain of salt, of course, it hasnt really been confirmed or anything of the sort. Were sure well get more information regarding this in the coming weeks / months.

The Galaxy S22 and S22+ / S22 Pro will resemble their predecessors when it comes to the design. The Galaxy S22 Ultra / Note 22 Ultra will offer a completely different-looking rear camera setup, and will have much sharper corners. Samsung is obviously looking to differentiate that device when it comes to its design.
DUBAI - Over the last 24 hours, clashes between Houthi rebels and pro-government soldiers in Yemen have caused at least 67 deaths, in the battle for Marib, the last loyalist stronghold in the war-torn north of the country, according to military and medical sources.



"Fifty-eight rebels and nine government soldiers were killed in fighting and air raids in the provinces of Marib and Chabwa (near Marib)", military sources told the AFP news agency. The death toll was also confirmed by medical sources. Over 20 raids were carried out by the military coalition led by Saudis that has supported loyalist forces since 2015, according to government forces.



The rebels, close to Iran, already control the majority of northern Yemen, including the capital Sana'a conquered in 2014.



Fighting around Marib has intensified over the last few days, causing dozens of deaths in a context of diplomatic stalemate over a ceasefire. Since February, rebels have been trying to take control of the oil-rich province, the key missing ring of power in the country's north. The battle of Marib has exacerbated the conflict in Yemen, where the world's worst humanitarian disaster is ongoing, according to the United Nations. The UN has warned of a risk of large-scale famine.



International organizations estimated that the war has caused tens of thousands of deaths and has internally displaced millions of people.
TEL AVIV - Palestinian websites have published the name and home address of the next head of Shin Bet, Israel's domestic security, whose personal data is secret in the country until he officially takes office on October 13, media reports said, adding that the word 'wanted' appeared next to the information.



The publication of confidential information - the media reports highlighted - takes place as strong tension is reported in the West Bank.



Yesterday, while hunting down the members of a cell of Hamas near Jenin and in other areas of the Territories, the Israeli army killed during a gunfight five Palestinian militants while two soldiers were seriously wounded. The army chief of staff Aviv Kochavi and Premier Naftali Bennett have denounced that the cell was planning "imminent terrorist attacks" in Israel.



The next head of Shin Bet - so far known only by the letter 'R' (Resh, in Hebrew) - is currently the deputy chief of the organization led since 2016 by Nadav Argaman. Among the various tasks of Shin Bet is to supervise intelligence in the West Bank and prevent potential disorders.


A record number of schoolchildren have submitted entries to a competition to design new Royal Mail stamps to recognise heroes of the pandemic.

More than 600,000 designs were sent from almost 7,500 schools, with 120 regional finalists being chosen.

Vaccine creators and those who delivered the jab were chosen in this design (Royal Mail/PA)

The previous highest number of entries received for a stamp design competition was 239,374 for Royal Mails Christmas Stamp Design Competition in 2013.

Children aged four to 14 were asked to think about who their heroes were and to design a stamp in their honour.

The designs received celebrate heroes including NHS workers, parents, carers, refuse collectors, cleaning staff, teachers, supermarket workers, public transport staff, delivery drivers and postmen and postwomen.

Captain Sir Tom Moore was among those featured (Royal Mail/PA)

Also depicted on the designs were volunteers who have helped in their local communities or raised money for charity, including Captain Sir Tom Moore.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: It is of great credit to the children of this country that in world record breaking numbers they picked up their paintbrushes, pens and paints and paid artistic tribute to the heroes of our coronavirus response.

Their brilliant efforts represent the collective gratitude of the nation to everyone who went above and beyond during the pandemic.

Congratulations to all those who have made it to the next round and thank you to everyone who has taken part and to the teams at Royal Mail for managing this record number of entries.

This stamp design pays tribute to food producers (Royal Mail/PA)

Royal Mail chief executive Simon Thompson said: We would like to thank all of the 606,049 children who submitted such brilliant designs to the competition.

We have been amazed and impressed by the sheer volume of entries, and to have achieved a Guinness World Records title in the process shows how much the UKs children value those heroes who have kept the nation moving during such a difficult period.

From the 120 regional finalists, a panel of judges will now determine the winning 24 regional designs in November.

Eight winning images will be chosen as official Royal Mail stamps and will appear on millions of items of mail across the UK when they are issued in spring 2022.
An extra 28 billion would be spent each year on helping Britain tackle the climate change crisis under a Labour government, the shadow chancellor has pledged.

Rachel Reeves said she wanted to become Britains first green chancellor as she outlined proposals for a massive investment in shifting the country to greener technology.

Ms Reeves explained the money would be for capital projects and run until the end of the decade.

In a speech laden with soundbites aimed at boosting Labours economic credibility, Ms Reeves also said the party would set up a team to go through every line of every failed contract where value was not delivered during the Covid-19 pandemic.

She said the aim would be to claw back every penny of taxpayers money we possibly can after accusing the Conservatives of presiding over an outsourcing bonanza.

Ms Reeves confirmed she would freeze business rates next year if she was in No 11 while also offering a cut for small firms, paid for by hiking digital taxes.

She committed the next Labour government to abolishing business rates, using the proceeds of a global deal on taxing multinational firms.

A laser focus on efficiency in the tax system was also promised, with tax breaks not delivering for the economy or taxpayer scrapped.

(PA Graphics)

Speaking in Brighton, Ms Reeves told delegates: I will invest in good jobs in the green industries of the future; giga-factories to build batteries for electric vehicles; a thriving hydrogen industry; offshore wind with turbines made in Britain; planting trees and building flood defences; keeping homes warm and getting energy bills down; good new jobs in communities throughout Britain.

In other words: protecting and strengthening our everyday economy. And to make this a reality, to unlock that potential, and protect our planet for future generations.

She added: I can announce today Labours climate investment pledge, an additional 28 billion of capital investment in our countrys green transition for each and every year of this decade.

I will be a responsible chancellor. I will be Britains first green chancellor.

The plan sees Ms Reeves thrown down the gauntlet to Chancellor Rishi Sunak ahead of next months Budget, which comes weeks before the global climate change conference in Glasgow.

Ms Reevess pledges also came as Labour seeks to get its conference in Brighton back on track following internal rows over party rules, criticism of Sir Keir Starmer after he ruled out nationalising energy giants and the fallout from Angela Rayners attack on the scum in Boris Johnsons Cabinet.

Earlier in her keynote speech to conference, Ms Reeves said Labour wants to clean up the Tories Brexit mess.

She added: Im more than happy to take on the Tories when it comes to economic competence because I know we can win.

On taxation, Ms Reeves pledged she will not balance the books on the backs of working people, adding: We will look at every single tax break and if it doesnt deliver for the economy or the taxpayer, then we will scrap it.

She also took aim at Amazon founder Jeff Bezos as she called on the Government to increase the digital services tax to 12% for the next year, to make sure online companies like Amazon are paying their fair share.

Ms Reeves told delegates: When Amazons revenues went up by almost 2 billion last year, how much did their tax go up? Less than 1%.

If you can afford to fly to space, you can pay your taxes here on Earth.

Greenpeace UKs head of politics Rebecca Newsom said Ms Reeves had hit the right mark in her speech.

She said: Crucially 28 billion per year extra climate investment is the scale of funding we so desperately need to both tackle the climate crisis and bring about the millions of new jobs for workers in a new green economy, creating new opportunities for those who work in declining industries.

Rachel Reeves has laid down the gauntlet, the question is whether the Chancellor Rishi Sunak can respond in kind.
FILE - In this Aug. 16, 2021 file photio, State Department spokesperson Ned Price speaks during a media briefing at the State Department in Washington. Price has tested positive for COVID-19 and will be self-quarantining for the next 10 days. Price says he tested positive for coronavirus on Monday morning after returning from New York, where he attended the annual UN General Assembly meeting with Secretary of State Antony Blinken last week, (Kevin Lamarque/Pool via AP)

WASHINGTON (AP)  State Department spokesman Ned Price has tested positive for COVID-19 and will be self-quarantining for the next 10 days.

Price, who is vaccinated, said he tested positive for coronavirus on Monday morning after returning from New York, where he attended the annual UN General Assembly meeting with Secretary of State Antony Blinken last week. Price said his symptoms were relatively mild.

After experiencing symptoms for the first time this morning, I tested positive for COVID-19 shortly thereafter, & will now quarantine for the next 10 days, Price said in a tweet. Im feeling under the weather but am grateful for the protection from severe illness offered by safe and effective vaccines.

Jalina Porter, a deputy State Department spokesperson, said Blinken tested negative for COVID on Monday morning.

In New York, Price attended numerous events with Blinken, including meetings with foreign ministers and senior officials from more than 60 countries. Blinken and Price were part of a large U.S. delegation to the General Assembly that included dozens of senior diplomats. There were no other reports of positive tests in the delegation.

Blinken is due to travel to Pittsburgh later this week for an U.S.-EU trade and Technology conference and then next week to Europe, California and Mexico. There was no indication that either trip might be postponed.
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP)  The Taliban on Monday banned barbershops in a southern Afghanistan province from shaving or trimming beards, claiming their edict is in line with Shariah, or Islamic, law.

The order in Helmand province was issued by the provincial Taliban government's vice and virtue department to barbers in Lashkar Gah, the provincial capital.

Since I have heard (about the ban on trimming beards) I am heart broken," said Bilal Ahmad, a Lashkar Gah resident. "This is the city and everyone follows a way of living, so they have to be left alone to do whatever they want.

During their previous rule of Afghanistan, the Taliban adhered to a harsh interpretation of Islam. Since overrunning Kabul on Aug. 15 and again taking control of the country, the world has been watching to see whether they will re-create their strict governance of the late 1990s.

Some indication came on Saturday, when Taliban fighters killed four alleged kidnappers and later hung their bodies in the public squares of the western city of Herat.

"If anyone violates the rule (they) will be punished and no one has a right to complain, said the order issued to the barbers. It wasn't immediately clear what penalties the barbers could face if they don't adhere to the no shaving or trimming rule.

During the Talibans previous rule, the conservative Islamists demanded that men grow beards. Since being ousted from power following the U.S.-led invasion in 2001, shaved or cleanly trimmed beards have become popular in the country.

Barbershop owner Jalaluddin, who like many Afghans goes by only one name, said he hoped the Taliban would reconsider their demands.

I request our Taliban brothers to give freedom to people to live the way they want, if they want to trim their beard or hair," he said. "Now we have few clients coming to us, they are scared, they dont want to trim their hair or beards, so I request them let people free, so we have our business and people can freely come to us.

Another barbershop owner, Sher Afzal, also said the decree hurts the bottom line. If someone comes for a haircut, they will come back to us after 40 to 45 days, so it is affecting our business like any other businesses, he said.
Along with Denzel Washington, Will Smith is one of the most famous movie cops in Hollywood thanks to his blockbuster Bad Boys franchise. In a wide-ranging new interview with GQ, the star of the upcoming Oscar hopeful King Richard touches on the complicated subject of real-world policing. Specifically, Smith addresses the "Defund the police" movement that gained traction after the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody in May 2020, four months after the third Bad Boys installment, Bad Boys for Life, racked up $200 million at the U.S. box office. And much like Washington  who recently told Yahoo Entertainment that he has the "utmost respect" for real-life cops  Smith sounds a more cautious note about the movement's goals.

"I would love if we would just say 'Defund the bad police,'" he remarks, likening it to the conflicting messaging over critical race theory. "Its almost like I want, as Black Americans, for us to change our marketing for the new position were in. So 'critical race theory,' just call it 'truth theory.' The pendulum is swinging in our direction beautifully."

"This is a difficult area to discuss, but I feel like the simplicity of Black Lives Matter was perfect," Smith continues. "Anybody who tries to debate Black Lives Matter looks ridiculous. So when I talk about the marketing of our ideas, Black Lives Matter was perfection. From a standpoint of getting it done, Black Lives Matter gets it done. 'Defund the police' doesnt get it done, no matter how good the ideas are. Im not saying we shouldn't defund the police. Im saying, just dont say that, because then people who would help you wont."

Smith and Martin Lawrence reprise their roles as Florida super-cops in Bad Boys for Life (Photo: Ben Rothstein /  Columbia Pictures / courtesy Everett Collection)

Amid the Black Lives Matter protests last summer, Smith spoke up about his own interactions with police officers as a young man in Philadelphia, indicating that he was called the "N" word on multiple occasions. "I got stopped frequently," he remarked on the podcast, On 1 With Angela Rye. "So I understand what it's like to be in those circumstances with the police."

Speaking with GQ, Smith explains that for much of his career he placed being an entertainer over being a spokesperson for any particular cause. "In the early part of my career.I wanted to be a superhero. So I wanted to depict Black excellence alongside my white counterparts. I wanted to play roles that you would give to Tom Cruise." Now that he's in his so-called "f***-it 50s," though, he's ready to incorporate politics into his art. That includes his upcoming Apple TV+ movie, Emancipation, which is based on the true story of "Whipped Peter," an escaped slave and subject of a famous 19th century photo that captured the horrors of slavery in a single image.

Previously, Smith says he deliberately "avoided" appearing in movies about slavery  including Quentin Tarantino's Django Unchained, where he was offered the title role that eventually went to Jamie Foxx  but feels that Emancipation offers something different. "This was one that was about love and the power of Black love," Smith says of the Antoine Fuqua directed movie. "And that was something that I could rock with. We were going to make a story about how Black love makes us invincible."

Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith attend the 2019 premiere of Gemini Man in Hollywood, California (Photo by Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic)

Speaking of love, Smith's GQ interview also touches on the rumors surrounding his marriage to Jada Pinkett Smith, which is addressed in the actor's upcoming memoir, Will, due in bookstores in November. "Jada never believed in conventional marriage," the actor says, tacitly confirming that he and Pinkett Smith have a non-traditional union. "We have given each other trust and freedom, with the belief that everybody has to find their own way. And marriage for us cant be a prison. And I dont suggest our road for anybody. But the experiences that the freedoms that weve given one another and the unconditional support, to me, is the highest definition of love."

King Richard premieres Nov. 19 in theaters and on HBO Max
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 27, ARMENPRESS. Last year on September 27th, Armenians woke up to news that Azerbaijan is attacking Artsakh. Although it was momentarily clear that this attack wasnt the usual border skirmish, no one wouldve thought that it was the beginning of an all-out war that would last six weeks.

With overt Turkish support and involvement of foreign mercenaries, the Azerbaijani military launched a war of conquest, with indiscriminate bombardments of towns and cities of Artsakh, including the capital city of Stepanakert.

Village homes, apartments, churches and even the maternity hospital of Stepanakert were hit by Azeri strikes.

The Armenian and Artsakhi governments declared martial law and mobilization of reservists, while many people were voluntarily signing up to the military to be deployed to the frontline and defend the nation.

During the entire course of the war, the Azerbaijani military used prohibited munitions against Artsakh, including against civilians. Large-scale evidence exists on torture committed by the Azeri authorities against Armenian captives.

Despite humanitarian ceasefire agreements reached with mediation of OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairing countries, Azerbaijan was violating it almost immediately after taking effect.

After 44 days, on the night of November 9-10, Armenia and Azerbaijan signed a Russia-backed ceasefire agreement ending the war, officially known as the Statement of the President of the Russian Federation, the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia.

The ceasefire agreement deployed around 2000 Russian peacekeepers to Artsakh.

To this day, Azerbaijan refuses to implement the agreements of the ceasefire and hasnt returned all Armenian captives.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 27, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian addressed a message today, on September 27, on the anniversary of the 44-Day Artsakh War, his Office said.

The message reads:

A year ago, on this day, the most brutal war in our modern history  the second Artsakh War, started. A war that claimed young lives and fates.

I bow before the memory of all victims, before their families and relatives

A year after the war, in addition to the thousands of the victims and wounded, we still have sons in captivity and missing in action.

Today more than ever we must invest our efforts for the return of the captives, the recovery of the injured and for the discovery of the missing.

For the sake of strong Armenia and Artsakh

We must be able to get out of this situation with our heads held high, albeit slowly, but move forward

September 27 marks the 1st anniversary of the 44-Day War unleashed by Azerbaijan against Artsakh. Despite the statement on the ceasefire signed on November 9, Azerbaijan still refuses to return all Armenian captives.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 27, ARMENPRESS. On September 27, 2020, Azerbaijan, with the direct support and involvement of Turkey and with the participation of foreign terrorist fighters from the Middle East, unleashed a large-scale war against the Republic of Artsakh with the aim of depriving the people of Artsakh of the right to live free and secure in their homeland and master their own destiny, the Armenian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Today we bow and pay tribute to the memory of our heroes of all Artsakh wars, who fell for the cause of freedom and in protection of dignity and the right to life of their compatriots.

The 44-day war, launched on September 27, was accompanied by large-scale violations of international humanitarian and human rights law, war crimes and other mass atrocities by Azerbaijan. During the hostilities, the armed forces of Azerbaijan deliberately targeted civilian infrastructure and peaceful settlements, including the capital Stepanakert, with artillery and air strikes, including with prohibited weapons, which resulted in civilian casualties and destruction. The committed mass crimes were thoroughly documented and presented to international organizations and specialized international bodies. The works in this direction will continue in various international platforms.

The 44-day war was a pre-planned and prepared military aggression aimed at removing the Nagorno-Karabakh issue from international agenda through use of force and annihilation of the Armenian population. This is evidenced by the actions of Azerbaijan in the pre-war period, as well as the policy adopted by Azerbaijan following the war. The Armenophobic policy and the consistent threats of use of force pursued by the leadership of Azerbaijan for years, the rejection of proposals by the international mediators to resolve the conflict and strengthen the ceasefire, systematic and regular ceasefire violations, excessive accumulation of weaponry in violation of international obligations and periodic offensive military drills along the line of contact, refusal to join the UN Secretary-General's call for a global ceasefire, as well as post-war statements denying the very existence of Nagorno-Karabakh, demonstrate that Azerbaijan has never been interested in a peaceful settlement of the conflict.

Azerbaijan has been consistently hindering the efforts of the international community, in particular the countries of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs, to establish a humanitarian ceasefire, as a result of which the three ceasefires agreed at the Ministerial level on the initiative of Russia, France and the United States were not implemented. The Trilateral Statement on the ceasefire established on the initiative of the President of Russia on November 9, followed by the entry of Russian peacekeepers into Nagorno-Karabakh, halted the Azerbaijani aggression and created conditions for ensuring the comprehensive security of the population in Artsakh.



As a result of the Azerbaijani-Turkish aggression unleashed against Artsakh, the Armenians of Artsakh encountered numerous humanitarian issues: more than 90 thousand Armenians of Artsakh were forced to leave their permanent residences, the majority of whom have currently returned to Artsakh. More than 40,000 people were deprived of their homes and property, vital infrastructure was destroyed, including schools and hospitals. In this regard, the Republic of Armenia attaches great importance to the unimpeded access of international humanitarian organizations and other specialized bodies into Artsakh, which is of vital importance in the context of a comprehensive and effective solution to the humanitarian crisis resulting from the war.

After around a year Azerbaijan is still holding a number of Armenian prisoners of war and captured civilians as hostages violating its obligations undertaken by both the November 9 Trilateral Statement and international humanitarian law.

The Azerbaijani authorities not only continue their hostile policy towards the people of Artsakh, but also rename Armenian settlements in the territories fallen under their control, destroy and desecrate religious sanctuaries and cultural heritage. These actions and the complete ethnic cleansing of the Armenian population once again reveal the fact that the guarantee of physical security and the right to life of the Armenians of Artsakh is impossible under the jurisdiction of Azerbaijan.

The realities shaped on the basis of the use of force, mass violations of human rights, as well as the consistent actions of similar nature by Azerbaijan following the war, can not create a sustainable foundation for regional peace and security. The comprehensive and lasting settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict presume the determination of the status of Artsakh taking into account the realization of the inalienable right to self-determination, ensuring of the security of the people of Artsakh, safe and dignified return of the displaced population to their settlements throughout Nagorno-Karabakh, preservation of Armenian cultural and religious heritage in the territories fallen under the Azerbaijani control.

Only the agreements reached within the framework of the peace process can open a new page for peace, security and development in the region.

The Republic of Armenia stands for the full-fledged launch of the peace process of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict within the framework and mandate of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmanship. At the same time, the urgent settlement of humanitarian issues, including the repatriation of all prisoners of war, captured civilians and addressing of the cases of enforced disappearances is of utmost importance.

Armenia will consistently stand for the restoration and protection of the rights of the people of Artsakh and make every effort to reach a just, comprehensive and lasting settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, guarantee the right of the Armenians of Artsakh to free and safe life with dignity in their homeland, the ministrys statement says.
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 27, ARMENPRESS. Russian President Vladimir Putin is going to meet his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan in person, however most of the other events with the participation of the Russian head of state remain online, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, reports TASS.

When asked about the event, the Kremlin press secretary assured that Erdogans visit to Russia will take place, Yes, we have been preparing for this visit.

Almost all events [of the Russian president] remain in the videoconference mode, it goes without saying that the meeting with Erdogan will be in person, the spokesman stressed.

Peskov stated that Putin and Erdogan will discuss a wide range of issues during their meeting, including the situation in Syria, Afghanistan and Libya.

I think that Syria will top the agenda, as well as Afghanistan, they will also exchange views on Libya and other global issues, he said when asked about the agenda of the talks.
Most interesting of all was the great emphasis by the Prime Minister on democracy

Prime Minister Narendra Modis September 22-25 visit to the United States, his first since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic last year, covered a lot of ground. He had bilateral meetings both with US President Joe Biden and his Indian-origin vice-president Kamala Devi Harris, attended the first in-person Quad summit at the White House and also met the two other leaders of the four-nation grouping, the Prime Ministers of Australia and Japan.

The broad themes were already known as hosts United States in its briefings, as indeed President Biden in his UN General Assembly address last week, listed climate change, the Covid-19 pandemic and emerging technologies as the areas of focus for the Quad. A week earlier a new strategic grouping of Australia, Britain and the US  called AUKUS was announced, revealing that technology to make nuclear-powered submarines would be transferred to Australia. This raised the question about its impact on the Quad. It seems that the US is constructing a multi-dimensional wall to contain China. Both these groups constitute different pillars of it. AUKUS introduces a serious naval dimension to upend Chinese missile-based defence of the mainland as the existing US bases in the Pacific, in the first ring of islands, are vulnerable to attack. Australia with its nuclear submarines provides a land mass removed from this menace.

There were no surprises in the Biden-Modi meeting. It only remained to be seen whether Indias concerns over Afghanistan would get addressed. As expected, President Biden ducked the entire issue of the US military withdrawal from Afghanistan as he has a closed mind on its necessity. Both Mr Biden and Ms Harris approached the issue through the role of Pakistan in the region, particularly as an abettor of terror. Only a week earlier US secretary of state Antony Blinken had to face the ire of the members of the House Foreign Relations Committee on the role of Pakistan over the last two decades. Some members sought sanctions, and Mr Blinken promised to look into their charges. Thus, the US line is to help restrain Pakistan without direct involvement in the region, leaving India largely to its own designs.

This subtle handholding aside, both the US President and his deputy raised the need for the defence of democracy, both at home and abroad. President Biden talked of shared responsibility to uphold democratic values and a joint commitment to diversity. Indian officials dismissed questions about the US sending a strong message to the Narendra Modi government. Surely the world is aware of the Pegasus episode, involving the use of military-level malware to snoop on journalists and other foes of the Indian government.

The fact that Indias Supreme Court has had to dismiss the governments danger to national security defence underscores the danger to liberty and freedom of speech.

Prime Minister Modis address to the UN General Assembly was well structured and delivered in the usual hybrid Hindi-English format. Besides the usual narration of Indian domestic achievements in taking banking to the common man and drinkable water to his home, Mr Modi touched on other important themes. He attacked Pakistan directly and China obliquely. He called use of terrorism as a political tool as regressive thinking. He warned that Afghanistan must not become a rallying ground for this. He sought open oceans, a dig at China, and a rules-based order. He sought reform of the United Nations as 75 years after its founding it no longer represented contemporary global reality. Implied in that is the inequity of India not being a permanent member of the UN Security Council.

Most interesting of all was the great emphasis by the Prime Minister on democracy. India, he asserted, was the Mother of Democracy  a claim that Greece may take issue with. In keeping with his penchant for slogans, he added: Yes Democracy Can Deliver/Yes Democracy Has Delivered. He chose to ignore the many complaints by the Opposition and liberal opinion in India, as indeed amongst democracy watchers abroad, that in fact India had regressed from its position as a liberal democracy under Mr Modi. He was confusing liberal democracy with electoral democracy. Yes, India has the latter, but has been slowly slipping from the norms of a liberal democracy.

An example of that has been the 10-month-old farmers agitation against the three controversial agricultural reform laws passed without proper examination by committees of Parliament or a division called by the Opposition while voting on them. The fact that some members of the diaspora were protesting on behalf of the farmers in Washington and the fact that this wasnt even shown by main Indian news channels speaks of the slipping independence of the media.

Equally strange was the Prime Ministers argument that India needs science-based, rational and progressive thinking. If anything, he needs to address this message to elements in his party who often go public with non-rational theories about healthcare. But underscored is the yawning gap between what is preached abroad to keep Indias image intact and the politics of the BJP at home. The subtle hints by President Joe Biden about inclusivity need to be taken seriously. A body of opinion in the Democratic Party holds liberal values and human rights extremely dear. It would be a mistake to treat the US advice as tokenism undertaken to appease fringe groups.

The conclusion that can be arrived at is that the Prime Minister had a good visit to Washington and New York. The Quad will continue to push back at China using its soft power of democracy and financial/technical wherewithal to supply vaccines to the world. It also needs to roll out an infrastructure development map to counter Chinas Belt and Road Initiative. India will have to balance one foot in this boat with another in a Russia-Iran one to counter the Pakistan-Taliban nexus. The latter has Chinas blessings, although China would be careful not to get stuck in a fresh Afghan quagmire.

India-US relations naturally got positively reviewed but some problem areas remain. Trade issues cannot be kept in abeyance for much longer. India will have to live with the Afghan mess that the US has left behind. US-Pakistan relations shall always remain an irritant as the US wouldnt want to completely shut the door on Pakistan. The Gulf and West Asia will keep the Islamic world destabilised in parts. But India needs to fix the Jammu and Kashmir imbroglio, moderate its majoritarian instincts and harden its defences against terrorism  of both the traditional and cyber variety.
The State now assumes that you have done something wrong, and it is for you to demonstrate your innocence

India follows the system of common law, introduced to it by Great Britain. However, it has introduced some innovations in its laws as an independent nation, and one of these is to reverse the burden of proof. In several criminal laws in India, and especially those which have been enacted or brought into force after 2014, there is a reversal of the burden of proof. This means that there is a presumption of guilt. The State now assumes that you have done something wrong, and it is for you to demonstrate your innocence.

This is the opposite of normal criminal law. For instance, if someone is found with a knife next to a corpse, it is for the State to prove that the person committed murder. However, there are laws in which the State begins with the assumption of guilt. The National Register of Citizens in Assam is one such instance. All individuals in Assam had to submit to the government documents which showed that their ancestors had been in Assam as citizens before 1971. Those who could not have to line up before government tribunals and prove that they were legitimate. If they could not, they were locked up. Hundreds of people are in jail today because of this and more jails are being constructed.

British law says that where a legal burden of proof is on a defendant, they need not prove the issue beyond reasonable doubt. The bar is low. But in India the bar is quite high as we can see in Assam and elsewhere.

India has enacted the so-called freedom of religion laws in several BJP-ruled states, reversing the burden of proof for conversions. The law was first passed by Uttarakhand in 2018, and then came the Himachal Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act 2019, Uttar Pradesh Vidhi Viruddh Dharma Samparivartan Pratishedh Adhyadesh 2020 (Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Ordinance), Madhya Pradesh Dharma Swatantreya Adhyadesh 2020 (Freedom of Religion Ordinance) and Gujarat Freedom of Religion (Amendment) Act, 2021.

These laws virtually criminalise marriage between Hindus and Muslims. They say that if anyone converts before or after marriage, then the government will declare the marriage null and void, even if there are children. The burden of proof to show that the conversion was not fraudulent, through undue influence, or coercion is on the spouse and the family that the person is marrying into. Those who change their faith without an application to the government are sent to jail. The other unique thing about these laws is that they do not apply to Hinduism. The original law in Himachal Pradesh says that if any person comes back to their ancestral religion, then this shall not be deemed as conversion. The laws does not define what ancestral religion means, but its meaning is clear: those who convert to Hinduism will not be punished.

The Uttar Pradesh Recovery of Damage to Public and Private Property Act 2020 was enacted after the UP police shot dead 21 protesters during the anti-CAA protests last year. The law gives the state government the power to fine people it suspects of having damaged public property and seizing their homes and other property. Even if the accused is unable to appear before the tribunal, the orders for attachment can be passed which cannot be appealed.

Another set of laws, also passed after 2014, reverse the burden of proof on cow slaughter. The laws were also passed by BJP state governments. They are the Maharashtra Animal Preservation (Amendment) Act 2015, the Haryana Gauvansh Sanrakshan and Gausamvardhan Act 2015, the Gujarat Animal Preservation (Amendment) Act 2017, and the Karnataka Prevention of Slaughter and Preservation of Cattle Act 2020. The burden of proof is reversed and if one is accused of killing a cow or possessing beef, then it is for the individual to show that they did not kill the animal or that the meat in their fridge is not beef.

Gujarats punishment for cow slaughter, which is an economic crime in India because it aims to protect animal husbandry, is life in jail. No other economic offence draws this sentence. In 2019, under the new law, a Muslim man was sentenced to 10 years in jail after he was accused of serving beef at his daughters wedding. The police could not prove that this had happened. In that case, the judge said, it was for the man to prove that he was innocent. Because it was not possible to test food that had already been eaten, the court sent him to jail.

Those who transport cattle except under strict conditions are also liable under the law to have their vehicles permanently seized and fined Rs 5 lakhs.

Other laws which have reversed the burden of proof are the famous UAPA, which makes it difficult if not impossible for people to get bail once they are accused. All Indian states have preventive detention laws, through which the government can jail people without their having committed a crime on the presumption that they will commit a crime in the future.

Interestingly, the BJP in its earlier avatar as the Jan Sangh had opposed preventive detention laws, but today its the champion of these laws. The other thing to note is that presumption of guilt laws have been creeping in since 2014, but there is no resistance or even debate on whether we should have them, apparently because the average Indians faith in the system and its fairness is absolute.
Its five answers to five questions. Here we go

1. Employee lied for months about work he wasnt really doing

I have a small team of developers working under me. We were working on building a new product for our start-up. The main full stack engineer who was building the web interface had been working on it for two months and regularly giving us fake status updates. During this time, we even sponsored him to come to our country from Peru. Now after two months of living here, he just came up yesterday and says that he is leaving for a much better company. And he says that he didnt complete anything on that web portal in the last two months.

I realize that I have dropped the ball here by not checking out the demo and I shouldnt have just believed him. But we are working in a very small start-up so there is a huge load divided among us. I am not sure what my options are now. I know I cant stop him from joining that company. Can we as the company take legal action here?

No. Not doing work that you tell your boss youre doing isnt illegal. Its crappy and it makes him a bad employee, but theres no legal action to take.

But yes, the lesson for the future is that you need to look at peoples work product often enough that youll spot it early on if this is happening  or if something less nefarious is happening, like that your employee is just envisioning something completely different than what you thought you assigned (which is another thing you really, really dont want to only realize two months into the work).

2. Employee has bugger off sign on his door

We have an employee who has a sign that says bugger off. One of my coworkers says that it means F off. Is that correct? Should he be allowed to have this on his door?

The literal meaning is the same, but the connotations are less  intense than with F off (at least here in the U.S.; I cant speak for other places). But its still much too hostile and aggressive a sign for someone to have on their door at work, and its beyond reasonable to (a) tell him to remove it and (b) talk to him about what on earth is going on that caused him to put it there.

3. Coworker wants me to turn down my radio

We returned to work in July. First it was one day a week, now its two. I have coworkers who try to control the office. One asked me to turn down my radio. I did. She constantly bugs me about it. And takes it upon herself to come into my space to turn down my radio. No one else has mentioned it. She also closed our managers door without asking him. She said he was too loud. I think this lady needs to take a chill pill. How can l respond nicely without getting nasty?

Im sorry about that, and Ill use headphones from now on.

Its pretty inconsiderate to play a radio at work, unless its a group decision that everyone has bought into and everyone agrees on whats playing (or agrees on a system for choosing whats playing, like taking turns). Otherwise its a type of noise pollution in other peoples work environments  and if your coworker is constantly bugging you about it and turning it down, thats a clear sign that its disrupting her and so you need to use headphones. Her ability to focus on her work trumps your desire to listen to the radio.

4. How do I respond when my manager is disappointed in her own work?

Whats the best way to handle it when your supervisor has messed up or faced some disappointing outcome at work, and is clearly upset about it?

For context, Im an attorney in a litigation role. The cases we handle are not terribly emotionally sensitive or political, but its not uncommon that my supervisors will be visibly upset (still in a work-appropriate way) after a particularly tough oral argument, especially if they feel like they made a mistake.

Im not sure what to say/do when a supervisor comes to me and says something like, I really messed up my response to X, or I shouldnt have conceded Y, especially when sometimes I think theyre right. I dont think theyd appreciate a white lie like, No, I thought your response to X was great!

The approach Ive been taking so far is just to say something in the moment like, Im so sorry, but X was a really tough question  we prepped a lot, but didnt have any way of anticipating that theyd focus on X so much. It happens to everyone. For what its worth, I thought you did really well on A and B.

Is there anything more that I can/should do other than that? If it was a colleague my same level, Id feel more comfortable reaching out with supportive emails containing gifs of baby animals or something, but it doesnt feel like I have the standing to do that for my supervisors.

The language youve been using is good! I might drop the Im so sorry just because it hits me as a little too pitying. And maybe the It happens to everyone too, depending the context. But the general structure of X was really tough / didnt see that coming and sometimes adding A and B went really well is a good one (as long as you can do the latter without it seeming patronizing).

5. How long should I hold onto equipment from a former job?

I had a side hustle that was initially halted in the initial pandemic lockdowns. When normal life resumed, I decided to quit the gig. I used equipment that belonged to the company I worked for, and when I resigned, they said that they wanted it back. However, their headquarters are in a different state, so they asked me to hold onto the equipment until they hired a new person in my local area. Then they would have me pass on the equipment to the new hire.

This was about 14 months ago. I still have the equipment and have not heard from them about it at all. I did reach out by email around Easter about it, but I did not hear back. Its not a big problem for me to store, though it would have been were I still living in a small apartment. Im just wondering whats a reasonable amount of time to hold on to it, and whether I should be more assertively trying to return it, or if its really theirs to chase down at this point. Also what if they never follow up? What do I do with it then?

Contact them and say, I was happy to store this while you were hiring a new person in the area, but its been 14 months and Im concerned about continuing to be responsible for it. Can you make arrangements for me to get it back to you in the next two weeks?

If its something you can ship, ideally the company would set up a shipment where theyre covering the charges. If its not shippable, it would be reasonable to give them a little more time to figure something out (like a month, not another 14 months). In that case, just be clear about what you need  for example, I do need the space back, so can you make plans to pick it up by the end of October or let me know if youd prefer I donate or dispose of it?

If they never respond or if they say theyll handle it and then dont, at that point you send one more communication: I havent heard back from you so this is notice that I plan to dispose of the equipment unless you arrange otherwise by October 30. If you really want to be safe, you can send that by certified mail.
Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup.
SUV

Frankly, with everything thats going around the crossover,, and truck-obsessed automotive world, theres a very slim chance Honda will ever fulfill the family-sized grocery-getter dreams of Civic fans that might want a station wagon version parked on the driveway.After all, even the European tenth generation dropped the practical body style. And the American spec also closed the book on the sporty coupe. So, one can imagine that anything quirky thats going to happen in the future with the Civic line will probably involve some sort of crossover transformation. Hopefully, we are getting another Civic Type R before something as outrageous happens...But, anyway, thats a story for another day. This time around, instead, we have Sugar Chow  the virtual artist behind the sugardesign_1 account on social media looking to fulfill his CGI dream of touring the world! Logically, a 2022 Honda Civic Hatchback couldnt escape his pixel grasp without a Tourer twist . And, frankly, were glad that it didnt  even if we know its just wishful thinking.As always, the CGI transformations are elegant and almost life-like . This is no exception, although on this occasion the premium setting has been abandoned in favor of a more adventurous take. This is only logical, considering the Honda-branded kayak accessory dwelling on top of the roof bars.Unfortunately, this is just a quick rendering project, so were left without the artists usual perspective that includes glorious shots of the station wagon/Shooting Brake alternations seen from a variety of angles. Well, it still manages to be more attractive than a 2022 Civic Hatchback. Let's face it, the latter is rather superfluous in the crossover-packed context of the Honda lineup (we have the HR-V, CR-V, Pilot, and Passport to choose from)!
You could say "what major implications could updating the styling of the bumpers ever have?" and you'd be right, but since Lamborghini is a serious company  owned by serious Germans, let's not forget  they're not going to do things any differently than they've been doing for the past decades.Besides, we don't fully know what's new for the 2022 Lamborghini Urus , so we're just guessing at the moment based on what we can see in the spy images (and videos such as this one) so far. And even we were only talking about new bumpers, their importance shouldn't be underestimated. They can affect aerodynamics (impacting performance and efficiency), cooling (impacting performance or even safety), or even the safety of everyone inside in case of a crash. Not all companies release " betas " to the public, you know.Assuming the spotted test car is indeed in its final production form, it looks like Lamborghini has worked on the Urus' appearance with very fine gloves. The only few differences we can spot (made even easier by the current Urus accompanying the test car) are also highlighted by the author of the video and are restricted to the front and rear bumpers. More to the point, in the rear, we're looking at modified side vents and a more pronounced lip, whereas changes to the lower part  the air diffuser and exhaust  are much more discreet.The front seems to have gone through a bit more significant changes. The fin design inside the air vents appears simplified (a single blade instead of the current splitting one) and we also have one long blade that goes the entire width of the car, splitting the grille right between the two front-mounted sensors. All-in-all, it makes the Urus appear both more elegant and more aggressive, which is a double-win in our book.Rumor has it the Urus will get a hybrid powertrain in the future, but whether it will come bundled with the facelift or not is unclear at the moment. As for the hybrid's power ratings, considering it shares its platform with Porsche 's Cayenne, expect them to be very similar to the Turbo S E-Hybrid's (671 hp and massive amounts of torque). However, considering the standard Urus makes 641, the jump in power may seem too insignificant, especially considering the higher cost and weight gain, so we might be looking at something closer to 700 hp.
Eventually it became clear that unlike their big brother, the 911, neither the Boxster nor the Cayman looked particularly imposing. Quite the opposite, actually, especially the Boxster with that plain rear end. As time passed, the visuals improved, starting with the 981-generation, before the current 982 cars arrived on the scene back in 2016, wearing a fresh new moniker.However, while both the 718 Boxster and the 718 Cayman are delightful to look at when specified appropriately, if Porsche doesnt take things to a whole new level with the fifth-generation cars, I for one will be very disappointed  especially after seen the stunning Mission R concept unveiled at IAA Mobility in Munich earlier this month.The Mission R boasts Porsches brand-new design language, the same one used on the Taycan and Taycan Cross Turismo, albeit more condensed to fit a body type thats inherently more dynamic-looking.Now, this might be wishful thinking, but it makes perfect sense for the Stuttgart-based brand to use the design of the Mission R on the next-generation 718 Boxster and 718 Cayman, as portrayed here courtesy of Bernhard Reichel.Right off the bat, both renderings look genuinely futuristic, straight out of a sci-fi movie. Thats actually fitting once you consider all these reports that peg the two models as possibly going full electric come 2024 (thats 2024 model year, meaning a 2023 debut).We're also pretty sure that the next-gen Boxster will retain its canvas soft-top roof, with both models set to rock a highly modernized interior design with Porsches latest user interface.Visually though, if Porsches next-gen 718 models end up resembling these renderings, good luck finding something similarly priced that goes as hard and looks as good.
AMG

SUV

And the evidence is surely available to make that argument. There are the six Ballon dOr awards, his record-breaking stint on the team known as Mes Un Club (Barcelona), his selection as the 2009 FIFA Player of the Year, the 2019 Best FIFA Mens Player of the Year, and the fact that hes scored more than 700 goals for club and country.With his success has come a rather large pile of money, and estimates say Messis net worth is well above $600 million USD. Its likely that his new deal with only his second club, Paris St.-Germain in Paris, will add to that pile significantly. Who knows, his move to Paris may mean the addition of a classic Citroen or even a Facel Vega As hes kept a relatively low off-field profile, you can be forgiven for not knowing that hes a bit of a car enthusiast and owner of an excellent collection. Its thought that at any given moment, Messi will own somewhere between 10 and 15 cars to serve his needs at homes around the world.Messis car collection is, of course, subject to change at any instant as he has the requisite funds to buy and sell them at his whim, but heres what we know about his collection at the moment in 2021.Let's start with his Ferrari F430 Spider as it seems Messi is enamored of the Italian automakers. The spider, the convertible version of the F430, was unveiled in 2005 and featured the sleek and modern look, which immediately identifies it as a Ferrari brand. The F430 puts out a whopping 503hp and reaches a maximum speed of 196 mph (315 kph). The F430 accelerates from 0 to 62 mph (0-100 kph) in just 4 seconds.His 2013 SLSGT 18 pays homage to the classic Mercedes models of the past, and the super light sport cranks out 563hp with the AMG tweaks in place.Yet another Italian beauty in his collection, the Maserati Granturismo MC Stradale , is an upper-crust Maserati in every way. The elegant GranTurismo MC Stradale shares its electronics and bits of hardware with the Ferrari 599 GTO and is the first GranTurismo to break the 300 km/h (186 mph) barrier. Maserati says just 497 units of the 2-seater were built from 2011 to 2013, and that makes them suitably rare.Perhaps the wildest and least tamed vehicle in Messis collection is an example of the Pagani Zonda Tricolore . Its loopy curves and domed interior are made to draw attention and set off the cars three-colored paint job. Once again, rarity likely plays a factor in his selection as his Pagani is one of just three made.For enthusiasts who truly enjoy the thrill of driving, its hard to beat the Audi R8 Spyder V10, and as Messi just happens to serve as a brand ambassador for the German marque, it should be a given that hed have one of these high-performance specials in his garage. And the R8 is no bare-bones race machine as it features a luxurious and highway-friendly interior.For those family trips to the country, Messi relies on his Range Rover Sport SVR . The SVR is the ultimate luxuryand it also delivers 575hp to make it the most powerful performance vehicle in the Range Rover lineup.And according to Drive Tribe, Messi's collection also includes a fabulously rare and immaculate 1957 Ferrari 335 S Spider Scaglietti
EV

BEV

Now, more than 120 years later, CEO of Rolls-Royce , Torsten Muller-Otvostom, made a promise to the public that the iconic luxury carmaker would bring the first fully electric Rolls-Royce to market within the current decade. It appears he remains on track to fulfill that vision and that promise as the company is poised to create a "super-luxury"said Muller-Otvostom.The CEO says Rolls-Royce has heralded an electrification strategy in three simple statements: the marque will introduce an all-electric car this decade. It will be a pure, not a hybrid of any kind, and it will be launched only when the time is right, and every element meets Rolls-Royce's technical, aesthetic, and performance standards.The company says the internal combustion engine was not "the default" means of propulsion for the earliest motor cars. During the 1900s, engineers and manufacturers were undecided on what would prove to be the ultimate winners as to systems to drive cars forward: internal combustion, steam power, or electric power.While steam power proved less practical for use in motor cars, it was left to proponents of internal combustion and electricity to create the most efficient and practical solution.Rolls-Royce says electric power fell out of favor for a pair of reasons: an impractical limit on range and the lack of a useful charging infrastructure.But according to the company, the characteristics that first made electric power attractive to automakers - silent operation, instant torque, tremendous power, and the absence of exhaust fumes - are now extremely practical for use in luxury motor cars According to Muller-Otvostom, theunderpins the marque's explicit commitment to deliver an all-electric Rolls-Royce this decade. And to make it happen, he says the company will draw upon a unique history and heritage and a connection with electric power that pre-dates the company itself and features men such as Sir Henry Royce himself.It happens that Henry Royce was one of the world's first electrical engineers and following an apprenticeship with the Great Northern Railway, he worked briefly as a toolmaker at Greenwood & Batley in Leeds where he became interested in electrical power.By 1881, Royce had joined the Electric Light & Power Generating Company (EL&PG) in Southwark. After attending evening classes in electrics at the City & Guilds of London Institute, one year later, aged just 19, Royce moved to the EL&PG's new subsidiary, the Lancashire Maxim-Weston Electric Co. Ltd, as Chief Electrician. When the company ceased operations, Royce began an enterprise himself, F H Royce & Co. The company made electrical appliances including doorbells, lamps, fuses and switches. The success of those first efforts led to the company producing larger, more complex devices including dynamos, electric motors and winches.By 1902, Royce supplied electric motors to Pritchett & Gold, a London-based battery-maker that diversified into building electric cars.In an interview published by The Motor-Car Journal, Charles Rolls described electric propulsion for cars this way:The electric car is perfectly noiseless and clean, he said. There is no smell or vibration, and they should become very useful when fixed charging stations can be arranged. But for now, I do not anticipate that they will be very serviceable  at least for many years to come.He then addressed that issue by providing a battery-charging station at his car showroom on Lillie Road in Fulham to service the electric Broughams on the London streets of the day.Now the company says those pioneering founding figures will be honored with the first production fully electric Rolls-Royce after a decade of research and development of vehicles like the Phantom Experimental Electric (EE), codenamed 102EX ; a fully operational and road-legal battery-electric version of the companys pinnacle product.While the Phantom EE was never intended for production, it has served as a test-bed for clients, VIPs, the media, and enthusiasts to experience electric propulsion.The test vehicle's 6.75-litre V12 gasoline engine and gearbox were replaced with a lithium-ion battery pack and two electric motors mounted on the rear sub-frame. The new EV test vehicle put out a maximum power output of 388hp (290kW) and torque of 590 ft-lb (800Nm), compared to 453hp (338kW) and maximum torque of 531 ft-lb (720Nm).In 2016, Rolls-Royce followed up with the 103EX , a radically innovative concept car meant to define the marque's vision of luxury mobility for the future.
In other words, if you want to use Microsoft Teams in your car, you can very well download the latest version of the app on your iPhone, and it should then show up on the head unit when launching CarPlay.As originally revealed by Microsoft, only audio meetings and calls are supported for obvious reasons, though at the same time, Microsoft Teams also works like all the other messaging apps on iPhone, so message notifications are also available on CarPlay.The arrival of Microsoft Teams on CarPlay is definitely good news, especially because the latest iPhone update doesnt necessarily bring substantial improvements to those relying on Apples car-optimized experience when getting behind the wheel.iOS 15, which is now available for download for iPhone 6s and newer, isnt exactly a massive release as far as CarPlay users are concerned, and probably the only notable improvement is the addition of 3D navigation in Apple Maps . This feature, however, is currently available only for select users in the United States and only on the iPhone, with CarPlay to get it at a later time.Other than that, CarPlay on iOS 15 is pretty much the same as on the previous version of the iPhone operating system, so without a doubt, more big apps joining the ecosystem are good news for everyone using them and wanting to stay up-to-date while driving.The adoption of Microsoft Teams skyrocketed in the last 18 months, especially as the world moved to the ad-hoc office set up at home and productivity software allowing employees to remain in touch with colleagues has become a must-have. According to the latest official figures, Microsoft Teams has 250 million daily active users on all platforms.
While thats most likely an overstatement, it still managed to get our attention, with its 4K resolution, Doppler radar-powered parking mode, and its 4G LTE module, to name just a few of its features.The Dride 4K was designed by Dride, an Israel-based team of car fanatics, as they like to describe themselves. It is a sturdy piece of equipment that comes with an ultra-crisp resolution both during daytime and nighttime, and Dride claims its the most rigid dashcam on the planet.It can operate at temperatures of up to 176 degrees F (80 Celsius), and it enters sleep mode if it gets above that, waking up once the temperature has cooled down. Heat dissipation is facilitated by its aluminum chassis.The dashcam comes with WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity to deliver notifications to your phone, and in addition to those, you can also opt for the 4G LTE module that will make the cam useful even when youre not around the car. With this module, you can get a remote live view of the vehicle no matter where you are.In addition to the main front camera that comes with a 140-degree wide-angle lens, you can also opt for rear and internal cams, to be covered from all angles. The rear cam comes with full HD resolution though, not 4K. It connects wirelessly to the main unit.A button on the main unit uploads the video to the cloud with a tap and you can share it on social media.The radar -based parking mode is another useful feature on the Dride 4K dashcam, and the onboard radar continuously scans the environment. If any movement is detected or something gets too close to your vehicle, the Dride will start recording. Otherwise, the dashcam will go to sleep when your car is parked.Free unlimited cloud storage for your road videos is included with the cam, and theres an SD card slot available with all versions. You can also add 128Gb of internal storage.The Dride app gives you access to your cloud videos and you can download them to your phone in 4K resolution.Right now, the Dride 4K dashcam is the subject of a Kickstarter campaign. Its already exceeded the $10,000 goal it was aiming for, with almost $390,000 raised so far. There are still 44 days to go in the campaign.A complete package with the internal camera, the rear camera, and the 4G LTE module included requires a pledge of $330. The estimated delivery date is January 2022.
AeroDisc is how Rotiform calls a collection of solid-look wheels that can be personalized and fitted on whatever car crosses ones imagination. The key word here is car , as these things have not been made with motorcycles in mind.Yet given how the digital world is much more permissive when it comes to such things, here is possibly the first use of an AeroDisc wheel on a bike. Coming into this world from the hands of a digital designer who goes by the name sdesyn is a very unique Ducati Panigale, even if a non-existent one.The motorcycle seems to be a stock Panigale 1199, as in it does not come with mechanical changes meant to make it anything else. It does wear a custom livery all over the body parts, a perfectly matched color play between shades of blue and orange.This combination extends to the front wheel, which is something you would expect from the two-wheeler made in Italy, but also to the rear one where all the AeroDisc magic happens.The designer behind this creation admits that this is just a concept as the wheels are not made for bikes, but adds that if they were, it would be something definitely very cool!And we kind of agree, given how on a motorcycle the wheels are central to any customization work performed in the real world, perhaps much more than when it comes to cars. And who knows, maybe after seeing this, and hopefully other similar projects, Rotiform can do something about it.
It will not surprise us if Geely limits those stations to taxi cabs until that year. That would be a way to test how robust the system is before spreading its use. The best vehicles to test are those that have to run all the time to make a profit. If you want to buy a car that does not break down very often, just check which one is more popular among taxi drivers. It is a sure deal.Although Geely is not particularly popular for its battery swap system, establishing 5,000 stations until 2025 shows it has aggressive plans for its technology. Thats the same number of stations NIO plans to have by 2025.The main difference is that NIO is a luxury brand and that its swapping process takes three to six minutes. Geely says that it only takes one minute to replace the battery packs in its vehicles. To be more precise, the number Geely used was 59 seconds. Geely brags about not needing an operator to put the car in the proper position: the own driver can enter the station, swap the battery and leave.That can be a strong selling point when these EVs are available to a broader public. Geely also offers more affordable cars, something that NIO is still working on with a brand that will help it make its battery swap system more popular. In fact, Geely has so many brands that it may choose which one will be the best to introduce its new tech. As long as people have access to it soon, they will not complain.
AWS

Priced at $74,500, which is about as much as a Porsche 718 Boxter S, the thing is seen as Godsent by companies in need of a solution capable of going places and doing stuff living people usually avoid. Its maker, Boston Dynamics, brags with about seven major customers for Spot already, and that list includes names like NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and construction company Strabag.The robot was seen at one point on the floor of the Ford Van Dyke Transmission Plant in Michigan, where the Blue Oval was using it to map the place in light of some retooling it needed done there.Since it was commercially introduced a year ago, Spot even went inside Chernobyl, where the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority deployed it to read some radiation levels. It was used inside a high-voltage substation in Boston for National Grid inspection purposes, and even got deployed for military exercises alongside 80 students from the French Ecole Militaire Interarmes (EMIA).Thats quite a lot of activity in a very short timeframe, which amounts according to Boston Dynamics to the robot having logged thousands of miles in industrial facilities and on construction sites around the world. Enough data to see what can be improved, and give birth to an update of sorts.And thats exactly what Boston Dynamics did mid-September: it rolled out something called Spot Release 3.0, an update to the robot dogs software meant to provide it with flexible autonomy and repeatable data capture, making it the data collection solution you need for safer and more efficient inspection rounds. In words we can all understand, theyve made it better than ever, especially when it comes to the thing's autonomy and data-gathering abilities.The update allows Spot to do some things better and faster. It can now take the shortest path to its destination with a simple selection of the mission it is meant to perform, it can replan around blocked paths, and can even be programmed to perform its duties after working hours.The CAM+ pan-tilt-zoom camera Spot is fitted with can now be used to capture the same image from the same angle every time, for whatever purpose, thanks to a new scene-based camera alignment feature.Once a mission is completed, Spot can now automatically push data into your existing systems and can connect to platforms like, Azure, IBM Maximo, and other similar systems. Also, a web-based remote operation application is on deck to help customers with scheduling missions and the reviewing of the data collected while on the job.There are three versions of the Spot presently on the market, two of them developed for use by enterprises and academics, and the price for these ones is still not known. The $74,500 tag we mentioned earlier is just to get people warmed up (Boston Dynamics calls the entry-level version Explorer), as when fully loaded with gear, the Spot ends up worth twice as much.The thing can carry 14 kg (31 pounds) of equipment, which can be either pre-built or unique solutions. It navigates its way thanks to 360 degrees perception, and can move over loose gravel, grass, curbs and stairs. Thanks to the Software Development Kit it sells with, it allows operators to create their own programs and controls.And, apparently, the more it works, the better can get at its job.
When you publish car-related content on YouTube, however, then you risk ending up in the former Top Gear man's crosshairs. His "James May roasts YouTubers' cars" mini-series has reached its third installment, meaning only a handful of people have had the honor of receiving an unsolicited, free of charge James May review of their car, but given the format's potential, we expect we'll be seeing more in the future.Right now, we have this little episode featuring Emelia Hartford and her 1,500 hp Chevrolet Corvette C8. Not only does the clip include the actress/car enthusiast, but it even debuts with her car, which is not how most YouTubers make their content as they choose to leave the best for last. Then again, most YouTubers aren't James May.Emelia's Corvette is pretty much the talk of the town when it comes to modified C8s, so everyone knows what to expect: quickest, most powerful, etc. James is an old dog, so he'll naturally question the 1,500 hp, as anyone should. The C8 is undoubtedly powerful, but people should start being more exact with the output instead of rounding it off like that  it makes it look more credible.That being said, the Grand Tour presenter couldn't find anything bad to say about the car, which shows he's not there to roast cars just for the sake of it, but rather to express an honest opinion. With Emelia featured in the picture, you're wondering at all times if he's going to acknowledge her looks as well. Well, May proves he's a man of culture and does compliment her on her appearance, only to go and ruin everything at the end: "[she] looks rather like me."He goes on to roast or complement the cars and looks of several other "influencers", some more famous than others, but if you'd like to hear more of what he had to say about those as well as Emelia's C8 , you'll have to watch the clip below. And since it's James May, you know it'll be good fun.
The iconic artist celebrated a milestone birthday, her 40th, at the beginning of the month, on September 4. Its been a non-stop celebration ever since, with Beyonce and equally-famous husband Jay-Z continuing their vacation on board the Flying Fox . Fans are asking When are you coming home? and saying that Beyonce hasnt been letting us breathe lately, referring to the frequent posts on the artists social media platform.Of course, fans love to get a glimpse into the two celebrities private paradise. Who wouldnt be curious about whats it like on board a megayacht that costs $4 million per week to charter? The Flying Fox has been commissioned just two years ago, and its considered the biggest charter megayacht in the world, with no less than six decks.Its one thing to enjoy some vacation time on a beautiful yacht, and most celebrities do it, but its a whole different thing to basically go on a private cruise on what could be seen as a floating resort. From the giant pool, cinema and nightclub, to a high-end wellness center and two kitchens, the Flying Fox spoils its guests with everything they could probably wish for.Its to be expected of Beyonce of Jay-Z  after all, these megastars went to a casual dinner in New York by helicopter. When youre cruising in some of the most beautiful places in the world, including Southern Europe, you want it to last for weeks. And, in their case, youve got $4 million per week to do so.The only other celebrity superyacht vacation that comes close to this one is D-Wave and Gabrielle Unions recent trip to Europe , which theyve actually dubbed the Wade World Tour 2021. Still, it wasnt on board the worlds biggest charter megayacht, allegedly owned by Jeff Bezos.
ICE

kWh

kW

EV

Folks, Nissan has been meeting driver needs before cars were even a major part of our society. Producing vehicles in some for or another since the beginning of last century, this Japanese manufacturer has a car for everyone and nearly every industry that utilizes a vehicle of sorts.If you feel that the electrified future is not here, take major automakers as the perfect example of where trends are and going. Since companies like VW, Honda, Peugeot, even Vauxhall, are all smashing the market with electric LCVs (Light Commercial Vehicles), Nissan decided that their already present e-NV200 needed some backup.Now, the new vehicle released is known as the Townstar, an LCV meant for building on the success of the Nissan e-NV200, a vehicle with an already secure presence on the market. However, the Townstar is available in both gasoline and all-electric drivetrains.Beyond this, its a vehicle meant for a large cargo load, up to 800 kg (1,763 lbs) and with 1,500 kg (3,306 lbs) of towing capacity. To keep things safe, the Townstar also employs over 20 different safety and assist features aimed at utter safety.First things first, the drivetrains. Theversion includes a refined 1.3-liter engine that can crank out 130 hp and a generous 240 Nm (177 lb-ft) of torque. Seeing as how this sucker is meant more for carrying cargo around town, this power should do while keeping consumption as low as possible.The all-electric version is equipped with a 44-battery and includes a max power output of 90(122 hp) with 245 Nm (180.7 lb-ft) of torque. Currently pending homologation is the EVs range, up to 177 miles (284.8 kilometers), just perfect for any cargo distribution service. According to Nissan, this is a 43% improvement over the existing e-NV200, and, since Nissan seems to be targeting SMEs (Small and Mid-Size Enterprises), these sorts of specs are sure to attract several business owners.To understand why Nissan would do this, Emmanuelle Serazin, LCV & corporate sales director of Nissan Europe, says this, "Offering two efficient powertrain solutions, ergonomic design and unique technologies, the all-new Townstar is comprehensively equipped to meet customers' ever-changing needs."One thing to note about the whole electric fleet movement that were experiencing is that owners of businesses are already starting to see major cost savings because of their choice of incorporating an electric fleet into daily operations, no matter how small the level ofinfluence applied.Earlier I also mentioned that the Townstar is equipped with an array of features aimed at keeping the driver and cargo in optimum working conditions. From side wind assist to trailer sway assist, emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection, and even hands-free parking, all are standard.But the main feature is the Around View Monitor (AVM) system, a first for the compact van segment of the company. With countless cameras, the system displays 360 degrees of overview of the area around the Townstar. Added to the mix are things like E-Call, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and wireless phone charging. Depending on the drivetrain future owners select, some of these options will differ.The Townstar is built on an Alliance CMF-C platform which has seen the birthing of vehicles like the Qashqai and a few others from different automakers inclusive of Renault and Mitsubishi, obviously. In terms of styling, both inside and out, the all-electric version of the new LCV takes some of its aesthetic cues from the Ariya including the LED headlights and front shield. The combustion version features a redesigned grill that optimizes airflow around the bumper and wheels. As for the cargo bay doors, all model feature 60/40 French doors with 180-degree opening.Now, the one thing that got my attention , and the same thing thats sure to appeal to future owners of the Townstar is its range. With 177 miles (284.8 kilometers), this vehicle could easily run a route around a neighborhood, several times in one day. Wait for it, an 80% recharge on a DC charger is only going to take 42 minutes, less than an average lunch break.Being the outdoor junky that I am, what I would do is modify this sucker until I have myself a nice little electric vehicle I can hit up the local coast with, as long as I plan my trip according to charging stations; that cargo bay looks perfect for a bed. Maybe a bike rack mounted to the rear doors.With tech and industries moving the way they are, Im sure well be seeing bigger, better, and smarter solution oriented EVs in the months and years to come, so stay tuned, at least to find out how much the new Townstar will cost, as pricing is yet to be announced.
We dont have that many details on the Nobe 500, except for a few renderings revealed by the company earlier this year, but now the automaker gives us some updates about the truck, stating it hopes to see it in production in the summer of 2022. Not only that, but it plans to bring both the Nobe 500 and Nobe 100GT to America, being in the process of founding Nobe USA.The Nobe 500 truck seems to have a design inspired by the Ford F-series, with the style and retro coolness of the 50s. Four colors have been presented for the pickup truck so far: red, blue, white, and black. The truck design features a curved bonnet, wooden extensions in the rear, and whitewall tires.But vintage looks aside, the Nobe 500 will have a fully electric powertrain, will be able to carry over 1,000 pounds, and will be street-legal.A lot of people have expressed their concerns regarding the safety of the vehicle, but Roman Muljar, Nobe CEO, assures us that it is safer than the average car as it comes with a carbon roll-cage type of structure built in the chassis, which is not only light but also very tough and durable. State-of-the-art airbags will also be a standard in all its EVs.Nobe says it will build all its U.S. vehicles with the high-tech carbon fiber chassis. In fact, its already signed a partnership with U.K.- based company Far, which came up with a design for the chassis. The carbon structure weighs four times less than the original tubular one, used for the first Nobe cars.We are keeping an eye on updates regarding the price and release date of the Nobe 500.
kW

kWh

Just like the GTElectric, the new Totem will also have 20 units. Surprisingly, the combustion-engined version will be more expensive than the one powered by batteries. While the latter costs 430,000 ($502,950 at the current exchange rate), the V6-powered version will start at 460,000 ($538,039). The price includes the donor car, an Alfa Romeo GT.You can customize the car as you wish, which usually makes the sky be the limit for the prices. Among these special requests is 620 hp for the turbocharged V6. On the Giulia GTA, it delivers 398(534 hp).Since we last talked about the Totem GTElectric, it presented some improvements. Instead of the 50.4-battery pack and a motor with 518 hp (386 kW) and 940 Nm (692 pound-feet), the final version counts on 63.9 kWh, 582 hp (434 kW), and 1,100 Nm (811 lb-ft). The GT Super is 150 kilograms (331 pounds) lighter than its electric sibling: the battery pack alone weighs 420 kg (926 lb).Although you can already reserve the GT Super, Totem Automobili warns that the car presented in the Instagram posts below is just a concept. The production version will take another year to be delivered. Unfortunately, the Italian company did not disclose if thats due to development issues or the manufacturing of the GTElectric. We suspect that the GT Super will sell out before the GTElectric does.
Arguably one of the best cars in the segment, the GR Yaris doesnt seem that exciting when looking at the specs. It packs a modest three-banger under the hood, with a 1.6-liter displacement and forced induction, rated at 257 hp and 266 lb-ft (360 Nm) of torque.The European model can hit the 62 mph (100 kph) mark in less than 5.5 seconds, and can top out at 143 mph (230 kph). The Japanese variant, which uses the same mix, complete with the six-speed manual gearbox, is a bit punchier. It boasts 268 hp and 273 lb-ft (370 Nm). Enhancing it is the optional Circuit Pack, with its front and rear Torsen limited-slip differentials, performance-tuned suspension, and 18-inch alloys wrapped in sticky tires from Michelin.By comparison, the RS Q8 sits in a totally different league. Its turbod 4.0-liter V8 mill is good for 592 hp and 590 lb-ft (800 Nm), and the quick-shifting eight-speed auto directs the thrust to the quattro all-wheel drive system. The zero to 62 mph (0-100 kph) sprint is a 3.8-second affair, and flat-out, it can do 155 mph (250 kph) before the speed limiter kicks in.Its more than obvious which one holds the upper ground, but would it be safe to bet on the RS Q8 as it goes to half-mile war with the GR Yaris? You are about to find out, and youll also see this true pocket rocket take on a Porsche 911 Turbo and a BMW M3.
Fret not, because his memory will live on forever. And, possibly, his annual Birthday Bash will do the same. But for 2021, the event celebrating 98 years since the birth of the Shelby man had a handful of interesting premieres. One of them would be the alleged decision by the United States Air Force to grant a huge tribute to Carroll.According to the reports (signaled by various fans of the official Team Shelby Club group) coming from the Friday nights Carroll Shelby 98th Birthday Bash, the U.S.A.F. decided to officially award an honorary call sign in recognition of his WWII-time service as a flight instructor. From now on, he will be known as Snake Charmer, which is entirely fitting, of course. By the way, according to the available info , this might be the very first time a call sign is bestowed upon a non-combat fighter pilot.Even better, during the Bashs Banquet, the announcement was doubled by the reveal of the unique 2021 Shelby Super Snake Widebody Carroll Snake Charmer Shelby. Its a 2021 Mustang Signature Edition with a patriotic livery package that pays tribute to Carroll Shelby and the Air Force at the same time.As such, the Whipple supercharger-equipped Blue Oval has 825 horsepower, the Shelby widebody pack, Extreme Cooling pack, Shelby by Borla exhaust system, Ford Performance Track Handling goodies, as well as a bundle of bespoke enhancements. Among them, a unique Aviation-tribute livery, one-off Shelby wheels, as well as a bespoke Katzkin Leather Red, White, and Blue cockpit treatment.This 1-0f-1 Shelby will go to one lucky Shelby/Air Force aficionado thanks to a raffle taking place during the 2022 Kansas City Air Show, with donations to benefit the Childrens Mercy Kansas City children's hospital!
By the end of the decade, they will have no less than eight battery-powered vehicles on sale, and literally every new model that will launch after 2025 will have a zero-emission alternative. On top of that, they will also renew the current range, and could perhaps decide to launch in different markets, after officially touching down in Europe earlier this year.As a result, it is probably safe to say that a minivan isnt exactly on their list. However, these renderings, shared by our friends at Kolesa , have imagined how such a model would look like. It features the typical Genesis front end, with double headlamps flanking the shiny grille, and similar-shaped lights at the other end, joined together by a strip above the Genesis lettering in the middle of the tailgate.For a people carrier, the overall design is definitely catchy. It doesnt pretend to be a coupe, but the window line, otherwise featuring chrome trim around the black B and C pillars, is slightly arched toward the rear. It has roof bars, small shark fin antenna, and spoiler, double exhaust pipes that would likely be fake on the real car, and sliding rear doors to improve ingress and egress to the back seats.Even though the minivan segment seems like it is slowly dying, such vehicles still sell in certain parts of the world. For instance, Lexus has the LM for China and other Asian markets, and Buick challenges its likes with the GL8 Avenir. On top of that, Mercedes-Benz hasnt given up on the B-Class, and there is also a new BMW 2 Series Active Tourer coming, so there is definitely room for one more. But should Genesis actually make it?
Palmdale, CA (93550)

Today

Partly cloudy skies this evening will become overcast overnight. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 58F. Winds SW at 10 to 20 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies this evening will become overcast overnight. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 58F. Winds SW at 10 to 20 mph.
The services were held at the Echmiadzin cathedral of the Armenian Apostolic Church and other major churches across Armenia. Catholicos Garegin II, the supreme head of the church, presided over one of those liturgies.

The war broke out early on September 27, 2020 when Azerbaijan launched a large-scale military offensive along the Armenian-Azerbaijani line of contact around Karabakh.

The Azerbaijani army captured four districts south of the Armenian-populated disputed territory as well as Karabakhs southern Hadrut district and the town of Shushi (Shusha) before a Russian-brokered ceasefire stopped the hostilities on November 10.

Baku also regained control in the following weeks over the three other districts occupied by Karabakh Armenian forces in the early 1990s. The truce accord negotiated by Russian President Vladimir Putin also led to the deployment of 2,000 Russian peacekeeping forces in Karabakh and the so-called Lachin corridor connecting the territory to Armenia.

According to the Armenian authorities, more than 3,700 Armenian soldiers and 75 civilians were killed during the six-week war. At least 253 others remain unaccounted for. This figure includes dozens of Armenian prisoners believed to be still held by Azerbaijan.

Armenia and Karabakh observed at 11 a.m. local time a minute of silence in memory of their war dead.

Many of the Armenian soldiers killed in action were buried at Yerablur. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian visited the military pantheon early in the morning. Relatives of fallen soldiers and other Armenians laid flowers later in the day.

Thousands of other people silently walked to Yerablur late on Sunday in a candlelight march organized by the main opposition Hayastan alliance. The procession was led by the blocs top leader, former President Robert Kocharian.

Hayastan and virtually all other Armenian opposition groups hold Pashinian responsible for Armenias and Karabakhs defeat in the war. In the immediate aftermath of the Karabakh truce, most of them joined forces to stage demonstrations in Yerevan aimed at forcing the prime minister and his cabinet to resign.

Pashinian refused to quit and decided instead to hold snap parliamentary elections in June. His Civil Contract won the elections with about 54 percent of the vote, according to their official results rejected by the opposition.

Later in the morning Pashinian spoke by phone with Ara Harutiunian, the Karabakh president who visited a military cemetery in Stepanakert where hundreds of other fallen soldiers were laid to rest. Pashinians office said they discussed ongoing efforts to overcome consequences of the 44-day Artsakh war. It said they reaffirmed their commitment to Artsakhs revival and further development.

The war anniversary was also marked in Azerbaijan whose government has acknowledged over 2,900 combat and civilian deaths.

In a speech delivered on the occasion, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev again said that Azerbaijans victory in the war put an end to the conflict. Azerbaijan restored its territorial integrity, he said.

Armenia maintains that the conflict remains unresolved because there is still no agreement on Karabakhs status, the main bone of contention. A senior U.S. diplomat has repeatedly made similar statements in recent weeks.

The Armenian and Azerbaijani foreign ministers met in New York on Friday for talks hosted by the U.S., Russian and French diplomats co-chairing the OSCE Minsk Group. In a joint statement issued after the talks, the mediators reiterated that they are ready to continue working with the sides to find comprehensive solutions to all remaining issues related to or resulting from the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
The diplomats visited military cemeteries in Yerevan and Baku respectively on the first anniversary of the outbreak of the six-week war that left at least 6,700 people from both sides dead.

We extend our deepest condolences to the families of those killed and injured last year and in the many years of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the U.S. Embassy in Yerevan said in a short statement on Ambassador Lynne Tracys visit to the Yerablur Military Pantheon.

Photographs posted on the embassys Facebook page showed Tracy laying flowers at the graves of Armenian soldiers buried there.

The U.S. Embassy in Azerbaijan released an identical statement and a photograph of Ambassador Lee Litzenberger standing by Azerbaijani servicemens graves adorned with Azerbaijani and Turkish national flags.

Together with Russia and France, the United States has long been spearheading international efforts to end the Nagorno-Karabakh. The three mediating powers co-heading the OSCE Minsk Group tried to stop last years war with ceasefire agreements supposedly reached by Armenia and Azerbaijan.

One such deal brokered by Washington collapsed immediately after it was due to come into effect on October 26, 2020. The hostilities in and around Karabakh stopped only two weeks later after another deal negotiated by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

U.S., Russian and French diplomats have since continued their mediation efforts. They organized in New York on Friday the first meeting of the Armenian and Azerbaijani foreign ministers since the November truce. While in New York, the ministers also held separate talks with French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian and U.S. Undersecretary of State Victoria Nuland.
Cavusoglu said that Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian has sent positive messages to Ankara of late but has yet to respond to offers made by Baku.

As you know, Azerbaijan has offered to sign a comprehensive peace accord with Armenia, he told a joint news conference in Istanbul with his Azerbaijani counterpart Jeyhun Bayramov. There has yet to be a positive response from Armenia.

As always, we will coordinate [Armenia-related] steps that we could take with dear Azerbaijan. We decide together, we take steps together, Cavusoglu added, according to the Anatolia news agency.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on September 19 that Pashinian has offered to meet with him for talks on improving Turkish-Armenian relations. Erdogan appeared to make such a meeting conditional on Armenia agreeing to open a transport corridor that would connect Azerbaijan to its Nakhichevan exclave.

Baku also wants Yerevan to recognize Azerbaijani sovereignty over Nagorno-Karabakh through the peace treaty mentioned by Cavusoglu.

A senior Armenian official said on Friday that Pashinians government still hopes to start a Turkish-Armenian dialogue without preconditions. He did not deny that Pashinian proposed a meeting with Erdogan.

Armenian opposition leaders have denounced what they see as Pashinians secret overtures to Erdogan. They say that Ankara continues to set unacceptable preconditions for establishing diplomatic relations with Yerevan and opening the Turkish-Armenian border.

A senior member of the opposition Armenian Revolutionary Federation (Dashnaktsutyun) insisted last week that negotiating with the Turks in these circumstances would be tantamount to accepting their preconditions.

Turkey provided decisive military assistance to Azerbaijan during the six-week war in Karabakh stopped by a Russian-brokered ceasefire last November.
The Russian Embassy in Yerevan said its staff observed a minute of silence in memory of people killed during the six-year war stopped by a Russian-brokered ceasefire last November.

Russia attaches particular importance to ensuring that Armenias population overcomes the stress caused by the war, feels safe, and gains confidence in the future as soon as possible, it said in a statement. As allies, we are always ready to lend a shoulder and we are doing that.

Active efforts and practical steps are being taken to preserve regional stability and security, overcome the consequences of last autumns large-scale hostilities, including assistance in the restoration of civil infrastructure, the return of refugees and the final resolution of the issue of Armenian prisoners release.

Russia will continue mediation efforts both in its national capacity and within the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group to find a long-term solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, added the statement.

Moscow played a key role in stopping the fighting that left at least 6,700 Armenians and Azerbaijanis dead. Under the terms of an Armenian-Azerbaijani ceasefire deal brokered by President Vladimir Putin, it deployed 2,000 Russian peacekeeping troops in Karabakh. Russian troops were also deployed along Armenias border with Azerbaijan.

Shortly after the war Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian pledged to further deepen Armenias defense and security ties with Russia, saying that his country needs additional security guarantees in view of the new geopolitical realities in the region. The Russian military has since been helping the South Caucasus state reform and rearm its army.

The Russian ambassador in Yerevan, Sergei Kopyrkin, met with Armenias former President Levon Ter-Petrosian on Monday. A spokesman for Ter-Petrosian said they discussed prospects for regional cooperation and security. He gave no other details.

Ter-Petrosian has blamed Pashinians government for Armenias defeat in the war. He has long championed a compromise solution to the Karabakh dispute.
Bakersfield, CA (93308)

Today

Partly cloudy skies this evening. Increasing clouds with periods of showers late. Low 59F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies this evening. Increasing clouds with periods of showers late. Low 59F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%.
Jefferson Countys public health doctor says its safe to proceed with jury trials. And judges are doing so with a vengeance to work to clear the severely backlogged caseload caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Randy Shelton, judge for the 279th District Court, said because the courts arent under an order from the Texas Supreme Court, each judge can proceed in the way they see fit.

Not all of the courts proceeded with jury trials, but some did, and they will probably continue doing that through the end of the month and into the future, Shelton said.

The criminal courts decided it was imperative that they move forward with jury trials unless something changes in the next several months.

The pandemic-prompted postponement has created a major impact on criminal cases. The delay has forced people who are waiting for cases to be tried to stay in jail potentially longer than necessary, especially if they are found not guilty, Shelton said.

Even if the person is found guilty, prisons are not accepting prisoners right away because of COVID-19 concerns, he added.

They are piling up coming in the door and we cant get them out of the door, if they are convicted, Shelton said.

Raquel West, judge for the 252nd District Court, will resume jury trials this week in an attempt try the most serious cases and cases of those who are in custody. A majority of these cases are on murder charges or involve children.

Related: Beaumont man sentenced to 100 years for sexual crimes against children

If I am going to try to get a jury here with COVID numbers the way they are then I am going to push very serious cases to make it where I hope they will feel like it is worth their while, West said.

Before the pandemic, criminal courts had a jury trial each week. That stopped for several months in 2020. When courts returned, jurors only returned intermittently.

On April 1, 2020, West had 61 cases waiting on a jury trial. That number has now grown by nearly 160% as of Sept. 1, 2021. Now 159 cases are on the docket and waiting for trial. She believes the numbers are similar for other criminal and drug courts.

Every week we are not having jury trials, our numbers are increasing not decreasing on people that are waiting for trial, West said. It is just getting worse unless we can get in there and try cases.

West said even the best-case scenario likely would take at least two years to get courts back to where they were.

It will take double the time to fix the problem, she said.

Related: Murder trial reset for cold case slaying

With all these individuals waiting for a trial, Jefferson County Sheriff Zena Stephens says the 1,200-bed jail has seen a historic climb during the pandemic.

Before COVID-19 shuttered the United States, the jail reached about 700 inmates at most. Currently, she said there are up to 1,100 inmates in the Jefferson County jail.

Related: Jefferson County jail again suspends visitation amid COVID cases

Stephens does not fault anyone as she said no one could have predicted the pandemic. However, she said the pandemic has nearly doubled the population at the jail, including with people who have already had their trial dates. Some inmates have been in the facility for nearly two years.

The state is not moving inmates so we cant ship people out, Stephens said.

The population increase also has increased the cost for food, clothing and medical care that must be provided to the people in the facility, Stephens said.

It has tremendously impacted us, and it has tremendously impacted our employees, Stephens said.

Officials have asked municipal police departments to avoid bringing in class c misdemeanor offenders. Stephens said that has helped reduce the jails numbers. However, the Jefferson County Commissioners this week are set to vote on ending agreements with the cities of Beaumont and Part Arthur in part because of the cost to house the cities inmates.

We have been creative to get less-violent offenders or nonviolent offenders out of our facility so that has helped, Stephens said.

Related: Repeat DWI offender gets another chance from judge

Stephens said no community has enough personnel, and she has had employees who have quit because of health conditions or because the employee cares for elderly parents or children.

Its been a test to keep both the inmates and employees healthy, she said.

We have actually lost personnel who have left because of the burden of overtime and the increased risk of infection, she continued. We have had employees who have certainly who have gotten sick at work. Its been challenging and Im not alone.

meagan.ellsworth@beaumontenterprise.com

twitter.com/megzmagpie
The COVID-19 pandemic brought to the forefront what some have known for a long time: nurses are truly health care heroes.

Whether it comes to interaction with patients or their fellow colleagues, the smile, encouragement and work ethic of a nurse can result in the best outcome.

Every year, Christus Southeast Texas Jasper Memorial Hospital makes sure to recognize one of these outstanding individuals with a Nurse of the Year award. After such an extraordinary year in health care of our community, two nurses were honored for 2020.

Mika Monk, RN, was the first honoree. She is described by her colleagues as a great help and the go-to person for fellow nurses who want guidance before starting a task.

Monk is also considered the ultimate team player, working in several departments, including ICU and Emergency, to make sure that all patients receive the care they need.

Above all, her fellow nurses say Monk always treats others with kindness and is a great example of living out the Christus core values.

In addition, Shanna Clark, an LVN who currently serves as Coordinator for Quality and Risk Management, was honored as Nurse of the Year.

In her various roles at Jasper Memorial Hospital, she is always willing to help with nursing and hospital events, according to her colleagues.

Earlier in the COVID-19 pandemic, Clark led the Jasper Memorial teams efforts to vaccinate the community  all while exemplifying the Christus mission to extend the healing ministry of Jesus Christ.

Both Mika and Shanna are great examples of the dedicated, experienced nurses who are committed to serving this wonderful community at Christus Jasper Memorial Hospital.
Irwin Thompson / TNS

Beaumont Police Department has released the identity of a man allegedly killed by a 14-year-old in central Beaumont on Saturday.

Juan Antonio Borrego, 25 of Beaumont, was found dead near the intersection South Fourth Street and Crockett Street around 5 p.m. on Saturday afternoon, according to Beaumont police detectives.
The Beaumont Public Health Department this week will begin administering booster doses of the Pfizer vaccine to eligible residents.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced Friday that the agency recommends at-risk Americans who had the Pfizer vaccine to get the booster shot.

According to a city news release, groups most recommended to get the booster shot include those aged 65 years and older, including those who live in long-term care facilities; and people aged 50 to 64 years with underlying medical conditions. Those groups are advised to get the booster at least six months after their initial round of the Pfizer vaccine.

Other susceptible groups such as people aged 18 to 49 years with underlying medical conditions and people aged 18 to 49 years, who work in environments where transmission of COVID is increased, also are recommended to get the booster shot.

The push for added immunity comes as Jefferson County reached 30,355 confirmed cases with 16,666 of those coming from Beaumont. As of Friday, 195 people in the county were hospitalized with COVID.

Despite the push for boosters, CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said the top priority still is getting unvaccinated individuals their first shot.

In Jefferson County, 58.6% of the population has had one dose of the vaccine and 49% are fully vaccinated, according to data provided by the city of Beaumont. Nationally, 55% of Americans have been fully vaccinated.

Though booster shots are now being recommended, CDC data shows that the initial run of vaccines is still strongly protecting against severe illness, hospitalizations and death from COVID. However, immunity against more mild infection appears to be waning somewhat months after inoculation.

Patients will need to bring their COVID vaccination record in order to receive their booster dose.

Residents are encouraged to consult with their primary physicians to see if they qualify for the booster dose.

Information regarding date, time and place of booster shot administration will become available when the health department receives more vaccines.

To make an appointment, call 409-654-3647.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

olivia.malick@hearst.com

twitter.com/oliviamalick
Leonard J. Giblin Jr., who wanted to be a state trooper, but fell just under the height requirement and instead went to law school, ultimately becoming a giant of jurist in Jefferson County, died Saturday after suffering from COVID-19. He was 80 years old.

Giblins towering good temperament and grand sense of humor kept his courtrooms  always places of high drama between zealous prosecutors and equally impassioned defense lawyers  an arena of respect and fair play.

In his court, youd better know your law, because he knew it, said Tom Maness, former Jefferson County district attorney and county court-at-law judge. He made everyone feel comfortable in his courtroom, and I never saw him show any favoritism.

Case in point: In October 1981, Giblin was appointed to preside in the trial of Vickie Daniel, whose husband was Price Daniel Jr., of Liberty County. Price was a former speaker of the Texas House and the son of a governor.

Price Daniel Jr. and Vickie Daniel had a tempestuous, four-year marriage and were about a week away from a divorce hearing when Vickie shot and killed him. Giblin acquitted her of the murder charge.

The flamboyant Houston defense lawyer Richard Racehorse Haynes represented Vickie Daniel in a child custody lawsuit and Giblin admitted he was a bit leery of Haynes and his courtroom abilities.

I read every book on him I could find, Giblin told The Enterprise in a May 1982 interview. I read up on him like Patton did with Rommel, referring to the World War II battlefield opponents.

Giblin said he was happy Haynes bowed out of the Daniel murder trial because if the two met in a courtroom, Racehorse was going to jail on contempt charges, and I was going to the fifth floor of Baptist Hospital.

Tom Hanna, who turned 83 on Saturday, was elected district attorney in the early 1970s and wanted to revive the position of first assistant to run the offices operations.

Walter Umphrey, who died earlier this month, had hired Giblin in his Port Arthur law firm but quickly realized Giblin wasnt really interested in civil law or criminal defense.

Hanna said Umphrey told him he had a prospect for him and introduced Giblin to him. Giblin agreed to the job but only if he could have a police radio for his car, which he got.

One night, Giblin, his wife, Diane; and Hanna and his wife, Liz, were heading out to get crabs for dinner and the radio crackled that a body had been found floating in the ship channel. Giblin wheeled around to the funeral home where autopsies were done in those days, talked with the investigators and coroner and got back in his car to take the two couples to dinner.

Hanna said Giblin looked at his wife and said, Those crabs ought to be full tonight.

In another turn of serendipity, Hanna said he was invited to a conference by the Houston district attorney and Haynes was at the event. When Hanna told Haynes he was from Jefferson County, Haynes face lit up.

(Giblin) is the best judge I ever tried a case in front of, Hanna said.

He was very happy to pass that on to Giblin.

I miss him terribly. We remained friends for more than 50 years. He was conscientious about seeking the well-being of the people of Jefferson County, Hanna said.

As Hanna had hired Giblin, Giblin, as first assistant district attorney, hired Maness in 1971.

He had plenty of opportunity to go make a lot of money, if your idea of success is to do that, Maness said. He was a premiere civil servant. Thats what he wanted to do. He was scholarly and he knew how to run a docket.

Giblin in 1974 ran for and won election as Jefferson County Judge. In August 1977, the state created the 252nd Criminal District Court in Jefferson County and Gov. Dolph Briscoe appointed Giblin as its first judge, the office in which he served until his retirement at the end of 2001.

He had one of the best judicial careers in Jefferson County, Maness said.

He presided in some of the toughest capital murder cases arising in the county.

A Newsweek magazine article from Oct. 17, 1983, observed this about the state of Texas against capital murderer James David Autry, who killed a convenience store clerk during a robbery in Port Arthur:

The law was the law and Judge Leonard Giblin had always run a tight, brisk and scrupulously fair trial. He swallowed hard, threw out (Autrys) confession and thought unhappily: I may have let a capital murderer walk the streets.

Autry was convicted despite the confession that his attorney said was coerced. The death sentence, decided by the jury, was upheld. Autry was executed in March 1982.

For Giblin, the hard part for him remained. He had to set an execution date. Hed set dates for convicted capital murderers before, but Autry would be the first since Texas resumed executions featuring lethal injections.

What started bothering me was the fact that I picked out the date he was to die. Thats an awesome responsibility, Giblin told The Enterprise. If I wasnt satisfied that he was guilty, I could have called and stopped his execution. But I didnt. And a lot of judges looked at what I did during the trial and said it looked like I did it right.

In that era, the Jefferson County Courthouse seemed a more intimate and personal place in which judges and lawyers could gather around a long, low-slung filing cabinet in the district clerks office, drink coffee together and trade gossip and jokes. They were professionals working their jobs but mindful of the seriousness of the work, said Larry Thorne, judge of the 31th District Court who is retiring at years end.

People trusted each other, he said. Giblin was funny. I was in the district attorneys office and was the chief prosecutor in his court. He used to call me Frog because I was jumping up to object. He had an excellent temperament and he loved to laugh. You could always go to him and ask for help or direction.

Maness said Giblin was simply just fun to be around.

His mama spoke pure Cajun French, and he could tell those ol jokes, Maness said.

As to the coffee breaks in the clerks office, none of that worried Maness, who had been a judge then the elected criminal district attorney.

Everybody respected each other and knew they had a job to do, he said. Jefferson County was blessed to have him.

Dan Wallach is a freelance writer.
KINSLEY, Kan. (AP)  The undersheriff of a south-central county in Kansas was arrested Monday in relation to a domestic violence incident over the weekend.

Edwards County Undersheriff Robert Bobby Blackwell was arrested for aggravated domestic battery, the Kansas Bureau of Investigations said in a news release.
(The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.)

Allison Hawn, Arizona State University

(THE CONVERSATION) Otzi the Iceman remained hidden to the world for millennia until two German tourists discovered it 30 years agoin a glacier in the Italian Alps.

This 5,300-year-old mummy is not only perhaps Europes most famous mummy, but also one of the most significant finds for those who study the global history of tattoos.

Otzi was adorned with 61 tattoos that were incredibly preserved by the glacial climate.

The meaning of those tattoos has been debated ever since his discovery by the two hikers. Many of Otzis tattoos were found to be lines drawn along areas such as the lower back, knees, wrists and ankles, areas where people most often experience ongoing pain as they age. Some researchers believe these tattoos to be an ancient treatment for pain. Various herbs known to have medicinal properties were found in close proximity to Otzis resting place, lending further credence to this theory.

However, not all of Otzis tattoos were on places usually affected by the wear and tear of everyday life on joints. Otzi also sported tattoos on his chest. Theories of the purpose behind this set of tattoos, which were discovered using new imaging techniques in 2015, range from early acupuncture or ceremonial healing rituals to being part of a system of ritual or religious beliefs.

Of course, the idea that Otzis tattoos may have held deep cultural or religious meaning for him and his people is not beyond reason. As a tattoo historian and scholar, I have seen how tattoos have historically been used for ceremonial healing, religious rites and to show belonging to both cultural and religious groups throughout the ancient world and leading all the way up to modern times.

Ancient tattoos

The mummified remains of women in Egypt shows tattoos dating back to 2000 B.C. In addition, engraved and painted figures in tomb reliefs and small carved figurines depicting women with tattoos date back to 4000-3500 B.C.

In both cases, the tattoos were a series of dots, often applied like a protective net across a womans abdomen. There were also tattoos of the Egyptian Goddess Bes, seen as the protector of women in labor, on a womans upper thigh. In both cases, these ancient tattoos were regarded as a kind of talisman of protection for women who were about to give birth.

The early Greek historian Herodotus discussed how runaway slaves at Canopus voluntarily tattooed themselves as both a way to cover up the branding performed on them by their masters and out of religious devotion.

These new marks were often used to symbolize that these men and women no longer served their earthly slave masters, but instead were now in service to a certain god or goddess.

Tattoos across many faiths

The early Christian Apostle Paul is recorded in the Bible in Galatians 6:17 as saying, From henceforth let no man trouble me: for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus. The original word used for marks was the word stigmata, which was often seen, hailing back to Herodotus, as the term used to describe tattooing practices.

Multiple scholars believe Pauls tattoos were meant to show his devotion to Christ. The tattoos would also help other Christians, who faced persecution from the Roman empire, identify him as a believer.

The Maori people of New Zealand have been practicing the tattoo art of Ta Moko for centuries. These tattoos, which are still practiced today, hold a deep cultural meaning and history. The tattoos not only convey social status, family identification and a persons own life accomplishments, but also hold spiritual meaning with designs that contain protective talismans and appeals to spirits to protect the wearer.

Multiple Native American and First Nations tribes in North America have a long history of wearing sacred tattoos. In 1878, the early anthropologist James Swanwrote multiple essays on the Haida people he encountered around Port Townsend, Washington.

In one essay he detailed that the tattoos were more than ornamental, with each design having a sacred purpose. He also detailed that the ones who performed the tattoos were seen as spiritual leaders or holy persons.

The ancient Aztec god of sun, wind, learning and air, Quetzalcoatl, is often depicted as having tattoos in ancient reliefs. The Aztec people themselves practiced religious tattooing, with their priests often in charge of various forms of body art and modification. West African nations such as Togo and Burkina Faso have used, and continue to use, tattoos and ritual body modification as sacred rites of passage.

[Like what youve read? Want more? Sign up for The Conversations daily newsletter.]

Sacred practices

In modern times, one can still see people around the world wearing sacred tattoos with religious significance.

Whether it is a member of the Kalinga province of the Philippines receiving a mambabatok tattoo, a pattern of traditional designs done with a single needle, from the oldest known living tattoo artist, 102-year-old Whang-Od Oggay, to the countless crosses, Bible verses, and other symbols of Christianity that can be seen in the U.S., tattoos can still hold deep religious and spiritual meaning.

What the tattoos adorning Otzi the Icemans mummified body meant to him will most likely remain at least partially a mystery.

But Otzi is an important reminder that tattoos have been, and continue to be, a sacred part of many cultures worldwide.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article here: https://theconversation.com/what-otzi-the-prehistoric-iceman-can-teach-us-about-the-use-of-tattoos-in-ceremonial-healing-or-religious-rites-168058.
One advantage of multiple special sessions of the Legislature following this years regular stint is the opportunity to approve worthy bills that somehow got overlooked before. A good example of that this year would be an important bill to protect dogs from being neglected outdoors. It deserves a second chance in this third special session.

Senate Bill 474, the Safe Outdoor Dogs Act, passed in the House and Senate with wide bipartisan support during one of the most divided legislative sessions in recent history. It is designed to fix loopholes in an existing animal cruelty law. It would prohibit dogs from being tethered outside with heavy chains or short lines of any kind.

Most importantly, it would also empower law enforcement officials to immediately intervene when dogs were found in inhumane conditions. Many sheriff deputies said the current 24-hour time limit for a dog owners to rectify a problem simply condemns the animal to more needless suffering or death. Even with this new law, dogs on farms and ranches are not covered.

Thats unfortunate, but the bill would push back against the notion that it is somehow OK to tie up a dog outside and basically forget about it, maybe even neglecting to provide a shelter from heat or sun or a water dish that cant be tipped over. It is not. Dogs are social, gregarious animals. They want companionship from other dogs and people, and the ability to move about freely  just like people do. Tethering a dog outside for long periods is simply cruel. And in bad weather, it can be fatal.

This visionary bill was surprisingly vetoed by Gov. Greg Abbott after the regular session ended in May. None of the proponents saw that coming, and Abbott gave no indications that he would do something so drastic. Usually, lawmakers communicate with the governors office as a bill is headed for a final vote. They will be strongly inclined to make any changes the governor wants to avoid a veto.

Abbott even criticized dog-protection measures that were already in place and incorrectly suggested that they were in the new bill. Perhaps if hadnt spent so much time focusing on an elections security bill in a state where elections are already pretty secure, he might have been able to pay more attention to the details of this bill.

Some critics have said that Texans are spending too much time discussing a dog protection bill at a time when so many serious human issues are at stake. People should always come first, but that doesnt mean that Texans cant make sure that pets and livestock are treated humanely. No one wants to burden animal owners with unfair requirements; they just want to avoid cruel practices that can easily be prevented.

This bill would improve the living conditions of countless dogs in Texas. They need that, and we can deliver it to them with Gov. Abbotts signature on this legislation.
January has become the new Labor Day. Or to put that another way, more and more U.S. companies are pushing back their return-to-the-office plan until January of 2022.

Were talking Apple, Google, Facebook, Amazon and Lyft. Those are high-profile, trend-setting companies. Plenty of other businesses that operate out of offices will do the same. (This is also Googles third return-to-the-office target.)

The Great Return was supposed to happen after Labor Day of this year. Back in the summer, when vaccines were being injected into one arm after another and Covid case numbers were falling, this month looked like a great opportunity to return to normal  or at least as much of pre-Covid normal is still possible.

The summer would be over and the kids would be back in school. It seemed like a good time to make the call. And this wasnt just any old holiday; it was the day we celebrate workers. What a great occasion to show that the pandemic was receding and we could get back to work.

Except, of course, the pandemic didnt recede. The delta variant emerged, and so did people known as vaccine-hesitant. Case numbers increased again, and in some places its almost as bad as during the worst pre-vaccine days. This time, however, few cities or states have demanded business shutdowns or issued stay-at-home orders because frankly they were so politically unpopular, even in Blue states.

But hospitals and ICUs were filled, sometimes overflowing. Some states are even rationing healthcare now; Idaho and Alaska hospitals implementing what they call crisis standards of care. Thats basically like triage conditions on a battlefield; the most needy patients see a doctor and others just get a shot of pain reliever. And, of course, this doesnt count the many elective surgeries that have been delayed by hospitals dealing with COVID patients. That kind of rationing has been going on for months.

So the new target is January. It would mark another clear break in the calendar, a good time to divide the past of Zoom meetings and working from home to the Dilbert-like cubicles and staff meetings that used to define work. Except that it cant even be guaranteed.

First, all this assumes that COVID-19 cases will continue to decline and reach manageable levels. Some experts think thats likely, and that the current peak may have already passed. Others say not so fast, this isnt over until its over.

There are plenty of unvaccinated Americans  three in 10 of all adults  who could still be infected by the delta variant of the virus. Theres also a mu variant of the virus cropping up in some places across the globe. Will it infect even more people than the delta variant or not be much of a factor? Even the experts are divided; about all we can do is wait and see.

More Information How the pandemic has changed work 78% of workers under 40 say the pandemic made them question what they want to do for a job or career. 69% of those not working remotely say they've been thinking about switching to a job they can do remotely. The top three career and job related searches during the pandemic are: 1) Jobs that pay well, 2) What jobs hire at age 14, 3) Best jobs to work from home. Searches for jobs that hire teens are up 192%. Searches for jobs offering high pay are up 120%. Searches for jobs that are done remotely are up 114%. 74% of young workers say there's a job they would do for $15 per hour; 47% say there's a job they would do for $7.25 per hour. Source: Elements Global Services See More Collapse

The second factor in all this is that many people working from home dont want to go back to the office. They have adjusted nicely to the previously strange concept of remaining in their residence all day and working on a laptop in a spare bedroom. They dont have to put office clothes on their bodies or gasoline in their car. They dont have to pack a lunch, which is usually unsatisfying, or go out to eat while at work, a practice that is costly.

Some of them would like to work from home for the rest of their careers. Some will settle for a hybrid system  a few days in the office and a few in the house or apartment. Some companies are OK with full or partial working from home, some arent so much.

So, as during much of the pandemic, we wait and watch. We make plans  in this case for a return to the office in January  but the virus may change those plans. At some point this will all end, but we are already looking at a third year of this strange challenge, and theres no telling how long the virus will linger into 2022  and possibly beyond.

But one thing is clear. Millions of workers and thousands of companies will never go back to the old five-day-a-week grind inside the office building downtown. This is as a big a revolution in U.S. labor since women started entering the workforce in large numbers in the 1970s, and it will have profound changes on office practices and the larger society.

The world of work will be vastly different for your children, in ways we see now and in ways we cant predict. Fasten your safety belts; it may be a bumpy ride.

TTaschinger@BeaumontEnterprise.com
The Beaumont City Council might have tried a little harder to reduce the property tax rate a full cent below the current rate of 71 cents instead of just to 70.5 cents in view of the accompanying increase in utility rates  and because the tax rate had increased in previous years. That would have helped soften the blow from the utility hike, especially for the many residents whose homes increased in values and will pay a higher property tax bill even with the slight reduction in the tax rate.

But nonetheless, the council deserves some credit for the half-cent cut in the property tax rate; its better than a half-cent increase. More importantly, the utility rate hikes can be reduced by 10% for residents age 65 or older.

That discount will apply to the first 1,000 gallons of water that seniors use each month, which is about what an individual or small family would use in a month. Residents will receive information about that option in their utility bill. Seniors who are interested in that discount can then call the city to have a form mailed to them to receive it.

Thats a nice benefit for Beaumont seniors, one that few other cities offer. Many senior citizens have fixed incomes, from Social Security or their retirement. Basically, their income doesnt go up  but of course various expenses in their lives do. A small benefit like this can mean a lot to them. It will come in handy next year, when wastewater service rates increase by 5 percent and garbage rates go up by $1 per month.

In Beaumont, the costs for utilities are covered by the revenues that residents and businesses pay for these services. There is no subsidy from the general fund. Thats a good operating system, but it can lead to fairly high utility bills.

Overall, the Beaumont City Council does a pretty good job of managing city finances. The property tax rate dropped slightly this year  again, after some significant increases in previous years. The utility rate hike is unfortunate, but its also nice not to have to tap into the general fund to pay for those services.

The council needs to keep these costs to residents in mind because that has a big impact on a citys population. Residents and businesses are inclined to remain in Beaumont if they perceive those expenses to be affordable. In turn, new residents and businesses are more inclined to move into a city like that.

Beaumonts population has remained stubbornly flat for several decades  not really decreasing but not increasing much either. In contrast, almost every other large city in Texas has seen substantial growth. A lot of factors go into something like that, and clearly the natural disasters we have suffered in recent years dont help.

But hurricanes or floods arent something we can control. The City Council can decide what the tax rate will be and how much residents will pay for basic services. Council members must make sure that city government is run as efficiently as possible to keep those costs low. They can do it in big ways and small ways, but the effort must be ongoing.
Gek Ratih, who sells souvenirs at Balis popular Kuta Beach for a living, has endured the ups and downs of the islands tourism over the years  everything from terrorist bombings to volcanic eruptions.

But nothing, she says, prepared her for the COVID-19 pandemic.

I have had almost zero income nowadays, Ratih, 60, told BenarNews.

She and other Balinese are hoping that their businesses will begin to pick up after Indonesias government announced earlier this month that it may re-open Bali to fully vaccinated foreign tourists from select countries, beginning in October, should coronavirus cases keep declining.

Before the viral outbreak hit Indonesia last year, Bali was a magnet for foreign tourists, beach-goers and surfers. On the day BenarNews spoke with Ratih, Kuta Beach was largely empty, and a nearby surf shop had no customers.

I havent sold anything today, said Ratih, who for 40 years has been selling clothes, hats and bracelets to tourists.

Luhut Pandjaitan, the central government official in charge of Indonesias handling of the pandemic, said no date had been set for allowing foreign visitors to return to Bali, the countrys top tourist destination.

The island has lost about 9.7 trillion rupiah (U.S. $680.5 million) each month during the pandemic while outsiders were barred from Bali for the reason of keeping the public safe, said Balis deputy governor, Tjokorda Oka Artha Ardana Sukawati.

Bali is in tatters because it is highly dependent on tourism, Tjokorda told an online seminar in mid-September. Other regions are more resilient because they have other sectors that contribute to the economy.

Gek Ratih, who sells souvenirs at Kuta Beach in Bali, Indonesia, says her business has suffered from the COVID-19 pandemic, Sept. 23, 2021. [Anton Muhajir/BenarNews]

While foreign tourists remain barred, Indonesians have begun to return to Bali as restrictions to curb the spread of coronavirus have been relaxed gradually across the country.

Balis tourism has started to improve, said I Gusti Ngurah Rai Suryawijaya, chairman of the Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association (PHRI) in Balis Badung regency.

Lately, about 5,000 visitors from other parts of Indonesia have come to Bali each day, an increase from about 1,000 daily during the pandemics semi-lockdown period, he said.

Still, the hotel occupancy rate is below 9 percent, Rai said.

Ideally, occupancy should be at least 40 percent for hotels to reach a break-even point. If it is still a single digit, it is impossible to cover operational costs, he said.

The number of Bali visitors is far below pre-pandemic numbers, when daily domestic arrivals could be as high as 20,000 and foreign arrivals were more than 16,000.

Foreign tourist arrivals in Bali reached 6.3 million people in 2019, according to the Central Bureau of Statistics, but fell to 1 million in 2020 because of the pandemic. Most of those travelers arrived during the first quarter of 2020 before the pandemic forced lockdowns.

Rai said Balis tourism was at its lowest point  worse than the aftermath of the 2002 and 2005 terrorist bombings, as well as eruptions from the Mount Agung volcano in 2019.

At that time Bali quickly rebounded because of support from the government and the international community. Those things are absent now because everyone is affected, he said.

New approaches to tourism

Nyoman Sukma Arida, a lecturer at Balis Udayana University, said the island should change its focus to offer high-quality tourism including promoting ecotourism, which unites conservation, communities and sustainable travel.

The management of Balis tourism should be directed toward that aim and no longer be oriented to mass tourism, Sukma told BenarNews.

He challenged previous remarks by Luhut that backpacking tourists, also known as budget travelers, be banned.

We will filter tourists that come to visit. We dont want backpackers to come so that Bali remains clean, where the people who come are of quality, Luhut had told reporters earlier this month.

Sukma said backpackers should be welcomed.

Backpacking tourism doesnt mean low-quality tourism. It could be they spend more money directly to the community, not on big hotels, Sukma said.

Tourism Minister Sandiaga Uno sought to clarify Luhuts remarks.

Mr. Luhut was talking about tourists who bring no benefits, dont obey health protocols and dont respect local customs. These are not the kind of tourists we are trying to attract post-pandemic, he told reporters last week.

I can assure you there will be no ban on tourists visiting Indonesia. Backpacking is a trend among young people. We will not ban backpackers as long as they follow rules, he said.

Indonesian girls carry baskets of souvenirs they seek to sell at Amed Beach in Bali, Sept. 13, 2021. [Anton Muhajir/BenarNews]

Ben Mathis, a Swiss computer programmer who lives in Bali, agreed with Sukma.

This is an opportunity for Bali to change things, to build the capacity and the infrastructure and everything needed to create a more sustainable tourism sector, to diversify its economy, to value its farmers and its land that is now helping Bali through this pandemic, Mathis told BenarNews.

The pandemic has created an opportunity for the government to tap into other economic sectors including agriculture, according to Tjokorda, Balis deputy governor.

If these two sectors [tourism and agriculture] can be used as the locomotive for the economy in a balanced way, I believe Bali will be able to face adversity like this, he said.

Rai, meanwhile, said he hoped the government would soon re-open Bali to international tourists.

Bali has managed to deal with the pandemic well so far, he said.

Compliance with health guidelines, the success of the vaccination campaign on the island, and strict health protocols in tourism facilities means that Bali is ready to welcome foreign visitors, he said.

To date, Bali has recorded more than 112,000 COVID-19 cases, about 2.7 percent of Indonesias caseload, and 3,900 virus-related deaths. Meanwhile, the government said that about 90 percent of Balis 4.4 million people had received at least one dose of a vaccine.

Rai also asked the government to extend 9.4 trillion rupiah ($660 million) in soft loans to fund the recovery of the hospitality industry.

We need capital injections to reopen to pay maintenance, electricity bills and employees salaries after the collapse, he said.
Chinese researchers from Northwestern Polytechnical University conduct a test swim of a manta ray-shaped robot in the waters off the Paracel Islands in the South China Sea, in early September 2021.

Chinese researchers from a military-linked university have completed the first open sea test in the Paracel Islands of a bionic robot that looks and swims like a manta ray, Chinese media reported.

Countries disputing Chinas claims in the South China Sea, no doubt, will be watching closely the development of this sophisticated drone.

The state-run China Daily quoted developers from the Northwestern Polytechnical University (NWPU) in Xian as saying that this is the world's first bionic unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) to accomplish a more than 1,000-meter dive in the open sea, including gliding and flapping wing propulsion. They added that it would play an important role in marine environmental protection.

But such innovation would likely be utilized for military purposes, too.

Most good robotics inventions [since the first robots] have ended up with military uses, Noel Sharkey, emeritus professor of artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics at the University of Sheffield in the United Kingdom, told Radio Free Asia (RFA), a sister entity of BenarNews.

Professor Alexandre Vuving at the Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies (APCSS), a U.S. Department of Defense institute based in Hawaii, agreed.

China will use these biomimetic robots for military purposes. This is consistent with their military-civil fusion strategy, he told RFA.

Military-civil fusion is a national strategy aimed at developing the Chinese Peoples Liberation Army through encouraging investment and technologies from the private sector and academic institutions.

The NWPU is listed by the U.S. Department of Justice as a Chinese military university that is heavily involved in military research and works closely with the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) on the advancement of its military capabilities.

It is also among seven leading Chinese universities with deep roots in the military and defense industry that a 2019 report compiled by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute dubs the Seven Sons of National Defense.

The report, based on a database funded by the U.S. State Department, catalogues the collaboration of educational institutes with the PLA and Chinese security agencies. Also among the seven is the Beijing Institute of Technology and Harbin Engineering University.

More than 40 percent of employed 2017 or 2018 NWPU graduates are working in the defense system, the report said. In the State Department-funded database, the NWPU is designated very high risk for its defense ties. It is also on a U.S. Commerce Department export blacklist.

The head of the manta ray robot project, Pan Guang, is the dean of the NWPUs School of Marine Science and Technology and an author on torpedo mechanics.

Researchers from Chinas Northwestern Polytechnical University conduct a test swim of a biomimetic robot that looks like a large, bright yellow manta ray, in the South China Sea, in early September 2021. [Courtesy Xinhua News Agency]

No difference with the real manta ray

A video clip published by Xinhua news agency in early September shows researchers releasing a large, bright yellow manta ray from a ship into the waters off the Paracel islands in the South China Sea.

Its shape is very life-like, with a flat body, two large wings and a wide head. Sharkey said he has not seen a drone like that before: It looks quite amazing as a biomimetic robot with a ray propulsion system.

Details remain sketchy but according to Xinhua, the new 470-kilogram (1,036-pound) bionic soft robot prototype with a three-meter wingspan can dive to a depth of up to 1,025 meters (yards).

Inspired by the manta ray, one of natures most efficient swimmers, the robot is described by the developers as having high propulsion efficiency, high manoeuvrability, high stability, low environmental disturbance, low noise, large load capacity, and soft landing of the seafloor.

The team from the NWPU has worked on the UUV project since 2016. After developing several prototypes, they claimed theyd already achieved the flapping, gliding, emergency stop, turning, and other actions of this bionic manta ray; and there is almost no difference with the real manta ray.

The robot allegedly can work continuously for weeks and is fitted with sensors for visual and sound detection.

A smaller black-and-white prototype launched in 2019 looked even more like the real ray. The ability to blend in with other fish in the ocean, thus becoming almost undetectable, makes it ideal for surveillance and spy works, experts say.

Russian defense analyst Vasily Kashin told RFA that the Chinese government has prioritized the development of UUVs for both civilian and military uses.

They can be used both for observing the environment and hunting submarines, he said.

Military uses

According to Sharkey from Sheffield University, the manta ray robot could certainly be used to surveil what is happening in the sea around it and possibly above it and collect intelligence.

It would be useful to know if it operates quietly - that would make it extremely useful, he said.

Vuving from the APCSS elaborated: Given the robot's capability, it can be used for intel gathering, and even sabotage purposes.

Biomimetics, or applying learning about natural systems and robotics to design new vehicles, is a growing trend across the world. The manta ray, for its natural characteristics, has become the subject of imitation in a number of projects such as the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agencys (DARPAs) Manta Ray program, the British Royal Marines Raydrive and Singaporean scientists MantaDroid.

A DARPAs spokesman when asked by RFA confirmed that the Manta Ray project was already launched but did not provide any further details.

The DARPAs program costs $12.3 million while the Raydrive, the purposes of which are to spy on warships and submarines, is being developed with a budget of 100,000 pounds (U.S. $135,000), The Times of London reported in July.

It is unclear how much has been spent on the Chinese manta ray UUV but the project seems to have achieved a more advanced stage than its peers.

Xinhua reported the manta ray had already been used for observing the ocean environment in a major coral reef in the Paracels  islands that China calls Xisha. The islands are under Chinas control but also claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam.

China claims historic rights to 90 percent of the South China Sea and has been developing military capabilities to assert its claims to disputed features despite protests from neighboring countries. Distant reefs have been transformed into artificial islands with runways that can accommodate jet fighters and large transport aircraft.

Stealthy underwater reconnaissance capability would be a major concern for Vietnam which has the largest submarine fleet in Southeast Asia. Hanoi has repeatedly denounced Chinas activities in the area but has yet to respond to the new development.

The Vietnamese are closely watching what China does in the South China Sea. But I am not sure about what collective conclusion Vietnam will draw from this, said Vuving.

Another concern raised by AI and robotics experts is the arming of drones with autonomous weapons systems but according to Sharkey, the Chinese manta ray hasnt yet reached that stage.

I cant imagine it being armed as it stands, he said.
Filipino children and adults participate in a dance exercise in suburban Manila to draw attention to sexual abuse of women and children, Feb. 6, 2016.

The Philippine Senate passed a bill Monday to protect children from statutory rape, raising the minimum age of sexual consent from 12 to 16 years old.

The bill is similar to one passed in the House in December 2020, and both chambers must reconcile the differences in their legislation before sending it to President Rodrigo Duterte for his signature. The bills seek to revise a law on statutory rape that has been in force in the Philippines for almost a century.

Rape is a very violent crime, especially when performed against a minor. It is important that we amend the old law, said Sen. Richard Gordon, who chairs the senate committee on justice and human rights.

Thats why were having a legislative reform on rape, especially for the protection of our girls and boys, he said in a statement. Congress must uphold the right of every child to freedom from sexual exploitation.

Gordon, the sponsor of the proposed legislation, and 21 other senators voted for Senate Bill 2332 (An Act Increasing the Age for Determining Statutory Rape and other Acts of Sexual Abuse and Exploitation to Protect Children) on its third and final reading. One senator abstained.

Rights groups have argued for a change in the law because while statutory rape is a crime against children, it only covers children under the age of 12.

The old law has been in effect for more than 90 years, according to the Child Rights Network, a nationwide alliance of childrens rights groups.

Child rights advocates all over the Philippines are beyond elated with this development, CRN official Romeo Dongeto told BenarNews. This is a historical moment that we will fondly look back on for decades to come.

It took years for advocates to push for the bill in the legislative mill successfully. It took herculean efforts of campaigning for groups and experts to push Congress to prioritize ending child rape, an issue that for decades was generally overlooked or was even ignored at some point, Dongeto said.

Under the Senate bill, both men and women could be charged with statutory rape.

Gordon said the new bill was needed because the Philippines has the lowest age of sexual consent in Asia and one of the lowest in the world.

He cited a National Baseline Study on Violence against Children in 2015. One in every five children in the Philippines in the age group of 13 to 17 said he or she had experienced sexual violence, according to the study.

Sen. Risa Hontiveros, one of the principal authors of the bill, described it as historic legislation.

She noted that under current law children as young as 12 can be forced to testify in court.

The pain of remembering alone has scarred many Filipino kids. The lifelong psychological and emotional injury inflicted upon them is a cruelty we should no longer allow, she said in a statement.

This is as much a victory for our children as it is a victory for all advocates, civil society organizations, womens rights groups, and concerned parents and individuals who are committed to protect and defend every Filipino child, she said.
Philippine police and drug enforcement officers set up a display of more than a half ton of crystal methamphetamine confiscated following an operation in which four Chinese nationals were killed in Zambales province, Sept. 7, 2021.

Philippine anti-drugs operatives killed four alleged Chinese drug traffickers in a major operation on Tuesday that led to the confiscation of more than half a ton of crystal methamphetamine, the largest seizure this year in the governments war on drugs.

National police chief Gen. Guillermo Eleazar said the four slain men were trying to escape from a sting in which undercover officers sought to purchase a kilogram of the drug, whose street name is shabu.

They were known distributors of illegal drugs in Luzon, particularly in Metro Manila, Central Luzon and Region 4, Eleazar said. Luzon is the main northern island of the Philippines, while Region 4 includes suburban areas just south of the capital.

Among those killed was Chinese national Xu Youha, 50, identified by police as a major drug trafficker who had evaded authorities in recent years. The others were identified as Gao Manzhu, 49; Hong Jianshe, 58; and Eddie Tan, 60  all from Fujian, China.

Drug Enforcement Agency chief Wilkins Villanueva said Xu was one of the biggest personalities in the illegal drug trade in the Philippines, as well as a member of a drug trafficking organization.

Operatives have been working on this operation for the past three months, and for the past few weeks Xus operations have escalated, thats why we conducted a buy-bust operation this morning, Villanueva said.

Members of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) joined by police planned the undercover operation that spiraled into a shootout in the town of Candelaria in the northwestern province of Zambales.

Officers seized 500 kg. (1,100 lbs.) of crystal methamphetamine, which they said had an estimated street value of 3.4 billion pesos (U.S. $67.7 million). Eleazar said the seizure was the biggest for this year so far, while adding that no police were injured in the operation.

He did not release details about where officers confiscated the drugs.

During a related operation hours later, authorities arrested three Chinese nationals and confiscated 80 kg. (176 lbs.) of crystal meth, valued at 544 million pesos ($10.8 million), in the northern province of Bataan, according to the national police. Those arrested were identified as Qing Chang Zhou, 37; Cai Cai Bin, 49; and Longcai Chang, 45.

Follow-up operation

In 2020, anti-drug personnel seized more than 800 kilos of crystal methamphetamine in Bulacan, a suburban province north of Manila. Tuesdays incident was part of ongoing follow-up operations stemming from that raid, authorities said.

Villanueva said illegal drugs likely were brought into the Philippines by speed boats that picked them up from ships in international waters. The drugs were dropped off in remote coastal regions in the northern province of Pangasinan, and distributed from there.

So we surmise that the drugs enter from international waters, and are brought to land by boats. But what is good is that local communities are coordinating with us, he told reporters.

Eleazar said he had deployed helicopters and speedboats to assist in chasing down boats transporting the drugs from Pangasinan to coastal regions in Zambales province.

This operation was a result of the whole-of-government approach in our campaign against illegal drugs. Our coordination and cooperation with other government agencies, particularly with the PDEA, is now stronger than before, so we are confident that this will be our strong point in our successful campaign to put an end to the threats of illegal drugs in the country, he said.

Tuesdays haul was the biggest in recent months and came after the outgoing chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court in The Hague in June called for a full probe into allegations that crimes against humanity occurred during the drug war under Duterte.

Duterte, who took office in 2016, campaigned on a pledge of ridding the Philippines of illegal drugs and drug addiction, promising to turn Manila Bay red with the bodies of dead drug suspects.

Since he took power, at least 8,000 suspected dealers and addicts have been killed in police operations, according to government figures, while rights groups claim that the number could be thousands more when including extrajudicial killings blamed on government-linked vigilantes.

Jeoffrey Maitem in Cotabato, Philippines, contributed to this report.
Peacekeepers belonging to a joint peace monitoring group of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, the Philippine army and police secure a village in Maguindanao, southern Philippines, Aug. 27, 2021.

At least 17 people  mostly suspected Islamic militants  were killed during heavy fighting between government forces and BIFF insurgents in the southern Philippines at the weekend, the military said Monday.

The clashes began when some 30 member of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) attacked government soldiers who were patrolling near Shariff Saydona Mustapha town in Maguindanao province, according to a spokesman for the Armys 6th Division.

One soldier and 16 other BIFF militants were killed, Lt. Col. John Paul Baldomar said. The figures of fatalities from the enemy side were provided to us by civilians. We have their names.

The running gun-battles started Saturday and lasted until Sunday afternoon. Mopping up operations are ongoing, he told BenarNews.

BIFF are guerrillas who broke away from the former separatist group Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), when the latter agreed to a peace deal with the government for an expanded autonomy in the Philippine south.

The MILF now controls the region and has been helping Manila fight against the BIFF and other militant organizations.

Baldomar said the military used artillery and called in air support against the militants, who are believed to be hiding out in a vast marshland that borders Shariff Saydona Mustapha.

The bodies of two of the 16 slain BIFF fighters have been recovered so far, he said. But a military intelligence report, including information provided by locals, indicated that 14 more militants had been killed in the gunfight.

The slain fighters were followers of Ustadz Karialan, one of three ranking commanders of the BIFF who has, however, not openly come out in support of the Islamic State extremist group. The two other BIFF leaders, Ismail Abubakar and Abu Turaife have pledged their allegiance to IS.

It was unclear if Karialan was among the militants killed, Baldomar said.

Until today, our clearing operation in the area is ongoing, he said, adding that army units had fired artillery toward the militants positions.

He said government forces were also bracing for possible retaliatory attacks.

They are few, and we are not letting our guard down as we continue to intensify our campaign. In due time, they will be finished, regional military commander Maj. Gen. Juvymax Uy told reporters.

BIFF has a few hundred members and is concentrated mainly in central Mindanao Island, officials said.

In January, BIFF militants carried out two roadside bombings in the south that killed three and injured dozens of people. Two years ago, the group carried out a series of bomb attacks in the south, targeting a market and a restaurant that injured more than 24 people.

In 2017, hundreds of pro-IS fighters from Southeast Asia, the Middle East and elsewhere took over the southern Philippine city of Marawi for five months. Some 1,200 people were killed in a battle that ensued between the militants and government forces.

While BIFF did not send guerrillas to join that battle, it launched diversionary attacks at the time, according to officials.
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.
If you'd like to leave a comment (or a tip or a question) about this story with the editors, please email us

We also welcome letters to the editor for publication; you can do that by filling out our letters form and submitting it to the newsroom.
The Supreme Court has not issued any rulings regarding the safety of coronavirus vaccines. Dozens of posts making the false claim link to blogs that regularly publish hoaxes and misinformation. The claim has been circulating for months and recently reemerged as new vaccine requirements issued by the federal government take effect.
An erroneous tweet circulating on Twitter claims that 23,000 people used the same phone number to register to vote in North Dakota.
Community Development Director Deanna Ruffer leads an Aug. 16 forum on potential public health uses for federal COVID-19 aid, at Conte Community School in Pittsfield. About 40 residents gathered to share their ideas for how to spend almost $41 million in American Rescue Plan Act money.
HINSDALE  For five years, cannabis entrepreneur Joseph McCarthy has been talking to residents of the Berkshires, seeking in-roads.

Quote Joseph McCarthy, CEO of Green Patriot LLC, is headed back to Hinsdale this week to brief residents on a planned Bullards Crossing Road cannabis business.

Hell be back in Hinsdale this week, with a relatively new corporate identity, to explain what he has in mind for a site on Bullards Crossing Road. McCarthy will convene a required community outreach meeting at 5 p.m. Thursday at 110 Bullards Crossing Road.

Ipswich Pharmaceuticals seeks to grow, process and sell medicinal pot in the Berkshires It's been nearly five years since state residents voted to legalize medical marijuana, but efforts to start businesses related to the burgeoning industry have only just recently begun to pick up steam.

The Select Board granted Green Patriot a host community agreement Aug. 11. McCarthy told the board that he plans a nonprofit indoor cultivation facility at Bullards Crossing Road that would be a pilot program for veterans.

Since 2016, even before Massachusetts residents voted in November 2016 to legalize adult use of marijuana, McCarthy was meeting with residents and officials in Becket and Hinsdale, doing business then as Ipswich Pharmaceutical Associates Inc. and interested in serving the medical marijuana market. Recreational cannabis sales began in November 2018.

As The Eagle reported at the time, McCarthy later wanted to set up off Peru Road in Hinsdale, but also pursued projects in at least two locations in Becket.

Late last winter, McCarthy was also shopping his project around in the town of Sandisfield.

On Thursday, McCarthy is scheduled to reveal which kind of cannabis business he wants to create in Hinsdale, near the Washington town line. The same kind of meeting, which is required by the state Cannabis Control Commission, was to have been held in August 2020.

McCarthy is now chief executive officer of an outfit called Green Patriot LLC. In a legal notice, Green Patriot said it plans to seek a license for one  or more  of the following: marijuana cultivator, marijuana product manufacturer or marijuana transporter.

Mr. McCarthy will take questions and provide answers about the proposed medical and adult-use proposed facility operations, the legal notice says.

McCarthys earlier proposal for a facility off Peru Road ended up being taken over by another cannabis firm, FFD Enterprises MA. That company is now bringing in its first harvest on a 91,000-square-foot cultivation site just east of the proposed Green Patriot location.

FFD first considered building off Peru Road, but shifted its plans after encountering strong neighborhood opposition.
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.
You are the owner of this article.
The Richmond Board of Health voted 5-0 earlier this month to issue directives on mask-wearing and social distancing.
In 1677, Antoni Van Leeuwenhoek had a crazy idea. While observing diseases and infections, it seemed to him that something unseen was at work. Something so small that he couldnt detect it. Leeuwenhoek tested this idea and discovered bacteria. He is now considered the father of microbiology.

Just because something is unseen doesnt mean it doesnt have substance, or that it isnt real. Simply not being able to perceive a person or reality doesnt mean that it cant have an epic impact. People die from diseases and infections every day, and Leeuwenhoek discovered a whole new world previously unseen to us. Understanding more about that world has saved lives.

In the Gospel of John, while speaking with the Samaritan woman at the well, Jesus makes a bold declaration. God is Spirit (John 14:24). While a simple statement, it has profound implications if true. Life-altering implications. However simple, the words God and spirit are also open to a host of interpretations and can be confusing.

Leeuwenhoeks theories could be tested, especially providentially assisted by new technology like a microscope. Tested and proved. But when a wandering prophet says, God is Spirit, what can that mean? Is it true?

What Does God Is Spirit Mean?

Jesus makes this statement in the middle of the conversation with the woman at the well. He first asks a question to dignify her and engage her. Get me a drink of water, crossed religious, racial, and cultural barriers and showed her she had something to give.

Her response was to point out their racial differences, how Jews wouldnt deal with the unclean and half-breed Samaritans, deftly designed to start an argument and divide them.

Jesus didnt take the bait. He told her that, in reality, he has water to give her, immortal water that when she drank it, shed never thirst again, contrasted with the water she could seeshe would need more of that later. In fact, Jesus immortal water would produce more immortal water from within her. In other words, Jesus points to something not physical. Not temporary. Something spiritual and eternal.

When she asked to have this water, Jesus dealt with her heart. In asking about her husband, he revealed that he already knew her innermost secrets, the things that shamed her. He exposed her heart, her failings.

No one likes to be exposed, so she tried to start an argument again, a distraction to push him away. The racial one didnt work, so she tried the religious one. Samaritans worship on the mountain in Samaria. Jews worship at Jerusalem.

Again, Jesus didnt take the bait. He lifts her vision higher. God cant be contained in a temple, or on a mountain, a truth she could have read from Davids conversation with the Lord centuries earlier (2 Samuel 7). God is too big. But hes also of a different substance. God is Spirit.

Jesus declaration that God is Spirit is the conclusion of his continued attempts to lift her vision off the physical. Off her gender limitations. Off racial divisions. Off religious conflicts. He goes from the unseen within her, her own heart, and her failed attempts to have a secure and loving relationship, to the unseen reality of who God is.

Her misdirected longings, while unseen and buried in her heart, had tragic consequences in failure, guilt, and such shame that she went to get water in the middle of the day to avoid her community.

God is made up of a different substance than what we physically see. That substance is Spirit. Spirit is immortal, eternal, and omnipotent. Since he is Spirit, he must be worshipped that way. Not by race or gender or in a specific place. God can then be worshipped from anywhere by anyone. Only a God of the unseen realm can be the solution to the unseen longings of our hearts.

That invitation so excited her, the woman was in such a rush she left her water jar and ran to tell her community, the same town she attempted to avoid, about this man.

What Does the Bible Say about the Spirit of God?

The Apostle Paul also describes the substance of spiritual things in 2 Corinthians 15. In the chapter, Paul highlights the resurrection, the truth that all born-again followers of Jesus will be resurrected in new bodies. Death will not be the end. Death has been defeated. We will live on in a different kind of body. This is central to the Gospel.

But what kind of body? While Paul concedes that we shouldnt waste too much time on that question, he does explain that we will have a body like Jesus resurrected body, but that it will be made from a different substance. A spiritual one. A different substance, but a substance it is.

What was Jesus body like after his resurrection? They could touch him. He still had his scars. But the body didnt operate by our rules anymore. He popped in and out of rooms (John 20:19). He flew up when he ascended, like a superhero.

Beyond these important principles, the Bible has much to say about the Spirit. Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit (Matthew 1:20). Our rebirth is, at its core, a spiritual one (John 3:5-6). The Law brings death; the Spirit brings life (2 Corinthians 3:6). Therefore, the gift of the Spirit is the ultimate gift to us by a Father who loves us (Luke 11:3). The Spirit is a witness that testifies of Jesus (John 15:26), seals us for Heaven (Ephesians 4:30), shares Gods thoughts with us (1 Corinthians 2:11), gives us power (Romans 15:13) and freedom (2 Corinthians 3:17). When we walk in that Spirit (Romans 8:1-3), we wont sin and will have boldness to speak truth (Acts 4:31).

In speaking of the Spirit as substance, we cant miss that he is also a Person. The Spirit is a substance that acts as a Person, someone who does relational things. The Spirit works out Gods will, is active, speaks, thinks, feels, can be offended, bears witness, testifies, and more.

The night before Jesus death, he spent time teaching intimate revelation, a type of last words exchange. Within that conversation, Jesus shared a great deal about the Holy Spirit, using male personal pronouns in the Greek (ekeinos, John 14:17, John 16:8, 16:13). Lets make sure we remember the Spirit is a Person, too.

Why Is This Concept Sometimes Hard to Grasp?

Often, when we say, God is Spirit, then we imagine a ghost. Actually, another word for the Holy Spirit is the Holy Ghost. Beginning with the ancients and continuing to this day, a spirit or ghost is often viewed as immaterial, like a mist or a vapor that we cant hold or touch. It is difficult, then, to imagine that when Jesus said, God is Spirit, that he was revealing that God was made of a different substance, not that he was like a cloud.

The first heresy of the church dealt with this very issue. Gnosticism, at least in part, was a rejection of everything material, as if material things were in and of themselves evil. If that were true, therefore, then Jesus couldnt have been fully man while being fully God. According to the Gnostics, either he wasnt God or he was just a ghost walking around, an apparition.

The New Testament doesnt teach this, of course. As shown above, the reality isnt that God is immaterial, only that he is made of a different material, an UNSEEN one. A spiritual, eternal, transcendent material.

Why Is it Important That God Is Spirit according to John 4:24?

If God was immaterial, he would have no power. He would just be a voice or vision without any real impact. The power would still reside in us, which doesnt actually change anything. Since God is Spirit, hes not bound by the limitations of our dimension and reality. And if he can transcend our limitations, then change is possible. Transformation is available.

For our initial creation, God made us in his image and likeness. This tells us something about ourselves, that the most intimate part of us isnt physical or emotional but spiritual. It is our spirits that have been corrupted, the very core of our being, through the Fall of Adam and sin. True change must begin with the renewal of our spirits. Then that will affect the emotional (peace, joy, love, etc.), which in turn leads to the transformation of our physical to a new body at the resurrection.

For God to share his Spirit with us, he shares his very nature, his divine nature. If that is his nature, then it follows that the one sin that Jesus taught was unforgivable was the sin against the Spirit (Matthew 12:31-32).

Gods love seeks to bring us into his family, so he gives us his DNA in the Spirit. Jesus told Nicodemus in John 3 that we must be born again to see and enter the Kingdom. Back to Pauls writing in 1 Corinthians 15, he tells us that flesh and blood (i.e., our current material) cant inherit the Kingdom of Heaven. We cant live in Heaven in our current form, we need to be made of a spiritual substance to live in that Heavenly, spiritual reality.

All of this gives us hope! God as Spirit means he is with us forever! No one can separate us. Sin, death, have no hold over us. We have a future that is eternally secure and full of wonder and wealth and goodness. We have an inheritance and reward that no one, nothing in this world, can take away. And it will be real and tangible, all in a New Heaven and New Earth (Revelation 21:1-4), not ghosts walking around the clouds.

As a final note, God is Spirit should guide our interactions with a lost and dying world. Our world is divided over politics, race, geography, culture, and more. More arguments on those topics wont fix it. Thats a lateral move and a distraction away from the real solution.

Jesus wouldnt allow himself to be baited into those arguments with the Samaritan woman because he loved her. The Father sent Jesus to dignify her, expose the deepest longings of her heart that had gone unfulfilled, and point her to the solution of a God of the unseen she could worship immediately and attain the relational satisfaction she had sought her whole life.

We must do the same. It isnt that politics or race or culture or sexuality dont matter, but we have been sent into our communities and relationships not to argue but to dignify every person made in the image of God with intrinsic worth, asking questions and telling stories that expose the unseen longings of our hearts, and call each other to a God who is both more transcendent and intimate than anything this world has to offer, all because he is not of this world.

That is the solution to those divisions. Unity in God, who is Spirit.

Peace.

Photo Credit: iStock/Getty Images Plus/ThitareeSarmkasat

Britt Mooney (with his amazing wife, Becca) has lived as a missionary in Korea, traveled for missions to several countries, and now lives in Suwanee GA as a church planter that works bi-vocationally with Phoenix Roasters, a missional coffee company. He has a podcast about the Kingdom of God called Kingdom Over Coffee and is a published author with Say Yes: How God-Sized Dreams Take Flight.
Thanksgiving is a tradition for the family to gather around the table and enjoy a delightful meal filled with turkey and pumpkin pie. Before the food is served, Christian families join hands to say a prayer of thankfulness for the food and blessings God has given. The book of Psalms offers plenty of inspiration for giving thanks. We have collected our favorite Psalms of Thanksgiving to recall God's goodness and express gratitude.

Interesting Thanksgiving history facty - Prayers of thanksgiving had been common long before the established Thanksgiving dinner of 1620. The Pilgrims looked to the Bible to declare gratitude and thank God for their first harvest. The history of giving thanks has also been connected to Samuels setting known as the Ebenezer Stone. This is regarded in the Bible: "No matter what happens, always be thankful for this is Gods will for you who belong to Christ Jesus." ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Use these Psalms of Thanksgiving in a prayer of gratitude before eating together or for greeting cards to loved ones. Give gratitude from the heart for the blessings of God!

Psalms of Thanksgiving

Psalm 7:17 ~ I will give to the Lord the thanks due to his righteousness, and I will sing praise to the name of the Lord, the Most High.

Psalm 28:7 ~ The Lord is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him.

Psalm 50:14-15 ~ Sacrifice thank offerings to God, fulfill your vows to the Most High, and call on me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me.

Psalm 69:30 ~ I will praise the name of God with a song; I will magnify him with thanksgiving.

Psalm 95 - Let Us Sing Songs of Praise: Oh come, let us sing to the LORD; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation! Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise! For the LORD is a great God, and a great King above all gods. In his hand are the depths of the earth; the heights of the mountains are his also. The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land. Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the LORD, our Maker! For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts, as at Meribah, as on the day at Massah in the wilderness, when your fathers put me to the test and put me to the proof, though they had seen my work. For forty years I loathed that generation and said, "They are a people who go astray in their heart, and they have not known my ways." Therefore I swore in my wrath, "They shall not enter my rest."

Save our Free 30-Day Prayer & Scripture Guide of Gratitude to your phone and share it with loved ones!

Psalm 34:1-8 ~ I will extol the Lord at all times; his praise will always be on my lips. I will glory in the Lord; let the afflicted hear and rejoice. Glorify the Lord with me; let us exalt his name together. I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame. This poor man called, and the Lord heard him; he saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them. Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.

Psalm 103:1-6 ~ Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, Who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's. The LORD works righteousness and justice for all who are oppressed.

Psalm 100:1-5 ~ A Psalm for giving thanks. Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth! Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into his presence with singing! Know that the Lord, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name! For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.

Psalm 107:1 ~ Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!

Psalm 107:15-22 ~ Let them thank the LORD for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man! For he shatters the doors of bronze and cuts in two the bars of iron. Some were fools through their sinful ways, and because of their iniquities suffered affliction; they loathed any kind of food, and they drew near to the gates of death. Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. He sent out his word and healed them, and delivered them from their destruction. Let them thank the LORD for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man! And let them offer sacrifices of thanksgiving, and tell of his deeds in songs of joy!

Psalm 116:12-19 ~ What shall I render to the LORD for all his benefits to me? I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the LORD, I will pay my vows to the LORD in the presence of all his people. Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints. O LORD, I am your servant; I am your servant, the son of your maidservant. You have loosed my bonds. I will offer to you the sacrifice of thanksgiving and call on the name of the LORD. I will pay my vows to the LORD in the presence of all his people, in the courts of the house of the LORD, in your midst, O Jerusalem. Praise the LORD!

Psalm 136 - His Steadfast Love Endures Forever: Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever. Give thanks to the God of gods, for his steadfast love endures forever. Give thanks to the Lord of lords, for his steadfast love endures forever; to him who alone does great wonders, for his steadfast love endures forever; to him who by understanding made the heavens, for his steadfast love endures forever; to him who spread out the earth above the waters, for his steadfast love endures forever; to him who made the great lights, for his steadfast love endures forever; the sun to rule over the day, for his steadfast love endures forever; the moon and stars to rule over the night, for his steadfast love endures forever; to him who struck down the firstborn of Egypt, for his steadfast love endures forever; and brought Israel out from among them, for his steadfast love endures forever; with a strong hand and an outstretched arm, for his steadfast love endures forever; to him who divided the Red Sea in two, for his steadfast love endures forever; and made Israel pass through the midst of it, for his steadfast love endures forever; but overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the Red Sea, for his steadfast love endures forever; to him who led his people through the wilderness, for his steadfast love endures forever; to him who struck down great kings, for his steadfast love endures forever; and killed mighty kings, for his steadfast love endures forever; Sihon, king of the Amorites, for his steadfast love endures forever; and Og, king of Bashan, for his steadfast love endures forever; and gave their land as a heritage, for his steadfast love endures forever; a heritage to Israel his servant, for his steadfast love endures forever. It is he who remembered us in our low estate, for his steadfast love endures forever; and rescued us from our foes, for his steadfast love endures forever; he who gives food to all flesh, for his steadfast love endures forever. Give thanks to the God of heaven, for his steadfast love endures forever.

Psalm 111 ~ Praise the Lord. I will extol the Lord with all my heart in the council of the upright and in the assembly. Great are the works of the Lord; they are pondered by all who delight in them. Glorious and majestic are his deeds, and his righteousness endures forever. He has caused his wonders to be remembered; the Lord is gracious and compassionate. He provides food for those who fear him; he remembers his covenant forever. He has shown his people the power of his works, giving them the lands of other nations. The works of his hands are faithful and just; all his precepts are trustworthy. They are established for ever and ever, enacted in faithfulness and uprightness. He provided redemption for his people; he ordained his covenant forever- holy and awesome is his name. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise.

Psalm 92: 1-5 ~ It is good to praise the LORDand make music to your name, O Most High, proclaiming your love in the morning and your faithfulness at night, to the music of the ten-stringed lyre and the melody of the harp. For you make me glad by your deeds, LORD; I sing for joy at what your hands have done. How great are your works, LORD, how profound your thoughts!

Psalm 89:1-2 ~ I will sing of the Lord's great love forever; with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known through all generations. I will declare that your love stands firm forever, that you have established your faithfulness in heaven itself.

Psalm 30 ~ I will exalt you, Lord, for you lifted me out of the depths and did not let my enemies gloat over me. Lord my God, I called to you for help, and you healed me. You, Lord, brought me up from the realm of the dead; you spared me from going down to the pit. Sing the praises of the Lord, you his faithful people; praise his holy name. For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.When I felt secure, I said, "I will never be shaken." Lord, when you favored me, you made my royal mountain stand firm; but when you hid your face, I was dismayed. To you, Lord, I called; to the Lord I cried for mercy: "What is gained if I am silenced, if I go down to the pit? Will the dust praise you? Will it proclaim your faithfulness? Hear, Lord, and be merciful to me; Lord, be my help." You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, that my heart may sing your praises and not be silent. Lord my God, I will praise you forever.





Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash
As a reporter in local news, you get to learn a lot about what makes small towns run. Recently, I attended and covered my first political candidate panel, and I was surprised by the level of engagement that I saw in the room.

For me, politics has always been a rocky beat to cover considering how difficult and tense situations can become, but my experience covering the candidate panel gave me a new outlook on just how much we need communities engaged in their local government activity.

For the majority of my life, I've followed national and international politics and governmental actions but had very little education on local government until I got into college. Through reporting in my own hometown on how local government can take positive action to improve a community taught me the power that people have on the decisions our local leaders make.

Some of the impacts I've seen communities have on local politics include witnessing an entire community rally to oust a racist road commissioner within a matter of days, a voting rally that succeeded in funding the major remodeling and upgrading of the high school that I graduated from, as well as several instances of community efforts to protect the shoreline and beach access in northern Michigan.

These are just a few examples that I've been able to see just within my local community, and since the beginning as a reporter in the Big Rapids area I've seen even more examples of how government can make a difference for its people, but if we want to see more of this kind of positive action we're going to need to work on how we can increase community engagement on a regular basis in local government.

When I attended the candidate panel, I genuinely anticipated some major sparring between candidates and big community issues argued over, of which there are many in Big Rapids. I was surprised immediately to witness the amicability of every candidate towards one another and appreciated the open discussion that occurred on a wide range of issues that impact the community.

What followed in the next two hours was genuine engagement and concern on community issues and how to address them. I anticipated a sparsely filled room but was faced with a packed house featuring residents of all ages, public servants, police officers, and concerned citizens who came with specific questions. It was refreshing to see that there are people in every community that still care about being involved with local government.

In my mind, local government is one of the places that some of the greatest impact and change can be made in communities. It's where decisions are made that impact local businesses, parks, residents, students and government workers. Local government impacts the daily life of communities across the state, and if we got even 2% more participation communitywide in meetings and events, I think that the improvements to be made could be vastly more substantial.

Accessibility issues are one of the biggest roadblocks for communities getting engaged with their local governments, and maintaining an online presence is something that can be extremely beneficial for government branches and officials. For someone who's extensively educated on social media and the internet, a great way to make meetings and government work more accessible would be to increase online presence.

This could be done any number of ways, but one that I see as important is making sure that there is consistent online access to commissioner meetings or at the least recordings of them so that interested parties are able to go back and watch the coverage.

As much as I love to think that reporters are able to capture every single action a local government takes, this just isn't feasible. Increasing online accessibility could make it possible for people to attend or view meetings from their couch, and the more people watch the more potential for ideas to arise on how to solve community problems or make improvements.

So, my message to those in the Big Rapids community is to get vocal about the issues you want to see addressed in your town. Instead of getting on Facebook to make a complaint, why not attend a commission meeting to make your voice heard? Real change comes when people use their voices and power to make the change they want to see. I think it's high time for the American people, in general, to stop complaining on Facebook and get out in their communities to make a difference.

The bottom line, you can't make change when you don't engage with the people who are able to make it. Keep getting involved, get talking, so that we can make Big Rapids a better place for everyone, one meeting at a time. You could be the change.

Olivia Fellows is a reporter for the Pioneer. She can be reached at olivia.fellows@hearstnp.com.
ISLAMABAD  Pakistans planning minister says the government will begin a drive to vaccinate children aged 12 or above to protect them from coronavirus.

The announcement on Tuesday by Asad Umar comes amid a steady decline in fatalities from coronavirus across the country.

Umar in a tweet said Pakistan will launch a campaign soon to vaccinate children at schools. He did not say exactly when it will begin.

Currently Pakistan is offering free jabs to teens and adults.

The latest development comes hours after Pakistan reported 41 deaths from coronavirus and 1,400 new cases in the past 24 hours.

It is the first time since July that Pakistan reported less than 1,500 single-day confirmed cases amid the fourth wave which authorities believe has subsided.

___

MORE ON THE PANDEMIC:

 U.S. has enough COVID-19 vaccines for boosters, kids' shots

 Rowdy celebrations erupt in Norway as COVID restrictions end

 EXPLAINER: Whos eligible for Pfizer booster shots in US?

___

See all of AP's pandemic coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic

___

HERES WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING:

SYDNEY  Australias Victoria state has recorded more coronavirus infections than New South Wales for the first time since an outbreak of the delta variant began in Sydney in June.

Victoria is Australias second-most populous state and on Tuesday the state capital of Melbourne reported 867 new virus cases and four deaths from COVID-19 in the latest 24-hour period.

It was the highest daily numbers of infections and deaths in Victoria for the latest outbreak. Victorias previous high infection count was 847 reported Saturday.

New South Wales is the most populous state and home to Sydney, which reported 863 new infections Tuesday and seven deaths. The state has seen daily infections plateau as vaccinations have risen.

Sydney has been in lockdown since June 26 and Melbourne since Aug. 5.

___

WELLINGTON, New Zealand  New Zealand is relaxing travel restrictions in Auckland six weeks after the nations most populous city was locked down due to the coronavirus.

People will be able to cross the city boundary beginning Monday night if they are permanently relocating, have shared caring-giving arrangements or are returning home. Those leaving Auckland on care-giving trips will have to be tested for the virus within a week of their departure.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says more flexibility is being given because the system of pandemic restrictions is currently doing its job.

The city reported eight new infections Tuesday in the latest 24-hour period. Auckland was locked down Aug. 17 after the delta variant leaked from hotel quarantine from a New Zealander who had returned from Sydney.

Pandemic restrictions elsewhere in New Zealand amount to little more than mandatory mask-wearing.

___

NEW YORK  A federal appeals panel says New York City may require teachers to be vaccinated against the coronavirus.

The three-judge panel of the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals acted late Monday to lift a temporary order issued Friday that blocked the mandate from taking effect so a challenge could be heard from a group of teachers.

The mandate had been set to go into effect Monday for teachers and other employees of the citys schools. The appeals panels ruling put the mandate back in force.

Lawyers for the teachers said they will now ask the U.S. Supreme Court to intervene. One attorney said: With thousands of teachers not vaccinated the city may regret what it wished for. Our children will be left with no teachers and no security in schools.

___

SACRAMENTO, Calif.  A federal judge has ordered that all employees entering California prisons be vaccinated or have a religious or medical exemption.

The order is aimed at heading off another coronavirus outbreak like the one that killed 28 inmates and a correctional officer at San Quentin State Prison last year.

The order also requires that inmates who want in-person visits or who work outside prisons, including inmate firefighters, must also be fully vaccinated or have a religious or medical exemption.

The prison guards union says it may appeal.

More than 50,000 California inmates have been infected with the coronavirus and at least 240 have died of COVID-19.

___

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa  Faculty at Iowas public universities are demanding the right to require masks in their classrooms regardless of state law or policies against them.

Biology professor Steve OKane Jr. has pushed a resolution among colleagues at the University of Northern Iowa saying faculty should be allowed to manage their classrooms. OKane told The Cedar Rapids Gazette that he has already imposed a mask mandate for his students and lowers their lab grades if they refuse to comply.

Northern Iowa, the University of Iowa and Iowa State University sent petitions last month to the state Board of Regents signed by hundreds of faculty asking for the ability to require masks and vaccines.

Board of Regents President Mike Richards in May barred administrators from requiring masks or vaccines.

___

HONOLULU  New federal rules for international travelers are expected to help Hawaiis crippled tourism industry.

The states international market has been nearly nonexistent since the pandemic largely shut down travel.

Last week, the White House loosened rules that previously prohibited some foreign travelers from coming to the U.S. Now foreign visitors can come if they can show proof of vaccination and produce a negative COVID-19 test.

The Honolulu Star-Advertiser reports that the changes could bring back international travel to the islands. It is down 97% compared to before the pandemic.

Hawaii currently only requires proof of vaccination or a single pre-flight COVID-19 test for mainland and some international travelers.

Some see the new rules as more restrictive for Japanese travelers, a major component of Hawaiis tourism industry. Japan and other key markets for Hawaii tourism have high vaccination rates and officials expect that trend to continue in the coming months.

___

TOPEKA, Kan.  Gov. Laura Kelly has ordered flags throughout the state to be flown at half-staff to honor COVID-19 victims as Kansas exceeded 6,000 reported deaths.

Kellys order Monday applied immediately and directed that flags remain lowered until sunset Wednesday. The governor has issued such an order every time Kansas reports another 1,000 COVID-19 deaths.

According to Kansas health department data, the state averaged 15 additional reported COVID-19 deaths a day for the seven days ending Monday. The number of reported deaths rose 43 since Friday, making the total 6,024.

The state also reported an average of 1,012 new cases and 37 additional hospitalizations a day for the seven days ending Monday.

___

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C.  A North Carolina-based hospital system announced Monday that more than 175 of its workers have been fired for failing to comply with its COVID-19 vaccination requirement.

Last week, Novant Health announced 375 employees had been suspended and given five days to comply with the mandate. The deadline was Friday.

Nearly 200 of those employees came into compliance, Spokesperson Megan Rivers said in an email Monday. Rivers didnt provide specific numbers on how many out of the 375 were in compliance and how many lost their jobs.

More than 99% of Novant Healths 35,000-plus employees are now compliant with the vaccine mandate, including employees who have submitted an approved religious or medical vaccine exemption, according to a statement.

The Winston-Salem-based system includes 15 hospitals, 800 clinics and hundreds of outpatient facilities.

___

MALDEN, Mass.  State education officials on Monday extended Massachusetts public school indoor mask mandate an extra month.

The mandate that applies to students, staff and faculty, was scheduled to expire on Oct. 1, but will now run through at least Nov. 1, state Education Commissioner Jeffrey Riley said.

Middle and high schools can apply for a waiver from the face covering rules if 80% of their students and staff have been vaccinated, he said.

The original mandate was announced in August. It applies to students age 5 and over. Masks are not required outdoors or while eating, and a limited number of other indoor activities.

About 2,220 students and more than 300 workers at Massachusetts public schools have tested positive for COVID-19 this school year, according to the latest information available from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

___

HAVANA  Cuba has begun commercial exports of its homegrown COVID-19 vaccines, sending shipments of the three-dose Abdala vaccine to Vietnam and Venezuela.

President Miguel Diaz-Canel announced the arrival in Vietnam on his Twitter feed Sunday. Cubas Center of Genetic Immunology and Biotechnology also announced that initial shipments of the Abdala shots were sent to Venezuela over the weekend.

Vietnams President Nguyen Xuan Phuc visited Cuba last week and toured the laboratory that produces the vaccine, announcing an agreement to buy at least 5 million doses.

Delcy Rodriguez, Venezuelas vice president, announced in June that the country had agreed to buy $12 million worth of the Cuban vaccine, though officials have declined to say how many doses were involved.

Another Cuban-developed COVID-19 vaccine is being produced in Iran, which Cuba has asked the World Health Organization to approve in hopes to extend exports of its locally developed vaccines.

Cuban scientists have said the vaccines are more than 90% effective against illness, though  like all vaccines  less so against mere infection.

Cuba plans to fully vaccinate 90% of its population by the end of November  a key step to reopening an economy heavily dependent on tourism.

Cubas director of epidemiology, Francisco Duran, said Monday that the country of some 11 million people has registered 860,799 infections with COVID-19 and 7,279 deaths during the pandemic.

___

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico  A pharmacy owner in Puerto Rico has pleaded guilty to illegally vaccinating two dozen children against COVID-19 with shots that had not been approved as safe for that age group, federal authorities said Monday.

The U.S. Attorneys Office said Liz Ann Banchs fully inoculated minors between the ages of 7 and 11 with the Pfizer vaccine from late May until late June.

The vaccine is currently approved for those 12 years and older, though Pfizer announced last week that a version of its vaccine, with much-reduced doses, is safe and works for children ages 5 to 11 and that it will soon seek U.S. authorization for that age group.

Authorities said the illegal vaccination occurred at Farmacia Gabriela, Inc. in the southern mountain town of Juana Diaz. They said Banchs faces up to five years in prison and up to a $250,000 fine.

___

BUENOS AIRES  Argentinas government opened some of its border to tourists from Chile and Brazil on Monday for a four-day test run as cases of COVID-19 have declined.

The measure applies to two crossings into the provinces of Mendoza, a wine-producing region that neighbors Chile, and Misiones, which borders Brazil hand has the famed Iguazu Falls.

Prior to the pandemic, thousands of people crossed daily over those borders.

Visitors will still need to show they have completed a full vaccine course at least 14 days before arriving, show a recent negative PCR test and accept a fast antigen test on arriving.

They wont have to quarantine, but will required to have another PCR test if they stay beyond seven days  and those who test positive would then have to quarantine.

The announcement amounts to an early start on a gradual opening of land borders that already had been announced for citizens of neighboring countries that was to start on Friday. Fully vaccinated Argentines living abroad will no longer have to quarantine on arrival.

The country of about 45 million people has seen steadily improving levels of infection and hospital bed occupation after being hit hard by the virus. Overall, it has recorded 5.2 infections and more than 114,000 deaths.
Plus, Bill's Message of the Day, the truth about the harms of marijuana.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
To connect the digital health solutions of hospitals across the country with each other

Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission through a video conference on 27 September. Speaking on the occasion, the PM said that the campaign of strengthening health facilities that have been going for the last seven years is entering a new phase today.



The Prime Minister said Ayushman Bharat  Digital Mission, will now connect the digital health solutions of hospitals across the country with each other. The mission will not only make the processes of hospitals simplified but also will increase ease of living, he added. Under this, every citizen will now get a digital health ID and their health record will be digitally protected.



The Prime Minister informed that India is working on a health model that is holistic and inclusive. A model which stresses preventive healthcare and, in case of disease, easy, affordable and accessible treatment. He also discussed unprecedented reforms in health education and said a much larger number of doctors and par medical manpower is being created in India now as compared to seven to eight years ago.

A comprehensive network of AIIMS and other modern health institutions is being established in the country and work on establishing one medical college in every three Lok Sabha constituencies is going on. He also talked about strengthening health facilities in villages and informed that in the villages, primary health centre networks and wellness centres are being strengthened. More than 80,000 such centres have already been operationalised, said the Prime Minister.
The investment will enable to expand lab network to new geographies in Maharashtra and NCR

Sterling Accuris Wellness, a pathology-focused diagnostic lab chain in New Delhi, has signed an agreement to raise Rs 250 crore of equity funds from a fund managed by Morgan Stanley Private Equity Asia.

Veda Corporate Advisors, a leading mid-market investment bank, advised the company and its promoters on the transaction. The company is aiming to achieve a revenue of around Rs 250 crores in FY22.



During the last three years, the company has significantly expanded its lab network, invested in digital technologies and built a strong backend infrastructure to offer a wide variety of routine and specialised tests within quick turnaround times. The proceeds from this fundraiser will help the company penetrate deeper into existing markets and enter new geographies.



Girish Patel, Chairman, Sterling Accuris, said, We will continue with our guiding principles of building a strong customer-centric brand while providing ethical and market appropriate pathology diagnostic services."



Rajiv Sharma, MD and CEO, Sterling Accuris, said, The investment will also enable us to expand our lab network to new geographies such as Maharashtra and NCR. We will continue to invest to build capabilities in digital technologies to rapidly grow our B2C service delivery and strengthen our R&D capabilities to develop new and innovative tests in molecular and genetic testing."
Proper intake of nutritious food and undertaking diagnostic tests during pregnancy can help prevent neuro disorders in newborns

The most common birth defect in India is neural tube defects, which not many of us are aware about. In the absence of primary care and prevailing associated social stigma, many patients with neural tube defects (NTDs) from remote areas die without getting any treatment.

The high number of untreated cases and unregistered deaths in these areas made us ponder over the fact that tertiary care centre-based studies do not represent the true incidence of NTDs. (Source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov). A recent population study from Eastern UP in India estimated the incidence of neural tube defects to be 7.48 per 1000 live births. Of these, the relative frequency of occurrence of Meningocoele was 32 per cent making it the second most common neural tube defect in India.

According to various reports, in India, the incidence of Meningocele is two per thousand live births, which is far more than 0.4 per thousand in developed countries. In terms of sheer numbers, data suggests about 1.3 lakh Meningocele cases in India every year.

The disease

Meningocele, also known as spina bifida, is a common congenital birth defect where a sac protrudes from the spinal column in newborns. The sac contains spinal fluid but lacks neural tissue. The major symptoms are the presence of swelling at the back along the spine. Evident immediately after birth, there may be a discharge of clear watery fluid from the swelling. Some neonates may present with a large head known as Hydrocephalus or weakness in the legs, bowel and bladder incontinence.

Meningocele is commonly discovered during prenatal screening and are often associated with poor prenatal care and are apparent at the time of birth. Meningocele is pushed out through the defect, causing a fluid-filled sac to form. The meninges are three layers of membranes covering the spinal cord, consisting of dura mater, arachnoid mater and pia mater. In most cases, the spinal cord and the nerves themselves are normal or not severely affected. Most of the patients are neurologically intact.

Dr Venkatramana, Senior Consultant  Neurosurgery, Cytecare, Bengaluru says, If there is a child in the family suffering from Meningocele, the risk of the disease occurrence is about five times higher for the siblings. The statistics are disconcerting. However, over the last few years, the incidence has significantly reduced due to greater adoption of prenatal diagnosis and regular ultrasound screenings, including the anomaly scan, of pregnant women. Unfortunately, the access to these diagnostic facilities is currently limited to the metro cities.

Prevention

With the advent of proper screening of expectant mothers during pregnancy, neural defects can easily come across. Certain diagnostic tests are performed during pregnancy to detect spina bifida before a baby is born. Blood tests performed between 15 and 20 weeks can reveal if the foetus is at risk of a neural tube defect. Apart from this, a prenatal ultrasound will help to takes images of the foetus tissues. Doctors in some cases perform amniocentesis tests a small amount of amniotic fluid is tested. This test can most accurately diagnose the presence of a neural tube defect.

Doctors recommend intake of ceratin amount of folic acids to help prevent the disease.

Dr Raj Agarbattiwala, Consultant Neurosurgeon, Stroke Specialist & Neurointerventionist, Masina Hospital, Mumbai says, Women who are planning pregnancy, and women who may become pregnant, are recommended to consume 400 mcg of folate daily in most countries, particularly developing countries.

Dr Gurneet Singh Sawhney, Senior Consultant  Neurosurgery, Fortis Hospital, Mulund (Mumbai), The key to prevent this disease is to take 400 mcg of Folic acid daily during pregnancy. Rest is to control diabetes or obesity before pregnancy, avoid overheating your body and treat fever immediately while pregnant.

Cytecare Institute of Neurosciences in collaboration with BRAINS Hospitals is currently working with the Karnataka Government to create a sustainable healthcare programme for pregnant women, with a special focus on the regular intake of folic acid.

Data from a 2012 study, funded by the National Institutes of Healths Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, shows that prenatal surgery reduced the need to drain fluid from the brain and improved morbidity. Although the surgery poses some risks to the foetus and the mother, the benefits are promising.

Tech innovations

Foetal surgery has been advocated recently for patients diagnosed in utero before 26 weeks of pregnancy. Foetal surgery before 26 weeks gestation has been performed to reduce the development of Arnold-Chiari malformations and eventually hydrocephalus. With modern equipment and technology, even fetoscopy is becoming increasingly popular for the treatment of meningocele.

The technological innovations for diagnosis before childbirth are Alpha Feto Protein (AFP) measurement in mothers blood, ultrasonography for the Meningocele Sac and Amniocentesis- a small sample of the amniotic fluid to check for AFP. According to Dr Sawhney for treatment, an endoscopic endonasal approach where the skull-based Meningocele is treated via the nasal route and minimally invasive spine surgery for lower Spinal Meningocele.

Dr Priyamvadha, Consultant  Neurosurgery and Spine Surgery, Manipal Hospitals, Whitefield (Bengaluru), says, The standard treatment of meningocele involves excision and repair of the meningocele within 24 to 48 hours of birth. These days some select centres in the world are offering Foetal Meningocoele repair. This involves closing the spinal defect during pregnancy at 19-26 weeks gestation. Foetal surgery is an attempt to prevent further intrauterine damage to the spinal cord.

Contribution from the pharma sector

With folic acid supplements playing a key role in the prevention of meningocele, efforts have been undertaken towards the fortification of folic acid with cereal grains. Pharma companies have been organising seminars to create awareness for folic acid supplements in child-bearing women for the prevention of meningocele.

According to Dr Venkatramana, while pharma companies do not have much of a role to play in preventing Meningocele, they can certainly help in tackling this healthcare challenge by ensuring adequate drug production and its easy availability across the country.

The way forward

Proper diagnosis with the right intake of folic acid during pregnancy is the key to avoid meningocele. Complete surgical closure of the sac within 12-24 hours of birth can cure the condition completely.

According to experts, India needs to incorporate this as part of its national and state health policies so that we can eradicate the disease.

Sanjiv Das

sanjiv.das@mmactiv.com
Created by VMLY&R, Reuters has launched its first-ever major campaign 'The Source' which positions Reuters as the authority for unbiased news.

Source: REUTERS/Jorge Silva

Reuters, a global provider of trusted news, insight and analysis, debuted its first major global brand campaign, The Source. The campaign reinforces Reuters unique and vital role as the leading source for truths about our world.Created in partnership with brand and customer experience agency VMLY&R, The Source campaign builds on Reuters 170-year heritage to emphasize its reputation as one of the worlds most trusted news outlets. Reuters is where the news gets the news, with a unique model that serves the worlds media organizations, financial professionals via its Refinitiv relationship, and professional consumers through Reuters.com, Reuters Events and Reuters Plus, and is the definitive destination for unbiased and reliable news and information.Now more than ever, the world is seeking independent, objective and unbiased reporting. The Source campaign brings Reuters into the spotlight to demonstrate what has long been its defining philosophy: to tell all sides of a story but take none. Reuters delivers fast and reliable information with no bias or agenda, so readers can make smart decisions and take their next steps with confidence.Reuters has delivered trusted and unbiased news since 1851, providing billions of people around the world each day with factual reporting about the most important global stories. The Source campaign speaks to this pedigree as well as the evolution of Reuters and our continuous innovation in how we report and deliver the news, said Josh London, Reuters CMO and Head of Reuters Professional. With the intense speed at which information travels and the proliferation of misinformation, people and organizations need a source they can rely on for the unfiltered truth. The Source squarely tells them that place is Reuters.With 2500 journalists in 200 locations around the world, our strength spans markets and geographies, delivering the deep global and local expertise that is uniquely Reuters, said Alessandra Galloni, Reuters Editor-in-Chief. The Source campaign puts that unique value front and center, showcasing what Reuters has been for nearly two centuries: the place for trusted, unbiased news.The Source campaign, which launches in the UK and US, utilizes quotation marks in its creative as the universal symbol of reporting directly from the source. The quotation marks are employeed to frame the truth at the heart of Reuters reporting, letting the story speak for itself.With journalists in every corner of the world, Reuters truly is the source for unbiased news and information. We are proud to have worked with some of the best journalists in the world to bring authenticity and journalistic authority to the campaign, added Tamryn Kerr, creative director, VMLY&R London.
The One Club for Creativity has announced the 94 finalists from 27 countries for the prestigious Young Guns 19 competition, celebrating international creative professionals age 30 or younger.

This years winners will be announced online on 27 October 2021, and celebrated at a special in-person event on 17 November 2021 at Sony Hall in New York.Young Guns is the industrys only global, cross-disciplinary, portfolio-based awards competition that identifies and celebrates todays vanguard of young creatives. This years entries were judged by a diverse jury of 88 top creatives  nearly half of whom are past YG winners  from 38 countries.All Young Guns winners will receive a unique version of the iconic Young Guns Cube, designed exclusively for this years incoming class, and have their permanent profile page added to the Young Guns website. Winners also receive a complimentary one-year One Club for Creativity membership, permanent membership in the Young Guns network, a chance to be featured in Young Guns events and an assortment of career-boosting opportunities from Young Guns sponsors.This years YG19 branding and award are designed by Simon Chenier-Gauvreau (YG12), head of design at TUX Creative, Montreal. Themed Bright Days Await, the branding draws parallels between the bright future that Young Guns brings to a creative's career, and that of a post-pandemic world. The campaign features vibrant, bucolic visuals to create a lighthearted and reassuring feel.For the eighth consecutive year, international artists management agency and Young Guns sponsor Levine/Leavitt will bestow one talented winner with the Artist In Residence Award.The complete list of Young Guns 19 finalists can be viewed here
Airlines throughout the United States have traditionally been very reluctant to ban customers from their services and were never known to impose penalties beyond banning a patron from their company alone following most incidents.

Delta Airlines wants to change that and has recently pushed other airlines to join them in a universal corporate ban list that would be shared between the various monopolistic airlines.

They are asking other airlines to share their no fly lists, because, as Kristen Manion Taylor, Deltas senior vice president of in-flight service, wrote in a memo to flight attendants, a list of banned customers doesnt work as well if that customer can fly with another airline.

The proposed ban lists are permanent, meaning they intend to stop the targeted citizen from reasonably traveling long distances in the United States for the rest of their entire lives.

Anytime a customer physically engages with intent to harm, whether in a lobby, at a gate or onboard, they are added to our permanent No Fly list, wrote Eric Phillips, Deltas senior vice president of charter and cargo operations, in another staff memo. We also actively engage with local authorities to ensure these incidents are investigated and prosecuted as the law allows.

Forbes reported that both internal memos were sent the same day the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure held a hearing titled, Disruption in the Skies: The Surge in Air Rage and its Effects on Workers, Airlines, and Airports.

The level of these so-called incidents at the airlines is unprecedented, with nearly all the disputes stemming as a result of the airlines forced masking policy.

So far in 2021, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) received 4,385 reports of unruly passengers. About three-quarters of incidents involved travelers who refused to comply with a federal mask mandate on board. Delta has already banned 1,600 passengers from flying on their airlines permanently and has repeatedly urged other airlines to join them in order to fulfill their goal of stopping these citizens from ever flying again.

According to CNBC, Labor unions and airlines in June had also requested for the Justice Department to prosecute passengers who become violent on flights.

Medical apartheid in the United States in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic appears to show no signs of slowing down, with the White House considering a ban of unvaccinated Americans from traveling through a vaccine passport system required for domestic flights.

All of these developments come after months of a widely available and free COVID-19 jab, with an estimated minimum of 66% of American adults already having received the full shot.
President Trump listed a number of issues in Georgia in the 2020 Presidential Election and then he discussed the results from the Arizona audit yesterday.

President Trump began by listing the results from Cyber Ninjas yesterday and the 57,000 ballots with issues identified.

In Arizona there were also 17,000 duplicate votes identified.

In addition, the President listed the hundreds of thousands of issues identified in the canvassing by a group of individuals in Arizona.

Then the President listed the IT and cybersecurity issues listed yesterday by Ben Cotton.

The big issue of identifying those who illegally deleted data from files was not listed by the President.
On October 26, the deadline for the public disclosure of the CIAs still-secret records relating to the Kennedy assassination comes due. At that point, the issue will be: Will President Biden order the National Archives to release the CIAs long-secret records or will he continue the U.S. national-security establishments almost 60-year-old cover up of its regime-change operation in Dallas on November 26, 1963?

Make no mistake about it: Biden, like his predecessor President Donald Trump, will continue the cover-up. Thats because the CIA will demand it.

Mind you, this is just my prediction. I dont know as a fact that the CIA has even asked Biden to continue shielding its long-secret records from the American people. When I asked the National Archives to identify any agencies that have expressed an interest in another extension of time for secrecy, they refused to provide an answer to my question.

But consider this: Whatever reason that the CIA had for requesting Trump to continue the secrecy, that reason would continue through today. If they were scared to have the American people see those records 60 years ago, and then again 30 years ago during the ARRB years, and then 5 years ago, I will guarantee you that they are just as scared today.

Lets get one thing clear: Whatever definition one wants to put on that nebulous and meaningless two-word term national security, there is no possibility that the release of 60-year-old records is going to threaten national security. In other words, if the CIAs records are disclosed, the United States wont fall into the ocean. The Reds wont succeed in taking over Americas public schools. The Russians wont come and get us. Cuba wont invade and conquer the United States. Vietnam wont start the dominoes falling.

The only thing that would happen is that more pieces to the assassination puzzle will be filled in, most likely relating to Lee Harvey Oswalds purported trip to Mexico City, a part of the assassination scheme that clearly went awry.

Both the CIA and the Pentagon know what happened after the ARRB strictly enforced the JFK Records Act in the 1990s. Having been released from vows of secrecy that the military had imposed on them, people started talking, big time.

No, they didnt start talking about the assassination. When people engage in murder, they dont often talk freely about it. When the CIA and the Mafia engage in murder, they are very good about keeping secrets. We still dont know, for example, who killed Jimmy Hoffa and Johnny Roselli, who was the liaison in the CIA-Mafia partnership to assassinate Cuban leader Fidel Castro.

Where people started talking was with respect to the autopsy that the U.S. military conducted on President Kennedys body on the very evening of the assassination. Released from vows of secrecy that the military had forced them to sign, several enlisted personnel disclosed a mountain of evidence establishing a fraudulent autopsy.

Why is that important? One big reason: There is no innocent explanation for a fraudulent autopsy. None. No one has ever come up with one. No one ever will. The fraudulent autopsy is inextricably bound up with the assassination itself.

For example, as I pointed out in my recent article The Kennedy Autopsy Selected for Amazons Prime Reading Program, several enlisted personnel came forward in the 1990s and established that the national-security establishment sneaked President Kennedys body into the Bethesda morgue at 6:35 p.m., almost 1 1/2 hours before the official entry time of 8 p.m. Their statements were corroborated by a memorandum from Gawlers Funeral Home, which conducted Kennedys funeral. They were further corroborated by statements made by Col. Pierre Finck, one of the three pathologists.

Whatever they were doing in that hour-and-half had to be rotten to the core. Otherwise, why the secrecy, the skullduggery, the deception, and the lies? If it hadnt been for the ARRB, we would most likely never have known they had done that.

Unfortunately, the JFK Records Act permitted these people to keep many of their assassination-related records secret for another 25 years, long after the law forced the ARRB to go out of existence. The CIA took advantage of that loophole. Then when the deadline arrived under the Trump administration, Trump unfortunately granted their request for additional time for secrecy.

Given that Trump surrendered to the CIA in its demand for further secrecy, one thing is certain: Biden will do so as well. Thats my prediction. While Trump continually deferred to the national-security establishment, in my opinion Biden is effectively owned, lock, stock, and barrel, by the national-security establishment. That means he, like Trump, will do as they say.

Oh, theyll release some of the records in the hope of skating by without much notice from the mainstream press. But I predict that the most incriminating evidence will continue to be shielded from public view  on grounds of national security of course.
For more than five years, I have been writing reports that document the dangers of the encroaching corporatization of public education through ed-tech privatization. Now, under the duress of COVID panic, public schools are rolling over to the globalist Tech Barons of the e-learning industry, just as these technocratic oligarchs of the ed-tech empire ramp up their corporate takeover of education systems. This takeover is largely occurring through public-private distance learning contracts that are substituting human teachers with data-mining artificial intelligence (AI) while also replacing brick-and-mortar schoolhouses with virtual classrooms online.

If you thought that teachers unions would fight to protect their dues-paying public educators from this techno-fascist power grab, think again. Collectively, the two largest teachers unions in the United States have been selling out to ed-technocracy for over a century. Without skipping a beat, the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and the National Education Association (NEA) are now taking their ed-tech capitulation to the next level as they effectively lobby for edu-corporations. These corporations are making record profits by selling schools distance-learning technologies that are engineered to digitally track students psychometrics and then commercialize them via geospatial intelligence markets that are at the core of the Big Data-mining economy of the budding Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR).

In my last article, I documented how the AFT lobbied the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) to extend COVID restrictions that perpetuate public educations reliance on privatization from Big Tech companies, but provide questionable, if any, public health benefits. I also highlighted conflicts of interest between the AFT and the global ed-tech industry through the American Federation of Teachers alliances with the IBM corporation, Rockefeller philanthropies, the Trilateral Commission, and the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

In this article, I will detail how the NEA cooperated with the lobbying efforts of the AFT as the two teachers unions tag-teamed the CDC with petitions to prolong COVID mitigation protocols that perpetuate schools dependence on commercial ed-tech products from multinational technology companies which have been exploiting lockdowns in order to corporatize the American education system through public-private e-learning contracts.

This article will also examine similar conflicts of interest between the National Education Association and the international ed-tech industry through the NEAs liaisons with IBM, UNESCO, and Project BEST (Basic Education Skills through Technology), which was Americas domestic version of UNESCOs Study 11: New Technologies in Education, which set up the global information technology (IT) infrastructure for the emerging Fourth Industrial Revolution.

Moreover, this article will also document how the NEA has been promoting a one-world education system through UNESCOs Education for All initiative and UNESCOs Global Education Coalition, which brings together an all-star team of Big Tech corporations that have partnered with the World Economic Forum (WEF) to usher in a techno-fascist Fourth Industrial Revolution.

Trust the Political Science

When Americans for Public Trust leaked CDC emails on May 1st, 2021, the mainstream media brought much attention to the Center for Disease Controls correspondences with the AFT. What didnt get much attention, however, was the CDCs email exchanges with the NEA.

Obtained through Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests, these emails reveal how the NEA, along with the AFT, petitioned the CDC to roll back its school reopening guidelines. Pumping the brakes on the return to in-person learning, the NEA emails pressed the CDC to revise its school reopening provisions by issuing clear directives for the physical distancing of students. Just one month after these emails were sent, in a Press Release on March 19th, 2021, NEA President Becky Pringle publicly challenged the CDCs decision to reduce physical distancing from six feet to three feet.

By insisting upon six-foot distancing between students, which would cap face-to-face classroom attendance below full capacity, the lobbying efforts of the NEA have basically pressured the CDC into relegating schools to hybrid curriculums that shuffle in-person classroom learning with virtual-online distance learning, the latter of which is outsourced to private ed-tech corporations. Apropos, shortly after petitioning the CDC to double social distancing requirements from three feet to six feet, the NEA teamed up with the AFT to co-author Learning Beyond COVID-19: A Vision for Thriving in Public Education, which calls for increased access to devices needed for online learning along with increased access to virtual tutoring.

The NEA states that health and safety priorities are the motivating factors for doubling down on COVID mitigation policies that effectively necessitate hybrid and remote online schooling. But ever since COVID lockdowns began, the NEA has been repeating the mantra of follow the science, encouraging students and teachers to trust the health and safety recommendations of CDC experts. So why didnt the NEA follow the CDC science by trusting the CDCs three-feet social distancing protocol? What motivated the NEA to contradict its fealty to the public health experts at the CDC by petitioning them to tighten the screws on COVID restrictions, forcing schools to rely on the for-profit ed-tech industry to provide the digital infrastructure necessary for hybrid, or blended, learning?

These NEA policy contradictions are even more curious when considering that, according to the Lancet, school-age youth are at low risk for COVID mortality, yet they are at high risk for cognitive, social, and emotional damages from COVID security crackdowns while mounting evidence shows that in-person schooling does not result in rising community transmission rates of SARS-CoV-2. Curiouser still, it is well known there is copious data showing that face-to-face classroom education has far more benefits for student learning than virtual distance instruction through computer screens.

So the question remains, with all these reasons for students to go back to brick-and-mortar classrooms, why didnt the NEA follow the science by going along with the CDCs school reopening recommendations? What motivated NEA bureaucrats to stump for corporate-technocratic distance learning by petitioning the CDC to clamp down on its COVID mitigation protocols for schools?

For answers to these questions, it is worth taking a closer look at the NEAs long historical track record, which parallels the AFTs crony capitalist history, of selling out its dues-paying teachers to the global ed-tech industrial complex by cutting side deals with Big Tech companies, such as IBM, while partnering with Education International to advance the global governance directives of UNESCO and the World Economic Forum in pursuit of the technocratic Fourth Industrial Revolution.

In light of these past dealings with communitarian corporatists and globalist technocrats, it appears that the NEA may have ulterior motives to stall the full return to in-person learning in order to wedge schools into contracting with the unions ed-tech cronies, such as IBM, which are driving Reimagine Education campaigns along with UNESCO and Education International in order to spur the World Economic Forums Great Reset for the Fourth Industrial Revolution. By pressing the CDC to drag out COVID constraints that relegate education systems to hybrid, or blended, combinations of virtual instruction, the NEA has essentially been lobbying to permanently hitch schools to multinational ed-tech cartels that aim to data-mine cognitive-behavioral algorithms in order to psychologically condition students for command and control compliance in the global Social Credit economy of the surveillance capitalist Fourth Industrial Revolution.

The NEA Has Been Pushing Behaviorist Ed-Tech for Nearly a Century

For almost one hundred years, the NEA has been instrumental in driving the evolution of ed-tech from audio-visual (AV) technologies, such as radio and motion picture technologies; to information technologies (IT), such as computerized teaching machines programmed with courseware; to satellite technologies that link school computers together through internet telecommunications; to the current product lines of virtual classroom technologies, such as Google Classroom and Microsoft Teams, which teachers are being forced to use under COVID lockdown. In a nutshell, the NEA has consistently played a key historical role in transforming the one-way audio-visual transmission of instructional movies into interactive AV computer consoles linked together through satellite internet IT that facilitates distance learning through virtual classrooms which integrate behaviorist adaptive-learning courseware programmed to data-mine students psychometrics for predictive learning analytics.

The NEAs love affair with ed-tech goes back as far as 1923, when the national teachers union set up its Division of Visual Instruction (DVI) in order to liberate instruction from the bonds of verbalism through mass-production of slide projectors and motion picture instructional technologies hyped by Thomas Edison. At the end of World War II, in 1945, the NEAs DVI evolved into the Department of Audio-Visual Instructional Services (DAVIS), which was later renamed the Department of Audio-Visual Instruction (DAVI) in 1947, with the goal of building better citizens of the nation and of the world by instilling desirable attitudes and appreciations thru [sic] the use of dramatic, emotionally derived learning . . . thru [sic] the use of audio-visual materials. Stated differently, DAVI aimed to leverage movie-production technologies for the purposes of reshaping students attitudes and appreciations into new psychological states that would be compatible with world citizenship in a global economy.

Not long after the 1946-1953 Macys Cybernetics Conferences, which brought together pioneers in artificial intelligence, including John von Neumann and Norbert Weiner, the National Education Association started to shift its focus away from the one-way transmission of audio-visual ed-tech, such as radio and TV, as the NEA began to focus more on automated teaching machines that transmit interactive programmed instruction through stimulus-response algorithms. In 1960, the NEA launched a project titled Educational Implications of Automation, which was financed with an unrestricted grant from IBM. That same year, the NEAs DAVI published a Source Book on educational automation entitled Teaching Machines and Programmed Learning, which was edited by Arthur A. Lumsdaine and Robert Glaser, who were rockstars in military psychometric testing and behaviorist ed-psych conditioning respectively:

A. A. Lumsdaine was an army psychologist who co-authored Volume II of Studies in Social Psychology in World War II, which was prepared for a Special Committee of the Social Science Research Council of the Information and Education Division of the US Army where cross-section studies of the entire army organization in all parts of the world were tested for attitudes of local and worldwide importance, according to a 1949 issue of Social Service Review. In the Preface to DAVIs Teaching Machines and Programmed Learning, Lumsdaine reports that the DAVI Source Book was shaped by sponsor[ship] from the Office of Naval Research, the Air Research and Development Command of the US Airforce, and the Human Resources Research Organization of the US Army, which specializes in human capital management and analysis. Part IV of the Source Book includes 125 pages of Contributions from Military and Other Sources.

Robert Glaser was a prominent educational psychologist who won awards for his contributions to cognitive ed-psych, including application of the stimulus-response method of behaviorist conditioning through instructional technologies. These awards include the American Psychological Societys James McKeen Cattell Award, which is named in honor of the Rockefeller-funded Columbia University psychology professor who combined the eugenics theories of Francis Galton with the stimulus-response method of psychological conditioning that he learned while earning his PhD from the founding father of laboratory psychology, Wilhelm Wundt. Glaser also won the E. L. Thorndike Award for Distinguished Psychological Contributions to Education, which is named after Cattells Rockefeller-funded protege, whose puzzle box animal-training experiments served as the precursors to B. F. Skinners operant-conditioning methodology for programmed instruction through Skinner box teaching machines. Part III of DAVIs Teaching Machines and Programmed Learning contains a 153-page anthology of sources expounding Skinners Teaching Machines and Programming Concepts, including three articles from Skinner himself.

It should be noted that Part II of the DAVI Source Book compiles a 57-page collection of articles examining the research of Skinners programmed instruction predecessor, Sydney L. Pressey, who is the founding father of teaching machines. Entitled Presseys Self-Instructional Test-Scoring, this selection of sources contains four articles from Pressey himself, including A Third and Fourth Contribution Toward the Coming Industrial Revolution in Education. It should also be noted that DAVIs Teaching Machines and Programmed Learning was shaped by support from the Ford Foundation along with contributions from Bell Telephone Laboratories Inc., which was part and parcel to the AT&T conglomerate.

The next year after this DAVI Source Book was published, DAVI produced an AVCR supplement titled The Role of the Computer in Future Instructional Systems, which was developed as a result of DAVIs Technological Development Project (TDP) through a contract with the US Office of Education under the Department of Health, Education and Welfare (HEW). The TDP was staffed with DAVI people, but was managed by Donald P. Ely under the aegis of the National Education Association. Later, Ely would transform DAVI into the Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT) where he would work as a liaison with the US Department of Eds Project BEST, which collaborated with UNESCO Study 11 to set up public-private partnerships between school districts and computer corporations in order to build the ed-tech IT infrastructure for the Fourth Industrial Revolutions global system of Skinnerian programmed instruction.

During the years leading up to the debut of Project BESTs coalition with UNESCO Study 11, the NEA advocated for the advancement of satellite technologies which would build the internet telecommunications infrastructure necessary to link together computerized teaching machines that automate operant psychological conditioning through courseware algorithms advocated by Skinner, Glaser, Lumsdaine, IBM, AT&T Bell, and the US military:

In 1979, the NEA printed a Publications and Audiovisual Materials Catalog that includes Educational Technology materials, such as a book titled Computers in the Classroom and a cassette tape titled Satellite Communication: Potentials for Education, which records the history of NEAs involvement in satellite communications, begun in 1971. According to the NEA Special Committee on Instructional Technology, this historical involvement can be traced back to the National Education Associations pioneer work with NASA to explore educational applications of satellite communication.

In 1980, the NEA published a report entitled Teachers and Public Policy: A Teachers Guide to Monitoring Selected Federal Education Programs, which stated, [n]ew satellite networks open up possibilities for linking teacher centers for dissemination of teaching ideas and materials and for teacher-to-teacher interaction.

To sum up, the NEA worked with NASA to set up satellite internet while collaborating with technology companies investing in online computer startups that would lay the groundwork for the worldwide web in order to facilitate the Fourth Industrial Revolutions globalization of Skinner-box edu-conditioning through virtual distance learning platforms, which are currently being forced upon teachers under the pretenses of combatting COVID-19.

Presently, although the National Education Association has paid lip service to critique the limitations of remote learning, the teachers union has nonetheless been milking COVID lockdowns to bargain for ubiquitous school integration of the online computer-learning networks, networks which the NEA has been helping to cobble together for more than sixty years:

On October 12 th , 2020, a few months before the CDC emails, the NEA published its Resolution Ensuring Safe and Just Schools for All Students, which decrees that, education technology is a tool to enhance and enrich instruction for students and access to working technology and WiFi is a necessity for students to complete assignments and access needed resourceseven when not facing full-time virtual learning environments.

, 2020, a few months before the CDC emails, the NEA published its Resolution Ensuring Safe and Just Schools for All Students, which decrees that, education technology is a tool to enhance and enrich instruction for students and access to working technology and WiFi is a necessity for students to complete assignments and access needed resourceseven when not facing full-time virtual learning environments. Then, on March 5th, 2021, less than a month after the CDC emails, NEA Today published an article titled Technology Isnt the Hero, Educators Are, which relays a statement from the Manager of NEA Teacher Quality, Ann Coffman, who declared how,

[d]espite the obvious deficits a year of remote learning highlighted  the decline in learning, the widening homework gap, the social isolation, the limitations of many digital tools  in many ways, there will be no going back. . . . I dont think its realistic that educators return to exactly what they were doing prior to the pandemic and they probably shouldnt. . . . Some hybrid learning models can be effective.

A month later, on April 15th, 2021, an NEA Today article, which is titled How the Pandemic Will Change the Future of Schools, forecasted how many districts have now invested millions of dollars in distance learning infrastructure, and that means technology is likely to play a more prominent role in education, even when everyone returns to the classroom.

Simply put, the NEA is doubling down on its long-term IT investments in the Fourth Industrial Revolution by committing to the perpetuation of the COVID ed-tech takeover, even after lockdowns are overturned and students return to in-person classroom learning where virtual e-learning is not a necessity.

Of course, the longer that the NEA can prolong emergency COVID restrictions by lobbying the CDC, the longer that schools will be forced to rely upon online virtual classrooms and digital behaviorist courseware beamed onto computer screens linked together through satellite internet IT. In any event, it is key to note here that, even if schools resume some semblance of in-person learning, the NEA is dedicated to a new normal in which brick-and-mortar classes are hybridized through blended learning curriculums that alternate face-to-face learning in a schoolhouse juxtaposed with digitalized remote learning on computers hooked up to the internet. To put it another way, if COVID-19 and all its variants were somehow eradicated overnight, the NEA would still insist upon the permanent adoption of 4IR ed-tech upgrades. Indeed, the NEAs Policy Statement on Digital Equity states that [t]he optimal learning environment should neither be totally technology free, nor should it be totally online and devoid of educator and peer interaction. The Association believes that an environment that maximizes student learning will use a blended and/or hybrid model situated somewhere along a continuum between these two extremes.

In the final equation, one way or another, the National Education Association is complicit in capitalizing on COVID shutdowns in order to secure the institutionalization of blended, or hybrid, systems of virtual e-learning that will produce returns on the NEAs investments in satellite-based ed-tech infrastructure, which the national teachers union has been building up for the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

NEA, AECT, Project BEST, and UNESCO Set the Stage for the 4IR

While the US Department of Education coordinated Project BEST with UNESCO Study 11 to pioneer the technocratic globalization of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, the NEA was effectively cooperating by buoying the computer-assisted instruction outcomes of Project BEST. In particular, the NEA reached out to US Assistant Secretary of Education, Donald Senese, to request an invitation to Secretary of Ed T. H. Bells National Conference on Technology and Education, which was convened to bolster the launching of Project BEST. At the same time, there is evidence that the NEA was also closely tied to Project BEST through the Association for Educational Communications and Technology, which was the main ed-tech contractor with Project BEST, which was coordinated with UNESCO Study 11 to build the e-learning IT infrastructure for the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

Upon receiving this NEA contract record, which was filed under the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) List of Contractors for FY 81 in Contractors Name Sequence, Susan Phillips of The Conservative Caucus Foundation (TCCF) submitted to HHS another FOIA request for copies of the [NEA] contract application, related correspondence and reviews. Unable to locate the NEA contract, HHS forwarded the FOIA request to the Department of Education where Marie Beale, according to Phillips, reported that there was no record of a grant with the National Education Association, but that the Project BEST contract listed with the NEA was actually a contract with the Association for Educational Communications and Technology whose address was listed as 1126 16th Street, Washington, D.C. In a memorandum to the president of TCCF, Phillips relayed that [n]o explanation was offered by Mrs. Beale as to why the contract awarded to AECT was listed on their printouts as having been with the National Education Association.

So what exactly was the relationship between the AECT and the NEA at the time when the AECT signed the initial $855,282 contract to carry out the ed-tech provisions of Project BEST? According to the contract, which is dated October 1, 1981, the US Department of Education clearly identified that the AECT was operating out of its new headquarters at 1126 16th Street, which is the address listed in the Project BEST contract. So, if it was a computer glitch that caused the HHS to erroneously record the NEA headquarters at 1201 16th Street as the contractor with Project BEST, then why didnt that glitch show up on the contract itself as well? If the Department of Ed recorded the AECTs 1126 address on the Project BEST contract in October of 1981, then why did Nibeck reportedly state that the AECT was still leas[ing] office space and office support staff through the end of December, 1981?

To be sure, in 1981, only two years had passed since the Department of Education, Health, and Welfare (HEW) was restructured into two separate departments: the Department of Education and the Department of Health and Human Services. Therefore, it is possible AECT contracts were misfiled at HHS under old NEA files that were catalogued before HEW was restructured in 1979. However, recall that the AECT website states that it left the NEA offices in 1977. So, why would HEW keep the NEA and its 1201 address in the same file as the AECT for approximately two years after it was no longer located at the NEA headquarters?

No matter how you slice it, there are inconsistencies between the accounts from the AECT website, the Nibeck memorandum, the Department of Educations Project BEST contract, and HHSs List of Contractors for FY 81. Considering all of these conflicting accounts, it appears that, even after the AECT moved its headquarters just around the corner from the NEA, the two educational associations had continued close cooperation from 1977 until at least the signing of the Project BEST contract in 1981 and perhaps afterwards as well. Indeed, as the Nibeck memo reports, in 1982, the AECT [was] still act[ing] as consultants to the NEA and serv[ing] them on committees, which would mean that the NEA was consulting with the AECT regarding the ed-tech contracts with Project BEST.

To be sure, in 1980, the NEA produced a Teacher and Public Policy Color Filmstrip with Sound: Leaders Guide, which lists Michael Jones of NEA Audio-Visuals under the Sound Production credits, indicating that the NEA maintained an Audio-Visual department at least until 1980. Furthermore, it should be noted that Donald P. Ely, who was a member the NEA, a President of DAVI, and a founder of the AECT, was also an AECT liaison with Project BEST after playing a key role in dropping DAVIs audiovisual label and explicitly embracing the [AECTs] educational technology label.

Regardless of any liaison between the National Education Association and the Association for Educational Communications and Technology, the NEA pursued its own efforts to push the regional globalization of ed-tech through Project BEST after the AECT moved its headquarters down the street. In 1981, the same year that the AECT signed the contract with Project BEST, the NEA Representative Assembly passed new Resolutions, which recommend that professional educators enter into active collaboration with research and development specialists, both in regional laboratories and in industry, to promote technologys potential contribution to education by guiding the development of technology in the most educationally sound directions. In my recent article, From UNESCO Study 11 to UNESCO 2050, I document how the Department of Eds regional laboratories partnered with the ed-tech industry to roll out Project BEST in coordination with UNESCO Study 11s stratagem to globalize educational IT for the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

In addition to passing Resolutions that facilitated the regional ed-tech planning of Project BEST, the NEA also made efforts to steer the direction of Project BEST by lobbying Assistant Secretary Senese, who oversaw the regional and international planning of BEST in coordination with UNESCO Study 11 under the aegis of Secretary Bell. On March 8, 1982, NEA Professional Development Specialist, Robert C. Snider, wrote a letter to Senese, requesting that he invite the NEAs Director of Instruction and Professional Development, Sharon P. Robinson, to speak at the Department of Eds National Conference on Technology and Education, which Secretary Bell set up to jumpstart the Project BEST Technology Initiative.

Attached to this memorandum was the NEA Special Committee on Instructional Technologys 1981 Report: Presented to the 60th Representative Assembly of the National Education Association, which recommended [t]hat NEA establish advisory mechanisms with industry that will ensure better communications between teachers and vendors, and at the same time develop procedures to ensure a high, uniform quality of the new kinds of hardware and software that are replacing more traditional instructional materials. This Report also recommended [t]hat the NEA continue its enlightened and progressive approach to emerging relationships between new technology and human behavior.

To be sure, this NEA Committee on Instructional Technology, which consisted of a panel of teachers led by Robinson, expressed teachers concerns about problems of freedom and control, including the human use of human beings, which would render teachers into becoming subhuman cogs in a mechanistic system of instruction that treat[s] students like so many Pavlovian dogs, to be conditioned and programmed. Additionally, this Report, which highlighted teachers privacy concerns resulting from a system of shared information and instruction, also declared that [s]chool children and their teachers must not serve American industry as guinea pigs. Nonetheless, this Report still entertained the possibility of a factory-production model of ed-tech schooling that assign[s] cost-effectiveness to learning gains.

Even though this Report from the NEA Instructional Technology Committee acknowledged teachers cautions against the behaviorist ed-tech industry, Robinson sang a different tune in her speech at the 1981 Banquet of the Annual Conference of the Association for the Development of Computer-Based Instructional Systems (ADCIS). In a transcript of this speech, which was attached to the NEAs letter requesting that Senese invite Robinson to Bells Project BEST Teleconference, Robinson expressed her dissension from certain critics on the NEA Instructional Technology Committee as she defended

the current resurrectionafter nearly 25 yearsof programmed instruction and teaching machines, which today are describedin much less threatening termsas software, courseware, and hardware. During a recent meeting of the NEA Technology Committee, a top official of a major computer-software company dismissed the work of B. F. Skinner (and the entire operant conditioning movement of the 1950s and 60s) as nothing more than rote learning. . . . This [is a] know-nothing attitude toward the pastwhich Im sure is not typical of your industrys leadership. . . . [Y]ou aint seen anything yet!

In her opening remarks to this speech, Robinson resolved that, I hope this occasion will mark the beginning of a closer relationship between our two organizations [the NEA and the ADCIS].

In brief, notwithstanding the National Education Associations nod to teachers resistance against behaviorist ed-tech corporations, the NEA continued to carry the banner for the Skinnerian programmed-instruction industry as the national union collaborated with the ADCIS while endeavoring to cooperate with the Department of Educations Project BEST in order to propel the NEAs long-term investments in automated teaching machines and satellite technologies that link together e-learning computers through internet IT.

These connections between the NEA, the AECT, and Project BEST are important to highlight because Project BEST was Americas domestic version of UNESCO, which was commissioned to partner with multinational technology corporations, such as Microsoft, Apple, and IBM, in order to propagate global IT infrastructure through public-private ed-tech partnerships that would pave the way for the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Considering that the National Education Association, while maintaining close ties to the AECT, continued to stump for the education technology industry by lobbying Project BEST, which was coordinated with UNESCO Study 11, it follows that the NEA would have a stake in leveraging COVID restrictions to mandate ed-tech corporatization geared for the Fourth Industrial Revolution. By petitioning the CDC to clamp down on COVID regulations requiring schools to facilitate hybrid systems of virtual distance learning, the NEA is effectively hedging schools into public-private partnerships with Big Tech companies, including Study 11 participants such as Microsoft, Apple, and IBM, all of which are members of the World Economic Forum, which is spearheading the Great Reset for the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

Staying the course toward a techno-fascist Fourth Industrial Revolution, a couple months after the National Education Association exchanged emails with the CDC, the NEAs Demands for Safe and Just In-Person Learning insisted upon [h]ybrid delivery of instruction through split scheduling for schools to ensure smaller class sizes and social distancing by shuffling students back and forth between in-person classroom learning at schoolhouses and virtual online learning at home. In addition, the NEA demanded that schools [c]lose the technological gap by providing as many devices as possible to all students while [p]rovid[ing] expanded access to broadband and technology to close the digital divide.

Committed to these demands, the NEA is jockeying to keep the lane open for Big Tech corporations, such as Microsoft, Apple, and IBM, to put the finishing touches on UNESCO Study 11s groundwork for the burgeoning Fourth Industrial Revolution in education.

UNESCO, EI, and the NEAs Global Cardinal Principles: Building a One-World Schoolhouse

In addition to collaborating with IBM, AT&T, and NASA to construct the ed-tech infrastructure for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, the NEA has likewise driven the multinational dissemination of 4IR education technologies through alliances with UNESCO and other world governance institutions, such as the Education International (EI) union, along with globalist oligarchs, such as David Rockefeller and members of the Order of Skull and Bones.

While the international objectives of UNESCO Study 11 were being deployed regionally across the United States through Project BEST, the President of the NEA was Mary H. Futrell, who would go on to sit on the Board of Directors of K12 Inc.: the international virtual charter school corporation that was set up by US Secretary of Education, William Bennett, after he took over Project BEST from Secretary of Ed, Terrel H. Bell. After stepping down from the NEA presidency, Futrell would become a Member of the US National Commission for UNESCO, and she would also be appointed as the President of Americans for UNESCO.

Similarly, after her reign as the President of the World Confederation of Organizations of the Teaching Professions (WCOTP), Futrell would become the founding President of Education International, which dissolved and assimilated the WCOTP and the International Federation of Free Teachers Unions to form the worlds largest international teachers union as it combines some 240 national educator unions and associations, including the NEA and the AFT. In addition, Futrell has served as the Co-Director of the Center for Curriculum, Standards, and Technology, and she has also sat on the Board of Directors of the International Council on Education for Teaching; the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching; and the Kettering Foundation; the latter of which teamed up with the Rockefeller Foundation and the US Office of Education to fund the John Goodlad Study, which produced a pivotal series of community schooling handbooks, including Schooling for a Global Age.

Goodlads community-schooling protocols, which include stipulations for computerized ed-tech innovations, were implemented by Theodore R. Sizer, who was a member of the 1976 Cardinal Principles Preplanning Committee of the NEAs Bicentennial Committee. Sizer set up the Coalition for Essential Schools where Linda Darling-Hammond became a member of the Executive Board. Darling-Hammond, who has been an advisor to both President Obama and President Biden, is the President and CEO of the Learning Policy Institute, which is campaigning to Strengthen Distance and Blended Learning with the help of funding from the Hewlett Foundation: the tax-exempt arm of the Hewlett Packard computer corporation, which is a member of the World Economic Forum. <
(Support Free Thought) -

Anyone reading this article has been, or likely knows someone who has been fact checked or at the very least, shared something that has been fact checked. Out of those folks, many of them have been vindicated, and the information they shared or created, proven true or credible  only after their name tarnished, reach diminished, and information censored  like the Wuhan lab leak theory.

The Free Thought Project knows this process all too well as we have a target on our backs and we have successfully refuted and overturned nearly every fact check from the outlets who respond to our appeals. But even after the fact check is reversed, the damage is done. Even though they were all given a notification that they shared possibly false information, our users never get a notice that the ruling was overturned and our information was vindicated.

The fact checking process on Facebook is largely run by heavily partisan outlets with a clear agenda, some of whom are tied to the very industry their fact-checks protect. If you challenge the status quo  even if your content is 100% factual  there is a good chance you could end up with a label on your post and suffer the damage it entails.

John Stossel is the host and creator of Stossel TV. He is also the former host of Stossel on Reason, Fox Business Stossel, and ABCs 20/20, and he has won 19 Emmys and authored several best-sellers, most recently No, They Cant: Why Government FailsBut Individuals Succeed. In short, he is a credible journalist and author and has achieved success through hard work and due diligence. However, because he challenges the status quo, hes recently found himself in the crosshairs of the fact checkers.

Stossel is now fighting back, and he has filed a lawsuit against Facebook and the fact checkers, seeking $2 million in damages. Like so many others, Stossel created content which questioned the official narrative of taboo issues like climate change. None of his information was false, but this was no defense against the fact check army.

According to his lawsuit, in the past year, he posted two videos on Facebook in which he interviewed experts in the climate change arena. Because his video was factual, the fact checkers essentially created a red herring and labelled his post based on a claim he never made, according to the lawsuit.

As Variety reports, Facebook and its fact-checking partners falsely attributed to Stossel a claim he never made, and on that basis flagged the content as misleading and missing context, so that would-be viewers would be routed to the false attribution statement. The complaint says that Stossels video explored a scientific hypothesis that while climate change undoubtedly contributes to forest fires, it was not the primary cause of the 2020 California fires. Per the suit, Stossel says he never made the claim that Forest fires are caused by poor management. Not by climate change, which was in Facebooks fact-check.

Weve gone through this same experience. The Free Thought Project has received fact-check labels on content we created that had absolutely nothing to do with the content. In one example, we shared information about deaths reported to VAERS and the entirely factual information was labelled false with a link about some wild conspiracy theory attributing COVID to 5G wireless signals. Weve never said anything about 5G yet all our followers were told they shared something false from TFTP.

Stossel experienced another common tactic as well in which the fact checkers know they cant claim your information is false, so they label 100% factual information as misleading.

According to a report in Variety, on the second video, Are We Doomed?, Facebook added a partly false/factual inaccuracies label. That video questioned claims made by those Stossel refers to as environmental alarmists, including claims that hurricanes are getting stronger, that sea level rise poses a catastrophic threat, and that humans will be unable to cope with the fallout. Stossel claims the Facebook fact-check didnt actually challenge any facts in the video, and he argues that the companys fact-check process is nothing more than a pretext to defame users with impunity, particularly when Defendants disagree with the scientific opinions expressed in user content.

Just like TFTP saw its viewership and reach drastically diminish after these erroneous fact checks, Stossel saw the same.

According to the lawsuit, Stossel was given no meaningful avenue to contest these unilateral decisions about the truth of his journalism. Meanwhile, his viewership plummeted due to both Facebooks censorship and the reputational harm caused by the false labels.

Hes now suing after his ad revenue tanked and Facebook and their army of fact checkers essentially ruined his business model.

Naturally, Facebook is standing by their heavily biased fact checkers and told Variety in a statement that they believe this case is without merit and we will defend ourselves vigorously against the allegations.

As we reported last week, after the heavily censored Hunter Biden laptop scandal was proven to be true, fact checking sites are certainly welcomed but when they have authority to silence those who may disagree with the majority consensus, we move from providing a benefit to silencing crucial and much needed skepticism and in this case, damning political information.

Hopefully Stossels lawsuit is successful and it reins in these censors disguised as fact checkers. If youd like to help us in this fight, please consider becoming a member and joining in. You can do so here.
It appears at least four Proud Boys have worked as FBI informants (including their leader) and at least two of them were working as FBI informants during the Capitol storming on January 6th.



Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio -- one of the lead organizers of the Capitol protest -- was exposed as a "prolific" informant for the FBI and local law enforcement for years in the past, Joe Biggs' own lawyer said he worked as informant feeding info on antifa to the FBI, and now two others who have yet to be publicly identified were just revealed to have been working as informants on Jan 6, one of whom entered the Capitol.





As the Proud Boys marched to the Capitol on Jan. 6, a member of the far-right group was texting real-time updates  to his FBI handler.



The informer gave the bureau an inside view that day, according to confidential records obtained by The New York Times. https://t.co/QkBptydk2Z  The New York Times (@nytimes) September 25, 2021



From American Greatness, "Times Reveals FBI Role in January 6":

On Saturday, the Times published a carefully constructed bombshell intended to soften the blow of an explosive scandal in the making: the FBI had at least one informant among the group of Proud Boys who marched on the Capitol on January 6. The informant, according to "confidential documents" furnished to the paper, started working with the FBI in July 2020 and was in close contact with his FBI handler before, during, and after the Capitol protest.



"After meeting his fellow Proud Boys at the Washington Monument that morning, the informant described his path to the Capitol grounds where he saw barriers knocked down and Trump supporters streaming into the building, the records show," reporters Alan Feuer and Adam Goldman (the Times reporter most responsible for priming the ground for news that was unfavorable to the Russia collusion narrative) wrote on September 25. "In a detailed account of his activities contained in the records, the informant, who was part of a group chat of other Proud Boys, described meeting up with scores of men from chapters around the country at 10 a.m. on Jan. 6 at the Washington Monument and eventually marching to the Capitol. He said that when he arrived, throngs of people were already streaming past the first barrier outside the building, which, he later learned, was taken down by one of his Proud Boy acquaintances and a young woman with him."



In other words, one of the informant's Proud Boy "acquaintances" was removing temporary barriers to allow a crowd to enter the restricted grounds around the building.



Sounds legit.



But there's more to come, Feuer and Goldman warned. "The F.B.I. also had an additional informant with ties to another Proud Boys chapter that took part in the sacking of the Capitol," they wrote. In a tweet linking to his article, Feuer admitted other FBI assets "may emerge, further complicating the picture of Proud Boys activity on Jan 6," he posted.

Many of the Proud Boys were involved in the breaching of the Capitol:







Were they provocateured into this by the FBI? Did FBI informants lead the charge?



The FBI reportedly organized the Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer kidnapping plot "starting with its inception."





WTF: The FBI planned the kidnapping of a US governor and entrapped Americans



they (the FBI) had a hand in nearly every aspect of the alleged plot, starting with its inception



The informant even paid for some hotel rooms and food as an incentive



https://t.co/olmCYtMfh6  ELIJAH SCHAFFER (@ElijahSchaffer) July 21, 2021



They also were just caught running the Satanic "neo-nazi terrorist" death cult Atomwaffen Division through a well-paid FBI informant.





REPORT: An @FBI Informant Ran A "Neo-#Nazi Terrorist Group" #Atomwaffen Division And Got "Paid Handsomely" With Tax Dollars To Radicalize Troubled Youth. https://t.co/06OjcXn3BO  John Basham  (@JohnBasham) September 6, 2021



The leader of the other most prominent media-hyped "neo-nazi terror group" known as "The Base" last year was outed as an intelligence contractor and suspected federal agent who had worked for Homeland Security.





The leader of the Neo-Nazi terror group "The Base" was a fed. Imagine my shock. https://t.co/d9EtslUhzZ  Paul Joseph Watson (@PrisonPlanet) January 26, 2020



All these groups as well as Jan 6 are being used as pretexts to shift the War on Terror into a domestic war against the American people.



What level of involvement did the FBI and their many informants have in organizing and conducting the Capitol storming on Jan 6?



Follow InformationLiberation on Twitter, Facebook, Gab, Minds, Parler and Telegram.
Homeland Security secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on Sunday confirmed that he cleared the Del Rio migrant camp by simply releasing the overwhelming majority of Haitian illegal aliens into the US.





Mayorkas admits that 12,000+ Haitian illegal immigrants were released into the US from Del Rio. They were not subject to any vaccine or testing mandates. They were not tested before release. Haiti has a vax rate of less than 1%.

Mass catch & release continues under Biden admin.  Bill Melugin (@BillFOXLA) September 26, 2021

BREAKING: DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas ADMITS 12,000+ illegal Haitian migrants have been released in U.S., with more to come. pic.twitter.com/JlcL6KSfo6  Suburban Black Man  (@goodblackdude) September 26, 2021

DHS Sec. Mayorkas: We Did Not Test Haitian Migrants for COVID Before Releasing Them into U.S. pic.twitter.com/dbe2Va5CXo  Breitbart News (@BreitbartNews) September 26, 2021

Mayorkas says Biden administration opposes the wall because people crossing illegally is one of our proudest traditions pic.twitter.com/d5C7tjhnkH  Jewish Deplorable (@TrumpJew2) September 26, 2021

Haitians are being released into the US in record numbers and are flown all over the country without being tested for COVID-19 before released @LelandVittert @DailyCaller pic.twitter.com/RSpCqWwzqi  Jorge Ventura Media (@VenturaReport) September 24, 2021

Chilean ID's can be found littered all over in Ciudad Acuna by Haitian migrants that have been given refugee status in that country. Thousands of Haitians were stuck in Tapachula before the local government let them travel during the week of September 12 pic.twitter.com/nKdsSs7T1K  Jorge Ventura Media (@VenturaReport) September 24, 2021



From Fox News, "Biden administration has removed just 2K of 30,000 migrants who surged border in Del Rio":

The Biden administration has removed just 2,000 of the more than 30,000 migrants who surged to the border in Del Rio in September, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said Friday.



Scenes of approximately 15,000 migrants camped under the Del Rio bridge drew national and international headlines, as well as outrage from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle. The administration surged resources and Border Patrol to the area, although it subsequently ended horse patrol within days amid debunked allegations that Haitian migrants were being "whipped."

Mayorkas on Friday trashed border patrol for trying to protect the border:





DHS Secretary Mayorkas attacks his own employees, trashing them for having used "horse patrols" and thus "painfully conjured up the worst elements of our nation's ongoing battle against systemic racism."



So, again, Mayorkas is going after the horses for having perpetuated racism pic.twitter.com/IfYV6o2nxm  Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) September 24, 2021



Meanwhile, Joe Biden threatened to make them "pay."





Biden on the lie that border patrol were using whips on illegal immigrants at the border:



"To see people treated like they did? Horses running them over? People being strapped? It's outrageous. I promise you, those people will pay." pic.twitter.com/Jx79KoYTy9  Townhall.com (@townhallcom) September 24, 2021



Breitbart shared photographs of Haitian migrants waiting for flights and busses to travel throughout the US.





Photos: Migrants Regroup in Texas Border Town After Release from Bridge Camp. Waiting for flights and busses into US, not removal. https://t.co/1pzzXWuRZu via @BreitbartNews  Jessica Vaughan (@JessicaV_CIS) September 24, 2021

I spoke with Haitian migrants that were released into the US outside the Del Rio airport that tell that they were not tested for COVID-19 before being released to the public. Foreign travelers are required to be vaccinated before entering the US, which isn't the case here pic.twitter.com/o8ZsKofYYE  Jorge Ventura Media (@VenturaReport) September 23, 2021



While the American people are being ordered to take experimental injections from Big Pharma in order to have a job and foreign travelers are being told they need to be fully vaxxed in order to enter the US, thousands of illegal aliens like these are crossing the border every day with little to no restrictions.





We are in Tapachula, Mexico where officials say there are some 10,000 Haitians trying to get to the US - but many are being returned to this Southern Mexican city when they attempt to go North and they are upset Pres Biden is deporting Haitians from Del Rio @FoxNews pic.twitter.com/jvvnZRB70T  Griff Jenkins (@GriffJenkins) September 26, 2021



Follow InformationLiberation on Twitter, Facebook, Gab, Minds, Parler and Telegram.
The report was already praised in a tweet from UK Health Secretary Sajid Javid:

Good to see UK CMOs examining how water fluoridation can improve oral health & prevent tooth decay which disproportionately affects more deprived groups. Reinforces why our Health and Care Bill will make it simpler to expand water fluoridation schemes.https://t.co/jKCqGtFmMr  Sajid Javid (@sajidjavid) September 23, 2021

While fluoridation is already in place in some parts of the UK, it has always been considered a matter for local government and currently affects less than 10% of the country.

Proposed changes to the regulations in sections 128-129 of the new Health and Care Bill would centralise this power, taking the decision out of the hands of local councils and handing it to the Health Secretary.

The authors of the report, including Englands CMO Chris Whitty (who we are more than familiar with, thanks to Covid) are not subtle in their attempts to cloak the proposed policy in progressive camouflage.

Statistics on tooth decay in children and the working class are trotted out so fluoridation could be sold as both protecting children and tackling entrenched inequality.

But what is the real risk-reward situation for fluoridated tap water?

Well, the only potential benefit of fluoride is preventing tooth decay. Thats it. (And even then, over-exposure to fluoride can actually damage your teeth through dental fluorosis).

The potential side effects of fluoride toxicity are far more dangerous than needing a root canal.

There is some evidence fluoride could increase the risk of cancer  a 2006 study found an increased risk of osteosarcoma in young boys  but the most serious problem associated with fluoride is developmental neurotoxicity.

In 2012 a study from the Harvard School of Public Health found fluoride exposure is detrimental to the intellectual development of children, with an author of the study saying [emphasis added]:

Fluoride seems to fit in with lead, mercury, and other poisons that cause chemical brain drain. The effect of each toxicant may seem small, but the combined damage on a population scale can be serious, especially because the brain power of the next generation is crucial to all of us.

These findings were confirmed when the same group conducted a pilot study on the effect of long term fluoridation in Chinese children.

The results found that children raised in areas with widespread water fluoridation had markedly lower average IQs than children from areas with no fluoride in the water:

This pilot study in a community with stable lifetime fluoride exposures supports the notion that fluoride in drinking water may produce developmental neurotoxicity

To sum up: Fluoride in the water could potentially make future generations of people compliant, gullible and stupid.

Or, in other words, its the perfect thing to start pumping into the water when youve just tried to launch a global coup, and not enough people are falling for it.
John Hinckley Jr., the man who attempted to assassinate then-US President Ronald Reagan in 1981, has won release from the final restrictions stemming from his sentencing.

Hinckley, 66, had been found not guilty of his crimes by reason of insanity, and spent decades in a psychiatric hospital until he was granted a supervised release in 2016. Restrictions on Hinckley, which will now be removed by June 2022, included having no contact with the Reagan family or other families of the victims of his shooting, as well as actress Jodie Foster. The would-be assassin had claimed Foster indirectly helped inspire his crime; Hinckley was reportedly obsessed with the actress at the time of the shooting.

Hinckley attempted to kill Reagan in 1981 outside a hotel in Washington DC. He wounded the president, as well as a Secret Service agent and a police officer. Then-Press Secretary James Brady was permanently disabled after he was injured in the shooting, and died in 2014 from complications arising from the gunshot wound.

While living on his own in Williamsburg, Virginia, Hinckley has been employed at an antique museum and has even released YouTube videos of him singing and playing guitar.A federal judge approved of the release agreement between Hinckley and the Department of Justice on Monday. The shooters longtime lawyer claimed his clients mental disease is in full, stable and complete remission.

Hinckleys lawyer said of his clients release that Hinckley wanted to apologize to Foster and the families of his victims. He will continue to be monitored for the next nine months.
Two people were charged with failing to comply with a release order after not complying with their release conditions.

Advertisement Advertise With Us

Two people were charged with failing to comply with a release order after not complying with their release conditions.

A 17-year-old woman and a 22-year-old man had been previously arrested for failing to comply with release conditions.

When police responded to the call at approximately 10:20 p.m. Saturday in the 500 block of Second Street, both people had been previously arrested and released on the condition that they not communicate with each other.

They were both charged with failing to comply with a release order and have been released with court dates of Dec. 14 and Dec. 20.

Meanwhile, at 3:25 a.m. Sunday, police responded to a report of a male banging on doors in the 300 block of Sixth Street.

Police determined the 16-year-old male failed to comply with a daily curfew. He was arrested for failing to comply with his release order and appeared in court later Sunday morning.

 The Brandon Sun
Reaffirming a commitment to students, faculty and the greater Westman community, Brandon University has shared details on the work underway on its strategic plan.

Advertisement Advertise With Us

Reaffirming a commitment to students, faculty and the greater Westman community, Brandon University has shared details on the work underway on its strategic plan.

During the Brandon University Board of Governors meeting on Saturday, president David Docherty said he hopes to have the finalized strategic plan presented at the boards meeting in November.

A major goal of BUs strategic plan includes working to increase student graduation and retention rates. The strategy to achieve this aim involves helping students financially through scholarships and bursaries, promoting mental health and wellness and supporting Indigenous students. The post-secondary institution is also looking to introduce a strategic enrolment management system and recruiting domestic students to increase graduation cohorts and classes.

Docherty added the university is exploring ways to increase student presence on campus after hours by creating spaces for gatherings.

"If there was one thing that really came through no matter which group we were talking to  students, alumni, faculty, members of the community  it would be that we have a wonderful campus, but we do lack some kinds of space that would facilitate some kind of greater after-hours activities for our students  for our faculty and our community," Docherty said. He added it would take time to establish the infrastructure to support building after-class gathering spaces for community members.

Docherty highlighted the importance of Truth and Reconciliation at BU, and the post-secondarys commitment to engaging and ensuring Indigenous populations are part of the student body, faculty and greater community. As part of this goal, BU is exploring whether a separate Indigenous strategic plan should be created.

He added if an Indigenous strategic plan was created for BU, the institutions strategic plan would remain in place as a separate document. The focus of an Indigenous strategic plan would be exploring different ways to recruit Indigenous students, ensure they feel welcome on campus and any specific supports that should be in place.

Docherty added the biggest challenges facing the university in the next 10 to 15 years include Truth and Reconciliation, mental wellness and equity, diversity and inclusion.

"If we dont do a good job tackling that. If we dont do a good job facing that challenge then we will have failed as an institution," Docherty said.

He said the BU strategic plan has been in development for some time, but experienced delays due to COVID-19.

Work has continued on the document during the pandemic, Docherty said, and a clear vision has emerged for BU to become Canadas finest regional university. He said this is possible because the school serves as a critical economic, social, educational and cultural driver in the region.

BU faces some challenges moving forward  including the relevance of university-level education and programs, and the COVID-19 pandemic. Docherty said the last difficulty is the fiscal, environmental and social sustainability of the institution.

As the strategic plan develops, he said, establishing measurements for goals will be needed and establishing a baseline for these analyses will be essential. Once measurements are established, they will help guide how to align goals, what goals can be moved forward quickly and what areas will require more resources.

"We are making sure the strategic plan is set up for us to be successful," Docherty said.

 ckemp@brandonsun.com

 Twitter: @The_ChelseaKemp
An on-duty RCMP officer who died in a collision on Winnipegs Perimeter Highway in 2019 was one of 50 police and peace officers who have died in the line of duty in the province since the early 1900s.

Advertisement Advertise With Us

An on-duty RCMP officer who died in a collision on Winnipegs Perimeter Highway in 2019 was one of 50 police and peace officers who have died in the line of duty in the province since the early 1900s.

RCMP Const. Allan Poapst was killed when a truck crossed a median and crashed into his cruiser in December 2019. He was five days short of serving 13 years with the RCMP, having spent his entire career in Manitoba.

Wayne Balcaen

On Sunday, 50 Manitoba police and peace officers, including Poapst, were remembered at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights in Winnipeg during National Memorial Day for police and peace officers.

Poapst was the last Manitoban police officer to die in the line of duty.

"At these ceremonies, we recognize everybody in law enforcement who paid the ultimate sacrifice," Brandon Police Service Chief Wayne Balcaen said.

Balcaen drove to Winnipeg to commemorate the event with fellow police and peace officers, family members of fallen officers and the general public in the event created to recognize those fallen officers.

"There were probably 50-plus police officers representing the various forces across the province," Balcaen said.

Various dignitaries were present at the ceremony to commemorate the day as well, Balcaen pointed out.

After presentations, there was a roll call, listing the names of all the fallen officers with a moment of silence and prayer.

"This is national recognition of what peace and police officers do in Canada. And the dangers that they face, and the ultimate sacrifices that some make because of the career that theyve chosen and the communities that theyve chosen to keep safe," he said.

For Balcaen, the day meant an opportunity to have his own time to reflect on what the career means and the sacrifices that all officers make within their communities, he said.

"And pay my respect to those who made the ultimate sacrifice within the line of duty. Its very humbling. Its my honour to be here to represent Brandon Police Service. Its a great tribute to all police forces and different areas that have peace officers embedded within their roles," he said.

Peace officers include federal and provincial corrections officers and conservation officers.

As chief of BPS for the last four years, Balcaen hopes he has been able to bring the human side of police work to the community.

"Behind every badge is a person. Theyre a mother, a father, a brother, a sister, an aunt, an uncle. Theyre human beings. Theyre putting their lives on the line for the community. And to me, thats very profound and humbling to be the chief of people that are so selfless in this job."

The annual public ceremony was hosted by the Manitoba Association of Chiefs of Police (MACP).

"Today, more than ever, its important we recognize and reflect on those men and women who confronted the challenges of their time and gave their lives to keep peace and order in our communities," said Winnipeg Police Service Chief Danny Smyth, whos the president of MACP.

"There will always be a need for police and peace officers and it is important that we pay tribute to those who came before us and their families to ensure their sacrifice never be forgotten."

In 1998, the Government of Canada proclaimed the last Sunday in September of every year as Police and Peace Officers National Memorial Day. This day gives Canadians an opportunity to formally express appreciation for the dedication of police and peace officers to keep communities safe.

"We recognize and thank those who serve every day and accept the risks to their safety, and we honour those who have made the ultimate sacrifice in the performance of their duties," Justice Minister Cameron Friesen said in a statement.

"This year, we salute the two officers who died in Ontario and Saskatchewan, and express our sympathies and our gratitude to their families."

 kkielley@brandonsun.com
OTTAWA - The return of two detained Canadians may have ended the most contentious dispute in Canadas relationship with China, but experts say Ottawa faces a number of other extremely difficult challenges and choices in its dealings with Beijing.

Michael Kovrig, centre right, waves to media as his wife Vina Nadjibulla, centre left, and sister Ariana Botha after his arrival at Pearson International Airport in Toronto on September 25, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Frank Gunn

OTTAWA - The return of two detained Canadians may have ended the most contentious dispute in Canadas relationship with China, but experts say Ottawa faces a number of other extremely difficult challenges and choices in its dealings with Beijing.

Those include immediate issues such as whether to let Chinese telecom giant Huawei participate in Canadas 5G wireless network, as well as broader questions of whether the emergent Asian superpower should be treated as a partner, competitor or adversary.

Global Affairs Minister Marc Garneau acknowledged Sunday the degree to which the detention of Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor  in apparent retaliation for Canadas arrest of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou  had impeded ties between the two countries.

There was no path to a relationship with China as long as the two Michaels were being detained, Garneau said during an appearance on CBCs Rosemary Barton Live, referencing the colloquial term adopted around the world when discussing the former detainees.

Kovrig and Spavor were released Friday after more than 1,000 days in Chinese detention, the same day Meng was released from Canadian custody after reaching a plea deal with authorities from the U.S., where she had faced fraud charges.

With that situation resolved, University of British Columbia professor and leading expert on China and Asia Paul Evans says the newly re-elected Liberal government has a number of immediate issues to address and decisions to make.

Those include finally delivering a verdict on whether Huawei can participate in Canadas 5G network. Canada is the only member of the Five Eyes intelligence-sharing network, which includes the U.S., Britain, Australia and New Zealand, to have not already banned the company.

There are also ongoing questions about the degree to which Canadian universities can and should be allowed to partner with Chinese entities on research and development, and how to treat Chinese investments in strategically important sectors.

There are some very immediate issues that have been almost deferred, Evans said. So we have some immediate choices.

Yet there is also a clear need for a long-term strategy for Canadas dealings with both China and the broader Asia-Pacific region, said University of Ottawa professor Roland Paris, who served as Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus first foreign policy adviser.

Canada has quietly adopted a number of positions with respect to China as the two Michaels languished in Chinese prisons, particularly as Beijing has adopted increasingly aggressive foreign and economic policies.

That includes calling the Chinese communist government out over its attempts to stifle democracy in Hong Kong, treatment of ethnic Uighurs and other minorities, sabre rattling in the South China Sea, and use of economic and cyber espionage.

Yet the level of economic integration between Canada and China and the need to co-operate on issues like climate change means defining different aspects of the relationship in terms of what Paris describes as co-operation, competition and confrontation.

The complexity of those issues, along with the growing economic and geo-political importance of China and the surrounding region, led the European Union to release an Asia-Pacific strategy this month. The U.S. is expected to follow suit this fall.

This month Australia, Britain and the U.S. also announced a new defensive partnership aimed exclusively at China that includes Australias purchase of nuclear-powered submarines and which notably excluded Canada and New Zealand despite the Five Eyes alliance.

While it isnt clear the extent to which Canada was aware of the arrangement before it was announced, Evans said the other three participants may have had concerns around Ottawa's inclusion.

They would have known there was a level of ambiguity about our approaches to China," he said.

The Liberals promised during the election to launch an Asia-Pacific strategy for the region, emphasizing the importance of building new trade ties and expanding existing ones while also referencing greater diplomatic and military relationships in the area.

Paris suggested the creation of such a policy should be a priority for the newly re-elected government.

All of our partners are trying to adjust to a changing Indo-Pacific, particularly with the rise of a more aggressive (China), he said. Many of those partners are starting to put together more co-ordinated national strategies. And now it's incumbent on Canada to do the same.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 26, 2021.
Air India flight 187 from New Delhi lands at Pearson Airport in Toronto on Friday, April 23, 2021. Direct passenger flights from India to Canada resumed Monday as Transport Canada lifted a months-long ban imposed due to high COVID-19 case counts. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Frank Gunn

Direct passenger flights to Canada from India resumed Monday as Transport Canada lifted a months-long ban imposed due to high COVID-19 case counts.

In a post on Twitter, Transport Canada said direct flights from India can land in Canada, but travellers must have a negative COVID-19 test from an approved laboratory at the New Delhi airport no more than 18 hours before their departure.

"Beginning at 00:01 EDT on Sept. 27, direct flights from India can land in Canada with additional public health measures in place," the department said.

"Travellers must have proof of a negative COVID-19 molecular test from the approved Genestrings Laboratory at the Delhi airport taken within 18 hours of the scheduled departure of their direct flight to Canada."

Air Canada flight data shows that a direct flight from Delhi landed at Toronto's international airport early Monday morning.

But one familys journey raises questions about whether the direct flight ban had the intended impact.

Hari Gopal Garg, left, Komal Garg, right, and their one-and-a-half-year old daughter Kaveri pose in their Toronto home in this undated handout photo. A Toronto family who went to India to adopt a baby girl and were stranded there after flights between Canada and that country were suspended, took a long route home. Hari Gopal Garg and his wife Komal Garg went to India earlier this year to adopt Kaveri who is now about one-and-a-half years old. The family was set to return from India to Toronto on April 25, but flights were banned three days earlier. The family decided to make the long trip back home so Garg could get back to work and they could resume their life, he said in an interview Monday. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO - Hari Gopal Garg

Hari Gopal Garg and his wife Komal Garg travelled from Toronto to India to adopt a baby girl, Kaveri, and were set to return to Canada on April 25, three days after direct flights were banned.

The family decided to make a long trip back home, travelling through two other countries, so Garg could get back to work and they could resume their lives, he said.

Garg and his family began their journey on June 8, travelling from India to Paris to Mexico, before landing in Canada six days later. Their travel included a three-day stay in Mexico and COVID-19 tests at every stop.

"We were very nervous," he said Monday.

"You are contacting so many people on the way. You are changing flights. You are staying in hotels. It's like the government created more ways to spread COVID. Otherwise you could come just directly without having so many touch points."

The family spent about $6,000 on the trip, including hotel stays. The trip would have otherwise cost them about $2,000.

"I don't think the flight ban helped at all," Garg said.

"It created more problems for people who genuinely travelled and had a valid reason. It created more problems, more money spent and more mental stress. So, it didn't solve any purpose."

But Garg said he is "happy" that flights between the countries have resumed because there are a number of older people and families with children who may not have been able to make the long and expensive journey to Canada.

"I just hope the government makes some rational decisions in the future without any hidden political agendas," Garg said.

"Think about the people who are suffering because of these and then make some wise decisions."

Transport Canada announced in a news release last week an extension to the ban on all direct commercial and private passenger flights to Canada from India through Sunday.

The department said that following the end of the ban, airlines would be checking travellers COVID-19 test results and confirming that fully vaccinated passengers had uploaded their information to the ArriveCAN mobile app or website.

Travellers who come to Canada from India via an indirect route must obtain, within 72 hours of departure, a negative COVID-19 molecular test from a third country, other than India, before continuing their journey to Canada.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 27, 2021.



This story was produced with the financial assistance of the Facebook and Canadian Press News Fellowship.
FREDERICTON - The New Brunswick Council of Nursing Home Unions is calling on the provincial government to increase wages for workers in long-term care homes in an effort to address a "crippling" staffing shortage that they say is leaving seniors with inadequate care.

A sign directing people toward a mass vaccination and testing clinic at the Moncton Coliseum, is seen in Moncton, N.B., on Sept. 22, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christopher Katsarov

FREDERICTON - The New Brunswick Council of Nursing Home Unions is calling on the provincial government to increase wages for workers in long-term care homes in an effort to address a "crippling" staffing shortage that they say is leaving seniors with inadequate care.

Council president Sharon Teare told reporters Monday her group's proposed $4-an-hour wage increase would help attract and keep workers in the understaffed homes.

"We need to bring staff into the system to ensure that our most vulnerable seniors in the nursing homes of New Brunswick are provided a quality of life and not compromised care," she said. Retention and recruitment of staff was a crisis long before the COVID-19 pandemic started, she added, but now it is "crippling the sector."

Teare said most long-term care homes in the province are missing at least half their required employees. She said residents in palliative care are dying alone because there are not enough staff. Other residents are not getting a weekly bath.

"Meals are being missed because staff are running to answer bells from residents who are crawling out of bed. You have to answer that bell, because that resident could be at risk of falling and breaking a hip or a fatality because you weren't there to answer that bell," she said.

"There is no longer a home in nursing homes. We are just struggling to house our seniors, and that is not OK," Teare said, adding that some staff are quitting because they can no longer watch the situation deteriorate.

Teare said the average hourly wage for nursing home workers in New Brunswick is $21, a rate she says is among the lowest in the country for the sector.

She said the federal Liberals promised last month before they won the election that they would spend $9 billion to address shortfalls in the country's long-term care sector and she called on the province to do its part.

Teare said receiving the federal funds requires co-operation from the provincial government.

"(Premier Blaine) Higgs should not waste any more time to improve the situation of workers and wait to be the last one to act, like he did on child care funding," she said.

The Department of Social Development provided a written statement Monday, saying it takes the concerns raised by the council seriously.

"We know that staff in long-term care facilities have worked tirelessly throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. We recognize and appreciate the hard work that they do each day to protect and care for our most vulnerable seniors," the statement said.

It goes on to say it is working to address staffing issues. The statement notes the department got a $15-million budget increase to expand daily care to 3.3 hours per resident by April 2022. It says the latest collective agreement adopted in May 2019 included a 5.5 per cent wage increase for nursing home workers over the first four years  most of it retroactive  and a two per cent increase in years five and six.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 27, 2021.
FREDERICTON - The COVID-19 case count continues to rise in New Brunswick, where health officials reported 86 new cases Monday  another record daily high since the pandemic began.

This electron microscope image made available and color-enhanced by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Integrated Research Facility in Fort Detrick, Md., shows Novel Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 virus particles, orange, isolated from a patient. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-NIAID/National Institutes of Health via AP

FREDERICTON - The COVID-19 case count continues to rise in New Brunswick, where health officials reported 86 new cases Monday  another record daily high since the pandemic began.

Premier Blaine Higgs reimposed a state of emergency on Friday after a senior health official admitted the province made a mistake by lifting all health protection measures  including mask wearing  on July 30.

With an active caseload of 650 as of Monday, the province was treating 41 patients in hospital  16 of them in intensive care. Health officials confirmed that 78 per cent of the new cases were among those not fully vaccinated.

"The surge in COVID-19 cases is causing delays at assessment centres throughout the province and leading to longer-than-anticipated wait times for appointments and test results," the province said in a statement Monday.

New cases were reported in six of the province's seven health regions, and about two-thirds of all cases were among people under the age of 40. As well, positive cases have been confirmed since Friday in schools and child-care facilities in and around Moncton and Edmundston.

New Brunswick has resumed health protection measures aimed at limiting contacts, ensuring physical distancing and requiring certain businesses and events to have vaccination or masking-and-testing policies.

Under the new rules, masks must be worn in indoor public spaces and people must show proof of full vaccination when attending certain events and businesses.

In Nova Scotia, health officials reported 83 new cases between Saturday and Monday  and the death of a central Nova Scotia man in his 80s.

Most of the new cases, 65 in all, were reported in the central zone, which includes Halifax.

"There is community spread in central zone, primarily among people aged 20 to 40 who are unvaccinated and participating in social activities," the province said in a statement.

The province also confirmed Monday that it will begin daily reporting of the number of schools with cases, starting Tuesday. Some parents had complained about the lack of disclosure, and one group had started compiling their own statistics.

"The actions of every single Nova Scotian are critical right now," Premier Tim Houston said in a statement. "Everyone has a role to play to keep this virus under control."

As of Monday, Nova Scotia had 205 active cases, with 11 people in hospital  one of them in intensive care.

The province's state of emergency, which includes mandatory mask wearing in indoor public places, has remained in place since the pandemic was declared in March 2020.

On the weekend, however, thousands of students from Dalhousie University in Halifax attended street parties that violated COVID-19 protocols. Photos from the gatherings show few people wearing masks or practising physical distancing.

On Monday, health officials said those students should stay away from classes for one week and get tested, because even fully vaccinated people can be infected and later spread the virus.

COVID-19 health orders in Nova Scotia forbid informal social gatherings of more than 50 people outdoors.

In Newfoundland and Labrador, health officials reported one death linked to COVID-19 on Monday, and 25 new cases.

Since the pandemic began, a total of eight people in the province have died after getting infected with the virus. The latest victim was identified as a man from the province's central region who was in his 60s.

Twenty-two new infections were reported in the central region and three were in the eastern region. The new cases include 13 people under the age of 40.

Of the 155 active cases reported in Newfoundland and Labrador, three involved people in hospital. The province's total number of cases has risen to 1,717.

Meanwhile, an investigation continues into the source of a cluster of cases in the central region, which now includes 77 cases in Baie Verte and 50 in Twillingate and nearby New World Island. Another cluster in Labrador has 21 confirmed cases. And an investigation into a cluster of eight cases in the western region has proven inconclusive.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 27, 2021.

 By Michael MacDonald in Halifax

Note to readers: This is a corrected story. A previous version included Fredericton among areas with new school and child-care cases, but the New Brunswick Health Department has since revised that.
REPENTIGNY, Que. - Black community leaders in a town just north of Montreal slammed their local police force's plan to tackle racial profiling on Sunday, saying the strategy was developed without their input and will take too long to implement.

Marie-Mireille Bence, mother of Jean-Rene Jr. Olivier, who was shot dead by Repentigny police, attends a news conference on racial profiling by police alongside Fo Niemi of CRARR in Repentigny, Que., Sunday, September 26, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes

REPENTIGNY, Que. - Black community leaders in a town just north of Montreal slammed their local police force's plan to tackle racial profiling on Sunday, saying the strategy was developed without their input and will take too long to implement.

The critiques came from community groups representing Black residents of Repentigny, Que., who held a news conference to denounce the five-year action plan days after it was first released.

Advocates said the plan, developed by the Service de Police de la Ville de Repentigny in response to a report that revealed Black residents are nearly three times more likely to face arrest than other local residents, misrepresents their views and doesn't go far enough to curb systemic racism.

"We don't recognize ourselves in the plan, they don't talk about us, they talk about 'social groups,'" said Pierre Yvenert, a local Black resident and president of one of the community groups taking part in Sunday's news conference. "It feels like we don't exist."

Repentigny police had faced a raft of human rights complaints and allegations of racial profiling over the years, prompting the force to commission a report on its interactions with Black residents.

A trio of researchers from two Montreal-area universities, Victor Armony, Mariam Hassaoui and Massimiliano Mulone, examined Repentigny police interventions from 2016 to 2019. They found that while Black residents comprised just seven per cent of Repentigny's population, they accounted for 17 per cent of all official interactions with local officers.

Community tensions were further exacerbated last month following the death of Black resident Jean-Rene Junior Olivier.

The 37-year-old was shot multiple times while standing outside his family home on Aug. 1. His death is currently under investigation by the bureau des Enquetes Independentes, the provincial police watchdog.

The Repentigny police force developed its action plan in response to both the report and Olivier's death, giving itself five years to implement changes.

"Our action plan aims to create organizational change based on equity, diversity and inclusion principles and goes beyond tackling racial profiling," Repentigny police director Helen Dion said in a statement issued when the strategy was unveiled on Sept. 16. "It was developed with the realities and experiences of our officers in mind as well as the concerns and realities of organizations on our territory."

The force said the plan was based on conversations with staff, independent research and discussions with the community.

Police officers who took part in the report, however, denied the existence of racism among force members. Several advocates, meanwhile, contended police did not consult with community members extensively enough or accurately incorporate their concerns when crafting the plan. Olivier's mother is among those critics.

Marie-Mireille Bence said the lack of consultation is a further indication of racism and lack of transparency within the ranks.

"Why is this plan to action not calling systemic racism by its name," she asked while addressing reporters. "How can we trust when there's no transparency?"

Bence said her 911 call seeking help transporting her son to hospital triggered the police interaction that ultimately resulted in his death.

She said she's been fruitlessly seeking answers ever since.

"They are never going to recognize racism exists among them," she told The Canadian Press. "With their action plan, it's the same thing. Why did they not include us? They did it alone. It's clear like water. Since Aug. 1, I experienced a lack of transparency and sometimes, I don't even have words."

Pierre Richard Thomas, president of Lakay Media, an organization that promotes diversity and inclusion, voiced similar skepticism at Sunday's news conference.

"We ask the city to stop beating around the bush," he said. "We ask that the Black community of Repentigny be included in the search for solutions to resolve the problem."

Yvenert also expressed concern about the action plan's timeframe, saying five years represents too long a wait for meaningful change.

"Racial profiling is destroying lives in this city," he said. "We can't wait for 2026 for solutions."

Bence said she intends to file a human rights complaint against the Repentigny force with help from Montreal-based civil rights group Centre for Research-Action on Race Relations.

Executive Director Fo Niemi said local police ought to have consulted families in Bence's circumstances for their perspectives on systemic racism, noting there are several factors at play that often go unexamined.

"You have to think about the funeral cost, the legal papers, the hospital bills," Niemi said. "Given the magnitude of the incident, the city could have asked key community leaders to come to a meeting to talk about how this happened, what we should do to address community concerns. We didn't have any of those. This is why people are reacting to this plan."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 26, 2021.
For years Facebook stock has been a must own. The company enjoyed constant growth, regular user engagement and ad revenues that grew even with scandals tied to user data and fake news. But investors should be starting to worry a little.

Regulators have been given the tantalising prospect of accessing internal documents that could bolster planned investigations into the company. Files leaked to the Wall Street Journal recently exposed troubling internal practices and some of the documents have been handed over to the US Securities and Exchange Commission by a person seeking federal whistleblower protection.

Facebook s reign as social media leader is under threat. Credit:

Being bearish on Facebook is an unpopular view. Out of 58 equity analysts tracked by Bloomberg, only three recommend selling Facebook shares, and the average 12-month target is $US418 ($575), almost $US60 above the current price.

But Facebooks reign as social media king is increasingly under threat from competitors such as ByteDances TikTok and even Apple. The companys innovations in virtual reality and smart glasses will never replicate the success of its ad business. (The departure of its chief technology officer last week doesnt conjure much faith in future products, though his successor has a track record in hardware.) The shift toward investing based on environmental, social and governance performance may also hurt the company: ESG-focused funds have blacklisted Facebook for past controversies, and it currently has a riskier ESG score than Alphabets Google, Microsoft or Apple, according to Sustainanalytics.
Qantas has cancelled most of its flights scheduled from Western Australia to Melbourne and Sydney over summer because of the states reluctance to reopen its border, and will bypass Perth on non-stop flights to London.

The airline said on Monday it would reroute its direct Perth-London flights until at least April 2022, and instead operate a daily Melbourne-Darwin-London service from December, when it expects the Morrison government to reopen the international border.

Qantas says it will bypass Perth on its non-stop flights to London. Credit:Brent Winstone

Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce said, based on discussions with the WA government, his airline pushed back the resumption of normal domestic flying from the state to Victoria and NSW from December 1 to February 1.

We know their borders wont be open to NSW and Victoria until early next year, so weve sadly had to cancel the flying we had planned on those routes in the lead-up to Christmas, Mr Joyce said.
Energy stocks bucked the weakness on the Australian sharemarket on Tuesday, as oil and gas producers continue to benefit from a rally in oil prices caused by supply shortages.

The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 index lost ground throughout the day on Tuesday, with a drop in afternoon trade causing it to close 1.47 per cent lower, at 7275 points.

The weakness was widespread, with falls across miners, banks, healthcare and retail stocks, but energy shares gave investors some rare good news.

As the price of Brent oil hit US$80 a barrel, the highest level since October 2018, Woodside jumped 5 per cent to $25.03, Oil Search up 7 per cent to $4.40, Origin Energy rose and Santos rose 5.6 per cent to $7.12.

Beach Energy, which on Monday said it had signed a deal to sell liquified natural gas to BP, shot up 10.5 per cent to $1.36.

Senior investment advisor at Shaw and Partners, Adam Dawes, said the energy sector was one of the worst performers in the market last financial year, but share prices in the sector were now benefiting from higher oil prices and strong demand from investors.

The energy sector is the only bright spark, Mr Dawes said. The oil price has started to tick up a bit, and thats helped people get behind the oil space.

Outside the energy sector, Bureau of Statistics figures showed lockdowns hit the economy hard in August, with retail sales falling 1.7 per cent in the month, led by weakness in NSW, Victoria and the ACT.

The drop in consumer stocks included a 2 per cent fall in Wesfarmers shares while Woolworths shares lost 1.8 per cent.

Share prices in the energy sector have surged in recent days as a result of rising oil and gas prices, amid fears there will not be enough supply to meet growing global demand.

Europe is grappling with surging gas prices as it heads into winter, while in the United Kingdom there have been major shortages of petrol and diesel, forcing some petrol stations to close.

After Tuesdays fall in the sharemarket, most of the gains in the wider market made in the last week have been nearly wiped out.
The Fair Work Commission has backed the right of a business to sack an employee who refused to get a flu shot as required under a public health order.

The commissions full bench majority upheld the dismissal of a receptionist at a NSW South Coast aged care facility who refused to get a flu vaccination shot.

A man receives a flu shot as part of a work-provided flu vaccination initiative in a file picture. Credit:Sam Mooy/AAP

In an earlier decision in April, Commissioner Donna McKenna found the workers dismissal by Sapphire Coast Community Aged Care in Bega was not unfair.

Commissioner McKenna rejected the workers unfair dismissal application on the basis that she did not provide evidence of an allergy she claimed had prevented her from getting vaccinated.
Human nature doesnt change even though the world changes around us, says Anna Welch, curator at the State Library of Victoria. Thats why Dante matters, still, seven centuries after his death.

Artist Angela Cavalieri has been working on lino cuts and limited edition books about Dante for years. Credit:Justin McManus

Much like Shakespeare, the Italian poet and philosopher Dante Alighieri has staying power; The Divine Comedy, his most famous work, speaks to what makes us human and how to live a good life.

Welch, senior librarian (history of the book and arts) and World of the Book co-curator, says the Italian poets work resonates on many levels. Theres so much in there that is timeless and speaks to the human condition, she says. You can dive into this poem and read the whole thing or dive in and out and find inspiration and resonances with struggles you face in your own life.

This year marks 700 years since Dantes death and to commemorate the State Library of Victoria has devoted part of its World of the Book exhibition to his work, with a mix of current and historic works on display. In a world first, contemporary Australian artists including Udo Sellbach, Alex Selenitsch, Bruno Leti and Angela Cavalieri and Peter Lyssiotis are represented.
Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size For South Coast Labour Council secretary Arthur Rorris, intensifying debate over what a low-carbon future may mean for Australias industrial centres is a signal the rest of the country may finally have caught up with the Illawarra. Standing beneath a towering smokestack at Port Kemblas BlueScope steelworks last week, Rorris says the regions unions concluded in 2009 that climate change was happening and that there was just one question they needed to answer. Its going to be massive if the steelworks were to close: Arthur Rorris, co-convener of Recharge Illawarra, at Bluescopes facilities at Port Kembla. Credit:Janie Barrett Loading Thats whether we are going to share in the jobs created by the coming revolution,  he says. Or will we stand on the sidelines and watch the rest of the world take them? Often left out of discussions about a so-called transition off fossil fuels, the area around Wollongong hosts the nations largest steelworks, fed by coal mined in a hinterland that also includes several dams serving greater Sydney. Boasting a deepwater port and heavy industry with two centuries of heritage, the Illawarra rivals the NSW Hunter and Victorias Latrobe Valley as a region with the most at stake  and perhaps most to gain  if Australia can do its share of the decarbonisation needed to curb global heating. So far, there is no national effort to steer such a shift.

Advertisement

If steel goes, forget the town, Rorris says. Its going to be massive. The future, though, may not be as gritty as the past and present. Across the shipping canal, not far from where Rorris stands, preparations are under way for a gas and potentially hydrogen processing site being developed by billionaire Andrew Twiggy Forrest. Loading Still, navigating from the known will need more courage and co-ordination than is currently on display. Take BlueScopes steelworks, which produce about 3.2 million tonnes of the metal a year over a sprawling campus that has four railway stations and its own postcode. It generates about 1 per cent of the states economic output and one-tenth of the Illawarras. The company earned $1.2 billion in its latest financial year, a 13-fold increase on a year earlier. BlueScope plans to pour $800 million into relining a traditional blast furnace, and has declared it will be a fast follower rather than a leader in the emerging green steel industry that substitutes hydrogen for coking coal.

Advertisement

A BlueScope worker sits at the front of one of the companys torpedoes, a wagon that takes 180 tonnes of molten iron per tube from the blast furnace to a steel-processing plant. Credit:Janie Barrett Chris Page, head of future technologies and a 28-year BlueScope veteran, doesnt think the threat is imminent. Swedens HYBRIT, which last month claimed to have produced the worlds first coal-free steel, took three months to make 100 tonnes of it, he says. Loading Although modest on a global scale, the Port Kembla site alone makes about 8000 tonnes of steel a day. Weve got to learn how to use hydrogen, Page says. Thats why the timeframe is decades, not months. The company plans to spend $150 million over five years to cut greenhouse gas emissions, but only at the annual rate of 1 per cent to 2030. However, more proximate challenges for Illawarras workforce and even BlueScope could come from disruptions to the regions coal supplies.

Advertisement

Opposition to the extraction of the fossil fuel has been growing not only from climate change activists but also those fearing long-term damage to Greater Sydneys water catchment from mine subsidence. Climate change activists (from left) Naia Webb, Claire Rogers, and Tatianna Hatzopoulos, outside Russell Vale colliery near Wollongong, which has received approval to expand underground mining. Credit:Janie Barrett Federal Environment Minister Sussan Ley overlooked those worries only this month when she approved Wollongong Coals plan to reopen its Russell Vale colliery so it could extract 3.7 million tonnes of coal over five years. A panel outside the mine notes European colonists first identified the exposed fuel in a nearby rock face when shipwrecked sailors stumbled ashore in 1797 at what they promptly if unimaginatively named Coalcliff. Naia Webb, a 20-year-old law and creative arts student, and a member of the Illawarra Climate Coalition, says her grandfather had worked in coal mines. Even so, their days should be numbered. You can be proud of your history and all that, but also recognise that its not the future and we have to move on, Webb says, before unveiling a protest poster as trucks rumble in and out of the Russell Vale pit site as preparations for a reopening gather pace. An aerial view of the mine head at Wollongong Coal, where preparations to reopen the Russell Vale mine are gathering pace. Credit:Janie Barrett

Advertisement

High pay for some mine worker make the jobs crazily appealing, she says, adding, though, that those jobs can be only short-lived if climate action is going to be serious. Loading It is important that we protect our local community from being left behind in this global transition away from coal, Webb says. Another nearby battle over coal is brewing. In February, NSWs Independent Planning Commission rejected plans by ASX-listed South32 to extend the Dendrobium mine out to 2048, citing its potential to significantly impact the water catchment among the reasons. The $956 million project would have created jobs but the extra 78 million tonnes of coal would also have resulted in about 250 million tonnes of CO2-equivalent (CO2-e). Kaye Osborn from Protect Our Water Alliance says Sydneys Special Areas are off-limits to the public to protect them from degradation and contamination. They should be off limits to extractive industries also. Greater Sydney is the largest city in the driest inhabited continent on earth and yet we are the only city that allows coal mining this close to its water storages, she says, noting Dendrobiums proximity to Avon and Cordeaux reservoirs.

Advertisement
Drone delivery service Wing says it now regards Logan as the drone delivery capital of the world as it continues to expand its operations in the city.

The company has released new figures showing it made more than 50,000 deliveries in the southeast Queensland city in the first eight months of 2021.

Wing has enjoyed so much success in Logan, its using the city as a blueprint for other markets around the world. Credit:Wing

The company  operated by Googles parent company, Alphabet  has been steadily expanding its Logan operations for almost two years, and it now services 19 suburbs with small items such as takeaway coffee and even hardware.

Wing spokesperson Jesse Suskin said it had enjoyed incredible success in Logan, to the point where it is now their most successful operation anywhere in the world.
If you dont give people a stake in your decision-making, they are more likely to drive a stake through your decisions.

While public attention this week was on the violent protests which stained Melbournes streets and some of our most cherished monuments, one of the more significant revelations was a fracturing around the state governments inner and outer decision-making.

Victoria Police members arrest a protester along the St Kilda foreshore on Saturday. Credit:Justin McManus

In a crisis such as a pandemic, any government will struggle if it cannot become, and remain, a trusted source of information and direction. For that reason, a report earlier this week that there is mounting division within the Andrews government over the interpretation and application of health advice was significant for two reasons.

First, that among the crisis cabinet of eight ministers there was disagreement is likely to be understating the potential division across the full cabinet and indeed throughout the Labor caucus.
One of Australias main port operators says COVID-battered small and medium retailers will bear the brunt of ugly disruptions to stock supplies as Melbourne wharfies prepare to strike for much of October.

Patrick Terminals said on Monday the stop-work actions planned by the Maritime Union of Australia, over an 18-month dispute about workplace conditions, could cause shortages of imported electronics, furniture, white goods, sports gear and building materials in the run-up to Christmas.

Melbourne wharfies are preparing to strike in a dispute with Patrick. Credit:Jessica Shapiro

But the union said Patrick, one of three major operators on Melbournes docks, was being alarmist, there was no threat to Christmas supplies and strikes need not go ahead if the dispute could be settled.

Large retailers said they were well placed to weather disruptions on the docks after being forced to build large stock inventories for anticipated bumper Christmas sales as COVID-19 caused international shipping havoc for much of the year.
Chinas 66 subs  with another 10 expected over the rest of this decade  have the capacity to threaten not only the US navy and US bases in the region; its four nuclear-armed submarines can threaten the US mainland with nuclear attack. This makes them the ultimate deterrent and equaliser with America, hidden in the deep waters, says Medcalf. Washingtons war planners have long hoped and expected that Japan and Australia would join its effort. In the event of all-out war, the US wants Tokyos 22 subs and Canberras six to complement the US fleet of 68. Japans have been pencilled in to operate in the north and Australias in the south. Illustration: Andrew Dyson Credit:The Age This is where AUKUS come in. It includes in-principle agreement from Washington and London to supply Australia with nuclear propulsion technology for a new fleet of eight submarines instead of the planned 12 diesel-electric subs, now ditched. Why was this greeted rapturously in Washington? The long-term prospect of eight nuclear-powered RAN subs prowling the Pacific resets the naval balance of power, says Mike Green of the Centre for Strategic and International Studies in Washington.

The Collins class subs  the existing Australian fleet - couldnt get up to the choke points that are approaches to Australia and that are important to the US, he tells me. Nuclear powered subs have greater range and speed and underwater endurance than conventional. This significantly increases the number of undersea assets the Peoples Liberation Army has to worry about, says Green, formerly senior Asia adviser to the George W. Bush White House. We were heading to the situation of having to send our subs out of play into a defensive deployment, and not be able to deploy to defend Japan or Taiwan. The AUKUS subs deal, he says, reverses the trend towards Chinese undersea advantage and it puts them on the defensive. Perhaps, but Australian officials say it will take almost 20 years to actually get the first Australian-built, nuclear propelled sub into the water. Till then, the ageing Collins class, refurbished to extend their lives, will be the only Australian offering.

Mike Green is not troubled by this: US admirals say itll take China 20 years to master the use of their aircraft carriers and subs, that our advantage will be gone in 15 to 20 years. These Australian subs will come on line when our very strong undersea advantage is lost. The balance of nuclear powered subs now will be in our favour.  The Australian Strategic Policy Institutes subs expert, Marcus Hellyer, isnt so sanguine: If Mike Green is confident that China isnt going to do anything for the next 15 or 20 years, thats not necessarily the view of the entire policy community. Xi Jinpings timetable for his stated aim of regional dominance wont be adjusted to suit Australias serial procrastinations. And he has many options other than underwater. Hellyer points out that Canberras Defence Strategic Update delivered last year dumped the long-standing assumption that Australia would have a 10-year warning time of any hostilities. Hellyer says that the only plausible way that Australia could put a nuclear-powered sub in the water in time to be relevant to the looming US-China contest would be if America handed over some of its ageing Los Angeles class subs. The Pentagon is currently pensioning them off. Theyd need to be refurbished. But thatd still be a lot faster, taking years rather than the decades of waiting for the first Australian-made one.

Former Pentagon strategy chief under Barack Obama, Michele Flournoy, accepts that the long time lags in the submarine element of AUKUS mean that the other elements are more relevant: If we just look at when the first sub is in the water, OK, theres no difference for 20 years. I think the real message here is that China understand it was their actions that drove Australia into this agreement, their overreach has driven the allies closer together, just as it drove the Quad closer  Australia, Japan, India and the US. Loading And AUKUS is about much more than subs. Its about areas like cyber and emerging technologies where you will see a number of real opportunities for increasing momentum and getting new capabilities into the hands of our allies, says Flournoy, now managing partner of WestExec Advisors and chair of the Centre for a New American Security. That will bolster multilateral deterrence. In the meantime, the contest for control of vital maritime passes will continue to rage silently undersea. Probably without any greater Australian contribution to guarding them. Peter Hartcher is international editor.
Prime Minister Scott Morrisons attendance at major global climate talks is likely to hinge on whether he can get the Nationals to agree to support net zero emissions by 2050, as key allies and Liberals in inner city seats put pressure on him to deliver more ambitious climate action.

The Nationals are split on net zero and internal pressure is also rising from Liberals facing uphill battles to hang on to inner-city seats where independents are attacking the federal governments record on climate change.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison signaled Australias ambition for greater climate action at the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue between the US, India, Japan and Australia on Saturday. Credit:AP

Mr Morrison said on Monday that he had not decided if he would head to Glasgow for the United Nations COP26 summit in November because domestic matters may demand his presence.

Australia will be opening up around that time, there will be a lot of issues to manage and I have to manage those competing demands, he told The West Australian.
Police in Norway reported dozens of disturbances and violent clashes including mass brawls in the Nordic countrys big cities after streets, bars, restaurants and nightclubs were filled with people celebrating the end of COVID-19 restrictions.

The Norwegian government abruptly announced last Friday that most of the remaining coronavirus restrictions would be scrapped and that life in the nation of 5.3 million would return to normal.

The move included the lifting social-distancing rules and capacity limits on businesses, as well as reopening nightclubs.

The unexpected announcement by outgoing Prime Minister Erna Solberg to drop coronavirus restrictions the next day took many Norwegians by surprise and led to chaotic scenes in the capital, Oslo, and elsewhere in the country.
Brighton: The British Labour party says it backs the AUKUS alliance and would have signed up to it in power, but would kick Australia out of an expanded G7 if it didnt commit to binding climate change targets.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison may skip attending the next round of climate talks - COP26 - set for November in Glasgow if he cannot get the Nationals to agree to net-zero targets.

Australia has come under sustained pressure, including from British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, to back net-zero by 2050. Currently, Australias goal is to commit to net-zero preferably by 2050.

Speaking at a side event at the Labour partys annual conference in Brighton on Tuesday AEST, Labours foreign spokeswoman Lisa Nandy said the opposition supported an expanded alliance of democracies such as a D10, but that it would come with obligations on carbon reduction.
Brighton: French European Affairs Minister Clement Beaune has taken a swipe at Britain over its petrol shortage, saying the problems it is facing reflected the intellectual fraud that was Brexit.

Every day, we see the intellectual fraud that was Brexit, Beaune told France 2 television.

Up to two-thirds of independent petrol stations in the UK have run dry. Credit:PA

BP said on Sunday that nearly a third of its British petrol stations had run out of the two main grades of fuel, as panic buying forced the government to suspend competition laws and allow firms to work together to ease shortages.

Thousands of British petrol stations have run dry as motorists scrambled to fill up after the post-Brexit truck driver shortage disrupted the fuel supply.
A report claims the CIA raised the prospect of killing or capturing Julian Assange while he evaded possible charges hiding in Ecuadors embassy in London because they feared the Australian was plotting an escape of his own.

The report, published by yahoo!news, relied on interviews with 30 former US officials and said eight of them detailed the plot to assassinate Assange.

Julian Assange, pictured in 2017 at the Ecuadorian embassy. Credit:AP

Former US president Donald Trump declared the report totally false and said he never considered assassinating Assange.

The publication claimed that officials picked up what the former Trump administration viewed as highly credible intelligence suggesting the Russians were preparing to sneak Assange out themselves, possibly in a laundry basket, and whisk him to safety in Moscow.
Paris: A wall of shame has been built in Paris to separate a park frequented by crack cocaine addicts from a neighbouring suburb, drawing the ire of politicians who say it does nothing to tackle the citys drug problem.

Residents of Pariss 19th arrondissement have pointed out that it takes two minutes to walk around the structure that blocks a bridge underpass.

The conflict could loom large in Frances presidential race, where Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo is playing up her record of managing the capital in a bid to unseat Emmanuel Macron.

Paris Police Chief Didier Lallement told Hidalgo the wall was a necessary protection for the residents of Pantin, which is part of the Seine-Saint-Denis department, one of the poorest in France.
DOYLESTOWN >> A Middletown Township couple was convicted in absentia Wednesday, Oct. 6 in a case of child neglect one doctor described as the worst hes ever seen. Albert Dunkowski, 54, and Christine Dunkowski, 47, were convicted by a Bucks County jury of three counts each of endangering the welfare of a child. The Dunkowskis appeared for the first two...
With the merger of Schneider Electrics India operations with Larsen & Toubros (L&T) electrical and automation (E&A) business, India is now the fourth global hub of technology, innovation and manufacturing for the French engineering and automation major.

Schneider Electric India Pvt. Ltd (SEIPL) was formed last year to run the merged business but the company followed a go-to-market strategy of 2 Brands & 2 Sales Model under which products are sold in two brand names of Schneider and L&T E&A even in the same categories. This model allows SEIPL to serve the customer with two brands, two sales, and two channels and has played a pivotal role in shaping the confidence of our customers and has ensured that the two divisions stay independent of each other from the standpoint of products and solutions, Anil Chaudhry, managing director and chief executive officer, Schneider Electric India Pvt. Ltd, Great India Zone, told Business Standard in an interview.

The leaders at both Schneider Electric India as well as L&T E&A continue to take independent decisions as well, said Chaudhry. L&T and Schneider had closed the deal on August 31 last year.

According to Chaudhry, the combined entity brought in a huge amount of design, product engineering and capabilities across  electrical hardware and products and the electronics segment. The integration was done during the challenging pandemic year.

The company was able to meet the demands of the economy- especially in the space of energy management and automation, said Chaudhry.

The merger led to the integration of over 5,000 employees from the E&A division, taking the overall employee base to 32,000. SEIPL has a total of 32 factories now with 35 distribution centers in India and a presence across 500 plus towns and cities.

As part of Rs 14,000-crore deal between L&T and Schneider Electric, brands associated with L&T and used by its E&A division would be available to Schneider for five years from August 2020, while the brands which are not associated with L&T corporate brand were transferred to SEIPL on a permanent basis. There is no separate royalty for brand use.

Over a period, products using L&T brand would migrate to a new brand under brand migration strategy to ensure there was no disruption of supply or service to customers. Today, we can offer the largest basket of products to our customers across all sectors- from smart cities, hospitals, O&G, power generations, renewable energy and smart grids. As part of our commitment to the market, our customers now have a choice to use products coming from any of the divisions and these will be supplied by us, said Chaudhury.

The addition of L&Ts manufacturing units helped in creating an integrated supply chain and widening of range of products and technologically superior solutions for Indian customers across price points. In a large merger such as this, it becomes essential to match the synergy of entities involved and we have been quite successful at that, he said.

While this helped in reducing dependence on imports, the company was able to expand exports as well. It exports to 35 countries, in the East Asia and West Asian regions, from India. The aim is to export 50 per cent of products manufactured here and sell the remaining 50 per cent in the domestic market.

Closing the deal itself was challenging but teams from L&T corporate office and Schneider Electric came together and started going through the documentation process digitally. The pandemic caused a two-month delay since physical signing of paper could be undertaken only after the national lockdown was lifted last year.

Chaudhury said an integration of this scale should ideally be a physical event. However, we were fully prepared for kickstarting the merger process digitally. At the same time, it was important to connect with our customers and partners to provide them with perspective around our plan of action with complete transparency. Within the first 10 days of the merger, we connected with over 1,000 customers digitally to share with them the prospective roadmap.

He said the company was on track to make a comeback this year after last years lockdown. The slight ease in lockdowns this year, and the economic activities that continued during the second wave of the pandemic, helped us to accelerate business and recover our sales and maintain business continuity."
Salem-based Engineers has signed a long-term contract with to manufacture and supply critical aviation components and parts for the global major.

Engineers will be setting up a new manufacturing facility, dedicated for civil aerospace production at Hosur with covered building space of 125,000 square feet and also expanding its existing Salem facility with an additional covered building space of 50,000 square feet over the next 24 months with an investment of Rs 150 crore. This additional facility will generate employment for 1,000 people.

The contract order was handed over by Ashwani Bhargava, director, supply chain management of India to R Sundaram, chief executive officer and managing director, Aerospace Engineers in the presence of chief minister M K Stalin. The cooperation between Aerospace Engineers and is a significant milestone and will provide an impetus to the growing aerospace and defense ecosystem in Salem and Hosur and Defence Industrial Corridor, the state government said in a statement on Monday.

Aerospace was started in the year 1988 as a micro enterprise and grew progressively to small and then to medium enterprise as now. For over three decades, Aerospace Engineers has been dedicated to manufacturing and supplying high-precision and high-quality parts and sub#assemblies to customers in the aerospace and defense industry. The company has several technologically advanced manufacturing capabilities, processes, unique test facilities and qualifications with several airworthiness and quality certifications, it said. The statement added that this is a step towards Stalins vision of Made in Tamil Nadu.
MyGlamm, Indias fastest growing direct-to-consumer beauty brand, has announced the formation of the Good Glamm Group. This move consolidates its position as a Digital House of Brands powered by a content-to-commerce strategy.

The firm has also topped up its Series C fundraise with a Rs 255 crore infusion led by an equity investment from the Trifecta Leaders Fund and structured financing from Trifecta Capital and Stride Ventures. With this additional funding, the Good Glamm Group has earmarked a Rs 750-crore war chest to make strategic investments in innovative beauty and personal care brands.

The purpose of the Good Glamm Group is to transform the beauty journey of millions of women, through great content and innovative products from the Groups house of brands, said Darpan Sanghvi, founder and CEO, Good Glamm Group.

In July, this year raised a part of Series C funding round at Rs 530 crore from investors including Accel. This included a top-up of Rs 355 crore to the existing Rs 175 crore it had raised in March of this year from investors such as Ascent Capital, Amazon and Wipro Consumer. This also marked one of the first investments made by e-commerce firm Amazon in a beauty brand in India.

Sanghvi said under the Good Glamm Group umbrella, are fast-growing brands that solve key needs in every part of a womans life stage, from a tween to an adult.

As we have added and strengthened these brands, we have grown multifold in the last 18 months, said Sanghvi. In this journey, we have partnered with high-quality long term investors like Trifecta Capital.

Brands that come under the Good Glamm Group umbrella will be able to leverage a large digital audience comprising 88 million POPxo annual users, 220,000 Plixxo influencers and Baby Chakras 20 million mothers community and 10,000 doctors network. This impressive digital reach, combined with MyGlamms 20,000 offline points of sale gives the Good Glamm Group an unprecedented scale. This is further amplified by the Groups expertise in DTC growth, new product development and technology and data science.

Converting content users to buyers has always been the holy grail in the direct-to-consumer industry. Darpan (Sanghvi) showed massive foresight when he merged MyGlamm, a beauty company with POPxo and Plixxo, a content and influencer company, said Priyanka Gill, co-founder, Good Glamm Group. This successful merger laid the foundation of the Good Glamm Group. Investors have shown great confidence in our innovative model and we are excited to build and scale the Digital FMCG Conglomerate of the Future.

The company has a senior leadership team comprising industry veterans from traditional FMCG like Unilever, Godrej and LOreal and new age like Myntra and Nykaa. The Good Glamm Group said it is strongly positioned to be the digital FMCG Conglomerate of the future.

Good Glamm Group is setting new standards in D2C not just in India but globally, said Naiyya Saggi, co-founder, Good Glamm Group. It is unprecedented for brands, consumers and experts to come together virtually at this scale under one umbrella, leverage communities and conversations powered by the product, tech and data, to co-create care and beauty products for the new generation of Indian women.

The group said it is committed to inclusive beauty and cruelty-free, vegan and environment-friendly clean products. Its content-to-commerce approach is democratising access to beauty products and advice. Its products include make-up, skincare, haircare, personal care and soon to be launched baby-care products. The firm said its products are made with formulations that are best suited to solve the beauty and personal care needs of millions of consumers.

We are big believers in the companys vision of building the digital house of brands, Trifecta Capital. We have a strong conviction in Darpan (Sanghvi) and his teams capabilities to execute this bold vision.

leveraged an innovative acquisition strategy when it acquired POPxo and Plixxo in mid-2020. It pioneered the content-to-commerce model through which it engaged millions of women to actively participate in the process of creating beauty products and converting content users to product-buyers. It continues to strengthen this model and has ventured into the mom and baby segment through its recent acquisition of BabyChakra. The formation of the Good Glamm Group is a coming together of this Digital House of Brands powered by a content-to-commerce model.
Privatisation-bound Ltd (BPCL) plans to invest over Rs 1 lakh crore (Rs 1 trillion) over the next five years in raising petrochemical production capacity, gas business, clean fuel and augmenting marketing infrastructure, its chairman Arun Kumar Singh said on Monday.

The investment will help BPCL prepare for the future where conventional fuels and zero-carbon mobility in form of electric vehicles (EVs) and hydrogen will co-exist, while giving it the option to convert a greater degree of crude oil directly into high-value

India's second-largest fuel retailer is looking to create a 1,000 MW portfolio of renewable power generation capacity, mostly through acquisitions while also invest in biofuels and hydrogen, he told reporters.

It is targeting to convert 7,000 out of over 19,000 petrol pumps into energy stations in the medium to long term by offering multiple fueling options like petrol, diesel, flexi fuels, EV charging facility, CNG and eventually hydrogen.

"In the years to come, BPCL has made aggressive investment plans. We shall be investing more than Rs 1 lakh crores at the group level majorly in enhancing petrochemical capacity and improving refining efficiencies (Rs 30,000 crore), gas proliferation (Rs 20,000 crore), upstream exploration and production (Rs 18,000 crore) and augmenting (fuel) marketing infrastructure (Rs 18,000 crore)," he said.

Besides, the firm also plans to invest Rs 5,000 crore in renewable energy and another Rs 7,000 crore in biofuels.

BPCL owns and operates three refineries at Mumbai, Kochi in Kerala and Bina in Madhya Pradesh which convert crude oil into fuels such as petrol and diesel. It is adding petrochemical units at the refineries, the latest being at Kochi, to capture value addition from producing speciality chemicals.

"With the commissioning of two units in Propylene Derivative Petrochemical Project (PDPP) at Kochi refinery in February 2021, we have joined the leaders in production of niche We will increase our presence in petrochemical space, integrating with our refining activity to diversify and hedge," he said.

With the government looking to increase the share of environmentally safe natural gas in the energy basket to 15 per cent by 2030 from the current 6.2 per cent, BPCL too is investing heavily in city gas networks and setting up 12 LNG fuel stations, he said, adding the firm has license to retail CNG and piped natural gas in 37 geographical areas.

Stating that the firm and its joint ventures have 1,393 CNG stations, he said, "Our presence in CNG stations is going to grow manifold in the next few years."



BPCL, he said, is closely watching EV development in India and expects higher penetration in two- and three-wheelers. "It is a new business opportunity as well as a hedge against the risk of displacement of auto fuels."



EV charging facilities have already been installed in 44 petrol pumps in major cities, and plan is to ramp it up to 1,000 by 2023-24.

BPCL has also started pilot of battery swapping for three-wheelers in Kochi and Lucknow.

Singh said the firm is looking to have both solar and wind power generation capacities and would look to convert electricity thus generated into green hydrogen -- the cleanest form of hydrogen.

BPCL, which has a portfolio of 45 MW of renewable capacity, plans to increase it to 1,000 MW in the next five years.

This would "benefit the company in various ways -- diversification, offsetting GHG emissions arising from fossil fuel portfolio. Renewable power can also help in enabling EVs and production of green hydrogen," he said.

The company is also setting up an ethanol production unit at Bargarh, Odisha with a production capacity of 100 kilolitres per day. It is also exploring the possibility to set up four more ethanol plants in deficit states with a capacity of 100 kl per day.

Of the Rs 18,000 crore upstream investment, Rs 16,000 crore would be BPCL's share in a giant LNG project in Mozambique.

"The planned capex will be funded through a mix of internal resources and borrowings," BPCL Director-Finance V R K Gupta 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.)
As the population across the world continues to get vaccinated, travellers have begun boarding flights and checking into hotels among a lot more movement, said OYO based on trends it is seeing in bookings across its properties.

OYO released the findings of its Unlocking Travel Report 2021 on the occasion of World Tourism Day.

In India, Goa, followed by Jaipur, Manali, Ooty and Mysore are set to become Indias top leisure destinations for the upcoming holiday season. The booking data shows an inclination towards hill stations, followed by heritage cities and beach destinations.

According to OYO's consumer survey, 37 per cent travellers have a preference for mountains, and 33 per cent for beaches in India.

The remaining 14 per cent prefer visiting motorable places (or roadtrips), followed by heritage cities and pilgrimages.

In India, vaccinated staff and sanitisation protocols at properties are the top two factors that consumers keep in mind before deciding their next travel destination and accommodation.

During the Janmashtami and Ganesh Chaturthi long weekends, OYO saw a spike in bookings for leisure destinations.

Ganesh Chaturthis travel demand was mainly driven by Jaipur, Pondicherry, Ooty and Mysore.

For the upcoming long weekend of Dussehra and Guru Nanak Jayanti, the data reveals that travellers are opting for holidays across Indias leisure destinations - with Jaipur topping the list, followed by the beaches of Goa.

It is also observed that about 57 per cent travellers prefer making bookings closer to the travel day.

This is a striking shift from the pre-Covid era when travel was extensively planned and bookings were made weeks or even months in advance.

In the UK, theres a high preference for travel over short weekend breaks, followed by school holidays and business trips.

Americans, on the other hand, choose to explore local destinations and new experiences, followed by solo travel. It also found observed that in the USA, hygiene and cleanliness are a top priority for travellers.

In Southeast Asia, with lockdowns partly relaxing in Indonesia, theres a jump in small and medium businesses and essential travel across business cities such as Jakarta, Bandung, among others.

In Malaysia, OYO saw a surge in searches for local tourist destinations such as Kuala Lumpur and Selangor.

In the UK, OYOs booking trends for September show that the British are heading to the capital city of London, followed by Bath, a well-being destination, mainly known for its beautiful ancient Roman Baths.

The British are also travelling to tourist hotspots such as Blackpool, Scotland and Great Yarmouth.

In the US, big cities and coastlines dominate travel preferences.

As travel opens up across the country, Americans are heading to New York, Hawaii (3 islands), Las Vegas, Orlando and Key West.

As per OYOs booking data between August - September 2021, Europe saw strong signs of travel bounce back led by summer travel demand.

Across Europe, the Baltic Sea Region in Germany, a popular vacation spot (also referred to as the German Riviera) was the most booked destination over the summer season.

This was followed by the sandy beach town of Blavand in Denmark, North Holland in the Netherlands, Luxembourg in Belgium and Salzburg, Austria.

Based on OYOs advanced booking data between October - December 2021, Europeans are planning their travel around the upcoming autumn break in October and the Christmas week.

The data highlights that in the Christmas week of 25th December, Salzburg and Tyrol in Austria are the most booked destinations.

With the autumn break just around the corner, Europeans are heading to Blavand and North Holland. While some users have planned their travel with advance bookings, over the past month, OYO said it observed that a majority of bookings are last-minute (bookings within 15 days of arrival) across Europe, indicating the shift in consumer mindset, where consumers plan their travel closer to the date, largely depending on the factors surrounding the pandemic
State-run (IOC) and its subsidiary, Chennai Petroleum Corporation (CPCL), have started working on the Rs 31,580-crore refinery project at Nagapattinam in Tamil Nadu.

While both the will hold 25 per cent each in the proposed 9 million tonne per annum (MTPA) refinery, the remaining 50 per cent will be held by a strategic or financial partner, for which talks are already on. The have appointed SBI Capital Markets, a subsidiary of the State Bank of India, for providing the financial advisory, debt and quasi equity syndication services for the greenfield project.

SBI Caps is being engaged to assist in the identification of seed investors and also investing in equity or quasi- equity to the extent of Rs 5000 crore, and also for arranging debt to the tune of Rs 20,000 crore for this project, said. The financial closure of the project is expected to be achieved within six months. The project is expected to be completed between 45-50 months once work starts.

has also roped in consultants like Engineers India Ltd (EIL), McDermott and Tata Consulting Engineers (TCE) for the project and has also reportedly signed contracts worth around Rs 1,500 crore. This comes close on the heels of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin handing over the order for acquisition of land for the project on September 3.

The active support of the government of Tamil Nadu has also been received by way of approval of the land acquisitions to the extent of about 658 acres and release of the requisite Government Gazette Notifications, said a statement.

The project is expected to supply motor spirit and high speed diesel to the hinterlands of Tamil Nadu and adjoining areas and also has export potential with a mix of petrochemical products like polypropylene. The funding activity coupled with project activities, will foster development of the district and the state as well. This project will definitely be a feather in the cap of Tamil Nadu and IOCL group, the statement added.
Fashion e-tailer on Monday said it has set up a fulfilment centre in Kolkata and strengthened its supply chain network across the country ahead of the upcoming festive season.

has added one FC, three mother hubs, 12 satellite hubs, and 171 distribution centres to enhance capacity significantly for higher storage volumes and optimise last-mile deliveries further, a statement said.

The Flipkart group company will host its 'Big Fashion Festival' from October 3-10 and expects about 1.1 million first-time shoppers to participate in the sale.

The new FC in Kolkata is spread over 2 lakh sq ft and is designed to store up to 45 lakh items and will create employment opportunities for about 2,500 people to begin with, it added.

This facility also serves as a hub for the eastern region - which is an important market for - with its mature fashion shopper base, it said.

With this expansion, Myntra now has a total of five FCs - Binola, Bilaspur, Bhiwandi, Bengaluru and Kolkata - spread across an area of over 11 lakh sq ft in total. Two of these are also solar power-enabled.

Unlike traditional warehouses, fulfilment centres are equipped with highly automated pick, pack and shipping processes to facilitate safe and timely processing of orders.

E-commerce see a large chunk of their business coming in during the festive sales and they make significant investments ahead of time to ramp up their capacity and add features to be able to handle the spike in orders, while ensuring a smooth experience for shoppers and sellers.

According to consulting firm RedSeer, e-commerce platforms are expected to potentially clock over USD 9 billion gross GMV (Gross Merchandise Value) during the festive season this year as against USD 7.4 billion last year - a growth of 23 per cent.

During the first week of the festive season, these platforms are expected to register 30 per cent year-on-year growth in gross GMV to USD 4.8 billion. Gross GMV refers to the total value of goods sold on the platform prior to subtracting cancellation or return.

The report highlighted that in terms of categories, fashion is expected to see a steady recovery this festive season - in line with greater outdoor mobility of consumers and steady rebound of fashion/office wear.

Myntra, in its statement, said it has added three new 'mother hubs' located at Bilaspur, Chennai and Kolkata, taking the collective processing area of its mother hubs to over 6 lakh sq ft in all.

With this addition, the total 30 mother hubs in India will have about 10,000 staff. Since the previous edition of Big Fashion Festival, Myntra has added 171 new last-mile distribution centres across the country, taking the total count to 1,330.

About 4 million customers shopped for 13 million items during the previous edition of 'Big Fashion Festival' last year. Myntra is expecting a strong demand this year as well, and this capacity addition will play an integral role in optimising the delivery experience for its expanding shopper base this festive season and beyond, it added.

"Our tech-pivoted fulfillment and distribution centres with their state-of-the-art infrastructure, play an important role to elevate the quality of service experience we are able to offer to our customers, on the back of optimised delivery timeline, especially during peak periods such as the festive season," Myntra CEO Amar Nagaram said.

With the expansion of the overall storage and processing facility, Myntra is geared up to deliver a fulfilling festive shopping experience for its growing customer base, 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.)
Ajay Singh-led SpiceJets plans to hive off its logistics and cargo business into a separate entity called SpiceXpress is facing legal hurdles, with lenders and aircraft lessors challenging the move.

One of SpiceJets lessor Goshawk, along with its trustees, has moved the Delhi High Court (HC), asking for an injunction on the airlines plan to transfer any of its assets to a separate company until the airline clears its pending dues of around $16.2 million as lease rentals on three aircraft.

In its interim order, the Delhi HC has restrained from alienating the assets.

Till further orders, the judgment debtor is restrained from transferring/alienating its assets to the tune of the decretal amount, stated the Delhi HC order.

The development is a big hurdle for the airline since hiving off and monetising the cargo unit remains one of the key strategies to recapitalise the company. The next date of hearing is on November 29. is in talks with multiple private equity investors to sell shares in the logistics arm to raise money.

People aware of SpiceJets business plans indicated that investors in their talks have made it clear that they want the cargo business to be ring-fenced and kept at an arms length from the passenger business.

The airline has also approached the Ministry of Civil Aviation for a new air operator permit for the cargo arm and has set up a management, separate from the passenger business.





ALSO READ: SpiceJet now interim fixed pay system; some pilots flag salary cuts

However, the airline said the request for a stay has been declined by the court on the transfer of the logistics business to its subsidiary.

We would not want to get into the detailed interpretation of the court matter since it is sub-judice. We have been in discussion with all MAX lessors for a settlement and return to service of these aircraft. We have already done so with Avolon and CDB Aviation and discussions with other lessors, including Goshawk, are on. None of the MAX lessors (including Goshawk) have terminated any of the leases and are continuing to make all commercial efforts to resume safe operations of the MAX fleet, said a spokesperson for the airline.

Last week, the company announced it had received approval of shareholders for transferring its cargo and logistics services business to its subsidiary SpiceXpress and Logistics on a slump-sale basis valued at Rs 2,555.77 crore.

Slump sale means the transfer of one or more undertakings, by any means, for a lump sum consideration without values being assigned to individual assets and liabilities in such sales.

had leased three Boeing 737s from Goshawk (one B737-800 and two B737-MAX8s). On account of the Covid-19 pandemic, travel restrictions were imposed, resulting in worldwide grounding of Boeing MAX8s. As a result, SpiceJet defaulted on its rent payment obligations and Goshawk appealed in a UK court for a summary judgment in relation to its claim for arrears.

In May, the UK court passed a summary judgment, in which it ruled that Goshawk is right in claiming the amount, but stayed its order asking the lessor and SpiceJet to instead mediate saying that SpiceJet is currently in a precarious financial state and an order to pay all outstanding amounts may push it into bankruptcy.

Aircraft lease agreements are covered under the hell or high water clause, which implies that lessees (in this case, airlines) should continue paying lease rentals, irrespective of any issues like financial losses.



Sources aware of the development said that the mutual mediation between Goshawk and SpiceJet has failed, following which Goshawk has moved Delhi HC to enforce the order.

Lenders of SpiceJet had also raised concerns about the move. In the absence of growth in the passenger business, it is the cargo arm which has brought in revenue for SpiceJet. Hiving off the logistics company would remove one of the important cash segments. However, sources said the airline, in its discussions with lenders, has agreed that cash generated from the monetisation of the cargo arm would be first used to clear dues. Such an undertaking may help the airline get a no-objection certificate from banks.

With the passenger business severely hamstrung, the logistics business has virtually been a lifeline for the airline. The logistics arm - SpiceXpress - earned a net profit of Rs 30 crore, with revenue for the segment up 285 per cent to Rs 473 crore for the first quarter of 2021-22, from Rs 166 crore in the same quarter last year.

With a fleet of 20 aircraft, which includes four wide-body aircraft on wet lease and passenger aircraft converted to carry cargo, this a far cry from just five aircraft a year ago. The wide-body aircraft, which it has wet leased from Hi Fly, have been operating to multiple destinations like Lagos in Africa, Brussels, and Frankfurt in Europe and to Kabul, Tashkent, and Almaty. It plans to add eight more wide-body aircraft by the end of this year.
announced on Monday that the company has secured an order of approximately Rs 2,100 crore for Phase-1 of Peripheral Ring Road Project (Northern Port Access Road) connecting strategically important Ennore Port with Thatchur on AH-45 on the national highway network.

The contract includes the Link Road to Outer Ring Road from the Northern Port Access Road. The six-laned project will have a total length of 25.38 km, including a 1.4-km bridge over Buckingham Canal. The contract is targeted for completion in three years. There will be 26 structures in the project, including eight major bridges, eight minor ones, two road-over-bridges, seven vehicle underpasses/vehicle overpasses and one interchange. It will also include 29.38 km of drains and 41.88 km of retaining wall.

Once completed, this project will reduce traffic congestion and travel time, while enhancing road safety and operational efficiency of highways. The overall quality of lives of citizens living in nearby communities will improve and economic growth will receive an impetus, said a company statement.
Organised sector weathers second Covid wave on job front: Labour survey

in nine selected sectors, including construction, manufacturing and IT/BPO, was at 30.8 million in the April-June quarter of 2021-22, reflecting a growth of 29 per cent compared to 23.7 million reported in the Economic Census of 2013-14, according to a survey.

Labour and Minister Bhupender Yadav on Monday released the report of Quarterly Survey (QES) part (April to June 2021), of the All-India Quarterly Establishment-based Employment Survey (AQEES) prepared by the Labour Bureau. Read more

Reliance said to near investment in Google-backed Glance InMobi: Report

Ltd. is in talks to buy a stake in Indian mobile content provider Glance InMobi Pte, according to people familiar with the matter.

The conglomerate is considering investing about $300 million in the unicorn backed by Alphabet Inc.s Google, the people said, asking not to be identified as the information is private. The transaction could be completed as soon as in the next few weeks, one of the people said. Read more

Govt intends to complete disinvestment by March-end: Company chairman

The disinvestment of Bharat Petroleum Corporation (BPCL) is intended to be completed by March 2022 according to company Chairman, Arun Kumar Singh.

Speaking at a press conference after the Annual General Meeting of the company on Monday, Singh said, The government at many forums and instances has said that it intends to complete the transaction within this financial year, this means by March 2022. So as of now, stated position is March. He was responding to a query on when will the disinvestment of be complete. Read more

Toyota Kirloskar pulls plug on Yaris sedan after three years as sales dip

(TKM) will stop making the Yaris with effect from Monday, amid falling sales and shifting buyer preferences from sedans to SUVs. The local arm of the Japanese carmaker had launched the premium mid-size sedan three years ago to take on the likes of Honda City, Hyundai Verna among others.

The phase-out of the Yaris is also part of the larger global strategy under which Toyota Motor Co and Suzuki Motor Corp have been sharing products for India and neighboring markets. Read more
Full-service carrier Vistara has partnered with Bank to launch co-branded Club Vistara Bank Explorer.

The will offer various benefits such as a complimentary business class ticket, membership of the airline's frequent flyer programme and lounge access.

Other benefits include rescheduling fee waiver on direct booking of Vistara flights, luxury gift vouchers, complimentary movie tickets and dining vouchers, complimentary personal air accident cover, zero currency mark-up on international spends as well as a waiver on fuel surcharge at any petrol pump, among others, Vistara said in a release on Monday.

We are happy to partner with Bank to offer our customers a solution (a co-branded credit card). We are hopeful that our customers will see great value in the Club Vistara IndusInd Bank Explorer and enjoy its benefits as they travel around the globe with us, said Vinod Kannan, Chief Commercial Officer, Vistara.

The all-new card provides the cardholders with a complimentary 'Gold' class membership to Club Vistara (CV), under which they can earn points on every flight and can even redeem their earned CV points to avail flights.

Moreover, the card also enables cashless travel for customers to destinations around the globe, while also earning CV points on their spending, the airline said.

We are delighted to collaborate with Vistara, to launch the 'Club Vistara IndusInd Bank Explorer' credit card that aims to revitalise the way India travels. As the world is gradually opening up, Indians and especially millennials will look to travel for both business and leisure, said Soumitra Sen, Head of Consumer Bank at IndusInd Bank.

The key benefits of the co-branded card include complimentary access to over 600 airport lounges across the globe, up to five complimentary business class tickets on achieving spend milestones every year as well as rescheduling fee waivers on direct booking of Vistara flights, according to the airline.

The financial benefits include a complete waiver on fuel surcharge at any petrol pump across India and also a lifetime waiver on late payment charges, cash withdrawal charges as well as over-limit fees.

Also, the cardholders will be entitled to luxury gift vouchers worth Rs 25,000 or Oberoi hotel and resort gift vouchers and two complimentary movie tickets of Rs 700 each per month besides complimentary dining vouchers worth Rs 3000 twice a year.

Complimentary personal air accident insurance cover of up to Rs 2.5 crore and insurance against loss or delayed baggage, loss of passport, ticket as well as missed connection are the other benefits a cardholder can avail.

(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.)
Consumer durables maker Whirlpool of India Ltd on Monday said it has inked a pact to acquire an additional 38 per cent stake in Elica PB India for USD 57 million (around Rs 420 crore).

The company said it has entered into a share purchase agreement with Elica S.p.A to acquire the additional equity interest in Elica PB India to bring its total equity ownership to 87 per cent.

The transaction is expected to close by the end of September 2021, Whirlpool of India said in a statement.

After the completion of the deal, Elica PB India will become a majority-owned subsidiary of Whirlpool India, it added.

Both organisations would, however, continue to run their operations similar to their current state, the consumer durables maker noted.

had in 2018 acquired 49 per cent stake in Elica PB India, which produces diverse models of kitchen hoods, hobs and cooktops.

"We are very excited about this transaction and it is aligned with our ambition to accelerate profitable growth in India," Whirlpool of India Managing Director Vishal Bhola said.

Cooking and built-in appliances are under-penetrated categories and the demand has now accelerated with consumers picking up cooking as a passion and investing more in their kitchens, he noted.

"Our consumers have always been at the heart of our business and now with both Elica and Whirlpool brands, we are in an even better position to improve life at home for them," Bhola said.

Elica PB India CEO and Director Pralhad Bhutada said over the last decade, the company has built a very strong product portfolio and distribution network in India, which it has been harnessing for the last three years to build both the Elica and Whirlpool brands in the cooking category.

Whirlpool is one of the industry leaders in laundry and refrigeration segments in India.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
On October 5, an unusual crew will fly to the Director Klim Shipenko and actor Yulia Peresild will spend a week and a half on the station shooting scenes for the Russian movie Challenge. Peresild plays a surgeon who must conduct a heart operation on a sick cosmonaut.

This is an exciting  if controversial  development for the station, which orbits around 400 km above Earth. Commercial use of its facilities could be a funding avenue to keep it in orbit. A Japanese documentary and an American movie, starring Tom Cruise, are also in the works.

The station consists of 16 modules locked together in a cross configuration. There are six Russian modules in the Russian Orbital Segment, while the US Orbital Segment consists of 11 modules run by the US, Japan, and the European Space Agency. Spacecraft like the Soyuz and Dragon regularly dock with the station to bring crew and supplies, and return others to Earth.

Usually there are between three and six crew living on the station. The main work is scientific experiments, but as some parts of the station are over 20 years old, a lot of maintenance is also required.

Space stations in the movies are often very space-agey with futuristic minimalist interiors. By contrast, the is a mess, more Red Dwarf than 2001: A Space Odyssey. There are cables everywhere, walls cluttered with equipment, tools, food packages and notes, and over 6,000 objects lost by the crew.

Challenge, being the first (professional) space movie to be filmed in space, raises a number of questions. Here are five on my mind.

How will the cosmonaut crew react to a female space tourist?

After Valentina Tereshkova, the first woman in space in 1963, only four other Russian women have ever left Earth.

Svetlana Savitskaya was the second female cosmonaut in 1982. Her crewmates on the Mir space station presented her with an apron when she arrived, joking that shed work in the kitchen. Ive even heard a cosmonaut trainer say space is no place for a woman.

However, in Russia, medicine is seen as a female profession. Given that veteran cosmonaut Sergei Krikalev was sacked for objecting to the movie plans (he was later reinstated), Im wondering what Yulia Peresilds reception will be like.

What about using the space toilets?

Personal hygiene is challenging in the microgravity environment of the space station. Crew must be taught how to use the complicated space toilets, which use vacuum pumps to suck everything away from the body and into tanks. Urine is recycled to augment the stations water supply  as the joke goes, yesterdays coffee becomes tomorrows coffee.

Then theres the politics of space poo. In 2009, strained relationships between Moscow and Washington resulted in Russian and US crews being banned from using each others toilets.

Crew complained that not being able to use the nearest toilet interrupted their work.

Peresild and Shipenko have been training since May in Russias Star City, and this presumably includes potty-training too. NASA only installed the first female-friendly toilet in 2020.

In the Russian segment where the filming will take place, theres one old toilet designed for male anatomy. In female bodies theres less separation between pee and poo, so NASA designed its new toilet to take this into account. Will Peresild use the NASA toilet by preference? Shell be the first Russian woman to compare space toilet technology.

How realistic will the surgery scenes be?

In space, uncontained liquids form bubbles and float around. This presents some challenges for heart surgery, especially as blood tends to pool in the upper parts of the body. There have been limited surgical experiments already in microgravity, but they have been done on artificial bodies, or animals such as rats.

Technology under development for future space missions, particularly long duration flights like those to Mars, includes robotic surgery and capsules that enclose the patient, with the surgeon operating on them through arm portholes. It will be interesting to see what choices are made to portray this key part of the film.

Read more: From floating guts to 'sticky' blood  here's how to do surgery in space

Will the film crew leave anything behind in space?

As a space archaeologist, Im interested in whether this unusual activity will contribute to the archaeological record of the station. While the film crew will have to bring all their equipment with them, scientific experiments are prioritised due to limited cargo space when sending things back to Earth. Later crew may find objects left behind by Peresild and Shipenko, stuck to Velcro patches on the walls, or lurking in storage areas.

In the Russian Zvezda module, cosmonauts have made part of a wall into an informal gallery or shrine. Analysis of how the pictures displayed change over time shows it almost always features images of the Soviet space heroes Yuri Gagarin, Konstantin Tsiolkovsky and Sergei Korolev, as well as Russian Orthodox icons.

Peresilds father is a well-known icon painter, so perhaps she will bring one to contribute to this display.

What happens next?

After this flight, Peresild and Shipenko will officially be space travellers, as well as the first professional filmmakers in space. Theyll join the ranks of an elite group whove travelled into orbit.

Although the last year has seen numerous people who have just nudged into space on sub-orbital flights, including Jeff Bezos, Richard Branson and the civilian crew, it still means something to actually live in space.

IMDB

At least 45 about space travel have received Oscar nominations for Best Visual Effects, but in the case of Challenge, the visual effects will be real.

Perhaps this will be a turning point in how space habitats are depicted in Will audiences prefer the glamorous fantasy, or replace their visions of future space travel with the gritty reality of a working space station?

Alice Gorman, Associate Professor in Archaeology and Space Studies, Flinders University

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Life in parts of India, particularly Haryana, Punjab and western Uttar Pradesh, was disrupted on Monday as a nationwide shutdown against three agri laws got underway with protesters blocking highways and key roads, and squatting on railway tracks in some places.

The Bharat Bandh, called by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha, an umbrella body of 40 farm unions, marks one year since President Ram Nath Kovind gave his assent to the three controversial laws and 10 months since thousands of farmers set up camp at Delhi's border points to voice their protest.

The bandh is in effect from 6 am to 4 pm.

Though much of the country was unaffected, commuters in north India felt the pinch with trains being cancelled or delayed and massive traffic snarls that prevented cross border movement. This particularly impacted the Delhi-NCR region, including the satellite towns of Gurgaon, Ghaziabad and Noida, with many thousands crossing borders each day to go to work or study.

Public transport was hit in Kerala where the strike is supported by the ruling LDF and the opposition Congress-led UDF. KSRTC bus services were off the road with almost all trade unions in the state taking part. People who had to travel opted for private modes of transport while others stayed home.

Union leaders, including INTUC state president R Chandrasekharan, had said the shutdown would be peaceful and there would be no blocking of vehicles or forced shutting down of shops.

Protests were also seen in West Bengal where the Left Front backed the call for a shutdown. Images from Kolkata showed protesters swarming a section of a railway track. Similar images came in from West Midnapore with Left Front supporters blocking the IIT Kharagpur-Hijri railway line.

In the capital, autorickshaws and taxis plied normally and shops were open with unions and associations extending only "in-principle support" to the called by farmers.

However, there was chaos at the city's borders, including at Ghazipur in western Uttar Pradesh where farmers blocked the highway to prevent any movement of vehicles. Not far away in Sonipat in Haryana, some farmers squatted on tracks. In nearby Patiala in Punjab, too, members of the BKU-Ugrahan sat on the tracks to register their protest.

Punjab saw a complete shutdown in many places, including Moga, where farmers blocked the Moga-Ferozepur and Moga-Ludhiana highways. Farmer leaders from Punjab have, in many ways, spearheaded the year-long protest.

#I Stand With Farmers & appeal the Union Govt. to repeal the three anti-farmer laws. Our farmers have been struggling for their rights since more than a year & it is high time that their voice is heard. I request the farmers to raise their voice in a peaceful manner (sic), Punjab's new chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi said in a tweet.

And in neighbouring Haryana, highways in Sirsa, Fatehabad and Kurukshetra were blocked.

There were also reports of farmers squatting on rail tracks at a few places in the two states.

Down south, in Karnataka, the shutdown did not have any major impact in the initial few hours with all business and establishments functioning normally and transport services available. However, farmers' attempts to organise a 'Rasta Roko' at major and state highways led to disruption in vehicular movement in several parts of the state, especially in the capital Bengaluru.

In Guwahati, activists of the Socialist Unity Centre of India took out a protest march.

All emergency establishments and essential services, including hospitals, medical stores, relief and rescue work and people attending to personal emergencies have been exempted from the strike.

Expressing support for the farmers, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said their non-violent 'satyagraha' is still resolute but the "exploitative" government does not like this and that is why a 'Bharat Bandh' has been called.

Posting rhyming lines in Hindi on Twitter, Gandhi said, "Kisano ka ahimsak satyagraha aaj bhi akhand hai, lekin shoshankar sarkar ko ye nahi pasand hai, isliye aaj hai (Farmers' non-violent satyagraha is resolute even today, but the exploitative government does not like this and that's why it is today)."



Gandhi used the hashtag 'IStandWithFarmers' with his tweet.

The Congress has asked its workers, state unit chiefs and heads of frontal organisations to take part in the 'Bharat Bandh.

Many non-NDA parties have extended support to the nationwide 10-hour strike.

These include the Aam Aadmi Party, Samajwadi Party, Telugu Desam Party, Bahujan Samaj Party, Left parties and Swaraj India. The YSR Congress government in Andhra Pradesh has also announced support to the Bharat Bandh.

The SKM on Sunday had appealed for complete peace during the bandh and urged all Indians to join the strike.

It is a day to express support to the annadatas (farmers) of the country, the ones who keep all Indians alive, it said in a statement.

The government and farmer unions have held 11 rounds of talks so far, the last being on January 22, to break the deadlock and end the farmers' protest.

Talks have not resumed following widespread violence during a tractor rally by protesting farmers on January 26.

The three laws -- The Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020, and The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act 2020 -- were passed by Parliament in September last year.

Farmer groups have alleged that these laws will end the 'mandi' and the MSP procurement systems and leave the farmers at the mercy of big corporates. The government has rejected these apprehensions as misplaced and asserted that these steps will help increase farmer income.

(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.)
Type address separated by commas

Your Email:
The Covid-19 pandemic reduced in 2020 by the largest amount since World War II, according to a study published on Monday by Oxford University, with the of American men dropping by more than two years.

fell by more than six months compared with 2019 in 22 of the 29 countries analysed in the study, which spanned Europe, the United States and Chile. There were reductions in life expectancy in 27 of the 29 countries overall.

The university said most life expectancy reductions across different countries could be linked to official Covid-19 deaths. There have been nearly 5 million reported deaths caused by the new so far, a Reuters tally shows.

The fact that our results highlight such a large impact that is directly attributable to Covid-19 shows how devastating a shock it has been for many countries, said Ridhi Kashyap, co-lead author of the paper, published in the International Journal of Epidemiology.

There were greater drops in life expectancy for men than women in most countries, with the largest decline in American men, whose life expectancy drop by 2.2 years relative to 2019.





ALSO READ: Covid cuts American men's life expectancy by 2 years; worst in 29 nations

Overall, men had more than a year shaved off in 15 countries, compared to women in 11 countries. That wiped out the progress on mortality that had been made in the previous 5.6 years.

In the United States, the rise in mortality was mainly among those of working age and those under 60, while in Europe, deaths among people aged over 60 contributed more significantly to the increase in mortality.

Kashyap appealed to more countries, including low- and middle-income nations, to make mortality data available for further studies. We urgently call for the publication and availability of more disaggregated data to better understand the impacts of the pandemic globally, she said.

The impact of Covid-19 on lifespans may be greater in less developed countries that werent included in the research.



Emerging evidence from low- and middle-income countries, such as Brazil and Mexico, that have been devastated by the pandemic suggests that life-expectancy losses may be even larger in these populations, the researchers said, noting that losses in life expectancy are also likely to vary between subgroups within countries.

Before the pandemic, life expectancy at birth had continuously increased in most countries for generations. Covid-19, though, triggered a global mortality crisis, the magnitude of which hasnt been witnessed since World War II in Western European countries such as Spain, England & Wales, Italy, Belgium, France, the Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland and Portugal. And the losses observed in Eastern European nations exceeded those after the dissolution of the Eastern Bloc, except for Lithuania and Hungary

Only Denmark and Norway, who have excelled at controlling their outbreaks, avoided drops in life expectancy across both sexes, the study found.

Worldwide, more than 231.8 million Covid-19 cases and 4.7 million deaths have been reported, though researchers say the official toll is a gross underestimate. The US is predicted to have about 777,000 Covid fatalities by the end of the year, according to modelling this month by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at University of Washington.

The researchers cautioned against viewing Covid-19 as a transient shock to life expectancy. There is evidence of potential lingering harm from long-Covid and delayed care for other illnesses, compounded by the health effects of widening inequality from the pandemics social and economic disruption. The scars of the Covid-19 pandemic on population health may be longer-lasting, they said.
The Covid-19 pandemic led to biggest decrease in since the World War II, and wiped out years of progress on mortality, according to a study published on Monday by the University of Oxford.



The research team assembled an unprecedented dataset on mortality from 29 countries, spanning most of Europe, the US and Chile -- countries for which official death registrations for 2020 had been published.



The study, published in the International Journal of Epidemiology, found that 27 of the 29 countries saw reductions in in 2020, and at a scale which wiped out years of progress on mortality.



Women in 15 countries and men in 10 countries were found to have a lower expectancy at birth in 2020 than in 2015, a year in which was already negatively affected by a significant flu season.



"For Western European countries such as Spain, England and Wales, Italy, Belgium, among others, the last time such large magnitudes of declines in life expectancy at birth were observed in a single year was during WW-II," said study's co-lead author Jose Manuel Aburto, from Oxford's Leverhulme Center for Demographic Science (LCDS).



"However, the scale of the life expectancy losses was stark across most countries studied, with 22 countries included in the study experiencing larger losses than half a year in 2020," Aburto said.





ALSO READ: Covid cuts American men's life expectancy by 2 years; worst in 29 nations

The researchers noted that females in eight countries and males in 11 countries experienced losses larger than a year.



It took on average 5.6 years for these countries to achieve a one-year increase in life expectancy recently, while the progress was wiped out over the course of 2020 by Covid-19, they said.



Life expectancy, also known as period life expectancy, refers to the average age to which a newborn lives if current death rates continued for their whole life. It does not predict an actual lifespan.



Across most of the 29 countries, males saw larger life expectancy declines than females, according to the researchers.



The largest declines in life expectancy were observed among males in the US, who saw a decline of 2.2 years relative to 2019 levels, followed by Lithuanian males (1.7 years), they said.





ALSO READ: Coronavirus LIVE: India's active cases drop below 300000; tally at 33.67 mn

"The large declines in life expectancy observed in the US can partly be explained by the notable increase in mortality at working ages observed in 2020," said study co-lead author, Ridhi Kashyap from LCDS.



"In the US, increases in mortality in the under 60 age group contributed most significantly to life expectancy declines, whereas across most of Europe increases in mortality above age 60 contributed more significantly," Kashyap said.



The team's analysis also shows that most life expectancy reductions across different countries were attributable to official Covid-19 deaths.



"While we know that there are several issues linked to the counting of Covid-19 deaths, such as inadequate testing or misclassification, the fact that our results highlight such a large impact that is directly attributable to Covid-19 shows how devastating a shock it has been for many countries," Kashyap said.



"We urgently call for the publication and availability of more disaggregated data from a wider-range of countries, including low- and middle-income countries, to better understand the impacts of the pandemic globally," she added.



(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
India on Monday reported a net reduction of 3,856 in active cases to take its count to 299,620. Indias share of global active cases now stands at 1.61 per cent (one in 60). The country is eighth among the most affected countries by active cases. On Sunday, it added 26,041 cases to take its total caseload to 33,678,786 from 33,652,745  an increase of 0.1%. And, with 276 new fatalities, its Covid-19 reached 447,194, or 1.33 per cent of total confirmed infections.

With 3,818,362 more Covid-19 vaccine doses being administered on Sunday, Indias total count of vaccine shots so far reached 860,159,011. The count of recovered cases across India, meanwhile, reached 32,931,972  or 97.78 per cent of total caseload  with 29,621 new cured cases being reported on Monday.

Now the eighth-most-affected country by active cases, third by deaths, second by total cases, and first by recoveries, India has added 200,367 cases in the past 7 days.

India now accounts for 1.61% of all active cases globally (one in every 60 active cases), and 9.4% of all deaths (one in every 10 deaths).

India has so far administered 860,159,011 vaccine doses. That is 2554 per cent of its total caseload, and 61.64 per cent of its populatio006E.

Among Indian states, the top 5 in terms of number of vaccine shots administered are Uttar Pradesh (105052307), Maharashtra (82991480), Madhya Pradesh (63697933), Gujarat (63088274), and Rajasthan (59849273).

Among states with more than 10 million population, the top 5 in number of vaccine shots per one million population are Kerala (1056125), Gujarat (987724), Delhi (972955), Uttarakhand (968770), and Jammu and Kashmir (851875).

Backwards from here, the last 1 million cases for India have come in 30 days.

The count of active cases across India on Monday saw a net reduction of 3,856, compared to net addition of 2,034 on Sunday. States and UTs hat have seen the biggest daily net increase in active cases are Manipur (41), Tamil Nadu (22), West Bengal (9), Bihar (3), and Haryana (3).

With 29,621 new daily recoveries, Indias recovery rate stands at 97.78%, 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 (2.13%). The rate in as many as 16 is higher than the national average.

Indias new daily closed cases stand at 29,897  276 deaths and 29,621 recoveries. The share of deaths in total closed cases stands at 0.92%.

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 896.1 days, and for deaths at 1122.7 days.

Overall, five states with the biggest 24-hour jump in total cases are Kerala (15951), Maharashtra (3206), Tamil Nadu (1694), Andhra Pradesh (1184), and Karnataka (775).

Among states with more than 100,000 cases, the five with worst recovery rates at present are Kerala (95.93%).

India on Sunday conducted 1,165,006 to take the total count of tests conducted so far in the country to 564,408,251. The test positivity rate recorded was 2.2%.

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 (14.74%), Kerala (13.28%), Goa (13.2%), Sikkim (12.44%), and Maharashtra (11.25%).

Five states with the highest TPR by daily numbers for tests and cases added  are Kerala (15.41%), Manipur (7.07%), Mizoram (6.4%), Sikkim (4.26%), and Meghalaya (4.97%).

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 (1464532), J&K (1078023), Kerala (976938), Karnataka (698548), and Telangana (665372).

The five most affected states by total cases are Maharashtra (6544325), Kerala (4629888), Karnataka (2973395), Tamil Nadu (2657266), and Andhra Pradesh (2046841).

Maharashtra, the most affected state overall, has reported 3206 new cases to take its tally to 6544325.

Kerala, the second-most-affected state by total tally, has added 15951 cases to take its tally to 4629888.

Karnataka, the third-most-affected state, has reported 775 cases to take its tally to 2973395.

Tamil Nadu has added 1694 cases to take its tally to 2657266.

Andhra Pradesh has seen its tally going up by 1184 to 2046841.

Uttar Pradesh has added 11 cases to take its tally to 1709772.

Delhi has added 29 cases to take its tally to 1438714.
The (CCI) told the on Monday that it did not leak any information to the media relating to an investigation into Google's Android smartphone agreements.

Taking note of the CCI's submissions, the high court said nothing survives in the petition filed by Internet giant Google against the alleged leak of confidential probe information and disposed of the plea.

The court said in case Google has any further grievance that the information was being leaked it will be open for it to take legal recourse available.

This court has not expressed any opinion on the claims made by the petitioner (Google) that it is respondent 1 (CCI) which is responsible for the said leaks, Justice Rekha Palli made it clear.

Additional Solicitor General N Venkataraman, representing the CCI, submitted that the assumption of leak was wrong.

He said even though the commission stands by the legality of its order on Google's appeal against the Director General order on its confidentiality claim, to expedite the proceedings it has no objection to accept the request of the company on confidentiality.

CCI was willing to maintain confidentiality.., the ASG said and congratulated Google for its 23rd birthday.

It is Google's 23rd birthday today. We greet them through their counsel and wish them all the best, it said.

When the ASG said the writ petition has nothing to do on breach, senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for Google, said this writ (petition) is very much on breach.

Google's counsel said in case the CCI is bound by its statement, the grievance stands addressed.

The CCI had earlier told the high court that Google's plea against the alleged leak of confidential probe information was wholly misplaced and an attempt to frustrate the proceedings related to its Android smartphone agreements.

It had said that the commission stood by the legal obligation with respect to maintenance of confidentiality and clarified that there was no lapse on part of the body.

Google's counsel had said that the allegedly leaked information was only in possession with the Director General who further passes it on to CCI and no other person, including the parties, are privy to it.

Google, in a statement, had said that on September 18, 2021, a confidential interim fact-finding report submitted by the DG's office to CCI relating to an investigation into Google's Android smartphone agreements was leaked to the media.

The company had said it has filed the petition in the court seeking redressal of its grievance, specifically protesting against the breach of confidence which impairs Google's ability to defend itself and harms it and its partners.

According to reports, the CCI probe is stated to have found Google allegedly abusing its dominant position and indulging in unfair practices with respect to mobile operating system Android.

After prima-facie finding alleged violation of competition norms, the watchdog, in early 2019, had ordered a detailed probe against Google in this regard.

As per procedure, CCI will closely analyse the probe report and seek the views and submissions of the parties concerned before passing an order.

(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.)
Gulab, which crossed the Bay of Bengal coast near Kalingapatnam on Sunday night, weakened into a depression and caused widespread rains in several districts of on Monday and also left a trail of destruction, as the death toll rose to two with a woman's death.

Port city Visakhapatnam received a 30-year high rainfall of over 33.3 cm in 24 hours under the cyclone's impact and left a woman dead on Monday, taking the toll to two since Sunday. On Sunday, a fisherman was killed in the cyclonic storm in Bay of Bengal in Srikakulam district.

Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy reviewed the situation with Collectors of the rain-affected districts and directed them to step up relief works.

The Chief Minister announced an ex-gratia relief of Rs 5 lakh each to the kin of those killed in the cyclonic storm.

In Vizianagaram district, agricultural crops in 13,122 hectares and horticultural crops in 291 hectares were damaged, according to the Collector A Surya Kumari.

Nine head of cattle also died in the

#WATCH | Visakhapatnam International Airport witnesses severe waterlogging following heavy rainfall due to cyclone 'Gulab' in coastal areas of Andhra Pradesh pic.twitter.com/iHAjqKZ57J  ANI (@ANI) September 27, 2021

In Visakhapatnam, boulders fell on a house, causing its collapse and killing a woman, district Collector A Mallikarjuna said.

The Collector, along with Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation Commissioner G Srujana, inspected the rain-affected areas in the city and supervised the relief operations.

Chief Secretary Aditya Nath Das visited Srikakulam, the district worst affected by Gulab, and reviewed the rescue and relief operations.

The district administration sheltered over 1,500 persons in 38 relief camps and provided food.

Trees that were uprooted by the were cleared from the roads on a war-footing while the Eastern Power Distribution Company personnel carried out repair of the damaged power lines.

According to IMD data, rainfall ranging from 60.3 mm to 333 mm was recorded in over 450 places spread over Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Visakhapatnam, East Godavari, West Godavari and Krishna districts in 24 hours.

Guntur and Prakasam districts received up to 7.5 mm rainfall while SPS Nellore and the four Rayalaseema districts received up to 2.4 mm of rain, according to the State Disaster Management Authority.

The sea still remained rough in north coastal Andhra, which could cause moderate to heavy rainfall.

(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.)
Vehicular movement was disrupted in several parts of on Monday as supporters of the blocked roads and highways.

Shops were shut in state capital Ranchi, while government offices and banks functioned as usual.

In Ramgarh district, protesters blocked the Ranch-Patna highway and Ramgarh-Bokaro highway for some time, disrupting traffic, Superintendent of Police Prabhat Kumar told PTI.

Coal production at various mines of the Central Coalfields Ltd remained normal, but dispatch via road was affected due to blockades, said Amresh Singh, general manager, Banka-Sayal area.

The construction work of NTPC-JV super thermal power project in Ramgarh was unaffected, said Sabastin Joseph, General Manager (HR) of Patratu Vidyut Utpadan Ltd.

The shutdown had a major impact in the Chatra district with coal transportation at Tandwa and Piparwar getting affected. Bandh supporters staged a massive demonstration outside the NTPC project in the district.

Several roads in the district were blocked by JMM, CPI, RJD and Congress workers, leading to congestion on the highways.

Markets remained closed in Dumka, while bandh supporters blocked roads in several areas.

In Sahibganj, most of the commercial establishment remained closed, while agitators blocked the Highway-80.

Palamu saw a partial impact of the 10-hour bandh. JMM supporters protested at the Dr Rajendra Prasad roundabout.

No untoward incident was reported from any part of the district, Palamu's Superintendent of Police Chandan Kumar Sinha told PTI.

The bandh, called by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha in protest against the three farm laws, did not have much impact in Lohardaga, while in Garhwa, public transport was affected.

In Giridih, JMM, Congress, RJD and CPI(M) were seen forcing shops to down their shutters.

Several roads were blocked in Godda, while bandh supporters staged a demonstration at Kargil Chowk.

The shutdown had a minimum impact on Hazaribag and Dhanbad.

The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) had earlier urged the ruling coalition, led by JMM, to withdraw its support from the bandh, maintaining that the business community was already hardly hit by the COVID-related lockdown.

The three laws -- The Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020, and The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act 2020 -- were passed by Parliament in September last year.

Farmer groups have alleged that these laws will end the 'mandi' and the MSP procurement systems and leave the farmers at the mercy of big corporates. The government has rejected these apprehensions as misplaced and asserted that these steps will help increase farmer income.

(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.)
Markets remained open and business activities were largely unaffected in the capital on Monday, though massive traffic snarls were witnessed in border areas due to road blockades by protesters and security checks by police during the called by farmers against the Centre's three agri laws.

The auto and taxi unions as well as several traders' bodies extended only "in-principle support" to the and decided not to join the strike, saying their livelihood has already been hit hard due to the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown.

A section of trade unions and civil society groups held a protest at Jantar Mantar in solidarity with the Bandh called by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha, the umbrella body of over 40 farm unions spearheading the farmers' agitation.

The protesters held banners of 'Long Live Farmers Unity' and demanded the repeal of the agri laws and equal opportunities for all.

Parts of the capital witnessed traffic snarls in morning hours as police closed some key roads to prevent any untoward incident during the bandh. Commuters faced difficulty while crossing the city borders, especially the Delhi-Gurgaon border.

The traffic on DND was also affected. The Ghazipur border is closed for vehicular movement and the whole traffic is being diverted to DND and Apsara border for Noida and Ghaziabad respectively.

There was chaos on one carriageway of the highway coming from Ghazipur border to Sarai Kale Khan near Akshardham Mandir.

Massive traffic snarl seen at Gurugram-Delhi border as vehicles entering the national capital are being checked by Delhi Police and paramilitary jawans, in wake of called by farmer organisations today. pic.twitter.com/dclgkqp3X1  ANI (@ANI) September 27, 2021

The Delhi Police increased security checks at its border points which led to the slowing down of traffic and it informed commuters about road closures and traffic snarls on Twitter.

According to police, roads around the historic Red Fort, which witnessed violent clashes during a farmers' tractor rally on January 26, as well as the dual carriageway at the Ghazipur border were closed for traffic.

"The traffic is heavy at the Kalindi Kunj flyover and Kalindi Kunj metro station while it is moving slowly on DND flyway. The traffic is also heavy at Rajokri toll plaza as the local police have set up a checkpoint for vehicles," a senior police official said.

A Delhi Metro station near Tikri Border, one of the sites of the ongoing farmers' protests, was also closed for security reasons in view of the Bandh. The station in Haryana -- Pandit Shree Ram Sharma -- falls on the Green Line of the network.

According to Railway officials, about 25 trains have been affected due to the Bharat Bandh including Delhi-Amritsar Shan-e-Punjab, New Delhi-Moga Express, Old Delhi-Payhajot Express, Vande Bharat Express from to Katra, and Amritsar Shatabdi.

"More than 20 locations are being blocked in Delhi, Ambala, and Firozpur divisions. About 25 trains are affected due to this," a spokesperson for the Northern Railway said.

Autorickshaws and taxis plied normally and shops were open.

"Previously also we had supported Bharat Bandh by the farmers but continued to ply our autos and taxis. This time also we are in support of genuine farmers but we are not on strike because our members are in deep distress due to shrinking earnings in pandemic times," said Rajender Soni, the general secretary of the Delhi Auto Taxi Union.

The Sarvoday Driver Association of Delhi, representing many drivers of cab aggregator platforms, also supported the farmers but did not join the strike.

"We are in support of the farmers, but our work was affected due to the pandemic and we cannot afford to go in their support by striking," said Kamaljeet Gill, president of the Association.

Other auto and taxi unions expressed the same sentiment.

"We fully support the farmers. But in view of the financial crisis faced by us due to COVID, we are extending our moral and in-principle support to them and their demand while working normally," said Anuj Rathor, secretary of the Rashtriya Rajdhani Kshetra Auto Drivers Association.

Markets and shops in the city were open as farmers have not contacted our associations for any strike, said Brijesh Goyal, chairman of the Chamber of Trade and Industry(CTI).

"Also, the festival season is approaching and it is time for traders to recover some of the losses they faced due to the pandemic and lockdown. We do support the farmers and urge the government to meet their demand," he said.

Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) Secretary General Praveen Khandelwal said there was no effect of the Bandh on the markets across the country including Delhi.

"All the markets including in Delhi remained fully open and business activities in the markets went on as normal. We have advised the farmer leaders to leave the path of struggle and find ways to negotiate with the government," he said.

To mark one year since the laws were passed, farmer organisations had called a Bharat Bandh on Monday from 6 AM to 4 PM.

The three laws -- The Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020, and The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act 2020 -- were passed by Parliament in September last year.

The government has projected them as major reforms but the unions allege that the laws will leave the farmers at the mercy of big corporates and have been protesting on Delhi's borders since November last year.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Prime Minister on Monday launched the Digital Mission, under which a digital health ID will be provided to people that will contain their health records, and asserted that it has the potential to bring revolutionary changes in healthcare.

In his address after the launch, Modi said the mission marks a new phase in efforts of the last seven years to strengthen health facilities.

The pilot project of the Digital Mission was announced by the prime minister from the ramparts of the Red Fort on August 15, 2020.

Currently, Digital Mission is being implemented in a pilot phase in six union territories.

Its nationwide roll-out coincides with the Health Authority celebrating the third anniversary of the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY).

In his remarks, Modi said that the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission has the potential to bring revolutionary changes to our health facilities.

The prime minister noted that India has nearly 130 crore Aadhaar users, 118 crore mobile subscribers, 43 crore Jan Dhan bank accounts, and such a connected infrastructure can be found nowhere else in the world.





ALSO READ: Bharat Bandh LIVE: Traffic smooth at Delhi-Gurgaon border; protests on

Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission will provide reliable data, leading to better treatment and ensuring savings for patients, he said.

The prime minister said that under the mission, people of the country will now get a digital health ID.

Health records of every citizen will be digitally protected, he said, adding that the poor and the middle class will benefit the most from this mission.

Emphasizing on the importance of technology, the prime minister pointed out that the Aarogya Setu app helped a lot in preventing the spread of the coronavirus infection.

He also noted that India has been able to administer about 90 crore vaccine doses, and the Co-WIN application and its portal played a big role in it.

Based on the foundations laid down in the form of Jan Dhan, Aadhaar and Mobile (JAM) trinity and other digital initiatives of the government, Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission will create a seamless online platform through the provision of a wide range of data, information and infrastructure services, duly leveraging open, interoperable, standards-based digital systems while ensuring the security, confidentiality and privacy of health-related personal information, according to the Prime Minister's Office (PMO).



ALSO READ: Covid caused biggest decrease in life expectancy since World War II: Study

It will enable access and exchange of longitudinal health records of citizens with their consent, the PMO said.

The key components of the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission include a health ID for every citizen that will also work as their health account, to which personal health records can be linked and viewed with the help of a mobile application, a Healthcare Professionals Registry (HPR) and Healthcare Facilities Registries (HFR) that will act as a repository of all healthcare providers across both modern and traditional systems of medicine.

This will ensure ease of doing business for doctors, hospitals and healthcare service providers.

The Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission Sandbox, created as a part of the mission, will act as a framework for technology and product testing that will help organisations, including private players, intending to be a part of the Digital Health Ecosystem become a health information provider or a health information user or efficiently link with building blocks of Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission, the PMO said.

This mission will create interoperability within the digital health ecosystem, similar to the role played by the Unified Payments Interface in revolutionising payments, it said.

Citizens will only be a click away from accessing healthcare facilities, it 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.)
With looking to expand its footprint in green energy, the state is likely to see a $5-10 billion renewable sector investment with Danish participation, including an energy island in the Gulf of Mannar. The island may produce 4-10 Gw.

A delegation of experts from Denmark, led by Energy Minister Dan Jorgensen, met Chief Minister M K Stalin on Wednesday. If it materialises, the project will be the first offshore floating wind park in India. The Gulf of Mannar lies between the west coast of Sri Lanka and the south-eastern tip of India.

This comes days after the Generation and Distribution Corporation (Tangedco) announced its plans to come up with 20,000 Mw of solar power projects with adequate battery storage, 3,000 Mw of pumped storage hydroelectric projects, and 2,000 Mw of gas-based power units in the next 10 years. These projects are expected to require loans of around Rs 1.32 trillion.

The Denmark delegation included Ambassador Freddy Svane and Asser Rasmussen Berling, head of the energy department, representatives from 18 Danish companies, the ministry, and industry chambers.

In March, Svane had visited Chennai and held talks with N Muruganandam, principal secretary (industries), and other officials.

Important discussion points included creating a centre of excellence for offshore wind energy in Chennai, envisioning an energy island  an offshore wind farm in the Gulf of Mannar and an immediate action plan for climate change by the government of Tamil Nadu, said a government official.

Some important Danish companies in are Vestas, Cubic, Maersk, Grundfos, FLSmidth, and Danfoss.

The value of Danish investment in Tamil Nadu between January 2003 and January 2021 is estimated at $ 751.72 million. Companies that have marked their presence in other parts of India include Novo-Nordisk, A.P. Moller Maersk and Ramboll. In the last decade Denmark has invested over $1 billion in the country. Around 200 Danish companies are operating in India.

Indian companies that have a presence in Denmark include Tata Consultancy Services, Infosys Technologies, ITC Infotech, and L&T Infotech.

In a visit by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to Copenhagen, a key point of discussion was green strategic partnership and health.

This was the first visit by an Indian foreign minister to Denmark in 20 years. Jaishankar had met the chief executive officers of Grundfos, Vestas, Maersk, Haldor, Topsoe, and CIP. The British government recently announced it would invest around $1.2 billion in Indias space through public and private participation.

India has lined up a plan of around 450 Gw of by 2030. Several industry majors like Reliance Industries and Adani Group have announced their roles in it.
A novel, green method of producing could reduce global warming-causing greenhouse gas emissions and help countries achieve their climate goals.

'Green' is produced by using renewable energy to split water into and oxygen. In contrast, the conventional process of making hydrogen uses fossil fuels.

Hydrogen is a key input in fertilizers and refineries, so green hydrogen would help these industries cut aggregate emissions. It could also be used in steel manufacturing to reduce emissions by replacing the use of coal as the energy source and as a reducing agent.

"Till now, we have been focusing on renewable energy sources for clean electricity, but for industries and the transportation sector to transition to net zero emissions, we need clean fuel; green hydrogen can play a critical role in this," Amit Kumar, a former senior director of social transformation at The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), told IndiaSpend.

As extreme weather events around the world drive home the urgency of climate action, countries are striving to cut emissions -- many have already announced 'net zero' targets -- to limit global warming to 1.5-2 degrees Celsius (C). Green hydrogen is being seen as a key component of a worldwide, economy-wide and system-wide shift to a lower carbon footprint for humankind.

In India, the central government and several states are launching programmes to support the production and use of green hydrogen. In September 2021, Kerala initiated talks with energy companies to make green hydrogen from a solar power facility at Cochin Airport. In August, the prime minister announced the National Hydrogen Mission to support India's energy transition goals. Our explainer tells you what green hydrogen is and why it is important for India.

The different kinds of hydrogen

India's demand for grey hydrogen--produced using fossil fuels--was around six million tonnes in 2020, according to a report by TERI.

"Hydrogen is basically a colourless gas; the colours--green, blue, turquoise and grey--indicate how it is produced," said Ashish Guhan Bhaskar, an energy engineer affiliated with the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW), "Green hydrogen is the only clean type that uses renewable energy."

By 2050, India will see a five-fold growth in grey hydrogen demand, the TERI report predicts. But only by 2030 will green hydrogen become cost-competitive with hydrogen from fossil fuels, when its cost is likely to fall by more than 50%, which is below $2 (Rs 147/kg). Its current cost is between $3/kg (Rs 221/kg) and $10/kg (Rs 737/kg).

Sectors where green hydrogen can be used

Green hydrogen can help decarbonise sectors such as shipping and transportation, where it can be used as a fuel, as well as in manufacturing industries such as steel and chemicals, where it can constitute an important raw material as well as a fuel. It could replace fossil fuels in power generation and be used to store renewable energy. Further, green hydrogen could be used in gas turbines, along with ammonia, to manage fluctuations in the demand and supply of power.

Take the example of steel and iron, among the world's most polluting sectors that account for 7% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Steel--used in everything from bridges to cars--is projected to contribute 35% of India's carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuel combustion and industry by 2050, as per a TERI report.

Hydrogen has two uses in steel production -- as a reducing agent, and as a fuel. Radical changes are needed in iron and steel production technology to make the process sustainable and carbon neutral, the International Energy Agency said in a 2020 report. Green hydrogen could be one such breakthrough.

Countries around the world, including Australia and members of the European Union, are experimenting with green hydrogen-based steel. Some of the world's biggest steelmakers, including ArcelorMittal and Thyssenkrupp, are at various stages of transitioning to green steel made using green hydrogen. Tata Steel had piloted green steel in Europe in 2020, but is still reportedly looking for ways to commercially scale the plant.

Green hydrogen-based steel would help India avoid carbon border taxes. It is the world's second largest steel producer, having exported 10.15 million tonnes in 2020-21. "Countries, especially in the European Union, are starting to tax carbon footprint, so our steel industry is going to take a hit if it doesn't plan decarbonisation," Hemant Mallya, senior programme lead at the Council on Energy, Environment and Water, a New Delhi-based think-tank, told IndiaSpend.

Steel makers would need new equipment as the "majority of existing steel is produced using a blast furnace--a giant cylinder where you dump your coal, iron ore and other aggregates", said Mallya. "For green hydrogen-based steel, you need a shaft furnace which is a different technology,"

Challenges

The main challenge in transitioning to green hydrogen is to make it economically competitive and commercially viable. Steel made using green hydrogen costs 50-127% higher than steel made using conventional coal, a report by CEEW estimated in 2021.

"India needs to put some sort of regulatory mechanism or incentives in place to make the shift towards green hydrogen and green steel," said Kumar of TERI. But so far, the government is yet to release the policy framework for the rollout of green hydrogen.

The deployment of green hydrogen is still in the pilot stage and though many countries, including India, have announced national hydrogen programmes, they have not yet planned how it will be commercialised at a large scale, according to a September 2021 CEEW report. The report proposes a multi-country alliance to financially and technologically support and develop green hydrogen technologies. Companies and the government should proactively collaborate to transition to green steel, suggested a 2021 TERI report. In India, companies, including Reliance Industries and JSW Steel, along with experts from think tanks, have formed a coalition, called the India Hydrogen Alliance, to plan India's green hydrogen roadmap.

India also needs more research on how to put green hydrogen to use in green steel. Currently, the focus is only on deployment of green steel and not on research to find innovative ways to use green hydrogen, Kumar said, suggesting that India use its recent US-India Climate and Energy Agenda 2030 Partnership to push for collaboration on such research.

Further, India should transition to green steel gradually, by blending green hydrogen with grey hydrogen to begin with, a recent CEEW report suggested. "An overnight transition to fossil-free steelmaking will be highly expensive,'' said Mallya. In 2030, the lowest cost of producing green steel would still be 22% higher than coal-based steel, the CEEW report said.
The government will borrow Rs 5.03 trillion in the second half of the current fiscal to fund the revenue gap for reviving the pandemic-hit economy, the finance ministry said on Monday.

During the first half, the government has raised Rs 7.02 trillion by issuing bonds, the ministry said in a statement.

"Out of gross market borrowing of Rs 12.05 trillion projected for FY 2021-22 in the Union Budget, Rs 7.24 trillion (60 per cent) was planned to be borrowed in first half (H1).

"The effective borrowing in H1 of FY 2021-22 was Rs 7.02 trillion. The Government now plans to borrow the balance Rs 5.03 trillion in second half year (H2) of FY 2021-22," it said.

"The governments H2 borrowing amounting to Rs 5.03 trillion is likely to be conducted in 21 weekly tranches of Rs 24,000/23,000 crore. Borrowing will be spread under 2, 5, 10, 14, 30 and 40 year-securities and Floating Rate Bonds (tenor of 7-8 & 13 years). The share of borrowing under different maturities will be: 2 years: 4%; 5 years: 11.9 %; 10 year: 28.4 %; 14 year: 17.9 %; 30 year: 13.9 %; and 40 year: 15.1 %. Borrowing under Floating Rate Bonds will be 8.8 %. The Government will issue another Floating Rate Bond of 7-8 years, in addition to 13-year. Both will be issued on alternate basis," said Ministry of Finance in a statement.

The H2 projection also factors requirements for release of balance amount to states on account of back-to-back loan facility in-lieu of GST compensation during the year, it added.

According to the Budget for 2021-22, the government's gross borrowing was estimated at Rs 12.05 trillion, while net borrowing was pegged at Rs 9.37 trillion in the financial year beginning April 1.

Gross borrowing includes repayments of past loans. Repayment for past loans in the next financial year has been pegged at Rs 2.80 trillion.

The government raises money from the market to fund its fiscal deficit through dated securities and treasury bills.

The Budget has pegged fiscal deficit at 6.8 per cent for the next fiscal, down from 9.5 per cent of the GDP in the current financial year.
Commerce and industry minister on Monday said that India has exported goods worth $185 billion since the beginning of the financial year, according to latest data collated by the government.

Export figures have hit $185 billion as of September 21. These figures are very encouraging and I compliment the exporters community for this, Goyal said at an event organised by the Federation of India Export Organizations (FIEO). The current fiscals export target is $400 billion.

The minister also said that the current (FTP) is slated to be extended by another six months--31 March, 2022. FTP is an elaborate policy guideline and strategy to promote goods and services export, while addressing domestic and global constraints.

The present policy came into force on April 1, 2015 and was valid for five years. However, a new FTP was deferred and the existing policy was extended till March 31, 2021 as businesses grappled with the disruption caused by the pandemic.

Earlier this year, the policy extended for the second time and this time till September 30, 2021.

We are notifying it today evening or tomorrow...we have decided to extend the policy until March 31 (2022)...and in the (new) financial year, we can start with the new policy, the minister said, adding that the government hopes that the Covid-19 issues will be resolved by that time.

Business Standard had on Monday reported that officials aware of the matter said the government wants to continue with the existing (FTP) for another six months and may take some more time till the government finalises a fresh support or any incentive-based scheme for exporters, which is crucial at a time when circumstances have changed since the outbreak of the pandemic.

The minister added that the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) will also discuss the issue of high prices charged by shipping companies with the concerned government department. I have asked DGFT to talk to the shipping ministry so that we can have predetermined rates like we have in costumes (rate), he said.

Goyal also inaugurated a trade facilitation portal that was developed by FIEO to help exporters deal with challenges due to acute shortage of containers. The portal will bring exporters and logistics service providers (LSPs) on a single platform.

A Sakthivel, President FIEO said that over 1,800 exporters and over 300 service providers boarded the portal during the soft launch.

The portal offers a value proposition to all stakeholders. Exporters can post details of their container requirements directly to service providers for providing their best quotes, enabling exporters to chat, negotiate and finalize business, Sakthivel said.
Affordability to buy homes has improved in major cities this year driven by a rise in household incomes from a low base of 2020, lower mortgage rates and stable prices, according to property consultant JLL India.

The consultant on Monday launched its annual Home Purchase Affordability Index (JLL HPAI 2021), which signifies whether a household earning an average annual income (at an overall city level) is eligible for a loan on a property in the city, at the prevailing market price.

The index shows that between 2013 and 2021, affordability has increased consistently across key -- Delhi-NCR, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Pune, Hyderabad and Bengaluru.

"During the current year, household incomes witnessed a sharp increase of 7-9 per cent (from the low base of 2020) in the markets under consideration," JLL said.

At the same time, the consultant said that remained stagnant in all of India's prime residential markets except for Hyderabad.

"Moreover, mortgage rates continue to trend at their lowest in 15 years, thereby leading to reduced EMIs for homebuyers, thereby having a significant bearing on affordability," JLL said.

According to JLL HPAI 2021, Mumbai, India's most expensive property market, has witnessed a significant rise in home affordability index, breaching the affordability threshold of 100 this year.

Kolkata is the best market in terms of home purchase affordability.

The current year is expected to witness Hyderabad surpass the 200-mark on the affordability index followed closely by Pune.

The index indicates that an average income earning household in the markets of Hyderabad and Kolkata has enough

income to qualify for a home loan on two 1,000 square feet apartments (or one 2,000 square feet apartment) at the

prevailing market price.

JLL report defined HPAI as the ratio of the average household income to the eligible household income.

Eligible household income is defined as the minimum income that a household should earn in order to qualify for a home loan on a 1,000 sq ft apartment at the prevailing market price.

A value of 100 means that a household has exactly enough income to qualify for the loan. A value less than 100 implies that an average household does not have enough income to qualify for a loan.

A value of more than 100 implies that an average household has more than enough income to qualify for the home loan.

According to JLL report, HPAI of Kolkata is estimated to improve to 218 this year from 201 in the 2020 calendar year.

Hyderabad's affordability index is likely to improve to 203 from 193 while index of Pune may rise to 198 from 186.

The HPAI of Bengaluru is expected to increase to 191 from 176, while Chennai's index could rise to 185 from 174.

Delhi-NCR's index is set to rise to 143 from 132.

The index of Mumbai is estimated to improve to 100 this year from 94 in 2020.

(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 Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas is evaluating a threshold at which the subsidy on Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG or cooking gas) will be reinstated. According to a senior government official in the know, a survey is currently being conducted to determine the price at which maximum consumers will keep buying domestic cylinders. One of the options also being considered is to limit any subsidy disbursal only to Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) beneficiaries.

This was needed after global LPG prices collapsed and the government eliminated LPG subsidy in May 2020. A domestic 14.2 kg LPG cylinder cost Rs 581.50 apiece in the national capital during the time. The price has steadily risen since but LPG subsidy has not been resumed. A domestic LPG cylinder now costs Rs 884.50 apiece in Delhi, the highest ever price for a subsidised LPG cylinder.

While there is nil subsidy on a domestic cylinder in Delhi, the centre continues to subsidise freight costs in some states. The exact quantum of subsidy in each case varies, but it is largely less than Rs 30 apiece. This is being done to bring some uniformity in the effective price of a domestic cylinder across the country.

A survey is presently being conducted to try and figure out the threshold to which consumers can buy domestic LPG cylinders comfortably. LPG is a scarce commodity in India and the government intends to continue keeping a check on prices, an official told Business Standard.

The government is monitoring current prices and looking for trends that show a dip in consumption. Since PMUY beneficiaries are considered to be financially most vulnerable, an option being considered is to extend any fresh subsidy allocation only to them. A call on the quantum of subsidy to be offered and the effective price of a subsidised LPG cylinder will be taken after the outcome of the survey, the official added.

It is expected that there will be a little over 300 million LPG consumers in India by March 2022. Of these, there will be around 207.2 million non-PMUY (or regular) LPG consumers in the country. Under the present regime, all consumers are bearing the full price of an LPG cylinder for a refill.





To ease the burden on consumers, the government regulates the price of a domestic LPG cylinder sold by public sector undertaking (PSU) companies through budgetary subsidy. This subsidy amount is transferred into the accounts of the consumers after a purchase. The centre also tends to dictate the price at which domestic LPG is sold by the three PSUs, Indian Oil Corporation (IOCL), Bharat Petroleum Corporation (BPCL), and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation (HPCL) that together have over 95 per cent of the market share.

LPG price for BharatGas consumers under a privatised BPCL

Despite some apprehensions over costs being disallowed and notional losses, oil PSUs adhere to the centres diktats on LPG price. But with the privatisation of BPCL on the cards, there is a possibility that the new owner may not listen to the centres directives. Its not that oil PSUs do not sell at a margin, but they or any new private entity will certainly seek more.

This puts around 84.5 million consumers of BharatGas, BPCLs LPG division in a quandary. Of these, over 21 million come under the PMUY, indicating even more sensitivity to higher prices.

But officials intend to keep BharatGas LPG prices under check. Whosoever purchases BPCL will have to adhere to the prices fixed by the Centre for domestic users eligible for subsidy. BharatGas has a large chunk of the domestic market and consumers are price sensitive, an official said.

In December 2015, the centre withdrew LPG subsidy to those having a taxable income above Rs 10 lakh per annum. Officially, everyone else is still eligible to recieve LPG subsidy from the annual Budgetary allocation.

Subsidy for eligible BharatGas consumers will continue and the new owner will also have to maintain the effective price to beneficiaries. So, if Indane (IndianOils LPG division) and HP Gas (HPCLs LPG division) are selling a domestic cylinder for say Rs 900 (effective price after subsidy) in a city, BharatGas consumers will continue to get it at Rs 900 for the same category of beneficiaries, even after BPCL's privatisation, the official added.


Prime Minister on Monday launched the digital Mission and said the initiative would bring about a revolutionary change in Indias health facilities, improve ease of living, and digitally protect the health records of people.

He said in a virtual address that the mission would create a seamless online platform that would enable interoperability within the digital health ecosystem.

Referring to the Jan Dhan-Aadhaar-Mobile (JAM) trinity, the prime minister said the digital infrastructure was taking everything from Ration to Prashasan to the common Indian in a fast and transparent manner. There is no such big connected infrastructure anywhere in the world, Modi said.

The PM said the Ayushman BharatDigital Mission would connect the digital health solutions of hospitals across the country with each other and simplify hospital processes. Every citizen would be able to get a health ID and their health record would be digitally protected, Modi said. Experts, however, have raised privacy concerns around the digitisation of the health records of people, especially in absence of a data protection law or a data protection authority. Digital rights organisation Access Now has said in a letter to the health ministry: The use of 'unique identifiers' imperils privacy, and enables the mosaicing or creation of a complete profile of users, which can be used to target them by commercial or state actors. This must not be permitted.



Modi stressed that the initiative would play a very important role in eliminating the medical problems of the poor and the middle-class section of society.

He acknowledged that diseases were one of the key reasons to push families into the vicious cycle of poverty. Modi said women in these families were the worst sufferers as they would always relegate their health issues to the background.

More than 20 million citizens have so far availed of the facility of free treatment under the scheme, half of whom are women, according to the government. The PM acknowledged that diseases were one of the key reasons to push families into the vicious cycle of poverty. He said women in these families were the worst sufferers as they would always relegate their health issues to the background.

The scheme was launched by the prime minister on September 23, 2018. So far, 23,000 hospitals have been empanelled under the scheme, 40 per cent of which are from the private sector. It was in the middle of the pandemic that the government had launched the national digital health mission. The unique digital health ID is part of this programme which seeks to give control over their health data and digital personal health records.

Private sector hospitals have termed the announcement a watershed moment, which would transform the way health care is delivered in the country. The implications of this programme are far wider than what is being perceived today. Its like a neural system for the entire ecosystem where the signals will flow up and down. That is what would bring in efficiency in the healthcare system, said Ashutosh Raghuvanshi, managing director and CEO,

Health experts said the biggest advantage to users would be that they would not have to repeat certain investigations since there would be a unified format and standards in the digital system. The digital health mission would also ensure the flow of information to insurance providers.

This programme will be a game-changer and provide timely and hassle-free medical care to people all over India. The only challenge we foresee is the ability and willingness to implement a digital ecosystem in all our health care services and to come out of our comfort zone of providing physical services, said Shuchin Bajaj, founder and director, Ujala Cygnus Group of Hospitals.

Highlighting some of the other challenges, Access Now in the letter to the ministry has asked the government to ensure that the creation of a digital health system does not exacerbate the digital divide, and does not replace government investment in primary and secondary health infrastructure. It also asked the ministry to ensure that this system contained adequate regulation of the sector, did not force a health ID or digital access upon anyone, and was based on the principle of non-exclusion.
The will announce its first cut-off list on October 1, followed by the second on October 9 and the third on October 16.

Nearly 70,000 seats under various courses are up for grabs and the admission process is online due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The colleges will declare their first cut-off list on October 1 and admissions will start from October 4 at 10 am and will go on till October 6 at 11.59 pm, the varsity said on Monday.

Colleges are expected to approve admissions under the first list by 5 pm on October 7 and the last day of payment will be October 8 by 5 pm, it said.

The second cut-off will be declared on October 9, with admissions starting from October 11 at 10 am and ending on October 13 at 11.59 pm.

The (DU) said that admissions under the second list will be approved by 5 pm on October 14 and the last day of payment will be October 15 by 5 pm.

The third list will be announced on October 16 with the admission process starting on October 18 at 10 am. The candidates will be able to apply for admission till October 21 at 11.59 pm.

Colleges will approve admissions under the third list by 5 pm on October 22 and the last day of payment will be October 23 by 5 pm, the DU said in its admission schedule.

The varsity said that colleges will announce special cut-offs after the third list, if there are vacant seats.

The special list will be for those who could not apply in the previous three lists despite being eligible, it said.

The admission process will start on October 26 at 10 am and end on October 27 at 11.59 pm for special cut-offs and colleges will approve admissions by 5 pm on October 28 and the last day of payment will be October 29 by 5 pm, the DU said.

The fourth list will be out on October 30 with the admission process commencing on November 1 at 10 am and ending on the next day at 11.59 pm, it said.

The colleges are expected to complete admission approvals by 5 pm on November 5 with the last date of payment being November 6 by 5 pm, the varsity said.

The fifth list will be announced on November 8 and the candidates will be able to apply for admission by November 9 at 10 am and ending on the next day at November 10 at 11.59 pm.

The colleges will complete admission approvals by 11.59 pm on November 11 with the last date of payment being November 12 by 5 pm.

They will declare cut-offs under the special drive on vacant seats wherever applicable on November 13 with admissions happening between November 14 and 15 and the last date of payment being November 16.

(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.)
BSTC result 2021: The Office of Elementary and Panchayati Raj Department of Elementary (DEE), Bikaner, has declared the result of Pre-D.El.Ed Examination 2021. The exam was held on August 31 for admission to the two-year DElEd (General / Sanskrit) programme to various BTSC colleges across the state.

Pre D.L. Ed. Monday Date of Examination, 2021: Result will be declared on 27.9.2021 at 1.00 PM at Shiksha Sankul, Jaipur. Senior officers of the department will also be present on the occasion. The state government is determined to provide employment opportunities to the youth of the state," the department tweeted.

Steps to download BSTC 2021 Results:

Step 1: Go to the official website, predeled.org. Click on the link BSTC Pre-D.El.Ed 2021 result

Step 2: Enter asked credentials from your admit card

Step 3: Click to proceed

Step 4: Download the result BSTC counselling result 2021

The Rajasthan Pre-D.El.Ed online examination was held on August 15, 2021, in the afternoon shift from 2 to 5 pm. Those who make it to the merit list will be called for counselling that includes document verification, payment of fees, choice filling of seats, and allotment.
As soon as Chief Minister announced that all cinema halls and drama theatres in the state will reopen from October 22, a slew of Bollywood filmmakers declared the release dates of their upcoming films.

The reopening comes after 18 months after the box-offices were shut in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic plus the series of lockdowns since March 2020.

Following the news, filmmakers, producers, distributors and cinema hall owners welcomed the decision and expressed their excitement online.

Speaking about the same, Gautam Dutta, CEO, PVR Limited told IANS: "It is heartening to see the locking of release dates by the producers of Big Ticket Bollywood movies starting this festive season and beyond in view of the recent government announcement for reopening of cinemas."

He added that Hindi movies have a universal appeal in our country cutting across regions and geographies and hence crucial for the revival of the entire film exhibition industry.

"The multiplex industry thrives on a constant supply of content week on week and a clear horizon of the Hindi film pipeline will surely help to stabilize the film exhibition business".

Alok Tandon, CEO - INOX Leisure Ltd, too welcomed the Government of Maharashtra's decision to allow cinemas to reopen from October 22 and the announcements of release dates made by various production houses.

Talking to IANS Tandon added: "We now have both passion and content on our side to stage a remarkable comeback and entertain film lovers."

"The emerging content line-up also augurs well for the financial health of the cinema exhibition sector, and should hasten the recovery process. We would like to assure all our guests about our safety protocol which would ensure a safe and hygienic movie watching experience."

The second half of 2021 looks bright.

The first Bollywood big film, which is slated to hit the silver screen is Akshay Kumar-starrer 'Sooryavanshi'. It will be released on October 22.

The next film to see the light of day in the theatres is Yash Raj Film's 'Bunty Aur Babli 2'. The Saif Ali Khan and Rani Mukerji-starrer and family entertainer will hit theatres on November 19, 2021. Helmed by Varun V. Sharma, the film also features Siddhant Chaturvedi and debutante actress Sharvari.

The vigilante action film 'Satyamev Jayate 2', which will see action hero John Abraham in a double role is locked for November 26.

Ayushmann Khurrana-Vaani Kapoor's progressive love story 'Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui', which is directed by Abhishek Kapoor, is scheduled to drop on December 10 this year.

Filmmaker Sajid Nadiadwala also made an official announcement of a slate of big ticket releases including 'Tadap - An Incredible Love Story' featuring Ahan Shetty and Tara Sutaria on December 3.

Kabir Khan's '83' featuring Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone is out on Christmas 2021.

Upon the reopening of the theatres in Maharashtra, Nadiadwala "welcomed" Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray's "historic decision".

He added: "I am really happy for the cinema hall and multiplex owners since this decision will boost their revival. With big festivals around the corner, there couldn't be better time to start than Diwali."

Allu Arjun's Telugu film 'Pushpa', which revolves around the red sanders heist in the hills of Andhra Pradesh, too will release in December. The film will be clashing with Ranveer's '83' on Christmas.

Actor Shahid Kapoor on Sunday announced the release date of his much awaited film 'Jersey'. The film will be released in theatres on December 31. It is the official Hindi remake of National Award-winning Telugu film by the same name. The original film starred actor Nani.

This is not it!

Makers are optimistic as they have even released a slate for 2022 releases.

Prabhas and Pooja Hegde's romantic film 'Radhe Shyam' is slated to release on January 14.

The release date for Akshay Kumar-starrer big budget period drama film 'Prithviraj' has been announced as January 21.

Superstar Aamir Khan's 'Laal Singh Chadha', which is an official Hindi remake of Hollywood film 'Forrest Gump' will release on Valentine's Day next year.

Ranveer's 'Jayeshbhai Jordaar' is slated to hit theatres on February 25. It narrates the journey of a Gujarati man, who becomes an unlikely hero.

'Bachchan Pandey' starring Akshay, Kriti Sanon and Jacqueline Fernandez is on March 4. 'Shamshera' starring Ranbir Kapoor, Sanjay Dutt and Vaani Kapoor will release on March 18.

The second instalment of 'Bhool Bhulaiyaa', starring Kartk Aaryan will release on March 25.

'KGF 2', 'May Day' and Tiger Shroff's 'Heropanti 2' will hit the screens on April 14, April 29 and May 6, respectively.

Aanand L. Rai's 'Raksha Bandhan' and 'Vikram Vedha' remake will be released on August 11 and September 30.

Akshay's 'Ram Setu' will be lighting up the screens on Diwali 2022 and closing the year 2022 will be actor Tiger Shroff's high octane actioner 'Ganapath' on December 23.

--IANS

dc/kr

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
As Germanys election results came into sharper focus on Monday, no party won decisive majority but the loser was clear: Chancellor Angela Merkels Christian Democrats.

After 16 years in power under Merkels leadership, they saw their share of the vote collapse by nearly nine points, garnering only 24.1 percent of the vote. It was the partys worst showing in its history, and the election signaled the end of an era for Germany and for Europe.

The Social Democratic Party defeated Merkels Christian Democratic Union by 1.6 percentage points, according to preliminary official results reported early Monday. Their candidate, Olaf Scholz, insisted the partys gain of five points from 2017  giving them 25.7 percent of the vote  provided them a mandate to form the next government.

It will likely take at least three parties to form a government and both the Social Democrats and the Christian Democrats were planning to hold competing talks to do so.
Germany's centre-left Social Democrats and outgoing Chancellor Angela Merkel's centre-right bloc both laid claim Sunday to lead the country's next government as projections showed the long-time leader's party heading for its worst-ever result in a national election.

The outcome appeared to put Europe's biggest economy on course for lengthy haggling to form a new government, while Merkel stays on in a caretaker role until a successor is sworn in. A three-party governing coalition, with two opposition parties that have traditionally been in rival ideological camps the environmentalist Greens and the business-friendly Free Democrats would provide the likeliest route to power for both leading candidates.

Only one of the three candidates to succeed Merkel, who chose not to run for a fifth term, looked happy after Sunday's vote: the Social Democrats' Olaf Scholz, the outgoing vice chancellor and finance minister who pulled his party out of a years-long slump.

Scholz said the predicted results were a very clear mandate to ensure now that we put together a good, pragmatic government for

The Greens made their first bid for the chancellery with co-leader Annalena Baerbock, who fell well short of overtaking Germany's two traditional big parties after a gaffe-strewn campaign. Armin Laschet, the governor of North Rhine-Westphalia state who outmaneuvered a more popular rival to secure the nomination of Merkel's Union bloc, struggled to motivate the party's base and made missteps of his own.

Projections from ARD public television, based on exit polls and early counting, put voters' support at 25.7 per cent for the Social Democrats and 24.5 per cent for the Union. Separate projections for ZDF public television had the Social Democrats ahead by 26 per cent to 24.5 per cent. No winning party in a German national election had previously taken less than 31 per cent of the vote.

Both projections gave the Greens about 14 per cent and the Free Democrats 12%.

Of course, this is a loss of votes that isn't pretty, Laschet said of results that looked set to undercut by a distance the Union's previous worst showing of 31 per cent in 1949. But with Merkel departing after 16 years in power, no one had an incumbent bonus in this election, he noted.

Laschet earlier told cheering supporters that we will do everything we can to form a government under the Union's leadership, because now needs a coalition for the future that modernizes our country.

Now it looks like both Laschet and Scholz will be courting the same two parties. The Greens traditionally lean toward the Social Democrats and the Free Democrats toward the Union, but neither ruled out going the other way.

The other option was a repeat of the outgoing grand coalition of the Union and Social Democrats that has run for 12 of Merkel's 16 years in power, but there was little obvious appetite for that after years of government squabbling.

Everyone thinks that ... this grand coalition' isn't promising for the future, regardless of who is No. 1 and No. 2, Laschet said. We need a real new beginning.

The Free Democrats' leader, Christian Lindner, also appeared keen to govern, making an overture toward the Greens.

About 75 per cent of Germans didn't vote for the next chancellor's party, Lindner said in a discussion on ZDF television with all parties' leaders.

So it might be advisable ... that the Greens and Free Democrats first speak to each other to structure everything that follows.

Baerbock insisted that the climate crisis ... is the leading issue of the next government, and that is for us the basis for any talks ... even if we aren't totally satisfied with our result.

While the Greens improved their support from the last election in 2017, they had higher expectations for Sunday's vote.

Two parties weren't in contention to join Germany's next government. The Left Party was projected to win only 5 per cent, the bare minimum needed to remain in parliament. The far-right Alternative for Germany which no one else wants to work with was seen winning around 11 per cent, below the 12.6 per cent showing that allowed it to enter parliament for the first time in 2017.

Merkel, who has won plaudits for steering Germany through several major crises, won't be an easy leader to follow. Her successor will have to oversee the country's recovery from the coronavirus pandemic, which Germany so far has weathered relatively well thanks to large rescue programs.

Laschet insists there should be no tax increases as Germany pulls out of the pandemic. Scholz and Baerbock favor tax hikes for the richest Germans and also back an increase in the minimum wage.

Germany's leading parties have significant differences in their proposals for tackling climate change. Laschet's Union bloc is pinning its hopes on technological solutions and a market-driven approach, while the Greens want to ramp up carbon prices and end the use of coal earlier than planned. Scholz has emphasized the need to protect jobs as Germany transitions to greener energy.

(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.)
Top African oil exporters Nigeria and Angola will struggle to boost output to their quota levels until at least next year as underinvestment and nagging maintenance problems continue to hobble output, sources at their respective oil firms warn.

Their battle mirrors that of several other members of the OPEC+ group who curbed production in the past year to support prices when COVID-19 hit demand, but are now failing to ramp up output https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/opec-compliance-with-oil-cuts-rises-116-august-sources-say-2021-09-21 to meet soaring global fuel needs as economies recover.

The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies (OPEC+) agreed in July to add 400,000 barrels per day (bpd) to production from August until December 2021, slowly phasing out the unprecedented supply cuts.

However, Nigeria and Angola have underproduced by an average of 276,000 bpd so far this year out of their combined average quota of 2.83 million bpd according to Refinitiv data. They are likely to remain below quota through the end of the year, according to industry sources and Reuters calculations.

The oil not pumped is worth hundreds of millions of dollars.

Lockdowns aimed at stemming COVID-19 last year hindered the supply of spare parts https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-oil-maintenance-an-idUKKBN22V0LT and prevented maintenance work. Companies battered by a 20-year low in crude prices also postponed major investments.

Kola Karim, chief executive of Nigerian producer Shoreline Natural Resources which has eight producing fields pumping around 50,000 bpd, said the backlog meant it would be one to two quarters before Nigeria could pump at its full capacity.

The maintenance backlog covers everything from servicing wells to replacing valves, pumps and pipeline sections. Companies are also behind on plans to do supplementary drilling to keep production stable. These issues impacted virtually all companies in Nigeria, Karim said.

"So now things are breaking...we're now facing the music," he told Reuters, though he added that the country would catch up on production by early 2022 as companies rush maintenance and repairs.

Two sources, one at Nigerian state oil company NNPC and another close to Angolan state oil company Sonangol, confirmed the countries were struggling to raise output.

Spokesmen at NNPC and Nigeria's oil and finance ministries did not reply to requests for comment.

Oil Minister Timipre Sylva told journalists last week that he expected Nigeria to meet its quota within a month or two, but did not specify how. The government has previously pointed to a recently signed oil overhaul law as key to boosting investment and production.

Angola's finance ministry told Reuters that it could struggle to meet its target for years.

DECLINE AND UNDERINVESTMENT

In June, Angola's oil minister, Diamantino Azevedo, lowered its targeted oil output for 2021 by 27,000 bpd to 1.19 million bpd, citing in a statement production declines at mature fields, drilling delays due to COVID-19 and "technical and financial challenges" in deepwater oil exploration. That is below the current 1.33 million bpd quota.

Angola pumped roughly 1.3 million bpd in 2020, down from its record peak above 1.8 million bpd in 2008.

It has embarked on a string of reforms to boost output.

"The reality is only five countries can actually hit these quotas in our view," said Amrita Sen of Energy Aspects. "The rest are struggling with high decline rates and underinvestment."

Those five are Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Iraq and Azerbaijan.

In Nigeria, five onshore export terminals run by oil majors, which typically export around 900,000 bpd, handled 20% less oil in July than the same time last year, despite relaxed quotas, according to analysis shared only with Reuters from consultancy Hawilti Ltd. The decline indicates lower production from all the onshore fields that feed these terminals.

Only French oil major TotalEnergies' new deep offshore oilfield and export terminal Egina, had been able to quickly turn the taps back on, said Mickael Vogel, director at Hawilti, citing an analysis based on data from Nigeria's Department of Petroleum Resources.

Onshore oilfield output has lagged as companies struggled with a lack of workers and cash.

"Putting those wells back onstream has been more challenging than they thought," Vogel said.

Nigeria has not met its quota since July last year according to Refinitiv data.

Angola, Africa's second-largest exporter, has pumped below its target since September last year.

It has struggled for years as its oilfields age and decline, and exploration has been insufficient to compensate, Justin Cochrane, director for African Regional Research for IHS, said.

Angola's largest fields began production in the early 2000s and are past their plateau.

The country made a string of reforms https://www.reuters.com/article/us-africa-oil-reform-idUSKBN1XL1FF in 2019 aimed at boosting exploration, including allowing companies to produce from marginal fields adjacent to those they already operate. The pandemic stunted the impact of those reforms. By May, not a single rig was drilling https://www.reuters.com/article/global-oil-angola-idCNL8N2CT5W6 in Angola for the first time in nearly 40 years.

Since then, only three offshore rigs have resumed work.

"They're swimming against the tide with declines outpacing new production," Cochrane said.

(Additional reporting by Camillus Eboh in Abuja and Karin Strohecker in London; Editing by Dmitry Zhdannikov and Emelia Sithole-Matarise)

(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.)
may be diving head first into a shock that could hit Asias largest hard just as the crisis sends shockwaves through its financial system.



The crackdown on power consumption is being driven by rising demand for electricity and surging coal and gas prices as well as strict targets from Beijing to cut emissions. Its coming first to the countrys mammoth manufacturing industries: from aluminum smelters to textiles producers and soybean processing plants, factories are being ordered to curb activity or -- in some instances -- shut altogether.

Almost half of Chinas regions missed energy consumption targets set by Beijing and are now under pressure to curb power use. Among the most affected are Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Guangdong -- a trio of industrial powerhouses that account for nearly a third of Chinas

With market attention now laser-focused on and Beijings unprecedented curbs on the property sector, another major supply-side shock may have been underestimated or even missed, Nomura Holding Inc. analysts including Ting Lu warned in a note, predicting Chinas will shrink this quarter.





ALSO READ: China steps up funding oversight of Evergrande property projects

The worsening power crunch in -- perhaps overshadowed by the attention on whether will default on its mammoth debts -- reflects extremely tight energy supply globally thats already seen chaos engulf markets in Europe. The economic rebound from Covid lockdowns has boosted demand from households and businesses as lower investment by miners and drillers constrains production.

But Chinas energy crisis is partially of its own making as President Xi Jinping tries to ensure blue skies at the Winter Olympics in Beijing next February and show the community hes serious about de-carbonizing the economy.

The economy is at risk of a severe shortage of coal and gas -- used to heat homes and power factories -- this winter. Its had to ration power in the colder months before but its never had to do it with global prices of these fuels at the levels they are now.

There are signs that the power crisis starting to affect homes as well as businesses, with Guandong province urging residents to rely on natural light, and limit air-conditioner use, after cutting power to some factories.

Eyewatering prices



Chinas thermal coal futures have surged in the past month, repeatedly setting records, as concerns over mine safety and pollution constrain domestic output while it continues to ban shipments from top supplier Australia. Meanwhile, natural gas prices from Europe to Asia have surged to seasonal highs as countries try outbid each other for fast-depleting supplies.

In previous winter power surges in China, many have turned to diesel generators to plug the shortages of power from the electricity grid. This year, the danger is government policies have further limited the energy industrys potential to increase production to meet the demand increase, said Zeng Hao, chief expert at consultancy Shanxi Jinzheng Energy.





ALSO READ: Evergrande crisis: A modified script may need to be written on China

Yunnan Aluminum Co., a $9 billion producer of the metal used in everything from cars to soda cans, has curtailed output due to pressure from Beijing. The shock is also being felt in Chinas giant food sector. Soybean crushers, which process the crop into edible oils and animal feed, were ordered to shut this week in the city of Tianjin.

According to Nikkei, suppliers to Apple Inc. and Tesla Inc. halted production at some of their sites in on Sunday. Foxconns facilities in Longhua, Guanlan, Taiyuan and Zhengzhou -- the worlds largest iPhone manufacturing complex -- remained unaffected by the power-supply restrictions, the report said.

A number of smaller companies are also starting to inform the stock exchange theyve been ordered to curb or halt activity. While they may be overlooked by major foreign investors that dont cover these firms, the end result could be a shortage of everything from textiles to electronics components that could snarl supply chains and eat into the profits of a host of multinational companies.

In Jiangsu, a province near Shanghai with an economy almost as big as Canadas, steel mills have closed and some cities are turning off street lights. In nearby Zhejiang, about 160 energy-intensive companies including textiles firms were shuttered. While in Liaoning in the far north, 14 cities have ordered emergency power cuts that were blamed partly on the surging coal prices.

The power curbs will ripple through and impact global markets, Nomuras Lu said. Very soon the will feel the pinch of a shortage of supply from textiles, toys to machine parts.

The curtailments are a fresh threat for an economy facing multiple pressures after a V-shaped rebound in the past year. And as with Europes energy ructions, the squeeze poses a challenge for policy makers: how to pursue environmental goals without damaging still-fragile economies. Beijing is targeting full-year growth of 6% after expansion of 12.7% in the first half.

Policy makers seem to be willing to accept slower growth in the rest of this year in order to meet the carbon emissions target, said Larry Hu, head of China economics at Macquarie Group. The GDP goal of more than 6% is easily achievable, but emissions targets are not easy to hit given robust growth in the first half.

--With assistance from Alfred Cang.




is embarking on a potentially lengthy search for its next government after the center-left Social Democrats narrowly beat outgoing Chancellor Angela Merkel's center-right bloc in an election that failed to set a clear direction for Europe's biggest economy under a new leader.

Leaders of the parties in the newly elected parliament were meeting Monday to digest a result that saw Merkel's Union bloc slump to its worst-ever result in a national election, and appeared to put the keys to power in the hands of two opposition parties.

Both Social Democrat Olaf Scholz, who pulled his party out of a years-long slump, and Armin Laschet, the candidate of Merkel's party who saw his party's fortunes decline in a troubled campaign, laid a claim to leading the next government. Scholz is the outgoing vice chancellor and finance minister and Laschet is the governor of Germany's most populous state, North Rhine-Westphalia.

Whichever of them becomes chancellor will do so with his party having won a smaller share of the vote than any of his predecessors. Who gets the job looks likely to depend on whom the environmentalist Greens and the business-friendly Free Democrats parties that traditionally belong to rival ideological camps decide to join in government. Neither Scholz nor a weakened Laschet has much leverage.

The only other option that would have a parliamentary majority is a repeat of the grand coalition of the Union and Social Democrats. That is the grouping that has run for 12 years of Merkel's 16-year tenure and has often been marred by squabbling, but this time it would be under Scholz's leadership with Merkel's bloc as junior partner. There is little appetite for that, however.

Merkel's outgoing government will remain in office until a successor is sworn in, a process that can take weeks or months. Merkel announced in 2018 that she wouldn't seek a fifth term.

The Greens traditionally lean toward the Social Democrats and the Free Democrats toward the Union, but neither ruled out going the other way on Sunday night. The Greens made significant gains in the election to finish third but fell far short of their original aim of taking the chancellery, while the Free Democrats improved slightly on a good result from 2017.

Julia Reuschenbach, a political analyst at the University of Bonn, told ARD television that a Laschet-led government isn't excluded in principle, though the Social Democrats will push the argument that the result shows Germans want them to lead the new administration. Ultimately, the parties will of course have to agree on matters of substance, she said.

Final official results gave the Social Democrats 25.7% of the vote and the Union 24.1%. Four years ago, they won 20.5% and 32.9% respectively. The Union made up of Laschet's Christian Democratic Union and its Bavarian sister, the Christian Social Union had never previously polled below 31% in a national parliamentary election.

The Greens took 14.8%, the Free Democrats 11.5% and the far-right Alternative for 10.3% a decline from the 12.6% it took to enter parliament for the first time in 2017. The smallest party in the new parliament is the Left Party, which won just 4.9% of the vote.

The new Bundestag, or lower house of parliament, will have a record 738 lawmakers. The parliament varies in size because of a peculiarity of Germany's electoral system, which means that it can be considerably bigger than the minimum 598 seats.

The Social Democrats took 206 seats, the Union 196, the Greens 118, the Free Democrats 92, Alternative for Germany 83 and the Left Party 39. One seat went to the Danish minority party SSW, which will be represented for the first time in decades.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Germany's Social Democrats narrowly won Sunday's national election, projected results showed, and claimed a "clear mandate" to lead a government for the first time since 2005 and to end 16 years of conservative-led rule under

The centre-left Social Democrats (SPD) were on track for 26.0% of the vote, ahead of 24.5% for Merkel's CDU/CSU conservative bloc, projections for broadcaster ZDF showed, but both groups believed they could lead the next government.

With neither major bloc commanding a majority, and both reluctant to repeat their awkward "grand coalition" of the past four years, the most likely outcome is a three-way alliance led by either the Social Democrats or Merkel's conservatives.

Agreeing a new coalition could take months, and will likely involve the smaller Greens and liberal Free Democrats (FDP).

"We are ahead in all the surveys now," the Social Democrats' chancellor candidate, Olaf Scholz, said in a round table discussion with other candidates after the vote.

"It is an encouraging message and a clear mandate to make sure that we get a good, pragmatic government for Germany," he added after earlier addressing jubilant SPD supporters.

The SPD's rise heralds a swing left for and marks a remarkable comeback for the party, which has recovered some 10 points in support in just three months to improve on its 20.5% result in the 2017 national election.





A woman casts her vote during the general elections, in Aachen, Germany, September 26, 2021. REUTERS/Thilo Schmuelgen

Scholz, 63, would become the fourth post-war SPD chancellor after Willy Brandt, Helmut Schmidt and Gerhard Schroeder. Finance minister in Merkel's cabinet, he is a former mayor of Hamburg.

Scholz's conservative rival Armin Laschet, signalled his bloc was not ready yet to concede, though his supporters were subdued.

"It hasn't always been the first-placed party that provided the chancellor," Laschet, 60, told the round table. "I want a government where every partner is involved, where everyone is visible - not one where only the chancellor gets to shine," he said in an early attempt to woo smaller parties.

Schmidt ruled in the late 1970s and early 1980s in coalition with the FDP even though his Social Democrats had fewer parliamentary seats than the conservative bloc.

COALITION FOR CHRISTMAS?

Attention will now shift to informal discussions followed by more formal coalition negotiations, which could take months, leaving Merkel in charge in a caretaker role.



SPD leader and top candidate for chancellor Olaf Scholz and party co-leader Saskia Esken react after first exit polls for the general elections in Berlin, REUTERS/Wolfgang Rattay

Scholz and Laschet both said they would aim to strike a coalition deal before Christmas.

Merkel plans to step down after the election, making the vote an era-changing event to set the future course of Europe's largest economy.

She has stood large on the European stage almost since taking office in 2005 - when George W. Bush was US president, Jacques Chirac in the Elysee Palace in Paris and Tony Blair British prime minister.

After a domestic-focused election campaign, Berlin's allies in Europe and beyond may have to wait for months before they can see whether the new German government is ready to engage on foreign issues to the extent they would like.

A row between Washington and Paris over a deal for Australia to buy US instead of French submarines has put in an awkward spot between allies, but also gives Berlin the chance to help heal relations and rethink their common stance on China.

On hearing that the SPD were slightly ahead in polls, US President Joe Biden told reporters in Washington: "I'll be darned... They're solid."

On economic policy, French President Emmanuel Macron is eager to forge a common European fiscal policy, which the Greens support but the CDU/CSU and FDP reject. The Greens also want "a massive expansion offensive for renewables".

"Germany will end up with a rather weak chancellor who will struggle to get behind any kind of ambitious fiscal reform at the EU level," said Naz Masraff at political risk consultancy Eurasia.

Whatever coalition ends up in power, Germany's friends can at least take heart that moderate centrism has prevailed, and the populism that has taken hold in other European countries failed to break through.

The projected results for ZDF showed the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) on track for 10.5%, worse than four years ago when they stormed into the national parliament with 12.6% of the vote, and with all mainstream groupings ruling out a coalition with the party.

Additional reporting by Joseph Nasr, Riham Alkousaa, Kirsti Knolle, Maria Sheahan, Madeline Chambers in Berlin, Balazs Koranyi in Frankfurt and Jeff Mason in Washington; Editing by Timothy Heritage, Raissa Kasolowsky and Tomasz Janowski
Prime Minister Imran Khan has said it was important to incentivise the so that the new rulers of fulfil the promises they made after they seized power in Kabul last month.

The are yet to get recognition. The heavily armed group have promised an inclusive government, a more moderate form of Islamic rule than that of their previous regime from 1996 to 2001, including respecting women's rights. However, their recent moves indicate that they are returning to their repressive policies, particularly toward women.

According to an official statement, Khan in an article published in US-based The Washington Post newspaper on Monday said the world desired an inclusive Afghan government, respect for the rights, and commitments that Afghan soil shall never again be used for terrorism.

leaders will have greater reason and ability to stick to their promises if they are assured of the consistent humanitarian and development assistance they need to run the government effectively, he said.

Khan said providing incentives would also give the outside world additional leverage to continue persuading the Taliban to honour their commitments.

If we do this right, we could achieve what the Doha peace process aimed at all along: an that is no longer a threat to the world, where Afghans can finally dream of peace after four decades of conflict, he said.

The prime minister said abandoning as tried before would lead to a meltdown. Chaos, mass migration and a revived threat of terror will be natural corollaries. Avoiding this must surely be our global imperative, he said.

He said must not be blamed for the outcome of war in Afghanistan and for the losses of the US and stressed on setting eyes on the future to avoid another conflict.

Khan recalled that since 2001, he repeatedly warned that the Afghan war was unwinnable and pointed out that given their history, Afghans would never accept a protracted foreign military presence.

He pointed out that after the defeat of the Soviets, the US abandoned Afghanistan and sanctioned Pakistan, leaving behind over five million Afghan refugees in and a bloody civil war in Afghanistan.

He said former Pakistan leader Pervez Musharraf offered logistics and air bases after 9/11, allowing a CIA footprint in Pakistan and even turned a blind eye to American drone attacks in Pakistan.

Taliban were ousted from power in 2001 by a US-led coalition after the 9/11 attacks for harbouring al-Qaida. The United States withdrew all its forces from Afghanistan last month in a chaotic airlift that ended America's forever war" in the landlocked country.

Khan said for the Afghan people, the US was an occupier of their country just like the Soviets.

He said the Taliban declared war against Pakistan after its support to the US war on terror. Between 2006 and 2015, nearly 50 militant groups declared jihad on the Pakistani state, conducting over 16,000 terrorist attacks on us.

In Afghanistan, Khan said, the lack of legitimacy for an outsider's protracted war was compounded by a corrupt and inept Afghan government, seen as a puppet regime without credibility, especially by rural Afghans.

The prime minister emphasised that a more realistic approach would have been to negotiate with the Taliban much earlier, avoiding the embarrassment of the collapse of the Afghan army and the Ashraf Ghani government.

Khan urged the world to engage with the new Afghan government for the sake of peace and stability.

(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 will showcase its major achievements while simultaneously exhibiting the beauty of Indian art, culture and cuisine at the Expo 2020 that kicks off here on October 1, the Indian embassy said.

The 183-day event, which would culminate on March 31, 2022 will also make the world experience India's cultural diversity, ancient treasures, business achievements and leading opportunities with cutting-edge technologies at the Indian pavilion.

The India Pavilion is one of the largest pavilions at the Expo 2020 and will feature an innovative kinetic faade made up of 600 individual colourful blocks.

"The world will experience the country's cultural diversity, ancient treasures, business achievements, and leading opportunities with cutting-edge technologies at the pavilion. It will showcase a modern India, high on technology while simultaneously exhibiting the beauty of Indian art, culture and cuisine during the 183 days that the event will run....," the statement said.

According to the agenda, 11 key themes will be represented at the pavilion, including climate and biodiversity, space, urban and rural development, tolerance and inclusivity, golden jubilee, knowledge and learning, travel and connectivity, global goals, health and wellness, food agriculture and livelihoods and water.

Piyush Goyal, the Union Minister of Commerce & Industry, Consumer Affairs & Food & Public Distribution and Textiles, will inaugurate the India Pavilion on October 1.

The Expo 2020 Dubai, delayed for a year by the COVID-19 pandemic, will now run from October 1 to March 31, 2022.

Visitors to the pavilion will also get a glimpse of Indian innovations in space technology, robotics, electric mobility, edu-tech, e-commerce, energy, cybersecurity, healthcare, cryptocurrency and blockchain.

         5    .  !#2020 # #5__



Eight years of dedication and now we are only 5 days away to welcoming the world. This is our time!#Expo2020 #Dubai #5DaysToGo pic.twitter.com/RGJMb7ayMk  Expo 2020 (@expo2020dubai) September 26, 2021

It is very clear that by sheer dint of our proportion of population, by our connections that we have here, we'll be the largest participant at the Dubai Expo, Pavan Kapoor, Ambassador of India to the UAE, was quoted as saying in the statement.

Developed as a mosaic of rotating panels, the pavilion will depict different themes as they rotate on their axis.

It represents the theme of India on the move' and is a unique amalgam of the rich heritage and technological advances of the nation. India will also use Expo's global platform to fortify its place in the world's fight against climate change.

This is a significant time in the history of both the countries, and Expo 2020 Dubai is a tremendous opportunity to cement the already flourishing ties further, Dr Aman Puri, Consul General of India in Dubai & Deputy Commissioner General for India, was quoted as saying in the statement.

Showcasing the country's innovation potential and capabilities, an Indian Innovation Hub' has been developed to offer a platform for the budding innovators and startups to showcase their capabilities.

As the world's third largest start-up ecosystem, the India Innovation Hub', will be a platform for investors and consumers to experience the value offering and capacity for innovation of multiple Indian start-ups, daily.

"As the world's third largest creator of Unicorns, and with an ecosystem of over 50,000 recognised start-ups, the Innovation Hub is set to be one of the most exciting places to visit for anyone interested in experiencing future-oriented products and services, said Dr Puri.

(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.)
A commercial passenger aircraft was diverted to Tribhuvan Airport (TIA) here on Monday after it encountered a technical glitch.

Buddha Air's ATR 72 aircraft failed to land at Biratnagar Airport in Morang district -- scheduled at 8.30 am -- due to a technical problem in its landing gear, officials said, adding that the plane was diverted to the Airport where it landed safely.

The flight comprised 73 occupants, including two children and three crew members. All passengers onboard the aircraft are safe, authorities said.

All medical and emergency facilities were on standby at the time of landing, they added.

Meanwhile, the Post newspaper said the Buddha Air plane faced the problem of excess weight, due to which it had to burn fuel to reduce its mass before landing.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Prime Minister Boris Johnson is considering bringing in Army drivers to fix a supply chain crisis in Britain, with many gasoline stations running dry over the weekend as panic among motorists spread.

The government also moved to temporarily suspend competition rules and allow companies to coordinate supplies to the most affected regions.

With a shortage of truck drivers raising the prospect of widening disruption to food and deliveries in coming weeks, ministers have discussed starting Operation Escalin, a contingency plan that would mobilize hundreds of troops to drive tankers, a person familiar with the matter said.

The final decision rests with Johnson, with pressure intensifying after industry groups said his earlier U-turn on relaxing immigration rules for foreign truckers and poultry workers would not fix the problem. The government has already called in Army examiners to help ramp up truck-driving tests.

We have long-standing contingency plans in place to work with industry so that fuel supplies can be maintained and deliveries can still be made in the event of a serious disruption, Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng said.

Falling Short

Businesses and opposition politicians said the 5,000 new visas for haulers until Christmas would barely scratch the surface of a 100,000 shortfall thats been exacerbated since the U.K. left the European Union. Ruby McGregor-Smith, president of the British Chambers of Commerce, likened the visas to throwing a thimble of water on a bonfire.

Drivers queue for fuel at a Tesco petrol station in Ashby-de-la-Zouch, U.K., on Sept. 24. (Photo: Bloomberg)

While some countries across Europe are contending with soaring energy prices and pockets of labor shortages, the U.K. is facing a particularly taxing winter as it recovers from the pandemic. Recent weeks have seen hospitals struggling with a backlog of patients, empty supermarket shelves and now lines at gasoline stations.

Keir Starmer, leader of the opposition Labour Party, blamed Johnsons government for failing to prepare for the consequences of Brexit. The U.K. voted to leave the EU in 2016 and its post-departure transition agreement ended at the beginning of this year. Weve got an absolute crisis in this country through a lack of planning on behalf of the government, Starmer said.

Finding Truckers

BP Plc, the second-largest fuel retailer in the U.K., said it had run out of the main grades of fuel at almost a third of its stations. Outside the motorway network, at least half of petrol stations had run dry by Sunday, the Financial Times reported, citing Brian Madderson, chairman of the Petrol Retailers Association.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps on Sunday sought to allay concerns, telling BBC television theres actually plenty of petrol to go around. The shortage of drivers for the fuel supply industry amounted to one, two, three hundred. He nevertheless left open the prospect of drafting in the army to supply petrol stations. Well do whatevers required.

Until the weekend, the government had insisted that haulage companies should train up locals and paid them more. The changes to immigration rules -- which also add 5,500 visas for poultry workers -- lasts for 12 weeks.

Johnson has talked up Brexit as an opportunity to remake the British economy away from the EUs rules and its labor pool. The argument is that foreign workers dragged down domestic wages and discouraged recruitment and training. But business argues it needs a longer period to transition away from that reliance on EU workers.

Furlough Ends

The food and fuel shortages add to a pile of daunting challenges for Johnson, with Britons facing a surge in electricity and gas prices just as some key pandemic support measures are unwound.

The flagship furlough program that saw the government pay the wages of more than 11 million jobs during the pandemic ends on Sept. 30. The Labour Party released analysis late on Sunday that showed some 81,000 aviation workers are among those who risk losing their jobs when the furlough program closes.

On Oct. 6, a 20-pound ($27) weekly uplift on social security payments called Universal Credit comes to an end, a decision thats caused disquiet among Conservative rank and file because of its effect on poorer people.

Newspapers have started referring to a winter of discontent, a politically charged phrase evoking memories of 1978-79 when the U.K. economy was brought to its knees by strikes and severe weather. It ultimately brought down the Labour government, ushering in the Conservatives under Margaret Thatcher.

Tory Scum

Weve got energy shortages, weve got shortages in our supermarkets, Labours Starmer said. Weve got prices going up. Weve got taxes going up on working families and weve got the government taking away a thousand pounds from those that need it most.

Deputy Leader Angela Rayner put it more bluntly, describing the Conservatives as scum at an event at the Labours annual conference. That sparked a fresh squabble within the party just when it was aiming to demonstrate to the electorate it was united and ready to govern.

On Sunday, she refused to apologize for using the word, saying it was northern English working-class street language and that she was only referring to members of the cabinet. I was speaking to a group of activists to say you have got to get that fire in your belly, she said.
Secretary-General spoke on Sunday on the Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons, declaring that must be eliminated from the world and a new era of dialogue, trust and peace must begin.

Addressing the threat of "has been central to the work of the since its inception," said the top UN official, Xinhua news agency reported.

"In 1946, the very first General Assembly resolution sought 'the elimination from national armaments of atomic weapons and of all other major weapons adaptable to mass destruction'," the secretary-general noted.

The UN chief pointed out that although the total number of has been decreasing for decades, some 14,000 are stockpiled around the world, which is facing "the highest level of nuclear risk" in almost four decades.

"Now is the time to lift this cloud for good, eliminate nuclear weapons from our world," said Guterres, "and usher in a new era of dialogue, trust and peace for all people."

--IANS

int/pgh

(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 UN human rights chief says her office has received credible allegations of reprisal killings by the of former Afghan security forces, as well as instances in which officials in the previous government and their relatives were arbitrarily detained and later turned up dead.

Michelle Bachelet, speaking on Monday to the Human Rights Council, warned of a new and perilous phase for as she criticised the for a disconnect between their words and actions.

She cited multiple allegations of house-to-house searches looking for officials from the previous government and people who cooperated with US security forces and companies.

Such searches took place in at least a half-dozen cities, Bachelet said. UN staffers have also reported increasing attacks and threats, she added, without providing specifics.

My office has received credible allegations of reprisal killings of a number of former ANSF (Afghan National Security Forces) personnel, and reports of officials, who worked for previous administrations and their family members being arbitrarily detained, she said. In some cases, the officials were released, and in others, they were found dead.

Bachelet also highlighted deeply troubling information about Taliban raids on offices of some advocacy groups.

In contradiction to assurances that the Taliban would uphold women's rights, over the past three weeks women have instead been progressively excluded from the public sphere, she told the 47-member council as it opened its autumn session.

She said girls aged over 12 have been barred from attending school in some places in Afghanistan, and Women's Affairs departments had been at times dismantled.

(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 is hosting a high-level donors conference on Monday to drum up emergency funds for after last month's takeover of the country that stunned the world.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was leading the world body's call for more than $600 million for the rest of this year in a flash appeal for Afghans after their country's government was toppled by the and U.S. and NATO forces exited the 20-year war in a chaotic departure.

There are concerns that instability and upended humanitarian efforts, compounded by an ongoing drought, could further endanger lives and plunge toward famine.

The conference will put to the test some Western governments and other big traditional U.N. donors who want to help everyday Afghans without handing a public relations victory or cash to the Taliban, who ousted the internationally backed government in a lightning sweep.

The U.N. says recent developments have increased the vulnerability of Afghans who have already been facing decades of deprivation and violence. A severe drought is jeopardizing the upcoming harvest, and hunger has been rising. The U.N.'s World Food Program is to be a major beneficiary of any funds collected during Monday's conference.

Along with its partners, the U.N. is seeking $606 million for the rest of the year to help 11 million people.

Coinciding with Monday's conference in Geneva, the head of the U.N. refugee agency, Filippo Grandi, made a previously unannounced visit to Kabul. He wrote on Twitter that he would assess humanitarian needs and the situation of 3.5 million displaced Afghans including over 500,000 who have been displaced this year alone.

Officials at UNHCR have expressed concerns that some people could try to seek refuge in what have been traditional havens for fleeing Afghans in neighboring Pakistan and Iran, which both have large populations of Afghans who had fled their country earlier to escape war and violence.

The seized power on August 15, the day they overran Kabul after capturing outlying provinces in the blitz campaign. They initially promised inclusiveness and a general amnesty for former opponents, but many Afghans remain deeply fearful of the new rulers. Taliban police officials have beaten Afghan journalists, violently dispersed women's protests and formed an all-male government despite saying initially they would invite broader representation.

The world has been watching closely to see how under a Taliban government might be different from the first time the Islamic militants were in power, in the late 1990s. During that era, the Taliban imposed a harsh rule of their interpretation of Islamic law. Girls and women were denied an education, and were excluded from public life.

Also on Monday, a Pakistan Airlines plane charted by the World Bank landed at Kabul's airport to evacuate more people, according to Abullah Hafeez Khan, a spokesman for the airline. Pakistan has halted commercial flights to Kabul because of security reasons, and the airline has no plans so far to resume commercial flights.

Last Thursday, an estimated 200 foreigners, including Americans, left Afghanistan on a Qatar Airways flight out of Kabul with the cooperation of the Taliban the first such large-scale departure since U.S. forces completed their frantic withdrawal on Aug. 30.

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.

(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 market made a swift comeback from the turbulence last week triggered by Chinas latest crackdown volley, with the likes of and Ether recouping most of their losses on Monday.

rallied to about $44,000 as of 1:35 p.m. in Hong Kong, near the level when the Peoples Bank of on Friday announced its latest step in reining in crypto. Ether broke above last weeks level at $3,100.

Over the weekend sessions, has shown some resilience and has now recovered the majority of those losses, said Jeffrey Halley, senior market analyst at Oanda Corp., in a note Monday. It may well be that Chinas previously announced crackdowns had already been built into prices.

Crypto markets were roiled on Friday when the PBOC issued a newly restrictive ban on transactions and mining, in conjunction with several other state agencies. That step signaled that policies in may be moving toward a more serious and coordinated level. At the same time, previous statements from Beijing about bans havent killed crypto entirely in the country, so some traders were more sanguine about the effect.





One area not faring so well: stocks or tokens with significant Chinese crypto reliance. Hong Kong-listed Huobi Technology Holdings Ltd., an exchange with a significant mainland presence dropped as much as 33%. The Huobi Token was off about 10% in the past 24 hours, according to CoinGecko pricing.

Meanwhile Fujian-based software firm Meitu Inc. fell as much as 6.1%, while GRG Banking Equipment Co. dropped up to 2.4%. Those falls come after crypto-linked stocks fell in other regions -- like MicroStrategy, which declined as much as 6.7% Friday in the U.S.
By Samuel Shen and Andrew Galbraith

SHANGHAI (Reuters) - exchanges and providers of crypto services are scrambling to sever business ties with mainland Chinese clients, after Beijing last Friday issued a blanket ban on all crypto trading and mining.

In a culmination of years of efforts to rein in the sector, 10 powerful Chinese government bodies including the central bank, said overseas exchanges were barred from providing services to mainland investors via the internet - a previously grey area - and vowed to jointly root out "illegal" activities.

Huobi Global and Binance, two of the world's largest exchanges and popular with Chinese users, have stopped new registrations of accounts by mainland customers. Huobi also said it would clean up existing ones by the end of the year.

"On the very day we saw the notice, we started to take corrective measures," Du Jun, Huobi Group co-founder said in a statement to Reuters.

Du did not give an estimate how many of its users would be affected, saying only that Huobi, once the world's biggest crypto exchange, had embarked on a global expansion strategy many years ago and seen steady growth in Southeast Asia and Europe.

Shares in crypto-related firms tumbled on Monday with crypto asset manager and trading firm Huobi Tech plunging 23% and OKG Technology Holdings Ltd, a fintech company majority owned by Xu Mingxing, the founder of cryptoexchange OKcoin, losing 12%.

TokenPocket, a popular service provider of crypto wallets, also said in a notice to clients that it would terminate services to mainland Chinese clients that risk violating Chinese policies and would "actively embrace" regulation. It added it welcomes cooperation from in blockchain technologies.

Many Chinese crypto exchanges shut down or moved offshore in 2017, after China, once the world's biggest bitcoin trading and mining centre, banned such platforms from converting legal tender into cryptocurrencies and vice versa. Then in May this year, China's State Council vowed to ban bitcoin trading and mining.

Amid the crackdown, other types of Chinese crypto companies have been moving out of over the past few months, said Flex Yang, founder and CEO of Babel Finance, adding that the impact from the latest policy would be "limited".

The Chinese crypto financial services provider this month opened new business headquarters in Singapore.

Cobo, a crypto asset management and custodian platform, also recently moved its headquarters from Beijing to Singapore.

(Reporting by Samuel Shen and Andrew Galbraith; Editing by Edwina Gibbs)

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Shares of Solar rallied 12 per cent on the BSE on Monday to hit a 22-month high of Rs 397. The stock of construction & engineering company traded at its highest level since November 2019. In the past five weeks, the counter has zoomed 54 per cent, as compared to 8.8 per cent rise in the S&P BSE Sensex.

Shares of Solar had debuted on August 20, 2019 at the bourses. The company had raised Rs 3,125 crore through initial public offer by issuing shares at price of Rs 780 per share.

A Shapoorji Pallonji group company, Solar is an end-to-end solar engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) solutions provider. The Company provides EPC services primarily for utility-scale solar power projects, with a focus on project design and engineering, and manages all aspects of project execution from conceptualizing to commissioning. The Company also provides operations and maintenance (O&M) services, including for projects constructed by third parties.

Last week, the company announced that it has commissioned the 66 MWp Al Husainiyah solar power plant in Jordan.

The management while announcing June quarter (Q1FY22) results on August 14 said that it expects the awarding of contracts to pick-up in October-December quarter (Q3FY22). Most of our clients are looking at significant capacity additions and we remain confident of the opportunities going ahead. Our global presence enables us a lot of flexibility in selecting projects globally, the management had said. As on August 14, 2021, the companys unexecuted order book stood at Rs 8,731 crore, which is executable over the period of next 12 to 15 months.

With carbon emission reduction becoming a global consensus, there are enormous opportunities in emerging fields of hybrid energy power plants, energy storage solutions and biomass / waste to energy, it added.

Meanwhile in a separate event, private equity major Advent International recently signed an agreement with Shapoorji Pallonji Group to acquire a majority stake in Eureka Forbes at an enterprise valuation of Rs 4,400 crore. Eureka Forbes (EFL), a 100 per cent subsidiary of Forbes & Company, would be demerged into a standalone company, and then listed at the stock exchanges.
The domestic equity barometers traded with decent gains in afternoon trade. The Nifty was trading above the 17,850 mark. Hotel stocks were in demand as reopening optimism boosted sentiment.

At 13:24 IST, the barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, was up 108.58 points or 0.18% to 60,157.05. The Nifty 50 index added 28.90 points or 0.16% to 17,882.10.

The Sensex hit a record high of 60,412.32 in early trade.

Maruti Suzuki India (up 5.10%), Tata Motors (up 4.54%), Mahindra & Mahindra (up 3.41%), Hero MotoCorp (up 2.94%) and Bajaj Auto (up 2.59%) were the top Nifty gainers.

HCL Technologies (down 3.37%), Divi's Laboratories (down 3.11%), Wipro (down 2.99%), Tech Mahindra (down 2.69%) and Infosys (down 2.20%) were the top index losers.

The broader market traded sideways. The S&P BSE Mid-Cap index was down 0.03% while the S&P BSE Small-Cap index rose 0.12%.

The market breadth was almost even. On the BSE, 1608 shares rose and 1612 shares fell. A total of 219 shares were unchanged.

Reliance Industries rose 1.69% to Rs 2525. The stock touched the Rs 16-lakh crore market capitalization mark.

COVID-19 Update:

Total COVID-19 confirmed cases worldwide stood at 231,820,895 with 4,748,055 deaths. India reported 299,620 active cases of COVID-19 infection and 447,194 deaths according to the data from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India.

In the last 24 hours, India recorded 26,041 new cases of COVID-19. The recovery rate currently stood at 97.78% with 29,621 recoveries in the last 24 hours taking the total recoveries to 3,29,31,972.

A total of 86,27,23,841 COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered in the country so far, with over 38.02 lakh doses being given yesterday, according to the Co-WIN dashboard.

Economy:

The direct tax collections for the financial year 2021-22, as on 22 September 2021 showed that net collections are at Rs 5,70,568 crore, a year-on-year increase of 74.4%. In the last financial year, the net collection was Rs 3,27,174 crore, a Finance Ministry release stated on 24 September 2021. The net direct tax collection of Rs 5,70,568 crore, includes corporation tax of Rs 3,02,975 crore (net of refund) and personal income tax including security transaction tax (STT) of Rs 2,67,593 crore (net of refund).

The advance tax collection in the second quarter (1 July 2021 to 22 September 2021) of FY 2021-22 is Rs 1,72,071 crore, a growth of 51.50% over Rs 1,13,571 crore in the corresponding period in FY 2020-21. Refunds amounting to Rs 75,111 crore have been issued in the FY 2021-22 so far. The gross collection of direct taxes (before adjusting for refunds) for the FY 2021-22 stands at Rs 6,45,679 crore compared to Rs 4,39,242 crore in the corresponding period of the preceding financial year, registering a growth of 47% over collections of FY 2020-21.

Buzzing Segment:

Hospitality stocks were in demand as reopening optimism returned amid declining COVID-19 cases across the country.

EIH Associated Hotels (up 16.72%), Chalet Hotels (up 12.25%), EIH (up 11.37%), Asian Hotels (North) (up 10.17%), Indian Hotels Company (up 8.75%), Lemon Tree Hotel (up 7.19%), Kamat Hotels (up 7.16%), TajGVK Hotels (up 5.54%), ITDC (up 5.42%), Asian Hotels (West) (up 3.70%) and Asian Hotels (East) (up 2.65%) jumped on hopes that hospitality industry may revive amid falling COVID-19 cases in the country.

Following a decline in the domestic COVID-19 cases, India is reportedly planning to reopen for foreign tourists. First five lakh foreign tourists will be issued visas free of cost in an attempt to revive the tourism, reports added.

Hospitality and aviation sectors are badly hit by the COVID-19 pandemic since March 2020 when a nationwide lockdown was announced.

Stocks in Spotlight:

Patel Engineering 8.79% to Rs 17.95 after the company bagged Rs 1,251 crore, lot-II civil work contract for 500 MW Teesta-VI Hydro Electric Project, Sikkim, from Lanco Teesta Hydro Power, a wholly owned subsidiary of NHPC. On the BSE, over 7.90 lakh shares were traded in the counter so far compared with average daily volumes of 3.92 lakh shares in the past two weeks.

Hindustan Copper shed 0.27% to Rs 110. In accordance with the approval given by alternative mechanism on 15 September 2021, the Government of India is offering up to 31,98,646 equity shares (0.33% equity) to the eligible employees of the company at Rs 116 per equity share. The offer price is 5.17% premium to Hindustan Copper's closing price of Rs 110.30 on Friday, 24 September 2021. The employee OFS shall remain open from 27 September 2021 to 29 September 2021 (both days inclusive).

Global Markets:

European stocks opened higher while Asian stocks were trading mixed on Monday, with investors monitoring stocks related to embattled developer China Evergrande Group.

In Germany, preliminary results on Monday morning showed the center-left Social Democratic Party gaining the largest share of the vote with 25.8%. Angela Merkel's right-leaning bloc of the Christian Democratic Union and Christian Social Union was seen with 24.1% of the vote. But coalition negotiations, which could begin on Monday, are likely to take weeks or even months.

European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde today will deliver a statement to a European Parliament committee.

US stocks closed mixed Friday as the market fell back under pressure amid concerns relating to China, COVID-19 and U.S. politics.

Eyes will also be on U.S. fiscal policy with the House of Representatives due to vote on a $1 trillion infrastructure bill this week, while a September 30 deadline on funding federal agencies could force the second partial government shutdown in three years.

Elsewhere, early projections on Sunday pointed to a knife-edge result in Germany federal elections as the country looks for a successor to Angela Merkel, who is preparing to leave office after 16 years in power.

Powered by Capital Market - Live News

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Biocon fell 1% to Rs 356.60 after the company's Malaysian subsidiary received six observations from the US drug regulator.

The US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) conducted an on-site pre-approval inspection (PAI) of Biocon's Malaysian subsidiary Biocon Sdn. Bhd's manufacturing facility for insulin aspart between 13 and 24 September 2021.

At the conclusion of the inspection, the agency has issued a Form 483 with a total of 6 observations across drug substance, drug product and devices facilities.

"We are confident of addressing these observations through procedural enhancements and an appropriate Corrective and Preventive Action Plan (CAPA), which will be submitted to the US FDA in the stipulated time. We do not expect the outcome of this inspection to impact our commercialization plans for insulin Aspart in the US. Biocon Biologics remains committed to global standards of Quality and Compliance," a company spokesperson said.

Biocon is an innovation-led global biopharmaceuticals company committed to enhance affordable access to complex therapies for chronic conditions like diabetes, cancer and autoimmune.

The company's consolidated net profit declined 43.5% to Rs 84.4 crore in Q1 FY22 from Rs 149 crore in Q1 FY21. Revenue from operations increased by 4% YoY to Rs 1,761 crore in Q1 FY22 from Rs 1693.8 crore in Q1 FY21.

Powered by Capital Market - Live News

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The main indices pared losses and traded near the flat line in early afternoon trade. The Nifty hovered at the 17,850 level. Banks, auto and financial stocks were in demand while IT and pharma stocks declined.

At 12:26 IST, the barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, rose 18.33 points or 0.03% at 60,066.8. The Nifty 50 index was down 0.05 points.

The Sensex hit a record high of 60,339.28 in early trade.

The broader market declined. The S&P BSE Mid-Cap index was down 0.29% while the S&P BSE Small-Cap index fell 0.04%.

The market breadth turned negative. On the BSE, 1,535 shares rose and 1,639 shares fell. A total of 213 shares were unchanged.

COVID-19 Update:

Total COVID-19 confirmed cases worldwide stood at 231,820,895 with 4,748,055 deaths. India reported 299,620 active cases of COVID-19 infection and 447,194 deaths according to the data from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India.

In the last 24 hours, India recorded 26,041 new cases of COVID-19. The recovery rate currently stood at 97.78% with 29,621 recoveries in the last 24 hours taking the total recoveries to 3,29,31,972.

Economy:

The direct tax collections for the financial year 2021-22, as on 22 September 2021 showed that net collections are at Rs 5,70,568 crore, a year-on-year increase of 74.4%. In the last financial year, the net collection was Rs 3,27,174 crore, a Finance Ministry release stated on 24 September 2021. The net direct tax collection of Rs 5,70,568 crore, includes corporation tax of Rs 3,02,975 crore (net of refund) and personal income tax including security transaction tax (STT) of Rs 2,67,593 crore (net of refund).

The advance tax collection in the second quarter (1 July 2021 to 22 September 2021) of FY 2021-22 is Rs 1,72,071 crore, a growth of 51.50% over Rs 1,13,571 crore in the corresponding period in FY 2020-21.

Refunds amounting to Rs 75,111 crore have been issued in the FY 2021-22 so far. The gross collection of direct taxes (before adjusting for refunds) for the FY 2021-22 stands at Rs 6,45,679 crore compared to Rs 4,39,242 crore in the corresponding period of the preceding financial year, registering a growth of 47% over collections of FY 2020-21.

Derivatives:

The NSE's India VIX, a gauge of market's expectation of volatility over the near term, jumped 5.21% to 17.805. The Nifty 30 September 2021 futures were trading at 17,872, at a premium of 8 points as compared with the spot at 17,864.

The Nifty option chain for 30 September 2021 expiry showed maximum Call OI of 75.6 lakh contracts at the 18,000 strike price. Maximum Put OI of 60.4 lakh contracts was seen at 17,000 strike price.

Buzzing Index:

The Nifty IT index slumped 2.3% to 36,251.55, snapping its four day winning run. The IT index saw selling after rising 4.8% in four days.

Coforge (down 4.48%), Mindtree (down 3.95%), Mphasis (down 3.54%), HCL Tech (down 3.42%), L&T Infotech (down 2.89%), Tech Mahindra (down 2.88%) and Wipro (down 2.68%) were top losers in IT space.

Stocks in Spotlight:

Sansera Engineering advanced 3.04% to Rs 843.55 after various domestic and global asset managers acquired stake in the company. Abu Dhabi Investment Authority acquired 4.87 lakh shares of the company at an average price of Rs 821.48 per share. Concurrently, Nomura Funds Ireland bought 6 lakh shares of the firm at an average price of Rs 820.10 apiece. Further, IIFL Asset Management and IIFL Mutual Fund together purchased 8.67 lakh shares of Sansera Engineering via bulk deals on the NSE on Friday.

Biocon fell 1% to Rs 356.60 after the company's Malaysian subsidiary received six observations from the US drug regulator. The US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) conducted an on-site pre-approval inspection (PAI) of Biocon's Malaysian subsidiary Biocon Sdn. Bhd's manufacturing facility for insulin aspart between 13 and 24 September 2021. At the conclusion of the inspection, the agency has issued a Form 483 with a total of 6 observations across drug substance, drug product and devices facilities.

Powered by Capital Market - Live News

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Government of India has offered to sell 31,98,646 equity shares to eligible employees of the state-run company at Rs 116 each.

In accordance with the approval given by alternative mechanism on 15 September 2021, the Government of India is offering up to 31,98,646 equity shares (0.33% equity) of face value of Rs 5 each to the eligible employees of the company at Rs 116 per equity share.

The offer price is 5.17% premium to Hindustan Copper's closing price of Rs 110.30 on Friday, 24 September 2021.

The employee OFS shall remain open from 27 September 2021 to 29 September 2021 (both days inclusive).

The Government of India held 72.76% stake in Hindustan Copper as of 30 June 2021.

Hindustan Copper is engaged in exploration, exploitation, mining of copper and copper ore, including beneficiation of minerals, smelting and refining.

The company's consolidated net profit rose 53.69% to Rs 45.63 crore on a 37.97% decline in net sales to Rs 267.60 crore in Q1 FY22 over Q1 FY21.

Shares of Hindustan Copper were down 0.41% to Rs 109.85.

Powered by Capital Market - Live News

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Hong Kong stock market finished session mixed on Monday, 27 September 2021, as investors fret over the crisis at Chinese property giant Evergrande and power crunch in mainland China.

At closing bell, the benchmark Hang Seng Index rose marginal 0.07%, or 16.62 points, to 24,208.78. The Hang Seng China Enterprises Index dropped 0.25%, or 21.17 points, to 8,583.82.

Market risk sentiments were downbeat as China's efforts to inject more liquidity into the banking system failed to spur risk appetite amid a liquidity crunch at Evergrande.

The People's Bank of China pumped 100 billion yuan (US$15.5 billion) into the local banking system through open market operations on Monday, supplementing net liquidity injection of 510 billion yuan in the preceding six days.

Cryptocurrency-related stocks slumped after Beijing banned all transactions in the latest crackdown on digital currencies. Huobi Technology plummeted 21.5% while OKG Technology crashed 19.1% and Meitu dropped 7.3%.

Shares of materials finished down as China's power crunch, caused by tight coal supplies and toughening emissions standards, has triggered a contraction in heavy industry across several regions. Aluminum Corporation of China fell by 6.3%.

Shares of gaming stocks dropped as measures of Macau's pandemic prevention are expected to stay in place until after the National Day Golden Week, traditionally a peak season for Macau travelling and gambling.

Powered by Capital Market - Live News

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Shares of 12 hospitality companies rose by 0.26% to 16.72% as reopening optimism returned amid declining COVID-19 cases across the country.

EIH Associated Hotels (up 16.72%), Chalet Hotels (up 12.25%), EIH (up 11.37%), Asian Hotels (North) (up 10.17%), Indian Hotels Company (up 8.75%), Lemon Tree Hotel (up 7.19%), Kamat Hotels (up 7.16%), TajGVK Hotels (up 5.54%), ITDC (up 5.42%), Asian Hotels (West) (up 3.70%), Asian Hotels (East) (up 2.65%) and Sayaji Hotels (up 0.26%) jumped on hopes that hospitality industry may revive amid falling COVID-19 cases in the country.

India's COVID-19 vaccination coverage crossed the landmark of 86 crore (86,01,59,011) as per provisional reports till 7 am today, 27 September 2021.

India's recovery rate stands at 97.78%. The recovery rate is currently at its highest peak since March 2020. The active caseload stood at 2,99,620. Active cases presently constitute 0.89% of the country's total positive cases.

Following a decline in cases, India is reportedly planning to reopen for foreign tourists. First five lakh foreign tourists will be issued visas free of cost in an attempt to revive the tourism, reports added.

Hospitality and aviation sectors are badly hit by the COVID-19 pandemic since March 2020 when a nationwide lockdown was announced.

Top government officials are reportedly discussing the expected date and modalities for opening up of the country for foreign tourists. A formal announcement allowing foreign tourists to visit India may come within the next 10 days, reports indicated.

Powered by Capital Market - Live News

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Shares of two multiplex operators rose by 5.28% to 8.39% after the Maharashtra government on Saturday announced that it will allow cinemas to resume operations in the state after 22 October 2021.

PVR gained 5.28% to Rs 1590.90 and Inox Leisure was up 8.39% at Rs 379.15.

In the past one month, shares of Inox Leisure have risen 24.02% and shares of PVR have risen 20.26%. The Sensex has risen 7.13% in one month.

Theatres and auditoriums in Maharashtra will open after 22nd October 2021 while observing all COVID safety protocols. SOP (standard operating procedure) is in the works and will be declared soon, the Office of Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray tweeted on 25 September 2021.

On 7 September 2021, the Multiplex Association of India (MAI), along with leading cinema chains PVR and INOX, urged the Maharashtra government to reopen theatres in the state on "urgent basis", claiming that the exhibition industry has suffered losses to the tune of Rs 4,800 crore. The coronavirus pandemic had an overwhelming effect on the film industry as many film shoots and theatres across India were halted twice.

"All other States across the country have reopened cinemas, State of Maharashtra, which is the most critical part of a functioning film industry, is the only major State, where cinemas are yet to reopen," MAI said in a statement.

In 2020, film production activities and theatres business came to a standstill from mid-March when the pandemic first hit India, only to be restarted for a few months from October and November in various parts of the country. Due to the second wave of COVID-19, which hit India in April this year, theatres across India remained closed from the same month.

As cases of COVID-19 dropped, states like Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana have permitted the resumption of operations in cinema halls. However, Maharashtra is yet to reopen theatres.

Powered by Capital Market - Live News

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Orient Cement rose 1.44% to Rs 158.80 after the company said that it has entered into a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Adani Power Maharashtra for facilitating bona fide use of the land for setting up a cement grinding unit in Maharashtra.

The cement maker has identified land ad measuring approximately thirty-five acres in Tiroda, Gondia District, Maharashtra, India, for exploring the possibility of establishing a cement grinding unit (CGU) in the State of Maharashtra.

The company has entered into a non-binding MoU with Adani Power Maharashtra on 23 September 2021 for setting out the understanding for facilitating bona fide use of the land for setting up CGU in the state.

The significant terms of the MoU include providing the said land, of which Adani Power Maharashtra is the lawful lessee, and to obtain required environmental clearances and approvals for subleasing of the said land and use of railway siding facility from the regulatory authorities.

"In the event necessary approvals are not obtained, the parties shall be entitled to terminate this MoU without incurring any liability to each other and on termination of the MoU, the Parties shall be discharged of their obligations, the company said in a statement.

It further said that the MoU shall be effective from the date of execution by the parties for a term of six months and the definitive agreements outlining mutual rights and obligations will be entered in due course of time. The MoU shall cease to exist once the definitive agreements are signed between the parties.

Orient Cement is a part of the C.K. Birla Group. The company's cement plants having aggregate installed capacity of 8 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) are located at Telangana, Maharashtra and Karnataka. The company sells cement under the brand name of 'Birla A1' and 'Birla A1 StrongCrete'.

The company's consolidated net profit surged to Rs 89.46 crore in Q1 FY22 from Rs 25.60 crore in Q1 FY21. Net sales during the quarter increased by 68.4% YoY to Rs 690.90 crore.

Powered by Capital Market - Live News

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Sansera Engineering rose 3.04% to Rs 843.55 after various domestic and global asset managers acquired stake in the company.

On Friday (24 September 2021), Abu Dhabi Investment Authority acquired 4.87 lakh shares (0.95% equity) of the company at an average price of Rs 821.48 per share.

Nomura Funds Ireland bought 6 lakh shares (1.17% equity) of the firm at an average price of Rs 820.10 apiece.

Plutus Wealth Management acquired 5 lakh shares (0.97% equity) of the firm at an average price of Rs 811.50 per share.

IIFL Asset Management bought 3.97 lakh shares (0.77% equity) of Sansera Engineering at an average price of Rs 818.01 per share.

IIFL Mutual Fund purchased 4.70 lakh shares (0.92% equity) of the company at an average price of Rs 820.09 apiece.

Sansera Engineering debuted on the bourses on Friday (24 September 2021), at a price of Rs 811.35 per share, at a premium of 9.05% as compared with the issue price of Rs 744 per share.

The initial public offer (IPO) of Sansera Engineering opened for bidding on 14 September 2021 and closed on 16 September 2021. The price band of the IPO was Rs 734-744 per share.

The IPO received bids for 13.88 crore shares as against 1.21 crore shares on offer. The issue was subscribed 11.47 times.

The qualified institutional buyers (QIBs) category was subscribed 26.47 times, the non-institutional investors category was subscribed 11.37 times and the retail individual investors (RIIs) category was subscribed 3.15 times.

The IPO was complete offer for sale (OFS) issue of Rs 1,282.98 crore by existing shareholders - Client Ebene, CVCIGP II Employee Ebene, S Sekhar Vasan, Unni Rajagopal K, F R Singhvi and D Devaraj.

The company will not directly receive any proceeds from the offer, and all the offer proceeds will be received by the selling shareholders, in proportion to the offered shares sold by them.

The promoters and promoter group hold an aggregate of 2,25,58,375 equity shares, aggregating to 41.98% of the pre-offer issued and paid-up equity share capital. The post IPO shareholding for the same is expected to be around 34.96%.

Ahead of the IPO, Sansera Engineering on 13 September 2021 finalized allocation of 51,35,162 equity shares to anchor investors at an allocation price of Rs 744 per share, aggregating to Rs 3,82,05,60,528.

Sansera Engineering is an engineering-led integrated manufacturer of complex and critical precision engineered components across automotive and non-automotive sectors.

The company reported a consolidated net profit of Rs 107.99 crore and total income of Rs 1,549.27 crore in the twelve months ended 31 March 2021.

Powered by Capital Market - Live News

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Benchmark indices ended almost flat after a volatile session on Monday. The Nifty closed above the 17,850 level. Realty and auto were in demand while IT and healthcare shares declined.

As per the provisional closing data, the barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, was up 29.41 points or 0.05% to 60,077.05. The Nifty 50 index was up 1.9 points at 17,855.4.

In the broader market, the S&P BSE Mid-Cap index ended flat while the S&P BSE Small-Cap index fell 0.13%.

The market breadth was negative. On the BSE, 1643 shares rose and 1704 shares fell. A total of 189 shares were unchanged.

Reliance Industries rose 1.63% to Rs 2523.45. The stock touched the Rs 16-lakh crore market capitalization mark.

COVID-19 Update:

Total COVID-19 confirmed cases worldwide stood at 231,820,895 with 4,748,055 deaths. India reported 299,620 active cases of COVID-19 infection and 447,194 deaths according to the data from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India.

In the last 24 hours, India recorded 26,041 new cases of COVID-19. The recovery rate currently stood at 97.78% with 29,621 recoveries in the last 24 hours taking the total recoveries to 3,29,31,972.

A total of 86,27,23,841 COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered in the country so far, with over 38.02 lakh doses being given yesterday, according to the Co-WIN dashboard.

Economy:

The direct tax collections for the financial year 2021-22, as on 22 September 2021 showed that net collections are at Rs 5,70,568 crore, a year-on-year increase of 74.4%. In the last financial year, the net collection was Rs 3,27,174 crore, a Finance Ministry release stated on 24 September 2021. The net direct tax collection of Rs 5,70,568 crore, includes corporation tax of Rs 3,02,975 crore (net of refund) and personal income tax including security transaction tax (STT) of Rs 2,67,593 crore (net of refund).

The advance tax collection in the second quarter (1 July 2021 to 22 September 2021) of FY 2021-22 is Rs 1,72,071 crore, a growth of 51.50% over Rs 1,13,571 crore in the corresponding period in FY 2020-21. Refunds amounting to Rs 75,111 crore have been issued in the FY 2021-22 so far. The gross collection of direct taxes (before adjusting for refunds) for the FY 2021-22 stands at Rs 6,45,679 crore compared to Rs 4,39,242 crore in the corresponding period of the preceding financial year, registering a growth of 47% over collections of FY 2020-21.

Stocks in Spotlight:

Hindustan Copper fell 0.41%. The Government of India has offered to sell 31,98,646 equity shares to eligible employees of the state-run company at Rs 116 each. In accordance with the approval given by alternative mechanism on 15 September 2021, the Government of India is offering up to 31,98,646 equity shares (0.33% equity) of face value of Rs 5 each to the eligible employees of the company at Rs 116 per equity share. The offer price is 5.17% premium to Hindustan Copper's closing price of Rs 110.30 on Friday, 24 September 2021. The employee OFS shall remain open from 27 September 2021 to 29 September 2021 (both days inclusive).

Patel Engineering 8.48% after the company bagged Rs 1,251 crore, lot-II civil work contract for 500 MW Teesta-VI Hydro Electric Project, Sikkim, from Lanco Teesta Hydro Power, a wholly owned subsidiary of NHPC.

Shares of multiplex operators were in demand after the Maharashtra government on Saturday announced that it will allow cinemas to resume operations in the state after 22 October 2021. PVR jumped 5.26% to Rs 1590.60 and Inox Leisure surged 7.65% at Rs 376.55.

United Breweries fell 3.21% after the Competition Commission of India (CCI) fined the company about Rs 750 crore for indulging in cartelisation in the sale and supply of beer. CCI passed a final order against UBL, SABMiller India (now known as Anheuser Busch InBev India) and Carlsberg India for indulging in cartelisation in the sale and supply of beer in various States and Union Territories in India. Based on evidences, CCI found that the three companies engaged in price co-ordination in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Odisha, Rajasthan, West Bengal, National Capital Territory of Delhi and the Union Territory of Puducherry.

The firms were collectively restricting beer supply in Maharashtra, Odisha and West Bengal. The companies were sharing market in Maharashtra and co-ordinating beer supply to premium institutions in Bengaluru. Further, the fair trade regulator also found co-ordination among UBL and AB InBev for purchase of second-hand bottles.

Sansera Engineering advanced 3.04% after various domestic and global asset managers acquired stake in the company. Abu Dhabi Investment Authority acquired 4.87 lakh shares of the company at an average price of Rs 821.48 per share. Concurrently, Nomura Funds Ireland bought 6 lakh shares of the firm at an average price of Rs 820.10 apiece. Further, IIFL Asset Management and IIFL Mutual Fund together purchased 8.67 lakh shares of Sansera Engineering via bulk deals on the NSE on Friday.

SJVN rose 1.86% after the company said it secured 1000 megawatt Solar PV power project worth Rs 5,500 crore. In an exchange filing, SJVN said it bagged the full quoted capacity of 1000 MW at a viability gap funding (VGF) support of Rs 44.72 lakh per MW by Government of India, through Request for Proposal (RFP) floated by Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency (IREDA).

Container Corporation of India rose 0.45%. The PSU company said that the Ministry of Railways, Government of India, has extended the tenure of the company's chairman and managing director V. Kalyana Rama by two years till 30 September 2023. The CMD's tenure was to end on 30 September 2021, the PSU said.

Biocon fell 0.39% to Rs 358.8 after the company's Malaysian subsidiary received six observations from the US drug regulator. The US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) conducted an on-site pre-approval inspection (PAI) of Biocon's Malaysian subsidiary Biocon Sdn. Bhd's manufacturing facility for insulin aspart between 13 and 24 September 2021. At the conclusion of the inspection, the agency has issued a Form 483 with a total of 6 observations across drug substance, drug product and devices facilities.

Astrazeneca Pharma India rose 1.26% after the drug company said that it received import and market permission in Form CT-20 from the Drugs Controller General of India (DGCI) for Selumetinib capsule. Selumetinib capsule is indicated for treatment of Pediatric patients 3 years of age and older with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) and who have symptomatic, inoperable plexiform neurofibromas (PN).

NBCC (India) gained 2.59%. after the EPC company said that it has secured a work order for the construction of 2000 social housing at Hulhumale, Male, Maldives on engineering procurement and construction (EPC) basis. The total cost of the project is $130 million, which is approximately Rs 968.50 crore.

Nucleus Software fell 1.62%. The IT company's board on Friday approved a proposal to buyback equity shares worth upto Rs 158.71 crore. The company proposes to buyback upto 22,67,400 equity shares, comprising of 7.81% of the total paid-up equity capital of the company, at Rs 700 per share, for an aggregate amount not exceeding Rs 158.71 crore.

Global Markets:

European markets advanced while Asian stocks ended mixed on Monday, with investors monitoring stocks related to embattled developer China Evergrande Group.

In Germany, preliminary results on Monday morning showed the center-left Social Democratic Party gaining the largest share of the vote with 25.8%. Angela Merkel's right-leaning bloc of the Christian Democratic Union and Christian Social Union was seen with 24.1% of the vote. But coalition negotiations, which could begin on Monday, are likely to take weeks or even months.

European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde today will deliver a statement to a European Parliament committee.

US stocks closed mixed Friday as the market fell back under pressure amid concerns relating to China, COVID-19 and U. S. politics.

Eyes will also be on U. S. fiscal policy with the House of Representatives due to vote on a $1 trillion infrastructure bill this week, while a September 30 deadline on funding federal agencies could force the second partial government shutdown in three years.

Elsewhere, early projections on Sunday pointed to a knife-edge result in Germany federal elections as the country looks for a successor to Angela Merkel, who is preparing to leave office after 16 years in power.

Powered by Capital Market - Live News

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Barometers traded at the day's low with minor losses in mid morning trade. The Nifty slipped below the 17,850 level. Banking, auto and financial stocks saw demand while IT and pharmaceutical saw heavy selling. The Sensex cracked 60,000 mark and edged lower.

At 10:27 IST, the barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, fell 84.05 points or 0.14% at 59,964. The Nifty 50 index was down 28 or 0.16 at 17,825.05. The Sensex hit record high of 60,339.28 in early trade.

The broader market underperformed and saw selling pressure. The S&P BSE Mid-Cap index was down 0.47% while the S&P BSE Small-Cap index fell 0.1%.

The market breadth turned negative. On the BSE, 1,477 shares rose and 1,634 shares fell. A total of 199 shares were unchanged.

COVID-19 Update:

Total COVID-19 confirmed cases worldwide stood at 231,820,895 with 4,748,055 deaths. India reported 299,620 active cases of COVID-19 infection and 447,194 deaths according to the data from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India.

In the last 24 hours, India recorded 26,041 new cases of COVID-19. The recovery rate currently stood at 97.78% with 29,621 recoveries in the last 24 hours taking the total recoveries to 3,29,31,972.

Economy:

The direct tax collections for the financial year 2021-22, as on 22 September 2021 showed that net collections are at Rs 5,70,568 crore, a year-on-year increase of 74.4%.

In the last financial year, the net collection was Rs 3,27,174 crore, a Finance Ministry release stated on 24 September 2021. The net direct tax collection of Rs 5,70,568 crore, includes corporation tax of Rs 3,02,975 crore (net of refund) and personal income tax including security transaction tax (STT) of Rs 2,67,593 crore (net of refund).

The advance tax collection in the second quarter (1 July 2021 to 22 September 2021) of FY 2021-22 is Rs 1,72,071 crore, a growth of 51.50% over Rs 1,13,571 crore in the corresponding period in FY 2020-21. Refunds amounting to Rs 75,111 crore have been issued in the FY 2021-22 so far. The gross collection of direct taxes (before adjusting for refunds) for the FY 2021-22 stands at Rs 6,45,679 crore compared to Rs 4,39,242 crore in the corresponding period of the preceding financial year, registering a growth of 47% over collections of FY 2020-21.

Buzzing Segment:

Shares of two multiplex operators were in demand after the Maharashtra government on Saturday announced that it will allow cinemas to resume operations in the state after 22 October 2021.

PVR jumped 5.65% to Rs 1596.55 and Inox Leisure surged 8.32% at Rs 379.15.

Theatres and auditoriums in Maharashtra will open after 22nd October 2021 while observing all COVID safety protocols. SOP (standard operating procedure) is in the works and will be declared soon, the Office of Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray tweeted on 25 September 2021.

Stocks in Spotlight:

SJVN rose 1.67% to Rs 27.40 after the company said it secured 1000 megawatt Solar PV power project worth Rs 5,500 crore. In an exchange filing, SJVN said it bagged the full quoted capacity of 1000 MW at a viability gap funding (VGF) support of Rs 44.72 lakh per MW by Government of India, through Request for Proposal (RFP) floated by Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency (IREDA).

Container Corporation of India fell 0.1%. The PSU company said that the Ministry of Railways, Government of India, has extended the tenure of the company's chairman and managing director V. Kalyana Rama by two years till 30 September 2023. The CMD's tenure was to end on 30 September 2021, the PSU said.

Global Markets:

Asian stocks were trading mixed on Monday, with investors monitoring stocks related to embattled developer China Evergrande Group.

US stocks closed mixed Friday as the market fell back under pressure amid concerns relating to China, COVID-19 and U. S. politics.

Eyes will also be on U. S. fiscal policy with the House of Representatives due to vote on a $1 trillion infrastructure bill this week, while a September 30 deadline on funding federal agencies could force the second partial government shutdown in three years.

Elsewhere, early projections on Sunday pointed to a knife-edge result in Germany federal elections as the country looks for a successor to Angela Merkel, who is preparing to leave office after 16 years in power.

Powered by Capital Market - Live News

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
SGX Nifty:

Trading of Nifty 50 index futures on the Singapore stock exchange indicates that the Nifty could rise 98 points at the opening bell.

Global markets:

Overseas, Asian stocks are trading higher on Monday, with investors monitoring stocks related to embattled developer China Evergrande Group.

US stocks closed mixed Friday as the market fell back under pressure amid concerns relating to China, COVID-19 and U.S. politics.

Eyes will also be on U.S. fiscal policy with the House of Representatives due to vote on a $1 trillion infrastructure bill this week, while a September 30 deadline on funding federal agencies could force the second partial government shutdown in three years.

Elsewhere, early projections on Sunday pointed to a knife-edge result in Germany federal elections as the country looks for a successor to Angela Merkel, who is preparing to leave office after 16 years in power.

Domestic markets:

Back home, the domestic equity benchmarks ended with modest gains on Friday. The S&P BSE Sensex, added 163.11 points or 0.27% to 60,048.47. The Nifty 50 index gained 30.25 points or 0.17% to 17,853.20.

Foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) bought shares worth Rs 442.49 crore, while domestic institutional investors (DIIs), were net sellers to the tune of Rs 515.85 crore in the Indian equity market on 24 September, provisional data showed.

Powered by Capital Market - Live News

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Delays in the resolution of bank loans are not an unmitigated evil. They work alongside economic recovery. Uddalok Bhattacharya sums up.

We must expect delays and other complications in any judicial or quasi-judicial process in the country, says T T Ram Mohan. Banks best bet is to act on the principle that prevention is better than cure. READ MORE...

Gurbachan Singh: There is no pressing need for foreign exchange reserves. India can do away with the prevailing RARE (Reserves for Atmanirbharta, Ratings, and Exchange rate stability) model of reserves, though in a phased manner. READ MORE...

While the recovery in (consumer) sentiments in July is impressive, it needs better traction in the critical income groups, says Mahesh Vyas. READ MORE...




Here are the best of Business Standard's pieces for Wednesday.

The Union finance ministry has taken the somewhat unusual step of publicly rebuking the technology major Infosys for failures in the income-tax portal that the latter has developed.

Infosys Chief Executive Officer Salil Parekh was summoned to meet Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday. In this regard, our lead editorial notes that the vendor certainly needs to be held accountable for problems in the portal but the question that has not been answered as yet is why the ministry allowed a portal of this nature to go live without proper checks. Read here

Redefining Make in India and the public sector policy are signs of a new approach to reforms, writes A K Bhattacharya. Read more

Errol DSouza and Astha Agarwalla note that an increase in public debt held by domestic banks accentuates the link between the health of the fisc and that of the banking system. Read here
At 20.1 per cent, GDP growth for the first quarter of FY22 was largely in line with expectations, given the low base of the corresponding period last year when India locked down owing to the pandemic.

If India endures another wave of Covid-19 in the coming months, hopes for a V-shaped recovery may need to be revisited. "A realistic expectation is that the pandemic and consequent policy measures will have cost India two full years of growth," says the top edit here.

In other views today

Contrary to conventional wisdom, R Jagannathan argues here, the case for a young and fast-growing population is growing weaker in the age of technology-driven growth and climate change. Read it here...

Prosenjit Datta discusses the long-term implications of the action against Big Tech in the US and China. Read it here...

The second edit says all scenarios in a post-US Afghanistan point to further turbulence. Read it here...
There is a simple way to explain the shift of naval power in East Asia over the past two decades: The region was handed to Beijing on a platter. Back in the year 2000, Chinas defence expenditure in relation to the US outlay was in the ratio of 1:11. By last year, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, that ratio had changed dramatically to 1:3.in his weekly column in this context notes, anyone within range of Chinas expanding navy will have to build capabilities faster and/or work more closely with the US, as Australia has just announced. Ordinarily, India, with its longstanding goal of strategic autonomy, would not want to be pushed into a western naval embrace, but it already has to some degree. Having bumbled along while China built bigger and better, there is now no alternative. READ MORE...

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. Even during these difficult times arising out of Covid-19, we continue to remain committed to keeping you informed and updated with credible news, authoritative views and incisive commentary on topical issues of relevance.

We, however, have a request.



As we battle the economic impact of the pandemic, we need your support even more, so that we can continue to offer you more quality content. Our subscription model has seen an encouraging response from many of you, who have subscribed to our online content. 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
A leftward turn in the stance of a regulator can disrupt the orientation of the state. Uddalok Bhattacharya sums up.

What does right wing mean? Vir Sanghvi explores the matter. READ HERE...

Amit Tandon discusses why regulation is creating hurdles for actors and what regulators should do. READ HERE...

OUR EDIT SAYS: Olas e-scooter plans can disrupt the two-wheeler market. READ HERE...
Bankruptcy resolutions henceforth shall involve a moral element, with the government contributing to it. Uddalok Bhattacharya sums up.

Debashis Basu talks of the unfairness of real estate bankruptcy resolution. READ HERE...

The pandemic has affected the affluent class less than others, says Tamal Bandyopadhyay.

The gap between the haves and have-nots has widened. READ HERE...

OUR EDIT SAYS: The prime ministers emphasis on less government interference is the way to go. READ HERE...
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. Even during these difficult times arising out of Covid-19, we continue to remain committed to keeping you informed and updated with credible news, authoritative views and incisive commentary on topical issues of relevance.

We, however, have a request.



As we battle the economic impact of the pandemic, we need your support even more, so that we can continue to offer you more quality content. Our subscription model has seen an encouraging response from many of you, who have subscribed to our online content. 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
After labelling bribery charges against Infosys, Panchjanya, a journal with RSS leanings, has now opened an attack on Jeff Bezos founded Amazon, with a cover story calling it the second generation of the East India Company that entered India with business interests but ended up colonising the country for 200 years.

The cover story with Bezos picture accuses of indulging in corrupt practices after allegations of bribery surfaced against it.

Panchjanya has also accused for insulting Hindu values through Prime Videos movies and content.

" too wants to have sole rights on the Indian market. For this it has started taking steps to encircle the political, economic and individual freedom of people here. It is accused of floating shell companies to capture the e-market platform, of bribing to have policies in its favour, and of airing programmes opposed to Indian culture through Prime Videos", the Panchjanya says in a gist of its cover story.

The cover refers to allegations Amazon's legal representatives bribed Indian officials, and questions: "What did it (the company) do wrong it needed to bribe... Why do people consider this company a threat to indigenous entrepreneurship, economic freedom and culture?"

The cover story said Amazon invested in India with a promise to help small traders get a larger platform to sell products, it actually floated its own companies to do the same. "The company floated supplier entities such as Cloudtail and Apiria in which it had significant stake and indirect control,".

Amazon, the world's largest online retailer, has initiated an investigation into the conduct of its legal representatives in India, The Morning Context reported.

This investigation comes on the back of a whistleblower complaint alleging that certain monies paid by Amazon in legal fees have been funnelled into bribes by one or more of its legal representatives.

Two people who work closely with Amazon's in-house legal team confirmed that Rahul Sundaram, senior corporate counsel at Amazon, has been sent on leave. The Morning Context reached out to Sundaram for comment. In a text message, he said, "Sorry I cannot speak with the press.' We could not independently ascertain whether the internal investigation has been completed or is in progress.

Responding to a detailed set of questions, an Amazon spokesperson said: "We have zero tolerance for corruption. We take allegations of improper actions seriously, investigate them fully, and take appropriate action. We are not commenting on specific allegations or the status of any investigation at this time."

--IANS

san/in

(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.)
national vice-president Dilip Ghosh was Monday pushed and heckled by alleged TMC supporters, prompting his security officer to whip out a pistol in Bhabanipur assembly constituency, where Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is in the fray, as political temperature rose on the last day of electioneering.

Ghosh demanded deferment of the September 30 by-poll till the situation has normalised, while the Election Commission sought a report from the state government on the incident.

MP Arjun Singh faced "go back" slogans by ruling TMC workers while campaigning for party candidate Priyanka Tibrewal.

National TV channels showed Ghosh being pushed and heckled on a road as a posse of security guards tried to shield him. A suspected TMC supporter could be seen grabbing a securityman by the collar who swiftly pulled out a pistol to scare away the crowd.

The incident occurred when Ghosh had gone inside a vaccination camp in Jodubabur Bazaar area in the constituency, where by-poll will be held on September 30. TMC supporters present at the spot shouted slogans demanding that he leave, alleging that he was campaigning at a state-run vaccination programme which was not permitted.

Ghosh, who was whisked away by his security guards, later alleged TMC supporters "attacked" him without provocation and injured a activist. "We will take up the issue with the Election Commission. What kind of election this is?" he asked.

Ghosh, who was recently removed as the state BJP chief and appointed the party's national vice president, later addressed a press conference where he demanded postponement of the by-poll in Bhabanipur.

"The law and order situation in the area is not conducive to holding by-poll. If an MP can be attacked, then imagine the situation common voters are facing. I demand postponement of polling till the situation normalises in Bhabanipur...till the time its conducive for holding a free and fair election," he said.

Ghosh claimed there was threat to his life and defended the action of his security officers. "Had they not done this, I would have been killed. My security personnel ensured I could board the car and leave the place safely," he said.

Reacting to Ghosh's demand for postponement of the by-poll, senior TMC leader Tapas Roy said the BJP leader is desperate to score some political brownie points after being "shunted out" as the state party president.

"His party should first remove him from the list of star campaigners and then talk about the postponement of by-poll. It seems that he is desperate to score some brownie points following his unceremonious removal as state president," Roy said.

The Congress, which has decided against contesting and campaigning in the by-poll, hit out against the TMC over the incident.

"Is this a sign of healthy democracy that leaders of opposition parties are attacked in such a manner? This is shameful. The EC must ensure free and fair polls," state Congress president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, the leader of the party in the Lok Sabha, said.

Sources in the office of the state's chief electoral officer said the Election Commission had sought a report from the state government by 4 pm. It was not yet known if the state had sent its report to the poll panel or contents thereof.

Arjun Singh, who is in charge of the BJP campaign in the constituency, faced "go back" slogans and called 'bohiragato' (outsider), as he went around the area soliciting votes. Singh, a multiple-term former TMC MLA, now represents Barrackpore constituency in the Lok Sabha.

Leader of the Opposition in the state assembly Suvendu Adhikari, Mamata Banerjee's nemesis in Nandigram, demanded that the Election Commission take action against those responsible for the incident. "The situation here is 'nazuk' (fragile). But BJP workers will fight till their last breath and not quit," he said.

Senior TMC leader and MLA Madan Mitra said everybody has the right to campaign door-to-door in the constituency but not to threaten people with a weapon. "It's not Godhra or Bhatpara, it's Bhabanipur. BJP will get a befitting reply for its actions on September 30," he said.

Arjun Singh accused the state administration and police of doing nothing even when MPs and national level BJP leaders were attacked.

TMC leader Firhad Hakim, a minister, accused the BJP of provoking the people to create disturbance in the peaceful middle class neighbourhood.

"BJP is resorting to provocation sensing defeat. It is better to ignore them. Common people are protesting against them for spreading hatred, falsehood and indulging in personal attacks," Hakim said.

In a tweet, the TMC alleged that Ghosh's bodyguard had brandished firearms to scare away the people.

"@BJP4Bengal HITS A NEW LOW! How DARE a gun be aimed at (the) public in broad daylight? Do people not have the right to protest against leaders they do not support? Such blatant violation of human rights is shameful! This compromises the safety and security of people in Bhabanipur!" the party tweeted.

(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.)
Union Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan on Monday severely criticised the Kerala government for extending support to called by farmers' unions and said that "protest by farmers is politically motivated and it is an anti-government".

"The Laws, that are enacted, don't have anything to do with Kerala as Kerala doesn't have mandis. Then why Kerala people are subjected to unnecessary torture? It's a politically motivated anti-PM Modi protest," Union Minister V Muraleedharan said.

The Minister had urged Left Democratic Front (LDF) and Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) to rethink supporting 'Hartal culture' as it is not going to attract investments to Kerala.

Speaking to ANI, Muraleedharan said, "Today is World Tourism Day and due to Kerala Bandh, tourists who come today will not be able to go out of their hotel rooms, not able to move out of the airport, they will be stranded at the airport, railway stations."

"Tourism industry is the main source of employment in Kerala. This is why Congress and Communist Party of India (Marxist)(CPM) should mend their ways and should move away from the obstructionist policies," he added.

Muraleedharan further said that Kerala has nothing to do with laws as Kerala doesn't have a Mandi system.

"The law which is now enacted is already in place in Kerala so why the people of Kerala should be subjected to unnecessary torture and hartals," he said.

"The Congress, as well as the CPM, should realise that the days of hartals and bandhs are over. We are in a free independent India now," he added.

Samyukt Kisan Morcha, a coalition of farmers' unions, has called for a nationwide today to mark the first anniversary of the enactment of the three farm laws.

State governments of Tamil Nadu, Chhattisgarh, Kerala, Punjab, Jharkhand and Andhra Pradesh have extended their support to the protest.

Farmers have been protesting at different sites since November 26 last year against the three enacted farm laws: Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; the Farmers Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and farm Services Act 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.

Farmer leaders and the Centre have held several rounds of talks but the impasse remains.

(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 Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), a united forum of farmer unions protesting the three farm laws, on Monday said its call for a received "unprecedented and historic" response from more than 23 states and not a single untoward incident was reported from anywhere.

"Reports have been pouring in about the overwhelmingly positive and resounding response to the call to mark 10 months of peaceful protests with rightful demands from the 'annadaatas' of the country. Spontaneous participation from various sections of the society was witnessed at most places," it said in a statement.

The SKM said the bandh was observed peacefully in "more than 23 states" and not a single untoward incident was reported.

It also appreciated state governments and political parties that extended support to the bandh.

"Reports have come in from hundreds of locations from Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Jharkhand, Kerala, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Pondicherry, Punjab, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and West Bengal about the bandh, and numerous events to accompany the same," the statement said.

In Punjab alone, people gathered at more than 500 locations to express their support to the bandh. Numerous non-farmer associations also stood in solidarity with farmers, it said.

"Life came to a near standstill in several states like Kerala, Punjab, Haryana, Jharkhand and Bihar. Reports indicate that in several parts of southern Assam, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Uttarakhand, this was the situation. Scores of protests marked the day in states like Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand," the SKM said in the statement.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Former Union minister DINESH TRIVEDI quit the Trinamool Congress (TMC), resigned from the Rajya Sabha, and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ahead of the West Bengal Assembly polls. In an interview with Aditi Phadnis, he says the elections in Bengal do not reflect the spirit of democracy and claims the state is on the downslide.

Edited excerpts: How do you see the political situation in Bengal, now that youre on the other side? Even earlier one could have evaluated objectively what was going wrong. Just because youve crossed over doesnt mean your vision ...
Adani Wilmar, which markets and other food products under the Fortune brand, on Monday said it has opened 12 physical stores on franchisee model across six states and plans to start outlets across the country.

" is opening physical stores under the name Fortune Mart which will exclusively sell Fortune and other brand products," the company said in a statement.

The physical stores are being opened on a franchise model.

has so far opened 12 Fortune Mart stores in Jaipur, Jodhpur, Lalitpur, Gandhinagar, Surat, Gandhidham, Jabalpur, Vidisha, Gwalior, Kharghar, Akola, and Haldia. These cover the states of Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and West Bengal.

The company further aims to launch Fortune Mart stores in north and eastern parts of India in the coming quarter.

"Fortune has become a household name and the most popular and preferred food brand in the country. The rollout of Fortune Mart stores aims to leverage the brand equity Fortune has established over the last two decades," said Angshu Mallick, MD and CEO, Adani Wilmar.

The Fortune Mart stores will also supplement the company's wide retail reach, he added.

"We aim to have a presence across the metros as well as tier I and II cities in the coming months," Mallick said.

The stores will sell all products of Adani Wilmar.

Besides Fortune, the company sells food products under different brands like King's, Aadhar, Raag, Alife and Wilshort.

Apart from edible oils, its food product basket includes basmati rice, atta, pulses, soya chunks, besan, sattu and sugar.

The Fortune Mart stores will also sell recently launched personal care products, including soap, hand wash, and sanitisers, sold under the brand name Alife.

(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.)
(Reuters) -Several Inc and Inc suppliers have suspended production at some Chinese factories for a number of days to comply with tighter energy consumption policies, putting supply chains at risk in the peak season for electronics goods.

Two major Taiwanese chipmakers, however, said their China facilities are operating as normal.

The development comes as tight coal supplies in China and toughening emissions standards have triggered a contraction in heavy industry in several regions, dragging on the country's economic growth rate, analysts have said.

supplier Unimicron Technology Corp late on Sunday said three of its China subsidiaries stopped production from midday on Sept. 26 until midnight on Sept. 30 to "comply with the local governments' electricity limiting policy".

The Taiwanese maker of printed circuit boards said it did not expect significant impact as other plants would make up production.

Eson Precision Ind Co Ltd, an affiliate of Taiwan's Hon Hai Precision Industry Co Ltd (Foxconn), in a statement said it suspended production from Sunday until Friday at facilities in the Chinese city of Kunshan.

Concraft Holding Co Ltd, a supplier of speaker components for Apple's iPhone and which owns manufacturing plants in Suzhou city, said it would suspend production for five days until noon on Thursday and use inventory to meet demand.

Chipmakers United Microelectronics Corp (UMC) and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Ltd told Reuters there was no impact at their China plants.

"UMC's Hejian fab in Suzhou is currently running at full capacity utilization of 80,000 plus wafers per month," said the Taiwanese firm, whose clients include Qualcomm Inc.

Two people familiar with the matter told Reuters that facilities in Kunshan of contract manufacturer Foxconn have seen a "very small" impact on production.

Foxconn had to "adjust" a small part of its capacity there, which includes the manufacture of non- notebook computers, one of the people said, adding that the company has not seen any impact at other major production hubs across China.

The second person said the company had to move some of the Kunshan workers' shifts in late September to early October.

Foxconn, a major Apple supplier, declined to comment.

(Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Bengaluru, and Ben Blanchard and Yimou Lee in Taipei; Editing by Kim Coghill and Christopher Cushing)

(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.)
Alok Industries Ltd

Alok Industries Ltd is one of the leading textile group and amongst the fastest growing vertically integrated textile companies in India. They are offering world class integrated textile solutions. They manufacture world-class home textiles apparel fabrics garments and polyester yarns selling directly to manufacturers exporters importers retailers and brands the world over. Also they are in the bu...> More
Oil & Natural Gas Corpn Ltd

Maharatna Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) is the largest crude oil and natural gas Company in India contributing around 75% to Indian domestic production. Crude oil is the raw material used by downstream companies like IOC BPCL and HPCL (subsidiary of ONGC) to produce petroleum products like Petrol Diesel Kerosene Naphtha and Cooking Gas-LPG. The Government of India (GoI) held 60.41% stake ...> More
New Delhi [India], September 27 (ANI/NewsVoir): India's esteemed NGO, has organized Empowerment Conclave in New Delhi, on the occasion of its 6th Foundation Day, where the top leadership of the country discussed various prospects for the holistic development of the nation in the next 25 years.

This Conclave served as a vital platform to bring together the respected ministers, bureaucrats and subject experts to address the concerns through panel discussions and keynote.

"Y4D Foundation envisions the nation where each of its citizens lives a happy and content life. This can be attained easily by empowering the underprivileged sections. Their full potential can be harnessed through encouragement, education and employment. We are working towards shaping up a society which is sustainable for future generations and we humbly request all the stakeholders to join hands together in achieving this mission and pave the way for better India," said Praful Nikam, President, Y4D Foundation. The event is a substantial extension of the ideology of building a nation where every citizen lives with dignity and equal opportunities.

The stepping stones to accomplishing the grand vision for a better India in the next 25 years were unveiled at the conclave. The grand revelation includes a declaration of MoU signed between Y4D Foundation and Policy Bazaar for a large scale Financial Literacy Program in collaboration, to educate the youth about financial skills and knowledge at an early stage to help them to make informed financial decisions. A strong foundation of financial literacy can help support various life goals, such as saving for education or retirement, using debt responsibly, and running a business.

An Employability and Soft Skill Training Program in collaboration with Ishanya Foundation and Tata Motors was also announced during the conclave. A special Skill Training Centre has been set up by the Y4D Foundation, for marginalized communities to impart knowledge, hands-on training and market-oriented learning modules, which will enable them to take new economy jobs.

A pan India program to enhance medical infrastructure by establishing mobile health care centres, called Ayushmaan Adhaar Health program in partnership with Adhaar Housing Finance Limited was announced during the event. In past, they have organised 100 Health Camps across 7 States, donated 6 ambulances in 6 states and set up a water boat ambulance in Dal Lake, Kashmir under their previous project. Y4D Foundation is also upgrading the Rural Health care centre in Satara District of Maharashtra in collaboration with Alfa Laval India Private Limited. The full spectrum of high-quality, needs-based essential healthcare services will be made available to the entire population. It will not only protect them in distress but also from financial hardship due to out-of-pocket payments for health services.

Honorable Finance Minister of State, Dr. Bhagwat Kishanrao Karad, graced the event with his presence and appreciated the initiatives. Commenting on the digital and financial education program, he said, "The streamlined financial literacy program designed by Y4D Foundation falls in line with several schemes initiated by Government of India, under the able guidance of our honorable Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi Ji, to spread awareness about financial instruments and money management skills. Promoting and imparting digital literacy would help bridge the wealth gap and facilitate economic mobility to each and every section of society. I believe it's crucial for organisations like Y4D Foundation in order to foster efficiency and self-reliance amongst the youth of the country."

Dr. Abhay Jere (CIO, Ministry of Education), Gaurav Dalmia (Chairmain, Dalmia Group), Sumit Antil (Gold Medalist, Paralympics), Yogeshwar Dutt (Medalist, Olympics), Singhraj Adahana (Medalist, Paralympics) and Radhakrishnan Pillai (Author) were the guests of honour. A discerning panel of eminent personalities from their respective fields shared their insights on youth empowerment through education, rural development, national integrity, social upliftment, nutrition and economic sustainability.

With an aim to set an example and to inspire others to work towards bringing positive transformations, a felicitation ceremony was convened during the event to recognise people/organizations, such as Policy Bazaar, Tata Motors, Ishanya Foundation etc., that have done exemplary work in the area of "Empowering the Underprivileged".

Y4D Foundation is a youth led organization working on empowering the underprivileged section of our society. Y4D has a pan India presence through its wide network of Volunteer Chapters across the country. Y4D Foundation focused its interventions on issues concerning youth and children which brought about significant changes in their lives in terms of education, health, skill, career and sustainable livelihood.

Y4D also works on Environment conservation, women empowerment, Food safety and security. Being an organisation who cares for society, Y4D gets engaged in projects as the situation demands under natural or manmade disasters, like COVID-19 Pandemic, Flood, Drought Relief etc. Y4D is committed to empower the underprivileged section of our society by creating an enabling environment through Encouragement, Education and Employment so that citizens can harness their full potential and live happy and healthy lives with dignity and contribute positively to society. Y4D is working towards shaping up a society which is sustainable for future generations by working on environment conservation and introducing values in society.

This story is provided by NewsVoir. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/NewsVoir)

DISCLAIMER

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Wilmington (DE) [USA], September 27 (ANI/PNN): Phonato Studios, a mobile game development company, has surpassed over 10 million downloads of its gaming titles and achieved an exponential increase in market penetration, especially in the North American market.

Founded by two Jamia Millia Islamia graduates, Faisal Abidi and Raghib Khan, in 2013, the company has witnessed significant growth figures, a remarkable feat for a bootstrapped Indian company in an industry primarily ruled by American, Chinese, and European firms.

The primary factors that have contributed to the success of Phonato Studios are a great team, an intricate understanding of the current gaming market, and the decision of the founders to go the "bootstrap way" from day one while staying true to their vision of delivering the best possible gaming experience. Notably, Phonato Studios - remains entirely debt-free to date, and its game titles have received an average of 4.5+ star reviews on Google Play and the iOS App Store.

For both Faisal and Raghib, bootstrapping was a personal resolution. "Being self-funded allowed us a lot of creative freedom and gave our team the opportunity to tinker with ideas. While many investors would have been sceptical about going into games in the pre-pandemic times, we jumped into it head-on because we knew this was a growing market. Now, our offerings have received critical acclaim, and we are well on our way to expanding our product range," said Raghib, the Co-Founder and Director of Phonato Studios.

His fellow Co-founder and Director, Faisal, who also heads the services division of their other business, (https://www.rnftechnologies.com) RNF Technologies, added, "Calling the shots worked wonders for us! We could strategically time our growth as and when we felt the market was conducive for it. Being a self-funded company and not answerable to any investors gave us that leverage. It took a lot of patience, determination, and hard work, but as a team, we've been our bosses in the truest sense, and we have loved every moment of it."

The duo stepped into the tech services world with RNF Technologies in 2009 after gaining valuable work experiences at AOL and Google. With a 250+ international client base using its web development and digital marketing services, RNF Technologies proved to be the perfect springboard for Phonato Studios as well as Resource, an IT staff augmentation firm that boasts of several Fortune 500 companies as its clients. Notably, RNF Technologies has been acclaimed as one of the "Top-Performing App Development Companies for 2021" by Clutch, a reputed market research firm in the USA.

In addition to these ventures, the friends-turned-business partners have interests in the B2B events arena. With excellence and innovation being on top of their agenda, they hope to continue cultivating Indian talent and truly "Make in India" to offer impressive services, products, and experiences to its clients across the globe.

This story is provided by PNN. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/PNN)

DISCLAIMER

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
New Delhi [India], September 27 (ANI/BusinessWire India): India's National Council of Educational Research & Training (NCERT) & Tech Avant-Garde (TAG), Microsoft's Global Training Partner signed an agreement to collaborate for enhancing digital skills among the stakeholders of education so as to facilitate a Connected Learning Community (CLC).

NCERT, Tech Avant-Garde and Microsoft will collaborate to enhance Digital Transformation and Holistic Learning (DTHL) in education, as per Digital India Campaign and National Education Policy (NEP), 2020. Digital India campaign (2015) envisions to create basic IT/ ICT infrastructure, delivery of citizen services through portals, apps etc., and digital literacy of all citizens in a time bound manner.

TAG will provide Microsoft course content in the format shared by NCERT under the license CC-by-NC-SA. Certificate for the course will be jointly offered by NCERT and Microsoft/TAG as per NCERT format.

URL of L'avenir / Microsoft Learn shall be added as part of course instruction for further learning. TAG in collaboration with CIET-NCERT will run customized courses for NCERT constituents such as: National Institute of Education (NIE), New Delhi[ Central Institute of Educational Technology (CIET), New Delhi; Pandit Sundarlal Sharma Central Institute of Vocational Education (PSSCIVE), Bhopal; Regional Institute of Education (RIE), Ajmer; Regional Institute of Education (RIE), Bhopal; Regional Institute of Education (RIE), Bhubaneswar; Regional Institute of Education (RIE), Mysore; and North-East Regional Institute of Education (NERIE), Shillong to name a few.

An NCERT spokesperson says, "We, at NCERT, teamed up with Tech Avant-Garde, Microsoft's Global Training Partner, to enhance digital transformation and learning as the National Education Policy (2020) envisions for use and integration of ET/ ICT/ digital education in teaching, learning, assessment, development of eContents, digital resources for DIVYANG, continuous capacity building of teachers, educational management and governance etc.

It also emphasizes on research on disruptive technologies and pilots on such technologies facilitating educational processes well before its scaling in the system. NCERT will identify appropriate online courses related to continuous professional development from the bouquet of courses shared by TAG from time to time which will be helpful for teachers to enhance their Digital Skills."

Ali Sait, CEO, Tech Avant-Garde, said, "It is an honour and privilege to join hands with NCERT and Microsoft. TAG - Global Training Partner will collaborate with both on digital transformation of education and holistic learning. It is a wonderful opportunity to empower the most important stakeholders of education - The Teachers. We want to empower educators through a series of activities related to research, material development, training and extension activities which will in turn enhance learning capabilities of various stakeholders of education. In India there are more than 9.5 million teachers, in the new genre of learning every teacher should - acquire Digital Skills, understand the Knowledge Age education and practice digital pedagogy. This partnership will foster all of the above skills in Teachers to make them winners of the Knowledge Age."

Christina Thoresen, Director of Education Industry Strategy Team, Microsoft Corporate HQ said, "Microsoft is committed to empower every teacher to achieve their full potential with technology. We are very excited to contribute to the partnership with NCERT and Tech Avant-Garde (TAG) in the aspiration to upskill educators and enable new ways of teaching and learning that are demand given the dramatic changes and disruption happening in education landscape in India. Free professional development resources that we make available through Microsoft Educator Center will resonate with millions of educators in India and help them get on a lifelong learning pathway." Microsoft and its global training partner Tech Avant-Garde (TAG) had joined hands to conduct Hybrid Learning training workshop for teachers over a period of five days in August-September for one hour each day.

On 5th September, 2020, post COVID-19 and the announcement of the Goal's National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, Tech Avant-Garde started the record-breaking Knowledge L'avenir Conclave (KLC) webinars in association with Microsoft, Knowledge Key Foundation, LYCEE Corp, Efeeonline and Roshini Social Schooling. Th!e largest congregation of teachers (5,000) took a first-of-its-kind test and 3,950 of them became Microsoft Innovative Educator (MIE) certified digital classroom teachers in a single day (27th September)! Till 30th November, they trained 150,000 teachers from 72,000 schools with a student-teacher-parent population of 76 million.

TAG became the first company in Indian education sector to partner with the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) for the Bharat Bill Payment System (BBPS), a Reserve Bank of India (RBI) conceptualized system, for online payment of fees in schools and other educational institutions. The fees can now be paid from anywhere, any place or on any device. Today about 18,000 schools are uploaded on this platform for fees collections. TAG has an MOU with many school associations who have mandated TAG to transform their member schools into a Connected Learning Community (CLC) vision of UNESCO.

TAG recently presented the Change Maker awards to fifty-four School Principals in India by Tech Avant-Garde (Microsoft's Global Partner), Knowledge L'avenir in association with Microsoft and Rotary Club. Certain select Principals were from schools that were honored with Carte Blanche Digital School graduation at a special function held in November 2020.

These schools have subscribed towards the Digital Transformation and Holistic Learning Program (DTHL); where the school teachers have been trained in Digital Teaching; where the school is conducting online classes daily for all grades; where teachers are MIE (Microsoft Innovator Educator) certified and where teachers have trained the participants in the Knowledge L'avenir Conclave Webinars.

The DTHL Coordinators are awarded with Digital Catalyst Certification; Knowledge L'avenir Conclave presenters are awarded with Adroit Mentor Certification; Teachers with digital skills are presented with Empowered Educator Certification; Students are presented with Connected Learner Certification and Parents are presented with Participative Parent Certification.

Schools are also eligible to become Microsoft Showcase Schools. And in addition, teachers who have given presentations in Knowledge L'avenir Conclaves are trained to become MIE Trainers.

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.)
Cuttack (Odisha) [India], September 27 (ANI/PNN): As a prime part of its ongoing Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities, Orissa Stevedores Limited (OSL) has extended support to the schools of Cuttack district under the ambitious "Mo School Abhiyan Parichalana Sangathan" (MSAPS) launched by the Government of Odisha.

MSAPS is an initiative by the Odisha School & Mass Education Department (S & ME) in a bid to transform the ambience and qualitative environment of our schools across the state.

Being a leading and responsive company in Odisha, OSL has contributed a sum of Rs 20,00,000 (INR twenty lakh) meant for providing better facilities in the spheres of games, music and other activities under the "Mission Zero F Initiative".

The District Level Committee (DLC) will select the schools where the donation will be utilized.

At a special programme held, P K Pattnaik, Head of Estate Department, OSL, handed over the cheque to Shri Bhabani Shankar Chayani, Collector, Cuttack, in the presence of Smt. Rashmita Mishra, District coordinator, "Mission Zero F Initiative", Cuttack.

Speaking on the purpose of such support and contribution, Mahimananda Mishra, Managing Director (MD), OSL Group, said, "OSL Group is fully committed to the development of children in Odisha. Odisha Government's Mo School Abhiyan is a robust approach towards building a brighter future for the state."

"Whatever transformation has taken place in the schools across the state is a big step initiated by the State Government under the able leadership of Chief Minister Shri Naveen Patnaik towards the brighter future of our children," Mishra lauded.

Pertinent to note that OSL Group, as a major corporate house in the state, has been helping the Odisha Government during the Covid crisis through its various welfare activities.

In a quick response to the clarion call made by the Hon'ble Chief Minister urging people to wear masks amid the dreadful COVID-19 pandemic, OSL Group distributed one lakh masks to the general public for creating awareness on the merits of religiously using masks to beat the pandemic.

OSL Group also extended logistic support in the unloading of medical oxygen cylinders at the Paradip Port.

The group also carried out the Customs and Airport clearances of a special cargo flight carrying the consignment of 1300 medical grade oxygen cylinders as well as other medical consumables which were airlifted from China. This support was extended by not claiming any service charges.

This story is provided by PNN. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/PNN)

DISCLAIMER

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A top government official recently told a agency that there was a significant difference of opinion within the government regarding the draft proposed by the consumer affairs ministry.

The finance ministry, in particular, has raised strong objections.

But, this isn't just about a difference of opinion between different arms of the government.

Instead, it is in line with the trend of sharp disagreements between government departments on the one hand and Sangh Parivar-affiliated organisations on the other.

But first, let us understand some of the contentious points in the draft e-commerce rules, and what the finance and other ministries have to say about the policy?

E-commerce companies have raised concerns over a clause that says they will have to ensure none of their associated enterprises is listed as a seller. For example, Tata won't be able to sell Starbucks products on its upcoming Super App. Starbucks operates in India through a 50:50 joint venture with Tata Consumer Products.

Also, under the fallback liability clause, e-commerce firms will be held liable in case a seller on their platform fails to deliver goods or services due to any negligent conduct that causes loss to the customer.

Industry fears a change in the e-commerce business model, should the draft rules be implemented. Small businesses fear there might be an increase in compliance burden. Also, the rules ban e-commerce flash sales, there is no clarity on what constitutes flash sales.

The finance ministry, the ministry of corporate affairs, and NITI Aayog have all raised objections.

NITI Aayog Vice-Chairman Rajiv Kumar has said that the proposed rules send the message of unpredictability in policy-making. And the has called the rules "excessive", adding that these would hit a sector that could boost job creation and tax revenue, and also hamper 'ease of doing business'.

The Ministry of Corporate Affairs opposes the clause that says e-commerce firms should not abuse their dominant position in India. Calling the provision "unnecessary and superfluous", it has said it is undesirable to introduce a mini-competition law regime in the rules.

According to Business Standard's Nivedita Mookerji

Govt wants to show it is not 'anti-industry'

Clamping down on flash sales, holding e-tailers accountable for sellers' violations will be counter-productiveTata Group had joined Amazon and Flipkart in opposing the rules

Difficult to ignore opinion of tata Group, which has put in a bid to acquire Air India

New ecommerce rules may make Tata's 'super app' plans a difficult business

However, the Confederation of All India Traders or CAIT has firmly backed the new Rules.

Previously, it had criticised the Niti Aayog for "interfering" in the proposed by the consumer affairs ministry.

CAIT had also alleged that since its inception, Niti Aayog had done "absolutely nothing" to support the 80 million traders of India.

In a statement to Business Standard, CAIT national general-secretary Praveen Khandelwal also aimed fire at the finance and other ministries for opposing the draft rules.

"Today, Niti Aayog is pointing fingers at the but it did not utter a single word when the laws were being violated by these big e-commerce goons. Was it not the duty of NITI Aayog to ask them to follow the rules strictly? The same is the case with other ministries and departments. Today, they are poking their nose. Why did they keep quiet when these companies were continuously flouting the rules," Khandelwal said.

Khandelwal is, of course, referring to the very serious allegations against Amazon and Flipkart of giving preferential treatment to a few seller entities in which they indirectly held stakes.

Importantly, this is not the first time that we've seen such disagreements between the government and other bodies or associations that are not involved in policy making but share the ruling party's ideology.

Well, the disagreement may seem unpleasant right now. But who's to say it's wrong or unhealthy. If the concerns of all ministries can be addressed and stakeholders' suggestions be incorporated, we'll obviously have a better policy.

Earlier this month, reports suggested that because of the pushback, the government was taking a second look at the draft rules.

However, in a recent public statement, the Piyush Goyal-led consumer affairs ministry, which has drafted the rules, appeared to be holding its ground on the draft rules.

How the final policy might look is anybody's guess right now.
has thrown up key challenges for and there is an urgent need for them to limit their coal-based production and increasingly move to non-carbon generation. And as the power sector moves to renewables, there is bound to be some disruption. In this exclusive interview, Jyoti Mukul spoke to CEO Praveer Sinha on how his company is addressing the concerns around carbon emissions, what are the challenges being faced, and the need for flexibility in the power market. Edited excerpts:

On climate change, the need for to move to non-carbon generation and what is doing

Need to address issues immediately

Can't postpone them to 2040-2050

Cyclones and erratic monsoons some challenges seen in India

Heating and cooling by homes, offices and industry the biggest drivers

Power generation contributes 20% to emissions, mobility 30%

Power sector should move away from carbon-based generation

Solutions: Hydropower, solar, hydrogen, biomass, biogas

Tata Power's present non-carbon generation 30%

Plan to raise it to 60% by 2025, and 70% by 2030

may achieve net-zero carbon target before 2040

Power purchase agreements for coal plants may be over by 2041

New investment in non-carbon generation, technologies like solar

No fresh investment in greenfield or brownfield coal plants

EV charging facility across India to support city, inter-city mobility

Started work on them along 3,600-km stretch from Kashmir to Kanyakumari

We'll play key role in providing abundant clean energy to consumers

On issues facing the and challenges ahead

Coal mines get flooded during monsoon

Transportation by train a challenge in monsoon and winter fog

Power companies under pressure due non-payment of dues by discoms

During Covid-19 period, many consumers could not pay power dues

Some disruption likely as power sector moves to renewables

Work to be done on battery storage, hydrogen and mechanical storages

Making this renewable power firm will be a challenge

On the option of selling power via spot market exchanges
There seems to be a difference of opinion within the government on the proposed The finance ministry, the ministry of corporate affairs, and NITI Aayog have all raised objections to certain clauses in the new draft eCommerce rules, especially those related to associated entities being listed as sellers on e-commerce platforms, and the potential abuse of dominant position by companies. How serious are these differences? Or is it just part and parcel of any robust policy-making process?

***

has thrown up key challenges for power companies and there is an urgent need for them to limit their coal-based production and increasingly move to non-carbon generation. And as the power sector moves to renewables, there is bound to be some disruption. Business Standard's Jyoti Mukul spoke to Tata Power CEO Praveer Sinha on how his company is addressing the concerns around carbon emissions, what are the challenges being faced, and the need for flexibility in the power market. Listen to this exclusive interview.

***

Our benchmark indices scaled fresh lifetime highs last Friday, defying a weak global mood. But, in recent weeks, global analysts have scaled back their bullish bets in view of a likely spillover of the potential default at Chinas Evergrande. And there also are the imminent taper by the US Fed, and a rise in infections due to the delta variant of coronavirus. So, does that mean a market correction is on the cards? And, should you really be worried?

***

If your employer shut shop and did not issue you Form 16, does it mean that you do not have to pay tax or file a return? What should you do if your employer deducts TDS but does not issue a certificate? We explain all that you know, and you don't know, about Form 16, TDS certificate, Form 16 part A, Form 16 part B, Form 26AS, Income Tax portal, and things to remember as a taxpayer
The 30-pack Sensex index claimed the momentous 60,000-mark last Friday and marched ahead to hit a record high level of 60,333.

Its NSE counterpart, Nifty50, also touched a new all-time high of 17,948.

The BSE barometer climbed the latest 10,000 points in just 246 days while it gained the last 5,000 points in just 42 days.

Going forward, while expensive valuations, a cautious global mood amid Evergrande crisis, and a possibility of a third Covid wave may trigger mild profit booking in days ahead, most analysts remain optimistic and suggest a market correction, if any, should be bought into from a medium-to-long term perspective.

On tech charts, the Sensex index looks all set to add another 1,000 points in the next five sessions.



Fundamentally, the first half of this week will be guided by global cues where investors will track developments around Evergrande Group, while the second half will be driven by domestic triggers.

In view of theis, Business Standard spoke to Ajit Mishra, Vice President-Research, Religare Broking. Tune in to the podcast for more.
The indian benchmark indices closed flat on Monday. The Sensex remained above the 60,000 mark, while Nifty closed below 17,900. The BSE Sensex pared 334 points from the day's high to end 29 points higher at 60,078. Meanwhile, the NSE Nifty shut shop at 17,855. During the day, the BSE Sensex managed to log fresh record high of 60,412.

In the 30-pack index, Maruti Suzuki, M&M, Bajaj Auto and NTPC were the top gainers, up between 2-6 per cent. HCL Tech, Tech Mahindra, Bajaj Finserv and Infosys were the top losers, down up to 4 per cent.

The broader underperformed the benchmark Sensex as the BSE Midcap closed flat and BSE Smallcap down 0.13 per cent. The market volatility remained high as India VIX surged 6.67 per cent to 18.05. The market breadth favoured declines with the advance-decline ratio at 4:5.

Sectorally, the trend remained mixed, with the auto and realty indices gaining 2.5-3 percent. Realty stocks continued the rally on positive developments in the sector while the sentiments in the auto sector were lifted on expectation of better sales numbers for September.

That said, the IT index shed nearly 3 per cent as investors preferred to book some amount of profit ahead of September quarter earnings. The Nifty Pharma and FMCG fell nearly 1 per cent each.

Coming to stock-specific moves, the shares of Reliance Industries hit a new record level of Rs 2,529 today. The Mukesh Ambani-led conglomerates market capitalisation touched Rs 17 trillion. The scrip has been gaining for the fourth consecutive session.

Bharti Airtel too hit fresh high in intra-day deals, ending 2 per cent higher ahead of its rights issue. The companys Rs 21,000-crore rights issue will remain open for subscription between October 5 and October 21.

Maruti Suzuki has also soared more than 7 per cent to top the gainers list. PVR and INOX Leisure rose after Karnataka and Maharashtra eased Covid-induced restrictions on theatres.

Going into trade on Tuesday, the may continue to rise with the Nifty just 50 points shy of the 18,000-mark. According to Ruchit Jain, Senior Analyst - Technical and Derivatives at Angel One, The level around 17800 would be the intraday support below which, we can see some profit booking towards 17700 mark. Lastly, stock-specific flow, as well as related to COVID-19 vaccinations will also drive the
We are familiar with the wait for a document called in order to file income- returns. Ever wondered what really is and what it tells about the taxpayer?

Let's talk about the significance of one of the most important documents for taxpayers in India.

First, let's first understand What is



A certificate detailing deducted at source by your employer

Issued by an employer to its employee under Section 203 of the Income Act

Contains all the information you need in order to file your income tax return

What does Form 16 contain?

Salary details

Tax already deducted

Basically, it provides details about the salary you have earned during a financial year and the amount of tax that has been deducted by your employer and deposited with the I-T department.

Is it mandatory for employers to issue Form 16?

Yes, it is mandatory if any tax has been deducted at source from an employee's salary

What if an employee has changed jobs in the same financial year?

If you have changed jobs or worked for more than one employer at the same time during a year, and the tax has been deducted by more than one employer, you will be issued separate Form 16s by these employers.

Now, you must have noticed that every Form 16 has two components  Part A and Part B. What do these parts contain?

Part A of Form 16 provides details of the tax deposited in the government's treasury every quarter. It also has details of your permanent account number, your employer's tax deduction account number, and other such information. Your employer can generate and download Part A of Form 16 through the TRACES portal.

Contents of Form 16, Part A:

Name and address of the employer

Employee's Permanent account number (PAN)

Employer's tax deduction account number (TAN)

Summary of quarterly tax deducted and deposited

On the other hand, Part B of Form 16 has a detailed break-up of tax computation, gross salary paid or credited, exemption or deduction claimed, and any other income declared by you, as an annexure to Part A of Form 16. In short, it's safe to say it is the detailed computation of tax on income of salaried employees.

Contents of Form 16, Part B:

Tax computation

Gross salary paid/credited

Exemption/deduction claimed

Any other income declared by the employee

Now, let's not confuse Form 16 with Form 16 A. They are not the same.

Form 16A is also a TDS Certificate. But while Form 16 is only for salary income, Form 16A is applicable for tax deducted at source on income other than salary.

What is Form 16A?

Details of TDS on income other than salary

All information in Form 16A is also available on Form 26AS

For example, Form 16A will be issued to you for tax deducted by a bank on the interest you've earned on fixed deposits, insurance commission, rent receipts, etc. All details in Form 16A are also available on Form 26AS.

So, what happens if no tax has been deducted at source? Does the employer still have to issue Form 16?

If no tax has been deducted, the employer need not issue Form 16. However, you can still request your employer to issue Part B of Form 16 in order to file your tax returns.

What if no tax is deducted?

No, the employer need not issue Form 16 if no tax is deducted

But the employee can still request the employer to issue Part B of Form 16 in order to file returns.

What should you do if your employer deducts TDS but does not issue a certificate? Well, in that event, your employer will be liable to pay a fine of Rs 100 per day under section 272A(2)(g) of the I-T Act, till it issues the certificate to you.

What if tax is deducted but Form 16 is not issued?

Employer liable to pay a fine of Rs 100 per day for any delay in issue of certificate to employee

Now, if your employer shut shop and did not issue you Form 16, does it mean that you do not have to pay tax or file a return?

No, according to Section 139(1), if your total income in a particular tax period exceeds the basic exemption limit of Rs 2.5 lakh, you have to file the return of income, irrespective of whether Form 16 was issued or not.

No tax if Form 16 is not issued by the employer?

No, anyone earning more than the exemption limit in a tax period must file returns

Finally, here we have a few important points to remember as a taxpayer.

You need to ensure that all the information declared in Form 16 is true and correct. If any information is found to be incorrect, you should immediately get in touch with your employer and get the error rectified. In case Form 16 has not been issued to you, you can request your employer to issue it. You can also check whether or not your employer has deposited your TDS with the government by logging into your account on the Income Tax portal and downloading Form 26AS.

And, the most important of all  even if your employer has not deposited the tax deducted from your salary into the account of the central government on your behalf, the burden of paying the tax is on you, not your employer.

Key points to remember:
The Milwaukee headquartered fixed-base operator Jet In has announced plans to break ground on its new facility located at 504 E Citation Way at the Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport.

An US$11 million investment will permit the development of the last greenfield parcel on the airport into the premier facility for general aviation in the state of Wisconsin.

') } else { console.log ('nompuad'); document.write(' ') } // --> ') } else if (width >= 425) { console.log ('largescreen'); document.write('') } else { console.log ('nompuad'); document.write('') } // -->

The facility will provide a full complement of services and amenities, including heated hangars capable of accommodating the largest general aviation aircraft. A thoughtfully designed terminal will incorporate the latest technology advancements and will cater to every need of passengers and flight crew.

Sustainability was a top priority in the facilitys design, incorporating energy-efficient heating and cooling technologies, an all-electric fleet of aircraft towing equipment, and electric crew and courtesy cars. The facility will be fully compliant with the City of Milwaukees Green Infrastructure Plan.

The Jet In facility will open to the public as a full-service fixed-base operator. It will also serve as the Milwaukee base of operations for its sister company, Jet Out. The infrastructure and staff at the new facility will play a critical role in Jet Outs ambitious plans to scale its successful aircraft co-ownership program.

Services like those provided by Jet In and Jet Out are more essential than ever, said Joseph Crivello, the chief executive officer of Jet In and Jet Out. As we continue to adjust to a post-pandemic world, general aviation provides solutions for individuals, entrepreneurs, businesses, sporting teams, and other institutions seeking to manage risk and adapt their operations to a new reality. Jet In and Jet Out are proud to meet this need.

Wed like to thank the many strategic partners who have each played an important role in launching this major development project, including Wisconsin Bank & Trust, RODAC Development and Construction and the Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport.
Bank of Ireland has released its latest Economic Pulse which is conducted by Ipsos MRBI on behalf of Bank of Ireland with 1,000 households and 1,350 businesses on a range of topics including the economy, their financial situation, spending plans, house price expectations and business activity.



The Pulse came in at 88.3 in September 2021. The index, which combines the results of the Consumer and Business Pulses, was 0.6 lower than last month but up 23.1 on a year ago. The September survey suggests that households and firms have taken the Governments latest re-opening roadmap in their stride.

With much of the economy already back operating and the public health situation under control, the consumer and business mood was little changed on the month and the headline Economic Pulse - which surpassed its pre-COVID reading in May  continued to level off.



This months research also examined the broader operating environment that businesses face. The results point to general satisfaction among firms with basic infrastructure such as water, waste and energy. Housing re-emerges as the priority area for infrastructure investment however, ousting telecommunications from the top spot.



With the domestic recovery continuing, households upgraded their assessment of the current economic situation again this month. They were more circumspect about the outlook for the economy and their own pockets though, possibly reflecting some wariness in the run up to Budget 2022 and the phasing out of pandemic-related supports. Buying sentiment was softer this month too as rising prices squeeze purchasing power  some 28% considered it a good time to buy big ticket items, down from almost a third during the summer.

The Business Pulse came in at 90.1 in September 2021, down 0.7 on last month but up 21.8 on a year ago. Sentiment was mixed across the sectors, with the Industry and Retail Pulses easing, the Services Pulse more or less flat on the month and the Construction Pulse up a touch. All four indices remained above their pre-COVID level though. On the costs front, two thirds of firms reported an increase in input costs excluding labour over the past three months, while almost half indicated that they expect to raise their selling prices in the period ahead.

The Housing Pulse was up 0.9 on last months reading and 56.0 higher than a year ago. While the recently unveiled Housing for All plan aims to increase new home completions to an average of 33,000 per annum during this decade, over three in five builders in the residential sector are currently struggling with material and equipment shortages and half are experiencing labour shortfalls, which suggests the demand-supply gap will not be closed any time soon. Against this backdrop, 83% of households expect house prices to rise over the coming year and 75% (a series high) think rents will go up.

Commenting on the September Economic Pulse, Group Chief Economist for Bank of Ireland, Dr Loretta OSullivan said, "The start of September saw restrictions on organised indoor and outdoor events eased but with the large re-opening gains in the rear-view mirror, economic sentiment continued to level off. The return to the office is next on the agenda and, judging by this months survey findings, appears to have prompted some re-assessment of infrastructure needs."

She added, "When businesses were asked to identify the priority area for investment, 37% said housing and 23% said telecommunications. This is a turnaround from lockdown periods when telecommunications topped the list. The focus on ICT remains higher than before the pandemic though, reflecting the fact that the post-COVID landscape will be different in some respects. The way we work is a case in point."

Source: www.businessworld.ie


An agreement on international taxation of corporations is expected to be finalized in October. Photo: VCG

(Oxford Analytica)  The agreement on the international taxation of corporations is expected to be finalized at Octobers G20 meeting. More than 130 countries have agreed rules to allow the minimum taxation of excess corporate profits and a formula for allocating revenue shares by country. However, several EU states have yet to agree to the former, while the latter faces resistance in the United States, where a two-thirds congressional majority is needed.

What next

The technical details for the minimum rate are likely to leave a larger portion of corporate profits out of scope, ensuring that all EU countries join. However, these changes are likely to further reduce congressional Republican support for the package so the U.S. administration will have to tread carefully. This will delay the implementation and could raise the risk of the agreement failing.

Subsidiary Impacts

 Countries that attract multinationals with low effective tax rates will shift to indirect pro-business policies.

 Multinationals will reduce their presence in tax havens but not necessarily in low-tax jurisdictions.

 Digital services taxes will be removed if the revenue-sharing formula applies from 2023, but other measures may be introduced on big tech.

Analysis

On July 1, an agreement on the principles of reforming the international tax system was reached. More than 130 of the 139 countries that worked toward the agreement have signed. Ireland, Hungary and Estonia are the notable countries yet to do so.

Pillar 1 relocates the taxing rights for 20-30% (exact share has yet to be agreed) of the profits before tax above 10% of revenues to the market country for non-financial and non-extractive companies with revenues above 20 billion euros ($23.4 billion).

Pillar 2 taxes corporate profits exceeding a certain share of payroll and tangible assets of non-state-owned multinational enterprises (MNEs) with revenues above 750 million euros at a minimum 15% on a by-country basis. The rule has the status of a common approach: countries are not required to implement it but must accept the application of it by other countries.

Both rules will be applied from 2023. The revenue threshold for Pillar 1 is scheduled to be reduced to 10 billion euros after seven years.

Conceptually pathbreaking

Conceptually, the reform is substantial:

 Pillar 1 introduces a formula approach to allocate some MNE corporate profits to countries based on revenue. This is new.

 Pillar 2 represents the first coordinated approach to limit harmful tax competition.

Factually less pathbreaking

Pillar 1 initially applies to not more than 100 company groups. It is estimated that Amount A  the profits for which the taxing rights will be reallocated  includes around 5% of total before tax profits of the companies affected. The impact on the pre-tax profits of the average affected firm will be less than 1%, assuming a 20% tax rate on Amount A profits.

Estimates suggest that countries such as the United Kingdom may not receive much more revenue than they collect from digital services taxes.

Pillar 2 more important

Pillar 2 affects a larger number of MNEs. An OECD estimate puts the tax revenue gains from it at $180 billion annually, based on all countries introducing Pillar 2, and considering uncertain behavioral changes by governments and businesses.

All countries could introduce Pillar 2, or none. The former benefits all as more revenue is raised. However, moving from no country having a minimum tax to all countries having one is not straight forward. If only a few countries introduce it, MNEs headquartered in these countries may relocate to countries without it. A country is likely to reduce its tax revenues if it introduces Pillar 2 but most countries do not.

To achieve the estimated revenue gains, a critical mass needs to adopt Pillar 2. The United States and the large EU countries have sufficiently large non-tax advantages to implement Pillar 2 without losing too many MNEs. Smaller countries that host MNEs, for example, Switzerland or the United Kingdom, are likely to introduce Pillar 2, but only after introducing some other non-tax-related business friendly policies to retain their MNEs and attract more. Several Swiss cantons have suggested this.

The Pillar 2 revenue gains may also be smaller if all countries implement it. At least one-third of the gains estimated by the OECD result from reduced profit shifting due to the minimum rate. MNEs subject to Pillar 2 will stop shifting profits to tax havens. However, the proposed 15% rate is still below the 30% tax rate found in Germany or France. The location of shifted profits will change, but not necessarily the amount.

Remaining challenges

Many obstacles remain.

 EU law

Ireland, Hungary and Estonia are yet to support the proposal. They argue that their tax systems are designed to attract real economic activity and not profits, and that they would support the agreement if implemented with a sufficient carve-out (exclusion of profits related to real economic activity). While the proposal includes a carve-out amounting to at least 5% (7.5% in the five-year transition period) of payroll and the book value of tangible assets, estimates suggest that this does not shield all profits related to economic activity.

The refusal of Ireland, Hungary and Estonia prevents the implementation of Pillar 2 in Europe via a directive by the European Commission. This increases the risk that the Court of Justice of the EU (CJEU) could find the regulation to be incompatible with EU law and inapplicable within the EU.

The CJEUs landmark ruling on the application of controlled foreign company regulations (which similarly to Pillar 2 target undertaxed foreign excess profits) within the EU in the 2006 Cadbury/Schweppes case suggests the court could strike down Pillar 2. The court laid out that the Freedom of Establishments in the EU precludes the top-up taxation of profits of an EU subsidiary by a parent subsidiary in the EU unless it relates to wholly artificial arrangements.

The only way to ensure the application of Pillar 2 within the EU is likely to be by implementing it via a directive. While this requires support from Ireland, Hungary and Estonia for the agreement, it avoids compatibility concerns as the CJEU usually assumes compatibility with EU law when a regulation is adopted based on a directive.

 U.S. approval

The U.S. administration supports the proposal. Pillar 2 is likely to be implemented later this year through a reconciliation process, which requires a simple majority.

Pillar 1, by contrast, needs a two-thirds majority in Congress as it overrides double tax treaties by changing the taxing rights for some MNE profits.

The fact that U.S. headquartered firms account for two-thirds of profits covered by Pillar 1 is a cause of concern for some Republicans in Congress.

Although Pillar 1 implementation is linked to the removal of digital services taxes, which largely target U.S.-based tech companies, countries could replace these taxes with measures with a broader focus.

Since EU implementation of Pillar 2 requires the support of all EU countries, the technical details are likely to be set such that the holdout countries join. However, more generous exemptions on Pillar 2 will further reduce the attractiveness of the package for U.S. Republicans. Thus, the ability of the U.S. administration to implement Pillar 1 may rest on careful timing.

Further delays raise the risk of the agreement losing momentum.

This analysis was first published in the Oxford Analytica Daily Brief on Sept. 20, 2021. To learn more about the Daily Brief and Oxford Analytica, click here..
(Nikkei Asia)  Several key Apple and Tesla suppliers have halted production at some of their Chinese facilities to comply with Beijings tighter energy consumption policy, putting supply-chain continuity at risk during a peak season for electronics goods including the latest iPhones.

Eson Precision Engineering, an affiliate of Foxconn  the worlds biggest iPhone assembler  and a key mechanical parts supplier for Apple and Tesla, on Sunday said it suspended its production from Sunday until Friday at its facilities in the Chinese city of Kunshan in direct response to the citys policy of stopping electricity supply for industrial use.

The company will leverage its inventory to maintain the operation while production is halted, Eson said in a filing with the Taiwan stock exchange. We expect to arrange production on the weekends or in the upcoming holidays [next month] to meet customers needs.

Chinas crackdown on energy consumption comes from a combination of reasons  surging coal and natural gas prices, as well as Beijings effort to cut emissions and an increase in energy demand  and is impacting a wide range of industries. It comes at a time when global markets have been shaken by the debt crisis engulfing China Evergrande Group, one of the countrys leading property developers.

Unimicron Technology, a major print circuit-board maker and key Apple supplier, said its subsidiaries in the Chinese cities of Suzhou and Kunshan in Jiangsu Province also needed to stop production from Sunday noon till the end of the month. The Taiwanese company said it would mobilize production capacity in its other manufacturing sites to mitigate the impact, according to its stock-exchange filing on Sunday.

IPhone speaker component supplier Concraft Holding, which owns manufacturing facilities in the Chinese city of Suzhou, said in a stock- exchange filing that it would suspend production for five days until noon Thursday and utilize its inventory to support the demand.

Key iPhone assembler Pegatron, which operates massive production sites in both Kunshan and Suzhou, on Sunday night told Nikkei Asia its facilities were running as usual at the moment, but had already prepared power generators should the company receive further notice from the city governments.

To date, Foxconns manufacturing facilities in Longhua, Guanlan, Taiyuan and Zhengzhou  the worlds largest iPhone manufacturing complex  had not yet been affected by the power-supply restrictions as of Sunday, according to two people familiar with the matter.

Several key chip packaging and testing service providers supplying Intel, Nvidia, and Qualcomm also received notices to suspend production at their facilities in Jiangsu for several days, people with knowledge of the matter told Nikkei Asia, further waylaying an electronics industry hit by the chip supply crunch.

Chang Wah Technology, a leading chip-packaging material maker supplying NXP, Infineon and ASE Tech Holding, said in a stock-exchange filing late Sunday it had to comply with the governments call to stop production from the evening of Sept. 26 through the end of the month.

The production stoppage across several Chinese provinces could send another shock wave through the global tech and automotive supply chain, which has already suffered unprecedented chip and components shortages and is still experiencing disruptions from Covid variants in Vietnam and Malaysia.

The industrial electricity supply suspension comes amid Beijings recent intensified targeting of provinces including Liaoning, Jilin and Heilongjiang for failing to reduce their total energy consumption. Beijing has pledged to mete out stricter punishment for missing the goals. Other provinces, like Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Guangdong, where many tech manufacturers are based, are among those subject to restrictions on industrial electricity supply.

Many small and midsize enterprises have also felt the energy pinch, as local governments seek to cope with Beijings new policies. We also received a notice that electricity would be cut from Sept. 25 through 28 every day from 8 a.m. to midnight, a Dongguan-based electronics supplier told Nikkei Asia. We could only ask our production-line workers to take night shifts to rush some products out.

The tighter controls have affected a wide sweep of traditional industries, encompassing coal and steel production as well as electronic goods manufacturing, which accounted for a large portion of Chinas total exports in 2020.

What is more, the power-supply suspension creates uncertainty for tech supply-chain continuity in the coming months, which mark the busiest time of the year as businesses strive to meet Christmas demand.

Chinese President Xi Jinping last week told the United Nations General Assembly that China would not build any coal-fueled plants in the future as his country aims to shift to green energy. China has said it would control carbon emissions, which should peak by 2030 and then decline. The countrys ultimate goal is to reach carbon neutrality by 2060.

This story was first published in Nikkei Asia.

Download our app to receive breaking news alerts and read the news on the go.

Get our weekly free Must-Read newsletter.
More than 440 SPAC IPOs raised $127 billion in the U.S. so far this year.

Singapores stock exchange said several China-related special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) projects have expressed interest in raising funds in the city-state after the exchange earlier this month launched new rules allowing SPAC listings.

The exchange is in close contact with these projects, including Chinese investors who are interested in setting up SPACs, as well as other SPACs interested in acquiring Chinese companies, Chia Caihan, chief representative of Singapore Exchange Ltd.s Beijing office, said at a media briefing.

After assessing market conditions, some Chinese SPAC issuers may consider listing on the Singapore exchange that serves the Southeast Asian market, and their acquisition targets may also have businesses in the region, Chia said.

A SPAC is a blank-check company that exists solely to raise money by selling shares on a stock exchange. The funds are then used to acquire another company. SPACs have soared in popularity since last year. In the U.S. last year, 248 initial public offerings (IPOs) involved SPACs, four times more than in 2019, according to SPAC Research, an industry database. More than 440 SPAC IPOs raised $127 billion in the U.S. so far this year.

The Chinese mainland so far doesnt allow IPOs through SPACs. Yi Huiman, chairman of the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC), said earlier this month that the regulator continues to monitor and study whether Chinas market can accommodate the novel IPO model.

A total of $4.2 billion was raised from 25 Greater China-based SPACs in the U.S. as of July 13. An additional 12 companies from Greater China and Southeast Asia debuted in New York via mergers with SPACs, according to a consultation paper issued by Hong Kong Exchanges & Clearing Ltd.

The Singapore Exchange in March introduced a framework for blank-check companies to list in the city-state, becoming the first Asian financial hub to embrace the popular fundraising model. The move was seen as a way to revive the local IPO market.

When originally designing the scheme, the exchange focused on investor protection, setting high thresholds in terms of minimum market value and other requirements for SPAC issuers and sponsors. The exchange eventually changed its proposed rules for SPAC listings following market feedback, loosening certain criteria for issuers.

The final rules did not relax the investor protection mechanism, but extended the principle of the plan from focusing on investor protection to how to combine the interests of all parties, so that all parties share the risks and minimize the risks, Chia said.

The initial proposals would inevitably impact the interests of particular parties more than others, and a real good scheme should balance various parties and promote the market development, Chia said.

Singapore has learned from the experience of the U.S. stock market and combined with the actual situation of the Asia market and developed a Singapore mechanism suitable for Asia issuers, Chia said.

Singapore Exchange Chief Executive Loh Boon Chye told CNBC in an interview September 17 that the exchange could receive its first application for a SPAC listing in the next couple of weeks.

Facing competition from Hong Kong and Chinese mainland, Singapore government has introduced a series of initiatives to boost the local IPO market.

The government investment firm Temasek recently announced a $1.5 billion Singapore dollars ($1.1 billion) new fund to help promising high-growth companies raise capital through public listing.

The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) will also enhance its Grant for Equity Market Singapore (Gems) scheme, introduced in early 2019, to increase its support of companies seeking to list.

Hong Kong is also mulling whether to allow SPAC listings, but it proposed a higher threshold as the bourse has been mired in scandals over shell companies. SPACs would need to raise at least HK$1 billion ($128 million) when listing and that retail investors would be barred from participating, according to the consultation paper.

Contact reporter Denise Jia (huijuanjia@caixin.com)

Download our app to receive breaking news alerts and read the news on the go.

Get our weekly free Must-Read newsletter.
Travelers crowded Chinas transportation hubs as the weeklong National Day holiday came to an end Thursday. Railway stations and highways were packed with passengers and vehicles as people headed home. This year, rains and snow in some parts of the country have also caused train delays and road traffic

Oct 07, 2021 05:35 PM
CAMEROUN :: Two people arrested with African grey parrots in Ebolowa :: CAMEROON

Two suspected wildlife traffickers have been arrested in Ebolowa for trafficking in African grey parrots.

The two men were arrested at the New bell neighbourhood, in Ebolowa on September 17 during an operation carried out by wildlife officials of the Mvila Divisional Delegation of Forestry and Wildlife, in collaboration with the Police.

They were apprehended with 20 African grey parrots in their hideout at New Bell as they attempted to sell the birds. They were later taken to the Police Station and are presently behind bars. The operation was technically assisted by the Last Great Ape Organisation (LAGA), a wildlife law enforcement body.

Investigations reveal that the suspects are connected to a bigger parrot trafficking network in the country including Nigerians and Ghanaians. According to a source closed to the case,who spoke on anonymity, the parrots were captured at Maa, Mvangan and Nyabizan.

The African grey parrot is a medium-sized, predominantly grey, black-billed parrots.The grey color on the head and wings is generally darker than its body. The head and body feathers have slight white edges and the tail feathers are red.Both sexes appear similar and are found in Equatorial Africa including Cameroon, Nigeria, Ghana, the Congo, Gabon, Angola, Kenya, Uganda and Ivory Coast. Grey parrot can imitate a wide variety of sounds they hear.

African grey parrots were recently up listed to endangered species on the International Union for Conservation of Natures red list due to the drastic drop of

its population. The species has been among the most frequently traded of all bird species listed under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora(CITES) in 2018.

Trade in the species is therefore banned by the UNs Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora for which Cameroon is a signatory.
About the American Cancer Society

The American Cancer Society supports life-saving programs and initiatives across the country for people with cancer and their families. We rely upon a broad variety of suppliers to support our staff and volunteers, and ensure our programs like Relay For Life , Making Strides Against Breast Cancer , and Determination  are successful.

Supplier Diversity

The American Cancer Society believes diversity, equity, and inclusion are vital to our life-saving mission. When you're in the business of saving lives, it is essential to understand and respect differences, and to leverage the similarities that unite us in the fight against cancer.

To advance our Mission and drive economic inclusion, the American Cancer Society is committed to creating an equitable and competitive business environment, which strengthens the diverse business community and those we serve. Relationships with diverse businesses assist the Society in achieving its goals by driving the Society's relevance, impact, and growth in every community touched by cancer.

ACS & ACS CAN seek to use qualified, diverse businesses from historically underrepresented groups including companies that are 51%+ owned and operated by minorities, women, military veterans, people with disabilities, and members of the LGBTQ+ community. We are committed to providing diverse businesses opportunities to participate in our competitive procurement processes.

Are you a diverse-owned business interested in becoming a supplier to the American Cancer Society? Please complete the Supplier Registration form below.
Employment Opportunities

At the American Cancer Society, our employees are the soul of our lifesaving mission to save lives. Our employment opportunities are as diverse as our people and include every discipline found in other business enterprises. As an organization, we adhere to a set of core values that help inform all our decisions. But what really sets us apart is that the work we do has global impact  and every passionate, dedicated American Cancer Society staff member contributes to each groundbreaking achievement we make.


Contact Us

Please call us or use our Live Chat feature for assistance with the following or any other inquiries you may have:

Cancer Information

At our National Cancer Information Center trained Cancer Information Specialists can answer questions 24 hours a day, every day of the year to empower you with accurate, up to date information to help you make educated health decisions. We connect patients, caregivers, and family members with valuable services and resources. Or ask us how you can get involved and support the fight against cancer.

In addition to the support we are providing to cancer patients who contact us via phone and chat, well be helping offset feelings of isolation for families facing cancer and seeking information by offering video chat. Schedule a video chat today.

For medical questions, we encourage you to review our information with your doctor.
Although our financial report is always sent free to anyone requesting a copy, certain States require us to advise you that a copy of our financial report is available from them.

The American Cancer Society (ACS) is a New York not-for-profit corporation that is the nationwide community-based voluntary health organization dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem by preventing cancer, saving lives and diminishing suffering from cancer, through research, education, advocacy and patient service programs. Our Global Headquarters is located at 250 Williams Street NW, Atlanta, GA 30303. The information enclosed describes one or more of ACSs activities. Your gift is very much appreciated and tax deductible as a charitable contribution to the fullest extent allowed by law. A copy of ACSs latest financial report may be obtained by writing to ACS, 250 Williams Street NW, Atlanta, GA 30303 or by calling 1-800-227-2345. If you are a resident of the following states, you may obtain information directly by contacting:

Colorado: Colorado residents may obtain copies of registration and financial documents from the office of the Secretary of State, (303) 894-2680, http://www.sos.state.co.us/, re: Reg. No. 20053004121.

FLORIDA: A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION OF THE AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING 1-800-435-7352, TOLL-FREE WITHIN THE STATE. OUR REGISTRATION NUMBER IN FLORIDA IS CH7486.

Georgia: The following information will be sent upon request: (A) A full and fair description of the programs and activities of the American Cancer Society; and (B) A financial statement or summary which shall be consistent with the financial statement required to be filed with the Secretary of State pursuant to Code Section 43-17-5.

Kansas: In Kansas our license number is 242-782-1.

Maryland: Copies of documents and information submitted by the American Cancer Society under the Maryland Solicitations Act are available for the cost of copies and postage from the Secretary of State, Statehouse, Annapolis, MD 21401, 1-410-974-5534.

Michigan: Charities Reg. No. 13135.

Mississippi: The official registration and financial information of the American Cancer Society may be obtained from the Mississippi Secretary of States office by calling 1-888-236-6167.

New Jersey: INFORMATION FILED WITH THE ATTORNEY GENERAL CONCERNING THIS CHARITABLE SOLICITATION AND THE PERCENTAGE OF CONTRIBUTIONS RECEIVED BY THE CHARITY DURING THE LAST REPORTING PERIOD THAT WERE DEDICATED TO THE CHARITABLE PURPOSE MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY BY CALLING (973) 504-6215 AND IS AVAILABLE ON THE INTERNET AT www.njconsumeraffairs.gov/ocp.htm#charity. REGISTRATION WITH THE ATTORNEY GENERAL DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT.

New York: You may obtain information on charitable organizations and obtain a copy of our latest financial report from the New York Attorney Generals Charities Registry at www.charitiesnys.com or, upon request, by contacting the Office of the Attorney General, Charities Bureau, 28 Liberty Street, New York, NY 10005, or calling (212) 416-8401 or writing to American Cancer Society, 250 Williams Street NW, Atlanta, GA 30303 or by calling 1-800-227-2345.

North Carolina: Financial information about the American Cancer Society and a copy of its licenses are available from the State Solicitation Licensing Branch at 888-830-4989 within North Carolina or (919) 807-2214 outside North Carolina. This is not an endorsement by the state.

Pennsylvania: The official registration and financial information of the American Cancer Society may be obtained from the Pennsylvania Department of State by calling toll-free, within Pennsylvania, 1-800-732-0999. Registration does not imply endorsement.

Virginia: A financial statement for the most recent fiscal year is available upon request from the State Division of Consumer Affairs, P.O. Box 1163, Richmond, VA 23209; 1-804-786-1343.

Washington: You may obtain additional financial disclosure information by contacting the Secretary of State at 1-800-332-GIVE.

West Virginia: West Virginia residents may obtain a summary of the registration and financial documents from the Secretary of State, State Capitol, Charleston, WV 25305.

Wisconsin: A financial statement of the American Cancer Society, disclosing assets, liabilities, fund balances, revenue, and expenses for the preceding fiscal year, will be provided upon request.

REGISTRATION WITH A STATE AGENCY DOES NOT CONSTITUTE OR IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL OR RECOMMENDATION BY THAT STATE.

Charitable Gift Annuity Disclosure

Charitable gift annuities are offered to U.S. residents by the American Cancer Society, Inc., in all states. The act of establishing a gift annuity with the ACS is not, and should not be viewed as, an investment. Payments made under charitable gift annuities are not insured or otherwise guaranteed by any government entity. The annuity payments are a general obligation of the ACS and they are backed solely by the full faith and credit of the ACS. Charitable gift annuity rates vary according to age and are subject to change.

Would you like to know more about the American Cancer Society? A copy of the latest financial report and Form 990 for the American Cancer Society, Inc. may be obtained by writing to the American Cancer Society, 250 Williams Street, NW, Suite 400, Atlanta, GA 30303, by calling 1-800-227-2345, or by visiting our financial and governance section.

This is not legal advice. Any prospective donor should seek the advice of a qualified estate and/or tax professional to determine the consequence of his or her gift.

In South Dakota: Charitable gift annuities are not regulated by and are not under the jurisdiction of the South Dakota Division of Insurance.

In Oklahoma: A charitable gift annuity is not regulated by the Oklahoma Insurance Department and is not protected by a guaranty association affiliated with the Oklahoma Insurance Department.
I dont know if I can pay for the tests I need. How much does a cancer screening cost?



If you have health insurance, ask about coverage for cancer screenings. Most screenings are covered by insurance or available at no cost. There might be costs for follow-up appointments and additional tests if they are needed, but most of the time test results are normal and no additional testing is needed. If you dont have health insurance, you can call your local health department for information, or find resources in Screening For People Who Are Uninsured or Underinsured below. Read more in Costs and Insurance Coverage for Cancer Screening.


Common Questions About the COVID-19 Outbreak

Written By:ACS Medical Content and News Staff

Alissa Eckert, MS; Dan Higgins, MAM This page is reviewed regularly and updated as needed.

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a serious impact on many people, including cancer patients, their families, and caregivers. State and local authorities, as well as health officials, continue to adjust their recommendations as the number of COVID-19 cases changes in different parts of the country and as new information becomes available.

What is COVID-19?

COVID-19 is the name of the illness caused by a new type of coronavirus that has led to a worldwide outbreak, which was first reported in China in December 2019. The name of this coronavirus strain is SARS-CoV-2.

Coronaviruses are a family of viruses that can cause common colds, as well as more serious respiratory diseases such as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS).

COVID-19 variants

Over time, viruses such as the one that causes COVID-19 can change (mutate), which can result in new variants of the virus. These variants might have slightly different traits than the original virus  for example, some of them seem to spread more easily and quickly. Several variants of the virus that causes COVID-19 have appeared around the world in recent months, and some of these have now been found in the United States.

Much is still unknown about these variants, including how well they can be detected with current COVID-19 tests, how effective the current COVID vaccines will be against them, and how well current COVID treatments will work against them. For the latest information, visit the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website.

How does the virus spread?

According to the CDC, the most common way for the virus to spread is during close contact with another person:

When somebody who is infected coughs, sneezes, talks, raises their voice (such as when shouting or singing), or even breathes, they can create respiratory droplets that contain the virus.

These droplets might reach the mouths or noses of people who are in close contact (within about 6 feet), which could lead to an infection.

But there are other ways the virus might spread as well:

Some small droplets and particles can linger in the air for minutes to hours. They might travel farther than 6 feet or might remain in the air even after the infected person has left, and they might be able to cause new infections, especially in enclosed spaces that arent well ventilated. This form of spread, known as airborne transmission , isnt thought to be as common as spread through close contact.

, isnt thought to be as common as spread through close contact. Respiratory droplets can also land on surfaces, which people might then touch. This could potentially lead to an infection if a person then touches their mouth, nose, or eyes. However, this is not thought to be a common way for the virus to spread, according to the CDC.

Some people who are infected but do not have symptoms (that is, are asymptomatic) may still be able to spread the virus. Because of this, its important that everyone follow the CDCs and other health departments recommendations on how to protect yourself and others.

How can I protect myself and others from getting COVID-19?

According to the CDC, there are things you can do to help lower the risk of being infected, as well as infecting others.

Its important to note that the CDC now has different guidance for most people who are fully vaccinated (at least two weeks past their last dose of vaccine). See below for more information.

Wear a mask that covers your mouth and nose when around others. (See below for more details.)

Avoid close contact  being within 6 feet (about 2 arms' length) of people who don't live in your household, and any people who are sick.

Get a COVID-19 vaccine as soon as it is available to you.

Avoid crowded indoor spaces such as restaurants, bars, and gyms.

Avoid indoor places with poor air circulation that do not allow as much fresh outdoor air as possible.

Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash, or cough or sneeze into your elbow. Then wash your hands right away.

Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds because its one of the best ways to kill germs on your hands and prevent the spread of germs to others. If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.

Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands, because if you picked up the virus, you could infect yourself by allowing the virus to enter your body.

Stay home (except to get medical care) if you are sick.

Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces daily using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe. Always read the directions of the products closely to make sure you are using them correctly. Cleaning and disinfecting products should not be used directly on skin, taken by mouth, or inhaled into the lungs. Disinfecting products, like bleach, should not be used on food.

If you are a cancer patient, survivor, or caregiver, talk to your cancer care team about whether there are any additional precautions you should take.

People who need medical care might be encouraged to take advantage of telehealth services, if they are available, and "see" their doctors without going in person for an office visit. Medicare has temporarily expanded its coverage of telehealth services. Some health insurance providers are doing the same.

Its important to keep in mind that some people who are infected with the virus might not have symptoms, but they could still spread the virus to others. Because of this, its important that everyone follow the CDCs recommendations on how to protect yourself and others.

Should I wear a mask?

The CDC recommends that people who have not been fully vaccinated should wear a mask that completely covers the nose and mouth while out in public, especially in places where you might be close to other people. Masks might also be recommended (or required) even for people who have been fully vaccinated in some settings. This might be especially important for people with weakened immune systems.

Cloth masks and gaiters (cloth coverings that wrap around the nose, mouth, and neck) should have at least two layers of fabric and should fit snugly against your face. The CDC does not recommend wearing a mask that has a one-way valve or vent because when you breathe out, it allows droplets to go through the mask and possibly spread the virus. The CDC also does not recommend the use of a face shield alone, without a mask.

The mask is meant to help protect other people, because you could spread the virus if you are infected and dont have symptoms. At the same time, when someone else wears a mask, it can protect you, too. Together, this can help slow the spread of COVID-19.

Many other authorities and businesses also recommend masks, and some might require them. It is best to check with your local authorities to see if your area has specific guidelines about wearing a mask in public.

Its important to understand that wearing a mask is not a substitute for social distancing. Its still very important to stay at least 6 feet away from others who don't live in your household, even while wearing a mask, and to continue to wash your hands frequently.

Remember to wash your hands before putting on your mask, to not touch your face while wearing the mask, and to wash your hands right after taking it off.

The CDC does not recommend that people in the general public wear surgical or N95 masks. These are in short supply in many areas and should be saved for healthcare workers who need them when caring for people who are sick.

Are there different recommendations for cancer patients and caregivers?

The CDC now has guidance for most people who have been fully vaccinated (at least two weeks past their last vaccine dose), which includes not needing to wear a mask in many settings.

But many people being treated for cancer, especially with treatments like chemotherapy or stem cell (bone marrow) transplants that can weaken the immune system, may not be fully protected even if they are fully vaccinated. Even after vaccination, they may need to continue taking precautions such as wearing masks. If youre not sure if you or your caregiver should be wearing a mask, contact your doctor or another member of your cancer care team.

What about eye protection?

The CDC recommends the use of eye protection (goggles or face shields) for health care workers (doctors, nurses, technicians, dentists, and others) in certain settings. However, face shields by themselves are not recommended for the general public in place of a mask, as its not yet clear how effective they are.

What if I've already gotten a COVID-19 vaccine?

Vaccines that can help protect against COVID-19 are now available. To learn more, see COVID-19 Vaccines in People With Cancer.

For people who are fully vaccinated (at least two weeks past their last dose of vaccine), the CDC has guidance on things you can now do (such as not needing to wear a mask or socially distance in many settings), as well as what types of precautions you should still be taking. This guidance is being updated regularly, so check the CDC website for details. The CDC guidance may not apply if you have a weakened immune system (such as from cancer or its treatment), so its important to talk with your health care provider about which precautions you still need to take.

What are the symptoms of COVID-19?

The most common symptoms of COVID-19, which may appear 2-14 days after being infected, are:

Fever

Cough

Shortness of breath

Chills

Muscle aches and pains

Sore throat

New loss of smell or taste

Feeling very tired

Headache

Diarrhea

Nausea or vomiting

Runny nose

Contact your doctor or local health department if you have any of these symptoms.

If you or the person youre caring for has any of the following serious signs and symptoms of COVID-19, get medical attention right away:

Trouble breathing

Constant pain or heaviness in the chest

New confusion or being hard to wake up

Bluish lips or face

Some people with COVID-19 might have signs or symptoms of blood clots such as bluish toes (also referred to as COVID toes), swelling of the lower leg, chest pain, shortness of breath, or stroke symptoms (slurred speech, weakness or numbness of an arm or leg). The reasons for this are being still studied, but it's important to tell your doctor right away if you are having any of these symptoms.

COVID-19 generally does not seem to affect children as much as it does adults, but children can become infected with the coronavirus, and some can even develop serious illness. Just like adults, children who have certain medical conditions are at a higher risk for these severe symptoms. A rare but serious syndrome that is linked to COVID-19 in children, called multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C), has also been reported. Children with this syndrome can have symptoms such as a fever and rash similar to Kawasaki disease, as well as severe body inflammation, which might be related to the coronavirus. The CDC is keeping track of this syndrome to learn more about it and its relationship to the coronavirus infection.

Its important to know that some people who are infected with the virus might not have symptoms, but they could still spread the virus to others. Because of this, its important that everyone follow the CDCs recommendations on how to protect yourself and others.

What else do cancer patients and caregivers need to know about COVID-19?

Some cancer patients might be at increased risk of serious infection in general because their immune systems can be weakened by cancer and its treatments. Most people who were treated for cancer in the past (especially if it was years ago) are likely to have normal immune function, but each person is different. It's important that all cancer patients and survivors, whether currently in treatment or not, talk with a doctor who understands their situation and medical history.

Doctors are still learning about the possible risks of COVID-19 infection for people with cancer. Avoiding being exposed to the virus that causes COVID-19 is especially important for cancer patients, who might be at higher risk for serious illness if they get infected. This can be particularly true for patients with blood cancers (such as leukemia or lymphoma), getting chemotherapy, long courses of corticosteroids, certain types of immunotherapy, or a stem cell or bone marrow transplant, because their immune systems can be severely weakened by the cancer itself or the treatment.

The pandemic is also affecting the way many people get medical care, including patients with cancer. Depending on the COVID-19 situation where you live, this may mean a delay in getting some types of cancer tests, or even treatments. Some people may need to reschedule appointments.

Cancer care teams are doing the best they can to deliver care to their patients. However, even in these circumstances, it isnt life as usual. It's important to keep in contact with your cancer care team to determine the best course of action for you. This may involve talking to your care team virtually (online or over the phone) and not physically going to the clinic.

Many clinics and infusion centers have made changes to allow you to come in safely for in-person visits as well as treatment. These might include screening for COVID-19 symptoms ahead of your visit, proper spacing of waiting room and infusion chairs, spacing out appointments to limit the number of people in the waiting room at one time, requiring people to wear a mask, and cleaning all surfaces frequently. Its important to know who to call to reach your cancer care team to find out how to proceed.

You might have other options for getting your cancer medicines as well. For example, some people might be able to switch to oral medicines instead having to go in for infusions. For some people, another option might be to get infusions of their cancer medicines at home. However, there are safety issues to consider with home infusions, and its important to discuss these with your health care team before deciding on getting treatment this way.

The issues with getting cancer treatment and testing during this pandemic are slowly improving, but there will likely continue to be changes in the way cancer patients receive their care.

In the meantime, doctors need to learn more about cancer patients and COVID-19. Registries such as the COVID-19 and Cancer Consortium and studies such as the NCI COVID-19 in Cancer Patients Study are actively collecting data. Early studies from registries in the US and around the world have looked at outcomes for cancer patients who develop COVID-19 with symptoms, as well as if certain anti-cancer treatments change these outcomes. These initial study results are helpful, but it is very important to gather more data and analyze it over a longer time to better understand the effects of COVID-19 on current and former cancer patients. Contact your doctor if you are interested in participating in a registry or study.

Why cant someone come with me for my doctor visits/treatments?

While some medical visits are now being done online or over the phone, things like physical exams, lab or imaging tests, and treatments (such as surgery, radiation therapy, or chemotherapy) still need to be done in person.

Many doctors offices, treatment centers, hospitals, and other facilities have no visitor or 'only one visitor' policies in place, meaning that only the person being treated and/or one visitor is allowed to enter. This is to help protect the people in these places, many of whom might be vulnerable if they were to be infected with COVID-19.

At the same time, these policies can create a great deal of anxiety for both cancer patients and their loved ones. The caregivers who usually accompany patients are an important source of support for them, and they can often be invaluable in both giving information to the health care team and in helping to make sure that patients understand whats being told to them.

While it might not be possible for caregivers to attend all of these in-person visits right now, there are still some ways to stay involved and informed about whats going on:

Ask if the patient can have the caregiver on a phone call during the visit so the caregiver can listen to the conversation and ask/answer questions.

Ask for a family consult with someone from the health care team after the visit so the caregiver knows what was discussed.

Ask if the center might allow more frequent telehealth visits so the caregiver can be present.

If you have an online portal, ask if you can submit questions and get answers there.

Ask if you can get a copy of the progress note that the healthcare provider writes up after each visit  either a physical copy on the day of the visit or in some other format (for example, via an online portal).

Does health insurance cover COVID-19 testing and care?

You may or may not have out-of-pocket costs if you get tested for COVID-19 or if you need medicines or other care to treat it. Youll need to check with your health insurance company about coverage. Here are some tips and resources to get you started:

Should people still get screened for cancer during this pandemic?

In many places affected by the pandemic, elective medical procedures, including cancer screening, were put on hold to conserve medical resources and reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19 in healthcare settings. Many states and other authorities have begun to re-open businesses and ease restrictions. Likewise, many health systems are scheduling cancer screening tests and exams again. So, what should you do if youre due (or overdue) for a cancer screening?

Decisions about getting screened depend on many factors, and they may not be the same for every person. Some important things to consider include your risk of getting a certain type of cancer, how long its been since you were last screened for it, how common COVID-19 is in your community, and your age and overall health.

Talk to your health care provider about the risks and benefits for you of being screened now, and whether or not it might make sense to postpone it at this time. Remember that cancer screening can save lives, so it's important to not just forget about it. Getting back on track with cancer screening should still be a priority.

For more information, see Cancer Screening During the COVID-19 Pandemic.
For over 130 years, Avon has inspired the financial independence, health, and well-being of women  and the fight against breast cancer is central to their mission.

The Avon Breast Health Promise aims to ensure every woman, every day is breast health aware. Since 1992, the Avon Breast Cancer Crusade has mobilized its Representatives, customers, and employees around the country to get involved and make the biggest impact possible toward the breast cancer cause.

Whether selling a pink ribbon product, distributing a brochure to a customer, or a simple conversation, these connections are valuable triggers for women to take action for their own wellbeing. Avon has contributed more than $800 million to breast cancer causes, educated 180 million women about this disease, and funded breast health screenings for nearly 20 million women.

Now, together with the American Cancer Society, Avon will raise more money and awareness, and impact even more lives.
Instantly recognizable, whimsical, and endlessly endearing: just a few words to describe the animated creations brought to life by Tokyo-based Studio Ghibli.

Established 36 years ago, the studio is distinguished for its traditional hand-drawn animation. Notable films and fan favorites include Spirited Away, Howls Moving Castle, and My Neighbor Totoro, whose titular character stands as the studios friendly mascot, making its logo all the more recognizable.

New to Studios Ghibli catalog is Earwig and the Witch. Filled with spells, magic, and potions and focusing on three main characters  Bella Yaga, Mandrake, and ten-year-old girl Earwig  this latest release from the studio deviates from the 2d animation style that marked its earlier titles, standing as Ghiblis first feature-length cg-animated film.

Foundrys compositing tool Nuke is no stranger to the nuances of both 2d and cg animation. It enjoyed extensive use on Earwig and the Witch, where it enabled an unprecedented release for Studio Ghibli.

We caught up with Mamoru Takahashi, the films lead lighting and compositing artist, and Yuichi Yamamoto, its lead compositor, for insight into the creative process behind Earwig and the Witch and how Nuke supported the team as they dove into uncharted territory.

Snapshotting the production process

Behind Earwig and the Witch was a team of six in-house artists  including Takahashi and Yamamoto  who covered look development, lighting, and compositing, alongside external partner companies. Under the direction of Goro Miyazaki, 1,054 shots were produced for the film.

In all of these 1,054 shots, Takahashi comments, we used Nuke to composite each layer of materials exported from Maya, such as backgrounds, characters, shadows, and effects, to create final shots. The final image creation and color correction were done keeping in mind that it will be shown in theaters. The director would check the output from Nuke, and if approved, it would be on screen.

Talking about how Nuke is used in general across the team, Takahashi continues: It was very common throughout the project to have different artists working on both lighting and compositing respectively.

When they were working in Nuke, collaboration wasnt a problem for the team. Its really useful to be able to share templates created using Python across the project just by pressing one button, Takahashi explains. This allowed any artists to assemble composites according to certain rules and we were able to have a consistent look across the film.

Diving into this a little deeper, Yamamoto, lead compositor, sheds light on the nuances of this creative, collaborative process.

It was important for us to be able to adjust the lighting in Nuke to balance the entire sequence, he tells us. We have developed a tool that automatically outputs the elements required for compositing at the time of rendering in a DCC tool, and we have made it possible to output layers divided into characters, backgrounds, and other elements, and further divided into Arbitrary Output Variables (AOVs).

Keeping costs down and quality high was another priority for the studio, as Yamamoto explains: By templating reconstruction of multi-channels in Nuke, and dealing with shots with tools such as ReLight, Cryptomatte, STmap, and ZDefocus using AOVs, we were able to reduce rendering costs and explore various approaches to improve the quality of the entire sequence.

As for any production, time was of the essence for Studio Ghibli on Earwig and the Witch, so Yamamoto went about trying to save it. Disk transfer speed was another important point for us because of the large number of layers of material, he explains. Pre-rendering and localization to fast local disk made it easy to experiment and iterate, which improved the quality of the work.

Diving deep into the third dimension

Given that this was Ghiblis first cg feature-length production, we were keen to find out which scenes or sequences the team had to approach differently in order to achieve the desired result.

Yamamoto is quick to lend his thoughts. A variety of approaches were needed to express Mandrakes feelings, he comments. For the scene in which Mandrakes eyes appear in red on the wall, in order to give them shape, a wide variety of looks were created and iterated using Warp or projection in Nuke to get closer to what the director wanted. For his other emotional expressions, we also iterated the impression of color and how the effect looks in Nuke to have different variations, which worked very well.

But what new compositing techniques did the team deploy in such scenes  and across the entire film?

I tried to reduce the number of times I had to go back and forth between Nuke and Maya when balancing background lighting of key shots as a reference for the sequence, Takahashi explains. I rendered the cg material for each light and wrote out the file of information about colors and intensities of each light.

Then I rebuilt the beauty in Nuke and loaded each of the light information files. The color and intensity of each light were controlled by adjusting the values of Gain and Multiply of the Grade Node. After obtaining the directors approval, the color and intensity information of the light was exported from Nuke to a file, which then was imported to Maya so that the light information would be updated.

Features first

Yamamoto cites color correction using Cryptomatte, Roto, and AOV materials as key Nuke features that supported the creative process behind Earwig and the Witch. He believes each to be very effective in raising the level of quality of scenes.

Nukes greatest strength is its ability to composite in 3d scenes, he continues. By sharing cameras with a DCC tool and importing objects such as .abc and .fbx to create a 3d environment in Nuke, you can iterate all kinds of expressions without having to go back to work with a DCC tool, resulting in a more efficient workflow.

Meanwhile, Takahashi is no stranger to the compositing tool, having tried and tested it for over a decade. Ive been using Nuke for ten years and have experienced many different features, and if I just name one useful feature among many, it would be node sharing, he says. Its no exception for Earwig and the Witch. You just can copy and paste shared nodes to your shot and then immediately start adjusting from there  immediately being the key word here.

Speaking of the awesome power of automation, he continues: [Nuke] allows you to build scenes systematically using Python or expressions and semi-automate tasks that dont need to be manually completed.

As a result, you will have more time to focus on the artwork, reduce unnecessary mistakes, and ensure consistent quality throughout a project. In this project, I worked alone on readjusting over 1,000 shots in Nuke in about two months for HDR showing, which I think would be only possible with Nuke.

The right tools for the job

Given the mercurial nature of modern animated productions  particularly as studios look to scale up and down depending on the project, from both a resource and a compute perspective  its important that modern tools adapt to a studios set-up and workflow, and not the other way around.

This is a requirement recognized by Ghibli, which happily finds that Nuke fit the bill for Earwig and the Witch. Nuke is flexible enough to adapt to the project size and environment, Takahashi comments. Even if there are rules that need to be shared with external companies, or if the time frame is tight, it is easy to build an environment that fits those situations. Also, I can optimize my individual job by customizing it with a little ingenuity gained through my work, which is also a great advantage for me.

Yamamoto expands on this point, citing Nukes ubiquity across visual effects and animation: Nuke is a proven toolset in the production of 3d cg animated feature films both in Japan and globally, and many production studios use it. When you need to start organizing a team for production like Earwig and the Witch, its a great advantage to have many talented artists who have a good understanding of the workflow using Nuke.

To learn more about Foundrys 3d animation tools, visit its website.
Photo: CTV Vancouver

An Abbotsford baby is in need of a heart transplant.

Rennah was born with mitral regurgitation and cardiomyopathy, which means a valve in her heart does not work properly.

In just one day, she went from being a happy, healthy baby to struggling for each breath at BC Childrens Hospital," fundraiser organizer Courtland Siak said.

Rennah has since been transported to an Edmonton hospital to await her new heart.

"Once she receives her transplant, she will need to remain in Edmonton for a minimum of three months post-transplant. When she is allowed to come home, she will visit BC Childrens hospital once per week for a year, then every two weeks, and finally, once every three months. For the rest of her life," Siak said.

"Rennahs mom and dad, Aiesha and Brendon, have more worries than any parent should ever have. Our goal here is to help relieve some of their financial burden in the coming months so they can focus entirely on being by their daughters side, giving her the strength she needs to fight for her life," Siak added.

Ronald McDonald House will be providing a place for Rennahs family to stay in Edmonton.

The GofundMe currently sits at $35,000 with a goal of $50,000.

At this time it's unclear when Rennah will receive a new heart.
Photo: The Canadian Press

CIBC has hired former Liberal cabinet minister Navdeep Bains as vice-chair of global investment banking.

Bains stepped down as innovation minister in January and did not run in the recent federal election.

He officially joins the bank Oct. 4.

CIBC says Bains will focus on developing and fostering senior level client relationships and business development globally as part of its capital markets team.

Bains joins former Conservative cabinet minister Lisa Raitt who was hired by CIBC in January 2020 as vice-chair, global investment banking.

CIBC says together with Raitt that the bank's senior advisory team will offer unparalleled insights into public and industrial policy issues.
I am thrilled the two Michaels (Spavor and Kovrig) are coming home.

China's obvious retaliatory tactics are confirmed. However, Canadians can only look inward at our court's part in this lengthy debacle.

If the Canadian judicial system could have sped up the process, the Michaels could have been home much earlier. Yes, it was Meng (Wanzhou)s legal crew that put forth the requests for delays but the Canadian system allowed this to drag on for years. I have not even heard what the cost was to the Canadian taxpayers.

In another case, a Nazi was allowed to remain in Canada for years after courts "deported" him. The system allowed his appeals to drag on for many years until he died of natural causes, never forced to face his past crimes.

The Canadian system brought a convicted felon, sentenced in the United States, back to Canada to finish his sentence. He was then given an extremely early release, was convicted in Canada and died by violent means long before his sentence in the U.S. would have expired.

I see a problem with other countries legal systems but I also believe the Canadian justice system is very flawed.

We need to shorten our court wait times and make sentences appropriate to the crime.

Tim Thompson
I'm so relieved to hear the two Michaels (Spavor and Kovrig) were released from a Chinese prison and were back in Canada when "the Chinese woman" was on her way back home. I will not acknowledge her name or the company she controls.

The real reason I'm writing this is to say I hope (Canadian Prime Minister) Justin (Trudeau) didn't hurt himself patting himself on the back, looking like a hero as the two Michaels touched down on Canadian soil.

(He had) had absolutely nothing to do with their release. All the credit goes to (U.S. President Joe) Biden and his proper diplomatic style of doing the right thing.

Mick Bell, Kelowna
Photo: The Canadian Press Conservative MP Kenny Chiu rises during Question Period in the House of Commons.

A former Conservative MP who lost his seat in the recent election thinks the party could have done a better job speaking directly to Chinese Canadians.

Kenny Chiu was defeated in Steveston-Richmond East, a British Columbia riding with many residents of Chinese descent.

The party also saw the losses of longtime Conservative MP Alice Wong in Richmond Centre and Bob Saroya in Markham-Unionville, both home to many voters with Chinese roots.

The defeats have the Conservatives wondering what happened, and what connection the losses might have to the party's stance and messaging on China.

Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole has been an outspoken critic of China's human rights abuses, calling on the Liberal government to adopt a tougher approach with the authoritarian regime.

Chiu says there's no single reason for his loss, but points to online WeChat posts he says contain false information about the Conservatives and allegations a private member's bill he tabled would discriminate against Chinese Canadians.

"Hindsight is always 20/20. I think there could be more proactive communication directly addressing Canadians of Chinese descent that we could have done," Chiu said in an interview.

The party could have bought more targeted advertisements, he said, adding it's clear the communication efforts weren't enough to counter what he considers misinformation.

O'Toole has announced a post-election review but no details on its parameters or who will lead it.

Besides failing to grow the party in key areas like the Greater Toronto Area and Metro Vancouver, the Conservatives have five fewer elected visible minorities because of defeats in Ontario, British Columbia and Alberta.
Photo: The Canadian Press Air India flight 187 from New Delhi lands at Pearson Airport in Toronto.

Direct passenger flights to Canada from India are resuming today as Transport Canada lifts a months-long ban imposed due to high COVID-19 case counts.

In a post on Twitter, Transport Canada says direct flights from India can land in Canada, but travellers must have a negative COVID-19 test from an approved laboratory at the New Delhi airport no more than 18 hours before their departure.

Air Canada flight data shows that a direct flight from Delhi landed at Toronto's international airport early this morning.

The federal department announced in a news release last week an extension to the ban on all direct commercial and private passenger flights to Canada from India through last Sunday.

The department said that following the end of the ban, airlines would be checking travellers COVID-19 test results and confirming that fully vaccinated passengers had uploaded their information to the ArriveCAN mobile app or website.

Travellers who come to Canada from India via an indirect route must obtain, within 72 hours of departure, a negative COVID-19 molecular test from a third country, other than India, before continuing their journey to Canada.
Photo: The Canadian Press White House press secretary Jen Psaki speaks during a briefing at the White House, Thursday, Sept. 23, 2021.

The White House is playing down the links between the release of Canadians Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig and last week's decision to abandon the extradition of Meng Wanzhou.

Press secretary Jen Psaki says the U.S. Department of Justice is an independent agency and reached the decision to pursue a deferred prosecution agreement with the Huawei executive on its own.

Meng was allowed to return to China after a New York judge approved the agreement Friday, and Spavor and Kovrig were on their way back to Canada that same night.

Psaki says U.S. President Joe Biden urged China at every turn to release the two men, whose arrests were widely seen as retribution for Canada's arrest of Meng in December 2018.

But she says abandoning the Meng case should not be taken as evidence of a shifting foreign policy approach toward China.

Republicans, most notably Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, have criticized the agreement and want the White House to brief Congress on how it came about.

"It may feel foreign to them that the Department of Justice is independent, but it is independent under this administration," Psaki said.

"No one should read it as an impact on our substantive policy. This is a legal matter and a legal decision."

Psaki was unable to say whether Biden was aware that a deferred prosecution was in the works when he spoke with Chinese President Xi Jinping earlier this month.

"Our policy has not changed, our policy toward China," she said.

"We're going to continue to hold (China) to account for its unfair economic practices, its course of actions around the world, and its human rights abuses. And we will continue to do that in partnership with our allies around the world."
Dear High School Principals, Counselors, and Scholarship Coordinators:

2022 United States Senate Youth Program

I am pleased to announce the 2022 United States Senate Youth Program (USSYP). Sponsored by the William Randolph Hearst Foundation, the California Department of Education (CDE) coordinates this program for outstanding juniors or seniors who are interested in pursuing careers in public service. All public and private high schools in the state are invited to nominate up to two juniors or seniors to participate.

Two students from each state will be selected to attend this unique educational experience, and each student will receive a $10,000 undergraduate college scholarship. The 60th annual Washington Week will take place March 512, 2022, with current planning for a national selection process and an in-person program in Washington, D.C., pending public health and safety guidelines for travel and indoor gatherings.

Students must be nominated by their high school principal and must be currently serving in an elected or appointed leadership capacity in a student government, civic, or educational organization for the entire 202122 school year. In addition, nominated students must be United States citizens or permanent residents and currently enrolled in a California public or private secondary school. Four finalists, consisting of two delegates and a first alternate and second alternate, will be selected by the CDE to be Californias USSYP representatives.

The application and scholarship information on the 2022 USSYP may be found on the CDE USSYP web page at https://www.cde.ca.gov/eo/in/us/. The deadline to apply is Wednesday, October 6, 2021.

If you have any questions regarding the USSYP, please send an email to ussyp@cde.ca.gov.

Sincerely,

Tony Thurmond

State Superintendent of Public Instruction

TT:df
Europe: invest, divest, assess

ICR Research By

Published 27 September 2021

ICR looks at how economies have fared across western, central and eastern Europe over 2020-21, and what action Europes leading cement producers are taking to not only recover from the pandemic but also prepare for the challenges that still lie ahead as emissions regulations tighten and the need for leaner, greener production ramps up.

By the end of June 2021, there were over 54.5m confirmed cases of COVID-19 across Europe, since the first case was detected in France on 24 January 2020. The opening quarter of 2020 saw a progressive number of European governments implement restrictive measures in a bid to contain the spread of the virus. The impact of these measures on European economies was quickly evident as consumer spending declined, unemployment rates jumped and businesses faced closure. Governments across Europe introduced a raft of stimulus packages to help boost economies and shore up key industry sectors, such as construction.

Western Europe

As the epicentre of Europes COVID-19 battle, countries across western Europe saw some of the strictest lockdowns. Prior to the pandemic, Italys construction sector was showing signs of improvement, up 2.9 per cent YoY in 2019, following years of downturn after the 2008 crash. Last year saw construction investment in Italy decline by 10.1 per cent with non-residential work and housebuilding contracting by 13.5 and 12.5 per cent YoY, respectively. Although a marked recovery in cement demand was seen in the 3Q20, supported by exports and domestic consumption, things slowed again in the 4Q as infection rates started to rise. Construction investment is expected to expand in 2021, driven by residential and renovation work, as EU funding enables large-scale infrastructure projects to get underway.

To continue reading this story and get access to all News, Articles and Video sections of the CemNet.com website, please Register for a subscription to International Cement Review or Login
GCCA becomes an accelerator of the UN backed Race to Zero campaign

27 September 2021

As part of New York Climate Week, the Global Cement and Concrete Association (GCCA) will become an accelerator of the United Nations (UN) backed Race to Zero campaign, which calls for accelerating the halving of global emissions by 2030 and pledging to reach net zero by 2050.

The GCCA, which represents 80 per cent of the international concrete and cement industry outside China and some of the leading Chinese manufacturers, has become the first association that represents a global essential industry to join the campaign as an accelerator. GCCA members that have already pledged to join Race to Zero through its partner initiative Business Ambition for 1.5C include Cementos Argos, Cemex, Dalmia Cement, GCC, HeidelbergCement, Holcim, and Votorantim Cimentos, who operate across the world.

The announcement comes ahead of the planned launch of GCCA's roadmap to carbon-neutral concrete in October 2021, during which it will detail plans to achieve net zero concrete globally by 2050.

Launched in June last year by the UN High Level Climate Action Champions, Nigel Topping and Gonzalo Munoz, the Race to Zero campaign rallies non-state actors to take rigorous and immediate action to halve global emissions by 2030 and deliver a healthier, fairer zero carbon world in time. All members are committed to the same overarching goal: reducing emissions across all scopes swiftly and fairly in line with the Paris Agreement, with transparent action plans and robust near-term targets.

Nigel Topping, UN High Level Climate Action Champion, said: "I'm delighted to welcome the GCCA as a new Accelerator to the Race to Zero campaign. As we move toward COP, we really need to see a gear shift across all industries from ambition to implementation in the race to a zero carbon world. With the cement and concrete sector having achieved a breakthrough ambition earlier this week, the GCCA can play a critical role in continuing to accelerate the industrys progress towards its fair share of halving global emissions by 2030. We need to see action now to ensure the health and prosperity of people and planet for now and future generations."

Published under
Holcim Croatia to invest HRK9.6m in low-carbon cement

ICR Newsroom By 27 September 2021

Holcim Croatia will invest HRK9.6m (US$1.5m) in a project to develop low-carbon cement production. Around 35 per cent of this amount will be a HRK3.3m grant from Innovation Norway.



The company plans the launch of to new brands of low-carbon cement. The project will see the construction of a closed warehouse for mineral additives and a new transportation system for their dosage.



A successful outcome of the project will enable the company to boost competitiveness, reduce CO 2 emissions and lower electricity consumption.

Published under


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.
An investigation by special agents with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has resulted in the arrest of a Clifton man in connection to the shooting death of a Hardin County Deputy.

At the request of 24th District Attorney General Matt Stowe, TBI special agents began investigating the on-duty homicide of a Hardin County deputy that occurred Saturday evening.

Initial information indicates that just after 8:30 p.m., deputies with the Hardin County Sheriffs Office and an officer with the Clifton Police Department were dispatched to a residence in the 3000 block of Nance Bend Road in Clifton in reference to a domestic disturbance.

Upon arrival, officers made contact with Todd Alan Stricklin, 48, who was armed with a handgun. Officers ordered Stricklin to drop the weapon, but he refused. As another Hardin County deputy approached the home to assist, Stricklin shot him. The deputy was transported to a local hospital, where he later died.

Stricklin ran from the scene into a wooded area. Numerous law enforcement agencies responded to assist in the search. A few hours later, Stricklin was located and taken into custody by troopers with the Tennessee Highway Patrol.

On Sunday morning, TBI agents obtained an arrest warrant for Stricklin, charging him one count of first-degree murder. He was booked into the Hardin County Jail before being transferred to the Chester County Jail.
The Hamilton County Health Dept. has announced theyll start administering the COVID-19 booster shot today but after former FDA Commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb appeared on Face the Nation yesterday, I am not as sold on the Pfizer booster as I had hoped I would be. Not only do I think the process has been too hurried, the CDC is purposely vague and Im looking at this as wait-and-see.

Understand, Im as pro-vaccine as they come. Ive not only taken two Moderna doses but recently was given a third because Im autoimmune compromised. There are 2,319 active COVID cases right now in the county with 239 in the hospital. Hamilton Countys death toll was 613 as of Friday and the infectious disease is still raging here.

We have 143 new cases a day right now.

But because the CDC and the FDA have yet to agree on the best usage of the boosters, who should get it and when, right now there isnt a solid plan. Commentator Margaret Brennan noted CDC director Dr. Rochelle Walensky has admitted a lot of confusion over who should get the Pfizer booster and asked Dr. Gottlieb, Well, the CDC director said, I recognize confusion.' So, she's acknowledging that there is some confusion on who falls into that frontline worker category of someone who should self-select to go get a booster shot. In your view, should all of us eventually go get a booster?

The renowned doctor said thats an open question. I think the data is still to be determined on that question. I mean, very clearly- look, they authorize it for anyone 65 and above and in a long-term care facility. I think that you can make an argument that the data suggests that people above the age of 60 and maybe even above the age of 50 should get a booster based on just a  a risk benefit analysis.

Whats this: the health department rolls out a Pfizer booster and neither the FDA nor the CDC can agree who should take it? Oh please. (Note: The boosters for the Moderna and the Johnson & Johnson boosters have not yet been introduced and medical minds say dont mix the brands. Those with Moderna or Johnson & Johnson should wait for corresponding boosters.)

"And that's where the FDA ultimately was heading in the discussion that they had. But people below the age of 50 who are otherwise healthy, I think it's an open question right now. The data isn't strong to support the question either way. But those who have medical risk factors, I think, certainly need to take that- take that into consideration and people who have occupational exposures. And that's exactly where the CDC came out. They left a lot of flexibilityfor people to make judgments on their own risks and for doctors to guide their patients.

Commentator Brennan noted the CDC director Walensky didn't take it off the table that it would open up. In fact, what the president said is that we will eventually open it up. And she did seem to say no, not yet, leaving room to do so. Is that a political judgment?

DR. GOTTLIEB: Look, I think they created a set of criteria, the CDC did, where they ultimately came out that are very sort of accommodating, and it's going to allow a lot of people to self-select into boosters if they want to and a lot of doctors to make recommendations for patients to get boosters. I think that was intentional, the- the language they ultimately used. I think they want a frictionless process. That's what I've been told by pharmacies who've been advised by the CDC. And I think the director's comments today reflected that, where she didn't want to really articulate very clear divides on who should and shouldn't be opted into getting a booster. She left it very general in terms of her own advice and, you know, left it to patients to make judgments with their doctors and with themselves.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Lastly, the CEO of Pfizer, the company you served on the board of, affirmed today that that data on vaccinations for 5 to 11 year olds will be going to the FDA within a matter of days. Is that confirming your schedule of vaccines by Halloween?

DR. GOTTLIEB: Yeah, I think that's still possible. FDA has said that the review is going to be a matter of weeks, not months. I- I interpret that to mean potentially a four-week review, maybe a six-week review. So, I think on the low end, it could take four weeks and that could give you a vaccine by Halloween. If it slips a little, it could be mid-November.

That may be when the Centers for Disease Control and the Food & Drug Administration agree on booster shot, but until the two do, I think Im going to stall.



royexum@aol.com
Study of the life of Russian composer, Shostakovich, shows a life of governmental persecution, as well as strangulation of creativity, freedom of thought, and individualism under Stalin's regime.

As I receive notice from the Chattanooga Symphony & Opera regarding the necessity of showing papers in order to attend a symphony performance, I am disheartened.

When I hear that pregnant musicians with religious exemption have been fired because they were not vaccinated, I am appalled.

When I hear a child cannot play in the youth symphony unless vaccinated, I simply do not understand.

I am a 'young' lover of classical music. I dedicated my doctoral research to the study of classical music.

I believe in freedom. I believe in artistic freedom. I believe the CSO should recant its mandatory vaccination prerequisite for playing in the symphony, or simply attending a performance.

Dr. K. Engels

* * *

I am the first to admit I know next to nothing about classical music but I enjoy immensely listening to live performances of any symphony, especially our own CSO. Are they really going to require you to show a vax card to attend future concerts?

I have had two vaxes and have my card but I refuse to show proof of such to attend a future CSO concert. Does anyone else have a problem with this? Nazi Germany?

You vill show your papers.

Dennis Wooden

* * *

Chattanooga has a gem of a symphony. The musicians are outstanding and conductor Kayoko Dan brings musical excellence and charm to every performance. A night at the symphony is enriching, melodious, and a good value. The Chattanooga Symphony & Opera season is upcoming, and the CSO board feels obligated to protect their patrons from COVID. The CSO boards rules are:

1) All symphony attendees must have proof of vaccination, or a negative COVID test within 72 hours of the performance.

2) All symphony attendees must wear masks.

Are these rules adequate to protect symphony patrons from COVID?

According to Harvard Medical School the COVID test has a high false negative rate. Early tests have a false negative rate up to 100 percent. After five days the false negative rate drops to 20 percent. More than one in five patrons who attend the CSO performance with a negative test may be infected. Obviously, a negative test is not an effective way to screen infected patrons.

Dr. Fauci, Dr. Walensky, and the President of the United States have all stated that the vax does not protect the vaxxed from the unvaxxed. Breakthrough cases are common. Breakthrough cases can be severe and may cause death. Even for the vaxxed, symphony attendance is unsafe because the CSO board allows unvaxxed patrons with false negative tests to attend.

Symphony concerts are at Memorial Auditorium this season. The seats are much closer together than the mythological Six-Foot-Social-Distanced-Virus-Free-Zone. Every patrons exhaled COVID flows through the auditorium throughout the performance. HEPA filters do not filter virus at 100 percent efficiency.

The CSO board doesnt require an effective N95/N100 or gas mask. Paper and cloth masks do not filter virus entirely or even very efficiently. Fragrance and manure particles are both significantly larger than COVID; but you can smell fragrance and manure right through paper or cloth masks. Masking all patrons at the symphony is not an adequate method of protection.

If you attend a CSO performance, vaxxed, unvaxxed, tested, untested, masked, or unmasked, the CSO rules do not keep you safe from COVID.

To guarantee patron safety the CSO could implement two simple rules.

1. To keep yourself safe while attending the symphony, Do Not Inhale.

2. To protect your fellow patrons while attending the symphony, Do Not Exhale.



Admittedly, those simple but effective rules have some drawbacks, so more complicated rules are required:

1. If you believe the government-medical complex is truthful and the experimental vax protects from COVID, get the vax, wear a mask and attend the symphony, its a free country.

2. If you believe the vax and a mask protects you from COVID, but not the unvaxxed, do not attend the symphony. The CSO permits unvaxxed patrons with unreliable negative tests to attend. It may be a free country, but the CSO sets the symphony attendance rules.

3. If you believe the government-medical complex is untruthful (or ignorant), but are willing to take an unreliable test and wear a mask, attend the symphony, its a free country.

4. Patrons whose freedom comes from God, not government, who dont kowtow to the government-medical complex, or get experimental vaxxes, or wear ineffective masks must stay home and listen to John Phillips Sousa. It is a free, rugged individualist, patriotic, and exceptional country, but the CSO politburo sets the symphony rules.

5. If you are either the CSO board or a fellow patron, and think CSO patrons need your oversight because they are too stupid to figure out if being vaxxed, unvaxxed, tested, or masked is best for them, mind your own business, its a free country.

Sadly, as the CSO will not implement these more effective rules, I will miss the CSO again this year. At least the CSO can have some fun with their rules. For performances of Shostakovich, instead of inquiring about vaxxes and tests and masks, ushers could ask: Papers, please?

Norman Good


General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will be broadcast across the globe on Saturday and Sunday. All sessions will be streamed live at ChurchofJesusChrist.org, BYUtv, and the General Conference YouTube channel. For a full list of ways to watch or listen, please see https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/learn/ways-to-watch-general-conference?lang=eng.

Sessions on Saturday will be at 12, 4 and 8 p.m. Sessions on Sunday will be at 12 and 4 p.m Sessions are broadcast in over 70 languages. Conference will also be available for on-demand viewing following the broadcast.

General Conference is a worldwide gathering held twice a year -- on the first weekend of April and the first weekend of October. Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints gather during this time to hear messages focused on the living Christ. Especially during this time, the prophet and the apostles testify that Jesus Christ lives and that He is the Savior and Redeemer of the World. Other Church leaders also share Christ-centered messages. These messages provide guidance, hope and inspiration for everyone, of all faiths, said officials.

In preparation for General Conference, The Church released a video at https://www.instagram.com/p/CUKq2gmNoki/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again. Local Latter-day Saints invite all those in the greater Chattanooga area to view the video and watch October 2021 General Conference. All are welcome to participate in this free, online event.
On Thursday, Sept. 16, 2021, close to a hundred people came together on the steps of the federal courthouse to celebrate the most basic thing we share as Americans: that together, we are We the people, and the Constitution is for all of us.

Congress has established Sept. 17 as an annual holiday to recognize the adoption of the United States Constitution. It was on Sept. 17, 1787, that delegates to the Constitutional Convention signed the new document to create our present form of government. Afterwards, they sent it out to all of the states to be debated and ratified by conventions of the people themselves.

The law establishing Constitution Day requires all federal agencies and publicly funded educational institutions to provide educational programming on this day regarding the history of the United States Constitution. With a country as vast and diverse as the United States, how we honor Constitution Day will vary greatly.



In Chattanooga, our legal community recognized Constitution Day in a way designed to bring home the message that the Constitution is for all citizens, no matter what their walk of life may be, their class, gender, race, or status in their community.



To that end, our local federal court and bar associations sponsored a public reading of the entire Constitution on the steps of the federal courthouse. The Constitution was broken down into 110 short segments and placed on a lectern at the top of the steps. The segments were short enough so that each reading took less than a minute. U.S. District Judge Curtis L. Collier gave a short introduction and welcome and began with the Preamble: We the people of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect union, . . . do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America. Other readers took their turns and read the succeeding portions in order.



Some had signed up for windows of time for their individual readings. Others just showed up and got in line. The legal community was well represented with federal and state judges, civil lawyers, prosecutors, and defense attorneys. Other readers included probation officers, court staff, members of the Daughters of the American Revolution, and college students. The entire reading took about an hour and fifteen minutes to complete.



Judge Collier a few years ago brought the idea of public readings of the Constitution to the Eastern District of Tennessee. For him, watching and hearing the Constitution read by so manylawyers, public officials, and ordinary citizenstook his mind to what it must have been like when proponents of the Constitution went into every hamlet and village in 1787 to share what was in the proposed Constitution. This public sharing of the Constitution communicated that it was truly the peoples Constitution, that it belonged to them and was for their benefit. Reading the Constitution together in our day captures some of what it must have been like back then.



This years observance was planned and coordinated by the Chattanooga District Courts subcommittee on civics education and outreach, chaired by U.S. District Judge Charles Atchley. The subcommittee plans to continue this event in future years. In discussing this years event, subcommittee member and president of the Chattanooga Chapter of the Federal Bar Association Zac Greene said, The Constitution embodies the self-evident truth that people are, by nature, free, and that the only just, legitimate government is one that derives its power from the collective consent of the people. Reading the Constitution aloud in public is perhaps the most appropriate way to celebrate the document and to remind ourselves of the important role we play in the political process. The Chattanooga FBA is proud to promote this event each year.



Attorney Donna Mikel, a committee member and past president of the Chattanooga FBA who participated in this years reading, also described the meaningfulness of the event. Everyone stands in line as equals. Nobody gets a special introduction, whether you are a community leader, a judge, or person who happened upon this activity. It doesn't matter what your viewpoint is on any topic. We stand as equals and as one, reading the living document that binds us together as one.

This year and every year, let us celebrate the fact that the Constitution is, indeed, for all of us.



Curtis L. Collier

United States District Judge

Chair, Eastern District of Tennessee Civics and Outreach Committee

Carrie Brown Stefaniak

Law Clerk to the Honorable Curtis L. Collier

Immediate Past President, Chattanooga Chapter of the Federal Bar Association



Kristen A. Dupard

Law Clerk to the Honorable Curtis L. Collier
Carolyn Grace Robertson, age 80, of Dalton, Georgia, departed this life Sunday afternoon, September 26, 2021 at Redmond Regional Hospital in Rome, Georgia.

Carolyn was born Dec. 2, 1940 in Calhoun, Ga., a daughter of the late Sam and Nellie Mae Lanier Reece. She was also preceded in death by her husband, Henry Horton Robertson, and her daughter-in-law, Holly Robertson.

Carolyn was of the Baptist faith.

She is survived by her son, Jeff Robertson and Becky Heacker of Dalton, GA; daughters and sons-in-law, Phyllis Smith and C.B. of Chatsworth, GA, Beverly and William North of Resaca, GA, Kathy and Eddie Henson of LaFayette, GA, and Angelia Robertson of Dalton, GA; grandchildren, Stephanie Smith, Kim Jones, Kris and Mandy Smith, Randell and Brittani Smith, Ryan Robertson, Meagan Robertson and Jack Perry, Andrew Henson; and great-grandson, Jaxson Smith Jones.

Services to celebrate the life of Mrs. Carolyn Grace Robertson will be held Saturday, Oct. 2, at 1 p.m. at Ponders Melrose Chapel with Pastor Tim Sanford officiating. She will be laid to rest beside her husband at the Robertson Family Cemetery with Randell Smith, Kris Smith, Andrew Henson, Ryan Robertson, Eddie Henson and Jack Perry honored to serve as pallbearers.

The family will receive friends at the funeral home from 5-9 p.m. on Friday.



Condolences may be expressed to the family at www.pondersfuneralhome.com.



Arrangements are by Ponders Melrose Chapel, 138 Melrose Drive, Dalton, GA 30721, (706) 226-4002.
Terry Judson Keith passed away peacefully at his home in Loganville, Georgia, on September 20, 2021.

He was born in Chattanooga, on Oct. 4, 1940, and went to be with his Lord at the age of 80, after a long-term illness.

Terry graduated from Tyner High School (class of 1957), got a BS degree in History from the University of Chattanooga, and then went to the Drew Theological Seminary in New York where he earned a degree in Philosophy and Religion.

He held several interesting jobs  including a cab driver, a rock music promoter, and restaurant manager/cook/barista in New York City, land surveyor for the Army Corp of Engineers in Tennessee and Georgia, and computer programmer for the AirCond Corporation.

He is survived by Nancy Peck Keith - his loving wife of 46 years, his son, Isaac Wesley Keith, and his daughter, Sarah Isis Keith. He was predeceased by his parents Melvin and Miriam Keith of Chattanooga.

He will be missed.

A memorial will be held at a later date.
A U.S. district court has ruled in favor of Tennessee Attorney General Herbert H. Slatery III and Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron in their lawsuit "to stop the Biden Administration from enforcing an unconstitutional tax mandate. The mandate in the American Rescue Plan Act prohibits states from providing tax relief to their citizens."

The American Rescue Plan Act was passed by Congress and signed into law on March 11, 2021. Of the nearly $2 trillion included in the Act, approximately $200 billion will assist state governments with COVID relief. But, as a condition of receiving the COVID aid, the act required states to comply with a tax mandate that prevents it from lowering taxes for its citizens for four years.

The states argued that the tax mandate is unconstitutional and will prevent state legislatures from enacting beneficial tax policies. The court agreed, writing in the opinion that the federal funds come with a price - states must forego the exercise of important flexibility and power when it comes to making their own taxing decisions.

AG Slatery said, "We are very pleased with the courts decision. Tennessee should not have to hand over its constitutional right to establish state tax policy in exchange for federal relief from this pandemic.

In its decision, the court ruled that the American Rescue Plan Acts tax mandates were unconstitutional. The court writes, Thus, where the federal government unduly influences the States power to set their own tax policies, the federal government oversteps its bounds. Not only does this threaten the dual nature of our federalist system, but such federal overreach threatens individual liberties that derive from the diffusion of sovereign power.

Access the ruling here: https://www.tn.gov/content/ dam/tn/attorneygeneral/ documents/pr/2021/pr21-36- opinion.pdf
Governor Bill Lee announced Ford Motor Company has selected the Memphis Regional Megasite for one of the largest battery and vehicle manufacturing campuses in the U.S.

West Tennessee is primed to deliver the workforce and quality of life needed to create the next great American success story with Ford Motor Company and SK Innovation, said Governor Lee. This is a watershed moment for Tennesseans as we lead the future of the automotive industry and advanced manufacturing.

Governor Lee and leaders will join executives from Ford Motor Company and SK Innovation in Memphis on Tuesday to share more details about the multi-year project.

Tennessee is playing a key role in leading American advanced manufacturing, and we are thrilled to make this historic investment in West Tennessee to create Blue Oval City, said Lisa Drake, Ford North America chief operating officer. This once in a generation investment will create thousands of high-quality jobs and support Americas transition to electric vehicles. Tennessee will play a critical role as Ford continues to lead the electric vehicle revolution, tackle climate change, and create the jobs of tomorrow, and we look forward to working to create the future together.

Ford and SK Innovation will invest $5.6 billion to build a 3,600-acre mega campus called Blue Oval City on the Memphis Regional Megasite, where production of next generation all-electric F-Series trucks will begin in 2025. The project will result in the creation of 5,800 new jobs in West Tennessee.

Blue Oval City will be designed to be the largest, most advanced and most efficient automotive production campus in Fords history. The campus will include the Ford assembly plant, a supplier park and a battery manufacturing plant operated by BlueOvalSK, Ford and SK Innovations joint venture. The site will become a vertically integrated ecosystem with key suppliers and battery manufacturing on the same campus where Ford will assemble next generation all-electric F-Series trucks.

West Tennessee to Reap Benefits in the Billions

In addition to the multi-billion dollar investment from Ford, the State of Tennessee intends to offer an enhanced incentive totaling more than $500 million for successful completion of the project. Economic analysis projects the Ford buildout of the Memphis Regional Megasite will result in significant job and gross state product gains. The Center for Economic Research, a division of the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development projected the following:

The project is anticipated to generate more than 27,000 new jobs, both directly and indirectly, to support the sites operations. This will result in more than $1.02 billion in annual earnings.

This project is anticipated to contribute $3.5 billion each year to Tennessees gross state product.

This project is also expected to generate temporary construction benefits including $5.6 billion spent on land, buildings, and other real property improvements. Additionally, more than 32,000 jobs are expected to support the construction period, with around $1.87 billion in salaries related to construction activity.

Today is a historic day as we welcome Ford Motor Company and SK Innovation to Tennessee, said Tennessee Department of Economic Development Commissioner Bob Rolfe. The ripple effect resulting from these projects will be transformational for our state, especially West Tennessee, and we are most grateful for this enormous investment and the addition of two top global brands. To have such a world renowned, American company land as our first tenant at the Memphis Regional Megasite underscores the sites strength and potential for additional joint venture partners and suppliers.

Leaders Offer Support for Historic Investment

Gov. Lee intends to call a special legislative session this fall to address funding, buildout and oversight for the Memphis Regional Megasite. State leaders offered words of support for the project.

"This is a huge victory for our state and the West Tennessee region. And it has been a long time coming. It is no secret that the megasite's failure to attract a tenant has been a long-term disappointment for our state. Today's announcement wipes that all away. I could not be happier that Ford will be making this type of investment in our state. While Tennessee's economy has always been strong, some areas of our state have been left behind. A major manufacturing facility in this area will transform the economy of West Tennessee and provide high-quality, high-paying jobs for the entire region. I would like to thank, not only Governor Lee and Commissioner Rolfe for their work in negotiating this deal, but also the efforts of Senators Page Walley, Ed Jackson, Paul Rose, Brian Kelsey, Raumesh Akbari and John Stevens. Their work in making Tennessee a great place to do business has been critical in making this triumphant day a reality." Lieutenant Governor Randy McNally (R-Oak Ridge)

Gov. Lee has been steadfast in his support and determination to identify and secure a tenant for the Memphis Regional Megasite. He has provided strong leadership throughout the process of obtaining Ford Motor Companys historic investment into West Tennessee. I am thankful members of the General Assembly, local elected officials and communities impacted by this significant announcement never lost hope that this day would come. The thousands of high-quality jobs created will reshape the entire regions economy and transform the lives of families  both now and for future generations. House Speaker Cameron Sexton (R-Crossville)

How fitting that during harvest season in West Tennessee, years of hoping, committed planning, investing and laboring  particularly this year  are yielding such abundance. Our entire area will be changed for the better for generations to come. What an honor to be a part of the team to bring this home to our district. Sen. Page Walley (R-Bolivar)

We appreciate the work by Gov. Lee, his administration, ECD and all others involved with this announcement. We also appreciate the commitment from Ford Motor Company to Tennessee. This truly historic investment is vital to communities throughout rural West Tennessee and will provide a much-needed positive economic impact to our region. We understand there is still much work to be done and we look forward to working with Ford and all involved as we move this project forward. Rep. Chris Hurt (R-Halls)

Today is a pivotal moment for Tennessee, especially West Tennessee. This will change the economic trajectory for our region of the state and will provide good jobs and great quality of life for many families with an excellent above average income. Rep. Ron Gant (R-Rossville)
On 90 Day Fiance: The Other Way, Corey Rathgeber admitted to his friend, Raul, that his wife, Evelin Villegas, doesnt know the whole truth about his fling with Jenny in Peru. Corey has been hiding quite a bit of information from everyone. How serious was his fling with Jenny? It turns out it was an actual relationship, not a one-night-stand like he previously said.

Evelin and Corey on 90 Day Fiance: The Other Way | TLC

Corey had a fling with Jenny while in Peru

On the premiere episode of 90 Day Fiance: The Other Way Season 3, Corey admits that he had a fling with Jenny in Peru. However, Corey has maintained that his wife, Evelin, broke up with him, so he left for Peru. While Evelin claims it was just a break, Corey saw it as a full-fledged breakup. Corey ran off to Peru, where he and Evelin first met, to clear his head, but thats when he met Jenny.

Corey told Evelin the fling with Jenny only lasted a few days and that they never slept together. Evelin found out about Coreys other girlfriend, Jenny, through a mutual friend. When Corey admitted to Evelin that there is more to the story than he initially let on, Evelin told her sisters that Corey was presenting Jenny as his girlfriend while in Peru. Though she did admit that they were on a break, she and Corey were still married on paper.

Corey reveals how serious his relationship was with Jenny

In the Sept. 26th episode of 90 Day Fiance: The Other Way on discovery+, Corey finally came clean about the severity of his relationship with Jenny. Corey told his friend, Raul, that after Evelin broke up with him, he had a pretty serious relationship with another woman, Jenny. He admitted that the relationship was a lot more serious than he previously told him.

Corey explained, It was serious, you know, like, she introduced me to her family. Raul is shocked. Corey went on to explain that he and Jenny were actually going to get a place together. He told cameras, I lied to Evelin when I told her I wasnt intimate with Jenny. I told Evelin that I did see a girl while I was in Peru. I didnt tell her just how serious it was.

Evelin doesnt know the extent of Coreys fling with Jenny

He admitted, But Evelin doesnt know any of that. She just thinks its a one-night thing. Raul told Corey, Oh my God, it sounds like a Venezuelan soap opera. Raul, who had a fling with Evelin a while back, told Corey that Evelin is going to freak out when she finds out.

According to Corey, Evelin had no idea that Corey was in a relationship with Jenny. However, their mutual friend did tell her that Corey was introducing Jenny as his girlfriend while in Peru. Corey is afraid that Evelin will leave him when she finds out. Raul advised him to talk to Jenny, tell her face-to-face that he wants to be with Evelin, then go to Evelin and tell her the whole truth about the Peruvian fling.

Corey has put himself in a sticky situation caused by his infidelity. However, he cant back out of telling Evelin the truth because Raul told Corey he would tell her himself if he didnt. Can Evelin and Coreys already broken relationship survive Coreys admission? Fans will have to keep watching the rest of 90 Day Fiance: The Other Way Season 3.

RELATED: 90 Day Fiance: Why Evelin Cried After Marrying Corey  And Not Happy Tears
Juliana Custodio has wiped her Instagram of all photos of her husband, Michael Jessen, and anything that has to do with 90 Day Fiance. There have been rumors that Juliana is no longer with Michael after she posted a cryptic TikTok video. Just two years after their wedding, Juliana appears to be starting over  at least on Instagram.

Juliana Custodio and Michael Jessen on 90 Day Fiance Season 7 | TLC

Did Juliana and Michael split?

Speculation began when Juliana posted a video on TikTok replying to a fan who asked about her marriage to Michael. In a now-deleted TikTok video, Juliana says, Everybody keep asking me if Im still married. Juliana continues, This really is truly hard, and Im not ready to talk through yet. If you guys find out, you guys gonna hate me, forever. Everybodys gonna hate me.

On top of the tearful video, Juliana also confirmed that shes not in the US right now. Some videos of her dancing at a club with her fellow cast member, Tania Maduro, in Hamburg, Germany. Many 90 Day Fiance fans think that there is more to the story as Juliana has always been transparent about her marriage to Michael.

Juliana wipes her Instagram of photos of anything to do with Michael or 90 Day Fiance

Juliana added more fuel to the fire when she wiped her entire Instagram clean of any 90 Day Fiance posts as well as all photos of Michael and his children. On Reddit, 90 Day Fiance fans pointed out Julianas missing pictures on September 24th. The only photos she has left on her page are professional modeling photos of her.

90 Day Fiance fans pointed out that Juliana and Michael still follow each other on Instagram, but the last photo or video she has of Michael was in her highlights from over eight weeks ago. Could it be that Juliana is merely rebranding herself? Some fans think its her way of not only announcing the split, but it could also be Juliana hinting that shes joining 90 Day: The Single Life.

Michael and Julianas 90 Day Fiance journey

Juliana and Michael began their reality TV journey on 90 Day Fiance Season 7. Michael is a 42-year-old wine distributor and entrepreneur who travels often. He met Juliana at a yacht party of a mutual friend in Croatia when she was just 20 years old. The beautiful Brazillian had just got signed to a modeling agency. Michael promised to help her financially until her modeling career took off.

Finally, through many visa denials, Juliana was approved on a K-1 visa. Juliana came to the United States and took on her role as step-mom to Michaels two kids, Max and Cece. While there were some issues with Juliana adjusting to life in America, she quickly found her place in the blended family. After some disagreements regarding whether or not they should have a prenuptial agreement, Michael finally agreed not to do it. The two got married in a beautiful, intimate, outdoor ceremony with Julianas friends and Michaels family.

The deleted Instagram photos and the cryptic videos all hint at Juliana and Michael splitting up. As of right now, neither Michael nor Juliana have confirmed or denied the rumors. Hopefully, soon 90 Day Fiance fans will get answers regarding their marital status.

RELATED: 90 Day Fiance: Who Is Syngin Colchester Rumored New Girlfriend, Erin?


Kurt Russell has made many movies in exotic locations. The Thing filmed in Alaska to recreate Antarctica, and Captain Ron took him to Puerto Rico, to name a few. For 1997s Breakdown, Russell had to be home with his kids every night, and the production made sure he was. The reason for Russells insistence is heartwarming.

Kurt Russell | Paramount Pictures/Getty Images

Paramount released a new Blu-ray edition of Breakdown on Sept. 21. It includes the new bonus feature Filmmaker Focus in which writer/director Jonathan Mostow discusses the making of the movie. Heres why Russell couldnt just film Breakdown on location.

I remember [producer] Dino [De Laurentiis] calling me to his office saying, I got bad news. Kurt passed, Mostow said. 24 hours later, Kurt comes into a meeting to personally say, thank you to Dino. Nobodys offered me this much money before. I just want to say thank you but unfortunately I dont see how this is going to work because Goldie [Hawn] and I have an arrangement and we alternate movies. Kurt was just going to be finishing Escape from L.A. and Goldie was going off to do a movie in Paris.

Now, heres how they got Russell to star in Breakdown after all. Russell plays Jeff Taylor, a husband driving cross country with his wife, Ann (Kathleen Quinlan). Some truckers in a small town kidnap her for ransom. Jeff doesnt have the money so he has to outsmart the kidnappers.

Dino being Dino and an impatient guy who didnt want to wait a year to make a movie, Ill never forget, he goes, No problem, Mostow said. The deal Dino made with Kurt was no matter where in the country we were shooting, he would be picked up at his house at eight in the morning and returned at eight in the evening.

Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn | Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Netflix

RELATED: Christmas Chronicles 2 Stars Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn Had Big Ideas for Santa and Mrs. Claus in the Sequel

Breakdown found desert road locations around the country. No matter where they filmed, they had a plane chauffeur Russell to and from home so he could keep his promise to Hawn.

The way that worked was a car would pick him up, drive him to the private Santa Monica airport near his house, Mostow continued. Thered be a jet waiting with the engines all warmed up. The jet would take off, fly to Utah, Nevada, Northern California wherever it was. Land at an airstrip, and we specifically scouted locations that were fairly near airstrips. Then thered be a helicopter with the blades going. Kurt would get off the jet, go in the helicopter, the helicopter would come in and land at base camp.

Remarkably, this arrangement still left Russell plenty of time to film his Breakdown scenes.

Hed go into makeup and wardrobe, Mostow said. Wed get him on set, wed have lunch, wed come back, wed get a few more hours. Hed hear the helicopter coming, he knew we have time for one more shot. It would pick him up in the late afternoon, go back to the airstrip, take the jet, go back and go back to his house. It worked with Kurt because he was an unbelievable pro. He was always on.

Kathleen Quinlan and Kurt Russell | Paramount Pictures/Getty Images

RELATED: Kurt Russell Played an Unexpected Role in Event Horizon

Another interesting tidbit that Mostow shared was that Breakdown began as a Stephen King adaptation. He didnt name the story it was based on, but it couldnt have been Maximum Overdrive because De Laurentiis already produced that movie.

Breakdown had a strange origin in that I had been developing with Dino and Martha De Laurentiis a Stephen King movie that was set out in the desert and involved a lot of trucks, Mostow said. The business affairs guy came in one day and said, Oh, we have a problem. We cant use Stephen Kings name in the title. So suddenly, the reason to make the movie financially was gone. I just thought okay, whats a story that I could come up with? Ive got trucks, Ive got desert locations, what could I do?
The FBI is continuing to search a Florida nature preserve for signs of Brian Laundrie, and now they have a famous face on the case, too. Reality TV star, Duane Chapman, better known as Dog the Bounty Hunter, has thrown his hat in the ring and has vowed to find the 23-year-old content creator who disappeared after returning home to Florida after a cross-country trek without his fiancee, Gabby Petito. Petito, 22, was found dead near a campground in Bridger-Teton National Forrest after an extensive search. Internet sleuths who have spent weeks following the case are relieved to see Dog join the hunt, but exactly how many people has the bounty hunter captured? The number is surprisingly high.

Who are Brian Laundrie and Gabby Petito?

As the search for Laundrie intensifies in Florida, the family of Petito laid her to rest near her childhood home on Long Island. The missing person case turned homicide investigation has gripped true crime aficionados. Social media has been credited with gathering information about the days leading up to Petitos disappearance, but who exactly are Petito and Laundrie?

A makeshift memorial in North Port, Florida for Gabby Petito | Octavio Jones/Getty Images

Petito, 22, and Laundrie, 23, met as high school students in Blue Point, NY. Petito graduated in 2017 and began dating Laundrie in 2019. The couple moved from New York to Florida, where they lived with Laundries family. More recently, they departed on a trip across the country in a converted van. Petito documented their travels on YouTube and Instagram as they traversed national parks as part of the van life movement.

The trip was supposed to last four months. They departed New York in July 2021 and planned to return in November. Inexplicably, Laundrie returned to his home in Florida on September 1, without Petito. Petitos family became alarmed after they hadnt heard from her for several days. According to Fox News, Petitos mother reported her missing on September 11, after her father attempted to contact the Laundrie family the day before. Laundries family has not seen him since September 14. Police have focused their investigation on a nature preserve close to Laundries Florida home, but not everyone thinks the 23-year-old fugitive is in the swamp. The FBI has not named Laundrie a suspect in Petitos death. He remains a person of interest.

How many people has Dog the Bounty Hunter captured?

Dog the Bounty Hunter has spent most of his career searching for and capturing fugitives to bring them to justice. His reality TV series, Dog the Bounty Hunter, filmed Dog as he followed leads and found criminals who, in some cases, had evaded capture for years. His chosen profession has seen him cross borders and travel across the country to sniff out leads. Dog has been a bounty hunter since the 1970s. According to the New York Times, 10,000 fugitives have been captured by him and his team.

Dog the Bounty Hunter | Andy Cross/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images

Dogs biggest capture came in 2003 when he, his son, and an associate traveled to Mexico to find Andrew Luster. California police arrested Luster on several charges, including rape in 2000. He is an heir to the Max Factor fortune. According to the New York Times, police found video evidence of three sexual assaults at Lusters home. California police charged Luster with more than 80 criminal counts. Luster posted bail and escaped to Mexico. Dog and his team found the fugitive living in Puerto Vallarta. Luster is currently serving more than 100 years in a California prison.

Dog the Bounty Hunter says he thinks Brian Laundrie is on the Appalachian Trail

Dog has made quick work of connecting with the media since announcing his intention to get involved in the case. Since Saturday, the famed bounty hunter has spoken to several media outlets, and he seems fairly certain of one thing. He believes Laundrie is no longer in the Carlton Reserve, the nature preserve that federal agents have spent days searching.

The T. Mabry Carlton Jr. Memorial Reserve | Octavio Jones/Getty Images

Dog said hundreds of calls have come into his tip line already. He told the New York Post that he believes Laundrie is most likely on the Appalachian Trail. If thats the case, he could be hiding amongst seasoned hikers who have spent weeks off the grid. Dog didnt go into detail about those tips or what leads him to believe Laundrie could be on the trial.
General Hospital has been serving viewers drama this past week, including some that involve Sonny Corinthos (Maurice Benard) and his family. For those who still cannot get enough of what is going, Benard reveals that viewers will be stressed by what is coming up next.

Maurice Benard | Angela Weiss/Getty Images

Sonny recently returned to Port Charles

For much of 2021, Sonny was living in Nixon Falls, Pennsylvania, as a man named Mike. Sonny lost his memory after falling from a bridge and did not know who his family and friends were in Port Charles. He was able to live a quiet life away from the mob career he had.

However, after being trapped in a fire in Nixon Falls, Sonny got visions of his late father, who told him about his real identity. Sonny finally realized who he is and made his way back to Port Charles.

Upon returning, he learned that his world had changed. His wife, Carly Corinthos (Laura Wright) had married his right-hand man, Jason Morgan (Steve Burton). Additionally, his business was in serious trouble after rivals decided to move into his territory.

Maurice Benard says viewers will be stressed by upcoming drama

Sonny is back and he means business. What will that mean for Nina now that her lies have been exposed?

An intense, new #GH starts RIGHT NOW on ABC! @MauriceBenard pic.twitter.com/3tNPUQe6LV  General Hospital (@GeneralHospital) September 20, 2021

RELATED: What is Maurice Benards Net Worth and How Much Does He Make Per Episode of General Hospital?

While some people might have thought that Sonnys return would bring things back to normal, it may be creating some fallouts that the citizens of Port Charles have to deal with.

For example, Sonny will no doubt take back his mob business and settle scores with rivals like Cyrus Renault (Jeff Kober). Additionally, before Sonny appeared in Port Charles again, Carly and Jason were falling deeply in love with each other. Although Carly and Jason are happy to see Sonny, they will likely have to deal with their feelings in the coming months.

Benard told ABC 7 recently that viewers can expect stressful scenes in the near future. I just did some today, and I did some yesterday, he said. I was stressed, so youre gonna be stressed.

Maurice Benard prefers playing Mike over Sonny

RELATED: Maurice Benard Once Said He Didnt Live in Manhattan Because It Was Too Dirty

When Sonny was being Mike in Nixon Falls, there were many fans who wanted Sonny back in Port Charles. However, Benard actually prefers playing Mike over his original character.

Earlier this month, while he was still playing Mike, Benard told Soap Opera Digest, Im not really missing playing Sonny. I gotta tell you the truth! And fans are gonna hate me and be on my a but you know, Im just an honest guy. Im not gonna lie to you. Like three weeks ago, I played both characters and Sonny was just  I dont know what he was! But I felt like taking a shower after I played him [laughs].

However, Benard is still excited about the upcoming drama for Sonny.

In this particular storyline, I do have an excitement level that I havent had in a long time, he told ABC 7. Sonnys dark. And for me, being mentally ill, it can wear on you after 28 years. But its what the audience digs and I have to go there.
Giada De Laurentiis baked omelet is the Food Network stars answer to a quick meal when shes short on time. Serve it for breakfast with a batch of the Everyday Italian alums Mediterranean oatmeal or have it for dinner with a side salad.

Giada De Laurentiis baked omelet is more than a breakfast recipe

Giada De Laurentiis | David Becker/Getty Images for Vegas Uncorkd by Bon Appetit

The Le Cordon Bleu-trained chef whipped up her Baked Gruyere and Sausage Omelet on an episode of Giada at Home. In the process, she explained just how versatile it is. An Italian take on the traditional French omelet, De Laurentiis said her version is much easier to make.

Its great because when I dont have a lot of time to cook this is one of my favorite go-to meals, she said noting, Its a perfect breakfast for dinner.

In Italy, its funny because its not that weird to have eggs for dinner In fact, we have more eggs for dinner than we ever have for breakfast, she later added. Breakfast is usually just toast and jam. But eggs? Lunch and dinner.

The Food Network star saves time on the Baked Gruyere and Sausage Omelet with 2 tips

RELATED: How Giada De Laurentiis Makes Pancake Mix Gourmet in 15 Minutes: Its a Really Really Easy Recipe

De Laurentiis baked omelet takes about 45 to make, according to Food Network. However, there are some steps the Eat Better, Feel Better author takes to speed up the cooking process.

De Laurentiis recipe calls for turkey sausage with the casings removed. To save time in the kitchen the cooking show host suggests asking the butcher at the grocery store to remove the casings.

It makes it easy because I dont have to touch it, she said as she put the turkey sausage in the pan.

Another way the 51-year-old saves time is by putting the cheese in the freezer before getting started on the omelet.

What I do is I like to put it in the freezer for about 15 minutes and then pop it in the fridge right before Im going to use it so it stays nice and cold and its easy to grate, she explained.

What reviewers have to say about De Laurentiis baked omelet

Giada De Laurentiis | Manny Hernandez/Getty Images for Food Network SoBe Wine & Food Festival

RELATED: The Real Reason Giada De Laurentiis Refuses to Eat Eggs for Breakfast

The reviews are in and De Laurentiis Baked Gruyere and Sausage Omelet is a winner. At the time of publication, her recipe averages five stars on Food Networks website. Not only that but its also been reviewed 115 times.

So what do reviewers have to say about it? They love how easy it is to make and that they can use whatevers in the fridge for fillings.

This is super easy and delicious! The gruyere cheese makes it extra rich and savory. Easy to modify with ham, bacon, or other ingredients you may have on hand, a reviewer said. This is one of my favorite breakfast casseroles to serve for guests.

I just cant express how good this was. It fulfilled my recipe criteria of excellent taste, easy preparation, and correct timing, another reviewer said. Ive made this recipe many times and it always turns out perfectly. Ive even swapped in broccoli, cheddar cheese, and diced ham with great success, they added, calling it a quick, delicious, family meal.

Other reviewers loved how easy it was to make when they had people over.

What a perfect dish to make for company or to have on hand that can easily be cut in squares and frozen for when needed. I whipped this up within an hour of serving it to a house guest and it was absolutely delicious, a reviewer said. Its a great way to have a savory egg dish for more than two people without having to be in the kitchen at the frying pan.
Netflix announced its first South Korean docu-series based on one of the countries most profound serial killers, Yoo Young-Chul. The Raincoat Killer: Chasing a Predator in Korea will take viewers deep into the story of Yoos rise as a killer and his victims. Yoos history of murder in the 2000s goes much further from being a sex offender to his habits of cannibalism.

The Oct. docu-series will use never-before-seen footage and interviews to tell the chilling story of a murderer who developed fear and panic across South Korea. Yoos case in The Raincoat Killer: Chasing a Predator in Korea will have even the most seasoned crime aficionados quivering. Yoo will join some of Netflixs most talked-about crime shows about serial killers.

Serial killer Yoo Young-Chul being escorted by police | Kim Mi-Ok via Getty Images

The Raincoat Killer: Chasing a Predator in Korea is a three-part series about Yoo Young-Chul

As Netflix was ready to debut its event of the year, Tudum, on Sept. 25, Netflix gave fans a taste of what was to come in Oct. On September 24, according to Variety, the streaming platform announced its first South Korean crime docu-series. The Raincoat Killer: Chasing a Predator in Korea centers around Yoo, who committed 20 murders between 2003 and 2004.

Netflix will use never before seen archival footage and interviews of the original case and the detectives and lawyers involved in Yoos arrest. The docu-series includes Kwon Il-Yong, Koreas first profiler who interacted directly with Yoo. The docu-series will also include interviews with the victims families. The Netflix docu-series will look at every detail of the case. How prolific and heinous was Yoo that tagged him as one of the countries worst killers?

Yoo Young-Chul became one of South Koreas most prolific killers of the 21st century

Netflix Announces The Raincoat Killer: Chasing a Predator in Korea Premiere Date (TV News Roundup) https://t.co/wysR8QDHay  Variety (@Variety) September 24, 2021

RELATED: Ted Bundy: 8 True Crime Podcasts to Listen to After Watching Conversations With a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes

Yoo Young-Chul already had 14 prior convictions and served seven years in prison before his murders. Many of his convictions involved theft until 1991, when sentenced for the assault of a 15-year-old girl. In 2002, Yoo got a divorce from his wife. Yoos murders did not start until 2003. One of Yoos first murders occurred when breaking into the home of a college professor and murdering him and his wife. Yoo had a deep hatred and resentment toward the wealthy and became his prime victims. He primarily targeted elderly victims. Yoo focused on sex workers as his primary victims after being rejected by a prostitute.

When it came to his victims, Yoos Modus Operandi was using a hammer to bludgeon them to death. To cover his tracks, Yoo would make his crimes appear as robberies gone wrong. Yoo also had a history of abusing his sex worker victims before murdering them and dismembering their bodies to hide their identities. He would bury their bodies throughout various locations in the mountains. Within a year, Yoo had killed 20 victims. Police arrested Yoo in July 2004 but only confessed to 19 murders. During interrogation, he admitted to cannibalism, but no evidence proved his claims.

What were the serial killers motives and his effect on pop culture

RELATED: Dexter Morgan Has a Few Things in Common With This Real-Life Serial Killer

Based on Yoos victims, police calculated he went after older affluent individuals, prostitutes and masseuses. During interrogation, Yoo admitted to choosing wealthy victims over jealousy of their extensive and glamorous homes. His anger toward the rich traces back to his childhood, according to The Chosunilbo, who covered the case in 2004. Yoo grew up in a poor household and was bullied at school. Yoos hatred toward sex workers and masseuse victims stemmed from his lover. His lover worked in the profession and rejected him after learning of his criminal past. Yoo anger intensified after his divorce in 2002.

Yoo admitted another prolific serial killer in South Korea, Jeong Du-Yeong, inspired him. Jeong murdered nine wealthy people from 1999 to 2000 in Busan. According to The Korean Herald, Yoo recalls his most fearsome moment when his son, 4-years-old at the time, called him while he was taking care of a victim. Yoo received the death penalty, but prosecutors appealed the decision. The serial killer is incarcerated in Seoul.

The brutal and harrowing murders Yoo committed have inspired plots for a Korean movie and an American television episode. Yoo inspired the 2008 action-thriller movie, The Chaser. A pimp realizes his girls are missing and suspects one patron with a murderous habit. An episode of Criminal Minds was supposedly inspired by the killer. The episode Tribute does not directly mention Yoo but is suspected the unsub is based on Yoos murders.

The Raincoat Killer: Chasing a Predator in Korea will be available on Netflix on Oct.22
Season 1 of the hit medical drama Transplant recently wrapped up with no major cliffhangers. The show was the most-watched medical drama in Canada in the 2020-2021 TV season. The first season concluded with potentially one cliffhanger, which isnt necessarily a life and death situation but still has fans clamoring for more.

NBC picked up the show perhaps to bolster ratings and improve programming which has been affected by the pandemic. However, the second season wont hit the network in 2021. Find out why.

Transplant premiered in Canada in February 2020

Transplant details the life of doctor Bashir Hamed also called Bash, a refugee of the Syrian Civil War who relocates to Canada to rebuild his life. Bash navigates life, facing every obstacle in his way to rebuild his career and pursues his lifelong passion in emergency medicine in the fictional York Memorial Hospital.

The first season ended with Bash and his sister Amira meeting an unidentified Syrian woman whom the latter is overjoyed to see. After initially getting over the shock of seeing the mystery woman, Bash pulls her in for a hug and confesses that he thought she was dead.

Cinema Blend theorizes that the woman might not be Bash and Amiras long-lost mother but is someone close to them, perhaps a family member. The site also speculates that the mystery woman might be Bashs lost love, which might threaten his and Mags blossoming romance.

Transplant was initially produced for CTV, with the freshman season airing in February and wrapping up in May 2020. In June, the show was renewed for another season, months ahead of its U.S NBC debut in September. Although the show is confirmed to be returning to CTV, will fans see it on NBC?

Fans will have to wait a bit longer to see Transplant on NBC

Hamza Haq | Matthias Nareyek/WireImage

Deadline reported in May 2020 that NBC had acquired the 13 episode drama to boost programming, which had been adversely affected by the raging coronavirus. The show already began filming for its second season in February 2021, but the pandemic halted production for a while.

This means that fans will have to wait until around September 2021 at the earliest to reunite with their favorite onscreen doctors. This also means that NBC will have to push the shows premiere date further back, with Hidden Remote speculating that the network might pick the show up as a summer replacement as it does with most of its acquisitions.

The main cast is set to reprise their roles as good news indicates that Torri Higginson, who fans have watched playing Claire Malone, has been promoted to series regular. However, the fate of one Dr. Jed Bishop is still hanging in the air as the last season saw John Hannahs character suffering a serious stroke leaving fans to wonder if Jed was meant to be a one-season character.

The series hasnt yet dropped a trailer which is understandable as filming isnt over. Fans will just have to wait until the second season premiere date nears to get a trailer.

Where does filming take place?

Congratulations to the entire #Transplant team on your 4 #CdnScreenAwards wins, including Best Drama Series, and to Hamza Haq for Best Lead Actor in a Drama Series. pic.twitter.com/Pr2bP5H7v7  Transplant (@TransplantCTV) May 21, 2021

Transplant is filmed in Montreal, Canada, with shooting sometimes happening in Toronto to establish context and provide a clear geographic marker of the city. The series is filmed specifically in Montreals Cinepool Studios.

The CTV series set designers partnered up to transform a soundstage in the studio into a whole hospital floor which provides the aesthetic for the fictional York Memorial Hospital. Filming began in June 2019, with the showrunners announcing the lead cast. The show wrapped up production in December 2019 and debuted the following year.

RELATED: Tired of Greys Anatomy? These Are the Best Medical Dramas on TV Right Now
Important information

You are currently not logged in to my.chemeurope.com .

Your changes will in fact be stored however can be lost at all times.
ENEXIO Water Technologies provides solutions for water and air treatment.



Based on our structured packings, which are used in scrubbers, desorption and absorption processes and biological air treatment, we support you in the engineering of packed bed towers and biotrickling filters. Our structured packings MASSdek feature high throughput capacities at low pressure drops. Our product portfolio contains as well droplet separators, liquid distributors, bed limiters (retention systems) and support grids.



ENEXIO Water Technologies, member of the ENEXIO Group, provides as well expertise in cooling tower business and biofilm and sedimentation processes in water and waste water treatment.
SEAL Analytical, a Porvair company brand, is a world leader in the design, development, and manufacture of Automation, including Discrete Analysers, Continuous Segmented Flow Analysers, Robotics and Pre-Sample treatment equipment. SEALs instruments are specifically designed and optimised for use with environmental samples. SEAL analysers are also widely acknowledged as the best-in-class and instrument of choice for monitoring nutrients in water & wastewater, seawater, soils & plant tissue, as well as the quality control of industrial products, fertilizers and tobacco.



SEALs Ingenuity Solves Common Lab Problems. For over 50 years SEAL Analytical has provided alternatives to the laboratory tasks consuming the largest share of a technicians task time. SEALs Automation solutions helps you with sample testing, pre-treatment, sub-sampling as well as colorimetric analysis with choice to suit your workload, lab space and budget.



Automation. SEAL Analyticals advanced automation includes a robotic platform for every size laboratory and workload. Tedious, repetitive and time consuming processes such as BOD, COD, alkalinity, pH and conductivity testing are easily automated and is fully customisable ensuring regulations can be met.



Colorimetric Analysis. SEAL analysers automate your wet chemistry methods. Since analysing environmental and water samples is more demanding than analysing other sample types, SEALs priority is on very low detection levels, precision and reproducible results. All SEAL analysers incorporate automation to make your lab more efficient. Discrete Analysers are ideal for many and varied tests on different samples. Continuous Segmented Flow Analysers are available for when a larger number of samples are to be analysed and/or more sample treatment is required such as distillation, UV digestion or gas diffusion for analytes such as cyanide, phenol, Total phosphorous and Nitrogen.



Sample Pre-Treatment. SEAL sample pre-treatment options achieve sample digestion in an accurate, fast, uncomplicated, cost effective and highly reproducible manner. Digestions become more reproducible, efficient and environmentally friendly with laboratory safety significantly improved, even when dealing with difficult environmental matrices such as soil and sludge materials. Replacing manual sample digests with SEAL robotic options significantly increase laboratory throughput and profitability.



Over 50 Years Experience. SEAL Analytical has over 50 years experience in environmental and industrial automated analysers. SEAL acquired Bran+Luebbe analytics, who were Technicon Corporation, the first to commercialise Continuous Flow Analysis. Technicon's AutoAnalyserII became the best-known and most successful Continuous Flow Analyser in the world, and the instrument that most EPA methods for automated colorimetric analysis were written on and continue to reference. This experience continues to drive SEAL's development of automated lab analysers for environmental and industrial laboratories.



Worldwide. With full teams of engineering and chemistry staff in global facilities in Europe, USA and China, laboratories can be sure of the best support, instruments and methods, meeting the latest regulatory requirements. The global facilities are well supported by a worldwide network of specialist distributors and sales & service centers. Our specialist distributors maintain local stocks of SEAL Analytical parts and have factory trained service staff.



Approved Environmental Methods. SEAL understands the importance of Governmental approved methods in the Environmental Sector. We work closely with the USEPA, ISO, SEPA and the UKAS and have obtained written approval for both Continuous Segmented Flow Analyser and Discrete Analyser methods.



In-House Technical Experts. The depth of knowledge in SEAL Analytical in-house Technical Team of chemists, engineers and software programmers sets us apart from all others in the industry. Our team is available to support all your chemistry, hardware and software needs.
UC chemical engineering assistant professor Jingjie Wu, left and doctoral student Tianyu Zhang are experimenting with different catalysts to convert carbon dioxide to storable fuel to address climate change.

Engineers at the University of Cincinnati are developing new ways to convert greenhouse gases to fuel to address climate change and get astronauts home from Mars.

UC College of Engineering and Applied Science assistant professor Jingjie Wu and his students used a carbon catalyst in a reactor to convert carbon dioxide into methane. Known as the Sabatier reaction from the late French chemist Paul Sabatier, its a process the International Space Station uses to scrub the carbon dioxide from air the astronauts breathe and generate rocket fuel to keep the station in high orbit.

But Wu is thinking much bigger.

The Martian atmosphere is composed almost entirely of carbon dioxide. Astronauts could save half the fuel they need for a return trip home by making what they need on the red planet once they arrive, Wu said.

Its like a gas station on Mars. You could easily pump carbon dioxide through this reactor and produce methane for a rocket, Wu said.

UCs study was published in the journal Nature Communications with collaborators from Rice University, Shanghai University and East China University of Science and Technology.

Wu began his career in chemical engineering by studying fuel cells for electric vehicles but began looking at carbon dioxide conversion in his chemical engineering lab about 10 years ago.

I realized that greenhouse gases were going to be a big issue in society, Wu said. A lot of countries realized that carbon dioxide is a big issue for the sustainable development of our society. Thats why I think we need to achieve carbon neutrality.

The Biden Administration has set a goal of achieving a 50% reduction in greenhouse gas pollutants by 2030 and an economy that relies on renewable energy by 2050.

That means well have to recycle carbon dioxide, Wu said.

Wu and his students, including lead author and UC doctoral candidate Tianyu Zhang, are experimenting with different catalysts such as graphene quantum dots  layers of carbon just nanometers big  that can increase the yield of methane.

Wu said the process holds promise to help mitigate climate change. But it also has a big commercial advantage in producing fuel as a byproduct.

The process is 100 times more productive than it was just 10 years ago. So you can imagine that progress will come faster and faster, Wu said. In the next 10 years, well have a lot of startup companies to commercialize this technique.

Wus students are using different catalysts to produce not only methane but ethylene. Called the worlds most important chemical, ethylene is used in the manufacture of plastics, rubber, synthetic clothing and other products.

Green energy will be very important. In the future, it will represent a huge market. So I wanted to work on it, Zhang said.

Synthesizing fuel from carbon dioxide becomes even more commercially viable when coupled with renewable energy such as solar or wind power, Wu said.

Right now we have excess green energy that we just throw away. We can store this excess renewable energy in chemicals, he said.

The process is scalable for use in power plants that can generate tons of carbon dioxide. And its efficient since the conversion can take place right where excess carbon dioxide is produced.

Wu said advances in fuel production from carbon dioxide make him more confident that humans will set foot on Mars in his lifetime.

Right now if you want to come back from Mars, you would need to bring twice as much fuel, which is very heavy, he said. And in the future, youll need other fuels. So we can produce methanol from carbon dioxide and use them to produce other downstream materials. Then maybe one day we could live on Mars.
Eligible renter households in need of the Housing Authority of the Cherokee Nations Emergency Rental Assistance Program may submit applications at www.hacn.org.
Amid the Boy Scouts of Americas complex bankruptcy case, there is worsening friction between the BSA and the major religious groups that help it run thousands of scout units. At issue: the churches fears that an eventual settlementwhile protecting the BSA from future sex-abuse lawsuitscould leave many churches unprotected.

The Boy Scouts sought bankruptcy protection in February 2020 in an effort to halt individual lawsuits and create a huge compensation fund for thousands of men who say they were molested as youngsters by scoutmasters or other leaders. At the time, the national organization estimated it might face 5,000 cases; it now faces 82,500.

In July, the BSA proposed an $850 million deal that would bar further lawsuits against it and its local councils. The deal did not cover the more than 40,000 organizations that have charters with the BSA to sponsor scout units, including many churches from major religious denominations that are now questioning their future involvement in scouting.

The United Methodist Churchwhich says up to 5,000 of its US congregations could be affected by future lawsuitsrecently advised those churches not to extend their charters with the BSA beyond the end of this year. The UMC said these congregations were disappointed and very concerned that they werent included in the July deal.

Everett Cygal, a lawyer for Catholic churches monitoring the case, said it is unfair that parishes now face liability solely as a result of misconduct by Boy Scout troop leaders who frequently had no connection to the parish.

Scouting can only be delivered with help of their chartered organizations, Cygal told The Associated Press. Its shortsighted not to be protecting the people they absolutely need to ensure that scouting is viable in the future.

Officials of several other denominationsincluding the Southern Baptist Convention, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)have advised their churches to hire their own legal counsel if they fear possible sex-abuse litigation.

The Presbyterian Church said its national leadership cant act on behalf of member churches because they are separate corporations. The leadership of the Evangelical Lutheran church also said its congregations were on their own, legally speaking, and must decide for themselves whether to continue any relationship with the BSA.

As a result of the bankruptcy, the congregation cannot confidently rely on the BSA, the local council, or their insurers to defend it, the Lutheran church warned. The congregation needs to make sure that it has sufficient insurance and that its own insurance will cover them.

The Boy Scouts, in a statement provided to the AP, said its partnership with chartered organizations, including churches, has been critical to delivering the Scouting program to millions of youth in our country for generations. It said negotiations with those organizations are continuing, and it hopes to conclude the bankruptcy proceedings around the end of this year.

Negotiators face a challenging situation.

According to lawyers representing different parties in the bankruptcy case, the Boy Scouts have suggested chartered organizations have some protection from liability for abuse cases that occurred after 1975, due to an insurance arrangement that took effect in 1976. The BSA has said theres little or no protection, however, for the many pre-1976 cases, and the best way for organizations to gain protection for that era would be to make a substantial financial contribution to a settlement fund.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints took such a step last week, agreeing to contribute $250 million to a compensation fund in exchange for a release from further liability. The denomination, widely known as the Mormon church, pulled its units out of the BSA on Jan. 1, 2020, after decades as the biggest sponsor.

One key distinction: The Latter-day Saints have a centralized governing structure, making possible a contribution covering its vast former network of scout units. The remaining faith-based charter organizations are more decentralized, complicating the question of how contributions to the compensation fund would be mandated and organized.

Jeremy Ryan, a lawyer representing United Methodist churches, said his clients believe there is some pre-1976 insurance available to them under policies the BSA and its local councils held at the time.

Cygal, the lawyer representing Catholic churches, made a similar argument but said some chartered organizations eventually may have to make an appropriate financial contribution to put an end to this dispute once and for all.

Another complication in the negotiations: differing views on how much blame lies with the churches.

Some of the churches argue that they merely provided a venue for a local scout unit to meet, while scout leaders were responsible for hiring decisions that might have led to sexual abuse. Some lawyers for the plaintiffs disagree, saying church leaders were often actively involved in those decisions.

The Scouts had plenty of fault due to their negligence, but the local institutions had plenty of fault also, said Christopher Hurley, whose Chicago law firm says it represents about 4,000 men who filed claims in the bankruptcy.

Its just not OK to pass the buck on this, Hurley added. Everybodys got to suck it up and make a fair contribution to get justice for these guys.

Richard J. Mathewsan attorney who advised the Boy Scouts for 11 years, including in the midst of its abuse crisishas spoken out for years about the importance of churches adopting vigorous prevention protocols and insuring themselves against child sexual abuse cases.

Mathews told Church, Law, and Tax in 2017 that he thinks churches dont recognize the danger and how widespread the problem is. We all think its never going to happen to us.

But churches can be particularly susceptible. Predators often seek out trusting environments where their behavior may be overlooked. And courts end up finding churches liable for not adequately screening or monitoring those working with children.

Because victims of child sexual abuse generally allege that the organization (church) is responsible for their injuries on the basis of negligent selection, retention, or supervision of the perpetrator, many such cases have been lost due to the failure to implement appropriate safeguards in the selection and supervision of employees and volunteers who work with children, Matthews said.

This even applies to other children volunteers (e.g., youth staff). Therefore, screening, background investigations, reference checks, and interviews before the individuals involvement are essential.

Stephen Crew, whose Oregon-based law firm represents about 400 plaintiffs, said he sympathizes with faith-based chartered organizations who worry about being hung out to dry.

But survivors also have a lot of anxiety, said Crew. And the problem now is that the insurance companies are balking at everybody.

A third lawyer for plaintiffs, California-based Paul Mones, blamed the churches predicament on the BSA, saying its initial bankruptcy strategy failed to properly anticipate the impact on chartered organizations.

For decades, the religious organizations have been the backbone of the BSA, Mones said. They did not sign up thinking theyd have any kind of liability ... and all of a sudden theyre being told, Youre going to get sued. Its a hot mess.

Some church leaders, such as United Methodist Bishop Ruben Saenz Jr., have been blunt in their dismay over the bankruptcy fallout.

This is a very sad and tragic matter that has occurred within our nation and the Church, Saenz said in a recent letter to the clergy he oversees in Kansas and Nebraska. He said there might be 110 abuse claims in the bankruptcy case potentially connected to UMC churches in his region.

Saenz said the BSA might struggle to move forward post-bankruptcy without participation of the UMC, the biggest active sponsor of Scout units.

But due to BSA positions in the case that are detrimental to the UMC, Saenz wrote, We simply cannot currently commit to the relationship with the BSA as we have in the past.

Additional reporting by Christianity Todays ChurchLawandTax.com.
Genesis 1 tells us that God formed the beauties of creation simply because he enjoys them. He made a beautiful world, and then he made people who can appreciate and contribute to that beauty.



Even a cursory glance at any historical period shows us that artistry plays a central role in developing culture and sustaining healthy, thriving communities. In the 6th century BC, when King Nebuchadnezzar captured the Israelites and set about dismantling the nation, he not only exiled the military, he also made sure to destroy the artists and craftsmen (2 Kings 24).



He knew that if he wanted to conquer Jerusalem, he would not only have to overcome the military force, but also those who were responsible for establishing the heart and soul of the culture, the makers.

The formation of creative community has encountered a different kind of adversary in the West. The Industrial Revolution mechanized and streamlined production for the sake of simple uniformity; the focus on efficiency and profit drove craftsmanship into the shadows. Creativity was mortgaged to save margins, and the flourishes and personal qualities of gifted artisans were left to fend for themselves in a harsh economic arena.



Unfortunately, the local church has not been immune to this focus on efficiency. The rise of the industrialized megachurchwith millions of dollars raised for the sake of comfortable and symmetrical square buildingsalong with the gradual disappearance of the local congregation, meant that the exquisite neighborhood chapels built long ago by talented, local artisans now sit empty or are appreciated as private residences or amazing cafes.



The modern evangelical church streamlines its expenses when it comes to its physical buildings, giving only fleeting thought to the role of awe and wonder, which are often considered superfluous and excessive. Why have a beautiful sanctuary when a Family Life Center and gymnasium will do? Our places of worship have become indistinguishable from shopping malls, the bland and mundane providing function but lacking inspiration, leaving our latent desire for beauty and transcendence unaddressed in our congregational life.



And yet, the impulse to make sprouts up everywhere, even in a society that deprives it of oxygen and opportunity. Creative desire is, at its core, more than a mere personality trait or interestits a fundamental component of who we are, as creations made in the image of God.



Genesis opens with God creating the heavens and the earth, but it goes on to reveal these creative mandates for Adam and beyond, both in the flora and fauna of the garden, as well as in the building of a place that hosts the very presence of God. God created lightfiat luxbut also created individual humans to be illuminators in their own right.



We are most engaged in Gods creation when we ourselves create and when we take joy in the beautiful work of others. And so, we invite you to meet ten makers whose artistry and intention draw us to delight in God and his world.
Jesse Duplantis claims Christians can speed up Jesus Second Coming if they give more money

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

Louisiana televangelist Jesse Duplantis said at a recent televised fundraiser that Christians can speed up the time of Jesus' Second Coming by donating more money.

I honestly believe this  the reason why Jesus hasnt come is because people are not giving the way God told them to give, he said, according to a clip shared on Twitter by the left-wing group Right Wing Watch.

Speaking at a fundraiser for Kenneth Copelands ministry, he continued, When you understand this, you can speed up the time.

Participating in a "Victorython" fundraiser for Kenneth Copeland's ministry, right-wing pastor Jesse Duplantis brags about being a multi-millionaire with his own private plane while telling viewers that they can "speed up" the return of Christ by donating. pic.twitter.com/3VE6sETWBB  Right Wing Watch (@RightWingWatch) September 22, 2021

Duplantis, the pastor of Covenant Church in Destrehan, St. Charles Parish, a multi-millionaire who owns a private plane and has been criticized for his lavish lifestyle, added, I realized that I will not move people emotionally to give, Im gonna have people move according to the Word of God. What is God saying to you?

Duplantis, 72, then urged people to give, saying, God the Father would say, Jesus, go get em.

In one of his daily commentaries, Jim Denison, Ph.D., a cultural apologist, responded to the question: When will Jesus return?

After Jesus resurrection, He appeared to His disciples over a period of 40 days and spoke to them about the Kingdom of God, he wrote, referring to Acts 1:3. He then promised them the Holy Spirit (v. 5). They knew that the coming of the Spirit and the coming of the Kingdom were related. So in response, they asked the question Christians have been asking ever since: Are you at this time going to restore the Kingdom to Israel? (v. 6).

Their question was logical but wrong. Calvin said, There are as many errors in this question as words (Institutes 1.29).

Jesus says, It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority (v. 7). Times or dates refers to specific dates as well as years. Not for you refers to Jesus first and closest disciples: Peter, James, John, the others, and even Mary and his brothers.

Then Denison asked, If Jesus wouldnt tell them when He would return, will he tell you and me?

Earlier this month, Duplantis was criticized for not doing enough to help his storm-ravaged community of St. Charles Parish, where Hurricane Ida left most residents without power.

After the criticism, Duplantis, who also leads Jesse Duplantis Ministries, and his wife, Cathy, defended themselves in a video message on Facebook at the time.

Were helping people literally all over everywhere, Duplantis insisted, Fox 8 reported at the time. 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.

In 2018, Duplantis faced criticism for seeking donations to go toward the purchase of a $54 million Falcon 7X jet.

"You know I've owned three different jets in my life and used them and used them and just burning them up for the Lord," he said in a video appealing for funds on "This Week with Jesse."

"Now, some people believe that preachers shouldn't have jets. I really believe that preachers ought to go on every available voice, every available outlet, to get this gospel preached to the world," he added at the time.

Following the backlash, however, the preacher insisted that he never asked followers to donate toward the plane, but instead called on them to join him in believing that God would provide him with the new aircraft.

In a four-minute video posted on the ministry's website, Duplantis attempted to clarify his earlier remarks where he claimed that God told him to believe that He would provide a Falcon 7X and that he would not have to pay for it.

"First things first, I never raised money for the plane," Duplantis said. "I put it in our magazine and said, 'Believe in God with me.' There is a vast difference between 'Believe in God' and asking for money."

Duplantis said that he was told by God: "You don't need to raise money for this. This will just come."

"I have raised money for a lot of other things and there is nothing wrong with that because religious organizations do that," Duplantis said. "But just when He said this would 'just come,' little did I realize that people would pick this story up."
Jewish couple donates $18M to fund Christian medical missions in Africa

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

A Jewish entrepreneur and his rabbi wife are donating $18 million to help mainly Christian doctors who have traveled to Africa to provide much-needed medical care to Africans through medical missions work.

Mark and Erica Gerson have donated what is said to be the "largest private gift ever" to Christian medical missions.

The New York City couple had already been named one of the largest private supporters of Christian medical missionaries in Africa because they had donated millions over the years to help traveling doctors provide healthcare to impoverished African communities.

Mark Gerson said he and his wife, who identify as traditional practicing Jews and attend the congregation of Rodeph Sholom in Manhattan, have chosen to donate more money to the cause because the lack of access to medical care for most people in Africa is "one of the most significant humanitarian problems in the world."

He said that his family's $18 million donation comes from their personal savings and not funds from the organization he co-founded, African Mission Healthcare.

"The best investment that one can make, whether in a business context or nonprofit context, is by supporting Christian missionary doctors working in Africa," Gerson, an investor and co-founder of the international consulting firm Gerson Lehrman Group, told The Christian Post.

In 2010, Mark Gerson, alongside Dr. Jon Fielder, founded African Mission Healthcare  a nonprofit that partners with mission hospitals to accomplish the goal of "supporting and advancing the commitment to provide quality, compassionate care for the hurting and forgotten and to contribute to an improving health system in Sub-Saharan Africa."

Through the various initiatives and work done through the organization, Gerson said he learned that the ratio of doctors to citizens is not large enough to meet the healthcare needs in many African countries.

In several countries, there is one doctor for every 10,000 to 40,000 people.

"The stats are horrifying.  We were able to see over a long period of time the extraordinary work that Christian missionary doctors were able to do with very limited resources," Gerson added.

According to the African Mission Healthcare website, Africa suffers from 24% of the world's diseases. But the continent only possesses 3% of global healthcare workers. Millions of Africans need surgery, maternal care, HIV treatment and trauma-related care.

For many Africans, treatment is inaccessible due to a lack of doctors, medical infrastructure, equipment and supplies.

Mark Gerson said the $18 million gift will help fund clinical care  particularly surgery.

The funds will also provide financial support for medical training to allow the next generation of Africans to have access to more doctors and other medical professionals serving them, he continued.

The money will also finance infrastructure, provide the oxygen needed for medical use and power for hospital housing to allow for Africans to feel more comfortable going to hospital institutions in their times of need.

Areas in Africa that will receive aid from the Gersons' donation are Kenya, Uganda, Malawi, Sudan (Nuba Mountains), Liberia, Burundi and Ethiopia.

In many African countries, Mark Gerson said there are typically very few doctors trained to be specialists or surgeons because they do not have expertise in specialty areas of medicine and are unable to perform surgeries.

"The implications of this is that if you're a mother and you go into labor and there is anything remotely complicated, you might not be able to get a C-section. And that's why in Uganda and other African countries, only 20% of women who need a C-section get it, which means that 80% don't," Gerson said.

"If you need a C-section and you don't get it, you will either die in childbirth or you will suffer a number of birth injuries. And this will be with the mothers for the rest of their lives until they get surgery  which she will likely never be able to do because of the lack of surgeons."

He said that every $250 donated to medical missions in Africa can help fund a C-section.

"This is a woman who is in a difficult moment of labor and with a C-section  which has been around for hundreds of years  she will be able to take a healthy baby home within three or four days. If she doesn't get the C-section, she might die in childbirth, her baby might die in childbirth. And if she and the baby live, she will live decades of suffering from birth injury tears. For $250, one could be the difference between either life and death or happiness and suffering," he explained.

Gerson, who has four kids with his wife, said if a child breaks a bone while playing, there is a high chance that there will probably be no access to a surgeon to provide what he said most people in the United States would view as a "simple repair."

He said that the inability to receive minor surgical attention for minor injuries often results in a child being unable to leave their home because they need to heal. As a result, the injured child has to miss school for long periods.

"When you have larger numbers of people without access to even rudimentary healthcare, it's a humanitarian disaster, but it's also very damaging for any other kind of growth or progress," Gerson shared. "It stops people from going to school. It stops them from going to work. And in addition, it causes so much otherwise needless suffering and death."

The lack of access to doctors, he said, is mirrored precisely by the state of infrastructure in Africa.

After the COVID-19 pandemic first hit, Gerson said he and his wife received multiple phone calls in which people asked, "'What can we do to help with COVID in Africa?'"

Gerson said he recalls they responded by telling people that "There are very few hospitals in Africa that have oxygen.'"

According to Gerson, the lack of oxygen is not an issue that hospitals in the U.S. and other Western countries typically face.

The Gersons said their donation was also inspired by the multinational investment bank and financial services company, Union Bank of Switzerland (UBS), which has agreed to add $2 million to the Gersons' gift through the UBS Optimus Foundation for a total of $20 million.

According to a press statement, $11 million will be available to AMH to expand "selected

high-impact projects." The other $9 million will be made available as a donor match in support of AMH's Transforming Healthcare Campaign.

UBS is currently conducting a matching grant, which will guarantee that any additional donations given by outside donors to fund surgery, training and infrastructure in Africa from now until the end of the year will be matched 100% by their global firm.

Gerson said he is hopeful that the gift-matching initiative will encourage others to donate to medical missions work.

"UBS has really fantastic corporate philanthropy through their funds and it's some of the most rigorous and compassionate and effective professions in corporate philanthropy in the world. And in discussion with them, we decided to make the gift. And it's the largest gift in Christian medical missions," Gerson concluded.

"It's very fulfilling to give back to others and just knowing that there are people in Africa both now and in the future who will be given care that otherwise wouldn't be. This money is the difference between life and death and suffering and happiness for a fellow child of God. And we are inspired to help through this donation. And it's pretty amazing to know that one can do this to help others."

In addition to their donations to AMH, the Gersons launched the L'Chaim Prize for Outstanding Christian Medical Missionary Service in 2016. The $500,000 prize is given to help the work of the missionary doctors who win the award.

Last year, a Ugandan-born doctor became the first African-born woman to win the prize. Dr. Sister Priscilla Busingye is one of the few OB-GYN specialists in her region. Busingye used the funds to help transform a local clinic into a center of excellence for maternal and childcare
Liz Cheney apologizes for previous opposition to same-sex marriage: 'I was wrong'

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

Outspoken Republican Congresswoman Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., has apologized for her previous opposition to same-sex marriage as she continues to fight for her political career.

The 55-year-old lawmaker apologized for her previous opposition to gay marriage in an interview with CBS' Lesley Stahl, which aired on "60 Minutes" Saturday.

Cheney, the daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney and sister of the openly lesbian Mary Cheney, was pressed by Stahl about her "long-held opposition to same-sex marriage."

Noting that her opposition to same-sex marriage "prompted a bitter falling out with her sister, Mary," who is in a same-sex marriage with children, Stahl asked Cheney, "how do you defend what you did?" Cheney responded by apologizing: "I was wrong."

"I was wrong. I love my sister very much. I love her family very much  and I was wrong," she said. "It's a very personal issue, very personal for my family."

After expressing her belief that her "dad was right" to come out in support of same-sex marriage as she initially doubled down in her opposition, Cheney explained that she has reconciled with her sister.

Elaborating on her new position, she claimed that "We have to recognize  as human beings that we need to work against discrimination of all kinds in our country, in our state."

Six years after the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Obergefell v. Hodges that invalidated state-level same-sex marriage bans nationwide, Republicans have largely avoided campaigning on the issue. Public opinion polling shows widespread support for allowing same-sex couples to marry in the U.S.

The debate about LGBT issues has shifted as Democrats have rallied behind the Equality Act, which they argue is necessary to codify nondiscrimination protections for the LGBT community into federal law.

Republicans, meanwhile, have expressed concern about the law's impacts on religious liberty, privacy rights and women's rights. Cheney joined nearly all of her Republican colleagues in the House of Representatives in opposing the measure when it came up for a vote in 2019 and 2021.

The bulk of the interview focused on how Cheney has established a reputation as a fierce critic of former President Donald Trump, who carried her state by more than 40 percentage points in the 2020 presidential election. She was one of 10 Republicans who voted to impeach the former president, alleging that he incited an insurrection on Jan. 6.

Cheney's consistent criticism of the former president, who still holds considerable sway within the Republican Party, caused Republicans to oust her from her position as chair of the House Republican Caucus.

Even after the Wyoming Republican Party censured her for her vote in support of impeachment, Cheney continued to focus on the events of Jan. 6. She broke with her Republican colleagues by openly embracing the committee established to investigate the events that led up to the storming of the U.S. Capitol.

Cheney's criticism of Trump has caused her to attract many primary challengers as she seeks a fourth term in office. Trump has endorsed Harriet Hageman, a recent entry into the race whom Stahl described as "a longtime Cheney supporter and family friend."

Polls conducted of the race thus far show Cheney losing to primary challengers, two of whom have exited the race following Hageman's entry. A survey conducted in July by McLaughlin & Associates found Cheney winning 23% of the vote against primary challenger Chuck Gray, who captured 25% in a three-way race featuring a second primary challenger, Darin Smith. Both Smith and Gray have since exited the race.

A previous poll conducted by McLaughlin & Associates in January found Cheney losing by more than 30 points in head-to-head matchups with potential primary challengers while trailing by a smaller margin in a three-way race.

An April poll conducted by Club for Growth found Cheney losing her primary by 38 points to a "generic opponent," who captured 52% of the vote.

Stahl mentioned in her report that Cheney had received the support of former President George W. Bush. Responding to news that Bush and his former chief strategist Karl Rove would be campaigning on Cheney's behalf, Trump released a statement mocking "RINO former President George 'Dubya' Bush and his flunky Karl Rove" for "endorsing warmongering and very low polling, Liz Cheney."

Trump slammed Bush for getting the United States "in the quicksand of the Middle East and, after spending trillions of dollars and killing nearly a million people." He alleged that "the Middle East was left in worse shape after 21 years than it was when he started his stupidity."

Trump consistently expressed disapproval of Bush's foreign policy dating back to his days on the campaign trail and criticized Cheney for embracing a strongly interventionist foreign policy during his Jan. 6 speech, a clip of which was included in the "60 Minutes" report.
Court gives custody of Christian girl to alleged kidnapper, claims child willing converted to Islam

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

A court in Pakistan's Punjab province has refused to give the custody of a 14-year-old Christian girl, who was allegedly kidnapped, forced to marry and convert to Islam, back to her parents, ruling that mental capacity gives more weight than age in child conversion cases.

The Lahore High Court last week rejected the petition filed by Gulzar Masih, a Roman Catholic rickshaw driver from Faisalabad city, seeking the recovery of his daughter, Chashman, from the custody of her alleged abductor, Muhammad Usman, Morning Star News reported.

The judge, Tariq Nadeem, said in his ruling Thursday that Islamic jurists look at mental capacity and not a child's age for conversion to Islam.

"It is a matter of faith.  Hazrat Ali was only 10 when he accepted Islam," he said, referring to the fourth caliph of Islam.

The judge said Muslim jurists generally regard the age of discernment for religious conversion as puberty and added that Chashman stated in her recorded statement before a judicial magistrate that she voluntarily contracted marriage with Usman.

Masih contacted police after his daughter failed to return home on July 27

Days after her disappearance, Masih received a video along with several documents claiming Chashman had run away and converted to Islam of her own free will, according to the U.S.-based persecution watchdog International Christian Concern.

Intercourse with a girl younger than 16 is considered rape in Pakistan, but advocates say men in many instances produce fake conversion and Islamic marriage certificates to defend themselves.

In a separate case in July, the Lahore High Court upheld a lower court ruling, giving custody of a 13-year Christian girl named Nayab Gill, who was also allegedly abducted, forced to marry and convert to Islam to her 30-year-old Muslim abductor.

A 2014 report by The Movement for Solidarity and Peace Pakistan estimated that hundreds of women and girls from Pakistan's Hindu and Christian communities are abducted, forcibly married and converted to Islam every year.

Religion is often injected into cases of sexual assault to place religious minority victims at a disadvantage, ICC previously reported, adding that perpetrators play upon religious biases to cover up and justify their crimes by introducing an element of religion.

International watchdog group Open Doors USA, which monitors persecution in over 60 countries, ranks Pakistan No. 5 on its 2021 World Watch List of countries where Christians face the most severe persecution.

Pakistan is also listed by the U.S. State Department as a "country of particular concern" for tolerating in or engaging in egregious violations of religious freedom.
Megachurch Pastor Jack Hibbs says COVID-19 is real, but the worlds reaction to virus is demonic

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

Megachurch Pastor Jack Hibbs said COVID-19 is real, but the worlds reaction to the virus is demonic.

Speaking at the Awaiting His Return" conference hosted by Behold Israel and live-streamed from Birchman Baptist Church in Fort Worth, Texas, Hibbs preached about how being fearful about the coronavirus is not from God.

COVID is a real sickness and virus, but heres whats demonic to me: there is an unexplainable, unreasonable reaction to it that has not come from the virus, Hibbs, the founding and senior pastor of the 10,000-member Calvary Chapel Chino Hills church in southern California, said at the Bible prophecy conference held on Sept. 18.

Seriously people, do you know the science? ... There are flus and sicknesses out there that are worse, but nobody's talking about them. Nobody talks about AIDS anymore. More people are dying from AIDS. Why not [talk about it]? Because it doesnt fit whatever agenda is going on. And friends and family, the agenda is spiritual. Its a demonic doctrine.

At the conference, Hibbs preached that COVID-19 has led to a spiritual issue of fear that is a doctrine of demons. He also stressed that Christians who know about how God loves them should not be afraid of COVID-19.

The demons are to deceive, and fear is the greatest power. Why do you think the Bible says, Perfect love casts out all fear? he asked. When you know that Gods heart is set on you, you dont need to be afraid.  We all get sick. Remember, we used to get sick before COVID. People used to die before COVID.

Friends and family, the narrative is demonic to bring about confusion, to bring about fear. Why? So you have no hope, Hibbs added.

The greatest hope for the believer, Hibbs continued, is the rapture of the Church. Christians, he stressed, should not deny that Jesus will return in the rapture.

Jesus taught the rapture. Jesus Himself, in John Chapter 14, Jesus started this whole thing. Jesus taught the rapture for a reason, he said.

Its very important. Jesus Christ said Im coming to pick you up, Hibbs said, asserting that the origin of the rapture has always been true and available, but many Christians do not believe in it.

Hibbs continued by sharing Scriptures written by Paul in 1 Thessalonians Chapter 4: We who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.

We who are alive and remain at the coming, Hibbs reiterated. Paul the Apostle believed, as every generation is to believe, that the Lord could come back for the Church at any moment. Its a doctrine thats revealed in Scripture. Not to be apologized for, but to be defended.

For many Christians, Hibbs said, the rapture should provide hope and serve as motivation, while also emphasizing that Christians will be tormented for having hope in Jesus return.

He explained that during the rapture, the bodies that Christians know on Earth will be changed. But it is not a transformation that can be considered reincarnation, he stressed.

This hope is needed more than ever, Hibbs said. "You cant be a Christian and believe in reincarnation. The Bible teaches resurrection, which means this molecular structure of who you are is going to be resurrected or at the moment of the rapture, it is going to be metamorphosed, its going to be changed, and this simply means  tweaked.  This is amazing.

Hibbs added that the Christian body is referred to as being at sleep because when Jesus comes back for the rapture, we will be changed.

God is going to change the pattern or the structure of the molecular organization that He has that makes up the body or this physical universe, he described. We will not inherit Heaven in this body, like it is. Its got to be tweaked. We shall not all die, but we shall all be changed.

A true believer who believes that His Father is coming back for him at any time, Hibbs said, will [become] busy about his business. Knowing that Jesus could come back anytime, he said, should motivate Christians to open their mouths, open their hands and make sure to love others by sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

If theres no rapture in the Bible, I dont know what Bible they're reading, Hibbs continued. In a moment; in a twinkling of an eye, some scientists say [in] 18 thousands of a second, we shall be changed. Isnt that amazing, with just His finger, Hes going to go  boop, and He can change things in an instant.

Christians should read their Bible to be ready for the return of the Lord, he said, because we are all walking as if it were a fine line."

Dont give up. Dont lose your confidence. I want you to keep your eyes on Jesus. Hes way out there on the horizon. Dont look too near or youll get all messed up, youll get too consumed with all the worry and all the threat and all the fear, Hibbs warned as he concluded his talk. Navigate toward Jesus. Get your armor on every day  because Jesus has set before you an open door. Do not deny His name. Keep His Word. And youre going to do fine. You will not fail.

Other speakers at the "Awaiting His Return" one-day conference included Bob Pearle, senior pastor of Birchman Baptist Church; Barry Stagner, senior pastor of Calvary Chapel in Tustin, California; and Amir Tsarfati, deputy governor of Jericho and founder of Behold Israel.
Why people lie

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

Simply put, people lie when they find the truth threatening.

The truth might threaten to expose a persons evil actions or it might jeopardize the chance of someone getting what they want, keeping what they already have, or furthering their agenda. The truth, if learned, will cost them and so they lie to counter the threat.

Remember that no one teaches us to lie. We start early and it comes naturally as do all other sins. Even the youngest infant will lie with no hesitation when they understand the truth endangers them in some way.

And just how often do people lie? One study found that the majority of the population lies once every 10 minutes in some way during social interactions. USC psychologist Jerald Jellison determined decades ago that we are lied to about 200 times a day. In our digital age and era of fake news, its now likely more than that.

As an example, an NBC affiliate in Oklahoma City ran a story quoting one doctor as saying gunshot victims and other patients were being turned away from local emergency rooms because they were overrun by people who had overdosed on ivermectin (a supposed COVID-19 cure). When the facts were later checked, the hospital system the physician was associated with said that not only had its ERs not been overrun, it had not treated a single case of ivermectin overdose, and the doctor hadnt worked at that location in two months.

Or take the recent lie that border patrol agents were rounding up Haitian refugees with whips, which does an amazing job of delivering two lies with six words.

Matt Taibbi, a former Rolling Stone reporter who now writes for Substack and is by no means friendly to Christianity, says we have seen innumerable other media shipwrecks in the last five years. These include everything from wrong reports of Russians hacking a Vermont energy grid, to tales of Michael Cohen in Prague, to the pee tape, to Julie Swetnicks rape accusation, to the Covington high school fiasco, to Russian oligarchs co-signing a Deutsche Bank loan application for Donald Trump, to Bountygateand dozens beyond: the media business has become a machine for generating error-ridden moral panics.

The truth doesnt matter to those propagating lies, says Taibbi, as long as they believe theyre aimed at deserving targets. And the objective is simple: the goal of every broadcast is an anxiety-ridden audience provoked to the point of fury by the un-policed infamy of whatever wreckers are said to be threatening civilization this week: the unvaccinated, insurrectionists, Assadists, Greens, Bernie Bros, Jill Stein, Russians, the promoters of white supremacy culture, etc.

Because the truth threatens to stall their agenda, steal their spotlight, or strip their worldview bare, they lie. Rather than support the truth, these outlets unethically manage information to support their falsehoods and view anyone who doesnt follow them as crazy. As poet Thomas Gray wrote, Where ignorance is bliss, it is folly to be wise.

Doubly hated by God

Proverbs 6:16-19 says, There are six things which the Lord hates, yes, seven which are an abomination to Him: Haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that run rapidly to evil, a false witness who utters lies, and one who spreads strife among brothers.

Isnt it interesting that the seven sins mentioned are really six? Matthew Henry says in his commentary on Proverbs, There are seven things that God hates and lying involves two of them; He hates it and doubly hates it.

Scripture tells us that you shall not bear false witness (Ex. 20:16) and lying lips are an abomination to the Lord (Prov. 12:22); that a righteous man hates falsehood (Prov. 13:5) and a lying tongue hates those it crushes (Prov. 26:28); that liars mouths are an open grave, with their tongues they keep deceiving (Rom. 3:13) and a worthless person, a wicked man, is the one who walks with a perverse mouth (Prov. 6:12).

The fact that our entire political establishment seems corrupt at times shouldnt surprise us because it begins at the top with presidents and leaders who lie: If a ruler pays attention to falsehood, all his ministers become wicked (Prov. 29:12).

To be sure, living in a culture bathed in lies can make a Christian feel helpless at times. But there are things we can do.

We can start by examining our own lives and ridding ourselves of lies. Like Mark Twain said, A man is never more truthful than when he acknowledges himself a liar.

This being the case, a request to add to our daily prayers is, Remove the false way from me (Ps. 119:29) so that we become people who hate and despise falsehood, but love Your law (Ps. 119:163).

Next, even though we will get opposition from the world when we counter its lies with the truth, we must still publicly speak it. Because the aim of the world, as David Wells wrote, is to make righteousness look strange and sin look normal it will lie in hopes of accomplishing its objective. We may paint targets on our backs when we object to those lies, but its what were called to do: Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them (Eph. 5:11).

So, why do people lie? Its because they find the truth threatening. All you have to do to confirm that is re-read the biographies of Jesus and notice how the liars of Jesus day murdered Him because they found the Truth (John 14:6) threatening.
Email Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

Evil forces overrunning Afghanistan. The haunting memory of the death and tragedy of 9/11, now 20 years later. Our increasingly hostile and fractured social fabric. The demonic reaction and outrage over a good faith effort in Texas to save the lives of the unborn.

I dont know about you, but in light of the evil that grips our fallen world, when I go to church, I desperately need to sing songs full of future-world hope. Real hope. In God.

Frankly, worship songs focused on sloppy wet kisses or driven by hyper-emotionalism and musical manipulation to generate a fleeting, spiritual high just arent going to cut it. Nor will hymns that, through their lyrics, fix the focus on us, fallen man, instead of on God, the truly awesome Creator, and His attributes.

Recovering the Battle Hymn of the Reformation as an anthem for our dark days

These are just a few of the issues with much of the modern worship music found in many consumeristic, watered-down, mainstream evangelical churches these days. To put it bluntly, its weak worship. And in these hard times, it wont hold up.

Instead, consider these resounding words, time-tested and full of glorious doctrine:

A mighty fortress is our God, A bulwark never failing: Our helper He, amid the flood of mortal ills prevailing.

As I belted out this stanza a few Sundays back  along with hundreds of other Christians in the sanctuary joining the chorus  I must confess I did feel a tangible, emotional surge, an increase in sure hope and steady confidence.

Not in myself, of course. Not in a frothy moment of zeal. Not in the fellow believers around me, as wonderful as they are. Not in the pastor who was going to preach shortly, and a powerful message at that. Not in the direction of our country, which I love dearly. Not that everything in this life will be easy or end well.

But in God. In the God of the Christian faith, who truly is a Mighty Fortress that will never fail.

This moment made me realize something: If we are going to stand strong against the dark days descending on Christians in America, we need to recover hymns like these. Hymns that give us hope in Gods glory.

Hymns we can sing when we are fired for refusing to fly the rainbow flag in honor of pride month. Hymns we can sing when our small businesses are delisted by Amazon. Or when we face HR complaints for declining to use false pronouns to refer to transgender colleagues.

And, when the soft-totalitarianism of the present moment turns into full-on persecution  hymns we can sing behind bars.

A time-tested battle ballad

In case you didnt know, that stanza is the first line of A Mighty Fortress Is Our God  a song often referred to as the The Battle Hymn of the Reformation. Fittingly so. The lyrics envision an epic, cosmic battle. The words are full of the imagery of warfare: A fortress, an ancient evil enemy  the Prince of Darkness grim  striving, triumph, danger, fear, doom, mortal death, and a victorious Kingdom that will endure forever.

Penned by Martin Luther, the 15th century monk who was captivated by the grace and power of God to lead the Protestant Reformation, A Mighty Fortress Is Our God has indeed endured the test of time. It echoes down throughout the last 500 years of church history. When it rings out in churches today, it exhorts Christians in the 21st century to draw their hope from the same overrunning well that the rag-tag band of reformers drew from to find courage in their time: That no matter what, God will win.

Whats past is needed for the present

In this moment of God-grounded optimism, it struck me: A Mighty Fortress Is Our God  this centuries-old battle hymn  may be the exact anthem that we, as Christians in America today, need to recover for our modern moment. Both this song and other songs like it.

We need this song of steel to sing in the fading twilight of the West, to hum under our breath in this age of seemingly mortal ills prevailing. To chant around the dinner table with our families as the forces of evil are on the march, overrunning much of what we have held dear for so long.

The hard reality that we must face is that the light of our nations Christian heritage  a largely shared social ethic and morality that either hewed to a Judeo-Christian worldview or at least tolerated its existence  is swiftly slipping away, soon to be out of sight over the far horizon. There is no time-turner at hand to bring the sun back up out of the water. The dusk we are already in, and the darkness to follow, seems prevailing.

Our government is increasingly tyrannical. The sexual revolution has worked its woe, wrecking the value of life and intimacy. Marriage is profoundly misunderstood and the God-given institution of the family is under increasing assault. Hormone-blockers are given to teenagers who, in their deep confusion, are being socially engineered to think they can actually change their gender. Sons are ripped from fathers and given to mothers who want to turn them into girls. The enforced tyranny of transgender pronouns will suffer no dissenters.

Abortion access and the widespread acceptance of its brutality is only on the rise, with horrific laws in New York and Virginia, for example, allowing abortion almost up to the moment of birth. Public schools are insanely re-segregating, informed by the poison of Critical Race Theory, breeding animosity and disunion. Canadian pastors are dragged off by provincial authorities for faithfully gathering their churches. Against this rising tide of wickedness, there is no doubt that Did we in our own strength confide, our striving would be losing.

As historian and theologian Carl Trueman recently put it, The days when Christians could be both respected by their society and faithful to their beliefs are drawing rapidly to a close. The terms of membership in civic society and in the church are becoming increasingly antithetical.

So, as Christians are increasingly ostracized, persecuted, and forced to retreat from the public square, where will we run to? Not physically, but spiritually. Where will our hope be held secure? If we had mistakenly placed our true hope in politics, our heritage, our founding, or our Constitution, those will soon be shown to be paper fortresses with foundations built on sand.

Instead, let us sing with joyful voices that:

Though this world, with devils filled, should threaten to undo us, we will not fear, for God hath willed His truth to triumph through us.

God, and only God, must be the sole proprietor of our hope and confidence. Into His mighty arms and outstretched hand, we must put all of our faith.

Despair is not the Christian inheritance

I know that many Christians see the evil that is gripping our nation and the West and feel a deep sense of foreboding. Of despair. Of anger or resentment. I know, because I am tempted to indulge those fears as well.

But more than any political messiah, movement, or rally, Christians need songs like this one  this exultant declaration of Gods sovereign power and certain victory  to sing as we prepare to join the battle.

Because we know that in the end, if we are in Christ, we will triumph. Its not a matter of if but rather when. As surely as the grave is empty, the Word of God is reigning in power. The right man is on our side, the man of Gods own choosing:

Dost ask who that may be? Christ Jesus, it is He; Lord Sabaoth is His name, From age to age the same, And He must win the battle.

Christ Jesus, it is He! Take heart, weary wayfarer and tired pilgrim: Christ has won  and is winning  the battle. He is the true once and future king. His Kingdom is forever. So, lift your eyes to that horizon. One day He will return and shatter the spiritual darkness, flooding it with blinding light and bringing His people home to be with Him in glory forever.

No defeat. No retreat. But confident engagement

To be clear, this isnt a call to defeatism on one hand, or escapism on the other. Instead, I want to see Christians across our land so unswervingly confident in Christs present reign and future final victory that they laugh in the face of the dark days. So confident that, despite the threat of the invading armies, they keep laboring to build a better present as much as they can. When our hope is secure in the fortress of Gods love and might, then we will be brave enough to step out beyond the walls and face the teeming hordes. Despair starts to drip into our veins only when what we had our hope in is proven faulty or starts to fail.

But A Mighty Fortress Is Our God reminds us that in the Lord our hope never fails. Despair is off the table. Certain triumph is our inheritance. And that sure hope grows ever brighter, like the sun as it rises from the muted hews of dawn to the full brightness of noonday.

So, as we wait, we labor; as we resist, we fight; and as we step out from our sanctuaries after church on Sunday, let us hum this battle song under our breath and go forth bravely into the world. Remember that in the end, the Word  Christ incarnate  will triumph over the world, the flesh, and the devil. For:

That word above all earthly powers  No thanks to them  abideth; The Spirit and the gifts are ours, Through Him who with us sideth. Let goods and kindred go, This mortal life also: The body they may kill: Gods truth abideth still, His kingdom is forever.

You need a church that sings hymns like this one

As a closing, practical point of exhortation: If you arent a member of a church that sings hymns like this and others, go find one. Find a church that preaches Gods Word faithfully, holds out the uncompromised Gospel of Christ, and sings songs that take your eyes off of you and fixes them on the throne of God above. Strong songs, full of rich theological lyrics, that proclaim this glorious reality.

This is the hope we need in these dark days. This is indeed an anthem for our time. Lets recover it, reclaim it, and remember that, come what may, God is our mighty fortress, never failing. His Kingdom  and His alone  is forever.

Originally published at Standing for Freedom Center.
Empowerment Temple hires activist Rev. Robert Turner after firing Jamal Bryants successor

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

Less than two months after firing lead pastor GJ Barnes for failing to file timely audit reports, the Baltimore-based Empowerment Temple AME Church founded by megachurch pastor Jamal Bryant announced Rev. Robert R.A. Turner of the historic Vernon AME Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma as his replacement.

"God never closes one door without opening another. Join us this Sunday at 9:30 a.m. as we welcome our new senior pastor, Rev. Dr. Robert R.A. Turner," the church said in a Facebook post Tuesday.

Tulsa's Vernon AME Church is "the only standing black-owned structure on Historic Greenwood Ave from the Black Wall Street era and one of the only edifices that remain from the worst race massacres in American history," according to the church's website.

Turner, a 39-year-old Alabama native, took over as Vernon AME Church's lead pastor some four years ago based on a calling from God. He told Tulsa World that he is following God again to Empowerment Temple.

"I came here following God," Turner explained. "And now I'm leaving to follow God."

Turner said he never sought the opportunity at Empowerment Temple but accepted the offer to lead the megachurch after being contacted by the church about the job one night after he dreamed he was preaching a Sunday morning sermon there. He told the newspaper the last time he visited the church was several years ago.

"It came out of the blue," Turner said. "But God spoke to me, so I have to go."

Despite only serving in Tulsa for four years, Turner leaves behind a legacy of activism, seeking reparations for Tulsa Race Massacre. On Wednesday, Vice released a video feature focused on his activism.

Before his Sunday welcome, Turner is expected to join Bryant, who now serves at New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Georgia, in a conversation on Instagram this Saturday at 5 p.m

Bryant left Empowerment Temple in 2019 to become the senior pastor of the more high-profile New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in DeKalb County, a church previously led by the late Pastor Eddie Long.

In an extended statement to his followers on Facebook Wednesday, Turner said he intends to keep fighting for reparations even though he is leaving Tulsa "with a heavy heart."

"My pastoral course here in Tulsa has finished. God has shown me another place He has for me to go. As with Vernon I did not seek this new opportunity. It found me. There is another church, community and cause to take on. I will take it with much greater appreciation, preparation and wisdom because of my time here in Tulsa. Vernon you were the best, Greenwood you are forever in my heart," he wrote.

"The cause of reparations is still my passion I will now be headquartered elsewhere while I fight for it. I am confident the next pastor will take you to even greater heights. My desire is that in 2121 they will look back on what we did in 2021 and find inspiration as I look back on what our church did in 1921 and find encouragement. It will continue to inspire me wherever I go."
Josh McDowell steps back from ministry after controversial remarks on black families

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

Prominent Christian author and apologist Josh McDowell announced that he will step away from his ministry work and speaking events for the time being after making controversial remarks about minorities and education.

In a statement posted Wednesday afternoon to his Twitter account, the 82-year-old said that the backlash from his recent comments at the American Association of Christian Counselors conference on Saturday led him to conclude that he had to step away from his ministry efforts for a time.

"It has become clear to me, along with Cru leadership, that I need to step back from my ministry and speaking engagements to enter a season of listening and addressing the growth areas that I have become aware of through this," stated McDowell, who has authored and co-authored over 150 books.

"During this time of meeting with others and learning, I hope to personally grow and better understand how I can help contribute to the reconciliation and unity that God desires for us all."

McDowell added that his organization, Josh McDowell Ministry, will continue to operate, but its daily work will be overseen by CEO Duane Zook.

While speaking at the conference, he criticized critical race theory. McDowell claimed that the majority of African American and other racial minority families do not emphasize the importance of education to their children.

"I do not believe blacks, African Americans, and many other minorities have equal opportunity. Why? Most of them grew up in families where there is not a big emphasis on education," stated McDowell at the weekend gathering.

"You can change the world. If you work hard, you will make it. So many African Americans don't have those privileges like I was brought up with."

In his statement Wednesday, McDowell called his remarks "wrong" and caused "deep pain."

Central Baptist College Professor Aaron New was among those outraged by the comments, taking to Twitter to note that he was "kinda stunned" by McDowell's remarks.

"Apparently he also claims 'social justice is our next epidemic,'" tweeted New. "[McDowell, can] you confirm and/or explain? Because this is [] absolutely horrible."

"I'm not anyone of much significance. So he doesn't owe *me* anything," he added. "But I do think [McDowell] should clarify or explain or apologize - just for starters."

Grove City College Professor Warren Throckmorton wrote in a blog entry Sunday that McDowell "completely ignored the actual reasons for lack of equity in opportunity."

"He spent the first 10 minutes of his AACC speech blasting the concept of structural impediments to equity. So Mr. McDowell, what is the reason for lack of equal opportunity?" stated Throckmorton.

"I hope this incident will be a teachable moment for white evangelicals who have mindlessly accepted the word of their talking heads about CRT."

McDowell issued an apology soon after his Saturday speech in which he admitted that his comments were a "generalized statement that does not reflect reality."

"I apologize and reiterate my Christian love for all races, nationalities and people groups," he stated. "My desire is that we as Christians would deal with both racism and inequality as the sins that they are in order to restore the unity that God desires for all."
Fox News host Ainsley Earhardt launches series Beyond and Back to show 'proof of Heaven'

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

As the Fox News Channel approaches its 25-year anniversary, a fixture at the network, Ainsley Earhardt, is taking a look into the great beyond with her new series, "Beyond and Back."

The current co-host of the No. 1 morning show in cable news, "Fox & Friends," is a professing Christian who is very vocal about her faith and its role in her everyday life.

She launched the new series on Fox Nation to uncover intriguing stories of both believers and non-believers who can't explain how they survived death.

Each story is beyond scientific explanation. The five-part series begins with the first episode, "Proof of Heaven." It tells the story of a man of science (a neurosurgeon) who did not believe in the afterlife until his own experience with the "beyond."

"God is giving us these experiences all over the world for a reason, and the five different stories in this series are just a small glimpse into the bigger plans that God has for us all," Earhardt shared with The Christian Post.

The TV host said she wanted to release the series to give viewers a sense of "hope and faith in the afterlife" following a tumultuous year in which many suffered loss.

Watch the latest video at foxnews.com

The following is an edited transcript of Earhardt's entire interview with CP, where she shares her thoughts on the afterlife and explains why she wants to bring these stories to viewers.

Christian Post: Can you share with us the inspiration behind your new series "Beyond and Back"?

Earhardt: The pandemic has forced everyone to deal with the uncertainties of life on a more accelerated level. From illness to loss of a job or loved one, Americans are searching even more than ever to know if there really is God or something more out there. We wanted to release this series to give viewers a sense of hope and faith that there is something more after this life and to find comfort in knowing that our loved ones are not alone when they die.

CP: What can viewers expect from the series?

Earhardt: The series uncovers five intriguing stories of believers and non-believers who overcome adversity after traveling somewhere beyond this life. Most of them can't explain how they survived death, were lifted from Hell and went to Heaven and back. But what they experienced has transformed their lives forever.

CP: Can you give us a sneak peek into the testimony of a believer who we can look forward to seeing on the show?

Earhardt: Entrepreneur and a family man of faith, Jeff Fusco, had a life most people strive for until he became severely sick with COVID-19 in 2020. After multiple surgeries, the doctors told his family that he had two hours to live. Fighting to stay alive, Jeff experienced something out of this world. He was transported to a place that brought him total peace and comfort, with stone walls and gates leading to what he believes was Heaven. But Jeff was faced with a choice  to enter this beautiful city of God or to return home with his loving family. What happens next is truly incredible.

CP: Did filming this show teach you anything about the beyond?

Earhardt: The beautiful testimonies in this show have validated everything I've been taught about this life and the next.

CP: What do you believe lies beyond?

Earhardt: I believe the Bible, which says there is a Heaven and we get there not by works, but by faith in Jesus Christ. Heaven is God's dwelling place and a realm where everything operates according to God's will.

In 2 Corinthians 5:8, the Bible teaches us, "We are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord." This explains why all of those who say they have died and gone to Heaven want to stay. In Ephesians 2, we learn, "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And, this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast." Jesus said in Romans 10:9: "If you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. For, 'everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.'"

CP: Would you consider these survival stories divine intervention?

Earhardt: Yes, they all seemed to have that element of going beyond this life and experiencing something else, something unexplainable, but yet wonderful and life-altering.

CP: What do you want others to take away from the series?

Earhardt: I want others to walk away knowing that miracles do exist. Science can't explain everything. God is giving us these experiences all over the world for a reason, and the five different stories in this series are just a small glimpse into the bigger plans that God has for us all.

CP: Is there anything else you'd like to add?

Earhardt: The Fox News Channel has been broadcasting around the world for 25 years and I have had the distinct pleasure of being a part of the team. Waking up America each morning and bringing our friends  the viewers  the news has been one of the greatest pleasures of my life. Thank you for your loyalty, support and love throughout the years. I'll see you all in the morning.

"Beyond and Back" with Earhardt is now available to stream.
Marjorie Taylor Greene, Debbie Dingell shout over whos a good Christian on Capitol steps

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

Two congresswomen got into a heated debate over what it means to be a good Christian shortly after the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill that would codify the right to abortion into federal law.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., and Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Mich., got into a heated shouting match on the steps of the U.S. Capitol Friday after the Democrat-controlled House voted 218-211 to approve the Women's Health Protection Act. The bill received the support of all but one House Democrat and was opposed by all congressional Republicans.

Also known as H.R. 3755, the bill seeks to protect access to abortion nationwide and overrule laws and regulations like Texas' controversial Senate Bill 8, which bans most abortions in the state as early as six weeks gestation.

The bill would also invalidate Texas' more recently passed Senate Bill 4, which prohibits a person "from providing an abortioninducing drug to a pregnant woman without satisfying the applicable informed consent requirements for abortions."

A viral video of the shouting match, shared on Twitter, shows Greene heckling Democrats on the steps of the Capitol as they held a press conference about the Democrats' "Build Back Better for Women" campaign after approving the legislation.

"You should all be ashamed. Killing a baby up until birth is a lack of civility. It's called murder!" Greene yelled.

"You should practice the basic thing you're taught in church: respect your neighbors!" a visibly miffed Dingell replied.

Greene did not take kindly to the questioning of her Christianity and she responded forcefully to Dingell.

"Taught in church?" she shot back. "Are you kidding me? Try being a Christian and supporting life."

Dingell furiously shouted back at Dingell: "You try being a Christian ... and try treating your colleagues decently!"

Dingell almost slipped on the steps of the Capitol as she continued her back-and-forth with Greene.

Republican Rep. @mtgreenee gets into a shouting match with Democrats, incl. @BettyMcCollum04 and @RepDebDingell at the Democrats Build Back Better for Women photo-op pic.twitter.com/S3AZX1zfJg  bryan metzger (@metzgov) September 24, 2021

Tricia Flanagan, a Republican congressional candidate from New Jersey, expressed her belief that Greene reflects "REAL Christianity."

Taking to Twitter Saturday, Flanagan asserted that "Debbie Dingell is demanding that Christians be lukewarm. Dingell says be nice, don't make waves, do what you're told."

Debbie Dingell is demanding that Christians be lukewarm.



Dingell says be nice, dont make waves, do what youre told.



REAL Christianity fights back with Truth!



REAL Christianity stands up for Life!



REAL Christianity is ready to ROAR!



Bravo @mtgreenee

with you all the way. pic.twitter.com/tvucwngc6Y  Tricia Flanagan (R-NJ) (@NewDayForNJ) September 25, 2021

"REAL Christianity fights back with Truth! REAL Christianity stands up for Life! REAL Christianity is ready to ROAR! Bravo @mtgreenee  with you all the way," she added.

Meanwhile, Ron Fournier, a Detroit-based communications consultant who formerly worked for The Associated Press and National Journal, suggested on Twitter that Greene did not reflect God's grace.

"@RepDebDingell is classy, caring and kind, a woman filled with God's grace, a dedicated public servant who puts her country above party and power. @RepMTG is none of those things," Fournier contended.

.?@RepDebDingell? is classy, caring and kind, a woman filled with Gods grace, a dedicated public servant who puts her country above party and power. ?@RepMTG? is none of those things. https://t.co/LWTf7J5Ret  Ron Fournier (@ron_fournier) September 25, 2021

While the congresswomen and their supporters debate who's acting more in a Christ-like manner, a recent study from Arizona Christian University shows that of an estimated 176 million American adults who identify as Christian, only 6% actually subscribe to a biblical worldview.

The study showed that most of America's self-identified Christians, including many who identify as evangelicals, believe that God is the all-powerful, all-knowing Creator of the universe. At the same time, more than half reject several biblical teachings and principles, including the existence of the Holy Spirit.

Additionally, the study revealed that most Christians believe that all religious faiths are of equal value, that people are essentially good and that they can use acts of goodness to earn their way into Heaven. The study also concluded that most Christians don't believe in moral absolutes, cite 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 one chooses to practice.

George Barna, the lead researcher at Arizona Christian University's Cultural Research Center, reacted to the results in a statement.

"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," Barna said.

"'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," he added.
Former California pastor sentenced to 14 years for defrauding investors of $33M

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

A former pastor in California was recently sentenced to 14 years in prison after being found guilty of overseeing a church-based investment scam that defrauded investors of $33 million.

Kent R.E. Whitney, formerly the pastor of Westminster-based Church of the Healthy Self, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Josephine L. Staton to 14 years in federal prison and ordered to pay $22,662,668 in restitution, the U.S. Department of Justice announced.

From September 2014 to April 2019, according to the DOJ, Whitney used CHS and its related entities to solicit people to invest in CHS Trust, the investment arm of the church.

[A]t Whitneys direction, CHS representatives made false or misleading claims, including: CHS Trust guaranteed an annual rate of return of 12 percent; CHS Trust guaranteed a return of principal with no risk because it was federally insured; the worst return received during the previous five years was a 1.5 percent profit for the month of January 2015; traders used by CHS had not lost money in 15 years, stated the DOJ.

In fact, little investor money went into any trading accounts. Relying on these false statements, victim-investors sent more than $33 million to CHS from 2014 to 2019. As part of the scheme, Whitney directed that monthly statements be sent to victims that contained false reports of investment returns.

It is estimated that Whitney sent approximately $11 million in payments to investors that was taken from money given by later victims, effectively fitting the definition of a Ponzi scheme.

Whitney also filed a false federal income tax return reporting his total income for the tax year 2018 as $17,539, when it was actually at least $452,872, about $435,333 of which was obtained through his CHS fraud.

Kenneth White, an attorney representing Whitney, told The Associated Press via email last Friday that Whitney immediately settled with the Securities and Exchange Commission upon being notified of the investigation.

[Whitney] accepted responsibility and entered a guilty plea, added White, as reported by the AP. His focus is now on his family.

Last November, Whitney agreed to plead guilty to the counts of mail fraud and filing a false federal income tax return, according to a story by the Orange County Register at the time.
Hillsongs Brian Houston steps down from church boards amid charges

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

Pastor Brian Houston, the lead pastor of the global multisite Hillsong Church who was charged last month with allegedly concealing sex abuse committed by his father decades earlier, has said he is stepping down from his role on various church boards so that they can continue to function to their fullest capacity.

I ... wanted to let you know that Ive made a decision to step aside from my role on the Hillsong Church boards that oversee the governance of our operations, Houston, the senior pastor of the Australia-based congregation, wrote in an email, according to The Roys Report.

I did this so that these boards can function to their fullest capacity during this season. This doesn't change my role as Global Senior Pastor. I thought it was important to let our church family know in the interests of transparency, and I wanted you to hear it from me directly, added the 67-year-old leader of the Sydney-based megachurch.

Police officials announced last month that Houston was being charged with concealing child sex offenses, The Associated Press reported at the time.

Police will allege in court [that Houston] knew information relating to the sexual abuse of a young male in the 1970s and failed to bring that information to the attention of police, stated Australian authorities, as quoted by the AP.

In a statement to The Christian Post through Hillsong, Houston expressed shock at the charges. These charges have come as a shock to me given how transparent Ive always been about this matter, Houston said. I vehemently profess my innocence and will defend these charges, and I welcome the opportunity to set the record straight.

The church also provided a statement to CP, explaining that they were disappointed that Pastor Brian has been charged, and asked that he be afforded the presumption of innocence and due process as is his right.

He has advised us that he will defend this and looks forward to clearing his name. Given that this matter is now before the court, neither Pastor Brian or Hillsong Church will be making further statements, Hillsong added.

The probe into whether Houston tried to cover-up an incident in which his late father, Frank Houston, sexually abused a minor in the 1970s was initiated years ago. In 2014, in response to that probe, Houston denied knowing anything about the $10,000 compensation payment made to a man who his father sexually abused as a child.

Houston said he was totally devastated to learn about his fathers abuse and he had to come to terms with the fact that the person I looked up to was not who I thought he was.

After Houston was charged, his church said in a statement: We ask that he be afforded the presumption of innocence and due process as is his right. He has advised us that he will defend this and looks forward to clearing his name. We thank all who are a part of our church for their support and prayers at this time.

Recently, some serious leadership problems also surfaced at the United States-based Hillsong East Coast, especially regarding the financial and sexual scandals surrounding Carl Lentz, including an affair.

Other Hillsong resignations that followed Lentz included Darnell Barrett, creative director of Hillsong Church Montclair in New Jersey, and Reed and Jess Bogard from Hillsong Dallas, which has since closed.
Brian Houston reflects on weapons God uses to fight devil before hearing on alleged abuse cover-up

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

Hillsong Church founder Brian Houston reflected on the mighty weapons of faith God gives His people to defeat the devil just days before he's slated to go to court over allegations that he helped cover up his father's sexual abuse of a boy.

In a video posted to his Instagram account last Friday, Houston, who founded the global evangelical church network in the suburbs of Sydney in 1983, spoke about 2 Corinthians 10:4.

The verse reads, We use God's mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments.

You have mighty weaponry, an armory available to you and it will pull down strongholds, said Houston. The thing about strongholds is the devil tries to use them to put a stronghold on you on your mind, your thoughts, on your life. And so we decide no, I have mighty weapons.

Houston stated that he believes one of the most powerful weapons we have is prayer. He thanked the many people across the globe who were committed to praying for him and his family.

Prayer changes things, continued Houston, labeling prayer one of the most underestimated spiritual weapons. I love being part of a global family.  I thank God that we are armed for battle.

In August, Australian police charged the 67-year-old Houston with concealing child sex offenses, with him being required to appear at a Sydney court on Oct. 5.

At issue was the allegation that Houston had known about, yet failed to report to authorities, the sexual abuse of a young man by his father, the late Frank Houston, during the 1970s.

In a statement emailed to The Christian Post by Hillsong Church, Houston said that the charges were a shock to me given how transparent Ive always been about this matter.

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

Earlier this month, Houston announced that he was stepping away from his positions on Hillsong leadership boards, though he was retaining his title as senior pastor of the multisite church.

I did this so that these boards can function to their fullest capacity during this season, said Houston in an email, as quoted by the Roys Report.

This doesn't change my role as Global Senior Pastor. I thought it was important to let our church family know in the interests of transparency, and I wanted you to hear it from me directly.

The allegations surrounding Houston mark the latest in a slew of scandals that have plagued the megachurch in recent years.

In late 2020, Hillsong New York City pastor Carl Lentz was fired for moral failings and "leadership issues"

In April, a senior Hillsong staffer in New Jersey resigned over an inappropriate message on social media. That same month, the church's Dallas branch closed after it was revealed that the lead pastor and his wife used church funds lavishly.

In May, Houston told NBC co-host, Savannah Guthrie, that this season has been difficult for them as a church.

[This season in the church] has been difficult, clearly, because of a lot of disappointment in some of the things that have emerged, he said. Some obviously are false. Other things are real."

Houston added, I have reflected many, many times, and I'm acknowledging that mistakes have been made and that there are things where we need to get far better, much better. I'm not shrinking back from that.
India: 23 forced conversion cases filed in 23 days of new anti-conversion law

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

Police in Indias central state of Madhya Pradesh registered 23 cases of forced conversion in the first 23 days of the implementation of a new and strict anti-conversion law, according to media reports, indicating that the ongoing persecution of religious minorities is likely to further intensify.

Twenty-three cases were registered under the newly passed Freedom of Religion Ordinance 2020 in January in Madhya Pradesh, the states interior minister, Narottam Mishra, who is from the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party, said, according to The Times of India.

The ordinance, which came into force on Jan. 9 and will affect mostly Muslim and Christian minorities, was passed under the pretext of love jihad, a term coined by Hindu nationalists to claim that Hindu women were being lured into marriage by Muslim men for conversion to Islam  a claim that has not been substantiated.

We maintain that this is a serious issue and such forces are active across the country. An effort has been taken in Madhya Pradesh to stop them, Mishra added.

An equal number of Muslims and Christians have been arrested under the ordinance, according to Matters India.

Among those arrested under the law is Chhatar Singh Katre, a teacher from a village in the Balaghat area, who had organized a prayer meeting on Jan. 27 to celebrate the admission of his daughter to college, the U.S.-based persecution watchdog International Christian Concern said.

Police arrived before the meeting began and arrested Katre and two other Christians, it said. All three were charged with violating the new anti-conversion law for luring and coercing people into changing their religion.

My father organized the meeting for me and now he is in jail for no reason, Kalyani Katre, Katres daughter, was quoted as saying. The case was registered against him and two others on the complaint of a person who was booked 10 years ago for assaulting and harassing my father and others for participating in a religious program.

The ordinance replaces the Madhya Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act of 1968, which presumes that Christian workers force or give financial benefits to Hindus to convert them to Christianity.

While these laws have been in place for decades in some states, no Christian has been convicted of forcibly converting anyone to Christianity. These laws, however, allow Hindu nationalist groups to make false charges against Christians and launch attacks on them under the pretext of the alleged forced conversion.

Similar anti-conversion laws have also been enacted in the states of Odisha, Arunachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand.

Most recently, the northern state of Uttar Pradesh approved an anti-conversion law that experts warned would incite more religiously motivated violence as attacks on Christians and other religious minorities continue to escalate.

Some of these laws state that no one is allowed to use the threat of divine displeasure, meaning Christians cannot talk about Heaven or Hell, as that would be seen as forcing someone to convert. And if snacks or meals are served to Hindus after an evangelistic meeting, that could be seen as inducement.

The ICC previously noted that Indias own population data proves that the conspiracy of mass conversions to Christianity is a false claim. In 1951, the first census after independence, Christians made up only 2.3% of India's overall population. According to the 2011 census, the most recent census data available, Christians still only make up 2.3% of the population.

Attacks and curbs on Christians have been on the rise since the BJP won Indias 2014 general election.

Since the current ruling party took power in 2014, incidents against Christians have increased, and Hindu radicals often attack Christians with little to no consequences, noted Open Doors World Watch List last year, which ranked India as the 10th worst country for Christians.

The view of the Hindu nationalists is that to be Indian is to be Hindu, so any other faith  including Christianity  is viewed as non-Indian. Also, converts to Christianity from Hindu backgrounds or tribal religions are often extremely persecuted by their family members and communities, Open Doors said at the time.

Last year, India denied entry visas to representatives of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom who had planned to investigate reports of persecution of Muslims and Christians following the release of its report that designates India as a Country of Particular Concern.

In a statement to The Christian Post, advocacy group The Federation of Indian American Christian Organizations of North America said at the time it was deeply disappointed India did not receive the CPC designation in 2020.

The national government allowed violence against minorities and their houses of worship to continue with impunity and engaged in and tolerated hate speech and incitement to violence, FIACONA said. The Indian government headed by the Hindu nationalist BJP party continues to claim so conveniently that all such violence against Christians in India is isolated incidents and not the policy of the government.
India: Christian persecution watchdog fears police orders to surveil Christians activities will increase attacks on believers

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

As Christian persecution continues to rise in India, all police stations in one district have been ordered to keep surveillance on Christians and report on any "conversion activities. A U.S.-based persecution watchdog group now fears that attacks on Christians might intensify.

The Superintendent of Police of the Sukma District in Chhattisgarh state has issued a circular to all police stations directing officers to surveil the districts Christian community and be on the lookout for fraudulent religious conversions and to act against Christians where these activities are found, International Christian Concern reports.

Several incidents of intimidation, threats and assaults against the Christians of Sukma have been reported since the circular was sent, ICC reports.

Four policemen came to our village while we were having a prayer gathering on July 23, Bhima, a Christian from Sukma, was quoted as saying. They enquired about conversions. They did not do anything to us, but after the police left the Hindu radicals in the village started using abusive words against all Christians. They threatened that they would chase us away from the village.

Another local pastor was quoted as saying that all churches in the villages had been forced to stop all the worship gatherings.

Christians make up about 2.5% of Indias population, while Hindus comprise 79.5%.

India ranks as the 10th worst country globally when it comes to Christian persecution, according to Open Doors USA's 2021 World Watch List. The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom has urged the U.S. State Department to label India as a country of particular concern for engaging in or tolerating severe religious freedom violations.

The Evangelical Fellowship of India says in a report that it documented 145 cases of atrocities against Christians  three murders, 22 attacks on churches and 20 cases of ostracization or social boycott in rural areas  in the first half of 2021.

The violence, detailed in the report, itself was vicious, widespread and ranged from murder to attacks on churches, false cases, police immunity and connivance, and the now normalized social exclusion or boycott which is becoming viral, the report says.

Since the current ruling party (Bharatiya Janata Party) took power in 2014, incidents against Christians have increased, and Hindu radicals often attack Christians with little to no consequences, noted Open Doors World Watch List last year.

The view of the Hindu nationalists is that to be Indian is to be Hindu, so any other faith  including Christianity  is viewed as non-Indian. Also, converts to Christianity from Hindu backgrounds or tribal religions are often extremely persecuted by their family members and communities, Open Doors said at the time.

Several Indian states have anti-conversion laws, which presume that Christian workers force or give financial benefits to Hindus to convert them to Christianity.

In July, at least 30 Christians were falsely accused of engaging in forced religious conversions and arrested in Indias most populous state of Uttar Pradesh, according to ICC.

Like we have seen in other states, Uttar Pradeshs anti-conversion law provides a legal cover for radical Hindu nationalists seeking to persecute Christians, ICCs Regional Manager for South Asia, William Stark, said. If the government of Uttar Pradesh allows this to continue, radical Hindu nationalists will know they have absolute impunity to harass Christians and close down their places of worship.

While the anti-conversion laws have been in place for decades in some states, no Christian has been convicted of forcibly converting anyone to Christianity. These laws, however, allow Hindu nationalist groups to make false charges against Christians and launch attacks on them under the pretext of the alleged forced conversion.

Some of these laws state that no one is allowed to use the threat of divine displeasure, meaning Christians cannot talk about Heaven or Hell, as that would be seen as forcing someone to convert. And if snacks or meals are served to Hindus after an evangelistic meeting, that could be seen as inducement.
NY Gov. Kathy Hochul tells megachurch COVID vaccine is Gods answer to prayers

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

New York states freshly-minted and first female Gov. Kathy Hochul praised the Lord and wielded her faith at the Brooklyn-based Christian Cultural Center on Sunday, telling congregants that vaccines against COVID-19 are Gods answer to our prayers and urged them to become her apostles by encouraging others to get their shots.

We are not through this pandemic. I wished we were, but I prayed a lot to God during this time and you know what, God did answer our prayers. He made the smartest men and women, the scientists, the doctors, the researchers  He made them come up with a vaccine. That is from God to us and we must say, thank you, God. Thank you, Hochul said.

She then praised the congregants attending the church in-person for being the smart ones and getting vaccinated, but added that there were those who aren't listening to God and what God wants, and she needed their help to reach the vaccine-hesitant.

I need you to be my apostles. I need you to go out and talk about it and say, we owe this to each other. We love each other. Jesus taught us to love one another and how do you show that love but to care about each other enough to say, please get the vaccine because I love you and I want you to live, I want our kids to be safe when they're in schools, I want to be safe when you go to a doctor's office or to a hospital and are treated by somebody, you don't want to get the virus from them. You're already sick or you wouldn't be there, she said.

Hochul, who is a Democrat and former congresswoman from Buffalo, became governor on Aug. 24 after her predecessor, Andrew M. Cuomo, resigned following a state attorney general investigation that concluded that he sexually harassed several women. Hochul had served as Cuomos lieutenant governor before then.

Prior to addressing the congregation, Hochul, who is Catholic, was introduced by the Rev. A.R. Bernard, the 40,000-member churchs leader and political kingmaker, as a person of faith. Bernard said he had the pleasure of meeting Hochul when she was running for lieutenant governor and it struck me that she was a person of faith. Really liked her spirit. We got a chance to know each other to a degree.

And I will tell you that the evening that the resignation of our former governor was announced and it was announced that Kathy Hochul would be stepping into that role  it was 10 oclock at night. I text [ed] her and I text [ed] her and I said, Kathy, I am praying for you that God would give you wisdom to navigate all that is ahead of you. And she called me back about 15 seconds later. ... She said, Pastor, you have no idea. I was on my knees, praying and asking God for the same thing when your text came in.

Hochul, who intends to run for governor in 2022 after Cuomos term expires, pledged to fight against systemic racial injustice and lead with Gods inspiration.

I've been a public servant my whole life and I believe there is a strong intersection between the teachings of the New and the Old Testaments and what we have been told to do, the lessons we've been given, delivered to us in places like this all over America, and if we're listening to those messages, it's calling all of us, but particularly those who've been called to serve as public servants, positions like governor and Congress member, assembly member, council member, all of us have an extra weight of responsibility. Because as you heard in the earlier songs today, and they're so beautiful and I thank them for lifting my heart and my soul listening to music, one of the messages was, God will keep His promise to you. God will keep his promise to you, Hochul said.

And here is my promise to you, my friends. I will use the inspiration of God in my life and fight for you every single day as your governor and beyond, she added.
Mom blasts school board for allowing books promoting pedophilia in school libraries

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

WARNING: The following article contains sexually explicit content

A concerned mother has slammed one of the largest school districts in the United States for including sexually explicit books in their high school libraries, which she classified as pornography for their graphic descriptions of sex acts between men and boys.

The parent of a student in Fairfax County Public Schools in Virginia read aloud sexually explicit material and shared graphic images featured in two books available in the districts high school libraries at a school board meeting on Thursday. A video of her addressing the board, uploaded by the advocacy group Do Better FCPS, has received more than 300,000 views.

Stacy Langton explained, After seeing a September 9 school board meeting in Texas on pornography in the schools, I decided to check the titles at my childs school, Fairfax High School. Langton held up the two books singled out at the Texas school board meeting that are also available in several public high schools in Fairfax County. She said that both of these books include pedophilia, [and] sex between men and boys.

Both books describe different acts, she added. One book describes a fourth-grade boy performing oral sex on an adult male. The other book has detailed illustrations of a man having sex with a boy.

Langton added, The illustrations include fellatio, sex toys, masturbation and violent nudity. She read aloud from one of the books, Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe: I cant wait to have your c**k in my mouth. I am going to give you the b**w job of your life and then I want you inside me.

She then read an excerpt from the other book, titled Lawn Boy by Jonathan Evison: What if I told you I touched another guys d**k? What if I told you I sucked it? I was 10 years old but its true. I s**ked Doug Gobles d**k, the real estate guy, and he s**ked mine too.

As Langton maintained that this is not an oversight at Fairfax High School, a school board member interrupted and told her that there are children in the audience here.

In an article on Substack, Asra Normani, the vice president for strategy and investigations at the grassroots advocacy organization Parents Defending Education, who attended the meeting, disputed the assertion that children were present at the meeting.

Langton, who didn't appreciate the board member's interruption of her time to speak, added: Do not interrupt my time. I will stand here until my time is restored and my time is finished. These books are in stock and available in the libraries of Robinson, Langley and Annandale High Schools.

A school board member then suggested that teenagers' access to the books is OK because they're only available for high school students. However, the majority of high school students are younger than 18, which is the age of consent in Virginia.

Before her time was up, Langton replied to the board member's assertion, saying, Pornography is offensive to all people; it is offensive to common decency. When Langtons time came to a close, the school board attempted to introduce the next speaker as many in the crowd gave the mother a round of applause.

Langton remained at the podium as parents expressed their anger at the school board by chanting, Go to jail! As a security official tried to escort her away from the podium, Langton alleged that This board is in violation of the law of the state of Virginia called 18.2-376! This board should be charged accordingly!

At last night's @FCPSNews school board meeting, brave mom Stacy Langton revealed porn + pedophilia in library books. The board cut her mic + fled but I was able to record Stacy. Parents yelled, "Shame!" at the board for turning the county into #Fairfaxxx. No rest for @defendingedpic.twitter.com/efbT6c79H2  Asra Q. Nomani (@AsraNomani) September 24, 2021

The law cited by Langton is one of Virginias Crimes Involving Morals and Decency. It declares that It shall be unlawful for any person to knowingly prepare, print, publish, or circulate, or cause to be prepared, printed, published or circulated, any notice or advertisement of any obscene performance or exhibition.

Another member of the audience remarked that this is child pornography and every one of you all should be arrested for allowing this bullcrap to be perpetrated in our schools and infecting the minds of these children.

In response to the criticism, one member of the board, Karl Frisch, took to Twitter and implicitly defended the inclusion of the book in high school libraries: Its not every week the School Board receives two exorcisms during public comment. To be clear, nothing will disrupt our Boards commitment to LGBTQIA+ students, families, and staff. Nothing.

It's not every week the School Board receives two exorcisms during public comment. To be clear, nothing will disrupt our Board's commitment to LGBTQIA+ students, families, and staff. Nothing. ??????????????????  Karl Frisch (@KarlFrischFCPS) September 24, 2021

Fairfax County Public Schools released a statement Friday announcing that The circulation of these books has been suspended, while a committee reviews and makes recommendations about the text. After outlining the process for the Request for Reconsideration of Library or Instructional Material, the statement indicated that two committees had been formed to determine whether to remove the books from the schools.

VICTORY. BREAKING @fcpsnews was hammered with calls + emails today from angry parents. At 4:46 PM its public relations machine announces: "The circulation of these books has been suspended, while a committee reviews and makes recommendations about the text." It's still #Fairfaxxxpic.twitter.com/P60v8POYwE  Asra Q. Nomani (@AsraNomani) September 24, 2021

Each committee will include two teachers, two parents, one school-based administrator, one member of the Equity and Cultural Responsiveness team, and two high school students. Each year, we identify potential committee members by working with our schools and regions. The committee members will be randomly selected from the list, though we will ensure that the students selected are 18 years of age given the concerns.

The controversy is the latest example of school boards facing pushback over some of the material taught to children in public schools. In nearby Loudoun County, Virginia, parents read aloud similar literature their high school children were exposed to in a high school English class at a school board meeting this past spring.

Earlier this month, Mayor Craig Shubert of Hudson, Ohio, called on the school board to resign or face criminal charges for allowing a book titled, 642 Things to Write About.

The book features sexually explicit writing prompts intended for use in a college-level English class taught in the districts high school. Like Langton and parents in Loudoun County, parents of students in the Hudson City School District read some of the sexually explicit writing prompts that children taking the class were asked to write about to the board.

Prompts students were asked to write about included instructions to explain a time when you wanted to orgasm but couldnt and write a sex scene you wouldnt show your mom.

Concerns about the kind of material children are exposed to in public schools have led to the foundation of several advocacy organizations, including Parents Defending Education and the 1776 Project PAC, which seeks to get school board people in there who can actually start reversing it.
Republicans introduce bill to protect religious beliefs of faith-based foster care providers

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

Congressional Republicans introduced legislation designed to protect faith-based foster care providers who seek to carry out their business practices in accordance with their religious beliefs on marriage and sexuality.

The Child Welfare Provider Inclusion Act, sponsored by Sen. John Kennedy, R-La. and Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., was introduced in the U.S. Senate Wednesday.

Rep. Mike Kelly, R-Pa., introduced a companion bill in the House of Representatives. The legislation comes at a time when faith-based foster care providers have faced lawsuits for refusing to place children with same-sex couples in light of their religious beliefs defining marriage as a union between one man and one woman.

As explained in a statement published by Kennedy's office on Wednesday, "The bill prohibits federal, state and local government agencies that receive federal adoption assistance funding from discriminating against child welfare service providers based on the providers' unwillingness to take action contrary to their sincerely held religious beliefs."

"This would include all agencies that receive funding under Part B (Child and Family Services) or Part E (Federal Payments for Foster Care, Prevention and Permanency) of Title IV of the Social Security Act."

Kennedy said that faith-based child welfare providers "are an essential part of caring for some of the most vulnerable children in our communities."

"I'm deeply saddened to see some government officials punish foster services for their sincere religious beliefs," the Louisiana lawmaker stated.

"That discrimination comes directly at the expense of boys and girls who are waiting for loving, healthy homes. No government agency that discriminates against people based on their faith  which goes against the interests of foster children  deserves taxpayer dollars," he added.

In a statement, Scott said that faith-based foster care providers support over 400,000 children in the U.S. foster care system.

"At a time when religious freedoms are under assault, the Child Welfare Provider Inclusion Act is a necessary protection for those who are living according to their convictions," Scott said. "I am grateful my colleagues are standing with me to protect this most fundamental right."

Kelly voiced disgust with the fact that some state and local governments are "requiring faith-based adoption agencies to choose between helping kids and violating their religious faith."

"This blatant attack on the First Amendment makes it even harder for children to find loving homes," he argued. "By passing this legislation, Congress can stand up for kids and defend religious liberty."

The introduction of the Child Welfare Provider Inclusion Act comes as a case involving faith-based adoption agencies is pending before the U.S. Supreme Court.

In 2018, the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania stopped placing children with foster parents affiliated with Catholic Social Services of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and Bethany Christian Services of Greater Delaware Valley because their policies would not allow children to be placed with same-sex couples.

Catholic Social Services argued that the city's action violated the Constitution. A federal appeals court sided with the city of Philadelphia, claiming that the First Amendment "does not prohibit government regulation of religiously motivated conduct so long as that regulation is not a veiled attempt to suppress disfavored religious beliefs." The Supreme Court is expected to make a decision on the case later this year.

The Senate bill has attracted 21 cosponsors, all of whom are Republicans. Meanwhile, eight Republicans have signed on as cosponsors in the House.

The Child Welfare Provider Inclusion Act was previously introduced in the 116th Congress but failed to gain traction in the Democrat-controlled House of Representatives.

While the Democrats have a reduced number of seats in the 117th Congress, the legislation will likely fail to pass again because of the Democrats' expected near-unanimous opposition to the bill, not to mention their control of the Senate and the White House.
Indian pastor, 4 others arrested on false charges of forced conversions

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

Police in northern Indias Uttar Pradesh state arrested a pastor and four other Christians under the anti-conversion law while they were holding a prayer meeting after members of a radical Hindu nationalist group disrupted the gathering and filed a false complaint.

Pastor Richard Benjamin and four believers, who attended the prayer meeting in a Christian's home in Faizabad districts Jharuva village, spent five days in jail before being released on bail on Sept. 14, the U.S.-based persecution watchdog International Christian Concern reported Sunday.

This is the third time I was put into jail in the last 10 years, the pastor was quoted as saying. The five days I spent in jail were difficult as we couldnt get enough food and the jailer gave us a lot of work. I fainted a couple of times due to the lack of food.

During the prayer meeting on Sept. 10, five activists from the radical Hindu nationalist group Bajrang Dal forced themselves into the house, claiming the Christians were forcibly converting people. They filed a police complaint leading to the arrest of the five.

Police officers initially wanted to release Pastor Benjamin and the four others, but local politicians pressured them to book the Christians under the states recently enacted anti-conversion law, sources told ICC.

ICC says it has documented at least 30 incidents of Christian persecution in Uttar Pradesh since the enactment of the anti-conversion law in December 2020.

The law, which presumes that Christian workers force or give financial benefits to Hindus to convert them to Christianity, states that no one is allowed to use the threat of divine displeasure, meaning Christians cannot talk about Heaven or Hell, as that would be seen as forcing someone to convert. And if snacks or meals are served to Hindus after an evangelistic meeting, that could be seen as inducement.

Christians make up about 2.5% of Indias population, while Hindus comprise 79.5%.

Several Indian states have similar anti-conversion laws. While some of these laws have been in place for decades in some states, no Christian has been convicted of forcibly converting anyone to Christianity. These laws, however, allow Hindu nationalist groups to make false charges against Christians and launch attacks on them under the pretext of the alleged forced conversion.

The ICC previously noted that Indias own population data proves that the conspiracy of mass conversions to Christianity is a false claim. In 1951, the first census after independence, Christians made up only 2.3% of Indias overall population. According to the 2011 census, the most recent census data available, Christians still only make up 2.3% of the population.

India ranks as the 10th worst country globally when it comes to Christian persecution, according to Open Doors USAs 2021 World Watch List. The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom has urged the U.S. State Department to label India as a country of particular concern for engaging in or tolerating severe religious freedom violations.

Open Doors USA warns that since the ruling Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party took power in 2014, persecution against Christians and other religious minorities has increased.

The group reports that Hindu radicals often attack Christians with little to no consequences.

Hindu extremists believe that all Indians should be Hindus and that the country should be rid of Christianity and Islam, an Open Doors fact sheet on India explains. They use extensive violence to achieve this goal, particularly targeting Christians from a Hindu background. Christians are accused of following a foreign faith and blamed for bad luck in their communities.
Texas sues Biden admin. over EEOC guidance on trans workplace discrimination

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

Texas has filed a lawsuit against the Biden administration over federal guidance that, among other things, demands that employers allow trans-identified workers to use the bathrooms of their preferred gender identity rather than their biological sex.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed the lawsuit last week against the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas, Amarillo Division.

The lawsuit argues that various provisions of a June 15 guidance are unlawful and misinterpret established federal civil rights laws and recent U.S. Supreme Court precedent.

"The June 15 Guidance makes several substantive changes including requirements that employers treat biological men as women  and biological women as men  when applying sex-specific policies or using sex-specific pronouns," stated the lawsuit.

"The June 15 Guidance did not articulate reasons that justify extending precedent governing federal employers to non-federal employers, whose liability is judged under a different standard."

In a statement, Paxton said that he believes states rather than the federal government "should be able to choose protection of privacy for their employers over subjective views of gender." He argued that "this illegal guidance puts many women and children at risk."

"If the Biden Administration thinks they can force states to comply with their political agenda, my office will fight against their radical attempt at social change," stated Paxton.

"These backdoor attempts to force businesses, including the State of Texas, to align with their beliefs is unacceptable."

To justify the new guidance, the EEOC cited the 2020 U.S. Supreme Court decision Bostock v. Clayton County. In that case, the nation's high court concluded that Title VII civil rights protections against sex discrimination applied to sexual orientation and gender identity, even though the law did not explicitly mention either category.

In a statement included with the announcement, EEOC Chair Charlotte A. Burrows called the Bostock decision "a historic milestone that resulted from the struggle, sacrifice, and vision of many brave LGBTQ+ individuals and allies who had championed civil rights for the LGBTQ+ communities."

"The new information will make it easier for people to understand their rights and responsibilities related to discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity," stated Burrows.

The announcement included a link to a technical assistance document that said employers had to allow trans-identified individuals use bathrooms of their preferred gender identity, could not require trans employees to adhere to a dress code consistent with their biological sex and that refusing to use a worker's preferred pronouns "could contribute to an unlawful hostile work environment."

In July, 21 state attorneys general, among them Paxton, sent a letter to President Joe Biden expressing opposition to the guidance, arguing that it threatened religious liberty and misinterpreted the Bostock ruling.

"The Court in Bostock narrowly addressed employment termination and explicitly refrained from addressing 'sex-segregated bathrooms, locker rooms, and dress codes," stated the letter.

"Similarly, Bostock did not provide any basis for a claim that using biologically accurate pronouns could violate the law. To the contrary, the First Amendment protects the right to ascribe pronouns to others based on their sex."
Evangelical foster agency can't refuse same-sex couples, UK appeals court rules

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

The Court of Appeal in England and Wales has ruled that an evangelical foster agency may not place foster children only in the homes of opposite-sex married couples.

Cornerstone (North East) Adoption and Fostering Service, also known as CornerstoneUK, plans to appeal last Friday's ruling holding that the group could limit families it works with to evangelical Christians but could not require that they be heterosexual married couples.

The three-justice panel of the Court of Appeal upheld a lower court ruling against Cornerstone. The Christian Institute has vowed to take the case to the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom.

"The difficulty with this logic is that it equates religious discrimination with sexual orientation discrimination in all circumstances when that is something that Parliament has not done," the ruling states.

"Parliament has, speaking broadly, chosen to give priority to religious faith in a private context but to give priority to sexual orientation where public services are concerned  always subject to considerations of proportionality in the individual case."

Simon Calvert of the Christian Institute, which is helping to represent Cornerstone, told The Christian Post on Monday via email that the Court of Appeal "wrongly concluded that" Cornerstone was "unlawfully discriminating on grounds of sexual orientation."

"The Courts incorrectly stated that Cornerstone recruits carers on behalf of local authorities and therefore cannot rely on equality law exceptions created for religious organisations," Calvert explained.

"These exceptions protect their ability to make distinctions on grounds of sexual orientation without falling foul of discrimination law. The crucial fact is that Cornerstone recruits carers on its own behalf, not on behalf of local authorities."

Calvert explained that it was "the placing of children which is done on behalf of local authorities." Therefore, "Cornerstone is free to rely on these exceptions which are vital to protecting its distinctively Christian mission."

In 2019, the government's Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills (OFSTED) issued a report on Cornerstone concluding that the evangelical agency was "inadequate" due to its policy of only placing children with opposite-sex married couples who agree to the organization's statement of faith.

According to OFSTED, this policy meant that Cornerstone was not compliant with the Equality Act of 2010 and the Human Rights Act of 1998.

Cornerstone disputed the designation, arguing that the charity qualified for exemptions under British law and that its refusal on religious grounds to place children with same-sex couples was justified.

In last Friday's ruling, the Court of Appeal maintained that if "Cornerstone's argument were correct, it could take advantage of the parts of the legislation that protect it and ignore the parts that protect others."

Cornerstone CEO Pam Birtle said in a statement released by The Christian Institute that while she was "disappointed" by the ruling, she believes her organization "won more than it had lost."

"Ofsted's attempt to tell us that we could not work exclusively with Christian carers was rejected by the High Court and has been even more firmly rejected by today's Court of Appeal ruling," stated Birtle.

"We are convinced that equality law protects our ability to operate in a distinctively evangelical way. For the law to do any less would be a breach of human rights and a denial of the values of a liberal democracy."

In the U.S., the Supreme Court ruled earlier this year that the city of Philadelphia could not exclude a Catholic charity from its foster care program because the group won't place children with same-sex couples.

Government fails to act neutrally when it proceeds in a manner intolerant of religious beliefs or restricts practices because of their religious nature, wrote Chief Justice John Roberts.

The refusal of Philadelphia to contract with CSS for the provision of foster care services unless it agrees to certify same-sex couples as foster parents cannot survive strict scrutiny, and violates the First Amendment.
2 Afghan refugees face federal charges after trying to rape child, strangle woman in Wisconsin: DOJ

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

Two Afghan men staying at the Fort McCoy U.S. Army base in Wisconsin after being evacuated from their country have been indicted by a federal grand jury on separate charges of forcibly engaging in a sexual act with children and assaulting spouse by strangling and suffocating her.

Bahrullah Noori, 20, is charged with attempting to engage in a sexual act with a minor using force against that person, and with three counts of engaging in a sexual act with a minor, with one count alleging the use of force, the Department of Justice said in a statement released Wednesday.

The indictment alleges that the victims had not attained the age of 16 years and were at least four years younger than the defendant, the statement continued.

The other Afghan refugee, identified as 32-year-old Mohammad Haroon Imaad, is charged with assaulting his spouse by strangling and suffocating her, it added.

The victim told investigators that Imaad threatened to send her back to Afghanistan where the Taliban could deal with her, the criminal complaint says, according to news station WISN.

The two men, who were brought to the U.S. after the Taliban took control of Afghanistan, were charged after investigations by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Fort McCoy Police Department, are being held at Dane County Jail.

If convicted, Noori faces a minimum of 30 years in prison and a maximum of life in federal prison, and Imaad faces a maximum of 10 years in prison.

The State Department had earlier sought urgent guidance from other U.S. government agencies after child brides were brought to Fort McCoy and other Afghan girls at a transit site in Abu Dhabi said they had been raped by older men they were forced to marry, The Associated Press reported at the time, citing officials and an internal document.

A situation report sent late last month to all U.S. embassies and consulates and to military command centers in Florida said some older Afghan men who were transported to Fort McCoy also claimed to have more than one wife.

Titled Afghanistan Task Force SitRep No. 63, the document stated: Intake staff at Fort McCoy reported multiple cases of minor females who presented as married to adult Afghan men, as well as polygamous families. Department of State has requested urgent guidance.

According to a diplomatic cable sent by U.S. officials in the U.A.E to Washington, many girls at the Humanitarian City in Abu Dhabi claimed they had been sexually assaulted by their husbands.

Among the thousands of Afghans whove arrived in the U.S., some 10,000 were flagged for additional security screening, and of those 100 were flagged for possible ties to the Taliban or terror groups, sources with knowledge of the evacuation process told NBC News.
FaithMeet, social media platform with solely Christian content, will launch in 2022

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

FaithMeet, a new Christian social networking platform, is slated for launch in 2022 and will allow users worldwide to connect with faith-based Christian content in just a few clicks.

The creator and founder of the FaithMeet platform, Godwin Rose Samuel, told The Christian Post that although platforms like Instagram, Facebook, Twitter provide some Christian content, it's often not enough.

He created FaithMeet in 2021 as a way to give Christians access to a virtual space for only faith-based, Christian content without any "secular distractions."

"Christians have to spend long amounts of time sifting through other non-Christian and secular content to find the Christian content on these other apps," Samuel said. "The Christian content is often not even God-centered because it distracts from the focus of the Jesus-focused gospels. Whenever I would search social media apps for Christian content, it was always a struggle to find quality content. So, I created my app that will contain mostly everything that these other apps have, but it will be diluted in faith, which I think will help Christians to focus on God more."

Samuel said that although he made the platform with Christians in mind, he hopes it will be a platform for non-Christians to be introduced to Christianity.

On FaithMeet, Christians and people of all faith backgrounds will be able to post about Christianity and will have access to Christian-based posts, pictures, videos, music and worship content.

Christians will have the ability to give donations, offerings and tithes to ministries and various churches of their choice. There will also be a chatting feature to allow people to communicate with one another on the platform and spread the Word of God.

"I wanted to live out the faith by creating this social networking platform. I wanted to inspire those who don't know the Lord while even helping those who are already Christians to keep their eyes on the Lord and not on lusting and coveting over secular content," Samuel added.

"Other non-Christian content always pops up on these other apps. And currently, we are combining Facebook, YouTube and Instagram because we have posts, videos and pictures. So now, people don't have to go to these other platforms. It's all in one place."

FaithMeet will have a set of community standards and guidelines that aim to keep all content "appropriate" and "God-centered," according to Samuel. A team will monitor content and remove any posts deemed "inappropriate" or "non-Christian."

"The platform team will keep it faith-based by being an extra set of eyes," Samuel explained.

FaithMeet was initially called "Rovinsa," but the name changed over time as the platform was developed. The platform was created with the hope of combining religion, the Gospel and technology in one place. To achieve this goal, FaithMeet will offer digital interactions as a major component by providing fast responses for prayer requests, real-time updates of events, activities and announcements from churches around the world.

Samuel said that through FaithMeet, he hopes to help Christians form an online community.

"They can meet each other and glorify God through the app. I think this will help people move away from porn and other secular things that negatively influence the youth," Samuel said.

FaithMeet is not the first social media platform aimed at attracting Christians. The Chrisitan Post has reported on other platforms that have provided an alternative for Christians and conservatives, including Social Cross, Instant Christ and USA.Life.
Email Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

Revelations of radical activism by a teacher in California with an Antifa flag in his classroom and marking students papers using stamps with images of communist leaders roiled Sacramento area parents. In a shocking and at times profane 12-minute video, Inderkum High School AP Government teacher Gabriel Gipe explained that he has 180 days to turn [students] into revolutionaries.



When a student anonymously complained about the Antifa flag in his classroom, Comrade Gipe admonished his students by explaining that the flag is meant to make fascists feel uncomfortable, so if you feel uncomfortable, I dont really know what to tell you. Maybe you shouldnt be aligning with the values that this [Antifa flag] is antithetical to.

While this example is shocking, it comes as no surprise. As we outline in our new publication, A Concerned Citizens Guide to Engaging with Public Schools, civics and history as academic subjects are under assault by left-wing political operations that masquerade as education policy organizations. Progressive thinking is so pervasive in our nations colleges and universities that it has seeped down to our elementary, middle, and high schools. Programs and resources like the Southern Poverty Law Centers Teaching Tolerance/Learning for Justice, the New York Times and Pulitzer Centers 1619 Project, Black Lives Matter at School, and the Zinn Project are far too ideological to be used as resources in public schools.

And yet, it is much easier to find those materials in your local public school than it is to find resources that honor Americas founding documents, our nations founders, and the important rights guaranteed by the First Amendment, including religious freedom. Programs like 1776 Unites (a project of the Woodson Center), the Hillsdale 1776 Curriculum, and the Bill of Rights Institute provide resources that educate students about the promise of America without ignoring difficult topics like slavery and segregation.

As we documented in our publication The SPLCs Teaching Tolerance, an organized incursion into schools has been underway for decades. Efforts to influence and indoctrinate future teachers during their college years seem to be paying off for progressives. This is why parents and concerned citizens must act to engage public school systems to demand accountability and educational excellence  without political agendas.



Radical progressive ideology has become so normalized in educational spaces that extreme content is no longer recognized as controversial. Teachers like Comrade Gipe can harangue students and turn them into political agitators, and it all seems completely normal to his coworkers and students. Clearly, Christian witness is needed urgently in our nations schools.

Pray about this and prepare to engage. Discuss these issues with your family and friends. Be unafraid to share the solutions to these problems that Christs love and the gospels offer. If you are a parent, meet each of your childrens teachers and make sure your children talk to you about their assignments and school activities. For those able to be more engaged, attend local school board meetings and take notes. Run for your local school board so that common sense can prevail over the one-sided thinking in place now.



We live in the greatest nation on earth, the beacon of hope for the world. Lets make Americas school systems as exceptional as our nation. Our children, entrusted to us by God, deserve our very best.

Originally published at the Family Research Council.
London street preacher alleges 14 police officers confronted him for 'homophobic language'

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

A West London street preacher alleges 14 police officers confronted him on Aug. 20 while preaching in Uxbridge because they claimed to have received multiple complaints from pedestrians about "homophobic language."

Rev. Peter Simpson, the minister of Penn Free Methodist Church, Buckinghamshire, wrote a post published by The Conservative Woman blog this week in which he said that the officers approached him on High Street to ask him to stop preaching.

The encounter happened after he finished sharing for about 20 minutes aloud in the streets about the "immorality of abortion" and about "the biblical teaching that marriage can be only between one man and one woman."

Simpson said he shared Bible texts in the neighborhood where he stood, which included the verse in Romans 3:23: "All have sinned and come short of the glory of God." He also referred to "the sinful hearts of all men."

"I made a brief reference," he said, alleging that what started as two cops became 14 who approached him. "[They] came up to me and said that 'multiple complaints' had been received about 'hate speech.'"

Simpson claimed that the police officers gave him the impression that he would be arrested if he refused to stop preaching and remove himself from the premises.

"I reluctantly complied," Simson said. "I suggested to one of the officers that they were acting as judge and jury, rather than trying to make inquiries."

A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police Service said in a statement that officers "received complaints that a man preaching at the location was using homophobic language."

"Officers attended, spoke to the man and gave words of advice," the spokesperson told Christian Today. "No arrests were made."

Simpson was reportedly present when Met officers also arrested another street preacher, Rev. John Sherwood, in April for preaching outside of the Uxbridge subway station on the topic of Genesis 1.

Sherwood allegedly said God designed families to have a mother and a father, not two of the same gender.

"I responded that the police would have no objection whatsoever to a Pride parade being held in Uxbridge, yet that would be highly offensive to Bible-believing Christians," Simpson wrote in a blog for The Conservative Woman. "The officer did not appear to appreciate the logic behind this argument."

Sherwood's arrest transpired on suspicion of an offense under Section 5 of the Public Order Act for "allegedly making homophobic comments," according to the Met.

Sherwood's case was later sent to Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) after being released with no charge following an overnight stay in a police station.

The Christian Legal Centre is representing Sherwood, and the CPS has until October to decide if he will be prosecuted or not. The legal center has reported that the decision will be released soon.

There have been other reported cases of Christian preachers being confronted in England.

Christian preacher and lay minister Mike Overd was confronted by police from Avon and Somerset in April. He is believed to be the first Christian preacher to be prosecuted for violating COVID-19 regulations banning outdoor gatherings.

In defense of Overd, the Christian Legal Centre said the preacher was carrying out his work as a minister by "offering pastoral support" for those struggling during the pandemic while remaining separated from pedestrians by over 2 yards (2 meters).

Overd was also asked to leave the premises for his preaching and was fined $83 (60).

Crown Prosecution Service later dropped Overd's case.

On July 22, Ryan Schiavo, who identifies as an "evangelist and missionary," was arrested in London for preaching that "homosexuality is a sin."

"I was preaching the Gospel on the streets as I frequently do, but it was about a 30-minute message, and in the course of a long message I can touch on many topics that I believe are pertinent," he told The Christian Post in an interview. "At one point, I talked about the issue of homosexuality and transgenderism. I said that homosexuality is a sin; I talk about how it's destructive, and the damage the transgender agenda is doing to children right now in the schools because it's being pushed on children at a very young age here."

He also told CP that he preached in the streets the message that "the churches that have rainbow flags on them" were "not real churches."

Schiavo was arrested and given a mental health evaluation. He was later released.
Italian priest accused of stealing nearly $120K from church to buy drugs for sex parties

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

An Italian priest has been put under house arrest amid accusations that he stole nearly $120,000 from a church to pay for drugs that were used at sex parties, which he allegedly hosted.

Father Francesco Spagnesi, who had been the priest at Annunciation parish in Prato before recently being put on sabbatical amid the accusations, was placed under house arrest earlier this month.

His arrest came after Prato authorities discovered ties between Spagnesi and Alessio Regina, the latter having been found to possess a performance-enhancing drug often used as a date rape drug.

According to police investigations, the GBL [gamma butyrolactone] was ordered online and imported from the Netherlands, and an undisclosed amount of cocaine was obtained through local suppliers, reported the Catholic news website CRUX Now.

The British National Health Service describes GBL as being similar to GHB in that both are "depressant drugs which can produce a high with small doses, and cause sedation with only slightly higher doses. People report that G makes them feel euphoric, with a loss of inhibitions, increased confidence, and a higher sex drive."

Some 200 people have been linked to the case, including some professional criminals. So far, 15 people have admitted to taking part in the Prato parties.

Prato Bishop Giovanni Nerbini released a brief video message in response to the news, expressing great sorrow and promising full collaboration in the investigation.

Nerbini explained that while Spagnesi had previously admitted to him that he struggled with drug addiction, the bishop was unaware of the extent of the priests alleged actions.

At the beginning, the problem wasnt at all clear, stated Nerbini, as quoted by CRUX. When the problems that Spagnesi had become clear, I imposed psychotherapeutic treatment.

I thought I was applying, together with a service to the truth and to justice, a service to charity. In my heart, I wanted to save the person.

Authorities believe that Spagnesi might have stolen the money from his church to pay for the drugs, and that he used gay hookup sites to invite people to the sex parties, according to the New York Daily News.

Earlier this year, when the parish accountant discovered Spagnesi had stolen $117,175 (100,000) from the church, the priest initially claimed it was for charitable purposes.

The cocaine vortex swallowed me, Spagnesi told local media, as quoted by the NY Daily News. The drug made me betray my parishioners, it made me tell lies, it made me take actions that I am ashamed of.
Turkey forcing religious minorities to join propaganda campaigns to 'whitewash' regime's intolerance

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

Religious freedom advocates have warned that Turkey is embarking on a propaganda campaign of whitewashing its treatment of religious minorities, and urged the U.S. State Department to designate Turkey as a country of particular concern.

At the In Defense of Christians National Summit, held in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, Aykan Erdemir, senior director of the Turkey Program at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, discussed the latest trends concerning the persecution of ethnic and religious minorities in Turkey. He alleged that the regime of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is forcing religious minorities to participate in a propaganda campaign designed to paint a picture of a tolerant government to the rest of the world.

We are transitioning to an era of captured communities, he said. I characterize what came before as excluded communities, discriminated against communities, targeted communities, but captured communities, in my mind, represents a more advanced form of discrimination and subjugation in that these communities are not asked to be active agents in their own subjugation and accomplices in the whitewashing of the Erdogan regimes atrocities.

Erdemir added, The leadership, both religious and lay leadership of Turkeys non-Muslim communities, are now expected to be willing and able players in whitewashing the regimes persecution and crimes. He cited examples of the coercion religious minorities in Turkey face, including being forced to attend ceremonies or sign statements or play props in various window dressing attempts to show that the Erdogan government is tolerant, benevolent and embracing of minorities.

This could simply be a letter forced on Turkeys religious minorities where they state that there is no pressure on religious minorities in Turkey.  This could be a letter for them to express their support of Turkish cross-border military operations in Northern Syria.

Erdemir highlighted another cause of concern for western governments and religious freedom advocates: There is a flourishing of museums, churches and synagogues that do not serve as worship halls, as houses of worship, but as tourism spectacles, as museums that the government restores and manages and then maybe one day a year allows religious ceremonies but uses  365 days a year to showcase the governments tolerance and benevolence as talking points, as props, as window dressing.

After urging the U.S. and other Western governments to not partake in such whitewashing ceremonies at such sites and give legitimacy and credibility to the Erdogan governments stunts, Erdemir called on the State Department to designate Turkey as a country of particular concern.

The State Department assigns the CPC label to nations engaged in severe violations of religious freedom under the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998.

According to the State Department, the 1998 law defines severe violations of religious freedom as systematic, ongoing, egregious violations of religious freedom, including violations such as torture, degrading treatment or punishment, prolonged detention without charges, abduction or clandestine detention, or other flagrant denial of the right to life, liberty, or the security of persons.

Erdemir contended that Erdogans conversion of a revered Christian landmark, the Hagia Sophia, into a mosque merited Turkeys designation as a CPC.

The Erdogan government needs to end state-sponsored and sanctioned propagation of hate and conspiracies against religious minorities, which make them victims of hate crimes and hate speech and which then make even more reliant on the benevolence and the good graces of the Erdogan government for protection, he proclaimed.

Another member of the panel, Amy Austin Holmes of the Council on Foreign Relations, explained how a Christian who remained behind to protect his familys land while the rest of the family fled the Turkish-occupied Syrian city Ras al-Ayn was pressured to take part in a propaganda campaign.

Holmes detailed that one day, Turkish-backed militias came to him and said that they wanted him to participate in essentially a propaganda video  to show look, theres a Christian whos still in Ras al-Ayn and to make a video about it to try to convince the world that things werent that bad in Ras al-Ayn and there is, in fact, at least this one Christian whos still there.

While the man initially agreed to comply with the militias request and said he would do the video the following day, he ended up escaping that night rather than participate in the campaign. Holmes reported that the aforementioned situation is not a unique phenomenon.

Holmes asserted that many religious and ethnic minorities have fled the area. As they left their properties behind, the Turkish-backed militias have appropriated their [properties] and enriched themselves from the homes that have been left empty. She called on the U.S. to ensure that it is possible for everyone who fled from these areas to return, to regain their property, to receive compensation for the property that was stolen or damaged.

Describing them as dominated subjects of a sectarian and unequal regime and de jure and de facto subjugated slaves or subjects, Erdemir elaborated on the impact of religious minorities fleeing Turkey: Turkeys Greek Orthodox are now less than 2,000, possibly closer to 1,500, almost all above 60 years of age.

Turkeys Jewish community is now below 17,000. So minorities are going extinct in Turkey.
UK High Court upholds law allowing Down syndrome abortions after 24 weeks

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

A high court in the United Kingdom has ruled against a challenge by a political activist with Down syndrome to overturn the country's laws permitting late-term abortions based on disability.

Two justices representing the High Court of Justice, Queen's Bench Division issued a ruling on Thursday upholding the legality of terminating pregnancies after 24 weeks if the child is at risk of being born with a "serious handicap." The justices rejected the claim that the law violates international human rights law.

"The fundamental difficulty  is that the European Court has never decided that a foetus, even one post-viability, is the bearer of Convention rights," concluded the High Court.

"The fact that both domestic legislation and courts, and the European Court itself, have recognised that there may be circumstances in which the foetus has interests which the State is entitled to protect does not lead to the proposition that it enjoys rights under Article 2."

Last year, Heidi Crowter filed a lawsuit against the U.K. National Health Service for allowing the abortion of babies up to birth if they're diagnosed as having Down syndrome.

Crowter and two other plaintiffs argued that the abortion law violated the European Convention on Human Rights, especially Article 2, which declares that "Everyone's right to life shall be protected by law."

The justices reasoned that the issues brought in the lawsuit are "highly sensitive and sometimes controversial" because they "generate strong feelings, on all sides of the debate, including sincere differences of view about ethical and religious matters."

"This Court cannot enter into those controversies," the ruling states. "[I]t must decide the case only in accordance with the law."

The justices further argued that some families are not capable of caring for children with severe disabilities.

"[T]he ability of families to provide a disabled child with a nurturing and supportive environment will vary significantly," they stated, adding that banning such abortions would compel women "by the fear of the criminal law to give birth to children who will not be loved or wanted."

After the court's decision was released, Crowter called it a "sad day" but said she intends to continue the legal fight against the abortion law.

"The judges might not think it discriminates against me, the government might not think it discriminates against me, but I'm telling you that I do feel discriminated against," she said in a statement.

At issue was the Abortion Act of 1967, which largely restricts abortions after 24 weeks into a pregnancy but allows them if an unborn child has a "substantial risk" of being "seriously handicapped."

"The current law is unfair. It makes me feel like I shouldn't exist, and that I'd be better off dead in the eyes of the law," Crowter told The Sunday Telegraph last year.

"The policy basically says that it's normal for a baby with Down's syndrome to be terminated right up until birth  I feel amazing knowing that the case is going to be heard in the High Court."

Last October, Crowter was joined in filing the legal complaint by Maire Lea-Wilson, the mother of a child with Down syndrome and the child, identified only as "A" in legal documents.

"Today's High Court judgement effectively says that my two sons are not viewed as equals in the eyes of the law and I am incredibly sad and disappointed that the court has chosen not to recognise the value and worth of people with Down syndrome, like my son Aidan," Lea-Wilson said in a statement.

Arguments in the case were heard in July before Lord Justice Rabinder Singh and Justice Nathalie Lieven of the High Court.

Paul Conrathe, the lawyer representing the plaintiffs, said that his clients will seek permission to appeal to the Court of Appeal.

"The judgement fails to recognise the damaging impact U.K. abortion legislation has upon the mental health and wellbeing of people with downs syndrome," he said in a statement shared by the advocacy organization Don't Screen Us Out. "By allowing babies with Downs Syndrome to be aborted up to birth, unlike neurotypical babies, the law sends a powerful message that the lives of people with Downs Syndrome are of lesser value."
Religious freedom advocates have warned that Turkey is embarking on a propaganda campaign of "whitewashing" its treatment of religious minorities, and urged the U.S. State Department to designate Turkey as a country of particular concern.

At the In Defense of Christians National Summit, held in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, Aykan Erdemir, senior director of the Turkey Program at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, discussed the latest trends concerning the persecution of ethnic and religious minorities in Turkey.

He alleged that the regime of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is forcing religious minorities to participate in a propaganda campaign designed to paint a picture of a tolerant government to the rest of the world.

Erdemir said, "The leadership, both religious and lay leadership of Turkey's non-Muslim communities, are now expected to be willing and able players in whitewashing the regime's persecution and crimes."

He cited examples of the coercion religious minorities in Turkey face, including being forced to "attend ceremonies or sign statements or play props in various window dressing attempts to show that the Erdogan government is tolerant, benevolent and embracing of minorities."

"This could simply be a letter forced on Turkey's religious minorities where they state that there is no pressure on religious minorities in Turkey. ... This could be a letter for them to express their support of Turkish cross-border military operations in Northern Syria."

Erdemir highlighted another cause of concern for western governments and religious freedom advocates: "There is a flourishing of museums, churches and synagogues that do not serve as worship halls, as houses of worship, but as tourism spectacles, as museums that the government restores and manages and then maybe one day a year allows religious ceremonies but uses ... 365 days a year to showcase the government's tolerance and benevolence as talking points, as props, as window dressing."

After urging the U.S. and other Western governments to "not partake in such whitewashing ceremonies at such sites and give legitimacy and credibility to the Erdogan government's stunts," Erdemir called on the State Department to designate Turkey as a "country of particular concern."

The State Department assigns the CPC label to nations engaged in "severe violations of religious freedom" under the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998.

According to the State Department, the 1998 law defines "severe violations of religious freedom as systematic, ongoing, egregious violations of religious freedom, including violations such as torture, degrading treatment or punishment, prolonged detention without charges, abduction or clandestine detention, or other flagrant denial of the right to life, liberty, or the security of persons."

Erdemir contended that Erdogan's conversion of a revered Christian landmark, the Hagia Sophia, into a mosque merited Turkey's designation as a CPC.

"The Erdogan government needs to end state-sponsored and sanctioned propagation of hate and conspiracies against religious minorities, which make them victims of hate crimes and hate speech and which then make even more reliant on the benevolence and the good graces of the Erdogan government for protection," he proclaimed.

Another member of the panel, Amy Austin Holmes of the Council on Foreign Relations, explained how a Christian who remained behind to protect his family's land while the rest of the family fled the Turkish-occupied Syrian city Ras al-Ayn was pressured to take part in a propaganda campaign.

Holmes detailed that one day, Turkish-backed militias "came to him and said that they wanted him to participate in essentially a propaganda video ... to show 'look, there's a Christian who's still in Ras al-Ayn' and to make a video about it to try to convince the world that things weren't that bad in Ras al-Ayn and there is, in fact, at least this one Christian who's still there."

While the man initially agreed to comply with the militia's request and said he would do the video the following day, he ended up escaping that night rather than participate in the campaign. Holmes reported that the aforementioned situation is not a unique phenomenon.

Holmes asserted that many religious and ethnic minorities have fled the area. As they left their properties behind, "the Turkish-backed militias have appropriated their [properties] and enriched themselves from the homes that have been left empty." She called on the U.S. to "ensure that it is possible for everyone who fled from these areas to return, to regain their property, to receive compensation for the property that was stolen or damaged."

Describing them as "dominated subjects of a sectarian and unequal regime" and "de jure and de facto subjugated slaves or subjects," Erdemir elaborated on the impact of religious minorities fleeing Turkey: "Turkey's Greek Orthodox are now less than 2,000, possibly closer to 1,500, almost all above 60 years of age."

"Turkey's Jewish community is now below 17,000. So minorities are going extinct in Turkey."

Courtesy of The Christian Post
Natural gas prices have been rising this year. The reason, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) is a warmer-than-usual summer that boosted electricity consumption for air conditioning, increased liquid natural gas (LNG) exports and flat production, which in combination led to a lower inventory build for the winter. The fact that hurricane Ida disrupted production in August also didnt help.

The other contributing factor was that natural gas prices typically rise in times of economic expansion, because of its use in the commercial sector, as well as processing in several industrial segments like chemicals, fertilizers, paper and glass. And we know how rapidly the economy has turned around.

Its now expected that prices will remain elevated through the winter because of the low inventories and increased demand from consumer, commercial and industrial users. And that is despite electric power consumption dropping an estimated 8.3% this year as the sector shifts some consumption to coal (the usual fallback when prices continue to rise). The electric power sector is the largest end-use case for natural gas, and its highly sensitive to prices. Less elastic demand comes from things like lease and plant fuel, pipeline and distribution use, and vehicle use and these segments are likely to see steady growth through 2022.

The EIA estimates that despite increased production, natural gas inventories will be 5% below the 5-year average at the end of the 2021 injection season (October-end). Next year, demand from electricity suppliers will fall further, as additional clean energy sources come online.

Important Numbers

Henry Hub spot prices in August were $1.77 per million British thermal units (MMBtu) higher than in August 2020.

U.S. consumption of natural gas will average 82.5 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) in 2021, down 0.9% from 2020, remaining more or less steady at 82.6 Bcf/d in 2022.

Residential and commercial natural gas consumption combined will rise by 1.2 Bcf/d, industrial consumption will rise by 0.6 Bcf/d and the electric power sectors consumption will drop by 2.7 Bcf/d, or 8.3% in 2021.

Dry natural gas production will average 92.7 Bcf/d in the U.S. during 2H21up from 91.7 Bcf/d in 1H21and then rise to 95.4 Bcf/d in 2022.

U.S. natural gas inventories ended August 2021 at about 2.9 trillion cubic feet (Tcf); inventories will end the 2021 injection season (end of October) at almost 3.6 Tcf, which would be 5% below the five-year average.

LNG Exports

Since the U.S. is more or less replete in natural gas resource, the domestic market is well-developed with consumption balancing production more often than not, leading to low and steady prices. But the last few years have seen increased recognition across the world of LNG as a clean fuel and countries like China have made it part of their clean energy strategy. The high demand in Europe and Asia has sent global prices soaring, which in turn has encouraged U.S. manufacturers to export. The expansion of the domestic LNG market is changing the operating dynamics with the potential for prices to rise and stay higher in the future (because of increased international demand).

Most players are involved in both natural gas and crude operations, although theres an increased focus on natural gas of late.

Lets consider a few cases-

Cheniere Energy, Inc. LNG

Houston, TX-based Cheniere Energy Cheniere Energy is an energy infrastructure company engaged in the liquefied natural gas (LNG) related businesses in the United States. It owns and operates the Sabine Pass LNG terminal in Cameron Parish, Louisiana; and the Corpus Christi LNG terminal near Corpus Christi, Texas. The company also owns Creole Trail pipeline, a 94-mile pipeline interconnecting the Sabine Pass LNG terminal with various interstate pipelines; and operates Corpus Christi pipeline, a 23-mile natural gas supply pipeline that interconnects the Corpus Christi LNG terminal with various interstate and intrastate natural gas pipelines. It is also involved in the LNG and natural gas marketing business.

Cheniere Energy intends to construct up to six liquefaction units (trains) at Sabine Pass with each train expected to have a capacity of about 4.5 million tons per annum. Trains 1,2,3,4 and 5 are functional and Train 6 is in early commissioning with estimated completion in the first quarter of 2022.

The company also has a liquefaction and export terminal in Corpus Christi, TX, where trains 1, 2 and 3 were completed ahead of schedule and within budget to produce around 5 million tons per annum (mtpa) of LNG. Two of these are currently operational while a fourth one is under construction. The facilitys two berths have the capacity to receive the Q-Max (the worlds largest LNG carrier), which is 344.4 meters long with a 266,000 cubic meter cargo capacity.

Additionally, Cheniere intends to develop seven midscale liquefaction trains adjacent to the Corpus Christi Liquefaction facility (CCL) that would add approximately 10 mtpa of additional aggregate production capacity. This will increase CCLs total nominal capacity to approximately 25 mtpa.

Global LNG demand is likely to continue growing for the next few years. Cheniere Energy, the U.S.s only listed LNG export pure play, foresees the fundamentals of LNG to be favorable in the long run, considering the secular shift to the cleaner burning fuel for power generation worldwide.

The increasing demand for gas in the European power sector will be a key factor driving near-term LNG supply, as extremely high demand stemming from a colder-than-usual spring and limited wind energy has depleted inventories. Europe is the second biggest market for Cheniere so far this year (35% share), the largest being Asia (45% share), particularly China and South Korea. An early start to the summer, a surge in economic recovery and industrial activity in China, along with heavy nuclear maintenance in Korea is driving demand in the region.

Being in the expansion phase of a capital-intensive business isnt easy and the company has acquired a significant amount of debt. At the same time, its long-term contracts ensure steady cash flow and provide excellent visibility into the future.

Its therefore particularly encouraging that Chenieres expected earnings growth of 976.5% this year and 119.7% next year are significantly higher than its expected revenue growth of 46.4% and 13.6%. After a correction 30 days ago, its estimates are again on the rise.

The shares carry a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) and at 16.8X P/E, theyre trading below their median level over the past year. Definitely worth considering.

Range Resources Corporation RRC

Based in Fort Worth, TX, Range Resources Corporation is an independent oil and gas company engaged in the exploration, development and acquisition of oil and gas properties, primarily in the Appalachian Basin and North Louisiana. It is among the top 10 natural gas producers in the U.S. and is among the top NGL producers in the domestic market.

The Appalachian Basin incorporates prolific acreages in Marcellus, Utica and Upper Devonian shale formations. In the Marcellus formation of the basin, it has a multi-decade inventory of premium drilling locations. Of the 3,100 undrilled wells in the region, 2,600 wells are liquids-rich and the rest have a natural gas predominance. Following the merger with Memorial Resource Development Corporation a few years back, Range Resources created a core acreage position in North Louisiana comprising 140,000 net acers with multiple formations of productive oil and natural gas.

The company primarily sells its produced natural gas to midstream firms, utilities, marketing companies and industrial users. It also sells natural gas liquids (NGLs) and crude oil.

As of Dec 31, 2020, total proved reserves were 17.2 trillion cubic feet equivalent (Tcfe), almost flat year over year. Around 95% of the companys total proved reserves are located in the Marcellus region. Of the total proved reserves, roughly 57% was developed.

Despite its considerable liquid resources, the company has been focusing on natural gas production because of growing global demand for clean energy. In 2020, its total production averaged 2.23 million cubic feet equivalent per day, of which 69.4% was natural gas. A similar trend is seen this year.

Range Resources revenue is expected to grow 38.9% in 2021 and 3.6% in 2022. Earnings are expected to increase 2000% and 45.5%, respectively in the two years. Estimates for both years have been rising steadily: the 2021 estimate increased 47.4% in the last 90 days while the 2022 estimate increased 93.0%.

The shares carry a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). At 8.9X P/E, theyre trading below their median level over the past year, making them really cheap at these levels.

Continental Resources, Inc. CLR

Oklahoma City, OK-based Continental Resources is an explorer and producer of oil and natural gas. The company operates premium resources in the North Dakota Bakken and Montana Bakken (among the countrys largest onshore oilfields) in northern U.S., the SCOOP and STACK plays of Oklahoma in southern U.S. and undeveloped leasehold acreage in eastern U.S. It also has strategic water assets in Bakken and Oklahoma.

Given its presence in prolific regions, the company expects oil equivalent production growth of 8-10% CAGR from 2019 to 2023 which is expected to translate to average annual free cash flow of $3.5-$4 billion over the five-year period.

At the end of 2020, the companys estimated proved reserves were 1,103.8 MMBoe. During 2020, the company produced 300,090 barrels of oil equivalent per day (Boe/d), lower than 340,395 Boe/d in the year-ago quarter. Of the total production, oil accounted for nearly 58.2%.

The companys 2021 revenue and earnings are currently expected to grow 101.9% and 436.8%, respectively. While analysts still expect 2022 growth to be negative, estimates for both years continue to increase substantially (from $2.49 to $3.94 in 2021 and from $2.14 to $3.68 in 2022). The stronger pricing this year is clearly driving the numbers.

The shares of this Zacks Rank #1 company are currently trading at a P/S of 3.1X, which is between their median and high values over the past year, although much lower than the S&P 500. While not cheap, they cant be considered expensive either.

Goodrich Petroleum Corporation GDP

Houston, Texas-based Goodrich Petroleum Corporation is an exploration and production company. It primarily holds interests in the Haynesville Shale Trend in northwest Louisiana and East Texas; Tuscaloosa Marine Shale Trend located in southwest Mississippi and southeast Louisiana; and the Eagle Ford Shale Trend in South Texas. The company owns interests in 189 producing oil and natural gas wells located in 37 fields in six states of the United States.

As of December 31, 2020, it had estimated proved reserves of approximately 543 billion cubic feet equivalent, which included 540 billion cubic feet of natural gas and 0.5 million barrels of crude oil or other liquid hydrocarbons of oil and condensate.

The companys revenues are expected to grow 60.5% this year and another 22.4% in the next. Its earnings are expected to grow 1676.2% this year followed by 25.3% growth in the next. Estimates for both years are galloping ahead. In the past 90 days, theyve gone from $2.17 to 3.73 for 2021 and from 2.74 to 4.67 for 2022.

Shares of this Zacks rank #1 stock currently trade at 4.8X P/E, which is below their median level over the past year and of course much lower than the S&P. Theyre a steal at these levels.

Magnolia Oil & Gas Corp MGY

Magnolia Oil & Gas is an independent upstream operator engaged in the exploration, development and production of natural gas, crude oil and natural gas liquids. Headquartered in Houston, TX, the firm is focused on the high-quality Eagle Ford Shale and Austin Chalk formations in South Texas.

In South Texas, Magnolias position consists of more than 460,000 net acres, of which around 23,500 net acres are located in the highly productive Karnes County and nearly 440,000 net acres in the re-emerging Giddings Field.

At Dec 31, 2020, Magnolia's total estimated proved reserves were 49.3 million barrels ((MMBbls) of oil, 28.5 MMBbls of natural gas liquids (NGL) and 207.6 billion cubic feet (Bcf) of natural gas, totaling 112.3 million barrels of oil-equivalent (MMboe)  69% liquids, 76% developed.

The company focuses on growth through a combination of acquisitions and active drilling. Since its inception in 2018, Magnolia has spent around 60% of operating cash flow on capital expenditures, 26% on acquisitions, 8% on stock buybacks, while preserving the remaining 6% as cash. In particular, Magnolia is focused on returning significant cash to its shareholders: it aims to repurchase 1% of its total scrips outstanding each quarter and introduce a semi-annual cash dividend in 2021.

Given the COVID-related disruption in 2020, its understandable that revenue and earnings are expected to jump 88.7% and 10050% this year. But the fact that it is on track to deliver 6.7% revenue growth and flattish earnings growth next year is particularly encouraging.

The Zacks rank #1 stock is trading cheap at 8.4X earnings (below median level of 11.8X over the past year).



Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

This article was re-issued to correct a mistake.

Zacks Names "Single Best Pick to Double"

From thousands of stocks, 5 Zacks experts each have chosen their favorite to skyrocket +100% or more in months to come. From those 5, Director of Research Sheraz Mian hand-picks one to have the most explosive upside of all.

You know this company from its past glory days, but few would expect that it's poised for a monster turnaround. Fresh from a successful repositioning and flush with A-list celeb endorsements, it could rival or surpass other recent Zacks' Stocks Set to Double like Boston Beer Company which shot up +143.0% in a little more than 9 months and Nvidia which boomed +175.9% in one year.

Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report



Range Resources Corporation (RRC): Free Stock Analysis Report



Cheniere Energy, Inc. (LNG): Free Stock Analysis Report



Continental Resources, Inc. (CLR): Free Stock Analysis Report



Goodrich Petroleum Corporation (GDP): Free Stock Analysis Report



Magnolia Oil & Gas Corp (MGY): Free Stock Analysis Report



To read this article on Zacks.com click here.



Zacks Investment Research

Copyright 2021 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved
Royal Dutch Shell plc ( RDS.A ) recently concluded the sale of its upstream assets in Egypt's Western Desert for $926 million to a consortium made up of subsidiaries of Cheiron Petroleum Corp. and Cairn Energy PLC CRNCY.

The contract announced in March was set at a base price of $646 million along with additional payments of around $280 million between 2021 and 2024, depending on the price of crude oil and exploration results. The agreement comprising Shell Egypts interest in 13 inland concessions and its share in the Badr El-Din Petroleum Company (BAPETCO) was completed after fulfilling all government consents and pending approvals.

Shell and Egypt will benefit from the agreement. Shell will be able to focus on offshore exploration and the integration of its value chain in Egypt, which comprises seven additional blocks in the Nile Delta, West Mediterranean, and the Red Sea. Further, it will enable Egypt in realizing the full potential of its onshore assets through fresh investment, ensuring energy and revenue security for the foreseeable future.

This transaction aligns with Shell's worldwide attempt to improve its exploration and production portfolio to become more concentrated, flexible, and competitive, and to play an important part in its "Advance Progress" strategy.

Shell has been active in Egypt for 110 years and is one of the few integrated energy corporations with a presence throughout the integrated value chain. The company's position in the midstream sector is maintained through its Egyptian LNG joint venture, while its downstream presence is maintained through Shell Lubricants Egypt.

Also, recently, Shell announced an agreement to sell all its assets in the Permian, the most prolific basin in the United States, to its competitor ConocoPhillips COP. The cash transaction is valued at $9.5 billion. Upon closure, proceeds worth $7 billion from the transaction will be utilized to support additional shareholder dividends with the balance going toward debt reduction.

Shell belongs to a global group of energy and petrochemical companies. It is involved in all phases of the petroleum industry, right from exploration to final processing and delivery. The company is scheduled to release third-quarter results on Oct 28, 2021. The current Zacks Consensus Estimate for earnings is pegged at $1.39 per share for the to-be-reported quarter.

Shell has seen its shares surge 66.9% in a years time compared with the industry's growth of 64.6%.



Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Zacks Rank & Another Stock to Consider

Shell currently carries a Zack Rank #2 (Buy). Another top-ranked player in the energy space include Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. CNQ, presently sporting a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

In the past 60 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for Canadian Naturals 2021 earnings has been raised 14.7%.

Zacks Names "Single Best Pick to Double"

From thousands of stocks, 5 Zacks experts each have chosen their favorite to skyrocket +100% or more in months to come. From those 5, Director of Research Sheraz Mian hand-picks one to have the most explosive upside of all.

You know this company from its past glory days, but few would expect that it's poised for a monster turnaround. Fresh from a successful repositioning and flush with A-list celeb endorsements, it could rival or surpass other recent Zacks' Stocks Set to Double like Boston Beer Company which shot up +143.0% in a little more than 9 months and Nvidia which boomed +175.9% in one year.

Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report



ConocoPhillips (COP): Free Stock Analysis Report



Royal Dutch Shell PLC (RDS.A): Free Stock Analysis Report



Canadian Natural Resources Limited (CNQ): Free Stock Analysis Report



Cairn Energy PLC (CRNCY): Free Stock Analysis Report



To read this article on Zacks.com click here.



Zacks Investment Research

Copyright 2021 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved
Click here to read the full article.

WASHINGTON  Headed into one of the most important votes of Joe Bidens presidency, a small band of moderate Democrats with corporate backing are demanding the House plow ahead with a $1 trillion infrastructure deal even if it casts doubt over the sweeping $3.5 trillion bill that would enact much of Bidens Build Back Better domestic agenda.

The vote  which was slated for today but has been delayed till Thursday  is the congressional equivalent of a who-blinks-first staring contest between the liberal and centrist blocs of the Democratic Party. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and her allies in Congress had hoped to pass the bipartisan, corporate-backed infrastructure deal and the $3.5 trillion Build Back Better package coupled together, using the smaller bill as leverage to ensure the Senate passed the larger, more ambitious deal.

But the small group of moderate Democrats  led by Rep. Josh Gottheimer of New Jersey, who co-chairs the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus  has demanded an immediate vote on the smaller infrastructure package, legislation that has bipartisan support, the backing of much of corporate lobbying groups like the Chamber of Commerce, and is already approved by the Senate.

The progressives say they wont support the infrastructure bill until the Senate passes the $3.5 trillion deal, which includes sweeping domestic policies like universal pre-K, an expansion of Medicaid, and a massive investment in renewable energy technologies and other tools for combatting climate change. The progressives also support the more narrow measure, but they want to hold it up in the House until Senate Democrats vote swiftly on the bigger, more expansive bill.

If we dont deliver, Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), who chairs the Congressional Progressive Caucus, told the Washington Post, then I think all of the people who came out and voted for Democrats to take control of the House, the Senate, and the White House are going to come out and say, Thats it. 

But the moderates dont want the infrastructure bills fate tied to the $3.5 trillion package, which would raise taxes on big businesses and the wealthiest Americans to pay for much of its new spending. Theres no reason why we shouldnt pass [the infrastructure bill] right away and get the shovels in the ground, Gottheimer told on CNN Sunday, adding that he intended to keep working on this separate bill on reconciliation, which Im committed to passing.

Moderates say they oppose linking the two bills because they want to take more time shaping and debating the larger bill. But critics say theyre playing a different game: dragging out the legislative process so that the bigger bill, with its new tax increases, can be whittled down or killed altogether. Right on cue, The New York Times reported on Sunday that Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.), another key centrist in Congress, has said in private that she would not support any corporate or income tax increases of any kind.

To understand why a group of Democrats would do that, all you have to do is look at the corporate donors that back the small but vocal centrist bloc in the Democratic Party, critics say.

We have the supposedly bipartisan Problem Solvers caucus creating problems for a Democratic agenda, and basically serving corporate interests, says Adam Green, co-founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee. If corporate America does not want to pay their fair share of taxes, if youre sitting in a corporate office, and youre designing a strategy for how to beat back this Democratic agenda of raising taxes on billionaires and giant corporations, the way to do it is to decouple these bills.

For the big business groups who donate heavily to centrist Democrats, its an ideal scenario. The Chamber of Commerce, the nations top lobbying outfit for corporate America, and other industry groups have supported the smaller infrastructure bill because it pours money into projects such as repairing roads and bridges  without requiring any massive tax increases to fund those projects. The $3.5 trillion reconciliation deal, on the other hand, includes revenue-raising proposals like new increases on the corporate tax rate, the tax rates for the highest earners, and the capital-gains tax on investment income. The Chamber has vowed to do everything we can to stop the tax raising, job killing reconciliation bill.

A review of campaign-finance records shows a long and lucrative corporate money trail funding the centrist Democrats now accused of hampering the bill. Gottheimer has raised nearly $3.5 million in PAC money in his last two elections, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. The biggest funders in his corner, donation records show, are the finance, insurance, and real estate industries, labor unions, and the health-care industry. PAC donors include Goldman Sachs, the American Investment Council, Morgan Stanley, TIAA, and UBS Americas.

The individual donations to his campaign are filled with representatives of Big Law, Big Finance, and other powerful corporate interests. Of the leading donors to his 2020 reelection campaign, securities and investment companies, lawyers and law firms, real estate, and insurance fill the top four slots.

Its been a savvy investment for the firms. Gottheimer has one of the most moderate and pro-business voting records of any House Democrat. The Chamber of Commerce endorsed him for reelection in 2020. Last month, in fact, executives for one major health-insurance company, Cigna, and for a hedge fund, Davidson Kempner Capital Management, hosted fundraisers for Gottheimer as the negotiations over the two infrastructure bills ramped up, the investigative website Sludge reported. (A spokesman pointed to Gottheimers Sunday CNN interview but declined to comment further.)

Rep. Scott Peters (D-Calif.), another vocal centrist whos earned several U.S. Chamber endorsements and whos challenged key prescription-drug-pricing reforms in the larger Build Back Better package, counts pharmaceutical companies employees and PACs as some of the biggest industry donors to his 2020 campaign, filling his campaign coffers with more than $220,000. Health companies and HMOs ranked third in Peters top-donor list after retirees, and the real-estate industry ranked fourth. A spokeswoman for Peters says the abundance of health-related companies in the congressmans district means its no surprise he receives donations from that industry. The spokeswoman said Peters has his own plan to reduce drug prices, supports tax increases on corporations and wealthy Americans, but would only say that Peters hopes he is able to support the final reconciliation package.

And Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas), another member of the bloc of centrist Democrats, has faced scrutiny for enjoying the support of fossil-fuel groups while at the same time threatening to delay the reconciliation bill, which includes hundreds of billions of dollars in spending to accelerate the transition away from dirty energy sources. (A Cuellar spokeswoman didnt respond to a request for comment.)

On the other side of the Capitol, Senate Democratic centrists Kyrsten Sinema and Joe Manchin (D-W.V.) have told the White House that theyre opposed to the price tag on the $3.5 trillion reconciliation deal. In Sinemas case, she has tried to use her leverage as a Senate swing vote to de-link the two bills, saying that if there wasnt a vote on the infrastructure deal by September 27th or if the vote failed, she wouldnt support the Build Back Better package.

Sinema in particular has balked at one key provision of the reconciliation bill, a drug-price reform that would help pay for the new spending. With Democrats holding the thinnest possible majority in a 50-50 Senate, losing Sinemas support would sink the $3.5 trillion bill. Yet Sinema, too, has come under pressure for her corporate campaign funding. As Salon recently reported, citing data from the Center for Responsive Politics, pharmaceutical and medical industry groups have donated roughly $750,000 to Sinema throughout her nearly decade-long career in Congress, first as a House member and now as a U.S. senator. (A Sinema spokesman didnt respond to a request for comment.)

Of course, progressive funders also have a stake in the fate of Bidens legislative agenda. Labor unions such as the Service Employees International Union have donated tens of millions of dollars to left-leaning super PACs and smaller amounts via the unions members and leaders to progressive elected officials, including Sens. Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, and Jon Ossoff as well as dozens of liberal House Democrats, according to federal donation records. If the $3.5 trillion reconciliation package passed Congress, it would allot $400 billion to expand Medicare payments for home-care services, which would expand the ranks of caregivers and likely grow the SEIUs ranks at a time of dwindling union membership nationwide.

The distinction, though, between progressive and centrist funders is the ultimate aim: Corporate donors oppose any new tax increases on big business and uber-wealthy Americans  and their allies in Congress appear intent on slow-walking, watering down, or possibly outright killing those tax hikes, which could deal a devastating setback to the Biden administrations plans to tackle climate change, income inequality, health-care shortfalls, and more.

Progressive donors support both bills. But on Sunday, Rep. Jayapal, the House Democrat and Progressive Caucus leader, sent a signal that liberal Democrats were prepared to vote down (for now) the infrastructure deal to ensure reconciliation gets immediate action in Congress. She told CNN the votes werent there to pass the infrastructure bill, but progressives would be ready to support it as soon as the Senate did its part and passed the larger package.

I think the urgency is important, Jayapal said. We want to have it happen as soon as possible. We need the Senate to engage with us if thats going to happen.
TOKYO (AP)  The inclusion of two women among the four candidates vying to become the next prime minister seems like a big step forward for Japan's notoriously sexist politics. But their fate is in the hands of a conservative, mostly male governing party  and the leading female candidate has been criticized by observers for her right-wing gender policies.

Sanae Takaichi and Seiko Noda are the first women in 13 years seeking the leadership of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party in an election Wednesday. The winner is certain to become the next prime minister because of a parliamentary majority held by the LDP and its coalition partner.

While both are LDP members, they are political opposites in many ways. The ultra-conservative Takaichi advocates a kind of paternalistic nationalism and a stronger military, while the liberal-leaning, pacifist Noda supports womens advancement and sexual diversity.

As tiny minorities in Japanese politics, women have limited choices to survive and succeed; they can confront the boys' club politics or they can be loyal to them, said Mayumi Taniguchi, an expert on women's roles in society and politics at the Osaka University of Arts.

Takaichi apparently chose loyalty while Noda appears to work outside the mainstream but without being confrontational, Taniguchi said. They are quite different.

In the race to pick a successor to outgoing Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, the women are competing against vaccinations minister Taro Kono and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida. Kono and Kishida are considered the top candidates; both are from well-known political families and belong to powerful party factions.

But Takaichi is seen by some as a fast-rising candidate, with the crucial backing of former leader Shinzo Abe, whose arch-conservative vision she supports. The latest media surveys of party lawmakers show she is beginning to rake in support from party conservatives, while Noda remains firmly in fourth place.

The only other earlier female candidate was Yuriko Koike, currently serving as Tokyo governor, who made a run in 2008.

While it's unlikely either Takaichi or Noda will become prime minister, having two women try for the top job is considered progress for the ruling party. Some experts, however, have criticized Takaichi's gender policies.

She will most likely not promote womens advancements if she wins, said Sophia University political science professor Mari Miura. She will emphasize her achievement in breaking the glass ceiling and declare that Japan is already a gender equal country, even that it is ahead of the United States."

Japan ranked worst among the Group of Seven advanced nations  120th in a 156-nation gender gap ranking survey of the World Economic Forum in 2021.

Women comprise only about 10% of Japan's parliament, and analysts say many tend to try to advance by showing party loyalty rather than pursuing gender equality.

Takaichi has supported womens health and fertility issues, in line with the LDP policy of having women serve in their traditional roles of being good mothers and wives, but she is unlikely to promote womens rights or sexual diversity, Miura said.

Takaichi, 60, was first elected to parliament in 1993 and her role model is Margaret Thatcher. She has served in key party and government posts, including ministers of internal affairs and gender equality.

A drummer in a heavy-metal band and a motorbike rider as a student, she supports the imperial familys male-only succession, and opposes same-sex marriage and a revision to the 19th-century civil law that could allow women to keep their maiden name.

Taniguchi, the analyst, says Takaichi's backing of the party majority is "unfortunate as her success could make many women think that speaking and acting on behalf of men is the way to be successful in this country.

Takaichi, who shares Abes revisionist views on Japans wartime atrocities, regularly visits the Yasukuni shrine, which honors war criminals among the war dead and is viewed by China and the Koreas as proof of Japans lack of remorse.

Her security policies include developing a preemptive strike capability to counter threats from China and North Korea.

Political watchers say Abes backing of Takaichi was made partly because he's aware of the need to improve the partys sexist image, and also to divert votes from Kono, the current front-runner and considered something of a maverick.

Abe had promoted womens advancement, but his party made little progress and failed to meet a goal to have women represent 30% of decision-making positions by 2020, postponing it by as long as a decade.

Having a leader who prioritizes loyalty to men instead of fighting for other women's advancement, like Takaichi, could counter efforts to eliminate gender gaps, Miura, the professor, said.

While Noda would push for more equality and diversity, her gender-equal policy is likely to be opposed by conservatives.

Noda, 61, supports same-sex marriage and has campaigned for a quota system to increase the number of female lawmakers. She has promised to appoint women to half of her Cabinet if she wins.

Noda had her first child, who is disabled, at age 50 after fertility treatment.

Japans rapidly shrinking population is a serious national security risk because Japan wont have enough troops or police in coming decades, she said in a recent campaign speech.

I seek to create a society of diversity by having people who have not been given main roles in society, including children, women, the disabled and LGBTQ people, take center stage, Noda said.
Authorities in South Carolina continued their investigation Monday into the death of Sheridan Wahl, a 21-year Florida college student whose body was found 10 miles (16 kilometers) from her torched car.

According to the Florence County Sheriff's Office, Wahl's body was found Tuesday behind a training tower at the Hannah-Salem-Friendfield Fire Department in Pamplico, a town of about 1,200 in northeastern South Carolina.

Wahl, a student at the University of South Florida, had traveled to Myrtle Beach to visit her father, according to the woman's mother, who reported her missing on Sept. 19. According to a police report, Wahl's mother called authorities just before midnight after not hearing from her daughter since earlier that day.

Telling authorities that Wahl didn't go to her father's house, the woman's mother said Wahl used FaceTime that afternoon to contact her from a Myrtle Beach scooter rental business, where she was denied service for not wearing shoes. The woman said she told her daughter to stay in Myrtle Beach that night, then drive back to Florida the next day.

After Wahl's father and a friend drove around looking for her but found no trace, the mother called police, according to the report.

The same day that Wahl was reported missing, authorities in Florence County were alerted to the discovery of her car, a burgundy Toyota sedan, in a cornfield in Scranton, about 55 miles (90 kilometers) from the business where she had used FaceTime with her mother. According to a report, the license plate had been removed, the VIN was not legible, and the car had been set on fire.

Before I arrived information was given over the radio that the female could possibly be a missing female from Florida, the responding officer wrote.

The State Law Enforcement Division has taken over the investigation, according to agency spokesman Tommy Crosby, who declined to give details on the case. On Wednesday, Myrtle Beach police posted on their official Facebook page that Wahl had left the department's jurisdiction safely, without adding details, and noted they had handed the case off to SLED.

On his Facebook page, Wahl's father sought donations in her memory for an organization that said its aim was reducing the stigma associated with mental health and behavioral conditions.

Give your kids a hug, then hug them harder for five more seconds ... he added.

An autopsy of Wahls body was planned for last week at the Medical University of South Carolina, according to Florence County Coroner Keith von Lutcken, who did not immediately return an email message Monday from The Associated Press.

___

Meg Kinnard can be reached at http://twitter.com/MegKinnardAP.
MILTON, Mass. (AP)  A report conducted for Massachusetts Port Authority stated that there should not be any changes to flight paths over Massachusetts towns following years of noise complaints from Milton residents.

MITs International Center for Air Transportation said that spreading out flights traveling out of Boston Logan Airport will not be the solution to the airplane noise that has hit Bostons local communities the hardest, The Patriot Ledger reported.
TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP)  Chinas Foreign Ministry said Monday that two Canadians detained in late 2019 who were allowed to return to Canada in a prisoner swap were released on bail for health reasons.

A ministry spokesperson made the comment as Beijing sought to downplay the connection between their release and the return to China of a long-detained executive of Huawei Technologies.

Canadians Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig were detained in December 2019, days after Huaweis chief financial officer, Meng Wanzhou, was arrested in Canada at the request of U.S. authorities.

Many countries labeled Chinas action hostage politics, while China accused Canada of arbitrary detention. The two Canadians were jailed for more than 1,000 days.

Meng fought the U.S. demand for extradition from Canada. She landed in China on Saturday after reaching a deal with the U.S. Justice Department that led to a prisoner swap.

The case of Meng Wanzhou is completely different from that of Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor in nature, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said at a daily briefing on Monday.

The two men were suspected of endangering national security, Hua said.

Spavor, an entrepreneur, had been sentenced to 11 years in prison, accused of spying. Kovrig had not yet been sentenced but was facing similar charges.

China released the two Canadians on bail after a diagnosis by professional medical institutions, and with the guarantee of the Canadian ambassador to China, Hua said.

Hua did not answer questions from journalists about whether the prisoner releases were entirely unrelated and what the health reasons were.

Canada has maintained that Kovrig and Spavor were innocent of any charges.

We continue to oppose the way these two citizens were treated, Canadian Foreign Minister Marc Garneau told the U.N. General Assembly meeting of world leaders Monday.

He said Spavor and Kovrig paid a heavy price because their country "observed the rule of law in responding to the U.S. extradition request.

Representatives for the two countries traded retorts later Monday on the assembly floor, with China rejecting Canada's take on the affair. Canada continued to insist Kovrig and Spavor were mistreated.

Meng reached an agreement with U.S. federal prosecutors that will drop fraud charges against her next year. In return, she is accepting responsibility for misrepresenting the companys business dealings in Iran.

U.S. White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters Monday that the decision to allow Meng to return to China was an independent law enforcement matter decided by the U.S. Justice Department. She added that President Joe Biden's administration has advocated for the release of the two Canadians but stressed that the White House was not involved.

She said Biden raised concerns about the Canadians' detention when he spoke with President Xi Jinping earlier this month.

Meng's return to China was broadcast live on the country's state broadcaster, CCTV. She wore a red dress the shade of China's flag and thanked Xi and the ruling Communist Party.

On Monday, Hua, the Foreign Ministry spokesperson, said Meng was a victim of political persecution" and was able to return to China thanks to the government's unrelenting efforts.

In contrast, the release of the Canadians was reported by the state-owned tabloid Global Times, and while the news spread online, it was not carried by more authoritative state media agencies such as CCTV or Xinhua News Agency.

Huawei is the biggest global supplier of network gear for phone and internet companies. It has been a symbol of Chinas progress in becoming a technological world power  and a subject of U.S. security and law enforcement concerns.

Former President Donald Trump's administration cut off Huaweis access to U.S. components and technology, including Googles music and other smartphone services, and later barred vendors worldwide from using U.S. technology to produce components for Huawei.

___

Associated Press video producer Liu Zheng, and Associated Press writer Jennifer Peltz at the United Nations, contributed to this report.
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP)  North Carolina Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper vetoed a measure Monday that would have limited the powers of the person in his former position  attorney general  to enter into future legal settlements. The legislation was passed by Republicans furious with Cooper's successor over his handling of a 2020 elections lawsuit.

The measure, approved on party lines, would have required formal approval of settlements challenging state law or the constitution by the Senate leader and House speaker when they are named parties.

GOP legislators complained that Democratic Attorney General Josh Stein crossed the line when his office and the State Board of Elections reached a September 2020 agreement with a labor-affiliated group that sued over absentee ballot rules for the fall election without involving them.

Legislative Democrats have said the proposed restrictions would interfere with the legal actions of the attorney general, a named officer in the state constitution.

This bill is unconstitutional and unwise, and would prevent the attorney general from doing his job to protect the people of North Carolina, Cooper said in his veto message. The GOP is unlikely to have the votes to override Coopers veto, since they lack enough seats in either chamber for veto-proof majorities.

The 2020 legal settlement was signed off on by a judge and increased, from three to nine, the number of days mailed absentee ballots could be received after Election Day and still count. It also told absentee voters they could correct problems with witness information without filling out a new ballot.

The nine-day window remained in place after the settlement was appealed by Senate leader Phil Berger, House Speaker Tim Moore and President Donald Trumps campaign all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Absentee ballot rules were a key flashpoint in closely divided North Carolina as the voting format became widely popular during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Stein, who also previously criticized the measure, was first elected attorney general in 2016, succeeding Cooper, who had served on the job for 16 years before running successfully for governor. Stein, a potential 2024 gubernatorial candidate, was Cooper's consumer protection division chief for several years.

Republican legislators have said the measure was designed to prevent future "collusive settlements in which the attorney general agrees to concessions with a litigant that is actually not a legal adversary.

This bill is necessary to keep corrosive, secretly negotiated rule changes out of future elections," Sen. Paul Newton, a Cabarrus County Republican and bill sponsor, said in a news release after the veto. "Gov. Cooper just deepened distrust in the electoral process at a time when we should focus on improving it.

Stein and the state board strongly disagree with GOP arguments that the settlement was contrived to help Democrats in the election. Board Executive Director Karen Brinson Bell told senators months ago that the board has the power to settle lawsuits, and that doing so in 2020 prevented more expansive voting changes from occurring. Democrats currently hold a board majority.

Cooper has now vetoed 11 bills this year. None of those previous vetoes have been overridden. Cooper is by far the most prolific user of the veto stamp since that gubernatorial power began in 1997. He has issued 64 vetoes since early 2017, according to General Assembly records.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP)  Tennessee's assistant adjutant general-air will lead the Defense Department's COVID-19 support at the University of Tennessee Medical Center in Knoxville, the National Guard announced.

Col. Jason Glass was named Tennessee's dual-status commander for the project, the guard said in a news release.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP)  Gov. Laura Kelly on Monday ordered flags throughout the state to be flown at half-staff to honor COVID-19 victims as Kansas exceeded 6,000 reported deaths.

Kelly's order applied immediately and directed that flags remain lowered until sunset Wednesday. The governor has issued such an order every time Kansas reports another 1,000 COVID-19 deaths.
ATHENS, Greece (AP)  The leaders of Greece and France are expected to announce a major, multibillion-euro deal in Paris on Tuesday involving the acquisition by Greece of at least six French-built warships, Greek state ERT TV reported.

ERT said Monday that Greece was planning to acquire three French FDI frigates  with the option of later buying a fourth and another three corvettes.

Greece has already bought 18 French Rafale fighter jets and plans to purchase another six under a program to modernize its armed forces amid tensions with neighboring Turkey.

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, who flew to Paris on Monday for talks with French President Emmanuel Macron, said in an interview with ERT that we are heading towards a substantive deepening of the strategic cooperation between Greece and France.

He declined to comment on the reported warship deal  which Greek media say would be worth about 5 billion euros ($5.8 billion)  only saying that announcements would be made Tuesday.

I have no intention to enter an arms race with Turkey, Mitsotakis added. But there are key issues of modernizing our military after a decade of (economic) crisis."

Tensions with historic regional rival Turkey have increased in recent years over gas exploration rights in the eastern Mediterranean and waters between the two countries. Greece had announced plans to upgrade its fleet, discussing potential frigate purchases with countries including France, the U.S. and Britain.

Greek media said the deal that Mitsotakis and Macron are expected to announce at the Elysee Palace in Paris on Tuesday follows an improved French offer. They linked the offer with France's loss of a $66 billion deal this month to sell diesel submarines to Australia, which instead chose to acquire nuclear-powered submarines provided by the U.S.
HONOLULU (AP)  Supervisors of a Hawaii food distribution company discriminated against a Black employee by subjecting him to racial slurs and racist references to slavery, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission alleged in a lawsuit.

According to the lawsuit, a supervisor at Suisan Company's Hilo warehouse shouted racial slurs at the worker, who then completed an incident report.
NEW ORLEANS (AP)  Two longtime Louisiana inmates who expected to serve 10 years and six months behind bars but remain incarcerated decades later may soon go free under deals with New Orleans prosecutors.

Orleans Parish District Attorney Jason Williams office filed post-conviction plea agreements for Louis Mitchell and Leroy Grippen on Friday, The Times-Picayune/New Orleans Advocate reported.

The new deals call for them to be resentenced to time they have already served. A judge is expected to consider them on Oct. 5.

Mitchell pleaded guilty to two counts of aggravated rape in the 1960s to avoid the death penalty and was sentenced to two life terms. Grippen entered guilty pleas to armed robbery and aggravated rape and also received a life sentence.

At the time, state law laid out a process for Louisiana prisoners with life sentences to apply for a commutation after 10 years, and legal experts say most got out under those rules. But then state lawmakers tightened the requirements.

In 1979, Louisiana dispensed with parole altogether for life prisoners.

Its one thing to go to prison; its another thing to go without understanding the terms, said Jane Hogan, an attorney for Mitchell and Grippen, who are now in their 70s. To have the goalpost shifted and shifted and the door slammed on these men is a travesty of justice.

The two men are among roughly 60 Louisiana prisoners who expected a chance to get out after 10 years and six months but now remain incarcerated, according to the The Times-Picayune/New Orleans Advocate.

They range in age from 66 to 86. Most were convicted of murder and the rest of rape. More than 50 of them are Black.

Advocates with the Louisiana Parole Project say two other men in the group are working on similar deals with Williams office.
David Cliff/AP

LONDON (AP)  British police charged a 36-year-old man on Monday with the murder of Sabina Nessa, a primary school teacher killed as she walked to meet a friend in London.

The Metropolitan Police force said Koci Selamaj, from Eastbourne on England's south coast, faced one count of murder. He was arrested Sunday in what police called a significant development in their investigation. He is due to appear in court on Tuesday.
MEXICO CITY (AP)  DNA tests on six sets of skeletal remains found in northern Mexico have confirmed that five of them belong to some of 10 missing men from Mexicos most persecuted Indigenous group.

The prosecutors' office in the northern state of Sonora said Monday the tests matched five Yaqui men who were abducted in mid-July.

The office did not suggest a motive in their deaths, but said more bone fragments and possessions had been found in the rugged rural area, suggesting some of the still-missing men may also have died there.

The announcement came one day before President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador is scheduled to attend a ceremony in the Yaqui community of Vicam, Sonora, to ask forgiveness of the Yaquis for a government campaign to exterminate or exile them around 1900.

Lopez Obrador has made it a special project to bring justice to the Yaquis and Tuesday's ceremony was meant in part to grant them better rights over ancestral resources like water and assure them the abuses of the past are over.

But the murders of Yaquis  including the killing of one of their leaders in May  suggest their suffering continues.

The Sonora state prosecutor's office has suggested that the murder of Yaqui leader Tomas Rojo Valencia in May and the abduction and apparent killing of the 10 Yaquis in July were the work of drug cartels or allied local gangs.

There has been a huge increase in violence in the area around Vicam and the nearby city of Ciudad Obregon in the last year, something authorities say is due to turf battles between rival cartels.

But the area also has some of Mexico's most productive farmland, where water  available largely from the Yaqui River  is a vital and precious commodity.

Some have compared the killings to the plot of the movie Chinatown, which revolved around an unexplained killing that actually involved the battle to control water rights around Los Angeles in the 1930s.

Alberto Vizcarra, a leader of the Sonora Citizens Movement for Water, said the fight over water may ultimately be behind the killings. What they did to Tomas (Rojo Valencia) was a political crime, Vizcarra said.

The six sets of skeletal remains were found near what prosecutors described as a gang hide-out.

Sonora state prosecutor Claudia Contreras said that investigators searching for the missing Yaquis came under automatic rifle fire Sept. 19 on the remote hillside near where the skeletons were later found.

The investigators returned fire, killing two of the assailants. They then found what appeared to be an encampment of the kind often used by drug cartels, with guns, maps and tactical gear. The skeletons were found almost at surface level nearby.

Prosecutors cited similar claims about the killing of the Yaqui rights leader in May. They said a gang killed Rojo Valencia because it wanted money his Indigenous group had raised at highway blockades.

Rojo Valencia disappeared May 27 amid tensions over months of periodic blockades the Yaqui put up to protest gas ducts, water pipelines and railway lines that have been run across their territory without consulting them or giving them much benefit.

Prosecutors said Rojo Valencia had been trying to install a toll booth on a main highway that runs through Yaqui territory to raise money for his community.

The killings are likely to be a major embarrassment for Lopez Obrador, who had invited U.S. President Joe Biden to attend Tuesday's ceremony; some Yaquis live in the United States. Mexican authorities had said the U.S. is sending Secretary of State Antony Blinken instead, but it is not clear whether he will attend.

Lopez Obrador has described the Yaquis as Mexicos most persecuted Indigenous group and has started some programs for them. The Yaquis are perhaps best known abroad for the mystical and visionary powers ascribed to them by American writer Carlos Castaneda in the 1960s.

The Yaquis stubbornly fought the Mexican governments brutal campaign to eliminate the tribe in the late 1800s and early 1900s. But they were largely defeated by 1900 and dictator Porfirio Diaz began moving them off their fertile farmland to less valuable territory or to virtual enslavement on haciendas as far away as the far eastern state of Yucatan.
OMAHA, Neb. (AP)  Nebraska Secretary of State Bob Evnen announced Monday that he'll seek a second term in office.

Evnen, a Republican, was first elected in 2018. He previously served on the Nebraska State Board of Education and was an attorney in Lincoln. He also was active in the 2016 ballot campaign to preserve Nebraska's death penalty after the Legislature abolished it.

The secretary of state serves as Nebraska's chief elections officer, oversees business services operations, and represents Nebraska agriculture and business around the world promoting trade opportunities. The secretary of state also serves on the three-member pardons board, with Nebraska's governor and attorney general.

Evnen said he supports a law to require voters to show a government-issued identification at the polls. He has been endorsed by several prominent Republican officials, including Gov. Pete Ricketts.

No Democratic candidate has announced plans to challenge Evnen.
EVANSTON, Ill. (AP)  Northwestern University officials have suspended all fraternity-related activities while the school investigates allegations that people were drugged at on-campus gatherings.

School officials said Sunday they received a report Saturday that a person had been drugged without consent Friday at the Evanston campus, according to a university-issued crime alert.

That allegation came one day after the university received separate but similar reports about people being drugged without consent while attending a gathering, according to another university crime alert, the Chicago Sun-Times reported.

The university is investigating both incidents, which the school said happened at on-campus fraternity houses that are supposed to be alcohol-free spaces. The crime alerts did not identify the fraternity houses allegedly involved.

In response to the allegations, Northwestern banned all social events and chapter-sponsored recruitment activities at fraternities in the Interfraternity Council until at least Oct. 17, including any events with non-members, including alumni.

The health, safety and well-being of our students remain our top priority and we are taking these allegations very seriously, the university said in its second crime alert.

Northwestern officials said the campus' Interfraternity Council leadership unanimously passed a resolution Saturday outlining restrictive measures in partnership with the school's decision.

Following Sunday's announcement by the school, at least 200 students, mostly dressed in black, gathered to demand the abolishment of Greek life on campus.

This is not a unique set of circumstances, this has been going on for a long time, said Lucy London, a junior.
CAMBRIDGE, N.H. (AP)  Excessive speed contributed to an All-Terrain Vehicle crash into a tree that trapped the injured driver, New Hampshire Fish and Game conservation officers said.

The 45-year-old driver from Massachusetts was part of a group of six riders on a trail in the town of Cambridge on Sunday. He was put in an ambulance and taken to the Berlin Regional Airport. From there, he was brought by helicopter to Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon. His condition wasn't immediately known.
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP)  In the early weeks of 2020, when a mysterious new virus began making headlines, South St. Paul resident Steve Romenesko watched the news closely.

By early March, with many things still unknown about the rapidly spreading coronavirus, it became apparent the infectious disease would prove more deadly for organ transplant recipients like Romenesko.

Whatever happens in the next couple of weeks, were going to have to work from home just for my own safety, Romenesko recalled explaining to his colleagues at St. Olaf College in Northfield.

Today, Romenesko, 32, is continuing his work with students at the college through remote work accommodations.

Hes also among a diverse group of Minnesotans with disabilities or chronic illnesses fighting for remote work and other virtual access accommodations to continue during  and eventually, after  the COVID-19 pandemic, the St. Paul Pioneer Press reported.

When set up the right way, I think were at a crossroads of a wonderful opportunity to allow the disabled community to be involved, Romenesko said.

David Dively, the executive director of the Minnesota Council on Disability, said people with disabilities have sought teleworking capabilities for many years.

The Americans with Disabilities Act and the Minnesota Human Rights Act both broadly address issues of discrimination and workplace accommodations.

However, Dively said its been difficult over the years for people with disabilities to be granted teleworking capabilities out of necessity for their health.

There was extreme hesitancy by supervisors and human resources managers, he said, adding employers often raised concerns about whether or not they had the capacity to accommodate telework for a disabled employee.

Dively said the community of those with disabilities hasnt missed the irony of often being denied individual accommodations in the past, and now, during the pandemic, watching entire corporations switch to remote work.

Yet, he said, thats how many issues have played out for decades.

For some reason, the framing of it as a disability rights issue automatically makes it a harder thing to achieve, and that shouldnt be the case, he said.

Nikki Villavicencio, a rights activist for those with disabilities and Maplewood City Council member, said policies that better serve people with disabilities also stand to benefit those without disabilities.

Villavicencio, 37, uses a powerchair and has limited movement in her hands and arms due to a rare congenital joint condition called arthrogryposis.

Technology, specifically, has been really vital to my independence as a person with a disability, she said.

Shes spent years advocating for Minnesotans with disabilities in front of state lawmakers and said the pandemic helped move some issues forward.

We, in the general disability community, got a lot of wins this year, she said.

One example is a federal law enacted last year that allows Minnesotans who receive SNAP benefits to use EBT cards to purchase groceries online.

We live in Minnesota where most of the year its difficult for somebody like myself to go to the grocery store, and its impossible when its 30 below zero, Villavicencio said.

And, while shed been working on the issue before the pandemic, the pandemic made it easier to catch the attention of lawmakers, she explained.

Villavicencio, who also chairs the Minnesota Council on Disability, said remote work and virtual accommodations helped level the playing field for people with disabilities involved with state and local government.

We all had access to state government in the same way, she said.

A wide range of disabilities carry protections under the ADA, including some individuals experiencing long-term effects from COVID-19.

Dively, an Eagan resident who himself is hard-of-hearing and grew up with deaf parents, said the pandemic creates an opportunity to reshape public policy in a way that better serves people with disabilities.

It is a pivotal moment for us and the work that we do, Dively said.

Maintaining and expanding remote work opportunities and virtual accommodations is vital, said Romenesko, a two-time liver transplant recipient.

Romenesko, who has a progressive liver disease, underwent another life-changing procedure shortly before the onset of the pandemic: a colon removal surgery due to ulcerative colitis.

He said remote work has offered him additional time and space to adjust to life with an ostomy bag, and it also helps him balance the ups and downs of chronic illness.

Its been really nice just to have the comfort of my own home, he said.

For people living with chronic illness, its not realistic to miss work every time youre feeling unwell, Romenesko explained. Thats where remote work offers some individuals a path for better managing their health and careers.

Romenesko said theres a lot of days he doesnt feel well due to his chronic health conditions, but theres less pressure to choose between going to work or tending to his health.

Its not a binary option anymore  and I think thats really great, he said.

Additionally, hes been able to avoid other seasonal viruses that typically cause longer and more severe illnesses in immunosuppressed people like himself.

In the community, Romenesko serves on the South St. Paul Library Board. The group resumed in-person meetings, but he continues to join virtually and advocate for better accommodations.

Villavicencio, who is back to attending City Council meetings in person, said she hopes lawmakers will look for new ways to allow officials the flexibility to join meetings virtually.

Under todays laws, the ability to conduct virtual meetings is tied to local state of emergency declarations. In Maplewood, and across Minnesota, theres no longer a local state of emergency.

Yet, a future with better access for Minnesotans with disabilities depends on policy-making with them in mind, Villavicencio said.

If we make our communities work for the most marginalized, its going to work for the majority as well, she said.
MADISON, Wis. (AP)  A new mail policy at Fox Lake Correctional Institution aimed at curbing the infiltration of dangerous drug-laced paper could expand to all prisons, but inmates say their concerns about missing and cut-off documents arent being addressed.

Under the pilot policy, started in April, inmates receive only photocopies of their mail, not the originals, which staff later shred. The policy doesnt apply to legal documents.

Prisoners say they have seen months-long delays in receiving mail, educational materials denied, missing pages and the margins of letters cut off with no way to get the missing material back.

Our mail is being shredded with no recourse for us to get the mistakes fixed, inmate Joshua Wade said.

Despite complaints, the Department of Corrections said it could expand the policy given the success it has shown so far in reducing overdoses and violent behavior associated with K2 or spice.

No inmates at Fox Lake Correctional Institution have died due to an overdose so far this year, Dodge County Medical Examiner PJ Schoebel said.

K2 is an illegal, mind-altering synthetic cannabinoid that can cause symptoms of psychosis, suicidal thoughts, violent behavior, seizures, kidney damage, a reduced supply of blood to the heart, toxic reactions and sometimes death, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. Paper can be laced with K2 and then smoked, which is how the drug was getting through the mail, the La Crosse Tribune reported.

DOC spokesperson John Beard said some inmates acted violently toward other inmates or staff while using the drug. Other inmates were found incoherent or unresponsive and had to be rushed to the hospital.

(The mail policy change) was a response to health and safety concerns related to K2 and other synthetic cannabinoids, which can cause unpredictable and dangerous reactions, Beard said. The incidents among persons in our care at Fox Lake Correctional Institution were alarming.

In April  the peak of the K2 activity  Fox Lake had nine potential overdoses and two cases of violent behavior, according to the DOC. By August, both those numbers had dropped to zero after overdoses and violence trended down over the summer.

There were three potential overdoses in May, three in June and one in July. Violence was less common with one case in May, zero in June and one in July.

Other negative incidents included staff catching someone with K2, the discovery of drug paraphernalia, inmates writing letters to from and family asking for K2, and other concerning behavior, Beard said.

Fox Lake had a total of 42 incidents in April alone, a jump from 14 in both February and March.

The total number of incidents trended down in subsequent months, with 11 incidents in May, 14 in June and nine in July.

Beard said the numbers were high in April when the pilot began likely because prisoners likely still had stashes of K2 that they used throughout the month of April. The mail policy went into effect on April 9, but DOC staff believe inmates continued to use paper tainted with synthetic cannabinoid that had already come through the mail, Beard said. There had also already been a dozen incidents within the first week or so of April.

Incidents did not increase when in-person visitation resumed in July.

Beard noted the policy is still a pilot but said it could potentially expand to more prisons. Other prisons in Wisconsin have had incidents, but not at the same levels as Fox Lake, he said.

This is not an issue unique to Wisconsin, Beard said. Some correctional agencies in other states are considering or have already started making copies of mail across all of their facilities.

Last October, Michigan implemented the same policy across its entire prison system to prevent drugs from coming into its facilities. Now Michigan prisoners only receive photocopies of their mail instead of the originals.

Pennsylvania started its own mail policy in 2018, routing all prisoner mail through a processing facility in Florida that photocopies the mail before sending the copies back to Pennsylvanias prisons.

Peggy West-Schroder, southeast Wisconsin coordinator for EX-incarcerated People Organizing, an inmate advocacy group, said the pilot will probably become a permanent solution to drugs coming through the mail in Wisconsin.

She said the policy is obviously not ideal, especially for those who are following the rules, but that its important for preventing overdoses.

We cant advocate for people getting mail that could kill them, West-Schroder said.

Prisoners say they understand the need to address the drug problem, but that Fox Lake needs to handle their mail with greater care and implement a workable solution for when items are copied incorrectly. Thats especially important if the policy gets expanded to the entire prison system, which has been hovering around 20,000 prisoners.

Were not asking them not to photocopy our mail, Wade said. Were just asking for some type of way to get things fixed when they mess up the photocopying.

Beard said any issues with the mail are reviewed and addressed the best we can when the concern is brought forward.

We continue to work at ensuring this process at (Fox Lake) is the least disruptive as possible to the persons in our care, Beard said. Our goal is to ensure they get, as close as possible, a representation of the original mail sent to them, while maintaining the safest possible living and working environment.

While Wade said the problems have improved over the last several months, he still gets letters that are cut off or copied incorrectly, and some of his mail is gone for good.

Wade received just 11 pages of a 20-page letter sent by his mom. The top half of his religious studies certificate also got cut off, and now the original has been shredded.

He still often gets letters with the margins cut off and rarely gets any of his mail in color.

Jacob Jaeger, who is also incarcerated at Fox Lake, said he believes the new policy has caused delays in him getting his mail, and some of the educational materials he would have normally received have been denied.

Jaeger said he used to receive dozens of manila envelopes from a friend who would fill them with research papers and study guides in physics, psychology, theology and other subject areas. Currently studying to get a degree in theology, Jaeger said he thinks education is my only way to stay free once Im out of here. He said its the key to preventing himself from turning back to selling drugs.

But shortly after the new mail policy went into effect in April, Jaeger said, he stopped getting a huge chunk of the manila envelopes and would receive others very late.

With some of her own family members in the prison system, West-Schroder said she understands the importance of getting handwritten letters and color photos. She said seeing someones handwriting or pictures drawn in crayon or paint can be really meaningful to those who are incarcerated.

You wanna have something that your loved one has held, something that they actually spent time creating for you, she said. Thats your connection to home.

In-person visits resumed over the summer, making the limits to communicating via the mail more tolerable. But Wade said he just wants someone to take the time to make sure the photocopies of his mail are done right, and many staff members just dont seem to care.

Whatever the mailroom decides to photocopy is what we get. No one on the outside seems to care, Wade said. We dont have voices in here.
SALISBURY, N.C. (AP)  An assault rifle was used in the death of a 7-year-old girl in 2016 as she slept inside a home, a North Carolina police department said Monday.

Ayanna Allen was shot and killed Dec. 4, 2016, as she slept in a bedroom she shared with her grandmother at the home in Salisbury, authorities said.
Seattle (AP)  Twenty-five media and transparency groups are asking the Washington Supreme Court to allow the release of the names of the Seattle police officers who attended events in Washington D.C. on Jan. 6  the day of the insurrection.

The Reporters Committee for the Freedom of the Press and the news organizations filed an amicus brief Friday asking the court to deny an injunction filed by the officers that seeks to block the release of public records that identify the officers.

Police officers are public servants who, when on-duty, wield tremendous power to detain, arrest, jail, and, in extreme circumstances, employ deadly force in connection with their duties, the groups said.

"Without access to officer names, the public has no insight into whether certain officers have been the subject of multiple misconduct investigations or whether police oversight boards are effectively evaluating and responding to repeated misconduct complaints, particularly when such complaints are deemed unsubstantiated," the brief said.

The officers have argued that they did nothing wrong and revealing their names would violate their privacy. But the media groups say their attendance at a public demonstration that drew thousands of people and news organizations was not a private activity.

A message left for Mike Solan, the president of the Seattle Police Officers Guild, seeking comment was not immediately returned.

The six Seattle officers were in the nations capital to attend President Donald Trumps Stop the Steal rally. Their trip became public after one officer posted a photo on Facebook of herself and another officer at the demonstration. Four other officers later admitted they were there, too, but said they were not involved in the riot.

The officers filed a lawsuit in February against a list of people who filed public records requests seeking the officers identities and information about the investigation by the Office of Police Accountability into their activities.

A judge ordered the release of their names in March and the officers appealed. Sam Sueoka, a law student named in the suit, asked the state Supreme Court to decide the issue and the justices agreed.

Two of the officers were identified and fired in August after an investigation found they broke the law by crossing barriers set up by the Capitol Police. Married officers Caitlin and Alexander Everett were standing next to the Capitol Building while the riots raged.

The four other officers have not been officially named and the media groups said they should be.

Transparency is critical to ensuring that the public has the information it needs to evaluate the conduct of the law enforcement officers sworn to serve their communities, and to ensure that investigations into potential misconduct are conducted effectively and fairly, the brief said.

Arguments before the Supreme Court are set for November 9.
EAST CHINA TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP)  Three years after DTE Energy paid over $5,000 to relocate rare milkweed plants at its future Blue Water Energy Center site in East China Township, the plants are thriving.

Daniel Okon, a DTE Energy senior environmental specialist, said 400 Sullivants milkweed stems were relocated in 2018 and the population has grown to 502 stems.

Its very satisfying, Okon told the Times Herald of Port Huron. This is the most successful relocation Ive done.

Milkweed is the host plant for the monarch butterfly, a candidate under the Endangered Species Act, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Milkweed and flowering plants are needed for monarch habitat. Adult monarchs feed on the nectar of many flowers, but they breed only where milkweeds are found, according to the U.S. Forest Service.

Sullivants milkweed differs from common milkweed, with smooth leaves instead of the common varietys rough leaves, and a pink vein pressed closely to the stems.

Sullivants milkweed is classified as threatened and legally protected in Michigan. It has been observed in eight Michigan counties with the most occurrences found in St. Clair County, according to scientific biodiversity resource the Michigan Natural Features Inventory.

And one of those locations happens to be the site of DTE Energys $1 billion future Blue Water Energy Center, which plans to power homes starting in 2022.

Okon said when the company was doing its due diligence before starting construction it found quite a bit of the threatened species in the footprint of the new facility.

The company paid Marine City Nursery $5,800 to relocate the plants in 2018, DTE spokesman Eric Younan said.

The nursery moved the plants to a safe area where it knew the plants wouldnt be impacted by construction. The plants were spread out to cover at least an acre.

Okon said there are many variables when it comes to relocation and a 70% to 80% survival rate is good, so to have an over 25% growth is very good.

Younan said DTE Energy is one of the largest landowners in Michigan. The company has biologists and environmental engineers on staff and owns 36 sites certified under the Wildlife Habitat Council to provide habitats for animals and pollinators.

Part of the companys permit obligations to build the East China Township center required annually monitoring the plants survival through 2021. Although that time period is over, the companys not done caring for the milkweed, Okon said.

He said the next step will be to try and curb the growth of about an acre of an invasive, non-native species of phragmites, a type of grass, that is encroaching on the milkweed. Okons trying to get funding to hire a contractor to do a herbicide treatment to only target the invasive grass.

We want to protect this, he said.
BAGHDAD (AP)  In the Baghdad suburb of Sadr City, glossy election campaign posters are plastered alongside jungles of sagging electrical wires lining the alleyway to Abu Ammars home.

But his mind is far from Iraqs Oct. 10 federal election. The 56-year-old retired soldiers social welfare payments barely cover the cost of food and medicine, let alone electricity. Despite chronic outages from the national grid, Abu Ammar can't afford a generator.

When the lights go off, he has no choice but to steal power from a neighbors line. He doesnt have the right political connections to get electricity otherwise, he says, a frail figure seated in a spartan living room.

In this country, if you dont have these contacts, your situation will be like ours, Abu Ammar says.

In Iraq, electricity is a potent symbol of endemic corruption, rooted in the countrys sectarian power-sharing system that allows political elites to use patronage networks to consolidate power. It's perpetuated after each election cycle: Once results are tallied, politicians jockey for appointments in a flurry of negotiations based on the number of seats won. Ministry portfolios and state institutions are divided between them into spheres of control.

In the Electricity Ministry, this system has enabled under-the-table payments to political elites who siphon state funds from companies contracted to improve the delivery of services.

The Associated Press spoke to a dozen former and current ministry officials and company contractors. They described tacit partnerships secured through intimidation and mutual benefit between ministry political appointees, political parties and the companies, ensuring that a percentage of those funds end up in party coffers. All spoke on condition of anonymity because they feared reprisal from political groups.

Corruption occurs as an individual act or for political interest, said ministry spokesman Ahmed Mousa. It happens everywhere in Iraq, not just the Electricity Ministry.

Meanwhile, the public seethes, outraged that in Iraq, a major oil-producing country with plentiful energy resources, the prospect of electricity 24-hours-a-day is a distant dream. Neighborhoods nationwide face daily outages  up to 14 hours during peak summer in the impoverished southern provinces, where temperatures can reach 52 degrees Celsius (125 Fahrenheit).

Its a conundrum that baffles energy experts.

The technical solutions are clear, and its not happening. One has to ask why? said Ali al-Saffar of the International Energy Agency.

SHADOW CONTRACTS

In June, an Iraqi businessman received a call from the representative of the economic committee of the Sadrist Movement led by Muqtada al-Sadr, a populist Shiite cleric with a cult-like following whose party garnered the most seats in the 2018 election.

The representative, Abbas al-Kufi, wanted to see him. He had been informed the businessman met with Electricity Ministry officials to discuss a multi-million-dollar project to increase languishing tariff collections  bills owed to the government by consumers, which in Iraq are rarely paid.

At al-Kufis office, the businessman was instructed to deliver 15% of earnings, in cash, once the deal was inked and the ministry paid out the invoices.

He told me, The Electricity Ministry belongs to me, to my party, and I cant do anything without his approval, the businessman recalled being told by al-Kufi, who wields untold influence cemented by the Sadrist Movements powerful militia arm.

They arent shy, the businessman added. They tell you: If you dont follow us, we will hurt you.'

Al-Kufi, once a militia figure in the fight against the Islamic State group, is the latest example of party economic representatives who have strong-armed companies over the years.

Through coordination among ministry loyalists, company officials and lawmakers, representatives like al-Kufi are appointed to ensure certain contracts are approved, a contractor of their choosing is selected to execute them and a cut delivered to the party, according to officials at six companies involved in the process since 2018.

Al-Kufi was named in the local media in July when a letter purportedly penned by former Electricity Minister Majid Hantoush accused him of undermining the ministrys work. Hantoush, who later resigned, denied writing it.

Nassar Rubaie, the head of the Sadrist Movements political wing, said his party earned the electricity ministry because it won the most parliament seats in the 2018 election. The ministry, with its high state budget, is among the most sought after. He confirmed al-Kufi was a Sadrist figure, but denied the allegations against him or the Movement, saying they amounted to slander.

If documents exist proving the complicity of Sadrist officials, he would personally see to it that they are prosecuted in a court of law, al-Rubaie added.

Only, no such paper trail exists.

Contractors said intimidation is standard operating procedure in the Electricity Ministry. One official from a major multinational company said he was ordered to subcontract to a local company exclusively as a package of deals worth billions was being negotiated with the government.

It was made clear to me: Either you join us, or you will get nothing in the end,' he said.

To secure the funds for payoff, sometimes more expensive materials are invoiced than what is actually bought. One official estimated billions have been lost to these schemes since 2003, but accurate figures are not available.

Officials who question why contract prices are inflated receive warnings, including one who objected to a power plant in northern Salahaddin province that was overvalued by $600 million. He got a call when it became clear he would not sign off on the deal, he said.

Be careful, he was told.

DAUNTING EQUATIONS

Every electricity minister since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion that toppled dictator Saddam Hussein has faced this daunting equation: Iraq should be able to produce over 30,000 megawatts of power, enough to meet current demand, but only about a half of that reaches consumers.

Poor infrastructure, inappropriate fuel and theft account for 40%-60% of losses, among the highest rates in the world. In the more impoverished south, heat, urban expansion and illegal dwellings put even more pressure on the aging grid.

Revenue collections are abysmal and subsidies astronomical. The ministry collects less than 10% of what it should in billings. In December, a parliamentary committee reported that $81 billion had been spent on the electricity sector since 2005, yet outages were still the norm.

That is partly to blame on politically appointed civil servants, especially director-generals of key departments, who wield the most influence in the ministry and are empowered to facilitate contract fraud, according to six former and current officials. Negotiations after the 2018 election involved at least 500 such posts. The Sadrist Movement was given the most  200.

The future is bleak.

Demand is set to double by 2030, with Iraq's population growing by 1 million per year. The International Energy Agency estimates that by not developing its electricity sector, Iraq has lost $120 billion between 2014-2020 in jobs and industrial growth due to unmet demand.

A HIGH PRICE

A hidden cost of Iraqs power woes: Sleeplessness.

Uday Ibrahim Ali, a generator repairman, is routinely wakened for urgent fixes in Basras Zubair neighborhood. His clients beg him: They have children struggling to sleep in the suffocating heat. Can I ignore them? I cant, he says.

In the summer of 2018, poor electricity service prompted protests in Basra that left at least 15 dead. A year later, mass protests paralyzed Baghdad and Iraqs south, as tens of thousands decried the rampant corruption that has plagued service delivery.

Independent candidates drawn from the protest movement in Basra are making electricity a priority as they prepare for the elections. With temperatures going down in September, power cuts are less frequent. To avoid protests ahead of the elections, Iraqi officials also improved distribution.

In Baghdad, Sadr City is a front line in the electricity crisis. A bastion of the Sadrist Movement, Al-Sadrs portrait hangs in almost every home.

Publicly, his movement supports a reformist agenda. Meanwhile, disillusioned Iraqis call for boycotting the elections. Expected low voter turnout will guarantee grassroots movements like the Sadrists win a large share of seats.

That's because of loyalists like Mahdi Mohammed.

When the lights go out, the 60-year-old asthmatic douses himself with water and wheezes in the dark, barely able to breathe. The parties that came before the Sadrist Movement are to blame, he says, adding that he will vote for a Sadrist candidate.

He has more to say, but in that moment the electricity returns, lights come on and a gust of cool air strikes his face. He closes his eyes and looks up toward the heavens.

Welcome, welcome, he cries.
NEW YORK (AP)  Come visit the Maldives, its president entreated the world at this year's United Nations General Assembly, moments before switching to an impassioned plea for help combating climate change. The adjacent appeals illustrated a central dilemma for many small island developing states: their livelihoods, or their lives?

The United Nations recognizes 38 member states, scattered across the world's waters, as small island developing states grouped together because they face unique social, economic and environmental challenges.

This bloc is particularly vulnerable to climate change. This bloc is also particularly dependent on tourism  a significant driver of climate change, accountable for 8% of global carbon dioxide emissions alone, according to sustainable tourism expert Stefan Gossling  and an industry devastated by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

The predicament these islands find themselves in is essentially recursive: Attract tourism for economic survival, which in turn contributes to climate change, which in turn bleaches the colorful reefs and destroys the pristine beaches that attract tourists. As is, by the end of the century, these low-lying islands could drown entirely.

The difference between 1.5 degrees and 2 degrees is a death sentence for the Maldives, President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih told the U.N. General Assembly last week.

The annual summit is an opportunity for each of the international body's 193 members to step into the spotlight on the world stage. But the Maldives  perhaps best known globally as an Indian Ocean playground for moneyed honeymooners and Bollywood celebrities  had a particularly high-profile platform this year. Its foreign minister is serving as the General Assembly's president and Solih was speaking third overall  just after U.S. President Joe Biden.

But the climate change appeals are nothing new, made year after year as these islands are pummeled by storms and the seas rise like a slow-moving killer, as Colgate University's April Baptiste puts it.

Baptiste, a professor of environmental studies as well as Africana and Latin American studies, researches environmental justice in the Caribbean region. She says the island states' appeals had gone ignored for years because they were essentially seen as dispensable. With little land, political power and financial capital, it was easy to overlook their plight. These are also islands with a history of exploitation that dates back centuries and states whose full-time residents  not tourists  are primarily Black and brown.

You have that layer of race, racism, marginality to take into consideration, she said. I absolutely believe that's at the heart of the conversation as to why small island developing states are not taken seriously.

People and governments have taken matters into their own hands over recent years.

One man from the island nation of Kiribati sought refugee status in New Zealand on the basis that climate change posed an existential threat to his homeland, though he was eventually deported. This past week, Vanuatu announced it would seek to bring climate change before the International Court of Justice. Although largely symbolic  any ruling would not be legally binding  the move, as intended by the government, seeks to clarify international law.

Last month, a group of Pacific island nations  contending with encroaching saltwater that destroys crops and pollutes freshwater supplies  took the step of declaring their traditional sea boundaries would remain intact, even if their coastlines shrank beneath the waves.

Gossling, a professor at Sweden's Linnaeus University School of Business and Economics, and Daniel Scott, a geography and environmental management professor at Canada's University of Waterloo, are two creators of the Climate Change Vulnerability Index for Tourism. With the aim of bringing the issue to policymakers' attention, they identified the countries with tourism economies most at risk from climate change. The small island developing states made up a substantial portion of the list.

The Maldives identified this years ago and they pointed out: Were going to continue our tourism development, because that's the only way we can make money in the next couple decades before our islands are lost," Scott said.

For the small island developing states, this central climate change tension between lives and livelihood is mirrored in their response to the coronavirus pandemic. To prevent the virus' spread and save lives, they closed their borders, and their tourism-focused economies were accordingly ravaged over the past 18 months.

Mauritius isn't wholly dependent on tourism, but that sector does make up a significant amount of its foreign revenue, the permanent representative to the United Nations for the tiny Indian Ocean island east of Madagascar says. Its borders fully reopen in October, and Jagdish Koonjul said Mauritius hopes to attract 650,000 tourists between then and next summer.

Mauritius, Koonjul said, is very lucky compared to others in the bloc because of its economic diversification, relatively high land and coral reef that prevents erosion.

But it's not safe from climate change. Mauritius and other small island developing states are looking to the bigger, more industrialized countries to buy into an ambitious commitment at the upcoming United Nations climate conference in Glasgow.

We miss this train now, and we are doomed, Koonjul said.

The scores of speeches at this year's U.N. General Assembly tended to follow a rubric. They opened with pleasantries directed at the General Assembly's president and then touched on a laundry list of topics: perhaps a pet issue, but definitely conflict, coronavirus and climate change. The rhetoric often blended together, but the speeches from the leaders of the small island developing states  with the most to lose in the near future  stood out with stark eloquence echoing Koonjul.

Will Tuvalu remain a member state of the U.N. if it is finally submerged? Who will help us? asked Kausea Natano, the prime minister of the Pacific Ocean country, on Saturday.

The states had specific asks, including immediate and significant reductions of greenhouse gas emissions, debt restructuring and financial assistance  especially given the impact of the coronavirus on their tourism-dependent economies.

Industrialized countries have an obligation to assist the states most affected by climate change because they created a problem in the first instance, Gaston Browne, prime minister of the Caribbean Sea's Antigua and Barbuda, said Saturday.

The same day, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves cast the major powers' actions thus far as little more than pious mouthings and marginal tinkering.

On this, humanity is at the midnight hour. Can we meet the challenge? We may not live to find out the answer if the usual continues, the Caribbean nation's premier said.

Salvaging the economic fate of these countries is complex. Baptiste says there's no overarching policy aimed at retraining people whose livelihoods are vulnerable in new trades.

And Gossling argues that, while they're not the culprits behind global warming, the small island developing states aren't directly confronting the friction between climate change prevention measures and their tourism reliance.

I also think there's never been serious efforts by the SIDS to actually also consider different economic sectors, because very often it's been very self-evident that you would focus on tourism, you would develop for tourism and that you, by definition, then almost would become dependent on tourism, he said. And I think the strange thing  this conflict has never been vocalized by SIDS.

What has been vocalized is a clarion call for substantive action taken by rich, developed countries. Now that the ramifications of climate change have reached countries that could long pretend it didn't exist, the small island developing states hope the message is finally getting through.

The poet John Donne wrote that no man is an island entire of itself. In the same vein, Solih drove home the point the island nations have been making for years: There is no guarantee of survival for any one nation in a world where the Maldives cease to exist.

___

Associated Press reporter Nick Perry contributed to this report from Wellington, New Zealand. Follow Mallika Sen on Twitter at http://twitter.com/mallikavsen
Hunter Andes/AP

MINOT, N.D. (AP)  A North Dakota stuntman known as the Flying Farmer has been moved out of intensive care after a dramatic crash on his first car jumping attempt in five years, his family said Monday.

John Smith, 57, was injured Sunday when his car corkscrewed off the ramp and rolled. He was eventually taken by medical helicopter to a Minot hospital.
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP)  The Taliban banned barbershops in a southern Afghanistan province from shaving or trimming beards, claiming their edict is in line with Shariah, or Islamic, law.

The order in Helmand province was issued Monday by the provincial Taliban government's vice and virtue department to barbers in Lashkar Gah, the provincial capital.

Since I have heard (about the ban on trimming beards) I am heart broken," said Bilal Ahmad, a Lashkar Gah resident. "This is the city and everyone follows a way of living, so they have to be left alone to do whatever they want.

During their previous rule of Afghanistan, the Taliban adhered to a harsh interpretation of Islam. Since overrunning Kabul on Aug. 15 and again taking control of the country, the world has been watching to see whether they will re-create their strict governance of the late 1990s.

Some indication came on Saturday, when Taliban fighters killed four alleged kidnappers and later hung their bodies in the public squares of the western city of Herat.

"If anyone violates the rule (they) will be punished and no one has a right to complain, said the order issued to the barbers. It wasn't immediately clear what penalties the barbers could face if they don't adhere to the no shaving or trimming rule.

During the Talibans previous rule, the conservative Islamists demanded that men grow beards. Since being ousted from power following the U.S.-led invasion in 2001, many men have opted for no or cleanly trimmed beards.

Barbershop owner Jalaluddin, who like many Afghans goes by only one name, said he hoped the Taliban would reconsider their demands.

I request our Taliban brothers to give freedom to people to live the way they want, if they want to trim their beard or hair," he said. "Now we have few clients coming to us, they are scared, they dont want to trim their hair or beards, so I request them let people free, so we have our business and people can freely come to us.

Another barbershop owner, Sher Afzal, also said the decree hurts the bottom line. If someone comes for a haircut, they will come back to us after 40 to 45 days, so it is affecting our business like any other businesses, he said.
WASHINGTON (AP)  Gen. Mark Milley has been the target of more political intrigue and debate in two years as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff than any of his recent predecessors were in four. One after another, firestorms have ignited around him  unusual for an officer who by law is a whisperer to presidents and by custom is careful to stay above the fray.

From racial injustice and domestic extremism to nuclear weapons and the fitness of Donald Trump as commander in chief, Milley has become entangled in politically charged issues, regularly thrusting him into the news headlines.

Milley is expected to face tough questioning on those and other issues when he testifies with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin at a Senate hearing Tuesday and a House panel Wednesday. The hearings originally were meant to focus on the Afghanistan withdrawal and the chaotic evacuation from Kabul airport last month.

But since then, Milley has come under fire from Republicans for his portrayal in a new book as having taken unusual  some say illegal  steps to guard against Trump potentially starting a war with China or Iran or ordering an unprovoked nuclear attack in the final months of his presidency. Milley was reported to have agreed with House Speaker Nancy Pelosis assertion in a January phone call that Trump was crazy.

Even during Milley's swing through Europe last week, headlines dogged him and reporters quizzed him. Mostly he batted questions away or buried them in detailed historical precedent.

Burly and square-jawed, with a bushy slash of eyebrows over often mischievous eyes, Milley is quick with a quip and frequently a curse. Born in a Boston suburb, Milley has Irish roots and an oversized personality that belies a sharp intellect and a penchant for digging deep into military history. The Princeton-educated Milley often meets simple questions with a deep dive into history that can reach as far back as the Greeks, cover long stretches of both world wars, and expound upon the context and concepts of war.

So as he faced accusations of disloyalty for what the book Peril, by Bob Woodward and Robert Costa, reported as assurances to a Chinese general that he would warn him of a U.S. attack, Milley gripped his identity as a soldier who answers to civilian leaders. He declined to make his case in the media, instead telling reporters that he will lay out his answers directly to Congress. His only brief comments have been that the calls with the Chinese were routine and within the duties and responsibilities of his job.

I think its best that I reserve my comments on the record until I do that in front of the lawmakers who have the lawful responsibility to oversee the U.S. military, Milley said. Ill go into any level of detail Congress wants to go into.

While some in Congress have charged that he overstepped his authority, President Joe Biden has stood by him.

Loren Thompson, a longtime observer of the U.S. defense establishment as chief operating officer of the nonprofit Lexington Institute, says Milley is a victim of Washingtons extreme partisanship and perhaps of his own efforts to shape his public image.

His views and descriptions of his behavior behind closed doors, pop up too frequently in tell-all books like the Woodward and Costa book," Thompson said. "So perhaps Milley has taken a more active approach to trying to shape his image, and that has not served him well.

Not all of Milley's controversies have been related to Trump. At a House hearing in June, Milley passionately defended the militarys openness to allowing young officers to study ideas they might not agree with, such as critical race theory, and he said he wanted to understand white rage and the motivations of those who participated in the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol.

Joint Chiefs chairmen traditionally keep a low public profile. Of the 19 who preceded Milley, none was fired, nor does it appear he will be. Among recent chairmen, only Marine Gen. Peter Pace served fewer than four years when the George W. Bush administration did not tap him for another two-year term, citing the divisiveness of his association with the Iraq war.

Created in 1949, the job of chairman is to advise the president and the defense secretary. By law, the chairman commands no troops. The role has grown in public prominence during the two decades of U.S. warfighting in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Milley commanded troops during tours in both wars. Those battles, where he lost many soldiers, helped chart his path as he rose from an armor officer in 1980 to Army chief of staff 35 years later.

His move into the chairman's office on Sept. 30, 2019, came with an unusual twist.

Nearly a year before he was sworn in and just days before James Mattis resigned as defense secretary, Trump announced that Milley was his choice to succeed Gen. Joseph Dunford as chairman. The timing was unusually early in Dunfords tenure, and it may have had as much to do with Trump's antagonism toward Mattis as his belief that Milley was right for the job.

That's how Trump described it when he lashed out at Milley this summer following reports that Milley had feared last year that Trump might use the military in a coup. Trump said he picked him as chairman to spite Mattis, who he believed didnt like Milley. In fact, Mattis had recommended the Air Forces top general for the job, not Milley.

Milley's gregarious nature might have initially appealed to Trump, but he soon soured on him. In June 2020, Milley privately opposed Trumps talk of invoking the Insurrection Act to put active-duty troops in the streets of Washington to counter protests sparked by the killing by Minneapolis police of a Black man, George Floyd.

Milley also expressed public regret at being part of a Trump entourage that strolled across Lafayette Square on June 1, 2020, to be positioned near a church where Trump held up a Bible for photographers. Critics hit Milley for appearing to be a political pawn. Days later, Milley said he had made a big mistake. Through the months that followed, he seemed at risk of being sacked by Trump.

In the book I Alone Can Fix It, Washington Post reporters Carol Leonnig and Philip Rucker reported that on the day President Joe Biden was sworn in, Milley expressed relief to former first lady Michelle Obama.

No one has a bigger smile today than I do, Milley said.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP)  Marcy-Holmes residents are voicing concerns as violent crimes have nearly doubled in comparison to 2020. The University of Minnesota responded to the elevated rates by implementing more public safety measures in Dinkytown.

In May 2021, the number of crimes reached a peak of 129 total property and violent crimes in Marcy-Holmes, with the majority as property crimes. Since then, the total of property and violent crimes in the neighborhood have decreased by 49 in August.

In June, the University announced that more police officers would be present and more security cameras in Marcy-Holmes would be installed in response to a shooting in Dinkytown.

After extra security measures were taken, the number of crimes decreased to 80 total violent and property crimes in August. In comparison to past years, property and violent crimes increased from May to August in 2019 and 2020, The Minnesota Daily reported.

Minneapolis Police Department Public Information Officer Garrett Parten said extra security cameras can help to decrease crime in the neighborhood.

A camera never blinks and its recording whatever its pointing at, Parten said. So even if a crime does occur, it does greatly enable us to solve crime because suspect, description, suspect activity is all caught on camera.

The University also announced longer term changes for the area, including installing more blue light kiosks which alert emergency services when used. The University has 30 blue light kiosks and 4,600 security cameras throughout Minneapolis and St. Paul campuses.

Four new blue light kiosks were installed on the perimeter of the East Bank campus and more will be installed in off-campus areas. If someone uses a kiosk on campus, UMPD receives the alert, but if someone uses a kiosk off campus, then MPD will receive the alert.

Kent Kramp, the vice president of the Dinkytown Business Association and owner of Raising Canes in Dinkytown, said the additional patrols in Dinkytown are important, but additional lighting would be helpful for the area.

Theres certain things that neighborhoods need for security, and proper lighting is a big one and something Ive felt that Dinkytown specifically has lacked through to the last couple years, Kramp said. But otherwise, just the increased presence, increased patrols, thats the most helpful thing that they can do.

Since June, the University has continued to implement policies improving safety for students in Dinkytown, such as offering public safety classes for students and Rave, a virtual walking app that students can use to contact UMPD.

Myron Frans, senior vice president of Finance and Operations at the University, said safety training for those on campus is another important part of safety.

I think we want people to be aware of their surroundings, you have to sort of be aware of your surroundings and make sure that you make smart choices, Frans said.

In an effort to address events that do not need police presence, such as domestic conflicts or mental health crises, the University also hired a social worker and a community liaison.

Frans said the University hired them to address needs for people who live on and off campus.

What we really want is to make sure that our surrounding communities and people who live and work in these communities  we want to make sure that we understand their needs for public safety and other issues, Frans said.
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP)  The U.S. Energy Department wants to switch to less stringent testing for detecting cancer-causing chemicals at and around one of its premier nuclear weapons laboratories despite concerns from environmentalists and New Mexico regulators.

The federal agency is using New Mexicos three-year review of surface water rules to push for a test at Los Alamos National Laboratory thats more limited in detecting polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs, the Santa Fe New Mexican reported. Medical research has shown the chemicals can cause cancer, impair childrens brain development, hurt reproductive systems and increase the chance of heart and liver diseases.

The Energy Department asserts that its testing would be sufficient and that the current method required by the state goes far beyond whats necessary.

Parties in the dispute have submitted written arguments and testified at hearings held by the state Environmental Improvement Board as part of its review of surface water regulations done every three years.

Rachel Conn, project director for the Taos-based Amigos Bravos water conservation organization, bashed the proposed testing change as another attempt by the Energy Department to cut corners on safeguarding public health.

Its a shame that our taxpayer money is being used to lower the bar for protections for New Mexico waters and weaken our water quality standards, she said.

The birthplace of the atomic bomb, Los Alamos National Laboratory has more than 130 miles (209 kilometers) of streams in and around its site, covering 36 square miles (93 square kilometers). How often it monitors for pollution can range from hourly to yearly and in some cases every five years.

In New Mexico, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issues permits for discharges and stormwater runoff, and the state checks whether the water quality meets its standards.

John Toll, an Energy Department consultant, testified that the states required testing method was never officially approved by the EPA so New Mexico must use the EPA-backed test  what energy officials are proposing.

He also said the state, in turn, cannot require testing that detects amounts of PCBs lower than the minimum levels described in the federal guidelines.

Shelly Lemon, the state Environment Departments Surface Water Quality Bureau chief, argued that states can adopt regulations that are more stringent than federal rules. More specifically, she wrote that state law doesnt bar agencies from adopting standards that are stricter than the Clean Water Act.

Lemon noted that New Mexicos current testing method is the only known one that can assess whether wastewater and other discharges comply with the states criteria as well as federal pollutant permit limits, including for PCBs. The tests are state approved and written into the regulations.

New Mexico residents, including those in Indigenous pueblos near the lab, benefit by having more information about the water they consume, not less, said Maggie Hart Stebbins, state natural resources trustee.
WASHINGTON (AP)  President Joe Biden's national security adviser Jake Sullivan is traveling to Saudi Arabia on Monday to meet with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as the U.S. presses for a cease-fire in the yearslong war between the kingdom and Houthi rebels in Yemen.

Sullivan will be the highest-ranking Biden administration official to visit Saudi Arabia. Besides seeing the crown prince, often referred to by his initials, MBS, Sullivan is expected to meet with deputy defense minster Khalid bin Salman, a brother to the crown prince, according to two senior administration officials. The officials were not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity.

The Biden White House has largely steered clear of the crown prince since making public in February a CIA report that showed MBS likely approved the killing of Washington Post columnist and Saudi critic Jamal Khashoggi in a 2018 operation at the kingdoms consulate in Istanbul.

But the White House has resolved that bringing an end to perhaps the worlds most complex conflict cant be done without engaging with the most senior Saudi officials face to face, one senior administration official said.

National Security Council spokesperson Emily Horne said Sullivan was traveling to Riyadh on Monday and would also visit the United Arab Emirates, a Saudi ally in the war, but did not provide additional details. Axios first reported that Sullivan was planning on traveling to the region.

Sullivan is being dispatched at a moment when the situation in Yemen, the Arab world's poorest country, has further deteriorated. Fighting has intensified in the key city of Marib, as Iran-backed rebels have sought to oust the Saudi-backed government from the oil-rich city in the country's north.

International efforts to end the war have been fruitless. Tim Lenderking, the U.S. special envoy for Yemen, called out the Houthis in July for continuing to refuse to engage meaningfully on a cease-fire and political talks. Saudi Arabia offered a cease-fire proposal to Yemens Houthi rebels earlier this year as it looked to rehabilitate its image with the Biden administration.

The Saudis have drawn international criticism for airstrikes killing civilians and embargoes exacerbating hunger in a nation on the brink of famine.

The new U.N. special envoy to Yemen, Hans Grundberg, recently declared that the country is "stuck in an indefinite state of war and resuming negotiations to end the more than six-year conflict wont be easy.

Yemens war began in September 2014, when the Iranian-backed Houthis seized Sanaa and began a march south to try to seize the entire country. Saudi Arabia, along with the United Arab Emirates and other countries, entered the war alongside Yemens internationally recognized government in March 2015.

The U.S. sold bombs and fighter jets to Saudi Arabia that the kingdom later used in strikes on Yemen that also killed civilians. The Obama administration in 2015 initially offered U.S. targeting assistance to Saudi Arabias command-and-control operations that was supposed to minimize civilian casualties in airstrikes. It didnt, and Obama ultimately cut back on the program.

Under President Donald Trump, targeting assistance continued although his administration later stopped U.S. refueling operations for Saudi jets.

Biden announced weeks into his administration that he was ending all American support for "offensive operations in the war in Yemen, including relevant arms sales. But there has been little progress on the ground in resolving what the United Nations says is the worlds worst humanitarian crisis.

White House officials are hopeful that the appointment of Grundberg will bring a new dynamic and put pressure on all sides to bring an end to the conflict, according to two senior administration officials.

Sullivan is being joined for the talks with the Saudis and the UAE by Lenderking and NSC senior director for the Middle East Brett McGurk. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin planned to travel to Saudi Arabia earlier this month while he was in the region but postponed due to what the administration said were scheduling issues.

The high-level White House push comes after Lenderking traveled to Saudi Arabia and Oman, which has pressed for an end to the war. In addition, Secretary of State Antony Blinken had talks with his counterpart members of the Gulf Cooperation Council on the margins of the U.N. General Assembly.

Sullivan's visit to Saudi Arabia also comes as the administration is looking for ways to resurrect the Iran nuclear deal. The Saudis and the UAE fiercely oppose returning to the deal with Iran that was originally brokered in 2015 by the Obama administration only to be scrapped by Trump in 2018.

Addressing the U.N. General Assembly on Friday, Irans new foreign minister Hossain Amir Abdollah said the country will return to nuclear negotiations in Vienna very soon. But he accused the Biden administration of sending contradictory messages by saying it wants to rejoin the pact while slapping new sanctions on Tehran and not taking an iota of positive action.

Biden and his team have made a U.S. return to the deal  to which Britain, France, Russia, China, Germany and Iran are signatories  one of their top foreign policy priorities. But the U.S. has made limited headway in indirect talks, and Tehran has bristled at Biden administration officials' call for a longer and stronger deal than the original, which expires at the end of 2030.
LOS ANGELES (AP)  The diversity of Los Angeles is on display in the emerging race to replace Mayor Eric Garcetti and the winning candidate who emerges from the growing field of hopefuls will need to navigate rivalries and forge alliances across the citys racial and ethnic communities.

No single group dominates at the ballot box in the nations second-most-populous city, which makes coalition-building an essential task.

Democratic U.S. Rep. Karen Bass formally stepped into the 2022 contest Monday, hoping to become the first female and the second Black mayor. Tom Bradley, the first Black mayor, held the post from 1973 to 1993.

Bass represents a district in Congress that is anchored to some of the citys traditional Black neighborhoods, where she also grew up. She promised to prioritize the citys unchecked homeless crisis, which has seen trash-strewn encampments spread into virtually every corner of the city.

Ive spent my entire life bringing groups of people together in coalitions to solve complex problems and produce concrete change, especially in times of crisis, Bass said in a statement.

With my whole heart, Im ready, she tweeted.

Bass will be competing for votes with an array of diverse candidates.

City Councilman Kevin de Leon, who once led the state Senate before being termed out, is a Latino born to a Guatemalan mother and father with Chinese ancestry; Black businessman Mel Wilson is from the San Fernando Valley area; Jessica Lall, who leads a downtown business group and is of Indian descent; City Attorney Mike Feuer is Jewish; and city Councilman Joe Buscaino, who spent 15 years with the Los Angeles Police Department is a first-generation Italian American whose parents came from Sicily.

The race is nonpartisan but the leading contenders all are Democrats, unsurprising in a city where the partys voters outnumber Republicans 3-to-1. Bass and de Leon are favorites of the partys progressive wing, with other candidates parked across the Democratic spectrum.

The winner of the 2022 contest will inherit a city facing a tangle of urban ills, including buckled roads and sidewalks, a spiking crime rate, L.A.s notoriously snarled traffic and home prices that have soared out of reach for many working-class families. The primary is in June.

Candidates will need to communicate with voters in scores of neighborhoods with separate identities: single-family homeowners in the vast sprawl of the San Fernando Valley, Latinos who predominate east of downtown, young professionals in trendy Silver Lake or residents in the traditionally Black neighborhoods of South Los Angeles.

The Asian vote is in play in the Koreatown and Little Tokyo neighborhoods, and there are sizeable populations of Armenians, Russians and others.

Ninety-two languages other than English are spoken in the Los Angeles Unified School District, which enrolls 650,000 students in L.A. and surrounding communities.

This city is a quilt with different patterns on it, said Democratic consultant Michael Trujillo, who is advising Buscaino. The overarching issue will be homelessness, he predicted, with voters looking for a candidate who will put a date on the calendar to end the lines of sagging tents and rusty RVs that have become fixtures along freeways, on vacant lots and below overpasses.

With such a diverse electorate you have to be able to speak with a common theme, Trujillo added. The candidate who can maintain that theme is most likely to become the next mayor of Los Angeles.

In 2005, when Democrat Antonio Villaraigosa became the first Latino mayor in more than a century, he had to overcome fears in the Black community that they would be displaced from government jobs in favor of Latinos. When he was a candidate, Villaraigosa talked about overcoming the black-brown divide that can breed violence.

Villaraigosa eventually won after vowing to unite the city and winning endorsements from prominent Black people, including Democratic U.S. Rep. Maxine Waters. He took the mayoralty from then-Mayor James Hahn, another Democrat who lost support in the Black community after the ouster of then-LAPD Chief Bernard Parks, who is Black.

Bradley, also a Democrat, became the citys first Black mayor by building an alliance of Blacks and white liberals that shifted the city away from its conservative roots.

Garcetti was first elected in 2013 with strong support from Latino and white voters, including in Republican-leaning areas, even though he was outperformed by rival Wendy Greuel in traditionally Black neighborhoods.

Garcetti, nominated by President Joe Biden to serve as ambassador to India, often shifts into Spanish during his appearances and reminds audiences of his Mexican-Jewish-Italian roots, jokingly calling himself a kosher burrito.

Bass, 67, was a physicians assistant and community organizer who became the first Black woman speaker of the state Assembly in 2008. Shes serving her sixth term in the House, and previously headed the Congressional Black Caucus.

She was on Bidens short list when he was considering a vice presidential pick and she also is close to her fellow Californian who leads the U.S. House  San Franciscos Nancy Pelosi.

Latino and Black people are pillars of the Democratic Party in California and frequently end up on the same side of political issues, but there also has been conflict over the years as the Latino population in L.A. and across the state surged.

Black people make up only about 9% of L.A.s population while Latinos are about half, though they can be inconsistent voters and many are too young to vote, or not citizens. Whites account for about 30% of residents.

Jaime Regalado, former executive director of the Pat Brown Institute of Public Affairs at California State University, Los Angeles, said winning primary candidates will need to put together a coalition that will generate 22% to 25% of the primary vote - enough to advance to a two-person November runoff in a crowded field.

One group is not going to be enough, he said, adding that Bass is likely to draw a large chunk of the Black and liberal vote, forcing her rivals to hunt for support where they probably weren't thinking of looking for votes.

With Bass getting in, it's a scramble, he said.
Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott had no answer Sunday when asked what victims of rape or incest should do under the states ultra-restrictive abortion law.

Headed to the often GOP-friendly confines of Fox News Sunday, Abbott ran into a buzzsaw in the form of Chris Wallace, who repeatedly pressed the governor on whether he would sign legislation granting an exception to those victims. Wallace noted that Abbotts answer in the past has been a pledge to get tougher on people who commit rapes, but questioned whether thats a reasonable approach: Is it reasonable to say to somebody who was the victim of rape and might not understand that they are pregnant  until six weeks [later], Well, dont worry about it because we are going to eliminate rape as a problem in the state of Texas?

Abbott wouldnt answer directly. Instead, he responded by saying that sexual assault survivors deserve support, care, and compassion. The means toward this end, he believes, is by signing a law and creating in the governors office a sexual assault survivors task force.

CHRIS WALLACE: Is it reasonable to say to a rape victim who might not know they're pregnant until 6 weeks, 'don't worry about it, because we're going to eliminate rape'? GREG ABBOTT: The goal is to protect the lives of every child with a heartbeat pic.twitter.com/o7rJ5G6JZF  Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) September 26, 2021

The governor also attempted to make a point about the death penalty before Wallace pressed again for a definitive answer, asking if he would support a bill to restore exceptions for rape and incest. Well, weve got to go back, Chris, to what the reason was why the law was passed in the first place, he said, and the goal is to protect the lives of every child with a heartbeat.

The law, which took effect in September after the Supreme Court refused to hear a challenge to it, effectively bans abortion in the state at six weeks of pregnancy  before many women even know they are pregnant. The law has survived in court because rather than using the legislature to ban a law, it has basically created a legal bounty system, allowing individuals to sue anyone involved in providing an abortion after six weeks. Potential lawsuit targets include everyone from medical professionals to those who as much as give an abortion-seeker a ride to a clinic.

Before concluding the interview, Wallace tried once more to get the Republican governor to pledge to support a bill carving out exceptions for rape and incest, as one GOP legislator in his state has proposed. But again, Abbott declined to answer, asserting that such a scenario is a hypothetical thats not going to happen because that bill is not going to reach my desk.
Getty Images

Democrat Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee is urging President Joe Biden to end a controversial Trump administration program allowing for mass deportations without granting migrants an opportunity to apply for asylum. Houston's most senior congresswoman has been calling for the end to Title 42, a policy that allows for immediate expulsions during a public health crisis under a 1944 law invoked by former President Donald Trump at the outset of the pandemic.

Since the recent proliferation of Haitian refugees at the southern border, Jackson Lee has called on the current administration to revoke the order that allows the Department of Homeland Security to expel anyone caught entering the country along the border without going through channels outlined by the U.S. For the nearly 15,000 refugees who arrived at the border last week, that meant some were systematically deported back to their home country.
We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on!

Go to form
The ban on direct flights between Canada and Morocco has been extended until the end of October.

Canada extends flight ban on Morocco The ban on direct flights between Canada and Morocco has been extended until the end of October.

Canada extends flight ban on Morocco The ban on direct flights between Canada and Morocco has been extended until the end of October.

Canada extends flight ban on Morocco The ban on direct flights between Canada and Morocco has been extended until the end of October. Shelby Thevenot Aa Accessibility Font Style Serif

Sans Font Size A

A

Canada has extended the ban on direct flights to Morocco until October 29.

Originally, Canada implemented the ban as a 30-day public health measure, which was in effect until September 29.

The government is now extending the flight suspension. Passengers travelling to Canada from Morocco will need to take an indirect route, and get tested for COVID-19 from a third country before they will be allowed to fly directly to Canada.

Discover if Youre Eligible for Canadian Immigration

To help manage the elevated risk of imported #COVID19 cases and variants of concern into Canada, we have extended the #NOTAM restricting all direct commercial and private passenger flights to Canada from #Morocco until October 28, 2021 at 23:59 EDT  Transport Canada (@Transport_gc) September 24, 2021

What to know before travelling to Canada during the pandemic

All travellers coming to Canada need to use the ArriveCAN mobile or web application to submit their personal and travel information. When they arrive at the border, they may not have any symptoms of the virus, and provide a negative COVID-19 test. If they want to be exempt from quarantine, or travel to Canada for a non-essential reason, they will need to show that they are fully vaccinated with a Canada-approved vaccine such as: Astra Zeneca, Pfizer, Moderna, or Janssen (Johnston & Johnson).

Canada opened its border to fully vaccinated tourists from all countries on September 7. In order to qualify for the exemption from quarantine, travellers need to provide border officers with a negative COVID-19 test, and proof of vaccination of a vaccine that has been approved in Canada. Travellers also need to arrive at the border with a 14-day quarantine plan.

Regardless of country of origin, new arrivals will need to show a negative pre-arrival COVID-19 molecular test result, even if they are fully vaccinated. Travellers may also be selected at random to conduct a COVID-19 test upon arrival.

Those who are not considered fully vaccinated will only be allowed to travel to Canada for essential reasons, such as work, family reunification, school, compassionate reasons, or immigration. Canadian citizens and permanent residents, as well as their families, who are not fully vaccinated will still be allowed to enter, however, they may have to quarantine at home.

Discover if Youre Eligible for Canadian Immigration

 CIC News All Rights Reserved. Visit CanadaVisa.com to discover your Canadian immigration options.
Taking your IELTS test is an important part of your journey whether it is to get into university or college, a job or to immigrate to Canada. Dont let the incorrect information scare you and cause panic before test day.

IELTS myths answered, dont believe everything you hear Taking your IELTS test is an important part of your journey whether it is to get into university or college, a job or to immigrate to Canada. Dont let the incorrect information scare you and cause panic before test day.

IELTS myths answered, dont believe everything you hear Taking your IELTS test is an important part of your journey whether it is to get into university or college, a job or to immigrate to Canada. Dont let the incorrect information scare you and cause panic before test day.

IELTS myths answered, dont believe everything you hear Taking your IELTS test is an important part of your journey whether it is to get into university or college, a job or to immigrate to Canada. Dont let the incorrect information scare you and cause panic before test day. IELTS Aa Accessibility Font Style Serif

Sans Font Size A

A

There are many sources of information for IELTS, with this comes false statements about the test that can cause you to feel more anxious about your test.

1) IELTS is harder than other tests

IELTS is no harder than similar tests such as CELPIP, PTE, TOEFL or any other high-stakes test. The questions are straightforward and designed to assess how well you can use English. As with any other test you take, it does require preparation and the best way to start is to understand the test format. We recommend you use the official IELTS practice materials to help you get ready for test day.

Over 11,000 organisations worldwide trust IELTS because they have assessed it as a fair and high-quality test. This is why it is the only test accepted for immigration to Canada, United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand. In fact, its the only English test accepted by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for international students looking to come to Canada under the Student Direct Stream (SDS). Always check with your Canadian educational institution to make sure they accept IELTS.

2) Its impossible to get a high band score in IELTS

The band score you need is set by the organisation you are applying to. Make sure you check with your organisation to find out the score you need. Some test takers will need 5-6 in their IELTS, however others will need an IELTS band 7 or higher. A high score is possible with IELTS and many test takers achieve 8 and above every year. The more preparation you do for test day will help you achieve the score you need.

If you want to attempt an official practice test prior to test day IELTS Progress Check may be right for you. With IELTS Progress Check you will practice on official IELTS questions, receive feedback and an indicative band score so you know where you stand and where to improve prior to test day.

Buy your IELTS Progress Check today

3) You cant take IELTS more than once

There is no limit to how many times you can take IELTS. Hopefully you will get your desired score the first time however if you need to take it again you can and will not be marked down for this.

4) IELTS marks you harder on your first test, so you have to re-take the test

There is no truth in this, you will be marked fairly and against the same criteria on all IELTS tests. Examiners are not aware if it is your first or second test therefore have no bias against your test. We want you to succeed and get your desired score on your first test. The best way to do this is to get to know the test and practice. There are a number of resources you can use to help you understand the format and get used to official IELTS questions.

5) You should write more than the specified word limit

In the writing section there is a word limit that must be reached, and it is important to note this as you will lose marks if you write less than the limit. Task 1 requires 150 words and Task 2 requires 250 words. You can write over the limit however this will not result in extra marks. The main focus is you read the question carefully and make sure you answer the key points, use correct grammar and a range of vocabulary.

6) I will lose marks if I dont speak with a British, American, or Australian accent

This is not true. You are not expected to change your accent for your IELTS test. Our friendly examiners are trained to understand a range of accents. In your speaking test make sure you take your time and speak clearly. If you do not hear a question asked by your examiner and need it to be repeated, you are allowed to ask them to repeat and you will not be marked down for this.

7) The Speaking test is biased as it is marked by Humans

Your Speaking test is with a human examiner not a computer as it is a true indication of how you interact in the real world. IELTS Speaking test gets you ready for the conversations you will have in your future.

IELTS examiners are not biased towards any test takers and will assess everyone equally on their ability to clearly communicate. Other tests rely on AI and computers in their Speaking test, this does not set you up for conversations you will have in the real world. AI has also been found to have issues with bias based on their machine learning, read more about that here.

8) If I make the examiner laugh in the Speaking test I will get a better mark

Making a joke and smiling can help you feel relaxed in your Speaking test. It doesnt mean you will receive a higher mark however it may help you perform at your best as you feel at ease and comfortable with your examiner. Remember they want you to get your best possible score as well and are there to help you not intimidate you.

9) Practicing on official IELTS preparation will help you achieve a higher score

Any practice you do will help you better understand the test, the types of questions and requirements for IELTS. It will help you in achieving your desired score. There are many resources out there to assist you in your preparation. IELTS have a range of free sample task questions, a paid official practice test and lots of tips on our social channels Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.

10) Certain IELTS test centres grade easier than others

All IELTS tests are marked by official IELTS examiners that are trained to be fair and unbiased in their approach. There is a list of marking criteria they all work to, to assess your level of English proficiency. Therefore, all tests are marked to the same standard and different centres will not result in a different score.

11) Computer-based tests are more difficult than written tests

The content and questions used in IELTS on computer and IELTS on paper are the same. Therefore, one is not easier than the other. You may however find IELTS on paper easier if you are used to studying and writing tests on paper compared to computer. If you are comfortable using and typing on a computer, then taking IELTS on computer may be the better test for you. At IELTS we provide both options to test takers to ensure we have options to suit everyones needs.

12) Studying is unnecessary since English is my mother tongue

A number of people who take IELTS speak English as one of their main languages. This will definitely help you on test day however we always recommend our test takers to study for IELTS no matter how fluent they are. Studying the test format, understanding the question types and what to expect will help you better prepare for your test and achieve your desired band score.

Taking your IELTS test is an important part of your journey whether it is to get into university or college, a job or to immigrate to Canada. Dont let the incorrect information scare you and cause panic before test day. Make sure you find your information from official IELTS websites and our social account to help you prepare and perform your best on test day.

Book your IELTS test
Sorry, no valid subscriptions were found for this Publication. Please select from an option below to start a subscription.

SUBSCRIBE TODAY!

24 Hour Access
TRENTON, N.J. (AP)  Liz Sawyer called Manville, New Jersey, home for more than two decades when Ida became the latest storm to send flood waters crashing into her house. For her and her family it will  she hopes  be the last time.

Let us get out of here, Sawyer said during an interview this month, on the day President Joe Biden visited the storm-struck town. This is our third flood. I have had enough. Im done. I want to get out of here.

Not even a month after Idas torrential leftovers dumped nearly a foot of rain in a few hours in places, turning roads into waterways and leaving 30 people dead in the state, New Jerseys top environmental regulator said this week the states floodplain property buyback program definitely needs expansion as part of the states efforts to mitigate the effects of climate change.

Sawyer, a school bus driver, could be a beneficiary if New Jersey officials move ahead with the expansion of the program, known as Blue Acres. But the program isnt a slam dunk for residents, who have to file applications and weigh whether a buyout makes financial sense for them.

Sawyer said shes looking into the process already, and its daunting: Theres paperwork, lots of waiting and a fair amount of uncertainty. Shes also worried that she might have to sell her house on the market if the states offer isnt enough.

We have very little to no retirement, she said. This house is our future. Sadly.

The expansion of the program, though, hinges in part on whether more federal money is allocated, said Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Shawn LaTourette during a remote news conference. Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy also said this month that expanding the program should be on the table, but he stopped short of laying out a plan.

It could also be a challenge to persuade towns to participate. Support from local governments is one of the criteria the state considers when deciding whether to offer buyouts.

For a community to come to terms with its risk and effectively say to itself that we have to uproot ourselves and find a new community that is a big cultural undertaking, he said.

In Little Falls, just west of Paterson, the town has had eight major flooding events from 2005 to 2011, according to the National Weather Service.

Nearly 150 homes in the town have been elevated or bought out through the state and FEMA since 2010, Mayor James Damiano said. He added that he favors elevations over buyouts for a number of reasons, including that homeowners who opt for elevation can expect significant reductions in their flood insurance costs, while buyouts cost the town over time in tax revenue.

New Jerseys Blue Acres program began statewide in 2013 and has spent $200 million on buyouts as of February, the latest data available. The lions share of that funding, though, came from the federal government. The program has made offers on about 1,100 properties in 20 towns across the state, including Manville. About 700 houses have been demolished.

Manville sits along the Raritan and Millstone rivers and frequently gets hit hard by storms. The remnants of Tropical Storm Floyd brought catastrophic flooding in 1998, and the town sustained serious flooding during the aftermath of Hurricane Irene in 2011 and Superstorm Sandy in 2012. One low-lying section is known as the Lost Valley, which was hit hard by Ida and was where Biden toured.

Mark Nipps, a retired volunteer firefighter of 25 years and a Manville resident, pointed out the vacant lots recently where houses gobbled up through the program once stood.

You hate to see your town disappear, he said. I dont know if in my lifetime that section of town will be totally gone or if people just take a chance (and stay).

Lou DeFazio, a contractor by trade and resident along with Sawyer in the Lost Valley, said hes not leaving. Its home, he said.

Over the past three decades, federal and local governments have poured more than $5 billion into buying tens of thousands of vulnerable properties across the country, according to an Associated Press analysis of data from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Department of Housing and Urban Development in 2019.

New Jersey ranked among the top states for federal money spent on flood buyouts of residential properties.

Associated Press writer David Porter in Little Falls, New Jersey, contributed to this report.

Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Claims professionals have few options if they want access the information stored in event data recorders after a vehicle crash. For most models they use Boschs Crash Data Retrieval tool. For Kia and Hyundai, they must use Global Information Technologys EDR Tool.

But a Canadian technology company says it offers an alternative way of accessing EDR data that doesnt require the purchase of thousands of dollars in equipment. Collision Sciences Inc., based in Mississauga, Ontario, sells a device that can download data on a smart phone for only $150.

The CrashScan app makes an initial scan that indicates whether any crash data was recorded. For an extra charge  generally $300  the user can request from Collision Sciences a narrative report that translates the digital codes stored in the EDR into plain language. The report will include information such as whether the airbag was deployed, the force and direction of impact and even the likelihood of injury.

Chief Executive Officer Jason Bayley says his device eliminates the need to invest in the Bosch and GIT tools, which together can cost claims shops $50,000. He said his patented plain-language reporting system also eliminates the need for claims investigators to enroll in a week-long training program to understand the digital codes that the Bosch and GIT tools produce.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has required all vehicles to be equipped with EDRs since 2012. In 2015, Congress passed a law establishing that the data on the recorders belongs to the owner of the vehicle.

Bayley said the data is unnecessarily difficult to access, which is why manufacturers are able to charge consumers for the information stored in devices that they own.

General Motors, for example, charges $10 per month to subscribers who sign up for OnStar, a system that uses EDR data to send alerts directly to emergency dispatchers. Toyota in August announced a partnership with CCC Intelligent Solutions to create the Collision Assistance service, which documents accident data and guides vehicle owners through the claims process.

People should have the right to this data, Bayley said. It should be accessible.

GM pioneered the development of event data records in the 1990s. The devices record various data points, such as engine speed, steering input and whether brakes were applied, in a continuous loop that stops five seconds after a collision is detected. EDRs are usually installed as part of the vehicles airbag control module. They can be accessed though an on-board diagnostics port.

Bayley said his companys CrashScan app uses that port to read the data on vehicle EDRs, just as the Bosch and GIT tools do. He said the patent he obtained for his product protects the technology that converts the digital codes on EDRs into plain language.

Bayley, an engineer, said he saw the need for the technology while he was working as a forensics investigator. He said the cost of acquiring the two EDR readers on the market and accompanying software can be a barrier to entry for claims professionals who want to investigate auto accidents.

While $300 per report may sound expensive, Bayley said theres a way to bring down that cost. For insurers, we have developed enterprise subscription models and we will plan to grow our company and improve our products as the industry affords us the opportunity,he said.

Word has started getting around among claims adjusters. Insurance defense attorney Brian Mizzell discussed the Collision Sciences tool during the Connected Claims conference in Southern California in August. Mizzell said the technology provides an inexpensive option for downloading EDR data, but he said he isnt certain that courts will accept the data as evidence if a dispute goes to trial.

Bayley said he sees no reason why courts would not accept his reports, since they are based on the same data accessed by the Bosch and GIT tools.

Forensics engineer Alan Cantor, founder and chairman of the board for ARCCA in Philadelphia, said he is familiar with the Collision Science tool and has concerns about it. He said the tool overreaches, which is a typical problem with technologies that attempt to predict outcomes.

CrashScans reports include conclusions about whether a crash was likely to cause injury. Cantor said only an expert can draw such conclusions after examining all of the evidence.

Their interpretation of the data goes beyond what I consider to be scientifically valid, Cantor said. There is no algorithm to determine if there is an injury or not an injury.

For example, a rollover accident that crushes the roof of a car can cause serious injury but the EDR report would not detect that because a rollover does not produce enough acceleration. Similarly, he said a seat collapse can also injure a passenger, but no acceleration would be detected to trigger a report of likely injury.

In response, Bayley pointed to a study by Virginia Tech-Wake Forest University, published in 2015, that demonstrated event data recorder measurements can be used to predict occupant injury after vehicle crashes.

Our report offers similar injury risk data, from the same government databases, which track and merge injury and EDR data, he said.

Bayley said Collision Sciences tool does not attempt to predict injuries from rollover crashes, although its reports do report risk information for specific and more common front, rear and side impacts.

He said Cantor has not been a customer, so would have limited knowledge about Collision Sciences technology.

Our product and service is fairly disruptive, and thus I anticipate it will be polarizing, particularly for expert engineers, who also enjoy somewhat of a monopoly on access and reporting on EDR data, which costs insurers thousands per vehicle, typically, he said.
REDDING, Calif. (AP)  Damage assessment teams went out Saturday to determine how many buildings have burned in a forest fire that has displaced thousands of residents in Northern California.

Firefighters working in steep, drought-stricken terrain hope calmer weather over the next few days will help as they battle the Fawn Fire north of the city of Redding.

Weve gotten fortunate in the last day or so, fire spokesman Scott Ross said. The winds have kind of lessened, and were able to get in there and get a lot of work done.

Temperatures also were dropping, with rain expected to start Monday, officials said.

Initial assessments found that at least 100 homes and other buildings had burned, officials said. But that number was likely to change as teams go street by street surveying the destruction in the Mountain Gate area. It wasnt immediately known when the damage assessment would be completed.

At least 9,000 structures still were threatened, Ross said.

Authorities have arrested a 30-year-old woman on suspicion of starting the blaze that erupted Wednesday and grew explosively in hot and gusty weather in the region about 200 miles (322 kilometers) northeast of San Francisco.

Alexandra Souverneva was charged Friday with felony arson to wildland with an enhancement because of a declared state of emergency in California, Shasta County District Attorney Stephanie Bridgett said.

The Palo Alto woman also is being investigated to see if shes started other fires in Shasta County and throughout the state, Bridgett said. It wasnt immediately known if she has an attorney who could speak on her behalf.

The Fawn Fire has charred nearly 12 square miles (31 square kilometers) of heavy timber and was 10% contained, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

Nearly 2,000 residents were under mandatory evacuation orders and an additional 7,400 were warned to be ready to leave if necessary, the California Highway Patrol said.

Its the latest destructive blaze to send Californians fleeing this year. Fires have burned more than 3,600 square miles (9,324 square kilometers) so far in 2021, destroying more than 3,200 homes, commercial properties and other structures.

Those fires include a pair of big forest blazes that have been burning for more than two weeks in the heart of giant sequoia country on the western slope of the Sierra Nevada. More than 1,700 firefighters battled the KNP Complex Fires, which covered nearly 66 square miles (171 square kilometers) by Saturday.

Nearby, the Windy Fire grew significantly Friday, prompting new evacuations for rural communities. The blaze ignited by lightning on Sept. 9 has scorched 111 square miles (287 square kilometers) of trees and brush on the Tule River Indian Reservation and in Sequoia National Forest. It was just 5% contained Saturday.

A historic drought in the American West tied to climate change is making wildfires harder to fight. It has killed millions of trees in California alone. Scientists say climate change has made the West much warmer and drier in the past 30 years and will continue to make weather more extreme and wildfires more frequent and destructive.

About the photo: Flames consume a house near Old Oregon Trail as the Fawn Fire burns north of Redding in Shasta County, Calif., on Thursday, Sept. 23, 2021. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope)

Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 27)  The Senate approved on final reading on Monday a bill protecting children from statutory rape and other forms of sexual abuse by raising the minimum age of sexual consent from 12 to 16 years old.

Twenty-two senators voted for the passage of Senate Bill No. 2332, while one abstained.

The bill amended Republic Act 8353 or the Anti-Rape Act of 1997, which previously considered as statutory rape sexual intercourse with a victim under 12 years old.

The measure also changed the definition of rape to highlight that all persons, regardless of gender, can commit such a criminal act. It amended the language of the law that said rape is between a man and a woman only.

Senator Koko Pimentel, the only lawmaker who abstained, clarified that he agrees with the main purpose of the bill but emphasized it needs to be refined in certain aspects.

Pimentel particularly questioned the sweetheart defense provision, which exempts statutory rape if the offended party is aged 14 to 16. The provision also provides statutory rape exemption if the difference of age between the offended party and the offender is not more than three years, and if their act is consensual.

"The danger is, if one of the parties acts on this impression, that it is alright to have sex under those circumstances, and then later on one of them changes his/her mind and denies that the act was or the acts were consensual, then we will see a deluge of cases for statutory rape filed in our courts," said Pimentel.

Pimentel hopes the provision on age difference among involved parties in the statutory rape exemption can be revisited during the bill's bicameral conference committee hearings.

Last December, the House of Representatives passed its own version of the bill.

House Assistant Minority Leader Rep. Arlene Brosas of the Gabriela Women's Party lauded the Senate approval of the bill.

"For nine decades, sexual contact with Filipino children as young as 12 is not considered statutory rape. This is about to change, as the #EndChildRape bill hurdles both chambers of Congress," Brosas said.

Brosas, who co-authored the House version of the bill, hopes the bicameral conference committee will arrive at a more expansive version.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 27)  Both the President and the Commission on Elections have a role to play in safeguarding the conduct of the 2022 elections, two framers of the 1987 Constitution said.

The Comelec has been taking charge of police and military deployment in so-called "hotspot areas" during past elections. But the debate surfaced over the weekend when President Rodrigo Duterte said he wants to make use of his power to call out the military to ensure peaceful polls in May.

"I'm pleading, almost praying, that people will really stick to the rule of law and avoid violence. Kasi 'pag hindi, unahan ko na kayo [Because if not, I'll go first]...I will be forced to use the might of the military," Duterte said Friday.

READ: Duterte threatens to use military to ensure 'peaceful' 2022 polls

The Constitution states that a sitting president can only call upon the military to respond to invasion, rebellion, or lawless violence, which must be justified before Congress and the Supreme Court.

Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said over the weekend that the poll body "has the authority" to address security threats and violence by imposing its control on specific parts of the country -- a power formalized through Comelec Resolution 10481 issued in January 2019.

However, former Comelec Commissioner Rene Sarmiento, a member of the 1986 Constitutional Commission, said the poll body's authority is not absolute.

"The Comelec has the power to deputize law enforcement agencies, etc., including the AFP, to ensure free, orderly, honest, peaceful, and credible elections but, and only if, the President concurs with the power of the Comelec to deputize the agencies/instrumentalities above-mentioned," Sarmiento said in a text message, stressing that this was provided for under the 1987 Constitution.

Constitutionalist Christian Monsod, who once served as Comelec chairman, said the 2019 Comelec resolution was unclear if the President's concurrence was secured.

He added that safeguards must be put in place, if the Comelec or the President will exercise control over uniformed personnel.

"The Comelec doesn't have absolute power to take over on the grounds it stays in (Resolution) 10481, and one of the grounds is a history of or actual intense rivalry between two parties which could result in violence," Monsod said.

"Even if there were none, it's the judgment of the Comelec and it could result -- that's a very dangerous power," he warned.

'Conflict of interest'

A political analyst pointed out that Duterte's intention to join the 2022 vice presidential race could make things more complicated.

"The way I see it, parang 'yung calling out power ng president, hindi naman siya intended for election-related activities [The way I see it, the President's calling out power is not intended for election-related activities]," analyst Dennis Coronacion told CNN Philippines. "Baka bukod sa [Apart from the] question of constitutionality or legality, another question is may [theres] conflict of interest eh, considering he's a candidate."

"Mapag-iisipan pa siya ng masama either ng mga kalaban niya sa pulitika or mga botante. Baka sabihin na self-interest ang inuuna kaya ginagawa 'yan ng presidente [People might take it negatively either by political rivals or voters. They might think the reason the president is doing that is to protect his self-interest."

Another said it's all part of the job.

"It's not like it's the first time that the President is going to consider (using) the military to ensure that how he plans to accomplish something. It's that it is an option," added political analyst Edmund Tayao.

Monsod added that whoever controls the police and military during elections must be kept in check against abuses. He particularly flagged how the controversial Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) could be weaponized during the election period, which spans from January until June.

"The principle is: those who have powers are people who should use those powers with restraint," Monsod said. "If the Supreme Court upholds it (ATA), we have another problem because it can be used for election purposes. There are many variables here on what could happen during the elections."

RELATED: Here are the major issues raised against the Anti-Terrorism Act

CNN Philippines Correspondent Paige Javier contributed to this report.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 27)  Could President Rodrigo Duterte be among those found liable in the Pharmally controversy once the Senate finishes its probe? Sen. Richard Gordon says the public can already see the extent of his involvement.

"I think the public can already discern," Gordon told CNN Philippines' The Source on Monday.

"Hindi naman kami nag-imbestiga dahil kaaway namin si President Duterte. Hindi ko naman siya inaaway eh (We are not investigating just because we see President Duterte as our enemy. We are not even fighting him)," he added.

Gordon questioned why Duterte has been "acting like a lawyer" for his former appointees involved in the controversy, and even went as far as cursing and threatening those who have been investigating the issue.

The senator, for one, slammed the previous appointment of Michael Yang, a Chinese citizen, who was Duterte's former economic adviser. He said had the situation been reversed, Chinese President Xi Jinping would not even hire a Filipino who would potentially threaten his country's interest.

"At bakit mo ia-appoint si Michael Yang? Sabi ko nga, pwede ka bang i-appoint? Pwede bang iappoint ako ni Xi Jinping? Of course hindi ako iaappoint ni Xin Jinping maging economic adviser," he said.

[Translation: And why would you appoint Michael Yang? As I said, why would he be appointed? Can Xi Jinping appoint someone like me? Of course he would not appoint me as his economic adviser.]

RELATED: Duterte defends Michael Yang, ex-DBM exec Lao amid allegations of links to govt supplier

Duterte previously argued that Yang  who has been linked to the embattled Pharmally Pharmaceuticals Corporation  was only a "middleman" for the Philippine government and a foreign company providing medical goods.

The President also once came to the defense of ex-Budget Undersecretary Lloyd Christopher Lao, who awarded the deal to Pharmally when he was the head of the Procurement Service of the Department of Budget and Management.

Gordon did not state whether Duterte must eventually be invited to Senate hearings on the issue in the future. But in a separate briefing, he said: "It all leads to Malacanang. Who appointed Lao? Who is defending Yang? Who is attacking COA (Commission on Audit)? Who is attacking the Senate?"

Meanwhile, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque on Monday dismissed the possibility of the probe leading to Duterte.

"Absolutely not. Wala naman silang ebidensyang nakukuha na may overprice, sinabi na ng COA. Anong mali-link kay Presidente? Ingay lang po," he said.

[Translation: There is no evidence of overpriced medical supplies, COA said. What will you link to the President? Just noise.]

Roque likewise assured that Duterte "will not tolerate" Pharmally's tampering of the expiration dates of face shields intended for medical frontliners, should it be proven true. Firm official Krizle Grace Mago made the admission during the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing last Friday, Sept. 24.

https://cnnphilippines.com/news/2021/9/27/Palace-Duterte-Pharmally-face-shields-expiry-dates.html

The Senate continues to probe Pharmally and its negotiated contracts with the government despite being undercapitalized with a paid-up capital of just only 625,000.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 27)  All teachers and school personnel joining the pilot run of face-to-face classes need to be vaccinated against COVID-19, an education official confirmed on Monday.

Department of Education (DepEd) Planning Service Director Roger Masapol said the teachers need to be fully vaccinated and those who will participate should be under 65 years old without any comorbidities.

"We agreed all school personnel, teachers should be fully vaccinated when they participate in the pilot face-to-face," he said during a joint DepEd and Department of Health event.

DepEd earlier announced it will not be mandatory, raising appeals from lawmakers, parents, and the public to make it a requirement to ensure the safety of the students and teachers.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said child health experts recommended that vaccination be made mandatory for teachers, who are part of the A4 vaccine priority sector, to ensure the safety of the children since the government has not yet approved the vaccination of minors.

The pilot implementation will be carried out in 95 elementary public schools (Kindergarten to Grade 3), five public senior high schools, and 20 private schools. The list of schools hasn't been released yet pending final assessment.

DepEd said the participation of students will be purely voluntary, wherein parents need to give their written consent.

Only one teacher will be assigned per class for Kinder to Grade 3 to minimize exposure.

Contingency plans

DepEd and DOH are set to provide schools with contingency plans, which will contain recommendations for different scenarios. The scenarios will range from what to do if someone in class shows flu-symptoms, to the next steps if there is resurgence of COVID-19 cases in multiple barangays. They will set a policy on when schools should impose a lockdown.

Vergeire said teachers and students are not required to undergo COVID-19 tests before returning to physical classes. She said isolation and testing will only be conducted once an individual shows symptoms.

"We are now anticipating that if ever there would be infections, we will be able to manage because of protocols that we are going to institute," the health official said.

The government has yet to announce the date of the pilot run. It will be carried out for two months in areas deemed as low-risk for COVID-19 then assessed if it should be halted or expanded.

As of mid-September, the Philippines and Venezuela were the only remaining countries that have not reopened schools since the pandemic erupted in March 2020, the United Nations Childrens Fund reported.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 27)  With less than a week left from the filing of candidacies, Sen. Richard Gordon has kept mum on his final plans for the upcoming elections as he continues to lead the Senate hearings on the government's pandemic response funds.

Speaking to CNN Philippines' The Source on Monday, Gordon explained that he does not want his possible bid to compromise the ongoing probe into controversies surrounding Pharmally Pharmaceuticals Corporation.

"Ayokong maadulterate itong pagsusuri natin. Ayokong sinasabi kaya ko ginagawa, tatakbo ako," he said.

[Translation: I don't want the elections to adulterate our ongoing investigation. I don't want to say that I'm only doing this because I'm running.]

Gordon's blue ribbon committee is investigating Pharmally, the government's top medical supplier that bagged billions of pesos' worth of negotiated contracts despite being undercapitalized with a paid-up capital of just only 625,000.

Just last week, a Pharmally official admitted that they "swindled" the government's pandemic response funds by tampering with the expiry dates of government-procured face shields.

Gordon's panel will resume investigation into the matter on Thursday, September 30.

The senator previously hinted that he will run for the 2022 elections. He did not make an official declaration on the post he is eyeing, although he previously told The Source that Vice President Leni Robredo made a "good offer" prior to the polls. He did not divulge details on the matter.

Robredo is still forging a broad alliance of the opposition, but she herself has not yet declared whether she will run for the presidency next year.

The filing of the certificates of candidacy will begin on Oct. 1.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 27)  The government will launch a probe into the influx of smuggled carrots from China in some Philippine markets, an official of the Department of Agriculture said on Monday.

"Walang fresh vegetables na binibigyan ng permit mula sa ibang bansa, kasama ang China," Agriculture Assistant Secretary Noel Reyes said during a virtual briefing. "We're saying na smuggled po 'yan...i-imbestigahan po 'yan."

[Translation: We are not permitting the entry of fresh vegetables from other countries, including China. We're saying those are smuggled. That will be investigated.]

The official said the government will create a joint task force composed of the DA, the Department of Trade and Industry, the Bureau of Customs, and the Bureau of Internal Revenue to investigate the matter.

Late last week, a group of Benguet farmers flagged the smuggled carrots from China, which were being sold in Manila and Cebu markets.

The DA earlier said the Bureau of Plant Industry did not issue any import permits on the carrots, making them illegal.

Reyes said the government is only allowing frozen mixed and processed vegetables, but they are limited to embassies and hotels.

He also said consumers must understand the dangers these fresh products from other countries pose as they are not regulated.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 27)  Senator Richard Gordon on Monday cited grounds for the possible deportation of Chinese businessman Michael Yang, a former economic adviser of President Rodrigo Duterte, amid an ongoing probe on his links to Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corporation.

"Itong pagsisinungaling niya sa Blue Ribbon, 'yung pag-iwas niya, 'yung nakinabang siya sa pandemic (ng) billions. Doon lang pwede na siyang ipa-deport," Gordon told reporters in a briefing on Monday.

[Translation: Lying to the Blue Ribbon, avoiding probes, taking advantage of the pandemic with billions worth of pesos. These things alone could be grounds for his deportation.]

Gordon clarified that he has not yet thought of filing a complaint before immigration officers. However, he repeatedly aired his dismay over Yang, for refusing to fully cooperate in the hearings of the blue ribbon committee that he leads.

"I just don't like some punk being (a) smug and thumbing his nose at the Filipino people," he said.

Yang was linked to Pharmally after the Senate committee showed a 2017 footage of him and some officials of the firm being welcomed by President Rodrigo Duterte in Malacanang.

In his interview with CNN Philippines' The Source earlier in the day, Gordon explained that anyone can file a deportation complaint against Yang, amid ongoing probe on the country's top medical supplier and its alleged swindling of the government's pandemic response funds.

"I am sure sinasabihan siya ng abugado na 'pag merong permanent resident visa, pwede tanggalin sa kanya 'yan at pwede siyang paalisin ng Immigration. Pwede ring mag-aklas ang mga tao at magalit ang mga tao sa kanila sa ninakaw na napakalaki, baka sabihin sa kanya, 'umalis ka na dito at ikaw ay ipadedeport ng ating bansa," he said.

[Translation: I am sure, his counsel tells him that his permanent resident visa can be taken from him and he can be ordered by the Immigration out of the country. The people can also protest and get mad at him for the huge amount of money they have stolen from the public coffers. The people might tell him, 'get out of here and you will be deported by the government.']

Citing Bureau of Immigration rules, Gordon noted that an action for deportation may commence through a verified complaint against any foreigner for grounds provided for by relevant laws.

Earlier this month, the Justice department issued an immigration lookout bulletin order (ILBO) against Yang, who showed up at only three of nine previous Senate hearings. He was last located in a hotel in Davao City.

An ILBO is different from a hold departure order which can only be issued by courts when a case has already been filed.

Gordon said Yang should still be prosecuted before a Philippine court amid the controversy.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 27)  A key witness in the Senate hearing on alleged irregularities in COVID-19 response spending went gun-shy after he expressed interest to disclose more information in a closed-door session.

In a letter to the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, embattled Pharmally Pharmaceuticals Corp. director Linconn Ong cited the advise of counsel Ferdinand Topacio, over concerns on the impartiality of the probe.

This is a kangaroo forum, said Topacio, adding some members of the Senate panel are not out to get the truth.

They're out for blood. Kaya naman unfair sa kliyente ko kung siya ang gagawing pawn, gagawing sacrificial lamb para makakuha ng dugo, he further said.

[Translation: This is why its unfair to my client if he will made a pawn, a sacrificial lamb so they can get their share of blood.]

Senate President Vicente Tito Sotto III slammed Topacios remarks.

What do they expect by threatening the Senate? That we roll over and die? Will never happen! he said.

Committee chairman Sen. Richard Dick Gordon and member Sen. Panfilo Ping Lacson confirmed separately this morning that Ong wanted an executive session to reveal what he couldnt otherwise disclose during the public hearing, said Lacson.

I will say this...sa umpisang-umpisa, may pagkasinungaling at nagpapalusot ito," Gordon said about Ong. "He could be play-acting na kunyari natataranta siya. Lumang tugtugin na yan, marami nang nag-attempt na ganyan pero lumalabas ang katotohanan at palubog na siya nang palubog.

[Translation: I will say this...from the very beginning, he has the tendency to lie and make excuses. He could be play-acting like hes pretending to be disoriented. Thats the same old song and dance, many have already attempted to do that but the truth still comes out and hes sinking deeper and deeper.]

Lacson confirmed to the media on Monday morning that Ongs transfer to prison from Senate detention did not push through.

The Pharmally executive sought an executive session so he can say what he could not during the public hearing, the lawmaker added.

While Ong requested to be allowed to retrieve his documents so he can provide accurate numbers, Lacson said they did not allow it.

Gordon ordered Ongs prison transfer on Friday after supposedly lying during the panels probe into the purchase of overpriced COVID-19 medical supplies. Lawmakers have likewise slammed the Pharmally official for his evasive manner in answering questions during hearings.

Pharmally has been in hot water after bagging billions of pesos worth of contracts from the government despite having only 625,000 in capital.

CNN Philippines correspondent Eimor Santos contributed to this report.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 27)  A new director will head the Philippine National Police Academy following an alleged hazing incident that led to the death of a cadet.

PNP chief Gen. Guillermo Eleazar named Police Maj. Gen. Alex Sampaga as the new PNPA director, replacing Police Maj. Gen. Rhoderick Armamento, who will take over Sampagas position as director of the PNP Directorate for Information and Communications Technology Management (DICTM).

As a PNPA alumnus himself, I expect PMGen Sampaga to bring in innovative ideas and fresh perspective that would effectively implement the necessary adjustments in further improving the institution for each cadet to live up to its core values of Justice, Integrity, and Service, said Eleazar in a statement on Monday.

Cadet 3rd Class Karl Magsayo was reportedly punched in the body at least five times by upperclassman Cadet 2nd Class Steven Ceasar Maingat on Sept. 23. Magsayo was rushed to the hospital but was declared dead on arrival.

The PNP said a criminal case will be filed against Maingat in connection with the death of Magsayo. This will be separate from the administrative charges that would be filed against him that could lead to his dismissal from the PNPA.

Let this be a stern warning to all the PNPA cadets that the PNP leadership will never tolerate this misbehavior and serious breach of discipline and moral values, said Eleazar.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 27)  Senators on Monday questioned the Presidential Communications Operations Office's move to create a social media office without authority of law.

Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon raised the issue during a finance subcommittee's hearing on the PCOO's proposed 2.09 billion budget for 2022.

"As far as I know, you create an office because of a law. I did not know that a department order is enough to create an office," Drilon said.

PCOO Undersecretary Kris Ablan stood by the 2017 department order creating the Social Media Office, or SMO, headed by an assistant secretary.

"The creation of the office is only internal to the PCOO," Ablan said. "We maintain that a department order is in order, that the secretary could create an ad hoc office."

Drilon, however, said the use of public funds "can never be internal to a department."

Ablan also said the SMO has now been replaced by the Office of the Undersecretary for New Media. But for Drilon, this only makes things worse, "elevating now the head of the office as an undersecretary."

Senator Richard Gordon asked if this constitutes malversation, since public funds were spent for an entity that was not created by law. Drilon said he needs to study it further.

Ablan said the PCOO will submit a position paper defending its stand.

The subcommittee approved the PCOO's proposed spending plan for 2022, sending it to the plenary, but Drilon said he will propose budget cuts.

"Because a number of activities cannot be justified, one, and two, it can be deferred because we have no funds for COVID-19," the veteran lawmaker added.

Senators had other reservations, including the hiring of 1,479 contract of service employees, with its attached government-owned and controlled corporation  the People's Television Network  having the most non-permanent workers. The committee earlier requested the contractual employees' records on the suspicion that they may be working as internet trolls, something the PCOO has repeatedly denied.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 27)  More than half of Filipinos believe that President Rodrigo Duterte's vice presidential run in the 2022 elections violates the intent of the Constitution, a recent survey showed.

The Social Weather Stations survey made from June 23 to 26 this year found that 60% of Filipinos shared the view on Duterte's planned vice presidential candidacy.

Majority of the survey respondents in each of the country's major regions have the same sentiment about the President's vice presidential bid, including Balance Luzon or the area outside Metro Manila with 65%, Visayas with 59%, Metro Manila with 56%, and Mindanao with 53%.

Those with educational attainment also said that Duterte's vice presidential run would violate the Constitution, with the highest among elementary graduates with 70%, followed by college graduates with 61%, and junior high school graduates with 52%.

Duterte also failed to gain support in his vice presidential candidacy in the survey among those who are not poor with 64%, borderline poor with 61%, and poor with 58%.

Those against Dutertes vice presidential bid were highest among people very dissatisfied with his performance as President (88%), those somewhat dissatisfied (83%), undecided (81%), somewhat satisfied (62%), and very satisfied (42%).

Duterte confirmed in his weekly national address last Aug. 25 that he will run for vice president in next year's elections.

Days after the declaration, Duterte said he had decided to seek the post due to the lack of viable contenders in the vice presidential race.

The President formally signed last Sept. 23 the Certificate of Nomination and Acceptance as the vice presidential candidate of his political party PDP-Laban.

The 1987 Constitution does not categorically prohibit a sitting president from running for lower positions. Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra previously said what is not allowed under the Constitution is for Duterte to run again as President.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 28)  President Rodrigo Duterte said on Monday that the government can use its police power to compel citizens to get vaccinated against COVID-19.

In his pre-recorded speech, Duterte said this would specifically apply to Filipinos living in areas which has already received enough vaccine supply.

I do not want to advance this theory, but under the police power of the state, everybody can be compelled to be vaccinated," he said.

The president added that its not because the government rejects their beliefs or religion, but because of the pandemic all infected persons are a carrier and a danger to society.

Duterte pointed out that normally, there is a separation between church and state but given the current threat of contracting COVID-19, police power may be needed to force more people to get inoculated.

Itong police power of the state na hahawain mo kapwa tao mo, patayin mo [This police power of the state can be implemented if you pose a threat to other people] and maybe it would affect a large number of our people, then you are already a danger to society and therefore I said, contrary to the belief or opinion of others I can compel you under the police power of the state, he explained.

The chief executive then warned government workers: get vaccinated against COVID-19 or leave public service.

"Sa gobyerno, ayaw mong pabakuna, umalis ka. Go out of government, why? Because when you are with government you are, you face people," Duterte said during his address on Monday night.

[Translation: Get out of government if you do not want to get vaccinated. Go out of government, why? Because when you are with government you are, you face people.]

Duterte said that while he recognizes differences in personal beliefs when it comes to vaccines, it becomes "completely irrelevant" when considering public health and safety.

If everybody does not comply with the vaccines, and we can have a... wildfire spread, then the police must go in and intervene in your private life so that you cannot be a danger to society, he added.

Earlier, the President threatened to arrest Filipinos who refuse to get immunized against COVID-19. He also told unvaccinated individuals to avoid going out, even directing local officials to escort the spreaders back to their homes.

In the same address, Duterte said more than 20.3 million Filipinos, or 26% of the country's eligible population, have been fully vaccinated.
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.
The Missouri Supreme Court is set to hear arguments about whether Republican Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft used an unconstitutional set of laws last year to derail an effort to put the states new abortion restrictions on the ballot for a public vote
The Missourians Opinion section is a public forum for the discussion of ideas. The views presented in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Missourian or the University of Missouri. If you would like to contribute to the Opinion page with a response or an original topic of your own, visit our submission form
Ccna4u.net scored 49 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 29 Dec 2012, you can refresh this analysis whenever you want.

The total number of people who shared the ccna4u homepage on Delicious. This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared, liked or recommended the ccna4u homepage on Facebook + the total number of page likes (if ccna4u has a Facebook fan page). The total number of people who shared the ccna4u homepage on StumbleUpon. This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared the ccna4u homepage on Twitter + the total number of ccna4u followers (if ccna4u has a Twitter account). The total number of people who shared the ccna4u homepage on Google Plus by a google +1 button.

Basic Information

PAGE TITLE CCNA Answers, CCNA Exam Answers , Cisco Exploration CCNA 4.0 Blog DESCRIPTION CCNA4U, CCNA Training, CCNA Test, CCNA exam, testccna-4u,ccna-answers,ccna answers,ccna exam,ccna final,ccna module KEYWORDS CCNA4U, CCNA Training, CCNA Test, CCNA exam, testccna-4u, ccna-answers, ccna answers, ccna exam, ccna final, ccna module OTHER KEYWORDS



The description meta-tag found in the head section of the homepage. The URL (Uniform Resource Locator) is the address of the site. The title found in the head section of the homepage. The keywords meta-tag found in the head section of the homepage. CoolSocial advanced keyword analysis tool is able to detect and analyze every keyword on each page of a site.

Domain and Server

DOCTYPE XHTML 1.0 Transitional CHARSET AND LANGUAGE English (United States) UTF-8English (United States) DETECTED LANGUAGE English English SERVER Apache OPERATIVE SYSTEM Linux Linux

Type of server and offered services. Represents HTML declared type (e.g.: XHTML 1.1, HTML 4.0, the new HTML 5.0) Character set and language of the site. Operative System running on the server. The language of ccna4u.net as detected by CoolSocial algorithms.

Site Traffic trend during the last year. Only available for sites ranked <= 100000 in the world.

Referring domains for ccna4u.net by MajesticSeo. High values are a sign of site importance over the web and on web engines.

Facebook link

FACEBOOK PAGE LINK NOT FOUND

The total number of people who like website Facebook page. A Facebook page link can be found in the homepage or in the robots.txt file. The URL of the found Facebook page. The description of the Facebook page describes website and its services to the social media users. 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 type of Facebook page.

Twitter account link

TWITTER PAGE LINK NOT FOUND
Congratulations, littlelupe.org got a very good Social Media Impact Score! Show it by adding this HTML code on your site:

Littlelupe.org scored 70 Social Media Impact. Social Media Impact score is a measure of how much a site is popular on social networks. 3.5/5.0 Stars by Social Team

This CoolSocial report was updated on 13 Jan 2018, you can refresh this analysis whenever you want.

Add a widget like this on your site: click here

The total number of people who shared the littlelupe homepage on Google Plus by a google +1 button. The total number of people who shared the littlelupe homepage on StumbleUpon. This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared the littlelupe homepage on Twitter + the total number of littlelupe followers (if littlelupe has a Twitter account). This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared, liked or recommended the littlelupe homepage on Facebook + the total number of page likes (if littlelupe has a Facebook fan page). The total number of people who shared the littlelupe homepage on Delicious.

Basic Information

PAGE TITLE Little Lupe  Little Lupe Videos, Pictures, Blog, Links, And More! DESCRIPTION KEYWORDS OTHER KEYWORDS little, little lupe, pictures, members, of her, inside, personal



CoolSocial advanced keyword analysis tool is able to detect and analyze every keyword on each page of a site. The title found in the head section of the homepage. The keywords meta-tag found in the head section of the homepage. The URL (Uniform Resource Locator) is the address of the site. The description meta-tag found in the head section of the homepage.

Domain and Server

DOCTYPE XHTML 1.0 Transitional CHARSET AND LANGUAGE UTF-8 DETECTED LANGUAGE English English SERVER Apache (W3 Total Cache/0.8.5.2) OPERATIVE SYSTEM Linux Linux

The language of littlelupe.org as detected by CoolSocial algorithms. Character set and language of the site. Operative System running on the server. Represents HTML declared type (e.g.: XHTML 1.1, HTML 4.0, the new HTML 5.0) 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 littlelupe.org by MajesticSeo. High values are a sign of site importance over the web and on web engines.

Facebook link

FACEBOOK PAGE LINK NOT FOUND

Facebook Timeline is the new layout of Facebook pages. The description of the Facebook page describes website and its services to the social media users. The total number of people who tagged or talked about website Facebook page in the last 7-10 days. The URL of the found Facebook page. A Facebook page link can be found in the homepage or in the robots.txt file. The total number of people who like website Facebook page. The type of Facebook page.

Twitter account link

TWITTER PAGE LINK NOT FOUND
98%

Website oneirokritis.org uses latest and advanced technologies like: Boostrap. It is very popular on the web, it's within the 1 million most visited websites of the world at position 390451 by Alexa. It supports HTTPS and GZIP compression. The main html page has a size of 86730 bytes (84.70 kb uncompressed) and 16650 bytes (16.26 kb compressed).

This CoolSocial report was updated on 2021-09-27, you can refresh this analysis whenever you want.
Vistulacityclub.com scored 40 Social Media Impact. Social Media Impact score is a measure of how much a site is popular on social networks. 2/5.0 Stars by Social Team

This CoolSocial report was updated on 11 Mar 2013, 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 vistulacityclub homepage on Facebook + the total number of page likes (if vistulacityclub has a Facebook fan page). The total number of people who shared the vistulacityclub homepage on StumbleUpon. The total number of people who shared the vistulacityclub homepage on Google Plus by a google +1 button. The total number of people who shared the vistulacityclub homepage on Delicious. This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared the vistulacityclub homepage on Twitter + the total number of vistulacityclub followers (if vistulacityclub has a Twitter account).

Basic Information

PAGE TITLE vistula-city-club DESCRIPTION KEYWORDS OTHER KEYWORDS



The URL (Uniform Resource Locator) is the address of the site. The title found in the head section of the homepage. CoolSocial advanced keyword analysis tool is able to detect and analyze every keyword on each page of a site. The description meta-tag found in the head section of the homepage. The keywords meta-tag found in the head section of the homepage.

Domain and Server

DOCTYPE HTML 5.0 CHARSET AND LANGUAGE UTF-8 DETECTED LANGUAGE Italian Italian SERVER Apache OPERATIVE SYSTEM Linux Linux

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 vistulacityclub.com as detected by CoolSocial algorithms. Type of server and offered services. Operative System running on the server.

Site Traffic trend during the last year. Only available for sites ranked <= 100000 in the world.

Referring domains for vistulacityclub.com by MajesticSeo. High values are a sign of site importance over the web and on web engines.

Facebook link

FACEBOOK PAGE LINK NOT FOUND

A Facebook page link can be found in the homepage or in the robots.txt file. The URL of the found Facebook page. Facebook Timeline is the new layout of Facebook pages. 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. The type of Facebook page. The total number of people who tagged or talked about website Facebook page in the last 7-10 days.

Twitter account link

TWITTER PAGE LINK NOT FOUND
Zust.edu.cn scored 41 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 25 Jan 2014, you can refresh this analysis whenever you want.

The total number of people who shared the zust homepage on Google Plus by a google +1 button. The total number of people who shared the zust homepage on Delicious. This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared the zust homepage on Twitter + the total number of zust followers (if zust has a Twitter account). This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared, liked or recommended the zust homepage on Facebook + the total number of page likes (if zust has a Facebook fan page). The total number of people who shared the zust homepage on StumbleUpon.

Basic Information

PAGE TITLE  - Zhejiang University of Science and Technology DESCRIPTION KEYWORDS OTHER KEYWORDS



CoolSocial advanced keyword analysis tool is able to detect and analyze every keyword on each page of a site. The description meta-tag found in the head section of the homepage. The keywords meta-tag found in the head section of the homepage. The URL (Uniform Resource Locator) is the address of the site. The title found in the head section of the homepage.

Domain and Server

DOCTYPE XHTML 1.0 Transitional CHARSET AND LANGUAGE -8 DETECTED LANGUAGE SERVER Microsoft-IIS/7.5 OPERATIVE SYSTEM Windows Server 2008 R2 Windows Server 2008 R2

The language of zust.edu.cn as detected by CoolSocial algorithms. Type of server and offered services. Operative System running on the server. Represents HTML declared type (e.g.: XHTML 1.1, HTML 4.0, the new HTML 5.0) Character set and language of the site.

Site Traffic trend during the last year. Only available for sites ranked <= 100000 in the world.

Referring domains for zust.edu.cn by MajesticSeo. High values are a sign of site importance over the web and on web engines.

Facebook link

FACEBOOK PAGE LINK NOT FOUND

The type of Facebook page. The total number of people who like website Facebook page. Facebook Timeline is the new layout of Facebook pages. The URL of the found Facebook page. The description of the Facebook page describes website and its services to the social media users. The total number of people who tagged or talked about website Facebook page in the last 7-10 days. A Facebook page link can be found in the homepage or in the robots.txt file.

Twitter account link

TWITTER PAGE LINK NOT FOUND
Cultivated by dozens of ancient cultures across thousands of years, lavender is one of the most historically significant crops within the entire flavor and fragrance industry. The word lavender is derived from the Latin word lavare, which means to wash.

As one might expect, lavender flowers were commonly used in Greek and Roman bathhouses as the pleasant odor of the plant was associated with health and cleanliness. The use of lavender within the cosmetic industry dates back to Ancient Egypt with certain embalming rituals requiring the plant for completion. With such diverse and widespread applications, its of little surprise that lavender eventually made its way to Bulgaria, where the flower would soon discover its little slice of paradise. The Rose Valley of Bulgaria, located just south of the Balkan Mountains, proved to be a growers dream for the plant, and lavender oil production began shortly after the crop was introduced.

Bulgarian lavender oil production flourished throughout much of the 20th century, particularly after Bulgarian agriculture saw major economic expansions during the 1970s. Throughout this time, nearly all material was grown by the same traditional farming communities that had existed in the region for 400 years. The unique soil and climate conditions of Rose Valley proved to be perfect for lavender production and the flowers grew rapidly across its many temperate hillsides. However, despite the crops initial success, Bulgarian lavender production took a major hit in the 1990s after the Soviet Union collapsed and the territory was left without proper financial support. The transition from state-owned companies to private enterprises was slow and costly, eventually production stabilized, and lavender oil began to flow from the valley once more. As time went on, Bulgarian lavender oil only grew in popularity, overtaking the French production of lavender back in 2018. Advancements in distillation methods, combined with the incredibly high quality of lavender from the Bulgarian growing regions have kept the oil firmly ahead of the competition ever since.

In perfumery, Bulgarian lavender differs from other varieties of lavender oil in both strength and aromatic complexity. The oil contains more linalool and linalyl acetate than its other European counterparts, which imparts a far richer fruity-floral odor while removing some of those green and medicinal qualities found in lesser quality material. Bulgarian lavender oil finds particularly high usage in Fougere style perfumes, though the material is also popular among soaps, cosmetics and other personal care products. Similar to the legendary Rosa damascena, Bulgarian lavender has a unique warm and hay-like character upon drydown, which adds even further complexity when blended with ingredients such as rosewood, bergamot and green patchouli.

Berje Trakia continues this history of tradition and quality with our latest facility in Bulgaria, ensuring that these traditional farming communities can continue to grow and distill the flowers that make their region so emblematic. For more information regarding Bulgarian lavender, as well as myriad other essential oils and aromatic chemicals, please visit our website BerjeInc.com!
Continue Reading Below Advertisement

Macready was determined to call off the whole run of performances, but New Yorks literary elite were horrified at the damage to the citys cultural reputation. A delegation including John Jacob Astor, Herman Melville, and Washington Irving persuaded him to go on for a second night, assuring him that additional safety precautions would be taken. Meanwhile, anonymous posters appeared around town demanding to know shall Americans or English rule in this city! By the time the curtain opened, a crowd of 15,000 people had surrounded the theater. Held back from the doors by a line of policemen, they started ripping up the cobblestones from the street and hurling them at the Opera House, while staging repeated charges on the police lines in a Shakespeare-based frenzy.

Continue Reading Below Advertisement

By the time Macready went on, the building was fully under siege, as stones rattled through the broken windows and the elegant audience dived for cover. Cops charged into the galleries, brawling with a group of Forrest fans who had managed to purchase tickets. They were dragged away and locked in a small room, which they promptly set on fire. Fortunately, the barrage of stones had broken several of the water pipes in the building, which began to flood. The water damage was worsened by the cops in the lobby, who had hooked a fire hose up to the buildings mains and were blasting rioters away from the doors.

Continue Reading Below Advertisement

Meanwhile, Macready was insisting that the cast complete their performance of Macbeth, saying that the audience had paid to see a play and deserved to get one. Since they were now trapped in a burning, flooding building surrounded by 15,000 enraged New Yorkers, its possible that the audience werent entirely focused on Macduffs final duel with Macbeth, but they managed to crawl out of their hiding places for a brief round of applause at the end.

NYPL Digital Gallery At least dad died doing what he loved. Keeping fancy dances out of Shakespeare.

Outside, looting had broken out and the state militia had been called out to subdue the rioters, only to be forced to retreat as the crowd hurled stones and staged charges on the lines of soldiers. As the cavalry frantically retreated, a group of 70 infantry guys got stranded and found themselves surrounded by thousands of rioters. After firing into the air failed to disperse the crowd, they were ordered to shoot to kill, while reinforcements deployed cannons against the Macbeth mob. Twenty-two people were killed before the riot ended, although groups of Bowery Boys continued to hunt for Macready, who hid in a friends house until he could be smuggled out of the city several days later. To no ones surprise, he never returned to America and ultimately retired two years later.

Continue Reading Below Advertisement

Forrest escaped blame, but was caught cheating on his wife and ended up in a high-profile divorce case, although he managed to avoid paying any alimony by cunningly dying of gout. In fact, the most lasting consequence of the riot was the closure of the Astor Place Opera House, which was unable to escape its new nickname of the DisAstor Opera House. Because if you cant quite manage to burn a place down, a mean pun will finish the job just as well.
Hartford Police / Contributed

HARTFORD  Police are investigating after a man shot in the city Sunday night was found more than two hours later in nearby New Britain, officials said.

Shortly after 8 p.m., officers responded to the 500 block of Broadview Terrace for a ShotSpotter gunfire activation in the area, Lt. Aaron Boisvert said.
Voices from the Pandemic" by Eli Saslow (Doubleday)

More than 18 months into the coronavirus pandemic, theres already been a bumper crop of books about COVID-19 that have focused primarily on the policy failures that allowed the virus to spread.

Eli Saslows Voices from the Pandemic instead draws attention to the people who have been affected by the virus.

Originally a series that ran in the Washington Post and won a George Polk Award for oral history, Voices from the Pandemic offers numerous examples of the heartbreaking, infuriating and even inspiring ways COVID-19 has changed our world.

The stories range from the partner of the first patient in Indiana to die from COVID-19 to a Kentucky patient describing what it felt like to be intubated. A Georgia coroner describes the haunting reality of watching his community ravaged by the virus. A Connecticut woman shares the pain she feels after passing the virus on to her elderly mother.

The stories illustrate the other ways the pandemic has upended lives, including a woman evicted from her home and a mother struggling with virtual learning for her children while schools were closed.

Reading a book like this in the midst of the delta variants surge may seem like a depressing pursuit, but it feels oddly cathartic. So many of the emotions and experiences are familiar. This collection is a reminder of how much we all share in common during a time of great loss.

A chapter on the fight over masks that features a general store employee struggling with customers who refuse to wear them and an Arizona man who goes into stores to demonstrate against their mandate feels particularly resonant.

In the only official voice, the book begins with quotes from briefings from the World Health Organization early on in the pandemic. One passage feels particularly chilling.

Are we ready to fight rumors and misinformation with clear and simple messages that people can understand? Are we able to have our people on our side to fight this outbreak? the passage reads.

Voices from the Pandemic offers a rich and valuable portrait of a confusing, frightening time in our history, even with that second question yet to be answered.
The state Medical Examining Board agreed Friday to temporarily suspend the medical license of a Durham physician who is accused of giving out exemptions for COVID-19 vaccines and masks without examining - or even knowing - the patients requesting the documents, state documents said.

Dr. Sue McIntosh is accused of allowing people to mail her Durham practice a self-addressed, stamped envelope to receive signed exemptions, state Department of Public Health documents said. Her license to practice medicine and surgery is suspended until a hearing can be held on Oct. 5, officials said.

The exemption paperwork that McIntosh mailed to people included explanations of what various exemptions would be, such as cancers, autism disorders, autoimmune disorders and others, and how to fill out the exemption paperwork, documents said.

You may copy and distribute as many forms as you wish to anyone, the instructions provided by McIntosh said. Keep blank copies for yourself for future use. She ended the instructions with Let freedom ring! the documents said.

The DPH received an anonymous tip on July 30 that McIntosh was allowing the general public, including people who she had never seen as patients before, to receive the exemptions, documents said.

A Section Chief with the DPHs investigation unit learned of the complaint on Sept. 10, an affidavit said. The next day, Christian Andresen, the section chief, sent McIntosh a self-addressed, stamped envelope using his home address, he confirmed in the signed affidavit.

On Sept. 16 he received a packet from McIntosh that included signed exemption forms and instructions on how to use them, the investigator said. The paperwork included exemptions for receiving COVID-19 vaccines, exemptions for wearing a mask, exemptions for receiving vaccines in general and exemptions for receiving routine COVID testing which sometimes required of people who have not been vaccinated.

The DPH issued a motion for summary suspension of McIntoshs license this week. The board voted unanimously during an emergency meeting held Friday to suspend her license until Oct, 5, officials said. Under the suspension, she is not allowed to practice medicine until at least Oct. 5.

According to the DPH documents, McIntosh deviated from the standard of care by failing to properly diagnose or examine people who had been given the exemptions. She also failed to build a patient and physician relationship with those who requested the exemptions, failed to obtain their medical history and failed to comply with Centers for Disease Control and & Prevention guidelines by providing advice that was harmful to the public.

McIntosh did not respond to a request for comment. After the Oct. 5 hearing, the DPH could recommend a variety of disciplines including a fine, probation with restrictions and education requirements or the revocation of her Connecticut license to practice medicine if the allegations are found to be true.

The board then would be required to vote again on any discipline.

In July, the Federation of State Medical Boards warned physicians that they could face disciplinary action by their own state medical boards for spreading disinformation about COVID-19 vaccines.

Physicians have an ethical and professional responsibility to practice medicine in the best interests of their patients and must share information that is factual, scientifically grounded and consensus-driven for the betterment of public health, the federation said in the warning.

Christopher Boyle, DPH spokesman, said in September that if the agency were receive a complaint that a physician was spreading COVID-19 vaccine misinformation, the Practitioner Investigation Unit would investigate.

This story was reported under a partnership with the Connecticut Health I-Team (c-hit.org), a nonprofit news organization dedicated to health reporting.
Medical marijuana patients in Connecticut can begin growing at home on Oct. 1 under the states new recreational cannabis law. Just like growing other types of plants, there are several things youll want to keep in mind before taking matters into your own hands when it comes to cannabis cultivation.

Patients 18 years and older may cultivate up to three mature and three immature cannabis plants at home, with a cap of 12 total plants per household. The same rules will apply to all adults over age 21 who will be able to grow starting July 1, 2023.

Plants must be grown indoors at a persons primary residence in an area not visible from the street and where individuals under 21 cant access them.

Where do I get seeds?

There are many online sites where you can buy seeds, but perhaps the simplest way is to get seeds from someone who is already growing. Under Connecticuts law, you are allowed to give away cannabis as a gift.

Seed prices vary depending on the strain and quantity. A quick perusing of some online sites showed that prices range from $25 to $1,000 for coveted strains.

What kind of seeds do I want?

Traditional cannabis plants are either male, which produce seed pods, or female, which produce flowers you want to harvest.

When buying regular seeds, you usually have a 50/50 chance of them being male or female. Therefore, most people starting out will probably want to purchase feminized seeds.

Autoflowering feminized cannabis seeds are often recommended for first-time growers. These seeds produce plants that flower on their own and dont require any changes in lighting.

Autoflowers also take less time to grow and are compact, which makes them ideal for growing indoors in small spaces.

The downside is lower production and lower THC, said Luis Vega, a hemp farmer in Connceticut and CEO and founder of Wepa Farms.

Vega plans to host classes (the first one is scheduled for Oct. 2) to teach medical marijuana patients how to cultivate plants at home.

Participants will receive clones, young female cannabis plants that are genetic copies of the mother plant  a very common practice in cannabis growing. The classes, which will be done in partnership with medical marijuana certification company CannaHealth, will last six hours and cost $200.

Kebra Smith-Bolden, RN/CEO at CannHealth, said shes heard from many medical patients who are interested in home grow, which is usually less expensive than buying cannabis from a dispensary.

Vega said he also plans to sell grow kits for $895 that will inlcude all equipment necesarry for a turn key operation at home.

Whats the difference between a mature and immature plant?

Mature plants are in the flowering state, which is when they produce THC, the psychoactive ingredient. Immature plants are in the vegetative state  the period of growth between germination and flowering.

What about the lighting?

To start, plants should receive 18 hours of light when in the vegetative state and then 12 hours of light when in the flowering state.

Joseph Raymond, founder and president of New England Craft Cannabis Alliance, recommended purchasing LED grow lights, which are more expensive but definitely worth it as bad lighting can ruin the process.

What other equipment do I need?

Both Raymond and Vega recommend purchasing a grow tent, which helps provided controlled environment for growing indoors. Raymond also suggests supplemental CO2.

Youll need a fan for air circulation. As for soil, Raymond said generally you want to use a peat moss-based soil. If using a hydroponic system, he recommended a coconut coir based medium, which allows for maximum water absorption.

Raymond said plants usually need to be watered one to three days per week. Overwatering and not providing the soil with enough nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphate fertilizers are among the most common mistakes people make, Smith-Bolden said.

How long does cannabis take to grow?

Indoor grow times vary but, on average, from seed to harvest it usually takes about three to four months - but largely depends on lighting and other equipment using.

For autoflowering plants, grow time takes 8 to 10 weeks on average.

How much cannabis will I be able to harvest from my plants?

Theres no clear answer for that as it depends on many factors, including the strain and how long you let your plant grow. Raymond and Vega said on average people should expect to get 2 ounces to 4 ounces of weed per plant.

julia.bergman@hearstmediact.com
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP)  Qatar Airways announced on Monday that it suffered a more than $4 billion loss in revenues over the last fiscal year, as lockdowns triggered by the coronavirus pandemic slashed demand for long-haul travel.

The major loss, which the state-owned airline largely attributed to the grounding of its Airbus A380 and A330 wide-body jets, highlights the dramatic toll of the pandemic on the industry.

Even so, the Doha-based airline reported an increase in earnings to $1.6 billion before taxes and other costs compared to the previous year  costs that dropped significantly as the airline saved on jet fuel, reduced salaries by 15% and cut some 13,400 employees from its workforce. The pandemic has hit international routes the hardest, dealing a heavy blow to super-connectors in the Persian Gulf that essentially lack domestic markets.

In the last several months, the flagship carrier has received a boost from an end to a yearslong boycott that locked Qatar Airways out of the airspace of Bahrain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. The embargo had forced the airline to take longer routes and consume more jet fuel, raising expenses. For the first time since 2017, the energy-rich state's airline reopened key routes to hubs like Dubai, Cairo and Riyadh as the political dispute eased in January.

The long-haul carrier praised its resilience in the face of the fast-spreading virus variants still racing around the globe, noting that its operational loss of $288 million stood at 7% less than the year before.

Whilst our competitors grounded their aircraft and closed their routes, we adapted our entire commercial operation to respond to ever-evolving travel restrictions and never stopped flying, Qatar Airways CEO Akbar al-Baker said in a statement.

The airline acknowledged receiving a $3 billion lifeline from the Qatari government to keep operating as it struggled with virus restrictions. Revenue for the airline fell to over $8 billion from $14 billion the year before. The airline incurred charges that ran to $2.3 billion over the grounding of its wide-body fleet.

The carrier took just 5.8 million passengers to the skies in the last fiscal year, compared to 32.3 million the year before  a staggering 82% drop.

Qatar Airways, which operates some 250 aircraft out of Dohas recently built Hamad International Airport, follows the model of other Gulf carriers by providing a link between East and West from its location on the Arabian Peninsula. The other two biggest carriers in the region that depend on lucrative long-haul routes, Dubai-based Emirates and Abu Dhabi-based Etihad, also hit turbulence because of the pandemic, posting significant losses in the billions of dollars over the past year.

Emirates, for instance, reported a $5.5 billion loss over the last year and received a $3.1 billion cash infusion from the Dubai government.

Qatar Airways mentioned some scant signs of recovery, as vaccinations against the coronavirus accelerate across the world. From a low of 33 destinations in the peak of the pandemic, the airline now flies to over 140 and has expanded to new markets from Seattle, Washington to Brisbane, Australia.
Hundreds of thousands of Connecticut residents qualify for a COVID-19 booster shot since eligibility expanded Wednesday.

Hundreds of thousands of residents are eligible either because of their age, underlying health conditions or jobs in high-risk environments. There are about 270,000 state residents who are 65 and older.

Eligibility for booster shots expanded Wednesday after a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advisory committee recommended booster shots for Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine recipients. Extra doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine started being administered Friday.

The state started providing third doses of Pfizer and Moderna vaccines to immunocompromised patients around mid-August. Since then, about 24,000 people in Connecticut have already received a third shot.

Gov. Ned Lamont even received his own booster shot Saturday at the Durham Fair, the governor announced through Twitter.

Getting your booster is so easy, he said. Same with your first shot.

Heres what you need to know about these booster shots:

Who is eligible?

Only people who initially received the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine can get a booster shot, but there is an exception: Those who are immunocompromised and got a Moderna vaccine can get a third Moderna booster shot. Officials have not granted approval for expanded eligibility for those who received Moderna or Johnson & Johnsons vaccines.

Anyone considering getting a booster shot should also speak to their health care provider beforehand.

According to the CDC, eligible populations include:

People 65 years or older

Residents in long-term care settings

People 18 years or older who are at increased risk for coronavirus exposure or transmission due to their job or where they reside, such as health care, schools, correctional facilities and homeless shelters.

People 18 years or older who have underlying medical conditions, which includes but isnt limited to cancer; chronic kidney disease; chronic lung diseases like COPD, asthma, interstitial lung disease, cystic fibrosis and pulmonary hypertension; dementia or other neurological conditions; diabetes; Down Syndrome; heart conditions such as heart failure, coronary artery disease, cardiomyopathies or hypertension; HIV infection; liver disease; overweight or obesity; pregnancy; sickle cell disease or thalassemia; current or former smokers; solid organ or blood stem cell transplant; stroke or cerebrovascular disease and substance use disorders.

People who are immunocompromised, including people who have been taking medicine to suppress the immune system, receiving active cancer treatment for tumors or cancers of the blood, received an organ transplant, received a stem cell transplant within the last two years, have moderate to severe primary immunodeficiency, have an advanced or untreated HIV infection or have active treatment with high-dose corticosteroids or other drugs that may suppress an immune response.

When can I get a booster shot?

If youre eligible, you can get a booster shot six months after your second dose of the Pfizer vaccine.

People with moderately to severely compromised immune systems can get a third shot at least 28 days after a second dose of either Pfizer or Modernas vaccine.

Where can I get a booster shot?

There are about 800 vaccine providers in the state ready to give booster shots, according to the states Department of Public Health.

Vaccine providers can be found by going to CT.gov/COVIDVaccine.

Why should I get a booster shot if Im eligible?

Even after getting fully vaccinated, protection against the virus could decrease over time, according to the CDC.

Some immunocompromised people dont build the same level of immunity after vaccinations as non-immunocompromised people, according to the CDC. The additional dose could help boost the immune systems ability to recognize the virus and fight back.

Small studies have shown that fully vaccinated immunocompromised people account for a large portion of hospitalized breakthrough cases and are more likely to transmit the virus, the CDC said.

liz.hardaway@hearst.com
Ekklesia Contemporary Ballet / Contributed photo

MIDDLETOWN  The Ekklesia Contemporary Ballet will present its fall gala performance Sunday at 2 p.m. at the Incarnation Center in the Ivoryton section of Essex.

The Middletown-based troupe relocated from Killingworth to the Church of The Holy Trinity at 381 Main St. last fall. It is a professional, faith-based dance company.
A statewide threat of protests against Gov. Lamonts mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations, which require weekly testing for unvaccinated school bus drivers, did not impact district operations along the Shoreline as expected Monday.

Morning routes also went smoothly across the Connecticut, with only four bus drivers not reporting to work, the state said.

Westbrook

Westbrook Superintendent of Schools Kristina Martineau said she has not encountered issues with the seven buses serving students this academic year. We are fully staffed. Weve had no disruptions getting the kids to school.

While getting students to school is a nonissue, thats not true of after-school activities, such as sports. The district has had to cancel one or two games because of a shortage of backup bus drivers, the superintendent added.

Operators employed by M&J Bus Co. are in full compliance with the mandate that went into effect Monday, according to Martineau. The district does not track individual vaccination rates for bus drivers.

Unvaccinated Westbrook education staff are required to submit weekly test results to school nurses. The district does not have an a testing clinic for employees, as they are responsible for scheduling their own tests.

Madison

Madison Superintendent Craig Cooke said his district also had no problems Monday morning.

We have been fortunate, and continue to be fully staffed, although lacking the substitute drivers we normally have. Our vaccination rate of drivers is over 95 percent, and all will comply with the new regulations in place (vaccinated or weekly testing), Cooke wrote in an email.

He added that the district is involved in making sure the executive order is followed by all contractors.

East Haddam

East Haddam schools had a similar experience, according to Superintendent Brian Reas, who said the district did not experience delays or problems due to the mandate.

DATTCO, the districts provider, will be implementing testing protocol for its staff, Reas said.

Clinton

Clinton Public Schools had no concerns involving routes or drivers Monday. Operators met the requirements of the executive order, said Cassie Cannamela, an administrative assistant for the district.

Colchester

In Colchester, Superintendent Jeffrey Burt said he was not aware of any bus drivers participating in the walkout, and saw no impact to service.

Bozrah

Bozrah Superintendent Portia Bonner also said the schools were not impacted by the walkout.

Regional District 17

John Mercer, operations director of Regional School District 17, which serves Haddam and Killingworth, said all drivers showed up Monday. Most employees of the districts transportation company, Student Transportation of America, are vaccinated, he added.

Save for two unvaccinated bus monitors, the large majority of STA staff are vaccinated, Mercer said. There are six bus operators who havent gotten the vaccine, and all will be tested weekly, he added.

Like most other districts, we are experiencing bussing issues, but STA is working hard to try and resolve things as much as possible, Mercer said.

Lebanon

In Lebanon, Superintendent Andrew Gonzalez said the district had no problems  good news to start his day. He said all Lebanon bus drivers, who work for M&J Bus, are in compliance with the order  whether they chose to be vaccinated, get tested weekly or received a medical exemption.

Thats also a good thing and a credit to M&J ... for being right on top of all the regulations, he said.

Other towns

M&J, which also services Clinton, Westbrook, Old Saybrook and Old Lyme, reported that all of their bus drivers arrived, and are complying with Lamonts mandate.

All of our drivers came in and all of them are either vaccinated or testing weekly, said bus dispatcher Michelle Altmannsberger, who works at the Old Saybrook yard on Ingham Hill Road.

The company is facing the same bus driver shortage happening statewide, and the company is always hiring, she said.

I myself have not had to combine anything in my two yards, but other yards are having to combine runs and run things a little late, Altmannsberger said.
At the United Nations this week, the pandemic-era rules of engagement for General Assembly week are strict. Entourage sizes are tightly regulated, and there are no exceptions for kings, presidents or other excellencies. Yet somehow, in the middle of it all, the U.N. made room to fully embrace the diplomatic soft power of seven young Korean pop stars.

While the mega-popular BTS may croon that they dont need Permission to Dance, the decision to allow the K-pop band to both give a serious speech to world leaders and film a sunny new music video at the U.N.s distinctive headquarters was another of the many signs that the elders are ready  eager, even  to turn to young people for diplomacy and relevance.

In this era of kid icons and social media activism, the contrast was evident: globally cherished musical juggernaut fronted by the youthful South Korean men in perfect makeup on one hand, and the famously bureaucratic  stodgy, even  76-year-old diplomatic institution built in the aftermath of WWII on the other.

The paradox was captured by Trevor Noah, the millennial late-night talk show host: Old people were probably watching this, like, What the hell is a BTS?" he said. "And young people were watching it, like, What the hell is the U.N.?

In his General Assembly opening address on Tuesday, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres practically scolded world leaders for disappointing young people with a perceived inaction on climate change, inequalities and the lack of educational opportunities, among other issues.

Some 60% of your future voters feel betrayed by their governments, Guterres told the gathering of world leaders. We must prove to children and young people that despite the seriousness of the situation, the world does have a plan and the governments are committed to implementing it.

Rather than initiating a sentiment, Guterres clearly was channeling one that already exists. Other world leaders from Slovakia to Maldives, Latvia to Costa Rica took a similar conciliatory tone toward the estimated 1.8 billion human beings aged 10 to 24  a cohort that the United Nations claims is the largest generation of young people in the history of the world.

A new generation has grown up in the last 30 years, said Latvia President Egils Levits. In Latvia, like elsewhere, youth are deeply concerned about the climate crisis and about disinformation. They want to build inclusive societies where people of all generations, backgrounds and communities can feel included  not only formally, but in practice.

To this end, Guterres also announced the creation of a new U.N. Youth Office to bridge the generational divide in global affairs. While details are sparse on the actual functions and budget of this new office, it is designed to tackle issues distinctly tied to the activism of people between the ages of 15 and 29, including climate change and worldwide inequities.

If we want to ask what kind of world do we want to have, 15 to 29 is kind of the age thats doing it, said Connie Flanagan, a University of Wisconsin professor who studies youth activism. Those are the years when youre taking stock of your life. And as a result, youre taking stock of your world.

Flanagan said the United Nations must find a way to include young people in initiatives but not tokenize them, and in the process harness the strengths of late adolescents and early adults, who are generally less jaded about the pace of change and more collaborative and eager to make it happen.

Whatever the motivation may be, its good they want to remain relevant with young people, Flanagan said. Its always hard for people who have power to give up power.

The new office will be an expansion of the current U.N. youth envoys work, which has been slowly building up over the past decade just as a generation of young people have established their agency online  earning corporate deals as entrepreneurs, developing loyal fans as entertainers and spearheading social movements, often using just their words, charisma and smartphone.

The current appointed envoy, Jayathma Wickramanayake said young luminaries like Malala Yousafzai and Greta Thunberg have brought mainstream visibility to young people's agenda, and social media has democratized the work of activism and what it means to influence public policy.

Yousafzai was a Pakistani schoolgirl when she was shot in the head for advocating for girls access to education, and the Swedish Thunberg has been an outspoken  and sometimes confrontational  force on climate change. Both were teenage girls when they, to much fanfare, addressed the United Nations in recent years.

By paving the way for other young people to take on weighty issues, Wickramanayake said, the two have also helped shatter preconceptions that young people lack experience to deal with world leaders and expertise on issues like education or the extremes of climate change.

Having those icons with really global outreach and also the power to reach out to the worlds most powerful people have destroyed those stereotypes  about young people having leadership positions and being able to lead movements, said Wickramanayake, who at 30 years old is the youngest person in Guterres cabinet. She was first hired at 26, making her the youngest person ever to serve in the top ranks of the secretary-general's administration in the history of the United Nations.

The sensibility is spreading. In Denmark, a childrens nonprofit on Tuesday also convened 20 delegates between the ages of 11 and 16 years old from across the globe to deliver a manifesto to the United Nations. They called themselves the Childrens General Assembly  an initiative sponsored in part by the Lego toy company  and discussed a range of issues from childrens rights and bullying to refugees and development goals.

If you really want to do something about (injustice), it has to start with you, said Mankgara Maime, a 16-year-old girl from Johannesburg, South Africa, who participated in the Denmark presentation. You cant feel sorry about them and not think about how to help.

There is already evidence that this week may prove to be a milestone for the U.N.'s engagement with young people.

Nearly a million people tuned into the U.N. YouTube channel livestream on Monday to watch BTS discuss young peoples resilience, COVID-19 vaccines and the earths well-being. To date, that BTS music video  which could easily be mistaken for a U.N. promotional reel  has 16 million views on the same channel. The U.N. institution itself has just 1.7 million regular subscribers.

Ive heard that people in their teens and 20s today are being referred to as COVID's lost generation, that theyve lost their way at a time when they need the most diverse opportunities, RM, the leader of BTS, said in their speech. But I think its a stretch to say theyre lost just because the paths they tread cant be seen by grown-up eyes.

____

Follow Sally Ho on Twitter at http://twitter.com/_sallyho
MONROE  Young anglers from throughout the area gathered at Great Hollow Lake in Monroe Saturday to put their fishing skills to the test.

The youth fishing derby was the first held by the American Legion Department of Connecticuts 3rd District, but Legion Committeeman Mike Kellett hopes that the strong turnout bodes well for this becoming an annual event.

The idea came up at a meeting that I had with Bridgeport Post 177, Kellett said. Members reminisced about how a Post in Trumbull used to hold a fishing derby as part of the Legion's children and youth program and how much fun it was for the children. That was the inspiration for the derby.

This fishing derby took more manpower and money to run than any one Post in The American Legion 3rd District (Fairfield County) could bring together, Kellett said, but we knew as a team we could to it.

Within a month, American Legion Posts from Bridgeport, Trumbull, Monroe, Shelton, Newtown, Wilton, Ridgefield, Stratford, Norwalk and Danbury provided monetary support and volunteers to help make the event possible.

Overall, 75 young people 15 years old and younger participated in the event.

When The American Legion Department of Connecticut comes together for a cause, good things happen, Kellett said. We were also blessed with support from The Newtown Country Club and Bounty Hunter Bait and Tackle.

Because of the great support that we received, we were able to provide kids that did not have their own rods with their very own rods, tackle and bait, he added.

Trophies were given for the longest fish as well as second and third place in each of three groups age groups  5 years and younger, 6 to 10 years old, and 11 to 15 years old. There was also a grand prize trophy for the longest overall fish of the day.

The longest fish caught was a 16-inch bass. Four girls and five boys won trophies as well as fishing gear.

brian.gioiele@hearstmediact.com
JOPLIN, Mont. (AP)  An Amtrak train that derailed in rural Montana over the weekend was going just under the speed limit at about 75 mph (121 kph) when it went off the track along a gradual curve, killing three people and possibly ejecting passengers, U.S. investigators said Monday.

Investigators do not know the cause of the accident, but they are studying video from the train and another locomotive that went over the same track a little over an hour earlier, National Transportation Safety Board Vice Chairman Bruce Landsberg said. The derailed train also had a black box that records everything happening in the train, he said.

We have experts that are studying the camera footage frame by frame to make sure that we see exactly what the engineer saw  or maybe didnt see, Landsberg said.

The train derailed before a switch in the line, where one set of tracks turned into two, on a stretch of track that had been inspected just two days before, he said.

The westbound Empire Builder was traveling from Chicago to Seattle when it left the tracks Saturday afternoon near Joplin, a town of about 200. The train, carrying 141 passengers and 16 crew members, had two locomotives and 10 cars, eight of which derailed, with some tipping onto their sides.

When asked about wooden ties that were seen along the side of the tracks, and whether there was recent maintenance on that section, Landsberg did not answer directly.

That will be one of the questions that we look at, he said. Maintenance will be a really big concern for us. We dont know, at this point, exactly what happened, whether it was a track issue, whether it was a mechanical issue with the train. So all of these things are open.

He said a preliminary report on the derailment is expected within 30 days.

Dale Fossen, one of several Joplin residents who went to the scene to help, said the train tracks ended up mangled.

You could see the tracks looked like a pretzel, they were really twisted bad, Fossen said.

Investigators will look at everything, including the switch, wheels, axles and suspension systems, as well as the track geometry and condition, including any cracks, said Steven Ditmeyer, a rail consultant and former senior official at the Federal Railroad Administration. He said a switch like the one in Joplin would be controlled by the BNSF Railway control center in Fort Worth, Texas.

Sometimes rail lines can become deformed by heat, creating buckles in the tracks known as sun kinks, Ditmeyer said. That was the cause of a derailment in northern Montana in August 1988, when an Empire Builder train veered off the tracks about 170 miles (274 kilometers) east in the tiny town of Saco.

The NTSB concluded that an inspection failed to catch a problem in the track, and officials did not warn trains to slow down on that stretch. The crew saw the track had shifted, but the train was going full speed and could not stop before derailing.

Temperatures were in the high 80s Saturday near Joplin, according to the National Weather Service.

Russ Quimby, a former rail-accident investigator for the NTSB, said heat is the most likely explanation. He is convinced because the locomotives in front did not derail, but eight lighter coach cars behind them did.

This has all the earmarks of a track buckle also, Quimby said. Sometimes a locomotive, which is heavier, will make it through a buckled track, but the cars following wont. You saw that in this accident, he said.

A malfunction of the switch seems less likely, Quimby said, because the switch would have been inspected when the track was checked last week.

Another possibility was a defect in the rail, said railroad safety expert David Clarke, director of the Center for Transportation Research at the University of Tennessee. He noted that regular testing does not always catch such problems.

Speed was not a likely factor because trains on that line have systems that prevent excessive speeds and collisions, which appear to have worked in this case, Clarke said.

Did the switch play some role? It might have been that the front of the train hit the switch and it started fish-tailing and that flipped the back part of the train, Clarke said.

The derailment was about 150 miles (241 kilometers) northeast of the capital of Helena and about 30 miles (48 kilometers) from the Canadian border. The tracks cut through vast, golden brown wheat fields that were recently harvested and roughly parallel to U.S. Highway 2.

Allan Zarembski, director of the University of Delawares Railway Engineering and Safety Program, said he did not want to speculate but suspected the derailment stemmed from an issue with the track, train equipment or both.

Railways have virtually eliminated major derailments by human error after the implementation of a nationwide system called positive train control, which is designed to stop trains before an accident, Zarembski said.

The derailment comes as Congress works toward final passage of a $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure package that includes $66 billion to improve Amtrak service. Thats less than the $80 billion that President Joe Biden  who famously rode Amtrak from Delaware to Washington during his time in the Senate  originally asked for, but it would be the largest federal investment in passenger rail service since Amtrak was founded 50 years ago.

The biggest chunk of money would go toward repairs and improvements along the rail services congested 457-mile-long (735-kilometer-long) Northeast Corridor as well as intercity routes with higher commuter traffic. About $16 billion also is aimed at building out Amtraks national service to wider America, particularly in rural regions.

Amtrak CEO Bill Flynn said the company was working with the NTSB, the Federal Railroad Administration and local law enforcement and shared their sense of urgency to determine what happened in Montana.

Landsberg, the NTSB vice chairman, said safety officials hope to complete their investigation as soon as possible so BNSF can repair the rails, which are a key line for freight traffic. He noted that trains are backed up on both sides of the crash site.

Were sensitive to the fact that the railroad is a critical lifeblood, and we want to get the goods and services moving, he said.

___

Koenig reported from Dallas. Associated Press writer Hope Yen in Washington also contributed to this report.
Hartford Police / Contributed

HARTFORD  A city teen died at the hospital early Monday after a shooting overnight on Martin Street, according to police.

The victim, identified Monday morning as 16-year-old Wildemar Santiago, of Johnson Terrace, was found in the 80 block of Martin Street after police responded to a ShotSpotter gunfire activation around 1 a.m., Lt. Aaron Boisvert said.
THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP)  The chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court sought urgent clearance Monday from the court's judges to resume investigations of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Afghanistan, saying that under the country's new Taliban rulers there is no longer the prospect of genuine and effective domestic investigations in the country.

Judges at the global court authorized an investigation by Prosecutor Karim Khan's predecessor, Fatou Bensouda, in March last year. The probe covers offenses allegedly committed by Afghan government forces, the Taliban, American troops and U.S. foreign intelligence operatives dating back to 2002.

The decision to investigate Americans led to the Trump administration slapping sanctions on Bensouda, who left office over the summer at the end of her nine-year term.

The investigation was deferred last year after Afghan authorities asked to take over the case. The ICC is a court of last resort, set up in 2002 to prosecute alleged atrocities in countries that cannot or will not bring perpetrators to justice  known as the principle of complementarity.

Khan said Monday that he now plans to focus on crimes committed by the Taliban and the Afghan affiliate of the Islamic State group, adding that he will deprioritize other aspects of the investigation.

The gravity, scale and continuing nature of alleged crimes by the Taliban and the Islamic State, which include allegations of indiscriminate attacks on civilians, targeted extrajudicial executions, persecution of women and girls, crimes against children and other crimes affecting the civilian population at large, demand focus and proper resources from my office, if we are to construct credible cases capable of being proved beyond reasonable doubt in the courtroom," Khan said.

He made specific mention of the Aug. 26 attacks near Kabul's airport during the chaotic evacuations following the Taliban's takeover. The attacks killed dozens of Afghans and 13 U.S. troops.

On his decision to no longer prioritize other aspects of the probe, including allegations of crimes by Americans, Khan said his office will remain alive to its evidence preservation responsibilities, to the extent they arise, and promote accountability efforts within the framework of the principle of complementarity.

In 2016, before seeking authorization to open a full-scale investigation in Afghanistan, ICC prosecutors said in a report that U.S. troops and the CIA may have tortured and mistreated people in detention facilities in Afghanistan, Poland, Romania and Lithuania.

The investigation originally also took aim at allegations of crimes by forces of the then-Afghan government.

Patricia Gossman, the associate director for Asia at Human Rights Watch, told The Associated Press it was a really disturbing statement by the prosecutor to say the investigation will only prioritize some of the parties to the conflict  and in particular seemingly to ignore entirely the very serious allegations against U.S. forces and CIA."

She said that impunity for those crimes and others committed by the former Afghan government is one reason why we are where we are today in Afghanistan.

Announcing the decision last year to impose sanctions on Bensouda and one of her top aides for investigating the United States and its allies, then-U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said of the court: We will not tolerate its illegitimate attempts to subject Americans to its jurisdiction.

Khan had already put Afghanistan on notice that he was closely monitoring the country in the aftermath of the Taliban's seizure of power. He said Monday that I remain committed to deploying the appropriate and available resources at my disposal to ensure independent and impartial investigations. Victims and survivors in Afghanistan deserve no less.
LONDON (AP)  The British government put dozens of soldiers on standby Monday to help easy fuel supply problems caused by a shortage of truck drivers, a situation that has spurred panic buying of gasoline across the country.

As unions called for emergency workers to be given priority for fuel supplies, the government said it was placing British army tanker drivers in a state of readiness in order to be deployed if required to deliver fuel to where it is needed most.

Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng said Britain had strong supplies of fuel.

However, we are aware of supply chain issues at fuel station forecourts and are taking steps to ease these as a matter of priority, he said.

Long lines of vehicles have formed at many gas stations around Britain since Friday, causing spillover traffic jams on busy roads. Tempers have frayed as some drivers waited for hours.

The Petrol Retailers Association, which represents almost 5,500 independent outlets, said Sunday that about two-thirds of its members had run out of fuel, as the truck driver shortage set off rounds of gas panic-buying.

The Conservative government insisted blamed the problems on consumer behavior.

The only reason we dont have petrol on the forecourts is that people are buying petrol they dont need, said Environment Secretary George Eustice.

Major fuel firms, including BP, Shell and Esso, said in a joint statement that they expected demand for gas to return to its normal levels in the coming days.

We would encourage people to buy fuel as they usually would, the statement said.

But critics urged the government to get fuel flowing so the shortage does not have damaging spillover effects on health care, police operations and other crucial sectors.

Dr. Chaand Nagpaul at the British Medical Association said health care workers and other essential services staff should be given priority access to fuel so they can continue their crucial work and guarantee care to patients.

Christina McAnea, general secretary of the Unison trade union, urged the government to use its emergency powers to designate gas stations for key workers.

Ambulance crews, nurses, care workers, teaching assistants, police staff and other key workers mustnt be left stranded or forced to queue for hours simply to get to a pump," she said.

The haulage industry says the U.K. is short as many as 100,000 truckers, due to a perfect storm of factors including the coronavirus pandemic, an aging workforce and an exodus of foreign workers following Britains departure from the European Union last year. Post-Brexit immigration rules mean EU citizens can no longer live and work visa-free in Britain, as they could when the U.K. was a member of the bloc.

Several other countries, including the United States and Germany, also are experiencing a shortage of truck drivers, but the problem has been especially visible in Britain, where it has contributed to empty supermarket shelves and shuttered gas pumps.

Roland McKibbin, an electrician in London, said he has had to cancel jobs because he couldnt get gas.

No fuel means I cant drive, which means I cant get to jobs with my tools, he said. So, basically, the panic-buying idiots have lost me income and directly taken food off the table for my wife and 5-year-old son, because I cant wire peoples houses from home.

In an effort to ease the gas crunch, the government said it was temporarily suspending competition laws so fuel firms can share information and target areas where supplies are running low.

It is also bringing in military driving examiners to help clear a backlog of new truckers awaiting tests,

And, after weeks of mounting pressure over shortages, the U.K.'s Conservative government announced Saturday that it will issue 5,000 emergency visas to foreign truck drivers to help prevent a Christmas without turkey or toys for many British families.

But that falls far short of the number needed, and critics also said the 3-month visas were too short to entice European truck drivers.

Ruby McGregor-Smith, president of the Confederation of British Industry, said the visas were the equivalent of throwing a thimble of water on a bonfire.

Radu Dinescu, general secretary of the National Union of Road Transporters in Romania, said Romanian drivers  who worked in the U.K. in large numbers before Brexit  now "prefer EU stability." Romania is a member of the EU and Dinescu said its drivers can earn high salaries working in France or Germany.

"The U.K. seems to be experiencing a paradox  British citizens do not want to practice the job of truck driver, while at the same time they do not want other non-U.K. citizens to come to do this job," he told The Associated Press.

Olaf Scholz, leader of Germany's Social Democrats, the party that came first in the countrys election on Sunday, also linked Britains worker shortages to Brexit.

The free movement of labor is part of the European Union, and we worked very hard to convince the British to not leave the union, he said. Now they decided different, and I hope they will manage the problems coming from that.

___

Associated Press writer Stephen McGrath in Bucharest contributed to this report.

___

Follow all AP stories about Brexit issues at https://apnews.com/hub/Brexit
Thank you for tuning in to episode 120 of The CUInsight Experience podcast with your host, Randy Smith, co-founder of CUInsight.com. This episode is brought to you by our friends at CUES. CUES is the leading talent development solutions provider to the credit union industry.

My guest on todays show is Gigi Hyland, Executive Director of The National Credit Union Foundation and no stranger to the podcast! We chat about being intentional and how leaders can refocus on their why. Gigi shares how she maintains purpose both personally and professionally and the importance of showing up for people where they need us the most.

We talk about intentionality and the power credit unions have to help members experience financial well-being. Gigi shares that leaders must be mindful that we all have different realities, and in order to best serve members we have to slow down and listen. She believes that we can use this global crisis to return back to our why.

Gigi and I also chat about her career journey and the many leadership lessons shes learned along the way. She believes there is no one way to be a leader, and it takes a vulnerable leader to push a team forward. We discuss her introduction to credit unions through her career in law and her transition from the NCUA to The Foundation.

As we wrap up the show, we learn that Gigi enjoys nature and is an avid birder. Although the pandemic has been challenging, she is grateful for the opportunity to spend more time with her family and discover new skills. Listen in as Gigi describes her recent and most exciting purchase and shares encouragement in moving forward with intention as an industry. Enjoy my conversation with Gigi Hyland!

Subscribe on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Play, Stitcher

Books mentioned on The CUInsight Experience podcast: Book List

How to find Gigi:

Gigi Hyland, Executive Director of The National Credit Union Foundation

ghyland@ncuf.coop

www.ncuf.coop

LinkedIn | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

Show notes from this episode:

A big shout-out to our friends at CUES, an amazing sponsor of The CUInsight Experience podcast. Thank you!

After listening to our show, check out the CUES podcast here.

Check out all that Gigi and her team are doing at The Foundation here.

Want to hear more from Gigi? Click here.

Get more information on The Foundations initiative for Financial

Well-being for All.

Save your spot for Empathy eSchool and Exploring Why Workshops.

Take a listen to Gigis previous podcast episode here.

Shout-out: Zoom

Shout-out: Gigis parents

Program mentioned: DE Program

Shout-out: DE Alumni Workshop

Shout-out: CU Aid

Shout-out: CUNA

Shout-out: Paypal

Shout-out: Venmo

Shout-out: Simon Sinek

Shout-out: Wonder Bread

Shout-out: Chad Helminak

Shout-out: Maggie Wolff

Shout-out: Max Ehrmann

Place mentioned: Washington, DC

Shout-out: White House Federal Credit Union (now Department of Commerce FCU)

Shout-out: Congressional Federal Credit Union

Shout-out: NCUA

Shout-out: Gigis husband, Chris

Shout-out: Jill Nowacki

Shout-out: MasterClass

Shout-out: Bill Cheney

Shout-out: Peloton

Shout-out: Podcast mic

Shout-out: Jane Goodall

Book mentioned: The Four Winds: A Novel by Kristin Hannah

Book mentioned: Killers of the Flower Moon: Adapted for Young Readers: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI by David Grann (full version available November 2021)

Artist mentioned: Sting

Artist mentioned: The Police

Album mentioned: The Dreams of the Blue Turtles by Sting

Place mentioned: Albany, New York

Previous guests mentioned in this episode: Bill Cheney, Jill Nowacki (episodes 4, 18, 37, 64, 82, 101, & 113)

In This Episode:

[01:54]  Gigi Hyland explains the meaning behind This happens because of us, and relates this idea to the current times of the pandemic.

[04:47]  Intentionality is based on a North Star, or guiding principle. How does Gigi describe the North Star of credit unions?

[06:28]  Gigi and Randy discuss the vastly different realities of how the pandemic impacted multiple industries. How can credit unions leverage empathy?

[09:01]  Gigi gives scenarios to illustrate leveraging empathy and effective communication.

[11:19]  Listen to what Gigi is excited to see in the next three to five years within the National Credit Union Foundation and credit union field.

[13:16]  Gigi emphasizes the need to develop data for more effective impact measurement.

[15:01]  From Gigis perspective, credit unions have the opportunity to reevaluate their Why?, which gives insight to actions stemming from that place.

[17:08]  What lesson can credit unions learn from the brand Wonder Bread?

[19:47]  Gigi expresses her thoughts on being aware of other ways of living, and encourages everyone to reflect on making the world more generous.

[22:47]  Listen to GiGi reference a personal story when talking about vulnerability in leadership.

[24:20]  These are the qualities that Gigi gravitates towards and the ones she avoids when being mindful of who she surrounds herself with.

[26:03]  How did Gigi move from Law to Credit Unions?

[28:46]  Gigi discusses where she gathers her inspiration from.

[30:21]  One part of being a leader is helping others see their own potential as leaders.

[32:05]  To relax, Gigi enjoys bird watching, yoga, and cooking.

[33:37]  Gigi talks about the new discoveries and rediscoveries she found during the pandemic while she had more time on her hands.

[36:12]  Listen to Gigi talk about growing as a person, shifting through different roles, and being embraced

[38:25]  Gigi channels her inner show radio host, and gives an inside look at the book club she is part of.

[40:42]  Jane Goodall is a woman leader that Comes to mind when Gigi hears the word success.

[42:00]  Gigi says we are all in this together, and we are stronger together.
Photo-Illustration: Curbed. Photos (Clockwise from top left): Sidd Finch; John Angelillo; James Harris; Ace Hotel Brooklyn

Every couple of weeks, Ill round up and share the objects, designers, news, and events worth knowing about.

BTS Has Permission to Dance at the U.N.

Clockwise from left: Photo: John Angelillo - Pool/Getty Images Photo: Mark Joseph Sullivan/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images Photo: Jeenah Moon/Bloomberg via Getty Images From top: Photo: John Angelillo - Pool/Getty Images Photo: Jeenah Moon/Bloomberg via Getty Images Photo: Mark Joseph Sullivan/Pacific Press/LightRocket ... more From top: Photo: John Angelillo - Pool/Getty Images Photo: Jeenah Moon/Bloomberg via Getty Images Photo: Mark Joseph Sullivan/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images

The United Nations really wants to make the world think it gets it. Or even remind the world that it exists. So it handed over the keys to its storied General Assembly Building to BTS in a pretty naked attempt to gain some relevance. The K-pop boy band filmed its latest video, Permission to Dance, on the premises and also delivered a speech at the General Assembly opening to encourage climate action. Whats funnier still is that a major portion of BTSs audience  a.k.a. Gen Z  already cares about climate. Remember the rather embarrassing shaming by Greta Thunberg who, in 2019, pointed out the organizations hypocrisy, given their members massive carbon footprint from airline travel?

This isnt the first time an artist has recorded in the building: In 2012, Beyonce filmed a performance as part of World Humanitarian Day, but we didnt see much of the buildings interiors. The BTS video, which has been streamed 16.5 million times, shows the boys crooning at the marble podium of the General Assembly Hall, sashaying through the moss-green chairs, and bouncing through the four-story-tall visitors lobby before heading to the lawn out front. Its a rare chance to see inside one of the most famous modernist buildings and its nice to see the building get some love, particularly after a $2.3 billion renovation completed in 2017. The videos boosterism, along with its setting, also feels strangely fitting: The United Nations was designed in the 1940s by another supergroup: the international team of architects that included Le Corbusier, Oscar Niemeyer, and Sven Markelius and intended to display progressive values through marble, glass, and steel.

Photo: James Harris/

Design Miami/Basel  the blue-chip art-and-collectible design fair  is now on view in Basel, Switzerland. Itll pack up and come to Miami (where the parties are often more of a draw than the work itself) in December. This edition has a new online shop, called DM/BX, which is selling everything from $150 textile wall hangings from Mali to $2,500 Roberto Lugo bowls. I was most excited to see a few pieces from Diego Faivre, a Netherlands-based artist who covers found objects in air-drying clay that he calls Diego Dough. Faivres 2018 grad project from Design Academy Eindhoven, named Minute Manufacturing, remains one of my favorite projects. He sold one-euro Diego Coins that were each worth one minute of production time. The idea is that the more you spend, the more time he spends, and the better the piece will be in the end. A few of his pieces are on sale in the DM/BX store, each with quite literal names like Table Made in 655 Minutes, Stool Made in 296 Minutes, Planter Made in 306 Minutes. Each piece is made to order.

Photo: Erik Benjamins

There have been a number of excellent contemporary-design exhibitions in modernist homes as of late  see: Object & Things recent shows at the Noyes House and Luss House  which offer a twist on the typical house museum. Instead of walking into a time capsule, its more like a voyeuristic view into a very stylish collectors life. Built In, a new exhibition at the Neutra VDL House, in Los Angeles, is the latest. To celebrate the houses reopening from a COVID-19 hiatus, its directors, the Los Angeles design gallery Marta and the artist Erik Benjamins, commissioned 32 site-specific works by local artists, like ceramic house numbers by PapiBoyBabyBoy, a giant clam-shell fountain that masks street noise by Charlap Hyman & Hererro, and curtains by Misa Chhan. Through November 7.

Photo: Sidd Finch

The fluid mechanics of the lava lamp dont get nearly enough appreciation. Perhaps its because the lamp is associated with uncouth frat houses, fire hazards, and toxic chemicals. But the shapes inside the glass vessel can be mesmerizing. Joe Jagodzinski, a self-taught CAD designer and maker in Detroit, was inspired by them to make a 3D-printed homage in the form of a gravity-defying, blobby base that wont burn your house down if left on.

Photo: Courtesy of Ace Hotel Brooklyn

As a tribute to the Bauhauss renowned weaving workshop, the Ace Brooklyn, which has an architecture facade inspired by Bauhaus architecture, has focused on adorning its interiors with textile-and-fiber sculptures commissioned by artist and curator Niki Tsukamoto. The contrast of soft, floppy, and textured art by over two dozen local makers and the Brutalist-leaning interiors makes for actually good hotel art. Textile pieces are also on view in the ground-floor art gallery, which is hosting group shows of all the artists whove created work for the rooms. The latest iteration features Molly Hayness graphic rope sculptures, Alicia Scardettas intricately wrapped wall hangings, and Isa Rodriguess naturally dyed fabrics. Through 2021.
French Government Ministers Bugged

The mobile phones of at least five French ministers and a diplomatic advisor to President Emmanuel Macron have been found to infected by the Israeli-made Pegasus spyware. The five ministers targeted are Education Minister Jean-Michel Blanquer, Territorial Cohesion Minister Jacqueline Gourault, Agriculture Minister Julien Denormandie, Housing Minister Emmanuelle Wargon and Overseas Territories Minister Sebastien Lecornu, Mediapart said.

This comes two months after it was revealed that the phone numbers of Macron, other government ministers and top French officials appeared in a leaked database being invesigated by journalists at Mediapart.

There is no evidence that the phones of the five cabinet members were successfully hacked, but the Mediapart allegations indicate that the devices were targeted with the powerful spyware known as Pegasus, which is made by NSO Group. The Israeli company is now at the center of an international spying scandal with suspicions that the Israeli government may also play a role.

Pegasus can switch on a phones camera or microphone and harvest its data, and was at the center of a storm in July after a list of about 50,000 potential surveillance targets worldwide including Heads of State became known.

The NSO Group claims it has no connection to the leaked database and that the tens of thousands of numbers contained in the list are not the targets of NSOs customers, which includes numerous governments around the world. It has also denied that Macron was ever targeted by Pegasus spyware and in a statement NSO Group said: We stand by our previous statements regarding French government officials. They are not and have never been Pegasus targets. We wont comment on anonymous source allegations.

Although NSO Group say that the purpose of this powerful spyware is to investigate serious crime, not to target members of civil society, the Mediapart investigation has revealed that global clients of NSO Group have used their syware to hack human rights activists, journalists and lawyers. Forensic analysis of their devices at the end of July had revealed the presence of suspect traces of the spyware, according to a report by French state intelligence services.

The alleged victims have not responded for requests to comment and some of them are understood to have referred Mediapart investigators to Frances Secretariat-General for defence and national security (SGDSN), which also declined comment. The Elysee Palace also said it would not comment on long and complex investigations which are still ongoing.

In July, Le Monde newspaper reported that evidence of an attempted hacking was found on the phone of the former French environment minister Francois de Rugy, with the attempt allegedly originating in Morocco and Morocco's intelligence services were also accused of being behind the hacking of journalists in France.

The Israeli cybersecurity industry's exports were valued at $6.85 billion in 2020 and includes a number of world leading companies who have access to a trained talent pool from the nation's secretive military' intelligence units who are adept at transfering their know-how to the private sector.

France 24: Mediapart: TimesofIsrael: Guardian: TimesofIndia: NPR: Sada ElBalad

You Might Also Read:

Apple's Emergency Patch For NSO Hack:
A sign reminding people to wear their masks sits outside the EMU on the University of Oregon campus in Eugene, Ore. on September 24, 2021. As students come back to campus, the University of Oregon community is navigating moving forward with COVID still as a concern (Isaac Wasserman/ Emerald)
Outlining his political vision in a 12,000-word magnum opus last week, Sir Keir Starmer sighed that his parents 'could never have afforded private education ... but we never felt we needed it'.

He added for emphasis: 'I was not privately educated.'

This, no doubt, is why the Labour leader felt so confident in announcing an almost nostalgic 'class war' policy last weekend of stripping private schools of their charitable status  taxing them an additional 1.7 billion should his party win the next election.

Making private education even more exclusive  as only the very richest could afford the higher fees  is hardly a progressive idea.

Sir Keir Starmer attended Reigate Grammar School, which became fee-paying while he was a student there

Even more remarkable is how willing Starmer and his Shadow Cabinet are to yank up the ladder behind them and prevent others having the advantages so many of them enjoyed as children.

Starmer attended Reigate Grammar School, which became a fee-paying independent in his third year there, 1976. According to a website listing 'notable Reigatians', the future Director of Public Prosecutions remained at the fee-paying school until 1981.

Even if his parents were not paying the fees, it is a semantic conundrum whether he can fairly claim to be 'not privately educated' when for several years he attended, er, a private school.

Today, Reigate charges 20,000 a year. Meanwhile, Anneliese Dodds, Labour's chairman, went to the 14,000-a-year Robert Gordon's College in Aberdeen (also the alma mater of Michael Gove).

Starmer attended Reigate Grammar School (pictured) which today charges 20,000 a year

Shadow Northern Ireland Secretary Louise Haigh was at the independent Sheffield High School, fees 13,000.

And Shadow Attorney General Lord Falconer went to Edinburgh Academy, fees 15,000. All are now happy to ensure only the very richest children can follow in their footsteps.

PS: Even Shadow Cabinet ministers, it seems, haven't bothered to plough through all of Starmer's turgid treatise. Shadow Local Government Secretary Steve Reed admits: 'I've skimmed it.'

Bawdy house Bond

Awarding the new Bond movie No Time To Die a 12A rating, the British Board of Film Classification censor warns filmgoers: 'There are mild sex references and innuendo, as well as occasional discreet establishments of sex.'

Discreet establishments of sex? Wasn't that where, in yesteryear, MPs and judges slipped away for nocturnal assignations?

Corbynite MP Diane Abbott slams Starmer for trying to scrap 'one member, one vote' in Labour leadership elections, which he hoped would prevent any repeat of the calamity when Jeremy Corbyn won control of the party in 2015.

Diane Abbott (pictured) has slammed Sir Keir Starmer for trying to scrap one member, one vote in Labour leadership elections

Can this be the same Abbott who was so opposed to bringing in 'one member, one vote' back in 2014? 'If we give way to people who want to weaken the links with trade unions, in future the unions may not automatically support Labour,' she said then.

She may also recall it was under Corbyn that 40 per cent of Unite members, repelled by the party's leftward slide, voted Tory.

Gas shortages are nothing new. As far back as 2013, national supplies were facing pressure and industry chiefs raised concerns about low reserves and lack of storage capacity.

The coalition government batted aside these concerns by declining to invest in new storage facilities, arguing there was 'no requirement'.

Petrol stations across the country have been packed out with motorists this week

And who was the Energy Secretary who made that decision at the time? Step forward current Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey, who has been bellyaching all week about lack of storage facilities.

Among the BBC top brass who appeared at Parliament's culture committee last week was Auntie's chief operating officer, Zimbabwe-born Leigh Tavaziva. She used to be a ballerina. The ability to contort yourself into elastic and unnatural postures, while maintaining a rictus grin, is surely vital to any BBC suit.
Musical names like Sonnet, Drummer, Jazz and Allegra will serve as inspiration for parents naming their newborn babies in 2022.

Parents are looking to add a little harmony to their baby's life as they ring in the New Year with unique names inspired by musical terms and instruments.

Australian parenting group Mum Central have predicted the 'popular' monikers that's set to end on a high note.

Top choices for boys include Drummer, Rhythm, Chord, Jazz, Coda, and Brio, which is an Italian music term used to describe a piece with 'brilliance' and 'energy'.

Musical names like Sonnet, Drummer, Jazz and Allegra will serve as inspiration for parents naming their newborn babies in 2022 (stock image)

Top musical baby names for 2022 1. Drummer 2. Solo 3. Brio 4. Allegra 5. Anthem 6. Chord 7. Lyra 8. Jazz 9. Coda 10. Sonnet 11. Strummer 12. Rhythm 13. Calypso 14. Madrigal Advertisement

Baby names for girls include Sonnet, Lyra, Calypso and Allegra, which is an Italian music word meaning 'joyful'.

Madrigal is also another top pick for girls, which can be shortened as 'Maddie' - and it's Latin for 'a song for unaccompanied voices'.

According to Nameberry, new mums and dads are ditching the traditional names for musical-inspired monikers in 2022.

The musical names come just a week after a research found superheroes and villains from Marvel movies have been on the rise in the UK and US over the past 10 years.

Top 10 baby boy names in Australia in 2021 1. Oliver (2,138 occurrences) 2. Noah (1,844 occurrences) 3. William (1,500 occurrences) 4. Jack (1,414 occurrences) 5. Leo (1,326 occurrences) 6. Henry (1,290 occurrences) 7. Charlie (1,228 occurrences) 8. Thomas (1,193 occurrences) 9. Lucas (1,158 occurrences) 10. Elijah (1,126 occurences) Advertisement

Top 10 baby girl names in Australia in 2021 1. Charlotte (1,556 occurrences) 2. Amelia (1,473 occurrences) 3. Olivia (1,456 occurrences) 4. Isla (1,397 occurrences) 5. Mia (1,287 occurrences) 6. Ava (1,237 occurrences) 7. Grace (1,083 occurrences) 8. Chloe (1,010 occurrences) 9. Willow (982 occurrences) 10. Matilda (971 occurrences) Advertisement

According to the study of names registered between 2012 and 2021 by British pop culture merchandise brand Lost Universe, Bucky has become the most popular Marvel name since the release of the first Avengers movie, with Thanos, Quill, Wanda, and Groot also among the top choices.

Following the release of Marvel's latest series, WandaVision, perhaps it's no surprise 'Scarlett Witch' Wanda has become one of the heroes inspiring the highest number of baby names.

A staggering 11,000 newborns in the UK and the US have inherited their names from the powerful sorceress in 2021 so far.

Wanda was not registered by any Australian parents, but Scarlett is currently the nation's 33rd most popular girls' name.
A perilously high-cut bodysuit has raised eyebrows on social media for its flesh-baring design.

The provocative one-piece is part of the $37 (AUD) 'Blooming Into Butterfly' set from Fashion Nova, a fast-fashion website famed for its racy designs.

A photo uploaded to the brand's Facebook page shows a glamorous blonde wearing nothing but the suit, which fastens under the crotch with a strip of material so narrow, it scarcely covers the wearer's genitalia.

The skimpy suit swiftly set tongues wagging, racking up 15,000 likes and a staggering 53,000 responses, with many arguing it does not have even 'half enough' fabric to protect a woman's modesty.

This provocative one-piece is part of the $37 (AUD) 'Blooming Into Butterfly' set from Fashion Nova, a fast-fashion website famed for its racy designs. It fastens under the crotch with a narrow strip of fabric that scarcely covers the wearer's genitalia.

Poll Would you wear this bodysuit? Yes No Only with the leggings Would you wear this bodysuit? Yes 191 votes

No 476 votes

Only with the leggings 35 votes Now share your opinion





'What kind of sorcery is this? No way that is designed to contain any size of whisker biscuit,' romance author Elle Vaughn wrote on the post.

Another added: 'I'm as skinny as she is and I can assure you that my [vagina] would swallow that! Ouch!'

'Is the G-string on backwards? I could never!' said a third, while a fourth wrote: 'I have an adult size...um, never mind.'

Others accused the woman pictured in the photo of using editing tools to airbrush her imitate region.

'No way, this has to be Photoshop - no question,' one person wrote.

But while hundreds more lashed out at Fashion Nova for creating such impractical cuts of clothing, the criticism may be unfounded.

Photos on the brand's website show the bodysuit worn under a pair of high-waisted leggings, which are sold as a set.

But while hundreds more lashed out at Fashion Nova for creating such impractical cuts of clothing, the criticism may be unfounded because the top is only sold as part of a set (pictured)

And customers appear to be thrilled with the purchase, with dozens leaving glowing reviews online.

'Love this set! The top is revealing, but just add some pasties if you're concerned,' one woman wrote.

A second said the outfit makes her feel 'cute' and 'really sexy.'
A talented foodie who's known for sharing simple and delicious cooking ideas has revealed how to make 'apple roses'.

Mon Mack, from Brisbane, shared the simple recipe with her 211,000 TikTok followers in a now-viral video.

'This is one of the earlier videos I made on this page and I just had to go back to it because it's so much fun - it's an apple rose and it's super easy to make and taste just like apple pie,' she said in the clip.

To make the dessert she only used five ingredients - apple, puff pastry, cinnamon sugar and vanilla.

Scroll down for video

Mon Mack, from Brisbane, shared the simple recipe for 'apple roses' with her 211,000 TikTok followers in a now-viral video

Mon began by thinly slicing the apples then popped them in the microwave for a few seconds until they became 'nice and soft'. She then sprinkled one tablespoon of cinnamon, sugar and vanilla on top and mixed together

Mon began by thinly slicing the apples then popped them in the microwave for a few seconds until they became 'nice and soft'.

She sprinkled one tablespoon of cinnamon, sugar and vanilla on top of the apples and mixed together.

'Pop out your puff pastry and start laying out your apples,' Mon said.

'Fold over the edges, roll it into a rose and then pop it into a baking tray and bake for 25 minutes.'

'Pop out your puff pastry and start laying out your apples,' Mon said, adding: 'Fold over the edges, roll it into a rose and then pop it into a baking tray and bake for 25 minutes.'

The apple roses were then dusted with icing sugar and looked like the perfect afternoon treat.

Within 24 hours of publishing the video, the clip was viewed more than 16,000 times by other foodies who praised the recipe idea.

'Ohh looks beautiful!' one woman wrote, another added: 'So pretty'.

Mon Mack has 211k followers on TikTok and describes the kitchen as being her happy place.
A mother-of-three has revealed how having coronavirus 'saved her life' after a visit to the doctor for a sore throat she thought was caused by Long Covid was diagnosed as cancer.

Sales development officer Jemma Falloon, 41, suspected she had Long Covid as her sore throat continued for more than a month after having the virus.

Triathlete Jemma, from Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, said she would usually have ignored the symptom but visited the GP in November 2020 with a sore throat, back pain and blood in her urine.

Her GP sent her for tests and she discovered she had thyroid and kidney cancer in December 2020.

Jemma, who lives with her train service controller husband, Mark, 43, their children, Louis, 17, Magnus, four, and Bronwen, three, said: 'It's a really strange thing to say, but Covid saved my life.

Jemma Falloon, 41, suspected she had Long Covid as her sore throat continued for more than a month after having the virus - but it was cancer. She is pictured in hospital

'Had I been working and not been off, I would have just carried on as normal.

'I lost a colleague to Covid and a good friend is very poorly with it. It's hard when you see the impact on those people, but it also has meant my two cancers were found when, otherwise, they possibly wouldn't have been.

'I've been quite lucky.'

Jemma, who has now had three rounds of surgery to remove her cancerous tumours, succumbed to Covid-19 while she was training for a triathlon in October 2020 and says she was 'knocked sideways' despite priding herself on her fitness.

She said: 'I really struggled to get upstairs to go to the bathroom and even struggled to breathe.

Jemma, lives with her train service controller husband, Mark, 43, their children, Louis, 17, Magnus, four, and Bronwen, three. She is pictured with her husband and their two youngest children

Triathlete Jemma, from Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, said she would usually have ignored the symptom but visited the GP in November 2020 with a sore throat, back pain and blood in her urine. She is pictured training for a triathlon with her best freid Richie

'It took me a while to recover  not just the 10 days I spent in isolation.'

A month later, she was still suffering with a sore throat and had noticed a lump in her neck, so decided to see a doctor.

'I was still not feeling great, but I thought maybe it was Long Covid,' she confessed.

Phoning her GP, Jemma was asked to come in for blood tests and an examination and was swiftly referred for an ultrasound at Ellesmere Port Hospital four days later.

Jemma had part of her kidney removed via keyhole surgery after a mass was found on the organ

What are the symptoms of thyroid cancer? The main symptom of thyroid cancer is a lump in the front of the neck. But the disease tends to develop slowly and may not cause any symptoms at first. Thyroid cancer often causes a painless lump or swelling low down in the front of the neck. However, neck lumps are common and are usually caused by a less serious condition, such as an enlarged thyroid. Only around 1 in every 20 is cancer. A lump is more likely to be cancer if it: See your GP if you have a swelling or lump at the front of your neck. While it's unlikely to be cancer, it's important to get it checked out. Other symptoms include: Rarely, thyroid cancer can affect the production of thyroid hormones and cause diarrhoea and flushing. Source: NHS Choices Advertisement

Just 48 hours after her tests, her doctor called to tell her a 'suspicious nodule' had been found on her thyroid, a small gland at the base of the neck that produces hormones.

'Within a week I spoke to a consultant and went in for a fine needle biopsy, where they put a big needle into your throat and take a little bit of the tumour away for tests.'

She was also concerned by her backache and the blood she had passed in her urine.

'I travel a lot by car for work, so I do get water infections when I can't get to the loo when I need to, as it puts pressure on the bladder.

'Driving can also give me back pain.

'But I wasn't working, so neither of these things applied.'

Suggesting she could have kidney stones, which can also be linked to the thyroid, her GP sent her for a further ultrasound on her right kidney  only for a mass to be detected on the organ.

Following an MRI and CT scan, Jemma was called into the hospital on New Year's Eve, 2020.

'They told me it was suspected cancer and that they'd need to operate as soon as possible,' she said.

'When I was first diagnosed, I was on autopilot. All I was focused on was the operations.'

Jemma was then transferred to Merseyside's Arrowe Park Hospital in Birkenhead, but her partial kidney removal  a procedure known as a nephrectomy  was delayed until March dur to Covid-19.

Her ear, nose and throat specialist was keen to operate on her thyroid but, with her kidney being a major organ, medics agreed to prioritise this procedure.

Jemma, had to isolate for ten days prior to and ten days after her surgery.

'Having my kidney out was tough,' she said.

'It was performed by a robot, so I've got six scars in my abdomen rather than one big scar.

'Getting up hurt and walking hurt and I struggled to go to the toilet, so I had to come home with a catheter in.

Jemma, who has now had three rounds of surgery to remove her cancerous tumours, succumbed to Covid-19 while she was training for a triathlon in October 2020 and says she was 'knocked sideways' despite priding herself on her fitness. She is pictured with husband Mark

Jemma was also concerned by her backache and the blood she had passed in her urine. She is pictured with her children

'Mentally that was quite tough. I expected recovery to be easier than it was.'

Once she was back on her feet, she went under the knife again  this time for surgery on her thyroid, as neither form of cancer was treatable in her case with chemotherapy or radiotherapy.

She said: 'I'm quite a positive person and I went straight into the next operation as soon as I felt better.'

On 21st May, at the Countess of Chester Hospital surgeons removed half her thyroid, finding papillary thyroid cancer  the most common type  on the right side of the organ.

'The protocol is that they then remove the full thyroid,' Jemma said.

Once Jemma, pictured with her three children, was back on her feet, she went under the knife again  this time for surgery on her thyroid, as neither form of cancer was treatable in her case with chemotherapy or radiotherapy.

Now awaiting further scans on her thyroid and kidneys, which she will have every three, six and 12 months for the next 10 years, to monitor for regrowth, Jemma, pictured with her husband, also takes daily thyroid medication to replace the thyroxine hormone the organ made.

Her second operation was performed four weeks later on 24th June, at the same hospital, followed by checks on her lymph nodes.

Now awaiting further scans on her thyroid and kidneys, which she will have every three, six and 12 months for the next 10 years, to monitor for regrowth, she also takes daily thyroid medication to replace the thyroxine hormone the organ made.

'Medics will perform regular blood tests, too, which would show any regrowth or thyroid hormones occurring naturally  which I shouldn't have, as I now don't have the organ,' Jemma explained.

'My kidney wasn't great news when they did the biopsy, as a little bit has been possibly left in  but I was told it is a slow-growing cancer.

'I'm still really tired, as I'm trying to manage the thyroid tablets and I still have a lot of back pain.

'All things considered, though, I'm in great shape, but I'm not at the 'no evidence of disease' stage yet.'

Jemma is now readjusting to normal life  and getting back to her usual active lifestyle  taking part in the Macmillan Mighty Hike last month, walking 13 miles across the Lake District with her husband and a close friend, to thank the Macmillan nurses who supported her throughout her treatment.

Another concern for Jemma is a nodule which has been spotted on her right lung.

She said: 'They're not sure if it's Covid or something else, so I have full-body scans to keep an eye on the size. If it doesn't grow at all for five years, then it's classed as non-cancerous.'

She is also looking into genetic testing, to find out whether she is biologically prone to any other forms of the disease  and to determine whether doctors need to keep a close eye on her children.

'We were very honest with Louis, my oldest,' she said. 'I didn't want him to hear it from anyone else first, so if I had any scans or results, I told him and my husband first.

'The little ones just knew Mum was poorly and they couldn't cuddle me too much or jump on me!'

Jemma, pictured with son Magnus, is also looking into genetic testing, to find out whether she is biologically prone to any other forms of the disease  and to determine whether doctors need to keep a close eye on her children

Jemma had her thyroid removed. She is pictured in hospital after the operation

Jemma is now readjusting to normal life  and getting back to her usual active lifestyle  taking part in the Macmillan Mighty Hike last month, walking 13 miles across the Lake District with her husband and a close friend, to thank the Macmillan nurses who supported her throughout her treatment.

'That was horrendous,' she laughed. 'It was really tough, but mentally did me the world of good just being able to show myself that I could still get out there and do things.

'The nurses were amazing, and I can't thank them enough.'

And she hosted a Macmillan coffee morning to support the cancer charity, which is encouraging people to get together with friends and family to raise funds during the month.

She said: 'We've also been trying to have some fun as a family.

Jemma hosted a Macmillan coffee morning to support the cancer charity, which is encouraging people to get together with friends and family to raise funds during the month.

'We went to London in August and took in the sights  the London Eye, Tower of London and the Natural History Museum  just trying to give our children lots of fun experiences.'

Now Jemma's message to anyone with similar mysterious symptoms is crystal clear.

She said: 'In the last month or so, I've just been coming to terms with having two primary cancers.

'If you have a sore throat, sometimes you just ignore it and hope it goes away, but it's better to get it checked out than leave it.

'The sooner they find these things the sooner they can deal with them.'

Sarah Page, from Macmillan also stresses the need to have any troublesome symptoms checked by a doctor.

She said: 'Jemma's story shows how important it is to get checked out if you feel like something's wrong. Going to see the doctor really has helped to save her life.

'It has been a difficult 18 months and we've lost time in cancer care. At Macmillan we've lost over a year of vital fundraising. We're sadly down by millions, which is money desperately needed.

'Coronavirus will leave a lasting legacy for cancer care. If we are going to be there for everyone with cancer from day one, we need your support.'
was worn by Diana at a number of occasions

Gold Cartier Tank Francaise watch was worn by Diana at a number of occasions

Meghan Markle paid a subtle tribute to her late mother-in-law Princess Diana by carrying a Dior bag named after her in New York - while also wearing her Cartier watch.

The Duchess of Sussex, 40, stepped out at the Global Live Citizen event on Saturday wearing a black coat and scarf in 76F weather  but it was her accessories that captured the attention of royal fans.

The mother-of-two paid a touching tribute to late Princess Diana by carrying Christian Dior's Lady D-Lite bag, which retails at 3,450.

Originally called 'Chouchou,' the Lady Dior bag changed its name in 1996 in honour of Princess Diana after she was seen using it.

The Princess Of Wales carrying the boxy bag at Buenos Aires airport, Argentina on November 26, 1995

Meghan Markle paid a subtle tribute to her late mother-in-law Princess Diana by carrying a Dior bag named after her as she attended the Global Citizen Live event in New York on Saturday

The boxy bag was gifted to the late royal by the First Lady of France in September 1995, at the opening of the Paul Cezanne retrospective at Pariss Grand Palais.

At this time, the Chouchou wasn't yet on sale to the public, and only in the possession of the worlds one per cent.

And it wasn't long before Diana starting pairing the black patent bag with many of her chic ensembles - including a white Versace suit that she wore during a trip to Argentina on November 26, 1995.

Admitting it 'suited her well,' the late royal then went on to commission another in navy blue to match the colour of her eyes.

Meghan Markle could be seen wearing the 8768 ($12,000) Cartier watch during Saturday's 'Wokestock' in New York City

Meghan's elegant timepiece was originally owned by Diana, who is seen wearing it on her left write at an engagement at the British Lung Foundation in 1997

Embodying the brand's vision of elegance and beauty, the sleek and refined style is fully embroidered with a black Cannage motif and the front features a 'CHRISTIAN DIOR' signature.

Meanwhile, the thick 'D.I.O.R.' charms in pale gold-finish metal enhance and illuminate the silhouette.

It boasts a wide, reversible and removable embroidered shoulder strap and can be carried by hand, worn over the shoulder or crossbody.

Elsewhere, the gold 17,800 Cartier Tank Francaise watch was worn by Diana at a number of occasions, including a 1997 visit to London's Shri Swaminarayan Mandir Hindu Temple and an engagement at the British Lung Foundation that same year.

Meghan is known to be a fan of the elegant timepiece and splurged on her own two-tone version back in 2015 when 'Suits' was picked up for a third season.

Princess Diana was often seen carrying the Dior bag. Pictured, left in March 1996 and right, October 31, 1995

Princess Diana visiting Liverpool on November 27 1995 wearing a bright orange suit by Versace and carrying the Dior bag

At the time, she told Hello Magazine, 'I've always coveted the Cartier French Tank watch. When I found out Suits had been picked up for our third seasonwhich, at the time, felt like such a milestoneI totally splurged and bought the two-tone version

'I had it engraved on the back, 'To M.M. From M.M.' and I plan to give it to my daughter one day. That's what makes pieces special, the connection you have to them.'

Meghan has been gifted several items from Diana's collection. They include Diana's butterfly earrings and gold bracelet which she wore on their Australian tour in 2018.

Yet the watch is a favorite and she has been spotted wearing it often.

The watch had been gifted to Diana by her father on her 21st birthday.
The police detective who was investigating footage of a bogus delivery driver who brutally beat up three women inside their own home before fleeing has revealed his job was made more challenging after one of the victims posted the clip online.

In tonight's episode of Channel 4's 24 Hours in Police Custody, Romanian Sandel Hornea, 36, who poses as a delivery driver is seen ringing the doorbell of a house in the leafy suburbs of Luton.

As the door is answered he immediately begins a shockingly brutal assault on three women - a 14-year-old girl, her aunt and elderly grandmother - who are alone in the house. Remarkably, the attack is captured on camera on the property's CCTV.

Hornea, who had served a nine-year jail term in Italy for sex trafficking, launched the brutal assault after slipping into the UK in 2019 when Britain was still observing freedom of movement rules before Brexit.

The father of the youngest victim, a Chinese family who are not named, posted the video online in an attempt to track down the attacker - and offered a 20,000 reward information on the suspect.

As one detective discovers 'they've literally put footage of the whole CCTV up,' DCI Tom Hamm tells the camera: 'Policing is about holding your cards close to your chest and not giving away what you've got. Unfortunately, in this case, by putting the CCTV images all over social media, he's now become a massive flight risk.'

Sandel Hornea (pictured, on CCTV footage), 36, from Romania, launched a brutal assault after slipping into the UK in 2019 when Britain was still observing freedom of movement rules before Brexit

In the harrowing footage which will air tonight, the suspect can be seen knocking the distressed and screaming gran to the floor and dragging her into the kitchen, resulting in her suffering a bleed to the brain.

Then, her granddaughter is violently punched in the face and dragged screaming across the floor, before being punched away when yelling for help, leading to a fractured eye socket.

The driver then lies in wait for the third woman as she comes down the stairs and brutally attacks her, punching her five times before fleeing.

'He didn't take anything of real value,' notes detective Tom. 'But it does look like he took what he thought was maybe the hard drive for the CCTV.'

As the victims are taken to hospital the case is handed to Detective Inspector Tom Hamm of Bedfordshire's Criminal Investigation Team, who begins an urgent manhunt.

Cameras follow every twist of the hunt after it becomes clear the suspect is now hiding abroad after fleeing to Romania.

The delivery driver beat two women, dragging them into their kitchen at their home in Luton

DCI Tom Hamm (pictured) explains that policing is about 'holding your cards close to your chest and not giving away what you've got'

'There's a part of this case that we're never gonna get to the bottom of. Maybe he will shed light on it when he's finally caught up with. But as it stands I don't really know why that home was targeted.'

But when initial police enquiries draw a blank, a member of the victim's family posts the CCTV images of the assault on Facebook and offers a reward of 20,000.

The post goes viral and the story is picked up by newspapers and broadcasters across the UK and internationally.

The video, shared on Facebook, was captioned: 'This person has not been caught yet. He is on the run now. 'Please please help me. Share this post in Great Britain even international so this person can be recognised or be seen and get caught.

'Please, please help me. Share this please. My daughter may lose her eye and my mum is going to have head surgery. So please please help me share this post and get this person please. This happened on Monday in Bedfordshire.'

Posted alongside the video was a picture of a young woman with heavy bruising around her eye.

He then waited for the third woman to come down the stairs before brutally attacking her, punching her repeatedly in the face

DCI Tom Hamm notes the suspect didn't take anything of real value but did take what he thought was maybe the hard drive for the CCTV (pictured, fleeing the scene'

Police soon discovered Sandel Hornea (pictured) had served a nine-year jail term in Italy for sex trafficking

Bedfordshire police learned Hornea had several convictions in Romania, Hungary and Italy for sex trafficking. Pictured, DCI Tom Hamm

The police are now in a race to apprehend the suspect, fearing that the publicity will mean he will go to ground.

The 20,000 reward and the discovery of his fingerprints on the fake Amazon parcel lead to his capture by Romanian police and return to the UK in March.

Bedfordshire police soon learned Hornea had several convictions in Romania, Hungary and Italy for sex trafficking.

Detective Inspector Tom Hamm adds: 'How can someone who did a nine-year stretch be allowed to come here?'

Hornea pleaded guilty at Luton Crown Court to wounding, GBH, ABH, robbery, theft and burglary and is due to be sentenced in a few weeks.
Countess Alexandra Tolstoy has revealed how she and her children lived 'out of bags while camping with kind friends' for months after being 'evicted' from the 12M mansion owned by her Russian billionaire ex.

The aristocrat shares children Aliosha, Ivan and Maria with financier Sergei Pugachev, who was once dubbed 'the Kremlins banker' and was close to Vladimir Putin before falling into disfavour. He is now seen as a 'traitor' by the Russian president.

After arriving in the UK in 2011, he was accused of siphoning a fortune out of his finance house Mezhprombank. State creditors in Moscow pursued him in the British courts, claiming he embezzled hundreds of millions.

The oligarch fled to France, where he remains, and was sentenced to two years in his absence by a High Court judge in 2016 for breaching court orders relating to hundreds of millions in allegedly stolen cash.

Writing for the Telegraph, Alexandra accused her former husband of trying to 'cajole and then force' her into travelling to France with him, but said that 'after years of living in fear' she knew remaining in London with her family was the best decision.

Countess Alexandra Tolstoy has revealed how she and her children lived 'out of bags while camping with kind friends' for months after being 'evicted' from the 12M mansion owned by her Russian billionaire ex (pictured)

She claims the family were evicted from Pugachev's 12million west London family mansion in May 2020 after reportedly being given just two weeks notice by the Russian government, who had repossessed the property (pictured)

'He cut us off financially and having prevented me from working for eight years, I was ill-equipped to cope alone', said the Countess.

She added: 'The anxiety nearly broke me, but nothing would make me question my decision'.

Alexandra, whose title descends from her father's great-grandfather, Pavel Tolstoy-Miloslavsky, who was titled a Count for his services as the chamberlain to the last emperor, Nicolas II of Russia, was left caring for her three children alone.

When the pandemic hit last year her budding travel business, offering bespoke trips across the Tien Shan Mountains of Kyrgyzstan, came to a halt.

The mother summer living out of suitcases with friends and with her parents in their country home in Oxfordshire (pictured) - where she spent lockdown in February

The aristocratic beauty, who shares children Aliosha, Ivan and Maria with financier Sergei Pugachev, is pictured at her parents' home in Oxfordshire

But the 'straw that broke the camels back' was when, she claims, the family were evicted from Pugachev's 12million west London family mansion in May 2020 after reportedly being given just two weeks notice by the Russian government, who had repossessed the property.

The mum admitted she felt 'hopeless' and was reduced to tears, spending the summer living out of suitcases with friends and with her parents in their country home in Oxfordshire - where she spent lockdown in February.

Eventually she decided to auction off her furniture with Christies and rented a home in Battersea, south west London, where she launched interiors business, The Tolstoy Edit.

From billionaire to broke: Who is Alexandra Tolstoy? Before she met Sergei, Alexandra was married to a penniless Cossack named Shamil Galimzyanov. The pair met whilst travelling along the Silk Road on horse in 1999. Tolstoy first met Sergei, then a Russian senator and trusted friend of Putin who had separated from his wife, when asked to give him English lessons while she was living in Moscow with Galimzyanov. A year later, they met again at an awards ceremony attended by the Russian president. Within months, Tolstoy and was pregnant with Sergei's child. They had three children together - Alexei, known as Aliosha, Ivan and Maria. Alexandra is the eldest of Anglo-Russian historian and writer Nikolai Tolstoy's four children. She grew up in Oxfordshire before going to Edinburgh University to study philosophy. She spent her gap year in Russia. Advertisement

Influenced by her Russian heritage and many years of travel across Central Asia, The Tolstoy Edit sells antiques and vintage textiles and rugs curated by Alexandra.

She recently jetted off to Mykonos with her three children while working with a London-based holiday rental company.

Alexandra's ex husband Pugachev, 58, once owned two major shipyards, the world's biggest mine and large chunks of real estate in Moscow and St Petersburg, as well as the Mezhprombank, which he co-founded in the 1990s.

The couple met in 2008 after Sergei hired Alexandra to help improve his English while they were both living in Russia, where Sergei was once-close friends with Putin.

Speaking of their relationship in a documentary that aired last year, Alexandra said: 'When I met Sergei it was electric. It was amazing.

'I fell so in love with him. I've never felt such a connection to someone ever.'

Within a year of meeting, they had a baby and another on the way, and were living a life of luxury in London, Moscow and Paris.

Alexandra said: 'It was incredible, he would give me his credit card and I would go shopping, I had a private jet. I just had to pack my suitcase and I could go.'

The family moved between an array of properties including a 12million family home in Battersea, a 200-acre country estate in Hertfordshire, and a 40million beachfront villa in St Barts.

But in 2008, Sergei's bank hit problems and the Russian bank bailed it out with $1 billion loan.

Sergei, who left Russia in 2011, claims that after relations between him and Putin cooled, the Kremlin tried to seize or destroy his business empire.

The Russians then accused him of profiting from vast sums of taxpayers' money given to Mezhprombank by the Russian central bank at the height of the 2008 economic crisis.

The Russian authorities froze his assets, put him on Interpol's wanted list and obtained a court order in Britain forcing him to hand over his passports.

By 2015, he was dividing his time between France and the family home in London and claimed to be number three on Kremlin's hitlist.

State creditors in Moscow pursued him in the British courts, claiming he embezzled hundreds of millions.

The couple met in 2008 after Sergei hired Alexandra to help improve his English while they were both living in Russia, where Sergei was once-close friends with Putin

Pugachev fled to France before the 2016 High Court ruling in a case brought by Russias Deposit Insurance Agency, in which he was sentenced for 12 breaches of court orders connected to a freezing order imposed on him over attempts to recover the cash.

In the February 2016 High Court judgment, no ruling was made on the allegations of embezzled cash and Pugachev told the court he had not stolen any money.

In her judgment jailing him, Mrs Justice Rose noted he does have a genuine fear that his life is in danger from agents of the Russian state.

Anne-Jessica Faure, a lawyer for Mr Pugachev, said there has been no court decision establishing financial wrongdoing by him.

On the order of the High Court, the family home was put on the market and Alexandra made a deal with the Russian government to drop her claim to his fortune.
Tom Ford's late husband, fashion journalist Richard Buckley's 'last article has been published - detailing his relationship with his partner of 35-years before his death aged 72.

Mr Buckley, who secretly married American fashion designer and filmmaker Mr Ford, 60, in 2014 after 27 years of dating, passed away peacefully from natural causes at their Los Angeles home earlier this month after battling prolonged illness.

Specific details surrounding Mr Buckley's death have not yet been released.

The writer, who met Mr Ford in 1986 at a New York fashion show, paid tribute to his husband in his 'last contribution to the world of journalism' for Air Mail.

He revealed he 'couldn't enjoy' his fashion designer partner's shows 'even slightly', would 'sob' over bad reviews and tried to never see designs in advance.

Tom Ford's late husband, fashion journalist Richard Buckley's 'last article has been published - detailing his relationship with his partner of 35-years before his death aged 72. Pictured, the couple together in 2017

Mr Buckley wrote: 'I tend to go silent after one of his shows. I do not run backstage and fawn all over him, and I know that hurts his feelings. Truth be told, I am always a total nervous wreck before his presentations, to the point where I physically blank out.

'It has always been a real problem for me that I cannot watch Toms shows objectively, as I would anyone elses, or enjoy them even slightly.'

He also described how the first negative review he read about Tom's first collection in his role as Gucci's creative director, in spring-summer 1995, left him breaking down while reading it and 'sobbing all over the page on the kitchen table'.

However, a calm Mr Ford just insisted that bad press 'was all part of the process' after his partner called him when still emotional.

Not dealing very well with negative reviews wasn't the only topic talked about in Mr Buckley's 'last article' - he also revealed that he tried to never see Mr Ford designs in advance.

Tom Ford showcases his Women's Ready-to-Wear collection for Fall/Winter 2020-2021 in Los Angeles. Pictured, a model wearing one of his designs

'Ive found that the few times I have seen things in advance and told him I didnt like them, they have ultimately succeeded, maybe not from my own subjective aesthetic, but certainly from that of the rest of the press and the buyers who attend the shows,' said Mr Buckley.

Mr Ford - who is worth $500million - and Mr Buckley shared an eight-year-old son together, Alexander John 'Jack' Buckley Ford.

Mr Buckley was recognised in the professional community for his 'uncanny ability' to spot the 'next big thing' and had noted several talented designers, musicians, actors and actresses right before they started becoming well known.

He also worked with several other publications including Women's Wear Daily, Vanity Fair, Mirabella, Italian Vogue, and Vogue Hommes International where he served as editor in chief.

Mr Ford previously said he knew the journalist was 'the one' from the moment they met.

Tom Ford and Richard Buckley attend the premiere of 'Nocturnal Animals' during the 73rd Venice Film Festival at Sala Grande on September 2, 2016 in Venice

'I went to a fashion show and this silver-haired guy was staring at me with these piercing water-blue eyes.

'It scared me because I absolutely saw and knew my entire future,' the designer recalled in a 2016 interview ahead of their 30-year-anniversary, MSN reports.

'About 10 days later, someone asked if [Buckley] was seeing anyone. He said, "No, there was this guy I had seen at a fashion show," and at that moment, the elevator door opened and there I was. Richard jumps in the elevator and he's practically tap dancing.'

They welcomed their son, Alexander John 'Jack' Buckley Ford, who is turning 9 on Thursday, into their lives in 2012. He was born via a surrogate.

Jack's life has remained out of the public eye - something Mr Ford swore he would strive for before he even knew he was having a child.

'If I have a child, you won't notice that I had a child. Maybe you'll see it when it's 18, but I will keep it out of the spotlight,' he told Marie Claire in 2011.

'And no one will ever see the child because I certainly wouldn't use it as a press tool.'

They most recently lived in Los Angeles and have also shared residences in London, Richard's native New York and Tom's Santa Fe hometown.
CNN anchor and Vanderbilt heir Anderson Cooper has revealed he has no plans to leave his son Wyatt with 'huge amounts of money' when he dies - saying he will pay for his child to attend college, then leave him to fend for himself financially.

The 54-year-old opened up about his decision during an appearance on Air Mail's Morning Meeting podcast, explaining that he will follow in his heiress mother Gloria Vanderbilt's footsteps when it comes to his one-year-old son's inheritance.

Cooper, who has just released a book about his family's infamous financial struggles - Vanderbilt: The Rise and Fall of an American Dynasty - added that his determination to leave Wyatt without a 'pot of gold' to rely on is also motivated by his own experiences of watching his relatives' money 'being lost'.

'I dont believe in passing on huge amounts of money,' he said. 'I dont know what Ill have. Im not that interested in money, but I dont intend to have some sort of pot of gold for my son.'

Future: Anderson Cooper has revealed that he has no plans to leave his son Wyatt with 'huge amounts of money' when he dies - insisting he wants his child to be able to 'forge his own way'

Candid: The 54-year-old CNN anchor explained that he plans to pay for his son's college tuition and will then leave him to fend for himself financially

Cooper explained that he plans to give his son the same kind of financial support that he received from his own late mother, who paid for him to attend college and then left him to 'get on it' when he graduated.

'I'll go with what my parents said, which is, "College will be paid for, and then you gotta get on it,"' he shared.

The TV host, who welcomed one-year-old son Wyatt Morgan Cooper via surrogate on April 27, 2020, also spoke out about how his own relationship with money has been impacted by his family's infamous fall from financial grace, insisting that he has always known he'd have to 'forge his own way' having 'watched' his relatives 'lose money' throughout his childhood.

Inspiration: Cooper's decision follows in his late mother Gloria Vanderbilt's footsteps; the socialite and heiress, who died in January 2019, made clear to her son years before her passing that she would not leave him with a huge inheritance

He noted that seeing other members of the once-triumphant dynasty fall into financial hardships made him incredibly aware of the fact that you cannot rely on your parents to provide for you in the future.

'I grew up watching money being lost and knowing it was being lost and I from a very young age... was very aware of, "This is not me. This is not something my mom has, or this is money that my mom has but it's not money I'm going to have and I need to forge my own way,"' he said.

The latest interview comes just days after Cooper released his new tome, which was written with historian and novelist Katherine Howe, which he described as being a 'letter' to his son about the history of his family.

'In some ways I wanted this to be a letter to my son,' Cooper told People magazine last week of his motivation to publish the historical book.

The journalist welcomed his one-year-old son Wyatt Morgan Cooper via surrogate on April 27, 2020, and named after him after his father, Wyatt Cooper, who died during heart surgery when he was 10.

'My dad wrote a book before he died about his family growing up in Mississippi. And because he died when I was so young, a lot that I know of him came from that book,' he explained in the cover interview. 'I wanted to write a letter to Wyatt about this crazy and unusual part of his family's past.'

The Vanderbilts were once one of the most powerful dynasties in the US after having risen to prominence and wealth during the Gilded Age.

Cooper's great-great-great-grandfather Cornelius Vanderbilt amassed a fortune through his shipping and railroad empires.

Family moment: Cooper's great-great-great-grandfather Cornelius Vanderbilt (pictured) amassed a fortune through his shipping and railroad empires during the Gilded Age

Cornelius was the richest man in American when he died in 1877. He left behind an estimated $100 million that was equivalent to $2.5 billion in today's currency, but it was later squandered by his heirs.

'As a kid, my mom didn't really talk about her childhood. It was very painful for her. So I grew up not really knowing much about the Vanderbilts, and the little I did know was that they were very wealthy and they had built enormous palaces, and some of those were museums, but a lot of them had disappeared,' Cooper said.

'It was always this question in my mind: How, in a hundred years, does a family go from having more money than anybody else in the world to having all their houses torn down because nobody can afford them?'

Relations: The titan's grandson Cornelius Vanderbilt II was Gloria's grandfather

Gloria, who spent her entire life in the public eye because of her family name, passed away at age 95 on June 17, 2019, after a short battle with stomach cancer.

Cooper was going through boxes in her apartment after her death when he found a number of family letters from relatives he had never met.

'There were very personal letters from her grandmother and her aunt and her mother, and all these people who I didn't really know, who I'd never met, but whose voices suddenly kind of came alive in these letters,' he said.

'It was really fascinating to start to think of them as human beings and not just historical characters or people I'd read about, people you can read about in history books.'

Cooper's great-great-great-grandfather Cornelius was a self-made man who was born into a family of modest means in Staten Island, New York, in 1794,

The fourth of nine children, he was 11 when he started working on his father's small boat ferrying cargo between Staten Island and Manhattan.

At age 19, he married his first cousin Sophia Johnson. They had 13 children together. He started his shipping fleet with one single boat and earned himself the nickname 'Commadore,' a US Navy title for a naval officer of a high rank.

The Vanderbilts lived on Staten Island until the 1840s, when Cornelius built a house in New York City at 10 Washington Place, which is now known as the Manhattan neighborhood Greenwich Village.

By the 1860s, he had started to focus on the railroad industry and built his second empire while helping to make railroad transportation more efficient.

Estate: Cornelius II's mansion on Fifth Avenue (pictured) was the largest private residence ever built in Manhattan. It was sold in 1926 and demolished to make way for Bergdorf Goodman

History: Cornelius II's summer home in Newport, Rhode Island, 'The Breakers,' still remains. The property was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1971

Family: Gloria was the daughter of Reginald and Gloria Morgan Vanderbilt (pictured). Her father, Cornelius II's son, was an alcoholic who died of cirrhosis of the liver when she was one

New life: Gloria was left in the care of her mother Gloria Morgan, who was 20 when Reginald died. She grew up in France and didn't know anything about the Vanderbilts or her trust fund

A year after his wife Sophia's death in 1868, he married his cousin Frank Armstrong Crawford, who had an unusual first name for a woman.

When he died in 1877, he left the majority of his fortune to his eldest son, William Henry Vanderbilt, who inherited the title of America's richest man and doubled the family's wealth.

William built the first of the family's many mansions on the East Coast on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan. The property, which resided between 51st and 52 Streets, was completed in 1882.

He resigned from the family business in 1883 due to poor health and died two years later, leaving the family business to his sons Cornelius Vanderbilt II and William Kissam Vanderbilt.

Cornelius II commissioned architect George B. Post to build him a massive mansion on Fifth Avenue between 57th and 58th Streets. It was the largest private residence ever built in Manhattan.

In the early 1890s, he commissioned the construction of his summer mansion 'The Breakers' in Newport, Rhode Island. Cornelius II's brother William Kissam also built lavish estates on Fifth Avenue and in Newport.

Their youngest brother, George Washington Vanderbilt II, had the least to do with the family business and opted to have his 250-room mansion, Biltmore Estate, built on 125,000 acres near Asheville, North Carolina.

The fourth generation of Vanderbilts wasn't as business-minded as their predecessors. Excessive spending, poor business decisions, and a decline in the railroad industry caused the family's fortune to dwindle.

Custody battle: In 1934, when Gloria was 10, her aunt, Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney, sued her mother Gloria Morgan for custody of her, claiming she was an unfit mother

Hard to handle: In the end, Whitney (pictured) was given custody of Gloria and the judge fired her beloved nanny, whom she called 'Dodo'

Sad: While recalling the heartache of losing Dodo in an interview with Cooper, Gloria said: 'She was my mother, my father, my everything. She was my lifeline; she was all I had'

A number of the family's mansions were demolished over the years, including the 'Cornelius Vanderbilt II House' on Fifth Avenue, which was sold in 1926 to make way for Bergdorf Goodman. Many of the mansions that have remained are now National Historic Landmarks.

Cooper's mother Gloria was the granddaughter of Cornelius II and his wife Alice Claypoole Vanderbilt.

Born in 1924, she was the only child of Reginald Claypoole Vanderbilt and his second wife Gloria Morgan Vanderbilt.

Her father was an alcoholic who died of cirrhosis of the liver when she was one, leaving her in the care of her mother Gloria Morgan.

Reginald left behind him a mountain of debt that pillaged his wealth, but he did set up a $5 million trust fund for Gloria to share with her older half-sister Cathleen Vanderbilt, his only child with his first wife Cathleen Neilson.

Gloria Morgan, who was 20 at the time of her husband's death and therefore considered a minor, was not given access to her daughter's portion of the trust fund.

Instead, she was issued $4,000 monthly installments to care for her daughter, but she used it frivolously.

As a child, Gloria lived in France and was unaware of the Vanderbilts or the trust fund she was set to inherit at age 21. She was predominantly cared for by her beloved nanny Emma Sullivan Kieslich nanny, whom she called 'Dodo.'

Correspondence: Cooper said that he found letters from his mother's relatives after her death. Gloria wrote the letters pictured to her grandmother Laura Kilpatrick Morgan as a child

Moving on: Gloria (pictured with her mother in 1939) socialized in Manhattan as she grew up and charmed film and play directors until she made connections in Hollywood

Too young: In 1941, a 17-year-old Gloria married Hollywood agent Pat DiCicco, a decision she instantly knew was a mistake, according to Cooper

In 1934, when Gloria was 10, her aunt, Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney, sued Gloria Morgan for custody of her, claiming she was an unfit mother. The trial exposed the dysfunction of one of America's wealthiest and most high-profile families at the time.

Whitney accused Gloria Morgan of being a lesbian. In turn, she claimed Whitney's art, which was full of nudism, would influence her daughter.

The tabloids feasted on the court battle, dubbing it the 'trial of the century' and giving the young Gloria the nickname 'poor little rich girl.'

In the end, Whitney was given custody of the child and the judge fired Dodo. Years later, Gloria recalled her heartache at the decision.

'She was my mother, my father, my everything. She was my lifeline; she was all I had,' she told her son in an interview.

As she grew up, she socialized in Manhattan and charmed film and play directors until she made connections in Hollywood where she would find three of her four husbands.

When she first arrived in Hollywood at the age of 17, her first boyfriend was one of the biggest stars of all time, Errol Flynn.

In 1941, a 17-year-old Gloria married Hollywood agent Pat DiCicco, a decision she instantly knew was a mistake, according to Cooper. The pair were together for four years before they divorced.

Parents: Cooper was raised by his mother and father, writer Wyatt Cooper (pictured in 1970), who was Gloria's fourth husband

Looking back: Cooper's son was named Wyatt Cooper after his father, who died when he was 10 years old. He is pictured with his parents and brother Carter in 1972

Tragedy: Cooper's brother Carter (pictured in 1976) died by suicide in 1988 when he was 23 years old

Legacy: Cooper said he wants his new book about his family's troubled history to be a 'letter' to his son Wyatt

She married her second husband, the conductor Leopold Stokowski, in 1945, when she was 21. He was 63 and she described it as love at first sight, despite the age gap.

They had two children together, Stanley and Christopher, and were married for 10 years before divorcing. She was later linked to a host of famous men, including Frank Sinatra and Marlon Brando.

In 1956, she married her third husband, the famous director and producer Sidney Lumet. They were together until 1963.

Her fourth marriage, to Cooper's father Wyatt, began four months after her divorce from Lumet. Together, they had Cooper and his brother Carter, who was two years older.

While raising her children, Gloria acted on Broadway and in films, wrote poetry and novels, and produced wildly popular art.

In the 1970s, she made a name for herself in the fashion industry with her line of denim  Gloria Vanderbilt Jeans  which were emblazoned with a swan and her name.

But her life was not without tragedy.

Ten years after the death of Cooper's father Wyatt in 1978, her son Carter leaped to his death in front of her from her apartment terrace.

Gloria remained close with Cooper and Stanley throughout their lives, but she and Christopher became estranged in 1978 when he accused her therapist of meddling in his love life.

When she died in 2019, the mother of four left the majority of her estate to Cooper. Her youngest son reportedly inherited all of his mother's belongings except for her co-op apartment at 30 Beekman Place in Manhattan, which went to Stanley.

Gloria did not leave anything in her will for her estranged son Christopher.
Queen Rania of Jordan has delighted fans by sharing home footage of her daughters Princesses Iman and Salma to mark their birthdays.

The 51-year-old royal also revealed a stunning portrait of herself alongside the princesses on Instagram today, with the three family members sporting matching white tops.

Princess Salma celebrated her 21st birthday on 26 September, while her older sister, Princess Iman, turned 25 on 27 September.

Highlights from the videos shared online show Queen Ranias daughters as children, capturing milestones including their first haircuts and their high school graduations.

Scroll down for video

Queen Rania of Jordan has delighted fans by sharing home footage of her daughters Princesses Iman and Salma to mark their birthdays

Taking to her social media account, Queen Rania wrote: Happy birthday to my sweethearts Iman and Salma! God bless you #HappyBirthday #Love #daughter.

In the portrait of Queen Rania with her daughters, the royal mother sported a crisp button-down with a pair of striped trousers, while the princesses donned t-shirts and blue jeans.

Princess Iman attends Georgetown University in Washington DC, while Princess Salma graduated from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in 2018. She became the first female jet pilot in the Jordanian Armed Forces in 2020.

The queen consort's posts come as the palace announced that Jordan's Crown Prince Hussein has contracted coronavirus and his parents King Abdullah and Queen Rania, who tested negative, will protectively self-isolate for five days.

Princess Salma celebrated her 21st birthday on 26 September, while her older sister, Princess Iman, turned 25 on 27 September. Pictured, the home footage

'His Highness Prince Hussein, who had received the vaccine against the coronavirus, showed mild symptoms and is in very good health,' the Royal Court said in a statement on Monday.

The 27-year-old prince has in the last year increased his public appearances and is seen regularly at most of the important meetings that King Abdullah attends with local and foreign dignitaries.

King Abdullah and Queen Rania will be subject to a precautionary home quarantine for a period of five days. The results of their COVID-19 tests came back negative.

Highlights from the videos (pictured) shared online show Queen Ranias daughters as children, capturing milestones including their first haircuts and their high school graduations

Queen Rania and her husband King Abdullah, 59, share four children, Hussein, Crown Prince of Jordan, 27, Princess Iman, 25, Princess Salma, 21, and Prince Hashem, 16.

The couple married in Jordan in June 1993, with the bride opting for a gold detailed wedding gown by British fashion designer Bruce Oldfield.

King Abdullah ascended to the throne in February 1999 and Rania became Queen Consort of Jordan.
Queen Letizia and King Felipe VI of Spain attended the inauguration of the Botton-Champalimaud Pancreatic Cancer Centre today.

Mother-of-two Letizia, 49, donned a chic spotted dress with black court heels while Felipe, 53, appeared equally polished for the ceremony at the Champalimaud Foundation in Lisbon.

Accompanied by President of the Portuguese Republic Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, the royal couple were presented with information about the new building and expressed their passion for the fight against cancer.

The event comes less than a week after Queen Letizia attended a World Cancer Research Day event in Madrid.

King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia of Spain (pictured) attended the inauguration of the Botton-Champalimaud Pancreatic Cancer Centre at the Champalimaud Foundation in Lisbon today

The European royals were accompanied by Portugal's President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa (pictured right) throughout their visit

Queen Letizia looked chic in a spotted dress from Armani teamed with black court heels, alongside an equally dapper King Felipe

Today, she opted for a stylish ankle length dress from Armani accessorised with a black belt to emphasise her enviable figure.

The mother-of-two completed her look by wearing her glossy brunette hair in a centre parting. Meanwhile, King Felipe looked dapper in a navy suit with a colourful tie.

The European royals were greeted upon arrival at the Figo Maduro military airport in Lisbon by officials including lieutenant colonel in charge of the Air Base, Mr. Abel de Oliveir.

They were then met by Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa at the Cidadela fortress, who went on to offer them a private lunch at the Palacio de la Cidadela, before going to the Botton-Champalimaud Pancreatic Cancer.

Despite having her face covered by a face mask, Queen Letizia drew attention to her eyes with a dark liner and mascara

The European royals were joined by those eager to support the fight against pancreatic cancer

King Felipe spoke during the inauguration about the importance of research and collaboration in making a difference on a large scale

Attendees at the inauguration were photographed continuing to be mindful of the ongoing pandemic by wearing face masks.

The new centre has been opened with the intention of making a difference in the global fight to cure pancreatic cancer.

King Felipe said: 'While it is clear that research is key against cancer, so is collaboration itself.

'We are sure that all the findings that are carried out by researchers and doctors in this centre which we inaugurate today in Lisbon, will be shared with their counterparts in Spain and the rest of the EU.'

Attendees at the inauguration of the Botton-Champalimaud Pancreatic Cancer Centre all wore face masks due to the ongoing pandemic. Pictured: President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa speaking to King Felipe and Queen Letizia

Queen Letizia and King Felipe enjoyed a lunch with Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa at the Palacio de la Cidadela, before attending the inauguration. Pictured: The European royals with Portugal's President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa and Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa

King Felipe and Queen Letizia toured facilities including the chemotherapy area and operating rooms. Pictured: The couple with French millionaire entrepreneur Mauricio Botton, his wife Charlotte Botton and Portugal's President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa

'In this fight, as in many others, it is the closest cooperation that will allow us to continue advancing,' he added.

The European royals went on to tour the chemotherapy area, the consultation room, the operating rooms, the room area and the machine area.

The new building, which is the result of collaboration between the Champalimaud Foundation and the Spanish couple Mauricio and Charlotte Botton, who donated 50 million euros, is set to be formally integrated into the complex managed by the Champalimaud Foundation.

The clinical institution is considered a European benchmark in oncological, neurodegenerative and ophthalmological research.

The European royals went on to tour the chemotherapy area, the consultation room, the operating rooms, the room area and the machine area

The new building, which is the result of collaboration between the Champalimaud Foundation and the Spanish couple Mauricio and Charlotte Botton, who donated 50 million euros, is set to be formally integrated into the complex managed by the Champalimaud Foundation

The clinical institution is considered a European benchmark in oncological, neurodegenerative and ophthalmological research

The Spanish King and Queen tour the premises with Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa during the inauguration ceremony

The Botton-Champalimaud Pancreatic Cancer Centre is set to be formally integrated into the complex managed by the Champalimaud Foundation
Married At First Sight UK fans have been left astonished after Franky offended his wife, Marilyse, a mother-of-two, as he told her his ideal match wouldnt have kids.

Personal trainer Marilyse Corrigan, 37, from Beverly, Yorkshire, wed military man and fellow fitness fanatic Franky, 47, on the current series of the E4 show.

But in their last date, which aired tonight, the couple discussed the partners they had been expecting to be matched with by the experts, who paired up strangers they believed would form a successful marriage.

To the shock of Marilyse, who has two teenage children, Franky admitted he didn't want his future wife to have any offspring - leaving viewers stunned at his candidness.

Scroll down for video

Married At First Sight UK fans have been left astonished after Franky offended his wife, Marilyse (pictured), a mother-of-two, as he told her his ideal match wouldnt have kids

Personal trainer Marilyse Corrigan, 37, from Beverly, Yorkshire, wed military man and fellow fitness fanatic Franky (pictured), 47, on the current series of the E4 show

Marilyse expressed her concerns that she cant uproot her life and move to Dubai, where Franky has lived for 16 years.

She admitted: I hope I havent disappointed you that I do have children and that I cant move to Dubai

Franky said: Everybody in life says ideally this and ideally that. I also said ideally maybe she doesnt have kids.

Marilyse was visibly taken aback by Frankys remarks, and privately told the camera: To be honest with you, I was offended because I have got children and I dont want that to be a problem.

She continued: I dont like to waste time. Maybe were not meant to be. Maybe this isnt right for me.

But in their last date, which aired tonight, the couple discussed the partners they had been expecting to be matched with by the experts, who paired up strangers they believed would form a successful marriage. Pictured, Franky

Marilyse (pictured) expressed her concerns that she cant uproot her life and move to Dubai, where Franky has lived for 16 years

Twitter users were left shocked at Franky's honesty, suggesting he should have informed his wife about his 'ideal match' sooner.

One person joked: 'Franky: "I've been waiting for the right time to drop in the fact that I hate the fact that you have kids." Me: "Smooth. As ever.'

Another said: 'OMG! Franky is utterly clueless.' A third added: 'Eeeeek ideally she doesn't have kids? You didn't need to say it Franky.'

This evenings viewing was interrupted for some fans who couldn't watch the programme on All4 due to ongoing technical issues.

Twitter users were left shocked at Franky's honesty, suggesting he should have informed his wife about his 'ideal match' sooner

Reaction: However, not all viewers reacted negatively to Franky's remarks (pictured above)

Elsewhere in tonight's programme, the topic of distance proved all too much for Married At First Sight UK's first ever same-sex couple Dan and Matt as they struggled to agree on where to settle down in the future.

Matt, 39, from West Yorkshire, and Daniel, 27, from Northern Ireland, who made reality television history as the show's first ever same-sex couple, have found the process plain sailing so far.

But despite already dropping the 'L' word to each other, the pair couldn't seem to agree on whose hometown to move to as they planned the next chapter of married life.

Dan explained: 'I know you've got a lovely house in Leeds which I love and you've made it your own nest, but I have such a draw to Northern Ireland - to the ocean, coastal vibe - that's something I strongly value.'

'And yes we can do long distance for a certain amount of time but there does have to be that point where we have to choose somewhere to settle down together.'

Elsewhere in tonight's programme, the topic of distance proved all too much for Married At First Sight UK's first ever same-sex couple Dan and Matt as they struggled to agree on where to settle down in the future

Matt (pictured) said he doesn't want to leave behind friends and family in his hometown of Leeds

He went on to ask husband Matt where he plans on their future home being.

'For me, I don't think I should move to Northern Ireland straight away,' admitted Matt, to which Dan replied: 'So realistically, I see us doing long distance for three-four months.

'This is my truth, and I'd like to go between Leeds, Northern Ireland and maybe somewhere else. But in terms of settling down, at this moment in time, I can't see myself basing myself in Leeds.'

Matt admitted: 'I think if I'm really honest I did have in my heads that I wanted to convince you to come to Leeds because my parents are there, I've got so many friends there - that's always going to be a massive part of my life. It's where I'm from - it's my roots.

Matt (pictured) admitted he doesn't think moving to Northern Ireland straight away is a good idea

Groundbreaking: The reality show finally showcased its first gay couple in Matt, 39 and Daniel, 27, after six years of she show being on air

Dan added: 'I think there needs to be a compromise then. I love Leeds and I would like to visit there but I'm not sure if I can see myself there on a full-term basis.'

In an earlier episode, charity worker Matt was put with the grooms before the wedding night, and said to them all: 'When I started to tell people, and kind of realised who I was, I kind of became the person that I am now. Like really strong and confident.'

Over with the girls, Dan, who works in sales, said of his experience: 'It's amazing to be one half of the first gay couple [on the show].

'Gay marriage has only been legalised very recently in Northern Ireland which is absolutely shocking. And now that I can share my relationship with the world, I find that so important.'
The COVID-19 pandemic is tied to an 'alarming' increase in obesity among U.S. children and teenagers, with weight in severely obese chidren doubling during the pandemic, a new study finds.

Researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) lookedat more than than 400,000 adolescents.

They found that the share of children with obesity in the U.S. increased from 19 percent to 22 percent from August 2020 to August 2021 - a 15 percent increase.

For severely obese kids, expected annual weight gain went from 8.8 pounds to 14.6 pounds, nearly double.

The study highlights one of many long-term issues that could arise in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, and something health officials will have to worry about going forward in a post-Covid world.

Children aged three to five years old who were already severely obese when the pandemic started (solid blue line) had their BMI increase severely during the pandemic

Almost all children aged six to 11, no matter their weight at the start of the pandemic, had their weight increase during the pandemic

For the study, the team looked at data on more than 432,302 Americans between ages two and 19.

Children, whether overweight or not, are also gaining more weight that usual.

Before the pandemic, children who were a healthy weight were gaining an average of 3.4 pounds per year. That rose to 5.4 pounds during the pandemic.

For kids who were moderately obese, expected weight gain rose from 6.5 pounds a year before the pandemic to 12 pounds after the pandemic began.

The rate of obesity increased most dramatically in kids ages 6 to 11, who are more dependent on their parents and may have been more affected when schools suspended in-person classes, the researchers said.

Dr Alyson Goodman, a medical epidemiologist and pediatrician at the CDC, described the trend as 'alarming'.

It's also a sign of a vicious cycle.

The pandemic appears to be worsening the nation's longstanding obesity epidemic, and obesity can put people at risk for more severe illness after coronavirus infection.

Officials from the CDC have warned about the obesity issue in America recently.

Earlier this week, the agency reported that sixteen states have an obesity rate of 35 percent or higher, the most ever for the nation.

Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and West Virginia have now have reached dangerous levels of obesity.

The obesity epidemic has gotten particularly bad in recent years, with the total of states with a rate of over 35 percent nearly doubling since 2018.

Teens from ages 12 to 17 saw their weights increase after the pandemic while 18-to-20-year-olds saw weights remain relatively flat

People with obesity are at high risk of heart disease, joint issues, type 2 diabetes and other conditions (File Photo)

The new CDC study found that children five years old or younger who were already severely obese before the pandemic had their body mass index (BMI) increasing from 24 to 26 on average.

The worst off group was severely obese children aged six to 11, whose BMI jumped from 26 to 31 on average during the pandemic.

Almost all kids aged six to 11, no matter their previous fitness level, gained weight during the pandemic, the study found.

Having obesity as a child could open the door to a variety of health issues both in the present and further down the line.

Overweight children are more likely to be obese as adults and develop high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes or have joint problems.

They may also develop psychological issues such as a lower self-esteem and anxiety and depression.
My wife, Clare, and I are both in our 60s. Our children have grown up and left home so we thought that by now our lives would be slowing down. Yet we seem to be busier than ever.

We talk about wanting to do less, but the fact that we can't decide what to cut back on  fewer Zoom calls, fewer projects or fewer Instagram posts  suggests we are happy as we are.

And that seems to be true of a lot of busy people. Although we moan about not having enough hours in the day to get things done (busy people like to brag about how busy they are), a recent study concluded that having more free time does not necessarily make people happier, while having lots of spare time can make us positively unhappy.

The findings, from the University of Pennsylvania, were based on a questionnaire filled out by more than 21,000 Americans; they were asked to provide a detailed account of what they did during the day and to score their sense of wellbeing  how good they felt about their lives.

Although we moan about not having enough hours in the day to get things done (busy people like to brag about how busy they are), a recent study concluded that having more free time does not necessarily make people happier

The researchers found that people who had very little free time were the least happy and that, as free time increased, so did the sense of wellbeing.

But this levelled off once people had about two hours of free time (time they could spend how they wanted, without work or domestic chores) a day, and began to decline if they had more than five hours.

Why? It stands to reason that being busy gives us a sense of purpose. It also helps keep our brains in good shape.

Proof of this comes from a number of studies, including one carried out a few years ago by the University of Texas. They asked middle-aged and elderly volunteers to do brain tests and fill in a 'busyness' questionnaire.

This included questions such as: how often do you have too many things to do each day to actually get them all done? How often do you have so many things to do that you go to bed later than your regular bedtime?

They found, not surprisingly, that people tend to get less busy as they get older, and that women of all ages seem busier than men.

They also discovered that busy people of all ages in the study had better working memories (the ability to hold more than one thing in your mind at the same time); better episodic memories (the ability to recall past events); and greater processing speed, i.e. their brains seemed to be working faster.

Researchers found that people who had very little free time were the least happy and that, as free time increased, so did the sense of wellbeing. But this levelled off once people had about two hours of free time

The researchers put this down to people with busy lifestyles being out in the world, having new experiences and meeting new people  all of which is more mentally demanding than being at home trying to decide which programme to watch on Netflix.

They also suggest that because busy people are often having to learn new things, this leads to the growth of new brain cells, particularly in the hippocampus, the area of the brain linked to memory.

Studies have shown that spending your spare time struggling with a new language, or a mentally challenging physical activity, such as dancing, is really good for the middle-aged brain.

The downside of being busy is that it can be stressful, particularly if you have to work long hours or don't have control over what you do in your spare time. It also means that you may not be carving out time to meet with friends and family.

And that's bad because maintaining close relationships is hugely important for our physical and mental wellbeing.

We know this from research such as the Harvard Longitudinal Study, one of the longest human studies ever carried out. In the 1930s researchers recruited 724 students from Harvard University (all male), as well as young men from the Boston area, for a life-long study.

Some of those men, such as John F. Kennedy, went on to become rich and famous, while others led normal lives. The main finding of the study was that the men who had close friends and partners were far more likely to stay happy and healthy into old age than those who didn't.

A nd the effect on your health of having close friends is significant. A study where they monitored more than 300,000 middle-aged people for an average of seven-and-a-half years found that those with the strongest social ties were 50 per cent more likely to be alive at the end of the study than people with fewer friends.

The impact of having close friends is comparable to quitting smoking and is much bigger than, say, slimming or becoming more active (though, of course, both are good things to do anyway).

I'm not as good as I'd like to be at keeping up with old friends (though I am resolved to do better), but one thing I have managed to prioritise is our local book club, which has met for many years, and we are now all close friends.

If you're already very busy, then you won't want any advice from me about things you can productively add to your life to make yourself even busier.

But if you do have more time on your hands than you would ideally like, I recommend getting in contact with old friends, inviting others to go on walks with you, taking up a new hobby or volunteering.

As the American philosopher Henry Thoreau once said, 'It's not enough to be busy. So are the ants. The question is: what are we busy about?'

Prolonged sitting is sometimes described as the new smoking  not only is it really bad for the heart, it increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes and has even been linked to some cancers.

Most of us spend far too much time sitting down, either working at computers, playing games or watching TV.

One of the best ways to counter the effects of prolonged sitting is to get up and move every 30 minutes or so.

And now we know how long you need to do this: a study in Sweden found two to three minutes of being active for every 30 minutes of sitting, seems to be what it takes to protect your metabolic health, ideally strolling around  even better, stair climbing or doing squats.

To ensure you actually do it, get an app or set your phone to remind you to move twice an hour.

Why I can't wait to have a booster jab

When the time comes I will be eagerly lining up to get my booster Covid jab, and hopefully get a flu jab at the same time.

I am a big fan of vaccines  the fact is, they work and a recent study by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), showed what a brilliant job the Covid vaccines in particular are doing.

Out of 51,281 Covid deaths in the first half of this year, only 458 (that is about 0.9 per cent) were in people who'd been double jabbed.

Yet despite the overwhelming evidence that Covid vaccines are safe and effective, there are still millions of adults in the UK who have so far chosen not to have one. They not only put themselves at risk, but the rest of us as well.

One of the vaccine-hesitant is a friend of mine. A few days ago she told me she hadn't had the jab and isn't sure she wants to. She's in her 40s and doesn't think she's at risk.

As I pointed out, she might not become seriously ill, but if she gets infected there's a good chance she'll get long Covid.

While Covid kills mainly older men, the people most likely to get long Covid are women aged 35 to 69 years.

According to the ONS, around one in four in this group will have at least one lingering symptom five weeks after being infected, and the symptoms can be really unpleasant, ranging from loss of taste and smell to mental fogginess, being completely drained of energy, and, as another friend put it, 'feeling like there is someone sitting on your chest'.

The best way to save yourself from long Covid is to get vaccinated.

A study by King's College London showed that being double vaccinated not only slashes your risk of feeling ill if you get infected, but if you do develop symptoms, it halves the chance that these will persist.

I've told my friend the facts. I really hope she changes her mind.
A central Arkansas hospital system is requiring staff members who receive a religious exemption from getting the COVID-19 vaccine to also give up other popular medications.

Conway Regional Medical Center has joined the growing number of hospitals mandate Covid shots for workers.

Employees of the hospital system will have until October 8 to be fully vaccinated, but there is an option for some to get a religious exemption from the requirement.

Hospital leadership noticed that many were applying for religious exemptions based on the potential use of fetal cell lines in the development of the vaccine.

To make sure that employees applying for waivers to dodge vaccine requirements are doing so because of their truly-held beliefs, the hospital is making them attest that they will stop using 30 other common drugs that also used fetal cell lines for development, including Tylenol and Tums.

Conway Regional Health System is requiring all employees to get vaccinated by October 8 to keep their jobs. Those who apply for a religious exemption on the basis of vaccines using fetal cell links in development will also have to attest to not use other drugs that used the same process in development

'This was significantly disproportionate to what we've seen with the influenza vaccine,' Matt Troup, CEO of Conway, told Becker's Hospital Review.

'Thus, we provided a religious attestation form for those individuals requesting a religious exemption.

'The intent of the religious attestation form is twofold: to ensure staff requesting exemption are sincere in their beliefs and to educate staff who might have requested an exemption without understanding the full scope of how fetal cells are used in testing and development in common medicines.'

Hospital workers applying for exemption will have so sign a form attesting that they will also seize any use of aspirin, Tylenol, Pepto Bismol, Motrin, Tums, Benadryl, ibuprofen and others.

None of the three Covid vaccines - Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna or Johnson & Johnson - approved in the U.S. contained aborted fetal cells.

However, fetal cell lines, which are laboratory-grown cells based on aborted fetal cells that were collected in the 1970s and 1980s, were used for research and development of the shots.

The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines did not use fetal cell links in development, though the Johnson & Johnson vaccine did (File Photo)

One cell is gathered, then multiplied infinitely to create cells used for science experiments.

They are often used in vaccine development to help create virus cells that can be used for the shots.

According to the Charlotte Lozier Institute, the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines did not use fetal cell lines in development, though the Johnson & Johnson vaccine did.

Some object to this practice on religious grounds because they oppose abortion and the use of fetuses in medical development.

The practice of using fetal cell lines in medical development is common, though, and as the hospital notes, many popular medications also used the process.

Employees who fail to sign the attestation that they will not use the other drugs will only receive temporary exemption, and they will be open to discipline when it expires.

Any non-exempt employee who is not vaccinated by the October 8 deadline will be subject to disciplinary action and potentially termination, the hospital says.

New hires at Conway are also required to get fully vaccinated within 30 days of their start of employment.

'This is a decision that has come after much discussion, analysis, and education. It's one we do not take lightly,' Troup wrote in a statement about the new hire vaccine mandates.

'As the community's health system for 100 years, we feel strongly that we must lead our community in vaccine adoption and set an example for the communities we serve.

'We have a responsibility to our patients, to our team members, and to the community to do the right thing,'

'The evidence is clear that the COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective at preventing the spread of the COVID-19 virus, as well as hospitalizations and death.'

Around five percent of employees at the hospital are seeking a religious exemption to receiving the shots.
An independent panel at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has voted unanimously to recommend approval of booster doses for the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine - but only for specific at-risk groups.

These groups include older adults aged 65 and older and those who are at high risk of developing a severe case of the virus.

It comes after a first vote Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC) was 16-2 against boosters for all healthy Americans.

Members said said there was not enough evidence that a third dose was safe and effective for use in people under age 65.

The FDA is not bound to follow the advisory group's recommendations but the agency rarely goes against the guidance of VRBPAC.

The next step before the FDA can issue authorization is a recommendation for approved by the advisory committee for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Pfizer had previously submitted data that the company claimed show its vaccine's efficacy falls by about six percent every two months following the second and final dose.

But many scientists, including senior officials at the FDA, disagree and argue that the vaccines are still highly effective at preventing severe illness and death.

The FDA's advisory committee has voted to recommend approval of the COVID-19 vaccine booster shots only in people aged 65 and older and at high risk of severe disease. Pictured: Nurse Kevin Grellman administers a third booster dose of Pfizer's vaccine to Jose Gomez, 80, after his wife Armida Gomez, 81, received hers in Pasadena, California, August 2021

The first vote by the advisory committee voted 16-2 to not recommend approval of Covid booster shots of Pfizer's vaccine for healthy people under age 65

Last month, boosters were approved for immunocompromised Americans who had received either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine after data showed they were less likely to develop high antibody levels after two doses.

At least 2.04 million people in the U.S. have received booster doses as of Friday, according to data from the CDC.

The White House also announced last month booster shots would become available for all Americans starting on September 20 due to data suggesting waning efficacy of the initial shots.

At the time, Pfizer said its early data suggested people who received booster doses between six and 12 months after their final dose had high levels of protection.

The company filed for emergency use authorization for booster doses in late August and submitted data to the FDA, which made public on Wednesday.

The documents suggest that protection from two doses of the Pfizer vaccine declines from 96.2 percent at seven days after dose 2 to 90.1 percent two months later to 83.7 percent up to six months later.

What's more, they cited data from Israel showing people fully vaccinated in January 2021 had a 2.26-fold increased risk for breakthrough infections compared to those fully vaccinated in April 2021.

Pfizer said data suggested efficacy of two doses declines from 96.2% to 83.7% after six months but that a third dose boosts antibody levels (above)

Another Israeli study discussed in the documents showed that effectiveness against infection was 39 percent and against symptomatic disease was 40 percent from June 20, 2021 to July 17, 2021, when the Delta variant was the dominant strain.

Comparatively, between January and April, these rates were at 95 percent or higher.

The team also released data from a clinical trial involving 23 participants who participated in Pfizer's early-stage trials last year.

Each had received two doses of the vaccine and were given a booster dose at least six months later.

Of the participants, 11 were in the younger adults group of those aged 18 to 55 and 12 were aged 65 to 85.

After the third dose, neutralizing antibodies against the original strain of the virus rose five-fold in the 18-to-55 age group and seven-fold in the 65-to-85 group.

Against the Delta variant, antibody levels after a booster shot rose five-fold in the younger adult group and 12-fold in the older adult group.

During the VRBPC meeting, members pushed back against these data.

Dr Phil Krause, deputy director of the FDA's Office of Vaccines Research and Review, said that Pfizer's data had yet to be independently reviewed by experts.

'One of the issues in this is that much of the data that's been presented and being discussed today is not peer-reviewed and has not been reviewed by FDA,' he said.

FDA and CDC officials have previously expressed to their doubts to the White House about the need for extra doses.

In a separate briefing document also published Wednesday, FDA scientists wrote with a skeptical tone about the need for booster shots.

'Overall, data indicate that currently US-licensed or authorized COVID-19 vaccines still afford protection against severe COVID-19 disease and death in the United States,' the scientists wrote.

They added that studies on booster doses have presented conflicting findings and that 'known and unknown biases that can affect their reliability.'
Mississippi health officials are sounding the alarm about some pregnant women being turned away when they go get a COVID-19 vaccine.

The vaccines are deemed safe and effective for pregnant women, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has been urging expectants mothers to receive the shots.

However, some providers have been refusing to give women the jabs when they arrive at the clinic and reveal they are carrying a child.

State officials this is a problem because pregnant women are more likely to suffer severe symptoms and even death from the virus, and failing to get vaccinated could leave them exposed to infection.

Some pregnant women report being turned away from vaccine clinics in Mississippi. They are among the least vaccinated group in America, with only 25% having received the shots. Pictured: A pregnant woman in Provo, Utah, receives a COVID-19 vaccine shot

'Some of the patients had reported to us that they had gone to be vaccinated, and were turned away because they were pregnant,' Dr Michelle Owens, a maternal-fetal medicine specialist at the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC), told ABC News.

Some of these pregnant women have ended up hospitalized, where they are notifying doctors the reason they are unvaccinated.

One expert told ABC that some physicians may not be comfortable with giving drugs to pregnant people, even a vaccine.

'People are kind of adverse to pregnant patients when they come in. They're hesitant to give pregnant patients medications, and certainly, vaccinations kind of fall into that,' said Dr Marty Tucker, chair of obstetrics and gynecology at UMMC.

State officials are hoping to rectify the issue, and issued an advisory to vaccine providers in the state to allow pregnant women to receive the jabs.

'The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine, and CDC strongly support vaccination of pregnant women as an effective way to prevent death and adverse outcome,' State Health Officer Dr Thomas Dobbs wrote in a statement on September 9.

'COVID-19 vaccines are safe during pregnancy and lactation.'

Dobbs also noted that a minority of pregnant women in the state are vaccinated for COVID-19.

Pregnant women are one of the least likely groups to have been vaccinated for COVID-19, with only 25 percent having received the shots.

This is because the CDC initially did not explicitly recommend that pregnant women get vaccinated and instead said they were 'eligible.'

In August, the CDC declared that it had received enough data to determine the vaccine did not increase the risk of miscarriage and urged pregnant women to get vaccinated.

Since the pandemic began, more than 21,000 women have contracted the virus and 155 have died.

Women who contract the virus while pregnant are also at an increased risk of giving birth prematurely or suffering other negative health outcomes at birth.

'There are NICUs all over this country that are filling up with babies who will not get to know their moms, and that's devastating,' Owens told ABC.

'There are families who are losing their matriarchs, and then, there are women who have been infected by this virus who won't ever be the same.'

Many experts have noted that the Delta variant seems to be hitting pregnant women especially hard, and some are having their physical condition rapidly deteriorate after infection.

'We are seeing women, who may not have other co-morbid conditions, being affected at an earlier gestational age,' Owens said.

'Most of the people who we're seeing now, are affected in the middle of their pregnancy, and they have a much more aggressive form of the disease.

'The next thing you know, they end up progressing very quickly to need intubation.'
An eight-year-old girl has been left almost bald after the stress of the pandemic and school disruptions triggered an unusual hair-pulling disorder, her family claim.

Amelia Mansie, of Bristol, began tearing her eyelashes off last April after becoming distressed during the first nationwide lockdown.

She then progressed to pulling out the hair on her head, according to her mother Jemma, who believes it was the result of not being able to see friends and family.

Amelia was eventually diagnosed with trichotillomania over the phone after struggling to get a face-to-face appointment with a GP.

But despite her diagnosis and the return of schools, the youngster has not been able to shake the habit.

Trichotillomania, thought to affect up to one in 50 people to varying degrees, sees people develop a strong impulse to pull their own hair out. It is similar to obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and is usually triggered by stress, anxiety or trauma.

Amelia now only has a few long strands of hair left at the back of her head and will not leave her home without wearing a bandana or wig.

Ms Mansie said: 'It's been very emotional as her mum to watch her go through this.

'I know that she is still beautiful and amazing regardless, but when I am washing her head it makes me so sad for her.'

Her mother added that Amelia has targeted by bullies for her hair loss since the return of schools earlier this year and has struggled to get access to children's mental health services due to the backlog that has amassed during the Covid crisis.

Amelia Mansie, from Bristol, had long hair before the second Covid lockdown last winter (left), but after pulling out her eyelashes during the first lockdown, she progressed to pulling out the hair on her head until she became nearly bald and was left with just a few long strands of hair at the back of her head (right, pictured in August)

Amelia (pictured this month) pulled out 'virtually all of her hair on her head' and was diagnosed with the hair pulling disorder trichotillomania, which is usually triggered by stress

Amelia's mother Jemma said her daughter seemed laid back about her hair pulling habit when it was less noticeable, but now 'no longer has the confidence to leave the house without wearing a bandanna or her wig'

Ms Mansie said Amelia's 'biggest worry is what people will think of her and if she will get bullied which triggers her even more'

The NHS says the condition is most common in teenage girls and young females and can feel like a form of addiction.

The first signs of Amelia's condition was pulling out her eyelashes a month into the first lockdown last year, which her mother believes was triggered by coronavirus restrictions.

Ms Mansie said: 'She was all over the place with what was happening with her school because it was so disorganised due to the sudden lockdown that no one was prepared for.

'She couldn't see her friends and family, the stress of homeschooling with mum and dad who aren't teachers. It was just a lot of change for her.'

WHAT IS TRICHOTILLOMANIA? Trichotillomania is an impulse control disorder that causes sufferers to recurrently, impulsively pull out their hair at the root. Sufferers often feel a high level of tension and a strong urge to pull, followed by pleasure or relief when it is done. The condition may be caused by stress or anxiety, a chemical imbalance in the brain similar to obsessive compulsive disorder, or changes in hormone levels during puberty. Females are most commonly affected with the condition usually starting between the ages of nine and 13. Treatment focuses on therapy that records what an individual's triggers are and how to overcome them. As many as one in 50 people (0.5 to 2 per cent of the population) suffer from trichotillomania, to varying degrees. Advertisement

Her mother said she 'tried not to overthink it' when Amelia began to pull out a few eyelashes, but her daughters eventually had no eyelashes left at all.

And Amelia's habit continued to progress and during the winter lockdown she began pulling out the hair on her head.

She was left with bald patches at the back of her head, which she initially did not mind because it was not visible.

But the eight-year-old's condition became so bad that she has since pulled out 'virtually all of her hair on her head', Ms Mansie said.

And while she initially seemed laid back about her hair pulling habit, Amelia 'no longer has the confidence to leave the house without wearing a bandanna or her wig', Ms Mansie said.

She added: 'Amelia is aware that she is doing it but she does not like to talk about it.

'I try to distract her to stop her from doing it and I have learnt to not be so pushy by telling her to stop when I catch her doing it.

'It's been very emotional as her mum to watch her go through this.

'I know that she is still beautiful and amazing regardless, but when I am washing her head it makes me so sad for her.

'She is a happy, lovely and clever little girl, but it has changed her personality.

'She isn't keen on socialising and isolates herself, whereas before she would have spoken to and made friends with anyone.

'And she comes home from school and tells me that older girls have been saying horrible things about her hair.

Amelia pictured before she began pulling out her hair. As many as one in 50 (0.5 to two per cent) people suffer from the hair pulling disorder, which usually involves pulling out the hair on their head, eyebrows or eyelashes

Amelia's mother said she is a 'happy, lovely and clever little girl', but the condition has chaned her personality. 'She isn't keen on socialising and isolates herself, whereas before she would have spoken to and made friends with anyone,' Ms Mansie said

Ms Mansie said: 'It's been very emotional as her mum to watch her go through this. 'I know that she is still beautiful and amazing regardless, but when I am washing her head it makes me so sad for her'

'Her biggest worry is what people will think of her and if she will get bullied which triggers her even more.

'It has also been very stressful trying to get her help.'

After researching her daughter's actions, she discovered Amelia was suffering from trichotillomania.

Ms Mansie turned to her daughter's GP, who confirmed her daughter was suffering from condition, but said she would 'grow out of the habit when she was back at school after the summer holidays'.

Her mother said she could be referred to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAHMS), but it is 'so difficult to get children seen to as there is such a back log'.

Concerned that Amelia's condition could get even worse, Ms Mansie coordinated weekly sessions for her daughter with the school therapist. And her family is paying for private hypnotherapy sessions.

Amelia is also using fidget toys  one of the coping mechanisms recommended for people when they feel the urge to pull their hair.

Ms Mansie said: 'I know this is something that will probably be with her for the rest of her life, but I just need to know that I have done everything I can to help her.

'There is little support for the condition and although so many people suffer from it, there isn't much awareness about it.

'Her school has been as helpful and supportive as they can be during the lockdowns and now she has returned to school.

'What makes it difficult is the lack of knowledge and awareness of trichotillomania.

'My main priority is wanting to help Amelia get her confidence back and accept who she is. She is beautiful regardless.'
Pfizer Inc has begun late-stage clinical trials of an oral drug that could prevent COVID-19 among those who have been exposed.

The drugmaker, which developed the first authorized COVID-19 vaccine in the U.S. with Germany's BioNTech SE, has previously said the antiviral candidate showed 'potent' activity against the virus in lab studies.

Pfizer's candidate, which is called PF-07321332, belongs to a class of drugs known as protease inhibitors.

The pill would work by inhibiting an enzyme that the coronavirus uses to make copies of itself inside human cells.

The New York-based company and its rivals, including Merck & Co Inc in the U.S. and Swiss pharmaceutical Roche Holding AG, have been racing to develop an easy-to-administer antiviral pill for COVID-19.

Pfizer Inc has launched late-stage human trials of an oral drug to prevent COVID-19 called PF-07321332, which would inhibit an enzyme that the coronavirus uses to make copies of itself inside human cells. Pictured: Pfizer's Ireland headquarters

Half of adults who live in the same household as someone with a symptomatic Covid infection will get the drug and the other half will get a placebo and scientists will assess whether the pill is effective at preventing infection and its symptoms up to 14 days after being exposed (file image)

Protease inhibitors have been effective at treating other viral pathogens such as HIV and hepatitis C virus, both on their own and in combination with other antivirals, the company said.

Pfizer believes this class of molecules may provide well-tolerated treatments against COVID-19, as currently marketed therapeutics that work on the same lines have not reported safety concerns.

'With the continued impact of COVID-19 around the world, we believe that tackling the virus will require effective treatments for people who contract, or have been exposed to, the virus, complementing the impact that vaccines have had in helping quell infections,' said Dr Mikael Dolsten, chief scientific officer at Pfizer, in a statement.

'If successful, we believe this therapy could help stop the virus early - before it has had a chance to replicate extensively - potentially preventing symptomatic disease in those who have been exposed and inhibiting the onset of infection in others.

The Phase II/III trial is a randomized, double-blind trial in which some participants will be given the drug and others the placebo, but even researchers won't know what pill the volunteers.

The study will test Pfizer's drug in up to 2,660 healthy adult participants aged 18 and older who live in the same household as an individual with a confirmed symptomatic Covid infection.

In the trial, half of the participants will be given the pill plus a low dose of ritonavir, an older medication widely used in combination treatments for HIV infection, and the other half will be given a placebo.

Volunteers will be required to take the pills they are given twice daily for either five days or 10 days.

Scientists will assess whether the pill is effective at preventing infection and its symptoms up to 14 days after being exposed.

Pfizer has also started another study of PF-07321332 in non-hospitalized, symptomatic adult patients.

To date, Gilead Sciences' remdesivir is currently the drug fully approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of COVID-19.

However, the agency has granted emergency use authorization to two combination therapies, one from Eli Lilly and the other by Regeneron.

Pfizer's announcement comes as Merck and partner Ridgeback Biotherapeutics also recently launched a late-stage trial of their experimental drug molnupiravir for prevention of the COVID-19 infection.

Molnupiravir is also being studied in a late-stage trial in non-hospitalized patients to see if it reduces the risk of hospitalization or death.
Pfizer's CEO says the company plans to ask the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for authorization of its COVID-19 vaccine in younger children 'in days.'

On Sunday, in an appearance on ABC's This Week, Albert Bourla was asked when the country should expect the shots to be approved in kids between ages five and 11.

The New York-based firm, along with its German partner BioNTech, recently released data that it said showed the vaccine was safe and effective in a smaller doses in elementary schoolers.

'I think we are going to submit this data pretty soon,' Bourla told host George Stephanopoulos.

'It's a question of days, not weeks, and then it is up to FDA to be able to review the data and come to their conclusions and approve it or not.'

Pfizer Inc's CEO Albert Bourla told ABC's This Week on Sunday (above) that the company will submit its application for FDA approval of its Covid vaccine in children aged 5-11 'in days'

Recently released data showed that the vaccine induced a 'robust' immune response in younger kids, according to Pfizer. Pictured: Dr Erin Biro holds her son as he receives a shot in Pfizer's clinical trial in younger children

According to clinicaltrials.gov, Pfizer's study in younger children worked similarly to the way it did in older children and adults.

A total of 4,500 younger kids from ages six months to 11 years were enrolled at nearly 100 clinical trial sites in 26 U.S. states, Finland, Poland and Spain

About half of the ages five-to-11 group were given two doses 21 days apart and the other half were given placebo shots.

The team then tested the safety, tolerability and immune response generated by the vaccine by measuring antibody levels in the young subjects.

Pfizer said it had 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 were given 10 g doses and kids from six months to four years old will receive three g doses.

Bourla assured that Pfizer would be ready to ship these smaller doses across the country if the FDA authorizes the shot in younger children.

'If they approve it, we will be ready with our manufacturing to provide this new formulation of the vaccine,' he told This Week.

'Because the vaccine that the kids will receive...it's a different formulation. It's one-third of the dose we are giving to the rest of the population.'

Unlike the larger clinical trial conducted in adults, the pediatric trial did not measure efficacy by comparing the number of COVID-19 cases among the vaccine group to the number in the placebo group.

Instead, scientists looked at levels of neutralizing antibodies in young vaccine recipients and compared the levels to those seen in adults.

The companies expect data on how well the vaccine works in children between ages two and five and between six months and two years of age by the end of the year.

Recently, pediatric cases also increased from 71,726 per week at the beginning of August to more than 243,000 earlier this month, fueled by the Delta variant.

However, they now appear to be trending downward with 225,000 reported last week, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics.

There have also been 480 pediatric deaths since the start of the pandemic, indicating children make up less than 0.1 percent of all deaths.

Currently, no evidence suggests the Delta variant is more dangerous in kids than previous strains of the virus.

Because of this low risk of severe illness, polls have shown that many parents are not inclined to vaccinate their children.

A poll conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation that among parents of children aged five to 11, 19% said they only plan to vaccinate their children if their school requires it and another 19% said their child will definitely not be getting vaccinated

In an 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.

Among parents of those between ages five and 11, 27 percent said they would get their child vaccinated 'right away' and 32 percent said they would wait and see how it's working.

Nineteen percent said they only plan to vaccinate their children if their school requires it and an additional 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 found similar results.

Among parents of children from ages three to 11, 49 percent said it was likely their kids would be getting a vaccine and 51 percent said it was unlikely.
New York's largest health provider is the first hospital to announce it is firing employees for refusing to get the COVID-19 vaccine ahead of the state's Monday deadline.

Northwell Health announced that it had fired about two dozen 'unvaccinated leaders' at management level or above out of around 74,000 employees.

With just 84 percent of 450,000 hospital staff in New York having received at least one dose of the vaccine, that means another 72,000 hospital workers could also be suspended or fired for refusing to be inoculated, according to state data.

Severe shortages are expected and hospital administrators have prepared contingency plans that included cutting back on noncritical services and limiting admissions at nursing homes.

New York Gov Kathy Hochul said this weekend she was prepared to call in medically trained National Guard members and retirees, or vaccinated workers from outside the state, to fill any gaps.

The governor has held firm on the mandate in the face of pleas to delay it and multiple lawsuits challenging its constitutionality.

Northwell Health (pictured) became the first hospital system in New York to announce that it had fired employees - about two dozen out of 74,000 - when the state's vaccine mandate came into effect on Monday

About 84% of 450,000 workers have gotten a shot, meaning about 72,000 workers could be suspended or fired for refusing to do so. Pictured: Sandra Lindsay (left), a nurse at Long Island Jewish Medical Center, is inoculated with the COVID-19 vaccine by Dr Michelle Chester in New York City, December 2020

Hospital administrators are preparing contingency plans that included cutting back on noncritical services and limiting admissions at nursing homes. Pictured: Hundreds gather at Foley Square in New York City to protest vaccination mandates, September 2021

The mandate for healthcare workers was issued in August by former Gov Andrew Cuomo and supported by Hochul when she succeeded him.

All health care workers in New York state at hospitals and nursing homes were required to get at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine by Monday.

Employees who refuse the shots face suspensions and termination.

The rules apply not just to people such as doctors and nurses, but also to others who work in health care institutions, including food service workers, administrators and even cleaners.

Northwell said in a statement that, last week, it reached out to a 'few hundred' employees to remind them of the impending Monday deadline.

'We are now beginning the process to exit the rest of our unvaccinated staff,' the statement read.

'Northwell wants to reassure the public that during this time, there will be no impact to the quality of patient care at any of our facilities. We are proud that our workforce is already nearly 100 percent vaccinated.'

Gov Kathy Hochul is considering sending in the National Guard to hospitals or signing an executive order allowing recent graduates and retirees to work to help deal with staffing shortages. Pictured: Hochul speaks after meeting Irish prime minister Micheal Martin, September 2021

When the mandate was first announced, the state said that health care workers would not be allowed to receive religious exemptions, only medical exemptions.

However, a group of 17 workers sued New York for not allowing rejection of the vaccine on religious ground and a judge in Utica issued a temporary halt on requiring them to get the shot.

A federal judge on October 12 will consider a legal challenge arguing that such exemptions are constitutionally required.

The mandate comes as hospitals are already reeling from staff shortages fueled in part by workers retiring and employees seeking other jobs after 18 months of the pandemic.

On Saturday, Hochul released a plan on how she is considering addressing the staffing shortage.

One option is signing an executive order to declare a state of emergency that would allow healthcare care workers licensed in other states or countries to practice in New York as well a recent graduates and retirees.

Another is deploying the National Guard to hospitals or asking the federal government to send Disaster Medical Assistance Teams.

'We are still in a battle against Covid to protect our loved ones, and we need to fight with every tool at our disposal,' she said in a statement.

'I am monitoring the staffing situation closely, and we have a plan to increase our health care workforce and help alleviate the burdens on our hospitals and other health care facilities.'

Deborah Conrad (pictured), a physician assistant at United Memorial Medical Center in Batavia, is among the healthcare workers who said she is opposed to getting vaccinated

The state's Department of Labor has issued guidance that workers fired due to refusal to get vaccinate will not qualify for unemployment insurance 'absent a valid doctor-approved request for medical accommodation.'

In addition to hospital workers, staff at long-term care facilities have until October 7 to receive at least one dose.

As of Monday, 89 percent of 145,000 have done so meaning 16,000 are currently at risk of termination.

But thousands of healthcare workers say they would rather get fired than be required to get the vaccine.

One of them is Deborah Conrad, a physician assistant at United Memorial Medical Center in Batavia - a small city between Buffalo and Rochester.

Conrad told The New York Times that she has seen people report side effects from getting the COVID-19 vaccine that deterred her from getting the shot.

'We were all traumatized, vaccinated and unvaccinated,' she said.

'It's very hard that the same [colleagues] who elevated me to this level now look at me as a dangerous person.'
An injection of stem cells may offer a new way to tackle impotence, or erectile dysfunction, which affects up to half of men aged 40 and older.

In two new studies, men given the jabs directly into the penis experienced an improvement in their sexual function.

The theory is that the stem cells  which have the ability to turn into different cells  will replace damaged ones and restore normal blood supply to the area. Erectile dysfunction (ED) is defined as the persistent inability to achieve or maintain an erection sufficient for sexual intercourse.

Normally during arousal, the blood vessels of the corpora cavernosa  erectile tissue that runs along the length of the penis  open up, allowing blood to rush in. Pressure then traps the blood, maintaining the erection. However, in men with ED, the blood vessels in the area are narrowed, usually due to ageing or being furred up with fatty deposits.

In two new studies, men given the jabs directly into the penis experienced an improvement in their sexual function

ED can also result from general nerve damage following prostate surgery. Stress and other psychological and social factors can play a role, too.

Treatment options include medication such as sildenafil (Viagra) which improves blood flow by widening blood vessels.

But these dont work in about 40 per cent of cases  and in those with nerve damage caused by surgery or diabetes (triggered here by poor blood supply), only one in three benefits.

Now scientists believe stem cells could offer an alternative.

The cells, usually found in bone marrow or embryo tissue, are the building blocks of all human tissue. They can develop into specialised cells such as those needed to make up blood vessels, skin, heart and bones. They are increasingly being used to repair diseased or damaged tissue.

In one of two new studies, 22 men with ED and diabetes were given two injections of stem cells (taken from donated umbilical cords) into the base of the penis. Results reported in the journal Urology International showed there were significant improvements in erections within days. Effects lasted up to a year and there were no side-effects.

The cells, usually found in bone marrow or embryo tissue, are the building blocks of all human tissue. They can develop into specialised cells such as those needed to make up blood vessels, skin, heart and bones

In a second study, researchers took stem cells from the bone marrow of ten men with ED as a result of diabetes or surgical nerve damage. The samples were processed and injected into the corpus cavernosum.

Results of the study, reported in the journal Cytotherapy, showed the injections improved erectile function in up to 40 per cent of men, with nearly all saying it improved their sexual activity.

Exactly how stem cells could work is unclear. One theory is that they form new blood cells and muscle tissue that boost erections; another is that they lead to increased levels of collagen which helps to strengthen penile tissue.

Professor Raj Persad, a consultant urological surgeon at North Bristol NHS Trust, said of the research: The results are very encouraging indeed, but it must be stressed that these are early days. Greater research will lead to greater understanding of the mechanisms involved.

Shockwaves can bring long-lasting benefits to men with erectile dysfunction, according to a study in the journal Sexual Medicine.

Symptoms remained reduced five years after the treatment in which penile tissue is treated with low-intensity shockwaves, usually in 15-minute sessions, twice weekly for up to a month.

The researchers from the Princess Alexandra Hospital in Brisbane, Australia, believe the pulses trigger improved blood flow and tissue changes in the penis.

Tools of the trade

The history behind the instruments used by doctors. This week: Cannula

A cannula is a thin, flexible tube, usually made of plastic, used to drain fluid from the body, or to deliver medication or oxygen.

The creation of this now-ubiquitous piece of medical equipment is attributed to the architect Sir Christopher Wren, who in 1657 documented the first successful use of such a device  the original was made from a pigs bladder and quill  in a letter to an acquaintance.

But some modern journals note the use of similar devices from even earlier, with scientists at the University of Rome suggesting they may have been in use for tracheostomies, where a tube is inserted into the throat to help with breathing, from the Middle Ages.

These days, the device is usually inserted into a vein or artery. Some cannulas can be attached nasally, for the delivery of oxygen.

Did you know?

Avoiding late-night snacks can help you do better at work, according to a study from North Carolina State University in the US. Researchers found those who ate unhealthy food late at night were more likely to feel unwell in the morning with headaches and stomach aches. It was also found to affect their job performance.

Gut instinct

The bacteria in your gut might be linked to more than you think. This week: Covid-19

Gut bacteria are known to play a part in how well our immune system works and could explain how badly Covid-19 affects us, according to research in the journal Gut.

The study of 41 patients found those who had severe Covid-19 had lower levels of the anti-inflammatory good bacteria F.prausnitzii, and higher levels of bad bacteria such as R.gnavus and R.torques linked to inflammation.

While the study was small, another study by the University of Massachusetts Medical School has also found a link between the make-up of our gut bacteria and Covid-19 severity. Daniel M. Davis, a professor of immunology at Manchester University, said: It is possible these changes could contribute to the symptoms of long Covid.
An unvaccinated pregnant woman lost her baby after she went into premature labor while being treated for COVID-19.

Last month, mother-of-two Kimberly Rangel, of Meridien, Idaho, contracted the virus and her health quickly declined, reported KTVB.

She was hospitalized and placed in a medically induced coma for a few weeks while doctors tried to stabilize her vitals.

However, Rangel went into premature labor and, when she woke up, she was told that her baby did not make it.

Rangel was not vaccinated and her family is now sharing her story in hopes of warning other mothers-to-be about the dangerous complications they may face if they don't get their shots.

Mother-of-two Kimberly Rangel (pictured with her children) of Meridien, Idaho, who was pregnant with her third child, contacted COVID-19 last month and was hospitalized at St Luke's Boise Medical Center

On September 7, while in a medically induced coma, Rangel went into premature labor and her baby boy did not survive. Pictured: A sonogram of Rangel's baby

At the beginning of September, after weeks of battle, Rangel called her sister, Anne, and asked her to come visit, KTVB reported.

'I got a call and she said: "Sister, I can't do this anymore. You have to come to the hospital because I have no family here,"' Anne said.

'That Sunday I was not able to find a flight and arrived at 11pm the next day.'

Rangel was placed on a ventilator at St Luke's Boise Medical Center as doctors worked to stabilize her condition.

However, on September 7, while she was in a medically induced coma, she went into premature labor.

But the baby boy, whom Rangel had planned to name Anthony, did not survive. She only learned that he didn't make it when she was taken out of the coma.

'When she found out the baby did not make it, she had severe anxiety and doctors said her breathing was too heavy,' Anne told KTVB.

'They had to put her back in the induced coma.'

Anne said that doctors had encouraged her sister to get the COVID-19 vaccine, ensuring her that it was safe and effective.

Doctors had tried to convince Rangel (pictured) to get vaccinated before she fell ill, but she was worried the shots would harm her unborn baby, according to her sister

However, Rangel was worried about harming her unborn baby.

As of September 18, the latest day for which data is available, only 31 percent of pregnant people have received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

This is despite several studies finding that expecting mothers are at increased risk of contracting COVID-19 compared to the general population.

And, once they do all ill with the virus, they are more likely to develop severe cases or die from it.

One study from the University of Washington in Seattle found pregnant women infected with Covid were 3.5 times more likely to be hospitalized with complications and nearly 14 times more likely to die than younger Americans.

Expectant mothers who have COVID-19 also more likely to experience complications with their pregnancies.

Another study from the University of Oxford in the UK, found mothers-to-be had a 76 percent higher risk of developing preeclampsia - a pregnancy complication characterized by high blood pressure - and 59 percent more likely to give birth prematurely.

Last month, the CDC encouraged pregnant women to get vaccinated against COVID-19 after previously saying pregnant women were just 'eligible'

Only 31% of pregnant women are vaccianted (dark blue line) and the CDC urges pregnant women to get vaccinated because they are at an increased risk of severe disease and death due to COVID-19

The agency amended its recommendation after studies found that COVID-19 vaccines do not increase the risk of miscarriage.

Rangel is still hospitalized, and Anne told KTVB that she wants to share her sister's story to warn others about the dangers of being unvaccinated.

'The virus is real. Don't wait for a severe case to reach your families,' she told the station.

'Take precautions now by using masks and getting vaccinated. I do believe using masks and getting vaccinated will help stop the spread of the COVID-19 virus.'

A GoFundMe page has been set up to help cover medical expenses and pay for a funeral for baby Anthony.

As of Monday, nearly $1,800 has been raised out of a $5,000 goal.
The Crafty Traveller: Off on a long-haul holiday? Try starting in the high street



These days, most of us arrange our trips for ourselves on the internet. If we need advice, we can phone a travel agent, and many of the best work from home through an organisation called Travel Counsellors.

So are the days of the high street travel agent numbered? Last month, Thomas Cook announced it was closing nearly 200 branches, a move described by one expert as the largest single contraction ever on the high street for the travel industry.

Discovering the high street: Upmarket travel brand Kuoni now has 26 stores across the country

However, other major holiday companies are increasing their presence in our city centres.

Until recently, Kuoni - a leading provider of long-haul holidays - didn't have any shops. Now it has 26, four of which opened last autumn in John Lewis department stores. I recently visited the Kuoni concession in the Cardiff branch. On arrival, you're invited to sit in a smart little lounge area (sofa and armchairs courtesy of John Lewis), and to get you in the holiday mood, you're offered a glass of Pierre Mignon champagne (that's for every visitor, not just visiting journalists). If you want to keep a clear head, there are coffee, tea and juices.

You can watch videos of the hotels Kuoni use on a large screen and if you're not sure where you want to go, you can use an iPad to come up with ideas with the sales staff Kuoni call 'personal travel experts'.

The whole place feels infinitely more sophisticated than your run-of-the-mill travel agency, and in keeping with somewhere you might be willing to part with the thousands of pounds that most Kuoni holidays cost.

Out with the old? Traditional travel agents are in decline but, says Fred, there's still room for high street travel agents particularly if you're looking for a bespoke, far-flung trip



Next stop was Virgin Holidays' concession in Cardiff's House of Fraser - one of 100 Virgin Holidays stores to have opened in the past six years. Decked out in the same bold red livery as the airline, it's colourful and upbeat. And like all things Virgin, there's an informal feel to the set-up: discussing your holiday plans, you sit back on a sofa at right angles to the member of staff in front of their computer screen.

Unlike at the Kuoni concessions, you pay a 20 fee for booking the holiday in-store instead of on the phone or internet, which seems daft to me.

So is it worth visiting these shops? If you're after a packaged long-haul holiday, in a word, yes. The shops are pleasant environments, you're likely to get good, wellinformed service about the holidays on offer, and when forking out for expensive trips with perhaps complex itineraries - as is often the case with Kuoni and Virgin Holidays breaks - a face-to-face chat can make all the difference in ending up with what you want.



However, bear in mind that the Kuoni and Virgin Holidays shops sell only their own holidays and those from sister companies, so you won't be offered a wide range of booking options.

If you want to chat to someone in person about a tailor-made long-haul trip or flight, I'd recommend you also consider visiting one of the 26 Trailfinders travel centres around the UK.

The shops are less gimmicky than Kuoni or Virgin Holidays: don't expect sofas, iPads or free champagne.

However, staff are very well trained, well-travelled and knowledgeable, and there's no extra charge for bookings made in the centres.

Details of shop locations can be found on kuoni.co.uk , virginholidays.co.uk , and trailfinders.com .




Give 10% of your Christmas spending to food banks: Archbishop of Canterbury makes appeal following increase in number relying on handouts



Number receiving basic supplies trebled over the past year to 350,000

Justin Welby warned cash-strapped shoppers to beware of overspending

Festive appeal: Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby has urged Christmas shoppers to give money to Britain's expanding network of food banks

The Archbishop of Canterbury has urged Christmas shoppers to give money to Britains expanding network of food banks rather than splash out on expensive presents.



The Most Reverend Justin Welby made the appeal in reaction to news of a shocking increase in the number of impoverished Britons now relying on food handouts.



With the number of those receiving basic supplies trebling over the past year to 350,000, he said it would be wonderful if people gave a tenth of their festive shopping budget to their local food bank this Christmas.

The Archbishop also warned cash-strapped shoppers to beware of overspending and plunging themselves into debt.



He said: I am not a Scrooge. But what I would say to people is, be sane about it.

Dont overstretch yourself and end up with an enormous debt hangover.



Archbishop Welbys warning comes as it was revealed that Britons will spend an average of 28.70 on each present this Christmas  an increase of 1.70 on the figure for 2012.



And a YouGov survey reported earlier this week that UK households are set to spend 822 on their seasonal celebrations  54 more than last year. The comments are the latest in a string of outspoken pronouncements made by Archbishop Welby in recent months.

Appearing on television earlier this week, he complained about what he called a secular over-the-topness, adding: New this, new that, new the other  its ridiculous, its absurd, it shouldnt happen.



And in an interview with The Mail on Sunday last month, he hit out at energy firms for imposing huge price hikes on struggling families.



Calling on energy suppliers to be conscious of their social obligations, the Archbishop, a former oil executive, said: The impact on people, particularly on low incomes, is going to be really severe, and the companies have to justify fully what they are doing.



The Archbishop's warning comes as it was revealed that Britons will spend an average of 28.70 on each present this Christmas - an increase of 1.70 on the figure for 2012

Another target of Archbishop Welbys criticism recently has been the controversial payday loan firms.



He said it was his dream to compete Wonga out of existence through the growth of credit unions offering much lower lending rates.

The Archbishops focus on food banks chimes with political concerns about rising levels of food poverty.



In October, a cross-party group of politicians was set up to investigate the surge in demand that has led to the creation of about 400 food banks across the UK. And the Red Cross has also announced that it will start collecting and distributing food to the needy in Britain for the first time since the Second World War.


Nationwide Building Society is today launching a scam checker service it hopes will help further protect customers from losing money to criminals, This is Money can reveal.

Britain's biggest mutual says it hopes the move will help customers from falling victim to Authorised Push Payment scams, where customers move money directly to criminals after being socially engineered.

This can often be from a scammer pretending to be from the fraud team of a bank and tricking the victim into making a payment into a 'safe account.'

New service: Nationwide says that anyone given the green light to make a payment which subsequently turns out to be a scam will be fully refunded

Fraud losses soared 30 per cent in the first half of the year to more than 750million with rising APP scams driving the surge, according to UK Finance data.

The biggest growth in APP fraud losses came in the form of impersonation scams, which more than doubled to 129.3million due in large part to criminals stealing from people while pretending to be police officers and bank staff, the industry body said.

The new service from Nationwide enables a customer to check a payment they are worried about either in branch or by telephoning a dedicated freephone number.

This will be staffed by a trained fraud team who will directly answer, with Nationwide stating the call should be picked up within minutes  with time often crucial in this type of case.

Staff will talk to the customer about the nature of the payment and discuss if there are any concerns before proceeding.

Its own data suggests that speaking to a staff member before making a payment could help identify and stop up to two thirds of attempted scams each year.

Nationwide says that anyone who falls victim to an APP scam after being given the green light will be fully refunded under a new guarantee

However, it adds that if through the new service someone is warned against making a payment and they proceed, or if they fail to share requested important information needed to assess the payment, the guarantee will not apply.

In these cases, it claims any APP scam refund will still be made on a case-by-case basis, in line with the Contingent Reimbursement Model code, considering factors such as vulnerability and the nature of the scam.

Stuart Skinner, economic crime director at Nationwide, told This is Money that the new service will work alongside existing fraud and scam prevention measures.

This includes checking the name matches the details on a new payee account using confirmation of payee.

Customers will also still receive scam warnings and guidance when they make payments online or via its app.

Joe Garner, chief executive of Nationwide  who announced his exit last week  added 'Success is not just ensuring victims are reimbursed  but also preventing these crimes happening in the first place.

'We're also calling on the big tech, telecoms and social media companies that play host to these crimes to take more responsibility for stopping them. We must work better together in the mutual interest of fighting this criminal activity.'

UK Finance believes the scale of fraud is now so great that the problem is now a 'national security threat' and said the banking industry cannot combat the problem by itself.

Katy Worobec, the managing director of Economic Crime at UK Finance, said: 'The banking and finance industry invests billions in advanced systems to try and stop fraud happening in the first place, but criminals are exploiting weaknesses outside of banks' control to trick customers into making payments directly to them.

'This is why we are calling for coordinated action and increased efforts from government and other sectors to tackle what is now a national security threat.'
Rolls-Royce was hugely endangered by the pandemic. Its dependence on the Trent engine for wide-bodied jets, and the need for flying hours to maintain revenues, posed an existential threat to the future of Britain's premier engineer.

Direct Covid assistance was provided to the aerospace sector in France, Germany and the US, but chief executive Warren East had to deal with a far more grudging approach in Whitehall.

Its survival was assisted by a 2billion loan guarantee from the ECGD, which brought lenders such as JPMorgan to the table.

A good sign: It is terrific that the Government has seen sense and put some 215m of funding behind the Rolls-Royce SMR project

The Ministry of Defence came through with some key new contracts and finally there was recognition that with its research on small modular reactors (SMR), the company was onto a greener technology which could help speed the UK's transition to carbon neutral.

Never before has the case for SMRs seemed more acute than during this autumn's natural gas crisis when energy security has been undermined by Moscow and the failure of scheduled liquid natural gas deliveries to arrive at the Isle of Grain in Kent.

There are signs that the long nightmare could be lifting for East, who has made good use of the crisis to streamline. Rolls has moved a long way towards its target of 2billion of disposals with the sale of its Spanish unit ITP Aero. As is often the case when companies are in a hole, the buyer of last resort is private equity, with Bain Capital stepping up with a 1.5billion bid.

As encouraging, the often denigrated 'special relationship' also has come to the rescue with the US Air Force ordering up to 1.9billion of engines for its next generation B52 bomber. What is all the more remarkable is that Rolls replaces the incumbent supplier, America's Pratt & Whitney, which is a vote of confidence in UK aerospace skills.

It underlines why it is so foolish for Britain to have allowed so much of its second-tier aerospace, such as Cobham, to fall into the hands of financially driven buyers rather than those motivated by R&D.

It is terrific that the Government has seen sense and put some 215m of funding behind the Rolls-Royce SMR project, which was mouldering on the drawing board.

The vulnerability of the UK to the volatility of the global energy market has been horribly exposed this month. Boris Johnson, who has a liking for big infrastructure, should up the Government's game and take inspiration from Churchill, invoke the Bletchley Park spirit and go all out for SMRs.

Nukes won't fill up our cars tomorrow. But they could ensure that, when we do go electric, unwanted power cuts can be avoided.

Pound cake

By the past standards of the Financial Reporting Council, the speed with which it has acted to mete out punishment to Grant Thornton over its audit of Patisserie Valerie is greased lightning. The black hole in the accounts of the company was first revealed in June 2019, and the auditor and the partner concerned are already being hung out to dry.

A fine of 4m (reduced to 2.3m for good behaviour) has been issued and Grant Thornton put under special measures.

As for the offending partner, David Newstead, there is a fine of 150,000 (also reduced) and a three-year ban from signing audit reports. Given that the average partner payout at Grant Thornton in 2019, the year of the offence, was 566,000 there is not going to be inordinate suffering.

The probe does demonstrate that the FRC has pulled up its socks. It could be much more effective if it has the statutory powers promised for the much delayed replacement Audit, Reporting and Governance Authority proposed by John Kingman.

Exit tax

There are many reasons to oppose private equity takeovers of UK firms.

One often ignored is the way in which domicile is moved from the UK to offshore tax havens.

Clayton, Dubilier & Rice (CD&R), the favourite to take over Morrisons, would shift to the Cayman Islands if it wins the prize.

It is not the first time that an entity headed by Terry Leahy has adopted such tactics. When B&M was first brought to the stock market by CD&R in 2014, its tax affairs were also buried in the obscurity of the Caymans. Founders the Arora brothers located their interests in Luxembourg.
Morrisons shareholders will get to vote on the 7.3billion ($10billion) takeover offer from US private equity group Clayton, Dubilier & Rice (CD&R) on 19 October.

However, with rival bidder Fortress Investment Group yet to walk away, a 'competitive situation' exists and the Takeover Panel could step in and with an auction coming into play.

A document outlining the proceedings recommends voting in favour of CD&R as financial advisors have deduced that the takeover is 'in the best interests of Morrisons shareholders taken as a whole', with the business, management, employees also taken into account.

Morrisons has announced that shareholders will get to vote on the 7.3 billion ($10 billion) takeover offer from U.S. private equity group Clayton, Dubilier & Rice (CD&R) on October 19

The report also notes that in light of the recommendation of the CR&R offer the directors have 'decided unanimously to withdraw their recommendation of the Fortress Increased Offer'.

The fight for Britain's fourth-largest grocer after Tesco, Sainsbury's and Asda, is the most high-profile looming takeover amid a raft of bids and counter bids, reflecting private equity's appetite for UK Plc.

CD&R and Fortress have been forced to make far-reaching pledges to protect the legacy of the supermarkets founding family, avoid asset sales and protect jobs.

However, critics warned the promises are not legally binding.

Over the weekend, MPs reacted angrily after it emerged CD&R will use a shell company in the Cayman Islands to run the supermarket.

The firm said it will use an entity called Market21 GP Holdings in the Caribbean as it released full details of its plans for the Bradford-based grocer to investors.

But parliamentarians said it 'beggars belief' that another major supermarket could be managed through a tax haven, and called on the Government to tighten rules on foreign takeovers. Last year the ownership of Asda was transferred to the tax haven of Jersey after it was bought by the Issa brothers and TDR Capital.

Conservative MP Kevin Hollinrake said he will write to former Tesco boss Sir Terry Leahy, who is heading up CD&R's bid, for assurances the firm will pay UK taxes.

Margaret Hodge, a Labour MP and campaigner against tax avoidance, said: 'It beggars belief that one of our biggest supermarkets could soon be bought by a private equity firm using tax havens.'

Darren Jones, chairman of the MPs' business committee, added: 'The idea that private equity can just sweep in, buy up British businesses and move them offshore to reduce the amount of tax they pay, without any rules or regulatory interventions, is just madness and an insult to British taxpayers.'

CD&R said the entity that will own Morrisons, Market Bidco, will be registered and incorporated in the UK, adding: 'Morrisons will remain registered in the UK, headquartered in Bradford and continue to pay taxes in the UK.'

CD&R's latest offer is worth 285 pence per Morrisons share while Fortress pitched its bid at 272 pence a share. It has said it is considering its options.

Morrisons shares closed at 292 pence on Friday.
Shares in Cineworld soared as the industry received a James Bond bounce.

The stock rose 8.5 per cent, or 11.88p, to 80.02p  its highest since early July  as film fans get ready to flood back to the big screens for the latest 007 hit.

The rally came as rival Odeon, which is part of AMC Theatres, predicted its biggest opening for two years when the 25th Bond film No Time To Die hits the screens on Thursday.

Shaken and stirred: Cineworld stock jumped 8.5 per cent - its highest since early July  as film fans get ready to flood back to the big screens for the latest James Bond hit

More than 175,000 tickets have been sold for the film in the past two weeks, and over all cinema attendance this month is expected to be a tenth higher than in September 2019 before Covid struck.

Starring Daniel Craig, the Bond blockbuster, which was due to be released in April 2020, but has been delayed several times as the pandemic pushed cinemas to the brink. Some were shut for as long as 16 months between March 2020 and August 2021 due to restrictions and the dearth of new releases.

But on September 30, No Time To Die will open in over 700 cinemas across the UK and Ireland, making it the largest release of the year.

Some 7m customers have returned to Odeon cinemas since they reopened in May.

But in a sign that Bond is bringing more back, the chain said two-fifths of tickets sold so far have been to those who have not been to the cinema since the start of the pandemic.

Carol Welch, Odeon's UK managing director, said the return of Bond marked 'another significant milestone' in the industry's recovery
Under pressure: Boss Emma Walmsley

GlaxoSmithKline will hold a summit with major shareholders next week as the board seeks to secure backing for chief executive Emma Walmsley and her plans to split the business.

The one-hour crunch meeting on October 7 will be spearheaded by the pharma giant's chairman Jonathan Symonds and senior independent director Vindi Banga, who is also a senior partner at Clayton, Dubilier & Rice, the private equity firm bidding for Morrisons.

Symonds will outline the finer details of the plan to spin off GSK's consumer goods business and recruit a powerhouse board of directors to lead the soon-to-be separate entity onto the stock market.

The search for a chairman for the consumer goods firm is already under way, with a selection to be made before the end of this year.

There will also be more details on how GSK is planning to strengthen its own board by appointing directors with solid pharma pedigrees.

The meeting is seen as a key test for Walmsley, who is trying to win shareholder support for her turnaround plan and cling on to her position amid a campaign by activist investors Elliott Management and Bluebell Capital to make her re-apply for her job.

Both funds are challenging how GSK will split its consumer business, saying the segment should be sold as opposed to listed as a new company.

In June, Elliott fired a broadside at GSK by criticising years of share price underperformance and called on the firm to hire non-executive directors with expertise in pharma and consumer healthcare. Bluebell, a tiny hedge fund with a stake in GSK rumoured to be worth around 10m, joined Elliott's campaign last week.

Despite its size, Bluebell earlier this year led a successful attempt to topple the chief executive of French food and drinks group Danone.

However, the activists' campaign appeared to be on shaky ground, with a GSK spokesman insisting the vast majority of investors just wanted the company to 'get on with it' and not be distracted by other issues.

Several major GSK investors have publicly backed Walmsley's leadership following Elliott Management's attacks, with Royal London, M&G and Jupiter Asset Management having previously backed the embattled chief executive.

Support for Walmsley has also come from rival pharma firm Astrazeneca, with boss Pascal Soriot saying in August that she should stick to her guns.
The whole country can breathe a huge sigh of relief that the Labour Party is delivering the last rites to Jeremy Corbyn's anti-capitalist, Marxist economic agenda, which would have impoverished us all and bankrupted the nation.

In former Bank of England economist Rachel Reeves, the party has acquired a more responsible shadow chancellor who vows to spend taxpayers money wisely and seeks to restore the fortunes of the battered High Street and shopping centres by tackling a wholly inequitable system of business rates.

Reeves is in the fortunate position of pushing on an open door on business rates reform, which is a cause for which this paper has campaigned relentlessly.

Eye catching: Rachel Reeves on stage at Labour's part conference in Brighton

She wants to see the bulk of the 31billion raised through business rates displaced by an online sales tax of 12 per cent in 2023, largely to be paid by the Silicon Valley giants and the other digital enterprises.

Whatever Labour proposes is certain to sound moderate compared with the madcap radical interventions of her predecessors, who would have heaped taxes on middle-income citizens and enterprise until the pips squeaked.

Among Labour's more eye catching ideas, as the country navigates a gas and fuel crisis, is the Reeves pledge to spend 28billion to create 'good jobs' in green industries, from electric vehicles to a thriving hydrogen industry. Many such initiatives are under way and could certainly do with powering up if the goal of a carbon neutral Britain is to be achieved.

However, given the current energy chaos, as the UK heads into the winter, investment in more traditional energy sources to help Britain to provide the security of supply on the country's journey to a greener future might also be welcome.

Reeves proposes to pay for the green revolution by raising levels of government borrowing for investment. In effect, she wants to nurture a new money tree. Perhaps, she should consult the March budget documents showing borrowing at 234billion in the current financial year and the national debt, post pandemic, at 100 per cent of national output. The overall tone may be different but it doesn't mean the country is looking at a Labour Party which ordinary hard working Britons can trust with our future prosperity.

In picking on business rates reform as the central plank of policy, all that Reeves has done is single out the soft underbelly on reform. What Labour fails to acknowledge is that in the pandemic, Chancellor Rishi Sunak provided a business rates holiday for hard hit retail, leisure and hospitality firms worth 10billion.

In his March Budget, Sunak provided a further 6billion to support businesses until the end of this year. Moreover, a cursory visit to HM Treasury's website reveals a 29-page interim report on business rates reform, where the ideas put forward are startlingly similar to Reeves' much vaunted plan.

Even more worrying, Reeves and her colleagues are still peddling the myth that somehow the wealthy members of society are under-taxed and are able to exploit the system of tax reliefs, used to encourage all citizens to save, to the detriment of ordinary hard working families.

What this fails to recognise is that the wealthiest 1 per cent in Britain already pay 25 per cent of income taxes and the top 50 per cent of earners are responsible for paying 90 per cent of taxes.

The very idea that the wealthy are engaged in some enormous tax scam and that there is a huge pot of money which can be tapped into for public services is poppycock.

What Labour seems to have forgotten when it attacks private landlords is that many are ordinary middle-income citizens.

The tax reliefs which Reeves is targeting for radical reform largely encourage saving through pensions and ISAs and entrepreneurship through start-up companies. Savings create the resources for investment which drive economic growth.

The rhetoric is imaginative and the language of war on the wealthy moderated. But in the end Reeves' policy solutions are not very different from those of her predecessors. The old stifling mantra of soak the better off, spend and borrow is as alive as ever.
The billionaire boss of money transfer group Wise has been fined hundreds of thousands of pounds for intentionally defaulting on his taxes.

Kristo Kaarmann was charged 365,651 by HMRC for a deliberate default during 2017/18 on a 720,495 tax bill, the Telegraph reported.

This type of penalty means the Estonian entrepreneur has either been found to have deliberately provided inaccurate documents to HMRC, intentionally failed to comply with an obligation to notify HMRC about his circumstances or committed wrongdoing in relation to VAT or excise.

Hit hard: Kristo Kaarmann was charged 365,651 by HMRC for a deliberate default during 2017/18 on a 720,495 tax bill

The tax troubles have been revealed after Kaarmann, 41, led Wise through a bumper stock market debut in London in July.

It was the London Stock Exchange's biggest technology float and the company is worth more than 11billion.

The debacle may raise questions about his status as a 'fit and proper' senior manager of a company that specialises in financial services.

A spokesman for Kaarmann, who is Estonia's richest man, said: 'Kristo was late submitting his personal tax returns for the 2017/18 tax year, despite sufficient reminders from HMRC.

'His tax returns have since been completed, and he paid substantial late filing penalties.

'He has since devoted more time to keeping his personal admin in order.'

Kaarmann was included in a list published by HMRC, which relates to deliberate defrauders who have been dealt with using civil proceedings, not criminal proceedings. HMRC cannot release any further details about the case.
An administrative law judge has recommended that a Native American tribe in Washington state once again be allowed to hunt gray whales - a major step in its decades-long effort to resume the ancient practice.

Although the tradition has existed for more than 2,000 years, the last time the tribe was able to hunt a member of the species was in 1999, when it held its first hunt in more than 70 years after a rebound in the gray whale population.

'This is a testament to what we've been saying all these years: that we're doing everything we can to show we're moving forward responsibly,' Patrick DePoe, vice chairman of the Makah Tribe on the remote northwestern tip of the Olympic Peninsula, said Friday.

'We're not doing this for commercial reasons. We're doing it for spiritual and cultural reasons.'

Makah Indian whalers stand atop the carcass of a dead gray whale moments after helping tow it close to shore in the harbor at Neah Bay, Washington in 1999. It was the last time the tribe was allowed to hunt the whale species until this month, when a federal judge recommended it be able to hunt up to three a year

DePoe was in high school when the tribe held its last hunt, and was on a canoe that greeted the returning whalers as they towed the whale's body.

'It was something missing that I didn't even know was missing until I was out there with it,' he told King 5.

His high school shop class worked to clean the bones and reassemble the skeleton, which hangs in a tribal museum.

The hunt was televised, drawing angry protests from animal rights activists, who sometimes threw smoke bombs at the whalers and sprayed fire extinguishers into their faces.

Since then, the tribe's attempts to hunt again have been tied up in legal challenges and scientific review.

Patrick DePoe was in high school when he witnessed the 1999 hunt, and has been at the forefront of the legal battle to allow them to resume

A federal appeals court ruled in 2002 that the Makah needed a waiver under the Marine Mammal Protection Act; the tribe applied for one in 2005 but still hasn't received one.

On Thursday, nearly two years after he presided over a hearing on NOAA Fisheries' proposal to approve the waiver, administrative law judge George Jordan issued his 156-page recommendation to the US Department of Commerce.

Within it, he said the Makah should be allowed to hunt up to three whales a year.

He found that the tribal hunts would have no effect on the healthy overall population of the whales, despite an unexplained die-off that has caused hundreds of the whales to wash up on the Pacific Coast since 2019, and which is believed to have lowered their numbers from about 27,000 to 21,000-25,000.

Makah Indian tribe whalers paddled their hunting canoe near Neah Bay, Washington in May 1999. They were trailed by anti-whale hunting activists, who after their historic hunt that month, would challenge the tribe in court

The recommendation, along with a public comment period and further environmental analysis, will inform the department's final decision, though no timeline for that has been set.

Three weeks of public hearings were scheduled to begin next week.

Despite progress in their battle, DePoe said he was saddened by the generations of Makah who had missed out on partaking in the tradition.

'I can't help but reflect on the people we've lost over the years trying to get to this point. There are people who have passed on. There are people who have aged to the point where they might not be able to jump into a canoe and take part in something so dangerous,' he told King 5.

As proposed, the waiver would allow the tribe to land up to 20 Eastern North Pacific gray whales over 10 years, with hunts timed to minimize the already low chances of the hunters accidentally harpooning an endangered Western North Pacific gray whale.

Currently there are an estimated 21,000 to 25,000 gray whales off the pacific coast

It is believed the gray whale population has declined in recent years after unexplained die offs starting in 2019, but the judge deemed the population robust enough for limited hunting

While Jordan found the waivers issuance appropriate, he also recommended additional restrictions that could drastically cut the number of whales the tribe kills - perhaps as low as five whales over the decade-long waiver period.

DePoe said the tribe is reviewing that recommendation but called it a potential source of frustration and further discussion.

The tribe hopes to use the whales for food and to make handicrafts, artwork and tools they can sell.

The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society and Animal Welfare Institute oppose the hunts, which many animal rights activists consider barbaric and unnecessary.

They argued that NOAAs environmental review has been inadequate, that the Marine Mammal Protection Act may have voided the tribes treaty right, and that the tribe cannot claim a subsistence or cultural need to hunt after so many decades.

Sea Shepherd said in an email Friday it was reviewing the decision and had no immediate comment.

Two years ago when hearings on the waivers began, Catherine Pruett with Sea Shepherd argued to King 5 that the practice should never be allowed to resume.

'These are highly social and sensitive creatures. We should be protecting them. They're so important for ecosystems. As a culture, we need to know not to do this.'

DJ Schubert, a wildlife biologist for the Animal Welfare Institute, said in an emailed statement the organization was disappointed with the recommendation.

Federal Administrative Law Judge George Jordan steps past a display before a hearing in Seattle, to help determine whether the small American Indian tribe can once again hunt whales.

'All gray whales ... face critical anthropogenic threats from climate change, ocean noise, oil and gas development, pollution, coastal development, contaminants, bycatch, and ship strikes,' Schubert said.

'In light of these acute threats, a hunt of these animals is biologically insupportable and inconsistent with the protective provisions of the MMPA.'

There are fewer than 300 Western North Pacific gray whales remaining, Schubert said, and the recommended additional restrictions would not completely eliminate any risk to them.

Evidence presented to the government showed that the Makah, who now number about 1,500 members, have hunted whales for more than 2,700 years.

The tribe's 1855 treaty with the U.S. reserved the 'right of taking fish and of whaling or sealing at usual and accustomed grounds.'

The Makah continued whaling until the 1920s, when commercial whaling had devastated gray whale populations. The whale population rebounded in the eastern Pacific Ocean by 1994, and they were removed from the endangered species list.

The Makah trained for months in the ancient ways of whaling and received the blessing of federal officials and the International Whaling Commission.

Makah paddlers made their way into the open water in 1998 for the first time in decades as they practiced for their first legal hunt in more than 70 years

They took to the water in 1998 but didnt succeed until the next year, when they harpooned a gray whale from a hand-carved cedar canoe.

A tribal member in a motorized support boat killed it with a high-powered rifle to minimize its suffering.

'The connection between us and the whales is strong,' DePoe said. 'Tribes across the Northwest have always considered ourselves stewards of the land, stewards of the animals. We're not trying to do anything that is going to add to the depletion of these resources.'

The NOAA will ultimately have the final say on whether the Makah can resume whaling, but DePoe said this is a major step.

'We have to finish this,' he told King 5. 'We have to follow this process through. There is a finish line and there is a group that is ready to jump in and start training as soon as we give that green light.'
Alex Murdaugh's former law firm said the South Carolina legal heir 'lied and stole from us' after it was revealed that he allegedly misappropriated millions of dollars in order to feed an addiction to painkillers.

The firm of Peters, Murdaugh, Parker, Eltzroth, and Detrick (PMPED) released a statement on its website Friday distancing itself from its former partner, the 53-year-old Murdaugh.

It said: 'We were shocked and dismayed to learn that Alex violated our principles and code of ethics. He lied and he stole from us.'

The firm also said that nobody among its partners conspired with Murdaugh.

'No member of PMPED was aware of Alex's scheme,' the firm said in its statement.

'When we learned he betrayed our trust, we requested his resignation immediately.

'We have yet to speak to anyone who was aware of his addiction to opioids.

Alex Murdaugh, 53, is seen above at his bond hearing in South Carolina earlier this month. Murdaugh, who comes from a lineage of men who held the top prosecutor post in several South Carolina counties, was arrested and charged with arranging his own death by hiring a hitman to kill him on September 4.

'While Alex's situation is tragic, be assured the firm is strong and focused on representing its many clients.'

The firm added: 'We provide legal services locally and statewide. We hold ourselves to the highest ethical standards in handling our clients' cases.

'Despite the widespread recent publicity, we continue to work to represent our clients with the same diligence and professionalism as prior to the discovery of Alex's misdeeds.

'The funds taken by Alex will not affect current or future PMPED operations.

'No client of PMPED will suffer a financial loss as a result of Alex's misconduct.'

Murdaugh, who comes from a lineage of men who held the top prosecutor post in several South Carolina counties, was arrested and charged with arranging his own death by hiring a hitman to kill him on September 4.

He has been released from jail and is currently in an out-of-state drug rehab facility.

Murdaugh discovered the bodies of his wife, Maggie, 52, and son, Paul, 22, shot multiple times at their Colleton County home June 7.

His former law firm said the South Carolina legal heir 'lied and stole from us' after it was revealed that he allegedly misappropriate millions of dollars in order to feed an addiction to painkillers

He has been released from jail and is currently in an out-of-state drug rehab facility. Murdaugh discovered the bodies of his wife, Maggie, 52, and son, Paul, 22, shot multiple times at their Colleton County home June 7. From left: Paul, Maggie, Alex, and Buster, 25, the surviving son

His drug addiction got worse and in a deep depression on September 4, he decided he should die, but instead of killing himself, he hired someone to do it, defense attorney Dick Harpootlian said.

The goal was to get his surviving son a $10 million life insurance benefit, state police said.

But the shot only grazed his head and Murdaugh was charged with insurance fraud, conspiracy and filing a false police report - all felonies that could bring up to 20 years in prison if convicted of all three charges.

There is no minimum sentence.

The killings of Murdaugh's wife, Maggie, and son Paul in June remain unsolved.

Harpootlian said Murdaugh is adamant he had nothing to do with their deaths.

The attorney has acknowledged that Murdaugh suffered from an addiction to opioids. It is alleged that Murdaugh misappropriated funds from his law firm to feed his habit.

Police have launched a criminal investigation into the 2018 'trip-and-fall' death of Alex Murdaugh's housekeeper Gloria Satterfield (pictured)

PMPED's latest statement also addressed a criminal investigation into the February 2018 death of Gloria Satterfield, a family housekeeper.

An attorney for Satterfield's family alleges that Murdaugh encouraged them to use a longtime friend as their attorney without revealing their long standing relationship.

The friend whom Murdaugh recommended then tried to take a $4million settlement.

Satterfield died in February 2018 after tripping over the family dog, a lawyer for the sons told media outlets.

Alex Murdaugh (left) is being accused of swindling the sons of his deceased housekeeper out of $4 million. Eric Bland (right) is representing the Satterfield family in a lawsuit filed on Wednesday against Murdaugh, Fleming, Westendorff, Palmetto State Bank and Moss, Kuhn, Fleming, P.A.

Murdaugh spoke to the sons at their mother's funeral and convinced them to hire Corey Fleming as their lawyer for a wrongful death settlement with his insurance company.

But he did not tell them Fleming was a longtime friend, old college roommate and godfather to at least one of Murdaugh's sons.

Murdaugh and Fleming arranged a $505,000 settlement in public records almost a year ago, which the sons have not seen a dime of, attorney Eric Bland said.

But since filing the suit, Bland said he learned of a second $4.3million settlement with a different insurer that was never revealed to Satterfield's son or placed into the public court docket.

Bland said he is turning the information over to the State Law Enforcement Division, which is investigating Satterfield's death after a coroner said the accidental death was never reported to her office.

Fleming did not respond to an email or phone message. Murdaugh's lawyers have not commented about Satterfield's death or other lawsuits.

In its statement, PMPED said: 'We have read the media reports about the lawsuit and settlement resulting from the death of Gloria Satterfield.

'If these reports are accurate, we are stunned at what occurred.

'It's important for everyone to know that PMPED did not represent Alex in that case. His insurance company hired counsel to represent him.'

Alex Murdaugh and wife Maggie. Satterfield's family sued Murdaugh Wednesday claiming he had not paid out 'one single dime' of the settlement reached for her 'wrongful death'

Murdaugh also tried to convince a friend of his son to use the same lawyer, Fleming, again without revealing their friendship as investigators tried to sort out who was driving a boat in a 2019 fatal crash, according to a lawsuit filed this week.

Murdaugh's son would eventually be charged.

Fleming is also prominent in a lawsuit by Connor Cook, who was in a boat that crashed in 2019, killing a 19-year-old woman.

The night of the crash, investigators were not sure if Cook or Paul Murdaugh was driving the boat.

Alex Murdaugh approached Cook in the hallway of a hospital as he headed to get his jaw X-rayed and told him everything would be alright if he would 'keep his mouth shut,' according to Cook's lawsuit.

Alex Murdaugh then encouraged Cook to hire Fleming as his attorney without revealing their relationship, the lawsuit said.

Fleming became Cook's lawyer and told him not to talk to investigators and that set him up to be falsely identified as the driver of the boat, the suit said.

It was not until Cook hired a new lawyer and spoke to prosecutors that Paul Murdaugh was charged with boating under the influence causing death, a charged pending when he was killed.

The State Law Enforcement Division is investigating whether Alex Murdaugh or other friends or family members tried to obstruct the investigation into the boat crash as well as the questions surrounding Satterfield's death.

They also are seeing if the family was involved in a 2015 hit-and-run, unraveling the shooting of Murdaugh this month on a lonely highway and looking into millions of dollars missing from the law firm that fired Murdaugh earlier this month.
Thirty Oklahoma high school students were suspended Friday after protesting the dress code, claiming it is sexist.

Dozens of Mustang High School students held signs reading 'Dress codes are sexist,' 'My body is not a distraction,' and 'If teens midriffs distract you, you should not be working with teens' at the protest.

The students complained that teachers - especially male teachers - were hyperaware of female students bodies and often ignored when their male counterparts violated the same rules in the school code.

TikTok user @777Jade, a student at the school, shared a video that became viral and earned more than 400,000 likes in the platform. The clip shows students holding the signs and taping them to the school's walls.

'Our school had a protest against the dress code discrimination and the sexual harassments from the male teachers,' she wrote in the video.

She also accused school officials of taking and ripping their posters after having told students they would return them.

Dozens of students at Mustang High School in Oklahoma held a protest against a dress code they deemed sexist and biased against girls

Dozens of students held signs reading 'Dress codes are sexist,' 'My body is not a distraction,' and 'If teens midriffs distract you, you should not be working with teens'

Thirty students at Mustang High School were suspended after the protest took place on September 10

'You know what, Paige? Shame on you. You know how many times I tried to help you. My mistake,' a school worker can be heard saying in the video to a student in the principal's office.

Mustang's dress code prohibits students from showing their cleavage and midriff. Tube tops, halter tops, off the shoulder tops, spaghetti straps or backless tops are also prohibited.

The school's handbook states that the purpose of the dress code is 'to permit students to dress according to current fashions, and at the same time reinforce district guidelines and restrict disruptions to the learning environment.'

Kirk Wilson, director of communicators at the school, confirmed that 'a handful of students' had been sent home with a suspension to The Independent.

'There was a small protest before school at Mustang High School on Friday, September 10, 2021. When class began, the protest ended and most of the students attended class as normal,' said the statement from Wilson.

'There were a handful of students who violated the student code of conduct after class began and those situations were addressed...we remain committed to supporting our students and providing a safe and nurturing learning environment,' he added.

'You know what, Paige? Shame on you. You know how many times I tried to help you. My mistake,' a school worker can be heard saying in the video to a student in the principal's office

@777jadeee holding her suspension after being part of the protest at Mustang. The school claims the dress code reinforces 'district guidelines and restricts disruptions to the learning environment'

The protest at Mustang is part of a growing trend in the country, as teenagers across state lines denounce school dress codes' 'double standard' and 'bias against girls.'

In Illinois, a male student wore a crop top to his school in order to prove that it was only a problem when a girl wore one.

Drew Jarding, 17, had already spent a few days this year going to school in clothes that he says 'would get me dress coded if I were a girl.'

But in August, he upped the stakes by enlisting his friend and fellow senior Kenzie Crimmins, 17, who also violated the dress code but in a much more subtle way  and still, only Kenzie got in trouble, emerging from the office with a pink slip because she 'showed her stomach.'

'This is a big issue because it breaks down these girls' confidence and sends the wrong message. Instead of 'trying to help' they're doing the exact opposite,' Drew toldDailyMail.com. 'I would like to see the dress code change to something more reasonable and not at all sexist.'

Power to the people! A pair of Illinois teens sought out to prove how sexist their high school's dress code is by wearing similarly revealing outfits to class

Get low: Drew Jarding , 17, low-slung shorts and a short crop top, bearing most of his legs and also several inches of stomach and even hip bones

Midriff: His friend and fellow senior Kenzie Crimmins, 17 (left), went to school in a pair of blue leggings and a red T-shirt that show a tiny sliver of abdomen when she stands still

Drew shared a viral TikTok video of the experiment, which has earned 1.8 million likes on the platform.

'Dressing the same to school to show how dress codes are sexist,' Drew captioned the clip.

While Kenzie went to school in a pair of blue leggings and a red T-shirt that show a tiny sliver of abdomen, Drew donned exceptionally low-slung shorts and a short crop top, bearing most of his legs and also several inches of stomach and even hip bones.

'Just so you could show how biased they really are,' Drew told BuzzFeed.

Their school dress code mandates that 'clothing must be modest and conducive to the school environment' and that 'students are expected to take pride in their appearance and to dress appropriately for focused study.'

But in seventh period, Kenzie got written up for showing her midriff  though Drew says no one said anything to him.

Drew said that while he usually posts comedic content, he's glad he got out of his comfort zone to bring awareness to an important issue.

In California, Evita Frick-Hisaw, 16, who is known as @baggyjeanmom on the platform, shared footage of her classmates wearing crop tops on June 3 in objection to a dress code assembly that was allegedly supposed to be held that day.

'In protest of the dress code assembly regarding 'too much mid-drift,' we are all wearing crop tops. We suggest you do too! Boys, support your friends and crop your tops,' reads a flyer about the walkout that she shared on her Instagram Stories.

Evita's viral TikTok video shows her wearing a baggy T-shirt before she changed into a cropped tank to join the protest.

Some of the students wrote things such as 'Distraction,' 'It's not my fault,' and 'Am I distracting?' across their stomachs.

They also hung signs calling out administrators for insinuating their bodies are a distraction.

Objection: California teen Evita Frick-Hisaw (pictured) helped stage a walkout at her high school in protest of it's 'sexist' dress code
The FBI are investigating three white Missouri cops who let their police dog bite a black man twice as they arrested him despite his screams of pain.

The agency opened an investigation after cellphone footage showing officers allowing a police dog to repeatedly bite him emerged online.

Video shot by a passerby in the St. Louis suburb of Woodson Terrace sparked outrage online and led the St. Louis Post-Dispatch editorial board to compare it to pre-civil rights days in Alabama.

Woodson Terrace Police said in a Facebook post that the man, whose name has not been made public, had threatened to kill officers.

The post said the man had appeared to be on drugs and had tried to walk away from officers into oncoming traffic. He was treated at a hospital and released. He has not been charged with any crimes.

The St. Louis County prosecutor's office is also investigating the incident which happened on September 20.

Scroll down for video

Missouri cops allowed a police dog to maul a black man they said had threatened to kill officers while being arrested earlier this week

Woodson Terrace police Chief Randy Halstead said in an email to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that his department was 'fully cooperating' with the investigations.

Federal officials and St. Louis County Prosecutor Wesley Bell declined to discuss their investigations with the newspaper.

Officers in Woodson Terrace, a city of about 4,000 people near St. Louis Lambert International Airport, were advised at 7:18am that a man had broken into a business.

After allegedly threatening officers and attempting to walk away from them into traffic, the man resisted attempts to arrest him, officers said, prompting a warning that the police dog would be used if he failed to cooperate.

When the man continued to resist, causing minor injuries to one officer, the dog was deployed, the department said.

The cellphone footage shows the dog biting the man's foot as he yells out in pain. The dog's handler holds it by a leash but allows the biting to continue for about 30 seconds.

The footage sparked outrage online and led the St. Louis Post-Dispatch editorial board to compare it to pre-civil rights days in Alabama

After the officer pulls the dog off, the man appears to take a step to run but stumbles, and the dog lunges at him again, this time biting one of the man's legs for another 30 seconds until the officer stops it.

Officers then handcuff the man, who appears barely able to walk as he is led to a squad car.

The police department said in its Facebook post that an ambulance was sent to the scene but the man refused medical treatment.

However, it says he later complained about his injuries and was treated at a hospital. Police didn't release details about the severity of his injuries.

Police said a substance believed to be methamphetamine was found on the man.

The St. Louis County prosecutor's office is investigating the incident which happened on Monday morning

It is not clear whether the officers were wearing body cameras or if any such cameras were on and recording at the time of the incident.

Protesters gathered outside the Woodson Terrace Police Department on Friday to demand the firing and prosecution of the three officers.

The Post-Dispatch's editorial board wrote that use of the dog was 'just like Birmingham's infamous public safety chief, Bull Connor, did in the 1960s to deter Blacks from marching for equal rights.'

'This incident bears all the hallmarks of cops deciding to issue their personal form of street justice  inflicting pain and punishment on the spot instead of waiting for the courts to do their job,' the board wrote.

Police canine expert Michael Gould described the video as 'problematic,' telling local media that investigators should 'look into it very carefully, why other levels of force would not have been utilized'.

'The fact of the matter is, it's a human reflex response. You can't have an 80-pound dog puncturing your skin and be compliant. It's virtually impossible.'

Gould acknowledged that there may be 'underlying factors' he was unaware of but called the footage 'disturbing'.

'Based on what I said and saw it looked like the subject was under control,' he told KSDK.
Advertisement

A rail safety consultant has suggested that the train derailment that killed three people and wounded 50 in Montana on Saturday night could have been caused by the driver 'jamming on' the locomotive's breaks to avoid running a stop signal.

Eight cars out of the 10 cars on Amtrak's Empire Builder 7/27 train derailed as it carried 141 passengers and 16 crew members from Chicago to Seattle, according to the Liberty County Sheriff's Office.

Two train cars separated and slid down a 30 foot embankment, and police confirmed that three passengers onboard died. As of Sunday afternoon, five passengers are still hospitalized, but are in stable condition.

It is currently unclear what caused the crash.

Former Amtrak conductor turned safety consultant Michael Callanan told Dailymail.com that there is a 'distinct possibility' that sudden braking was a factor, based on the proximity of a stop signal to the site of the crash.

He said another explanation could be ill-maintained tracks.

BNSF Railway, which owns the tracks where the crash occurred, and Amtrak, which owns the train, are looking into the derailment, alongside federal investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board.

Matt Jones, a BNSF Railway spokesman said at a news conference that the track where the accident occurred was last inspected on Thursday.

Per the Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008, all trains must install 'Positive Train Control,' a satellite-controlled system that automatically stops a locomotive before accidents occur.

However, Callanan said that a number of railroads have put off the expensive installations and petitioned government officials for more time.

This aerial view taken Sunday, Sept. 26, 2021, shows an Amtrak train that derailed in north-central Montana Saturday that killed multiple people and left others hospitalized, officials said. The westbound Empire Builder was en route to Seattle from Chicago, with two locomotives and 10 cars, when it left the tracks about 4 p.m. Saturday. (Larry Mayer/The Billings Gazette via AP)

Three people are dead and more than 50 are injured after an Amtrak train carrying 146 passengers and 13 crew derailed in Montana on Saturday afternoon

Crews appear to be using ladders to get on top of the cars in what appears to be an rescue effort. Ambulances and emergency vehicles are on the scene

Allan Zarembski, director of the University of Delaware's Railway Engineering and Safety Program, said he didn't want to speculate but suspected the derailment stemmed from an issue with the train track or equipment, or a combination of both.

Railways have 'virtually eliminated' major derailments by human error after the implementation of positive train control nationwide, Zarembski said.

'I would be surprised if this was a human-factor derailment,' Zarembski said.

It is unclear whether the Empire Builder 7/27 was outfitted with PTC equipment.

The National Transportation Safety Board said yesterday it is launching a 14-member 'go team' to investigate the derailment.

Callanan told MailOnline that the number of agencies involved is one of the elements that will stretch out that investigation, which he said could take up to two years.

Passengers crawled down ladders to safety as rescue teams assisted

Passengers said that the derailed cars on the track near Joplin, Montana, have left some passengers trapped inside. One passenger said she heard a boom and felt the carriage 'pitching violently side-to-side'

'They're going to download a black box [that] measures everything  what position the throttle was in, what kind of breaks were put on, how fast he was going,' Callanan said.

'They're going to download the dash cam, they're going to drug test the whole crew to see if there was any drugs and alcohol involved.'

He said that the National Transportation Safety Board will 'take that train to a warehouse, piece everything together and test every part of the train - every car, [and the] breaks on every car.'

At least three cars are derailed and two have separated from the train

The last train car was completely on its side from the derailment

Witnesses - each person who was riding the train and anyone who can be found that saw the crash from outside the train - will all be interviewed by the agencies.

Meanwhile, during the long-spanning investigation, all of the employees who were manning that train will be 'taken out of service.'

Amtrak employees have the option to buy into insurance, he said, but most don't.

He added: 'Hopefully the employees that did not pay into that have money saved up.'

Amtrak said in a statement Sunday: 'We are deeply saddened to learn local authorities are now confirming that three people have lost their lives as a result of this accident,'

Amanda Frickel, the disaster and emergency services coordinator for Hill County, Montana told The New York Times 'well over' 50 people are injured.

She added that six counties sent rescuers and five hospitals are on standby to accept patients. Several helicopters are on standby, as well.

Chester Councilwoman Rachel Ghekiere said she and others helped about 50 to 60 passengers who were brought to a local school.

'I went to the school and assisted with water, food, wiping dirt off faces,' she said. 'They appeared to be tired, shaken but happy that they were where they were. Some looked more disheveled than others, depending where they were on the train.'

A grocery store in Chester, about 5 miles from the derailment, and a nearby religious community provided food, she said.

The passengers were taken by buses to hotels in nearby Shelby, said Ghekiere, whose husband works for the local emergency services agency and was alerted to the crash.

Amtrak also reported they are working with local authorities to help those who are injured.

Amtrak's Empire Builder 7/27 train has reported derailed near Joplin, Montana. Leaving several passengers trapped

The train spread across two tracks. It is believed the accident happened near a switch

'Amtrak is working with the local authorities to transport those who were injured to medical care, and to safely evacuate everyone else at the scene,' Jason Abrams. Amtrak's Public Relations Manager said in a statement.

Passengers said that the derailed cars on the track near Joplin, Montana, have left some passengers trapped inside.

One passenger said she heard a boom and felt the carriage 'pitching violently side-to-side,' according to CBS.

Another passenger Megan Vandervest was asleep when the train derailed.

'My first thought was that we were derailing because, to be honest, I have anxiety and I had heard stories about trains derailing,' she told The New York Times. 'My second thought was that's crazy. We wouldn't be derailing. Like, that doesn't happen.'

She described the feeling as 'extreme turbulence on a plane,' but was among the lucky ones whose train car stayed on the tracks.

However, the cars behinds hers weren't. Three cars back, was completely off the track, the one in front of that was toppled over, while the one behind her was tilted, she told the Times.

There were approximately 146 passengers and 13 crew members onboard.

Some passengers are being transported to Liberty Community And Senior Center.

'We're going our best,' the spokesperson from the senior center said.

The state's medical supplies are low and beds are limited in hospitals due to COVID-19.

The train's derailment is suspected to have happened between the Havre and Shelby stops in Montana, according to KXLY.

It is suspected that the train derailed near the switch at East Buelow. The cause of the derailment is not clear.

Amtrak, The National Transportation Safety Board, and BNSF, who owns the tracks, are investigating the cause for the derailment

One car flipped over. Some of the cars slid down a 30 foot embankment

Crews set up ladders on the side of the cars in what appears to be a rescue effort to safely remove passengers.

One Twitter user Emily Rose reported her boyfriend's grandfather was on the train that flipped. She cited that he has 'cuts and bruises' but 'is okay.'

A firefighter told KXLY that rescue crews were reporting 'large amounts of people trapped.'

Empire Builder trains 7/27 and 8/28 are cancelled for services until at least September 28 between Minot, North Dakota, and Shelby, Montana.
New dispatch audio shows that Utah police were told Brian Laundrie hit Gabby Petito before they pulled their van over on August 12, and may have violated protocol when they did not arrest him.

The audio appears to contradict earlier reports that the responding officers in Moab City, Utah were unaware of a call from a witness who claimed to have seen Laundrie slapping Petito in their white Ford transit van before driving off.

'RP (reporting party) states seeing a male hit a female, domestic,' the dispatcher told police at around 4.38pm local time, according to the audio, first obtained by Fox 13. 'He got into a white Ford Transit van, has a black ladder on the back, Florida plate.'

An officer asks for further information regarding the witness, and is again told that Petito had allegedly been hit.

'Phone number is [redacted], names [redacted],' the dispatcher responds at 4:42 p.m. 'Im not sure [inaudible], but the female who got hit, they both, the male and the female, both got into the van and headed north.'

New dispatch audio indicates that the Moab City, Utah police officers who pulled over Gabby Petito (right) and her fiance Brian Laundrie on August 12 may have been aware that a witness had alleged seeing Laundrie slap Petito, but did not arrest neither. The police stop was recorded on the officers' body cameras (pictured)

The new information comes as the Moab Police Department announced an independent probe on Thursday into the officers' handing of the alleged domestic dispute about a month before Petito was found dead.

Neither police nor city officials have said whether the responding officers were aware they were dealing with a potential domestic violence incident when they pulled the couple over.

But they treated Petito as the primary aggressor in bodycam footage of the August 12 incident, after Laundrie was found with wounds on his face.

Utah law requires cops to make an arrest or issue a citation if they believe an incident of domestic violence has taken place.

Neither Petito nor Laundrie were arrested. They were instead separated for the night in an attempt to calm the situation down, before being allowed to continue on their way.

Body camera footage from the responding officers show them determining Petito was the 'primary aggressor in the dispute after interviewing both of them, despite the call from the witness, after she admits to them that she hit Laundrie.

They pulled them over after reporting that the driver of a vehicle ahead was showing 'obscure driving', driving 45mph in a 15mph road, and is 'possibly intoxicated.'

The police who pulled over Laundrie and Petito in their van ultimately determined Petito had been the aggressor in their fight. Body camera footage shows police asking why she slapped her boyfriend Laundrie in a dramatic incident 13 days before she disappeared on their cross-country trip

Laundrie is seen with scratches on his face which he tells an officer were caused when Petito 'was trying to get the keys from me' and 'hit me with her phone.' Utah state law dictates that officers make an arrest or issue a citation when they have reason to believe domestic violence had taken place

One of the officers says the vehicle has bumped a curb, and turns their vehicle's sirens on. Petito later told officers that the couple didn't drink.

'I think they will find that they sort of manipulated the situation to not take someone into custody,' Brett Tolman, a former US attorney for the District of Utah told Fox News on Sunday. 'I think the fact that they had another eyewitness that is not involved in it, and is objective, and said "he hit her"  you're going to have a majority of officers take him into custody.'

In the audio of the 911 call obtained by DailyMail.com the male witness tells a Grant County sheriff that a 'gentleman' in a white van with a Florida license plate had slapped a girl in the vehicle before driving away.

The man also mentions the incident had happened 'by Moonflower' - likely referring to the Moonflower Community Cooperative in Moab, where Laundrie and Petito stayed the night of August 11 and where they reportedly were seen having an explosive fight.

Moab police officers separated the couple for the night after pulling them over. The City of Moab said they are 'unaware of any breach of Police Department policy' in their handling of Petito and Laundrie's domestic dispute

When an officer asks Petito if her boyfriend hit her, she replies 'I guess' and gestures to her chin. Petito admits he 'pushed her' during the altercation

'I'm right in the corner of Main Street by Moonflower and we are driving and I'd like to report a domestic dispute. Florida with a white van - Florida license plate, white van,' the man says before being interrupted by the officer, who asks him what he saw exactly.

'They just drove off. They're going towards Main Street. They made a right onto Main Street from Moonflower. We drove by him, a gentleman was slapping the girl,' the man continues.

'He was slapping her?' the sheriff asks.

'Yes. And then we stopped. They ran down an up the sidewalk. He proceeded to hit her, hopped in the car and they drove off,' the man says as the audio ends.

After pulling the couple over, the officer then gets out the vehicle and approaches the couple's white camper van. The officer asks Petito to step out of the vehicle and takes her down the road, separating the couple to ask her what happened.

In the video, an emotional Petito tells officers with tears streaming down her face that she 'was trying to get him [Laundrie] to stop telling [her] to calm down' and admitting the couple had 'been fighting all morning.'

Petito was reported missing on September 11 after her 23-year-old fiance, Laundrie, came back to his parents' home in Florida.

he pair were on a cross-country road trip in Petito's white van and they were documenting their travels on social media platforms including Instagram and YouTube before authorities found Petito's body in Grand Teton Park on September 19

Petito tells them she suffers from OCD and anxiety, with both her and Laundrie saying she was stressed because of the YouTube blog they were working on to document their doomed cross-country trip.

The officer tells Petito she is 'not in any trouble' and escorts her to the back of the cop car so she can 'take a breath' and have 'a few minutes.'

Laundrie is seen with scratches on his face and arm which he tells an officer were caused when Petito 'was trying to get the keys from me' and 'hit me with her phone'.

He later said she was angry with him because of his dirty feet. When an officer asks Petito if her boyfriend hit her, she replies 'I guess' and makes a grabbing motion on her chin. Laundrie admits he 'pushed her' during the altercation.

The cops determine Petito was 'the primary aggressor' and say they are separating the couple for the night.

'I am separating you two tonight, okay?' the officer is heard telling Petito. The 22-year-old nods through tears in response and mouths 'okay.'

'I want you guys both to be tonight, away from each other,' the officer says. 'Relax, breathe, because there's no need to be crying now,' he tells Petito.

Meanwhile family and friends mourned Gabby Petito at a funeral service on Sunday in Holbrook, Suffolk County

Friends embraced outside of Moloney's Holbrook Funeral Home a week after Petito's remains were found at a camp site near Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming

Police are continuing the massive manhunt for her fiance Brian Laundrie, who was the last person seen with her, and FBI agents paid another visits to his parents' home on Sunday

Petito nods and wipes tears from her eyes.

'I understand that this can feel like a nightmare,' the officer says. 'But you have come out as the golden flower on top.'

Meanwhile mourners including Petito's family, friends and hundreds of other people who'd never met her but were personally moved by her story, packed a funeral home in Long Island to grieve the 22-year-old woman whose life of adventure was tragically cut short.

Her service came as, police are continuing the massive manhunt for Laundrie, who was the last person seen with her, and rewards totaling $30,000 are being offered for information leading to his whereabouts.

And as loved ones reminisced on her life on Long Island, law enforcement continued to search for answers about her death in North Port, Florida, as FBI agents paid Laundrie's parents another visit on Sunday.

'The entire planet knows this woman's name,' said her father Joe Petito, standing before a golden urn at the Moloney Holbrook Funeral Home, in a standing-room only chapel adorned with bouquets of flowers and photo montages of his daughter growing up in Blue Point, L.I., including a picture of Gabby as a little girl with her small hand print on a piece of paper.

Petito's body was found last week in Wyoming's Grand Teton National Park, and her death has been ruled a homicide. Her fiance Brian Laundrie, 23, is the prime suspect but remains at large after he returned from their cross country road trip without her on Sept. 1.
A New York museum located at the home of a famous suffragette has been damaged in a fire deemed suspicious - and its president fears anti-feminist campaigners could be to blame.

Fire officials in Rochester were investigating a 'suspicious' fire that damaged the Susan B. Anthony Museum & House early on Sunday.

Firefighters responding to an alarm at around 1am arrived to find the back porch of the museum engulfed in flames.

The porch suffered heavy damage, but officials said none of the historical artifacts inside were damaged. The fire department listed the cause of the fire as suspicious.

Surveillance cameras on the property shows a person standing in the back yard and on the back porch just before the fire started.

A suspicious fire damaged the Susan B. Anthony Museum & House early on Sunday morning when Rochester firefighters received the call around 1am

Firefighters found the back porch of the museum to be fully engulfed in flames

Although there is smoke damage in the house, no artifacts were damaged

'We don't know why someone would do this, it may have been a random or intentional act, or it may have been someone responding to the museum being a supporter of women's rights since we are in a contentious era. It's hard to know for sure,' Susan B. Anthony Museum and House president Deborah Hughes told CNN.

Incredibly, no artifacts were damaged in the blaze with firefighters careful to move what they could out of harms way.

'The firefighters were so careful with the artifacts, even moving pictures while keeping them in the right order,' Hughes said. 'They were extremely conscientious about making sure not too much water got into the house.'

It took firefighters about 20 minutes to contain the blaze which mainly damaged the porch

Firefighters are now investigating to determine what caused the fire

Surveillance cameras captured video of someone on museum property on the back porch moments before and after the fire was started

Some of the remains of the porch can be seen outside the house

The house, a National Historic Landmark, was built in the mid-18th century and was Anthony's home and also the site of her arrest in 1872 after she cast her ballot in a presidential election.

It served as the headquarters of the National American Woman Suffrage Association. Anthony died there in 1906, according to the museum's website.

In a statement, Battalion Chief Joseph Luna said, 'the Rochester Fire Department has long understood the significance that this property holds both to our local community as well as the nation.

'A great job was done by the firefighters tonight in limiting the effects of the fire on both the museum and its displays.'

The Rochester Fire Investigation Unit say the cause of the fire as suspicious but still under investigation.

'We don't know why someone would do this, it may have been a random or intentional act, or it may have been someone responding to the museum being a supporter of women's rights since we are in a contentious era. It's hard to know for sure,' Susan B. Anthony Museum and House president Deborah Hughes said

Incredibly, no artifacts were damaged in the blaze with firefighters careful to move what they could out of harms way

Damage from the fire appeared to mainly to the exterior of the building

The front of the house is pictured in 2004

'The damage to the building was purely on the outside back porch of the structure,' Rochester Fire Department Lt Jeffrey Simpson said. 'There was some minor extension into the building because it broke through the door, but it was only some water and smoke damage on the first floor.'

The museum released a statement on Sunday giving further details and thanking the fire department.

It said: 'We had a fire at the National Landmark Susan B. Anthony House last night. Fortunately, fire damage was limited to the back porch, where the fire started. Our surveillance cameras show an individual at the back door moments before the flames broke out. Our fire detection system triggered an alarm and the Rochester Fire Department arrived in minutes.

'We are so grateful to Chief Joseph Luna and the amazing team of firefighters who managed to contain the fire quickly before it spread to the interior of the building. They exceeded all protocols to keep the House and its historic contents safe from the fire, smoke, and water damage.

'This might have been a tragic loss of a national historic treasure. Instead, it is a story of a job well done by first responders who care deeply about life, our community, and our cultural heritage'

The house is where Susan B. Anthony lived for 40 years while she was a national figure in the women's rights and suffrage movement.

This year marks the 100st anniversary of the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution giving women the right to vote, and the 201st anniversary of Anthony's birth in Adams, Massachusetts.

The house is where Susan B. Anthony lived for 40 years while she was a national figure in the women's rights and suffrage movement
A Chinese businessman has blamed the authorities in Beijing for the mystery disappearance of his former wife four years ago.

Desmond Shum is certain that his billionaire ex-partner Whitney Duan, also known as Duan Weihong, was abducted from Beijing in 2017.

Mr Shum accused the Chinese government of targeting and silencing rich business people in his new memoir, 'Red Roulette: An Insider's Story of Wealth, Power, Corruption and Vengeance in Today's China'.

The distraught businessman spoke out on 60 Minutes on Sunday and revealed he had his suspicions about his wife's fate confirmed when he received an unexpected call in the lead-up to the publication of his book.

A Chinese businessman has blamed the Chinese Communist Party for the mystery disappearance of his former wife after she vanished four years ago

Desmond Shum is certain that his billionaire partner Whitney Duan , also known as Duan Weihong, was abducted after she mysteriously vanished from Beijing in 2017

The call was from his estranged ex-wife who urged him not to go public with the allegations.

'The purpose of the call is to ask me to stop the book launch. That's exactly what she said,' he told 60 Minutes.

Mr Shum believes his former partner had been reading from a script when she suggested the publication of the book was jeopardising lives.

'Are we talking about my life? Our son's life? Or is it your life?' he said.

Ms Duan was one of the wealthiest women in China, managing investments from relatives of former Chinese premier Wen Jiabao.

She then suddenly vanished without a trace leaving behind her husband and their 12-year-old son.

Mr Shum fled with his son to live in the UK believing that Ms Duan had died.

He said the brief conversation he had with his former partner during the phone call indicated she had been kept in isolation for the last four years.

'Her mum passed away in June. She didn't know that,' he said.

'She didn't know the pandemic was going on for two years.'

Ms Duan has joined a long list of high-profile figures to mysteriously disappear with Australian television anchor Cheng Lei and businessman Jack Ma.

Mr Shum believes his former partner was abducted by the Chinese Communist Party over her business dealings.

'I would guess most likely she's associated with the wrong crowd or the wrong faction of the power struggle,' he said.

Mr Shum accused his government of targeting and silencing rich business people in his new memoir, 'Red Roulette: An Insider's Story of Wealth, Power, Corruption and Vengeance in Today's China'

'Or maybe she learned something that's very inconvenient for the leadership.'

Ms Duan also had business dealings with Sun Zhengcai who was being groomed as a potential successor to Xi Jinping.

Xi then launched an anti-corruption campaign, which critics say is a pretence for targeting his political opponents, and jailed Mr Zhengcai in 2018.

He said the phone call with his wife was the first conversation he had with her in four years.

'In two phone calls that I believe were made at the behest of high-placed Communist Party officials and monitored by China's security services, Whitney told me that she's on temporary release and could be re-detained at any time,' he told Australian Financial Review.

'She asked me to cancel the book's publication. She said if I refused to do that, it may anger the Chinese government and security services. She used the Chinese warning: 'No good comes to those who oppose the state'.'
Hillsong founder Brian Houston has issued a biblical message of defiance as he vows to clear his name in court next week.

The embattled head of the Hillsong megachurch invoked 'the Devil' and 'weapons of warfare' in an Instagram video - apparently a veiled reference to his imminent legal fight.

Houston is due to come before a magistrate next week, charged with concealing his now-dead father Frank's sexual abuse of a child decades ago.

A royal commission found that Frank Houston had confessed to abusing the boy during trips to Sydney from his home in New Zealand in 1969 and 1970.

Hillsong head Brian Houston (left) and his wife Bobbie (right) find strength in prayer

Over the weekend the Pentecostal pastor told his followers in a video message that 'I woke up this morning thinking about the weapons of our warfare.'

Quoting a bible passage from second Corinthians 10:4, Houston told viewers of his Instagram video that God provides weapons.

'You have mighty weaponry, an armoury available to you and it will pull down strongholds.

'The thing about strongholds is the Devil tries to use them to put a stronghold on you ... And so we decide no, I have mighty weapons. And one of the most powerful weapons we have, I think sometimes one of the most underestimated, (is) prayer.

'Prayer changes things.'

Prime Minister Scott Morrison (centre) is a friend of Brian Houston (right) and his wife Bobbie (left)

Houston and his wife Bobbie moved to America last April and he recently led prayer services in Monterrey, Mexico. The couple was given permission to leave Australia despite the border being closed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

In August, the NSW Police revealed detectives had served a court attendance notice on 67-year-old Houston's lawyer in Sydney.

Houston will face Sydney's Downing Centre Local Court on October 5.

The global reputation of the church, known for its glamour, pumped up gospel rock music and celebrity following, is at risk from the court proceedings.

The charge against Houston is one of concealing a serious indictable offence.

Hillsong's 'global senior pastor' said he will 'vehemently' defend the case in court. But if found guilty, he faces up to five years in jail.

'These charges have come as a shock to me given how transparent I've always been about this matter,' he said in a statement last month.

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

The charge against Houston may also have political consequences in Australia.

In 2020, Prime Minister Scott Morrison confirmed that he had sought an invitation for his friend Houston to attend a state dinner at Donald Trump's White House.

The NSW Police investigation into Brian Houston was public knowledge at the time.

Frank Houston died in 2004, aged 82, after arranging for his victim to be paid $10,000 at a meeting at a McDonald's restaurant.

His son Brian said he did not report the matter to the police as he did not think it was appropriate because the victim was by then 35 or 36 years old.

Brian Houston will face Sydney's Downing Centre Local Court on October 5

Houston used his video message to thank those who continue to support him.

'Bobbie and I are blessed that so many people all over the globe have said they are committed to praying for us. I love being part of a global family, the church of Jesus Christ around the world, and I thank God that we are armed for battle.'

A commenter, Raybevan said: 'Love it mate. Thanks for being such an example of steadfastness. You and Bobbie have been such Rocks in my life. Your future is amazingly bright. Stay strong my friend.'
A vaccine hesitant father who vowed to 'wait until the very end' to get the jab is now fighting for his life on a ventilator - with doctors warning his family he may not live to see the end of the week.

Zain Tiba, a teacher from Melbourne, told friends and family in mid-August he was hesitant about the safety of the approved Covid vaccines and wanted to see 'how the circus unfolds' before getting the jab.

Now, at just 45, he is fighting for his life in hospital and needs a 'miracle' to survive after he and his family all contracted the virus.

His daughter, Ella, has been sharing updates as his condition deteriorates, and revealed the family received a call on Sunday night from Mr Tiba's medical team.

'They said my dad is now considered the sickest person in both Australia and New Zealand,' Ella said.

Zain Tiba, a teacher from Melbourne, told friends and family in mid-August he was hesitant about the safety of the approved Covid vaccines and wanted to see 'how the circus unfolds' before getting the jab

His daughter, Ella, has been sharing updates as his condition deteriorates, and revealed the family received a call on Sunday night from Mr Tiba's medical team

She explained her father's lungs have stopped working and he's completely reliant on a ventilator to breathe.

Doctors have indicated he mightn't live beyond the next three days.

'There is absolutely nothing left that they can do anymore,' Ella said. 'Please create a miracle... Bring my dad back to us, we all need him.'

Mr Tiba's wife Yasmine revealed on September 14 that the entire family had contracted Covid, but said the father in particular 'wasn't doing too well'.

Within nine days, his condition had deteriorated and his blood oxygen levels had dropped from 95 per cent to about 85 per cent.

He required kidney dialysis as both of his kidneys were failing - with doctors monitoring his heart and other organs.

'Covid-19 is real... If you really think it will not hit you then think twice. I was on the death bed myself and I pray that I don't lose my husband,' Mrs Tiba said.

'They've stated my dad is now considered the sickest person in both Australia and New Zealand,' Ella (pictured with her husband) said

Melbourne is in the grip of yet another Covid outbreak, but Mr Tiba was not in any hurry to get vaccinated due to concerns about the safety and efficacy of the jab.

He said he'd been researching 'all issues vaccine related' in an attempt to decide whether he should be for or against it, but couldn't come to a decision.

Instead, he decided to simply wait it out.

'I have listened to anti-vaxxers and pro-vaxxers, to the medical practitioners and the conspiracy theorists. Both have arguable point of views, to an extent,' he said.

'Because I dont have a medical background nor do I know the extent of the truth of the anti-vaxxers, I am not for nor against.

'I will be waiting to the very end to see how this circus unfolds.'

Mr Tiba's family are now calling on the community to pray that he will survive the virus

Mr Tiba's family are now calling on the community to pray that he will survive the virus.

Ella, 23, said her dad is 'still so young' and has 'so many goals to look forward to' as she pleaded with her friends to keep Mr Tiba in their thoughts.

Victoria recorded 705 new cases of coronavirus and one death on Monday as the number of people in intensive care spiked.

The daily case total was the lowest in five days, but still a rise on the 567 recorded just one week ago.

There are 363 Victorians being treated for Covid in hospital across the state - the highest since September 2nd 2020.

Of the hospitalised patients, 75 require intensive care treatment.

More than 77 per cent of Victorians aged 16 and over have now had at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, while 47 per cent have had two doses.

Ella, 23, (pictured with her husband) said her dad is 'still so young' and has 'so many goals to look forward to' as she pleaded with her friends to keep Mr Tiba in their thoughts
An Aussie expat has spotted one of the country's most iconic birds being sold as a pet on the other side of the world.

A Reddit user posted a picture of a caged kookaburra in Long Island, New York on Sunday - sparking outrage from Australians.

The user who took the photo said he was shocked to come 'face-to-face with this dainty sheila'.

An Aussie expat has snapped a photo of a kookaburra for sale in a pet shop on Long Island, New York (pictured, the tiny cage home to the Aussie native bird)

'I lived in the States for a while. Always amazed me to see blue tongues and beardies going for hundreds when as a kid I used to just go outside and pick them up off the ground,' one user wrote.

'But this is on a different level. I can imagine a lizard might be just fine living a cozy life in a heated enclosure with live food being dropped in daily, but a kookaburra living a caged life makes me sad.'

Kookaburras are native to eastern Australia and have a distinctive call which sounds like hysterical laughter.

To establish their territory, tribes of kookaburras can often be seen with their heads back, making their call together in unison.

However this poor bird has been trapped in a cage on the other side of the world, and Reddit users believe that it is due to birds being smuggled to the US in the 70s and 80s.

Australians flocked to the post on Reddit, voicing their outrage at the sale of one of Australia's most iconic birds (pictured, a kookaburra)

'Lucky you guys have some really tight border control so smuggling isnt as much of an issue as it used to be,' an American remarked.

The user who posted the picture said while he enjoyed his encounter with the beautiful animal, seeing it so far from home was wrong.

'It was a treat to see her but, yeah, the cage bothered me,' commenter doctor_x wrote.

The user who posted the image was happy to see the bird, but agreed that it was wrong to have the famous laughing kookaburra trapped (pictured, a kookaburra)

'Kookaburras are supposed to hang out with you on the railing of your back porch while you sneak them bits of ground mince as you barbecue, not live behind bars.'

Other users asked the person who captured the image to take action to help the native bird.

'Please complain about this pet shop owner to anyone official that will listen. Hopefully a bird rescue or a zoo could take her in - and the other exotic animals.

'This is so sad.'
UK Thang, 29, was identified as the gunman who opened fire at Kroger in Collierville, Tennessee before killing himself Thursday. He killed one and injured 14. As of Sunday, six of the wounded were no longer in critical condition

Six people wounded in a mass shooting at a Tennessee supermarket are no longer in critical condition, a hospital spokeswoman said Sunday.

One person was in serious condition and five others were in good condition, Angie Golding, a spokeswoman for Regional One Health in Memphis, told news outlets.

On Thursday, Uk Thang, a 29-year-old 'third-party vendor' at the Collierville Kroger, killed one person and himself, and wounded 14 others at a Kroger in Collierville, an upscale suburb 30 miles east of Memphis.

The victims included 10 employees and five customers, police said.

He worked in a sushi business at the store and was the son of refugees from Myanmar who had settled in Nashville, according to Aung Kyaw, a family friend.

ABC24's Brad Broders tweeted that Thang, who had previously lived in Utah before moving to Tennessee, had been fired from his job as a sushi chef earlier in the day before returning to the supermarket and opening fire.

People pray during a vigil at the Collierville Town Hall, Friday for the person killed and those injured when a gunman attacked people in a Kroger grocery store Thursday

Olivia King's son Wes shared this photo of his mother with her youngest son, Greg King. She was the only person to be killed during Thursday's mass shooting

An FBI agent enters the Kroger grocery store Friday in Collierville, Tennessee where Uk Thang, 29, opened fire killing himself, one other woman and injuring 14 others

'My sister was working till 2,' a woman wrote on Facebook.

'The sushi chef had disagreement with another employee and they had sushi chef leave or fired him and he came back. She heard first pop sound thought it was balloons then heard more. I cant imagine the horror they all felt.'

The Collierville store remains closed.

Thang shot and killed shopper Olivia King, 70, after she stopped by the supermarket following Thursday morning Mass.

'Our family is devastated by this senseless act of violence. We ask that you pray for the repose of the soul of our mother, Olivia,' one of her sons, Wes King, told ABC News.

Officer Ben Hubbard, of the Collierville Police Department, prays during the vigil

People attending the prayer vigil at the Collierville Town Hall Friday for the victims of the Thursday's mass shooting

'We also ask everyone for their prayers for all families and friends affected by the events today, as well as for God's mercy on the shooter and his family. Thank you.'

Thang had a relatively minor criminal history prior to Friday's mass shooting, cops said.

'I believe misdemeanor arrests but nothing related to violence,' Collierville Police Department Chief Dale Lane said at a news conference Friday.

Lane revealed that authorities served a search warrant Thursday night at a nearby apartment complex, where they confiscated a number of electronics among other evidence, with one additional person at the residence being questioned.

An FBI agent steps over soft drink bottles and broken glass as he walks through a damaged entrance at a Kroger grocery store Friday

One person is dead and 15 others injured after a gunmen opened fire at a Kroger grocery store (pictured) near Memphis on Thursday, according to authorities

Among the shooting victims, one patient had been discharged as of Friday, hospital staff confirmed to ABC News.

Another victim was not shot but was hospitalized for a panic attack, according to police.

According to ABC News, some employees were forced to take refuge in freezers and locked offices after Thang opened fire around 1:30 pm Thursday afternoon. Another Kroger employee hid on the store's roof.

Brignetta Dickerson, a cashier at the Collierville Krogers, told WATN that she fled to a back room with several shoppers, before Thang entered the room and again opened fire, shooting a customer in the stomach, an employee in the head and another employee in the cheek. Thang then left the back room and continued on with his shooting spree.

People embrace following a shooting at a Kroger's grocery store in Collierville on Thursday

A Kroger employee talks on a cellphone following a shooting at the site of Thursday's mass shooting at the Collierville Kroger's grocery store

'All of a sudden, I went through the receiving department ... and here he comes right behind us and start shooting and he kept shooting and shooting and shooting,' she told WATN.

Another customer, Tawana French, was walking towards the Kroger supermarket on Thursday afternoon when she saw adults and children alike running away from the store.

'A split second later, I hear gunfire,' French said in an interview with ABC News Live Prime on Thursday night.

'I ran, ran, ran. Before I could get to my car, which was not very far at all, I heard even more gunfire. Rapid succession, just pow, pow, pow, pow, pow.'

'I just wanted to get to a safe place,' said French.
Hillary Clinton was spotted dining out for lunch at a posh Upper East Side eatery with a friend over the weekend after she was appointed as the chancellor of Queen's University in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

The former US Secretary of State was dressed in a burgundy blazer and black pantsuit as she dined at The Mark Restaurant by Jean-Georges on Saturday, with its distinctive black and white striped umbrellas.

Clinton could be seen together with a number of Secret Service agents in tow as she sat down to eat at the posh uptown restaurant, just off Madison Avenue, while taking in the warm New York fall sunshine.

Hillary Clinton was spotted out to lunch with a girlfriend on the Upper East Side of New York

The former First Lady looked fashionable in a burgundy blazer and a pair of sunglasses

The pair clearly had a lot to talk about with Clinton continuing to break barriers: she was the first woman appointed as chancellor of the Belfast academic institution.

It marks the latest chapter in the Clinton family's long association with Northern Ireland, with Mrs Clinton and her husband former US president Bill Clinton having been regular visitors to the region as enthusiastic supporters of the peace process.

They first visited while Bill was president in 1995, shortly after the IRA declared its ceasefire, with both wowing locals at events designed to try and unite the country's Catholic and Protestant communities.

As Mrs Clinton took part in the installation procession a number of anti-war protesters, who had gathered outside, hurled insults and abuse.

Speaking at a ceremony where she was formally installed, she described the university as 'special'.

Mrs Clinton was directed to her seat by the restaurant's maitre'd while several Secret Service agents could be see in tow

Clinton's burgundy blazer appeared to compliment the flower arrangement at The Mark hotel

Mrs Clinton appeared to be taking advantage of the warm fall weather in New York and decided to eat outdoors

The former presidential nominee said: '(It is) a center for innovation and entrepreneurship in technology, business and health, and an incubator for artists and scientists leaders and activists.

'I'm looking forward to learning much more about this university and then helping to tell the university's exciting story about the future you will create together.

'But there was another reason why I agreed to become a member of this community.

'Northern Ireland has become a symbol of democracy's power to transcend divisions and deliver peace, and we need that beacon of hope now more than ever.

'But with hope comes responsibilities, the responsibility to be a citizen, to be willing to discuss and learn from people unlike yourselves, to debate and compromise in search of common ground to participate in our shared institutions, to respect the rights, dignity and needs of all people, and to uphold the rule of law.'

The former US secretary of state, Hillary Clinton, was installed as the chancellor of Queen's University during a ceremony at the Belfast academic institution on Friday

Former United States Secretary of State, Hilary Clinton gestures after being officially installed as Queen's University's 11th chancellor and the first female chancellor, at Queen's University in Belfast

Former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton poses for a photo after being inaugurated as the first female chancellor of Queens University, in Belfast, Northern Ireland

Hilary Clinton was appointed in January 2020, but has not been able to visit the university in that capacity due to the coronavirus pandemic

Mrs Clinton was appointed to the role for a five-year term in early 2020 but her official installation was delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Mrs Clinton added: 'The work of integration in housing and schools is far from finished.

'Neighborhoods remain divided.

'Poverty and unemployment persist.

'The difficulties of the past continue to threaten the present.

'Divisions over Brexit and the Northern Ireland Protocol and proposed amnesty legislation might very well undermine a peaceful future.

'A future that people voted for, fought for, and even died for.

'Now I don't pretend to have the political answers to resolve this impasse.

'That is up to the people of Northern Ireland.

'But I do know this: the future of Northern Ireland will be determined by the power of communities coming together, like the one here at Queen's.'

Former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton walks in a procession through the Bodleian Library quadrangle at Oxford University, after receiving an honorary degree at the annual Encaenia Honorary Degree Ceremony

Former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton walks in a procession from Exeter College in Oxford to the Sheldonian Theatre and the Bodleian Library quadrangle, at Oxford University, ahead of receiving an honorary degree

Former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton (center right) walks in a procession through the Bodleian Library quadrangle at Oxford University

Clinton collected an honorary degree in person from Oxford University

Clinton has been the US first lady, the first lady of Arkansas, the 67th US secretary of state and a presidential candidate

President and vice-chancellor of Queen's, Professor Ian Greer, welcomed Mrs Clinton's installation.

'We are delighted that Secretary Clinton has been able to travel to Belfast to be formally installed as the University's 11th chancellor,' he said.

'Secretary Clinton is an internationally recognized public servant who has demonstrated a longstanding commitment to Northern Ireland.

'She has an enormous amount to offer the university and will continue to work as a key advocate for Queen's on the international stage.

In 2018, Mrs Clinton was awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws from Queen's for exceptional public service in the US and globally, and for her contribution to peace and reconciliation in Northern Ireland.

Clinton has been doing the rounds when it comes to academic institutions. The day before being in Belfast, she collected an honorary degree in person from Oxford University.

Clinton has been the US first lady, the first lady of Arkansas, the 67th US secretary of state and a presidential candidate.

She also spent five decades in public service as an advocate, lawyer, activist and volunteer.
A 25-year-old woman has revealed how she was able to snap up her first home without any help from her parents and by using a strict savings routine.

Anjali Parmar grew up in Kenya and moved to Perth with her family in 2012 where she has recently bought a four-bedroom home just 26km from the city's centre.

She first put down $25,000 for a deposit on a block of land in June last year and only needed another 10 per cent down payment for the $250,000 home to be built.

Ms Parmar said she always planned to have her 'dream home' built so she could take advantage of the First Home Builders Grant which shaved off $15,000 from the house.

Anjali Parmar grew up in Kenya and moved to Perth with her family in 2012 where she has recently bought a four-bedroom home just 26km from the city's centre

In total she paid $50,000 for the block of land and house which together were worth $500,000 and is now paying off her mortgage.

The 25-year-old said she'd always hoped she'd one day be able to own her own house.

'I always saved and stuff, it was the reason I saved. I didn't think it would happen in a pandemic,' she told news.com.au.

She was able to enlist the help of her painter father while the house was under construction and said she saved $9,000 simply by not installing air conditioning until later on.

Ms Parmar, who has been working full time for three years said she'd had a job ever since she was a young teenager and had lived at home up until now.

The 25-year-old said she'd worked since she was 14 and tried not to spend a lot of money going out

'I've been working since I was 14, did newspaper deliveries, junk mail deliveries, just savings from that,' she said.

'I don't really smoke or drink much, worked in the local supermarket.'

She encouraged anyone else thinking of buying a house to dream big, adding they just needed to be strict on their saving.

For Ms Parmar, she made herself put away at least $200 every month to go towards her dream home.
Plans to force airlines to refund passengers for booked flights which became 'illegal' to take due to Covid travel restrictions have reportedly been scrapped.

Ministers are said to have quietly abandoned the proposal, which would have seen the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) watchdog granted extra 'enforcement powers', according to the Times.

It comes after carriers including British Airways and Ryanair refused to issue refunds to passengers when strict coronavirus measures effectively made their tickets null and void last year.

Typically, if a customer books a flight directly with an airline and it is cancelled, they are due their money back.

However the unprecedented travel rules owing to the pandemic simply made it 'illegal' for the majority of passengers to board.

It means they were not owed an automatic refund because their flights had not been cancelled directly by the carriers.

The legal loophole led MPs to agree that tougher enforcement powers were needed - particularly given that any court action launched by the CAA against the airlines can take years to complete.

Ministers are said to have quietly abandoned the proposal, which would have seen the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) watchdog granted extra 'enforcement powers' against carries (file photo)

In April this year, the Department for Transport (DfT) also vowed to grant the airlines watchdog extra powers in a bid to 'build consumer confidence and develop trust in booking travel'.

However aviation minister Robert Courts suggested in Parliament last week that there were no such plans in place.

He said now was not an 'appropriate' time to review the CAA's statutory duties because of the 'significant impact' of the coronavirus crisis.

Responding to a question from Labour MP Ruth Cadbury, Mr Courts said: 'Due to the significant impact that the Covid-19 crisis has had on both our aviation industry and the CAA, we do not consider it appropriate at this time to review the statutory duties of the CAA overall.

'However, we will consider changes to the CAA's powers and duties where necessary.'

Rory Boland, travel editor of the consumer group Which?, accused the government of going back on its word.

He told the Times: 'It's unacceptable that the government is suggesting it could backtrack on or delay its plans for reform of the CAA's powers.

'The pandemic saw millions of pounds in refunds for cancelled flights illegally denied  proving beyond any doubt that the regulator doesn't have the powers it needs to effectively hold airlines to account for brazen law-breaking.

'The government must not go back on its pledge to strengthen the CAA's powers, which should include giving the regulator powers to fine airlines directly when they break the law.

'It should move quickly to carry out a review, to give reassurance to passengers that they will soon have a regulator with the powers it needs to stand up for their rights.'

A DfT spokesperson denied the plans were being scrapped, saying on Monday: 'It is wrong to claim that plans to ensure airlines refund passengers will be scrapped.

'We remain committed to protecting passengers who are waiting for refunds from flights affected by Covid restrictions, and we will soon be consulting on how we can strengthen the Civil Aviation Authoritys powers to enforce protections for air passengers.'

It comes after the DfT detailed giving the CAA more bite in its Global Travel Taskforce report in April.

It comes after carriers including British Airways and Ryanair refused to issue refunds to passengers when strict coronavirus measures effectively made their tickets null and void last year

It said: 'The UK government will also build consumer confidence and develop trust in booking travel by putting further measures in place to ensure their money is safe in case bookings are cancelled wherever possible.

'Government will put in place additional, flexible and modern tools and work with regulators across all modes of transport to ensure consumer rights are enforced.

'For instance, for aviation this will include reforming the enforcement powers that the CAA has on airlines that breach consumer rights, which will be detailed in the strategic framework for the aviation sector to be published later this year.'

The DfT said it would look into boosting the CAA's powers where needed for specific issues, such as consumer protection.

A spokesman for British Airways said: 'Where a customer's flight is cancelled we always contact them to offer options including a full refund.

'Customers who are unable to travel, or choose not to, can continue to change their flights or request a voucher for future use as part of our Book with Confidence policy, which has been available since the beginning of the pandemic.'

Ryanair did not respond to a request for comment.
A 'sonic wave' which took Channel 4 off the air at the weekend is continuing to disrupt programmes after infuriating Sunday Brunch presenter Tim Lovejoy.

The broadcaster, among others, first went dark on Saturday night following a fire at a Red Bee server centre in White City, west London.

The smoke from the flames triggered a safety measure which sucked all the oxygen out of the room - which in turn caused a so-called sonic wave, causing the servers to shut down, sources told the Times.

Channel 4 does not know when normal service will resume while Red Bee Media, which also broadcasts for the BBC and Channel 5, is racing to solve the issue.

The broadcaster was forced to switch to an emergency backup system Sunday but issues have persisted.

A visibly ticked off Lovejoy told viewers on Sunday morning: 'Things keep happening that shouldn't be happening'.

The BBC avoided the worst of the disruption as it was able to switch its operation to Salford.

In an update on Twitter, Channel 4 said: 'We continue to experience disruption to our services due to technical issues.

A visibly ticked off Tim Lovejoy (pictured left) told Sunday Brunch viewers: 'Things keep happening that shouldn't be happening'

'We're working hard to resume our normal services and appreciate your continued understanding and patience.'

Red Bee, which is owned by the Swedish telecoms giant Ericsson, said it was looking into the issue.

'We are continuing to work to restore all services and remedy any issues caused by this incident,' Red Bee said.

The BBC, Channel 5 and S4C, the Welsh-language broadcaster, also experienced issues related to the server shutdown.

A spokesperson for Channel4 previously confirmed the channel came off air 'over technical issues and steps were made to right it as soon as possible'.

They added there is no timeline in place as of yet for a full-fix, but engineers are working to resume normal service.

A spokesperson for Red Bee Media confirmed staff were evacuated after a fire at their Broadcast Centre in West London.

They said: 'As a result of this incident and the automatic safety measures set in motion at the time, several services originating from the Broadcast Centre have been disrupted.

'London Fire Brigade attended the scene, and once they had determined that the building is safe, people were allowed to return to the building.

Downdetector reported more than 3,000 outages on Channel 4 from approximately 6.30pm to 8pm Sunday

'We are continuing to work to restore all services and remedy any issues caused by this incident.

'To avoid speculation, we will not make any further statements until all services have been fully restored and we have concluded a full investigation of the cause.

'We apologise for any inconvenience for our customers and their viewers.'

Downdetector reported more than 3,000 outages on Channel 4 from approximately 6.30pm to 8pm Sunday.

Thousands of viewers were left to watch adverts that had frozen or blank holding screens in lieu of their favourite programmes.

Separately, Channel 5 was also said to be faced with technical issues and went off air on Saturday.

Some viewers said they were only shown a message on the channel which said: 'We apologise for the interruption. We'll be back with you as soon as we can.'
The public will be skeptical of health experts when the next pandemic hits because the guidance given during the coronavirus crisis was not well-informed and not grounded in science, the former FDA chief has warned.

Dr. Scott Gottlieb, who headed the FDA for two years during the Trump administration, told CNN on Sunday that the public lost faith in health officials due to conflicting messaging.

Gottlieb said Americans were given instructions that were not very well informed, changed a lot, and wasnt explained very well.

The former FDA chief specifically mentioned the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions recommendation that people stay six feet away from each other.

Gottlieb called it the single costliest piece of advice or guidance that the CDC issued through this pandemic.

Dr. Scott Gottlieb, who headed the FDA for two years during the Trump administration, told CNN on Sunday that the public lost faith in health officials due to conflicting messaging

A nurse receives a COVID-19 vaccination at Mt. Sinai Hospital in New York City in December 2020

Its what forced many schools to close because they couldnt maintain six feet of distance between students, Gottlieb said.

And that wasnt grounded in very clear science and it was shifting over time.

The CDC eventually amended the guidance to say that people should be kept three feet apart, but Gottlieb revealed that originally the agency proposed a minimum social distancing of 10ft.

People now are going to have a more fundamental question on whether public health officials should be more empowered in a public health crisis.

And I think to mount the right response to a crisis, were going to need to empower our public health agencies.

But theres going to be a lot of people who are very skeptical about doing that.

Gottlieb said that the skepticism of public health officials transcends political divisions between left and right.

Gottlieb said Americans were given instructions that were not very well informed, changed a lot, and wasnt explained very well. He cited the social distancing rule to keep six feet apart - a guidance that he called 'arbitrary'. People are pictured waiting to buy weed in Denver, Colorado, in March 2020

I think its much broader than that, Gottlieb said. I think the skepticism is going to be more pervasive.

Last week, Gottlieb criticized the CDC for its 'lack of rigor' in providing guidelines during the early days of COVID, pointing to the six-feet-apart social distancing rule to stop the spread as an 'arbitrary' approach proposed by a Trump appointee.

'The six feet rule was arbitrary in and of itself, nobody knows where it came from,' said Gottlieb in an interview with Margaret Brennan in CBS's segment Face The Nation.

'But if the administration had focused in on that, they might have been able to effect a policy that would have actually achieved their outcome. But that policy-making process didnt exist, and the six feet is a perfect example of sort of the lack of rigor around how CDC made recommendations.'

Gottlieb continued: 'The initial recommendation that the CDC brought to the White House and I talk about this was 10 feet, and a political appointee in the White House said we can't recommend 10 feet.

Gottlieb, a frequent critic of Trump's handling of the pandemic, did not disclose the name of the aide who allegedly proposed the six-feet rule.

'Nobody can measure 10 feet. It's inoperable. Society will shut down. So the compromise was around six feet,' Gottlieb said.

In the interview, Gottlieb said that the guideline was changed to three feet this spring because of added pressure from the Biden administration to open back schools across the country, which was only going to be possible if the six-feet measure was reduced.

In March, the CDC recommended that all students should remain at least three feet apart in classrooms.

The CDC cited the reason behind the impromptu change was a study that proved three-feet social distancing between two masked individuals reduced the chances of COVID-19 infections by 70 percent.

However, Gottlieb contended that the study had been done in the fall of 2020, and the CDC waited until the spring to change the guideline.

The former FDA commissioner was critical of Trump's inaction and lack of compromise with sending a unified message at a time of crisis, and setting an example in dealing with the pandemic as COVID-19 took the lives of hundreds of thousands Americans. Trump is pictured in February, 2020

'Which begs the question if they had that study result in the fall, why didn't they change the advice in the fall? Why did they wait until the spring?

'This is how the whole thing feels arbitrary and not science-based. So we talk about a very careful, science-based process and these anecdotes get exposed, and that's where Americans start to lose confidence in how the decisions got made,' Gottlieb said.

Gottlieb weighed in on his perceived treatment of the pandemic by the Trump administration.

The former commissioner was critical of Trump's inaction and lack of compromise with sending a unified message at a time of crisis, and setting an example in dealing with the pandemic as COVID-19 took the lives of hundreds of thousands Americans.

He added that while Trump was initially determined to make dramatic decisions in order to stop the spread, he eventually became more concerned with how the pandemic was going to affect America in other ways.

'Later on, their attitudes really changed to the point where when the president was contagious with COVID, he ceremoniously took his mask off. And so what message does that send to the country?

'But my view is that they were sold on the idea that you weren't going to be able to really affect the spread and that anything you did was just going to have so many repercussions in terms of impact on children who might not be in school.

'Impact on the economy, that the costs were worse than the disease. And the schools is a perfect example of the lack of effective policymaking, he said.'

Gottlieb said that there were inherent issues that kept the country from proactively stopping the spread and minimizing the consequences of the pandemic, adding that Trump was privately 'gravely concerned' but did not want to alarm the public.

'But stepping back from that, I think that there were fundamental weaknesses with our response that regardless of who is in power, we had an ill prepared bureaucracy. We didn't have the right infrastructure, we didn't have the right agencies.

'The agencies weren't properly empowered. So even if you had competent leadership, very effective leadership up and down the chain, you still would have had some of the same problems,' Gottlieb concluded.

Gottlieb acknowledged in the interview that the political leadership didnt help in developing a consistent message.

He said the Trump administration could not get the country to agree and get behind collective action on some of the easier things that we could have done to try to mitigate the spread, like wearing masks, vaccination, discouraging people from engaging in certain activities that we knew were risks for spread.

Gottlieb said that while there is much to criticize about the political leaderships response to the pandemic, he was more concerned about the policymaking at the agency level.

He said the lack of coordination between the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the FDA, and the rest of the Department of Health and Human Services hampered the response to the pandemic.

A new book claimed earlier this year that Trump considered quarantining Americans infected with COVID on Guantanamo Bay when the pandemic first started to take hold in February 2020.

'Don't we have an island that we own? What about Guantanamo?' the president asked when White Officials debated where to send US citizens who had the virus in February 2020, according to Yasmeen Abutaleb and Damian Paletta in Nightmare Scenarios: Inside the Trump Administration's Response to the Pandemic That Changed History.'

'We import goods,' Trump told his staff in the Situation Room. 'We are not going to import a virus.'

Gottlieb was critical of Trump's inaction and lack of compromise with sending an unified message to Americans at a time of crisis. Pictured is Trump returning to the White House, driven the Secret Service while he was infected with COVID-19

Trump then brought up the idea a second time, forcing aides to quash the plan fearing a backlash over putting members of the public on the same island as terrorism suspects, according to an excerpt published in the Washington Post.

The book details the workings inside the White House before infections began spreading rapidly across the country at the end of February and start of March 2020 and is based off interviews with 180 people.

It also details how Trump allegedly fumed at US infections doubling from 14 to 28 when infected Americans were evacuated from the Diamond Princess and returned home and his anger over the CDC taking over testing.

'Testing is killing me!' Trump reportedly shouted in a March 18 phone call to then-Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar.

'I'm going to lose the election because of testing! What idiot had the federal government do testing?' the president added.

Trump frequently stated during the pandemic that the number of infections in the US were so high because the rate of testing was higher than anywhere else in the world.

'Uh, do you mean Jared?, Azar responded according to Abutaleb and Paletta.

The phone call came five days after Trump's son-in-law Kushner took over management of national testing with the help of the private sector.

'This was gross incompetence to let CDC develop a test,' Trump told Azar in the heated phone call.

Kushner, according to the book, also called Robert Kadlec, the HHS emergency preparedness chief, a 'f***ing moron' when he found out an order of 600 million masks would not arrive in the US until June.

'Well all be dead by June,' Kushner said.

Mark Meadows also attacked Kadlec when the government was slow in handing out the antiviral treatment remdesivir after it was approved by the FDA.

'Im going to fire your a** if you cant fix this!' Meadows said in a phone call to Kadlec.

According to the book, Trump's comments on the call were so loud that Azar's aides could hear him.

Trump also reportedly told his aides to fire a senior State Department official who allowed 14 Americans infected with COVID to get off the Diamond Princess on US soil.

Trump considered quarantining Americans infected with COVID on Guantanamo Bay when the pandemic first started to take hold in February 2020, the book claims. 'Don't we have an island that we own? What about Guantanamo?' the president asked in the Situation Room in February 2020, according to Yasmeen Abutaleb and Damian Paletta in Nightmare Scenario: Inside the Trump Administration's Response to the Pandemic That Changed History. Guantanamo Bay detainees are pictured in a yard in August 2009

The Americans were among the hundreds of people evacuated from the quarantined cruise ship in Yokohama on February 17, 2020.

They were taken off the vessel and repatriated back to the US on two chartered flights that landed at Travis Air Force Base, California, and Lackland Air Force Base, Texas.

The State Department deemed that all the infected passengers were asymptomatic and cleared to fly.

Trump complained to Azar that it 'doubled his infections overnight', with the total number of cases in the US rising to 28.

Abutaleb and Paletta write that the aides balked at the idea and instead said that bringing back the sick Americans meant it saved their lives.

Trump also called for firing Kadlec after he signed off on the Diamond Princess evacuation.

Later on in the response he pushed to oust Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Stephen Hahn because he refused to speed up vaccine approvals before the election.

The officials Trump wanted to fire managed to survive the administration.

Dr Anthony Fauci, who had a contested relationship with Trump, also stayed in his position even though staff looked to Kushner and other economic advisors when deciding on the response, the book claims.

The book details the workings inside the White House before infections spread across the country and is based off interviews with 180 people

'That was what the response had turned into: a toxic environment in which no matter where you turned, someone was ready to rip your head off or threatening to fire you,' Abutaleb and Paletta write.

Their book also lays out the tensions in the White House when Mike Pence was chosen to head up the COVID response, essentially replacing Azar.

Pence's chief of staff Marc Schort criticized Trump for extending a a 'pause' on the economy through Easter 2020 and said it was a 'gift' to Democratic governors.

Short also slammed the plan to send free masks to every American household, with some officials comparing them to 'underwear on your face' and a 'training bra'.

House Democrats have expanded their investigation into Trump's Health Department after accusing the former president's administration of 'meddling' with CDC data during the COVID pandemic - including efforts to alter an apolitical CDC report that were allegedly hidden by then-CDC head Robert Redfield.

The committee members accused Trump officials of engaging 'in a persistent pattern of political interference in the nations pandemic responseoverruling and bullying our nations scientists and making decisions that allowed the virus to spread more rapidly in an attempt to advance former President Trumps electoral prospects.'

The subcommittee, led by Rep. James Clyburn, claims it is aware of 88 instances of the Trump administration interfering with the US pandemic response, including several instances where Trump-era officials sought to alter the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Reports (MMWR).

MMWR reports offer regular public updates on scientists' findings.

One email from August 2020 obtained by the Democrats shows former HHS adviser Paul Alexander demanding an 'immediate stop' to the apolitical reports, calling them 'hit pieces on the administration.'

Alexander went on to outline conditions in which the reports can be released, which include giving him leave to alter the information within to ensure it is 'fair and balanced.'

The email was sent to lawmakers by Dr. Charlotte Kent, editor-in-chief of the MMWR report, who told them she was instructed to delete the email by Redfield.

'Dr. Kent stated that she was instructed to delete Dr. Alexanders email on August 9, and that she understood the direction came from Dr. Redfield,' lawmakers wrote in a letter addressed to HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra and current CDC head Rochelle Walensky.

Lawmakers also said the White House refused to have Redfield sit down for an interview after learning about the allegations, and 'abruptly canceled' four other scheduled interviews with officials.

'Our public health institutions must never again be compromised by decision makers more concerned with politics than keeping Americans safe,' the letter read.

They also asked to interview six current members of the HHS staff.

Trump also reportedly told his aides to fire a senior State Department official who allowed 14 Americans infected with COVID on the Diamond Princess. He complained to Azar that it 'doubled his infections overnight', with the total number of cases in the US rising to 28. The Diamond Princess is pictured in Japan in February 2020
The touching moment a boyfriend checked on his partner as a wild fight broke out in front of her at a shopping centre car park has won over the internet.

Bianca Muscat, 26, was sitting in her car outside Fraser Shores Shopping Centre in Hervey Bay, Queensland, when the furious brawl blew up before her.

She saw one car speed into a car park spot in front of her at the mall's Priceline store before its female driver jumped out to confront the occupants of another parked car.

Within seconds, she and a dark-haired woman were both pulled out of the second car before punches were thrown and two men in the second car got involved, grappling with the women to separate them.

Bianca Muscat, 26, was sitting in her car outside Fraser Shores Shopping Centre in Hervey Bay, Queensland, when the furious brawl blew up before her

One car sped into a car park spot in front of her at the mall's Priceline store before its female driver jumped out to confront the occupants of another parked car

One bundled the dark-haired woman back into their car while the second man wrestled with the first woman, and screamed at her: 'Get back to jail, you dog'.

The blonde driver of the first car aims several punches at the side of the second car, although it's unclear if they are at the driver, the female passenger or the window.

The second car then rapidly reverses, smashing into the rear of the first car, before accelerating out the car park at speed, narrowly missing hitting the first car again.

Within seconds, she and a dark-haired woman were both pulled out of the second car before punches were thrown

The two men in the second car got involved, grappling with the women to separate them

One bundled the dark-haired woman back into their car while the second man wrestled with the first woman, and screamed at her: 'Get back to jail, you dog'

Ms Muscat captured the action on her phone and posted it to TikTok - but it was the reaction of her fiance Jayde Scott at the end of the video which won over viewers.

He emerged from the shopping centre in the middle of the brawl and immediately came to his partner's passenger window of their car to ask: 'You all right?'

Ms Muscat captured the action on her phone and posted it to TikTok - but it was the reaction of her fiance Jayde Scott (pictured) at the end of the video which won over viewers

The blonde driver of the first car aims several punches at the side of the second car

A second clip later revealed how distraught Ms Muscat had been at witnessing the incident, with voice breaking with emotion as she begged him to stay back from the incident.

'Babe, babe, please come back here,' she shouts through tears to him as he then watches the drama unfold in front of them. 'Stand back.'

'You're all right,' he tells her. 'So long as they don't come over here...'

'That's a man protecting not only his girl but ready to take on someone if needed,' posted Theresa Osbourne under the clip.

A second clip later revealed how distraught Bianca Muscat (pictured) had been at witnessing the incident, with voice breaking with emotion as she begged fiance Jayde Scott (pictured) to stay back from the incident

'When he said "you're all right" at the end of that clip, my eyed watered,' added Nevada Whitten.

Another posted: 'Your boyfriend was ready to go them too if anything happened to you. That was protective "You all right?" if ever I heard one.'

The clip has now been seen more than 2.5 million times, with almost 5000 replies and 200,000 likes.

She later added on TikTok: 'He's the most amazing partner, I'm very lucky. Thank you to all the beautiful people with the kind comments.

'All I know was what myself and others witnessed was beyond disgusting, sad and traumatising for all involved. I started recording for the safety of myself and my car!

Bianca Muscat (pictured) hailed her fiance Jayde Scott (pictured) as 'the most amazing partner - I'm very lucky'

'I decided to post on social media because their behaviour was that foul I'd hope they see this and think twice before acting this way in public again.

'I had an elderly lady hiding behind my car because she was that scared.'

She added: 'You can hear my voice cracking - which I originally cut from the end of video because I was embarrassed by myself getting that upset.

'It's not just themselves it affects. People telling me to feel sorry for them yet they didn't consider the safety and feelings of all the bystanders.'

Ms Muscat said she gave a statement to police about the fight who took a copy of the video.

Staff at the Priceline store declined to comment. Hervey Bay police said they were investigating.
A Massachusetts police union said on Friday that dozen of state troopers have resigned over a COVID vaccine mandate for state workers.

The mandate requires state workers to get the vaccine shot by October 17 or may face termination from their jobs.

A lawsuit was filed by The State Police Association of Massachusetts - a union that represents 1,800 officers - in an attempt to delay the mandate enforced by Republican Governor Charlie Baker. That suit was thrown out Thursday.

'Many of these troopers are going to be returning to their previous municipal police departments within the state that allow for regular testing and masks,' SPAM president Michael Cherven said.

'To date, dozens of troopers have already submitted their resignation paperwork.'

A lawsuit was filed by the State Police Association of Massachusetts in an attempt to delay the vaccine mandate being enforced in the state, but was thrown out

Governor Charlie Baker enforced the mandate requiring state workers to get vaccinated by October 17 or face disciplinary action

Cherven added: 'Throughout COVID, we have been on the front lines protecting the citizens of Massachusetts and beyond.

'Simply put, all we are asking for are the same basic accommodations that countless other departments have provided to their first responders, and to treat a COVID related illness as a line of duty injury.'

The request was denied by Judge Jackie Cowin of the Massachusetts Supreme Court on Thursday.

'Specifically, the public interest is, unquestionably, best served by stopping the spread of the virus, in order to protect people from becoming ill, ensure adequate supply of medical services, and curtail the emergence of new, deadlier variants of the virus,' Cowin told the Daily Wire.

In response to the decision, Cherven said: 'We are disappointed in the judges ruling; however, we respect her decision.

'It is unfortunate that the Governor and his team have chosen to mandate one of the most stringent vaccine mandates in the country with no reasonable alternatives.'

SPAM president Michael Cherven said that the vaccine may leave them short-staffed after the Massachusetts Supreme Court denied their request on Thursday

Governor Baker argued against the opposition of the mandate and the alternative options that were being sought by workers.

'I want people who are face to face with public folks who work for the commonwealth to be comfortable in knowing that those folks are vaccinated,' he said, according to Boston.com.

'Theyre face to face with people they dont know, so I happen to think its important for them to be vaccinated, so that they can be safe.'

Only 20% of the workers from SPAM have been vaccinated, according to the Boston Herald

According to the Boston Herald, about 20% of the police union's members are still unvaccinated as of earlier this week.

'The State Police are already critically short staffed and acknowledge this by the unprecedented moves to take officers from specialty units that investigate homicides, terrorism, computer crimes, arsons and human trafficking, to name just a few,' Cherven said.

President Biden also announced a mandate this month for federal workers to receive the vaccine.

He also said that workers do not comply will face disciplinary action, such as termination, and the mandate applies to companies with 100 or more employees.

'Weve been patient, but our patience is wearing thin, and your refusal has cost all of us,' Biden said.

According to NPR, about 55% of the US population has been fully vaccinated with 64% receiving at least one dose.

The state of Massachusetts has a full vaccination rate of 67.5% and 77% have received at least one dose.
Fuel suppliers will be allowed to fill up rival companies petrol station tanks in a bid to stop forecourts running dry, ministers have agreed.

The Government suspended competition laws to allow businesses to work together so they can see where there are shortages and address them.

Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng agreed the plan with other ministers on Sunday evening as the Government tried to stop the economy grinding to a halt.

A joint statement from energy and logistics companies including Shell, ExxonMobil and Wincanton last night said: We are in regular contact with ministers and policy officials and it was reassuring to meet with the Business Secretary again on Sunday evening and discuss further action. It also reassured drivers there is not a national shortage of fuel.

Fuel suppliers will be allowed to fill up rival companies petrol station tanks in a bid to stop forecourts running dry. Pictured: An Esso garage in Lewisham had no petrol available on Sunday

It comes as Labour yesterday urged ministers to allow in 100,000 foreign lorry drivers to tackle the shortfall brought on by Brexit, workers retiring and delays to HGV driving tests caused by Covid.

Ministers this weekend caved into pressure and relaxed visa rules to allow 5,000 HGV drivers and 5,500 poultry workers into the UK on three-month contracts.

But Sir Keir Starmer said yesterday that the Government had not gone far enough. The Labour leader told the BBCs Andrew Marr Show: Im astonished the Government is not acting today. The Prime Minister needs to say today what he is going to do.

Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng agreed to a plan to allow fuel suppliers to fill up rival companies petrol station tanks in a bid to stop forecourts running dry, on Sunday evening as the Government tried to stop the economy grinding to a halt

When asked if he would allow in more than 100,000 drivers to tackle the shortfall, Sir Keir said: We have to issue enough visas to cover the number of drivers that we need.

Across mainland Europe, the total number of drivers is down by 400,000. It comes as Transport Secretary Grant Shapps urged furloughed workers to retrain as truckers as the scheme comes to an end.

He told the BBC show: There are 1.6million people coming off furlough this month. The British people should be able to skill up and take these jobs and we shouldnt keep undercutting people.
The World Health Organisation will start a new investigation into the origins of the Covid outbreak and probe whether the virus came from a Wuhan lab.

A new team of experts will be appointed, including experts on biosecurity, laboratory safety, genetics, and how viruses spread to humans, The Wall Street Journal reports.

They will look into whether coronavirus leaked from a lab in Wuhan, at the end of 2019 - a claim denied by China, which also wants the WHO to examine if the virus originated in another country.

It comes after US President Joe Biden ordered intelligence agencies to investigate the 'lab leak' theory.

A WHO spokesman said the new team's 'priority needs to be data and access in the country where the first reports were identified'.

The earlier investigation recommended China examine the earliest suspected coronavirus cases, with the team claiming in its final report that the data provided by the country was insufficient.

Western intelligence agencies had seemingly written off the 'remote' chance that the laboratory - where research into bat-derived coronaviruses is conducted - had played a role. Pictured: Researchers in a lab at the Wuhan Institute of Virology in Wuhan in central China's Hubei province, February 2017

The news comes as Covid-19 deaths and cases both increased on Sunday, compared to the previous week's figures.

Infections soared to 32,417 and lives lost to the virus rose 3.5 per cent compared to the previous Sunday with 58 deaths revealed. The prior week there were 29,612 new cases and 56 deaths.

Separate data suggested Covid infections plummeted last week despite fears that the new school term would fuel an autumn surge sooner.

One in 90 people in England had the virus, with around 620,100 infected in total, testing by the Office for National Statistics revealed.

This is down 18 per cent from a fortnight earlier, when one in 70 tested positive and estimated total infections stood at 754,000.

The weekly ONS survey, based on random swab testing of 150,000 people, is seen by the Government as the most reliable measure of the epidemic.

The Government said a further 122 people died within 28 days of testing positive for Covid as of today, bringing the UK total to 136,105.

Separate figures published by the Office for National Statistics show there have now been 160,000 deaths registered in the UK where Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate.

As of 9am on Saturday, there had been a further 31,348 lab-confirmed Covid cases in the UK, the Government said.

In a further boost for hopes that the pandemic may be over, Government scientists said the R rate  the average number infected by someone with the virus  may have dropped below one for the first time since March. R is between 0.8 and 1 in England, meaning the epidemic is shrinking.

ONS study leader Kara Steel said: Infection levels have decreased in England for the first time in several weeks, though rates remain generally high across the UK.

Its encouraging that infection rates have continued to decrease among young adults, possibly reflecting the impact of the vaccination programme.

Infections are highest in secondary schoolchildren, with around one in 35 testing positive, reflecting the fact that many in this age group are yet to be jabbed.

But the ONS report shows cases have decreased or remained flat in every other age group.

Last week Boris Johnson said further restrictions may be required under a Plan B this winter after scientists warned the virus could cripple the NHS again.

No10 declined to say when Plan B  including compulsory masks, vaccine passports and working from home  might be introduced.

But scientists have suggested the NHS would begin to struggle if total hospital cases top 10,000.

The latest data show admissions have fallen by 16 per cent in the past week and there are 7,124 Covid patients in hospital  the lowest level since August.

Current English hospitalisations, at 572 a day, are roughly half even the best case scenario in Sage models.

Daily infections are currently averaging 36,000, with another 35,623 cases and 180 deaths reported yesterday.

Experts have warned a back-to-school wave is still possible and that England could follow the trajectory of Scotland, where cases recently spiralled to record highs.

Oxford University Professor James Naismith, director of the Rosalind Franklin Institute, said: The very high prevalence in Scotland is a concern  it is roughly double that of England.

I very much hope England does not reach the level seen in Scotland. He added: Cases remain concentrated in the very young, who are the least likely to suffer illness and end up in hospital.

As a result of vaccination, there is no going back to the death rates we saw early this year.
Graduates could be forced to start repaying their student loans earlier in their careers under Government plans revealed last night.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak is reported to be considering cutting the salary threshold for when repayments are triggered from the current 27,295 to 23,000, in a move that would save the Treasury as much as 2billion a year.

The National Union of Students said it would be totally opposed to any such reduction, with its vice-president for higher education, Hillary Gyebi-Ababio, telling the Financial Times: The injustice is simply astounding.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak is reported to be considering cutting the salary threshold for when repayments are triggered from the current 27,295 to 23,000

The average student now graduates owing in the region of 45,000.

The debts are written off after 30 years, and the Government estimates that more than half of the loans will never be paid back.

Henry Parkes, an economist at the Institute for Public Policy Research think-tank, said the move would be virtually indistinguishable from a tax rise targeted at young workers alone.

But some believe that the current system imposes too high a burden on the public finances.

Nick Hillman, director of the higher education think-tank HEPI, said forcing graduates to start repaying sooner would bring very significant savings without seriously harming on-the-ground services.

The Department for Education said the student loan system was designed to ensure all those with the talent and desire to attend higher education are able to do so, whilst ensuring that the cost of higher education is fairly distributed between graduates and the taxpayer.

The average student now graduates owing in the region of 45,000. The debts are written off after 30 years

It said it was continuing to consider the recommendations made in the Augar review of post-18 education, which two years ago recommended that the repayment threshold be lowered to 23,000  but also suggested lifting some of the burden on students by reducing tuition fees.

As well as saving money, the Government believes that reforming the student loan system would encourage more teenagers to opt for a cheaper and more practical vocational course instead of a degree.

Ministers believe that improving skills across the country is key to the levelling up agenda.

Former Skills Minister Gillian Keegan said before the recent ministerial reshuffle: We want people to think about their options  its a big investment decision.
Three men were killed after a single-engine plane they were flying on crashed moments after taking off from a West Virginia aircraft.

State police identified the victims as Nick Fletcher, 38, Michael Taphouse, 36, and Wesley Farley, 39. All were from the Chesapeake, Virginia, area.

The single-engine Beechcraft C23 went down after taking off from the Fayette Airport in Fayetteville, West Virginia, on Sunday morning, the Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement.

Police received a call Sunday morning reporting a possible plane crash in the area, and later found no survivors.

State police Capt. R.A. Maddy told the press that the wreckage was found behind a barn on Opossum Creek Road in Lansing.

State police confirmed that a small plane crash in southern West Virginia killed three people who were on board the aircraft

The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board have taken over the investigation

Three bodies were found inside the plane.

The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the tragic incident, and have yet to offer a possible explanation for the smash.

Emergency Management Director Kevin Walker confirmed that an aircraft went down but for unknown reasons and crews were unable to access the crash site for hours, according to WVVA News.

Multiple emergency crews responded to the call in the rural community of Lansing is a few miles from the New River Gorge Bridge about 50 miles southeast of Charleston.

They eventually were able to block off the location of the wreckage and urged the public to avoid the crash site.
The body of a 2-year-old girl who went missing in Louisiana Friday has been found in Mississippi, with her stepfather arrested in connection with her death.

Authorities found the body of Nevaeh Allen in a remote area across state lines in Mississippi, Sunday afternoon, after a two-day search for the girl.

They arrested stepfather Phillip Gardner, 30, and charged him with disposing of the body, but have so far not charged him in connection to her death.

The toddler was reported missing in her Baton Rouge neighborhood two days prior, police reported.

Authorities reported that they had found the body of missing Louisiana toddler Nevaeh Allen (pictured) Sunday afternoon across state lines in Mississippi, two days after she was reported missing

The girl's mother, Lanaya Cardwell, said Gardner had put her down for a nap and fell asleep himself at around 1pm.

But when her oldest son returned home hours later, he found the front door open and Nevaeh missing, while Gardiner still slept, WVLA reported.

Cardwell, who affectionately referred to her daughter as Nu Nu, was away at work at the time of the disappearance, and noted that she was not known to wander off.

'I never once had to correct Nevaeh for even leaving the house without an adult. Navaeh knows better,' she said.

Allen's stepfather Phillip Gardner was arrested in connection to Nevaeh's disappearance after he admitted to disposing of her body to police. He has so far not been charged in her death

The girl's disappearance sparked a massive search, and on Saturday the FBI was called to aide in the effort.

'Nevaeh, the little girl, my little boy and her daddy drove me to work and thats the last time I saw my baby,' she told WAFB amid the frantic search for her daughter. 'I dont know what could have happened. I don't know what went wrong, I wish would have stayed home from work. I dont know, I dont know.'

Gardner had initially told investigators that he was at home sleeping when he awoke to find Nevaeh had vanished, and the door unlocked.

'The story done changed,' Baton Rouge police spokesman Sgt. L'Jean McKneely Jr. said Sunday after the arrest, according to the Baton Rouge Advocate.

After further interviews with Gardner, police said they then expected the worst.

'Evidence and interviews points to the unimaginable,' McKneely said before Neveah's body was discovered. 'The baby may be dead. 'Were currently working with law enforcement partners and search crews to locate the childs body.'

According to his arrest report, Gardner later admitted that he had found the toddler 'unresponsive and lifeless,' the Advocate reported, and that he had admitted to disposing of the body, but he has so far not been implicated in her death.

The body was found in the remote Logtown area of Hancock County, and Pearl River County Coroner Derek Turnage, said Sunday, and that the body will be turned over to Louisiana authorities for an autopsy, according to the Sun Herald.

Nevaeh's mother, Lanaya Cardwell (pictured) said the last time she saw her daughter was when she was dropped off at work Friday morning

The girl's disappearance sparked a massive search, with the FBI called in to assist on Saturday

Family members described a toxic relationship between Gardner and Cardwell, the Advocate reported, and that violence would erupt between them, sometimes involving the toddler.

Cardwell's mother Jessica Billiot recounted an alleged incident in which he hit Cardwell, who is pregnant, and a neighbor called the police. The couple, however, refused to answer the door when police arrived, Billiot said, and no report was filed.

In another alleged incident, she said she witnessed Gardner 'have a fit at' the girl after she spilled slime on the carpet, and forced her to hold a vacuum in an attempt to have her clean it up.

When Cardwell questioned what he was doing, Blliot said, Gardner allegedly tossed the vacuum at the wall.

Eventually, the toddler's body was found in the remote Logtown area of Hancock County in Mississippi (pictured), and authorities there are due to transfer the remains to Louisiana authorities for autopsy

'Nevaeh starts crying,' she told the Advocate. 'To me, there were some things going on there that I did not like.'

The girl's father, Marcus Allen, last saw her on Wednesday, when he dropped her off to spend the rest of the week with Cardwell and Gardner, and was supposed to pick her up Sunday.

He said his daughter was 'the perfect 2-year-old,' and that she loved animals. He told the Advocate that he had been skeptical of Gardner's story on her disappearance.

'He's the last family person to see her,' he said. 'It honestly makes no sense.'

Nevaeh would have been three years old in February.
Two Australian university lecturers have revealed why a nasal spray could be the future of Covid-19 vaccinations.

Dr Mike Todorovic and Dr Matt Barton, senior lecturers and medical researchers at Griffith University in Queensland, used their YouTube channel to show where the technology to fight the coronavirus is headed.

'The doorway (to getting the virus) is your nose and mouth, this is why we wear a mask,' said Dr Barton.

'But if it was to get in, we would need to have a method of vaccine that would work at the respiratory level, so this would be a vaccine through a nasal spray, or something like that, which scientists are currently working on.'

A nasal spray could be used before, or shortly after, exposure to a virus, prompting the body to respond faster to protect patients and reduce community spread.

Almost 52 per cent of eligible Australians are fully vaccinated

In the video, Dr Todorovic, in character acting as a member of the public, asks his colleague how come he can get Covid-19 and pass it on even if he is vaccinated.

He is answered by Dr Omar Khorshid, President of the Australian Medical Association.

'The vaccines that we have available to us against Covid-10 are really effective, but like all medical treatments, they're not perfect,' said Dr Khorshid.

'There is that small chance that you could still contract the virus and have no symptoms at all, and you may even be able to transmit the virus. But at the end of the day, what these vaccines are really there for is to prevent those really serious illnesses, including hospitalisation and, of course, death.

Aaron Henderson-Smith, Endorsed Emergency Nurse (pictured), conducts a Covid-19 swab test at the Rushcutters Bay mobile covid testing clinic on June 25, 2021 in Sydney

'The simplest thing you can do is to go and get vaccinated. If everyone gets vaccinated then the effectiveness of reducing transmission is less of an issue because of course everyone else is immune too,' he adds.

Dr Barton further explains that Covid-19 vaccines work at the blood system level.

'What these vaccines are doing is they are priming the immune system - the B and the T cells - to recognise the virus, so if the real virus comes and infects you, we have the means to kill it off. (The vaccine) significantly reduces the risk of being infected.'

Your next Covid shot could be going up your nose rather than into your arm

Dr Todorovic, again in character as a member of the public, puts it to his colleague that the vaccinated can still get sick and die.

Dr Barton says these are what is known as breakthrough cases.

'Breakthrough cases is where (there is) a population of vaccinated people and a small percentage can still (get) sick from the virus.'

Dr Matt Barton (left) and Dr Mike Todorovic (right) are senior lecturers and medical researchers at Griffith University in Queensland

How a Covid-19 nasal vaccine would work A nasal spray could be used before, or shortly after, exposure to a virus It would enable the body to respond faster to protect the patient This would also reduce the chance of community spread Seven of the around 100 Covid-19 vaccines in clinical trials are nasal sprays Advertisement

Dr Omar Khorshid (pictured), President of the Australian Medical Association

Dr Khorsid adds that 'We're really lucky to have access to two super-effective vaccines. They reduce your chance of severe disease with Covid-19 with something like 90 to 95 per cent, and for a medical treatment, that's really, really good.

'However, there are some people who can still get sick despite being vaccinated, and those most likely include those living with cancer who had to have treatments that reduced their immune response, or people living with immune deficiencies of other sorts.'

Dr Barton explains that it is very rare that someone who is fully vaccinated will die from Covid. 'Looking at the UK data, over the last six months of 2021, 51,000 people have died from Covid-19. Of those, 640 were fully vaccinated, so you can see it's a very small percentage.'

'In America the CDC (Centers for Disease Control) have shown you are 11 times more likely to die from Covid if you are unvaccinated.

'(Getting vaccinated) will free up beds in hospitals for people who are sick or injured from other means.'
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's Archewell website has begun advising its visitors to take a break from their screens.

The site - which offers fans updates on the couple's 'compassion in action' - has introduced an automated message which pops up 20 minutes after a visitor enters.

'We love having you here...' the message reads. 'But we're mindful of screen time.

'Why not take a break? We'll be here.'

The message is in line with one of Archewell's partners, the Centre for Humane Technology, which advises turning off online notifications, removing 'toxic' apps, and tracking one's screen time to change habits.

It comes after the website had yet another makeover earlier this month, when it appeared to update its mission statement.

The Archewell Foundation is now described as 'an impact-driven global nonprofit that puts compassion into action; uplifting and uniting communities locally and globally; online and offline.'

The Archewell site - which offers fans updates on the couple's 'compassion in action' - has introduced an automated message which pops up 20 minutes after a visitor enters

'As we increasingly understand the direct link between technology and its effect on each of us - online and offline - Archewell Foundation will continue to prioritise critical work around the state of our digital world,' the couple say, on their website.

The pair arrived by private jet to Santa Barbara, California on Saturday when they were reunited with their children Archie and Lilibet following a whirlwind tour of New York.

They had been in the Big Apple to promote vaccine equity by appearing at the Global Citizen Live concert.

The event urged world leaders to share vaccine doses in a bid to bring a swifter end to the coronavirus pandemic.

Britain's Prince Harry and Meghan Markle speak during the 2021 Global Citizen Live festival at the Great Lawn, Central Park on September 25

During Meghan and Harry's joint, coordinated speech, Meghan said: 'Every single person on this planet has a fundamental right to get this vaccine. That's the point, but that's not happening.

'And while in this country and many others, you can go almost anywhere and get vaccinated, billions of people around the world cannot,' she said.

'This year, the world is expected to produce enough doses to meet the target of vaccinating 70 percent of people in every single country, but it is wrong that so much of the vaccine supply has only gone to 10 wealthy nations so far and not everyone else. It's just not ok.'

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex also had a photo op with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

Pictures from the trip appeared to show a wire poking out of Harry's pocket, suggesting the de-facto royal tour will be part of their multi-million dollar Netflix deal.
The death of a newly-qualified lawyer and father-of-four from Covid-19 at his home has highlighted a problem among ethnic communities of people resisting treatment for the potentially deadly illness.

William Orule, 36, died alone in his western Sydney home on August 20 after being ill with the virus for nine days, soon after telling his cousin he was feeling 'better than previous days'.

The father-of-four is one of 40 people who have died of the virus at home during the current outbreak of the Delta variant, with over half of them having not being tested for the virus.

His family said that Mr Orule, who emigrated from South Sudan, was only weeks away from receiving his first dose of the Pfizer vaccine, with an appointment booked for October.

William Orule (pictured left), a lawyer and South Sudanese community leader died inside his western Sydney home from Covid-19

Speaking to ABC's 7.30, Mr Orule's cousin Edward Massimino explained that he and his family would check up on him, but his condition deteriorated suddenly.

'Every day, twice a day, we checked on him in the morning and then in the evening,' Mr Massimino said.

'And he also told us the Department of Health staff were checking on him. The last thing we always said was, 'Do you need to go to the hospital? We are ready to call for an ambulance.' And he said, 'No, I'm OK'.'

Mr Massimino was unsure why his cousin did not call for an ambulance, and the family is blaming themselves for not doing more to help.

Mr Olise was found dead by police who attended his home to conduct routine welfare checks on Covid positive patients.

Mr Orule (pictured left) told his cousin that he was feeling 'better than previous day' before police found him dead on August 20

Just over half of those who have died from Covid-19 whilst at home were not known to health authorities and hadn't yet been diagnosed with the virus.

29 people have died while at home in NSW, most being residents of western Sydney.

13 of those were known to NSW Health and the remaining 16 were diagnosed with Covid-19 after their death.

William Orule emigrated from South Sudan in 2003 with his cousin Edward Massimino through Australia's refugee program.

Mr Orule taught himself english and worked a number of jobs while pursuing an education at TAFE and university.

The father-of-four is being remembered as a brilliant man who helped his community and all those around him (pictured, William Orule in front of the Sydney Opera House)

On May 7 this year he was accepted to the Supreme Court of NSW and the Law Society after completing his law degree.

His main goal was to be able to support his South Sudanese community, and his death has shaken those who knew him.

A close friend of Mr Orule, Christine Debu said that his death has prompted the population to go and get vaccinated.

The community leader is being remembered as a role model by his community, and the current Chairman of the NSW Community of South Sudanese and Other Marginalised Areas Mawat Majok said a great person has been lost.

Mr Majok explained that the two contested the seat, and even after losing Mr Orule stayed on to assist with helping their community.

Tragically, Mr Orule's family revealed he was booked in to receive a Pfizer vaccine in October (pictured, Mr Orule far left)

Of those who died at home during the latest outbreak, victims were mainly from migrant or non-English speaking backgrounds.

Western Sydney GP and community leader Dr Jamal Rifi said many of them were scared of being without their kin and support network once in hospital, and that there was a stigma attached to the illness.

'I know first-hand many families were affected by COVID, they've chosen not to get swabbed, not to inform anyone,' Dr Rifi said.

'They kept it within themselves. And unfortunately, some of them died at home.'

He warned that the illness can accelerate rapidly, from standard cold and flu symptoms to fatal in quick time.

'They transformed from one day that they are managing OK, but they're a little bit tired and have a bit of a cough, slight headache, sweating,' Dr Rifi said.

'Within hours, that level of oxygen drops.'

NSW recorded 787 new locally acquired cases on Monday - down from the peak of 1,603 on September 11.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian confirmed Sydney's lockdown will end on October 11, the Monday after the 70 per cent vaccination rate will be reached.

NSW recorded 787 new locally acquired cases on Monday as case numbers signficantly dropped

Ms Berejiklian revealed a three-stage roadmap to freedom which will see life largely return to normal on December 1.

Premier Berejiklian said lockdown will end in Sydney on 11 October.

'I can say quite confidently we envisage 11 October will be the day we will be able to adhere to that road map,' she said.

Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant said she believes 92 per cent of over 16s will get fully vaccinated.

'I actually do think that we will get to 92% vaccination of our 16 pluses and I'm really keen that our 12- to 15-year-olds will get to a similar level,' she said.

'So I'm actually optimistic that we can achieve that in a very short order'.
Advertisement

A former forestry student-turned-shaman and yoga teacher has been charged with starting a huge California wildfire that has destroyed 41 homes - and was being investigated in connection with other fires - after claiming the blaze was triggered accidentally while she tried to boil bear urine so she could drink it.

Alexandra Souverneva, of Palo Alto, was charged Friday with felony arson to wildland with an enhancement because of a declared state of emergency in California, Shasta County District Attorney Stephanie Bridgett said. The 8,500 acre blaze the 30 year-old is accused of starting has wrecked 41 homes, and 90 other structures.

Souverneva pleaded not guilty but could face up to nine years in state prison if convicted. She is also suspected of starting additional fires in Shasta County and throughout the state, Bridgett said. It wasn't immediately known if she has an attorney who could speak on her behalf.

During questioning by investigators, Souverneva, who previously worked as a scientist, but whose most recent job was as an SAT tutor, claimed that she had been thirsty whilst out hiking and found a puddle in a dry creek bed which contained bear urine.

She then claims she attempted to filter the water using a tea bag but when that failed tried to start a fire to boil the water. Souverneva said that it was too wet to start a fire so she drank the water and continued walking.

The Fawn Fire has charred more than 13 square miles of heavy timber in the latest destructive blaze to send Californians fleeing this year. As of Monday morning, the fire was 45 per cent contained. CAL FIRE reported on Sunday night that three firefighters were injured while battling the inferno.

Souverneva is known to be a graduate of the California Institute of Technology and former Bay Area biotech employee.

She has also worked as a yoga teacher and describes herself as a shaman - a person who claims to have a direct connection with the world's good and evil spirits.

The 30-year-old has a past criminal record that includes several run-ins with the law, including most recently earlier this month, when she was picked up on suspicion of trespassing.

'It is difficult to grasp when disaster like this is, apparently, not a natural disaster. But we have a suspect,' Shasta County Sheriff Michael L. Johnson said to community members at a meeting on Saturday night.

Alexandra Souverneva, 30, of Palo Alto, has been charged with felony arson to wildland and is suspected of starting the Fawn fire

Fawn Fire arson suspect Alexandra Souverneva, left, appears in Shasta County Superior Court with public defender Shana Vegvary. Souverneva pleaded not guilty to charges of starting the blaze northeast of Redding

This map the area that has been affected by the Fawn Fire, which so far has scorched 13 square miles and was just 45 per cent contained as of Monday morning

'Deliberate ignition, if proven, makes it harder for us all to grasp as a community, and to deal with what we're facing,' he said.

Workers at a nearby quarry reported seeing Souverneva acting strangely and trespassing on the company's property in the area in Shasta County where the Fawn Fire was sparked on Wednesday afternoon, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said in a statement.

The woman was told by quarry workers that she was not allowed to be there, but she allegedly ignored them and continued walking into the vegetation.

Just hours later, firefighters were called to that same area for reports of a vegetation fire.

At around 8pm on Wednesday, Souverneva walked out of the brush near the fire line and approached firefighters and told them she was trying to get to Canada, was dehydrated and needed medical help, Cal Fire said.

She was found to be carrying in her pockets and inside a fanny pack a cigarette lighter, CO2 cartridges, and an item 'containing a green, leafy substance she admitted to smoking that day,' according to the report.

Souverneva was taken out of the area for evaluation and treatment. During an interview with Cal Fire and law enforcement, officers came to believe that Souverneva, of Palo Alto, was responsible for setting the fire, officials said.

Souverneva is also suspected of setting fire to vegetation in Shasta Lake the night before.

'It is my opinion there is a high possibility she is responsible for the vegetation fire in Shasta Lake City the previous evening,' CAL FIRE officer Matt Alexander wrote. 'It is my experience that arsonists ... will light multiple fires in a short timeframe.'

Arson suspect Alexandra Souverneva looks over papers during her appearance in Shasta County Superior Court on Friday

Souverneva pleaded not guilty to charges of starting the Fawn Fire. Her bail was set at $150,000 plus $25,000 for a related misdemeanor

Souverneva is pictured on the day of her graduation from California Institute of Technology in 2012

Souverneva enrolled in a Ph.D. program at the State University of New York's College of Environmental Science and Forestry but never completed her doctorate

Souverneva (left) previously worked as yoga instructor, certified scuba dive master, piano teacher, camp counselor and tutor

She was arrested and booked into the Shasta County Jail. It wasn't immediately known if she has an attorney.

During Friday's court appearance, an attorney said Souverneva had made statements to law enforcement that indicated a possible mental health crisis 'or something to do with drug abuse,' reported Redding Record Searchlight.

Souverneva graduated from Palo Alto High School in 2009 and the California Institute of Technology in 2012 with degrees in chemistry and biology according to Mercury News.

She enrolled in a Ph.D. program at the State University of New York's College of Environmental Science and Forestry but never completed her doctorate. She later worked in medicinal chemistry as a research associate at the biotech companies Gilead Sciences in Foster City and Nanosyn in Santa Clara.

A former Palo Alto yoga instructor, certified scuba dive master, piano teacher and camp counselor, she most recently tutored Bay Area students in the sciences at Palo Altos AJ Tutoring, a respected SAT test prep business.

Souverneva's describes her current job on LinkedIn as a 'shaman'. According to her page, she previously worked as a yoga teacher, certified scuba dive master, piano teacher and science camp counselor. Between February-May 2020, she was employed as a chemistry and biology tutor at Palo Altos AJ Tutoring.

Souverneva has a criminal history in California, which includes arrests on unspecified charges in 2015 and 2017.

In early September, the 30-year-old woman was pulled over on Interstate 5 near Red Bluff and booked into the Tehama County Jail on a charge of driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs and obstructing and resisting arrest.

A week later, Souverneva was arrested in Oregon on a count for criminal trespass. The outcome of that case is unknown at this time.

She claims she had been hiking at the time the fire started. Cal Fire officials found CO2 cartridges and a lighter on her.

As a result of the damage caused by the wildfire, Souverneva's bail was been increased to $150,000 from $100,000 for the felony charge of arson on forest land. An additional $25,000 was added for a related misdemeanor, arson during a state of emergency.

Souverneva was arrested on suspicion of starting a wildfire in Northern California that spread rapidly, forcing fresh evacuations to be ordered on Thursday. Pictured: Structures near Old Oregon Trail burn in the Fawn Fire

The number of people affected by evacuation orders was not immediately known. People living in other areas were warned to be prepared to leave. About 2,000 structures were threatened. Pictured: Inmate firefighters clear brush while battling the Fawn Fire

On Thursday, video was shown of multiple houses burning near the unincorporated Mountain Gate area north of the city of Redding.

Initial assessments found that 131 homes and other buildings had burned, CalFire said. That number was likely to change as teams go street by street surveying the destruction.

The number of people affected by evacuation orders was not immediately known. People living in other areas were warned to be prepared to leave. About 2,000 structures were threatened.

'Were going to hold it. Its going to be done this week,' Bret Gouvea, chief of CalFire's Shasta-Trinity unit, said at a community meeting Saturday night.

The Shasta County Sheriff's Office issued a mandatory evacuation order on Thursday, telling residents to temporarily gather in a parking lot at Shasta College in Redding.

The fire has scorched more than 13 square miles of heavy timber on steep, rugged terrain amid hot, dry and gusty conditions. It was just 45 per cent contained.

An inmate firefighter from the Trinity River Conservation Camp uses a drip torch to slow the Fawn Fire burning north of Redding

An inmate firefighter from the Trinity River Conservation Camp uses a drip torch to slow the Fawn Fire

The fire has scorched more than 13 square miles of heavy timber on steep, rugged terrain amid hot, dry and gusty conditions. It was just thirty five per cent contained. Pictured: A helicopter drops water on the Fawn Fire

Historic drought tied to climate change is making wildfires harder to fight. It has killed millions of trees in California alone. Pictured: Firefighter Ron Burias battles the Fawn Fire

Statewide, more than 9,000 firefighters remained assigned to 10 large, active wildfires, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

California fires have burned 3,671 square miles this year, destroying more than 3,200 homes, commercial properties and other structures.

Those fires include two big forest blazes growing in the heart of California's giant sequoia country on the western slope of the Sierra Nevada.

Smoke from those fires raised air quality concerns for the southern end of the Central Valley and flowed over greater Los Angeles, darkening skies and causing mistaken reports of mountain fires.

On Wednesday, officials showed reporters how Sequoia National Park's famous Giant Forest has been protected from the KNP Complex fire by years of using carefully set and controlled fires to burn away vegetation that can serve as wildfire fuel.

The bases of some of the most famous giant sequoias were also wrapped in fire-resistant materials. Giant Forest has 2,000 sequoias and includes the General Sherman Tree, the largest tree in the world by volume.

The fear of catastrophic fire coming through that section of the national park has been greatly reduced because of the combination of the prescribed burns and the low intensity of the fire that moved into part of the forest, said Ed Christopher, deputy fire director for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

'And because of that, we feel that the majority of the trees in this Giant Forest area should come out of this event like they have for the past thousands of years,' he said.

Statewide, more than 9,000 firefighters remained assigned to 10 large, active wildfires, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. Pictured: A structure burns in the Fawn Fire

California fires have burned 3,671 square miles (9,507 square kilometres) this year, destroying more than 3,200 homes, commercial properties and other structures. Pictured: An inmate firefighter clears brush while battling the Fawn Fire

Historic drought tied to climate change is making wildfires harder to fight. It has killed millions of trees in California alone.

Scientists say climate change has made the West much warmer and drier in the past 30 years and will continue to make weather more extreme and wildfires more frequent and destructive.

The KNP Complex began as two fires ignited by lighnting on September 9. The fires later merged into one and have charred more than 56 square miles (145 square kilometres).

Sequoia and adjacent Kings Canyon National Park have been closed. Several communities are under evacuation orders or warnings for people to be prepared to leave. There was no containment.

Nearby, the Windy Fire has burned through nearly 77 square miles (199 square kilometres) on the Tule River Indian Reservation and in Sequoia National Forest, including Giant Sequoia National Monument. It was just six per cent contained.

Also ignited by lightning on September 9, the Windy Fire has forced the evacuation of small forest communities, but no privately owned structures had burned as of Thursday morning.

A fire lookout structure and a radio repeater site on a peak were destroyed by the blaze.

The fire has moved through several groves of giant sequoias and damaged one of the big trees on the famed Trail of 100 Giants.

California Governor Gavin Newsom (pictured) signed a $15 billion (10.9 billion) package on Thursday that will fund programs to tackle drought and climate change in the state after a devastating wildfire season

Last week officials showed reporters how Sequoia National Park's famous Giant Forest has been protected from the KNP Complex fire by years of using carefully set and controlled fires to burn away vegetation that can serve as wildfire fuel. Trees were also wrapped in reflective foil

An expert from Yosemite National Park was expected to examine the groves Thursday.

Also on Thursday, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed a $15 billion (10.9 billion) package that will fund programs to tackle drought and climate change in the state after a devastating wildfire season.

Newsom signed 24 bills focused on climate and clean energy efforts, droughts, and wildfire preparedness, his office said in a statement on Thursday, describing the funding as the largest climate package in California's history.

The package's largest portion, $5.2 billion, will go towards funding for emergency drought relief projects and expanding California's water supplies.

The package includes $3.7 billion to address climate change risks, investing in projects that will mitigate extreme heat and tackle the threat of rising sea levels.

About $1.5 billion will go toward preventing wildfire risk in forests, according to the statement from Newsom's office.

This month, President Joe Biden renewed his push for significant investments to combat climate change as he visited California and took an aerial tour of areas hit by one of the country's worst fire seasons.

California typically experiences its peak fire season in late summer and fall. The state is on pace to see more of its landscape go up in flames this year than last, which was the worst year on record for the state.

Human-caused climate change has intensified the withering drought gripping the Southwestern United States, the region's most severe on record, with precipitation at the lowest 20-month level documented since 1895, a U.S. government report said on Tuesday.

Over the same period, from January 2020 through August 2021, the region also experienced the third-highest daily average temperatures measured since record-keeping began near the end of the 19th century, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

The report warned that extreme drought conditions are likely to worsen and repeat themselves 'until stringent climate mitigation is pursued and regional warming trends are reversed.'
Daniel Andrews has revealed he has no plans to reopen his state to unvaccinated residents like NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian intends to do in December.

The Victorian premier made the dig at Ms Berejiklian after she released her roadmap out of lockdown for NSW on Monday.

She intends to further ease restrictions for the double-jabbed when the state hits its 80 per cent vaccination target by the end of October, then expand the freedoms to all residents - regardless of vaccination status - on December 1.

Mr Andrews said he believed the month-long window would dissuade residents from getting the vaccine and hinder efforts to reach the vaccination milestone.

'There is every reason to get vaccinated now. I would not give anyone a reason to wait five or six weeks,' he said.

Daniel Andrews has revealed he has no plans to reopen his state to unvaccinated residents like NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian intends to do in December

Speaking at a press conference on Monday, the premier said he did not want to encourage residents from putting off the jab by giving them the same freedoms as their vaccinated counterparts

'I will not say to people, just wait five weeks and you will have all the freedoms. No, that is not a guarantee at all here. We have not made that decision.'

Mr Andrews said he would not feel comfortable reopening the state to everyone even if 90 per cent of residents were double jabbed.

'The overall percentage of the community that don't have the protection of one or two doses even at 90 per cent is a significant number,' he said.

The premier admitted vaccinating 100 per cent of residents was an unrealistic goal.

He remained firm that unvaccinated residents would not be allowed to access sport stadiums with the Boxing Day Test out of the question.

'We will have people locked out of venues and events like the Boxing Day Test if they haven't had two jabs,' he said. 'That is again another reason.'

Mr Andrews said he was hopeful state borders would be able to reopen by summer when vaccination rates were higher.

'I hope our borders open by then. I'm sure Gladys hopes her borders will be open by then,' he said.

'I think to an extent, our international orders will be open by then. We want as much freedom of movement as possible, we want people to be able to go about their business.

Restrictions, including a return to golf and tennis, will ease slightly across the state on Wednesday, with Victoria expected to pass 80 per cent single dose vaccination coverage on Tuesday.

The next round of eased restrictions will focus on the return of Victorian students to onsite learning, a date earmarked for October 6.

Leaked planning documents from the Department of Education obtained by the Herald Sun have revealed the tough rules school children may expect next month.

All Victorian students aged over 12 could be required to have one dose of a vaccine 'to attend school by 2022' while those in Year 11 and 12 will need two.

Premier Daniel Andrews said while the changes were 'modest', the state is getting closer to the end of lockdown.

Residents of locked down areas will be able to travel 15km from home, up from 10, while patron caps in regional venues will increase from 20 to 30.

His comment came after Ms Berejiklian released the 'Freedom Day' roadmap on Monday

Face masks and restrictions on household numbers are predicted to stay in Victoria even at an 80 per cent full vaccination rate (pictured, two women walking in St Kilda in Melbourne)

There was also good news for the city of Geelong, which will be released from lockdown at midnight, despite the diagnosis of six new cases on Saturday. All cases were linked.

One of the considerations under the new schooling frameworks - which are not yet finalised or confirmed - is scrapping excursions, camps, assemblies and performances.

Melbourne's lockdown will remain in place until 70 per cent of Victorians aged over 16 are double-vaccinated, which is forecast for October 26.

A more significant easing of restrictions will occur when the 80 per cent double-dose target is met, forecast for November 5.

Mr Andrews said the state was looking at shortening the interval between first and second doses of Pfizer vaccines at vaccination hubs, which is currently set at six weeks, but needed certainty on supply from the federal government before doing so.

From Tuesday, Victorians can enjoy 'contactless' sports like boating, tennis and golf (pictured, people exercising in Melbourne last week)

'If we can get that certainty of vaccine supply then we may be able to bring those forward and that would help us reach 70 per cent double-dose faster and in turn, 80 per cent double-dose faster as well,' he said.

Victoria recorded 705 new locally acquired cases on Monday and one death, a man in his 70s from the local government area of Darebin. It brings the toll from the current outbreak to 25.

Mr Andrews said more than 80 per cent of the new infections were aged under 50, with a quarter aged in their 20s.
Controversial cartoonist Leunig has been slammed online for comparing resistance against mandatory Covid vaccines to the fight for democracy in Tiananmen Square.

The well-known Melbourne artist posted the polarising image on his Instagram page on Monday morning with the single word caption, 'mandate'.

It showed a man standing in front of a military tank and staring helplessly at the tip of a giant syringe in place of a cannon.

In the top left corner, the 76-year-old copied the iconic 'Tank Man' image showing a Beijing demonstrator standing in the path of a column of tanks in 1989.

While some fans praised Michael Leunig for being 'on point, as always', others were horrified and said the scenarios were incomparable.

'Really insulting to people all over the world who actually live under dictatorships and to the victims of the Tiananmen Square massacre. Not even remotely comparable. Shameful,' one woman wrote.

'Bulls**t. We are not living under a communist regime. We have absolutely no right to compare ourselves to people living under brutal dictatorship,' another added.

Someone else said: 'You're comparing lazy, opportunistic, right-wing instigators to the brave students demonstrating for greater accountability, freedom of press, freedom of speech and democracy in a one party state.

Michael Leunig is an artist and political commentator who is also known for his anti-vaccine stance

'You make a mockery of those vibrant young souls who perished at Tiananmen Square ... you're drenched in fear and it reeks.'

Anti-vaxxers were quick to praise the cartoonist for his political commentary.

'Brilliant and thank you for using your art to bring the conversation out for those who cant speak and feel alone. Who feel powerless and bullied by the government, media, workplaces and friends,' one man wrote.

'This picture is everything. The unvaxxed stand bravely defiant against the govt tyranny and communist mandates,' another sensationally claimed.

Pictured: A man standing alone in front of a convoy of military tanks when they rolled into Tiananmen Square in 1989

Someone else aptly pointed out: 'He knew he'd p**s some people off with this one.'

The Tiananmen Square massacre followed weeks of student-led protests calling for democracy, free speech and free press in communist China in 1989, but the demonstration came to a grinding halt when the military arrived on June 4.

Thousands of pro-democracy demonstrators were slaughtered by Chinese troops

Discussion of the protests is forbidden under the Chinese Communist Party, which has gone to extreme lengths to stop citizens from learning about the atrocities committed at the hands of their own government.

The fate of 'tank man' remains unknown.
Facebook is pushing back against claims that it has long known that its subsidiary Instagram was harmful to teenage girls mental health - arguing instead that the app actually makes most of them feel better about themselves.

The Wall Street Journal, citing a review of internal company documents that included research reports, online employee discussions and drafts of presentations to senior management, said that although Facebook researchers have identified 'the platform's ill effects,' the company failed to fix them.

The most damaging and widely reported claim centered on a statistic showing Instagram made a third of teenage girls surveyed feel worse about their body image.

But Facebook took issue with the Journal's investigation Sunday.

The company published a blog post written by Pratiti Raychoudhury, Facebooks vice president of research.

Raychoudhurys entry was posted days before Facebooks top executive in charge of safety, Antigone Davis, testifies on Thursday before the Senate Commerce Subcommittee.

'It is simply not accurate that this research demonstrates Instagram is "toxic" for teen girls,' Raychoudhury writes.

'The research actually demonstrated that many teens we heard from feel that using Instagram helps them when they are struggling with the kinds of hard moments and issues teenagers have always faced.'

Facebook is pushing back against claims that it has long known that its subsidiary Instagram was harmful to teenage girls mental health - arguing instead that the app actually makes them feel better about themselves. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg is pictured above in 2020

Raychoudhury writes that the Journal did not note in its story that while girls did struggle with body image after exposure to Instagram, they said they felt better in other areas, like loneliness, anxiety, sadness, and eating issues.

'Body image was the only area where teen girls who reported struggling with the issue said Instagram made it worse as compared to the other 11 areas,' Raychoudhury writes.

'But here also, the majority of teenage girls who experienced body image issues still reported Instagram either made it better or had no impact.'

Raychoudhury claims that the Journal implied that we were hiding this research and that the results are surprising, but that is simply not accurate.

Facebook claims that the newspaper failed to put specific findings in context and that the research cited did not measure causal relationships between Instagram and real-world issues.

It also cited the number of teens surveyed for some of its findings, claiming that just 40 youngsters provided answers to some questions, meaning it was impossible to report their concerns as a definitive criticism of the social media site.

Raychoudhury cites other studies from Harvard and Pew which show that young people have an overall positive view of social media.

The company published a blog post on Sunday arguing that teenage girls who use Instagram actually end up feeling better about themselves. As evidence, it cited the above chart

A Pew Internet survey found that 81 percent said social media helps them connect with one another, though 43 percent said they felt pressure to post things that make them look good.

Raychoudhury writes that Facebook has used the internal research cited by the Journal to inform changes to our apps and provide resources for the people who use them.

Among the changes that the company has introduced include new resources to support those struggling with body image issues as well as removing all graphic content related to suicide.

Raychoudhury also touts a new feature which allows people to protect themselves from bullying.

Facebook accused the Journal of omitting data from its story, including one study which found that among teenage girls who said they had felt sadness in the past month, 57 percent said Instagram made things better, and 34 percent said Instagram had no impact.

Just 9 percent said the app made them feel worse, according to Facebook.

Facebook also took issue with the Journals claim that 13 percent of British users and 6 percent of Americans traced the desire to kill themselves to Instagram, citing an internal company presentation.

'When we take a step back and look at the full data set, about 1 percent of the entire group of teens who took the survey said they had suicidal thoughts that they felt started on Instagram,' according to Raychoudhury.

'In addition, some of the same research cited by the Journal in the slide above shows that 38 percent of teenage girls who said they struggled with suicidal thoughts and self harm said Instagram made these issues better for them, and 49 percent said it has no impact.'

The Journal articles say that Facebook exempted high-profile users from some or all of its rules, played down the negative effects on young users of its Instagram app, made changes to its algorithm that made the platform 'angrier,' and had a weak response to alarms raised by employees over how the platform is used in developing countries by human traffickers.

The company disagrees, claiming that teens using Instagram in the US and UK are roughly three times more likely to say that Instagram makes them feel better about their life rather than worse about it.

The social network posted a rebuttal to The Wall Street Journals investigation which cited internal company documents stating that its engineers knew Instagram was having adverse effects on teens body image.

According to the documents given to the Journal, Facebook had known for two years now that Instagram is toxic for young girls but continued to add beauty-editing filters to the app, despite six per cent of suicidal girls in America blaming it for their desire to kill themselves

THE DATA FACEBOOK WAS SHOWN ON HOW INSTAGRAM HARMED YOUNG GIRLS AND BOYS Question of the things you've felt in the last month, did any of them start on Instagram? Select all that apply Not attractive 41% (US) 43% (UK) Don't have enough money 42% (US) 42% (UK) Don't have enough friends 32% (US) 33% (UK) Down, sad or depressed 10% (US) 13% (UK) Wanted to kill themselves 6% (US) 13% (UK) Wanted to hurt themselves 9% (US) 7% (UK) Question: In general, how has Instagram affected the way you feel about yourself, your mental health? Much worse US boys and girls: 3% US boys: 2% US girls: 3% UK total: 2% UK boys: 1% UK girls: 2% Somewhat worse US total: 16% US Boys 12% US girls: 18% UK total: 19% UK boys: 13% UK girls: 23% No effect US total: 41% US boys: 37% US girls: 43% UK total: 46% UK boys: 50% UK girls: 44% Somewhat better US total: 29% US boys: 32% US girls: 29% UK total: 28% UK boys: 31% UK girls: 26% Much better US total: 12% US boys: 18% US girls 8% UK total: 5% UK boys: 5% UK girls: 4% Advertisement

How Facebook's 'MSI' algorithm boosts angry reactions and threads about divisive topics Facebook's algorithm, which was overhauled in late 2017 and early 2018, boosted content that generated angry reactions which were usually posted in response to controversial subjects. If a user posted a harmless photo whose message was innocuous or even positive, it would generate fewer points on the company's MSI ('meaningful social interactions' ranking system. A post that generated eight 'thumbs up' was given 8 points on the MSI - or 1 point per thumbs up. If it generated three angry emoji faces, it was given 15 points - or 5 points per angry emoji. A heart emoji was given five points each. A 'significant comment' - usually at least a few lines in length - are worth 30 points each while a 'nonsignificant comment' are worth 15 points apiece. But if a user then write a comment that sparks a reaction or ignites an argument, the MSI begins to rise since that comment is more likely to elicit emojis. As the post amasses more MSI points, it is featured more prominently in News Feeds. As the threads go longer, the post amasses more MSI points - thus increasing the likelihood that the post will be seen by strangers who are outside of the original poster's circle of friends. The comments and reactions generate even more emojis, likes, and responses, thus exponentially increasing the MSI ranking. Advertisement

According to the documents given to the Journal, Facebook had known for two years now that Instagram is toxic for young girls but continued to add beauty-editing filters to the app, despite six per cent of suicidal girls in America blaming it for their desire to kill themselves.

When Facebook researches first alerted the company of the issue in 2019, they said: 'We make body image issues worse for one in three teen girls.'

'Teens blame Instagram for increases in the rate of anxiety and depression. This reaction was unprompted and consistent across all groups.'

One message posted on an internal message board in March 2020 said the app revealed that 32 per cent of girls said Instagram made them feel worse about their bodies if they were already having insecurities.

About one in five said the app made them feel worse about themselves.

CEO Mark Zuckerberg has been quiet in the past about the issues the app is blamed for causing among young girls.

He told Congress in March 2021 that Instagram has 'positive mental-health benefits'.

Instagram has a 'parental guide' which teaches parents how to monitor their kids' accounts by enabling features like screen time limits and who can comment on posts, but there's no way to verify someone's age before they join the site.

Instagram claims it only accepts users aged 13 and over but says many lie about it when they join.

Forty percent of Instagram's 1 billion monthly users are under the age of 22 and just over half are female.

Instagram also does not flag any photograph or image that may have been distorted or manipulated, despite flagging materials it deems to contain misinformation, political posts or paid advertising.

Last week, Facebook slammed the Journal's 'Facebook Files' series as containing 'deliberate mischaracterizations' and said the articles 'conferred egregiously false motives to Facebook's leadership and employees.'

Nick Clegg, Facebook's vice president of global affairs, writing in a blog post, said the Journal's stories 'contained deliberate mischaracterizations of what we are trying to do, and conferred egregiously false motives to Facebook's leadership and employees.'

Clegg called 'just plain false' an allegation that 'Facebook conducts research and then systematically and willfully ignores it if the findings are inconvenient for the company.'

Facebook, Clegg said, understands the 'significant responsibility that comes with operating a global platform' and takes it seriously, but 'we fundamentally reject this mischaracterization of our work and impugning of the company's motives.'

Clegg defended Facebook's handling of posts on the COVID-19 vaccine and said that the 'intersection between social media and well-being' remains an evolving issue in the research community.

Facebook posted its rebuttal on Sunday - days before its top safety officer, Antigone Davis (seen above in New York in 2018), is set to testify before a Senate subcommittee
President Joe Biden returned to the White House on Sunday night together with first lady Jill Biden after a weekend away at Camp David at the start of what is expected to be a high stakes week in his presidency.

There is confidence among Democrats that his massive $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill will pass this week.

But House Speaker Nancy Pelosi warned Sunday that vote may not be until Thursday rather than Monday, with critical work still left remaining to meet the party's deadlines.

Democrats have been scrambling to hammer out a landmark plan to upgrade the nation's roads and bridges, but are also under immense pressure to finalize a $3.5 trillion public investment package and fund the government to avert a looming shutdown - all by Thursday September 30.

The bigger package is also intended to fuel a huge spending increase in social care, as well as on tackling the threat of climate change.

Asked at the White House on Sunday whether the Democrats had the votes they needed, Biden said: 'I'm optimistic about this week. It's going to take the better part of the week, I think,' he told reporters.

It's a high stakes week in Washington with President Joe Biden's broad domestic agenda at risk of collapse. Biden is pictured arriving back at the White House from Camp David Sunday evening

The week is among the most critical of President Joe Biden's tenure, with opposition Republicans digging in against his Build Back Better program that would invest in climate change policy, lower childcare and education costs for working families and create millions of jobs.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has voiced confidence that the $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill that has already cleared the Senate with bipartisan support will pass the House of Representatives 'this week' but has hinted at potential quicksand ahead.

Debate on the legislation, which passed the Senate with Democratic and Republican support on August 10 will help fund road, bridge, airport, school and other construction projects.

President Joe Biden answers a few questions from reporters as he returns to the White House from Camp David, in Washington, DC

'I'm never bringing a bill to the floor that doesn't have the votes,' the top Democrat in Congress told ABC News on Sunday.

'You cannot choose the date. You have to go when you have the votes, in a reasonable time. And we will.

'We are now working together with the Senate and the White House on changes to this historic legislation,' she added.

'Well see how the number comes down and what we need. Again, the Senate and the House, those who are not in full agreement with the president, right, lets see what our values - lets not talk about numbers and dollars. Lets talk about values.'

Biden told reporters on Sunday he was 'optimistic' Pelosi would get the agenda through the house this week, adding 'it's going to take the better part of the week.'

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has voiced confidence that the $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill that has already cleared the Senate with bipartisan support will pass the House of Representatives 'this week' but has hinted at potential quicksand ahead

Pelosi told her Democratic colleagues in a letter Saturday that they 'must' pass both of Biden's huge spending bills, along with legislation that keeps the federal government operating into the next fiscal year beginning October 1.

'The next few days will be a time of intensity,' she wrote.

'Tomorrow, September 27, we will begin debate on the Bipartisan Infrastructure Framework on the Floor of the House and vote on it on Thursday, September 30, the day on which the surface transportation authorization expires,' Pelosi wrote in a letter to Democrats that was released by her office.

But it is not just opposition from Republicans Pelosi needs to counter; Democratic progressives and moderates have also made it clear they need to see quickly exactly what goes in the $3.5 trillion bill.

'The votes aren't there, so I don't think she's going to bring it' to the floor Monday, congresswoman Pramila Jayapal, who chairs the House progressives, told CNN's 'State of the Union,' regarding the infrastructure bill.

Biden, pictured Sunday, faces the most crucial week of his presidency as the House votes on whether to pass his $1.2 trillion infrastructure spending bill

First lady Jill Biden waits for President Joe Biden who walks away from members of the media as they arrive at the White House in Washington on Sunday - ready for a busy week ahead

House progressives have repeatedly warned that they won't green-light infrastructure without Build Back Better.

In order to get the historic spending bill to Biden's desk, Democrats are using a process called 'reconciliation,' which allows certain budget-related legislation to pass the Senate with a simple majority rather than 60 votes.

But moderate Senate Democrats Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema have expressed deep reservations about the huge price tag.

With the Senate evenly split 50-50, their votes would be critical to passing the bill -- something that Pelosi, herself a master vote-counter, is keenly aware of.

Democrats have few votes to spare in the House and no votes to spare in the 50-50 Senate if there is no Republican support to enact Bidens massive 'Build Back Better' agenda. Republicans are lockstep against the larger measure.

While all Democrats 'overwhelmingly' support Biden's grand vision, it was 'self-evident' that the final price tag for Build Back Better will be lowered, Pelosi said.

She also stressed the importance of funding the government to avoid a looming shutdown, and suspending the debt ceiling to allow federal agencies to make loan repayments.

The House passed a bill Tuesday that would accomplish both goals.

But Senate Republicans have balked over extending the Treasury Department's borrowing authority this time around, a position Pelosi described as 'irresponsible beyond words.'

Some progressive lawmakers insist the $1 trillion infrastructure bill be held back until the bigger measure is ready. Moderates want the infrastructure bill enacted whatever the progress on the larger package, which includes provisions for expanding healthcare for children and the elderly and for investing in steps to drastically reduce emissions blamed on climate change.

Pelosi did not specifically address how the divisions within the Democratic Party would be bridged, but said the final figure for the larger measure would be lower than $3.5 trillion.

'That was the number that was sent to us by the Senate and by the president. Obviously with negotiation, there has to be some changes in that the sooner the better, so that we can build our consensus to go forward,' she said.
A Tennessee man has been arrested and charged after bringing his tarp-wrapped mother's body to a Nashville hospital on Saturday night.

Thomas Henshall, 37, of Chattanooga, Tennessee, claimed he was next to his mother Danielle Bowen, 60, when she shot herself in the woods next to her.

When talking to his girlfriend, however, Henshall said that he discovered his mother's body in the woods. Homicide detectives are probing the inconsistencies in his story.

Henshall and his girlfriend, who has not been named, allegedly rode around all day on Saturday with Bowen's corpse in the back of the truck.

Thomas Henshall, 37, was arrested and charged on Saturday after he failed to report the dead body of his mother Danielle Bowen, 60, who was covered in tarp when delivered her body at the hospital

He arrived at the Nashville VA Medical Center at around 5.15pm on Saturday despite passing multiple hospitals and law enforcement centers while en route, according to WKRN.

The girlfriend was picked up by Henshall at 8.30 that morning where the couple also grabbed food, coffee, and gas.

When the couple was brought in for questioning, Henshall said that he had called his girlfriend on Friday and Saturday to tell her that he found his mother's body and he needed help taking it somewhere.

His cell phone, however, was said to be left somewhere in Chattanooga even though police discovered he had emailed his girlfriend earlier on Saturday.

Henshall and his girlfriend delivered Bowen's body to the Nashville VA Medical Center in Tennessee

The email contained an attachment with Bowen allegedly saying: 'Hes not accountable for anything. Hes agreed to put me out of my misery.'

In terms of Bowen's death, police also asked Henshall how his mother had obtained a gun.

It is unclear if she was legally entitled to own a weapon.

Henshall then invoked his Miranda rights and gave no further detail about the incident.

However, he said that the gun he found at the scene of his mother's suicide was at an RV somewhere in Chattanooga.

The Metro Nashville PD confirmed the identity of Bowen's body on Twitter and announced the investigation of the incident

Henshall was arrested and charged with tampering with evidence, removing or disturbing a body, and failure to report the discovery of a dead body.

He is being jailed in Nashville in lieu of an $80,000 bond.

'The body Chattanoogan Thomas Henshall Jr. transported to Nashville has been confirmed to be that of his mother, Danielle Bowen, 60. She suffered a gunshot wound to the head,' Metro Nashville PD said on Twitter.

'MNPD Homicide Unit detectives continue to investigate in coordination with Chattanooga authorities.'
A high school student from Nevada has been accused of 'causing a disturbance' after they brought a Pride flag to celebrate being crowned homecoming queen.

Josh Ocampo, who is non-binary and uses they/them pronouns, was voted as homecoming Queen on Saturday evening at their high school in Las Vegas.

Homecoming is supposed to be a night of celebration for students but things quickly turned sour.

Josh Ocampo was voted homecoming Queen on Saturday evening at a Durango High School

After being crowned they decided to give a speech to thank fellow student, and draped a pride flag across their shoulders

Ocampo pulled out a Pride flag popular with the LGBTQ community and draped it over their shoulder

Video shot at the event show Ocampo being winning the competition to the rapturous applause of other pupils.

After making a speech to fellow students from a balcony overhead, they decided to display the colorful flag which has become a symbol of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) and queer pride social movements.

Ocampo draped the flag over their shoulders and continued to receive cheers and applause at the event.

But no sooner had Ocampo finished speaking, they were told that the flag had created a 'campus disturbance,' by a member of school staff who hasn't been identified.

Ocampo was told the flag breached the school district's Code of Conduct rules

The student has now been reprimanded for their actions at the event

Pictures from the event show there were all smiles from those present as Ocampo posed for the camera

The accusation is all the more puzzling given that the Clark County School District code of conduct and dress code regulations does not mention flags at any point.

'They need for somebody to love them, accept them, period. They're beautiful as they are, every child, 'mother-of-two, Alexandra Lopez said to News8.

'For you to do that, and set that back and make that kid be afraid? No. Don't be afraid of who you are Josh. Shine,' Lopez said.

The school district has yet to comment on the claims.

Ocampo took some time to pose around town for photo with their new tiara

Josh Ocampo was overcome with emotion having been voted Homecoming Queen by their peers

Although many school proms were cancelled over the last year to the the coronavirus pandemic, now that students are once again back in classrooms they have been making a comeback.

Some small communities often face difficulties when it comes to wrestling with students and their sexuality.

In April, parents in a rural Ohio town have hit out at a high school after the students voted a lesbian couple as their senior prom king and queen.

Annie Wise was named Prom Queen, and her girlfriend Riley Loudermilk was named Prom King in a student vote at Kings High School in Kings Mills, a deeply conservative area of Ohio.

But some of the parents were less than impressed with the students' choice, and voiced their complaints at a heated school meeting as well as on social media.

'Sorry but, I believe that there are still two genders, a male and a female,' one parent said at the heated meeting, WLWT reported.

She continued: 'I think tradition stands for a queen that has a vagina, a king that has a penis and testicles. Period. That's the way it should stand. that is the way God has intended it to be.'

When the Kings School District posted a photo of the couple to its Facebook page, it was soon swamped with negative comments.

Riley Loudermilk, left, was named queen and Annie Wise, right, king of their senior prom at High School in Kings Mills, Ohio back in April of this year

In another bizarre incident, one New Hampshire school came under fire for marking its students with a black Sharpie pen to signal their vaccination status at the event.

Students at Exeter High School in New Hampshire at their prom in June were marked unvaccinated and vaccinated with pen.

In a statement posted to the school web site, administrators defended the policy.

During the prom, students were asked to raise their hand every few songs so that event organizers could 'determine who they were around' in an attempt to prevent any kind of covid spread.
One Nation leader Pauline Hanson has revealed her Covid heartbreak - she has not seen her partner Tony Nyquist in months.

'For those people in Queensland who can't see their loved ones - I'm in that position,' Senator Hanson told Sky News on Monday.

'I can't see my partner who is in NSW and in lockdown there in Port Stephens and has been for the last couple of months.

'He's my partner of 13 years and he can't get across the border.'

One Nation leader Pauline Hanson has not seen her partner for months due to Queensland's border closure

The Queensland Senator called for state borders to be opened up across the country.

'As the Prime Minister has said, when we get to 80 per cent double vaccination for people in Australia the borders should be opened up and there should be no border closures at all in the future,' she said.

However, Ms Hanson said she does not think that will happen.

'I don't hold that confidence for Queensland because I think that she (Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk) is preparing to keep the border shut again for another year to anyone outside Queensland.'

Ms Hanson added that by Christmas it will have been two years since she has seen her daughter and grandchildren.

'And I can't get to see my new granddaughter who's 20 days old because she lives in NSW.

'So this is ridiculous. You're keeping families apart and she (Ms Palaszczuk) has no consideration for this whatsoever.'

Pauline Hanson says Annastacia Palaszczuk plans to keep Queensland's border closed for another year

She also accused Ms Palaszczuk of 'destroying businesses'.

'Businesses are going under. We've got people dying from suicide (due to lockdowns). We've got health issues here, other issues, and you (Ms Palaszczuk) talk about Covid deaths. I blame you and the media and everyone else who has been playing this up to the extent where a 90-year-old in palliative care died of Covid.

'You're putting up the Covid deaths, you're saying how many infections there are. You don't say there are 99 per cent rates of people surviving from Covid. You've got people dying in their 80s and 90s and 100 from Covid and you're sensationalising ... for fear. It's so wrong,' she said.

'This is what's putting the fear into people that Covid is a death sentence. It's not a death sentence. We are destroying people's lives by locking down borders.'

Ms Hanson called on Scott Morrison to do more.

'The Prime Minister has lost control of this country. That's why Palaszczuk is playing this game leading into an election which could possibly be by next March. So she puts as much pressure onto the Morrison government to lose the next election. This is all political as far as I'm concerned.

'And until Morrison takes control of the situation and calls the states into line, which he can only do through the High Court, of stopping them locking down the borders, Australians will not have their freedom.

'That's why we have these protests from Australians that have had enough. And I've had enough also.'

Anti-Vaxxer tradies protest at Melbourne's Shrine of Remberance. Pauline Hanson says both the police and protestors have been violent at the protests

Ms Hanson refused to condemn the violence seen at Covid-19 protests in Melbourne last week, including at the Shrine of Remembrance.

'Violence has been shown by both sides, by the police and by the protestors. People have got nowhere to go, they don't know who to turn to,' she said.

'And I get annoyed that because they go out and protest, (the media says) let's call them anti-vaxxers. These are people that have made a choice, they don't want to be forced to have the vaccination.

'I know a specialist doctor who says 'I'm holding off as long as I can to have the vaxx.' I have professionals in the health profession ... who say they don't want to have the vaxx. They have seen the side-effects from people that have come into the hospital. So there's a lot more to this.'

Ms Hanson said anti-vaxxers do not get enough of an airing in the media.

'You hear from people who say 'I'll get vaxxed' but you don't hear from the other side of the argument.

'People are protesting because you can't keep locking them away for months at a time in their homes. The mental illness is escalating. Kids are self-harming, suicide is on the increase.

'People are not getting the medical treatment that they need,' she said.
A hooded man has tried to snatch a nine-year-old boy from a shopping centre, having grabbed the child's arm to try to pull him away.

The boy was playing hide-and-seek at the Tunstall Square shopping centre in the northeastern Melbourne suburb of Doncaster East on Saturday, when he hid behind a doorway at about 12.15pm.

A man approached him from behind, asking the 9-year-old if he liked cars before grabbing his arm.

Victoria Police have released a computer generated image of a man believed to be able to assist with enquiries into the attempted abduction of a child on Saturday

Luckily, he was able to break free from the grasp of the man, who tried to grab him a second time before the boy ran to his mother who called police.

Victoria Police have released a computer-generated image of a man who they believe can assist with enquiries.

The man is said to be of caucasian appearance, about 175cm tall with a medium build and scruffy beard.

The nine-year-old boy was grabbed by a man at Tunstall Square shopping centre (pictured) in Doncaster East, before escaping and running to his mother

He has brown eyes with scratches on his face, as well as a tattoo of a snake wrapped around his neck and profanities scrawled on his left hand.

Detectives from Manningham Crime Investigation Unit are urging witnesses or anyone with information regarding the incident to call Crime Stoppers.
A safety expert has suggested an Amtrak train in Montana fishtailed after hitting a fork in the tracks causing it to derail, killing three and injuring 50.

Railroad safety expert David Clarke said the latter carriages could have derailed and flipped after the fork in the line on the route between Chicago and Seattle.

'Did the switch play some role? It might have been that the front of the train hit the switch an started fish-tailing and that flipped the back part of the train,' Clarke said.

Eight cars out of the 10 cars on Amtrak's Empire Builder 7/27 train derailed as it carried 141 passengers and 16 crew members on Saturday, according to the Liberty County Sheriff's Office.

At least two train cars separated and slid down a 30 foot embankment, and police confirmed that three passengers onboard died. Five passengers were still in hospital on Sunday evening, but were in a stable condition.

It is currently unclear what caused the crash.

A safety expert has suggested an Amtrak train in Montana 'fishtailed' after hitting a switch in the tracks causing it to derail, killing three and injuring 50

Railroad safety expert David Clarke said the latter carriages could have derailed and flipped after a fork in the tracks (pictured)

Several of Amtrak's Empire Builder 7/27 train derailed and tipped over, away from the track, killing three and injuring 50

Director of the Center for Transportation Research at the University of Tennessee David Clarke

Clarke, who is the director of the Center for Transportation Research at the University of Tennessee, also suggested it was possible there was a defect in the rail as regular testing does not always catch such problems.

But he said speed was not a likely factor because trains on that line have systems that prevent excessive speeds and collisions.

His comments come as federal investigators are trying to determine what caused the Amtrak train to derail on tracks in the middle of vast farmland in far northern Montana over the weekend.

Meanwhile Director of the University of Delaware's Railway Engineering and Safety Program Allan Zarembski said he did not want to speculate but suspected the derailment stemmed from an issue with the train track, equipment, or both.

One of three victims of Montana Amtrak crash is named One of three people killed when an Amtrak train derailed in Montana has been identified as a married engineer who was headed for a vacation with his wife. Missouri engineer, Zach Schneider, 28, was on the Empire Builder with his wife Becca en route to Portland, Oregon, when it derailed near Joplin yesterday afternoon. Becca and Zach Schneider Zach, who was from St. Louis and worked for payments firm Stripe, was killed after several of the train cars left the tracks and toppled over onto their sides. He was identified by a GoFundMe page set up to raise money for his funeral. Schneider's wife Becca, 26, was traveling with him but survived. She has since posted photos of herself with her late spouse on Facebook, but has not commented. More than $13,000 had been raised by friends, family members and well-wishers in just ten hours on Sunday night. The two other victims have not yet been identified. Advertisement

Railways have 'virtually eliminated' major derailments by human error after the implementation of positive train control nationwide, he said.

Matt Jones, a BNSF Railway spokesman said at a news conference that the track where the accident occurred was last inspected on Thursday.

A 14-member National Transportation Safety Board team including investigators and railroad signal specialists will be looking into the cause of the accident on a BNSF Railway track, NTSB spokesman Eric Weiss said.

Law enforcement on Sunday said the officials from the NTSB, Amtrak and BNSF were at the accident scene just west of Joplin, where the tracks cut through vast, golden brown wheat fields that were recently harvested.

Several large cranes were brought to the tracks that run roughly parallel to US Highway 2, along with a truckload of gravel and new railroad ties.

The site is about 150 miles (241 kilometers) northeast of Helena and about 30 miles (48 kilometers) from the Canadian border.

Trevor Fossen was first on the scene. The Joplin resident was on a dirt road near the tracks Saturday when he saw 'a wall of dust' hundreds of feet high.

'I started looking at that, wondering what it was and then I saw the train had tipped over and derailed,' said Fossen, who called 911 and started trying to get people out.

He called his brother to bring ladders for people who couldnt get down after exiting through the windows of cars resting on their sides.

Passenger Jacob Cordeiro from Rhode Island was traveling with his father to Seattle to celebrate his college graduation.

'I was in one of the front cars and we got badly jostled, thrown from one side of the train to the other,' he told MSNBC.

He said the train car left the tracks near a switch where two tracks narrow to one but did not fall over.

'I'm a pretty big guy and it picked me up from my chair and threw me into one wall and then threw me into the other wall,' Cordeiro said.

Three people are dead and more than 50 are injured after an Amtrak train carrying 146 passengers and 13 crew derailed in Montana on Saturday afternoon

Passengers crawled down ladders to safety as rescue teams assisted

Crews appear to be using ladders to get on top of the cars in what appears to be an rescue effort. Ambulances and emergency vehicles are on the scene

Amtrak CEO Bill Flynn expressed condolences to those who lost loved ones and said the company is working with the NTSB, Federal Railroad Administration and local law enforcement, sharing their 'sense of urgency' to determine what happened.

Because of the derailment, Sunday's westbound Empire Builder from Chicago was terminating in St. Paul, Minnesota, and the eastbound train was originating in Minnesota.

Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte said BNSF was readying replacement track for when the NTSB gives the go-head.

'BNSF has assured me they can get the line up and running in short order,' he said.

Workers stand near toppled cars from an Amtrak train that derailed Saturday, just west of Joplin, Montana

Most of those on the train were treated and released for their injuries, but five who were more seriously hurt remained at the Benefis Health System hospital in Great Falls, Montana, said Sarah Robbin, Liberty County emergency services coordinator.

Two were in the intensive care unit, a hospital spokeswoman said.

Another two people were at Logan Health, a hospital in Kalispell, Montana, spokeswoman Melody Sharpton said.

Liberty County Sheriff Nick Erickson said the names of the dead would not be released until relatives are notified.
Donald Trump could face multiple criminal charges for his attempts to overturn his loss in Georgia during the 2020 presidential election, according to a new report.

The report by the Brookings Institute think-tank found that 'the Georgia electoral process and vote count was subjected to sustained assault' by Trump and his allies as they attempted to 'change the lawful outcome of the election.'

The DC-based institute concluded that Trump and some of his allies, including Rudy Giuliani, could be charged with election fraud, intentional interference with an election official's performance of election-related duties, and conspiracy.

The report also suggest that they could be charged with an array of election misconduct such as false statements in connections with official matters, attempts to influence government officials in improper ways, and solicitation of action violative of public officer oaths.

Former president Donald Trump could face multiple criminal charges for his attempts to overturn his loss in Georgia during the 2020 presidential election, according to a new report published by The Brookings Institute

Most of the report focuses on Trump's January 2, phone call with Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger when he told him to 'find 11,780 votes.' Georgia launched a criminal investigation into Trump's call with Raffensperger

It also notes that Trump violated the Georgia Racketeer Influenced Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act, which Fulton County's District Attorney, Fani T. Willis, has been investigating since his January 2, phone call with Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger.

Much of the 107-page report from the Brookings Institute revolves around the notorious call when Trump pressured the Georgia secretary of state to 'find' votes.

During the January 2 phone call, Trump repeatedly argued that Raffensperger could change the certified results, an assertion the secretary of state firmly rejected.

'All I want to do is this. I just want to find 11,780 votes, which is one more than we have,' Trump said. 'Because we won the state.' Biden was ahead of Trump by 11,779 votes at the time, and ultimately carried the state by that margin.

'There's no way I lost Georgia,' Trump insisted. 'There's no way. We won by hundreds of thousands of votes.'

The former president's senior advisor, Jason Miller, told DailyMail.com there was nothing unusual about the call, suggesting there is no need for an investigation.

'There was nothing improper or untoward about a scheduled call between President Trump, Secretary Raffensperger and lawyers on both sides,' Miller said.

'If Mr. Raffensperger didn't want to receive calls about the election, he shouldn't have run for Secretary of State,' he continued. 'And the only reason the call became public was because Mr. Raffensperger leaked it in an attempt to score political points.'

Georgia's secretary of state office is currently in its seventh month of a criminal investigation into the notorious phone call.

The report from the Brookings Institute also cited other instances when Trump contacted other Georgia officials to help him overturn his loss, including Governor Brian Kemp and Attorney General Chris Carr.

Rudy Giuliani, personal lawyer to then-President Trump, was also mentioned in the report which stated that he too could face criminal charges for pressuring Georgia election officials

Trump is also cited for having pushed Governor Brian Kemp to change the election results in his favor

Georgia was the last state to be called in the 2020 presidential election which elected Biden to be the 46th president of the United States.

The popular vote counted 2,473,633 votes for Biden and 2461,854 votes for Trump. Biden's win was recertified in December 2020 following a recount.

'We have now counted legally cast ballots three times, and the results remain unchanged,' Raffensperger said.

Biden's win was the first time that Georgia voted Democratic since electing Bill Clinton to the White House in 1992.

Former presidents are usually protected by a measure of immunity for actions taken that 'fall within the scope of their lawful duties as a federal official,' but the report argues that Trump's potentially illegal actions were 'well outside the scope of his official duties.'

'Stated simply, soliciting and then threatening senior state officials to alter the outcome of a presidential election does not fall within any reasoned conception of the scope of presidential power,' the report states.

He would also not be immune from state charges, meaning Georgia could still pursue him if its investigators deemed the call as an example of wrongdoing.

Trump is currently under investigation for several potential criminal charges relating to his actions while in office and his personal finances.
One of Angela Rayner's Labour front bench colleagues suggested today that she had been drinking when she branded the Tories 'scum' - as the party's deputy leader refused to apologise.

Shadow international trade secretary Emily Thornberry said 'there may have been drink partaken' at the Saturday night conference bash where Ms Rayner lashed out at the Conservatives.

Her comments came as Keir Starmer's firebrand deputy defied him and insisted Boris Johnson is the one who should be apologising, not her.

The Labour deputy leader tweeted doubling down on her vicious barbs at 'racist and homophobic' top Conservatives.

She posted examples of the PM's controversial remarks from the past, complaining that critics should be less 'concerned with my choice of language'.

She also offered to meet with Boris Johnson to discuss his comments, an offer rejected by Downing Street.

Asked about the row on the BBC's Politics Live programme today, Ms Thornberry said: 'What she was doing, at a fringe meeting - where there may have been drink partaken - where it is noisy, it's rowdy'

Asked if she was suggesting Ms Rayner was intoxicated, she added: 'People just need to know the atmosphere, it was not a sitting around, a considered debate .. you know what these fringes are like.'

It is understood that Ms Rayner had not been drinking when she made the remarks.

Ms Thornberry admitted Rayner 'probably' should not have used the phrase, but said she should not retract it.

The combative stance came as Jeremy Corbyn insisted Ms Rayner was just 'saying it like it needs to be said'.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer and Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner listen as shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves gives her keynote speech at the Labour Party conference

The Labour deputy leader tweeted doubling down on her vicious barbs at 'racist and homophobic' top Conservatives

Ms Rayner today posted examples of the PM's controversial remarks from the past, complaining that critics should be less 'concerned with my choice of language'

The former leader said Ms Rayner had 'nothing to apologise for'.

But the late-night tirade has privately infuriated shadow cabinet colleagues who pointed out she was effectively insulting millions of voters, while Sir Keir issued a sharp rebuke by making clear he would not use such language.

He stopped short of ordering his deputy to apologise, amid signs she is manoeuvring for a tilt at his job.

Mr Corbyn, who is still suspended from the parliamentary party but in Brighton for the annual gathering, stirred the pot last night.

'Angela uses her own words. She is absolutely right to attack this government for the way it is treating people in our society,' he told LBC.

'I don't think she has anything to apologise for. She speaks from the heart.'

Mr Corbyn also took aim at Sir Keir over his changes to Labour's internal rules, seemingly designed to prevent a hard-Left figure becoming leader again.

The overhaul narrowly passed conference last night to the delight of moderates - although some elements had to be dropped beforehand.

Mr Corbyn said: 'Angela's right to go after the Tories. I wish this whole conference was going after the Tories not rule changes.'

Sir Keir and Ms Rayner put on an awkward show of unity on the conference stage last night, but their tensions were plain to see.

In her late-night rant on Saturday, Ms Rayner said she was 'sick of shouting from the sidelines' at 'a bunch of scum, homophobic, racist, misogynistic, absolute pile of... banana republic... Etonian... piece of scum'.

The 41-year-old former care worker doubled down on her claims yesterday, singling out Boris Johnson, Priti Patel and other members of the Cabinet who have 'said appalling things'.

A defiant Mrs Rayner told Sky News her 'post-watershed' comments were designed to put 'fire in the belly' of party activists during a conference reception.

She claimed that her language was the kind 'you would hear very often in northern working-class towns, we even say it jovially to other people, we say 'it's a scummy thing to do' and that to me is my street language'.

Ms Rayner accused Mr Johnson of saying single mothers should be pushed into 'destitution'

Sir Keir and Ms Rayner put on an awkward show of unity on the conference stage last night, but their tensions were plain to see

Labour was branded the 'true nasty party' after Angela Rayner described the Tories as racist 'scum'

Angela's smashes: Rayner's plain-talking blasts at Tories Angela Rayner has increasingly taken on a role as Labour's straight-talking battering ram with blunt jibes at the Tories. As Keir Starmer's deputy she is increasingly the go-to for soundbites attacking Tory sleaze with withering assessments of Government and Conservative Party failings. When Gavin Williamson was sacked as education secretary earlier this month she did not hold back in her assessment of his time in office, saying: 'That prat's absolute idiocy, failures and uselessness have damaged the life chances of our country's children and this government has failed young people, teachers and education staff.' Last week she took on Dominic Raab at Prime Minister's Questions in the absence of Boris Johnson. What the session lacked in forensic detail, she made up for in put-downs, including targeting Raab's ill-fated holiday while Afghanistan fell. 'I notice we have a shortage of hot air this week - just as the Prime Minister isn't here, but the Deputy Prime Minister is doing his best to shore up supplies,' she said. 'Maybe he should go back to his sun-lounger and let me take over.' She has also targeted the PM directly, when he faced criticism over the funding for a five-figure renovation of his Downing Street flat. She said: 'The Prime Minister appears to be allergic to telling the truth about the dodgy dealings and the web of conflicts of interests, secret loans and cover ups that hang over him like a bad smell.' Her 'scum' comments at the party conference on Sunday night came almost a year after she was forced to apologise for similar language in the Commons. Last October she unloaded on Tory backbencher Chris Clarkson after he suggested that the Labour frontbench was viewing the pandemic as a 'good crisis' to be exploited. She heckled Mr Clarkson, who asked: 'Excuse me, did the honourable lady just call me scum?' The exchange prompted an intervention from a furious Commons Deputy Speaker Dame Eleanor Laing who said she would not accept such comments in the chamber 'under any circumstances'. Ms Rayner apologised for branding Mr Clarkson 'scum' but stopped short of a retraction. Advertisement

And she refused to apologise unless the Prime Minister first said sorry for 'comments he has made that are homophobic, racist and misogynistic'.

Sir Keir was visibly uncomfortable when quizzed about her remarks during a set piece TV interview which he had hoped to use to set out his stall as this week's conference got under way.

'Angela and I take different approaches and that is not language that I would use,' he told the BBC's Andrew Marr show.

Sir Keir said her comments were part of 'a fizz of ideas, there are arguments, disagreements, comings together'.

Asked whether she should apologise, he said it was 'a matter for Angela, but I would not have used those words'. He said he would 'talk to Angela about it later on'.

Labour officials later declined to comment on the details of his meeting with his fiery deputy.

Ms Rayner was more restrained during appearances on the conference fringe, telling laughing delegates: 'I'm choosing my words very carefully.' Labour's deputy has made little secret of her belief that she would make a more effective leader than Sir Keir.

Senior figures fear the tension could now overshadow a conference seen as a 'make or break' event for Sir Keir's leadership.

In a round of interviews this morning, shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves said she would not have called Boris Johnson's Government 'scum'  as deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner did  although she claimed many people shared that sentiment.

'I understand why Angela Rayner's angry, we are all angry with what the Government are doing at our conference here in Brighton this week,' Ms Reeves told Times Radio.

'I wouldn't use that language but I think that sentiment is shared by many people who are struggling at the moment, queuing for petrol, who are worried about cuts to Universal Credit next month and worried about increases in taxes next year.'

Senior Tories yesterday condemned Mrs Rayner's language, pointing out it is just two years since she lectured fellow politicians on their 'responsibility to look at making sure our discourse and disagreements are done in a respectful way'.

Conservative Party chairman Oliver Dowden said her comments provided further evidence 'today's Labour Party exudes a sense of looking down on people who believe in this country, including the many millions who voted Conservative at the last election'.

Mr Dowden said: 'For all the Left's talk about kindness and compassion they tend to produce the worst vitriol, abuse, intolerance of other views. It's in hardline elements that you find the true nasty party.'

Foreign Office minister James Cleverly said voters would see a Tory party which has had two female prime ministers and the 'most diverse government' and 'they'll know she's talking c***'. Some senior Labour figures also questioned Mrs Rayner's tactics, amid fears they could further alienate 'red wall' voters who defected to the Tories.

Keir Starmer said he would not have used the hate-filled words aimed at the Tories by his deputy Angela Rayner. He is pictured posing for a selfie yesterday

Shadow Foreign Secretary Lisa Nandy and former leader Ed Miliband both declined to defend her comments.

Former Labour Cabinet minister Lord Adonis said Mrs Rayner's intervention had been designed to trigger a leadership contest  and called on Sir Keir to sack her if she refused to resign.

Michael Dugher, former Labour frontbencher, said: 'Actually, lots and lots of people in 'northern working class towns' don't call Tories 'scum'. They vote for them. Labour need to face up to that reality and rise to the challenge.'
Swiss voters appear to have decided by a clear margin to allow same-sex couples to marry, according to a projection after a national referendum on Sunday.

The projection by the gfs.bern polling agency for Switzerland's public broadcasters showed the measure passing by 64 per cent to 36 per cent.

Switzerland's parliament and the governing Federal Council supported the Marriage for All measure, and pre-referendum polls showed solid backing.

Switzerland has authorised same-sex civil partnerships since 2007.

A gay couple pose during a photo event during a nationwide referendum's day on same-sex marriage, in Swiss capital Bern on September 26

Supporters said passage would put same-sex partners on an equal legal footing with heterosexual couples such as by allowing them to adopt children together and facilitating citizenship for same-sex spouses.

It would also permit lesbian couples to utilise regulated sperm donation.

Opponents believe that replacing civil partnerships with full marriage rights would undermine families based on a union between one man and one woman.

The campaign has been rife with allegations of unfair tactics, with the opposing sides decrying the ripping down of posters, LGBT hotlines getting flooded with complaints, hostile emails and shouted insults against campaigners, and efforts to silence opposing views.

Switzerland, which has a population of 8.5 million, is traditionally conservative and only extended the right to vote to all its women in 1990.

Most countries in Western Europe already recognise same-sex marriage, while most of those in central and Eastern Europe do not allow wedlock involving two men or two women.

People demonstrate at the Zurich Pride parade in Zurich, Switzerland, with the slogan 'Dare. Marriage for all, now!' (Trau Dich. Ehe fuer alle. Jetzt!) for the rights of the LGBTIQ community, on Saturday, September 4

Supporters say it could still be months before same-sex couples can get married, mainly because of administrative and legislative procedures.

Another issue on Sunday's ballot was a measure spearheaded by left-wing groups to raise taxes on returns from investments and capital such as dividends or income from rental properties in Switzerland as a way to ensure better redistribution and fairer taxation.

The projection showed that proposal failing, with 66% voting against it in a country known for its vibrant financial sector and relatively low taxes, and as a haven for many of the world's richest people.
This the dramatic moment an elephant charged a bus and shattered its windscreen in southern India.

Footage filmed by a passenger shows the large elephant battering the glass with its tusks in the encounter on September 25 in Coonoor, in the Nilgiris district.

The incident occurred around 9am after the state-owned bus carrying government workers from Kotagiri to Mettupalayam halted to let an elephant cross the road.

The giant elephant attacked the bus carrying government workers in Coonoor, which in the Nilgiris district of southern India

One passenger on the bus filmed the attack which took place on Saturday

As the elephant began smashing the windscreen, before the driver left his seat and shepherded passengers to the back of the bus

Suddenly the elephant charged the bus. Footage shows the driver initially reversing but this seems to agitate the huge animal which picks up speed as it chases the bus.

The driver changes tactics and pulls up. He remains in his seat as the elephant shatters the windscreen, while passengers gasp in the background.

The elephant smashes the glass again, and stays blocking the bus's path.

At this point the driver gets up and shepherds the passengers towards the back of the bus as the elephant makes one last charge at the bus windscreen.

Local reports say the animal soon returned to the forest and the driver was able to start up the bus and drive his passengers to safety.

His calm actions won praise from officials. Supriya Sahu, Principal Secretary, Environment, Climate Change & Forests, at the Government of Tamil Nadu, tweeted: 'Huge respect for the driver of this Government bus in Nilgiris who kept his cool even under the terrifying hits on the bus from an agitated tusker.

'He helped passengers move back safely, in an incident today morning. That's why they say a cool mind works wonders.'

This is the hilarious moment an elephant attacked a huge sculpture in a Thailand wildlife park - after mistaking it for a love rival

It's not just buses that earn the wrath of elephants. Last month an elephant was filmed attacking a huge sculpture at a wildlife park after mistaking it for a love rival.

The incident happened at the Khao Yai National Park in Thailand.

National Park officer Ple Srichai said the bull probably mistook the sculpture for another male which threatened his breeding rights.
A 15-year-old girl was killed and three others injured in a 'senseless' shooting in Trenton on Saturday evening.

Shemiah Davis was gunned down in the New Jersey capital early on Saturday evening and later declared dead at hospital.

Authorities said multiple rounds of gunfire on Bellevue Avenue near North 25 Housing were reported at about 6:45pm on Saturday.

Mayor W. Reed Gusciora and Acting Police Director Steve Wilson called the shooting 'senseless' and said 'We stand with these families in their hour of unspeakable pain.'

The Mercer County prosecutor's office on Sunday confirmed the identification of the 15-year-old victim as Davis.

Shemiah Davis, 15, was killed and three others injured in a 'senseless' shooting in Trenton, New Jersey, on Saturday evening

The office added the 19-year-old woman was in a critical condition after being shot multiple times while the 17-year-old man was recovering after being hit in the leg.

The 20-year-old woman was also recovering from the shooting after suffering non-life-threatening shrapnel injuries from shattered glass and metal fragments.

A neighbor told CBS: 'This is a sad life. Fifteen. I don't know what you're gonna do, maybe doctor, maybe teacher, something like that. Right now, she gonna be doing nothing because she died.'

No arrests have yet been made in the case, which remains under investigation by the Trenton Police Department and Mercer County Homicide Task Force.

Officials asked residents of the neighborhood including the housing complex and the public to come forward with any information. Davis' death was Trentons 22nd homicide this year.

The Mercer County prosecutor's office on Sunday confirmed the identification of the 15-year-old victim as Davis (pictured)

Gusciora and Wilson's statement added: 'The scourge of gun violence in cities across America is profoundly impacting our communities.

'It is terrifying and unsettling to feel the weight of this issue so close to our home and our hearts.'

The pair said police were working to take more guns off Trenton's streets and bring down gun violence in the city.

'Together, we can bring the offenders of this shocking crime before the law's full force and begin the process of healing for our entire city', they added.

'The Trenton PD, the Mercer County Prosecutors Office, the New Jersey State Police, and other law enforcement are working at the Real-Time Crime Center gathering information to take these criminals off our streets.

'In addition, I ask residents of that neighborhood, including North 25 Housing and the public, to come forward with any information that might help us identify the perpetrators of these shootings and bring them to justice.

'You can provide information in confidence to the Homicide Task Force of the Mercer County Prosecutors Office at (609) 989-6406.'
A woman who survived the Manchester Arena bombing was left permanently disfigured when a pub-goer savagely attacked her and bit off a part of her ear.

Amy Bruce, who was among the survivors of the terror attack in 2017, had been with friends at a pub in Winlaton, Gateshead, when they encountered Sophie Watson - who was intoxicated on alcohol and cannabis.

Miss Bruce and her friend Elizabeth Brown decided to leave the pub following a disturbance and were waiting for a friend to come out from the toilet when Watson, 21, became paranoid they were laughing at her.

Watson marched over to the pair and dragged Miss Brown by her hair, swinging her around and to the ground before punching her, Newcastle Crown Court heard.

Others, including Miss Bruce, sought to intervene to stop the attack when Watson latched onto Miss Bruce's ear and bit a small portion off.

Sophie Watson, 21, of Red Barns, Newcastle, was convicted by a jury of wounding with intent, assault by beating and affray

The pub-goer then challenged bystanders and went on to spit on the face of a female police officer after being arrested.

Now Watson, who was 19 at the time, of Red Barns, Newcastle, has been jailed for three years after she was convicted by a jury of wounding with intent, assault by beating and affray.

She also pleaded guilty to assaulting the police officer and possessing cannabis.

In a victim impact statement, Miss Bruce said the attack and severe delays in the case had caused her a huge amount of stress.

Despite efforts by medics to fix the wound, which needed 11 stitches and glue and left cartilage exposed, Miss Bruce is struggling to cope with the injury.

She said: 'It couldn't be re-attached and my ear will never be complete for the rest of my life.

'I really struggle to come to terms with how I now look and couldn't face looking at my reflection. I've tried to overcome this with help from my family and friends.'

Miss Bruce said she feels a weight has been lifted since the conclusion of the case.

She added: 'This has been one of the most traumatic events of my lifetime, only second to the Manchester Arena bombing, which I was present at. I was just starting to cope with that when this happened.

'I will have to live with the deformity for the rest of my life.'

Watson also pleaded guilty to assaulting a police officer and possessing cannabis

Watson challenged bystanders and went on to spit on the face of a female police officer after being arrested, Newcastle Crown Court heard

Judge Tim Gittins said Miss Bruce deserves a public apology for delays in the case, caused by the heavy workload in the justice system, exacerbated by Covid.

Miss Brown suffered grazes and lumps and bumps to her head.

Penny Hall, defending, said: 'She had a chaotic lifestyle at the time of the offending but has worked hard to turn her life around.'

Miss Hall said she was on the ground and as people tried to restrain her when she bit the ear.

Miss Hall added that Watson, who had mental health issues, had looked after her two younger siblings since their mother died, has a young child of her own and is now pregnant again.

She said professionals speak highly of the way she has looked after the children.
The Taliban has ordered barbers in Helmand province to 'stop following American styles' and has warned of punishment for beard cutting.

'No one has a right to complain,' said the notice posted in the blood-soaked province, warning that shaving was not tolerated by Sharia law.

Similar instructions have been issued to barbers in Kabul, sources told the BBC.

Requests for quiffs, mohawks, and crew cuts were commonplace under the American-backed government but since the Taliban seized power last month people have been living in fear.

The jihadists shot dead four 'kidnappers' on Saturday before hanging their bodies from cranes in the streets of Herat province.

A barber cuts shaves a beard at a shop in Khost, in eastern Afghanistan last Thursday. Barbers across the country have stopped shaving beards as per orders from the Taliban

Taliban fighters are pictured in Kabul on Sunday. They have long beards as they interpret Islamic texts to say that shaving is forbidden

A barber shop in Khost advertising clean-shaven styles, as well as trendy, short modern hair cuts

'The fighters keep coming and ordering us to stop trimming beards,' one barber in Kabul told the BBC. 'One of them told me they can send undercover inspectors to catch us.'

Another, who runs one of the capital's biggest shops, said he was called by a government official who warned him to 'stop following American styles' and not to trim or shave the beard.

During the Taliban's first stint in power from 1996 to 2001, the hardliners banned flamboyant hairstyles and insisted men grow beards.

After they were ousted, being clean-shaven was often considered a sign of modernity, including in the relatively cosmopolitan western city of Herat.

'Now people come here and they only ask for simple cuts,' said 24-year-old barber Shah. 'They also don't shave their beards, so it's a problem now.'

The barber, who has been in the business for 15 years after starting as a young apprentice, said the downturn has caused his daily earnings to plummet from 11 to 4.

In the next neighbourhood, Mohammad Yousefi, 32, said he has had to dramatically lower his prices - from 4 a cut to just 70p - to keep his shop running.

'Because of the Taliban situation, customers have less income and they pay us less,' he said.

Yousefi said that after the Islamist hardliners took control of the country, 'suddenly people like to make themselves look like the Taliban'.

'It's not like the Taliban are fashionable, but people don't shave their beards because the Taliban will stop and ask them about it,' he said. 'They say it's not in sharia law, and that men should have beards and long hair.'

At 36-year-old Ali Reza's barber shop, pink spotlights shone down on customers and shelves were crammed with hairspray cans, gels, mousses, cologne and face masks.

The barber deftly chopped his scissors over a customer's beard as waiting clients discussed Afghan politics.

A barber waits for customers at his shop in Herat, western Afghanistan, on September 19

His two apprentices - Reza's 11-year-old nephew Sobhan and Mohsan, 14 - watched his every move, tidying away brushes, combs and electric clippers, and helping unwrap razor blades.

Reza completed the experience with a flourish, drumming his fingers over the customer's head, massaging his temples and eyebrows, before scrunching the unsuspecting client's ears for several seconds.

'In the past, young people would come every one or two weeks to cut their hair or beards, and they were happy,' Reza told AFP, adding many of his clients had fled.

'Those young people who are still here are not interested in cutting their hair or beards anymore because the economy is really poor,' he said.

Since the Taliban takeover, Afghans say job opportunities have dried up.

'Before my income was excellent, and now it's not,' he said.
Advertisement

Republicans have slammed Alejandro Mayorkas after he finally admitted that 12,000 Haitian migrants have been released into the U.S. and acknowledged the figure 'could be even higher'.

The Secretary of Homeland Security told Fox News on Sunday that approximately '10,000 or so - 12,000' mostly Haitian migrants had been released into the country.

'It could be even higher,' he added. 'The number that are returned could be even higher. What we do is we follow the law as Congress has passed it.'

In the same interview, Mayorkas acknowledged that some of the thousands of migrants who had been camped out under a bridge near Del Rio, Texas, had not been tested for Covid-19.

Lance Gooden was among the Republican's to hit out at Mayorkas' handling of the border crisis.

'Why hasn't Mayorkas been FIRED?,' the Texas congressman wrote in a tweet, detailing the Homeland Security chief's recent admissions.

Lauren Boebert, a Republican from Colorado, also criticised Mayorkas, apparently comparing the release of untested Haitians to an incident in which a mother claimed her child was kicked off a flight from Colorado to New Jersey for not wearing a mask.

'Two-year-olds are getting forced off planes for not wearing masks while Mayorkas just released 12,000+ illegals into the country without so much as a COVID test.

Senator Ted Cruz also slammed what he called 'Bizarro-world Biden rules' in a tweet.

He wrote that for American citizens, the rule is to 'get the vaccine or you're fired' but for 'illegal immigrants' it's 'no testing, no vaccines & being sent to every community in America!'

Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas has been slammed by Republicans after admitting that 12,000 Haitian migrants have been released into the U.S., claiming that number could increase as 5,000 other cases are still being processed

When asked by Fox how many of the group under the bridge - which official figures put at 15,000 at its peak - had been tested for coronavirus, Mayorkas insisted the administration was following 'strict Covid testing protocols'.

'We test, isolate, and quarantine unaccompanied children. We work with nonprofit organizations to test families,' he said.

'Those who are in ICE custody are tested, isolated, and quarantined. Those who are expelled under the Title 42 Public Health Authority are returned immediately. They are not placed in immigration court proceedings, and those we do not test, because they are returned immediately.'

Mayorkas' response appears to contradict comments he made to reporters a day earlier, suggesting that none of the people camped out under the bridge had been tested.

When asked how many of the group who were living in cramped conditions under the bridge had tested positive for the virus, Mayorkas said he did not know.

'We did not test that population of individuals,' Mayorkas said. 'We do not know, I do not know, I should say if I may be perfectly accurate, I do not know if anyone was sick with COVID.

'We certainly had some people get sick, not with COVID to my knowledge and we addressed their illnesses.'

Mayorkas' comments come as more Haitians make their way to the U.S., with images emerging on Saturday of a caravan travelling to the Panamanian border from Acandi, Colombia.

Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere and has been ravaged by two major earthquakes, one in 2010 and one in August this year that killed more than 2,000 people.

The Caribbean island has also been beset by political instability, which was made worse when President Jovenal Moise was assassinated in July.

On Sunday, Mayorkas continued to downplay the massive southern border crisis, saying these migrations are 'nothing new' and telling Fox he wouldn't classify the crossing as a 'flood' of people.

Haitian migrants cross the jungle of the Darien Gap, near Acandi, Colombia en route to Panama on Sunday. They are trying to reach the U.S.

Haitians are attempting to reach the U.S. even after 12 deportation flights returned some of the new arrivals to Haiti. Pictured: Haitian migrants cross the jungle of the Darien Gap, near Acandi, Colombia en route to Panama on Sunday

Haitian migrants cross the jungle of the Darien Gap, near Acandi, Colombia en route to Panama on Sunday

Another caravan of Haitian migrants are making the long trek to the U.S. to claim asylum. Here a group walks toward the border of Panama from Colombia on Saturday

Haitian migrants sail on Saturday from Colombia to Panama as another caravan makes its way to the U.S. southern border amid an already overwhelming surge

The area where the encampment of Haitian migrants stood just days early is seen empty on Saturday, allowing the Del Rio Port of Entry to reopen after being closed for a week

Almost all of the mostly Haitian migrants who set up camp near the Del Rio International Bridge this month left as of Saturday

He did, however, acknowledge that the U.S. immigration system needed to be reformed.

'Eleven million people in this country without lawful presence is a compelling reason why there is unanimity about the fact that our immigration system is broken and legislative reform is needed,' Mayorkas said.

He added when asked about the surge: 'I wouldn't call it a flood.'

Partial information was released by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) this week about the status of the thousands of mostly Haitian migrants who crossed into Del Rio, Texas over the last few weeks.

Those figures, however, only accounted for only 10,000 migrants  meaning at least another 5,000 people were unaccounted for.

The information DHS did release on Thursday showed that 1,401 migrants were sent back to Haiti on 12 different flights, 3,206 remained in custody, and 5,000 were still camped out beneath the Del Rio International Bridge.

'Why didn't you stop them from coming into the country?' Fox host Chris Wallace asked Mayorkas on Sunday.

'We did. We encountered them as they gathered  they assembled in that one location in Del Rio, Texas, and we applied the laws,' he responded.

'My question is why did you allow them in the country in the first place?' Wallace clarified. 'Why didn't you build  forgive me, a wall or a fence to stop them from walking  this flood of people coming across the dam, it looks like a highway that allows them to cross the Rio Grande.'

Mayorkas responded: 'It is the policy of this administration  we do not agree with the building of the wall. The law provides that individuals can make a claim for humanitarian relief.'

'That is actually one of our proudest traditions,' he added.

Migrants cross a river on horse-drawn wagons on Saturday as they head for the northern border Colombia shares with Panama

Migrants walk toward the border where they will wait in port town of Acandi, Colombia where they will wait for a boat to take them north so they can continue the dangerous trek to the U.S.

Many of these mostly Haitian migrants get stranded in the Colombia port awaiting a boat out to cross into neighboring Panama to make their way to the U.S. to claim asylum

Migrants set up a makeshift camp on Saturday evening as they travel to the northern-est border of Colombia to await boat transportation to Panama

Many Haitian migrants who have been camped out in South and Central American countries for months - and some for years  claim they now feel it's time to make the trek to the U.S. due to a perception that President Biden's immigration policies will be more favorable than those of former president Donald Trump.

Even though Mayorkas and the administration insist the border is 'closed,' migrants can cross the border and claim asylum, which kicks off a process that can allow them to remain in the U.S. while their case is being considered.

Last weekend, DHS ramped up deportation efforts by beginning removal flights back to Haiti.

This caused many migrants to trek back into Mexico from Del Rio to avoid deportation to their homeland, but the vast majority of people are still in the U.S. and  it is now known  have been released from custody.

Customs and Border Protection garnered an immense amount of backlash for carrying out the deportation and deterrence efforts after images emerged of agents on horseback appearing to use reins as whips against the migrants.

Included in the backlash was Representative Maxine Waters of California who claimed the 'whipping' images are 'worse than slavery' and fellow black Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley, who suggested the actions were counterintuitive to the Black Lives Matter movement as they were used on black Haitian migrants.

Haitian migrants walk on Saturday as they make their way to the transport point to Panama

In response, the White House announced on Thursday that it would no longer allow Border Patrol agents in Del Rio to ride on horseback. Mayorkas also announced that the agents in the images had been reassigned to administrative duties while an investigation into their actions is carried out.

Agents have said they were using the split reins to direct their horses or to ward off immigrants  not to whip them.

The photographer who took the images of the agents on horseback, Paul Ratje, said that he did not witness any agents use reins to whip migrants.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott on Sunday offered those federal agents facing reprimanding a job in the Lone Star State protecting its border with Mexico.

'Are you at all troubled by the images of these officers on horseback very aggressively pushing back on the Haitian immigrants coming across?' Fox News Chris Wallace asked Abbott on Fox News Sunday.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott offered on Sunday to give the federal agents jobs in his state protecting the border if they are fired

'Several quick points. First, they wouldn't have been in that situation had the Biden administration enforced the immigration laws and secured the border in the first place,' Abbott shot back.

'Second, as you know, Chris, the person who took those pictures said that the characterization that the Democrats have made about the Border Patrol using them as whips, whipping people who were coming across the border is false. They were simply maneuvering horses.'

'But the last thing I will tell you is what the president said, going after the Border Patrol, who were risking their lives and working so hard to try to secure the border, if he takes any action against them whatsoever, I have worked side-by-side with those Border Patrol agents,' Abbott continued.

'I want them to know something. If they are at risk of losing their job at a (sic) president who is abandoning his duty to secure the border, you have a job in the state of Texas,' he said. 'I will hire you to help Texas secure our border.

President Joe Biden 'promised' last week that 'those people will pay,' when talking about his border enforcement agents who were pictured on horseback.
Sir Keir Starmer's call for 100,000 foreign lorry drivers to be granted visas to come to the UK lasted just one day as his own shadow chancellor torpedoed the plan.

Rachel Reeves said it should be up to independent experts to decide how to fill worker shortages.

She said the lack of HGV drivers should be 'urgently' referred to the Migration Advisory Committee which advises the Government on migration policy.

Sir Keir had yesterday called for 100,000 visas to be issued as he blasted the Government's announcement of a temporary visa scheme that will see 5,000 foreign HGV drivers allowed to take up employment in the UK until Christmas Eve.

Shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves said it should be up to independent experts to decide how to fill HGV driver shortages

Sir Keir Starmer yesterday called for 100,000 visas to be issued as he blasted the Government's announcement of a temporary visa scheme that will see 5,000 foreign HGV drivers allowed to take up employment in the UK until Christmas Eve

The shortage of HGV drivers has hit the nation's fuel network while retailers have warned the Government that it has just 10 days to save Christmas from 'significant disruption' amid pressure on the food supply chain.

Ministers want firms to hire and train British workers to fill HGV vacancies, with the 5,000 visas viewed as a short term fix.

The shortfall of HGV drivers in the UK has been estimated at north of 90,000.

Ms Reeves said this morning that people queueing for fuel 'couldnt care less whether the HGV driver that has got the petrol to the forecourt is British or foreign'.

She said: We have been saying for quite a while now that the Government should refer this to the Migration Advisory Committee about skill shortages but then we need to be training up more British workers to have the skills to be able to do these jobs and improve them, particularly the conditions but also the pay for these HGV drivers.

She said the job of the committee is to 'advise on skill shortages and the Government need to refer to them and say to them urgently "we need to know what we should be doing here" because at the moment it is just an ad hoc process'.

She questioned how the Government had arrived at the 5,000 temporary visa number.

But when pushed on Sir Keir's plan to grant 100,000 visas to foreign lorry drivers, Ms Reeves said: 'Well, we have got a Migration Advisory Committee that is supposed to recommend to the Government the number of people.

Lets refer it to them and make sure that we have got the people here but in the meantime lets sort out the big skill shortage we have got in this country and skill people up to do the jobs that are available in the economy.'

Sir Keir had said yesterday that 'we are going to have to bring in more drivers and more visas'.

Asked directly if he would bring in 100,000 foreign drivers if he was prime minister, Sir Keir said: 'We are going to have to do that. We have to issue enough visas to cover the number of drivers that we need.

Ms Reeves also categorically ruled out a Labour government bringing back EU freedom of movement.

She said: We are not going to bring back free movement under a Labour government but we would fix some of these problems.
Olaf Scholz and Armin Laschet have both claimed to have enough votes to become Germany's next Chancellor, after a tight election concluded with no clear winner.

Scholz's centre-left SPD has emerged with the largest share of the vote after Sunday's ballot with 25.7 per cent - a huge improvement on the 15 per cent it polled in the run-up to the vote, and on the 20 per cent it got in 2017.

But Armin Laschet, Merkel's successor and leader of the centre-right CDU-CSU, has refused to relinquish his claim to power - saying he will do 'everything possible' to form a coalition government despite his party polling an historic low of 24.1 per cent.

'Many citizens have voted for the SPD because they want a change of government and they want the next chancellor to be named Olaf Scholz,' the SPD leader told cheering supporters overnight.

But Laschet countered: 'It has not always been the case that the parties that were in first place provided the chancellor.'

The likely king-makers will be the left-wing Greens - which ended the night on 14.9 per cent support, up from 8.9 per cent in 2017 - and the liberal FDP - on 11.5 per cent, up from 7 per cent last time out.

Winning the support of both will be enough to take either the SPD or CDU into power, either in a so-called 'traffic light' coalition of SPD-FDP-Green or 'Jamaica' coalition of CDU-FDP-Green - based on party colours.

In the meantime, Angela Merkel - already Germany's second-longest serving Chancellor after 16 years in power - will stay on in a caretaker role.

Olaf Scholz, leader of Germany's centre-left SPD, told supporters that he has a route into government after emerging the largest party following Sunday's election

Armin Laschet, Angela Merkel's successor and leader of the CDU/CSU, led his party to an historic low in the ballots - but refused to concede, saying he will also work to form a coalition

While the left-leaning 'traffic light' coalition appeared to be the most-likely succeed, it still faces the difficulty of reconciling the policies of the pro-business FDP with the Greens - who favour curbs on business in order to hit environmental targets.

FDP leader Christian Lindner also has a history of walking away from coalition talks, turning down the chance to govern alongside Merkel in 2017.

'It is better not to govern than to govern wrongly,' he said at the time.

In the likely event that either the SPD or CDU do head the next government, it will be the first time that Germany has been led by a party that got less than 31 per cent of the vote.

Also making up the new Bundestag will be the far-right AfD party which got 10 per cent of the vote, down from 12 per cent in 2017. All major parties have refused to work with them in coalition.

The Left party will also be represented - having fallen just short of the 5 per cent required to get a share of seats on 4.9 per cent, but getting in on a technicality.

The result marks a huge win for Scholz, who is Merkel's former finance minister, after many questioned why his party was even putting up a candidate for Chancellor given their chances of victory were so remote.

It also marks a huge disappointment for Laschet and will leave question marks over his future after he out-manouevered a more-popular rival to claim leadership of the CDU but then ran a campaign beset with missteps that saw support drain away.

Perhaps the biggest gaffe came when he was caught laughing in the background while visiting areas of Germany that were devastated by flooding earlier this summer, leaving almost 200 people dead.

On voting day itself, Mr Laschet committed another blunder by folding his ballot with his choices visible rather than hidden - he cast both his votes for the CDU.

'Of course, this is a loss of votes that isn't pretty,' Mr Laschet said of the results, while also trying to downplay the loss - arguing that Merkel's departure meant nobody had the incumbent advantage.

Should rival coalition talks fail, it is possible that the SPD and CDU could both end up returning to government as part of a so-called 'grand coalition' that has run Germany for 12 of Merkel's 16 years in power.

But there was little obvious appetite for that early on Monday, after years of government squabbling.

'Everyone thinks that...this 'grand coalition' isn't promising for the future, regardless of who is No. 1 and No. 2,' Mr Laschet said. 'We need a real new beginning.'

Mr Lindner appeared keen to govern, suggesting that his party and the Greens - led by Annalena Baerbock - should be the first to enter talks, before approaching the SPD and CDU with proposals.

In a post-election debate with all the party leaders on public broadcaster ZDF, Mr Lindner said: 'About 75% of Germans didn't vote for the next chancellor's party.

'So it might be advisable...that the Greens and Free Democrats first speak to each other to structure everything that follows.'

The election leaves Angela Merkel - who was planning to step down after 16 years in power - hanging on in a caretaker role while coalition talks take place

The king-makers will be the Greens (leader Annalena Baerbock, left) and the liberal FDP (leader Christian Lindner, right) who between them control more than 25 per cent of votes

Ms Baerbock insisted that 'the climate crisis...is the leading issue of the next government, and that is for us the basis for any talks...even if we aren't totally satisfied with our result.'

While the Greens improved their support from the last election in 2017, they had higher expectations for Sunday's vote.

Whichever parties form the next German government, the Free Democrats' Mr Lindner said it was 'good news' that it would have a majority with centrist parties.

'All of those in Europe and beyond who were worried about Germany's stability can now see: Germany will be stable in any case,' he said.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez sent early congratulations to Mr Scholz.

'Spain and Germany will continue to work together for a stronger Europe and for a fair and green recovery that leaves no one behind,' he wrote on Twitter.

Mrs Merkel will not be an easy leader to follow, having won plaudits for steering Germany through crises including the 2007 recession and Covid.

Her successor will have to lead the recovery from the coronavirus pandemic, which Germany so far has weathered relatively well thanks to large rescue programmes.

Mr Laschet insisted there should be no tax increases as Germany pulled out of the pandemic.

Mr Scholz and Ms Baerbock favour tax hikes for the richest Germans, and also back an increase in the minimum wage.

Germany's leading parties have significant differences in their proposals for tackling climate change.

Mr Laschet's Union bloc is pinning its hopes on technological solutions and a market-driven approach, while the Greens want to ramp up carbon prices and end the use of coal earlier than planned.

Mr Scholz has emphasized the need to protect jobs as Germany transitions to greener energy.

Foreign policy has not featured much in the campaign, although the Greens favour a tougher stance towards China and Russia.

In two regional elections also held Sunday, the Social Democrats looked set to defend the post of Berlin mayor that they have held for two decades. The party was also on course for a strong win in the northeastern state of Mecklenburg Western-Pomerania.

Nico Siegel, head of the Infratest Dimap polling company which conducted the exit poll alongside ARD, said 'we will certainly see some surprises on Sunday,' as he spoke ahead of the results.

Despite the SPD's lead in the polls, a victory for the conservatives 'can't be ruled out', he said. 'The race for first place is wide open.'

President Frank-Walter Steinmeier was among the early voters on Sunday, declaring that 'to vote is to live democracy' as he cast his ballot in Berlin.

The far-right AfD party got 10 per cent of votes, down from 12 per cent in 2017, but will not feature in government after all other parties ruled out working with them

At a polling station in Aachen, voter Ursula Becker, 62, told AFP: 'This year it's quite exciting who it will be, and it's always important who governs.'

In Berlin, Hagen Bartels, 64, said he was expecting 'the surprise that the biggest party is not the SPD but probably the CDU'.

With both parties likely to fall well short of the majority needed to govern alone, there could be weeks or even months of fraught coalition negotiations.

After Germany's last election in September 2017, it was February before the CDU-CSU formed a coalition with the SPD.

Along with social justice, climate change has been one of the top concerns among voters in the run-up to the election.

In Aachen, first-time voter Maite Hoppenz, 18, told AFP that climate change was 'definitely a big topic for me because I think it will certainly have a big impact on my future'.

Benedikt Ruedesheim, 33, said he would have liked to see 'a bit more clarity about who is planning what' on climate change as he cast his vote in Berlin.

The Green party enjoyed a surge in support earlier this year after naming 40-year-old Ms Baerbock as its chancellor candidate, at one point even briefly taking the lead as the most popular party.

But after a series of missteps by Ms Baerbock, including a plagiarism scandal, the Greens went into the elction polling well behind the two leading parties on around 17 percent.

While the chancellery may be out of reach for the party, it will likely have a role in Germany's next government.

All bets are off on the composition of the next coalition, as the SPD and the conservatives could each try to cobble together a ruling majority if there is little to divide their score.

On the eve of the polls, Mr Scholz voiced his preference for a partnership with the Greens, calling on voters to give him the score needed to go with a two-way coalition.

Mr Laschet has signalled he could still try to form a coalition even if the CDU-CSU do not come first, most likely calling on the Greens and the liberal FDP for support.

But coming second would be a devastating blow for the party, which has dominated German politics since World War II and has never won less than 30 percent of the vote in federal elections.
Advertisement

Britain's daily Covid cases have risen by 5.2 per cent on last week while deaths have dropped by almost a fifth, official figures revealed today.

Department of Health bosses recorded 37,960 positive tests, compared to 36,100 last Monday. It marks the tenth day in-a-row that infections have risen week-on-week.

Meanwhile, another 40 deaths were also posted, down slightly from the 49 lab-confirmed victims registered the week before. No UK-wide hospitalisation figures were available but data from England suggest they are falling by around 15 per cent week-on-week.

Both measures lag several weeks behind cases because of how long it can take for infected patients to become seriously ill.

Meanwhile, 48.7million Britons aged over 16 have now had at least one dose of the vaccine (89.7 per cent), while 44.7million are double-jabbed (82.4 per cent).

The figures come amid fears a fourth wave is just around the corner, with official data suggesting children have started to pass the coronavirus to their parents.

Department of Health statistics show England's infection rates have been rising for a fortnight, following the return of millions of pupils to classrooms at the start of the month. But infections were only increasing in youngsters, bolstering evidence that the reopening of schools was to blame.

Government data now shows, however, rates have started trending upwards in 35 to 39-year-olds, 40 to 44-year-olds and 45 to 50-year-olds, suggesting that children may have taken the virus home with them.

The above graph shows Covid infection rates in different age groups per 100,000 people. They are calculated as rates per week to allow for comparisons. Data showed 10 to 14-year-olds (yellow) had the highest infection rate over the week to September 21, the latest available, followed by 15 to 19-year-olds (green) and 5 to 9-year-olds (red)

The above graph shows the week-on-week percentage change in Covid infection rates by age group. It reveals that cases are spiralling fastest among 10 to 14-year-olds (yellow) and 15 to 19-year-olds (red). Cases have also risen by 13 per cent in a week among 40 to 44-year-olds (yellow), 45 to 49-year-olds (green) and 15 to 19-year-olds (dark green). There was a slight rise in cases week-on-week among 0 to 4-year-olds (black) and 5 to 9-year-olds (light red)

ENGLAND COVID CASES: The above graph shows Covid cases in England. These have begun to rise in recent days in a delayed back to school wave

ENGLAND COVID HOSPITALISATIONS: The graph shows that 572 people were admitted to hospitals in England on Wednesday, the latest day figures are available for

ENGLAND COVID DEATHS: The above graph shows the number of fatalities involving the virus recorded in England. These have remained flat, but there is a lag between someone catching the virus and sadly dying from the disease

Experts had always warned of a fresh wave after the return of schools, where the majority are not vaccinated. In the worst-hit parts of the country, up to one in 24 children tested positive last week alone.

Scientists say the rise in adults might be the result of millions more Britons returning to offices this month, following the end of work from home guidance.

Department of Health data show the infection rate among 40 to 44-year-olds was 361.2 positive tests per 100,000 people in the week ending September 21, up 13 per cent from 318.1 in the previous seven-day spell.

For 45 to 49-year-olds, the rate stood at 300.9 per 100,000 in the latest week, also up 13 per cent from 264.4 the previous week. And for 35 to 39-year-olds, the infection rate was 276.2, up slightly from 267.6 previously.

But rates were still dropping, albeit at a slower pace, in every other age group except children.

Kettering becomes England's new Covid hotspot Kettering is now England's Covid hotspot. Above are cases in the area by the date the test was taken Kettering now has the highest Covid infection rate in England, official data reveals. The market town in Northamptonshire has seen its cases surge in the wake of schools returning. Its coronavirus infection rate stood at 823.8 cases per 100,000 people on September 21, the latest available, almost double the rate the week before. The surge has largely been driven by school-age children, with one in 24 in the area testing positive for the virus last week. Experts have warned almost every child in the country could catch the virus. The second-highest infection rate in the country is in Allerdale, the Lake District, where it is 702.2 per 100,000. And Rugby, in Warwickshire, has the third highest rate at 686.9 per 100,000. Advertisement

For 10 to 14-year-olds it was as high as 1,261.7 per 100,000, meaning 1.2 per cent of all youngsters in the age bracket tested positive in the most recent week of data. The age group had the highest infection rate last week.

There was also a slight rise in cases among 0 to 4-year-olds, 5 to 9-year-olds and 15 to 19-year-olds.

The most up-to-date data on the dashboard only goes up to September 21, and the infection rate may still change as more cases are recorded in the coming days.

Dr Simon Clarke, a microbiologist at Reading University, told MailOnline it was likely that the uptick in infections in older age groups was sparked by Covid-infected children returning home from school.

He warned the rise showed ministers 'cannot be complacent' about rising infections in younger age groups, and said cases were set to increase over the autumn and winter. But he added that thanks to vaccines this was unlikely to spark a major surge in hospitalisations and deaths.

Dr Clarke said: 'It is likely they [Covid cases] have gone from children. Parents have protection from the vaccine, but we know the protection is not complete.'

Professor Gary McLean, a molecular immunologist from London Metropolitan University, said Covid was likely to spread in the home because of a lack of social distancing and face masks.

He told MailOnline the country could expect a fourth wave, saying: 'The age groups children pass the virus on to, they're more likely to be going back to work frequently or going out where there is no social distancing, spreading it among themselves.

'We have been hovering around 30 to 40,000 daily cases for quite a while now... but as the weather deteriorates and people spend more time indoors, I think the potential for cases to go up is really high.

'I would expect a fourth wave to occur, coupled with a lot of old people that are more vulnerable [to experiencing a] drop in immunity.'

He said the booster programme would likely not stave off a wave of infections because of its slow roll out and the fact vaccines do not stop infections in every case, although they do slash the risk of hospitalisation and death. Over-50s are being offered top-ups.

He also called on parents to be 'very careful' now children had returned to school, and said they should keep an eye out for other symptoms of the virus, such as a sore throat, that are not on the Government's symptoms list.

Professor Deepti Gurdasani, an epidemiologist at Queen Mary University of London and member of Independent SAGE, last week described the surging infections among school children as 'simply shocking'.

She wrote on Twitter: 'One in 24 children testing positive for SARS-CoV-2 in a single week in Kettering. The rise here is practically a vertical line, and no sign of coming down.

'This is what the pursuit [of] "herd immunity" through mass infection of children looks like.'

Kettering has become England's Covid hotspot with an infection rate at 823.8 per 100,000 on September 21, the latest available, almost double the week before.

Ministers have lifted virtually all Covid restrictions in England's schools  which came back from the summer holidays on September 1  except requiring pupils to swab themselves for the virus twice a week.

But they have a package of measures available should rising infection rates spark concerns. These have already been deployed in the South West, where children and teachers are required to wear face masks in communal areas such as playgrounds and corridors.

After Scotland suffered a meteoric rise in cases, fears were raised that some restrictions would be brought back in schools across the country.

Teaching Unions called for pupils to still be asked to wear face masks when they returned to the classroom.

Boris Johnson is banking on the booster programme for the over-50s and vaccinating 12 to 15-year-olds to keep the lid on the virus this winter.

But if the NHS comes under unsustainable pressure he said England would need to bring back other measures including face masks in public areas. His advisers have warned the country may need to impose additional measures in order to contain an outbreak.
Australia's border will be officially flung open by the end of the year to any states willing to accommodate overseas flights, with no rules on where you can fly.

Fully-vaccinated Australians will be able to pack their bags for an international holiday before Christmas, and will only have to home quarantine for seven days.

There will likely be no travel bubbles imposed, with double-jabbed residents free to fly to any country anywhere in the world, 9News reported.

Australia's international border will be officially flung open by the end of the year to any states willing to take overseas flights (pictured, a Qantas plane takes off in August)

Fully vaccinated Australians will be able to pack their bags for an international holiday before Christmas and will only have to home quarantine for seven days (stock image)

There is currently no plan to categorise overseas destinations with green, orange and red status as done so by other countries.

The international border will only reopen for the fully-vaccinated with travellers mandated to spend seven days self-isolating at home on their return.

Aussies have been banned from leaving the country for holidays since March 2020 and anyone returning must pay up to $2,800 for two weeks of hotel quarantine - and that's if they can bag a seat on a flight thanks to strict arrival caps.

Flagship airline Qantas has already confirmed it will offer flights for overseas holidays from December 18.

Qantas boss Alan Joyce said Australia and its states 'cannot stay closed forever and was preemptively offering the flights in hope holidays would be on the cards.

The airline recently provided the exact date holiday-hungry residents can book flights to popular destinations like the US, UK, Canada and Singapore.

Biosecurity laws banning outbound travel without an exception will end on December 17 - the day before Qantas flights are set to resume.

There will likely be no travel bubbles imposed, with fully vaccinated Australians free to fly to any country anywhere in the world (stock image)

Where will you be able to jet off overseas this December? December 18 *Sydney-London *Melbourne-London *Sydney-Los Angeles *Sydney-Vancouver *Sydney-Singapore *Melbourne-Singapore December 19 *Melbourne-Los Angeles *Brisbane-Los Angeles *Sydney-Honolulu *Brisbane-Singapore *Sydney-Tokyo *Sydney-Fiji Advertisement

Australia is currently in talks to set up quarantine-free travel bubbles with the UK, US, South Korea, Singapore and Fiji for the double-jabbed (stock image)

Qantas has scheduled flights to London, Los Angeles, Vancouver and Singapore to commence from December 18.

Australians will additionally be able to pack their bags for a highly-anticipated holiday to Tokyo and Fiji from December 19, and Hawaii the following day.

Qantas announced its plans to gradually bring back overseas flights once 80 per cent of the over 16s are fully vaccinated against Covid-19 in accordance with the national plan.

The airline said it expected the country to reach that target in December - triggering the re-opening of international borders as part of 'Phase C' of the federal government's path to pandemic normality.

Flights to cities in Asia and South Africa with low vaccination rates and high Covid-19 case numbers will likely remain off the cards until at least April 2022.

Those developing world destinations include Bali, Jakarta, Manila, Bangkok, Phuket, Ho Chi Minh City and Johannesburg.

However, Hong Kong could be a viable holiday destination from February 2022.

The airline is preparing to restart flights between Australia and New Zealand from mid-December as long as the trans-Tasman bubble had re-opened by then.

All these flights depend on whether other countries are even allowing foreigners in at all.

Qantas also confirmed it would ban un-jabbed passengers on international flights.

Flights to cities in Asia and South Africa with low vaccination rates and high Covid-19 case numbers will be off the cards for Australians until at least April 2022 (stock image)

Qantas boss Alan Joyce (pictured) has said Australia and its states 'cannot stay closed forever'

Mr Joyce said the mandate was intended to protect those passengers who were fully vaccinated, as the jabs reduce the chances of catching and transmitting the virus.

'Qantas will have a policy that internationally we'll only be carrying vaccinated passengers,' the chief executive said.

'Because we think that's going to be one of the requirements to show that you're flying safe and getting into those countries. We're hoping that can happen by Christmas.'

Last week, Minister for Trade and Tourism Dan Tehan delivered some welcome news to holiday-hungry Australians and confirmed the nation was on track to lift travel restrictions this year.

'I do empathise with the Australians who have been denied the opportunity to travel overseas this year. It's another reason why everyone should get vaccinated,' he told the National Press Club on Wednesday.

'We have to stick to the national plan that will see our international border open up - at this rate by Christmas at the latest.'

Interstate travel still remains up in the air as state leaders remain at odds over the level of vaccine coverage required to reopen their borders (pictured, Sydney's domestic terminal)

The minister said Australia was currently in talks with several countries with high vaccination rates to consider mutual quarantine arrangements.

However, interstate travel still remains up in the air as state leaders remain at odds over the level of vaccine coverage required to reopen their borders.

The premier did not announce any plans for international travel - but was hopeful that fully vaccinated Australians will be able to leave and return to NSW with home quarantine in December.

However, Queensland and Western Australia are pursuing Covid elimination strategies and have suggested keeping their borders closed to those states - namely NSW and Victoria - where the virus circulates.

'I don't want to it be the case that I will be able to go overseas before I can go to Perth,' Ms Berejiklian said.

Tasmania has indicated it will require 90 per cent of those aged over 12 to be jabbed before the border is re-opened, while South Australia will open at 80 per cent.

Victorian plans to reopen in a similar way to NSW, with Premier Dan Andrews stating he didn't want residents 'locked out of their state and locked in their homes'.

Qantas has already announced plans to replace Perth as a stop-over destination with Darwin for the airlines London route.

Australia's border will only reopen for those who are fully vaccinated with travellers mandated to home quarantine for seven days on their return (stock image)

Minister for Trade and Tourism Dan Tehan (pictured) said Australia was currently in talks with several countries with high vaccination rates to work out quarantine arrangements

Meanwhile, NSW is currently running a home quarantine trial of 100 international arrivals, and provided there are no hiccups that will be instituted for all returning Australian citizens and visa holders.

'We are still getting health advice on whether it is 7 or 14 [days' quarantine]. The trial is for a seven-day period,' Ms Berejiklian said on Monday.

It comes after Prime Minister Scott Morrison has said self-isolation at home would become the 'primary and viable method' for Australians undergoing quarantine.

Participants must have received both doses of a Covid-19 vaccine accredited by the Therapeutic Goods Administration and will be pre-selected for home quarantine.

Travellers will be chosen from a range of different accommodation types, age groups and family situations to ensure the trial represents the wider population.

Qantas air crew will also take part in the trial, which the minister said was a 'logical' decision given flight staff work on tight turnaround times.

Australian airline Qantas has confirmed holiday-hungry residents can pack their bags for an overseas holiday, with flights scheduled from December 18 (pictured, a tourist in London)

Australians will be able to pack their bags for a highly-anticipated holiday to Japan (pictured) and Fiji from December 19, and Hawaii the following day (stock image)

Australia's Prime Minister has said he will reopen the border in line with the national reopening plan which flags international travel to resume when the country has achieved 80 per cent double dose coverage.

'We will see our international borders, particularly for Australians to leave and return and Australians who are overseas and have been vaccinated to return, and that will occur before the end of the year,' Mr Morrison told American network CBS.

'It could happen well before that. I mean, right now we have reached a point where half of our adult population, aged over 16, has been double vaccinated.'

As of Monday, 76 per cent of eligible Australians had received one dose of a Covid vaccine while 51 per cent were fully vaccinated.

Australia is set to hit a national rate of 80 per cent vaccination in early December.
A mother has revealed a hooded stranger who tried to abduct her son near a busy Melbourne shopping centre asked the boy if he liked 'candy' and 'cars'.

Jess and her nine-year-old son were at Tunstall Square, in Doncaster East, around midday Saturday when they ran into some friends.

The boy and the other children started playing hide and seek in the street outside the shopping centre, with Jess's son hiding behind a door way.

As he waited to be found, a man approached him from behind, asking the nine-year-old if he liked cars and candy before grabbing his arm.

Luckily, he was able to break free from the grasp of the man, who tried to grab him a second time before the boy ran to his mother.

Jess (pictured) is urging parents to have conversations with their children about keeping safe from potentially dangerous situations with strangers after son was grabbed by a man in a busy Melbourne shopping centre

The nine-year-old boy was playing hide and seek at Tunstall Square shopping centre (pictured) in Doncaster East, on Saturday when a stranger grabbed his arm

'He said someone had tried to grab him. He said a man has come up and asked him if he likes cars asked if he wanted to see his car,' Jess told 7NEWS.

'I was panicked. It could have been devastating'.

Jess immediately contacted police after her son told her about the incident.

She said he was not too shaken, but anticipates that will change once he comes to terms with the seriousness of the event.

After the attempted snatching, Jess said her son told her he had remembered all of the safety tips she had taught him.

The mother is now urging parents to have conversations with their children about how to respond if they feel threatened by a stranger.

'Im really proud of him. I didnt even need to prompt him, he listed off the things he remembered,' she said.

Victoria Police have released a computer generated image of a man believed to be able to assist with inquiries into the attempted abduction of a child on Saturday

Victoria Police have released a computer-generated image of a man who they believe can assist with inquiries.

The man is said to be of Caucasian appearance, about 175cm tall with a medium build and scruffy beard.

He has brown eyes with scratches on his face, as well as a tattoo of a snake wrapped around his neck and profanities scrawled on his left hand.

Detectives from Manningham Crime Investigation Unit are urging witnesses or anyone with information regarding the incident to call Crime Stoppers.
This is the dramatic moment a Royal Navy chases off and 'hits' a Spanish police boat as it was speeding through Gibraltarian waters trying to apprehend suspected smugglers.

Footage taken from the suspects' boat shows a Royal Navy vessel 'interposing' itself between them and the Spanish Civil Guard at around 8pm last Friday.

Incendiary Spanish reports claim the British speedboat struck that of the Civil Guard and that the incident took place in 'Spanish waters Gibraltar claims sovereignty over.'

The Spanish police were eventually able to apprehend the suspected cigarette smugglers but found no evidence of anything illegal or contraband on their boat.

Footage taken from the suspects' boat shows a Royal Navy boat between it and the Spanish police vessel on the starboard side. On the port side, a Gibraltar Customs boat is also in tow

Incendiary Spanish reports claimed the British vessel had struck that of the Civil Guard and that the incident took place in 'Spanish waters Gibraltar claims sovereignty over'

The Spanish say the Royal Navy boat 'interposed' itself between the Civil Guard's and suspects' vessels

The high speed chase was filmed by the suspected smugglers. Their boat was later found to not be carrying anything illegal or contraband

One unconfirmed Spanish report said the Royal Navy vessel hit the Civil Guard patrol boat with its fender.

Spanish government officials and the Civil Guard have not yet made any official comment.

MailOnline has contacted the Ministry of Defence for comment.

In January, the Royal Navy was forced to expel a Spanish police vessel from the Bay of Gibraltar in an incident that lasted over 45 minutes.

The reason for that incursion was not made clear.

Two Royal Navy ships were forced to expel the Rio Guadalete from Gibraltarian waters.

The Spanish ship was subsequently given repeated sovereignty warnings by the Royal Navy. The HMS Dasher and a Royal Navy RHIB were both dispatched to deal with the matter.

A Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office spokesman later said: 'We have no doubt about UK sovereignty over British Gibraltar Territorial Waters and protest incursions from the Spanish authorities.'

In June, the UK government confirmed a 36million contract to Marine Specialised Technology to deliver 18 new police patrol craft for the MOD and Gibraltar Defence Police (GDP) Forces.

Defence Minister Baroness Goldie said at the time of the announcement: 'This 36 million investment allows our MOD Police and Gibraltar Defence Police Forces to enhance the vital security service they provide to our military bases at home and overseas.

'Designed and constructed by maritime experts in the UK, this contract reaffirms our commitment to invest in homegrown industry knowledge and support the protection and creation of skilled jobs.'

The boats appear to be just feet away from each other (left) while the Gibraltarian vessel follows further away

Last week, the MoD released footage of a new purpose-built patrol boat for the Royal Navy's Gibraltar Squadron undergoing sea trials in Liverpool.

HMS Cutlass is the first of two new cutting-edge fast patrol boats that are being built by Merseyside-based Marine Specialised Technology (MST) at a cost of nearly 10 million.

Footage of HMS Cutlass being put through its paces at 41 knots was tweeted by Admiral Tony Radakin, the First Sea Lord, at the weekend.

He said in a message along the video he posted: 'Impressive to see HMS Cutlass which will soon join the @RNGibSqn, going through her paces acheiving 41kts in Liverpool.'

Gibraltar claims three nautical miles around the Rock as its own. Spain insists the waters outside of Gibraltar's port belong to them.

The latest incident is expected to lead to another formal complaint by the UK government to Spain.

Figures released by Britain's Armed Forces earlier this year showed they had registered a staggering total of 830 Spanish incursions into the British overseas territory in 2020.

Towards the end of the clip the Gibraltar Customs boat is seen drawing back from the suspects' boat

The Strategic Command of the Armed Forces recorded 37 overflights by the Spanish Air Force and 27 intrusions by Spanish Navy ships. The rest were carried out by the Guardia Civil or customs officers.

Britain records any incidents they consider to be Spanish incursions in the waters and airspace of Gibraltar, but Spain does not recognise such incidents because sea and airspace restrictions were not included in the Treaty of Utrecht which gave Britain sovereignty over Gibraltar in 1713.

The figures were released by defence chiefs after a Freedom of Information (FOI) request by a resident of Gibraltar.

British Armed Forces Strategic Command said its figures were based on 'incursions' into the 'British Territorial Waters of Gibraltar' as defined in the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, which occurred between January 1 and December 31 2020.

Spain set alarm bells ringing at the start of the year with a promise to regain sovereignty of Gibraltar.

Then-Spanish Foreign Affairs Minister Arancha Gonzalez Laya made it clear the country has not renounced the 'sovereignty' nor the 'co-sovereignty' of Gibraltar after Brexit.

She issued the warning during a reply to parliamentary groups before the Joint Commission of the European Union of the Congress of Deputies when explaining the principle of the agreement between Spain and the UK over Gibraltar.
British boxer Amir Khan has claimed he was 'picked on' and 'treated so badly' when he was kicked off an American Airlines flight by US police after an alleged row about face coverings.

The 34-year-old had been flying to a training camp in Colorado from New York when he and a friend were removed by police after someone on the plane is said to have complained his colleague's mask 'was not high enough'.

But the boxer said his 'mask was always up' and he 'did not argue' with flight attendants when they asked his friend to lift his mask up.

Speaking to Kay Burley on Sky News today, Khan continued to maintain that he had 'done nothing wrong' during the incident.

He also said it took place a week after the anniversary of the September 11 attacks and 'things were a little bit tense.'

Amir Khan claimed he was 'picked on' and 'did nothing wrong' when he was kicked off an American Airlines flight by US police

The boxer said his 'mask was always up' and he 'did not argue' with flight attendants when they asked his friend to lift his mask up

He said: 'I got on the plane and I was sat on seat number 1A and 1B was for my friend who was coming to train with me.

'As soon as I was on the plane I was on a phone call and the stewardess said to put my phone call down - which I did. I put it down I didn't argue. I had my mask on and everything was fine.

'My friend must have been drinking some water and put his mask down a little bit. The lady then came and said ''please you need to put your mask up''. It must have been a little bit lower, just below his nose and he fixed that.

'And then the plane is moving now so I'm leaning on the side of the window and trying to fall asleep. I was on my way to Colorado for my training camp and then the plane for some reason stops and when it stops I pull up the window to see what has happened.

'Before I know it the doors open up and three officers walk in and the air stewardess tells says me and my friend need to leave.

'I hadn't done anything wrong, my mask was always up and I just feel that I got treated so badly.

'It was quite embarrassing standing up in front of a full plane and I think even they were shocked thinking ''why are the police on the areophane?''.

'We got taken out and they just said that we were not paying attention to instructions they had given us.

'They said that my bag was out and I wasn't listening and argued with them which I never did. I didn't argue with them and my bag was in the storage area at the top of the luggage area.'

The boxer went on to say that he and his friend were both 'picked on' and 'treated very badly'.

Khan went on to say that the incident took place a week after the anniversary of the September 11 attacks and 'things were a little bit tense'

Last week the boxer said he was 'disgusted' by his alleged treatment on the flight

Khan took to Twitter after the incident and claimed he had been banned by American Airlines

He added: 'I just feel like I was treated very badly. It was a week after 9/11 and I do feel like things were a little bit tense. To be picked on, two Asian boys sat at the front. Being pulled off the plane, it was quite embarrassing really.'

Last week Khan said he was 'disgusted' by his alleged treatment onboard the flight.

In a video on social media he said: 'Obviously a complaint was made by American Airlines staff, they said that my colleague's mask was not high enough and not up, that they had to stop the plane and take me and my friend off when I did nothing wrong.

'They kicked us both off, I was sat on 1A, he was sat on 1B - I find it so disgusting and so disrespectful, I was supposed to go to Colorado springs for a training camp and now I'm back in New York for another day.

'Now I have to reschedule another airplane to travel back to training camp which is really upsetting, for no reason this was and I'm just so disgusted that American Airlines would do this to us and ban me from travelling.

'I'm sure there must be cameras on the airplane that they could see, or someone should see, to see that if my colleague really was bad in anyway or caused a scene in a way where he had to be taken off the plane - I've never seen this happen before.'

American Airlines said their Customer Relations team was reaching out to Mr Khan to learn more about his experience

The boxer, who has appeared on reality television shows including I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!, also claimed he had been 'banned' by the carrier.

An American Airlines spokesperson told MailOnline: 'Prior to takeoff on Sept. 18, American Airlines Flight 700, with service from Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) to Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW), returned to the gate to deplane two customers who reportedly refused to comply with repeated crew member requests to stow luggage, place cell phones in airplane mode and adhere to federal face covering requirements.

'Our Customer Relations team has reached out to Mr. Khan to learn more about his experience and reinforce the importance of policies implemented for the safety of our customers and crew.'
Sadiq Khan today tried to act as peacemaker in a row between Andy Burnham and Keir Starmer as he insisted the Mayor of Greater Manchester does support the Labour leader.

Mr Burnham yesterday accused Sir Keir of sidelining Labour's metro mayors at the party's annual conference in Brighton.

He questioned if the party is 'serious about winning back the north of England' after he claimed senior elected politicians had not been given the chance to deliver major televised speeches in the conference hall.

But Mr Khan stepped in this morning to insist that 'Andy is somebody who supports the leader'.

The Mayor of London said Sir Keir is talking to Labour's selection of elected mayors to 'listen to our points of view because we are a good example of Labour in power'.

The comments from Mr Burnham, who has been widely tipped as a potential successor to Sir Keir, risked igniting a major internal Labour row.

Sadiq Khan today tried to act as peacemaker in a row between Andy Burnham and Keir Starmer as he insisted the Mayor of Greater Manchester does support the Labour leader

Mr Burnham yesterday accused Sir Keir of sidelining Labour's metro mayors at the party's annual conference

But Mr Khan said Sir Keir is talking to Labour's selection of elected mayors to 'listen to our points of view because we are a good example of Labour in power'

Told that Mr Burnham had suggested Labour's mayors were being sidelined at the annual showcase, Mr Khan said: Well, I was with Andy Burnham, Steve Rotheram last night, united with my friends from the north.

Look, I have not seen the comments you are talking about but I know Andy is somebody who supports the leader.

Andy is somebody who has a huge amount of experience in government, as a member of Parliament and now as a brilliant mayor in Manchester.'

Mr Khan insisted that Sir Keir is listening to his elected mayors as the party tries to plot a path back to power.

He told Sky News: 'One of the things that Keir is doing, and the top team, is talking to the likes of Mark Drakeford running Wales, but also mayors across the country from Tracy Brabin, Steve Rotheram, Andy Burnham, Dan Jarvis, many other mayors across the country, Marvin Rees, and indeed myself to listen to our points of view because we are a good example of Labour in power, delivering real change.

Speaking at a fringe event yesterday afternoon, Mr Burnham claimed Mr Khan will be the only regional mayor who will address the main conference hall from the platform.

He said: I do think it starts with taking this role that we have seriously.

'It is I think regrettable that no Labour metro mayor outside of London is being asked to address this conference properly from the platform.

I think Sadiq should have a conference speech from the platform. He is the mayor of our capital city and he is doing a damn fine job of being mayor of our capital city.

But if this party is serious about winning back the north of England, why is Steve Rotheram (Metro Mayor of the Liverpool City Region) not standing up there making a speech?

Why isnt Tracy Brabin, our first woman metro mayor, not addressing this conference from the platform?

Mr Burnham said there is a need to 'see this partys commitment to the north of England'.

The former MP said Labour should focus on rebuilding in the north of the country 'because when we rebuild there we will keep it strong and that will be the foundation for future Labour governments to come.

Labour sources said that Mr Burnham and Ms Brabin are scheduled to deliver some remarks to the conference hall.

Mr Burnham said Labour must fully commit to devolution because locally elected mayors have the power to improve lives.

He compared the party and its apparent fixation on waiting for general elections to win power to that of a 'problem gambler'.

He said: 'This mindset that we have got in the Labour Party that we say "do you know what, we will just wait four more years, and then we will go in, and this time, and this time".

'It is like a problem gambler walking into a casino.'

Mr Burnham was introduced at the event hosted by the Progressive Economy Forum as the 'King of the North'.

He joked: 'I have not quite gathered all the troops on the M6 at Knutsford services yet. But you never know, the day may come.'
An NHS nurse took her own life with an overdose after she was suspended from work for stealing medication from a hospital store, an inquest heard.

Emily Madeley, 29, took the hospital drugs so she could use them at home when she was left suicidal following a sexual assault.

She was eventually caught red-handed by colleagues and sent home from Wythenshawe Hospital in Manchester, where she had worked in A&E and on a general medical ward specialising in diabetes care.

But on February 5, 2019 - just three days after being suspended by health chiefs pending a disciplinary inquiry - Miss Madeley was found unconscious at her apartment in Hale, Greater Manchester.

She died ten days later due to suffering fatal brain damage as a result of the overdose. Inquiries revealed she had made internet searches relating to suicide in the weeks before her death.

Emily Madeley, 29, was found unconscious in her flat in Hale, Greater Manchester, on February 5, 2019, just three days after being suspended by health chiefs

According to her LinkedIn profile, Miss Madeley - a former telephone counsellor - had become a nurse in 2013 after graduating from Leeds University with a degree in Adult Nursing and was said to working in the Clinical Decisions Unit, part of the emergency department.

But the Manchester inquest heard she suffered from various mental health issues including chronic anxiety, low mood symptoms and depression. She had previously taken an overdose and drank heavily.

Tamala Campbell, a psychological well-being nurse who treated her, said: 'There were issues in a relationship breakdown which led to low mood and low self-esteem.

'In July 2018, she was traumatically sexually assaulted and sustained physical injuries but she did not wish to pursue the complaint.

'At the time, she said she had suicidal ideation and she said "I would be better off dead..."

Miss Madeley was admitted to hospital but died ten days after taking an overdose

Coroner Nigel Meadows said: 'On the balance of probabilities, I am satisfied she has caused her own death and therefore did intend to end her own life'

'[She] told me she drank nearly every day - around one and a half bottles of wine a day.

'She said she took no recreational drug use but did take cocaine six months earlier when she was off work. Counselling didn't agree with her and she was offered CBT therapy.'

Miss Madeley's best friend Peaches Buttress said: 'I knew Emily drank alcohol regularly and occasionally took drugs. I met with her on February 1, 2019, and she said she was feeling really down.

'We went to a pub to talk and she appeared upset and agitated.

'I tried to calm her down and she left the pub at around 11pm. She was due to work on February 2 but she called me in the night and said she was upset.'

Over the next few days, Miss Buttress said she and another friend regularly checked on Miss Madeley to see if she was alright.

She went on: 'On February 5, I got a funny feeling that something wasn't right. I got a spare key and went around to her flat. I got in the flat and found her on the sofa and dialled 999.'

Paramedic Stephen Brannigan, who attended the scene, said Miss Madeley was found lying on the sofa unconscious but breathing.

A post mortem examination concluded she died as a result of Hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy due to an overdose with drugs and alcohol, which was contributed to by depression.

Recording a conclusion of suicide, Manchester Coroner Nigel Meadows said: 'Emily was an experienced nurse with a history of mental health problems.

'She had been a victim of sexual assault before her death and had a previous history of taking an overdose. She clearly had low mood and was offered the opportunity of more help but did not pursue [it].

'She had a history of mental health problems and had recently been suspended from work...

'On the balance of probabilities, I am satisfied she has caused her own death and therefore did intend to end her own life.'

For confidential support call the Samaritans on 116123 or visit a local Samaritans branch, see www.samaritans.org for details.
Tory ministers have been ordered to shut up about Scottish independence for fear they are making the situation worse and playing into Nicola Sturgeon's hands.

A private edict says they should not engage with SNP arguments or even make a positive case for the union because it makes Westminster seem 'needy'.

Instead they want to turn the focus onto Nicola Sturgeon and the SNP's record in power, with the party facing crisis over the NHS and drugs deaths.

A Conservatives source told the Times today that it would be 'very hard' to win a new independence referendum at the moment and the debate should be 'shut down' to spill the win from the pro-independence movement's sails.

A private edict says Boris Johnson's ministers should not engage with SNP arguments or even make a positive case for the union because it makes Westminster seem 'needy'

Ms Sturgeon said this month she wants to hold a re-run of the 2014 referendum 'Covid permitting, by the end of 2023'

'Sturgeon would present it as a chance for Scotland to rejoin the European Union and independence would almost be the status quo proposition,' they told the Times.

'If there is ever to be another referendum it needs to be on our terms where remaining part of the UK is the status quo option, as in 2014.

Earlier this month Ms Sturgeon claimed she had an 'unarguable mandate' to hold a second referendum on Scottish independence.

The SNP leader said her party's victory at the Holyrood elections in May means she has the right to 'implement the manifesto we put before the country' which included a fresh ballot on splitting from the UK.

She said she wants to hold a re-run of the 2014 referendum 'Covid permitting, by the end of 2023'.

The First Minister said she would seek 'co-operation, not confrontation' with the UK Government as she tries to secure a vote.

Today SNP MP Mhairi Black said: 'It tells you all you need to know about the crumbling case for Westminster rule over Scotland that Downing Street is so rattled that it has ordered Tory ministers to stop talking about it.

'But if Boris Johnson thinks adopting an ostrich strategy  simply sticking his head in the sand and hoping the issue will go away  will work, then he is utterly mistaken.

'That approach is doomed to failure because the issue of independence simply is not going away.'

A formal referendum can only take place if it is given the green light by Mr Johnson but he has made clear he is not in favour of holding another ballot, arguing the first was supposed to be a once in a generation event.

Ms Sturgeon's fresh push for an independence referendum comes despite polls suggesting most Scots don't want one any time soon.

Polls have shown Scots are divided down the middle on whether to leave the Union, but backing for independence has dropped sharply from the height of the pandemic.

A survey this month found just 31 per cent support a vote on the crucial issue in the next two years.

Meanwhile Sir Keir Starmer has been warned an alliance with the SNP would be an 'unmitigated disaster' and must be ruled out ahead of the next general election.

Scottish Labour chiefs yesterday said 'no matter how tempting' it might look to work with Nicola Sturgeon to win power at Westminster, they must resist.

Sir Keir Starmer (pictured today) has been warned an alliance with the SNP would be an 'unmitigated disaster' and must be ruled out ahead of the next general election.

Deputy leader Jackie Baillie said such a move would 'not play well' with English voters who 'do not want to see a Nationalist tail wagging a UK Labour dog'.

Labour's desperate bid to win back voters in Scotland will play a central role at the party's annual conference in Brighton this week, with discussions on how the nation could help Sir Keir to No10.

Speaking at a fringe event hosted by the Scottish Fabians, Miss Baillie said: 'The message isn't just for Scottish colleagues. It is a message to the UK party that there is no route to a Labour government that does not go through Scotland.

'If we want to win power in the United Kingdom we need to win again in Scotland.'

However, she warned that there are 'no short-cuts'.

Miss Baillie said: 'No matter how tempting it may look to UK party colleagues to consider a so-called progressive alliance with the SNP, it would be an unmitigated disaster, not just for the Labour party but also for Scotland.'
La Palma's volcano suddenly stopped erupting this morning - before restarting several hours later with 'explosions' heard miles away.

The brief hiatus, during which volcanic activity dropped off almost completely, sent scientists scrambling to work out what it means - amid warnings that the eruption is not over and could simply be entering another new phase.

Volcanologists theorised that a vent could have become briefly blocked or that underground channels may be shifting, possibly diverting lava elsewhere and opening up a new vent.

Meanwhile, new lockdown orders were issued for three areas today as lava that has already been expelled from the volcano continued to trickle towards the ocean.

Angel Victor Torres, president of the Canary Islands, said molten rock may reach the ocean 'within hours' where it will release a cloud of poison gas as it mixes with sea water - warning nearby residents to stay in their homes with their windows locked.

Those who are directly in the path of the lava flow have already been evacuated.

EU weather satellites captured the first clear image of La Palma's volcano without clouds on Sunday, showing the extent of the devastation it has caused

The volcano continued to erupt overnight Sunday but stopped around 10am Monday, with scientists scrambling to figure out why

A couple hold hands as they watch lava erupt from the La Palma volcano overnight Sunday, just hours before the eruption stopped

Scientists warn it is unlikely the volcano has stopped erupting for good, and may simply be gearing up for a 'big burst' later in the day

The new lockdown order covers the areas of San Borondon, Marina Alta, Marina Baja and La Condesa.

'Population will have to follow the authorities guidance and remain in their home with doors and windows closed,' the emergency services said on Twitter.

La Palma's new volcano, which is located on the Cumbre Vieja ridge on the south of the island, began erupting on September 19 and has been spewing out a continuous stream of lava and ash ever since.

Experts previously said the eruption could last between two weeks and three months, making Monday's shut-down unusual.

There have been periods of high and low activity since the eruption began, by Monday marked the first time it has stopped completely.

Geologist Nahum Mendez Chazarra told Spanish newspaper LaSexta that the volcano could simply be 'recharging' before a burst of activity.

David Calvo, of the Canary Islands Volcanological Institute, told La Vanguardia that another explanation could be that a vent has become blocked.

That could mean the maga is diverting to another part of the island, Mr Calvo added, pointing out that a cluster of earthquakes has been detected around 10 miles south of the eruption site today, close to the Teneguia volcano that erupted in 1971.

'It may be that there is a magma migration in the interior of the island... towards more accessible areas, or that there is a readjustment of the structure of the island in response to the exit of the magma.

'There is more magma,' he added. 'That it will come out is not certain.'

Monday's slow-down in activity comes after a very active weekend, which saw a new vent open in the volcano on Saturday - raining ash down on the eastern side of the island which until-now was largely untouched by the eruption.

La Palma's airport was closed entirely on Saturday and for most of Sunday due to the ash-fall, amid fears it could damage the engines of aircraft.

A map showing where the lava flow has reached (in orange), where the ash plume has covered (in grey), and the areas placed under lockdown today (top left)

Ash has been pouring out of the volcano since late last week, blanketing nearby towns as officials warned it can cause lung damage if inhaled

People carry umbrellas through Santa Cruz de La Palma, the island's capital, on Sunday to protect themselves from ash falling from the volcano

A street-clearing vehicle is used to sweep ash off the roads of La Palma after it rained down from the erupting volcano

The airstrip reopened Sunday evening after the runway was cleared, though all incoming and outgoing flights were cancelled by transport firms.

It appeared that flights were taking off and landing on Monday morning, with only one inbound and one outbound flight - both to and from Madrid - cancelled.

Some 6,000 people have been evacuated from their homes due to the eruption, which was proceeded by a cluster of earthquakes - putting authorities on alert and allowing them to avoid any casualties.

While ash and lava has blanketed an area on the west side of the island, life on the rest of La Palma - which is roughly 22 miles long and 12 miles wide at its broadest point - has been largely unaffected.

'We're not in a state of total alarm,' the technical director of the volcano emergency response unit, Miguel Angel Morcuende, told a news conference.

'Life on the island is continuing, though those close to the eruption are facing difficulties.'

The volcano initially blenched out lava and toxic fumes, but began raining down ash late last week after entering 'an explosive new phase', experts said.

Officials said the falling volcanic ash isn't a threat to public health, but cleaning it up can be hazardous for people's lungs and eyes.

They urged people to wear a face mask, gloves and eye protection, as well as trousers and long-sleeve shirts, when removing ash.

Some 25,000 metric tons of sulfur dioxide are being emitted from the crater every day but don't pose a health threat, officials said.

As the airport closed, long lines formed at ports as people tried to catch ferries off the island to its neighbours - where flights were still running.

Two rivers of lava are slithering down hillsides: One to the north, where molten rock from a new fissure is spreading over an area where lava spread and hardened last week, and another one south of it which is advancing at about 100 feet per hour.

The temperature of the lava is around 1,250 degrees Celsius (2,282 degrees Fahrenheit).

Pope Francis said on Sunday that he was praying for all those affected by the volcano, dedicating a prayer to them at the end of his weekly noon blessing in St. Peter's Square.

'I think especially of those who have been forced to leave their homes,' he said.

Ash from the volcano caused the island's airport to close at the weekend, diverting people towards ferries to neighbouring islands - where planes were taking off
Australians lost $63.6million to phone scams in just a few months with 110,000 people duped, with the Flubot fake text messages making up half of all the incidents.

The text messages, which are inundating thousands of people's phones, pretend that you have a package to collect or a voicemail to listen to - when in fact clicking on the link will infect your phone with malware and let scammers steal cash.

Delia Rickard, the deputy chair of the consumer watchdog the ACCC said she was concerned to 'see these scams evolving and becoming more sophisticated to steal even more money from unsuspecting people'.

According to the new data released on Monday by the ACCC's Scamwatch Australians have reported $211million lost to scams in 2021 - an 89 per cent increase on last year.

Scamwatch said there are a number of different version of the Flubot message with the latest telling recipients they have a parcel they should track (pictured)

Australians are being warned they fake texts link to malware which can steal passwords and they should delete the texts and not click links (stock image)

Ms Rickard said the figures also showed that people who were falling for scams such as Flubot were losing bigger amounts.

The average amount swindled in 2020 was $7,000 but this has surged to $11,000 this year.

The fastest growing type of fraud is phone scams, such as Flubot, which made up more than half of all frauds reported.

'In August, the new Flubot malware scams masquerading as fake voicemail and parcel delivery scams exploded, which have resulted in more than 13,000 reports in just eight weeks.'

'These scams are particularly concerning in our current climate, as many people are turning to online shopping because of the COVID-19 lockdowns,' Ms Rickard said.

The most recent version of the scam is a text message asking Australians to click on a link to track a parcel.

The new message contains a link and reads: 'You have pending packages. Last chance to pick up the package'.

Once a victim clicks the link they are told to visit a second website where they can download an app to follow their parcel - but the app is really malware designed to log passwords and financial information.

Scamwatch previously said different versions of the Flubot messages were popping up - including ones claiming users have a voicemail or have missed a delivery - but they all ask the recipient to click a link.

'Don't be fooled and DO NOT CLICK on the link. This downloads malware which gives scammers access to your phone.' Scamwatch tweeted.

'If you have logged in to any accounts or apps using a password since downloading the app, you need to change your passwords.'

Ms Rickard said more than 230 people were falling for flubot each day.

The ACCC said Australians lost more than $60million to phone scams to September 2021

THE FLUBOT SCAM EXPLAINED HOW TO SPOT THE SCAM: Appearing since August the text tells recipients they have a missed call, voicemail, or have missed a delivery. The messages don't give any specific information, contain spelling errors, and include a link with random letters and numbers. The link directs victims to download an app which can then monitor your phone and steal passwords and account details. Since September a new version is also appearing telling people they can track a delivery by clicking a link, often mentioning DHL as the courier. The new version doesn't contain spelling errors but still has the dubious web address link. For example - You have (1) Pending Package! Ref: DHL-6461W Last chance to PICK it up > https://www.example.com/t.php?kdnypf0ng0 WHAT YOU SHOULD DO: Do not click on the link and immediately delete the text. You can also block the number in your phone settings but you might still receive the scam from other numbers. IF YOU CLICKED ON THE FLUBOT LINK: 1. Call an IT specialist who can help clean your phone. 2. Or download an anti-virus app and scan your phone. 3. Or do a factory reset to wipe your phone - however this will delete your photos, messages, and apps. Advertisement

Other similar types of scams include people who call or text claiming to be from well-known companies.

'Scammers are pretending to be from companies such as Amazon or eBay and claiming large purchases have been made on the victim's credit card.' Ms Rickard said.

'When they pretend to help you process a refund, they actually gain remote access to your computer and steal your personal and banking details.'

And the ACCC also revealed in August bogus investment opportunities were also a risk for Australians .

'Remember, you never know who you are dealing with online,' Ms Rickard said.

Scamwatch warned people to never click on any links unless they know and trust the sender

'Scammers often pretend to be from a well-known organisation, such as a bank or the government, and they will pretend to offer you something such as money or a benefit, or claim that you are in trouble.'

'Do not click on any links in messages that come to you out of the blue, and never provide any of your personal or banking details to someone you don't personally know and trust.'
An activist who took the government to court over Brexit is set to launch her own political party.

Businesswoman Gina Miller is planning to lead the True and Fair party in elections against the Conservatives and Labour.

It was today revealed that she had lodged an application to register the new group with the Electoral Commission.

The campaigner said: 'This Government needs to be held to account. Voters deserve better than the current politics of incompetence and self-interest.'

Businesswoman Gina Miller is planning to lead the True and Fair party in elections against the Conservatives and Labour

The Commission will now look at Ms Millers' application, constitution and finances before making a decision in the next few months.

Members of the public will also be able to comment on the party's logo name and design, which is currently a multi-coloured spiral.

Ms Miller rose to fame in 2016 with a legal case against the government's implementation of Brexit that reached the Supreme Court.

The case forced Theresa May to put her decision to invoke Article 50 - to officially leave the EU - before Parliament.

Critics accused the 56-year-old campaigner of attempting to stop Brexit, but she said that she was standing up for Parliamentary democracy.

The campaigner said: 'This Government needs to be held to account. Voters deserve better than the current politics of incompetence and self-interest'. Pictured: The party's current logo

Ms Miller led a second successful legal Supreme Court case in 2019 which found Boris Johnson's prorogation of Parliament to be unlawful.

Ardently pro-EU, it is not known whether Ms Miller's new party could campaign to rejoin the European Union.

The True and Fair party takes the same name as a campaign she established in 2012 which calls for an end to financial misconduct in the investment and pension industries. The two are however separate entities.

A spokesperson for True and Fair told MailOnline they would make further announcements 'in due course' following the party's expected approval by the Electoral Commission.

Ms Miller has twice taken the government to court over Brexit. On the second case, which reached the Supreme Court, it was found that Boris Johnson's prorogation of Parliament to push through Brexit was unlawful

Ms Miller's announcement comes awkwardly in the middle of the Labour Party's annual conference in Brighton.

Although True and Fair are yet to reveal their policy platform, it is believed they could be competing for core votes with Labour opposition, including on Brexit.

Yesterday, former Shadow Foreign Secretary Hilary Benn suggested that Labour should campaign on fixing the 'mess' of Brexit at the next general election.

Benn said people 'can see what is happening in front of their eyes' and it was time argue for 'a new relationship with the EU'.

The prospect of returning to old arguments over Brexit could however prove damaging for the party, with leader Sir Keir Starmer having not made Brexit a priority since taking office.
South Korea's President Moon Jae-in called for a nation-wide ban on the practice of eating dogs on Monday, his office said.

Dog meat has long been consumed in South Korea, but the President, who is himself a dog lover, declared the traditional practice should be put to a stop to avoid international embarrassment.

Meat from canines constitutes a major part of South Korean cuisine with about one million dogs believed to be eaten annually, but consumption has declined in recent years as more people embrace dogs as companions rather than livestock.

The practice is now something of a taboo among younger generations and pressure from animal rights activists has also been mounting.

'Hasn't the time come to prudently consider prohibiting dog meat consumption?' Moon told Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum during a weekly meeting, according to the presidential spokeswoman.

'Hasn't the time come to prudently consider prohibiting dog meat consumption?' Moon told Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum during a weekly meeting

Moon is a known dog lover and has several canines at the presidential compound, including a mutt he rescued after taking office

The consumption of dog meat has declined steadily in recent years in South Korea, with the President recognising the practice as a tradition that brings international embarrassment (Pictured: President Moon at a UN General Assembly in New York)

Moon reportedly made the remarks as he was briefed on a plan to improve the care system for abandoned pets, and discussions on a mandatory registration system for dogs.

South Korea's pet industry is on the rise, with a growing number of people living with dogs at home -- the president among them.

Moon is a known dog lover and has several canines at the presidential compound, including a mutt he rescued after taking office.

Adopting the dog was one of Moon's pledges during his presidential campaign and the pooch became the first rescue dog to make its way into the Blue House.

Moon reportedly made the remarks as he was briefed on a plan to improve the care system for abandoned pets, and discussions on a mandatory registration system for dogs.

'After the briefing, he said time has come to carefully consider imposing a dog meat ban,' Moon's spokeswoman Park Kyung-mee said in a statement.

It was the first time that Moon raised a ban, which is likely to give fresh momentum to debate over whether to curtail the practice.

Anti-dog meat protests have grown in South Korea as more people embrace canine companionship in the country

A dog owned by South Korean President Moon Jae-in delivered a litter of six puppies in 2018

South Korean President Moon Jae-in and first lady Kim Jung-sook hold puppies born from a hunting dog gifted from North Korea, in Seoul, South Korea November 25, 2018

South Korea's current animal protection law is intended mainly to prevent the cruel slaughter of dogs and cats but does not ban consumption itself.

Nonetheless, authorities have invoked the law and other hygiene regulations to crack down on dog farms and restaurants ahead of international events such as the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics.

While no longer as common as before, dog meat is eaten on a regular basis - mainly by older people - and is served in some restaurants and can be bought at specific markets.

To boost their popularity, several presidential hopefuls have pledged to ban dog meat in recent weeks, especially as dogs have become popular as pets and advocacy groups have urged South Korea to close down restaurants and markets selling dog meat.

Lee Jae-myung, governor of the country's most populous province of Gyeonggi and a leading presidential contender from Moon's party, has vowed to push for a ban through social consensus. But Yoon Seok-youl, an opposition frontrunner, has said it was a matter of people's personal choice

Lee Jae-myung, governor of the country's most populous province of Gyeonggi and a leading presidential contender from Moon's party, has vowed to push for a ban through social consensus.

But Yoon Seok-youl, an opposition frontrunner, has said it was a matter of people's personal choice.

A poll commissioned by animal welfare group Aware released this month said 78% of respondents believed the production and sale of dog and cat meat should be prohibited and 49% supported a consumption ban.

But, another survey by polling firm Realmeter found people were divided over whether the government should ban eating dog meat, though 59% supported legal restrictions on dog slaughter for human consumption.
New mothers who survive Covid can pass antibodies onto their babies through their breastmilk for up to 10 months, an American study suggests.

Researchers collected milk donated by 75 women who had recovered from the virus and screened them for the virus-fighting proteins.

They found 88 per cent of them tested positive for an antibody that blocks the virus from causing infection in the respiratory tract.

Further lab tests revealed the majority of Covid-positive milk samples neutralised the virus, suggesting breastfed children gain at least partial protection.

Academics from Mount Sinai Hospital in New York said further work is being done to see if immunity can be passed on via breastmilk after vaccination.

The study was carried out in March, before vaccines were being routinely offered to pregnant American women or females of childbearing age.

It follows a study last week which found pregnant women who have a Covid vaccine pass on their protection to their unborn babies in the womb.

Mothers previously infected with Covid can help protect their babies from the virus for up to 10 months via special antibodies passed through their breastmilk, a study is found. Now researchers are theorizing if these special antibodies could be used to develop new treatments to help protect adults from the virus (stock image)

In the latest study, researchers found mothers produced a Covid antibody, called immunoglobin A, consistently over time.

They compared milk samples taken from 28 women, one at four to six weeks after Covid infection and the other at four to 10 months after.

The study found women demonstrated 'significant' levels of the antibodies over this period.

Immunoglobin A is a special type of antibody found in human secretions, such as breast milk, and primarily offers protection through the linings of the airways and digestive system.

Are Covid vaccines safe for pregnant women and how many have had a jab? How many pregnant women have had a Covid vaccine? Data from Public Health England (PHE) shows pregnant women in Britain are still hesitant to receive a jab, with just 10 per cent coming forward for an appointment by the end of July  the most recent date data is available for. Some 51,724 pregnant women in England had received at least one dose, while 20,648 women had two. Are there any risks to the mother or baby from taking a jab? The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists recommends that all pregnant women accept the offer of a Covid vaccine. All major studies show pregnant women are just as safe as the non-pregnant population when it comes to the jab. And there is no evidence the vaccines have any negative effects on unborn children, with spike in birth defects or stillbirths recorded in inoculated mothers. Data had been sparse on safety in pregnant women earlier in the year, meaning they were not added to the list of people allowed to have a jab until April in England. The JCVI decided to wait for data from America to filter through before making a call. In early April, that data arrived in the form of a major study published by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). It had tracked the condition of more than 90,000 pregnant women who had received a vaccine, the majority of them in their third trimester. The CDC was able to report that there were no safety concerns. Since then, the number of pregnant American women who have had a vaccine has risen to more than 105,000. However, finer data released from within that study set off fresh anxieties. The CDC closely monitored more than 800 participants. Of that group, 712 had a live birth, while 115 suffered a loss of pregnancy. Advertisement

This differs from the immunoglobulin G, a type of antibody found mainly in blood and is triggered by an infection or vaccination.

The researchers also noted nearly half of the women had a higher concentration of Covid antibodies in their milk over time.

This finding was unusual because antibodies in the blood are known to wane over time.

Dr Rebecca Powell presented the research findings at the Global Breastfeeding and Lactation Symposium on 21 September.

The Guardian reported that Dr Powell said the breastmilk Covid antibodies may also offer a new way to protect adults from the virus.

'It could be an incredible therapy, because secretory IgA is meant to be in these mucosal areas, such as the lining of the respiratory tract, and it survives and functions very well there,' she said.

'You could imagine if it was used in a nebuliser-type treatment, it might be very effective during that window where the person has gotten quite sick, but theyre not yet at the point of [being admitted to intensive care].'

Dr Powell's team is also exploring the relationship between mothers receiving differing Covid vaccines and the level of antibodies produced in breastmilk.

It comes after a study by New York University found pregnant women who have a Covid vaccine pass on their protection to their unborn babies.

Researchers took blood samples from 36 babies delivered by mothers given either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine.

Results showed they all had coronavirus-fighting antibodies. Mothers in the second half of their pregnancy had the highest antibody levels in the blood in their umbilical cord, the study found.

Experts said the results weren't surprising because it happens with other jabs.

But they insisted that findings prove vaccines have the 'power to protect two lives at once by preventing severe illness in both mothers and babies'.

Dr Ashley Roman, an obstetrician at NYU and one of the lead authors said: 'If babies could be born with antibodies, it may protect them in the first months of their lives, when they are most vulnerable.'

Children face a tiny risk of falling seriously ill with Covid, a plethora of studies have shown since the pandemic began. But the risk is slightly higher among babies, who have weaker immune systems.

But data from Public Health England (PHE) shows pregnant women in Britain are still hesitant to receive a jab, with just 10 per cent coming forward for an appointment by the end of July  the most recent date data is available for.

This is despite women having been eligible for the vaccine at the same time as the rest of their age group since April.
NHS staff and other key workers must have priority access to fuel amid fears patients are being put at risk, leading unions have warned.

The British Medical Association (BMA) said that as pumps run dry 'there is a real risk that NHS staff won't be able to do their jobs'.

Unison called on ministers to use emergency powers to 'designate fuel stations for the sole use of key workers'.

And the Royal College of Nursing warned that the fuel supply problems could see patient care compromised as it backed calls for health and care workers to be prioritised.

Earlier today, ambulance driver Becky Hough told how she was verbally abused on a petrol station forecourt after she was unable to fill up the emergency vehicle for two days.

The 24-year-old slammed panic buyers as she was left driving around all weekend in a desperate hunt for fuel, but only found empty pumps.

Miss Hough, an apprentice emergency care assistant - who works with paramedics - tweeted about her ordeal. She was hit with a barrage of criticism saying her ambulance has a big fuel tank and she shouldn't have got so low.

Becky Hough was driving around for two days as she neared an empty tank but found queues on forecourts and petrol stations already sold out

She was hit with a barrage of criticism saying her ambulance has a big fuel tank and she shouldn't have got so low

Others said emergency services shouldn't be using normal petrol stations and should have their own pumps.

Becky works for Bristol Ambulance Emergency Medical Services - which provides independent ambulances to private patients, private health care providers and NHS.

Ms Hough, of Basingstoke, Hampshire - whose tweet got over 75,000 likes and retweets - said: 'To everyone that panicked and went to fuel their cars when it wasn't needed, well done.

'On shift on an emergency ambulance, low on fuel and struggling to find somewhere that isn't sold out.'

The incident comes as London mayor Sadiq Khan said some care workers, NHS staff and taxi drivers are unable to fill up at petrol stations.

She started looking for fuel on Friday and was only finally able to fill her tank on Sunday afternoon when a BP garage let her use their reserves.

Becky (pictured) works for Bristol Ambulance Emergency Medical Services - which provides independent ambulances to private patients, private health care providers and NHS.

Becky's tweet about nearly running out of fuel sparked a huge response online

But when she finally got some she said was verbally abused and sworn at by other angry motorists.

She revealed on Twitter: 'Finally. A BP garage that has let us use the reserves.

'However whilst fuelling we received verbal abuse from the public driving past, horns being honked and many hand gesture.'

It comes amid reports of doctors being unable to get to work due to the fuel crisis.

Campaign group EveryDoctor said that at least one NHS organisation held an emergency meeting after staff were unable to attend.

A hospital consultant in Bedfordshire told the organisation, which represents 1,700 doctors: 'We had an emergency discussion this morning. Two consultants in our department are out and can't get to work. Two others on reserve. All four petrol stations within four miles of our hospital are closed with no fuel.'

The half mile queue from the A14 at Cambridge Services as people scramble to buy fuel at the Shell petrol station on Monday lunchtime

A sign informs motorists that there is no fuel at a petrol station near Tonbridge, Kent

Cars refueling at a BP service station in Wetherby near Leeds, after long waits for fuel again today

But the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) insisted that deliveries of essential medication were continuing as usual to pharmacies as it encouraged patients to collect prescriptions in their usual way.

Dr Chaand Nagpaul, chair of council at the BMA, said: 'Emergency and essential workers rely on fuel both to travel to work and for their work itself - whether this is to get to hospitals, practices and other healthcare settings, or for ambulances to reach people in urgent need of care and GPs to visit very ill patients at home.

'Everyone will have their own reasons for needing to fill up, but as pumps run dry there is a real risk that NHS staff won't be able to do their jobs and provide vital services and care to people who urgently need it.

'While the Government has said it is putting plans in place to alleviate the shortage of HGV drivers to transport fuel, the results of this won't be immediate.

'Healthcare and essential workers must therefore be given priority access to fuel so they can continue their crucial work and guarantee care to patients.'

Unison's general secretary Christina McAnea said: 'The Government has to take control. It's no good ministers wasting time on a pointless blame game or pretending there's no problem.

'Essential staff must be able to get to their jobs so they can continue to provide the services so many rely upon.

'Ambulance crews, nurses, care workers, teaching assistants, police staff and other key workers mustn't be left stranded or forced to queue for hours simply to get to a pump.

'The Government could solve this problem now by using emergency powers to designate fuel stations for the sole use of key workers.'

'EU truckers will NOT help Britain out of the s**t they created themselves': European HGV drivers' union chief dashes hopes of 'short-term visa' fix Edwin Atema, Head of enforcement and research at the Dutch-based FNV union, hit out at UK Lorry drivers from the EU are refusing to come to the UK - because they believe problems plaguing the supply chain are its own fault. The Government has approved plans to bring in 5,000 foreign HGV operators to deal with the shortage, which has been blamed on a number of factors including the coronavirus pandemic and Brexit. But promises of special visas and attractive pay have fallen on deaf ears, with one union boss declaring they 'will not go to the UK for a short term visa to help UK out of the s**t they created themselves'. And lorry drivers in this country are as equally disillusioned, with one who gave up the job after 30 years, likening they way they are treated 'to being the lepers of society' Edwin Atema, Head of enforcement and research at the Dutch-based FNV union, which represents drivers across the EU and Europe said the UK had an enormous battle on its hands to woo foreign drivers back. He said: 'Pay is an important area but not the only area. People in Europe and across Europe have completely lost trust in this industry. 'Before the coronavirus crisis and Brexit this industry was sick already. Plagued by expectation, by irresponsible multinationals who drag down prices, which ended up with drivers voting with their feet and leaving the industry. 'The EU workers that we speak to will not go to the UK for a short term visa to help UK out of the s**t they created themselves.' Advertisement

Patricia Marquis, director for England at the Royal College of Nursing, said: 'Nursing staff do valuable work, often travelling long distances to get to work or see their patients in the community.

'Health and care services, already struggling with widespread staffing shortages, cannot afford to lose any more staff because they're unable to travel.

'We already know some nursing staff are warning their employers they may not be able to attend tomorrow to ensure shifts can be safely staffed.

'In light of these supply problems, health and care workers need to be a priority or patient care will be compromised.'

Dr Julia Grace Patterson, chief executive of the group which has 1,700 members, said: 'Doctors and other healthcare workers cannot care for patients if they cannot get to work.

'I am hearing from many today who have spent the weekend unsuccessfully trying to find petrol.

'Our Health Secretary Sajid Javid has been critical of telephone consultations recently - he clearly believes face-to-face appointments are necessary.

'We therefore need to know urgently what the Government's plan is to ensure that all NHS staff can reach their workplaces safely during this fuel crisis.

'Doctors are desperately concerned about patients and the Government must take responsibility and find a solution.'

Professor Claire Anderson, president of the society, said: 'Pharmacies are still getting deliveries of medicines and people should order and collect their prescription in the usual way.

'As normal, pharmacists are working with patients to ensure they get the medicines they need. We're not aware that the problems with fuel supplies are stopping patients getting their medicines.

'If you have any concerns then please speak to your local pharmacist and their team, who will be able to help and reassure you.'

Ms Hough's tweets sparked a furious response online, with some accusing her struggle to find fuel as her fault.

One said: 'That vehicle must get about 500 miles on a full tank, how do you even get close to running out of fuel?'

Ms Hough replied: 'Due to the demand on the ambulance service at the moment, we are spread far and wide.

'We could be the closest ambulance to a call, yet still be 30 plus miles away.

'We start every shift with a full tank of fuel. Yesterday we averaged 300 miles in a 12 hour shift.'

Dave Piccirillo added: 'Not defending the panickers here, but ambulances ought to have their own petrol stations/reserves.'

Ms Hough added: 'They ought to yeah I agree. And I'm sure there are ambulance stations out there that do.

'However my station is very small, with only three ambulances running out of it, and we do not. Instead we have fuel cards.'

Another - called Laura - said: 'I thought petrol stations had to save an emergency supply for emergency services

'Is that not real?

A third - called Helen - added: 'Why the flip aren't essential services being given priority?'

Today London Mayor Sadiq Khan said some care workers, NHS staff and taxi drivers are unable to fill up at petrol stations, London mayor Sadiq Khan has said.

London's bus network has enough fuel but the 'shambolic situation' has meant that shortages are hitting petrol stations across the capital.

Mr Khan told Sky News: 'We're hearing stories across London of petrol stations running out of petrol.

'Our emergency services and our buses have enough and they have some in reserve, but we are hearing stories about care workers, people who work in hospitals who need their car to go to hospital, black cab drivers, private hire vehicle drivers not being able to fuel up and provide the services that our city needs but also to enable people to get to work.

Motorists queued for more than a mile to get to a petrol station with fuel in West Norwood, South London, yesterday

'We are working with the DfT (Department for Transport) to do what we can to make sure we have fuel being provided particularly for those key workers across our city.'

There has been a predictable shortage of haulage drivers since Brexit happened and the pandemic affected the training of new drivers, according to Mr Khan, and these factors have helped to create the problem.

His comments came as it is said the Prime Minister is considering whether to call in soldiers to deliver fuel to petrol stations as pumps ran dry after days of panic-buying.

Several reports suggested that Boris Johnson on Monday could take the drastic step of sending in the Army to drive oil tankers as 'frenzied buying' added to fuel-supply issues caused by a lack of HGV drivers.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has refused to rule out requesting military assistance, after queues for the pumps continued across the country at the weekend.

Mr Shapps has already backed down over his reluctance to import foreign labour to solve the HGV driver shortage, by creating 5,000 three-month visas to bring in extra hauliers to address delivery pressures.

The Cabinet minister told the BBC the move would fix the '100 to 200' fuel tanker driver shortfall, as he urged motorists to be 'sensible' and only fill up when necessary to help alleviate the queues.
Advertisement

It's a sight that has struck fear into countless henchmen down the years: a suave James Bond pointing his gun right at you.

But, on this occasion, they needn't have worried. The photo - a promotional shot from 1979 film Moonraker - shows Sir Roger Moore and co-star Lois Chiles aiming pistols as they pose with the film's director Lewis Gilbert and producer Cubby Broccoli.

The image is one of many from the personal archive of Gilbert  who died aged 97 in 2018 - and his wife Hylda which is being sold off next month.

The stunning collection is tipped to sell for 150,000 and includes other images as well as scripts, letters and storyboards amassed by Gilbert during a 50-year career which saw him direct three Bond films  the others being You Only Live Twice and The Spy Who Loved Me.

One shot shows him posing on the set of the latter film in front of a trio of Royal Navy submarines, while another shows Sir Roger blowing out the candles on a '007' cake while seated next to Hylda.

Also in the archive is a shot of Gilbert and Sir Roger's predecessor as Bond, Sean Connery, on the set of You Only Live Twice, along with a script from The Spy Who Loved Me.

Beyond items related to Bond, Gilbert's archive includes lots related to his 1966 film Alfie - which launched the career of veteran English actor Michael Caine. Among them is a series of contact sheets showing images of Caine in his role.

An image of Gilbert embracing Julie Walters, the star of his 1983 classic Educating Rita, is also in the sale.

The archive is being sold via Bellmans Fine Art Auctioneers on November 16 in Billingshurst, West Sussex.

It's a sight that has struck fear into countless henchmen down the years: a suave James Bond pointing his gun right at you. But, on this occasion in 1979, they needn't have worried. The photo - a promotional shot from 1979 film Moonraker - shows Roger Moore and co-star Lois Chiles aiming pistols as they pose with the film's director Lewis Gilbert and producer Cubby Broccoli. The image is one of many from the personal archive of Gilbert  who died aged 98 in 2018 - and his wife Hylda which is being sold off next month

The stunning collection is tipped to sell for 150,000. One shot in the sale shows Sir Roger blowing out the candles on a '007' cake while seated next to Hylda

Born in London in 1920 into a poor stage family, Gilbert was forced at the age of just 7 to become the main breadwinner for his family when his father died of tuberculosis.

After getting his first job as a tea boy at the famous Denham studios, Gilbert worked his way up to become an assistant director under the legendary Alfred Hitchcock.

When the Second World War broke out in 1939, Gilbert was seconded to the U.S. Air Force after joining the RAF.

After being put into USAF's film unit, Gilbert was placed under the command of well-known director Colonel William Keighley, who was shooting documentaries for the US Air Corps.

After the war, Gilbert produced a series of documentaries before making his cinematic debut with 1948 film The Little Ballerina.

In 1959, he directed war drama Sink the Bismarck! before he made Alfie in 1966. That was followed a year later by his first Bond film, You Only Live Twice.

An original typescript of the screenplay, which was written by children's author Roald Dahl, is also in the sale. It is tipped to tell for between 3,000 and 5,000.

Vintage photographs taken on the set and during scouting trips to find good filming locations have sale estimates ranging between 200 and 500.

Another image shows Gilbert posing on the set of The Spy Who Loved Me in front of a trio of Royal Navy submarines

Also in the archive is a shot of Gilbert and Sir Roger's predecessor as Bond, Sean Connery, on the set of You Only Live Twice

Gilbert and Sir Roger's time together making Moonraker led to a firm friendship which lasted until the Bond star's death in 2017. Above: A picture of the pair in later life. It is also up for sale

This red scrapbook featuring Connery's Bond in You Only Live Twice is also up for sale. The archive is being sold via Bellman's Fine Art Auctioneers on November 16 in Billingshurst, West Sussex

A ticket for the charity premier of You Only Live Twice at the Odeon in London's Leicester Square is also in Gilbert's archive

Lots related to Gilbert's second Bond film, The Spy Who Loved Me, also include a series of scripts, one of which lays out an alternative ending to the production. It is tipped to sell for between 2,000 and 3,000.

A handwritten list of times and characters in the film, as well as a copy of a memo addressed to producer Albert Broccoli and a note about ski equipment needed for filming, is estimated to sell for between 2,500 and 3,500.

For his final Bond film Moonraker, which was released in 1979, the only other lot is its original script.

Along with the light-hearted image of Sir Roger, Chiles, Gilbert and Broccoli, it is tipped to sell for between 2,500 and 3,500.

Gilbert and Sir Roger's time together making Moonraker led to a firm friendship which lasted until the Bond star's death in 2017.

Beyond items related to Bond, Gilbert's archive includes lots related to his 1966 film Alfie - which launched the career of veteran English actor Michael Caine. Among them is a series of contact sheets showing images of Caine in his role

The film was nominated for four academy awards, including a Best Actor nomination for Caine and Best Supporting Actress gong for co-star Vivien Merchant

An image of Gilbert embracing Julie Walters, the star of his 1983 classic Educating Rita, is also in the sale

After his Bond productions, Gilbert went on to make further films which included Educating Rita and Shirley Valentine.

The former, a comedy-drama, stars Walters alongside Caine, Michael Williams and Maureen Lipman.

Walters plays hairdresser Rita, who enrols on an Open University course, studying under Caine's character Dr Frank Bryant.

Whilst he helps her to realise her academic potential, the alcoholic professor rediscovers his love of teaching.

Both Caine and Walters won BAFTA and Golden Globe awards for their performances, while the film itself was ranked as the 84th greatest of the twentieth century by the British Film Institute.

After 1989's Shirley Valentine, Gilbert directed three further films: Stepping Out in 1991, Haunted in 1995 and Before You Go, in 2002.

Gilbert was married to wife Hylda for 53 years until her death in 2005.
An experienced Florida rancher has cast doubt that Gabby Petito's fiance is in an alligator-infested nature reserve where authorities have been searching.

The comments came as North Port Police announced that the search for Brian Laundrie would be scaled back in the coming days.

Florida cattle rancher Alan McEwen, who lives outside the Carlton Reserve, has spent 30 years exploring the area and said it's not somewhere humans can easily live.

'There's no surviving out here, I don't know how to say it,' he told Fox News.

'I've been in the woods in and out all my life I have learned a lot in my life, and one thing I know is no one is gonna survive out there for two weeks on foot.'

McEwen has been assisting police in the search for 23-year-old Laundrie, who was reported missing by his parents on September 17 - two days after he was declared a person of interest in Petito's disappearance.

The couple had spent weeks travelling across the country in a van and recording their adventures online before Petito, 22, vanished.

Her remains were found inside a Wyoming national park on September 19 and her death has been ruled a homicide. Laundrie is the prime suspect.

Scroll down for video

An experienced rancher has cast doubt that Gabby Petito's boyfriend Brian Laundrie (pictured) is in an alligator-infested nature reserve where authorities have been searching. Pictured: Laundrie speaks to Utah police during a traffic stop 13 days before Petito's disappearance

Gabby Petito disappeared while on a cross country road trip with Laundrie. Her remains were found on September 19

Florida cattle rancher Alan McEwen (pictured), who lives outside the Carlton Reserve (pictured), has spent 30 years exploring the area and said it's not somewhere humans can easily live

The couple had spent weeks travelling across the country in a van and recording their adventures online before Petito, 22, vanished

Laundrie's parents suggested he might have headed to the nature reserve, which he was known to visit and which is about 15 miles from his home.

Whether the avid hiker would have been able to survive in the 25,000-acre swamp-like reserve for weeks has been the subject of much speculation.

In the nearly two weeks since Laundrie is thought to have entered the reserve, heavy rainfall has flooded the area with waist-deep water.

'Unless he's got a butt like a duck and can float, he's not in there,' McEwen said.

The rancher noted the dangers posed by alligators, mosquitos and other animals in the reserve, which is home to panthers, black bears, wild boar and lethal snakes.

The terrain is also treacherous, according to McEwen, who said the thick brush makes it easy for even experienced outdoorsmen to accidentally step into a ditch or off a ledge.

However, McEwen believes it's unlikely Laundrie would have died in the reserve, saying his body would have been found by now.

'Anything dead you find in the woods, you're gonna look up, you're gonna see buzzards flying like crazy,' he said.

'No buzzards, no body is my theory. And I haven't seen any buzzards flying.'

McEwen's assessment came as Josh Taylor, a spokesman for the North Port Police, announced that the department was to scale back its search for Laundrie.

'The FBI is now leading the search. I'm told, It will be scaled back and targeted based on intelligence. Hopefully, water will lower in areas hard to currently access,' he told Fox News.

Whether the avid hiker would have been able to survive in the 25,000-acre swamp-like reserve for weeks has been the subject of much speculation. Pictured: The reserve following heavy rainfall

McEwen believes it's unlikely Laundrie would have died in the reserve, saying his body would have been found by now

Over the weekend, new dispatch audio emerged showing that Utah police were told Laundrie had hit Petito prior to being pulled over on August 12.

The audio appears to contradict earlier reports that the responding officers in Moab City, Utah were unaware of a call from a witness who claimed to have seen Laundrie slapping Petito in their white Ford transit van before driving off.

'RP (reporting party) states seeing a male hit a female, domestic,' the dispatcher told police at around 4.38pm local time, according to the audio, first obtained by Fox 13. 'He got into a white Ford Transit van, has a black ladder on the back, Florida plate.'

An officer asks for further information regarding the witness, and is again told that Petito had allegedly been hit.

'Phone number is [redacted], name's [redacted],' the dispatcher responds at 4:42 p.m. 'Im not sure [inaudible], but the female who got hit, they both, the male and the female, both got into the van and headed north.'

The new information comes as the Moab Police Department announced an independent probe on Thursday into the officers' handing of the alleged domestic dispute about a month before Petito was found dead.

Neither police nor city officials have said whether the responding officers were aware they were dealing with a potential domestic violence incident when they pulled the couple over.

But they treated Petito as the primary aggressor in bodycam footage of the August 12 incident, after Laundrie was seen to have wounds on his face.

New dispatch audio indicates that the Moab City, Utah police officers who pulled over Gabby Petito (right) and her fiance Brian Laundrie on August 12 may have been aware that a witness had alleged seeing Laundrie slap Petito, but did not arrest neither. The police stop was recorded on the officers' body cameras (pictured)

Utah law requires cops to make an arrest or issue a citation if they believe an incident of domestic violence has taken place.

Neither Petito nor Laundrie were arrested. They were instead separated for the night in an attempt to calm the situation down, before being allowed to continue on their way.

On Sunday, hundreds of mourners packed a Long Island funeral home to bid farewell to Petito.

'The entire planet knows this woman's name,' said her father Joe Petito, standing before a golden urn at the Moloney Holbrook Funeral Home.

The standing-room only chapel was adorned with bouquets of flowers, and photo and video montages of his daughter.

They showed her life growing up in Blue Point, Long Island, including a picture of Petito as a little girl with her small hand print on a piece of paper. Behind the urn was a more recent photo of her standing at the foot of a cave.

'She always wanted to go out and do stuff, whether it was scuba diving with my uncle, or myself or hiking the Appalachian trail, surfing sand dunes in Colorado,' the father said.

'She had some wild experiences that I could only wish that I could experience.

'To see that type of joy that brought her, and the stones it took to do that at such a young age,' he continued. 'I would like you to take a look at these videos and I want you to be inspired by them.'

At Sunday's visitation, Petito's father didn't discuss the circumstances of her death, but offered advice for people in bad relationships.

'I want you to take a look at these pictures, and I want you to be inspired by Gabby. If there's a trip you guys want to take, take it now. Do it now while you have the time.'

'If there is a relationship that you're in that might not be the best thing for you, leave it now. Take care of yourself first.'

Mourners were seen hugging and crying as they consoled one another while attending Petito's public funeral service
The ex-boyfriend of a mother whose baby boy died 16 years ago with antidepressants in his system has been arrested by police.

Cecil Kennedy, 49, was arrested at a home in Western Sydney on Monday afternoon over the death of his then-partner's son on March 19, 2005.

Jordan William Thompson was 21 months old when his mum, Bernice Swales, left him in Kennedy's care inside their apartment in the NSW Hunter region as she went to run errands, police say.

Jordan William Thompson died on the afternoon of March 19, 2005, while being babysat by his mother's then-partner, police say

Bernice Swales left her son Jordan Thompson (pictured together) in the care of her then-partner Cecil Kennedy as she ran errands, police say

She returned home to find Jordan unresponsive, and rushed him across the road to Singleton Base Hospital, but he could not be revived.

'Police were told Jordan had been found face down in the bathtub; however, a post-mortem later found high levels of a prescription medication used to treat depression in his system,' NSW Police said in a statement on Monday.

Homicide Squad detectives established Strike Force Kyeama to investigate the circumstances surrounding Jordans death.

A Coronial Inquest commenced in 2008 and resumed in 2015, with Deputy State Coroner Elaine Truscott finding in 2018 that Jordan died because he had been deliberately administered anti-depressant medication.

Kennedy was arrested at a Doonside property by homicide detectives on Monday afternoon (pictured)

Following further investigations and a $100,000 reward for information, detectives on Monday arrested Kennedy at a home in Doonside.

He has been taken to Blacktown Police Station where charges are expected to be laid.

Speaking after the arrest, Ms Swales said she was appreciative of the work done by police.

'I'm really grateful for all of the work that has been done for my son,' she told A Current Affair.

'I just want to say thank you, a special thank you to the detective who made this and worked very hard and made sure he never gave up, he never gave up and I'm so grateful for all the work that's been put in.'

Detective Inspector Paul Quigg said the arrest was the culmination of a more than 16 year police investigation.

'It's been a hard investigation, a long investigation - the team that worked on the investigation never gave up,' he said.
A video has captured the terror of passengers on a tourist plane from hell which plunged hundreds of feet in a storm before being struck by lightning on Saturday.

The Russian Azur Air Boeing 737-800 with 175 on board 'went into free-fall' as it approached Black Sea resort of Sochi in southwestern Russia.

The plane had left Ekaterinburg earlier that day but was forced to abort its flight plan and make an emergency landing in Krasnodar, some 180 miles north of Sochi, after suffering severe turbulence and the lightning strike.

'It was a wild horror,' said one passenger, while another said they were saying goodbye to life convinced they would crash.

'Bottles and other small items scattered throughout the cabin,' said the passenger.

'Then lightning hit us.

'There was a loud bang and a bright flash.'

The video shows the turbulence after the flight-from-hell was hit by lightning, but miraculously, the pilots managed to regain control of the plane and make an incredible emergency landing.

Passengers clung to their seats and tray tables for stability as the plane dropped hundreds of feet in turbulent air

Pilots managed to regain control after the plane fell out of the sky, but the plane was then hit with a lightning strike which forced the pilots to carry out an emergency landing

The Russian Azur Air Boeing 737-800 with 175 on board 'went into free-fall' as it approached Black Sea resort of Sochi in southwestern Russia

The plane had left Ekaterinburg earlier that day but was forced to abort its flight plan and make an emergency landing in Krasnodar, some 180 miles north of Sochi

One tourist, Anna, told E1: 'Everyone was shocked. A woman next to me was crossing herself. 'I remembered all the prayers I knew. When the lightning struck, I turned around. A man sitting near had such fear in his eyes - I will remember for the rest of my life.'

One tourist, Anna, told E1: 'Everyone was shocked. A woman next to me was crossing herself.

'I remembered all the prayers I knew.

'When the lightning struck, I turned around. A man sitting near had such fear in his eyes - I will remember for the rest of my life.'

A woman called Anastasia said: 'We flew through huge grey clouds, and suddenly lightning struck - the flash was clearly visible and we heard a loud bang.

'People got scared, some thought the engine was hit.'

Minutes earlier there was a terrifying plunge as the plane descended hundreds of feet in seconds due to severe turbulence amid the storm.

'Those not strapped in jumped in their places, bottles of water and glasses flew all over the plane,' Anastasia continued.

'There were screams, crying children. Awful feeling.'

She said the plane 'plunged and shook'.

'Then everybody began to say goodbye to life and panic.

'The pilots began to climb abruptly, and for about forty minutes we still flew.'

Following this the aircraft - on a three-and-a-half hour flight from Ekaterinburg - made an emergency landing at Krasnodar after the resort town of Sochi was hit by a brutal storm which forced the closure of the airport.

Estate agent Yekaterina, a mother of one, said the plane was on an approach to landing when the drama unfolded.

'The plane was shaken very strongly and suddenly it just started to fall,' she said.

'We were about four seconds in free fall.'

She said: 'The pilot reacted and we began to climb abruptly.

'We were still shaking, all grabbing what we could. There were people who screamed, some were praying.'

Estate agent Yekaterina, a mother of one, said the plane was on a second approach to landing when the drama unfolded

'The plane was shaken very strongly and suddenly it just started to fall,' she said. 'We were about four seconds in free fall.' She said: 'The pilot reacted and we began to climb abruptly. We were still shaking, all grabbing what we could. There were people who screamed, some were praying.'

Yekaterina said: 'After the lightning strike, it became very quiet, just total silence. 'People became very quiet. 'I don't even know if some had already resigned themselves to death.'

Yekaterina posted a photo of the view from the plane which looked peaceful just before the storm hit

Yekaterina said: 'After the lightning strike, it became very quiet, just total silence.

'People became very quiet.

'I don't even know if some had already resigned themselves to death.

'Everyone continued to hold on.'

She remembers the pilot saying 'Don't panic, fasten your seat belts' - but no other announcements.

The passengers were not told that they had landed at the wrong airport as the pilots could not continue their journey to Sochi and opted to land 180 miles north west in the city of Krasnodar.

Passengers stood and applauded the flight crew once the plane had come to a stop, while some requested to meet the pilot and take a selfie - which was refused.

'Thank you for saving our lives,' posted Yekaterina.

There was no immediate comment from the Russian airline.
Sadiq Khan poked fun at Tory minister Michael Gove over his middle-aged clubbing exploits last night - as he DJ'd at a Labour conference party.

The London mayor, 50, was among those who let their hair down after a tumultuous start to the annual gathering in Brighton.

He was the guest of honour at a Jamaican night at the Prizm club organised by former shadow equalities minister Dawn Butler.

And he used his time on the mic to poke fun at Mr Gove, 54, the new Levelling Up Minister, after he was spotted throwing shapes at an Aberdeen nightspot last month.

Mr Khan told the packed event: ''The best place in Brighton in this conference week is Dawn Butler's Jamaica party.

'I've got to tell you I saw Michael Gove coming to Brighton because Michael Gove likes dancing.

'So don't be surprised if you see Michael Gove here.'

Ms Butler later tweeted that she got to bed at around 7am after the lively party, tweeting: 'Thank you to everyone who came and raved, enjoyed and just went with the vibes.'

Mr Khan was not the only top Labour figure to take some time to relax and have fun yesterday. Even party leader Sir Keir found time to take off his tie and have drink, while watching his beloved Arsenal beat Spurs 3-1 in the North London Derby.

He continued his semi-dressed look today as he went on a walkabout in Brighton.

The London mayor, 50, was among those who let their hair down after a tumultuous start to the annual gathering in Brighton.

Mr Khan was the guest of honour at a Jamaican night at the Prizm club organised by former shadow equalities minister Dawn Butler.

Even party leader Sir Keir found time to take off his tie and have drink, while watching his beloved Arsenal

He continued his semi-dressed look today as he went on a walkabout in Brighton this morning, after Mr Khan (right) had hit the seafront for a run in the wind and rain

Mr Gove was seen partying away in Aberdeen in videos posted on social media over the August bank holiday weekend.

The MP, who recently announced his split from Daily Mail columnist wife Sarah Vine, was seen throwing shapes after visiting an O'Neill's pub in the Granite City - where he grew up.

He later went upstairs to Bohemia nightclub where he was filmed dancing to techno, after allegedly trying to swerve the 5 entry fee by telling door staff he was the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster - a claim he later denied.

Musician Emma Lament, who posted the videos to Instagram on Sunday, wrote in the captions that newly-single Gove was 'giving it big licks' as he bopped to techno music.

In the videos, Gove, dressed in a suit with no tie, can be seen jumping, two-stepping and waving his arms around to the music.

Mr Khan today tried to act as peacemaker in a row between Andy Burnham and Keir Starmer as he insisted the Mayor of Greater Manchester does support the Labour leader.

Mr Burnham yesterday accused Sir Keir of sidelining Labour's metro mayors at the party's annual conference in Brighton.

He questioned if the party is 'serious about winning back the north of England' after he claimed senior elected politicians had not been given the chance to deliver major televised speeches in the conference hall.

But Mr Khan stepped in this morning to insist that 'Andy is somebody who supports the leader'.

The Mayor of London said Sir Keir is talking to Labour's selection of elected mayors to 'listen to our points of view because we are a good example of Labour in power'.

The comments from Mr Burnham, who has been widely tipped as a potential successor to Sir Keir, risked igniting a major internal Labour row.
China today accused Britain of 'harbouring evil intentions' after a Royal Navy frigate made a rare voyage through the sensitive Taiwan Strait.

Beijing claims it 'followed and warned' HMS Richmond as it sailed through the 110-mile wide passage on its way to Vietnam.

While US warships make an almost monthly voyage through the Strait, its allies have been more reluctant to follow suit.

China claims Taiwan as its own territory and has stepped up military and political pressure to try and force the democratically-ruled island to accept Chinese sovereignty.

Tensions in the South China Sea have been ratcheted further by a new security pact between Australia, the UK and the US, which many view as part of a strategy to counter Chinese aggression in the region.

Beijing claimed today it 'followed and warned' HMS Richmond (pictured in Portsmouth) as it sailed through the Taiwan Strait. The waters are international but China claims them as its own

On Monday, the official Twitter account for HMS Richmond, posted a picture of the boat navigating the Strait. It said: 'After a busy period working with partners and allies in the East China Sea, we are now en route through the Taiwan Strait to visit #Vietnam and the Vietnam People's Navy. #CSG21 International by design.'

Beijing claims it 'followed and warned' HMS Richmond as it sailed through the 110-mile wide passage on its way to Vietnam.

Last week, 19 Chinese warplanes stormed into Taiwanese airspace in an apparent show of strength amid the bitter war of words from Beijing over the Aukus pact.

Fighter jets were scrambled to turn the aircraft back while radio warnings were also broadcast and missile defence systems activated to monitor the situation.

As well as Taiwan, China lays claims to several smaller islands in the South China Sea, pitting itself against smaller neighbours like the Philippines and Vietnam, which rely on the US and its allies for military support.

On Monday, the official Twitter account for HMS Richmond, posted a picture of the boat navigating the Strait.

It said: 'After a busy period working with partners and allies in the East China Sea, we are now en route through the Taiwan Strait to visit #Vietnam and the Vietnam People's Navy. #CSG21 International by design.'

It had been deployed in the East China Sea while taking part in United Nations sanctions enforcement operations against North Korea.

The Twitter post appeared to have sparked fury from Beijing-loyal bots and Communist apologists on the social media site who accused Britain of 'colonialism.'

The People's Liberation Army's Eastern Theatre Command said it has organised air and naval forces to follow Richmond and warn her.

'This kind of behaviour harbours evil intentions and damages peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait,' it said. 'Theatre command forces always maintain a high level of alert and resolutely counter all threats and provocations.'

Last month, Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, first sea lord and chief of naval staff, reiterated that it was 'very clear that the Taiwan Strait is international waters.'

'It is a waterway that can be used by different nations,' he told Nikkei Asia.

China lays claim to numerous islands in the South China Sea, pitting itself against smaller neighbours like the Philippines and Vietnam

Relations between Beijing and London are already strained over a long list of issues, from trade to human rights.

In Taipei, Taiwan Defence Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng did not comment directly when asked about the British warship, saying he did not know what missions foreign ships in the Taiwan Strait were carrying out.

'When they pass through the Taiwan Strait our nation's military will have a grasp of the situation, but will not interfere,' he told reporters, adding they keep a close watch on all movements near Taiwan.

China has been ramping up its exercises around Taiwan and flies air force aircraft almost daily into the southwestern part of Taiwan's air defence zone.
Britons who don't wear face masks indoors are up to twice as likely to test positive for Covid compared to people who wear them all the time, data implies.

Among those who said they sometimes wear a mask indoors, figures suggest they are a third more likely to get infected.

Boris Johnson made coverings optional in England on Freedom Day in July, despite No10's top scientists urging them to be kept mandatory.

Surveys suggest around one in ten Britons  around 4million people  have already stopped wearing them, amid growing belief that the worst of the pandemic is over.

Face masks help stop the spread of the coronavirus by catching miniscule droplets exhaled by infected people. But the science on how well they work has been patchy, although experts insist the benefits of wearing coverings are obvious.

The above graph shows the chance of catching Covid among people who did not wear a face mask outdoors (dark blue) compared to those who did wear a face mask. It also shows data on the risk of catching Covid for those in contact with under-18s, and those in contact with 18 to 69-year-olds

Since face masks became optional in England, the number of people not wearing them has risen across the country. One in ten Britons now do not wear face masks. The above graph shows the proportion of people saying they did use the coverings up to September 5

The above figure shows the risk of testing positive for Covid by sex, household size, multigenerational households, ethnicity, whether someone lives in an urban or rural area, and deprivation

The above graph shows Covid positivity rates were highest in younger age groups over the two weeks to September 11, the latest available

The above graph shows the estimated risk of testing positive for Covid by vaccination status, previous Covid infection, employment, disability and smoking

Vaccinated people are up to 65% less likely to test positive Double-vaccinated people are up to 65 per cent less likely to catch the virus than those who still have not got their jabs, data suggests. Latest ONS data suggested this was the case for AstraZeneca-jabbed people up to 150 days after their second dose. For Pfizer recipients, they were 48 per cent less likely to get infected. Studies show that the vaccines slash the risk of hospitalisation and death from the virus. But that it does not block an infection in every case. There is also evidence that protection offered by the vaccines wanes over time. Boris Johnson has launched a booster programme to 'top up' immunity against the virus among over-50s. More than 89.6 per cent of over-16s  or 48.7million people  have got one dose of the vaccine. And 82.3 per cent  or 44.7million  have got both jabs. Advertisement

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) analysis was based on data from its weekly Covid surveillance report.

It looked at people who tested positive for the virus between August 29 and September 11.

It found people who said they never wore face masks indoors were up to 98 per cent more likely to test positive those who said they always wore them.

And people who said they sometimes wore face coverings were around a third more likely to catch the virus.

Some of the respondents did not need face masks during the study period because they were isolating at home.

There were more than 110,000 people involved in the ONS study, of which the vast majority  97,000  said they were still wearing masks.

There were 869 positive cases among those that always wore masks (0.9 per cent).

Among people that never wore masks 136 out of 7,500 tested positive (1.8 per cent), and for those that sometimes wore them 104 out of 9,100 got Covid (1.1 per cent).

England does not require face masks to be used at present but they are still required on Transport for London.

But should the NHS come under unsustainable pressure this winter, Boris Johnson has warned they could be made mandatory again in public places.

Scotland still has rules saying masks must be worn in shops, on public transport and in restaurants and pubs when seated.

In Wales, the coverings are still mandatory on public transport and in public areas indoors.

And in Northern Ireland they must still be worn in shops and hospitality venues.

Throughout the pandemic there has been fierce scientific debate about how well they guard against transmission, despite nearly every country in the world mandating or encouraging their use.

Britons who do not wear face masks indoors are more likely to catch Covid than those that do, data suggests (stock)

Lab tests and observational studies have shown masks can block infected people from exhaling up to 80 per cent of the virus into the air and also protect wearers from inhaling up to 50 per cent of the particles.

But real-world studies, which involve more scientific rigour, have produced mixed results.

Experts previously told MailOnline that vaccines were doing such a good job there was little reason to wear face masks.

But they said the coverings could still be beneficial in hospitals, care homes and crowded places with poor ventilation such as the tube.

They said high grade FFP3 masks would be the best option, over homemade cloth masks.
A talented cellist who went missing for a week has been found 'safe and well' by police, six days after she failing to turn up to a concert and switched off her phone.

Penka Petkova, 26, had last been seen at her flat in Tower Hamlets, East London, on September 20 and did not make contact with any friends or family.

She was said to have been spending nights at train stations in the capital, but the Metropolitan Police confirmed today that she had been found.

Miss Petkova works as a cello teacher at Arts and Media School Islington in North London and has a degree from the prestigious Guildhall School of Music and Drama.

Penka Petkova once appeared as a soloist for Classic FM's Radio Orchestra and lives in London

Miss Petkova works as a cello teacher at Arts and Media School Islington in North London

Friends had reported the musician, who is originally from Sofia in Bulgaria, missing to the Metropolitan Police after she did not attend a concert on September 21.

The force had said it was 'concerned' for Miss Petkova and urged people to contact detectives if they see her.

But in an update this afternoon, a police spokesman said: 'Thanks to those of you who shared our appeal for information about Penka Petkova who had been reported missing. We are pleased to let you know she has been found safe and well.'

Miss Petkova, who once appeared as a soloist for Classic FM's Radio Orchestra, is said to be petite with brunette hair and speaks with an Eastern European accent.

The cellist is said to be petite with brunette hair and speaks with an Eastern European accent

She had last been seen wearing a black leather jacket, grey chequered trousers, pink and purple trainers and a clutch bag - and had her hair in a ponytail.

Miss Petkova, who began playing the cello aged five, was awarded an honorary diploma for artistic achievement by the Bulgarian culture minister in 2011.

Away from Bulgaria and Britain, Miss Petkova has performed around the world in the US, Macedonia, the Czech Republic, Switzerland, Luxembourg and Germany.

She has also performed as a soloist with the New Symphony Orchestra, and the philharmonic orchestras of Plovdiv, Pleven and Vratsa in Bulgaria.

Miss Petkova has a music degree from the prestigious Guildhall School of Music and Drama

Miss Petkova had last been seen at her flat in Tower Hamlets, East London, on September 20

Miss Petkova has also done solo and chamber music recordings for national television in Bulgaria and radio in the Czech Republic and Bulgaria.

Conductor Thomas Blunt had tweeted over the weekend: 'Penka is a talented cellist who studied at the Guildhall School and has been missing since September 20.

'She was supposed to play at a concert on Tuesday and didn't show up.'

He added: 'She is spending nights at main London stations - please look out for her on your commute. No phone, cards or money, and has lost a lot of weight.'
The Taliban could get their hands on up to 150 nuclear weapons after America's catastrophic withdrawal from Afghanistan, former Trump security advisor John Bolton has warned.

Bolton said it was possible the nuclear weapons could end up in the hands of the Taliban if the Islamists take control of Pakistan in an interview with WABC 770 on Sunday.

'The Taliban in control of Afghanistan threatens the possibility of terrorists taking control of Pakistan  that means maybe 150 nuclear weapons in the hands of terrorists,' he said.

The US completed a chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan on August 31, leaving behind military equipment that has already been seized by the Taliban, after the Islamists swept to power in a lightning offensive of the country.

Pakistan has an arsenal of approximately 160 nuclear warheads including 102 land-based missiles and F-16 combat aircrafts with 24 nuclear launchers.

The Taliban could get their hands on up to 150 nuclear weapons after America's catastrophic withdrawal from Afghanistan, former Trump security advisor John Bolton has warned

The US completed a chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan on August 31 after the Taliban swept to power in a lightning offensive of the country

Former security advisor Bolton warned the Taliban could gain control of Pakistan's 160 nuclear warheads (pictured a Shaheen II) if they overrun the country

How big is Pakistan's nuclear inventory? Pakistan first tested a nuclear warhead in 1998, becoming the seventh country in the world to officially do so. Its arsenal is seen as a defense against India, which first tested nuclear warheads in 1974. Number of nuclear warheads: 160 Air capabilities: F-16 combat aircrafts with 24 nuclear launchers with a range of 1,600 km, Mirage III and V aircraft with 12 launchers with a range of 2,100km, and Ra'ad air-launched missiles with a 350km range Sea capabilities: Recently tested a Babur 3 from a submerged platform and are working towards firing from a submarine Land capabilities: 102 land-based missiles, six operational nuclear capable ballistic missiles Advertisement

Bolton, who served under then President Donald Trump between April 2018 and September 2019, slammed Joe Biden's management of the withdrawal, warning allies are 'wondering if he has a grip on his own administration's foreign policy.'

Biden and the White House have repeatedly insisted they were blindsided by the swept Taliban takeover because the Afghan security forces gave up so easily.

It led to scenes of chaos with thousands of Afghans swarming the airport as they desperately tried to flee the country before the Islamists imposed their rule.

Thousands gathered at the perimeter of Kabul airport - some standing in sewage, others attempting to scale the walls and many brandishing travel documents - as US soldiers attempted to control the chaos.

Early evacuation flights saw hundreds of young men sat on a fin below the US military's plane's turbine as it barreled down the runway, only to then fall hundreds of feet to their deaths.

At least two people fell to their deaths from a C-17 on August 16 and the remains of another were discovered in the wheel well of the jet when it arrived in Qatar.

Videos captured snapshots of the chaos showed US soldiers being handed babies over barbed wire fences as desperate Afghans gathered at the edge of the airport.

Meanwhile other footage emerged of women pleading with US troops to let them onto an evacuation flight, telling them 'the Taliban is coming'.

And days later a suicide explosion claimed by ISIS-K, an Islamic State offshoot based in Afghanistan's Khorasan region, left 170 dead, including 13 US service members.

Biden later claimed the withdrawal was an 'extraordinary success' and local soldiers for the mess in Afghanistan and the Taliban takeover - a claim the White House has repeated in recent weeks.

The President also laid the blame for the chaos on his predecessor Donald Trump for striking a peace deal in February 2020 with the Taliban. Trump's peace deal had promised US withdrawal by May if the Taliban did not harbor terrorists or attack US forces or allies.

Bolton's warning comes after the Taliban seized much of the equipment abandoned by the US during the chaotic end to the 20-year war in Afghanistan.

Anwari was among young Afghan men were seen clambering onto the USAF jet as it took off from Kabul on Monday. At least three of them died, two teenage brothers by falling from the wheels and Anwari was reportedly found dead in the wheel well

At least three bodies were seen falling from the USAF jet as it climbed into the air on Monday

Days after the withdrawal ended, the Taliban paraded dozens of US-made armored vehicles and weaponry captured from Afghan forces during the group's takeover.

One event, in the southern city of Kandahar, even featured a fly-past from a Black Hawk helicopter flying the flag of the Taliban.

Meanwhile a long line of green Humvees and armored fighting vehicles drove in single file along a highway outside Kandahar - the spiritual birthplace of the militant group. Many of the vehicles had the white and black Taliban flag attached to them.

Footage posted on social media showed a helicopter flying overhead trailing the Taliban's standard behind it as fighters waved from below.

One event, in the southern city of Kandahar, even featured a fly-past from a Black Hawk helicopter (pictured) flying the flag of the Taliban

The parades of the hardware, captured during the group's takeover of Afghanistan, were held just hours after U.S. President Joe Biden defended his decision to end two decades of American presence in the country
Advertisement

Police were quizzing the man they believe to be the prime suspect in the murder of primary school teacher Sabina Nessa

The suspect being quizzed by police over the murder of primary school teacher Sabina Nessa is a former Domino's pizza delivery man.

The 36-year-old - said to be Albanian by his neighbours - was arrested in a 3am Sunday morning raid on his home in Eastbourne, East Sussex, after police traced him to the property.

Forensic officers and detectives had been inside the small apartment since then.

Detectives tracked a car using CCTV and automatic number plate recognition back to the seaside resort from London.

A silver Nissan Micra was taken away by police for investigation in connection with the case.

He is now the third man held over murder, and remains in custody, after a 40-year-old and 38-year-old were arrested separately and both released under investigation.

There is a branch of Domino's just down the road from the flat that is currently being searched. The arrested man is understood to have stopped working for the company in July.

One neighbour said on the suspect: 'He is a very quiet person, he never talked. He was doing food delivery with takeaways in his car.

'He is Albanian. I haven't seen him for about a month. He would come in to the shop to top up his phone and electric.

'He was always like a harmless person, his head was always down.'

Detective Chief Inspector Neil John, from the Met's Specialist Crime Command, said Miss Nessa's family had been told about the arrest and were being supported by specialist officers.

It comes just days after police issued a desperate appeal for a suspect and a vehicle captured on CCTV close to where 28-year-old Miss Nessa was ambushed and hit over the head.

Detectives had issued an appeal for information about a mystery man who was captured on CCTV in Pegler Square, south east London, on the night Sabina, 28, was attacked

A Nissan Micra pictured at an Eastbourne police compound is believed to be connected with the murder investigation

Officers guard a flat in Eastbourne after a 36-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of murdering teacher Sabina Nessa, 28

Police activity has now switched to Eastbourne where a man has been arrested in a 3am Sunday raid and a flat being searched

In the footage, a balding man is seen clutching a red 'reflective' object before trying to conceal it up his sleeve.

Detectives said they were keeping 'an open mind' as to whether it was used to attack Miss Nessa. Police are no longer looking for the man in the footage.

Meanwhile, Miss Nessa's family on Sunday visited the scene where the University of Greenwich graduate was murdered.

Miss Nessa's older sister Jebina Yasmin Islam  who broke down at Friday's vigil as she spoke of her family's loss  read some of the hundreds of tributes at the scene.

Sabina Nessa, 28, originally from Bedfordshire, disappeared on September 17 as she left home to meet a man for a first date at a local pub and her body was found the following afternoon

Ms Nessa's family, including a woman understood to be her sister Jebina, visited the scene where the primary school teacher was allegedly murdered to look at the hundreds of tributes left in her memory

Three men arrested in suspicion of Sabina Nessa's murder Arrest One (Suspect A): On the same day Sabina was found, a man in his 40s and known to her was the first to be arrested on suspicion of her murder. He was later released under investigation on September 24. Arrest Two (Suspect B): A 38-year-old man was arrested on Thursday at an address in Lewisham in connection with the murder. He was of has also been released under investigation. Arrest Three (Suspect C): Police arrested a 36-year-old man in a 'significant development' in the investigation on Sunday, September 26. The man was arrested at around 3am at an address in East Sussex and taken into police custody. Advertisement

Miss Nessa was last seen heading out on a five-minute journey for a first date in Kidbrooke, south-east London, at 8.30pm on Friday September 17.

Detectives have recovered grainy CCTV footage which they believe is of the attack.

The teacher's body is thought to have been carried into Cator Park before being hidden under leaves, 200 yards from her home.

She lay undiscovered until being found by a dog-walker at 5.30pm the next day.

Detectives are still desperately trying to work out whether her killer had ever come into contact with her or was a stranger.

The murder has reignited a debate about the safety of women. It comes just six months after marketing manager Sarah Everard, 33, was abducted and murdered by a serving Met police officer.

Annie Gibbs, who organised Friday's vigil and accompanied Miss Nessa's sister to the scene on Sunday, said the focus should remain on Miss Nessa and not politics.

'At the moment, we need to focus on the fact there is a family who has lost someone. Changes will come later,' she said.

'All this political stuff and organisations capitalising on it is just really not needed right now and it is wrong at this time. It is too soon. Barely a week has passed. This is a time for us to remember Sabina, not blaming or politics. Let's respect the family. Let's focus on Sabina and her loved ones.'

Tributes continued to pour in for Miss Nessa, who was born in Bedford to Bangladeshi parents. Hundreds of tributes  including a bouquet left on behalf of the Duchess of Cambridge  have been left at the scene.

Jebina collected a white box with a picture of Ms Nessa on it from vigil organiser Annie Gibbs. It had been used after the memorial to collect notes of condolence written by attendees

More than 500 well-wishers, including Ms Nessa's sister Jebina, gathered in Pegler Square for a vigil on Friday, organised by campaign group Reclaim the Streets, which said it is 'angry and heartbroken' about her death

A timeline of the Met Police's Sabina Nessa murder investigation Friday September 17, 8:30pm: Sabina Nessa, a teacher at the Rushey Green Primary School in Lewisham, sets out on a five-minute journey to meet a friend at a pub in Kidbrooke but never arrives. Saturday September 18, 5.30pm: Ms Nessa's body is found near the OneSpace community centre in Cator Park, Kidbrooke Saturday evening: A man in his 40s is arrested on suspicion of murder at an address in Lewisham, and is later released under police investigation. Monday September 20: A post-mortem carried out at Greenwich Mortuary proves to be inconclusive. Monday, 9pm: The victim is identified publicly as Ms Nessa. Wednesday September 22: Ms Nessa's cousin Zubel Ahmed says that her family is 'inconsolable' following their loss. In an interview with the BBC, he says: 'We are all truly devastated. Her parents are absolutely shocked, they're inconsolable still and understandably so, to hear of their daughter being taken away from them by some cowardly man is just horrific.' Thursday 23 September, 8pm: The Metropolitan Police announce that a second, 38-year-old man has been arrested at an address in Lewisham on suspicion of Ms Nessa's murder and is being held in custody. The force also issues CCTV images of a man they want to speak to. Friday 24 September, 7pm: A vigil will be held in Pegler Square, south east London, near to where Sabina's body was found, in memory of the primary school teacher. The vigil will be held by Reclaim the Streets, a campaign group who said they were 'angry and heartbroken' about Sabina's death. Sunday 26 September, 3am: Police raid a house in Eastbourne and arrest a 36-year-old man on suspicion of murder. A silver Nissan Micra is taken away to a police compound for further investigation from a road a mile away. Advertisement

Green primary school in Catford, south-east London, who wrote: 'Thank you for being my teacher.' On Sunday, Henry Lansana, 45, of Sydenham, left a card for Miss Nessa, who he said was in his friendship group.

He said: 'From the few times I was with her within the same group, I instantly realised what a kind and thoughtful person she was. My mother and father were both teachers and Sabina had those same caring qualities you need to work with children. She was just such a warm, beautiful girl and you can see she meant so much to so many people...'

Two men, aged 38 and 40, were separately arrested on suspicion of murder but were subsequently released under investigation.

Ms Nessa's family, including a woman understood to be her sister Jebina, visited the scene where the primary school teacher was allegedly murdered to look at the hundreds of tributes left in her memory.

Jebina collected a white box with a picture of Ms Nessa on it from vigil organiser Annie Gibbs. It had been used after the memorial to collect notes of condolence written by attendees.

CCTV footage which has not yet been released by police reportedly shows her attacker strike her over the head with an object before carrying her over his shoulder towards the park where her body was later discovered.

Vigil organiser Ms Gibbs, who shared an emotional embrace with Ms Nessa's sister, said of Friday's service: 'I think it really honoured Sabina. It was very respectful.

I believe there was possibly as many as 3,000 people who attended which was incredible.

'Everyone came there with the same heart. They just wanted the family to feel loved and supported and that was achieved.

We really wanted to make sure we got the message out there that we want justice and this is not something that we expect in our community. But it's not going to divide us.

'We're going to keep fighting until we find who has done this. I was really delighted this morning to see an arrest has been made.'

Ms Gibbs fears some people are forgetting there is a family grieving losing a much loved sister and daughter at the core of a case promoting global discussion about wider issues.

She added: 'At the moment, we need to focus on the fact there is a family who has lost someone. Changes will come later.

'All this political stuff and organisations capitalising on it is just really not needed right now and it is wrong at this time. It is too soon. Barely a week has passed.

'This is a time for us to remember Sabina, not blaming or politics. Let's respect the family. Let's focus on Sabina and her loved ones.'
A high security prison that holds rapists, sex offenders and paedophiles is distributing pronoun badges to inmates as part of a gender identity inclusion drive.

HMP Isle of Wight - whose former inmates include paedophile Gary Glitter and the Kray twins - announced its equalities team would be handing out the preferred gender pronoun badges as part of National Inclusion Week.

The category B prison, which is made up of HMP Albany and HMP Parkhurst, has unveiled six purple badges with pronouns including 'he/they', 'her/they', 'she/her' and 'they/them'.

The badges include a mix of non-binary options and one that reads: 'Ask me!'

In a tweet the prison said: 'In preparation for National Inclusion Week our equalities team have started distributing pronoun badges. What's your pronoun?'

HMP Isle of Wight unveiled six purple badges with pronouns including 'he/they', 'her/they', 'she/her' and 'they/them'

The high security prison announced its equalities team would be handing out the badges as part of National Inclusion Week

The high security prison, whose former inmates include paedophile Gary Glitter and the Kray twins, is set across two sites - HMP Albany and HMP Parkhurst (pictured)

The tweet went on to use a series of hashtags including 'inclusion', 'equality', 'diversity' and 'united for inclusion'.

It was not made clear whether the badges would be given to all prisoners, staff and visitors.

The post has since been met with a wave of criticism from locals, with one saying the move was a 'stunning waste of money'.

One person wrote: 'Guess whoever is in charge of equalities and inclusion has to justify their over inflated salary somehow. I'm sure the prisoners will be delighted that you spend money on badges, they will feel so reassured and 'heard'.

Meanwhile another person said: 'From my experience of working in prisons, there's a lot more to worry about than pronouns. Healthcare for example.'

And another added: 'This must be a joke? In a high security male estate you are seriously giving out pronoun badges.

'Someone is trying to justify their job. Maybe get rid of the inclusion team and employ counsellors/ teachers. Stunning waste of money.'

Elsewhere another social media user added: 'Just when you think we surely must have reached peak 2021, along comes @HMPIOW to demonstrate there's yet more to come.'

Tim Laughton, Chairman of the Home Affairs Select Committee, slammed the move and said that 'woke has broken into prison too'.

The move has been met with a wave of criticism from locals, with one person saying 'there was a lot more to worry about'

This year the prison's parole board released a 14-page document called 'Guidance on Prisoners who are Transgender'. Pictured: HMP Albany on the Isle of Wight

He told The Daily Telegraph: 'Oh dear so now woke has broken into prison too.

'There is a real problem in this country with getting sex offenders convicted and behind bars in the first place so the last thing we need to be pandering to is making sure serious criminals have their personal pronouns respected.'

HMP Isle of Wight, which is set across two sites, has more than 1,000 inmates  including sex offenders.

The Government's guidance on the prison reads: 'Isle of Wight is committed to providing a safe, secure and decent rehabilitative environment where men can learn new skills to help them in custody and on release.'

In March the prison's parole board released a 14-page document called 'Guidance on Prisoners who are Transgender'.

It advised parole panel members to check a prisoners' preferred 'form of name and term of address'.

It said: 'This may require confirming at the appropriate point during introductions, how the prisoner wishes to be addressed in the hearing, then using the chosen name and gender-appropriate form of address.

The document said if a prisoner was incorrectly addressed with the wrong pronoun 'an immediate, simple apology is appropriate'.

MailOnline has contacted HMP Isle of Wight for comment.
Emma Watson has struck up a close friendship with the son of controversial tycoon Sir Philip Green, MailOnline can reveal.

The Harry Potter actress, who is well known for her 'woke' views about gender equality, has grown close to 28-year-old Brandon Green, say friends.

Emma was pictured with Brandon just earlier this month when they disembarked together from a helicopter in Battersea, west London.

She has grown close to Brandon after secretly splitting earlier this year from businessman Leo Robinton, 31, after two years together.

Emma Watson was pictured with Sir Philip Green's son Brandon on September 2 when they landed in Battersea on a private helicopter

Friends of the pair say that the left-wing eco-warrior actress has struck up an unlikely friendship with the tycoon's who spends time on his family's superyacht in Monaco

Friends of the unlikely pair say that Emma (left) is 'into' Brandon (right), but that they have kept their blossoming friendship under wraps for several months

Brandon Green (right) is close to his father Sir Philip and runs an arm of his retail business, although Brandon tends to remain out of the limelight more so than his sister Chloe (left)

Friends say they are shocked by the blossoming relationship because the left-wing actress and Brandon make an unlikely pairing.

Brandon is the son of British billionaire Sir Philip, former owner of BHS and Topshop owner who for two decades was one of the UK's most controversial and colourful retailers. Brandon now runs one arm of his tycoon father's empire.

Sir Philip's fortunes have fallen in recent years with the collapse of his Arcadia group in November with the closure of 500 stores and 13,000 jobs.

The businessman, 69, has also faced allegations of bullying and sexual harassment in 2018, which he denied.

A friend told MailOnline how the actress, who played Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter films, had become increasingly close to Brandon since May while keeping their relationship under wraps.

The friend said: 'Over the summer Brandon has been wooing Emma. She's into him, but has kept it secret as no one knows that things have cooled with Leo.

'She's been spending a lot of time with Brandon. He's really kind to her and she enjoys his company. We are surprised that no one has realised that they were together. Brandon and Leo look similar. She certainly has a type.'

Brandon was seen earlier this summer with his mother Tina on holiday in the French Riviera

Brandon, seen soaking up the sun on his family's boat in July, has been wooing Emma all summer, according to friends, who say that Emma quietly split from her boyfriend in May

Brandon has always had a lower profile than his sister Chloe, 30, who made headlines over her relationship with US model and convicted felon Jeremy Meeks - dubbed 'the hot felon' - who is the father of her child.

But the son of Sir Philip and his wife Tina has also enjoyed a billionaire lifestyle since his childhood, living for many years in the tax haven of Monaco with his parents and sister.

No one seemed to notice Brandon was with Emma when she landed on September 2

Brandon who is known for his muscular physique and his love of working out has regularly been photographed while relaxing on his family's 100m superyacht Lionheart.

Sir Philip reportedly spent 4m on a bar mitzvah party for his son in 2005 at the Grand-Hotel du Cap-Ferrat on the French Riviera with performances by Andrea Bocelli and Beyonce.

A LinkedIn profile for Brandon describes him as having been an executive director overseeing Digital Transformation and Technology for his father's Arcadia fashion business since 2014.

Emma shot to fame as a child in 2001 playing Hermione in the film adaptation of J K Rowling's Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, alongside Daniel Radcliffe as the boy wizard and Rupert Grint as Ron Weasley.

She was nominated for five awards for her performance in the highest grossing film of the year and won a Young Artist Award for being the world's Leading Young Actress.

The actress went on to star in seven more Harry Potter films, and other big screen roles including playing Belle in the 2017 live-action Disney adaptation of Beauty and the Beast.

Emma's friends say she quietly split from businessman Leo Robinton (above), earlier this year

But while making her fortune from acting, she has also devoted time to activism and fighting for the rights of women in recent years.

Emma was made a United Nations Women Goodwill Ambassador in July 2014 and has taken part in initiatives to promote sustainable fashion and environmental living.

The UN stated on her appointment that she wanted to 'dedicate her efforts towards the empowerment of young women' and 'campaign in promoting gender equality'.

Emma has also helped launch new UK industry-wide guidelines on harassment and bullying with the British Film Institute, BAFTA, and the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service and other leading bodies.

She was even invited by French President Emmanuel Macron to sit on the G7's advisory Gender Equality Council in 2019.

But her feminist roles could be seen at being odds with the alleged behaviour of Sir Philip who has been accused of 'touching and repeatedly slapping women staff's bottoms' and 'grabbing thighs and touching legs'.

The claims were made under Parliamentary privilege by Lord Peter Hain during two debates in the House of Lords in 2018 and 2019 when he outed Sir Philip over his alleged behaviour.

While Brandon largely stays out of the public eye, his sister Chloe tends to have a higher public profile, attending showbiz parties and having dated Jeremy Meeks (above) - aka 'the hot felon'

Sir Philip had previously used a High Court injunction to prevent the Telegraph reporting allegations against him.

It was reported that five female employees had signed gagging orders to prevent them talking about being bullied or harassed.

Sir Philip was said to have paid one of them more than 1m to keep quiet after she accused him of kissing and groping her.

A black male executive also received 1m after Sir Philip said he was 'throwing spears in the jungle'.

Sir Philip insisted at the time that he 'categorically and wholly' denied any wrongdoing.

His lawyers put out a statement saying he had never committed 'any type of crime, or anything that would amount to gross misconduct, or a serious risk to health and safety.'

The statement described him as a 'passionate businessman, who can at times be over-exuberant and hot-headed' and only conceded that he could be 'perceived at times as aggressive with senior and trusted staff'.
A jealous woman has been arrested for poisoning her ex-partner and his new fiancee with a tampered box of chocolates just days before they were due to be married.

Dione Quirino, 35, and Amanda Cassia Lopes, 27, received a delivery of chocolates at home in Jaiba in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais on Thursday September 23 ahead of their weekend wedding.

The couple tucked into the chocolates, assuming they were simply an early wedding gift, but quickly discovered they had ingested some kind of poison.

According to the news site G1, a total of five people - the bride and groom-to-be, two other adults and one two-year-old - were poisoned by the chocolates and were hospitalised after falling sick.

Meanwhile, the family dog, also given a sweet or two as a treat, died as a result.

Dione Quirino, 35, and Amanda Cassia Lopes, 27, and three other people were hospitalized after eating candy, given as a wedding present, on 23rd September, in Jaiba, Brazil

The couple opened the box containing the chocolates (pictured) and tucked in with three others, all of whom were later hospitalised

Police have arrested a woman believed to be the groom-to-be's ex-girlfriend on suspicion of the poisoning. (Pcitured: The police at the home of bride-to-be Amanda Cassia Lopes, 27, in Jaiba, Brazil)

A woman whose name not disclosed due to the ongoing investigation, was arrested a day after the alleged poisoning incident on Friday.

She was later identified by the police as the ex-girlfriend of the groom-to-be.

The police said that a taxi driver delivered the gift, consisting of chocolates and some glasses, that was addressed to the bride.

Believing it was a wedding gift, the group tucked into the choccies and also gave a few of the treats to a two-year-old and the family dog.

The dog was the first to fall sick, according to reports, and later died from the as yet unidentified poison, while all five people were taken to hospital after experiencing severe sickness.

Two other adults besides the bride and groom-to-be enjoyed the chocolates before falling ill and being hospitalised

A two-year-old, who has not been identified, also fell seriously ill after ingesting the chocolates and sharing them with the family dog

After interviewing the victims and other family members, the police identified the groom's ex-partner as the main suspect.

According to their statements, the woman was never able to accept the end of the relationship or that her ex had found happiness with someone else.

A police statement said that authorities are reviewing a wealth of information including CCTV footage and camera phone footage, and are conducting analyses of the chocolates, the victims' stool samples and the contents of the deceased dog's digestive tract to determine the cause of its death.

Delegate Marconi Vieira has been named as the legal representation for the woman, who was arrested by police on Friday September 24 at her residence.

Police also carried out a search at the residence.

No information has yet been released about the substance used in the chocolates and the incident remains under investigation.
A heavily pregnant woman has been found dead in a Florida park, with police saying foul play is suspected.

The body of Felicia Jones, 21, was found in the Riverview Park in Jacksonville on Saturday.

Police did not release the woman's name but Jones' mother confirmed her identity to First Coast News.

The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office said Jones, who was nine months pregnant and due to give birth next week, was spotted by a passerby who called police around 6.30am.

Police declared Jones dead at the scene and launched an investigation. Her unborn child also died.

Felicia Jones, who was due to give birth next week, has been found dead in a Florida park, with police saying foul play is suspected

The 21-year-old's body was found in the Riverview Park in Jacksonville early on Saturday

'We are treating this investigation as a suspicious death with foul play suspected,' said Sgt. Edwin Cayenne with Sheriff's Office Homicide Unit.

Few details of the case were made public and Jones' cause of death are unknown.

Police are canvassing the neighborhood for potential witnesses.

Jones' aunt, Angelica Williams, spoke to First Coast News of the family's devastating loss.

'This is a whole unborn baby ready to be born in two weeks. A beautiful young lady who just turned 21 this month,' she said.

Police are canvassing the neighborhood for potential witnesses and have asked anyone with information to come forward

'We want to let the world know that she was loved. Her baby was expected. We wanted this baby. I was super excited about my nephew. All of that has been taken away from us. We're distraught right now.'

The family have set up a GoFundMe page to help cover burial expenses.

'Our family took a major loss we lost my niece and nephew,' Williams, who is organising the fundraiser, wrote on its page.

'This is a (sic) unexpected tragedy for our family and can't believe we lost Felicia and her unborn child. He was set to be here in just two weeks.We appreciate and Thank you for any donations towards burial expenses.'

Anyone with information on the incident is asked to contact the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office at 904-630-0500 or Crimestoppers at 1-866-845-TIPS.
Google is appealing a record $5billion fine it was handed by the EU in 2018 for illegally stifling it competitors.

The European Commission fined the tech giant after finding that it unfairly pressured phone-makers using its Android operating system to pre-install other Google apps on their devices.

But Google's lawyers hit back at a court in Luxembourg today, saying the EU had completely ignored the existence of its biggest rival Apple in their ruling and that Android is actually 'an exceptional success story of the power of competition'.

Meredith Pickford, Google's lawyer, began his day before the five-judge panel by arguing that the EU had 'shut its eyes to the real competitive dynamic in this industry, that between Apple and Android.'

Google is appealing a $5billion fine it was handed in 2018 for unfairly squeezing out competition by arguing the ruling completely ignored its main rival, Apple

As evidence, he pointed to the Commission's finding that Google 'controls over 95 per cent of the market for smart mobile operating systems available for licence.'

But the 95 per cent figure does not include Apple, Mr Pickford said, because Apple's iOS is not available on licence - meaning only phones made by Apple can use it.

Google's Android system is free-to-use for phone-makers, but comes with certain conditions attached.

'By defining markets too narrowly and downplaying the potent constraint imposed by the highly powerful Apple, the Commission has mistakenly found Google to be dominant in mobile operating systems and app stores, when it was in fact a vigorous market disrupter,' Mr Pickford told the court.

Commission lawyer Nicholas Khan dismissed Apple's role because of its small market share compared with Android.

'Bringing Apple into the picture doesn't change things very much. Google and Apple pursue different models,' he told the court.

'Google's conduct denied any opportunity for competition.'

Android, which is free for device makers to use but comes with a number of conditions attached, is found on about 80 per cent of the world's smartphones.

Lobbying group FairSearch, whose complaint triggered the Commission case, was however scathing about Google's tactics with phone makers.

'Google adopted a classic bait and switch strategy. It hooked (them) on a supposedly free and open source operating system subsidised by its search monopoly, only to shut that system to competition through the web of restrictions at issue in this case,' its lawyer Thomas Vinje told the court.

German phone maker Gigaset Communications GmbH, which is backing Google, said its success was due to Android's open platform and lamented the negative impact of the Commission's decision on its business.

The five-day hearing is taking place at the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg, in front of a panel of five judges

'The licence fee for the Play Store that Google now charges as a result of the contested decision represents a significant portion of the price of Gigaset's smartphones aimed at price-sensitive consumers,' lawyer Jean-Francois Bellis said.

The $5billion fine was the largest of three penalties the EU slapped on Google during an intense period of litigation between 2017 and 2019, led by competition Tsar Margrethe Vestager.

The lawsuit ended when the European Commission found that Google had abused its market position to pressure phone-makers into installing its apps on their devices at the cost of smaller rivals.

First, they found that Google had illegally 'tied' its Chrome web browser and Google Search app to its Play Store app - meaning smartphone manufacturers who wanted to install Play Store were forced to install the other two apps on their phones as well.

Manufacturers told the Commission that Play Store was a 'must-have' app because if it is not pre-installed then users cannot download it themselves. It is also the place where most Android apps are available.

This gave Google an unfair advantage, the Commission found, because users were unlikely to seek out another web browser or search app and instead used the pre-installed ones.

As an example, they cited data which showed 95 per cent of searches were made using Chrome on Android phones - compared to just 25 per cent on Windows, where it is not installed by default.

Second, the Commission found that Google had offered payments to phone-makers to only install its Search app across every Android phone they manufactured.

If any one phone was excluded from the deal, then Google refused to pay up for all of the phones.

They found this was unfair to smaller rivals because it meant that, in order to buy exclusivity for their apps on only one handset, rival firms had to compensate the phone-maker for a loss of revenue across all their handsets.

The appeal is a big test for Margrethe Vestager, the EU's competition Tsar, who last year lost a major appeal by Apple over $15billion in taxes

Finally, the commission found that Google banned phone-makers who wanted to use their Android system on any one of their phones from using different versions of the system on any of their devices.

This was a particular blow to Amazon, whose 'Fire' operating system is a version of Google's Android system.

The ban meant that any phone-maker wishing to sell one device with 'Fire iOS' installed would be barred from using regular Android on every other device it sold.

Ultimately, the Commission ordered Google to pay $5billion - the largest anti-competition fine it had ever issued.

It came after Google was fined $2.7billion fine in 2017 over its shopping comparison service, and before a $1.75 billion fine in 2019 over its search bar.

The most-recent appeal will be a huge test for Vestager, who is currently leading another wide-ranging probe into the way Google makes money from advertising.

Vestager, who was once hailed as the scourge of big tech and whose cases set off a tsunami of lawsuits against firms such as Google and Apple, last year lost a major appeal over Apple's tax affairs in Ireland.

In 2016, the European Commission had ordered Apple to pay the government of Ireland $15billion in back-taxes that it said had not been collected.

But Ireland - which offers tax breaks to tech companies as an incentive to set up there - and Apple appealed, and in July last year the order was annulled.

Ms Vestager has since appealed the annulment - saying the court 'has made a number of errors of law.'

She is also in the process of shaping new legislation to regulate Big Tech more closely, frustrated at the time it takes to pursue big competition cases.

Known as the Digital Markets Act, the new law would set up a rulebook of Do's and Don'ts for Big Tech companies such as Google and Facebook.

This could include specific bans or limits on such companies promoting their own services on platforms.
Theres a new advisory on the Duke and Duchess of Sussexs website Archewell, the one named after the son they were determined to keep private so he wouldnt be used as a media tool.

We love having you here, the message reads, but were mindful of screen time. Why not take a break? Well still be here.

This disingenuous virtue-signaling guff was presumably crafted by one of the couples partners, the Centre for Humane Technology, which counsels how to remove toxicity from ones life.

Id certainly welcome a break from the worlds most toxic royals whose laughable mission statement is to put compassion into action but who never miss a chance to spew unsubstantiated abuse about their own families that they persistently trash and disown.

As with everything in Meghan and Harrys ludicrous world, they love to preach one thing and do the exact opposite.

Theyve just finished a four-day trip to New York which even by their two-faced standards set a new low bar for hypocrisy.

Ostensibly designed for them to lecture the worlds ultra-rich pharmaceutical firms on equality, something the privileged, pampered prima donnas know all about from the palatial comfort of their Californian mansion, the trip was in fact a ruthlessly cynical attempt to establish their new alternative Royal Family.

And it made me puke.

Meghan and Harry just finished a four-day trip to New York, and spoke during the 2021 Global Citizen Live festival in Central Park

Virtue-signaling message on Harry and Meghan's website reads: 'We love having you here... but were mindful of screen time. Why not take a break? Well still be here

Lets remind ourselves that the Sussexes quit Britain and royal duty because they supposedly wanted privacy.

Yet ever since they landed in the United States, theyve been engaged in a shameless, relentless orgy of self-publicizing, money-grabbing duplicity.

The duplicity comes from their pretense to loathe everything the Royal Family and Monarchy stands for, but at the same time gleefully milking their royal titles with the obscene greed of a sounder of swine, the term for a group of feral hogs that destroys everything in its path.

Meghan and Harry have their noses permanently rammed in the regal trough, and its obvious that they now intend to keep them there until theyve made themselves repulsively rich and famous.

In this regard, theyre the royal version of the Kardashians  people with no discernible talent other than for pimping themselves out to the highest bidders and a craven desire to air their dirty family linen in public for financial gain.

But at least the Kardashians mission to be billionaire TMI merchants is founded on a basic honesty: they dont pretend to be talented or saving the planet.

By contrast, at the heart of the Sussexes stated campaign to uplift and unite us all with their searing compassion  unless youre related to them, then you can go **** yourself - lies outrageous two-faced deceit.

For a prime example, the self-styled eco-warriors never stop lecturing the world about the environment.

Only last month, Harry warned us that climate change is one of the most pressing issues we are facing.

And one of the purposes of the Global Citizen Live concert they attended on Saturday night was to demand tough new eco laws halving US emissions by 2030.

So, you might assume they lead by example in deliberately reducing their own carbon footprint?

Dont be silly!

In fact, they deliberately do the complete opposite.

On Saturday, the Sussexes flew back into Santa Barbara from New York in a private plane, a Dassault Falcon 2000 jet. It will have produced around 17 tons of carbon emissions for the flight.

One of the purposes of the Global Citizen Live concert was to demand tough new eco laws halving US emissions by 2030. Meghan and Harry flew home on a private jet.

Its the same mode of transport they have repeatedly used  often as guests of celebrity pals like Elton John and George Clooney - despite being criticized for obvious double standards.

Now, Ive nothing against private jets, and have used them myself, but Im not constantly lecturing the world on the urgent need to reduce its carbon footprint.

The hypocrisy is breath-taking.

Their mode of road travel follows a similar theme.

Waiting for them on the tarmac in Santa Barbara was a large gas-guzzling 4x4.

In New York, the Prince and Princess of Pollution sped around Manhattan in a luxury convoy of at least three Range Rovers and SUVs.

To quote from their own speech on Saturday, this willful disregard for their own eco-hectoring is like throwing away life vests, when those around you are drowning.

And what were they doing there anyway?

Ostensibly, the Sussexes were in the Big Apple to harangue pharmaceutical firms for not doing enough for equality when it comes to dispensing vaccines to poorer countries.

As with everything else these two harp on about, the real issues surrounding vaccines and patents are far more complicated than they suggest, and the companies theyre attacking have already saved tens of millions of lives with their brilliant work in this pandemic.

But one of Global Citizens main objectives is also to defeat poverty.

Well, Im sure we can all agree that nothing screams defeating poverty more than Meghan Markle sporting $100,000 worth of designer clothes  though whoever paid her to wear that unflattering bulky winter wardrobe on warm sunny days probably deserves a refund - and lavishly expensive jewelry as she trotted around impoverished parts of Harlem where she read schoolkids extracts from her own book, The Bench.

Meghan sported almost $100,000 worth of designer clothes during her trip, including bulky winter coats and a scarf despite the New York weather being warm and sunny

Meghan trotted around impoverished parts of Harlem where she read schoolkids extracts from her own book, The Bench

We were told this cringe-making display of self-aggrandizement was to promote early literacy but as reviewers of this god-awful pile of bilge have attested, The Bench is to literacy what Madonna is to growing old gracefully.

It takes a special kind of brazen shamelessness to use children who can barely read to fire up your books flagging sales.

Just as it does to film yourself doing so, as Meghan and Harry reportedly did throughout their trip, to fulfil your massive multi-million-dollar contracts with paymasters like Netflix.

It also takes a special kind of brazen shamelessness to attack big pharma for being ultra-rich and not doing enough to promote equality, when you are making yourselves ultra-rich by preaching about equality from your private jets and nine-bedroom, 16-bathroom mansion.

But my biggest concern about this New York trip though is not about the Sussexes shocking hypocrisy which happens with such regularity now that its lost all ability to surprise.

No, what worries me far more is the ongoing damage they are doing to the Royal Family and Monarchy with their very transparent attempt to establish an American-based renegade royal entity.

One thats not based on the kind of quiet, admirable, stoic, modest, duty-led majesty of the Queen, but on a cheap, tacky, noisy, toxic, Kardashian-style 24/7 invasion of our senses thats specifically intended to fleece royal status for maximum personal commercial benefit.

Meghan Markles incendiary but still-unproven claims of racism and callousness against the royals during her Oprah whineathon back in March have already caused very real harm to the Monarchy, especially in parts of the Commonwealth.

Now she and her hostage victim husband are striving to be a rival Royal Family that bestrides the globe like a woke colossus, and theyre being enabled in this delusion by the likes of New York mayor Bill de Blasio and the United Nations who treated them like world leaders in the past week.

Meghan and Harry pose with NY Governor Kathy Hochul (furthest left) and NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio (next to Harry) as well as De Blasio's wife Chirlane McCray, and the couple's son Dante, furthest right, on Thursday

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry pose for a photo with US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield at 50 UN Plaza

New Yorks Mayor Bill de Blasio hasnt found time to pay an important long overdue trip to Rikers prison but did find time to suck up to the Sussexes.

Governor Kathy Hochul took time out from her presumably busy schedule to join de Blasio for a photo PR op with the Sussexes at One World where they also met the UN Deputy Secretary General Amina Mohammed.

And the US Ambassador to the UN, Linda Thomas-Greenfield was so thrilled by rubbing shoulders with the royal couple that she excitedly posted pictures of them all on social media.

All of them were treating Meghan and Harry like world leaders.

But theyre not.

Theyre a retired actress and a retired Prince pretending to be world leaders so they can fill their royal boots with as much filthy lucre as possible before the penny finally drops to their gullible acolytes about what their real game is.

I see right through these ridiculous little chancers.

We need an urgent vaccine to protect us from these right royal hypocrites.
Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney blasted House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy of California for his 'unforgivable' support of Donald Trump in a 60 Minutes interview released on Sunday.

The former GOP Conference chair criticized McCarthy for sticking with Trump after the assault on the Capitol.

'What hes done is embrace Donald Trump,' she said. 'And if I were doing what hes doing, I would be deeply ashamed of myself. I dont know how you explain that to your children.

'When you are in a situation where you have somebody who did what Donald Trump did, it is absolutely clear he cannot continue to be somebody you embrace.'

She voted to impeach Trump over his role in the January 6 riot at the US Capitol, and is increasingly defined by her public opposition to Trump and his hold on the GOP.

Cheney brushed off criticism from her colleagues who do support him because she said Trump 'doesn't believe in the rule of law.'

But despite most Republicans shying away from her publicly over her adamant anti-Trump stance, Cheney said she's showered with support in private.

'The argument that you often hear is that if you do something that is perceived that is against Trump, that you'll put yourself in political peril. And that's a self fulfilling prophecy - because if Republican leaders don't stand up and condemn what happened, then the voices in the party that are so dangerous would only get louder and stronger,' she said.

Rep. Liz Cheney brushed off criticism from her fellow party members in a 60 Minutes interview Sunday

In the interview aired Sunday night, Cheney said she had little affection for President Joe Biden, who she believes has embraced harmful decisions on, among other things, national security with the Afghanistan withdrawal.

'In my view, the American people, they deserve better than having to choose between what I think are the really disastrous policies of Joe Biden - in a whole range of areas, really bad for our economy.'

'But the alternative cannot be a man who doesnt believe in the rule of law, and who violated his oath of office,' Cheney said.

Cheney, who voted in favor of numerous Trump administration policies, separated support for those decisions from support for his actions following the election.

'There's a difference between voting for Donald Trump, and being the Republican leader after an insurrection, and setting all of that aside and rehabilitating him - bringing him back in,' she explained. 'That, to me, is unforgivable.'

In the immediate aftermath of the Capitol attack, McCarthy said Trump 'bears responsibility' for the chaos that ensued that day. He's since backed away from that belief and pivoted to attacking Pelosi and those who support the January 6 committee.

Cheney said Donald Trump 'doesn't believe in the rule of law'

She also launched scathing criticism at House Republican leader Rep. Kevin McCarthy

The lawmaker acknowledged that she was among those who supported Trump through a number of publicity scandals including the infamous Access Hollywood tape and his insults against late Senator John McCain.

'His policies were the right ones in many ways. When I disagreed with him I spoke out,' Cheney said.

Host Lesley Stahl countered, 'But not on character.'

'You can say his character was bad - which it was,' Cheney said.

'But the line that can't be crossed is what happened after the election.'

Meanwhile, Cheney also told Stahl that she views her reelection campaign as the most important House race in the nation as forces aligned with the former president Donald Trump try to unseat her.

Trump has vowed to defeat Cheney in next year's primary election by backing Republican Harriet Hageman, an attorney. Cheney, seeking a fourth term, said nothing less than the authority of the Constitution is at stake.

'I think its going to be the most important House race in the country in 2022. And - and it will be one where people do have the opportunity to say, 'We want to stand for the Constitution,' Cheney said.

'A vote against me in this race, a vote for whomever Donald Trump has endorsed, is a vote for somebody whos willing to perpetuate the big lie, somebody whos willing to put allegiance to Trump above allegiance to the Constitution, absolutely.'

After voting to impeach Trump, Cheney lost her leadership post as chair of the House Republican Conference. Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi put her on a nine-person committee to investigate the Jan. 6 assault and she serves as vice chair.

New York Rep. Elise Stefanik, a close ally of Trump's, took over the job.

Trump-backed Republican attorney Harriet Hageman speaks at Wyoming Business Alliance in Casper, Wyoming on May 16, 2018

But congresswoman still considers herself one of the most conservative members of the House.

While still opposed to gun control, abortion and the Affordable Care Act, or 'Obamacare,' the Wyoming congresswoman finds herself on the outs for voting to impeach Trump after his Jan. 6 rally preceded a mob storming the Capitol in hopes of overturning his reelection loss to Biden.

At another point in the interview, Cheney said she now regrets her anti-gay marriage stance after a spat with her lesbian sister - and claimed there will be grave consequences for the US if Donald Trump's campaign to unseat her works next year.

Cheney, the representative for Wyoming, said that her ties with her family became strained when her sister Mary came out as a lesbian and she did not initially support her.

She told 60 Minutes Sunday: 'I was wrong. I was wrong. I love my sister very much. I love her family very much.'

'I was wrong' Cheney told Stahl after she initially refused to support her sister Mary and her spouse Heather Poe. The sisters are pictured together in 2000

'It's a very personal issue, and very personal for my family. I believe that my dad was right. And my sister and I have had that conversation.'

Mary Cheney married her wife Heather Poe in 2012, at the height of the debate over gay marriage in the US, and three years before the Supreme Court ruled it was legal.

Cheney further infuriated her sister by publicly blasting gay marriage while running for the US Senate in 2013.

Mary's spouse, Heather Poe, posted on Facebook that year that Cheney's position was offensive and that 'I always thought freedom meant freedom for EVERYONE.'

The Cheneys' father is former US vice president Dick Cheney, who has publicly supported his daughter's sexuality.

Cheney noted that she still talks with her father every night and that they share the same views on rejecting Trump, despite their previous disagreement over the acceptance of her sister's sexuality.

In the interview, Cheney said her opposition to gay marriage was misguided and she channeled her sister-in-law's Facebook post in explaining why she changed her position.
Boris Johnson looks to be paying the price for the energy crisis and Afghanistan shambles as a poll today found Keir Starmer has drawn level on 'best PM' ratings for the first time.

As the country struggles with fuel shortages and rising prices, research by Ipsos MORI found Mr Johnson has seen his popularity plummet.

He is now neck-and-neck with Sir Keir on 38 per cent on preferences for the premier - the first time a Labour leader has been on an even footing with a Tory since 2008.

Mr Johnson's rating has plummeted from 47 per cent in March, and in another sign that will set alarm bells ringing in Downing Street the research was done last week before fuel panic buying really kicked in.

Overall Labour support was up six points from August, while the Tories were down two points at 39 per cent.

The results, in a poll for the Evening Standard, are a timely boost for Sir Keir as he attempts to get a grip on his party at its annual conference in Brighton.

Boris Johnson is now neck-and-neck with Keir Starmer on 38 per cent on preference for premier - the first time a Labour leader has been on an even footing with a Tory since 2008

Mr Johnson (pictured putting young son Wilfred into a car in Downing Street today) has seen his rating plummet from 47 per cent in March

Ministers are scrambling for a way to ease the problems caused by a lack of HGV drivers and soaring natural gas prices.

Tens of thousands more Britons are working from home today as the fuel crisis saw up to nine in ten forecourts run dry leaving NHS staff including doctors and nurses without petrol and schools planning a return to online learning because teachers can't fill up their cars.

The British Medical Association (BMA) called for healthcare staff and essential workers to be given priority to access fuel, warning that as pumps run dry 'there is a real risk that NHS staff won't be able to do their jobs'.

Drivers queued for four hours or more in lines stretching for miles and some even slept in their cars outside petrol stations as it was revealed Boris Johnson could call in the Army to deliver petrol and diesel across Britain amid a crisis that has seen competition laws suspended to allow businesses such as Shell and BP to share drivers.

But his plan to bring in 5,000 foreign lorry drivers to deal with the shortage suffered a major blow after the head of an EU truck union declaring they 'will not go to the UK for a short term visa to help UK out of the s**t they created themselves'. Edwin Atema, who represents drivers across the EU and Europe said: 'Before the coronavirus crisis and Brexit this industry was sick already. Plagued by expectation, by irresponsible multinationals who drag down prices, which ended up with drivers voting with their feet and leaving the industry'.

Britain's biggest petrol retailers have said they expect the crisis to ease in the next three days because once people have a full tank, demand for fuel is likely to fall away by Thursday or Friday. And Downing Street again denied there is a shortage of fuel, saying there are 'ample stocks in this country'.

But as the PM considered emergency plans to halt the petrol panic, Environment Secretary George Eustice has said the Government has 'no plans at the moment' to use soldiers to drive petrol tankers amid continuing shortages at filling stations.
Japanese romantics and royal-watchers held their breath for a wedding announcement as Princess Mako's fiance returned to Tokyo on Monday, following years of public controversy over their marriage.

The lovebirds' reunion has sparked a media frenzy, with reporters chasing 29-year-old Kei Komuro in recent days through the streets of New York, where he moved for law school.

Major TV networks carried live footage of his plane landing, with reports saying the long-delayed wedding could go ahead as soon as next month - more than three years after it was dramatically postponed.

Mako, also 29, is the eldest granddaughter of Emperor Akihito, although Japan's imperial succession rules mean she will lose her title after marriage to a commoner.

Japanese romantics and royal-watchers held their breath for a wedding announcement as Princess Mako's fiance Kei Komuro (pictured) returned to Tokyo on Monday, following years of public controversy over their marriage

Dressed in a dark suit with his long hair tied back, Komuro (right) bowed deeply to the journalists and did not speak

The lovebirds' reunion has sparked a media frenzy, with reporters chasing 29-year-old Kei Komuro in recent days through the streets of New York, where he moved for law school. Pictured: Reporters await Komuro's arrival at the Narita International Airport, near Tokyo

The pair's union was delayed after a scandal erupted around reports that Komuro's family had run into financial difficulties, with his mother failing to repay a four-million-yen ($36,000) loan from a former fiance.

Local media said it was his first return to Japan since he left for America in 2018 in a move seen as a bid to defuse negative attention following the tabloid reports.

As he stepped off the plane at an airport near Tokyo on Monday, Komuro was met by camera flashes, video crews and a gaggle of eager reporters.

Dressed in a dark suit with his long hair tied back, he bowed deeply to the journalists and did not speak.

He will quarantine for two weeks, as required by Japan's border restrictions.

The pair first announced their planned engagement in September 2017 but it was delayed after a scandal erupted around reports that Komuro's family had run into financial difficulties [File photo]

Mako (pictured) is also said to be planning to move to the United States after her wedding, drawing inevitable comparisons with another controversial royal couple: Britain's Prince Harry and Meghan Markle [File photo]

Public broadcaster NHK said the Imperial Household Agency was planning a wedding next month and would announce it soon.

Mako is also said to be planning to move to the United States after her wedding, drawing inevitable comparisons with another controversial royal couple: Britain's Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.

Earlier this month, Japanese media said the pair had decided to wed without some traditional ceremonies, rejecting a payout that usually goes to female royals marrying out of the family.

The size of the payment is unknown, though reports put it at 137 million yen ($1.3million) or more.

Mako is sister to Prince Hisahito, 15, currently the only eligible male heir to the Chrysanthemum Throne other than his father.

The throne can pass only to male members of the family, and the children of female royals who marry commoners are not included.
Bears came close to a camp where Vladimir Putin was sleeping on a recent trip to Siberia - but stayed well clear when they realised it was the Russian president, his top aide has joked.

Dmitry Peskov made the comment while being interviewed about Putin's recent camping adventures in Russia's vast eastern region which was designed to bolster his strongman image after the recent elections.

In footage from the trip, Putin can be heard talking with his head of security who says 'one or two' bears got close to camp in the night.

Asked about the clip on Russian TV, insisted security had been adequate - before joking: 'Plus, the bear could see it was Putin himself.'

Bears managed to get close to the camp where Russian president Vladimir Putin was sleeping during his recent trip to Siberia, new footage has revealed

At least one bear came near the camp, likely by the smell of a fish that Putin claimed to have caught being cooked (file image, a bear photographed in the area before camp was set up)

It was the director of the Sayano-Shushensky Nature Reserve, Gennnady Kiselov, who first told Putin how close he had come to a dangerous encounter with a bear.

'This is your camp - and this is where the bear was,' Kiselov said, pointing a short distance away.

He explained that the bear had likely been attracted by the smell of cooking food when a pike that Putin claimed to have caught was cooked for dinner overnight.

'How many bears are here,' Putin can be seen asking him in another section of the footage.

'Hard to calculate,' Kiselov replies, before adding: 'About 600.'

'A lot,' Putin replies.

Kiserlov also showed Putin a video with a pack of wolves in wild territory on the edge of three Siberia regions - Krasnoyarsk, Khakassia and Tuva.

'Look how well-fed they are,' said the national park director. 'Wagging their tails, they are happy here, there is enough food.'

Dmitry Peskov, Putin's spokesman, joked that the bears didn't get close to the camp because they noticed it was the President and chose to stay away

The Kremlin delayed release of the footage on Putin's camping trip for two-and-a-half weeks amid suggestions of a ploy to counter fresh health rumours about the strongman, 69 next month.

Officially, Putin is currently 'self-isolating' due to a Covid-19 'outbreak' in his entourage.

But doubts have been expressed about the virus penetrating huge security that was known to be in place around him.

One Putin health-watcher, political analyst Valery Solovei, claimed last week on Echo Moscow radio that the Russian president 'needs to undergo surgery'.

'Either he has already had it done, or he will tonight,' he said.

Yet Putin was seen on TV talking by videoconference to parliamentary party leaders on Saturday, and he is due to host more meetings today of his security council and a session with pro-Kremlin United Russia party, suggesting he is working normally and evidently in robust health.

Solovei and a Telegram channel linked to him and an unnamed disaffected former Lt-General with reported connections in the Kremlin elite have previously alleged that Putin has a major health problem that has been hidden from Russians.

Putin went on the camping trip for 'a few days' in early September, the Kremlin said as it published images of the trip over the weekend

The images were released as the Kremlin tries to dispel rumours about Putin's health after several of his entourage fell ill with Covid

Sociologist Olga Kryshtanovskaya, an observer of ruling circles in Russia claimed that a transition of power is gradually underway although the identity of Putin's successor was not known.

'The plan of the transition is, of course, kept secret,' she was quoted as saying, but there have been other rumours that Putin is identifying his favoured people for the succession.

One is certainly seen as Shoigu, 66, a frequent vacation companion and the man who led a huge massing of Russian forces on the border of Ukraine earlier this year, is seen on the videos being comfortable in Putin's presence.

Another possible successor, former Putin bodyguard Yevgeny Zinichev, 55, the Kremlin's emergencies minister, was killed in a mysterious incident in the Arctic earlier this month when he 'fell off a cliff seeking to rescue a man'.

The Kremlin has repeatedly and strongly denied as 'complete nonsense' claims from the channel SVR General that Putin is suffering from either early stage Parkinson's Disease or abdominal cancer.

The channel claimed that Putin is undergoing treatment this month and that the Covid-19 breakout report is likely a smokescreen.
The mysterious death of a young woman who fell 40 metres down a garbage chute was found to be a 'freak accident' with a coronial inquest ruling she had placed herself in the compactor.

But experts have blown the lid on the 'unsatisfactory' police investigation with an experiment proving it would have been 'virtually impossible' to climb into the chute on her own.

Phoebe Handsjuk was found dead next to a wheelie bin after tumbling 12 storeys in a luxury high-rise apartment in Melbourne where she lived with her older boyfriend Antony Hampel.

The 24-year-old woman plummeted feet first down the garbage compactor and bled to death in the dark after desperately crawling out of a bin for help after her right foot was almost severed off.

Victoria Police determined she had committed suicide on December 2, 2010 while a coroner ruled her death was a 'freak accident' - but her family rejected the findings.

She had spent her final hours drinking until she was three times over the legal limit, having left her apartment earlier in the day with her dog when a fire alarm went off.

Over a decade after her baffling death, mystery surrounds how Ms Handsjuk (pictured) ended up in the garbage chute

And 11 years on, her death remains a mystery as questions swirl around how she managed to get herself into the garbage chute hours later, leading to her horrific death.

Channel Nine's Under Investigation conducted an experiment with a model of the same age and build to see if she could lift herself into an exact replica of the chute.

After multiple failed attempts she was eventually able to climb inside the 22cm latch but only with her arms directly above her head.

Detectives who examined the scene concluded her arms must have been by her side during the fall given the nature of her wounds.

But in such a small space it would have been impossible to bring her arms from above her head to her side, bringing their theory into doubt.

Such an experiment was never carried out by police, with an inquest saying Ms Handsjuk inexplicably climbed into the chute in a 'sleep-walk state' after taking a cocktail of alcohol and sleeping pills.

The 24-year-old (pictured) plummeted to her death feet first down the garbage compactor and bled to death in the dark after her right foot was almost severed off

Channel Nine's Under Investigation conducted an experiment with a model of the same age and build to see if she could lift herself into an exact replica of the chute - with the woman only managing to do so with her arms above her head and with great effort

Phoebe Handsjuk (left) was found dead on the ground floor after tumbling 12 storeys in a luxury high-rise apartment in Melbourne where she lived with her older boyfriend Antony Hampel (right)

However given the difficulty of a sober person attempting to lift themselves into the chute it appears extremely unlikely Ms Handsjuk in her intoxicated state would have had the coordination to do so.

'One of the major problems apart from the dimensions is that the door comes up against your lower back and jams you in, so trying to manoeuvre yourself is then not helped by the fact there is nothing to grip onto,' retired Victoria Police Detective Rowland Legg told the program.

'And on top of that whatever Phoebe had in her system at the time would have made it even more difficult.'

She was captured on CCTV with her dog leaving the apartment building at 11.44am on the day of her death when a film alarm went off, returning shortly later.

In the hours which followed, she drank heavily and at some point left her apartment again before plunging down the tight garbage chute on the 12th floor before 7pm.

Her partner came home to find their apartment in disarray, and with her handbag, apartment keys and security swipe card still on the kitchen counter.

Victoria Police believed Ms Handsjuk (pictured) inexplicably climbed into the chute in a 'sleep-walk state' after taking a cocktail of alcohol and sleeping pills

Former Supreme Court judge Anthony Whealy QC said he was 'surprised' police never conducted their own experiment into how someone would get themselves down the chute.

But it wasn't the only 'glaring oversight' investigators failed to take into account.

They neglected to secure all the CCTV footage from the apartment block on the night of her death and did not seize any computers and electronic devices from her apartment.

When her family were eventually able to access her laptop they discovered all her outgoing emails had been deleted.

'She had two phones. An iPhone and a Nokia phone and extraordinarily the Nokia phone has never been located,' Mr Legg said.

'There were a lot of strange contradictions that should have been pursued by weren't.'

Ms Handsjuk fell 40-metres down the garbage chute of a luxury Melbourne high-rise (pictured) in what the coroner called a a 'freak accident'

Police neglected to secure all the CCTV footage from the apartment block on the night of her death (Ms Handsjuk pictured the day she died)

Photos from her apartment that night showed two glasses on the kitchen bench that were never dusted for fingerprints.

Her blood was also found inside the apartment along with broken glass.

The coroner surmised Ms Handsjuk had broken a glass, cut herself and then gone to the garbage chute to dispose of broken glass, however no shards matching what was found in her unit were ever discovered amongst the rubbish near her body.

And the theory does not explain why there was no blood or fingerprints found on the handle of the garbage chute.

'It shows the danger in making assumptions when you haven't done the investigatory work,' Mr Whealy said.

Her mother Natalie (pictured with daughter Phoebe) said she was devastated the coroner did not rule for an 'open finding' instead calling it a death by misadventure

The coroner surmised Ms Handsjuk had broken a glass, cut herself and then gone to the garbage chute to dispose of broken glass however no shards matching what was found in her unit were ever discovered amongst the rubbish near her body

Other inconsistencies include bruising on her arms suggesting she may have been grabbed prior to her fall.

Her mother Natalie said she was devastated the coroner did not rule for an 'open finding' instead calling in a death by misadventure.

'I don't believe Phoebe put herself into the rubbish chute,' she said.

'I don't believe it was an accidental death. I feel that somebody put her in there.'

Mr Whealy agreed that the conclusion of the coroner was far beyond the weight of evidence.

'I think in the context where a beautiful, vibrant, albeit troubled, young girl has her life ended at the age of 24, that is not satisfactory and I query whether the interest of justice has been properly served.

'The investigation was hampered from the start,' Professor Belinda Carpenter, an expert in coronial investigations, added.

'In this case the family were not given closure despite the coroner's best intentions.'

For 24/7 confidential support, call Lifeline on 13 11 14
A Fair Work Commission deputy president has warned against a 'medical apartheid' stemming from employers and governments mandating coronavirus vaccines.

Aged care receptionist Jennifer Kimber was sacked from a NSW south coast nursing home in July last year after refusing to have a flu jab.

The Fair Work Commission refused her permission to appeal on Monday after ruling against her unfair dismissal claim in May.

The Fair Work Commission has denied a woman should be reinstated after she was let go from her job for refusing to get a flu vaccine (pictured: a teenager receives a Covid vaccine at a pop-up drive through vaccination clinic at Belmore Oval, in Sydney on September 17)

Poll DO YOU AGREE WITH MANDATORY VACCINES FOR SOME WORKERS? Yes - for health care, aged care and hotel quarantine staff Yes - for all workers No - no one should have to DO YOU AGREE WITH MANDATORY VACCINES FOR SOME WORKERS? Yes - for health care, aged care and hotel quarantine staff 524 votes

Yes - for all workers 755 votes

No - no one should have to 3049 votes Now share your opinion





Fair Work deputy president Lyndall Dean said the decision was a serious injustice to Ms Kimber which denied her protections under workplace law.

'Never have I more strenuously disagreed with an outcome in an unfair dismissal application,' Ms Dean said.

Vice president Adam Hatcher and commissioner Bernie Riordan said they would not give any encouragement to a spurious objection to a lawful workplace vaccination requirement.

In a majority decision, they said Ms Kimber held broader anti-vaccination views and had told the commission her research about the flu jab was based on a Google search of 'all sorts of stuff'.

Ms Dean said it was highly inappropriate to label the sacked worker an anti-vaxxer.

She declared mandatory immunisation could not be justified in 'almost every workplace in Australia'.

'All Australians should vigorously oppose the introduction of a system of medical apartheid and segregation in Australia,' she said.

'It is an abhorrent concept and is morally and ethically wrong, and the anthesis of our democratic way of life and everything we value.'

Ms Dean said she would have granted the appeal, quashed the decision and had Ms Kimber reinstated to her old job.

Ms Kimber unsuccessfully argued she should be exempt because she suffered a rash after receiving a flu shot in 2016.

The majority decision found she provided little evidence of the condition and didn't tell management.

A manager was aware colleagues were told she was seeing a naturopath and trialling alternative treatments.

In a majority decision, they said Ms Kimber held broader anti-vaccination views and had told the commission her research about the flu jab was based on a Google search of 'all sorts of stuff' (pictured, anti-vaccination protesters march down George St in Sydney)

Sapphire Coast Community Aged Care took no issue with her refusal in 2017, 2018 and 2019, but sacked her in 2020 after the coronavirus pandemic started.

Ms Dean argued all COVID vaccines remained part of a clinical trial because they had provisional approval from the Therapeutic Goods Administration.

'This is not part of a conspiracy theory. It is a fact easily verifiable from the website of the TGA.'

She said the requirement for consent in clinical trials should not be controversial, referencing the Nuremberg Code formulated in response to Nazi doctors' experiments.

'Coercion is completely incompatible with consent,' the commission deputy president said.

'Denying a person the ability to work and participate in society if the person does not have a COVID vaccine will unquestionably breach this fundamental and internationally recognised human right.'

The deputy president of Fair Work said Australians should be way of 'medical apartheid' over vaccine rules (pictured: protesters in Sydney in July)

Ms Dean said the 'cure' was no longer proportionate to the coronavirus risk, warning governments and employers against hysteria and fear-mongering.

She said research showed many vaccine-hesitant people were well educated with legitimate concerns which were better addressed through education.

'Blanket rules, such as mandating vaccinations for everyone across a whole profession or industry regardless of the actual risk, fail the tests of proportionality, necessity and reasonableness.'

Ms Dean was appointed to the commission by the coalition government in 2016.
A family have been found guilty of animal cruelty after 14 dogs and puppies were seized from a 'squalid' home where faeces was littered across the floors and they had no water.

A couple and their adult son were convicted on seven charges at Adelaide's Magistrate Court on Monday, including six counts of ill-treatment of an animal and one count failing to provide adequate food.

RSPCA inspectors visited a house in Adelaide's northern suburbs in January this year after receiving complaints a pregnant Labrador name Pumpkin was underweight, where they also found a 'very thin' Golden Retriever called Chewy, the ABC reports.

A couple and their adult son have been convicted of animal cruelty after 14 dogs were seized from their home in February following a cruelty complaint about an underweight Labrador called Pumpkin (pictured)

The owners, one of whom is a registered dog breeder, surrendered Chewy to the RSPCA and were ordered to place Pumpkin on a feeding plan.

But less than a month later, the animal welfare agency attended the property again after receiving another complaint and found 'the entire house to be in a squalid condition' with no water visibly accessible to the animals.

The court heard there was 'large amounts of rubbish piled on the floor, faeces scattered over most floors and a strong smell' and Pumpkin's eight puppies were living in a 'filthy' box under the kitchen table.

All of the animals were seized, and Pumpkin, who was found to be in an emaciated state, was taken to the vet where she was given a 2/9 body condition score.

A second dog was found to be underweight, and three were obese, while the puppies had no health issues.

The three defendants, who were charged in relation to seven dogs, have been placed on 12-month good behaviour bonds and each ordered to pay $1200 to the RSCPA in animal boarding fees.

Inspectors returned to the home in February to find Pumpkin had given birth to eight puppies (pictured), which were living in a 'filthy' box under the kitchen table

A Chihuahua cross, Ruby, has since been allowed to return home since the house was cleaned, and is the only animal permitted in the trio's care 'until further order'.

All other dogs have since been rehomed.

RSPCA SA chief inspector Andrea Lewis said the agency comes across too many backyard breeders who do not have basic animal welfare knowledge.

'I hope that this family is able to maintain their home in a hygienic state for the benefit of not only their animals' wellbeing, but also their own,' Ms Lewis said.

'This case is also a reminder that a lactating female dog such as Pumpkin has much higher nutritional needs than normal.

'Failing to meet those needs will result in the kind of shocking weight loss we saw in this dog, and is a clear breach of the laws governing dog breeding in SA.
Former ICE Director Tom Homan accused Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas of misleading the public after the Biden official finally said 12,000 Haitian migrants have been released into the U.S.

'It's much more than that and he knows that,' Homan said.

In an interview with Fox on Monday morning, the Trump-era immigration official said Mayorkas underestimated the number of migrants successfully crossing the southwest border because he didn't account for people who were never confronted by border agents and so are harder to track down.

'When he said the 8,000 will return to Mexico, went back to Mexico, he realizes they went one or two miles down the line and came into the United States because they surged so many resources to Del Rio they left 220 miles of border unguarded,' he said.

The Secretary of Homeland Security told Fox News on Sunday that approximately '10,000 or so - 12,000' mostly Haitian migrants had been released into the country.

'It could be even higher,' he added. 'The number that are returned could be even higher. What we do is we follow the law as Congress has passed it.'

On Monday former ICE Director Tom Homan accused DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas of lying in a Fox News interview on Sunday

Many of the thousands who crossed the border over the last week have temporarily settled at an encampment under a bridge in Del Rio, Texas. Around 30,000 Haitians traveled to the border city in the last month, the Biden administration admitted.

Roughly 12,400 Haitian migrants are waiting to have their cases heard by immigration judges, while 5,000 are being processed by DHS and 3,000 are in detention.

On Monday morning Homan accused Mayorkas of lying again over the 12,400 figure.

'When you say 12,000 are in immigration proceedings, they are not. That's what the secretary leads you to believe,' he said.

He said many of those thousands of migrants were given a 'Notice to Report' which means they would only be in that judicial pipeline if they 'voluntarily show up and turn themselves in' - and Homan believes they won't.

Homan said Mayorkas 'knows' that more migrants are coming into the US than he disclosed

Haitian migrants cross the jungle of the Darien Gap, near Acandi, Choco department, Colombia, heading to Panama, on September 26

A Haitian migrant woman carries a toddler as she crosses the jungle of the Darien Gap

A Notice to Appear is typically the first step in the court system that leads to deportation. A 10-day window is usually the wait time between being served an NTA and the first court hearing date, but migrants can apply to extend the requirement, like if they are in ICE custody.

However, under the Biden administration, Border Patrol has been giving migrants a 'Notice to Report.' That document provides a 60-day window during which migrants have to turn themselves in to an ICE office, according to the Center for Immigration Studies.

Those who don't show up within the 60-day window can then be subjected to an NTA, if ICE tracks them down.

'It clearly says at the bottom of the form, 'You are not in immigration proceedings. You won't be detailed, ICE is not going to detain you for humanitarian reasons,' Homan claimed.

'So the secretary is misleading on what he told Chris Wallace.'

Also speaking to Fox on Monday, House Republican leader Rep. Kevin McCarthy of California warned the crisis in Afghanistan and escape of 5,000 prisoners held by the U.S. and Afghan government there could compound the worsening border crisis.

'The world knows the place to come into America is just to travel to Mexico and walk directly across the border,' McCarthy said. 'The scariest part is Democrats ignore the problems they ignite.'

He agreed with Homan's accusation that Mayorkas misled Americans.

Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas has been slammed by Republicans after admitting that 12,000 Haitian migrants have been released into the U.S., claiming that number could increase as 5,000 other cases are still being processed

'They told us they were going to send these people back to try and stop the flow. But we learn this Sunday we were lied to,' McCarthy said.

'This has got to stop, but it's the way the administration handles every crisis - they ignore it.'

In his Sunday interview, Mayorkas acknowledged that some of the thousands of migrants who had been camped out under a bridge near Del Rio, Texas, had not been tested for Covid-19.

Lance Gooden was among the Republican's to hit out at Mayorkas' handling of the border crisis.

'Why hasn't Mayorkas been FIRED?,' the Texas congressman wrote in a tweet, detailing the Homeland Security chief's recent admissions.

Lauren Boebert, a Republican from Colorado, also criticised Mayorkas, apparently comparing the release of untested Haitians to an incident in which a mother claimed her child was kicked off a flight from Colorado to New Jersey for not wearing a mask.

'Two-year-olds are getting forced off planes for not wearing masks while Mayorkas just released 12,000+ illegals into the country without so much as a COVID test.

Senator Ted Cruz also slammed what he called 'Bizarro-world Biden rules' in a tweet.

He wrote that for American citizens, the rule is to 'get the vaccine or you're fired' but for 'illegal immigrants' it's 'no testing, no vaccines & being sent to every community in America!'

When asked by Fox how many of the group under the bridge - which official figures put at 15,000 at its peak - had been tested for coronavirus, Mayorkas insisted the administration was following 'strict Covid testing protocols'.

'We test, isolate, and quarantine unaccompanied children. We work with nonprofit organizations to test families,' he said.

'Those who are in ICE custody are tested, isolated, and quarantined. Those who are expelled under the Title 42 Public Health Authority are returned immediately. They are not placed in immigration court proceedings, and those we do not test, because they are returned immediately.'

Mayorkas' response appears to contradict comments he made to reporters a day earlier, suggesting that none of the people camped out under the bridge had been tested.

When asked how many of the group who were living in cramped conditions under the bridge had tested positive for the virus, Mayorkas said he did not know.

Haitian migrants cross the jungle of the Darien Gap, near Acandi, Colombia en route to Panama on Sunday. They are trying to reach the U.S.

Haitians are attempting to reach the U.S. even after 12 deportation flights returned some of the new arrivals to Haiti. Pictured: Haitian migrants cross the jungle of the Darien Gap, near Acandi, Colombia en route to Panama on Sunday

'We did not test that population of individuals,' Mayorkas said. 'We do not know, I do not know, I should say if I may be perfectly accurate, I do not know if anyone was sick with COVID.

'We certainly had some people get sick, not with COVID to my knowledge and we addressed their illnesses.'

Mayorkas' comments come as more Haitians make their way to the U.S., with images emerging on Saturday of a caravan travelling to the Panamanian border from Acandi, Colombia.

Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere and has been ravaged by two major earthquakes, one in 2010 and one in August this year that killed more than 2,000 people.

The Caribbean island has also been beset by political instability, which was made worse when President Jovenal Moise was assassinated in July.

On Sunday, Mayorkas continued to downplay the massive southern border crisis, saying these migrations are 'nothing new' and telling Fox he wouldn't classify the crossing as a 'flood' of people.

Another caravan of Haitian migrants are making the long trek to the U.S. to claim asylum. Here a group walks toward the border of Panama from Colombia on Saturday

Haitian migrants sail on Saturday from Colombia to Panama as another caravan makes its way to the U.S. southern border amid an already overwhelming surge

The area where the encampment of Haitian migrants stood just days early is seen empty on Saturday, allowing the Del Rio Port of Entry to reopen after being closed for a week

Almost all of the mostly Haitian migrants who set up camp near the Del Rio International Bridge this month left as of Saturday

He did, however, acknowledge that the U.S. immigration system needed to be reformed.

'Eleven million people in this country without lawful presence is a compelling reason why there is unanimity about the fact that our immigration system is broken and legislative reform is needed,' Mayorkas said.

He added when asked about the surge: 'I wouldn't call it a flood.'

Partial information was released by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) this week about the status of the thousands of mostly Haitian migrants who crossed into Del Rio, Texas over the last few weeks.

Those figures, however, only accounted for only 10,000 migrants  meaning at least another 5,000 people were unaccounted for.

The information DHS did release on Thursday showed that 1,401 migrants were sent back to Haiti on 12 different flights, 3,206 remained in custody, and 5,000 were still camped out beneath the Del Rio International Bridge.

'Why didn't you stop them from coming into the country?' Fox host Chris Wallace asked Mayorkas on Sunday.

'We did. We encountered them as they gathered  they assembled in that one location in Del Rio, Texas, and we applied the laws,' he responded.

'My question is why did you allow them in the country in the first place?' Wallace clarified. 'Why didn't you build  forgive me, a wall or a fence to stop them from walking  this flood of people coming across the dam, it looks like a highway that allows them to cross the Rio Grande.'

Mayorkas responded: 'It is the policy of this administration  we do not agree with the building of the wall. The law provides that individuals can make a claim for humanitarian relief.'

'That is actually one of our proudest traditions,' he added.

Migrants cross a river on horse-drawn wagons on Saturday as they head for the northern border Colombia shares with Panama

Migrants walk toward the border where they will wait in port town of Acandi, Colombia where they will wait for a boat to take them north so they can continue the dangerous trek to the U.S.

Many of these mostly Haitian migrants get stranded in the Colombia port awaiting a boat out to cross into neighboring Panama to make their way to the U.S. to claim asylum

Migrants set up a makeshift camp on Saturday evening as they travel to the northern-est border of Colombia to await boat transportation to Panama

Many Haitian migrants who have been camped out in South and Central American countries for months - and some for years  claim they now feel it's time to make the trek to the U.S. due to a perception that President Biden's immigration policies will be more favorable than those of former president Donald Trump.

Even though Mayorkas and the administration insist the border is 'closed,' migrants can cross the border and claim asylum, which kicks off a process that can allow them to remain in the U.S. while their case is being considered.

Last weekend, DHS ramped up deportation efforts by beginning removal flights back to Haiti.

This caused many migrants to trek back into Mexico from Del Rio to avoid deportation to their homeland, but the vast majority of people are still in the U.S. and  it is now known  have been released from custody.

Customs and Border Protection garnered an immense amount of backlash for carrying out the deportation and deterrence efforts after images emerged of agents on horseback appearing to use reins as whips against the migrants.

Included in the backlash was Representative Maxine Waters of California who claimed the 'whipping' images are 'worse than slavery' and fellow black Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley, who suggested the actions were counterintuitive to the Black Lives Matter movement as they were used on black Haitian migrants.

Haitian migrants walk on Saturday as they make their way to the transport point to Panama

In response, the White House announced on Thursday that it would no longer allow Border Patrol agents in Del Rio to ride on horseback. Mayorkas also announced that the agents in the images had been reassigned to administrative duties while an investigation into their actions is carried out.

Agents have said they were using the split reins to direct their horses or to ward off immigrants  not to whip them.

The photographer who took the images of the agents on horseback, Paul Ratje, said that he did not witness any agents use reins to whip migrants.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott on Sunday offered those federal agents facing reprimanding a job in the Lone Star State protecting its border with Mexico.

'Are you at all troubled by the images of these officers on horseback very aggressively pushing back on the Haitian immigrants coming across?' Fox News Chris Wallace asked Abbott on Fox News Sunday.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott offered on Sunday to give the federal agents jobs in his state protecting the border if they are fired

'Several quick points. First, they wouldn't have been in that situation had the Biden administration enforced the immigration laws and secured the border in the first place,' Abbott shot back.

'Second, as you know, Chris, the person who took those pictures said that the characterization that the Democrats have made about the Border Patrol using them as whips, whipping people who were coming across the border is false. They were simply maneuvering horses.'

'But the last thing I will tell you is what the president said, going after the Border Patrol, who were risking their lives and working so hard to try to secure the border, if he takes any action against them whatsoever, I have worked side-by-side with those Border Patrol agents,' Abbott continued.

'I want them to know something. If they are at risk of losing their job at a (sic) president who is abandoning his duty to secure the border, you have a job in the state of Texas,' he said. 'I will hire you to help Texas secure our border.

President Joe Biden 'promised' last week that 'those people will pay,' when talking about his border enforcement agents who were pictured on horseback.
President Joe Biden's National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan will travel to Saudi Arabia Monday to meet with Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman to press for a ceasefire in Yemen.

Sullivan will be the highest-ranking Biden official to visit the kingdom, as Biden has taken a much different approach to dealing with Saudi Arabia as his predecessor.

While former President Donald Trump bestowed the Saudis with the distinction of the first county he visited as president, President Joe Biden started his relationship with the kingdom by releasing a CIA report that held the crown prince responsible for approving the murder of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

More recently, Biden green-lit the release of documents pertaining to the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks, which victims' family members hope will help with their ongoing lawsuit against Saudi Arabia - the country where 15 of the 19 hijackers were from.

President Joe Biden's National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan is expected to travel to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt next week. He'll need to smooth over relations with the Saudis

Biden released a CIA report that held Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman (pictured) responsible for approving the murder of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi

The lawsuit alleges that the Saudi government knowingly provided support to the hijackers.

While the first document drop - which came on the 20th anniversary of 9/11 - had significant redactions, it showed that FBI officials were skeptical of claims from Saudi subjects that run-ins with the hijackers in the United States prior to the attacks were accidental.

Leaders of the 9/11 family groups applauded the move.

'Today marks the moment when the Saudis cannot rely on the U.S. government from hiding the truth about 9/11,' said Brett Eagleson, whose father was killed in the World Trade Center attack.

Four days before the document release, the Saudi government released a statement of innocence.

9/11 families are suing Saudi Arabia over the 2001 terror attacks and hope documents being released by the Biden administration will help them prove a link between the Saudi hijackers and Saudi government officials

Biden's State Department also issued visa restrictions against 76 Saudis 'believed to have been engaged in threatening dissidents overseas' in a ban named after the late Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi (pictured)

'Previous declassification of materials relating to the September 11 attacks ... only have confirmed the 9/11 Commission's finding that Saudi Arabia had nothing to do with this terrible crime,' said the Saudi Embassy in the U.S. 'It is lamentable that such false and malicious claims persist.'

While Saudi's Prince Salman was known to have a cozy relationship with White House aide and presidential son-in-law Jared Kushner, on the campaign trail Biden pledged to be less friendly toward the Saudis.

Biden said he wished to make the Saudis 'pay the price, and make them, in fact, the pariah that they are,' adding that there is 'very little social redeeming value in the present government in Saudi Arabia.'

Beyond connecting the crown prince to the Khashoggi murder, Biden's State Department issued visa restrictions against 76 Saudis 'believed to have been engaged in threatening dissidents overseas' under what' being labeled the 'Khashoggi ban.'

Biden also stopped an arms deal with the Saudis over human rights violations in Yemen.

Biden, however, did call the country's ailing King Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud in February, about a month into his administration .

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin cancelled a planned trip to the kingdom, citing 'scheduling issues.'

The Associated Press reported that Sullivan was expected to meet the crown prince and deputy defense minster Khalid bin Salman, his brother.

Sullivan will also travel to the United Arab Emirates, an ally to Saudi in the war with Yemen.

Sullivan is being dispatched at a moment when the situation in Yemen, the Arab world's poorest country, has further deteriorated.

Fighting has intensified in the key city of Marib, as Iran-backed rebels have sought to oust the Saudi-backed government from the oil-rich city in the country's north.

International efforts to end the war have been fruitless.

Tim Lenderking, the U.S. special envoy for Yemen, called out the Houthis in July for continuing 'to refuse to engage meaningfully on a cease-fire and political talks.' Saudi Arabia offered a cease-fire proposal to Yemens Houthi rebels earlier this year as it looked to rehabilitate its image with the Biden administration.

The Saudis have drawn international criticism for airstrikes killing civilians and embargoes exacerbating hunger in a nation on the brink of famine.

The new U.N. special envoy to Yemen, Hans Grundberg, recently declared that the country is 'stuck in an indefinite state of war' and resuming negotiations to end the more than six-year conflict wont be easy.

Yemen's war began in September 2014, when the Iranian-backed Houthis seized Sanaa and began a march south to try to seize the entire country. Saudi Arabia, along with the United Arab Emirates and other countries, entered the war alongside Yemens internationally recognized government in March 2015.

The U.S. sold bombs and fighter jets to Saudi Arabia that the kingdom later used in strikes on Yemen that also killed civilians.

The Obama administration in 2015 initially offered U.S. targeting assistance to Saudi Arabias command-and-control operations that was supposed to minimize civilian casualties in airstrikes. It didnt, and Obama ultimately cut back on the program.

Under President Donald Trump, targeting assistance continued although his administration later stopped U.S. refueling operations for Saudi jets.

Biden announced weeks into his administration that he was ending all American support for 'offensive operations in the war in Yemen, including relevant arms sales.' But there has been little progress on the ground in resolving what the United Nations says is the worlds worst humanitarian crisis.

White House officials are hopeful that the appointment of Grundberg will bring a new dynamic and put pressure on all sides to bring an end to the conflict, according to two senior administration officials.

Sullivan is being joined for the talks with the Saudis and the UAE by Lenderking and NSC senior director for the Middle East Brett McGurk.

The high-level White House push comes after Lenderking traveled to Saudi Arabia and Oman, which has pressed for an end to the war.

In addition, Secretary of State Antony Blinken had talks with his counterpart members of the Gulf Cooperation Council on the margins of the U.N. General Assembly.

Sullivan's visit to Saudi Arabia also comes as the administration is looking for ways to resurrect the Iran nuclear deal.

The Saudis and the UAE fiercely oppose returning to the deal with Iran that was originally brokered in 2015 by the Obama administration only to be scrapped by Trump in 2018.

Addressing the U.N. General Assembly on Friday, Irans new foreign minister Hossain Amir Abdollah said the country will return to nuclear negotiations in Vienna 'very soon.'

But he accused the Biden administration of sending contradictory messages by saying it wants to rejoin the pact while slapping new sanctions on Tehran and not taking 'an iota of positive action.'

Biden and his team have made a U.S. return to the deal - to which Britain, France, Russia, China, Germany and Iran are signatories - one of their top foreign policy priorities.

But the U.S. has made limited headway in indirect talks, and Tehran has bristled at Biden administration officials' call for a 'longer and stronger' deal than the original, which expires at the end of 2030.
The Marines broke with centuries-old tradition and ruled that a Sikh soldier can wear a turban and sport an unshorn beard in uniform - but only at duty stations and not while he is deployed or at military ceremonies.

First Lt. Sukhbir Toor wrapped a turban onto his head after pulling on his Combat Utility Uniform last week for the first time since joining the service in 2017, the first Sikh in the branch's 246-year existence to do so.

While the Combat Arms Officer feels this is a step in the right direction, he intends to sue the Marines unless he is granted permission to wear his turban and maintain his beard not just on base, but in combat and in his dress blues.

He said that these limitations meant he 'would have to either sacrifice my career or my ability to practice my religion' - thus, he has started the appeals process to remove the limitations.

For the first time on Thursday since joining the service in 2017, First Lieutenant Sukhbir Toor (pictured) wrapped a turban onto his head after pulling on his Combat Utility Uniform. He is the first Sikh in the branch's 246-year existence to do so

While he feels this is a step in the right direction, he intends to sue the Marines unless he is granted permission to wear his turban and maintain his beard not just on base, but in combat and in his dress blues

'Weve come a long way, but there is still more to go,' Toor told the New York Times.

'The Marine Corps needs to show it really means what it has been saying about strength in diversity  that it doesnt matter what you look like, it just matters that you can do your job.'

In Sikhism, turbans are worn by men as a reminder that all people are created equal - when the faith was developing in South Asia in the 15th through 18th centuries, only elites wore the garment.

It also facilitates the religions' tenet that no man or woman is to cut hair from any part of their body, a practice that is viewed as a commitment to God's will - Sikhs only cut their hair to mourn the death of a loved one.

Under the Marine Corps' limited allowances, Lieutenant Toor's beard will need to stay neatly trimmed, and be inspected by his battalion commander. He will need to shave entirely if he is sent on a combat mission.

The Sikh Coalition, the civil rights advocacy group that is representing Lieutenant Toor and has helped other Sikh troops apply for dress code exceptions, wrote that they are 'considering [their] final options before litigation' in a Sunday press release.

'It is disappointing that the Marine Corps only wants to allow 1st Lt. Toor to practice his faith in ways and at times that are convenient to them; they would rather derail his promising career than acknowledge his right to practice Sikhi,' said Giselle Klapper, Sikh Coalition Senior Staff Attorney.

'[Lieutenant] Toors case is the latest pivotal development in our 12-year campaign to combat employment discrimination by our nations largest employer, the Department of Defense.'

The Sikh Coalition, the civil rights advocacy group that is representing Toor and has helped other Sikh troops apply for dress code exceptions, wrote that they are 'considering [their] final options before litigation' in a Sunday press release

Now, more than 100 Sikh soldiers and airmen currently serving in the Army and Air Force are allowed to wear their articles of faith while doing so - but the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps have yet to follow suit

In 2016, the organization paved the way for Sikhis serving in the U.S. Army to wear turbans along with their uniforms when their client Captain Simratpal Singh won the right in court to wear his turban and keep his hair unshorn without exceptions.

Now, more than 100 Sikh soldiers and airmen currently serving in the Army (as of 2017) and Air Force (as of last year) are allowed to wear their articles of faith while doing so - but the Marine Corps has yet to follow suit.

Sikhi soldiers in Australia, Britain and Canada have fought and won the right to demonstrate their faith in uniform as well.

'In 2016, we successfully took the U.S. Army to court over the right to maintain ones articles of faith while serving in the military, and were prepared to do the same with the USMC now,' said Klapper.

'No Sikh, in any workplace, should be forced to make a false choice between maintaining their articles of faith and excelling in their chosen profession.'

The organization wrote that, along with providing Lieutenant Toor pro-bono representation, they have reached out to representatives from the White House, the House of Representatives, the Senate and the Department of Defense.

'For more than a decade, advocacy and legal action has ensured that nearly 100 Sikhs total are able to serve in the U.S. Armed Forces with distinction and with their articles of faith; the service of these individuals is proof positive that religious identity does not impede a career in the U.S. military,' Klapper wrote.

Growing up as a first-generation immigrant in Washington state and Ohio, Lieutenant Toor's father wore a turban, full-grown beard, steel bracelet and small blade - traditional articles meant to show Sikhi's devotion to their God.

After enlisting in 2017, however, now-Lieutenant Toor shaved his beard, cut his hair and forewent his turban for basic training. In the wake of 9/11, he was acutely aware that many Americans held negative associations with turbans and beards.

'I felt there was a debt to be paid,' he told the Times of his choice. 'My family came to this country seeking the American dream, and we got it.'

Now, more than 100 Sikh soldiers and airmen currently serving in the Army (as of 2017) and Air Force (as of last year) are allowed to wear their articles of faith while doing so - but the Marine Corps has yet to follow suit. Pictured is Army Captain Kamaljeet Singh Kalsi, the first Sikh to serve in the US army

When he was up for promotion to Captain this March, though, he felt it that his demonstrated excellence in uniform might bolster his request to change it slightly.

'While the Marine Corps has an obligation to support your ability to practice and observe the tenets of your faith, it may impose restrictions in support of compelling government interests,' wrote Lieutenant General David A. Ottignon in an initial June response to the request.

'The Corps cannot experiment with the components of mission accomplishment - failure on the battlefield is not an acceptable risk.'

When Lieutenant Toor was up for promotion to Captain this March, though, he felt it that his demonstrated excellence in uniform might bolster his request to change it slightly. The appeals process went on until August

'While the Marine Corps has an obligation to support your ability to practice and observe the tenets of your faith, it may impose restrictions in support of compelling government interests,' wrote Lieutenant General David A. Ottignon in an initial June response to the request

'The Corps cannot experiment with the components of mission accomplishment - failure on the battlefield is not an acceptable risk.'

'In order to build squads that will move forward in a combat environment where people are dying, a strong team bond is required,' Colonel Kelly Frushour, a spokeswoman for Marine Headquarters, told the Times

Lieutenant Toor couldn't see how the shape of his headgear or the hair on his face would effect unity or morale in the field, he told the Times.

'Look, Im on the ground level with the trigger-pullers every day,' he said.

'To them, I dont think it makes a difference. We have men, women, people of all races in my platoon. We all wear green, we all bleed red. My Marines didnt respect me because of what I had on my head.'

In 1981, an Orthodox rabbi serving in the Air Force sued the branch for the right to wear a skull cap while in uniform - since, a legal precedent has been established that requires military branches to accommodate religious garb, provided that it does not 'hinder mission accomplishment.'

However, the Marine Corps considers uniformity imperative to the performance of its operations.

'In order to build squads that will move forward in a combat environment where people are dying, a strong team bond is required,' Colonel Kelly Frushour, a spokeswoman for Marine Headquarters, told the Times.

'Uniformity is one of the tools the Corps uses to forge that bond. What the Corps is protecting is its ability to win on the battlefield, so that the Constitution can remain the law of the land.'

Frushour also told the Times that the service chose to disallow Lieutenant Toor from wearing a turban during ceremonial events to avoid appearing partial to any one faith.

'Marines represent the entirety of the Marine Corps,' said Frushour. 'Therefore, we strive to present a neutral image to the public. The Marine Corps wants all with the propensity and ability to serve to see a place for themselves within our ranks.'

However, Lieutenant Toor told the Times that the service's stance on turbans and beards would dissuade Sikhs and Muslims from serving, thus denying them an equal opportunity.

'Sikh kids growing up might not be able to see themselves in uniform,' he said. 'Even if they want to serve, they might not think their country wants then.'

Representatives from the Marine Corps' Department of Manpower and Reserve Affairs, who issued a decision on Lieutenant Toor's request, did not respond inquiries from DailyMail.com at press time.

Requests for changes to the Marines' uniform have been rare, the New York Times reported - in recent years, just 33 requests have been filed by roughly 180,000 current active-duty soldiers, and included applications for longer hair, beards and the option to wear a hijab.
Smith admitted causing death by dangerous driving and was jailed for three years and given driving ban

He crashed into cyclist David Power, 64, on road through Cwmbran, South Wales

Court heard he 'took his eyes off the road' to check sat nav for nine seconds

Charity fundraiser David Power, 64, was knocked off his bicycle by Iceland van driver Lewis Smith (pictured), 24, after he 'took his eyes off the road' to check directions in Cwmbran, South Wales

An Iceland delivery driver has been jailed for killing a 'much loved' rugby player after he looked down to check his satnav to find an address.

Charity fundraiser David Power, 64, was knocked from his bicycle by the white Iceland van driven by Lewis Smith while out an a Christmas Eve shopping drop.

A court heard Smith, 24, 'took his eyes off the road' and had been staring at his satnav for nine seconds ahead of the fatal crash.

Smith told police he had seen Mr Power on his cycle before the crash in Cwmbran, South Wales, and had moved to give him space.

But he then heard a loud bang as he looked at his satnav for the delivery.

Smith was today jailed for three years and banned him from driving for a further four-and-a-half years at Newport Crown Court.

Family and friends of Mr Power - well known in rugby circles - said they were 'heartbroken' to have lost their 'much-loved' relative who ran Welsh Charitables RFC.

In a police interview, Smith expressed concern for Mr Power's family.

He said: 'I can't imagine how they must be feeling - it must be a million times worse for the other side. They have lost someone. I can't describe how sorry I am.'

The court was played dashcam footage taken before and after the collision which showed Smith had been looking at his satnav for nine seconds ahead of the crash.

Prosecutor Claire Pickthall said Mr Power suffered cardiac arrest in the ambulance.

Smith apologised to Mr Power's family, saying: 'I can't imagine how they must be feeling - it must be a million times worse for the other side. They have lost someone. I can't describe how sorry I am'

Newport Crown Court he suffered from injuries including abdominal bleeding, an lacerated liver and spleen and blunt trauma.

Smith, of Ystrad Mynach, Caerphilly, admitted causing death by dangerous driving over the tragic crash.

Ieuan Bennett, defending, said he had taken the Iceland job after graduating.

He said: 'He was a young man with a decent future in front of him.

Smith told police he had seen Mr Power on his cycle before the crash near Cwmbran Drive in Cwmbran, South Wales, and had moved to give him space. But he then heard a loud bang as he looked at his satnav

'He has been back and forth to the doctors suffering with insomnia, flashbacks, and depression. If he could turn the clocks back he would.'

Judge Jeremy Jenkins jailed Smith for three years and banned him from driving for a further four-and-a-half years.

He said: 'Nobody intended this tragedy and no sentence I can pass can assuage the deep sense of loss and grief felt by the family of David Power.

'To take one's eyes off the road for nine seconds when you're driving amounts to creating a substantial risk of danger. You have expressed genuine remorse.'

Following his death, top rugby stars paid tribute to Mr Power - known as Dapper - was secretary of the Welsh Charitables rugby team and described as a 'much loved' family man

Smith was sentenced to three years imprisonment and was disqualified from driving for four and a half years.

Following his death, top rugby stars paid tribute to Mr Power - known as Dapper - was secretary of the Welsh Charitables rugby team and described as a 'much loved' family man.

Rugby legend Jonathan Davies and referee Nigel Owens paid tribute to Mr Power who was a tireless charity fundraiser.

Commentator Davies said Mr Power's death was 'tragic' and referee Owens describe it as 'very, very sad. A wonderful genuine man.'
Andy Burnham has been accused of blatant manoeuvring for another tilt at the leadership after revelling in his nickname as the party's 'King of the North'

Andy Burnham faced a backlash tonight as Keir Starmer allies warned him not to try and seek a swift return to the Commons after leaving the 'sh** work' of reviving Labour to others.

The Manchester mayor has been accused of blatant manoeuvring for another tilt at the leadership after revelling in his nickname as the party's 'King of the North'.

Appearing at a slew of events at party conference in Brighton, he has launched a series of jibes at Sir Keir for failing to lay out enough policy and not being 'serious' about pushing devolution.

But his activities have infuriated supporters of Sir Keir, who insist there is 'no way' he should be allowed to get a safe seat before May 2024 - when his term as mayor ends.

One shadow cabinet minister told MailOnline: If he thinks he can swan off to Manchester and leave everyone else to do the sh** work, and then come back like a conquering hero he can think again.'

They added: If youve been elected as mayor you should see out your term.

Another senior frontbencher said of the swipes at the leader: 'It's rude. The members don't like it.

'Andy's always lacked judgement and I think this is another example.'

In a brutal assessment, the MP pointed to Mr Burnham's dismal showing against Mr Corbyn in 2015. 'I don't think he would win either, when you look at the previous efforts,' they said.

Mr Burnham is said to have been 'sniffing around' Westminster seats in recent months - including rumours that he considered pitching for Batley & Spen in the recent by-election.

In a question and answer session on stage in Brighton this afternoon, Mr Burnham claimed he and other Labour mayors held the key to winning back the Red Wall seats taken by Boris Johnson's Tories today as he failed to back Keir Starmer.

The Greater Manchester mayor boasted about 'overturning (Margaret) Thatcher's legacy' of privatisation in the socialist city and said Labour's regional leaders were 'rolling back the 1980s'.

In a clear pitch to party members he said that they had given voters 'a taste of a Labour government' through their devolved powers in areas like public transport.

Mr Burnham's activities have infuriated supporters of Sir Keir (pictured at conference today), who insist there is 'no way' he should be allowed to get a safe seat before May 2024 - when his term as mayor ends

In contrast Sadiq Khan used his time on stage today to call for party unity and all energy to be focused on 'a Labour Government with Keir Starmer in Downing Street'

And in comments that will add fuel to the fire of his challenge to Sir Keir he said they were 'a way back for Labour in the North' and could 'rebuild the Red Wall'.

However he failed to back the party's current boss, unlike Sadiq Khan.

The London mayor had used his time on stage beforehand to call for party unity and all energy to be focused on 'a Labour Government with Keir Starmer in Downing Street'.

Mr Burnham appeared on stage with fellow metro mayors Dan Jarvis and Tracy Brabin, the day after complaining that he wasn't allowed to give a speech from the main stage.

But he was given plenty of time to lay out his achievements in office to a packed hall.

Discussing the scores of seats in their northern heartlands that Mr Johnson took in the 2019 election, he said: 'I just think we are a way back for Labour in the north.

'We have got to really think about this. The north of England is going to be a key battleground come the next general election. What we have begun to show is that we can improve Labour's results, not just in the mayoral elections but in the local elections as well.

'That is going to be really important for Labour, not allowing the Scotland effect to just drift down the country come the next general election - win back those seats in the Red Wall.

'We can win all of those seats back at the next general election - we will win those seats back at the next general election. But it means getting behind these Labour mayors across the north and really supporting their work and the party championing what we are doing at every opportunity.'
A survivor of the deadly Amtrak derailment in Montana has told how he managed to make it out of the wreck alive by clinging onto a table bolted to the floor as the upturned train was dragged along the tracks.

Wayne Freed, 70, was among the 141 passengers traveling on the Seattle-bound Empire Builder train on Saturday when it suddenly derailed outside of Joplin, Montana, killing three people and injuring dozens.

In an exclusive interview with DailyMail.com, the retired college professor recalled grabbing a small coffee table and holding on for dear life to keep him from falling through the glass windows after the train tipped over.

Freed, who's from Upstate New York, said he was mid-way through the 45-hour trip and was passing through scenic north-central Montana on a beautiful day.

He had just returned from his sleeper car to retrieve his cell phone charger and was relaxing in the lounge car, an area of the train with swivel seats and large windows to enjoy the views along the way.

Scroll down for video

Three people were killed and more than 50 were injured in Joplin, Montana on Saturday after an Amtrak train traveling from Chicago to Seattle when it suddenly derailed

The westbound Empire Builder was en route to Seattle from Chicago, with two locomotives and 10 cars, when it left the tracks about 4pm on Saturday

Freed was enjoying the beautiful views of north-central Montana in the Empire Builder's lounge car, also known as the observation car, when the train went off the tracks. Pictured: Stock photo of the sightseer lounge car of the California Zephyr Amtrak train

'I wanted to be in this car as we were going to be soon entering into Glacier National Park to see the sites and I wanted to take some pictures,' he told DailyMail.com.

But just minutes after plugging in his cell phone and taking a seat, Freed said he suddenly felt a big jolt and could 'hear and feel the train wheels dragging across the rocks on the side of the train tracks.'

He said it felt like everything was in slow motion as the train car slowly started to tip over to about a 45-degree angle.

'I thought it was going to stop at this point, but it didn't.'

Wayne Freed, 70, was among the 141 passengers traveling on a Seattle-bound Amtrak train on Saturday when it suddenly derailed outside of Joplin, Montana

That's when Freed said he noticed a coffee table in the lounge car bolted to the floor and used it as an anchor.

'I grabbed onto it to hold myself up, by this time the car had completely tipped over on it's side but was still moving. The table was now horizontal instead of vertical.

'The train car's windows were now below my feet and I didn't want to stand on them as I was worried, they were going to break out.

'My legs are dangling down, about two feet under me are windows, which should be the side window but are now on the floor.

'Then all of the windows below me started breaking out because of the track ballast was hitting into them. Glass and rocks were flying everywhere.

'It seemed like the entire derailment last about two minutes but it was more like 15 seconds.

He believes the train was traveling at normal track speed, 79mph.

When the train finally came to a stop, Freed said the entire car was consumed with dust and he could hardly see.

But even in the midst of the chaos, he doesn't remember many people yelling or screaming.

Freed shared photos of the aftermath with DailyMail.com. The retired professor said the entire crash occurred in 15 seconds

Five out of the 12 cars of the Empire Builder derailed, with the last three cars detached completely from the rest of them

Various views of the derailed Amtrak train Empire Builder in a remote part of Northern Montana in between the towns of Chester and Joplin

'People were calling out to see if anyone was hurt, most of the people including myself I think we're in a state of shock,' he said.

When the dust settled, Freed and several of the passengers in his car exited through the broken windows.

He said: 'There was about a two-foot clearance, but we were a little hesitant because we were worried the car which was now on its side could roll down the embankment and we would all be crushed.'

Recalling the incident from a Super 8 Motel in Cardon, Montana, some 50 miles from the accident, Freed said: 'The lounge car is the place to be in if you are traveling by train, it's mostly glass.

'The glass starts at your knees and goes all the way up to the ceiling.

'But it's not the place to be for a derailment, but other than that it's a great place.'

Freed added: 'At the time I wasn't worried I was going to die, I was in survival mode.

'Now that I've had some time to think about it, it could have been much worse. I was pretty sure if I didn't hold onto the table I could have dropped through the broken windows and at the very least I could have at least been severely hurt.'

Freed said he escaped with minimal injuries, bruises on his legs from grasping onto the coffee table.

He did see some people with other injuries but wasn't sure of the extent of them.

Five out of the 12 cars of the Empire Builder derailed, with the last three cars detached completely from the rest of them.

Freed revealed he's a train aficionado and had traveled on Amtrak trains and the Chicago to Seattle route countless times before the derailment.

'I've been on every Amtrak train has, and have ridden this route several times. I've been riding Amtrak since 1974 and have traveled more than 100,000 miles,' he said.

This derailment isn't going to stop him from getting back onto a train: 'I'm ready to get back on a train.'

Sarah Robbin Liberty County Montana Disaster Service Coordinator, told DailyMail.com they received calls for help around 3:57pm on Saturday and several responders arrived at the scene with minutes of the 911 call.

Robbin said of the 143 passengers and 13 crew members who were on board, there were three fatalities and approximately 50 people send to local area hospital, five are still hospitalized in stable condition.

It is suspected that the train derailed near the switch at East Buelow. Pictured: People use ladders to climb up the side of train cars to help trapped passengers escape

The cause of the derailment is unclear and still under investigation, officials said

Amtrak's Empire Builder derailed near Joplin, Montana around 4pm MST

'The train tracks which are owned by BSNF (Burlington Northern Santa Fe, LLC) were just inspected on September 23rd,' continued Robbin.

While Freed and most of the other passengers where able to escape any serious injuries there were three fatalities.

One of three people killed was identified as Missouri engineer Zach Schneider, 28, who was headed for a vacation to Portland, Oregon with his wife Becca.

Zach, who was from St. Louis and worked for payments firm Stripe, was killed after several of the train cars left the tracks and toppled over onto their sides.

He was identified by a GoFundMe page set up to raise money for his funeral.

Becca, 26, was traveling with him but survived. She has since posted photos of herself with her late spouse on Facebook, but has not commented.

Family friend Caleb Morris, who created the page, paid tribute to Schneider by saying he was one of the 'sweetest, smartest, and most unique people I know.'

'Zach always used this to push for a better world where everyone was included. I have always respected his ability to think differently. Thankful to have been blessed by knowing you, Zach,' wrote Morris in a heartfelt plea for donations.

The other two victims killed have not been identified, with five other passengers badly injured by the derailment still being treated in hospital.

The last train car was completely on its side from the derailment

Amtrak CEO Bill Flynn said Sunday his firm was distraught over the derailment, whose cause has not yet been identified.

'We are in mourning for the people who lost their lives due to the derailment of the Empire Builder train Saturday, near Joplin, Montana, on the BNSF Railway, as well as the many others who were injured,' Amtrak's Bill Flynn said.

'We have no words that can adequately express our sorrow for those who lost a loved one or who were hurt in this horrible event. They are in our thoughts and prayers.'

In the statement Flynn said the company was cooperating with the investigation. He added they are working with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the Federal Railroad Administration, local law enforcement and response agencies.

'Amtrak's immediate and sustained focus is on doing everything we can to help our passengers and crew, especially the families of those who were injured or died, at this painful and difficult time,' Flynn added.

He said the company's incident response team has been initiated. Amtrak has sent emergency personnel and company leadership to help support passengers, employees and their families.

A 14-member National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) team including investigators and specialists in railroad signals were looking into the cause of the derailment on a BNSF Railway main track that involved no other trains or equipment, board spokesman Eric Weiss said.

The accident scene is about 30 miles from the Canadian border.

Most of the people on the train were treated and released for their injuries, but seven people who were more seriously hurt remained at the Benefis Health System hospital in Great Falls, Montana, according to Sarah Robbin, Liberty County emergency services coordinator.

Another two people were at Logan Health, a hospital in Kalispell, Montana, spokeswoman Melody Sharpton said.

Liberty County Sheriff Nick Erickson said the rest of the names of the dead would not be released until relatives had been notified.

Ms. Robbin said nearby residents had rushed to help when the derailment occurred.

'We are so fortunate to live where we do, where neighbors help neighbors,' she said.

Amtrak said it had sent emergency personnel and other officials to the site to help passengers, employees and local officials. It said company officials had been 'deeply saddened' to learn of the deaths.

Crews appear to be using ladders to get on top of the cars in what appears to be an rescue effort. Ambulances and emergency vehicles are on the scene

Following the derailment, Sunday's westbound Empire Builder from Chicago was terminating in Minneapolis, and the eastbound train was originating in Minneapolis.

Passenger Megan Vandervest told The New York Times she was awoken by the derailment.

'My first thought was that we were derailing because, to be honest, I have anxiety and I had heard stories about trains derailing, Vandervest, from Minneapolis, said.

'My second thought was that's crazy. We wouldn't be derailing. Like, that doesn't happen.'

She told the newspaper that the car behind hers was tilted, the one behind that was tipped over, and the three cars behind that 'had completely fallen off the tracks and were detached from the train'.

Speaking from the Liberty County Senior Centre, where some passengers were being taken, Vandervest said it had felt like 'extreme turbulence on a plane'.

Residents of communities near the crash site quickly mobilized to help.

Chester councilor Rachel Ghekiere said she and others had helped about 50 to 60 passengers who were taken to a school.

'I went to the school and assisted with water, food, wiping dirt off faces,' she said.

'They appeared to be tired, shaken but happy that they were where they were. Some looked more disheveled than others, depending where they were on the train.'

Bob Chipkevich, who oversaw railway crash investigations for several years at the NTSB, said the agency would not rule out human error or any other potential causes for now.

'There are still human performance issues examined by NTSB to be sure that people doing the work are qualified and rested and doing it properly,' Chipkevich said.

Chipkevich said track conditions had historically been a significant cause of train accidents. He noted that most of the track that Amtrak used was owned by freight railways and depended on those companies for safety maintenance.

Safety expert and former Amtrak conductor says derailment could have been caused by badly maintained tracks or a driver slamming on brakes to avoid running a stop signal

Zach Schneider, 28, and his wife Becca, 26, were both onboard the train at the time

Zach Schneider is pictured in photos from his Facebook page. Zach was killed on September 25 2021, when an Amtrak train derailed in Montana, on his way to Portland

A rail safety consultant suggested that the train derailment could have been caused by the driver 'jamming on' the locomotive's brakes to avoid running a stop signal.

Former Amtrak conductor turned safety consultant Michael Callanan told Dailymail.com that there is a 'distinct possibility' that sudden braking was a factor, based on the proximity of a stop signal to the site of the crash.

He said another explanation could be ill-maintained tracks.

BNSF Railway, which owns the tracks where the crash occurred, and Amtrak, which owns the train, are looking into the derailment, alongside federal investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board.

Matt Jones, a BNSF Railway spokesman said at a news conference that the track where the accident occurred was last inspected on Thursday.

Per the Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008, all trains must install 'Positive Train Control,' a satellite-controlled system that automatically stops a locomotive before accidents occur.

However, Callanan said that a number of railroads have put off the expensive installations and petitioned government officials for more time.

Allan Zarembski, director of the University of Delaware's Railway Engineering and Safety Program, said he didn't want to speculate but suspected the derailment stemmed from an issue with the train track or equipment, or a combination of both.

Railways have 'virtually eliminated' major derailments by human error after the implementation of positive train control nationwide, Zarembski said.

'I would be surprised if this was a human-factor derailment,' Zarembski said.

It is unclear whether the Empire Builder 7/27 was outfitted with PTC equipment.

The National Transportation Safety Board said yesterday it is launching a 14-member 'go team' to investigate the derailment.

Callanan told DailyMail.com that the number of agencies involved is one of the elements that will stretch out that investigation, which he said could take up to two years.

'They're going to download a black box [that] measures everything  what position the throttle was in, what kind of breaks were put on, how fast he was going,' Callanan said.

'They're going to download the dash cam, they're going to drug test the whole crew to see if there was any drugs and alcohol involved.'

He said that the National Transportation Safety Board will 'take that train to a warehouse, piece everything together and test every part of the train - every car, [and the] breaks on every car.'

Witnesses - each person who was riding the train and anyone who can be found that saw the crash from outside the train - will all be interviewed by the agencies.

Meanwhile, during the long-spanning investigation, all of the employees who were manning that train will be 'taken out of service.'

Amtrak employees have the option to buy into insurance, he said, but most don't.

He added: 'Hopefully the employees that did not pay into that have money saved up.'

Amtrak said in a statement Sunday: 'We are deeply saddened to learn local authorities are now confirming that three people have lost their lives as a result of this accident.'
56-year-old MP for Leicester East said to have called the woman 'a slag'

An MP allegedly threatened to release naked photos of a woman because she was jealous of her friendship with her partner, a court has heard.

Claudia Webbe, 56, also allegedly called 59-year-old Michelle Merritt 'a slag' during a campaign of harassment between September 1 2018 and April 26 last year.

In a recording played at Westminster Magistrates' Court today, Ms Webbe can also allegedly be heard screaming: 'Get out of my relationship!' before threatening Ms Merritt, telling her: 'I will tell all of your family and I will show them all of your pictures.

The court heard how Webbe, who sits in the Commons as an independent MP for Leicester East after being suspended by the Labour Party, was in a relationship with Lester Thomas at the time.

'The reason for the harassment would appear to be the fact that Michelle Merritt was friends with Lester Thomas and this was an issue for the defendant Claudia Webbe,' said prosecutor Susannah Stevens.

She said Webbe made a string of short silent phone calls from a withheld number to Ms Merritt, who told the court she had known Mr Thomas for more than 15 years and was 'good friends' with him, having previously dated.

But Webbe denied making the silent calls and threatening to throw acid on her or release her nude photos, telling the court: 'I've spent my lifetime campaigning for the rights of women, challenging this kind of behaviour.

Independent MP Claudia Webbe, 56, allegedly called 59-year-old Michelle Merritt 'a slag' during a campaign of harassment between September 1 2018 and April 26 last year

The MP for Leicester East was in a relationship with Lester Thomas at the time, the court heard

MP Claudia Webbe 'threatens to send naked photos of woman to her family' in recording played to court In a recording played to Westminster Magistrates' Court, MP Claudia Webbe answers the phone and immediately begins shouting at Michelle Merritt. Webbe says: Why are you still butting in and getting with Lester? Why, why? Hes not your friend, hes with me and I dont want you to be in touch with me, 'I dont want you to be in touch with him.' In the background Lester Thomas, Webbes partner, can be heard shouting: Dont listen to her, send me a message whenever you like. 'Michelle, come off the phone and call the police. Webbe screams: 'Lester why dont you go and live with her? TAKE EVERYTHING AND GO AND LIVE WITH HER! Ms Merritt asks why Webbe keeps calling her but Webbe screams: Can you stop. Can you GET OUT OF MY RELATIONSHIP, GET OUT OF MY RELATIONSHIP. GET OUT OF MY RELATIONSHIP! Ive seen all of your posts, Ive seen all of your naked pictures, Ive seen all of your relationship with Lester. GET OUT OF MY RELATIONSHIP! Otherwise I will tell all of your family and I will show them all of your pictures. Ms Merritt then informs Webbe that she is recording the calls and will leak it to the press before hanging up. Advertisement

'This is not something that's in my character and it's not something I would ever do.

'Those terms, those words, are not my words.

'I would never use such expletives, such derogatory terms about anther person let alone another woman.'

It came after Ms Merritt said she would often receive silent calls after meeting with Mr Thomas.

'There was a pattern that whenever I had even met with Lester Thomas, if we had gone out for a drink or something, there would be a phone call,' she said, giving evidence from behind a screen.

'When you are being called and no one answers, it's unnerving, especially as a woman who lives alone.'

Ms Stevens said the 'harassment escalated in form' on Mother's Day, March 31 2019, when Webbe spoke to the alleged victim and asked about her relationship with Mr Thomas.

'This appears to be the defendant's obsession - the fact Ms Merritt would not stop seeing her partner,' said the prosecutor.

'The Crown say Claudia Webbe was in such a state during this call that not only did she query the nature of the contact and fail to accept that Michelle Merritt and Lester Thomas were just friends, she then went on to say, "She's a slag", and also, "Should be acid".

'The defendant further threatened Ms Merritt that naked photos and videos of her would be sent to Ms Merritt's children.

'Ms Merritt was, perhaps not surprisingly, caused considerable distress by this call. She was alarmed and concerned for her safety.'

The alleged victim said Webbe said she was 'Lester's girlfriend' and then 'really started shouting, "Why are you contacting Lester?"

'She was very, very angry at me. It was loud,' she said.

'She then started calling me a slag and saying friends don't send pictures of their t**s and p**** to other friends, and it culminated in, "You're a slag and you should be acid."

'She confirmed she knew where I lived and would send pictures and videos to my daughters.'

The court heard that Ms Merritt reported the call to police and her employer and had to take taxis to work to feel safer. But despite being warned by officers in April 2019, Webbe allegedly made a total of 16 further calls to the complainant, including one on April 25 last year, which is the one Ms Merritt recorded.

Ms Stevens said Webbe repeatedly ordered Ms Merritt to 'get out of my relationship', adding: 'She threatens to show naked photos that she supposedly has of Ms Merritt to her family.'

The court heard Webbe later accepted to police that she had called Ms Merritt but claimed she had said those words to Mr Thomas during the course of an argument in which officers were called.

But the prosecutor said: 'The Crown say the argument was over the defendant's unhappiness with her partner's relationship with Ms Merritt and this jealousy caused her to threaten Ms Merritt and say deeply distressing things to her.'

She explained that Webbe told police she made the short calls in an effort to contact her partner but did not realise they were unwanted or would cause distress.

Webbe told the court today that she rang Ms Merritt on April 25 because her and Mr Thomas had 'repeatedly breached lockdown' rules by meeting up.

She said she was arguing with Mr Lester when Ms Merritt called her back.

Webbe told the court: 'During the call I was having two conversations at once and I repeatedly told Michelle to get out of my relationship and by this I meant that she should not be relying upon Lester for support as they were not in a relationship.

Leicester East MP Claudia Webbe with former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn

Webbe with her partner Lester Thomas outside court

'I did not threaten to disclose photos of her - this was a comment directed at Lester because he had been physically violent and I was trying to get him off me.

'Eventually he smashed my phone.

'...I was so angry with Lester, he was not wanting to listen to me, he did not want to respect my role as an MP, he did not want to understand how serious Covid was.

'People were dying in my constituency. I lost constituents to Covid, I lost a good friend to Covid, I just could not understand why Lester could not understand how serious this pandemic was and how important it was to abide by the rules.'

Her voice breaking, Webbe continued: 'He was constantly rebuking me, ridiculing me, goading me, as though this is not something that is as serious as people make out and that he can do what he wants.

'It was just a terrible situation and I wanted Michelle to understand and just try and help me. I just wanted her to stop engaging with him for the sake of the pandemic... I was just so angry with Lester.'

She added: 'I felt no anger toward Michelle and I'm sorry for what that tape portrays because it's not my finest moment but it wasn't intended to cause Michelle any harm and it just is to me very embarrassing.

'It's not something I ever want to repeat...I just would hope that we would never ever go there again.'

Webbe, from Islington, north London, stood in the dock wearing a black suit, to confirm her name, date of birth and address, before sitting next to her solicitor as the case against her was opened. She denies a single count of harassment.

Webbe entered the Commons in December 2019, winning the seat formerly held by Keith Vaz, the Labour veteran who retired from Parliament in the wake of a scandal.

She was a councillor in Islington between 2010 and 2018 and was a member of Labour's ruling National Executive Committee.

Earlier in her career, she was a political adviser to then-London mayor Ken Livingstone. The trial, which is due to last one day in front of Chief Magistrate Paul Goldspring, continues.
A teacher in Washington state says she was forced to take down the pro-police flag she hung in her classroom to honor her brother, over claims that it was 'too political.'

'She was told it makes students and teachers of color uncomfortable,' Sutherland told DailyMail.com.

'They told her that it's controversial to have that flag up,' Chris Sutherland, the teacher's brother, told The Jason Rantz Show on KTTH. 'That it makes kids and staff feel unsafe, which to me, that does not make sense at all.'

He said his sister, who has not been named, hung the Thin Blue Line flag on her bulletin board to support him, a former police officer with the Marysville Police Department who served as a resource officer during the fatal Marysville-Pilchuck High School shooting in 2014.

The flag in the teacher's room was surrounded with pictures of him.

But soon, administrators at the Marysville School District started to take issue with her flag, and asked her to take it down or face repercussions.

Yet the district reportedly allows banners supporting the Black Lives Matter movement and Pride flags to be hung on district property.

A teacher at a Washington middle school was reportedly asked to take down her Thin Blue Line flag that she hung up in her classroom to support her brother

District officials did not seem to have an issue with the Pride flag she hung up in her classroom in support of her sister, though

In a letter, Marysville School District officials asked the teacher to take down the Thin Blue Line flag by the morning of September 8 or face 'further disciplinary action'

Sutherland said his sister first had a Thin Blue Line sticker on her laptop, which an assistant principal seemed to take issue with.

In a HR document about the incident, which conservative radio host Jason Rantz, of KTTH, obtained, the assistant principal said there were 'concerns about how students, families and community members might interpret what the image is intending to communicate, and that this interpretation may cause a disruption to the learning environment.'

The objections were soon dropped, though, and the teacher later posted the flag in her classroom.

Soon, Rantz reports, a second assistant principal ordered the flag to be taken down, an an HR representative for the Marysville School District said in a Letter of Clarification to the teacher that the district was 'highly concerned about the impact of this political symbol on students, staff and families of Marysville Middle School.'

It said the assistant principal 'had heard concerns from other staff members about how this political symbol might negatively impact the overall work environment,' but does not indicate what those concerns were.

She tried to fight back, he said, telling them 'she was leaving it up because of what it meant to her.'

District officials then told her to 'refrain from using the "Thin Blue Line Flag" symbol' in the school by the morning of September 8, or she could face 'further disciplinary action.'

But the district did not seem to have a problem with the Pride flag she hung up in support of her sister, Sutherland said.

'There's also, she was telling me, BLM stuff hanging on the walls, which she was told is OK,' he told Rantz.

'Just for whatever reason, just the Thin Blue Line flag cannot be hung up there.'

DailyMail.com has reached out to the Marysville School District for comment.

The teacher works at Marysville Middle School, seen here

Her brother, Chris Sutherland, had served as a a resource officer during the fatal Marysville-Pilchuck High School shooting in 2014. He told DailyMail.com that the district's order to remove the Thin Blue Line 'now feels like a slap in the face'

Eventually, Rantz reports, the teacher decided to remove the Thin Blue Line flag, but wrote in a message to the school's Human Resources department that the ordeal 'has been the most traumatic and hostile' situation she has experienced at the school.

She wrote: 'I was proud to come back as a Marysville alumni and begin teaching here in 2014. I remain hopeful for the remainder of the school year.'

The teacher further explained that the decision to pull the flag came from 'an agenda rather than really wanting to gain any understanding of me, who I am, or my story.'

She added that the incident 'left a lasting impression,' but she forgives the school district for the sleight.

'It really hurts,' Sutherland told DailyMail.com. 'I know it hurts her too and many more to make her take down the flag that represents us in law enforcement in a school district where we had one of the worst school shootings a couple years ago.

'I was on campus at Marysville-Pilchuck High School that day, and gave my heart and soul in an effort to make things normal,' he noted. 'I worked so close with the school district and community that it now feels like a slap in the face to me and my brothers and sisters in law enforcement who support us.

'Plus the district does not wait any time at all to call us when they need us,' Sutherland added. 'If the flag and sight of police officers is that bad and scary, then why do they still call?'

Sutherland noted that his sister will continue to fight to get the flag back up in her classroom without fear of being fired for it.

The incident comes as multiple teachers have removed American flags from their classrooms, according to FOX News, with one in Portland saying they removed it because it 'stands for violence and menace and intolerance, and I will not fly that in my room.'

Another teacher in California was recently removed from her classroom after a viral video showed her admitting she encouraged students to pledge allegiance to a gay pride flag after she removed the American flag from the classroom because it made her 'uncomfortable.'

And just last week, Arizona State University students were confronted over a 'racist' sticker on a computer reading 'Police Lives Matter,' and were reportedly told to leave the area where they were studying.
A Louisiana mother of four who had been convicted of arson and prostitution tossed two of her children off a bridge, killing one infant and leaving a 5-year-old seriously injured, police officials said.

Ureka Black, 32, was charged with second-degree murder and attempted murder after she threw her two sons off the Cross Lake Bridge on Friday, according to the Shreveport Police Department.

The surviving child, named Elijah, told cops that his mother threw him from the nearly 25-foot-high span, authorities said.

Law enforcement also searched the lake for a third child, who was later found safe at a different location.

Ureka Black (pictured) was charged with second-degree murder and attempted murder for throwing her two kids off a bridge

On 11a.m. on Friday, marine patrol officers responded to witnesses seeing an infant male in the water, who was found dead upon their arrival. Officers then began searching the lake and were able to rescue a 5-year-old boy, who was taken to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries

Cops got a call around 11 a.m. on Friday about a child floating in the water near the bridge in northern Louisiana, officials said.

Shreveport's marine patrol officers arrived on the scene and found an infant male dead in the water.

They then continued to search the lake and found a 5-year-old boy floating moments later.

He was taken to Louisiana State University Medical Center in critical condition, where he is expected to survive, police said.

'My heart is just so broken with this event that has occurred today,' Wayne Smith, Substitute Chief, told KSLA.

Black fled the area in a gray Dodge Caravan with a Texas license plate and was identified at the Texas state line by the Waskom Police Department, SPD said.

Shreveport officials had issued an alert for Black's SUV and a Waskom officer thought he noticed it at a rest stop.

He pulled the woman over and took her into custody. She was extradited back to Shreveport on Sunday night.

Black was booked into the city jail without a bond.

'This is a tragedy. We ask for prayer for the family and children. Pray for law enforcement officers who've been out here all day, firefighters, dive teams, been a multi-agency effort. There is no happy ending for this,' said SPD Sgt Angie Willhite.

Cross Lake Bridge (pictured),where sightings of a dead were infant were reported to police on Friday

Black has spent time behind bars on prostitution, arson and other charges over the past 15 years, court records show.

She was arrested in April 2016 in Caddo Parish for human trafficking and prostitution - one of three prostitution arrests on her record.

She also pleaded guilty in May 2017 to a reduced charge of pandering in relation to encouraging a juvenile to become a prostitute, before being sentenced to two years in prison and given credit for time served.

The other two prostitution arrests were in Bossier, 2.5 miles away from Shreveport, in 2011 and 2015.

She was not tried in court on the first one, and on the second one she pleaded no contest and was sentenced to six months in the parish jail with credit for time served.

While serving time, Black wrote several letters asking court officials to correct the amount of time she had served behind bars.

'I would greatly appreciate it so that I may be home for the holidays,' she wrote in one of the letters dated October 20, 2015.

Black's longest prison sentence was in 2010 when she was arrested for aggravated arson.

She broke into her ex-boyfriend's home and set the floor on fire while accompanied by her 2-year-old daughter. Black confessed to having a feud with her boyfriend prior to that and threatened him and two others, according to an arrest report.

She pleaded guilty in September 2010 to simple arson and was given a five-year prison sentence.

Black, 32, was also arrested for an arson case ten years ago (pictured)

However, the sentence was suspended and she was given 30 days in jail followed by probation. After additional arrests, Black's probation was rescinded in October 2012 and the court imposed the original five-year sentence.

Court documents show that Blacks child was put into foster care then.

Blacks probation officer made a request to the court to impose special conditions for Black, including setting a curfew and requiring her to attend anger management and parenting classes.

That was based on his interview with Black, who said she wasnt looking for a job and blamed that on not having a ride; but, the agent said Black had inquired about how to get rides to clubs and friends houses.

She also wanted to know if staying out until 4am would be considered as breaching her probation, to which the probation officer said it would.

Black reacted badly to the curfew and became 'very argumentative about having to abide by one,' he concluded in a report.
The mounted U.S. border patrol agents who President Joe Biden vowed to make 'pay' after claiming they 'strapped' Haitian migrants are likely facing only a few days' suspension, pending an internal probe.

Biden is one of a bevy of top federal officials to express outrage at images of the border agents using horses to try to push back migrants in Del Rio, Texas  even after early claims about what precisely happened broke down.

Biden last week warned of consequences for the agents, using dramatic language: 'I promise you, those people will pay. There will be an investigation underway now and there will be consequences. There will be consequences,' the president said.

Whether the agents end up paying out of their pockets is another matter. Senior administration officials told Fox News the probe would likely result of a suspension from work for just several days with pay for border agents.

Border agents captured in dramatic images are likely to face suspensions of several days with pay, according to a report

An official told the network it was the first time a mounted Border Patrol unit had been assigned to the bridge or used to address a surge in migrants  an indication the agents currently assigned to other duties could claim they were not adequately prepared for what they would face.

Biden also said without evidence that immigrants were being 'strapped.'

'To see people treated like they did, horses barely running over, people being strapped -- it's outrageous,' he said Friday.

The White House last week announced officers on horseback would no longer be used to contain migrants in Del Rio. It came amid an uproar over the use of mounted officers to push back some of the 15,000 Haitian migrants who had gathered under a bridge in Del Rio.

Paul Ratje, the photographer who took some of the images that prompted a series of denunciations from top administration officials and lawmakers, said last week that the rider he photographed was swinging his rein, not using it as a weapon on people.

I didnt ever see them whip anybody, with the thing, Ratje told El Pasos NBC affiliate, KTSM.

He was swinging it. But I didnt see him actually whip someone with it.

Thats something that can be misconstrued when youre looking at the picture.'

President Joe Biden expressed outrage at what he saw, claimed agents 'strapped' migrants, and vowed they would 'pay'

A U.S. Border Patrol agent on horseback uses the reins as he tries to stop Haitian migrants from entering an encampment on the banks of the Rio Grande near the Acuna Del Rio International Bridge in Del Rio, Texas on Sunday, September 19, 2021

U.S. Customs and Border Protection mounted officers attempt to contain migrants as they cross the Rio Grande from Ciudad Acuna, Mexico, into Del Rio, Texas, Sunday, Sept. 19, 2021. Criticism has been fueled by the images that went viral of Border Patrol agents on horseback using aggressive tactics against the migrants

Footage captured a U.S. patrol officer yelling at Haitian refugees who were crossing into Texas

Biden has used the phrase 'make them pay' during some of the most emotional moments of his presidency. He vowed to perpetrators after a terror attack at the Kabul airport that killed 13 American troops in Afghanistan: 'We will hunt you down and make you pay.'

But on Friday, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas was forced to defend the integrity of an investigation into the matter as not being prejudiced by Biden's comments.

'I know the President was echoing the sentiments of the American public in response to the images and what those images suggest, but I want to speak to the fact that this investigation will be based on the facts that the investigators learn, and the results of the investigation will be driven by those facts and nothing less and nothing more,' he said.

Pressed on Biden's 'pay' comments, Mayorkas said: 'I think the President was speaking in terms of the horror that he observed from seeing the images and what they suggest.'

Vice President Kamala Harris on Friday compared the conduct of the officers to the brutality of slavery, but pegged her comments to the 'images' that she saw.

Mayorkas took care to use words such as 'conjured' in his own remarks condemning what he saw.

'The investigation into what occurred has not yet concluded. We know that those images painfully conjured up the worst elements of our nation's ongoing battle against systemic racism,' said Mayorkas.

He said of his own comments last Monday when stated that long reins were being used to control the horses: 'I made the statements without having seen the images.'

One border agent told DailyMail.com last wee it was 'absolutely outrageous' that Biden 'wouldn't give us the benefit of the doubt before spouting off.'

Any probe is likely to consider issues of intent. One Border agent was captured yelling on video to a migrant: 'You use your women like this? That's why your country's sh*t.' He was yelling at the man during the encounter along the border between Acuna in Mexico and in Del Rio in Texas on Monday.

A Justice Department team is investigating potential civil rights violations, Fox reported, and the DHS Office of Inspector General could play a role.
President Joe Biden's popularity has dropped enough that Republicans have cast him as the villain in a new series of ads targeting vulnerable House Democrats the GOP hopes to unseat next year.

Fox News first reported on the National Republican Congressional Committee spots, which feature Biden - not House Speaker Nancy Pelosi or members of the so-called 'Squad' - front-and-center.

In total, the NRCC is running the ads against 17 House Democrats the party's House campaign arm believes can be picked off in the 2022 midterms.

New ads that were put out by the National Republican Congressional Committee feature President Joe Biden as the villain for the first time

The ads blast Biden (left), House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (center) and then are tailored to take on 17 House Democrats - in this case Oregon Rep. Peter DeFaszio (right) - for a '$3 TRILLION TAX HIKE'

DEMOCRATS BEING TARGETED BY THE ANTI-BIDEN NRCC ADS Rep. Matt Cartwright - Pennsylvania Rep. Haley Stevens - Michigan Rep. Stephanie Murphy - Florida Rep. Josh Harder - California Rep. Jared Golden - Maine Rep. Vicente Gonzalez - Texas Rep. Antonio Delgado - New York Rep. Tom Suozzi - New York Rep. Tom Malinowski - New Jersey Rep. Peter DeFazio - Oregon Rep. Elaine Luria - Virginia Rep. Cindy Axne - Iowa Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney - New York Rep. Carolyn Bourdeaux - Georgia Rep. Elissa Slotkin - Michigan Rep. Tom O'Halleran - Arizona Rep. Chris Pappas - New Hampshire Advertisement

The ads begin by showing Biden talking to an audience on the campaign trail - and his comments are taken out of context.

'If you elect me, your taxes are going to be raised not cut,' Biden says.

At the actual event, Biden was addressing a lone audience member who had indicated that he had benefited from former President Donald Trump's 2017 tax bill, which primarily cut taxes for the wealthy.

Previously a pro-Trump super PAC had used the Biden quote, with Polifact tracking down when the now president said it - and the correct context.

The new NRCC ads go on to say, 'Prices are going up, paychecks are going down.'

The spots name Biden, Pelosi and then one of the 17 Democratic lawmakers they're targeting, saying they're 'going to make things worse with the biggest tax hike in decades, crushing small businesses and hurting middle class families.'

The screen reads '$3 TRILLION TAX HIKE.'

The dig is in reference to the $3.5 trillion budget bill Biden wants Democrats to pass.

'House Democrats are helping Joe Biden and Nancy Pelosi pass the biggest tax hike in decades,' NRCC chair, Rep. Tom Emmer, told Fox.

'With costs already through the roof, the last thing middle-class Americans need is the government taking more money from their paychecks,' Emmer continued. 'Voters will hold every Democrat who votes for this reckless tax and spending spree accountable.'

Democrats have pushed back pointing out the $3.5 trillion will be spent over 10 years and the legislation includes 'pay-fors' - spending cuts and tax increases of the super rich - to literally pay for the bill.

Biden is being newly targeted by the Republican group because his poll numbers have taken a dive in recent weeks.

FiveThirtyEight.com puts Biden at 45.3 per cent approval, 48.8 per cent disapproval, averaging a number of recent polls.

Biden became more unpopular than popular in late August, during the administration's messy withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Advertisement

Norway has lifted all lockdown restrictions with less than 24 hours notice, sparking rowdy celebrations, with mass brawls and revellers passing out in nightclub queues after 561 days of restrictions came to an end.

The Norwegian government abruptly announced on Friday it was going to lift the remaining social distancing requirements on Saturday at 4pm, meaning that nightclubs could open and restaurants and bars could fill to capacity.

'It has been 561 days since we introduced the toughest measures in Norway in peacetime,' Prime Minister Erna Solberg told a news conference. 'Now the time has come to return to a normal daily life.'

The PM's unexpected unlocking kicked off boozy celebrations the following afternoon which lasted late into Saturday night, with an impromptu rave in Stavanger, a mass brawl in Tnsberg and no less than 50 fights reported to police in Oslo.

Neither vaccination status nor a negative test result was required for any venue, leading to blockbusting queues outside nightclubs and restaurants packed with dinner reservations as people returned to their favourite hangouts in droves.

In Tnsberg, police were called after a group of around ten young men (pictured) started scrapping outside a nightclub near the pier. Fortunately nobody was seriously injured and the police arrested a 20-year-old man

Fireworks during a street party in Stavanger on Saturday evening. Thousands of people across the country went out after the government announced an end to social distancing, meaning nightclubs could open and bars and restaurants could fill to capacity for the first time in more than 500 days

Fireworks in Stavanger, a city on the western coast, on Saturday night after the prime minister ended lockdown rules

Smoke is let off during a impromptu rave on the streets of Stavanger on Saturday night

People out on the streets to celebrate the end of the COVID-19 restrictions, in Oslo, on Saturday. Police in Oslo received no less than 190 reports of disturbances, slightly less than they might expect to deal with on New Year's Eve.

An ambulance takes care of the injured as Norway reopens from the coronavirus restrictions in Trondheim

Ambiance de fete cette nuit a Stavanger en Norvege ou le gouvernement a mis fin ce samedi a toutes les restrictions sanitaires dans le pays. pic.twitter.com/Mt50bDqY2U  Anonyme Citoyen (@AnonymeCitoyen) September 26, 2021

Queues for the clubs in Trondheim were so long that several people fainted while waiting to get inside.

Police in the city reported a generally good-natured atmosphere, with revellers singing the national anthem in the streets.

In Tnsberg, police were called after a group of around ten young men started scrapping outside a nightclub near the pier. Fortunately nobody was seriously injured and the police arrested a 20-year-old man.

The chaos on the streets provoked an angry response from some, including nightclub manager Johan Hoeeg Haanes in Oslo, who said the prime minister have given more warning.

'That's exactly what I predicted would happen,' he told the VG newspaper. 'It was a life-threatening situation in the city because they (government) didn't give us at least a few days advance notice. This was a dangerous situation, as police said all places were packed.'

However, others were grateful to be getting back to business despite the challenges for staff.

'It was a bit of an evening, but I'm very happy that we got to open. We are very happy with the evening in general,' said general manager at Heidi's Bier Bar in Oslo, Adrian Sneen.

'It was a bit abrupt - more than a bit - but it went well. It's just a matter of adapting and we expected that the whole of Norway would be out!'

Among other incidents, Norwegian media reported that police received an alert about a man carrying a machete on a bus in Oslo and people fainting while waiting to get into pubs in Trondheim.

'There was a significantly greater workload than during the summer. There were a lot of people out already in the afternoon and it continued during the night,' Oslo police spokesman Rune Hekkelstrand told the Norwegian public broadcaster NRK.

Police in Oslo received 190 reports of disturbances, slightly less than they would usually deal with on New Year's Eve.

There was a hedonistic atmosphere on the streets of Stavanger with smoke machines and laser lights brought out for an impromptu rave

Revellers on the streets of the western city of Stavanger on Saturday night

Fireworks go off in Stavanager on Saturday night during celebrations at the end of lockdown

Thousands pour through the streets of Stavanger during rowdy celebrations at lockdown ending on Saturday night

Ms Solberg responded to criticism of the sudden move to reopen society by saying that Norwegian health experts had supported the measure.

'We shall not have strict (coronavirus) measures unless they are professionally justified. People must be allowed to live as they wish,' she said late Saturday.

Norway is the second country in Nordic region to lift COVID-19 restrictions after Denmark did so on September 10.

More than 76 per cent of Norway's population have received one vaccine dose, and nearly 70 per cent have had both shots, according to official figures.

PM Solberg said: 'Even though everyday life is now back to normal for most people, the pandemic is not over. People will still get sick and therefore it is important that everyone gets vaccinated.'

Smoke from a machine fills the air during rowdy celebrations in Stavanger

Young and old poured onto the streets of Stavanger to celebrate the momentous occasion on Saturday night

A firework goes off as people stand outside a bar in downtown Stavanger on Saturday night

She warned, however, that those who do contract COVID-19 must still go into isolation to avoid spreading the virus.

Travel restrictions will also be relaxed, and the government will no longer advise against travelling outside of Europe.

Some restrictions will still apply to those arriving from countries considered to have a high rate of infections, the government said.

Solberg thanked the different government agencies involved in the response as well as the general public.

'I want to say: Thank-you very much, Norway,' she said.
Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) said on Sunday it was 'unfortunate' that Senator Tim Scott (R-SC) blamed congressional police reform negotiations falling through on Democrats wanting to 'defund the police.'

Earlier the same day Scott told CBS's Face the Nation that Booker wanted him to agree to a 'lose-lose proposition' that included limited or reduced funding for police departments.

Bipartisan talks on overhauling policing practices ended without an agreement on Wednesday, marking the collapse of an effort that began in April after white police officer Derek Chauvin was convicted of the murder of George Floyd, a black man in Minneapolis.

Speaking to CNN's State of the Union, Booker said the bill would have done the opposite of what his Republican colleague claims.

'This is a bill that would have had millions of dollars for police departments,' he told host Jake Tapper. 'Additional dollars, because we want to help officers with mental health issues. We want to collect more data, so we should give more resources.'

'We wanted to have more transparency, higher professional standards, and real accountability. If you break the law, you shouldn't be shielded from that. Those were the lines all along.'

Senator Cory Booker said it was 'unfortunate' that Republicans accused him of wanting to defund the police

Floyd's death, along with the publicized deaths of numerous African Americans in or after encounters with police, sparked protests across the US.

Police reform negotiations began under the Trump administration and were led by Booker and Scott in a show of bipartisanship amid an otherwise divisive political environment.

But repeated calls to 'defund the police,' especially in Democrat-controlled cities and among progressive lawmakers, has driven a wedge in the already sensitive talks.

Scott told CBS that what could have been a reckoning over policing tactics failed because Democrats 'walked away.'

'I'm not sure why they missed the moment. I have been at this table twice already. They've walked away twice. They did this a year ago and they're doing it again now,' Scott said.

Democrats blocked a Republican Senate bill last year that they said was too weak, while a tougher House-approved bill this year was derailed in the Senate by the GOP.

Scott claimed they agreed on a range of issues including military equipment, mental health and call responders, but claimed they fell short on police funding, singling out Booker for criticism specifically.

South Carolina Senator Tim Scott said Democrats tried to force him into a 'lose-lose proposition'

'Many provisions in this bill that he wanted me to agree to limited or reduced funding for the police. That's a lose-lose proposition. When you reduce funding for police, you actually lose lives in the communities. Our approach was a win-win approach. We want the best wearing the badge and we want the vulnerable protected,' Scott said.

The South Carolina Republican said there were 'eight or nine issues' over which he disagreed with Democrats, most of which included withholding federal grants and other funding as a penalty for not complying with regulations.

'When you tell local law enforcement agencies that you are ineligible for money, that's defunding the police, there's no way to spin that,' Scott said.

Booker directly disputed Scott and acknowledged that tying federal funds to regulation compliance is a common provision.

He added that part of the reform included codifying an executive order from former President Donald Trump into law.

In June 2020 Trump signed an order that created new guidelines for police use of force and de-escalation tactics, and established a national database to track police misconduct. Some of the reforms in Trump's order were tied to Justice Department grants.

Calls for police reform at the federal level were sparked after nationwide protests over police violence that began in summer 2020 over the deaths of numerous black Americans in police custody

Scott had told CBS that he disagreed with the noncompliance provision of Trump's measure.

Booker said as much on CNN, 'We couldn't even get agreement to memorialize what is already the law of the land via executive order.'

Scott said Democrats were trying to 'nationalize local policing.'

'What the Democrats asked for was a simple thing. They asked for more reporting on serious bodily injury to death. I said, that's a great idea. When they wanted to nationalize local policing, I said, that's a bad idea,' Scott said.

He suggested that a federal database for 'every single time you have any interaction' with an officer could exist, but should be strictly voluntary.

At one point the South Carolina lawmaker pointedly accused Democrats of 'playing politics.'

But Booker refused to criticize his GOP colleague.

Booker declined to criticize Scott directly but insisted he would keep fighting for reform

The two have said they are friends and have cited similar experiences of being challenged by officers.

He said both he and Scott are 'good people' who just 'couldn't get it done,' but vowed to keep going.

'This is one of those times where it's not time to cast blame. We need to take responsibility for people,' the New Jersey Democrat said.

'I take responsibility for this struggle. I'm going to continue to work. Not going to cast stones at Republicans or Tim Scott. That's not constructive.'

In a written statement Wednesday, President Joe Biden called Floyd's killing 'a stain on the soul of America,' adding, 'We will be remembered for how we responded to the call.'

He said Senate Republicans had 'rejected enacting modest reforms' that Trump had backed and some law enforcement organizations were open to.

He cited new Justice Department policies on chokeholds and other practices, and said his administration would seek ways, including with executive orders he could issue, 'to live up to the American ideal of equal justice under law.'
A mystery case of coronavirus has put several busy Queensland venues on high alert just days before the state is set to host the NRL Grand Final.

The infected man, in his 30s, has not been overseas and has had no known contact with a Covid case, but does work in the aviation industry.

A childcare centre, a McDonalds and two busy shops have been added to a late night list of close contact sites in the Sunshine State after his surprise diagnosis.

Parents of children who attend the Mother Duck Childcare and Kindergarten were sent a letter advising them a Covid-infected person had visited the centre.

A mystery case of coronavirus has put Queensland on high alert just days before the state is set to host the NRL Grand Final (pictured, health care workers in Brisbane)

The Mother Duck Childcare and Kindergarten (pictured) in northeast Brisbane was attended by a positive Covid-19 case last week

Latest Covid exposure sites in Queensland: Spring Hill. Station Restaurant and Cafe (Indoor only) 1/119 Leichardt Street. Tuesday 21 September 2021 Hill from 11.20am - 12.45pm. Close contact Spring Hill. Hill Station Restaurant and Cafe (Outdoor). 1/119 Leichardt Street. Wednesday 22 September 2021 from 10.45am - 11.30am. Casual contact Spring Hill. Hill Station Restaurant and Cafe (Outdoor) 1/119 Leichardt Street. Friday 24 September 2021 from 9.55am - 11.25am. Casual contact Spring Hill. Domino's Pizza 1c/74 Little Edward St. Tuesday 21 September 2021 from 5.35pm - 5.50pm. Casual contact Spring Hill Domino's Pizza, 1c/74 Little Edward St. Wednesday 22 September 2021 from 11.25pm - 11.45pm. Casual contact. Spring Hill. Brands Pharmacy. 2 Spring Hill Central, 448 Boundary St. Thursday 23 September 2021 from 1.35pm - 1.50pm Close contact South Brisbane. Mater Public Hospital. Emergency Department including outside Ambulance bay area. Corner Stanley Street and Raymond Terrace. Sunday 26 September 2021 from 7.30pm - 10.50pm. Casual contact South Brisbane. Adalong Student Guesthouse. 81 Stephens Road Sunday 26 September 2021 from 12am - 11.59pm. Close contact South Brisbane. Adalong Student Guesthouse. 81 Stephens Road. Friday 24 September 2021 from 12.45pm - 11.59pm. Close contact South Brisbane. Woolworths, Southpoint Metro. 217 Grey Street Friday 24 September 2021 from 2.30pm - 3.45pm Casual contact South Brisbane. Adalong Student Guesthouse. 81 Stephens Road. Saturday 25 September 2021 from 12am - 11.59pm. Close contact South Brisbane. Woolworths, Southpoint Metro. 217 Grey Street. Saturday 25 September 2021 from 1.20pm - 2pm. Casual contact South Brisbane. McDonalds Southbank Southpoint, 271 Grey Street Sunday 26 September 2021 from 11.15pm - 11.50pm. Close contact South Brisbane. Adalong Student Guesthouse. 81 Stephens Road. Monday 27 September 2021 from 12am - 11.59pm. Close contact Albany Creek. McDonalds Albany Creek Drive Thru. 768 Albany Creek Rd. Thursday 23 September 2021 from 5.05am - 5.10am. Low risk contact Eatons Hill. Mother Duck Childcare & Kindergarten. 6-12 Bunya Park Dr Eatons Hill, Queensland 4037. Thursday 23 September 2021 from 7.25am - 8am. Casual contact Rocklea. Seats 'R' Us. 1/1620 Ipswich Rd , QLD 4106 . Thursday 23 September from 11.15am - 11.45am. Close contact Aspley. Freedom Furniture 815 Zillmere Rd Brisbane. Thursday 23 September 2021 from 4.40pm - 5pm Casual contact Advertisement

Graham Nielsen, a physician from the Metro North Public Health Unit told parents a Covid-positive aviation worker had come into contact with the centre on September 23.

The worker is believed to have visited the site unknowingly infected with Covid-19.

Anyone who attended the childcare centre, 10km northeast of Brisbane's CBD, from 7:25am to 8:00am last Thursday is considered a casual contact of the virus.

Those who attended the centre at the listed time has advised to immediately isolate, get tested and quarantine until a negative result is received.

A number of visitors will be contacted directly by health officials to be placed into immediate quarantine, the statement read.

A busy McDonalds in Albany Creek (pictured) has been listed as a new Covid-19 exposure site

A Freedom store in Aspley (pictured) has been attended by a positive case of Covid-19 with those that attended at the listed times now considered a casual contact of the virus

A 'Seats R Us' in Rocklea (pictured) has also been put on high alert after the shock detection of a positive Covid-19 case in Brisbane

A busy McDonalds in Albany Creek, around 20km from the city, has also been listed as a new exposure site, as well as a furniture store a short distance away in Aspley.

A 'Seats R Us' in Rocklea has also been put on high alert after the shock detection of a positive Covid-19 case in Brisbane.

'A public health alert is being issued for locations in Eatons Hill, Albany Creek, Aspley and Rocklea following a confirmed case of COVID-19 in Brisbane,' a statement from Queensland Health stated on Monday night.

'The source of infection is under investigation. The man in his 30s works in the aviation industry, with no recent history of overseas or interstate travel.

'The case will be reported in tomorrow's Covid-19 data. Further information on the case will be provided at the press conference tomorrow morning.'

The new infection comes just days ahead of the NRL Grand Final to be hosted in Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium on Sunday, October 3.

The highly-anticipated decider will feature a clash between the South Sydney Rabbitohs and Penrith Panthers.

The new Covid-19 case comes just days ahead of the NRL Grand Final between the Rabbitohs and the Panthers (pictured) to be hosted in Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium on Sunday

Queensland previously reported zero new cases of coronavirus on Monday, with the new detection to be reported in Tuesday's tally (pictured, health care workers in Brisbane)

Queensland reported zero new cases of coronavirus earlier on Monday with Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk taking the opportunity to announce two new vaccination centres on the Gold Coast.

The two hubs, located at the Tugun Private Hospital and in Coomera, will be up and running in just two weeks time.

Queensland Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young urged Queenslanders to come forward for a jab and said she was looking forward to the easing of restrictions.

'We should all prepare and hope and get people vaccinated,' she said.

'The more people who are vaccinated the more likely we can remove those last remaining restrictions.'
Senate Republicans are expected to block a bill on Monday that would fund the government and head off a U.S. debt default as part of a strategy to saddle Democrats with a hike in the nation's borrowing ceiling ahead of next year's midterm elections.

While both sides agree the $28.4 trillion limit on borrowing must be raised before the federal government defaults on its loans or has to stop paying military personnel or social security benefits, they are deadlocked over who should act.

The result is increasingly dire warnings of financial catastrophe and recession that could cost up to six million jobs.

The first deadline in a high-stakes week, with President Biden's vast spending plans on the line, comes on Monday evening.

Republicans have made clear they will not back a bill to fund the U.S. government through Dec. 3 and suspend the nation's borrowing limit until the end of next year.

'This could not be simpler,' said Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell last week.

'If they want to tax, borrow, and spend historic sums of money without our input, theyll have to raise the debt limit without our help.

'This is the reality. Ive been saying this very clearly since July.'

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell has said Republicans will not support a bill that includes raising the U.S. debt ceiling in a vote on Monday. 'If they want to tax, borrow, and spend historic sums of money without our input, theyll have to raise the debt limit without our help,' he said recently, despite the looming threat of a shutdown

Democrats face a crucial week with a series of votes that could define Joe Biden's presidency. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (r) is deep in negotiations to steer through a massive $3.5 trillion spending plan

A new report claims that a US default on federal debt would be 'catastrophic' to the economy, as Republicans and Democrats in Congress try to reach a deal this week

Instead, McConnell is urging Democrats to include their increase with their partisan multi-trillion dollar tax and spending plan - that President Biden and Nancy Pelosi hope to steer through Congress with only Democratic votes.

'They cannot put partisan ambitions ahead of basic duties,' said McConnell.

'The party-line authors of this reckless taxing and spending spree will be the party-line owners of raising the debt limit.'

Democrats are pushing through their $3.5 trillion spending package using a legislative process known as reconciliation, allowing them to avoid Republican opposition in the form of the filibuster.

Adding the debt ceiling to the package would highlight the price tag - which Republicans say may end up as much as $4.3 trillion - and distract from popular elements such as paid family leave, say insiders.

'The price tag and then the tax hikes that have to go along with that are going to be a core argument for Republicans next year in the mid-terms,' said a Senate GOP aide.

Jeanne Zaino, professor of political science at Iona College, told DailyMail.com that McConnell had a clear eye on winning back the House and the Senate next week, and his moves had made it harder for Democrats to push the benefits of their spending plan.

'Whether it's free education or these birth-to-death issues, they can't get to the point to talk about it because they have been railroaded by the Republicans to focus on this top line number,' she said.

Senator Joni Ernst, an Iowa Republican, told Bloomberg News that the party-line debt limit vote would crystalize the case that Democrats spending was out of control.

Republicans are lining up to link the debt ceiling increase to President Biden's spending plans

Democrats accuse Republicans of hypocrisy in their opposition to supporting an increase

The US Treasury Department said it will run out of cash in October unless Congress raises its debt ceiling. The chart shows how the department predicts it will run out of money from now until October 20, when it owed more than $20billion to Social Security recipients

'It will be very effective in Iowa,' she said.

GOP strategist John Feehery said Democrats would have to own to debt increase.

'No Republicans are gonna extend the debt limit so the Democrats can spend more,' he said. 'The politics would be terrible for any Republican who does it.'

Democrats say it is irresponsible of Republicans to develop a partisan strategy with an eye on midterms when the country faces so many crises.

'It is bad for the economy,' said Senator Cory Booker, a New Jersey Democrat. 'It is bad during this time we are struggling with a pandemic.

During an interview with CNN he also pointed out that the debt grew by more than $7 trillion under President Trump.

But Republicans shrug off the criticism, saying that Democrats control the White House and Congress, and have all the tools they need to raise the ceiling.

'The idea that it would be Republicans who case a default strains credulity,' said the aide.

And Zaino said Democrats had their own good reason to play brinksmanship with the ceiling rather than pursue their own solution.

'They want to make the case that Republicans are not playing fair, they are not bipartisan,' she said.

'When it's Trump they are willing to raise the ceiling, when it's Biden they are not.'

The latest forecasts spell out the stakes, suggesting the Treasury Department could run out of cash by mid-October if lawmakers do not act fast.

'New data demonstrate that Congress has only weeks to address the debt limit,' Shai Akabas, director of economic policy at the Bipartisan Policy Center, said in a statement.

'If they don't, the U.S. government risks missing or delaying critical bills that will come due in mid-October that millions of Americans rely on, from military paychecks and retirement benefits to advanced child tax credit payments.'



Moody's Analytics recently predicted that the US defaulting on its debt payments could be a 'catastrophic blow' to COVID-19 economic recovery and result in the loss of six million jobs, raising the nation's unemployment rate from 5.4 percent to nine percent.

Moody's explained: 'The original intent of the debt limit was to be a forcing mechanism on lawmakers to remain fiscally disciplined.'

The analysis also said after running out of cash the Treasury Department would be unable to meet 40% of all payments due through mid-November.

'How Treasury would operate in such an environment is unclear,' it said. 'Prioritization and delayed payments are two possibilities, but substantial uncertainty exists about operationalizing them.'

The debt ceiling is just one of a series of crucial votes in Congress this week that could define Biden's presidency.

House Democrats face a vote on a $1 trillion infrastructure bill passed by the Senate with considerable Republican support last month to fund road, bridge, airport, school and other projects.

But progressives say they don't want to vote until the bigger $3.5 trillion package is agreed.
Advertisement

A two-year-old girl who died in a caravan fire was laid to rest today in a tiny Peppa Pig-themed coffin as her mother broke down while paying tribute to the 'beautiful' toddler.

Hundreds of mourners gathered outside St Mary Magdalene Church in Newark today to remember Louisiana Brooke Dolan, who died in the incident at a park in Ingoldmells, Lincolnshire, on August 23.

In a touching tribute to the little girl, all the mourners attending the service were dressed in pink and floral tributes in the shape of Peppa Pig were laid alongside the toddler's coffin.

The service started with Somewhere Over The Rainbow by Eva Cassidy, and also included Goosebumps by Travis Scott - one of her favourite songs.

During a particularly moving moment in the service, Louisiana's mother, Natasha Broadley, read a poem in memory of her daughter.

Hundreds of mourners gathered outside St Mary Magdalene Church in Newark today to remember Louisiana Brooke Dolan, who died in the incident at a park in Ingoldmells, Lincolnshire, on August 23. The service included an emotional tribute from Louisiana's mother, Natasha Broadley (pictured)

The service started with Somewhere Over The Rainbow by Eva Cassidy, and also included Goosebumps by Travis Scott - one of her favourite songs. Above: The little girl's Peppa Pig-themed coffin being carried into the church

Large crowds lined the streets of Newark including many well-wishers who had no connection the family

She also described her daughter as 'the smallest of my babies, my beautiful tiny tot' and told how her death meant that her life would never be the same again.

Large crowds lined the streets of Newark including many well-wishers who had no connection the family, the Newark Advertiser reported.

The toddler, from Newark in Nottinghamshire, had been staying at the Sealands Holiday Home Park with her mother and three other children, who survived and were discharged after treatment in hospital, her inquest heard on Friday.

Coroner's officer Jacqui Foxlow said: 'Sadly we were unable to establish a visual identification of the deceased.

'Samples were taken from a family member for DNA profiling.

'These have been compared against samples taken at post-mortem and consequently identity was confirmed.'

The toddler, from Newark in Nottinghamshire, had been staying at the Sealands Holiday Home Park with her mother and three other children, who survived and were discharged after treatment in hospital, her inquest heard on Friday

The tragic toddler died in the horror blaze at Sealands Caravan Park in Ingoldmells, near Skegness on August 23 (Pictured: The burnt-out caravan following the fire)

The service started with Somewhere Over The Rainbow by Eva Cassidy, and also included Goosebumps by Travis Scott - one of her favourite song

The little girl's coffin was carried through the streets of Newark in a horse-drawn hearse past hundreds of mourners who lined the streets

The pristine hearse carried Louisiana's coffin through the streets to St Mary Magdalene Church, where her funeral was held

Asked by assistant coroner for Lincolnshire, Paul Cooper, to provide a cause of death, Ms Foxlow said: 'We have a provisional conclusion as 'inhalation of the products of combustion' which is pending toxicology and histology.'

The court heard the further tests could take up to two and a half months, although a final report is expected in the next few weeks.

Police inquiries are ongoing, the coroner was told, and reports have been requested from a GP, East Midlands Ambulance Service, and Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue.

The coroner adjourned the inquest to a date to be fixed.

In the fire two months ago, around 50 people had to be evacuated and were housed in emergency accommodation.

One witness, Leigh Sleafer, whose caravan was a few down from the fire, said the deadly blaze had left her seven-year-old autistic son being sick and traumatised her other children.

She told MailOnline at the time: 'I'm not really sure what happened as I was in the shower and had just settled my children down.

Large crowds lined the streets of Newark including many well-wishers who had no connection the family, the Newark Advertiser reported

The toddler, from Newark in Nottinghamshire, had been staying at the Sealands Holiday Home Park with her mother and three other children, who survived and were discharged after treatment in hospital, her inquest heard on Friday

Pallbearers lifted the little girl's coffin from the horse-drawn hearse before carrying it into St Mary Magdalene Church

One mourner carried a photograph of the little girl into the church. During the service, her mother described her as 'the smallest of my babies, my beautiful tiny tot' and told how her death meant that her life would never be the same again

Floral tributes to the little girl included a pram and a Peppa Pig creation, along with balloons and a teddy bear

One message displayed outside the church read 'Good night Wee-Wee'. Hundreds of people turned out to watch the cortege make its way to the church

Peppa Pig floral tributes were carried from the back of the hearse after Louisiana's coffin was carried into the church

'My friend was outside, we saw what I thought was a heavy cloud of smoke and thought I heard kids shouting.'

She continued: 'Next thing I knew was my friend came in saying there was a caravan on fire.

'One of my children is autistic and was so distraught he was being sick so I had to get them all away from the fire and took them down the road to work out what we was going to do. We are now at home safe but very traumatised from it all.'

She added: 'I'm heartbroken for the family and for all that saw this so tragic. Sleep tight little angel.'

Ms Sleafer said she left the caravan site in the middle of the night with her children and drove them three hours home to Bedfordshire to 'feel safe with their dad'.

Another witness said: 'It was heartbreaking to see, someone ran to me asking me for my fire extinguisher because there were two little ones in the van.

'I tried to tell her my little extinguisher wouldn't help.' Another woman said on Facebook: 'My sister was in the van next door but was out at the time.

'She was just walking back to the van when it happened but by sounds it was very very bad. It exploded. That poor women and her five kids.'

And another added: 'So sad, we're staying on this site and didn't know anything about it until just now when we tried to walk out of the site and it was all blocked off.'
Taxi passengers are bracing themselves for a financial hit as the petrol crisis saw demand soar amid warnings of expensive fares.

The Free Now cab company said they had been deluged by customers over the weekend, while the fuel chaos continued.

And it came as one Uber worker warned prices could be high as it was difficult to get petrol to power the cars.

Driver Tommy Hopper said online: 'I'm an Uber driver and unable to work because I can't get petrol,

'Ubers will be very expensive this morning due to the lack of drivers.

'A lot of our cars are hybrid but they still need petrol, the petrol engine charges the battery.'

Taxi drivers protest against fuel price costs in Liverpool city centre earlier this month

Cars queue at a Tesco garage in Frien Barnet in London today as the fuel carnage continued

Uber driver Tommy Hopper said the scarcity of fuel was stopping him being able to work

A Free Now spokesperson said there had been an uptick in people wanting cars.

They added: 'Over the last weekend the FREE NOW ride-hailing app has seen a 20% increase in demand for taxi rides.'

To make matters worse some Uber driver are staging a strike on Tuesday over issues including pay and claims that workers are being unfairly dismissed.

Members of the App Drivers and Couriers Union (ADCU) will hold protests in London, Bristol, Birmingham, Nottingham, Sheffield, Manchester, Leeds and Glasgow, and are urging people not to use the service during the 24-hour walkout.

The union has accused the company of failing to implement a court ruling to pay waiting time, which it says makes up around 40% of an Uber driver's working time, and claims that large numbers of drivers are being unfairly sacked.

Out of use signs are displayed on fuel pumps in a Shell garage in Muswell Hill in London today

Cars refueling at a BP service station in Wetherby near Leeds, after long waits for fuel again today

Tesco staff directing the queues during a rain storm on Monday morning at the petrol station in Ely, Cambridgeshire,

Uber insisted it is working with unions to raise standards for drivers.

The union is also in dispute over the introduction of fixed price fares which it claims has led to reduced driver incomes.

Yaseen Aslam, ADCU president said: 'It is shameful that Uber continues to defy the highest court in the land to cheat 70,000 workers out of pay for 40% of their true working time.

'The drivers know they deserve and are legally entitled to much more than Uber is offering.

'This strike is just the beginning and there will be much more unrest until Uber does the right thing and pays drivers all that they are owed, both pension contributions and working time.'

General secretary James Farrar added: 'Uber has continued to intensify its use of junk surveillance tech and algorithmic management control to maximise profits.

'The results have been catastrophic, with hundreds of people unfairly dismissed and accused of unspecified 'fraudulent activity'.

'Instead of trying to gag unions from exposing the flaws in their tech, Uber should instead guarantee all drivers protection from unfair dismissal and the right to access a proper, human-led appeals process.'

An Uber spokesperson said: 'Following the historic trade union recognition deal with GMB, drivers have an even stronger voice within Uber.

'We are working together with our trade union partner to raise standards for drivers through greater transparency and engagement.

'GMB represents drivers in areas such as earnings, deactivations and the implementation of new worker benefits, such as holiday pay and pensions.'

Uber formally recognised the GMB earlier this year, saying the union could represent up to 70,000 Uber drivers across the UK.

Uber announced in March that 70,000 drivers will be treated as workers, earning at least the National Living Wage, with paid-for holiday time. Those eligible will be automatically enrolled into a pension plan.
A former Royal Marine who has a fear of the water has become the first person to row unsupported across the Atlantic via the treacherous northern route.

Dave 'Dinger' Bell, 49, departed from New York on his solar powered boat on May 31 before battling tropical storms, 10ft high waves and his self-confessed fear of open water.

Mr Bell, who described how he was left feeling 'physically trembling and sick' as he embarked on his mission across the ocean, finally arrived at Newyln, Cornwall, yesterday after rowing alone for 119 days at sea.

He is the first person ever to row solo and unsupported from North America to Europe - a 3,000 mile journey which is exceptionally dangerous due to the freezing weather and powerful currents.

Dave 'Dinger' Bell, 49, departed from New York on May 31 and arrived at Newyln, Cornwall, yesterday

The former Royal Marine (pictured approaching Newlyn) battled tropical storms, 10ft high waves and his self-confessed fear of open water

Mr Bell has become the first person ever to row solo and unsupported from North America to Europe

Mr Bell, from Bere Regis, Dorset, said: 'It was an epic mix of emotions - I felt the full range. The things you feel out at sea are always hugely exaggerated.

'When the ocean was calm the silence was the most profound I have ever experienced - I just felt insanely content.

'Then there were other moments when the weather worked against me, like in the Isle of Scilly, when a combination of currents and strong winds almost pushed into the rocks.

'The scariest thing was the uncertainty - when I left New York I was physically trembling and felt sick.

'And when I was waiting for the first storm to hit, I had no idea how my boat would cope - you have to just anchor down, sit tight, and wait to come out the other side.'

Barry Hayes, who posted updates on Mr Bell's journey on social media, said: 'Dave needed an incredible challenge and the route across the north Atlantic is the most dangerous you can do.

'Based on the stats, it has the most fatalities in the history of ocean rowing because of a combination of the gulf stream, strong tidal currents, and cold weather.

'Dave has a real phobia of open water and that was one if the things which made it such an enormous challenge for him. It was very much a personal journey for him.'

Mr Bell departed from New York at 2am on May 31 and spent the next four months alone.

His 24ft boat, called Billy No Mates, was fitted with solar panels which powered radio and satellite equipment used to send regular updates to his team, weather monitors, and a water purifier.

The former royal marine (pictured on his boat called Billy No Mates) would row for an average of 12 hours a day

He was met by a cheering crowd and a warm embrace from his father, Jeff, upon his arrival to Newyln, Cornwall

When the former marine arrived to England he had just one day left of food supplies (left and right)

Mr Bell was forced to divert from Falmouth to Newlyn where the coastguard and RNLI accompanied him to shore

Mr Bell rowed non-stop for 40 hours on the final stretch of his journey off the Scilly Isles

Pictured: The cramped sleeping conditions which Mr Bell was left with on his journey

He would row for an average of 12 hours a day and spend the nights huddled from the elements in his small cabin.

Along the way he encountered dolphins, whales, swordfish and even got stung by a jelly fish.

On his final stretch Mr Bell rowed non-stop for 40 hours as he fought against difficult conditions off the Scilly Isles.

The tumultuous conditions forced him to divert from Falmouth to Newlyn where the local RNLI and coastguard helicopter accompanied him to shore.

Mr Bell was met by a cheering crowd, a warm embrace from his father, Jeff, and a kiss from his dog, Yogi, after his four month adventure.

Mr Bell (pictured battling the waves) described how he experienced 'an epic mix of emotions' during his voyage

He arrived with just one day left of food supplies, narrowly missing the worst of an Atlantic depression which brought strong winds and rain to the UK.

The route from North America to continental Europe has been attempted less than 60 times before.

Earlier this year 70-year-old Frank Rothwell became the oldest man to row unaided across the Atlantic, but he went from the Canary Islands to Antigua.

Mr Bell's expedition was self-funded, with funds raised going to two charities, The SBS Association and Rock 2 Recovery UK.
Labour members have voted overwhelmingly to condemn the UK's new defence pact with the US and Australia as they claimed it 'undermines world peace'.

Activists attending the party's annual conference voted by 70 per cent to 30 per cent to urge Sir Keir Starmer to oppose the AUKUS deal which will see Australia secure its first ever fleet of nuclear-powered submarines.

The vote came just hours after shadow defence secretary John Healey said that under a Labour government 'Britain will no longer be half-hearted about essential alliances and treaties'.

The vote represents a moment of political embarrassment for Sir Keir who welcomed the AUKUS pact and said it 'makes Britain safer' and 'makes the world safer'.

Shadow defence secretary John Healey said that under a Labour government 'Britain will no longer be half-hearted about essential alliances and treaties'

Activists attending the party's annual conference in Brighton voted by 70 per cent to 30 per cent to urge Sir Keir Starmer to oppose the AUKUS deal

The AUKUS deal will see the three nations share military technologies such as artificial intelligence, cyber defence, quantum computing and long-range strike capabilities.

The submarine element of the agreement sparked a furious backlash from France because Canberra walked away from an existing deal with Paris for a fleet of diesel-electric submarines.

China also reacted with anger to the deal, with Beijing viewing the shifted emphasis to the Indo-Pacific region as a provocation.

Labour members today voted on an emergency motion at conference to condemn the pact.

The motion stated: 'Conference believes that in contradiction to Tory PM Johnson's statement that "this will promote stability in the Indo-Pacific region", in fact, this is a dangerous move which will undermine world peace.'

It added: 'Conference resolves to oppose the AUKUS agreement and make appropriate moves to de-escalate the situation.'

The motion was approved by 70.35 per cent to 29.65 per cent at the conference in Brighton.

The vote came just hours after Mr Healey used his big speech to try to rebuild Labour's security and defence credentials.

He said: 'With Labour and Keir Starmer, the country will get the leadership to forge a new and powerful role for Britain in the world.

'Britain will be democracys most reliable ally. Britain will no longer be half-hearted about essential alliances and treaties, in the UN, NATO, Five Eyes, International Court of Justice.

The AUKUS deal will see the three nations share military technologies such as artificial intelligence, cyber defence, quantum computing and long-range strike capabilities

'Britain will forge a flexible geometry of new alliances where needed for our national security and international stability.'

The conference vote was slammed by the GMB union, which warned opposition to the pact 'undermines industries where jobs are under threat'.

GMB regional secretary Hazel Nolan said Labour conference has 'proven itself to be out of touch and on the wrong side of job creation once again'.

She added: 'This deal could be a real opportunity for UK manufacturing. To dismiss it out of hand is nonsense.

'If it ever wants to be in power, Labour needs to get back to its roots and speak up for jobs and the concerns of working people.'
Emmanuel Macron has been egged by a protester shouting, 'Vive la revolution,' during a visit to Lyon to promote French gastronomy.

The president was greeting supporters on Monday when the egg struck him on the left shoulder and bounced onto his cheek, remaining intact.

Macron flinched as a bodyguard quickly pulled him back and another placed a hand in front of the president's face to prevent any further incoming fire.

'If he has something to tell me, let him come,' the head of state said after the culprit was dragged away by the secret service.

'I'll talk to him after. Go get him,' Macron told his bodyguards.

The egg is seen flying through the air shortly before it bounces off Macron's shoulder. The assailant shouted 'Vive la revolution' as the egg was thrown

The egg bounced off his shoulder and onto his cheek, remaining intact, before it fell to the ground

The culprit was swiftly taken to the side with his hands behind his back by secret service members

Secret service personnel quickly get their bodies in front of Macron to prevent any further attack

'If he has something to tell me, let him come,' the head of state said afterwards

Although the egg did not break on impact it was not hard-boiled, with further images showing it broken on the ground.

Macron had been chatting to supporters while attending the International Catering and Hospitality Fair (Sirha) where he received an otherwise a fond reception.

A spokeswoman for the president did not answer a request for comment.

The attack comes just months after Macron was slapped across the face while on a walkabout in southern France.

Damien Tarel, 28, was sentenced to 18 months in prison in June after striking the president while he was greeting voters in the village of Tain-l'Hermitage.

The Medieval role-playing 'geek' who lived with his mother remained unrepentant as he was jailed, saying that Macron represented 'France's decay.'

Macron attempted to play it down as an isolated incident at the time as it came at the beginning of a 'Tour de Frace' to assess the mood of the nation.

The President is gearing up for a fierce campaign ahead of the presidential election in April, with Marine Le Pen his main rival in the polls.

A poll of polls compiled by Politico has Macron taking 24 per cent of the vote, while Ms Le Pen lurks just behind on 23 per cent and right-wing Xavier Bertrand trails them both on 17 per cent.

These numbers would mean that Macron and Le Pen would then continue onto a deciding vote as they did in 2017.

Many experts believe that, once again, France would back Macron given the choice of Le Pen.

However, his approval rating has been dented by the pandemic and had already been falling, with massive Yellow Vest protests gripping the nation in 2018.

Macron smiling and chatting with supporters shorty before he was hit by the egg

Macron chatting to his supporters outside the International Catering and Hospitality Fair (Sirha) in Lyon

Public dissatisfaction has been compounded by his bungled vaccine programme, that saw him brazenly claiming the AstraZeneca jab was only 'quasi-effective' before quickly backtracking amid poor uptake among the sceptical public.

The voters disdain for the EU has increased, leaving Macron more isolated as Le Pen gains ground.

Impatience with the president has been fuelled not just by the glacial vaccine roll-out but also by his apparent contradictions of scientific advice, with rivals referring to him as a 'Napoleon' and accusing the president of believing that he is an epidemiologist.

Adding to his woes, voting intentions for Le Pen's party have not been this positive since her father Jean-Marie Le Pen's campaign in 2002, when he reached the second round of the presidential election.

The right-wing party is ranking ahead of any other party in France among the 25-34 age group, who have faced unemployment and soaring costs of student loans.

Many of the younger age groups had already turned against Macron in the Yellow Vest protests of 2018, the pandemic only hardening their positions.
The Biden administration on Monday took steps to revamp a Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) proposal after a July ruling prohibited the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) from granting new requests.

DACA, which protects over 600,000 people who were brought to the country illegally as children, known as Dreamers, has been bogged down in legal cases since its inception in 2012, and the rule would fortify the program against future litigation.

The proposed rule will now go through a 60-day public comment period.

A judge from the southern district of Texas in July sided with DACA opponents who argued the 2012 Obama policy was unconstitutional.

District Judge Andrew Hanen found the program violated the Administrative Procedure Act (APA) when it was created but said that since there were so many people currently enrolled in the program - nearly 650,000 - his ruling would be temporarily stayed for their cases until further court rulings in the case.

The new rule comes as Biden is taking heat from all sides for his immigration agenda. Last week nearly 17,000 Haitians, many spurred by a perception that his administration would be kind to them

DACA, which protects over 600,000 people who were brought to the country illegally as children, known as Dreamers, has been bogged down in legal cases since its inception in 2012, and the rule would fortify the program against future litigation

Over 600,000 recipients benefit from the DACA program

'To be clear,' the judge said, the order does not require the government to take 'any immigration, deportation or criminal action against any DACA recipient.'

The judge had said the program did not elicit feedback from the public or consider its effect on states.

His ruling shut down the program for new recipients - who also weren't able to apply for much of the Trump administration.

The Justice Department earlier this month appealed the ruling.

Monday's new rule not only seeks public comment but allows time for an in-depth legal justification of the program.

Biden issued a memorandum on his first day in office directing the secretary of the Department of Homeland Security to take 'all actions he deems appropriate' to 'preserve and fortify' the program, which former President Trump tried to end.

The U.S. Supreme Court last year blocked a bid by Trump to end DACA, saying that his administration had done so in an 'arbitrary and capricious' manner.

In a statement on the new rule, DHS said it 'embraces the consistent judgement that has been maintained by the Departmentand by three presidential administrations since the policy first was announcedthat DACA recipients should not be a priority for removal.'

However, the department stressed that Congress still needed to act on permanent legislation.

'Only Congress can provide permanent protection' for Dreamers, DHS said.

The new rule would operate largely the same as the 2012 one, offering two years' protection from deportation and a two year work permit for those who arrived as children before 2007 while they were under the age of 16 and can pay a $495 fee.

Earlier this month, Senate parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough ruled that Democrats cannot include immigration legislation in their $3.5 trillion social spending bill to be assed through budget reconciliation, meaning that they will now have to court the votes of at least 10 Republicans to move on DACA legislation or a path to citizenship.

The new rule comes as Biden is taking heat from all sides for his immigration agenda. Last week nearly 17,000 Haitians, many spurred by a perception that his administration would be kind to them, tried to enter the US at the southern border,

Nearly 4,000 were sent away under Title 42, a Trump-era coronavirus public health order.

But Mayorkas admitted Sunday that 12,000 Haitians have been released into the US, adding that that number could grow.

'Approximately, I think it's about 10,000 or so  12,000 thousand,' Mayorkas told Fox News Sunday when asked how many have already been released into the country.

'It could be even higher,' he added. 'The number that are returned could be even higher. What we do is we follow the law as Congress has passed it.'

Still, he downplayed the swell as 'nothing new' and decried a 'broken' immigration system.

'11 million people in this country without lawful presence is a compelling reason why there is unanimity about the fact that our immigration system is broken and legislative reform is needed,' Mayorkas said.
Authorities in Florida are desperately searching for a 19-year-old college student who vanished from her apartment on Friday, leaving behind signs of a violent struggle, including bloodstains on a pillow.

According to the Orange County Sheriff's Office, Miya Marcano was last seen at around 5pm on September 24 at the Arden Villas apartments on Arden Villas Boulevard on Orlando, where she lives and works in the leasing office.

Marcano's family said Miya, who attends Valencia College, was scheduled to catch a flight to Fort Lauderdale that night, but she never made it to the airport.

Scroll down for video

Where is Miya? Authorities in Florida are searching for 19-year-old Florida college student Miya Marcano. She was last seen at her apartment complex in Orlando on Friday

Marcano lives at the Arden Villas apartments in Orlando and also works in the leasing office

When deputies searched Miya's apartment, they found that someone had blocked the door to her bedroom, reported Fox 35.

The window in the bedroom was unlocked, and the room was disarray. A bloodstain was discovered on the missing woman's pillow, raising concerns for Marcano's safety.

Miya's father, local DJ Marlon Marcano, posted on social media: 'there were signs of struggle in her apartment  and she may be in danger.'

The sheriff's office has not said whether Marcano's disappearance is being treated as a criminal matter.

On Sunday, deputies scoured a wooded area near the apartment building in search for the missing woman

Deputies were said to have found signs of struggle inside Marcano's unit, inclduding blood on her pillow

Marcano's loved ones on Sunday held a prayer village outside the apartment building

Neighbor Anastasia Holland described Miya to News4Jax as shy and friendly, but 'on the quiet side.'

On Sunday, Miya's family and friends held a prayer vigil outside her apartment building and begged for her safe return.

'All we ask you is help us bring Miya home,' said Joysue Thompson, Marcanos grandmother. 'Bring her home safe. Drop her off. Let us know where she is. We will pick her up. Just bring her home.'

Deputies on Sunday searched a wooded area near the apartment complex and also used a helicopter to look for clues from the air.

Marcano is a student at Valencia College in Orlando. She is pictured above on her 18th birthday

Marcano, pictured left with her father, Marlon, was set to fly out to Fort Lauderdale on Friday, but she never made it. Her dad wrote online 'she may be in danger'

Marcano, pictured on the day of her high school graduation last year, is 5 feet tall and weighing 130lbs, with brown hair and green eyes

Marcano's father on Sunday posted on his Instagram page an impassioned plea addressed directly to his daughter: 'Mimi, my heart is aching. I havent slept or eaten in days. Where are you baby??? Your whole family is here looking for you. We will not stop until youre back home. Im slowly losing my mind over here. Never have we ever gone so long without even a text message to each other. If your able to read this message, please know that your Daddy and the entire world loves you. Please dont lose faith. We will find you. I love you always and forever!'

Marcano is described as 5 feet tall and weighing 130lbs, with brown hair and green eyes. Anyone with information on her whereabouts is being asked to call at 407-836-4357.
A police officer has denied sexually assaulting three people, including two teenagers over a three year period.

Mohammed Adnan Ali, 35, a constable with Greater Manchester Police, pleaded not guilty to five counts of sexual assault, 15 charges of misconduct in a public office and one count of distributing indecent images at Liverpool Crown Court on Monday.

The officer, who previously ran the Trafford branch of the Volunteer Police Cadets, is alleged to have made sexualised remarks to teenagers, asked for indecent images and to have sent images of himself in his underwear and in the bath.

It is alleged that between 2015 and 2018 he sexually assaulted two females and a male, including a 15-year-old and a 17-year-old.

Ali pleaded not guilty to 21 charges including five counts of sexual assault, 15 charges of misconduct in a public office and one count of distributing indecent images

Honorary Recorder of Liverpool Judge Andrew Menary QC adjourned the case until a trial, expected to last up to six weeks, on September 12 next year.

Ali, of Old Trafford, Manchester, was released on conditional bail.

The officer was first arrested in October 2018 on suspicion of police corruption.

The allegation was investigated by GMPs major incident team under the direction and control of the Independent Office of Police Conduct (IOPC).

He was arrested a second time on November 2018, again on suspicion of police corruption, and a third time in March 2019 on suspicion of sexual assault, misconduct in a public office and distributing an indecent image.
Just half of children in England want a Covid vaccine, according to the biggest study of its kind.

Researchers surveyed more than 27,000 nine to 18-year-olds across the country earlier this year ahead of the controversial plans to jab healthy secondary school pupils.

Exactly 50 per cent were willing to have the vaccine, while a third (37 per cent) were undecided and 13 per cent wanted to opt out.

Younger children were less willing to get vaccinated than older teenagers, of whom the majority said they would accept a jab. Youngsters who had previously tested positive or believed that they had survived Covid already were more likely to decline a vaccine.

The research was carried out by the University of Oxford, University College London (UCL) and the Cambridge University. Among the main authors were UCL's Professor Russell Viner and Professor Sir Andrew Pollard of Oxford, who sit on influential panels advising No10.

Britain began inoculating healthy 12 to 15-year-olds children with a single dose of Pfizer's vaccine for the first time last week.

It did so despite originally not getting the blessing from No10's vaccines advisory panel, which said the health benefit to youngsters was 'marginal'.

The Joint Committee for Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) left the decision to Chris Whitty and the chief medical officers in the devolved nations.

They signed off on the plans on the basis it could prevent hundreds of thousands of school absences. Health chiefs have yet to disclose exactly how many newly-eligible children have taken up the vaccine.

Younger children were less willing to get vaccinated than older teenagers, of whom the majority said they would accept a jab. Youngsters who had previously tested positive or believe that they had Covid already were more likely to decline a vaccine

Researchers surveyed more than 27,000 nine to 18-year-olds across the country earlier this year ahead of the controversial plans to jab healthy school pupils. Exactly 50 per cent were willing to have the vaccine, while a third (37 per cent) were undecided and 13 per cent wanted to opt out

Fourteen-year-old Jack Lane became one of the first to benefit from the extension of Britain's jab rollout to children last week at Belfairs Academy in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex

Teenagers aged 16 and 17 have been invited for a jab since August.

Overall, more than a million under-18s have been jabbed so far, including children who were prioritised earlier on in the vaccine drive because they have underlying conditions.

The latest survey was carried out in schools across Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Merseyside between May and July this year.

Students who were more hesitant about getting the jab were also more likely to spend longer on social media, attend schools in deprived areas, and feel as though they did not identify with their school community, the study found.

Is this the start of the fourth wave? Covid cases begin to spill over from children to their parents Children are beginning to spread coronavirus to their parents again, official figures suggest amid fears a fourth wave could be imminent. Department of Health statistics show England's infection rates have been rising for a fortnight, following the return of millions of pupils to classrooms at the start of the month. But infections were only increasing in youngsters, bolstering evidence that the reopening of schools was to blame. Government data now shows, however, rates have started trending upwards in 35 to 39-year-olds, 40 to 44-year-olds and 45 to 50-year-olds, suggesting that children may have taken the virus home with them. Experts had always warned of a fresh wave after the return of schools, where the majority are not vaccinated. In the worst-hit parts of the country, up to one in 24 children tested positive last week alone. Scientists say the rise in adults might be the result of millions more Britons returning to offices this month, following the end of work from home guidance. Advertisement

Researchers are calling for more resources and information about the benefits and risks of vaccination to be provided to children to help inform their decision.

They said they were open to the idea of collaborating with social media platforms like TikTok and using influencers to get the messaging across.

Sir Andrew, director of the Oxford Vaccine Group, said: 'Given the huge disruption that has happened in education and for children, I think this study is really important because it's highlighting that we've actually missed this really important group in making sure they have access to information.

'And of course they don't access their information by reading the newspaper or watching broadcast news. A lot of it is through social media.'

He added: 'We have some work to do in order to improve that.'

Dr Mina Fazel, an expert in child and adolescent psychiatry at Oxford, said: 'The young people we've spoken to are saying that we need to use social media channels.

'Maybe celebrities getting involved might be a route that they would listen to more.'

She added: 'I'm also very interested in how to use TikTok. We open the door to any kind of influencers  major influencers, minor influencers  who want to learn more about these findings in order to provide information in their medium.'

The survey found that the majority of youngsters who said they were hesitant about getting the vaccine were still undecided.

Professor Viner, an expert in child and adolescent health at UCL, said: 'That is a huge opportunity for us, but it also suggests that there is risk.'

He warned: 'Young people are potentially vulnerable to those pushing views that are very strongly opposed to vaccination.'

Vaccination could be offered to young people in a variety of different locations, not just schools, to improve the uptake among students, researchers say.

Professor Viner said: 'Our findings suggest it will be essential to reach out and engage with young people from poorer families and communities with lower levels of trust in vaccination and the health system.

'A school-based vaccination programme, as planned in England, is one way of helping reduce these health disparities.

'However, the teenagers who are least engaged with their school communities may need additional support for us to achieve the highest uptake levels.'

He added: 'Scotland is offering young people the ability to drop into any vaccination centres, and I think those kinds of policies, aligned with the school policy, are the best way for us to offer the choice to all young people.'
President Joe Biden received his Pfizer COVID-19 booster shot in front of reporters Monday afternoon on the White House's campus.

'I know it doesn't look like it, but I am over 65 - way over. And that's why I'm getting my booster shot today,' the president said speaking from a podium in the South Court Auditorium, before he rolled up his sleeve.

And first lady Jill Biden, 70, also got her vaccine booster on Monday at the White House but she received hers behind closed doors.

'The First Lady received her booster shot this afternoon in the White House,' her spokesperson Michael LaRosa said in a statement.

Biden, during his remarks, again shamed Americans who refused to get vaccinated, saying they accounted for about 23 per cent of the eligible population.

'And that distinct minority is causing an awful lot of damage for the rest of the country,' he said. 'This is a pandemic of the unvaccinated,' he repeated.

The president said he didn't have any side effects when he received his first and second doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine.

'And I don't anticipate one now,' he said of his booster, seated and ready to receive his jab.

President Joe Biden receives his COVID-19 booster shot on campus at the White House Monday

The president joked about being 'way older' than 65, which makes him eligible to get a Pfizer booster

President Joe Biden spoke to the press about vaccinations Monday before getting his third dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine

Biden took off his blue suit jacket and got help rolling up his long sleeve button-down shirt.

A nurse for the White House Medical Unit administered Biden's shot.

He talked to reporters through getting his booster.

Last week, White House press secretary Jen Psaki pledged that Biden would get the shot in front of cameras.

'I'll be getting my booster shot. It's hard to acknowledge I'm over 65, but I'll be getting my booster shot,' he told reporters Friday, making a similar joke. 'It's a bear, isn't it.'

'But all kidding aside, I'll be getting my booster shot,' Biden said. I'm not sure exactly when I'm going to do it - as soon as I can get it done.'

Biden spent the weekend at Camp David, arriving back Sunday evening.

On Monday, the White House sent out an updated schedule - announcing the jab.

Biden previously had no public events.

During a Q&A with reporters as he was getting his shot, he pushed back on criticism from World Health Organization officials and others who say wealthy countries should be giving vaccine doses out to poorer countries instead of giving boosters to their citizens.

'We are doing more than every other nation in the world combined,' Biden said.

Journalists get the shot of President Joe Biden getting his third shot Monday in the South Court Auditorium of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building

President Joe Biden is seen receiving his first dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine on December 21

President-elect Joe Biden fist bumps nurse practitioner Tabe Masa as Jill Biden looks on after the President-elect received his first COVID vaccine on December 21, 2020

Biden will have Tuesday to recover as he's traveling to Chicago for a COVID-19 event on Wednesday.

The Food and Drug Administration authorized booster shots for Americans who received Pfizer doses if they're older than 65 or at high risk for severe infection - including those whose occupations put them at high risk.

A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advisory committee recommended that boosters not be made available to those put at-risk at work, but CDC Director Rochelle Walensky overruled them.

Americans eligible for boosters should get them six months after they were fully vaccinated for COVID-19.

Booster shots for Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines have yet to be rolled out.

The Bidens were among some of the first Americans to get COVID-19 vaccines.

The president and first lady received their first COVID-19 Pfizer doses on December 21 and second doses on January 11 - nine days before Biden was sworn-in.

The then president-elect had cameras watch him get the shots.

Jill Biden opted to get her jabs off-camera.

Biden has made a point to get his shots in public to show that the COVID-19 vaccine is safe.

His predecessor, former President Donald Trump, decided against getting vaccinated on TV, quietly getting his doses before leaving office in January.

Trump was hospitalized for COVID-19 in October, a month before the presidential election.

The Republican has touted his administration's Operation Warp Speed - the public-private partnership to get a COVID vaccine swifly developed - but has allowed anti-vax sentiment on the far-right to bloom, by saying that people have the freedom to choose whether or not to be vaccinated.

'I'm very proud of it. I saved millions of lives - but people have to have their freedoms,' Trump said earlier this month.

Trump, 75, also said in early September that he 'probably won't' get a booster shot - despite being eligible due to his advanced age.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell announced on Monday afternoon that he had received his third shot, sharing a photo of Dr. Brian Monahan, the Attending Physician of the United States Congress, handing him his updated vaccine card, rather than an image of him getting the dose.

'I've been a lifelong champion of vaccinations,' the top Senate Republican said.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (left) receives his updated COVID-19 vaccine card from Attending Physician of the United States Congress, Dr. Brian Monahan (right), after receiving his booster dose of the Pfizer vaccine

Then President-elect Joe Biden receives his second dose of the Pfizer vaccine on January 11, 2021, nine days before he was sworn-in
This is the moment a man, 43, was shot dead by police in a barrage of bullets after he raised his covered gun at officers on a California beach.

Cellphone footage shows Ronnie Andrew Garcia holding what appears to be a handgun under his T-shirt and stepping backward as he aimed it toward approaching Huntington Beach officers.

After initial shots were fired, Garcia could be seen writhing on the sand before reaching for the T-shirt again, prompting the cops to fire multiple bullets until he stopped moving.

A gun was found on the scene, police said.

The shooting happened about 3:15 p.m. Saturday in Huntington Beach, where hundreds of people were gathered to watch the nearby U.S. Open Surfing competition.

Witnesses said at least 10 shots were fired after the man refused to comply with police orders

Police arrived at the scene after receiving reports of a man walking on the beach with a gun

Ronnie Andrew Garcia, 43, appears to have pointed a gun at officers before being fatally shot

Police attempted to save Garcia, who was later pronounced dead at a local hospital

Witnesses said two cops opened fire at Garcia at close range at the crowded California beach

Huntington Beach police said they arrived to the scene to investigate reporters of a 'suspicious man with a gun' at the beach.

They ordered the Hispanic man to drop his weapon numerous times before shooting him, police said in a press release.

Previously-released footage shows two officers opening fire at the man at point blank range.

Witnesses said at least ten shots were fired.

It happened Sunday in Huntington Beach, Calif., where hundreds gathered to watch surfers

Shocked witnesses watched and screamed from the pier as the fatal shooting unfolded

It happened about 3:15pm on the sand, just south of the Huntington Beach Pier and near the pathway

Backup quickly arrived with the police setting up a perimeter to deal with the incident.

One eyewitness told TMZ police were chasing the man who had already been shot once by cops.

After jumping the wall he fell to the ground. Officers are said to have shouted orders for him to surrender his weapon but he refused.

'We started hearing pop, pop, pop,' said Hector Tovar who lives nearby to the OC Register. 'I thought it was fireworks, that's how many rounds there were.'

Hundreds of people were gathered at Huntington Beach at the time of the afternoon shooting

Witnesses say three police officers were pursuing a man in a white t-shirt and jean shorts as he passed under the pier. Police said he had a gun and refused to drop the weapon

An ambulance was quickly on scene and the man was taken to hospital by ambulance

A portion of the beach was closed while paramedics attended and the man was loaded into an ambulance

The shooting took place near to a packed Huntington Beach where the US Open of Surfing is taking place

'I thought I heard fireworks  when I turned around these cops were following the guy,' Ana Leticia said on Twitter. 'Then they shot him.'

A large portion of the beach was taped off while police investigated.

The Orange County Sheriff's Department will now lead the investigation into the officer involved shooting.

The Orange County Sheriff's Department will now lead the investigation into the officer involved shooting.

Local activists are calling for the officers involved to be held accountable, according to Tory Johnson, a founding member of Black Lives Matter in Huntington Beach.

'This is what we're fighting. We're fighting police aggression, whether they are black, brown, purple,' Johnson said. 'What we are saying is you can't go around killing minorities, and you can't treat people a certain way just because they look different from you, or they don't fit the mold of an average citizen in our city.'

The U.S. Open of Surfing, an annual weeklong competition next to the Huntington Beach pier, ended yesterday.
A man has pleaded guilty to stalking Loose Women star Denise Welch during a 'terrifying' five-month ordeal.

Toraq Wyngard, 53, admitted stalking the Hollyoaks actress and causing serious alarm or distress, between September 18 last year and February 11, ahead of a trial at Chester Crown Court.

He also pleaded guilty to charges of possession of a knife, criminal damage, and arson, after setting fire to a skip in the driveway of the Cheshire home Welch shares with husband Lincoln Townley.

In a statement released by police, Welch said: 'Lincoln and I are very relieved that Toraq Wyngard, otherwise known as Todd, has pleaded guilty.

'This has been an incredibly terrifying and stressful time for me and our family.

Toraq Wyngard, 53, admitted targeting the former actress Denise Welch, 63, between last September and February ahead of a trial at Chester Crown Court

'We are grateful to the fire service for their prompt action saving our house and to the police for their amazing vigilance and support.

'Special thanks go to the Harm Reduction Unit assigned to us who have guided us through this horrible time every step of the way.'

Wyngard, from Salford, Greater Manchester, was found near to the star's home on September 19 last year when police were called to the fire, which spread from the skip to the garage attached to the property, police said.

When officers searched him, a knife was found in his backpack.

Detective Sergeant Dave Thomason said: 'Wyngard's actions were causing Denise great distress and a trial would have further impacted on her, so I'm pleased that he has now pleaded guilty.

'I'd like to thank Denise for her bravery in coming forward and I hope this reassures other victims that we do listen and take action against those who carry out such distressing crimes in our communities.

'Our Specialist Victim Advocates in the Harm Reduction Unit have been supporting Denise and her husband throughout - providing practical support, safety planning and advocacy.

The former Coronation Street star previously described how she had been left shaken after the intruder broke into the grounds of their Cheshire home

Wyngard also pleaded guilty to charges of possession of a knife, criminal damage, and arson, after setting fire to a skip in the driveway of the Cheshire home Welch shares with husband Lincoln Townley

'The Specialist Victims' Advocates are currently providing direct support to a number of stalking victims across Cheshire in highly complex stalking cases, and I hope seeing this outcome will give others going through a similar ordeal the confidence to come forward and get the support and advice they need to end their nightmare.

'We will listen and we will help you get the right support in your case, just as we have done with Denise. Don't suffer in silence, call us on 101 or report it via our website.'

Wyngard is due to be sentenced on October 26 after the case was adjourned for psychiatric reports.

In April, Welch, who has also appeared on Waterloo Road and as a contestant on Dancing On Ice, described how she had been left shaken after the intruder broke into the grounds of their Cheshire home late at night.

The Loose Women star and her artist husband Lincoln Townley reportedly called called 999 before police rushed to the scene and arrested the stalker.

Speaking to The Sun of the ordeal, Welch said: 'It was terrifying but we can't talk about it for legal reasons.'

A source also told the publication: 'Denise and Townley were left really shaken by what happened. They started getting unwanted attention which culminated in a man armed with a knife being outside their property.'
Mary Cheney is celebrating her sister Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney for publicly admitting she was wrong to oppose gay marriage on Sunday night.

'I love my sister very much and am so proud of her,' Mary Cheney wrote on Facebook Sunday night after her sister's CBS interview.

The younger daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney lauded her sister's 'strength of character' before poking familiar fun at the lone Wyoming House representative.

'And as her sister - I have one more thing that I just have to say,' Mary Cheney wrote.

'I told you so.'

Liz Cheney had said she now regrets her anti-gay marriage stance after a spat with her lesbian sister.

Cheney, the representative for Wyoming, said that her ties with her family became strained when her sister Mary came out as a lesbian and she did not initially support her.

She told 60 Minutes Sunday: 'I was wrong. I was wrong. I love my sister very much. I love her family very much.'

Mary Cheney praised her sister's character in a touching Facebook post on Sunday night

'It's a very personal issue, and very personal for my family. I believe that my dad was right. And my sister and I have had that conversation.'

Mary Cheney wrote on Facebook, 'It took a ton of courage to admit that she was wrong back in 2013 when she opposed marriage equality. That is something few politicians would ever do.'

Mary Cheney married her wife Heather Poe in 2012

'I have nothing but respect and admiration for the strength of character she continues to show on a daily basis. We could certainly use a lot more leaders like Liz Cheney right now.'

Mary Cheney married her wife Heather Poe in 2012, at the height of the debate over gay marriage in the US, and three years before the Supreme Court ruled it was legal.

Cheney further infuriated her sister by publicly blasting gay marriage while running for the US Senate in 2013.

Mary's spouse, Heather Poe, posted on Facebook that year that Cheney's position was offensive and that 'I always thought freedom meant freedom for EVERYONE.'

The Cheneys' father is former US vice president Dick Cheney, who has publicly supported his daughter's sexuality.

Cheney noted that she still talks with her father every night and that they share the same views on rejecting Trump, despite their previous disagreement over the acceptance of her sister's sexuality.

'I was wrong' Cheney told Stahl after she initially refused to support her sister Mary and her spouse Heather Poe. The sisters are pictured together in 2000

The Wyoming lawmaker said her opposition to gay marriage was misguided and she channeled her sister-in-law's Facebook post in explaining why she changed her position.

At another point in the interview, Cheney blasted House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy of California for his 'unforgivable' support of Donald Trump in a 60 Minutes interview released on Sunday.

The former GOP Conference chair criticized McCarthy for sticking with Trump after the assault on the Capitol.

'What hes done is embrace Donald Trump,' she said. 'And if I were doing what hes doing, I would be deeply ashamed of myself. I dont know how you explain that to your children.

'When you are in a situation where you have somebody who did what Donald Trump did, it is absolutely clear he cannot continue to be somebody you embrace.'

She voted to impeach Trump over his role in the January 6 riot at the US Capitol, and is increasingly defined by her public opposition to Trump and his hold on the GOP.

Cheney brushed off criticism from her colleagues who do support him because she said Trump 'doesn't believe in the rule of law.'

But despite most Republicans shying away from her publicly over her adamant anti-Trump stance, Cheney said she's showered with support in private.

Rep. Liz Cheney brushed off criticism from her fellow party members in a 60 Minutes interview Sunday

'The argument that you often hear is that if you do something that is perceived that is against Trump, that you'll put yourself in political peril. And that's a self fulfilling prophecy - because if Republican leaders don't stand up and condemn what happened, then the voices in the party that are so dangerous would only get louder and stronger,' she said.

In the interview aired Sunday night, Cheney said she had little affection for President Joe Biden, who she believes has embraced harmful decisions on, among other things, national security with the Afghanistan withdrawal.

'In my view, the American people, they deserve better than having to choose between what I think are the really disastrous policies of Joe Biden - in a whole range of areas, really bad for our economy.'

'But the alternative cannot be a man who doesnt believe in the rule of law, and who violated his oath of office,' Cheney said.

Cheney said Donald Trump 'doesn't believe in the rule of law'

Cheney, who voted in favor of numerous Trump administration policies, separated support for those decisions from support for his actions following the election.

'There's a difference between voting for Donald Trump, and being the Republican leader after an insurrection, and setting all of that aside and rehabilitating him - bringing him back in,' she explained. 'That, to me, is unforgivable.'

In the immediate aftermath of the Capitol attack, McCarthy said Trump 'bears responsibility' for the chaos that ensued that day. He's since backed away from that belief and pivoted to attacking Pelosi and those who support the January 6 committee.

The lawmaker acknowledged that she was among those who supported Trump through a number of publicity scandals including the infamous Access Hollywood tape and his insults against late Senator John McCain.

'His policies were the right ones in many ways. When I disagreed with him I spoke out,' Cheney said.

She also launched scathing criticism at House Republican leader Rep. Kevin McCarthy

Host Lesley Stahl countered, 'But not on character.'

'You can say his character was bad - which it was,' Cheney said.

'But the line that can't be crossed is what happened after the election.'

Meanwhile, Cheney also told Stahl that she views her reelection campaign as the most important House race in the nation as forces aligned with the former president Donald Trump try to unseat her.

Trump has vowed to defeat Cheney in next year's primary election by backing Republican Harriet Hageman, an attorney. Cheney, seeking a fourth term, said nothing less than the authority of the Constitution is at stake.

Trump-backed Republican attorney Harriet Hageman speaks at Wyoming Business Alliance in Casper, Wyoming on May 16, 2018

'I think its going to be the most important House race in the country in 2022. And - and it will be one where people do have the opportunity to say, 'We want to stand for the Constitution,' Cheney said.

'A vote against me in this race, a vote for whomever Donald Trump has endorsed, is a vote for somebody whos willing to perpetuate the big lie, somebody whos willing to put allegiance to Trump above allegiance to the Constitution, absolutely.'

After voting to impeach Trump, Cheney lost her leadership post as chair of the House Republican Conference. Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi put her on a nine-person committee to investigate the Jan. 6 assault and she serves as vice chair.

New York Rep. Elise Stefanik, a close ally of Trump's, took over the job.

But congresswoman still considers herself one of the most conservative members of the House.

While still opposed to gun control, abortion and the Affordable Care Act, or 'Obamacare,' the Wyoming congresswoman finds herself on the outs for voting to impeach Trump after his Jan. 6 rally preceded a mob storming the Capitol in hopes of overturning his reelection loss to Biden.
Smokers who get Covid are 80 per cent more likely to be admitted to hospital than those who don't touch cigarettes, a study claimed today.

The research, by Oxford University, paints a clearer picture on the confused topic of smoking and coronavirus.

At the start of the pandemic, scientists were baffled by data which showed smokers were less likely to be hospitalised with the virus. Some analyses even suggested they faced a smaller risk of getting infected in the first place.

But the new study, based on more than 420,000 patients, found smokers were much more likely to fall seriously ill if they got infected.

However, it didn't look at whether smokers were less likely to test positive in the first place.

Experts claimed the 'respiratory pandemic' was likely an ideal moment to focus on quitting smoking.

Around 6.9million Britons smoke, but more than half have already said they want to quit. In the US there are 34.1million smokers.

Covid-infected smokers are more likely to be hospitalised or die than those that have never smoked, research suggests. It comes after other papers at the start of the pandemic suggested the opposite was the case (stock image)

Results of the study showed that among nearly 14,000 smokers, there were 51 Covid admissions. This was equivalent to one in 270 being hospitalised.

There were also up to 36 deaths, equating to one in 384 succumbing to the virus.

For comparison, among the 250,000 non-smokers there were 440 hospitalisations, equivalent to one in almost 600.

Researchers added there were a further 159 Covid deaths, equivalent to one in 1,666.

Does smoking really make Covid hospitalisation less likely? At the start of the pandemic studies emerged suggesting smokers who caught Covid were less likely to be hospitalised than those who had never picked up a cigarette. Papers adding evidence to this theory included one from University College London published in April last year, which found the proportion of Covid admissions that were smokers was 'lower than expected'. Scientists were left baffled by the findings, branding them 'bizarre'. But as the pandemic progressed other studies began to undermine the claims. The first conclusive evidence that in fact the risk of developing severe disease among smokers was double that of non-smokers came from a King's College London study in January. It also found smokers were 14 per cent more likely to have the three main symptoms of the virus: fever, persistent cough and loss of taste and smell. And found they were 50 per cent more likely to suffer a myriad of other symptoms including cough, fever, shortness of breath, and diarrhoea. Oxford University scientists looking at the records of 421,000 UK patients  including 13,000 smokers  is the latest study to find smokers were more at risk from the virus. Advertisement

Further analysis, published in the journal Thorax, showed a gradient effect in risk, offering yet more evidence that smoking really does raise the risk of severe illness.

Light smokers  who had up to nine cigarettes a day  were twice as likely to die from the virus as non-smokers.

Moderate smokers  who had 10 to 19 cigarettes a day  were five times more likely to succumb to the virus.

And heavy smokers  classed as puffing on more than 20 cigarettes a day  were six times more likely to die.

Dr Ashley Clift, the lead researcher, said: 'Our results strongly suggest smoking is related to your risk of getting severe Covid.

'Just as smoking affects your risk of heart disease, different cancers, and all those other conditions we know smoking is linked to, it appears that it's the same for Covid.

'So now might be as good a time as any to quit cigarettes and quit smoking.'

He added: 'A respiratory pandemic should be the ideal moment to focus collective minds on tobacco control.'

Swathes of studies at the start of the pandemic showed a low prevalence of smokers in hospitals with Covid.

Rigorous scientific reviews which explored the link in more detail soon began to dismiss the initial claims.

The first paper to challenge the touted theory was published in January by King's College London and health data science company ZOE.

They found that smoking doubled the risk of severe Covid and hospitalisation, and were 14 per cent more likely to suffer the three main symptoms than people who had never picked up a cigarette.

Smokers were also 50 per cent more likely to develop one of ten other symptoms they said, including cough, fever, and loss of appetite.

At the start of the pandemic, when little was known about SARS-CoV-2, researchers instinctively warned smokers would be at higher risk.

But studies emerged which suggested the opposite may be the case, which left experts floundering and calling them 'bizarre'.

The World Health Organization declared in June last year, however, that smoking may make people more susceptible to Covid.
A Polish man has been jailed for 25 years for murder and cannibalism in 2002, despite the victim never being identified and his body never being found.

The defendant, named only as Robert M., acted with four others in abducting the unidentified man after a dispute at a bar in the village of Lasko, the court heard.

At Robert M.'s instigation, one of the men killed the captive man and all five then sealed a pact of silence by cannibalising the body.

The court in Szczecin, northwestern Poland, decided to give credence to the testimony of Robert M.'s co-defendant Rafa O. after police bugged his phones and apartment to hear him telling friends and neighbours about the crime.

The court in Szczecin (pictured), northwestern Poland, decided to give credence to the testimony of Robert M.'s co-defendant Rafa O. after police bugged his phones and apartment to hear him telling friends and neighbours about the crime.

Four of the men were arrested in 2017, but the one suspected of committing the murder, Zbigniew B., died of natural causes months before the arrests.

According to Rafa O., it was Zbigniew B. who cut the man's throat on the instructions of Robert M.

The body of the victim was then taken out to a lake and parts of his body were cut off.

Robert then lit a fire, cooked the victim's body, and ordered the others to eat it as part of a 'pact' to ensure their silence.

The crime remained secret until 2017 when police received an anonymous tipoff that before his death, Zbigniew had confessed to the crime.

The police received a secret letter signed by Zbigniew B., who had by then been dead for several months, in which he described the murder and cannibalism.

Although there was no evidence, the prosecution found the letter to be genuine and started an investigation.

Police then tapped the phones of those mentioned in the letter in which they overheard Rafal O. talking about the murder.

At trial, though, lawyers argued that he was mentally ill and alcoholic and his testimony couldn't be trusted.

However, the judge, Tomasz Banas, ruled that despite 'some inaccuracies' about the events from 20 years ago, his testimony was credible.

The judge also said that the defendants had been 'overheard by police' making references to the crime and on that basis decided to convict Robert M.

The other three men Sylwester B., Rafa O. and Janusz S., were acquitted because the statute of limitations had expired.

Only the main instigator, Robert M. was sentenced on Monday.

Before entering the court, Robert M. had been upbeat, telling reporters on his way inside: 'I am waiting for this case to be dismissed, it should have never been permitted.'

However, he was stunned to discover that judges had accepted a narrative from one of his co-defendants.

His lawyers said that they would appeal the sentence, saying that Robert M. had been convicted on the word of a 'mentally ill alcoholic.'
Violent crime has gone up for the first time in four years, driven by a staggering 30 percent rise in murders in 2020, as the country navigated a pandemic that left hundreds of thousands of people dead and led to a massive economic shutdown.

There were 4,901 more murders last year than in 2019, a rise of 29.4 percent, according to data released by the Federal Bureau of Investigation on Monday.

Overall violent crime - defined as murder, rape, robbery, and aggravated assault - rose 5.6 percent from 2019 to 2020. The surge in the murders was followed by a rise in aggravated assaults, which jumped 12.1 percent. Meanwhile, reports of rape went down 12 percent and robberies fell 9.3 percent.

Monday's data came from nearly 16,000 agencies across the country. It broke down a total of 1,277,696 violent crimes and 6,452,038 property crimes reported throughout 2020.

Law enforcement agencies reported less sworn police officers this year than in 2019 after Black Lives Matter protesters called to 'defund the police' in last year's protests

The estimated rate of violent crime rose to 387.8 offenses per 100,000 people in 2020

Most of it can be attributed to the staggering rise in murder, up nearly 30 percent from 2019

The 2020 murder rate is around a third less than the peak of 10.2 murders per 100,000 in 1980

The rise in murders is the biggest since the bureau began keeping track in 1960. It beat the 1968 increase of 12.7 percent as the biggest one-year change.

In 2020, the estimated rate of violent crime was 387.8 offenses per 100,000 people, up from 366.7 per 100,000 in 2019.

The crime surge comes as fewer officers are on the streets. The FBI numbers show there were 551 fewer sworn officers across local, state, federal, university and tribal agencies despite 130 more departments submitting staffing data this year.

Experts attribute the rise in crime to a number of factors, including the COVID-19 pandemic, distrust between the police and the public after the murder of George Floyd, a pullback by the police in response to criticism and increased firearm carrying, according to the New York Times, which reviewed preliminary data last week.

Pandemic-related economic shutdowns cost millions of Americans their jobs, and hundreds of thousands of people found themselves having to care for sick relatives and pay for sudden medical or funeral costs.

About 77 percent of murders in 2020 were committed with a firearm, the highest share ever reported, up from 67 percent a decade ago, New Orleans-based crime analyst Jeff Asher told the Times.

'We know having a gun in your home, having a gun in public, makes you less safe and more likely to be a victim and perpetrator of gun violence,' Ari Davis, a policy analyst at the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence, told the Washington Post.

Nonviolent crimes were less of a problem, with property crime dropping 7.8 percent compared to last year. Burglary fell 7.4 percent and larceny thefts fell 10.6 percent. Motor vehicle thefts, however, rose 11.8 percent.

Victims of property crimes, excluding arson, lost estimated at $17.5 billion in 2020, according to the FBI.

Experts attribute the rise in crime to COVID-19 and last year's police killings of unarmed black people, which ignited protests like the one above in September 2020 in St. Louis, Missouri

Louisiana led the country in murder for the 32nd straight year, with a homicide rate of 15.8 per 100,000 people compared to the national average of 6.5 people per 100,000.

One of the most interesting statistics in Monday's batch is the lower number of uniformed officers reported across a greater number of police agencies.

In 2019, there were 3.5 employees per 1,000 people in the US, compared to 3.4 last year.

Police departments reported less sworn officers but about 3,000 more civilian employees.

This shift is consistent with national calls to 'defund the police,' which activists say means taking money out of police departments, or budgets for armed officers, and putting it toward other organizations and first responders better equipped to handle issues of mental health and substance abuse.

The movement grew in popularity after the police killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor ignited protests across the country, some of which turned violent, last summer.

In Monday's release, the bureau warned against rankings and lists compiled by publications using crime data.

'Valid assessments are possible only with careful study and analysis of the range of unique conditions affecting each local law enforcement jurisdiction,' the bureau warned.

In New York City, crime in August 2021 dropped 5.4 percent compared to the same time last year.

Crime in the city is 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.

The city saw about 500 murders in 2020, up from 319 in 2019 but far below the city's worst year, 1990, when there were more than 2,200.

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 percent compared to last year.

De Blasio has acknowledged the rise in crime but blamed the backed-up court system for not processing cases fast enough.
Prince Andrew is set to 'fight' the sex assault case against him with his legal team planning to 'properly scrutinise inconsistencies' in his accuser's lawsuit, reports say.

The Duke of York is being sued in New York by Virginia Giuffre, now 38, who claims he sexually abused her on three separate occasions when she was 17  in London, New York and on billionaire paedophile Jeffrey Epstein's Caribbean island.

Andrew, 61, has consistently and strongly denied the allegations.

A source close to the Prince told The Times that by launching the civil case, Mrs Giuffre 'has actively invited legal scrutiny of her own version of events'.

The source added: 'This provides an opportunity for the duke's team to properly scrutinise the multiple inconsistencies in her narrative that have emerged over the years, and you can expect to see a rigorous defence of all her allegations.'

The Duke of York is being sued in New York by Virginia Giuffre, now 38, who claims he sexually abused her on three separate occasions when she was 17  in London , New York and on billionaire paedophile Jeffrey Epstein 's Caribbean island

The Prince (pictured left in November 2019) is being sued in New York by Mrs Giuffre, now 38, who alleges he sexually abused her on three separate occasions when she was 17

Another source said that the decision to bring in the Hollywood lawyer Andrew Brettler was a 'significant turning point in approach', and now the legal team will look to 'robustly engage and challenge the claims from Mrs Giuffre in a bid to provide the duke with a platform to finally clear his name'.

'They will be looking to examine and dismantle the claims one by one,' the source added. 'In light of his position, probably the best thing here would be a settlement to resolve it.'

When asked why a settlement had not been pursued earlier, the source added: 'He (Andrew) may have received bad legal advice.'

It comes following reports that Mrs Giuffre's lawyers have agreed to hand the duke a copy of a 'release' signed in 2009 after her settlement with sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein.

Another source said that the decision to bring in the Hollywood lawyer Andrew Brettler (pictrued) was a 'significant turning point in approach'

The Duke of York's attorneys will try to use the clause to exempt him from any fault in her claims against him, the Sun on Sunday reported.

Ms Giuffre's lawyers said the agreement was 'irrelevant' because it only offers protection to lawyers, employees, agents and heirs.

Her lead lawyer, David Boies, said he was happy to hand the document over to Andrew's team in a legal document filed in New York this week.

Mr Boies said: 'Although we believe that the release is irrelevant to the case against Prince Andrew, now that service has been accepted and the case is proceeding to a determination on the merits, we believe that counsel for Prince Andrew have a right to review the release and to make whatever arguments they believe appropriate based on it.'

Andrew's lawyers finally acknowledged on Friday that the Prince had been served with legal papers. He now has until October 29 to respond.

A source with knowledge of the proceedings told The Mail on Sunday: 'The decision to bring in high-profile [US lawyer] Andrew Brettler to fight the civil case marks a significant turning point in approach, and the US team will be looking to robustly engage and challenge the claims from Mrs Giuffre in a bid to provide the Duke with a platform to finally clear his name.

'They will be looking to examine and dismantle the claims one by one.'
President Joe Biden claimed on Saturday that his Build Back Better agenda costs 'zero dollars'

Republican lawmakers and groups have been tearing into President Joe Biden over the weekend into Monday after the 78-year-old commander-in-chief claimed his Build Back Better agenda will cost 'zero dollars.'

On Saturday night the president tweeted in support of his Build Back Better plan, claiming it adds nothing to the national debt.

But an analysis by the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget (CRFB) found the proposals in the agenda would require the US to directly borrow $1 trillion, projecting that nearly $3 trillion would be added to the national debt over the next 10 years.

Biden's progressive agenda is comprised of a $550 billion bipartisan infrastructure deal, and Democrats' $3.5 trillion reconciliation package which has no Republican support.

The former measure, which passed the Senate in August, would only offset its own costs by about $200 billion according to the CRFB. That leaves $350 billion to be paid.

'My Build Back Better Agenda costs zero dollars,' Biden said Saturday.

'Instead of wasting money on tax breaks, loopholes, and tax evasion for big corporations and the wealthy, we can make a once-in-a-generation investment in working America. And it adds zero dollars to the national debt.'

But Republicans immediately accused the president of lying to the American public.

'Bidens statement is just patently absurd,' a Washington Examiner op-ed stated. 'Even granting arguendo Biden's dubious claim that the Build Back Better Agenda is already paid for, this is wrong on numerous levels.'

Republican lawmakers immediately seized on Biden's statement and accused him of either lying or being confused

Arkansas Senator Tom Cotton said Biden 'is very confused' if he 'thinks his $3.5 trillion reckless spending plan "costs zero dollars"' on Sunday night.

Democrats are pushing through their $3.5 trillion spending package using a legislative process known as reconciliation, allowing them to avoid Republican opposition in the form of the filibuster.

But Republicans in Congress are trying to tie the hefty package to a crucial measure aimed at suspending the debt ceiling and avoiding a government shutdown, which is up for a vote on Monday evening.

Forcing Democrats to add the debt ceiling to the $3.5 trillion package would highlight the price tag - which Republicans say may end up as much as $4.3 trillion - and distract from popular elements such as paid family leave, say insiders.

'The price tag and then the tax hikes that have to go along with that are going to be a core argument for Republicans next year in the mid-terms,' said a Senate GOP aide.

Democrats have insisted that they want to suspend the debt ceiling so the US could pay for the $7 trillion in debt that Donald Trump accrued during his presidency.

But House Speaker Nancy Pelosi rejected the idea of tying it to the reconciliation package that even earns a cool reception from fiscally-conscious members of her own party.

Numerous other Republicans cast doubt on Biden's claim, which was also disputed by the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget

West Virginia Democratic Senator Joe Manchin warned his colleagues earlier this month to 'hit the pause button' on the $3.5 trillion bill, adding 'I don't want to have debt over our head to where we basically can't service the debt that we have.'

House Rep. Stephanie Murphy (D-FL) said 'I dont think we can afford to do everything' in a Fox interview in mid-September.

Biden and progressive lawmakers also claim his hefty Build Back Better agenda would be paid for by raising taxes on corporations and wealthy Americans - which Republicans point out is different than 'zero dollars.'

Rep. Steve Womack (R-AK) wrote on Twitter, 'This is completely false. The largest spending spree in government history will cost zero dollars?'

'That defies logic and basic math. Alongside massive tax increases, it will add trillions to the debt. Peddling false narratives wont change those facts.'

New York gubernatorial candidate and GOP Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-NY) mocked Biden on Twitter by posting a Pinocchio emoji with a long nose.

'MANY trillions of dollars in new spending costs zero dollars? Sure thing Big Guy,' Zeldin also wrote.

Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-TX) also made fun of Biden, retweeting his statement and adding, 'Math is hard' on Monday afternoon.

The official Twitter account for Republicans on the House Judiciary Committee also weighed in

The conservative-leaning Heritage Foundation said Biden's policies would add to the national debt

Rep. Mary Miller (R-IL) simply retweeted Biden's Saturday statement and added, 'This is a lie.'

The official Twitter account for the Republicans on the House Judiciary Committee echoed the sentiment.

Zeldin's fellow New York lawmaker Rep. Claudia Tenney (R-NY) said she thought Biden's statement came from a fake account.

'I have to admit, I thought this was from a parody account when I first read it. It was disturbing to see it was actually from our President,' Tenney wrote.

'He thinks he can spend an unprecedented $3.5 trillion and not add a penny to the debt? This is who is in charge? Scary.'

Congressman Bob Good (R-VA) blasted Biden's claim his agenda costs 'zero dollars' as 'delusional.'

'Delusionalreckless spending on socialist priorities is not investingand it adds TRILLIONS to the national debt!' Good said.

Vocal Trump ally Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO), said '$3.5 Trillion does not equal zero no matter how much Common Core math you try to do.'

Former Trump adviser Stephen Miller wrote a scathing rebuke of Biden

Even people who support the president's plan dispute his math

While not directly responding to Biden's statement, Tennessee Senator Marsha Blackburn ripped Democrats' 'radical policies' the day after Biden claimed Build Back Better would cost nothing.

'Taxpayers are already on the hook for trillions of dollars worth of radical policies that will take more money out of the pockets of hardworking Americans,' Blackburn wrote on Twitter.

The conservative Heritage Foundation also lambasted Biden's statement as a 'ridiculous lie.'

'This is a ridiculous liebut I guess it's easy to make things up when you know fact checkers won't hold you accountable!' the group stated.

Ex-Trump adviser Stephen Miller also excoriated Biden on Twitter Monday afternoon.

'If anyone in your life drained their bank account, went on a wild weekend spending spree, bought everything they didnt need, neglected every responsibility, left themselves destitute & penniless, but believed this manic buying binge cost zero dollarsyoud have them committed,' Miller wrote.

Even supporters of the president's plan find his claim dubious.

'I strongly support the new infrastructure plan. It is not costless,' political scientist Ian Bremmer said Monday morning.
Donald Trump's pick to defeat Liz Cheney in next year's midterm election called him 'racist and xenophobic' in the 2016 presidential race but is now one of his most fervent supporters.

Harriet Hageman, a longtime Wyoming Republican operative who was once a close ally of the Cheney family, was part of a GOP resistance movement against Trump in the 2016 presidential primary, The New York Times revealed on Monday.

During the 2016 Republican Convention in Cleveland, Hageman worked with supporters of Ted Cruz in a failed attempt to force a floor vote between Cruz and Trump for the nomination - regardless of the fact Trump won enough primaries and caucuses to take the title.

She blamed Democrats for Trump's nomination, saying they had crossed the aisle to vote in GOP primaries to vote for Trump.

She called Trump the 'weakest candidate' and warned the party would be stuck with 'somebody who is racist and xenophobic.'

Donald Trump's pick to defeat Liz Cheney in next year's midterm election called him 'racist and xenophobic' in the 2016 presidential race but Harriet Hageman (left) is now one of his most fervent supporters

Harriet Hageman was once close to the Cheney family and helped Rep. Liz Cheney (above with Hageman) in her political career

The convention move failed, Trump took the nomination and defeated Hillary Clinton the 2016 presidential election. Many of his Republican critics during the primary - including Cruz and Lindsey Graham - became his allies once he was in the White House.

In a statement to The Times, Hageman slammed Liz Cheney, blaming the Republican congresswoman for her actions.

'I heard and believed the lies the Democrats and Liz Cheney's friends in the media were telling at the time, but that is ancient history as I quickly realized that their allegations against President Trump were untrue,' Hageman said. 'He was the greatest president of my lifetime, and I am proud to have been able to renominate him in 2020. And I'm proud to strongly support him today.'

Hageman ultimately endorsed Trump's 2016 presidential campaign and stood by him when many Republicans called for his exit after the 'Access Hollywood' tapes revealed his comments about women.

Trump endorsed Hageman on September 9th after vowing to back a primary challenger to Cheney, punishing her for being one of the 10 Republicans to vote for his second impeachment.

'Unlike RINO Liz Cheney, Harriet is all in for America First. Harriet has my Complete and Total Endorsement in replacing the Democrats number one provider of sound bites, Liz Cheney,' he said in his support of Hageman.

He was aware of Hageman's efforts at the 2016 Republican convention when he endorsed her.

The Republican primary in Wyoming is August 16, 2022.

The former president has made Cheney his top target in the 2022 midterm election, furious at her for her criticism of his actions in regards to the January 6th insurrection and for taking a spot on the House special committee investigating that day - an invitation she personally accepted from Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

Some Republicans have rallied around Cheney. Former President George W. Bush held his first fundraiser and event of the midterms for her.

Cheney got in a troll at Trump with Bush's endorsement. 'I like Republican presidents who win re-election,' she wrote on a Twitter with a picture of Bush. Trump famously criticized the late John McCain for being captured during the Vietnam War, saying 'I like people who weren't captured.'

Trump has made Rep. Liz Cheney (above) his top target for the 2022 midterm election, vowing to take her out in the GOP primary

Cheney is not backing down and is trolling Trump

She is campaigning hard and brought in an impressive fundraising total last quarter: $1.9 million - a large haul for a House race in a safe Republican seat.

She also was profiled on CBS' 60 Minutes Sunday night, where she explained her impeachment vote.

'There's a difference between voting for Donald Trump, and being the Republican leader after an insurrection, and setting all of that aside and rehabilitating him - bringing him back in,' she said. 'That, to me, is unforgivable.'

She said her re-election bid is 'going to be the most important House race in the country in 2022.'

Hageman, a failed Republican gubernatorial candidate, helped Cheney in her short-term exploration of a Wyoming Senate seat. She was close to both the congresswoman and her father, former Vice President Dick Cheney.

In that 2018 gubernatorial race, Trump endorsed her primary opponent billionaire Foster Friess, who died in May. But the winner was Mark Gordon, the former state treasurer who is now governor.

Hageman is a fourth-generation Wyoming resident who grew up on a ranch. She works as a land-use attorney in a state where land is a political issue. She made her name in the state by fighting environmentalists and government regulations.

She said in the announcement of her campaign that she was running against Cheney because 'she betrayed Wyoming, betrayed the country and she betrayed me.'
Andy Burnham claimed he and other Labour mayors held the key to winning back the Red Wall seats taken by Boris Johnson's Tories today as he failed to back Keir Starmer.

The Greater Manchester mayor boasted about 'overturning (Margaret) Thatcher's legacy' of privatisation in the socialist city and said Labour's regional leaders were 'rolling back the 1980s'.

In a clear pitch to party members he said that they had given voters 'a taste of a Labour government' through their devolved powers in areas like public transport.

And in comments that will add fuel to the fire of his challenge to Sir Keir he said they were 'a way back for Labour in the North' and could 'rebuild the Red Wall'.

However he failed to back the party's current boss, unlike Sadiq Khan. The London mayor had used his time on stage beforehand to call for party unity all energy to be focused on 'a Labour Government with Keir Starmer in Downing Street'.

The Greater Manchester mayor boasted about 'overturning (Margaret) Thatcher's legacy' of privatisation in the socialist city and said Labour's regional leaders were 'rolling back the 1980s'.

And in comments that will add fuel to the fire of his challenge to Sir Keir he said they were 'a way back for Labour in the North' and could 'rebuild the Red Wall'.

However he failed to back the party's current boss, unlike Sadiq Khan. The London mayor had used his time on stage beforehand to call for party unity all energy to be focused on 'a Labour Government with Keir Starmer in Downing Street'.

Mr Burnham appeared on stage with fellow metro mayors Dan Jarvis and Tracy Brabin, the day after complaining that he wasn't allowed to give a speech from the main stage.

But he was given plenty of time to lay out his achievements in office to a packed hall.

Discussing the scores of seats in their northern heartlands that Mr Johnson took in the 2019 election, he said: 'I just think we are a way back for Labour in the north.

'We have got to really think about this. The north of England is going to be a key battleground come the next general election. What we have begun to show is that we can improve Labour's results, not just in the mayoral elections but in the local elections as well.

'That is going to be really important for Labour, not allowing the Scotland effect to just drift down the country come the next general election - win back those seats in the Red Wall.

'We can win all of those seats back at the next general election - we will win those seats back at the next general election. But it means getting behind these Labour mayors across the north and really supporting their work and the party championing what we are doing at every opportunity.'

Earlier Mr Khan had struck a more unifying tone in his own speech.

'We should be proud of the way Labour values are being put into action every single day - not just in London but across the country, in Wales, in Bristol, Liverpool, Manchester, West Yorkshire, Sheffield, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, North of Tyne, the West of England and in towns and cities across the country where Labour is in power,' he said.

'If we want to build a fairer, more equal, greener future Britain deserves, we know the real prize is winning the next general election and to get there we must unite, we must stick together.

'We must focus all our energy on taking the fight to the Tories and and work towards a Labour Government with Keir Starmer in Downing Street because Labour in power delivers real change.'
All students in Alberta who call out sick with any respiratory illness will be counted as COVID-19 cases when schools decide whether to move lessons online.

Schools are told to contact Alberta Health Services if more than 10 per cent of the student and staff population is absent with a respiratory illness, CBC reports.

Chief Medical Officer of Health Deena Hinshaw said on Thursday that it is necessary for schools to assume anyone at home with respiratory illness is a positive case of COVID-19 because obtaining data on positive transmissions from pubic health agencies would violate the privacy of students and staff.

She claimed that the measure provides extra protection to students because some students who are out sick may not want to get tested for Covid.

Hinshaw told a press conference said: 'Our current framework that does not require mandatory quarantine, does not require close contact tracing, means that the disclosure of individually identifying health information as would happen if individual health notifications happened in schools would be a violation of an individual's privacy.'

'We do have a framework where schools if they see that there are an increased number of children that are ill with respiratory illness, or teachers or staff, they can work with Alberta Health Services.

'In some ways that is adding an additional layer of protection because if individuals choose not to get tested for COVID-19 but are home with an illness they are now counted in the list as being part of that outbreak, and so it's less dependent on needing a test to be part of identifying where there is an issue,'

Hinshaw also said: 'Large scale transmission in schools is not common. Schools are impacted by community transmission but are not locations that drive community transmission outwards.'

In August, Hinshaw apologized for treating the pandemic as an 'endemic' in the early stages of COVID and for the fear and uncertainty that followed in the months after.

Scroll down for video...

Alberta Chief Medical Officer of Health Deena Hinshaw said on Thursday schools were to assume anyone at home with respiratory illness was a positive case of COVID-19, in order to promptly alarm public health agencies of an outbreak

Hinshaw faced questions about the current framework to handle Coronavirus outbreaks in Alberta schools

In Alberta schools, students who come in contact with others infected with COVID-19 are not required to quarantine and a contract tracing measure is not in place.

The government has also announced that data on how many schools have COVID-19 outbreaks will not be released, prompting outrage from parents who feel they have the right to know.

Hinshaw said the current framework had been implemented based on previous evidence from other jurisdictions.

'In schools, we are taking the approach that an illness that fits that definition - respiratory illness- is treated the same way whether it is COVID or not, so additional measures can be put into place,' Hinshaw said.

'In schools, we are taking the approach that an illness that fits that definition - respiratory illness- is treated the same way whether it is COVID or not, so additional measures can be put into place,' Hinshaw said

There were 1,061 people hospitalized with COVID-19 in Alberta on Thursday

In Alberta schools, students who come in contact with others infected with COVID-19 are not required to quarantine and a contract tracing measure is not in place

There are currently 22,320 COVID-19 cases and 2,622 people have died of of the illness since the pandemic started in Alberta

Alberta, a province that aggressively advertised its 'best summer ever,' is now struggling with a surge in COVID-19 cases.

With its healthcare system strained, and anti-vaccine and anti-mask sentiments growing among residents, public health officials are urging politicians to improve the loose restrictions that are in place.

There were 1,061 people hospitalized with COVID-19 in Alberta on Thursday. Of the 818 non-ICU, 75.5% were unvaccinated or partially vaccinated. Of the 243 in ICU, 91.7% were unvaccinated or partially vaccinated.

More than 60 doctors penned a letter to premier Jason Kenney, who has fervently opposed a lockdown, warning him about the dire conditions and low-room capacity at hospitals.

'Our healthcare system is truly on the precipice of collapse. Hospitals and ICUs across the province are under enormous strain and have reached a point where it is unclear if, or for how much longer, we can provide safe care for Albertans.' The Guardian reported.

A public health emergency has now been declared and military help has been requested to transport patients to others provinces as hospitals are working on full capacity.

In August, Hinshaw apologized for treating the pandemic as an 'endemic' in the early stages of COVID and for the fear and uncertainty that followed in the months after

As Alberta hit another grim COVID-19 record Thursday, chief medical officer of health Dr. Deena Hinshaw recommended that unvaccinated or partially vaccinated close contacts should quarantine if there is a positive case in their home

Kenney has retracted his triumphant approach during the summer but still refused to order a lockdown because it made 'no sense for the 80 percent of the population that is vaccinated.'

'I know that we had all hoped this summer that we could put Covid behind us once and for all, that was certainly my hope,' he said. 'It is now clear that we were wrong, and for that I apologize.'

Kenney introduced some restrictions and promised to give more resources to hospitals when cases rose exponentially, but it was too little too late, medical officials have said.

In Alberta, there are currently 22,320 COVID-19 cases and 2,622 people have died of of the illness since the pandemic started. In May, the province had the worst rate of COVID-19 in North America
Brian Laundrie has become the unlikely poster boy of incels who have made the bizarre claims that he is being set up for the death of his girlfriend, because he's bald.

The case of the ill-fated van-life couple has sparked strong reactions from people across the US, with some deifying the victim, and others lionizing her boyfriend, who has been named a person of interest in her death.

Subreddits titled r/FriendsofBrian and r/BrianLaundrie have collectively drawn nearly 2,000 members and have become clearing houses for countless wild, baseless conspiracy theories.

One Laundrie supporter accused Petito of being a white supremacist who orchestrated her own disappearance to divert resources from missing people of color.

Scroll down for video

Brian Laundrie has become the unlikely poster boy of incels who have made the bizarre claims that he is being set up for the death of his girlfriend, because he's bald

A subreddit called r/BrianLaundrie has emerged as a clearing houses for wild conspiracy theories seeking to clear Brian Laundrie's name

Laundrie, 23, has been named a person of interest in the killing of his girlfriend, Gabby Petito, 22. He is missing and being sought by the FBI in Florida

Some of Laundrie's supporters have argued that he is being maligned because he is bald

Others argued that Petito, 22, was a domestic abuser, and that her boyfriend acted in self-defense, although police have yet to charge him with killing his girlfriend, or even name him a suspect in her death.

Petito, a white woman from Long Island, New York, was reported missing on September 11 by her parents after she didnt respond to calls and texts for several days while she and Laundrie visited parks in the West.

Her body was discovered last Sunday in a remote area in northwestern Wyoming, with her manner of death being ruled a homicide.

Laundrie was reported missing in Florida on September 17.

Investigators have been searching for Laundrie in Florida for more than a week. On Thursday, federal officials in Wyoming charged him with unauthorized use of a debit card, alleging he used a Capital One Bank card and someones personal identification number to make unauthorized withdrawals or charges worth more than $1,000 during the period in which Petito went missing.

Social media forums have lit up with baseless theories about the case

Amateur internet sleuths have been sharing photos of possible sightings of Laundrie at a climate protest in Germany and a pub drawl in Madison , Wisconsin, claiming he was hiding out in Mexico, or was in the federal witness protection program.

One Reddit user even suggested that Laundrie took off to try and track down his girlfriend's real killer.

A subset of the subreddit's members have posited that Laundrie was being targeted because he is not conventionally attractive.

'One has to wonder if there is body shaming at play here,' one post read. 'Brian is being accused of killing Gabby (with no evidence of doing so) and brians [sic] name is being dragged through dirt. These same people will watch a Ted bundy [sic] documentary and fawn and swoon'

Another Reddit user penned an impassioned screed, arguing that Laundrie was a victim of discrimination because he suffers from male pattern baldness.

'Seriously folx [sic], follicle privilege is a real problem in this country and I'm tired of people pretending it isn't,' the post read. 'MPB-afflicted male-identifying individuals in this country are treated like complete crap.

Many online sleuths have argued that Laundrie was a victim of domestic abuse at Petito's hands

The couple got into a physical altercation August 12 in Moab, Utah, that led to a police stop for a possible domestic violence case (seen in bodycam video). Ultimately, police there decided to separate the quarreling couple for the night

'If you're doubtful about the existence of this system issue, then answer just one question: when was the last time a cis-gendered follicle-endowed white man with a large digital footprint baselessly accused of murdering his 'innocent' blonde white girlfriend? I'll spare you the trouble of googling because the answer is NEVER.'

A Gabby Petito supporter shot back, slamming the members of the subreddit as 'Loser Incels' - a term used to describe people who define themselves as unable to get a romantic or sexual partner despite desiring one.

Prior to the tragedy, Petito and Laundrie documented their cross-country trip in a white Ford Transit van converted into a camper on social media.

They got into a physical altercation August 12 in Moab, Utah, that led to a police stop for a possible domestic violence case. Ultimately, police there decided to separate the quarreling couple for the night. But no charges were filed, and no serious injuries were reported.

Police in Florida are searching for Laundrie in the alligator-infested Carlton Nature Reserve

Laundrie was reported missing by his family on September 17, sparking an intense search in North Port, Florida

In the darker recesses of social media, Laundrie's supporters sought to paint him as the real victim, with one person writing: 'Brian was a victim of physical violence at the hands of Gabby. The violence he experienced was so bad that he had to call the police for help in one instance.'

Reddit was the the only corner of the internet drawing armchair detectives bent on clearing Laundrie's name.

On the Facebook group Justice For Brian Laundrie, one user declared: 'Brian was framed. This entire thing was a government coverup to distract from Bidens Afghanistan mistakes as the Taliban flaunts their new American weapons and the southern border turns into a s***show. Brian will not be reappeared until its timely for us to need further distraction.'

Laundrie has been charged with a federal count of unauthorized use of a debit card

A similar conspiracy theory was said to have been circulating among alt-right QAnon supporters.

Rewards totaling $30,000 are now being offered for any information that helps find Laundrie.

On Sunday, FBI agents returned to his parents' home in North Port to collect personal items for DNA matching.
U.S. taxpayers spent more than $145 billion on building an economy in Afghanistan but on Monday, less than a month after American troops left the country, a senior humanitarian official is warning that the state is on the brink of financial collapse.

The alarm will raise fresh questions about the way that vast amounts of U.S. cash were spent on the project of nation building.

'If the economy collapses, even the most basic services will no longer function, and humanitarian needs will soar even higher,' said Jan Egeland, secretary general of the Norwegian Refugee Council who previously served as the U.N.'s most senior humanitarian official, during a visit to Kabul.

'Dealing with the liquidity crisis is critical as aid organisations seek to scale up to meet urgent humanitarian needs.

'We are in a race against the clock to save lives before the harsh winter arrives and temperatures drop to as low as -20 Celsius.'

It was not meant to be like this. Successive American administrations spent hundreds of millions of dollars building a new Afghanistan state, complete with what was supposed to be a sustainable economy.

Men browse through cushions and carpets at a temporary second-hand market in Kabul's Chaman-e-Huzuri neighbourhood on September 16, 2021. Dire warnings that Afghanistan's economy is on the brink of collapse will raise fresh questions about how the U.S. spent $145 billion on building a new Afghan state only for it to stumble once foreign end was cut off

Women in burqas shop at a stall selling second-hand items at a market in Kabul

Figures collected by the U.S. Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction show Washington alone spent $145 billion on rebuilding the country, on top of $837 billion in military support.

'When you look at how much we spent and what we got for it, it's mind-boggling,' a U.S. Defense Department official told SIGAR in a report published last month.

Critics say the aid paid for infrastructure, such as roads and health facilities, but did not build a vigorous private sector.

Now that donor governments have turned off aid payments to the country's new Taliban rulers, there is nothing left, according to Salma Alokozai, who worked for the Kabul government's finance and education ministries until its fall last month.

'When aid was there, we were able to pay salaries, buy electricity and we were able to fund our national army,' he told the Wall Street Journal.

'The private sector was doing fine. Right now, there is no private sector, and there is no aid money.'

Billions of dollars in central bank assets held abroad have also been frozen, which has heaped further pressure on the banking system and stifled the economy.

Reports by the SIGAR watchdog, set up by Congress to monitor spending, paint a picture of misstep after misstep.

Some of the starkest failures came in agriculture, including efforts to persuade Afghan farmers to plant things other than opium poppies

In one project, U.S. money was used to build irrigation channels for hundreds of square miles of arable land in the hope that it would turn farmers on to legal crops.

It simply led to increased poppy production - more than doubling in one area studied, according to the watchdog.

Overall, SIGAR found that $2 billion in U.S. spending made almost no impact on agricultural production over the past two decades.

Attempts to persuade farmers to ditch opium in favor of saffron, pine nuts or cotton made little headway.

A Taliban fighter stands guard near Zanbaq Square in Kabul. Their rapid advance across the country saw them take over the capital last month but they face a spiralling economic crisis

A scene from Kabul's central market. Aid officials are warning of humanitarian crisis if the country does not get urgent help to prop up its economy

Efforts to stimulate Afghanistan's agriculture production had little impact despite costing billions of dollars, according to watchdog reports

And efforts to promote soybean production appeared to be in vain. In 2010 the U.S. Department for Agriculture paid the American Soybean Association to introduce soybeans to Afghanistan's farmers even though a later study by the UK concluded that the crop was ill-suited to the Afghan farming system, according to SIGAR.

Its final lessons learned report last month concluded that time and again U.S. officials failed to understand the local, Afghan context.

'The U.S. governments misreading of the Afghan social and political environment meant that initiatives designed to stabilize and rehabilitate the country were poorly adapted to the local context,' it said.

'Programs to improve the economy were particularly vulnerable to the machinations and predation of Afghan powerbrokers.'

At times, Washington's attempts at economic reconstruction were incoherent, such as trying to root at corruption at the same time as jumpstarting the economy by injecting billions of dollars into it, the report found.

Michael McKinley, U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan from 2014 to 2016, told the Wall Street Journal: 'On balance, nation-building in Afghanistan was not a success.'
Last U.S. troops left the country on August 30, ending chaotic evacuation effort

Biden administration has been under intense pressure to rescue Americans remaining in Afghanistan

Official said it was 'highest priority' to get them out

100 American citizens and U.S. residents are still stuck in Afghanistan and want to get out, according to State Department

U.S. officials are aware of about 100 American citizens and legal permanent residents who are still stuck in Afghanistan and are ready to leave the country almost a month after the last U.S. troops left.

A senior State Department official said work continued to rescue them.

'The highest priority remains helping the U.S. citizens who wish to leave the country now to do so,' the official told reporters.

The Biden administration has faced intense criticism for the way it pulled out troops from Afghanistan, triggering a chaotic evacuation of civilians.

Veteran-led groups trying to rescue Americans and Afghan allies question the State Department figures and say they believe many more than 100 U.S. citizens have been left behind.

Jean Marie Thrower, of the Afghan Rescue Crew, told DailyMail.com that the true number of stranded Americans was 400 to 500.

Many don't want to leave because they aren't allowed to take Afghan relatives or the orphaned Afghan children they've adopted with them, she added.

'We can take them to a refugee camp and have them vetted but they shouldn't be left behind,' she said.

She accused the Biden administration of dragging its feet, leaving it to volunteers to help Americans escape.

'They've thrown these people into a cage with a lion and shut the door,' she said.

Taliban fighters patrol a market in Kabul even as officials say 100 American citizens and U.S. legal permanent representatives remain in the city and are ready to leave

About 124,000 people were flown out of Kabul airport during a hurried evacuation that ended just before the final U.S. troops departed during the night of August 30

For two weeks, extraordinary images of the Kabul airlift dominated the media, until it all came to a halt leaving behind thousands of Afghans who had worked with the U.S. military

The evacuation flights have ended but U.S. officials say they are working to persuade the Taliban to allow the free movement of Afghans and foreign nationals who want to leave

Secretary of State Antony Blinken and other administration officials have faced repeated questions about whether enough has been done to bring home the remaining Americans

About 124,000 people were airlifted out of Kabul before the last U.S. troops left on August 30.

However, officials struggled to provide an estimate of how many Americans and how many residents had been unable to leave.

At least 85 American citizens and 79 lawful permanent residents have made it out since then, said the official in a briefing call with journalists.

But others did not want to leave because family members lacked documents needed to enter the U.S., the official added.

Two weeks ago, Secretary of State Antony Blinken told lawmakers that about 100 U.S. citizens were still seeking evacuation from Afghanistan.

The number has gone up and down, complicated by the fact that some do not want to leave without relatives.

But veteran-led rescue efforts have said they believe the counts underestimate the true number as many citizens and green card holders did not register with the U.S. embassy when they travelled to Afghanistan.

The latest announcement suggests there has been slow progress in bringing home the remainder but the official said the State Department continued to try to persuade the Taliban to reopen Kabul airport to commercial traffic.

'In all of our interactions and communications with the Taliban, whether its directly or indirectly, we continue to stress one of our top priorities is freedom of movement and safe passage for our citizens, our legal residents, and for a range of Afghans,' said the official.

The mammoth evacuation of some 124,000 people included 5,500 American citizens after the sudden collapse of the country on August 14 in the face of a Taliban onslaught.

The crush to escape through the Kabul airport turned deadly on August 26, when a suicide bombing outside its gates killed 13 US servicemembers and 169 Afghan civilians.

When the evacuation ended on August 30, it left behind hundreds of Americans and thousands more Afghans who worked for the U.S. military or coalition partners remain in the country, even as horror stories spread about Taliban brutality.

Taliban stand guard in Chapman, United States Armed Forces Forward Operating Base in Khost province southeast of Afghanistan on September 15, 2021

Last week eyewitnesses described how Taliban gunmen hanged the dead bodies of alleged kidnappers in four squares across the Afghan city of Herat after killing them during a shootout.

Wazir Ahmad Seddiqi, who runs a pharmacy beside the main square in Herat, said four dead bodies were brought to the square and were hanged from a crane.

He said three bodies were moved to other squares in the city in western Afghanistan to be displayed, in a gruesome move that signalled a return to some of the Taliban's past methods.

Mullah Nooruddin Turabi, one of the founders of the Taliban and the chief enforcer of its harsh interpretation of Islamic law when they last ruled Afghanistan, said the regime will bring back executions and amputations for thieves - though they may not be held in public.

He told The Associated Press in Kabul: 'Everyone criticised us for the punishments in the stadium, but we have never said anything about their laws and their punishments.

'No one will tell us what our laws should be. We will follow Islam and we will make our laws on the Quran.'

The Taliban have ordered barbers around the country to 'stop following American styles' and has warned of punishment for beard cutting.

'No one has a right to complain,' said a notice posted in Helmand province, warning that shaving was not tolerated by Islamic law.
Just days after a South Dakota agency moved to deny her daughter's application to become a certified real estate appraiser, Gov. Kristi Noem summoned to her office the state employee who ran the agency, the woman's direct supervisor and the state labor secretary.

Noem's daughter attended too.

Kassidy Peters, then 26, ultimately obtained the certification in November 2020, four months after the meeting at her mother's office.

A week after that, the labor secretary called the agency head, Sherry Bren, to demand her retirement, according to an age discrimination complaint Bren filed against the department.

Bren, 70, ultimately left her job this past March after the state paid her $200,000 to withdraw the complaint.

GOP Gov. Kristi Noem (left) summoned state officials to her office when it looked like her daughter Kassidy Peters' (right) certified real estate appraisal application would be rejected.

While Kassidy Peters (pictured) was applying for the certification, Noem should have recused herself from discussions on the agency, ethics experts argue

Exactly what transpired at the July 27, 2020, meeting in the governor's office isnt clear.

Noem declined an interview request and her office declined to answer detailed questions about the meeting.

'The Associated Press is disparaging the Governor's daughter in order to attack the Governor politically - no wonder Americans' trust in the media is at an all-time low,' spokesman Ian Fury said.

Still, government ethics experts who reviewed the series of events at the AP's request said Noem's decision to include her daughter in the meeting created a conflict of interest regardless of what was discussed.

While Peters was applying for the certification, Noem should have recused herself from discussions on the agency, especially any that would apply to her daughter's application, said Richard Painter, a professor at the University of Minnesota Law School who was the chief ethics lawyer for former President George W. Bush.

Ethics officials are questioning whether South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem had a conflict of interest by meeting with her daughter and top state officials last year in the governor's office while her daughter was pursuing a real estate certification

'It's clearly a conflict of interest and an abuse of power for the benefit of a family member,' he said.

Peters began working as a state-registered appraiser - an entry-level job - in 2016.

She worked under the supervision of a certified appraiser to get the experience necessary to apply for her own residential appraiser certification.

It's not an easy hurdle; applicants must show they can perform appraisals to national standards, putting to use 200 hours of classroom education and months of experience.

While trainees make as little as $10 an hour, certified residential appraisers can launch their own businesses and can make more than $50,000 a year.

In September 2019, Peters applied to become a Certified Residential appraiser.

But in late July 2020, the Appraiser Certification Program moved to deny the license, according to a July 27 letter from Peters' supervisor that was obtained by AP.

The certification is denied when an applicant's work samples don't meet minimum compliance with national standards, according to the agency's upgrade procedures.

Bren, who had directed the Appraiser Certification Program for three decades, told the AP that she received a text on July 26 from her supervisor telling her to be at the governor's office the next morning, ready to discuss 'appraiser certification procedures.'

Besides Noem and Peters, Bren said the meeting included Labor Secretary Marcia Hultman; Bren's supervisor; the governor's general counsel; and, participating by telephone, Noem's chief of staff and a lawyer from the state's Department of Labor and Regulation.

Bren remembered it lasting close to an hour and including questions from Noem on how certification works.

After consulting with her attorney, Bren declined to discuss with AP further meeting details, including whether Peters' upgrade was discussed.

The settlement of her age discrimination complaint includes a clause barring her from disparaging state officials.

However, Bren did confirm that at the meeting she was presented with a letter from Peters' supervisor, Kristine Juelfs, who wrote that she disagreed with the denial and charged that Peters had run up against an 'inefficient process.'

'In the past week I was notified that my trainee, State Registered Appraiser Kassidy Peters, was denied upgrade of her license to State Certified Residential Appraiser,' Juelfs wrote. 'This came as quite a shock to myself as she has represented the knowledge and skills necessary.'

Juelfs' letter blasted the application evaluation for lacking 'timeliness and professionalism' and said the examiner reviewing Peters' work had 'acted unprofessional when conversing with Kassidy.'

Peters agreed with the criticism in a statement to AP.

'My upgrade to become a Certified Residential Appraiser was very lengthy and I was expected to navigate through many obstacles from the very beginning,' she said. 'I'm glad I have it now and that I have the privilege to serve my clients in South Dakota.'

Bren declined to discuss the certification of any individual appraisers, including Peters.

However, speaking broadly about the agency, she said she hoped to help applicants succeed while making sure they met federal requirements.

'You also want to be fair and consistent and treat all your appraisers the same,' she said.

Labor Secretary Hultman, in response to questions from the AP, declined to delve into details of Peters' application or explain the discrepancy between Juelfs' letter, which said the upgrade had been denied, and department records, which showed a denial was not ultimately issued.

'Kassidy Peters went through the same process as other appraisers. There was no denial,' Hultman said in a statement. 'Mrs. Peters completed the requirements to become licensed, and she was subsequently certified in November.'

Bren's troubles began to mount almost immediately after Peters' Nov. 25 certification.

One day earlier, Hultman had called Bren to discuss 'concerns about the Appraiser Certification Program,' according to Bren's age discrimination complaint.

On Dec. 1, the complaint alleged, Hultman called Bren to demand her retirement, saying she had shown an 'inability to change gears.'

Hultman told Bren that the phone call was to be kept a secret from her direct supervisor to make it appear Bren's retirement was her choice, the complaint alleged.

Over the ensuing weeks, Hultman did not yield in demanding a retirement date, even after Bren asked if there was any way to keep her job, emails obtained by the AP show.

Bren filed her age discrimination complaint at the end of December and, three months later, received the $200,000 settlement agreement to withdraw the complaint and leave her job.

When asked about Bren, Hultman declined to discuss 'the specifics of personnel decisions.'

Mark Miller, the governor's current general counsel, said in a statement, 'Neither party admitted fault, and no agency affirmed her claim. This sideshow regarding Kassidy Peters speaks for itself.'

Fury, the governor's spokesman, cast the episode as an example of Noem clearing 'bureaucratic red tape to get in the way of South Dakota's sustained economic growth.'

'Having more quality appraisers in the market will help keep our housing market moving and home prices down,' he said.

A few days before signing the agreement, Bren sent an email to industry colleagues expressing worry about the future of the program.

'I have been forced to retire by the Secretary of the Department of Labor and Regulation at the behest of the Administration,' she wrote, then added, 'I want each of you to know that I have sincerely done everything possible to avoid this unfortunate circumstance.'
Protesters swarmed outside Brian Laundrie's Florida home Monday, blaming the 23-year-old's parents for not aiding police in the search for their runaway son as cops scaled back their hunt for the prime suspect in Gabby Petito's murder in an alligator-infested reserve.

'We know you're involved,' one of about a dozen protesters declared through the piercing resonance of a megaphone, pacing at the edge of Christopher and Roberta Laundrie's front yard in North Port - five miles from the nearby swampy reserve that police and federal agents are currently combing in search of their son.

'If you got nothing to hide, you would come out and tell the truth,' a protester proclaimed.

'Your silence is guilt!' he shouted.

A crowd of protesters congregated outside fugitive Brian Laundrie's Florida home Monday, chiding the 23-year-old fugitive's parents for not aiding police in the search for their son

The protesters brandished megaphones, pacing at the perimeter of the Laundrie home, shouting piercing remarks at the runaway's parents

Steven Bertolino, an attorney for Brian Laundries parents, insisted they know nothing about his whereabouts. Chris and Roberta Laundrie do not know where Brian is, he said in a statement.

They are concerned about Brian and hope the FBI can locate him.

The speculation by the public and some in the press that the parents assisted Brian in leaving the family home or in avoiding arrest on a warrant that was issued after Brian had already been missing for several days is just wrong.

The protests come on the heels of the North Port Police Department's announcement that the search for Laundrie in Sarasota County's Carlton Reserve - where Laundrie was last seen two weeks ago - would be scaled back due to safety concerns and handed over to the FBI, and after celebrity fugitive finder Dog the Bounty Hunter also visited the Laundrie's suburban home.

'I dont think youre going to see those large-scale types of efforts this week,' North Port Police spokesperson Josh Taylor announced Monday.

'The FBI is now leading the search. I'm told,' Taylor added. 'It will be scaled back and targeted based on intelligence. Hopefully, water will lower in areas hard to currently access.'

The clamorous outdoor campaign also comes two days after reality star Dog the Bounty Hunter paid the Laundries a very public visit, dramatically marching up their driveway and repeatedly pounding on their door until police were eventually called.

Florida police and federal agents are currently combing the swampy terrain of the Carlton Reserve in Sarasota County, but have scaled back their efforts due to the inherent danger of the park's geography

The search for Laundrie has been underway for nearly two weeks, with even helicopters being commissioned to fly over the reserve - however, investigators have come up empty in their efforts thus far

Reality star Dog the Bounty Hunter has dramatically joined the hunt for fugitive Brian Laundrie - exclusively vowing to DailyMail.com: 'I will find him'

The TV tough guy then announced Monday that he's received more than 1,000 tips since joining the search for Laundrie, exclusively telling DailyMail.com: 'I can't tell you more but we are getting leads every ten minutes.'

Asked if he was confident of solving the mystery of the missing Laundrie's whereabouts, Chapman confidently replied: 'Yes - I will find him.'

Protesters addressed the predicament facing police concerning the search of the swampy reserve - which boasts an expansive, unforgiving topography.

'This can all be prevented if you just come out and tell authorities what you know,' a protester announced Monday of police's ongoing, nearby search, which had to be diminished due to safety concerns for investigators.

Laundrie was last seen at the Carlton Reserve five miles from his family's home September 15; his father, Christopher, and mother, Roberta (not pictured), did not tell police of their son's disappearance until three days later, and have not cooperated with investigators in the subsequent search for their son - a person of interest in his fiance Gabby Petito's death

'Officers, FBI and law enforcement are searching for Brian - putting their lives in danger in the reserve,' a protester pointed out, addressing Laundrie's parents, who were advised by their attorney, Steve Bertolino, to not cooperate with police.

'This a poor little girl and her family who are suffering, because of what your son did,' one protester chided, before adding, accusingly, 'You know where he is.'

'Why are you hiding behind your attorneys and not speaking?'

'You can't hide from this.' one protester proclaimed outside Laundrie's home Monday, adding, 'The whole world is watching.'

Laundrie, 23, has been missing since September 15, after he allegedly told his parents he was going hiking in the nearby reserve.

His parents waited until three days later to notify cops that he had not returned.

Florida cattle rancher Alan McEwen, who lives just outside the reserve, told Fox News however, that if Laundrie is actually out there in the alligator-infested wilderness, the chance that he's still alive is slim to none - which would explain investigators' announcement about the scaled-back efforts of combing the reserve in coming day.

'There's no surviving out here, I don't know how to say it,' he told the outlet.

Florida cattle rancher Alan McEwen (pictured), who lives outside the Carlton Reserve (pictured), has spent 30 years exploring the area and said it's not somewhere humans can easily live

'I've been in the woods in and out all my life I have learned a lot in my life, and one thing I know is no one is gonna survive out there for two weeks on foot.'

He had embarked on a cross-country road trip with his fiance Petito, 22, who was last seen alive on August 25. Laundrie returned home to Florida on September 1, and Petito was reported missing by her parents 11 days later.

After an extensive search at Grand Teton National Park's Spread Creek campground, Petito's remains were discovered on September 19. A coroner ruled that she died as a result of a homicide, but her manner of death has not yet been revealed.

Laundrie was named a person of interest in Petito's homicide death last week, and a warrant was subsequently issued for his arrest by the FBI after he fraudulently used a Capitol One Bank debit card that was not his following Petito's death.

The warrant states that Laundrie wanted for 'use of unauthorized access device' related to activities between August 30 and September 1, and that he used the card to obtain items totaling $1,000 or more.

FBI and local police are still searching the reserve as of Monday.
Jason Robinson, 37, from Florida, has been charged with first-degree murder and a host of lesser counts stemming from his girlfriend's killing

A career criminal was arrested in Florida and charged with first-degree murder in the death of his girlfriend after he confessed to his mother and she called police.

Jason Robinson, 37, was apprehended on Saturday night after a struggle in which he removed a Polk County Sheriff's stun gun and radio and attempted to choke him, the sheriff's office said in a news release.

Two witnesses came to the aid of the deputy and helped secure Robinson in handcuffs, authorities said.

'I cant express my gratitude enough to the two witnesses who jumped in to aid my deputy during a violent fight with a very violent man,' Sheriff Grady Judd said. 'Had they not gotten involved, this could have been much worse than it already is.'

Robinson's booking photo shows the murder suspect with his left eye swollen shut and a bloody cut on his cheek in the wake of the fight.

At around 8.30pm on Saturday, Robinsons mother called the Auburndale Police Department and reported that her son had just told her that he had killed his girlfriend.

Police then requested sheriff's deputies perform a welfare check on the girlfriend at the couple's RV where they lived on Highway 98 N in Lakeland.

Robinson provided a false name and date of birth when first confronted, but the responding deputy recognized him from a photograph, according to the news release.

Deputies who arrived to provide backup found the girlfriend's body buried underneath a pallet topped with freshly disturbed dirt, a table and two chairs. Authorities have not named the victim.

Deputies performing a welfare check found Robinson's dead girlfriend buried near their RV on 98 Highway N in Lakeland (pictured) on Saturday night

Robinson has a vast criminal record in Florida, which includes 19 felonies and five misdemeanors

Robinson was also charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, battery on a law enforcement officer, tampering with evidence, resisting with violence, depriving an officer with means to communication and giving a false ID.

His prior criminal history in Florida includes 19 felonies and five misdemeanors in Florida, where he has been jailed four times since 2005 on charges including kidnap/false imprisonment; aggravated battery; aggravated assault with a deadly weapon; sex offender violations; numerous batteries and false Information. He was most recently released in January, the release said.

He also has an extensive criminal history in, Delaware, Illinois, Mississippi, and North Carolina.
A bad-tempered father who fatally injured his four-week-old baby by hurling into her cot because she would not stop crying more than 20 years ago has been cleared of her murder.

Dean Smith, 45, from Hertfordshire, threw Maisie Newell across her bedroom when she was a baby on August 26, 2000, leaving her with a fractured skull and brain injuries.

Maisie was subsequently left with life-changing injuries and was cared for by adoptive parents until she died at home with them on June 28, 2014, just before her 14th birthday.

In February this year, Smith had pleaded guilty to her manslaughter but denied murdering Maisie.

On Monday, a jury at the Old Bailey found him not guilty of murder following a retrial.

Dean Smith, 45, from Hertfordshire, threw Maisie Newell across her bedroom when she was a baby on August 26, 2000, leaving her with a fractured skull and brain injuries

Dressed in a navy suit, Smith wept with relief as the jury announced its verdict after deliberating for 11 hours and 58 minutes.

Judge Mark Lucraft QC adjourned sentencing in the 'difficult case' to November 12 and Smith was bailed ahead of the sentence.

The court had heard Smith had thrown Maisie across the room because he was furious he had been left to look after her on his own.

An hour before the incident, the warehouse worker shouted at the baby's mother: 'Don't leave me with a f***ing screaming baby for hours.'

After fatally injuring Masie, Smith calmly lit a cigarette, drank a beer and played on his PlayStation at his two-bedroom flat in Edgware, northwest London, where he lived at the time.

His partner, who cannot be named for legal reasons, came home from her friend's house and checked on Maisie but did not notice anything was wrong until a couple of hours later.

Maisie was rushed to hospital with dreadful injuries to her skull and spine leaving her handicapped for life.

Adoptive parents cared for her until she eventually died at home with them just before her 14th birthday on 28 June 2014.

Maisie Newell was left with life-changing injuries and was cared for by adoptive parents until she died at home with them on June, 28, 2014

Smith admitted inflicting grievous bodily harm after the attack and was jailed for three years in 2001 before a murder investigation was launched following her death 13 years later.

He was cleared of murder following a retrial at the Old Bailey after admitting manslaughter. The first jury had failed to reach a verdict on the murder charge last September.

When recalling her relationship with Smith his partner told jurors heard how Smith once said: 'Life's a b****, you marry a b****, then have a couple of b****es, then you die.'

Sally O'Neill, prosecuting, said Smith had warned his partner he was difficult to live with.

'He used to refer to Masie as 'The B****' but claimed it was in jest,' Ms O'Neill said.

'Maisie Williams was four weeks old, her injuries were caused when he threw her across the bedroom into her wooden cot, where she hit her head.

'His words to her as she left were 'Don't leave me with a f-king screaming baby for hours'.

Dean Smith (pictured outside the Old Bailey in 2020) threw Maisie Newell into her cot when she was just four-weeks-old in August 2000

Smith had a 'fit of temper' when he couldn't stop Maisie crying, the threw her into her wooden cot around four of five feet away standing in the bedroom doorway, the court heard.

He drank a beer and smoked a cigarette as she lay gravely injured until Maisie's mother returned around an hour-and-half later at 4:30pm.

Ms O'Neill continued: 'She had been gravely injured by what her father had done to her, but she survived, albeit with very serious and life-changing injuries.

'There is no dispute her death was caused as a result of her injuries.

'He said to police he had thrown her from her bedroom door into the cot and she headbutted the cot.

When police said that is quite a throw, he said: 'Yes, what am I going to do. I lost my temper and I screwed up in a big way.'

'He went to have a cigarette and calmed down. He didn't say anything to her mother when she returned home.

'He went along with her lie, he didn't just stand there, he told close friends the same lie. He said he was disgusted with himself during his interview. It's the prosecution's case that he threw her in that way merely because he lost his temper.'

During a police interview, Smith admitted assaulting Maisie and said he was 'disgusted with himself'. Pictured: Artist's impression of Dean Smith appearing at the Old Bailey in 2020

Giving evidence Smith's partner said: 'Dean panicked. He was crying. I knew then that something was wrong.'

She desperately tried to revive the baby by 'calling her name, gently rubbing her belly, and rocking her in my arms.'

'I asked him: "What has happened? What has happened?"

'He was just panicking, panicking, saying: 'Nothing, nothing' crying. I think at one point I said: "What have you done?"

'I just kept asking him, 'Why is she like this?' I could not wake her up. I think she had a little, I cannot remember, a little mark to her head.'

Smith denied intending to kill his daughter and wept as he told the court: 'I just wanted her to sleep, I just wanted her to settle down.'

Describing himself as 'a low-life scumbag,' the father claimed he had tried to kill himself while on remand for the assault in 2000 but that it had been a 'half-hearted attempt.'

In his closing speech Zafar Ali, QC, defending Smith, told jurors: 'He may have struck you as completely broken. You may almost feel his total despair.

'He told you he hasn't really been living the last 21 years, just going through the motions.

'He just wants all this over and told you that in the witness box. He knows what he has done, he has killed his daughter.'

In August 2001, Smith pleaded guilty to causing really serious harm and was sentenced three years in prison.

On May 31 2014, Maisie, who was adopted in 2002, was taken to hospital because of a breathing problem and bleeding.

Her condition deteriorated and she died on June 28 2014 at home at the age of 13, with her adoptive family by her side
While federal investigators probe allegations that Florida Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz engaged in a sexual relationship with a 14-year-old girl and other possible crimes, the firebrand lawmaker has armed himself with three of New York City's top attorneys.

That could mean he's expecting to face a criminal trial despite insisting himself that he's innocent, experts claim in a Daily Beast report released Monday morning.

'The fact hes hiring trial lawyers would suggest that they are preparing for a trial, not a negotiation,' ex-federal prosecutor Jill Wine-Banks told the outlet.

No recent news has come out of the ongoing investigation, which was first revealed in late March.

Gaetz, who has blamed deep state corruption and extortion attempts for the scandal, frequently points out that he hasn't been charged with anything written in the explosive headlines that trailed him months earlier.

'Although Gaetz and his allies like to interpret the lack of charges as an indication of innocence, the delays could just as easily suggest that the charges that could be coming down the pike are extremely grave and complex,' the report notes.

With his trio of high-powered lawyers, Gaetz joins client rosters that include his close ally Donald Trump and his family, as well as Jeffrey Epstein and drug lord El Chapo.

Rep. Matt Gaetz has denied the range of allegations facing him and said they were the work of deep state operatives and parties trying to extort him

'Based on hiring these attorneys, I think he could be taking an aggressive approach, to try to shred the credibility of the prosecution, perhaps turn the tables and put them on trial,' ex-assistant AG in New York Tristan Snell told the Daily Beast.

Representing Gaetz personally is Trump Organization lawyer Marc Mukasey, who is famously defending the president's family business in the Southern District of New York's criminal financial probe.

His ties to Trump's circle go back decades, with a close connection to Rudy Giuliani. Mukasey's father was once a US attorney and was close friends with the former NYC mayor.

Mukasey has been reported to be a protege of Giuliani's.

A popular attorney in conservative circles, Mukasey also successfully argued a war crimes case for Navy SEAL Eddie Gallagher who was accused of murdering an Iraqi teenager.

Marc Mukasey, who's represented the Trump Organization and members of the Trump family, is one of two lawyers personally representing Gaetz (pictured: Mukasey reacts to the acquittal of his former client, Navy SEAL Eddie Gallagher, who was charged with premeditated murder in the killing of an Iraqi teen)

Mukasey is also defense counsel for Jared Kushner friend and former Observer editor Ken Kurson. Kurson was charged in New York in August for allegedly spying on his ex-wife. He was pardoned by Trump for similar transgressions months earlier.

But the report notes that Mukasey has stepped back from Trump as he's joined Gaetz's team. He was retained by the Florida lawmaker in April and as recently as last week, he withdrew from Eric Trump's civil defense team in the New York State probe with no explanation.

Attorney Marc Fernich, who represented Epstein until his death, was retained by Matt Gaetz's official campaign committee, Friends of Matt Gaetz, in June.

Fernich made headlines after the convicted pedophile's suicide when he blamed 'overzealous prosecutors' and a 'hysterical press corps' for his death in custody.

His client list also includes incarcerated drug kingpin Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman, sex trafficker and NXIVM cult leader Keith Raniere and two heads of the Gambino crime family in New York.

New York trial lawyer Marc Fernich is representing Gaetz's campaign committee, Friends of Matt Gaetz

A courtroom sketch showes Fernich (right) alongside his former client Jeffrey Epstein

Fernich's website makes it clear he's well-versed in representing clients in sex crimes cases, but as the report notes, he doesn't appear to have any campaign finance experience - another charge possibly facing Gaetz.

Criminal defense attorney Isabelle Kirshner is joining Mukasey in representing Gaetz personally.

A partner at Clayman & Rosenberg LLP, Kirshner's legal bio states she has three decades' experience practicing law. She represented a number of defendants in 'a wide range of criminal matters including investigations and prosecutions relating to securities fraud, money laundering, bank fraud, tax fraud, as well as distribution of crystal methamphetamine, opioids, and allegations of sexual misconduct.'

Isabelle Kirschner is the second attorney personally representing Gaetz. She previously was hired by ex-New York AG Eric Schneiderman, who was accused of assault

Kirshner represented ex-New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman after he was accused of violent assault by multiple women who claim to have had romantic relationships with the liberal official. Schneiderman's alleged crimes were never prosecuted.

She also represented Robert Hadden, a gynecologist who was accused of sexually assaulting his patients including the wife of 2020 presidential candidate Andrew Yang.

Former New York assistant AG Snell said Gaetz's trio of lawyers indicate the embattled congressman is taking a 'scorched-earth approach.'

'These are all big out-of-town lawyers. If your goal is to resolve something, you typically hire the top criminal defense attorney in the district, someone whos a repeat customer there and has a good working relationship with that US Attorneys office,' he said.

'But these attorneys can go down there, burn down the building, and not have to worry about going back in the next day.'

The aggressive strategy draws parallels to Trump's aggressive, bombastic defenses of himself.

Former federal prosecutor Barb McQuade agreed but doubted the strategy would be successful for Gaetz, a staunch supporter of the former president.

'It may be effective in the court of public opinion, but rarely effective in a court of law,' McQuade said.

Gaetz associate Joel Greenberg pleaded guilty to charges reportedly connected to the probe into the embattled Florida congressman

Gaetz is facing a number of allegations that include sex trafficking, prostitution, obstruction of justice, campaign finance violations and a number of other corruption claims.

He wrote in an April op-ed, 'My personal life is and always has been conducted on my own time and my own dime. Consensual adult relationships are not illegal. Although Im sure some partisan crooks in Merrick Garlands Justice Department want to pervert the truth and the law to go after me, I will not be intimidated or extorted.'

Prosecutors' investigation looked like it was ramping up when Gaetz's associate Joel Greenberg, a former Florida official, pleaded guilty in May to charges including sex trafficking the teenager Gaetz is accused of having a relationship with.

He pleaded guilty to six of the nearly three dozen charges he faced, including sex trafficking of a minor, and he admitted that he had paid at least one underage girl to have sex with him and other men.

Greenberg agreed to cooperate with federal authorities, which his attorney hinted could be a problem for Gaetz's defense - although the congressman's name wasn't brought up in court that day.

'I'm sure Matt Gaetz is not feeling very comfortable today,' Greenberg's lawyer Fritz Scheller said ahead of the plea deal.
President Joe Biden said on Monday that 'victory' is at stake ahead of a tough series of votes this week on Capitol Hill as White House press secretary Jen Psaki warned 'nothing is guaranteed.'

Monday evening the Senate will vote on a short-term solution to fund the government that is expected to fail due to a lack of Republican support.

That's just the start of a series of contentious votes this week that will encompass Biden's entire agenda, which faces a derailment due to an internecine battle among Democrats.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi postponed a vote on Biden's infrastructure package until Thursday as Democrats work to shore up support among moderates for Biden's $3.5 trillion budget filled with social programs.

Additionally, lawmakers are arguing about raising the debt ceiling, which could find the U.S. government faulting on its debt around mid-October if it's not raised.

And the clock is ticking on a government shutdown with funding running out on Friday night at midnight.

'Victory is what's at stake,' Biden said.

President Joe Biden said that 'victory is what's at stake' ahead of a tough series of votes this week on Capitol Hill

White House press secretary Jen Psaki warned 'nothing is guaranteed as Democrats face an intra-party war over President Biden's agenda

And the president conceded it may all not be done this week.

'It may not be by the end of the week. I hope it's by the end of the week. But as long as we're still alive,' he noted, 'we got three things to do: the debt ceiling, the continuing resolution, and the two pieces of legislation. If we do that, the country is going to be in great shape.'

For Monday's vote, Senate Republicans object to Democrats including raising the debt ceiling in the government funding stopgap, which also includes funds for hurricane disaster relief and Afghan refugees.

Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell has made it clear none of his GOP senators will vote for it and the measure cannot move forward without 10 Republican votes.

The House passed the measure last week. It extends government funding through December 3 and suspends the debt limit through December 16, 2022.

'We will support a clean continuing resolution that will prevent a government shutdown, get disaster relief to Louisiana, help properly vetted Afghan refugees who put themselves on the line for America and support the Iron Dome assistance for our ally Israel,' McConnell said on the Senate floor Monday afternoon.

'We will not provide Republican votes for raising the debt limit,' he noted.

Democratic leaders have not announced the next steps should Monday night's vote fail as expected.

Democratic leaders also are dealing with drama within their own party.

Moderate Democratic Senators Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema have said they don't want to vote for the $3.5 trillion budget package- citing its high price tag - but the White House wouldn't say if they've given Biden a number they can support.

Liberals in the House, however, have said they won't vote for the infrastructure plan until the Senate passes the $3.5 trillion budget.

Originally, scheduled to be voted on Monday, Pelosi announced Sunday night she is pushing the infrastructure vote back to Thursday to give Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer more time to negotiate among the party's warring factions.

In the 50-50 evenly divided Senate, Democrats cannot lose a single vote. And Pelosi only has a four-seat majority in the House.

Pelosi is holding a meeting for House Democrats on Monday night as leaders try to rally their party into a unified front.

The House Budget Committee passed their version of the $3.5 trillion budget package on Saturday. The intention was to prove to progressives that leadership was serious about moving it along with the infrastructure bill to reassure them it won't be left behind due to moderate demands.

The move didn't work.

Rep. Pramila Jayapal, the head of the progressive caucus, said they want to see the Senate pass it first - or at least get reassurances from Manchin and Sinema of their support of it.

Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell has made it clear none of his GOP senators will vote for the short term government funding resolution as long as it includes raising the debt limit

Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer arrives at the Capitol on Monday for the start of a busy week of votes on President Biden's agenda

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Speaker Nancy Pelosi are scrambling to unite moderates and progressives on Biden's $3.5 trillion budget of social programs

Biden, meanwhile, has kept an open schedule for the week as Democratic leaders struggle to get a stop-gap budget solution passed by Friday.

'The president knows that nothing is guaranteed,' Psaki said at her daily press briefing. 'He's going to work this afternoon tonight, tomorrow, to do everything he can to engage with Democrats.'

She acknowledged the disagreements among Democrats even as she expressed optimism the legislation can pass.

'He's not naive about how challenging this is he's been through a few of these rodeos before. And so what we're focused on right now is working in lockstep with leadership to move the agenda forward and get it over the finish line,' Psaki said.

She noted Biden is 'not a wallflower' and is heavily involved. Biden served in the Senate for over 30 years and prides himself on his relationships with lawmakers.

The president held separate meetings last week with congressional leadership, progressives and moderates. More meetings could be on tap for this week.

'Things are constantly changing every day and certainly even every hour and we are evaluating. The president has some space in his schedule to make calls, to bring people down here - we're not that far from the hill - so we will keep you abreast as these details are finalized,' Psaki said.

'He is not a wallflower. He is engaging in conversations. He's having discussions with leaders,' she said.
Family members of a man whose body was found dismembered and left to burn in a dumpster in Texas said he was worried for his life and contacted his family to try to hide before he was killed.

Authorities have identified one of three bodies as David Lueras, 42, who was 'known to frequent the Dallas area' and 'has some ties' to nearby communities, according to a police release on Friday.

'I know that he was scared and I know he knew somebody was after him to get him,' Lueras' cousin, Aaron Torres, told Fox 4 News.

Torres said he hadn't been in touch with Lueras in years, but added that the 42-year-old recently contacted some family relatives to try to hide out of state.

David Lueras, 42, is one of the three people found dismembered Wednesday, cops said

'He wouldn't tell us their names,' Torres said.

He said his cousin returned to North Texas, where he came-and-went for 25 years.

'Whoever did this definitely wanted to make an example out of him,' Torres said.

The other bodies found have not been identified but they appear to be a child and a young teenage or adult female.

They were found burned and heavily dismembered at 6.17 a.m. last Wednesday when police were called about a dumpster fire on Bonnie Drive, police reported, adding that some body parts also missing.

'The dismembered condition of the bodies is making the identification process difficult,' said the police department in the request for assistance on Friday.

Torres said that he doesn't know who the other two victims might be or if they are related to Lueras.

'Only God knows the truth, you know, we've just got to keep investigating,' he said.

The investigation is ongoing, but it's unclear where the triple murder took place or how the victims are related.

The other two victims have not been identified. Police said they are an unknown teenage or young adult female, and an unknown child whose gender is not yet confirmed

Photos from the scene show the grassy area scorched and charred black where the fire was

The bodies were burned and heavily dismembered and there are body parts that are unaccounted for

Police didn't reveal what business the dumpster belonged to, but station KXAS said it was behind a storage company.

The address of the incident coincides with the location of Firefighting's Finest Moving & Storage.

Photos from the scene, from WFAA, show the grassy area scorched and charred black where the fire was.

No arrests have been made as of Friday night, and the Fort Worth Police Department is requesting the public's help in the investigation.

The bodies were found inside of a burning trash dumpster in Fort Worth, Texas

The Fort Worth Police Department is requesting the public's help in the investigation

Lueras, who was known to local police, had a lengthy criminal history, including burglary, drug, fraud, and theft charges.

He had previously pleaded guilty to possession of methamphetamine and theft over $1,500 in neighboring Dallas County, according to court records.

'Got lost with the wrong crowd,' Torres said about his cousin, adding that these gruesome murders point to something personal.

"But I know he went over there to go hide," he concluded.

DailyMail.com has reached out to the Fort Worth Police Department for further information.

Anyone with information is asked to call Detective M. Barron at 817-392-4339 or Detective T. OBrien at 817-392-4338. Callers can also contact the homicide unit at 817-392-4330 or call CrimeStoppers anonymously at 817-469-8477.
The number of people who have crossed the English Channel in 2021 so far is double compared to 2020, with three months still left in the year.

At least 17,085 people had made the dangerous journey so far this year in small boats, according to available official Home Office data.

Last year's total was more than 8,400, meaning this year's figure to date double the 2020 total.

More than 16,400 people had made the dangerous journey so far this year in small boats, according to available official Home Office data

On Sunday, a Border Force coastal patrol vessel was seen arriving in Dover full of people as well as a lifeboat with around 40 or 50 people

A group of people thought to be migrants are brought in to Dover, Kent, by Border Force officers

This comes despite repeated vows from the Government to make such crossings 'unviable' and tens of millions of pounds promised to France to help tackle the issue.

Amnesty International UK criticised 'inhumane policies like pushbacks and the criminalisation of refugees' and called for urgent action.

Dan O'Mahoney, clandestine channel threat commander, said: 'The Government is determined to tackle the unacceptable rise in dangerous Channel crossings using every tool at our disposal, at every stage in the journey.

'But this is a complicated issue requiring changes to our laws. The Government's New Plan for Immigration provides the only long term solution to fix the broken system and deliver the change required to tackle criminal gangs and prevent further loss of life.'

Since the start of last year, more than 25,000 people have risked death crossing to the UK aboard dinghies, kayaks and other small boats.

There were even more crossings over the weekend.

On Sunday, a Border Force coastal patrol vessel was seen arriving in Dover full of people as well as a lifeboat with around 40 or 50 people, including families and young children, on board.

From 8am to 12.30pm, it was estimated around 150 people had arrived.

Those who were arriving were seen all wearing blue surgical face masks and orange lifejackets

Last month, a 27-year-old man from Eritrea died after he and four others jumped overboard as their boat started to sink

Those who were arriving were seen all wearing blue surgical face masks and orange lifejackets.

Later on, a group of people, thought to be migrants, were escorted by police and Border Force officers away from the beach at St Margaret's Bay.

They had landed on the beach in a small boat following a number of arrivals from the Channel.

Despite the sharp rise in small boats arrivals on the south coast, asylum applications in the UK fell in 2020 to 29,456.

This was significantly lower than the 93,475 asylum applications made in France and the 121,955 made in Germany.

The continued crossings come despite the perilous nature of the Dover Strait, one of the world's busiest shipping lanes.

Since the beginning of 2019, more than a dozen people have died or gone missing while trying to cross to the UK in small boats.

In October last year, a Kurdish-Iranian family, including small children, died when their migrant boat sank off the French coast.

Last month, a 27-year-old man from Eritrea died after he and four others jumped overboard as their boat started to sink.

Steve Valdez-Symonds, Amnesty International UK's refugee and migrant rights director, said: 'It's been appalling to see how ministers and others have sought to manipulate these highly visible crossings to give the impression of an emergency situation on the Kent coast.

Later on, a group of people, thought to be migrants, were escorted by police and Border Force officers away from the beach at St Margaret's Bay

In October last year, a Kurdish-Iranian family, including small children, died when their migrant boat sank off the French coast

'The total number of asylum claims being made in the UK is no greater than it was two years ago, but Channel crossings have become part of the Government's cynical politicisation of asylum.

'Every time the Home Secretary talks about 'people smugglers', she ignores her own failure to open up safe and legal asylum routes.

'The people making these dangerous sea crossings are doing so out of desperation, largely because there are no safe and legal routes open to them.

'We urgently need a new approach to asylum in this country - with inhumane policies like pushbacks and the criminalisation of refugees dropped, and far more done in terms of working with France and others to play a constructive role in assisting people who've fled war and persecution.'
A female high school wrestling champion was shot dead while sitting in her parked car outside her Chicago home on Saturday evening

Melissa 'Azul' de la Garza, 18, was coming back from a day of shopping for Halloween costumes and had just finished a Facetime call with her sister when an unidentified man approached her car and shot her multiple times in the torso before fleeing, according to the Chicago Police Department.

She was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital in critical condition, where she was pronounced dead, police confirmed.

A spokesperson for the Chicago Police Department told DailyMail.com that the motive for the shooting is unclear and investigators are still searching for the suspect.

The shooting comes amid a huge surge in violent crimes and shootings in Chicago. The 18-year old athlete was one of nine people shot dead in the city over the weekend.

Melissa 'Azul' de la Garza, 18, was shot dead while sitting in her parked car outside her home in Chicago's Southwest Side on Saturday evening

She had just been talking with her sister on FaceTime when an unidentified gunman approached her car and open fire, striking her torso multiple times

'She just seemed so happy in that FaceTime call,' de la Garza's older sister Isabel said at a press conference after the shooting. 'I can't fathom this, I can't understand it. And it's so heart-breaking for me and my whole family.'

De la Garza also went by the name Azul and was referred to by both she/her and they/them pronouns.

De la Garza's father Jose rushed outside after hearing the gunshots and police showed up to the scene minutes later. 'He saw my sister sitting in the car. He was screaming her name, and she wasn't responding,' Isabel told local news station WLS. 'My dad opened the door and just held her.'

Jose described his daughter as a 'warrior princess.' She was the only girl on the wrestling team at Solorio Academy High School and the second in the school's history, according to a newsletter from the school. She was also an artist and planned to take a year off to work and save money before attending the School of the Art Institute in Chicago on a scholarship.

'It's hard to put in words the loss we are feeling,' Jose said, through tears, at Sunday's press conference. 'For someone to take away my 18-year-old warrior princess. She had a scholarship, and she was a wrestler at Solorio, took second place in state, just doing everything the best way we've taught her. For someone to come and take that away for no reasonit doesn't make any sense.'

De la Garza's father Jose (center) rushed outside after hearing the gunshots and police showed up to the scene minutes later. She was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital in critical condition, where she was pronounced dead, police confirmed

'It is a nightmare,' her grandmother Clara de la Garza (left) said. 'Who is going to fill this hole? It's unbelievable how this city is being consumed by violence'

Chicago police said they are looking for 'an unidentified male offender who fled the scene on foot' after shooting dead Melissa de la Garza. Her grandmother Clara de la Garza told WLS she had been shot seven times, and that three people were seen running in the opposite direction after the shooting.

'It is a nightmare,' Clara said, in Spanish, to WLS. 'Who is going to fill this hole? It's unbelievable how this city is being consumed by violence.'

De la Garza's family set up a GoFundMe page in her memory that has garnered $6,523 of its $10,000 goal in the four hours since it was created on Monday.

'She had so much ambition She's so artistic,' Isabel told the news outlet. 'I'll remember her as my best friend, my rock, the person I always went to. She always gave me advice.'

Alma de la Garza-Wozniak, the victim's aunt, made a plea for change in crime-ridden Chicago. 'We need to elect the right officials that will go ahead keep criminals in the prisons so they don't come back out,' she told Fox 32.

De la Garza was the only girl on the wrestling team at Solorio Academy High School and the second in the school's history, according to a newsletter from the school

She was also an artist and planned to take a year off to work and save money before attending the School of the Art Institute in Chicago on a scholarship

Shooting incidents in Chicago are up 10 percent in the week leading up to September 19, with 2,596 incidents this year as compared to the 2,351 in the same period last year

According to the CBS Chicago, at least nine people were killed and 59 people were wounded in citywide shootings over the weekend, including a police officer and a 15-year old boy.

Police were responding to gunfire that hospitalized the 15-year old boy and killed an 18-year old man in Chicago's South Side on Friday night when a shooter opened fire and struck a female officer in the leg, police said.

Officers arrested Aaron Jenkins, 26, in connection with the shooting and he faces two counts of attempted murder in the first degree and felony aggravated battery of a peace officer/discharge of a firearm.

After the shooting, the officer drove herself to University of Chicago Medical Center and has since been treated and released.

Shooting incidents in Chicago are up 10 percent in the week leading up to September 19, with 2,596 incidents this year as compared to the 2,351 in the same period last year.

However, overall crime has dipped five percent in the same period with 3,1522 crimes reported this year compared to 3,3211 crimes reported last year. Robbery cases are also down, by seven percent, but criminal sexual assault, theft and murders are all up by 28 percent, 11 percent and four percent, respectively.
Wells Fargo will pay $37 million in fines after 'routinely' lying to small and medium businesses about exchange rates and keeping a running tally of the overages they were willing to accept while their own workers made up to $1 million in bonuses.

The bank failed to disclose the fees it charged companies that dealt in foreign currency between 2010 and 2017, only letting them know about the 'all in' final rate rather than the market rate or the extra money it was charging, court record show.

The federal lawsuit and settlement were both filed Monday in the Southern District of New York.

The bank has already paid $35 million in restitution to its customers, according to the settlement, the latest in a series of scandals that have damaged the bank's reputation.

'The settlement announced today by the Southern District of New Yorks Civil Division reflects a $37.3 million payment related to pricing issues in our FX business that occurred prior to 2017. This past behavior was unacceptable. Since that time, Wells Fargo has paid approximately $35 million to fully remediate affected clients and extensively reviewed our FX pricing practices and procedures. We have significantly improved our business policies, procedures and oversight related to the management and pricing of FX transactions. We remain committed to serving the needs of our FX clients.,' Wells Fargo said in a statement.

Wells Fargo stock prices dipped after the news on Monday, eventually trading at $47.61 per share at 3.26pm, less than one percent down.

Wells Fargo will pay the US government $37 million for defrauding small and medium-sized businesses out of millions of dollars in exchange rate fees, according to court documents

The bank did not tell companies the exact rate it was charging them and kept a running tally of businesses and the amount of overage they were willing to pay, prosecutors say

According to the Department of Justice, 'The bank profited from conducting [foreign exchange] transactions with its customers by marking up the prices on currency it was selling and marking down the prices on currency it was buying from customers for their outgoing and incoming wire transfers.'

Customers requested exchanges through the online platforms FX Online and CEO Wires.

'On each platform, the customer could login, make a request to exchange US dollars for another currency, and arrange to send that currency by wire transfer to a recipient overseas,' prosecutors note.

'Wells Fargo would quote an exchange rate for the amount and type of currency, which the customer could accept or reject.'

Because customers were left in the dark about the extra fees or the underlying market rate, the 771 small and medium businesses affected didn't get to choose whether or not to go forward with the transactions, prosecutors say.

Most shockingly, sales workers at the bank kept a tally of which customers accepted what exchange rates.

In a running database, a specialist noted that one customer 'still thinks pricing is the same,' according to prosecutors.

The bank's stock tumbled on Monday before bouncing bank to less than one percent down

Last year, the bank agreed to pay $3 billion in penalties after a long-running practice where employees opened millions of unauthorized bank accounts to meet sales quotas

Another specialist wrote: 'Customer thinks they are only charged 15 pips,' referring to percentage in point, a standardized unit representing the smallest amount by which a currency quote can change.

One employee seemed to spell out the whole scheme in an internal email, saying he 'bumped spreads up a pinch,' adding that 'these clients who are in the mode of just processing wires will most likely not notice this slight change in pricing' and that it 'could have a very quick positive impact on revenue without a lot of risk.'

All the while, some of them got as much as $1 million in bonuses from the company.

'As a result of the improper incentives and lack of oversight, a culture developed in which Wells Fargo FX sales specialists were comfortable repeatedly defrauding the banks customers,' the DOJ said.

'[Foreign exchange] sales specialists openly discussed and even celebrated transactions resulting in larger FX spreads than agreed to with customers and transactions generating large FX revenue.'

The department prosecuted the bank under the 1989 Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery and Enforcement (FIRREA).

Last February, the bank agreed to pay $3 billion to settle criminal and civil investigations into a long-running practice whereby company employees opened millions of unauthorized bank accounts in order to meet unrealistic sales goals.

The issue first came to light in 2016 and has been the subject of widespread coverage, including an episode of Netflix's Dirty Money.

Last year, Wells Fargo CEO Charles Scharf came under fire after blaming a low pool of qualified black applicants for the company's lack of diversity in a company-wide memo

The $3 billion payment included a $500 million civil payment to the Securities and Exchange Commission, which will distribute those funds to investors who were impacted by Wells' behavior.

The bank referred to its branches as 'stores,' and once had a policy of trying to get each Wells Fargo customer to have eight financial products with the company.

Bank employees were berated for not making bloated sales quotas, which ultimately resulted in many employees gaming Wells Fargo's sales system in order to meet these artificial sales goals.

Wells Fargo is still subject to an asset cap from the Federal Reserve that limits its size to what it was at the end of 2017, according to Bloomberg.

The bank is the third-largest US lender by assets behind Bank of America and JPMorgan Chase, according to the Federal Reserve.

Wells Fargo CEO Charles Scharf came under fire last year after he blamed a low pool of qualified black applicants for the company's lack of diversity.

'While it might sound like an excuse, the unfortunate reality is that there is a very limited pool of black talent to recruit from,' the 56-year-old said in a company-wide memo on June 18.
A Tartan Army fan who trashed a hotel room while high on cocaine following Scotland's Euro 2020 clash with England in June has been ordered to pay nearly 15,000 in damages.

Ross James Ferris, 27, from Fife, ripped a TV bracket and trouser press off the wall of his room at the four-star Corus Hotel near Hyde Park, London, before smashing mirrors and covering much of the bathroom in his own blood.

Southwark Crown Court heard how the electrician then ripped a window frame out of the wall and jumped onto a conservatory roof naked before scaling down to the street, where he was tackled and handcuffed by a group of officers.

On top of covering the 14,635 worth of damages, the young father was also handed a six-month prison sentence suspended for two years and must complete 150 hours of unpaid work.

Ross James Ferris, 27, from Fife, ripped a TV bracket and trouser press off the wall of his room at the four-star Corus Hotel near Hyde Park, London, before smashing mirrors and covering much of the bathroom in his own blood

The court heard how Ferris spat at two police officers as they tried to restrain him.

The young father, who had entered a cocaine-induced psychotic episode, was rushed to hospital due to the severe injuries to his hand caused by the handcuffs.

Ferris had previously bitten a female police officer on the arm during a drug-fuelled assault in November 2019.

His hotel rampage came shortly after England and Scotland drew 0-0 at Wembley during the group stages of Euro 2020.

Prosecutor James Marsland said: 'During interview, he apologised and described himself as mortified.'

Ferris has since become teetotal and refrained from taking cocaine, the court heard.

One police officer was injured during the incident, and cocaine was discovered in Ferris's room

Judge Alexander Milne, QC, said: 'It was a shameful and horrendous period of activity which must have been deeply upsetting for those who had to deal with you, those who had to clean up the room, and for those officers who had to struggle with you.

'The damage to the room was horrendous, the behaviour was horrendous,

'In the circumstances, I am persuaded that you should not go to prison today, I am going to order the costs of repair should be repaid by you over six months.

'You are somebody who is quite capable of getting your life into shape.

'I trust the court will not see you back again.'

Roger Sahota, for Ferris, said: 'He has emailed the hotel and he has offered to make restitution for the damage.

'His remorse is genuinely heartfelt.'

Ferris's partner and parents sobbed from the public gallery as the sentence was read out, then embraced him as he left the dock.

Ferris had admitted criminal damage, possession of cocaine, and three counts of assault of an emergency worker.
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki Psaki defended President Joe Biden's remarks slapping at US reporters for asking questions that aren't 'on point' in front of a foreign head of state  and said his words weren't meant as a 'hard cut' on them.

She fielded multiple questions Monday from the media about Biden's comments to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, where Biden urged his counterpart not to take questions and appeared to criticize US reporters.

'I think what we're going to do is bring in the press,' Biden said as the two men sat down in the Oval Office Friday before a bilateral meeting. 'The Indian press is much better behaved than the American press. I got to watch out, they'll knock one of those down,' Biden said as reporters began to come into the room.

'I think, with your permission, you should not answer questions because they wont ask any questions on point,' Biden advised him.

It was a remark that was itself off topic from the message Biden meant to convey about cooperation among a group of foreign leaders known as the Quad.

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki speaks at a press briefing in the James Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House on September 27 2021 in Washington, DC, where she defended President Biden's comments on the press at a meeting with the Indian Prime Minister

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi joined President Joe Biden in the Oval Office on Friday

'I think, with your permission,' Biden said to Modi, 'you could not answer questions because they won't ask any questions on point.' White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki defended his comments Monday

His remarks came during a week when Biden took hits in the media for repeatedly avoiding attempts by reporters to question him  and where he ultimately did take some questions at a different Friday event to cap off a week with diplomatic intrigue and trouble at the border.

Reporters wanted Psaki to explain Biden's beef with their questions  and if it was appropriate to urge a visiting leader not to take them.

'Well, I would note first that he took questions on Friday and he took questions again today. And I think what he said is that they're not always on point,' said Psaki.

'Now I know that isn't something that anyone wants to hear in here, but what I think he was conveying is, you know, today he might want to talk about COVID vaccine. Some of the questions were about that he might want to talk about, and some of the questions are not always about the topic he's talking about in that day. I don't think it was meant to be a hard cut at the members of media  people he's taken questions from today, and, and on Friday as well.'

Biden did indeed take multiple questions Monday when there was a silence as he got his Pfizer vaccine booster shot. The White House routinely organizes events meant to convey a 'message of the day'  and reporters nearly always try to ask their own questions based on what they want to know.

Psaki said Biden was not reticent to take questions in front of foreign leaders. Also last week, while sitting down with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, it was Johnson who fielded a pair of questions from British media, and Biden gave responses - but without calling on US media. Psaki later indicated Johnson had not telegraphed his decision to call on reporters in advance.

'He'd already taken questions that day I think that was the context of, of his comments [Friday],' Psaki said. 'And he's taken question standing next to a foreign leader many many times in the past and will continue to.'

Then Psaki got a question on India's own human rights record  it came in 142 out of 180 on a world press freedom index compiled by Reporters Without Borders (RSF), due to intimidation of press who write stories deemed anti-government.

'Having now worked for the president, serving in this role for nine months, having seen that he's taking questions from the press more than 140 times, including today, and Friday, that he certainly respects the role of the press the role of the freedom of press the free press,' said Psaki.

'We ensure that we have press with us, of course, when we travel, that we have pressed with us for sprays in foreign capitals and we will continue to. And I think that should speak to his commitment to freedom of press around the world,' she said.
Northwestern University suspended fraternity activities on all of its campuses after several students were allegedly drugged in frat houses over the weekend, sparking protests from fellow students.

The suspensions will remain in place at least until October 17, the Sunday after the university's homecoming events, officials from the Evanston, Illinois school said as they launched an investigation into the allegations.

'Let us be clear: The health, safety and well-being of our students remain our top priority and we are taking these allegations very seriously, We encourage you to seek support from campus resources if you need help processing this news, ' read the statement on the university's website.

Northwestern officials said a group of students reported on Friday that they had been drugged without their consent at a fraternity party at the university's main campus in Evanston.

Students at Northwestern University organized a protest after several fellows students were drugged at fraternity houses over the weekend

Several other students filed a new report on Saturday alleging they also were drugged at another frat house on the Evanston campus.

The addresses provided in the reports, 2325 Sheridan Road and 584 Lincoln Street, are consistent with the Sigma Alpha Epsilon and the Alpha Epsilon Pi chapters, respectively.

One of the students who claimed she was drugged, Isabel Podolsky, wrote an op-ed for the schools newspaper detailing her ordeal.

Podolsky said she was given a drink she was told was 'non-alcoholic. She had two within two hours and realized she had been drugged, she wrote.

She said that while she was able to talk she could not move her body.

She had the presence of mind to call her parents, who ordered her to call emergency services.

She was transported to NorthShore University HealthSystem, but said she was belittled by first responders who believed she was in a self-induced stated of hallucination.

Students at Northwestern University organized a protest after several fellows students were drugged at fraternity houses over the weekend

Northwestern said a group of students reported on Friday that they had been drugged without their consent at a fraternity in the university's main campus in Evanston, Illinois

The university has reiterated they are taking the allegations seriously and are working along with the Interfraternity Council, the governing body of many fraternities, to find out who is responsible.

On Sunday night, about 2,000 students attended a protest and demanded all Greek life be abolished at the Big-10 school.

A large crowd of students chanted 'We can see you,' while they held 'Abolish Greek life' and 'Believe Survivors' signs.

'It is terrible that such a terrible thing had to happen for several people to come, but I am grateful that there are so many people here to support those who are affected,' 'Gia', a junior student at Northwestern, told abc.

One of the fraternities told CBS Chicago they were cooperating with campus police.

'Alpha Epsilon Pi is horrified by these stories and our members are cooperating fully with the university's investigation in order to find the responsible individuals,' the fraternity said. 'If proven guilty, those perpetrators should be punished to the fullest extent of the law.'

After receiving the reports, the university issued a statement announcing they are conduction an investigation into the incidents, but students are demanding for all Greek Life to be abolished in the university

The university has reiterated they are taking the allegations seriously and are working to investigate the matter
The Prime Minister last night demanded a 'thorough' inquiry into smart motorways after the Mail's damning undercover investigation revealed they were plagued with shocking failures.

Boris Johnson said No10 took the revelations 'very seriously', and instructed National Highways to investigate.

Asked if the PM will halt the proposed rollout of another 300 miles of the controversial roads, his spokesman said 'any necessary steps' will be taken.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said he was 'deeply concerned', and had demanded an update on the issue from National Highways 'within days'.

It ramps up the pressure on National Highways after our devastating expose revealed critical problems in the tech relied on to keep motorists safe.

Boris Johnson said No10 took the revelations 'very seriously', and instructed National Highways to investigate

Asked if the PM will halt the proposed rollout of another 300 miles of the controversial roads, his spokesman said 'any necessary steps' will be taken

Today, the Mail exposes critical flaws in the 150 million radar software system which is meant to alert the control room to broken-down cars within 20 seconds  and is often failing to do so. Former ministers who gave the green light to the killer roads and MPs described the revelations as 'disturbing', and told the Government to 'get a grip' on the issue.

John Apter, chairman of the Police Federation of England and Wales, writing in the Mail, says: 'Urgent change is needed if more loss of life is to be avoided.'

More than 50 motorists have died on smart motorways from 2015 to 2019, with 18 deaths attributed to the road system.

Families of victims hailed the Mail's coverage. Naiz Shazad, 33, whose mother Nargis Begum, 62, was killed on the M1 near Sheffield three years ago, said: 'We're going to make sure we get the hard shoulder back by whatever means necessary'.

Control room staff say the radar system, which makes a groaning sound when triggered, is low priority because it goes off continuously  but often misses actual breakdowns.

Internal reports reveal staff have flagged systems failures to bosses several times over the past few months.

An undercover reporter working at the National Highways South Mimms control centre witnessed the radar system failing to detect a car sitting in high-speed traffic for more than 30 minutes.

It was stranded on a section of the M25 where at least three deaths have been blamed on the smart motorway.

A picture of the National Highways East Regional Operations Centre based in South Mimms. Screens at the front of the control room are used to monitor the network and big incidents. Two of the CCTV cameras being streamed to the whole control room are faulty

One operator, referring to Stopped Vehicle Detection, the radar system, told the reporter: 'It is really bad  it just doesn't quite work as it should.'

The Prime Minister's spokesman said No 10 'recognises the concerns raised by the Mail today'. 'We take these claims very seriously, and will of course ensure National Highways conducts a thorough investigation.

'It remains that smart motorways are among the safest in the UK with data showing that fatalities are less likely than on conventional ones, and we will continue to work towards building public confidence in them.'

Mr Shapps said: 'I am deeply concerned by these allegations and have instructed National Highways to conduct a detailed investigation. I expect to receive an initial update on this within days.

'Should the investigation show that the high standards we expect on smart motorways are not being met, I am clear that this will not be tolerated and will be ordering that improvements to processes are completed rapidly.'

Former roads minister Sir Mike Penning, who in 2010 authorised a 2 billion expansion of smart motorways, said: 'I was shocked to read the Mail investigation but not surprised. Now we have the evidence, they [National Highways] have to act. They have got to get a grip.'

Former roads minister Sir John Hayes added: 'It's disturbing what the Mail has revealed and given what we know now, it's time for a review.'

Labour MP Sarah Champion, whose Rotherham constituency is close to the stretch of the M1 where there have been a spate of deaths, called for smart motorway lanes to be urgently converted into hard shoulders. National Highways chief executive Nick Harris said: 'We are determined to do all we can to help drivers feel safe and be safer on all our roads and we are investigating these allegations as a matter of urgency.'

Exposed: Lethal flaws in smart m-way radar system that put YOU in danger

By Susie Coen, Assistant Investigations Editor at The Daily Mail

A radar system that should alert the smart motorway control room to breakdowns within 20 seconds gives a host of false warnings  while missing stranded cars.

Stopped Vehicle Detection (SVD) has been lauded by highways chiefs and ministers as 'ground-breaking'.

But control room staff say the system  to be expanded along the entire smart motorway network at a cost of 122million  is impossible to rely on.

It currently 'protects' 24 miles on the M25 around London and 13 miles on the M23 in Surrey.

Staff view alerts from the system, which makes a 'groaning' sound when it is triggered, as 'low priority' because it goes off so often. Slow-moving traffic and even road signs set it off.

In a series of logs seen by the Mail, staff say it often misses breakdowns. Labour's transport spokesman Jim McMahon lambasted the tech, saying it 'isn't fit for purpose'. 'The Government is notorious for bad IT projects', he said. 'You can't have a bad IT project when people's lives are being put at risk.'

Former roads minister Sir Mike Penning said: 'Even one minute sitting in stranded traffic is unacceptable.'

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps ordered the technology to be installed across the network by March 2023 as part of an 18-point plan to improve safety.

The system works through radar posts spaced every 500metres along the motorway.

They are supposed to identify and locate stopped vehicles and then alert the control room.

Staff are then meant to use CCTV to pinpoint the location and check whether there is an accident or breakdown.

The M3 smart motorway near Camberley in Surrey. The motorways have no hard shoulder for emergencies, and use technology to close off lanes

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps ordered the technology to be installed across the network by March 2023 as part of an 18-point plan to improve safety

Former transport minister Andrew Jones said in 2016 the system had been 'successfully trialled' and was an 'important measure... which we believe will help reduce the risk associated with stopping in live lanes.'

In 2019, former Highways England chief Jim O'Sullivan told MPs the system is 'ground-breaking technology' and trials on the M25 had 'proved that it works'.

Mr O'Sullivan, who said they had been 'perfecting the design of smart motorways for ten to 15 years', added: 'Getting it right and making sure it works in all geographies and topographies as we roll it out is very important to us.'

But  in marked contrast  internal reports reveal staff flagged system failures to highways bosses several times over the past few months.

On June 4 an operator warned there had been 48 false alarms in five hours at the same location.

On August 25, staff said the system had been 'suppressing itself' and a stranded car 'in lane one of four not picked up'. Another said the radar system 'constantly goes off, but nothing is ever there on CCTV. This has been a regular occurrence for over a month now. It needs to be fixed.'

A fourth said a contractor reported a broken-down vehicle on a smart motorway live lane 'with a recovery truck also stopped in lane one fending it off' but there was no SVD alert.

An undercover reporter working at the National Highways South Mimms control centre witnessed the system fail to detect a car sitting in speeding traffic on the M25 for more than 30 minutes. Luckily it had been spotted by staff.

A staff member, who has worked at the company for more than a decade, said: 'If that [SVD] works the way it should work, it's much saferBut he could be sat there for hours and we wouldn't even know about it, and if we don't know we haven't set signals.'

He added: 'That's when a truck comes along and hits him and we go 'Oh well we didn't know he was there'. If nobody reports it and he gets killed and they go, 'Why wasn't it actioned?' 'Because it never flashed up'.'

One operator said: 'When they introduced the smart motorways, the justification for getting rid of the hard shoulder is they'd have all this extra technology including this stationary vehicle detection thing. But it's really bad, it just doesn't quite work how it should.'

He said four out five times it goes off there is nothing there, and he fears operators will fall into a 'false sense of security' and not react with urgency.

A portion of a 150million fund for 'emerging technology' was spent on the tech in 2016-2017, the agency's accounts show. Previous reports state it takes operators 17 minutes to spot a broken-down vehicle. Motorists are more than 200 per cent more likely to have a breakdown in a live lane on smart motorways in off-peak times  when speeds are higher, increasing 'severity' of potential accidents  compared to conventional motorways.

National Highways said: 'SVD is an enhancement to the system of features which are standard on all lane running motorways. This is not the case on conventional motorways.

'It is designed to alert the operator to anything that could constitute an obstruction on the carriageway. This can include a situation where a vehicle has stopped but has then been driven off before further action could be taken by the operator. It could also include temporary traffic signs or debris in the road, helping our operators to direct traffic officers to take action to prevent incidents happening.'

Refuge bays for stranded motorists too far apart

By Daily Mail Reporter

National Highways staff say there are too few emergency bays on smart motorways, leaving motorists dangerously stranded when they break down.

One some stretches the laybys are now 1.5 miles apart  compared with just 400 to 600 metres when trials of the system began more than ten years ago on the M42.

Outraged industry leaders and MPs have demanded more refuge areas on roads that have no hard shoulder so drivers are not marooned in high-speed traffic while awaiting recovery.

Former National Highways chief executive Jim O'Sullivan insisted in 2019 that spacing 'does not seem to matter from a safety perspective'.

National Highways staff say there are too few emergency bays on smart motorways, leaving motorists dangerously stranded when they break down (file photo)

But one operator, who has worked in the Regional Operations Centre in South Mimms for 14 years, told an undercover reporter from the Mail 'they haven't got nearly enough' Emergency Refuge Areas on the M25.

'I told them that when they first started bringing [smart motorways] up. There's too much of a gap between them so that when people break down, they're stuck, they couldn't make it to a bay,' he added.

One National Highways employee, who contacted this paper after reading our investigation, said they were concerned about motorists' safety.

The worker added: 'The emergency refuge bays are positioned in very strange positions. Some are located on bends and they are spaced too far apart. 'They are very unsafe for our customers. The concept works but it needs the tech to run it correctly.'

National Highways said there are 34 emergency areas on the All Lane Running sections of the M25 including ten extra installed since the smart motorways was first introduced

Sir Edmund King, president of the AA, said: 'If 'smart' motorways are to continue, we need to double the number of emergency laybys, retrofitting on existing stretches to create more safe havens for broken down vehicles, and more reliable technology.'

After reading the Mail's investigation, former roads minister Robert Goodwill, who backs smart motorways, admitted improvements were essential.

He said: 'We definitely need to make sure we have the refuges closer together and that the cameras and radar work. But I don't think we should abandon smart motorways completely, we should refine them and make sure they work better.'

He added that when working properly, smart motorways should be safer than conventional ones as they can avert pile-ups by slowing traffic down and also prevent drivers stopping on the hard shoulder, where they are at risk of being hit.

National Highways said there are 34 emergency areas on the All Lane Running sections of the M25 including ten extra installed since the smart motorways was first introduced.

It is considering retrofitting additional areas on existing smart motorways where they are more than one mile apart. A review will be completed by April of next year.

Damning figures that prove smart m-ways do cost more lives

By Susie Coen and David Churchill for The Daily Mail

Official figures show that death rates on smart motorways are up to a third higher than on those with a hard shoulder.

The disclosure blows a hole in repeated claims by ministers and highways bosses that smart motorways are 'as safe as, or safer than' their conventional counterparts.

Department for Transport statistics show that for the last two years for which figures are available, 'live lane fatality rates' were higher on 'all lane running' (ALR) roads.

These motorways have their hard shoulders permanently scrapped and converted into an extra lane, meaning motorists can become marooned in fast-moving traffic.

In 2018, the live lane fatality rate was more than a third higher on the ALR motorways  0.19 per hundred million vehicle miles compared with 0.14, while in 2019 the rate was eight per cent higher than on conventional motorways  0.14 versus 0.13.

It comes despite National Highways chief Nick Harris telling MPs this summer that smart motorways are 'the safest roads in the country'. The figures submitted to MPs this year show death rates were lower on ALR roads in 2015, 2016 and 2017  meaning they became more lethal from 2018. Figures for last year have yet to be compiled. National Highways, a government-owned company, claims figures for the whole five-year period, from 2015 to 2019, should be looked at rather than recent years.

But a report earlier this month by the Office of Rail and Road watchdog found the figures were 'limited' because data was available for only 29 miles of the ALR roads  their total extent in 2015, compared with up to 180 miles today. This has led to suspicions that data has been presented in a way which is favourable to National Highways' pro-smart motorways stance.

The watchdog also found bosses at the company, formerly Highways England, may have 'obscured' the impact of removing the hard shoulder with the way they presented data. It said they used a 'complex' method to compile some data and a simpler way would be 'more transparent'.

It is unclear why the fatality rates on ALR roads overtook that of conventional motorways, but experts pointed to more traffic on the roads. Campaigners say deaths on smart motorways are a direct consequence of the road system itself  because stationary vehicles are stuck in lanes of moving traffic, rather than the simple bad luck of a crash involving moving vehicles.

The M1 smart motorway in Bedfordshire was shut in both directions following a serious road crash

A recent RAC poll found six in ten motorists want smart motorways scrapped.

Sally Jacobs, 83, whose husband Derek was killed on the M1 in 2019, said: 'Every time [Transport Secretary] Grant Shapps says smart motorways are safer than normal motorways, I want to throw something at the television.'

John Apter, chairman of the Police Federation, said the roads were 'inherently dangerous'. He added: 'The fact these roads do not have a hard shoulder makes them potentially deadly. They are almost impossible for the police and other emergency services to operate on safely.'

The Department for Transport said: 'It remains that smart motorways are among the safest in the UK, with the data showing that fatalities are less likely than on conventional ones, and we will continue working to build public confidence in them.'

Bring back the hard shoulder now, plead distraught families

By Susie Coen, Assistant Investigations Editor of The Daily Mail

Families of those killed on smart motorways last night called for the immediate reinstatement of the hard shoulder throughout the network after the Mail's damning revelations.

Niaz Shazad, 33, the son of Nargis Begum, 62, who was killed on the M1 near Sheffield three years ago, said he feels 'anger and downright hatred' when he sees smart motorways hailed 'as safe or safer than conventional roads'.

Mr Shazad said: 'We're going to make sure we get the hard shoulder back by whatever means necessary.'

He said the Mail's investigation  highlighting a catalogue of lethal flaws in the cameras, radar system, signals and provision of emergency refuge areas  would help push 'tangible change' to stop 'any other families going through what we went through when my mum passed away'.

Niaz Shazad, 33, the son of Nargis Begum, 62, (pictured left with her husband Mohammed Bashir) who was killed on the M1 near Sheffield three years ago, said he feels 'anger and downright hatred' when he sees smart motorways hailed 'as safe or safer than conventional roads'

Mr Shazad was joined in his call by Lynn Reeves, 62, mother of Nathan, 23, one of three who died when a lorry ploughed into a car on the M1 in Bedfordshire in February 2015. Fifty-three have died on smart motorways, with 18 of those partly attributed to how the controversial road system operates.

Mrs Reeves said: 'If the hard shoulder had never been used as a live lane, then they would have been quite as safe as any other broken down vehicle should be.

'There needs to be a safe space for motorists  once you're on that motorway, you just have to pray that your car is OK or someone's not going to make a mistake.' Sally Jacobs, 83, whose husband, Derek, 83, died on the M1 near Sheffield, said the Mail's revelations made it crystal clear that hard shoulders had to be reinstated immediately.

Mrs Jacobs, who was married for 66 years, said: 'No dithering. Just put it back and stop the lies.

'They know they're killing the citizens. They know what's happening day in, day out.'

The impact on the bereaved is quickly apparent from talking to them: the memories are raw, and the pain still overwhelming.

The scene of a double fatal rta on the M1 near Sheffield that killed Jason Mercer and Alexandru Murgeanu who died when a lorry being driven by Prezemyslaw Zbigniew Szuba hit them on an area of smart motorway

Mr Shazad said his mother and father Mohammed Bashir were travelling home from visiting relatives who had been on the Hajj pilgrimage when disaster struck in September 2018.

It was about 9pm when their Nissan Qashqai lost power on a stretch of the M1 near Sheffield, which had been converted to a smart motorway with no hard shoulder.

The couple got out of the car and Mohammed, 68, stepped over the safety barrier to call their daughter Saima Aktar.

Suddenly, he heard a huge crash, and assumed two other cars had been in a collision.

But it was pitch black  and he had no idea where his wife was.

Mr Shazad said a doctor pulled over to ask what had happened.

He said: 'My dad explained that she had been there a moment ago and with the help of this doctor, who I think got her camera phone out, they started looking further and further up the motorway  and that's where they found her.' A lorry had hit their car, which in turn hit Nargis, 62, who was then dragged down the motorway. South Yorkshire coroner Nicola Mundy referred the case to the Crown Prosecution Service to consider corporate manslaughter charges against National Highways. It remains pending.

Mr Shazad said: 'No family should have to go through what we had to endure. My dad isn't even a quarter of the man he used to be.

'We looked up to him even at this age, and to see him just fall off a cliff to an extent, from where he used to be to where he is, it's difficult for us all.'

Mrs Reeves described her own pain at losing her son Nathan.

Every Valentine's Day, she wakes up at 6am and packs her car with hundreds of daffodils. She makes sure she is at Tickford Street Cemetery by 6:45am  the exact time and date Nathan was killed. It was six years ago when Nathan and his friend Tom Aldridge, 20, died on their way home to Newport Pagnell in Buckinghamshire, after a night out.

Mr Shazad was joined in his call by Lynn Reeves, 62, mother of Nathan, 23, (pictured) one of three who died when a lorry ploughed into a car on the M1 in Bedfordshire in February 2015

It was six years ago when Nathan and his friend Tom Aldridge, 20, (pictured) died on their way home to Newport Pagnell in Buckinghamshire, after a night out

Driver Allan Evans, 59, who was giving them a lift, was also killed when a double-decker coach crashed into their car. They had pulled over on to the hard shoulder of the M1 near Flitwick.

The driver of the coach, Alan Peters, then 78, was given a seven-year jail sentence after failing to see signs that the lane was closed.

Mrs Reeves said: 'We didn't get a chance to say goodbye. It makes me angry.

'It could have been avoided. Sometimes I look over the motorway when I cross over it while I'm walking my dog. It's probably a bit sick really, but I envisage how fast that coach must have been going to hit the back of their car.

'They didn't stand a chance. If you've broken down through no fault of your own, and you've got nowhere safe to pull over, what do you do?'

Mrs Jacobs said she 'doesn't want to be here any more' now her husband is dead. Mr Jacobs was killed on a section of the M1 where there is no hard shoulder, after there was a problem with his car.

He was climbing over a barrier when a truck hit the car, which crushed him. Mrs Jacobs said: 'I keep speaking out because, although it won't bring my Derek back, I want to stop any other families enduring this.'

Even we police officers don't feel safe on smart m-ways, so how can ANY driver?

Commentary by John Apter, National Chair of the Police Federation of England and Wales, for The Daily Mail

Motorways are dangerous and unforgiving places at the best of times. Anyone who has been forced to retreat on to the hard shoulder knows that reality.

From a static position by the side of the road, one is only too aware of how the traffic roars past with a thunderous intensity, creating a profound sense of vulnerability.

As a police officer who spent many years of my career on the motorway network, I too am acutely conscious of these dangers.

Like so many of my experienced colleagues and other professionals in the emergency services, I often found my own security tested to the limit in dealing with accidents caused by excessive speed, engine failure, driver error, poor weather or carriageway obstructions.

Motorways are dangerous and unforgiving places at the best of times. Anyone who has been forced to retreat on to the hard shoulder knows that reality, writes John Apter (pictured left with David Wilbraham, the National Police Chaplain

Misguided

But the inherent risks of motorways are greatly heightened when successive governments decide through a deliberate act of misguided policy to remove one of the essential safety valves from some of the busiest parts of the network.

That is precisely what has happened with the creation of so-called smart motorways, where the hard shoulder is removed to create an extra live lane, with the aim of easing congestion. Never has the word smart been more misused. Given their disastrous record, the term lethal might be more appropriate.

Author George Orwell once wrote that political language is designed to make lies sound truthful and murder respectable and to give an appearance of solidity to pure wind.

He could have been writing about the destructive enthusiasm of politicians  from all parties  for this ill-conceived, faddish experiment in road transport, which has achieved the exact opposite of its stated purpose.

Not only have smart motorways failed to reduce journey times, as their architects predicted, but they have added a deadly new dimension to car travel in Britain. That sorry truth has been reinforced through the in-depth investigation by this newspaper, led by journalist Susie Coen, whose undercover reports from inside a control room of the National Highways Agency yesterday exposed a catalogue of catastrophic failings in the smart system, from non-functioning cameras to faulty computers.

A lorry ploughed into the back of a Volvo car that was stranded in lane one of the M1 smart motorway when the driver failed to spot the stationary vehicle

Today, the Mail exposes failures in the radar system integral to smart motorways.

This is so important because at the heart of these new motorways is meant to be the use of innovative technology and sophisticated communications to negate the impact of the hard shoulders removal.

In theory, vehicle breakdowns will be swiftly spotted, enabling assistance to be provided, speed limits lowered in the vicinity and advice issued to other motorists.

Such is the apparent confidence in this approach that the Government has even boasted that smart motorways are as safe or safer than conventional roads.

But those words could not be more empty. As the Mails inquiry shows, broken promises are matched by broken technology. Because of this inadequacy, motorists can find themselves in a stopped vehicle in a live lane, with the authorities knowing nothing about the incident.

All too often, the control room operators are reliant on software full of glitches and devices which are unable to transmit images. According to the Mails audit, carried out on September 17, more than one in ten safety cameras were broken, misted up or facing the wrong way. Even more worryingly, half the cameras on one of the busiest sections of the M25 were faulty.

This papers investigation reinforces all the warnings that my own organisation, the Police Federation of England and Wales, has given for years. I have spoken to many police officers who tell me that they do not feel safe on smart motorways, not least because of the unreliable technology.

The hard shoulder has always been a place of refuge  albeit a somewhat precarious one  and its disappearance leaves both motorists and emergency services more exposed than ever. That is why, in the past, I have called smart motorways a death trap and have described their introduction as a recipe for disaster. Those claims are backed up by hard evidence.

In the four years to 2019, 53 people have been killed on smart motorways, making a mockery of the official claims about enhanced safety.

In 2019, the death rate on the smart sections of motorways was 8 per cent higher than on conventional roads. The AA is reportedly so concerned that last year it ordered its recovery crews not to stop at breakdowns on smart motorways.

Failings

As the Mail reports today, the Prime Minister has ordered an inquiry into the failings revealed in the papers investigation. But what we urgently need is a full review into what has gone wrong so lessons can be learnt.

This should be accompanied by a pause in the expansion of the smart network until all the technological difficulties are resolved. No airline would dream of putting a plane in the skies without being sure that all the cockpit and ground control systems were working properly.

The same should apply to motorways, yet the Government has always seemed to be determined to press on, regardless of the deepening concerns.

But what we urgently need is a full review into what has gone wrong so lessons can be learnt. This should be accompanied by a pause in the expansion of the smart network until all the technological difficulties are resolved

Given the anxieties of the police and the public, the logic behind this insistence is incomprehensible. Whatever the reasons, ministers are continuing with the 6 billion roll-out of the scheme.

Already, 50 sections of the network have been converted to smart operations, covering 375 miles, including much of the M1, M25 and M6. By 2023, it is planned to convert another 350 miles, a statistic which will cause many motorists to shudder.

If the original concept of smart motorways had been retained, that idea would not be so disturbing.

Despair

When the first trials were launched around 2006, the use of new technology was accompanied by the pledge that, in the absence of the hard shoulder, there would be safety lay-bys at 500-metre intervals, as well as closely spaced gantries that would provide traffic information and guidance.

Those three elements seemed to hold out the prospect that smart motorways would be a success  in fact, trial data showed a significant drop in the accident rate on the new sections, prompting then Labour Transport Secretary Ruth Kelly to claim that safety fears havent materialised at all.

But it is a very different story today. The vital technology on which the scheme depends is not working, as highlighted by the Mails report: when a manager says in despair everythings breaking as the control rooms computers fail, and when an operator declares, Weve got no signals, youre all going to die.

Nor have the safety areas at 500-metre intervals been created. On some sections, the gap goes on for miles, with the result that a broken-down vehicle may have to sit in the live lane with speeding traffic coming up behind  a nightmarish scenario that has been fatally enacted for too many bereaved families.

And an insufficient number of signal gantries have been built, so motorists are left ignorant about what obstructions lie ahead.

Urgent change is needed if more loss of life is to be avoided. If the Government is unwilling to make the vital improvements required, this sorry experiment should be drawn to a close.
The all-out search for Gabby Petito's fiance in Florida's swampy, alligator-infested Carlton Reserve will be scaled back as the FBI takes over the hunt for Brian Laundrie, North Port Police spokesman Josh Taylor said Monday.

'The FBI is now leading the search. I'm told it will be scaled back and targeted based on intelligence. Hopefully, water will lower in areas hard to currently access,' he told Fox News.

The federal agency charged Laundrie with 'use of unauthorized access device' last Thursday, but said they will 'continue to investigate the facts and circumstances of Ms. Petito's homicide.'

An extensive search for Laundrie, 23, has been underway since his parents reported him missing on September 17 - two days after he was named a person of interest in the homicide of Petito, whose remains were found on September 19.

A hodgepodge group of 75 officers from more than 16 agencies joined the search last week, using drones, diver units, dogs and ATV vehicles to comb the 25,000-acre preserve since his parents reported that Laundrie might be there.

Over 100 miles of hiking, biking and horseback riding trails are contained in the park, along with camping areas and rivers. Wildlife there includes alligators, bobcats, snakes and coyotes.

Josh Taylor, a spokesman for the North Port Police, said today that the all-out search for Gabby Petito's fiance Brian Laundrie (pictured) in Florida's swampy, alligator-infested Carlton Reserve was to scale back

A fleet of 75 officers from over 16 agencies joined the search for Brian Laundrie last week

Whether the avid hiker would have been able to survive in the 25,000-acre swamp-like Carlton Reserve (pictured) for weeks has been the subject of much speculation

Drones, helicopters, diver units, dogs and ATV vehicles the 25,000-acre preserve meticulously since his parents suggested to authorities that Laundrie might be there on September 17

FBI agents paid another visit to the home of his parents to retrieve personal items - for DNA matching - Laundries mom Roberta, 55, was seen darting outside at 10am to leave an item in the screened porch of their North Port, Florida home

Florida cattle rancher Alan McEwen, who lives outside the Carlton Reserve, has spent 30 years exploring the area and said it's not somewhere humans can easily live. He has been assisting police in their search for Laundrie.

'There's no surviving out here, I don't know how to say it,' he told Fox News.

'I've been in the woods in and out all my life I have learned a lot in my life, and one thing I know is no one is gonna survive out there for two weeks on foot.'

This week, TV personality Duane Lee Chapman, known as "Dog the Bounty Hunter,' joined the search for Laundrie, promising to find him before his 24th birthday on November 18. Seattle's Boohoof Law offered a $20,000 reward for information leading to his capture.

The couple had spent weeks travelling across the country in a van and recording their adventures online before Petito, 22, vanished.

Gabby Petito disappeared while on a cross country road trip with Laundrie. Her remains were found on September 19

Florida cattle rancher Alan McEwen (pictured), who lives outside the Carlton Reserve (pictured), has spent 30 years exploring the area and said it's not somewhere humans can easily live

The couple had spent weeks travelling across the country in a van and recording their adventures online before Petito, 22, vanished

Laundrie's parents suggested he might have headed to the nature reserve, which he was known to visit and which is about 15 miles from his home.

Whether the avid hiker would have been able to survive in the 25,000-acre swamp-like reserve for weeks has been the subject of much speculation.

In the nearly two weeks since Laundrie is thought to have entered the reserve, heavy rainfall has flooded the area with waist-deep water.

'Unless he's got a butt like a duck and can float, he's not in there,' McEwen said.

The rancher noted the dangers posed by alligators, mosquitos and other animals in the reserve, which is home to panthers, black bears, wild boar and lethal snakes.

The terrain is also treacherous, according to McEwen, who said the thick brush makes it easy for even experienced outdoorsmen to accidentally step into a ditch or off a ledge.

However, McEwen believes it's unlikely Laundrie would have died in the reserve, saying his body would have been found by now.

'Anything dead you find in the woods, you're gonna look up, you're gonna see buzzards flying like crazy,' he said.

'No buzzards, no body is my theory. And I haven't seen any buzzards flying.'

Whether the avid hiker would have been able to survive in the 25,000-acre swamp-like reserve for weeks has been the subject of much speculation. Pictured: The reserve following heavy rainfall

McEwen believes it's unlikely Laundrie would have died in the reserve, saying his body would have been found by now

On Sunday, FBI agents paid another visit to the home of his parents to retrieve personal items - for DNA matching - Laundries mom Roberta, 55, was seen darting outside at 10am to leave an item in the screened porch of their North Port, Florida home.

An hour later two FBI agents with bulletproof vests, weapons and a clipboard walked up the drive, hovering at the front door before stooping to pick something up.

When asked by a DailyMail.com reporter about the purpose of the visit neither agent responded but the familys lawyer, Steven Bertolino, said that agents wanted a sample of missing Brians DNA.

He cautioned that it was a routine request rather that an indication that the fiancee of slain Gabby Petito had finally been found.

Over the weekend, new dispatch audio emerged showing that Utah police were told Laundrie had hit Petito prior to being pulled over on August 12.

The audio appears to contradict earlier reports that the responding officers in Moab City, Utah were unaware of a call from a witness who claimed to have seen Laundrie slapping Petito in their white Ford transit van before driving off.

'RP (reporting party) states seeing a male hit a female, domestic,' the dispatcher told police at around 4.38pm local time, according to the audio, first obtained by Fox 13. 'He got into a white Ford Transit van, has a black ladder on the back, Florida plate.'

An officer asks for further information regarding the witness, and is again told that Petito had allegedly been hit.

'Phone number is [redacted], name's [redacted],' the dispatcher responds at 4:42 p.m. 'Im not sure [inaudible], but the female who got hit, they both, the male and the female, both got into the van and headed north.'

The new information comes as the Moab Police Department announced an independent probe on Thursday into the officers' handing of the alleged domestic dispute about a month before Petito was found dead.

Neither police nor city officials have said whether the responding officers were aware they were dealing with a potential domestic violence incident when they pulled the couple over.

But they treated Petito as the primary aggressor in bodycam footage of the August 12 incident, after Laundrie was seen to have wounds on his face.

New dispatch audio indicates that the Moab City, Utah police officers who pulled over Gabby Petito (right) and her fiance Brian Laundrie on August 12 may have been aware that a witness had alleged seeing Laundrie slap Petito, but did not arrest neither. The police stop was recorded on the officers' body cameras (pictured)

Utah law requires cops to make an arrest or issue a citation if they believe an incident of domestic violence has taken place.

Neither Petito nor Laundrie were arrested. They were instead separated for the night in an attempt to calm the situation down, before being allowed to continue on their way.

On Sunday, hundreds of mourners packed a Long Island funeral home to bid farewell to Petito.

'The entire planet knows this woman's name,' said her father Joe Petito, standing before a golden urn at the Moloney Holbrook Funeral Home.

The standing-room only chapel was adorned with bouquets of flowers, and photo and video montages of his daughter.

They showed her life growing up in Blue Point, Long Island, including a picture of Petito as a little girl with her small hand print on a piece of paper. Behind the urn was a more recent photo of her standing at the foot of a cave.

'She always wanted to go out and do stuff, whether it was scuba diving with my uncle, or myself or hiking the Appalachian trail, surfing sand dunes in Colorado,' the father said.

'She had some wild experiences that I could only wish that I could experience.

'To see that type of joy that brought her, and the stones it took to do that at such a young age,' he continued. 'I would like you to take a look at these videos and I want you to be inspired by them.'

At Sunday's visitation, Petito's father didn't discuss the circumstances of her death, but offered advice for people in bad relationships.

'I want you to take a look at these pictures, and I want you to be inspired by Gabby. If there's a trip you guys want to take, take it now. Do it now while you have the time.'

'If there is a relationship that you're in that might not be the best thing for you, leave it now. Take care of yourself first.'

Mourners were seen hugging and crying as they consoled one another while attending Petito's public funeral service
State Department spokesperson Ned Price revealed Monday he has received a positive Covid-19 diagnosis after mingling with world leaders at the United Nations General Assembly in New York City last week.

Price also spent much time with Secretary of State Antony Blinken at the UNGA, but the secretary has tested negative for the virus as recently as Monday morning, according to State Department deputy spokesperson Jalina Porter.

She said none of the other members of the travel team were showing symptoms.

Price, who is vaccinated, announced the positive diagnosis on Twitter: 'After experiencing symptoms for the first time this morning, I tested positive for COVID-19 shortly thereafter, & will now quarantine for the next 10 days. I'm feeling under the weather but am grateful for the protection from severe illness offered by safe and effective vaccines.'

State Department spokesperson Ned Price revealed Monday he has received a positive Covid-19 diagnosis after mingling with world leaders at the UNGA in New York City last week

Price also spent much time with Secretary of State Antony Blinken at the UNGA, but the secretary has tested negative for the virus as recently as Monday morning

On Monday, Blinken met with Thailand's Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai at the State Department

Asked if the State Department had contacted foreign delegations Price met with last week, Porter said the medical unit had concluded that only those who had contact with Price from Saturday on were at risk of exposure.

Last week, Price joined Blinken on more than half a dozen meetings with senior officials from Brazil, Britain, Turkey and the European Union.

On Monday, Blinken met with Thailand's Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai at the State Department.

Porter said Price had not had contact with Blinken or other State Department officials since before Saturday.

Blinken is due to travel to Pittsburgh later this week for an U.S.-EU trade and Technology conference and then next week to Europe, California and Mexico, and so far there has not been any indication that those trips will be postponed.

The State Department did not give any indication where Price had contracted the virus.

Brazil's Health Minister Marcelo Queiroga tested positive after attending the UNGA with President Jair Bolsonaro. Queiroga said he had worn a mask the entire time he was at the UN building.
NSW train services are being disrupted throughout the state as drivers strike and commuters are told to make alternative arrangements.

Commuters can expect massive disruptions to all regional and city services on Tuesday as drivers strike for better pay and conditions.

Train drivers will stop working across Sydney Trains and NSW TrainLink from 9am until 1pm as part of ongoing industrial action, but services are expected to be affected from 7am until at least 3pm.

Commuters can also expect delays on Sydney's Inner West Light Rail as workers at the Pyrmont depot stop work between 7am and 9am and 3pm and 5pm.

Unions say they planned the action for weeks, especially around getting essential workers to and from work.

Commuters across NSW are set to suffer massive transport delays as train drivers strike (pictured, a train arriving at Central Station in Sydney)

The strike comes during negotiations for a new enterprise agreement, where the parties remain at loggerheads over pay and safety issues.

Rail, Tram and Bus Union NSW secretary Alex Claassens said there could be more industrial action in the next month if the government continued to workers' demands.

Transport for NSW chief operations officer Howard Collins urged Sydney commuters to avoid using all public transport if possible.

'Please find alternative means to travel, if you don't have to travel tomorrow please ensure you stay at home or use alternative means,' he said on Monday.

Mr Claassens said the enterprise agreement expired in May.

'All we're asking for is a clean, safe and efficient transport system to work in and to be paid fairly for the work we're doing,' he said.

'At the moment, the NSW government is refusing to even send someone to the negotiating table to discuss our concerns.'

The union is asking for a 3.5 per cent wage rise while the NSW government is offering 0.3 per cent for the first year of a new enterprise agreement.

Other issues include restructuring people into other roles, outsourcing of COVID-19 cleaning jobs, and the absence of mandatory on-site virus testing.
Republicans on Monday blocked a short term resolution to stave off a government shutdown because Democrats included language that raises the debt ceiling.

The GOP presented united front against what they call Democratic attempts to drive the country more into debt.

'The Democrats have known is a nonstarter for more than two months,' Republican Senate Leader Mitch McConnell said of the debt limit provision shortly before the vote.

He argued instead for a 'clean CR' - a continuing resolution to fund the government without raising the debt ceiling.

We 'have a clean CR that could pass today,' McConnell noted. 'It would keep the government open.'

Senators were voting on a procedural motion to advance the short term budget to a final vote. Sixty votes were needed to make that happen. Democrats needed the support of 10 Republicans in the 50-50 Senate.

The vote failed 48 to 50. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer voted 'no' as a procedural move so he can change his vote later to bring the legislation back up.

He took to the Senate floor after the vote to slam Republicans for their votes.

'The Republican Party has now become the party of default, the party that says America doesn't pay its debts,' Schumer said.

He said he would bring up the vote again this week but didn't offer a timeline.

'Keeping the government open and preventing a default is vital to our country's future. And we'll be taking further action to prevent this from happening this week,' he said.

Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell led his party in a united front in voting down a short term government funding resolution because Democrats tied in raising the debt ceiling

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said he would try again later this week

Funding for the federal government runs out Friday at midnight. Democratic leaders have not revealed what they will do next although passing a 'clean CR' remains an option.

The debt limit has become a major point of contention between the two parties. Democrats point out it was last raised with the help of Republicans under President Donald Trump and argue most of the debt came from the former president's tax cuts. Republicans counter that Democrats spent too much government money with their trillion packages containing various COVID relief measures.

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellin has warned the U.S. government may not be able to pay its bills as soon as next month.

The House passed the government funding measure last week. It extends government funding through December 3 and suspends the debt limit through December 16, 2022. It also includes $28.6 billion for natural disaster recovery and $6.3 billion for Afghan refugees.

The U.S. has never defaulted on its debts in the modern era. Democrats have the votes to pass raising the debt limit on their own but are pressuring Republicans to get on board by attaching the provision to government funding measures.

Republicans, meanwhile, are also using the debt ceiling vote to object to President Joe Biden's agenda, including his $3.5 trillion budget package that funds various social programs.

This is just the start of a series of contentious votes on Capitol Hill this week that will encompass Biden's entire agenda, which faces a derailment due to an internecine battle among Democrats.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi postponed a vote on Biden's infrastructure package until Thursday as Democrats work to shore up support among moderates for Biden's $3.5 trillion budget filled with social programs.

Additionally, lawmakers are arguing about raising the debt ceiling, which could find the U.S. government faulting on its debt around mid-October if it's not raised.

And the clock is ticking on a government shutdown with funding running out on Friday night at midnight.

Biden said on Monday that 'victory' is at stake ahead of a tough series of votes this week on Capitol Hill as White House press secretary Jen Psaki warned 'nothing is guaranteed.'

'Victory is what's at stake,' Biden said.

President Joe Biden said that 'victory is what's at stake' ahead of a tough series of votes this week on Capitol Hill

White House press secretary Jen Psaki warned 'nothing is guaranteed as Democrats face an intra-party war over President Biden's agenda

And the president conceded it may all not be done this week.

'It may not be by the end of the week. I hope it's by the end of the week. But as long as we're still alive,' he noted, 'we got three things to do: the debt ceiling, the continuing resolution, and the two pieces of legislation. If we do that, the country is going to be in great shape.'

Democratic leaders also are dealing with drama within their own party.

Moderate Democratic Senators Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema have said they don't want to vote for the $3.5 trillion budget package- citing its high price tag - but the White House wouldn't say if they've given Biden a number they can support.

Liberals in the House, however, have said they won't vote for the infrastructure plan until the Senate passes the $3.5 trillion budget.

Originally, scheduled to be voted on Monday, Pelosi announced Sunday night she is pushing the infrastructure vote back to Thursday to give Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer more time to negotiate among the party's warring factions.

In the 50-50 evenly divided Senate, Democrats cannot lose a single vote. And Pelosi only has a four-seat majority in the House.

Pelosi is holding a meeting for House Democrats on Monday night as leaders try to rally their party into a unified front.

The House Budget Committee passed their version of the $3.5 trillion budget package on Saturday. The intention was to prove to progressives that leadership was serious about moving it along with the infrastructure bill to reassure them it won't be left behind due to moderate demands.

The move didn't work.

Rep. Pramila Jayapal, the head of the progressive caucus, said they want to see the Senate pass it first - or at least get reassurances from Manchin and Sinema of their support of it.

Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer arrives at the Capitol on Monday for the start of a busy week of votes on President Biden's agenda

Speaker Nancy Pelosi postponed a vote on Biden's infrastructure plan to Thursday to buy Democrats more time in negotiations

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Speaker Nancy Pelosi are scrambling to unite moderates and progressives on Biden's $3.5 trillion budget of social programs

Biden, meanwhile, has kept an open schedule for the week as Democratic leaders struggle to get a stop-gap budget solution passed by Friday.

'The president knows that nothing is guaranteed,' Psaki said at her daily press briefing. 'He's going to work this afternoon tonight, tomorrow, to do everything he can to engage with Democrats.'

She acknowledged the disagreements among Democrats even as she expressed optimism the legislation can pass.

'He's not naive about how challenging this is he's been through a few of these rodeos before. And so what we're focused on right now is working in lockstep with leadership to move the agenda forward and get it over the finish line,' Psaki said.

She noted Biden is 'not a wallflower' and is heavily involved. Biden served in the Senate for over 30 years and prides himself on his relationships with lawmakers.

The president held separate meetings last week with congressional leadership, progressives and moderates. More meetings could be on tap for this week.

'Things are constantly changing every day and certainly even every hour and we are evaluating. The president has some space in his schedule to make calls, to bring people down here - we're not that far from the hill - so we will keep you abreast as these details are finalized,' Psaki said.

'He is not a wallflower. He is engaging in conversations. He's having discussions with leaders,' she said.
Two mystery cases of coronavirus and another linked case have Queensland on high alert just days before the state is set to host the NRL Grand Final.

The escalating crisis could see the landmark grand final being moved from Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium to Townsville if health officials fear the risk is too great.

The NRL have drawn up contingency plans as an emergency back up if Brisbane is hit by a sudden outbreak that can't be contained in time.

A Brisbane guest house has now been sealed off amid reports of a second unexplained case.

Adalong Guest House in South Brisbane - across the road from a school and adjacent to a major hospital - is under police guard with more than a dozen residents put into isolation and being tested.

The new site is not believed to be linked to an infected man in his 30s who works in the aviation industry which was reported by Queensland Health on Monday night.

Adalong Guest House in South Brisbane (pictured) is across the road from a school and adjacent to a major hospital

Adalaong Guest House (pictured) is now under police guard with more than a dozen residents put into isolation and being tested

Health officials are struggling to identify how he came to be infected. He has not been overseas and has had no known contact with a Covid case.

His wife has also now also tested positive, sparking an alert at a childcare centre in the city.

Mother Duck Child Care in Eatons Hill in the city's north-west has become a contact site after the infected parent dropped off their child there last Thursday morning.

A McDonalds and two busy shops have also been added to a late night list of close contact sites in the Sunshine State.

The Mother Duck Childcare and Kindergarten (pictured) in northeast Brisbane was attended by a positive Covid-19 case last week

Latest Covid exposure sites in Queensland: Spring Hill. Station Restaurant and Cafe (Indoor only) 1/119 Leichardt Street. Tuesday 21 September 2021 Hill from 11.20am - 12.45pm. Close contact Spring Hill. Hill Station Restaurant and Cafe (Outdoor). 1/119 Leichardt Street. Wednesday 22 September 2021 from 10.45am - 11.30am. Casual contact Spring Hill. Hill Station Restaurant and Cafe (Outdoor) 1/119 Leichardt Street. Friday 24 September 2021 from 9.55am - 11.25am. Casual contact Spring Hill. Domino's Pizza 1c/74 Little Edward St. Tuesday 21 September 2021 from 5.35pm - 5.50pm. Casual contact Spring Hill Domino's Pizza, 1c/74 Little Edward St. Wednesday 22 September 2021 from 11.25pm - 11.45pm. Casual contact. Spring Hill. Brands Pharmacy. 2 Spring Hill Central, 448 Boundary St. Thursday 23 September 2021 from 1.35pm - 1.50pm Close contact South Brisbane. Mater Public Hospital. Emergency Department including outside Ambulance bay area. Corner Stanley Street and Raymond Terrace. Sunday 26 September 2021 from 7.30pm - 10.50pm. Casual contact South Brisbane. Adalong Student Guesthouse. 81 Stephens Road Sunday 26 September 2021 from 12am - 11.59pm. Close contact South Brisbane. Adalong Student Guesthouse. 81 Stephens Road. Friday 24 September 2021 from 12.45pm - 11.59pm. Close contact South Brisbane. Woolworths, Southpoint Metro. 217 Grey Street Friday 24 September 2021 from 2.30pm - 3.45pm Casual contact South Brisbane. Adalong Student Guesthouse. 81 Stephens Road. Saturday 25 September 2021 from 12am - 11.59pm. Close contact South Brisbane. Woolworths, Southpoint Metro. 217 Grey Street. Saturday 25 September 2021 from 1.20pm - 2pm. Casual contact South Brisbane. McDonalds Southbank Southpoint, 271 Grey Street Sunday 26 September 2021 from 11.15pm - 11.50pm. Close contact South Brisbane. Adalong Student Guesthouse. 81 Stephens Road. Monday 27 September 2021 from 12am - 11.59pm. Close contact Albany Creek. McDonalds Albany Creek Drive Thru. 768 Albany Creek Rd. Thursday 23 September 2021 from 5.05am - 5.10am. Low risk contact Eatons Hill. Mother Duck Childcare & Kindergarten. 6-12 Bunya Park Dr Eatons Hill, Queensland 4037. Thursday 23 September 2021 from 7.25am - 8am. Casual contact Rocklea. Seats 'R' Us. 1/1620 Ipswich Rd , QLD 4106 . Thursday 23 September from 11.15am - 11.45am. Close contact Aspley. Freedom Furniture 815 Zillmere Rd Brisbane. Thursday 23 September 2021 from 4.40pm - 5pm Casual contact Advertisement

A mystery case of coronavirus has put Queensland on high alert just days before the state is set to host the NRL Grand Final (pictured, health care workers in Brisbane)

Parents of children who attend the Mother Duck Childcare and Kindergarten were sent a letter advising them a Covid-infected person had visited the centre.

Graham Nielsen, a physician from the Metro North Public Health Unit told parents a Covid-positive aviation worker had come into contact with the centre on September 23.

The worker is believed to have visited the site unknowingly infected with Covid-19.

Anyone who attended the childcare centre, 10km northeast of Brisbane's CBD, from 7:25am to 8:00am last Thursday is considered a casual contact of the virus.

Those who attended the centre at the listed time has advised to immediately isolate, get tested and quarantine until a negative result is received.

A number of visitors will be contacted directly by health officials to be placed into immediate quarantine, the statement read.

A busy McDonalds in Albany Creek (pictured) has been listed as a new Covid-19 exposure site

A Freedom store in Aspley (pictured) has been attended by a positive case of Covid-19 with those that attended at the listed times now considered a casual contact of the virus

A 'Seats R Us' in Rocklea (pictured) has also been put on high alert after the shock detection of a positive Covid-19 case in Brisbane

A busy McDonalds in Albany Creek, around 20km from the city, has also been listed as a new exposure site, as well as a furniture store a short distance away in Aspley.

A 'Seats R Us' in Rocklea has also been put on high alert after the shock detection of a positive Covid-19 case in Brisbane.

'A public health alert is being issued for locations in Eatons Hill, Albany Creek, Aspley and Rocklea following a confirmed case of COVID-19 in Brisbane,' a statement from Queensland Health stated on Monday night.

'The source of infection is under investigation. The man in his 30s works in the aviation industry, with no recent history of overseas or interstate travel.

'The case will be reported in tomorrow's Covid-19 data. Further information on the case will be provided at the press conference tomorrow morning.'

Queensland Health refused to confirm the two additional cases ahead of Tuesday morning's daily press conference.

The new infection comes just days ahead of the NRL Grand Final to be hosted in Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium on Sunday, October 3.

The highly-anticipated decider will feature a clash between the South Sydney Rabbitohs and Penrith Panthers.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted the NRL for comment.

The new Covid-19 case comes just days ahead of the NRL Grand Final between the Rabbitohs and the Panthers (pictured) to be hosted in Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium on Sunday

Queensland previously reported zero new cases of coronavirus on Monday, with the new detection to be reported in Tuesday's tally (pictured, health care workers in Brisbane)

Queensland reported zero new cases of coronavirus earlier on Monday with Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk taking the opportunity to announce two new vaccination centres on the Gold Coast.

The two hubs, located at the Tugun Private Hospital and in Coomera, will be up and running in just two weeks time.

Queensland Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young urged Queenslanders to come forward for a jab and said she was looking forward to the easing of restrictions.

'We should all prepare and hope and get people vaccinated,' she said.

'The more people who are vaccinated the more likely we can remove those last remaining restrictions.'
An eyewitness who claims she saw Prince Andrew dancing with his alleged sex abuse victim Virginia Giuffre - on the same night he said he was at Pizza Express - will testify in court.

Shukri Walker has reportedly agreed to appear at the upcoming civil case in the US - where she will tell the court that she saw the Duke of York at Tramp nightclub in London back in 2001.

Somali-born Ms Walker, who lives in London, is expected to stand by a written statement she gave to the FBI, in which she said she vividly remembered apologising to the Queen's son after standing on his foot on the dancefloor, to which she claims he replied: 'No problem.'

She claims Ms Giuffre - aged 17 at the time - was with Andrew, while the royal says he has 'no recollection' of meeting her.

Andrew, 61, is being sued by Ms Giuffre, now 38, in New York over claims he sexually assaulted her on three occasions.

Somali-born Shukri Walker (pictured), who lives in London, is expected to stand by a written statement she gave to the FBI, in which she said she vividly remembered apologising to the Queen's son after standing on his foot on the dancefloor, to which he allegedly replied: 'No problem.'

Ms Giuffre claims one of the alleged attacks happened the night after she visited the Tramp nightclub with him.

Alleged witness Ms Walker said: 'He (Andrew) looked like he was having a great time.

'And he was with this young girl who was close to my own age, perhaps even a bit younger than me.

'The young woman wasn't smiling, it was the opposite of smiles.

'They were with the woman who (had) just been arrested, Ghislaine Maxwell, and Epstein. I will never forget the night because I was told this is a real Prince.'

Andrew also wiped the back of his hand across his face several times, she claimed. The Duke infamously said he 'does not sweat' due to a medical condition.

A source with knowledge of development told the Mirror: 'Shukri is totally convinced she saw Andrew that night and is prepared to stand up in court to say so.

Andrew, 61, is being sued by Virginia Giuffre, now 38, in New York over claims he sexually assaulted her on three occasions (Pictured together)

EYEWITNESS FBI TURNED DOWN Shukri Walker (pictured)  also known as Shukri Mohamed So far only one person has come forward to state publicly that they saw Prince Andrew dancing with Virginia Roberts in Tramp on the night of March 10, 2001. In August last year, more than 19 years after they allegedly shared the dancefloor, a London businesswoman gave an account of what she saw. Somali-born Shukri Walker (pictured)  also known as Shukri Mohamed  said she had decided to speak out after seeing the Duke's Newsnight denials. She told the Sun in a front-page 'exclusive' story that she had also been in Tramp on the night in question and claimed to remember the Duke  and in considerable detail. In fact, she claimed she had trodden on his foot on the dancefloor. Andrew had said 'No problem' when she apologised. She reportedly recalled: 'He looked like he was having a great time. And he was with this young girl who was close to my own age, perhaps even a bit younger than me.' (Records suggest Ms Shukri was around 28 at the time.) The young woman 'wasn't smiling, it was the opposite of smiles'. Ms Walker added: 'They were with the woman who has just been arrested, Ghislaine Maxwell, and Epstein. I will never forget the night because I was told this is a real Prince.' Andrew wiped the back of his hand across his face several times, she claimed. Her lawyer told the Sun that they had offered her testimony to the FBI, but it had been politely declined. When approached by the Mail at her home in north London, Ms Walker told us: 'I am a sex-trafficking victim.' She claimed journalists hadn't (previously) 'wanted to know' her story. The Mail was then contacted by an American law firm which is representing Ms Walker  as well as a number of Epstein's alleged victims. A spokeswoman for the firm said: 'She is holding off on any more interviews at this time.' Advertisement

'With the civil case being launched in the United States she has let it be known that she is willing to testify and tell the truth

Her lawyer Lisa Bloom, who is representing several of Epstein's victims, last night confirmed her client's position, saying: 'Ms Walker has already given her evidence to the FBI and been very consistent in what she has said.

'She had never been in the presence of a royal before or since and so it was very memorable to her.

'If she is called as a witness she will do her duty.'

A friend of the Prince Andrew's last night said: 'Shukri Walker seems to be in a minority of one in her recollections.

'Tramp nightclub, which does not have either a back or side entrance, was a popular celebrity hang-out and had paparazzi staked outside of its doors every night of the week.

'It is worth noting that not a single image of the Duke either arriving or leaving Tramps on the weekend in question has ever emerged.'

The Mail Online has contacted a representative for Prince Andrew.

Ms Giuffre claimed the royal also assaulted her in New York and on billionaire paedophile Jeffrey Epstein's Caribbean island.

The Duke's claim that he did not recall meeting Ms Giuffre came despite a photograph emerging of him with his arm around her waist at the home of his friend Ghislaine Maxwell.

Andrew, 61, has consistently and strongly denied the allegations.

It comes as a source close to the Prince told The Times that by launching the civil case, Mrs Giuffre 'has actively invited legal scrutiny of her own version of events'.

The source added: 'This provides an opportunity for the duke's team to properly scrutinise the multiple inconsistencies in her narrative that have emerged over the years, and you can expect to see a rigorous defence of all her allegations.'

Another source said that the decision to bring in the Hollywood lawyer Andrew Brettler was a 'significant turning point in approach', and now the legal team will look to 'robustly engage and challenge the claims from Mrs Giuffre in a bid to provide the duke with a platform to finally clear his name'.

'They will be looking to examine and dismantle the claims one by one,' the source added. 'In light of his position, probably the best thing here would be a settlement to resolve it.'

It comes following reports that Mrs Giuffre's lawyers have agreed to hand the duke a copy of a 'release' signed in 2009 after her settlement with sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein.

The Duke of York's attorneys will try to use the clause to exempt him from any fault in her claims against him, the Sun on Sunday reported.

Ms Giuffre's lawyers said the agreement was 'irrelevant' because it only offers protection to lawyers, employees, agents and heirs.

Her lead lawyer, David Boies, said he was happy to hand the document over to Andrew's team in a legal document filed in New York last week.

Prince Andrew, 61, has consistently and strongly denied the allegations

Mr Boies said: 'Although we believe that the release is irrelevant to the case against Prince Andrew, now that service has been accepted and the case is proceeding to a determination on the merits, we believe that counsel for Prince Andrew have a right to review the release and to make whatever arguments they believe appropriate based on it.'

Andrew's lawyers finally acknowledged on Friday that the Prince had been served with legal papers. He now has until October 29 to respond.

A source with knowledge of the proceedings told The Mail on Sunday: 'The decision to bring in high-profile [US lawyer] Andrew Brettler to fight the civil case marks a significant turning point in approach, and the US team will be looking to robustly engage and challenge the claims from Mrs Giuffre in a bid to provide the Duke with a platform to finally clear his name.

'They will be looking to examine and dismantle the claims one by one.'

Andrew has less than two weeks to respond after being officially served with legal papers in Ms Giuffres civil case.
A strange disc-shaped object was filmed flying over Sydney's skies on Monday, prompting residents to suspect it may have been alien aircraft.

The strange UFO was seen from the NSW capital as far as the Central Coast, with the bright white object leaving a trail behind it.

'Did anyone see the strange light moving across the sky about 10 minutes ago?' a woman from Sydney's inner-west asked on Facebook.

'I hope I'm not the only one who saw it because it's the weirdest thing I've ever seen in my life.'

The flying object was not unidentified though, with experts saying it was a Chinese rocket.

UFO??? Did you see a UFO tonight? We have had reports of strange flying objects over Sydney and the Central Coast. However we dont think we are entertaining visitors from outer space. Instead, this is most likely the rocket which was launched from China's Xichang Satellite Launch Center tonight. Did you see it? Videos and photos welcome in the comments. Videos thanks to Chantelle Peterson and Diana Lexa. Posted by NSW Central Coast Incident Alerts, News & Information on Monday, September 27, 2021

A strange disc-shaped object was filmed flying over Sydney's skies on Monday, prompting residents to suspect it may have been alien aircraft

The strange UFO was seen from the NSW capital as far as the Central Coast, with the bright white object leaving a trail behind it

Observers filled social media with images and videos of the object as it passed across the sky at about 8pm on Monday night.

It appeared in the shape of a white boomerang, confusing onlookers who said it was too low to be a satellite.

'The only explanation we found was a satellite but a very weird one as it looked like it was under the cloud... also no sound at all so obviously not a regular plane,' a woman posted to Facebook.

The object was instead a new version of China's Long March 3B navigation satellites that launched from the Xichang Launch Center, with the visible part being the exhaust.

'The plume is like exhaust, gas coming out during launch of the rocket. Sometimes if it happens in the evening you can see the stranger shape and sight,' Dr Brad Tucker told the Telegraph.

The UFO cast the image of a white boomerang flying through the sky, with some saying it looked like a bright stealth bomber

The strange object was instead a new version of China's Long March 3B navigation satellites that launched from the Xichang Launch Center

The Chinese rockets, which broadcast in 4K and 8K, are the latest piece of technology being used by the Communist nation which are being pushed to be ready in time for the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.

The timing of seeing the satellites over Australian skies is suspect, given the country signed off on its historic military agreement with the USA and UK last week.

'Sightings like this can be rare and surprising - given their weird shape and they way they move in the sky,' Dr Tucker said.

'However, as more rocket launches happen - this was actually China's second launch of the day, they are becoming more and more common.'
A manhunt is underway after a nurse was allegedly assaulted while administering a Covid-19 vaccine to a patient at a busy medical centre.

Emergency services were called to Glebe Medical Practice in Sydney's inner-west around 11.45am on August 27 following reports of an assault.

Police were told a 37-year-old female nurse was administering a jab to a patient outside the practice when she was allegedly assaulted by an unknown man.

It's alleged the man grabbed the nurse by the wrist in a desperate attempt to stop the woman from administrating the patient.

Police would like to speak to this man captured on CCTV in relation to the alleged assault of a nurse at a GP clinic in Sydney's inner-west in August

It's understood the patient was vaccinated outdoors as they lived in one of the 12 Covid hotspot LGAs.

Police conducted a search of the vicinity but couldn't find the alleged attacker.

Police have launched a public appeal and released CCTV of a man they believe may be able to assist with their inquiries.

The man is described as Caucasian, aged in his 40s, thin build, with dark hair and a greying beard.

Police would like to speak to this man in relation to the alleged assault of a nurse while she was vaccinating patients

He was wearing a black cap, red bandanna around his neck, black t-shirt, dark blue track suit pants with a white stripe down the sides, leather fingerless gloves and runners

Anyone with more information about the incident or man depicted in the CCTV is urged to call Crime Stoppers.

More than 60 per cent of the NSW population aged over-16 are now fully vaccinated with lockdown scheduled to end on October 11.
A radar system that should alert the smart motorway control room to breakdowns within 20 seconds gives a host of false warnings  while missing stranded cars.

Stopped Vehicle Detection (SVD) has been lauded by highways chiefs and ministers as 'ground-breaking'.

But control room staff say the system  to be expanded along the entire smart motorway network at a cost of 122million  is impossible to rely on.

It currently 'protects' 24 miles on the M25 around London. It is also in operation on sections of the M3, M20 and M1.

Staff view alerts from the system, which makes a 'groaning' sound when it is triggered, as 'low priority' because it goes off so often. Slow-moving traffic and even road signs set it off.

In a series of logs seen by the Mail, staff say it often misses breakdowns. Labour's transport spokesman Jim McMahon lambasted the tech, saying it 'isn't fit for purpose'. 'The Government is notorious for bad IT projects', he said. 'You can't have a bad IT project when people's lives are being put at risk.'

Former roads minister Sir Mike Penning said: 'Even one minute sitting in stranded traffic is unacceptable.'

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps ordered the technology to be installed across the network by March 2023 as part of an 18-point plan to improve safety.

The system works through radar posts spaced every 500metres along the motorway.

They are supposed to identify and locate stopped vehicles and then alert the control room.

Staff are then meant to use CCTV to pinpoint the location and check whether there is an accident or breakdown.

The M3 smart motorway near Camberley in Surrey. The motorways have no hard shoulder for emergencies, and use technology to close off lanes

Former transport minister Andrew Jones said in 2016 the system had been 'successfully trialled' and was an 'important measure... which we believe will help reduce the risk associated with stopping in live lanes.'

In 2019, former Highways England chief Jim O'Sullivan told MPs the system is 'ground-breaking technology' and trials on the M25 had 'proved that it works'.

Mr O'Sullivan, who said they had been 'perfecting the design of smart motorways for ten to 15 years', added: 'Getting it right and making sure it works in all geographies and topographies as we roll it out is very important to us.'

But  in marked contrast  internal reports reveal staff flagged system failures to highways bosses several times over the past few months.

On June 4 an operator warned there had been 48 false alarms in five hours at the same location.

On August 25, staff said the system had been 'suppressing itself' and a stranded car 'in lane one of four not picked up'. Another said the radar system 'constantly goes off, but nothing is ever there on CCTV. This has been a regular occurrence for over a month now. It needs to be fixed.'

A fourth said a contractor reported a broken-down vehicle on a smart motorway live lane 'with a recovery truck also stopped in lane one fending it off' but there was no SVD alert.

An undercover reporter working at the National Highways South Mimms control centre witnessed the system fail to detect a car sitting in speeding traffic on the M25 for more than 30 minutes. Luckily it had been spotted by staff.

A staff member, who has worked at the company for more than a decade, said: 'If that [SVD] works the way it should work, it's much saferBut he could be sat there for hours and we wouldn't even know about it, and if we don't know we haven't set signals.'

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps ordered the technology to be installed across the network by March 2023 as part of an 18-point plan to improve safety

He added: 'That's when a truck comes along and hits him and we go 'Oh well we didn't know he was there'. If nobody reports it and he gets killed and they go, 'Why wasn't it actioned?' 'Because it never flashed up'.'

One operator said: 'When they introduced the smart motorways, the justification for getting rid of the hard shoulder is they'd have all this extra technology including this stationary vehicle detection thing. But it's really bad, it just doesn't quite work how it should.'

He said four out five times it goes off there is nothing there, and he fears operators will fall into a 'false sense of security' and not react with urgency.

A portion of a 150million fund for 'emerging technology' was spent on the tech in 2016-2017, the agency's accounts show. Previous reports state it takes operators 17 minutes to spot a broken-down vehicle using CCTV. Motorists are more than 200 per cent more likely to have a breakdown in a live lane on smart motorways in off-peak times  when speeds are higher, increasing 'severity' of potential accidents  compared to conventional motorways.

National Highways said: 'SVD is an enhancement to the system of features which are standard on all lane running motorways. This is not the case on conventional motorways.

'It is designed to alert the operator to anything that could constitute an obstruction on the carriageway. This can include a situation where a vehicle has stopped but has then been driven off before further action could be taken by the operator. It could also include temporary traffic signs or debris in the road, helping our operators to direct traffic officers to take action to prevent incidents happening.'

Refuge bays for stranded motorists too far apart

By Daily Mail Reporter

National Highways staff say there are too few emergency bays on smart motorways, leaving motorists dangerously stranded when they break down.

One some stretches the laybys are now 1.5 miles apart  compared with just 400 to 600 metres when trials of the system began more than ten years ago on the M42.

Outraged industry leaders and MPs have demanded more refuge areas on roads that have no hard shoulder so drivers are not marooned in high-speed traffic while awaiting recovery.

Former National Highways chief executive Jim O'Sullivan insisted in 2019 that spacing 'does not seem to matter from a safety perspective'.

National Highways staff say there are too few emergency bays on smart motorways, leaving motorists dangerously stranded when they break down (file photo)

But one operator, who has worked in the Regional Operations Centre in South Mimms for 14 years, told an undercover reporter from the Mail 'they haven't got nearly enough' Emergency Refuge Areas on the M25.

'I told them that when they first started bringing [smart motorways] up. There's too much of a gap between them so that when people break down, they're stuck, they couldn't make it to a bay,' he added.

One National Highways employee, who contacted this paper after reading our investigation, said they were concerned about motorists' safety.

The worker added: 'The emergency refuge bays are positioned in very strange positions. Some are located on bends and they are spaced too far apart. 'They are very unsafe for our customers. The concept works but it needs the tech to run it correctly.'

National Highways said there are 34 emergency areas on the All Lane Running sections of the M25 including ten extra installed since the smart motorways was first introduced

Sir Edmund King, president of the AA, said: 'If 'smart' motorways are to continue, we need to double the number of emergency laybys, retrofitting on existing stretches to create more safe havens for broken down vehicles, and more reliable technology.'

After reading the Mail's investigation, former roads minister Robert Goodwill, who backs smart motorways, admitted improvements were essential.

He said: 'We definitely need to make sure we have the refuges closer together and that the cameras and radar work. But I don't think we should abandon smart motorways completely, we should refine them and make sure they work better.'

He added that when working properly, smart motorways should be safer than conventional ones as they can avert pile-ups by slowing traffic down and also prevent drivers stopping on the hard shoulder, where they are at risk of being hit.

National Highways said there are 34 emergency areas on the All Lane Running sections of the M25 including ten extra installed since the smart motorways was first introduced.

It is considering retrofitting additional areas on existing smart motorways where they are more than one mile apart. A review will be completed by April of next year.
Britain can turn the tide on rising obesity by tackling stigma and tightening rules around food sales, according to a group of charities and experts.

The Government could become the first in the world to reverse the trend in weight gain if it takes tough action, the Obesity Health Alliance claims.

Its ten-year strategy, published today, demands harsher curbs on the marketing of junk food and much stronger promotion of healthier alternatives.

It says ministers must address the weight bias and stigma experienced by obese people and reframe obesity as an issue of collective, rather than personal responsibility.

Today, 68 per cent of men and 60 per cent of women are overweight, with 27 per cent and 29 per cent, respectively, obese

The report argues people are exposed to an obesogenic environment from birth  one in which calorie-dense, nutrient-poor food is accessible, abundant, affordable and normalised and where physical activity opportunities are not built into everyday life.

The alliance, which includes the British Heart Foundation, Cancer Research UK, Diabetes UK and royal medical colleges, said successive governments have failed to tackle the problem.

In 2014/15 the NHS spent 6.1billion on treating obesity-related ill health and this is forecast to rise to 9.7billion per year by 2050.

Today, 68 per cent of men and 60 per cent of women are overweight, with 27 per cent and 29 per cent, respectively, obese.

Professor Dame Anne Johnson, chairman of the expert working group advising the alliance, said: If the Government commits to bold new policies, we can turn the tide, reducing obesity and greatly improving our nations health. The alliance supported Government plans to introduce a 9pm watershed on TV and a ban on paid-for advertising online for unhealthy food and drink.

It also recommended policies that cut access to unhealthy items, including licensing retailers or curbing hours when products can be sold.

The alliance, which includes the British Heart Foundation, Cancer Research UK, Diabetes UK and royal medical colleges, said successive governments have failed to tackle the problem

Other suggestions included mandatory front-of-pack nutrient labelling. Separately, it said greater clarity should be given on the legal responsibility of employers not to discriminate against staff based on weight.

Professor Linda Bauld, project academic lead, said: Turning the tide on obesity is achievable. Over the same three decades in which obesity has continued to rise, UK smoking rates have been halved  achieved through a series of comprehensive government strategies.

A Health Department spokesman said: The new Office for Health Improvement and Disparities is launching next month which will spearhead national efforts to tackle obesity, improve mental health and promote physical activity.
A Nicaraguan political activist is in critical condition in a Costa Rica hospital after he was shot three times, police said on Sunday.

Joao Maldonado, who led demonstrations against the government of President Daniel Ortega in southwestern Nicaragua's Jinotepe municipality in 2018, was shot twice in the chest and once in the arm on Saturday evening.

The 32-year-old was driving a vehicle in Escazu, six miles west of Costa Rica's capital San Jose, when a gunman aboard a motorcycle opened fire and then fled.

Nicaraguan political activist Joao Maldonado survived an assassination attempt in Escazu, Costa Rica, on Saturday. The 32-year-old was driving a vehicle when a gunman aboard a motorcycle shot him three times and then fled with an accomplice. No arrests have been made

A police spokeswoman said the attack's motive was unknown, but Yefer Bravo of Unidad de Exiles Nicaraguan in Costa Rica accused Nicaragua President Daniel Ortega of orchestrating failed assassination plot and hiring the fugitive assassins

Antonio Escalante, who was riding with Maldonado, was grazed by a bullet. He said Maldonado managed to drive to a local hospital.

'I only saw a guy who got off a motorcycle and started shooting at us,' Escalante said.

Maldonado's wife Nadia Robleto said he had undergone emergency surgery as of result the two gun shot wounds he suffered on the chest and another on the arm.

A police spokeswoman said the attack's motive was unknown, but Yefer Bravo of Unidad de Exiles Nicaraguan in Costa Rica accused Ortega of hiring the fugitive assassins.

'We continue to fight despite the distance and the threats,' Bravo said. 'Clearly those two guys were hired to execute him because they have been silencing the voices in my country and now we resist from exile.'

Bullets pierced through Yoao Maldonado's car during the failed assassination attempt Saturday

Joao Maldonado has been living in Costa Rica since August 2018, was had been organizing a protest against Nicaragua President Daniel Ortega's government for Sunday in San Jose

Maldonado, who has been living in Costa Rica since August 2018, had been organizing a protest against Ortega's government for Sunday in San Jose. The demonstration went ahead, but turnout was low.

'This year many of the countries in the region are commemorating 200 years of independence, but we especially say that Nicaraguans continue in the fight for freedom and justice,' Maldonado said in a video statement Friday. 'In Nicaragua we are currently going through a great crisis in the medical aspect, what the dictatorship is doing is totally serious with regard to the management of the coronavirus and people continue to die on a large scale.'

A Nicaraguan government official did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

More than 80,000 Nicaraguans have requested refuge in neighboring Costa Rica since the 2018 protests. Numbers had increased in the past three months as Ortega's government clamped down on opposition politicians and activists.

At least seven of the 35 detainees were expecting to challenge him for the presidency in the November elections.
Kanye West's father is running a charity in the Dominican Republic where he faces daily danger from earthquakes to rampant crime, the rapper's former stepmother has revealed.

Ray West, 72, set up the Good Water foundation in the Dominican Republic several years ago to help victims of prostitution and corruption and was on the island when a massive earthquake hit in neighboring Haiti this month. Just two days later, the poverty-stricken neighborhood where he lives was slammed by a tropical storm.

In an exclusive interview with DailyMail.com, Brenda Bentley, who began dating Ray after his divorce from Kanye's late mother Donda, spoke of Ray's battle with cancer, seeing Kanye grow up and the father and son's relationship.

Kanye is notably vocal about his love for his mother Donda, even naming is latest album after her, but has shown he still has room in his heart for his father throughout the years.

Kanye West's father Ray West, 72, has been living in the Dominican Republic for years and has set up a charity, the Good Water foundation

Ray lives where crime runs rampant and he was on the island when it was shaken by a massive earthquake in neighboring Haiti this month

In an exclusive interview with DailyMail.com, Kanye's former stepmother Brenda Bentley (pictured), 66, said Ray faces danger daily but is dedicated to the charity

Ray was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2018 and returned to the U.S. for treatment.

During that time, he attended recording sessions for Kanye's album, Ye, and the rapper even invited him to co-star with Kim Kardashian in a music video, 'Follow God,' shot at the mogul's sprawling $14million Wyoming ranch.

Kanye is notably vocal about his love for his mother Donda, even naming is latest album after her, but has shown he still has love for his father throughout the years. He and Donda are pictured at the 2006 Grammy awards

'It took me 42 years to realize that my dad was my best friend,' Kanye said.

His cancer diagnosis devastated Kanye, coming just over 10 years after Donda died, whose sudden death after cosmetic surgery triggered his mental breakdown in 2016.

But after beating the cancer, Ray insisted on returning to the Dominican Republic.

Brenda, 66, who was engaged twice to Ray and remains close to the rapper's dad, spoke of his life on the Carribean island.

'They get shocks from earthquakes there a lot and he said this one shook him up but that it really didn't do too much damage,' she said.

'It also is dangerous in the DR because of high crime. There's not a lot of police activity. Most people at Ray's age would put their feet up but he's still got his vision. I've been there to see his work. He's doing good.'

Ray was a member of the Black Panther Party during the 1960s and 70s.

After Kanye's birth, however, he became a prominent photojournalist. He was famed for portraits of poet and civil rights activist Maya Angelou and President Ronald Reagan.

But he gave up his media career to do charity work.

He started by moving into a homeless shelter, 'not because he was homeless,' confided Kanye, but 'because he wanted to help the ex-drug addicts, he wanted to get that close.'

He launched the Dominican Republic foundation to help with victims of prostitution and corruption.

While undergoing treatment, Ray attended recording sessions for Kanye's album, Ye, and the rapper even invited him to co-star with Kim Kardashian in a music video, 'Follow God,' shot at the mogul's sprawling $14 million Wyoming ranch

'It took me 42 years to realize that my dad was my best friend,' Kanye said in a post

Ray was a member of the Black Panther Party during the 1960s and 70s. After Kanye's birth he became a prominent photojournalist

'He's financing the work himself,' Brenda told DailyMail.com. 'He sells purified water and uses the profits to fund projects like healthcare for women.'

Brenda first met Kanye when he was nine.

He was raised by Donda but would visit 'Miss Brenda' - as he called her -for summer vacations. He kept in touch with her after Donda's death.

'After Donda's passing, when I was around him he seemed like he really held it together well, but you really grieve in those private times,' she said.

'In getting his career back, he held it together. But you could see the cracks.

'It left a gaping hole in Kanye's life. Donda was his everything.'
An eagle with a six-inch foot-span that ambushed unsuspecting prey such as flamingos and koalas ruled the food chain of South Australia 25 million years ago.

This is the conclusion of Flinders University experts who identified the new species, Archaehierax sylvestris, based on a 63-bone fossil discovered near Lake Pinpa.

Found on a remote cattle station, the remains from the late Oligocene Period are one of the oldest-known and 'best preserved' eagle-like raptors in the fossil record.

An eagle (depicted above) with a six-inch foot-span that ambushed unsuspecting prey like flamingos and koalas ruled the food chain of South Australia 25 million years ago

'This species was slightly smaller and leaner than the wedge-tailed eagle [Australia's biggest eagle alive today], but its the largest eagle known from this time period in Australia,' said paper author and palaeontologist Ellen Mather of Flinders University. Pictured: the foot bone (tarsometatarsus) and silhouette of Archaehierax (left) and the wedge-tailed eagle (right)

Found in a dig at a cattle station at Lake Pinpa in South Australia, the remains from the late Oligocene are one of the oldest-known and 'best preserved' eagle-like raptors in the fossil record. Pictured (L-R): Aaron Camens, Amy Tschirn, Jacob Blokland and Kailah Thorn

'We found that Archaehierax didnt belong to any of the living genera or families. It seems to have been its own unique branch of the eagle family. Its unlikely to be a direct ancestor to any species alive today,' said Ms Mather. Pictured: the fossil specimen

ARCHAEHIERAX'S AUSTRALIA During the late Oligocene when Archaehierax sylvestris lived, the environment in Australia was starkly different to how it appears today. While Lake Pinpa is today a bone-dry desert, 25 million years it was a vast, shallow body of water surrounded by verdant forests. The team believe that Archaehierax would have ambushed its prey  likely koalas, possums, waterfowl, cormorants and flamingos  by swooping down from these trees and grabbing them with its long legs. Advertisement

'This species was slightly smaller and leaner than the wedge-tailed eagle [Australia's biggest eagle alive today], but its the largest eagle known from this time period in Australia,' said paper author and palaeontologist Ellen Mather of Adelaide's Flinders University.

'The foot span was nearly 15 cm [6 inches] long, which would have allowed it to grasp large prey. The largest marsupial predators at the time were about the size of a small dog or large cat, so Archaehierax was certainly ruling the roost.'

'The fossil bones reveal that the wings of Archaehierax were short for its size, much like species of forest-dwelling eagles today. Its legs, in contrast, were relatively long and would have given it considerable reach.

'The combination of these traits suggest Archaehierax was an agile but not particularly fast flier  and was most likely an ambush hunter.

'It was one of the top terrestrial predators of the late Oligocene, swooping upon birds and mammals that lived at the time.'

'With eagles at the top of the food chain, they are always few in number  and so are infrequently preserved as fossils,' added co-author and fellow Flinders University palaeontologist Trevor Worthy.

'Its rare to find even one bone from a fossil eagle. To have most of the skeleton is pretty exciting, especially considering how old it is.'

'I have studied this [site] for many years now, and this is the most exquisite fossil we have found to date,' Professor Worthy added.

'Its rare to find even one bone from a fossil eagle. To have most of the skeleton is pretty exciting, especially considering how old it is. I have studied this [site] for many years now, and this is the most exquisite fossil we have found to date,' said Flinders University palaeontologist Trevor Worthy. Pictured: the Archaehierax fossil as it was found in the field

'The fossil bones reveal that the wings of Archaehierax were short for its size, much like species of forest-dwelling eagles today,' said paper author and palaeontologist Ellen Mather of Adelaide's Flinders University. Pictured: Archaehierax sylvestris' radius (left) and ulna (right)

'With eagles at the top of the food chain, they are always few in number  and so are infrequently preserved as fossils,' added co-author and fellow Flinders University palaeontologist Trevor Worthy. 'Its rare to find even one bone from a fossil eagle. To have most of the skeleton is pretty exciting, especially considering how old it is'

'The completeness of the Archaehierax skeleton allowed us to determine where it fits on the eagle family tree,' added Ms Mather.

'It shows a range of features unlike any seen among modern hawks and eagles.

'We found that Archaehierax didnt belong to any of the living genera or families. It seems to have been its own unique branch of the eagle family.

'Its unlikely to be a direct ancestor to any species alive today,' she concluded.

The full findings of the study were published in the journal Historical Biology.

While Lake Pinpa is today a bone-dry desert, 25 million years it was a vast, shallow body of water surrounded by verdant forests. Pictured: Flinders University palaeontologist Warren Handley at the dig site near Lake Pinpa, South Australia

The new species, Archaehierax sylvestris, was identified by the researchers based on a 63-bone fossil discovered at a remote outback cattle station near Lake Pinpa, in South Australia
A distant galaxy, dating back to a time when the universe was going through a 'baby boom', has been studied by astronomers thanks to an 'Einstein Ring' phenomenon.

The stunning and unusual cosmic display occurs when the gravitational field of a massive object warps space and deflects light from an object behind it.

This was first predicted by Albert Einstein in 1915, and the latest observation was 3.5 billion light years from Earth in the southern constellation of Fornax, the furnace.

The phenomenon appears as a circle with dots of light in the centre and was first spotted by astronomers using the Hubble Space Telescope in December last year.

New analysis of the Hubble image was carried out by a team from the Universidad Politecnica de Cartagena, in Murcia, Spain, to understand the galaxy behind the ring.

They found that the light from the galaxy was nine billion years old, suggesting it originated when the universe was just five billion years old and going through a 'baby boom' of new galactic and star formation.

Scroll down for video

The stunning and unusual cosmic display occurs when the gravitational field of a massive object warps space and deflects light from an object behind it

WHAT IS AN EINSTEIN RING? An Einstein ring is produced when the light from a galaxy or star passed through the gravitational field of a large object on the way to Earth. This is the result of a phenomenon known as gravitational lensing. It is where the light is diverted, making it seem to come from different places. If the source of the light, the lens and the observer are in perfect alignment, the light appears as a ring. Gravitational lensing was predicted by Albert Einstein in his General Theory of Relativity, suggesting light is bent by the presence of a massive body. An Einstein Ring is a special case of gravitational lensing due to the 'exact alignment' required for it to appear. It acts to magnify the light from the distant object, making it easier for astronomers to study objects that may not be visible to their telescope. In some cases it can increase the magnification of an object 20 times. Advertisement

An Einstein Ring is an effect of gravitational lensing, a universal 'grand illusion' that was proposed as part of the law of general relativity.

More than a century ago Einstein said that if gravity warped space like stretching and twisting a rubber sheet, the consequences would be that images of distant objects would be magnified, brightened, and distorted into funhouse mirror views.

This is because their light would be bent as it traveled across the invisible tapestry of space and occasionally passed through gravitational 'potholes' formed by massing objects that got in the way of the light path to Earth.

Seeing the illusion itself requires powerful telescopes, such as the Hubble Space Telescope that first launched in August 1990.

The Einstein Ring is one of the most stunning manifestations of this phenomenon - appearing as a doughnut-like loop of light.

The latest example, seen by Hubble in 2020, is cataloged as GAL-CLUS-022058s and has been nicknamed the 'Molten Ring' by astronomers.

The lensing effect creates multiple images of the contents of a distant galaxy, magnifying the light so it appears smeared into an arc shape.

It took nine billion years for the light from this distant galaxy to reach Earth, but the magnification gives astronomers a close-up glimpse into the distant past.

The extremely high rate of star formation in the brightest and very dusty early galaxies saw stars being born at a rate a thousand times faster than occurs within our own galaxy, leading the era to be dubbed the universe's 'baby boom'.

This is a reference to the baby boom that happened after WW2, that led to a whole generation, born between 1946 and 1964 being dubbed baby boomers.

This could help explain the rapid build-up of present day giant elliptical galaxies, according to the team that works with the Hubble Space Telescope.

The lensing effect in this image led to the distant galaxy being magnified by a factor of 20, boosting Hubble's lens to a 48 metre aperture - compared to its usual 2.4m.

The lensing effects also create multiple apparitions around the curved arc of the single background magnified galaxy, making it visible in multiple forms.

New analysis of the Hubble image was carried out by a team from the Universidad Politecnica de Cartagena, in Murcia, Spain, to understand the galaxy behind the ring

In order to derive the physical properties of the galaxy, astronomers had to precisely model the effects of the lensing on the galaxy's image.

'Such a model could only be obtained with the Hubble imaging,' explained the lead investigator Anastasio Diaz-Sanchez, adding that 'in particular, Hubble helped us to identify the four duplicated images and the stellar clumps of the lensed galaxy.'

The initial Hubble observation was first conducted by Saurabh Jha of Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey.

This cosmic display, formally known as gravitational lensing, was predicted by the famed physicist, Albert Einstein, in 1915

His team's science goal was to use Hubble's sharp image to reveal detailed complex structure in the ring arcs.

Experts have been able to test his theory of General Relativity within the solar system and prove Einstein's groundbreaking work holds up to scrutiny.

Thomas Collett, of the Institute of cosmology and gravitation at the University of Portsmouth, who discovered another Einstein Ring in 2018, said in a statement: 'General Relativity predicts that massive objects deform space-time.

'This means that when light passes near another galaxy the light's path is deflected.

'If two galaxies are aligned along our line of sight this can give rise to a phenomenon, called strong gravitational lensing, where we see multiple images of the background galaxy.

'If we know the mass of the foreground galaxy, then the amount of separation between the multiple images tells us if General Relativity is the correct theory of gravity on galactic scales.'

A few hundred strong gravitational lenses are known, but most are too distant to precisely measure their mass.
The iPhone 13 has just hit stores but experts are already looking ahead to what the next iteration of the world's most popular smartphone will look like.

In his latest Power On newsletter, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman predicted the incremental tweaks to the iPhone 13 were to give Apple a chance to focus on a overhauling its design for the iPhone 14, expected in 2022.

Gurman was light on details on this overhaul but did say consumers should expect 'new entry-level and Pro models and a complete redesign.'

Earlier this month, Apple tipster Jon Prosser predicted the iPhone 14 is also going to see the iPhone's notch ditched in favor of a room-saving punch-hole selfie camera.

Prosser, who hosts the YouTube channel Front Page Tech, claims to have seen renderings of the iPhone 14 Pro Max with the punch-hole design.

It isn't clear what Apple will do with the flood illuminator, ambient light sensor, infrared camera, and other sensors housed in the notchsome of which are needed to make Face ID work.

It's possible it will swap out Face ID in favor of a Touch ID underneath the display.

Prosser's predictions on models lines up with other well-placed sources, including Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who believe Apple will do away the iPhone mini next year, in favor of a regular iPhone 14, two versions of the iPhone 14 Pros, and an iPhone 14 Max.

Scroll down for video

Days after the iPhone 13 went on sale, Apple prognosticator Mark Gurman said the Apple iPhone 14 would see a 'complete redesign'

Calling the iPhone 13 'no major step up' from its predecessors, Gurman indicated Apple's main strategy was to get longtime users to upgrade their pre-5G phones.

'The minor changes this year also mean that Apple's engineers were working behind the scenes on bigger things that will take more time,' Gurman wrote.

'With the iPhone 14, you can expect new entry-level and Pro models and a complete redesign. Until then, enjoy the iPhone 13or just stick with the iPhone 12.'

Apple reportedly ended production of the iPhone 12 mini this summer after months of 'disappointing sales performance,' according to Taiwanese research firm TrendForce.

Insiders claiming that a punch-hole camera would replace the notch dates back to March, when Kuo first made the pronouncement in a report to Apple supply chain investors, 9to5Mac reported.

It's a configuration already used by several Android phones.

Earler this year Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo predicted the top-tier iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max would lose their 'notch' in favor of a punch-hole camera

The notch will disappear on the top-tier iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max, Kuo said, but would very possibly remain on the standard iPhone 14.

Prosser suggested that the iPhone 14 will be thickerpredicting Apple will remove the iPhone's camera bump but fill the added space with an even bigger battery.

'The new model would supposedly resemble a supersized iPhone 4 with a band-like titanium outer ring, flush rear cameras and a thicker chassis,' Engadget reported.

Kuo's report from March also indicated that some time in the first half of 2022, Apple would release a new 5G iPhone SE, its first entry-priced model with the high-speed cellular network after introducing it with the iPhone 12.

That could very well mean the end of non-5G phones for Apple moving forward, as Nikkei Asia reported in July.

Kuo also believes the iPhone 14 will be the first released without a Lightning port, in favor of MagSafe chargers and wireless charging capabilities.

Apple may ditch the Lightning port in favor of MagSafe chargers (above) and wireless charging to circumvent the European Commission's plans to require all smartphone and other electronic devices to use a common USB-C port

The move would be one way to circumvent the European Commission's plans to require all smartphone and other electronic devices to use a common USB-C port.

In his newsletter, Gurman admitted Apple was playing a bit of catch-up with the competition and since Samsung is now pushing foldable phones, an iPhone Flip 'could release in a few years.'

Earlier this month, Kuo claimed Apple would release a foldable iPhone Flip in 2024, pushing back from his original report that some 15 to 20 million foldable phones would ship in 2023.

The iPhone flip would feature an 8-inch display with a '3,200 x 1,800-pixel resolution,' Kuo said.
Blue Origin announced on Monday that its next human spaceflight will happen on October 12, unveiling two of the four astronauts, including the third Australian ever to fly into space.

The Jeff Bezos-founded company will bring Dr Chris Boshuizen, co-founder of Planet Labs and partner at venture capital firm DCVC and Medidata co-founder Glen de Vries into space on the New Shepard rocket.

In an email obtained by DailyMail.com, the company said the other two astronauts would be announced 'in the coming days,' though speculation rose last week when legendary Star Trek actor William Shatner was reported to join the crew.

Blue Origin announced on Monday its next human spaceflight will happen on October 12. Liftoff on the New Shepard rocket is currently targeted for 8:30 am CDT from Launch Site One in West Texas

One of the astronauts joining the flight will be Dr Chris Boshuizen, co-founder of Planet Labs and current partner at venture capital firm DCVC

Liftoff on the New Shepard rocket is currently being targeted for 8:30 am CDT/ 13:30 UTC from Launch Site One in West Texas.

Planet Labs, which was co-founded by Boshuizen in 2010, was the first company to 'commercially utilize nanosatellites,' also known as cube satellites or CubeSats.

Boshuizen, who has an estimated net worth approaching $30 million, was also the Space Mission Architect at NASA's Ames Research Center between 2008 and 2012, having invented the Phonesat, a satellite built from a smartphone.

'This is a fulfillment of my greatest childhood dream,' said Dr Boshuizen in a statement.

'More importantly, though, I see this flight as an opportunity to inspire students to pursue careers in STEM and catalyze the next generation of space explorers. After all, our future of life in space is in their very capable hands.'

Boshuizen applied for the Australian Defense Force Academy at the age of 17, but was rejected because he was partially color blind, Space News reports.

The only other astronauts from Australia are Paul Scully-Power and Andy Thomas.

Mr de Vries, 48, who co-founded Mediadata Solutions in 1999 said the spot on the New Shepard is a 'dream come true'

Mr de Vries, 48, who co-founded Mediadata Solutions in 1999 said the spot on the New Shepard is a 'dream come true.'

'I've spent my entire career working to extend people's lives,' de Vries said in a statement.

'However, with limited materials and energy on Earth, extending our reach into space can help humanity continue to thrive.'

He continued: 'Playing a part in advancing the space industry and one day making those resources and that understanding available to everyone, is an incredible opportunity. I've been passionate about aviation and space for as long as I can remember, so this flight is truly a dream come true.'

Shatner, 90, reportedly would be part of a documentary of the 15-minute civilian flight, according to TMZ.

Actor William Shatner may be one of the other two astronauts on the flight, which is scheduled to take off from Launch Site One in West Texas

Pictured from left to right: Dutch teenager Oliver Daemen, Mark Bark Bezos, Jeff Bezos and Wally Funkd. Blue Origin's first flight occurred on July 20

Blue Origin's first flight, which occurred on July 20, saw Bezos, his brother Mark, Dutch teenager Oliver Daemen and test pilot, Wally Funk, head into space.

Funk became the oldest person to ever fly to space at 82 years old.

At 18 years old, Daemen became the youngest person, first teenager, and first person born in the 21st century to travel to space.

Olver's father, Joes Daemen, who founded private equity firm Somerset Capital Partners, bought the seat aboard the flight for over $20 million at auction.
The U.S. military said it has successfully tested an air-breathing hypersonic weapon capable of speeds faster than five times the speed of sound.

The test, which occurred last week, was the first successful test of the Hypersonic Air-breathing Weapon Concept (HAWC) since 2013, the Pentagon said on Monday.

The missile, which is built by Raytheon, was released from an aircraft just 'seconds' before the scramjet engine from Northrop Grumman kicked on, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) said in a statement.

The engine compresses incoming air with hydrocarbon fuel to create an airflow mixture capable of reaching over 1,700 meters per second, or five times the speed of sound

The HAWC missile is capable of flying at Mach 5, or five times faster than the speed of sound

The engine works by compressing incoming air with hydrocarbon fuel to create a fast airflow mixture, one capable of reaching over 1,700 meters per second, or five times the speed of sound.

The U.S., Russia and China have the most extensive hypersonic missile programs, with Russia and China well ahead of the U.S., according to experts.

In May, Russia said it tested three 'invincible' hypersonic 'Satan 2' missiles that some have said could wipe out areas the size of England and Wales.

Putin has said the Zircon missile would be capable of flying at nine times the speed of sound and have a range of 1,000 kilometers (620 miles)

Two months later, it successfully tested the Zircon missile that Russian President Vladimir Putin boasted 'can strike anywhere and evade US defense shield.'

China, conversely is in the midst of a significant upgrade of its nuclear forces, which includes both hypersonic nuclear missiles as well as more-advanced intercontinental ballistic missiles.

FILE: Military vehicles carrying the DF-17 hypersonic missiles roll past the Tiananmen Square on October 1, 2019

In October, China deployed its most advanced hypersonic missile, the top-secret DF 17, to coastal areas in preparation for a possible invasion of Taiwan.

The DF-17, a medium-range ballistic missile that delivers a hypersonic glide vehicle, was officially unveiled during China's National Day military parade on October 1, 2019.

The weapon has a maximum range of 2,500 kilometres (1,550 miles) and is capable of achieving speeds of up to 7,680 miles per hour (12,360 kph) - or 10 times the speed of sound - while carrying a nuclear warhead, according to previous reports.

It has been billed as 'a death sentence' to aircraft carriers within its range.

Earlier this year, a test of a hypersonic missile from the U.S. Air Force was abandoned after it was unable to complete its launch sequence.

The goals of the DARPA test were five-fold: vehicle integration and release sequence; a safe separation from the aircraft; booster ignition and boost; booster separation and the engine to ignite; and finally, cruise.

'The HAWC free flight test was a successful demonstration of the capabilities that will make hypersonic cruise missiles a highly effective tool for our warfighters,' said Andrew 'Tippy' Knoedler, HAWC program manager in DARPA's Tactical Technology Office, in a statement.

'This brings us one step closer to transitioning HAWC to a program of record that offers next generation capability to the U.S military.'

Hypersonic weapons travel in the upper atmosphere at speeds of more than five times the speed of sound, or about 6,200 kilometers (3,853 miles) per hour.

'HAWC's successful free flight test is the culmination of years of successful government and industry partnership, where a single, purpose-driven team accomplished an extremely challenging goal through intense collaboration,' Knoedler added.

'This historic flight would not have been possible without the dedication of industry, U.S. Air Force, and Navy flight test personnel who persevered through the pandemic to make the magic happen.'

The Pentagon said on Monday that it successfully tested its Hypersonic Air-breathing Weapon Concept (HWAC), the first successful test since 2013

The work continues the legacy of other scramjet projects, DARPA added, including the X-30 National Aero-Space Plane and NASA's X-43 vehicles.

In 2004, NASA's experimental unmanned hypersonic aircraft X-43 reached 7,366mph (Mach 9.6) using a scramjet engine, setting the current record.

In 2019, DailyMail.com reported that the Raytheon and Northrop Grumman-developed missile would use an engine made by a 3D printer.

Last year, DARPA said it was working with Aerojet Rocketdyne on a nearly $20 million project to develop a hypersonic rocket that could intercept enemy missiles mid-air.
Formula One chief Ross Brawn has backed Lewis Hamilton to reach 120 victories after the British star brought up his century in Russia.

The seven-time world champion took advantage of a dramatic rain-hit conclusion to Sunday's race at Sochi's Olympic Park to record the landmark haul and take a narrow lead in his title battle with Max Verstappen.

Hamilton, 36, levelled Michael Schumacher's tally of 91 victories last October, and a year on has moved nine ahead of the German driver, having put pen to paper on a two-year contract extension at Mercedes earlier this season.

F1 chief Ross Brawn has backed Lewis Hamilton to add at least another 20 race wins to his total

Hamilton reached a record-breaking century at the Russian Grand Prix in Sochi on Sunday

Brawn, who was integral in persuading him to leave McLaren for Mercedes - has predicted he could now pass the combined totals of Alain Prost (51), Ayrton Senna (41) and Sir Jackie Stewart (27).

'One hundred is a milestone no one thought anyone would ever reach,' said Brawn, motorsport executive and formerly technical director of Ferrari when Schumacher dominated the sport at the turn of the century.

'Michael's tally of 91 was so far ahead of what anyone else had ever done at that point it never seemed conceivable that anyone would get near it. But then Lewis beat it - and now Lewis has 100 wins. There is nothing stopping him.

'Who knows where it's going to end up? I don't think we could predict 200 wins, but we could certainly predict 20 more as he's still massively competitive and motivated. It's just staggering as it's a centenary no one ever thought would be achieved.'

Hamilton will head to the 16th round of a scheduled 22 in Turkey a week on Sunday holding a two-point advantage over Verstappen in his quest for a record-breaking eighth crown.

And ex-Ferrari technical director Brawn hailed the 'massively competitive and motivated' Brit

MOST RACES WINS IN F1 HISTORY 1. Lewis Hamilton - 100 2. Michael Schumacher - 91 3. Sebastien Vettel - 53 4. Alain Prost - 51 5. Ayrton Senna - 41 6. Fernando Alonso - 32 7. Nigel Mansell - 31 8. Jackie Stewart - 27 9. Jim Clark - 25 9 = Niki Lauda - 25 Advertisement

Hamilton's Red Bull rival drove from last to second, elevated up the order in the closing stages after he took an early decision to switch from slick to wet tyres.

Lando Norris had been on course to become the youngest British F1 winner, but he was denied a maiden victory when he initially refused to stop for the intermediate rubber. The 21-year-old limped home in seventh.

Brawn added: 'Lando will be hurting right now. We all felt his pain when he slid off the track. It was a tragedy.

'You could ask - should his McLaren team have taken the lead and insisted he pit when he said he didn't want to? I'd say it's 60/40 in favour of the team making the decision.

'That sinking feeling a driver or a team gets when they realise they made the wrong call, and the lead is evaporating before their very eyes, is horrible. They have my sympathies, but that kind of drama is what makes F1 so fantastic.'
Activewear moguls Michelle and Steven Greene are selling their Melbourne home with a $3.6million to $3.8million price guide.

The Jaggad co-founders, who run the athleisure label with fellow footy couple Bec and Chris Judd, listed the Brighton East pad last week, reports realestate.com.au.

The five-bedroom, three-bedroom property is considered one of the most desirable in the upmarket bayside suburb.

Well-heeled: Activewear moguls Michelle (left) and Steven Greene (right) are selling their Melbourne home with a $3.6million to $3.8million price guide

Nice digs! The Jaggad co-founders, who run the athleisure label with fellow footy couple Bec and Chris Judd, listed the Brighton East pad last week, reports realestate.com.au

The Greenes' home, which has been described as having 'magazine-worthy interiors', includes an infrared sauna and a home gym.

There is also a basement cinema, an 800-bottle wine cellar and four car spaces.

The modern kitchen includes a marble island bench, and the plush living room has a fireplace and floor-to-ceiling windows.

Luxe: The Greenes' home, which has been described as having 'magazine-worthy interiors', has a modern kitchen with a marble island bench (pictured)

Other luxury amenities include a swimming pool and spacious deck, including a barbecue area and fire pit.

The Greenes and the Judds seem to have the Midas touch with sportswear brand Jaggad, which began in 2013 as a passion project for the AFL couples and grew into one of Australia's most in-demand sportswear labels.

The company has collaborated with the likes of Jennifer Hawkins, Georgia Fowler and even Bec Judd herself, who is the de-facto face of the company.

Luxury living: The plush living room has a fireplace and floor-to-ceiling windows

In-demand: The five-bedroom, three-bedroom property is considered one of the most desirable in the upmarket bayside suburb

By contrast Michelle prefers to stay out of the spotlight, and instead runs the fashion label behind the scenes with her ex-footy star husband.

She is still extremely popular on Instagram, boasting more than 20,000 followers.

Steven Greene played 42 games for Hawthorn from 2001 to 2005.

Chris Judd had a more decorated career, captaining the West Coast Eagles and Carlton, and being inducted into the AFL Hall of Fame this year.
Demi Moore stunned in an all-white blazer and skirt ensemble when she was spotted attending the private Versace and Fendi party during Milan Fashion Week.

The 58-year-old actress was clad in head-to-toe Versace when she was seen on Sunday.

Demi gave a jaunty wave as she headed into the glamorous event hosted by the luxury fashion houses.

Gorgeous! Demi Moore stunned in an all-white blazer and skirt ensemble when she was spotted attending the private Versace and Fendi party during Milan Fashion Week

The Ghost star donned a crisp white blazer that was fastened with a belt that had a gold safety pin buckle.

Moore paired the blazer with a matching pencil skirt embossed with the Versace Greek vector pattern.

The Charlie's Angeles actress accessorized with a gold statement necklace and dangly gold earrings.

Luxurious: The 58-year-old actress was clad in head-to-toe Versace when she was seen on Sunday

Demi sported white heels with gold chain straps that showed off her bright red pedicure.

The mother of three carried a white purse that had a gold chain handle and was decorated with gold safety pins on the sides.

The brunette beauty wore her long locks parted down in the middle and rocked a glossy pink lipstick.

Stylish: The Ghost star donned a crisp white blazer that was fastened with a belt that had a gold safety pin buckle

Ahead of the party, Demi modeled the outfit on the blue carpet at the Versace HQ special event.

Moore posed against a moss backdrop before heading inside to take her seat in the front row at the catwalk.

The Inside Out author flashed a smile as she joined fellow attendees Elizabeth Hurley, 56, and her 19-year-old son Damian Charles Hurley for a photo inside the event.

Earlier: Ahead of the party, Demi modeled the outfit on the blue carpet at the Versace HQ special event

Glamorous: Moore posed against a moss backdrop before heading inside to take her seat in the front row at the catwalk

Beauty: The brunette beauty wore her long locks parted down in the middle and rocked a glossy pink lipstick
An anti-vax senior producer on The Kyle and Jackie O Show has to work from home after refusing to get the Covid vaccine.

Pedro Vitola, from Sydney's west, wasn't at KIIS FM's North Ryde studios on Monday, and host Kyle Sandilands told listeners it was because he's unvaccinated.

'Where's Pedro?' Sandilands asked before 7am, to which an in-studio producer replied: 'He's working from home.'

Banned from the workplace: Pedro Vitola, a senior producer on The Kyle and Jackie O Show, has to work from home after refusing to get the Covid-19 vaccine

Sandilands, 50, then said: 'Oh, because he's still "I'm not vaccinated". Stupid prick. What a bloody pain in the arse.'

His co-host Jackie 'O' Henderson responded: 'You can't say that!'

Sandilands went on to complain about Vitola's anti-vaccine stance, which he said was at odds with his wife Patty's alleged fondness for 'lip injections'.

'Jesus Christ, he's still going on. His girlfriend will get the lip injections, no dramas about that - that's fine!' he said.

However, Henderson denied Vitola's wife gets lip filler, saying she's 'natural'.

Banished: Mr Vitola, from Sydney's west, wasn't at KIIS FM's North Ryde studios on Monday, and host Kyle Sandilands told listeners it was because he's unvaccinated. He is pictured with former Kyle and Jackie O executive producer Bruno Bouchet (left)

An ARN spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia on Monday afternoon that Vitola has to work from home until he's vaccinated in line with government health orders.

'ARN are keen to do our part in helping Australian businesses get back on their feet and for everyone to reconnect face to face in the community,' they said.

'Vaccination is the pathway to getting there. To make it easy for people to get vaccinated, everyone at ARN can receive paid vaccination leave to ensure more flexibility when scheduling and attending their vaccination appointment.

'While we understand vaccination is a personal choice, in line with NSW government health orders people who are from LGAs of concern and are not vaccinated are required to work from home.'

Annoyed: Radio host Kyle Sandilands (pictured) said of Vitola on Monday morning: 'Oh... he's still "I'm not vaccinated". Stupid prick. What a bloody pain in the arse'

Vitola has previously described himself on air as anti-vaccine and 'into conspiracies'.

Sandilands asked him point-blank in late July if he was an 'anti-vaxxer', and he said: 'I am, but I won't be discussing it.'

Vitola also said last month he didn't want to get the shot because he's young and healthy, adding that it's a 'personal choice' to get vaccinated.

When asked why he didn't want the vaccine, he refused to explain himself.

At the time, Sandilands - who received his second Pfizer shot in July - asked Vitola what he would do if KIIS FM enforced a 'no jab, no job' policy, and the producer said he still wouldn't get the vaccine.

On the outer: An ARN spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia on Monday afternoon that Vitola has to work from home until he's vaccinated in line with government health orders

Sandilands said in February he was pushing for a vaccine mandate in his workplace.

He informed his colleagues of his decision after Henderson - who has since received the AstraZeneca shot - expressed concerns about the vaccine.

After Vitola said he wouldn't be getting the vaccine straight away, Sandilands snapped: 'If you don't get it, you're out. No jab, no job.'

'No jab, no job': Sandilands (pictured with co-host Jackie 'O' Henderson and newsreader Brooklyn Ross) said in February he was pushing for a vaccine mandate in his workplace

Mandatory vaccines have been a topic of debate at workplaces, with the government leaving the decision in the hands of employers.

Airline Qantas and food-processing company SPC have announced they will be making vaccination compulsory for their staff.

Media companies including Channel 10 and the Seven Network have conducted internal surveys asking staff for their views on a vaccine mandate.
Kim Kardashian penned a hilarious tribute to her little girls North, eight, and Chicago, three, and mother Kris Jenner on National Daughter's Day.

After reflecting on her rebellious teenage years, the 40-year-old reality star pleaded with her youngsters to 'please be easy' on her as they grow up.

While asking her children to behave better than she did, the mother-of-four posted a number of throwbacks of herself from the late Nineties.

Throwback! Kim Kardashian penned a hysterical tribute to her little girls North, eight, and Chicago, three, and mother Kris Jenner on National Daughter's Day

Funny: After reflecting on her rebellious teenage years, the 40-year-old reality star pleaded with her youngsters to 'please be easy' on her as they grow up

'Mom- Im sorry! I remember being grounded here for Kourtney stealing your car just to drive it around the block and some how even though I didnt participate I still got in trouble!' she captioned the slideshow.

She continued: 'So we had nothing else to do but do photo shoots in the garage. It was never me, I just listened to what my older sister said and friends. They were such bad influences and I was perfect and for that Im sorry!'

The post included images of her rocking an oversized white t-shirt, baggy light-wash jeans and sneakers.

Rebellious: While asking her children to behave better than she did, the mom-of-four posted a number of throwbacks of herself from the late Nineties

In addition to posing in the driver's seat of one of her parent's cars, she sat on top of an arcade game in her garage as she smoldered at the camera.

On her Instagram Story, the KKW Beauty founder posted photos of North and Chicago over the years, including one of them all on their lush trip to Turks and Caicos in January.

Kim reposted collages made by fan accounts of her with her little ones, who looked blissfully happy as their mother smothered them with kisses.

'Mom- Im sorry! I remember being grounded here for Kourtney stealing your car just to drive it around the block and some how even though I didnt participate I still got in trouble!' she captioned the slideshow

She continued: 'So we had nothing else to do but do photo shoots in the garage. It was never me, I just listened to what my older sister said and friends. They were such bad influences and I was perfect and for that Im sorry!'

The matriarch of the Kardashian family, 65, also posted several pictures of all five of her daughters.

'Happy International Daughters Day to my five beautiful, amazing, strong, loving, kind, compassionate, funny, creative, generous, considerate daughters who occupy five of the most special places in my heart,' Kris gushed.

She concluded: 'Thank you for the most amazing and special magnificent life we have created together and for this precious time together on earth. I cant imagine being on this journey with anyone else in the world. You bring me such incredible joy and happiness and I am beyond blessed that God chose me to be your Mommy. love you more than you will ever know.'

Lots of love: On her Instagram Story, the KKW Beauty founder posted photos of North and Chicago over the years, including one of them all on their lush trip to Turks and Caicos in January

Happy family: Kim reposted collages made by fan accounts of her little ones, who looked blissfully happy as their mother smothered them with kisses
Melbourne's recent anti-vax protests have been marred by violence, including against reporters covering the demonstrations.

And TV networks are now hiring security to protect journalists on the ground, leading to a 'shortage of guards' in the city, reports The Australian.

The head of one Melbourne security firm told the newspaper: 'The situation has been quite unique, with the level and type of protest.'

Under siege: Melbourne's recent anti-vax protests have been marred by violence, including against reporters covering the demonstrations. Pictured: Seven News reporter Paul Dowsley

Seven News reporter Paul Dowsley has been assigned a security detail after being soaked in urine following a violent attack at the protest last Tuesday.

He was not protected while covering Monday and Tuesday's protests last week.

Channel Nine reporter Christine Ahern was harassed by demonstrators on Wednesday when she tried to provide an update on the scene in Melbourne's CBD.

'We're marching with the second group of protesters. We've been following them all around the city and now we're going up Swanston street,' she said.

Sickening: TV networks are now hiring security to protect journalists on the ground, leading to a 'shortage of guards' in the city, reports The Australian. Mr Dowsley has now been assigned a security detail after covering the protests unprotected last week

Grabbed: Channel Nine reporter Christine Ahern was harassed by demonstrators on Wednesday when she tried to provide an update on the scene in Melbourne's CBD

A group of men clad in fluorescent-yellow vests then started to heckle the reporter, forcing her to apologise for their crude language.

'I do apologise for the language, one again they are very fired up and unfortunately at the media as well,' she shouted over the noise of the protesters.

One man passing the live cross tried to roughly grab her microphone, before turning his attention to a man taking photos of the unruly crowds.

'I'm okay, I'm okay,' she reassured her colleagues as protesters sounded air horns and gestured aggressively at the camera.

One attendee wearing a black balaclava and large ski goggles could be heard yelling 'fake news, it's fake news' as he passed Ms Ahern and her cameraman.

'Look, we're not going to be intimidated. We're going to keep on giving you what is happening here,' the brave reporter continued.

'I've been hearing them say "keep moving, keep moving away from the police" because there are some police that are following us.

'Police are determined for this not to become another game of cat and mouse but it's exactly what it's turned into again.'

'Look we're not going to be intimidated': A group of men clad in fluorescent-yellow vests started to heckle the reporter, forcing her to apologise for their crude language

Ms Arhern's altercation with angry protesters came less than 24 hours after Mr Dowsley of Seven News copped his own share of abuse.

The veteran newsman was reporting on the anti-vaxxer protests on Tuesday when he was jumped by one demonstrator who grabbed him around the neck.

He said during his time on the scene he'd been spat on and doused with urine, including in his mouth when open bottles were thrown at him.

'My colleague and I are covered in what I understand to be urine,' he said live on air as he described the attack to the appalled newsreaders in the studio.

'To put it lightly, I'm not a fighter, I've never thrown a punch in my life, so in those situations I thought I'd be quick to make a move,' he said.

'But that guy came in to my side very quickly - I did my best to get out of what felt like a headlock.

'My [cameraman] colleague Rick, who was standing on a seat trying to get an elevated shot, jumped down with his camera and came to my assistance.

'Some other people came in and tried break it up - they did try to defuse it.

'I will give credit to some protesters who stopped in the minutes after to check I was okay and one made a point of telling me that's not what they were about.

'He was disgusted by any attack like that on media.'

Riot: About 2,000 tradesmen and anti-vaccination campaigners rampaged through the city for ten hours last Tuesday to demonstrate against a two-week shutdown of the construction industry imposed due to rising Covid cases. A second protest followed on Wednesday

About 2,000 tradesmen and anti-vaccination campaigners rampaged through the city for ten hours last Tuesday to demonstrate against a two-week shutdown of the construction industry imposed due to rising Covid cases.

Protesters first gathered outside CFMEU's boarded-up union head office that morning, chanting 'f**k the jab' and singing Advance Australia Fair.

They blame the union for not doing enough to oppose mandatory vaccines for construction workers.

Carnage: Police arrested 62 people on Tuesday after wild videos circulated on social media of officers being attacked with fists, bottles and other projectiles

Police arrested 62 people on Tuesday after wild videos circulated on social media of officers being attacked with fists, bottles and other projectiles.

Another anti-lockdown protest was set to go ahead on Saturday but a massive police presence saw the demonstration flop.

On Sunday, demonstrators gathered for 'protest picnics' at parks in Melbourne.
Dame Eileen Atkins has criticised veteran actresses who complain about a lack of roles for women their age  calling them too vain.

The 87-year-old, whose credits include Upstairs Downstairs, Cranford, Gosford Park and The Crown, said there were plenty of parts if you are willing to make yourself look lousy.

Dame Eileen told The Observers magazine The New Review, when asked if she shared the same experience as older actresses who complain about a lack of parts, Most of those actresses are too vain. They have been the beautiful young woman in something and suddenly theyre not the beautiful young woman, so they say there are no parts.

Dame Eileen Atkins (pictured in Cranford) has criticised veteran actresses who complain about a lack of roles for women their age  calling them too vain

She added: But there are plenty of parts, if youre willing to make yourself look lousy.

Dame Eileen, who played Queen Mary in The Crown, said her role in the Netflix drama was mostly lying about in bed and smoking.

The performer, who was made a dame in 2001, has been appearing on stage and screen since the early 1950s.

She won the television BAFTA award for best actress in 2008 for her work on BBC period drama Cranford.

She has won three Olivier Awards for her stage work.

In 2015 Russell Crowe sparked controversy after he appeared to say that older actresses should play parts that fit their own age.

He said that the woman who complained about a lack of roles was the person who was in their forties but still wants to play the ingenue, and cant understand why shes not being cast as the 21-year-old.

In 2015 Russell Crowe sparked controversy after he appeared to say that older actresses should play parts that fit their own age

As well as the lack of roles that are offered to older performers, some actresses have also complained about the type of parts that are offered to older women.

All Creatures Great and Small star Patricia Hodge, 74, who has starred in Miranda and A Very English Scandal, earlier this month said for people her age generally roles were for the maiden aunt who sits and makes waspish comments from the side of the ballroom, or else youve got dementia.

A study last year found that once women reach a certain age they tend to be demoted to supporting roles in films and their characters were often shown as stubborn and grumpy.
Kim Kardashian, 40, joined older sister Kourtney Kardashian, 42, and friends for a chilling experience on Saturday.

During Kourtney's lifestyle brand's Poolside with Poosh event, attendees were challenged to dip into a chilly ice bath.

Later Kim documented the whole thing in her Instagram stories.

Kim Kardashian, 40, joined older sister Kourtney Kardashian, 42, and friends for a chilling experience on Saturday; Kim wearing SKIMS in an Instagram post

Prepping for the plunge: 'Let's do a quick countdown,' Kim can be heard suggesting in the first clip as she sheds a white robe

'Let's do a quick countdown,' Kim can be heard suggesting in the first clip as she sheds a white robe.

'It has to be like three, two, one, go!' she says hastily.

An instructor agrees, 'Yeah. We're going to do three, two, one, you're going to sit down - sit your butt to the ground, [then] you're going to lean back.'

In the frame six women stand outside the personal tubs in bathing suits as they anticipate the pending chill.

Cold! During Kourtney's lifestyle brand's Poolside with Poosh event, attendees were challenged to dip into a chilly ice bath

Then another voice, outside of view, says 'The extremities get really cold,' advising the group to leave their fingers and toes outside the tub.

A shocked Kim says, 'Wait, what?' before completely dropping her cover-up and sinking into the tub.

The reality TV star shouts out an expletive several times and then screams as she withstands the low temperature for a few seconds.

'Oh my god!' she yells before stepping out of the bath.

Across the clip the entrepreneur wrote, 'I couldn't handle it!!!!' with an ice cube and crying laughing emoji.

Ice shock: 'Oh my god!' she yells before stepping out of the bath

Trying again: The KKW Beauty founder gave the cold soak a second go before gracefully bowing out for good

Out for the count: She retrieved her robe and crouched down to encourage her friend, and brother Rob Kardashian's ex-girlfriend, Adrienne Bailon

The KKW Beauty founder gave the cold soak a second go before gracefully bowing out for good.

'Ok I really gave up,' she admitted in a caption.

'I might not be good at freezing to death but I can hype someone up like a MF!!!!' she wrote on another clip, as she retrieved her robe and crouched down to encourage her friend, and brother Rob Kardashian's ex-girlfriend, Adrienne Bailon.

'You got this! You are so good! You got this...it's tightening your skin,' the beauty maven said to her friend as she endured the icy dunk.

The Los Angeles native made her way around the small tubs to support her other friends as well, and called herself the 'Ice Bucket Hype Man.'

Hype woman: 'You got this!,' the beauty maven said to her friend Adrienne as she endured the icy dunk

Encouraging: The Los Angeles native made her way around the small tubs to support her other friends as well

According to Healthline ice baths can help relieve muscle soreness, improve the central nervous system, and heal inflammation.

Other treats offered during Poosh's spa day were a sound bath, a matcha bar, and a menu featuring food from Beyond Meat.

Guests were also given facials courtesy of skincare brand Ambari, during which their skin was treated to a hydrating treatment using the label's newly-launched Complex4 Hydrator Cream.

The facial was finished off with the brand's Gold Profection22 Mask, which promises to leave users with 'remarkably softer, smoother, brighter skin' while helping to 'improve the appearance of fine lines and texture'.

And Ms. Kardashian was sure to share images of each, giving her colossal Instagram following of 256 million a close-up look at the event.

Lastly, Kim snapped a picture of the pool at Kourtney's house, where the event was held, and congratulated her sibling on a successful day.

She also thanked Amari 'for the best facial and skincare products.'

Beneficial: According to Healthline ice baths can help relieve muscle soreness, improving the central nervous system, and healing inflammation

Yum! The Poosh event also featured a matcha bar, one of Kourtney's favorite healthy beverages

Soothing sounds: Another offering was a sound bath

Closer look: Ms. Kardashian was sure to share images, giving her colossal Instagram following of 256 million a close-up look at the event

Perfect ending: Lastly, Kim snapped a picture of the pool at Kourtney's house, where the event was held, and congratulated her sibling on a successful day

After wrapping up content from the weekend wellness event, Kimmy took a moment to announce some exciting SKIMS news.

'I'm so excited to announce that SKIMS is coming to Paris,' the businesswoman said in a short video.

'We're going to be launching on September 28th at Galeries Lafayette and I'm so excited for you guys to like, see our fabrics and just feel it all in person.'

She added, 'Don't forget to tag us because I want to see all the amazing things that you guys bought.'
Vigil

Rating:

Endeavour

Rating:

You wouldnt want the headache Shaun Evans must have this morning. Not only was he falling-down drunk as DS Morse but, over on the other side in Vigil (BBC1), a dose of nerve gas left him frothing.

The gas seeped up his trouser leg, after he ripped his hazmat suit disposing of a canister of bio-warfare chemicals aboard his nuclear submarine. Luckily, heroic policewoman DCI Amy Silva (Suranne Jones) was able to give him a quick washdown with bleach.

That seemed to cure the worst of his symptoms. Maybe Donald Trump, who advocated injections of bleach as an antidote for Covid, was on to something.

Vigil, which began with a preposterously far-fetched premise, got more crackers by the week

DCI Amy had less luck. Already tormented by claustrophobic nightmares of drowning in confined spaces, she was shoved into a torpedo tube by a Russian spy, who then started filling it with water.

She escaped by hammering on the walls of her iron coffin in Morse code. Thats Shaun Evans and Morse on BBC1, Shaun Evans as Morse on ITV.

What are the chances?

This wasnt even the strangest coincidence of the evening. After an international incident that left U.S. warships sinking British trawlers, and all that business with the Kremlins secret agent, a Scottish peace campaigner tried to betray Vigils secrets to the Chinese. The UK was now in a stand-off with all three superpowers. I dont fancy our chances in World War III.

Ludicrous though it all was, Ill miss Vigil. The cast, co-starring Martin Compston, Paterson Joseph, Stephen Dillane and Adam James, has been outstanding

Vigil, which began with a preposterously far-fetched premise, got more crackers by the week. It couldnt decide whether to be a murder mystery, a police procedural, a political thriller, a war movie or a disaster epic.

Woven into these conflicting genres was a double domestic drama. Amy was fighting a custody battle over her stepdaughter, while yearning for her lesbian lover, DS Kirsten (Rose Leslie), who also happened to be her police partner.

Most of this took place aboard the worlds most spacious sub. At one point, a crew member complained to her captain that it would take her at least five minutes to run the length of the ship. By my calculation, that means HMS Vigil is about half a mile long . . . bigger than most supertankers.

Ludicrous though it all was, Ill miss Vigil. The cast, co-starring Martin Compston, Paterson Joseph, Stephen Dillane and Adam James, has been outstanding.

And while the control room of the sub looked more like the Starship Enterprises flight deck, it was good to see a lavish production with a big budget for CGI and a flair for Hollywood action set-pieces.

You could watch it twice and remain enthralled through both viewings  the first time to untangle the convolutions of the murders, the second to spot witty homages to stranded-at-a-hotel classics from Psycho to The Mousetrap

Endeavour usually evokes its era vividly. But the sheer energy of the plot carried us through

Endeavour (ITV), by contrast, looked as though it was shot for 30 bob. The main set was meant to be an abandoned hotel, though it seemed more like an empty warehouse with a couple of furnishings from a charity shop. One scene, with a double decker bus stranded in a blizzard, was comically unconvincing. You could almost see the stagehands throwing fistfuls of paper snow like confetti.

Thats a shame, because Endeavour usually evokes its era vividly. But the sheer energy of the plot carried us through.

You could watch it twice and remain enthralled through both viewings  the first time to untangle the convolutions of the murders, the second to spot witty homages to stranded-at-a-hotel classics from Psycho to The Mousetrap.

When Morse struggled through snowdrifts into a boiler room with an axe hanging on the back of a door, you could almost hear Jack Nicholsons manic cackle in The Shining.

The great detective left to check in to a drying-out clinic. Lets hope hes taken plenty of aspirin with him.
Koby Abberton delved deep into his past during an interrogation on Monday night's episode of SAS Australia.

The 42-year-old, who is one of the founding members of the notorious Bra Boys gang, recalled how he 'lost everything' when he was found guilty of perverting the course of justice in 2005 following an incident involving his brother Jai.

Jai had shot dead standover man Tony Hines in 2003, but was found not guilty of murder two years later on the grounds of self-defence.

Speaking out: Koby Abberton revealed he 'lost everything' when he was found guilty of perverting the course of justice in 2005 following an incident involving his brother Jai

Telling his story to the directing staff, Koby began: 'This man, Tony Hines, who was one of the Bra Boys, he believed my brother had done something to his girlfriend.

'He thought my brother was with his girl. As it happened, they got into an altercation in a car and Tony was shot.

'What ended up happening [was] they went and threw the body over the cliff, and drove back to my house. My brother comes back covered in blood.'

Koby explained that his brothers coming home with blood on them was a 'regular occurrence', so he didn't think to ask questions at the time.

Incident: Jai had shot dead Tony Hines in 2003, but was found not guilty of murder two years later on the grounds of self-defence. Koby was found guilty of attempting to pervert the course of justice in relation to the same matter, and given a nine-month suspended sentence

'I told him, "Go and have a shower and shut the f**k up. Ma [his grandmother Mavis] is asleep, and I don't want you to wake her." I woke up the next morning and didn't see [Jai] the next day. I had nothing to do with the situation,' he said.

Koby continued: 'The police come in and ask me about the blood. I said, "He always comes home like that." I didn't know anything about the situation to give them the answers they wanted.

'They said I knew more; I said I didn't. I got charged with perverting the course of justice in a serious offence, which is murder.'

In 2005, Jai was found not guilty of murder on the grounds of self-defence, successfully claiming Hines was going to rape a woman and kill him.

But Koby was found guilty of attempting to pervert the course of justice in relation to the same matter, and given a nine-month suspended sentence.

'My brother, it had come out that it was self-defence,' Koby added. 'In the end of the story, I was the only one who was found guilty. I didn't do anything.

'Due to that, $700,000 of my money I spent on lawyers fees. I lost all my properties, and I lost my sponsorship that was paying me $500,000 at that time. Back to square one. Nothing.'

Family: Koby (left) is the brother of fellow Bra Boys members Sunny (centre) and Jai (right)

He said the the situation 'broke' his beloved grandmother Mavis, also known as Ma, who had looked after the brothers throughout her life.

Ma died one month after Koby avoided a jail sentence.

'After seeing all her kids and the people she took care of her whole life were not in jail, she died. She stayed alive for me. It does leave me sour. I lost everything,' Koby added.

These days, Koby is happily married to wife Olya Nechiporenko, a Ukrainian model, psychologist and accountant whom he met in Bali.

The couple share a son, Makua, who was born in July 2015.

'I'm not a victim. I live a simple life in Bali. I've got a beautiful son and wife, and I've never been happier,' Koby concluded.

When asked earlier in the episode why he decided to leave Sydney for Bali, Koby said: 'I'm terrible with authority. I don't like police. I don't like judges.

'I like to live my own life - if I want to go out for a beer, and drive my motorbike to the beach with my son on my bike I will do that.

'I live in Indonesia because there's no fines. There's no authority. If you're not doing the wrong thing, they leave you alone.'

SAS Australia continues Tuesday at 7:30pm on Channel Seven
Addison Rae stunned in a two-piece Versace and Fendi set worn for the brands' surprise swap event in Milan, Italy on Sunday.

The 20-year-old TikTok sensation looked beautiful in a crop top and pencil skirt that merged the two iconic fashion house's signature designs.

Even Addison's gold jewelry was coordinated with her threads.

From TikTok to couture: Addison Rae stunned in a two-piece Versace and Fendi set worn for the brands' surprise swap event in Milan, Italy on Sunday

The social media personality turned heads in the figure-flattering ensemble which featured gold straps with the world-famous Fendi double F emblem.

The straps were made to look similar to Versace's long-used meandros motif. The pattern on the outfit conjoined Fendi's brown logo pattern and Versace's classic baroque print.

Addison showed off her toned stomach in the look, accentuating her curves with a gold body chain that stretched from her neck to her hips.

The megastar's wrist was adorned with gold bracelets that matched her hoop earrings.

Incredible! The social media personality turned heads in the figure-flattering ensemble which featured gold straps with the world-famous Fendi double F emblem

The 20-year-old TikTok sensation looked beautiful in a crop top and pencil skirt that merged the two iconic fashion house's signature designs

The young fashionista also had on a large ring that highlighted her soft pink manicure.

Rounding out the fun and sexy look was a pair of black heels with chunky gold chain straps.

The open-toe shoes put her hot pink pedicure on display.

In some snapshots from the event, Rae was seen in a coordinating face mask.

Coordination: The megastar's wrist was adorned with gold bracelets that matched her hoop earrings

The Item Beauty founder's makeup was flawless.

The He's All That actress was glowing in a warm-toned palette that boasted golden eyeshadow, fluffy eyelashes on the top and bottom lash lines, and a complexion-flattering blush.

Her lips were subtly lined in brown as a nude pink color rested on the fullest parts of her pout.

Addison's hair was styled in a low, imperfect chignon while two face-framing pieces were left out in the front, falling in loose ringlets that hung below her jawline.

Joining forces: The pattern on the outfit conjoined Fendi's brown logo pattern and Versace's classic baroque print

At the special Milan Fashion Week function, the beauty maven posed with Iris Law.

The model boasted a platinum blonde buzz cut as she posed side by side with the internet sensation.

The 20-year-old daughter of Jude Law and Sadie Frost looked amazing in a Fendi co-ord that had a statement-making hot pink furry collar.

Her slingback, pointed-toe shoes matched it.

Law's outfit was baby blue and brown with the Fendi pattern throughout. It included a midi skirt with a center cutout and a long-sleeve crop top of the same design.

Knockouts: At the special Milan Fashion Week function, the beauty maven posed with Iris Law

Last week Addison looked just as great at a different Versace event.

She looked every inch the A-lister as she stepped out in a hot pink mini dress for Versace's Fashion Week runway show.

The Louisiana-born beauty put on a leggy display in the thigh-skimming dress, which she paired with matching bubblegum sheer tights and towering stilettos.

Protection: In some snapshots from the event, Rae was seen in a coordinating face mask
On top of an already jam-packed week of challenges, The Block's Faves were also tasked with renovating a kitchen for the charity Tombolo Academy on Monday.

As the other teams convened at the academy for the show's weekly winners' dinner, the Faves suggested the Fans help them paint.

'It's good that you came in your painting gear,' said Ronnie Caceres as Luke and Josh Packham walked in.

Keeping busy: On top of an already jam-packed week of challenges, The Block's Faves were also tasked with renovating a kitchen for the charity Tombolo Academy on Monday

Despite the 27-year-old twins claiming they were 'ready to paint', they failed to deliver on their offer later on.

'I was excited because there was a lot of painting ahead, and then I thought, you know, these guys might after dinner, might want to come and give us a hand,' Ronnie, 45, told producers.

'I thought, "Great! Here we go. We can smash this out in about two or three hours."'

Asking for help: As the other teams convened at the academy for the show's weekly winners' dinner, the Faves suggested the Fans help them paint. Pictured, Ronnie Caceres

'I was excited because there was a lot of painting ahead, and then I thought, you know, these guys might after dinner, might want to come and give us a hand,' Ronnie told producers. Pictured with wife Georgia

As the teams finished their dinner, a hopeful Ronnie asked: 'Okay, guys. Who's going to stay behind and help us paint?'

But his question was met with deafening and awkward silence, as the rest of the teams continued eating.

'Anyone? Anyone?' asked Ronnie again.

No takers: As the teams finished their dinner, a hopeful Ronnie asked: 'Okay, guys. Who's going to stay behind and help us paint?' But his question was met with deafening and awkward silence

Sitting back: Despite the 27-year-old twins claiming they were 'ready to paint', they failed to deliver on their offer later on. Pictured, twin Luke Packham (centre)

'Oh, it is my Netflix night...' laughed Luke in response.

Fellow Faves Mitch Edwards and Mark McKie couldn't help but notice that the Fans made themselves scarce almost as soon as Ronnie had asked the question.

'I'm freezing and I want to go. Let's go!' Tanya Guccione called out to husband Vito as she darted out the door.

The Block continues Tuesday at 7.30pm on Channel Nine
Jennifer Hawkins will soon welcome her second baby.

And the 37-year-old model showed off her blossoming baby bump as she went for a stroll near her home on the Northern Beaches on Thursday.

The former Miss Universe titleholder sported tight activewear as she pushed her daughter Frankie Violet, one, in a pram.

Glowing and growing! Pregnant Jennifer Hawkins, 37, showed off her blossoming baby bump in tight activewear as she went for a stroll with her daughter Frankie, one, near her home on the Northern Beaches on Thursday

The beauty lapped up the sunshine as she texted a pal on her phone.

The statuesque stunner looked incredible in a tight black singlet along with a pair of matching tights and black-and-white runners.

The J-Bronze entrepreneur protected herself from the sun with a black snapback cap and a pair of designer sunglasses.

Looking great! The statuesque stunner looked incredible in a tight black singlet along with a pair of matching tights and black-and-white runners

Sun smart: The J-Bronze entrepreneur protected herself from the sun with a black snapback cap and a pair of designer sunglasses

Here comes another one! Jen looked radiant as she pushed Frankie's pram

The star let her signature blonde tresses fall around her shoulders and had minimal makeup applied to her face.

Jen was later seen standing with Frankie in the garage near her black Range Rover.

The Myer star turned businesswoman recently shared a photo of Frankie cuddling her bump on Instagram.

All natural: The star let her signature blonde tresses fall around her shoulders and had minimal makeup applied to her face

She captioned the sweet image, 'Frankie hugging her little bro. Melt!' as well as adding crying and love heart emojis.

Earlier this month, Jen also showed off her blossoming bump as she shared a gallery of new photos to her Instagram page.

In the first image, the expectant mother looks radiant as she poses for a mirror selfie while dressed in black activewear and a pink sweater.

Social: The beauty lapped up the sunshine as she texted a pal on her phone

A second photo showed Frankie sitting on her lap touching her belly, which was exposed.

'Snaps! Hanging with my little lockdown buddy and bump! So much love for this little sweetheart,' Jen captioned the post.

Jennifer first revealed she and her husband Jake Wall were expecting their second child together on Instagram in July.

Announcement: Jennifer first revealed she and her husband Jake Wall were expecting their second child together on Instagram in July

'Round two!! Jake and I are so happy to share that we are expecting a baby BOY!!! We both feel really blessed and couldn't be happier to grow our little family!' she wrote in the caption at the time.

She added: 'Can't wait to see our Frankie girl as a big sis!!'

Jennifer married property developer Jake in Bali, Indonesia in 2013, after eight years of dating. The couple welcomed daughter Frankie in October 2019.
Hamish Macdonald returned to The Project last month after his abrupt departure from ABC's Q+A.

But according to The Australian, the journalist's homecoming has been plagued by the same low ratings issues that had befallen his gig at the ABC.

Since the 40-year-old rejoined The Project, nudging out his replacement, Peter van Onselen, ratings have slid, the paper reports.

Eyeballs: Hamish Macdonald (pictured) returned to The Project last month after his abrupt departure from ABC's Q+A. But according to The Australian, the journalist's homecoming has been plagued by the same low ratings issues that had befallen his gig at the ABC

Peter van Onselen's final Friday night show rated at 423,000 - higher than any helmed by Hamish, which have pulled in between 337,000 and 406,000.

The Sunday Project's ratings have slid too, between 446,000 and 437,000 - lower than Peter van Onselen's final Sunday which pulled in 447,000.

Hamish quit the ABC less than 18 months after taking over as Q+A host - and almost a month since he last fronted the show with flagging ratings.

Lower: Peter van Onselen's (pictured) final Friday night show rated at 423,000 - higher than any helmed by Hamish, which have pulled in between 337,000 and 406,000

Drop: The Sunday Project's ratings have slid too, between 446,000 and 437,000 - lower than Peter van Onselen's final Sunday which pulled in 447,000

His departure from the ABC had been forgone conclusion, a TV expert revealed on last month.

David Knox, editor of TV Tonight, tells Daily Mail Australia exclusively that he believes Macdonald faced an 'uphill battle' as the host of the network's Q+A.

'This year's ratings for Q+A have struggled since it moved to a Thursday night timeslot,' he said.

Over: Hamish, 40, quit the ABC less than 18 months after taking over as Q&A host - and almost a month since he last fronted the show with flagging ratings

'Abandoning its Monday night timeslot meant Macdonald had an uphill battle no matter how good he was.'

The journalist has fronted The Project on Friday and Sunday nights since August - and told the Sydney Morning Herald that his comeback to the Channel Ten program is a 'genuine privilege'.

'The Project is part of my DNA... it's something I really believe in, it's a show that I love, it's an ecosystem of people that I love and get along with,' he said.
Molly-Mae Hague took to Instagram on Sunday to share an adorable photo of her boyfriend Tommy Fury snuggled up in bed with her.

'Wake up pleeeaaase,' the reality star, 22, captioned the loved-up snap which saw her beau go shirtless with a T-shirt partially covering his face.

It comes after the former Love Island contestant revealed she has had surgery to remove a 'beign' lump in her breast and a separate mass in her finger.

Cute: Molly-Mae Hague cuddled up to her boyfriend Tommy Fury in Sunday Instagram posts as she recovered from surgery after a cancer scare

Hospital: Molly-Mae previously revealed she has had surgery to remove a 'beign' lump in her breast and a separate mass in her hand

The influencer's on-screen pal Ellie Brown also came to her support, writing, 'Poorly baby,' to accompany a sofa-bound photo of the recovering patient.

Molly-Mae shared pictures from her hospital bed on Saturday, as he revealed she had undergone the procedure.

She had previously spoken about discovering a non-cancerous lump in her breast and had been referred for a biopsy.

Supportive: The influencer's on-screen pal Ellie shared her own post, writing, 'Poorly baby,' to accompany a sofa-bound photo of the recovering patient

Posing for a picture with her beloved cuddly toy Elly Belly, Molly-Mae smiled as she revealed she has had the lump successfully removed.

Alongside the snap, she wrote: 'I spoke about a lump I found in my boob on a recent vlog of mine, well I had it removed today. Check your bodies people!!'

Further updating her fans, the Pretty Little Thing creative director said: 'Also had a lump removed from my finger that I've spoken about a few times too.'

Opening up: Further updating her fans, Molly-Mae said: 'Also had a lump removed from my finger that I've spoken about a few times too'

'Also having a canula put in my hand has always been without a doubt my BIGGEST fear... so that in itself today is a HUGE achievement for me.'

Molly-Mae previously told YouTube channel she'd been referred for a biopsy after discovering a benign lump in her breast had grown, but reassured her followers that it's 'not serious.'

The star explained she previously had the lump checked by doctors, who reassured her that it was benign and non-harmful.

She told her fans: 'I basically noticed a little lump in my boob, went to get it checked and it was completely fine, completely benign.

'It's a little thing called a fibroadenoma and it's a normal thing to get at this age, small lumps can happen all the time it doesn't mean they're sinister.'

Molly-Mae then told fans she'd begun to notice the lump was growing as it became more noticeable on her clothes.

She continued: 'I went back today to get it checked and it had grown a little bit, again, it doesn't mean it's sinister, it doesn't mean it's dramatic, so the doctor recommended that we did a biopsy.

'It was not very nice actually considering I'm afraid of needles, but I thought there's not really a way around this.

'I promise it's nothing serious, I don't want it to be a massive thing. I think it's important that I share this with you guys.

Struggles: On Wednesday Molly-Mae told fans that doctors had referred her for a biopsy after discovering a benign lump in her breast had grown

'It's an important subject and we should all be checking our boobs and checking for lumps so we can do things like this.'

Molly-Mae went onto tell her fans she would provide them with an update as soon as she gets the results.

In November last year, Molly-Mae was given the devastating diagnosis that a mole of her leg was a malignant melanoma - a type of skin cancer.

The influencer filmed herself being given the diagnosis for her YouTube channel.

In the video, she opened up about what she's been going through following her 'shock' diagnosis, telling her fans: 'I was walking around with skin cancer on my leg.'

Worrying: Molly-Mae then told fans she'd begun to notice the lump was growing as it became more noticeable on her clothes, and is awaiting the results of further tests

Molly-Mae revealed that she learned her mole was a malignant melanoma during a work trip to Italy, when a doctor phoned her to deliver the diagnosis following a recent biopsy.

The social media star initially got the mole on her leg checked out by two dermatologists but was told it was nothing to worry about.

Molly-Mae eventually sought third professional opinion during a routine check-up because she 'felt something wasn't quite right'.

Speaking on her YouTube video, after the phone call from her doctor played out, she told fans: 'I got the call today and he's told me it is malignant melanoma - which is skin cancer basically.

Shock: In November last year, Molly-Mae was given the devastating diagnosis that a mole of her leg was a malignant melanoma - a type of skin cancer

'It's obviously petrifying, shocking and scary. I don't even know what to think or say. I cannot believe I was told by others doctors it was OK. I am so upset and angry.

'I just briefly asked this doctor when I was walking out. I was walking around with skin cancer on my leg!'

'If I hadn't have asked, I'd still have that mole on my leg now and I'd be none the wiser. It could be spreading through my body, you just never know.'

Molly-Mae continued, explaining how she was trying to be strong, despite breaking down, so that her loved ones didn't freak out.

She said: 'I've already shed tears about it. I've already cried down the phone to every family member.'

Molly-Mae concluded the video by urging her fans to have their moles checked out.
She's long been known for her laid-back looks.

And Hailey Bieber flashed a glimpse of her toned tummy in a cropped sheepskin leather jacket as she headed home after watching her husband Justin perform with his band in West Hollywood on Sunday.

The model, 24, opted for the eye-catching piece teamed with oversized boyfriend jeans as she made her exit after seeing Justin take to the stage with his band at The Nice Guy.

Casual: Hailey Bieber, 24, flashed a glimpse of her toned tummy in a sheepskin jacket as she headed home after watching her husband Justin perform in The Nice Guy in West Hollywood

Hailey highlighted her model physique in the tan leather biker jacket with a cosy sheepskin trim which sat just above her toned abs.

The fashion star finished her outfit with the light-washed denim jeans and relaxed trainers, concealing her face with a khaki green bucket hat.

Hailey cut a low-key figure as she headed home from the restaurant with one of her friends.

Simple: The model opted for the eye-catching piece teamed with oversized boyfriend jeans as she made her exit after dinner at the decadent eatery

Relaxed: Hailey highlighted her model physique in the tan leather biker jacket with a cosy sheepskin trim which sat just above her toned abs

Out and about: The fashion star finished her outfit with the light-washed denim jeans and relaxed trainers, concealing her face with a khaki green bucket hat

Meanwhile Justin cut a low-key figure in a relaxed black hoodie and baggy jeans, teamed with a bright orange beanie hat.

Last week, Hailey showed off her incredible bikini body in a fun snap taken and posted by husband Justin on Instagram on Wednesday.

No doubt the Canadian crooner, 27, only has eyes for his wife as he captioned the image to his 197million followers: 'sweet n sexy.'

Hailey had a big smile on her face as she sat on a log while taking off a grey long-sleeved top which she wore over a green two-piece featuring string bottoms.

Departing: Justin cut a low-key figure in a relaxed black hoodie and baggy jeans, teamed with a bright orange beanie hat

Time to go! Hailey cut a low-key figure as she headed home from the restaurant with one of her friends

Good night? She accessorised her look with an olive green clutch bag after enjoying dinner in her casual outfit

Her blonde tresses were worn down as she let her natural looks show by going make-up free.

Last week, Justin plugged his brand Drew House at the Met Gala as he showed off a plush black Drew House briefcase on the red carpet. Bieber also decorated his sneakers with Drew House stickers.

The two-time Grammy award winner wore a white dress shirt and tie under a black blazer with wide leg black slacks for the annual fashion soiree.

Nothing to see here! She attempted to hide her face under the deep green hat after stepping out in the casual look

When Justin and his wife Hailey were interviewed by Met Gala correspondent Keke Palmer, he explained that his ensemble was from a new sub-label of Drew House.

'It's from Le Maison Drew, which is a branch-off of Drew House, which is a brand that me and my brother started,' Bieber told Keke.

Justin later performed at a swanky Met Gala afterparty that was hosted by Balenciaga and Drew House.

'sweet n sexy': Last week, Hailey showed off her incredible bikini body in a fun snap taken and posted by husband Justin on Instagram on Wednesday
He made history alongside professional dancer Johannes Radebe for the show's first ever all-male performance.

And John Whaite didn't waste any time in cracking open a bottle of champagne to celebrate, after joking that the series made him 'put weight on'.

The Bake Off star, 32, took to his Instagram Story to tell his fans: 'I am putting weight on because the catering - it's chicken, potatoes, a hunk of white bread with butter, a crouton salad and an upside down pineapple cake.'

Celebrations: John Whaite didn't waste any time in cracking open a bottle of champagne to celebrate making history on Strictly, after joking that the series made him 'put weight on'

Despite many stars reporting they lost weight during the show, Gemma Atkinson pre-warned John that she actually gained half a stone when she was on the show in 2017.

He told fans: 'When I signed up for Strictly, Gemma Atkinson said: "Be careful you dont put weight on because sometimes you do."'

'Not theres anything wrong with putting weight on by the way, but obviously Im trying not to at the minute for my own reasons.'

Carb-happy: The Bake Off star took to Instagram to tell fans: 'I am putting weight on because the catering - it's chicken, potatoes, a hunk of white bread with butter, a crouton salad and an upside down pineapple cake'

History: John made history alongside professional dancer Johannes Radebe for the show's first ever all-male performance on Saturday

The star also joked: 'My suit is going to be bursting at the seams.'

Nonetheless, John still necked down the bottle of alcohol and promised he'd pick up a kebab on his way home.

His celebrations come as John and Johannes tinged the action-packed opener with emotion in the show's first ever all-male performance, earning a thunderous reception for the routine.

Pre-warning: Despite many stars reporting they lost weight during the show, Gemma Atkinson pre-warned John that she actually gained half a stone when she was on the show in 2017

Treat yourself! Nonetheless, John still necked down the bottle of alcohol and promised he'd pick up a kebab on his way home after the show

They stormed the floor with an 80s-inspired Tango to Blue Monday by New Order, with the duo struggling to hide their emotions as they completed the routine.

Anton Du Beke, who made his debut as an official judge on the panel for the first time, said: 'Last week you said you wanted to make it about the dancing and you made it about the dancing because that was a great dance, it was really strong it was really clean, it was strong it was powerful, just carry on like that please and I'll be delighted!'

Shirley added: 'I feel this is a testimony to the same sex couple, it was absolutely exquisite, to go from a leader to being lead, beautiful choreography, it was absolutely stunning well done.'

John and Johannes' strong performance was reflected with a stellar score of 30 points out of 40, sending them straight into second place on the leaderboard.
Ashley Cain revealed he has been suffering from breathing difficulties on his latest charity trek to Ben Nevis, Scotland, to raise money for The Azaylia Foundation.

The Ex On The Beach star, 31, took to Instagram on Sunday, where he revealed that he was still suffering from long COVID.

He told his followers: 'I'll be honest, my body is battered. What's not good as well is that I've always struggled with my breathing, my sinuses since catching Covid before and it's damaged my lungs.

Breathing difficulties: Ashley Cain has been suffering from breathing difficulties on his latest charity trek to Ben Nevis, Scotland, to raise money for The Azaylia Foundation because he is still battling long Covid

'After riding Lands End to John O' Groats with the elements, the cold, the wind and the rain its put a lot more pressure on my breathing,' he said.

'This morning I woke up and I could hardly breath through my nose.

'My lungs and my breathing are very clogged and damaged and its the first time back on the bikes since that climb yesterday.

'Battered': He told his followers: 'I'll be honest, my body is battered. What's not good as well is that I've always struggled with my breathing'

'Guess what it still has got to get done. These kids are still fighting. Im just going to attack it no problems at all,' he said, referring to children who fight cancer, who he is aiming to raise money for.

Ashley, who tragically lost his daughter Azaylia in April following her battle with leukemia, is climbing Ben Nevis for his latest challenge and will soon head to England and Wales for his three mountain challenge as part of Child Cancer month.

Ashley previously revealed that the virus had left him with some breathing difficulties in July.

'Still fighting': 'These kids are still fighting. Im just going to attack it no problems at all,' he said, referring to children who fight cancer, who he is raising money for. Pictured with Tamika Cain (left) and Matty Moore (centre)

Heartbreaking: The Ex On The Beach star, 30, and his girlfriend Safiyya Vorajee, 33, have created The Azaylia Foundation in honour of their daughter

The star was bed-bound for five days with 'fever-like' symptoms after catching the virus, and his body has 'struggled to recover.'

In a series of videos, Ashley explained he'd struggled with many of the typical Covid symptoms, such as a loss of taste and smell, fever and fatigue.

It's been a mad 10 days, I actually caught Covid quite bad to be honest. I was in bed straight for five days, couldn't get up, go fever-liked symptoms, lost my smell, my taste, headaches, backaches, just body completely aching, and then I started developing problems breathing as well.'

But two months later, he said he is still suffering from the effects of long Covid.

NHS UK says that recovery from Coronavirus is different for everybody - most will make a full recovery within 12 weeks, but for some, symptoms can last longer.
Colin Firth looks dapper while taking on the role of an intelligence officer in newly-released images from the upcoming World War Two drama film Operation Mincemeat.

Joined by his co-stars Matthew Macfadyen, 46, and Johnny Flynn, 38, the 61-year-old actor wears a Naval uniform, complete with a captain's hat, leather gloves and a matching suitcase.

Based upon the real-life World War 2 operation of the same name, the masterpiece is directed by Shakespeare in Love's John Madden.

Suave: Colin Firth looks dapper while taking on the role of an intelligence officer in newly-released images from the upcoming World War Two drama film Operation Mincemeat

Spellbinding: His co-stars Matthew Macfadyen (right), 46, and Johnny Flynn (left), 38, join the 61-year-old in wearing Navy uniforms

The adaptation of Ewen Montagu's 1953 novel The Man that Never Was began filming in 2019, and also stars Kelly Macdonald and Penelope Wilton.

The star-studded cast were spotted shooting scenes in Spain's Malaga in time for coronavirus lockdown restrictions.

They were filming at an opulent restaurant with orange parasols and Georgian architecture.

Day of work: The star-studded cast were spotted shooting scenes in Spain's Malaga in time for coronavirus lockdown restrictions

Busy: Those spotted on-set wore casual ensembles

Naval cast members wore white bibs to protect their uniforms in-between scenes while others donned casual ensembles.

Having previously been brought to life on the big screen in 1956, the 1943-set blockbuster will document the real life Operation Mincemeat.

The mission was intended to distract the Axis away from an Allied invasion and liberation of Sicily and consisted of making a soldier's corpse appear to be a downed pilot.

Exciting: Having previously been brought to life on the big screen in 1956, the 1943-set blockbuster will document the real life Operation Mincemeat

Smart: Naval cast members wore white bibs to protect their uniforms in-between scenes

He would be carrying documents showing an Allied plan to attack the Axis controlled Greece rather than Sicily.

The corpse would then was ashore near a known Axis base, having been dropped into the ocean, leading Axis forces to defend Greece, which allowed the Allied forces to liberate Sicily.

Operation Mincemeat will be shown cinematically in Europe from 7 January 2022, with a Netflix release date in the U.S. and Latin America yet-to-be-announced.
Married At First Sight star Michael Goonan has been documenting his travels across Europe on social media following his brief stint on Celebrity Ex on the Beach.

And the 30-year-old businessman has now defended his decision to fly to Colombia to film a reality show during a global pandemic, after being ruthlessly trolled online.

Michael said in a video shared to Instagram on Sunday: 'It's time I come clean. Yes, I am overseas. Yes, I did leave Australia.'

Travel: Married At First Sight's Michael Goonan has defended his decision to fly to Colombia to film Ex on the Beach during a global pandemic, after being ruthlessly trolled on social media

'Life also gives you opportunities... Did I take advantage of this opportunity? A hundred per cent. Do I regret it? No,' he added.

Michael explained that while he understands there are people more deserving, he took advantage of the opportunity to travel when it was offered.

He went on to say he is not a 'missionary or a f**king charity'.

No regrets: Michael, who has been documenting his travels across Europe after his stint on Ex on the Beach, said on Sunday: 'It's time I come clean. Yes, I am overseas. Yes, I left Australia'

'I took something that was given to me and I've grabbed it. I've done that my whole life every now and again,' he said.

Michael concluded his rant by saying he doesn't think he is a bad person and that 'we're all sluts for the right money'.

Last week, Michael was spotted cosying up to Dutch model Sylvia Geersen in Spain.

KC who? Last week, Michael was spotted cosying up to Dutch model Sylvia Geersen in Spain

Uploading several videos to Instagram, Michael couldn't wipe the smile off his face as he cosied up to the glamorous brunette at a restaurant in Marbella.

'The problem when you're hanging out with Holland's Next Top Model, they just can't stop the job can they?' he laughed while filming the 35-year-old pouting.

Michael then shared a video of Sylvia speaking to her Instagram followers in another language, remarking: 'I don't understand a word you're saying but you're good to look at.'

Something to tell us? Uploading several videos to Instagram last week, Michael couldn't wipe the smile off his face as he cosied up to the glamorous brunette at a restaurant in Marbella

As previously reported by Daily Mail Australia, The MAFS star was granted special permission to fly to Colombia to appear on celebrity dating show Ex on the Beach.

The controversial groom was invited to appear on the show, which sees celebrity contestants jet off overseas to live together in a luxury villa under the illusion they'll be finding love in the sun.

Upon their arrival, however, they're told their former flames will be rocking up to surprise them.

Fellow MAFS star KC Osborne - who dated Michael for several months after he and Stacey Hampton's 'marriage' fell apart on Nine's social experiment - is also set to appear on the series.
Zoe Warwick almost showed off more than she intended as she attended the Dally M Awards with boyfriend Matt Burton in Brisbane on Monday.

The WAG left little to the imagination as she arrived to the event in a long black sheer organza gown.

She posed on the red carpet in the frock, which also featured a plunging neckline and high slit.

Sheer daring! Sheer darling! Matt Burton's girlfriend Zoe Warwick left little to the imagination in a sheer organza gown at the Dally M Awards on Tuesday

Zoe teamed the ensemble with a pair of strappy heels and statement gold earrings.

She tied her blonde locks in a low ponytail and let her natural beauty shine, opting for a neutral palette of makeup.

Meanwhile, Matt looked dapper in a navy suit jacket and matching coloured pants as he arrived to the event.

Risky ensemble: Zoe almost showed off more than she intended as she arrived to the event with boyfriend Matt Burton

The Penrith Panthers star accessorised his tuxedo with a white buttoned down shirt, a navy tie and black shoes.

He couldn't wipe the smile off his face as he embraced his girlfriend and posed on the red carpet.

Matt recently announced he will be leaving the Penrith Panthers for a position with the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs next year.

Accessories: Zoe teamed the ensemble with a pair of strappy heels and statement gold earrings

On Monday, he told the Narooma News, he doesn't regret making the decision.

'When I made that decision it was pretty hard, but it is what it is now,' he said.

'I am looking forward to next year but at this point I just can't wait to get out there on the weekend.'
Emily Atack put on a cosy display with her male pal as she enjoyed a night at the pub with her friends in north London on Sunday.

The actress, 31, channelled the 70s in a fun printed cropped shirt and brown flares as she chatted to her friend after leaving the tavern in the early hours.

Emily's recently returned from a boozy getaway in Marbella where she enjoyed a fun holiday fling with a trainee accountant, as the pair were seen enjoying a poolside smooch during the break.

Cute: Emily Atack put on a cosy display with her male pal as she enjoyed a night at the pub with her friends in north London on Sunday

Emily offered a glimpse of her abs in the eye-catching brown shirt with a circular print, knotted at the waist to accentuate her trim figure.

The I'm A Celebrity star added to her look with brown corduroy flares and camel leather boots as she chatted to her pal after leaving the pub.

After enjoying drinks with her friends, Emily was seen embracing her male pal Russell, who works for her management YMU, as they waiting for a taxi outside the pub.

MailOnline has contacted representatives for Emily Atack for more information.

Stylish: The actress, 31, channelled the 70s in a fun printed cropped shirt and brown flares as she chatted to her companion after leaving the tavern in the early hours

Standing: Emily offered a glimpse of her abs in the eye-catching brown shirt with a circular print, knotted at the waist to accentuate her trim figure

Standing out: The I'm A Celebrity star added to her look with brown corduroy flares and camel leather boots as she chatted to her pal after leaving the pub

Friendly: She was seen chatting to her male pal after they enjoyed drinks until the early hours of Monday morning

It came as Emily said she is 'fine' with being single after splitting from her boyfriend Jude Taylor, and insisted it 'shouldn't be seen as shameful' to be looking for love in your thirties.

She told OK!: 'I am single. Being single isn't always a happy thing, but I definitely think it isn't a bad thing.

'And it shouldn't be seen as something that's shameful if you're in your thirties and single. As I say, being single isn't always great, but sometimes it's really great. So yeah, I'm fine.'

Emily recently returned from a sunny getaway in Marbella with her pals, with the star clearly letting her hair down as she was seen sharing a smooch with 22-year-old Alex Dabner.

Her holiday fling came weeks after she split from boyfriend Jude Taylor, who she dated for five months and was a guest at her sister Martha's recent wedding.

Alex, from Birkenhead, studied at Liverpool John Moores University and according to his LinkedIn profile, had a work placement in the Accounts Hub at finance firm BDO UK.

Cute: The pair were seen chatting as they waited for their taxi after enjoying a night out together

Bouncing back? Emily recently returned from a getaway in Marbella with her pals, with the star clearly letting her hair down as she was seen sharing a smooch with a trainee accountant

Ready to mingle: Her holiday fling came weeks after she split from boyfriend Jude Taylor, who she dated for five months and was a guest at her sister Martha's recent wedding

Close: Emily and her friend were seen arm-in-arm as they headed out of the pub together to catch a taxi

Fun: A source previously told MailOnline: 'Emily is single and enjoying herself. She thought Alex was attractive and didn't care about any age gap'

A source told MailOnline: 'Emily is single and enjoying herself. She thought Alex was attractive and didn't care about any age gap.

'She's back in the UK now and has no plans to meet up with Alex, it really was just a bit of holiday fun.'

The former I'm A Celebrity star previously joked she was 'soaking in all the Marbella culture' while sitting poolside sipping margaritas at Ocean Club.

Fun fling: They added: 'She's back in the UK now and has no plans to meet up with Alex, it really was just a bit of holiday fun'

Candid: It came as Emily said she is 'fine' with being single after splitting from her boyfriend Jude Taylor, and insisted it 'shouldn't be seen as shameful' to be looking for love in her thirties

Open: She said: 'I am single. Being single isn't always a happy thing, but I definitely think it isn't a bad thing'

Claims: In late August, Emily reunited with ex-boyfriend and former Strictly contestant Seann Walsh, 35, for a meal at Nando's in south London five years after they dated

Friendly: The pair reportedly met to discuss comedic material for the return of The Emily Atack Show, which is coming back to ITV2 for a second series this autumn

In late August, Emily reunited with ex-boyfriend and former Strictly contestant Seann Walsh, 35, for a meal at Nando's in south London five years after they dated.

The pair reportedly met to discuss comedic material for the return of The Emily Atack Show, which is coming back to ITV2 for a second series this autumn.

She split from boyfriend Jude a few days later, with sources saying Emily struggled to see a long-term future with the fashion influencer.
James Jordan has praised Ugo Monye for making his Strictly Come Dancing debut hours after attending his father's funeral.

The 38-year-old former rugby union player performed the Samba with partner Oti Mabuse during the first night of the competition on Saturday before leaving viewers in shock as he revealed he had been at his father's funeral just hours before.

The pair only scored 18 out of 40 for the routine, and former Strictly pro James - who appeared on the dancing show from 2006 to 2013 - blasted Craig Revel Horwood for only giving them a three.

Brave: James Jordan (pictured) has praised Ugo Monye for making his Strictly Come Dancing debut hours after attending his father's funeral

In his Strictly Speaking column with wife Ola Jordan for HELLO! magazine, he said: 'Let's just talk about Oti and Ugo for a minute.'

To which his spouse replied: 'Yes  I can't believe he was able to pull off THAT performance when he had to attend his dad's funeral that day.'

The 43-year-old choreographer's father Allan died after a battle with a brain tumour in March, and said he got 'goosebumps' from Ugo's 'celebration' of his late father's life.

Impressive: The 38-year-old former rugby union player performed the Samba with partner Oti Mabuse during the first night of the competition on Saturday before leaving viewers in shock as he revealed he had attended his father's funeral just hours before

Heartbreaking news: James' father Allan died after a battle with a brain tumour in March, and said he got 'goosebumps' from Ugo's 'celebration' of his late father's life (pictured together)

He continued: 'For someone who's just lost their dad, I really take my hat off to him. Grief is a horrible thing and for him to be there and dance as a 'celebration' of his father's life gave me goosebumps.'

Ola responded: 'I have such respect for him to be able to do that and so well too. Did you agree with their scoring though? Craig gave him a 3.'

James added: 'It definitely didn't deserve a three. Samba is a really difficult dance, but the two sambas in the show ironically were so good.

Throwback: The pair only scored 18 out of 40 for the routine, and former Strictly pro James - who appeared on the dancing show from 2006 to 2013 - blasted Craig Revel Horwood for only giving them a three (James with wife and fellow pro Ola)

Going for it! Ugo and Oti took to the dance floor with vigour as they twisted and turned to The Dixie Cup's hit 80s track Iko Iko

'I used to hate doing samba with the celebrities, but I really admire what the pros are doing with the celebrities so far.'

Ugo's beloved father died just a few weeks ago from prostate cancer and he told Strictly co-presenter Claudia Winkleman on the show: 'My dad passed away a couple of weeks ago [from] prostate cancer, we had his funeral this morning.

'During the funeral they spoke about today being a day of celebration and that's exactly how today felt, there's no better way of celebrating than by dancing, so tonight feels really special.'

Emotional: Ugo's beloved father died just a few weeks ago from prostate cancer and he told Strictly co-presenter Claudia Winkleman on the show: 'My dad passed away a couple of weeks ago [from] prostate cancer, we had his funeral this morning'

Although Ugo only scored 18 out of 40, he definitely impressed judge Shirley Ballas with his moves.

Ugo and Oti took to the dance floor with vigour as they twisted and turned to The Dixie Cup's hit 80s track Iko Iko.

She gushed: 'Youve got all the gear, my dear! Theres not a part of your body that doesnt want to move, even if its not supposed to, it wants to.

Loving it: Although Ugo only scored 18 out of 40, he definitely impressed judge Shirley Ballas (pictured) with his moves

'You had the volta going the opposite way but you reinvented the volta. You make me feel good baby!'

Speaking previously about his reasons for taking part in Strictly, Ugo said: My two beautiful daughters never had a chance to see me on the rugby pitch.

'So, to know they can watch me waltzing and twirling every week is really special to me.

'I love an outfit at the best of times, so bring on the sequins,' he cheekily added.
She announced her shock exit from Home and Away this week after playing Dr. Tori Morgan on the soap for five-and-a-half years.

Speaking to The Herald Sun on Monday, the 38-year-old said she feels it's the 'right time' for her to leave and will forever be grateful to producers for the 'incredible role'.

Penny's final scenes air this week with her character marrying Dr. Christian Green and the on-screen couple flying to London afterwards with her daughter Grace.

New chapter: Penny McNamee (pictured), 38, told The Herald Sun on Monday that she feels it's the 'right time' for her to leave Home and Away after nearly six years

'I'm a big believer in there's a season for everything and I felt that it was the right time for me to leave the show and for Tori to leave the Bay,' she told the publication.

'I have a real sense of gratitude for this incredible role on this incredible Australian show which has such a legacy.'

Penny said she doesn't 'really feel sad' as she's based in Sydney, where the show is filmed, and can easily catch up with the cast and crew post-lockdown.

No regrets: 'I'm a big believer in there's a season for everything and I felt that it was the right time for me to leave the show and for Tori to leave the Bay,' she said. Penny, who plays Dr. Tori Morgan, is pictured with her on-screen husband, Dr. Christian Green, played by Ditch Davey

The actress, who shares son Jack and daughter Neve with husband Matt Tooker, added that she's managed to find comfort in Sydney's lockdown.

'It's been really good for me - a nice forced break after five years of working full time. I can home school my son and my daughter. I can cook dinner every night and just enjoy a slower pace of life,' she said.

Penny reiterated the same thoughts in an interview with Who magazine this week, where she announced her shock exit from the Channel Seven soap.

'Who doesn't love a wedding storyline? It's the perfect send-off for my character,' Penny told the publication.

Slowing down: Penny, who shares son Jack and daughter Neve with husband Matt Tooker (all pictured), added that she's managed to find comfort in Sydney's lockdown. 'It's been really good for me - a nice forced break after five years of working full time,' she said

Shock exit: Penny reiterated the same thoughts in an interview with Who magazine this week, where she announced her shock exit from the Channel Seven soap

Moving on: The actress said she was happy with the way her character's storyline ends - a dream wedding and move to London. 'Who doesn't love a wedding storyline? It's the perfect send-off for my character,' Penny told the publication

'I'm not someone who looks backwards. I'm a real believer in everything has its season and leaving the show felt like the end of a season to me.'

She said she loved playing a female doctor on the soap and will miss her co-stars and the crew, especially James Stewart who would make her 'belly laugh' all day.

Penny said she's looking forward to spending more time with her family at home and will look at work next year.

She also revealed she is focusing on her singing career after starting out in musical theatre.

Great pals: Penny said she loved playing a female doctor on the soap and will miss her co-stars and the crew, especially James Stewart (pictured) who would make her 'belly laugh' all day
Vigil star Martin Compston was quick to hit back at a social media troll on Sunday after they slammed the 'c**p' finale of the BBC thriller.

The Line Of Duty star, who played Chief Petty Officer Craig Burke, joked that he will need to sack his agent after starring in two of the highest-rated dramas of the year, after viewers took to social media to react to the 'stressful' conclusion.

Sunday's finale of the thrilling series saw lead actress Suranne Jones find herself in a perilous scenario, as the identity of Burke's killer was finally revealed.

Snapped back: Vigil star Martin Compston was quick to hit back at a social media troll on Sunday after they slammed the 'c**p' finale of the BBC thriller

Martin responded to one outspoken troll who didn't hold back in sharing their thoughts about the finale.

They wrote: 'So that's #vigil and #lineofduty that had really c**p endings, choose the next series wisely @martin_compston you don't want to make it a hat trick'

The actor then responded: 'I know David pal I've made an a**e of it. One of the biggest new dramas of the year the other biggest drama of the year/century. Agents for the sack.'

Savage: The Line Of Duty star, who played Chief Petty Officer Craig Burke, joked that he will need to sack his agent after starring in two of the highest-rated dramas of the year

His post was immediately liked by his Line of Duty co-star Vicky McClure, and the police drama's creator Jed Mercurio.

It comes after viewers were left on the edge of their seats by the heart-stopping finale.

Suranne plays DCI Amy Silva in the series - a cop leading an investigation when a Scottish fishing trawler vanishes, while a murder takes place on-board a nuclear submarine elsewhere.

Less than 10 minutes into the first episode, Chief Petty Officer Craig Burke, played by Line of Duty's Martin Compston was found dead in his bunk on HMS Vigil.

DCI Silva then comes aboard to solve the mystery, which appears to be a heroin overdose, but she soon discovered drugs had been planted on the submarine to cover up a murder instead.

Drama! Sunday's finale of the thrilling series saw lead actress Suranne Jones find herself in a perilous scenario, as the identity of Burke's killer was finally revealed

Initially, DCI Silva thought CPO Burke had died after hitting his head during a fight with Lt Commander Mark Prentice (Adam James).

But she soon realised he'd been poisoned by chef Jackie Hamilton (Anita Vettesse), who was forced to puta nerve agent into his food as part of a deal to get her son of prison.

But in a dark twist of events, Jackie accidentally released the nerve agent, killing herself in the process.

Jackie was put up to it by Russian operatives who wanted Burke dead after discovering he was putting together a dossier on Navy corruption.

He had refused to help Russian intelligence operative Peter 'Pietr' Ingles (Sam Redford).

'I was told what Jackie was going to do in exchange for getting her son out.

'There is a guy at the peace camp - he told Russians to approach Burke however Burke turned them down flat,' Pietr revealed.

The death meant a replacement sonar operator needed to be flown out, with evil CPO Matthew Doward (Lorne MacFadyen) replacing Burke.

The finale saw Burke continue with his plan to get Vigil to surface, so the Russians could carry out their plans.

Elsewhere in the episode, DCI Silva found herself trapped in a torpedo tube as it filled with water during the tense climax, with it slowly filling up with water. Kicking, screaming and struggling to breathe, Silva was seen slipping in and out of consciousness, blacking out.

Fans of the series were gripped, with many taking to Twitter to comment on the 'tense', 'stressful' and 'claustrophobic' sequence on screen.

'Never felt as claustrophobic as I do watching #Vigil,' one posted.

Another penned: 'I don't know why I do this to myself and watch #Vigil it gives me the worst anxiety.'

Tense! Suranne plays DCI Amy Silva in the series - a cop leading an investigation when a Scottish fishing trawler vanishes, while a murder takes place on-board a nuclear submarine

'This episode is making me hold my breath & it's stressing me out! #vigil,' another tweeted.

Viewers have been gripped by Vigil, with its clever plot twists and unexplained death, all set on a nuclear submarine.

The finale was watched by an average overnight audience of 7.1 million viewers, with a 39.4 per cent share and a peak of 7.3 million viewers, as reports the BBC on Monday.

The programme's production designer Tom Sayer had his work cut out creating an authentic set for the drama.

Basic components of the set  based at the BBC's Dumbarton studios in Scotland  were created using marine-grade MDF or plywood.

Behind-the-scenes: With very little information to go off due to the Royal Navy's strict security protocols, the programme's production designer Tom Sayer had his work cut out creating an authentic set for the drama

Process: Mr Sayer had begun by studying the design of former submariners to learn about their inner workings. His sketches were then turned into a convincing 310ft-long set in three-and-a-half months

There is another mystery at the heart of the BBC show  namely, what exactly a nuclear submarine is even supposed to look like

It was then coated in paint or clad with laminate sheets before being trimmed with aluminium strip to make it look as realistic as possible.

Sayer had begun by studying the design of former submariners to learn about their inner workings. His sketches were then turned into a convincing 310ft-long set in three-and-a-half months.

'We got advice on the layout and detailing from ex-submariners,' he told Radio Times.

'We'd say to one, 'Imagine if a guy left the missile deck, where does he walk to? What's through that door?' 'Then we'd ask another one about where the bomb shop was in relation to the control room, so we could jigsaw it together.'

Vigil can be streamed on BBC iPlayer.

Submarine: Basic components of the set  based at the BBC's Dumbarton studios in Scotland  were created using marine-grade MDF or plywood

CHRISTOPHER STEVENS reviews the weekend's TV: Great cast, good action but Vigil is torpedoed by its dotty plotline

Rating:

You wouldn't want the headache Shaun Evans must have this morning. Not only was he falling-down drunk as DS Morse but, over on the other side in Vigil (BBC1), a dose of nerve gas left him frothing.

The gas seeped up his trouser leg, after he ripped his hazmat suit disposing of a canister of bio-warfare chemicals aboard his nuclear submarine. Luckily, heroic policewoman DCI Amy Silva (Suranne Jones) was able to give him a quick washdown with bleach.

That seemed to cure the worst of his symptoms. Maybe Donald Trump, who advocated injections of bleach as an antidote for Covid, was on to something.

DCI Amy had less luck. Already tormented by claustrophobic nightmares of drowning in confined spaces, she was shoved into a torpedo tube by a Russian spy, who then started filling it with water.

Vigil, which began with a preposterously far-fetched premise, got more crackers by the week

She escaped by hammering on the walls of her iron coffin in Morse code. That's Shaun Evans and Morse on BBC1, Shaun Evans as Morse on ITV.

What are the chances?

This wasn't even the strangest coincidence of the evening. After an international incident that left U.S. warships sinking British trawlers, and all that business with the Kremlin's secret agent, a Scottish peace campaigner tried to betray Vigil's secrets to the Chinese. The UK was now in a stand-off with all three superpowers. I don't fancy our chances in World War III.

Vigil, which began with a preposterously far-fetched premise, got more crackers by the week. It couldn't decide whether to be a murder mystery, a police procedural, a political thriller, a war movie or a disaster epic.

Ludicrous though it all was, Ill miss Vigil. The cast, co-starring Martin Compston, Paterson Joseph, Stephen Dillane and Adam James, has been outstanding

Woven into these conflicting genres was a double domestic drama. Amy was fighting a custody battle over her stepdaughter, while yearning for her lesbian lover, DS Kirsten (Rose Leslie), who also happened to be her police partner.

Most of this took place aboard the world's most spacious sub. At one point, a crew member complained to her captain that it would take her at least five minutes to run the length of the ship. By my calculation, that means HMS Vigil is about half a mile long . . . bigger than most supertankers.

Ludicrous though it all was, I'll miss Vigil. The cast, co-starring Martin Compston, Paterson Joseph, Stephen Dillane and Adam James, has been outstanding.

And while the control room of the sub looked more like the Starship Enterprise's flight deck, it was good to see a lavish production with a big budget for CGI and a flair for Hollywood action set-pieces.
Megan Gale doted over her daughter Rosie on Monday as the tot celebrated her fourth birthday at home in Melbourne.

The model, 46, who shares Rosie and son River, seven, with AFL star fiance Shaun Hampson, 33, shared gorgeous photos from the festivities to her Instagram.

Little Rosie looked cute in a rainbow unicorn tutu and was treated to a homemade unicorn cake made by her famous mother, balloon bouquets and sweet treats.

Birthday girl: Megan Gale, 46, celebrated daughter Rosie's fourth birthday with a unicorn cake, balloon bouquets and sweet treats at their Melbourne home while in lockdown. Pictured also is Megan's son River, seven

'And she had the BEST day. Blissfully oblivious to lockdowns, pandemics, riots and protests and completely absorbed and obsessed with unicorns, rainbows, ponies and Lego. I think she's onto something,' Megan captioned the photo gallery.

In one beautiful shot, Megan leaned in to kiss Rosie at a table laden with coloured decorations, while another saw the youngster gazing up at a balloon bouquet.

Other gorgeous photos saw Rosie blowing out the candles on her unicorn cake with older brother River by her side, as well as one of proud father Shaun embracing his daughter and beaming at the camera.

Precious moment: One gorgeous photo shared to her Instagram on Monday saw the model leaning in to give her daughter a kiss

Doting dad: Megan also posted a sweet image of proud father Shaun Hampson (pictured), 33, embracing Rosie while seated at a table laden with coloured decorations

Plush surrounds: Another gorgeous shot saw Rosie gazing up at a balloon bouquet inside the couple's very modern Melbourne home

Megan also shared footage to her Instagram Stories of herself making the unicorn cake earlier on in the day.

After spreading a layer of ganache between two thick slices of chocolate sponge, she covered the entire cake with pink icing and coloured Smarties.

'Delicate work... under pressure to make the requested unicorn rainbow cake!!!!' Megan revealed online.

Homemade cake: Megan captured on film the precious moment Rosie blew out the candles

Having fun: Little Rosie looked cute as a button in a rainbow unicorn tutu as she played with her toys

Statement cake: Megan also shared footage to her Instagram Stories of herself making the unicorn cake earlier on in the day

Megan met Shaun in 2011 and they began a long-distance relationship, with Megan based in Sydney at the time and Shaun in Melbourne.

They are now based in Melbourne which is still under lockdown amid the pandemic.

Megan revealed how the couple keep the spark alive, prior to lockdown, in an interview with The Daily Telegraph's Confidential.

Yum! Megan spread a layer of ganache in between two thick slices of chocolate sponge

Sweet: The media star spread pink icing over the entire cake, decorating it with Smarties

Hands-on mum: 'Delicate work... under pressure to make the requested unicorn rainbow cake!!!!' the brunette stunner revealed online

Power couple: Megan met Shaun in 2011 and they began a long-distance relationship, with Megan based in Sydney at the time and Shaun in Melbourne. They are now based in Melbourne which is still under lockdown amid the pandemic

'Communication is absolutely key,' she said, going on to add that the pair spend quality time together 'whenever possible'.

Megan said similar comments about communication during an appearance on Channel Seven's The Morning Show back in May 2019.

'I think communication is key for any relationship and we do that so well,' the brunette beauty told hosts Kylie Gillies and Larry Emdur.

'He's awesome, he's just the best dad and we parent really well together,' Megan added.
Gigi Hadid looked as chic as ever as she arrived at Milan Malpensa Airport on Monday.

In time for the launch of Paris Fashion Week, the supermodel, 26, looked jet set in a comfy tan ensemble, while covering her famous face with a pair of shades and a facemask.

With the hood of her oversized jacket over her head, the new redhead let her luscious locks loosely spill out of the number while donning a pair of matching trousers.

Supermodel: Gigi Hadid looked as chic as ever as she arrived at Milan Malpensa Airport on Monday

Keeping things casual in a pair of black trainers, the Vogue cover star threw a coordinating handbag over her shoulder.

She impressively stored all her essentials in a small neon orange suitcase, which she wheeled through the check-in area.

Later on, the beauty was spotted arriving at Charles-de-Gaulle airport, Paris.

Fashion forward: She impressively stored all her essentials in a small neon orange suitcase, which she wheeled through the check-in area

Airport attire: Later on, the beauty was spotted at Charles-de-Gaulle airport, Paris

Comfort is key: Gigi kept things casual in a pair of black trainers

On Tuesday, Gigi gave fans a behind-the-scenes look at her baby Khai's first birthday extravaganza on her Instagram Stories.

She shares the tot with her former One Direction band member boyfriend Zayn Malik.

The party was attended by Hadid's entire family, including sister Bella and mother Yolanda, and held at her luxury apartment in New York City.

Landed in Paris: The new redhead let her luscious locks loosely spill out of her outfit

The first slide in Gigi's post showed off the elaborate decorations setup on the patio of her apartment, including four large, gold balloons spelling out Khai's name.

The balloon creations came in the form of a panda bear from the popular children's animated show Word Party, which appeared to be the party's dominant theme.

Some less impressive balloon displays, including a large number one to signify Khai's first birthday, were scattered around the space.

Resting in the middle of the patio was a baby-safe enclosure that would allow the little one to hang out outdoors without getting into mischief.

The enclosure featured a small pale pink slide, an adorable hippo figurine, and blocks for Khai to play with as her guests mingled.

There was also a mini inflatable jumper with an attached ball pit for Khai to play in. 'My baby turned one this weekend,' captioned the runway maven on one of her posts.
Georgia Fowler and her boyfriend Nathan Dalah welcomed their newborn daughter Dylan Aman one week ago.

And on Monday, the New Zealand model, 29, shared an adorable photo of her baby girl to Instagram.

In the image, Dylan is sitting on a lounge while looking at the camera.

Proud mum: Model Georgia Fowler (pictured) shared a sweet photo of her newborn daughter Dylan on Monday - one week after welcoming her into the world with boyfriend Nathan Dalah

'Angel,' Georgia captioned the sweet photo.

Georgia and Nathan welcomed Dylan last Friday, before later announcing her arrival on Instagram on Monday.

'Dylan Aman Dalah. 17.9.21. Welcome to the world. We love you so much,' she wrote, sharing a series of photos of the adorable newborn.

Adorable! In the image, Dylan is sitting on a lounge while looking at the camera

She also recently shared a gorgeous short black and white video which she snuggled with her newborn.

Georgia announced she was expecting her first child with the FISHBOWL co-founder back in April.

At the time, she shared the news by writing: 'We can't wait to meet you, little one.'

New addition: Georgia and her boyfriend Nathan welcomed Dylan last Friday, before later announcing her arrival on Instagram on Monday

'It's been hard to keep this one quiet, but now it's pretty hard to hide,' she added.

'Nathan and I couldn't be happier to share our exciting news with you. We cannot wait to meet you little one and begin our next adventure together. The best is yet to come.'

The couple confirmed their romance in February last year.
She captivated audiences in her role as Anne Lister in Gentleman Jack .

And Suranne Jones certainly looked the part as she once again modelled a Victorian costume while filming the second series of the period drama.

Sporting her iconic attire, complete with leather gloves, the actress, 42, walked through the woods as she prepared to film more scenes as the 'first modern lesbian.'

Looking the part: Suranne Jones, 42, transformed into the 'first modern lesbian' Anne Lister as she modelled a Victorian costume while filming the second series of Gentleman Jack

Gentleman Jack is centered on Suranne's character Anne and her lover Ann Walker, played by Sophie Rundle, 32, in the BBC period drama.

Sophie has reportedly also returned to filming after welcoming her baby in April.

Suranne donned a long black skirt with multiple overcoats as she walked through the woods on camera.

Iconic: Sporting her iconic attire, complete with leather gloves, the actress walked through the woods as she prepared to film more scenes

Series: Gentleman Jack is centered on Suranne's character Anne and her lover Ann Walker in the BBC period drama

Returned to filming: Sophie Rundle, who plays Ann's lover Ann has reportedly also returned to filming after welcoming her baby in April

She was, however, seen without her infamous top hat and instead appeared to sport a Victorian-style plaited bun hairstyle as she filmed the new episodes of the acclaimed series.

The popular series is set in Yorkshire in 1834 and is based on the real life diaries of English landowner and diarist Lister.

The first season of the show saw the couple torn apart when Ann was taken to Scotland, under threat of being married off by her brother-in-law.

Through the woods: Suranne donned a long black skirt with multiple overcoats as she walked through the woods on camera

Change of style: She was, however, seen without her infamous top hat and instead appeared to sport a Victorian-style plaited bun hairstyle as she filmed the new episodes

But by the finale, the pair came back together when the philanthropist was called back to Yorkshire to visit her bedridden aunt.

Their reunion took place in a dramatic hilltop moment when Ann revealed she was finally ready to marry Anne.

It is not yet known when the new series will hit the screens, but first-look photos suggest it could be later this year.

Real life: The popular series is set in Yorkshire in 1834 and is based on the real life diaries of English landowner and diarist Lister

It comes as the star unveiled the newly-created sculpture of Anne Lister - the 'first modern lesbian' - in Halifax on Sunday.

Anne was an entrepreneur and landowner back in the day, and had affairs with women which she details in diaries she is now famous for.

The journals were partly written in code as her behaviour was not socially accepted at the time, and also told of her life as a businesswomen in Halifax - as well as her social relationships, which all form the story of the BBC series.

Suranne revealed the statue, which is situated in the West Yorkshire town, with the series creator Sally Wainwright.
'Mama' June Shannon confirmed on August 16 that she split with Geno Doak 'a while ago' and it reportedly had everything to do with sobriety.

The troubled 45-year-old 'was drinking a lot' and the 42-year-old reality star 'began seeing someone else' sometime after their last sighting in March 2020 - according to TMZ.

June had been dating Geno (born Eugene) since 2015 - a year before her 300lb weight loss following a $75K surgical makeover.

Lifestyle change: 'Mama' June Shannon (L) confirmed on August 16 that she split with Geno Doak (R) 'a while ago' and it reportedly had everything to do with sobriety

Doak 'took the break-up hard' and went 'to a dark place,' which 'led to his hospitalization' in Florida and rehab stint in South Carolina earlier this month.

However, the former G&J Home Improvements CEO was supposed to move to Alabama as part of a plea deal stemming from his 2019 felony drug possession case (crack cocaine), and a bench warrant was issued for his arrest last week.

Geno - who previously served time at Coastal State Prison - reportedly has a long rap sheet which includes domestic violence, burglary, theft, and criminal damage to property.

Meanwhile, Shannon 'was sentenced to 100 hours of community service and agreed to a bunch of provisions to avoid prison time, including staying sober.'

It's over: The troubled 45-year-old (R, pictured in 2019) 'was drinking a lot' and the 42-year-old reality star (L) 'began seeing someone else' sometime after their last sighting in March 2020

Update: Doak 'took the break-up hard' and went 'to a dark place,' which 'led to his hospitalization' in Florida and rehab stint in South Carolina earlier this month

Wanted: However, the former G&J Home Improvements CEO was supposed to move to Alabama as part of a plea deal stemming from his 2019 felony drug possession case (crack cocaine), and a bench warrant was issued for his arrest last week (pictured in 2020)

The Boombod paid partner has since gotten really into TikTok and posted a dance video last Wednesday.

'I'm loving myself more and more everyday,' June - who boasts 1.8M social media followers - wrote.

'[My] awesome life is awesome. No one can keep me down!'

2019 mugshot: Geno - who previously served time at Coastal State Prison - reportedly has a long rap sheet which includes domestic violence, burglary, theft, and criminal damage to property

Low point: Meanwhile, Shannon 'was sentenced to 100 hours of community service and agreed to a bunch of provisions to avoid prison time, including staying sober'

'I'm loving myself more and more everyday!' The Boombod paid partner has since gotten really into TikTok and posted a dance video last Wednesday

Since her 2019 arrest, Shannon's 21-year-old daughter Lauryn aka 'Pumpkin' has had legal custody of her famous 16-year-old daughter Alana 'Honey Boo Boo' Thompson.

The Road to Redemption star - who has three different babydaddies - is also mother to 24-year-old daughter Jessica and 27-year-old daughter Anna Cardwell, and she has four grandchildren.

June - who used to work in a warehouse - sold her Hampton, GA home in 2019 for $100K and it was promptly renovated and put on the market for $225K.

Mending relationships: Since her 2019 arrest, Shannon's 21-year-old daughter Lauryn aka 'Pumpkin' (R, pictured May 9) has had legal custody of her famous 16-year-old daughter Alana 'Honey Boo Boo' Thompson (L)
Will Smith has been very careful with his film career.

The actor, 53, told the November issue of British GQ that he went for more mainstream roles like Independence Day, Hitch and Aladdin so he could 'depict black excellence alongside my white counterparts,' said the star.

'I wanted to play roles that you would give to Tom Cruise,' added the husband of Jada Pinkett Smith. 'I wanted to be a superhero.'

Intentional: Will Smith has been very careful with his film career. The actor, 53, told the November issue of British GQ that he went for more mainstream roles like Independence Day, Hitch and Aladdin so he could 'depict black excellence alongside my white counterparts,' said the star

The November issue of British GQ is available via digital download and on newsstands on Friday October 1.

And the former TV comedian avoided films about slavery.

'In the early part of my career... I didn't want to show Black people in that light.... And the first time I considered it was Django. But I didn't want to make a slavery film about vengeance,' added the former rapper.

He is referring to the Quentin Tarantino directed action film Django Unchained that came out in 2012 and starred Jamie Foxx and Samuel L Jackson.

A list man: 'I wanted to play roles that you would give to Tom Cruise,' added the husband of Jada Pinkett Smith. 'I wanted to be a superhero'

Smith is going to star next in Emancipation.

The story is about a runaway slave who forges through the swamps of Louisiana on a tortuous journey to escape plantation owners that nearly killed him. The director is Antoine Fuqua.

And Smith brought up Cruise again in his GQ interview when he said he is happy to be there for his friends no matter what the hour.

'That was the thing even with Tom [Cruise]. Tom and I became friends in the middle of his public difficulties,' said Will, referring to his odd behavior around his romance then marriage to Katie Holmes.

A good pal: And he brought up Cruise again in his GQ interview when he said he is happy to be there for his friends no matter what the hour. 'That was the thing even with Tom [Cruise]. Tom and I became friends in the middle of his public difficulties,' said Will, referring to his odd behavior around his romance then marriage to Katie Holmes. Seen in 2004

Call me at 2 am! 'That's when I want to be there. If everything is great, call somebody else. Call me when you need help. I love it. I love being the 2am emergency phone call.' Seen in 2007

'That's when I want to be there. If everything is great, call somebody else. Call me when you need help. I love it. I love being the 2am emergency phone call,' joked the Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air star.

Will also had something to say about Defund the Police.

'Let's argue less about certain things and pay attention to the big ripe fruit,' he shared.

'So "Abolish the police. Defund the police." I would love if we would just say "Defund the bad police." It's almost like I want, as black Americans, for us to change our marketing for the new position we're in. So "critical race theory," just call it "truth theory."'

He added that it is a 'difficult area to discuss,' but he feels like the simplicity of Black Lives Matter was perfect.

His lovely lady: Will has been wed to Jada Pinkett Smith since 1997

'Anybody who tries to debate Black Lives Matter looks ridiculous.  From a standpoint of getting it done, "Black Lives Matter" gets it done. "Defund the police" doesn't get it done, no matter how good the ideas are.'

And the star also has a new memoir coming out called Will. Inside he discusses his difficult relationship with his father.

'I felt like a combination of having completed some phase of my life and also with my father dying,' he shared.

She has a big hit on her hands: Jada is the star of Red Table Talk; on the show with her often are daughter Willow and mom Adrienne Banfield-Norris

'I just never would've been able to say this stuff about my father beating up my mother. I never would've been able to talk about that while he was alive.'

As far as social media, which his children Willow and Jaden excel at, Smith said: 'It's such a powerful way for me to keep in touch with people and, creatively, what the next thing is about to be. The next phase of my life is going to be the most creative and expansive of my entire life and career.'

See the full feature in the November issue of British GQ available via digital download and on newsstands Friday October 1.
Advertisement

Blonde bombshell Anna Nicole Smith is being honored by the brand that first made her famous 14 years after the star's tragic passing from an accidental drug overdose.

White Lotus and Euphoria star Sydney Sweeney is channeling the late model in the voluptuous new GUESS Originals x Anna Nicole Smith Collection that sees the up-and-comer recreate Smith's 90s looks.

Back in 1993, after making her way into the spotlight in Playboy, Smith secured a lucrative gig as the face of GUESS with a now famous set of black and white advertisements inspired by Hollywood sex symbol Jayne Mansfield.

Stunning! Euphoria star Sydney Sweeney is channeling the late Anna Nicole Smith in the voluptuous new GUESS Originals campaign that sees the up-and-comer recreate Smith's 90s looks

Sydney Sweeney is the spitting image of Anna Nicole Smith in the new ads that pay homage to the star's most famous work.

The 24-year-old actress looked flawless with her coifed platinum curls in a series of black and white images shot in Malibu, California.

The Euphoria star replicated the retro outdoor farm vibe from the original shoot and put her ample cleavage on display in a low-cut gingham halter top.

Much like Anna's version, Sweeny smoldered behind the wheel of a vintage car and flashed her megawatt smile wearing a denim button-up under a matching jacket.

Flawless: The 24-year-old actress looked flawless with her coifed platinum curls in a series of black and white images shot in Malibu, California

Homage: The blonde bombshell is being honored by the brand that first made her famous 14 years after the star's tragic passing from an accidental drug overdose

'Anna Nicole Smith is essential to '90s fashion. Anna's legendary beach shoot revived for this collection and the campaign with Sydney Sweeney is the perfect timeless moment to continue to celebrate one of the most iconic GUESS Girls with a new generation,' said Nicolai Marciano, Director of Brand Partnerships, in a press release.

The updated collection of clothing is inspired by the original pieces which hits the current trends of Sweeney's generation that gravitates towards 90s style.

Sydney was just 10 years old when Anna Nicole Smith died suddenly in 2007 following a brutal year marred with personal tragedy.

Five months before her death, Anna's 20-year-old son Daniel died of an accidental overdose inside her hospital room in the maternity ward where she had just given birth to daughter Dannielynn. Anna was 39 at the time of her death.

Starlet: Sydney Sweeney is one of young Hollywood's rising stars and is coming off of the highly successful HBO Max satirical murder dramedy The White Lotus

Iconic: Back in 1993, after making her way into the spotlight in Playboy, Smith secured a lucrative gig as the face of GUESS with a now famous set of black and white advertisements inspired by Hollywood sex symbol Jayne Mansfield

Sydney Sweeney, meanwhile, is one of young Hollywood's rising stars. She is coming off of the highly successful HBO Max satirical murder dramedy The White Lotus.

Sweeney played cynical college sophomore Olivia Mossbacher, daughter of Mark Mossbacher [Steve Zahn] and Nicole Mossbacher [Connie Britton] in the series.

She is set to reprise her role as Maddie in the highly anticipated season two of the gritty teen drama Euphoria (also HBO).

Zendaya, who is the series main star, has claimed that season two is 'not going to be a fun watch' for fans of the show.

Over it: Sweeney played cynical college sophomore Olivia Mossbacher, daughter of Mark Mossbacher [Steve Zahn] and Nicole Mossbacher [Connie Britton] in The White Lotus

Scene stealer: Sydney made a name for herself in the gritty drama Euphoria starring opposite Zendaya and Hunter Schafer

Over the summer, the 24-year-old reflected on the forthcoming season in an interview with Teen Vogue saying it has been 'challenging' to film.

She said: 'It's very personal to, not only ourselves and all the people who work on it, but also, to other people who have been able to relate so deeply to the characters or see their experiences being reflected through Rue.'

Zendaya went on: 'It's definitely challenging, it's a challenging season...I think this season's not going to be easy, though. It's not going to be a fun watch, I don't think. Sometimes.'
Dave Bautista has given an abused puppy a new home and offered a $5,000 award to find the perpetrator.

The 52-year-old Dune star shared an Instagram post last week that featured heartbreaking photos of the injured dog.

'ATTN Tampa Bay: I will personally hand $5000 cash to the person who gives information leading to the arrest and conviction of the sick piece of sh*t responsible for this,' Dave wrote in the caption.

Forever home: Dave Bautista has given an abused puppy a new home and has offered a $5,000 award to find the perpetrator.

Sad: The 52-year-old Dune star shared an Instagram post last week that featured heartbreaking photos of the injured dog

'In addition @humanesocietytampabay is also offering $1500,' he continued. 'If you know anything please contact @humanesocietytampabay or @safek9.'

in the three images that Dave posted, the puppy was seen crouching on an exam table with a chain hanging from her neck.

One particularly upsetting shot showed that the chain was embedded in skin of the dog's neck, which was red and inflamed.

Heartbreaking: In the three images that Dave posted, the puppy was seen crouching on an exam table with a chain hanging from her neck

Terrible: One particularly upsetting shot showed that the chain was embedded in skin of the dog's neck, which was red and inflamed

The puppy was being cared for at the Humane Society of Tampa Bay, where she was named Sage. The organization had shared details of Sage's story on September 16 in a Facebook post with the photos that were later reposted by David.

The post read: 'Sage was just brought to us with a metal chain embedded... hanging from her neck. We are currently prepping her for surgery to remove the chain.

'A Good Samaritan was driving on the way home, and saw Sage eating garbage at 'The Home Cemetery'. She stopped and Sage immediately ran up to her. She put Sage in the car and rushed over to HSTB.

Update: On Sunday, the Guardians of the Galaxy actor provided his followers with an update on Instagram. He posted a video in which he was seen sitting next to SafeK9 founder and dog trainer Luis Safe

'Sage is only 3-months-old. She is very sweet and friendly. Even though she is in immense pain Sage was wagging her tail on the exam table while our veterinarian and vet techs were examining her.

'In addition to the chain, we noticed that Sage has skin issues and overgrown nails. We can't imagine who would do this to her. Please send well wishes to Sage as she undergoes her surgery.We will keep you updated on Sage after her surgery is complete.'

Bautista noticed the post and shared Sage's sad story to his Instagram page. His post went viral with Jeffrey Dean Morgan offering to contribute $500 and Mickey Rourke chipping in an extra $1,000 to find the abuser.

Great news: Dave revealed that he had adopted Sage who he renamed Penny

On Sunday, the Guardians of the Galaxy actor provided his followers with an update on Instagram. He shared a video with the caption: Sage was horribly abused and left for dead. Here's her update. Thanks from the bottom of my #DreamChaser heart to @safek9 @humanesocietytampabay and @alvarezinjurylawpllc.'

In the video, Dave was seen sitting next to SafeK9 founder and dog trainer Luis Safe. He said, 'On my last Instagram post, I posted about a puppy that was horribly abused and offered a $5,000 reward for any information leading to the arrest and conviction of the horrible human being responsible for this.'

Bautista continued, ' My brother here Luis from SafeK9, who trains my dogs, has helped me out with this and also the Humane Society of Tampa Bay has also offered $1.500 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of this person.'

Sweet: Bautista tenderly cradled the puppy in his arms

He explained that Florida-based law firm Alvarez Injury Law had also pitched in $5,000.'

'So that's $11,500 for any information leading to the arrest and conviction of this person,' Dave continued.

'The bad news is that we don't really have any solid leads now. We're trying to catch this person responsible.

He went on to say that the puppy that was 'horribly abused and need surgery' is recovering now.

'But the good news is today, the puppy that you know as Sage actually became Penny Bautista. So I'd like to introduce you to the newest member of my family/'

Happy ending: 'She is now a Bautista,' Dave said as he hugged and petted Penny

A HSTB worker then gave Penny to Bautista, who cradled the puppy in his arms.

'Oh, there she is! Healing up nice and recovered,' he said.

'She is now a Bautista,' Dave said as he hugged and petted Penny. 'She will never be abused again a day in her life, not a second in her life. She's about to live her best puppy life ever.

'Sage is now Penny Bautista and she has her forever home,' he concluded.

Penny will join Dave's two pitbulls Maggie and Ollie.

The HSTB celebrated Penny's adoption on Facebook. The organization's CEO Sherry Silk told the Tampa Bay Times. 'This dog was found abandoned in a cemetery eating garbage and went home in Dave Bautista's Rolls Royce.'

'Talk about a rags to riches story.'
Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson loves being a girl dad.

On Sunday night, the 49-year-old actor shared a sweet photo in which he was seen painting his three-year-old daughter Tiana's nails.

'She knows who to come to for the best "mani" in town!,' Dwayne wrote in the caption of his Instagram post.

Adorable: On Sunday night, Dwayne Johnson shared a sweet photo in which he was seen painting his three-year-old daughter Tiana's nails

He continued, 'At least these calloused dinosaur hands are good for something #sundayvibes #bestmaniintown #nodiscountsthough.'

In the adorable snap, the Jungle Cruise star was clad in a charcoal hoodie and gray shorts as he leaned over to apply polish to Tiana's nails.

The little girl, who was wearing a white long-sleeved shirt with pink hearts and pink flannel pajama pants, beamed at the camera as she sat on a table.

Proud dad: The former professional wrestler regularly features his daughters on his Instagram page and shares moments from his life as dad

Johnson shares Tiana and daughter Jasmine, five, with wife Lauren Hashian whom he married in 2019.

He also has daughter Simone, 19, with his first wife Dany Garcia.

The former professional wrestler regularly features his daughters on his Instagram page and shares moments from his life as dad.

Touching: In June, the Fast & Furious star gushed over the surprise that his youngest daughters planned for him on Father's Day

In June, the Fast & Furious star gushed over the surprise that his youngest daughters planned for him on Father's Day.

He shared a photo in which he was seen standing in the kitchen with Tiana and Jasmine as he looked over drawings that were spread out on the counter.

In the caption he wrote, 'These lil tornados of mayhem & love have nooooo idea how much they made my Fathers Day.

Johnson explained that his daughters' gifts caught him completely off-guard.

'I came downstairs to make them breakfast and they had these surprise drawings waiting for me on the counter,' he wrote.

'Man as you go down this road of life, I realize more and more just how much these moments of caring & kind matters,' the San Andreas star continued. 'Makes my T-Rex heart so full knowing that this comes naturally to my baby girls. Characteristics thatll take them very far in life.'

'Strong and the world will hear from you one day.' Johnson celebrated his middle daughter Jasmine on International Women's Day

The California native said that he was particularly touched by how Jasmine embraced him in the photo.

'And Jazzys little I got you daddy arm around my back just kills me.'

He concluded his post by humorously observing that the girls still wanted their breakfast.

'And of course it took all of 28 seconds before they were shouting LETS EAT FRENCH TOAST!!! Which you can see here on the counter.'

Father's love: Dwayne gushed about his special bond with his daughters in a Instagram post that he shared in February

In February, Johnson sentimentally reflected on his special bond with his daughters in an Instagram post.

The Rock shared photo of himself walking down a dirt driveway surrounded by palm trees as he held hands with Tiana

'Every man wants a son, but every man needs a daughter.' the San Andreas star wrote.

'All my girls have become the great equalizers in my life - Im surrounded by estrogen and wouldnt have it any other way, and man I hope she never gets tired of holding these big ol dinosaur hands, though I suspect one day she will'

'I hope she never gets tired of holding these big ol dinosaur hands': The actor wrote a sweet caption with the photo as he talked about being a girl dad

Home life: Dwayne shared this cute photo of him working out some tangles in Tiana's hair

In 2019 Johnson shared similar sentiments about having three daughters as he talked about his eldest Simone meeting boys as she embarked on college.

Speaking on Live with Kelly and Ryan, he said: 'I like to think, and it's what girls do, they measure the men they meet in their life by their father.

'I like to think whoever she brings home is going to be a good quality person. And if they're not ... bang!

'As men, you know, you're like, "Oh yeah Im going to raise my son" but having all daughters, it's the greatest blessing I've ever had ... It's just the best thing ... I have a house full of just strong, bada** women.

Halloween fun: Johnson shares Tiana and Jasmine with wife Lauren Hashian who he married in 2019

'I grew up an only child. My dad was tough. He kicked my a**, so there was a lot of testosterone growing up. So there is this balance - having all this estrogenic energy - then also me having the opportunity to infuse father and hopefully setting a standard of what a man should be in their lives.'

'I realized being a father is the greatest job I have ever had and the greatest job I will ever have,' Johnson shared with Oprah Winfrey in 2015.

'I always wanted to be a great dad. I always wanted to give [my children] things that I felt I never got.'
Former RHOBH star Camille Grammer recently let slip that she knew about certain troubles between Erika Jayne and Tom Girardi years before they became public and DailyMailTV has exclusively learned that the rumor mill began with Kyle Richards.

Bravo star Lisa Vanderpump sat down with DailyMailTV Monday to dish on the new season of Vanderpump Rules and during her chat was pressed on whether she'd heard the same stories about Erika.

LVP was very hesitant to divulge the name Housewife who was the original source of the gossip but when it was guessed to be Kyle Richards, the restaurant mogul reluctantly agreed.

Housewives: Bravo star Lisa Vanderpump sat down with DailyMailTV Monday to dish on the new season of Vanderpump Rules and during her chat was pressed on whether she'd heard stories about Erika Jayne's troubles and reluctantly revealed who was the source of the gossip

Last week someone asked Camille Grammer on Twitter about whether she'd known of Erika Jayne's personal drama prior to her joining the cast to which she replied: 'Yes. One of the housewives mentioned it at Andy's baby shower.'

During her chat with DailyMailTV, Lisa revealed that she'd been made aware of the same stories via Camille. Grammer, however, was not the original source of the information.

When pushed to give up the name of the rumor monger, Lisa refused: 'You know, I can't say Caitlyn.'

DailyMailTV ventured an educated guess: 'Could it be someone that you used to be friends with, you aren't friends with now, the swans don't like and maybe you kicked out of your kitchen?'

Last week a fan asked Camille Grammer on Twitter about whether she'd known of Erika Jayne's personal drama prior to her joining the cast to which she replied: 'Yes. One of the housewives mentioned it at Andy's baby shower'

'Yes, it could be the person that Ken kicked out of my house,' she laughed in response, clearly referring to Kyle Richards.

In the midst of an explosive argument during Lisa's last season on the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, her husband Ken Todd infamously gave Kyle Richards the boot from Villa Rosa.

It's unclear if the 'troubles' were bout Erika and Tom's marriage breakdown or their embezzlement scandal, however, Kyle had been talking about them behind Erika's back at Andy Cohen's baby shower in 2019.

'It didn't surprise me when Camille told me that it was Kyle that had told her the gossip about her supposed friend Erika Jayne,' Lisa admitted. 'That's how Kyle works.'

Jayne's estranged husband Giardi, 82, is currently facing claims of allegedly embezzling settlement funds.

'Yes, it could be the person that Ken kicked out of my house,' she laughed in response, clearly referring to Kyle Richards. 'It didn't surprise me when Camille told me that it was Kyle that had told her the gossip about her supposed friend Erika Jayne,' Lisa admitted. 'That's how Kyle works.'

He is under investigation amid accusations he 'misappropriated at least $2 million' meant for the families of those killed in the Lion Air Flight 610 crash in Indonesia.

Erika filed for divorce from her husband of more than two decades and they have both moved out of their $13million Pasadena mansion following the scandal.

'Erika Jayne was never nice to me, you know, even prior to this whole thing,' Lisa revealed. 'I thought it was kind of obnoxious the way she behaved with money, even when I thought it was her own. You know what? I had doubts.'

Lisa will dish on the new season of Vanderpump Rules in her full DailyMailTV interview airing Tuesday, check local listings. And, tune into an all new season of Vanderpump Rules which premieres Tuesday night on Bravo.

Brand new The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills is now streaming on hayu in Australia, plus relive every episode ever - only on hayu in Australia. Stream Overserved with LVP on hayu in Australia.
Prince Andrew has previously been accused of hiding away at Balmoral and refusing to face the music over his U.S. court case.

Now, I hear he faces a struggle to get home. The beleaguered Duke of York wants to return this week to Royal Lodge, Windsor, but cant fill up his gas-guzzling vehicles for the 500-mile return journey from the Queens Scottish retreat.

Balmorals local petrol station, in Ballater, Aberdeenshire, announced yesterday that it had run out of fuel. When it reopens, petrol is likely to be rationed, meaning he could not buy enough for his long journey.

Andrew travelled in the same car as his ex-wife, Sarah, Duchess of York. As revealed in this column, Fergie arrived last Thursday for her third stay at Balmoral

The situation is particularly awkward because the Queen is expected to leave the castle this weekend and tourists could then arrive to stay on the estate

Its a nightmare, declares my man in a kilt. His Royal Highness could be stuck here until the crisis is over.

The situation is particularly awkward because the Queen is expected to leave the castle this weekend and tourists could then arrive to stay on the estate.

He became known as the Duke of Torque after I disclosed last month that he had taken not one, not two, but three SUV vehicles to Scotland.

The three Chelsea tractors travelled in convoy for the 1,020-mile round-trip. It doesnt seem very eco-friendly, a friend admitted at the time. Its not clear why he needed three cars.

Its understood that Andrew still receives taxpayer-funded police protection even though he stepped back from public engagements in November 2019 because of the furore over his friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Motorists queue to fill their cars at a Tesco fuel station in Ashford, Kent

However, this was a private visit and all three cars belonged to Andrew. One of the vehicles was a new petrol Land Rover Defender, which costs more than 53,000. The other two were his Land Rover Discovery and his 115,000 Range Rover petrol-electric hybrid.

Andrew travelled in the same car as his ex-wife, Sarah, Duchess of York. As revealed in this column, Fergie arrived last Thursday for her third stay at Balmoral.

Don't fret... Bean's got an HGV licence

Tim Walker, who interviewed the comedian for his new book Star Turns, says: He admitted he was fascinated with lorries and driving them excited him a lot more than performing

In our hour of need, could we turn to Mr Bean? Its a little-known fact that Rowan Atkinson holds a category C+E (formerly Class 1) lorry-driving licence, which, of course, means he could help in the national effort to get petrol to stations.

Tim Walker, who interviewed the comedian for his new book Star Turns, says: He admitted he was fascinated with lorries and driving them excited him a lot more than performing.

How Meghan worked her charms at the UN

I can reveal Meghan wore a necklace designed to ward off bad vibes at her meeting with U.N. bigwig Amina Mohammed

The Duke and Duchess of Sussexs visit to the United Nations in New York was a tense affair at the weekend, as the two were accused of launching themselves as a rival Royal Family. And clearly Meghan felt she needed some extra help.

I can reveal she wore a necklace designed to ward off bad vibes at her meeting with U.N. bigwig Amina Mohammed. The piece, from jeweller Alemdara, founded by former Tatler journalist Mariella Tandy, is a 450 hamsa hand  famed for countering negativity. An evil eye also features, said to protect against malicious spirits.

Its got an evil eye on the chain and the hand of hamsa, so you get double protection, Tandy tells me. We get a lot of them gifted when someone is pregnant, and sometimes they buy an evil eye for the baby as well.

Covid spelt doom for Anton Du Bekes luxuriously coloured locks, and the Strictly judge reveals the BBC make-up team made sure there was no going back.

In lockdown I couldnt dye it, says Du Beke, 55, whos married to Hannah Summers, 45. My wife kept telling me to leave it, because I looked so much better.

He tells Saga: When I went back to Strictly, the hair girls refused to dye it. They put me in the chair, made me look at myself, and told me how ageing my old hair was.

No thong and dance for Lady Charlotte

Lady Charlotte, 28, whose grandfather was a Gentleman Usher to the Queen, exchanged vows at the Cathedral of Monreale in Palermo, Sicily, with Spanish aristocrat Jaime de Borbon-Dos Sicilias Landaluce, 29, pictured

Her racy mother, the Countess of Lindsay, created a business selling fur-lined thongs and once stripped off for a charity calendar, but Lady Charlotte Lindesay-Bethune took the traditional approach at her wedding in Italy this weekend.

Lady Charlotte, 28, whose grandfather was a Gentleman Usher to the Queen, exchanged vows at the Cathedral of Monreale in Palermo, Sicily, with Spanish aristocrat Jaime de Borbon-Dos Sicilias Landaluce, 29.

It was a magical day, a friend tells me.

Restaurateur Rick Stein claims theres something fishy about how society looks down on chefs.

Catering has always been regarded as something you do if youre not good at anything else, he says. One of my general managers, Sam Harrison, whos got a fab restaurant in Hammersmith called Sams Riverside, was at Eton.

The careers master said, What are you going to do when you leave? He said, Well, I rather fancy catering. The careers master said, Sam, no one from Eton has ever gone into catering. And you just think, S** off!

Star is born for property heir Portman and wife

Justin, 52, the son of Viscount Portman, has three children with his first wife, the supermodel Natalia Supernova Vodianova

When property heir Justin Portman told friends he was going to call his next child Star, they thought he might be having them on.

But hes proved a man of his word after his wife, U.S. actress Morgan Snyder, 38, gave birth to their daughter at the weekend. Were in love with our little angel, Morgan says of Star Charlotte Berkeley Portman.

Justin, 52, the son of Viscount Portman, has three children with his first wife, the supermodel Natalia Supernova Vodianova.
Radio presenter Kyle Sandilands has said he won't attend the funeral of anti-vaxxer senior producer Pedro Vitola if he dies from Covid-19 after refusing the shot.

The KIIS FM host, 50, who is an outspoken advocate for the vaccine, said he won't go to the memorial or even send a message to Vitola's family if he dies of ignorance.

He called the staffer, who lives in an LGA of concern in Sydney's west, a 'fool' for believing conspiracy theories about the jab and said he'll 'probably die' of the virus.

No sympathy: Radio presenter Kyle Sandilands (pictured) has said he won't attend the funeral of anti-vaxxer senior producer Pedro Vitola if he dies from Covid-19 after refusing the shot

The discussion began with Sandilands addressing a Daily Mail Australia article about Vitola having to work from home because he's unvaccinated.

Executive producer Sonia 'Palestine' Jahshan said the KIIS FM team had 'trolled' Vitola in the comments section, calling him a 'dumb dog'.

Newsreader Brooklyn Ross said it must be awful for Vitola being stuck at home because he loves the camaraderie of the office so much.

Digging his grave: He called Vitola (pictured), who lives in an LGA of concern in Sydney's west, a 'fool' for believing conspiracy theories about the jab and said he'll 'probably die' of the virus

Sandilands speculated that Vitola wasn't really anti-vax but was just anti-authority for the sake of it because he's from a developing country.

'He's made his stance. What does he do now? Look like the fool?' he said.

'He waits until December 1, I guess,' Ross replied, referencing the proposed date for freedoms being extended to the unvaccinated in NSW.

Sandilands interjected: 'Or he gets the virus. He'll probably be the one that dies of it.

'Will I show up to the funeral? No, I will not. Will I send a message [to his family]? No, I will not.'

Ouch: 'He'll probably be the one that dies of it,' said Sandilands (left, with co-host Jackie 'O' Henderson). 'Will I show to the funeral? No, I will not. Will I send a message [to his family]? No'

The broadcaster, who recorded a viral video promoting the Covid vaccine in July, also revealed one of his friends was on his deathbed after refusing the shot.

He continued: 'I see a lot of anti-vaxxers, they're showing up in the newspaper - even people who were hesitant - "Oh, I'll get it last; I don't need to be first in line."

'I've got a lot of friends like that. One guy who said that will be dead this week in hospital. Too late to bring him back. That's what I worry about.'

Ross noted that every day about five people are dying in Sydney from all age groups - a brutal reality Vitola seems to be ignorant of.

'Dead this week': Sandilands, who recorded a viral video promoting the Covid vaccine in July (pictured), also revealed one of his friends was on his deathbed after refusing the shot

It comes after Vitola, whose anti-vax views are no secret to listeners, had no choice but to work from home after refusing to get the Covid vaccine.

He wasn't at KIIS FM's North Ryde studios on Monday, and Sandilands told listeners it was because he's unvaccinated.

'Where's Pedro?' Sandilands asked before 7am, to which an in-studio producer replied: 'He's working from home.'

Sandilands then said: 'Oh, because he's still "I'm not vaccinated". Stupid prick. What a bloody pain in the arse.'

His co-host Jackie 'O' Henderson responded: 'You can't say that!'

Sandilands went on to complain about Vitola's anti-vaccine stance, which he said was at odds with his wife Patty's alleged fondness for 'lip injections'.

'Jesus Christ, he's still going on. His girlfriend will get the lip injections, no dramas about that - that's fine!' he said.

Banished: Vitola (right, with former Kyle and Jackie O executive producer Bruno Bouchet) wasn't at KIIS FM's North Ryde studios on Monday, and Sandilands told listeners it was because he's unvaccinated

An ARN spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia on Monday afternoon that Vitola has to work from home until he's vaccinated in line with government health orders.

'ARN are keen to do our part in helping Australian businesses get back on their feet and for everyone to reconnect face to face in the community,' they said.

'Vaccination is the pathway to getting there. To make it easy for people to get vaccinated, everyone at ARN can receive paid vaccination leave to ensure more flexibility when scheduling and attending their vaccination appointment.

'While we understand vaccination is a personal choice, in line with NSW government health orders people who are from LGAs of concern and are not vaccinated are required to work from home.'

Annoyed: He said of Vitola on Monday morning: 'Oh... he's still "I'm not vaccinated". Stupid prick. What a bloody pain in the arse'

Vitola has previously described himself on air as anti-vaccine and 'into conspiracies'.

Sandilands asked him point-blank in late July if he was an 'anti-vaxxer', and he said: 'I am, but I won't be discussing it.'

Vitola also said last month he didn't want to get the shot because he's young and healthy, adding that it's a 'personal choice' to get vaccinated.

When asked why he didn't want the vaccine, he refused to explain himself.

At the time, Sandilands - who received his second Pfizer shot in July - asked Vitola what he would do if KIIS FM enforced a 'no jab, no job' policy, and the producer said he still wouldn't get the vaccine.

On the outer: An ARN spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia on Monday afternoon that Vitola has to work from home until he's vaccinated in line with government health orders

Sandilands said in February he was pushing for a vaccine mandate in his workplace.

He informed his colleagues of his decision after Henderson - who has since received the AstraZeneca shot - expressed concerns about the vaccine.

After Vitola said he wouldn't be getting the vaccine straight away, Sandilands snapped: 'If you don't get it, you're out. No jab, no job.'

'No jab, no job': Sandilands (pictured with co-host Jackie 'O' Henderson and newsreader Brooklyn Ross) said in February he was pushing for a vaccine mandate in his workplace

Mandatory vaccines have been a topic of debate at workplaces, with the government leaving the decision in the hands of employers.

Airline Qantas and food-processing company SPC have announced they will be making vaccination compulsory for their staff.

Media companies including Channel 10 and the Seven Network have conducted internal surveys asking staff for their views on a vaccine mandate.
Blake Lively and her husband Ryan Reynolds looked happy in love as they went for a stroll through Tribeca in New York City together on Sunday.

As the duo walked hand-in-hand around the Big Apple during a rare outing, the 34-year-old Gossip Girl alum rocked a navy and black patterned dress.

She completed her chic ensemble with a yellow lace bralette, white leather boots with black stripes and a long, cozy cardigan.

Blissful: Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds looked happy in love as they went for a stroll through Tribeca in New York City together on Sunday

The mother-of-three, who is one of the rare celebrities who doesn't hire a stylist, wore her blonde hair in a messy side braid and a hot pink lipstick.

Meanwhile, her spouse, 44, sported a light grey button-down, charcoal pants and a pair of white sneakers.

The Deadpool star kept a black face mask on his wrist amid the COVID-19 pandemic and a pair of dark sunglasses over his hazel eyes.

Happy in love: As the duo walked hand-in-hand around the Big Apple during a rare outing, the 34-year-old actress rocked a navy and white patterned dress

The outing comes after Blake launched her new line of alcohol-free sparkling mixers, Betty Buzz.

The business venture is an ode of sorts to her family, especially when it comes to the name. In a press release, the actress shared how she wanted to pay tribute to her father Ernie Lively, who has since passed away this past June at the age of 74.

'My dad's name was Ernest Brown Jr. but he was known as Ernie Lively,' Lively (born Blake Ellender Brown) explained in a press release.

Starting a buzz: The outing comes after Blake launched her new line of alcohol-free sparkling mixers, Betty Buzz

Out now: Betty Buzz is currently available online and at select retailers across the country

The A Simple Favor actress continued on about her dad: 'He gave up his last name when he married my mom and any success he, or I, have experienced has been in a name that isn't his. So when I was working hard to build this company, I wanted any success to be in a name that was meaningful to him. Betty was his mom and his sister's name. Also, Ernie would not be the best name for a mixer.'

It also made sense to use Betty in the company name since she and Reynolds have a daughter Betty, who turns two-years-old in October.

The new venture isn't the first time the family has entered the beverage business, with Ryan also co-owner of the gin brand, Aviation American Gin.

Betty Buzz is currently available online and at select retailers across the country.
Philip Green's son Brandon hit the waters of Ibiza on Tuesday as he was snapped boarding a luxury boat with a bevy of models.

The millionaire's son, 26 - whose father's fortune dropped last month by 1.05bn to 950m due to his business empire's major debts - was seen heading to the dock in a white Tee and spotted black board shorts, red shades covering his eyes.

He sported a pair of colourful Nike trainers and looked unshaven, his blonde mane salt-licked and wind-swept.

Holiday... celebrate: Philip Green's son Brandon hit the waters of Ibiza on Tuesday as he was snapped boarding a luxury boat with a bevvy of models

He was joined by the likes of model Valery Kaufman, who was previously linked to Hollywood actor Jared Leto.

The bikini-clad girls were seen excitably heading to the vessel, some covering their swimwear with sundresses, others flashing the flesh a little more.

The group of friends boarded the boat, before being jetted off across the crystalline waters of the White Isle.

Company: He was joined by the likes of model Valery Kaufman, who was previously linked to Hollywood actor Jared Leto

At your leisure: The billionaire's son, 26, was seen heading to the dock in a white Tee and spotted black board shorts, red shades covering his eyes

Ahoy there sailor! One of Brandon's jolly pals came skipping down the rocks to greet him

All aboard: The group of friends boarded the boat

All at sea: They were jetted off across the crystalline waters of the White Isle

Rocky road: Some of the ladies' footwear wasn't ideal for the rough terrain

MIA: There was no sign of Brandon's father, Philip - whose finances took a tumble following the BHS scandal, which saw him sell the chain of shops for 1 in 2015 to formerly-bankrupt Dominic Chappell

Some of the pals were seen kissing during the ride, which seemed to take the group to another spot on the island.

Alighting from the boat, the group made their way up a rocky hill where they met other friends who were waiting for them.

The group appeared to be attending a party, where they were expected.

There was no sign of Brandon's father, Philip - whose finances took a tumble following the BHS scandal, which saw him sell the chain of shops for 1 in 2015 to formerly-bankrupt Dominic Chappell.

Accused: Brandon's father allegedly groped or made inappropriate comments to up to six women at Canyon Ranch

Boat bound: The guests headed down to the jetty

Incoming: The bikini-clad girls were seen excitably heading to the vessel, some covering their swimwear with sundresses, others flashing the flesh a little more

Smackeroo: Some of the pals were seen kissing during the ride, which seemed to take the group to another spot on the island

Casual: The millionaire's son, 26 - whose father's fortune dropped last month by 1.05bn to 950m due to his business empire's major debts - was seen heading to the dock in a white Tee and spotted black board shorts, red shades covering his eyes

This led to the chain of stores going under - and with it 11,000 jobs, leaving a pension deficit of close to 571m.

It was ruled by parliament later on that the chain's owners had fleeced the company's funds and Green was facing losing his knighthood.

The family reside in Monaco - a tax haven and home to their 100m superyacht, Lionheart - with Brandon's mother Tina collecting a 1.2bn dividend from Green's company Arcadia in 2015, the largest in the history of British business.

Meanwhile, Chappell appeared in court last week to face charges of a 500,000 tax fraud and allegedly buying two yachts to launder money.

To add to Green's woes, he is also currently facing allegations of grabbing and making sleazy comments to six female workers at the Canyon Ranch.

Day out: The family reside in Monaco - a tax haven and home to their 100m superyacht, Lionheart - with Brandon's mother Tina collecting a 1.2bn dividend from Green's company Arcadia in 2015, the largest in the history of British business

Group trip: The pals packed on to the boat together to head across the sea

Family drama: To add to Brandon's family woes, his father is also currently facing allegations of grabbing and making sleazy comments to six female workers at the Canyon Ranch

The fashion mogul is accused of groping a women on the treadmill and in the locker room at the Tucson luxury spa in Arizona.

The 67-year-old tycoon faces four charges of assault after allegedly groping 37-year-old Pilates instructor Katie Surridge.

30-year-old Jennifer McAmis, said last week that she wore three jackets while working in the spa because of the grabbing. She says that bosses did nothing when she raised her concerns with other workers at the ranch.

Alighting from the boat: The group made their way up a rocky hill where they met other friends who were waiting for them

Mi casa: The group appeared to be attending a party, where they were expected

Meanwhile: Brandon's mother Tina was seen in London on Tuesday

Two other women are said to still be working at the ranch, where colleagues have described Sir Philip's hands as 'octopus-like'.

A spokesman for the spa said Canyon Ranch does not condone or tolerate inappropriate behaviour to anybody associated with their brand.

He claims it has strict polices to prohibit any such behaviour and takes swift action based on allegations.

Green has denied any wrongdoing.

Elsewhere on Wednesday, Tina was seen leaving the exclusive Dorchester hotel with a couple of friends and personal security for a walk around Mayfair.
The Florida manhunt for the 'rabid animal' ex-Marine who shot a deputy twice during a traffic stop Friday night intensified after the cop died from his wounds Sunday.

Patrick McDowell, 35, who was a Marine from 2005 to 2013, is likely armed and dangerous, officials said, as they scour a 3,000-acre area near Jacksonville after finding a flashlight and a hat they think belonged to McDowell.

'If you are in a home and he breaks in your home and you have a gun, blow him out the door. Because he's like a rabid animal. He will kill you,' said Nassau County Sheriff Bill Leeper said

'What he did to that deputy was uncalled for and was unnecessary and he needs to pay for it.'

A $54,000 reward is being offered by the Nassau County Sheriff's Office for the capture of McDowell.

Patrick McDowell, a 35-year-old former Marine, stole a car in Jacksonville, killed a deputy officer and wounded a K-9 police dog, police said

Deputy Joshua Moyers, 29, was shot in his face and back on midnight Friday after he stopped McDowell

A manhunt is being conducted by 300 law enforcement officers from local, state and federal agencies where McDowell is believed to be hiding in Callahan, near Jacksonville

The former Marine was driving a stolen car with a female passenger when he was pulled over by Joshua Moyers, 29, late Friday night, police officials said.

Leeper said that 'something' caught Moyers attention about McDowell's burgundy minivan so he decided to pull him over.

McDowell gave Moyers a fake name and did not present a driver's license. When Moyers ran a search on the plate, he found out it was registered to another vehicle.

'We found out later on that vehicle was stolen out of Jacksonville,' Leeper said. 'He didn't know that at the time.'

Moyers asked McDowell to get out of the car, but the former soldier shot the deputy twice, once under his right eye and once in the back.

Another deputy arrived moments later and found Moyers.

McDowell drove to a rural area near US 301 and Sandy Ford Road, where he abandoned the stolen car, the Nassau County Record reported.

Former marine and suspected murderer Patrick McDowell has shared disturbing content over the years. His posts often addressed his life in the marine and the fellow marines he had lost in battle.

According to The Northeast Florida Fusion Center, McDowell has a long criminal record. In 2019, he was charged with possession of cocaine but pleaded not guilty

He also shared a picture of an American flag in black and white with the phrase 'til Valhalla,' commonly used in the military as a cry for soldiers who have parted

The female passenger that was with him called 911. Cops did not give any further information about the passenger or whether she will be charged.

Police organizations, including the Fraternal Order of Police and the Florida Sheriff's Association, are offering more than $54,000 for information leading to McDowells arrest.

Weapons instructor Del Angelo, who trained McDowell when he worked as a security guard, said he is extremely dangerous and knows how to survive in the wild on his own.

'We just trained him basically for security response and how to use a handgun for self-defense or for protecting an area and he was very accomplished in his use of a handgun,'' Angelo told News4Jax.

Police shared close up pictures of McDowell's tattoos on Sunday. Across his shoulders, the ex-Marine has 'Death Before Dishonor' inked.

The Nassau County Sheriff's Office released photos of McDowell's tattoos on Sunday, including one across his shoulders that reads 'Death Before Dishonor'

McDowell, who was a Marine from 2005 to 2013, suffers from depression, seizures and PTSD, according to The Northeast Florida Fusion Center

Police organizations including the Fraternal Order of Police and the Florida Sheriff's Association are offering more than $50,000 for information

Another tattoo looks similar to the Marine Corps seal, with an eagle sitting on top of a globe and the words 'Semper Fidelis' - the Marine Corps motto which means 'Always Faithful' in Latin.

A K-9 police dog that was helping in the search was shot by McDowell at another traffic stop with what police believe was a rifle.

McDowell - who suffers from depression, seizures and PTSD, according to The Northeast Florida Fusion Center - has a long criminal record.

He's been arrested several times for driving with a suspended license, attaching a plate that does not belong to the vehicle, uttering forged bills, giving a false name to law enforcement officers and for aggravated possession of stolen guns, court record show.

The former marine and suspected murderer has shared disturbing content over the years. His posts often addressed his life in the marine and the fellow marines he had lost in battle.

He also shared a picture of an American flag in black and white with the phrase 'til Valhalla,' commonly used in the military as a cry for soldiers who have parted.

Moyers, who joined the Nassau County's Sheriff's Office in 2015 after receiving training at St. Johns River State College, is pictured with fiancee Ivy Carter

The couple got engaged in 2019 and were planning their wedding before he was killed

Before joining the Marines, McDowell was on probation after being arrested with drug paraphernalia in 1986.

Just in 2005, he was arrested for burglary, theft and property damage in at least two separate incidents in Saline County, Illinois, where his Facebook says he grew up.

In 2018, he stole from an elderly man and was sent to Veteran Treatment Court for a 179-day sentence.

More recently, in 2019, he was charged with possession of cocaine but pleaded not guilty. McDowell served as a US Marine from 2005 to 2009, and was in the reserve until 2013.

Moyers was remembered warmly by a member of the community who shared a time in which he helped her

Deputy Moyers' family will donate his organs so that 'his legacy of service to others will continue even in his death'

Moyers joined the Nassau County's Sheriff's Office in 2015 after receiving training at St. Johns River State College. He got engaged in 2019 to Ivy Carter and the pair were planning their wedding.

'Please keep Joshs family and fiance in your thoughts and prayers as we navigate this terrible tragedy,' Leeper wrote on Twitter.

Moyers was remembered warmly by a member of the community who shared a time in which he helped her.

'About 5 years ago I woke up around 2am to someone walking around on the front porch of our former house. I was home alone. 911 sent someone immediately and when I opened the door, it was you. I was immediately relieved,' DeeDee Johnson-Moore wrote on a Facebook post.

'You checked our property thoroughly and spent a few minutes talking to me to help calm me down. Anytime I saw you after that, you always assured me that I could call you any time someone wandered onto my porch,' she concluded.

McDowell's father Richard released a statement to give his condolences to the Moyers family

Deputy Moyers' family has decided to donate his organs so that 'his legacy of service to others will continue even in his death.'

In response to the death of Moyers, McDowell's father Richard gave his condolences to the Moyer family in a statement.

'I would like to express my deepest regrets to the family and friends of Deputy Moyers. I know that's a small consolation given what a good and decent man he was. If I could change what happened or trade places with him I would,' Richard McDowell said.

A funeral will be held for Moyers at the Callahan First Baptist Church on October 2.
The first pirates appeared in the 14th century when they attacked the ships of the Aegean and Mediterranean civilizations. Centuries later, historys most renowned and romanticized pirate, Edward Teachmore commonly known as Blackbeardsailed the Caribbean and became a legendary outlaw of the waves. Blackbeard was arguably the most terrifying pirate of all time. In the heat of battle, Blackbeard would tie lit fuses (slow matches) to his beard as he boarded an ill-fated vessel in blazing glory.

Seeking Cryptocurrency, Not Gold

However, as is often the case, the real history is even more interesting than the legends. Most pirates from time to time worked for European governments that could either not afford to build out capable navy fleets or simply wanted to maintain a farcical level of plausible deniability. Many of these pirates were more aptly described as privateers, and they were sponsored by countries through a letter of marque. Expressed more succinctly, these seaborn outlaws of lore who plundered the massive supply lines of commerce between the new and old worlds were in reality secret agents of national governments whose job it was to wreak havoc on opposing nations supply chains. For this, their payment was a percentage of the plunder that they could capture and unload in a safe location such as Nassau in The Bahamas.

Most European countries used this approach at some point. Ironically, the highly unnecessary Battle of New Orleans (the War of 1812 had concluded weeks before, but communication was slow in those days), which vaulted future president of the United States Andrew Jackson to national hero status, would not have been won by U.S. forces without the services of privateer Jean Lafitte. Anyone who doubts the importance of Lafittes actions should visit the National Historical Park and Preserve in Louisiana that proudly brandishes his name.

It is true that todays plunder is not gold, but cryptocurrency, and it wont be buried on a beach on a Caribbean island; instead it willl be protected by multinational banks using blockchain technology.

Modern-Day Privateers

But as we so often note, the more things change, the more they remain the same. Todays privateers do not wield deadly swords, but they are experts with keyboards. The modern-day privateers sail the information superhighway and seek out vulnerability in the supply chains of their targeted antagonistic states. The exposures are simple. They search for unqualified and untrained IT admins who fail to upgrade common software, weak passwords and the lack of multi-factor authentication, and, most significantly, critical infra-structure connected to the internet.

In a previous article, we emphasized that the best cybersecurity was concrete backed up by air, and we now reiterate that point. The tools of the cyber-pirate of 2021 include inexpensive, everyday software such as virtual private networks (VPNs) and secure browsers such as Tor that can obscure attackers IP addresses. Phishing attacks which lure the unsuspecting email user to inadvertently reveal various open and exposed paths to the entire environment are another favorite weapon of the cyber-pirate.

Unlike their historical ancestors who carried out their acts during a violent war, these pirates of the information superhighway hone their skills so that they can attack remotely when war is imminent or whenever else they wish. They can use these cyberskills to disrupt key infrastructure such as a gas pipeline, a hospital, or other critical facets of an ever-narrowing and fragile supply chain. While they do not carry letters of marque, we know many are state-sponsored. The evidence is overwhelming. In our article Data Securityand the Real Dragon in the Room, we asked the tough questions about the Marriott data breach: Who did it? What happened to the data? What do they plan to do with the data? In the case we highlighted, the data had already been absent from visibility for 4 years. If the cyber-pirates had all this data but yet not a single credit card number was sold on the dark web, why was it stolen? Only a government-sponsored cyberterrorist could or would gather information for years and not monetize it. This suggests that the modern-day cyberterrorist has the backing of nation states similar to their historical brethren.

The recent cyberattack in May 2021 forced a shutdown of a top U.S. pipeline operated by Colonial Pipeline. The New York Times reported the pipeline was 5,500 miles long and carried 45% of the East Coasts fuel supplies. It is believed that this act of cyberterrorism was perpetrated by a criminal group known as DarkSide. It is likely that this is a bunch of personally unintimidating neer-do-wells as opposed to the ominous physical presence posed by Blackbeard and his cohorts, but they are equally destructive. Longtime Russian president Vladimir Putin proclaimed recently in Geneva that most of the cybervillainy comes from and festers within the U.S. and he may very well have a valid point. But it is obvious that the state-sponsored actions against the U.S. are on the rise, and, unless the U.S. and other Western governments decide to reclaim the high ground of this ongoing cyberwar, more damage will be done. It is likely that at some point we will experience the cyber-equivalent to 9/11.

The Remedies for Cyberterrorism

The remedies are quite simple. First, all critical infrastructure should be removed from the physical internet. We have taken this position before, and we believe in that position today. All personnel working on critical infrastructure should be required to undergo background checks equivalent to government security clearances, and those same people should have certified expertise in information technology hygiene and security as well as in their specific area of expertise. Of course, this approach will be more expensivebut the $5 million paid by Colonial to unlock its system to start the flow of fuel from Texas to New York was a miniscule amount when considering the potential damage brooding on the horizon.

Whatever the reasons, the countries that host these cyberterrorists choose to look the other way, as they collect their cybercurrency plunder. And, in the absence of strong governmental action, cyber-pirates will continue to dominate global headlines.

Regardless of where they live or what bunker they hide within, they will project an ominous presence similar to Blackbeards blaze of glory. The ghostly apparition on the horizon may not be a ship flying the skull and crossbones but, in 2021, a plastic keyboard, an untraceable and comically fearsome moniker, and an internet connection may be equally menacing and deadly.
Skip to main navigation

Small Game Hunting

"Small game" includes upland and migratory game birds, small game mammals (e.g., squirrel, rabbit), furbearers (e.g., fox, coyote), and reptiles and amphibians. Game species may be taken only during their open seasons. Hunters taking wildlife on licensed shooting preserves must comply with regulations governing those shooting preserves.

To enhance the small game hunting experience, the DEC has several programs to either keep accurate counts of takes or raise and release species to increase hunting opportunity. Among the programs in place are required reporting of turkey take, Pheasant Release Program and Grouse and Woodcock Hunting Log.

Learn about DEC's Young Forest Initiative, which will dramatically increase young forest habitat for popular game species like American woodcock and ruffed grouse on Wildlife Management Areas.

Protected Wildlife

In New York State, nearly all species of wildlife are protected. Most species, including endangered species, songbirds, hawks and owls are fully protected and may not be taken. The few unprotected species include porcupine, red squirrel, woodchuck, English sparrow, starling, rock pigeon, and monk parakeet. Unprotected species may be taken at any time without limit. A hunting license is required to hunt unprotected wildlife with a bow, crossbow, or firearm.

General Small Game Regulations

You may not use a rifle or handgun to hunt pheasant or migratory game birds.

You may not take a turkey with a rifle, or with a handgun firing a bullet. You may hunt turkey with a shotgun or handgun only when using shot no larger than #2 and no smaller than #8.

Air guns may be used to hunt squirrels, rabbits, hares, ruffed grouse, and furbearers that may be hunted (e.g., raccoons and coyotes) and unprotected species. Air guns may not be used to hunt waterfowl, pheasant, wild turkey, or big game.

A bow or crossbow may be used to hunt small game. A crossbow may not be used in Westchester or Suffolk counties. See Crossbow Hunting for additional information.

See the General Hunting Regulations for additional information.

Reptiles and Amphibians

See Reptile and Amphibian Hunting Information

The closure of the diamondback terrapin season went into effect on May 1, 2018.

Falconry Seasons

Falconry is the sport of hunting small game species with trained raptors. A person must possess a valid Falconry License and a hunting license to hunt with raptors.

A licensed falconer may take small game species from October 1 through March 31 in any area of the state open to hunting these species EXCEPT:

Waterfowl may also be taken during a specific period outside the firearms hunting season but within the Federal waterfowl season framework (see details in the Waterfowl Hunting Guide).

Common crow may only be taken during the open firearms season.

Note: A licensed falconer may take both male and female pheasants anywhere in the State when hunting under a Falconry License.

For more information on Falconry contact the DEC Special Licenses Unit, 625 Broadway, Albany, NY 12233-4752 or call (518) 402-8985.

Wildlife Taken Outside the State

Legally imported game may be possessed and transported at any time.

Game birds and animals (except migratory game birds) legally taken outside the State may be imported in any manner, except by parcel post, in the number which may be legally exported from the place of taking as follows:

During their respective open seasons in this State by the taker without license or permit.

During the closed season in this State, provided the taker first obtains an importation license from a DEC regional office.

See Furbearer Hunting section for details.

Possession & Release of Game Birds

It is illegal to possess or release migratory game birds and upland game birds without the proper license(s) from DEC. Furthermore, permission of the landowner/land manager must be obtained prior to the release of birds to the wild.

"Migratory Game Birds" include waterfowl (ducks, geese, brant, swans), shorebirds (woodcock, snipe, plover, surfbirds, sandpipers, tattlers, curlews), corvids (jays, crows, magpies), and rails, coots, mud hens and gallinules. "Upland Game birds" include wild turkeys, grouse, pheasant, Hungarian or European gray-legged partridge, and quail.

Captive-reared wild turkeys, swans, and Canada geese may not be released at any time. Pigeons are not considered game birds and may not be released at any time.

Cooperators who obtain pheasants from DEC through the "Day-Old Chick" and "Young Pheasant Release" programs are covered by the terms of their agreement with the DEC. These birds must be released on lands open to hunting by the public.

Before you take possession of any game birds, please contact DEC's Special Licenses Unit, 625 Broadway, Albany, NY 12233-4752 or call (518) 402-8985.

Use of Hunting Dogs

Dogs may be used to hunt small game, except:

You may not use dogs to hunt wild turkey in the spring.

In the Northern Zone, if you are hunting with a dog, or accompanied by a dog, you may not possess a rifle larger than .22 caliber rim-fire or possess a shotgun loaded with slug, ball or buckshot unless you are coyote hunting with a dog.

Crossbows may not be used while hunting with a dog for any small game (except for coyotes) in the Northern Zone.

Training - You may train dogs on raccoon, fox, coyote, and bobcat from July 1 through April 15. You may train dogs on other small game only from August 15 through April 15.

You may train dogs at any time on lands you own, lease, or have written permission to use, if you are not training on wildgame. You may only use blank ammunition when training dogs, except during an open season.

Control - Hunting dogs should remain under control of the hunter or trainer, especially on lands inhabited by deer. Do not shoot at dogs; report stray dogs to a local Environmental Conservation Officer or your local animal control officer.





More about Small Game Hunting:
Cinema is a mass medium that has a powerful effect on society  both positive and negative. While instances of people drawing inspiration from films to commit crimes in real life have been often reported, there are some films that motivate and bring about positive changes too. Jyotikas Ponmagal Vandhal (2020) belongs to the latter category.

Jyotika had resolved to choose scripts in her second innings that speak up for various causes. PV, a crime thriller and a courtroom drama in which she plays a feisty lawyer, is based on the theme of child abuse and rape.

The actress, who joined social media recently, has shared an uplifting post about a minor girl from Chennai, who, after watching Ponmagal Vandhal, opened up to her mother and exposed her uncle who had been sexually abusing her.

Reportedly, the girl who had remained silent till then, was inspired by a moving scene in Ponmagal Vandhal which conveys the important message that children should not hide anything from their parents, and disclosed what she was being subjected to.

After the girls parents lodged a police complaint, the Madras High Court sentenced the 48-year-old man to five years of imprisonment.

Jyotika, who wrote a motivational message urging women to speak up, captioned her post Shatter that silence! Each time a woman stands up for herself, unknowingly she stands up for all women.
With the 202123 elections of the Movie Artists Association (MAA) set for 10 October, actor and filmmaker Vishnu Manchu was expected to be unanimously elected as President, MAA. But quite like the twists in movie scripts, actor Prakash Raj declared his candidature for the post, too. With that, now Tollywood seems to be standing divided.

Excerpts from an interview:

QWhat is your election manifesto?

I can talk about my manifesto only after my nomination is in, which is on Wednesday. But my agenda is going to be mostly on securing the future of the senior actors, getting life insurance for every member, etc.

Were one of the most influential bodies of actors association in both the Telugu states and the unofficial ambassadors of Telugu culture across the world, connecting Telugus around the world to their roots and Telugu culture through our films.

We actors are just as we were 100 years ago. We head to the sets in the morning  wear our makeup, play our part, get done with the shoot for the day, take off the clothes we wore on set and return it to the production, get back home and sleep. But whos going to take care of our fellow actors?

QWhy do you want to become MAA president?

I believe there is nobody else better than me to do this.

When I was asked to be the associations president, I was also told Id be unanimously elected, just as it was three terms ago with the MAA elections, which had started only 6 years ago. They told me they wanted to bring back the old glory and to show that were all one family. I was told I was wanted as president especially because I represented this generation of actors as well as I get along well with everyone in the older generation. I could build a bridge between both the generations and take it forward energetically. So I said okay because when the familys elders ask something of you, you do nothing but act on it. But suddenly it all stands divided. And once Ive put in my candidature I cant go back on my word.

QBut everyone has a right to throw their names in, right?

Of course, they do. In fact, there were a few who wanted to contest for the president post although ultimately there are only 2 of us now. What happened to the rest of them? It is one big family  the Movie Artist Association  and I just think it couldve been done amicably so that it wouldnt have ruptured into media circles.

QWhat change do you want to bring about?

Its more about the challenges we face today. After 25 years of MAAs existence, I feel it needs young blood and a new energy force, both of which I think I qualify for. I can take care of our elders as well as the future of hundreds of fellow actors. Id become an elderly some day and Id like the younger generation to look after me too. So what I am offering is not a promise but more a responsibility of mine.

QAccording to reports, your father Mohan Babus close friend Chiranjeevi did not wish to support you?

Anything between Dad and Uncle Chiranjeevi, I always refrain from answering. Simply because they are very good friends and if theres anything to do with both of them, theyd be the right ones to answer  not me. They share a lovehate relationship. Thats an open secret.

QHas this episode shown you who your true friends in the film fraternity are?

Yes. Whats worse, the entire film fraternity is, unfortunately, divided now. Half of them are scared. They say, Our vote is for you. But we wont be able to come out in the open and support. We dont want to rupture any friendships by coming out in the open by voting for you.

But the fact is that all I need is their vote; I dont need them to campaign for me!

QWill it be awkward now meeting Chiranjeevi and Ram Charan socially?

Never! Im like a son to uncle Chiru. I was born in front of him. I used to loiter on the sets when he was acting. We are just kids to these huge, legendary people we respect.

QWho are you most disappointed by? And who are your biggest supporters?

My family, my friends and my fellow actors and co-stars have been my biggest supporters, as also all the lead stars from my generation. And while I dont wish to take names, Ive had even the top stars of Tollywood extend their support to me, asking me to go ahead. Unfortunately, though, it has now come up to this state.

QIs it true that Tollywood bigwigs take a stand and the lesser known just follow them?

I agree and think it is true 99% of the time. Especially this time, its a rare case for MAA elections, where everybody is not on the same platform.

QHow confident are you about the results?

(Laughs out loud) I am going to win; there are no two ways about it.

QYour dads advice?

Dad has advised me to always be true to who Im, not to get hurt by what people might say. He has told me to do whatever it is I believe in and to stay original, and thats what Im.

QHow do you take on social-media comments like Dont spend money when you know you wont win?

Firstly, there is no money being spent in this election. Secondly, I dont read the comments on social media. If anyone really wishes to comment, they should leave their names and address  that would be a logical and ethical thing to do. But these people are veiled behind the Internet as they write! I dont take any of the social-mafia comments seriously.

QIn the panel you announced recently, theres a generation gap between all the members! How will you handle them?

I requested them to join because I need their experience. Babu Mohan was a politician and has a clean chit. Raghu Babu works very hard and is a peoples person. Siva Balaji is yet another very hard working person. Hed also done a phenomenal job in the earlier term, and thats why I requested him on board.

I need their experience to implement our ideas. They all know what my dream is and what agenda we have lined up.
A recent report in The Sun USA spoke of how the super-rich  Kim Jong-un, Vladimir Putin, Steven Seagal, Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk, etc.  are investing in projects to reverse ageing.

While Bezos is reportedly funding research to regenerate cells and slow the ageing process, Musk believes humans can store our minds in a computer or robot one day.

North Korea reportedly has a Longevity Center setup by Kim Il-sung. Bezos as well as Russian Israeli billionaire Yuri Milner are investors in the Silicon Valley firm Altos Labs, which is working on anti-ageing research and biological reprogramming.

Awareness of healthy ageing is becoming increasingly popular around the world. Methylation patterns of our DNA give an idea of the ageing and disease-related resilience of our body. Hence, targeting an alteration of this DNA methylation may be one of the methods to halt or even reverse ageing.

Dr Sanjith Saseedharan, Consultant & Head Critical Care, Fortis SL Raheja Hospital, Mumbai, believes this could be possible at least experimentally with specific food supplements and phytonutrients. Preliminary human experimental data suggest that thymus (a tissue that produces immune cells in our body) regeneration by combining some antidiabetic medicines and growth hormones, may also help reverse ageing, he says.

Reversing the biological clock

Ageing begins after birth and to achieve extended healthy lifespan or slow down the ageing process, interventions must begin from a younger age. All interventions that promote extending healthy lifespan positively influence pro-ageing pathways.

Dr Prasad Kasturi, Assistant Professor, School of Basic Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Mandi, tells us that limiting food intake in any form such as caloric restriction, alternate day fasting or intermittent fasting have proven health benefits with potential to lifespan extension. Age-related deterioration of the biological clock can also be reversed by these methods. Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) is a co-factor essential for biological processes. NAD levels naturally decline with age. Increasing its levels may result in reversing the biological clock and delaying ageing. Resveratrol, which has been shown to have lifespan extending properties, and is available from red grapes, red wine, peanuts and berries, also required optimal levels of NAD to be effective, says.

Eating right

Food as medicine has been advocated since ages. Irregular food habits and sleeping patterns that are misaligned with the biological clock result in its disruption, which in turn accelerate ageing and age-related diseases.

Urolithin A (UA) is a natural compound produced by gut bacteria from ingested foods such as pomegranate, berries, and nuts. UA offers health benefits for ageing and associated diseases. Foods rich in probiotics and polyphenols (such as yogurt, berries, nuts and green tea) are particularly helpful in maintaining healthy metabolism.

Dr Neetika Modi, Director, Studio Aesthetique, says, For now, instead of the quest for immortality, lets think of living healthily and disease-free. We can slow down ageing by eating fruits and vegetables. There are 20,000 different vital nutrients in fruits and vegetables and each fights ageing-related damages. Muscles stay stronger with great protein intake, so aim to get at least 2530 g per meal. Do strength-training and aerobics or walk, run or bike  whatever you enjoy  for 40 minutes, 4 times a week.

The balancing act

Most treatments we do to manage the ageing process are purely cosmetic, which dent the pocket. Hence, it automatically excludes a large portion of the population. However, Sumir Nagar, Motivational Speaker, SumirTheSeeker, sees a positive in the situation. Where essential, such treatments will have positive outcomes and help people with disfigurement, etc. Looking good and presentable are great for ones self confidence, so nothing wrong with that, provided its used when essential and wise. All technologies and processes available to repair damaged bodies and organs for valid reasons are good and must be made available, but only when theres no other option, he says.

The yoga angle

According to the vitality theory of nature cure, weve been provided with a fixed quantum of life energy (prana), determined at the time of our conception. Ankur Bhatia, Co-founder, Wellcure & Certified Yoga Expert, Bihar School of Yoga, asserts that yogic practices are inherently designed to slow down metabolism. Yogic postures like inversion and forward-bend slow down the over-activity of adrenals, he explains. A slightly different perspective in yoga includes texts pointing out that age has been determined by breaths, not years. So by slowing down the breath, one can extend ones age.

Sadly, though, people damage cells through basic activities and mental work of daily life and consume so much energy that they lose the ability of cell restoration. Through practices of yoga (and practices of stillness), its possible to control the brain pathways.

According to Advait Yogbhushan, yogi, sacred science teacher and founder of A Himalayan Yogi Institutes, the simple thing is to understand the techniques to analyse and distribute prana within the body by using asanas, pranayama, and dhyana as a medium. You can even control the brain pathways, which can unblock the hijacked amygdala due to unhealthy lifestyle and energy loss. You can nourish the pineal, pituitary and hypothalamus simultaneously.

Tips

* Both physical and mental exercises promote health span

* Do regular physical exercises and learn new things

* Practice meditation, which is associated with reduced respiratory rate and may help in reducing psychological stress

* The quality of our surroundings where we live and perform our daily activities (both indoor/outdoor) greatly influences our health and longevity

* Socially connected and mentally wellbeing people are healthier and live longer than those who are depressed and isolated
New Delhi: Hospitals and hospitality work in tandem, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday, adding that places with more vaccination and better healthcare infrastructure will attract more tourists, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Addressing the launch event of the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission, the Prime Minister said in order to make tourists feel safe, tourism-dependent States and UTs like Himachal Pradesh, Andaman and Nicobar vaccinated the resident population at a fast pace.

"Hospitals and hospitality work in tandem. Today is also World Tourism Day, integrated health infra's positive impact reflects on tourism, especially after COVID. More vaccination means more tourists, which is why vaccination in Himachal Pradesh, Andaman and Nicobar is at pace," he said.

Speaking on the occasion, the Prime Minister also expressed gratitude to all doctors, nurses, the medical staff of the nation, for their efforts in the vaccination drive or treatment of COVID patients.

The Prime Minister said in order to improve healthcare services in India, it is very important that the medical services of the villages should be improved.

"Today the network related to primary health care is being strengthened in the village and near the house. So far 80,000 such centres have been made operational. Unprecedented reforms are also taking place in medical education to transform India's health sector. Today more doctors and paramedical manpower are being prepared in the country than before in 7-8 years," he said.

He said that along with a better medical system, it is also necessary that the poor and middle class spend the least on medicines.

"Therefore, the Central government has kept essential medicines, and equipment required for surgery, and dialysis cheap. Incentives have been given to use the best generic drugs made in India for maximum use in treatment. More than 8,000 Jan Aushadhi Kendras have given great relief to the poor and middle class," he stated.

The Prime Minister noted that Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission will now connect the digital health solutions of hospitals across the country.

He noted that Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission will play a big role in eliminating problems in the medical treatment of the poor and middle class.
Farmers gather at the protest venue in Gazipur Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border during a nationwide strike called by the farmers as they continue to protest against the central government's agricultural reforms in Ghaziabad on September 27, 2021. (AFP)

New Delhi: Traffic movement in Delhi and neighbouring states were hit on Monday as farmers blocked roads and national highways as part of a Bharat Bandh today.

Traffic movement at the Ghazipur border was affected and the Delhi Traffic Police closed vehicular movement on the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh Ghazipur border for both carriageways.

Massive traffic snarl was seen at Gurugram-Delhi border as vehicles entering the national capital were being checked by Delhi Police and paramilitary jawans. The Delhi Noida Direct (DND) flyway also witnessed massive traffic congestion.

Delhi Traffic Police issued a traffic alert on Twitter urging people to avoid Delhi to Uttar Pradesh Ghazipur border stretch.

"Gazipur border is closed for traffic from both sides due to farmers' protests via NH 9 and NH 24. Commuters wishing to commute to and from UP may use DND, Vikas Marg, Signature bridge, Wazirabad road etc. The traffic of NH 24 and NH 9 are diverted on Road no 56 to take Maharajpur border, Apsara and Bhopura borders for UP," the Delhi Traffic Police tweeted.

Traffic movement was also closed on the Dhansa Border for both carriageways.

The Delhi Police has also closed all the routes leading to the Red Fort in the national capital and barricades were placed on the road as a precautionary measure.

Samyukt Kisan Morcha, a coalition of farmers' unions, has called for a nationwide Bharat Bandh today to mark the first anniversary of the enactment of the three farm laws.

The bandh has garnered support from more than 500 farmer organizations, 15 trade unions, political parties, six state governments and varied sections of society.

State governments of Tamil Nadu, Chhattisgarh, Kerala, Punjab, Jharkhand and Andhra Pradesh have extended their support to the Bharat Bandh protest.

Farmers have been protesting at different sites since November 26 last year against the three enacted farm laws: Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; the Farmers Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and farm Services Act 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.

Farmer leaders and the Centre have held several rounds of talks but the impasse remains.
Members of CPI(M) New Democracy staging protest at Koti Chowrastha in support of Bharat Bandh. (DC Image)

Hyderabad: Activists of the Congress, Left parties, TDP and others on Monday held protests at various places in Telangana in support of the Bharat Bandh called by farmers unions to protest against the Centre's three agri laws.

Raising slogans against the NDA government at the Centre and TRS government in Telangana, the opposition activists organised protests outside bus stations at different places in the state to prevent the buses from plying.

Protests were held in the districts of Vanaparthi, Nalgonda, Nagarkurnool, Adilabad, Rajanna-Sircilla, Vikarabad and others.

Former Congress MLA Rammohan Reddy, along with leaders of other opposition parties, held a protest at Parigi near here.

The opposition activists slammed the NDA government over the three agri laws, attempts to "sell off" PSUs and rising fuel prices.

Saying that the ruling parties in Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Kerala extended cooperation to the bandh, state Congress vice-president Mallu Ravi hit out at the TRS government for allegedly taking the opposition workers into custody at different places when they sought to organise protests.

This action by police shows that the TRS and BJP have a tacit understanding, he claimed.

RTC sources said the bandh had no major impact on bus services in the morning hours.
Srinagar: India and Pakistan troops are reported to have exchanged fire briefly along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jam-mu and Kashmirs Kupwara district.

This is the first violation along the Kashmir Valley section of the de facto border since February this year when Indias Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) Lt. Gen. Paramjit Singh San-gha and his Pakistani counterpart Major General Nau-man Zakaria had agreed that the two armies will observe a ceasefire along the borders in Kashmir.

Indian Army sources said that Pakistani troops fired a rocket-propelled grenade launchers (RPGL), 60 mm mortar shells, PIKA and heavy machine guns on Indian positions.

The firing started at around 7.15 am and continued for about 10 minutes but without causing any loss of life or damage, the sources said. They added that the Indian Army responded in equivalent measure. However, a Srinagar-based defence spokesperson said he had no knowledge of any ceasefire violation on the LoC.

Pakistan too is silent on the reported incident.

Lieutenant General Devendra Pratap Pandey, General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the Army's Srinagar-based 15 Corps or Chinar Corps, had earlier this week said that there has been no major ceasefire violation along the LoC after the renewal of the November 2003 ceasefire agreement with Pakistan in February.

As far as the ceasefire violations, there have been none. At least in the Kashmir Valley, there have been zero (such occurrences), he had said, adding Yet were fully prepared for ceasefire violations. If anything happens, were all set to respond appropriately. But frankly speaking, there has been no instigation from across the border (since last week of February).

The Indian Army had, however, after killing three infiltrators in LoCs Uri sector on Thursday, alleged, There has been a spurt in infiltration activities in the recent past and the present infiltration bid comes close on the heels of a similar attempt in the Uri sector a few days back. It is difficult to believe that the infiltration by such a heavily armed group, can take place without the connivance of local Pakistan military commanders.

It had added, Current violence levels in the Kashmir Valley are low. The infiltration bid indicates Pakistans desperate attempt to sustain cross border terrorism and bring in weapons to orchestrate violent incidents in the Valley.

The reported ceasefire violation in Teetwal comes a day after Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, while speaking at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), said, Last February, we reaffirmed the 2003 ceasefire understanding along the Line of Control. The hope was that it would lead to a rethink of the strategy in New Delhi. Sadly, the BJP government has intensified repression in Kashmir and continues to vitiate the environment by these barbaric acts.
Bommai said the former Chief Minister was "frustrated" and his statement was not befitting to the position he has held in the past. (Photo: PTI/File)

Hubballi: Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Monday called Congress a party of 'gulamagiri' (slavery), as he hit back at Leader of Opposition Siddaramaiah for his statement "BJP are "Talibanis".

He said the former Chief Minister was "frustrated" and his statement was not befitting to the position he has held in the past.

"It (Congress) is a party of 'gulamagiri' (slavery), so they see patriotism also in a different way. Ours is a party of patriotism, they are party of gulamagiri," Bommai said in response to a question on Siddaramaiah's statement.

Speaking to reporters here, he said, because of the Macaulay's education policy adopted by the Congress during their rule, India was deprived of opportunities to compete at the global level.

"Now Narendra Modi (as Prime Minister) has brought in a new education policy ensuring revolutionary changes in the education system that can take our children, especially those from rural areas, into the 21st century knowledge era, but they (Congress) are finding faults in that too," he added.

Siddaramaiah on Sunday had alleged that "BJP are "Talibanis" and also claimed that it's actually the RSS which is running the administration in Karnataka.

Speaking at in event in Bengaluru, he had said, "RSS and BJP are from Hitler's 'vamsha' (genealogy). BJP are Talibanis. Be careful about them."

Reacting to this, Bommai said looking at Siddaramaiah's statement it comes across that he is "frustrated".

"He (Siddaramaiah) is a former Chief Minister, the way he spoke is not befitting to the position he has held in the past," he added.
Hyderabad: Opposition parties will observe Bharat Bandh on September 27 across the state in protest against the alleged anti-people policies of the BJP and TRS governments at the Centre and the state.

The Congress will lead the bandh on Monday; TPCC president A. Revanth Reddy will participate in bandh at Uppal crossroads.

In a joint statement, Revanth Reddy, working president B. Mahesh Kumar Goud and senior vice-president Mallu Ravi said that people should make the bandh a success. In response to a call given by All India Congress Committee (AICC), Opposition parties will observe bandh in state capital Hyderabad and all 33 districts.

District Congress presidents, Assembly constituency in-charges, working presidents and senior vice-presidents were asked to camp at their respective districts and make a success of the Bharat Bandh. TPCC leaders said that Opposition parties will submit memorandums to the collectors on September 30.

Opposition parties urged traders, educational institutions, hotels and fuel stations to observe the bandh on Monday. On the other hand, police have made tight security arrangements. Large police forces will be deployed in all strategic places across the state, police sources said.
Telangana Chief Minister KCR at the high-level meeting chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah with Chief Ministers of 10 Naxal-hit states at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi on Sunday, 26 Sep 2021. (DC photo)

Hyderabad: Telangana state Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao on Sunday stressed the need for better coordination between the Centre and Maoist-affected states in view of Intelligence inputs suggesting that the outlawed group was attempting to regroup in regions from where it had been sent packing.

Chandrashekar Rao was speaking at the conference of Chief Ministers of Maoist-affected states convened by Union home minister Amit Shah in New Delhi to discuss left-wing extremism.

Sources told this newspaper that Chandrashekar Rao suggested that a high-level committee be formed with the Directors-General of Police of all Maoist-affected states, the Intelligence Bureau director and central agencies concerned, for constant exchange of intelligence inputs.

Amit Shah cautioned the states against rehabilitated Maoists turning spies and working against the state agencies. He wanted the states to thoroughly scrutinise the requests of Maoists for rehabilitation.

Sources said the Chief Minister was very articulate in presenting the ground realities and asked the Centre to coordinate with the states more effectively and not limit itself to making passing remarks on controlling the threat. Sharing of information should not be casual, he said and added that the high-level committee was needed for better coordination.

The Chief Minister listed various initiatives of the TS government which had helped control extremist activities. He, however, indicated that the outlawed groups operating from Chhattisgarh had been attempting to regroup, and wanted the Centre to step up vigil and deploy forces wherever required.

Chandrashekar Rao also wanted the Centre to bear the entire cost of infrastructure development in Maoist-affected areas, relieving the states of the burden of bearing 40 per cent cost.

Sources said Andhra Pradesh home minister M, Sucharita, who was representing Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, demanded that the Centre restore the powers of states to accord forest clearances for plots less than five hectares.

While the clearance power was vested with the states before December last year, the Centre usurped these powers. She is said to have referred to delay in obtaining clearances for development projects.

The Andhra Pradesh home minister wanted the Centre to waive the burden of deploying Central forces in the Maoist-affeced states. She said the number of Maoist-hit districts in the state had come down to five to two, and the number of extremists had fallen below 50.

The development initiatives of the Jagan Mohan Reddy government had been yielding the desired results, she said and urged the Centre to increase number of residential schools for tribals.

Chief Secretaries states Adityanath Das and Somesh Kumar, and DGPs Gowtham Sawang and M. Mahendar Reddy were also present.
New Delhi: With an eye on the upcoming crucial Assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh, the BJP on Sunday tried to fine-tune its caste arithmetic and regional balance in the Yogi Adityanath-led government with a Cabinet expansion as the poll results will have an impact on the 2024 Lok Sabha polls and also the Assembly polls in several states before it.

With less than five months remaining of the current state Assembly, the BJP top brass, which emphasises on the development plank for its electoral gains, had to adjust caste calculations to send a positive message to brahmins, non-Yadav OBCs and non-Jatav dalits, who have been backing the ruling party since 2014. The party had won three fourth of the total 403 Assembly seats in 2017, with the SP, BSP and Congress facing crushing defeat.

Seven new ministers  one Cabinet and six minister of state  took oath of office in Lucknow, with former Union minister Jitin Prasada, once considered close to Congress former president Rahul Gandhi, getting the Cabinet berth in the Yogi Adityanath government. In UP, where brahmins, who are around 12 per cent of the total population and are perceived to be feeling neglected under Yogi Adityanath, the BJP top brass feels brahmin face Prasadas inclusion in the government will send a positive message to the community and will also help in placating them.

With nearly 42-45 per cent OBCs, the BJPs main focus has been on non-Yadav, and non-Jatav dalits. Dalits account for 20-22 per cent of the total population. While Yadavs are considered SPs vote bank, Jatavs are Mayawati-led BSPs core vote bank. However, both the regional parties have been aggressively wooing the brahmins this time, knowing well that the BJP will play up the Ram Mandir issue during campaigning, which can sway the influential brahmins and the Hindu vote bank. Other than the brahmin leader, three OBC, two SC and one ST leader were included in the Yogi Adityanath team. Two new ministers  Dharamvir Prajapati (OBC) and Dinesh Khatik (SC) are close to the RSS. Sanjiv Gond (ST), Chattrapal Ganvaar (OBC), Sangita Balwant Bind (OBC) and Paltu Ram(SC) were also administered oath of office by governor Anandiben Patel. The BJP top brass had been holding consultations and deliberations on whether or not to go in for Cabinet reshuffle since May this year and the CM had visited the national capital to meet the party top brass a couple of times.

After forming the first BJP government in UP after 14 year on March 19, 2017, the first expansion had taken place on August 22, 2019 when six ministers with Independent charge were administered the oath of Cabinet.
By Shruti Srivastava and Miaojung Lin,

India and Taiwan are in talks on an agreement that could bring chip manufacturing to South Asia along with tariff reductions on components for producing semiconductors by the end of the year, people familiar with the matter said, a move that may spark fresh tensions with China.

Officials in New Delhi and Taipei have met in recent weeks to discuss a deal that would bring a chip plant worth an estimated $7.5 billion to India to supply everything from 5G devices to electric cars, the people said. India is currently studying possible locations with adequate land, water and manpower, while saying it would provide financial support of 50% of capital expenditure from 2023 as well as tax breaks and other incentives, the people said.

Officials in Taipei wanted quick progress on a bilateral investment agreement that would include tariff reductions on dozens of products used to make semiconductors -- a precursor to a broader trade deal also under consideration, the people said.

The people asked not to be identified to discuss negotiations that were currently ongoing. The Office of Trade Negotiations under Taiwans cabinet declined to comment, while a spokesperson for Indias trade ministry didnt immediately respond to a text message.

Read | Worldwide semiconductor market to grow by 17.3% in 2021: IDC

The trade talks come at a time when democracies across the world are boosting economic and military links to stand up against an increasingly assertive China. While Taiwan has long sought a trade deal with India, officials in New Delhi had been hesitant to anger Beijing, which claims the island democracy as its territory.

The discussions have accelerated in recent weeks as US President Joe Biden seeks to shore up supplies of chips, strengthen supply chains among democracies and improve military capabilities in the region. On Friday, hell host Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with the leaders of Australia and Japan as part of the Quad meeting, a group that is countering Chinas influence.

India has also taken a bolder stance against China since a protracted border standoff following violent clashes in 2020 in which at least 20 Indian and four Chinese soldiers were killed.

While India and Taiwan are laying the groundwork to discuss a comprehensive trade deal covering goods, services and investments, officials in Taipei are seeking to revise the investment deal to show some early progress.

Read | Intel lays out roadmap to catch foundry rivals by 2025

India has sought to lure high-technology investments as it seeks to become more self-reliant on chips, while Taiwan wants to strengthen its diplomatic presence around the globe as it pushes back against the pressure from China. Beijing has vowed to work toward unifying the island democracy with the mainland, even by force if necessary.

Chip shortages have delayed the much-anticipated launch of a smartphone by billionaire Mukesh Ambanis Reliance Industries Ltd. that has been co-engineered with Google. Currently India imports almost all semiconductors to meet demand estimated to reach around $100 billion by 2025 from about $24 billion now.

Taiwan has welcomed cooperation between the two sides on semiconductors although it is still evaluating the proposal given a lack of ecosystem for setting up a chip fabrication plant in India, people familiar with the matter said. The Taiwan side has flagged concerns on the supply of water and electricity, and suggested that it may be more feasible for India to start creating a chip design sector first before proceeding to building fabs, according to one of the people.

India and Taiwan in 2018 signed a bilateral investment agreement to promote investment flows and expand economic ties between the two nations. Trade between them stood at $5.6 billion in the fiscal year ended March, according to Indias trade ministry.

--With assistance from Debby Wu.

Watch latest videos by DH here:
Covid-19 deaths from the brutal second wave and beyond in Bengaluru that were not made public by the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) are now slowly making it to official bulletins, creating problems for the civic body.

As per the official Covid-19 bulletin for September 24, Bengaluru Urbans active caseload was 7,440. However, data released by the BBMP on the same day put the active caseload number at only 4,223.

This left a balance of over 2,667 active cases which, a source in the municipal body said, were a mix of cases that have never been officially discharged and a large number of backlog deaths not yet made public.

During and in the wake of the second wave, some deaths were not made public because the daily death toll disclosures within the city were already in triple digits. Consequently, some deaths were sent into a backlog that kept growing, said the source.

According to the source, the backlog was created without the knowledge of some senior officers in the BBMP.

The situation has now created difficulties for the BBMP, which not only faces the task of making public scores of old deaths but also because the backlog has pushed the citys Case Fatality Rate (CFR) to 1.81%.

Sources said the citys actual CFR is around 0.70%.

Special Commissioner (Health) D Randeep, BBMP, said that the city is now working to ensure that the backlog is cleared. We are being transparent in disclosing the deaths but for transparency to be sustained, there should not be a delay in the reporting of deaths by private hospitals, he said.

As per a DH analysis of the states Covid-19 bulletin, which originates from the Department of Health and Family Welfare, this disclosure of backlog fatalities has accelerated since September 12.

Also read: Karnataka reports 775 new Covid-19 cases, 9 deaths

An audit by the BBMP War Room found that out of 124 Covid-19 deaths disclosed in the official Covid-19 bulletin up to last week, 76 were deaths that had actually happened in previous months. Some of the fatalities had happened 100 days ago.

Additionally, of the 50 deaths disclosed in the state Covid-19 bulletin over the last seven days, 39 were backlog deaths, one death had happened in June, 18 in July and nine in August.

Private Hospitals and Nursing Homes Association rejected the accusation that there is a delay in reporting deaths.

There is no way for private hospitals to not report these fatalities to the BBMP on the day they happen, said PHANA president Dr Prasanna H M. This is because the bodies are also handed over to municipal officials for conveyance to the crematorium or cemetery.

There is a delay of not more than five to six hours before the BBMP is notified of these Covid-19 deaths, he added.

Check out latest videos from DH:
Posted on bandobast duty to ensure law and order during Bharat Bandh, Bengaluru Police North Division DCP Dharmendra Kumar Meena was run over by a SUV and the DCP suffered injuries to his leg.

Preventing the protesting farmers from entering the city, DCP Meena and his team of police personnel were posted at the Goragunte Palya junction on Tumakuru Road. A SUV belonging to protestors arrived at the spot and the DCP, his officials tried to stop the vehicle.

Check live updates on Bharat Bandh

However, the driver of the SUV drove the vehicle over Meena. The DCP suffered minor injuries to his left leg and was moved away by other police personnel. He was immediately given first-aid. Meena sat aside for a few minutes and later resumed the bandobast duty.

The traffic cops have seized the vehicle and detained the driver for further interrogation.

Check DH latest videos here:
Steve Glaser was in sleeper car No. 730 on Saturday, watching The Great British Baking Show on his cellphone and looking forward to the moment his Amtrak train would leave the flat prairie of central Montana for the high mountain passes of Glacier National Park, when the train jerked violently. Instantly, he realized it had derailed.

If it stays upright, he thought to himself, Im OK.

His car did, but others toppled over, sending passengers flying through the cars. When the train, which also included two locomotives, came to a stop, Glaser, 66, and another passenger worked together to pry open a window. He grabbed his briefcase and stepped outside to find train cars strewn along the track and other passengers injured.

Read more: At least 3 dead, 50 hurt after Amtrak passenger train derails in Montana

Eight of 10 passenger cars had jumped off the tracks when the train carrying 145 passengers and 13 crew members derailed near Joplin, Montana, killing three people and injuring dozens more. As of Sunday afternoon, five people from the crash remained hospitalized at Benefis Health System in Great Falls, all in stable condition.

Officials have not released any information on what they suspect caused the train to derail as it was traveling though an apparently flat and straight section of the route. The wreck is under investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board.

The single largest cause of derailments and accidents are what are called human factors, said Allan Zarembski, director of the Railroad Engineering and Safety Program at the University of Delaware.

But in this case, he said, the human factors that might cause an accident like this didnt appear to be present. More than likely, something broke.

Excluding human error, he said, most wrecks are caused by faulty equipment  maybe a wheel or an axle, or the track itself.

The train derailed on tracks owned and maintained by BNSF Railway Co., a freight railroad. A BNSF spokesperson, Matt Brown, said Sunday that the section of track where the train derailed was last inspected on September. 23.
BP said nearly a third of its British petrol stations had run out of the two main grades of fuel on Sunday as panic buying forced the government to suspend competition laws and allow firms to work together to ease shortages.

Lines of vehicles formed at petrol stations for a third day running as motorists waited, some for hours, to fill up with fuel after oil firms reported a lack of drivers was causing transport problems from refineries to forecourts.

Some operators have had to ration supplies and others to close gas stations.

"With the intense demand seen over the past two days, we estimate that around 30% of sites in this network do not currently have either of the main grades of fuel," BP, which operates 1,200 sites in Britain, said in statement.

"We are working to resupply as rapidly as possible."

Also read: British PM to consider using army to supply fuel stations

The fuel panic comes as Britain faces several crises: an international gas price surge that is forcing energy firms out of business, a related shortage of carbon dioxide that threatens to derail meat production, and a shortage of truck drivers that is playing havoc with retailers and leaving some shelves bare.

Anglo-Dutch oil group Shell said that it had also seen increased demand for fuel.

In response business minister Kwasi Kwarteng said he was suspending competition laws to allow firms to share information and coordinate their response.

"This step will allow government to work constructively with fuel producers, suppliers, hauliers and retailers to ensure that disruption is minimised as far as possible," the business department said in a statement.

Transport minister Grant Shapps had earlier appealed for calm, saying the shortages were purely caused by panic buying, and that the situation would eventually resolve itself because fuel could not be stockpiled.

"There's plenty of fuel, there's no shortage of the fuel within the country," Shapps told Sky News.

"So the most important thing is actually that people carry on as they normally would and fill up their cars when they normally would, then you won't have queues and you won't have shortages at the pump either."

After meeting Kwarteng, industry figures including representatives from Shell and Exxon Mobil Corp said in a joint statement issued by the business department that they had been reassured, and stressed there was no national fuel shortage.

'Manufactured situation'

Earlier, Shapps said the shortage of truck drivers was down to Covid-19 disrupting the qualification process, preventing new labour from entering the market.

Others pinned the blame on Brexit and poor working conditions forcing out foreign drivers.

The government on Sunday announced a plan to issue temporary visas for 5,000 foreign truck drivers.

But business leaders have warned the government's plan is a short-term fix and will not solve an acute labour shortage that risks major disruption beyond fuel deliveries, including for retailers in the run-up to Christmas.

Shapps called the panic over fuel a "manufactured situation" and blamed it on a hauliers' association.

"They're desperate to have more European drivers undercutting British salaries," he said.

An Opinium poll published in the Observer newspaper on Sunday said that 67% of voters believe the government has handled the crisis badly. A majority of 68% said that Brexit was partly to blame.

Opposition Labour Party leader Keir Starmer, speaking at his party's annual conference in southern England, said ministers had failed to plan for labour shortages following the 2016 Brexit vote and called for a bigger temporary visa scheme.
Canada is trying to use the lure of travel perks to convince America's frequent flying elite to fly north on Air Canada, as the country steps up efforts to revive crucial traffic from the United States, a Canadian official told Reuters.

Covid-19 has battered travel from Canada's largest tourism market. During the first half of 2021, Canada had about 178,000 overnight arrivals from the United States, compared with 6.8 million during the same period in 2019, according to government data.

To help reverse that decline, government tourism body, Destination Canada will, roll out on Monday its first campaign targeting US frequent fliers.

It is part of broader, C$14 million ($11.2 million) efforts by the tourism commission to boost traffic after Canada recently opened its borders to vaccinated travellers. It is not clear how much the specific frequent flyer campaign will cost.

"This is super-focused in terms of our ability to reach frequent fliers," said Gloria Loree, Destination Canada's chief marketing officer ahead of the launch.

Under the plan, up to 20,000 US frequent flyers with carriers like American Airlines, Southwest Airlines Co , and Delta Air Lines could get matching status when flying Air Canada north of the border.

It is not clear how US carriers would react to the plan, although Loree said the possibility of airline retaliation had been considered.

Frequent-flyer status gives travelers perks like priority boarding that would normally cost a premium fare or a fee.

While global airline alliances offer status-matching to passengers from their member carriers, having a destination sponsor such a plan is highly unusual, said Mark-Ross Smith, chief executive of Status Match, which handles logistics for the Canadian project.

"This is the push to get them coming to Canada."

Eligible US frequent flyers who book and travel north on AC before Jan. 15, 2022 will keep their status with the carrier for all of 2022, she said.

It comes as countries ease restrictions on international travel, with the United States set to reopen in November to vaccinated air travelers from 33 countries.

She argued boosting cross-border travel will help both countries.

Loree said funding frequent-flyer status matching is no different from other incentives paid for by Destination Canada, such as a separate campaign this year with Air Canada's rival WestJet Airlines.

Loree said the goal is to restore routes from the United States, while trying to attract travelers who will return to Canada.

In April, hard-hit Air Canada received an estimated C$5.9 billion government aid package with the country gaining a roughly 6 per cent stake in the carrier.

While Canada's high vaccination rate could lure tourists, the cost of the country's PCR test requirements for arrivals could dissuade some travelers, said Frederic Dimanche, director of the Ted Rogers School of Hospitality and Tourism Management at Ryerson University.

Loree said targeting US frequent fliers is a plus because they are largely accustomed to those requirements.

"They've figured out how to travel," Loree said. "So we want them to consider Canada as their next trip."

Check out DH's latest videos:
In any other country, the sudden collapse of a corporate titan with more than $300 billion in debt would send shock waves across the economy. Headlines would blare. Banks would shudder. Investors would panic.

A corporate collapse of that scale may happen soon. But it would be in China, where the Communist Party keeps a firm grip on money, corporate boardrooms, the media and the broader society. Those controls may be facing one of their toughest tests yet, but Beijing is signalling that it feels up to the challenge  even if it will first try to teach big investors and companies a bitter lesson about lending recklessly.

The financial world is watching the struggles of China Evergrande Group, one of the largest property developers on Earth and certainly the most indebted. Last week, a deadline to make an $83 million payment to foreign investors came and went with no indication that Evergrande had met its obligations, raising questions about what would happen if its huge debt load went sour.

Also read: HSBC, StanChart may face secondary shockwaves from Evergrande crisis: Analysts

The Chinese government does not want to move in yet because it hopes Evergrandes struggles will show other Chinese companies that they need to be disciplined in their finances, say people with knowledge of its deliberations who insisted on anonymity. But it has an array of financial tools that it believes are strong enough to stem a financial panic if matters worsen.

The government is still going to provide a guarantee for much of Evergrandes activities, said Zhu Ning, deputy dean of the Shanghai Advanced Institute of Finance, but the investors are going to have to sweat.

Authorities have other ways to quell public unease about Evergrande. For months, local governments have been issuing directives urging Communist Party officials and companies to look out for budding protests related to Chinas troubled property developers. Some notices warn officials to monitor aggrieved homebuyers, unpaid contractors and even laid-off real estate salespeople.

Follow the demand to spot them early, defuse early, control early and deal with early, the housing department of Lingshan County in southern China said in a directive about possible protests earlier this year. The heads of property development firms must personally take in hand the work of dealing with petitions and maintaining stability.

Censorship of the press and social media makes it hard for the general public to know about the extent of Evergrandes troubles and for Evergrande homebuyers and investors to organise.

The government can place them under watch and pressure them through their employers or relatives not to make trouble, said Minxin Pei, a professor of government at Claremont McKenna College in California who is writing a study of Chinas domestic security apparatus.

China has a lot riding on its ability to contain the fallout from an Evergrande collapse. After Xi Jinping, Chinas most powerful leader in generations, began his second term in 2017, he identified reining in financial risk as one of the great battles for his administration. As he approaches a likely third term in power that would start next year, it could be politically damaging if his government were to mismanage Evergrande.

Also read: DH Deciphers | Why is the world shocked by the troubles of a Chinese company?

But Chinas problem may be that it controls financial panics too well. Economists inside and outside the country argue that its safeguards have coddled Chinese investors, leaving them too willing to lend money to large companies with weak prospects for repaying it. Over the longer term, though, Chinas bigger risk may be that it follows in the footsteps of Japan, which saw years of economic stagnation under the weight of huge debt and slow, unproductive companies.

By not forcefully signalling an Evergrande bailout, the Chinese government is essentially trying to force both investors and Chinese companies to stop channelling money to risky, heavily indebted companies. Yet that approach carries risks, especially if a disorderly collapse upsets Chinas legions of homebuyers or unnerves potential investors in the property market.

An abrupt default by Evergrande on a wide range of debts would be a useful catalyst for market discipline but could also sour both domestic and foreign investor sentiment, said Eswar Prasad, an economics professor at Cornell University who is a former head of the China division at the International Monetary Fund.

Some global investors worry that Evergrandes problems represent a Lehman moment, a reference to the 2008 collapse of the Lehman Bros. investment bank, which heralded the global financial crisis. Evergrandes collapse, they warn, could expose other debt problems in China and hit foreign investors, who hold considerable amounts of Evergrande debt, and other property developers in the country.

Chinese officials believe they have the situation under control.

For starters, Beijing controls the countrys banking system to a degree that goes far beyond bank regulations in the West. The major lenders are state-owned companies that prioritise the governments economic policy over their own bottom lines. Rather than demand repayment, Chinas banks have negotiated opaque deals with Evergrande for months.

Control of the banks also gives Beijing access to their vast ocean of money from the countrys deposits, providing a thick financial cushion.

China also strictly controls the movement of money across its borders. Chinese and global investors cannot suddenly head for the exits if they get worried. Those controls helped insulate China from an Asian financial crisis in 1997 and 1998 that heavily damaged other regional economies.

Finally, the Communist Party firmly controls the courts, so any effort to force Evergrande into bankruptcy and take it apart would need approval from top leaders. So authorities can avoid a rushed sell-off, like Lehmans in 2008, that could result in fire-sale prices for Evergrandes land, apartments and other collateral, along with huge layoffs.

The Chinese government is convinced that, with a properly managed restructuring, Evergrande has enough assets to cover a sizable majority of the companys debts, said people familiar with Chinese economic policymaking. Officials have already calmly overseen the dismemberment of Anbang and HNA, two debt-laden empires, and forced the shrinkage of a third, Dalian Wanda.

State influence over major companies can help with that process. Some combination of the countrys biggest state-owned real estate and construction companies could step in to complete Evergrandes roughly 800 unfinished complexes and pay off contractors. Officials see that as one of the benefits of the state sectors expansion under Xi, which the party has promoted as an effort to make sure the economic benefits of Chinas growth are broadly shared.

The state-owned enterprises will make sure the apartments are delivered, to avoid social instability, Zhu said.

The Chinese government has much less sympathy for foreign and large domestic investors, who are sophisticated and should know the risks, said people familiar with Chinese economic policymaking.

Chinese leaders can also supplement their financial tools by managing public perception and response. Ever since the construction industry became a mainstay of Chinas economy in the 1990s, disputes between home purchasers and developers have led to protests. Homebuyers, who often purchase their apartments before they are built, have tried to unite over complaints about shoddy workmanship and unfilled promises.

Also read: Evergrande woes to take toll on China property sale, drive mergers & acquisitions

This month, for example, hundreds of homebuyers in Jingdezhen, a ceramics-making city in southern China, organised protests over fears that Evergrande would collapse before it finished handing over legal ownership of their apartments.

Authorities responded quickly. After the protests in Jingdezhen, a social media page operated by a nearby county government carried warnings that the homebuyers could be arrested for demonstrating. It suggested that Evergrande would survive but that its managers would be held to account. People and businesses that go back on their word will certainly receive their deserved punishment, read an article on the page.

Such steps can douse unrest. But it could be harder to restore confidence eroded by an Evergrande default, said Pei of Claremont McKenna.

The economic impact is impossible to contain with a show of physical force because the impact will work through consumer confidence and micro-level decisions made by millions of businesses, he said. Thats a far tougher challenge that would require adroit economic policy responses.

Check out latest videos from DH:
Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has said it was important to incentivise the Taliban so that the new rulers of Afghanistan fulfil the promises they made after they seized power in Kabul last month.

The Taliban are yet to get international recognition. The heavily armed group have promised an inclusive government, a more moderate form of Islamic rule than that of their previous regime from 1996 to 2001, including respecting women's rights. However, their recent moves indicate that they are returning to their repressive policies, particularly toward women.

According to an official statement, Khan in an article published in US-based The Washington Post newspaper on Monday said the world desired an inclusive Afghan government, respect for the rights, and commitments that Afghan soil shall never again be used for terrorism.

Taliban leaders will have greater reason and ability to stick to their promises if they are assured of the consistent humanitarian and development assistance they need to run the government effectively, he said.

Khan said providing incentives would also give the outside world additional leverage to continue persuading the Taliban to honour their commitments.

If we do this right, we could achieve what the Doha peace process aimed at all along: an Afghanistan that is no longer a threat to the world, where Afghans can finally dream of peace after four decades of conflict, he said.

The prime minister said abandoning Afghanistan as tried before would lead to a meltdown. Chaos, mass migration and a revived threat of international terror will be natural corollaries. Avoiding this must surely be our global imperative, he said.

He said Pakistan must not be blamed for the outcome of war in Afghanistan and for the losses of the US and stressed on setting eyes on the future to avoid another conflict.

Khan recalled that since 2001, he repeatedly warned that the Afghan war was unwinnable and pointed out that given their history, Afghans would never accept a protracted foreign military presence.

He pointed out that after the defeat of the Soviets, the US abandoned Afghanistan and sanctioned Pakistan, leaving behind over five million Afghan refugees in Pakistan and a bloody civil war in Afghanistan.

He said former Pakistan leader Pervez Musharraf offered logistics and air bases after 9/11, allowing a CIA footprint in Pakistan and even turned a blind eye to American drone attacks in Pakistan.

Taliban were ousted from power in 2001 by a US-led coalition after the 9/11 attacks for harbouring al-Qaida. The United States withdrew all its forces from Afghanistan last month in a chaotic airlift that ended America's forever war" in the landlocked country.

Khan said for the Afghan people, the US was an occupier of their country just like the Soviets.

He said the Taliban declared war against Pakistan after its support to the US war on terror. Between 2006 and 2015, nearly 50 militant groups declared jihad on the Pakistani state, conducting over 16,000 terrorist attacks on us.

In Afghanistan, Khan said, the lack of legitimacy for an outsiders protracted war was compounded by a corrupt and inept Afghan government, seen as a puppet regime without credibility, especially by rural Afghans.

The prime minister emphasised that a more realistic approach would have been to negotiate with the Taliban much earlier, avoiding the embarrassment of the collapse of the Afghan army and the Ashraf Ghani government.

Khan urged the world to engage with the new Afghan government for the sake of peace and stability.

Watch latest videos by DH here:
No official representing Myanmar will speak Monday, the final day of the United Nations General Assembly plenary, UN officials said, in an apparent eleventh-hour compromise that would deny a global platform to the countrys warring democratic and militarist factions.

Myanmars credentialed UN ambassador, Kyaw Moe Tun, was scheduled to speak Monday. Kyaw Moe Tun was appointed by the government that was toppled by a coup in February. He has since publicly assailed the junta that now governs the country, but which is not widely recognized by the international community.

Myanmar was previously included on a roster of speakers. But Stephane Dujarric, the chief UN spokesperson, said in an email Saturday that Myanmar is not on the speakers list.

Kyaw Moe Tun did not respond to requests for comment. But he told Reuters that he had withdrawn from the list. Myanmar, one of 193 UN member states, no longer appears on the lineup of country representatives who have yet to speak at the annual meeting.

Also read: US, India call for a swift return of democracy in Myanmar

Reuters also reported that unidentified members of the General Assembly Credentials Committee, a group that includes China, Russia and the United States, had reached an understanding under which Kyaw Moe Tun would be permitted to keep his UN seat for the time being as long as he did not speak. Diplomats from countries represented on the committee did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The United States has denounced the junta and defended Kyaw Moe Tuns right to represent Myanmar. China and Russia are significant weapons suppliers to Myanmars armed forces and have been far less critical of the February coup.

The Credentials Committee has yet to deliberate formally on the credentials applications submitted by Myanmars junta and the Taliban militants now controlling Afghanistan, which is also represented at the world body by an ambassador from a toppled government. That envoy, Ghulam Isaczai, was still listed to speak as of Sunday, a prospect that could anger the Taliban.

The right to speak on behalf of a country at the UN is an important barometer of its governments international legitimacy and acceptance.

If the junta successfully ousted Kyaw Moe Tun in favor of its own envoy, that would represent a significant public relations victory for the ruling generals and a setback for the former civilian government led by Aung San Suu Kyi, the Nobel laureate imprisoned by the military since the coup on nebulous charges.

Up until now, at least, Kyaw Moe Tun has been an active advocate of his countrys toppled government at the UN Last week, for example, he posted a Twitter message thanking Derek Chollet, a senior State Department official, for meeting him and supporting our efforts for restoration of democracy and promotion and protection of human rights.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel may be lauded abroad for her cool crisis management -- at home, her legacy risks being tarnished by a botched succession with her party projected to return its worst post-war score in Sunday's election.

Preliminary results show the conservative CDU-CSU alliance -- with its candidate Armin Laschet -- trailing the Social Democrats and facing the prospect of crashing out of government altogether after 16 years in power.

With just around 25 percent of the vote, the party admitted that the losses in its vote share were "bitter" as it had never scored under 30 per cent.

"Everyone knows: if Laschet loses, then Merkel's legacy too is lost," said the conservative Welt daily.

"Only if (he) wins... will it be possible for the CDU to reconcile itself with 16 years of government under Merkel."

Also read: Germany's SPD takes narrow lead in post-Merkel election

The veteran chancellor who grew up in communist East Germany stands out in a party dominated by Roman Catholic patriarchs from the west, who over the years have grudgingly accepted her shifting the CDU to the centre as she turned in consecutive electoral successes.

But her fateful decision to keep Germany's borders open to migrants in 2015 sparked a huge blowback from her party and other EU countries, leading to a string of regional election defeats. The setbacks ultimately prompted her in 2018 to announce she was retiring from politics.

Her hand-picked successor, Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, was forced to step down in early 2020 over a regional political scandal in which her party voted alongside the far-right AfD -- a pariah for mainstream politicians.

Left with few good options, the conservatives finally plumped for Laschet, their current unpopular CDU chief and Merkel's would-be successor.

But Laschet only earned the spot after bruising battles, first for the leadership of the CDU and later for the nomination as chancellor candidate for the conservative alliance against the more popular Markus Soeder of Bavarian sister party CSU.

With discontent lingering in the losers' camps, a defeat for the conservatives would likely topple Laschet and set the stage for a new vicious power struggle.

"There would be an earthquake, a brutal scrum for the chairman role of the parliamentary group," predicted newspaper group RND, adding that the CSU would heap blame on the larger CDU party.

Going into the summer, the conservatives were enjoying a comfortable lead against the SPD.

But Laschet was seen chuckling behind President Frank-Walter Steinmeier as he paid tribute to victims of deadly floods in July, an image that would drastically turn the mood against him and his party.

With climate now the most important issue for Germans, a youth-led call for great environmental protection made the traditionally automobile-industry friendly CDU look out of step with the times.

And damaging corruption scandals over mask procurement deals during the pandemic have also added to the bad press plaguing the party.

Merkel, who had planned to largely stay away from election campaigning found herself obliged to step in to prop up Laschet, piling on joint appearances in the hope some of the shine from the still immensely popular chancellor would rub off on him.

"What is clear in the last years is that everyone who stood closest behind Merkel has been able to benefit from it. It's not the distance to her that helps in the surveys, but the impression of being almost identical to her," said Karl-Rudolf Korte of Duisburg University.

After a major rally on Friday in Munich, Merkel appealed to the sensibilities of the country's predominantly older electorate, urging them to keep the conservatives in power "to keep Germany stable".

Just 24 hours before the vote, she also raced to Aachen, Laschet's stomping ground, to give a last push for him.

But it may have been too little too late.

Thorsten Faas of Berlin's Free University noted that the hole left behind by Merkel was also an indication of her strength.

"People now notice that the ability of the Union (of the parties) to integrate, to hold together all directions, stem from her as a person and the bonus of her office. She left a vacuum, first at the head of the party, now also in the chancellery."
China on Monday slammed the Quad grouping, saying some countries are forming "exclusive cliques" and hyping" the 'China threat' and the move is doomed to fail.

The Quad leaders at their first-in-person summit in Washington on September 25 pledged to ensure a "free and open" Indo-Pacific, which is also "inclusive and resilient", as they noted that the strategically vital region, witnessing China's growing military manoeuvring, is a bedrock of their shared security and prosperity.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, his Australian counterpart Scott Morrison, Japanese premier Yoshihide Suga and US President Joe Biden described the summit as an opportunity to refocus themselves and the world on the Indo-Pacific and on their vision for what they hope to achieve.

Also Read | Quad summit seeks to counter Chinas Pacific influence

Asked for her reaction at a media briefing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said that China took note of the Quad summit and is "closely following the situation".

"For some time, a handful of countries have been obsessed with attacking China by citing the rules-based order. They hype up the China threat, she said.

Facts have shown that China is an advocate of world peace, provider of public goods and Chinas development is important to international development. Coercion and undermining of international order can by no means be pinned on to China, she said.

China, she said, upholds the UN centred international order and rules-based international law.

"We dont think that the rules can be defined by a few countries. What the US wants is the rules where it can wantonly interfere with other countries without paying any price. It is the rule under which the US can bully in any manner and other countries bow to its hegemony which is against the trends of the times and aspirations of the people, she said.

"It will not be popular and is doomed to fail," she reiterated.

Also Read | Quad leaders pledge to ensure 'free' and 'inclusive' Indo-Pacific

"China believes that any multilateral order should follow the trend of times, be conducive to enhance mutual trust between countries and refrain from undermining the interest of third countries, she said.

"Relevant countries should abandon the Cold War zero-sum mentality, stop seeking exclusive cliques and do things that are conducive to regional peace and stability, Hua said.

The Quad leaders said in a joint statement together, we recommit to promoting the free, open, rules-based order, rooted in international law and undaunted by coercion, to bolster security and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific and beyond.

"We stand for the rule of law, freedom of navigation and overflight, peaceful resolution of disputes, democratic values, and territorial integrity of states. We commit to working together and with a range of partners.

In November 2017, India, Japan, the US and Australia gave shape to the long-pending proposal of setting up the Quad to develop a new strategy to keep the critical sea routes in the Indo-Pacific free of any influence, amidst China's growing military presence in the strategic region.

China claims nearly all of the disputed South China Sea, though Taiwan, the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia and Vietnam all claim parts of it. Beijing has built artificial islands and military installations in the South China Sea.

Check out DH's latest videos:
Around 50 trains were affected by the Bharat Bandh called by farm unions on Monday to protest the Centre's three agri laws, officials said.

The affected train services became normal in the afternoon after people moved off rail tracks following the end of the 10-hour bandh, they said.

The shutdown disrupted lives across parts of India, particularly in the north. Protesters blocked highways and arterial roads, and squatted on tracks in several places from the morning as the shutdown called by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha, an umbrella body of 40 farmer unions, got underway. The blockade was lifted at 4 pm.

Also Read | Bharat Bandh: Farmers block highways, squat on railway tracks at many places in Punjab, Haryana

"More than 20 locations in Delhi, Ambala, and Ferozepur divisions had been blocked. About 50 trains were affected due to this. All train movement is normal now since 4:30 pm," a spokesperson for the Northern Railway said.

Officials said the Delhi-Amritsar Shan-e-Punjab, New Delhi-Moga Express, Old Delhi-Pathankot Express, Vande Bharat Express from New Delhi to Katra, and Amritsar Shatabdi are some of the trains that have been affected.

The bandh started at 6 am and continued till 4 pm.

In the North-Western Railway zone, rail traffic on the Rewari-Bhiwani, Bhiwani-Rohtak, Bhiwani-Hisar and Hanumangarh-Sadulpur-Sriganganagar-Fatuhi sections were affected due to the shutdown.

According to Lt. Shashi Kiran, Chief Public Relations Officer, North-Western Railway, the Bathinda-Lalgarh special train service as well as the Sriganganagar-Ambala special train service were cancelled due to the bandh.

Partially cancelled train services include the Jaipur-Daulatpur Chowk Special train service which left Jaipur on Monday but will operate only till Dhulkot.

The Daulatpur Chowk-Jaipur Special will leave Ambala on Monday. It will run partially between Daulatpur Chowk-Ambala stations.

Other partially operated services included the Tilakbridge-Sri Ganganagar Special train service which will operate from Rewari in place of Tilak Bridge, the Rewari-Jodhpur Special train which operated from Sadulpur instead of Rewari and the Delhi Sarai Rohilla- Bikaner Special train service which left Delhi Sarai on Monday but will operate up to Sri Ganganagar.

Check out DH's latest videos:
Several trains were cancelled, highways and key roads blocked and many thousands stranded for hours on Monday as a nationwide 10-hour shutdown against the Centres three agri laws disrupted lives across parts of India, particularly in the north.

The impact of the 6 am to 4 pm Bharat Bandh, which saw demonstrations in many places, passed off relatively peacefully with no reports of injuries or serious clashes. It was felt the most around Delhi, Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh, the centre of the farm protests, and also in large pockets of Kerala, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal and Odisha. Protesters blocked highways and arterial roads and squatted on tracks in several places from morning as the shutdown called by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha, an umbrella body of 40 farmer unions got underway.

Also Read | Trade unions stage protest at Jantar Mantar in support of farmers' Bharat Bandh call

The blockade was lifted at 4 pm. The day marks one year since President Ram Nath Kovind gave his assent to the three controversial laws and 10 months since thousands of farmers set up camp at Delhis border points to voice their protest. Though large parts of India were untouched by the shutdown, north India felt the pinch with about 25 trains being affected and massive jams that prevented the cross border movement of commuters as well as trucks carrying essentials. The Delhi-NCR region, including the satellite towns of Gurgaon, Ghaziabad and Noida, where thousands cross the borders each day was particularly hit.

Delhi itself was mostly unaffected, but there was chaos at its borders with traffic snarls that stretched through much of the day and commuters who couldnt get to office, or college or even to that important doctors appointment. Images of cars waiting to be let through, lined up back to back as far as the eye could see, told their own story.

While there were instances of unwell patients being let through, among those stuck at the Delhi-Gurgaon border was a man who couldnt make it for his appointment at the Medanta Hospital in Gurgaon. Farmers blocked other roads leading into the national capital, including at Ghazipur in western Uttar Pradesh Not far away in Sonipat in Haryana, some farmers squatted on tracks. In nearby Patiala in Punjab, too, members of the BKU-Ugrahan sat on the tracks to register their protest.

Also Read | Bharat Bandh: A year on, farmers' stir stays strong

Punjab saw a complete shutdown in many places, including Moga, where farmers blocked national highways. Farmer leaders from Punjab have, in many ways, spearheaded the year-long protest. #I Stand With Farmers & appeal the Union Govt. to repeal the three anti-farmer laws. Our farmers have been struggling for their rights since more than a year & it is high time that their voice is heard, Punjabs new chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi said in a tweet.

#IStandWithFarmers & appeal the Union Govt. to repeal the three anti farmer laws. Our farmers have been struggling for their rights since more than a year & it is high time that their voice is heard. I request the farmers to raise their voice in a peaceful manner. pic.twitter.com/R1VZ5gowIc  Charanjit S Channi (@CHARANJITCHANNI) September 27, 2021

In neighbouring Haryana, highways in Sirsa, Fatehabad and Kurukshetra were blocked. There were also reports of farmers squatting on rail tracks at a few places in the two states.

More than 20 locations are being blocked in Delhi, Ambala, and Firozepur divisions. About 25 trains are affected due to this," a Northern Railway spokesperson said.

Also Read | Bharat Bandh: RJD, Congress workers block highways, rail in Bihar

Farmer leader Yogendra Yadav told a TV channel that the bandh was extraordinarily successful. Expressing happiness at the geographical spread of the strike, he said farmer organisations were out on the street in many states. He also apologised to those who were affected saying, "Please bear with us."

Many non-NDA parties extended support to the bandh. These included the Congress, Aam Aadmi Party, Samajwadi Party, Telugu Desam Party, Bahujan Samaj Party, Left parties and Swaraj India. The YSR Congress government in Andhra Pradesh had also announced support to the Bharat Bandh.

In West Bengal, life was largely unaffected but Left activists blocked roads and railway tracks in many places. Images from Kolkata showed protesters swarming a section of a railway track. Similar images came in from West Midnapore with Left Front supporters blocking the IIT Kharagpur-Hijri railway line.

The ruling Trinamool Congress stayed away but said it supported the demands of the SKM.

Elsewhere in the region, vehicular movement was impacted and shops shut in several places in Jharkhand, including in the state capital Ranchi and Dumka. Road blockades led to congestion on key highways.

In Bihar and Odisha, too, there was a mixed response. RJD and CPI members blocked railway lines in Patna, Ara, Jahanabad and Madhepura in Bihar and several roads were closed too but markets were mostly open and offices registered usual attendance. Most private schools in the state were, however, shut. In Odisha, reports came in of protesters at different places in towns such as Bhubaneswar, Balasore, Rourkela and Sambalpur. They also blocked the railway lines at Bhubaneswar station.

In Kerala, where the strike was supported by the ruling LDF and the opposition Congress-led UDF, KSRTC bus services were off the road with almost all trade unions in the state taking part. People who had to travel opted for private modes of transport while others stayed home.

Also Read | Bharat Bandh: Farmers block highways, squat on railway tracks at many places in Punjab, Haryana

The shutdown did not have any major impact in the initial few hours in Karnataka with all business and establishments functioning normally and transport services available. However, attempts to organise a 'Rasta Roko' at national and state highways led to disruption of vehicular movement in some places, especially in Bengaluru. All emergency establishments and essential services, including hospitals, medical stores, relief and rescue work and people attending to personal emergencies were exempted from the strike.

Expressing support for protesting farmers, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said the farmers' non-violent 'satyagraha' is still resolute.

Posting rhyming lines in Hindi on Twitter, Gandhi said, "Kisano ka ahimsak satyagraha aaj bhi akhand hai, lekin shoshankar sarkar ko ye nahi pasand hai, isliye aaj Bharat Bandh hai (Farmers' non-violent satyagraha is resolute even today, but the exploitative government does not like this and that's why it is Bharat Bandh today)."

"We have to stand unitedly with the farmers, otherwise the future of our nation is dark," Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera told reporters.

The SKM on Sunday had appealed for complete peace during the bandh and urged all Indians to join the strike.

It is a day to express support to the annadatas (farmers) of the country, the ones who keep all Indians alive, it said in a statement.

The government and farmer unions have held 11 rounds of talks so far, the last being on January 22, to break the deadlock and end the farmers' protest.

Talks have not resumed following widespread violence during a tractor rally by protesting farmers on January 26.

The three laws -- The Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020, and The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act 2020 -- were passed by Parliament in September last year.

Farmer groups have alleged the laws will end the 'mandi' and the MSP procurement systems and leave farmers at the mercy of big corporates. The government has rejected these apprehensions as misplaced and asserted that these steps will help increase farmers' income.

Check out DH's latest videos:
A day after RSS-linked weekly "Panchjanya" dubbed Amazon as "East India Company 2.0", the Congress on Monday said whatever the Sangh says is irrelevant as it does not say anything in national interest, but in the interest of the ruling BJP.

Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera, however, said the allegations against the US e-commerce giant are serious and cannot be ignored.

"The issue of Amazon is a serious one and it merits everybody's attention. The allegations against Amazon are very serious and they cannot be ignored," he said.

Read | RSS supports weekly over allegations on Amazon, seeks government probe

Asked about the comments of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), Khera said, "What the RSS says about Amazon is irrelevant because there is a duet going on between the RSS and the BJP.

"We have seen that duet and they stand exposed in the farmers' agitation. We have seen the dubious role played by the Bharatiya Kisan Sangh as it has not come in support of the farmers even for one day in the last 10 months."

The Congress leader said "nobody takes what the RSS says seriously anymore, because they do not speak the language in national interest, they talk in the interest of the BJP."

Amazon was dubbed as "East India Company 2.0" by "Panchjanya", which has also alleged that the firm has paid crores of rupees in bribes for favourable government policies.

In its latest edition, which will hit the stands on October 3, the RSS-linked weekly has carried a cover story that is highly critical of Amazon.

"Whatever the East India Company did in the 18th century to capture India, the same is visible in the activities of Amazon," the article titled "East India Company 2.0" reads.

Claiming that Amazon wants to establish its monopoly in the Indian market, it says, "For doing so, it has started taking initiatives for seizing the economic, political and personal freedom of the Indian citizens."

Watch latest videos by DH here:
Bengaluru is witnessing a backlog of Covid-19 deaths which were not made public earlier by the BBMP. As per the official Covid-19 bulletin for September 24, Bengaluru Urbans active caseload was 7,440. However, data released by the BBMP on the same day put the active caseload number at only 4,223. This has now created difficulties for the BBMP, which not only faces the task of making public scores of old deaths, but also because the backlog has pushed the citys Case Fatality Rate (CFR) to 1.81 per cent.

India recorded 26,041 new coronavirus infections taking the total tally of Covid-19 cases to 3,36,78,786, while the active cases declined to 2,99,620. This is the lowest number of active cases in 191 days.

While the Karnataka government decided to allow schools to function in full capacity from class 6 to 12, five days a week, state health commissioner Dr K V Trilok Chandra said the paediatric Covid testing levels remained low at 3 per cent, which shows no improvement from when the data was last reviewed on September 15.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his US visit subtly criticised the World Health Organization and the World Bank for hurting their credibility over tracing the origin of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and the Ease-of-Doing-Business rankings. He urged the vaccine producers around the world to make the Covid-19 jabs in India.

With regard to the origin of Covid-19 and the ease of doing business rankings, institutions of global governance have damaged the credibility they had built after decades of hard work, the Prime Minister said, while addressing the United Nations General Assembly at the headquarters of the international organization in New York.

Canada on Sunday announced that it will allow direct and indirect flights from India, after a month-long ban on travel from the country due to the Covid-19 situation.

In slightly disturbing news, a study showed that the pandemic reduced life expectancy in 2020 to the highest extent since World War II. There have been nearly 5 million reported deaths caused by the new coronavirus so far, a Reuters tally showed.

On the vaccine front, India may soon get its first intranasal Covid vaccine as Bharat Biotech is working on a new vaccine which is in phase 2 of the clinical trial.

While the debate on whether boosters are needed or not still goes on, 99 per cent of 250 health workers jabbed with the Covishield vaccine in February at the Sri Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Research (SJICR) showed adequate immune response in September. The good immune response six months after the jab means the booster is not needed as of now. This development may also encourage more people to get vaccinated.
Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb asked government officers not to worry about contempt of court as it was not easy to send someone to jail because he "controlled" the police.

Speaking at the biennial conference of Tripura Civil Service Officers' Association, Deb said a section of officers were citing contempt of court as if it was a tiger, but actually "I am the tiger".

Deb's comment triggered a controversy with opposition parties saying that under his regime, democracy was at stake.

"Nowadays, a section of officers are scared of contempt of court. They don't touch a file saying there will be trouble, citing contempt of court. I will be jailed for contempt of court if I do this," he said while speaking at the programme in Rabindra Bhavan on Saturday.

Also Read | Indian Constitution has 'stopped working' in BJP-ruled Tripura: CPI(M)

"Where is the problem? How many officers have been sent to jail on contempt of court charge so far? I am here, I will go to jail before any one of you are dragged to jail," he added.

Deb said sending someone to jail was not easy as police were required for that.

"And, I control the police. The way the officials are citing the situation as if contempt of court was like a tiger! I want to assure all of you that I am the tiger. The power is in the hands of who runs the government," Deb, who holds the Home portfolio, said amid huge applause from the audience.

The chief minister also mentioned his experience with a former chief secretary over the issue.

"One of our chief secretaries said that he will be jailed for contempt of court if he does work outside the system... Then I let him go and die," he said, mocking him.

The opposition CPI(M) said the chief minister's statement shows he does not respect the judiciary.

"It shows that he doesn't respect the judiciary, one of the important pillars of democracy. Under his regime, democracy is at stake and his statement is the outburst of frustration for failing to deliver," CPI(M) state secretary Jitendra Chowdhury said.

The Trinamool Congress also slammed Deb and urged the Supreme Court to take cognisance of his comments.

"@BjpBiplab (Biplab Deb) is a DISGRACE to the entire nation! He shamelessly mocks Democracy, MOCKS the Hon'ble JUDICIARY and seemingly gets away with it! Will the SUPREME COURT take cognizance of his comments that reflect such grave disrespect?" TMC general secretary Abhishek Banerjee tweeted.

.@BjpBiplab is a DISGRACE to the entire nation! He shamelessly mocks Democracy, MOCKS the Hon'ble JUDICIARY and seemingly gets away with it! Will the SUPREME COURT take cognizance of his comments that reflect such grave disrespect? pic.twitter.com/0qEAdBQ54r  Abhishek Banerjee (@abhishekaitc) September 26, 2021

From his claim that internet existed during the "era of Mahabharata" to Rabindranath Tagore returned his Nobel prize in protest against the British, Deb has often courted controversy with his comments.

Check out latest DH videos here
India and the United States could not make much headway in resolving the mutual trade concerns during Prime Minister Narendra Modis meeting with President Joe Biden in Washington last week, apart from agreeing to reconvene the Trade Policy Forum by the end of the current year.

Modi did stress on the importance of trade in India-US bilateral relations in his opening remarks at the meeting with Biden in White House. The meeting however ended without any specific assurance from the US on early restoration of the Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) trade privilege for India or for greater market access for India in the US.

The Biden Administration maintained that the US was no longer willing to negotiate a trade deal with India.

A source in New Delhi said that Modi government might no longer ask the US for early restoration of the GSP trade privilege for India. The privilege was withdrawn by Bidens predecessor President Donald Trumps administration in June 2019 and India had been prodding the US to restore it.

The source said that New Delhi would now rather focus on greater market access for India in the US, particularly for the automobile, engineering and agricultural products.

The Biden Administration too had been asking New Delhi to make it easier for the US companies to do business in India.

But the joint statement issued after Modi-Biden meeting at the White House did not indicate any breakthrough in the talks between the two sides, neither on GSP restoration nor on greater market access for Indian and the US companies in each others markets.

They agreed to reconvene the India-US Trade Policy Forum before the end of 2021, to enhance the bilateral trade relationship by addressing trade concerns, identifying specific areas for increased engagement and developing an ambitious, shared vision for the future of the trade relationship. The Trade Policy Forum had not been convened since 2017, as the erstwhile Trump Administration had not been interested in managing bilateral trade issues through the forum.

The source told the DH that Modi-Biden agreement to reconvene the Trade Policy Forum indicated that the two sides would like to restart engagement to resolve issues, even if the meeting between the two leaders had not achieved any breakthrough immediately.

Modi and Biden also agreed that the US-India CEO Forum and the Commercial Dialogue would be convened in early 2022, leveraging the talents of the private sector. They noted ongoing negotiations on an Investment Incentive Agreement that would facilitate investment in development projects and committed to an early conclusion.

A trade deal was expected to be signed after Modi-Trump meeting in New York on September 24, 2019, but the could not narrow differences and the deal was not signed. A mini trade deal with limited scope was then expected to be inked after the Modi-Trump meeting in New Delhi on February 25, but it was also shelved.

Watch latest videos by DH here:
The Trinamool Congress (TMC) gave a clear indication through an editorial in its party mouthpiece that it aims to be in the drivers seat of the proposed anti-BJP alliance. It dubbed the Congress as a rotting puddle and stated that the Mamata Banerjee-led party could play the role which the Congress used to play against BJP in national politics.

The editorial in the TMCs mouthpiece Jago Bangla stated that the grand old party had become irrelevant and claimed that in Bengal the TMC was the real Congress.

The TMC now bears the flag of Congresss legacy. It (TMC) is the sea. The rotting puddle is now irrelevant. Those who are still in the Congress are welcome in the TMC, the editorial read.

Also Read | Congress a party of 'gulamagiri': Bommai hits back at Siddaramaiah's 'BJP are Talibanis' remark

Accusing the Congress of failing in its responsibility of fighting against the BJP, the editorial stated that if the TMC could play the role of the real Congress in Bengal, then it could do the same in the near future at the national level.

Although it claimed that the TMC respects the Congress, the editorial accused the grand old party of losing several seats in the last two Lok Sabha elections to help the BJP come to power at the Centre.

The editorial urged Congress to understand the problem through introspection. It also stated that instead of a repetition of the outcome of 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the TMC along with the people and other non-BJP parties will perform their duties by adapting the practical model of defeating the BJP in a real fight in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

Also Read | BJP vs Congress: Name changers or game changers?

The Congress aided the BJP in coming to power at the Centre by losing in scores of seats in Lok Sabha seats, the editorial stated.

It further alleged that by failing to organise movements against the BJP in Bengal, the Congress was giving an advantage to the saffron party in the state.

It was the TMC and not the Congress which showed in the West Bengal Assembly elections, that the top leadership of the BJP can be defeated. The Congress has failed to create an impression that the BJP can be defeated at the national level, the editorial proclaimed.

Check out latest DH videos here
The Goa Congress on Monday termed as a blessing in disguise the exit of the veteran party MLA Luizinho Faleiro who it said had lost touch with the people in his constituency. Faleiro resigned as MLA of Navelim and as a primary member of Congress alleging that the state party unit is being run by a "coterie of leaders who prioritise self-interests".

Speaking on the Trinamool Congress's announcement to contest the Goa Assembly polls, due early next year, the Congress said the TMC in Goa doesn't look like a Mamata model but seems to be a Modi-Shah model.

All India Congress Committee (AICC) Goa Desk in-charge Dinesh Gundu Rao told reporters that the real intention of the TMC in entering Goa raises a lot of questions that need to be answered.

Also Read | Ex-Goa CM Luizinho Faleiro resigns from Congress; tips Mamata Banerjee to take on Modi

What are they (TMC) going to do? Whom are they helping? Nobody comes 3-4 months before elections (in a poll-bound state). TMC leader (and West Bengal CM) Mamata Banerjee behaves responsibly but his model of TMC does not look like a Mamata Model, rather it looks like a Modi-Amit Shah model, Rao, flanked by Goa Pradesh Congress Committee president Girish Chodankar, Leader of Opposition Digambar Kamat and others, told reporters in Panaji.

He said the resignation of Faleiro is a blessing in disguise as the senior leader had lost the connection with the people in his constituency (Navelim).

The party was reassessing the situation in the constituency (Navelim). There are so many aspirants in that constituency who can contest and win on the Congress ticket, he said. Rao said this kind of event (Faleiro's exit) gives the party more energy.

Chodankar said Faleiro's resignation, at a time when the Congress is emerging as a main opposition against the BJP, shows that he has ditched the Goan people.

Goans will never forgive Luizinho Faleiro, he said, adding that Faleiro was never on the forefront of any agitations launched by Congress.

Faleiro now speaks of starting a movement in Goa. Where was he when Congress was raising various issues, Chodankar questioned. TMC leader Derek O'Brien told PTI on Saturday in Goa that the party will be contesting the upcoming Assembly polls and they were in touch with several local leaders. He had said that the TMC will announce its chief ministerial candidate soon.

Check out DH's latest videos:
Nepal has sent a diplomatic note to the Indian government over the disappearance of a Nepali man in the Mahakali river last month reportedly in the presence of Indian paramilitary force SSB and the alleged violation of Nepali airspace by an Indian helicopter.

Jaya Singh Dhami, 30, belonging to Byas municipality of Darchula district bordering India, on July 30 fell into the Mahakali river, which flows along Nepal's western border with India, as he was trying to cross it with the help of a rope.

According to Nepalese media reports, he fell into the river and went missing as the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) personnel allegedly cut the rope from the other side of the border river.

A probe committee set by Nepal's Home Ministry has said that India's SSB was present during the incident.

Nepal's Foreign Ministry sent a diplomatic note to the Government of India through Indian Embassy, Kathmandu regarding the matter, an official at the foreign ministry here confirmed on the condition of anonymity.

The issue has been raised by both the opposition as well as the ruling party cadres and leaders for weeks, which observers opine exerted pressure on the Sher Bahadur Deuba government to finally take the decision to send the diplomatic note.

The matter relating to an Indian Airforce helicopter allegedly flying over Nepalese airspace was also raised in the letter, said the foreign ministry sources.

The foreign ministry wrote the diplomatic note to India after receiving a letter from the home ministry regarding the report by a government probe committee into the missing of the Nepali man.

The probe committee has recommended to take up the issue with the Government of India through diplomatic channels and take action against the culprit as well as provide compensation to the family of the victim.

Check out the latest videos by DH here:
With the Yogi Adityanath government taking credit for cracking down on criminals and making it an election issue, political parties are now having a rethink on aligning with those who have a criminal background but also enjoy influence in their areas.

BJP leaders, including the chief minister, have been lately making claims on how the Uttar Pradesh government has improved the states law and order situation by crushing the mafia and even demolishing unauthorised buildings owned by them.

Adding heft to the state governments claims, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh while speaking at a public meeting in Maharajganj last week had remarked that development requires good law and order and criminals start trembling even in their sleep when they hear the name of Chief Minister Yogi".

Also Read | Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath expands cabinet to set caste equations right before polls

In a bid to distance herself from criminal elements, BSP chief Mayawati recently declared that her party will not field its jailed party MLA from Mau Mukhtar Ansari again in the assembly elections due early next year.

She also tweeted that the BSP will not field bahubalis (strongmen) and mafia in the upcoming polls.

Five-time MLA from Mau Mukhtar Ansari, who was accused in several serious cases, including the murder of MLA Krishnanand Rai of Ghazipur's Mohammadabad region in the year 2005, is currently lodged in Banda jail.

However, smaller outfits like the Asaduddin Owaisi-led AIMIM are desperate to find their footing in the political scene of Uttar Pradesh and are not averse to wooing the the alleged criminals from bigger parties.

The AIMIM has offered Mukhtar Ansari the seat of his choice while Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) president Omprakash Rajbhar, an old ally of the jailed legislator, has come out in his support.

Besides Mukhtar Ansari, others who have continued to find their way to different houses with the support of political parties are Gyanpur (Bhadohi) MLA Vijay Mishra, Sayedaraja (Chandauli) MLA Sushil Singh, former Jaunpur MP Dhananjay Singh and Phulpur MP Atiq Ahmed.

On August 28, Sibagatullah Ansari, the elder brother of Mukhtar Ansari and a two-time MLA from Ghazipur's Mohammadabad constituency, left the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) for the Samajwadi Party (SP) triggering speculations that the Akhilesh Yadav-led party will use the Ansari brothers, who have influence in eastern Uttar Pradesh, to polarise Muslim votes.

When asked, SP spokesperson Rajendra Chaudhary said, The SP never gives tickets to criminals. We believe in principle that criminalisation in politics is fatal for democracy. SP will not give tickets to criminals.

Also Read | Unease over AIMIM's move to contest Uttar Pradesh polls on issue of giving leadership to Muslims

Senior spokesperson of the BJP, Harishchandra Srivastava told PTI: "Filing of a case is not a proof of a person being a criminal. Lawsuits are sometimes filed due to political reasons, but as far as BJP is concerned, it has always been against criminalisation of politics. In 2017, BJP gave the slogan of crime-free Uttar Pradesh.

When reminded that Ashok Singh Chandel got a BJP ticket from Hamirpur, Srivastava said, "I can't say if something has happened as an exception, but as a policy, the party is always against giving political cloaks to criminals and even in 2022 this policy will be followed.

Accused of murder, Chandel won from Hamirpur in the 2017 assembly election but was sentenced by the court and had to resign after being convicted.

Similarly, Kuldeep Singh Sengar, who won from Bangermau in Unnao by contesting the election on a BJP ticket, had to resign after being convicted of rape.

Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh Congress president Ajay Kumar Lallu said, "The Congress party will not give tickets to those detained in serious criminal cases.

According to the Association for Democratic Reform (ADR) report, 147 MLAs in the 403-member Uttar Pradesh Assembly have criminal cases registered against them. These include 83 of the BJP, 11 of the SP, four of the BSP and one of the Congress.

According to ADR convenor Sanjay Singh, in 2017 the BSP gave tickets to 38 per cent people with criminal cases registered against them, followed by SP (37 per cent), BJP (36 per cent) and Congress (32 per cent).

Check out DH's latest videos:
A year ago this time, farmers and farmer organisations across the country spurred independent India's largest protest(s) after the passage of the three contentious farm laws in Parliament.

Led by the Samyukt Kisan Morcha and Bharatiya Kisan Union, farmers and their allies have said they will continue to protest the new legislatures till they are repealed.

Protesters young and old have stood at the borders of Delhi over the last 10 months, weathering the region's harsh winter and the devastating second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic. Some hundreds of thousands of farmers, including women and children, descended on the national capital as part of the 'Dilli Challo' movement on November 25 last year.

The farmers have since held a number of rallies and protests against the three farm laws, including the tractor rally on January 7, the infamous January 26 tractor parade and the relatively smaller protest held at Jantar Mantar during the monsoon session of Parliament last month.

However, relations between the Centre and farm unions have thawed since the January 26 violence in the national capital, with many BJP politicians terming farmers from anti-nationals to terrorists.

Also Read | Ready to agitate for 10 years, but won't allow farm laws to be implemented: Rakesh Tikait

The tractor parade into Delhi on Republic Day, which was supposed to be a peaceful affair, turned violent after a group of protesters broke police barricades at the Sighu and Tikri border. Some protesters were also said to have pelted stones at policemen. They also vandalised a DTC bus on the way to Red Fort, where actor-activist Deep Sidhu and a few others scaled up the ramparts and hosted a Sikh flag alongside the tricolour.

Delhi Police and other security forces subsequently dispersed the protesters with teargas and lathi-charge. 37 farm leaders were named in an FIR filed by Delhi Police the next day and several hundred individuals were detained, including Deep Sidhu and Laksha Sidhana  both of whom are now out on bail.

Security around the Delhi border was beefed up further, with cops placing multiple concrete slabs and sheets of nails to prevent a repeat of the Republic Day violence.

Farm unions and the Union government, who last held a dialogue on January 22  their 11th meeting  have yet to meet face-to-face since.

Barring Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait's Mahapanchayats across Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and a few other states, protests against the three farm laws were far and few between.

The farmers' protest returned to the limelight in July when they held a 'Kisan Sansad' at Jantar Mantar. The stir that began on July 22 witnessed the attendance of hundreds of farmers apart from celebrities and Opposition leaders.

Another protest in Karnal earlier this month took an ugly turn after an IAS officer was seen instructing cops to crack protesting farmers' heads open.

Monday's Bharat Bandh is the largest protest since the second wave of the pandemic, which Tikait has already termed as 'successful.'

Check out latest DH videos here
The Delhi Police has beefed up security in border areas of the national capital in view of the Bharat Bandh called by farmer unions against the Centre's three agri laws on Monday.

Samyukta Kisan Morcha, the umbrella body of over 40 farm unions spearheading the farmers' agitation, had earlier appealed to the people to join the bandh.

A senior police officer said adequate security arrangements have been made to maintain the law an order situation and prevent any untoward incident in the national capital during the bandh.

Read more: SKM appeals for peace during Bharat Bandh on Sept 27; many parties extend support

Patrolling has been intensified, extra personnel have been deployed at the pickets especially across the border areas and every vehicle entering the national capital is being thoroughly checked, according to the police.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (New Delhi) Deepak Yadav said, In view of Bharat Bandh, adequate security arrangements have been made as a precautionary measure. Pickets at the border areas have been strengthened and all vital installations, including India Gate and Vijay Chowk have adequate deployment.

No protester is being allowed to enter Delhi from the three protest sites at the citys borders, the official said.

The security is preventive and we are fully alert. There is no call for Bharat Bandh in Delhi, but we are watching the developments and adequate number of personnel are on ground, another officer said.

Police personnel have been deployed on all roads leading to Delhi through villages near border areas while all vehicles are being checked at the pickets, they said.

The SKM had also asked political parties to stand with farmers in their quest to defend principles of democracy and federalism.

"As this historic struggle completes 10 months, SKM has called Monday (September 27) to be observed as Bharat Bandh against the anti-farmer Modi government, the SKM had said in a statement.

The SKM appeals to every Indian to join this nationwide movement and make Bharat Bandh a resounding success. In particular, we appeal to all organisations of workers, traders, transporters, businessmen, students, youth and women and all social movements to extend solidarity with the farmers that day," it said.

The bandh will be held from 6 am to 4 pm during which all government and private offices, educational and other institutions, shops, industries and commercial establishments as well as public events and functions will be closed throughout the country, it had said.

All emergency establishments and essential services, including hospitals, medical stores, relief and rescue work and people attending to personal emergencies will be exempted.

Farmers from different parts of the country, especially Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh, have been protesting at Delhi borders since November last year, demanding the repeal of the three contentious farm laws that they fear would do away with the Minimum Support Price system, leaving them at the mercy of big corporations.

The government, however, has been projecting the three laws as major agricultural reforms. Over 10 rounds of talks between the two parties have failed to break the deadlock.

Check out the latest DH videos:
Parts of the national capital witnessed traffic snarls on Monday morning as police closed some key roads to prevent any untoward incident during the Bharat Bandh called by farm unions against the Centres three farm laws.

The Delhi Police has increased security checks at its border points which led to the slowing down of traffic and it informed commuters about road closures and traffic snarls on Twitter.

According to police, roads around the historic Red Fort as well as the dual carriageway at Ghazipur border were closed for traffic.

Read more: Bharat Bandh: Delhi Police tightens security at border points

Traffic movement is closed on Red Fort on both the carriageways Chhatta Rail and Subhash Marg are closed from both sides Traffic movement is closed on Dhansa Border Both Carriageways (sic)," it tweeted.

Traffic Alert

Traffic movement is closed on Red Fort Both the carriageways Chhatta Rail and Subhash Marg are closed from both sides.  Delhi Traffic Police (@dtptraffic) September 27, 2021

Due to blocking of National Highway 24 and 9 by protesters, commuters coming from Sarai Kale Khan can take alternate route for Ghaziabad i.e. Vikas Marg for Ghaziabad and for Noida via DND, the traffic police said on Twitter.

The Ghazipur border is closed for traffic from both sides due to farmers protests. Commuters wishing to commute to and fro between UP and Delhi may use DND flyway, Vikas Marg, Signature bridge, and Wazirabad road. Traffic on NH 24 and 9 is being diverted towards Maharajpur, Apsara and Bhopura borders, it tweeted.

According to police, the traffic is heavy at the Kalindi Kunj flyover and Kalindi Kunj metro station while it is moving slowly on DND flyway. The traffic is also heavy at Rajokri toll plaza as the local police have set up a checkpoint for vehicles.

The Delhi Police has beefed up security in border areas of the national capital.

Samyukta Kisan Morcha, the umbrella body of over 40 farm unions spearheading the farmers' agitation, had earlier appealed to the people to join the bandh.

A senior police officer said adequate security arrangements have been made to maintain the law an order situation and prevent any untoward incident in the national capital during the bandh.

Patrolling has been intensified; extra personnel have been deployed at the pickets especially across the border areas and every vehicle entering the national capital is being thoroughly checked, according to the police.

No protester is being allowed to enter Delhi from the three protest sites at the citys borders, the official said.

Check out the latest DH videos:
The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), a united forum of farmer unions protesting the three farm laws, on Monday said its call for a Bharat Bandh received "unprecedented and historic" response from more than 23 states and not a single untoward incident was reported from anywhere.

"Reports have been pouring in about the overwhelmingly positive and resounding response to the Bharat Bandh call  to mark 10 months of peaceful protests with rightful demands from the 'annadaatas' of the country. Spontaneous participation from various sections of the society was witnessed at most places," it said in a statement.

The SKM said the bandh was observed peacefully in "more than 23 states" and not a single untoward incident was reported.

Read | Bharat Bandh disrupts lives in pockets, roads blocked

It also appreciated state governments and political parties that extended support to the bandh.

"Reports have come in from hundreds of locations from Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Jharkhand, Kerala, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Pondicherry, Punjab, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and West Bengal about the bandh, and numerous events to accompany the same," the statement said.

In Punjab alone, people gathered at more than 500 locations to express their support to the bandh. Numerous non-farmer associations also stood in solidarity with farmers, it said.

"Life came to a near standstill in several states like Kerala, Punjab, Haryana, Jharkhand and Bihar. Reports indicate that in several parts of southern Assam, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Uttarakhand, this was the situation. Scores of protests marked the day in states like Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand," the SKM said in the statement.

Watch latest videos by DH here:
Many non-NDA parties have extended support to the nationwide 10-hour strike on Monday called by farmers protesting against the three agri laws under the aegis of Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM).

The outfit on Sunday appealed for complete peace during the Bandh and urged all Indians to join the strike.

It was on September 27, 2020 that President Shri Ram Nath Kovind assented to and brought into force the three anti-farmer black laws last year. Tomorrow, there will be a total Bharat Bandh observed around the country from 6 AM to 4 PM, " the SKM, which is an umbrella body of over 40 farmer unions, said in a statement.

Farmer unions along with their supporters, including trade unions, have made detailed plans to ensure that life remains suspended tomorrow across the country, except for emergency services, it said.

Also read: Andhra govt extends support to farmers call for Bharat Bandh

It is a day to express support to the annadatas (farmers) of the country, the ones who keep all Indians alive, it said.

The Congress, Aam Aadmi Party, Samajwadi Party, Telugu Desam Party, Bahujan Samaj Party, Left parties and Swaraj India have backed the Bandh call.

Congress general secretary (organisation) K C Venugopal said the Congress and its workers will extend full support to the peaceful 'Bharat Bandh' called by farmer unions.

"We believe in the right of our farmers and we will stand by them in their fight against the black farm laws," he said in a tweet.

"All PCC presidents, chiefs of frontal organisations are requested to go out in front with our Annadatas in their peaceful Bharat Bandh across the country," Venugopal said.

In a tweet in Hindi, BSP chief Mayawati said, "The farmers of the country do not endorse the three farm laws brought in a hurry by the Centre, and are sad about it".

She said her party supports their call for a peaceful bandh and asked the Centre to hold proper consultations with farmers and bring a new law with their agreement.

Also read: Farmers firm on bandh; Karnataka govt promises normalcy

In Kerala, both the ruling LDF and the Congress-led UDF have supported the nationwide farmers' strike, even as the BJP denounced the hartal as "anti-people".

INTUC state president R Chandrasekharan told PTI that since the hartal has the support of both LDF and UDF, the state is expected to come to a standstill on Monday.

He said except for RSS-affiliated Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS), all other trade unions are supporting the strike.

He said there would be no blocking of vehicles or forced shutting down of shops.

The YSR Congress government in Andhra Pradesh has also announced support to the Bharat Bandh.

Farmers from different parts of the country, especially Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh, have been protesting at Delhi borders since November last year, demanding the repeal of the three contentious farm laws that they fear would do away with the Minimum Support Price (MSP) system, leaving them at the mercy of big corporations.

They are also seeking a legal guarantee for MSP.

The government and farmer unions have held 11 rounds of talks so far, the last being on January 22, to break the deadlock and end the farmers' protest. Talks have not resumed following widespread violence during a tractor rally by farmers on January 26 when protesters had stormed the Red Fort and hoisted a religious flag on the ramparts.

"Punjab's new Chief Minister extended his support, and in Jharkhand, the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, Congress and RJD have been jointly planning for the success of the Bharat Bandh. In Tamil Nadu, the ruling DMK supports the bandh, the statement by the SKM said.

In the national capital, the SKM said, central trade unions will organise a protest rally at Jantar Mantar at 11 AM.

"Several bar associations and local units of All India Lawyers' Union have extended their support, the farmers' body said.

The Delhi Police said it has taken adequate security measures like intensified patrolling and deployment of extra personnel at pickets in border areas of the national capital.

Every vehicle entering the national capital is being thoroughly checked, according to the police.

A senior police officer said no protestor will be allowed to enter Delhi from the three protest sites at the city's borders

"In view of Bharat Bandh, adequate security arrangements have been made as a precautionary measure. Pickets at the border areas have been strengthened and all vital installations, including India Gate and Vijay Chowk will have adequate deployment," Deputy Commissioner of Police (New Delhi) Deepak Yadav said.

The SKM said that the birth anniversary of Shaheed Bhagat Singh on September 28 will be marked by the farmers' movement and urged the youth and students to join in large numbers at the morchas to mark the day.

The SKM claimed that more than 605 farmers have lost their lives in the agitation so far.

It called for the closure of all government and private offices, educational and other institutions, shops, industries and commercial establishments as well as public events.

All emergency establishments and essential services, including hospitals, medical stores, relief and rescue work and people attending to personal emergencies will be exempted, it said.

The three laws -- The Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020, and The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act 2020 -- were passed by Parliament in September last year.

The government has been projecting the three laws as major agricultural reforms.

Check out DH's latest videos
Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao has announced that all the government offices and educational institutions across the state would remain closed on Tuesday because of the incessant rains.

Heavy rains are being recorded in many parts of the state, including Hyderabad, since Monday morning, due to the effect of the cyclone Gulab. The storm from the Bay of Bengal had crossed the Andhra Pradesh shore at Kalingapatnam late evening on Sunday.

The remnant of the cyclonic system has by Monday evening weakened into a depression over north Telangana, adjoining south Chhattisgarh and Vidarbha, causing heavy to very heavy rains in these regions.

A high alert warning has been issued in Hyderabad as heavy rainfall is predicted for two more days. Several roads and colonies are already flooded causing traffic jams and other troubles for the public. Rain water has stagnated in many places like Khairatabad, Mallepalli, LB Nagar, Yousufguda, Attapur.

The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation has deployed 170 monsoon teams to attend to contingencies, and has set up 30 relief centres for the people needing evacuation from low lying areas. 202 motor pump sets were also dispatched to various locations in the city for draining out the stagnated water.

City police commissioner Anjani Kumar and GHMC mayor G Vijaya Lakshmi have appealed to the public not to venture out unless necessary.

Chief Minister Rao reviewed the heavy rains situation with Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar and other officials.

Rao ordered for the closure of all the government offices, and schools, colleges in the state on Tuesday. "However, departments like the revenue, police, fire services, municipal, Panchayati Raj, irrigation, roads and buildings would be on emergency duty to ensure that no property or lives are lost due to heavy rains."

Meanwhile IMD officials said that Gulab, now a depression, is likely to move west-northwestwards and further weaken into a well marked low pressure area on Tuesday.

The system is likely to emerge into northeast Arabian Sea and adjoining Gujarat coast around 30 September evening and there is likelihood for the system to further intensify over northeast Arabian Sea during the subsequent 24 hours, IMD's Monday evening bulletin said.

Watch latest videos by DH here:
Resentment in Kerala Congress over the style of functioning of the new state leaders aggravated further on Monday as another senior leader openly flayed the leadership even when efforts to pacify a disgruntled senior leader was not yet fruitful despite intervention of the national leadership.

Former Kerala PCC president Mullapally Ramachandran on Monday came out in the open against the Kerala PCC president K Sudhakaran for accusing him of not attending phone calls and not utilising the opportunities given for discussions on revamping the party.

Ramachandran told reporters that it was improper to give time slots to senior leaders for discussions by the Kerala PCC president and he would be the last person to turn up for such a discussion. Nobody would also tell that I would not attend phone calls, he said.

Ramachandran made the comments along with AICC general secretary Tariq Anwar who called on him at his residence in Thiruvananthapuram.

Anwar also called on another former Kerala PCC president, V M Sudheeran, who had quit from the political affairs committee earlier. Sudheeran imposed further pressure by resigning from the AICC as well.

After the closed door talks with Anwar, Sudheeran said that he had raised his concerns with the national leadership, especially with regard to lack of proper consultations by the state leadership on matters like selection of the state and district officer bearers. The approach and functioning style of the new leadership was not in the right direction. He also said that he would take a decision on withdrawing his resignation after the national leadership's decision on the issues he raised come.

Anwar said that the suggestions made by Sudheeran was being considered seriously by the party.

The national leadership earlier backed the new state leadership comprising of Sudhakaran and opposition leader V D Satheesan when there was resentment from senior leaders like Oommen Chandy and Ramesh Chennithala over the selection of district committee presidents. But now, the national leadership is making serious intervention as more leaders, including party MPs, sought the its intervention to stop the resentment from aggravating further. Already, four leaders left the party during the last few weeks and three had also joined the CPI(M).

The major discontent among the senior Congress leaders, who have been running the show over these years, was that they were not being involved in finalising the list of new office bearers though their suggestions were sought by the Sudhakaran-Satheesan leadership. Moreover, both the leaders were also making open statements ignoring the senior leaders.

Watch latest videos by DH here:
A man held by police on Saturday accused of cheating several individuals by collecting around Rs 10 crore after claiming to possess centuries-old antiques is allegedly connected to prominent personalities in Kerala, including MPs and IPS officers.

Pictures of the accused with these prominent personalities have begun to surface online and those who were cheated had stated to the police that the accused used his connection to these well-placed individuals to convince his victims that his antiques were genuine.

Monson Chacko alias Monson Mavungal, 52, a native of Alappuzha district in Kerala, was held by the Kerala Police's Crime Branch during the late hours of Saturday. A massive collection of 'antiques' at his home-turned-museum in Kochi were found to be fake ones. It included the 'Throne of Tipu Sultan', a watch costing Rs 30 crore and the first telephone of India. Most of them were suspected to be made by local carpenters.

He had also claimed in some videos that he was in possession of a couple of silver coins that Judas received for betraying Jesus Christ and clothes used to wipe the blood of Jesus Christ.

Around ten cars luxury cars were found on the premises of his houses. It was suspected that many were actually those damaged in floods and worn-out cars which were purchased for a throw-away price. Though he claimed to be heading an organisation of Non-Resident Indians, it was found that he did not even have a genuine passport. His claim that he was having a doctorate was also found to be false and his educational qualification is still unknown.

Four persons had complained that Mavungal cheated them by collecting over Rs 5 crore after convincing them that Rs 2.62 lakh crore due to him as proceeds for the sale of antiques to royal families in countries like UAE was held up due to technical and procedural issues and the money was required to clear it.

One of the petitioners, Shammer, said that whenever they raised suspicions over his dealing, Mavungal convinced them otherwise by using his links with prominent people. A portion of the money was even handed over in the presence of a Congress MP holding a key party position. A picture of Mavungal with a minister in Kerala also came out.

There were also allegations of attempts by a couple of senior police officers to sabotage the investigation by changing the investigation officer. But the investigation was later transferred to Crime Branch after those who were cheated petitioned higher-ups. Pictures of senior IPS officers at Mavungal's home have also surfaced.

There were also unconfirmed reports that some senior police officers were present at Monson's house in connection with a ceremony when the Crime Branch team reached there to nab him.

Check out latest DH videos here
A man whose nomination to contest the rural civic poll in Tuticorin District was rejected, set himself on fire near Chief Minister M K Stalin's residence on Monday, creating a flutter.

Identified later as A Vetrimaran, he got close to the house of Stalin on Chittaranjan Salai and took the extreme step to press his claim for acceptance of his nomination to contest for the post of village panchayat president, a release said.

Police personnel in the vicinity doused the fire and rushed him to the Government Kilpauk Medical College Hospital, where Health Minister Ma Subramanian visited him. Rural civic polls are set to be held on October 6 and 9 in Tamil Nadu.

The 'ordinary' civic polls cover nine reconstituted districts in addition to polls to fill vacancies (casual election) in 28 other districts. Belonging to Jameen Thevar Kulam village in Kovilpatti taluk of Tuticorin district, Vetrimaran alleged (in a representation addressed to Stalin) that the nomination papers filed by him and his wife were rejected by an official and sought immediate acceptance of their papers.

This is to contest for the post of village panchayat president, reserved for Scheduled Castes.

He also named a few persons and alleged threat from them to kill him and sought action. In a video clip made available to the media, the Minister was heard assuring the man in the hospital that his grievance would be addressed and advised him to get treated for his wounds.

"First, take care of your health," the Minister said. Vetrimaran told Subramanian that he headed an outfit, the Tamil Nadu Parayar Peravai.
Tamil Nadu-based Aerospace Engineers Private Limited has won a long-term contract from Boeing, the worlds largest commercial and defence aircraft manufacturer, to produce and supply critical aviation components and parts.

The company will invest Rs 150 crore for setting up the new factory at Hosur, the industrial city located just outside Bengaluru, and expanding its existing Salem facility over the next 24 months that will generate employment for 1,000 persons. The state government is already working on transforming Hosur into a hub for manufacturers of electric scooters and their accessories.

This is the first time that a company based out of Tamil Nadu is entering into a direct contract with Boeing. Aerospace Engineers Private Limited, which is an MSME unit based in Salem, handed over the contract order to Chief Minister M K Stalin at the Secretariat here on Monday.

Government officials said the contract won by the Salem-based company is a boost to the state governments aerospace policy and Stalins dream of Make in Tamil Nadu products making it to every part of the globe.

The state government is developing an aerospace park in Sriperumbudur near Chennai for making the state a major hub for manufacturing components for the aerospace industry. Officials said 14 plots have so far been allocated to aerospace industries of which two firms have launched production.

This contract is a testament to the commitment to quality, precision, and collaborative culture of MSMEs in Tamil Nadu. The cooperation between Aerospace Engineers Private Limited and Boeing is a significant milestone and will provide an impetus to the growing aerospace and defence ecosystem in Salem & Hosur and Tamil Nadu Defence Industrial Corridor, a senior official said.

Aerospace Engineers Private Limited was started in 1988 and is dedicated to manufacturing and supplying high-precision and high-quality parts and sub-assemblies to customers in the aerospace and defence industry.

Check out latest DH videos here
Many of us know RINL as yet another steel producing company, but M Lakshmi Soujanya  who has made it to the 2020 Civil Service Examination qualifiers' list  says the PSU's township has been a "pillar of support" for her and she took a lot of inspiration from its '24X7' running plant.

Soujanya, daughter of M Venkata Rao who works as a senior manager at the Steel Melting Shop (SMS) 1 at RINL plant in Visakhapatnam, has scored 127th rank in the coveted UPSC examination, results for which were announced last week.

Speaking to PTI, Soujanya said it was the RINL plant that gave her the steely resolve to crack one of the toughest examinations in the country.

"Our plant functions 24X7 for all of us. I knew I have to prepare in a similar way for the exam," she said.

Also Read | 761 clear civil services exam; 26 from Karnataka: UPSC

The 32-year-old Soujanya was speaking from Tirupati in Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh.

She also expressed her wish to "pay back" to the township where she was born and brought up. "RINL was always there like a pillar of support for me. Along with a few other previous UPSC qualifiers, I would like to set up a preparation centre in the township."

The students looking to prepare for UPSC can get all study material and counselling from the centre, she said.

Soujanya said Union Minister of Steel Faggan Singh Kulaste has also congratulated her on clearing the examination.

Also Read | Dream to join IAS and serve underprivileged realised: Civil services exam topper Shubham Kumar

In a telephonic conversation, the minister said "he is happy that someone from the steel family has made it to the examination. He said to me it is time to pay back to the nation and society," she said.

Speaking further about her experience at the RINL township, Soujanya said she has spent her childhood there. She has done her schooling from DAV Public School located in the plant area.

After schooling, she went to NIT Warangal to pursue B-Tech in Computer Science from where she went to take up a job in a private company.

When asked how she made up her mind for the examination, the engineering graduate replied "I was working with a company in Bengaluru. I had come to Visakhapatnam during the holidays when my uncle asked me to try for UPSC. I took it seriously and quit my job. I worked there till 2016."

Check out latest DH videos here
Sushmita Dev, who joined Trinamool Congress a little over a month ago, was on Monday declared elected unopposed in the Rajya Sabha by-poll in West Bengal.

Dev collected the certificate of her election from the Speaker and returning officer during the day, an official in the speaker's office said.

The BJP did not field any candidate against her in the by-poll which was necessitated as TMC's Manas Bhunia quit the Rajya Sabha after winning the assembly election from Sabang in Paschim Medinipur.

The saffron party's leader Suvendu Adhikari had said that BJP would not field any candidate against her but concentrate in its fight to defeat Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in the Bhabanipur assembly by-poll slated to be held on September 30.

Dev, daughter of former Congress heavyweight and union minister for several terms Santosh Mohan Dev, had quit the grand old party and joined TMC on August 16. She later told reporters "I will intensify the battle against BJP, fight it in Rajya Sabha and voice the atrocities committed by the party's governments in Tripura and Assam".

She accused the Narendra Modi government at the Centre of not allowing the opposition to air its views on important issues in Parliament. Dev, a former Lok Sabha MP from Silchr in Assam, criticised the state Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma for the firing on protestors during an eviction drive in Darrang district last week that claimed two lives.

She had lost to BJP in Silchar in the Assam assembly polls held earlier this year. She was the All India Mahila Congress president before she resigned from that party.

Watch latest videos by DH here:
Ending days of speculation over his exit, former Chief Minister Luizinho Faleiro on Monday formally resigned from the Congress party and as an MLA, while slamming the Congress leadership at the Centre and Goa and tipping West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee as the tour de force to take on the BJP in the state and country.

The Congress has accused Faleiro, who has been with the party for more than 30 years serving as Chief Minister on two occasions as well as an AICC general secretary on several occasions, of being deceptive and called his exit from the Congress and his praise of Banerjee, a result of a voluntary retirement service (VRS) package which Faleiro had accepted from the West Bengal-based political outfit.

"Madam, the Congress in Goa is not the same party for which we had sacrificed and fought. It is functioning contrary to every ideal and principle of its founding fathers upheld by Smt Indiraji, Shri Rajiv ji and you. Shri Rahul Gandhi too has been uncompromising in his fight against the forces that seek to destroy the fabric of our nation," Faleiro has said in his resignation letter to the Congress president Sonia Gandhi.

Also Read | Former Goa CM Luizinho Faleiro to join TMC ahead of polls?

"However, the Goa unit of the party has become a cruel parody of what Congress stands for. Led by a coterie of leaders who prioritise personal gains over the responsibility we owe to our people, we have utterly failed to even be an effective opposition," Faleiro further said.

While Faleiro has categorically stated that he had not joined the Trinamool Congress just yet, he showered praise on Banerjee, especially her combative politics vis-a-vis the BJP.

"We have to see who has got the power to face the present dispensation which is ruling in Delhi and ruling in Goa. Definitely, I will support Mamta Congress because she has fought, she has succeeded... She symbolises women empowerment which can bring this country back on the rails of development and progress," Faleiro told a press conference in Panaji.

The former Chief Minister also said that he would work towards unifying Congress splinter groups like the Nationalist Congress Party, Trinamool Congress, YSR Congress and the Indian National Congress to work together to take on the Bharatiya Janata Party, while also announcing a statewide agitation to take Goa back from the BJP.

Reacting to the development All India Congress Committee general secretary in-charge of Goa Dinesh Gundu Rao said that Faleiro appeared deceptive in his conduct, while also expressing sadness at Faleiro's acceptance of a VRS package from the TMC at the fag end of his career.

"This could be a VRS (package). When you feel that now there is nothing for me here, just take something and go. I was not convinced by anything he was saying (during the press conference)... It is sad that people at the fag end of their careers take this kind of decision... I wish him best of luck," Rao said.

Check out the latest DH videos here:
Former Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party MLA Lavu Mamlatdar on Monday said he would be joining the Trinamool Congress and was keen to contest the 2022 Goa Assembly polls from Madkaim, a stronghold of MGP chief Sudin Dhavalikar.

Also Read | Former Goa CM, MLA Luizinho Faleiro resigns from House; likely to join TMC

Mamlatdar, a former police officer who represented Ponda seat between 2012 and 2017, said he had been in discussions with the Mamata Banerjee-led party since September 1 and would be joining it formally in Kolkata on Tuesday.

"I would like to contest the 2022 Assembly polls from Madkaim," he told reporters.

Check out DH's latest videos here:
As the Samyukt Kisan Morcha-organised Bharat-bandh progressed, farmers leader Rakesh Tikait said that the BJP-led NDA dispensation at the Centre is coming out with what he described as senseless amendments in laws and policies. Today the country witnessed the Bharat Bandh. I feel the government is making senseless amendments to the laws and policies. The government wants to sell the valuable resources of the country, they want to sell the lands, Tikait, the national spokesperson of Bharatiya Kisan Union said.

Addressing the Bharatiya Chhatra Sansad (BCS), a national conclave for politically-inclined students hosted by Pune-based MIT School of Government, he said that youth need to join the revolution. It is high time for the youth to step out of their homes and join the revolution. I feel this will strengthen the revolution immensely, he said.

If the government continues to dismantle the resources, one day India will be known as Mazdoor colony as there will only be a labour class in the country. The protest will get over only with a mutual understanding with the Government and not with the intervention of court. The government has illegally occupied the land of the country. We are absolutely against privatisation and we will sit as long as this bill is taken back. Roti bhook mitane ke liye hai, privatisation ke liye nahi, he said.

Also Read | Sugarcane price hike by UP government a joke: Rakesh Tikait

Meanwhile, Dr Krishan Bir Chaudhary, President, Bharatiya Krishak Samaj, former Chairman, State Farms Corporation of India and Indian Sugarcane Development Council, Government of India and founder, Small Farmers Agribusiness Consortium (SFAC), said, Today, the youth wants to understand the agriculture and the farmers unlike the past. There must be no concept of the mediators. It is the right of every farmer to get into the right market. This law empowers the farmers to sell their agricultural items without any pressure.

If you look into the past, the farmers always wanted the markets to open where they could sell the food essentials directly. MSP aims to provide symmetry to the farmers and contract farming must be promoted. Contract farming will make sure that no food item gets wasted. I really believe that this bill will not just empower the farmers and the Indian economy but it will take Indian agriculture on a different level in the global market as well, he added.

Check out latest DH videos here
Asias longest bi-directional high-altitude tunnel under the treacherous Zoji La will be operational by 2026, giving year-round access to the icy heights of Ladakh from Jammu & Kashmir.

The 14.15-km-long tunnel under the Himalayan mountain ranges is of strategic importance as it would help speedier deployment of the armed forces along the boundaries India shares with Pakistan and China in Ladakh.

Zoji La, the high-mountain pass of blizzards is located at a height of 11,500 feet and remains covered under snow for five to six winter months, cutting off road access to the Union Territory of Ladakh.

Even post-winters, Zoji La has 20-feet-high snow walls that melt slowly as the temperature rises, causing road blocks and traffic jams, Brig G S Kambo (retd), Executive Director, National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation told reporters here.

Kambo said work was progressing at a brisk pace on the Rs 4,600-crore project to build the strategically important tunnel which will be complete before 2026.

The project, awarded in 2012, had run into trouble as the company that was executing it  IL&FS  went bankrupt. The government called for fresh tenders following which the project was awarded to Megha Engineering and Infrastructures Ltd in October last year.

Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari is scheduled to review the progress of the project on Tuesday.

Earlier, Gadkari laid the foundation stone for four highway projects in Kashmir valley. The 121-km projects will cost Rs 3,612 crores.

He also inaugurated the Baramulla-Gulmarg and Vailoo-Donipawa worth Rs 85 crore and Rs 158 crore respectively.

The minister also inaugurated the work of Donipawa-Ashajipra that connects with Anantnag district at a cost of Rs 57 crore. The four-lane 42 km-long ring road in Srinagar will cost Rs 2948.72 crore.

The new projects will promote tourism in the valley and also help people to visit rural areas without touching Srinagar.

Watch latest videos by DH here:
Infosys is caught in the middle of a huge public embarrassment due to the bugs in the new Income Tax e-filing 2.0 portal they developed for the Income Tax Department (ITD). The glitches in the application became apparent immediately after its launch on June 7 this year.

It is not uncommon for a software application to be launched with known bugs. But the bugs in e-filing portal 2.0 broke all limits of acceptance. There were complaints about even basic functionalities like the login and OTP reception. Bombay Chartered Accountants Society wrote an open letter to the finance minister enclosing details of 56 bugs. ICAI made a special presentation before the Finance Minister and representatives from Infosys about the bugs. Scores of other individuals and organisations shared bugs via online platforms bringing more shame to the IT giant.

It is saddening to see the name of an iconic home-grown institution being dragged through the mud due to the glitches in the portal. Is the failure in a software project solely the responsibility of the vendor?

Also read: Infosys says some users continue to face difficulties, working to streamline I-T portal experience

The open bid for a Managed Service Partner to create the new e-filing portal was published by ITD on February 8, 2018. The Cabinet approval for this project came on January 16, 2019, almost a year later. While sharing the news about the Cabinet approval, the then finance minister Piyush Goyal informed that the new portal will be developed in 18 months followed by three months of testing; making it a 21-month project in total.

Twenty-one months may seem excessive for developing an application. But considering the size of this project, that timeline is not that long; it may have been quite inadequate too.

As per the notice inviting bids for this project published by the ITD on February 8, 2018, the scope of the project was to design, develop, operate and maintain two applications: 1) e-filing and 2) CPC (Centralised Processing Centre).

The e-filing portal is the one currently in the limelight. It enables income tax filing, arrear demands, grievance management, etc., of individuals, HUF, companies, and non-company entities. Each of these entities further branches out to various subcategories like salaried/self-employed individual, RI/ NRI, domestic/foreign company, firm/LLP/local authority, etc.; each having their specific validations and privileges in the system.

The CPC portal is the non-public facing part of the system. It handles tax processing, tax accounting, records management, data interchange, and digitisation. The public-facing e-filing portal could be smaller compared to the CPC portal that handles the back-office activities performed by the ITD officials.

Tata Consultancy Services was the vendor for the previous e-filing portal, who handled it since 2012. Meanwhile, Infosys has handled the CPC portal for several years since its inception. This familiarity with the CPC portal and its operations might have given Infosys the confidence to agree on such a competitive timeline.

Scope vs deadline

In the case of both e-filing and CPC 2.0 projects, Infosys task was not to recreate the existing applications but to transform them. Recreating an application is relatively easy since the exact length and breadth of the project are known beforehand. But transformation projects are different. Instead of definitive requirements, they have aspirational objectives: Like the following broad objectives of this project stated in the press release after the Cabinet approval.

- Faster and accurate outcomes for the taxpayer

- First time right approach

- Enhancing user experience at all stages

- Promoting voluntary tax compliance

Such objectives can mean different things to different people. Unless the requirements are clearly defined beforehand by the client, it may take several months for the vendor to finalise proper solutions. There can be instances where major changes are suggested even days before the launch. It takes us to the question of whether the scope of every aspect of this project was precisely defined by the ITD while assigning the project to Infosys. Or did the scope evolve after the commencement of the project? If so, was Infosys given the proper extension in the timeline to accommodate the changes?

Considering that Infosys had started the work only after the Cabinet approval in January 2019, the project was launched in little less than 18 months; three months less than the original estimate of 21 months. It would be interesting to know whether the testing process of three months was conducted as initially planned.

No project goes live without the sign-off from the project director or equivalent authority at the clients end. Were the authorities at the ITD, who signed off the portal as fit for public release, aware of all the issues beforehand and decided to release it anyway?

Like any other industry, underquoting of timeline and price to win projects is a prevailing practice in the software industry too. This incident should be a reminder to all IT vendors about setting proper expectations regarding the delivery timeline and scope of projects they undertake. To put it in Infosys co-founder N R Narayana Murthys words, it is better to underpromise and overdeliver than vice versa.

On the other hand, it is unfair to crucify just the vendor for all the mishaps in the application. Software development requires constant involvement from the client. Government and its authorities shall view IT vendors as partners in building our nations IT Infrastructure.

Proper third-party auditing shall be placed for projects to define and control the scope. Timelines should be competitive, but not unrealistic; there is a thin line between both.

Public shaming of companies will lead to a point where capable organisations will hesitate to take up government projects for the fear of loss of reputation.

(The writer is a Business Analyst)

Check out latest videos from DH:
Sri Lanka must have got their oil palm strategy utterly wrong as the nation takes conscious steps to withdraw from promoting these plantations. Why else would India come up with an oil-palm scheme that is diametrically opposite of its southern neighbour if not for a eureka moment of realisation and decide to invest more than Rs 11,000 crore to boost its productivity in the North-East and Andamans - two regions that share similar characteristics as Sri Lanka. Surely, somebody from the scheme formulation team must have analysed this development in a country well-versed in managing plantations including tea, rubber and coconut.

Yet as India aims for atmanirbharta, an ingrained sustainability conundrum lies in this clamour for palm oil self-sufficiency. As plastic overtook our lives with elan, as fossil fuels permeate our lives, similarly palm oil is the very epitome of a processed product designed to increase our consumption levels beyond sustainable requirements. Market forces and our inability to shift our habits from an induced palm oil dependency to a palate where we can choose to eat, wear and consume products adapted to our traditional way of living is another lifestyle change as we steadily move away from whole foods.

Just as the demand for plastic and fuel accelerated in the human desire for cheap, long-lasting and durable products, palm oil fills these very criteria for consumables, beauty products and access to processed food. As debates over sustainability proliferate worldwide, we find ourselves asking oft-repeated questions on a loop - why do we consume plastic knowing its negative impacts, why do we insist on purchasing fuel-guzzling SUVs and above all, why do we insist on eating a variety of biscuits, chips, and processed food derived from palm oil.

Read | Oil palm in Northeast: Threat to biodiversity?

Yet, palm oil is not the villain. It is a naturally occurring edible vegetable oil that comes from the fruit of the oil palm tree and has been used by human beings for thousands of years. But as with tea, coffee, turpentine from pine trees, apples and many more crops that found acceptance during the colonial era and were consequently planted across favourable climes, palm oil morphed into a lubricant for machinery and an ingredient for candle making. This set the wheels in motion, and the colonial rule established European led plantations in Central Africa and Southeast Asia, regions that also support large scapes of evergreen forests.

A species capable of providing benefits to humanity and used in sustainable quantities for millennia is now a rainforest gobbling industrial beast. It has overrun large parts of Indonesia and Malaysia, where plantations cover 17 million hectares, producing 85-90 per cent of the global palm oil output, covering almost half the area of Germany. It now threatens similar landscapes with heavy rainfall and suitable soil, an ominous shadow looming over Northeast India and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

Yet, the recent push for palm oil lies in the centre of a strange twist of the interplay between finitude, fragility and fairness that make up the sustainability matrix. As the threat of global warming rose, developed nations strived to increase their usage of vegetable oils to wean away from finite fossil fuel resources.

Biodiesel became a buzzword in the early 2000s. Yet, it was soon realised that much of it was being grown under the garb of large scale forest conversion or existing agricultural practices. A case in point is the boom in soy demand in the United States which led to the diversion of all available soy into the biodiesel industry and the corresponding jump in palm oil demand from Southeast Asia. A resource as finite as land put a brake on the growing aspirations of the biodiesel industry while exposing the fragility of the land, which in several cases were wiped clean of their biodiversity.

Also Read | India's palm campaign has hard row to hoe with water, seedlings scarce

The continuing expansion of palm oil plantations raises questions of the fair treatment of displaced and dispossessed indigenous communities who have become palm-oil refugees of the modern era. In hindsight, a project deemed sustainable ended up ravaging large areas of old-growth forest in Southeast Asia while releasing more carbon that it could have avoided, thereby undermining its long term sustainability.

Endangering animal life, destroying fragile habitats, disrupting livelihoods of indigenous people and ravaging forests, modern palm oil industry's stars are dependent upon the choice humankind makes on saving elephants, orangutans, birds, snakes and trees on the one hand and choosing to consume biscuits, chips, crackers, soaps, shampoos on the other. At the moment, nature and biodiversity appear to be on the losing side.

There are fears these plantations will have a massive impact on the livelihoods of tribal communities and their forest. The food system and ecosystem will be affected, and community ownership will go to contract farmers who have money. Local communities will not understand the details of whether to resist or to accept palm oil in most cases. There will be vested people among the tribe who can mislead people.

Palm oil production jumped four times from 1995 to 2015 to 62.6 million tonnes and 74.6 million tonnes in 2019. It is expected to rise to 240 million tonnes in 2050. While the current rise took a toll on enormous amounts of forest in the past 20 years, jumping to 240 million tonnes entails the appropriation of new land in a land-scarce planet. A study reported that between 1990 and 2005, up to 60 per cent of palm oil expansion occurred at the expense of primary tropical rainforest.

Also Read | No end in sight to increasing prices of edible oil

The economics behind this forecasted growth is astounding. For palm oil to remain economically viable, it needs to have access to cheap land, and forests are the only remaining cheap land left. On the other hand, draining, burning and diverting forests and peat swamps for palm oil leads to extensive fires, contributing to the global carbon emissions as more and more land comes under these plantations. It is no surprise that Indonesia is now the third-largest contributor of carbon to the atmosphere after China and the US, with the accelerated destruction of Borneo's forests contributing to the most significant single-year global increase in carbon emissions in two millennia.

Yet, even for the most eternal of optimists, the threat is not what happened to the world's tropical forests in the past few decades but the shadow that looms over our forests now. Governments and banks continue to bat for palm oil production with the rapid conversion of forest lands underway. And the threat to undisturbed forests expands, even as most of the expansion happens far away from the public gaze.

India, which has a long history of plantation crops such as tobacco, tea, coffee, and apple ravaging nature, is keen to welcome palm oil in the Northeast and the Andaman islands. As the world's leading vegetable oil buyer, of which palm oil forms an astounding 60 per cent of the imports, the current focus appears to reduce dependency upon the palm oil-producing nations of Malaysia and Indonesia, fuelled by geopolitical and economic reasons.

The right note is being struck at forums with the country looking at an increase in palm oil to more than 11 lakh tonnes by 2025-26. However, the proposal by the National Mission on Edible Oils-Oil Palm (NMEO-OP) to extend cultivation by an additional 6.5 lakh hectares, an area almost as big as the state of Sikkim, needs to be carefully evaluated in a country considered extremely land scarce.

Not very long ago, similar claims were made for Jatropha under the National Policy on Biofuels 2009. Paeans were written by energy consultancies, research institutes and biofuel enthusiasts on how this nondescript shrub would reduce our oil import and make India self-sufficient. A decade later, the experiment lies in shambles as only a paltry 0.5 Mha of the targeted 13.4 Mha (134 lakh hectare) could be brought under Jatropha cultivation by 2017. While many blame the unavailability of quality seeds as the primary reason for its failure, the fact that such vast swathes of so-called 'wasteland' do not exist cannot be overlooked.

Similar attempts have been made to promote palm oil plantations since 1991, and as a result, palm oil production has increased to 3.70 lakh hectares producing 3.65 lakh tonnes in 2020-21. Assessments suggest that India can increase the land under palm oil to around 28 lakh hectares. Concerns exist as the current definition of a forest in India includes oil palm plantations. As the palm oil rollout begins, how will these plantations be regarded - as forests or otherwise.

If plantations could make a profit without harming local communities and local biodiversity, we would have certainly noticed it in the nearly 200 years old history of such land conversion. Various sustainability frameworks and ESG safeguards look great on paper, but monoculture plantations are fundamentally incompatible with biodiversity and human rights. Take any plantation - sugarcane, tea, rubber, avocado, palm oil, soya bean or timber or pulpwood - the story repeats everywhere across all spatio-temporal scales.

Of the many documentations of the ecological and societal risks associated with changing land use to plantations, a 2019 report by Oxfam points to workers on tea plantations in the Assam region of India systematically denied their rights to a living wage and decent working and living conditions.

Like there is no clean coal, there are no benign plantations. In the middle of a climate breakdown, the authorities need to rethink the idea of planting endless rows of fast-growing biodiversity devastating monoculture palm trees in two of the most pristine places of India, thus adding to the pressure on already scarce land use, and worse, adding to the pressure on degraded forest lands.

(Kunal Sharma is faculty at Azim Premji University. Sandip Chowdhury is working with the climate justice team of an INGO. Views expressed are personal and do not reflect that of his employer.)

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are the authors' own. They do not necessarily reflect the views of DH.
A small-scale clinical study of the combined use of the AstraZeneca and Sputnik Light vaccines against Covid-19 has shown strong antibody growth in a majority of the study's participants, the Russian Direct Investment Fund said on Monday.

The data was collected from 20 people who took part in a 100-person study in Azerbaijan that began in February. They first received the AstraZeneca shot followed by the one-dose Russian-made Sputnik Light shot 29 days later, RDIF said.

"According to the results of the interim analysis, a fourfold or higher increase in neutralising antibodies to the spike protein (S-protein) of the SARS-CoV-2 was found in 85% of the volunteers on the 57th day of the study," RDIF said.
Replying to Leader of Opposition in Legislative Assembly Siddaramaiah's remarks likening BJP to Taliban, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Monday stated that Congress is a party of slavery, and for Congressmen, even patriotism of the BJP looks like slavery.

"Siddaramaiah is frustrated, and his words are not suitable to be uttered by a former chief minister," he said.

Speaking to reporters here, he said, because of the Macaulay's education policy adopted by the Congress during their rule, India was deprived of opportunities to compete at the global level.

Also Read | Siddaramaiah terms BJP 'Talibanis', claims RSS running Karnataka administration

Now, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is bringing a revolution in education, by introducing the new National Education Policy (NEP) to prepare children for the 21 century knowledge era. But, Congress leaders are trying to find fault in that also, Bommai added.

Siddaramaiah on Sunday had alleged that "BJP are "Talibanis" and also claimed that it's actually the RSS which is running the administration in Karnataka. Speaking at in event in Bengaluru, he had said, "RSS and BJP are from Hitler's 'vamsha' (genealogy). BJP are Talibanis. Be careful about them."

Reacting to this, Bommai said looking at Siddaramaiah's statement it comes across that he is "frustrated". "He (Siddaramaiah) is a former Chief Minister, the way he spoke is not befitting to the position he has held in the past," he added.

(With PTI inputs)

Check out latest DH videos here
The JD(S) on Monday kickstarted a 4-day training workshop aimed at the 2023 Assembly polls with party supremo H D Deve Gowda launching an attack on Congress, especially former chief minister Siddaramaiah.

Gowda was speaking at Janata Parva 1.0, a JD(S) orientation workshop for party leaders, with an aim to bring the party back to power in 2023.

"I am alive and will drive this party forward. I will personally travel each district," Gowda, the former prime minister, said.

Directing his ire against Siddaramaiah who recently stated that the JD(S) will never come to power on its own, Gowda warned the Congress leader against belittling the regional party. "It was I who introduced Siddaramaiah to public life. However, he set out to defeat me with a vengeance in Tumkur as he was upset about losing his seat in Mysuru," Gowda said.

"Siddaramaiah also wove a propaganda in Hassan against JD(S), alleging that we were the BJP's 'B' team," he said. "Albeit such efforts, the Congress won only 79 seats," he said, adding, "How long will Siddaramaiah lie that the party lost because of coalition with JD(S)? He must speak the truth."

Read | 'Kannadigas' own party will come to power in 2023'

He further questioned the secular credentials of the Congress after it had tied up with Shiv Sena in Maharashtra.

Meanwhile, JD(S) legislature party leader H D Kumaraswamy launched 'Mission 123' with an aim to win that many seats in the upcoming Assembly elections.

"We will make all efforts to reach this goal. The party will chart out specific targets for candidates contesting the next elections. Necessary training will be provided for it," Kumaraswamy said.

Kumaraswamy said the 4-day workshop will focus on how the party can achieve the 123 target. "The party will take up programmes in every district. I'll meet party workers at the hobli-level," he said.

With several leaders ready to jump ship to the Congress, Kumaraswamy said he would not bother about those who quit. "There are still some efforts to poach workers from our party. Such workers who are sitting on the fence have not been invited to the workshop," he added.

There are some people who slight JD(S) by commenting that the party is a "30-seat" party, he charged, indirectly taking a dig at Siddaramiah. "We will show them our strength in the next elections."

Watch latest videos by DH here:
Paul Clancy is the chief executive of Derry Chamber of Commerce. With the furlough scheme set to end this week and a number of Covid-19 restrictions remaining in place, he argues until businesses can operate without restrictions the scheme should be retained.

At the beginning of the pandemic in March 2020, immediate thoughts turned to how businesses could stay afloat and how jobs and incomes could be protected.

The UK Government, to its credit, moved rapidly and put in place the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, better since known as the furlough scheme.

As of this month, over 11.6 million workers across the UK have been furloughed at one time or the other, with the government supporting up to 80% of their wages in order to protect jobs and avoid widespread destitution.

Sixty-six billion pounds has been spent by the Exchequer on the furlough scheme, a testament to the governments commitment to protecting livelihoods and protecting businesses.

However, the decision to wind down the scheme this month and remove the furlough safety net appears premature and may leave businesses and employees in the lurch.

With coronavirus restrictions still in place in Northern Ireland, and no date set in stone yet for the removal of all remaining restrictions, businesses here are not operating with full freedom and full flexibility. If pandemic restrictions persist, then pandemic protections should also.

Executive Ministers, including the First and Deputy First Ministers, have recently made confusing and contradictory comments about the future of the pandemic and restrictions in Northern Ireland.

While the Economy Minister has shown an urgency and willingness to set a date for the lifting of all remaining restrictions, the First Minister recently dampened these expectations while the Deputy First Minister refused to rule out future lockdowns or so-called circuit breakers.

The continued confusion and uncertainty over restrictions is bad for business, bad for employers, bad for workers, and bad for the wider economy. The last thing the business community needs after 18 long months is the threat and anxiety of another deeply damaging lockdown.

Until we get to a stage where we can fully operate and live without restrictions, however, pandemic protections like the furlough scheme must remain in place. Other countries like Germany and the Republic of Ireland are extending their wage subsidy schemes well into 2022.

At a time when global finance and borrowing rates are extremely cheap for national governments, this is not the right point to be unwinding supports for businesses or workers.
One person is believed to be seriously injured following a jet-ski crash on the River Foyle.

The incident took place last Saturday night in Lisahally with both the Coleraine Coastguard and an Irish Coastguard rescue helicopter, R118, from Sligo arriving at the scene at around 10.20pm.

The helicopter was dispatched by Irish Coastguard in Malin, Co. Donegal.

Foyle Search & Rescue volunteers were also dispatched to the site of the crash where the jet-ski ran aground.

Two people were found with the R118 helicopter transporting one to Derry's Altnagelvin Hospital with a serious head injury. That patient was subsequently transferred to the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast.

The Belfast Health & Social Care Trust was approached for comment regrading the patient's condition but declined to do so.

The condition of other person was rescued by Foyle Search & Rescue is at this stage unknown. The Western Health & Social Care Trust confirmed that only one person was admitted to Altnagelvin before being transferred to Belfast.

A Foyle Serch and Rescue spokesperson said: Our teams were tasked to a jet ski incident close to Lisahally shortly after 8pm (Saturday, September 25).

Our teams responded alongside the Coleraine Coastguard, Greencastle Coast Guard and Rescue 118 and both casualties were safely removed and taken to hospital.

Thanks also to Northern Ireland Ambulance Service and Police Derry City & Strabane for their assistance.

All of our volunteers returned safely to base ahead of Saturday night duty.
A man was arrested in Derry last night in connection with an attempted bomb attack on a female police officer.

The man, 21, was taken into custody at Musgrave Police Station in Belfast for questioning in relation to a bomb placed next to the rear of a PSNI officer's car on the Ballyquin Road, Dungiven on April 19, 2021.

The device was next to a container of flammable liquid which would have engulfed the backseat where the officer's three-year-old daughter would have been sitting had the bomb not been discovered.

A 52-year-old man was formally charged last May in connection with the attack alongside other terrorist-related activities going as far back as 2016.

Two other men arrested at the time, aged 23 and 62 respectively, were subsequently released.

Police believe this latest development regarding the attack is in connection with the activities of the new IRA.

Detective Chief Inspector Andrew Hamlin of the Terrorism Investigation Unit, said: The man has been arrested under the Terrorism Act in connection with the attempted murder of a female member of police staff, who is also a part time police officer, following the discovery of a viable explosive device beside the young mothers car on the Ballyquin Road, Dungiven on Monday 19th April.

He has been taken to the Serious Crime Suite at Musgrave Police Station for questioning.

The attack received widespread condemnation at the time.

This was designed to cause a fireball which would have engulfed the victim's car and anyone in it or close by," said Assistant Chief Constable Mark McEwan.

What is really distressing here is the terrorists placed the bomb at the rear of the car directly at the point where the victim's three-year-old daughter sits.

This demonstrates the complete and utter disregard for the life of a mother and her toddler  this simply beggars belief.

It's time for people to examine their own conscience and ask themselves whether they support groups who are attempting to kill a three-year-old child and her mother.

Deputy First Minister, Michelle O'Neill, said of the incident back in April: Those behind this reckless attack have absolutely nothing to offer society and have shown a callous disregard for the entire community.

They seek only to drag our communities backwards; they have no place in our society and they should disband.

Justice Minister and Alliance Party leader, Naomi Long, also said at the time: When a device explodes, it does not discriminate. It does not pick and choose who it injures or who it kills.

"The people who sneaked around in the dark to plant this device have shown an utter disregard for human life, not only for this officer but for others living in the area or who may have been passing by.
Sinn Fein's Christopher Jackson has hit out at a Loyalist flute band who allegedly wore UDA emblems during a parade in the Waterside area of Derry.

The Sgt. Lindsay Mooney Flute Band held a parade that took place last Saturday with part of the route going through part of the Triangle area of the Waterside which is predominantly nationalist.

According to Mr Jackson  councillor for the Waterside ward  emblems of the proscribed Loyalist terrorist organisation, the UDA, were visibly on display.

The band in question is named in tribute to Lindsay Mooney  a UDA member who was killed aged 19 in March, 1973 after a premature bomb explosion while parking a car outside a bar near Lifford in Co. Donegal.

Cllr Jackson said the parade should never have been allowed by the Parades Commission and that he would be looking for the PSNI to take action.

He said: This was a clearly intimidatory parade with men wearing emblems of the proscribed illegal loyalist death squad, the UDA, marching through a predominantly nationalist area.

This should never have been given the go ahead by the Parades Commission and Sinn Fein will be seeking answers as to how it was permitted and what action will be taken in light of the scenes that transpired here on Saturday.

As soon on as we became aware that this parade was planned, a Sinn Fein delegation including local MLA Ciara Ferguson met with the PSNI to express our concerns and we were assured that a full policing operation would be in place.

In light of the display that took place on Saturday we now expect the PSNI to take action against those responsible and we will be continuing to press for robust measures in the time ahead to prevent any repeat of this kind of blatant intimidation.

PSNI Chief Superintendent Ryan Henderson in response replied that a review of footage from the parade was underway.

He said Police were present on Saturday 25 September at a parade in Derry/Londonderry to ensure the safety of everyone involved.

A robust evidence-gathering operation was in place and we will now review the footage gathered. Any suspected offences will be fully investigated.

A spokesperson for the Parades Commission added: It is a matter for the police to investigate any breach of the Public Processions (NI) Act 1998 and, where appropriate, make referrals to the Public Prosecution Service for its decision on further action.

As such, the Commission does not comment on any alleged breaches.

The Commission will, however, take any proven breaches into account in reaching future decisions on a public procession.
A local council has said new planning advice will have 'severe, far-reaching consequences' for rural communities.

Mid Ulster District Council have called on Minister for Infrastructure Nichola Mallon to withdraw a Planning Advice Notice (PAN) issued last month.

Chair and Deputy Chair of the Council's Planning Committee, Cllrs Kyle Black and Sean McPeake, have written to DfI after a special meeting of the Planning Committee agreed that the new Planning Advice Note for Development in the Countryside would have serious ramifications for rural communities and the Councils ability to make planning decisions which accommodate rural dwellings.

The issue centres on a new definition of buildings which can be taken into consideration when assessing a planning application for development on a farm and proposes that a group of buildings which include a house and domestic garage should not be included.

The new policy advice would, according to the Chair of the Planning Committee, Councillor Kyle Black, be so restrictive as to prevent many people from getting a perfectly sustainable rural dwelling:

In Mid Ulster, the proportion of new dwellings allowed in the countryside is lower than the proportion of people living in the countryside," he said.

There is no need, therefore, to place any additional limitations on development in rural areas.

In fact, I would argue that there is a need to explore policy to provide additional sustainable opportunities for Mid Ulsters existing rural dwellers.

This policy would effectively tie our hands when it comes to making decisions tailored to, and based on, the needs of local people, which is what the transfer of planning powers to local council was all about.

Deputy Chair of the Planning Committee, Councillor Sean McPeake, said the area had the space required.

While other councils may face pressures in terms of accommodating rural development, we in Mid Ulster have the capacity to absorb new dwellings," he said.

To address the issue with a one size fits all approach is not appropriate, reasonable or fair.

We are also concerned that the guidance could prejudice our ability to progress our Draft Local Development Plan which has been, rightly, developed to ensure that we take account of the very specific planning needs of our rural communities.

A letter has been issued to the Minister detailing the Committees objections and asking her to withdraw the planning advice guidance.
Sardar Udham teaser: Vicky Kaushal's glimpse as the freedom fighter is enough to make you impatient; watch

It was back in 2019 when we had seen Vicky Kaushal on the screens. We had all been waiting for him to strike back on the screens. He has some covetable films in his kitty- but the one that many had been looking forward to was Sardar Udham Singh. Not only will this bring the freedom fighter back to life on screens, but we are also eagerly looking forward to how Vicky Kaushal and director Shoojit Sircar's team turns out to be. And now, the teaser of the film is out.

The less than a minute teaser shows how a man, probably the protagonist, is forging through documents. He places the picture of Vicky Kaushal as Sardar Udham Singh in a passport, duly signs it and keeps it together with others that go by the names of Ude Singh, Frank Brazil, and Sher Singh. While it just offers a glimpse of Vicky Kaushal as the assassin who shook the British Empire, the teaser sets the tone for a riveting tale of the man who avenged the death of his fellow patriots. See the video here:

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Vicky Kaushal (@vickykaushal09)

Sardar Udham is all set to release on Amazon Prime and it would stream from 16th October 2021. Are you excited about the trailer and for the film? Let us know in the comments.
Minister Byrne chairs UN Security Council Meeting on Nuclear Test Ban Treaty

Press release

The Minister for State for European Affairs, Thomas Byrne, T.D., has travelled to New York to participate in two high-level UN meetings on nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation.

Today, Monday 27 September, Minister Byrne will chair a meeting of the Security Council to mark the 25th anniversary of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty.

Nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation is a long-standing foreign policy priority for Ireland, and the meeting has been organised as one of the key events of the Irish presidency of the Security Council in September.

Earlier, Minister Byrne said:

Decades of nuclear test explosions have affected the lives and health of generations of people around the globe and left a lasting mark on the environment.

By prohibiting all nuclear testing, the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty inhibits states from developing new nuclear weapons. It is therefore an important step along the path to a world without nuclear weapons, with their devastating consequences for all of humanity. I call for signature and ratification of the Treaty by all states, and for re-doubling our efforts to secure the entry-into-force of this landmark Treaty.

This 25th anniversary is an opportunity to demonstrate that the international community can work together, in pursuit of the common good.

Tomorrow, Minister Byrne will address a High-Level Meeting of the UN General Assembly on the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons.

peaking ahead of that meeting, Minister Byrne said:

I am deeply concerned about the prospect of a new arms race, and ongoing nuclear modernisation programmes. In the face of this, it is more important than ever that we commit our collective efforts to eliminate the threat posed by the very existence of nuclear weapons.

These indiscriminate weapons afford us no security, and the only way we can guarantee humanitys safety from devastating humanitarian consequences is their total elimination.

While in New York, Minister Byrne will also hold a number of meetings with senior UN officials and representatives of other Security Council Member States.

ENDS

Notes to editors

Ireland is an elected member of the United Nations Security Council for a two year term which began on 1 January 2021. Ireland holds the Presidency of the Security Council for the month of September 2021.

The role rotates each month in English alphabetical order, and this is the only time we will hold the presidency during our two-year term. This is the fifth time Ireland has held the Presidency of the Security Council since we joined the UN in 1955.

The Taoiseach chaired a Security Council Open Debate on Climate and Security on 23 September, and the Minister for Foreign Affairs chaired a Security Council Open Debate on Afghanistan on 9 September, and a Security Council dialogue with the League of Arab States on 22 September. Ireland convened an open debate on peacekeeping reform on 8 September.

The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) is the international instrument to end all nuclear testing. It was adopted 25 years ago, in 1996, and while it has yet to enter into force, it has helped to establish an international norm against nuclear testing. Ireland is a long-standing supporter of the CTBT, and has consistently called for its entry into force and universalisation.

Further information about Irelands Security Council term can be found on https://www.dfa.ie/our-role-policies/international-priorities/our-international-partners/united-nations/ and https://www.dfa.ie/pmun/newyork/

 Previous Item | Next Item 
A lot of brands including TCL, Samsung and LG have started launching Mini LED TVs in India. TCL announced its C825 mini-LED TV at the beginning of the year and it is available in India in 55 and 65-inch screen sizes. We have the 65-inch variant with us for review and long story short, this TV has fantastic picture performance along with very good sound output. But it falls short when it comes to some UI niggles. The TV is feature-rich with two HDMI 2.1 ports (overall four HDMI ports) and comes with an Onkyo 2.1 system built-in. Let's dive deep into the performance of this TV.

TCL C828: Specs at a glance

Panel Size: 65-inch (also available in 55-inch)

Panel Type: VA LED

Panel Resolution: 3840 x 2160 - 4K

Panel Refresh Rate: 120Hz

HDR 10 support: Yes

Dolby Vision Support: Yes

HDR10+ support: Yes

Weight (with stand): approx 32kgs

HDMI Ports: 4

USB Ports: 2

Bluetooth: Yes

Wi-Fi: Yes

Ethernet: Yes

Speakers: 60W (15Wx2+30W Subwoofer)

Built-in storage: 32GB

Price: Rs 1,49,990

TCL C825: Display and picture quality

Let's kick things off with the performance of the Mini LED TV panel. This is the first Mini LED TV that we have tested. We have the 65-inch variant with us and the TV boasts of a 4K resolution with support for all popular HDR formats including Dolby Vision, HDR 10, HDR 10+ and HLG. The TV is also the first we have tested to come with support for Dolby Vision IQ.

Above: TCL C825 has a peak brightness surpassing 1000 nits.

Below: Grayscale Tracking shows the TV has a cool bias.

Kicking things off with our Calman analysis, this TV is the brightest we have tested, crossing the 1000 nits mark at the 5 to 10 percent window and gives us sustained brightness of over 500 nits which is extremely impressive. However, when it comes to colours, the TV has a cool bias even on the cinema preset with a warm colour temperature selected. However, the TVs its real-world performance tells a different tale.

Above: ColorChecker Analysis, Movie preset, rec 709 colour space

Below: ColorChecker Analysis, Movie preset, rec 2020 colour space

TCL C825: 4K and HDR performance

Holy smokes, this TV can get bright! is the first thing that will come to mind when you start consuming HDR content. The bright highlights can get really bright while retaining all the details in the dark areas. We saw our standard slew of Content on Netflix in Dolby Vision such as Our Planet, Altered Carbon, and many more. We also saw The Dark Knight and Ready Player one in Dolby Vision using the Apple TV app. This was the first time we had Dolby Vision IQ as a setting in addition to Dolby Vision Bright and Dolby Vision Dark. Dolby Vision IQ essentially controlled the backlighting of the TV to give you a more comfortable viewing experience based on the lighting in the room. While this was good and effective for a pitch-dark room, I still recommend leaving some bias light on in the room and leaving the settings to Dolby Vision bright as the bright highlights can really get punchy on this TV. The details in the dark sequences are also very well maintained.

Even for HDR 10 content on Prime Video, in a show like Jack Ryan which has a slightly dark environment we use to check the performance of the TV, the details were well defined and visible. Needless to say, this TV can give the best of the best a run for its money when consuming HDR Content. While the colours aren't as accurate as what we saw on the X90J (review), they still get the job done very well.

TCL C825: FHD & SDR performance

SDR content also looks fantastic on this TV. From our regular shows like Friends, Young Sheldon, to movies like Mission Impossible and Spider-Man Homecoming, it all looks vivid, albeit with a slight cool bias. In a show like Young Sheldon, you have very good colours, but the skin tones are still better on a TV like the Sony X90J for perspective. The red and blue in Spider-Mans suit are well defined with the black web design distinctly visible. Needless to say, even for everyday TV viewing, the TV does an excellent job.

Picture presets, like Standard, Dynamic, Movie, etc. do change the settings based on the content being consumed and if you don't want to play around with the picture presets, you can simply toggle on the intelligent picture settings and the TV will change the settings to best suit the content. This worked well 8 out of 10 times, so safe to say, you can leave this toggle on.

TCL C825: Gaming performance

Hallelujah! The TCL C825 supports 4K at 120Hz (natively) along with RGB HDR. It has four HDMI ports, two of which support HDMI 2.1 including eARC. The TV also supports VRR, but we don't have an Xbox Series X (review) to test that. We do however have a PS5 (review) and played a lot of games on the console on this TV. If you are looking for bright, punchy colours and a good gaming experience, then the TCL C825 can definitely be a consideration. In a game like Spiderman Miles Morales (review), when swinging towards the sun, you will notice that the red web lines in Spider-Man's black outfit can lose details on some TVs but here, they are very clearly visible. Even the details and colours in his suit to the bright sparks of Spideys venom powers, all are clearly visible.

In a game like Dirt 5 (review), the brought highlight of the sun pouring onto the race track is also an experience worth having. It really does feel like driving on a desert track with the bright sun shining on you.

Even Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart (review) with its beautiful cartoon-like environments and bright muzzle flashes of the guns is an experience worth having. Needless to say, those of you looking for a gaming TV can definitely consider the TCL C825.

TCL C825: Audio performance

The TCL C825 comes with 60W of sound output for the 65-inch variant - two 15W drivers and a 30W subwoofer. The subwoofer is at the back of the TV while the 15W drivers are front fracking hidden behind this grey fabric material. The sound from the TV can get really loud and detailed and unless you are finicky for good bass during high octave explosion in movies, you don't need a soundbar with this TV.

It has very good channel separation especially during the race sequence at the 12-minute mark in Ready Player One. The bass during this sequence including the grunts and crashes of the car to the roar of King Kong all are good and clearly audible. Same for shows with dialogues be it documentaries or even movies with mixed audio.

A good thing about the TV is its intelligent audio settings. Switch this on and it changes the settings based on the content and this works quite well. Although you can go into the TVs settings and manually change the preset to suit one that works for you. For me, it was mostly a movie or standard. The TV supports Dolby Atmos as well, but don't expect the sound to come from above or behind you when using the TV speakers.

TCL C825: UI

This is where the TV suffers and shows inconsistencies. It runs on Android TV 11 and comes with a stock UI with the usual bells and whistles like far-field mics, Chromecast built-in, Google Play Store giving you access to streaming services, etc. It's the same Android TV experience weve seen on many TVs in the past. The TV does not run on the Google TV UI but is expected to get the new UI via an update.

While the TV UI works well, for the most part, there were times when Netflix froze, the Google Assistant refused to work and the UI lagged. I was forced to restart this TV on more than one occasion until I finally gave up and consumed content from my Fire TV Cube. I hope TCL can fix the bugs in the UI via an update as it is the only Achilles heel in an otherwise good TV.

TCL C825: Remote control

The remote control that comes with the TCL C825 is a simple candy bar remote control offering function over form. It has dedicated OTT hotkeys for services like Netflix, Prime Video and Zee5 and also comes with traditional channel settings, navigation, source selection, Google Assistant, etc. While the remote is ergonomic and good overall, I wish the mute button were closer to the volume rocker and there were dedicated playback controls to add more convenience to it.

TCL C825: Build and design

Well-built and premium is the first thing that comes to mind when you will see the TCL C825. It isn't the slimmest TV out there which is fine considering the features it packs under the hood. There is a prominent only logo at the back where the subwoofer is housed. The borders have this silver finish giving the TV a premium feel.

The grey fabric finish hides the front-firing speaker drivers and it also adds an elegant look to the TV. You also have an LED indicator out here and it is as subtle as the one found on the Sony X90J which is very good.

The stand holding the TV in place is sturdy and is a single central stand. So even if you have a small table on which you will house this TV, you should be able to accommodate a 65-inch one as I have.

All the connectivity options are on one side facing outwards and easy to reach. We have two USB ports, four HDMI ports, ethernet, AV In, 3.5mm aux, optical and antenna ports.

Bottom Line

The TCL C825 is a fantastic TV for content consumption. It can get very bright delivering a very good HDR experience while retaining good details in dark areas. It has very good colour reproduction for SDR content as well. While the colours arent as accurate as of the Sony X90J for example, they do a very good job for real-world content consumption. Most people will be very satisfied with the colour reproduced by the TCL C825. The TV has very good sound output. It also comes with two HDMI 2.1 ports with support for 4K at 120Hz, VRR and ALLM making it a great TV for those looking to play games on a PS5 or Xbox Series X on this TV. Sadly, only two of the four HDMI ports support HDMI 2.1 one of which is eARC enabled. The only place where the TV falters is with inconsistencies and bugs in the UI. But if you will invest in a device like a Fire TV Cube or Apple TV, then you can expect an immersive experience when consuming content on this TV. The 65-inch TCL C825 is priced at Rs 1,49,990 as of writing this review making it about Rs 40,000 cheaper than the Sony 65-inch X90J. It is also cheaper than the LG 65-inch C1 OLED TV by Rs 1 lakh approx. and considering the price of the TCL C825, it is definitely a value for money proposition when it comes to picture and sound performance.
The tech giant Google has been reported for being in contact with Facebook along with TikTok's ByteDance for indexing Instagram and TikTok's video content along with YouTube videos as a part of search results. Over the last few years, both of these applications have achieved great milestones with billions of installs. Though, in terms of active users TikTok is still far behind Instagram, but the application despite going through controversies in different countries including the US, Pakistan and India, has still managed to get globally recognized in a short period of time.The short clip format introduced by TikTok is now being adopted by almost all the major social media platforms including Facebooks Instagram, YouTube short and Snapchat as well. In comparison to TikTok, YouTube short still has a long road left to run. According to a study, users are consuming more time on TikTok in the United States and in UK . However, YouTube is still way ahead than TikTok on the basis of overall time spent along with the number of users. Google has officially confirmed that the discussion is still under process and is just a part of Googles policy for seeking out new ideas to organize information of search results. This time the company decided to add Instagrams Reel and TikToks and for this, Google is in contact with Facebook along with TikToks parent company, ByteDance.In order to confirm the deal, both Instagram and TikTok will be required to share their data with Google so the videos can be categorized. However, it is unlikely for these two applications to share their data with Google that can lead to discussions without any agreement. But, if both of them agrees with Googles terms then all 3 of these companies will be able to cover a much larger audience by providing videos links for Instagram and TikTok. These links will be joined by the links of other video sharing applications and websites that includes YouTube and Dailymotion as well.Read next: Google Adds New Tweaks To The Android Auto Interface, Allowing For Less Distractions During Driving
Subscriber content preview

The first residents are now moving into to The Residences at Rainier Square, located atop Rainier Square at 1340 Fourth Ave. in Downtown Seattle.





. . .
Subscriber content preview

SEATAC  A Residence Inn by Marriott, at 19608 International Blvd. in SeaTac, sold for a bit over $51.1 million, according to King County records.

The seller was RI SeaTac Property LP, associated with Texas Western Hospitality of Dallas, which acquired the land in 2016 for about $4.2 million, then developed it. Jensen Fey was the architect.





. . .
College students studying in Dundalk IT who have not received their Covid-19 vaccine are being invited for walk-in vaccination clinics at the Fairways Hotel Dundalk later this week.

The walk-in centres, which are set to operate between 1pm and 7pm on the 29th and 30th of September, will provide either first or second doses to DkIT students who have not yet been fully vaccinated.

According to the HSE, the aim of the walk-in centres is to maximise the vaccine uptake in those not yet vaccinated, including international students studying at DkIT.

This special vaccination week aims to make it easy for any students who havent had their vaccine yet to get it. It includes international students who have recently arrived in Ireland, staff, and also our wider community who may find it easier to access the vaccination centre which is close to DkIT, said Martina Ralph, Coordinator of the Fairways Vaccination Centre.

We have made great progress with our community vaccination programme and we want to build on these gains and ensure our student population is vaccinated as the new term starts.

Dr Augustine Pereira, the Director of Public Health North East said that Covid-19 can impact on both the young and old, and that the best defence against severe illness was getting a vaccine.

COVID-19 can affect anyone, young or old and the vaccine is providing effective protection from severe illness, said Dr Pereira.

It is gratifying to see the enthusiastic uptake of COVID-19 vaccines by college students to protect themselves, their families and fellow students and it is key for the safe reopening of third-level institutions.

The Head of Marketing and Communications at DkIT, Lynda McQuaid, said that to ensure safety on campus, students and staff need to be careful and continue to adhere to public health advice.

To make the return to campus safe and sustainable for our students, staff and the wider community we must continue to be vigilant and adhere to Public Health advice, said Ms McQuaid.

Vaccination Week enables our staff and students, who have not already availed of their first or second dose, the opportunity to seek protection.

Our strength in the next phase of the pandemic will be personal as well as institutional responsibility.

We will work tirelessly between now and next week to spread the positive benefits of being vaccinated and the ease with which they can avail of a vaccination in the Fairways Vaccination Centre.

Students seeking to avail of the walk-in vaccination clinics are being asked to bring a photo ID with their date of birth, their PPS number, their Eircode, a mobile phone number and their email address.
A Dundalk-based Garda has received a Bronze Scott medal after risking his life to rescue a businessman who was kidnapped by the IRA in 1983.

Sergeant Eugene Collins, who currently works within Dundalks Community Policing Unit, risked his life during an operation to find prominent businessman Don Tidey, who was kidnapped by the IRA who had posed as members of An Garda Siochana in November 1983.

After 23 days in captivity, Gardai received confidential information which lead to a search of a wooded area located in Ballinamore in Co Leitrim, with Gardai being joined by the Irish army in their search.

A number of smaller teams were created, with Garda Eugene Collins entering Drumcroman woods with other gardai and were only able to travel through the dense undergrowth by crawling on hands and knees.

According to Gardai, they knew that they would likely face an armed IRA gang within the woods.

During the operation, Garda Collins heard two other gardai speaking about a unidentified man wearing what appeared to be paramilitary fatigues, with Garda Collins advancing forward and seeing a beared man ten feet in front of him.

Garda Collins was then shot at, with him dropping to the ground and retreating to cover.

After gunfire erupted, he was held hostage by the IRA along with other Gardai and Irish Army soldiers and was told to keep his hands over his head.

The captured gardai were forced across multiple fields and fences, before the gunmen made their escape.

According to Gardai, subsequently, three people were convicted in relation to the kidnap of Mr Tidey.

Garda Commissioner Drew Harris said that Sgt Collins and other Gardai at Drumcroman wood showed outstanding bravery in their actions in 1983.

The obvious danger and complexities involved in the operation at Dromcroman Wood in mid-December 1983 cannot be overstated, said Commissioner Harris.

You were involved in a heavy exchange of gunfire and were directly shot at.

In all of your actions during this search operation you strove to protect the life of Mr. Don Tidey and the lives of your fellow Gardai.

Each one of you demonstrated outstanding bravery and physical courage.

And both bravery and courage involve so much more than we can know.

Commissioner Harris also paid tribute to those who died in the operation, Garda Gary Sheehan and Private Patrick Kelly.
EBRD and GCF providing financing of up to 25 million to Credit Immobilier et Hotelier (CIH Bank)

Funds to help citizens, SMEs and corporates address climate emergency

Loans to finance investments dedicated to climate change adaptation and mitigation

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD)  supported by the Green Climate Fund (GCF) and the European Union (EU)  is providing a financial package of up to 25 million to Credit Immobilier et Hotelier (CIH Bank) to support Moroccos green transition.

The financing, of which a total of 18.75 million will be provided by the EBRD and 6.25 million by the GCF, will be extended as sub-loans by CIH Bank to local citizens, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and corporates for investments in climate change mitigation and adaptation technologies.

The new EBRD financing comes under the Green Economy Financing Facility (GEFF) in Morocco which is supported by the GCF. A comprehensive technical capacity package complemented by investment incentives, both funded by the EU, will support CIH Bank in the deployment of the programme. The European Union considers this package to be a concrete way to help companies find and finance the solutions best suited to their transition to the green economy in Morocco.

The signing ceremony took place in the presence of Antoine Salle de Chou, Head of Morocco for the EBRD, and Lotfi Sekkat, Chairman and CEO of CIH.

Operating in Morocco since 1920, CIH Bank is a major player in the development of the Moroccan economy. It is recognised as a universal bank and positioned as the leading digital bank in Morocco, combining digitalisation with a network of large network of bank branches.

Morocco is a founding member of the EBRD and became a country of operations in 2012. To date, the EBRD has invested 3 billion in the country through 74 projects.
EBRD and IFC to provide senior loans of US$ 150 million each to TAV Airports

Funds will finance upgrade of Almaty International Airport

Parallel loan to be extended by EDB and DEG

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is facilitating better regional and international connectivity for air travellers in Kazakhstan by arranging a senior loan of US$ 150 million for the development of key infrastructure at Almaty International Airport.

The financing will be provided to a consortium of investors led by the global airport operator TAV Airports, which is listed on the Istanbul Stock Exchange. It will fund the biggest-ever private investment into airport infrastructure in Kazakhstan and Central Asia. This will help boost operations of the busiest regional airport, which before the Covid-19 pandemic used to provide services to almost seven million passengers per year and handle up to 220 flights per day.

The financing is contributing towards the total cost of the investment programme of US$ 780 million, with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) also providing a US$ 150 million loan of a similar size and structure. The EBRD and the IFC are jointly mobilising equal parallel loans by the Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) and DEG, the German development finance institution, in the total amount of US$ 78 million.

EBRD President Odile Renaud-Basso said: We are very proud to team up with the IFC, EDB and DEG to support such an important infrastructure project for both Kazakhstan and Central Asia. It will help create a major regional transport hub and will support the post-Covid-19 recovery. Over many years, we have worked with TAV Airports in various markets and are confident that the blend of our financial resources and their experience will make this another successful joint undertaking.

Thanks to a grant of US$ 600,000 provided by the Global Environmental Facility, the new airport terminal will become the first EDGE (Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies) Advanced-certified airport in Central Asia. TAV Airports will use its international experience to apply EDGE standards in resource efficiency through the use of high-grade insulation materials, water-efficient equipment and advanced practices for reducing noise, light, waste and emissions of greenhouse gases and air pollution, in line with the recommendations of the International Civil Aviation Organization ICAO.

As part of the project  and in close cooperation with Almatys Civil Aviation Academy and Aviation College  TAV Airports will also develop an inclusive training programme for young women and men, which will boost employment opportunities.

The EBRD is a leading institutional investor in Kazakhstan. To date, the EBRD has invested more than US$ 8.4 billion in Kazakhstans economy through 290 projects.
Developing small-scale, green and inclusive tourism in Montenegro

In our evermore stressed-out, screen-dependent lives, a holiday that takes us away from the crowds and endless scrolling sounds increasingly appealing to some travellers.

In countries like Montenegro, more and more tourists have decided to venture inland and swap the comfort of seaside hotel beds for old wooden huts, also known as katuns, used in the past by nomadic herders.

But what makes agritourism so attractive for both travellers and locals?

The coming-of-age of agritourism

The growth of agritourism has developed over the past two decades, as tourists are shifting their priorities on how to spend time and money. This type of tourism aims to be small-scale with a low environmental impact and involves educating visitors in some way.

Think of farm stays and countryside experiences such as working the land, cookery classes or herding livestock. In the same way that green fashion has become very popular, agritourism is now becoming one of the travel industrys most colourful and fastest-growing sectors, particularly in areas of wild beauty such as Montenegro.

People love Montenegro and want to connect with the people and landscape more profoundly than simply as passing tourists, explains Sabina Ramovic, owner of RAMS, a family-owned travel agency in northern Montenegros Bijelo Polje.

Sabina established the company with her husband back in 2005. At the time, they simply connected tourists with their family, friends and neighbours.

When you live in a katun, your whole life is dedicated to cattle-raising and cheese-making. When staying in our villages, tourists can discover the lifestyle, traditions and culture of our people. They become fully immersed in the experience.





Slow food, quick growth

Sabina understood that exploring local culture through food was one of the most effective ways to get to know a new place. That is why in 2016 she decided to bring the Slow Food community to Montenegro.

Slow Food International is a grassroots organisation based in Italy, founded by a group of activists in the 1980s with the initial aim to defend regional traditions, good food and a slow pace of life. The main goal nowadays is to link the pleasure of food with support for the community and environment, she explains.

We organise different activities to help small-scale producers attract tourists and promote their products. Today, we have a network of 40 households all over Montenegro as part of our offer, Sabina adds.

With the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD)s help and donor support from Western Balkans Enterprise Development & Innovation Facility (WB EDIF), funded by the EU, RAMS has now built an online presence too. Via their website, tourists can book their stay online, making it easier for farmers to prepare and tailor the consumers experience. With a growing social media presence, tourists can now get a taste of what to expect.

Given the growing success, Sabinas son  who is only 27  has picked up the family business. Part of his vision is to make the company more diverse. RAMS now employs four people, two of whom have disabilities.

Our mission is to be open to everybody, because a disability should not close the door to workers and everybody has the potential to do different jobs, Sabina explains.





A different type of all inclusive

But this type of tourism doesnt just attract curious city travellers; it also provides tremendous benefits to the agriculture sector and rural communities.

This is particularly important in regions like northern Montenegro, where opportunities for young people are scarce and the heavy reliance on agriculture can make a bad blueberry harvest in the Prokletije region  said to be the largest natural plantation of blueberries in the world  enough to put the livelihoods of smallholder farmers at risk.

One example is Adrovic Alimr from Petnjica. He is one of the 5,000 northern Montenegrin farmers that still make the traditional dried beef Crnogorska Govea prsuta  a specialty which has long been a part of the countrys culinary repertoire.

In a joint project with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and with donor support from Luxembourg to upgrade food safety and quality standards in Montenegros meat sector, the EBRD helped this special meat gain geographical indication (GI) status, an origin-based label that can give high-quality food products more cachet. To consumers, a GI label indicates an origin-linked product of quality, authenticity and tradition. The label can also increase a products sale price by 20 to 50 per cent, according to a FAO-EBRD study.

Receiving the GI certification makes a massive difference as it gives us new opportunities and opens us up to new markets and businesses, Adrovic says.

Tourism for inclusive growth

The combination of tourism and agriculture can diversify commercial activities and solve problems of market shortages in agriculture, create jobs in rural areas and increase the value of agricultural production for farmers through various commercial activities.

Increasing the involvement of local communities, especially the poor, in the tourism value chain can boost the local economy and reduce poverty, and help build a sustainable and inclusive industry in countries like Montenegro.

The international community is now recognising the importance of ensuring that nobody is left behind as the world begins to open up after the Covid-19 pandemic. The theme of this years United Nations World Tourism Day is Tourism for Inclusive Growth. This gives an extraordinary opportunity to look beyond tourism statistics and acknowledge that, behind every number, there is a person.

Time to swap the all-inclusive resort for an all-inclusive society?
EBRD marks World Tourism Day

Each year, on 27 September, World Tourism Day serves to highlight the importance of tourism for development, economic growth and cultural exchange.

Before the Covid-19 pandemic brought international travel to a sudden halt, tourism was considered to be one of the fastest-growing and most resilient economic sectors, with optimistic growth predictions for 2020. Indeed, in 2019, the travel and tourism sector contributed 10.4 per cent to global GDP and generated 7 per cent of total exports, with export revenues from international tourism surpassing US$ 1.7 trillion (see UNWTO Tourism Data Dashboard).

According to the World Travel & Tourism Council, in 2019 the sector provided employment to more than 300 million people. This figure is due in part to the sectors connectivity, which entails a large and diversified supply chain.

When the global pandemic hit, millions of jobs were lost and countries whose economic health relied on the tourism and hospitality sector faced the challenge of funding measures to combat the virus while losing much of their revenues. Forecasts suggest that by the end of 2021, the economic loss to global GDP will amount to more than US$4 trillion.

Covid-19 has also further exacerbated existing inequalities and created new ones for groups that already faced disproportionate barriers to economic opportunity before the crisis. The waves of unemployment caused by the pandemic may give rise to pockets of stranded skills, particularly in the regions and sectors  hospitality, retail services and tourism, for instance  that were most dependent on face-to-face interaction and, therefore, heavily affected by lockdown restrictions.

Young people and women have been particularly affected as they are more likely to work in non-standard employment. The achievement of the gender parity has been set back by a generation. It will only be possible to make a sustainable recovery, with a more just and equitable future for all, if these new inequalities are addressed along with the underlying ones that existed before the pandemic.

Today, international tourism is slowly recovering as governments ease restrictions on travel to an increasing number of countries. Against this backdrop, the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), advocating for tourism to contribute to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, designated this years World Tourism Day 2021 as an opportunity to focus on Tourism for Inclusive Growth. It reminds us of our common responsibility to build back better and promote responsible, sustainable and inclusive tourism in the EBRD regions.

A recovered tourism sector can serve as lever to promote social and economic inclusion. The EBRD is well placed to help ensure an inclusive recovery in the sector by combining investment with the promotion of market-relevant training, inclusive and gender-sensitive recruitment, employment and lifelong learning policies as well as dialogue with national authorities on skills policies.

This potential  and the need for tourism and hospitality sectors to contribute to inclusive growth  is also reflected in the EBRDs Property and Tourism Sector Strategy 2020-24. Tourism projects can play an important role in reducing skills mismatches, enhancing access to skills and creating employment opportunities for disadvantaged groups, including youth and women.

In this regard, the EBRD supports training programmes to equip local youth with qualifications to help them transition into work in tourism. Projects focus on market-relevant skills, including green skills and digital skills but also sought-after culinary and hotel management talent. In addition, the EBRD works to reduce gender gaps in access to employment and services in the tourism sector through equal-opportunity initiatives and the design of gender-responsive infrastructure.

Besides young people and women, the EBRD supports the creation of training and work opportunities for people with disabilities and supports engagement at the community level in more remote regions. For instance, the Bank helped establish the Sector Skills Council for the tourism and hospitality sector in Jordan in 2018. This Council brings together the private and public sectors to promote the development of skills that are in demand from the tourism and hospitality industry.

Recently, the EBRD also provided a loan for the development of the new Hyatt West Cairo hotel in Egypt, a project which  besides opening up new employment opportunities  includes a technical cooperation element, supported by the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs - SECO, focused on developing high quality training programmes and gender-sensitive recruitment practices.

Later this year, the EBRD will launch its new strategy for the promotion of gender equality and its strategy to equality of opportunity. With these strategies, the Bank aims to further scale up and expand its activities in promoting inclusion and equality in all EBRD economies and sectors, including tourism and hospitality.
EIB

In the presence of Cote dIvoire Prime Minister Patrick Achi, Team Europe today announced several actions through which the country's European partners will support its post-COVID economic recovery and the strengthening of its health and solidarity system.

As in many other countries, the pandemic has negatively affected the private sector  including the informal sector  in Cote dIvoire, and has highlighted the need to strengthen the health system. To overcome the COVID-induced economic slowdown, Cote dIvoire has set up several funds making it possible to grant low or zero-interest loans to beneficiary companies and establish a sustainable system of social safety nets to directly benefit the most vulnerable people. At the same time, the government has identified the need to improve health services to be better equipped to face health challenges.

The European Union, European Investment Bank (EIB) and Germany  as Team Europe  want to support the efforts of Cote dIvoire by providing over CFAF 100 billion.

Germany and the European Union have announced the payment of 54 million (CFAF 35.4 billion)  24 million (CFAF 15.7 billion) from the EU and 30 million (CFAF 19.7 billion) from Germany  as budget support. This will enable funds dedicated to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and large corporates to be used to provide short-term access to liquidity on favourable terms, including via low or zero-interest loans.

In addition, the European Union and Cote d'Ivoire signed the finance contract for budget support of 5 million (CFAF 3.3 billion) aiming to support the Solidarity Fund. This support will help the Ministry of Solidarity and the Fight against Poverty to put in place social safety nets to directly benefit vulnerable people.

The EIB and the European Union also announced the deployment of the new African Health Diagnostics Platform in Cote d'Ivoire to support the health system, in cooperation with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. This new initiative will mobilise EIB loans to governments and the private sector for major investments making it possible to improve laboratory diagnostics in several African countries, including Cote dIvoire. The implementation in partnership with the Clinton Health Access Initiative will be assisted by the European Fund for Sustainable Development (EFSD). This initiative, which aims to attract more private financing to African countries, will help improve the quality of care for low-income populations and is a response to potential future epidemics.

These announcements by Team Europe were made at the same time as the visit to Cote d'Ivoire of EIB Director of International Operations Maria Shaw-Barragan and Director for Africa at the European Commission's Directorate-General for International Partnerships (INTPA) Sandra Kramer.

The European Union has supported Cote dIvoire since the COVID-19 pandemic reached the country. The solidarity caravan provided immediate assistance to over 11 000 vulnerable families from the beginning of the pandemic. The European Union then redirected some of its financial assistance towards supporting the health and economic response plan of the Cote dIvoire government. This included the provision of medical equipment and serological tests and technical assistance amounting to CFAF 629 million.

Team Europe  the European Union, the EIB and the EU Member States  also supported the COVAX scheme, which has provided Cote dIvoire with 3 million vaccine doses. Together with the Minister for Health and Sanitation, the EU and EIB representatives also visited a COVID-19 vaccination centre in Cocody on Thursday.
Description

The inside story of the European Fund for Strategic Investments from 2015 to 2020 told through interviews with the Managing Director, Deputy Managing Director, members of the Investment Committee and final beneficiaries across Europe.

The architects of this 500 billion-plus programme, the head of the EU bank and the president of the European Commission, describe the genesis of this financial pillar of the Investment Plan for Europe. Then the people who ran one of the biggest economic stimulus programmes in history detail how they did itand what the lessons are for policymakers responding to new crises, including the economic shock caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The European Fund for Strategic Investments has been one of the good news stories to emerge in a decade of economic uncertainty. It has gone well beyond its highly ambitious target of 500 billion in mobilised investments. The Juncker Plan has made a strong contribution to the 14 million jobs created in the EU between 2015 and 2020. It has become a success in co-financing projects that otherwise might not have been carried through. It has also charted the path towards new ways of financing. This is not only the case in relatively conventional areas, such as infrastructure, but also in sectors like research and innovation or the contribution to climate change mitigation. This is exactly what makes EFSI so ground-breaking: responding to the needs of the market through continuous financial innovation.

The principle of the European Fund for Strategic Investments is here to stay. It has paved the way for its successor, the InvestEU programme, which is to be deployed under the 2021-2027 multiannual financial framework. This publication details why the programme was such a success.
After the incident in Sardinia, it is clear that Carles Puigdemont continues, and will continue, to be the reference point for the Catalan pro-independence resistance. And that until the issue of the Catalan exiles is resolved, the wound between Catalonia and Spain will remain open and, like the La Palma volcano, will sporadically burst into eruption depending on the circumstances.

Only a dignified exit for the president, who was democratically elected and then dismissed through the use of distorted legislation, will make it possible to gradually restore the unconflicted political normalcy sought by the Socialists and ERC and which much of Catalan society longs for.

However, the most interesting and/or alarming aspect that the events in L'Alguer reveal is the extent to which the judicial bunker is willing to use Puigdemont, or whoever it can, to bring down the coalition government formed by the PSOE and Unidas Podemos. It seems as if the deep state is aiming to bring about the traumatic collapse of the current executive given the difficulty of the increasingly extreme Spanish right to gain power democratically.

Indeed, at present Carles Puigdemont is a major destabilizing factor in Spanish politics and there are many who have an interest in taking advantage of that. Undoubtedly, the person who had the greatest shock - who know, maybe even a panic attack - when the news arrived of president Puigdemont's arrest in Sardinia, was the Spanish prime minister, Pedro Sanchez. I am sorry to contradict the Right Honourable [Catalan president], but from any point of view the head of the Spanish executive is at this moment the person who is least interested in Puigdemont being handed over to Spanish justice. A final decision to take him into custody - without mentioning extradition - would blow the Spanish legislature to smithereens... and it's still all possible.

Carles Puigdemont is a major destabilizing factor in Spanish politics and the Deep State wants to use him not only because of its repressive mania, but also, to bring down the PSOE-Unidas Podemos government

Everyone knows that with Puigdemont arrested or extradited, the mobilizations and protests in Catalonia would prevent the PSOE and ERC from maintaining their commitment to cool the conflict of the independence process. ERC would not be able to justify supporting the Spanish government budget and Pedro Sanchez would lose the parliamentary majority he needs to maintain the legislature. In Catalonia, ERC would have its work cut out to ensure the continuity of the Aragones government and the pro-independence parliamentary majority, without much chance of success, given the predisposition of the pro-independence groups to bump each other off over any minor matter.

In the Spanish context, it goes without saying that the right and the far right would go on the offensive against the Socialists, disguising their move as an anti-Catalan crusade, that is, treating the PSOE as traitors to the homeland, and the judiciary would continue to follow its roadmap of lawfare even more euphorically. All of these are ingredients that would, in an atmosphere of collective hysteria, facilitate a far-right majority in Spain and the convulsion that would follow, which is just what is wanted by the supporters of "The worse things get, the better".

All this won't happen if on October 4th the judge in Sardinia avoids ruling on the extradition of the exiled Catalan president, confirming that he has immunity from prosecution when he is carrying out his role as an MEP. However, anything can happen between now and October 4th, and the battle will be fought by the Spanish Supreme Court against the government of Pedro Sanchez. It is not presumptuous to describe it as an institutional crisis without precedents.

The fact that the Spanish government does not want anything to do with a Puigdemont arrest is shown by the fact that it was the Spanish state solicitors' office that informed the European General Court that the arrest warrant against Puigdemont had been suspended, when, in fact, the act of suspensing the warrant corresponds to the judge who issued it, the ineffable Pablo Llarena.

Needless to say, once Puigdemont's trip to L'Alguer was announced, it was natural that the Supreme Court and the Spanish police, in their role as judicial police, got things moving and warned their Italian counterparts, without the interior ministry being able to do anything to prevent the arrest. It is obvious that some want to catch Puigdemont not only because of their repressive mania but also because of the consequences it would have on Spanish politics - while others have no interest in it for the same reasons.

However, due to the fact that between now and October 4th the situation will have to be clarified, we will witness in two scenarios - the Court of Sassari, in Sardinia, and the General Court of the European Union, in Luxembourg - a spectacular battle between the Spanish Supreme Court, in belligerent attitude, and a Spanish government not wanting to know about it. There will be accusations and counter-accusations to give rise to the umpteenth Spanish ridicule. And the political pandemonium will erupt resoundingly.
A group of activist-hackers in Belarus has infiltrated almost every part of the the country's authoritarian government in a bid to overthrow the Lukashenko regime, according to MIT's Technology Review and Bloomberg. The hackers, known as Belarus Cyber Partisans, have been leaking information they found on sensitive police and government networks. They first started defacing government websites as an act of protest in September 2020 following the country's disputed election, in which Alexander Lukashenko's win was widely considered as fraudulent. But they also publish the information they get on Telegram, where they have 77,000 subscribers.

The group told the publications that it's made up of 15 IT and cybersecurity experts working in the country's tech sector. None of them are "professional hackers," a spokesperson told Tech Review, with only four out of 15 doing the actual "ethical hacking."

The Partisans' most recent attacks gave them access to drone footage from the government's crackdowns on protests last year and the Ministry of Interior Affairs' mobile phone surveillance database. They also apparently got access to emergency services' audio recordings, as well as video feeds from road speed and isolation cell surveillance cameras. The data the group released over the past weeks include lists of alleged police informants, personal information about top government officials and spies, police drone and detention center footage and secret recordings captured by the government's wiretapping system.

If the Cyber Partisans have been effective in their efforts to infiltrate the government's networks, it's thanks to the help they get from another group called BYPOL. They reportedly reached out to BYPOL in December 2020 for guidance  after all, the group is made up of former Lukashenko officials who defected from the government and current ones working to topple the regime from the inside.

BYPOL provides them information on how to infiltrate government organizations and on the structure of the administration's databases. In return, the Cyber Partisans provide the group with information it can use to investigate the regime's crimes. BYPOL publishes information on its own Telegram channel and creates documentaries, one of which was cited at a congressional hearing that led to the US imposing sanctions against the Lukashenko regime.

The Cyber Partisan spokesperson told Tech Review that they're using cyberattacks to "paralyze as much as possible of the regime's security forces, to sabotage the regime's weak points in the infrastructure and to provide protection for protesters." Their ultimate goal is "to stop the violence and repression from the terroristic regime in Belarus and to bring the country back to democratic principles and rule of law."
Nearly five years after Twitter shut down Vine, TikTok has reached the coveted 1 billion monthly active user mark. The company announced the milestone in a blog post on Monday. Attracting 1 billion users to any platform is a significant feat. However, TikToks rise in popularity is especially impressive when you consider almost exactly a year ago the Trump Administration was threatening to ban the app if ByteDance, TikToks Bejing-based parent company, didnt sell it to an American buyer.

Then you have the speed at which TikTok achieved the feat. The app has only been widely available since 2018  though you could download it in select markets as early as 2017. It took Instagram nearly eight years after its initial release and almost six years after it was acquired by Facebook in 2012 before it passed the 1 billion user threshold. Granted, the internet was a smaller place then with fewer people connected to it through their phones, but none of that takes away from TikToks ascent.
Facebook will publish two internal slide decks detailing its research into how Instagram affects teens mental health sometime in the next few days. Speaking at an online event hosted by The Atlantic, the companys policy chief Nick Clegg said the company would release the data to Congress before making it available to the public.

We're just making sure that all the Ts are crossed and the Is are dotted so that we can release it both to Congress and then to the public in the next few days," Clegg said of the slides, some of which have already been made public. His comments come more than 10 days after The Wall Street Journal published an investigation into how Instagram affects the teens who use it. Citing internal research conducted by Facebook, The Journal wrote that Instagram is harmful for a sizable percentage of teens, particularly teenage girls.

The investigation prompted immediate pushback from lawmakers, many of whom were already wary of Facebooks handling of child safety, and its plans to build a version of its service for children under 13. On Monday, Instagram said it would pause that work in order to create more parental supervision tools. Members of Congress responded saying they want the company to end the project entirely. Facebooks head of safety is scheduled to testify at a Senate Commerce Committee hearing on the subject Thursday.

Now, Facebook seems to be hoping that releasing more of its underlying research could help address concerns from lawmakers and others. In a separate statement published Sunday, the companys top researcher suggested that The Wall Street Journal had mischaracterized its research. Clegg went a step further Monday, saying that the reporting based on documents leaked by someone who clearly feels they have some points to make.

If you read the decks, and then compare it with some of the assertions that, you know, Instagram is toxic for all teens and so on, I don't think any reasonable person  would say that the research sustains that claim, Clegg said. When the dust settles people will see that we're just sincerely trying to kind of  like external researchers  are trying to work out what the complex relationship is between individuals, given their own individual circumstances, and their lives and their use of social media.

A Facebook spokesperson confirmed the company would release two decks that were central to The Journal report, but didnt elaborate on the timing of the release.

But the decks alone are unlikely to quiet Facebooks critics. For one, Facebooks own rebuttal of The Wall Street Journal reporting appears to undermine the significance of its own research. This research, some of which relied on input from only 40 teens, was designed to inform internal conversations about teens most negative perceptions of Instagram, Facebook VP Pratiti Raychoudhury wrote. It did not measure causal relationships between Instagram and real-world issues.

It also raises questions about how Facebook will present the data it does make public. Last month, the company released a report on widely viewed content on its platform. The report was meant to rebuff criticism that News Feed favors polarizing content. But researchers outside the company quickly poked holes in the report, and said it was emblematic of Facebooks larger transparency issues, particularly when it comes to working with outside researchers.

Which is why its notable that Clegg would invoke external researchers in his defense of the company. If Instagram isnt actually harmful to most teens, as the company is claiming, then researchers not on Facebooks payroll may be positioned to credibly make that point. Yet researchers say the company has made data increasingly difficult to access. And in some cases, the company has actively blocked outsiders from studying its platform, like when it recently disabled the personal Facebook accounts of researchers at New York University and then provided misleading explanations about its reasons for doing so, according to the FTC. (Incidentally, the researcher at the center of that controversy is testifying in a separate Congressional hearing this week.)

They may seem like unrelated issues. But if Facebook had better relationships with researchers outside the company, and made more of its own findings public it might be better able to head off internal critics who have some points to make.
Facebook has announced that it's "pausing" its Instagram Kids project in order to "work with parents, experts and policymakers to demonstrate the value and need for this product." The announcement follows criticism from 44 state attorneys general who asked Facebook to abandon the project, and a request from Democratic lawmakers for more detail about the project.

The Instagram team said that it was building the app to get around the problem of kids accessing Instagram without parental permission. "We started this project to address an important problem seen across our industry: kids are getting phones younger and younger, misrepresenting their age, and downloading apps that are meant for those 13 or older," wrote Head of Instagram Adam Mosseri.

At the same time, the company rejected the idea it was capitulating due to criticism. "Critics of 'Instagram Kids' will see this as an acknowledgement that the project is a bad idea. Thats not the case," Mosseri wrote. "The reality is that kids are already online, and we believe that developing age-appropriate experiences designed specifically for them is far better for parents than where we are today."

An important part of what weve been developing for 'Instagram Kids' is a way for parents to supervise their childs use of Instagram. While were pausing our development of 'Instagram Kids,' well continue our work to allow parents to oversee their childrens accounts by expanding these tools to teen accounts (aged 13 and over) on Instagram.

Some of the issues raised about the project revolve around Facebook's problems with privacy and particularly child safety. "Not only is social media an influential tool that can be detrimental to children who are not of appropriate age, but this plan could place children directly in the paths of predators," New York state attorney general Letitia James said when the project first came to light.

Most recently, The Wall Street Journal published an article claiming that Facebook has knowingly ignored its own research showing that Instagram is toxic to the mental health of younger people. Yesterday, the social network refuted that article as well, saying its research said that young people had "both positive and negative experiences with social media," among other things.

Facebook pointed out that both YouTube and TikTok have versions of their apps for kids under 13. It also said that Instagram Kids would not be the same as Instagram is now, and is meant for tweens between 10 and 12 years old, not younger children.

"It will require parental permission to join, it wont have ads, and it will have age-appropriate content and features," according to Mosseri. He also pointed out that Facebook has implemented several new measures on issues like body image, encouraging people to look at other topics or take a break if they're dwelling on negative content.

However, lawmakers don't like even the idea of the app, regardless of intent. "The alternative approach that Facebook appears poised to take  specifically, pushing kids to sign up for a new platform that may itself pose threats to young users privacy and wellbeing  involves serious challenges and may do more harm than good," wrote a group of Democratic lawmakers.
Is this a record? No sooner has the iPhone 13 hit store shelves than the rumor mill is already up and churning about the next one. Rumors from the weekend suggest the iPhone 14 will be a complete redesign, but the details are thin gruel at this point. Hold not these rumors close to your chest in hope, my friends, lest they disappear into a puff of whimsy.

This complete redesign will reportedly see the 14 look a lot more like the iPhone 4, with a band running around the outside of the device. That makes sense given how beloved the 4s design was, and how those square edges have recently returned to Apples design language. The hints also suggest that, with a marginally thicker body, the camera lenses will be flush with the back.

Another rumor says the 14 may ditch the notch in favor of a hole-punch front camera, or maybe only for the Pro models. Plus, there are the usual rumor hits, including the launch of in-display TouchID and the end of the iPhone Mini. Just remember, were a year away from any of this being confirmed, so lets focus instead on all the delights of the 13 we have yet to discover.

 Dan Cooper

The galaxies stopped growing despite a galactic baby boom.

Image processing: Joseph DePasquale (STScI)

Astronomers using the Hubble telescope and Atacama Large Millimeter/Submillimeter Array (ALMA) have found six dead galaxies. These are galaxies that have run out of the cold hydrogen necessary for star formation, despite being formed during the stellar equivalent of a baby boom. The discovery of these galaxies is testament both to the enduring power of the Hubble and the ingenuity of the astronomers to pull these images from the heavens. But the question of what happened to those galaxies is one that will dog scientists from now until weve developed some pretty impressive faster-than-light travel.

Continue Reading.

Not a good look for the brand new tablet.

Valentina Palladino

If your brand new iPad Mini is operating a little weird, dont worry, you are not the only person in this particular predicament. There are multiple reports of users talking about jelly scrolling, where one side of the screen moves at a different rate to the other. Apple hasnt responded yet to the claims, but its probably already scrambling to work out the cause as we speak. At the same time, Apple has reportedly revealed that TV+ has fewer than 20 million subscribers in the US and Canada. The reason for the potentially embarrassing admission? The smaller size apparently means it can pay its film and TV crews lower rates compared to Netflix.

Continue Reading.

First Woman tells the tale of Callie Rodriguez as she walks on the moon.

NASA

To celebrate National Comic Book Day, NASA has published a graphic novel, First Woman, to tell the story of the first woman to walk on the moon. The (currently fictional) tale is designed to spark the publics interest in the Artemis missions and encourage more people to sign up as astronauts. Download the app for Android or iOS, and you can also explore the Orion spacecraft and tour the lunar surface in AR.

Continue Reading.

It wants to borrow the structure of a brain to build a brain-like chip.

Researchers at Harvard and engineers at Samsung believe they can create better artificial intelligences if the chips used to make them mirror the structures of our own brains. The teams are proposing a method to copy the way our neurons are wired on to a 3D neuromorphic chip. Dont worry if that sounds like a lot because its not likely to happen in the real world for a while at the very least. The human brain has more than 100 billion neurons and a thousand times more synapses, so its not as if anyone could just build one of these in their garage.

Continue Reading.

The biggest news stories you might have missed

Amazon says James Bond movies will still be released in theaters

Nintendo is releasing a six-button Genesis controller for Switch, but only in Japan

Tesla drivers can now request Full Self Driving beta tests

Galaxy S22 Ultra leak suggests Samsung will include the Note's S-Pen slot
The police in the middle of trying to investigate what truly happened between Brian Laundrie and Gabby Petito and finding where he could possibly now as his fiancee is laid to rest, had to be bothered by a prank call. What an insensitive timing.

After hundreds of police officers reacted to claims of potential gunshots by what seemed to be a "prank call," fugitive Brian Laundrie's home became the focus of attention once again.

When authorities got a complaint that someone had heard a "loud blast" originating from a forested area behind Laundrie's yard, they went to his house.

Police descended on Brian's parents' home almost immediately, ordering spectators to move back. To investigate the claim, an officer dashed into a neighbor's yard and peered over the fence into Laudries' property. The officer even inquired about the probable disturbance coming from their yard with his mother, Roberta.

They knocked on Brian Laundrie's house, where Brian's mother, Roberta, was observed nervously conversing with the police as they interrogated her about the alleged disturbance.

While one officer spoke with the person of interest's mother, others went door to door asking if anybody had heard the loud noise emanating from Laundries' house.

"They asked me whether we heard a disturbance or anything like that," the next-door neighbor, Keith Graves, shared. "I figured it was a prank or something like that."

Another resident who requested for anonymity revealed how bizaare that the police was saying "somebody reported a loud bang" therefore, they had to come "running into the back yard," when no one near the residence did not hear anything.

ALSO READ: Ex ABC Executive Producer Shelley Ross Details How Chris Cuomo Harassed Her In Front of Husband [Details]

"We didn't hear anything. They were looking into the woods behind. I think it may be connected to the land behind the house."

The poor authorities ater announced that the 911 call was presently being investigated now as a prank call. They rushed to the scene because they thought some altercation with a gun was happening, only to found out that they were duped.

A spokesman for the North Port Police Department shared that, "At 6:45 pm NPPD received a report of gunshots in the area of Brian Landries' home from unknown."

"No injuries are reported. Right now, no evidence any shots were actually fired in the area. No reports from the large contingency of media who were standing outside the home, either, " the official explained.

Laundrie is now the main subject of a federal arrest warrant for events following his fiancee Gabby Petito's death. Petito's remains were found Sunday in Wyoming.

ALSO READ: Billie Eilish Shares She Lost 100,000 Followers Just Because of This, 'It's Very Dehumanizing!'
2021-09-27

Maeci

The Italian Embassy of Italy and the British Embassy in Sofia have organised a conference for tomorrow, 28 September, entitled: The road to COP26: Bulgarias decision. Organised in collaboration with the Bulgarian non-governmental association Move.bg, the event is part of the preparations for COP26, scheduled in Glasgow from 1 to 12 November 2021 under the joint Presidency of Italy and the United Kingdom. .

Bulgarian diplomats, politicians and administrators, as well as experts from all three countries will attend the Conference and take part in the discussions. Their exchange of views will be divided into three parts: "It is time to act", "Together we can do more", and "Bulgarias decision". They will try to answer the following questions:

- "Why is the 26th Conference of the Parties to the UN Climate Change Conference one of this year's most important world forums?"

- "What is the importance of cooperation between the parties?"

- "How is Bulgaria preparing for this important COP26 international meeting, dedicated to the fight against global warming?".

Michele De Nigris, Director of Sustainable Development and Energy Sources at RSE (Research on the Energy System) will connect from Italy to share Italy's vision for the energy transition.

The conference will take place physically in Sofia and in live streaming, from 10:30 (09:30 in Italy), in the Bulgarian language.
Monday, September 27, 2021

Author:H. Mitchell Caldwell

Publisher:Nine Innings Press

ISBN:978-1-7375123-2-5

Pepperdine/Caruso lawprofessor H. Mitchell Caldwell has written a chilling legal thrilleraround the retrial of a convicted murderer facing the death penalty.







As the novel opens,Caldwell introduces us to Professor Jake Clearwater, who had joinedthe law faculty at Pacifico Law School four years ago. Beforebecoming a member of the staff, Clearwater was a trial prosecutor inSan Arcadia, California.

What prodded Clearwater tochange employment was his displeasure with his arrogant boss, JohnTice, the San Arcadia DA.

Although Clearwaterenjoyed teaching, it eventually became routine. There wasnt thesame intensity as being a trial attorney, and Clearwater was becomingrestless.

His opportunity to returnto courtroom drama occurred when a few representatives of the DeathPenalty Project knocked on his door one afternoon. They represented adeath-row prisoner in appealing his conviction and death sentence.They wanted to convince Clearwater to take on the case.

Clearwater didnt expectthe appellate work would fill the adrenaline gaps he was lacking.Although, it would offer an intellectual and emotional challengemissing from academia. After reflecting on and acknowledging that helacked experience, he still agreed to accept the case.

To help him prepare forthe appeal, Clearwater enlisted one of his brightest students,Suzelle Frost. Their combined preparatory work would involveexamining 6,652 pages of testimony, 3,306 pages of clerkstranscripts, as well as boxes of police reports, various witnessaccounts, various materials, and newspaper accounts of the trial.Quite a colossal task!

The prisoner whomClearwater was urged to represent was Duane Durgeon. He had been ondeath row in San Quentin for several years, as he was convicted ofmurdering Robert, and Doree Blanco. The factswere appalling.

Durgeon, along with histwo companions, Dan Atwell and Todd Rode, had forced their way intothe Blanco home one evening. According to Clearwater, Durgeonsattorney poorly represented him in his trial, and he exploited thisas his justification for requesting a retrial. The judge concurred,and Clearwater was fortunate to have his client retried. The retrialwould pit Clearwater against Attorney General Tice, whom he respectedfor his legal skills, but detested him as an individual.

Before Durgeons trialwas afoot, a distraction occurred when Frosts dad was arrested forstriking a law enforcement officer. Apparently, there had been somemisunderstanding, and her fathers attorney wanted him to pleadguilty. Clearwater was able to successfully come to Frostsfathers rescue.

During the trial,Clearwater was attracted to one member of the jury. It didnt takelong after the trial concluded that he was in a romantic liaison withthe gorgeous jury participant.

The new trial pittedAttorney General Tice against Clearwater. Tices evidence was basedon nine incriminating circumstances that would establish that Durgeonwas responsible for murdering Robert and Doree Blanco.

These included Durgeonsprevious visit to the Blanco apartment, damaging remarks to hislive-in girlfriend, Christina Atwell, who was the mother of DanAtwell, the gun that was discovered by Christina, bullets recoveredfrom Doree that were consistent with bullets fired from the weapon,absence from the home, a fingerprint attributed to Durgeon,eyewitness identification, Durgeons history of violence and hisown testimony. In his defense, Clearwater brilliantly refutes each ofthese components and underscores to jury members that they must findDurgeon guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

Caldwell teaches criminalprocedure and trial advocacy. He frequently represents death rowinmates appealing their convictions before the California SupremeCourt.

Cost of Arrogance: AJake Clearwater Legal Thriller is a wholly engaging read,providing readers with the gratification that emanates from goodwriting. Caldwells sharp eye for detail makes the narrative evenmore interesting in capturing the mood and tone of a courtroom dramawhere a mans life is at stake. He does an exceptional job ofbuilding tension, pitting two exceptionally competent attorneysagainst each other. The resolution of the tale is left to the novelsfinal chapters.
Sunday, September 26, 2021

Angela Merkel's reign will soon come to an end, but after Germans went to the polls yesterday, it is still unclear who will govern after her. Let alone in what coalition.

Almost exactly a year ago, the Social Democrats (SPD) were at 15% in the surveys. The chancellorship seemed out of reach. How did the SPD manage to get close to 26% last night and become the biggest party again? It ran a pretty smooth campaign (probably the best since 1998) banking on its top candidate, Olaf Scholz. The fact that all three top candidates for chancellor had similar platforms helped the SPD doing that. Given the absence of political lines of distinction, it was obvious for voters to focus on the qualifications of the candidates and their readiness for the job. It is also fair to say that the competitors of the SPD made big mistakes during the campaign, notably in the selection of their respective candidates. To merely be the last man standing can sometimes be enough in electoral politics.

To ask voters for four more years after sixteen years in power was quite a political challenge for the Christian Democratic Union (CDU). Armin Laschet, its top candidate, never really made clear whether he owns the sixteen Merkel years, or whether he wants to take Germany into a new direction. A vote share of roughly 24% is the lowest result for CDU ever. Remember that just two election cycles ago, it was close to reaching an absolute majority in parliament. While the losses are dramatic, it is still less brutal than the Christian Democrat's worst fears. Closing the ranks during the final stretch of the campaign and warning about a so-called red-red-green coalition (a coalition between Social Democrats, the Greens, and the formerly communist party LINKE) worked. I think that if the CDU had launched that attack earlier, more coherently, and more forcefully, it could have further narrowed the gap with the SPD. It is often the best strategy for a vulnerable incumbent to tell voters that no matter how bad things are, it will only get worse if the other side wins.

This being said, it is important to remember that while candidates for chancellor obviously play an important role during the campaign, German voters do not elect the chancellor, but vote for parties instead. After the election, they come together to form a coalition government and then, the Bundestag, the German parliament, elects the chancellor. At first glance, it would seem to make sense that the winning SPD formed a coalition together with two smaller parties, who also won yesterday, the Greens and the Free Democratic Party (FDP). I would however not write off the Christian Democrats, as the Greens and the FDP could theoretically also form a majority with the CDU and elect Armin Laschet as chancellor. It seemed to me that Christian Lindner, the leader of the free Democrats, rather skillfully maneuvered into that direction last night.

In 2005, surveys indicated that Germans would prefer Gerhard Schroder as their chancellor, yet they got Angela Merkel. Going back further in history, the Christian Democrats came close to winning an absolute majority with its top candidate Helmut Kohl in 1976. Yet the Social Democrats and the Free Democrats coalesced against them and formed a government together.

Given their political positioning, the Greens would prefer to govern with the Social Democrats, while the Free Democrats favor the Christian Democrats. Whichever of the two smaller parties crosses the bridge, can sell it at very high political price. The joker for the Christian Democrats during the negotiations is that as a party, it is more flexible to make a compromise and pay that price than the Social Democrats are. As we have seen four years ago, negotiations for a coalition can take time and produce its own dynamic. In that sense, I am not predicting that Armin Laschet will become chancellor, but it will take a few weeks before we finally know who the successor to Angela Merkel will be.
Monday, September 27, 2021

Recent Trends in Funeral News

Over the past few weeks, these funeral news stories have appeared. They focus on COVID-19 pandemic deaths, unclaimed bodies, hospice care access, bucket lists, and why we treasure certain items.

Idaho morgues are running out of space for bodies as covid-19 deaths mount

As covid-19 deaths reach record highs in the state of 1.8 million, hard-hit areas are struggling to keep pace with the surge in victims. Some hospitals, funeral homes and coroners say theyve been pushed to the limit. Some morticians have even started embalming bodies that wouldnt normally need the procedure so they dont have to refrigerate them, the Idaho Statesman reported. Read the full story here.

Dont get vaccinated: Fake funeral home is used to promote coronavirus shots

Dont get vaccinated, read digital billboards on the vehicles side and rear panels. Underneath, the name and website of a business purporting to be a funeral home were spelled out in white lettering, along with a 10-digit phone number. It turned out to be an elaborate and unorthodox campaign to promote the coronavirus vaccines  one that drew applause from local hospital leaders and social media users as it went viral on Twitter, while leaving experts in vaccine marketing questioning whether any holdouts would be swayed by the stark message. The Web address for the nonexistent Wilmore Funeral Home took users to a landing page that said simply: Get vaccinated now. If not, see you soon. It linked to the vaccine registration site for StarMed, a health-care provider in the area. Read the full story here.

International Death Count: Impact of COVID on Caring for the Dead in All Corners of the Globe

The number of dead multiplied by a locales capacity for processing the deceased ultimately poses the only question that matters: How many can we process? How many becomes the arbiter of what final services can possibly be rendered. How many determines when, where, even, in some cases, if the deceased of a particular region may be laid to rest with a traditional service, or embalmed, or properly buried, or even adequately cremated. Read the full story here.

One Thing I Dont Plan to Do Before I Die Is Make a Bucket List

This New York Times opinion column is by Dr. Kate Bowler, an associate professor at Duke Divinity School, is the author of No Cure for Being Human, from which this essay is adapted. She has Stage Four colon cancer at the age of 35 and a slim chance of survival. Read the full essay here.

Why your belongings hold so much meaning, and how to decide what to grab in an emergency

Whether escaping emergency situations or downsizing or decluttering, many of us have been overwhelmed by dealing with our material possessions. Though sometimes derided by others as just things or stuff, especially in a time when minimalism seems to be growing more popular, many of our belongings hold such special meaning that its deeply painful to part with them, intentionally or otherwise. Why do we cling to physical objects? How can we ease the pain of losing them? And how can we prioritize which items matter in an emergency? Heres what the experts say. Read the full story here.

The Forgotten Dead: Alone in Death

Tens of thousands die each year in the United States and no one claims their bodies. Conservative estimates are that 1 percent of all deaths result in an unclaimed body, which would mean that last year, when 3.4 million Americans died, there were 34,000 bodies left for local governments to bury. But many coroners and others who handle these bodies say the national figure could be as high as 3 percent, which would bring the unclaimed count to more than 100,000. Read the full story here.

Hospice Care Must Be a Choice Everyone Can Access

This opinion piece by Dr. Gina Piscitello shows the benefits of hospice services. Its a blessing to allow patients to go home and be with their families and die in the comfort of their own homes. Read the full essay.

Stories compiled by Gail Rubin, Certified Thanatologist and The Doyenne of Death.

Related
After more than a year of grappling with shortages of basic materials such as lumber or paint, San Antonio homebuilders face a new problem: They cant get the electricity turned on.

Residential developers have had to delay construction projects because CPS Energy, facing similar supply chain problems, doesnt have the supplies to bring electric service to new housing developments.

The timing is terrible for builders, coming amid surging demand  and prices  for houses. The median home price in San Antonio hit $315,000 in mid-September, a 27 percent increase from a year earlier, according to the San Antonio Board of Realtors.

City-owned CPS said it is having a hard time finding materials such as synthetic rubber and pipes made of PVC, or polyvinyl chloride, as well as metals to make boxes to protect meters, which gauge customers electricity usage.

On ExpressNews.com: Nonprofit affordable housing builders in San Antonio grapple with higher construction costs, shortages

CPS also said its having challenges procuring transformers, crucial parts of the citywide electrical system. Transformers transfer electricity from where its generated to high-voltage transmission lines; from there, the electricity flows through lower-voltage distribution wires to customers homes.

Without transformers or meter boxes, CPS cant initiate electric service for a new residential community.

Weve had to increase the conversations with (developers) to say, Were not able to find some of these components, said Maria Garcia, the utilitys vice president of supply chain. So as a result, construction is slowing down or, in some instances, there are projects that have come to a stop.

The San Antonio division of Chesmar Homes has a schedule with CPS for the utility to install electric and gas infrastructure in the Houston-based builders new neighborhoods.

For several projects, theyve been pushed back months because of CPS issues, said Gilberto Barrera, vice president of purchasing for Chesmar Homes. The companys Potranco Oaks development on the far West Side, he said, has seen the most delays stemming from the utilitys shortages.

Homes that would have been built in the third quarter of this year are being pushed to late 2021 or early next year.

Its one more thing to worry about, Barrera said. Can CPS get the meter in? Can CPS get the gas in? Can CPS get underground (components) in? All that affects the build time.

Equipment and materials shortages have hit nearly every corner of the U.S. economy since the pandemic began in spring 2020. Wholesaler Costco is warning customers that its dealing with a toilet paper shortage. And major automakers have had to cut vehicle production because they cant get enough computer chips.

Construction companies in San Antonio are being slowed partly by CPS shortage, but they arent blaming the utility  the supply crunch is global. Members of the Greater San Antonio Builders Association are meeting with CPS executives this week to figure out how to work around the shortages.

A meter box can be holding up the entire closing, said Kristi Sutterfield, vice president of the builders group, which represents the residential construction industry.

We have a housing shortage, she said. So not being able to deliver lots because we cant finish developing the neighborhoods really could be very painful.

A record backlog of cargo ships waiting to be unloaded at the Port of Los Angeles is driving some of the materials shortages, CPS Garcia said.

And when products get unloaded from ships, a shortage of truck drivers slows delivery times. There are about 21,000 fewer long-haul truck drivers working in the U.S. now compared with February 2020, according to government data.

Hurricane Ida, which struck the Gulf Coast late last month, knocked some petrochemical plants out of commission for a few days. That threw off production of paints, synthetic plastic and rubber materials.

We may have seen a shortage 10 years ago for one product, but never with so many different products in different phases of construction all at the same time, said Barrera of Chesmar Homes. Homes we thought we could build in four months are now taking six or longer.

Februarys winter storm caused rippling disruptions to supply lines that builders are still feeling. Indoor pipes burst throughout Texas during the freeze, cutting deeply into supplies of PVC piping. Sutterfield said a lock shortage is on the horizon.

Meanwhile, an air-conditioning manufacturer that supplies local builder Sitterle Homes had to stop production after the February snow collapsed the manufacturers roof, said Jeff Buell, co-owner of Sitterle Homes.

Every other week, theres a new (item) we cant get, Buell said. For a while, we couldnt get microwaves.

Windows are in short supply now, too. Barrera said Chesmar is allotted just 40 window sets from its supplier per month.

If were limited, we cant grow as much as wed like to meet the demand, because we cant get the actual products in the house, he said. All this is going to do is reduce the available supply in 2022 and keep prices high  because demand is not shrinking.

Change-ups

CPS staffers are planning to solicit offers from local manufacturers to change their production lines to make components for the utility such as metal meter boxes, Garcia said.

Going forward, she said, CPS will increase the number of its suppliers to try to mitigate shortages. If the utility can source items from San Antonio companies, theres less potential for disruption, she said.

On ExpressNews.com: VIA to cut bus frequency due to driver shortage, but won't shrink routes

Sometimes the supply chain is connected to other parts of the country, so even if you have components ready to ship, if you dont have a truck, youre not going to get it here fast enough, Garcia said. So ideally, wed have it here in our backyard.

Still, San Antonio homebuilders and CPS officials said they expect materials shortages to last through much of 2022 and potentially into 2023.

I asked our suppliers, who ask the manufacturer, who ask the providers of raw components, Garcia said. Everyone is saying 2023, so were anticipating that were going to be in this same space for the third year next year.

diego.mendoza-moyers@express-news.net
If your business relies on China for customers or its supply chain, you will need a new plan.

Chinese President Xi Jinping is cracking down on critical segments of the worlds second-largest economy, and the Communist Partys rising nationalism is shifting consumers toward domestic brands. The goal is to supplant the United States as the worlds superpower.

A Chinese submarines passage through Japanese waters escalated regional military tensions recently. The U.S. and Britains agreement to help Australia build its first nuclear-powered subs is a belated response to Chinas decade-long saber-rattling in the South China Sea.

TOMLINSONS TAKE: U.S. still has lessons to learn from 9/11

Chinese officials say the submarine deal reflects an obsolete Cold War mentality. I spent the waning years of the Cold War as a Soviet intelligence analyst in the U.S. Army, and based on the Chinese Navys latest war games, its Xi who is bringing Tom Clancys Red Storm Rising to life.

Xis key strategic move, though, is trying to control the worlds future energy resources, historically the path to global domination.

This is not a new project. Chinas construction of islands in the South China Sea to claim the worlds most important sea lanes is brazen. Xis rewriting of the Chinese constitution to become president for life is autocracy. His attempts to crush dissent in Tibet, Hong Kong and Xinjiang are tragedies.

In recent weeks, Xi has placed severe limits on after-school tutoring because he doesnt want wealthier families to get a leg up on the working class. Hes also limiting teens to three hours a week of video games. Stocks related to both industries crashed.

After crushing pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong, Xis enforcers have moved across the Zhujiang Estuary to Macau, considered Asias Las Vegas. Apparently, Xi was shocked, shocked to find gambling going on in there, and his disapproving eye sent investors running for the exits.

Hundreds of thousands of investors and business people who thought Chinas rule of law would protect them are learning that a Communist government can do what it wants when it wants.

Consider the 1,000 days that China held Canadian businessman Michael Spavor and former diplomat Michael Kovrig captive. Their only crime was working in Beijing when Canada arrested Meng Wanzhou, the chief financial officer of Huawei Technologies, on a warrant from the United States.

The longer Canada held Meng, the more charges Chinese prosecutors piled on the men. Then, as soon as Meng struck a deal with U.S. officials, China kicked them loose. I pity the American in China if and when U.S. prosecutors arrest another Chinese executive.

Xi has made clear in words and deeds that he wants to spread his vision of Communism worldwide. Students of world history know that controlling access to energy has been both literally and metaphorically the key to holding power since the Renaissance.

Britannia ruled the waves because the tiny island kingdom worked out how to use hydropower and coal to industrialize. Mass production allowed Britain to dominate trade, build military might and colonize foreign lands.

The discovery and exploitation of hydrocarbons similarly powered the rise of the United States to superpower status. Texas oilfields guaranteed allied victories in the two world wars. U.S. control of Middle Eastern oil fields is what made the 20th century American.

Xi understands these lessons, which is why Chinese firms dominate the production of solar panels, wind turbines, batteries and the rare earth mineral mining needed to make them. Chinas Belt and Road Initiative is a neo-colonial plan to exploit developing countries that produce the materials required for clean energy technologies. We did the same in the Middle East.

Then there is Chinas application to join the U.S.-authored Trans-Pacific Partnership. U.S. diplomats had hoped the TPP would create an alliance capable of reining in Chinas economic colonization. But since the U.S. dropped out, China now plans to defang it.

While Americans argue about clean energy tax credits, Xis government is spending tens of billions developing new energy technologies that will make oil and natural gas obsolete. China intends to literally become the worlds powerhouse.

TOMLINSONS TAKE: Biden's antipodal energy policy is bad for the climate

Tackling the climate crisis is about transitioning to new sources of energy. Biden had hoped to convince Xi to separate climate cooperation from the geopolitical competition, but Xi correctly understands the two are inextricably intertwined.

The competition between the worlds two largest economies will intensify, and differing values and goals will translate into more confrontations. U.S. companies trying to bridge that divide will find themselves collateral damage.

Global companies like Nike are already moving manufacturing out of China, citing lessons learned from COVID-19. But the actual virus they are really fleeing is totalitarianism. Other U.S. businesses would be wise to follow suit.

The online version of this column has been updated to reflect the release of the Huawei executive and Canadian citizens.

Chris Tomlinson writes commentary about business, economics and politics.

twitter.com/cltomlinson

chris.tomlinson@chron.com
Hannah Durrance walked anxiously from empty campsite to empty campsite Thursday evening in an area near Highway 80 that unhoused people call home.

The president of the nonprofit HOME Center in San Marcos called the names of people shes come to know well over the last two years.

But no one was home.

Where was Jack, the veteran who created a community area with stones and sculptures for the unhoused neighbors to have Bible study? And Durrance had worried about George, who has a back injury and uses a wheelchair.

Josie Norris /San Antonio Express-News

It looks like everybody panicked and took off before that council meeting, she said, referring to last Tuesdays discussion at City Hall about cracking down on camping and panhandling. These people have been here for several years now, and theyre hiding out because the camping ban was expected. I tried to reassure them, but panic is setting in.

City Council on Tuesday night discussed a prohibition of camping and panhandling that isnt enforced regularly. Ahead of the meeting, council members Shane Scott and Saul Gonzalez placed an item on the agenda whose language appeared to prepare law enforcement to crack down.

Residents at the meeting werent having it.

Adriana Montoya, a Texas State University student, called the measure inhumane and cruel.

It would be unequivocally the worst way to address homelessness in our community, she said. There is not a single valid reason or justification for arresting and fining people experiencing homelessness, and frankly its shameful that certain council members even considered bringing this to be discussed at City Hall.

The council ultimately did not take action. Scott and Gonzalez said they were not trying to criminalize homelessness.

Josie Norris /San Antonio Express-News

On ExpressNews.com: New day center for San Antonio's homeless opens up downtown

Scott called the wording on the agenda deceiving and said he merely was trying to think outside the box to address homelessness, which has been growing alongside the citys housed population.

In the current approach, the law enforcement side of it is limited, he said, and as we heard so many people say tonight, the effects of law enforcement integrated into homelessness just creates more problems.

Police Chief Stan Standridge said only three arrests had been made since January 2021 in the unhoused communitytwo for outstanding warrants, and one for public intoxication.

Nobody has been arrested for solicitation; nobody has been arrested for camping, he said. But we have to be really careful stewards with public safety, and we cant just concede that persons can walk in and out of the roadways to solicit.

The councils focus on the matter, which will continue at an Oct. 4 work session, on Tuesday night included discussing the possibility of allocating federal funding to begin building up resources for unhoused people.

Josie Norris /San Antonio Express-News

Theres plenty of need. Rent, already too high, is rising. Demand far outstrips capacity at the only homeless shelter in town. And housed residents largely do not understand who the unhoused residents are and what they go through every day just to survive.

Poncho, who declined to give his last name, lives in a tent on private property in San Marcos.

People have asked me all the time, How do you solve this problem? he said Thursday at an encampment. Its like asking me for the cure for cancer.

The city and county dont want to put forth the funds toward anything they feel is not fruitful. And we, the homeless, are regarded as the dreadful societytrash, garbage, useless, he said.

Hurry up and die so we dont have to look at you no more, they say.

Hidden homelessness

Josie Norris /San Antonio Express-News

Poncho is one of at least 107 individuals the HOME Center identified earlier this year as experiencing homelessness in San Marcos, Durrance said. The nonprofit does a count every year for the Texas Homeless Network to help identify and offer assistance to members of the unhoused community.

Durrance founded the HOME Center to address homeless outreach, mitigation and emergency in 2019 after she graduated from college. A single mother caring for three children, she was homeless herselfunable to afford the citys surging rent prices despite working 60 hours a week.

Housing costs have gone up so much that a lot of people who previously could afford housing can no longer afford it, she said. The $700 or $800 a month that people get on their disability checks doesnt pay for rent anywhere anymore. Rent went up after the 2015 flood, too.

Josie Norris /San Antonio Express-News

Poncho, for instance, makes $15 an hour working for a tree-cutting service in San Marcos. Its not enough to make rent in the city, though it is enough to outfit his campsite with solar power and have meals three times a day.

The fast-growing city simply hasnt prioritized affordable housing to accommodate low-income families, Durrance said.

On ExpressNews.com: Ministry brings vaccine to San Antonio's homeless

San Marcos CISD serves students in the city as well as in Hays, Caldwell and Guadalupe counties.

When I arrived here eight years ago, there were 69 children in the school district who were unhoused, Durrance said. Last year, there were 169.

Looking at San Marcos, it seems like a direct correlation between the growth and the number of unhoused individuals in this city, she said.

Josie Norris /San Antonio Express-News

Durrance said the city has turned a deaf ear for years as she has pushed it to support policy and other efforts to address homelessness. For instance, San Marcos needs a homeless shelter that can meet demand; the only one in town has six beds. And the campsites need garbage cans, but the citywhose officials complain of trashwont provide them.

Ive even offered to put a trashcan out there and have a communitywide cleanup day once a month, Durrance said. But when we offer a solution, they dont respond. How are (campers) supposed to clean up if they cant put their trash anywhere?

Durrances concern extends beyond San Marcos, but she said she hasnt had support in other municipalities to conduct homelessness counts or bring in resources for unhoused residents.

We have a lot of hidden homelessness in other areas, Durrance said, like the Kyle area, which has 286 children in school who are unhoused.

Theres a hidden population in that area that we arent counting, she said.

Fruitless idea

Josie Norris /San Antonio Express-News

Since he and his wife divorced several years ago, 63-year-old Desert Storm veteran James Arbaugh has lived at a tree-shaded campsite on private property near the city limits.

On a typical morning, Arbaugh listens to the radio outside his tent and tinkers with his electric motor bike. Then he rides to the gas station or convenience store to chat people up outside. He doesnt beg, but people can be generous.

Today I was sitting up there and someone handed me a whole pizza, he said, smiling. I havent had pizza in a long time.

Arbaugh thinks he could get around the panhandling ban if its enforced because he doesnt ask people for things. But if he is arrested or told to move, he has a plan.

Id just go somewhere else, he said. I mean, its nothing to move to another spot as far as a place to sit.  Ive been up out here for so long. People just know me and come up to me.

Durrance worries that cutting off panhandling would prevent people from being able to put a roof over their heads. Many she knows get about $900 a month from disability checks and stay in motel rooms that run about $2,000 a month. Panhandling helps them make up the difference.

Thats also how they get their food, she said. So, if you take away their additional revenue, theyll just end up back here in an encampment.

On ExpressNews.com: Music brings homeless and community together

Poncho said rather than cracking down on camping and panhandling, which wont do much anyway, the City Council should focus on building a good homeless shelter and offering resources to unhoused residents.

Theyre talking about taking our right away for freedom of expression and not being able to fly our signs, which they call solicitation, Poncho said. I think this is a stupid and fruitless idea.

Poncho and Arbaugh said Thursday that people had been abandoning their campsites for days amid rumors that police were coming for them.

And getting uprooted just makes it harder to break the cycle of homelessness, Poncho said.

In order for me to go to work, I need to rest, he said. Your brain has to take a timeout and then rejuvenate.

His campsite is where that happens.

But if were not allowed to begin our lives here, where are we allowed to begin our lives again?

Josie Norris /San Antonio Express-News

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
Gov. Greg Abbott said during a TV interview on Sunday that the state would hire any Border Patrol agent fired over photos and videos from Sept. 19 showing agents on horseback chasing Haitian migrants away from the border in Del Rio.

The images have sparked heavy backlash. One in particular, shows an agent grabbing a migrant by the shirt while in the saddle.

Last week, the Department of Homeland Security said some agents were placed on administrative duties while it investigates. In response to the photos, President Joe Biden told reporters on Friday Its outrageous. I promise you those people will pay.

On ExpressNews.com: 'Beyond repulsive': Twitter reacts to images of border agents on horseback chasing away Haitians

On "Fox News Sunday," Abbott told host Chris Wallace he would hire the agents if President Joe Biden took any action against them.

"Going after the Border Patrol who were risking their lives and working so hard to secure the border, if (Biden) takes any action against them whatsoever ... if they are at risk of losing their job to a president who is abandoning his duty to secure the border, you have a job in the state of Texas," Abbott said.

The photographer of the image of the agent grabbing the migrant has said the widespread notion that the migrants were being whipped was false. He told Newsweek that the agent "was swinging it ... but it can be misconstrued when you're looking at the picture."

Abbott said the agents wouldn't have been in that situation if the president had enforced immigration laws and secured the border.

The Texas governor also said Biden has ignored the concerns of Texans and cares more about the migrants than he does for American citizens.

taylor.pettaway@express-news.net
Two San Antonio first responders died from COVID-19 complications Sunday.

In a Facebook post, San Antonio Park Police said officer Jay Pena died "after a courageous battle" with the coronavirus on Sunday morning.

The 9-year Park Police veteran was assigned to the Community Operation Resource Education Unit.

On ExpressNews.com: Three dead, one injured in crash on San Antonio's West Side

"Officer Pena will be deeply missed. Our sincere thoughts and prayers go out to Officer Penas family and friends during this time," the post said.

Facebook- San Antonio Fire Department

The San Antonio Fire Department on Sunday confirmed the death of active duty fire engineer Joseph M. Faunce, who also died early that morning from COVID-19 complications.

"Joe was an extremely kind man and great friend to many in our SAFD family. The SAFD extends our most sincere sympathy and condolences to the Faunce family and want them all to know they will forever be part of our family," SAFD officials said in a news statement.

Faunce had been with the department since 1989 and most recently had been assigned to the Fire Training Division.

Pena and Faunce are the latest first responder deaths from COVID-19 complications in recent weeks. Earlier this month, Gonzales County Sheriff Robert Ynclan and Bexar County Deputy Ronald Butler both died after contracting the coronavirus.

Funeral arrangments have not been announced for both men.

taylor.pettaway@express-news.net
Trinity University and Texas State University joined the ranks of prestigious institutions like Princeton and Yale on a list of top colleges.

The San Antonio and San Marcos schools are among roughly a dozen places in the state to make the Princeton Reviews The Best 387 Colleges book. The schools are not ranked numerically from 1 to 387; they show up on the list in alphabetical order.

About 14 percent of the countrys four-year colleges are featured in the book each year, according to a Princeton Review fact sheet.

Baylor University, Rice University, Texas A&M University-College Station and the University of Texas at Austin also made the cut.

The Best Colleges list is determined by surveys from tens of thousands of college students on campuses across the country. About 154,000 students were surveyed for this edition. Because many of them were not on campus as often due to the COVID-19 pandemic, The Princeton Review strayed from its usual ranking system.

Rather than coming up with about 60 top 20 ranking lists of colleges, the book features 26 Great Lists that highlight institutions that have stood out in past Princeton Review rankings for decades, according to a news release. A few of the 26 lists include great financial aid, great professors and great career services.

About 214, or 56 percent, of the 387 colleges in the book made one or more of the great lists, according to the Princeton Review release. Rice made 11 of those lists including most loved colleges and great health services.

In separate ranking systems, Northwest Vista College also climbed to the top. The San Antonio school is the No.1 community college in the city, second in the state and 34th in the nation on Niche.coms 2022 Best Colleges list. Niche, according to a Northwest Vista news release, relies on data from the U.S. Department of Education coupled with reviews from students and alumni to create its list.

Northwest Vista is also ranked 4th in the state on BestColleges.com for 2021. This list, according to the news release, is based on data from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System and the College Navigator.

megan.rodriguez@express-news.net
At the main campus of the University of Texas at San Antonio, the movement and hustle of the first day of classes came late this year, delayed so officials could assess the latest surge of coronavirus cases.

UTSA had started the semester online Aug. 23, but when Professor Nathan Richardsons 11 a.m. humanities course filled a classroom with about 35 students Sept. 13, they were meeting for the first time.

No special furniture arrangement kept them socially distanced, but only three chose not to wear a mask indoors that morning.

We are back in business! Richardson announced, pulling down his own mask and smiling at his class. The projector behind him titled the days lecture as Homo Vague  A brief history of the man who wonders.

Are you OK talking in groups? the professor asked before directing students to discuss what migration means to them. Most were fine with it, quickly turning toward each other.

Public colleges and universities, like K-12 school districts, operate under state rules that keep them from requiring mask-wearing or vaccinations. This has left them to rely on their mostly adult students to make informed decisions and comply with the few available mandatory safety measures, mainly COVID-19 testing, for now.

Kin Man Hui /Staff photographer

Most of their private counterparts in the region  the University of the Incarnate Word, Our Lady of the Lake University and Trinity University  started the semester with a requirement that everybody wear masks, vaccinated and unvaccinated. St. Marys University requires it of those who are not fully vaccinated. None require vaccinations.

So far, most students at the public institutions are wearing masks, and the majority have been vaccinated, perhaps accepting the trade-off to return to some type of normal learning environment, officials say.

I enjoy in-person (classes), because I like interacting with the students and the professor, UTSA student Vivian Torres said. On Zoom meetings, I just focus on the screen and Im literally always on my phone.  In the classroom setting, I feel more comfortable and I understand more.

Torres, 18, is a junior starting her first year of in-person college classes. Even before the pandemic, online courses allowed her to stay longer with her family in Laredo before moving to San Antonio on her own. But Torres said she felt she was missing out on interaction and overall learning.

Texas A&M University-San Antonio was the only area public institution of higher learning that didnt postpone the fall start of in-person classes. Its semester started Aug. 19, with its largest-ever freshman class of 1,050 students and a total enrollment of nearly 6,800.

The university is following protocols issued by the Texas A&M University System, considering the size of the campus and its housing, said Kathryn Funk-Baxter, its vice president of business affairs.

Marvin Pfeiffer /Staff Photographer

We only have about less than 400 students in our on-campus housing, so we are a smaller campus from a residential basis, than some of the other campuses in town, she said.

Faculty and staff chose the modality of their fall classes  online, hybrid or in person  in the spring, and when a renewed wave of the coronavirus arrived  weeks before the start of the semester and just as Gov. Greg Abbott banned masking requirements in public institutions, including schools  it left those who signed up for in-person classes little time to reassess.

The concerning part is that you have faculty who agreed to teach on campus under one set of conditions, said Scott Gage, associate professor of English at A&M-San Antonio. Coming to the fall, the conditions changed.

Decisions to change how courses were to be taught were left to each department over the summer, Funk-Baxter said.

On ExpressNews.com: If COVID gets bad, San Antonio schools have plans  but maybe not enough teachers

Gage, who serves as president of the universitys American Association of University Professors chapter, said concerns about in-person teaching have come mainly from nontenured lecturers, most of them with one-year contracts who might have feared to speak up as a risk to their jobs.

I was very nervous, said a lecturer who is currently teaching in person and spoke on condition of anonymity. I knew that my classrooms were not going to be social distancing because of the size of them.  We were told we could request changes, or accommodations, but we werent really told what would qualify.

The lecturer has urged students to mask up and holds office hours virtually when possible or outdoors when a student asks to meet face to face.

If the university had decided to go fully virtual for at least a couple weeks as the semester began, it would still be hard going back right now, the lecturer said. But I think I would have at least felt like the university cared.  That would have communicated to me that they are putting health and safety first.

Testing as a safety net

Kin Man Hui /Staff photographer

The Alamo Colleges District moved courses online for the fall semesters first two weeks. That was a difficult decision that came close to the start of classes but was deemed necessary, officials said, by safety committees that had watched the communitys virus caseloads ramp up through August.

All five of the districts community colleges transitioned back to classrooms Sept. 7. About 75 percent of all courses are being taught in person, while some remain fully online and others are taught as hybrids. This also allows for staff to be on campuses in alternating schedules to limit contact.

Its been a year and a half that weve been in the throes of this, and I think we have a rhythm, but I think that the best thing is that we are mindful of the expertise of our colleagues, and also public health professionals and our elected leaders, Alamo Colleges Chancellor Mike Flores said.

For Torres, the UTSA junior, the planning for this semester involved getting fully vaccinated. She wears a mask indoors. She travels often to see her family, so she plans to take advantage of COVID-19 testing on campus to make sure she doesnt take the virus home.

Josh Perez, 23, a senior studying kinesiology at UTSA and eager to return to in-person classes for his final semester there, took a different approach. He said the vaccine and testing gave him enough sense of protection to go unmasked.

It was interesting switching to online school. It was really easy. Perez said. But honestly, I was really looking forward to coming back in person.

Public universities have resorted to mandatory testing to track, and hopefully limit, exposure to the virus. Students are encouraged to test on campus but are allowed to show proof of outside testing.

Kin Man Hui /Staff photographer

Teauznae Rich, 23, a freshman biology major at A&M-San Antonio, was walking out of a campus testing site on a recent weekday wearing a mask. She said she is keeping her guard up so she can finally get back to in-person classes.

I take the extra steps of bringing my sanitary wipes, wiping my seat down, wiping down my table, making sure my hands are sanitized and washed, Rich said. Im vaccinated, so I feel like I have that extra safety net, so Im not uncomfortable (with unmasked students) because its everybodys choice. I just choose to kind of distance myself.

The mandatory testing is a one-time requirement as the semester starts for most students, faculty and staff working and learning in person, Funk-Baxter said, but those living in campus housing and athletes will have to test regularly.

The process started with students moving into campus housing, new students undergoing orientation and, for everyone else, during an open window of the first weeks of classes.

We were asking them to please do it on campus so that we could have that information readily available, Funk-Baxter said. When we first looked at this, our positivity rate was extremely low compared to the city and others in Texas.

As of Friday, the university had a 2.2 percent test positivity rate over five weeks. It was less than 1 percent in the first week.

UTSA also has a mandatory testing program that started with students moving into university housing Aug. 30 and expanded Sept. 13 to anyone taking in-person classes.

As of Thursday, the university has reported 113 positive cases out of 2,869 tests done on campus, a 4.64 percent positivity rate. Of those tested, 2,521 were students.

But looking at just campus data wont cut it, said Lynne Cossman, dean of the College for Health, Community and Policy and co-chair of a UTSA public health task force that evaluates county data to get a better picture of risk levels at any given time.

On ExpressNews.com: Texas still has one of the nation's worst COVID death rates at 280 per day, even as delta subsides

We have standard data sets that we evaluate weekly, but I know most of us go in daily to those data sources that get updated daily, Cossman said. We then make recommendations to the senior leadership team, and the president is, obviously, the one who is making decisions with guidance from all of these data sources and experts.

The Alamo Colleges also issued mandatory testing requirements to those returning to in-person classes and offers on-site testing in partnership with Community Labs. Its required weekly for all employees, students and vendors who work regularly on campus.

The latest data, released Sept. 10, showed 13 positive cases out of 3,347 tests issued that week.

University and college officials said theyre still watching the pandemic, on and off their campuses. Going back fully online is always a possibility, they said, but they also understand why most students and some staff were eager to teach and learn face to face.

Meanwhile, they all suspect other measures aside from testing  cleaning high-touch areas, health screenings on mobile phone apps  will remain for at least the near term. These vary from institution to institution  in the case of the Alamo Colleges, they include temperature checks and wristbands for those who pass a daily evaluation and even a vaccine incentive for students.

Education is a human enterprise, said Flores, the college district chancellor. Its about being able to assure individuals that coming onto campus is a relatively safe and secure environment for learning  even during this time.

danya.perez@express-news.net | @DanyaPH
Asked on Tuesday why Texas abortion ban would force a rape or incest victim to carry a pregnancy to term, Gov. Greg Abbott immediately replied that the legislation would not have that effect.

It doesnt require that at all, because, obviously, it provides at least six weeks for a person to be able to get an abortion, he said.

But Abbott was misstating key facts both about the law and pregnancy. Senate Bill 8 does not provide six weeks to obtain an abortion  rather, it cuts off abortions at roughly six weeks of pregnancy, or as soon as fetal cardiac activity can be detected.

That age is measured from the end of the persons last menstrual period. Most people find out they are pregnant after missing a period, which already places gestational age at about four weeks, at the earliest.

After that, Texas law places additional barriers that can delay an abortion. With about two weeks remaining before the legal cutoff, patients must have at least two separate doctors appointments, occurring at least 24 hours apart, before the procedure.

THE LATEST: Democrats push Justice Department to punish would-be enforcers of Texas abortion ban

That is an incredibly disingenuous statement by the governor, said Mara Posada, the director of public affairs for Planned Parenthood South Texas. For most people with a regular menstrual cycle  they do not find out they are pregnant until usually around six weeks, but lets say the earliest would be approximately four weeks. This law bans abortion when there is cardiac activity. That can happen as early as five to six weeks.

So, essentially, youre talking about a week, a week and a half, maybe. ... For many folks, it can be a complicated decision to make, but they have about 10 days or so, and that is, I think, being optimistic.

Abbotts answer also glossed over the potential impact of a key provision of the new law  there is no exception for cases of rape or incest, something that, until recently, was a common feature of anti-abortion legislation. The laws supporters say the new Texas policy is solely concerned with the health of the fetus, and that does not change based on how it was conceived.

Its an unimaginable situation, said state Sen. Bryan Hughes, a Mineola Republican who authored the abortion legislation. We wouldnt want to make the situation worse by taking an innocent life. We want to punish the rapist. We dont want to punish the little unborn baby.

A spokeswoman for Abbott did not respond to a request for comment.

At the Tuesday press conference, Abbott also said Texas will work tirelessly to make sure that we eliminate all rapists from the streets  an assertion that the governors opponents called laughable. For survivors, the process of obtaining an abortion is made all the more difficult by trauma and other external factors, including potentially dangerous living environments.

I think that many women will face barriers, including those that have increased challenges and are dealing with, potentially, a police investigation, etc., said Dr. John Thoppil, the president of the Texas Association of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. There are other things that may complicate the situation.

NO EXCEPTIONS: Anti-abortion laws used to exempt cases of rape and incest. Not anymore in Texas.

Two weeks is the best-case scenario for someone with a perfectly regular menstrual cycle to obtain an abortion, Thoppil added. Many people do not have regular periods, but even a longer cycle  say, 35 days instead of 28  takes a week away from that window.

Plus, anyone whose birth control fails may not even suspect they are pregnant until much later in the process.

Up to 90% of Texas abortions occur after Week 6

By any measure, the timeline the new law sets out is incredibly short. The first step is deciding to get an abortion, and then immediately scheduling an initial appointment.

After a 2013 law temporarily required that doctors providing abortions must have admitting privileges at a hospital near them, many clinics in Texas closed permanently. With fewer clinics to go to, pregnant individuals seeking an abortion can only hope that one of the centers will have availability.

Some of the remaining Texas abortion centers have already significantly limited or temporarily stopped their services for now, fearing legal retribution under the new law. It allows nearly any person to sue someone who has helped a person obtain an abortion after a fetal heartbeat can be detected.

During the first appointment, the patient must undergo a state-mandated sonogram. Then, they have to wait at least 24 hours before a second appointment, when they would actually get the abortion. In some cases, this extra day can make the difference between the appearance of a fetal heartbeat.

All these other things before you can even get the abortion  they drag out the time, drag out the expense, drag out the needs for transportation, for childcare, for getting off of work, for all the things that you have to do to make this happen in a state that is huge, said state Rep. Donna Howard, an Austin Democrat and former critical care nurse who advocated against Senate Bill 8.

Lawyers for several clinics estimate that roughly 85 to 90 percent of abortions in Texas have occurred after six weeks of pregnancy.

You are talking about excluding 80-plus percent of people from being able to get an abortion, said Kari White, the principal investigator of the Texas Policy Evaluation Project, a research group that studies reproductive health policies in Texas.

There are some people who are just not going to recognize that theyre pregnant until after six weeks for a whole host of reasons  or, even if they do realize theyre pregnant early, may find it difficult to come up with the money for the procedure and jump through all the logistical hoops that they need to in order to be able to get care.

Some Texans already know personally how this law would affect them. In 2016, Paige Alexandria  now a Texas-based storyteller with We Testify, an organization that shares stories of people who have gotten an abortion  found out she was pregnant and sought the procedure.

At her state-mandated ultrasound, she found out she was seven weeks pregnant  most likely beyond the limits of the new law. Even then, she had to wait more than two weeks between her first and second appointments to actually receive the abortion, given a lack of availability at local clinics, she said on a press call earlier this month.

Had SB 8 been in effect back then, I wouldnt have been able to have an abortion at all, Alexandria said.

Jeremy Blackman contributed reporting.

cayla.harris@express-news.net
Tuesday is Election Day in the 118th Texas House special election for the south San Antonio seat.

The seat was vacated by former Democratic state Rep. Leo Pacheco when he resigned in August, and turnout is expected to be low. In 2016, a special election was held for the same seat, and there were 3,589 ballots cast with a 171-vote margin of victory. If no candidate wins a majority of votes, there will be a runoff election between the two top vote-getters.

Early voting started Sept. 20. On Tuesday, 30 voting sites will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. The Bexar County Elections Department has a list of those sites and other information at bexar.org/elections.

There are three Democrats and two Republicans running for the seat, which has traditionally been safely Democratic. State Republicans are eyeing the seat as a potential pickup opportunity, given strong election returns for the GOP in South Texas and among Latino voters in 2020. The district is majority-Latino.

TEXAS TAKE: Get the latest news on Texas politics sent directly to your inbox every weekday

John Lujan, 59, won the 2016 special election and is the only Republican to ever hold the seat. He lost the seat in November of 2016 and is now running for it once again. A business owner and retired firefighter, Lujan was recruited to run for the seat by Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan.

More Information ELECTION NIGHT COVERAGE Follow the special election for Texas House District 118 on Tuesday night at ExpressNews.com. See More Collapse

Adam Salyer, 44, is another Republican in the race. Salyer, a retired Army Sgt. and real estate agent, was the partys nominee in 2020, losing to Pacheco by about 10,000 votes.

The Democratic candidates in the race are Katie Farias, Desi Martinez and Frank Ramirez.

Farias, 41, a school board member at Southside ISD, announced a bid for the seat before Pacheco resigned, citing his support for legislation that allows Texans to carry concealed handguns without a permit. That law went into effect. Sept. 1.

Martinez, 47, is a trial attorney running on a platform of business-friendly policies. He says he wants to encourage more private-public partnerships between businesses and schools. Ramirez, 27, is a former state legislative aide who is endorsed by Pacheco. Most recently, he worked for San Antonio City Councilwoman Ana Sandoval, leaving that role last month.

edward.mckinley@chron.com
Mold on Air Force bases across San Antonio, which drew a highly public response from commanders more than two years ago, has surfaced in new locations.

The 502nd Air Base Wing, responding to questions from the San Antonio Express-News, said it moved 29 airmen living in dormitories at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland and started mold remediation.

The number of dorms and dorm rooms found to have mold wasnt immediately clear, but it is likely far fewer than revealed in late July 2019, when the command said the fungus had been detected in nearly 1,200 dorm rooms at Lackland and the Camp Bullis training range, prompting evacuations of 224 technical training students.

On ExpressNews.com: Mold found in 1,100 dorm rooms on Lackland

The wing, which provides logistical support to the installations that make up Joint Base San Antonio, said in a statement that the current mold problems were found in dorms used by airmen assigned to Lackland. That was unlike 2019, when the affected areas were technical training facilities.

JBSA said airmen were moved to unaffected rooms in the same complex. Mold remediation typically takes seven to 20 days. When the work is finished, the disinfected rooms will be available to newly arrived service personnel.

Ronald Cortes /Contributor

The factors contributing to mold in this situation are failures of HVAC components that help control room temperature and humidity, the wings statement said. Sometimes dehumidifiers are turned off by the resident, or the dehumidifier may turn off automatically during an extended period of absence.

Another contributing factor was a malfunctioning energy-saving optimization device at an HVAC plant that cycles equipment on and off. Because the system didnt work, water temperatures for cooling and humidity removal in the dorm rooms began to rise, the command said. While it kept the dorms cool, the system also reduced the removal of humidity  a contributing factor for mold. The energy optimization program has been temporarily bypassed and is being assessed to determine the best setting

The health, well-being and quality of life of the service members who live and work on our installation is a top priority, and these issues are being actively addressed by the 502nd Civil Engineering Group, the statement said.

Recent complaints about mold in certain dormitories first surfaced on the Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/groups/388268481822593, prompting the Express-News to ask questions to confirm the reports.

Some airmen in 2019 complained they had been ordered to form cleaning parties to remove the mold, a potentially dangerous exposure that could make them sick. The wing said mold remediation was being performed by civil engineers and that other than normal housekeeping requirements, such as cleaning bathrooms and countertops, dorm residents are not performing mold remediation.

Privatized housing at bases in San Antonio and elsewhere across the country have been troubled by mold outbreaks, prompting lawsuits and even criminal actions by the federal government. Two former employees of a firm that builds and manages housing for the military pleaded guilty in the summer to defrauding the government at Lackland and four other bases.

On ExpressNews.com: Pair admit housing fraud conspiracy at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland and Air Force bases across the nation

The command said Hunt Military Communities at JBSA-Randolph, a historic Air Force installation that goes back to the early 1930s, is working to install dehumidification units in 311 of its 317 on-base houses, six of which already had HVAC systems.

The command went on to say that the few mold issues at Lackland generally stem from a roof or water pipe leak. Balfour Beatty Communities, the privatized owner, will make repairs and remediate mold as needed.

At this time, 195 units have been retrofitted with the new dehumidification systems, JBSA said in the statement. This $4.9 million effort, funded by Hunt, is to control humidity levels in the historic houses, thus preventing mold problems. This effort will take another year to complete.

When asked why mold keeps appearing and how many dorm rooms across the joint base have similar issues, the command noted that the living quarters now experiencing mold issues are not the same ones that did so in 2019. Those dorms, it said, were treated, and factors contributing to mold growth were corrected.

The command said the dorms now have different contributing factors, all of which are being addressed as part of our commitment to the long-term improvement of facilities and living spaces throughout JBSA.

JBSA did not say how many dorm rooms have mold issues across the command, which includes Lackland, Randolph, Fort Sam Houston and Camp Bullis  the largest joint base of 21 in the Pentagons inventory.

On ExpressNews.com: Family fled sewage-contaminated house on San Antonio base

Exhaust fans in each dorm room are also being examined to detect obstructions to ensure optimum removal of humidity created by showers. Portable dehumidifiers are being installed in a permanent configuration to enable continuous operation, which includes constant draining of the catch basin.

Residents are responsible for ensuring the dehumidifiers remain plugged in and operating, as well as reporting malfunctioning units to dorm management immediately.

Our civil engineer maintenance teams and dorm management teams are implementing aggressive dorm inspection and maintenance programs to identify rooms with mold growth, and are immediately mitigating the presence of mold, JBSA said. The teams conduct a 100-percent inspection each month looking for mold, cleanliness and maintenance concerns.

sigc@express-news.net
Joe Raedle/Getty Images

San Antonio's 169 coffee shops are apparently not enough to keep the city of over 1.5 million residents awake.

According to a recent report, the Alamo City is one of the least awake and least coffee-obsessed cities in Texas based on the number of coffee shops compared to the city's population. Zoma Sleep ranked San Antonio No. 44 out of 53 Texas cities.
The worst darkness is the type that does not let up with the dawn.

It shrouds the psyche, and escape is a tantalizing but cruel dream, hope extinguished by reality.

This is the kind of darkness El Paso experienced a year ago, when medical experts called the city the epicenter of the novel coronavirus in America.

About 2,800 El Pasoans have died from COVID-19, with a surge in deaths between November and early March.

Night after night, the news was soul-crushing, reports of friends, neighbors and loved ones killed by an insidious invader, unseen and undetected  COVID-19. Funeral homes so full mobile morgues had to be ordered. There was no letup in sight.

And then the darkness lifted, and El Paso went from tragedy to triumph, a stunning turnaround for which the border town of almost 700,000 should be commended.

Civic leaders recently announced that 75.15 percent of the community has been fully vaccinated, a milestone that should be celebrated. There is some debate about whether El Paso has truly achieved herd immunity. And perhaps herd immunity doesnt apply with the delta variant and other possible manifestations of the virus.

But this discussion misses the forest for the trees.

Herd immunity is the point at which the virus weakens and transmission wanes. Herd immunity or not in El Paso, a key lesson holds: The vaccinated help the unvaccinated.

This should serve as a lesson for the rest of the state and country: Vaccines save lives, and they do not undermine any freedoms, unless it is the freedom to die a needless death.

We are absolutely the first city in Texas to receive this level of vaccines within the community, Jorge Rodriguez, emergency management coordinator, told El Paso County Commissioners Court. Thats something that weve been working on as a community. We want to thank everyone.

Rodriguez went on to thank civic leaders and local agencies, but he neglected to single out the segment of the community that deserved the most gratitude  the people.

Spurred by tragedy, the people worked hard to make sure local news outlets did not become what they were in 2020  giant obituary sections.

They succeeded by changing their attitude  and, more importantly, behavior  since the COVID-19 spikes of 2020: Wearing masks, social distancing and, yes, receiving vaccines.

The result is the stunning recovery, but local health officials have said residents must continue to exercise the sound practices that led to the turnaround.

If the brutal spikes of 2020 moved the community to protect itself, they were not the only factor. The city came together following the horrific mass shooting that killed 23 people at a Walmart in 2019. Residents helped the survivors, people they did not know, offering therapy, counseling and financial resources.

That spirit re-emerged during the scourge of 2020, as neighbor assisted neighbor. Vaccines, local health officials assured the community, did not help solely those taking the doses; they helped the entire city. Residents responded. El Paso hit a peak of 1,100 COVID-19 hospitalizations last November; this week began at about 100.

We should celebrate their milestone, Dr. Ruth Berggren, an infectious diseases specialist with UT Health San Antonio, told the Express-News. Its a worthy target, but unfortunately the delta variant has pushed the goal post for us. Many people feel that 90 percent or more may be necessary for the community to truly be protected.

Amen.

El Paso health officials realize the battle is not over. Hospitalizations are declining, but 90 percent of those hospitalized are unvaccinated. Civic leaders are shifting the struggle to a new battlefield, trying to ensure that people older than 65, as well as those with chronic diseases, get booster shots.

El Pasoans seem determined to stave off the darkness that visited the city a year ago. If history is a reasonable predictor, their efforts should be successful. And if they are, the rest of the state, should pay attention.
The initial Republican proposal for redrawing Texas congressional maps calls for Harris County to once again be split into nine districts, but with major alterations to protect the regions endangered GOP incumbents.

The shifts mean more than a million voters who live west of downtown Houston would have a different member of Congress representing them.

Ultimately, Democratic-held districts now represented by U.S. Reps. Sylvia Garcia, Sheila Jackson Lee, Al Green and Lizzie Fletcher would all become more heavily blue under the proposed map released Monday by the Texas Senate. Under the proposal, Republican U.S. Reps. Dan Crenshaw and Troy Nehls would get more like-minded voters in their districts, too.

THE TEXAS LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

The proposal adds a completely new congressional district in west Harris County  District 38  designed to favor a Republican, stitched together by cutting into four existing districts.

The Texas Legislature is reshaping all of the states 36 congressional districts as required to address population shifts identified by the U.S. census over the last decade.

NEW MAP: Click here to view and explore the proposed Texas congressional map

With two new Texas districts being added to account for the states population growth, Republicans are proposing to pack hundreds of thousands of Democratic voters into two seats the GOP lost in 2018  one in Houston, represented by Fletcher, and another in Dallas, held by U.S. Rep. Colin Allred  and create one of the new districts in deep-blue Austin.

The Republicans would then pull their own voters into nearby districts where their party has seen tightening margins of victory in recent years.

For example, Fletchers 7th Congressional District would continue to have West University Place and Bellaire, but instead of picking up parts of the Energy Corridor, it would shoot southwest into Fort Bend County to pick up almost 200,000 people, including around Sugar Land and Richmond.

Those changes would make the 7th Congressional District among the most diverse in the nation with a population that is 22 percent Asian, 21 percent Black, 30 percent Hispanic and 27 percent white.

New map gets an F for gerrymandering

In most cases, Republicans focused on protecting the seats they already control, shielding them from the rapidly growing areas of Texas that are shifting in favor of Democrats, said GOP strategist Brendan Steinhauser.

The Republicans did really well in the 2020 election, Steinhauser said. And I think the Republican Party kind of believes that it's more important to lock in the gains over the next 10 years than to try and be too aggressive.

Redistricting analysts, in early assessments of the draft map on Monday, said the proposal shores up GOP-led districts, protects sitting lawmakers and packs heavily Democratic areas to give Republicans an advantage elsewhere. The Princeton Gerrymandering Project gave the proposed map an F grade for its fairness, concluding that the districts give a significant advantage to Republicans.

Although a growing population of Hispanics is largely responsible for Texas adding two additional congressional seats, neither of the two new districts is majority Hispanic under the GOP proposal, prompting outcry from anti-gerrymandering advocates.

With 95 percent of Texas population growth in the last decade coming from communities of color, our new congressional districts clearly should have been created to provide them the ability to elect their candidates of choice, said Anthony Gutierrez, the executive director of the good government group Common Cause Texas. That did not happen because these mapmakers prioritized the interests of their own political party over those of Black and brown Texans.

Last week, the Texas Senate released its proposal for redrawing districts in that chamber. Michael Li, senior counsel for the Brennan Centers Democracy Program, offered an early assessment of both the state Senate and congressional maps on Monday morning.

One takeaway from both the proposed Texas Senate and congressional maps is, man, are Republicans in Texas now scared of suburban voters  both because the suburbs are getting more diverse and because white voters in the suburbs are trending away from Rs, he said.

Shifting voters in Harris and beyond

Big changes are in store for other districts west of Houston besides Fletchers.

More than 300,000 people in west Houston, the Energy Corridor and near Jersey Village would be taken out of Crenshaws 2nd Congressional District and shifted into the newly drawn 38th Congressional District that would be wholly in Harris County.

Another 300,000 people around Tomball, Cypress and the northwestern sections of the Grand Parkway would be pulled out of the sprawling 10th Congressional District now held by U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul and put into the new 38th District.

A spokesman for Wesley Hunt, a Republican who ran against Fletcher in 2020, said the former Army helicopter pilot would run for the new District 38 seat if lawmakers were to adopt the initial map proposal.

Hunt had previously announced he was running in 2022 but had yet to settle on a district while awaiting the proposed map.

Neighborhoods south of downtown with large Black populations would also be affected.

TEXAS TAKE: Get political headlines from across the state sent directly to your inbox

Sunnyside, South Park and southeast Houston would all shift from Jackson Lees 18th Congressional District into Greens 9th District. Jackson Lees 18th District would be mostly north of downtown under the proposal. Downtown Houston would be moved to Garcias 29th District.

Almost 400,000 people in northwest Harris County along the Waller County border and south into parts of Katy would shift out of the 10th Congressional district into the 8th Congressional District that is held by U.S. Rep. Kevin Brady, a Woodlands Republican who is retiring next year. That district would also stretch into Montgomery County and include Conroe.

In the Dallas metro area and North Texas, meanwhile, Republicans are aiming to shore up districts represented by U.S. Reps. Beth Van Duyne of Irving and Van Taylor of Plano, both of whom were targeted unsuccessfully by Democrats in 2020.

The redistricting proposal has a long way to go to become law. The Legislature has just started a special redistricting committee to work out the changes and hold hearings on them. Historically, Texas legislative leaders have often faced lawsuits that have delayed the implementation of maps, and these could go the same route, specifically because of how Hispanic voters are treated.

jasper.scherer@chron.com

jeremy.wallace@chron.com
The claim: Thanks to President Biden, the Taliban now has more Black Hawk helicopters than 85 percent of countries in the world.  U.S. Rep. Richard Hudson.

In a Facebook post on Sept. 1, Hudson, R-North Carolina, posted an image that said the Talibans new arsenal included 33 Black Hawk helicopters, then blamed it on Bidens hasty withdrawal from Afghanistan.

PolitiFact rating: Half true. Hudsons claim about how the Talibans stock of Black Hawks compares to other countries appears to be accurate. His post gets some of the numbers right, but leaves out key context.

Discussion

Hudson didnt respond to an email about his post. But he later updated it, saying that social media companies had censored this post and that fact-checkers have disputed the exact dollar amount of equipment left in Afghanistan. Hudson acknowledged that some of his numbers might be off, but said he wanted to emphasize the poor execution of the withdrawal.

The claim comparing the Talibans Black Hawk arsenal to the rest of the world appears to have originated with Congressman Jim Banks, a Republican from Indiana. Banks cited the same statistic in a press conference on Aug. 25.

About PolitiFact PolitiFact is a fact-checking project to help you sort out fact from fiction in politics. Truth-O-Meter ratings are determined by a panel of three editors. The burden of proof is on the speaker, and PolitiFact rates statements based on the information known at the time the statement is made. See More Collapse

Its unclear whether the U.S. military left as many as 33 usable Black Hawks behind in Afghanistan.

TEXAS TAKE: Get political headlines from across the state sent directly to your inbox

But even if the Taliban has just one, which reports seem to indicate, the claim that the Taliban has more helicopters than 85% has factual basis.

The U.S. military did have 33 operational Black Hawks in Afghanistan as of June 30, according to a report by the U.S. Department of Defense. (Theyre also known as UH-60 helicopters)

However, as PolitiFact previously reported and as Banks office acknowledged, its unclear how many of the Black Hawks are now in the hands of the Taliban.

Media outlets such as the BBC, NPR and the Washington Post have hesitated to report a specific number of Black Hawks under Taliban control. Meanwhile, one blog run by independent military analysts reports the Taliban seized 18 Black Hawks but that only six are operable.

Its also unclear whether the Taliban has the ability to effectively operate Black Hawk helicopters for warfare.

Bradley Bowman, a former Black Hawk pilot in the Army, told NPR that learning to pilot Black Hawks is not something that you can do in a week or a month. But that obstacle isnt insurmountable.

A bigger problem for the Taliban may be maintaining the Black Hawks, said Jonathan Schroden, the director of the Countering Threats and Challenges Program at the Center for Naval Analyses. Schroden told NPR the Taliban might not be able to fix them.

John Pike, a longtime military expert who founded the nonprofit research group GlobalSecurity.org, said the Taliban may have trouble finding pilots, too.

The Taliban made a practice of assassinating pilots and air crews in recent years and might have some difficulty in tricking them to return to the warm embrace of the Motherland, Pike told PolitiFact NC in an email.

Pakistan does not fly the UH-60 and so they will be of little help to their puppet regime, he continued. With few pilots, few maintainers, and no spare parts, the handful of flyable UH-60s will be of little use to the Taliban over the coming months, before they become completely unflyable due to lack of maintenance and spares.

Hudson and Banks both said the Taliban now has more Black Hawk helicopters than 85 percent of the worlds countries.

Banks defended the figure saying that 85 percent of the worlds countries dont have a Black Hawk at all. He cited a page on Black Hawk-builder Lockheed Martins website, which says the company supplies the helicopters to 29 countries in the world.

PolitiFact NC called and emailed a spokesperson for Lockheed Martin to see if the companys website is up to date, but didnt receive a response.

If there are 195 countries in the world and 29 have Black Hawks, that means 166 of them dont  which comes out to 85 percent. That means, if the Taliban has taken even one Black Hawk, they would have more Black Hawks than 85 percent of the world.

And it appears they do. CNN reported the Taliban included a Black Hawk helicopter in a recent air display. Russian media also tweeted a video purporting to show footage of the Taliban flying a Black Hawk.

The simple math checks out, said Mitchell Hailstone, communications director for the Republican Study Committee, which Banks chairs.

If the Pentagon would tell us how many Black Hawk helicopters the Taliban has in its possession, wed be able to calculate a more accurate percentage, Hailstone said.
Croatia Airlines and Air Serbia are facing growing competition in Sarajevo after the airport began proactively courting foreign carriers and Wizz Air established its base in the city. Sarajevo Airport has for years relied on network carriers to provide it with connectivity to most parts of the continent. Wizz Air has already become the largest single airline in Bosnia and Herzegovinas capital in terms of frequencies and capacity. Furthermore, Lufthansas new route from Frankfurt, which will grow to double daily next summer season, as well as Swiss entry onto the market, is also expected to hamper Croatia Airlines and Air Serbias performance in Bosnia and Herzegovinas capital. Swiss has now upgraded the initially seasonal service to year-round operations, with flights to be maintained twice per week over winter, increasing to six weekly during the Christmas and Holiday peak.





Croatia Airlines carries a significant number of transfer passengers on its flights to and from Sarajevo. It has capitalised on the airports lack of connectivity to major European cities in the past. However, the airline has slowly begun losing its market share of connecting passengers to and from Sarajevo, now at just 6% of all airport transfers. Based on OAG data, points to major cities in Western Europe dominated as the most popular connecting destinations on the carriers Sarajevo flights, among which were Frankfurt, Zurich, Amsterdam and London. In 2020, there was a significant reduction in passenger flow, however, points in Western Europe remained most popular with transfer passengers. This summer, Lufthansa and Swiss launched operations from Frankfurt and Zurich, respectively, which are Croatia Airlines most popular destinations to and from Bosnia and Herzegovinas capital.





Croatia Airlines' top O&D points to/ from Sarajevo in 2019





Croatia Airlines' top O&D points to/from Sarajevo in 2020







Air Serbia has managed to increase its share of transfer passengers on its Sarajevo flights from 3% in 2019 to 6% last year, primarily due to fewer airlines serving the city as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. European destinations dominated Air Serbias connecting traffic to and from Sarajevo both in 2019 and 2020. Within the top twenty, New York was the only non-European city, coming in sixteenth two years ago and thirteenth in 2020. The arrival of new carriers is also expected to impact Air Serbia, most notably its Zurich service due to Swiss operations, but it also faces strong competition from Wizz, which will be covering major points in Europe, albeit mostly via secondary airports. However, the airline could be more immune as it offers a wider network with more destinations which are not served from Sarajevo. Air Serbia has managed to increase its share of transfer passengers on its Sarajevo flights from 3% in 2019 to 6% last year, primarily due to fewer airlines serving the city as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. European destinations dominated Air Serbias connecting traffic to and from Sarajevo both in 2019 and 2020. Within the top twenty, New York was the only non-European city, coming in sixteenth two years ago and thirteenth in 2020. The arrival of new carriers is also expected to impact Air Serbia, most notably its Zurich service due to Swiss operations, but it also faces strong competition from Wizz, which will be covering major points in Europe, albeit mostly via secondary airports. However, the airline could be more immune as it offers a wider network with more destinations which are not served from Sarajevo.





Air Serbia's top O&D points to/from Sarajevo in 2019





Air Serbia's top O&D points to/from Sarajevo in 2020




BEIRUT (AP)  The lead judge investigating last years massive blast in Beiruts port had to suspend his work in the case Monday after a former Cabinet minister demanded his dismissal.

Judge Tarek Bitar, the second judge to lead the complicated investigation, called off questioning of a former military intelligence general, scheduled for Monday, after he was informed of the new legal challenge.

It is now up to the Court of Appeals to decide whether to accept the request from the former interior minister, in which he accuses the judge of bias, or turn it down. The challenge automatically suspends the probe until a decision is reached.

Bitar's removal, if it happens, would likely be the final blow to the investigation, making it highly unlikely that a third judge would take up the job amid threats by members of the countrys political elite who have closed ranks in their efforts to block it.

The development comes amid a growing campaign by Lebanons political class against Bitar, who took over the job in February after his predecessor, Fadi Sawwan, was removed following similar legal challenges by senior officials he had accused of negligence that led to the blast.

Various political leaders have accused Bitar and his predecessor of politicizing the investigation, violating the constitution by ignoring immunity granted to lawmakers and government officials, and by going after some officials and not others.

Later on Monday, Lebanon's new Prime Minister Najib Mikati told private TV station LBC that Bitar has a good reputation but he can't summon officials protected by immunity or ones he didn't question.

I know that he is a fair and competent judge and can go on but the investigation should be comprehensive, Mikati said. How can he charge an official and he did not even question?

Mikati said security measures have been taken to protect Bitar, following fears the judge's life may be in danger after the repeated criticism of his probe.

On Aug. 4, 2020, hundreds of tons of ammonium nitrate, a highly explosive material used in fertilizers that had been improperly stored in the port for years, exploded, killing at least 214 people, injuring more than 6,000 and devastating nearby neighborhoods.

The attempt to remove Bitar angered families of the victims who have been hoping that the judge would reveal who was responsible for bringing the material to the port and storing it in a port warehouse for years, as well as what caused the explosion described as one of the largest non-nuclear explosions in history.

Many of the families have already demanded an internationally-led probe in the country known for a culture of impunity.

He was the best hope for Lebanese justice but they are torpedoing everything, said Mireille Bazergy Khoury, whose son Elias, 15, was killed by the explosion. She said the repeated lawsuits and challenges to the judge prove that those officials are implicated in the explosion.

I cant find the words to capture how sad and frustrated I am. I feel like every time something like this happens, they kill me once again, Khoury said. They killed my son, my daughter was injured, my home was destroyed, my life is in ruins.

On Friday, former Interior Minister Nouhad Machnouk, who is also a lawmaker, filed a lawsuit to dismiss the judge. Machnouk said Bitar charged him without questioning him, declining to meet him as a witness after the charges were issued. Machnouk argued that Bitar already has a bias.

Ghida Frangieh, a legal expert, said the Court of Appeals has previously rejected similar requests, saying it is not its jurisdiction.

Legislators facing charges are using the appeals court as a stalling tactic until they win back their immunity once parliament goes into session next month, said Frangieh, a lawyer at the Legal Agenda, a Beirut-based human rights group.

It is a temporary hurdle not a blow, said Frangieh. It shows how much this establishment will try to run away from justice.

Bitar in July announced his intention to go after senior Lebanese officials and summoned for questioning then-outgoing Prime Minister Hassan Diab, three former Cabinet ministers and top security officials.

None showed up for questioning; the parliament failed to lift the immunity of those summoned  a necessary step before any prosecution. Diab's office and then-interior minister Mohamed Fehmi declined to let Bitar question the heads of two security agencies.
Almost 900 farmers and growers in Northern Ireland have submitted expressions of interest to participate in a popular farm business grant scheme.

The Farm Business Improvement Scheme  Capital (FBIS-C) is designed to encourage farming businesses to invest in modern infrastructure and equipment.

The scheme seeks to improve the sustainability of farms through the purchase of new machinery - costing from 5,000 to 30,000.

Almost 900 expressions of interest have been received by the Department of Agriculture (DAERA) for the second tranche of Tier 2.

Invitations to information and training events will be issued shortly, DAERA said, ahead of the scheme opening for applications in October.

Welcoming the high interest in the scheme, farming minister Edwin Poot said: In order to assist with developing those proposals, my department will shortly issue invitations to online information and training events.

"I would encourage all potential applicants to participate in these events, ahead of making an application to what will be a highly competitive scheme.

This tranche of Tier 2, worth up to 12m, will support transformational investment in on-farm projects costing in excess of 30,000.

Funding is provided at a grant rate of 40% of eligible costs, with 250,000 the maximum grant available under the FBIS-Capital scheme.

Only those farm businesses which submitted an expression of interest will be eligible to submit a full application for Tier 2 tranche 2 when it opens.

Successful applicants under Tier 2 tranche 2 will have a maximum of one year to complete their project.
A Lincolnshire farm is offering people the chance to earn 30 per hour - or 240 a day - to pick broccoli and cabbage amid a crippling labour shortage.

TH Clements and Son, a family-owned farming business, is recruiting the Boston-based jobs, sharing details of them on social media.

The all-year round crop picker roles will be paid up to 30 an hour, which is the equivalent of a 62,000 a year salary.

It comes as the growing labour crisis has resulted in empty shelves in supermarkets and, in some cases, food left on farms unable to be picked up or processed.

The food and farming industry sent a letter to Boris Johnson last week, asking him to urgently implement a Covid Recovery Visa to alleviate labour shortages.

In a post on social media earlier this month, TH Clements said: We are looking for Field Operatives to harvest our broccoli.

We are looking for Field Operatives to harvest our Broccoli.

Excellent piecework rates with potential to earn up to 30 per hour and all year round work available.



Call 01205 769638 or email hr@thclements.co.uk for more details pic.twitter.com/1l6csuOIha  TH Clements (@THClements1966) September 13, 2021

"Excellent piecework rates with potential to earn up to 30 per hour and all year round work available.

Over the weekend, the government announced that it had added 5,500 poultry workers and 5,000 fuel tanker and food lorry drivers to existing visa schemes.

NFU vice president Tom Bradshaw said the union welcomed the announcement, but added that more solutions would be needed for 'wider labour needs'.

He said: The NFU has worked with the wider industry to help evidence the needs of the sector and we look forward to working with government on applying the scheme for poultry and, in particular, access for smaller producers.

We will also continue to work with government to find solutions for the wider labour needs, including trained and able butchers for pork production to deal with the increasingly serious build-up of pigs on farm.
It is time to leave the gloomy, cold weather behind and welcome the coming of spring. In the northern hemisphere, March 21 marks the first day of spring and it is celebrated from the Balkans to Central Asia with the Nevruz Festival.

Although the origins of this ancient tradition are a matter of historic debate, Nevruz, which means new day in Persian, is said to have its origins in Zoroastrianism, the religion of pre-Islamic, Persian empires. According to this religion, March 21 is considered as the day of the earths creation and the first day of the new year. While some claim that Turks living in Central Asia were the first people to celebrate the coming of spring, the principle view of Nevruz according to Turkic tradition is the celebration of independence. It marks the day of departure from Ergenekon where the Turks were trapped for years before a blacksmith melted the rock and Asena, a grey wolf, led them to freedom. Ever since, Nevruz has been accepted as the beginning of the new year by Turkic nations around the world and is still honored with vibrant celebrations, including festivals. Regardless of its origins, today Nevruz brings millions of people together to celebrate the awakening of nature.  excerpt from Daily Sabah

Click here to read the full article in Daily Sabah

First day of spring in Fethiye

Fethiye Times and some of our readers were out with their cameras yesterday capturing some of the wonderful signs of spring. Here is our spring has sprung gallery

Early morning in Kayakoy by Steve Parsley

A walk to Kayakoy and back to Fethiye by Angela Sowten

Out and about in Fethiye

Spring is bursting out all over

Out with the old and in with the new

Spring birdsong

We hope you have enjoyed our gallery of spring photographs. Thank you to our readers who contributed and to Hulya Yamanoglu for the featured photograph.
Trees  they produce the vast majority of the oxygen we need to survive, they provide us with much-needed shade on hot days, and theyre just plain beautiful.

For all of those reasons and many more, protecting the trees on our planet should be a real priority for all of us.

Background

Forests cover one-third of the Earths land mass, performing vital functions around the world. Around 1.6 billion people  including more than 2,000 indigenous cultures  depend on forests for their livelihoods, medicines, fuel, food and shelter.

Forests are the most biologically-diverse ecosystems on land, home to more than 80% of the terrestrial species of animals, plants and insects.

Yet despite all of these priceless ecological, economic, social and health benefits, global deforestation continues at an alarming rate  13 million hectares of forest are destroyed annually. Deforestation accounts for 12 to 20 percent of the global greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change.

On 21 December 2012, the United Nations General Assembly declared that 21 March of each year is to be observed as the International Day of Forests to raise awareness of the importance of forests to people and their vital role in poverty eradication, environmental sustainability and food security.

On each International Day of Forests, countries are encouraged to undertake local, national and international efforts to organize activities involving forests and trees, such as tree planting campaigns.

Every year, there is a theme for International Day of Forests chosen by the Collaborative Partnership on Forests. This years theme is Forests and Sustainable Cities.

Celebrating International Day of Forests in Fethiye

Nearly all the forests in Turkey are state-owned and administrated by the General Directorate of Forestry.

Fethiye is surrounded by forests and every year, 500,000 new trees are planted in forestry projects by the Fethiye General Directorate of Forests. Two activities were organised especially to celebrate International Day of Forests.

Keeping our forests clean

The first official event organised by Turkiyeyi Temiz Tut in partnership with the Fethiye General Directorate of Forests, was a clean up in the forests near the Mugla Universitesi Isletme Fakultesi in Esenkoy.

Have a look at our photo gallery from the clean up.

Mugla Universitesi Isletme Fakultesi in Esenkoy. from Lyn Ward on Vimeo.

We collected over 100 bags of rubbish and theres still work to be done.

Planting trees for the planet

Then we were off to the second event of the day, a tree planting ceremony in Gocek. This was the official event of the day and was attended by Fethiye District Governor, Muzzafer Sahiner, Fethiye Forestry Operations Manager, Gurhan ZORLU, local schools and people.

Speeches came first and then 448 trees were planted as part of the reforestation project in the area.

Tree Planting Ceremony  Gocek from Lyn Ward on Vimeo.

A great day and the view on the drive home wasnt too bad either

It doesnt have to be the International Day of Forests to make a difference. If we all cared just a little bit, the planet would be a better place.

Sources: United Nations/Days of the Year
Category Select Category Apparel/Garments Textiles Fashion Technical Textiles Information Technology E-commerce Retail Corporate Association Press Release

SubCategory Select Sub-Category


Netizens want to know everything about Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt. The couple took the internet by storm over the weekend as several rumours about their marriage started rotating.





On Sunday, Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt were clicked at the Mumbai airport and later they were spotted in Jodhpur. Ever since then there have been rumours that the two are scouting for wedding locations in Jodhpur. However, it was pointed out that as Ranbirs birthday falls on September 28, the duo have flown to Jodhpur to celebrate.

Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt are often seen in Bandra checking the redevelopment of the Krishnaraj bungalow. Meanwhile their superhero flick Brahmastra will soon have a release date.
BEIJING (dpa-AFX) - Japan will on Monday release final July figures for its leading and coincident indexes, highlighting a light day for Asia-Pacific economic activity. In June, the leading index had a score of 104.6 and the coincident was at 94.6. Taiwan will provide August numbers for retail sales and industrial production; in July, sales were down 10.3 percent on year and output jumped an annual 13.93 percent. China will release August data for industrial profits; in July, profits had skyrocketed 57.3 percent on year. The Philippines will see Q3 figures for its consumer confidence index; in the three months prior, the index score was -45. 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.




TOKYO, Sept 27, 2021 - (JCN Newswire) - Five Japanese automobile manufacturers (SUBARU CORPORATION, TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION, Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., Honda Motor Co., Ltd., and Mazda Motor Corporation) and five parts manufacturers (AISIN CORPORATION, JATCO Ltd, DENSO CORPORATION, Panasonic Corporation, and Mitsubishi Electric Corporation) will be filling the role of executive member in the Japan Automotive Model-Based Engineering center (JAMBE), which went public.. JAMBE's mission is to promote Model-Based Development (MBD)(1) across Japan's automotive industry.The center was founded to fulfill the purpose of creating the most-advanced development community in the mobility sector, able to carry out optimal and high-grade Monozukuri efficiently and without rework. Primarily consisting of private companies, the center succeeds an initiative led by Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry called "Enrichment of Suriawase 2.0*2" -- an industry-academia-government and strategic future policy for MBD in the automobile industry - which had been compiled as a result of discussions conducted by the Study Group for Ideal Approaches to Model Utilization in the Automobile Industry(3).Executive member companies will lead the center's activities to contribute to making Japan's automotive industry more competitive internationally by enabling academia and businesses to share digital models(4) across the board, linking academic research with development of parts, systems and vehicles. Therefore, allowing both sides to coordinate and make adjustments (Suriawase in Japanese) digitally from the initial stages of development.JAMBE's Guiding principle, Vision and GoalGuiding principle- Contribute to making Japan's automotive industry more competitive internationally by spreading and deploying MBD technology and concretizing the Suriawase 2.0 concept's high-grade virtual model development technology.Vision- Utilize MBD to promote carbon neutrality and innovation of vehicle technology to respond to needs such as CASE, thereby contributing to SDGs.- Encourage organizations of all sizes to use virtual models, thereby promoting highly efficient research and development.Goal- Concretize Suriawase 2.0: MBR(5) (Academia) creates new models and MBD (Industry) enhances development efficiency by using the same models across parts and vehicle manufacturers in the engineering chain for their Suriawase engineering style, creating new value and achieving the most efficient development processes in the world, free from rework.Overview of Japan Automotive Model-Based Engineering centerName:Japan Automotive Model-Based Engineering center (JAMBE)Business outline: Promotion of model-based development technologies, establishment of structure of model distribution across business entities as well as between industry and academia[Joint research business project of participating companies (members) and Japan Automotive Research Institute JARI (secretariat)]Chairperson of steering committee:Mitsuo Hitomi (Senior Innovation Fellow, Mazda Motor Corporation)Operation cost: Approximately 60 million yen per yearEstablished: July 9, 2021(1) Model-Based Development (MBD): A development style that uses virtual models on a computer, not using actual prototype parts throughout design and development activities to realize efficient development activities by saving considerable time and effort that would usually be spent elaborating performance concepts, designing, making prototype parts, and testing.(2) Suriawase 2.0: A concept that uses MBD to heighten the degree of coordination of cross-disciplinary development (Suriawase engineering style) between companies and between industry and academia throughout the engineering chain.(3) Established in November 2015 by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. Please visit the website below for further details. https://www.meti.go.jp/english/press/2018/0404_001.html(4) A "model" is a simulated object that is made to behave like a real object using computer simulation. Depending on the needs, models of various scales are used, including models of individual parts (e.g., pistons of an engine), models of systems/units (e.g., an engine), and models of entire vehicles. Models can also refer to mathematical models of phenomena such as fuel combustion, hydraulic oil flow, etc.(5) Model-Based Research (MBR): MBR means activities of basic research and numerous experiments of physical phenomena to create models with higher accuracy that are required for successful MBD.Source: HondaCopyright 2021 JCN Newswire . All rights reserved.
Polyphor publishes invitation to Extraordinary General Meeting and announces financial results for the first half 2021

- EGM on October 28, 2021 to be held to prepare merger with EnBiotix Inc, with shareholders not physically present, in accordance with COVID-19 ordinances.

- Pre-EGM information call on October 14, 2021 at 14:00 CET.

ALLSCHWIL, SWITZERLAND / ACCESSWIRE / September 27, 2021 / Polyphor AG (SIX:POLN) today published the invitation to its Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) on October 28, 2021 and announced financial results for the first half of 2021. The agenda of the EGM has proposals for shareholder approval including an ordinary capital increase to implement a merger with EnBiotix Inc. ("Enbiotix"), a privately held late clinical-stage rare disease company currently focused on products for rare, chronic respiratory diseases.

Extraordinary General Meeting

As a precautionary and prudent measure, the Board of Directors has decided to conduct the Extraordinary General Meeting 2021 without the physical presence of shareholders, in accordance with COVID-19 related regulation.

The company will be seeking to maximize the number of shareholders executing their voting rights and will host a pre-EGM information call on October 14, 2021 at 14:00 CET. Investors are invited to submit questions in advance by email to IR@polyphor.com.

Contemplated Changes to the members of the Board of Directors and Management team

Upon completion of the merger and as previously already announced, Jeffrey D. Wager, currently Chairman and CEO of EnBiotix, is expected to become Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer of the combined company replacing the current CEO, Gokhan Batur, who will oversee the next steps until the closing of the merger.

Upon completion of the merger, Andreas Wallnofer, Silvio Inderbitzin and Hugh O'Dowd will resign as Board members. Kuno Sommer and Bernard Bollag, current members of the Board of Directors of Polyphor, will remain as Board members. Dennis Ausiello, Dan Hartman and Robert Clarke, current members of the Board of Directors of EnBiotix, are nominated as new members the Board of Directors of the combined company.

Hernan Levett, Polyphor's current CFO, will continue as CFO of the combined company. Upon completion of the merger Juergen Froehlich, Chief Medical Officer at EnBiotix, is nominated as the CMO, replacing Frank Weber, who has decided to leave Polyphor end of October 2021 to pursue other career opportunities. Daniel Obrecht, Chief Scientific Officer of Polyphor, will retire from the company by end of 2021 as planned and continue to serve as a scientific consultant to the merged company.

Financial results for the first half of 2021

In the first half of 2021, the majority of the cash position was allocated to the balixafortide Phase III program, while cystic fibrosis and antibiotics drug candidates have been largely externally funded.

The total loss for the period was CHF 23.6 million. R&D costs were primarily driven by the balixafortide Phase III trial and are expected to decrease substantially in Q4 2021 following the closure of the study. The total cash position was CHF 17.9 million (cash and cash equivalents) as of June 30, 2021. In September 2021, Polyphor and EnBiotix announced closing of the previously announced purchase agreement of inhaled murepavadin. As a result of closing the transaction, Polyphor received the agreed payment of 2'599'655 of common shares of EnBiotix (15.4% fully diluted of EnBiotix) at an agreed valuation of USD 10 million, currently not reflected in the financial statements ending June 30, 2021 (see financial highlights below).

As closing of the merger agreement with EnBiotix is expected in Q4 2021, the company will provide updated guidance for operating expenses for 2021 following planned closure.

Pre-EGM information call

To access the information call, please use the following details:

Information Call: October 14, 2021, 14:00 CET

dial in:

CH: +41 44 580 720

IT: +39 02 3600 8019

DE: +49 69 2222 25574

UK: +44 330 336 9125

FR: +33 1 70 72 25 50

US: +1 646-828-8193

Confirmation Code: 6712283

The link for the webcast without audio (for those who called through the dial-in):

https://www.webcast-eqs.com/polyphor20211014/no-audio

The link for the webcast for those who don't want to dial-in:

https://www.webcast-eqs.com/polyphor20211014

The full EGM invitation can be found on our website:

www.polyphor.com/investor-relations/corporate -governance/

Financial Highlights

CHF millions

Profit and Loss1 30.06.2021 30.06.2020 Revenue 0.0 0.0 Research and development expenses -22.2 -24.6 Net loss -23.6 -27.8 Average net cash burn2 -3.3 -5.4

Balance Sheet 30.06.2021 31.12.2020 Cash and cash equivalents 17.9 34.3 Total assets 26.0 46.8 Total equity (6.1) 13.5 Equity ratio (23%) 29%

1) based on the consolidated IFRS financial statements

2) represents the average monthly cash used in operating and investing activities

For further information please contact:

For Investors:

Hernan Levett

Chief Financial Officer

Polyphor Ltd.

+41 61 567 16 00

IR@polyphor.com

For Media:

Dr. Stephan Feldhaus

Feldhaus & Partner

+41 79 865 92 56

feldhaus@feldhaus-partner.ch

About Polyphor

Polyphor is a research-oriented Swiss biopharmaceutical company with a leading macrocyclic peptide technology platform. Polyphor is headquartered in Allschwil near Basel and is listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (SIX: POLN). www.polyphor.com.

Disclaimer

This press release contains forward-looking statements which are based on current assumptions and forecasts of the Polyphor management. Known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors could lead to material differences between the forward-looking statements made here and the actual development, in particular Polyphor's results, financial situation, and performance. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only of the date of this communication. Polyphor disclaims any intention or obligation to update and revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

SOURCE: Polyphor AG

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/665604/Polyphor-Publishes-Invitation-to-Extraordinary-General-Meeting-and-Announces-Financial-Results-for-the-First-Half-2021
ADELAIDE, Australia, Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Australian medical technology company LBT Innovations Limited (ASX: LBT) (LBT or the Company), a leader in medical technology automation using artificial intelligence, is pleased to announce the signing of an exclusive Distribution Agreement for the APAS Independence in the United States (the Agreement) with Remel Inc., a part of Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc. (Thermo Fisher).

Key Points:

Thermo Fisher appointed as the exclusive distributor for the APAS Independence in the United States

Thermo Fisher is a leading provider of instrumentation and consumables in the United States microbiology market - APAS Independence complements their portfolio of clinical microbiology products

Agreement has a five-year term, including service and support responsibilities

LBT's 50% owned joint-venture Company, Clever Culture Systems (CCS), has signed a five-year Agreement for Thermo Fisher to become the exclusive distributor for the APAS Independence in the United States. This Agreement is a major milestone for LBT and will provide a footprint to scale sales and commercial activities in the United States which is the largest market globally, comprising over 1,500 target laboratories for potential placement of the APAS Independence.

The APAS Independence will be added to Thermo Fisher's existing portfolio of microbiology products in the United States where the firm has an established network of sales representatives with existing customer relationships across a large number of clinical microbiology laboratories.

Under the Agreement, Thermo Fisher will engage in sales and marketing, and related activities for the APAS Independence exclusively in the United States. As part of the related activities, the firm will also provide installation, maintenance and support services to customers in the United States.

The APAS Independence, which obtained US Food and Drug Administration clearance for its urine analysis module in 2019, is the first and only FDA-cleared automated culture plate reader available in the United States. The innovative technology uses advanced imaging and artificial intelligence to interpret bacterial growth on culture plates.

Christophe Fraudeau, President, Microbiology, Thermo Fisher Scientific said:

"We see a clear fit for the APAS Independence within our portfolio of microbiology products for the U.S. clinical market. Our customers need smart automation products that deliver real workflow efficiencies and the APAS Independence does just that by using artificial intelligence to provide active decision-making that reduces workload and enables laboratories to streamline their workflows."

LBT CEO and Managing Director, Brent Barnes said:

"This is a really important milestone for LBT and represents a major step forward in our commercialisation strategy in the United States. We have spoken previously about the importance of appointing well recognised, leading distributors to support our sales efforts in key markets. Thermo Fisher is a leader in microbiology that is recognised globally, and we will benefit greatly from the depth and strength of their sales team in the United States. Our management team have worked diligently to secure this partnership and we are really excited to begin working alongside the Thermo Fisher team. We hope that this is the beginning of a long and fruitful relationship between our two companies.

We are very pleased to now have two of the world's largest microbiology companies selling our technology across the two main markets of the United States and Europe, which is a further validation of benefits of our technology."

- ENDS -

About LBT Innovations

LBT Innovations (LBT) improves patient outcomes by making healthcare more efficient. Based in Adelaide, South Australia, the Company has a history of developing world leading products in microbiology automation. Its first product, MicroStreak, was a global first in the automation of the culture plate streaking process. The Company's second product, the Automated Plate Assessment System (APAS) is being commercialised through LBT's 50% owned joint venture company Clever Culture Systems AG (CCS) with Hettich Holding Beteiligungs- und Verwaltungs-GmbH.Beckman Coulter have also been appointed as Marketing Agent in Europe to assist in facilitating sales. The APAS instrument is based upon LBT's intelligent imaging and machine learning software and remains the only US FDA-cleared artificial intelligence technology for automated imaging, analysis and interpretation of culture plates following incubation.

CONTACTS

LBT Innovations Investor Enquiries Brent Barnes

Chief Executive Officer & Managing Director

Tel: +61 8 8227 1555

E: info@lbtinnovations.com David Allen / John Granger Hawkesbury Partners Tel: +61 2 9103 9494 E: jgranger@hawkesburypartners.com

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1635593/LBTInnovations_Logo.jpg
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / September 27, 2021 / Tinka Resources Limited ("Tinka" or the "Company") (TSXV:TK)(BVL:TK)(OTCQB:TKRFF) is pleased to announce an updated Mineral Resource estimate for its 100%-owned Ayawilca project in Peru. Mineral Resource estimates for two Ayawilca deposits (the "Zinc Zone" and "Tin Zone", respectively) have been updated as a result of nearly 12,000 metres of drilling completed in the past 18 months.

Key Highlights of the Updated Mineral Resource Estimates at Ayawilca:

Indicated Zinc Zone Mineral Resource of 19.0 million tonnes grading 7.2% zinc, 0.2% lead and 16.8 g/t silver containing : 3.0 billion pounds of zinc; 10.3 million ounces of silver; and 87 million pounds of lead.

containing Inferred Zinc Zone Mineral Resource of 47.9 million tonnes grading 5.4% zinc, 0.4% lead & 20.0 g/t silver containing : 5.7 billion pounds of zinc; 30.7 million ounces of silver; and 370 million pounds of lead.

containing Inferred Tin Mineral Resource of 8.4 million tonnes grading 1.0% tin, containing : 189 million pounds of tin.

containing

The Tin Zone and Zinc Zone resources do not overlap, with the Tin Zone situated predominantly beneath the Zinc Zone. The Mineral Resources are reported above a net smelter return (NSR) cut-off value of US$55/tonne for the Zinc Zone and US$60/tonne for the Tin Zone, as estimated by SLR Consulting (Canada) Ltd (SLR). A plan view showing all estimated Mineral Resources at Ayawilca is presented in Figure 1, and Indicated and Inferred Zinc Zone Mineral Resources are presented in Figure 2.

Dr. Graham Carman, Tinka's President and CEO, stated: "We are very pleased to report an updated mineral resource estimation for the Ayawilca Zinc and Tin Zones. A major step forward is the large increase in Indicated Zinc Zone resources to 3.0 billion pounds of contained zinc (previously 1.8 billion pounds), a 68% increase. The Indicated Zinc Zone resource has remained at a high grade of 7.2% zinc (+ silver + lead), while the Indicated Mineral Resource category now constitutes 35% of the total zinc inventory (previously 24%) at Ayawilca. New drilling also added resources to Inferred Mineral Resources that effectively replaced those resources upgraded to the Indicated category, with contained zinc in the Inferred category increasing 1% to 5.7 billion pounds zinc compared to the 2018 estimate."

"In addition, the updated Tin Zone Mineral Resource is now at a substantially higher grade (1.0% Sn) compared to the previous resource (0.63% Sn) with the discovery of new high grade tin mineralization at South Ayawilca."

"Tinka has been growing the Ayawilca Mineral Resources consistently since 2015, and we have taken great strides positioning it as one of the largest and highest grade undeveloped zinc dominant deposits in the Americas. We look forward to completing and announcing results of an updated PEA for Ayawilca in the coming weeks. The Company's work programs are fully funded for the foreseeable future, with C$13 million in cash and no debt as at the end of June 2021."

Figure 1 - Ayawilca drill hole map highlighting updated Mineral Resource wireframes and 2019-2021 holes

Figure 2 -3D image of Ayawilca Zinc Zone resource wireframes and resource classification

Detail of Mineral Resource Estimates

The updated Mineral Resource estimates for the Ayawilca Zinc Zone and Ayawilca Tin Zone, with an effective date of August 30, 2021, were prepared by SLR Consulting (Canada) Limited (SLR). Estimated Mineral Resources prepared by SLR used drill results available to February 28, 2021. The Ayawilca deposit resource database includes 209 drill holes totalling 88,110 m of drilling. The Zinc Zone Mineral Resources are hosted as lenses and veins of semi-massive to massive sulphides (mostly sphalerite, pyrite, galena and pyrrhotite) and magnetite hosted by Pucara Group limestone of Mesozoic age beneath a flat-dipping sandstone 150 m to 200 m thick belonging to the Goyllar Group. The Zinc Zone and Tin Zone Mineral Resources are reported separately as they host different metals and are spatially separated. The Mineral Resource estimates conform to Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum Definition Standards for Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves dated May 10, 2014 (CIM 2014 definitions).

Indicated Mineral Resources are estimated to total 19.0 Mt at average grades of 7.15% Zn, 16.8 g/t Ag, and 0.21 % Pb and Inferred Mineral Resources are reported at 47.9 Mt at average grades of 5.36% Zn, 20.0 g/t Ag, and 0.35% Pb. Mineral Resources within the Zinc Zone are reported at a US$55/t NSR cut-off value - Table 1.

Table 1: Ayawilca Zinc Zone Mineral Resources as of August 30, 2021

Tinka Resources Limited - Ayawilca Property

Classification/

Zone Tonnage

(Mt) NSR

($/t) Grade Contained Metal (% Zn) (g/t Ag) (% Pb) (Mlb Zn) (Moz Ag) (Mlb Pb) Indicated West 11.6 108 6.26 15.9 0.25 1,607 6.0 65 South 7.3 145 8.56 18.3 0.13 1,383 4.3 22 Total Indicated 19.0 123 7.15 16.8 0.21 2,990 10.3 87 Inferred West 5.5 106 5.90 20.8 0.42 719 3.7 52 South 9.0 134 7.45 34.4 0.33 1,477 10.0 65 Central 17.4 81 4.55 13.8 0.34 1,747 7.7 132 East 10.6 88 5.04 14.4 0.20 1,177 4.9 46 Silver 0.4 93 3.58 106.7 0.65 33 1.4 6 Buffer 4.9 87 4.66 19.2 0.63 504 3.0 69 Total Inferred 47.9 96 5.36 20.0 0.35 5,657 30.7 370

Notes:

CIM (2014) definitions were followed for Mineral Resources. Mineral Resources are reported above a cut-off net smelter return (NSR) value of US$55/t. The requirement of a reasonable prospect of eventual economic extraction is met by having a minimum modelling width for mineralized zones of three metres, a cut-off based on reasonable input parameters, and continuity of mineralization consistent with a potential underground mining scenario. The NSR value was based on estimated metallurgical recoveries, assumed metal prices, and smelter terms, which include payable factors, treatment charges, penalties, and refining charges. Metal price assumptions were, US$1.20/lb Zn, US$22/oz Ag, and US$0.95/lb Pb. Metal recovery assumptions were, 92% Zn, 85% Ag, and 70% Pb. The NSR value for each block was calculated using the following NSR factors; US$16.23/% Zn, US$0.27/g Ag, and US$10.20/% Pb. Payability is as follows; Zn 84%, Pb 94% and Ag 47% The NSR value was calculated using the following formula:

NSR = Zn(%)*US$16.23+Ag(g/t)*US$0.27+Pb(%)*US$10.20 Numbers may not add due to rounding.

Indium was previously included in the Zinc Zone resource estimation but is no longer reported.

The Tin Zone Mineral Resources are hosted as disseminated cassiterite in massive to semi-massive pyrrhotite lenses typically (but not always) near the contact between the Pucara Group and underlying phyllite of the Devonian Excelsior Group.

Inferred Mineral Resources within the Tin Zone, reported at an NSR cut-off value of $60/t, are estimated to total 8.4 million tonnes at average grades of 1.02% Sn. Two different NSR factors for tin were used to estimate the Tin Zone resource depending on the ratio of Sn:Cu - a higher NSR was applied to mineralization with a higher Sn:Cu ratio. See Table 2.

Table 2: Ayawilca Tin Zone Inferred Mineral Resources as of August 30, 2021

Tinka Resources Limited - Ayawilca Property

Classification Tonnage

(Mt) NSR

($/t) Grade

(% Sn) Contained Metal

(Mlb Sn) Inferred 8.4 103 1.02 189

Notes:

CIM (2014) definitions were followed for Mineral Resources. Mineral Resources are reported above a cut-off grade NSR value of US$60/t. The requirement of a reasonable prospect of eventual economic extraction is met by having a minimum modelling width for mineralized zones of three metres, a cut-off based on reasonable input parameters, and continuity of mineralization consistent with a potential underground mining scenario. The NSR value was based on estimated metallurgical recoveries, assumed metal prices, and smelter terms, which include payable factors, treatment charges, penalties, and refining charges. Metal price assumptions were, US$11.00/lb Sn. Metal recovery assumptions were, 70% Sn for blocks with Sn:Cu  5 and 40% for Sn:Cu < 5. The NSR value for each block was calculated using the following NSR factors, US$141.64 per % Sn for blocks with Sn:Cu  5 and US$80.94 for blocks with Sn:Cu <5. The NSR value was calculated using the following formulae:

If Sn:Cu  5: US$NSR = Sn(%)*US$141.64 If Sn:Cu < 5: US$NSR = Sn(%)*US$80.94 Numbers may not add due to rounding.

Copper and silver were reported in the Tin Zone previously but are no longer reported because they are not expected to contribute materially to the economics of the project.

Depending on the deposit area, high grade tin and silver values were capped to 4% Sn and 100 g/t Ag to 175 g/t Ag. Assays within the wireframe domains were composited to two metre lengths. Block model grades within the wireframe models were interpolated by the inverse distance cubed (ID 3 ) method. While lead grades are low, it is assumed that lead and silver will be recovered in a lead concentrate. Density was estimated to be 3.5 t/m 3 and 3.7 t/m 3 for the Ayawilca Zinc Zone and 3.9 t/m 3 for the Ayawilca Tin Zone based on density measurements of typical mineralization from each zone. The Buffer Zone area outside the resource wireframes was assigned a density value of 3.5 t/m 3 . The Mineral Resources were assigned Indicated and Inferred category in the Ayawilca Zinc Zone and Inferred only in the Ayawilca Tin Zone due to the widely spaced drilling. The drill hole spacing within the area assigned as Indicated category commonly ranges from 40 m to 70 m. No Mineral Reserves have yet been estimated at Ayawilca.

The Mineral Resource estimate for the Colquipucro silver oxide deposit (also referred to as "Colqui"), located 1.5 km from the Ayawilca deposit, remains unchanged since the 2016 effective date and is presented in Table 3.

Table 3: Colquipucro Silver Oxide Deposit Mineral Resources as of May 25, 2016

Tinka Resources Limited - Ayawilca Property

Classification/Zone Tonnage

(Mt) Grade

(g/t Ag) Contained Metal

(Moz Ag) Indicated High Grade Lenses 2.9 112 10.4 Low Grade Halo 4.5 27 3.9 Total Indicated 7.4 60 14.3 Inferred High Grade Lenses 2.2 105 7.5 Low Grade Halo 6.2 28 5.7 Total Inferred 8.5 48 13.2

Notes:

CIM (2014) definitions were followed for Mineral Resources. Mineral Resources are reported within a preliminary pit shell and above a cut-off grade of 15 g/t Ag for the low grade halo and 60 g/t Ag for the high grade lenses. The cut-off grade is based on a price of US$24/oz Ag. Numbers may not add due to rounding.

Discussion and Analysis

A comparison of the 2021 and 2018 Zinc Zone resources at US$55/t cut off is highlighted graphically in Figure 3. The increase in Indicated Resources in the 2021 resource estimation is due to discovery of new mineralization as well as a significant increase in the understanding of the litho-structural setting, following the completion of 11,633 metres of diamond drilling between 2019 to 2021.

Figure 3 - Ayawilca Zinc Zone deposit classification model

The geological model and wireframes for the updated model were produced in-house by Tinka. SLR refined the resource domains to align with the stratigraphy and limited their extent to the Pucara and Lower and Mid-Goyllar Formations. Similarly, the domains were constrained by the faults that are known to limit the mineralization. The new geological model, improved mineralization domains, as well as the new infill drilling led to an increase in resources assigned to the Indicated category. SLR constructed a buffer zone to allow interpolation in a limited area of 50 m surrounding the mineralization wireframe models. The Buffer Zone captures local high grade mineralization, in particular post-main stage zinc mineralization for which controls are not yet well constrained, and is highlighted in Figure 3. A generalized layout of the Zinc Zones at South Ayawilca is shown in Figure 4.

Increased average grades of lead and silver in the Ayawilca Zinc Zone resource are due to the inclusion of new resource areas higher in lead and silver (i.e., silver rich domains in the South Area) but low in zinc. These new areas are now included in the resource estimate due to higher NSR factors for both lead and zinc. The removal of indium from the 2018 NSR value calculation for the Ayawilca Zinc Zone has slightly improved the average zinc grade by narrowing the resource wireframes to better represent the zinc mineralization. In addition, although the NSR cut-off value is the same as in 2018 (US$55/t), the NSR factors for each metal used to calculate the value of a block have all increased.

While the mineralization domains were expanded for the Ayawilca Tin Zone in the current estimation, there was nevertheless a decrease in tonnage from the 2018 resource estimation. The decrease in tonnage was accompanied by a significant increase in tin grade. The increase in average tin grade is due to several factors including:

The discovery of new high grade tin mineralization in 2020 and 2021;

A higher effective NSR cut-off value applied to the Mineral Resource (US$60/t);

The removal of copper and silver mineralization from NSR value; and

A decrease in the tin factor in the NSR value calculation.

A National Instrument 43-101 Technical Report will be filed on SEDAR within 45 days.

Figure 4 - 3D view of Ayawilca Zinc Zone wireframes

Figure 5 - Generalized E-W cross section of Zinc Zones at South Ayawilca

Qualified Person - Mineral Resources: The Mineral Resources disclosed in this press release have been estimated by Ms. Dorota El Rassi, P.Eng., SLR Consultant Engineer and Ms. Katharine M. Masun, MSA, M.Sc., P.Geo., SLR Consultant Geologist, both independent of Tinka. By virtue of their education and relevant experience, Ms. El Rassi and Ms. Masun are "Qualified Persons" for the purpose of National Instrument 43-101. The Mineral Resources have been classified in accordance with CIM Definition Standards for Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves (May, 2014). Ms. El Rassi and Ms. Masun have read and approved the contents of this press release as it pertains to the disclosed Mineral Resource estimates.

The Qualified Person, Dr. Graham Carman, Tinka's President and CEO, and a Fellow of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, has reviewed and verified the technical contents of this release.

Disclaimer: As a result of the new resource estimation, the Company's previously disclosed preliminary economic assessment on the Ayawilca project is no longer current and should not be relied on. The Company has commissioned an updated PEA on the Ayawilca project based on the new resource estimate and upon receipt of the updated PEA (expected in approximately 2 weeks), the Company intends to issue a news release disclosing the results of the PEA.

On behalf of the Board, " Graham Carman "

Dr. Graham Carman, President & CEO Further Information:

www.tinkaresources.com

Mariana Bermudez 1.604.685.9136

info@tinkaresources.com

About Tinka Resources Limited

Tinka is an exploration and development company with its flagship property being the 100%-owned Ayawilca zinc-silver-tin project in central Peru. The Zinc Zone deposit has an estimated Indicated Mineral Resource of 19.0 Mt grading 7.15% Zn, 16.8 g/t Ag & 0.2% Pb and an Inferred mineral resource of 47.9 Mt grading 5.4% Zn, 20.0 g/t Ag & 0.4% Pb (dated August 30, 2021). The Ayawilca Tin Zone has an estimated Inferred mineral resource of 8.4 Mt grading 1.02% Sn (dated August 30, 2021). Tinka also owns and is actively exploring early stage copper-gold skarn mineral systems within its highly prospective land package in central Peru.

Forward Looking Statements: Certain information in this news release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws (collectively "forward-looking statements"). All statements, other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs and expectations of Tinka as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to Tinka's management. Such statements reflect the current risks, uncertainties and assumptions related to certain factors including, without limitations: timing of planned work programs and results varying from expectations; delay in obtaining results; changes in equity markets; uncertainties relating to the availability and costs of financing needed in the future; equipment failure, unexpected geological conditions; imprecision in resource estimates or metal recoveries; success of future development initiatives; competition and operating performance; environmental and safety risks; the Company's expectations regarding the Ayawilca Project PEA; the political environment in which the Company operates continuing to support the development and operation of mining projects; risks related to negative publicity with respect to the Company or the mining industry in general; the threat associated with outbreaks of viruses and infectious diseases, including the novel COVID-19 virus; delays in obtaining or failure to obtain necessary permits and approvals from local authorities; community agreements and relations; and, other development and operating risks. Should any one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should any underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein. Although Tinka believes that assumptions inherent in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and accordingly undue reliance should not be put on such statements due to the inherent uncertainty therein. Except as may be required by applicable securities laws, Tinka disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking statement.

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

SOURCE: Tinka Resources Limited

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/665504/Tinka-Increases-Indicated-Zinc-Resources-at-Ayawilca-by-68
Morrow Sodali, the global investor engagement and governance consulting firm, today announced that Andrew Stevenson and Jonathan Harker have joined the firm as Senior Director, Head of International Engagement, and Senior Director, Head of Account Management EMEA, respectively.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210927005344/en/

Andrew has over 30 years' experience in the financial services industry, covering proxy solicitation campaigns, M&A and activism, investor and governance roadshows, and stockbroking. Over the course of his professional career, Andrew has held several senior roles specialising in shareholder engagement, corporate governance and other facets of the financial services industry globally, having worked in Boudicca, CMi2i, and more recently in Investor Update, among others.

Jonathan has more than 15 years' experience involving corporate governance advisory, global custody, proxy voting, corporate actions, and full-on shareholder-engagement campaigns. He supports client engagements across Europe and supervises cross-border teams while coordinating and consulting on AGM/GM campaigns, and M&A and activism activities ('attack' and 'defence'). Jonathan's former roles include Director of Stewardship at Boudicca and Manager of Corporate Actions at HSBC Securities Services.

Based in London, Andrew and Jonathan will provide strategic counsel and advice to clients on complex corporate events involving shareholder participation, as well as supervise, perform and review research and analyses related to the investor community in Europe and around the globe.

"Following several key hires in 2020, and in line with the firm's growth strategy to broaden our capabilities and continue to deliver strategic advice for companies, Andrew and Jonathan will be valuable additions to Morrow Sodali. Their significant expertise will undoubtedly benefit our clients by bringing a wealth of experience, in particular in the M&A and activism space, and a wide knowledge of corporate governance and investor engagement," said Alvise Recchi, CEO.

Commenting on his appointment, Andrew Stevenson said: "I am thrilled to be joining a leading corporate governance advisory firm, with an excellent reputation worldwide in providing clients with top class strategic counsel around key governance, stewardship and sustainability priorities impacting corporate value creation. I look forward to using my industry experience and relationships with the global institutional investor community to enhance Morrows Sodali's profile in the UK and beyond."

''I am glad to be joining Morrow Sodali to lead its experts across Europe and extend the firm's advisory capabilities in the market practices of corporate governance, shareholder engagement and activism work," said Jonathan Harker. ''My role will be focusing on helping our clients to understand current institutional shareholder views on corporate governance to minimize the risk of shareholder activism and improve shareholder value for the long term.''

For further information about Morrow Sodali, please visit www.morrowsodali.com.

ABOUT MORROW SODALI

Morrow Sodali is a global corporate advisory firm that provides clients with comprehensive advice and services relating to corporate governance, ESG, sustainability, proxy solicitation, capital markets intelligence, shareholder and bondholder engagement, M&A, and activism and contested situations.

From headquarters in New York and London and offices in global capital markets, Morrow Sodali serves more than 700 clients in 80+ countries, including many of the world's largest multinational corporations. Clients include listed and private companies, mutual fund groups, stock exchanges and membership associations.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210927005344/en/

Contacts:

Elena Cargnello

Corporate Director of Marketing

e.cargnello@morrowsodali.com

+44 204 5136913
Company Signs Multiple Agreements With Nationally Recognized Solar Engineer, KMB Design Group, To Lead Application Process

Nationally Recognized Solar Engineer, KMB Design Group, Will Do Feasibility Study For Both Sites In Rochester, NY And Will Lead Application Process

NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / September 27, 2021 / Green Stream Holdings Inc. (OTC PINK:GSFI) ("the Company") (https://greensolarutility.com), an emerging leader in the solar utility and finance space, today, announced that Anthony Morali, the Company's Advisor on Creative Solar Design has completed his Initial Design For 350 thousand foot, 3 Megawatt Roof Mount System for 565 Blossom Road Rochester, NY and that nationally recognized solar engineer, KMB Design Group, will do the feasibility study for the project.

The Company previously contracted with KMB in order to have them conduct solar feasibility studies for three separate locations. This interconnection application is for the 565 Blossom Road Rochester, NY site.

CEO James DiPrima said: "An Interconnection Agreement is a contract with a utility for distributed generated systems, including solar photovoltaics. The agreement is a written notice to a utility company of plans to construct, install and operate any system which will be connected to the grid and must be submitted prior to the start of construction. After the utility receives the required documentation, the application is reviewed for approval."

Mr. Morali serves as the Creative Solar Advisor of Green Rain Solar, LLC, a division of the Company focused on development of next-generation solar greenhouses. Morali's unique design uses customized red greenhouse glass and seamless solar panels. Green Stream and Mr. Morali have been engaged in a joint partnership to develop these revolutionary greenhouses as well as other state-of-the-art solar projects in rapidly growing solar markets.

CEO James DiPrima said: "We at Green Stream are pleased to officially welcome Mr. Morali as we continue to deepen our existing partnership. Anthony Morali is the founder of Morali Architects and Renewable Energy Development (R.E.D.) Mr. Morali's expertise in solar construction and design is renowned throughout the industry. We look forward to Mr. Morali playing a critical role in the design and development of our state-of-the-art greenhouse facilities throughout the United States as we continue to accelerate our expansion plans and generate value for our shareholders."

As previously announced, Green Stream Holdings engaged with KMB, a nationally known, full service engineering solutions provider with extensive international expertise in the solar renewable energy field providing photovoltaic design and engineering services, to assist the Company in installing three ground-mount solar farms.

KMB was hired to conduct solar feasibility studies for locations in the State of New York. Their studies will determine the most efficient configuration for the arrays, estimated production matters, utility interconnect feasibility & process, as well as to identify any potential incentive programs.

About KMB Design Group

KMB Design Group, LLC was founded by a team of seasoned professionals who have been working together for over 15 years. We are a service engineering solutions provider licensed in all 50 states of the United States and in Europe. We take a systematic approach to developing comprehensive solutions for our clients; guiding projects from conception through site acquisition, engineering and construction. Our extensive experience in the engineering and telecommunications industries provide a great foundation for a successful design firm. KMB's focus on technology and continuous improvement enables the firm to keep up with the latest innovations and provide state-of-the-art design solutions for our clients. KMB currently provides designs and engineering services for over 1,000 projects and 1,500 MW nationwide for a wide ranging size of solar installations. For more information, please visit: https://www.kmbdg.com or https://www.kmbdg.com/services/solar-engineering/

the survey for a 5th feasibility study site at 565 Blossom Road in Rochester, NY. The property owner of this fifth host site has signed an agreement. This new community solar host site encompasses a 350 thousand square foot roof array.

?About Green Stream Finance, Inc.

Green Stream Finance, Inc., a solar utility and finance company with satellite offices in Malibu, CA and New York, NY, is focused on exploiting currently unmet markets in the solar energy space, and is currently licensed in California, Nevada, Arizona, Washington, New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, New Mexico, Colorado, Hawaii, and Canada. The Company's next-generation solar greenhouses constructed and managed by Green Rain Solar, LLC, a Nevada-based division, utilize proprietary greenhouse technology and trademarked design developed by world-renowned architect Mr. Antony Morali. The Company is currently targeting high-growth solar market segments for its advanced solar greenhouse and advanced solar battery products. The Company has a growing footprint in the significantly underserved solar market in New York City where it is targeting 50,000 to 100,000 square feet of rooftop space for the installation of its solar panels. Green Stream is looking to forge key partnership with major investment groups, brokers, and private investors in order to capitalize on a variety of unique investment opportunities in the commercial solar energy markets. The Company is dedicated to becoming a major player in this critical space. Through its innovative solar product offerings and industry partnerships, the Company is well-positioned to become a significant player in the solar space.

Forward-Looking Statements:

This press release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and is subject to the safe harbor created by those sections. This material contains statements about expected future events and/or financial results that are forward-looking in nature and subject to risks and uncertainties. That includes the possibility that the business outlined in this press release cannot be concluded for some reason. That could be as a result of technical, installation, permitting or other problems that were not anticipated. Such forward-looking statements by definition involve risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Green Stream Finance, Inc. to be materially different from the statements made herein. Except for any obligation under the U.S. federal securities laws, Green Stream Finance, Inc. undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

For All Inquiries Contact:

+1 (424) 280-4096

president@greenstreamfinance.com

Website: greensolarutility.com

Phone number: (646) 669-7007

SOURCE: Green Stream Holdings Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/665587/Green-Stream-Holdings-Now-Has-Two-Community-Solar-Projects-In-Rochester-NY
TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / September 27, 2021 / 55 North Mining Inc. (CSE:FFF) ("55 North" or the "Company") is pleased to report an updated NI 43-101 compliant Mineral Resource Estimate on its high grade Last Hope Gold Project in Lynn Lake Manitoba, including high grade near surface Mineral Resources:

Indicated Mineral Resources increased by 87%, Inferred Mineral Resources increased by 48%. Mining of the near surface Mineral Resources by trench mining could conceptually provide a low cost method for mining 14,500 high grade ounces early in the potential mine life. Updated Mineral Resource

The updated Mineral Resource Estimate reflects the previously announced results from the 2020/2021 winter drill program. The results indicated up and down plunge extensions of high grade shoots, and the extension along strike of high grade gold mineralization beyond the extent of the previous resource estimate dated February 2021. Assay results from 21 core holes (8,530 metres) were incorporated into the updated Mineral Resource Estimate. The resulting updated Mineral Resource Estimate is as follows:

Table 1: Last Hope Updated Mineral Resource Estimate (1-8)

Indicated Category Inferred Category Au cut-off grade Tonnes Grade Au Ounces Au Tonnes Grade Au Ounces Au g/t g/t g/t Near Surface 1.0 82,800 5.08 13,500 15,700 1.90 1,000 Underground 1.8 325,500 5.50 57,600 1,537,300 5.52 272,800 Total 408,300 5.41 71,100 1,553,000 5.48 273,800

1. Mineral Resources that are not Mineral Reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability.

2. The estimate of Mineral Resources may be materially affected by environmental, permitting, legal, title, taxation, socio-political, marketing, or other relevant issues.

3. The Inferred Mineral Resource in this estimate has a lower level of confidence than that applied to an Indicated Mineral Resource and must not be converted to a Mineral Reserve. It is reasonably expected that the majority of the Inferred Mineral Resource could potentially be upgraded to an Indicated Mineral Resource with continued exploration.

4. The Mineral Resources were estimated in accordance with the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (CIM), CIM Standards on Mineral Resources and Reserves, Definitions (2014) and Best Practices Guidelines (2019) prepared by the CIM Standing Committee on Reserve Definitions and adopted by the CIM Council.

5. Metal prices used were US$1,650/oz Au and 0.76 CDN$/US$ FX with process recoveries of 95% Au.

A CDN$20/t process cost and CDN$5/t G&A cost were used.

6. The near surface mining cost for the top 20m of the Mineral Resource was CDN$35/t.

7. The underground mining cost was CDN$95/t. The underground Mineral Resource grade blocks were quantified above the 1.8 g/t Au cut-off, below 20 m from surface and within the constraining mineralized wireframes. Underground Mineral Resources selected exhibited continuity and reasonable potential for extraction by the long hole underground mining method.

8. Grade estimation was undertaken with the Inverse Distance Cubed method on 1.0m capped composites.

A NI 43-101 compliant Technical Report will be filed on SEDAR within 45 days of this news release.

Increase to Indicated and Inferred Mineral Resources

As shown in the following table, Indicated Mineral Resources increased 87% to 71,100 ounces from 38,000 ounces, and Inferred Mineral Resources increased 48% to 273,800 ounces from 184,100 ounces.

Table 2: Comparison to previous Mineral Resource Estimate at Last Hope

February 2021 Estimate

(1.8 g/t Au Cut-off) September 2021 Estimate

(1.0 & 1.8 g/t Au Cut-off) Classification Tonnes Grade Au Ounces Au Tonnes Grade Au Ounces Au g/t g/t Indicated 213,000 5.53 38,000 408,000 5.41 71,100 Inferred 1,107,000 5.17 184,100 1,553,000 5.48 273,800



Sensitivity to Gold cut-off grades

The Au cut-off sensitivities to the Mineral Resource Estimate are demonstrated in the following table:

Table 3: Updated Mineral Resource Estimate Sensitivity

Indicated Classification Inferred Classification Cut-Off Tonnes Grade Au Ounces Au Tonnes Grade Au Ounces Au g/t Au g/t g/t Near Surface Pit Mineral Resource Estimate Sensitivity 0.50 103,300 4.21 14,000 16,500 1.86 1,000 0.75 90,300 4.73 13,700 16,400 1.86 1,000 1.00 82,800 5.08 13,500 15,700 1.90 1,000 1.25 76,600 5.40 13,300 9,400 2.42 700 1.50 73,000 5.59 13,100 6,800 2.84 600 1.75 68,400 5.86 12,900 6,000 3.01 600 2.00 65,000 6.07 12,700 5,400 3.12 500 Underground Mineral Resource Estimate Sensitivity 1.40 375,300 4.98 60,100 1,722,700 5.10 282,500 1.60 348,500 5.25 58,800 1,622,100 5.32 277,700 1.80 325,500 5.50 57,600 1,537,300 5.52 272,800 2.00 302,600 5.78 56,200 1,454,700 5.73 268,000 2.25 274,100 6.16 54,200 1,362,100 5.98 261,700 2.50 248,000 6.55 52,300 1,263,000 6.26 254,100 2.75 225,900 6.94 50,400 1,179,100 6.52 247,000 3.00 205,900 7.33 48,500 1,120,300 6.71 241,600



Geologic Model

The Last Hope Property is located within the Churchill Structural Province of the Canadian Shield, lying 5 km south of the southern portion of the Lynn Lake Greenstone Belt. The Lynn Lake Greenstone Belt, comprised of the North and older South Belts, is part of a larger litho-structural unit which extends in a north-easterly direction from the La Ronge Greenstone Belt in Saskatchewan.

The Last Hope Deposit can be classified as a mesothermal lode gold deposit in a Paleoproterozoic setting. Lithologies which host the gold bearing structures have been altered to the upper greenschist to lower amphiboilite facies. The protoliths have not been determined. Gold is associated with disseminated to semi massive pyrite/pyrrhotite sulphide mineralization. Gold-bearing sulphide minerals are structurally controlled by a predominant north west to south east striking near vertical zone of deformation. This deformation zone is truncated to the north by the east west striking Johnson shear, the host of numerous gold occurrences and deposits.

QA/QC protocols

The drilled core is cut in half with the cut sample being placed in a bag which is sealed and transported to TSL labs in Saskatoon. A certified standard with low grade, mid-grade and high-grade gold values that approximates the lithology of the submitted sample is placed with random grade values in the sample stream every 10 samples. A certified blank standard is placed in the sample stream every 30 samples and a field duplicate is placed in the sample stream every 20 samples. In addition, TSL labs maintains their own QA/QC protocols consisting of selected resampling of the submitted samples and the insertion of 6 internal standards

High Grade Near Surface Resource

The Company is considering a scenario whereby it could mine the top 20 metres of high grade mineralization utilizing simple, potentially low cost trench mining methods. The Company believes that the Near Surface Mineral Resource announced today (Indicated: 13,500 ounces grading 5.08 g/t, Inferred: 1,000 ounces grading 1.90 g/t) is amenable to surface extraction using these methods as the vein is near vertical and virtually outcrops at surface. The potential method considered would utilize blast cuts which would be mined using a narrow remotely operated loader, crane and bucket. Although the analysis process is still in its early stages, this option could potentially provide the opportunity for a low capex and opex method for upfront extraction of a portion of the Mineral Resource, thereby having a very positive impact on upfront cashflow.

Future Drill Program to Potentially Incorporate Cost Saving All Season Road

55 North is planning the construction of a 5.6 km access road, subject to permitting, which would provide year-round road access to drill sites planned for its Phase 3 drill program, significantly lowering transportation costs of personnel and equipment.

A Phase 3 drill program is currently being planned to follow up on the previously announced favourable results of the 21 holes of the 2020/2021 drill program, and will consider in part the following:

Infill drilling in the areas of widening high-grade gold zones (hole LH-20-08 (19.25 g/t over 15.7m) and hole LH-21-20 (6.17 g/t over 8.0m))

Infill drilling in areas of multiple en-echelon zones (holes LH-21-16 and LH-21-18).

Drilling to extend down-plunge extensions of high-grade shoots.

Step-out drilling to extend mineralization along strike to the southeast.

Also planned for Phase 3 is the use of directional drilling which will improve accuracy and lower costs.

Qualified Persons

The technical content disclosed in this press release was reviewed and approved by Peter Karelse, P.Geo., VP Exploration for 55 North, a Qualified Person, and Eugene Puritch, P.Eng., President of P&E Mining Consultants Inc., an independent Qualified Person, both as defined under National Instrument 43-101. Mr. Karelse and Mr. Puritch consent to the publication of this announcement by 55 North Mining Inc. and certify that this announcement fairly and accurately represents the information for which they are responsible.

About 55 North Mining Inc.

55 North Mining Inc. is an exploration and development company advancing its high-grade Last Hope Gold Project located in northern Manitoba, Canada.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

Mr. Bruce Reid

Chief Executive Officer, Director

55 North Mining Inc.

br@idahochamp.com

cell: 1-647-500-4495

office: 1-416-477-7771

CAUTION REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION

This news release of 55 North contains statements that constitute "forward-looking statements". Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the Company's actual results, performance or achievements, or developments in the industry to differ materially from the anticipated results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.

SOURCE: 55 North Mining Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/664755/55-North-Mining-Inc-Reports-Updated-Gold-Resource-Estimate-for-Last-Hope-Project-87-Increase-to-Indicated-Mineral-Resources-48-Increase-to-Inferred-Mineral-Resources-New-High-Grade-Potential-Surface-Mineable-Mineral-Resources


CANBERA (dpa-AFX) - The euro drifted lower against its most major counterparts in the European session on Monday, as the Social Democrats secured a narrow victory in German parliamentary elections held on Sunday, marking an end to Conservative leadership for 16 years under outgoing Chancellor Angela Merkel.



Provisional results showed that Social Democrats got 25.7 percent of the vote, followed by Christian Democrats with a score of 24.1 percent.



Both the conservative bloc and the SPD claimed that they have mandate to form the government.



With the SPD lacking a majority, a coalition government involving the Greens and Free Democrats could be a possible option.



Merkel will take a caretaker role until the formation of a coalition government that is likely to drag for months.



Data from the European Central Bank showed that Eurozone money supply growth accelerated in August, while credit to the private sector slowed further.



The broad money supply M3 grew 7.9 percent year-on-year in August, following July's 7.6 percent increase. M3 was forecast to advance 7.8 percent.



The euro showed mixed trading against its major peers in the Asian session, by falling against the franc and rising against the yen and the pound. Versus the greenback, it was steady.



The euro fell to a 1-week low of 0.8528 against the pound, after a 4-day rise to 0.8579 at 5 pm ET. The euro-pound pair had finished last week's trading session at 0.8562. Should the euro falls further, it is likely to test support around the 0.84 region.



The euro lost 0.3 percent to reach a 4-day low of 1.1684 against the greenback. The pair had closed Friday's deals at 1.1720. The euro is seen finding support around the 1.15 mark.



The European currency pulled back to 129.48 against the yen, after having climbed to nearly a 2-week high of 129.86 at 7 pm ET. The EUR/JPY pair was worth 129.79 when it ended deals on Friday. Next near term support for the euro is likely seen around the 127.5 level.



Final data from the Cabinet Office showed that Japan's leading index decreased in July as initially estimated.



The leading index, which measures the future economic activity, fell to 104.1 in July from 104.6 in June, as initially estimated.



The euro weakened to its lowest level since August 16 against the loonie, at 1.4765. The euro was trading at 1.4819 per loonie at last week's close. Immediate support for the euro is likely seen around the 1.46 area.



The euro reached as low as 1.6079 against the aussie in the Asian session and has held steady since then. The euro-aussie pair was worth 1.6133 at Friday's close.



The single currency eased off from an Asian session's 4-day high of 1.6750 against the kiwi, with the pair worth 1.6669. At last week's trading close, the pair was quoted at 1.6700. Further fall in the currency may challenge support around the 1.62 level.



The euro, however, bounced off to 1.0865 against the franc, following a 4-day drop to 1.0819 at 5 pm ET. At Friday's close, the pair was valued at 1.0832. The euro is likely to test resistance around the 1.10 region, if it rises again.



Looking ahead, U.S. durable goods orders for August will be featured in the New York session.



Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / September 27, 2021 / Silver Elephant Mining Corp. ("Silver Elephant" or the "Company") (TSX:ELEF)(OTCQX:SILEF)(Frankfurt:1P2N) is pleased to announce the appointment of Robert Van Drunen as the Company's Chief Operating Officer. Mr. Van Drunen joined the Company as a consultant in May 2021 and will transition to his new role effective September 27, 2021.

Robert Van Drunen, who is based in Thompson, Manitoba, has over 30 years of experience with Vale and Inco. He started his mining career with Inco in 1990 and progressed through his career with increasing levels of responsibility, including Mine Manager and most recently Senior Project Manager of the Thompson Operation. In the latter role, he led multi-disciplinary teams in all aspects of mining, including operations (both underground and open pit), maintenance, exploration, procurement, supply chain management, and contract management.

Mr. Van Drunen holds a Masters Certificate in Project Management from York University. He specializes in process improvement and cost control, as well as an award winning track record for zero-harm safety culture.

Mr. Van Drunen comments, "As the Company's Chief Operating Officer and with 31 years of hands-on mining and top-to-bottom operational experience, I look forward to leading Silver Elephant's mining projects including Bolivia and Mongolia, from exploration, permitting, through to mine construction and production."

Mr. Van Drunen will also assist with Silver Elephant's proposed spinout plan of arrangement (the "Arrangement") as announced on August 26, 2021 and September 23, 2021. Subject to applicable laws, and any approvals as may be required, Mr. Van Drunen is expected to play a key role at Flying Nickel Mining Corp. which is expected to own and operate the Minago nickel project within the Thompson Nickel Belt following the Arrangement.

About Silver Elephant

Silver Elephant Mining Corp. is a premier mining and exploration company in silver, nickel, and vanadium.

Further information on Silver Elephant can be found at www.silverelef.com.

SILVER ELEPHANT MINING CORP.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

"John Lee"

Executive Chairman

For more information about Silver Elephant, please contact Investor Relations:

+1.604.569.3661 ext. 101

ir@silverelef.com www.silverelef.com

Neither the Toronto Stock Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Toronto Stock Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements contained in this news release, including statements which may contain words such as "expects", "anticipates", "intends", "plans", "believes", "estimates", or similar expressions, and statements related to matters which are not historical facts are forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. These forward-looking statements, may involve, but are not limited to, statements with respect to future events or future performance, the completion and structure of the Arrangement, anticipated shareholder, court and regulatory approvals, the realization of the anticipated benefits deriving by any entity from the Arrangement or from the Company's or in relation to any spinco of the Company (each, a "SpinCo") created in connection with the Arrangement, including Flying Nickel Mining Corp., such SpinCo's assets or investments, the general performance of the assets of the Company and any SpinCo, and the results of exploration, development and production activities as well as expansions projects relating to the properties of the Company and/or any SpinCo and/or in which the Company and/or any SpinCo will hold a royalty, stream or other interest. Such forward-looking statements, which reflect management's expectations regarding the Company's future growth, results of operations, performance, and business prospects and opportunities, are based on certain factors and assumptions, including, without limitation, management's perceptions of historical trends; current conditions; expected future developments; the ongoing operation of the properties of the Company and/or any SpinCo and/or in which the Company and/or any SpinCo will hold a royalty, stream or other interest by the operators of such properties in a manner consistent with past practice; the accuracy of public statements and disclosures made by the operators of such underlying properties; no material adverse change in the market price of the commodities that underlie the asset portfolio; no adverse development in respect of any significant property of the Company and/or any SpinCo and/or in which the Company and/or any SpinCo will hold a royalty, stream or other interest; the accuracy of expectations for the development of underlying properties that are not yet in production; and the absence of any other factors that could cause actions, events or results to differ from those anticipated, estimated or intended, and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties which may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of performance.

These factors should be considered carefully, and readers should not place undue reliance on the Company's forward-looking statements. The Company believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements contained in this news release and the documents incorporated by reference herein are reasonable, but no assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct. In addition, although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events, or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events, or results not to be as anticipated, estimated, or intended.

For additional information with respect to these and other factors and assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements made in this press release, see the section entitled "Risk Factors" in the most recent Annual Information Form of the Company which is filed with the Canadian securities commissions and available electronically under the Company's issuer profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and the Company's Form 20-F annual report for the year ended December 31, 2020 filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and available electronically under the Company's issuer profile on EDGAR at www.sec.gov. The forward-looking statements set forth herein reflect the Company's expectations as at the date of this press release and are subject to change after such date. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly release any future revisions to forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this news or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, except as expressly required by law.

None of the securities to be issued pursuant to the Arrangement have been or will be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act"), or any state securities laws, and any securities issuable in the transaction are anticipated to be issued in reliance upon available exemptions from such registration requirements pursuant to Section 3(a)(10) of the U.S. Securities Act and applicable exemptions under state securities laws. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities.

SOURCE: Silver Elephant Mining Corp.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/665656/Silver-Elephant-Appoints-Mining-Veteran-Robert-Van-Drunen-as-Chief-Operating-Officer
WUXI, China, Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The 2nd Global Laundry Technology Conference (GLT), themed by "Pursuing Development, Advocating Win-win and Passing Hope", was unveiled in Wuxi, Jiangsu Province on September 26, 2021. The conference, guided by China national institute of standardization and the People's Government of Xinwu District, Wuxi City, sponsored by CSISA-WES, China Textile Commerce Association, China Cleaning Industry Association (CCIA) and China Household Electrical Appliances Association (CHEAA), and undertaken by Midea Laundry, chief strategic partner, and China Standard Certification Co., Ltd.

Hundreds of academics and industry experts exchanged views and shared experiences in the field of textile, household and personal care and laundry sectors, revealing challenges and opportunities faced by the washing care industry, and elaborating on the topic of "healthy ecology" to innovate and upgrade washing care development.

Zhou Haoming, Deputy Secretary General of the Wuxi Municipal People's Government, addressed the conference, "The 2nd Global Laundry Technology Conference was held in Wuxi, marking the Taihu Lake on the map of the global laundry ecosystem. Also, the first Global Washing Eco Technology Integration and Innovation Base will be established in Wuxi." As the chief strategic partner of this year's GLT conference, Zhao Lei, president of Midea Laundry Division, gave a speech on stage on behalf of laundry companies, saying that, for a long time, Midea Laundry has focused on consumers' pain points, brought professional technology, promoting "professional and healthy" laundry methods. And this is in line with GLT's philosophy.

The launching ceremony of the first Chinese family microbial bank was held on the sidelines. The establishment of biological banks may facilitate the research of more healthy technologies to enhance washing sterilization. "We built a washing care health research system and set up the first secondary microbiology laboratory led by multiple expert doctors from Tsinghua, USTC, SEU and HUST," said Liu Qianjin, president of Midea Corporate Research Center.

For a long time, Midea Laundry has been exploring washing black technology to impress the world, lead the whole washing industry, and empower a future beautiful living environment.

As the "peer conference" of the International Detergency Conference (IDC), GLT is the first cross-industry and global technical event in the field of washing care in China, and has become a barometer of technical research, standard service and integration of production and research.

The successful convening of the 2nd GLT will accelerate the integration of the above three sectors, enhance China's leading position in the world, and empower global consumers to achieve a better and healthier washing care experience. In the future, Midea Laundry will continuously uphold the strategy of leading technology, and achieve breakthroughs in common and core technologies by building a cross-disciplinary technology exchange network.

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1635855/image_5018153_43778479.jpg
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - September 27, 2021) - Dynasty Gold Corp. (TSXV: DYG) (FWB: D5G) (OTC: DGDCF) ("Dynasty" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has signed an Amending Agreement with Teck Resources Limited ("Teck") whereby Dynasty will be deemed to have exercised its option, pursuant to an option agreement dated January 30, 2018 (see press release dated February 1, 2018), on the Thundercloud gold property (the "Property"). Exercise of the option, upon completion of a cash payment, will result in Dynasty acquiring 100% of Teck's interest in the Thundercloud gold property ("the Property"), subject to Teck retaining a 2% net smelter returns royalty ("NSR").

"We are delighted to have secured 100% of Teck's interest in the Thundercloud property in one of the most desirable mining camps in Canada," stated Ivy Chong, Dynasty's President and CEO. "We appreciate Teck's cooperation and support as well as that of all other stakeholders since signing the option agreement. We look forward to developing the project and building relationships with local communities for the benefit of all."

Historic drilling on the Property intersected 14 g/t Au over 3 m including 192.7 g/t Au over 0.55 m. Other notable drill results include:

13.0 m @ 1.72 g/t Au

60.30 m @ 1.46 g/t Au

55.25 m @ 2.19 g/t Au, including 1 m @ 37.5 g/t Au, 9.34 m @ 7.91 g/t Au and 21.73 m @ 4.63 g/t Au

29.66 m @ 0.77 g/t Au including 9.04 m @ 2.20 g/t Au

68.8 m @ 1.55 g/t Au

81.0 m @ 1.31 g/t Au

The Thundercloud property is in the Archean Manitou-Stormy Lakes Greenstone belt in Ontario. The belt contains numerous gold showings, several large high grade mines discovered in the area, including the Big Master Mine (1902-1943) and the Laurentian Mine (1906-1909), as well as recent gold discoveries including New Gold's Rainy River Mine (6.4 million oz gold and 18.7 million oz silver), and Agnico Eagle's Hammond Reef deposit (5.8 million oz gold). Potential discoveries for Thundercloud include bulk-tonnage orogenic gold mineralization or high grade deposits.

Terms

In consideration of Dynasty being deemed to have exercised its option and Teck waiving its back-in right, the Company will make a $100,000 payment, and will pay $2,000,000 upon a production decision. Teck retains a 2% NSR that can be reduced to a 1.5% NSR for $1,000,000. The Company has also granted Teck the right to receive 40% of any net sale proceeds if the Property is sold or optioned within six years of signing the Amending Agreement.

Richard R. Redfern, MSc, certified professional geologist, a director of the company and a qualified person for the purposes of National Instrument 43-101, has reviewed the technical data contained in this news release.

About the Thundercloud Property

The Thundercloud Property is located in the central Wabigoon greenstone belt in Western Ontario, 47 kilometres southwest of Dryden. The geological setting is comparable to the Abitibi belt in Eastern Ontario but is much less explored. Close to 30 M oz of gold have been discovered in recent years, including several large-scale mining operations nearby.

About Dynasty Gold Corp.

Dynasty Gold Corp. is a Canadian exploration company currently focused on gold exploration in North America with projects located in a greenstone belt in Ontario and the Midas gold camp in Nevada. In addition currently, the 70% owned Hatu Qi2 gold mine in the Tien Shan Gold belt, Xinjiang, China, is in legal dispute with Xinjiang Non-Ferrous Industrial Metals Group and its subsidiary Western Region Gold Co. Ltd.. For more information, please visit the Company's website www.dynastygoldcorp.com.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF

DYNASTY GOLD CORP.

"Ivy Chong"

_________________________________

Ivy Chong, President & CEO

For additional information please contact:

Vancouver Office:

Ivy Chong

Phone: 604.633.2100. Email: ichong@dynastygoldcorp.com

This press release contains certain "forward-looking statements" that involve a number of risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. The TSX Venture Exchange has not reviewed and does not accept 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/97715
CHICAGO, Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- In-depth analysis and data-driven insights on the impact of COVID-19 included in this Japan crane market report.

The Japan crane market is expected to grow at a CAGR of over 3.35% during the period 2021-2026.

Key Highlights Offered in the Report:

The crane market in Japan is expected to reach revenues of USD 20.4 billion by 2027.

Japan is the third-largest economy in the world. In 2020, the Japanese economy shrank by 4.8% due to disruption in the supply chain. Japanese export was negatively impacted and fell by 19.2% in July 2020 . However, export has shown growth in Q1 of 2021 due to the recovery of China and US markets, which are the crucial trade partners of Japan . To mitigate the negative impact on the economy, the Japanese government has planned to invest USD 708 billion in green and digital technology. The economic package is expected to maintain employment, support business, and drive economic recovery. FDI inflow remains low as compared to other developed economies in 2020. However, the Japanese government offers several nations, local tax incentives for attracting FDI with the US and France being major investors in Japan . The manufacturing and service industries are the main sectors to attract FDI. The government is investing in various infrastructure and renewable energy projects such as the Linear Motor Car project, Redevelopment of Shibuya, and Gotoh Nagasaki Wind power Generation projects are expected to drive the demand for cranes in Japan Japan is the leading exporter of construction equipment in the world. Japanese manufacturers have a strong dealer network across the globe. Japan's crane export rose by 11.8% in 2019. The demand for cranes and construction equipment is expected to increase due to the rise in infrastructure development projects across the globe. Japan is facing a drop in the working-age population. Therefore, the demand for automation technologies such as remote control and smart crane technology are on the rise Tadano, Kobelco, Konecranes, Liebherr, Terex corporation, Manitex International, Manitowoc, Sany, XCMG and others are the major vendors of the crane in the Japanese market.

Key Offerings:

Market Size & Forecast by Volumes | 2021-2027

Market Size & Forecast by Revenue | 2021-2027

Market Dynamics - Leading trends, growth drivers, restraints, and investment opportunities

Market Segmentation - A detailed analysis by crane type, application, and gross power output

Competitive Landscape - 10 key vendors and 5 other vendors

Get your sample today! https://www.arizton.com/market-reports/japan-crane-market-opportunities-assessment-forecast

Japan Crane Market - Segmentation

The mobile crane market in Japan is expected to reach 5,991 units by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 3.41%. The demand for mobile cranes is largely driven to address high-end urban and infrastructure development. In addition, there is a lot of construction activities in many small and big towns around Tokyo , which support the market. Purchases by rental companies also contributed to the market expansion.

is expected to reach 5,991 units by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 3.41%. The demand for mobile cranes is largely driven to address high-end urban and infrastructure development. In addition, there is a lot of construction activities in many small and big towns around , which support the market. Purchases by rental companies also contributed to the market expansion. The crane market by construction accounted for 48.5% of the overall crane market in 2020. Civil engineering activities in the country are growing due to government active investments. Local government investment spending, private investment, and ongoing infrastructure projects all boost activities (redevelopment of Shibuya, Redevelopment of Taranomon, New Shinagawa Station etc.).

The 20 tons-100 tons lifting capacity crane market in Japan is expected to reach 4,295 units by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 3.34%. This category of cranes is widely used in construction of commercial building, bridges and maintenance. Japan government planned to invest in development of infrastructure projects and zero carbon building projects to achieve the goal of carbon neutral by 2050.

Japan Crane Market by Crane Type

Mobile Crane

Crawler Cranes



Rough Terrain Cranes



All-Terrain Cranes



Truck Mounted Cranes



Others

Fixed Cranes

Overhead Cranes



Tower Cranes

Japan Crane Market by Application

Construction

Mining

Transport/Port

Manufacturing

Others

Japan Crane Market by Gross Power

Less than 20 Tons

20-100 Tons

101-200 Tons

Greater than 200 Tons

Japan Crane Market - Dynamics

In recent years, the volume of construction and infrastructure projects in Japan has been increasing. As Japan is recovering from the pandemic, construction, and infrastructure projects are expected to re-commence. The demand for new buildings and infrastructure in the Tokyo area is rising and the government plans to redevelop the Kansai and Kinki areas in Western Japan. Due to preparation for the Osaka Expo in 2025, the demand for infrastructure development is expected to grow. The Japanese government recently updated its public projects for the rehabilitation of various infrastructural developments under the Basic Plan of National resilience. The government attracts private sector partners who can provide financing for infrastructure investment, management skills, and expertise to address the challenges of natural disasters.

Key Drivers and Trends fueling Market Growth:

Rising investments in infrastructure and renewable energy sources.

Increased construction equipment demand

Rise in investment in healthcare and disaster management projects

High demand for the latest technology in the construction industry

Get your sample today! https://www.arizton.com/market-reports/japan-crane-market-opportunities-assessment-forecast

Why Should You Buy This Research?

This report is among the few in the market that offers outlook and opportunity analysis forecast in terms of:

Volume (Unit sales)

Crane Type



Application



Gross Power

Value (USD)

Crane Type



Application



Gross Power

Gain competitive intelligence about the economic scenario, advantages in Japan major projects and investments, dynamics, and market share

major projects and investments, dynamics, and market share Examples of latest technologies

Get presentation-ready format and easy-to-interpret data

Enable decision-makers to make informed and profitable choices

Gain expert quantitative and qualitative analysis on value/volume growth projections of the Japan crane market share

crane market share Complete supply chain analysis

Get COVID-19 impact analysis of the market

Major Vendors

Tadano

Manitex International, Inc.

Manitowoc

SANY

Kobelco Construction Machinery ( Japan )

) Konecranes

Liebherr

Xuzhou Construction Machinery Group Co., Ltd. (XCMG)

Terex Corporation

Cargotec

Other Prominent vendors

American Crane & Equipment Corp. (ACE)

Zoomlion Heavy Industry

Broderson Manufacturing Corp

Link-Belt Cranes

Kato Works

Explore our industrial machinery profile to know more about the industry.

Read some of the top-selling reports:

Brazil Crawler Excavator Market - Strategic Assessment & Forecast 2021-2027

Indonesia Crawler Excavator Market - Strategic Assessment & Forecast 2021-2027

Japan Crawler Excavator Market - Strategic Assessment & Forecast 2021-2027

Mexico Crawler Excavator Market - Strategic Assessment & Forecast 2021-2027

About Arizton:

Arizton Advisory and Intelligence is an innovation and quality-driven firm, which offers cutting-edge research solutions to clients across the world. We excel in providing comprehensive market intelligence reports and advisory and consulting services.

We offer comprehensive market research reports on industries such as consumer goods & retail technology, automotive and mobility, smart tech, healthcare, and life sciences, industrial machinery, chemicals and materials, IT and media, logistics and packaging. These reports contain detailed industry analysis, market size, share, growth drivers, and trend forecasts.

Arizton comprises a team of exuberant and well-experienced analysts who have mastered in generating incisive reports. Our specialist analysts possess exemplary skills in market research. We train our team in advanced research practices, techniques, and ethics to outperform in fabricating impregnable research reports.

Mail: enquiry@arizton.com

Call: +1-312-235-2040

+1 302 469 0707

Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/818553/Arizton_Logo.jpg
The Fantom Foundation has signed an MoU with OJSC Orienbank to demonstrate its CBDC solution for use in the Republic of Tajikistan.

The Fantom Foundation announced that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the OJSC Orienbank, one of the largest banks in Tajikistan, to trial a hybrid CBDC platform for deployment across the country. This monumental agreement establishes Fantom as one of the first blockchain projects globally to begin development of a CBDC solution for a national government.

Fantom and Orienbank will work with the National Bank of Tajikistan to build commercial and retail payment networks for the E-SOM, the digitized version of the Tajikistani Somoni. By integrating developer Andre Cronje's Iron Bank protocol, the Fantom-based product will also include a low-fee foreign exchange with simple fiat on- and off-ramp. Fantom, Orienbank, and the National Bank will aim for a nationwide rollout upon completion of a successful demonstration.

The Orienbank deal signals Fantom's emergence as a major player in public-sector blockchain initiatives. Fantom offers transformative technologies for governments seeking to transition to the digital economy. Fantom provides the security, reliability, and scalability that intensive digital currency applications require.

Digital currencies have been a hot topic lately. Consumers increasingly prefer electronic payments, and Central Banks are eager to offer solutions encouraging the use of national currencies rather than third-party digital payment systems.

In countries with large, unbanked populations, CBDC can encourage financial inclusion. Fantom CBDC makes banking available through mobile apps connecting to digital wallets. Beyond accessibility, connectivity allows financial institutions to extend services like microloans to underserved areas.

The CBDC solution will initially undergo a period of testing and refinement. Following initial trials, Orienbank and Fantom will seek to roll out the product nationally under the sandbox regulation of National Bank of Tajikistan.

The Fantom solution drastically reduces costs by eliminating intermediaries and transaction fees while accelerating payment processing. Functionality added by the aforementioned Iron Bank protocol makes it easy for remittance senders and receivers to work with local currencies. Other benefits that Fantom offers include automatic tax deduction, streamlined monetary policy, and more.

From interbank and large business payment systems to small business transactions and P2P money transfers, Fantom CBDC is poised to transform existing currency and payments ecosystems in Tajikistan and beyond.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210927005593/en/

Contacts:

Simone Pomposi

Fantom Foundation

pr@fantom.foundation
Northern Data will acquire an equity interest of up to 100% (but not less than 86%) in Bitfield N.V. for a total enterprise value of up to approximately EUR 400 million and has signed binding purchase agreements with the major shareholders today. Northern Data's interest in Bitfield will ultimately be increased up to 100% under the same terms.

Immediate access to the currently deployable ASIC mining hardware.

ASIC hardware includes over 6,600 high-performance ASIC miners already in operation in a market in which mining hardware is in short supply.

Commissioning schedule for deployment of another already available 26,000 brand-new miners, primarily at sites in North America, is expected to be completed by end of Q1 2022.

Computing power is generated with zero emissions.

The transaction will take the form of a EUR 400 million stock-for-stock deal involving the issuance of up to 5.1 million shares in Northern Data AG.

The new shares will in part come from the use of the Company's registered authorized capital and will be issued exclusive of shareholder subscription rights. As a result, a substantial percentage of the Company's authorized capital will have been issued.

Northern Data offers customers and investors a unique, complete array of high-performance computing services, which include the business segments Bitcoin Hosting and Services (third-party), Bitcoin Mining (for own account), Altcoin Mining (for own account) and Cloud Computing (third-party).

The takeover will permit vertical integration of the Company's value-added chain in the mining area with a clear focus on ESG-compliant mining.

Northern Data is also currently working on further strategic moves that will enable the Company to become a leading bitcoin miner and mining infrastructure provider in North America.

The new Guidance for 2021 calls for revenues in the amount of approximately EUR 180-220 million with EBITDA unchanged at approximately EUR 100-125 million.

The Company currently expects to be able to release preliminary IFRS figures for the fiscal year 2020 by the end of September 2021 and publish its consolidated financial statements for FY 2020 thereafter.

FRANKFURT, GERMANY / ACCESSWIRE / September 27, 2021 / Northern Data AG (XETRA:NB2) (ISIN: DE000A0SMU87 / ISIN DE000A3E5EZ5), the leading value generator for HPC infrastructure solutions, and majority shareholders of Bitfield N.V. have finalized a transaction that involves the purchase of at least 86% of the shares in Bitfield and as a result indirect acquisition of some 33,000 ASIC miners sourced from a tier 1 vendor. The ASIC hardware includes 6,600 high-performance ASIC miners that have already been installed and are in operation in Northern Data's mobile high-performance data centers.

The takeovers of Bitfield and Decentric Europe a few weeks ago represent transformative events for Northern Data and its shareholders. Bitfield and Decentric Europe will provide the stepping stone for expansion of a growth strategy that calls for Northern Data, which operates on green energy and boasts a scalable cost structure, to become the leading value generator for HPC infrastructure solutions with a global presence. Further details on the expanded strategy will be provided when the preliminary figures 2020 are published.

The mining hardware already in operation is located at a site in the U.S.A. that features approximately 25 MW and innovative infrastructure solutions with 12 mobile high-performance data centers designed for optimum performance. Access to the hardware will mean strategic reinforcement of assets to complement Northern Data's existing infrastructure solutions for bitcoin hosting and services.

The transaction will take the form of a stock-for-stock transaction involving the issuance of up to 5.1 million shares in Northern Data AG (at the weighted average of the Xetra closing prices for the 60 trading days immediately preceding 22 September 2021), which will be executed upon the closing of the transaction. The new shares, to be issued exclusive of shareholder subscription rights, will in part result from the use of the Company's registered authorized capital. As a result, a substantial percentage of the Company's authorized capital will have been issued.

Installation of all ASIC miners acquired under the transaction, primarily at sites in Canada and the U.S.A., will be completed by the end of Q1 2022. At the current level of deployment, Bitfield's sites represent approximately 0.7 exahashes of mining power. Upon completion of installation by the end of Q1 2022, Bitfield's computing power for bitcoin mining will total approximately 3 exahashes. Northern Data will therefore then have approximately 6 exahashes of mining capacity under management, including that of its hosting customers. This figure also includes the up to 10,000 ASIC miners scheduled for delivery to the Company's hosting customer Digihost by the end of 2021. This provides a further demonstration of Northern Data's ability to scale upward and rapidly achieve operational availability, while at the same time giving customers access to first-class HPC infrastructure solutions.

The uniquely favorable economic conditions in the current mining environment combine with attractive mining profitability to create a further earnings driver for Northern Data in the future. The Company intends to take advantage of the free cash flow generated by the transaction to invest in further growth. This will include an increase in the number of ASIC miners and GPU server systems, expansion of the inventory of innovative data center infrastructure and establishment of new production sites.

"The takeover of Bitfield is an important pillar of our scalable growth strategy. With this acquisition, we add Bitcoin mining to our three existing businesses - Bitcoin hosting and services, Altcoin mining and Cloud Computing - and achieve an even greater increase in value, not least of all because of the trend in mining profitability. For me, it is a great pleasure to welcome the great team of Bitfield to Northern Data and I am excited to pursue our success story together," says Aroosh Thillainathan, Founder & CEO of Northern Data AG.

Outlook for Financial Year 2021

Northern Data will start to generate revenue and the corresponding EBITDA immediately upon execution of the transaction, the closing of which is scheduled for the coming weeks, with Northern Data's stake in Bitfield to be further increased to up to 100%.

Management currently expects revenues for 2021 in the amount of EUR 180-220 million and EBITDA unchanged in the amount of EUR 100-125 million from its Bitcoin hosting and service business as well as from the acquisition of Decentric Europe B.V. and Bitfield N.V. and the resultant realignment of operations. This guidance is based on various factors that include, for example, expected interpretation of IFRS effects, certain assumptions concerning Bitcoin and Ethereum mining profitability as well as scheduled hardware deliveries and site performance. The operating EBITDA forecast takes into account Northern Data's current operations, but neither the positive one-time effects of the sale of the Texas site nor the current business year of Whinstone US Inc.

Guidance for 2021 covers the following operations that Northern Data intends to report on in the future in the context of its IFRS reporting:

Bitcoin Hosting and Services (third-party) Bitcoin Mining (for own account), Altcoin Mining (for own account) and Cloud Computing (initial revenues in 2022).

Northern Data's consolidated financial statements for the year 2020 are still under audit by KPMG Wirtschaftsprufungsgesellschaft, the auditing firm appointed at the Annual Shareholders' Meeting. The Company currently assumes that it will be able to release preliminary IFRS figures by the end of September 2021 and publish its consolidated financial statements for FY 2020 thereafter.

Northern Data's Management will offer a strategy presentation in English for institutional investors and analysts as part of its presentation of preliminary 2020 results.

Greenhill is serving as exclusive financial adviser to Northern Data. Gleiss Lutz is acting as legal counsel to Northern Data.

About Northern Data:

We at Northern Data are firmly convinced that High-Performance Computing (HPC) will unlock unprecedented potential and opportunities for research and development, business and, ultimately, human progress. Our multinational organization is rapidly staking out a position of global leadership in the area of GPU- and ASIC-based solutions by designing and operating ultra-efficient, green HPC infrastructures. We offer a unique combination of intelligent, sustainable data centers, cutting-edge hardware and self-developed software for various HPC applications such as bitcoin mining, blockchain technology, artificial intelligence, big data analytics, IoT and graphics rendering. The Northern Data Group currently operates custom large-scale data centers and proprietary mobile high-performance data centers for unparalleled site selection flexibility and employs a workforce of some 200 people in seven countries.

Investor Relations:

Jens-Philipp Briemle

Head of Investor Relations

An der Welle 3

60322 Frankfurt am Main

E-Mail: jens-philipp.briemle@northerndata.de

Phone: +49 171 557 6989

SOURCE: Northern Bitcoin AG

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/665662/Northern-Data-Acquires-Bitcoin-Miner-Bitfield-NV-to-Become-a-Leading-Global-Bitcoin-Mining-Company-with-Some-33000-Latest-Generation-ASIC-Miners
BEIJING (dpa-AFX) - TikTok on Monday announced that it has passed 1 billion active global users milestone. 'More than 1 billion people around the world now come to TikTok every month to be entertained as they learn, laugh, or discover something new. We're honored to be a home for our immensely diverse community of families, small businesses, and creators who transform into our favorite stars,' the company announced in a statement. TikTok, which is privately held by Chinese company Bytedance, has reported a surge in users over the past few years, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic. TikTok had about 55 million global users by January 2018, which surged to 271 million by December 2018 and 507 million by December 2019. In July 2020, TikTok reported close to 800 million monthly active users worldwide after less than four years of existence. The company's short-form video is so popular among teens that several large tech companies have launched their own copy-cat versions. Facebook launched Instagram Reels last August, while Google's YouTube launched Shorts last September. Snap announced a similar feature called Spotlight last year. The growth is an impressive one considering the fact that former US President Donald Trump's administration were planning to ban the app if ByteDance didn't sell it to an American company. Meanwhile, President Joe Biden's administration has allowed the company to continue operations in the U.S. 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.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - September 27, 2021) - This news release is issued by I-Pulse Inc. ("I-Pulse") pursuant to the early warning requirements of Canada's National Instrument 62-103 with respect to common shares (the "Cordoba Shares") of Cordoba Minerals Corp. ("Cordoba").

On August 16, 2021, Cordoba and I-Pulse's affiliate, Ivanhoe Electric (BVI) Inc. ("IVNE") entered into a standby commitment agreement (the "Standby Agreement"), whereby IVNE agreed that it will exercise its basic subscription privilege (the "Basic Subscription Privilege") in Cordoba's rights offering transaction ("Rights Offering") to maintain its pro rata equity interest in Cordoba and exercise rights to purchase an additional 16,362,669 Cordoba Shares (as defined below) (the "Basic Subscription Privilege Shares"). In addition, if less than the maximum number of Cordoba Shares that may be issued under the Rights Offering are subscribed for by other Cordoba shareholders, excluding those rights JCHX Mining Management Co. Ltd. ("JCHX") hold and which JCHX have committed to exercise, IVNE will purchase such number of Cordoba Shares, to a maximum of 5,860,939 Cordoba Shares, so that the maximum number of Cordoba Shares that may be issued under the Rights Offering will have been issued.

On September 9, 2021, IVNE exercised the Basic Subscription Privilege and acquired the Basic Subscription Privilege Shares, and, pursuant to the Standby Agreement, IVNE purchased an additional 3,963,388 Cordoba Shares, being those Cordoba Shares not otherwise subscribed for by other Cordoba shareholders under the Rights Offering.

As consideration for entering into the Standby Agreement, Cordoba issued 1,465,234 5-year warrants ("Standby Warrants") to IVNE, each Standby Warrant entitling IVNE to acquire one additional Cordoba Share at an exercise price of C$0.77 per Cordoba Share.

As of the date of this news release, IVNE is the registered owner of 56,390,193 Cordoba Shares, or 63.4% of the issued and outstanding Cordoba Shares, and warrants (the "Warrants") to acquire a total of 3,294,732 Cordoba Shares (including the Cordoba Shares issuable on exercise of the Standby Warrants).

If IVNE were to exercise all of the Warrants and acquire the underlying Cordoba Shares, IVNE would then be the registered owner of 59,684,925 Cordoba Shares or approximately 64.7% of the then issued and outstanding Cordoba Shares.

All of the securities described in this release as owned by, or to be subscribed by IVNE are, and will be, beneficially owned and controlled by I-Pulse.

I-Pulse, through IVNE, is acquiring these shares for investment purposes. Depending on economic or market conditions or matters relating to Cordoba, I-Pulse or IVNE may choose to either acquire or dispose of additional Cordoba Shares.

For further information and to obtain a copy of the early warning report filed under applicable Canadian provincial securities legislation in connection with the transactions hereunder, please go to Cordoba's profile on the SEDAR website ( www.sedar.com ), or contact Sam Kenny at (604) 689-8765. I-Pulse has an office c/o 606-999 Canada Place, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, V6C 3E1.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/97770


WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Italian supercar manufacturers, Ferrari and its parent company, Exor Holding announced on Monday that they will be partnering with former Apple design-chief Jony Ive.



Ive left Apple in 2019 and formed a creative space with his fellow designer Marc Newson. The duo were the creators of the Apple Watch. Their company, LoveForm, brings designers, writers, architects and artists under the same roof. The company also has many former Apple designers in its roster.



In the statement, the luxury car makers said, 'The first expression of this new partnership will bring together Ferrari's legendary performance and excellence with LoveFrom's unrivalled experience and creativity that has defined extraordinary world changing products. Beyond the collaboration with Ferrari, LoveFrom will explore a range of creative projects with Exor in the business of luxury.'



Ive, commenting on the matter, said, 'As Ferrari owners and collectors, we could not be more excited about collaborating with this extraordinary company and in particular with the design team expertly led by Flavio Manzoni. We see some uniquely exciting opportunities working together which we believe will yield important and valuable work.'



Jony Ive has been one of the leading reasons for Apple's rise to the summit. He was with Apple for 27 years and was the main man behind the designs of iMac, Power Mac G4 Cube, iPod, iPhone, iPad, MacBook. When Ive parted ways with Apple, the tech giants said that Apple will still be a client to Ive's company. However, apart from the colorful 24-inch Mac that was released in April, Ive is not known to be a part of Apple's recent product line up.



In addition to designs, Ive has also joined the Partners Council of Exor where he will share his opinions on more serious business related decisions. Recently, Exor and Ferrari have changed their business outlook to appeal to the modern audience.



Last year, Ferrari appointed Benedetto Vigna as the CEO of the company to move away from the combustible engines. Ferrari has also opened a fashion collection and a restaurant in Maranello. Exor has also acquired Shang Xia, a chinese luxury brand and entered a partnership deal with The World-Wide Investment Company Ltd to make high-end consumer goods. The partnership with Ive and Newson is being seen as a significant tie up to not only revamp the image of Ferrari as a statement, but also exploring new paradigms in the coming future.



Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

APPLE-Aktie komplett kostenlos handeln - auf Smartbroker.de
Ascend Money, a Bangkok, Thailand-based fintech company, raised US$150m in funding at a US$1.5 billion valuation.

US-based investment firm Bow Wave Capital Management has contributed to this round, joining Charoen Pokphand Group and Ant Group.

The company intends to use the funds to grow the user base of its e-wallet application  TrueMoney Wallet  and to expand digital financial services, including digital lending, digital investment and cross border remittances across Southeast Asia.

Founded in 2013 by Chairman of the Board Suphachai Chearavanont, and co-led by Co-Presidents Monsinee Nakapanant and Tanyapong Thamavaranukupt, Ascend Money operates TrueMoney provides a digital payment and financial service platform, which now serves more than 50 million users through its e-wallet application and 88,000 TrueMoney agents. It has a regional presence across six SEA countries  Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia, Indonesia, the Philippines and Vietnam.

FinSMEs

27/09/2021
Isotropic Systems, a London, UK-based developer of transformational broadband terminal technologies, raised over $37m in funding.

The round was led by Seraphim Space Investment Trust PLC  with participation from AEI HorizonX, Promus Ventures through its Luxembourg based space investment fund Orbital Ventures, and Firmament Ventures.

The company intends to use the funds for the development of its multi-link antennas through to product launch in 2022.

Led by John Finney, Founder and CEO, Isotropic Systems leverages patented radio frequency optics technology that enables the high-performance multi-link antenna to simultaneously connect to multiple satellites in multiple orbits without any compromise in the performance of each link.

Concurrently, the company continues to receive support from strategic investors including SES and the UK Government. The continued support from existing investors was driven by Isotropic Systems significant progress into the mature stages of product development, providing accelerated funding to achieve upcoming pivotal milestones and fully fund Isotropic through the commercial launch of its first product line in 2022.

As a result, the company has accelerated its production phase in time to support new constellations and satellites launching in GEO, HEO, MEO and LEO orbits from 2022 onwards, and has expanded its workforce by 40% over the last five months.

FinSMEs

27/09/2021
New Age Meats, a Berkeley, Calif.-based cultured meat company, raised $25m in Series A funding.

The round was led by Hanwha Solutions of South Korea, with participation from SOSVs IndieBio, TechU Ventures, ff VC and Siddhi Capital.

The company will use the funds to double the size of its workforce, build a 20,000-square-foot pilot manufacturing facility in Alameda, Calif., and perfect the taste of its first product offering  a variety of sausage products. It will also build out its commercial capabilities to deliver the product in the United States in 2022, pending approval from federal regulators.

Founded in 2018 by CEO Brian Spears, New Age Meats makes meat without animal slaughter using animal cells and plant ingredients. Its production process is designed to scale up quickly to meet demand in rapidly growing markets, such as Asia.

Prior to this Series A round, the company raised $7 million of funding, including investment from RXBAR Founder, Peter Rahal. Other investors in the round include Losa Group, Supernode Ventures, Hemisphere Ventures, Level One Fund, Climate Capital, Deep Ventures, Mons Investments, LLC, Innovating Capital, Sand Hill Angels, Marinya Capital, Break Off Capital, Thia Ventures, Kingfisher Capital LLC, and BeniVC.

FinSMEs

27/09/2021
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
Melbourne, Australia, Sept. 27, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Major companies and supply chains around the country are currently in need of skilled workers as cities begin to emerge from lockdowns and businesses begin to feel the increasing demand for their products and services.

As the leading labour hire company, Melbourne based AIO Contracting recently supplied almost 100 workers for a top national food company in need of competent, hard working factory employees. The workers were sourced in an impressive three weeks. AIO initially impressed the food manufacturing brand with top quality engineering and construction solutions; when the brand came into short supply of staff, they turned to AIO for the same level of professionalism and dedication to perfection.

The brand is a fast growing, nationally recognised food manufacturer with a state of the art warehouse located in western Melbourne. The recent, rapid expansion of the company and of the warehouse prompted the brand to reach out to AIO for assistance finding workers. This company required both daytime workers as well as staff to work night shifts at their Melbourne warehouse. AIO supplied skilled, enthusiastic workers for both shifts to ensure around the clock coverage for the company.

When companies require additional workers, AIO Contracting handles every aspect of the labour hire process, from recruitment to training to HR operations. AIO is the premier labour hire agency Melbourne wide and provides businesses with top notch employees who have the right skill set and work ethic for any job. Each candidate is thoroughly screened and vetted so that businesses know that they are getting the best of the best.

Great employees are the best way to ensure quality production and improved workflow. Of all labour agencies Melbourne wide, AIO Contracting provides the highest standard of employees and the fastest turnaround times. Businesses can relax knowing that AIO takes care of every single stage of recruitment and covers all bases, all while providing 24/7 support for businesses and employees. For top quality labour hire, Melbourne organisations can rely on AIO Contracting.

33 Randor Street, Campbellfield, VIC - 3061

T 1300 314 008

E info@aiocontracting.com.au

Related Images











Image 1: Labour Hire





Labour Hire









This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com.

Attachment
SYDNEY, Sept. 27, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Hiring an SEO company is a critical task that can make or break a business. Finding the right SEO company will make an organisation's entire online marketing strategy more effective. According to the leading digital marketing agency Sydney wide, Zib Digital, when it comes to finding the right SEO company that meets an organisation's needs, it's important to set clear goals, take advantage of free consultations, review previous results and find out what techniques they plan to use.

Zib Digital says organisations need to determine what they want to achieve through SEO. Establishing clear goals and communicating this to a potential provider will help an organisation to measure the return on investment.

Good SEO companies will offer a free consultation and Zib Digital says organisations should take advantage of them, as the consultation will help them to learn about the agency and its people to ensure they are hiring the right company. Organisations should use the consultation to ask questions about communication and reporting too.

Additionally, Zib Digital recommends organisations look at what brands the SEO company has worked with before. If the company has worked with big brands, it is likely they are delivering results. Organisations could also reach out to these brands to ask about their experience with the SEO company.

To get a better idea about the company's capabilities and skills, organisations should ask questions around the techniques they plan to use. A good SEO company should be able to demonstrate online growth opportunities, but according to Zib Digital it is important to be wary of any company that offers quick results.

SEO can be a slow burn, so a good SEO company will be able to outline an approach that is proven to deliver results. As the top SEO agency Sydney wide, Zib Digital's approach includes thorough research in order to understand what the target audience is searching for. After conducting a website health check, Zib Digital begins working on ensuring a website and its content are structured smartly. Content is then delivered in an engaging way that leads prospects to take action and convert.

While Google has a habit of moving the goalposts when it comes to how they prioritise what is relevant to consumers, the leaders in SEO Sydney wide, Zib Digital, makes it their business to know what these priorities are so they can continue to deliver outstanding results for their clients.

Level 2, 132 Gwynne Street Cremorne VIC 3121

Phone - 1300 942 633

Related Images











Image 1: SEO Sydney - Zib Digital





SEO Sydney - Zib Digital









This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com.

Attachment
MELBOURNE, Australia, Sept. 27, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- According to the top private school Melbourne wide, Haileybury, the remainder of the school year can be particularly stressful for senior students as they prepare for the VCE. With exam revision, assignments and trial exams on their schedule, it's important for parents and carers to help students manage their workload, while maintaining a healthy mind and body.

Parents and carers can support senior students by helping them to manage their time, energy and stress while also ensuring they complete their work by the set deadlines.

Haileybury says it's important to create a study routine with students, by working backwards from exam dates. Parents can then help students to devise a study plan that breaks tasks into manageable tasks, which can make things seem less overwhelming. Students should be encouraged to be kind to themselves and reflect on what they have done well and what they can build on.

Additionally, the best private school Melbourne wide advises parents to ensure students are getting enough sleep, eating healthy and drinking plenty of water. As well as ensuring students maintain healthy habits, it's important they continue to make time for friends and relaxation. For the sake of their mental wellbeing, students should stay active, taking regular breaks incorporating outdoor exercise, to give them something to focus on other than school study.

It's also vital that parents encourage students to ask for help and guidance if they need it. Parents should also encourage students to focus on what they can control, such as keeping up with their study schedule and setting goals for the future. According to Haileybury, having regular conversations about the future can help to keep students motivated.

Confirming their reputation as one of the most elite private schools Melbourne and Australia wide, Haileybury is celebrating another year of outstanding academic results with a number of students recognised for their achievements at the Premier's VCE Awards. Thirteen Haileybury students received an award, with three students receiving two awards each.

The Premier's VCE Awards recognise the top performing students from across the state who excel in their VCE studies. Haileybury remains committed to providing students with outstanding teaching and learning programs and the support required to ensure every student has access to opportunities to achieve their personal best.

Contact Haileybury:

Gate 1 - 855 Springvale Rd

Keysborough VIC 3173

T: +61 3 9904 6110

Related Images











Image 1: Haileybury





Haileybury









This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com.

Attachment
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Sept. 26, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In what is considered a rare honour for an architect, Vancouvers historic MacMillan Bloedel building  one of Canadas most recognized and awarded office towers  officially rebranded to Arthur Erickson Place. Globally celebrated architect Arthur Erickson created the striking Modernist tower for forestry giant MacMillan Bloedel in the 1960s. The structure, made of reinforced bare concrete, rises above a spacious public plaza with reflecting pools that span the buildings length.



Ericksons travels to Japan influenced his views about culture, built form and landscape. Canadas Historic Places Registry states Ericksons design of the MacMillan Bloedel building was influenced by the Japanese love for surfaces that express the nature of material. The building is a prime example of the unique blending of Modernist and far-eastern aesthetics.

It is rare for an architect to be honoured in this way, and I know that Arthur would be very proud to have the building carry his name, as it encapsulates all he strove to achieve architecturally, said Ericksons nephew, Christopher Erickson. The buildings classic beauty and clarity of structure expresses the ruggedness of our land and majesty of our forests with a powerful cadence that tapers into infinity as it rises from its roots.

The 27-storey building is located at 1075 West Georgia in downtown Vancouver. It was the tallest building in Vancouver when it was completed in 1968 and became a multi-award-winning national heritage landmark due to its construction technique of cast-in-place concrete, striking aesthetics of tapered walls and deeply recessed windows, and association with Erickson and MacBlo, which at the time was Canadas largest forestry company.

Arthur was very proud of this building  it was one of his favourites, said Geoffrey Erickson about his uncle, who was known as the Master of Concrete. This building is bold and daring and broke new ground in engineering, office planning and the use of concrete.

Erickson and his bold design were featured in Time magazine in the 1960s and the building won the esteemed 1970 Massey Medal for Architecture, among many other awards.

Now 53-years-old, the distinguished concrete building has continued to be called MacBlo even though the company ceased to exist 22 years ago. Two years ago, KingSett Capital, Crestpoint Real Estate Investments, and Reliance Properties jointly bought the building with a plan to reestablish it as the premier corporate office location in downtown Vancouver.

It is time to give this powerful, monolithic office building its due place on Vancouvers skyline by branding it after Arthur Erickson in honour of his excellence, said Jon Stovell, president & CEO of Reliance Properties. With its heritage distinction, central downtown location, and strong visual identity, Arthur Erickson Place will continue to be the address with cachet.

The Worlds Architect

Erickson was born in Vancouver and became a globally celebrated modernist architect and master planner. His designs can be found across the Middle East, and he had a special relationship with Japan, including designing the multi-award-winning Canadian Government Pavilion at Expo 70 in Osaka.

Erickson designed only nine office buildings in his vast global portfolio of 700 designs. Two of those office buildings are in downtown Vancouver  Evergreen Building and Arthur Erickson Place, both of which are listed on Canadas heritage registry.

Arthur Erickson Place is an iconic presence in the heart of Vancouver, expressed with timeless repose and finesse, said Christopher Erickson. Arthur always said that the mind was at the service of the heart. This is evidenced in the sublime artistry of Arthur Erickson Place.

Erickson died in 2009 at age 84.

**Media Inquiries: Renu Bakshi 604 787 1873 or renu@renubakshi.com

Ownership Profiles

KingSett Capital is Canada's leading private equity real estate investment firm. Founded in 2002, KingSett has raised $12.5 billion of equity for its Growth, Income, Urban, Mortgage and Affordable Housing strategies, executing over $50 billion in transactions life to date. Currently, KingSett has $16.2 billion of assets under management in a $19 billion portfolio. KingSett continues to seek further opportunities to invest in a wide range of real estate properties, developments, joint ventures and mortgage lending. www.kingsettcapital.com

Crestpoint Real Estate Investments Ltd. is a commercial real estate investment manager, with approximately $6.3 billion of gross assets under management, dedicated to providing investors with direct access to commercial real estate assets. Crestpoint is part of the Connor, Clark & Lunn Financial Group, a multi-boutique asset management company that provides investment management products and services to institutional and high net-worth clients. With offices across Canada and in Chicago, New York and London, Connor, Clark & Lunn Financial Group and its affiliates are collectively responsible for the management of over $100 billion in assets. www.crestpoint.ca

Reliance Properties, a family-owned company founded in 1955, is one of BCs longest-serving real estate owners, developers, and property managers of residential, office, live-work, and retail properties. The company holds the largest private portfolio of heritage buildings in Western Canada, winning multiple regional and national awards for design, innovation, and architectural heritage renewal. Reliances extensive work also includes award-winning heritage restoration and modern additions to commercial space. www.relianceproperties.ca

Photos accompanying this announcement are available at:

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/529e0b1e-f0c4-4048-9fb3-a0295db839ca

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/c4c338f3-e5e3-4993-87f4-97c4d5a7ede3




CHICOPEE, Mass., Sept. 27, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- This year marks the 50th anniversary of the War on Drugs. Racial inequality has been a pervasive theme in these policies resulting in disproportionate persecution of minorities for decades. The "Reimagining Community Days" event seeks to bring transformative justice to those who have been affected by it most.

Today, in the Commonwealth, where cannabis is legal, nearly $2 billion has been generated through cannabis sales. However, none of those funds are allocated towards the sealing of CORI records or expungements for those disproportionately affected by the war on drugs. The MRCC, with the support of Theory Wellness, is working to change that with their "Reimaging Community Days" event.

The event, to be held at Theory Wellness' Chicopee dispensary this Thursday, September 30, will offer free legal counseling for expungements, sealing CORI records, wraparound services, and cannabis health consultations for registered attendees previously subject to cannabis-related crimes.

In today's industry, expungements and CORI sealing are critical to healing the past woes of the War on Drugs, especially here in Massachusetts. Those who still have these records are prohibited from obtaining a license to work in the cannabis industry, prolonging systemic racial inequality. The event will help bridge that gap by bringing much-needed education and awareness to support those who need it.

The event is open to those with past or present criminal cases filed against them in court or a criminal record (CORI) relating to a cannabis-related offense. Theory wellness will be offering free Uber services to and from their location for all who wish to attend. Those who are interested should pre-register for the event using the following link .

###

About The Massachusetts Recreational Consumer Council (MRCC): MRCC is a BIPOC, women, queer founded cooperatively ran transformative justice political art and grow education center. We provide public health, public safety, racial equity, and solidarity economics education. We want to decolonize our medicine and help all consumers have access to the best choice and variety, along with the best possible quality standards for cannabis consumption.

About Theory Wellness, Inc: Theory Wellness, Inc. is an independently owned and operated vertically integrated cannabis brand. They operate retail, cultivation, and product manufacturing, across Massachusetts and Maine, including the cannabis infused seltzer brand Hi5 .

CONTACT:

Thomas Winstanley

VP of Marketing, Theory Wellness

twinstanley@theorywellness.org

(413) 822-9054

Related Images











Image 1: Theory Wellness Chicopee Dispensary





Theory Wellness Chicopee Dispensary









This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com.

Attachment
ARLINGTON, Va., Sept. 27, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Former HHS Deputy Secretary Eric Hargan announced today the launch of The Hargan Group, a new healthcare consulting firm focused on helping its clients navigate the challenges of a rapidly changing and complex healthcare landscape.

Hargan, a seasoned healthcare professional and one of the key architects of Operation Warp Speed, served as Acting Secretary and Deputy Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) during 2017 to 2021. As a board member of Operation Warp Speed, he was charged with coordinating the historic effort between the federal government and private sector to develop, manufacture and distribute the life-saving COVID-19 vaccine.

In a recent piece in the Wall Street Journal, Hargan provides insight on the success of Operation Warp Speed and shares the backstory of making the COVID-19 vaccination available to the public. The piece provides a look inside the initiative that developed safe and effective vaccines 5 times faster than any similar effort in history.

"The Hargan Group has a deep level of expertise and contacts in the healthcare space, and we are excited to apply this knowledge when providing our clients strategic advice, crafting public policy solutions and providing unique insight on navigating the healthcare sector," said Eric Hargan.

For more information on The Hargan Group visit www.thehargangroup.com.

###

To schedule a media interview with Eric Hargan, Founder and CEO of The Hargan Group, please email media@hargangroup.com. For other media inquiries, contact Hannah Salem at 225.329.3497.

Eric D. Hargan was most recently Deputy Secretary of HHS after having served as Acting Secretary. He also served at HHS under the George W. Bush administration. In addition to serving on the Board of Operation Warp Speed, Eric oversaw the set-up and launch of the Provider Relief Fund, and other parts of the U.S. pandemic response. Since leaving his post at HHS, Eric has joined the Boards of University Hospitals in Cleveland; Alio Medical; Tomorrow Health; and HealthTrackRx. Eric previously served as a partner at several national law firms and was a professor at Loyola-Chicago Law School. You can follow him on Twitter at @EricDHargan

Related Images











Image 1: The Hargan Group Logo









This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com.

Attachment
New York, Sept. 27, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "COVID-19 Drug Associated APIs Global Market Report 2021: COVID-19 Growth And Change To 2030" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p06151650/?utm_source=GNW

, Shanghai Shyndec Pharmaceutical (Haimen) Co Ltd, and Yatai Pharma.



The global COVID-19 drug associated apis market is expected to grow from $4.73 billion in 2020 to $5.09 billion in 2021 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.6%. 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. The market is expected to reach $6.66 billion in 2025 at a CAGR of 7%.



The COVID-19 drug-associated APIs market consists of sales of active pharmaceutical ingredients used in the manufacturing of COVID-19 drugs.The active pharmaceutical ingredients are chemicals which are responsible for pharmacological activity in the human body and are used as a base in pharmaceutical drug or medicine.



The APIs used for the preparation of COVID-19 drugs and include Azithromycin, Fentanyl, Albuterol, Cisatracurium and others.



The COVID-19 drug-associated APIs market covered in this report is segmented by drug class into antimalarials, bronchodilators, antibiotics, antivirals, others.



The regions covered in this report are Asia-Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East and Africa.



The disruptions caused by the COVID-19 outbreak in the supply chain of medical products limited the growth of the COVID-19 drug-associated APIs market in the past few months.The source for APIs plays a crucial part in the strategic plan to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.



The majority of APIs for generic drug manufacturing across the globe are sourced from India, with nearly 30% generic APIs used in the USA.The restrictions imposed on the export of pharma products owing to COVID-19 supply chain disruptions restricted the market growth.



For instance, India imposed an export ban on 26 pharma products and medical devices in March 2020.The ban was imposed attributing to the supply chain disruptions on API and other bulk drugs due to restrictive measures such as lockdown and closure of factories in many countries across the globe to ensure that the disease spread is contained.



Thus, shortages caused by the disruptions in supply chains and restrictions imposed on the export of pharma products impacted the growth of the COVID-19 drug-associated APIs market over the last few months.



In February 2020, Dr.Reddy Labs announced the acquisition of the branded generics business of Wockhardt for an amount of $242 million (INR 1,850 crore).



The acquisition is expected to scale-up the former companys presence in home markets including India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, and the Maldives.The Wockhardt business consists of a product portfolio of 62 brands and in multiple therapy fields such as dermatology, neurology, respiratory, VMS, pain, gastroenterology, and vaccine.



Wockhardt Ltd. was founded in 1999 and is a global biotechnology and pharmaceutical company based in Mumbai, India.



High demand for some antiretrovirals, antimalarials, sedatives, bronchodilators, and other respiratory drugs drives the demand for the active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) used in the production of COVID-19 drugs.Active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) are the biologically active component used in manufacturing pharmaceutical drugs.



Remdesivir and Favipiravir are two common antiviral medications used currently for the treatment of COVID-19 patients.Remdesivir is a medication approved for emergency use in the USA and Japan for the treatment of COVID-19 patients.



Remdesivir gained emergency use authorization (EUA) from the FDA on May 1, 2020, based on its preliminary data showing a faster time to recovery in hospitalized patients with several diseases.Favipiravir, which used to treat influenza in Japan, has also shown a positive effect on COVID patients.



As COVID-19 is a respiratory ailment, the demand for bronchodilators spiked significantly. Therefore, the increasing demand for antivirals, antimalarials, and bronchodilators is projected to boost the demand for COVID-19 associated drug APIs market over the forecast period.



Key players operating in the pharmaceutical industry that manufactures COVID-19 drug associated APIs are focusing on strategies such as plant capacity or production capacity expansion to meet the increasing demand due to the rising number of coronavirus cases across the globe.For instance, in March 2020, Alembic Pharmaceuticals Ltd announced that the company is ramping up the production for the companys production for azithromycin to 20 tons per month.



Likewise, In April 2020, FUJIFILM Corporation announced the expansion of its manufacturing capacity and increase in the production of influenza antiviral Avigan Tablet (Favipiravir) by nearly 2.5 times by the end of July. Avigan is currently undergoing clinical trials testing its safety and efficacy for the treatment of COVID-19 patients.



The countries covered in the market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA.

Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p06151650/?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.



__________________________
ATLANTA, Sept. 27, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Monarch Private Capital, a nationally recognized tax-advantaged investment firm that develops, finances and manages a diversified portfolio of projects that generate both federal and state tax credits, is pleased to welcome Scott Fouty to the team as a Fund Manager. Fouty will focus on a broad range of the firms federal funds, including but not limited to, fund performance, benefit modeling and various forms of analysis for investors. Fouty will report to Jay Sinsley, Director of Investor Relations & National Tax Credit Investments at Monarch Private Capital.

Fouty most recently worked as a tax credit manager for a national low income housing tax credit (LIHTC) syndication company and previously spent ten years in public accounting with a primary focus on real estate clients. His public accounting experience and in-depth understanding of federal tax credit programs will allow him to support Monarch investors without delay. He will work closely with specialist teams across the organization to continue to uphold Monarch as a trusted manager of federal and ESG-qualified funds.

Im thrilled to work with Scott because of his tax credit experience and extraordinary work ethic, said Sinsley. Adding Scott to our already strong and committed team will be another step forward in delivering quality service to our investors.

As a pioneer of ESG tax equity investing, Monarch remains steadfast in its commitment to redirect investor tax dollars to make profitable investments that positively impact communities. The addition of Fouty as the firms new Fund Manager will enhance Monarchs abilities to keep up with the Nations rising demand for ESG tax equity investment opportunities in sectors like affordable housing, renewable energy and historic rehabilitation.

Im excited to join such a talented team and am committed to delivering the information our investors need and want, said Fouty. I look forward to leveraging my experience into Monarchs ESG tax equity investment areas of affordable housing, renewable energy and historic preservation.

Fouty holds a Master of Science in taxation from Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan, and a Bachelor of Science in accounting from Cleary University in Ann Arbor.

For more information on Monarch Private Capital and ESG tax equity investing, please contact Jay Sinsley by emailing jsinsley@monarchprivate.com.

About Monarch Private Capital

Monarch Private Capital manages ESG funds that positively impact communities by creating clean power, jobs and homes. The funds provide predictable returns through the generation of federal and state tax credits. The Company offers innovative tax credit equity investments for affordable housing, historic rehabilitations, renewable energy, film and other qualified projects. Monarch Private Capital has long-term relationships with institutional and individual investors, developers and lenders that participate in these types of federal and state programs. Headquartered in Atlanta, Monarch has offices and professionals located throughout the U.S.

Attachment
HIGHLIGHTS



Reverse Circulation ( RC ) drilling program intersects high-grade mineralization at Novos Talga Talga Gold Project ( Talga Gold Project ) in the Pilbara region of Western Australia

) drilling program intersects high-grade mineralization at Novos Talga Talga Gold Project ( ) in the Pilbara region of Western Australia Results include 3 m at 25.5 g/t Au from 28 m, and 3 m at 23.3 g/t Au from 11 m at the NW Australian prospect

These are significant drilling results from Novos expanded orogenic and brownfields exploration program

A corridor of mineralized structures approximately three kilometres long has been defined, with the majority of the trend ready to be tested by drilling

Follow up drilling program planned for early 2022



VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Sept. 27, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Novo Resources Corp. (Novo or the Company) (TSX: NVO, NVO.WT & NVO.WT.A) (OTCQX: NSRPF) is pleased to provide an update on recent exploration work conducted at its 100% controlled Talga Gold Project.

Summary

The Talga Gold Project is located approximately 110 km north of the Companys flagship Beatons Creek conglomerate gold project (the Nullagine Gold Project).

During July and August 2021, sixty-five shallow RC holes were drilled for a total of 3,240 m, testing three targets along the mineralized corridor. This program constitutes the first phase of drilling, with holes spaced 80 m x 20 m on sections along the mineralized corridor, and with most holes only targeting the first (shallowest) shear.

Drilling at the NW Australian prospect, within the Talga Gold Project, intersected 3 m at 25.5 g/t Au from 28 m and 3 m at 23.3 g/t Au from 11 m in the upper shear horizon in two adjacent sections. The high-grade gold results are supported up and down dip with intersections showing the same target position.

Elevated intersections at McPhees NE and McPhees Reward, both prospects within the Talga Gold Project, confirm and extend historical intersections. Of note is the intersection of 2 m at 7.4 g/t Au in 21TT0053 from 38 m.

These results are not necessarily representative of all of the mineralization at Talga Gold Project.

Follow up drilling, planned for early 2022, will now directly target these high-grade gold plunging shoots to better determine strike extent and depth potential.

Samples were submitted to the Intertek Testing Services (Australia) Pty Ltds (Intertek) lab for PhotonAssay providing rapid turnaround time for exploration assay results, with all assays received within two weeks of sample submission. Novos use of this technology is a powerful tool to expedite exploration and discovery.

We are excited by these promising results from the Talga Gold Project, commented Dr. Quinton Hennigh, the Companys Non-Executive Co-Chairman and a director. Since committing to an A$14.5 million exploration budget through the end of 2021 and accelerating exploration efforts, Novo has been able to target near-mine and regional prospects in an effort to develop its exploration and production pipeline, including additional work anticipated to commence at the Genie and Parnell-Vulture prospects in the coming weeks.

Detail

The Talga Gold Project is one of Novos East Pilbara assets and is located approximately 110 km north of the Nullagine Gold Project (Figure 1). Gold occurs in lode quartz veins hosted by metamorphosed volcanic and sedimentary rocks of the Warrawoona Supergroup, the same Formation that hosts Calidus Resources Limiteds (ASX: CAI) Warrawoona gold project approximately 35 km south of the Talga Gold Project which is currently being developed and is expected to go into production during H1 20221.

Figure 1 is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/21c3b3be-004f-4d8b-ab49-1f77d15acf14

High grade rock samples collected by previous operators and by Novo (refer to the Companys news release dated December 13, 2018), combined with detailed mapping, define a corridor of mineralized structures approximately three kilometres long, with the majority of the trend untested by drilling.

During July and August 2021, sixty-five shallow RC holes were drilled for a total of 3,240 m, testing three targets along the mineralized corridor (Figure 2). Holes were drilled using a track mounted L8 rig that is particularly suited for small footprint drilling in difficult terrain, with the only limitation being the depth penetration. This program constitutes the first phase of drilling, with holes nominally 80 m x 20 m spaced on sections along the mineralized corridor, and with most holes only targeting the first (shallowest) shear.

Drilling at the NW Australian prospect, within the Talga Gold Project, intersected 3 m at 25.5 g/t Au from 28 m and 3 m at 23.3 g/t Au from 11 m in the upper shear horizon in two adjacent sections (Figure 3). The high-grade gold results are supported up and down dip with intersections showing the same target position. The position of the high-grade gold results appears to be related to the cross-cutting fault (Figure 4) with the western intersection lining up with high-grade gold rock samples at surface providing a plunge direction to mineralization. Furthermore, historical workings are located in a similar plunge direction in relation to the eastern intersection. For additional results, refer to Table 1. These results are not necessarily representative of all of the mineralization at Talga Gold Project.

Figure 2 is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/1d5321b4-6965-4741-916b-82698aa58d66

Mapping and drilling data interpreted to date suggests that the cross-cutting structures are critical in forming the high-grade gold components to mineralization at the Talga Gold Project, with all historical workings and elevated rock sample results related to thicker quartz near cross cutting structures.

Follow up drilling can now directly target these high-grade gold plunging shoots to better determine strike extent and depth potential and is planned for early 2022.

Elevated intersections at McPhees NE and McPhees Reward, both prospects with the Talga Gold Project, confirm and extend historical intersections. Of note, is the intersection of 2 m at 7.4 g/t Au from 38 m in hole 21TT0053. This hole was extended as a test of the second shear, which has never been drilled and is only recently recognized from mapping and rock sampling (Figure 5).

Samples were submitted to the Intertek lab for PhotonAssay (refer to the Companys news release dated May 18, 2021), providing rapid turnaround time for exploration assay results, with all assays received within two weeks of sample submission. Novos use of this technology is a powerful tool to expedite exploration.

Figure 3 is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/859f25f2-7de8-43b8-b15b-6eee8cc89828

Figure 4 is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/451a05bc-2ab9-4265-ad14-d23bb27d0ec0

Figure 5 is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/be3bde29-2992-45e8-b85e-3b3767ff17a9

Sample Collection and Analytic Methodology

Drill hole location details are listed in Table 2. All holes were angled to be perpendicular to the intersected mineralization, with the intersected widths representative of the true width of the mineralised zone. Samples were taken as one metre intervals from RC chips using a cone splitter. This generates an approximately 3  5 kg sample. All samples were dry with a sample recovery of 100%. When significant water was intersected, the hole was abandoned.

RC samples from the Talga Gold Project were submitted to Intertek Laboratory in Perth, Australia. Intertek is an independent and accredited lab. Samples are crushed to -2 mm and RSD split into a single 500-gram jar for PhotonAssay. To test for gold variability and potential coarse gold effect, field duplicates and crushed duplicates were analysed. Standards and blanks are inserted in the sample sequence to test for lab performance.

There were no limitations to the verification process and all relevant data was verified by a qualified person as defined in National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects by reviewing analytical procedures undertaken the laboratory. Dr. Quinton Hennigh (P.Geo.) is the qualified person responsible for, and having reviewed and approved, the technical information contained in this news release. Dr. Hennigh is the Non-Executive Co-Chairman and a director of Novo.

About Novo

Novo is commissioning its flagship Beatons Creek gold project while exploring and developing its prospective land package covering approximately 13,250 square kilometres in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. In addition to the Companys primary focus, Novo seeks to leverage its internal geological expertise to deliver value-accretive opportunities to its shareholders. For more information, please contact Leo Karabelas at (416) 543-3120 or e-mail leo@novoresources.com.

On Behalf of the Board of Directors,

Novo Resources Corp.

 Michael Spreadborough 

Michael Spreadborough

Executive Co-Chairman

Forward-looking information

Some statements in this news release contain forward-looking information (within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation) including, without limitation, planned exploration activities, determination of Talga strike extent and depth potential via additional drilling, and the expected timing of receipt of assay results. These statements address future events and conditions and, as such, involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the statements. Such factors include, without limitation, customary risks of the resource industry and the risk factors identified in Novos annual information form for the 11-month fiscal year ended December 31, 2020, which is available under Novos profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date those statements are made. Except as required by applicable law, Novo assumes no obligation to update or to publicly announce the results of any change to any forward-looking statement contained or incorporated by reference herein to reflect actual results, future events or developments, changes in assumptions or changes in other factors affecting the forward-looking statements. If Novo updates any forward-looking statement(s), no inference should be drawn that the Company will make additional updates with respect to those or other forward-looking statements.

Table 1: Significant intercept table for all results from this phase of drilling at the Talga Gold Project. The table is generated using a 1 g/t cut-off grade and allowing 2 m of internal dilution.

Prospect Hole ID From To Interval Grade Gram*metres NW Australian 21TT0012 28 31 3 25.5 76.5 NW Australian 21TT0015 11 14 3 23.3 69.9 McPhees NE 21TT0040 65 68 3 5.93 17.8 McPhees Reward 21TT0053 38 40 2 7.36 14.7 NW Australian 21TT0011 16 18 2 5 10 NW Australian 21TT0010 14 16 2 3.92 7.84 McPhees Reward 21TT0052 17 19 2 3.53 7.06 NW Australian 21TT0016 17 18 1 6.09 6.09 NW Australian 21TT0019 16 17 1 4.52 4.52 NW Australian 21TT0013 38 39 1 4.12 4.12 McPhees Reward 21TT0057 14 15 1 4.06 4.06 NW Australian 21TT0004 37 38 1 3.62 3.62 NW Australian 21TT0029 10 12 2 1.77 3.53 McPhees NE 21TT0047 24 25 1 3.23 3.23 McPhees NE 21TT0042 44 45 1 3.22 3.22 NW Australian 21TT0002 24 25 1 3.04 3.04 McPhees Reward 21TT0053 8 9 1 2.73 2.73 McPhees Reward 21TT0059 40 41 1 2.48 2.48 McPhees NE 21TT0042 62 64 2 1.19 2.38 NW Australian 21TT0017 27 28 1 2.21 2.21 McPhees Reward 21TT0049 25 26 1 2.13 2.13 McPhees NE 21TT0038 46 47 1 1.73 1.73 NW Australian 21TT0013 24 25 1 1.49 1.49 NW Australian 21TT0007 19 20 1 1.48 1.48 McPhees Reward 21TT0058 41 42 1 1.16 1.16 NW Australian 21TT0006 11 12 1 1.11 1.11 McPhees Reward 21TT0051 51 52 1 1.11 1.11 NW Australian 21TT0020 30 31 1 1.02 1.02 McPhees NE 21TT0041 32 33 1 1.01 1.01 Marzipan 21TT0033 43 44 1 1 1

Table 2: Collar details for all holes from this phase of drilling at the Talga Gold Project.

Hole ID Drill Type Prospect Total Depth Date completed Tenement Easting Northing RL Azi Dip 21TT0001 RC NW Australian 48 17/07/2021 P45/3134 795533 7676322 161 130 -55 21TT0002 RC NW Australian 54 17/07/2021 P45/3134 795523 7676339 159 130 -55 21TT0003 RC NW Australian 60 18/07/2021 P45/3134 795454 7676274 162 150 -55 21TT0004 RC NW Australian 48 18/07/2021 P45/3134 795444 7676291 161 150 -55 21TT0005 RC NW Australian 36 23/07/2021 P45/3134 795463 7676290 162 110 -60 21TT0006 RC NW Australian 54 23/07/2021 P45/3134 795410 7676203 175 150 -55 21TT0007 RC NW Australian 36 23/07/2021 P45/3134 795400 7676220 171 150 -55 21TT0008 RC NW Australian 36 23/07/2021 P45/3134 795390 7676238 166 150 -55 21TT0009 RC NW Australian 48 24/07/2021 P45/3134 795380 7676255 163 150 -55 21TT0010 RC NW Australian 66 24/07/2021 P45/3134 795340 7676163 171 150 -55 21TT0011 RC NW Australian 30 24/07/2021 P45/3134 795330 7676180 166 150 -55 21TT0012 RC NW Australian 42 25/07/2021 P45/3134 795320 7676198 166 150 -55 21TT0013 RC NW Australian 54 25/07/2021 P45/3134 795310 7676215 165 150 -55 21TT0014 RC NW Australian 72 25/07/2021 P45/3134 795271 7676123 179 160 -55 21TT0015 RC NW Australian 30 26/07/2021 P45/3134 795261 7676140 172 160 -55 21TT0016 RC NW Australian 36 26/07/2021 P45/3134 795251 7676158 167 160 -55 21TT0017 RC NW Australian 54 26/07/2021 P45/3134 795241 7676175 165 160 -55 21TT0018 RC NW Australian 30 28/07/2021 P45/3134 795202 7676083 183 150 -55 21TT0019 RC NW Australian 48 28/07/2021 P45/3134 795192 7676100 176 150 -55 21TT0020 RC NW Australian 42 28/07/2021 P45/3134 795182 7676118 171 150 -55 21TT0021 RC NW Australian 66 28/07/2021 P45/3134 795172 7676135 169 150 -55 21TT0022 RC NW Australian 42 29/07/2021 P45/3134 795112 7676078 177 150 -55 21TT0023 RC NW Australian 24 29/07/2021 P45/3134 795132 7676043 184 150 -55 21TT0024 RC NW Australian 30 29/07/2021 P45/3134 795122 7676060 181 150 -55 21TT0025 RC NW Australian 54 29/07/2021 P45/3134 795102 7676095 182 150 -55 21TT0026 RC NW Australian 30 30/07/2021 P45/3134 795068 7675994 181 150 -55 21TT0027 RC NW Australian 42 30/07/2021 P45/3134 795048 7676029 171 150 -55 21TT0028 RC NW Australian 72 30/07/2021 P45/3134 795038 7676046 169 150 -55 21TT0029 RC NW Australian 36 31/07/2021 P45/3134 794989 7675972 178 150 -55 21TT0030 RC NW Australian 36 31/07/2021 P45/3134 794979 7675989 170 150 -55 21TT0031 RC NW Australian 54 31/07/2021 P45/3134 794969 7676006 166 150 -55 21TT0032 RC Marzipan 54 1/08/2021 P45/3134 795595 7676082 168 220 -60 21TT0033 RC Marzipan 54 1/08/2021 P45/3134 795664 7676050 161 220 -60 21TT0034 RC Marzipan 30 1/08/2021 P45/3134 795652 7676035 160 225 -60 21TT0035 RC Marzipan 42 2/08/2021 P45/3134 795738 7676014 157 225 -60 21TT0036 RC Marzipan 36 2/08/2021 P45/3134 795725 7675997 156 225 -60 21TT0037 RC McPhees NE 54 3/08/2021 M45/618 794484 7675449 191 140 -55 21TT0038 RC McPhees NE 84 3/08/2021 M45/618 794457 7675488 182 140 -55 21TT0039 RC McPhees NE 90 4/08/2021 M45/618 794563 7675624 193 140 -90 21TT0040 RC McPhees NE 84 6/08/2021 M45/618 794423 7675510 188 140 -55 21TT0041 RC McPhees NE 60 6/08/2021 M45/618 794427 7675452 186 140 -55 21TT0042 RC McPhees NE 72 7/08/2021 M45/618 794493 7675506 187 140 -55 21TT0043 RC McPhees NE 102 7/08/2021 M45/618 794448 7675536 179 140 -55 21TT0044 RC McPhees NE 54 9/08/2021 M45/618 794280 7675358 208 140 -55 21TT0045 RC McPhees NE 54 9/08/2021 M45/618 794216 7675312 199 140 -55 21TT0046 RC McPhees NE 30 10/08/2021 M45/618 794190 7675275 193 140 -60 21TT0047 RC McPhees NE 48 11/08/2021 M45/618 794162 7675296 198 140 -60 21TT0048 RC McPhees Reward 18 11/08/2021 M45/618 793830 7674948 262 140 -60 21TT0049 RC McPhees Reward 30 11/08/2021 M45/618 793853 7674994 261 140 -60 21TT0050 RC McPhees Reward 60 11/08/2021 M45/618 793824 7675025 272 140 -60 21TT0051 RC McPhees Reward 78 12/08/2021 M45/618 793796 7675055 266 140 -60 21TT0052 RC McPhees Reward 24 13/08/2021 M45/618 793303 7674823 195 130 -60 21TT0053 RC McPhees Reward 60 13/08/2021 M45/618 793317 7674811 200 130 -60 21TT0054 RC McPhees Reward 48 20/08/2021 M45/618 793257 7674810 189 130 -60 21TT0055 RC McPhees Reward 54 20/08/2021 M45/618 793223 7674841 186 130 -60 21TT0056 RC McPhees Reward 42 20/08/2021 M45/618 793237 7674775 187 130 -60 21TT0057 RC McPhees Reward 60 20/08/2021 M45/618 793253 7674761 191 130 -60 21TT0058 RC McPhees Reward 54 21/08/2021 M45/618 793206 7674803 185 130 -60 21TT0059 RC McPhees Reward 60 21/08/2021 M45/618 793194 7674706 186 130 -60 21TT0060 RC McPhees Reward 66 22/08/2021 M45/618 793151 7674691 186 130 -60 21TT0061 RC McPhees Reward 54 22/08/2021 M45/618 793164 7674733 184 130 -60 21TT0062 RC McPhees Reward 84 23/08/2021 M45/618 793146 7674769 188 130 -60 21TT0063 RC McPhees Reward 24 23/08/2021 M45/618 793234 7674724 194 130 -60 21TT0064 RC McPhees Reward 12 24/08/2021 M45/618 793190 7674671 183 130 -60 21TT0065 RC McPhees Reward 54 24/08/2021 M45/618 793212 7674637 183 130 -60

_______________



1 Refer to Calidus public disclosure at https://www.calidus.com.au/.
Pune, India, Sept. 27, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The global face mask machines market size is projected to grow monumentally in the forthcoming years. The rising prevalence of airborne diseases has boosted the utilization of face masks in recent years and is expected to be the key growth driver for the market. Fortune Business Insights has presented this information in an upcoming report, titled, Face Mask Machines Market, 2021-2028.

According to the report, the market is poised to witness striking growth for several reasons. For instance, manufacturers growing emphasis on organic growth strategies such as attending exhibitions, new product approvals, and launches are anticipated to expand the consumer base and thus contribute to market growth.

Request a Sample Copy of the Global Market Research Report https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/enquiry/request-sample-pdf/face-mask-machines-market-104747

Key Players in the Global Face Mask Machines Market are:

Aman Impex

Hans Laser Technology Industry Group Co. Ltd.

OREE LASER

TESTIX INSTRUMENT LTD.

TIANJIN RICHPEACE AI CO. LIMITED

NCM Nonwoven Converting Machinery Co. Ltd.

Ktechnonwoven

Cera Engineering

SharperTek

ENGELMANN & BUCKHAM LTD.

Healthy Machinery KYD

Yueyang Conpros Trade Co. Ltd.

Intamac Packaging Systems

Chang Yi Extrusion Machinery Ltd.

3M

Honeywell International Inc.

Ajanta Ultraplast Pvt. Ltd.

SMF Maschinenfabrik

Pasquato Cutting Machines

COVID-19 Impact-

The global COVID-19 pandemic has positively influenced the growth of the face mask machines market. As the coronavirus potentially spreads through air and deteriorates the respiratory system, the utilization of face masks helped reduce the virus spread. Government initiatives to supply face masks to everyone and strict guidelines to put on face masks have surged the product's demand. Additionally, the continuous evaluation of different face masks' effectivity has boosted the market growth. Though vaccines are available to the masses, the utilization of face masks is expected to last for a long time. Hence, the market is anticipated to attain steep growth in the forthcoming years.

Click here to get the short-term and long-term impact of COVID-19 on this market. Please visit: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/enquiry/queries/face-mask-machines-market-104747

Segmentation-

On the basis of machine type, the market is bifurcated into flat face mask machines and vertical face mask machines. On the basis of end-user, the market is segmented into electronics industry, food processing industry, healthcare & pharmaceuticals industry, and manufacturing industry. Geographically, the market is classified into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and the Middle East & Africa.

Report Coverage-

The report provides a comprehensive qualitative and quantitative analysis of the market.

The report incorporates Porters Five Forces Analysis for an infallible market prediction.

The report provides information on the recent developments in production technologies of the industry.

The report highlights the latest key trends in the market.

The report highlights the COVID-19 pandemics impact on the market.

Drivers & Restraints-

Rising Prevalence of Airborn Diseases to Fuel Market Growth

The use of face masks such as N95 and other supplementary respiratory masks has grown over time. The expanding health awareness and rising airborne diseases are expected to be the major propellants of the global face mask machines market growth.

The establishment of new pharmaceutical labs and hospitals is expected to foster the market growth in the forthcoming years. Favorable government initiatives and rising investments by private and government bodies in the healthcare sector are projected to bolster market growth in the forthcoming years.

The coronavirus pandemic has significantly boosted the market growth. The unparalleled production of face masks during the pandemic due to the unprecedented consumer demand has surged the market growth. The coronavirus is expected to remain a threat for a long time. Hence, the market is expected to expand post-pandemic too.

Additionally, the rising technological developments in the production processes are expected to stimulate market growth in the forthcoming years.

However, the high cost of manufacturing is likely to impede market growth.

Request for Customization: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/enquiry/customization/face-mask-machines-market-104747

Regional Insights-

Asia Pacific to Hold the Lions Share Backed by Availability of Cost-effective Labor

Asia Pacific is projected to dominate in terms of the global face mask machines market share. The presence of a humungous production base in countries such as South Korea, India, Japan, China, and others and the abundance availability of cheap labor are projected to augment the market growth. As one of the pioneering suppliers of hospital equipment, Asia Pacific is expected to witness lucrative growth opportunities due to the expanding healthcare infrastructure.

Europe is expected to observe robust growth in the global market. The exposure to detrimental particulates in core industries across countries, namely, the U.K., France, Germany, and others, would augment the demand for efficacious respiratory protective equipment (RPE). The rising demand for RPE is likely to be the key propellant to market growth.

The increasing health awareness and self-hygiene are expected to help North America gain substantial growth in the global market. Additionally, various organizations such as the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) are anticipated to fuel the market growth.

The expanding concerns regarding respiratory hazards and workplace hygiene are anticipated to augment growth in Latin America and the Middle East & Africa.

Competitive Landscape-

Key Players Emphasize on Strengthening Operational Structures

The global market comprises several key players operating at regional and local levels. They are focusing on devising advanced strategies and also redefining their operational structures to grow amidst the pandemic. They are also focusing on adopting various inorganic growth strategies such as partnerships, mergers, acquisitions, and others, to benefit from each others resources and expertise. Recently, in November 2020, TESTIX INSTRUMENT LTDs four arrangements of mask machines supported the verification led by China Certification & Inspection Co. (CCIC) to transport t Germany with nearly 25,00,000 pieces of disposable face masks every day in Europe to prepare for the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic.

Industry Developments-

June 2020: TIANJIN RICHPEACE AI CO. LIMITED launched a new product line of automatic face mask machines that manufacture folded face masks and surgical masks, that satisfy the FFP2, KN95, and N95 standards.

Pre Book- Face Mask Machines Market Research Report: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/checkout-page/104747

Have a Look at Related Research Insights:

Power Tools Market Size, Share & COVID-19 Impact Analysis, By Mode of Operation (Electric, Pneumatic, and Others), By Tool Type (Drilling & Fastening, Material Removal, Sawing & Cutting, Demolition Tools, and Others) By Application (DIY, Industrial) and Regional Forecasts, 2021-2028

Elevator and Escalator Market Size, Share & COVID-19 Impact Analysis, By Product (Elevators, Escalators and Moving Walkway), By Business (New Equipment, Maintenance, and Modernization), By Application (Residential, Commercial and Industrial), and Regional Forecast, 2021-2028

Thermo Ventilators Market Size, Share & COVID-19 Impact Analysis, By Product Type (Wall Mounted, Window-mounted, Ceiling Mounted, and Portable), By End-Use (Commercial, and Residential), and Regional Forecast, 2021-2028

Welding Market Size, Share & COVID-19 Impact Analysis, By Product Type (Welding Equipment and Consumables), By Welding Type (Arc, Resistance, Oxy-Acetylene Gas, Solid State and Others), By Application (Automotive, Building & Construction, Heavy Engineering, Railway & Shipbuilding, Oil & Gas and Others) and Regional Forecast, 2021-2028

Food Processing and Handling Equipment Market Size, Share & COVID-19 Impact Analysis, By Equipment Type (Processing Equipment, Packaging Equipment, and Service Equipment), By Application (Bakery and Confectionery Products, Meat and Poultry Products, Dairy Products, Beverages, and Others) and Regional Forecasts, 2021-2028

About Us:

Fortune Business Insights offers expert corporate analysis and accurate data, helping organizations of all sizes make timely decisions. We tailor innovative solutions for our clients, assisting them address challenges distinct to their businesses. Our goal is to empower our clients with holistic market intelligence, giving a granular overview of the market they are operating in.

Our reports contain a unique mix of tangible insights and qualitative analysis to help companies achieve sustainable growth. Our team of experienced analysts and consultants use industry-leading research tools and techniques to compile comprehensive market studies, interspersed with relevant data.

At Fortune Business Insights, we aim at highlighting the most lucrative growth opportunities for our clients. We therefore offer recommendations, making it easier for them to navigate through technological and market-related changes. Our consulting services are designed to help organizations identify hidden opportunities and understand prevailing competitive challenges.
Salem, MA, Sept. 27, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- As cannabis is legalized state-by-state, an industry once taboo is entering the mainstream. However, financing cannabis continues to be a major challenge, as most lenders will not or cannot partake in any part of the industry. The solution? Retrofitting 2016 investment crowdfunding regulations to allow communities to invest directly into cannabis businesses looking to launch or expand locally. Through RegCF (regulation crowdfunding, as outlined in the JOBS Act Title III), cannabis businesses can access previously untapped capital while communities play a more active and equitable role in the growth of the industry.

Mainvest, a FINRA-regulated RegCF funding portal, is leading the charge to make RegCF the mainstream for cannabis brands. CEO Nick Mathews notes how Mainvest differs from other funding sources: "We enable capital access from the community to give cannabis entrepreneurs competing against large private equity and venture-funded conglomerates a path to fund and grow their enterprises."

Community support has been a major factor in the growth of the cannabis industry. Citizens have had to vote for legalization; localities must approve new dispensaries; passionate communities have forged safe usage into the mainstream. However, individuals have largely been left out of the business side of the industry, leaving much of the growth to private investors and well-connected founders. RegCF is the future of the cannabis industry, enabling everyone, regardless of wealth, to see some of the upside of the industry, and empowering a wider array of founders.

Mainvest, in particular, allows cannabis businesses to raise capital through an investment vehicle called the Revenue Sharing Note. RSNs entitle investors to a percentage of the business's revenue over a set period time until a maturity date. This works well for businesses reliant on cash flow, as repayments are flexible yet predictable. It also allows businesses to take on up to $5MM in capital without diluting ownership or dealing with equity, which can be particularly difficult in the cannabis industry. Another major upside for the cannabis industry is that repayments don't begin until the business begins generating revenue, so businesses with a long lead time don't have to worry about making repayments before they're even off the ground.

The inaugural cohort of cannabis businesses raising capital through RegCF on Mainvest includes:

Eastcoasterdam, a cultivation and extraction business in Winchendon, MA

@loudgirlgoodies, an edibles brand based in Boston, MA

Grown by Green, an organic cultivation site in Gloucester, MA

Milkmen Cannabis, a cultivation facility in Clinton, MA

Each offering page displays details of the business, intended use of funds, founder backgrounds, data, and risk disclosures.

Since the launch of Mainvest's pilot cannabis project, the platform has seen an influx of sign-ups from companies looking to raise capital. In addition, a number of news outlets across the country have written on what Mainvest is doing for cannabis entrepreneurs, including Politico and Cannabis Business Times. In the words of CFO Ben Blieden, "Mainvest has solved the age old problem of funding for cannabis businesses, a problem that has no other solution at the moment."

Mathews says they are "all in" when it comes to cannabis. Earlier this month, the team attended NECANN (New England Cannabis Convention) to spread the word on this new viable capital route for cannabis entrepreneurs, and sponsored space at the Cannabis Connection Convention. Stay tuned to what they are up to by following along on Instagram (@mainvestinc) or any of their socials, and learn more at mainvest.com.

Attachments
ANAHEIM, Calif., Sept. 27, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cadence Aerospace , a provider of highly complex aerospace components and assemblies to commercial and defense customers, announces the appointment of Jeff M. Capponi as Senior Vice President, Sales and Marketing of Cadence Aerospace, effective September 27, 2021. In his new role, Mr. Capponi reports directly to Olivier Jarrault, Chief Executive Officer of Cadence Aerospace, and will be supported by Robert J. Saia, Senior Vice President, Business Development of Cadence Aerospace, along with the Companys sales and marketing teams. With Centers of Excellence based in the U.S. and Mexico , Cadence Aerospace, backed by Arlington Capital Partners, serves the world's leading manufacturers of aircraft, aerostructures, aeroequipment and other defense platforms.



Mr. Capponi will lead the Company in managing brand awareness and developing promotional strategiesimplementing campaigns designed to build alliances with customers, increase sales revenues and improve profitability. He joins Cadence Aerospace with more than 20 years of aerospace business development experience.

Most recently, Mr. Capponi served Senior PLC , an international engineering provider of high-technology components and systems for original equipment manufacturers in the worldwide aerospace, defense, land vehicle and power and energy markets. As Vice President of Business Development-Senior Structures Division for the company during 2013-2020, he managed business development across 10 operations in North America, Europe, Thailand, and Malaysia, working with major / Tier 1 domestic and international OEMs. Mr. Capponi also was Director of Business Development for Synchronous Aerospace (later acquired by PCC Aerostructures ), a custom fabricator of aircraft mechanical assemblies for commercial aerospace and defense markets. During 2010-2013, he oversaw business development activity for six of the companys operations across North America, nurturing alliances and building revenues with key OEMs and Tier 1 customers including Boeing , Spirit AeroSystems , United Technologies Corporation , Lockheed Martin , and GKN Aerospace .

Mr. Capponi began his career at Aerospace Manufacturing Technologies, Inc . (AMT) in 1995, and for nearly 20 years, he held a number of roles of increasing responsibility at the company, which was later acquired by Senior PLC. As Marketing and Contracts Manager, he was responsible for all sales and marketing activity worldwide and also served as Sales and Contracts Manager, directing activities for the customer service department and soliciting higher-level opportunities. Much of his work during his tenure at AMT served to drive the companys diversification and transition from a detail parts provider to supplier of integrated solutions such as subassemblies and kits for a variety of different aircraft.

Mr. Capponi earned a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration with minor in Sociology from Washington State University .

Cadence Aerospace is excited to welcome Jeff Capponi as Senior Vice President, Sales and Marketing, and we look forward to his contributions as our teams continuously collaborate to identify and attract new business opportunities, while improving service levels with our customers all over the world, said Olivier Jarrault, Chief Executive Officer of Cadence Aerospace.

About Cadence Aerospace

Cadence Aerospace , a portfolio company of Arlington Capital Partners, is a leading aerospace and defense industry supplier committed to achieving success with its business partners through active engagement, aligned manufacturing and sourcing strategies, and industry-leading capabilities. The Companys Centers of Excellence , based in the U.S. and Mexico, produce machined parts, subassemblies, assemblies and repair and overhaul services for the world's leading manufacturers of aircraft, aerostructures, aeroequipment and other defense platforms. With clearly defined products and services, complementary capabilities, positions on programs offering long-term growth, a balanced and global aerospace, commercial and defense portfolio, Cadence Aerospace offers outstanding quality and delivery at cost-competitive prices to aerospace and defense companies globally.

About Arlington Capital Partners

Arlington Capital Partners is a Washington, DC-based private equity firm that is currently investing out of Arlington Capital Partners V, L.P., a $1.7 billion fund. The firm has managed approximately $4.0 billion of committed capital via five investment funds. Arlington is focused on middle market investment opportunities in growth industries including aerospace & defense, government services and technology, healthcare, and business services and software. The firms professionals and network have a unique combination of operating and private equity experience that enable Arlington to be a value-added investor. Arlington invests in companies in partnership with high quality management teams that are motivated to establish and/or advance their companys position as leading competitors in their field.

Media Contacts:

Peter Manos

pmanos@arlingtoncap.com

Bilal Noor

bnoor@arlingtoncap.com

Arlington Capital Partners

5425 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 200

Chevy Chase, MD 20815

Phone: +1.202.337.7500

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/62b3671f-5729-4445-9ef3-13a5312bffba
Louisville, KY, Sept. 27, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Flavorman, a leading beverage development company, today held a ceremonial groundbreaking on the site of its new facility expansion at 809 South 8th Street. Upon completion, the project will bring 30 new jobs to downtown Louisville and will continue to serve as a catalyst for attracting global business to the heart of Kentuckys largest city.

Officials in attendance included Lt. Governor Jacqueline Coleman, Mayor Greg Fischer, and Shalanna Taylor, Legislative Aide to Metro Council President David James, who spoke to the significance of the developments impact on the surrounding community and Greater Louisville.

With more than 125 food and beverage companies located regionally, businesses can take products from concept to consumer all in one place  Louisville, Ky.  and Flavorman is a key player in that ecosystem. Whether a company wants to find just the right balance of flavors to entice consumers, or someone wants to learn about the art of distilling, Flavorman is where they turn, said Mayor Greg Fischer.

The project represents an $8.5 million investment to scale up Flavormans state-of-the-art Beverage Campus and better serve demand for their custom beverage development services. Designed by Frankfort-based G. Scott & Associates (GSA) and contracted by Cardinal Industries, the addition will cover 28,000 square feet and connect to the companys main laboratory. Once complete, it will boost production capacity, expanding Flavormans blending, bottling/canning, processing and bulk storage operations.

Kentuckys economy continues to gain momentum, and our states food, beverage and agritech sector is a vital part of that growth, said Governor Andy Beshear. This expansion by Flavorman will not only allow the company to take its business to the next level but will also create quality job opportunities for residents in the Louisville area while encouraging innovation within the commonwealths food and beverage and spirits industries. I want to thank the leadership at this homegrown Kentucky company for furthering their commitment to our state and our talented workforce.

The project is the latest in a series of expansions at Flavorman in the last few years as the company continues to experience exponential growth. In 2006, the company rehabbed the existing 24,000-square-foot building at 809 South 8th Street, believing it would be more space than they could ever use. Six years later, the company purchased a neighboring building to create the nations premier educational distillery, Moonshine University. In 2018, the company added office space at 827 South 8th Street.

Together, Flavorman and Moonshine University make up a world-class Beverage Campus that houses a fully equipped educational distillery, state-of-the-art classroom, production facility with a custom bottling line, extensive sensory library and a beverage innovation laboratory. Flavorman has developed more than 70,000 beverage formulations for brands worldwide, while Moonshine University has hosted hands-on classes for students from all 50 states and 44 countries.

This expansion is an incredible opportunity for our city, says David Dafoe, Flavorman Founder & CEO. When I started Flavorman almost 30 years ago, I did it out of a passion for the craft. Im proud of the role Flavorman and Moonshine University continue to play in establishing Louisville as the epicenter for not just Bourbon, but the beverage industry overall.

Construction on the upcoming addition to the campus is estimated to complete during fall of 2022.

For Flavorman headquarters b-roll, please click here: https://bit.ly/39VQfNX.

ABOUT FLAVORMAN:

Founded by David Dafoe in 1992, Flavorman is an industry leading custom beverage development company based out of Louisville, KY. In contrast to flavor houses that manufacture ready-made, stock formulations, Flavorman helps clientsbig and smallbring custom products to market from concept to production planning and quality control. As of 2021, Flavorman has created 70k unique beverage formulations for brands like Crispin Hard Cider, Formula O2, Jones Soda, Chiquita, Joia Spirit Craft Cocktails, Go Fast Energy, and more. Visit flavorman.com.





###

Attachments
Chantilly, VA, Sept. 27, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Associa Community Management Corporation (CMC) announces Hilary Bradley as the new business development director.

Ms. Bradley joins Associa with more than 25 years of sales, marketing, account management, and strategic planning experience. As an account manager for a construction and property services company, she gained exposure to condominium and homeowners associations. In previous roles, she has led property sponsorship and representation, marketing and strategic consulting, and merchandising and event ownership. Former clients include Audi, Office Depot, Pepsi, Mazda, Coors, Dr. Pepper, Frito Lay, IBM, and more.

Ms. Bradley is also the founder of her own marketing and event agency that provides strategy, implementation, and project management to support organizations in their marketing, promotions, networking, social media, and branding goals.

We are so excited to have Hilary join our team as we continue to expand our client acquisition efforts, stated John Tsitos, CMCA, AMS, PCAM, CMC president. Her experience in business strategy and client services across multiple industries is highly valuable, as is her demonstrated skill for innovation and building strong customer relationships.

Ms. Bradley is a graduate of the University of Maryland, where she earned her Bachelor of Science in retail marketing.

With more than 200 branch offices across North America, Associa delivers unsurpassed management and lifestyle services to nearly five million residents worldwide. Our 10,000+ team members lead the industry with unrivaled education, expertise and trailblazing innovation. For more than 40 years, Associa has provided solutions designed to help communities achieve their vision. To learn more, visit www.associaonline.com.



Stay Connected:

Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/associa

Subscribe to the Blog: https://hub.associaonline.com/

Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/associa

Join us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/associa

Attachment
LOS ANGELES, Sept. 27, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via InvestorWire -- Tingo Inc. (OTCQB: IWBB) is a unique agri-fintech company offering, through Tingo Mobile in Nigeria, personal communications services (PCS) using GSM technology for subscribers within and outside of the agricultural sector. Tingo Mobile has developed a comprehensive agri-fintech and agri-marketplace ecosystem to support the agricultural sector, becoming Africas leading provider of such services over the long term. Services include smartphone leasing, agri-marketplace, airtime top-ups, utilities payments, bill pay, and access to insurance and lending services. This is collectively known as NWASSA, a service to support financial inclusion and deliver significant social impact in the agriculture sector. It supports rural communities in line with UN SDGs and ESG principles.

Tingo currently has over 9 million customers who rely of Tingo and NWASSA services for the successful running of their farms. Tingos work with farming cooperatives across Nigeria has led to higher yield, significantly reduced post-harvest losses and increased profitability throughout the country.

Tingos commitment to being a force for positive change has been recognized in its nomination for the Environmental, Social & Governance Award at the upcoming Crypto AM Awards .

Tingo is thrilled to be recognized for our continued efforts to bring about social upliftment, financial inclusion, food security and female empowerment in our core market in Nigeria and across the African continent, Chris Cleverly, President of Tingo, stated following the nomination. One of our key goals has always been to empower SME female entrepreneurs engaged in the agri-ecosystem to deliver true gender equality and diversity.

The Crypto AM Awards, scheduled to take place Thursday, September 30, at the prestigious Leonardo Royal Hotel London, will mark the climax of the two-day Crypto AM Summit . In total, there are 14 awards up for grabs, all judged by an independent panel of industry experts.

Tingo aims to deliver, in a tangible and measurable way, alignment and compliance with the key UN Sustainable Development Goals, including gender equality through upliftment of female entrepreneurship, financial inclusion, poverty alleviation and food security. This goal is highlighted by the companys growing agent network, which currently consists of roughly 15,000 members  the overwhelming majority of whom are women.

Tingo intends to become a truly Pan-African company with global reach. It aims to modernize the continent by providing a complete digital ecosystem to facilitate financial interaction and deliver disruptive micro-finance solutions. Through its Tingo Mobile subsidiary, the company has distributed almost 30 million mobile handsets since 2014, offering an affordable price point while allowing customers to spread payments over 36 months.

Africa is the second-largest continent by population. It is also the youngest by far, with a median age of 18 for its 1.3 billion people. Agriculture makes up 23 percent of sub-Saharan Africas GDP and 60 percent of employment. Tingo believes the building blocks for growth in Africas agriculture industry are in place and that the company is well positioned to participate in the upside.

About Tingo Inc.

Tingo Inc. is a leading Africa-focused agri-fintech company offering a comprehensive platform service through use of smartphones (using GSM technology). It aims to empower a marketplace of almost 10 million subscribers within and outside of the agricultural sector to manage their commercial activities of growing and selling their production to market participants both domestically and internationally. The ecosystem provides a one-stop-shop solution to enable such subscribers to manage everything from airtime top-ups, bill pay services for utilities and other service providers, access to insurance services and microfinance to support their value chain from seed to sale.

Tingo aims to be Africas leading agri-fintech player that transforms rural farming communities to connect through our proprietary platform to meet their complete needs from inputs, agronomy, offtake and marketplace, which delivers sustainable income in an impactful way.

Global climate change is challenging global productivity for sustainable production and food security. Social upliftment is a key area of global interest under the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and ESG impact investing. The Companys strategy and market execution provides an opportunity for Africa to be a core focal point to solve several key areas including food security. Tingo does this through its unique NWASSA service model. Tingo aims to deliver, in a tangible and measurable way, alignment and compliance with the key UN SDGs  gender equality through upliftment of female entrepreneurship, financial inclusion, poverty alleviation and zero hunger. Over 60% of rural farming employs women in many countries in Africa.

Tingo has identified several key strategic partners and acquisitions in Africa to accelerate its rapid expansion to become the leading agri-fintech operator in Africa. A select number of investments into this segment of agri-tech, banking services and fintech will provide a strong pathway to enhance its proven activities in Nigeria across the African continent. For more information, visit the companys website at www.TingoGroup.com .

Forward-Looking Statements

This release 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. All forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain as they are based on current expectations and assumptions concerning future events or future performance of the company. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which are only predictions and speak only as of the date hereof. In evaluating such statements, prospective investors should carefully review various risks and uncertainties identified in this release and matters set in the company's SEC filings. These risks and uncertainties could cause the company's actual results to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements.

Corporate Communications
Houston, TX, Sept. 27, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Al Hartman, CEO & President of Hartman Income REIT Management Inc. (Hartman), has been honored with The Patriot Award for employer support of an active Nation Guard member. Ben Veler, an active member of the Nation Guard and employee of Hartman recognized Al Hartman for the continued support extended to him following his third activation in one year.



The Patriot Award can be awarded to individual supervisors or leaders by a guardsman or reservist employee. The award reflects the efforts made by the employer for offering a wide range of schedule-flexibility, time-off, or permitting leaves of absences when needed.



Ben Veler, a pre-sales commercial real estate leasing agent for Hartman, presented Al Hartman with the award during a recent companywide meeting. He shared, It is easy for employers to claim that they are patriotic and veteran friendly businesses, but the Hartman Companies truly live up to it. Our leader, Al Hartman, has had my back every step of the way working at his company. Being in the National Guard and having to leave on short and sudden notice is not easy for a company to plan for or react to. From leaving for the COVID-19 response ordered by Governor Abbot, to the nationwide riots, then the opportunity for Ranger school - the kindness, understanding, and national pride Mr. Hartman has displayed continues to inspire me.



The Award is a distinguished honor for any American who receives it. It differentiates them as an individual dedicated to selflessly helping others, while prioritizing the protection of our countrys freedom and safety.



I feel truly blessed to have this award bestowed to me. Ben is a valuable member of our team, but more importantly an esteemed servant to our country. He has shown grit and perseverance through the many activations hes received, and we are delighted to support him as he serves important assignments in the Nation Guard.



To learn more about Al Hartman and employment opportunities at the Hartman Companies, please visit Hartman Careers. Hartman is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate against otherwise qualified applicants on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, ancestry, age, sex, marital status, national origin, disability or handicap, or veteran status.

Attachment
MELBOURNE, Australia, Sept. 28, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cradlepoint , the global leader in cloud-delivered LTE and 5G wireless network edge solutions, today announced the appointment of Nathan McGregor to the role of Senior Vice President Sales, Asia Pacific (APAC). Based in Sydney, Australia, Nathan will report to Mark Pugerude, Cradlepoint Chief Sales Officer for global sales. He will be responsible for all sales in the APAC region, including carrier and indirect partner sales.



Nathan has over 20 years of leadership experience in the telecommunications and IT industry working for prominent companies, including Cisco Meraki, Hitachi, and Juniper Networks. He has successfully led technology businesses across APAC delivering networking, IoT, and analytics solutions across all industries. Working closely with indirect channel and carrier partners, he has a strong track record in supporting customers success in the use of innovative technologies to drive business value.

Nathan brings to Cradlepoint a wealth of APAC sales leadership and business development experience that spans multiple stages of company growth, said Mark Pugerude, Chief Sales Officer, Cradlepoint. He is the right person with the right experience to drive our next phase of growth across the Asia Pacific region, leveraging our recently appointed distributor and growing pool of partners.

Nathan joins Cradlepoint from Cisco Meraki, where he spent more than two years as Australia and New Zealand Country Manager. He was previously Vice President Data Analytics and IoT, APAC at Hitachi Vantara, where he was responsible for driving the strategic and operational elements of APAC Sales and overall business operations for the Data Analytics business at Vantara. Prior to that, he was also Vice President, ANZ at Hitachi Vantara and spent nearly a decade at Juniper Systems in various roles, including Australia and New Zealand Managing Director. He also worked at Ericsson Australia and Alcatel Lucent.

"As the world begins its return to normal, businesses across the Asia Pacific region are poised to leverage the advantages of agility and reliability that only wireless WAN can deliver. I am thrilled to be leading Cradlepoint as a market leader and innovator in wireless WAN solutions for business, said Nathan McGregor, Senior Vice President of APAC Sales at Cradlepoint. "In addition to providing businesses with industry leading 4G and 5G networking solutions, my goal is to ensure our partners and customers achieve an unfair advantage from our IT-centric cloud-managed and true zero-touch deployment capabilities."

About Cradlepoint

Cradlepoint is a global leader in cloud-delivered 4G and 5G wireless network edge solutions. Cradlepoints NetCloud platform and cellular routers deliver a pervasive, secure, and software-defined Wireless WAN edge to connect people, places, and things  anywhere. More than 28,500 businesses and government agencies worldwide, including many Global 2000 organisations and top public sector agencies, rely on Cradlepoint to keep mission-critical sites, points of commerce, field forces, vehicles, and IoT devices always connected. Cradlepoint was founded in 2006, acquired by Ericsson in 2020, and operates today as a standalone subsidiary within Ericssons Business Area Technologies and New Businesses. Cradlepoint is headquartered in Boise, Idaho, with development centres in Silicon Valley and India with international offices in Asia Pacific, Canada, Europe, and Latin America. www.cradlepoint.com





Cradlepoint Media Inquiries

Biana Chamlet

APAC Public Relations Manager, Cradlepoint

P. +61452516069

E. biana.chamlet@cradlepoint.com
The Governors Official Program is comprised of a wide range of constitutional and legal duties and ceremonial and community engagements. Each year, the Governor hosts thousands of visitors to Government House to take part in investiture and award ceremonies, Open Days, receptions and meetings, and travels widely throughout Queensland to support the activities of Patron groups. View a chronological record of the Governors daily program below.

On Monday, in morning, at the Caloundra Regional Gallery, Caloundra, His Excellency the Honourable Paul de Jersey AC CVO attended the launch of the 2021 Sunshine Coast Open House program, officially opened the program, and addressed guests.

In the afternoon, at Government House, His Excellency presided, via teleconference, at a special meeting of the Executive Council.

Following, at Government House, His Excellency and Mrs Kaye de Jersey hosted an afternoon reception in support of the 2021 Royal Queensland Show, and the Governor addressed guests.
The Municipal Transport Company of Madrid (EMT Madrid) has awarded Irizar e-mobility an order for another 30 electric buses. This fourth order means that EMT Madrid will now have a total of 85 zero-emission Irizar buses in its fleet.





Once again, the model chosen is the 12-meter Irizar ie bus, which has been running on Madrids roads since 2019.

The vehicles will be powered by Irizar batteries and have 2 doors, 28 passenger seats, 1 drivers seat plus 2 wheelchair areas. Irizar e-mobility will also supply 30 interoperable ECI-100 chargers from Jema Energy (a company belonging to the Irizar Group) with a 100 kW smart charging system, capable of charging the vehicles in three hours using a Combo 2 charging socket. The inverted pantograph charging option is also available.

The vehicles will also include a remote monitoring system developed by the company Datik, which belongs to the Irizar Group.

These buses will help fulfil the sustainability goals advocated by the city of Madrid, along with the enormous environmental and noise reduction benefits the buses will bring to the citizens of Madrid.
Researchers from Sandia National Laboratories and international collaborators used computational approaches, including explainable machine learning models, to elucidate new high-entropy alloys with attractive hydrogen storage properties and direct laboratory synthesis and validation.

Solid-state hydrogen storage materials that are optimized for specific use cases could be a crucial facilitator of the hydrogen economy transition. Yet, the discovery of novel hydriding materials has historically been a manual process driven by chemical intuition or experimental trial and error. Data-driven materials discovery paradigms provide an alternative to traditional approaches, whereby machine/statistical learning (ML) models are used to efficiently screen materials for desired properties and significantly narrow the scope of expensive/time-consuming first-principles modeling and experimental validation. Here, we specifically focus on a relatively new class of hydrogen storage materials, high entropy alloy (HEA) hydrides, whose vast combinatorial composition space and local structural disorder necessitate a data-driven approach that does not rely on exact crystal structures to make property predictions. Our ML model quickly screens hydride stability within a large HEA space and permits down selection for laboratory validation based on not only targeted thermodynamic properties but also secondary criteria such as alloy phase stability and density. Witman et al.





Witman et al.

Vitalie Stavila, Mark Allendorf, Matthew Witman and Sapan Agarwal are part of the Sandia team that published a paper in conjunction with researchers from Angstrom Laboratory in Sweden and Nottingham University in the United Kingdom in the ACS journal Chemistry of Materials detailing the approach.

There is a rich history in hydrogen storage research and a database of thermodynamic values describing hydrogen interactions with different materials. With that existing database, an assortment of machine-learning and other computational tools, and state-of-the art experimental capabilities, we assembled an international collaboration group to join forces on this effort. We demonstrated that machine learning techniques could indeed model the physics and chemistry of complex phenomena which occur when hydrogen interacts with metals. Matthew Witman

Having a data-driven modeling capability to predict thermodynamic properties can rapidly increase the speed of research. Once constructed and trained, such machine learning models only take seconds to execute and can therefore rapidly screen new chemical spaces: in this case 600 materials that show promise for hydrogen storage and transmission.

This was accomplished in only 18 months. Without the machine learning it could have taken several years. Thats big when you consider that historically it takes something like 20 years to take a material from lab discovery to commercialization. Mark Allendorf

The team also found that these high-entropy alloy hydrides could enable a natural cascade compression of hydrogen as it moves through the different materials, said Stavila. Compressing hydrogen is traditionally done through a mechanical process. This finding could have significant implications for small-scale hydrogen generation at hydrogen fuel-cell filling stations.

Hydrogen produced under atmospheric conditions at sea level has a pressure of about 1 bar. Hydrogen at a fuel-cell charging station must have a pressure of 800 bars or higher so that it can be dispensed as 700-bar hydrogen into fuel-cell hydrogen vehicles.

Stavila described building a storage tank with multiple layers of these different alloys. As hydrogen is pumped into the tank, the first layer compresses the gas as it moves through the material. The second layer compresses it even further and so on through all of the layers of differing alloys.

As hydrogen moves through those layers, it gets more and more pressurized with no mechanical effort. You could theoretically pump in 1 bar of hydrogen and get 800 bar outthe pressure needed for hydrogen charging stations. Vitalie Stavila

The team is still refining the model but, since the database is already public through the Department of Energy, once the method is better understood, using machine learning could lead to breakthroughs in a myriad of fields, including materials science, Agarwal said.

This research was sponsored by the Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office within the US Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy and through Sandias Laboratory Directed Research and Development program.

Resources
Wrightbus unveiled the new new single-deck GB Kite Hydroliner fuel-cell-powered bus and single-deck GB Kite Electroliner battery-powered bus last week at the Millbrook Proving Ground.





The GB Kite Hydroliner is powered by a 70 kW or 100 kW Ballard FC Move fuel cell, paired with a 30 kWh or 45 kWh battery system.

The new buses were developed following the award of funding from the Advanced Propulsion Centres Advanced Route to Market Demonstrator (ARMD) Competition.

The funding from the ARMD competition has been invaluable in allowing us to develop the technology for our two new zero-emission single-decks at considerable pace. The creation of our new single-deck hydrogen and single-deck electric battery buses means Wrightbus is proud to be the only UK manufacturer currently able to offer four zero-emission vehicles to the marketwhich include the Hydroliner, the first hydrogen double decker bus in the world. Jo Bamford, Wrightbus Executive Chairman





Rendering of the GB Kite Electroliner

The buses are expected to go into production in the first quarter of 2022.

Both GB Kite models can carry 90 passengers. The Hydroliner has a range of up to 640 miles while the Electroliner up to 300 miles on a single charge, the fastest charging version can be charged in just 2.5 hours. Both buses share an 86% parts commonality with their Double-Deck sisters; this delivers significant benefits to operators in terms of reducing complexity and costs for fleet maintenance.
BERLIN (AP)  The party that narrowly beat outgoing German Chancellor Angela Merkels bloc pushed Monday for a quick agreement on a coalition government, but Europes biggest economy could still be in for weeks of uncertainty after an election that failed to set a clear direction.

Olaf Scholz, the candidate of the center-left Social Democrats, called for Merkels center-right Union bloc to go into opposition after its worst-ever result in a national election. Both parties finished with well under 30% of the vote, and that appeared to put the keys to power in the hands of two opposition parties  raising questions over the stability of a future government.

Armin Laschet, the Unions candidate, rejected the idea that the election gave any party a clear mandate and made clear he still hopes to lead a new government. But he sounded considerably less confident Monday than he did a day earlier, when he said his bloc would do everything we can to form one  and some allies hinted at skepticism that would happen.

Whoever becomes chancellor will lead Germany into a new era. During Merkels 16 years in office, she was seen abroad not just as Germanys leader but in many ways as Europes, helping steer the European Union through a series of financial and political crises and ensuring her country maintained a high profile on the international stage. It remains to be seen whether the next chancellor will match her global standing.

The unclear result, combined with an upcoming French presidential election in April, creates uncertainty  at least for now  in the two economic and political powers at the center of the EU, just as the bloc struggles with how to counter Russia and China, revamp its relationship with the United States and address questions about its future from populist leaders in eastern countries.

Scholz, the current finance minister and vice chancellor, pulled his party out of a long poll slump to win on Sunday. Laschet, the governor of North Rhine-Westphalia state, stumbled in a campaign that was strewn with missteps.

But the kingmakers are likely to be the two prospective junior partners in any coalition, the environmentalist Greens and the business-friendly Free Democrats. The Greens traditionally lean toward the Social Democrats and the Free Democrats toward the Union, but neither ruled out going the other way.

Voters have spoken very clearly, Scholz said Monday. They strengthened three parties  the Social Democrats, the Greens and the Free Democrats  so this is the visible mandate the citizens of this country have given: These three parties should lead the next government.

Laschet said his party also wants to lead a coalition with the two smaller parties. The only other option that would have a parliamentary majority is a repeat of the outgoing grand coalition of the Union and Social Democrats. That is the combination that has run Germany for 12 years of Merkels 16-year tenure but has often been marred by squabbling, and there is little appetite for it now.

Scholz and others were keen to dispel concerns that lengthy haggling and a new, multiparty government would mean unstable leadership in Europes biggest economy.

My idea is that we will be very fast in getting a result for this government, and it should be before Christmas if possible, Scholz told reporters in Berlin. Germany always has coalition governments, and it was always stable.

Scholz, an experienced and pragmatic politician whose calm, no-frills style is in some ways reminiscent of Merkels, pointed to continuity in foreign policy. He said a priority will be to form a stronger and more sovereign European Union.

But doing so means also to work very hard on the good relationship between ... the European Union and the United States, he added. The trans-Atlantic partnership is of (the) essence for us in Germany ... and so you can rely on continuity in this question.

Scholz made clear that the rival Union bloc should bow out of government. He said the bloc received the message from citizens that they should no longer be in government, but go into opposition.

But Laschet held out the possibility that he might form a coalition despite what he called painful losses, for which he said he bears a personal share of the blame.

Other senior center-right figures were more skeptical.

Markus Soeder, the more popular rival Laschet beat to secure the Unions nomination to run for chancellor, said a second-place party has no entitlement to form a government, so we can only make an offer. He said there cant be an alliance with the Greens and Free Democrats at any price.

Laschet also faces calls from within his own party to resign after a disastrous election night that saw the Union bloc lose dozens of parliamentary seats  including the constituency Merkel had held since 1990.

The Greens made significant gains in the election to finish third but fell far short of their original aim of taking the chancellery, while the Free Democrats improved slightly on a good result from 2017.

Merkels outgoing government will remain in office until a successor is sworn in, a process that can take weeks or even months. Merkel announced in 2018 that she wouldnt seek a fifth term.

The Free Democrats and Greens indicated they plan to speak to each other first before entertaining approaches from the bigger parties. The Free Democrats leader, Christian Lindner, said he wants to discuss with the Greens whether they could become the progressive center of a new coalition, for all our differences.

___

Associated Press writer Kirsten Grieshaber and Frank Jordans in Berlin contributed to this report.

___

Follow APs coverage of Germanys election at https://apnews.com/hub/germany-election
HARTFORD  The Democratic-dominated state House of Representatives voted Monday to extend Gov. Ned Lamonts emergency powers until mid-February amid Republican claims that the measure put in place to stem the COVID pandemic is no longer needed.

The sixth extension of emergency powers would keep in place a number of mandates stemming from the COVID pandemic, including the face mask requirement in schools. The legislation, which passed 80-60 with 10 Democrats voting along with the GOP minority, will be debated in the Senate on Tuesday.

I havent gotten one phone call or one email asking to extend these emergency powers, said conservative Rep. Gale Mastrofrancesco, R-Wolcott, starting off the afternoon-long debate. There is no public-health emergency. Lets give the power back to the people.

She began a cascade of Republican grievances that stretched through the afternoon, claiming that Gov. Ned Lamont is overriding the power of the General Assembly. None of the 10 Democrats who voted against the bill spoke during the debate.

Gov. Lamont, I think you deserve some time off, said a sarcastic state Rep. Holly Cheeseman, R-East Lyme. I think you need a vacation and I think we need to go back to work.

State Rep. Craig Fishbein, R-Wallingford, the top Republican on the law-writing Judiciary Committee, noted that while lawmakers were told the extension would continue Lamonts powers until Feb. 15, the actual bill doesnt mention the date.

Another lawyer, Rep. Tom ODea, R-New Canaan, noted that Lamont recently bragged that Connecticut leads the nation in vaccinations. Thankfully we are not as dysfunctional as Washington, D.C., he said. Thats a low bar, I know. There is no reason to extend these executive powers.

Shortly after 2 p.m., ODea submitted an amendment that would have required public hearings withing three days of any future emergency orders. House Majority Leader Jason Rojas, D-East Hartford, pointed out that the proposal did not fit into the scope of the special session and it was rejected in a 84-49 vote when Republicans contested the ruling.

We are the Constitution State, ODea said. I do not believe we should be extending these executive orders,. We are a long way from where we were in March of 2020. I believe we should be having public hearings on these orders.

First-Term Rep. Kim Fiorello, R-Greenwich, praised the dozens of people who testified in a hearing last week sponsored by conservative House Republicans, and she defended those opposed to vaccines and masks. Its not the governments job to pass judgment on these people, Fiorello said. Those who are making their own decisions on vaccines, a reasonable mind can understand their hesitation.

Theres a lot of questions and a lot of anxiety, House Minority Leader Vincent Candelora, R-North Branford, said at the end of the debate, citing the toxic political atmosphere. With anxiety comes fear, comes anger. I think we have the ability to take the temperature down by being deliberative again. And thats why today, I think a no vote is appropriate.

Candelora said the state has reached the list of goals that Gov. Ned Lamont outlined in May of 2020, and warned that the legislature needs to create a standard on what is an actual emergency. I feel as if now the emergency is: COVID exists and therefore the declaration needs to exist, he said. I would say that democracy is stronger than COVID..

What has become painfully apparent to all of us is that the COVID virus is unpredictable, said Rojas said at the end of the debate. Weve seen multiple variants that act in different ways. He warned that much of the partisan rhetoric around the issue has been inappropriate, while Lamonts response has been steady, and the state has benefited.

He has not acted like a king, Rojas said. He has not acted like a tyrant, nor have we abdicated our responsibility as a equal branch of government to work with the governor to meet the challenges we have faced since March of 2020. Ive grown weary myself of the rhetoric, denying what we all know to be true; denial that we still face the threat of disruption to our lives from COVID. That denial is irresponsible.

Our democracy is in tact, State Rep. Stephen Meskers of Greenwich, one of the few Democrats to speak among the dozen or more conservative Republicans. We are not threatened by that. Meskers said Lamont has been exemplary at a time when the state needed to leadership, and the emergence of the delta variant warrants his continued flexibility.

With all due respect, I am doing my job in supporting this request for an executive order, Meskers said. We may disagree, but that is the nature and inherent bias of a democracy. But I challenge anyone to question my integrity and my decision making as a duly elected member of this body.

Outside the historic State Capitol, about 100 protesters held conservative flags and signs including the Dont Tread On Me Gadsden flag and Represent, not Mandate. They were divided between those watching a giant TV with the House proceedings on the north side, and those shouting on the south side. By mid-afternoon they began to disperse.

The bill on the governors powers was introduced by state Rep. Dan Fox, D-Stamford, co-chairman of the Government Administration & Elections Committee.

In the late morning, a group of unmasked protesters tried to enter the Capitol in a side entrance and were turned away by security teams who pointed to rules requiring masks.

In a strange juxtaposition to the chanting outside the Capitol, formal tours went on as usual for masked visitors, including busloads of elderly people, although they were limited to the first floor and could not get upstairs to the House or Senate chambers, or the governors second floor suite.

Democrats who voted against the legislation included Rep. Raghib Allie-Brennan of Danbury, Rep. Andrew Baker of Bridgeport, Rep. Jill Barry of Glastonbury, Rep.Pat Boyd of Pomfret, Rep. Michael DiGiovancarlo of Waterbury, Rep. Jack Hennessy of Bridgeport, Rep. Anne Huges of Easton, Rep. David Michel of Stamford, Rep. Robyn Porter of New Haven and Rep. Travis Simms of Norwalk,

Speaker of the House Matt Ritter, D-Hartford, began off the early afternoon gathering by reminding the nearly full chamber that rules require masks unless when lawmakers are speaking. A mask must be worn over your mouth and your nose, Ritter said. There will be no medical or religious exemption from this mask requirement. He said that if the rule was not complied with, he would make legislative history and allow the final vote to occur immediately, ending the precedent of unlimited debate.

By not wearing a mask, you are also depriving people the right to feel safe in the chamber and to speak and represent their constituents, Ritter said.

kdixon@ctpost.com Twitter: @KenDixonCT
As customers enjoyed their Saturday afternoon at Staten Island Mall and prepared to enjoy their meals, a raucous, maskless crowd of dozens opposing New York City's indoor vaccination mandate stormed into the mall while chanting, "U-S-A!"

Their goal: to eat at the food court without showing proof of vaccination.

"Everybody go get food and eat. That is what we're here to do!" one woman said to the group, according to a video from freelance journalist Oliya Scootercaster. "We're going to meet over there and go into the food court area and sit our butts down and stay as long as we like!"

Videos posted to social media show the protesters marching into Staten Island Mall in defiance of the city's indoor dining vaccination mandate. Although people are not required to show proof of vaccination or wear masks inside the mall, they do need to show proof of immunization to eat at the food court. Some chanted, "My body, my choice," while others recited the Pledge of Allegiance.

"We shouldn't be carrying papers or showing papers because we live in America and we are the land of the free," one demonstrator said to the group, according to video.

Brookfield Properties, the operator of the Staten Island Mall, did not immediately respond to a request for comment Sunday.

The anti-mandate demonstration at the mall food court is the latest public instance of resistance from those opposing vaccine and mask mandates, even as the country is averaging more than 119,000 new coronavirus cases a day. Vaccine mandates are a hot-button topic across the country as government officials and public health experts continue to grapple with hesitancy among the millions who remain unvaccinated. The battle over vaccine and mask mandates has been fraught nationwide, playing out in schools, restaurants, airplanes and other public spaces each day.

The scene in Staten Island - a borough largely sympathetic to former president Donald Trump - shed light on some of the opposition to New York City's mandate that requires proof of at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine for various indoor activities for workers and customers, including indoor dining and gyms.

New York City was the first in the United States to enforce this mandate Sept. 13, as part of Mayor Bill de Blasio's efforts to get more residents vaccinated at a time when the highly transmissible delta variant has led to a surge in infections nationwide.

De Blasio, D, has also asked city workers to get immunized or tested weekly, and has even offered $100 to incentivize people to get the shots.

"If you want to participate in our society fully, you've got to get vaccinated," he said at a news conference in August. "It's time."

Other cities such as San Francisco have followed suit.

Scootercaster, who was at the scene, wrote on Twitter that the dozens who entered Staten Island Mall were not asked to show vaccination cards, despite a sign at the entrance stating that it is required.

Clips posted to Twitter show demonstrators expressing support for Trump and using expletives to denounce President Joe Biden.

A male protester wielding a large American flag said he opposed mask mandates for children in schools and vaccine requirements, and falsely claimed that the vaccines have not been tested. Health agencies have repeatedly said the vaccines have been thoroughly tested, and the Food and Drug Administration gave full approval to the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine last month.

"I don't like experiments," he said.

Vaccine mandates have also caused political division across party lines in New York state, which was once the epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic last year. Although former governor Andrew M. Cuomo and de Blasio pushed for strict coronavirus restrictions, Republican politicians in the state have fiercely opposed them. Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, R-N.Y., whose district includes Staten Island, has called the city's vaccination policy an "overreach" and argued that it will burden businesses that are already struggling to recover from financial losses from last year.

She was among other Staten Island elected officials who announced last month their plan to sue New York City to try to block the vaccine mandate, claiming it infringes on citizens' rights.

The incident Saturday is not the first time residents and businesses have opposed coronavirus restrictions in Staten Island. In December, hundreds of mostly maskless demonstrators stood outside a bar to oppose the state's coronavirus guidelines and to show their support for the tavern, which had been shut down for defying those guidelines.

"The people have rights!" one protester yelled, according to the New York Daily News. "Open the door, I'm thirsty!"




Haiti - FLASH : The First Baptist Church of Port-au-Prince victim of heavily armed men





Early Sunday, September 26, 2021, deacon Sylner Lafaille (60) and his wife Sister Marie Marthe Laurent Lafaille, who accompanied him, as they prepared to enter the First Baptist Church of Port-au-Prince located in the Reunion Street near the National Palace, for the celebration of the first service were attacked by heavily armed individuals.



Unsuccessfully trying to oppose the bandits who wanted to kidnap his wife, deacon Sylner Lafaille was cowardly gunned down before the people fled, kidnapping his wife.



Inside the church, the attack and the gunfire caused widespread panic among the faithful, many fainting, others seeking to hide, and others injuring themselves in their flight.



Rushed to the General Hospital, Deacon Lafaille unfortunately succumbed to his injuries.



Reacting to this murderous attack, the Office for the Protection of the Citizen (OPC), "expressed its indignation and its anger" and asked those who in fact hold the power to take stock of their bitter failure in terms of security and protection of the lives of people deploring "After the tragedy that occurred at the Baptist Church of the Reunion Street, considered a holy place and inviolable space, no place is protected. Churches, schools, universities, radio and TV stations, public and private offices, shops are exposed to the fury of armed bandits operating with impunity."



Note that this is the second attack on a place of worship after the kidnapping on April 1 of 6 people (recorded on live video) https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-33390-haiti-flash-live-kidnapping-of-4-people-during-a-religious-service-video.html at the Galaad Adventist Church of Diquini (Gospel Kreyol Ministry of Dikini) in the commune of Carrefour.



See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-33390-haiti-flash-live-kidnapping-of-4-people-during-a-religious-service-video.html



S/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - Politic : The President of Mexico urges the UN to face the Haitian crisis





Mexican President Manuel Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador urged the United Nations (UN) to address the crisis in Haiti "Something must be done and the UN is taking too long" said the President of Mexico, adding that the objective is "to change the policy which has been applied for many, many years and which has not produced results."



He also indicated that Mexico intends to address the issue comprehensively. "We want the underlying problem to be addressed so that Haitians are no longer forced to emigrate, because otherwise we will continue to obtain the same results."



These statements by Lopez Obrador were made after Costa Rica, Panama and the Dominican Republic signed an alliance on Wednesday, September 21, 2021 for dialogue and cooperation on development and democracy issues, advocating for solutions for Haiti.



Note that the Presidents of these three countries have issued a joint declaration in which they express their deep concern about "the crisis that Haiti is going through and the growing impact it has on the region, in particular the serious migratory consequences".



See also :

hhttps://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34822-haiti-dr-president-abinader-urges-un-countries-to-assume-haiti-once-and-for-all.html

https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-34795-icihaiti-dr-haiti-generates-a-danger-for-the-region-and-in-particular-for-the-dr.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34770-haiti-flash-thousands-of-haitian-migrants-detained-in-the-usa-in-a-makeshift-camp.html

https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-34757-icihaiti-dr-3-398-illegal-haitians-repatriated-to-haiti-in-10-days.html



SL/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - Mexico : Haiti will open consulates in the States of Chiapas and Tabasco





During a tour Thursday and Friday September 14, 2021, the Embassy of Haiti in Mexico accompanied by representatives of the National Institute of Migration (INM) and the Ministry of External Relations (SRE) visited the local delegation of the INM at Talisman (border with Guatemala), then at the local border port before visiting the facilities of the "Siglo XXI" migratory station, as well as a place of accommodation for migrant families.



During this tour, the Embassy of Haiti announced the opening of consular offices in the States of Chiapas (South, border with Guatemala) and Tabasco (South-East), in order to meet the needs of the many Haitian migrants. that are found in these regions.



In addition, the assisted return flights initiated by Mexico in 2017 https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-20256-haiti-flash-mexico-offers-assisted-return-to-haitians.html will be reactivated, from Tapachula, Chiapas and Villahermosa, Tabasco to Port-au-Prince from this week for Haitians who would like to return voluntarily to their country.



Note that these decisions are part of the commitments made during the establishment of the permanent dialogue table https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34780-haiti-mexico-establishment-of-a-permanent-dialogue-table-on-haitian-migration.html on the sidelines of the 6th Summit of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC)



See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34780-haiti-mexico-establishment-of-a-permanent-dialogue-table-on-haitian-migration.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-20256-haiti-flash-mexico-offers-assisted-return-to-haitians.html



SL/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - News : Zapping...





Me Marie Suzy Legros re-elected to the P-a-P Bar

Friday, September 24, 2021, Me Marie Suzy Legros was re-elected to the Bar of the lawyers of Port-au-Prince during the elections organized at the Montana hotel with a score of 139 votes. His rival Me Jacquenet Oxilus only obtained 40.



New Ambassador of Canada to Haiti

The Government of Canada has appointed career diplomat Sebastien Carriere as its new ambassador to Haiti. In a few weeks he will replace Ambassador Stuart Savage, at the end of his mission. "I renew my gratitude to the Canadian Government for its support to our country, within the framework of friendly and united relations between our two peoples. I therefore wish Ambassador Savage a good and fruitful continuation in his diplomatic career. I would like to thank Ambassador Stuart Savage for his invaluable work accomplished during his mission at the Embassy of Canada in our country," said Prime Minister a.i. Ariel Henry.



Risk management at Caracol Industrial Park

Working meeting of the American delegation at the Caracol Industrial Park (PIC) with the managers of the "risk and disaster" unit of the Park. The discussions focused in particular on the management of fire risks in the industrial park, the training of Caracol firefighters, the purchase of various equipment for the Fire station and on the possibilities of partnership between the Town Hall of Cap-Haitien, Build Better Haiti and the Caracol Industrial Park. The delegation left for the United States on Sunday afternoon, September 26, 2021.



USA : Nothing planned to replace Daniel Foote

Assistant Secretary of State Wendy Sherman, the second-most senior official in the State Department, said the Biden Administration currently has no plans to replace Special Envoy to Haiti Daniel Foote following his resignation https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34820-haiti-flash-us-special-envoy-to-haiti-daniel-foote-resigns.html "I do not know if we need a replacement" she asked...



USA : Training of the Haitian Coast Guard

The Office for Security Cooperation (SCO) has supported a mobile team of trainers from the "U.S. Coast Guard" last week in training the Haitian Coast Guard on small boats. Through this partnership, the United States wishes to help them strengthen their capacities for monitoring and regulating migration and securing Haitian ports.



"10 most remarkable young people in Haiti"

Friday, September 24, 2021, the Junior Chamber International launched the 9th edition of the "Haiti's 10 most remarkable young people" competition (TOYP 2021).



HL/ HaitiLibre


















By Ishani Sarkar | Published on 2021/09/26

With the growing popularity of Korean dramas, Korean actors are always making the headlines for their ongoing and upcoming projects. Whenever there's news about casting, brand reputation rankings, award shows and more, there are always some actors that stay on top of all the buzz. Here are 10 of the most talked-about Korean celebrities at the moment, ranked in no particular order.

Advertisement

Wi Ha-joon

Wi Ha-joon most recently appeared on Netflix's latest Korean original series "Squid Game" where he played the character of Hwang Joon-ho, a police detective who goes undercover into the eponymous "Game" to find the whereabouts of his missing older brother. Not only was his character one of the most well-written ones in the drama but he also portrayed it so brilliantly that we cannot help but hope for him to return for the second season. The actor drew a lot of attention for both his performance as well as his visuals.

Kim Go-eun

Kim Go-eun is currently appearing in the webtoon based drama "Yumi's Cells" where she plays the role of the leading lady of the story, Kim Yu-mi. The way she has embodied the character completely is definitely making it easy for fans of both the drama and the webtoon to relate to her. As this is her comeback drama after quite a while, fans have been pouring out their love and support for her relentlessly.

Kim Seon-ho

Kim Seon-ho, who gained immense love and affection from fans after his role in "Start Up" as the second male lead Han Ji-pyeong, is currently appearing in "Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha" alongside top actress Shin Min-a. His talent and charms are truly shining in his role as Hong Doo-sik which is definitely a reason for his fans to rejoice.

Jung Ho-yeon

Jung Ho-yeon most recently appeared in "Squid Game" where she played Kang Sae-byeok, one of the central protagonists of the story. Her character is a North Korean defector who is trying to get her mother out of North Korea with the help of brokers. Jung Ho-yeon imbued her character with so much depth, complexity and richness that it left a lasting impression on viewers. "Squid Game" is Jung Ho-yeon's first ever acting project, which came as quite a surprise to fans since her acting was as good as an actor who has been working in the industry for a long time.

Han So-hee

Han So-hee has a knack for choosing projects that are guaranteed to be successful. From "The World of the Married" to "Nevertheless", the actress has been a force to be reckoned with. Now, she is all set to return for her next Netflix original, "My Name", which is garnering more and more attention as the release date comes closer.

Cho Jung-seok

Recently, "Hospital Playlist Season 2" aired its final episode, giving fans the beautiful happy endings they have been waiting for. While all the actors were equally talked about after the finale, Cho Jung-seok was definitely one of the most popular names. Evidently, fans are going to remember Ik-joon forever.

Kim Yoo-jung

Kim Yoo-jung is currently appearing in "Lovers of the Red Sky" alongside Ahn Hyo-seop. She plays Hong Chun-gi, a female painter in Joseon who is blessed with divine powers. Even before the drama started airing, the actress attracted a lot of attention from fans. Now that it has officially premiered, fans cannot help but swoon over her otherworldly visuals in traditional Korean clothing.

Namgoong Min

Namgoong Min's latest work "The Veil" has only recently started airing and fans are already in awe of his amazing physical transformation. Netizens have been discussing his incredibly well-built body on online communities and forums besides of course, his performance in the drama. With how gripping "The Veil" is, it is going to be a treat to watch, especially with Namgoong Min.

Rowoon

Rowoon's upcoming work alongside actress Park Eun-bin is a refreshing historical drama about a young woman who has to disguise as her twin brother, the Crown Prince and her royal tutor who starts to see right through her. It is called "The King's Affection" and will be available for streaming on Netflix. It is set to premiere on October 11, 2021. Fans have been anticipating this drama for quite a while now and with official posters, stills and teasers out, excitement is at its peak. Owing to his wide fanbase, Rowoon is gaining more and more popularity as the premiere date for "The King's Affection" comes closer.

Kim Min-jae-I

Kim Min-jae-I's latest work "Dali and Cocky Prince" officially started its broadcast on and from the 22nd of September, 2021 and fans are already in love with the drama. It was highly anticipated, thanks to the star-studded cast and from the first episode itself, it has delivered on fans' expectations. With the amount of love that is being showered on the drama, it will be interesting to see how the story develops.

By Ishani Sarkar
Login or sign up to follow actresses, movies & dramas and get specific updates and news

Login Sign Up

Email

Password

Password Username Your E-mail will only be used to retrieve a lost password.

Stay logged in

Help
Korean Movie | 2021

 Drama

Directed by Yuya Ishii ()

128min | Release date in South Korea: 2021/10/28

Synopsis

Tsuyoshi (Sosuke Ikematsu), who recklessly flew to Korea with his son believing in the words of his brother Toru (Joe Odagiri), who said he was doing well as a business in Seoul, is on the verge of throwing himself on the unfamiliar streets of Seoul because his brother was scammed by his partner.



Then Toru seduces Tsuyoshi, who was frustrated by saying that he had a brilliant business item, and heads to Gangneung, and meets three siblings Sol (Choi Hee-seo), Bom (Kim Ye-eun), and Jung-woo (Kim Min-jae) who are filled with stories on the train to accompanies him.



A fate that happened in a life full of bad luck!

When were desperate for miracles, we meet!
Liberty County Disaster and Emergency Services Manager Sarah Robbin speaks Sunday at a press conference in Chester about Saturday's Amtrak derailment near Joplin.

Gov. Greg Gianforte, along with local officials and first responders, held a press conference at Liberty Community and Senior Center Sunday afternoon to address the Amtrak derailment Saturday that killed three.

Gianforte said his thoughts and prayers, as well as those of all Montanans, are with those affected by this derailment, and offered his thanks and praise to the volunteers and the larger Hi-Line community for their work over the previous 24 hours.

He said first responders from counties across the Hi-Line assisted with the situation, most of them working through the night with not a wink of sleep in order to get people the care they needed.

"This was an all-of-the-Hi-Line effort," he said, praising those present and not. "You made Montana proud."

Havre Daily News/Colin Thompson Gov. Greg Gianforte conducts a press conference Sunday in Chester about Saturday's Amtrak derailment near Joplin.

Gianforte said it wasn't just the first responders, but everyday community members who came to help however they could.

"This town, community and, in fact the entire Hi-Line stepped up," he said.

Gianforte said Montanans have faced great challenges over the last 18 months but their resilience comes through, and that showed Saturday.

He said the cause of the derailment is still being investigated and said these kinds of investigations are typically completed within nine days or so, but he has no way of predicting anything beyond that.

However, he said, the state will coordinate with Amtrak and BNSF along with local officials to find out what happened and get the track operational as soon as practically possible.

The Empire Builder runs along tracks owned by BNSF Railway as it runs along the Hi-Line on its route between Chicago and Portland, Oregon, and Seattle.
A short while ago, the International Water Forum in North and East Syria was launched, held at Sardam Cultural Hall in Hasakah city, north and east of Syria, under the auspices of the Local Administration and Environment Body in Jazregion, with the participation of Rojava University and the Euphrates Center for Studies.

With the completion of the arrival of delegations and delegates to the hall, whose number reached more than 300 people, the work of the International Water Forum began in north and east Syria with the speech of the preparatory committee for the forum, delivered by the co-chair of the Local Administration and Environment Authority, Suleiman Arab, who welcomed the guests.

Arab said: "The first human civilizations arose on the banks of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers thousands of years ago. As you know, water is an essential lifeline for the various ecological and social systems in the world. Its scarcity and resources are one of the most important challenges facing human societies."

He added, "The Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria is facing serious challenges due to climatic changes and their negative effects on the environment and life, as well as the increase in population growth and the massive movement of displacement from inside Syria, in addition to the scarcity of fresh water, which has become an issue of the expansion of the water gap almost completely."

Arab added, "There are other challenges facing NE, Syria in this context, represented by the Turkish occupation and the increase in its terrorist activity and the security conditions that accompanied it and had a significant impact on the difficulty of managing and operating the water system and networks."

He added, "The water situation in the north and east of Syria and the Autonomous Administration region is very critical in light of the scarcity of its sources and droughts, and it is subject to the political will of the countries that control their sources, water basins and groundwater."

Arab stressed that the purpose and objective of the forum is to reach a realistic and future vision of the available opportunities and capabilities, reduce this crisis, overcome current and future challenges, create a kind of water balance in the region, shed light on international charters and agreements on water, and direct attention towards regional policies and the war on water monopoly and its exploitation in political and economic differences, and the social effects of scarcity.

The co-chair of the Local Administration and Environment Body, Suleiman Arab, indicated that the forum has made all the necessary arrangements to form a follow-up committee emanating from the forum to follow up on the results and recommendations of the forum and achieve its goals.

T/S

ANHA
The announcement came during an expanded gathering organized by the Peoples' Democratic Party in the Turkish capital, Ankara, in which members of the central body, parliamentarians and mayors of the party participated.

The "Declaration of Justice, Peace and Democracy" issued by the party was read during the rally, which includes the party's vision of various issues in Turkey and Kurdistan and ways to solve them, which is the party's future program.

The text of the ad stated:

As Peoples Democratic Party (HDP), we have visited all parts of the country  villages, towns and cities-- in the last few months and held meetings with citizens from all walks of life  from workers, women, the youth, tradespeople, and opinion leaders to representatives of the civil society and democratic mass organizations -- in order to discuss and find solutions to political, economic, and social problems towards building a democratic country.

Our peoples are grappling with conditions of intertwined and multiple crises such as the coronavirus pandemic, floods, fires, drought, unemployment, high cost of living, poverty, corruption, lack of accommodation for university students, racism, discrimination, sexism, prohibitions, tyranny and violence. We have listened to our peoples cries that are being stifled by the government as well as their solution proposals to overcome such crises.

We have observed that our peoples are full of hope and have the determination to not bow down to oppression, to turn crisis into an opportunity to win the future, to produce solutions to political, economic and social problems, and to pave the way that leads to democracy.

We have determined that at a time when the society is almost suffocating and the wreckage is looming large in many areas from economy to politics, the general expectation, need and demand of the people center around an urgent democratic change and transformation.

We have noted that the upcoming period and elections are viewed by our people as one of the most important turning points for the establishment of a democratic republic. We have also seen that our people consider the upcoming elections as a new beginning, and an opportunity for the opening of democratic ways to resolve existing problems.

The fact that large segments of the society emphasize the HDPs being the key in the new democratic beginning with its deliberative approach and the need for the HDP to assume and fulfill the role of a founding political actor and a solution force increases our responsibility.

 For the parliame

ntary elections, under the motto of Democracy Alliance and based on an understanding of an alliance of peoples and peace, of womens solidarity, and ecology, we are determined to broaden the ground for collective struggle and to achieve the largest alliance with the social and political opposition and the labor, womens, and youth movements, and we remain committed to maintaining our strong march on this path. We openly emphasize that we do not seek to find a place in any other alliance [than the Democracy Alliance] for the parliamentary elections.

We want to change the Executive Presidential System together with the structures that feed it, which we believe seeks to make arbitrariness and tyranny institutionalized and permanent and is thus the primary reason behind the multiple crises and the deadlock we face. Our objective is to replace this authoritarian and monistic system, which hands over all powers and the ultimate decision-making authority to one single man, with a strong democracy, a pluralistic democratic system.

 Within this context, the contemporary situation necessitates achieving a principled consensus for the Presidential elections, as HDP voters have a key role in determining the countrys future. Regardless of whether the presidential candidate is affiliated with the HDP or not, we believe that we need to discuss principles and methods rather than the names of potential candidates. Democratic transformation cannot be achieved through individuals; such transformation will come through negotiations and consensus-building on principles and methods. The elected President can properly fulfill his/her role and function only on this ground.

It is our political responsibility to share with all political actors and the broader public the principles for the transitional period ahead, principles that encompass the aforementioned observations.

A STRONG DEMOCRACY: We believe that Turkeys fundamental need is to achieve a strong democracy based on the principles of participation, negotiation and democratic consensus, where universal fundamental rights and freedoms are ensured in the widest way possible. Within this framework, we envision a democratic parliamentary system that warrants a pluralistic parliament with broad authorities, ensures the separation of powers, and implements an effective system of checks and balances.

A strong democracy also requires an understanding of subsidiarity and local government. This is why the principle of the separation of powers should be expanded so as to include local governments; authorities and resources should be delegated to the local governments; and local participatory mechanisms should function fully in a strong local democracy. It would be impossible to build a strong democracy without these.

AN IMPARTIAL AND INDEPENDENT JUDICIARY: The Judiciary is under the tutelage of the Executive. The understanding in power has destroyed justice in every sense by redesigning politics and the society through the judiciary while turning the judiciary into an instrument to liquidate the opposition. That is why all politically motivated trials, convictions and their consequences should be rescinded as a necessity towards restoring justice and social peace. To address injustices and right the wrongs, it is also an urgent need to comply with the decisions and recommendations of international institutions, first and foremost those of the the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR), and the Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT), regarding rights violations, unlawful prison conditions, solitary confinement, and the like.

PEOPLES WILL INSTEAD OF THE REGIME OF TRUSTEES: Legal amendments must be introduced as a matter of urgency to put an end to the regime of trustees which has permeated many institutions from local authorities and universities and civil society organizations, violates the right to elect and be elected, usurps the will of the people, disregards the electoral justice. Steps must also be taken to redress the damage inflicted by this regime and the rights of the victims of the trusteeship must be restored.

4. A DEMOCRATIC RESOLUTION OF THE KURDISH ISSUE: The most deeply-rooted issue Turkey needs to resolve is the Kurdish issue. HDP is committed to a democratic resolution and peace and stands ready to do whatever it can, to assume a constructive role that takes into consideration problems and concerns of all segments of the society in Turkey. Establishing a dialogue with interlocutors for the resolution of this problem is directly linked to and intertwined with the democratization of the republic. Instead of policies of denial and repression, steps for a democratic and peaceful resolution must be taken. The Parliament should lay the foundations for dialogue and resolution and by utilizing democratic negotiation methods it should facilitate and be the focus of efforts to win over the future for the society at large. Within this perspective, all universal identity-related rights (chief among them the right to mother-tongue) should be guaranteed by introducing the necessary legal arrangements.

6.Instead of policies of war, arms and conflict, options of dialogue and negotiation impose themselves from a historical point of view, and as such are vitally important. For this, by taking into account the interests of peoples of Turkey and their future, everybody should make the necessary sacrifices and take action. It is our principle to resolve our differences by talking, by negotiating and by dialogue rather than violence.

A PEACEFUL FOREIGN POLICY: Strategies that are pro-peace at home, in the region and the world and that are based on long-term cooperation should be the basis of the foreign policy understanding of the new era. It is to the benefit of us all to move away from adventurous policies that are based on war and conflict, and the show of military might with other countries, most importantly with our neighbours. Instead, we need to pursue a strong and principled diplomacy, dialogue and peaceful policies based on improved relations in every field.

FREEDOM AND EQUALITY FOR WOMEN: Rights pertaining to gender equality and freedom for women should be assured in every way possible and to achieve equality in representation the practice of co-chairship should be disseminated further. At the same time, it is a necessity to fight against systematic male violence towards women and femicides. Re-enacting the Istanbul Convention and implementing it fully, eliminating political, administrative, economic and cultural barriers in front of gender equality are among the urgent first steps that need to be taken.

FAIRNESS IN ECONOMY: It is imperative to implement policies that will root out the precariousness and despondency created by the economic crisis. With the aim of increasing employment and ensuring fair distribution of wealth a Fair Distribution Program that will eradicate unemployment and poverty is the biggest social need. Budgetary resources should be mobilized to achieve the economic welfare of the people rather than palaces, wars and cronies. Basic needs such as electricity, natural gas, water and internet should be provided free of charge as part of a Social Rights Program which should be extended to those in need. Solving problems of victims of Delayed Pension Age, victims of student debt and teachers who have not been appointed are the urgent needs of the society. Improving the living conditions of pensioners, relieving the debt of farmers accrued due to wrongful policies, supporting tradespeople whose grievances have been tremendously aggravated during the pandemic are some of the first steps that need to be taken. It is also imperative to implement policies to eradicate womens poverty and to ensure their active participation in the workforce. Unionization, collective bargaining and the right to strike must also be ensured in line with universal standards.

MERIT IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION: Public administration should not be the domain of recruitment for cronies under the monopoly of the ruling bloc. Grievances of those expelled from public duty due to political motives and decree-laws should be redressed, all sorts of discrimination in public recruitment and appointments should be stopped and merit should be made the only basis.

RESPECT FOR NATURE: State of emergency must be announced in the face of the climate crisis. Projects (chief among them Kanal Istanbul) that cause rampant exploitation of nature and the environment, damage forests, agricultural areas and rivers for profit, that upset the ecological balance should be stopped. Energy, transportation, urbanization and agriculture-related policies should be based on a nature rights-focused approach. Every living beings right to survival within a healthy ecosystem should be ensured through effective policymaking. Forest fires, floods can only be stopped thus.

11. FREEDOM FOR YOUTH: The life preferences of the young should be respected, they should be able to express themselves and live freely. To ensure this, all barriers in economic, social and political domains should be eradicated with a special focus on education and culture. Shortcomings of the educational system must be addressed and improved. For a free and safe life, these are indispensable. Young people should also be supported economically, they should be included in administration in every field, which will help creative and progressive ideas to hold sway in society.

A DEMOCRATIC CONSTITUTION: A civilian, libertarian and new constitution, a social contract in the true sense of the word will be the harbinger of a new beginning and the crowning achievement of democratization in Turkey. This constitution should be based on equal citizenship with respect towards different cultures, identities, faiths and native languages, ways of life and a secular way of life. Drafting of the constitution should include all segments of the society and should be executed with a method that is based on democratic participation and social negotiation.

A CALL FOR DEMOCRACY, JUSTICE AND PEACE...

In light of these principles, we share with the public how we view the new period and the kind of administrative approach we would like to see.

The primary objective and commitment of HDP in light of these transitional period principles are strong democracy, a justice system that is up to universal standards, and lasting social peace. By turning democracy and peace into a strategic goal and a program we can achieve a democratic and social republic.

We emphasize that we as HDP stand ready to talk to and negotiate with all social parties and political actors who are in favor of implementing principles cited above, to walk together with them and we remain ready for joint struggle and administration.

This is our call to all institutions, organizations and parties that care about Turkeys bright future, as well as individual citizens. Let us assume responsibility all together. Instead of personal calculations and partisan pragmatism let us make sure that common sense and building together are our guiding principles. Peoples of Turkey are not obliged to policies and administrations that do not produce solutions, that move away from common sense, nor to discrimination, hate speech and social polarization.

All Together for Democracy

All Together for Justice

All Together for Peace

Pervin Buldan  Mithat Sancar

HDP Co-chairs

Ankara, 27 September 2021
New law permits adult beverage social districts we could see here

More convenient takeout options, sidewalk tables and even expanding dining space into parking lots became part of life in the pandemic economy.

Now, a new state law has added social districts to the dining and beverage landscape  outside areas where folks may consume alcohol on sidewalks in designated areas.

Sponsored by Rep. Tim Moffitt, who represents Henderson County, the social district concept was part of a major ABC reform package adopted by the Legislature this session and signed by Gov. Roy Cooper on Sept. 10.

Moffitt, who was elected to the state House last November, took up many of the ABC reform measures that had been championed by Rep. Chuck McGrady, whom Moffitt replaced. Moffitt himself had worked on liquor law reform during his two terms representing Buncombe County.

Traditionally in North Carolina, laws governing on-premise consumption of alcohol meant that the beverage could only be consumed within the walls of a restaurant, or at patio or sidewalk tables. During emergency orders under the coronavirus pandemic last year, Gov. Roy Cooper allowed restaurants to extend their serving areas onto sidewalks and even parking lots, in order to accommodate better spacing.

I really thought that was an effective way to really allow restaurants and bars to provide a completely different experience for their customers, Moffitt said. The ABC reform makes those changes permanent and allows social districts that cities or counties would designate and oversee based on plans approved by the state ABC Commission.

Under the law, it would be possible to create 2-3 blocks as a social district that really allow folks to have their adult beverage of choice walking along the sidewalks, shopping with our retailers and enjoying the finer aspects of our restaurants, Moffitt said. So if you have a cup of beer from a restaurant you can leave with that in the social district as its defined by local officials.  It has to be clearly marked so law enforcement would have the opportunity to know where the boundaries are.

The law require specific rules, including:

 Clear signage spelling out the boundaries of the social district, the days and hours when alcoholic beverages may be consumed and phone numbers of local law enforcement and the state Alcohol Law Enforcement agency.

 A management and maintenance plan adopted by the local jurisdiction that ensures the district is maintained in a manner that protects the health and safety of the general public.

 A detailed map, submitted to the ABC Commission, showing the boundaries of the social district and its hours.

Asked whether the districts might suit Hendersonville, Moffitt said, Thats up to the City Council.

Part of the design of the bill was to not only give more individual liberty to folks back home but also to give some responsibility to our local elected officials in regards to crafting social districts, he said. In Hendersonville, downtown has grown so much and there are lots of restaurants that seem to be congregated roughly in the same area.

SUBHED

It can be done safely

In interviews, a majority of the City Council said they are open to exploring the idea of social districts on Main Street and in the Historic Seventh Avenue District, which be getting a streetscape make over this fall.

I do, 100 percent support exploring the idea, council member Jennifer Hensley said. She sees a review of the concept fitting into a broader look at downtown in the context of the Seventh Avenue, new parking deck, Main Street parking meters and zoning amendments aimed at broadening allowable commercial uses downtown.

We are in this next year going to be really talking about planning for the downtown area in general, including all of Main Street and the entire Seventh Avenue District, Hensley said. Im optimistic about it. My personal opinion is it can be done and it can be done safely and it can provide good revenue stream for the businesses and the community.

Lyndsey Simpson, who serves as the council liaison on the Downtown Advisory Committee, looks forward to gauging the reaction of downtown restaurateurs, brewery owners and other retailers.

Its tricky. I think that theres plenty of times that would probably serve the downtown well  look at Rhythm & Brews, she said. But theres also a lot of logistics and liability and all sorts of things. Its one of those that I think we would be interested in exploring but wed really have to put some parameters in to make sure its safe.

Weve spoken about it briefly with the downtown advisory board and I think there is interest in it, she said. I havent heard anyone say, We really want to do this or we dont want to do this. We would have to discuss it as a group, probably take some more polls within the downtown businesses and downtown business owners. She would also support polling restaurant and bar owners in cities where social districts exist to find out: How has it gone for you? Did you see a difference in (the number of) people that came into town?

Jeff Miller, who is retiring from the council in December, said hed support the council exploring the idea.

There has been some preliminary discussion but there hasnt been any organized discussion, he said. Its something we already said we would be interested in talking about just to look at. I know theres some concern from people that dont want it to be too free-wheeling. Its definitely something to look at to see how it would fit if it would fit. Im a short timer so I dont know how much we could get done.

City Manager John Connet said he and the citys downtown economic development team have been watching Moffitts bill and waiting to see if it became law.

My guess is there will be some discussion about it, Connet said. Wed share it with the downtown advisory board and the council. We could absolutely look at that. Wed talk to businesses about if thats something they want, we could definitely take it to the City Council.

Two-beer rule is relationship saver

Moffitt describes his regulatory reform approach as seeking simple solutions for complex problems. The comprehensive ABC reform bill, besides creating social districts, puts distilleries on more even footing with breweries and wineries in their ability to serve and sell their product on-premises, allows online ordering from ABC stores that are set up to take those orders and fixes the one-beer limit at stadium vendors.

Most people dont realize we have close to 90 different distilleries in our state and as an agribusiness theyre the fastest growing, he said.

The comprehensive ABC reform bill was made up of eight or nine separate bills that Moffitt steered through the House. After the Senate combined them into one bill, both chambers passed the reform measure in strong bipartisan votes.

A lot of people are talking about the two-beer allowance, Moffitt said. The bill fixed what was widely regarded as a burdensome and unnecessary state law that barred fans at public university stadiums and arenas from buying more than one beer at a time. The new law makes it two.

Some people refer to that as the relationship saver, Moffitt quipped. It really didnt make sense. It made for very long lines and very disgruntled patrons. Again, its a simple solution to a problem that became complex in regards to long lines and the crowds. My approach has been more on the individual liberty side, believing in personal responsibility but also believing in free enterprise.
MORE than 700 tickets have been sold by the Regal Picturehouse cinema in Henley for the opening weekend of the new James Bond film.

No Time to Die, the 25th film in the series, stars Daniel Craig in his fifth and final outing as the fictional British MI6 agent. The films release has been delayed twice, initially by the original directors departure and then by the coronavirus pandemic.

The world premiere will be held at the Royal Albert Hall in London on Tuesday and the film will be released in cinemas on Thursday.

The Picturehouse in Boroma Way is showing the film eight times day during the first week.

Marketing manager Levi McAndrew-Brown said: Weve only been on sale since Monday and tickets are selling at a good pace.

Its a major film that people have been talking about for so long and it has been delayed so many times, people are really excited about it.

For many this will be the first time back at the cinema after the pandemic and it will be a way to celebrate.
THE first question that many people ask about a new green future of emissions-free transport, climate-friendly heating, super-insulated homes and sustainable electricity production is How much will it all cost? and, even more importantly, Who is going to pay for it?

The answer is a very great deal and investment will come from many sources. The Governments 10-point Plan for a Green Industrial Revolution offers

12 billion in funding, which it hopes will be matched by three times from the private sector.

Government funding is concentrating on kick-starting the low carbon technologies that will power the future through encouraging innovation via the Net Zero Innovation Portfolio (www.gov.uk/government/collections/net-zero-innovation-portfolio).

You may have seen the small, hydrogen-powered, driverless submarine designed to carry freight through shallow waters that recently won funding for development.

More established technologies such as air and ground source heat pumps, electric cars and solar panels are improving in design and becoming cheaper as they become mass market, making their adoption easier and comparable in cost for ordinary householders to their fossil fuel burning equivalents.

Any period involving great innovation offers opportunities for investment and the green revolution is no different. This year, the Treasury is to issue sovereign green gilts and green savings bonds via National Savings and Investments.

The proceeds of these, besides providing a return for investors and savers, will be used to finance only eligible green projects, giving ordinary people the chance to directly finance green innovation.

If you want to invest directly in specific green innovation projects, you can also do so via crowdfunding platforms such as Abundance Investment (www.abundanceinvestment.com).

Abundance offers the opportunity to invest in a variety of energy saving and sustainable energy generation projects, for example, a project to install energy efficient LED lighting at growers Global Berry, enabling their greenhouses to grow UK strawberries all year round.

Abundance offers a useful marketplace as well where shares in existing projects can be bought and sold.

Even closer to home opportunities exist for investing in local green energy projects.

Reading Community Energy installs solar panels paid for by public subscription and has 22 solar panel systems on local rooftops.

Reading Hydro used public subscription to raise the money to install twin-screw Archimedes turbines in the River Thames at Reading, which will generate 320 megawatt hours of energy per year.

Sale of the power generated then provides a return to the investors.

Reading Hydro is a community benefit society and aims to cover costs,m not make large profits.

I tried very hard to get some more shares when they were advertised earlier this year. Its testament to the number of people keen to invest in the green economy that they were sold out within days and I was disappointed.

In Henley, the town councils climate emergency working group has a community benefit society of its own, Chiltern Hills Community Energy, which is aiming to raise money by public subscription to put solar panels on local commercial premises.

So, as the old saying goes, Where theres muck, theres brass.

While the green revolution may not offer a lot of muck, it will offer many opportunities for those keen to invest in some exciting new green technologies.
HENLEYS Olympic and Paralympic athletes were warmly welcomed back to the town on Saturday.

Hundreds of people cheered the Team GB rowers as they were paraded through the town centre on an open-top bus.

Roads were closed to traffic temporarily as the beige double-decker made its way slowly from Leander Club, over Henley Bridge and through the streets to the town hall, where the athletes disembarked for a civic ceremony.

Supporters of all ages walked behind and alongside the vehicle while waving Union flags and taking pictures on their phones.

The 27 rowers, who included several medallists from Japan, waved back and took selfies as they laughed and joked on the top deck.

They included silver medallist Harry Leask, who was part of the guard of honour for the Heroes Return event after London 2012.

At the town hall, there were speeches on the steps from Mayor Sarah Miller and Leander captain Jack Beaumont.

The rowers then spent about half an hour chatting with well-wishers, posing for pictures and signing autographs before returning to Leander Club for a private reception.

The rowers described Henley as the home of rowing and said they wanted to express their thanks for the unwavering support they had received, especially during the coronavirus pandemic which led to both Games being postponed for a year.

The Olympians did not live up to their own high standards in Tokyo, winning just one silver and one bronze, with six fourth-place finishes.

However, the Paralympians won two golds.

The day of celebration began with a special breakfast at Leander Club where the athletes reminisced about their exploits on the Sea Forest Waterway.

Ollie Cook, who was in the coxless four that finished fourth, said: Its really nice to have the kind of reception we get from Henley and to have the team back together as we havent been able to see the Paralympians since they got back.

Hattie Taylor, who was in the womens four that also finished fourth, said: Its nice to see all the other rowers and for everyone to be back together.

We had a team homecoming at Wembley but its nice to do something with just the rowers.

I think if you live in Henley youve got something to do with rowing. When were at the Olympics we feel like were representing this area, so its great to come home to them today.

The other athletes were Henry Fieldman, Oli Stanhope, Karen Bennett, Beccy Muzurie, James Rudkin, John Collins, Jacob Dawson, Saskia Budgett , Erin Kennedy, Oliver Wynne Griffith, Rebecca Shorten, Hannah Scott, Tom George, Rowan McKellar, Angus Groom, Ellen Buttrick, Emily Craig, Maddie Arlett, Harry Leask, Josh Bugjaski, Sara Parfitt, Tom Ford, Em Ford and Fi Gammond.

Many of the rowers were tired, having spent Friday night at the Henley Festival but after breakfast were happy to take to the water in their Team GB kit for a ceremonial row-past in two eights and a single scull.

The crews carried their boats out of Leanders boat tent as their names were announced on the loudspeaker and well-wishers were gathered along the towpath.

The athletes rowed upstream to the River & Rowing Museum before turning around at Rod Eyot and heading back downstream as far as Upper Thames Rowing Club and then back to Leander Club.

The exhibition races were watched by spectators, who were lined up along the bridge and both banks.

Some people were gathered at Mill Meadows to watch while others stood at the slipway at the bottom of New Street to get a good view. There were also some spectators in boats. After returning to dry land, the athletes got on the bus, which made its way up Hart Street and then along Bell Street, New Street and Thame Side and back up Hart Street to the town hall.

It was led by members of the Shires British Legion Youth Band, who marched in formation and played songs including Its a Long Way to Tipperary, Quicksilver and the themes from The Great Escape and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

Spectators on the pavements took pictures and waved Union flags as the bus went by and people were peering out of windows above shops to get a good view.

The biggest cheers were given to the Paralympians who won gold.

Graham and Jackie Timbers, of Deanfield Avenue, Henley, watched as the bus went past St Marys Church.

Mrs Timbers said: We stayed up all night to watch the rowing at the Olympics and to now see them in person is just wonderful.

Some drivers who were caught up in traffic congestion by the rolling road closures honked their horns in frustration at having to wait for the bus.

Hundreds of people gathered outside the town hall in Market Place as the bus approached and We Are The Champions was played through speakers. Each rower was introduced to the crowd as they came outside through an archway of blades held by members of Henley Rowing Club.

Leask recalled performing that role nine years ago when he was 16.

He said: In 2012 I was one of the people holding the blades outside the town hall, watching the Olympians walk through, so its really special for me that Im now walking through the archway as one of the Olympians.

The athletes lined up in front of the town hall and were addressed by Councillor Miller.

She praised all the rowers and gave a special mention to Vicky Thornley, from Bix, who recorded the best ever finish by a British female sculler but couldnt be there as she was on holiday with her husband, Ric Egington, a former Olympic rower.

Cllr Miller said: In the Paralympics, the mixed double and mixed coxed four both took gold, Lawrence and Lauren triumphing in an absolutely nail-biting final 500m, fighting your way back from a boat length behind.

And, of course, gold for our mixed four as Ellen, Giedre, James, Oliver and cox Erin secured GBs third successive GB Paralympic title in your class  undefeated since 2010. The Mayor went on to reference the struggles of lockdowns, saying: James [Fox] said that success was a rolling momentum and that phrase has stayed with me.

After the buffeting of the Sea Forest Waterway in Tokyo, and the buffeting we all took in the last 18 months from covid, we are all due a celebration and as crews, as a town and as a country we have that rolling momentum that James was talking about, ready for Paris 2024, ready for what the future will bring to us all.

Weve all come through so much together, our wonderful athletes, the men and women in the arena, every 2km, every set piece, the training on and off the water, the lockdowns, the sacrifices, the loved ones and the battles weve lost along the way, but were still here and were ready for the future.

Olympians, Paralympians, we salute you. Henley salutes you, today, yesterday and tomorrow. We all salute you.

Beaumont, who won a silver medal in the mens quad, apologised to the crowd for the loss of his voice, saying he had enjoyed the Henley Festival on Friday night.

He said: Its great to be back home from Tokyo and to finally be able to spend time in our community after such a long time of restrictions. The pandemic has been turbulent and in many cases

tragic. Last March, when the country closed and life the way we knew it seemed to stop, for us, the show went on.

Locked down for months with just a rowing machine for company, our team of extraordinary athletes trained alone.

Gyms, lakes and rivers were replaced by garages, kitchens and living rooms; hours upon hours of hard graft, all in the pursuit of representing our country at the greatest show on Earth.

Thank you for always backing us, celebrating with us when we win and sharing our disappointments when things dont go our way.

It has been an honour to represent our country and our town and we will keep working our backsides off to give you something to cheer for in the future and to bring back even more gold medals next time.

All of us started rowing as a hobby, a hobby that has now got way out of hand. Were lucky to have several rowing clubs in Henley, so if youre interested and youre excited by what youve seen, please go and find those clubs and give rowing a try.

Beaumont thanked the clubs, volunteers and the National Lottery before hailing Team GBs overall performance, saying to huge cheers that it was not bad for our little island.

The rowers handed out chocolate medals to people in the crowd, posed for pictures and signed autographs.

Carolina and James Forester, of Queen Close, Henley, who were there with their children, Ethan, five, Isabel, two, and Jacob, six, said it was special to meet the athletes in person.

Mrs Foster said: Its just an amazing day and great to see a bit of history happening in front of you in our town.

Julian and Nicola George were in the square with their son Henry to support their rowing nephew Tom George.

Mr George said: I lived in Henley for decades and was involved with rowing through the Seventies and early Eighties.

Were a family of rowers and our daughter Katherine won at the regatta.

Its good for the Olympic rowers to be shown some appreciation because they havent had a lot of it this year.

Mrs George added: Its great to be with Tom and celebrate with them in real life, not just through the telly. Angus Grooms father Glyn, 60, said: It has been a really fantastic day. Its so good of Leander Club and the town to put this on for the rowers.

Pedro Newman, 12, of Goodall Close, Henley, interviewed some of the Paralympians for Gold Dust Radio in Reading with the help of his father Daniel.

Ellen Buttrick, 24, who won gold in the mixed four at the Paralympics, said: Ive lived in Henley since 2019 and I love seeing the community come together to share our success.

I really feel part of town now. I volunteer with a brownies group and some of them are out cheering me on today. Its amazing to get such great support from your own community.

Erin Kennedy, who coxed the mixed four at the Paralympics, said: It was amazing being able to celebrate with the town in the home of rowing and share it with the community.

It has been really surreal because we were out there with no spectators, in isolation, and then weve come back and people and are just so thrilled to see us. Its amazing that people care so much.
After spending the past two seasons with the Pacers, JaKarr Sampson has reached an agreement to play in Italy. Virtus Pallacanestro Bologna announced in a press release that it will sign Sampson to a two-year deal that runs through June 30, 2023.

Jakarr Sampson is a 28 year old athlete, with 200 NBA games of experience, and with characteristics of physicality and dynamism that we believe are useful to our roster, said general manager Paolo Ronci. On behalf of Virtus Segafredo I welcome JaKarr, who will be in Bologna in the next few days after completing the paperwork for the issuance of a visa to enter Italy.

Sampson signed with the Sixers in 2014 after going undrafted out of St. Johns. He also had brief stops with the Nuggets, Kings and Bulls before coming to Indiana in 2019. He got into 29 games last season, starting four, and averaged 4.6 points and 2.7 rebounds in 10.9 minutes per night.

There was a report last month that the Lakers might have interest in Sampson, but without a training camp invitation he decided to play overseas.
Now Open

27 September 2021

WoodSpring Suites, an extended stay brand franchised by Choice Hotels International, Inc. (NYSE: CHH), reached a significant milestone with the opening of its 300th hotel. The achievement was marked yesterday with the grand opening of the WoodSpring Suites Gurnee-Chicago North in Illinois, as well as a ribbon-cutting ceremony with Gurnee Mayor Thomas B. Hood and executives from Choice Hotels, developer Holladay Properties and management company J&P Asset Management.

This latest opening milestone for Choice Hotels' extended stay portfolio further exemplifies the resilience and expansion of the company's extended stay model in the economy and midscale space. As of June 30, 2021, the WoodSpring Suites, MainStay Suites and Suburban Extended Stay brands each have 453, 217, and 86 hotels open or in the pipeline, respectively. Everhome Suites, the company's newest brand launched in 2020, now has 18 hotels in the pipeline and has already awarded 10 franchise agreements this year.

The WoodSpring Suites Gurnee-Chicago North is purpose-built for the unique needs of extended stay travelers and offers the following features:
Supplier News

27 September 2021

SEATTLE  At HITEC Dallas this week, React Mobile will unveil version 2.0 of its workforce safety platform designed to deliver the highest panic button reliability and beacon location accuracy on the market while being radically simpler for hotel workers to use in every way. React Mobile 2.0 will be on display September 28 to 30 in Booth 1723 at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center.

Hotel operators are laser-focused on keeping their valued workforce safe, said React Mobile CEO John Stachowiak. As the leading provider of panic button solutions to hotels worldwide, we knew we had to enhance our solution to ensure the highest standards of reliability and accuracy in case of an emergency. We didnt just make a small tweak here or there; we rebuilt our entire solution from scratch to be unlike any employee safety solution on the market. Its better. Its easier. And those beta testing React Mobile 2.0 say they are blown away by the improvements. Rollout of the software upgrade is FREE to existing customers and will begin in October 2021, with no additional hardware required. We encourage users to call us as soon as possible to get their properties in queue. React Mobile 2.0 is available to new customers immediately.

Four value propositions separate React Mobile 2.0 from other workforce safety platforms on the market:

1. Silent Alarm  Unlike competitors that use noisemakers to deter troublemakers (which oftentimes can escalate the violence), React Mobile 2.0 triggers a silent alarm that brings help without alerting others that a response is coming.

2. Verifiable Dispatch  Once the silent alarm on the panic button has been pressed a light begins flashing red. In less than one second (when a responder receives the alert) the flashing light turns blue, acknowledging to the employee in distress that help is on the way.

3. Confidential System  React Mobile 2.0 prevents panic buttons from being triggered erroneously. By changing the button press pattern (hold down for three seconds or press the button three times within three seconds) false positive alerts are prevented. React Mobile 2.0 also complies with Collective Bargaining Agreements that protect employees from being tracked on a property when not in danger, thereby saving panic button battery life and honoring employee privacy.

4. Instant Activation  In many competitive situations, when a panic button is pressed, someone needs to hear an audible alarm before they can call a dispatcher who may require a conversation while an attack is in progress. This results in a long delay before help is on the way. React Mobile 2.0 delivers the fastest response time compared to other providers.

Customers in Las Vegas and Seattle were eager to test this enhanced safety solution, said React Mobile CTO Riley Eller. Already the platform is proving to have the fastest response time on the market. As such, operators can have new conversations with their insurers and negotiate lower insurance premiums. But the benefits dont stop there. Our software architects designed React Mobile 2.0 so that even those properties still operating with extremely lean workforces can provide help in an instant  including reaching out to first responders for backup. We cant wait to show the new and improved React Mobile 2.0 in Booth 1723 at HITEC. Reactions will be priceless.

React Mobile 2.0 Key Features Include:

A new responder application that will enable employees to receive safety alert notifications on their mobile devices and dispatch help. Management will receive analytics measuring how long it took for the employee to respond to an active alert.

Support for all third-party iBeacons, such as Aruba, Cisco Meraki, and CommScope/RUCKUS  . With iBeacon functionality already existing in the hotels WiFi access points, hoteliers will save up to 90% of workforce safety platform install costs.

. With iBeacon functionality already existing in the hotels WiFi access points, hoteliers will save up to 90% of workforce safety platform install costs. A new, highly sensitive machine-learning back end to greatly increase location accuracy.

A double-redundant alert pipeline to ensure that alerts are dispatched from panic buttons to responders in the fastest time possible. React Mobile 2.0 delivers 99.9% of alerts in less than a half-second.

Single-press LTE buttons to check battery life and identify coverage problems.

Two-way multi-lingual conversations in English, Spanish, French and Chinese. Any language can be supported on request.

Single sign-on (SSO) authentication from existing employee email and password.

Regional operations whereby housekeepers and responders working at multiple properties can use React Mobile 2.0 across the enterprise.

To pre-schedule an appointment to see React Mobile 2.0 at HITEC, click here.

About React Mobile

Founded in 2013, React Mobile is a global leader in providing panic button solutions for hotels. Our best in class hospitality safety platform helps hotels keep their employees safe. The React Mobile system is an open and flexible platform that allows management to deploy response resources to the exact location of an emergency within seconds of an alert, getting help to where its needed anywhere on or off property. In an emergency quick response times are essential and React Mobile gives you the tools to react fast. For more information, visit www.reactmobile.com.
Supplier News

27 September 2021

MUNICH - Today, Michael Levie formally announces the contribution of his unique industry expertise to the apaleo team. As one of the most well-respected hoteliers worldwide, he is known for his outspoken take on the modernization of hotel operation as well as his early-adoption attitude towards implementing the latest technology. Michael has built a successful career in the hotel industry, having spent many years with Sonesta and NH Hotels as well as helping to establish SynXis as the leading distribution technology player.

In 2005, Michael launched citizenM as a partner and co-founder and managed to roll out the revolutionary hotel concept on an international scale. Today, citizenM has over 24 hotels in 7 countries and has a significant pipeline of 20 hotels under development. citizenM is recognized as a market leader for new hotel brands.

apaleo is the cloud platform that disrupts the traditional role of property management systems (PMSs). Fourteen co-founders started the company out of the frustration they experienced with all types of legacy PMSs  whether they be on-premise, hosted, or even cloud PMSs  and the inability of these to connect to the increasingly relevant ecosystem of innovative app providers. apaleo enables and encourages customers to unlock digital possibilities for agile accommodation businesses. This is accomplished through an open and API-first foundation that contains the core features necessary for property management. Additional capabilities are then provided by best-in-class apps that are experts in their own field.

With this news, Michael responds I have seen many good tech players in our industry over the past 30 years, but apaleo is uniquely able to disrupt the industry with its platform and API-first architecture. It has the potential to change the entire way the hotel industry can operate by enabling them to put their tech stacks together freely. The founders of apaleo have earned a distinguished reputation from their combined experience in hotel technology and they have always delivered exceptional software innovation with hoteliers at the heart and center.

Uli Pillau, co-founder of apaleo comments, We are very proud to count Michael among our key supporters and ambassadors. He fully understands that hotel groups, hotels, and other accommodation providers demand the type of technology that apaleo provides. Similar to the citizenM brand that Michael has helped build, many of the brands running on apaleo are also acknowledged as market leaders, including the likes of Numa (formally COSI), Gold Inn Hotels, Limehome, Stayery, SMARTments, and Vivere Stays."

Michael Levie is a top industry expert and will help spread the word of disruption we have started with our community of hoteliers and app developers. Philip von Ditfurth, apaleo co-founder & managing director adds, He brings a strategic advantage in multiple areas, by promoting our disruptive approach through his network as well as advancing our vision of the #FreedomToCreate within the hotel industry.
Press Release

27 September 2021

Latest Airbnb data shows over 68% of all new Filipino Hosts in H1 2021 are Gen Zs and millennials aged 18-40

Advertisements

As the Philippines begins to relax domestic travel restrictions, Airbnb continues to steadily navigate the Covid-19 pandemic with hundreds of new local Hosts joining the platform in the first six months of 2021.

The company announced today that Filipino Gen Zs and millennials are the driving force behind Airbnbs growing community of Hosts in the Philippines, with over 68% of new Airbnb Hosts in H1 2021 comprising Gen Zs and millennials aged between 18 and 40*.

Despite hosting during small windows of opportunities due to the start-stop order of travel restrictions between January to June, new Filipino Hosts have collectively earned over PHP 21 million welcoming guests on Airbnb. Metro Manila, Tagaytay, and Metro Cebu also emerged as the top cities where new Airbnb Hosts are hosting*.

Tourism is a significant contributor to the Philippine economy and employment. In 2019, research from Oxford Economics revealed that Filipino Airbnb Hosts contributed USD 1 billion to the countrys GDP and supported over 160,000 jobs. Guests on Airbnb spent over USD 930 million, representing 1.2% of the countrys total tourism spending in the same year**.

Through the pandemic, hosting has emerged as an important economic lifeline for many Filipinos to make ends meet and support their families. A Q1 2021 survey by Airbnb reveals that 57% of Filipino Hosts polled said the income theyve earned through hosting has helped them to stay in their homes, and over half said they want to find more ways to host with Airbnb. Over a third of Filipino Hosts also said they share recommendations with guests on their favourite local restaurants and businesses within their community***.

This years World Tourism Day calls for more inclusive growth that advances prosperity for more communities, and drives more sustainable development. Its a call for our tourism industry to reset and rebuild tourism in a way that benefits more people and communities than ever before. As more Filipinos turn to hosting with Airbnb to support themselves and their families during this time of need, we remain fully committed to empowering our Hosts to provide unique, family-friendly and clean responsible travel, shares Amanpreet Bajaj, General Manager for Southeast Asia, India, Hong Kong and Taiwan.

Earlier this year, Airbnb introduced more than 100 upgrades across its platform, including a new simplified 10-step process for anyone to become a Host. It also launched seven Host clubs this year across the Philippines to empower Hosts to connect, collaborate and support each other as well as their local communities, by sharing advice and best practices on hosting. During the pandemic, Airbnb launched its Airbnb Enhanced Clean protocol, an industry-first set of cleaning and sanitisation standards designed with guidance from the World Health Organization and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to ensure peace of mind for the community.

The company continues to support and strengthen the communities its Hosts call home, amidst the unprecedented changes brought about by the pandemic. In June, Mercy in Action, Childhope Philippines Foundation, Inc., Haligi ng Bata, Inc. and Reach Out and Feed Philippines were amongst the first 150 grant recipients of the inaugural Airbnb Community Fund, which will distribute US$100 million over 10 years to organizations around the world.

*Based on internal Airbnb data from January to June 2021.

**The Economic Impact of Airbnb in the Philippines: An Independent Report by Oxford Economics (August 2020)

***Based on an Airbnb survey from Feb 1, 2021 to Mar 3, 2021.
Industry Update

Supplier News

27 September 2021

HITEC TV: A Partnership Chat Between Commonwealth Hotels and myDigitalOffice

share this article 1 min

It is not very often that we get a technology provider and a hotel management company to sit down and discuss what it is like to work together. This session includes Brian Fry, President of Commonwealth Hotels and Matt Curry, Chief Sales Officer of MyDigitalOffice who discuss the challenges that the hotel industry has faced combating COVID-19 as well as what the future will hold for hoteliers and their technology partners. Data is a key element that must be analyzed and used proactively to understand the future and react to the new environment we all face.

Related Video HITEC TV: A Partnership Chat Between Commonwealth Hotels and myDigitalOffice 27 September 2021  It is not very often that we get a technology provider and a hotel management company to sit down and discuss what it is like to work together. This session includes Brian Fry, President of Commonwealth Hotels and Matt Curry, Chief Sales Officer of MyDigitalOffice who discuss the challenges that the hotel industry has faced combating COVID-19 as well as what the future will hold for hoteliers and their technology partners. View video

Related News HITEC Exhibitor Update | Property Technology 28 September 2021  HITEC Dallas will take place from September 27-30, 2021 at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas, Texas USA. HITEC is the world's largest and oldest hospitality technology event. Produced by Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP), a global nonprofit hospitality association that is headquartered in Austin, Texas USA, HITEC offers a unique combination of top-notch education and brings together the brightest minds and hottest technologies from across the globe to one place. Read more

About myDigitalOffice myDigitalOffice is an end-to-end information management platform for sourcing, processing, and storing hospitality data in the cloud. Our SaaS solutions help hotel owners, operators, franchisees, and hospitality REITs automate the hotel back office and manage property portfolio performance to a tee. The visibility, connectivity, and control delivered by our award-winning cloud-based dashboards, document management software and integrated data feeds allow teams to reach greater levels of productivity, ensure regulatory compliance, and reduce environmental impact while optimizing profitability. Learn more at www.mydigitaloffice.com.

Brenna Sansing
Press Release

27 September 2021

Major U.S. cities are experiencing a revival in visitors and activity right now. This is an especially exciting development because the flexibility of remote work means that many people are less limited in their travel optionsa long weekend away can now be even longer. Priceline took a look at the data for hotel, flight, and package bookings across 20 U.S. cities to find out the advantages of booking travel right now, and where to go to get the most value for your money. Here's what we discovered, plus ideas for what to do in our top five cities.

Advertisements

Why Book Now?

Cities are making a comeback. Major cities across the country are seeing an uptick in travel in the second half of 2021 compared to the first half of the year, particularly northeastern cities, such as Boston, New York City, Chicago, and Washington, D.C.

Hotel rates are risingand may only get more expensive. Compared with the second half of 2019, the average daily rate of a hotel stay has increased by 5 percent. As travel continues to rebound, we expect that these rateswhich are already above 2019 levelswill likely continue to rise.

Airfare is still more affordable than it was before the pandemic. The average cost of a roundtrip ticket has dropped 15 percent, while the TSA is reporting checkpoint numbers that are more than twice as high as 2020, although still lower than 20191.

Package deals are better than ever. Priceline's Work-Life Balance Report revealed 74 percent of Americans agree that saving money through travel deals is a high prioritya sentiment reflected in an increased interest in bundling hotels and flights when traveling to major U.S. cities. In the second half of 2021, average package prices dropped 10 percent, reflecting an even stronger value proposition in the face of rising hotel costs.

The State of City Prices

Orlando , Sacramento , and Phoenix are showing the biggest increase in consumer interest for hotels during the second half of 2021 compared with the same time period in 2019. While most major U.S. cities show an increase in average daily hotel rates, some are showing large drops, particularly San Francisco (-21%), New York City (-14%) and Seattle (-11%), making them incredible values right now.

, , and are showing the biggest increase in consumer interest for hotels during the second half of 2021 compared with the same time period in 2019. While most major U.S. cities show an increase in average daily hotel rates, some are showing large drops, particularly (-21%), (-14%) and (-11%), making them incredible values right now. When it comes to flights, Miami , Orlando , and Atlanta are showing the most growth in consumer interest when comparing the second half of 2021 with the same period in 2019. While average roundtrip flight costs remain down across major cities, Miami (-26%), Los Angeles (-16%), and Phoenix (-15%) have all experienced the largest decreases, making them especially attractive and wallet-friendly. Boston is the only city for which average roundtrip flight tickets have remained flat compared with 2019 rates.

, , and are showing the most growth in consumer interest when comparing the second half of 2021 with the same period in 2019. While average roundtrip flight costs remain down across major cities, (-26%), (-16%), and (-15%) have all experienced the largest decreases, making them especially attractive and wallet-friendly. Boston is the only city for which average roundtrip flight tickets have remained flat compared with 2019 rates. And packaged deals for hotels and flights to Miami, Tampa, and Phoenix, all warm-weather destinations with great outdoor activities, are showing the most growth in consumer interest in the second half of 2021 compared with the same period in 2019.

Pro Tip: Looking to really save? Package deals to San Francisco (-18%), Phoenix (-17%), and Seattle (-14%) have come down the most, making them great options.

5 Cities Worth a Closer Look

To help travelers plan their next trip safely and affordably, Priceline further evaluated all of these citiesfor roundtrip hotel and airfare pricing, and how to get the best experience by extending your stay in surrounding areasand homed in on the five best cities to visit now: New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Washington, D.C., and San Francisco.

New York City The city known for constantly reinventing itself is guaranteed to offer something new every time you visit, not to mention a ton of free attractions. This fall, visitors can enjoy the long-anticipated reopening of Broadway shows, drive north to go apple picking at farms like Love Apple Farm in the Hudson Valley, or attend Comic Con on October 7 or 8, where you may spot original Priceline Negotiator, William Shatner.

The city known for constantly reinventing itself is guaranteed to offer something new every time you visit, not to mention a ton of free attractions. This fall, visitors can enjoy the long-anticipated reopening of Broadway shows, drive north to go apple picking at farms like Love Apple Farm in the Hudson Valley, or attend Comic Con on October 7 or 8, where you may spot original Priceline Negotiator, William Shatner. Average daily hotel rate: $188



Average roundtrip airfare: $314

Los Angeles To discover the city's outdoorsy side, consider taking a day trip only two hours east to Big Bear Lake for its OktoberFest event, which runs through November 7.

To discover the city's outdoorsy side, consider taking a day trip only two hours east to Big Bear Lake for its OktoberFest event, which runs through November 7. Average daily hotel rate: $190



Average roundtrip airfare: $303

Chicago Watch the leaves change in Millennium Park, attend one of the city's many food festivalsChicago Gourmet is a standoutor even celebrate Halloween in Chicago style: with parades, haunted tours, Day of the Dead celebrations, and more.

Watch the leaves change in Millennium Park, attend one of the city's many food festivalsChicago Gourmet is a standoutor even celebrate Halloween in Chicago style: with parades, haunted tours, Day of the Dead celebrations, and more. Average daily hotel rate: $205



Average roundtrip airfare: $282

Washington D.C. Beyond visiting the historical landmarks that dot the capital, you can also enjoy sporting events, check out free street fairs, or attend unique events like Brews and Views (Oct. 21) at the National Museum of Women in the Arts, a happy hour open to all where you can discuss the intersection of beer making, art, and politics.

Beyond visiting the historical landmarks that dot the capital, you can also enjoy sporting events, check out free street fairs, or attend unique events like Brews and Views (Oct. 21) at the National Museum of Women in the Arts, a happy hour open to all where you can discuss the intersection of beer making, art, and politics. Average daily hotel rate: $144



Average roundtrip airfare: $310

San Francisco The weather here is perfect in the fall, without the city's signature summer fog. Check out the Castro Street Fair (October 3), a free, fun-filled festival with live music and dancing in the street.

The weather here is perfect in the fall, without the city's signature summer fog. Check out the Castro Street Fair (October 3), a free, fun-filled festival with live music and dancing in the street. Average daily hotel rate: $184



Average roundtrip airfare: $367

Those who are interested in visiting these cities, especially during the upcoming holiday season, can offset rising hotel rates by taking advantage of the current affordability of air travel and by bundling their flight and hotel bookings. By bundling their booking on Priceline, travelers can save up to $625 on their next vacation. "As cities across the country start to make a comeback, we're seeing hotels and air travel recover at their own pace," says Brigit Zimmerman, Senior Vice President of Hotel, Flight and Packages at Priceline. "That makes package deals, which bundle both at discounts, the best way for travelers to save."

To book your next trip, visit Priceline.comor the Priceline App.
Opinion Article

27 September 2021

Overseeing a large hotel renovation is no easy feat. Complicating matters: a pandemic.

Advertisements

But that was the exact charge that faced Aaron Kaupp, Regional Vice President and General Manager at The Carlton Tower Jumeirah (formerly the Jumeirah Carlton Tower), when the hotels 18-month renovation wrapped up in July.

The $137-million makeover, which necessitated that the hotel be closed, choking off all revenue streams, created a new foyer and reception, health club and spa, flagship restaurant, lobby bar and lounge, ballroom and meeting rooms. The Carlton Towers guest room count was also reduced from 216 to 186 to make way for larger accommodations, including a new three-bedroom Royal suite with the option to privatize the full floor.

It was a huge effort and one that will greatly influence the hotels future operations. Heres how Kaupp and his team made it happen.

HotStats: Renovating a hotel during the best of times is a huge undertaking. What was it like renovating and reopening a hotel during a pandemic?

Kaupp: We are creating a hotel for the ages, one that will outlive the virus; as such, we have built it for this purpose. [So even though] we have been in this pandemic for many months now, the guest experience we offer cannot be sacrificed. We must offer the same sense of luxury indulgence and magic that makes people return to grand hotels again and again, even while adhering to COVID-19 safety standards and practices.The key components of what makes a hotel great are unaffected by the pandemic. A smile can be noticed through a mask; a warm welcome can be felt no matter the headlines; and beauty in design and craftsmanship will always be appreciated.

HotStats: This was the biggest renovation in the propertys history. Why do such a big update now?

Kaupp: The London property had not been updated in some time. Our goal is to further develop Jumeirahs global brand presence and make a strong statement within the industry. The all-encompassing renovation, creating a European flagship, is testament to that ambition.

HotStats: And its worth your while to pursue the European market, as profit bounces backalbeit tepidly. According to HotStats data, GOPPARunsurprisinglycame in at just 1.62 from January to August of 2020, but in that same time period this year, it rose to 8.20.

Photo: HotStats Limited

London, meanwhile, recorded GOPPAR of 25.28 in August 2021 compared to -6.67 in August 2020 and 81.61 in August 2019.

Are there some challenges you face and lessons you learned in the process?

Kaupp: There have been many practical considerations that have affected our timeline, of course, with construction slowing at times, supply chains affected and new safety protocols put in place on site. But I believe that this, too, shall pass and we have created a hotel and legacy that will outlast not only this difficult time for the world and the industry but indeed, us all.

HotStats: What do you see on the horizon in terms of hotels being able to operate profitably amid the pandemic?

Kaupp: It is human nature to yearn for travel. While this situation [COVID-19] has been shocking, I dont think the desire to experience different cultures and connect in person will ever go away, and businesses are itching to get back to meeting in personwhen it is safe to do so.This situation has taught us a valuable lesson in taking care of ourselves, furthering a good work/life balance and spending time with friends and family and hotels. That will ensure the long-term profitability of the business.
The renovation of the former St. Elizabeths Hospital into mixed-income housing began Friday, marking the latest chapter for the historic Fifth Ward building that has sat vacant for a half-decade.

The three-acre property on Lyons Avenue is being redeveloped by the nonprofit Fifth Ward Community Redevelopment Corp. with plans for about half of the 179 apartment units to be reserved for people with low incomes.

Mayor Sylvester Turner and other local leaders praised the project at a Friday groundbreaking event.

In the surrounding blocks, however, many longtime residents were less enthralled.

Though they welcomed the much-needed investment in the neighborhood, some were concerned that it may ultimately drive up housing and other local costs and attract residents who are unfamiliar with  and thereby less invested in  the surrounding community.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Gentrification or segregation? St. Elizabeth Hospital shows tricky trade-offs in developing Houston's Fifth Ward

I guess itll be good, said Larry Smith, a 69-year-old retiree who lives nearby. We havent had anything down here for a while.

His sentiment was shared by others who grew up in the historically Black area, and have watched subsequent generations flee the neighborhood for more up-and-coming parts of town.

The neighborhood is among Houstons poorest, with a median household income thats half of the citywide average of $52,300 in 2019, according to census data.

Some neighbors said they would have preferred if the property was redeveloped to help struggling local businesses or as a community center. .

I feel kind of negative about it because it is definitely going to affect me, said Johnnie Taylor, who has owned a home across the street for three decades.

The project has inconvenienced her already. On Friday, someone parked in front of her garbage cans, and the elderly woman needed someone to help move them so they wouldnt be missed when trucks made their stops later in the day.

Taylor, 82, grew up in Fifth Ward. She has tracked years of attempts by the city and developers to try to redevelop the eyesore that, prior to its bankruptcy in the 1980s, provided health care to minority communities on the citys East Side.

It later housed an addiction treatment facility, the Barbara Jordan Recovery Center, which was shut down by the state in 2014 amid an investigation into Medicare fraud by its parent company.

Taylor said she understood the need for more housing in the area, but feared the project could increase gentrification and drive out longtime residents who dont own homes.

But Im not going to let it upset me, because it is what it is, she said. This is a money world, and the little people like me dont have a voice.

Asked about those concerns, Kathy Flanagan Payton, president of the Fifth Ward Community Redevelopment Corp., said the nonprofit is committed to economic integration, which suggests housing for various income levels and have reserved half of the first 85 units for those with low incomes.

Just as we are concerned about gentrification in neighborhoods we want to avoid concentrating poverty in the same neighborhoods, she said in a statement. Fifth Ward represents an opportunity for us to get it right."

The project has been delayed by neighborhood opposition. It stalled in 2018 when opponents blocked state tax credits on a technicality.

The Fifth Ward Community Redevelopment Corp. later obtained nearly $24 million from the city in Hurricane Harvey recovery funds, as well as a federal grant and private financing.

The proposal was later adjusted to reduce affordable units and significantly increase market-rate apartments by constructing another building on the site.

robert.downen@chron.com
CVS is rolling out new time-delay safes inside its Houston stores to prevent the theft of opioids and other drugs from being stolen.

The safes are deployed at all 223 CVS stores in Greater Houston, the pharmacy retailer announced Monday. As a way to deter robbers, who usually flee quickly to evade law enforcement, the safes delay the time between the moment an authorized CVS employee enters a passcode and when the safe opens.

With the new technology, CVS aims to prevent medications such as oxycodone and hydrocodone from being stolen from pharmacies and distributed illegally in Houston.

The newly implemented time delay safes will help protect those behind the counter and prevent medication from getting into the wrong hands, Troy Finner, Houston Police Chief, said in a news release.

On HoustonChronicle.com: CVS Health hiring 3,500 in Texas during one-day event

CVS put up signs inside local stores alerting shoppers to the technology to help deter would-be robbers, the company said, noting employees are not able to override the safes delay.

Pharmacy robberies increased as the opioid epidemic worsened throughout the nation, said Tom Moriarty, chief policy officer and general counsel for CVS Health. Each robbery poses a threat to pharmacy teams and to communities where the opioid epidemic is fueled by stolen prescriptions.

Anything that we can do to reduce that is an investment that we're going to make as a company, he said.

Houston is the first city in Texas to receive the technology; CVS has installed the tech in 18 other states and said it has seen a 50 percent decline in drug thefts in the communities that have it. The company plans to install time-delay safes at the more than 600 remaining CVS locations in Texas by the end of the year, including in Austin, Dallas/Fort Worth, Rio Grande Valley, and San Antonio.

Moriarty declined to say how much the company has spent on the initiative.

amanda.drane@chron.com

Twitter.com/amandadrane
Q. Both of my parents died over 20 years ago, and the estate was left to five siblings. The sibling who is the executor, refuses to sell the family home and distribute the proceeds. The will states that anyone who contests it will be left out. Is there anything we can do to force the sale of the asset and avoid disinheritance?

A. Yes. Texas has a statute which sets forth procedures for selling a house or having it partitioned (if possible) when there are multiple members of a family who have inherited the property.

To accomplish that, you and any other siblings who are interested in selling will need to hire an attorney who can file the appropriate paperwork with the court.

Q. A friend recently passed away with no will. His wife of 40 years (second marriage) was told that his two kids from a previous marriage would be entitled to a percentage of their home. Other people have told her the opposite. Much discussion has solved nothing. Could you please set us straight?

A. The two children do inherit their father's interest in the home.

If he owned the entire home as his separate property (most often, this would mean he owned it when they married), then each of the children would own half of the home. And if he and his second wife owned the home as community property, then the children would each own an undivided 25% interest and she would retain her undivided one-half interest.

However, no matter what interest the wife of 40 years owns, she has the right to live in the house for the rest of her life, and the children can't force her to move out or sell.

Q. I have family who live in Illinois, and they have wills and a trust that includes both husband and wife. Is this available in Texas?

A. Yes. It is available in every state.

Q. My mother died in December 2020. She left three bank accounts without beneficiaries totaling approximately $8,000. My two brothers and I are heirs. I filed a Small Estate Affidavit with the Harris County probate court and received approval. The banks are refusing to accept the Small Estate Affidavit and insist I must go through probate. Can the banks refuse to accept a court approved Small Estate Affidavit?

A. Banks are supposed to accept the Affidavit.

However, you might have prepared the Affidavit and Order incorrectly, even though it was approved (and I am assuming that you mean the judge signed an Order approving the Affidavit), but without seeing the actual paperwork, it's not possible to say whether this is the problem.

You should hire an estate planning attorney to review your work and suggest a solution.

The information in this column is intended to provide a general understanding of the law, not legal advice. Readers with legal problems, including those whose questions are addressed here, should consult attorneys for advice on their particular circumstances. Ronald Lipman of the Houston law firm Lipman & Associates is board-certified in estate planning and probate law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. Email questions to stateyourcase@lipmanpc.com.
Two regional Federal Reserve presidents are retiring following embarrassing revelations of stock trading last year as the U.S. central bank battled Covid-19.

In an unprecedented development in the Feds 100-plus year history, Boston Fed chief Eric Rosengren and Dallass Robert Kaplan on Monday separately announced plans to step down. Rosengren will depart later this week and Kaplan on Oct. 8.

Unfortunately, the recent focus on my financial disclosure risks becoming a distraction to the Federal Reserves execution of that vital work, Kaplan said in a statement emailed by the Dallas Fed. For that reason, I have decided to retire.

Rosengren said he was taking early retirement due to a health condition and revealed hed been eligible for a kidney transplant since June 2020.

Both Kaplan and Rosengren have come under criticism in the past few weeks after their 2020 financial disclosures, released recently, showed they held and traded financial assets while the Fed was actively supporting markets through the pandemic crisis. The disclosures brought widespread criticism of potential conflicts of interest.

Kaplan, who has led the Dallas Fed for six years and was previously a senior executive at Goldman Sachs Group Inc., conducted multiple $1 million-plus transactions last year. Both Fed chiefs said earlier this month that they would sell all individual stock holdings by Sept. 30, even though they cleared Fed rules and ethical guidelines.

The disclosures led Chair Jerome Powell to announce that Fed staff would take a new look at the central banks internal ethics rules around financial holdings and activities by senior officials.

Powell, asked about the trading during a press conference following a meeting of the Federal Open Market Committee on Sept. 22, didnt disguise his frustration over the incident.

No one on the FOMC is happy to be in this situation, to be having these questions raised. Its something we take very, very seriously, he said. Im determined that we will rise to the moment and handle it in ways that will stand up over time.

Meredith Black, currently first vice president of the Dallas Fed, will delay her retirement and serve as interim president. Bostons Kenneth Montgomery, the banks first vice president and chief operating officer, will serve as interim president until a successor to Rosengren is chosen.
Even before summer officially began, it looked like there would be problems with Texas troubled electrical grid.

In April, when demand is typically low, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas told people across the state they would have to conserve electricity to stave off rotating blackouts. Then in mid-June, the grid operator shocked Texans by telling them they needed to conserve electricity during daytime and usual peak hours for five straight days, prompting reminders of the February freeze, when more than 4 million homes and businesses across the state lost power and hundreds died.

What will happen, people asked, when demand peaks as usual during the hottest days of summer? Would there be blackouts like there were in February? Would thermostats have to be turned up to 80 degrees or more to keep the grid functioning?

But there were no other conservation notices. Blackouts never materialized, even when demand came close to shattering monthly records. ERCOT survived the summer with relatively high reserve margins and enough power to satisfy the states growing demand for power.

How were they able to avoid blackouts and crisis alerts during an unusually hot Texas summer?

Peter Lake, chairman of the Public Utility Commission of Texas, which oversees ERCOT, said stabilizing the grid for summer was the commissions first priority after the previous three-member board was replaced by Lake and two newcomers in spring. Ensuring a reliable power supply, he said, required two actions.

It was establishing a margin of safety by essentially buying more reserve power and having that on standby. And the second part of that was operating the grid with an abundance of caution, Lake said. That was really an operational change and having ERCOT be more aggressive in using their authority to force generators on, even if that generator didnt want to operate in the market conditions at that time.

Sergio Flores, Houston Chronicle / Contributor

Early signs of trouble

Nearly two months to the day after power outages began in the February freeze, on April 13, power generators across Texas began dropping offline. Many went dark to make repairs and do maintenance work after the freeze busted gas pipelines and idled equipment. At the same time, a cold front that was expected to sweep the state stalled, leaving temperatures in some areas much warmer than ERCOT anticipated. By 5 p.m., ERCOT data showed demand had reached about 49,000 megawatts, while there was only about 50,000 available on the grid. One megawatt can power about 200 homes on a hot summer day.

All told, resulting outages numbered about 50 percent more than the grid operator anticipated in its seasonal assessment of power resources. Woody Rickerson, ERCOTs vice president of grid planning and operations, said it may not be the last issue the operator would face.

There is a possibility that we could have the same phone call again, some afternoon, in the next three or four weeks, he said in April.

That second call came June 14.

The day before, a Sunday, nearly 9,000 megawatts of power went offline, troubling ERCOT officials. The potential shortage worsened on Monday, when outages increased to 12,000 megawatts, or 15 percent of the systems capacity of 86,000 megawatts. That was far more than the 3,600 megawatts of outages ERCOT had forecast that month.

Power generators later tried to explain to ERCOT why they went offline. More than 60 percent of them gave the grid operator incomplete information or answers that couldnt be categorized into a common reason. The rest were blamed on staffing shortages, the weather, and inventory and supply chain issues. Temperatures that week were unseasonably hot, climbing into the mid-90s.

The scale of the outages led ERCOT officials to ask millions of Texans to conserve power from Monday through Friday. Gov. Greg Abbott defended the response, saying that during the June conservation notice the grid is better today than its ever been.

Brad Jones, interim CEO of ERCOT, said the conservation notices were not an indication that the grid was in dire straits. He said that same week grid managers in the West and in Chicago asked their customers to conserve power as well. He said when ERCOT requested conservation in the past, most Texans probably did not realize it was happening. But the operator has begun to call for them earlier, before dangers arise, he said.

Rather than waiting until were in trouble, we think its important to call for conservation early, Jones said, noting that demand fell by about 500 megawatts in June after the conservation notice was sent. Its a tool well continue to use and use it in a very conservative way, in that well ask for it early. Thats different from what ERCOT has done in the past.

Mark Mulligan, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer

Delivering for winter

Another change after the June power conservation notices saw ERCOT buy more reserve power than in the past. The operator usually procures about 5,000 megawatts of reserve power for the summer months, but this year that number was increased to 6,500. Jones could remember at least four days this year when that bump in available reserve power kept the grid out of tight conditions. In cases when they could not get enough generators to willingly provide reserve power, he said the agency forced them to come online to keep the grid stable.

Another assist, he said, came from the weather itself.

This summers heat statewide ranked among the bottom third of the past 150 years, he said, with ample rains to cool cities and dampen the soil, which absorbed heat on sunny days. ERCOT also bought additional reserves on days when the weather forecast seemed more unpredictable.

Jones mentioned one day in Dallas, when a rain front was expected to sweep across the city, cooling off the demand center and pushing winds behind it that could turn turbines in the Panhandle. ERCOT officials estimated that the showers would decrease demand by 3,000 megawatts in Dallas and would produce an additional 3,000 megawatts from wind turbines. But if forecasts were wrong, ERCOT would need to find 6,000 megawatts quickly to make up the difference. While their forecast proved correct, the operator procured the extra power just in case they were wrong, something that would not have happened in past years.

Jones said the operational changes will remain in place this fall, even as many generators plan to go offline to perform maintenance before winter.

And this winter is again expected to be colder than usual, at least according to the Farmers Almanac. The report, which has been predicting weather for farmers for more than 200 years, said the whole United States should expect a frosty flip-flop winter and that Texas and Oklahoma could be in for icy weather in late January, like you experienced last winter. The Almanac had predicted the February storm.

While Jones doesnt accept the prediction as gospel, he has spoken to the large generators in the state to make sure they will be ready in case of another frigid winter.

Theyre each working to improve the weatherization of units and address those issues like they had in the last event, Jones said. If they saw a particular line froze, forcing them to lose control of units and to trip off, theyre going in and making sure that line this winter will have the proper insulation and wont be a concern.

He said the Texas Legislature has already passed laws requiring more weatherization and the Public Utility Commission is working to pass more rules before winter. ERCOT will inspect power generators in December to see if theyre making the required changes.

Jones said he knows consumers likely lack trust in ERCOT after last winter, but that he hopes the summers successful operations will bolster confidence.

Weve got a long ways to go to rebuild that trust. One summer is not going to be enough, Jones said. We have to deliver for the fall, winter and the next 100 years.

shelby.webb@chron.com

twitter.com/shelbywebb
Harris Countys incentive program to give residents $100 for receiving a COVID-19 vaccine will expire Thursday, the countys health department announced.

More than 65,000 residents have received a gift card, helping the county boost its vaccination rate for residents 12 and older to 64 percent. Harris County Public Health urged residents who have not gotten the shots yet to do so, since cold weather and holidays in the coming months mean more people will be spending time indoors.

The vaccines are free and, while walk-ins are accepted, the health department encourages residents to make appointments online at vacstrac.hctx.net or by calling 832-927-8787.

More from Zach Despart: Hidalgo to cancel controversial $11 million vaccine outreach contract, saying it has become politicized

Parents must accompany minors 12 to 17 years old.

The city of Houstons vaccine incentive program, which offers $100 for residents to receive their first dose and $50 for their second, remains ongoing. As of Monday afternoon, the city health department had distributed 13,500 gift cards and have 6,500 left.

Since peaking a month ago at more than 4,300, virus hospitalizations in the 25-county region anchored by Houston have dropped precipitously. On Monday afternoon, that figure stood at 2,711.

Nonetheless, Harris County remains at its highest COVID-19 threat level, which urges unvaccinated residents to stay at home except for necessary errands and avoid unnecessary contact with others.

zach.despart@chron.com
WASHINGTON (AP)  The Biden administration is rolling out new international travel policies affecting Americans and noncitizens alike who want to fly into the U.S. The goal is to restore more normal air travel after 18 months of disruption caused by COVID-19.

CHECK OUR MAP: See Houston's most and least vaccinated neighborhoods

The across-the-board rules, which will take effect in November, will replace a hodgepodge of confusioning restrictions. Some details of the plan announced Monday are being worked out, but here are some questions and answers about what to expect:

What is the new policy in a nutshell?

All adult foreign nationals traveling to the U.S. will be required to be fully vaccinated before boarding their flight. This is in addition to the current requirement that travelers show proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours of departure to the U.S.

Once the vaccination requirement is put in place, the White House will ease all the country-specific restrictions on international travel that have prevented noncitizens who have been in the United Kingdom, European Union, China, India, Iran, Republic of Ireland, Brazil or South Africa in the prior 14 days from entering the U.S.

Will it affect Americans?

Fully vaccinated Americans will only need to show proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours of departure to the U.S.

What about unvaccinated Americans?

U.S. citizens and permanent residents who are not fully vaccinated will still be able to fly to the U.S., but they will see tougher testing and contact tracing protocols. They will need to be tested within 24 hours of boarding a flight to the U.S., as well as undergo testing upon return to the country. It remains to be seen, though, how the federal government will enforce the testing requirement upon return.

How does this affect children?

The new U.S. policy only requires adult foreign nationals to be fully vaccinated in order to enter the U.S. The White House did not immediately say whether unvaccinated children will face different testing protocols when flying into the country.

Which vaccines are acceptable?

The CDC says the U.S. will accept full vaccination of travelers with any COVID-19 vaccine approved for emergency use by the World Health Organization, including those from Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson used in the U.S. Other vaccines are also approved by the WHO and used widely around the world, including from AstraZeneca and Chinas Sinovac, with varying degrees of effectiveness against COVID-19 and its more transmissible delta variant. The WHO is reviewing Russias Sputnik V vaccine but hasnt approved it.

How will this affect air fares?

Adit Damodaran, economist for the travel-research firm Hopper, predicted that growing demand is likely to cause higher airfares on flights from Europe, although the rush to book flights could be slowed by the delta variant and high COVID-19 rates in the U.S. If fares rise, it would mark a turnaround in prices since the start of the pandemic.

Will airlines collect data on passengers?

The CDC will require airlines to collect information about passengers and provide it to the health agency if it needs to conduct contact tracing. The airlines had resisted a similar change last year, when it was proposed by the CDC and eventually blocked by the Trump administration.

What about travel over land borders?

The administration's restrictions on crossing land borders from Mexico and Canada into the U.S. are to remain unchanged for now. That means that in some cases fully vaccinated people from the two American neighbors will soon be able fly to the U.S., but may not be able to make the same journey by car.

How will this affect the travel industry?

Analysts and industry officials think it will help. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce said lifting the current restrictions on international travelers will contribute to a durable recovery for the U.S. economy. Before Monday, the U.S. was on pace to lose $175 billion in export income from international visitors this year, according to the U.S. Travel Association.

How have the current restrictions affected international travel?

They have made it easier for Americans to visit Europe than the other way around. U.S. international travel in August was down 54% compared with two years ago, and arrivals by non-U.S. citizens were off 74%, according to Airlines for America.

How will the changes affect business travel?

There is pent-up demand among business travelers from Europe. Foreign executives who have been vaccinated will no longer have to prove that their travel to the United States serves the U.S. national interest  a time-consuming process.

___

Koenig reported from Dallas. Associated Press writer Mike Stobbe in New York contributed to this report.
The Hebrew saying tikkun olam translates to repair of the world, and charges Jews with looking beyond their own welfare and working to improve the well-being of society as a whole.

Houstonian Rabbi Amy Weiss puts her own spin on the idea. I like to say, repairing the world  one tush at a time, she said.

Its become the tagline of the nonprofit she founded in 2012, Undies for Everyone. The nonprofit is the only organization in the U.S. solely focused on addressing underwear insecurity for children in crisis.

Youth served by the group receive a pack of seven pairs of underwear, one for each day of the week. But the goal is much bigger than a small, unseen garment.

A study commissioned by J.C. Penney found that 46 percent of parents living in poverty say underwear is often the last item on their list to purchase for their children.

Theyre paying for food, rent, school supplies, Weiss said. But underwear is not one of those things.

HOW TO HELP For more information, visit undiesforeveryone.org. See More Collapse

The study also found that 55 percent of children said they were too embarrassed to attend school without underwear.

For those who do still attend, not having underwear can make the school day harder, Weiss explained. Children worry others will notice. The lack of undies affects their self-esteem, which can have dire consequences down the road.

Underwear is simply a small problem for children in need of so much, Weiss said.

But were able to fulfill this need on a large scale, she said.

That need has only increased since COVID-19  and Undies for Everyone has been able to extend its reach.

Now, the organization serves children in 15 U.S. cities across nine states. This year, 105,000 students will receive a seven-pack of new underwear.

During the pandemic, the organization also started hosting virtual drives. The nonprofit provides shopping lists, templates and social-media guides to organizations, which can then collect donations.

Undies for Everyone started when Weiss was searching for topics for her blog in 2008.

A social worker told her that children in poverty are in desperate need of socks and underwear  but those items are often forgotten when donations are made.

I never thought about that, Weiss said.

After writing about it, a few people donated money or a bag of underwear, which Weiss brought to Houston ISD nurses, who could distribute them as needed if a child had an accident.

It just struck me, said Weiss, who worried that if she didnt tackle the task, no one would.

She decided to host back-to-school underwear drives in 2009, 2010 and 2011.

In 2012, Weiss received an email from a nurse at a low-income school asking for underwear. She loaded up a garbage bag with donations, slung it over her shoulder and marched to campus.

I was like a Jewish Santa, she recalled with a smile. The nurse said, Rabbi, thank goodness youre here. There was a little girl who just had an accident, and here I was with underwear. That made her day.

It convinced Weiss to make Undies for Everyone her full-time gig  and a registered nonprofit.

Thats when I knew, This is what Im doing, Weiss said.

The first year, 9,000 pairs were delivered to HISD headquarters.

Each year, Weiss said, news of the donations spread by word of mouth. One school nurse told a friend at another school district.

It went on and on, Weiss said.

Barry Mandel, board chair and president of Discovery Green Conservancy, remembers clearly when Weiss first asked him to get involved.

I was just amazed that there was a unique need being filled this way, he said. So many times, theres duplication of services in the nonprofit world. This was different.

Mandel jumped at the opportunity and has enjoyed being a part of the organization ever since.

Its just one thing we can take off a kids mind so they can go unencumbered to a learning environment, he said. Any obstacle we can get out of the way of to help them stay in the classroom just encourages them.

By early August 2017, Undies for Everyone had donated 220,000 pairs.

Then Hurricane Harvey happened, Weiss said.

Suddenly, Undies for Everyone had to respond to a massive need  and donors around the world were willing to help.

More than 1.4 million pairs of underwear were delivered to men, women and children in the four months following the disaster. Then came Hurricanes Irma and Florence, followed by fires in California.

We sent underwear after all of them, Weiss said.

She hired three people to join her team in one week  and soon the nonprofit added Dallas, Fort Worth, San Antonio and Austin to its distribution list.

By the time COVID brought the world to a halt in 2020, Undies for Everyone was providing more than 500,000 pairs annually.

As shutdowns began, Weiss and director of finance and operations Julie Hayon found a supplier who could cut costs drastically. And that meant we could expand, Weiss said.

They decided to upgrade their distribution process to match.

Instead of sending donations to school nurses, Undies for Everyone began partnering with groups with distribution plans in place, including food banks, childrens hospital mobile units and Child Protective Services.

At the Houston Food Bank, Undies for Everyone works with the Backpack Buddy program, which provides students in need with a bag of food for weekends and other times away from the National School Lunch Program.

We know that families struggling with food insecurity also need help with other resources, said Christina Alley, senior manager of child programs at the Houston Food Bank.

Including a pack of underwear with the bag of food simply made sense  and the donations were immediately well received, she explained.

Our schools have loved it from the very beginning, Alley said.

Developing a new strategy and working with partners to distribute donations made it possible for Undies for Everyone to reach more children in a challenging time, Weiss explained.

There are so many people living in financial crisis, she said.

It makes a difference in a kids day if they get a pair of undies when they have an accident, but thats not enough, she said. Our price was down, and we wanted to do more. We have to do seven pairs. We needed to serve more kids.

Now, Weiss said, the possibilities are endless.

The more we do, the better, she said. I love getting up every day. On Sundays, its hard to sleep because Im excited about going to work. There are so many opportunities  and the need is enormous. Thats what keeps me going.

Lindsay Peyton is a Houston-based freelance writer.
Gary Lynn choked a lot as a child. His mother would feed him slowly with food cut into small pieces because his cerebral palsy made swallowing difficult. If he began to choke, she would intervene. We never had to call the EMS.

The Houstonian was fortunate. According to the National Safety Council, 5,000 people in America choke to death each year. And those with cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy, Parkinsons disease, brain injury and other health conditions and disabilities that affect swallowing are at increased risk. If they cant produce a forceful cough to dislodge an object on their own, their caregivers must react swiftly and correctly.

The standard treatment for anyone whos choking is to deliver blows between the shoulder blades and, if unsuccessful, progress to the Heimlich maneuver in which thrusts are delivered with a fist to the abdomen.

On HoustonChronicle.com: More cooks in the kitchen: Adults with intellectual disabilities ready to show Houston what theyve got

But what if the choking person uses a wheelchair? The size and complexity of some of todays wheelchairs may mean time ticks away while a caregiver tries to reach from behind to perform the Heimlich or hoist the person onto the floor to administer it or CPR.

A wheelchair like mine may be difficult, Lynn, 29, said. There is a joystick that needs to be turned off, then pulled up to take out of the tray I use. I have many buttons that can make the chair lay down like a bed or stand straight up. I am belted in with a seatbelt and straps on my feet.

Arthur Lih stumbled onto an alternative. The Long Island, N.Y.-based inventor of the LifeVac, a nonpowered, one-way suction device for clearing an airway, didnt design it specifically for the disabled, but as of press time, out of more than a reported 170 lives saved, at least 40 were those of people with disabilities. And now, saving them from choking death or injury has become part of his mission.

If you look at that cafeteria poster for the Heimlich maneuver for how to save someone in a wheelchair, it doesnt exist, Lih said. Theres no rescue for a person in a wheelchair, which in essence is the biggest ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) violation.  We have all these protocols so long as you can stand up. That doesnt really work for me.

The LifeVac, which retails for $69.95, is made of lightweight plastic and at less than a foot tall is easy to keep on hand. It comes with a practice mask and one each for adults and children. On the market six years this month, the product has been purchased by thousands of families, about 200 fire departments, 3,000 elder care facilities and 800 schools, according to Lih.

It is simple to use: Place the mask firmly over the nose and mouth, with the persons chin tilted up. The plunger handle is pushed down and pulled up with a short, swift tug. The caregiver can then check the mouth and the device to see if the object came out of the throat. Unlike the Heimlich, with the LifeVac a caregiver doesnt have to get behind the person, nor is standing required to lean over a straight-backed chair to self-administer the technique.

Like its competitor, the Dechoker, it is registered with, though not regulated by, the Food and Drug Administration. The LifeVac is not a substitute for the Heimlich maneuver and calling 911, Lih noted; it should be used when standard protocols have been followed without success.

For Lynn, a disability advocate whose foundation has donated tens of thousands of dollars to cerebral palsy research and TIRR Memorial Hermanns Neuroscience Institute, spreading awareness is critical. In years past, he and his mother, Andrea Lynn, spoke to Texas Childrens Hospitals EMS staff about the particulars of treating wheelchair users.

The most important thing we can say is always have the parents or caregivers next to them and guide them on the person, Lynn said. Though paramedics need to take control quickly, people with disabilities have issues that need to be heard before EMS just takes the person and treats them like nothing is (different).

Paramedics should welcome the input, said Roy Cormier, Position 3 director of the Houston Professional Fire Fighters Association who has worked 18 years as a paramedic. In two typical 24-hour shifts, he said, he and his partner answer three or four calls involving special populations, the elderly or people with disabilities.

If they have a family member there, thats normally really helpful, Cormier said: This is the best way to lift them. This is the side we normally take them from if (the wheelchair) has an arm.

He echoed Lih that people shouldnt give up if the Heimlich isnt working. While EMTs are en route, the use of a device like the LifeVac may be a logical next step, said Cormier, who has no experience with the device.

Choking can get to a point that itll take a laryngoscope and forceps to unlodge it and pull it out manually, he said.

Increased awareness of the choking risk among wheelchair users is critical for both paramedics and the general population, but so are their broader challenges in a health crisis, Cormier added. We need to be accommodating, he said, noting he has made room for a wheelchair in the tight quarters of an ambulance because, like a seeing-eye dog, we have to remember its an extension of the person.

A World of Abilities shares experiences by and for the disabled community in Greater Houston.

suzanne.garofalo@chron.com
BEIRUT (AP)  Syrias top diplomat said Monday that his country's doors are open for the safe return of refugees, accusing Western countries of taking advantage of the suffering of Syrians while pretending to care for their well-being.

Speaking in New York to the U.N. General Assembly, Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad also called for the withdrawal of U.S. and Turkish troops from his war-ravaged nation, pledging to drive them out Syria sooner or later.

He also said Syrian armed forces would continue fighting terrorists  the Syrian governments catch-all word for its opponents  until every part of Syria is once again under government control.

We will not succumb, no matter the pressure and lies and accusations against us, he said.

Syrias conflict started amid Arab Spring uprisings in 2011 and eventually devolved into an insurgency and civil war following a brutal military crackdown, resulting in one of the largest humanitarian catastrophes in the past century. The U.N. human rights chief said last week that her office has documented the deaths of more than 350,200 people  civilians and combatants  in the war over the last decade, while admitting the real number for those killed in the conflict is almost certainly far higher.

The war has also displaced half the countrys pre-war population of 23 million, including 5 million who are refugees outside the country.

We have made it clear that Syrias doors are wide open for the safe and voluntary return of all refugees to their country, Mekdad said, adding that the government was putting the necessary procedures in place to facilitate the return of people and meet their basic needs.

He said while the Syrian government and its allies are making honest efforts on this humanitarian issue, some continue to take advantage of the suffering of Syrians to serve an agenda that has nothing to do with humanitarian objectives or the interests of Syrians.

His words sharply contradicted with the view of Syria experts, human rights organizations and some foreign governments who say that forced conscription, indiscriminate detentions and forced disappearances continue. In a report published earlier this month, Amnesty International said that a number of Syrian refugees who returned home have been subjected to detention, disappearance and torture at the hands of Syrian security forces, proving that it still isnt safe to return to any part of the country.

In government-controlled areas  including in the suburbs of Damascus and many parts of central Syria previously held by opposition rebels  the security situation has stabilized, but entire neighborhoods are destroyed and many people have no houses to return to. Basic services such as water and electricity are poor to nonexistent.

Mekdad was addressing the General Assembly for the first time. He was appointed foreign minister in November, after the death of longtime diplomat Walid Moallem, who traveled to New York every year to address the General Assembly.

Mekdad denounced the presence of Turkish and U.S. forces in northern Syria, calling their presence illegal and a flagrant violation of international law.

He was referring to hundreds of U.S. troops stationed in eastern Syria and working with Kurdish-led fighters in battling the militant Islamic State group, as well as Turkish forces in northern Syria. Turkey has supported and funded Syrian opposition fighters against Syrian President Bashar Assad's forces. Mekdad vowed to push them out, but did not say how the Syrian government planned to do that.

Just as we managed to wipe out terrorists from most of Syria, we will work to end the occupation with the same resolve and determination, using all possible means under international law, he said.
A man died Sunday night in a road rage shooting near the highway in southeast Houston, police said.

Authorities arrived after 8:05 p.m. to 6355 Griggs Road, off the Gulf Freeway, where a deceased man in his 20s or 30s lay outside his car, Detective Jake Gardner said.

Both front doors were open when police arrived, but the shooting likely took place while the driver was inside the vehicle, according to the detective. A passenger was also inside.

A motive is unknown at this time, but police believe the killing stemmed from a road rage incident.

NEWS IN YOUR INBOX: Sign up for breaking news email alerts from HoustonChronicle.com here
A Harris County grand jury on Monday declined to indict former Houston police officers who fatally shot Nicolas Chavez more than 20 times as he suffered a mental crisis in east Houston, according to the Harris County District Attorney's Office.

Chavezs family has for more than a year attempted to drum up attention in advance of an indictment and make the 27-year-old father a recognized name in the city. That effort appeared to falter Monday when the grand jury determined that no probable cause existed to charge three officers and a sergeant with a crime.

The DA's office's Civil Rights Division presented evidence over a four-day period, and grand jurors chose not to indict on a range of options that exist in officer-involved shootings  from criminally negligent homicide to murder. The issue of defense was also taken into consideration, including self-defense and defense of a third person, District Attorney Kim Ogg said.

MORE ON CHAVEZ: Federal judge dismisses lawsuit filed by family of Nicolas Chavez, slain by Houston police in 2020

Civil Rights Division prosecutors presented all the evidence to ensure grand jurors were fully informed prior to making a decision," Ogg said. "Our heart goes out to the Chavez family over the loss of their loved one. We respect the grand jurys decision.

Grand jury proceedings are secret, and the evidence presented to grand jurors cannot be disclosed.

A 911 call on April 21, 2020, brought authorities to Denver Harbor, where Chavez was huddled under a streetlight on Gazin Road. A group of officers shot him to death when he picked up a used Taser at the end of a lengthy effort to help him, according to police. He was on his knees.

Chavez was a devoted boyfriend and father who worked a job installing pools. He struggled with mental health issues, but he was trying to go the right way, his father, Joaquin Chavez said in April.

Augie Pinedo, District 18 director of the League of United Latin American Citizens, compared the killing to one by a firing squad.

We feel for the family who has been waiting months and months for justice to be done only to suffer a serious blow to their attempts to obtain justice for their loved one and closure for the family, Pinedo said. We can say without equivocation that justice failed today.

Drawing from a nationwide sea change about police treatment of people of color, George Floyds death a month after Chavezs shooting provided the push his family needed to gain traction on their case. In September, Houston police released footage of the encounter and announced the officers firings the same day.

Those officers were Benjamin LeBlanc, Luis Alvarado, Omar Tapia and Patrick Rubio, who then-Police Chief Art Acevedo said displayed a not reasonable response to the situation.

VIDEO: 'I cannot defend that': 4 officers fired as HPD releases footage of fatal shooting of Nicolas Chavez

The Houston Police Officers Union confirmed Monday that four people  three officers and a sergeant  were not indicted. A federal lawsuit filed by the Chavez family names a fifth officer, Kevin Nguyen, who was not fired.

Im happy the grand jury saw it the way it happened, union president Doug Griffith said. These officers acted in the way they were trained, and Im looking forward to the next in this process, which is arbitration, so they can get their jobs back.

The four officers appealed their firings.

HPD policy is the central issue in the Chavez familys $100 million federal lawsuit, in which they contend police guidelines permitted its officers to shoot Chavez 24 times, killing him. U.S. District Court Judge Lee Rosenthal dismissed the case in July but allowed lawyers to re-file weeks later.

Many of Chavezs family members said they didnt believe race was the main issue in the shooting  three of the officers involved, like Chavez, were Hispanic. But they said different use-of-force policies as well as methods in dealing with people with mental illnesses could have prevented the ultimate outcome.

HPD updated its use-of-force policy after Floyds death, expanding de-escalation techniques to reduce or minimize the use of physical force. Acevedo did not name a violated policy upon the officers firing over the Chavez killing.

During his September 2020 news conference, the former chief used body camera footage to piece together the 15-minute encounter. Concerned 911 calls had warned officers of a man jumping fences and threatening bystanders, police said at the time.

Finding Chavez under the street light, the officers took out their Tasers and assured Chavez from a distance that they were there to help, Acevedo said. Chavez told police that he was an MHMRA patient  an old acronym for the Harris Center mental health clinic  and that he felt like dying.

He flailed in a parking lot and stabbed himself with what officers believed was a knife. LeBlanc fired two bean bag rounds at Chavez and Alvarado followed with a Taser. Neither appeared to have an effect and Chavez began walking toward the officers with the metal object  later determined to be a piece of rebar.

LeBlanc and Nguyen fired a combined three shots as Chavez approached him and a constables deputy. Out of all the rounds fired that night, Acevedo said those were the only ones he found to be reasonable.

Chavez took refuge in a ditch after officers tried to provide medical aid. He eventually came out, rolled onto his knees and faced the officers. He chucked the metal object and picked up a used Taser, which an officer had dropped.

According to earlier reports, LeBlanc told Internal Affairs investigators that Chavez grabbed the Taser, which was missing both cartridges, with a shooting grip. LeBlanc feared he would shoot.

LeBlanc, an 11-year veteran of the agency, fired twice, while Tapia and Rubio  both with HPD for a year  each fired six times. Alvarado fired seven shots.

Chavez was rushed to a hospital but did not survive. A toxicology report later found traces of meth and alcohol in Chavezs body at the time of his death.



samantha.ketterer@chron.com
Officer William Jeffrey, shot and killed while trying to arrest a wanted man, had a chance to retire.

Relatives urged Jeffrey to hang up his badge but he chose instead to keep working  reaching his third decade with the Houston Police Department, officials said. Twelve of those years were spent with the Major Offenders division, apprehending the citys most dangerous criminals.

Even if he knew the dangers he was about to face  he would have still not turned around, Mayor Sylvester Turner said after speaking with one of Jeffreys sisters.

The Navy veteran turned law man was memorialized Monday at Grace Church in southeast Houston  a week after being shot and killed while trying to arrest a man who forfeited his bond months earlier on two drug possession charges. He was 54.

During his tenure, Jeffrey executed more than 4,000 warrants and made about 2,500 arrests, police Chief Troy Finner said.

Paul Lowrey, a detective assigned to HPDs gang division, shared memories of Jeffrey stretching back four decades. The two were childhood pals. He knew Jeffrey as Bill  sometimes Billy, depending on the extent of their shenanigans. Their friendship continued at HPD in the same cadet class.

News of the Sept. 20 shooting and Jeffreys death reached him within the hour.

I lay awake at night, Lowrey began, wondering Why were we friends? What did he see in me? Hes the closest thing to a brother Ive ever had.

He pointed to Jeffreys ability to love and forgive as the traits that maintained dozens of decades-long friendships  especially their own.

He kept my cranky tail happy  and thats tough, Lowrey said.

The two often discussed what to do should something happen to either of them  swearing the other to look after their wives and to plan their funeral accordingly. Jeffrey, known for his humor, wanted a Viking ceremony  tropes and all, Lowrey said.

With a raft and an arrow, Lowrey continued. Guys with swords saluting him, hats with horns. The city couldnt insure that.

Humorous recollections gave way to grief as Lowrey stepped aside for Jeffreys daughter, Lacie Jeffrey, to speak. She relished the one thing that no one else could say.

I am the only person in this world who got to experience him as a dad, she said.

He started their phone calls with a simple, Hey, kid.

I can hear it clear as day in my head, she continued. What I wouldnt give to hear that today.

Death a wake-up call

Another officer, Michael Vance, was wounded in the shooting at a north Harris County apartment complex. He was released over the weekend from the hospital, Turner said.

Medical examiner records show Jeffrey received multiple peforating and penetrating gunshot wounds of torso and extremities.

The man accused of shooting the two officers, Deon Ledet, died when authorities returned fire.

Two weapons  a handgun and a long gun  were found in the apartment. Investigators with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are tracking down where Ledet obtained the weapons, Harris County Sheriffs Office spokesman Senior Deputy Thomas Gilliland said.

Ledet, a convicted felon, was prohibited from possessing firearms.

The topic of crooks and guns was on Jeffreys mind, his daughter said. During her freshman year in college, Jeffrey drove to College Station to help her, then a Texas A&M freshman, write an essay on gun control.

One of the main points that he helped me make: Gun control and gun laws do not keep guns out of the hands of criminals, the younger Jeffrey said. He has always said, Guns dont kill people, people kill people.

Her fathers death, she said during the service, could have been avoided.

In a recent interview with KHOU, the daughter concluded Jeffrey would still be alive had Ledet not been released on bail.

Prosecutors touted Ledets felony convictions when seeking to have him held without bail following his mid-November 2020 arrest  even though he had not been charged with a capital crime. A magistrate judge set bail at $40,000 initially, but State District Judge Greg Glass agreed to lower Ledet's bail by half. He posted bail the next day and left the Harris County Jail.

Jeffreys daughter called his death a wake-up call for local leadership.

My dad would have done anything for Houston, she said during the eulogy. He loved his city, he loved his job and he loved his team. He loved each and everyone of those guys. My daddy took those bullets so those guys didnt have to.

The daughter later sobbed as a band of bagpipers marched toward Jeffreys casket.

Two fire engines hoisted an American flag into the air nearby and a gun salute soon erupted  all the same honors given to several other fallen officers since the start of the pandemic. Last year, two HPD sergeants, Harold Preston and Sean Rios, died by gunfire and a third, Jason Knox, died in a helicopter crash.

nicole.hensley@chron.com
Images of Border Patrol agents on horseback appearing to aggressively block Haitian migrants at the Texas border last week prompted outrage among Democrats, including a promise from President Joe Biden that "there will be consequences."

In an interview on Fox News Sunday, meanwhile, Gov. Greg Abbott offered the agents jobs in Texas.

"If they are at risk of losing their job...you have a job in the state of Texas," Abbott said in an interview with Fox News anchor Chris Wallace, addressing the agents captured in the viral photos. "I will hire you to help Texas secure our border."

YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED: 9 migrant families on why they left Haiti and their journey to the US

The different responses to the horseback encounter at the U.S.-Mexico border reflect the strained relations between the federal government and Texas officials over the handling of the surge of migrants at the border.

Although federal officials are responsible for securing national borders, Abbott has launched his own effort to crack down on illegal immigration, repeatedly condemning what he refers to as the Biden administrations open border policies. Abbott is seeking a third term as governor next year, when he will face conservative challengers in the GOP primary.

In the Sunday interview, the Republican governor accused the Biden administration of abandoning its duty to secure national borders, leaving Texas no choice but to "step up and do what we have to do."

Felix Marquez, STR / Associated Press

The Texas Senate earlier this month approved a $1.8 billion border security bill that will fund construction of fencing and wall sections along the border as well as the deployment of troops from the National Guard and state Department of Public Safety.

The horseback encounter happened as tens of thousands of migrants congregated roughly two weeks ago under the Del Rio International Bridge in Texas. Many were Haitians who had come from South America, especially Chile.

No migrants remained at the encampment by the end of last week, the Associated Press reported. Thousands of Haitians were expelled last week on flights to their native country under a Trump-era policy that allows for the removal of migrants at the border due to the pandemic. However, thousands were allowed to temporarily enter the country to seek asylum before an immigration judge.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Whistleblower outlines mismanagement, abuse at Texas shelters for migrant kids

Biden has pledged to implement immigration reforms and develop a system thats more humane than his predecessors, but his administration faced criticism from progressives over the expulsion of Haitians.

Photos of the encounter showed an agent on horseback swinging what appeared to be reins and snatching a man by his shirt on the banks of the Rio Grande.

Photographer Paul Ratje told NPR that the Haitians appeared frightened and that the agents blocked some migrants who tried to run around the horses.

Biden had condemned the treatment of migrants who appeared to be "strapped" or pushed down by agents on horseback. There is an investigation underway, he said.

"It was horrible," he said. "I promise you those people will pay."

Abbott defended the actions of the border agents in the interview with Wallace, saying that the agents were risking their lives and working hard to secure the border. The men on horseback, he said, would not have been in that situation if the President "enforced the immigration laws and secured the border in the first place."

"They were simply maneuvering horses," Abbott said.

anna.bauman@chron.com
Regarding Migrant camp along Texas border shrinks as removals ramp up, (Sept. 23): Thousands of migrants have been removed from under the bridge in Del Rio. Many returned to their home countries which cant possibly accommodate them; many others are staying in Mexico which cannot take care of them; and the rest have been transported to asylum processing centers that have limited options for feeding, housing and caring for them, let alone finding the real economic opportunities that they all seek.

The tens of thousands that have come before them and the estimated 12,000 mostly Haitian migrants that endured deplorable living conditions in the hope of gaining entry into the United States are just the beginning of what will be a long-term problem for the U.S.

This will take some truly creative thinking in Washington. Lets look at some facts. We have a declining birth rate in the United States that long-term will adversely affect our economy. And we have a huge trade deficit in labor-intensive consumer goods primarily with China.

Why not subsidize American companies to produce goods they stopped producing years ago because they couldnt compete with plants in China, India, Vietnam, Thailand, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh? American consumers could buy goods with Made in America labels at retail stores. This could be possible with the employment and training of migrants.

I for one still believe in the welcoming message inscribed at the foot of the Statue of Liberty. Its time for us to live up to our ideals.

Ray Lawrence, Houston

Regarding Editorial: How America got to the Haitian migrant crisis in Del Rio and how we get out, (Sept. 20): My mother is a Vietnamese refugee, and whether her story is more daunting or not than the people of Haitis, she still faced a similar struggle. Its completely unjust to send people back who have spent their lifes worth coming to America. As a member of the country of refuge and the Land of the Free, I say that it is our duty to allow people to seek asylum; although I know its easier said than done, it is still something we must aim to do.

People coming to America are no slackers; we want these people. They crossed oceans, dealt with earthquakes  whatever they faced is way harder than our daily challenges of traffic or work, and what they have to bring to our country is surely underestimated.

Imagine if the government in America went haywire and ordered the execution of your family, or if our country was plagued by terrible natural disasters to the point where you literally cant live here anymore. The most logical thing to do is to move elsewhere right? So you cross rivers and deal with sickness, poverty, hunger just to reach a place youve never stepped in before and that you put all your faith in, only to get sent back to the hell you came from. I dont think one can call that constitutional.

Evan Banchs, Houston, junior in high school

Pros and cons

The article really struck me because there are two opposing solutions that both have their pros and cons. The first solution would be to not let any Haitians in. This would mean sending them to Haiti. That would send a strong message to migrants. It shows that America is serious about its border policy. On the flip side, it definitely portrays us as the bad guys. The people of Haiti were in such a desperate situation they left just for a chance of getting into the United States. Sending them back without even giving them a chance would be a hard thing to do. I would definitely feel bad if this happened, but sometimes you have to make the hard decisions for the right reasons. I know that the situation they are in is desperate, but the approach they took was not right either.

Another solution to the problem at hand is to hear each of the migrants. We could have them all tried to hear why they are trying to enter the United States.

A pro of accepting the Haitians into society is that we are doing the right thing essentially. Their country is in such a bad state because their president got assassinated, the earthquakes and the economy is just horrific. Allowing them to stay in the United States for a temporary amount of time would allow for the rebuilding of Haiti.

However, if we let in the initial people at our borders, would Haiti be rebuilt, or would the remaining people in Haiti flock to the United States hoping for the same opportunity?

Ryan Lade, Houston, junior in high school

There is no winning when it comes to immigration policies. People will be upset either way. The one thing that would help would be more education on this topic, and eventually a good balance.

Nick Wachel, Houston, junior in high school
Texas new abortion ban makes no exceptions for pregnancies that result from rape or incest. Nearly a month after it was enacted, state health officials still wont say whether that includes Texans on Medicaid, a small but critical population that they are required to help access the procedure.

Under federal Medicaid rules, states are obligated to cover abortions in rare circumstances, including for victims of sexual abuse. The new Texas law prohibits abortions after six weeks of pregnancy and allows nearly anyone to sue those who defy the restrictions. It is at least temporarily in place while state and federal courts review whether it is constitutional.

The law appears to have forced the state Health and Human Services Commission into a predicament: either it flouts the state ban or it violates the longstanding federal guidelines.

The agency has not said how it is complying with either directive; a spokeswoman declined to comment, citing the pending litigation. In its Medicaid handbook, the agency still provides instructions for submitting abortion claims for reimbursement.

The Department of Justice pointed to the Medicaid impact in a lawsuit it filed earlier this month against the Texas ban. A hearing on that suit is scheduled for Friday.

The statute arbitrarily denies Medicaid beneficiaries coverage of a procedure for which Medicaid coverage is mandatory, lawyers for the department wrote in their complaint.

IN-DEPTH: Anti-abortion laws used to exempt cases of rape and incest. Not anymore in Texas.

Abortion providers say they have not received clarification since the law took effect on Sept. 1. Some said the reimbursement process was already so cumbersome that they had taken to finding other funding sources for eligible abortions or writing off the procedures as charity care. Earlier this year, a federal appeals court allowed state leaders to kick Planned Parenthood out of the Medicaid program altogether.

There is no hard data on the number of Medicaid recipients in Texas that obtained abortions. The safety net program covers more than 4 million low-income Texans, most of them under age 21. The state is one of a dozen that have not expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act.

As of June, there were 324,000 pregnant women enrolled in Medicaid, more than double the number before the start of the coronavirus pandemic. The federal government has temporarily prohibited states from kicking Medicaid recipients from their rosters as part of its public health response.

Groups that support abortion access say Senate Bill 8 will most directly harm low-income and minority Texans, many of whom lack the time and resources to travel to a state where the procedure is still legal. Abortion clinics in Oklahoma and other surrounding states have reported huge increases in demand from Texas residents this month.

Nicole Huberfeld, a law professor who specializes in Medicaid at Boston University, said even if the state is no longer complying, the federal government may choose not to intervene.

RELATED: Biden administration boosting access to emergency contraception in Texas in wake of strict abortion law

The biggest tool, obviously, is withholding funding, she said. And the law allows the federal government to withhold all Medicaid funding if a state is non-compliant. But that has never happened because, as you might imagine, that actually would be harmful to Medicaid beneficiaries.

But Huberfeld said the Biden administration has arguably bigger battles to wage with Texas, including over the states refusal to expand Medicaid. The Biden White House also wants to roll back the 1977 provision that bans federal funding for most abortions, known as the Hyde Amendment.

A spokesman for the Biden administration did not respond to a request for comment.

South Dakota is the one state that openly violates Medicaids rape and incest provisions. A 2019 report by the U.S. Government Accountability Office found it had not been complying with the rules for 25 years, and that federal health officials had been unaware. Neither the Trump administration nor the Biden administration has taken steps to bring South Dakota into compliance.

In Texas, most of the Medicaid claims are handled by private companies known as managed care organizations. Under Senate Bill 8, they could be liable to private litigation if they were to reimburse providers for a covered Medicaid abortion. Several of the biggest companies either did not respond to requests for comment on how theyre proceeding or referred questions to the state health agency.

jeremy.blackman@chron.com
The claim: Thanks to President Biden, the Taliban now has more Black Hawk helicopters than 85 percent of countries in the world.  U.S. Rep. Richard Hudson.

In a Facebook post on Sept. 1, Hudson, R-North Carolina, posted an image that said the Talibans new arsenal included 33 Black Hawk helicopters, then blamed it on Bidens hasty withdrawal from Afghanistan.

PolitiFact rating: Half true. Hudsons claim about how the Talibans stock of Black Hawks compares to other countries appears to be accurate. His post gets some of the numbers right, but leaves out key context.

Discussion

Hudson didnt respond to an email about his post. But he later updated it, saying that social media companies had censored this post and that fact-checkers have disputed the exact dollar amount of equipment left in Afghanistan. Hudson acknowledged that some of his numbers might be off, but said he wanted to emphasize the poor execution of the withdrawal.

The claim comparing the Talibans Black Hawk arsenal to the rest of the world appears to have originated with Congressman Jim Banks, a Republican from Indiana. Banks cited the same statistic in a press conference on Aug. 25.

Its unclear whether the U.S. military left as many as 33 usable Black Hawks behind in Afghanistan.

TEXAS TAKE: Get political headlines from across the state sent directly to your inbox

But even if the Taliban has just one, which reports seem to indicate, the claim that the Taliban has more helicopters than 85% has factual basis.

The U.S. military did have 33 operational Black Hawks in Afghanistan as of June 30, according to a report by the U.S. Department of Defense. (Theyre also known as UH-60 helicopters)

However, as PolitiFact previously reported and as Banks office acknowledged, its unclear how many of the Black Hawks are now in the hands of the Taliban.

Media outlets such as the BBC, NPR and the Washington Post have hesitated to report a specific number of Black Hawks under Taliban control. Meanwhile, one blog run by independent military analysts reports the Taliban seized 18 Black Hawks but that only six are operable.

Its also unclear whether the Taliban has the ability to effectively operate Black Hawk helicopters for warfare.

Bradley Bowman, a former Black Hawk pilot in the Army, told NPR that learning to pilot Black Hawks is not something that you can do in a week or a month. But that obstacle isnt insurmountable.

A bigger problem for the Taliban may be maintaining the Black Hawks, said Jonathan Schroden, the director of the Countering Threats and Challenges Program at the Center for Naval Analyses. Schroden told NPR the Taliban might not be able to fix them.

About PolitiFact PolitiFact is a fact-checking project to help you sort out fact from fiction in politics. Truth-O-Meter ratings are determined by a panel of three editors. The burden of proof is on the speaker, and PolitiFact rates statements based on the information known at the time the statement is made. See More Collapse

John Pike, a longtime military expert who founded the nonprofit research group GlobalSecurity.org, said the Taliban may have trouble finding pilots, too.

The Taliban made a practice of assassinating pilots and air crews in recent years and might have some difficulty in tricking them to return to the warm embrace of the Motherland, Pike told PolitiFact NC in an email.

Pakistan does not fly the UH-60 and so they will be of little help to their puppet regime, he continued. With few pilots, few maintainers, and no spare parts, the handful of flyable UH-60s will be of little use to the Taliban over the coming months, before they become completely unflyable due to lack of maintenance and spares.

Hudson and Banks both said the Taliban now has more Black Hawk helicopters than 85 percent of the worlds countries.

Banks defended the figure saying that 85 percent of the worlds countries dont have a Black Hawk at all. He cited a page on Black Hawk-builder Lockheed Martins website, which says the company supplies the helicopters to 29 countries in the world.

PolitiFact NC called and emailed a spokesperson for Lockheed Martin to see if the companys website is up to date, but didnt receive a response.

If there are 195 countries in the world and 29 have Black Hawks, that means 166 of them dont  which comes out to 85 percent. That means, if the Taliban has taken even one Black Hawk, they would have more Black Hawks than 85 percent of the world.

And it appears they do. CNN reported the Taliban included a Black Hawk helicopter in a recent air display. Russian media also tweeted a video purporting to show footage of the Taliban flying a Black Hawk.

The simple math checks out, said Mitchell Hailstone, communications director for the Republican Study Committee, which Banks chairs.

If the Pentagon would tell us how many Black Hawk helicopters the Taliban has in its possession, wed be able to calculate a more accurate percentage, Hailstone said.
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.
The news you need, when you need it, by the editors you trust. Get continuing news coverage and educational information on crops, livestock, soil health and other topics you select.
Author, Correspondent to Speak at MCLA Annual Public Policy Lecture Event

NORTH ADAMS, Mass.  Jamie Ducharme, an author and TIME magazine correspondent, will be Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts' 2021 Public Policy lecturer.

She'll speak at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 7, at the college's Church Street Center Auditorium. A remote viewing option will also be available, and both options are free and open to the public.

Registration for the in-person event or for the virtual option can be done here.

Ducharme covers health and science. Her work has won awards from the New York Press Club, the Deadline Club, and the Newswomen's Club of New York. Her first book, "Big Vape: The Incendiary Rise of Juul"  a deep-dive into the e-cigarette company Juul Labs and an exploration of the complicated search for an alternative to cigarettes  was published by Henry Holt in May 2021.

Ducharme grew up in New Hampshire, earned a journalism degree from Northeastern University, and started her career as a health writer and editor at Boston magazine.

In 2008, MCLA announced the establishment of the Public Policy lecture series, making public policy forums an ongoing part of the college's long-term speaker offerings, in complement to MCLA's major in political science and public policy.
Williamstown Fin Comm Discusses Plan to Address FY22 Budget Gap

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass.  The Finance Committee last week discussed ways the town could address a $150,000 shortfall in the current town budget.

The majority of members expressing a preference said one option, a special town meeting, would not be their choice.

Fin Comm Chair Melissa Cragg laid out the problem and two possible strategies for filling the budget gap at the outset of Wednesday's meeting.

The shortfalls stem from severance payments agreed to with the former Williamstown Police Chief and former town manager, who each left the town's service in fiscal year 2021.

In FY22, the town is continuing to pay each of the departed officials, but the budget presented to the town at June's annual town meeting contained no reference to the severance payments and instead only included the usual line items for the two high-ranking public officials  each of whom presumably will be replaced before June 30, 2022, the end of the fiscal year.

Interim Town Manager Charlie Blanchard prepared an estimate of the costs of filling those slots, plus an additional unbudgeted expense for his services in FY22: $75,000 for seven months of a new town manager, $40,000 for five months of a new police chief and $35,000 for five months of interim town manager services for a total of $150,000.

Cragg told her colleagues that Massachusetts General Law allows the Fin Comm, in conjunction with the Select Board, to make budget transfers between departments in the last two months of the fiscal year to plug spending gaps. Prior to that two-month point, the town manager can transfer within the budget centers delineated on the town meeting warrant.

Blanchard and Cragg agreed that, by using transfers, the town can fill in the holes. Cragg previously told iBerkshires.com that she believed the town had enough resources to pay the unbudgeted bills without requiring a special town meeting for new appropriations.

But that is the other option on the table.

"We have two options: have a special town meeting  or still live inside our [non-school] budget of $8,670,658," Cragg said. "If you do the math on that, given the relative smallness of $150,000, that's 1.73 percent of the [$8.6 million] total. It seems reasonable that we can live within that."

In addition, Cragg noted, the Finance Committee has a reserve account of $175,000 for unanticipated expenses  the mechanism that the Fin Comm used in July to plug holes in the FY21 budget created by the same issues addressed on Wednesday.

Of course, the severance packages were not "unanticipated" by the former town manager, who authored the FY22 budget, or the Select Board, which negotiated the former town manager's severance package and later voted, 5-0, to recommend town meeting's passage of the budget.

The former police chief left the town's service in December 2020 under an agreement that keeps him on the town's books through June 30, 2023. The former town manager announced his departure  after reaching an agreement with the Select Board  in February.

The budget was presented to the Finance Committee in March and sent to the floor of town meeting in June.

"My concern with this particular situation is these expenses were known at the time the FY22 budget was being developed," Dan Caplinger said on Wednesday evening. "They may not have been known by us, but they were known by certain people.

"If the public at 2021's town meeting was presented with inaccurate numbers, I think the best remedy is to go back to town meeting with accurate numbers and explain the reason for the disparity. It's not in our power to demand that. It's the Select Board that determines if there will be a special town meeting. Alternatively, if 200 registered voters of our community decide the Select Board hasn't done it and they want to do it, they can make written demand of the Select Board.'

Caplinger indicated he might sign such a petition if asked.

"Special town meeting is the appropriate way to re-establish confidence in the budget building and presentation that we had," Caplinger said. "That's just my view."

Cragg said the budget discrepancy already has led to some positive outcomes. She and Select Board Chair Andrew Hogeland have begun holding monthly meetings with Blanchard to track town expenses in real time and will continue to do so, in part, to ensure that the $150,000 in transfers will be available come May and June of next year.

"I think the combination of real time information and regularly scheduled meetings to be sure  " Cragg said. "I am personally confident that it was in anyone's heart to actively withhold information from us. I think there were mistakes made, and it was a very weird situation where the person whose severance we're talking about here this evening  It was a weird situation that I hope would never happen again."

Former Town Manager Jason Hoch, whose severance package was the topic of discussion on Wednesday, was asked point blank by a resident in a March Fin Comm meeting if the budget included "severance funds that we just don't see." Hoch gave a one word answer, "No."

Fin Comm member Elaine Neely said the entire FY22 budget review process was "confusing" due to the use of virtual meetings and online spreadsheets instead of the traditional hard copy budget books the Fin Comm is used to receiving. Paula Consolini said the fact that Hoch was negotiating his own severance (a process that ended before the Fin Comm reviewed the budget) added "complexity" to the review.

"I'll go out on a limb and say I wish I had asked better questions," Cragg said. "I keep saying, 'Geez, I should have asked whether there are any contingencies or leftover expenses related to former employees."

Michael Sussman indicated that a special town meeting at this point would only make existing strife in town  which led to the departure of Hoch and former Police Chief Kyle Johnson  even worse.

"We need to just move forward," Sussman said. "Having a special town meeting to create more division in this town is not going to be helpful.

"COVID occurred, we had two other things occurring at the same time. It will probably never happen again. We need to adjust the [FY]22 budget in a timely manner as the months go by."

Cragg said that discussing the shortfall and a planned solution now helps to re-establish the public's trust in the process, and she returned repeatedly to the fact that the shortfall is less than 2 percent of the town's non-school spending  and far less than that on a percentage basis when education costs are added in.

"We're disclosing that we have this issue, we're disclosing what the solution is, we're disclosing what the alternative is," Cragg said. "If this number were substantially larger, I'd agree with [Caplinger], but reasonable people can disagree reasonably."

Caplinger chose not to rebut any of the arguments against a special town meeting but said he needed to point out the mechanism that could bring one about.

"It is a small amount," Caplinger said. "It's something that if the residents of the town are comfortable with what we're doing in response to the situation, they won't want a special town meeting either."
BArT to Host Salvadoran Poet and Literary Activist

ADAMS, Mass.  BArT Charter Public School is hosting poet and activist Javier Zamora as a part of their Creative Leaders in Residence program (CLRP).

CLRP brings voices to BArT to share their work through lectures, performances, or readings with our students and the community. Connecting BArT and its students to the world and the world to the School is an important part of the BArT ethos.

In addition to spending time with BArT students in a number of their classes during 3 school days, Mr. Zamora will deliver a public performance at 7:00pm on Thursday, Sept. 30, 2021 via Zoom.

That performance, "BArT Presents: Javier Zamora," is free and open to the public; pre-registration is required. Register by clicking here or by visiting the News & Events page at www.BArTcharter.org. Any questions should be directed to leah.thompson@BArTcharter.org.

Javier Zamora was born in La Herradura, El Salvador in 1990. His father fled El Salvador when he was a year old, and his mother when he was about to turn five. Both parents' migrations were caused by the Salvadoran Civil War (1980-1992).

In 1999, Javier migrated through Guatemala, Mexico, and eventually through the Sonoran Desert. After a coyote abandoned his group in Oaxaca, Javier managed to make it to Arizona with the aid of other migrants.

His first full-length collection, Unaccompanied (Copper Canyon Press, September 2017), explores how immigration and the civil war have impacted his family.

Zamora was a 2018-2019 Radcliffe Fellow at Harvard University and holds fellowships from CantoMundo, Colgate University (Olive B. O'Connor), MacDowell, Macondo, the National Endowment for the Arts, Poetry Foundation (Ruth Lilly), Stanford University (Stegner), and Yaddo. He is the recipient of a 2017 Lannan Literary Fellowship, the 2017 Narrative Prize, and the 2016 Barnes & Noble Writer for Writers Award for his work in the Undocupoets Campaign.

Zamora's visit to BArT is supported by the Charles H. Hall Foundation, the Cultural Council of Northern Berkshire, and the George H. and Jane A. Mifflin Memorial Fund.
Name: Bhuvana Badrinathan

Company: Convergint Technologies

Job title: CIO

Date started current role: May 2019

Location: Chicago, IL

Bhuvana Badrinathan has over 20 years of experience in technology, including software development, data strategy, service delivery, and infrastructure. She joined Convergint in 2019 as Chief Information Officer. Prior to working at Convergint, Badrinathan served in various technology and executive management roles in different industries, including financial services, eCommerce retail, and insurance brokerage.

What was your first job? My first job, like many young people, was as a part-time worker. I was working as an office administrative and leasing assistant for an apartment complex in my late teens and early twenties.

Did you always want to work in IT? When I was in college, I was interested in studying law, specifically financial law. However, like most young graduates, I graduated and entered the job market, and found myself working in the information technology space. It was a new, exciting, and unexpected path for me. As the days, weeks, and months went by, I found myself gravitating to it more and more. I liked the industry, how driven everyone is, and how the industry itself continues to evolve, challenging me to think differently and learn morewhich was something I embraced. After some time and a great deal of learning, I grew into a leadership role and realised information technology was the perfect fit for me. Being a strong IT leader has become something I am very proud of, and I never looked back.

What was your education? Do you hold any certifications? What are they? I am a graduate of Northeastern Illinois University and the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, where I earned my BS and MBA, respectively.

Explain your career path. Did you take any detours? If so, discuss. I began my IT career as a software developer, predominantly working with Microsoft technologies and various back-end systems. I really enjoyed finding solutions, and at the time, I saw myself staying on the more technical side. Management was not something that I was working towards early in my career, but I started seeing certain aspects of the management process that I felt could be better, and it has inspired me to embark on the management side. I went all-in on management to help organisations make more insightful decisions for people at all levels within the organisation, from the top down.

During this process, I realised my desire and passion for helping those in the field grow in their careers. Ive always been interested in assisting colleagues, helping them understand their passions, and matching their talents with business opportunities to grow with the business. This is what led me to management and what keeps me herehelping people grow and become successful is my passion.

What business or technology initiatives will be most significant in driving IT investments in your organisation in the coming year? When I first joined the Convergint team, we did not have a formal data team or data scientists. See, the heart of what we do at Convergint is customer service. As our company grew, we realised our internal processes had to grow alongside our colleagues and the company's direction. Since data is something that businesses need to create a strong team and streamline operations, I set out to first establish a data governance and data steering committee. Today, we are in the early stages of implementing a new enterprise resource planning (ERP) system, which is probably the most significant technology initiative we currently have in motionand it's the most disruptive for our back-office processes.

Convergint is an entrepreneurial organisation, and a lot of our processes are decentralised. This has been helpful because it has allowed us to focus on what's key, and that's being our customers' best service provider. We have grown to become a $1.4 billion global company, which means that we need to have a global reach with a local touch. This necessitates that we standardise and improve our processes to consistently serve our customers regardless of where they are located. Essentially, when you don't have data in one place, you're losing out on an essential component to the internal decision-making and strategy.

Companies that have a deep understanding of their businessand can connect customers, products, people, and datacan unlock critical insights to transforming information into actionable insights. We have all the necessary ingredients to achieve this goalwe have great colleagues and global knowledge about the industryand the ERP that we are implementing will continue to help us as we progress.

What are the CEO's top priorities for you in the coming year? How do you plan to support the business with IT? Our core values and beliefs express our responsibility to our customers, colleagues, and communities. Since day one, every decision made at Convergint has aligned with our values and beliefs. Its an accepting, exciting cultureempowering people to do their best daily. Each year, I sit with our CEO, Ken Lochiatto, and discuss our company goals, where our business focus is, and how I can contribute to the companys success.

This year, I am incredibly focused on our ERP initiative, and beyond that, doing what I lovehelping and assisting other colleagues where they need the support. For me, and our overall business, a long-term goal is to develop and implement a robust cyber strategywhich I look forward to sharing one day!

Does the conventional CIO role include responsibilities it should not hold? Should the role have additional responsibilities it does not currently include? At Convergint, there are no boundaries, only guiding principlesour values and beliefs. Our company is the kind of place where we, colleagues and myself included, have defined roles but no boundaries.

Our colleagues work together and remain committed to serving as our customers' best service provider. The IT department plays an essential role within Convergintboth from an efficiency perspective and a growth and transformation perspective. We work closely together to create a positive culture and continue to make a daily difference.

Are you leading a digital transformation? If so, does it emphasise customer experience and revenue growth or operational efficiency? If both, how do you balance the two? We've reached an inflection point in the tech world, often referred to as the "Fourth Industrial Revolution" or "Industry 4.0." This is where the Internet of Things (IoT), services, data, and people are all converging to become better connected. This means that our myriad of systems all need to be able to communicate with each other better.

By integrating data across various business segments and then unlocking that data's value by transforming it into intelligence, we can better adjust, respond, and progress. We are no longer trying to balance operational efficiency and revenue growth, but instead, we are creating the ability to do both while ensuring a great customer experience.

This is one of the biggest reasons we are implementing a transformative ERPwe need to unify data from virtually any source and leverage it across our organisation. This will allow us to enable operational efficiency and have revenue growth while continuing to provide a great customer experience.

Describe the maturity of your digital business. For example, do you have KPIs to quantify the value of IT? We are currently focused on maturing our digital business, as most successful organisations are. At Convergint, we centre our IT focus into two sectionsthe "run" and the "grow."

The "run" represents what we must pay critical attention to and focus on more immediately and actively, which is typically the high availability of key systemsanywhere from cybersecurity protection to system performance data and tracking for better agility. We spend a lot of time and money in this area. Our approach to cybersecurity has been to implement a layered defense to have mechanisms in place to detect and stop the "bad guys" from accessing our systems. This is an area we will continue to monitor to ensure that we are proactive while evolving our defenses as cybersecurity threats evolve and hone their tactics to breach systems.

The second area"growth"is where we need to be good partners to the business and our customers and be in lockstep with them to ensure our systems and processes are continually improving and evolving to take advantage of technology's constant developments. This is what will continue to position us for success. We are in it for the long-term, focusing on technologies and core business processesbecause we consider digital transformation as a journey, not a destination.

What does good culture fit look like in your organisation? How do you cultivate it? Leadership's first actions when Convergint was founded was not to generate business but to take the time and establish what exactly was needed and expected to create a unique and empowered culture. One of the first things they did was write our values and beliefs.

A good culture fit for us is someone who lives our Values and Beliefs (V's & B's) and remains laser-focused on being our Customers' number one service provider.

We constantly cultivate our culture; every executive staff meeting begins with discussing our V's & B's; performance reviews are based on them and award nominations are driven by the V's & B's mindset. We make all our decisions, every single step of the process across all organisation levels, based on our V's & B's, which I view as a true competitive advantage!

What roles or skills are you finding (or anticipate to be) the most difficult to fill? Our hiring and recruiting process is so close to our hearts that we do our diligence throughout the hiring process. We carefully look at the quality of skills and quality in company belief systems; finding the proper personality fit is essential, especially as we continue to grow and expand. Our HR team does a fantastic job recruiting colleagues across the globe!

What's the best career advice you ever received? The best career advice I have received, words that I still live by, are: Dont chase money, chase the right opportunities, believe in yourself, and all else will follow.

Do you have a succession plan? If so, discuss the importance of and challenges with training up high-performing staff. I am always trying to match the talent within our business. At Convergint, we look for and hire smart, talented, good people and then invest in them to help colleagues develop and become who they aspire to be in a professional sense. We like to promote from within the organisation when the opportunity arises. The challenge then becomes how we can continue to help our colleagues on an upward trajectory towards growth.

What advice would you give to aspiring IT leaders? I would say the following: Always be curious; Be aware of where you spend your energy; Hire people smarter than you; Most importantly, stay empathetic while driving hard for results.

What has been your greatest career achievement? My greatest career achievement is building a powerful and results-driven team and having the ability to watch each dynamic individual grow in their careereven when I have moved on from an organisation. I am incredibly proud of the people I surround myself with and work with, and they will remain a priority throughout my career.

Looking back with 20:20 hindsight, what would you have done differently? I would have joined Convergint earlier.

As an executive who joined the company in 2019, I would not have done anything significantly differentmy goals would remain the same: protect and support colleagues, enable better internal business practices with more tech-enabled functions, and over-communicate with my team. What I would have done differently is push for a more integrated data system internally earlier.
CIA officials under the Trump administration plotted to kidnap and assassinate journalist and Wikileaks founder Julian Assange when he was hiding at Ecuadors embassy in London, a new report has revealed. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) said the plans, if true, would mean no journalist or source would be safe and represented a grave threat to media freedom.

Mexican activists hold banners that read "Revolutionary of journalism and hero of the truth" and "Freedom for Julian Assange". Credits: PEDRO PARDO / AFP

A report published by Yahoo News citing over 30 former US officials revealed that the CIA allegedly planned to assassinate Julian Assange as they feared he was planning to escape to Russia from the Ecuadorian embassy in London, where he took refuge for seven years.

According to the officials quoted, the CIA plans included a potential gunfight with Kremlin operatives in the streets of London, crashing a car into Assanges getaway vehicle or shooting the tyres of his plane to prevent it from taking off, the investigators said.

It was going to be like a prison break movie, a former senior administration official said to investigators.

Julian Assange, founder of WikiLeaks and an IFJ press card holder, is currently jailed in Belmarsh prison in the UK while he fights his extradition to the United States to face charges over the hacking and publication of thousands of classified cables, notably documents on the US crimes committed during the war in Iraq and Afghanistan, a decade ago. If convicted, he would face 175 years in prison.

The IFJ has repeatedly called for charges against Assange to be dropped, the extradition procedure to be stopped and for his immediate release.

IFJ General Secretary, Anthony Bellanger, said: If these accusations are true, it would cast a long shadow over all independent journalism and they would once again prove that extraditing Assange to the United States would put his life at serious risk. We are calling for a full investigation and for the British authorities to release him immediately.
Twenty years after the murder of investigative journalist Martin OHagan, who was shot dead in Lurgan, Northern Ireland, by the paramilitary Loyalist Volunteer Force (LVF) group on September 28, 2001, no one has been brought to justice. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) joins its affiliate the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) in calling for justice and accountability for the killing of O'Hagan.

OHagan was an experienced investigative journalist who had exposed the activities of paramilitary groups, including those of LVF founder Billy Wright. At the time of his death he was the Secretary of the Belfast and District branch of the NUJ.

The NUJ hit out at the lack of action in bringing his killers to justice and has called for an independent panel of international experts to look into the murder.

NUJ General Secretary, Michelle Stanistreet, said The failure of the authorities to properly investigate the brutal murder of Martin OHagan is a stain on the history of policing in Northern Ireland. The passage of time does not obliterate the need for an independent investigation drawn from outside the UK to investigate the murder and the subsequent police failings.

We have long called for an international investigation and we, as Martins union, renew that call on the 20th anniversary of his killing. The suspicion of collusion in a murder of this type undermines confidence and needs to be addressed. A free media is the cornerstone of democracy and it is simply not acceptable that Martin OHagans should be filed as unsolved, she added.

IFJ General Secretary, Anthony Bellanger, said: Launching an international investigation is a necessary step to bring clarity to Martin O'Hagan's case and to protect media freedom in Northern Ireland. There should be no impunity for crimes committed against journalists. We extend our support to the NUJ and to Martins family.
Our gadgets have been our companion throughout daily pandemic life. Other than our smartphones, smart wearable devices continuously leveled up and became must-haves to accompany us with our current lifestyle. Whether it's a fitness band that conveniently tracks our fitness goals or good Bluetooth earbuds that can keep up while youre working out, we cant deny that it makes our life a lot easier.

If youre looking for a perfect companion for your smartphone that can keep up with your activities, heres our top recommendations for you!

OPPO Enco Buds

With the invention of the Bluetooth earpiece that can save you space and tangles of wires, it became one of the most sought after smart devices for everyday use. True Wireless earphones are convenient not just for leisure but also during indoor and outdoor workouts, meetings, and calls. The OPPO Enco Buds have it all, and more, including long-lasting battery life of up to 24 hours with only 2.5 hours of charging time using the case. It also has a stable wireless connection that allows you to be 10 meters away from your phone when youre on a phone call. Its Bluetooth 5.2 chipset provides a stable connection between the phone and OPPO Enco Buds.

OPPO Enco Air

If you are looking for aesthetically pleasing wireless earphones and love quality audio, OPPO Enco Air is the perfect pair for you. With an eye-catching translucent charging case, OPPO Enco Air is the new benchmark for entry-level wireless Bluetooth earphones in the market. It has IPX4 Water Resistance and can give you 4 hours seamless stream time on its own. For mobile gamers, OPPO Enco Air delivers superb audio performance with ultra low transmission delay keeping you pumped up and immersed in your game. The OPPO Enco Air True Wireless Earphones come in three colors  Misty White, Misty Black and Misty Blue.

OPPO Enco X

Noise cancellation has been a game-charger feature that most of the working adults are looking for especially when they are working from home. OPPO Enco X flaunts its multi-settings noise cancellation and noise reduction that also comes with its triple microphone noise reduction that can guarantee you will always be heard during a call. With the charging case, you can enjoy up-to 25 hours of music playback or 15 hours of call time! To top it all off, OPPO Enco X was co-created with Danish HiFi brand, Dynadio.

OPPO Band

Aside from wireless earphones, smartwatches have become a staple for people maintaining an active lifestyle. With features to monitor your entire eight-hour sleep cycle and conduct SpO2 monitoring, the OPPO Band is your best bet for that! It has a 1.1-inch Full Color Screen + 2.5D curved-surface scratch-resistant glass with over 40 watch face designs.

If these sound just like the gadgets for your lifestyle, youre in luck! OPPO is having its Early BER-month Sale, giving you up to 40% on the IoT products including OPPO Band B1, OPPO Enco X, OPPO Enco Buds, OPPO Enco Air on Shopee, Lazada and participating OPPO Brand Stores nationwide until September 30.

To know more about the latest OPPO promotions and participating stores, visit its official website at www.oppo.com/ph or via Facebook at OPPO Philippines.
My career was on the up and up. I was a Millennial star. My gross overestimation of my talent and value and stereotypical job changing between companies every year was working very well as a strategy. I was always more valuable to someone else, whether or not I was ready for the job. Finally, the strategy caught up to me. I was making a healthy six figures and directing creative and social media for promoting feature film releases at 20th Century Fox. I was doing almost exactly what I had told my parents I wanted to do when I was 12., "Dad, I wanna be the guy that makes the commercials for the movies." I was a really weird 12-year-old.

I was charging hard, putting in 70+ hours a week, totally in over my head, but determined to fake it until I made it.

Then my first child came.

Everything went haywire. Because I was new, I couldn't take any time off. My wife was taking on 95 percent of the workload that comes with a baby. I was getting requests from work at 11 p.m. that were due by 8 a.m. I was working until 2 a.m. every night and starting again at 6 a.m. most days, including weekends. The dream of a big-shot Hollywood job had become an absolute nightmare.

This little adorable little baby girl absolutely decimated my career. I couldn't stay focused. I was constantly doling out excuses for lack of performance constantly. I wasn't attentive on conference calls and would constantly get caught ignoring conversations red-handed. I was exhausted. I was failing my employer and failing my wife even more. My life was a disaster, and I was missing out on all of my daughter's firsts.

Then I got fired.

Well, laid off gently and very courteously, with a far-too generous severance.

I had three months of living expenses to figure life out. I wanted that freedom more than anything. I read The $100 Startup and realized I didn't need to start some massive company with investment money in order to provide for this little priceless treasure of a daughter.

I started an agency. I started calling everyone I knew offering anything that I thought they might want. Three months went by. My nest egg disappeared. I maxed out my credit card in month four when I got a client for a three-month campaign. It was a miracle. Then a month later, I got another client. It was as if everyone in my professional network was waiting to see whether or not I would tank. Then another client, then another.

At the end of year one, we made good revenue, and it was just me full-time and a couple of partners moonlighting outside of their day jobs. It was working. They wouldn't make the jump, so we split. I hired a guy. And another guy. Year two, we did even better revenue-wise and were on a rocket ship, doubling revenue quarter over quarter. Our work was getting featured on Mashable, Buzzfeed, Adweek, Forbes. I was speaking at events. This thing was actually working. I couldn't believe it. Work was coming out of nowhere from the most unforeseen of places.

Having a child destroyed my career, but saved my life.
Daniel Craig has opened up about his traumatic experience of filming James Bond with a broken leg.

The actor injured himself while filming the last Bond film, Spectre. He was meant to have an operation on his leg, but pushed it back so as to not interrupt the filming schedule.

Appearing on ITVs Being James Bond documentary, which aired on Sunday (26 September) night, Craig discussed the pain of filming following his accident.

I had a lot of fun on [Spectre] but part of the problem was that I broke my leg, he said.

We had a choice. We could shut down for nine months and I could go and get an operation, or I could crack on with the movie and I didnt want to shut down for nine months.

Explaining how he wore a bionic leg but kept doing his own stunts for the rest of the filming process, Craig said that he found the experience to be massively distracting and traumatic.

I had to psychologically juggle my physical state, he said, adding that the leg would sometimes give way because of his injury.

At the beginning of the movie, I climb out of a window and walk down a ledge I am literally going, Dont give way, dont give way, he recalled.

I have a wire on, but its very traumatic. I am trying to be cool but my leg is shot.

Bond producer Barbara Broccoli added that Craig could barely walk due to his excruciating pain and said that she did not know how he managed to continue filming.

Last year, Craig said that the accident had played into his decision not to continue playing the secret agent beyond No Time To Die, which is released on Thursday (30 September).

I had to question myself, was I physically capable of doing [another one] or did I want to do another one? Because that phone call to your wife saying, Ive broken my leg is not pleasant, he said.

Craig married fellow actor Rachel Weisz in 2011.

No Time To Die is released on Thursday 30 September
Barbara Broccoli has said she believes the character of James Bond will always be portrayed as a man.

The Bond franchise producer and head of Eon Productions, who has the power to sign off every key hiring and firing in the spy films, revealed she will begin to consider Daniel Craigs replacement next year.

Craig is appearing in his final outing as 007 after the release of No Time to Die, which is released at the end of this month.

James Bond is a male character, she told the PAnews agency. I hope that there will be many, many films made with women, for women, by women, about women.

I don't think we have to take a male character and have a woman portray him. So yes, I see him as male. And I'm sort of in denial, I would love for Daniel to continue forever.

As a result, Broccoli confirmed she will not think about Craigs replacement until she discusses the subject with her half-brother and fellow producer Michael G Wilson, next year.

We want to celebrate the fantastic tenure of Daniel Craig, who's given everything to this character into this franchise for 15 years and it is really time to celebrate him, she said.

Daniel Craig has played the British secret agent in five outings over the past 15 years (Getty)

Craig recently echoed Broccolis view in an interview with Radio Times, in which he said there should simply be better parts for women and actors of colour.

Why should a woman play James Bond when there should be a part just as good as James Bond, but for a woman? he asked.

Access unlimited streaming of movies and TV shows with Amazon Prime Video Sign up now for a 30-day free trial Sign up

No Time to Dies director Cary Joji Fukunaga added that whoever does end up replacing Craig will have some big shoes to fill.

I think it's going to be hard for anyone to follow in Daniel's footsteps because, for me, as much as I liked Pierce Brosnan, I was in my early twenties, and kind of checking out of the films a bit, he said.

When Daniel came in, it was such a different version of the character that I hadn't seen before, it made me lean back in as an adult.

Whoever plays it just needs to have that charisma, needs to have those layers.

No Time To Die is released in UK cinemas on 30 September.

Additional reporting by Press Association
The new season of Saturday Night Live begins this weekend with Owen Wilson set to host the first episode of the 47th season.

Its the first time the actor has ever hosted the late night comedy show, although he appeared in 2016 in the Weekend Update slot as his Zoolander character, Hansel, alongside his co-star for that film, Ben Stiller.

Last year, Wilson revealed why hes never hosted the show before, saying: I get really nervous with public speaking on former SNL cast member Kevin Nealons YouTube series Hiking with Kevin.

He continued: Ive never done any of those commencement addresses or Saturday Night Live just because I get too nervous.

Wilsons breakthrough role came in 1996s Bottle Rocket, which he wrote alongside filmmaker Wes Anderson, who was later to become one of Wilsons most frequent artistic collaborators.

Wilson went on to appear in several of Andersons films including Rushmore, The Royal Tenenbaums, The Life Aquatic, The Darjeeling Limited and The Grand Budapest Hotel. Hes also set to appear in Andersons upcoming film, The French Dispatch which is released this autumn.

Owen Wilson and Wes Anderson (Getty)

In 2011, Wilson earned a Golden Globe Award nomination for his turn as Gil Pender in Woody Allens Midnight in Paris and he gained further acclaim for his role in Paul Thomas Andersons film, Inherent Vice.

Hes also well known for his frat pack comedies with films such as Zoolander, Starsky & Hutch, Wedding Crashers, You, Me and Dupree and The Internship, as well as for his role in family films like Marley and Me and Night at the Museum.

Most recently, he starred as Mobius M Mobius in the new acclaimed Disney Plus, Marvel series Loki.

Appearing on SNL alongside Wilson this week is country-pop star Kacey Musgraves as the episodes musical guest.

Kim Kardashian West, Jason Sudeikis, and Rami Malek have also been announced as some of this seasons hosts. Halsey, Young Thug, and Brandi Carlile will also feature as musical guests.

All the details of how to watch this weeks episodes can be found here.
On 14 October 2005, it was announced at a press conference on the deck of Londons Royal Navy ship HMS President that the next actor to take on the fabled role of Britains favourite super-spy, James Bond, would be Daniel Craig.

At the time, Craig was probably best known as lost soul Geordie from Our Friends in the North. The decision was not well received. The tabloid press quickly determined that he was too rugged, too moody and  worst of all  too blonde to be Bond. Crank internet campaigns railing against Craigs casting were given serious weight in the press. The Daily Mirror ran the front page headline: The Names Bland  James Bland. Looking back at the furore now, its hard to avoid coming to the conclusion that 2005 was a very strange time indeed. Didnt we have bigger fish to fry?

Being James Bond is a new 45-minute documentary from director Baillie Walsh that takes Craigs controversial casting as its starting point before charting his journey to box-office success and critical acclaim. It is built almost entirely around an off-screen conversation between Craig and the producers who lobbied so hard to make sure he got the role, Barbara Broccoli and Michael G Wilson. As we listen to them talk, we see clips from Craigs tenure as 007, as well as tantalising glimpses of previously unseen curios, such as his first-ever screen test in the role. In other words, its the sort of straightforward, unpretentious documentary thats surely destined to end up as a DVD extra on No Time To Die  thats if theyre still bothering to manufacture physical media by the time Craigs much-delayed swansong finally gets a home release.

Thats not necessarily a bad thing, and theres plenty here for both hardcore Bond heads and even casual fans to enjoy. Its fascinating to hear from Craig himself how he grew into the role  from celebrating his casting with homemade vodka martinis to meeting his personal trainer with a bacon sandwich and a hand-rolled cigarette, and realising his life was about to change beyond recognition. The global success of his first outing, Casino Royale, in 2006 would, of course, silence his critics, although Broccoli points to paparazzi shots of Craig emerging from the ocean in his tight and tiny blue trunks as the moment the tide started to turn.

The most poignant moment in the film arrives right at the end, with emotional footage of the night Craig wrapped the final scene of his final movie as Bond. Surrounded by cast and crew, the often taciturn star becomes visibly choked up as he gives them his thanks and bids them, and the role, farewell. Its a moment that shows just how much being James Bond really meant to Craig, and how right he was to give his early critics the Goldfinger.
Thousands of Indian farmers blocked traffic on major roads and railway lines in the national capital Delhi on Monday as they marked one year since the passage of the federal governments contentious agricultural laws.

The farmers called for a nationwide strike to renew their protests against the black laws that they believe will bring an end to their livelihood, demonstrations that first began 10 months ago. The government says the changes will benefit farmers, but unions fear they could take away the protections provided by state-run markets.

The strike was observed in several parts of the country from Kerala in the south to West Bengal in the east, Hannan Mollah, general secretary of the All Indian Kisan Sabha, told The Independent. Farmers in Maharashtra, Telangana, Tripura and Bihar also took part in the strike.

A coalition of 40 farmers unions, the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (the United Farmers Front) had called on Indians to shut down offices, shops, public transportation and factories for 10 hours in solidarity with the farmers struggle. Although several establishments remained open in major cities, the strike was largely observed in rural parts of the country, where farmers cultivate their produce.

Waving colourful flags and distributing free food, hundreds of farmers gathered at the Ghazipur border, which divides Delhi from the state of Uttar Pradesh. Security was beefed up along the borders of Ghaziabad and traffic movement on some key routes was hit due to the strike. The national highway connecting Ghaziabad and Delhi was closed by the local police.

Farmers in other states also raised slogans against prime minister Narendra Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Farmers organisations shared visuals of these protests on social media.

There has not been such a long protest in history. Since the federal government is only lying without any discussion we have to continue calling for strikes to keep the agitation alive, Mr Mollah told The Independent.

He added: At least 700 people have died throughout the agitation. This is a fascist government. They think we will get tired and return to our houses. This strike has re-energised our farmers. We have never seen such an anti-farmer, anti-labour government.

Another prominent face of the agitation, Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait, said: We are hopeful that this time the government will listen to our demands. No matter how long we have to stretch this protest, we will not step back.

In the western states of Punjab and Haryana, which are the countrys two biggest agricultural producers, thousands of demonstrators blocked highways during Mondays strike. The southern state of Kerala, which is ruled by a communist government, witnessed a complete shutdown.

In the eastern states of Bihar and West Bengal, protesters took to the streets, blocking railway lines and burning effigies of the prime minister.

Farmers from the western states of India have been camping at three Delhi borders asking the government to repeal the Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, and The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, which were bulldozed through the Indian Parliament in September 2020.

Mr Modi has called the new laws a watershed moment for Indian agriculture, while farmers fear that millions of people will suffer due to the unpredictability of the free market.

The laws deregulate the agriculture sector and leave farmers to sell their produce to private wholesale markets, where there is no assurance of a minimum price. Farmers fear they will suffer loss at the hands of big businesses and eventually lose price supports for staples such as wheat and rice.

Several rounds of talks between the government and farmer unions since last year have failed to end the impasse.

Lashing out at the prime minister, opposition parties such as the Congress and state governments not ruled by the BJP have also extended their support to the protest.

While the movement has been largely peaceful, demonstrators stormed the Red Fort in Delhi in January, leading to one death and several injuries.

The farmers agitation has transcended into the country's political ambit, with union leaders trying to influence citizens to vote against the BJP.

Ahead of the elections expected early next year in Uttar Pradesh  Indias most populous state  over 500,000 farmers attended a rally on 5 September to step up pressure on the Modi administration to repeal the laws. We will organise several such gatherings in election-bound states so that no one votes for the right-wing government, Mr Mollah said.
Japanese princess Makos boyfriend Komuro Kei arrived at the island nation from the US on Monday after three years, as preparations are underway for the two to get married.

The daughter of Japans imperial family will tie the knot with Mr Kei this year, with a date expected to be announced in October.

Mr Kei, who is princess Makos college sweetheart, was spotted earlier on Sunday before boarding his flight at New Yorks John F Kennedy International Airport, in a suit without a necktie and a ponytail, reported Japans national broadcaster NHK.

He reached Japan on Monday afternoon and will be quarantining for two weeks before reuniting with the princess for the first time since 2018.

Mr Kei had moved to the US three years ago after securing admission in a law school and subsequently getting a license to practice law in New York state.

After the marriage  which has been stalled for many years because of a financial dispute  princess Mako will be stripped of her royal status to wed the commoner and her college classmate.

The princess earlier decided to forgo a one-off payment worth $1.35mn (at least 985,000), amid mounting public criticism over getting married to a non-imperial family.

None of the royal ceremonies followed by the prestigious family for the wedding  including the engagement  will be held, local reports said, citing sources.

Crown prince Akishino  princess Makos father and grand emperor Akihitos son  had said parents should respect their childs wish to marry and also pointed to the Constitutional clause requiring mutual consent of both the sexes.

The union had earlier hit a roadblock after a financial dispute erupted between Mr Keis mother and her former fiance.

Japans royal succession law, which passes lineage only to male members of the family, requires female members to lose their imperial status if they marry outside the royal circle.

After the marriage, the two are expected to move to New York and spend their married life there.

Agencies contributed to this story
The Taliban has banned some hairdressers in Afghanistan from shaving or trimming beards as the militant group extended its hardline rule based on Islamic law within a month of seizing control of the country.

A letter signed by Taliban officials asked salons to enforce puritanical Islamic law and warned them that violators would be punished, said a local journalist in a tweet.

In Helmand, a letter signed by the Provincial Director of Preaching and Guidance and Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice  the office to enforce puritanical Islamic law  warning hair salons not to trim or shave beard. Lack of enforcement will mean punishment and shaming, the tweet read.

The rule has been imposed in southern Afghanistans Helmand province and certain parts of the capital city Kabul, according to BBC News.

Local salons in the south Asian country have also reported an increase in scrutiny from the Taliban. A hairdresser running a prominent salon in Kabul said he received a call from a Taliban official instructing him to stop following American styles.

The Talibans interpretation of sharia law includes conservative ideas such as asking men to keep their beards in an effort to break away from western lifestyle practices, punishing crimes by executions and amputations, and restricting access to education and employment for women.

Soon after storming to power by force in Afghanistan, the Taliban had promised to move away from its previous hardline and ultra conservative rule of the late 90s. But there have been signs in the last few weeks of a return to some of those policies.

On Saturday, Taliban fighters shot dead four alleged kidnappers before hanging their bodies in the streets of Afghan city Herat.

Punishment by the means of amputations and executions will be reintroduced in Afghanistan, a senior leader of the militant group said last week. They may not be carried out publicly, the leader Mullah Nooruddin Turabi, known for his extremist views, said.

Cutting off of hands is very necessary for security, Mr Turabi said, claiming that it would serve as a deterrent.

During its previous rule, the Taliban had banned Afghans from listening to music, watching television, and stopped women from working or attending schools. It also required women to be accompanied by a male guardian in public and, if found in violation, the women were flogged publicly as punishment.

Trying to show its departure from the previous regime, the Taliban said it will now allow girls to study and work but only if in a separate classroom without boys. It has mandated universities and colleges to separate the genders by walls or curtains.
As soon as the footage of the Taliban picking their way through abandoned NATO bases in Afghanistan beamed around the world, the veteran Pakistani arms dealer started getting calls.

The videos of the fighters in fatigues posing with US weapons, driving armoured cars and even flying US-made helicopters had alarmed the world. But several hundred kilometres away in neighbouring Pakistan, eyes gleamed. And sellers like Ahmad, who has spent two decades smuggling weapons from Afghanistan on special orders for his clientele, saw a glint of opportunity.

We are waiting, we are hopeful, he tells his potential buyers enthusiastically on a video call. We have orders for American M4s and pistols already lined up. In the days to come we hope - we expect - there to be some sort of arrangement.

The history of smuggling between Pakistan and Afghanistan is a long one. But it became rampant in the early days of the US-led invasion of Afghanistan in 2001.

Strategically placed, Pakistan was a main lifeline for NATO troops and so ships brimming with supplies would land in Karachi from the Arabian Sea and make the several hundred-kilometre journey north to Afghanistan.

NATO containers and trucks were easy prey to bandits. The routes would go through notoriously dangerous regions like the Khyber Pass which cuts through the mountain ranges between the two countries and was once a critical nerve of the Silk Road.

It was common for the containers to arrive half full or to vanish entirely.

The borders meanwhile became a perforated wonderland for smugglers who exploited the fighting to sneak weapons, military equipment, clothing and even luxury western foodstuffs from bases in Afghanistan back into Pakistan.

Much of this contraband, from night vision goggles to ammunition belts, converged on places like Peshawar, near to the northwest border with Afghanistan, where the citys most famous marketplace was even nicknamed locally Bushs Bazaar after George W.

In those days this area, local journalists say, was so lawless it was almost a semi-autonomous no mans land. At the height of the chaos, goods would be openly peddled in the streets or shuttled off to far-flung corners of the country.

But as the war dragged on, business dried up. The borders and the provinces which hug them, were brought largely under state control.

The nature of the NATO supply chain to Afghanistan also changed, and Pakistan became less of a central nerve, leaving fewer opportunities for interception inside the country.

Senior Pakistani security sources told The Independent that while no one can guarantee a completely watertight border with Afghanistan given it stretches for over 2600km through sometimes impossible terrain, smuggling has been strangled and would continue to be so even after the withdrawal of the US and its allies.

Police checkpoints trawl the once-notorious borderlands.

And so Bush Bazaar - now more commonly known by its actual names of Sitara and Jhangir markets - is packed with Chinese knockoffs and homemade weapons, sculpted to look like US arms by local manufacturers who squirrel away in their factories based in the more remote towns nearby like Darra Adam Khel.

This, vendors believe, will now change.

Handmade weapons made locally in Pakistan who hope US spare parts will soon come over the border (Oliver Marsden)

Frankly we want the American stuff, the proper commando kit hasnt been coming here for years, says one store owner who begrudgingly admitted his gun holsters, tactical vests, rifle lubricants and combat boots were actually made in China.

At the moment the border is pretty closed but maybe in a month stuff will come. We all saw the bases and the embassies being emptied. The stuff will come.

Khalid, (not his real name) an owner of a dusty gun shop a few hundred metres away, agrees.

The shoebox store is lined with locally made American knock-offs, replicas of the M4 and M16 assault rifles the owner used to sell up until around four years ago when security tightened and supply dwindled to bullets that were easier to sneak across the borders.

Before the Taliban, there was a trickle of American ammunition as officials [from the ousted regime] were easily bribed, he claims. Right now there is a total ban as the Taliban are trying to portray themselves as law and order. But we dont think this will last.

He says he now makes regular calls to contacts in the districts closer to the border for status updates.

They said they dont have anything for now but they are hopeful.

We have orders for American M4s and Simson pistols already lined up Arms dealer in Pakistan

With Taliban fighters and their supporters opening, occupying and emptying bases, embassies and the headquarters of western organisations the local dealers believe the sudden wash of equipment will eventually and inevitably spill into Pakistan.

Some also think a burgeoning economic collapse (that the UN has warned could see famine grips parts of Afghanistan) might eventually see smuggling increase as people turn to increasingly desperate ways to make more cash. There are unconfirmed rumours that Afghan soldiers took their weapons and ammo with them when they fled again to make a quick buck as their livelihoods vanished.

There have already been attempts. In August - just a few days before the last US troop left Afghan soil - Pakistani customs officials told local media they intercepted a vehicle trying to smuggle US and NATO weapons including M4A1 Carbine Rifles, Glocks, Berettas and ammunition into Pakistan via the Torkham border near Peshawar.

Security at the border points has only tightened with the Talibans lightning advance across the country and at several points the crossings were completely closed. The Pakistani authorities have also told The Independent they cannot handle a sudden rush of refugees, and so have been on high alert.

The Khyber pass where in the past containers of supplies were frequently attacked (Bel Trew)

Speaking to The Independent, Taliban commanders manning the Torkham border meanwhile insist weapons smuggling will not happen as there is no lawlessness anymore. They said bribery and corruption were the defining traits of the ousted administration, its a new and better era.

At least for now at the Torkham border, truck drivers say they are carefully checked on both sides. The only regular smuggling that is apparently going on is by small children hiding between the wheels of trucks shuttling food, clothes and cigarettes between the two sides. The Independent saw two children drop down from the undercarriage of the lorries and scuttle away.

And so Ahmad - the arms dealer - admits on the call he does not expect containers of goods to be openly traded like the old days. But with bases looted, there will be greater volume on the market.

I dont think its going to be necessarily easier to get the goods across the borders but there might be more stuff available, he says. That could bring costs down, right now its around $15,000 for an M4 which is too much.

As I said, we are waiting and hopeful.

All names have been changed
The Taliban shot dead four people who they claimed were kidnappers and hung their bodies in public in Afghanistans western city of Herat in a brutal display on Saturday.

Residents said the four bodies were brought to the city square in Herat. One was hung using a crane, while the other three were taken to other squares in the city to be displayed.

A local pharmacy owner, Wazir Ahmad Seddiqi, told Associated Press that the Taliban announced in the public square that the men were killed by the police for taking part in a kidnapping.

Local officials reiterated this. They alleged that the men were killed in a gun battle soon after they attempted to kidnap a local businessman and his son, and added that the group had intended to take the duo out of the city.

Taliban patrols that had set up checkpoints around the city saw the men. In the ensuing gun fire between the patrolmen and the alleged kidnappers, a civilian and a Taliban fighter were injured.

The businessman and his son were later freed by the officials.

Herat deputy governor Mawlawi Shir Ahmad Muhajir claimed the hangings would serve as a deterrent for others.

In order to be a lesson for other kidnappers not to kidnap or harass anyone, we hung them in the squares of the city and made this clear to everyone that anyone who steals or abducts or does any action against our people will be punished, he said, according to AFP.

Some graphic images of the bodies, covered in blood, were shared widely on social media. A note pinned to one of the dead bodies chests read: This is the punishment for kidnapping.

Another video showed a man hoisted from a crane with a note that read: Abductors will be punished like this.

The killings and subsequent hangings came just days after a top Taliban leader said the group would restore the use of amputations and executions as punishment in Afghanistan. Mullah Nooruddin Turabi had claimed last week that executions and amputations were necessary for security in the country.

On Friday, US state department spokesperson Ned Price said Washington condemned Mr Turabis comments in the strongest terms.

The Talibans punishments would constitute clear gross abuses of human rights, Mr Price said. We stand firm with the international community to hold perpetrators of these, of any such abuses, accountable.

Soon after storming to power by force in Afghanistan, the Taliban had promised to move away from its previous hardline and ultra conservative rule of the late 90s. But there have been signs in the last few weeks of a return to some of those policies, which included public stoning of alleged criminals.

In August, Amnesty International said Taliban fighters had massacred nine ethnic Hazara men after taking control of Afghanistans Ghazni province. Secretary general Agnes Callamard had said at the time that the cold-blooded brutality of these killings is a reminder of the Talibans past record, and a horrifying indicator of what Taliban rule may bring.
Former Catalan president Carles Puigdemont will appear next week in a court in Italy after his arrest on a visit to the island of Sardinia threatened to undermine the fragile efforts by Spain and Catalonia to resolve a deep political crisis.

The 58-year-old MEP was detained on Thursday as he stepped off a plane at Alguero airport in Sardinia and was released on bail the next day by an Italian judge, to reappear in court on October 4.

The Catalan leader, who lives in self-imposed exile in Belgium but was visiting Italy for a Catalan folk meeting, could face extradition in Spain over his alleged involvement in the unilateral independence referendum and the subsequent declaration of independence in October 2017.
Six years after it was signed into existence, only one country in the entire world is currently on track to meet the demands of the 2015 Paris climate agreement.

That country is the Gambia in west Africa, which also happens to be the continents smallest mainland country.

According to research compiled by Climate Action Tracker (Cat), the Gambia is the only one where official government action, alongside its internationally supported targets, are compatible with keeping global average temperature rises below 1.5C since the pre-industrial era.
I love knowing that these recipes are making it onto your tables  and hopefully making dinner a little easier for you and your families. Its almost like getting to eat with you all. To my friends who sent their little ones off to school for the first time earlier this month, or who are already in the back-to-school grind, I hope youll find comfort and ease in these dishes.

Spiced aubergine and tomatoes with runny eggs

A little like an aubergine version of shakshuka, this velvety frying pan meal features sauteed aubergine and tomatoes seasoned with garlic, spices and lemon zest. Its topped with runny eggs and a crunchy garnish of toasted nuts. The yoghurt and hot sauce simultaneously heat things up and cool things down, and really add a lot to this hearty, meltingly soft dish. Serve it for brunch or dinner, with a crisp green salad and some flatbread on the side.

By: Melissa Clark

Makes: 4 to 6

Total time: 50 minutes

Ingredients:

680g Italian aubergine, cut into 2.5cm cubes

1 tsp salt, plus more as needed

45g pine nuts or slivered almonds

1 tsp baharat blend (or use another spice blend, such as garam masala)

Freshly ground black pepper

5 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed

 tsp finely grated lemon zest

3 fat garlic cloves, finely grated, pressed or minced

450g chopped fresh tomatoes

15g chopped fresh herbs, such as basil, mint, coriander, parsley, dill or any combination, plus more for garnish

4 to 6 large eggs

Lemon wedges, for serving

Plain whole milk yoghurt, for serving

Hot sauce (such as Tabasco), for serving

Method:

1. Put aubergine in a colander in the sink and toss with 1 teaspoon salt. Let drain while preparing the nuts.

2. In a small bowl, combine nuts,  teaspoon baharat and a large pinch of salt and pepper. Heat  tablespoon oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add pine nut mixture and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant and toasted, 2 minutes. Pour nuts back into the small bowl and stir in lemon zest. Set aside for serving.

3. Add 3 tablespoons oil to the frying pan and heat over medium-high until oil thins out, about 20 seconds. Add enough of the aubergine to fit in one layer without overlapping. Cook aubergine until browned, stirring occasionally, about 7 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer aubergine to a plate. Repeat with more oil and aubergine, taking care not to crowd the pan.

4. When all the aubergine is browned, push the last batch still in the pan to one side. Drizzle the empty part of the pan with a tiny bit of oil and add garlic. Cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Return the rest of the browned aubergine back to the pan and stir well to incorporate garlic.

5. Add tomatoes and remaining baharat,  teaspoon salt and a big pinch of pepper. Reduce heat to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes and aubergine become stewy, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in herbs. Taste and add more salt, if needed.

6. Make small hollows into the stewed aubergine with the back of a spoon. Gently crack an egg into each hollow. Season eggs with salt and pepper. Cover with a lid or piece of foil and cook on medium-low until the eggs are just set, but still soft, 4 to 7 minutes. Remove the lid, and garnish with the spiced nuts, more herbs and a squeeze of lemon. Serve with yoghurt, hot sauce and more lemon wedges on the side.

Pesto pasta with white beans and halloumi

(Getty/iStock)

This vegetarian weeknight dinner comes together in half an hour and is made super special with the addition of halloumi. It looks like a fluffy cloud when grated, and it gives the pasta just the right amount of salty tang. Be sure to use a very fine grater, like a Microplane, when you prepare the halloumi, as it will only add to the fluffy effect (which is what youre after). This is a full meal in its own right, but you can also serve it alongside a big green salad.

By: Yotam Ottolenghi

Makes: 4 servings

Total time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

For the pasta:

75ml olive oil

6 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced

1 medium green serrano chilli, stemmed and halved lengthwise

1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves, chopped

400g cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

250g short, twirled pasta, preferably gemelli or trofie pasta

700ml chicken or vegetable stock

Salt and black pepper

60ml lemon juice (from 2 lemons)

1 block halloumi (200g), very finely grated

For the rocket pesto:

50g pine nuts, well toasted

2 small garlic cloves, roughly chopped

60g rocket, roughly chopped

20g roughly chopped parsley (leaves and tender stems only)

90ml olive oil, plus more as needed

Salt and black pepper

Method:

1. Prepare the pasta: add the oil to a large, lidded saute pan, and then place it over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the garlic and chilli, and cook for 2 minutes, stirring often, until the garlic is nicely golden. Stir in the thyme, beans, pasta, stock, 2 teaspoons salt and plenty of pepper, and bring to a simmer. Turn the heat to medium, cover, and cook for 12 minutes. Remove from the heat and let sit, with the lid off, for about 5 to 10 minutes. This will help it absorb more of the liquid.

2. As the pasta cooks, make the pesto: to a food processor, add the nuts, garlic, rocket, parsley, half the oil,  teaspoon salt and a good grind of pepper. Pulse a few times, scraping down the sides and pulsing again until you have a coarse paste. Transfer to a small bowl and stir in the remaining olive oil, adding a touch extra if needed to loosen the pesto.

3. When ready to serve, stir the lemon juice and half the pesto into the pasta (discard the chilli, if you wish) and transfer to a large serving bowl or platter with a lip. Sprinkle over about half the halloumi, and serve with the extra halloumi and pesto to eat alongside.

Silken tofu with spicy soy dressing

(Getty/iStock)

This recipe is inspired by the many cold silken tofu dishes from east Asia, like Japanese hiyayakko and Chinese liangban tofu. This no-cook dish is a handy one to have up your sleeve, especially for warm evenings when the desire to cook is nonexistent. Silky soft tofu is draped in a punchy soy dressing, creating a lively dish with little effort. The tofu is ideally served cold, but 10 minutes at room temperature can take the edge off. Make it your own with other fresh herbs such as Thai basil, mint or shiso leaves, or add crunch with fried shallots or roasted peanuts. A salty, fermented element like kimchi, pickled radish or ja choi, also known as zha cai, a Sichuan pickled mustard root, would work well, too. One block of silken tofu is usually enough to feed two people, but for a more substantial meal, serve it with hot rice or noodles to create a pleasing contrast of temperatures.

By: Hetty McKinnon

Makes: 4

Total time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:

For the spicy soy dressing:

60ml soy sauce

1 tbsp rice vinegar

1 tbsp sesame oil

1 tbsp chilli oil

2 tsp sugar

1 tbsp toasted white sesame seeds

1 spring onion, green and white parts, finely sliced

For the tofu:

2 (400g) blocks silken tofu, cold

1 spring onion, green and white parts, thinly sliced

Handful of coriander leaves

Method:

1. Make the dressing: combine the soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, chilli oil, sugar, sesame seeds and spring onions in a small bowl. Whisk until the sugar has dissolved.

2. Carefully drain the liquid from the package of tofu, and gently tip the block onto a kitchen towel (try to keep the block in one piece, if possible, but dont worry if it falls apart; it will still taste great). Pat with another clean kitchen towel, removing as much liquid as possible. Transfer the blocks to one large plate or two smaller plates, and spoon the soy dressing over the top until the tofu is completely covered. Top with spring onions and coriander leaves, and eat on its own or with rice or noodles on the side.

Pesce allacqua pazza (fish in crazy water)

(Getty/iStock)

This classic Neapolitan dish involves poaching fish in a liquid that Marcella Hazan explains as being denser than a broth, looser, more vivacious and fresher in taste than any sauce. Its made by simmering chopped extra-ripe tomatoes with water, garlic, chilli and other flavourings. Once the water tastes like tomato, fish fillets are poached in it. This foolproof method prevents overcooking, so its ideal for all kinds of delicate seafood. Some think crazy refers to the broths spiciness, while others think the name comes from the fact that fishermen made the dish with seawater (but it could also simply reflect that water is the key ingredient).

Recipe by: Marcella Hazan

Adapted by: Ali Slagle

Makes: 4

Total time: 35 minutes

Ingredients:

60ml extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving

2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

 tsp fennel seeds

Pinch of red-pepper flakes, plus more as needed

680g ripe tomatoes, peeled if desired, coarsely chopped

Salt

4 (170g) fillets firm or medium-firm white fish, such as sea bass or sea bream (skin on or off)

Grilled or crusty bread, for serving

Method:

1. In a large frying pan with high sides, combine the olive oil, garlic, fennel seeds and red-pepper flakes. Set over medium-low and cook, swirling occasionally, until sizzling and fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes.

2. Add 2 cups water, the tomatoes and 2 teaspoons salt to the pan. Bring to a boil over high, then cover, reduce heat to medium, and cook until the tomatoes are softened and the water is bright red and tastes like tomato, 15 to 20 minutes.

3. Pat the fish dry and season with salt. Lay the fish into the tomato water, cover and cook until the fish is opaque and flakes easily, 4 to 8 minutes.

4. Taste the water and adjust seasonings with salt and red-pepper flakes. If the liquid has reduced so much that it resembles sauce, add a little water until it looks like tomatoes suspended in red-tinted water. Serve the fish and tomato water in shallow bowls, with a drizzle of olive oil and bread for dunking.

Arroz con pollo

(Getty/iStock)

Ubiquitous throughout Latin America and beyond, this dish can be as simple or as complex as your ingredients allow. The key is to layer flavour, adding dimension as you go. Boneless, skinless chicken thighs are preferred, but bone-in will also work well (chicken breasts lack the same amount of fat and flavour, so they are not recommended here). Watch the rice carefully as it cooks, absorbing the liquid, as pots and stoves vary greatly. If it starts to smell a little burned, reduce the heat, toss and put the lid on the pot. But dont worry, as this aroma can be part of creating the coveted pegao, a layer of toasted rice that develops on the bottom of the pan and sticks to it, similar to Persian tahdig, Spanish socarrat or Senegalese xoon.

By:Von Diaz

Serves: 6 to 8

Total time: 2 hours, plus marinating

Ingredients:

For the adobo:

3 large garlic cloves, finely minced

1 tbsp salt

1 tbsp olive oil

2 tsp white vinegar

1 tsp dried oregano

 tsp black pepper

For the chicken and rice:

1.4kg boneless, skinless chicken thighs

600g medium-grain white rice

3 tbsp olive oil

1.2L low-sodium chicken broth (or water)

640 -760g fresh sofrito (see recipe below)

3 dried bay leaves

1 tsp ground annatto or sweet paprika

225g tomato sauce (basic canned tomato sauce is fine)

100g medium pimento-stuffed olives, drained (optional)

2 tsp drained capers (optional)

1 tsp salt, plus more to taste

 tsp freshly cracked black pepper

270g frozen peas, thawed

1 lime, cut into wedges

Salted, sliced avocado and tomato, for serving

For the sofrito:

1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and cut into quarters

3 aji dulce or amarillo peppers (or mini bell peppers), seeded and coarsely chopped

6 large garlic cloves

1 large yellow onion, coarsely chopped

6 fresh culantro leaves and tender stems, coarsely chopped (see note)

6 fresh coriander stems, coarsely chopped

Method:

1. Prepare the adobo by whisking the ingredients together in a bowl, or blending in a small food processor, pilon or mortar and pestle.

2. Pat the chicken dry, then place in a large bowl or zip-top bag. Pour prepared adobo over chicken. Toss well to combine, then cover the bowl with a lid or plastic wrap, or seal the bag, and let the chicken rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. If you have the time, marinate for several hours or overnight to make the chicken extra tender and flavourful.

3. Prepare the sofrito: in a large food processor or blender, blend the peppers and garlic until smooth. Add the onion and blend until smooth, then add the culantro and coriander and blend until smooth (the preparation may produce more sofrito than needed for this recipe, but you can store additional sofrito in the fridge for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 3 months).

4. Add the rice to a medium bowl, then rinse with several rounds of cool water, pouring through a fine-mesh strainer until water runs out clear.

5. Once chicken is marinated, heat olive oil in a large heavy pot or casserole dish over medium-high. When the oil is simmering, working in batches if necessary, add chicken in one layer and brown for 7 to 10 minutes per batch, turning several times to evenly brown.

6. Meanwhile, bring chicken broth (or water) to a boil in a medium saucepan. Reduce to a simmer until ready to use.

7. Add sofrito, bay leaves and annatto or paprika to pot with chicken and stir well. Reduce heat to medium, and saute until liquid is mostly evaporated and sofrito thickens to a paste, about 7 to 10 minutes.

8. Add tomato sauce and cook for 3 to 5 minutes longer, until the sauce darkens. Add the rinsed rice, olives and capers (if using), and salt and pepper, and fold in to ensure that the rice is fully coated and the chicken is evenly distributed.

9. Pour in hot stock, then simmer, uncovered, over medium heat for about 15 minutes, stirring only 2 to 3 times and shaking the pot every few minutes to keep rice level (the liquid surrounding the rice will lower by about 2.5cm). Watch the rice very closely: the window between just right and overcooked is small, and difficult to predict, but youll become an expert at this over time.

10. Once you start to spot lots of little bubbles on the surface but see no more pronounced liquid on top, top with the lid, reduce heat to low and cook until the rice is al dente, about 15 to 20 minutes, shaking pot a few times. Once liquid is almost entirely evaporated, sprinkle thawed peas on top.

11. Working directly in the pot, using 2 forks, pull apart chicken thighs until shredded. Gently fluff the rice, bringing grains from the bottom to the top. Return the lid and let rest for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

12. Garnish with lime wedges, and serve with salted avocado and tomato slices (or a simple green salad). The dish keeps well in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days.

Note: Culantro, also called sawtooth herb or wild coriander, has long leaves with jagged edges and a stronger, earthier flavour than coriander. You can find it in the produce section of most Latino markets, as well as many Asian markets.

 The New York Times
I sometimes question if social media is affecting my ability to form a genuine opinion. Am I tweeting about a news event because I have a point to make or because I want to say something  anything  to prove my finger is on the pulse of the zeitgeist? Do I even like that Rixo dress or is buying one and sharing a selfie in it a way of showing that I know theyre so hot right now? Why am I so concerned with sharing my work, as if to say, Hello world  look at me, Im doing things? Is everything I say and think actually just a reflection of the echo chamber of feeds Ive cultivated?

Michaela Coel called out this need to be constantly visible online during her speech at last weeks Emmys. Her words hit me like a bucket of ice cold water: In a world that entices us to browse through the lives of others to help us better determine how we feel about ourselves and to in turn feel the need to be constantly visible  for visibility, these days, seems to somehow equate to success  do not be afraid to disappear. From it, from us, for a while, and see what comes to you in the silence."

Its almost embarrassing how much I needed to hear this. But beyond facing the truth bomb that is this cycle of performance-and-validation, Coel also dared me to do something about it. Something big. Disappear. Considering how many people shared her speech on social media over the following days  somewhat ironic, given its message  its clear that a lot of other millennials also felt what Coel was saying.

I really have enjoyed letting go of the idea that you have to be present all the time or visible on social media or constantly churning out new things Kate Leaver, London

It really resonated with me because I have gone from chasing prominent bylines to spending long stretches of time working on quieter, deeper projects that are behind the scenes, Kate Leaver, a 33-year-old journalist in London, tells The Independent. Its really helping me to feel prouder of the work I do, to be honest, and Im a bit more at peace in my personal life.

I really have enjoyed letting go of the idea that you have to be present all the time or visible on social media or constantly churning out new things. I love the idea of disappearing for a while and popping up again with something when it happens.

While this approach sounds like a healthier one to embrace, many of us know that disappearing from social media can be much easier said than done. This is the age of comparison culture, after all. Firstly, were pretty much addicted to our phones: UK Addiction Treatment Centre said rehab clinics are treating a rising number of people for social media addiction. The growing always-on culture that Myers-Briggs Company listed in its 2019 Global Trends Report also demonstrates how our professional and personal lives are becoming more blurred online than ever before.

Many of us become victims of obsessive online communications that inhibit our ability to accomplish thing Dr Becky Spelman

Dr Becky Spelman, psychologist and clinical director of Private Therapy Clinic, explains that being online can often be a way of creating a personal branding. Its quite understandable if people want to build an online reputation, she tells The Independent. It can bring in work or money, after all. I even do it myself: I create YouTube videos, for example, which often results in getting more work. However, theres a fine line between a healthy sense of identity and becoming obsessed with validation, which can hinder your personal growth and self-esteem. Many of us become victims of obsessive online communications that inhibit our ability to accomplish things.

Spelman says that our brains can find it hard to resist the strong lure of instant gratification. Each time somebody likes my tweet or Instagram post, for instance, I am rewarded with a dopamine hit and social validation. Conversely, when considering how the consumption of other peoples posts can affect identity, Spelman adds: Its actually scary how much people form opinions based on what they see on social media. Often people forget to question what is right in front of them. I think its a lot to do with how much we are taking in, and at such a fast pace.

The first thing to do is to be honest about whether this is a problem  the response to Coels speech proves that, for a lot of us, it is, or at least is becoming, one. Im a strong believer in doing a digital detox at least once a year, if youre able to, advises Spelman. In fact, Im doing one right now: Ive moved all of my social media over to a different phone, and I only have a business WhatsApp on my phone through the day. Just explain to people youll be off-grid for a bit: we really do all understand it.

We are happier when were not in an addictive mode. We know this. Yet, the thought of switching off can fill us with fear, which is why Coel made the point of telling us to not be afraid of sitting in the silence. There is, of course, a positive space for social media in all of our lives, but it shouldnt ever make someone question their identity. And thats why Im excited to rediscover my true reflection in the quiet again.
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry reportedly filmed their recent trip to New York as part of a rumoured Netflix documentary about their lives and work.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who arrived in the city on Thursday, were seen out and about with a videographer and photographer, prompting speculation that the pair were recording their work.

According to Page Six, the cameraman captured the pair before they toured the 9/11 Memorial, and during a visit to the famous Harlem soul food restaurant Melba Friday.

Photographs shared online show Prince Harry hugging restaurant owner Melba Wilson, revealing a wire around his neck and tucked into his trousers, indicating that he was connected to a microphone for filming purposes.

The couple signed a multi-million dollar deal with Netflix in 2020, which is understood to include documentaries, docu-series, feature films, scripted shows and childrens programming.

The pair said their new endeavour would be focused on creating content that informs but also gives hope.

The outing marked their first public appearance since the birth of their daughter Lilibet in June.

Their visit to the city also included an appearance at the Global Citizen Live concert in Central Park on Saturday where they called for greater vaccine equity.

The 24-hour event, which featured performances from Ed Sheeran, Lizzo and Billie Eilish, aimed to raise awareness of the climate crisis, vaccine inequality and poverty.

Taking to the stage, Prince Harry urged pharmaceutical companies to waive their intellectual property rights on Covid-19 vaccines, describing the pandemic as a human rights crisis.

Were battling more than the virus alone, this is a battle of misinformation, bureaucracy, lack of transparency and lack of access and, above all, this is a human rights crisis, he said.

Meghan told the crowd that every single person on this planet has a fundamental right to get this vaccine.

She said it was wrong that so much of the vaccine supply has only gone to just 10 wealthy nations so far and not everyone else.

The Duke and Duchess stayed at the five-star hotel The Carlyle during their visit, Princess Dianas preferred hotel whilst visiting New York.

The couple were reported to have dined at the hotels Bemelmans Bar, which is famous for its live grand piano music and whimsical murals by artist Ludwig Bemelmans.
More than half of all non-motorway petrol stations have run dry after a weekend of panic-buying by spooked motorists, forcing ministers to consider putting the army on notice to drive tankers to forecourts.

The government has suspended competition laws to allow fuel companies to co-ordinate deliveries, and Boris Johnson is set to decide on Monday whether to send in soldiers to ease the crisis.

The Petrol Retailers Association reported alarming shortages among its independent members as oil giant BP warned that almost a third of its sites had no supplies.

Government pleas for drivers to stop filling their cars when they dont need it fell on deaf ears as long queues formed at forecourts, operators rationed supplies  and police were called to one scuffle in London.

With Christmas just three months away, shoppers were also warned of turkey shortages, while toy sellers report delays and higher prices shipping goods into Brexit Britain.

Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng announced at 9pm on Sunday that petrol firms are temporarily exempt from the Competition Act 1998. Officials said the Downstream Oil Protocol would make it easier for firms to share information and prioritise delivery of fuel to parts of the country most in need.

Brian Madderson, the PRAs chairman, revealed a survey of its members, who make up the majority of the UKs 8,000-odd petrol stations.

They serve the main roads, the rural areas, the urban roads, and anywhere between 50 per cent and 90 per cent of their forecourts are currently dry  and those that arent dry are partly dry and running out soon, he told the BBC.

One of them mentioned to me that yesterday they had a 500 per cent increase in demand compared to a week ago, which is quite extraordinary.

BP, which operates 1,200 petrol stations, said: With the intense demand seen over the past two days, we estimate that around 30 per cent of sites in this network do not currently have either of the main grades of fuel.

Earlier, Grant Shapps, the transport secretary, sparked anger when he claimed industy leaders were responsible for the chaos, despite the government having admitted to a lack of lorry drivers. He was accused of a disgraceful attack on hard-pressed hauliers and of shamefully passing the buck for the queues.

The row blew up after The Mail on Sunday quoted a government source claiming the Road Haulage Association (RHA) is entirely responsible for this panic and chaos.

The transport secretary backed the claim, saying: There was a meeting which took place about 10 days ago, a private meeting, in which one of the haulage associations decided to leak the details to media.

And that has created, as we have seen, quite a large degree of concern as people naturally react to those things.

Calling the leak irresponsible, Mr Shapps told the BBCs Andrew Marr Show: The good news is there is plenty of fuel. The bad news is, if everyone carries on buying it when they dont need it, then we will continue to have queues.

But the RHA hit back quickly, pointing out its managing director Rod McKenzie had not even been at the meeting where a BP executive had discussed stock levels.

He was not, as the government source claimed, aware of the comments and certainly did not weaponise them in subsequent TV interviews, a statement said.

Indeed he repeatedly stressed the need not to panic buy and that there were adequate fuel stocks.

The RHA believes this disgraceful attack on a member of its staff is an attempt to divert attention away from their recent handling of the driver shortage crisis.

Sarah Olney, the Liberal Democrat business spokesperson, said: Grant Shapps is shamefully passing the buck for the governments own failures.

The Conservatives have repeatedly ignored calls from businesses to address the shortage of drivers. It is a bit rich for ministers to now blame the public and the road haulage industry for the mess we find ourselves in.

Mr Shappss comments came after the announcement of emergency visas for foreign lorry drivers to come to the UK to ease the crisis was dismissed as a damp squib.

As expected, the offer will be made to 5,000 HGV drivers  plus 5,500 poultry workers  but the visas will run out on Christmas Eve, triggering criticism they are too little, too late.

Keir Starmer suggested 100,000 foreign drivers are needed  the RHA estimate of the shortfall  saying: We are going to have to do that. We have to issue enough visas to cover the number of drivers that we need.

The Labour leader said: Im astonished the government, knowing the situation, is not acting today. The prime minister needs to say today what he is going to do.

Meanwhile, a poultry association said big firms have already scaled back production of turkeys for the festive season, because they would not have enough staff to for more orders.

Kate Martin, chairwoman of the Traditional Farm Fresh Turkey Association, said: Its looking like there is a national shortage of turkeys when were talking about supermarket shelves, rather than buying direct from your farm.

Footage circulated on social media showed two men in helmets tussling with each other at a petrol station in north London, before the police were called to the scene.

A man was arrested on suspicion of assault and taken into custody, but no injuries were reported.
Nine British soldiers could face questioning over the unsolved murder of a Kenyan woman, whose body was found in a septic tank in 2012 after she was stabbed to death.

The body of Agnes Wanjiru was found close to a UK army base in Nanyuki, at the Lions Court Inn hotel  two months after she disappeared in March 2012.

Her family reported her missing after she spent the night at the hotel while dozens of British soldiers visited on a debauched weekend, during which time the 21-year-old was said to have been witnessed leaving the bar arm-in-arm with a soldier and entering his room, according to The Sunday Times.

A post-mortem examination found she died as a result of stab wounds to her chest and abdomen, with evidence that she had been beaten. Due to the condition of her body it was unclear whether she had been sexually assaulted.

An initial inquiry into her death was unsuccessful, stalling when a request from Kenyan police to the British Royal Military Police (RMP) that nine soldiers be questioned apparently went missing in June 2012.

Kenyan detectives are said to have given the RMP 13 questions to put to the soldiers, including whether any of them had sex with Wanjiru on the night she disappeared, along with a request for them to provide DNA samples.

But the Ministry of Defence (MoD) said that, while RMT Special Investigation Branch officers had carried out initial inquiries in Kenya, including providing information about British personnel to the Kenyan police, it had received no further requests for assistance in summer 2012.

Now Kenyan authorities have opened a fresh investigation, after an inquest delayed until 2019 found Wanjiru was unlawfully killed.

An MoD spokesperson said: The jurisdiction for this investigation rests with the Kenyan police, and we are currently in discussions with the Kenyan authorities to determine what support is needed.

Due to this being subject to an ongoing investigation it would be inappropriate to comment further.

According to The Sunday Times, which has seen confidential documents relating to the Kenyan police probe in 2012, detectives from Kenyas Directorate of Criminal Investigations visited Wanjirus family in February this year.

The paper reported that the same nine soldiers were the focus of their enquiries, and quoted Wanjirus 48-year-old sister Rose Wanyua Wanjiku as saying detectives had stated an intention to carry out the interviews, even if it meant flying to the UK.

World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 4 October 2021 A boy wears a float as he swims in floodwaters in a neighbourhood in Ayutthaya, after tropical storm Dianmu caused flooding in 31 provinces across Thailand AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 October 2021 Firefighters work in a building that was crashed into by a small private plane in the San Donato Milanese district of Milan EPA World news in pictures 2 October 2021 Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte speaks to the media after Philippine Senator Christopher "Bong" Go filed his certificate of candidacy to join the vice presidential race, at Sofitel Harbor Garden Tent, in Pasay City, Metro Manila Reuters World news in pictures 1 October 2021 A Palestinian protester smashes an Israeli drone that reportedly fell because of a technical failure, during a demonstration against settlements in the West Bank village of Beita AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 September 2021 The surface of Spain's La Palma island is continuing to expand as lava from a volcano flows into the Atlantic Ocean and hardens when it comes into contact with the water, European Union scientists said Thursday. AP World news in pictures 29 September 2021 Pope Francis meets a group of seminarians during his weekly general audience in the Paul VI Hall at the Vatican AP World news in pictures 28 September 2021 People camp overnight to receive a dose of Covid-19 coronavirus vaccine at a government run district hospital at midnight in Siliguri AFP via Getty Images World news in pictures 27 September 2021 People ride a motorcycle past burning tires during protests against the deteriorating economic situation and the devaluation of the local currency, in Taiz, Yemen Reuters World news in pictures 26 September 2021 Absentee ballots for the German general election are counted at the Frankfurt Messe hall Frankfurt am Main EPA World news in pictures 25 September 2021 Thai anti-government protesters have their eyes flushed out after being teargassed by police during a rally in Bangkok, Thailand Getty Images World news in pictures 24 September 2021 German Chancellor Angela Merkel feeds Australian lorikeets at Marlow Bird Park in Marlow, Germany AP World news in pictures 23 September 2021 Workers sing and dance as a South African Airways airplane prepares to take off after a year-long hiatus triggered by the national airline running out of funds, at O R Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg Reuters World news in pictures 22 September 2021 Seized rhino horns burn on a furnace in an anti-poaching drive to mark World Rhino Day near the Kaziranga National Park in Bokakhat AFP/Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2021 The full moon sets behind the hills of the Taunus region near Wehrheim, Germany AP World news in pictures 20 September 2021 A house burns due to lava from the eruption of a volcano in the Cumbre Vieja national park at Los Llanos de Aridane, on the Canary Island of La Palma Reuters World news in pictures 19 September 2021 Smoke and magma rise to the sky from the volcanic eruption in El Paso, La Palma, Canary Islands EPA World news in pictures 18 September 2021 The fully wrapped Arc de Triomphe monument, as part of an art installation entitled 'L'Arc de Triomphe, Wrapped' conceived by the late artists Christo and Jeanne-Claude, is pictured on the Champs Elysees avenue in Pari Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2021 An Indonesian activist from ECOTON (ecological observation and wetland conservation) prepares an installation made with used plastic, including 4,444 bottles, collected from the river in Gresik to raise public awareness of plastic waste in rivers and oceans AFP/Getty World news in pictures 16 September 2021 An activist places photos of German politicians outside the Bundestag in protest against human rights violations at Europe's borders EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2021 A zebra family at Alipore Zoo in Kolkata EPA World news in pictures 14 September 2021 A woman walks past a fruits and vegetables stall in a flooded street in Codognan, in the Occitanie region of southern France, following heavy rains AFP/Getty World news in pictures 13 September 2021 People hold umbrellas amid rainfall as Typhoon Chanthu approaches, in Shanghai, China Reuters World news in pictures 12 September 2021 US rapper Lil Nas X performs on stage during the 2021 MTV Video Music Awards at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York AFP/Getty 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

The investigation documents reportedly show that at least four witnesses saw Wanjiru, who is said to have been a sex worker, leave the hotel bar for the soldiers room, where one claimed to have heard a fierce row break out.

A former infantryman at the hotel on the night Wanjiru went missing recalled a night of non-stop" sex with soldiers ferrying local sex workers back and forth to the rooms, according to the paper.

Wanjirus body was reportedly found two months later by the hotels maintenance manager as he investigated the source of a bad odour, submerged in the sewage of a septic tank on the hotel compound and naked except for a bra and necklace.

The question over possible British involvement in Wanjirus murder shocked the town  a tourism gateway to Mount Kenya with a population of around 50,000  and complicated the UKs ongoing involvement at the Nyati Barracks, where defence secretary Ben Wallace this year opened a new 70m facility in a bid to further cement defence ties with Nairobi for decades to come.

Speaking publicly this week for the first time, the sister of Wanjiru  whose daughter was five months old at the time of her murder  said she believed British soldiers were responsible.

The Kenyan police should have forced the British Army to produce the culprits to face the law, Rose Wanyua said.

Additional reporting by PA
A member of parliament threatened her partners former lover with acid after launching a campaign of harassment against her because she was jealous of their relationship, a court has heard.

Claudia Webbe, who was suspended from the Labour Party last September over the allegations, is accused of making a string of phone calls to Michelle Merritt between September 2018 and April 2020.

During the series of calls, the MP for Leicester East  now sitting as an independent  allegedly threatened to send naked pictures and videos she supposedly had of executive assistant Ms Merritt to her children, Westminster Magistrates Court heard.

The reason for the harassment would appear to be the fact that Michelle Merritt was friends with Lester Thomas and this was an issue for the defendant Claudia Webbe, said prosecutor Susannah Stevens.

Ms Webbe denies a single count of harassment, and her lawyer in turn accused Ms Merritt of conducting a little campaign against the MP, because for whatever reason you didnt like the fact she was in a relationship with Lester Thomas.

Ms Merritt told the court she had known Mr Thomas for more than 15 years and they were good friends, having previously dated.

Ms Webbe allegedly made a series of silent phone calls from a withheld number to Ms Merritt, who told the court: There was a pattern that whenever I had even met with Lester Thomas, if we had gone out for a drink or something, there would be a phone call.

When you are being called and no one answers, it's unnerving, especially as a woman who lives alone.

Prosecutors said the harassment escalated in form on Mothers Day, in March 2019, when Ms Webbe spoke to the alleged victim and asked about her relationship with Mr Thomas.

This appears to be the defendant's obsession  the fact Ms Merritt would not stop seeing her partner, said Ms Stevens.

Ms Merritt alleged that Ms Webbe  formerly a member of Labours ruling National Executive Committee  told her she was Lester's girlfriend and then really started shouting: Why are you contacting Lester?

She was very, very angry at me. It was loud, said Ms Merritt. She then started calling me a s**g and saying friends dont send pictures of their t*** and p**** to other friends, and it culminated in: Youre a s**g and you should be acid.

She confirmed she knew where I lived and would send pictures and videos to my daughters.

Ms Webbe denies making any such threats.

UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 29 September 2021 A sign referring to the lack of fuel is placed at the entrance to a petrol station in London AP UK news in pictures 27 September 2021 Police officers detain a protester from Insulate Britain occupying a roundabout leading from the M25 motorway to Heathrow Airport in London PA UK news in pictures 26 September 2021 Labour Party leader Sir Keir Starmer watches the Arsenal v Tottenham Hotspur match at The Font pub in Brighton PA UK news in pictures 25 September 2021 Scottish pro-independence supporters hold a march and rally outside the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh, Scotland Getty Images UK news in pictures 24 September 2021 Police officers remove two protesters from the top of a tanker, as Insulate Britain block the A20 in Kent, which provides access to the Port of Dover in Kent. The environmental activists have moved location after been banned from campaigning on the M25 motorway in London PA UK news in pictures 23 September 2021 Gabriella, the seven year old daughter of imprisoned British-Iranian Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, joins in a game on a giant snakes and ladders board in Parliament Square, to show the ups and downs of her mothers case to mark the 2,000 days she has been detained in Iran AP UK news in pictures 22 September 2021 A new sign hangs on the Millicent Fawcett statue after it was altered by CrackTheCrises coalition activists to highlight the climate crisis as a feminist struggle in Parliament Square in London EPA UK news in pictures 21 September 2021 Gabriella Diment prepares a monumental bronze patinated fibreglass wall sculpture depicting household cavalry soldiers on horseback which is expected to be sold for 12,000-18,000 when it goes up for auction at Summers Place Auctions in Billinghurst, Kent PA UK news in pictures 20 September 2021 Florist Judith Blacklock puts the finishing touches to a floral carousel installation in Halkin Arcade, which she has designed with Neill Strain for the Belgravia in Bloom festival, running from September 20-26, in London PA UK news in pictures 19 September 2021 Bubbles surround Manchester Uniteds Cristiano Ronaldo before the match against West Ham at London Stadium Action Images/Reuters UK news in pictures 18 September 2021 Children take part in the Settrington Cup Pedal Car Race as motoring enthusiasts attend the Goodwood Revival, a three-day historic car racing festival in Goodwood, Chichester, Reuters UK news in pictures 17 September 2021 Hugo, 7, from London rides past a 4x7 metre rainbow arch, made entirely of recycled aluminium cans, which has been installed by recycling initiative 'Every Can Counts', in partnership with The City of London Corporation in front of St Paul's Cathedral in London, to encourage members of the public to recycle their drinks cans ahead of recycling week, which starts on 20 September PA UK news in pictures 16 September 2021 Sheikeh MOhammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, leader of Abu Dhabi, leaves Downing Street after meeting with Boris Johnson PA UK news in pictures 15 September 2021 Children pose by ice sculptures depicting people collecting water by charity Water Aid to show the fragility of water and the threat posed by climate change in London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 14 September 2021 Heavy rain covers the A149 near Kings Lynn in Norfolk PA UK news in pictures 13 September 2021 Luke Jerram's 'Museum of the Moon' at Durham Cathedral PA UK news in pictures 12 September 2021 Inspirational young fundraiser Tobias Weller crosses the finish line, near his home in Sheffield, as he completes his latest epic feat where he swam and triked his way to the end of his awesome year-long Ironman Challenge. This is the third challenge Tobias, who has cerebral palsy and autism, has completed, raising more than 150,000 for his school and Sheffield Children Hospitals charity PA UK news in pictures 11 September 2021 British player Emma Raducanu, holds up the US Open championship trophy winning the women's singles final of the US Open in New York AP UK news in pictures 10 September 2021 People paddle board during a misty morning in Ullswater, the second largest lake in the Lake District, Cumbria PA UK news in pictures 9 September 2021 Troops from Wiltshire based 4 Armoured Close Support Battalion Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers during final inspection at Wellington Barracks in London, ahead of providing troops for the Queens Guard PA UK news in pictures 8 September 2021 Workers cross London Bridge during the morning rush hour in London Reuters UK news in pictures Mixing it up: Painting it up press view in London A gallery employee poses for photographers next to a painting entitled Prairie by British artist, Louise Giovanelli during the exhibition 'Mixing it up: Painting it up' at the Hayward Gallery in London EPA UK news in pictures 6 September 2021 Traders in the Ring at the London Metal Exchange, in the City of London, after open-outcry trading returned for the first time since March 2020, when the Ring was temporarily closed due to the pandemic PA UK news in pictures 5 September 2021 People enjoy the warm weather on Sandbanks beach, Poole PA UK news in pictures 4 September 2021 Demonstrators from Animal Rebellion and Nature Rebellion protest in Trafalgar Square in London. PA UK news in pictures 3 September 2021 South Africa's Ntando Mahlangu (centre) wins the Men's 200 metres T61 Final ahead of second placed Great Britain's Richard Whitehead at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games PA UK news in pictures 2 September 2021 A young common seal on the beach at Horsey Gap in Norfolk, as hundreds of pregnant grey seals come ashore ready for the start of the pupping season. PA UK news in pictures 1 September 2021 Goldfinches fighting over food in a garden in Strensham, Worcestershire PA UK news in pictures 31 August 2021 Gold Medallist Sarah Storey of Britain celebrates on the podium Reuters UK news in pictures 30 August 2021 Extinction Rebellion protesters hold a a tea party on Tower Bridge in London EPA UK news in pictures 29 August 2021 A police office tussles with a demonstrator on Cromwell Road outside the Natural History Museum during a protest by members of Extinction Rebellion in London PA UK news in pictures 28 August 2021 Members of the British armed forces 16 Air Assault Brigade walk to the air terminal after disembarking a Royal Airforce Voyager aircraft at Brize Norton, Oxfordshire POOL/AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 27 August 2021 Fabio Quartararo crashes during a MotoGP practice session at the British Grand Prix, Silverstone Circuit Action Images via Reuters UK news in pictures 26 August 2021 An Extinction Rebellion activist holds a placard in a fountain surrounded by police officers, during a protest next to Buckingham Palace in London Reuters UK news in pictures 25 August 2021 Gold Medallist Great Britains cyclist, Sarah Storey, celebrates after winning the Womens C5 3000m Individual Pursuit Final at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. It was her 15th Paralympic gold Reuters UK news in pictures 24 August 2021 A demonstrator dressed as bee during a protest by members of Extinction Rebellion on Whitehall, in central London PA UK news in pictures 23 August 2021 Former interpreters for the British forces in Afghanistan demonstrate outside the Home Office in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 22 August 2021 Police officers form a line in front of the entrance to the Guildhall, London, where protesters have climbed onto a ledge above the entrance during an Extinction Rebellion stage a protest PA UK news in pictures 21 August 2021 People take part in a demonstration in solidarity with people of Afghanistan, in London Reuters UK news in pictures 20 August 2021 People zip wire across the sea from Bournemouth pier towards the beach. PA UK news in pictures 19 August 2021 Supporters of Geronimo the alpaca gather outside Shepherds Close Farm in Wooton Under Edge, Gloucestershire PA UK news in pictures 18 August 2021 Former Afghan interpreters and veterans hold a demonstration outside Downing Street, calling for support and protection for Afghan interpreters and their families PA UK news in pictures 17 August 2021 Military personnel board the RAF Airbus A400M at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, where evacuation flights from Afghanistan have been landing Reuters UK news in pictures 16 August 2021 Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer takes part in a minute's silence at Wolverhampton police station for the victims of the Plymouth mass shooting last week PA UK news in pictures 15 August 2021 2Storm, a ten-metre tall puppet of a mythical goddess of the sea created by Edinburgh-based visual theatre company Vision Mechanics, makes its way alongside the seafront at North Berwick, East Lothian, during a performance at the Fringe By The Sea festival PA UK news in pictures 14 August 2021 A woman and two young girls look at floral tributes in Plymouth where six people, including the offender, died of gunshot wounds in a firearms incident PA UK news in pictures 13 August 2021 Forensic officers in the Keyham area of Plymouth where six people, including the shooter, died of gunshot wounds in a firearms incident on Thursday evening PA UK news in pictures 12 August 2021 Children ride horses in the River Eden in Appleby, Cumbria, during the annual gathering of travellers for the Appleby Horse Fair PA UK news in pictures 11 August 2021 Stella Moris (left) reacts after talking to the media outside the High Court in London, following the first hearing in the Julian Assange extradition appeal, n London, following the first hearing in the Julian Assange extradition appeal. The US government has won the latest round in its High Court bid to appeal against the decision not to extradite Julian Assange on espionage charges PA UK news in pictures 10 August 2021 Students react after they receive their A-Level results at the Ark Academy, in London Reuters

Ms Merritt wept as she described how she was left very shocked and very fearful and called police, saying: I have been threatened by a public figure with acid over the phone.

But despite being warned by officers in the weeks that followed, Ms Webbe allegedly continued to make further calls to the complainant, who recorded one of them in April 2020, after calling the MP back.

In the call, played in court, Ms Webbe is heard repeatedly telling Ms Merritt to get out of my relationship.

I have seen all of your naked pictures, she could be heard saying, adding: I will show them all of your pictures.

Ms Merritt, who told Ms Webbe during the call that she would contact the press, said she was left feeling scared, fearful, afraid and nervous.

The MP later accepted to police that she had spoken to Ms Merritt but claimed she had said those words to Mr Thomas during the course of an argument in which officers were called, the court heard.

Paul Hynes QC, representing Ms Webbe, suggested his client contacted Ms Merritt to tell her she and Mr Thomas should not be breaking coronavirus lockdown regulations together.

Im going to suggest you were obviously and knowingly breaking lockdown regulations with Lester Thomas from the end of March to the end of April and Ms Webbe complained about that and asked you to stop, he said.

The complainant replied that Ms Webbe did not ask me this question, and described as incorrect the lawyers suggestion that she had conducted her own campaign against Ms Webbe because she didnt like the MPs relationship with Mr Thomas.

Ms Merritt also denied Mr Hyness claim that she knew the MP was vulnerable because she is a public figure and that is why you said you were going to go to the press.

Ms Webbe, from Islington in north London, stood in the dock wearing a black suit, speaking to confirm her name, date of birth and address.

Having served as chair of Metropolitan Polices Operation Trident, a team set up in the 1990s to tackle gun crime within black communities, Ms Webbe also worked as a political adviser to Ken Livingstone during his tenure as London mayor and sat as a councillor in Islington for eight years until 2018.

Ms Webbe entered the Commons in December 2019, winning the seat formerly held by Keith Vaz, the Labour veteran who retired from parliament in the wake of a scandal.

Additional reporting by PA
A number of experts and equality groups have accused the government of failing to protect high-risk ethnic minority groups during the Covid-19 pandemic while rates of vaccine hesitancy continue to grow among parts of these communities.

The latest figure for hesitancy among Black or Black British adults is 21 per cent, according to the Office for National Statistics  an increase on previous figures  while among white adults it remains at four per cent.

Hesitancy is also higher for adults identifying as Muslim (14 per cent) or other (14 per cent) for their religion, compared with adults who identify as Christian (4 per cent).

Mistrust in Government and healthcare systems have been cited as key reasons for hesitancy while a recent study by University College London University College London suggested the importance of addressing racial discrimination more broadly in order to increase vaccine uptake amongst ethnic minority adults.

Currently, people from these communities account for the highest proportion of intensive care patients since pandemic began, according to the latest data from the Intensive Care National Audit and Research Centre, while Covid safety measures were scrapped by the Government last month.

Dr Zubaida Haque, a member of Independent SAGE, told The Independent that ministers have done little to mitigate the risks facing many despite extensive research highlighting the problems.

Its almost a quadruple whammy - minority ethnic communities are more overexposed because of their circumstances, less protected in that theyre less likely to take up the vaccine because their fears and concerns are not being robustly addressed, then weve got higher infection rates and few mitigations, she said.

It is clear that it has a mass infection strategy but its just so reckless because it will undermine the only thing we have thatll get us out of this pandemic - the vaccination programme. (PA)

So, this is a perfect storm of factors for things to get much worse for these communities - and I fear for them. Were heading into autumn and winter where were expecting cases to increase because more people will be indoors.

It is clear that it has a mass infection strategy but its just so reckless because it will undermine the only thing we have thatll get us out of this pandemic - the vaccination programme, she said.

The former Runnymede director added: The vulnerable are more exposed than theyve been in this entire pandemic and theyve been abandoned. That includes ethnic minority communities. But rather than having learnt from all thats happened in the last year and a half, the Government has gone the other way and theyve just given up and abandoned those communities.

The government must now bring down community cases, Dr Haque urged, as well as reinstate the public health protection measures that are scientifically proven to work including face masks, physical distancing and contact tracing.

Soloman Campbell, 40, from Manchester, said his reasons for not having the cov jab include mistrust of government, wariness of longstanding inequalities in the health system and a desire to look to his Christian faith for a solution.

All my life, the British Government has never prioritised the wellbeing of Black people as the pandemic of racism plagues the lives of my people but, all of a sudden, Im to believe that it has my best interests at heart, as a Black man? I have difficulty with that, he said.

Im not interested in being a guinea pig. Im not saying Ill not ever take the vaccine but, right now, Id rather put my trust in God who has ultimate control over my life and watch the outcome of this roll-out.

Beverley Watson, 60, from south London, said: Not enough information has been shared with me, and people who look like me, about this vaccine, how it works and how safe it is. I read something about celebrities encouraging uptake but no ones come to talk to me about it, theres been no concerted effort to get the message across; meanwhile, Im not going to get the injection, with God knows what in it, just because Boris said to! He cant help me if I keel over.

(xxx)

Echoing these concerns, Dr Wanda Wyporska, Executive Director at The Equality Trust, told The Independent: The Government needs to support more community engagement, but also needs to fundamentally address the reasons why so many of us lack trust in the authorities. Until this is addressed we will continue to see poor take-up.

The structural inequalities that see many in poor and crowded housing, in low paid, precarious public facing jobs and with a range of underlying health conditions make protection against Covid-19 an urgent priority.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: The phenomenal vaccine rollout is building a wall of defence across the country, with almost nine in ten people aged 16 and over in the UK having received one dose and over 105,000 lives and 143,000 hospitalisations prevented.

The government and the NHS are working hard to encourage people in all communities to come forward and accept the offer of a jab. We have opened up pop-up vaccination centres in mosques, translated vaccination materials into 13 languages, and partnered with local authorities, faith groups and celebrities to communicate the benefits of vaccination.

However, the fact that hesitancy has not shifted very much among some groups reflects that ministers are not addressing the issue enough, it has been argued.

The topic of vaccine hesitancy is often approached in a very piecemeal, ad-hoc manner where its not joined up or part of a wider strategy that addresses the matter, Dr Haque said.

And its not just a Black, Asian or eastern European issue; its also an issue in deprived areas, its an issue among women and younger groups. So the fact that we dont have a national strategy to address hesitancy is wholly inadequate.

In the meantime, some local campaigners are taking matters into their own hands by spearheading initiatives around the country to counter fears among the hesitant.

This includes pop-up vaccination clinics in trusted community spaces such as the Black Cultural Archives in Brixton, South London Islamic Centre in Streatham and Stockports St Petersgate fountain.
Buddhist leader Dalal Lama has backed the efforts to save a Scottish cafe, which was established by a Tibetan woman inspired by him.

The cafe named Himalaya Cafe in Edinburgh was established by Reka Gawa, Scottish national of Tibetan and Indian roots. Ms Gawa says the cafe came into existence after a chance meeting with the religious leader at the Scottish parliament in 2004 when she was working there.

She says the cafe was inspired by the Dalai Lama, and it was he who asked her to stay in Scotland and promote her culture.

He spoke about the importance of keeping the ancient Tibetan culture alive, she writes in her fundraiser post on GoFundMe, Inspired by His words, I decided that a cafe and Tibetan cultural centre would best fulfil that need.

However, the 39-year-old says now her business is in jeopardy. Her landlord has decided to sell the property and the only way for her to continue her restaurant is to buy it. Ms Gawa says, despite trying all her options, she is short of 45,000 - for which she is now raising funds.

It would be hard enough to lose the cafe at any time, but during the restrictions, in this traumatic time of Covid, we especially need to nourish each other, she says.

Ms Gawa writes that this place is so much more than a cafe for her. I offer training to volunteers in the running of a community business, there is a Pay it Forward scheme, where my lovely, generous customers buy meals for homeless people, she writes.

Now that the GoFundMe page of her cafe has gone live and gained traction, it has got backing from the Dalai Lama himself.

A spokesman for the spiritual leader told BBC Scotland that the Dalai Lama knew about the cafes work and hoped it would be able to continue.
The queues for the petrol station at Tesco in Lewisham, south London, started at 5.30am. And not long afterwards, the abuse began.

Staff at the forecourt have spent the past four days trying to manage behaviour as angry drivers jostle to get hold of ever-shrinking supplies of fuel.

We try to protect our own lives, a manager at the petrol station, who did not want to be named, told The Independent. It is very, very difficult managing people. When we came in this morning, there were queues all round the block. They started shouting at us, throwing abuse.

It is simple: if our staff cannot take the abuse then we have to close down.

A few days ago, a man was saying that he was going to stab somebody if we dont let him have petrol. We are trying to be cautious, and when the customers become very aggressive and intimidating, then we make the decision to close.

It is very, very difficult managing people. When we came in this morning, there were queues all round the block. They started shouting at us, throwing abuse Petrol station manager

After opening for the early morning school rush on Monday, the manager felt he had no choice but to close, and by 10am the forecourt was completely empty, with traffic cones blocking cars.

Every so often, a new driver would pull up alongside the cones in the hope of finding fuel, only to be told to turn around.

As well as helping to deal with anti-social behaviour, the manager decided to stagger the opening times of the garage to prevent huge queues backing up into Lewisham Road  a key route cutting through southeast London.

We are trying our best, he added. But some people are finding ways in and ways to jump the queue. They can go through the supermarkets underground car park and pop up round the back of the forecourt. Obviously, those that are waiting are not happy to see that and they shout at them and then they shout at us.

People dont listen. They can come from anywhere to sneak in.

Down the road at the Shell garage, opposite Lewisham Hospital, drivers were blocking the A21 while waiting for their chance to fill up.

John Gooroovadoo, who had made it to the front of the queue, told The Independent he had been to six other places on Monday morning in the search for fuel.

I think its terrible, he said. Ive been slightly panicking because Ive got kids and I need to do the school run.

I also tried six places yesterday but I couldnt find anything, so I had to try again today.

The traffic jam on Lewisham High Street had made Cath 30 minutes late for her appointment at the hospital. Filling up her car at the Shell garage after the visit, Cath, who did not want to give her full name, told The Independent: Its a nightmare. This is the first place Ive been to, but my daughter, who is an ITU nurse at Kings [College Hospital] cant get diesel anywhere.

(AP)

You see people filling up their jerry cans. Thats not fair. Its just everyone panicking.

At the Texaco station in nearby Greenwich, at least two drivers every minute were pulling in and turning around, once they realised it was out of fuel.

The station manager said the chaos had led to violence.

We had fuel last night and had massive queues and people started fighting, he added.

This was around 10-11 oclock at night. People were waiting at the entrance and then others were coming in through the exit road and jumping the queue. They started fighting each other so we had to close the whole place.

When they started fighting, we called the police but they didnt come. I had to get another two staff to help sort out the situation. And this morning we have no fuel. We are getting a delivery later today.

Weve also had people putting petrol in their tanks and then just driving away without paying. There is no help for us, this is the problem.

The situation was slightly better at an Esso garage down the road at Loampit Vale. Although the forecourt was packed with cars  with queues of at least 11 vehicles trying to get in  drivers werent having to wait long.

This was the first place I came to today and Ive only been here for maybe less than 10 minutes, said Muhammad Mpagi, who was filling up his car.

Some petrol stations are running out of fuel due to panic buying (Alamy/PA)

Mr Mpagi, who is a taxi driver, said he had lost work over recent days as he didnt want to drive around looking for fuel.

I am a taxi driver so thats why I need to be here, he added. The last two days I didnt come out because I knew that it was bad and so I didnt work. Today I thought it would be a bit better so Ive come to get fuel so I can start work.

Alshon Higgins was filling up two jerry cans at the next petrol pump. My cars run out flat, he said. So Ive got to fill up these cans and take them home.

Garage manager Magda, who also wished to withhold her surname, said she wanted people to know that there was no issue with supply. She added: There is no problem with the fuel and no problems with the drivers. Weve got scheduled deliveries every two/three nights and its always been enough. Its only now, because people have started to panic buy, that were running out.

Yesterday we ran out for a few hours and had to close. But there is no shortage of fuel or drivers. The panicking is not necessary, so people just need to go back to buying normally.

An Esso spokesperson said: A number of our 200 Tesco Alliance sites (Esso forecourt with a Tesco Express shop) are impacted in some way. We are working closely will all parties in our distribution network to optimise supplies and minimise any inconvenience to customers. We apologise to our customers for any inconvenience.

The Metropolitan Police said they couldnt find any reports of officers being called to Texaco station in Greenwich.
A former marine has successfully rowed across the Atlantic Ocean alone and unsupported, in what is believed to be one of the first such journeys.

Dave Dinger Bell spent 119 days travelling from New York to the UK, crossing the Atlantic Ocean. He reached Newlyn, Cornwall, on Sunday afternoon.

Photos shared on Twitter showed Mr Bells family and friends welcoming him home at Newlyn Harbour with fanfare.

The journey was marked by several struggles, including a huge storm, jellyfish stings and Mr Bells fear of open water. His team kept his followers informed with regular updates on social media.

His last hurdle, however, was to face heavy winds that made him change his destination from Falmouth to Newlyn.

I didnt want to finish in the Scillies  I wanted to make the mainland, Mr Bell told BBC. It was a race against time, he said, describing his non-stop rowing for 40 hours in harsh weather off the Isles of Scilly.

For the last three miles, a Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) lifeboat was sent to guide him. Dinger has gone from seeing nobody to starting to see people and having real conversations with people, albeit it shouting! an update on Twitter read. Incredibly, Dinger has not slept in 40 hours!

Im never doing anything dangerous ever again, Mr Bell told the BBC upon arrival.

Organisers said it had been a nail-biting couple of days waiting for him to arrive.

Mr Bell said his endeavours are to raise funds for two charities  the Special Boat Service Association and Rock 2 Recovery, UK.
The mayor of Manchester Andy Burnham, has joked that he will put on a special night at live music venue the Warehouse Project, for Conservative MP Michael Gove.

Mr Gove, the new Secretary of State for Leveling Up, Housing and Communities, is due to visit Manchester next week for the Conservative party conference, where Mr Burnham is expected to present ministers with a proposed levelling-up deal for Greater Manchester.

The mayor of Manchester has said he will seek government support for a package including the establishment of a London-style public transport system, when ministers appear in the city next week.

He also joked that he will make sure Mr Gove has an opportunity to dance, saying: We are very keen to impress the new Communities Secretary so we are going to lay on a special Warehouse Project Hacienda night.

The 54-year-old was spotted practicing his dance moves, and waving his arms around in time to the music, at an Aberdeen techno nightclub in August.

A video circulated of the suit-clad Tory Cabinet minister dancing energetically at Bohemia, a techno club located in the Scottish city. Whatsmore, Mr Gove, who hails from the city, apparently purchased drinks for fellow clubbers throughout the night.

Elsewhere in Brighton, MPs from the Labour party let loose at their conference in the East Sussex city. Mayor of London Sadiq Khan DJed at a Jamaican night at the Prizm club, which was organised by former shadow equalities minister Dawn Butler.

Mr Khan used his opportunity on the decks to poke fun at Mr Gove, telling the packed event: The best place in Brighton in this conference week is Dawn Butlers Jamaica party, reported The Daily Mail.

Ive got to tell you I saw Michael Gove coming to Brighton because Michael Gove likes dancing, he added.

So dont be surprised if you see Michael Gove here.
Boris Johnson will finally meet the campaigning families who lost loved ones to Covid more than a year since he first promised to do so.

The prime minister will welcome members of the Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice group to Downing Street on Tuesday  398 days on from his promise to meet them.

Mr Johnson said last August that he would of course meet with families member who had lost loved ones to the virus.

But the Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice accused the prime minister of being heartless after he initially ignored their repeated requests to meet.

The families  who successfully campaigned for public inquiry into the governments handling of the pandemic  vowed to use the face-to-face meeting with Mr Johnson to demand the investigation is launched immediately.

Mr Johnson announced in May that a public inquiry into his governments response to the crisis will begin in spring of 2022  promising it would put the states actions under the microscope.

But the families fear it could be pushed back beyond the promised date. Lawyers representing the group recently met with the Cabinet Office officials to discuss the inquirys potential scope, and were told work has not yet begun on the basic terms of reference.

Mr Johnson is expected to be joined by senior civil servants from the Cabinet Office and governments legal department to discuss the terms of the inquiry at Tuesdays meeting. The families have asked for it to take place outdoors with social distancing.

Jo Goodman, co-founder of Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice, said: It has been over a year since the prime minister first said he would meet us and in that time over 100,000 people across the country have lost their lives with Covid.

The campaigner, who lost her father Stuart to Covid last year, said it had been hard to see families go through the same pain and grief that weve experienced over the past 18 months.

We first called for a rapid review last summer so that lessons could be learnt from the deaths of our loved ones to protect others, and we cant help but feel that if wed been listened to then, other lives might have been spared, Ms Goodman said.

Elkan Abrahamson, director and head of major inquiries at the law firm Broudie Jackson Canter, will represent the group at the inquiry.

The lawyer, who will attend Tuesdays meeting, said the PM will be asked for timings on when an inquiry chair and panel will be appointed and when hearings can start.

Its not impractical to suggest that oral hearings can start pretty soon. It might be impractical to suggest you can have the whole thing done and dusted in three months because you cant, said Mr Abrahamson.

But its about saving lives, and if there was a particular area where lives could arguably be saved by a detailed analysis of the position, and hearing expert evidence, that would be the way to go.
The European Union is likely to take legal action if the UK triggers Article 16 of the Northern Ireland protocol, a set of post-Brexit rules in place to prevent a hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

It comes after the UK government issued a new warning to the EU that it will not shy away from triggering Article 16, with grace periods coming to a close.

A command paper published by the UK in July proposed radical changes to the protocol and set out the tests the UK would apply to trigger Article 16, a part of the Protocol which allows some parts of the deal to be set aside if they are severely impacting everyday life.

What is the Northern Ireland Protocol?

The NI protocol was agreed as part of the Brexit deal and is designed to protect the Good Friday Agreement by avoiding a hard border on the island of Ireland.

To allow goods to move freely between NI and the Republic of Ireland and avoid that hard border, NI remained in the EUs single market for goods as well as Great Britains market.

This means goods dont have to be checked as they cross the Irish border, but some checks and controls are required on goods entering Northern Ireland from the rest of the UK.

This has caused difficulties for some businesses and is opposed by unionist parties in Northern Ireland.

What is Article 16?

Article 16 is a technical term given to a Brexit clause that allows the UK and the EU to suspend any part of the agreement that causes economic, societal or environmental difficulties that are liable to persist, or to diversion of trade.

The UKs Brexit Minister, David Frost said the July command paper sets out that the tests to use Article 16 are met.

He said: [The EU] would be making a significant mistake if they thought that we were not ready to use the Article 16 safeguards, if that were to be the only apparent way forward to deal with the situation in front of us.

Last week, Mr Frost escalated the threats on Twitter, where he wrote: The Protocol is clearly having a continued negative effect on everyday life & business in Northern Ireland.

The outstanding issues now need to be dealt with urgently. I and my team are in contact with the EU daily, but we need a full response to our July Command Paper soon.

However, the European Commission does not believe the conditions to trigger the clause have been met, and would challenge any triggering of the article on legal grounds.

What would happen if the UK triggers Article 16?

If the UK triggers Article 16, it is understood that the EU would retaliate with legal action.

RTE reported that European Commission is preparing a hierarchy of responses should London trigger the clause.

As part of a two-track approach, the EU is looking at things like further infringement [legal] proceedings, arbitration mechanisms, and cross retaliation into the [EU UK] Trade and Cooperation Agreement, an unnamed diplomat told RTE.

They added: The commission will challenge the UK invocation of the article legally because the view would be they do not have the right to invoke it, that the conditions are not there to invoke it.

Brussels and Dublin are also expected to push back against any notion that a suspension of the goods provisions of the protocol would mean the obligation to check and control products entering the single market shifting back to the Irish land border, RTE reported.
The army will not be called in to ease the petrol crisis, a cabinet minister has said, as the government staged an emergency meeting to discuss the option.

Ministers were considering triggering Operation Escalin, which could have seen hundreds of soldiers ordered to take over tankers, because of the shortage of drivers.

But George Eustice, the environment secretary, said: We dont judge that is necessary at the moment.

The government had stoked expectations that the move was imminent, with the prime minister thought to be preparing to deploy troops, after at least half of local filling stations ran dry.

The Petrol Retailers Association (PRA) reported the alarming survey of its independent members  with up to 90 per cent out of fuel in some areas  as oil giant BP said one third of its sites had no supplies.

But the PRA questioned whether the army could end the crisis, pointing out that drivers also had to load up their tanks at a gantry at the terminal, which was a skilled job.

Government pleas for drivers to stop filling their cars when they dont need it have fallen on deaf ears so far, as long queues formed at forecourts, forcing operators to ration supplies.

But Mr Eustice told broadcasters: We always have a civil contingencies section within the army, theyre always on standby should they be needed. We dont judge that is necessary at the moment.

The minister continued the strategy of blaming panic-buying motorists, saying: The most important thing is that people buy petrol as they normally would.

There isnt a shortage. There have been some shortages of HGV drivers getting petrol to forecourts but actually that is quite limited.

The cause of these current problems is that panic-buying episode and the most important thing is for people to start buying petrol as they normally would.

A ministerial meeting to discuss the situation was being chaired by Cabinet Office minister Stephen Barclay this afternoon, while meetings were also taking place at official level.

But Downing Street indicated that, while troops have been helping conduct HGV driver tests to speed new recruits into work, there were no imminent plans for soldiers to be put behind the wheel of tankers.

At the moment, the army is being brought in to ensure we can test as many HGV drivers as possible, as that is where the bottlenecks are, said Boris Johnsons official spokesman.

We will consider all options and we are taking all preparatory steps as necessary across government but currently the military involvement is specifically around testing. We are not currently bringing in the army to drive tankers, what we are doing as a responsible government is taking preparatory steps should further action be needed.

PRA chairman Brian Madderson said: There has been training going on in the background for military personnel.

But thats perhaps just confined to moving the tanker by articulated truck from point A to point B. One of the difficulties is loading, he said, adding that was a skilled job.

Labour is calling for looser immigration rules to ease the crisis, arguing drivers queuing for hours for petrol couldnt care less if lorry drivers are foreign.

Rachel Reeves, Labours shadow Chancellor, called for the independent Migration Advisory Committee to decide the issue  after a miserly 5,000 visas were issued to overseas drivers.

Most people who are queuing up this morning, whether thats in Brighton or Leeds or wherever, to fill up their car, they couldnt care less whether the HGV driver thats got the petrol to the forecourt is British or foreign, she said.

What they want to know is that they can fill up their car or their van and go about the business  so lets plug those gaps.
Lorry drivers from Europe are not keen to return to the UK to help the country get out of the s***, said a union leader representing hauliers across the EU.

Boris Johnsons government is thought to be considering whether to call in soldiers to deliver fuel to petrol stations to address the drastic shortfall in tanker drivers.

The government has also agreed to offer temporary visas to 5,000 foreign heavy goods vehicle (HGV) drivers in a bid to ease the fuel crisis.

But Edwin Atema, from the Federation of Dutch Trade Unions (FNV), which represents lorry drivers across the EU, said it would not be enough to tempt drivers.

The EU workers we speak to will not go to the UK for a short-term visa to help the UK get out of the s*** they created for themselves, he told BBC Radio 4s Today programme.

The FNV leader added: Its not like offering a visa  and the issue will be solved. Drivers need way more than a visa and a pay slip.

Mr Atema cited poor levels of pay, lack of good facilities and the absence of any collective bargaining agreement for the road transport industry in the UK.

Drivers from across Europe have completely lost all trust in this industry, he said. Long before coronavirus and Brexit this industry was sick already, plagued by exploitation  which ended up with drivers voting with your feet and leaving.

The FNV representative added: Drivers need way more than just a visa and a payslip. A Marshall Plan is needed for the whole of Western Europe to drag this entire industry back to the surface where it needs to be.

The European Road Haulers Association (UETR), which represents 70 per cent of trucking companies across the EU, has also said lorry drivers who left Britain are unlikely to return.

I expect many drivers will not return to the UK even if the UK government allows them to, said Marco Digioia, general secretary of UETR.

While offering visas to drivers on the continent would be a welcome step, there are many other issues, such as working conditions, pay and the costs of getting into and working in the UK.

Labours shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves said British motorists currently queuing for hours for petrol couldnt care less if tanker drivers are foreign.

What they want to know is that they can fill up their car or their van and go about the business  so lets plug those gaps, said the Labour frontbencher.

Industry leaders have said drafting in the military to deliver fuel to petrol stations across Britain will not on its own end shortages on the forecourt.

The Petrol Retailers Association (PRA) chairman Brian Madderson confirmed some training had been taking place in the background for military personnel.

But he warned it was not an absolute panacea and that there was no single lever the government could pull to resolve the crisis.

Some fuel supply brands are seeing pumps run dry at as many as 90 per cent of their petrol stations, according to a straw poll by the PRA.

Business secretary Kwasi Kwarteng announced on Sunday that he was temporarily suspending competition laws to allow the industry to share information so it can target areas where fuel supply is running low.

Elizabeth de Jong, policy director at trade association Logistics UK, told BBC Breakfast consumers must stop panic-buying to ease the fuel crisis while the government implements longer-term solutions to tackle HGV driver shortages.

Theres the shorter-term panic-buying, which if we go back to our normal amounts and almost relax our behaviour and bring it back to normal then that can calm down quite quickly.
People condemning Angela Rayner for her comments about Tories should stay off their "moral high horse", John Bercow has said.

Speaking at a fringe event at Labour's annual conference in Brighton the former Speaker said he would not have chosen Ms Rayner's form of words when she berated Tory "scum".

But he said the party's deputy leader was "passionate" and "angry" about what the Conservative government had done to the country.

"I wouldn't have used that term, but I think that people are passionate: I know Angela well and she's a passionate person and she believes in her values and she feels very, very angry about what is being done to this country by a Conservative government," he said.

"Do I think Angela Rayner, should be damned to perdition for that one comment? Absolutely not. I think Angela Rayner is a damn good person, she's got strong and good values. I wouldn't have used that expression but I don't think we should get on our moral high horses about it."

Ms Rayner on Monday stood by her comments in which she described Conservatives as homophobic, racist, misogynistic scum  adding that said she would happily sit down with Boris Johnson to discuss his history of racist comments.

But senior Tories accused her of "throwing insults" and "talking crap".

Mr Bercow announced this summer that he had jointed the Labour party after a long career as the neutral Commons speaker  and before that a Conservative MP.

He came to his highest prominence during the course of Britain's departure from the European Union, where he helped backbenchers hold Theresa May's minority government to account.

Addressing the issue, Mr Bercow told the audience in Brighton a hard Brexit could have been stopped if Remain campaigners had compromised and worked together.

The former Speaker said those in favour of a second referendum should have reached beyond their "first preference" and considered a soft Brexit.

He pointed to a series of indicative votes taken in the House of Commons during which MPs were asked to select from a series of options.

During the votes some MPs, including short-lived centrist party Change UK voted for a second referendum but not for options to stay in the single market or customs union.

As a result there was no majority of the House of Commons for an alternative to the government's plan for a full break with the EU.

UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 29 September 2021 A sign referring to the lack of fuel is placed at the entrance to a petrol station in London AP UK news in pictures 27 September 2021 Police officers detain a protester from Insulate Britain occupying a roundabout leading from the M25 motorway to Heathrow Airport in London PA UK news in pictures 26 September 2021 Labour Party leader Sir Keir Starmer watches the Arsenal v Tottenham Hotspur match at The Font pub in Brighton PA UK news in pictures 25 September 2021 Scottish pro-independence supporters hold a march and rally outside the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh, Scotland Getty Images UK news in pictures 24 September 2021 Police officers remove two protesters from the top of a tanker, as Insulate Britain block the A20 in Kent, which provides access to the Port of Dover in Kent. The environmental activists have moved location after been banned from campaigning on the M25 motorway in London PA UK news in pictures 23 September 2021 Gabriella, the seven year old daughter of imprisoned British-Iranian Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, joins in a game on a giant snakes and ladders board in Parliament Square, to show the ups and downs of her mothers case to mark the 2,000 days she has been detained in Iran AP UK news in pictures 22 September 2021 A new sign hangs on the Millicent Fawcett statue after it was altered by CrackTheCrises coalition activists to highlight the climate crisis as a feminist struggle in Parliament Square in London EPA UK news in pictures 21 September 2021 Gabriella Diment prepares a monumental bronze patinated fibreglass wall sculpture depicting household cavalry soldiers on horseback which is expected to be sold for 12,000-18,000 when it goes up for auction at Summers Place Auctions in Billinghurst, Kent PA UK news in pictures 20 September 2021 Florist Judith Blacklock puts the finishing touches to a floral carousel installation in Halkin Arcade, which she has designed with Neill Strain for the Belgravia in Bloom festival, running from September 20-26, in London PA UK news in pictures 19 September 2021 Bubbles surround Manchester Uniteds Cristiano Ronaldo before the match against West Ham at London Stadium Action Images/Reuters UK news in pictures 18 September 2021 Children take part in the Settrington Cup Pedal Car Race as motoring enthusiasts attend the Goodwood Revival, a three-day historic car racing festival in Goodwood, Chichester, Reuters UK news in pictures 17 September 2021 Hugo, 7, from London rides past a 4x7 metre rainbow arch, made entirely of recycled aluminium cans, which has been installed by recycling initiative 'Every Can Counts', in partnership with The City of London Corporation in front of St Paul's Cathedral in London, to encourage members of the public to recycle their drinks cans ahead of recycling week, which starts on 20 September PA UK news in pictures 16 September 2021 Sheikeh MOhammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, leader of Abu Dhabi, leaves Downing Street after meeting with Boris Johnson PA UK news in pictures 15 September 2021 Children pose by ice sculptures depicting people collecting water by charity Water Aid to show the fragility of water and the threat posed by climate change in London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 14 September 2021 Heavy rain covers the A149 near Kings Lynn in Norfolk PA UK news in pictures 13 September 2021 Luke Jerram's 'Museum of the Moon' at Durham Cathedral PA UK news in pictures 12 September 2021 Inspirational young fundraiser Tobias Weller crosses the finish line, near his home in Sheffield, as he completes his latest epic feat where he swam and triked his way to the end of his awesome year-long Ironman Challenge. This is the third challenge Tobias, who has cerebral palsy and autism, has completed, raising more than 150,000 for his school and Sheffield Children Hospitals charity PA UK news in pictures 11 September 2021 British player Emma Raducanu, holds up the US Open championship trophy winning the women's singles final of the US Open in New York AP UK news in pictures 10 September 2021 People paddle board during a misty morning in Ullswater, the second largest lake in the Lake District, Cumbria PA UK news in pictures 9 September 2021 Troops from Wiltshire based 4 Armoured Close Support Battalion Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers during final inspection at Wellington Barracks in London, ahead of providing troops for the Queens Guard PA UK news in pictures 8 September 2021 Workers cross London Bridge during the morning rush hour in London Reuters UK news in pictures Mixing it up: Painting it up press view in London A gallery employee poses for photographers next to a painting entitled Prairie by British artist, Louise Giovanelli during the exhibition 'Mixing it up: Painting it up' at the Hayward Gallery in London EPA UK news in pictures 6 September 2021 Traders in the Ring at the London Metal Exchange, in the City of London, after open-outcry trading returned for the first time since March 2020, when the Ring was temporarily closed due to the pandemic PA UK news in pictures 5 September 2021 People enjoy the warm weather on Sandbanks beach, Poole PA UK news in pictures 4 September 2021 Demonstrators from Animal Rebellion and Nature Rebellion protest in Trafalgar Square in London. PA UK news in pictures 3 September 2021 South Africa's Ntando Mahlangu (centre) wins the Men's 200 metres T61 Final ahead of second placed Great Britain's Richard Whitehead at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games PA UK news in pictures 2 September 2021 A young common seal on the beach at Horsey Gap in Norfolk, as hundreds of pregnant grey seals come ashore ready for the start of the pupping season. PA UK news in pictures 1 September 2021 Goldfinches fighting over food in a garden in Strensham, Worcestershire PA UK news in pictures 31 August 2021 Gold Medallist Sarah Storey of Britain celebrates on the podium Reuters UK news in pictures 30 August 2021 Extinction Rebellion protesters hold a a tea party on Tower Bridge in London EPA UK news in pictures 29 August 2021 A police office tussles with a demonstrator on Cromwell Road outside the Natural History Museum during a protest by members of Extinction Rebellion in London PA UK news in pictures 28 August 2021 Members of the British armed forces 16 Air Assault Brigade walk to the air terminal after disembarking a Royal Airforce Voyager aircraft at Brize Norton, Oxfordshire POOL/AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 27 August 2021 Fabio Quartararo crashes during a MotoGP practice session at the British Grand Prix, Silverstone Circuit Action Images via Reuters UK news in pictures 26 August 2021 An Extinction Rebellion activist holds a placard in a fountain surrounded by police officers, during a protest next to Buckingham Palace in London Reuters UK news in pictures 25 August 2021 Gold Medallist Great Britains cyclist, Sarah Storey, celebrates after winning the Womens C5 3000m Individual Pursuit Final at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. It was her 15th Paralympic gold Reuters UK news in pictures 24 August 2021 A demonstrator dressed as bee during a protest by members of Extinction Rebellion on Whitehall, in central London PA UK news in pictures 23 August 2021 Former interpreters for the British forces in Afghanistan demonstrate outside the Home Office in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 22 August 2021 Police officers form a line in front of the entrance to the Guildhall, London, where protesters have climbed onto a ledge above the entrance during an Extinction Rebellion stage a protest PA UK news in pictures 21 August 2021 People take part in a demonstration in solidarity with people of Afghanistan, in London Reuters UK news in pictures 20 August 2021 People zip wire across the sea from Bournemouth pier towards the beach. PA UK news in pictures 19 August 2021 Supporters of Geronimo the alpaca gather outside Shepherds Close Farm in Wooton Under Edge, Gloucestershire PA UK news in pictures 18 August 2021 Former Afghan interpreters and veterans hold a demonstration outside Downing Street, calling for support and protection for Afghan interpreters and their families PA UK news in pictures 17 August 2021 Military personnel board the RAF Airbus A400M at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, where evacuation flights from Afghanistan have been landing Reuters UK news in pictures 16 August 2021 Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer takes part in a minute's silence at Wolverhampton police station for the victims of the Plymouth mass shooting last week PA UK news in pictures 15 August 2021 2Storm, a ten-metre tall puppet of a mythical goddess of the sea created by Edinburgh-based visual theatre company Vision Mechanics, makes its way alongside the seafront at North Berwick, East Lothian, during a performance at the Fringe By The Sea festival PA UK news in pictures 14 August 2021 A woman and two young girls look at floral tributes in Plymouth where six people, including the offender, died of gunshot wounds in a firearms incident PA UK news in pictures 13 August 2021 Forensic officers in the Keyham area of Plymouth where six people, including the shooter, died of gunshot wounds in a firearms incident on Thursday evening PA UK news in pictures 12 August 2021 Children ride horses in the River Eden in Appleby, Cumbria, during the annual gathering of travellers for the Appleby Horse Fair PA UK news in pictures 11 August 2021 Stella Moris (left) reacts after talking to the media outside the High Court in London, following the first hearing in the Julian Assange extradition appeal, n London, following the first hearing in the Julian Assange extradition appeal. The US government has won the latest round in its High Court bid to appeal against the decision not to extradite Julian Assange on espionage charges PA UK news in pictures 10 August 2021 Students react after they receive their A-Level results at the Ark Academy, in London Reuters

Commenting on Labour, Mr Bercow said he thought Keir Starmer was "a good guy" but that the party needed "clear policies".

He said the opposition party should "craft a vision of how Britain will look different and be better with Labour values". He also backed Labour's policy to tax private education but said Labour needed "excite people".

Mr Bercow said he had no interest in a career in Labour and did not intend to stand for parliament again. He said he absolutely intended to join a trade union in the near future but had not done so yet.
Keir Starmer has been hit by a shadow cabinet resignation in the middle of his party conference after a row with one of his top team over minimum wage policy.

Andy McDonald, the shadow secretary of state for employment rights, said on Monday afternoon his position on Sir Keirs front bench was untenable and that he could no longer work for the party leader.

In his resignation letter Mr McDonald said Sir Keirs office had instructed him to go into a meeting to argue against a national minimum wage of 15 an hour and against statutory sick pay at the living wage.

Mr McDonald said this was something I could not do. He warned that Labour was more divided than ever under Sir Keirs leadership.

The resignation is a blow for the Labour leader who was hoping to turn the page on a row with the partys left wing that characterised the first part of the conference.

Sir Keir kicked off the conference with a defeat on plans to end one member, one vote for Labour leadership elections, but narrowly passed alternative changes to Labour rules that will make it harder for MPs with less support from their colleagues to get on the ballot.

During negotiations with trade unions over the rule changes Sir Keir was reportedly taken to task by union leaders for not backing a 15 minimum wage.

The party says it wants a 10 minimum wage at least, around a 1 increase from the existing 8.91, though the rate may have already risen closer to that level by the next general election.

Mr McDonald told reporters outside Labour conference in Brighton: It was a compositing meeting yesterday when the membership and the unions were promoting [a 15 minimum wage] and to be asked to defend the position and not support what the party and unions wanted to do is something I couldn't in all conscience sustain.

This is what we should be doing. Is it really unreasonable to expect people going to work, our key workers not to have the level of pay and to be able to sustain their position?"

In his resignation letter, Mr McDonald continued: After many months of a pandemic when we made commitments to stand by key workers, I cannot now look those same workers in the eye and tell them they are not worth a wage that is enough to live on, or that they dont deserve security when they are ill.

We live in a time when the people of this country have a renewed awareness of how important the work done by millions of low-paid workers truly is. To have the Labour Party, the party of working people, fail to realise that is a bitter blow.

I joined your frontbench team on the basis of the pledges that you made in the leadership campaign to bring about unity within the party and maintain our commitment to socialist policies.

After 18 months of your leadership, our movement is more divided than ever and the pledges that you made to the membership are not being honoured. This is just the latest of many.

I am immensely proud of the work my team has done to produce Labours employment rights green paper, which was unveiled earlier this week. I will continue working with comrades across the movement to ensure that this agenda is delivered.

I look forward to being free to fight for the working people of this country from the back benches.

Repsonding to the resignation, Sir Keir said: I want to thank Andy for his service in the shadow cabinet.

Labours comprehensive new deal for working people shows the scale of our ambition and where our priorities lie.

My focus and that of the whole party is on winning the next general election so we can deliver for working people who need a Labour government.

UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 29 September 2021 A sign referring to the lack of fuel is placed at the entrance to a petrol station in London AP UK news in pictures 27 September 2021 Police officers detain a protester from Insulate Britain occupying a roundabout leading from the M25 motorway to Heathrow Airport in London PA UK news in pictures 26 September 2021 Labour Party leader Sir Keir Starmer watches the Arsenal v Tottenham Hotspur match at The Font pub in Brighton PA UK news in pictures 25 September 2021 Scottish pro-independence supporters hold a march and rally outside the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh, Scotland Getty Images UK news in pictures 24 September 2021 Police officers remove two protesters from the top of a tanker, as Insulate Britain block the A20 in Kent, which provides access to the Port of Dover in Kent. The environmental activists have moved location after been banned from campaigning on the M25 motorway in London PA UK news in pictures 23 September 2021 Gabriella, the seven year old daughter of imprisoned British-Iranian Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, joins in a game on a giant snakes and ladders board in Parliament Square, to show the ups and downs of her mothers case to mark the 2,000 days she has been detained in Iran AP UK news in pictures 22 September 2021 A new sign hangs on the Millicent Fawcett statue after it was altered by CrackTheCrises coalition activists to highlight the climate crisis as a feminist struggle in Parliament Square in London EPA UK news in pictures 21 September 2021 Gabriella Diment prepares a monumental bronze patinated fibreglass wall sculpture depicting household cavalry soldiers on horseback which is expected to be sold for 12,000-18,000 when it goes up for auction at Summers Place Auctions in Billinghurst, Kent PA UK news in pictures 20 September 2021 Florist Judith Blacklock puts the finishing touches to a floral carousel installation in Halkin Arcade, which she has designed with Neill Strain for the Belgravia in Bloom festival, running from September 20-26, in London PA UK news in pictures 19 September 2021 Bubbles surround Manchester Uniteds Cristiano Ronaldo before the match against West Ham at London Stadium Action Images/Reuters UK news in pictures 18 September 2021 Children take part in the Settrington Cup Pedal Car Race as motoring enthusiasts attend the Goodwood Revival, a three-day historic car racing festival in Goodwood, Chichester, Reuters UK news in pictures 17 September 2021 Hugo, 7, from London rides past a 4x7 metre rainbow arch, made entirely of recycled aluminium cans, which has been installed by recycling initiative 'Every Can Counts', in partnership with The City of London Corporation in front of St Paul's Cathedral in London, to encourage members of the public to recycle their drinks cans ahead of recycling week, which starts on 20 September PA UK news in pictures 16 September 2021 Sheikeh MOhammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, leader of Abu Dhabi, leaves Downing Street after meeting with Boris Johnson PA UK news in pictures 15 September 2021 Children pose by ice sculptures depicting people collecting water by charity Water Aid to show the fragility of water and the threat posed by climate change in London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 14 September 2021 Heavy rain covers the A149 near Kings Lynn in Norfolk PA UK news in pictures 13 September 2021 Luke Jerram's 'Museum of the Moon' at Durham Cathedral PA UK news in pictures 12 September 2021 Inspirational young fundraiser Tobias Weller crosses the finish line, near his home in Sheffield, as he completes his latest epic feat where he swam and triked his way to the end of his awesome year-long Ironman Challenge. This is the third challenge Tobias, who has cerebral palsy and autism, has completed, raising more than 150,000 for his school and Sheffield Children Hospitals charity PA UK news in pictures 11 September 2021 British player Emma Raducanu, holds up the US Open championship trophy winning the women's singles final of the US Open in New York AP UK news in pictures 10 September 2021 People paddle board during a misty morning in Ullswater, the second largest lake in the Lake District, Cumbria PA UK news in pictures 9 September 2021 Troops from Wiltshire based 4 Armoured Close Support Battalion Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers during final inspection at Wellington Barracks in London, ahead of providing troops for the Queens Guard PA UK news in pictures 8 September 2021 Workers cross London Bridge during the morning rush hour in London Reuters UK news in pictures Mixing it up: Painting it up press view in London A gallery employee poses for photographers next to a painting entitled Prairie by British artist, Louise Giovanelli during the exhibition 'Mixing it up: Painting it up' at the Hayward Gallery in London EPA UK news in pictures 6 September 2021 Traders in the Ring at the London Metal Exchange, in the City of London, after open-outcry trading returned for the first time since March 2020, when the Ring was temporarily closed due to the pandemic PA UK news in pictures 5 September 2021 People enjoy the warm weather on Sandbanks beach, Poole PA UK news in pictures 4 September 2021 Demonstrators from Animal Rebellion and Nature Rebellion protest in Trafalgar Square in London. PA UK news in pictures 3 September 2021 South Africa's Ntando Mahlangu (centre) wins the Men's 200 metres T61 Final ahead of second placed Great Britain's Richard Whitehead at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games PA UK news in pictures 2 September 2021 A young common seal on the beach at Horsey Gap in Norfolk, as hundreds of pregnant grey seals come ashore ready for the start of the pupping season. PA UK news in pictures 1 September 2021 Goldfinches fighting over food in a garden in Strensham, Worcestershire PA UK news in pictures 31 August 2021 Gold Medallist Sarah Storey of Britain celebrates on the podium Reuters UK news in pictures 30 August 2021 Extinction Rebellion protesters hold a a tea party on Tower Bridge in London EPA UK news in pictures 29 August 2021 A police office tussles with a demonstrator on Cromwell Road outside the Natural History Museum during a protest by members of Extinction Rebellion in London PA UK news in pictures 28 August 2021 Members of the British armed forces 16 Air Assault Brigade walk to the air terminal after disembarking a Royal Airforce Voyager aircraft at Brize Norton, Oxfordshire POOL/AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 27 August 2021 Fabio Quartararo crashes during a MotoGP practice session at the British Grand Prix, Silverstone Circuit Action Images via Reuters UK news in pictures 26 August 2021 An Extinction Rebellion activist holds a placard in a fountain surrounded by police officers, during a protest next to Buckingham Palace in London Reuters UK news in pictures 25 August 2021 Gold Medallist Great Britains cyclist, Sarah Storey, celebrates after winning the Womens C5 3000m Individual Pursuit Final at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. It was her 15th Paralympic gold Reuters UK news in pictures 24 August 2021 A demonstrator dressed as bee during a protest by members of Extinction Rebellion on Whitehall, in central London PA UK news in pictures 23 August 2021 Former interpreters for the British forces in Afghanistan demonstrate outside the Home Office in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 22 August 2021 Police officers form a line in front of the entrance to the Guildhall, London, where protesters have climbed onto a ledge above the entrance during an Extinction Rebellion stage a protest PA UK news in pictures 21 August 2021 People take part in a demonstration in solidarity with people of Afghanistan, in London Reuters UK news in pictures 20 August 2021 People zip wire across the sea from Bournemouth pier towards the beach. PA UK news in pictures 19 August 2021 Supporters of Geronimo the alpaca gather outside Shepherds Close Farm in Wooton Under Edge, Gloucestershire PA UK news in pictures 18 August 2021 Former Afghan interpreters and veterans hold a demonstration outside Downing Street, calling for support and protection for Afghan interpreters and their families PA UK news in pictures 17 August 2021 Military personnel board the RAF Airbus A400M at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, where evacuation flights from Afghanistan have been landing Reuters UK news in pictures 16 August 2021 Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer takes part in a minute's silence at Wolverhampton police station for the victims of the Plymouth mass shooting last week PA UK news in pictures 15 August 2021 2Storm, a ten-metre tall puppet of a mythical goddess of the sea created by Edinburgh-based visual theatre company Vision Mechanics, makes its way alongside the seafront at North Berwick, East Lothian, during a performance at the Fringe By The Sea festival PA UK news in pictures 14 August 2021 A woman and two young girls look at floral tributes in Plymouth where six people, including the offender, died of gunshot wounds in a firearms incident PA UK news in pictures 13 August 2021 Forensic officers in the Keyham area of Plymouth where six people, including the shooter, died of gunshot wounds in a firearms incident on Thursday evening PA UK news in pictures 12 August 2021 Children ride horses in the River Eden in Appleby, Cumbria, during the annual gathering of travellers for the Appleby Horse Fair PA UK news in pictures 11 August 2021 Stella Moris (left) reacts after talking to the media outside the High Court in London, following the first hearing in the Julian Assange extradition appeal, n London, following the first hearing in the Julian Assange extradition appeal. The US government has won the latest round in its High Court bid to appeal against the decision not to extradite Julian Assange on espionage charges PA UK news in pictures 10 August 2021 Students react after they receive their A-Level results at the Ark Academy, in London Reuters

Mish Rahman a Labour NEC member from the left of the party, said that during the leadership election, it seemed like Starmer understood this but said this resignation proves he does not.

He added: By asking a shadow minister to argue against a higher minimum wage and decent sick pay he has demonstrated just how put of touch he is with working people.

Reacting to the news, Conservative chairman Oliver Dowden said that Labour were divided and fighting among themselves.

Mr Dowden said: Now they are even resigning during their own party conference! Labours conference gets more chaotic by the minute. How can people trust them to run the country?
A new military pact involving the UK, US and Australia undermines world peace and should be opposed, Labour Party members have declared.

Conference delegates voted overwhelming in favour of an emergency motion which condemned the deal forged by Boris Johnsons government  dubbed Aukus  calling it a dangerous move.

Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn claimed the pact was starting a new nuclear arms race and cold war and said members should keep speaking out against it.

It marks another clash between members and Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, who backed the military partnership earlier this month and said Britain must look after our most important relationships.

The motion  approved by 70 per cent to 30 per cent  at the Labour conference in Brighton stated: Conference believes that in contradiction to Tory PM Johnsons statement that this will promote stability in the Indo-Pacific region, in fact, this is a dangerous move which will undermine world peace.

The conference vote was immediately condemned by the GMB union, which warned opposition to the new military agreement undermines industries where jobs are under threat.

Under the terms of the Aukus pact, the three allies have agreed to co-operate on the development for the first time of a fleet of nuclear-powered submarines for the Australian navy.

It will also see the three countries share new military technology, including artificial intelligence and cyber defence plans.

The move has been widely interpreted as an attempt to check Chinas growing military assertiveness in the region, and was swiftly condemned by Beijing as a geopolitical gaming tool.

France was also left angered by Australias decision to cancel a lucrative contract to provide subs  sparking a row in which Mr Johnson said the French should to donnez-moi un break.

GMB regional secretary Hazel Nolan said the Labour conference has proven itself to be out of touch and on the wrong side of job creation once again.

She added: This deal could be a real opportunity for UK manufacturing. To dismiss it out of hand is nonsense.

If it ever wants to be in power, Labour needs to get back to its roots and speak up for jobs and the concerns of working people.

The internal row came after shadow defence secretary John Healey used his conference speech to attempt to burnish Labours defence credentials.

Mr Healey said he wanted Labour to no longer be half-hearted about essential alliances and treaties in the UN, Nato and the International Court of Justice.

We will give the highest priority to security in Europe, North Atlantic and Arctic, pursuing new defence co-operation with European Nato neighbours, he said. We will insist on the UKs say with the US as our most essential ally, stepping up Britains leadership in Nato.

He also promised a future Labour government would give a 35m boost for mental health care for British veterans and Afghan personnel now living in the UK.
 Close Boris Johnson jokes about number of children Jacob Rees-Mogg has during Tory conference

Public opinion of Boris Johnsons governments handling of taxes, inflation and the UK economy has nosedived, according to YouGov polling.

As think-tanks and trade organisations condemned the prime ministers Tory conference speech touting a high wage economic revival as vacuous and economically illiterate, the pollsters found his party were now neck-and-neck with Labour on the issue of taxation.

In his Manchester address, amid a severe supply chain crisis widely blamed on Brexit and staff shortages, Mr Johnson had rebuked businesses for reaching for the same old lever of uncontrolled immigration and suggested British workers should be prioritised instead.

With somewhat vague talk of levelling up dominating the conference, one cabinet minister told The Independent that the programme will take 10 years and there will be some pain along the way, particularly in the early part.

Meanwhile, the EU is preparing to table far-reaching new proposals on the Northern Ireland Protocol by the middle of next week, in a move welcomed by the DUP, which had threatened to collapse power-sharing at Stormont over the contentious part of the Brexit deal affecting trade in Northern Ireland.

Announcing the new proposals, the European Commissions vice-president Maros Sefcovic urged the UK to dial down the political rhetoric, after Brexit minister Lord Frost threatened this week that unilaterally suspending parts of the Brexit deal by triggering Article 16 may end up as the only way forward.
Trade unions have blocked Labour from campaigning for proportional representation after a tight vote at the party's conference in Brighton.

Delegates sent by members to the gathering overwhelmingly backed a motion in favour of electoral reform by 79.5 per cent to 20.49 per cent.

But the vast majority of delegates sent by trade unions voted against the plan, meaning the motion was lost by a total of 42 per cent to 57 per cent.

In a statement, Labour for a New Democracy, which backed the push to support PR, said they had "won the argument" if not the vote.

And they blasted Keir Starmer for not engaging on the issue.

"One thing is clear from todays vote  Labour Party members are overwhelmingly in support of proportional representation," a spokesperson for the campaign group said.

"After unprecedented support from local parties in backing motions calling for reform now we see that 80 per cent of local party delegates backed reform on conference floor. This in itself is a historic victory for equal votes  and now the Labour Party leadership must listen."

The spokesperson added: "We have won the argument with the Labour membership  both the debate and the result showed almost no support for the broken status quo.

"But we can also see we have not yet won the argument elsewhere in our movement. Hundreds of trade unionists play a key role in our campaign, but despite this most unions do not yet back reform. The truth is, if the Leadership had engaged with this unifying policy as intensively as they pushed their own proposed rule changes, PR would now be Labour policy.

"The Labour Party membership is united behind the drive to make votes count for all. It is unsustainable for any party to have policy at odds with the values of its members. Our campaign will continue.

UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 29 September 2021 A sign referring to the lack of fuel is placed at the entrance to a petrol station in London AP UK news in pictures 27 September 2021 Police officers detain a protester from Insulate Britain occupying a roundabout leading from the M25 motorway to Heathrow Airport in London PA UK news in pictures 26 September 2021 Labour Party leader Sir Keir Starmer watches the Arsenal v Tottenham Hotspur match at The Font pub in Brighton PA UK news in pictures 25 September 2021 Scottish pro-independence supporters hold a march and rally outside the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh, Scotland Getty Images UK news in pictures 24 September 2021 Police officers remove two protesters from the top of a tanker, as Insulate Britain block the A20 in Kent, which provides access to the Port of Dover in Kent. The environmental activists have moved location after been banned from campaigning on the M25 motorway in London PA UK news in pictures 23 September 2021 Gabriella, the seven year old daughter of imprisoned British-Iranian Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, joins in a game on a giant snakes and ladders board in Parliament Square, to show the ups and downs of her mothers case to mark the 2,000 days she has been detained in Iran AP UK news in pictures 22 September 2021 A new sign hangs on the Millicent Fawcett statue after it was altered by CrackTheCrises coalition activists to highlight the climate crisis as a feminist struggle in Parliament Square in London EPA UK news in pictures 21 September 2021 Gabriella Diment prepares a monumental bronze patinated fibreglass wall sculpture depicting household cavalry soldiers on horseback which is expected to be sold for 12,000-18,000 when it goes up for auction at Summers Place Auctions in Billinghurst, Kent PA UK news in pictures 20 September 2021 Florist Judith Blacklock puts the finishing touches to a floral carousel installation in Halkin Arcade, which she has designed with Neill Strain for the Belgravia in Bloom festival, running from September 20-26, in London PA UK news in pictures 19 September 2021 Bubbles surround Manchester Uniteds Cristiano Ronaldo before the match against West Ham at London Stadium Action Images/Reuters UK news in pictures 18 September 2021 Children take part in the Settrington Cup Pedal Car Race as motoring enthusiasts attend the Goodwood Revival, a three-day historic car racing festival in Goodwood, Chichester, Reuters UK news in pictures 17 September 2021 Hugo, 7, from London rides past a 4x7 metre rainbow arch, made entirely of recycled aluminium cans, which has been installed by recycling initiative 'Every Can Counts', in partnership with The City of London Corporation in front of St Paul's Cathedral in London, to encourage members of the public to recycle their drinks cans ahead of recycling week, which starts on 20 September PA UK news in pictures 16 September 2021 Sheikeh MOhammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, leader of Abu Dhabi, leaves Downing Street after meeting with Boris Johnson PA UK news in pictures 15 September 2021 Children pose by ice sculptures depicting people collecting water by charity Water Aid to show the fragility of water and the threat posed by climate change in London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 14 September 2021 Heavy rain covers the A149 near Kings Lynn in Norfolk PA UK news in pictures 13 September 2021 Luke Jerram's 'Museum of the Moon' at Durham Cathedral PA UK news in pictures 12 September 2021 Inspirational young fundraiser Tobias Weller crosses the finish line, near his home in Sheffield, as he completes his latest epic feat where he swam and triked his way to the end of his awesome year-long Ironman Challenge. This is the third challenge Tobias, who has cerebral palsy and autism, has completed, raising more than 150,000 for his school and Sheffield Children Hospitals charity PA UK news in pictures 11 September 2021 British player Emma Raducanu, holds up the US Open championship trophy winning the women's singles final of the US Open in New York AP UK news in pictures 10 September 2021 People paddle board during a misty morning in Ullswater, the second largest lake in the Lake District, Cumbria PA UK news in pictures 9 September 2021 Troops from Wiltshire based 4 Armoured Close Support Battalion Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers during final inspection at Wellington Barracks in London, ahead of providing troops for the Queens Guard PA UK news in pictures 8 September 2021 Workers cross London Bridge during the morning rush hour in London Reuters UK news in pictures Mixing it up: Painting it up press view in London A gallery employee poses for photographers next to a painting entitled Prairie by British artist, Louise Giovanelli during the exhibition 'Mixing it up: Painting it up' at the Hayward Gallery in London EPA UK news in pictures 6 September 2021 Traders in the Ring at the London Metal Exchange, in the City of London, after open-outcry trading returned for the first time since March 2020, when the Ring was temporarily closed due to the pandemic PA UK news in pictures 5 September 2021 People enjoy the warm weather on Sandbanks beach, Poole PA UK news in pictures 4 September 2021 Demonstrators from Animal Rebellion and Nature Rebellion protest in Trafalgar Square in London. PA UK news in pictures 3 September 2021 South Africa's Ntando Mahlangu (centre) wins the Men's 200 metres T61 Final ahead of second placed Great Britain's Richard Whitehead at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games PA UK news in pictures 2 September 2021 A young common seal on the beach at Horsey Gap in Norfolk, as hundreds of pregnant grey seals come ashore ready for the start of the pupping season. PA UK news in pictures 1 September 2021 Goldfinches fighting over food in a garden in Strensham, Worcestershire PA UK news in pictures 31 August 2021 Gold Medallist Sarah Storey of Britain celebrates on the podium Reuters UK news in pictures 30 August 2021 Extinction Rebellion protesters hold a a tea party on Tower Bridge in London EPA UK news in pictures 29 August 2021 A police office tussles with a demonstrator on Cromwell Road outside the Natural History Museum during a protest by members of Extinction Rebellion in London PA UK news in pictures 28 August 2021 Members of the British armed forces 16 Air Assault Brigade walk to the air terminal after disembarking a Royal Airforce Voyager aircraft at Brize Norton, Oxfordshire POOL/AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 27 August 2021 Fabio Quartararo crashes during a MotoGP practice session at the British Grand Prix, Silverstone Circuit Action Images via Reuters UK news in pictures 26 August 2021 An Extinction Rebellion activist holds a placard in a fountain surrounded by police officers, during a protest next to Buckingham Palace in London Reuters UK news in pictures 25 August 2021 Gold Medallist Great Britains cyclist, Sarah Storey, celebrates after winning the Womens C5 3000m Individual Pursuit Final at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. It was her 15th Paralympic gold Reuters UK news in pictures 24 August 2021 A demonstrator dressed as bee during a protest by members of Extinction Rebellion on Whitehall, in central London PA UK news in pictures 23 August 2021 Former interpreters for the British forces in Afghanistan demonstrate outside the Home Office in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 22 August 2021 Police officers form a line in front of the entrance to the Guildhall, London, where protesters have climbed onto a ledge above the entrance during an Extinction Rebellion stage a protest PA UK news in pictures 21 August 2021 People take part in a demonstration in solidarity with people of Afghanistan, in London Reuters UK news in pictures 20 August 2021 People zip wire across the sea from Bournemouth pier towards the beach. PA UK news in pictures 19 August 2021 Supporters of Geronimo the alpaca gather outside Shepherds Close Farm in Wooton Under Edge, Gloucestershire PA UK news in pictures 18 August 2021 Former Afghan interpreters and veterans hold a demonstration outside Downing Street, calling for support and protection for Afghan interpreters and their families PA UK news in pictures 17 August 2021 Military personnel board the RAF Airbus A400M at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, where evacuation flights from Afghanistan have been landing Reuters UK news in pictures 16 August 2021 Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer takes part in a minute's silence at Wolverhampton police station for the victims of the Plymouth mass shooting last week PA UK news in pictures 15 August 2021 2Storm, a ten-metre tall puppet of a mythical goddess of the sea created by Edinburgh-based visual theatre company Vision Mechanics, makes its way alongside the seafront at North Berwick, East Lothian, during a performance at the Fringe By The Sea festival PA UK news in pictures 14 August 2021 A woman and two young girls look at floral tributes in Plymouth where six people, including the offender, died of gunshot wounds in a firearms incident PA UK news in pictures 13 August 2021 Forensic officers in the Keyham area of Plymouth where six people, including the shooter, died of gunshot wounds in a firearms incident on Thursday evening PA UK news in pictures 12 August 2021 Children ride horses in the River Eden in Appleby, Cumbria, during the annual gathering of travellers for the Appleby Horse Fair PA UK news in pictures 11 August 2021 Stella Moris (left) reacts after talking to the media outside the High Court in London, following the first hearing in the Julian Assange extradition appeal, n London, following the first hearing in the Julian Assange extradition appeal. The US government has won the latest round in its High Court bid to appeal against the decision not to extradite Julian Assange on espionage charges PA UK news in pictures 10 August 2021 Students react after they receive their A-Level results at the Ark Academy, in London Reuters

"We are determined Labour must go forward to the next General Election with a firm promise that it will support PR, replace our rotten electoral system and mend our broken democracy."

Under proportional representation seats in parliament would be distributed in proportion to how many votes a party had won. PR systems are widely used elsewhere in Europe and around the world, with Britain's first past the post system unusual in global terms.

The Liberal Democrats and Greens have long supported changing the voting system as policy. A switch to PR would likely enfranchise voters for smaller parties, who tend not to be resented under FPTP.

Lib Dem leader Ed Davey said: This is deeply disappointing. We can only build a better politics and a fairer country with a fairer electoral system. We will keep working with the many in the Labour Party and across all parties who want to see a fairer electoral system.

Labour previously backed PR in the early days of the Blair government but the policy was kicked into the long grass after internal opposition.
Drivers queuing for hours for petrol couldnt care less if tanker drivers are foreign, Labours shadow Chancellor says, as she called for looser immigration rules to ease the crisis.

Rachel Reeves urged the government to refer the issue of how many overseas drivers are needed to the independent Migration Advisory Committee  after a miserly 5,000 visas were issued.

Asked why Labour was not, in Gordon Browns phrase, advocating British workers for British jobs, Ms Reeves said the priority is to end the immediate crisis, as petrol stations run dry.

Right now, weve got a situation where there are 100,000 too few HGV drivers on our roads and we havent got enough people who want to be driving those trucks and have got the qualifications to do so, the shadow Chancellor told BBC Radio 4.

Most people who are queuing up this morning, whether thats in Brighton or Leeds or wherever, to fill up their car, they couldnt care less whether the HGV driver thats got the petrol to the forecourt is British or foreign.

What they want to know is that they can fill up their car or their van and go about the business  so lets plug those gaps.

Ahead of her conference speech, in which Labour will pledge to slash business rates to help the high street, Ms Reeves was also asked about the partys divisions on trans rights.

On Sunday, Keir Starmer said the MP Rosie Duffield, who has not travelled to Brighton after receiving threats and being branded transphobic, was wrong to say only women have a cervix.

Pressed on whether the comment was transphobic, Ms Reeves told LBC Radio: I dont even know how to start answering these questions.

Challenged again, she replied: I wouldnt say that. If somebody identifies as a woman or a man, they should be able to do so whatever their body parts are.

Asked about Angela Rayner, Labours deputy leader, calling the government scum, Ms Reeves said: "I wouldnt use that language.

But I think that sentiment is shared by many people who are struggling at the moment, queuing for petrol, who are worried about cuts to universal credit next month and worried about increases in taxes next year.

The comments about the driver shortage came as Boris Johnson holds an emergency meeting with Cabinet ministers and senior officials to discuss bringing in the army to drive tankers.

Competition rules are being relaxed so petrol companies, hauliers and retailers can share data and redistribute supply where there are gaps across the country.

The measure is similar to the policy to ease the panic-buying of loo roll and pasta at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic.
Government ministers have ordered the deployment of soldiers to distribute petrol and diesel within days, in a dramatic escalation of the national fuel crisis which has seen pumps run dry and prices spike to an eight-year high.

At an emergency meeting in Whitehall, ministers agreed to put military tanker drivers in a state of readiness to take the wheel of civilian tankers if normal conditions do not return swiftly. Defence sources said that 75 drivers have been put on standby initially, with a further 75 along with 150 support staff available if needed, with several days of specialised training required before deployment.

Meanwhile, transport secretary Grant Shapps issued an extension to driver licences, temporarily freeing tanker drivers from the requirement to take refresher training courses every five years. Licences expiring before the new year will have their validity extended to 31 January 2022 to provide immediate relief from driver shortages.

Government ministers issued a plea to the public for calm, insisting that panic buying was unnecessary as there was no shortage of fuel in the UK. And they were backed up by fuel distribution leaders, who said they believed supplies will return to normal within days.

But the man set to replace Angela Merkel as Germanys chancellor, said the crisis  which has seen industry sources warn of a 100,000 shortfall in HGV drivers  was only to be expected as a result of Brexit and low pay in the UK.

We worked very hard to convince the British not to leave the union, said SPD leader Olaf Scholz. Now they decided different and I hope they will manage the problems coming from that.

He added: If you understand that being a trucker is really something that many people like to be and you find not enough [are applying], this has something to do with working conditions and this is something that has to be thought about.

Queues at petrol stations continued to build around the country, with reports of fighting at the pumps and police appealing for motorists not to be abusive to attendants.

UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 29 September 2021 A sign referring to the lack of fuel is placed at the entrance to a petrol station in London AP UK news in pictures 27 September 2021 Police officers detain a protester from Insulate Britain occupying a roundabout leading from the M25 motorway to Heathrow Airport in London PA UK news in pictures 26 September 2021 Labour Party leader Sir Keir Starmer watches the Arsenal v Tottenham Hotspur match at The Font pub in Brighton PA UK news in pictures 25 September 2021 Scottish pro-independence supporters hold a march and rally outside the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh, Scotland Getty Images UK news in pictures 24 September 2021 Police officers remove two protesters from the top of a tanker, as Insulate Britain block the A20 in Kent, which provides access to the Port of Dover in Kent. The environmental activists have moved location after been banned from campaigning on the M25 motorway in London PA UK news in pictures 23 September 2021 Gabriella, the seven year old daughter of imprisoned British-Iranian Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, joins in a game on a giant snakes and ladders board in Parliament Square, to show the ups and downs of her mothers case to mark the 2,000 days she has been detained in Iran AP UK news in pictures 22 September 2021 A new sign hangs on the Millicent Fawcett statue after it was altered by CrackTheCrises coalition activists to highlight the climate crisis as a feminist struggle in Parliament Square in London EPA UK news in pictures 21 September 2021 Gabriella Diment prepares a monumental bronze patinated fibreglass wall sculpture depicting household cavalry soldiers on horseback which is expected to be sold for 12,000-18,000 when it goes up for auction at Summers Place Auctions in Billinghurst, Kent PA UK news in pictures 20 September 2021 Florist Judith Blacklock puts the finishing touches to a floral carousel installation in Halkin Arcade, which she has designed with Neill Strain for the Belgravia in Bloom festival, running from September 20-26, in London PA UK news in pictures 19 September 2021 Bubbles surround Manchester Uniteds Cristiano Ronaldo before the match against West Ham at London Stadium Action Images/Reuters UK news in pictures 18 September 2021 Children take part in the Settrington Cup Pedal Car Race as motoring enthusiasts attend the Goodwood Revival, a three-day historic car racing festival in Goodwood, Chichester, Reuters UK news in pictures 17 September 2021 Hugo, 7, from London rides past a 4x7 metre rainbow arch, made entirely of recycled aluminium cans, which has been installed by recycling initiative 'Every Can Counts', in partnership with The City of London Corporation in front of St Paul's Cathedral in London, to encourage members of the public to recycle their drinks cans ahead of recycling week, which starts on 20 September PA UK news in pictures 16 September 2021 Sheikeh MOhammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, leader of Abu Dhabi, leaves Downing Street after meeting with Boris Johnson PA UK news in pictures 15 September 2021 Children pose by ice sculptures depicting people collecting water by charity Water Aid to show the fragility of water and the threat posed by climate change in London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 14 September 2021 Heavy rain covers the A149 near Kings Lynn in Norfolk PA UK news in pictures 13 September 2021 Luke Jerram's 'Museum of the Moon' at Durham Cathedral PA UK news in pictures 12 September 2021 Inspirational young fundraiser Tobias Weller crosses the finish line, near his home in Sheffield, as he completes his latest epic feat where he swam and triked his way to the end of his awesome year-long Ironman Challenge. This is the third challenge Tobias, who has cerebral palsy and autism, has completed, raising more than 150,000 for his school and Sheffield Children Hospitals charity PA UK news in pictures 11 September 2021 British player Emma Raducanu, holds up the US Open championship trophy winning the women's singles final of the US Open in New York AP UK news in pictures 10 September 2021 People paddle board during a misty morning in Ullswater, the second largest lake in the Lake District, Cumbria PA UK news in pictures 9 September 2021 Troops from Wiltshire based 4 Armoured Close Support Battalion Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers during final inspection at Wellington Barracks in London, ahead of providing troops for the Queens Guard PA UK news in pictures 8 September 2021 Workers cross London Bridge during the morning rush hour in London Reuters UK news in pictures Mixing it up: Painting it up press view in London A gallery employee poses for photographers next to a painting entitled Prairie by British artist, Louise Giovanelli during the exhibition 'Mixing it up: Painting it up' at the Hayward Gallery in London EPA UK news in pictures 6 September 2021 Traders in the Ring at the London Metal Exchange, in the City of London, after open-outcry trading returned for the first time since March 2020, when the Ring was temporarily closed due to the pandemic PA UK news in pictures 5 September 2021 People enjoy the warm weather on Sandbanks beach, Poole PA UK news in pictures 4 September 2021 Demonstrators from Animal Rebellion and Nature Rebellion protest in Trafalgar Square in London. PA UK news in pictures 3 September 2021 South Africa's Ntando Mahlangu (centre) wins the Men's 200 metres T61 Final ahead of second placed Great Britain's Richard Whitehead at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games PA UK news in pictures 2 September 2021 A young common seal on the beach at Horsey Gap in Norfolk, as hundreds of pregnant grey seals come ashore ready for the start of the pupping season. PA UK news in pictures 1 September 2021 Goldfinches fighting over food in a garden in Strensham, Worcestershire PA UK news in pictures 31 August 2021 Gold Medallist Sarah Storey of Britain celebrates on the podium Reuters UK news in pictures 30 August 2021 Extinction Rebellion protesters hold a a tea party on Tower Bridge in London EPA UK news in pictures 29 August 2021 A police office tussles with a demonstrator on Cromwell Road outside the Natural History Museum during a protest by members of Extinction Rebellion in London PA UK news in pictures 28 August 2021 Members of the British armed forces 16 Air Assault Brigade walk to the air terminal after disembarking a Royal Airforce Voyager aircraft at Brize Norton, Oxfordshire POOL/AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 27 August 2021 Fabio Quartararo crashes during a MotoGP practice session at the British Grand Prix, Silverstone Circuit Action Images via Reuters UK news in pictures 26 August 2021 An Extinction Rebellion activist holds a placard in a fountain surrounded by police officers, during a protest next to Buckingham Palace in London Reuters UK news in pictures 25 August 2021 Gold Medallist Great Britains cyclist, Sarah Storey, celebrates after winning the Womens C5 3000m Individual Pursuit Final at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. It was her 15th Paralympic gold Reuters UK news in pictures 24 August 2021 A demonstrator dressed as bee during a protest by members of Extinction Rebellion on Whitehall, in central London PA UK news in pictures 23 August 2021 Former interpreters for the British forces in Afghanistan demonstrate outside the Home Office in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 22 August 2021 Police officers form a line in front of the entrance to the Guildhall, London, where protesters have climbed onto a ledge above the entrance during an Extinction Rebellion stage a protest PA UK news in pictures 21 August 2021 People take part in a demonstration in solidarity with people of Afghanistan, in London Reuters UK news in pictures 20 August 2021 People zip wire across the sea from Bournemouth pier towards the beach. PA UK news in pictures 19 August 2021 Supporters of Geronimo the alpaca gather outside Shepherds Close Farm in Wooton Under Edge, Gloucestershire PA UK news in pictures 18 August 2021 Former Afghan interpreters and veterans hold a demonstration outside Downing Street, calling for support and protection for Afghan interpreters and their families PA UK news in pictures 17 August 2021 Military personnel board the RAF Airbus A400M at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, where evacuation flights from Afghanistan have been landing Reuters UK news in pictures 16 August 2021 Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer takes part in a minute's silence at Wolverhampton police station for the victims of the Plymouth mass shooting last week PA UK news in pictures 15 August 2021 2Storm, a ten-metre tall puppet of a mythical goddess of the sea created by Edinburgh-based visual theatre company Vision Mechanics, makes its way alongside the seafront at North Berwick, East Lothian, during a performance at the Fringe By The Sea festival PA UK news in pictures 14 August 2021 A woman and two young girls look at floral tributes in Plymouth where six people, including the offender, died of gunshot wounds in a firearms incident PA UK news in pictures 13 August 2021 Forensic officers in the Keyham area of Plymouth where six people, including the shooter, died of gunshot wounds in a firearms incident on Thursday evening PA UK news in pictures 12 August 2021 Children ride horses in the River Eden in Appleby, Cumbria, during the annual gathering of travellers for the Appleby Horse Fair PA UK news in pictures 11 August 2021 Stella Moris (left) reacts after talking to the media outside the High Court in London, following the first hearing in the Julian Assange extradition appeal, n London, following the first hearing in the Julian Assange extradition appeal. The US government has won the latest round in its High Court bid to appeal against the decision not to extradite Julian Assange on espionage charges PA UK news in pictures 10 August 2021 Students react after they receive their A-Level results at the Ark Academy, in London Reuters

The Petrol Retailers Association (PRA) reported that up to 90 per cent of its independent members were out of fuel in some areas, after oil giant BP said one-third of its sites had no supplies.

Staff at one petrol station told The Independent they had been forced to close down after customers became intimidating and aggressive.

And the offer of temporary visas for EU drivers to help plug a manpower shortfall running into tens of thousands won short shrift from one European truckers leader.

Edwin Atema, of the Federation of Dutch Trade Unions (FNV), told BBC Radio 4s Today programme: The EU workers we speak to will not go to the UK for a short-term visa to help the UK get out of the s*** they created for themselves.

Its not like offering a visa  and the issue will be solved. Drivers need way more than a visa and a pay slip.

Marco Digioia, general secretary of the European Road Haulers Association (UETR), which represents 70 per cent of trucking companies across the EU, said: I expect many drivers will not return to the UK even if the UK government allows them to.

While offering visas to drivers on the continent would be a welcome step, there are many other issues, such as working conditions, pay and the costs of getting into and working in the UK.

Announcing the request for armed forces assistance under the Military Aid to the Civil Authorities scheme, business secretary Kwasi Kwarteng said: While the fuel industry expects demand will return to its normal levels in the coming days, its right that we take this sensible, precautionary step.

The UK continues to have strong supplies of fuel, however we are aware of supply chain issues at fuel station forecourts and are taking steps to ease these as a matter of priority.

If required, the deployment of military personnel will provide the supply chain with additional capacity as a temporary measure to help ease pressures caused by spikes in localised demand for fuel.

The move comes after the government relaxed competition rules to allow fuel companies to cooperate in ensuring supplies get to shortage areas and deal with localised spikes in demand.

In a joint statement, nine major fuel distribution companies including Shell, Esso and Wincanton, said: There is plenty of fuel at UK refineries and terminals, and as an industry we are working closely with the government to help ensure fuel is available to be delivered to stations across the country.

As many cars are now holding more fuel than usual, we expect that demand will return to its normal levels in the coming days, easing pressures on fuel station forecourts. We would encourage everyone to buy fuel as they usually would.

The average price of a litre of petrol across the UK rose from 135.87p on Friday to 136.59p on Sunday, according to figures from the RAC. This is the highest that pump prices have been since September 2013.

Meanwhile, the price of wholesale petrol has also risen from 123.25p on Monday 20 September to 125.22p just four days later, with the RAC warning that this could cause pump prices to rise further.

Mr Shapps said there were signs of panic buying moderating, with more grades of fuel now available at more petrol stations.

People have been responding to the message to only fill up when they actually need fuel, and in any case their cars are now fuller, he said.

Continuing the government approach of blaming the problems on unusual purchasing patterns rather than a collapse in the distribution system, he insisted that the current network of tanker drivers was capable of delivering all the fuel we need.

Nevertheless, he said that the army had been asked to plug the gap while new HGV drivers come on stream.

PRA chairman Brian Madderson questioned whether the army drivers would make much difference to the situation.

There has been training going on in the background for military personnel, he said.

But thats perhaps just confined to moving the tanker by articulated truck from point A to point B. One of the difficulties is loading, he said, adding that was a skilled job.

And unions warned that only a handful of former drivers were likely to return to work in response to a Department for Transport letter to 1 million HGV licence holders asking them to consider coming back.

Labour is calling for looser immigration rules to ease the crisis, arguing drivers queuing for hours for petrol couldnt care less if lorry drivers are foreign.

Shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves called for the independent Migration Advisory Committee to decide the issue  after a miserly 5,000 visas were issued to overseas drivers.

Most people who are queuing up this morning, whether thats in Brighton or Leeds or wherever, to fill up their car, they couldnt care less whether the HGV driver thats got the petrol to the forecourt is British or foreign, she said.

What they want to know is that they can fill up their car or their van and go about the business  so lets plug those gaps.
In its most ambitious attempt yet to woo the business vote, Labour has announced plans to scrap business rates and shift the tax burden away from bricks-and-mortar companies and onto internet giants like Amazon.

Shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves will set out the plan in a keynote speech to the partys conference in Brighton on Monday in which she will challenge the Conservative claim on the business vote, describing Labour under Keir Starmer as pro-worker, pro-business.

She will announce a plan to raise 2.1bn from online behemoths like Amazon, Google and Facebook with a one-year hike from 2 to 12 per cent in the digital services tax, to pay for an immediate freeze on business rates and an increase from 15,000 to 25,000 in the threshold for reliefs.

Labour would conduct a review of the 174bn-a-year reliefs and scrap those which fail to deliver for taxpayers or the economy, she will say.

The announcement is part of a push by Reeves to establish Labour as a pro-business party and shake off its reputation from the Jeremy Corbyn years.

Ms Reeves will say: Our high street businesses do so much to enrich our lives and our communities, facing huge adversity in the past year. They are struggling right now, with a cliff edge in rates relief coming up in March.

The next Labour government will scrap business rates.

We will carry out the biggest overhaul of business taxation in a generation, so our businesses can lead the pack, not watch opportunities go elsewhere.

The move bore fruit today as the Federation of Small Businesses described her rates promise as what a pro-small business tax policy looks like and the CBI applauded the pro-growth, pro-investment package of reforms.

Highlighting her background as a Bank of England economist, Ms Reeves has also announced new fiscal rules that would require a Labour chancellor to balance day-to-day spending and borrow only for capital investment, committing the party to reduce the national debt as a proportion of national income.

An Office for Value for Money would scrutinise spending proposals on behalf of the taxpayer.

And she signalled a move towards a wealth tax, declaring that people who get incomes from stocks, shares and rental income will be targets for tax rises.

But Sir Keir said on Sunday that Labour has not ruled out rises in income tax after Ms Reeves told the Sunday Times she did not have any plans to increase rates.

The party leader said that income tax hikes were not currently under consideration but nothing is off the table.

Ms Reeves said that the biggest overhaul of business taxation in a generation was needed because the UKs outdated system currently sees retailers pay 2.30 in business rates for every 1 in corporation tax, skewing payments heavily in favour of e-commerce and against brick-and-mortar businesses.

With eight tech giants avoiding an estimated 1.5bn in tax a year, aides said that the system was not only unfair to small businesses but was also destroying Britains town centres, with shoppers in many areas having a choice of Amazon or nothing.

UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 29 September 2021 A sign referring to the lack of fuel is placed at the entrance to a petrol station in London AP UK news in pictures 27 September 2021 Police officers detain a protester from Insulate Britain occupying a roundabout leading from the M25 motorway to Heathrow Airport in London PA UK news in pictures 26 September 2021 Labour Party leader Sir Keir Starmer watches the Arsenal v Tottenham Hotspur match at The Font pub in Brighton PA UK news in pictures 25 September 2021 Scottish pro-independence supporters hold a march and rally outside the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh, Scotland Getty Images UK news in pictures 24 September 2021 Police officers remove two protesters from the top of a tanker, as Insulate Britain block the A20 in Kent, which provides access to the Port of Dover in Kent. The environmental activists have moved location after been banned from campaigning on the M25 motorway in London PA UK news in pictures 23 September 2021 Gabriella, the seven year old daughter of imprisoned British-Iranian Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, joins in a game on a giant snakes and ladders board in Parliament Square, to show the ups and downs of her mothers case to mark the 2,000 days she has been detained in Iran AP UK news in pictures 22 September 2021 A new sign hangs on the Millicent Fawcett statue after it was altered by CrackTheCrises coalition activists to highlight the climate crisis as a feminist struggle in Parliament Square in London EPA UK news in pictures 21 September 2021 Gabriella Diment prepares a monumental bronze patinated fibreglass wall sculpture depicting household cavalry soldiers on horseback which is expected to be sold for 12,000-18,000 when it goes up for auction at Summers Place Auctions in Billinghurst, Kent PA UK news in pictures 20 September 2021 Florist Judith Blacklock puts the finishing touches to a floral carousel installation in Halkin Arcade, which she has designed with Neill Strain for the Belgravia in Bloom festival, running from September 20-26, in London PA UK news in pictures 19 September 2021 Bubbles surround Manchester Uniteds Cristiano Ronaldo before the match against West Ham at London Stadium Action Images/Reuters UK news in pictures 18 September 2021 Children take part in the Settrington Cup Pedal Car Race as motoring enthusiasts attend the Goodwood Revival, a three-day historic car racing festival in Goodwood, Chichester, Reuters UK news in pictures 17 September 2021 Hugo, 7, from London rides past a 4x7 metre rainbow arch, made entirely of recycled aluminium cans, which has been installed by recycling initiative 'Every Can Counts', in partnership with The City of London Corporation in front of St Paul's Cathedral in London, to encourage members of the public to recycle their drinks cans ahead of recycling week, which starts on 20 September PA UK news in pictures 16 September 2021 Sheikeh MOhammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, leader of Abu Dhabi, leaves Downing Street after meeting with Boris Johnson PA UK news in pictures 15 September 2021 Children pose by ice sculptures depicting people collecting water by charity Water Aid to show the fragility of water and the threat posed by climate change in London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 14 September 2021 Heavy rain covers the A149 near Kings Lynn in Norfolk PA UK news in pictures 13 September 2021 Luke Jerram's 'Museum of the Moon' at Durham Cathedral PA UK news in pictures 12 September 2021 Inspirational young fundraiser Tobias Weller crosses the finish line, near his home in Sheffield, as he completes his latest epic feat where he swam and triked his way to the end of his awesome year-long Ironman Challenge. This is the third challenge Tobias, who has cerebral palsy and autism, has completed, raising more than 150,000 for his school and Sheffield Children Hospitals charity PA UK news in pictures 11 September 2021 British player Emma Raducanu, holds up the US Open championship trophy winning the women's singles final of the US Open in New York AP UK news in pictures 10 September 2021 People paddle board during a misty morning in Ullswater, the second largest lake in the Lake District, Cumbria PA UK news in pictures 9 September 2021 Troops from Wiltshire based 4 Armoured Close Support Battalion Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers during final inspection at Wellington Barracks in London, ahead of providing troops for the Queens Guard PA UK news in pictures 8 September 2021 Workers cross London Bridge during the morning rush hour in London Reuters UK news in pictures Mixing it up: Painting it up press view in London A gallery employee poses for photographers next to a painting entitled Prairie by British artist, Louise Giovanelli during the exhibition 'Mixing it up: Painting it up' at the Hayward Gallery in London EPA UK news in pictures 6 September 2021 Traders in the Ring at the London Metal Exchange, in the City of London, after open-outcry trading returned for the first time since March 2020, when the Ring was temporarily closed due to the pandemic PA UK news in pictures 5 September 2021 People enjoy the warm weather on Sandbanks beach, Poole PA UK news in pictures 4 September 2021 Demonstrators from Animal Rebellion and Nature Rebellion protest in Trafalgar Square in London. PA UK news in pictures 3 September 2021 South Africa's Ntando Mahlangu (centre) wins the Men's 200 metres T61 Final ahead of second placed Great Britain's Richard Whitehead at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games PA UK news in pictures 2 September 2021 A young common seal on the beach at Horsey Gap in Norfolk, as hundreds of pregnant grey seals come ashore ready for the start of the pupping season. PA UK news in pictures 1 September 2021 Goldfinches fighting over food in a garden in Strensham, Worcestershire PA UK news in pictures 31 August 2021 Gold Medallist Sarah Storey of Britain celebrates on the podium Reuters UK news in pictures 30 August 2021 Extinction Rebellion protesters hold a a tea party on Tower Bridge in London EPA UK news in pictures 29 August 2021 A police office tussles with a demonstrator on Cromwell Road outside the Natural History Museum during a protest by members of Extinction Rebellion in London PA UK news in pictures 28 August 2021 Members of the British armed forces 16 Air Assault Brigade walk to the air terminal after disembarking a Royal Airforce Voyager aircraft at Brize Norton, Oxfordshire POOL/AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 27 August 2021 Fabio Quartararo crashes during a MotoGP practice session at the British Grand Prix, Silverstone Circuit Action Images via Reuters UK news in pictures 26 August 2021 An Extinction Rebellion activist holds a placard in a fountain surrounded by police officers, during a protest next to Buckingham Palace in London Reuters UK news in pictures 25 August 2021 Gold Medallist Great Britains cyclist, Sarah Storey, celebrates after winning the Womens C5 3000m Individual Pursuit Final at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. It was her 15th Paralympic gold Reuters UK news in pictures 24 August 2021 A demonstrator dressed as bee during a protest by members of Extinction Rebellion on Whitehall, in central London PA UK news in pictures 23 August 2021 Former interpreters for the British forces in Afghanistan demonstrate outside the Home Office in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 22 August 2021 Police officers form a line in front of the entrance to the Guildhall, London, where protesters have climbed onto a ledge above the entrance during an Extinction Rebellion stage a protest PA UK news in pictures 21 August 2021 People take part in a demonstration in solidarity with people of Afghanistan, in London Reuters UK news in pictures 20 August 2021 People zip wire across the sea from Bournemouth pier towards the beach. PA UK news in pictures 19 August 2021 Supporters of Geronimo the alpaca gather outside Shepherds Close Farm in Wooton Under Edge, Gloucestershire PA UK news in pictures 18 August 2021 Former Afghan interpreters and veterans hold a demonstration outside Downing Street, calling for support and protection for Afghan interpreters and their families PA UK news in pictures 17 August 2021 Military personnel board the RAF Airbus A400M at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, where evacuation flights from Afghanistan have been landing Reuters UK news in pictures 16 August 2021 Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer takes part in a minute's silence at Wolverhampton police station for the victims of the Plymouth mass shooting last week PA UK news in pictures 15 August 2021 2Storm, a ten-metre tall puppet of a mythical goddess of the sea created by Edinburgh-based visual theatre company Vision Mechanics, makes its way alongside the seafront at North Berwick, East Lothian, during a performance at the Fringe By The Sea festival PA UK news in pictures 14 August 2021 A woman and two young girls look at floral tributes in Plymouth where six people, including the offender, died of gunshot wounds in a firearms incident PA UK news in pictures 13 August 2021 Forensic officers in the Keyham area of Plymouth where six people, including the shooter, died of gunshot wounds in a firearms incident on Thursday evening PA UK news in pictures 12 August 2021 Children ride horses in the River Eden in Appleby, Cumbria, during the annual gathering of travellers for the Appleby Horse Fair PA UK news in pictures 11 August 2021 Stella Moris (left) reacts after talking to the media outside the High Court in London, following the first hearing in the Julian Assange extradition appeal, n London, following the first hearing in the Julian Assange extradition appeal. The US government has won the latest round in its High Court bid to appeal against the decision not to extradite Julian Assange on espionage charges PA UK news in pictures 10 August 2021 Students react after they receive their A-Level results at the Ark Academy, in London Reuters

The shadow chancellor will also offer a guarantee that Labours new system will incentivise investment, rewarding businesses which move into empty premises and encouraging green improvements while ensuring councils do not lose out.

Longer-term reform would rely upon the introduction of a 21 per cent global minimum for corporate tax  up from the 15 per cent agreed earlier this year  which would effectively destroy the advantages of tax havens for multinational companies.

Of the 1,000-plus tax reliefs currently in operation  some of them unreformed since the 1980s  Ms Reeves has so far earmarked only the breaks enjoyed by private schools and the 440m carried interest loophole for private equity bonuses for abolition.

But she made clear she expected her review to identify many more, saying that too many simply provide loopholes for those who can afford the best advice.

FSB national chair Mike Cherry gave a warm welcome to Ms Reevess package.

The gauntlet has been thrown down by the opposition, and we hope government ministers are listening, he said. This is what a pro-small business tax policy looks like.

CBI director-general Tony Danker said reform of business rates was chronically overdue.

The Labour Party should be applauded for grasping the nettle and putting forward a pro-growth, pro-investment package of reforms that will reflect our green ambitions, spur the economic recovery, and help level up our regions, said Mr Danker.

An Amazon spokesman said: Last year, we made a total UK tax contribution of 1.55 billion  492m in direct taxes and 1.06bn in indirect taxes.

The company said its direct taxes in the UK increased 68 per cent year-on-year from 293m in 2019 to 492m in 2020.
Ministers are reportedly planning to lower the salary level at which graduates start to repay their student loan, in a move that has already sparked opposition MPs to accuse the Tories of widening the gap further for low-earning workers.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak reportedly wants to overhaul student financing in his spending review ahead of Octobers Budget, according to the Financial Times, over concerns in the Treasury that the taxpayer foots too large a bill for university courses.

Currently graduates begin paying back their loans when they earn 27,295 or more, but one unnamed minister told the paper that the plan is to reduce that figure  with estimates appearing to suggest the government wants to go back below the 25,000 mark.

The 2019 Augar review of post-18 education recommended the threshold be lowered to 23,000 while the Higher Education Policy Institute think-tank this year modelled a cut to less than 20,000.

No final decisions are understood to have been made yet, however one minister told the FT a 20,000 threshold was considered a bit low.

The news comes at a particularly stretched time for graduates earning the current 27,295 threshold, who, after the recent health and social care levy was introduced, learned they would be paying a marginal tax rate of at least 42.25 per cent when National Insurance (NI) costs go up  33.25 per cent for non-graduates.

For those earning more than 50,270, the rate is 52.25 per cent which works out at 43.25 per cent for non-graduates earning up to 100,000.

Matt Western, the Labour MP for Warwick and Leamington, tweeted out the development and criticised the Conservative Party for widening the gap between the working class and the wealthy.

Widening the gap: govt plans to drop the student loan repayment threshold to 20k which will impact hardest on women graduates, those on lowest and middle incomes ultimately paying c. 10,000 more, he said.

But wealthy students would be virtually unaffected!

Meanwhile, a maths teacher took aim at the government for its failure to protect workers such as herself from the latest cost of living squeeze.

Fully aware Im very privileged compared to many in society, Bec Greenhalgh, who works in Manchester, said. BUT increasing NI and lowering the salary threshold for student loan repayment coupled with a teacher pay freeze is not what I had in mind when I accepted my mortgage offer.

A Department for Education (DfE) spokesperson told The Independent the student loan system was designed to ensure all those with the talent and desire to attend higher education are able to do so, whilst ensuring that the cost of higher education is fairly distributed between graduates and the taxpayer.

It also said DfE was continuing to consider the recommendations made by the Augar panel carefully.

The National Union of Students said it would be totally opposed to any reduction. The injustice is simply astounding, Hillary Gyebi-Ababio, vice-president for higher education, told the FT.

Back in 2017, the student loan repayment threshold was significantly lower than it is now  until then-prime minister Theresa May announced changes in October. The ex-Tory leader upped the repayment salary level from 21,000 to 25,000, before it eventually became the 27,295 figure it is now in April of this year under Boris Johnson.

The average students debt on graduation day in England is thought to be more than 45,000 in maintenance and tuition loans, which are repaid to the government with additional interest through a 9 per cent cut of earnings and written off after 30 years.

Another disgruntled social media user, Sam, branded ministers scum after seeing the news  hours after Labours deputy leader Angela Rayner defended calling Mr Johnsons government the same thing.

Absolutely grim, Sam wrote. Increasing NI and now this. Coupled with spiralling inflation and unaffordable housing. Attacking the younger generations because theyre too scared to tax their donors.
A teen who was threatened with jail time after posting about Covid on social media has won a lawsuit over her right to free speech.

Amyiah Cohoon returned home from hospital in March 2020, after being taken in for a fever and difficulty breathing, and posted on Instagram that she had Covid.

Hey guys  sorry Ive been on a long break. I wont be back for a while longer due to me [now] having the Covid-19 virus, she wrote.

No cases had been recorded in her county of Wisconsin at the time, reports the Washington Post, and concerned citizens started calling local officials.

A sheriffs sergeant came to her familys house and told Ms Cohoons father If [the post] doesnt come down, the sheriff has directed me to issue disorderly conduct citations, if not start taking people to jail, showed dash-cam video. Because it is causing a disturbance to the public.

Although the post was removed, MsCohoons family filed a federal lawsuit over the threat the following month, against the sheriffs office.

On Friday, a federal judge ruled that the sheriffs office had violated Ms Cohoons right to free speech, regardless of whether or not she had actually contracted Covid.

Ms Cohoon had come down with a fever and cough and began having difficulty breathing, according to court records. She was diagnosed with an acute upper respiratory infection, and while doctors said that her symptoms matched those of Covid she was ineligible to be tested for the virus.

US District Judge Brett Ludwig said in his ruling that accepting the sheriffs argument for arresting the then-16-year-old  who police accused of sowing anxiety and panic via her posts  would gut the protections of the First Amendment. Mr Ludwig added that those protections apply in times of tranquility and times of strife.

Lawyer Luke Berg, who represented Ms Cohoon, told the Washington Post:Its a very strong statement  that cops cant police social media.
The mother of missing man Brian Laundrie called 911 after Duane Dog the Bounty Hunter Chapman turned up at her Florida home on Saturday, according to reports.

Audio has emerged of a 911 call made by Roberta Laundrie at around the time Mr Chapman knocked on the door of the Laundries family home in North Port.

Mr Chapman announced on Saturday he was joining the search for Brian Laundrie, and says hes already received 1,000 tips in relation to the case.

Dog the Bounty Hunter has joined the search for Brian Laundrie (Fox News)

Speaking to Fox News on Monday, Mr Chapman said it was a shame Mr Laundries parents wouldnt speak to him.

The police said we were welcome to knock on the door so we did. I wanted to tell the Laundries that our goal is to find Brian and bring him in alive.

North Port Police spokesman Josh Taylor said they treated 911 calls from Mr Laundries parents like they would from anyone else.

Weve been called to the house numerous times for all sorts of issues. Media, protesters, celebrity searchers, Mr Taylor.

Its not something normal. If the family calls and is concerned, we will respond like we would for anyone.

Brian Laundrie has not been seen since leaving his parents home nearly two weeks ago. He was named a person of interest in the disappearance of his girlfriend Gabby Petito, whose remains were found in Wyoming on Sunday.

He has also been charged with bank fraud and is the subject of a nationwide manhunt by the FBI.

Mr Chapman said he and wife Francie were on his honeymoon in Colorado when they were bombarded with requests from fans to join the search for Mr Laundrie.

Mr Chapman set up a special hotline on Saturday and said he was working through the more than 1,000 leads he had already received.

The FBI search has so far focused on the Carlton Reserve near Mr Laundries North Port home (AP)

I would say within 48 hours we probably will have a location where we start the tracking at.

Leads suggested he may have headed for the Appalachian Trail.

Hes very young, hes not an experienced criminal, Mr Chapman told Fox.

He cant stay in cheap motels and... rob people like a lot of people I chase. This kid is an outdoorsman, so I think he went to where he is comfortable, to the outdoors.

Mr Chapman said the case was personal to him as he lost a daughter Barabara Katie in a car accident in 2006 who was the same age as Gabby Petito.

On Monday afternoon Mr Chapmans daughter Lyssa tweeted: I can CONFIRM @DogBountyHunter has a HOT lead on Brian's location. Dad has alerted the proper authorities. Say a prayer guys. This could be it.
Authorities in Florida are continuing their search of an aligator-infested nature reserve close to the Florida home of Brian Laundrie after he went missing just prior to the body of his girlfriend Gabby Petito was discovered in a Wyoming national park.

The FBI took over the manhunt from local police, while Dog the Bounty Hunter tipped off authorities to the Fort De Soto Park in Pinellas County where the Laundrie family went camping just days before Ms Petito was reported missing.

Mr Laundrie, 23, has not been seen since telling his parents he was going for a hike in the vast and unforgiving Carlton Reserve on Tuesday 14 September amid intense media interest in the disappearance of Ms Petito, 22, a popular Instagram and YouTube star who had been documenting their cross-country roadtrip on social media until late August.

His disappearance came on the same day investigators branded him a person of interest in the Petito case. The FBI and Florida police subsequently executed a search warrant on the Laundries home in North Port.

Police say they have exhausted all avenues searching a reserve near the home of Brian Laundrie, right, with Gabby Petito (YouTube)

Here is a timeline of events in relation to the police investigation of Mr Laundrie.

2 July - Brian Laundrie and Gabby Petito leave New York bound for a months-long van life trip across the United States. The couple camp in national parks and nature reserves in Virginia, Utah and Wyoming, documenting their trip on their YouTube channel Nomad Statik and on Instagram.

12 August - Police are called to an altercation between the couple in Moab City, Utah. A 911 call, released on 20 September, reveals a witness saw Mr Laundrie slapping and hitting Ms Petito.

Im right on the corner of Main St by Moonflower Id like to report a domestic dispute, the caller says in the 49 second audio recording. The gentleman was slapping the girl they ran up and down the sidewalk, he proceeded to hit her and then they drove off.

 911 caller saw Brian Laundrie hitting girlfriend Gabby Petito

Police pulled over the couples Ford Transit van soon after and spoke to the couple. According to body-camera evidence and attending officer Daniel Robbins written reports, the couple told officers they had an argument after Ms Petito suffered a mental health crisis.

A visibly upset Ms Petito pleads with the officers not to arrest Mr Laundrie and they are separated for the night. She stays with the van while he is checked into a motel for the night. The incident is not considered serious enough by police to press charges.

 Newly released body cam video shows missing Gabby Petito

24 August - Ms Petito and Mr Laundrie check out of a Salt Lake City motel. Its the last confirmed sighting of Ms Petito alive.

25 August - Ms Petito speaks with her mother Nichole Schmidt, in the last confirmed communication with her family. She said she was in the Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming heading towards Yellowstone National Park.

26 August - Mr Laundrie was reportedly seen drinking alone and was angry at the world a day before his fiancee was last seen alive. Hunter Mannies, 44, said he was drinking with a doctor friend in Bullwinkles Saloon in West Yellowstone, Montana, when the pair argued with a man resembling Mr Laundrie, and who identified himself as Brian.

30 August - Text messages are sent to Ms Schmidts from her daughters phone claiming she is in Yosemite. Ms Schmidt later says these are fake.

1 September - Mr Laundrie returns to his parents Florida home in North Point without Ms Petito, driving her Ford Transit van.

6 September - Brian Laundrie and his parents go camping at the Fort De Soto Park in Pinellas County. A Florida couple who camped beside the Laundrie family say they may have captured Mr Laundrie in a selfie.

8 September - The Laundrie family leave the campground.

10 September - Gabby Petitos mother texts Mr Laundrie and his mother Roberta but says her texts were ignored.

11 September - Ms Schmidt files a missing person report with Suffolk County Police in New York and her daughter is declared missing. Laundrie also bought a new cellphone around the time he went missing, which has since been turned over to the FBI.

Mr Laundrie and his family refuse to cooperate with police and refer them to their family attorney, Steve Bertolino. Later that night, the couples van is seized from the Laundrie family home and taken for processing by the FBI.

Police later admit that they did not see Mr Laundrie at his familys home the night they seized the van, and have refused to confirm whether they ever saw him again after 11 September.

North Port Police released photographs of the van they seized from Mr Laundries home (North Port Police)

14 September - Mr Laundrie leaves his parents home in his Ford Mustang and says he is going for a hike in the Carlton Reserve nearby. Much of the 25,000-acre reserve is swampland with waist-deep water and is infested with alligators and snakes.

Police receive a search warrant to examine an external hard drive retrieved from the couples van.

15 September - Mr Laundrie is named a person of interest in the disappearance of his girlfriend.

At a press conference, police said the 23-year-old has not made himself available to be interviewed by investigators or has provided any helpful details.

More details of Mr Laundries hiking trip would emerge days later. His parents Christopher and Roberta would say they went to look for Mr Laundrie on the 15 September after he failed to return home. They say they found the vehicle parked by the reserve.

According to Mr Bertolino, police placed a note on the vehicle asking for it to be removed. They said they left the car there in case he returned to it.

According to a NewsNation reporter monitoring the home, the Mustang in question reappears in the driveway on Wednesday.

16 September - North Port Police Chief Todd Garrison said he knew where Mr Laundrie was located. Mr Laundries sister Cassie, meanwhile, tells ABCs Good Morning America that she hasnt spoken to her brother and that their family love Ms Petito.

Protestors gather outside the Laundrie home chanting Wheres Gabby? and with placards saying Truth comes out in the end.

Protests outside the Laundrie home in Florida ( )

17 September - Mr Laundrie is reported missing by his family, three days after they last saw him.

The same day police rule out any link to a double homicide in Moab City, Utah, of newlyweds Crystal Turner and Kylen Schulte, who were nearby on the date of the altercation between Mr Laundrie and Ms Petito reported to police.

That evening, police take away items from Mr Laundries Mustang, which is parked in the familys driveway.

North Port Police are searching the 25,000 acre Carlton Reserve for Brian Laundrie (North Port Police via Twitter)

18 September - Police begin searching the Carlton Reserve for any trace of Mr Laundrie while, in Wyoming, the FBI hunt for clues in a mountainous national park in Wyoming.

19 September - Remains believed to belong to Gabby Petito are located in the Bridger-Teton National Forest in Wyoming. The search for Mr Laundrie intensifies.

North Port Police spokesman Josh Taylor admits Mr Laundrie could be out there for months.

Were not following him everywhere hes going. Were trying to keep an eye out kind of where hes at so that when needed we could potentially reach him. But our focus was putting resources on trying to find Gabby.

Police face criticism for their investigation.

Pat Diaz, a former Miami-Dade homicide detective, told Fox News: Why would you [try to] get consent from the guy, and now get a search warrant?

20 September - Police say they have exhausted all avenues and call off the search of the reserve.

At about 9.45am, police and FBI arrive at the Laundrie family home to execute a search warrant. A convoy of five vehicles arrived at the street where the Laundrie home is located in North Port on Monday morning and cordon off the surrounding area. Moments later, FBI agents arrived to execute the warrant and could be heard saying youre in a crime scene.

Mr Laundries father Christopher could be seen being led from the house by FBI agents.

He and wife Roberta Laundrie were being held in a parked police van in the driveway as officers conducted the search before being let back in a few hours later.

Police search Brian Laundries home in Florida a day after remains believed to be those of Gabby Petito discovered in Wyoming (Getty)

In a tweet, the FBI said it was executing a court-authorized search warrant today at the Laundrie residence in North Port, FL relevant to the Gabrielle Gabby Petito investigation.

The police search warrant reveals text messages sent by Ms Petito to her mother in the days before her disappearance showed growing strain between her and Mr Laundrie. Ms Schmidts suspicions were further raised when she received a final odd text in which Ms Petito mentioned her grandfather by his first name Stan on 27 August, the warrant stated. Can you help Stan, I just keep getting his voicemails and missed calls, the text said, according to the warrant.

The search for Mr Laundrie widens after several possible sightings of him in Alabama.

Officers from the Mobile Police Department received information that Mr Laundrie may have been in Tillmans Corner, south west of the city, 600 miles from his home in Florida.

21 September - Law enforcement agencies resume their search of the vast and unforgiving Carlton Reserve near the Laundries home.

This is dangerous work for the search crews as they are wading through gator and snake-infested swamps and flooded hiking and biking trails, North Port Police spokesman Josh Taylor says.

The search is being conducted by several law enforcement agencies including the FBI, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Sarasota County Sheriffs Office, Sarasota Police Department, Venice Police Department and K9 search and rescue teams.

Authorities are looking in to a potential sighting of Brian Laundrie on a deer cam (Sam Bass/Facebook)

Authorities in Baker, Florida, said they were investigating a possible sighting of Mr Laundrie taken on a deer camera.

Sam Bass said that he spotted the man at 6.17am Monday in the town of Baker, Florida, about 500 miles away from Mr Laundries home in North Port.

Im not saying this is the guy but whoever was on my trail camera this morning in Baker, Fl strongly fits the description of Brian Laundrie, Mr Bass wrote on Facebook.

The Oskaloosa County Sheriffs Office (OCSO) used drones as part of an extensive search of woodland near Baker.

On Tuesday afternoon, they issued an update to say nothing of note had been found.

The OCSO did its due diligence in response to this report and is wrapping up an extensive search that took place in this area to also include nearby farmlands and a search by drone. No one - and nothing - of note was located.

There are no known possible past or current connections between Laundrie and anyone in this area at this time to follow up on. In the meantime we will remain vigilant and if anything new of significance develops we will share.

Florida governor Ron DeSantis said he had directed all state agencies under his purview to assist federal and local law enforcement as they continue to search.

We need justice for Gabby Petito, he said in a post on Twitter.

22 September - The search resumes in the Carlton Reserve for Mr Laundrie, with a 10-person dive unit called in from the Sarasota County Sheriffs Office at the request of North Port Police.

A Pinterest account believed to belong to Mr Laundrie offers fresh clues as to his state of mind in the weeks leading up to Ms Petitos disappearance.

One image being widely shared shows a sketch of ghostly figures and gravestones taken from the 1933 Betty Boop cartoon Snow White, with lyrics scattered throughout from the American folk song St James Infirmary Blues that read: Let her go, let her go, god bless her, wherever she may be.

The most recent post from August shows the cover of a book titled Burnt Out: How to Cope with Autistic Burnout.

Mr Laundries drawings posted to his Instagram account, often of dark and macabre themes, have also been attracting the attention of the army of online sleuths obsessively tracking developments in the case.

He twice references death or dying when posting about his relationship with Ms Petito.

23 September - The FBI announced that a federal arrest warrant had been issued for Mr Laundrie. According to the bureaus division in Denver, Colorado, the warrant was issued on 22 September.

On September 22, 2021, the US District Court of Wyoming issued a federal arrest warrant for Brian Christopher Laundrie pursuant to a Federal Grand Jury indictment related to Mr Laundries activities following the death of Gabrielle Petito, FBI Denver said in a tweet.

Laundrie family lawyer Mr Bertolino reacted to the arrest warrant by saying that it is related to activities occurring after the death of Gabby Petito and not related to her actual demise.

24 September - The North Port Police Department and FBI continue their search of the Carlston Reserve for Brian Laundrie. In the afternoon, police provided an update on their search, saying they had not found any trace of Mr Laundrie in the reserve but said they were not wasting their time looking for the man in the swamp.

Dog The Bounty Hunter declined to speak to media as he left the Laundrie family home on Saturday (BrianEntin/Twitter)

25 September - Dog The Bounty Hunter joins the search for Mr Laundrie in a well-publicised arrival at the Laundrie home. He knocked on the Laundries door to attempt to speak with the family but was denied access. Police continued their search for Mr Laundrie in the Carlton Reserve.

26 September - The North Port police continued their search for Mr Laundrie in the Carlton Reserve. At the same time, the FBI visited the Laundrie house and collected items for use in DNA matching. Mr Bertolino described the collection as routine.

27 September - Florida rancher Alan McEwan, who has been helping police investigate the swamplands where Mr Laundrie was last known to be heading, tells Fox News he believes there is little chance the missing man could survive in that wilderness.

Ive been in the woods in and out all my life I have learned a lot in my life, and one thing I know is no one is gonna survive out there for two weeks on foot, Mr McEwen said.

28 September - Pinellas County Parks records appear to confirm that Brian Laundries mother visited the site of Dog the Bounty Hunters tip  Fort De Soto Park in Florida.

29 September - Dive teams return to the Carlton Reserv after authorities previously scaled back the search at the site.
A Florida rancher who has been helping authorities search the alligator-infested swampland where Brian Laundrie told his parents he was going hiking last week says theres little chance he has survived there for two weeks.

Alan McEwen has spent 30 years exploring the 25,000-acre Carlton Reserve in Sarasota County, Florida, and says it contains so many treacherous threats to human life that make it all but impossible to survive in.

Theres no surviving out here, I dont know how to say it, Mr McEwen told Fox News .

Since Mr Laundrie, 23, told his parents he was going hiking in the reserve on 14 September, the area has seen torrential downpours that have caused trails to flood with waist-deep water.

Alan McEwen knows the Carlton Reserve as well as anyone, and says theres little chance someone could have survived on foot there for two weeks (Fox News)

Ive been in the woods in and out all my life I have learned a lot in my life, and one thing I know is no one is gonna survive out there for two weeks on foot. Mr McEwen said.

Unless hes got a butt like a duck and can float, hes not in there.

Mr McEwen has been assisting in the 10-day manhunt for Mr Laundrie in the reserve, taking his inflatable vessel out with search parties from the FBI and local police departments most days.

He says the ground is covered in thick brush that makes it dangerous even for experienced hikers to maintain their footing.

Mr Laundrie has been described as a skilled survivalist by friends, and would likely have been familiar with the hundreds of miles of trails in the vast Carlton Reserve.

Had Mr Laundrie been able to survive the flooding, he still would have had to contend with the dangerous wildlife in the reserve, which include 13-foot alligators, black bears, venomous snakes and panthers.

Brian Laundrie and Gabby Petito (Instagram/Brian Laundrie)

Anything dead you find in the woods, youre gonna look up, youre gonna see buzzards flying like crazy, Mr McEwen told Fox.

No buzzards, no body is my theory. And I havent seen any buzzards flying.

North Port Police say heavy rain on Sunday night has hampered search efforts in the reserve, and they were planning a scaled-back search on Monday using helicopters.

Mr Laundrie is wanted by the FBI for alleged bank fraud after his girlfriend Gabby Petito was found dead in Wyoming last week.

A memorial service for Ms Petito, 22, was held in Holbrook, New York, on Sunday.
A woman who describes herself as a shaman has pleaded not guilty to starting a quick-spreading California wildfire that resulted in the destruction of more than 40 homes.

Alexandra Souverneva, 30, is suspected of lighting a fire near where the Fawn Fire started, according to Cal Fire, after reportedly lighting a fire to boil bear urine to drink.

Ms Souverneva is a former forestry student who describes her current job as a shaman in her Linkedin profile. According to the Daily Mail, she said during questioning that she had found a puddle containing bear urine and attempted to light a fire to boil the liquid.

However, she claimed that she could not light a fire, so drank the liquid anyway and went on with her hike.

Workers saw a woman acting suspiciously and trespassing on property in Shasta County, and authorities say that Ms Souverneva was later seen emerging near the fire line and asking fire crews for help.

Cal Fire said that she was found to have a lighter in her pocket and she was removed from the area for evaluation and treatment.

Officials say that during an interview with Cal Fire law enforcement officers came to believe she was responsible for starting the fire.

Recommended California power company charged with manslaughter over 2020 wildfire

The 30-year-old from Palo Alto, California, was arrested and booked into Shasta County Jail.

The countys District Attorney Stephanie Bridgett has now charged her with felony arson to wildland with an enhancement due to the declared state of emergency California is under. She had pleaded not guilty.

The prosecutor says that Ms Souverneva is also suspected of setting more fires in the county and other areas of California.

The Fawn Fire has already burned more than 5,850 acres of remote land amid hot and gusty winds and has destroyed 25 structures.

Officials say that around 2,000 other structures are at risk and people in neighbouring areas have been warned they may have to leave.

The number of people already under evacuation orders is not known.

California fires have burned more than 3,671 square miles this year, destroying more than 3,200 homes, commercial properties, and other structures.

News of the arrest comes as a California power company has been charged with manslaughter for its equipment sparking a 2020 wildfire that left four people dead and hundreds more homeless.

Pacific Gas & Electric, the countrys largest utility company, has been charged on 31 counts by prosecutors over the Zogg Fire, which burned last year near the city of Redding.

Shasta County District Attorney Stephanie Bridgett announced on Friday that the manslaughter and other criminal charges against the company including 11 felonies.

Last year the company pleaded guilty last year to 84 counts of involuntary manslaughter in the 2018 blaze caused by its electrical grid that destroyed the town of Paradise in the deadliest US wildfire in a century.

The Zogg fire broke out on began on 27 September 2020 and burned around 87 square miles of the Sierra Nevada, killing four people and destroying almost 200 homes.
Florida police are searching for missing 19-year-old college student Miya Marcano after finding signs of struggle in her apartment, including a pillow stained with blood.

The Orange County Sheriffs Office has said that Ms Marcano was last seen on Friday 24 September around 5pm at Arden Villas apartments on Arden Villas Boulevard in Orlando, Florida.

She lives in the building and works in the leasing office while attending Valencia College.

Her family has said that she was set to fly to Fort Lauderdale that very evening but that she didnt make it to the airport.

Fox 35 reported that the door to her bedroom had been blocked, that the window in her bedroom was unlocked, and that the room was in a state of disorder. Her pillow was stained with blood.

The missing womans father, local DJ Marlon Marcano, wrote on social media that there were signs of struggle in her apartment  and she may be in danger.

The sheriffs office hasnt said if Ms Marcanos disappearance is being investigated as a crime.

Grandmother Joysue Thompson told reporters: All we ask you is help us bring Miya home. Bring her home safe. Drop her off. Let us know where she is. We will pick her up. Just bring her home.

Law enforcement officials searched a wooded area close to the apartment building on Sunday as well as using a helicopter to look for Ms Marcano from above.

Marlon Marcano wrote on his Instagram page on Sunday: Mimi, my heart is aching. I havent slept or eaten in days. Where are you baby??? Your whole family is here looking for you. We will not stop until youre back home.

He added: Im slowly losing my mind over here. Never have we ever gone so long without even a text message to each other. If [youre] able to read this message, please know that your Daddy and the entire world loves you. Please dont lose faith. We will find you ... I love you always and forever!

According to the Orange County sheriffs office, Ms Marcano is 5 feet tall (1.52m) and 130 lbs (59kg), with brown hair and green eyes. The sheriffs office is urging anyone with information about the case to call 407-836-4357.

She left work and went to her apartment, which is in the same complex, and just has never been heard from again, Neighbour Anastasia Holland told News4Jax.

She seemed shy, friendly and sweet, but more on the quiet side. When we realized who this was, it was concerning anyway because I had a daughter that same age, but (Marcano) was someone I know and talked to so many times, its heart-wrenching.
Police officers in Utah were told that a 911 caller who reported an argument between Gabby Petito and her fiance Brian Laundrie had seen a man hitting a woman, dispatch records show.

According to the records, the person who reported the incident states a seeing male hit a female, domestic. the dispatcher said shortly before the couple was pulled over by the police.

He got into a white Ford Transit van, has a black ladder on the back, Florida plate.

After the couple were pulled over by police, body cam footage shows Ms Petito saying that she had hit Mr Laundrie, with police appearing to view the incident as a mental health crisis rather than domestic violence.

Police later faced criticism for not filing the incident as domestic violence, with 22-year-old Ms Petito later vanishing and dying from homicide, as a coroner said last week, after her remains were recovered from Wyoming.

Her fiance and road trip partner, Mr Laundrie, did not cooperate with police investigating her disappearance and went missing in Florida shortly before he was named as a person of interest. The 23-year-old remains missing.

Police who spoke to the couple in Utah were thought to have been unaware about the pairs argument shortly beforehand  and thought that was the aggressor.

As Fox 13 News reported, the dispatch records suggest that police were told about the witness seeing Mr Laundrie allegedly hit Ms Petito, but did not treat him as the aggressor, in apparent violation of Utah law.

Police in Utah are legally required to arrest or issue a citation when there is a probable cause to believe that an act of domestic violence has been committed, as was suggested by the witness.

The revelation comes after city officials in Utah said it would investigate the department in Moab for failing to respond Ms Petito and Mr Laundries argument appropriately.

Two weeks after the Moab incident, she made final contact with family before going missing when Mr Laundrie returned without her on 11 September.
Two FBI agents visited the family home of Brian Laundrie in Florida on Sunday to collect some of his personal belongings for DNA matching, according to the familys lawyer.

The visit comes amidst a scaled up search for Mr Laundrie, who has been declared a person of interest in the homicide of his 22-year-old girlfriend Gabby Petito. Her body was found last week inside the Wyoming national park.

Describing the visit as routine, family attorney Steven Bertolino told the media that the FBI requested some personal items belonging to Brian Laundrie to assist them with DNA matching.

Brians parents provided the FBI with what they could," he added. The visit comes almost a week after the FBI agents swarmed his house with guns drawn and marking it with crime scene tape as they placed his parents in an unmarked van.

Mr Laundrie, who had returned home alone on 1 September after a cross-country trip with his girlfriend, also disappeared days after Ms Petitos family reported her missing on 11 September.

Days after investigating his whereabouts unsuccessfully, the FBI last Thursday announced a federal arrest warrant against him in relation to the death of Ms Petito. While this warrant allows law enforcement to arrest Mr Laundrie, the FBI and our partners across the country continue to investigate the facts and circumstances of Ms Petitos homicide, said Michael Schneider, special agent in charge .

We urge individuals with knowledge of Mr Laundries role in this matter or his current whereabouts to contact the FBI, he said.

The law enforcement agencies are also combing through 24,565-acre Carlton Reserve in Sarasota County located near their Florida home. Mr Laundries family told the police they believe he entered the area and hasnt been seen since.

Meanwhile, Ms Petitos family organised a memorial service in Long Island where her relatives and friends gathered to offer their condolences. Calling his daughter the most amazing person, Joseph Petito asked people to learn from his daughter and leave bad relationships.

I want you to take a look at these pictures, and I want you to be inspired by Gabby," he said at the service. "If theres a trip you guys want to take, take it now. Do it now while you have the time. If there is a relationship youre in that might not be the best thing for you, leave it now."
A maintenance worker named a person of interest in the disappearance of Florida teenager Miya Marcano has been found dead.

The body of Armando Manuel Caballero was discovered on Monday after police issued an arrest warrant for burglary, as he had accessed the Orlando apartment of the missing 19-year-old without her permission.

Miya Marcano has been missing since Friday when she didnt appear at the airport for her flight from Orlando to Fort Lauderdale (Orange County Sheriffs Office)

Caballero, whose romantic interest in Ms Marcano was repeatedly rebuffed, used a master key to enter her apartment shortly before she was last seen alive on Friday, according to Orange County Sheriff John Mina.

Miya is still missing  We are still doing everything possible we can to find her, Mr Mina told reporters at an afternoon press conference on Monday.

"Her disappearance is suspicious and our detectives and the family members obviously suspect foul play," he added.

Cabelleros body was found at his home in a Longwood apartment complex about 20 miles northwest of Ms Marcanos apartment on Monday. Police said it appeared that he took his own life, and that he had been dead for quite some time.

Police said that suspicious items were found in both Ms Marcanos apartment and Mr Cabelleros apartment, but did not go into further details.

Ms Marcano was last seen about 5pm on Friday at Arden Villas apartment complex, where she lived and they both worked. Cabellero used a maintenance key fob to enter her apartment about 30 minutes earlier, police said.

Missing 19-year-old Miya Marcano wearing the red t-shirt she was last seen alive in (Facebook @Arden Villas)

A post on the Arden Villas Facebook page said Ms Marcano, who was one of their office staff members, was last seen wearing a red shirt, jeans and black hoodie.

Her father, Marlon Marconi, wrote on Instagram that her whole family was looking and would not stop until finding her and bringing her home.

Mimi, my heart is aching. I havent slept or eaten in days. Where are you baby??? Mr Marconi wrote.

Im slowly losing my mind over here. Never have we ever gone so long without even a text message to each other. If you're able to read this message, please know that your Daddy and the entire world loves you. Please dont lose faith. We will find you.

Ms Marcano was reported missing after she missed a flight from Orlando to Fort Lauderdale on Friday night to visit family.

Her father told local news WESH that they last spoke on Friday afternoon, but that he did not hear from her after she finished her shift at Arden Villas.

Cabellero allegedly told police that he had last seen Ms Marcano at 3pm, an hour and a half before police say he used the apartment complex master key to enter her apartment without permission.
A teenage truck driver ploughed into a group of Texas cyclists while allegedly attempting to blow smoke on them, and left several hospitalised on Saturday.

According to Waller County Sheriff, six of the Houston area cyclists were hit by the vehicle, four of whom had to be taken to hospital, including two by helicopter.

Chase Ferrell, who was part of the group of cyclists on the highway, told Fox 26: I thought someone was dead.

I heard a lot of crunching. I heard brakes. Tires screeching. People screaming, he said.

Mr Ferrell told the news outlet that a black diesel pickup truck swerved over into his lane and got within feet of him, before accelerating to blow smoke in his lane. Shortly afterwards, the driver attempted to do the same thing to cyclists in front of Mr Ferrell.

The reason he couldnt stop is because he was accelerating to blow more diesel fuel on these cyclists, said Mr Ferrell. He ended up hitting three people before his brakes even started.

The driver of the pickup truck has been identified as a 16-year-old boy, who remained at the scene and spoke to police.

There was no reason for this to happen, said Ferrell. It wasnt like he was on his phone. [He] definitely meant to try and scare these people [or] intimidate them in some way. [Maybe he then] made a mistake and ran them over.

As of Sunday evening the driver of the pickup truck had not been arrested, reported a Fox journalist on Twitter.

Sunday evening UPDATE: No arrests have been made in Waller County, TX after a 16-year-old with a pickup truck ran over 6 bicyclists from the Houston area.



Four of the cyclists had to be hospitalized, including 2 air-lifted to treatment. All are expected to survive. #texas pic.twitter.com/6c303KO9B4  Matthew Seedorff (@MattSeedorff) September 27, 2021

Right now is prime time for cyclists and people for to be outside working out," said Mr Ferrell. Please, be careful.
 Close Brian Laundrie: Police fly drone over Carlton Reserve as activity ramps up

Gabby Petitos stepfather, Jim Schmidt, has called Brian Laundrie our missing piece to the puzzle to find out what happened.

The Petito family also urged Mr Laundrie to do the right thing and turn himself him. Her mother Nichole Schmidt has said she believes Petitos boyfriend knows everything.

Meanwhile, Mr Laundrie is alive, his parents family lawyer has suggested as the search for the missing 23-year-old continues.

I believe Brian is still in the preserve, the lawyer told Fox News, referring to the Carlton Reserve where the missing mans parents told investigators he was going hiking last month.

Father Joseph Petito, said he wanted Mr Laundrie to see the inside of a jail cell for the rest of his life. Mr Laundrie has not been charged so far.

Police activity at the Carlton Reserve picked up after several days of scaled back searches. Mr Laundrie is believed to have hiked in the preserve on 13 September and has been missing ever since.
Gabby Petitos father shared an emotional message and some life advice, especially for women in relationships, at the travel bloggers funeral, as the FBI continued their search for her missing boyfriend Brian Laundrie.

Speaking at a packed funeral home on Sunday in Long Island, Joe Petito remembered his 22-year-old daughter whose life was cut short, and asked people to take inspiration from her.

If there is a relationship that youre in that might not be the best thing for you, leave it now. Take care of yourself first, he told the women at the funeral.

He added: I would like you to take a look at these videos [of Petitos travels] and I want you to be inspired by them. If theres a trip you guys want to take, take it now. Do it now while you have the time.

Gabby is the most amazing person Ive ever met, he added. So, if youre going to leave here today, Im asking that you guys be inspired by the way she treated people, all people.

The entire planet knows this womans name, Mr Petito said in his eulogy, explaining her passion for new experiences such as scuba diving or surfing sand dunes.

Petitos funeral on Sunday was attended by hundreds of people, even those who didnt know her personally. Many arrived with banners to support her.

The relationship between Petito and Mr Laundrie was strained, according to reports that have emerged since her death. A fight between the couple on 12 August in Moab, Utah, became a police matter and the bodycam footage showed Petito visibly distressed. However, no charges were pressed and no one was injured.

Mr Laundrie and Petito told officers that they were suffering from a mental health breakdown.

Recently, another witness also claimed to have seen the couple fight aggressively over her cellphone during an argument in Utah on 12 August.

Meanwhile, text messages sent by Gabby Petito to her mother in the days before her disappearance showed growing strain between her and Mr Laundrie, a police search warrant has revealed.

The 22-year-old had been on a vanlife trip across the United States with Mr Laundrie, when she stopped communicating with her parents in late August.

He arrived back at his parents home in Florida on 1 September without his girlfriend, and the Petito family reported her missing 10 days later.

Petitos remains were found a week ago near a remote campsite in Wyoming, and her death has been ruled a homicide. Authorities are continuing to try to determine her cause of death, and have not yet returned her remains to her family.

Police in Florida continue to search for Mr Laundrie in a 25,000 acre nature reserve in Sarasota County, Florida, after he disappeared from his family home. He has been named as a person of interest by the police.
Attorneys have reached a deal for the unconditional release from supervision of John Hinckley Jr, the man who attempted to assassinate President Ronald Reagan in 1981.

US District Court Judge Paul Friedman said on Monday that he will approve the deal, which stipulates that Hinckley will be released next year. Until now, the would-be assassin has been living under supervision outside a mental health facility in Williamsburg, Virginia.

Prosecutors have agreed to the 2022 release, under the condition that Hinckley be monitored for the next nine months.

A lawyer for Hinckley said his client no longer poses a threat.

There is no evidence of danger whatsoever, attorney Barry Levine told the court.

Hinckley, now 66, was 25 when he shot Mr Reagan outside a hotel in Washington, DC. He also wounded a Secret Service agent, a police officer, and White House press secretary James Brady, who remained blind and paralysed for the rest of his life.

After being treated in hospital, Mr Reagan survived the assassination attempt and went on to spend seven more years as president. His recovery was widely seen as one of the reasons for his huge increase in popularity afterward.

Assassination attempt against Ronald Reagan in 1981 (AFP via Getty Images)

At his trial for the shooting, Hinckley was found not guilty by reason of insanity in 1982. He was then committed to a hospital in Washington, DC, where he stayed until 2016, at which point he was allowed to move in with his mother in Williamsburg. Throughout that time, he has received psychiatric treatment.

On Monday, Judge Friedman said Hinckley ceased to be dangerous many years ago, and could have been released earlier if not for the infamy of his case.

If he hadnt tried to kill the president, he would have been unconditionally released a long, long, long time ago, Judge Friedman said. But everybody is comfortable now after all of the studies, all of the analysis and all of the interviews and all of the experience with Mr Hinckley.

Speaking for Hinckley, Mr Barry said his client wished to apologise with deep regret to the American public, to his victims families, and to Jodie Foster  an actress whom Hinckley had been obsessively stalking at the time of the assassination attempt. In the aftermath of the shooting, Hinckley said he had made the attempt on Mr Reagans life as a way of winning Ms Fosters love.

Mr Barry said he hopes Hinckleys release will be seen as a victory for mental health.

His future, we think, is bright, and I hope others with a good sense of charity would wish him well, the attorney said on Monday, according to CNN. I would hope people would see this as a victory for mental health. People who have been ravaged by mental disease, with good support and access to treatment, can actually become productive members of society.

When Mr Brady died in 2014, a medical examiner ruled his death a homicide, saying it was the result of the wounds he received in the shooting. However, Hinckley did not face any charges. In 2000, the White House briefing room was renamed the James S Brady Room in his honour.
For Mon PMs; WX208-209

Gen. Mark Milley has been the target of more political intrigue and debate in two years as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff than any of his recent predecessors were in four. One after another, political firestorms have ignited around him  unusual for an officer who by law is a whisperer to presidents and by custom is careful to stay above the political fray.

From racial injustice and domestic extremism to nuclear weapons and the fitness of Donald Trump as commander in chief, Milley has become entangled in politically charged issues, regularly thrusting him into the news headlines.

Milley is expected to face tough questioning on those and other issues when he testifies with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin at a Senate hearing Tuesday and a House panel Wednesday. The hearings originally were meant to focus on the Afghanistan withdrawal and the chaotic evacuation from Kabul airport last month.

But since then, Milley has come under fire from Republicans for his portrayal in a new book as having taken unusual  some say illegal  steps to guard against Trump potentially starting a war with China or Iran or ordering an unprovoked nuclear attack in the final months of his presidency. Milley was reported to have agreed with House Speaker Nancy Pelosis assertion in a January phone call that Trump was crazy.

Even during Milley's swing through Europe last week, headlines dogged him and reporters quizzed him. Mostly he batted questions away or buried them in detailed historical precedent.

Burly and square-jawed, with a bushy slash of eyebrows over often mischievous eyes, Milley is quick with a quip and frequently a curse. His oversize personality, born of Irish roots in Boston, belies a sharp intellect and a penchant for digging deep into military history. The Princeton-educated Milley often meets simple questions with a deep dive into history that can reach as far back as the Greeks, cover long stretches of both world wars, and expound upon the context and concepts of war.

So as he faced accusations of disloyalty for what the book Peril, by Bob Woodward and Robert Costa, reported as assurances to a Chinese general that he would warn him of a U.S. attack, Milley gripped his identity as a soldier who answers to civilian leaders. He declined to make his case in the media, instead telling reporters that he will lay out his answers directly to Congress. His only brief comments have been that the calls with the Chinese were routine and within the duties and responsibilities of his job.

I think its best that I reserve my comments on the record until I do that in front of the lawmakers who have the lawful responsibility to oversee the U.S. military, Milley said. Ill go into any level of detail Congress wants to go into.

While some in Congress have charged that he overstepped his authority, President Joe Biden has stood by him.

Loren Thompson, a longtime observer of the U.S. defense establishment as chief operating officer of the nonprofit Lexington Institute, says Milley is a victim of Washingtons extreme partisanship and perhaps of his own efforts to shape his public image.

His views and descriptions of his behavior behind closed doors, pop up too frequently in tell-all books like the Woodward and Costa book," Thompson said. "So perhaps Milley has taken a more active approach to trying to shape his image, and that has not served him well.

Not all of Milley's controversies have been related to Trump. At a House hearing in June, Milley passionately defended the militarys openness to allowing young officers to study ideas they might not agree with, such as critical race theory, and he said he wanted to understand white rage and the motivations of those who participated in the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol.

Joint Chiefs chairmen traditionally keep a low public profile. Of the 19 who preceded Milley, none was fired, nor does it appear he will be. Among recent chairmen, only Marine Gen. Peter Pace served fewer than four years when the George W. Bush administration did not tap him for another two-year term, citing the divisiveness of his association with the Iraq war.

Created in 1949, the job of chairman is to advise the president and the defense secretary. By law, the chairman commands no troops. The role has grown in public prominence during the two decades of U.S. warfighting in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Milley commanded troops during tours in both wars. Those battles, where he lost many soldiers, helped chart his path as he rose from an armor officer in 1980 to Army chief of staff 35 years later.

His move into the chairman's office on Sept. 30, 2019, came with an unusual twist.

Nearly a year before he was sworn in and just days before James Mattis resigned as defense secretary, Trump announced that Milley was his choice to succeed Gen. Joseph Dunford as chairman. The timing was unusually early in Dunfords tenure, and it may have had as much to do with Trump's antagonism toward Mattis as his belief that Milley was right for the job.

That's how Trump described it when he lashed out at Milley this summer following reports that Milley had feared last year that Trump might use the military in a coup. Trump said he picked him as chairman to spite Mattis, who he believed didnt like Milley. In fact, Mattis had recommended the Air Forces top general for the job, not Milley.

Milley's gregarious nature might have initially appealed to Trump, but he soon soured on him. In June 2020, Milley privately opposed Trumps talk of invoking the Insurrection Act to put active-duty troops in the streets of Washington to counter protests sparked by the killing by Minneapolis police of a Black man, George Floyd.

Milley also expressed public regret at being part of a Trump entourage that strolled across Lafayette Square on June 1, 2020, to be positioned near a church where Trump held up a Bible for photographers. Critics hit Milley for appearing to be a political pawn. Days later, Milley said he had made a big mistake. Through the months that followed, he seemed at risk of being sacked by Trump.

In the book I Alone Can Fix It, Washington Post reporters Carol Leonnig and Philip Rucker reported that on the day President Joe Biden was sworn in, Milley expressed relief to former first lady Michelle Obama.

No one has a bigger smile today than I do, Milley said.
Professor Scott Galloway has warned of a mating crisis in the US as fewer men go to college.

We have mating inequality in this country, the marketing professor at New York Universitys Stern School of Business told CNN on Saturday.

Two in three relationships start on Tinder, 50 men, 50 women. Forty-six women show all their attention to just four men and what do those four [men] have? They signal success with a college degree, he said.

Women make up almost 60 per cent of college students with men being at 40 per cent, and the gap is growing. In the fall of 1970, almost 59 per cent of college students were men, 41 per cent were women.

In 2020, US colleges enrolled 1.5 million fewer students than in 2015 and 71 per cent of those who have chosen to not study on are men. According to the Common Application, women made up 3.8 million college applications in the most recent school year, while men made up 2.8 million.

Mr Galloway noted that men also drop out at a greater rate.

Over the next few years, for every one man that graduates from college, theres going to be two women, he said. So this is becoming overwhelming. College is becoming the domain of women and not men.

The most dangerous person in the world is a broke and a lone male and we are producing too many of them, Mr Galloway added. The mating inequality thats going to come out of this dearth of men in college poses an existential risk to our economy and our society.

The bottom line is we, on the left, like to think that men and women are exactly the same, the professor said. They arent. Theyre different, including in their mating preferences, and the reality is college graduate women arent interested in mating with men who dont have college degrees.

If you look at the most unstable, violent societies in the world, they all have one thing in common. They have young, depressed men who arent attaching to work, arent attaching to school and arent attaching to relationships and our inability to provide the resources and encourage men to go to college is going to result in us producing too many of the most dangerous cohort in the world, he warned.

Mr Galloway said that when he applied to college, the University of California, Los Angeles had a 70 per cent admissions rate, not a 14 per cent admissions rate. America is about acceptance, not exceptionalism. This is a huge problem.

The products become more expensive and its not any better ... At our elite universities, were so drunk on luxury, we haven't expanded enrollments, the professor added.

He noted the price of college as a factor in men choosing not to study after High School and that the opportunities for men at that age are greater than they are for women.

You can walk into a construction site in Florida, you can turn on an app, cop, fireman, trade job, which, at the age of 18, if you can make $100 to $200 a day, that feels like real cabbage, he said.

So the opportunities are greater for men at that age and it feels like, quite frankly, our role models, whether its Donald Trump or Elon Musk, sort of disparage or have disdain for college grads. So anti-intellectualism, the products [have gotten] more expensive and there are more opportunities for men at the age of 18, Mr Galloway added.
Two sisters in North Carolina went to bury their elderly mother but claim they found the body of another woman inside the casket.

Jennifer Taylor and Jennetta Archer, who buried their mother last week, went to view her at a funeral home in Ahoskie, North Carolina, when they realised their something was not right.

Ms Archer told WAVY10 that there was no similarity between the woman whose body was inside their mothers casket, and that the person who was in there was swimming in their mothers clothes.

The size was way off, said Ms Archer. The first person had the clothing on. She was swimming in the clothes because she was so small, compared to my mother.

Funeral home workers initially refused to accept that they had mixed the two bodies, the sisters said, but eventually found the body of their mother, Mary Archer, in the embalming room.

While the funeral home switched the bodies and the service resumed, Ms Taylor told the TV station: For this to play out like that, its embarrassing.

No one addressed the situation, said Ms Archer. If they had just come up front and addressed it immediately to show that they did, yes, they made an error.

Hunters Funeral Home said it had issued an apology to the family, and had phoned the sisters, although they denied that the call had taken place. The Independent has approached the firm for comment.

It was thought to be then first such incident at Hunters in 40 years, and the home admitted that those who die at home were not identified by tags.

Additional reporting by The Associated Press.
The White House has defended President Joe Bidens comments that the Indian media is better behaved than the US press corps.

As Mr Biden sat down with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 24 September, he said: The Indian press is much better behaved than the American press  I think, with your permission, you could not answer questions because they wont ask any questions on point.

I thought Modi had said this when I heard about it, but nope thats the American president, Katie Rogers of The New York Times tweeted.

Christian Datoc of the conservative Washington Examiner added that the comment was pretty Trumpian.

According to Reporters Without Borders, India is ranked 142nd in the world when it comes to press freedom.

Ever since the general elections in the spring of 2019, won overwhelmingly by Prime Minister Narendra Modis Bharatiya Janata Party, pressure has increased on the media to toe the Hindu nationalist governments line, the organisation writes on its website. Indians who espouse Hindutva, the ideology that gave rise to radical right-wing Hindu nationalism, are trying to purge all manifestations of anti-national thought from the public debate.

In 2020, four journalists were killed in the country in relation to their work as reporters.

The White House transcript of the meeting with Mr Modi didnt include Mr Bidens comments comparing the Indian and US press.

I think what he said is that [press questions] are not always on point. Now I know that isnt something that anyone wants to hear in here, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said on Monday.

What I think he was conveying is that, you know, today he wanted to talk about Covid vaccines  some of the questions were about that, some of the questions are not always about the topic hes talking about that day, Ms Psaki added.

The US ranked 44th in the world for press freedom in 2020.

The first 100 days of Joseph R Bidens presidency saw healthy improvements to government accountability and transparency. For example, the White House and government agencies reinstated regular press briefings from day one and authorities, who had previously been muzzled, were able to communicate accurate information about the COVID-19 pandemic to the American public, Reporters Without Borders states.

Mr Biden has both praised the value of journalism and reporters, but has also at times expressed frustration with the coverage of him and his administration, as well as the questions hes asked when he interacts with the press corps.

In late July, Mr Biden was sitting on the Oval Office with Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi, when NBCs Kelly ODonnell asked Mr Biden about the announcement by Veterans Affairs Secretary Denis McDonough that frontline VA employees would have to get vaccinated against Covid-19.

Smiling, Mr Biden said: You are such a pain in the neck, but Im going to answer your question because weve known each other for so long.

It has nothing to do with Iraq  Ill answer your question. Yes, Veteran Affairs is going to, in fact, require that all doctors working in their facilities are going to have to be vaccinated, he added.

After a reporter asked Mr Biden about Israel as he was test-driving an electrical Ford pickup truck, the president joked about running over the journalist.

Following his summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Geneva, Switzerland in June, Mr Biden lost his temper with CNN White House Correspondent Kaitlan Collins.

Collins asked Mr Biden why he was confident that Mr Putin would change his behaviour.

Im not confident hell change his behaviour, Mr Biden said. Where the hell ... what do you do all the time. When did I say I was confident?

What I said was  lets get it straight  I said, What will change their behaviour is if the rest of the world reacts to them and it diminishes their standing in the world, Mr Biden added. Im not confident of anything. Im just stating a fact.

Collins pushed Mr Biden further, asking him how the meeting could have been constructive.

If you dont understand that, youre in the wrong business, Mr Biden snapped.

But it didnt take long for Mr Biden to walk back his comments.

I shouldnt have been such a wise guy with the last answer I gave, Mr Biden later told reporters, but he also complained that he never receives positive questions.

To be a good reporter, you got to be negative, that you got to have a negative view of life, it seems to me, Mr Biden said at the time.
Challenged on Washingtons commitment to Taiwan in the face of Chinese aggression, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken referred to the disputed territory as a country  and not for the first time.

Appearing in front of the the House Committee on Foreign Affairs on Monday, Mr Blinken told members of Congress that Washington was committed to both countries, when asked about Taiwan and Ukraine.

Brian Fitzpatrick, a House Republican, had asked Mr Blinken about the fears in Ukraine and Taiwan of aggression from Russia and China  amid concerns that in the wake of its withdrawal from Afghanistan, the US was backing away from other overseas commitments.

The committee convened following accusations that the Biden administration failed to anticipate the return of the Taliban within weeks of US troops leaving Afghanistan in August.

Mr Firzpatrick asked Mr Blinken: "Can we get you on the record here today, sir, to tell this committee, this Congress and our nation, that we will, unequivocally and unapologetically, do whatever it takes  whatever it takes  to have the backs of our friends in Ukraine and our friends in Taiwan?

He continued: "Our friends in Ukraine, in the event of Russian aggression; our friends in Taiwan, in the event of Chinese aggression.

Members of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs were informed by Mr Blinken that that Washington "absolutely stood by our commitments to both countries, and referred to Americas commitments under the Taiwan Relations Act [TRA].

The TRA, which was signed into law in 1979, instructs Washington on how to continue relations with Taiwan  which is claimed by China  in the absence of formal ties, or official recognition of Taiwan as a country.

Mr Blinken added that US President Joe Biden had recently met with Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelenskiy to offer his support  almost seven years after the Crimea and Donbas regions of Ukraine were invaded by Russian-backed separatist forces.

It was not the first time Mr Blinken risked irking China on Taiwan, after referring to the territory as a country in March. Biden administration officials, meanwhile, have been critical of Beijings military operations overseas.

The Independent approached the US state department for comment.
The campaign for Matt Gaetz has reportedly hired the defence attorney of paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, drug lord El Chapo, and Nxivm sex cult leader Keith Raniere in connection to a Department of Justice investigation.

Quoting a "person familiar with the matter", The Daily Beast reports that Marc Fernich is representing the campaign in connection with the investigation into the Republican Congressman, which reportedly includes sex trafficking, prostitution, obstruction of justice, and campaign finance issues.

The Friends of Matt Gaetz paid $25,000 to the Law Office of Marc Fernich in June, according to FEC filings.

Mr Gaetz has repeatedly and strenuously denied any allegations of wrongdoing since The New York Times first reported on 31 March that the US Department of Justice was investigating allegations of sexual misconduct.

No charges have been brought against Mr Gaetz, who says the allegations are part of a $25m plot to extort his family.

In August, Florida developer Stephen Alford was indicted on charges over an alleged $25m plot to extort Mr Gaetzs father in exchange for a presidential pardon that would make the DOJ investigation into the Congressman go away.

While the hiring of Mr Fernich for legal consulting was first revealed by The Washington Post in July, The Daily Beast is the first to report that the $25,000 in legal fees are in "connection" to the DOJs investigation.

Mr Fernich specialises in "subtle, novel and creative arguments that other attorneys may miss", according to his website.

"These arguments can make potential winners out of seemingly hopeless cases, spelling the difference between victory and defeat," it says.

Among those seemingly hopeless cases, Mr Fernich lists former mafia boss John A "Junior" Gotti as his most notable, followed by El Chapo Joaquin Guzman Loero, and Epstein.

"Friends of Matt Gaetz" is listed just after Epstein and before Raniere, who was sentenced to 160 years in prison for sex trafficking and other crimes.

Gotti, son of the so-called Teflon Don gangster John J Gotti, was was investigated in several racketeering cases before prosecutors said they would no longer pursue them. El Chapo was sentenced to life, plus 30 years, and Epstein died in prison while awaiting trial.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation probe into Mr Gaetz is looking into whether the Congressman paid women, including a 17-year-old, in exchange for sex, according to The New York Times.

An attorney familiar with the investigation told The Daily Beast that Mr Gaetzs defence team illustrates the seriousness and scope of the investigation, which reportedly includes the DOJs Public Integrity Unit.

Neither the offices of Mr Fernich nor Mr Gatez responded to The Independents request for comment by the time of publication.

A spokesman for Mr Gaetz told the Post in July that their FEC filings "speak for themselves".

Despite an endless stream of lies from the media, Congressman Gaetz continues to be among the most prodigious fundraisers in Congress and is the only Republican who doesnt accept donations from federal lobbyists or PACs. He thanks his tens of thousands of donors and promises to always fight for them, the spokesman said.
Fox News media correspondent and host of Media Buzz on the Fox News Channel, Howard Kurtz, found himself on the receiving end of criticism from former President Donald Trumps legion of fans after reporting the results of a GOP-led audit of votes in Arizona.

Mr Kurtz mentioned the results of the count undertaken by the firm Cyber Ninjas on his program on Sunday; in the hours that followed, he was pilloried on Twitter by some of the networks viewers who echoed claims from Mr Trump that the right-leaning network has turned against him.

The host retweeted several of the comments from viewers, who accused him of parroting spin and argued (falsely) that tens of thousands of fake or illegal votes were included in the states final tally.

Sorry there is no evidence of 50,000 illegal votes. Even the Republican senator who commissioned the audit accepted the findings. My job is to report facts, not theories, he responded to one commenter.

To another, he added: I dont do spin.

Sorry there is no evidence of 50,000 illegal votes. Even the Republican senator who commissioned the audit accepted the findings. My job is to report facts, not theories https://t.co/Nkz92rvpBM  HowardKurtz (@HowardKurtz) September 26, 2021

If even a GOP-orchestrated audit had found actual evidence of widespread illegal voting I would be all over it, Mr Kurtz said.

He added in his own statement that it was sad Americas divided politics led to people attacking him and refusing to trust the results of the state GOP-sponsored process as a result of it not confirming their false suspicions about thousands of illegal ballots.

A little sad that when the GOP-commissioned and Trump-ally-funded Arizona audit found Biden got 99 more votes, people attack me & the media. Raising questions about possible errors & fraud is not the same as proving them, and was reported. This is our tribal politics today, Mr Kurtz noted.

A little sad that when the GOP-commissioned and Trump-ally-funded Arizona audit found Biden got 99 more votes, people attack me & the media. Raising questions about possible errors & fraud is not the same as proving them, and was reported. This is our tribal politics today  HowardKurtz (@HowardKurtz) September 26, 2021

The Independent has reached out to Fox News for comment.

The Arizona GOPs audit, a review of votes in the states most populous county, Maricopa, ended with Mr Trump receiving 161 fewer votes than had previously been counted by state officials in his favor. Mr Biden gained 99.

Some far-right supporters of Mr Trump had held out hope that the audit would lead to a domino effect in which numerous states would overturn their election results, leading to the former president being reinstated as the rightful victor of the 2020 election. No evidence of widespread fraud was uncovered, however, and no other states that were key battlegrounds in 2020 have begun Arizona-style recounts since November.

The New York Timess Maggie Haberman has reported that Mr Trump himself has entertained such theories during private conversations with supporters at his Mar-a-Lago resort, and the former president has reacted to the latest news by lying about the results of the audit and claiming victory in Maricopa County.

"We won at the Arizona forensic audit yesterday at a level that you wouldn't believe," the former president said at a rally in Georgia, Newsweek first reported, adding: "They had headlines that Biden wins in Arizona, when they know it's not true. He didn't win in Arizona. He lost in Arizona based on the forensic audit."
Republican congresswoman Liz Cheney said she was wrong to oppose same-sex marriages in the past, a decision that had split her family.

Ms Cheney was asked about her stand on same-sex marriage in an interview with CBS that aired on Sunday. I was wrong... I was wrong, she answered.

I love my sister very much. I love her family very much and I was wrong. It is a very personal issue and very personal for my family. I believe that my family was right. My sister and I have had that conversation, the congresswoman from Wyoming added.

Quoting her father Dick Cheney, she said freedom means freedom for everybody and referred to an instance where a trans woman told her she sometimes did not feel safe because of her gender.

This is an issue that we have to recognise ... as human beings we need to work against discrimination of all kinds in our country, in our state, she said.

Ms Cheney, in an interview during a 2013 campaign trail, had said she supported traditional marriage, even though her sister identified as homosexual.

I do believe in the traditional definition of marriage, she had then told Fox News in one interview, adding she did not support amending the constitution to oppose same-sex marriage.

Ms Cheney's remarks were soon after criticised by her sister Mary and her partner Heather Poe, who both wrote Facebook posts criticising the remarks in the same year.

Liz  this isnt just an issue on which we disagree, youre just wrong  and on the wrong side of history, wrote the congresswomans sister.

Liz has been a guest in our home, has spent time and shared holidays with our children, and when Mary and I got married in 2012  she didn't hesitate to tell us how happy she was for us. I always thought freedom meant freedom for EVERYONE, said her sister-in-law, in her own post, making a seemingly sarcastic reference drawn from the former Republican vice presidents comments.

Mr Cheney had faced flak from the Republican party after he made the comments extending his support to same-sex marriage in 2009.

I think that freedom means freedom for everyone. As many of you know, one of my daughters is gay and it is something that, uh, we have lived with for a long time, in our family. I think people ought to be free to enter into any kind of union they wish, he had said.

Meanwhile, hitting out at her political rival and former president Donald Trump, Ms Cheney said he doesn't believe in the rule of law. She is one of the two Republicans on a select committee that is investigating the 6 January violent insurrection at the Capitol Hill building.

Those who think that by ignoring Trump, he will go away, have been proven wrong ... in my view, the American people, they deserve better than having to choose between what I think are the really disastrous policies of Joe Biden in a whole range of areas, really bad for our economy, she said.

Ms Cheney taunted the former president with a cheeky tweet, after Mr Trump attacked her last week.

Sharing a photo of former president George W Bush, who was also criticised by Mr Trump, Ms Cheney wrote: I like Republican presidents who win re-election."
The United States and Russia will hold their second round of strategic talks later this week as the two sides attempt to resolve myriad differences ranging from nuclear weapons to cyberspace, the State Department said Monday.

The department said the Biden administrations second-ranking diplomat would lead the U.S. delegation to the talks with Russia in Geneva Switzerland on Thursday. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman will head an interagency delegation to the gathering, which follows an initial meeting in July at which little progress was made. The first meeting took place after Presidents Joe Biden and Vladimir Putin agreed at a summit in June to restart talks.

The State Department said the two side intended to have a deliberate and robust dialogue that will seek to lay the groundwork for future arms control and risk reduction measures. It gave no additional details but said Sherman would travel from Geneva to Bern and then to Uzbekistan and wrap her trip up in nuclear-armed rivals India and Pakistan.

After the first round of talks in July, the U.S. said the discussions with the Russian delegation headed by Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov had been substantive and professional but had produced little in the way of substantive results except for an agreement to meet again.

A senior State Department official who participated in those talks said the U.S. was pleased with the initial exchange and hopeful that it would be the start of a sustained and productive dialogue on arms control and other strategic issues.

The official told reporters the agenda was not strictly confined to traditional nuclear arms control, but also delved into the use of space and artificial intelligence as well as cyber matters, although the cyber discussion was focused on strategic issues and nuclear weapons and not ransomware or hacking.

The official said the Russians, as expected, raised concerns about American missile defenses, and the American side responded with Washingtons usual argument that those systems are not aimed at Russia but rather at threats posed by Iran and North Korea.
Former president Donald Trump denied a report in Yahoo! News that he considered assassinating WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.

Yahoo! News reported that top officials in both the CIA and the Trump administration considered kidnapping or even assassinating the WikiLeaks founder. The plot came after Mr Assanges website published information about Vault 7, the CIAs sensitive hacking tools.

At the time, Mr Assange was staying at the Ecuadorean Embassy in London to avoid being extradited to Sweden for rape allegations. The charges were dropped in May 2017.

Mr Trump had frequently praised WikiLeaks during the campaign trail after it revealed multiple emails from Democratic Party officials. He denied that he considered killing Mr Assange.

Its totally false, it never happened, he said. In fact, I think hes been treated very badly.

In 2019, Ecuadors new government evicted Mr Assange and British police arrested him. Similarly, the United States indicted Mr Assange, mostly focusing on allegations that he assisted US Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning break into a classified US government network.

Barry Pollack, Mr Assanges lawyer, expressed outrage at the report.

As an American citizen, I find it absolutely outrageous that our government would be contemplating kidnapping or assassinating somebody without any judicial process simply because he had published truthful information, he told Yahoo! News.
Donald Trump supporters targeted Facebooks chief executive Mark Zuckerberg with chants of lock him up during a rally in Georgia on Saturday.

The former president provoked angry boos with a misleading claim that about Mr Zuckerbergs donations to an election safety non-profit, suggesting that he might have helped skew the election.

He then encouraged the crowds chants, responding: Well, they should be looking at that. What is that all about?

Demands to lock up political opponents have been a constant feature of Mr Trumps rallies since 2016, when he encouraged them against his Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton.

It comes after internal documents obtained by the Wall Street Journal revealed how Facebook has long given special treatment to Mr Trump and his son Don Jr when deciding whether their posts broke its rules.

Another report claimed that Mr Zuckerberg, who is the worlds fifth richest person with an estimated net worth of $126bn, agreed a secret deal with Mr Trump to avoid fact-checking political speech in exchange for lighter regulation of social media. Mr Zuckerberg denies that.

The Save America rally in Perry, Georgia this weekend was part of Mr Trumps ongoing campaign to gin up his followers for future elections by denying that he lost the last one.

He devoted much of the rally to excoriating Georgias Republican governor Brian Kemp, who became a pariah to many in the party by refusing to help Mr Trump overturn the states vote to elect Joe Biden.

At one point he even mockingly endorsed Stacey Abrams, a Democrat who contested Mr Kemps election in 2018 and helped deliver Georgia to her party with a massive voter registration drive.

Having her, I think might be better than having your existing governor, if you want to know, said Mr Trump. Stacey, would you like to take his place? Its okay with me!

At another point, the real estate tycoon zeroed in on a $350m donation from Mr Zuckergberg and his wife Priscilla Chan to help boost voter turnout amid a winter surge in Covid-19 cases during last years presidential election.

The Center for Tech and Civil Life (CTCL), a Washington DC non-profit, said the money would be disbursed to local election officials to provide drive-through voting, personal protective equipment, and extra hazard pay and training for poll workers.

But a report from the right-leaning Foundation for Government Accountability (FGA) accused CTCL of skewing the election, arguing that it gave four times more of Mr Zuckerberg and Mrs Chans money to blue counties in Georgia than to red counties.

It claimed that grants to expand postal voting did not count as related to Covid-19, despite numerous judges ruling that mail-in ballots were an appropriate way to keep voters safe from the virus.

Democrats were far more likely than Republicans to vote by mail in 2020, while Republicans were more likely to vote in person, in part because Mr Trump spent months attempting to discredit the method by claiming that it was awash with fraud.

A spokesperson for Mr Zuckerberg and Mrs Chans charitable foundation said they had played no part in choosing grant recipients, and that red counties had gotten more grants than blue ones on a national scale.

They said every jurisdiction that applied for a grant and met the criteria did receive one.
Australian prime minister Scott Morrison has indicated that he may not attend the upcoming United Nations conference on carbon emissions even as his country faces growing criticism for its backing of coal power.

When asked about the COP26 summit in November, Mr Morrison said he has not made any final decisions on attending it, suggesting that it would be a waste to spend time under quarantine.

Its another trip overseas ... and Ive spent a lot of time in quarantine, he told TheWest Australian.

He added that he would rather focus on the reopening of Australias borders. I have to focus on things here and with Covid. Australia will be opening up around that time. There will be a lot of issues to manage and I have to manage those competing demands.

Australia is under pressure to adopt a 2050 net-zero carbon emissions target that it has so far avoided. Morrisons government said it will achieve net-zero carbon emissions as soon as possible, but has neither made any commitments to achieve it, nor taken any steps.

The COP26 summit in Glasgow, a 12-day conference between world leaders, is expected to be a key meeting for nations to discuss the climate crisis and is the biggest since the 2015 Paris talks.

However, Mr Morrisons reluctance to join the conference has brought back criticism on his fossil fuel policy. Australia is one of the top exporters of coal and gas. The prime minister has said the country would mine and export fossil fuels as long as there are buyers, despite the worsening climate crisis.

Meanwhile, Australias foreign minister Marise Payne said the country will be strongly represented at the conference. Its not a no-show at the conference. Australia will be strongly represented at the conference no matter by which senior Australian representative and our commitment is very clear, she said.
The airport on the Spanish Canary island of La Palma has reopened as a volcano continues to spew lava and emit ash clouds over the surrounding area.

Thousands of people were evacuated from the region last Sunday after the Cumbre Vieja volcano began to erupt, sending lava flowing towards the sea.

Flights remain cancelled despite the reopening of the airport. Spains airport operator Aena said the airport had only reopened after teams had cleared ash off the runway.

Binter, the Canary Island airline, on Sunday said it would keep flights cancelled because of the conditions. Hundreds of tourists have already been ferried to nearby island Tenerife.

The ash cloud originating from the volcanic eruption makes it necessary to maintain the temporary stoppage of flights to La Palma... The flights scheduled for today have been cancelled, Binter said in a statement. The stoppage will continue until conditions improve and allow flying, guaranteeing safety.

Experts said on Sunday there were currently two active lava flows, one fast-moving flow to the north and a slower one to the south.

We have a flow to the north that is moving quickly... this lava comes from more interior areas of the crater and its temperature is about 1,250 degrees, said Miguel Angel Morcuende, director of volcano response committee Pevolca, at a news conference on Sunday.

The intensity of the eruptions has increased in recent days, with a further three villages evacuated on Saturday. Some 7,000 people have been forced to leave their homes, authorities said.

Volcanic surveillance measurements carried out since the beginning of the eruption recorded the highest-energy activity so far during Friday afternoon, emergency services said.

Drone footage captured by the Reuters news agency on Saturday showed a river of hot red lava streaming down the slopes of the crater, passing close to homes. Swathes of land and buildings are also seen being engulfed by a black mass of slower-moving lava.

No fatalities have yet been reported as a result of the eruption, though it has caused devastation to the islands crop. Farming is La Palmas main source of income, with nearly 7,413 acres planted with banana trees that provide jobs for over 10,000 of the islands 85,000 residents.

Spains tourism minister faced criticism on Tuesday for telling a local radio station that the eruption as a wonderful show.

Insisting the island was open, Reyes Maroto told Canal Sur radio: There are no restrictions on going to the island.

On the contrary, were passing on the information so tourists know they can travel to the island and enjoy something unusual, see it for themselves.
Emmanuel Macron was struck by a small projectile  believed to be an egg  while surrounded by press and members of the public in Lyon.

The object struck the French president on the side of the face before bouncing away during a visit to the Eurexpo convention centre.

According to Lyon Mag, whose reporters filmed the incident, the young man who threw the object made a gesture of protest and shouted "vive la revolution". He can then be seen being placed in handcuffs by security services.

Lyon Mag also report that Mr Macron asked his team if he could meet the young man responsible for the incident to understand his motivations.

The president had been attending Sirha Lyon, a meeting of food service and hospitality leaders in the south-eastern city.

There he made a series of policy announcements aimed at trying to revive the restaurant and hotel industries, including a tax exemption for tips paid on bank cards.

Mr Macron also announced the creation of a new centre of excellence to promote French culinary traditions and train future chefs.

The incident is not the first time Mr Macron has been accosted by a member of the public.

In June, the president was slapped by a man who leaned across a metal barrier to strike him while shouting down with Macronism in Drome.

Damien Tarel served three months in prison for assaulting a public official.

The incident comes just months before France heads to the polls for a presidential election. Although Mr Macron will not announce his candidacy until next year, he is likely to be battling for re-election until April.

Others, including Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier and National Rally leader Marine Le Pen, have already announced their candidacy.
San Marino has voted to legalise abortion in a historic referendum overturning a law dating back to 1865.

The northern Italian enclave, with a population of some 33,000 people, previously banned abortion with women who ended their pregnancies risking three years in prison.

The sentence was twice as long for those who carried out abortions.

The referendum saw voters decide whether to allow abortion up to 12 weeks of pregnancy and afterwards only in the case of the mothers life being in danger or of grave malformation of the foetus.

Despite a low turnout of 41 percent of eligible voters, the overwhelming majority (77.3 percent) voted to change the 150-years-old law.

Prior to the referendum, women in San Marino who wanted to terminate their pregnancies would pay for private treatment in Italy, costing them around 1,500 euros.

Proponents of the referendum argued this put an undue financial burden on them and that the law penalised women who got pregnant as a result of rape.

The referendum was set for Sunday after some 3,000 Sammarinesi, as its citizens are called, signed a petition drive. About 65 percent of signatories were women, said Karen Pruccoli, a San Marino entrepreneur who spearheaded the drive.

We had asked the political sphere to make a law legalizing abortion, Ms Pruccoli said in a telephone interview Thursday.

When we realised that the political sphere didnt want to enact a law, we decided to have the referendum.

The Yes campaign built on the momentum of other European territories legalising abortion in recent years.

In June, Gibraltar, a British Overseas Territory off the coast of Spain, voted to ease draconian abortion restrictions. Ireland also legalised abortion in a 2018 referendum.

However, in Poland and Texas, abortion laws have been tightened and countries like Malta, and the micro-states of Andorra and Vatican City, another Italian enclave, still ban abortion.

Additional reporting by AP
Israeli troops conducted a series of raids against suspected Hamas militants across the occupied West Bank early Sunday, sparking a pair of gun battles in which five Palestinians were killed and two Israeli soldiers were seriously wounded.

It was the deadliest violence between Israeli forces and Palestinian militants in the West Bank in several weeks.

The region has seen an increase in fighting in recent months, with tensions fueled by Israeli settlement construction, heightened militant activity in the northern West Bank and the aftermath of a bloody war between Israel and Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip last May.

The Israeli military said it had been tracking the Hamas militants for several weeks and that the raids were launched in response to immediate threats. Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said the militants were about to carry out attacks in real time. He praised the Israeli forces, saying they engaged the enemy and we back them completely.

In a statement, the military said it launched five simultaneous raids and soldiers opened fire after being shot at in two locations. It said five militants were killed and several others were arrested. It also said an officer and a soldier were seriously injured, possibly inadvertently by Israeli fire. The Palestinian Health Ministry said two Palestinians were shot dead near the northern West Bank city of Jenin and three others were killed in Biddu, north of Jerusalem.

Hamas confirmed that four of the dead, including all three killed in Biddu, were members of the Islamic militant group.

Palestinian officials said a 16-year-old boy was also among the dead, though it was not immediately known if he was a militant.

The Palestinian Authority, which administers semi-autonomous areas in the West Bank, condemned the killings and said the Israeli government was fully and directly responsible for this bloody morning and the crimes committed by the occupation forces.

But Hamas also criticized the Palestinian Authority, which maintains security coordination with Israel in a shared struggle against the Islamic group. Hamas spokesman Abdulatif al-Qanou said that recent meetings between Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli officials encouraged the occupation again to pursue the resistance.

Hamas, which rules the Gaza Strip after seizing it from the Palestinian Authority in 2007, praised those killed as heroic martyrs. It called on its supporters to devise tactics and means that harm the enemy and drain it with all possible forms of resistance.

Also Sunday, Israel released Khalida Jarrar, a prominent Palestinian lawmaker, after nearly two years in prison. Jarrar, a senior figure in the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, has been in and out of Israeli prisons for years  often without being charged.

The PFLP has an armed wing and is considered a terrorist group by Israel and Western countries, but Jarrar has not been implicated in attacks. She was sentenced to two years in prison in March for membership in a banned group but given credit for time already served. She was freed several weeks before her sentence was to end.

Recent months have seen a rise in violence in the West Bank, with more than two dozen Palestinians killed in sporadic clashes with Israeli troops and during protests. Many of the clashes have occurred near Beita, a Palestinian village where residents regularly demonstrate against an unauthorized settlement outpost, and near Jenin, which is known as a militant stronghold.

Last month, Israeli troops clashed with Palestinian gunmen during a late-night raid in Jenin, killing four Palestinians. Sundays clashes came a week after Israel recaptured the last of six Palestinian fugitives who tunnelled out of a maximum-security Israeli prison earlier this month.

The escapees were from Jenin, and two were caught in an extensive search. Israel captured the West Bank in the 1967 Mideast war and has established dozens of settlements where nearly 500,000 settlers reside.

The Palestinians seek the West Bank as part of their future state and view the settlements as a major obstacle to resolving the conflict.

Meanwhile, in New York, Israels Prime Minister Naftali Bennett met Sunday evening with officials from the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain to mark this months first anniversary of Israels relations with the two Arab countries.

The so-called Abraham Accords  signed under the Trump administration  have led to the opening of embassies, the launch of direct flights and a raft of agreements to boost economic ties. Speaking to Bahraini Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani and UAE Minister of State in the Foreign Ministry Khalifa Shaheen Almarar, Bennett said he wanted to assure them of continuity of the agreements since he replaced Benjamin Netanyahu.

We believe in this relationship and we want to expand it as much as possible, Bennett said. The Israeli prime minister is to address the U.N. General Assemblys annual meeting of world leaders on Monday morning.

Reporting by The Associated Press
I thought Id be the first with the idea. A pandemic travel pioneer.

In early August, I wanted to go to the US for meetings I absolutely couldnt do on Zoom, but UK travellers had been banned from entry by US authorities since March 2020. Exemptions aside, if youd been in the UK in the last 14 days, you couldnt go.

At the time, Mexico was on the amber list, and there were no Covid-related restrictions for going there  and from Mexico, I could potentially get into the States. I read reams of US government website blurb, and emerged 90 per cent sure Id processed it correctly: go to Mexico for 14 days, get a negative PCR test, and I could fly on to the US.

The tax on my origin country laundering plan? A couple of grand for a fortnight of Mayan temples and gorging on tacos.

I bought a 900 British Airways flight from Gatwick to Cancun  800 for the basic fare, plus 100 and 25,000 Avios for a premium economy upgrade. Might as well launder in style.

Just a few days before I took to the skies, Mexico was moved to the UKs red list.

The flight was rammed with other Brits, also happily flying into the red on a savvy detour en route to the US

Brits in the country rushed to return in the three days between the announcement of the list changes and the day they came into effect, with many narrowly avoiding compulsory British hotel quarantine at around 2,000 a head.

But I hadnt set off yet. My Cancun flight was changed to depart from Heathrow, not Gatwick, but it was still on. And since I wasnt returning to the UK directly from Mexico, the red list switch wouldnt affect me  or my mission to get into the US. I anticipated stretching out on a ghost flight, the adjacent seat freed up for my backpack by hundreds of holiday cancellations.

So on boarding, I was staggered to find the flight rammed with other Brits, also happily flying into the red on a savvy detour en route to the US. My pioneering plan was already a thing.

I wasnt even the jammiest flyer onboard. The woman in the next seat told me she worked as a tutor in Los Angeles, and that the family of the kid she taught was paying for her to hole up in a Cancun all-inclusive for two weeks before heading back. Having already sneaked into California this way a couple of times, her biggest concern was the repetitive resort menu.

Nearby, passengers with posh British accents chirped about the prospect of sunny LA after their two-week Yucatan holiday. There was far more talk of tacos than of the Covid cases spiking in both the US and Mexico.

Id read that Id have to complete a health form to enter Mexico, but when I asked for one at Cancun airport, I was simply waved through. No Covid test result or proof of vaccination was demanded. Green lights all the way.

I took a bus from Cancun to Merida, the breezy (and reportedly extremely safe) capital city of Yucatan state. Friends had told me it was a good place in which to stay out of trouble.

Covid may have been an immigration non-issue, but Meridas population seemed rather hot on the local pandemic rules. I arrived just in time to get a taxi to my Airbnb apartment before the citys curfew began at 11.30pm, when bars and restaurants closed and it became illegal to drive around.

Most locals wore masks indoors and out: impressive, considering that temperatures routinely hit 35C by lunchtime. The swelter created an unofficial daytime curfew, making it near impossible for a pasty-skinned Brit to do anything active in the city before 5pm, at which point I had a six-and-a-half-hour window in which to operate.

Id considered travelling around Mexico  a tempting stretch of the wings after 18 months of pandemic entrenchment. But following a 10-hour flight and a four-hour bus journey, I felt that swanning around the country might be irresponsible, even armed with two Pfizer jabs and a fistful of free NHS lateral flow tests.

Wanting zero-crowd, heat-avoiding fun, I ventured into the countryside to visit some deserted cenotes  the natural sinkholes that are unique to this area. I paid 50 pesos (1.80) for a skinny guy to show me Cenote Mani-Chan, where I sank into what felt like a vast, empty pool of Evian. The only time I went within two metres of anyone was when my guide gave me a backie on his motorbike to a larger cenote, where I swam alone beneath fluttering bats.

On the streets of Merida, city officials sprayed sanitiser on the hands of a smattering of tourists, mainly from the US, entering the historical centre. Every shop and restaurant zapped foreheads checking for high temperatures, but many museums and galleries were closed altogether.

Floating alone in expansive turquoise pools, I felt infinitely more Covid-secure than I had in post-freedom day Britain

The countrys official Covid figures buttressed my decision to stay in one spot. During my stay, the numbers flitted between 5,000 and 20,000  but even Merida locals were suspicious of the stats. A make-up artist in her twenties told me shed flown to the US twice to get jabbed, frustrated at Mexicos slow vaccine rollout. She said that post-pandemic normality still felt a long way off.

I visited restaurants in the evenings, lowering my mask for poc chuc: fabulously marinated pork. The curfew makes dinner-date dynamics interesting for locals: to avoid fines, Uber bookings must be made by 10.45pm, meaning that dining couples have to be decisive about where the evening is headed. Walks of shame can legally take place from 5am, when the nightly curfew is lifted.

Such dilemmas aside, staying out of globule-sharing distance of other people was easy in uncrowded Merida. I was almost always masked up, although my mask needed regular wringing out due to the heat. Seeing Instagram teem with crowd photos from Reading Festival while I floated alone in expansive turquoise pools, I felt infinitely more Covid-secure than I had in post-freedom day Britain.

Assuming I ace my 100 PCR test Mexico-side, Ill soon rejoin the British throng undertaking this enjoyable if convoluted laundering process, and fly on to Ohio.

Yes, its a faff having to fork out for a flight and two weeks accommodation in Mexico. Though Merida is an affordable city, two weeks there is hardly a negligible added cost. And on top of the extra spend, the possibility of Covid rules changing at any stage of the journey always looms, adding worries about the cost of emergency flights or extended time spent stranded in Mexico.

These are among the risks you accept when you choose to fly into the red. But for many of the Brits prepared to take them, so far theyve paid off.
India has done a soft launch of a national single window system to benefit investors, besides ongoing reforms to simplify and streamline procedures to run or start a business. This includes striking down 22,000 compliances across the federal and state/union territory jurisdictions. Complementary to this has been efforts to ease pain points of digital governance, such as for securing driving licenses, teacher training and accessible online education material, authenticating hallmarked products, grievance redressal for MSMEs etc.

On September 22, 2021, the federal government launched the National Single Window System (NSWS) for investors and businesses, especially micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs). This single window portal is designed to be a one-stop-shop for investors, which will simplify tedious bureaucratic procedures for getting approvals, registrations, and clearances.

The portal is intended to usher in ease of doing business, transparency, and accountability by removing information asymmetries and bureaucratic hurdles and providing solutions at the click of a mouse to achieve end-to-end facilitation.

What is the National Single Window System?

The National Single Window System (NSWS) is a one-stop digital platform that will allow investors to apply for various approvals and licenses for commencing a business in the country.

The NSWS aims to streamline the business registration processes by eliminating the need for multiple applications across various portals or bureaucratic windows offline.

By facilitating approvals online, the portal does away with the requirement of physical visits to government offices. All relevant information will be available on a single dashboard and an applicant dashboard will allow investors to apply, track, and respond to queries.

Currently, the platform hosts approvals across 18 central government departments and nine states. Another 14 central departments and five states will be added by December 2021.

Reporting by various business media quoted the federal Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, saying, Its a soft launch. We will learn as we go along. This is a test phase. We didnt rush into the finalization of the modules.

What are the services offered by this system?

Know Your Approval (KYA) Service: This feature generates a list of approvals that must be obtained before a business may begin operations. Under this service, investors are asked a series of questions about their scheduled business operations, and accordingly, requisite permissions are identified. The questionnaire, which is simple and user-friendly on the surface, employs complex algorithms to filter through hundreds of approvals, shortlisting only those relevant to the specific investor or entrepreneur.

This feature generates a list of approvals that must be obtained before a business may begin operations. Under this service, investors are asked a series of questions about their scheduled business operations, and accordingly, requisite permissions are identified. The questionnaire, which is simple and user-friendly on the surface, employs complex algorithms to filter through hundreds of approvals, shortlisting only those relevant to the specific investor or entrepreneur. Common Registration Form: A unified information capturing system and a universal registration form has been introduced to ensure a single point of submission of information and documents across Indias Ministries and States. The information on this form is auto populated, eliminating the requirement of filling the same form again.

A unified information capturing system and a universal registration form has been introduced to ensure a single point of submission of information and documents across Indias Ministries and States. The information on this form is auto populated, eliminating the requirement of filling the same form again. State registration form : It allows investors to access the corresponding State Single Window System with a single click.

: It allows investors to access the corresponding State Single Window System with a single click. Applicant dashboard : It provides a single online interface to apply, track, and respond to the queries pertaining to approvals and registrations across ministries and States.

: It provides a single online interface to apply, track, and respond to the queries pertaining to approvals and registrations across ministries and States. Document repository : It is an online centralized storage service for investors to enable one-time document submission and use the same across multiple approvals. This eliminates the need to submit documents at multiple portals.

: It is an online centralized storage service for investors to enable one-time document submission and use the same across multiple approvals. This eliminates the need to submit documents at multiple portals. E-Communication module: It enables online response to queries and clarification requests related to applications by Ministries and States.

Reduction of 22,000 compliances: Ease of doing business reforms an ongoing effort

The digitization of the approvals process is also linked to Indias overall efforts to improve its business environment. According to the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), the country has made redundant more than 22,000 compliances at the federal and state/union territory level. The aim is to simplify, decriminalize, and remove redundant laws.

Top-down bureaucratic exercise

All government ministries have been required to establish a dedicated team to examine the laws and regulations under their purview and find ways to reduce the compliance burden. DPIIT acts as the nodal department coordinating this exercise.

In recent years, about 103 offenses have been decriminalized and 327 redundant provisions and laws have been eliminated. 46 penal provisions of the Companies Act, 2013 and 12 offenses under the Limited Liability Partnership (LLP) Act, 2008 have been decriminalized.

Respective Indian state governments have introduced licensing reforms, implemented single window clearances for new investors, digitized a central random inspection system, initiated labor reforms, and formulated initiatives to support MSMEs and industrial development.

Focus areas of reforms to improve the business environment

1) Eliminate compliance burden across all procedures, rules, notifications, circulars, office memorandums, etc. which merely add to time and cost without achieving any tangible improvement in governance.

2) Repeal/amend/subsume redundant laws.

3) Decriminalize laws pertaining to technical and minor non-compliance issues to eliminate constant fear of being prosecuted for trivial defaults, while retaining strict criminal enforcement for serious fraudulent offenses that jeopardize and prejudice public interest.

Examples of recent reforms

Department of Telecommunications

Distinction between domestic and international OSP (other service provider) removed, allowing Indian telecom service providers serving foreign counterparts to register as an OSP.

Allowed sharing of EPABX (Electronic Private Automatic Branch Exchange) and PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network) lines by domestic and international centers. This benefits outsourcing, business process management, and IT-enables services firms that provide voice-based services in India.

Department of Science and Technology

Private, public entities, and research institutes now allowed to collect, process, store, publish, and share geospatial data and services, including maps enabling an Indian firm to offer world class geospatial service like Google maps.

Liberalized access to geospatial data to facilitate stakeholders planning infrastructure projects, increase protection from natural calamities, and enable environment protection. It also reduces reliance on foreign resources and technology for geospatial mapping.

Department of Food and Public Distribution

Migrant beneficiaries will be empowered to get their entitled quota of food grains from any electronic point of sale (e-PoS) enabled fair price shops across the country. Mera Ration mobile app introduced to help users identify nearest fair price shop, check entitlement details and recent transactions. Ration cards made portable. Facility covers more than 750 million beneficiaries under National Food Security Act (NFSA), almost 94.3 percent of target population.

Ministry of Road Transport and Highways

Single step online Aadhaar validation process introduced for 18 services associated with driving license (DL), Registration Certificate (RC), transfer of ownership, international driving permit, hire-purchase, etc., eliminating the need for citizens to visit the Road Transport Offices (RTO) leading to hassle free services.

Registration Certificate now issued at dealer location itself. Vehicle registration can be done anywhere in the state (Maharashtra, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal) unlike the earlier process where it could only be done at respective RTOs.

Ministry of Education

Digital Infrastructure for Knowledge Sharing (DIKSHA) user interface developed to enable learners and teachers across the country to access curricula of NCERT, CBSE, and SCERTs online. 185,000 pieces of e-content uploaded on portal (~24 billion hits since lockdown) showcases its increased usage. Training of teachers enabled online on DIKSHA with about 2.5 million teachers benefiting.

Ministry of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises

Samadhaan portal launched empowering MSMEs across the country to register and track grievances related to delayed payment and settlement of disputes.

CHAMPIONS portal launched for speedy redressal of grievances of MSMEs. Over 37,000 grievances redressed (by August 2021) with a reply rate of more than 99 percent.

Sampark portal launched to help connect job seekers (passed out trainees/ students of MSME Technology Centers) to recruiters. More than 473,000 job seekers and more than 6200 recruiters registered on the portal till date.

Department of Consumer Affairs
State-owned Oil India witnessed positive sentiment on Monday's trading session after the company had conducted its 62nd Annual General Meeting (AGM) where the company's six decades of healthy track record was discussed. The CMD Sushil Chandra Mishra is optimistic about the company and expects it to continue growing relentlessly.At around 10.44 am, Oil India was trading at Rs219.30 per piece up 1.08% on Sense. The stock has touched an intraday high of Rs220.75 per piece that was near the 52-week high of Rs222.80 per piece respectively.On Saturday, the company released the press release AGM to the stock exchanges.The AGM started with Sushil Chandra Mishra, Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) and Directors along with Independent Directors welcoming all the shareholders to the AGM.Mishra described the financial year 2020-21 as a momentous & historical one with OIL completing 62 golden years of its existence. History was scripted on 26th March 2021 when OIL, as part of its diversification strategy enhanced its stakes in Numaligarh Refinery Limited (NRL) to 80.16%, thus, making significant strides towards making OIL a truly vertically integrated company.Further, the CMD shared the significant highlights of fiscal 2020-21 during which OI reported revenue of Rs10,561cr and profit after tax of Rs. 1,741.59 crores. The company also made 1 (one) gas discovery in Assam and has achieved a Reserve Replacement Ratio (RRR) of 1.16 under the 2P category and has been maintaining a healthy RRR of more than one consistently.On overseas operations, the CMD informed that OILs E & P portfolio is spread over 08 countries covering Russia, the USA, Venezuela, Mozambique, Nigeria, Bangladesh, Libya and Gabon. During 2020-21, production from overseas assets corresponding to OILs participating Interest in these assets stood at 2.10 MMTOE. The Company received Cumulative Dividends from the producing overseas assets of TAAS-Yuryakh Neftegazodobycha LLC (TYNGD) and Vankorneft of USD 519.4 Mn till 31.03.2021.The CMD focused that in the age of exponentially growing technologies, the company is taking major strides towards the proliferation of these cutting-edge digital technologies across its E&P activities to enhance efficiency, productivity and safety. A focused program called DRIVE was launched through which certain high impact technological innovations were identified, which are now in various stages of implementation, particularly in areas of drilling, production, maintenance, logistics and procurement.Finally, the CMD concluded by reassuring all shareholders that, with OILs brilliant track record and rich experience of over six decades shall continue relentlessly in the pursuit of its vision.
"Prevent Unauthorized Transactions in your demat / trading account Update your Mobile Number/ email Id with your stock broker / Depository Participant. Receive information of your transactions directly from Exchanges on your mobile / email at the end of day and alerts on your registered mobile for all debits and other important transactions in your demat account directly from NSDL/ CDSL on the same day." - Issued in the interest of investors." | "KYC is one time exercise while dealing in securities markets - once KYC is done through a SEBI registered intermediary (broker, DP, Mutual Fund etc.), you need not undergo the same process again when you approach another intermediary." | "No need to issue cheques by investors while subscribing to IPO. Just write the bank account number and sign in the application form to authorise your bank to make payment in case of allotment. No worries for refund as the money remains in investor's account."

www.indiainfoline.com is part of the IIFL Group, a leading financial services player and a diversified NBFC. The site provides comprehensive and real time information on Indian corporates, sectors, financial markets and economy. On the site we feature industry and political leaders, entrepreneurs, and trend setters. The research, personal finance and market tutorial sections are widely followed by students, academia, corporates and investors among others.
MAM | Media And Advertising Battle of the boxers: ASCI dismisses Amul Macho's complaint against Lux Cozi Lux Cozi has won the legal battle against Amul Macho regarding its latest advertisement starring actor Varun Dhawan. In a significant ruling, the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) has overruled the complaint filed by the rival innerwear brand stating that there was no similarity between the two ads in terms of concept and executional elements. Read More...

MAM | Media And Advertising Ford India MD Anurag Mehrotra to step down by month-end American auto major Ford has announced a change at the helm of affairs in India, weeks after declaring the stoppage of local manufacturing in the country. The company informed that Ford India president and managing director Anurag Mehrotra has put in his papers and will step down from his post by the end of September. Read More...

MAM | Media And Advertising Havas Creative Group India names Debpriyo Bhattacherjee as EVP & Planning head-north Havas Creative Group India has appointed Debopriyo (Debo) Bhattacherjee as EVP & planning Head  North effective immediately. In his new role, Bhattacherjee will be responsible for providing strategic guidance to Havas Creative with a special focus on all brands of Reckitt and a portfolio of brands from the Dabur stable. Read More...

MAM | Marketing GUEST COLUMN: Why do companies need to be more consumer-centric than brand-centric? Experts and professionals have long debated the merits of customer-centricity versus brand-centricity. I have to say that it's not one against the other; instead, both complement each other. With the fast-changing business landscape, the tenets of marketing and brand value have evolved equally fast. Read More...

MAM | Marketing HUL leads advertiser's tally in week 37: Barc FMCG major Hindustan Lever Ltd (HUL) led the top-ten advertisers list in Barc week 37 (11  17 September) with total ad volumes of 4718.72. Reckitt Benckiser (India) Ltd was a close second at 4028.89 ('000s). Cadbury India stood third at 944.54. Brooke Bond Lipton India, ITC Ltd, Godrej Consumer Products, Colgate Palmolive India, Amazon Online India, Procter and Gamble, and GCMMF followed at the remaining seven positions in that order. Read More...

MAM | Marketing GUEST COLUMN: Digital marketing strategies to prepare for the festive season If a year is like a film, then the festive season is the climax scene of the year! Consumers are all set to fill their online shopping carts with amazing offers this festive season. According to the consumer synopsis, the year 2021 will record a large number of traction from the non-metro sectors. Read More...
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal backed the agitating farmers and urged the Central government to listen to their demands. "This is very sad that on the occasion of Bhagat Singh birthday, farmers had to call for a Bharat bandh. It has been almost a year since the farmers are trying to convince the government. This is an independent India. If we don't even listen to our farmers in independent India, then who will?" said Kejriwal while speaking to the reporters during the Delhi Tourism app launch. In the picture, farmers block railway tracks as part of protests against farm laws during nationwide protests, in Sonipat, northern state of Haryana.
A consumer forum in Mumbai has told a matchmaker to pay Rs 60,000 as a refund to a woman for failing to propose names of 15 suitors in a month, which had been promised.

According to a report in Live Law, the Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission asked Juhu-based matchmaker Priya Shah to refund Rs. 55,000 and imposed costs of Rs 5,000 payable within 30 days.

Live Law

The woman filed the complaint 8 years ago. She said Shah told her about an established matchmaking practice and promised an average of 15 suitable matrimonial matches per month.

In July 2012, she hired Shah by paying Rs 55,000 by cheque. But she did not receive the promised number of matches. She e-mailed a complaint but it was unanswered.

Medium

On October 25, the woman terminated Shah's services, demanded a refund and approached the consumer forum.

The accused did not turn up for the hearings and ultimately now has to pay Rs 60,000 as a refund.




People working from home could contribute considerably to reducing pollution caused by harmful nitrogen dioxide.

Unsplash

Also Read: Work From Home Blocks Innovation, Teamwork & Productivity, Says Microsoft



This is according to research conducted by scientists at the Institute of Environmental Science and Technology of the Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona (ICTA-UAB). They looked at three different scenarios -- telecommuting two, three and four days a week. They based their findings on mobility and air quality data obtained in Barcelona during the COVID-19 lockdown.



They found the harmful nitrous oxide levels to decline by four percent, eight percent and ten percent respectively. Moreover, if 40 percent of service sector employees worked from home for four days in a week, not only would NO2 levels decline by ten percent, traffic emissions would also drop by 15 percent.

Also, the length of trips that the remaining workers take to get their jobs would decline by 37.5 percent. In the other two scenarios -- two days work from home with 20 percent workforce and three days work from home for 30 percent of the workforce -- traffic emissions would drop by 5 percent and 10 percent respectively.

The length of work-related travel would also drop by rates of 12.5 percent and 25 percent respectively.

Also Read: 57% Indian Employees Feel Overworked Working From Home, Claims Survey

Researchers also found that studying online would cut NO2 emissions by 20 percent and shopping online would cut it by 30 percent.

Unsplash

Also Read: 58% Would Quit Their Job If Employer Forces To Come Back To Office, Reveals Study

ICTA-UAB researcher and the study's lead author, Alba Badia, said in a statement, The application of this [third] scenario could be viable and realistic during periods of high pollution, as it is simply based on the maximization of teleworking and the reduction of other work-related travel and shopping.

Do you think work from home will be a permanent option in the near future? Tell us in the comments below, and keep visiting Indiatimes.com for more cool science and technology news and updates.
Indian students have all kinds of tricks when it comes to cheating in an exam. But a few of them have really gone too far this time.

Five people were arrested in Rajasthan for allegedly selling Bluetooth device-fitted 'chappals' worth Rs 6 lakh to candidates appearing in the teachers' recruitment exam, REET.

Came across this picture on Telegram. A Chappal with phone & Bluetooth connectivity, used in Rajasthan Teachers Selection Examination. That's the level of morality amongst "teachers wannabees"! Shame!! pic.twitter.com/4gpGjGkWp5  Andromeda  (@AndromedAlamak) September 27, 2021



The gang of five people, including a woman, was arrested and a cheating racket busted by Rajasthan Police who acted after sensing something fishy by a candidate who appeared at an Ajmer centre in the Rajasthan Eligibility Examination for Teachers (REET) that was held on Sunday.



"The chappal is such it has an entire phone inside and a Bluetooth device. The candidate had a device inside his ear and someone from outside the exam hall was helping him cheat," police officer Ratan Lal Bhargav told NDTV.

Bluetooth chappal. New way to cheat. Indian jugaad at its best. pic.twitter.com/6bQIMkieUX  Da_Lying_Lama (@GoofyOlives) September 26, 2021

The incident came to light when aspirant, Ganesh Ram Dhaka (28), who had arrived at the Acharya Shri Dharam Sagar Digambar Jain Secondary Medium School Centre in Ajmer for the REET was found wearing a Bluetooth-equipped chappal. After being questioned, the police came to know that the Bluetooth device was hidden inside his footwear.

Bikaner Police have identified the gang members - Madanlal, Trilokchand, Omprakash, Gopal Krishna, and Kiran. Dhaka was arrested by the Ajmer police, and Tuljaram Jat is absconding. Further investigation is underway.

Amid heavy security arrangements #Rajasthan's biggest competitive #ReetExam2021 for recruitment of 31,000 government teachers held successfully. 4 held for trying to cheat with 'Bluetooth Chappals' in #Bikaner.@NewIndianXpress pic.twitter.com/RT7GUTsHsl  rajesh asnani (@asnaniraajesh) September 26, 2021

Mobile internet and SMS were snapped in several districts of Rajasthan for 12 hours today to prevent cheating in the REET. Some 16 lakh students took the test for 31,000 posts in government schools. A person needs to pass the REET to become a teacher in Rajasthan government schools.
World Tourism Day is observed every year on September 27 to mark the anniversary of the adoption of the Statutes of the Organization in 1970, paving the way for the establishment of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).

The day is observed to highlight the importance of tourism's social, cultural, political, and economic value across the globe.

Unsplash

World Tourism Day: Theme



This year, the theme for the day is 'Tourism for Inclusive Growth.' COVID-19 had a major impact on everyone around the world. While it broke families, it also had a devastating impact on the global economy. One of the worst-hit sectors was tourism. With this theme in mind, the UNWTO aims to rebuild the world by bringing back tourism as countries slowly return to normalcy.

As tourism is restarted, it will be a big boost for the economy. Along with that, the results of this growth should be spread far and wide in every corner of the world. No community should be left behind in this.



Unsplash

With the decline in COVID-19 cases, the tourism destinations have been opening up, travellers are set to venture out. However, the pandemic is not over and it is important to follow the below guidelines to ensure a safe trip without any unforeseen consequences.

Things To Keep In Mind While Traveling During Covid-19 Pandemic



- For starters, make a list of places you want to visit and plan accordingly. Remember proper planning is the only thing that will work out currently. An impromptu travel plan won't work out during the current times.

- Next thing to do before planning a holiday is to check travel restrictions and important guidelines imposed on the particular location. From a period of quarantine to two doses of COVID-19 vaccination and negative RT-PCR reports, different places have different requirements. So make sure your planning is aligned to that.

- Research well about the location. There are several websites, which provide details about the holiday destinations, nearby attractions, accommodation options, and food points.

Unsplash

- Make sure to carry essential items like identity cards, hand sanitiser, disinfectant wipes, face masks, face shields among others.

- Follow COVID-19 safety precautions like avoiding touching surfaces unnecessarily. If you need to touch anything, sanitise your hand properly, especially before eating and touching your eyes and nose.

- Lastly, if you're feeling sick and think that you may have Covid-19 symptoms, avoid travel at all costs to keep yourself and others safe.

Unsplash

So, on this World Tourism Day, travel safely.
Srinivas Reddy, Indian American president of Pratham Chicago, said of the chapters 5K Walk: This years Pratham 5K walk was our first in-person event in nearly two years, and was very successful. (photo provided)
File photo of Indian women holding offerings as they worship the Sun god in the waters of the Sabarmati river during the religious festival of Chhath Puja, in Ahmedabad Nov. 3, 2019. (ANI photo)
A Wallingford, Connecticut, woman was arrested and charged with illegally collecting workers compensation benefits while being employed as a teacher for the City of Bristol Board of Education.

Ann Marie Barros was arrested by inspectors from the Workers Compensation Fraud Control Unit in the Office of the Chief States Attorney on a warrant charging her with one count of fraudulent claim or receipt of benefits and one count of larceny in the first degree by defrauding a public community.

According to the arrest warrant affidavit, in February 2019, while working for the City of Bristol Board of Education, Barros was injured while she attempted to break up an altercation between two students. Barros claimed she sustained injuries to her head, neck and back.

Barros was placed on temporary total disability (TTD) and began receiving TTD benefits from her employer through FutureComp. TTD benefits are wage replacement monies for those who qualify under the program. During that period of benefits, the recipient is considered to have zero work capacity and must inform their employer of any improvements in their injuries. They also are required to report any income beyond the benefits provided.

Barros received workers compensation benefits in the amount of $59,608.82. Surveillance videos and documentation showed that while out on workers compensation, Barros was gainfully employed as a real estate agent.

Barros was released on a $10,000 non-surety bond and is scheduled to appear in Meriden Superior Court, G.A. No. 7, on September 30, 2021.

The case will be prosecuted by the Workers Compensation Fraud Control Unit of the Office of the Chief States Attorney in Rocky Hill. The charges are merely accusations, and she is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Source: Connecticut State Division of Criminal Justice

Topics Workers' Compensation Fraud Abuse Molestation Talent Connecticut
Amazon.com Inc is to start offering insurance to small and medium-sized UK business customers, the technology giants first foray into business insurance in the country, broker Superscript said on Monday.

Members of Amazons Business Prime program will be able to buy cover from Superscript such as contents insurance, cyber insurance and professional indemnity insurance, which a Superscript spokesperson said would be underwritten by major UK insurers. They will be offered a discount of 20% to current rates as a way of enticing businesses over to them.

More than 50% of customers are prepared to buy insurance from non-traditional players such as big tech or insurance technology (insurtech) firms, according to a recent survey of 12,000 people globally by consultants Capgemini.

The (insurance) industry needs to bridge the divide between insurers and customers by providing a quick, smooth buying process that is customer-centric, Cameron Shearer, co-founder and CEO of Superscript, said in a statement.

Amazons move into UK business insurance comes after U.S. insurtech Next Insurance said in March it was offering cover to U.S. small businesses via Amazon Business Prime.

As businesses come out of the pandemic and gradually resume normalcy, we want customers to have the best-in-class tools to run their business, Molly Dobson, Country Manager for Amazon Business UK & Ireland, said in the statement.

Financial institutions are worried that tech firms will steal their business, trading on the tech players stronger brand names and ease of access to their products.

But industry sources said insurers or banks and tech firms are more likely to forge partnerships than compete directly, given the difficulties and expense for outsiders in entering the highly regulated finance sector.

Amazon also offers warranty insurance and buy now, pay later services in Britain.

(Reporting by Carolyn Cohn; editing by David Gregorio)

Topics Agencies Amazon
Mexican startup Super, which offers coverage for earthquake property damages, plans to expand into hurricane insurance and possibly raise a fresh funding round next year, according to chief executive officer and founder Sebastian Villarreal.

The company, which launched in 2019, offers simple and affordable insurance options to clients by eliminating the middlemen. Super uses technology to determine claims and makes direct payments to clients in a matter of days.

Its quake insurance, which was tested during a 7.0 magnitude tremor on Sept. 7, is based on acceleration models developed by external seismic engineering firm ERN. The model determines the potential damage that a quake initiated thousands of miles away can cause on a clients home, whether it is a house or a high rise condo building.

Super is now turning its attention to providing support for damage caused by ever-more frequent hurricanes, especially in the Mexican states of Quintana Roo, Campeche, Veracruz, Jalisco and the Baja Peninsula.

We will be launching by mid next year. It will take into consideration the hurricane category, its path, and wind speed where you live, Villarreal said in an interview this week in his office.

Super also offers life insurance and health coverage, particularly for COVID-19. The company has a staff of 22 employees in Mexico, Canada and the U.S. as of now. Villarreal wouldnt disclose the number of clients to date. (Editors note: Mexico City-based Super.mx offers parametric insurance solutions).

Mexico has been particularly susceptible to major earthquakes as it lies on the eastern rim of the Ring of Fire, a region around the Pacific Ocean with strong seismic activity. Several states were rocked by two powerful quakes of 8.2 and 7.1 magnitude in September 2017.

The country is also in the path of major hurricanes that originate in the Atlantic and intensify in the warmer waters of the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico. Hurricane Grace killed 9 people in Veracruz in early August, followed by the storms Ida and Nora that made landfall within hours of each other days later.

As for financing needs, Villarreal said that Super is adequately funded right now but he didnt rule out Series B financing in 2022, which could near $30 million, to sustain growth in Mexico.

We wont raise money again if it is not from a fund of the highest caliber, he said.

Villarreal declined to name any existing or potential backers. The company previously raised $9.6 million in seed money and a Series A round.

Top photograph: Two exposed bedrooms in a building where a wall was knocked down after a magnitude 7.1 earthquake hit in Acapulco, on Sept. 8, 2021. Photo credit: Raul Aguirre/Getty Images

Copyright 2021 Bloomberg.

Topics Catastrophe Natural Disasters Claims InsurTech Tech Earthquake Mexico Startups
The board of Assicurazioni Generali on Monday threw its weight behind the reappointment of Chief Executive Philippe Donnet, overlooking opposition from two leading shareholders in Italys top insurer, two people close to the matter said.

Donnets fate had been called into question by a boardroom row at Generali, Europes third-largest insurer and one of Italys most prized financial assets, just as the French manager prepared to present a new business plan in December.

Generali CEO Donnet Faces Key Test in Face of Opposition From 2 Leading Investors Mediobanca Boosts Stake in Generali as Battle Over Leadership Heats Up

The two sources said Generalis outgoing board had agreed by a majority vote to file a slate of nominees for shareholders to vote upon in the spring, including Donnet as CEO.

The decision was backed by nine of 13 members of the board, one of the sources said.

The source said the board would set up a dedicated committee to put together the list, with support from headhunters and legal advisers as well as oversight from Generali Chairman Gabriele Galateri.

Donnets reappointment meets resistance from influential Italian businessmen Francesco Gaetano Caltagirone, 78, and Leonardo Del Vecchio, 86.

The two tycoons, respectively Generalis second and third largest investors, have criticized Donnets merger and acquisition strategy as too timid.

On the contrary, top investor Mediobanca backs a third mandate for Donnet, who has steered Generali through the COVID-19 crisis, keeping it on track to meet targets to the end of 2021.

Del Vecchio, founder of Ray-Ban owner Luxottica, and Caltagirone, a construction magnate, have been steadily lifting their Generali stakes, while also building holdings in Mediobanca, piling pressure on its boss Alberto Nagel.

Earlier this month Del Vecchio and Caltagirone announced an accord to consult over decisions concerning Generali, where they control a combined 12.5% stake after a third smaller investor recently joined their pact.

That threshold is not far from Mediobancas 13% stake in Generali, which makes the insurer a major contributor to the profit of the Milanese investment bank, which last week borrowed more shares in Generali to reach 17.2% of the Trieste-based insurers voting rights.

Del Vecchio, who two years ago rocked Italys financial establishment by emerging as the biggest investor in Mediobanca, has criticized its reliance on the Generali stake.

Mediobanca has said it would keep the beefed-up voting stake in Generali until next springs AGM, where shareholders will have the last word on the choice of CEO.

Institutional investors, which account for around 40% of Generalis shareholder base, will play a key role.

Del Vecchio and Caltagirone are ready to back an alternative list of nominees for the boards renewal, people with knowledge of the matter have previously told Reuters.

(Reporting by Gianluca Semeraro and Claudia Cristoferi; writing by Valentina Za; editing by Alexander Smith and Angus MacSwan)

Topics Mergers Generali Life Assurance (Thailand) Plc.
A federal lawsuit alleges women working at a Nebraska railyard were subjected to sexual harassment and managers failed to do anything about it, in violation of federal law.

BNSF Railway Company (BNSF), a major North American freight transportation company, violated federal law by subjecting female employees at its Alliance, Nebraska, railyard to a sexually hostile work environment, according to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).

According to the lawsuit, female workers at the facility were subjected to an almost daily barrage of harassing conduct and comments from male coworkers and supervisors.

The alleged treatment, which has been ongoing for many years, included sexual and derogatory comments, slurs, graffiti, and sexually suggestive and nude photos of women.

When female employees complained about the harassment, company supervisors allegedly brushed it off, sometimes laughing or telling the women, welcome to the railroad.

The suit alleges BNSF, which is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, failed to take any action to meaningfully address the problem.

Such alleged conduct violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII), which prohibits sexual harassment in the workplace. The EEOCs suit, filed in U.S. District Court for Nebraska (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission v. BNSF Railway Co., Civil Action No. 8:21-cv-00369), alleges BNSF violated Title VII by failing to take reasonable steps to combat sexual harassment at its Alliance railyard.

The EEOC seeks monetary relief for female employees affected by the harassment, an order prohibiting future sexual harassment, and other relief.

Topics Lawsuits Nebraska Berkshire Hathaway
Global insurer Chubbs employees have begun to return to their offices in many countries around the world as governments have brought the coronavirus pandemic under control. However, the United State government has not been able to get the virus under control, which is causing greater problems, according to President and CEO Evan Greenberg.

We have been ready to begin our return to [the] office in the U.S., but took a pause, given the increase in infection rates in many parts of the world, Greenberg said during Chubbs 2019 second-quarter earnings call on July 29. Among developed countries in the world, the U.S. stands out in its inability to manage the health crisis on a national basis. This is damaging our economic recovery and our image globally.

According to Greenberg, the situation is far different for Chubb and its 31,000 global employees at many of its other global locations. He said Chubb continues to operate around the globe as a normal company during extremely abnormal times.

Depending on where you are in the world, with exceptions, a substantial portion of our international staff is back in the office at any given day, he said. This includes most of Asia Pacific, where about 50 percent [of employees] are back in the office, and in some countries, 100 percent.

According to Greenberg, Chubbs European operations, excluding Spain and Italy, have seen 25 percent of employees resume office work. In the UK, where working from home is continuing, Greenberg said that Chubb expects 20 percent to 25 percent of its staff to return to formal offices in August.

There are exceptions in the United States, Greenberg noted, with office life resuming where sections of the country have brought the coronavirus pandemic under better control. Where conditions have stabilized in the U.S., like the Northeast, weve begun to bring employees back to the office for meetings, to collaborate, learn and plan, Greenberg said. We are ready to return on a broader basis when conditions warrant [but] the health and well-being of our staff is of paramount concern.

Greenberg sounded the alarm, as he has previously, that the pandemic could be huge.

COVID-19 is a slow rolling global catastrophe impacting virtually all countries, unlike other natural catastrophes it has no geographic or time limits and the event continues as we speak. Together the health and consequent economic crisis will likely produce the largest loss in insurance history, particularly considering its worldwide scope and how both sides of the balance sheet are ultimately impacted, the Chubb leader said.

Greenberg had plenty to say about other matters, too, particularly the Black Lives Matter protests that have erupted across the United States, and a continued condemnation of efforts to force retroactive business interruption coverage of pandemics.

On Diversity and Inclusion. Greenberg, referencing the Black Lives Matter protests and marches against police brutality, said that the events have unfolded in our nation these past few months have focused our attention on what we should do as citizens and as a company.

He said that Chubb considers itself as an inclusive meritocracy that strives to make all colleagues feel comfortable and recognize them for their contributions. With that in mind, Chubb developed an action plan it shared with its employees designed to help enhance individual and collective understanding of racism in society and strive within Chubb to be antiracist in its behavior.

We want to actively support each other, Greenberg said. It starts with more frank dialogue between our employees of color, particularly our black colleagues, and white colleagues, to create better understanding of racism.

Greenberg said the insurer will hold its executives and other leaders accountable for developing and leading an inclusive environment. Also envisioned: the elimination of policies and practices that potentially create bias and inhibit our ability to create a greater racial mix of our workforce at all levels of the company.

As Greenberg explained: This is an enduring process, not a momentary event in time.

On the Pandemic and Business Interruption. As he has previously, Greenberg railed against attempts by trial attorneys and others to force carriers to retroactively cover pandemic-related business interruption claims. The insurance industry is under attack by the trial bar over business interruption claims, Greenberg said. They represent many businesses which purchased BI coverage that does not provide cover for pandemic. Those customers are understandably disappointed and upset.

Greenberg accused trial attorneys of reverse engineering insurance language to conjure up business interruption coverage that for the most part simply doesnt exist. He said that coverage for pandemic was not contemplated for most standard business interruption policies, which were designed for interruptions such as fire or flood damage interruptions.

He added that state insurance regulators who approved the policies agree that this risk is not covered and that the industry could not cover the massive open-ended tail risk of a global pandemic, because it threatens the industry solvency.

Greenberg said Chubb will pay business interruption coverage for policies that specifically cover pandemic related shutdowns.

But without the federal government playing a major role, he said pandemics are uninsurable on a broad basis. He said a federal backstop is one way to provide coverage more widely, he said, citing a proposed public-provide program Chubb unveiled earlier in July as one way to do this.

I believe the industry can and should take pandemic risk along with the government. This is a peril that can be covered to a greater degree than we do today as long as the tail exposure is covered by the government, Greenberg said. It is our job to figure out how to do that.

Topics COVID-19 USA Chubb Business Interruption
Claims errors continue to be the most frequent reason that property/casualty insurers are cited by regulators when responding to market conduct complaints or during routine examinations, according to a report by Wolters Kluwer Compliance Solutions.

Kathy Donovan, lead researcher for Wolters Kluwer, said she found state regulators took 270 market-conduct enforcement actions against property/casualty insurers for claims violations in 2019. Those resulted in $4,675,000 in fines. Failure to meet deadlines for acknowledging, investigating, paying or denying claims was the No. 1 criticism by regulators, she said.

Failure to pay the correct amount or send complaint denial notices was No. 2, failure to provide correct claims processing notices and disclosures was No. 3 and failure to properly process total-loss claims was No. 4.

Wolters Kluwers Top 10 Market Conduct Criticisms of P/C Insurers Failure to acknowledge, pay, investigate or deny claims within specified timeframes. Failure to issue correct payments and/or compliant denial notices. Failure to provide required compliant notices and disclosures in claims processing. Failure to process total loss claims properly. Improper/incomplete documentation of underwriting files. Using unapproved/unfiled rates and rules or misapplying rating factors. Failure to cancel, non-renew, decline policies in accordance with requirements. Failure to adhere to producer appointment, termination, records, reporting and/or licensing requirements. Improper/incomplete documentation of claim files. Failure to provide required compliant notices and disclosures in underwriting process. Donovan gives a detailed presentation on the findings in a webinar: Top 10 Property & Casualty Market Conduct Issues of 2019.

Donovan said during a telephone interview that it should be no surprise that claims would be the most common reason that insurers get dinged by regulators, given the tight deadlines, numerous notices required and exacting standards established for the amounts that are paid on claims. She said most of the criticisms cited by regulators could have been resolved by more careful attention to proper documentation.

A lot of it goes back to documentation that proves what theyve done, when theyve done it and how theyve done it, she said during a telephone interview on Friday.

For example, Donovan said many states require claims to be paid or denied within specific timeframes, often 30 or 45 days. Insurers can extend those deadlines but they are required to send notices to the policyholders explaining why they are taking longer to resolve the claim. Sometimes delay notices are sent with no explanation, and sometimes no delay notice is sent at all.

Donovan said auto claims are frequently delayed because the collision repair shop uncovers additional damage after beginning work, requiring a supplemental report. In a homeowners claim, the adjuster may hold up on a file because an inventory of damaged personal items has not been received.

Those are both valid reasons, but the adjuster needs to notify the claimant on the reason for the delay.

The purpose of those requirements is to keep the claimant informed, Donovan explained.

Documentation is especially important when insurers determine values in total loss cases. Donovan said many states require insurers to pay the cost of licensing and registration fees, but insurers write a check for the value of the car without documenting any extra money to cover those costs.

Similarly, when a policyholder chooses to hold on to a wrecked car, some states require that the owner be reimbursed for the cost of obtaining a salvage title. Donovan said she saw one instance where an insurer was cited for failing to add that $6 cost to its payout.

Sometimes insurers do a poor job of explaining how they arrived at a vehicles value. Donovan said California regulators cited one insurer that provided documentation of comparable sales prices for 16 vehicles, but only three of the vehicles were within a 100-mile radius of the policyholders residence in San Diego.

Other errors cited by regulators include:

In Illinois, an insurer denied a claim and gave proper notice on time, but failed to give notice to the policyholder that he has a right to contact the state Department of Insurance.

In California, an insurer improperly applied depreciation to overhead and profit when calculating the value of a property damage claim.

In Connecticut, an insurer was cited for setting unreasonable and arbitrary limits on reimbursement for paint and materials for vehicle repairs.

In West Virginia, an insurer recommended that a claimant file a claim against his own insurer instead of the insurer for the other vehicle involved in the crash, which is prohibited.

The Wolters Kluwer report said claims have consistently been the leading source of regulator citations against insurers during the 16 years that the company has been studying market conduct actions.

Certainly, claims  with all of their moving parts in all of the lines of business  still present compliance challenges, Donovan said.

Topics Carriers Auto Claims Property Casualty
United Airlines Inc is facing claims that it unlawfully denied religious and medical exemptions from a requirement that employees receive COVID-19 vaccines after allegedly making it difficult for workers to apply for them.

Six United employees filed a class action in Texas federal court on Tuesday claiming that workers who sought exemptions from the vaccine mandate were subjected to intrusive inquiries about their medical conditions or religious beliefs, including a requirement that they obtain letters from pastors.

Republicans Blast Biden Vaccine Mandates While Businesses Look to Implementation

Chicago-based United in a statement said the lawsuit was without merit, and that it has seen an overwhelmingly positive response from employees since announcing its vaccine requirement last month. More than 97% of Uniteds U.S.-based employees are vaccinated, the airline said.

The lawsuit highlights the thorny legal issues faced by employers in mandating vaccines, and comes as President Joe Biden is seeking to require companies with 100 or more employees to ensure their workforces are fully vaccinated or tested for COVID-19 weekly.

The plaintiffs on Wednesday asked the court to temporarily bar enforcement of Uniteds mandate for employees who request exemptions. United has required workers to receive at least the first dose of a vaccine by Sept. 27 or face termination, according to the lawsuit.

The airline has already faced a separate legal challenge to its vaccine mandate, which was dismissed by a U.S. judge in Florida last week. The judge said that lawsuit was not filed properly.

The plaintiffs in Tuesdays lawsuit say United gave employees only until Aug. 31 to request religious or medical exemptions from the vaccine requirement, and that it has automatically denied requests filed after that deadline.

They accused United of violating federal laws prohibiting discrimination based on religion and disability.

The workers are seeking to represent a nationwide class that they said would likely include more than 2,000 United employees.

Topics Lawsuits Aviation
A California moratorium guaranteeing insurance in wildfire-threatened areas lapsed Saturday, putting 347,000 homes in Pasadena and other Los Angeles foothills communities at the mercy of the market.

As many as 2.4 million homes are at risk of losing protection in 2021 as year-long grace periods expire  though new disasters may extend their shields. In all, 18 percent of the states households could effectively lose protection, the largest single group since the moratorium law took effect three years ago.

Were going to pay the bill for climate change one way or the other and its just a question of how we divvy up that cost, said David Russell, co-director of the Center for Risk Management and Insurance at California State University, Northridge. What California politicians are trying to do is tinker with how we do that. Theyre buying time, hoping they get a break.

Climate change has been rough on the worlds fifth-biggest economy; California, once synonymous with palm trees and Hollywood glamor, increasingly makes headlines for disastrous droughts and apocalyptic fires. Last year, wildfires torched nearly 4 million acres, and this year over 2 million; the Dixie and Caldor fires, two of the biggest, still arent entirely contained.

Fires in 2017 and 2018 alone wiped out more than a quarter-century of underwriting profits for the California insurance market, according to Milliman Inc., a risk assessment company. As insurers rushed to recalibrate risks, consumers were shocked by cancelled policies and soaring rates.

In 2018, after the Camp Fire destroyed more than 18,000 buildings, lawmakers in Sacramento prevented insurance companies from canceling homeowner policies in or adjacent to wildfire areas for 12 months after the day of an emergency declaration. The idea was to protect consumers after traumatic episodes and to give them time to make their homes more fire resistant. That, ideally, would prevent higher rates or cancellations from ever arriving.

Even when these moratoriums end, they have given people time to make their homes safer, California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara, said in a written statement to Bloomberg, an argument he has made on numerous occasions. I expect insurance companies to take that into account.

Its hard to tell whether this is wishful thinking or effective policy. Even before the law was enacted, Californias highly regulated market was seeing insurers quit the state or refuse to write new policies. In 2019, the last period for which information was available, the state saw an uptick in non-renewals of 31%. Over the same period there was a 36% increase in homeowners using the California FAIR Plan, the states bare-bones alternative for those who cant get insurance in the traditional market.

However, the real effects of the moratorium law wont be known for a while, thanks to lagging statistics, said Cody Webb, an actuary consultant with Milliman. Numbers on insurance cancellations in 2020 wont be released by the commissioners office until October. It could take another year to figure out how many of the 2.4 million homes coming out of protection this year go on to lose insurance.

And thanks to ever-increasing fires, still more homes are entering the program: at least 350,000 this year, some for the second time.

Mark Sektnan, vice president for state government relations for the American Property Casualty Insurance Association, says companies are learning to live with the moratorium. He said some insurers are coping by filing serial 6% increases every year to close the risk gap.

He said homeowners and their communities may also be getting better at protecting against fires, just as regulators hoped.

He pointed to a fire that swept Lake Tahoe this summer. After devastating blazes in 2007, the community had been especially aggressive about forest management.

The firefighters will tell you that when the fire got to that area, the flames dropped from like 20 feet in the air to like five feet in the air, Sektnan said. We cant prevent wildfires, but we can ensure they are less intense, which increases the ability of properties to survive.

Top photograph: A neighborhood destroyed by the Camp Fire in Paradise, Calif., in 2018. Photo credit: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images.

Copyright 2021 Bloomberg.

Topics California Homeowners
SiriusPoint Names Zurichs Charles as Head of Americas P/C Insurance

SiriusPoint Ltd., the Bermuda-based global specialty insurer and reinsurer, announced that Patrick Charles has joined the company as head of Americas Property and Casualty (P/C) Insurance. Charles will be responsible for managing and growing the U.S. P/C insurance business, including expansion of key SiriusPoint strategic partnerships and the launch of products and services to support these relationships.

Charles joins from Zurich Insurance Group, where he held North American leadership roles in underwriting and strategy spanning the past decade. During the remainder of his 20-plus years in the insurance industry, he spent time at McKinsey & Company, Alliance Bernstein and the St. Paul Companies. He began his career as an actuary and is a fellow of the Casualty Actuarial Society.

Prashanth Gangu, chief operating officer and president of Insurance and Services, welcomed Charles to the team.

Our vision is to disrupt the insurance industry via partnerships with innovative, technology-forward entrepreneurs and organizations. We are getting tremendous reception in the market and the addition of Patrick will enable us to accelerate the buildout of our portfolio, as well as the products and services to support these partnerships, said Gangu.

***

Amwins Promotes Bernacki to Newly Created Role of Chief Underwriting Officer

Amwins, a global distributor of specialty insurance products and services, announced the appointment of Mark Bernacki to the newly created position of chief underwriting officer, effective immediately.

In this role, Bernacki will be responsible for overseeing the underwriting performance of the companys $3 billion-plus delegated authority business, which will include continued investments in actuarial capabilities, claims, portfolio management, and underwriting oversight.

Additionally, he will continue to focus on building capacity and growing Amwins alternative risk capabilities, with a particular focus on Bermuda and London, two key growth areas for the firm.

In addition to building upon Amwins underwriting integrity and infrastructure, Bernacki will focus on expanding global underwriting capacity, expanding key market relationships, and developing new products and programs.

He will continue to oversee operations for Amwins Special Risk Underwriters  Amwins in-house underwriting facility offering capacity exclusively through Amwins brokers.

It has been a privilege to be part of the Amwins team for the past two years, and I look forward to growing our underwriting capabilities while continuing to innovate with new products, said Bernacki.

Amwins is the largest independent wholesale distributor of specialty insurance products in the United States. The company offers more than 60 in-house programs and underwrites more than $1.7 billion in annual premium through its underwriting division. Based in Charlotte, N.C., the company operates through more than 125 offices globally and handles premium placements in excess of $22 billion annually.

Topics Underwriting Property Casualty
Federal officials made more than two dozen recommendations aimed at further safeguarding power plants and natural gas supplies to prevent a repeat of the February blackouts that caused more than 200 deaths in Texas.

Staff at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and the North American Reliability Corp. made their recommendations to FERCs four commissioners while presenting a preliminary report on the February disaster, which left millions of people without power during subfreezing temperatures.

The situation didnt need to be as bad as it was, said FERC Chairman Richard Glick. He said changes should have been made after a winter storm caused blackouts in Texas in 2011, when a report called for the mandatory weatherization of power plants.

But somehow that recommendation eventually was watered down to guidelines that few generators actually followed, said Glick, a former Democratic congressional staff lawyer. I can guarantee you that this time, FERC will not let these recommendations be ignored or watered down.

In the preliminary report, officials recommended that power providers be required to meet tougher standards for protecting their plants from freezing temperatures and that they should be able to seek compensation for the cost of winterizing them. Such a change would make Texas deregulated electricity market more like those in other states.

They said natural gas facilities also should have cold-weather plans and be able to operate during weather emergencies. That could mean adding heating equipment and backup generators in case the power fails.

Glick also criticized Texas decision to largely isolate its power grid from the rest of the country to avoid federal regulation of its energy market. That limits the ability of the grid operator, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, to import power from neighboring states.

Glick said Texas was very short-sighted in going it alone. The preliminary report made no recommendation on the issue; a FERC staffer said it needs further study.

Another of the four commissioners  one seat on the five-member panel is vacant  said the winter storm demonstrated another problem with the Texas electricity market: It relies solely on scarcity pricing to keep the power flowing during emergencies. Mark Christie said that structure doesnt require producers to provide power when it is most needed.

It was an accident waiting to happen, and it happened in February, said Christie, a former utility regulator in Virginia who was nominated to the federal commission by then-President Donald Trump in January. Its up to Texans to decide this. Its their choice, and I think they will get it figured out.

Unlike other grid operators, ERCOT does not pay providers to ensure power in a pinch, which would raise prices for electricity customers. Instead, ERCOT depends on higher wholesale prices during shortages to give producers an incentive to generate power.

According to the report, freezing issues were the largest cause of outages, at 44%. That included frozen instruments and wind turbine blades. Fuel supply problems were the next biggest factor, at 31%. Supply issues were mostly related to natural gas, including frozen wellheads.

A final report is expected in November.

Related:

Report: More than 456.5K Claims Filed in Texas After Winter Storm

Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Texas
Mississippi House and Senate negotiators said that they have agreed on a proposed medical marijuana program. Leaders are expected to ask Republican Gov. Tate Reeves to call the Legislature into session to put the plan into law.

The step comes months after the Mississippi Supreme Court tossed out a medical marijuana initiative that voters approved last November. Justices ruled in May that Mississippis initiative process was out of date and the medical marijuana proposal was not properly on the ballot.

The legislative proposal is not identical to the voter-approved initiative. The proposal would allow local governments to limit where the marijuana could be grown, processed or sold. That was not in Initiative 65.

The two lead negotiators _ Republican Sen. Kevin Blackwell of Southaven and Republican Rep. Lee Yancey of Brandon _ said Thursday that passing a bill would take a three-fifths majority because of the tax provisions, and leaders of the House and Senate believe they have have enough votes lined up.

Yancey said the proposed program would help people with debilitating illnesses such as epilepsy, multiple sclerosis or cancer.

This is compassionate relief, Yancey said. This is not a recreational thing.

Yancey said that if the bill becomes law, cities and counties would be have 90 days to opt out of allowing medical marijuana growing sites, processing facilities and dispensaries. But if local governing boards decide to do so, voters could petition for an election to overturn that decision.

Blackwell said if a city or county opts out of allowing facilities, people who live in those places would still be able to possess and use medical marijuana.

Blackwell said negotiating details of the bill was a long process.

Its not a perfect bill, by any stretch of the imagination, he said.

Some details:

_ Marijuana for medicinal use could only be grown indoors.

_ The state Department of Agriculture would be in charge of licensing and regulating businesses that grow, process or transport the products. Agriculture Commissioner Andy Gipson has said he does not want the department to have that role as long as marijuana is illegal under federal law. Yancey said the Agriculture Department could set a contract with another entity, such as the Board of Pharmacy, to handle the duties.

_ The state Department of Health would regulate medical marijuana testing facilities and research facilities. It also would license the physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners and optometrists who recommend medical marijuana for patients. The Health Department also would license patients who receive medical marijuana and the caregivers who might need to buy it for them. The license for a patient or caregiver would cost $25 a year, and each caregiver also would pay $37 for an annual criminal background check.

_ The Department of Revenue would regulate dispensaries.

_ Cultivation businesses, where the plants are grown, would have to have at least some owners who are Mississippi residents.

_ One person or business could own no more than one cultivation site, one processing site and five dispensaries.

_ Medical marijuana could be smoked, used in products such as creams or drops or used in food products such as gummies or drinks. Limits would be set on how many one person could obtain in a month.

Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Cannabis Mississippi
One big national insurance cannabis firm sifted through some of its claims data to tell us that many thefts at cannabis operations are occurring overnight, but more interestingly, based on security footage and other available evidence, it appears criminals are often getting in and out quickly  perhaps a bit too quickly.

Many of the thefts reflected in the data shows cannabis products are being stolen far more than cash, with far bigger losses.

Our latest Insuring Cannabis podcast offers some intriguing claims data and anecdotes from a top cannabis insurance underwriter, and some security advice for brokers and their cannabis clients from a former police officer.

Following are a few takeaways from that conversation.

Some 95% of all of the robberies and criminal activity have happened post-closing, according to Jim McErlean, director of business development for Cannasure, who looked through claims from his firm and their carrier partner to talk to Insurance Journal about crimes and underwriting at cannabis operations.

And it might not seem like a big shocker, but it truly tells you where the risk management efforts need to take place to protect the businesses from an overnight grab and smash, McErlean said. So were putting some more of our thought leadership into the overnight controls and risk management support on behalf of our clients.

McErlean said security cameras and other evidence point to some of these crimes being perpetrated with the help of employees. Many criminals are getting in and out with large amounts of loot  with reported losses sometimes above $100,000  in minutes.

Its just a shame that if someones able to get in and out of the building within two to three minutes, and thats what some of these security cameras are telling us, that the door must have been unlocked, he said. It mustve been convenient that all the inventory was sitting out instead of being locked away in the cabinetry and vaults that are part of the policys warranty that the cannabis operators are signing documents saying that they warrant that they will have all of their inventory locked up in some type of security facility that has maybe a one hour or two hour theft resistant.

Chris Eggers, owner of CC security solutions, a cannabis security consulting firm, stressed the importance of site assessments.

Site assessments are really important for several reasons, said Eggers, a former police officer, having worked at the Oakland and San Francisco police departments for a dozen years. One, it gives the opportunity to understand any security deficiencies or areas of noncompliance that are currently in place.

When security system projects are contracted out, multiple vendors are often brought in, each focused on their own part of the project, according to Eggers.

Cameras are focused on video and documenting and retaining that information, alarms are focused on their world, but having somebody conduct a security assessment, especially through the eyes of an offender to identify various security deficiencies, as they relate to either environmental, procedural or physical equipment is extremely important in understanding what the risk profile of your space is, he said.

He also offered a few interesting anecdotes from his site assessments.

He was recently at an indoor cultivation site.

And the door to the safe room was open, the door to the office that the safe room is in was open, the safe was closed, but there was a bag of cash sitting on top of the safe, in anticipation of the cast transporter coming to pick it up, he said. Now the cash transporter didnt show up for another hour and a half.

Related:

Topics Fraud Cannabis
CMR Risk and Insurance Services Inc. of San Diego, Calif., announced the creation of a new executive leadership team.

The team was put together by the board of directors to help CMR make more timely decisions, operate in a more efficient structure, and provide better clarity to roles and responsibilities, while focusing on the daily operations and strategic goals of CMR.

The members of the Executive Leadership Team and their respective titles are:

Travis Pearson  CEO. Pearson is the founding principal and current president of CMR. He has more than 25 years of industry experience.

Erik Wenstone  chief operating officer. Wenstone joined CMR is 2007 as a principal and vice president. He has 20-plus years of industry experience.

Bill Brennan  chief revenue officer. Brennan joined CMR is 2020, and has more than 20 years of industry experience as a principal, broker and manager.

The executive leadership team will report to the board of directors, which is made up of CMR principals.

CMR began operations in 2004 and offers a variety of services in areas including construction, employee benefits, workers compensation and surety.

IC International promoted Darren Shigemura to executive vice president.

Shigemura oversees the contract binding and policy services units and assists in the overall management of the companys operations in this new role.

Shigemura joined IC International in 2014. He previously served as vice president, executive underwriter and broker. He has over 15 years of experience in the finance and insurance industries.

IC International, wholly owned by Island Insurance, offers property/casualty, professional liability and specialty insurance programs for unique insurance risks.

Topics California
The Ames Main Street Farmers Market is a local market that has been a staple of downtown Ames for the past eight years. The market 
Never for a moment did I expect that we would go into hospital to have a baby, and that those would be the last moments with my wife.

Ayaz Ul Hassan held his wife Nayyabs hand as she died in an operating theatre, just four hours after giving birth to their daughter.

The opening day of the inquest in Swinford, Co Mayo, today heard that Nayyab Tariq, 28, gave birth to a baby girl on March 22 last year, following a normal pregnancy under Mayo University Hospital.

This is understood to be the first full inquest into a maternal death following the passing of the Coroners Amendment Bill 2018 shortly before the pandemic. The legislation introduced mandatory inquests for maternal deaths, following a number of high-profile tragedies.

Mr Ul Hassans statement was read into the record before he answered questions. He described Nayyab as the perfect wife any husband could hope for and said the University College Cork biopharma graduate would have made a great mother.

Nayyab Tariq

Mr Ul Hassan said there was concern during the pregnancy that her platelet count was low, but they were reassured that it was not life-threatening. She went into spontaneous labour at 38 weeks.

We were both nervous and excited, he said.

Following a labour described by medical witnesses as normal, Ms Tariq gave birth to their baby girl at 6:09pm, he said.

I will never forget the grin, the shimmering glow and twinkle in her eyes when I told her babys nose is exactly like yours, Mr Ul Hassan told the court.

In his statement, he recalled a sudden gush of blood came with the baby. This was also seen by medical witnesses. He said blood had begun to pool on the floor, but other witnesses said they had not seen this.

Nayyab was breastfeeding their daughter, but when the midwives called an obstetric registrar for examination, the baby was given to her father, he said.

I was handed our baby for skin-to-skin contact, and I was provided bottled milk to feed the baby, he said.

The placenta had not delivered, and it was decided to take her to theatre. Blood loss of 500ml was noted in the delivery room records.

When his wife was taken to the operating theatre at 7:02pm, he was told not to worry. A midwife told the inquest she was a well lady leaving the room.

Nayyab Tariq.

However, just hours later a senior obstetrician called Mr Ul Hassan to the theatre as his wife was deteriorating. He stayed with her for 20 minutes, holding her hand until she was pronounced dead at 10:13pm.

She died after a cardiac arrhythmia arrest following post-partum haemorrhage, retained placenta, bleeding arising from ectopic deciduosis, and shock, Dr Meabh Ni Bhuinneain told the court.

He said: My daughter never got the chance to meet her mother, shell never know the love of her mother.

Their daughter, named after her mother, can only visit Nayyabs grave, he said.
Irish Water has pleaded guilty to contaminating the habitat of an endangered species of mussel in a conservation area along a Co. Cork river.

The utility was before Dublin District Court today in a prosecution brought by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

It admitted eight counts of breaching the terms of its licence in connection with levels of ammonia and orthophosphate from a wastewater treatment plant in Boherbue, in Co. Cork.

EPA inspector Patrick Chan said the plant discharges into the Brogeen river, a protected conservation area and home to the freshwater pearl mussel.

It is an important species now mainly found in Ireland and Scotland, but is on the verge of extinction.

Delayed upgrade

Mr Chan agreed with prosecution solicitor JP McDowell that upgrade work was required to be completed by the end of 2014, but the deadline was pushed back to 2019, and then to 2021.

Irish Water was already fined 4,000 for not having the Boherbue plant rebuilt on time. The latest update is that it will be done in 2024, the EPA inspector told the court.

The court heard that the level of ammonia discharged into the river was not supposed to exceed 0.5mg per litre, as stated in the plants licence, but it has been seven times that over the last four years.

There were five times the set limit of orthophosphate discharged into the river, the court heard. The pollutants had consequences for the freshwater pearl mussel, the inspector said.

Upgrading the treatment plant was important for the protection of the species, Mr Chan added. Defence counsel Eoghan Cole told the court it was accepted that priority had been given by Irish Water to capital upgrades in the Cork city area.

Judge Halpin noted that the EPA has not yet seen the plans to carry out the necessary work. He suggested that a temporary filter should be installed and warned Irish Water that it was getting a last chance to do something about the treatment plant.

He adjourned the case until January 31 next.
College life took another step towards some kind of normality yesterday as thousands of students began their third-level education in person and on campus.

The Irish Examiner visited University College Cork where first-year students were beginning their first week of lectures and tutorials.

Marquees have been dotted across the campus for students to sit and socialise outside between classes, ideal for groups of students ducking the changing weather as heavy rain showers emerged as the day wore on.

Pop-up vaccination centres opened at 15 colleges across the country yesterday, with the HSE encouraging as many students as possible to take up the opportunity to get vaccinated. At UCC, the walk-in centre was based in the basement of the Kane building.

With the campus full of life, it was a far cry from some of the eerily quiet scenes at the country's colleges this time last year when the majority of on-campus activities were curtailed.

First year student Daragh Cronin who started back to UCC yesterday. Picture: Eddie O'Hare

Its amazing, loads of my friends are in the same course, said Daragh Cronin from Blackrock who, along with his friends, sat his first day of lectures yesterday.

"Its my first time even in this place, it's sick [cool] to walk around and see all people that you know.

"I know a good few people in second year, were all freshers now as well.

Ruby OBrien, a first-year arts student, attended her first in-person lecture, in a lecture hall with all students wearing masks throughout.

First year students from left, Faye Donovan, Emma Cuthbert, Clara Richardson, Ellie O'Connor, Gillian White, and Ruby O'Brien in UCC yesterday. Picture: Eddie O'Hare

It was really overwhelming coming in and starting in a huge new environment, but its exciting at the same time," she said.

When the first lockdown was called in March 2020, Ruby was in fifth year in school.

"It was really, really hard. There was no motivation, there was nothing really outside of school.

Ellie OConnor, a first-year student in commerce and French, said it was weird to be on campus yesterday because "it came around so quickly".

First year student Ellie O'Connor who started in UCC yesterday. Picture: Eddie O'Hare

I feel like with Covid, it felt like I should have been in school for a lot longer," she said.

"We literally came out of school so fast. We didnt get to spend half the time in the physical school that I thought we would.

"The summer went by so fast, especially because we got our results so late.

First-year college students missed out on a lot of traditional milestones because of Covid.

"Like graduating from school, we missed out on that. The summer was nice, so we got to go out, but there were no concerts, there were no festivals, there were no holidays.

With starting her course, there are a lot of new safety protocols to get used to.

For different modules, there is only a certain amount of people who can be in certain halls, so we got split up into pod A, B, and C based on our surnames," she said. "For tutorials, you can only have 20 people.

Student guide Julia Wnek was on hand to assist the students who may have been slightly lost.

Second-year student Julia Wnek, who acted as a guide for the first years who started back to UCC yesterday. Picture: Eddie O'Hare

"They are mainly asking me questions about the campus, where the rooms are, where locations are, about timetables," she said.

"I know those things can be confusing when they are new.

She said that there is a good atmosphere on campus, however, saying: "Everyone is excited."

Students in UCC yesterday. Picture: Eddie O'Hare

A second-year student, this is Julia's third week actually on campus at UCC, as she, along with her classmates, studied mainly online last year during Covid.

"It was exciting to start back," she said.

"I was kind of nervous at first because obviously I hadnt been on the campus before, but it was really exciting and it's really fun to be back.

Noirin Deady, the UCC first-year experiences coordinator, said the next few weeks will be about the human side of education.

That will come first," she said.

"The next couple of weeks is about students finding their place, and ensuring they are in the right place. I suppose theyll be very excited.

"Transition is a process, not an event, so it will take them a couple of weeks to settle.

"Itll take them a while to settle into their degree programme.

There are marquees all around campus, and students have been meeting each other for coffee. In the evenings, Ive noticed that they meet up at the marques and theyll play music, theyll sing songs  its really nice to see.

More info on college campus walk-in vaccination centres can be found on hse.ie
Heatwaves, floods, droughts, and wildfires are devastating communities around the world, and they will only grow more severe.

While climate-change deniers remain powerful, the need for urgent action is now recognised well beyond activist circles.

Governments, international organisations, and even business and finance are bowing to the inevitable  or so it seems.

In fact, the world has wasted decades tinkering with carbon trading and green financial labelling schemes, and the current vogue is merely to devise fancy hedging strategies (carbon offsets) in defiance of the simple fact that humanity is sitting in the same boat.

Offsetting may serve individual asset holders, but it will do little to avert the climate disaster that awaits us all.

The private sectors embrace of green capitalism appears to be yet another gimmick to avoid a real reckoning.

If business and finance leaders were serious, they would recognise the need to change course drastically to ensure that this planet remains hospitable for all of humanity now and in the future.

This is not about substituting brown assets for green ones, but about sharing the losses that brown capitalism has imposed on millions and ensuring a future even for the most vulnerable.

The notion of green capitalism implies that the costs of addressing climate change are too high for governments to shoulder on their own, and that the private sector always has better answers.

So, for advocates of green capitalism, public-private partnerships will ensure that the transition from brown to green capitalism will be cost-neutral.

Efficiently priced investments in new technologies supposedly will prevent humanity from stepping over into the abyss.

But this sounds too good to be true, because it is.

Capitalisms DNA makes it unfit to cope with the fallout from climate change, which in no small part is the product of capitalism itself.

The entire capitalist system is premised on the privatisation of gains and the socialisation of losses  not in any nefarious fashion, but with the blessing of the law.

A wildfire burns a forest in Vilia area some 60 kilometers northwest of Athens, Greece last August. File picture: AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis

The law offers licenses to externalise the costs of despoiling the planet to anybody who is smart enough to establish a trust or corporate entity before generating pollution.

It encourages the off-loading of accrued environmental liabilities through restructuring in bankruptcy.

And it holds entire countries hostage to international rules that privilege the protection of foreign investors returns over their own peoples welfare.

Several countries have already been sued by foreign companies under the Energy Charter Treaty for trying to curb their carbon dioxide emissions.

Two-thirds of total emissions since the Industrial Revolution have come from just 90 corporations.

Yet even if the managers of the worlds worst polluters were willing to pursue rapid decarbonisation, their shareholders would resist.

For decades, the gospel of shareholder value maximisation has reigned supreme, and managers have known that if they deviate from the orthodoxy, they will be sued for violating their fiduciary duties.

No wonder Big Business and Big Finance now advocate climate disclosures as a way out.

The message is that shareholders, not managers, must spur the necessary behavioural change; solutions must be found through the price mechanism, not through science-based policies.

Left unanswered is the question of why investors with an easy exit option and plenty of hedging opportunities should care about the disclosure of future harm to some companies in their portfolio.

There is obviously a need for more drastic changes, such as carbon taxes, permanent moratoria on extracting natural resources, and so forth.

These policies are often dismissed as mechanisms that would distort markets, and yet they idealise markets that dont exist in the real world.

After all, governments have lavishly subsidized fossil-fuel industries for decades, spending $5.5 trillion (4.6 trillion), or 6.8% of global GDP, in 2017.

And should fossil-fuel companies ever run out of profits to offset these tax breaks, they can simply sell themselves to a more profitable company, thereby rewarding their shareholders for their loyalty.

The script for these strategies has long been written in the law of mergers and acquisitions.

A firefighter operates at the site of a wildfire in Navalmoral de la Sierra near Avila, central Spain last August. File picture: CESAR MANSO/AFP via Getty Images)

But the mother of all subsidies is the centuries-old process of legally encoding capital through property, corporate, trust, and bankruptcy law.

It is law, not markets or firms, that protects the owners of capital assets even as they saddle others with enormous liabilities.

Advocates of green capitalism are hoping to continue this game.

That is why they are now lobbying governments to subsidise asset substitution, so that as the price of brown assets declines, the price of green ones will rise to compensate the asset holders.

Again, this is what capitalism is all about.

Whether it represents the best strategy for ensuring the planets habitability is an entirely different question.

Instead of tackling such questions, governments and regulators have once again succumbed to the siren song of market-friendly mechanisms.

The new consensus focuses on financial disclosure because that path promises change without having to deliver it.

It also happens to generate employment for entire industries of accountants, lawyers, and business consultants with powerful lobbying arms of their own.

Not surprisingly, the result has been a wave of greenwashing.

The financial industry has happily poured trillions of dollars into green-labelled assets that turned out not to be green at all.

According to a recent study, 71% of environmental, social and governance-themed funds are negatively aligned with the goals of the Paris climate agreement.

We are running out of time for such experiments.

If greening the economy was really the goal, the first step would be to eliminate all direct subsidies and tax subsidies for brown capitalism and mandate a halt to carbon proliferation.

Governments should also place a moratorium on shielding polluters, their owners, and investors from liability for environmental damages.

Incidentally, these moves would also remove some of the worst market distortions around.

Katharina Pistor, professor of comparative law at Columbia Law School, is the author of The Code of Capital: How the Law Creates Wealth and Inequality.
Cultivate is the collaborative credit union finance lending platform for farmers, an initiative that provides short to medium-term loan finance built specifically around the growing needs of Irish farmers. Cultivate is a farmer-friendly finance option for farmers seeking unsecured funding up to 50,000 over seven years and is now available in over 100 locations in Ireland.

Farm safety and better-quality animals

With a young family on the farm, it was a clear priority for Conor and his wife Mary to ensure that they had the right handling facilities in place addressing any health and safety concerns while at the same time improving the quality of the animals.

Mainly what I wanted to use the Cultivate Loan for was to improve breeding stock on the farm and improve the handling facilities, cattle crush and loading areas. From the health and safety point of view with suckler beef cattle, its very important to have good handling facilities.

Straightforward process

To help realise these key initiatives, Conor and Mary contacted their local credit union and availed of a Cultivate loan. The application process for the young couple was very accessible as Conor describes: The process was very straightforward from the first time I phoned the Credit Union; it was about a two-week process involved. Participating credit unions make decisions locally. Local loans officers have the discretion to take a farmers circumstances into account. Conors local credit union understood the reality facing farmers in Ireland and could reflect his financial circumstances, personal circumstances, needs, and track record as part of the loan review process.

The Cultivate loan has made life easier for me from number one, improving the breeding stock on my farm, and two, improving the handling facilities of testing cattle and loading cattle.

Unsecured loans

Having gone through the full process of applying and securing a Cultivate loan, Conors words of reflection highlight a very positive experience: The biggest advantage of applying for the Cultivate loan against other loans was the process was very straightforward and there was no collateral needed. Id certainly recommend the Cultivate Loan for anyone to do any improvements or upgrades on their farm. As a farmer-friendly finance option, loan repayment schedules are available up to a period of seven years, with flexibility to repay at times that make sense for the individual farmer. Cultivate loans are unsecured, and there is no need to be an existing credit union member to avail of a loan. Farmers can sign up in their local participating credit union office and be eligible to apply for a Cultivate loan immediately.

Cultivate loans are used by farmers like Conor Kennedy for a wide range of investments including:

Stocking or working capital

Upgrading farm buildings and handling facilities

Purchasing new or second-hand machinery

Undertaking farm improvement works such as fencing and reclamation.

Cultivate loans are offered by 36 credit unions across 111 locations in Ireland. A full list of participating credit unions is available at cultivate-cu.ie/#map in the 'locations' section.

If you need a flexible farmer-friendly loan, call FREEPHONE 1800 839 999, pop into your participating local credit union today, or visit Cultivate-CU.ie to learn more.

Loans are subject to approval. Terms and conditions apply. If you do not meet the repayments on your loan, your account will go into arrears.

This may affect your credit rating which may limit your ability to access credit in the future. The cost of your repayments may increase. Credit unions in Ireland are regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland.
Two Canadians detained in late 2019 who were allowed to return to Canada in a prisoner swap were released on bail for health reasons, Chinas foreign ministry has said.

A ministry spokeswoman made the comment as Beijing sought to downplay the connection between their release and the return to China of a long-detained Huawei Technologies executive.

Canadians Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig were detained in December 2019, days after Huaweis chief financial officer, Meng Wanzhou, was arrested in Canada at the request of US authorities.

The case of Meng Wanzhou is completely different from that of Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor in nature Hua Chunying, Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman

Many countries labelled Chinas action hostage politics, while China accused Canada of arbitrary detention.

The two Canadians were jailed for more than 1,000 days.

Ms Meng fought the US demand for extradition from Canada. She landed in China on Saturday after reaching a deal with the American Justice Department that led to a prisoner swap.

The case of Meng Wanzhou is completely different from that of Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor in nature, foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told reporters on Monday.

The two men were suspected of endangering national security, Ms Hua said.

Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau embraces Michael Kovrig as he returns home (CTV via AP)

Mr Spavor, an entrepreneur, had been sentenced to 11 years in prison, accused of spying.

Mr Kovrig had not yet been sentenced but was facing similar charges.

China released the two Canadians on bail after a diagnosis by professional medical institutions, and with the guarantee of the Canadian ambassador to China, Ms Hua said.

Ms Hua did not answer questions from journalists about whether the prisoner releases were entirely unrelated and what the health reasons were.

Canada has maintained that Mr Kovrig and Mr Spavor were innocent of any charges.

As we have said from the beginning, Michael Kovrigs and Michael Spavors detention, and the treatment they were subjected to up until their departure from China, was arbitrary, Global Affairs Canada said in a statement.

These two men are innocent.

Meng Wanzhou supporters gather at Shenzhen Baoan International Airport (Ng Han Guan/AP)

Ms Meng reached an agreement with US federal prosecutors that will drop fraud charges against her next year. In return, she is accepting responsibility for misrepresenting the companys business dealings in Iran.

Her return to China was broadcast live on the countrys central broadcaster, CCTV, as she wore a red dress the shade of Chinas flag and thanked the countrys leader Xi Jinping and the ruling Communist Party.

On Monday, Ms Hua said Ms Meng was a victim of political persecution and was able to return to China thanks to the governments unrelenting efforts.

In contrast, news about the release of the two Canadians was reported by the state-owned tabloid Global Times, and while the news spread online, it was not carried by more authoritative state media agencies like CCTV or Xinhua.

Huawei is the biggest global supplier of network equipment for phone and internet companies. It has been a symbol of Chinas progress in becoming a technological world power, and a subject of US security and law enforcement concerns.

Former American president Donald Trumps administration cut off Huaweis access to US components and technology, including Googles music and other smartphone services, and later barred vendors worldwide from using US technology to produce components for Huawei.
Interview No Future for Myanmar People Unless Spring Revolution Succeeds

Dr. Sasa, the Minister of International Cooperation for Myanmar's civilian National Unity Government, gives a three-finger salute, a revolutionary symbol showing solidarity with the anti-regime movement, during an online meeting in July. / Dr.Sasa Facebook

Myanmars military regime has been waging war in Chin State in the mountainous far west of the country for months. Intense fighting between the junta and civilian resistance groups has forced thousands of people to flee their homes, creating a humanitarian catastrophe. In the past 10 days alone, junta troops bombarded the town of Thantlang, prompting an exodus of nearly 8,000 people. Regime soldiers also shot down a Christian pastor in the town and mutilated his corpse.

The Irrawaddy spoke to Dr. Sasa, the Minister of International Cooperation for the parallel National Unity Government (NUG), himself an ethnic Chin, about the current situation in Chin State and the NUGs efforts at home and abroad to deliver aid and win international support.

What can you tell us about the current situation in Chin State?

The military regimes State Administration Council (SAC) has targeted Chin State since shortly after the coup, and there have been especially heavy crackdowns in Mindat and Kanpetlet. The regime bombs and uses heavy weapons against civilians. The use of such weapons to destroy villages and towns in Chin State is both a war crime and a crime against humanity. They attack the Chin people with the intention of massacring them. What happened in Thantlang earlier this September is further proof of the juntas brutality. Not only did they kill the Chin Christian pastor Cung Biak Hum, but they also cut off his wedding ring. We feel that is not only an insult to the Chin people, but it is also a declaration of war against all the Christian community. They do it on purpose. Now, everyone in Thantlang has fled their homes. They deliberately burned down 19 houses.

Are the Chin people being repressed more because they are so active in the resistance against the junta?

What we have come to understand is that if this Spring Revolution does not succeed, there will be no future for the ethnic nationalities and for the people of Myanmar as a whole. Ethnic groups have been persecuted for 74 years. For those 74 years, we have had no hope from the generals and they have had nothing to offer. We Chin people have been discriminated against for generations on the basis of race and religion. Now all Chin people understand that the whole system needs to be changed. All ethnic groups understand that, too. We have a choice. We will end the rule of the military. Then, we will establish a federal democracy. [Under the federal democracy system] our constitution guarantees our right to self-determination. We will never back down until we have taken that path. If not, then military dictatorships will happen again and again.

What kind of support can the NUG provide to the Chin people, especially those who have fled from Thantlang?

There are a lot of areas where we cant say what the NUG is doing to support people for security reasons. But I want to say that almost US$1 million is being provided indirectly for humanitarian support in Chin State.

In the Indian state of Mizoram, which borders Chin State and shares a similar culture to ours, we are in talks with the local government to help our people. There is a lot we are doing in collaboration with all the religious organizations in Mizoram, as well as with the international community, on health, education, and humanitarian assistance. Of course, not all the needs are being met. The NUG continues to work behind the scenes with humanitarian groups.

In Chin State, people are resisting the junta with traditional rifles and are suffering human rights abuses. What is the NUGs message to them?

The Myanmar military have been using the four cuts policy for many years. It is a tactic to cut off food, funding, intelligence and recruits. Under that policy, humanitarian aid is much harder to deliver. For example, it takes a lot of permits just to transport a bag of rice.

We have a lot of resources. As a person communicating with the international community, I can say that there are many organizations that want to help. There are many philanthropists. But the four cuts policy is hurting our efforts to provide assistance to almost all villages in Chin State. The problem is that the military council aims guns at people to prevent them from getting help. We understand the frustration of the people and their suffering and how that might cause them to blame the NUG. But the people are suffering because of the generals four cuts policy. It is the SAC that is depriving us of the humanitarian assistance we deserve. We are facing a real hell.

The United States [US] alone has provided more than US$130 million for Myanmar IDPs [internally displaced persons] and refugees. Along with the contributions from the United Kingdom and the European Union [EU], the total support amounts to about US$300 million after the coup. If the four cuts policy could be taken away, no one would go hungry and no one would be homeless. The longer the regime stays in power, the worse the situation will get. Therefore, we are working hard to end this dictatorship as soon as possible.

The NUG said earlier this month that the armed resistance movement is growing because of the failure of the international community to intervene. What do you think the international community should do?

Eight months after the coup, we are still urging the international community to recognize the NUG immediately. The NUG takes its legitimacy from the people. The NUG leadership is based on the results of the 2020 general election, which was won by the National League for Democracy. Our legitimacy comes from the people who support us. The 76th United Nations [UN] General Assembly Resolution recognizes the 2020 elections as free and fair. The independent electoral observer group in Asia also said it was free and fair. So the question is why does the international community not recognize the peoples government? The NUG needs to be recognized internationally as soon as possible. Only by recognizing us, can the basic needs of the people be met.

We are using our own four cuts strategy to counter the military. Number one in the strategy is to cut the financial flow and income to the SAC. Number two, supplies of fuel and weapons must be cut. Number three is to cut all the SACs attempts at diplomacy. The international community must not cooperate politically with the military regime. For example, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations must cut ties with it. And all international organizations must cut ties with the SAC. Number four is to cut the legitimacy of the military council. They must not be allowed to administer the country.

How successful has the NUGs four cuts approach been?

Think about it. Even now the junta-controlled lottery is not working. When our spring lottery was introduced [in August], their lottery faded and [seems to be] dead. Then there is the tax issue. The people do not want to pay taxes anymore. It is a way of non-violent [resistance against military rule]. We now have electricity tax exemptions. Its really a success. If you pay the electricity fee, the money will go to [coup leader Senior General] Min Aung Hlaing. He will use that money to buy weapons.

The Civil Disobedience Movement [CDM] is another example of our four cuts strategy. The CDM brings an end to the regimes attempt at administration. The whole world knows they cant administer the country. This is the success of the people.

We are monitoring the military and their crony companies together with our international partners. The US, UK, EU and Canada have imposed sanctions on all the military leaders and their companies, individual cronies and military-owned MEC and MEHL. We are urging Australia and New Zealand to back us. So the success we have had in the last seven or eight months has been huge. The UN resolution also calls for an end to arms sales to the military regime.

Our goal is to weaken the SAC financially so they are unable to get access to more weapons. Currently, they are not able to govern. In the meantime, we are advocating hard to the international community not to support the junta. So I want to ask the people if there is any country that accepts the SAC? There is none. The military regime is really falling apart.



You may also like these stories:

We Believe Nothing From a Dogs Mouth: Myanmar Democracy Activist

Myanmars COVID-19 Third Wave Yet to Peak

Karen Rebel Leader Warns Myanmar Regime of More Fighting
Burma Junta Troops Killed Across Myanmar as Resistance Steps up Operations

Members of the Karenni Nationalities Defense Force. / KNDF

Myanmars junta has suffered an increasing number of attack by the Peoples Defense Forces (PDF) across the country since the civilian National Unity Government (NUG) declared war on the regime.

In a speech on Tuesday, the NUGs acting president, Duwa Lashi La, called on all citizens to revolt against the rule of the military terrorists led by [coup leader] Ming Aung Hlaing in every corner of the country by declaring the state of emergency.

Myanmar has since seen a growing number of PDF explosions and attacks on junta forces and military-owned telecom masts.

Many PDFs urged people to be alert, avoid non-essential travel and help the civilian resistance as more violence is expected.

The military regimes spokesman Major General Zaw Min Tun admitted that attacks on junta personnel had increased in Yangon and Mandalay after the NUGs announcement.

On Thursday a junta soldier was reportedly killed and three others wounded after a PDF bomb attack in Monywa Township, Sagaing Region.

A Monywa PDF video shows around five junta troops inspecting vehicles on a road being hit by a remote-controlled bomb.

On Wednesday, the PDF in Kale, Sagaing Region, said it ambushed a military convoy on the Gangaw highway using landmines and explosives.

The group said it believed many junta troops were killed in the ambush and PDF volunteers escaped without injury.

Junta soldiers burned down nine Kanthar village homes and killed three villagers, including one who suffers from mental illness, at Doe Nwe village in southern Kale Township, according to the PDF.

Three intense firefights occurred in Myaung Township, Sagaing Region, on Wednesday when troops used explosives while attempting to raid PDF strongholds in the township, according to Myaungs Civilian Defense and Security Organization.

During the firefights, members of four Mandalay Region PDFs joined the Myaung group to resist the junta forces.

At least nine junta soldiers were killed during two firefights at Myitsone village in Myaung Township on Wednesday, the group said.

The combined force also ambushed approximately 60 military reinforcements in three vehicles arriving at Kyauk Yit village in the township to retake a police outpost seized by the PDF. Another three junta troops were killed, according to the Myaung group.

The PDF set Nabet villages police outpost on fire on Wednesday in the township, the group said.

The fighting is in response to attacks by the junta troops on us, a PDF member in Myaung told The Irrawaddy.

On Tuesday, junta forces blew up a PDF camp in the township.

Five junta soldiers were killed in an ambush in Pekon Township, Kayah State, on Wednesday by the townships PDF and the Karenni Nationalities Defense Force (KNDF).

In response, junta soldiers killed two civilians on a motorbike, the KNDF said.

Junta troops deployed near Daw Poese village and a police station in Demoso Township, Kayah State, were also attacked on Tuesday.

The Yaw Defense Force said it ambushed two military vehicles patrolling in Gangaw Township, Magwe Region, on Tuesday, reportedly killing nine junta soldiers and wounding 10 others.

Myanmars junta is also being attacked by ethnic armed groups in Kachin, Shan, Kayah, Mon and Karen states and Sagaing and Tanintharyi regions.

Since the NUGs war announcement, the regime is escalating inspections and arrests across the country.

By Wednesday, 1,054 people have been killed by junta forces during their raids, arrests, crackdowns, interrogations and shooting, said the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners.

An estimated 7,973 people, including elected government leaders, have also been detained by the junta or face arrest warrants.



You may also like these stories:

Japans Much-Touted Go-Between Has Little Sway Over Myanmar Junta

China Invites National League for Democracy to Summit for Asian Political Parties

Myanmar Junta Reports Increasing Attacks by Resistance
Burma Myanmar Junta Kills Dozens in Latest Surge of Violence Against Civilians

Military troops are deployed in Mandalay amid the regimes crackdown on protesters on Feb. 22, the day of the '22222' nationwide general strike. / The Irrawaddy

Recent days have seen a surge in killings of civiliansparticularly members and vocal supporters of the ousted National League for Democracy (NLD), as well as villagers living in anti-regime resistance strongholdsby junta forces.

The fatalities reported over the past three days include Mandalay-based political activist and philanthropist Ko Than Htun Oo, a.k.a Ko Min Ko Thein, a member of NLDs Mandalay branch. He died in police custody within a few hours of being arrested on Saturday.

The 48-year-old, affectionately known as Ko Fatty among his friends, was arrested at his home in Aungmyaytharzan Township of Mandalay Region for alleged possession of weapons.

During the raid on his home, junta forces told him to get on his knees. When he said he couldnt kneel due to his weight, he was reportedly shot in the knee. He was arrested despite no weapons being found during the search. On Sunday evening, his family was notified of his death. The body was not returned to the family and regime officials said they organized funeral rites themselves.

Ko Ye Yint, another NLD member in Mandalay, was also killed in detention on Friday. The 30-year-old was shot dead after being accusing of trying to flee the police station. Junta forces detained him after accusing him of setting off a bomb explosion in Sein Pan ward, near his residence. Locals rejected the juntas accusation against their neighbor, however.

U Pauk Gyi, a vocal supporter of the NLD in Mandalay, was also found dead on Friday morning, on an embankment in Sein Pan, Maharaungmyay Township. His body bore a gunshot wound to the head and stab wounds to the neck, the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) stated in their most recent report.

The AAPP said U Pauk Gyi was arrested and taken away by junta soldiers and members of a Pyu Saw Htee, a militia group trained and armed by the junta, at midnight last Thursday following a report by one of the juntas informers.

Youth activists and villagers from strongholds of anti-regime resistance groups who have inflicted heavy casualties on junta forces were also among the recent fatalities.

Activist Ko Sithu Kaung Myat, 24, from Bago City in Bago Region, was shot in the head, stomach and hands when junta forces arrested him at home on Thursday. He died on Friday while receiving medical treatment at Bago General Hospital, the AAPP stated in its report.

Following his death, police sealed the house where he and his mother lived, so that no one could enter, the AAPP added.

In Yangon, four youths were reportedly shot dead in Sanchaung Township, Yangon Region, at around 1:30 a.m. on Saturday. Propaganda published by military supporters portrayed the incident as a shootout between civilian guerrilla fighters and junta forces on the Myaynigone flyover. The propaganda accounts also stated there were casualties among the junta forces.

However, according to accounts of locals and video footage recorded by a civilian, there was no shootout in the area and the youths were dragged down from their apartment, beaten and kicked several times and shot. The Irrawaddy couldnt independently verify the number of fatalities.

In Kayah States Demoso Township, which has seen intense clashes between junta forces and local civilian resistance fighters who took up arms against the junta, a 70-year-old man wearing a T-shirt with the UN emblem on it was shot dead on Sunday.

On Monday, the hearse carrying his body hit a mine reportedly planted by regime troops.

A score of civilians were also killed over the weekend in Sagaing Region, which has seen numerous junta raids in response to determined civilian resistance.

Heavy troops raided Tharsi Village of Sagaings Kalay Township on Sunday and shot and killed striking police officer Ko Zaw Myo Htut and villager Ko Than Htike Aung.

The Peoples Defense Force-Kalay announced that the group attacked the troops with an allied group on their way back from Tharsi. During the clash, three junta troops were killed.

Sagaing Regions local community pages reported that around four villagers including a woman in her 60s were killed in Nabutaw Village, Yinmabin Township on Sunday.

On Monday, junta soldiers also surrounded Monyway and Kyaymon villages in Monywa and arrested several villagers. At least two were reportedly shot dead by the time of publication of this article. Locals said the death toll could grow as the junta soldiers violently beat the detainees.

Since the coup, the junta has killed at least 1,125 civilians including youth activists, protesters, children, politicians and NLD members and supporters, and arrested more than 8,400 people, according to data compiled by the AAPP.



You may also like these stories:

Over 30 Myanmar Junta Troops Killed in Fierce Weekend Fighting

Myanmars NLD Marks 33rd Anniversary Facing Abolition Threat

Myanmar Regime Accuses Detained State Counselors Ex-Bodyguard of Incitement
Burma Myanmar Junta Violating Daw Aung San Suu Kyis Rights by Holding Her in Secret Location: Legal Experts

Myanmars currently detained leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi addresses her supporters in Rangoons Thanlyin Township in August 2015 during an electoral campaign. / The Irrawaddy

Even she herself has no idea where she is being detained.

It has been more than seven months since the regime placed Myanmars popular leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi under house arrest following Februarys coup against the countrys democratically elected National League for Democracy government, which she led.

Her captors havent disclosed where the 76-year-old is being detained. The ousted leader even confessed to her lawyers that she doesnt know where she is now staying.

She could not tell where she is and neither can we, said U Khin Maung Zaw, one of her lawyers.

Campaigners and lawyers said Myanmars military regime is breaching the human rights of the countrys popular leader by keeping her in an unknown location.

Furthermore, the mystery surrounding the whereabouts of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, who has been Myanmars most popular political leader since she became involved in the countrys democracy movement in 1988, has left the public concerned for her welfare, especially her health and, most importantly, her physical safety, as she is now in the hands of the military rulers who have long disliked her for her popularity at home and abroadwhich they could never hope to achieve and her attempts to push them out of the countrys politics.

U Aung Myo Min, a human rights campaigner and the minister for human rights in Myanmars shadow National Unity Government (NUG), said detainees have a right to know where they are being kept. So do their families and lawyers.

Its crucial because only when you know where they are detained are you able to determine whether they are under just or unjust custody, he said.

If they have no idea where they are being kept, their right to know [the details of] their custody is breached. Thats exactly what has happened to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, he added.

Under house arrest again

Soldiers appeared at Daw Aung San Suu Kyis residence at No. 33 (A) Myananbonthar Street in Zeyatheikdi Ward in Naypyitaw early on the morning of Feb. 1. Soon after, she found herself along with some of her aides under house arrest there. It had been 11 years since she walked free from her previous house arrest.

Later she was moved to an unknown place. This is believed to have happened on May 23, as she told her lawyers about it the next day when she made her first in-person appearance at a special court in Naypyitaw and held her first meeting with her legal team. The regime has filed 10 cases against her. Her lawyers have become go-betweens for Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and the public, as they are the only outsiders she is allowed to see, meeting with them for a few minutes shortly before her weekly trial hearings.

During her previous 15 years of intermittent house arrest from July 1989 to her most recent release in November 2010, the world knew exactly where Daw Aung San Suu Kyi was; she was detained at her home on Yangons University Avenue Road in Bahan Township. Her captors at the time were the predecessors of her current jailer, coup leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing.

This time things are very different, as even Daw Aung San Suu Kyi herself has no idea where she is being detained, let alone the public. In August a junta official in Naypyitaw told The Irrawaddy that the former State Counselors residence had been vacated, with all state-owned furnishings removed and along with her personal belongings. Its not known where her things are being stored now.

However, rumors have circulated that she is now being kept at the residence of the deputy chief of the Naypyitaw Regional Command, which is inside the commands compound.

U Khin Maung Zaw, one of Daw Aung San Suu Kyis lawyers who is also a former political prisoner, said keeping political detainees whereabouts is not uncommon in Myanmar, which was controlled by military regimes from the 1960s to early 2010 and again starting this year.

He said it is not strange in Myanmar as it happens to other political detainees, including Daw Aung San Suu Kyi this time.

President U Win Myint, cabinet members and other senior figures of the NLD were also detained on the day of the coup.

It is not in line with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, he said.

Legal adviser U Khin Maung Myint said the accused have the right to know their whereabouts as well as to contact their families.

Their families also have the right to ask where he or she is being detained. If thats not the case, the accuseds rights are simply being violated, he said.

Daw Aung San Suu Kyis unknown location also has implications for her health and safety.

The legal advisor pointed out that the secrecy the regime is exercising in Daw Aung San Suu Kyis case would be a cause for concern for anyone.

What if her health deteriorates in their secret custody? What if she faces something dangerous that could threaten her life? If it happens, there will be very serious consequences, he warned.

Early this week, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi had to skip a trial hearing as she was sick. When the news went viral, there was a public frenzy about her well-being. People asked what if something bad happened to her in a place no one knew. (The next day she felt well enough to appear in court.)

U Aung Myo Min, the NUG human rights minister, said isolating the former state counselor from people and the world could give her captors, the regime, an upper hand.

There is a possible scenario that if you do something bad to me, we can do the same to her, because she is now in their hands, totally out of public sight, he said. Currently, the junta is facing a growing and deadly civilian armed resistance while the countrys shadow government, formed largely by elected lawmakers from Daw Aung San Suu Kyis party, has declared war against the junta. At the UN, the regimes nomination for the countrys representative has been put on hold and the current ambassador, who is loyal to Daw Aung San Suu Kyis government, is still in place.

We are worried the regime has such bad intentions in placing Daw Aung San Suu Kyi in an unknown location, he said.

The NUG human rights minister has a right to be concerned, given the previous military regimes attempts to attack Daw Aung San Suu Kyi physically in 1996 and 2003. She narrowly escaped in both bloody incidents.

U Nay Phone Latt, a former NLD lawmaker, still remembers what the now junta leader Min Aung Hlaing said prior to the 2020 election. During his meeting with political parties who sought his assurance that they could count on his help if the voting turned unfair, the military chief said theres nothing I dont dare to do.

We are really concerned about everyone who is now in the hands of the regime, whose leader speaks like a thug, he said.

As of Thursday, a total of 6,572 people, including Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, had been detained by the junta, according to the Assistance Association of Political Prisoners (Burma).



You may also like these stories:
Burma Myanmar Regime Accuses Detained State Counselors Ex-Bodyguard of Incitement

Police Second Lieutenant Cherry Htet (right) and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi (center) are seen in Naypyitaw in August 2020 when the since-detained State Counselor visited the community to check voter lists ahead of the 2020 general election. / The Irrawaddy

The Myanmar junta has filed a case against Cherry Htet, a police second lieutenant who was the bodyguard for Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, for posting messages on social media supporting the detained State Counselor, as well as allegedly communicating with an NLD MP and receiving information about the civilian government, police said on Sunday.

Cherry Htet is accused of incitement in a case filed under Article 505 (a) of the Penal Code at Naypyitaws Zabuthiri Township Police Station No. 1. Police Captain Zaw Win Tun of the Anti-Terrorism Department is the plaintiff.

According to the police report, the accused was arrested on Sept. 23 and charged after being investigated.

It says the 30-year-old bodyguard is accused of sharing a post on Daw Aung San Suu Kyi saying, We miss you, Amay! on March 14. The detained State Counselor is commonly referred to as Amay.

On March 6, Cherry Htet posted on her social media account, If you do not dare to be outspoken about injustice, keep your mouth shut. Do not say that there is justice, the police report states.

Police also accused her of making contact with Daw Thiri Yadanar, a former NLD MP for Bilin constituency, in June, as well as receiving information about a statement from the parallel National Unity Government and exchanging news video footage published by foreign media.

Cherry Htet was believed to have been detained at home since the Feb. 1 coup. On Sept. 21, the junta arrested her at her civil servants residence and took her into custody.

In the early hours before the militarys seizure of power on Feb. 1, the military detained Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, President U Win Myint and NLD cabinet members including the chief ministers of the countrys states and regions.

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has been sued in 11 cases including alleged possession of walkie-talkies, violation of COVID-19 restrictions, sedition, violation of the Official Secret Acts and corruption.

Besides charging the detained leaders, the junta has also arrested and charged others who have supported her.

In early July, Ko Zaw Naing Win, a personal aide to the detained State Counselor, was sentenced to seven years in prison for breach of trust by a civil servant, a violation of Article 409 of the Penal Code.

He was deputy director of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) under Daw Aung San Suu Kyis leadership. On Feb. 3, he said in an online post that he had resigned from his position at the MOFA, where he had worked for 23 years.

As of Sept. 25, the junta had arrested 8,456 people, of whom 6,803 are still detained, in addition to killiing 1,125 civilians during its brual crackdowns against the anti-regime movement, according to the advocacy group Assistance Association for Political Prisoners.



You may also like these stories:

Quad Leaders Call on Myanmar Junta to End Violence

Myanmar Junta Seeks to Arrest Doctor Assisting Displaced Persons in Chin State

Woman Hospitalized After Being Beaten by Myanmar Junta Forces
Burma Myanmars NLD Marks 33rd Anniversary Facing Abolition Threat

NLD supporters in Mandalay celebrate the party's electoral success in November 2020. / The Irrawaddy

The National League for Democracy (NLD), Myanmars most popular political party, turns 33 years old on Monday. But a question mark hangs over its future following the militarys Feb. 1 coup.

NLD leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, other senior party officials, members and supporters have been detained and prosecuted by the military regime, and many more party members have fled arrest. The regime annulled the results of the 2020 general election in which the NLD secured a resounding victory. It has also signaled its intention to disband the party. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi said in May that her party was established for the people, so it would survive as long as the people do. At the same time, China, which has some influence over Myanmars military, still recognizes and engages with the NLD.

Born out of the popular pro-democracy movement in 1988, and established on Sept. 27 of that year, the NLD began to be persecuted by the military regime of that time, which called itself the State Law and Order Restoration Council, soon after its birth. The partys activities were restricted and party leaders including Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, U Tin Oo and Hantharwaddy U Win Tin were put behind bars less than one year after the founding of the party.

The NLD won a landslide victory in the 1990 general election, but the regime refused to hand over power. NLD lawmakers who held a secret meeting in Mandalays Amarapura Township at the time to establish a parallel government were arrested and handed long prison sentences. Among them was Dr. Zaw Myint Maung. The NLD vice chair would later become Mandalay Region chief minister, only to be ousted by the coup and detained by the current junta.

The regime coerced the party leaders into dismissing Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, threatening them that the party would be abolished otherwise. Then NLD chairman U Aung Shwe was forced to sack Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and other party leaders including U Tin Oo and U Kyi Maung. U Aung Shwe handed control of the party back to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi after she was released from house arrest.

She spent a total of 15 years under house arrest between 1989 and 2010, interspersed with brief periods of freedom. Many an NLD member experienced long-term imprisonment, and their families were subjected to years of persecution. When the regime held a general election in 2010 under the 2008 Constitution it had itself drawn up, the NLD boycotted the poll at the instruction of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, who was again placed under house arrest.

Only after Daw Aung San Suu Kyi entered Myanmars bicameral Parliament through the 2012 by-election was the NLD able to operate freely. Under her leadership, the party won the 2015 general election and formed a government, 25 years after first winning an electoral mandate to do so.

It was the first civilian government in over five decades, since the late military dictator General Ne Wins coup in 1962. Still, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi was barred from taking the countrys top job under the military-drafted 2008 Constitution, and thus created the State Counselor position to allow her to steer her NLD government.

Her party repeated its electoral victory in 2020, but history repeated itself when military chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing seized power in a coup on Feb. 1 of this year. So, despite its triple electoral victories, the NLD was only able to form a government once.

Almost the entire NLD cabinet including President U Win Myint were arrested by the military, but elected lawmakers of the NLD who managed to escape arrest formed the parallel National Unity Government (NUG) on April 16. The NUG declared a defensive war against the military regime earlier this month.

Initially, reports emerged that Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, who has always observed the principle of non-violence, did not endorse armed resistance against the military regime. She, however, has denied those reports, reportedly telling her lawyers that she would never say words which will dismay the public [or go] against their will.

The NLD chairwoman, who was greeted with tumultuous applause on the occasion of the 32nd anniversary of the founding of the NLD in Naypyitaw last year, is now a junta prisoner held in an unknown location.



You may also like these stories:

Myanmar Regime Accuses Detained State Counselors Ex-Bodyguard of Incitement

Quad Leaders Call on Myanmar Junta to End Violence

Myanmar Junta Seeks to Arrest Doctor Assisting Displaced Persons in Chin State
Burma Over 30 Myanmar Junta Troops Killed in Fierce Weekend Fighting

The remains of a house in Kone Thar Village after it was torched by junta forces on Sunday. / PDF-D

Over 30 junta soldiers and at least 14 civilian resistance fighters were reportedly killed over the weekend during a series of intense firefights in several townships in Sagaing Region and Chin and Kayah States.

Fierce fighting broke out on Sunday near Kone Thar Village in Kayah States Demoso Township, when a combined force from the Karenni Nationalities Defense Force (KNDF) and the Karenni Army, the armed wing of the Karenni National Progressive Party, ambushed junta troops.

The regime soldiers were forced to retreat from the village, despite being reinforced and using heavy weapons, according to a statement from the KNDF. The KNDF said that there were many military casualties, while some civilian resistance fighters suffered minor injuries.

A 70-year-old villager wearing a t-shirt bearing the United Nations emblem was also shot dead in Kone Thar Village on Sunday by junta troops.

On Saturday, an intense firefight between junta troops and Karenni resistance forces also broke out at Kone Thar Village. At least 10 junta soldiers and a member of the KNDF were killed during the 11-hour shootout.

Junta troops have been clashing with resistance groups near Kone Thar Village since Thursday, after they arrived in the area to raid villages.

During the weekend clashes, junta troops raided many homes and burned down 30 houses in Kone Thar, the KNDF said.

Another 11 junta soldiers were killed over the weekend after being ambushed by Peoples Defense Forces (PDF) in Kale Township, Sagaing Region.

On Sunday afternoon, a combined force of the Kale-PDF and the Chin National Defense Force ambushed around 100 regime troops raiding villages in the south of Kale Township.

In the shootout, junta forces retreated after facing strong resistance from the civilian resistance fighters. Three junta soldiers were killed and five members of the PDF were wounded.

On Saturday noon, Kale-PDF also ambushed a junta convoy with mines while it was travelling to Kale. At least eight Myanmar military soldiers were killed in the attack and the fleeing junta forces left their damaged vehicles behind, Kale-PDF said.

13 PDF members and at least five regime troops were also killed during another firefight in Sagaing Regions Mingin Township on Saturday, a member of the Mingin-PDF told The Irrawaddy. A combined force of junta soldiers and a local Pyu Saw Htee group  a militia armed and trained by the regime  clashed near Gonnyin Village in Mingin Township.

Over 40 soldiers were killed in two firefights on September 11 and 24 with a combined force of civilian resistance fighters from Pinlebu, Kawlin and Wuntho townships in Sagaing Region.

Junta forces reacted on Sunday by blocking all internet access and mobile phone connections in Pinlebu Township, before hundreds of troops and two helicopters attacked the local PDF, a spokesperson for the Pinlebu-PDF told The Irrawaddy. Despite the juntas airstrikes, there were no civilian resistance fighter casualties on Sunday. But the local PDF urged civilians in the township to construct air raid shelters.

The regime has intensified its raids and arrests, as well as burning down villages and bombarding towns, since the parallel National Unity Government declared a nationwide defensive war against the junta on September 7. Regime forces have been especially active in Sagaing and Magwe regions and Chin and Kayah states.

At the same time, PDFs have stepped up their operations targeting junta forces across the country.

As of Saturday, 1,125 people have been killed by regime forces during their raids, crackdowns, arrests, interrogations and arbitrary killings, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners.

Another 8,456 people including elected government leaders have been detained or are the subject of arrest warrants.



You may also like these stories:

Myanmars NLD Marks 33rd Anniversary Facing Abolition Threat

Myanmar Regime Accuses Detained State Counselors Ex-Bodyguard of Incitement

Quad Leaders Call on Myanmar Junta to End Violence
You may also like these stories:

The consensus states that there shall be an immediate cessation of violence in Myanmar and that all parties shall exercise the utmost restraint; and that constructive dialogue among all parties concerned shall commence to seek a peaceful solution in the interests of the people.

The leaders also called for the urgent implementation of ASEANs Five Point Consensus on Myanmar.

We continue to call for the end to violence in Myanmar, the release of all political detainees, including foreigners, engagement in constructive dialogue, and for the early restoration of democracy, the joint statement said.

US President Joe Biden, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga on Friday participated in the first-ever in-person Quad Leaders Summit, hosted by Biden in Washington.

Leaders of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) on Friday called for an end to the violence in Myanmar in a joint statement.

Regime troops in Mandalay during a crackdown on anti-regime protesters in late February. / The Irrawaddy

Regime troops in Mandalay during a crackdown on anti-regime protesters in late February. / The Irrawaddy

Over 1,700 Myanmar Junta Soldiers Killed in Past Three Months, Civilian Govt Says

Any Embassy Sales by Junta Would Be Illegal, Myanmars Shadow Govt Warns

Boy, 13, Among Three Villagers Killed by Myanmar Junta Troops in Raid in Magwe

China Withholds Full Legitimacy From Myanmar Junta: Old Wine in a New Bottle?

Former UN Under-Secretary-General Tipped as Next Special Envoy to Myanmar

Brother of Slain Myanmar Pastor Says Regime Fails to Take Accountability for Atrocities

Beijing Tells Regime It Fears Attack on Its Oil, Gas Pipelines in Myanmar

Fears of More Atrocities as Myanmar Junta Blocks Internet in Parts of Chin, Magwe

We do not encourage viewing this site in this width. Please increase the size of your window.
Burma Rebel Fighters From India Cooperating With Myanmar Military Regime

Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup fighters pictured in 2018. / e-pao

Tamu, a town bordering India in Sagaing Region in Myanmars west, used to engage in lively trade with India, but is now in a state of rebellion against the military regime.

After the Myanmar militarys February 1 coup, Tamu was one of the first towns to take up arms against the junta, following a bloody crackdown on anti-regime protesters. Tamu is now the site of competing armed forces, with local civilian resistance fighters facing not only junta soldiers, but groups of Pyu Saw Htee  a militia armed and trained by the regime  and Meitei rebels who are cooperating with the Myanmar military.

Meitei people are an ethnic group native to Manipur State in northeastern India, and are also known as Manipuri people. Myanmar is home to a sizeable community of Meitei, who are called Kathe in Burmese.

Some Meitei rebel groups have been fighting the Indian government from bases along the Myanmar-India border including in Tamu Township, which shares a 78-mile-long border with Manipur State.

The Tamu Security Group (TSG) recently released a statement warning Meitei rebels who support or work with the regime not to fight the local Peoples Defense Forces. Later, the TSG released another statement clarifying that it was not referring to the entire Meitei ethnic group.

They [Meitei rebels] have given trouble to various people and are working together with the regime to fight the PDF. So we request and warn the rebel Manipuris in Tamu not to support and cooperate with the regime, said a TSG member.

There are at least six Meitei rebel groups, according to local civil society organizations, spread across Leshi, Homalin and Tamu townships in Sagaing and Tonzang Township in Chin State, as well as Mandalay Region.

Those groups include the Peoples Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak (PREPAK), the Peoples Liberation Army of Manipur (PLA-MP), the United National Liberation Front of Manipur (UNLF), the United Peoples Party of Kangleipak (UPPK), the Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup (KYKL) and the Kanleipak Communist Party (KCP).

The groups also have ties with the National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Khaplang (NSCN-K) in the Naga Self-Administered Zone of Sagaing Region. The NSCN-K is an ethnic Naga armed group pushing to establish a sovereign Naga homeland. Some of the groups own businesses in major towns in Sagaing, including Monywa and Kale.

Observers say that since their coup, Myanmars military has forced Meitei rebels to share information and work together with it to crush anti-coup protests and armed resistance, as well as driving away Myanmar civilians attempting to flee to India.

Since March, Meitei rebels have been involved when junta troops cracked down on protesters in Tamu. Five Meitei rebels were killed fighting alongside regime soldiers in separate clashes on May 11 and July 24, said the TSG.

Indian newspapers have been reporting the Meitei rebels cooperation with the regime since April. They have quoted Indian intelligence officers as saying that the PLA-MP and the UNLF were involved in the lethal crackdown in Kale and Tamu in which 12 civilians were killed.

Myanmars military regime met with some Meitei rebel leaders in May, which led to the Meitei rebels agreeing to work for the military regime in exchange for cash and a base in Sagaing Region, according to Indian media outlets.

Locals told The Irrawaddy that it was no coincidence that the commander of the Myanmar militarys North Western Command was in Tamu at the time of the talks.

Underground Manipuris have been involved in every clash we have fought. In some cases, they were hired by the regime on a daily basis [as mercenaries]. People from Manipur dont blame us when [Meitei] rebels die in the fighting, said a Tamu civilian resistance fighter.

The coordination committee of Indian separatist groups, including the PLA-MP and the UNLF, denied the reports that they have fought for the junta. The groups said it was Indian government propaganda designed to smear them.

Despite widespread reports of Meitei rebel groups cooperating with the regime, not every Meitei rebel is willing to fight for the regime, said ethnic Naga observer Ko Aung Tun.

Two young Meitei rebels who fled in August after refusing to fight the local PDF were captured by their group and tortured to death, he said.

Many of the PLA-MP fighters do not want to fight for the regime. But Myanmars military always pressures them into fighting for them or returning to India, added Ko Aung Tun.

Many young Meitei rebels operating on the Myanmar side of the border do not even have a cell phone to entertain themselves, but have only been used by their leaders to extort money from businessmen at the border. Human rights organizations based in Manipur have kept silent on the issue, said another local observer who wished to remain anonymous.

I have interviewed some PLA-MP cadres and learned their many terrible stories and how they were coerced by their military leaders, he said.

Separatist Meitei rebel groups have been operating along the Myanmar-India border since the time of the former State Peace and Development Council junta in the 1990s. The two sides have mutual business interests, said locals.

Despite Delhis complaints about continuing insurgent activity by the separatist groups based along the border, Myanmar military leaders have always denied sheltering foreign armed troops in the country. But the military attacked Meitei rebels in 2019 when the military itself, and the then National League for Democracy government, wanted to improve ties with the Indian government, following the fighting with the Arakan Army in Rakhine State in western Myanmar.

The Myanmar militarys North Western Command raided the headquarters of the NSCN-K in the Naga Self-Administered Zone in 2019, and arrested and imprisoned Meitei rebels based there. In May 2020, the Myanmar government handed 22 captured Meitei rebels over to the Indian government.

There have been fewer clashes in Tamu lately, although the TSG said that some 100 junta soldiers have been killed in clashes with resistance forces in the town. Local resistance fighters operate three units in Tamu. The military regime has deployed artillery and extra troops in the town, along with Pyu Saw Htee fighters and Meitei rebels.

There is a Meitei group operating in the area. They cooperate with the regime and fight and extort money from the people. So we request and warn that group not to be disruptive while we are fighting for democracy, said a TSG member.



You may also like these stories:

Over 30 Myanmar Junta Troops Killed in Fierce Weekend Fighting

Myanmars NLD Marks 33rd Anniversary Facing Abolition Threat

Myanmar Regime Accuses Detained State Counselors Ex-Bodyguard of Incitement
Cybercrime victims need an organised national approach when reporting cyber attacks, according FooForce CEO Frances Russell.

Russell cites data from Australian Cyber Security Centre, noting that a cyber security threat was reported every eight minutes in the past financial year.

She laments that hardly anyone knows who to call for help when cyber criminals attack.

The missing piece of the law-enforcement puzzle is an emergency number to report cybercrime that is the same no matter where you are in Australia, something similar to 000, she says.

UPDATE: such a number does exist. The Australian Cyber Security Centre advises it operates a 24x7 ReportCyber line and call number, available at cyber.gov.au and phone number 1300 CYBER1 (1300 292 371)

The cybercrime reporting system should be so simple that anyone can report a cyberattack, she adds. Cybercrime victims shouldnt need specialist knowledge or be a technical expert.

The ACSC latest Annual Cyber Threat Report revealed that the cost of cybercrime in Australia was $33 billion a year.

More than 67,500 cybercrimes were reported in the 2020-2021 financial year, an increase of 13% from the year before, the ACSC verified.

Many small businesses and individuals arent even aware of the ACSC, so they are unlikely to report a cyberattack because they dont know its even possible to report, Russell says.

Russell emphasises it wouldnt matter to the victims of cyberattacks whether the specialist cyber police was a dedicated national force or state-and-territory-based specialist police units.

All crime victims should need to care about is that when they call for help that help is available.

Victims need help, and when they call, help should be available.

Russell says small to medium sized businesses and individuals are particularly vulnerable to cyberattacks, adding that they dont have resources dedicated for cybersecurity expertise on staff.

Russell, who has fought off more than a dozen cyber attacks in recent years, recalls that the experience of FooForce engineers revealed the rate and ferocity of cyberattacks were increasing.

She says some of the companies targeted are so small they cant even afford to have a cybersecurity plan in place. But they do provide jobs, valuable services, and together constitute a major part of the economy.

We have specialist police for almost every other category of crime. We need specialist cybercrime squads with a simple dedicated number they can be quickly reached on, she affirms.

Russell concludes it was up to authorities how a specialist cybercrime reporting line would operate in practice and whether it should be part of the existing 000 emergency response service.
The American Central Intelligence Agency discussed plans to either abduct or kill WikiLeaks founder and publisher Julian Assange in 2017, a Yahoo! News report claims.

The lengthy report says the spy agency was angry about the leak of some of its hacking tools that year, which the whistleblower organisation called Vault 7.

Assange is currently in Belmarsh Prison in the UK, awaiting the outcome of an appeal by the US against a British court verdict that said he could not be extradited to America to face espionage charges.

The Yahoo! News story said the drive to act against Assange came after the appointment of Mike Pompeo as CIA director.

The reporters  Zach Dorfman, Sean Naylor and Michael Isikoff  spoke to 30 former US officials to gather material for their story.

It quoted an unnamed former Trump national security official as saying Pompeo and other top CIA officials "were completely detached from reality because they were so embarrassed about Vault 7. They were seeing blood.

The CIA has in the past drafted plans that have raised eyebrows, with one being a plan to kill former Cuban leader Fidel Castro by using an exploding cigar.

On 4 January, British District Judge Vanessa Baraister ruled that Assange should not be extradited, saying the risk he would commit suicide in a US jail were too high.

Assange faces criminal charges for publishing classified information that was leaked to WikiLeaks by an American soldier, then known as Bradley Manning, but now, after gender reassignment surgery, known as Chelsea Manning.

Assange was arrested by British police on 11 April 2019 and removed from the Ecuador embassy where he had taken refuge. His asylum was withdrawn shortly before he was arrested and he appeared in court shortly thereafter. The US made a formal request for his extradition on 6 June 2019.
Support Local Journalism

Now, more than ever, the world needs trustworthy reportingbut good journalism isnt free. Please support us by subscribing or making a contribution.

Subscribe or contribute
Today

Overcast. High 83F. Winds W at 15 to 25 mph.

Tonight

A few clouds from time to time. Low around 60F. Winds W at 15 to 25 mph.

Tomorrow

Mainly sunny. High 84F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph.
Theoneste Bagosora, the Rwandan military leader dubbed the Colonel of the Apocalypse, has died in Mali where he was serving a sentence for his role in the 1994 genocide that killed more than 800,000 people  mostly Tutsis.

Bagosoras death, aged 80, was announced by his son in a Facebook post on Saturday that read R.I.P. Papa. It was confirmed on Sunday.

Theoneste Bagosora died in a hospital in Mali yesterday (Saturday) late morning, said Abubacarr Tambadou, registrar for the Mechanism for International Criminal Tribunals, which oversees prosecution of those responsible for the genocide.

Bagosora was jailed for life in 2008 for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes, though his sentence was reduced to 35 years on appeal in 2011.

In April 1994, Colonel Bagasora was the most senior official under the minister of defence.

Once a close ally of then president Juvenal Habyarimana  they both came from the same northwestern province of Gisenyi  he later reportedly held a grudge after being passed over for promotion to general.

French military intelligence concluded Bagasora was one of the prime sponsors behind the April 6 assassination of both president Habyarimana and his Burundian counterpart Cyprien Ntaryamira  both Hutus  as well as the Rwandan army chief of staff.

Their Falcon plane was shot down when preparing to land in the Rwandan capital Kigali, an event many blamed on Tutsi rebels and which triggered the massacres.

The assassination of moderate opposition ministers and Tutsis less than half an hour after the explosion of the presidential Falcon would confirm the high degree of preparation of this operation, according to the intelligence memo from September 1994, revealed in 2019.

Most senior officer

A few days later, the foreign minister and Hutu moderate was killed by soldiers. Bagasora and Boniface Ngurinzira had clashed constantly during 1993 peace talks in Tanzania.

Bagasora accused Ngurinzira of making too many concessions to the rebels and, on his return to Rwanda, reportedly said he was heading home to prepare the Apocalypse  something he denied in court hearings.

Bagasora denied any direct role in the genocide, though he was seen as part of a Hutu extremist faction in the country.

With the defence minister also out of the country on a mission, Bagasora was the most senior military official from April 6-9, the first days of the genocide  when extremists rounded on the Tutsi majority, Hutu moderates and those from mixed lineages in an orgy of bloodletting that shocked the world.

The appeal court in 2011 found that while there was no evidence he ordered the massacres, Bagasora knew they were planned and did nothing to stop them, even though he was in a position to do so.

Bagosora was serving his sentence in Koulikoro prison in Mali, but had been transferred to a clinic in the capital Bamako, an official in the Malian prison administration told AFP.

An official at the institution where he was admitted said he died of heart failure, without giving further details.

Bagosora had in April been refused an application for early release because of the extremely high gravity (of his) crimes.
For a soldier like Major Bernard Ntuyahaga, the reflexes of war probably never go away. The former soldier prefers to meet his visitor at high noon, in the open, in full view of everyone, on the main road to the international airport of the Rwandan capital Kigali. A big cap covers his head and a pair of large glasses hides almost half his face. Weighing in at almost 70 years old and 90 kilos, the plump man walks straight ahead, eyes fixed. He scans the location around him. But we already know each other from Mutobo! he exclaims while we are still fifty metres apart.

A smile appears on his thick lips, in a mixture of interest and concern. What do they want with him, after more than two years of calm and incognito? During his stay at the Mutobo camp  an obligatory passage in northern Rwanda for the demobilization and reintegration of ex-combatants  he drew a lot of attention from the media, most of whom he turned down. We just wanted to know if you are alive and well and how you are rebuilding your life, we explain. For this interview, Ntuyahaga chose the store of a former army classmate. As you can see, I am alive and well, breathing the unpolluted air of my country in perpetual spring! he replies, before sinking into a deep silence.

Time in the corridors of death

After his June 2018 release in Belgium, Ntuyahaga spent six months in a closed centre for asylum seekers and candidates for deportation. After all his appeals were rejected, including before the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), his forced return to Rwanda then became inevitable. For his daughter Bernadette Ntuyahaga, this meant death and inhuman and degrading treatment, so much so that, she told the press, I prefer that he be killed in Belgium rather than there. [] That way, we can at least visit his grave.

Today, Ntuyahaga is at pains to justify such apprehensions. For him, a decision to deport an asylum seeker to the country he fled is never a pleasant moment, after a quarter of a century in exile. Especially with heavy charges against me related to the genocide, he explains, his eyes fixed on an imaginary point.

And he remembers the eight-hour flight from Brussels to Kigali. Towards death! I worked out three scenarios in my head that I could face when I arrived in Rwanda, he says. The first and most likely to me: a kidnapping followed by execution, upon arrival at the airport in Kigali. The second: arrest and detention in Kigali prison, awaiting a possible trial. For this purpose, a lawyer was even there upon his landing. Finally, the third, to which I gave little credit: reception in a process of reintegration, respecting agreements between the ECHR, Belgium and Rwanda, according to which he would not be prosecuted, once he arrived in Rwanda, for the same crimes for which he had been sentenced to 20 years in jail in Belgium.

So I lived in fear and anxiety until after my arrival in Kigali. Then I was pleasantly surprised, and still am now, he says, his face clearer, apparently reassured about the direction the interview is taking. When he arrived, he recalls, a general from the Rwandan Demobilization and Reintegration Commission (RDRC) was waiting for him, in a scenario that Ntuyahaga had thought most unlikely. The RDRC had come to organize his stay of a few months in a reintegration centre, along with other former soldiers expelled from the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Civic education and detoxification

Once in the Mutobo camp, they were given civic education courses, designed on Rwandan realities and designed to detoxify us, says the former Rwandan Armed Forces major. At the end of their stay, they were trained in income-generating activities related to agriculture and livestock, small business and services. Then he received a Rwandan identity card, like any other citizen. With this card, he was able to access a health insurance scheme that allowed him to have cataract surgery, he explains.

Ntuyahaga had built a house around 1993, in anticipation of a likely demobilization. After the genocide, this house, managed as abandoned property, was sold to a police officer and the money paid into the public treasury. After his return, the RDRC helped him launch a recovery procedure with the Ministry of Justice. It was decided that the proceeds of the sale should be paid to him by the Ministry of Justice, upon presentation of a marriage certificate and a power of attorney duly signed by his wife, who is the co-owner of the house, according to Rwandan law. Ntuyahaga is still waiting for this payment and wonders whether, with her status as a political refugee in Denmark, his wife can contact the embassy of the country she fled to establish the required official document.

Yesterdays enemies now brothers in arms

Chez Manu, two hundred metres down the road from Kigali airport, offers a relaxing and convivial meeting place for Ntuyahaga and the daily regulars. The atmosphere here is one of joy. And as long as Covid-19 restrictions allow, the beer flows. Everyone knows everyone. The youngest is in his forties. It is a meeting place for the villages old people who, seen in the mirror of the past, are both Hutus and Tutsis. Better still, there are retired members of the Rwandan Patriotic Army (RPA) and others from the ex-Rwandan Armed Forces (FAR) who fought against each other in the war from 1990 to 1994.

They have chosen a game that brings people together, the traditional Rwandan game called Igisoro, which pits two opponents against each other and is played by taunting each other to discourage the less valiant. On this day, Ntuyahaga has not yet played, but he challenges some of the players and praises another, an RPA elder, whom he invites to join them through a video call on his smartphone. Everyone speaks at the same time to sing their own praises. Its a real playground, improvised by Ntuyahaga, which would surprise many of those he left behind in Belgium who cried on the day of his expulsion. What I have found here is wonderful: the politics of unity and reconciliation. Even yesterdays enemies now consider themselves brothers in arms, says the former major, who also talks about childhood friends, school friends and rare former comrades in arms, helping me re-learn living together.

The man who kept turning himself in

After his release by a UN tribunal in 1999, Bernard Ntuyahaga was referred to the Tanzanian justice system to find out whether he would be tried in Rwanda or in Belgium.  Franck Petit

Ntuyahaga has had an extraordinary journey (see box). Wanted after 1994 by Rwanda and Belgium, indicted and then released by the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR), imprisoned for four years in Tanzania awaiting an extradition order, released and preferring to surrender to Belgium, he was finally convicted for his role in the assassination of Belgian paratroopers on the first day of the genocide against Tutsis in Rwanda. His descriptions of the net tightening around a Rwandan fugitive in Congo and Zambia, his flight to Tanzania and his surrender to the ICTR, his years of imprisonment in Tanzania under the eye of the Rwandan intelligence services, then his surrender and transfer to Belgium, are worthy of a Hollywood thriller. His was a 20-year journey, from his first surrender to the Tanzanian authorities in 1998 to his release by Belgian justice.

Looking back, how do you see your experience at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda and in Belgium? we ask. This judicial journey was physically and mentally painful but intellectually rewarding, he replies, laconically.

The scapegoat

Ntuyahaga doesnt like to talk about his trial in Belgium, except to say that they needed a scapegoat for what happened. He remembers that one of the lawyers for the civil parties considered him, the little major, as one of the four musketeers of President Habyarimanas regime, along with the much more famous Colonel Theoneste Bagosora, Major Francois-Xavier Nzuwonemeye and Captain Innocent Sagahutu, all of whom were convicted of genocide by the ICTR.

Do you have any regrets, regarding what happened? he is inevitably asked. He becomes thoughtful, evasive. In a persons life, there are ups and downs, and so it is in mine, he starts, before elaborating a bit. What Rwandan, Hutu or Tutsi, has not had their share of suffering from bad governance? Who, for different reasons and at different times, has not lost a family member or been a refugee? With this simple reading of the past, it is time to sit down together, to root out the imported evil and recover our true unity.

And how do you see yourself now? we ask. The former ex-FAR major says he is still listening to people, to information, for possible opportunities. He says he has plans and should join existing structures like cooperatives. But he is now looking forward to the conviviality of his friends over a beer and a game of Igisoro.

MAJOR NTUYAHAGAS JUDICIAL ODYSSEY 7 April 1994. Lynching of 10 Belgian UN peacekeepers at Camp Kigali. Bernard Ntuyahaga, after dropping them off at this military camp, allegedly spread the rumour that they were responsible for the attack on President Habyarimana the previous evening.

July 1994. His family crosses the border and settles in Bukavu, Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of Congo).

October 1995. Following insecurity and an arrest warrant issued against him by Belgium, he leaves Zaire and settles with his family in Lusaka, Zambia.

6 June 1998. Fearing that he would be kidnapped by the Kigali regime, Ntuyahaga surrenders to the United Nations International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR), based in Arusha, Tanzania. The ICTR Prosecutor draws up an indictment against him for genocide and crimes against humanity. Ntuyahaga pleads not guilty.

29 March 1999. Ntuyahaga is released by the ICTR after the prosecutor, frustrated that the judges had not retained the charge of genocide, dropped the case against him. Ntuyahaga went to the Belgian embassy in Tanzania, where he failed to negotiate his surrender. At the end of the day, he was arrested by the Tanzanian police for illegal entry. Ntuyahaga was imprisoned in Dar Es Salaam, where extradition procedures were filed against him by both Rwanda and Belgium.

March 2004. Released from jail, Ntuyahaga flies to Belgium  because, he now recounts, I had to choose the lesser of two evils  accompanied by a Belgian diplomat.

19 April 2007. Trial begins before the Assize Court in Brussels.

4 July 2007. Ntuyahaga is found guilty of killing 10 Belgian peacekeepers and an unknown number of civilians. He is sentenced to 20 years in jail.

May 2018. He is released.

21 December 2018. Expulsion to Rwanda.
The International Criminal Courts new chief prosecutor said Monday he wants to focus his investigation in Afghanistan on the Taliban and Islamic State-Khorasan, and to deprioritise alleged war crimes by US forces.

Karim Khan said he had asked judges to allow him to relaunch the probe  put on hold last year at the request of Kabuls then-government while it said it would investigate war crimes itself  following the Taliban takeover in August.

Recent developments in Afghanistan and the change in the national authorities, represent a significant change of circumstances, Khan, who took over as prosecutor in June at the Hague-based court, said in a statement.

After reviewing matters carefully, I have reached the conclusion that, at this time, there is no longer the prospect of genuine and effective domestic investigations.

Khan asked judges for expedited permission to resume the probe.

The Afghanistan probes inclusion of alleged US crimes had infuriated Washington.

The administration of former US president Donald Trump imposed sanctions on Khans predecessor Fatou Bensouda over the issue.

Khan said that he would now narrow his focus in Afghanistan due to the limited resources of the ICC as it investigates various situations around the world.

I have therefore decided to focus my offices investigations in Afghanistan on crimes allegedly committed by the Taliban and the Islamic State-Khorasan Province (IS-K) and to deprioritise other aspects of this investigation, he said.

This was because of the gravity, scale and continuing nature of alleged crimes by the Taliban and the Islamic State and the need to construct credible cases capable of being proved beyond reasonable doubt in the courtroom, Khan said.

The ICC prosecutor specifically mentioned the deadly August 26 attack on Kabul airport claimed by IS-K in which 13 US service members and more than 100 Afghan civilians were killed.

In relation to those aspects of the investigation that have not been prioritised, my office will remain alive to its evidence preservation responsibilities, to the extent they arise, he said.

The ICC was set up in 2002 to investigate the worlds worst crimes in cases where member states were either unable or unwilling to investigate them themselves.

Former prosecutor Bensouda asked ICC judges to approve a formal investigation into Afghanistan in 2017. Appeals judges ruled in March 2020 that it could go ahead.
The International Criminal Courts new prosecutor said Monday he would focus on the Taliban and Islamic State-Khorasans actions in Afghanistan instead of alleged US crimes.

Karim Khan asked judges to relaunch the courts probe into Afghanistan, which was paused last year at Kabuls request, saying the Talibans takeover meant war crimes would no longer be investigated properly.

But rights defenders reacted with fury after Khan, who took office in June with a vow to reform the ICC, announced that he would deprioritise the investigation into American forces and concentrate on Islamist groups.

The Hague-based ICCs Afghan probe has long enraged Washington, and prompted the US administration of president Donald Trump to impose sanctions on Khans predecessor Fatou Bensouda.

Khan said current de facto control of the territory of Afghanistan by the Taliban represents a fundamental change in circumstances necessitating the present application to reopen the investigation.

The now-deposed government in Kabul had asked the ICC in early 2020 to pause its inquiry while it probed war crimes domestically. The court can step in where member states are unable or willing to prosecute.

The ICCs limited resources and the need to focus on cases most likely to result in convictions meant he would now narrow his focus in Afghanistan, Khan added.

 Gravity and scale 

I have therefore decided to focus my offices investigations in Afghanistan on crimes allegedly committed by the Taliban and the Islamic State-Khorasan Province (IS-K) and to deprioritise other aspects of this investigation, he said.

This was because of the gravity, scale and continuing nature of alleged crimes by the Taliban and the Islamic State, Khan said.

The ICC launched a preliminary probe there in 2006, with the mandate to investigate crimes dating back to when Afghanistan joined the court three years earlier.

Bensouda sought permission for a formal investigation in 2017, saying there was reasonable basis to believe war crimes had been committed by both the Taliban, and by US forces in Afghanistan and the CIA in secret detention centres abroad.

ICC judges rejected the opening of an investigation in 2019 saying it would not serve the interests of justice but appeals judges then gave the go-ahead in 2020  only for the probe to be deferred at Afghanistans request.

Washington had long been hostile to the ICC, of which it is not a member, over the probe into Afghanistan. US forces left the country at the end of August after 20 years.

But while Khan said the ICC would remain alive to its evidence preservation responsibilities, to the extent they arise on US crimes, the focus would now be on Afghanistans new rulers and their IS-K rivals.

 Shame 

The prosecutor added that the Talibans takeover itself may constitute an unconstitutional transition of power and added that there is a reasonable basis to believe that persons affiliated with the Taliban committed crimes against humanity.

Reports of the Talibans release of thousands of prisoners allegedly linked to Al-Qaeda and IS terror groups does not support the notion that the Taliban will genuinely investigate.

The ICC prosecutor also specifically mentioned the deadly August 26 attack on Kabul airport claimed by IS-K in which 13 US service members and more than 100 Afghan civilians were killed.

The decision to end the ICC focus on US abuses in Afghanistan was greeted with fury in some quarters.

Stunned, tweeted Katherine Gallagher, a lawyer for Afghan victims of what they say was torture by US forces, adding that Khan had given them no advance warning of the move and they only found out when they read a press release.

Next time Im told about victim-centered #ICC by court officials or diplomats, academics #SHAME, added Gallagher.

Amnesty International campaigner Samira Hamidi said a US drone strike days before the pullout that wiped out 10 members of an Afghan family showed that the ICC needs to revisit this decision and hold the US accountable too.
Troy Wayman, President and CEO of One Acadiana, stopped by News15 to share 2 amazing events each happening on a Wednesday!

The first? Ballots over Breakfast.

On Wednesday, September 29, One Acadiana (1A) will join Louisiana Association of Business and Industry (LABI), House Ways and Means member, Rep. Beau Beaullieu, and the Public Affairs Research Council of Louisiana (PAR) to host Ballots Over Breakfast.

Stephen Waguespack, President & CEO of the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry (LABI), and House Ways and Means member, Rep. Beau Beaullieu, will discuss the importance of voting YES on Constitutional Amendments No. 1 and No. 2. These amendments will greatly enhance Louisianas economic competitiveness through comprehensive tax reforms that simplify and streamline our states tax system for individuals and businesses alike.

1A will also be joined by the Steven Procopio, Policy Director for the Public Affairs Research Council of Louisiana (PAR), who will share the pros and cons of Constitutional Amendments No. 3 and No. 4 on the ballot.

WHEN

Wednesday, September 29, 2021

7:30 - 9:00 a.m.

WHERE

Ballots Over Breakfast will be offered as a hybrid event with both an in-person or a virtual option to attend.

In-Person: RockNBowl, 905 Jefferson St. Lafayette, LA 70501
LAFAYETTE, LA (KADN) - Police departments here in Acadiana are seeing a surge in violent crimes including murder, robbery, assault, and rape. Just this past week here in Lafayette police responded to shots fired. When they arrived officers located a man suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He was transported to a local hospital where he later died.

Dionte Franklin has been a resident of Lafayette for the past 3 years now and says he hopes to see gun violence go down.

Franklin says "In the future, I hope that violence can be alleviated I don't think that there nothing the government as far as Louisiana goes I don't think that there's really nothing they can do to alleviate I think its just the people".

Community leaders say an increase in crime has a lot to do with the lack of resources but it's their job to make members of the community aware of them so they can keep kids out of trouble.

Devon Norman says "There are so many resources that are coming into our community's because of covid that we need to make sure the community has the resources to give the kids something to do".

A rise in the number of shootings has been seen in many other cities as well, with President Biden attempting to strengthen firearm regulations to combat gun violence. but franklin believes the issue is deeper than gun regulations.

He says "Everybody's background is different not everybody has the skills or the mindset to try to resolve something before it escalates to potentially being life-threatening".
Han So Hee is ready for her sweet revenge in Netflix My Name.

The streaming giant releases the main poster of the upcoming action crime Kdrama, starring the Nevertheless actress with Park Hee Soon and Ahn Bo Hyun.

Netflix My Name Official Trailer Suggests a Fierce Battle Between Han So Hee, Park Hee Soon, and Ahn Bo Hyun

The trio creates an intense atmosphere seen in the second main poster, hinting at a powerful clash between the syndicate and the drug investigation team.

Han So Hee's character, Han Ji Woo, who is motivated by revenge, displays a fierce gaze suggesting that she's keeping an eagle eye on her enemies.

The same goes for Ahn Bo Hyun, who dons a strong expression while the drama villain Park Hee Soon looks away, hinting at an evil plan against his detractors.

Netflix My Name Release Date, Cast, and What We Know so Far

Directed by Lawless Lawyer and Extracurricular PD Kim Jin Min and penned by Kim Ba Da, who also wrote movies The Huntresses and Life Risking Romance, the upcoming series depicts the story of a woman who is driven by vengeance.

Han Ji Woo (Han So Hee) is a member of a large crime ring at Dongcheon headed by Choi Moo Jin (Park Hee Soon).

To avenge her father's death, she infiltrates the police and disguises herself as an undercover agent. Apart from her vengeance, Han Ji Woo also wants to uncover the truth behind her father's tragedy.

Here, she meets Jeon Pil Do (Ahn Bo Hyun), a police detective at the Drug Investigation Unit who is also her partner in the field.

Jeon Pil Do is under team leader Cha Gi Ho (Kim Sang Ho), a long-time enemy of Choi Moo Jin, who vowed to hunt down his syndicate.

Set to be released on October 15 exclusively on Netflix, the eight-episode series will feature the other side of Han So Hee.

Han So Hee as Han Ji Woo in Netflix My Name

Far from her roles in Nevertheless and The World of the Married, the 26-year-old South Korean beauty will deliver intense fight scenes, flaunting her combating skills for the action-packed Kdrama.

In one interview, the up-and-coming actress spoke about her new character and the challenges that she experienced.

She revealed that she spent five days rehearsing at an action school but had fun filming on set.

"I realized for the first time that I have two left feet. I gradually transformed by going to action school on all of the days-Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays-and I had fun filming because of the euphoria that comes after perfectly completing an action scene."

On the other hand, My Name director Kim Jin Min went all praises for Han So Hee, saying that she is very passionate about her character, adding "She thinks extremely hard about what she has to do, so she can just film it when she arrives on set."

Netflix My Name is Han So Hee's new drama after the success of the webtoon-based series Nevertheless with Song Kang.

KDramastars owns this article

Written by Geca Wills
Netflix Squid Game, starring Lee Jung Jae and Park Hae Soo, is involved in controversy following some glitches seen in the mega-hit K-series.

After the phone number incident, the psychological thriller K-drama is facing another issue; this time, it's an alleged leaked personal bank account that appeared on the show.

Was the Bank Account in 'Squid Game' Real? An Online Post Says So

In a report cited by a South Korean outlet, a viewer claimed in an online community titled "Squid Game 45.5 Billion Account Owner" that the account featured in "Squid Game does exist.

According to the post, the author tried to transfer 1 KRW to the said account number. Surprisingly, a notification prompted saying, "Do you want to transfer X won to XXX?"

Based on the author's claim, it mentioned that the card account received by Lee Jung Jae's character, Seong Gi Hoon, is a Kakao Bank account.

"I wonder who it is. Are you a squid game filming staff member?" the posts read, raising curiosity regarding the mysterious number.

Netflix Addresses Bank Account Issue Seen in 'Squid Game'

Amid the supposed glitches raised by the viewers, Netflix released a statement addressing the new controversy.

According to Spotv News, the streaming giant denied disclosing any personal information and explained that the account number was made for production use only.

"The account number disclosed is the number used after cooperation in the content production process."

'Squid Game' Phone Number Mishap

As mentioned above, this is not the first time that the popular Kdrama has faced issues regarding its production mishap.

To recall, just days after the Netflix series premiered, the streaming giant was hounded by controversies involving Gong Yoo's number in "Squid Game."

In the nine-episode series, his character seen in episodes one and nine was distributing calling cards to selected participants.

However, the number actually exists and belongs to someone who has been receiving countless text messages and phone calls since the Netflix series aired.

According to some media outlets, the person received over 4,000 calls from strangers daily.

The number which the person owned for more than ten years is affecting her personal life.

On the other hand, SBS News revealed that the owner of the phone number spoke with Netflix and was advised that she should change her number since nothing can be done at this time.

"We can't do anything since it [phone number] already went out, and it's not like we did it intentionally. Honestly, we think the only option is for you to change your number."

Following this, the production team addressed the issue, stating that they are trying to develop a solution through constant communication with the owner virtually.

Netflix's newest Kdrama "Squid Game" flowers the story of 456 participants who are facing ballooning debts.

In order to pay this, they are lured into playing the deadly children's games but only one winning is declared as the winner.

KDramastars owns this article

Written by Geca Wills
Kim Seon Ho and Shin Min Ah broke the internet and the viewers with their crazy, event-filled Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha Episode 10 that aired on September 26.

In the latest episode, Hye Jin and Doo Sik, played by Shin Min Ah and Kim Seon Ho, finally confessed their love for each other.

Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha Episode 10: Hong Doo Sik Risks His Life For Yoon Hye Jin

In the previous episodes, a notorious pervert has been roaming around the peaceful village of Gongjin, giving its residents severe anxiety.

In Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha Episode 10, the culprit is finally arrested after breaking into dentist's Hye Jin's home late at night.

However, things have been rough before the criminal was arrested. Although the dentist was safe and sound, the man who saved her from the criminal, Chief Hong, was badly injured.

Because of this, Hye Jin cried her heart out at the hospital where Doo Sik was treated, expressing her great worry for the poor man.

Since Hye Jin still worries about the criminal who broke into her home, and her best friend, Mi Seon (Gong Min Jeung), is still in Seoul, she will be alone. Hong Doo Sik then opens the door of his humble abode for the dentist.

The two spent their night talking about things. Doo Sik, who has been a mystery to Hye Jin, finally opened up about his beloved grandfather, letting Hye Jin in on a more personal level with him.

Romance Fills the Gongjin Air, Ji Seong Hyun Shoots His Shot for the Last Time

Producing director Ji Seong Hyun (Lee Sang Yi) went back to Gongjin, bravely deciding to confess his undying love for the beautiful dentist.

In the latest episode, it was revealed that the director has been deeply in love with Hye Jin for 14 years and more.

With his regret in those years, he finally wanted to man up and tell her how he feels before it became too late.

Despite Seong Hyun's confession and pure intentions, Hye Jin has her heart closed for anyone else's but someone dear to her.

However, the producing director didn't give up just yet and gave Hye Jin more time to think.

On the other hand, Mi Seon stepped in and stopped the growth of her and Eun Cheol's (Kang Hyun Seok) blooming relationship.

After the police officer drove her to Seoul for her mother's surgery, Mi Seon expressed her sentiments to Eun Cheol.

Clearly, Mi Seon has already fallen deeply in love with the police officer, but Eun Cheol's perspective on love is much different than hers. It made her think twice and move on with her life.

Because of this, she draws a thin fine line between the two of them.

Yoon Hye Jin Meets Hong Doo Sik's Beloved Grandfather

On her way home, Hye Jin remembers Doo Sik's grandfather's memorial service and buys different kinds of jeon (savory pancake) to serve in the service.

In Doo Sik's house, the two of them commemorate Doo Sik's grandfather's life. Hye Jin also introduced herself to his grandfather.

Hye Jin and Doo Sik savored a feast-like dinner while exchanging knowing glances and shared sweet smiles.

Hye Jin and Mi Seon Enjoy a Relaxation Trip in Seoul

Because of clouded minds and their complicated relationship with Gongjin men, Hye Jin and her best friend Mi Seon took a day off and went to Seoul for a relaxation break.

The two spent money on shopping for nice clothes, eating delicious food, and enjoying the cold Seoul City air.

Though Hye Jin is physically in Seoul, her mind wanders to Gongjin and to the man who kept her heart beating quickly for the past months.

Because of this, she decided to go back to Gongjin, to go back home, and finally address the elephant in the room.

It was raining, and she was reminded more of Doo Sik, who, surprisingly, made her enjoy the rain despite her hatred towards being damp and uncomfortable.

Hye Jin Becomes Braver, Doo Sik Kisses the Love of His Life

When she got back to Gongjin, she saw Doo Sik having a quiet time staring at the sea. With a smile on her face, she bravely expressed her feelings towards the man.

Though the two are almost polar opposites of each other, Hye Jin still fell for Doo Sik, who has been amazing to her ever since.

And maybe because of the power of love, Doo Sik feels the same way for the dentist. The two shared their first real kiss as a couple.

Follow KDramastars for more Kdrama, KMovie, and celebrity news updates!

KDramastars owns this article.

Written by Elijah Mully.
Ahn Hyo Seop delivered striking visuals as he graced Marie Claire Korea's latest issue.

The 26-year-old actor flaunted his jaw-dropping charm in a black-and-white shoot for the magazine's October cover.

Ahn Hyo Seop Flaunts Sophisticated and Mysterious Aura in Marie Claire's October Issue

The 6.1 feet tall actor wowed fans with his expressive eyes and a rockstar vibe as he dons a black top paired with leather pants under a white coat.

In one photo, the "Dr. Romantic 2" star showed off his stunning facial features in an up-close shot.

The comment section was filled with heart emojis signaling the fans' support for the actor.

Ahn Hyo Seop Share Thoughts on his KDrama' Lovers of the Red Sky'

With the theme "Journey to the Unknown," the heartthrob spoke about his new drama "Lovers of the Red Sky" and the struggles he experienced portraying Ha Ram.

During his interview with the Marie Claire Korea team, the actor admitted that filming the SBS drama was a bit challenging given that most of his scenes were shot in front of a blue screen.

With this, as an actor, he had to step up his A-game to carry out his role and create a magnificent scene out of nothing.

Apart from the star-studded lineup of the cast, "Lovers of the Red Sky" was also lauded for its remarkable visuals seen every episode.

To recall, the pilot episode featured the battle between the evil and the deity highlighting the stunning 3D effects.

Talks About Portraying Ha Ram

In the Monday and Tuesday night series, Ahn Hyo Seop took on the role of Ha Ram, a blind astrologer who lived a double life.

The evil spirit chose his body as his temporary shelter after the shaman turned him into a sacrificial lamb at the rain ceremony.

As a result, the goddess of life, Sam Shin, took away his eyesight and transferred it to Hong Cheon Gi, played by Kim Yoo Jung.

Interestingly, Ahn Hyo Seop talked about being Ha Ram and how he managed to play the character.

He gets honest and reveals that he tried to convey his role as someone who managed to surpass his misfortunes on his own instead of sulking at the setback he faces.

To recall, his parents died in the hands of the royal guards despite their loyalty to the King.

At the same time, he lost his eyesight during the ceremony and now lives as a blind person.

Ahn Hyo Seop on Continuous Learning

The 26-year-old Canadian Korean first appeared in the MBC drama "Splash Splash Love" and became one of the cast in the music variety show "Always Cantare."

However, it was the 2017 Kdrama "Queen of the Ring" where the viewers recognized his talent.

When asked regarding his plans for the future, Ahn Hyo Seop shares that when the moment comes that he seems to be getting older, the actor says that one of the essential factors in acting is not to lose the craving for learning and knowledge.

Apart from his current Kdrama, the "Abyss" star would also appear in the upcoming sequel of "Dr.Romantic," "The Office Blind Date," and in talks to lead the cast of SBS' "Today's Webtoon."

IN CASE YOU MISSED: Ahn Hyo Seop Exudes Striking Visuals in Elle Korea Ahead of 'Lovers of the Red Sky' Release

KDramastars owns this article

Written by Geca Wills
"East of Eden" actress Jeon So Min and "Psychopath Diary" actor Park Sung Hoon are set to return together to the small screen with KBS Drama Special anthology "Hee Soo."

It is the first work of KBS Drama Special in the year 2021, and it is scheduled to air in October.

Jeon So Min and Park Sung Hoon Return Together with New Drama 'Hee Soo'

Jeon So Min and Park Sung Hoon, known for their excellent acting abilities, work together in the new KBS Special Drama "Hee Soo," which follows the story of two parents who resort to virtual reality to satisfy their intense longing for their daughter, Hee Soo.

In the first video teaser that was released on September 27, Hwang Joo Eun (Jeon So Min) and Go Tae Hoon (Park Sung Hoon) shared a glimpse of their dull, mourning lives.

However, their pointless lives take a drastic change after the two parents use a VR machine which lets them see and talk to their dead daughter. Tears, sadness, and longing filled the teaser video.

The reunion of the couple and their daughter using a VR machine evokes a different sense of pity and loneliness.

"Hee Soo" is the first of the four films that will meet the public in the year 2021. The "Hee Soo" production team aims to provide a different kind of fun through incorporating various genres such as melodrama, sci-fi, thriller, and horror while featuring the story of a simple and loving family.

"Hee Soo" is held together by director Choi Sang Yeol and Yeom Jae Yi, and it will air for the first time on October 22 on KBS at 11:20 p.m. KST.

Jeon So Min and Park Sung Hoon's New and Upcoming Projects

The "Psychopath Diary" actor diversified his roles in many popular dramas "Six Flying Dragons," "Jealousy Incarnate," "Mad Dog," "Rich Man," and "Three Days."

He earned his first main role in another KBS2 Drama Special, "My Embarrassing Days," with co-star Jeon So Min.

In 2021, he appeared in two new dramas SBS TV's "Joseon Exorcist" and "Dramaworld 2".

On the other hand, Jeon So Min is set to appear in another drama, "Show Window: Queen's House" together with Song Yoon Ah, Lee Sung Jae, and Hwang Chan Sung. The drama is produced by broadcast network Channel A.

She will be returning to the big screen with a new film, "Girl." Further details are yet to be announced.

Follow KDramastars for more Kdrama, KMovie, and celebrity news updates!



KDramastars owns this article.

Written by Elijah Mully.
The much-loved coming of age romantic comedy-drama "Police University" starring B1A4 Jinyoung, f(x) Krystal, and Cha Tae Hyun successfully hooked the public with its amazing plot, excellent cast, and their interesting stories.

Now that the drama has three episodes left before its highly anticipated finale, the happenings in "Police University" just get more and more intense.

In the 13th episode, Kang Seon Ho (Jinyoung) stands at a crossroads between life and death.

'Police University' Episode 13 Spoilers: Kang Seon Ho Faces a Crisis of Life and Death

Kang Seon Ho, a former hacker who aspired to become a police officer, finds himself standing in the middle of a crossroad between life and death after receiving threats from the members of the illegal gambling groups.

In the previous episodes, Seon Ho partnered up with detective-turned-professor Yoo Dong Man (Cha Tae Hyun), together with the other professors and students of the National Police University to arrest Go Deok Bae (Shin Seung Hwan), a member who operates an illegal online gambling site.

However, Kang Seon Ho kept being threatened by an anonymous person who knew his illegal hacking allegations from before while Dong Man was involved in an unexpected car accident, which heightened his tension and fear.

But he did not give up tracking the anonymous culprit in order to protect him and the people dear to him. He then caught one of the suspects, Jang Jae Gyu (Lee Seong Woo), and fiercely questioned him.

In the middle of the arrest, Kang Seon Ho works hard on his own in an empty, poorly lit building. With his innate hacker instinct, he keeps his gaze fixed on the laptop screen and anticipates the unfinished task.

Even so, a mysterious figure appears behind him, pointing a gun at his head. Kang Seon Ho, scared and shocked, sweats to the extreme.

Jo Joon Wook and No Beom Tae Get in Trouble in the National Police University

Freshmen students Jo Joon Wook (Yoo Youngjae) and No Beom Tae (Lee Dal) get in trouble after being summoned to the disciplinary committee of the National Police University.

The two showed excellent camaraderie and sympathy as they both worked together to arrest Go Deok Bae.

While professor Dong Man is in the hospital, and Seon Ho is in the middle of a life-threatening predicament, Jo Joon Wook and No Beom Tae face the administrative personnel of the university with heavy tension.

On the other hand, Kwon Hyuk Pil (Lee Jong Hyuk) and Choi Hee Soo (Hong Soo Hyun), who were a part of the investigation team in arresting Go Deok Bae, interrogate the two across them, sporting expressions of disbelief.

Attention and anticipation are up to the roof, curiosity as to what will happen in the highly anticipated episode of "Police University".

'Police University' Episode 13 Release Date and Where to Watch

B1A4 Jinyoung, f(x) Krystal, and Cha Tae Hyun's "Police University" is scheduled to broadcast its 13th episode on Monday, September 27.

It will be available on KBS at 9:30 p.m. KST. For online worldwide streaming, the drama will be available on the online video service platforms Viu and wavve.

Follow KDramastars for more Kdrama, KMovie, and celebrity news updates!



KDramastars owns this article.

Written by Elijah Mully.
Sabina Nessa, a 28-year-old teacher from south London, is believed to have been murdered on the five-minute walk from her house to a pub, police say, sparking renewed outcry about the UK's epidemic of violence against women and girls.

London's Metropolitan Police has arrested a 38-year old man on suspicion of the murder.

In a statement on Thursday, the Met said the suspect had been arrested at an address in Lewisham. "He was taken into custody where he remains," the statement read.

Earlier in the day, the Met said Nessa had left her home in the borough of Greenwich just before 8:30 p.m. on September 17. Detectives believe that she was walking through Cator Park toward a bar in Pegler Square, where she had planned to meet a friend.

Police are also searching for another man in connection with Nessa's murder, having released a picture of him and of a silver vehicle they believe he has access to.

Nessa is thought to have been murdered on her journey through the park, the Met statement said, with her body found the following afternoon, close to a nearby community center.

"Sabina's journey should have taken just over five minutes but she never made it to her destination," Detective Chief Inspector Joe Garrity said, adding: "We know the community are rightly shocked by this murder -- as are we -- and we are using every resource available to us to find the individual responsible."

Garrity has appealed for anyone in the area of the park around the time of the attack to come forward.

Zubel Ahmed, Nessa's cousin, told ITV News on Wednesday that the family is still in shock, and that the news of her death has left them "devastated" and "inconsolable."

Nessa, who taught at a primary school in Lewisham, southeast London, was "truly the most kind, caring person out there," Ahmed said. "I don't understand how someone can do this, I really don't. It's a big, big loss to our family," he said.

Epidemic of violence against women

Nessa's death comes six months after the UK was left reeling following the assault and murder of 33-year-old Sarah Everard.

Everard went missing after leaving a friend's house in Clapham, south London, on March 3. Her body was found a week later, more than 50 miles from where she was last seen. Her killer, a serving police officer, pleaded guilty to her kidnap, rape and murder.

Everard's story prompted an outpouring across social media from women sharing their own experiences of sexual assault and harassment, catapulting the UK's damning record on violence against women and girls into the national spotlight.

More than 200 women were killed between March 2019 and 2020 in the UK, according to data from the Office for National Statistics and the Scottish government.

One woman is killed by a man on average every three days in the UK, according to data from the Femicide Census, an organization that tracks violence against women and girls. The group argues that the government's new strategy to curb such violence "shamefully ignores" victims of femicide.

Following Nessa's death, many are pointing out that little has changed. In a message posted to Twitter on Wednesday, Women's Equality Party leader Mandu Reid said: "The media have been asking today: have things gotten better since Sarah Everard's murder? The answer is NO."

Reid added that the "muted" reaction from the press and a "lack of public outcry" for Nessa -- a woman of color -- "demonstrates, once again, that not all victims are treated with the same respect and reverence."

In the wake of Everard's murder, the UK media's problematic relationship with diversity and race was again put under the spotlight. Many activists and social media users drew a comparison between the coverage of Everard's killing and the death of a 21-year-old Black business student, Blessing Olusegun, which garnered little national media attention. Olusegun's body was found on a beach on England's south coast in September 2020. Her "unexplained" death was not treated as suspicious by local police.

On Thursday, Greenwich Council told CNN that they had handed out 200 personal alarms to women and vulnerable residents in the borough this week "following the horrific murder of Sabina Nessa."

The small device can be attached to keys and handbags or held, and activate a loud alarm in the event of an attack, a Greenwich Council spokesperson said in a statement, adding that the alarms have been distributed at events since 2019.

But women shouldn't have to be on the defense. A report from a police watchdog in July said that "radical," cross-sector reform is needed to protect women and girls from an "epidemic" of crime.

Police should make the "relentless" pursuit and disruption of perpetrators a priority, Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services said.

From 2008-2018, 1,425 women were killed by men, according to Femicide Census data. The majority (62%) of those murders were committed by a woman's current or former partner, while 15% of women were killed by men that they knew. One in 12 (8%) of those murders were by strangers.

Speaking on the Good Morning Britain program on Thursday morning, London Mayor Sadiq Khan said "we have to give this issue the same seriousness we give other issues," adding that it was time to "make misogyny a hate crime."

A vigil, organized by the group "Reclaim These Streets" will be held for Nessa on Friday at 7 p.m. at Pegler Square in Lewisham.

This story has been updated to correct the month when Sarah Everard went missing. It was in March.

The-CNN-Wire

 &  2021 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved.
An Amtrak train traveling from Chicago to the Pacific Northwest derailed in a remote part of Montana on Saturday afternoon, killing three people and hospitalizing five others, authorities said.

Eight cars from Amtrak's Empire Builder train 7/27 headed westbound to Seattle/Portland derailed at about 4 p.m. near Joplin, Montana, a town around 30 miles south of the Canadian border with a population of about 150 people, Amtrak said.

The train consisted of two locomotives and 10 cars and there were about 141 passengers and 16 crew members on board, Amtrak said in an additional statement Sunday, clarifying previous figures provided.

"We are deeply saddened to learn local authorities are now confirming that three people have lost their lives as a result of this accident. There are also reported injuries among the passengers and crew members travelling on the train. Amtrak is working with the local authorities to transport those who were injured to medical care, and to safely evacuate everyone else at the scene," said the statement.

The injured people are being treated at Benefis Hospital in Great Falls, while others who were injured have been treated and released from a variety of local hospitals, said Sarah Robbin, the disaster and emergency services coordinator for Liberty County.

Amtrak has activated an Incident Response Team and "are sending emergency personnel and Amtrak leadership to the scene to help support our passengers, our employees and their families with their needs," the statement said.

Megan Vanderves, a passenger on a sleeper car on the train, had been taking a nap when the derailment jolted her awake on Saturday.

"I would describe the experience as kind of extreme turbulence on an airplane but louder, and there was kind of a lot of smoke smell. The first thought I really had when I woke up was, 'Oh my God we're derailing,'" she told CNN.

"It was probably 10 or 15 seconds of rocking back and forth and tons of noise, and then we came to a stop. Really we didn't know what was going on for a couple minutes."

She said she was evacuated within 10 minutes of the incident and only then understood the extent of the damage.

"We kind of thought maybe the car behind us had slightly come off or something like that, but it ended up being much, much worse and a lot more jarring to see when we got off the train," she said. "The car behind ours was slightly off and then the one behind that was kind of in between two sets of railroad tracks, and the one behind that one had like completely tipped over and fallen over and that was kind of the most shocking part."

Injured passengers were taken by ambulance to the towns of Havre, Shelby, Great Falls and Fort Benton, and those who were in critical condition were flown for treatment, said Amanda Frickel, the disaster and emergency services coordinator for Hill County, Montana.

"The passengers that were able to be transported from the derailment to the shelters were accounted for, fed, (and) given meds if theirs were lost or missing," Frickel said in a text message to CNN. "Then they were safely bussed to Shelby MT for the evening."

The National Transportation Safety Board is sending a "Go Team" to investigate, the agency said Saturday night.

The Empire Builder travels between Chicago-St.Paul/Minneapolis-Spokane-Portland/Seattle, according to Amtrak's website, and offers passengers a chance to "experience the rugged splendor of the American West."

"Traveling between Chicago and the Pacific Northwest along major portions of the Lewis and Clark Trail, the mighty Empire Builder takes you on an exciting adventure through majestic wilderness, following in the footsteps of early pioneers," the website adds.

The-CNN-Wire

 &  2021 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved.
MYRTLE POINT, Ore.  Coos County District Attorney Paul Frasier is shedding light on a fatal dog attack in Myrtle Point on Friday.

Frasier said the dog, a pit bull and American bulldog mix, had a history of attacks prior to the recent incident. Officials believe the dog had attacked two children in Springfield in July.

Investigators are piecing together how the dog came to be at 42-year-old Amber LaBelles home on Spruce Street. The dog's owner, Springfield resident Sara Nicholes, had reportedly left her dog in the care of Jeremy Robertson, who was at LaBelles home. He left the dog at her apartment to run errands, and it had been shut away in a bedroom, Frasier said.

Thats when authorities say LaBelles ex-husband brought over their two children for a visit. At about 10 a.m., LaBelle opened the door to the bedroom and was attacked by the dog. One of her children was able to go get help from neighbors.

Frasier said one of the neighbors pulled the dog off LaBelle and another pulled her away. When the officer arrived, the dog began pulling away from the neighbor toward LaBelle and the officer, who shot and killed it, according to the report.

Authorities say the dog weighed more than 120 pounds.

LaBelle was flown to RiverBend Hospital in Springfield where she died on Saturday.

Frasier said the case is still under investigation and anyone with information should contact the Myrtle Point Police Department. Once the investigation is completed, Frasier said he will present the case to the Coos County Grand Jury to determine if any criminal charges should be filed.
For Beijing, the return of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou to China after a prolonged extradition fight with the United States has been celebrated as a resounding victory.

From the moment a government-chartered plane lifted Meng out of Canada  where the CFO spent nearly three years living under house arrest in her multimillion-dollar mansion  her journey home has become an all-out nationalist propaganda blitz.

A red carpet and crowds waving Chinese flags awaited her on the tarmac in the southern city of Shenzhen, where the tech giant Huawei is headquartered. Patriotic slogans and songs resounded in the arrival hall of the airport. Downtown skyscrapers lit up with messages welcoming her home.

The event was broadcast live by state media, and the internet was abuzz with excitement. An online livestream by state broadcaster CCTV ran for six straight hours, attracting more than 83 million views. That's more than double the 38 million views of the launch of China's manned mission to send three astronauts into space in June.

"Without a powerful motherland, I wouldn't have my freedom today," Meng wrote in a lengthy social media post during her flight, which was widely shared online and read out word for word by a state television anchor.

For the domestic audience, Meng's homecoming has been framed as a story of China's diplomatic victory and a sign of its growing political clout. According to that narrative, Meng is an innocent victim of "political persecution" by the United States to crush China's high-tech industry.

"The situation has been portrayed [within China] as the Chinese government standing up to the US to get a citizen back; they stood up to the bully and the bully backed down," said Jeremy Daum, a legal expert at the Paul Tsai China Center at Yale Law School.

State media reports highlighted the fact Meng pleaded not guilty, but skipped over her admission that she misled banking giant HSBC about Huawei's relationship with an Iranian subsidiary. US prosecutors allege that could have put the bank at risk of sanctions violations.

"It's a very biased presentation of the whole story, but it's not surprising," said Jean-Pierre Cabestan, an expert on Chinese politics at Hong Kong Baptist University. "[It's] hiding part of the truth  the part that does not serve China's interests and its government's image."

Beijing's propaganda win at home stands in stark contrast to the hit the country's reputation has taken abroad. In the eyes of many observers, the ruling Communist Party has dropped any pretense about its apparent willingness to take political hostages by releasing two Canadians moments after Meng gained her freedom.

Michael Kovrig, a former Canadian diplomat, and Michael Spavor, an entrepreneur with business ties to North Korea, were detained on espionage charges days after Meng was arrested in Vancouver in December 2018. The move was widely interpreted as direct retaliation for Meng. Beijing has repeatedly denied it was holding the two Canadians as political hostages.

"I have to point out that the Meng Wanzhou incident and the cases of Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig are entirely different in nature," a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said earlier this month, accusing Canada of having "sensationalized" what it called "isolated cases."

Donald C. Clarke, a specialist in Chinese law at George Washington University, said while he thinks it was clear from the outset that the detention of the pair was connected to Meng's case, the scholarly and journalistic communities were surprised by how closely their releases were timed.

"We all thought China would put more of a fig leaf on the exchange, by waiting a certain amount of time," he said. "One way of interpreting this is China anticipates engaging in hostage taking in the future, and is strengthening its bargaining position by showing what a reliable deal maker it is  that if you just give us what we want, we'll free the hostages right away, with no fuss.

"If you don't trust the kidnapper to actually return the hostages, you might not give them such a big ransom."

Initially, Chinese state media was mostly silent on the release of the two Canadians, while discussions about their fate were scrubbed from social media. Then, on Sunday night, several state-run outlets reported the Canadians had "confessed their guilt for crimes" and were bailed out on medical grounds  though they did not mention Meng's case.

But those reports barely made a splash in China, and came well after the nationalist craze celebrating Meng's homecoming.

"The intense nationalism that was displayed in China upon Meng's return is an indication that Beijing's strategy was successful in their own eyes," said Drew Thompson, a visiting senior research fellow at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at the National University of Singapore.

"We can therefore expect to see hostage-taking of foreign businesspeople as a recurring feature of China's diplomacy."

While Beijing revels in its triumph of nationalist glory, experts say that celebration glosses over potential further damage to China's international reputation and its relations with Canada, a country with which it has traditionally had strong business ties.

"I think they have really poisoned relations with Canada for quite some time," Clarke said. "They've taken a big PR hit."

According to the Pew Research Center, 73% of Canadians surveyed this year held negative opinions of China  compared with 40% in 2017. Political tensions between Ottawa and Beijing have also become increasingly fraught. In February, Canada's Parliament passed a motion declaring China committed genocide against its minority Uyghur Muslim population. A month later, Canada joined the United States and other allies in sanctioning two Chinese officials for "serious human rights abuses" against Uyghurs. China has denied the accusations.

The release of Meng and the two Michaels also won't likely help Huawei or Beijing avert hefty sanctions that Washington has handed the country. Analysts at Jefferies said Sunday they did not think Meng's release would cause the United States to lift sanctions on Huawei that allow the company to access chipsets that help it make 5G equipment, for example.

"[US President Joe] Biden's deal with China on Meng already received some Republican's criticism" as "capitulation to China," the analysts wrote in a research note. Huawei has previously acknowledged that its business has been severely hampered by the US punishments.

In many Western countries, concerns are also growing over China's "hostage diplomacy," experts say.

By trumpeting that China is willing to do whatever it takes to achieve its international ambitions, people from countries whose governments have upset Beijing could feel increasingly worried about traveling there.

"Even though the probability for any person [being detained] is extremely low, if it happens, the burden of that is extremely high ... If you're a rational calculator, you are gonna be concerned about this," Clarke said.

But Beijing values domestic support more than international image, said Cabestan from Hong Kong Baptist University.

"[Internationally,] they care more about hard power than soft power," he said. "For [Chinese President] Xi Jinping, it's better to be feared than to be loved."

The-CNN-Wire

 &  2021 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved.
YONCALLA, Ore. - Thousands of marijuana plants were destroyed after law enforcement uncovered a large-scale marijuana grow that was operating under the guise of a legal hemp operation.

The Douglas County Sheriffs Office and Douglas Interagency Narcotics Team (DINT) executed a search warrant in the 1000-block of Scotts Valley Road Wednesday, September 1, 2021.

The warrant stemmed from an investigation into a large-scale black-market marijuana grow. Law enforcement became aware of the operation on tips from concerned citizens.

When law enforcement arrived approximately 30-50 workers began fleeing the location on foot. An individual identified as the manager of the operation, 44-year-old Jose Francisco Figueroa-Aguilar of Modesto, California, was ultimately arrested and lodged at the Douglas County Jail on charges of Unlawful Possession and Unlawful Manufacture of Marijuana.



Deputies located multiple vehicles, tents, and two RVs concealed under greenhouses and in the timber. The property was also found to be littered with garbage, fertilizer, containers, and human waste; all of which were adjacent to Elk Creek.

Two large swimming pools were being utilized as water holding tanks being fed by water pumps from Elk Creek. The water pumps are required to be metered but were not.

Approximately 150 greenhouses containing 49,152 marijuana plants were located on the property. Testing conducted on the marijuana throughout the grow revealed high levels of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). There were no hemp plants located anywhere on the property. The street value of the marijuana located is estimated to be $50,000,000.



Harvesting of the marijuana plants had begun, however, it did not appear that any of it had been released into the community before the execution of the search warrant.



Due to the sheer size of the illegal operation, law enforcement spent two days conducting eradication and destruction of the marijuana plants. The investigation is ongoing and additional charges may be pending.



Douglas County, as well as multiple other Oregon counties, are seeing a large number of black-market marijuana grows which have been disguised as sanctioned hemp grows are popping up in local communities.

These operations are being financed and ran by organized crime enterprises. If you have concerns about a possible illegal marijuana operation in your community, contact the Douglas Interagency Narcotics Team at (541) 440-4474.

The Douglas County Sheriffs Office was assisted by DINT, the Oregon Liquor Control Commission (OLCC), the Douglas County Water Master and the Douglas County Public Works Department.
EUGENE, Ore. -- Health organizations and pharmacies are already starting to roll out the newly approved Pfizer booster shots in Oregon and across the country.

According to the Oregon Health Authority, people in the following categories are eligible for the booster dose six months after their second dose:

Age 65 and older

Long-term care facility residents

Ages 50 to 64 with underlying medical conditions

People ages 18 to 64 who received the Pfizer vaccine may also receive a booster dose after six months if they:

Have underlying medical conditions

Are at higher risk of COVID-19 exposure and transmission due to their workplace or institution

Eugene resident Jim Westcott and his wife received their booster shots Sunday at a nearby Fred Meyer. As he puts it, hes listening to science.

When the booster became available, I did some research and made an appointment, Westcott said. Within 24 hours I got my booster shot.

And with flu season still a reality, he received his flu shot as well in the same appointment.

I got a flu shot last September, so they are due, Westcott said. I got one in each arm.

Westcott said he understands that you can still become infected while fully vaccinated but believes this is a step in the right direction.

I am hoping this booster stops the breakthrough cases, and we can get a handle on it, he said.

He said there were no lines and no one else waiting at the pharmacy when they received their shots, sharing that the process is simple with many slots open on pharmacies websites.

Its medication like a flu shot, Westcott said. Your kids have to have all types of vaccinations to go to school, and we are asking people to get one vaccination to protect each other. Its not political. Just think of it as another vaccination for health.

Lane County Public Health will hold vaccination clinics at the Lane Events Center beginning Tuesday for eligible community members. There are clinics Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m and on Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Appointments need to be made for the first week. Next week walk-ins are welcome.

Officials said they can vaccinate 800 people each day. As of Monday afternoon, more than 500 people have made an appointment for Tuesday.

Dr. Patrick Luedtke with Lane County Public Health said some weeks the county sees 15-20 percent of breakthrough cases.

Now, we're seeing cases of breakthrough infections and people who are not surveilled every week," Luedtke said. "So clearly a Delta variant is a worst case variant.

Booster shots for those who received the Moderna or Johnson & Johnson vaccines are not yet available.

Community members can receive their booster shots at local pharmacies, health care providers or vaccination clinics held by the county.

"I dont want to get sick, and I dont want to take any chances," Westcott said. "I got the vaccine. It was easy to do. It was free. I can go out and enjoy myself."

CLICK HERE to schedule your appointment with LCPH.
VENETA, Ore.  Oregon State Police are asking for the publics help solving the unexplained discovery of an injured Veneta man far from home.

Police said they first got a call at about noon on Sept. 25 reporting that someone was lying face down in the gravel in front of a vehicle. Troopers found the silver Ford pickup truck, which had been pulling a travel trailer, at exit 109 on Interstate 84 at the bottom of the off-ramp.



Derek Martell Derek Martell

Derek Martell, 38, was found behind the wheel of the parked car and was unresponsive, OSP said. Martell had suffered severe head trauma and was flown to a hospital for treatment.

Martell's family said he is on the road to recovery, however they said he has been able to joke with with his wife at times. They've opened a GoFundMe account to raise money for medical expenses.

The man had reportedly been headed home to Veneta after going elk hunting with friends in Eastern Oregon. OSP said hed talked to his wife at 11:30 a.m. that day and had not mentioned any issues.

If you were traveling from Arlington to Rufus around that time or if you have any information, contact state police at 1-800-442-2068 or *OSP from your cell phone. Callers should reference case #SP21274660.
Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou, who spent nearly three years in house arrest in Canada, returned home late Saturday, ending a prolonged extradition fight with the United States and sparking an outburst of national pride in China, where her release has been portrayed as a diplomatic victory for Beijing.

Meng, who was wanted by US federal prosecutors for fraud charges related to alleged Iran sanction violations, was arrested in Vancouver in December 2018. Beijing has called it a political arrest by the former Trump administration, and repeatedly demanded she be released.

Her legal battle strained relations between China, the United States and Canada, especially after Beijing detained two Canadians following Meng's arrest  a move widely interpreted as political retaliation.

On Friday, Meng was allowed to go home after reaching an agreement with the US Department of Justice to defer her prosecution until late 2022, after which point her charges could be dropped. Hours after her release, the two Canadians detained by China, Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, were also freed.

On Saturday evening, the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen, where the tech giant Huawei is headquartered, rolled out a red carpet welcome for Meng, who arrived on a flight chartered by the Chinese government.

Wearing a red dress, Meng emerged from the plane without a face mask and waved to a crowd of more than 100 people waving Chinese flags and shouting "welcome home."

"I'm finally back home!" Meng said in a brief speech to those assembled on the tarmac, expressing gratitude to her "great motherland," the ruling Communist Party and, specifically, Chinese President Xi Jinping.

"As an ordinary Chinese citizen who had suffered this plight and been stranded abroad for three years, there was never a moment where I did not feel the care and warmth of the Party, the motherland and the people," said Meng, who is the daughter of Huawei's founder, Ren Zhengfei.

"Chairman Xi cares about the safety of every Chinese citizen, and he also keeps my situation on his mind. I am deeply moved."

Meng ended her speech vowing to uphold the leadership of Xi and the party, and pledging loyalty to her country.

"Where there is a Chinese flag, there is a beacon of faith," she said emotionally. "If faith has a color, it must be China red."

While Meng had repeatedly called herself an "ordinary Chinese" in the speech, the grand reception for her was anything but ordinary.

As her plane descended toward the airport, it was greeted by a special message from the control tower: "Here is China's Shenzhen Baoan Airport. The motherland is forever your most powerful support. Welcome back, Ms. Meng Wanzhou!"

Inside the arrival hall, hundreds of people gathered to welcome Meng. Holding national flags, flowers and banners, the crowd erupted in national pride, shouting slogans including "long live the motherland" and belting out patriotic songs.

Downtown, Shenzhen's tallest skyscrapers lit up with the message: "Welcome home Meng Wanzhou!"

And on China's internet, news about Meng's journey home riveted public attention and dominated discussions. Internet users tracked her flight across the Arctic Ocean, and tens of millions of people tuned in to watch state media's online livestream of her arrival (some ran on for six hours straight.)

Many called her a national hero, and hailed her return as a symbol of China's victory over the West.

"The reason why (Meng's return) has drawn so much attention is that this is a diplomatic coup for China, and a manifestation of China's strength," said one of the top comments on Weibo, China's Twitter-like platform.

In a commentary, Communist Party mouthpiece People's Daily described Meng's homecoming as "a major victory of the Chinese people."

The commentary called Meng's case an act of "political persecution" by the US to "crack down on China's high-tech enterprises" and disrupt the country's progress.

"China does not stir up trouble, but it is also not afraid of trouble," it said. "Not a single force can shake the status of our great motherland. Not a single force can stop the advancing steps of China!"

The US case against Meng centered on whether she had misled banking giant HSBC about Huawei's relationship with an Iranian subsidiary, Skycom, which the US alleges could have put the bank at risk of sanctions violations.

State media reports highlighted that Meng pleaded not guilty, but left out her admission to the court that she had misrepresented Huawei's relationship with Skycom to HSBC.

"In entering into the deferred prosecution agreement, Meng has taken responsibility for her principal role in perpetrating a scheme to defraud a global financial institution," acting US Attorney Nicole Boeckmann said in a statement Friday -- which went largely unreported by Chinese state media.

Also conspicuously absent was any mention of the release of the two Canadians, Kovrig and Spavor. Some social media posts about their fate were also censored in China.

The two Michaels landed in Calgary, Alberta, before 6 a.m. Saturday local time, a couple of hours before Meng touched down in Shenzhen. They were welcomed on the tarmac by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

"You've shown incredible strength, resilience, and perseverance," Trudeau said in a Twitter post. "Know that Canadians across the country will continue to be here for you, just as they have been."

Spavor, an entrepreneur with business ties to North Korea, and Kovrig, a former Canadian diplomat, were detained in China in December 2018, nine days after Meng was arrested while changing planes in Vancouver.

Beijing has repeatedly denied taking the two Canadians as political hostages, but observers and legal experts outside of China say the timing of their legal proceedings suggested otherwise.

Their hearings  held separately behind closed doors in March  were announced the day before the first high-level meeting between US and Chinese officials since Joe Biden came to office. And in August, just as Meng's extradition hearings entered their final stages in Vancouver, Spavor was sentenced to 11 years in prison for spying and illegally providing state secrets overseas. In the end, even their releases were timed just hours apart.

The-CNN-Wire

 &  2021 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved.
CHARLES CITY, Iowa  A Floyd County man accused of child sex abuse is pleading not guilty.

Ronald Dean Stewart, 59 of Charles City, is charged with four counts of third-degree sex abuse. His trial is now scheduled to begin on December 7.

Authorities say Stewart had sexual contact with an underage victim multiple times over the course of 19  months.
(ASSOCIATED PRESS) - Hospitals and nursing homes around the U.S. are bracing for worsening staff shortages as state deadlines arrive for health care workers to get vaccinated against COVID-19.

With ultimatums taking effect this week in states like New York, California, Rhode Island and Connecticut, the fear is that some employees will quit or let themselves be fired or suspended rather than get the vaccine.

How this is going to play out, we dont know. We are concerned about how it will exacerbate an already quite serious staffing problem, said California Hospital Association spokesperson Jan Emerson-Shea, adding that the organization absolutely supports the state's vaccination requirement.

New York health care employees had until the end of the day Monday to get at least one dose, but some hospitals had already begun suspending or otherwise taking action against holdouts.

Erie County Medical Center Corp. in Buffalo said about 5% of its hospital workforce has been put on unpaid leave for not being vaccinated, along with 20% of staff at its nursing home. And the states largest health care provider, Northwell Health, said it has begun removing unvaccinated workers from its system, though it said its workforce is nearly 100% vaccinated.

To those who have not yet made that decision, please do the right thing, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said.

Some New York hospitals prepared contingency plans that included cutting back on noncritical services and limiting nursing home admissions. The governor also drew up plans to summon help from National Guard members with medical training, retirees or vaccinated workers from outside the state.

About a dozen states have vaccination mandates covering health care workers in hospitals, long-term care facilities or both. Some allow exemptions on medical or religious grounds, but those employees often must submit to regular COVID-19 testing.

States that have set such requirements tend to have high vaccination rates already. The highest rates are concentrated in the Northeast, the lowest ones in the South and Midwest.

The Biden administration also will require the roughly 17 million workers at health facilities that receive federal Medicare or Medicaid to be fully vaccinated under a rule still being developed.

That has worried some hospital officials, particularly in rural communities where vaccination rates tend to be lower.

We are looking at the need to reallocate staff, in some cases just to maintain services that are essential, and there are going to be some delays" in care, said Troy Bruntz, president and CEO at Community Hospital in McCook, Nebraska.

He said 25 of the hospitals 330 employees said they would definitely resign if they were required to be vaccinated. The remainder of the approximately 100 unvaccinated employees  a group that includes nurses as well as cleaning and maintenance staff  havent decided.

He also worries that it will be difficult to hire new workers when the hospital is already short-handed.

It doesnt make us feel too confident that this isnt going to turn into something short of a nightmare for American health care, he said.

Many hospitals and nursing homes are already suffering staff shortages because many nurses and others have quit as a result of pandemic-related burnout or have left for lucrative jobs traveling from state to state.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki noted that hospitals in Houston and Maine lost a relatively small number of employees recently after requiring employees to get vaccinated.

Were seeing in a lot of places that this is working, its effective. Its creating more certainty and protection in their workforces," Psaki said.

In California, where health care workers have until Thursday to get fully vaccinated, some hospitals are anticipating firings, suspensions or the moving of people to other positions, Emerson-Shea said. She said many traveling nurses have declined assignments in California because of the state's vaccine requirement.

In Rhode Island, where the vaccine mandate takes effect Friday, the state said hospitals can allow unvaccinated employees to keep working 30 days past the deadline in cases where firing them would compromise patient safety. The mandate is being challenged in court because it doesn't allow religious exemptions.

In states that dont have mandates, some hospitals are imposing their own.

Ginger Robertson, a registered nurse who works in a mental health clinic at a hospital in Bismarck, North Dakota, has requested a religious exemption from her hospitals vaccination requirement. She said she will look for other work if she doesnt get it.

Honestly, I really love my job. I am good at it. I enjoy my patients. I enjoy where I am at," she said. "So this is a really hard place, to have to choose between two things I dont want to do. I dont want to leave, and I dont want to get the vaccine.

She said other nurses are also considering leaving over what she called the insulting mandate.

We feel demoralized, like as though we arent intelligent enough to make these choices for ourselves, Robertson said.

A North Carolina-based hospital system announced Monday that more than 175 of its 35,000-plus employees have been fired for failing to comply with its COVID-19 vaccination requirement.

Last week, Novant Health announced 375 workers had been suspended and given five days to comply. Nearly 200 of them did so  including those who submitted approved exemptions  before the Friday deadline, spokesperson Megan Rivers said.

Massachusetts' mandate, issued by Republican Gov. Charlie Baker, applies only to rest homes, assisted living facilities, hospice programs and home care programs. It allows for medical and religious exemptions but doesn't require regular testing. The deadline is Oct. 31.

In Connecticut, a vaccine mandate for employees of state-run hospitals took effect on Monday. It does not apply to privately run hospitals, some of which are imposing their own requirements. Medical and religious exemptions are possible, but anyone else who fails to get vaccinated will be barred from the workplace.

About 84% of over 450,000 hospital workers in New York were fully vaccinated as of Wednesday, according to state data. Nursing home data through Sunday showed about 89% of nursing home workers fully vaccinated.

New York Citys hospital system reported a 95% vaccination rate for nurses and a higher rate for doctors.

I feel good, very good about our ability to have the staffing we need in the public hospitals, said Mitchell Katz, head of the citys public hospital system.

In Missouri, which became a severe COVID-19 hot spot over the summer, the Mercy hospital system is requiring vaccinations among staff at its hundreds of medical centers and clinics in Missouri and neighboring states by Thursday.

Anyone who doesn't comply by then will be placed on a 30-day unpaid suspension, said Mercy spokeswoman Bethany Pope.
MASON CITY, Iowa  A man accused of stealing two trucks is entering Alford pleas in both cases.

Aaron Ryerson, 50 of Mason City, is charged with two counts of first-degree theft. Law enforcement says Ryerson stole a pickup truck from Kwik Star East in Clear Lake on January 20 and then was arrested in Mason City on June 4 driving a propane truck that had been stolen in Winnebago County.

Court documents state the propane truck was valued at $200,000.

An Alford plea means Ryerson is not admitting guilt but concedes he could be convicted at trial and will accept sentencing, which is now scheduled for November 8 in Cerro Gordo County District Court.
NORTHWOOD, Iowa  A Worth County man is pleading not guilty to leading law enforcement on a drunken, high-speed chase.

Jalin Jamaal Davis, 23 of Northwood, was arrested on August 21, 2021 and charged with eluding and OWI.

Authorities say Davis was seen driving north on Highway 65 around 8:20 pm when he crossed the center line, went into the ditch, and kept going until he almost hit a parked deputys patrol car. That started a pursuit where law enforcement says Davis went over 85 miles per hour before Davis pulled in and parked at a home on the corner of 3rd Avenue South and 14th Street South in Northwood.

A deputy says Davis was handcuffed and put in the back of a patrol car, but got his hands in front of him and escaped the vehicle. The deputy says Davis tried to slowly run away but was recaptured. Court documents state a breath test showed Davis had a blood alcohol content of .239, nearly three times the legal limit.

His trial is scheduled to start on December 8 in Worth County District Court.
ROCHESTER, Minn.  A report of child abuse turned into a multi-agency search that found a man and his child in a field in near-freezing temperatures.

The Rochester Police Department says it got a call around 12:30 am on September 26 from a 15-year-old male in the area of Center Street and West Frontage Road. The boy told officers he and his four-year-old sister had been driving around with their father, Michael Emmers, 37 of Rochester.

The boy told police his father seemed drunk and started punching him. The boy said he jumped out of the car at a red light at 2nd Street and his father drove away with his sister. Rochester police say they tracked the car to the Byron area and a search was started involving the Olmsted and Dodge County sheriffs offices, the Kasson Police Department, and an airplane from the Minnesota State Patrol.

Rochester police say they contacted the father by phone and he sounded intoxicated, saying he and his daughter were in a field.

The car was found near Highway 14 and 2nd Avenue NW and the State Patrol plane detected a heat signature about 500 feet south of the vehicle. Rochester police say Emmers and his daughter were located in a field with the temperature about 40 degrees.

Emmers was arrested and booked into the Olmsted County Adult Detention Center on charges of second- and third-degree DWI, domestic assault, child endangerment, and disorderly conduct.

The 15-year-old male and his four-year-old sister were taken to St. Marys Hospital for evaluation. Rochester police say neither child appeared to have suffered a life-threatening injury.
ROCHESTER, Minn. - On your next shopping trip, you may notice some of the shelves are looking barer. Product shortages reminiscent of those in early 2020 are returning. Costco is one of the latest stores to reinstate limits on how much of certain items, such as toilet paper and bottled water, people can buy at a time. The move is to prevent customers from stockpiling.

KIMT News 3 spoke with Rayce Hardy, economics instructor at Riverland Community College, about what is straining the supply chain.

Hardy explains that in early 2020, the problem was mainly on the demand side. People wanted to go to the store as little as possible, so they bought far more merchandise than they needed. Now, the problem is moreso on the supply side. People want to go to the store and shop, but there are issues with getting the products onto the shelf. Hardy says much of the issue is tied to the labor shortage.

Products are sitting in the bays of shipping ports in the Pacific, but there are not enough workers to get them unloaded and transported across the country. "It's not the fault of the ports. If you look at American ports, the number of products that we run through there is just mind-boggling. The analytics that they're running, these are highly sophisticated, highly technological companies that are running these ports and their equipment is extremely sophisticated technological equipment but there's just too much stuff coming in compared to how many workers to get it out of there," explains Hardy.

To solve these ongoing issues, Hardy believes some of the shipping, rail, and trucking companies will need to start teaming up. He also thinks the federal and state governments may need to begin public-private partnerships for product transportation.

Some of these supply and demand issues also are influenced by various pandemic-related financial assistance programs, some of which came to a close this month. People were spending money over the summer while they could.

The best way consumers can help the issue is to only buy what they need. "It's take some and leave some. That was a principle my dad used to always say. You know, take some and leave some for someone else when you're in line. I wish people would really consider the fact that they're not the only one in their community and there might be someone who's far needier than them who really does need to have that particular product," says Hardy.

As people are now starting to plan their Christmas shopping, Hardy expects these shortages to continue through the rest of the year and into early 2022.
ROCHESTER, Minn.  A guilty plea is entered over the assault of a Walmart employee.

Denard Demcarco Ellis, 30 of Rochester, is accused of punching a 53-year-old female Walmart worker on June 3. Investigators say Ellis got upset when he wanted to cash a check and was told the customer service desk was closed.

Police say the punch caused the woman to fall and hit her head on the floor.

Ellis has pleaded guilty to third-degree assault. His sentencing is set for December 6.
FAIRFAX, Iowa (AP)  Officials in eastern Iowa say two people are dead after their vehicle was hit by a train at a private railroad crossing in Linn County.

The Linn County Sheriff's Office says in a news release that the crash happened around 4:15 p.m. Sunday west of Fairfax. Investigators say the vehicle was traveling south when it was hit by the Union Pacific train. The vehicle's two occupants  a male driver and a female passenger  were both pronounced dead at the scene.

Officials did not immediately release their names. Officials are still investigating the cause of the crash.
(ASSOCIATED PRESS) - Fort Bliss officials say a soldier reported that she was assaulted by a small group of Afghan refugees at the Army post's shelter complex in New Mexico.

A Fort Bliss statement said the assault happened Sept. 19 at the Dona Ana County Range Complex. A Defense Department official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss an ongoing investigation, said the soldier escaped her assailants with minor physical injuries. The official said the assault was not sexual.

The official says the FBI is investigating. Fort Bliss says it's strengthening security measures in the complex near El Paso.
MoDOT is considering the possible removal of the Interstate 70 westbound exit ramp at Business Loop 70, alongside the removal of the 64-year old bridge over eastbound I-70 in the city of Columbia, west of the I-70/U.S. Route 63 connector.
A medical worker guides people as they wait to get coronavirus testing at a makeshift testing site in Seoul, Sept. 25. AP-Yonhap



South Korea's daily coronavirus cases remained in the 2000s for a second day Monday amid concerns the daily caseload may sharply increase as more people get tested after the extended holiday.



The country reported 2,383 new COVID-19 cases, including 2,356 local infections, bringing the total caseload to 303,553, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).



The daily caseload touched a fresh high of 3,272 on Saturday before slightly falling to 2,771 on Sunday.



But health authorities predicted new cases may sharply rise from the middle of this week due to delta variants and the aftermath of a mass migration during the Chuseok holiday, the Korean autumn harvest celebration, which ran from Monday to Wednesday last week.



Daily cases have stayed over 1,000 for the last 83 days although the country implemented tough virus curbs to slow down the nationwide spread.



The country added six more deaths from COVID-19, raising the death toll to 2,456.










South Korea was elected as the next chair of the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Monday for the first time since it joined the U.N. nuclear watchdog in 1957.







The 35-member IAEA board reached the decision by consensus at a meeting held in Vienna, the foreign ministry said in a press release.







Shin Chae-hyun, South Korean ambassador to Austria and the Permanent Mission to the International Organizations in Vienna, will serve as the chair for a one-year term until September 2022.







It marks the first time the country has assumed the chairmanship at the IAEA board, which is in charge of making policy, financial and other recommendations to the IAEA's General Conference, its decision-making body.







The board also approves nuclear safeguard agreements and the publication of the IAEA safety standards.







South Korea is among the 11 countries, including Colombia, the Czech Republic, Finland and Vietnam that have newly been elected to the board for the 2021-22 period.







The foreign ministry said the election reflects Seoul's active contribution to the IAEA's activities for the peaceful use of nuclear energy as a leading nation in the non-proliferation field.







"The government will work to expand the country's involvement and contribution to key IAEA issues and further solidify the international community's support for North Korean nuclear issues, and peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula," the ministry said. (Yonhap)






Kendallville, IN (46755)

Today

Showers early, becoming a steady rain later in the day. Thunder possible. High 72F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 80%..

Tonight

Showers in the evening, then partly cloudy overnight. Low 58F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%.
Angola, IN (46703)

Today

Rain showers in the morning will evolve into a more steady rain in the afternoon. Thunder possible. High 73F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 70%..

Tonight

Mostly cloudy skies early will become partly cloudy late. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 58F. Winds light and variable.
ROME, SEP 27 - Verona Prosecutor Angela Barbaglio told ANSA on Monday that Luca Morisi, the former head of the highly successful social media campaigns of Matteo Salvini's League party, is under investigation in a drugs probe. Morisi quit his position in the right-wing party last week, citing family reasons. "Morisi has been inserted into the register of people under investigation for the alleged transfer of a narcotic substance," Barbaglio said. She added that investigators were awaiting the results of tests about the nature of the substance (ANSA).
ROME, SEP 27 - Richard Gere is to testify against nationalist League party leader Matteo Salvini in a case in which the former interior minister is accused of 'abducting' some 150 rescued migrants on board a ship operated by Spanish NGO Open Arms as part of his closed-ports policy in August 2019, Salvini said Sunday. Gere boarded the ship while Salvini was preventing it landing at Lampedusa in Sicily to express his solidarity with the 151 mainly north African migrants aboard. "I know him as an actor but I don't know what lesson he can give me or the Italians on our laws," Salvini said. The Hollywood star is set to testify in Palermo on October 23. "If some people are trying to turn the trial into a show and wants to see Richard Gere, let them go to the cinema, not the court," said the nationalist leader. Salvini added that he would ask Gere for an autograph for his mother. Palermo prosecutors have said that Interior Minister Luciana Lamorgese, Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio and ex-premier and 5-Star Movement (M5S) leader Giuseppe Conte are among 26 witnesses it has called in the trial. The Open Arms spent almost three weeks at sea after Salvini refused to give the OK for it to dock on the island of Lampedusa when he was a minister in the first of two Conte governments. The case stems from Salvini's former closed-ports policy against NGO-run migrant rescue ships during his 14-month stint as strongman interior minister. Salvini has said he acted to defend Italy's borders and in accordance with a policy agreed with the rest of the government of the day. He has said that the trial is politically motivated. In May Salvini was cleared in a similar case regarding rescued migrants on the Gregoretti coast guard ship in July 2019. (ANSA).
ROME, SEP 27 - A 65-year-old Italian man shot his wife dead and then killed himself in front of one of their daughters near Nepi north of Rome on Saturday night. The couple had recently separated. Ciriaco Pigliaru, a farmer of Sardinian origin, used his hunting rifle to murder his wife Anna and then turned the weapon on himself, police said. The incident happened at Castel Sant'Elia, in the Viterbo area. Interior MIiister Luciana Lamorgese on Friday castigated Italy's "hateful" recent run of femicides saying 11 women had been murdered in August-September, eight by partners or people with whom they had had a relationship. She said the government would pass further preventative measures against femicide. Italy has seen 206 murders from January 1 to September 19, the interior minister said, in which 86 victims were women, one more than the same period in 2020. Some 73 women were killed in a domestic/relationship setting. And some 52 were murdered by current or former partners. (ANSA).
ROME, SEP 27 - The 2021 VTM Conference, which on September 28 brings together in Turin, and online via Youtube for those who register, the most important Italian and international players in the terrestrial mobility and transport sector, has a rich, high-level programme. It is an opportunity to meet, discuss and exchange ideas in view of the second VTM - Vehicle & Transportation Technology Innovation Meeting Business Convention, which is returning to Turin, Piedmont, in March 2022 after the first convention in 2018 and the hybrid event last September. Starting in the morning and running throughout the day, the participants will be called on to discuss the most topical issues for the automotive and transport sector, with debate moderated by journalist Federica Masolin. Those physically present at the event will be at the ILO's International Training Centre. Alessandro Coda, Automotive Research & Advanced Engineering, Head of Tech Scouting and University Partnerships of Stellantis, and Teodoro Lio, Senior Managing Director, Automotive and Mobility Lead of Accenture Europe, will discuss the the main trends in the automotive sector. Christoph Menne, Managing Director of Fev Europe, and Massimiliano Marsiaj, Vice President and Business Developer of Sabelt, will talk about some important aspects of sustainable mobility, while Stefano Caprio, the COO of PUNCH Hydrocells srl, and Federico Ferrero, the Innovation Business Development Manager of AVL, examine issues linked to new solutions for propulsion, including hydrogen, in order to extend minimal- and zero-environmental-impact solutions to all sectors. The morning session will be wrapped up by Guido Ceresole, Head of Technology, Research and Innovation for the Unione Industriale Torino, who will summarize how the transformations taking place in mobility and transport can be a business opportunity for local industries. The work will continue in the afternoon with sessions devoted to other issues of greater importance regarding the latest technological innovation trends, such as connectivity, smart and sustainable mobility and testing. Many companies have chosen to support VTM as sponsors in view of the 2022 convention. These include Main Sponsor Intesa Sanpaolo, Industrial Partner Stellantis and important international companies such as Accenture, AVL, Blue Engineering, Continental Engineering Services, CSI, DACA-I, FEV, Keysight Technologies, Punch, Sabelt, Thales Alenia Space and Vishay Intertechnology. The Technical Partners of the event are Anfia, Politecnico di Torino, Universita degli Studi di Torino and Universita del Piemonte Orientale. API, Confindustria Piemonte and Unione Industriali Torino are Local Partners. (ANSA).
VATICAN CITY, SEP 27 - Pope Francis on Monday again decried abortion and euthanasia as being part of a culture of waste and death. Speaking to some 100 participants in the 2-day general assembly of the Vatican's Pontifical Academy for Life, Francis lamented today's culture of waste which does away with babies with abortion, killing them directly, Vatican News reported. This has become a "normal" habit, which is very ugly and "really a murder". In this regard, the Pope asked a double question: "Is it right to eliminate, to take a human life to solve a problem? Is it right to hire a hitman to solve a problem? That's what abortion is." The Holy Father also spoke about the elderly, who are regarded as "waste material" a bit because they are of no use... But they are roots of wisdom, which this civilization discards. He denounced what he described as the law of "hidden" euthanasia, which shortens the life of the elderly who are provided only half the medicines, arguing they are expensive. Catholic academics, universities and hospitals, the Pope said, cannot walk the road of "waste". The pope also appealed to countries like Italy with free universal health care "never to lose it". (ANSA).
ROME, SEP 27 - The Italian Bishops Council (CEI) on Monday voiced dismay at a planned referendum on making euthanasia possible in the Italian judicial system. The possible referendum "arouses grave disquiet", said the CEI. It also said the wounds of the COVID-19 pandemic were deep and inequalities must be reduced. Over one million people have signed a petition calling for a referendum on legalizing euthanasia in Italy, the right-to-die Luca Coscioni association said last week. That is more than double the 500,000 signatures needed to be able to present the petition to the supreme court with two weeks to go to the deadline. The association said 640,621 signatures were collected on paper at stands around the country while 372,000 were registered online with digital signatures. (ANSA).
Antananarivo [Madagascar], September 24 (ANI): The Embassy of India in Madagascar celebrated 57th Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) Day on Thursday.

Speaking on the occasion, India's Ambassador to Madagascar Abhay Kumar said that the ITEC programme proudly claims to have reached out to more than 2,00,000 beneficiaries in 161 partner countries.

Also Read | Global COVID-19 Caseload Tops 230.5 Million, Deaths Surge to More Than 4.72 Million: Johns Hopkins University.

"ITEC is Government of India's flagship program instituted on September 15, 1964. It is aimed at sharing India's own development experiences with fellow developing countries on the basis of partnership and cooperation for mutual benefit. Its major thrust area is on capacity building targeted towards skill development and professionalism of the trainees in their respective fields of activity," Kumar said.

The Ambassador added, "It gives me immense joy to see the unique role played by ITEC in boosting capabilities of many Malagasy students and professionals. Since 2007, 854 Malagasy professionals have availed training in India under the ITEC programme."

Also Read | PM Narendra Modi Meets Australias Scott Morrison Ahead of Quad Summit, Discuss Defence Partnership, Bilateral Ties.

Kumar mentioned that the ITEC programme is one of the many ways in which India has been a partner of Madagascar in its development journey.

"As India celebrates Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav to commemorate its 75 years of Independence, I would like to highlight the ideal of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (the whole Earth is one family), one of the core philosophies of Indian civilization since ancient times. Madagascar is a crucial part of this family and the ITEC programme is one of the many ways in which India has been a partner of Madagascar in its development journey," he stated.

The chief guest of the event was Lalatiana Rakotondrazafy Andriatongarivo, Minister of Communication and Culture of Madagascar.

"The professionals and people have been offered unique training courses, both civilian and defence, in different centres of excellence in India which empower them with not just professional skills, but prepare them for an increasingly globalized world. The entire expenditure on training under ITEC for category-I countries is borne by Government of India," Andriatongarivo said.

Two short films on ITEC Day and a development partnership between India and Madagascar were shown during the event.

It was followed by an elaborate cultural programme by the ITEC alumni in Madagascar which included a fashion show showcasing the rich and varied costumes of various states of India as well various regions of Madagascar. Indian and Malagasy dances were also performed by the ITEC alumni. Four ITEC alumni, out of which three were civilians and one was from the defence, also shared their experiences of the ITEC programme.

Secretary-General of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Madagascar, Tahiry Ratsimandao, who is an ITEC alumnus said, "I enjoyed my time in India during the course and I am thankful to the teachers who taught me. I like India so much especially Karol Bagh in Delhi. That is my favourite place. Indian youth has national pride and patriotism in them which I took in me during my visit to India as an ITEC trainee."

The event was attended by the Secretary-General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Madagascar, Chef de Cabinet of the Foreign Minister of Madagascar, Secretary Generals of several ministries of Government of Madagascar, a large number of ITEC alumni, and the members of the Indian community. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
New Delhi, September 27: A new variant of the Dengue has been observed in over 11 states in the country which has become a big concern for health experts. Though, the dengue outbreak is under control, several cases of high fever caused by the new variant of Dengue DENV 2 is being reported in many cities across the country.

Among the multiple variants -- DENV-1, DENV-2, DENV-3 and DENV-4 of the dengue virus, DENV 2 or the strain D2 is considered to be the most severe and can even lead to fatal internal bleeding and shock.

Dr Balram Bhargava, Director-General, Indian Council of Medical Research, told the media that the strain is particularly virulent and capable of inducing mortality. He added that it was one of the reasons behind the mysterious fever which had hit the western UP districts of Firozabad, Agra, Mathura and Aligarh that led to the deaths of many people last month. Meerut Logs 26 New Dengue Cases, 115 Active Cases.

Speaking to IANS, Dr B.L. Sherwal, RGSS Hospital Director, said that irrespective of the Dengue strain, the precaution is same as the same mosquito spreads the disease. He said that the most important precaution is not to let water stagnate around you and use full sleeve dress. He warned that this type of mosquito generally bites in the day time, so we need to take extra care of it. Dr Sherwal added that these are just types of dengue with more or less same symptoms and same pattern of prevention too.

Dr Vineeta Singh Tandon of PSRI Hospital said that D2 is more virulent and can cause high grade fever, vomiting, joint pains, altered sensorium and may even lead to lethal complications resulting in dengue hemorrhagic fever and dengue shock syndrome. Telangana Govt Hospital Records 40 Dengue Cases Since Sept 1.

If a person was infected by one sero type in the past, a second infection by another sero type increases the risk of causing dengue hemorrhagic fever. Rest, hydration and managing fever with paracetamol is advisable. One should avoid taking analgesics and aspirin.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 27, 2021 11:13 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
In addition to this, there are far too many places, both inside India and abroad that need to be on any travel-lover's list. And if you have a dream location that you have been planning for, share your secret list with us to celebrate World Tourism Day 2021!
On a Thursday night in early March, a Malawian man named Gilbert Daire was woken by the sound of people trying to drill through his wall. He was convinced that hunters had come to kill him for his body parts.

When his wife screamed, neighbors came to help and fended off the attackers. But Daire no longer feels safe in the streets or at home. He worries that the hunters will return.

Daire has albinism, a condition that makes him a valuable commodity in parts of eastern and southern Africa. Like elephants and rhino, they are hunted and killed for their body parts, which can fetch thousands of dollars and are often trafficked across borders.

Slayings of people with albinism are common in Tanzania, Malawi and Mozambique, where body parts are used in witchcraft rituals because of superstitions that they can bring riches, success, power or sexual conquest. Children are especially vulnerable.

Advertisement

A Malawian boy with albinism, a genetic condition that leads to a lack of pigmentation. In Malawi and some other countries in east and southern Africa, children like him are hunted for their body parts. (Lawilink / Amnesty International)

At least 20 Malawians with albinism have been killed for their body parts since November 2014, according to Amnesty International. But the number could be higher, with many other people with albinism having disappeared. In Tanzania, at least 75 have been killed since 2000.

The danger has become so significant that the United Nations refugee organization has recently begun relocating families of people with albinism in Malawi to Canada and other countries.

The recessive genetic condition, which limits the bodys production of melanin and results in lack of pigmentation in skin, hair and eyes  often leading to skin cancer or eye damage  affects as many as 1 in every 1,400 people in Africa.

Because people with the condition there are so visible in their communities, they are often forced to hide in their houses to avoid attack, abduction and slaughter. But even there they are not safe.

The attacks are often brazen: Homes are invaded or people are seized in broad daylight. Toddlers and children are snatched from impoverished single mothers or while walking to school. Family members such as uncles, fathers or boyfriends are often implicated.

Their mutilated bodies are often found later without hands, feet, breasts, genitals, skin, eyes or hair  depending on the spells to be cast.

The latest apparent victim was a 9-year-old Malawian boy named Mayeso Isaac, who was traveling to visit relatives late last month when he was attacked and abducted by a gang of 10 men. He has not been seen since and it is feared he was killed for his body parts. It was part of a familiar pattern.

Other recent young victims in Malawi: 2-year-old Whitney Chilumpha, whose teeth and clothes were found dumped in a neighboring village; 9-year-old Harry Mokoshini, whose head was recovered by police; and teenager David Fletcher, whose body was found without hands or feet.

Edna Cedric lost one son to body part hunters. When they later returned for his twin brother, she was ready and managed to fight them off.

Deprose Muchena, a spokesman for Amnesty International, said deep-seated cultural traditions persist, including a belief in mythical powers of people with albinism and a conviction that their body parts could change lives, bringing fabulous wealth, power or good fortune. Some believe that albinos are not human, that their only value is monetary and that they have gold in their bones.

Its a readiness to believe in mythical expectations about how you create wealth, Muchena said. These are false, deep-seated beliefs that need to be eliminated in society. These beliefs feed on ignorance from the lack of education that afflicts a number of people in Malawi, particularly in rural areas.

Many people with albinism in Malawi live in remote, impoverished communities where education levels are low, superstitions are common, unemployment is high, and information about albinism is not available. Women who give birth to children with albinism are sometimes shunned.

Killings of people with albinism also occur in South Africa, although these are less common. In February, a 67-year-old traditional healer there was convicted of murdering a 20-year-old woman with albinism and sentenced to life in prison.

The healer, Bhekukufa Gumede, and four young accomplices removed the genitals, limbs and skin of the victim, Thandazile Mpunzi, and tossed her body into a shallow grave. Two of the accomplices told the court that Gumede convinced them that they would get rich if they ingested traditional medicine with the body parts.

The victims boyfriend, who helped lure her to her death, was sentenced to 18 years while three others were given 20-year terms.

Muchena said poor policing and an inept criminal justice system in Malawi contributed to the attacks on people with albinism there, with nobody convicted in any of the 20 known slayings there in the last three years.

Even suspects found with bones or other body parts were released because of errors by prosecutors or acquitted by poorly trained magistrates.

Muchena said a government task force to tackle the problem had also failed to deliver.

After a series of attacks this year, Malawian police chief Lextern Kachama told local media that the president had ordered police to protect schools from the hunters and called on communities to do more.

People in the communities play very crucial roles in the protection of people with albinism because they stay with them all the time, he said.

To read the article in Spanish, click here

A Malawian woman and her two children, who have albinism, in a country where those with the condition are hunted down for body parts, used in traditional medicine. (Lawilink / Amnesty International)

robyn.dixon@latimes.com

Twitter: @RobynDixon_LAT

ALSO

He lost a leg to a shark. Now hes trying to save the species

The day road rage led to a treason charge in Zambia, as democracy falters in Africa

One of South Africas top tourist destinations is almost out of water
An Amazonian TikToker is currently attracting more and more viewers as she shares her culture on the rising social media platform.

Right now, TikTok is one of the most entertaining online platforms since it allows users to share their creative videos. These could be about dancing, singing, funny stories, or unique challenges that would surely excite followers.

Aside from this, TikTok also has some influencers from various regions that are more than willing to share their culture to educate many individuals across the globe.

One of these, is Maira Gomez Godinho a.k.a Cunhaporanga. Right now, her TikTok account already has more than 6 million followers and 81 million likes. Most of his videos are about Amazon's exotic food, daily activities, clothes, as well as their beliefs.

The Amazonian TikToker's Story

According to BELatina's latest report, Cunhaporanga started her interest in TikTok ever since the global COVID-19 pandemic began to spread across the globe.

READ MORE: Thinkbaby Safe Sunscreen Recognized with Good Housekeeping 2021 Parenting Award

The health crisis took a lot of lives, including those elders who are responsible for preserving their culture. Aside from this, the tourism industry of various countries was also affected since the implemented restrictions are preventing foreigners from visiting their motherlands.

An indigenous woman named Cunhaporanga Tatuyo from a community in the Amazon forest becomes a TikTok star, and is bringing her culture to the world https://t.co/7fxdv4UAHJ pic.twitter.com/VJMRGJn70R  Kristine Servando (@tinssoldier) September 18, 2021

But, thanks to TikTok, Gomez and other native individuals were able to preserve their culture by sharing them with their followers. The Amazonian began being an influencer by setting up an antenna with her brother in the village region.

She spent most of her days in her village, exploring various social media platforms where she could release her education videos.

At first, she only followed the prevalent challenges in TikTok. However, one of her followers asked her if the Amazon residents were really eating larva. She responded to the question with another video where she put an alive beetle larva into her mouth.

After that content went viral, she decided to combine various trends in TikTok with her videos about the Amazon culture.

Other Indigenous TikTok Influencers

Aside from the Amazonian TikTok star, other indigenous influencers are also on the giant social media platform. ET Online provided some of them so that you can follow them on TikTok and know more about their culture.

James Jones

Tia Wood

Michelle Chubb

Marika Sila

Shina Novalinga

READ NEXT: Mexican Songstress Paquita La Del Barrio Receives Lifetime Achievement at 2021 Billboard Latin Music Awards
Texas Governor Greg Abbott has vowed to defend and hire the horse-mounted Border Patrol agents who the Biden administration may fire amid the recent developments at the border.

Abbott noted that President Joe Biden and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas were "in dereliction of duty" as they have "abandoned any pretense" of guarding the sovereignty of either Texas or the U.S. with their open border policies.

"If they are at risk of losing their job (from) a president who is abandoning his duty to secure the border, you have a job in the state of Texas. I will hire you to help Texas secure our border," the Republican governor told "Fox News Sunday."

The Daily Wire reported that Abbott also said that Texas has implemented a policy where they would arrest and jail people who come in across the border for trespassing into areas in the state.

Abbott noted that the Biden administration is refusing to do its duty to enforce the country's laws, leaving Texas in no position other than to step up, The Hill reported.

The Texas governor said his move to add hundreds of state police officers to the border last week was when the illegal migration stopped. He noted that that's what the Biden administration could exactly do if they wanted to.

Biden has condemned the horse-mounted Border Patrol agents, who were caught in the images chasing and aggressively dispersing Haitian migrants in Del Rio, Texas.

The president noted that there would be consequences for those actions, which Abbott commented on, saying false claims had circulated about the situation.

The governor noted that the person who took the pictures said the "characterization that the Democrats made" about the agents "whipping" migrants was false, adding that the migrants "were simply maneuvering horses.

READ NEXT: Biden Administration Suspends Use of Horses by Border Patrol Agents Amid Outrage

Border Patrol Agents Blast Joe Biden

The Border Patrol agents were furious that Joe Biden threw them under the bus over the Haitian migrant fiasco.

They are particularly angry at the White House's quick judgment over the pictures of an agent swinging the reins of his horse while confronting the migrants, Daily Mail reported. It was first believed that the agent was whipping the migrant.

But that account has already been debunked, with the photographer saying that his image showed no such thing. A Border Patrol agent told Daily Mail that it was "outrageous" that Joe Biden would not give them the benefit of the doubt before talking about the issue.

"He should have supported us as Federal agents, especially in light of how abysmally he's handled the border crisis," the agent said.

A second agent noted that they do their job for the safety and security of their families and the nation. The agent added that just because the president "won't man up and accept responsibility for his actions doesn't mean we won't."

On Friday, Joe Biden said the way the agents used their horses was "horrible" and that "people will pay" for their actions. He added that what the border agents did was "wrong," and it sends the wrong message around the world and "at home."

Investigation Into the Treatment of Haitian Migrants by Border Patrol Agents

Alejandro Mayorkas has promised an investigation into the treatment of Haitian migrants on the Texas border by agents on horseback, USA Today reported.

The DHS Secretary earlier told the House Homeland Security Committee that an undisclosed number of agents had been placed on administrative duty as investigators probe the situation that occurred in Del Rio.

Mayorkas said the investigation would be completed in days and not weeks. The DHS Office of Professional Responsibility will handle the examination, and the agency's inspector general has been notified.

READ MORE: Pres. Joe Biden's Administration Begins Deporting Haitian Migrants Staying Under Del Rio Bridge in Texas

This article is owned by Latin Post

Written by: Mary Webber

WATCH: Joe Biden Weighs in on Border Patrol Agents' Mistreatment of Haitian Migrants - From CBS Mornings






The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) went to Brian Laundrie's home in Florida on Sunday to ask his parents for some of his personal items to help with "DNA matching." It happened on the same day of Gabby Petito's memorial service in Long Island, New York.

FBI Requests Brain Laundrie's Items for 'DNA Matching'

The FBI requested several items owned by Brian Laundrie that they could test and match for DNA, the Laundries' lawyer, Steven Bertolino, told Fox News.

According to Bertolino, Laundrie's parents "provided the FBI with what they could" after they asked for some personal items belonging to their son.

Brian Laundrie is currently a person of interest in the disappearance and the homicide of Gabby Petito.

READ NEXT: Gabby Petito's Missing Fiance 'Spotted' in Canada; Florida Police Check Brian Laundrie's Home After Report of Gunshots

Manhunt for Brian Laundrie Continues

The search for Gabby Petito's fiance at the Carlton Reserve in Florida continued on Sunday. Laundrie's parents said their son told them he was heading to the reserve when they last saw him at their home on September 14.

"We are working as hard to find him now as we did on day one," said North Port Police Department commander Joe Fussell. He noted that what drives them to find Brian Laurie was "to put closure to this investigation."

Duane Chapman, also known as Dog the Bounty Hunter, on Sunday jumped in the search for Gabby Petito's fiance, saying that his expertise could help locate him.

As the search for Laundrie continues, new dispatch audio revealed that Moab Police in Utah were told that Laundrie hit Gabby Petito before they pulled them over on August 12, likely violating a protocol when they did not arrest the YouTuber's boyfriend, The Daily Mail reported.

In the audio, the witness revealed that Gabby Petito was hit before they drove and headed north. Neither police nor city officials had confirmed if their officers were aware that they were dealing with potential domestic violence when they pulled the couple over.

According to Utah law, cops need to issue a citation or arrest if they believe that an incident of domestic violence took place.

Neither Petito nor Laundrie was arrested. They were only separated for the night to calm the situation down before they were allowed to continue on their way.

Gabby Petito's Father Urge People to 'Leave' Relationships That 'Might Not be Best'

Gabby Petito's family has invited the public to attend her funeral on Sunday afternoon at the Maloney Funeral Home in Holbrook, Long Island.

Petito's father, Joe Petito, said "the whole planet knows" her daughter's name, adding how adventurous Gabby Petito was.

"She always wanted to go out and do stuff, whether it was scuba diving with my uncle or myself or hiking the Appalachian trail," Petito's father said.

Apart from recalling her daughter's life, Joe Petito also gave a piece of advice to those who attended the funeral in New York.

"If there is a relationship that you're in that might not be the best thing for you, leave it now," Joe Petito said, adding that people should take care of themselves first.

Hundreds of mourners, including Petito's family and friends as well as strangers who were personally moved by the YouTuber's story, packed the funeral home and grieved for the 22-year-old woman whose life was tragically cut short.

Gabby Petito disappeared on a cross-country road trip with Brian Laundrie. The couple was traveling to Oregon when the YouTuber stopped communicating with her family in Wyoming in late August.

Laundrie, 23, was named a person of interest by North Port police after returning home on September 1 or 10 days before Petito was reported missing by her family.

Gabby Petito's remains were found at the Spread Creek Dispersed Campground in Wyoming last week. Her death is being investigated as a homicide.

The FBI has already issued a federal arrest warrant for Brian Laundrie over debit card fraud. The warrant would allow law enforcement officers to arrest Gabby Petito's fiance.

READ MORE: Hunt for Gabby Petito's Fiance: FBI Issues Arrest Warrant for Brian Laundrie

This article is owned by Latin Post

Written by: Joshua Summers

WATCH: Gabby Petito's Father, Stepfather Speak at Funeral - From FOX 13 Tampa Bay
Former President Donald Trump has left 13 seats empty in the front row of a Georgia rally on Saturday night in honor of the U.S. service members who died in an ISIS-K suicide bombing in Afghanistan.

Trump also called to the stage the marine who pulled a baby over the airport wall in Kabul during the chaotic withdrawal of the Biden administration from Afghanistan, Daily Mail reported.

The former president has also taken the opportunity to slam Joe Biden for the withdrawal of the U.S. troops from Afghanistan. He noted that Biden's lack of planning and vetting allowed Afghan criminals and potential terrorists to enter the U.S.

Donald Trump said that Afghanistan, Central, and South American countries are emptying their prisons as people from these countries continue to come "into our country."

At the rally in Perry, Georgia, Lance Corporal Hunter Clark, who lifted a baby from the arms of an Afghan citizen over the airport wall during the withdrawal in August, said it was one of the greatest things he had done in his entire life.

Clark, a resident of Georgia, thanked all his supporters, adding that it really means a lot to him. He added that he's glad to be home and shook the former president's hand as the crowd chanted, "U.S.A.! U.S.A.!"

Earlier this month, a mom of one of the marines killed in a suicide bombing in Afghanistan has snubbed Joe Biden and instead invited Donald Trump to attend her son's funeral, Independent reported.

Shana Chappell, the mother of 20-year-old Lance Corporal Kareem Nikoui, invited Donald Trump to attend her son's September 18 funeral in Riverside, California.

Chappell noted that it would be an honor to meet "the real President of the United States of America." She went on to say that she loves Trump and America loves Trump.

Chappell has blamed Biden for the 13 troops killed during the suicide bombing at the Kabul airport on August 26 and said the president has blood on his hands. She also made a false claim that Trump has won the 2020 presidential race.

READ NEXT: Not Invited: Mom of Marine Killed in Afghanistan Asks Donald Trump and Not Pres. Joe Biden to Attend Son's Funeral

U.S. Withdrawal From Afghanistan

Earlier this year, Joe Biden has extended the original departure deadline agreed to under the Trump administration from May 1 to Sept. 11, 2021. But he then announced last July that the military mission in Afghanistan would end on August 31.

Joe Biden said he had to follow through with the agreement or it would risk new conflicts with the Taliban, Axios reported. The president has blamed the Trump administration for the chaos in Afghanistan, saying that Trump emboldened the Taliban.

However, the president admitted that he would have tried to withdraw all troops from Afghanistan even if Donald Trump did not negotiate with the Taliban group. Biden said he saw no way to complete a withdrawal without any conflict ensuing.

Joe Biden noted that he had never been of the view of sacrificing American lives to try to establish a democratic government in Afghanistan, "a country that has never once in its entire history been a united country."

More than 100,000 American troops have been deployed in Afghanistan at the height of the war, with tens of thousands of troops from about 40 nations in the U.S.-led NATO coalition, The New York Times reported.

Donald Trump earlier said that his administration had the Taliban totally under control. The former president noted that he warned the Taliban that they would be wiped out by F-18 jets if they tried to take Kabul.

Donald Trump also claimed that the Taliban gained back its power because Joe Biden was too weak to punish them.

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: Trump Pushes False Claim He Won 2020 Election At Rally In Georgia - From TODAY






A Florida college student who vanished while on his way to see her father in South Carolina last week was found dead on Sunday.

Sheridan Wahl's mother, Kelly DeArment Wahl, took to Facebook to share her thoughts on her daughter's passing.

"We are heartbroken beyond belief to share the news that our beloved Sheridan Wahl has passed," Wahl's mother said.

READ NEXT: Kristin Smart Family Says 'One Step Closer to Justice' After Court Rules Paul Flores, Ruben Flores to Be Tried for Murder

Florida College Student Discovered Far From Her Vehicle

Sheridan Wahl's body was found behind the Hannah-Salem-Friendfield Fire Department, Crime Online reported. However, her car was discovered crashed and burned in a ditch in a cornfield about 10 miles away.

Witnesses mentioned seeing a white male driving or fleeing from the scene. Wahl's body was found two days before her car was found in the cornfield, The Daily Mail reported.

The 21-year-old college student drove hundreds of miles from her home in Tampa, Florida to visit her father in Myrtle Beach last week.

Wahl's roommate, Elizabeth Echenique, said that while in Myrtle Beach on September 19, Wahl tried to rent a scooter but was refused service since she was not wearing shoes.

On the same day, Wahl told her mother through a FaceTime call that she was returning home, but her mother advised her to stay the night in Myrtle Beach to avoid the long drive back to Florida.

However, Wahl soon stopped communicating with her family, and calls kept going to voicemail. Wahl's father also told police that her daughter never arrived at his home. Wahl's mother issued a plea for information on Facebook on September 20.

The Myrtle Beach Police Department said in a statement that the Florida college student was able to leave "our jurisdiction safely" after opening an investigation a day after her disappearance.

Law enforcement officers did not yet detail Wahl's cause of death. State authorities are now investigating it.

"Please note that the case has yet to be closed - and details have not been confirmed. A full statement will be released pending more information," Wahl's mother said, adding that their family graciously requests that their privacy be respected.

Wahl's body was brought to the Medical University of South Carolina Friday for an autopsy to determine her cause of death.

GoFundMe Account Created to Help Cover Funeral Expenses of Florida College Student

Echenique has set up a GoFundMe account to raise funds for the funeral expenses.

"She was an amazing musician and many times would sit down to make music for fun and relaxation alone and with friends," said Wahl's roommate, adding that her friend was spontaneous, kind, loving, talented, and knew how to make her friends laugh.

Sheridan Wahl was a student at the University of South Florida, where she was majoring in marketing.

READ MORE: Shrouded in Mystery: 4 Minnesota Residents Found Dead in Abandoned SUV Hidden in Wisconsin Cornfield

This article is owned by Latin Post

Written by: Joshua Summers

WATCH: Sheridan Wahl's Body Found - From WPDE ABC15
U.S. border agents have shortly detained 14 Mexican soldiers after the group's two vehicles crossed into Texas at an international port of entry.

The U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents had also taken the soldiers' weapons and temporarily handcuffed them. One of the soldiers had a small amount of marijuana in possession, according to a Breitbart News report.

CBP confirmed the incident in an email, saying that just after midnight today the CBP noted two Mexican military vehicles crossing the boundary and entering the U.S.

The soldiers have claimed to not have realized that they had crossed the international boundary.

Meanwhile, one of the 14 Mexican soldiers was assessed a civil penalty after CBP officers discovered a personal use amount of marijuana in his possession, according to an NBC DFW News report.

Mexican army officers had come for the soldiers, prompting CBP officials to return the soldiers' equipment and their vehicles.

The border crossing was closed for about two hours due to the incident, according to one witness of the event.

The witness said that the CBP agents had yelled at the soldiers to put their hands up and drop their weapons immediately.

Meanwhile, Mexico's Defense Ministry has yet to comment on the matter.

Mexican military forces have crossed the border in the past. However, it was usually in the areas where the border has no clear markings.

READ NEXT: U.S. Triples Reward Money for Capture of Ismael 'El Mayo' Zambada, Who Founded Sinaloa Cartel With El Chapo

Mexican Soldiers Near the U.S. Border

On September 17, Mexican soldiers and police had killed nine suspected gunmen in shootouts near the U.S. border, according to a Border Report news release.

The Mexican troops came in for reinforcement when state police officers of Coahuila had come under fire during their patrol.

One of the two vehicles found at the scene had a fitted homemade steel-plate armor, which was called "monsters" and was often used by drug gangs in the region.

Ten weapons with a .50-caliber sniper rifle were found at the scene.

U.S.-Mexico Border Crisis

The U.S. Border Patrol had documented around 200,000 encounters with migrants along the U.S.-Mexico border in July.

The Pew Research Center noted that this was the highest monthly total in more than two decades.

The migrants being encountered at the U.S.-Mexico border were different in terms of demographic from those encountered in May 2019, which was the last major increase in southwest migration.

Single adults accounted for 53 percent of migrant encounters in July, which was a 28 percent increase in May 2019.

Meanwhile, people traveling in families showed a 38 percent portion, which was a decrease from 64 percent.

Mexican nationals had also accounted for a large share of encounters as compared to people from the Northern Triangle countries namely El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras.

U.S. President Joe Biden had made a series of promises during his presidential campaign to change U.S. immigration.

He had vowed to take urgent action to undo the policy of former U.S. President Donald Trump.

READ MORE: El Chapo's Sinaloa Cartel Continues to Thrive Despite the Drug Lord's Absence: Report

This article is owned by Latin Post

Written by: Mary Webber

WATCH: U.S. border agents briefly detain 14 Mexican soldiers in El Paso - from SCCI Channel






The Taliban had executed a public hanging with a dead body suspending from a crane in a city square in Afghanistan. Four bodies were initially brought to the central square in Herat.

Taliban officials noted that the four men were caught participating in a kidnapping plot, with the suspects reportedly killed during a gunfight with police, according to The Blaze report.

Three corpses were transported to other parts of the city for public display, according to one local resident.

A crowd had gathered in the city square to see a bloodied body hanging from a crane, with a note pinned to the man's chest that read that the public hanging was "the punishment for kidnapping."

Taliban-appointed district police chief in Herat, Ziaulhaq Jalali, said that the Taliban members rescued a father and son who had been kidnapped by four kidnappers after a gunfire exchange, according to an Associated Press News report. The kidnappers had wounded a Taliban fighter and a civilian, while all of the said suspects were killed in a crossfire.

The Taliban leaders are still following a deeply conservative, "hard-line" worldview despite adapting to technological changes, such as video and mobile phones.

Mullah Nooruddin Turabi said that everyone criticized the group for punishments in the stadium. However, he said that they never said anything about other's laws and punishments.

Turabi added that no one will tell them what their laws should be, saying that they will follow Islam and will make their laws on the Quran.

Spokesman Ned Price said during his briefing that the United States would "stand firm" along the international community to hold perpetrators of the said abuses accountable.

READ NEXT: Pres. Joe Biden's Administration Praises Taliban Days Before 9/11 Anniversary, Says Militant Group Is a "Professional" in Dealings

Biden Administration's Praise on the Taliban

Earlier in September, National Security Council spokesperson Emily Horne had released a statement noting that the Taliban have been "cooperative in facilitating the departure of American citizen."

Horne added that the group has shown "flexibility", as well as being "businesslike and professional" in the U.S.'s dealings with the group in the effort, according to The National Review report.

Meanwhile, the U.S. earlier reported that a little more than 100 Americans were belived to remain in the country after U.S. President Joe Biden had ended the 20-year military mission in August.

Biden and his administration have drawn flak for having left Americans at the hands of the Taliban rule.

Representative Mike Waltz and Senator Lindsey Graham noted in a joint statement that it was inexcusable that the current administration had allowed "a terrorist regime" to dictate the terms of Americans to leave the country.

Waltz and Graham said that the U.S. does not take orders from terrorists, according to a France24 report.

Human Rights Watch and the San Jose State University noted that the Taliban in the city of Herat is doing widespread and serious human rights violations against women and girls.

Women reported that they found themselves trapped indoors after the Taliban's arrival, adding that they were afraid to leave their house without a male family member.

Halima Kazem-Stojanovic, a core faculty member of SJSU's Human Rights Institute, said that the best-case scenario for women is to be unharmed but forced to live a "drastically diminished existence."

READ MORE: 2 Afghan Refugees Staying in Wisconsin Arrested for Trying to Rape Child, Strangle Woman

This article is owned by Latin Post

Written by: Mary Webber

WATCH: Taliban Says Executions, Public Punishments To Return; 'Cutting off hands Necessary' - from Republic World






Dozens of people witnessed police officers shot and kill an armed man, who was described as latino, following a pursuit amid the U.S. Open of Surfing at Huntington Beach, California, September 25.

According to Huntington Beach police spokesperson Jennifer Care, the shooting happened in the sand near the pathway just south of the Huntington Beach pier around 3:15 in the afternoon. Witnesses stated that the man, who was wearing jean shorts and a white shirt, was being pursued by three police officers as he ran udner the pier.

In a report by ABC News, the police stated that the man failed to comply with their multiple commands and that the man was carrying a gun before they opened fire at him.

The armed man has not yet been identified. He was immediately taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Authorities were able to find a gun at the scene of the shooting.

Beachgoers Witness Fatal Encounter

The surfing competition had just wrapped up for the day when witnesses heard several shots near the pier's bicycle and pedestrian pathway. A footage from a witness showed the man rolling on the sand while seemingly trying to reach for something before several shots were fired by the police.

Hector Tovar, who was at the scene, told The Orange County Register they heard 'pops' which they initially thought were fireworks.

"I thought it was fireworks, that's how many rounds there were," Tovar stated.

Cops just shot a guy at Huntington Beach  pic.twitter.com/63xXdMdr8E  Ana Leticia (@AnaLeticiaGIS) September 25, 2021

READ MORE: 3 Burned, Dismembered Bodies, Including a Child, Found in Texas Dumpster Fire

Body Cameras Captured the Shooting

During the encounter, authorities stated that the officers were wearing their body cameras which were activated. Huntington Beach police is currently working with the Orange County Sheriff's investigators to investigate the shooting, and the footage from the body cameras will be included in the probe.

In a bystander video that was released by TMZ, it can be seen that police officers stood about six feet away from the man who was rolling in the sand. Three police had their weapons drawn at the time.

A person could even be heard in the video asking if the police tased the man as he was already down.

After a few seconds, two more officers from the Huntington Beach police arrived at the scene with their weapons also drawn towards the man on the sand. The police started to fire their guns at the man after he was pointing his finger while laying on his side. It was not clear in the video whether the man had something on his hand or was reaching for something when the shots went off.

Following the shooting, Tory Johnson, one of the founding members of Black Lives Matter-Huntington Beach, stated that local activists were already starting to organize and are already planning on calling for accountability for the officers who were involved.

"This is what we're fighting. We're fighting police aggression, whether they are Black, brown, purple," Johnson added.

While the U.S. Open of Surfing competition had already wrapped up when the shooting happened, hundreds of people were still in the area and heard the shots.

READ NEXT: Woman Seen 'Acting Strangely' Arrested for Allegedly Starting Northern California Wildfire

This article is owned by Latin Post

Written by: Jess Smith

WATCH: Police shoot and kill man near the Huntington Beach Pier (9/25/21) - Jonah Valdez
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Rochelle Walensky said on Sunday that people should determine their "own risk and benefit" for getting the Pfizer COVID-19 booster shots.

The CDC director voiced out her comments during a CBS interview on Sunday, saying that people should figure out for themselves if a third dose is necessary.

"We made it possible for people to be eligible [for the booster shot], but they really have to identify their own individual risk and their own individual benefit," Walensky underscored in the interview.

Walensky also said that individuals who were among made eligible for Pfizer's COVID-19 booster shots, including health care workers, teachers, and people toiling in homeless shelters, prisons, grocery stores, and public transportation, can speak with healthcare providers to determine if they really need to be inoculated with the booster shots.

The CDC director pointed out that resources that can answer one's query about the booster shots are available with the pharmacists, physicians, public health departments, and their agency.

READ NEXT: FDA Approves Pfizer COVID Booster Shots for People 65 and Older, Other Vulnerable Americans

CDC Director Rochelle Walensky Defends Recommending Booster Vaccine Among Frontliners

Aside from saying that people should determine their "own risk and benefit" in getting the booster shots, Walensky also explained why she decided to overrule a recommendation from their advisory committee recommending booster vaccine shots for older American adults and high risk for severe diseases only.

Walensky pointed out that the evidence their agency and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reviewed made her feel that frontliners need to be eligible for the booster shots.

Wilensky also mentioned that her recommendation for boosters also applies to people who spend most of their day alongside groups of people who were unvaccinated, such as the teachers in the classroom with students aging under 12.

Walensky's explanation of her recommendation of booster shots among frontline came after she recommended booster shots to all Americans eight months after their second dose, along with other top health officials.

"The sciences may very well show that the rest of the population needs to be boosted," Walensky underscored, adding that they will provide guidance as soon as they get "the science" to inform them.

The CDC director also highlighted that the goal of the Biden administration is to "stay ahead of the virus," including providing boosters so that the U.S. would not end up in a vulnerable place.

Pfizer CEO Says Vaccine Data For Kids on the way to FDA

As the frontliners were made eligible for booster shots, Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla on Sunday said that COVID-19 vaccine data for children ages 5-11 will be ready to be reviewed by FDA in the coming days.

Bourla highlighted that their company is ready to submit the said data any day, and the conclusion will be in the hands of the concerned agency. Furthermore, the Pfizer CEO also noted that if the regulators approve their data, their company is ready to manufacture the vaccine.

Bourla further noted that the formula of their COVID-129 vaccine for kids is different than the regular formulation.

It can be recalled that currently, children aging 12 and up are eligible to take Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine.

READ NEXT: Vaccine Salad: Scientists Are Developing Edible Plants That Can Carry the Same Medication as Pfizer, Moderna COVID Shots

This article is owned by Latin Post

Written By: Joshua Summers

WATCH: COVID-19 Vaccine Booster Shots Roll Out - From Good Morning America
An overnight crash involving a suspected drunken driver on the far West Side resulted in the deaths of a West Texas police sergeant and two of his family members, officials said.

West Side Texas Crash Kills Police Sergeant, Family Members

According to KSAT, officials said that the crash happened at around 1:30 a.m. Sunday, on Loop 1604 and Culebra Road. The officials identified the alleged drunken driver suspect as Elijah James Montalvo.

Based on the court records, the 17-year-old suspect was booked and is facing three counts of intoxication manslaughter, intoxication assault and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and three counts of manslaughter.

One of the victims, the 37-year-old Sgt. Daniel Valenzuela Jr., was in a vehicle heading northbound on the 1604 access road and he had a green light at the intersection of Culebra.

However, another vehicle approached the intersection heading east at a high rate of speed despite not having a green light. The said vehicle was driven by Montalvo and slammed into Valenzuela Jr.'s vehicle, Police said.

The West Texas police sergeant's vehicle also had three other family members inside. Valenzuela Jr. was with his father, 69-year-old Daniel Valenzuela Sr., his 84-year-old grandmother Andrea Uvalle, and another female in the backseat.

The police said that the West Side Texas crash resulted in the deaths of the police sergeant, Valenzuela Sr., and Uvalle.

Meanwhile, the other woman, who was in the backseat of Valenzuela Jr.'s vehicle, was taken to an area hospital and based on the latest update was already in a stable condition.

Also, the 17-year-old suspect, Montalvo, was taken to an area hospital to be evaluated before he was later on booked with multiple charges.

Meanwhile, the Police Chief of the Ector County Hospital District, Brad Timmons issued a statement regarding the death of Valenzuela Jr.'s on social media. Timmons said that the Ector County Hospital District Police Department and Medical Center Health System suffered a devastating loss early Sunday morning when the 37-year-old Sgt. Daniel Valenzuela Jr. died in a car crash.

The police chief emphasized that Sgt. Valenzuela was instrumental in all aspects of the police department and the Medical Center Health System.

Timmons also shared that Sgt. Valenzuela Jr. was not only his friend but a colleague and an outstanding police officer who has served his community with the utmost integrity and professionalism.

Furthermore, Timmons said that Sgt. Valenzuela was a good man and he would be dearly missed by the Ector County Hospital District Department and the Medical Center Health System.

The police chief also asked the community in keeping Sgt Valenzuela Jr. and his family in their thoughts and prayers.

READ MORE: 3 Burned, Dismembered Bodies, Including a Child, Found in Texas Dumpster Fire

Another Police Officer as Car Crash Victim

On the other hand, police officer Lewis "Andy" Traylor, died of injuries sustained in a collision with an 18-wheeler in East Austin in late July, Austin American-Statesman reported.

Traylor had been hospitalized after the collision that happened when he was responding to a "priority one" call in the 7800 block of FM 969 close to Decker Lane.

Traylor was traveling west on FM 969 in his patrol vehicle when the 18-wheeler attempted a U-turn in front of him which led to the collision and his death.

READ NEXT: 2-Year-Old Texas Boy Accidentally Shot Himself in the Head After Finding Loaded Gun in His Uncle's Bag

This article is owned by Latin Post

Written by: Jess Smith

WATCH: 3 killed, 1 injured in crash involving suspected drunken driver on far West Side, police say -KSAT 12


It is a matter of utmost satisfaction to note that none other than the Supreme Court has itself taken very strong exception of the adjournment culture prevalent in our country especially in the lower courts and in an extremely laudable, landmark, latest and learned judgment titled Ishwarlal Mali Rathod vs Gopal and Ors. in Special Leave Petition (Civil) Nos. 14117-14118 of 2021 delivered as recently as on September 20, 2021 has urged the courts not to grant repeated adjournments in routine manner. The Bench of Apex Court comprising of Justice MR Shah and Justice AS Bopanna minced just no words to observe that repeated adjournments break the back of the litigants and consequentially lose confidence in the justice delivery system. It was also made clear that a judicial officer has to bear in mind his duties to the litigants and shall not worry about displeasure of bar'; for not granting unnecessary adjournments. The Bench also made it clear that, "Time has now come to change the work culture and get out of the adjournment culture so that confidence and trust put by the litigants in the justice delivery system is not shaken and Rule of Law is maintained."

To start with, this cogent, commendable, composed and convincing judgment authored by Justice MR Shah for a Bench of Apex Court comprising of himself and Justice AS Bopanna sets the ball rolling by first and foremost observing in para 1 that, "Present is the classic example of misuse of the adjournments granted by the court. Present SLPs have been preferred challenging the impugned order dated 17.02.2021 passed by the High Court of Madhya Pradesh, Bench at Indore in M.P. No. 107 of 2021 and M.P. No. 108 of 2021 by which the High Court has dismissed the said misc. petition preferred by the petitioner - original defendant, confirming the order passed by the learned Trial Court dated 21.12.2020 closing the right to cross-examine the plaintiff';s witness."

To put things in perspective, the Bench then herein puts forth in para 2 that, "Respondents No. 1 to 4 herein filed suit for eviction, arrears of rents and mesne profit against one Ramchandra (now dead) and the present petitioner on 14.08.2013. Petitioner herein - defendant filed the written statement and issues were framed. On 12.05.2014 plaintiffs filed an affidavit under Order XVIII Rule 4 of the CPC which was objected by the petitioner and again the plaintiffs filed an affidavit on 07.03.2015. From 12.05.2015 till 02.12.2019 at least times the defendants sought adjournments which were granted by the court. Lastly the adjournment was given with cost as a last opportunity. Despite the same the petitioner-defendant did not cross-examine the plaintiff';s witness. On 14.10.2019 time for cross examination was given with cost of Rs 5,000/- and with the condition that in any case they fail to cross examine, their right of cross examination would be treated as closed. Despite the same, the petitioner-defendant did not cross examine the plaintiff';s witness and therefore on 05.11.2019 their right was treated as closed. The petitioner approached the High Court by filing miscellaneous petition No. 6283 of 2019 by which the right of the petitioner-defendant to cross examine the plaintiff';s witness was closed. Though no leniency was required to be shown the High Court allowed the said petition by granting last opportunity to the defendants to cross examine the witness. Despite the same the petitioner-defendant did not even thereafter also cross examine the plaintiff';s witness. The suit was fixed for cross examination of plaintiff';s witness on 21.12.2020. On 21.12.2020 again the counsel appearing on behalf of the petitioner-defendant filed an application seeking adjournment. Considering the fact that earlier number of adjournments were granted and the opportunity was given to the petitioner-defendant to cross examine the plaintiff';s witness and despite the same the defendant fail to cross examine the plaintiff';s witness, the learned Trial Court vide order dated 21.12.2020 closed the right of the cross-examining the plaintiff';s witness. The order passed by the learned Trial Court has been confirmed by the High Court by the impugned judgment and order."

Be it noted, the Bench then observes in para 4 that, "As observed hereinabove, present is a classic example of misuse of adjournments granted by the court. It is to be noted that the respondents herein - original plaintiffs filed the suit for eviction, arrears of rent and mesne profit as far as back in the year 2013. That thereafter despite the repeated adjournments sought and granted by the court and even twice the adjournments were granted as a last opportunity and even the cost was imposed, the defendant failed to cross examine the plaintiff';s witness. Although the adequate liberty was given to the defendant to cross examine the plaintiff';s witness, they never availed of the same and went on delaying the proceedings by repeated prayers of adjournment and unfortunately the Trial Court and even subsequently the High Court continued to grant adjournment and as such contributed the delay in disposal of the suit which as such was for eviction. High Court continued to grant adjournment after adjournment and as such contributed the delay in disposal of the suit which as such was for eviction. Such approach is wholly condemnable. Law and professional ethics do not permit such practice. Repeated adjournments on one or the other pretext and adopting the dilatory tactics is an insult to justice and concept of speedy disposal of cases. Petitioner-defendant acted in a manner to cause colossal insult to justice and to concept of speedy disposal of civil litigation."

No doubt, the Bench then makes it clear in para 5 that, "Grant of repeated adjournments in routine manner and how it affects ultimately the justice delivery system as such came to be considered by this court in catena of decisions and asking/grant of repeated adjournments have been repeatedly condemned by this court."

Quite significantly, the Bench then hastens to add in para 5.1 that, "In the case of Shiv Cotex v. Tirgun Auto Plast (P) Ltd. (2011) 9 SCC 678, it is observed and held in paragraphs 14 to 17 as under:

"14.  Is the court obliged to give adjournment after adjournment merely because the stakes are high in the dispute? Should the court be a silent spectator and leave the control of the case to a party to the case who has decided not to take the case forward?

15. It is sad, but true, that the litigants seek - and the courts grant - adjournments courts grant - adjournments at the drop of the hat. In the cases where the Judges are little proactive and refuse to accede to the requests of unnecessary adjournments, the litigants deploy all sorts of methods in protracting the litigation. It is not surprising that civil disputes drag on and on. The misplaced sympathy and indulgence by the appellate and revisional courts compound the malady further. The case in hand is a case of such misplaced sympathy. It is high time that courts become sensitive to delays in justice delivery system and realise that adjournments do dent the efficacy of the judicial process and if this menace is not controlled adequately, the litigant public may lose faith in the system sooner than later. The courts, particularly trial courts, must ensure that on every date of hearing, effective progress takes place in the suit.

16. No litigant has a right to abuse the procedure provided in CPC. Adjournments have grown like cancer corroding the entire body of justice delivery system.

17. A party to the suit is not at liberty to proceed with the trial at its leisure and pleasure and has no right to determine when the evidence would be let in by it or the matter should be heard. The parties to a suit - whether the plaintiff or the defendant - must cooperate with the court in ensuring the effective work on the date of hearing for which the matter has been fixed. If they don';t, they do so at their own peril.""

Quite remarkably, the Bench then discloses in para 5.2 that, "Commenting on the delay in the justice-delivery system, although in respect of the criminal trial, Krishna Iyer, J. in the case of Babu Singh v. State of U.P. (1978) 1 SCC 579 has observed in paragraph 4 as under:

"4.  Our justice system, even in grave cases, suffers from slow motion syndrome which is lethal to fair trial';, whatever the ultimate decision. Speedy justice is a component of social justice since the community, as a whole, is concerned in the criminal being condignly and finally punished within a reasonable time and the innocent being absolved from the inordinate ordeal of criminal proceedings."

To top it all, the Bench then most significantly envisages in para 5.5 what forms the cornerstone of this brief, brilliant, bold and balanced judgment that, "Today the judiciary and the justice delivery system is facing acute problem of delay which ultimately affects the right of the litigant to access to justice and the speedy trial. Arrears are mounting because of such delay and dilatory tactics and asking repeated adjournments by the advocates and mechanically and in routine manner granted by the courts. It cannot be disputed that due to delay in access to justice and not getting the timely justice it may shake the trust and confidence of the litigants in the justice delivery system. Many a times, the task of adjournments is used to kill Justice. Repeated adjournments break the back of the litigants. The courts are enjoining upon to perform their duties with the object of strengthening the confidence of common man in the institution entrusted with the administration of the justice. Any effort which weakens the system and shake the faith of the common man in the justice dispensation has to be discouraged. Therefore the courts shall not grant the adjournments in routine manner and mechanically and shall not be a party to cause for delay in dispensing the justice. The courts have to be diligence and take timely action in order to usher in efficient justice dispensation system and maintain in rule of law. We are also aware that whenever the trial courts refused to grant unnecessary adjournments many a times they are accused of being strict and they may face displeasure of the Bar. However, the judicial officers shall not worry about that if his conscience is clear and the judicial officer has to bear in mind his duties to the litigants who are before the courts and who have come for justice and for whom Courts are meant and all efforts shall be made by the courts to provide timely justice to the litigants. Take an example of the present case. Suit was for eviction. Many a times the suits are filed for eviction on the ground of bonafide requirements of the landlord. If plaintiff who seeks eviction decree on the ground of personal bonafide requirement is not getting the timely justice and he ultimately gets the decree after 10 to 15 years, at times cause for getting the eviction decree on the ground of personal bonafide requirement may be defeated. The resultant effect would be that such a litigant would lose confidence in the justice delivery system and instead of filing civil suit and following the law he may adopt the other mode which has no backing of law and ultimately it affects the rule of law. Therefore, the court shall be very slow in granting adjournments and as observed hereinabove they shall not grant repeated adjournments in routine manner. Time has now come to change the work culture and get out of the adjournment culture so that confidence and trust put by the litigants in the Justice delivery system is not shaken and Rule of Law is maintained.

Finally, the Bench then holds in para 5.6 that, "In view of the above and for the reasons stated above and considering the fact that in the present case ten times adjournments were given between 2015 to 2019 and twice the orders were passed granting time for cross examination as a last chance and that too at one point of time even a cost was also imposed and even thereafter also when lastly the High Court passed an order with extending the time it was specifically mentioned that no further time shall be extended and/or granted still the petitioner-defendant never availed of the liberty and the grace shown. In fact it can be said that the petitioner-defendant misused the liberty and the grace shown by the court. It is reported that as such now even the main suit has been disposed of. In view of the circumstances, the present SLPs deserve to be dismissed and are accordingly dismissed."

All in all, the Apex Court is hundred percent right in this case that the adjournments should not be granted at the drop of a hat in a routine manner. If adjournments are not granted quickly, it will definitely ensure that the case progresses at a much rapid speed and this in turn will ensure that the case is decided in time. This will undoubtedly go a long way in restoring the unflinching faith of the litigant in the justice delivery system! Rule of law will also thus be maintained. Of course, this is imperative also in the supreme interests of the justice and the litigants and so all out efforts must be definitely made to ensure that adjournments are rarely granted and that too when there are cogent, compelling and convincing reasons which necessitates for it to be given! The Bench also unmistakably conveyed it loud and clear that the judicial officers should always bear in mind their duties to the litigants and shall not worry about the displeasure of bar'; for not granting unnecessary adjournments!



Join LAWyersClubIndia's network for daily News Updates, Judgment Summaries, Articles, Forum Threads, Online Law Courses, and MUCH MORE!!"





Join our Telegram group

Join our Whatsapp group

"Loved reading this piece by Sanjeev Sirohi Join LAWyersClubIndia's network for daily News Updates, Judgment Summaries, Articles, Forum Threads, Online Law Courses, and MUCH MORE!!"

Tags : Others
Female entrepreneurs and budding businesswomen from across Laois are being encouraged to look to the future and register for this years National Womens Enterprise Day after the line up for the event was announced.

The Local Enterprise Office (LEO) free event, titled Build The Future, takes place online on the Thursday, October 7 and will feature some of Irelands best known female entrepreneurs including the likes of Aimee Connolly of Sculpted by Aimee, Rachel Doyle of The Arboretum and Sharon Keegan of Peachy Lean, who was recently supported on Dragons Den UK.

This years Leading Light representing LEO Laois is Dr. Emma Rose Conroy, Director of Euro Vet Animal Health Ltd which is based in Clonaslee. LEO says Emma Rose will be a great ambassador for the county to inspire female entrepreneurs locally and nationwide.

The days programme will cover a whole host of areas on how to build the future of a business covering topics like, how to get started, internationalization, finding new markets, trading effectively online, sustainability and innovation. This will be coupled with breakout rooms for networking and a host of one-to-one advice clinics for any business issues.

New figures released by the Local Enterprise Offices, who are funded by the Government of Ireland and supported by Enterprise Ireland and the Local Authorities, have shown that the amount of women engaging in entrepreneurship and business supports continues to rise.

In 2020 over 47,000 women engaged in training and upskilling with their Local Enterprise Office. This was a huge jump on 2019 as 23,466 female entrepreneurs took part in training that year. In 2020, 50% more females engaged in training and upskilling with their Local Enterprise Office than their male counterparts (30,000).

Honor Deevy is Acting Head of Enterprise.

National Womens Enterprise Day has always been a day of celebration of the very best in female entrepreneurship and highlighting the strength of that community. This year is no different, but we are very much looking forward. How can we help female entrepreneurs in Laois sustain and develop their businesses and ideas going into the future.

The last 18 months have created huge problems for businesses all across Laois but also great opportunities and businesses have to grasp those. NWED is going to look at all those areas where you can build your business for the future, what areas you need to look at and what supports are there to help you do that. Everyone who registers and attends on the day will not only spend it with a fantastic community of female entrepreneurs and experts from around the country, but they will learn how to build their business or business idea for the future, she said.

Other participants on the day include Gerry Duffy who will be conducting an energizing session, Jenny Melia and Sheelagh Daly from Enterprise Ireland on Internationalisation and New Markets, Entrepreneurs Academys Noel Davidson on creating connections, Designer Aoife McNamara on starting a business and a host of others covering all sorts of topics from finance to trading online.

The initiative which now in its 15th year, will be hosted by founder and broadcaster Aine Kerr. Traditionally National Womens Enterprise Day has taken place locally with LEO Laois putting on events for female businesswomen across Laois and those who may have a business idea they want to get off the ground. However, the event went online in 2020 due to restrictions and will take place online again this year.

Those looking to attend National Womens Enterprise Day can find more information and register for free at www.localenterprise.ie and join the conversation online using the hashtag #NWED.
Borris-in-Ossory is in line to benefit from a scheme aimed at getting business back into the village centre which has jobs potential and could also help tackle dereliction.

Laois County Council has given the green light to extending the Business Incentive Scheme to encourage the use of vacant commercial premises on the Main Street of the village.

Denise Rainey is Business Development Officer at the Business Support Unit (BSU) in County Hall.

She outlined what is involved at the Borris-in-Ossory Mountmellick Municipal District meeting.

A person who is opening a new business is entitled to a three year grant. This is effectively a three year reduction in rates, she said.

Ms Rainey said a business that occupies a premises for at least six months is entitled to apply to the council for support. If approved, a 75% reduction will be given in the first year, 50% in year two and 25% in the final year.

She said it is a good grant for new companies.

When you set up a business there are a lot of start up costs especially in the first year, she said.

Ms Raine added that towns and villages benefit.

It encourages new business and encourages people to take over premises that have been vacant for a long time, she said.

She said the scheme is already in operation in Portlaoise, Mountmellick, Mountrath, Abbeyleix, Durrow, Rathdowney and Portarlington.

It has had huge success where it has been introduced..It encourages back to the retail core, she said.

Ms Rainey explained that while most types of business could avail of the help, some will not such as betting offices, nightclubs, takeaways pubs.

However she said each application would be looked at on a case by case basis.

The guarantee I will give is that each application will be judged on its own merits. Where we can be lenient we will be she said.

Councillors welcomed the schemes extension and praised the staff involved.

Cllr Conor Bergin, Fine Gael, welcomed the He added that the scheme would help business come into Borris-in-Ossory.

This is great news for Borris-in-Ossory, he said.

Like a lot of villages in Laois Borris suffered badly during the last recession and was hit with a double whammy of bypass. It had a bad effect on business, he said.

However, the Fine Gael councillor said recovery is underway.

Thankfully, the village has started to bounce back over the past couple of years, he said.

Cllr Bergin, who is a native of the village, said there are new shops, transformed derelict housing estates and a busy school.

The village is really thriving, he said.

He said there is also a huge demand for property and as more people chose to live there more services will be needed.

He said work is already underway to renovate vacant buildings on the Main St. He said these buildings have come back into local ownership.

Cllr Ollie Clooney, Independent, also welcomed the development.
A new council housing estate has been approved for Laois in a vote by county councillors but not without a heated argument.

Laois County Council this week asked councillors to vote in favour of its plan to build 26 social houses in Stradbally. They did so just a few weeks after voting to include a park on the site against the advice of council officials.

Carraig Glas will be built on council land in Stradbally, as the first phase of a 62 house development on what was once an allotment site.

Cllr Paschal McEvoy, Fianna Fail, who lives beside it proposed the approval which has been altered following public submissions to include an 8 foot wall next to existing houses, and the elimination of a walkway through another estate.

However, Fine Gael's Cllr Aisling Moran pushed for a month's delay on the decision so that the plan could be changed.

Cllr McEvoy had first said the houses were badly needed and he had requested some changes on behalf of residents, in a submission to the plans.

"This plan is ongoing for 12 months, I met all the residents, including 34 of them recently. They asked could I ensure this 3 metre wall will go up and the walkway be blocked. Those changes have been accepted. The people that live at the back of this development are old and terrified of anti-social behaviour. They are opposed to a park. I don't necessarily agree but they are genuinely terrified what what that would bring," he said.

Cllr Padraig Fleming seconded, saying that the council planners had listened and adjusted their plan, and that it is well thought out and well planned.

However, Cllr Moran asked to bring a counter motion, to delay the decision until next month and change the layout to include a park, which she said locals have told her they want.

She also notes that the site has a hedgehog trail, and the invasive plant Japanese knotweed.

"Move seven houses. I am not stopping the houses, we just want people to have a park. There is Japanese knotweed right along the back of the site. That takes two or three years to clear so fence it off and put in a park. We need to listen to what people are saying and not bulldoze in. I've asked several times for this plan to be tweaked. There are 11 two storey houses looking down on people in Oak Glen, put them where nobody will be looking down on them," she asked.

Cllr James Kelly seconded her proposal.

Cllr McEvoy told her that the mostly elderly residents in Court Square where he lives are "terrified of a park".

"I'm not anti park but when you're 80 it's an awful worry. I will fight tooth and nail to make sure there is not a park. I'll be bending down till I die to stop a park there," he said.

The Laois County Council CEO John Mulholland said that changing the plans would add some six months onto the project.

"We have been looking at this site for six years. We purchased it for 1.5 million. This would set us back immeasurably in our plans to build social houses. Not to proceed would be a massive setback.

"The reason some of our sites become habitats for fauna is because they are lying there so long. they were not bought for that purpose but for people on our housing list. this is probably our biggest site, it's taken a huge amount of time. This would put a big hole below the waterline of our delivery programme," Mr Mulholland said.

"I can't understand why you can't move houses and all would be happy. There is loads of space, can we not just redesign it?," Cllr Moran answered.

On the Japanese knotweed, planner Angela McEvoy said that it had not come up in the ecology study of the site, while engineer Paul McLoughlin said it can be excavated instead of the lengthy injection and spraying technique to kill the underground rhizomes.

Cllr Moran asked to adjourn for one month.

Cllr Catherine Fitzgerald labelled her proposal "ridiculous".

"It's beyond ridiculous to think this has taken years of plans and preparations and to say you can design it and have it back in one month, just for the sake of keeping face. Putting this forward to council is absolutely ridiculous," she said.

The CEO added that a month "is going to achieve nothing", saying extra costs would have to be first approved.

A counter proposal was not allowed, as the council said under law an amendment would have to be included in such a proposal, instead of a delay. Instead the decision was put to a vote, to accept or reject the Carraig Glas plan.

It was passed 13 to 5, with Cllrs Moran, Ben Brennan, James Kelly, PJ Kelly and Noel Touhy voting to reject the housing plan.

However later on in the meeting, an argument again rose when Cllr Moran claimed it had been her Fine Gael party who advised her to seek one month deferral.

"I put in a counter motion, it was seconded but we didn't get a chance to vote, is it because the council wants this to go ahead regardless?" she said.

Cllr Paschal McEvoy answered.

"18 elected members voted, 13 said they wanted it, five didn't. Ashling has a personal problem with me and she needs to get over that," he claimed.

"Don't flatter yourself," Cllr Moran replied.

The Cathaoirleach Cllr Conor Bergin said that the vote was binding.

Carraig Glas will have 10 2 bedroom homes to suit four people; 7 three bedroom homes each for five people, two 4 bedroom homes to fit seven people and seven one bedroom homes to suit couples. The site will have two open green spaces, with the larger space eventually to be used for more housing.

The vote to allow the houses will not have to be balanced against a vote in early September when councillors voted by a slim majority to amend the new county development plan that would allow a park to be built in the estate.

Councillors McEvoy and Moran clashed at the same meeting over the houses and park. Officials also opposed the change to the 2021-2027 plan.

The amendment can be removed but that could end up happening on the direction of a Government Minister.

Below: the design for Carraig Glas off Main Street in Stradbally.
The death has occurred of Robert (Bobby) BURRELL

Thomastown, Rathangan, Kildare



Peacefully in the Beacon Hospital, Dublin. He will be sadly missed and fondly remembered by his sisters Elizabeth and Pamela, his brothers Victor and Edmund, sister-in-law Pamela, nieces, nephews, extended family, friends and neighbours.

Reposing at Kildare Funeral Home, Fairview, Kildare Town on Monday at 5pm until 8pm. Funeral Service in Church of Ireland Church, Rathangan on Tuesday at 2pm (limited number) followed by burial in St Patrick's Cemetery, Edenderry Road, Rathangan.

" THE DAY THOU GAVEST LORD HAS ENDED"

Please adhere to current Covid regulations, no hand shaking, face masks to be worn and social distancing. The family would like to thank you for your understanding at this difficult time.

The death has occurred of James (Jim) Pender

Woodlands, Rathangan, Kildare / Kildangan, Kildare



James (Jim) Pender, Woodlands, Rathangan Co. Kildare & late of Kildangan, September 25th 2021 at Midlands Regional Hospital Tullamore. Predeceased by his parents Denis and Margaret & sister Mary. He will be sadly missed by his wife Mary, sons Denis & Seamus, daughters Edel and Audrey, brother P.J., grandson Joshua, nephews Keith & Jason, niece Juanita, sons in law Robert & Michael, brother in law, sisters in law, relatives, neighbours & friends.

May Jim Rest in Peace

In line with Government guidelines a private family funeral will take place. Jim's funeral will arrive at the Church of Assumption & St. Patrick, Rathangan for requiem mass at 11 o'clock on Tuesday morning (28th September) followed by burial in St. Patrick's Cemetery, Rathangan.

Mass can be viewed on https://www.youtube.com/c/icatholicplayer

Those wishing to leave a message may do so on the Condolence section below.

The Pender family thank you for your understanding at this sad and difficult time.

HOUSE STRICTLY PRIVATE PLEASE

The death has occurred of Ann Cully (nee Hanley)

Bodenstown, Sallins, Kildare / Donadea, Kildare / Roscommon



Cully (nee Hanley), Ann, Bodenstown, Sallins and late of Donadea and Naas, Co. Kildare and Lisacul, Co. Roscommon, September 25th 2021, peacefully in the wonderful and tender care of the staff of Craddock House Nursing Home, Naas, beloved mother of the late Baby Orla and sister of the late Patricia, deeply regretted by her much loved husband P.J., children Emer, Enda, Niamh, Padraic and Eoin, sons-in-law, daughters-in-law, cherished grandchildren, brother Pat, sisters-in-law, brothers-in-law, nieces, nephews, relatives and many friends.

Rest In Peace

Due to current government guidelines regarding religious ceremonies, Ann's Funeral Mass will take place in the Church of Our Lady & St. David, Naas on Tuesday at 10am. Family and friends are welcome to attend the funeral, but are reminded to be mindful of hand and cough etiquette and social distancing. Those who would have liked to attend the funeral, but due to the current restrictions cannot, please leave a personal message for the family in the condolences section below.

The church will be limited in capacity to 50%, but people are welcome to view Ann's Funeral Mass on Tuesday at 10am by clicking on the following link :https://www.naasparish.ie/our-parish/naas-webcam/

Oliver Reilly Funeral Directors accept no responsibility for any live webcam interruptions or issues

Ann will be reposing at Reilly's Funeral Home, Woods House, Clane on Monday from 4-8pm, with prayers at 7pm. Ann's funeral cortege will be leaving her residence on Tuesday morning at approx. 9:30am to arrive at the Church of Our Lady & St. David, Naas for 10am Funeral Mass followed by burial in St. Corban's Cemetery, Naas. Those who would like to line the route, may do so in a safe and socially distanced manner.

Family flowers only please. Donations if desired to Alzheimer Society of Ireland by clicking on the following link : https://alzheimer.ie/get-involved/become-a-friend-support-asi/donate/

For all enquiries, please contact Oliver Reilly Ltd. Funeral Directors on (045) 868230

The death has occurred of Joseph (Joe) DOYLE

Knocknagee, Carlow / Kildare



Joseph (Joe) Doyle, Knocknagee, Carlow, September 25th 2021 (peacefully) at home surrounded by his loving family. Beloved husband of Breda and much loved father of Diarmuid and Paul and adored grandfather of Ben and Tim. Sadly missed by his loving wife, sons, brothers, sister, daughter-in-law Zara, Diarmuids partner Roisin, grandchildren, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, nephews, nieces, relatives and friends.

May Joe Rest in Peace.

Reposing in R. Healy & Son Funeral Home Pollerton Castle, Carlow on Sunday from 4pm to 8pm, where a 50% capacity applies. Funeral Mass on Monday at 11am in St. Laurence OToole Church, Levitstown (Eircode R93 WT35), followed by burial in the adjoining cemetery.

Due to Covid regulations the Funeral Mass, for family and close friends, is restricted to 50% capacity of the church, therefore the family would welcome if wished, that people would attend in the church grounds.

Family flowers only, please, donations in lieu to Kildare Palliative Care.

House strictly private, please.

The death has occurred of Olive Fallon

Loughrea, Galway / Maynooth, Kildare



Fallon, Olive, Loughrea, Co. Galway and late of Maynooth, Co. Kildare, September 24th 2021, peacefully in the tender care of the staff of Elm Hall Nursing Home, Celbridge, beloved wife of the late Joseph and mother of the late Valerie, deeply regretted by her loving nieces Brigid and Paula, and her husband Martin, grand-nieces Ami and Vanessa and her partner Dave, grand-nephew Rikki, extended family and friends.

Rest In Peace

Due to current government guidelines, a funeral for family and close friends will take place for Olive, with a capacity of 50% in the church. Those who would have liked to attend the funeral, but due to the current restrictions cannot, please leave a personal message for the family in the condolences section below.

Olive's funeral cortege will leave Reilly's Funeral Home, Leinster St., Maynooth on Monday morning at 9.40am to arrive at St. Mary's Church, Maynooth for 10am funeral Mass, followed by burial in Laraghbryan cemetery, for those that might like to line the route in a socially distance manner.

Olive's funeral Mass can be viewed on Monday morning at 10am by clicking on the following link: http://maynoothparish.org/live-streaming/

Oliver Reilly Funeral Directors accept no responsibility for any live webcam interruptions or issues.
A charity whose mission is to help ex-members of the Irish Defence Forces (IDF) hopes to raise a million euro for retired defence force members following a small outcome last year.

According to KFM Radio Station, the Organisation for National Ex-service personnel (ONE) hopes that this year's Fuschia Appeal will raise more than 1 million between now and next Saturday.

Last year, the charity managed to raise just 280 last year.

Naoise O Cearuil, the Mayor of Kildare, attended a fundraiser event for ONE on September 16, where he said: "I was delighted to welcome seven retired members of the Defence Forces to Aras Chill Dara to raise the Fuchsia Flag as part of the Fuchsia Appeal."

"This appeal is designed to assist ex service personnel and I was delighted to lend my support to it.

He added: "Kildare is proud of the role it has played and continues to play in our Defence Forces, many Kildare people have served with dignity and honour."

According to ONE, the Fuchsia flower was chosen as it is widely grown throughout Ireland and is commonly known as Deora De or "Gods Tears" in the West of Ireland, and is seen as a badge of remembrance and a symbol to honour those currently serving in the IDF.

Just two days after the fundraiser, ONE announced the official opening for its first hostel for IDF veterans in Cobh, Cork.

The project cost around 500,000 and has become home to five ex-servicemen.

ONE was founded in 1951 and advocates for of Irish veterans by the provision of accommodation to homeless and other veterans in need of such domestic accommodation in its Veterans Homes and the provision of other assistance to veterans through its nationwide network of Branches and Veterans Support Centres.

Its Head Office is located in the ONE flagship Homeless Hostel, Bru na Bhfiann, in Smithfield Market, North King Street, Dublin 7.

For further information about The Fuchsia appeal and ONE, visit one-veterans.org.
For the second time in two weeks, councillors representing Newbridge have expressed serious concerns about the size and density of a major housing plan for the edge of Newbridge town.

In the latest proposals, a total of 204 homes including 98 houses and 106 duplex apartments are planned by Dublin-based Glan Developments for the area off the Ballymany Road between Horse Racing Ireland HQ and the nearby Maxol fuel station.

An Bord Pleanala (ABP) is due to make a decision on the Strategic Housing Development on November 25. The chief executive of the council is due to send an official response to ABP on September 30.

The development will require the demolition of a derelict house and two sheds and the renovation of an existing cottage and shed.

The 204-home plan is at the other side of Ballymany Road to a 336-home plan debated by councillors last week.

Speaking at the montly Municipal District meeting on September 15, Cllr Suzanne Doyle said it was just bananas that a high density development of this kind is going ahead.

She added: If theres one thing that Covid taught us, its that people need more space to live and have recreation areas.

Cllr Tracey ODwyer queried if there was adequate parking in the plans or a playground.

Questioning local community facilities, Cllr Fiona McLoughlin Healy asked: Where are all the kids going to go to school?

She added: There isnt a GP to be had in the town. I should know because Im married to one!

The councillor continued: We have to ask is this a sustainable and live-able community. That is the problem with plonking these development onto the edge of towns.

Im not against development in general but Newbridge is choked by traffic and the Ballymany area is a blackspot for congestion at times.



New households

Cllr Noel Heavey said there were currently hundreds of new households planned along the Ballymany Road area of the town.

He added: We need to know where the children will be educated. Also  are we building on land which may be the site of a future school?

Cllr Noel Connolly queried if there were enough places in the proposed creche for the number of homes. He also questioned if any electric vehicle charging points were planned as there will be a shift away from diesel and petrol vehicles after 2030.

The councillor also referred to a shortage of school places, GPs and dentists as well as high traffic volumes.

He added: Newbridge is bursting at the seams at the moment.

Cllr Mark Stafford said of the plans: Were having the highest housing densities at the extremeties of the town. Were causing a saucer shape. Its too dense.

Cllr Suzanne Doyle said she was also concerned about the capacity of the creche and the number of parking spaces and if it was too close to homes.

Cllr Chris Pender criticised the lack of access to public transport while Cllr Kevin Duffy said he had concerns about the design quality of the dwellings.

Mayor of the MD, Cllr Rob Power asked if the homes were set back far enough from the M7 motorway to reduce noise levels.

Cllr Power also noted a delay in receiving the plans from An Bord Pleanala which he claimed gave officials and councillors less time to study the details.



Link road

Glan Developments said the proposed development will also include the construction of a 335m long section of a link road and a new right-turning lane at the proposed junction on the R445 (Ballymany Road).

The plans also include car parking, bicycle stores and bin stores.

The designs include landscaping, play areas and public lighting.

A design feature of the development is a clock tower which the developers said is reminiscent of the equestrian courtyards and estates common to the county of Kildare.

Earlier this month, a majority of local councillors said they were opposed to the density on a nearby site between Standhouse Road, Ballymany Road, the Elms residential area and Ballymany Stud Farm.

The proposed development will consist of the construction of 336 residential units consisting of 245 houses, 27 apartments and 64 duplexes.

The 12 hectare site has a construction value of 54m, according to the Building Information Ireland database.

The total floor area of all dwellings is 34,800 square metres.

The apartments are located in a part three-storey and part four-storey building and the duplexes are located across six two to three-storey buildings. The overall designs include a two-storey creche, car parking, bicycle parking, internal roads and bicycle stores. ABP is due to decide on November 10 on the plans. which also include play areas and public lighting .










A Senator with the Labour party from Kildare has thrown their support behind those featured in RTE Radio's 'Women of Honour' programme earlier this month.

Senator Mark Wall raised the issue of alleged army sexual abuse and bullying to the Seanad recently, where he said: "The horrific treatment of female members of our Defence Forces (IDF) through sexual harassment and bullying must be stopped, and the silence and power the perpetrators had over these women must be called out."

He added: "I welcome the fact the Minister for Defence has agreed to meet the Women of Honour representatives and that he has agreed to an independent inquiry, but the terms of reference of that inquiry must include the experiences of these women and they must be consulted on those terms before it begins."

Senator Wall also said that he strongly suggests that PDFORRA and RACO, the IDF's representative organisations, should also be included in drawing up the terms of reference of this urgently needed inquiry.

He asked the Seanad: Is it any wonder, at a time we need additional members in our Defence Forces, with all that has gone on in the past, that only 7 per cent of them comprise (of) female members?

Last week, Fianna Fail Senators Fiona O' Loughlin and Lisa Chambers questioned the Seanad over the allegations made in the Women of Honour documentary.

In it, alleged abuse was extensively discussed by four female members of the IDF.

The alleged issue of abuse within the army was also recently highlighted by two long-term proponents of reform within the IDF: former Army captain and whistleblower Tom Clonan, and former IDF member Anthony O' Brien.

If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this article, you can call Samaritans Ireland at 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.ie, or you can contact the Rape Crisis Centre by visiting drcc.ie.
A Kildare Senator has expressed his concerns over the current implications of Housing Adaption and Housing Aid grants, referring to them as being "not fit for purpose."

Speaking in the Seanad recently, Kildare Labour Party Senator Mark Wall requested an urgent debate with the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage on the proposed review of housing aid and housing adaptation grants administered by local authorities.

He told the Seanad: "My office, particularly in recent months, has received an increasing number of calls from constituents stating the grants and assistance being offered do not cover the increased building costs and are no longer fit for purpose."

"In one case, the cheapest quote the person dealing with my office received was more than 200 per cent above the maximum grant payment, which is 30,000."

Senator Wall added that the quote that this person sought was for the works recommended by the local authority's occupational therapist.

He elaborated: "The person had engaged with five different contractors to try to get a cheaper quote.

"The problem many people in Kildare and, I am sure, throughout the country are having is that the amounts being offered by the local authorities are falling well short of the increasing quotes they are getting; this is having a knock-on effect."

Senator Wall continued: In some cases that I am dealing with, the applicants must remain in hospital because the family cannot afford the cost of the works to bring them home."

In an increasing number of cases, the people can no longer live in their own home, causing an additional cost to the State through the nursing homes subvention scheme."

I am turning to another arm of the State and trying to engage the community welfare service to see whether it can come up with the difference to secure these payments and ensure the grants are paid.

He concluded: "These issues causing a lot of stress to loved ones at a most difficult time. There is a feeling of helplessness in offering them assistance: I ask her to contact the Minister for a debate."

Commenting after raising it in the Seanad, Senator Wall said: Building costs have escalated and the grants are no longer fit for purpose."

"If Government are serious about allowing people to continue to live in their own homes, then these grants must be changed now: families are going through so much stress at this time trying to care for loved ones."

Senator Wall recently also raised the issue of alleged cases of abuse within the Irish Defence Forces to the Seanad, which was highlighted earlier this month in the 'Women of Honour' RTE Radio programme.
The Irish Prison Service insists that it sets 'high standards' as it begins an investigation of potentially serious misconduct by prison officers based in Portlaoise who could face dismissal having consumed alcohol while escorting prison services.

The IPS issued a statement on foot of a report in the Irish Examiner which claims four Portlaoise Prison Officers are under investigation.

"The Irish Prison Service sets high standards in respect of its staff and requires that all staff carry out their duties with integrity, commitment and professionalism at all times.

"In circumstances where the conduct of a staff member falls below the high standards expected, this is treated with the utmost seriousness in accordance with the Civil Service Code of Discipline.

"The Irish Prison Service can confirm that it has commenced an investigation into allegations of a breach of escort protocol by a number of prison staff under the Civil Service Code of Discipline," concluded the brief statement.

The code says serious misconduct is misconduct which is sufficiently serious enough that it "may warrant dismissal" or other serious action. "Reporting to or attending at work while being under the influence of alcohol" is defined as one of the examples of serious misconduct in the code.

The investigation arises from claims that four prison officers faced investigation, three of whom went drinking, during the escort of a gangland criminal to and from court.

The Irish Examiner reported that the incident, which occurred in September, involved an escort from Portlaoise Prison to the Criminal Courts of Justice building in Dublin.

It is claimed that three of the officers spent part of the day in Dublin drinking alcohol and were unfit to drive the prison van back to Portlaoise that evening.

It is also claimed that the escort stopped against the rules at a motorway services on the way back to the high security Laois jail.
A Clare man who twice raped a schoolgirl at his sister's 18th birthday party has failed in an appeal against his conviction, for which he was jailed for 12 years.

Richard O'Mara (32) formerly of Walnut Avenue, Kingswood, Tallaght, Dublin 24, was jailed for twice raping the teenager on October 18, 2015.

He had pleaded not guilty to both counts of rape at his family home of Ballymulcashel, Kilmurry, Sixmilebridge, Co Clare, but was found guilty on both charges by a Central Criminal Court jury in April 2019 after a two-and-a-half-week trial.

The victim, who was then a 17-year-old schoolgirl, said that she was so afraid of seeing him again that she did not leave her bedroom for two months after the attacks.

Trial judge Ms Justice Tara Burns described what happened as a vicious, horrifying attack in which OMara had used deceit, violence and force in the first rape before subjecting her to an even more vicious rape later in his family house, in a scenario that beggars belief.

The first rape occurred in a field to the rear of the house where the birthday party was held while the second rape occurred on a couch inside the house after the party had dispersed.

In a victim impact statement, the victim said that this was her first experience of sex and that OMara had robbed her of her virginity. She said she was bleeding for a week afterwards and that she hurt so much she did not want to use the toilet.

She said OMara took away her ability to trust her male friends and gave her panic attacks, nightmares and flashbacks. However, she concluded her statement by saying that O'Mara no longer had power or control over her.

In June 2019, Ms Justice Burns sentenced OMara to 14 years imprisonment but suspended the final two years on strict conditions. Restrictions were lifted at the time to allow the publication of OMaras name.

On Monday the three-judge Court of Appeal dismissed O'Mara's conviction appeal, where he had submitted that gardai had failed to examine the scene on foot of the victim's complaint and that an evidence corroboration warning was not issued to the jury. This is a warning which highlights the dangers of convicting a defendant on the basis of uncorroborated evidence.

The appellant's barrister, Michael Delaney SC, focused on the refusal of the court to stop the trial in light of the "failure of gardai to conduct any examination at the scene" when the rape allegation was first made to them eight months after the attacks.

Mr Delaney argued that the complainants statement had raised the possibility that she had bled at the scene and that semen had been deposited on a sofa there. However, gardai had not conducted any technical examination, he said.

Detective Garda David Lang said that such an examination of the couch would not have been beneficial eight months after the event, but confirmed that no advice had been sought from the forensic science laboratory before this decision was taken.

At the appeal hearing, Mr Delaney quoted a report prepared for the defence by forensic scientist Dr Orla Sower after the trial.

For a quantity of semen soaked into the weave of the sofa fabric or the underlying foam, as long as the enzyme activity is not lost through washing, abrasion due to use of the sofa or heat generated by someone sitting on the sofa, then it is possible that semen could remain detectable for nine months, she wrote.

Gardai could have found out if it was washed or how much it was used, suggested Mr Delaney. The bottom line here is that its entirely possible that semen could be detected nine months later.

Mr Delaney also argued that a corroboration of evidence warning should have been given to the jury by the trial judge before their deliberations began.

At the Court of Appeal, Maurice Coffey SC, responded on behalf of the DPP.

Mr Coffey said that the applicable test had not been met by the appellant, in that the "absence of the missing evidence deprived the accused of a realistic opportunity of an obviously useful line of defence".

In a written judgement dismissing the appeal, Ms Justice Una Ni Raifeartaigh said the "gardai did not fail in their duty to investigate; and the test of a real risk of an unfair trial by reason of a failure to investigate something which might have been an obvious line of defence has not been satisfied".

"Even if forensic tests had been carried out when the complaint was made to the gardai eight months later and detected neither semen nor blood, the absence of evidence of blood or semen was not sufficiently probative to have deprived the appellant of a real possibility of an obviously useful line of defence, the closing off of which would have created a real risk of an unfair trial," said Ms Justice Ni Raifeartaigh.

"There are simply too many hypotheticals or ifs for the court to find that the relevant legal threshold has been met. It could at most be described as a speculative or hopeful line of inquiry.

"This does not involve the reversal of the burden of proof or an attack on the presumption of innocence. There is a legal threshold for establishing that the absence of some investigation or piece of evidence requires the appellate court to intervene, and we find that the threshold has not been met in this case," the judge said.

Ms Justice Ni Raifeartaigh said the absence of a corroboration warning to the jury was entirely a matter for the discretion of the trial judge. She said that "it is a judgement call for the trial judge to make and in our view, the judgment call that she made was not clearly wrong or outside the range of her discretion".

"The trial judge carefully considered all of the evidence before deciding not to give a corroboration warning.

"Taking all of the evidence into account, she [the trial judge] considered that the case did not reach the threshold for requiring a warning and we consider that her reasoning, based as it was on the totality of the evidence in the case, was impeccable in this regard," said Ms Justice Ni Raifeartaigh.

She said that "in all of the circumstances, we propose to dismiss the appeal and uphold the conviction". A hearing in relation to a sentence appeal by O'Mara will be held in due course.
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.
THERE is growing relief among the residents of Old Mill in Newcastle West as news is filtering through that an end to their water supply woes is in sight.

The householders and farmers of Old Mill, a few miles from the town, have been experiencing poor water pressure and regular water stoppages for many years. And during the July heatwave, both people and farmstock were left without a water supply over a number of days, forced to buy in bottled water or tank in water from other sources.

Now, Irish Water has told Patrick ODonovan, local TD and Minister for the OPW, that a new pump is being installed at the Churchtown reservoir in Newcastle West this week.

The works at Churchtown, for the Old Mill pumping station, would take only a few days, he was assured and he expected that residents would see an improvement in their water service.

This is good news, and obviously long overdue for people living in that part of the Old Mill which touches parts of the parishes of Ardagh and Newcastle West. I have maintained constant contact with the office of the chief executive officer of Irish Water over many years to get this work done, which was needed to ensure the matter was dealt with at the highest level.

The problems at the Old Mill are only one example, of many across the county which are legacies of years of under-investment across the county and which are causing huge problems for people, Minister ODonovan continued.

Showers, washing machines, dishwashers being burnt out, childrens bottles, elderly vulnerable people living alone, the problems are endless and they are getting worse and the investment program needs to be made bigger.

He has, he added, been determined to get issues like this addressed for rural dwellers, something which, he argued, has often been overlooked in the whole debate about water and the setting up of Irish Water.
THIRD level students attending colleges in Limerick are being encouraged to avail of the free walk-in Covid-19 vaccine clinics taking place this week.

Starting today, the pop-up clinics will take place at University of Limerick, Limerick Institute of Technology, and Mary Immaculate College.

Each campus will host two days of free walk-in vaccine clinics for those who wish to avail of their first or second dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. The clinics are being led by UL Hospitals Group.

LIT: Monday, September 27 & Thursday, September 30 (10am-7pm both days)

UL: Tuesday, September 28 & Wednesday, September 29 (10am-7pm both days)

MIC: Tuesday, September 28 and Wednesday, September 29 (10am-7pm both days)

In accordance with national guidance, those who received a first AstraZeneca vaccine are able to receive a second dose of the Pfizer vaccine.

Commenting on the walk-in clinics at colleges, Dr Mai Mannix, Director of Public Health Mid-West, said: Young people have shown great leadership throughout the entire pandemic, and they deserve to be rewarded with a rich university and college experience having missed out on this over the past 18 months. There are numerous benefits to being fully-vaccinated against Covid-19. Primarily, it will give you increased protections against serious illness and hospitalisation."

Dr Mannix added that while young adults are less likely to develop serious illness than the older and more vulnerable, the Department of Public Health Mid West has seen a number of young people, including students, hospitalised with Covid-19.

Due to the social nature of student life, unvaccinated students are at a higher risk of infection with Covid-19 in the coming weeks and months. Those who are unvaccinated, Covid-19 could also have adverse effects on their physical health, both in short- and long-term," she said adding that being a close contact of a confirmed case can cause significant disruption to a young persons life, and will result in exclusion from social activities and on-campus classes.

Meanwhile, according to the latest provisional figures, vaccination rates in the Mid-West continue to steadily increase among all eligible age groups.

For example, 96.1% of the adult population in Limerick has had at least one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine while 71.3% of people in the 12-17 age cohort have been vaccinated.

The vaccination effort in the Mid-West has been a great success, with much of the population now fully vaccinated. However, we must remain alert against complacency. Vaccination is the most effective way to limit the spread of Covid-19," said Patricia O'Gorman, Clinical Lead for the Mid-West Covid-19 vaccination centres.

"The active and mobile social lives of students, and the classrooms and lecture halls of campus settings, heighten the risk of infection, serious illness or hospitalisation for those who are unvaccinated. By fitting a vaccination appointment at the campus pop-up clinic into their schedules, students can help all of society take a big step forward in bringing a long-awaited end to this public health emergency, she added.
READER DISCRESTION IS ADVISED

A CLARE man who twice raped a schoolgirl at his sister's 18th birthday party has failed in an appeal against his conviction, for which he was jailed for 12 years.

Richard O'Mara, aged 32, formerly of Walnut Avenue, Kingswood, Tallaght, Dublin 24, was jailed for twice raping the teenager on October 18, 2015.

He had pleaded not guilty to both counts of rape which related offences which occurred at his family home of Ballymulcashel, Kilmurry, Sixmilebridge, County Clare.

However, he was found guilty on both charges by a Central Criminal Court jury in April 2019 after a two-and-a-half-week trial.

The victim, who was then a 17-year-old schoolgirl, said that she was so afraid of seeing him again that she did not leave her bedroom for two months after the attacks.

Trial judge Ms Justice Tara Burns described what happened as a vicious, horrifying attack in which OMara had used deceit, violence and force in the first rape before subjecting her to an even more vicious rape later in his family house, in a scenario that beggars belief.

The first rape occurred in a field to the rear of the house where the birthday party was held while the second rape occurred on a couch inside the house after the party had dispersed.

In a victim impact statement, the victim said that this was her first experience of sex and that OMara had robbed her of her virginity. She said she was bleeding for a week afterwards and that she hurt so much she did not want to use the toilet.

She said OMara took away her ability to trust her male friends and gave her panic attacks, nightmares and flashbacks. However, she concluded her statement by saying that O'Mara no longer had power or control over her.

In June 2019, Ms Justice Burns sentenced OMara to 14 years imprisonment but suspended the final two years on strict conditions. Restrictions were lifted at the time to allow the publication of OMaras name.

This Monday, the three-judge Court of Appeal dismissed O'Mara's conviction appeal, where he had submitted that gardai had failed to examine the scene on foot of the victim's complaint and that an evidence corroboration warning was not issued to the jury.

This is a warning which highlights the dangers of convicting a defendant on the basis of uncorroborated evidence.

The appellant's barrister, Michael Delaney SC, focused on the refusal of the court to stop the trial in light of the "failure of gardai to conduct any examination at the scene" when the rape allegation was first made to them eight months after the attacks.

Mr Delaney argued that the complainants statement had raised the possibility that she had bled at the scene and that semen had been deposited on a sofa there. However, gardai had not conducted any technical examination, he said.

Detective Garda David Lang said that such an examination of the couch would not have been beneficial eight months after the event. He confirmed that no advice had been sought from the forensic science laboratory before this decision was taken.

At the appeal hearing, Mr Delaney quoted a report prepared for the defence by forensic scientist Dr Orla Sower after the trial.

For a quantity of semen soaked into the weave of the sofa fabric or the underlying foam, as long as the enzyme activity is not lost through washing, abrasion due to use of the sofa or heat generated by someone sitting on the sofa, then it is possible that semen could remain detectable for nine months, she wrote.

Gardai could have found out if it was washed or how much it was used, suggested Mr Delaney. The bottom line here is that its entirely possible that semen could be detected nine months later.

Mr Delaney also argued that a corroboration of evidence warning should have been given to the jury by the trial judge before their deliberations began.

At the Court of Appeal, Maurice Coffey SC, responded on behalf of the DPP.

Mr Coffey said that the applicable test had not been met by the appellant, in that the "absence of the missing evidence deprived the accused of a realistic opportunity of an obviously useful line of defence".

In a written judgement dismissing the appeal today, Ms Justice Una Ni Raifeartaigh said the "gardai did not fail in their duty to investigate; and the test of a real risk of an unfair trial by reason of a failure to investigate something which might have been an obvious line of defence has not been satisfied".

"Even if forensic tests had been carried out when the complaint was made to the gardai eight months later and detected neither semen nor blood, the absence of evidence of blood or semen was not sufficiently probative to have deprived the appellant of a real possibility of an obviously useful line of defence, the closing off of which would have created a real risk of an unfair trial," said Ms Justice Ni Raifeartaigh.

"There are simply too many hypotheticals or ifs for the court to find that the relevant legal threshold has been met. It could at most be described as a speculative or hopeful line of inquiry.

"This does not involve the reversal of the burden of proof or an attack on the presumption of innocence. There is a legal threshold for establishing that the absence of some investigation or piece of evidence requires the appellate court to intervene, and we find that the threshold has not been met in this case," the judge said.

Ms Justice Ni Raifeartaigh said the absence of a corroboration warning to the jury was entirely a matter for the discretion of the trial judge.

She said that "it is a judgement call for the trial judge to make and in our view, the judgment call that she made was not clearly wrong or outside the range of her discretion".

"The trial judge carefully considered all of the evidence before deciding not to give a corroboration warning.

"Taking all of the evidence into account, she [the trial judge] considered that the case did not reach the threshold for requiring a warning and we consider that her reasoning, based as it was on the totality of the evidence in the case, was impeccable in this regard," said Ms Justice Ni Raifeartaigh.

She said that "in all of the circumstances, we propose to dismiss the appeal and uphold the conviction".

A hearing in relation to a sentence appeal by O'Mara will be held in due course.
WORK has begun to install a number of new docking stations which will facilitate the expansion of the Limerick Bike-Share scheme to the northside of the city.

While there has been no official announcement, the Limerick Leader has learned that works are underway at LIT in Moylish, Kings Johns Castle and at High Street, Thomondgate.

The project is being led by the National Transport Authority under the Transport for Ireland scheme and its understood the new docking stations in Moylish and King Johns Castle will be operational before the end of next month.

The Mayor of the City and County of Limerick, Cllr Daniel Butler, has welcomed the works as have a number of other public representatives who have taken to social media in recent days.

Delighted to see Coca Cola bike scheme being expanded across the city with latest docking station outside LIT @LimerickCouncil #smartertravel pic.twitter.com/k42Gi3S3wb  Cllr Joe Leddin (@JLeddin) September 21, 2021

Cllr Olivia OSullivan says the new station near the LIT campus in Moylish is particularly welcome and long-overdue.

I am delighted with the news that the bike share scheme in Limerick is finally being expanded into the northside of the city, starting with a new docking station at LITs Moylish campus. Many in the locality, including myself, have been calling for this for a very long time. This will be very welcome news to students at LIT that commute to college across the city, and a great amenity for students staying locally to get around easily, she said.

Local residents in the area who wish to jump on a bike for short trips to various locations in the city, will benefit from the convenience of being able to share or borrow a bike when needed, she added.

Work on the Moylish docking station started earlier this month while work to replace the previous station near King Johns Castle begins today.

That station, which has been closed for some time, will be located in a green area across the road from the castle.

A start date for works to install the new station in Thomondgate has yet to be confirmed.

A spokesperson for Limerick City and County Council confirmed its Active Travel Department has been briefed on the works.

Its understood the opening of the new docking stations will coincide with the an upgrading of the bikes currently being used as part of the bike-share scheme.
NEW DELHI : India's antitrust watchdog has agreed to Google's request to keep confidential some information the company provided during an investigation into its business, though the regulator denied allegations it leaked a report on the probe to the media, a judge said on Monday.

Alphabet Inc's Google sued the Competition Commission of India (CCI) at a New Delhi court last week, urging a judge to direct the watchdog to prevent leaks of information.

The filing came after The Times of India and Reuters reported this month, citing a confidential CCI report, that the regulator's probe had found that the U.S. tech giant abused the dominant position of its Android operating system in India, unfairly using its "huge financial muscle" to hurt competitors.

Google, in its 188-page court filing seen by Reuters, said it was aggrieved by the CCI's rejection of its request, made before the media reports, that "highly business sensitive information" it had provided to the regulator during the course of the investigation be kept confidential.

On Monday, Justice Rekha Palli said the CCI had agreed to accept Google's request to keep its submissions confidential, without elaborating on the details of the agreement between the watchdog and the company.

If Google "still has a grievance that any information is being leaked", it can seek legal recourse, Justice Palli added.

However the justice said CCI had rejected as untrue Google's allegations that it had leaked any information to the media.

Google and the CCI did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

On Friday, in a near hour-long showdown in court, Google had called the CCI a "habitual offender" in terms of leaking confidential information. The watchdog's counsel repeatedly denied the allegations, and accused the U.S. company of frustrating the investigative process.

Google's filing to the court, reviewed by Reuters, said the publication of the investigation report's findings caused "irreversible damage" to its reputation.

The CCI ordered the competition probe in 2019, saying Google appeared to have leveraged its dominance to reduce device makers' ability to opt for alternate versions of its mobile operating system, and to force them to pre-install Google apps.

Reuters reported on Sept. 18, citing the confidential CCI report, that the watchdog had found the mandatory pre-installation of apps on Android devices "amounts to imposition of unfair conditions on the device manufacturers" in violation of India's competition law.

This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.

Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter.
Kuwait will resume direct commercial flights with India on Tuesday, the Gulf country's civil aviation authority said on Monday.

The decision to resume flights was first announced last month but without giving a time frame for implementation, reports Reuters.

The Gulf state had suspended commercial flights from several countries including India on the advice of health authorities amid covid surge.

Last month, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) lifted ban on entry of passengers from India and five other countries from 5 August. While restrictions on travel from India to UAE are still in place, those Indians who have a valid residency permit and are fully vaccinated, at least 14 days prior to the travel -- are included in the exempted category.

Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter.
GLASGOW(SCOTLAND) : Anton Hicks worries world leaders at the big climate summit here in November will find it hard to agree on a plan of action.

Perhaps they should listen to my anthem," says the amateur composer. Its the only way anything will get done."

Mr. Hicks is vying to have his song, With Earths Grace," adopted as the meetings official song by organizers of the 26th annual United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties, or COP26, in Glasgow. But he has competition.

David Glasson, best known for his work with members of Englands Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band, a 60s-era group that mixed psychedelic pop with comedy, has high hopes for Save the Earth," an anthem he wrote with John Gribbin. And there is a Scottish collectives Enough Is Enough," and an international group collaboration called Do It While You Can."

In recent years, anthems have moved beyond commemorating nations to saluting European soccer championships, Asian trade blocs, cities and companies. The United Nations Chilldrens Fund ordered one up. So did the North Atlantic Treaty Organization: The NATO Hymn," written by a lieutenant colonel in the Luxembourg army, was formally adopted in 2018.

Tim Rice, Andrew Lloyd Webbers collaborator on musicals such as Jesus Christ Superstar" and Evita," wrote a would-be anthem for the Group of Seven summit in Cornwall, England, this year, but the event didnt bite, and the schoolchildren rounded up to perform it sang it on their own.

Even Mars has an anthem: Dare to dream! Dare to strive! Build a home for our children. Make this desert come alive." The Lakewood, Colo.-based Mars Society that commissioned says it rivals La Marseillaise," the French national anthem.

Whether COP26 will adopt one, though, is far from certain. There is no formal anthem competition, despite the roster of competitors. Asked whether they intended to have an anthem, a representative of the organizers said they dont currently have plans for one. There are a lot of other issues to think about, including getting enough Covid vaccines to delegates from the developing world so they can meet U.K. entry requirements, other officials said.

Mr. Hicks and his cohorts are undeterred.

Mr. Hicks, 60, a former psychiatric nurse who lives in London, spent $400 to hire a singer and arranger to improve the odds for his composition, which he says is loosely based on old spirituals. For another $275, he hired a Bangladeshi artist to create an animated video. Mr. Hicks posted it on YouTube, and it has attracted nearly 120,000 views.

Messages on his social-media pages have urged him on, including from religious and educational figures in the U.K. and elsewhere.

Mr. Hicks said he got through by phone to try to lobby a member of British Prime Minister Boris Johnsons government, which is hosting the event. She apologized and quickly ended the conversation, he says. The official didnt respond to a request for comment. Other officials havent responded to his calls or emails, he says.

No one wants to know" about his anthem, Mr. Hicks says.

Mr. Glasson also is trying to increase his songs chances. His local school in Brighton, in the south of England, is working on a version of Save the Earth," he says. I certainly think were in with a shout."

Mr. Hicks admits to having less musical know-how than the pros. He says his influences include the minor-key Hebraic melodies he absorbed in his local synagogue as a child.

Typically I just la-la-la the tunes, so its a case of getting the singer to match whats in my head," he says. Then I tell the arranger what I need, and we go from there."

This time, Mr. Hicks said he put pen to paper in a bid to inspire the different delegations at the summit to set aside their differences and make binding commitments to slow climate change.

Ill respect you, as you will me," the song goes. Well fight but still be friends. Thats our victory."

He turned to websites for freelancers, including Fiverr, to find singers and arrangers to produce a recorded version. I went through six people on Fiverr before I could find the right person," he says. One of them just put drums all through it. I asked for my money back."

The arranger he settled on, Ukrainian Boris Sevastyanov, "actually improved it," Mr. Hicks says. And the Tuscaloosa, Ala.-based singer, who uses the single name Nimiwari, nailed it," he says.

As the clock ticks down to the November summit, and without a seal of approval from the organizers, Mr. Hicks acknowledges that his piece might have to serve as an unofficial call to arms.

If thats the way it goes," he says, I suppose Ill have to make do with that."

Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter.
By Ruth Ozeki

Viking. 560 pp. $30

- - -

"(BEGIN ITAL)Shh. ... Listen!(END ITAL)" Benny Oh says at the beginning of Ruth Ozeki's new novel. "That's my Book, and it's talking to you." His Book is not the only one; Benny hears the voices of all kinds of inanimate objects: fluorescent lights, coffee beans, paper cups, "the chatter of cash registers filled with all those arrogant metal coins that think they're actually worth something." It began the year he was 12, the Book informs us, the year his father died in a freak accident. Together, sometimes in amusing counterpoint, the Book and Benny chronicle his journey during the fraught year 2016, when he turns 14. Their tale of sorrow, danger and tentative redemption serves as the springboard for extended meditations on the interdependence of all beings, the magic of books, the disastrous ecological and spiritual effects of unchecked consumerism and more.

The author has so much she wants to say that her narrative is sometimes as cluttered as the cramped half-house in which Benny's mother, Annabelle, obsessively piles up unnecessary purchases. Fortunately, one of Ozeki's gifts as a novelist is the ability to enfold provocative intellectual material within a human story grounded in sharply observed social detail. Her emotional engagement with her characters (BEGIN ITAL)and(END ITAL) her themes makes "The Book of Form and Emptiness" as compelling as it is occasionally unwieldy.

During his last year of junior high, the voices Benny hears become so insistent that he flips out in class, pounding on a windowpane that is crying because a bird hit it, and winds up in the pediatric psychiatric unit at the local children's hospital. There he meets an older girl who calls herself the Aleph and enjoys subverting the hospital staff's efforts to normalize their patients. Benny is intrigued by the slips of white paper she hands out with Fluxus-like directives that urge new perspectives on reality. (The question of what is real, first prompted by the voices he hears, echoes through the novel.) He's even more intrigued after he's discharged and finds a note from the Aleph in his pocket: "Come to the Library." There, in the mysteriously powerful Bindery, Benny's journey reaches a surreal crisis.

Anabelle's crisis is all too real. She's immobilized by grief for her dead husband and fear of losing her job and her home. The only thing that makes her feel better is buying things: teapots, snow globes, whatever. The stuff piling up in the house isn't entirely her fault; the media-monitoring company for which she scans print articles has shut its offices and sent her to work from home, instructing her to save the paper sources as an archive. Her landlady's grasping son takes the mounting mess as an excuse to threaten her with eviction. Annabelle tries to follow the advice tendered in "Tidy Magic: The Ancient Zen Art of Clearing Your Clutter and Revolutionizing Your Life," a book that jumps into her cart during a shopping spree, but she's overwhelmed by the massive cleanup required.

The Zen teachings seamlessly integrated into the story line of Ozeki's previous novel, "A Tale for the Time Being," here seem a slightly redundant addition to the chorus of voices urging us to see the desolation manifest in our mania for possessions and the terrible consequences of viewing the Earth's bounty as raw material to be exploited for human gain. The Aleph makes glass globes memorializing catastrophes such as Hurricane Katrina and the 2011 Japanese earthquake and tsunami to illustrate the horrors of "disaster capitalism" and consumer culture. "We are our planet, and we must love it completely," preaches her mentor Slavoj, "a super famous poet back in Slovenia," now homeless and wheelchair-bound in this unnamed West Coast city. The Book chimes in, decrying the "social hierarchy of matter" created by people to place "the Made," things shaped by human hands, above "the Unmade," things that exist in nature. "In the beginning," the Book grieves, "(BEGIN ITAL)every thing mattered(END ITAL)."

It's unclear how this call to revere all objects relates to the Book's equally fervent denunciation of the way humans have overloaded the planet with trash. With so many philosophical balls in the air, Ozeki's ideas are sometimes as inchoate as the metaphor of form and emptiness she periodically invokes but never entirely elucidates. Like all artists, her flaws are intertwined with her strengths; she embraces complexity and contradiction. The Aleph and Slavoj voice legitimate criticisms of the social order, but she's a troubled, drug-abusing teen and he's an aging alcoholic. Annabelle is irritatingly hapless, but she can display unexpected resourcefulness and toughness. Benny is wincingly vulnerable when he pines for the Aleph, delightfully sassy when he spars with the Book. The Book itself has a marvelous voice: adult, ironic, affirming at every turn the importance of books as a repository of humanity's deepest wisdom and highest aspirations.

The human drama Ozeki crafts comes to a satisfying conclusion; Benny and Annabelle work and grow to achieve their measured happy endings. The larger issues their stories raise remain unresolved, because there are no easy resolutions in life - or in the challenging kind of art practiced in "The Book of Form and Emptiness."

- - -

Wendy Smith is the author of "Real Life Drama: The Group Theatre and America, 1931-1940."
Click here to read the full article.

Fever dream has lately become an overused term in film marketing and criticism alike, often generically applied to anything faintly strange or surreal with fractured storytelling trickery and a lick of gauzy ambience. As a title for the latest feature from Peruvian director Claudia Llosa, it serves a similarly loose, woolly purpose, despite not being particularly apt: A psychological thriller in which two mothers fear their childrens souls have gone adrift, the films narrative unfolds less as fever dream than waking nightmare, though its hazy, sunstruck styling lends it a certain somnambulant quality.

As with Argentine writer Samanta Schweblins celebrated source novel  co-adapted by the author with Llosa  the films original Spanish title is rather more evocative. Translating as The Rescue Distance, referring to the protagonists constant mental calculations as to how long it would take her to reach her daughter in an emergency, it touches on the storys more urgent themes of parental responsibility and helplessness, as well as the loaded existential poser at its core: Is it better to lose someone you love altogether or have them become a stranger to you? These intriguing elements are too often lost in the semi-mystical murk of Fever Dream, which is ultimately : Sure enough, it will be globally released on the platform on Oct. 13, a few weeks after premiering in competition at San Sebastian.

Seven quiet years have passed since Llosas first English-language feature, Aloft, which, despite the star presence of Jennifer Connelly and Cillian Murphy, wasnt the career-changer she might have hoped for: A turgid, New Agey mother-son drama, it largely diminished the critical goodwill she had accrued from her Oscar-nominated film The Milk of Sorrow. Though it could stand to be more searching as a character study, and more suspenseful as a thriller, Fever Dream may well represent more of a commercial breakthrough, even as it returns the director closer to home turf: not Peru, but Chile, whose sun-kissed, stone-speckled countryside lends the film its consistently gorgeous backdrop. (Pablo Larrain has a co-producing credit.) The precise setting, however, remains ambiguous: From the outset, this is not a story of certainties.

A glitchy, ominous opening sequence threatens a full-on horror film, beginning with extreme close-ups of human body parts and undulating slugs. A woman is dragged by unseen forces across a damp, dark forest floor as a young boys disembodied voice counsels her to stay awake: What you see, we all see. Itll take us some time to figure out how this discombobulating framing figures into proceedings as we cut to real-world daylight  as the same woman, Amanda (Spanish star Maria Valverde), arrives at an idyllic rural cottage for an extended getaway, her young daughter Nina (Guillermina Sorribes) in tow. Soon after, their friendly, vibrant neighbor Carola (Dolores Fonzi) arrives bearing pails of drinking water, with a warning not to trust what comes out of the tap: unsurprising on a farmstead, perhaps, though the first hint that theres something unsound about the area.

The two women hit it off, though the film has barely established their friendship when the timeline splinters into Carolas past, when she lived in the house Amanda is now occupying. Back then, she and her husband, Omar (German Palacios), planned to breed show horses, before a stallions mysterious death plunged them into debt. Meanwhile, in a seemingly related twist of fate, their young son, David (Marcelo Michinaux), fell suddenly and drastically ill, upon which a local faith healer (Cristina Banegas) advised a spiritual migration, transferring the diseased portion of his spirit into another body.

David survived, though according to Carola, the surly, near-feral preteen (an impressive Emilio Vodanovich) he has grown into is not her son. Amanda hears her story with appropriate skepticism, though its not long before shes persuaded that something is eerily amiss with the boy, and fears that a part of sweet, loving Ninas spirit may go missing too. Yet just as you think Fever Dream might be settling into an effectively disturbing study of parental neglect by delusion, Llosa finds another hessian rug to pull out from under us: Is there really something, quite literally, in the water? Are the toxins sprayed onto the crops, and carried by worms and insects, not just unnatural but unearthly too?

On paper, the face-off between nature and human nature in Schweblins novel makes it a good fit for Llosa, whose earthy previous films have often centered on that very tension. Yet the more Fever Dream tries to ground its story in explanations and earnest environmental panic, the more irretrievably it spirals into silliness, bordering on incoherence: The thinly drawn characters scarcely have appreciable souls to speak of, inside or outside their bodies, so its hard to take their escalating spiritual crisis quite as seriously as the filmmakers do. Which is a shame, because as a purely atmospheric exercise, Fever Dream often has the goods. Oscar Fauras seductive lensing implies secrets hidden in dusky shadows and blinding sunlight, while Natalia Holts viola-heavy score is a thing of mournful, jittery beauty. Theres half a good film here: Where the rest has migrated to is another of its mysteries.

Reviewed at San Sebastian Film Festival (Competition), Sept. 20, 2021. Running time: 93 MIN. (Original title: Distancia de Rescate)

Running Time: 1 hour 33 minutes

Production

(Chile-Spain-U.S.) A Netflix release of a Gran Via, Paradise Falls production in collaboration with Fabula, Wanda Films. Producers: Mark Johnson, Tom Williams, Claudia Llosa. Executive producers: Sandra Hermida, Jose Maria Morales, Natacha Cervi, Ken Meyer. Co-producers: Juan de Dios Larrain, Pablo Larrain, Miguel Morales.

Crew

Director: Claudia Llosa. Screenplay: Claudia Llosa, Samanta Schweblin, adapted from Schweblins novel. Camera: Oscar Faura. Editor: Guillermo de la Cal. Music: Natalie Holt.

With

Maria Valverde, Dolores Fonzi, German Palacios, Guillermo Pfening, Emilio Vodanovich, Guillermina Sorribes, Marcelo Michinaux, Cristina Banegas. (Spanish dialogue)

Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Click here to read the full article.

Discussing her career at Zurich Film Festival, Sharon Stone also commented on the referendum taking place on the same day in Switzerland, with nearly two-thirds of Swiss voters backing the introduction of same-sex marriage.

It should be more because when is anyone elses sex life your business? You may not like it, you may not understand it, but it doesnt belong to you, she said.

This years recipient of the Golden Icon Award, Stone picked Martin Scorseses Casino as the accompanying screening, calling it a sensational film. It earned Stone her only Oscar nomination to date.

I have three kids; I have been in lockdown with three teenage boys. I live in a fraternity house with smelly socks  I forgot I was a movie star.

The actor, who grew up in Pennsylvania, also opened up about her parents, calling her father an extreme feminist.

He came from wealth, from oil drilling, and when he was little, there was a huge accident. His father died three months later and all the money went to another family. He thought it was so wrong that his mother didnt get half of it, just because she was a woman. My dad was insistent that I have this feminist attitude. So much so that I never thought of myself as a feminist. These were the rules of my household, she said, mentioning it was her recently published memoir, The Beauty of Living Twice, that helped her understand her mother.

She was tough. I asked her: Why you never let me lean on you? She said: Because I taught you to stand on your two goddamn feet. When I wrote this book and read it to her, she told me about her life. I realized that for my mother, teaching me to stand on my two goddamn feet was teaching me to love myself.

Coming back to her beginnings, Stone recalled roller skating into the audition for Woody Allens Stardust Memories, and learning a lot from her Total Recall co-star Arnold Schwarzenegger, whom she called an astonishing professional. But she was a muscle star too, she said, admitting it was Paul Verhoeven who really appreciated her looks.

In Los Angeles, they were always trying to make me very feminine. Dont be so aggressive, Sharon. Dont be so loud, dont have so many opinions. With him, I went in looking like a 9-foot tall Viking. He said: You are big, you are strong. I like that. We were on.

The collaboration continued with Basic Instinct, which turned Stone into a household name overnight.

We went in, saw the movie, came out and it was pandemonium. The next morning, I went to the pool and everything I had in my hotel was stolen. My clothes, contact lenses, my underwear and toothbrush. Some guy ran to me and ripped out my toenail, she said, recalling the frenzy following the Cannes screening of the film.

Everyone has this idea that they want to be a movie star, but when it actually happens, you go: Holy fuck. One day, you are driving down the street, you stop at the stop sign and nobody cares. A week later, 30 people climb on top of your car. And you go: Do I drive? Will they fall off? You dont know what the rules are anymore.

Stone also discussed her struggles, first as an actress demanding better pay after Michael Douglas took home $14 million for Basic Instinct and then as a producer on Western The Quick and the Dead.

I had so much resistance on that movie. I wanted Leo DiCaprio: Pay him out of your own money. I wanted Russell Crowe: Why do you want this guy who has only played a skinhead before? I wanted Sam Raimi to direct: Sharon, why do you always shoot yourself in the foot? They banned me from the studio for eight years after that, she said.

I am grateful that women get to work now, but I didnt  not for 20 years. I looked at that video yesterday. There was all this work, then no work, then Ratched. Because when I turned 40, that was it. No more work for Sharon, she said, mentioning that as a result, she could devote more time to her humanitarian work and to her family.

Karmically, it worked out great. Financially, not so much. I feel that my biggest accomplishment is surviving. Its a big deal surviving in a business like this.

Just like her friend Faye Dunaway, whom she ended up taking to the Basic Instinct premiere. The movie ends, there is complete silence. I was freaking the fuck out and Faye says: Dont move. Then the audience erupts in screaming applause and she goes: Now, smile  they can all kiss your ass. You are a big fucking star, baby!

Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP)  Tall trees are venerated across California, but one towering Monterey Pine at the center of a heated dispute in San Franciscos wealthiest neighborhood has to go, according to an appeals court ruling this week.

A state appeals court on Wednesday ordered a couple in the hilltop Pacific Heights neighborhood to remove the tree, which is at least 32 feet (10 meters) tall. A neighbor argued the tree was blocking her view of the San Francisco Bay and other city landmarks, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.

The neighbor is an 81-year-old woman who had moved into the San Francisco home with her now-deceased husband in 1976. When the couple saw the magnificent views, they were sold, said Barri Bonapart, the womans lawyer.

You could see all the way from Marin Headlands, out to the Pacific Ocean, and then the Golden Gate Bridge, Palace of Fine Arts, Sausalito, Belvedere, Tiburon and Angel Island, Bonaparte said. She said her client asked to withhold her name because she was afraid of being harassed.

The pine was planted by a prior resident in 1999 and, by the time the case went to trial in 2019, had grown dozens of feet tall with widening, thickly growing branches. The lawsuit was filed in 2018 after mediation failed.

The woman tried everything she could to work with her neighbors to find a collaborative solution, Bonapart said. Unfortunately, they were always adamant that they would never agree to restore her views unless they were ordered to.

Superior Court Judge Jeffrey Ross visited the site before issuing a December 2019 ruling to remove the pine, citing a San Francisco ordinance that seeks to resolve treetop feuds. He ruled that the trees rapid growth in both height and breadth obstructs the views of landmarks and vistas that could once be seen.

Upholding Ross order, the First District Court of Appeal ruled Wednesday that the only workable solution in this case was to remove the tree.

Pruning might have worked when the pine was smaller, but it has grown too much now to be thinned or topped in a way that would restore the view, Justice Ioanna Petrou said in the 3-0 ruling. She cited arborists testimony that the tree provides little shade or privacy to the homeowners and could be cut down without disturbing the soil. Under the ordinance, both households would share the costs of removal, which an arborist has estimated at $1,800.

The exclusive neighborhood of Pacific Heights, famous for its pricey mansions and breathtaking views, is no stranger to tree disputes.

Larry Ellison, the billionaire chief executive officer of Oracle Corp., sued a downhill neighbor in 2011 to seek removal of three redwoods and an 80-year-old acacia he said were blocking his view of the bay. The suit was settled with an agreement to trim the trees.
The Emergency Medical Services Program at Laredo College offers multiple avenues for those interested in entering this growing healthcare field.

With six instructors, this highly sought-after program only accepts approximately 14 students per semester. These small cohorts are essential to providing individualized instruction and skills training.

The program offers three levels of certification that students can choose from depending on their professional aspirations.

The first level is the Emergency Medical Technician, a 16-week program offered in the fall and spring semesters. Students learn bleeding control by applying tourniquets, managing patient airways, bandaging and splinting, CPR and assisting the mother in a delivery.

The second level of certification is the Advanced Emergency Medical Technician, a one-year program that starts in the spring semester. In this program, students learn endotracheal intubation, intravenous access and intraosseous access.

The colleges highest level of emergency medical services education is the Paramedic Program, nationally accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs and the Texas Department of State Health Services. This level teaches cardiac management and interpretation of 5 and 12 lead EKGs, needle cricothyrotomy and needle chest decompression. This 17-month program begins in the spring semester and currently has an impressive 100% passing rate.

The program also has partnerships with local healthcare organizations or EMS providers for students to complete their clinical rotations, including ambulance rotations with the City of Laredo Fire Department, Zapata County Fire/EMS and various local private EMS agencies. For hospital settings, students go to Laredo Medical Center and Doctors Hospital of Laredo.

EMS Program Director Manuel Ramirez, an experienced emergency care practitioner and instructor, has witnessed firsthand the impact of this profession and encourages people in the community to pursue this career path.

If anyone in our community would like to embark on a journey of learning about emergency medicine and how to provide a meaningful service to your community, we welcome them to apply for our Emergency Medical Services Program, he said.

Ramirez noted that the pandemic has increased the demand for emergency medical services personnel. These professionals play an essential role in initiating treatment and care for the patient outside the hospital setting. He said the most gratifying part of educating students is when they come back to personally thank instructors for preparing them with the proper knowledge and skills to perform their job obligations.

This intensive program is an example of the rigorous education and training obligations men and women in this line of work have to endure to obtain their certifications to provide a public service to the community.

For additional information regarding program requirements or to apply, students can call 956-721-5262, email lccemsp@laredo.edu or visit laredo.edu.
A Longford solicitor was asked by a judge last week: Is that how you spend your nights? after telling a court he had personally looked at video footage of his clients car that had been recorded driving at over 200km/hr on the outskirts of county town.

Frank Gearty jokingly conceded it was pathetic as he took to his feet at last weeks District Court sitting to defend 23-year-old Bulgarian man Andrey Spasov over an alleged dangerous driving incident at Cartronlebagh, Longford on August 22 2021.

The accused, of 32 Oaklands, Ballinalee Road, Longford pleaded guilty before Judge Seamus Hughes when it emerged Mr Spasov had been recorded driving at 205 km/hr in a 100km/hr zone.

The court heard road conditions when the accused was spotted at the wheel at around 10:30pm were good with little or no rain in sight.

Mr Gearty said his client was fully acceptive of his guilt in what was something which was largely out of character.

He also informed Judge Hughes the car in question, a three series BMW had been purchased by Mr Spasov for 15,000 which had been funded by his lifes savings.

He (Mr Spasov) has sold the vehicle and it was an aberration on his part, he said.

It was at that juncture Mr Gearty revealed he had looked at the car on social media platform Youtube.

You can see it (car) is not safe, said Mr Gearty, a statement which led Judge Hughes to comically ask: Is that how you spend your nights?

Attempting to maintain his composure, Mr Gearty quipped back: Pathetic isnt it?

Judge Hughes, replied for a second time and pressed Mr Gearty as to whether he had been impressed with the cars performance.

I hope you are not tempted to buy it yourself? Judge Hughes asked.

In continuing with his mitigation, Mr Gearty told of how Mr Sporar was a technician who worked in a local shop and remained at the courts disposal in undertaking a driver training course.

He is taking this (case) very seriously, added Mr Gearty.

The accused, himself, confirmed the vehicle had since been sold on and was in court last Tuesday to face the consequences of his actions.

Judge Hughes proceeded to sign off on the case by disqualifying Mr Sporar from driving for two years, fining him 250 with three months to pay.
The Irish hairdressing sector are recommending a permanent VAT rate of 9% going forward to help struggling salons.

That's according to the Irish Hairdressers Federation, which is launching their pre-Budget submission.

The recommendations will reportedly support the sector in the wake of closures and restrictions put in place during the Covid-19 pandemic and has been delivered to Minister for Finance, Paschal Donohoe.

The VAT rate for hairdressing was reduced to 9% from 13.5% last year in a bid to help the struggling industry, however the Federation want the rate to be permanent going forward.

As well as the changed VAT, the group also recommends a flat rate subsidy for trainee hairdressers, fast-tracking the introduction of the National Hairdressing Apprenticeship as well as increasing the grant available from 3000 to 6000.

They also recommend the introduction of a CPD framework for a nationally recognised qualification to help salons employ young people who want a hairdressing career.
The Long Island African American Chamber of Commerce, Inc. is a leading supporter of small business owners in the area of advocacy, access to capital, technical assistance, education, and capacity building. LIAACC serves the counties of Kings, Nassau, Queens, and Suffolk. LIAACC holds a variety of Business2Business networking events throughout the year.

Contact Info
(Alliance News) - Online fashion retailer boohoo Group PLC on Monday published a list of its international factories in an effort to increase transparency within its supply chain.

The list details around 1,100 factories and forms part of the company's transparency pledge to publish information on production within twelve months of an independent review.

The list shows factories in Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, India, Italy, Morocco, Pakistan, Turkey, Vietnam, and the UK.

The 17 recommendations from the independent review have formed boohoo's 'Agenda for Change' programme, aimed at improving transparency and to meet wider ethical aims.

"The Agenda for Change programme was designed to ensure that the changes we made to our business are sustainable and embedded into our culture as we look to the future," said Chief Executive John Lyttle.

"The dedication of our teams to delivering real change has meant we have been able to achieve the challenging targets we set ourselves and I'd like to thank everyone who has been involved in this, both inside boohoo group and all of the external partners we have worked with, for their commitment."

The group also announced that it plans to sign the International Accord for Health & Safety, a legally binding agreement aimed at improving working conditions for garment workers.

boohoo shares were 2.0% higher at 264.79 pence each in London on Monday morning.

By Will Paige; willpaige@alliancenews.com

Copyright 2021 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved.
(Alliance News) - The following is a round-up of updates by London-listed companies, issued on Monday and not separately reported by Alliance News:







Journeo PLC - Ashby-de-la-Zouch, England-based information systems and transport technical services firm - Revenue in the six months to June 30 increases to GBP7.2 million from GBP6.8 million a year ago, as it has secured important contract wins. Journeo says it continues to make investments in research & development and new website design to improve communications, drive future sales and provide platform for marketing initiatives. Pretax profit for the first half of 2021 rises to GBP166,000 from GBP88,000 year-on-year.







SimiGon Ltd - Orlando, Florida-based simulation and training solutions provider - Revenue for the six months to June 30 increases by 40% to USD1.9 million from USD1.4 million in the first half of 2020. The company reports increased progress of SimiGon's performance obligations on the C-130 virtual maintenance training solution program. Pretax loss narrows to USD658,000 from USD1.2 million a year before.







Chesterfield Resources PLC - mineral exploration company with projects in Cyprus and Canada - For the six months that ended June 30, reports pretax loss of GBP433,538, widened from GBP257,465 a year earlier. Net cash balance as at the end of June is GBP1.5 million, up from GBP316,478 a year prior. Chesterfield says the highlight for the period was in June, with the acquisition of a large and prospective new copper exploration project in Labrador, Canada, called Adeline. Around 250 copper showings have been identified in the basin, at surface or very close to surface. In Cyprus, meanwhile, Chesterfield started a new diamond drilling campaign, which has been extended and is still in progress.







AfriTin Mining Ltd - Guernsey-based tech-metals mining company - Posts revenue for the six months to August 31 of GBP5.1 million, an increase of almost five-fold over the GBP1.1 million generated a year earlier. Pretax loss narrows to GBP504,274 from GBP1.0 million a year ago. AfriTin says 313 tonnes of tin concentrate shipped to offtake partner, Thaisarco, during the six-month period, exceeding production targets at the Uis tin mine in Namibia. Going forward, AfriTin says it is looking for the potential additional revenue streams and consolidation of its tech-metal exposure.







Cornerstone FS PLC - Newry, Northern Ireland-based cloud-based provider of payments - Reports total revenue of GBP837,000 for the six months to the end of June compared to GBP872,000 posted for the first half of 2020. The company says it added 209 new clients during the half-year, up from 133 a year before. Cornerstone FS reports pretax loss of GBP1.2 million, widened from GBP542,401 a year prior as administrated expenses rise to GBP1.5 million from GBP776,094 year-on-year. Cornerstone FS says it has expanded into the Middle East with the opening of an office in Dubai. The new office will be led by Robert O'Brien who has joined Cornerstone as general manager Asia Pacific & Middle East. O'Brien was previously at Vorto Trading Ltd.







Caerus Mineral Resources PLC - London-based exploration & resource development company - Reports pretax loss of GBP415,553 for the six months to the end of June compared to GBP41,844 loss a year earlier. Caerus reports no revenue for either year as it develops its assets in Cyprus. "Our dual programme of developing of hard-rock copper-gold resources and building a resource of metal-bearing surface material within dumps, stockpiles and tailings has quickly gathered momentum. This activity has been bolstered by the acquisition of prospective licences, many of which host broadly defined copper-gold resources and have already shown indicated some prospective targets for future exploration," says Chief Executive Martyn Churchouse.







i3 Energy PLC - oil & gas company with assets in UK and Canada - Declares an interim dividend of GBP2.20 million or 0.2 pence per share. Including the 0.16p per share special dividend announced in July, total dividends of 0.36p per share have been declared during 2021 year to date. Turning to interim results, i3 says maiden revenue for the six months to June 30 totals GBP26.5 million. Pretax loss of GBP7.9 million is reported for the first half of 2021 versus a GBP6.8 million loss a year earlier. This is due to production costs of GBP14.0 million posted for the first half versus no such costs a year before. Also, administrative expenses rise to GBP6.8 million from GBP1.8 million year-on-year.







Challenger Energy Group PLC - Isle of Man-based oil & gas company - Says a focussed work program since August 2020, when the company assumed control of its portfolio of mature producing Trinidadian oilfields, has enabled natural reservoir decline to be mitigated and increased revenue to be achieved. For calendar 2020, Challenger reports net petroleum revenue of USD1.4 million versus none in 2019. Pretax loss, however, widens to USD14.0 million from USD4.6 million. This is due to a jump in administrative expenses to USD9.8 million from USD4.6 million in 2019. In addition, Challenger records USD2.4 million of goodwill impairment versus no such charge the year before.







Sancus Lending Group Ltd - London-based loan agency formerly known as GLI Finance Ltd - Completes a number of re-organisational initiatives which it says now enable the business to focus on its strategy to be a leading alternative lender in the residential lending space. Reports revenue for the six months to June 30 of GBP5.0 million, down from GBP5.5 million in the first half of 2020. New loan facilities written at GBP53 million for the first half of 2021 against GBP50 million for the full year 2020. Pretax loss, meanwhile, narrows to GBP4.2 million from GBP6.5 million a year before.







Merchants Trust PLC - invests mainly in higher-yielding large UK companies - Net asset value grows in the first half of 2021, due to a combination of the rising stock market, outperformance from the investment portfolio, and the impact of financial gearing, which amplifies returns in either direction. NAV per share as at July 31 is 529.3p, compared to 373.8p a year before. Merchants Trust declares a second quarterly dividend of 6.8p per share.







Bushveld Minerals Ltd - Johannesburg-based vanadium producer and energy storage solutions provider - Reports revenue of USD47.0 million for the six months to June 30, a 9% increase from a prior year's USD43.1 million, supported by an improved average realised price of USD29.24 per kilogram of vanadium, up from USD24.20 a year before. The company, however, reports lower sales volumes in the first half of 2021, at 1,608 metric tonnes of vanadium versus 1,765 tonnes sold a year earlier. Bushveld production in the half-year totalled 1,574 tonnes of vanadium, a 5.2% decrease from 1,649 tonnes of vanadium produced a year earlier. This was a result of unplanned stoppages, a 35-day planned maintenance shutdown during the first quarter of 2021 and the unprotected industrial action at Vametco in April. The company's first-half pretax loss widened to USD 22.7 million from USD10.7 million year-on-year.







Trident Royalties PLC - London-based mining royalty and streaming company - Reports royalty related revenue of USD77,000 for the six months to June 30 compared to USD949,000 posted for the first half of 2020. Pretax loss widens to USD1.1 million from USD414,000 year-on-year. Trident says the revenue and profit have suffered due to reduced production on its paying tenements. The company notes however that it has maintained cost and balance sheet discipline and is expecting to see better results in the second half of the year as production returns. The company says it continues to review a compelling pipeline of assets spanning various geographies and mining commodities, prioritising paying or near paying royalty opportunities. Trident also says Apollo Consolidated Ltd reports positive progress at the Lake Rebecca gold project in Western Australia. Trident holds a 1.5% net smelter return gold royalty over the entirety of the project. Following Apollo's release of the April mineral resource estimate update for over 1.1 million ounces of gold, ongoing drilling has continued to generate significant gold intersections whilst technical evaluation studies progress, Trident says.







Acceler8 Ventures PLC - Jersey-based acquisitions company - Reports pretax loss of GBP157,000 for the six months to June 30, reflecting operating expenses incurred during its admission to London Main Market in July. Since admission, Acceler8 says it has continued to pursue its investment and acquisition strategy and is currently assessing both domestic and international opportunities within its chosen sectors.







Minds + Machines Group Ltd - London-based domains owner - Reports narrowed pretax loss of USD778,000 for the six months to June 30 compared to USD1.3 million posted a year prior. During the half-year, the company gets shareholder approval for its agreement to sell the majority of the Registry Business to Registry Services LLC, an affiliate of GoDaddy Inc, for USD120 million plus adjustments for working capital that transferred with certain subsidiaries. The sale was completed effective August 11. "We are now in the process of delivering the transition services agreed with GoDaddy Registry and disposing of, or otherwise winding down, our RSP Business. Whilst the transition services are being provided on a cost recovery basis, the company's ongoing administrative and other public company costs will result in operating losses for the group going forward," says CEO Tony Farrow.







Life Settlement Assets PLC - London-based investment firm which manages portfolios of whole and fractional interests in life settlement policies issued by life insurance companies - Says total maturities during the six months to June 30 were USD25.8 million, doubled from USD12.2 million reported a year ago. NAV per share as at June 30 stood at USD2.13 versus USD2.01 as at the end of 2020. The price of the company's shares at the end of June was USD1.60, representing a 25% discount to NAV. "The strengthening of our portfolio through successful acquisitions of portfolios of fractional policies, and through protecting our interests where appropriate, have resulted in a continued improvement in the breadth and quality of our asset base," says Chair Michael Baines.







Dolphin Capital Investors Ltd - investor focusing on residential resort sector - Sterling NAV per share as at June 30 stands at 15p versus 16p as at the end of 2020, a 7.6% decrease. The NAV reduction is principally due to operational, finance, corporate and management expenses. The reduction also mainly reflects the 5.0% depreciation of the euro versus the sterling during the period.







By Evelina Grecenko; evelinagrecenko@alliancenews.com

Copyright 2021 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved.
(Alliance News) - The following is a round-up of London-listed company director and manager changes announced on Monday and not separately reported by Alliance News:







EMIS Group PLC - Leeds, England-based healthcare software company - Names Denise Collis as an additional independent non-executive director. Collis will formally join the board on Friday. Collis is currently non-executive director, chair of the remuneration committee and senior independent director at SThree PLC and non-executive director and chair of the remuneration committee at Smiths News PLC.







Bank of Ireland Group PLC - Dublin-based company - Chief Financial Officer Myles O'Grady steps down to take up a senior finance role in an organisation outside the financial services sector. O'Grady is expected to leave BoI in March 2022 and a process to appoint his successor will now commence. Myles joined BoI in June 2019 as finance director Ireland and was appointed CFO in October 2019 and a member of the board in January 2020.







Empiric Student Property PLC - London-based real estate investment trust - Says Martin Ratchford has been appointed as an independent non-executive director from Friday. Ratchford has held the post of CFO at Frasers Property UK Ltd since June 2018. Empiric also says Jim Prower will resign as a director on the same day as part of a planned succession process.







Fuller, Smith & Turner PLC - London-based brewery - Says Finance Director Adam Councell will step down from his role and from the board on Thursday. Neil Smith will succeed Councell. In order to ensure a smooth handover to Smith, Councell has agreed to provide appropriate support to the business on a consultancy basis until Smith joins the business on November 30.







Powerhouse Energy Group PLC - Bingley, England-based company which is transforming plastics and waste into clean energy - Says Non-Executive Director Allan Vlah will step down at the end of 2021 to concentrate on his other business interests. Powerhouse Energy appoints Keith Riley as a non-executive director with immediate effect. Riley is currently proprietor & chief executive officer of Vismundi Ltd, a consultancy company providing services to the resources and waste management industry.







LSL Property Services PLC - Newcastle, England-based surveying services company - Names James Mack as a non-executive director, with immediate effect. Mack currently serves as CFO & executive director at Barclays Bank UK PLC. James was previously CFO & executive director at Aldermore PLC and Aldermore Group PLC.







Aberdeen Asian Income Fund Ltd - Chelmsford, England-based investment firm - Hires Robert Kirkby as an independent non-executive director with effect from November 1. "Robert is a former advisory partner at KPMG Channel Islands and a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants with a background as a business leader and a track record of establishing a business, growing revenue and building a dynamic team," says Chair Charles Clarke.







Harland & Wolff Group Holdings PLC - Belfast, Northern Ireland-based investment company - Says Clive Richardson, non-executive chair, is stepping down from the board. Richardson's notice period will run until mid-December 2021. Richardson has decided to step down to focus on other activities to which he is already committed, Harland & Wolff says. A formal process to appoint a successor has been initiated and, whilst this progresses, Malcolm Groat, currently chair of the Audit Committee, has been named as interim chair.







Shield Therapeutics PLC - Newcastle, England-based pharmaceutical company - Names Jose Menoyo as vice president & chief medical officer with immediate effect. Prior to joining Shield, Menoyo served as Head of US Medical Affairs at Alexion Pharmaceuticals Inc.







Corcel PLC - London-based natural resource exploration and development company - Names Henry Bellingham as an independent non-executive director, subject the successful conclusion of due diligence procedures. "Henry has a wealth of experience in the natural resources arena, and I am delighted to welcome him to the team at such an exciting time for the business," says Chair James Parsons.







By Evelina Grecenko; evelinagrecenko@alliancenews.com

Copyright 2021 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved.
(Alliance News) - Kerry Group PLC on Monday confirmed the completed sale of its Consumer Foods' Meats & Meals business for EUR819 million.

The Tralee, Ireland-based firm sold the division, which operates in the UK and Ireland, to food conglomerate Pilgrim's Pride.

"Today marks a very significant milestone in Kerry Group's evolution and I would like to thank all of the 4,500 employees who transition to Pilgrim's today for their contribution to Kerry over the years and I wish them the very best in the future," commented Kerry Chief Executive Edmond Scanlon.

The move forms part of a month of change at the food retailer, following the EUR853 million purchase of Niacet Corp, earlier in September. The preservation technology firm, which has manufacturing sites in Niagara Falls, US and Tiel, Netherlands, joined Kerry's global food protection and preservation arm.

Kerry Group shares were trading up 1.3% at EUR119.75 each in London on Monday morning.

By Will Paige; willpaige@alliancenews.com

Copyright 2021 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved.
(Alliance News) - Medica Group PLC on Monday raised its dividend after a surge in first-half earnings, as demand for diagnostic imaging recovered.

Hastings, England-based Medica provides medical imaging services, such as x-rays and MRI scans, to the UK's National Health Service and Ireland's health service and to private hospitals.

Revenue in the first half of 2021 increased 56% year-on-year to GBP26.4 million from GBP17.0 million. Pretax profit jumped 69% to GBP2.2 million from GB1.3 million.

Earnings were boosted by the acquisitions of Global Diagnostics Ireland, which contributed GBP4.5 million in revenue, and of US business RadMD, which contributed GBP1.5 million.

Compared to the first half of 2019, revenue rose 20% from GBP22.0 million, but pretax profit was down 53% from GBP4.7 million. Profit in the first half of 2021 was hit by GBP1.6 million in non-underlying administrative costs, mostly related to amortisation of acquired intangible assets.

The company raised its interim dividend 4.7% to 0.89 pence per share. Last year, it paid a 0.85p per share interim dividend and a 1.70p per share final dividend.

Shares were up 3.3% to 167.80p in London on Monday morning.

In the second half of 2021 so far, Medica is trading in line with its expectations, it said. There has seen a strong recovery in elective procedures, as hospitals work their way through a backlog of cases. That will benefit Medica as hospitals will have to outsource more medical imaging services to private companies.

NHS Community Diagnostic Hubs - where patients get scans in small facilities away from hospitals, a scheme due to launch this year - will also create opportunities for Medica.

The company expects month-on-month growth in the UK to continue for the rest of the year.

"Whilst the first half of the year has demonstrated the resilience of our business model and shown month-on-month improvement in performance, post-period trading has further strengthened our confidence in the outlook for the business," Chief Executive Stuart Quin said.

By Ivan Edwards; ivanedwards@alliancenews.com

Copyright 2021 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved.
(Alliance News) - IWG PLC Chief Executive Mark Dixon is exploring breaking up the firm into several distinct companies, Sky News reported on Sunday.

Dixon is looking at options including a US listing for Worka, IWG's app that allows customers to book office space. The listing could be through an initial public offering or a merger with a special purpose acquisition company, Sky said, citing insiders.

IWG, based in Zug, Switzerland, provides serviced office space around the world at its own buildings, as well as franchising its brands.

Under the plans being considered, IWG's owned-property unit would be separated from its franchising business.

Dixon is said to believe the true value of the company's assets is double its GBP2.89 billion market capitalisation, and a breakup would help realise that value, Sky reported.

There is little prospect of an imminent announcement, and banks have yet to be formally hired to work on the idea. But IWG's corporate brokers, Barclays PLC and HSBC Holdings PLC, are involved, while Rothschild has discussed the US listing, according to Sky's banking sources.

https://news.sky.com/story/serviced-office-giant-iwg-explores-multibillion-pound-break-up-plan-12419196

Dixon holds a 28.5% stake in IWG, according to Morningstar. The FTSE 250 constituent has a GBP2.89 billion market capitalisation

By Ivan Edwards; ivanedwards@alliancenews.com

Copyright 2021 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved.
(Alliance News) - UK fintech firm PrimaryBid has recruited Donald Brydon as the company's new chair, Sky News reported on Sunday.

Previously, Brydon was the chair of engineering firm Smiths Group PLC and Royal Mail PLC. He is also the former chair of one of PrimaryBid's shareholders, the London Stock Exchange Group PLC.

This week he plans to retire as chair FTSE 100-listed software company, Sage Group PLC, according to Sky News.

Founded in 2016, PrimaryBid gives individuals access to one-off company fundraisings by using a mobile app to combine stock orders from small investors into more substantial applications.

"The timing of his arrival is also opportune, coming in the wake of a review led by Lord Hill, the former EU commissioner, which recommended a series of reforms to UK financial markets," Sky noted.

Current UK City Minister John Glen, recently commented that the Treasury hopes to "facilitate wider participation in the ownership of public companies, and to remove the disincentives that currently exist for the issuance of securities to wide groups of investors - including retail investors."

According to Sky News, ONS data from 2018 shows that retail investors own 14% of the UK's equity market, worth around GBP420 billion.

https://news.sky.com/story/uk-fintech-primarybid-recruits-city-heavyweight-brydon-as-new-chairman-12418633

By Scarlett Butler; scarlettbutler@alliancenews.com

Copyright 2021 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved.
(Alliance News) - South African scientists met their UK counterparts on Monday to discuss the state of Covid-19 in South Africa more than a week after the UK placed South Africa on "red list" of its new travel curbs.

These new travel measures make it expensive for UK travellers to visit one of Africa's top tourism destination, weighing heavily on the local tourism industry.

The UK cited the B.1.351 variant of coronavirus, also known as the Beta strain, for imposing travel restrictions on arrivals from South Africa to the UK. While this mutant first found in South Africa was once dominant, it has been replaced by the highly transmittable Delta variant.

The meeting of scientists comes as South Africa exits the third wave of Covid-19 nationally, the National Institute for Communicable Diseases confirmed on Sunday last night.

In a statement late on Monday, the local health department said: "The UK and SA are both leading scientific nations and the meeting was initiated by the UK High Commission and South African government to ensure the most up-to-date and accurate sharing of information."

The insights provided will feed into the next review of UK border measures, which is due to take place within the next fortnight.

UK's new rules will add to South African tourism industry's woes. The local industry is reeling from coronavirus-induced lockdown restrictions and travel bans.

Foreign arrivals plunged 71% to 5.0 million in 2020 from just over 15.8 million in 2019, indicating that the Covid-19 pandemic had impacted the tourism industry hard around the world and in South Africa, according to Statistics South Africa.

The UK is one of top five overseas countries with the largest number of tourists visiting South Africa. In 2020, tourists from the UK topped the overseas visitor list, according to Statistics South Africa.

The red listing means that UK travellers to South Africa will have to quarantined for 10 days before being allowed to enter the UK at the cost of over GBP2,000, or around ZAR40,000, per adult.

By Artwell Dlamini; artwelldlamini@alliancenews.com

Copyright 2021 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved.
(Alliance News) - Ofgem has appointed Octopus Energy to take on Avro's 580,000 customers after the supplier collapsed last week.

The UK energy regulator said Octopus, which specialises in sustainable household gas and electric, had been chosen after a "competitive process" to get the best deal for Avro's clients.

It said outstanding credit balances owed to existing and former Avro customers will be paid, and householders transferred to Octopus will be protected by the energy price cap.

Separately, Sky News reported on Saturday that Octopus is among the parties seeking information about the finances of rival Bulb. Financial advisers to Bulb have set up a data room in an attempt to secure new funding, Sky said, and Octopus has requested access.

Bulb has some 1.7 million customers in the UK and like other smaller energy suppliers is struggling with higher wholesale prices that it is unable to pass onto customers. Last week, Bulb scrapped its new customer referral scheme.

Ofgem said supplies to Avro customers will continue as normal when they are switched to Octopus.

It said all those affected will be contacted in the coming days, and advised people who want to shop around for a better quote to wait until the transfer to Octopus has been completed before switching.

Ofgem said customers who choose to switch will not be charged an exit fee.

Gillian Cooper, head of energy policy for Citizens Advice, said: "Having a new supplier should remove some uncertainty for Avro Energy's 580,000 customers.

"Their credit balances will be carried over and their new supplier, Octopus Energy, will let them know what their new tariff will be.

"Anyone struggling to pay their bills must be supported and Octopus Energy must make sure that any debt repayment plans Avro Energy customers may have been on before are continued.

Cooper emphasised that certain pensioners and those on low incomes who were eligible for the government's warm home discount under their Avro tariff must continue to receive it with their new supplier.

"It's up to the government and Ofgem to work with suppliers to ensure this happens," she said.

By Tess de la Mare, PA

source: PA

Copyright 2021 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved.
In breaking news, R. Kelly has officially been convicted of racketeering and sex trafficking charges by a federal jury in Brooklyn, New York.

Kelly faced a total of nine counts  one count of racketeering, with 14 underlying acts that included sexual exploitation of a child, kidnapping, bribery, and sex trafficking charges and also faced eight additional counts of violations of the Mann Act, a sex trafficking law.

The jury, made up of seven men and five women, began deliberating on Friday afternoon.

In total, Kelly could face decades in prison at sentencing.

The verdict comes over 13 years after Kelly, whose full name is Robert Sylvester Kelly, was acquitted of child pornography charges at an Illinois state trial.
If a listing of Manistees leading residents is ever compiled, Stacy Thompson would probably be at the top of the list.

A sampling of his various endeavors shows that he was a man who dabbled in a little bit of everything including: law, real estate, printing/publishing, politics, business and inventing. In the early 1910s, Thompson patented the interchangeable clothes rack. At the height of its popularity, the clothes rack would become a commonly used item in countless households.

Originally born in Pennsylvania in 1856, Thompson arrived in Manistee in April 1870. As a teenager, Thompson was employed as a printer and quickly learned the printing and publishing trade. One of his earliest inventions was an automatic mailing machine for the local newspaper, the Manistee Advocate.

By 1890, Thompson had become involved in the real estate business, dealing in city and farm properties. A few years later he became occupied with local politics and in 1907 was elected a member of the Michigan Legislature. 1912 was a busy year for Thompson as he not only became a probate judge but also patented an interchangeable, clothes-drying mechanism that would provide him with another business opportunity.

After toiling away for sometime, Thompson, along with his partner H.K. Randall, shaped an idea for a unique wooden interchangeable clothes rack that could be used for four purposes:

A clothes drying rack (with 150 lineal feet of drying space);

A hat and coat tree (with holes/pegs put in a circular fashion);

A knock down center table; and

A hand grip box to store all of the appendages used.

By September 1913, after some changes were made to the original device and another patent issued, Thompson and Randall decided to open a small factory in Manistee that would be able to produce the clothes racks. The company, known as the Manistee Clothes Rack Company, was soon set up on the corner of Washington and Meacham Street (present day St. Marys Parkway) in the former Manistee Emery Wheel Factory. An article published in the Manistee Daily News on Oct. 25, 1913 provides a description of the factory as well as prices for the device:

The factory building is 30 by 60 feet and the concern occupies both floors, affording considerable room. A ten-horse power Weber gasoline engine furnishes the motive power, and especially devised machinery has been installed to turn out their product.

The various outfits are made strong and durable and are well finished.

By the conveniently arranged factory and the installation of special machinery for its manufacture, the management is enabled to place the valuable piece of furniture on the market at the low price of $5 for the complete outfit, or $3 for the combination dryer, hat and coat tree.

A pamphlet describing the clothes rack included a few quotes from local women who were satisfied with the new household appliance. Those quotes are as follows:

"-Mrs. Jas. L. Henchy, wife of Sheriff Henchy, says:

 I am highly pleased with the combination clothes drying rack etc., purchased from you. Once the device is in the family, the family will never wish to part with it. It is fine, holds a big washing and occupies little room.

"-Mrs. James Murray, wife of the jeweler, says:

 I think your clothes rack is the finest device ever invented for drying clothes indoors. They are worth many times their cost. The other features in the combination are all unique and serviceable.

Six months later the factory was prospering both locally and nationally as over 400 of the clothes racks had been constructed and a portion of them sold in five other states.

The company continued to churn out clothes racks at the Washington Street location until 1918 when it was decided by company officers to have the device manufactured by the American Woodenware Company on Sixth Avenue. An article published in the Manistee Daily News on Dec. 31, 1918 provides a brief description of the changeover:

The new clothes rack, which is a simple, practical household utility, will be manufactured in Manistee by the American Woodenware Company, to be marketed at an extremely low price  $5. The American Woodenware Company is already turning it out in quantities, and the new company, having mapped out an extensive selling campaign, is now placing agencies all over the country.

In 1921, the Manistee Clothes Rack Company turned into the Excelsior Clothes Rack Company with Thompson continuing to oversee operations as president of the company. The clothes rack was manufactured out of the American Woodenware factory on Sixth Avenue until 1924 when operation eventually discontinued.

Thompson passed away in May 1944, at the age of 88. Upon his passing he was survived by: two sons, three daughters, 13 grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren, and the discovery of a wooden interchangeable clothes rack that became a unique highlight on the list of his many accomplishments.

Mark Fedder is the executive director of the Manistee County Historical Museum. He can be reached by email at manisteemuseum@gmail.com, or by phone at 231-723-5531.

MORE FROM THE MUSEUM'S ARCHIVES

 Learn which Manistee factory said 'No girls will be employed in the factory'
Title: Technical Manager

Employment Classification: Regular, Full-Time Employee

Location: Kinshasa, DRC

Pay Grade: DRC - 14

Supervisors Name and Title: Jennifer Pancholi, Team Lead, Digital Solutions (tentative)

Team or Country Office: Digital Solutions

FLSA Status (only applies to US employees): Choose an item.

Full Time Equivalent: 1.0

Travel %: 10%

Date Last Updated: September 16, 2021

ABOUT VILLAGEREACH

VillageReach transforms health care delivery to reach everyone, so that each person has the health care needed to thrive. We develop solutions that improve equity and access to primary health care. This includes making sure products are available when and where they are needed and primary health care services are delivered to the most under-reached. Radical collaboration with governments, the private sector and other partners strengthen our ability to scale and sustain these solutions. Our work increases access to quality health care for more than 46 million people in sub-Saharan Africa. VillageReach is incorporated in Washington State and has offices in Seattle (USA), Democratic Republic of Congo, Malawi, and Mozambique.

DESCRIPTION

Summary

VillageReach invites qualified candidates to apply for the position of Technical Manager, Digital Solutions  Francophone Africa. This temporary full-time employment will be for a period of approximately one year with the potential to extend dependent on funding and mutual good fit. The Technical Manager, working in collaboration with global staff, will play a key technology solution management and coordination role of the DRCs HealthAlert implementation, which is part of a program operating in DRC, Malawi and Mozambique to expand the VillageReach health center by phone platform to support coordinated COVID-19 messaging, including on COVID vaccination. This position will provide managerial and technical oversight and/or advice to ensure successful and timely completion of project activities. Their main responsibilities include overall project management, technical leadership and partnership building and management, monitoring and evaluation. The successful candidate will be a person fluent in both French and English with experience managing digital technology or software project activities and who is motivated by VillageReachs mission of health care reaching everyone.

Description

Essential Duties and Responsibilities include the following. Other duties, responsibilities, and activities may change or be assigned at any time.

Provide overall Technical Project Management in a multi-vendor, multi-stakeholder environment with both agile and work plan-driven management. Work effectively with technologists and non-technical stakeholders.

Maintain oversight of the overall project schedule, key milestones, and deliverables. Track work plan activities and facilitate meetings including sprint team meetings and technology vendor coordination meetings.

Learn technology tools including call center hotline platforms and messaging/chatbot services in order to be able to use and configure these tools. Prepare training materials and transfer selected skills to other staff and partners.

Contribute to content development (such as working with subject matter experts to contribute to call operator scripts and IVR messaging campaigns). Coordinate translations and approvals of content and documents.

Create written documentation including meeting notes, work plan status reports, and progress updates.

Facilitate knowledge management and collaboration among global and country staff including developing, documenting, and disseminating lessons learned, best practices, and case studies.

Lead technology vendor relationship management including expectation setting, establishing specifications and requirements, and holding vendors and partners accountable to timelines and deliverables. This includes facilitating technical conversations with vendors and with VillageReach software engineering experts.

Provide review and quality assurance for documents and technical deliverables.

Coordinate and support data export, data cleaning, dashboard preparation, and KPI reporting.

Contribute to ongoing improvement and dissemination of VillageReachs work by cultivating an understanding of stakeholders and staying up to date about significant initiatives for digital solutions in global health.

Actively identify, develop and manage new partnerships and business development opportunities.

Mentor and manage less experienced/junior employees with the goal of developing their skills, experience, and ability to contribute to VillageReach work.

Competencies:

The following competencies reflect what is expected of all VillageReach employees; including examples of how one might demonstrate each of these competencies in ones role.

Personal Motivation and Drive: Is self-directed in ones approach to work, but asks for help when needed; holds oneself accountable; undertakes self-development activities; seeks to build and master new skills; looks for and takes advantage of opportunities within the organization

Collaboration & Effective Communication: Establishes and maintains effective relations with coworkers, partners & stakeholders and external parties; works collaboratively with others to accomplish organizational and team goals and objectives; works actively to resolve conflicts; expresses ideas and thoughts effectively; selects and uses appropriate communication methods and maintains meaningful communication with virtual coworkers and other parties to keep them informed

Commitment to Diversity & Inclusion: Takes personal responsibility for and supports others across the organization in creating and sustaining a diverse work environment where individuals are welcomed, valued, respected and supported; personally committed to attaining cultural competency including self-awareness of ones own attitudes about culture and cross-cultural interactions; exhibits the willingness and ability to engage openly and respectfully around issues of race, colonialism, identity and culture; upholds equity in access to sharing of information, ideas, and opportunities throughout VillageReach

Commitment to Excellence: Produces a high output of work, both in terms of quality and quantity; looks for ways to improve and promote quality; monitors work to ensure quality; has a personal commitment to the mission of VillageReach

Solution Orientation & Innovation: Focuses on results and desired outcomes and how to best achieve them; gets the job done; sees opportunities for creative problem-solving while staying within the parameters of good practice; sees old problems in new ways and has novel approaches to solving those problems; contributes original and/or resourceful ideas to their area of responsibility; is able to consider and articulate risks and consequences of proposed innovations and factor these into decision-making

REQUIREMENTS

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

This position has no supervisory responsibilities.

Education & Experience:

A Bachelors degree or higher in IT, information systems, project management, public policy, development studies, resource management, public administration, public health, or a related field.

A minimum of 5 years of experience working in technology in global health or international development.

Experience in digital solutions deployment, configuration, implementation, monitoring and evaluation in the context of public health. Experience working directly with software developers is a plus.

Experience working at or with technology vendors or technology providers. (Examples could include telecom providers, chatbot/messaging services, USSD, SMS or IVR service providers, or electronic health records.)

Experience in Project/Program management: Familiar with program and project management principles and strategies. A project management certification is a plus.

Other Qualifications:

Strong verbal and written French and English.

Strong communication and cross-cultural management skills including experience with political officials.

Open mindedness to accommodate the non-traditional mix of disciplines within VillageReach and interpersonal skills to work effectively in partnership with others in the organization and externally.

Proficient in Microsoft Office (Word, PowerPoint, Excel) and comfortable in a fast-paced technical environment.

Established cultural competency in partnering with racial, cultural and linguistically diverse groups.

Demonstrated understanding of challenges with working in rural, underserved and low-income context; experience living in and/or working in a low-income country a plus.

Knowledge of last mile health infrastructure challenges (e.g. of rural communities in an African context).

Ability to collect and analyze data quickly and efficiently. Ability and confidence to identify and recommend creative solutions to a diverse group of stakeholders. Identifies both opportunities and needs for change. Ability to identify issues or problems and provide a respective solution that is feasible and acceptable to the local context. Explores and shares innovative best practices with others.

Energy, intelligence, diplomacy, sound practical judgment and ability to work independently without supervision.

Ability to travel internationally, up to 10% of the time.

Experience with call centers, chatbots, Artificial intelligence and/or OpenLMIS preferred.

Environment and Physical Demands

VillageReach has no private offices, employees work in a shared, open environment with task and conference rooms accessible to employees for privacy and meetings. The noise level in the work environment is usually quiet. Due to the time zone differences between our Seattle office and our Country Offices and location of other global staff, our Country office staff are expected to be available for late afternoon/evening meetings up to 6pm local time.

APPLICATION INFORMATION:

This is an immediate hire and therefore resumes will be reviewed until October 8. To apply, please submit your resume and a cover letter to our online portal: https://www.villagereach.org/join-us/

COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY & INCLUSION:

VillageReach is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer committed to workforce diversity. We believe that diverse, equitably weighted perspectives foster an organizational capacity to create novel solutions that improve health in the most underserved and hard-to-reach areas. To align our values, innovations and impact, VillageReach is committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse global workforce.

Compensation:

VillageReach has an established compensation structure that is based on the relevant market and internally transparent. We hire people into the established range based on ones experience and education and considering internal equity. We do not inquire about salary history.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

2900 Eastlake Ave. E., Suite 230 Seattle, WA 98102 USA

TEL: 1.206.512.1530 & 1.866.203.3175 FAX: 1.206.860.6972

www.villagereach.org / info@villagereach.org
Sometimes we get trapped in such toxic relationships that they not only hurt our self esteem but also make us lose our self confidence. Many people tend to get caught in marriages which become addictive that they dont even realize that they are been physically or emotionally abused.

Remaining in a bad abusive marriage not only causes stress, but even clouds your life with frustration, emptiness and despair. It can be depressing and make you feel drained out. This is what happens in addictive relationships in marriages, says Robert Hemfelt in Love Is A Choice: Breaking the Cycle Of Addictive Relationships, Addicts become so elaborately enmeshed in the other person that the sense of self- personal identity is severely restricted, crowded out by that other persons identity and problems. Such people struggle relentlessly to fill the great emotional vacuum within them. Some people know that the relationship is not good for them, but despite the pain and sufferings they want to carry on with it. One part of them wants to go out of the relationship, but the remaining part refuses or feels helpless to take any drastic action.

Divorce And Kids

Partners sometimes stay in bad marriages for the sake of the kids. But this can be a terrible mistake on their part if there is abuse involved. By doing this parents generally put a mental burden on the children. Bringing up a child in an unhealthy environment where parents are always fighting and trying to put each other down is not a good example that you set for your kids. But marriage experts believe that each marriage has different issues and if the problem can be solved amicably, there is no need for divorce.

However a study conducted by sociologist Linda Waite at the University of Chicago suggests that staying together is good for the development of children. She mentions in, The Case for Marriage that most current divorces leave children worse off, educationally and financially, than they would have been if their parents stayed married, and a majority of divorces leave children psychologically worse off as well. Only a minority of divorces are taking place in families where children are likely to benefit in any way from their parents separation. I do not advocate divorce as a first step when a marriage is going awry. There are always ups and downs in marriages. Any one can manage life during good times. It is getting through the bad times that makes or breaks a relationship.

When parents get divorced children definitely are the worst affected. Life becomes very uncertain for kids. The sense of security and stability completely vanishes. They are made to choose a parent whom they wish to stay with and they cannot live with both the parents even if they want to. Overnight one of the parents becomes a visitor and they have no other choice, but accept this cruel reality of life. The child goes through traumatic stress if parents are always fighting and arguing with each other.

Divorce And Insecurity In Kids

Children ought not to be victims of the choices adults make for them, said Wade Horn (U.S. Assistant Secretary for Children and Families under President George W. Bush).

Divorce is a sad topic and can be devastating for the children as their lives revolve around their parents. It is sad that often parents do not realize it.

From the time of conception it is the parents who influence a childs development. It is the parents behavior towards each other that leaves a lasting impression on the children. It is the duty of the parents to deal maturely with this delicate relationship that is marriage and not to fight with each other in front of their children. When you have kids it is time for the parents to be selfless and not to be spiteful and selfish, says psychologist, Dr. Anjali Chabria.

Children get hurt when they see their world and their home breaking into pieces in front of their eyes. They always feel that they are a part of an incomplete family and it becomes all the more traumatic when a parent remarries. They again have to adjust with new developments such as accommodating a new parent in their lives.

Parenting Responsibility

My experience is that divorce is almost always unilateral. Its not a democracy. One person gets to decide the fate of not only the marriage but the family, said Michelle Weiner Davis,

Most marriage experts agree that though divorce is no doubt very painful for kids, to stay in an abusive and unhealthy marriage is also not a very good environment to bring up kids. But when you have kids it is not easy to walk out of the marriage completely. Couples need to understand that when they have children they cannot get rid of each other completely no matter how much they want to.

Divorced couples should realize that even though they are not married to each other anymore they should have a shared healthy parenting. Children should be given the freedom to spend enough time with both the parents. Childrens education should be well taken care by both the parents. At the same time emotional needs of the children should not be ignored no matter what happens. A new research says that divorce can hamper childrens education and mental health. The rates of children dropping out from schools are much more amongst kids from divorced parents than those whose parents stay together.

If the marriage did not work out so the kids should not be blamed for it and hence all decisions should be taken keeping the kids future in mind. When parents get divorced it does not mean that they have to hate each other. They can be friends too at least for the well-being of the children.
On a very basic level, dreams are what we experience as images, sounds and other sensations, resulting from an internal mental process that happens when we are asleep.

Dreams that we have while we sleep can be pleasant, scary, funny, exotic, sometimes extremely personal and sometimes very far-fetched. No matter what, our dreams have never failed to intrigue us, puzzle us, sometimes even embarrass us, and we often wonder if our dreams have a bearing on something in our real life.

Most of us wish to sleep on, more so when someone tries to wake us up in the middle of a pleasant dream. Or, we wake up with a jolt, sometimes sweating profusely and extremely relieved that it was after all a bad dream that thankfully came to an end.

Dream Symbols and Meanings

Though prophetic, telepathic and other paranormal interpretations of dreams abound in traditional cultures from time immemorial and have even extended into modern societies, there is no solid scientific evidence that can support any of these claims of dream interpretation. Books and websites claiming to offer expert interpretation for every kind of dream can never be taken too seriously because dream experts never seem to agree upon a common code to crack dream symbols.

Dreams may have symbolic meaning but no one can claim to draw an authentic list of dream symbols because dreams are very personal. Symbols and their reference can differ from person to person. For example, dreaming of a snake has been interpreted variously as repressed sexuality, a healing or transformation process, unsettling emotions, an inner conflict-the list can go on depending on whether the dream had one/two/many, yellow/green/black snake (s) that chased/bit/killed someone or you.

Freuds Dream Theories vs Modern Dream Research

Sigmund Freud, the Austrian neurologist was the prominent forerunner of psychotherapy who developed the school of psychoanalysis and put forward dream theories and interpretations. Dubbing dreams the royal road to the unconscious, Freud described dreams as emerging from a persons suppressed areas of mindmost often a reflection of repressed childhood memories or associations, especially driven by unconscious sexual desire. Though modern dream research based on an understanding of human sleep cycles is putting forward more theories, there is no definitive answer to the question, 'Why do we dream?'

REM Sleep and Dreams

People who have a healthy sleep pattern at night have a particular stage of sleep called rapid eye movement (REM) that lasts for about 90 minutes and can happen 3 to 4 times each night. REM sleep is the time when the brain is more active resembling a period of being awake. Experts have identified this REM period as the time when a person has dreams with story-like sequences, rich in content, action and emotion. A person tends to remember the dream if awakened during the REM sleep. Dreams during other stages of sleep may not be as vivid or memorable.

The Dream Process

Some experts in Sleep Medicine prefer to begin with the neurophysiological process of dreaming, to understand dreams. An EEG record of electrical signals from the brain while a person is asleep would show rapid-low-voltage brain activity during a dream and slow-waves between dreams.

The waves are connected to a memory consolidation process that the brain does each day as it arranges all thoughts of the day and arranges them according to the strength of emotion attached to each and the frequency with which each occurred. This process repeated daily and done throughout a lifetime helps us retain strong memoriesobvious or hidden, while weaker memories fade away.

The part of the brain that dreams is aware of the review of memories and researchers theorize that the brain tries to arrange strong, emotional memories as simple stories that are played during REM sleep.

Just as pleasant experiences are sometimes replicated in dreams, it is quite possible for dreams to reflect stress patterns, our anxieties and fears. Many of us have had dreams that relate to our current concerns and situations or events that troubled us in the past. Students anxiously preparing for exams tend to dream of examination halls or of sitting with a blank answer sheet or even have a nightmare where they seem to have forgotten all answers. People who had felt stressed while preparing for exams when they were young tend to dream of exam halls even in their sixties or even after they have retired from office work!

Wet Dreams

A wet dream or a nocturnal emission happens when there is a spontaneous orgasm involving the release of semen during sleep for a male or a wet vagina for a female. An erotic dream can result in nocturnal emission and you may or may not remember the dream sequence when you wake up. Wet dreams can be common in adolescents and young adults and there is nothing a person can do to control it. It does not happen as a result of conscious masturbation. Some teenagers who find wet dreams worrisome need to understand that it is a normal occurrence that's part of growing up. If it still disturbs, you can see a psychologist.

Some dreams can make you happy, refresh you, energize you, give you a new lead and set you on a new course of action when you wake up. Some dreams can puzzle you even frighten you. The worrisome ones, you can dismiss them as just dreams. But if certain recurrent dreams or nightmares continue to disturb, frighten, or distress you, visit a psychiatrist who can detect an inner conflict and perhaps counsel you and set your mind at ease.
Akshay Kumar has several projects in his kitty this year. After the release of Bell Bottom, the actor left us impressed with his brilliant acting skills once again.

He has other movies like Sooryavanshi, Bachchan Pandey, Atrangi re etc., in the pipeline too.

As for Sooryavanshi, an IPS officer RK Vij, recently, pointed out an apparent error in the behind-the-scenes pictures from the movie.

The actor shared the shot on Saturday, which also featured Ranveer Singh, Akshay, Ajay Devgn and Rohit Shetty.

 Instagram/Akshay Kumar

So many families would be thanking Sh Uddhav Thackeray today! Grateful for allowing the reopening of cinema halls in Maharashtra from Oct 22. Ab kisi ke roke na rukegi - AA RAHI HAI POLICE #Sooryavanshi #Diwali2021 #RohitShetty @ajaydevgn @RanveerOfficial #KatrinaKaif pic.twitter.com/xJqUuh2pMT  Akshay Kumar (@akshaykumar) September 25, 2021

In the picture, they are all seen standing, and it looks like they are having a conversation. However, the IPS officer seemed to have found an irregularity in the picture.

He said that the way Ranveer is sitting in the picture, given his designation in the movie Simmba, he wouldn't be allowed to sit like that in front of the senior officers.

He wrote on Twitter, "    ( )     ,      "

This means, The Inspector Saheb sitting while the SP stands, it doesn't happen like this, sir."

Responding to his Tweet, Akshay Kumar wrote:

   Behind the Scenes            ,  protocol 

Regards forever to our great police forces. Hope you like the film when you watch it.  Akshay Kumar (@akshaykumar) September 26, 2021

When translated, he said, "Sir, this behind-the-scenes photo. For us actors, the moment the cameras turn on, the protocols are followed. Regards forever to our great police forces. Hope you like the film when you watch it.

Check out the reactions here.

I have seen much worse Sir! Commissioner of Police drives a jeep, SI reports directly to home minister and CM etc.  DP SATISH (@dp_satish) September 25, 2021

Bhaisahab ye unka kaam hai...Acting is their work.....Wo asli duniya me aise nhi bante...Bas unka kirdaar nibhate hai....Don't compare reel world with real world  Himansh Sharma (@himansh16_8) September 26, 2021

And what about this sir ? Bas Ye mat bolna sir jaanch hogai hogi hojaygi please. pic.twitter.com/RXwXgdXsC1  Hyder Azim (@Hyderazim1) September 26, 2021

The inspector then took to Twitter and thanked Akshay, as he showed his respect and gratitude for the forces.

He replied, Thank you for your response and respect you showed for the forces @akshaykumar My comment was also in a lighter vein Will definitely watch the film."

Akshay also thanked Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, who recently declared the reopening of theatres all over the state starting next month.

He said, "So many families would be thanking Sh Uddhav Thackeray today! Grateful for allowing the reopening of cinema halls in Maharashtra from Oct 22. Ab kisi ke roke na rukegi - AA RAHI HAI POLICE." He also added that Sooryavanshi would be released in Diwali along with Marvel Studio's Eternals.

Theatres in Maharashtra were shut due to the Covid-19 situation. However, theatres will reopen soon, and many Bollywood films will now get a theatrical release.
A young Indian diplomat Sneha Dubey delivered a powerful speech backed by strong facts at the UN in response to Pakistans Prime Minister Imran Khan for bringing up the Kashmir issue and his statements about his country being a victim. Sneha, without hesitating, bashed the PM for spewing falsehood about India in front of the world and spoke how Pakistan has been home to terrorists and the government has been training them as a part of their policy.

She said, Regrettably, this is not the first time the leader of Pakistan has misused platforms provided by the UN to propagate false and malicious propaganda against my country, and seeking in vain to divert the world's attention from the sad state of his country where terrorists enjoy free pass while the lives of ordinary people, especially those belonging to the minority communities, are turned upside down."

Heres the full speech:

She was lauded for her fearlessness back in India and it was quite obvious that journalists would have wanted to talk to her as she has been trending. Without respecting her space, Aaj Taks celebrated anchor Anjana Om Kashyap barged into her room to get a quote. Anjana invaded her privacy and even touched Dubeys arms and said, I know you dont want to talk on record but if you can talkbecause the whole country wants to hear you speak. What you did today at the UN might be routine work for you but its a huge thing for the country.

Dubey, who obviously didnt appreciate Kashyap barging into her room, kept her calm and said, I already said what I had to sayplease. She also folded her hands and asked her to leave. It was indeed a polite way of saying that she doesnt want to comment as its a matter of national concern. Sneha did roast her politely and the video has been trending on the internet.

Heres the video:

#AnjanaOmKashyap and @aajtak haven't learnt, you don't go live to a person or persons who care a tuppence about her and (PM?)#AnjanaOmKashyap having a bad tour .

*Video courtesy @aajtak via @yippeekiyay_dk pic.twitter.com/Lj7SiZDvVR  Jude David (@judedavid21) September 25, 2021

Anjana started trending on Twitter soon after and people have been roasting her with memes.

Here are the memes that have been floating around on social media:

 Twitter

 Twitter

 Twitter

 Twitter

 Twitter

 Twitter

 Twitter

 Twitter

People are also annoyed with the fact that Anjana did it just to get TRPs and are bashing the media's hunger for sensationalism.


Rebar offers from Turkey were made at $730-735 per tonne cfr Singapore during the week. Other Middle Eastern mills offered cargoes at $750-760 per tonne cfr Singapore."Rebar producers are not willing to sell below $730 per tonne cfr Singapore too much because the price spread [between rebar and] billet is very narrow," a steel fabricator source told Fastmarkets last Friday September 24.

A cargo consisting of 40,000-50,000 tonnes of Turkish rebar was said to have been sold to Singapore last week at $720 per tonne cfr, but this...
AG Nessel, Gov. Whitmer Push Back Against Mississippi's Effort to Overturn Aspects of Roe v. Wade

AG Nessel, Gov. Whitmer Push Back Against Mississippi's Effort to Overturn Aspects of Roe v. Wade

Attorney General

Media contact: Lynsey Mukomel 517-599-2746

Public inquiries: 517-335-7622



September 27, 2021

LANSING - Attorney General Dana Nessel joined a coalition of 24 state attorneys general in urging the U.S. Supreme Court to uphold its precedents protecting a woman's right to decide before viability whether to carry a pregnancy to term.

Governor Gretchen Whitmer has affirmed that stance by supporting Nessel in joining the coalition.

In an amicus brief filed with the Court, the attorneys general argue that Mississippi's pre-viability abortion ban is unconstitutional and should remain unconstitutional. In 1973, the Supreme Court ruled in Roe v. Wade that the Constitution does not permit States to prohibit a woman from deciding before viability whether to carry her pregnancy to term. That ruling was affirmed in Planned Parenthood v. Casey in 1992 and reaffirmed in the following decades. In today's brief, the coalition argues that Mississippi's ban is unconstitutional under settled law, and that the Court should continue to uphold this well-established precedent.

"My sentiments on this issue have never changed, nor has my commitment to protecting a woman's right to make decisions in respect to her own body," AG Nessel said. "We cannot stand idly by as legislators show blatant disregard for federal precedent. Outlawing abortion will not prevent abortions - it only prevents access to safe abortions. We, as elected officials, have a responsibility to recognize the harm this law inflicts. I am proud to join my colleagues in this fight against this constitutional upheaval and I appreciate Gov. Whitmer's support in this pursuit."

"Attorney General Nessel and I have always stood with those fighting for their right to choose, and we will not stop now," Gov. Whitmer said. "While other states pursue extreme bans on abortion that put lives at risk and criminalize healthcare providers for doing their jobs, we will put Michiganders first and ensure everyone's fundamental rights are protected. Together, we will face down these insidious attacks on reproductive freedoms."

In March 2018, the governor of Mississippi signed into law what was then the strictest abortion ban in the Nation. The law prohibits abortion at 15 weeks, with few exceptions, even in cases of rape or incest. A federal district court judge struck down the law stating that Mississippi "chose to pass a law it knew was unconstitutional...to ask the Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade." The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit affirmed the district court's ruling.

Mississippi's attempt to undo decades of Supreme Court precedent comes amidst years of attempts by other States to strip Americans of their right to decide what is best for their bodies and futures. This year alone, 10 states have enacted bans on pre-viability abortions. In total, 16 states have now enacted pre-viability abortion bans.

In filing the brief, Attorney General Nessel joined the attorneys general of California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, the District of Columbia.

Earlier this month, Nessel also joined a coalition in supporting the U.S. Department of Justice's (DOJ) challenge to Texas' new unconstitutional ban on abortions. Gov. Whitmer supports that sign on as well.
AG Nessel Visits Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeastern Michigan

AG Nessel Visits Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeastern Michigan

Media contact: Lynsey Mukomel 517-599-2746 Public inquiries: 517-335-7622

September 27, 2021

DETROIT - Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel spent a portion of her afternoon at the Boys and Girls Clubs of Southeastern Michigan's Lloyd H. Diehl Club in Detroit.

The Diehl Club recently completed renovations that further enhance the club's ability to instill a sense of belonging and influence in its members.

Nessel's visit is part of her ongoing advocacy for equitable experiences in and outside of the classroom for students.

"While there is more we can and should be doing to ensure equitable treatment inside the classroom, programs through organizations like the Boys and Girls Clubs of Southeastern Michigan cultivate opportunities outside of school hours to ensure our youth feel supported and empowered," Nessel said. "I greatly appreciate the Diehl Club's hospitality today and look forward to watching its impact continue to grow in Detroit."

Earlier this month, Nessel joined education leaders at Raupp Elementary School to learn about Lincoln Park Public Schools' (LPPS) Resilient Schools Project.

In May, she led a coalition of 23 attorneys general in a letter urging the federal government to issue guidance addressing inequities in student discipline that contribute to the school-to-prison pipeline.

Following that letter, the Department of Education (DOE) opened a public comment period requesting information regarding the nondiscriminatory administration of school discipline. Nessel again led a coalition of attorneys general in advocating for DOE to issue guidance addressing inequities in student discipline in July. The states are waiting on additional guidance and response from DOE.

You can learn more about the Boys and Girls Club of Southeastern Michigan by visiting the organization's website.

###
Hispanic Latino Commission names Dr. Isabel Montemayor-Vazquez new Executive Director

Hispanic Latino Commission names Dr. Isabel Montemayor-Vazquez new Executive Director

September 27, 2021

Media Contact: Ebony Stith, stithe@michigan.gov

LANSING, Mich. - Hispanic Latino Commission of Michigan (HLCOM) announced Dr. Isabel Montemayor-Vazquez as its new Executive Director. HLCOM selected Dr. Montemayor-Vazquez, a native of Lansing, for her extensive experience and professional achievements in health and immigration policies research.

"I look forward to serving as the Executive Director of the Hispanic Latino Commission of Michigan and working closely with commissioners and stakeholders to better the lives of Hispanic/Latinos throughout Michigan," said Dr. Montemayor-Vazquez. "I appreciate the Commission's confidence in me, and I'm so grateful to have the opportunity to lead such a meaningful organization that aligns with a mission and goals close to my heart."

Dr. Montemayor-Vazquez graduated from Lansing Public Schools, later earning her degree in Spanish and Political Science from Central Michigan University. She attended graduate school at the University of Texas at Austin, gaining a master's degree in Latin American Studies and later earning both her master's and Doctoral degree in Cultural Anthropology from Michigan State University. Her experience after graduation includes working as Senior Research Associate at the Michigan Public Health Institute, where she conducted a qualitative assessment of Michigan's expanded Medicaid, the Healthy Michigan Plan and in urban centers across the state of Michigan.

Dr. Montemayor-Vazquez also served as an executive board member with the Lansing Latino Health Alliance, advocating for equitable health care access for Latinos in Ingham County.

In 2015, she was hired as an assistant professor at the University of Texas at Arlington in the Sociology and Anthropology Department, teaching courses on Latino Health, Medical Anthropology and the Border.

Dr. Montemayor-Vazquez's research has focused on how health and immigration policies in the United States and Mexico impact mixed-status families' daily lives, and health in Lansing and Eastern Michoacan.

While at the University of Texas at Arlington, she was a research associate with the Center for Mexican American Studies. She served on various task forces and committees, and mentored dozens of first-generation undergraduate students on their path to graduate school.

"Isabel is a positive, energetic leader. We are confident that Isabel's many talents, collaborative, engaging leadership approach and wide-ranging education and experiences will help as we embark on the goals and challenges faced by the Hispanic Latino Commission of Michigan," said Monica B. Reyes, HLCOM Chair. "The Commission is excited to work with Isabel as our new executive director and confident that the Hispanic Latino Commission of Michigan will be well-positioned under her guidance in the challenging years ahead of us."

Learn more about the commission at www.michigan.gov/HLCOM.

###

ABOUT HLCOM

The Commission strives to market the state's career development services to Michigan Hispanics, encourage initiatives to reduce the high school dropout rates of Hispanic youth, and facilitate efforts to increase the enrollment of Hispanics in postsecondary education and training programs.
MDHHS updates 'Do Not Eat' advisory for deer near Clark's Marsh; Advisory now applies to smaller area based on recent PFAS data analysis

MDHHS updates 'Do Not Eat' advisory for deer near Clark's Marsh; Advisory now applies to smaller area based on recent PFAS data analysis

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Sept. 2, 2021

Contact: Lynn Sutfin, 517-241-2112

LANSING, Mich. - The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) is reducing the coverage area of its 'Do Not Eat' advisory for white-tailed deer taken from the Clark's Marsh area in Oscoda Township in Iosco County. The advisory now applies to deer taken from within a three-mile radius of the marsh instead of the previous five-mile radius.

The original five-mile 'Do Not Eat' advisory was issued in 2018 after tissue from one of 20 deer taken near Clark's Marsh showed extremely high levels of perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), a type of per-and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS), which is associated with harmful health effects in people, including reduced fertility, thyroid disease and liver damage.

"As we have now gathered additional data about deer, PFAS levels and their proximity to Clark's Marsh, we have updated our health advisory," said Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, chief medical executive and chief deputy for health at MDHHS. "We will continue to monitor PFAS levels in wildlife to help protect the health and safety of Michiganders who hunt and fish in this area."

In 2020, an additional 44 deer were collected around Clark's Marsh. Muscle and liver samples from these deer were tested for PFAS. Deer from the 2020 collection

had various PFAS, including PFOS, in their muscle and liver samples. After analyzing the available data from 2018 and 2020, MDHHS discovered a relationship between detections of PFOS in a deer and the deer's proximity to Clark's Marsh.

The data showed that deer living closer to the marsh were more likely to have PFOS in their livers. The finding is included in the 2021 report PFAS levels in Michigan Deer from the Oscoda Area, Iosco County.

A map of the new advisory area is located online.

A 'Do Not Eat' advisory for all fish and aquatic or semi-aquatic wildlife taken from Clark's Marsh remains in place. This includes fish, aquatic and semi-aquatic mammals (including muskrats), amphibians (including frogs), mollusks (including snails), reptiles (including turtles) and arthropods (including crayfish).

In addition, MDHHS continues to recommend people do not eat organs from any fish, deer or other wild game in the state because many chemicals, including PFAS, can accumulate in the organs of wildlife.

For more information, visit Michigan.gov/PFASResponse.

For more information about wild game consumption, visit Michigan.gov/EatSafeGame.

For health-related questions, please contact MDHHS at 800-648-6942.

# # #
Governor Whitmer Kicks Off Manufacturing Week, Highlighting Working People in Critical Statewide Industry

Governor Whitmer Kicks Off Manufacturing Week, Highlighting Working People in Critical Statewide Industry

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 27, 2021

Contact: Elyse Walter, WalterE@michigan.gov

Governor Whitmer Kicks Off Manufacturing Week, Highlighting Working People in Critical Statewide Industry

LANSING, Mich. - Governor Gretchen Whitmer has issued a proclamation declaring September 26 to October 2, 2021, as Manufacturing Week to recognize Michigan's more than 11,000 unique manufacturing firms, which account for over 600,000 jobs and over $98 billion of total output annually.

"Michigan is home to hundreds of thousands of hardworking people who are dedicated to making our state home to countless innovative products we rely on every day," Governor Whitmer said. "Our storied manufacturing industry plays a critical role in the MI New Economy plan that's focused on supporting small businesses, creating better paying jobs, and investing in our communities. This Manufacturing Week, we celebrate the manufacturing workers, the union men and women, and the innovative companies who made invaluable contributions making Michigan the place that put the world on wheels, served as the arsenal of democracy, and built the middle class."

Michigan has long served as a national leader in manufacturing job creation, with those jobs significantly impacting the state's economy.

"The state's manufacturing industry is pivotal to Michigan's economy and is supported by a strong workforce," said Susan Corbin, Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity director. "There are immediate opportunities for those interested in pursuing a career in manufacturing, and now is the time to explore jobs that have significant impact on your local communities and our state."

Michigan has been the heart and soul of manufacturing in the U.S. for decades. The state has diverse manufacturing sectors in automotive, metals, machinery, chemical product, food and beverage, computer and electronic, natural resource, furniture and many others.

"Manufacturing offers high-paying, high-tech, and innovative careers that will be plentiful in the future. There will be more than 3.5 million jobs available in the next decade, and we appreciate Governor Whitmer understanding the importance of manufacturing, the leading sector and driving force of Michigan's economy," said John Walsh, President and CEO, the Michigan Manufacturers Association.

There are numerous resources available to support Michiganders who are interested in exploring high-tech, high-skilled and well-paid career options in the manufacturing industry, whether it's using the state's career exploration tool, Pathfinder (Pathfinder.MiTalent.org), searching for open manufacturing jobs on Pure Michigan Talent Connect (MiTalent.org), or researching information about industry-specific careers at Going PRO (Going-PRO.com).

There are also resources available for manufacturing employers to support their immediate and long-term workforce needs; including LEO's Back to Work: Employer Resources website (Michigan.gov/BackToWork), the Michigan Works! network and Pure Michigan Talent Connect.

To learn more about resources available for employers, sign up for the upcoming Employer Engagement webinar focused on the manufacturing industry, scheduled for Oct. 5 at 11 a.m. To register for this free event, visit https://bit.ly/3hA2rbl.

View a copy of the proclamation here.

###
A former Tuscola County judge has died.

W. Wallace Kent, Jr. of San Antonio, Texas, formerly of Caro, passed away Sept. 23.

In 1975, Kent was appointed by the late Gov. William G. Millikin to succeed Richard F. Kern as the Tuscola County probate judge. He held that position for 34 years until his retirement in December 2010.

Kent is well remembered for wearing cowboy boots, a bolo tie, his big smile and infectious laugh.

Wally was a flamboyant dresser, said Margie Talaski, of Filion, who is a former Tuscola County Clerk who worked for 17 years with Kent. "He loved western clothing. He had his own style.

Although he was not a big man in stature, Kent had a big personality.

He always had a smile for everyone," Talaski said. "He did big belly laughs that when you heard it, you had to laugh along with him."

And he loved acting. He performed in several Thumb Area Center for the Arts productions in Caro.

That was how Talaski first met Kent. Before she became a county clerk, they were in the play Chicago together.

Family members said the judge passed away from COVID despite doing everything right, being fully vaccinated.

At some point three weeks ago dad got complacent and was in an environment where he should have masked up but didnt, said Kents daughter Lisa Kent-Cockerill. Instead of celebrating his birthday with family, he tested positive for COVID. His wedding anniversary was spent with an ambulance ride to the hospital.

As a very active, vaccinated 80-year-old, COVID wrecked havoc with his body. I've had numerous people ask what they can do for me and my family since dads death. The greatest gift anyone can give in memory of him is to get and encourage others to get vaccinated, remain diligent, and for God's sake continue to mask up!

Kents long career had some interesting highlights. Within a week of taking office, Kent had a case that made national news, which involved Santa Claus being mugged on the Tuscola County Courthouse lawn while passing out candy.

Another case that made headlines was when a mentally ill woman threw her four-month-old baby at him, and he caught the child before it was injured.

Of all of the cases he handled, Kent said adoptions were the best part of his job because they were rewarding. He estimated he did about 1,000 adoptions during his career.

Another aspect of his career he said he felt was rewarding was when a youth in a delinquent case he handled came back years afterwards to tell him he had helped straighten their lives out.

After high school graduation, Kent enlisted in the U.S. Army. He graduated from Kalamazoo College where he studied history and English.

He then attended the University of Michigan Law School in Ann Arbor, and graduated with his Juris Doctor degree in 1967. Later that year, Kent moved to Caro to practice law with Maurice Ransford and later Gary Crews.

The Ransford-Collon Funeral Home in Caro handled the funeral arrangements which were completed on Sunday.

A private funeral service will follow at a later date with Rev. Richard Graybill officiating.

Those planning an expression of sympathy are asked to consider memorial contributions to St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital or the Caro Area District Library.
AP

BARTOW, Fla. (AP)  A Florida man was charged with first-degree murder in the death of his girlfriend after he confessed to his mother and she called police, sheriff's officials said Monday.

Jason Robinson was arrested Saturday night after a struggle in which he removed a Polk County Sheriff's stun gun and radio and attempted to choke him, the sheriff's office said in a news release. Two witnesses came to the aid of the deputy and helped secure Robinson in handcuffs, authorities said.
TOKYO (AP)  Japanese Princess Makos fiance returned to Japan on Monday for their marriage, which was suspended for more than three years because of a financial dispute involving his mother.

Kei Komuro, 29, arrived from New York, where he studied law and plans to work as a lawyer, with his hair in a ponytail, a bold statement by Japanese standards for someone marrying a princess in the tradition-bound imperial family.

Mako, also 29, is a niece of Emperor Naruhito. She and Komuro, who were classmates at Tokyo's International Christian University, announced in September 2017 their intent to marry the following year, but the financial dispute surfaced two months later and resulted in their wedding being suspended.

The financial dispute involved whether 4 million yen ($36,000) his mother received from her former fiance and spent on Komuros education in Japan was a loan or a gift.

Komuro left for New York in 2018 to study law, and this is the first time he has returned since then. He made no comments at the airport, bowed silently and left in a car.

He and Mako are to hold a news conference after his two-week coronavirus quarantine, according to Kyodo News and other Japanese media.

The couple is expected to register their marriage in October and start a new life together in New York.

His mother's financial dispute was an embarrassment for the imperial family and divided public opinion. Mako's father, Crown Prince Akishino, asked Komuro to provide a clear explanation and expressed mixed feelings about the marriage plans.

Many Japanese said the marriage should be scrapped, while others said the couple should pursue their romance.

Mako, apparently aware that her wedding is not fully celebrated by the people, reportedly offered to decline all official wedding rituals and a payment of up to 150 million yen ($1.35 million) she is entitled to receive when leaving the imperial family.

The payment, funded by taxpayers, is meant to maintain the image of former royal members. Mako would be the first female imperial family member since World War II to not receive the payment when marrying a commoner.

The Imperial House Law allows only male-line succession. Female members of the royal family must renounce their royal status when they marry a commoner  a practice that has resulted in a decline in the size of the royal family and a shortage of successors to the throne.
Local tourism officials say outdoor recreation is bringing Michigan tourism back, after two summers plagued by pandemic fears.

And they hope that changes in how people travel will mean even better days are ahead.

This is welcome news to the tourism industry, which employed over 230,000 people before the pandemic, according to the Michigan Economic Development Corp.

In 2019, almost every region in the state had its best year for tourism spending, according to the council. In the summer of 2020, however, spending was halved in some peak vacation months.

Some indications show that the decline is over and Michigan tourism is bouncing back, especially for beach communities.

The Mackinac Bridge Authority reports traffic between the Upper and Lower peninsulas returned to normal by August of last year. Even better: April through July of this year has had the highest traffic numbers on record.

Linda Hart, the executive director of the Holland Area Visitors Bureau, said she thinks the pandemic has exposed beach communities like hers to a new audience.

We saw a lot of first-time visitors to Holland, Hart said. While Holland has normally been an annual family destination, this year and last, we saw many more people who were looking for bike trails, beaches and smaller communities.

These amenities spared Holland the worst of the effects of the pandemic last summer, with hotel occupancy falling only 15% from its normal rate, according to the visitors bureau. While rates have returned to comparable pre-pandemic levels this summer, recent hotel expansions mean that the actual numbers of visitors this year could be even higher than peaks in the past, according to the visitors bureau.

Michigan saw reductions in vacation spending fall by 35% by the end of the summer of 2020, but thats better than the 48% drop nationwide, according to the Michigan Economic Development Corp.

In 2020 we started to see a recovery all around the state, but its very unbalanced, said David Lorenz, the vice president of Travel Michigan, the organization that developed and manages the Pure Michigan brand. You look at cities compared to rural areas and its a tale of two cities, excuse the pun. And this is because our rural areas, especially along the coast, saw a huge increase in 2020.

Lorenz said that people who wanted to travel in 2020 didnt want to go long distances and instead chose to travel close to home. That way they could be outdoors and comply with social distancing requirements that caution against large gatherings indoors and encourage physical separation between groups when outside.

Those people who were traveling were heading literally up north, Lorenz said. Now, thats normally a term we use as a sentiment of wanting to travel and get outside, but in this case, Up North meant Up North. They were heading to northern Michigan and to waterfront communities.

Mike Kent, the public relations manager for Traverse City Tourism, sees a lot of people traveling to Northwest Michigan for outdoor recreation, and local businesses are seeing the same effects. Hotel occupancy in Traverse City was four times higher this April than last year and is steadily returning to pre-pandemic levels.

You can see it in the numbers that we are getting back to where we were in 2019 which was a very robust year, Kent said. People are taking advantage of what we have to offer, which is wide open spaces.

Similar results are being seen in Petoskey, where people see it as a safe place to be, according to Diane Dakins, the assistant director of the Petoskey Area Visitors Bureau.

We have a lot of outdoor recreation and places to spread out to have a great time without people being right next to each other, Dakins said.

Dakins said she thinks that the elevated numbers are temporary because of the number of family gatherings like weddings and reunions that were canceled last year, attributing the spike this year to pent-up demand. However, other officials say this represents a larger trend that could bring people back to these towns year after year.

We saw a lot more local traffic last year from the state of Michigan and places like Chicago, Hart said, referring to Holland. Normally we see more traffic from the Midwest, but this year we saw a return of both (local and out-of-state travelers).

Kent also thinks events like the Ironman race held in Frankfort earlier this month are the types of things that will continually bring people back to Michigan.

People are literally coming from all over the country, and most of them have never heard of Frankfort, Kent said. Our goal is to make them fall in love with the area, and whats not to fall in love with?
WELLINGTON, New Zealand  New Zealand's prime minister says the government will start a pilot program of home-isolation for overseas travelers, ahead of what she expects to be increasing vaccination levels.

Currently New Zealanders have to quarantine in hotels for two weeks when they return home from abroad.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Monday a pilot program that will allow New Zealanders to quarantine at home will include 150 business travelers who arrive between Oct. 30 and Dec. 8. The program will involve monitoring and testing.

The only reason that we are running this self-isolation pilot now is in preparation for a highly vaccinated population, Ardern said.

The intention is that in the first quarter of 2022 when more New Zealanders are vaccinated, it will be safer to run self-isolation at home, she added.

Of the eligible population in New Zealand aged 12 and older, 43% had been fully vaccinated, Ardern said.

In Auckland, the nations most populous city which has been locked down since Aug. 17 after the highly-contagious delta variant leaked from hotel quarantine, 82% of the eligible population had at least a single dose of the double-shot Pfizer vaccine, she said.

New Zealand has taken an unusual zero-tolerance approach to the coronavirus and has been trying to completely eliminate the delta variant.

___

MORE ON THE PANDEMIC:

 U.S. has enough COVID-19 vaccines for boosters, kids' shots

 Rowdy celebrations erupt in Norway as COVID restrictions end

 EXPLAINER: Whos eligible for Pfizer booster shots in US?

___

See all of AP's pandemic coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic

___

HERES WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING:

SYDNEY  Australias prime minister says he expects his country to open its international border well before the end of the year.

Australian governments have agreed to ease tight restrictions on overseas travel when 80% of the population aged 16 and older was fully vaccinated.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the first steps would allow Australians to leave and

fully vaccinated citizens and permanent residents to return home.

That will occur before the end of the year. It could happen well before that, Morrison told American broadcaster CBS News.

More than 90% of the target age group in Australias most populous state and the worst impacted by the nations COVID-19 outbreak, New South Wales, will be vaccinated by the end of November, New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian said.

New South Wales reported 787 new locally acquired infections on Monday and 12 deaths in the latest 24-hour period.

Sydneys lockdown would ease on Oct. 11 after 70% of the states population had received second doses of vaccine, Berejiklian said. With 85% of the target population already injected with at least a single vaccine dose, the 80% target is expected to be reached two weeks after the 70% benchmark.

On Dec. 1, unvaccinated people are expected to have their pandemic restrictions lifted.

State Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant said she expected 92% of the target population would eventually be vaccinated.

New South Wales has the fastest vaccination rollout in Australia after the Australian Capital Territory.

___

SEATTLE  A Washington state trooper who helped develop the agencys use of drones has died after a battle with COVID-19 contracted on duty.

The Washington State Patrol said Detective Eric Gunderson died Sunday surrounded by his family and friends. He was 38. Gunderson frequently traveled around the country to speak about the state patrols use of drones.

The patrol said he contracted COVID-19 on one of those trips. Gunderson helped investigate the 2017 Amtrak derailment in DuPont and his work is credited with reopening roads more quickly after crashes.

He is survived by a wife and two sons. Gundersons death is the first line of duty death for the agency since it marked its 100th anniversary a few weeks ago, Chief John Batiste said. How I had hoped our second century of service would be more forgiving. But serving the public, as we do, has inherent dangers and this pandemic has been a foe to our agency and indeed our state and nation, he said.

Gov. Jay Inslee tweeted his condolences to Gundersons family, friends and colleagues.

___

LOS ANGELES  Public health officials have identified more than 200 coronavirus outbreaks at police or fire agencies throughout Los Angeles County since the start of the pandemic, according to data obtained by the Los Angeles Times.

The 211 outbreaks, accounting for more than 2,500 cases between March 2020 and last month, represent 9% of total workplace outbreaks across the county, the newspaper reported Sunday. However, they have continued to occur regularly even as vaccination rates increased among police and fire personnel and the number of individual coronavirus cases per outbreak has fallen since last winter.

The data showed 38 outbreaks at public safety agencies were identified in April of this year  the most in any month since the start of the pandemic. A month later, 35 outbreaks  the second most  were recorded by the county Department of Public Health.

Overall, more than half of the outbreaks occurred at the Los Angeles Police Department and the Los Angeles Fire Department, where some employees have filed lawsuits challenging a new rule requiring them to be vaccinated by next month. Thousands have filed notice that they intend to claim a medical or religious exemption from the mandate.

Vaccination rates for LAPD an LAFD employees generally lag behind the 68% of eligible county residents who have gotten their shots.

Critics have accused the police officers and city firefighters of ignoring public safety  and their sworn duties to uphold it  by refusing to get vaccinated.
PORTLAND  The American Federation of Teachers Connecticut last week endorsed Democrat Jim Tripps candidacy for first selectman of Portland.

The decision to endorse your candidacy was made because of your commitment to working families and advocating for issues that are important to AFT Connecticuts members, AFT Connecticut Legislative Advocate Teri Merisotis wrote in a letter to Tripp.

Clearly, this election is very important to the people of Connecticut and specifically your town, Merisotis said.

The labor group represents over 30,000 members in the state, and includes teachers, paraprofessionals, state employees, health-care workers, and higher education faculty and staff, according to the AFT website.

Tripp said in a press release that he is honored to have the unions support.

AFT Connecticut has long been a strong voice for fair wages, affordable health care, and equal access to high-quality education, he said. The health of any community is directly tied to the health of its school system.

As first selectman, I will continue to support our excellent public schools and work toward a solution to address our school facility needs that ensures our students are learning in safe, efficient, and up-to-date facilities that support 21st-century learning.

Tripp has been going door-to-door meeting with voters in Portland, listening to their concerns, and sharing his vision for our community, the news release said.

He has launched a campaign website, jimtrippforportland.com, and can be found on Instagram at jimtrippforportland.
MIDDLETOWN  Joanna Bell usually tracks loaner Audis to make sure they are returned to the Westchester County car dealership where she works as a service manager.

But in June, she became part of an intensive manhunt that involved U.S. marshals from three states who were looking for Matthew OBanner, accused of killing a man and shooting a teen in front of his mothers Middletown address.

I think this was the first time we were involved in a police investigation, Bell said in an interview with Hearst Connecticut Media. This definitely doesnt happen every day.

OBanner was captured in New Jersey on Aug. 5 after members of the Connecticut U.S. Marshals Violent Fugitive Task Force coordinated with Middletown police to locate him.

The shootings had occurred on May 16 outside a Stirling Court home during a large melee prompted by an angry phone call, according to OBanners arrest warrant affidavit.

Police determined the 20-year-old OBanner ran from the address where his mother lives and began firing at the crowd, the warrant stated.

Middletown resident Tylon Hardy, 25, was killed and a 17-year-old was wounded in the shooting, police said.

OBanner fled the area after the shootings with his mother, Michelle Sanders, and his girlfriend, Alexandra Vazquez, denying to police that he was at the address when the incident occurred, arrest warrants said.

Police said security camera footage from Sanders home revealed OBanner was inside the residence before and after the shootings, his arrest warrant stated. The footage also revealed OBanner, Sanders and Vazquez discussing how he needed to flee the area, the warrant stated.

Police obtained an arrest warrant charging OBanner with murder, first-degree assault with a firearm, reckless endangerment and commission of a felony with a firearm on May 28, court documents said. However, OBanner never showed up on June 14 when his attorney arranged for him to turn himself in, the warrant stated.

About a week later, Middletown police sought the help of the Connecticut Violent Fugitive Task Force run by the U.S. Marshals Service.

The task force is one of several throughout the country that specializes in apprehending fugitives and making sure that sex offenders are compliant with the terms of their release, said Supervisory Deputy U.S. Marshal Matthew Duffy, who runs the Connecticut task force.

There are 94 judicial districts throughout the country that have one U.S. marshal and several deputies. Part of their work is to staff 56 task forces nationwide who concentrate on finding fugitives with state and local police, said Dave Oney, a public affairs specialist with the U.S. Marshals Service.

The task forces act as a force multiplier for local and state police who may not have the resources to find fugitives, Oney said. In 2020, the U.S. Marshals Service helped state and local police find 53,080 fugitives, he said.

They have the broadest law enforcement authority in the country, Oney said.

The Connecticut task force is staffed with deputy marshals and local police from Bridgeport, Norwalk, West Haven, New Haven, Waterbury and Hartford, Tucker said. The local officers work full-time with the task force and are deputized so they can operate in any part of the country, he said.

The presence of local police also acts as a force multiplier for the marshals, Tucker said. When Middletown requested assistance, they assigned an investigator to the task force on a part-time basis, he said.

While Tucker and Middletown police declined to provide details on parts of the investigation into OBanners whereabouts, Tucker said in most fugitive cases, friends and family will help someone on the lam.

Bell said Middletown police contacted her in mid-June about Sanders vehicle. She said they knew her Audi was in for service and wanted the tracking information for the loaner.

All of our loaners have a tracker that registers when the engine shuts off or starts, Bell said. I sent them a list of all the GPS coordinates and was able to give them locations as they were tracking the car.

The tracking device repeatedly showed the loaner Sanders was driving to an address in North Bergen, N.J., according to the arrest warrant for OBanners mother.

Police installed a tracking device on Sanders car while it was being serviced at the New York dealership, the warrant stated. After Sanders picked up her car on July 1, police said the tracking device showed her traveling to and from the same address in North Bergen, the warrant stated.

On Aug. 4, investigators placed a camera on a pole near the address. Within hours, the cameras showed people with similar attributes to OBanner and Vazquez walking into the address carrying bags of personal items, the warrant said. Sanders then showed up a few minutes later, police said in the warrant.

OBanner was taken into custody by New York and New Jersey U.S. marshals a few hours later, the warrant said. Sanders and Vazquez were later charged with tampering with evidence and interfering with police. Sanders was also charged with possession of narcotics.

Hats off to Middletown, they did a great investigation, Tucker said. This is all about great relationships with local and state police and extending the long arm of the law.
WASHINGTON (AP)  Seventy-eight-year-old Joe Biden and 79-year-old Mitch McConnell got their booster shots Monday, the Democratic president and the Republican Senate leader urging Americans across the political spectrum to get vaccinated or plus up with boosters when eligible for the extra dose of protection.

The shots, administered just hours apart on either end of Pennsylvania Avenue, came on the first workday after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration recommended a third dose of the Pfizer vaccine for Americans 65 and older and approved them for others with preexisting medical conditions and high-risk work environments.

Both leaders said that even though the booster doses provide more enduring protection against the virus, they weren't the silver bullet to ending the pandemic.

Boosters are important, but the most important thing we need to do is get more people vaccinated, Biden said.

Nearly 25% of eligible Americans aged 12 and older haven't received a single dose of the vaccines. They are bearing the brunt of a months-long surge in cases and deaths brought about by the more transmissible delta variant of the virus that has killed 688,000 in the U.S. since the pandemic began.

Like Ive been saying for months, these safe and effective vaccines are the way to defend ourselves and our families from this terrible virus, said McConnell, a polio survivor.

Biden got his first shot on Dec. 21 and his second dose three weeks later, on Jan. 11, along with his wife, Jill Biden. The first lady, who is 70, received her Pfizer booster dose in private at the White House on Monday afternoon, said her spokesperson, Michael LaRosa.

Now, I know it doesnt look like it, but I am over 65  I wish I  way over, the president joked. And thats why Im getting my booster shot today.

Biden has championed booster doses since the summer as the U.S. experienced a sharp rise in coronavirus cases driven by the delta variant. While the vast majority of cases continue to occur among unvaccinated people, regulators pointed to evidence from Israel and early studies in the U.S. showing that protection against so-called breakthrough cases was vastly improved by a third dose of the Pfizer shot.

But the aggressive American push for boosters, before many poorer nations have been able to provide even a modicum of protection for their most vulnerable populations, has drawn the ire of the World Health Organization and some aid groups, which have called on the U.S. to pause third shots to free up supply for the global vaccination effort.

Biden said last week that the U.S. was purchasing another 500 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine  for a total of 1 billion over the coming year  to donate to less well-off nations.

Biden took questions from reporters about his vaccination experience and matters of the day as a military nurse injected the dose into his arm.

The president said he did not have side effects after his first or second shots and hoped for the same experience with his third.

Vice President Kamala Harris, 56, received the Moderna vaccine, for which federal regulators have not yet authorized boosters  but they are expected to in the coming weeks. Regulators are also expecting data soon about the safety and efficacy of a booster for the single-dose Johnson & Johnson shot.

At least 2.66 million Americans have received booster doses of the Pfizer vaccine since mid-August, according to the CDC. About 100 million Americans have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 through the Pfizer shot. U.S. regulators recommend getting the boosters at least six months after the second shot of the initial two-dose series.

___

Associated Press writers Josh Boak and Lisa Mascaro contributed.
MADISON, Wis. (AP)  A high-ranking Roman Catholic cardinal who was placed on a ventilator after contracting COVID-19 said he has moved into a house but is still struggling to recover from the disease.

Cardinal Raymond Burke, 73, one of the church's most outspoken conservatives and a vaccine skeptic, posted a letter on his website Saturday saying he left the hospital Sept. 3 and moved into a house near his family. He didnt say where.

Burke said hes going through in-home rehabilitation, still suffers from fatigue and has difficulty breathing. He didnt detail what his rehabilitation regimen includes but said he is making steady but slow progress. He said a secretary from Rome has moved in with him to help him with his rehabilitation and catch up on his work.

I cannot predict when I will be able to return to my normal activities, Burke wrote. Seemingly, it will be several more weeks.

He said God saved him for some work he wants him to carry out with the help of the church and asked people to pray for him, the world and the church, all of which are beset with so much confusion and error to the great and even mortal harm of many souls. He didnt elaborate.

Burke tweeted Aug. 10 that he had contracted the disease. His staff tweeted six days later that he had been sedated and was breathing through a ventilator. The Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupue, a shrine Burke founded in La Crosse, Wisconsin, released a statement Aug. 21 saying Burke had come off the ventilator. Burke tweeted on Aug. 30 that he had been moved out of intensive care into a room at an undisclosed hospital.

Pope Francis said earlier this month that he doesn't understand why people refuse to take the COVID-19 vaccine, acknowledging that even in the College of Cardinals, there are some negationists. He called one of the cardinals a poor guy" who had been hospitalized with the disease, an apparent reference to Burke, and added: Well, the irony of life.

The pope removed Burke from his position overseeing the Vatican's supreme court after Burke in 2014 likened the church to a ship with no rudder. Two years later Burke joined three other conservative cardinals in asking Francis to explain why he decided to let remarried Catholics receive Holy Communion.

Burke also has warned people that governments were using fear of the pandemic to manipulate people. He spoke out against mandatory vaccinations in 2020, saying some in society want to implant microchips in people.

___

Follow Todd Richmond on Twitter at https://twitter.com/trichmond1
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP)  Faculty at Iowa public universities are demanding the right to require masks in their classrooms regardless of state law or policies against them.

Biology professor Steve O'Kane Jr. has pushed a resolution among colleagues at the University of Northern Iowa saying faculty should be allowed to manage their classrooms. O'Kane told The Cedar Rapids Gazette that he's already imposed a mask mandates for his students and lowers their lab grades if they refuse to comply.
HARTFORD, Conn. (AP)  Connecticut lawmakers moved closer Monday toward extending Democratic Gov. Ned Lamont's emergency powers during the coronavirus pandemic for the sixth time, an issue that has become more contentious with each extension.

The House of Representatives voted 80-60 in favor of extending Lamont's renewed declaration of public health and civil preparedness emergencies. Ten Democrats joined all of the Republicans in opposition. The Senate is scheduled to vote on Tuesday.

Republican legislators, the minority party in the Democratic-controlled General Assembly, argued there is no longer a need to grant Lamont the extraordinary powers, considering the state's relatively high vaccination rates and other metrics.

We are on a merry-go-round. said House Minority Leader Vincent Candelora, R-North Branford. There is no standard for these extensions.

But Lamont and Democratic legislative leaders said his powers should be extended until early February, when the next regular legislative session begins, so pandemic-related issues such as booster shots, masking requirements, vaccinations for children and nursing home residents can be dealt with quickly.

Look, were doing this to keep you safe, Lamont said. He noted that he has sought the input of the General Assembly. If the extension is passed by the Senate on Tuesday, as expected, the top six legislative leaders will have until the end of the week to veto any of the roughly 10 executive orders Lamont wants to continue, according to House Speaker Matt Ritter, D-Hartford.

Dozens of parents, many angry about Lamont's executive order requiring face masks be worn in schools, rallied outside the state Capitol during the debate, shouting slogans like, Dont Ned on me and Our kids cant breathe. Earlier in the day, some attempted to enter the state Capitol building without masks but were told to leave if they didn't wear face coverings.

Candelora acknowledged that a very vocal minority of Connecticut residents is taking issue with Lamont's executive orders in what's become a political fight. But he said some of those residents end up becoming bullied or marginalized in the positions that they take," including people with compromised health situations such as cancer patients with concerns about getting vaccinated or parents with young children worried about how they can learn language skills with a mask.

And we dont have that debate or that conversation because this yes vote today is going to continue to allow the governor to make these decisions in the dark, in back rooms without the public input that our founding fathers and so many people fought for there to be that deliberative process, he said.

But House Majority Leader Jason Rojas, D-East Hartford, defended Lamont's request for the emergency authority extension, noting how COVID-19 is unpredictable and the vaccines continue to undergo evaluation.

Connecticut has benefited from the steady leadership of Governor Lamont to respond as he felt he needed to respond. He has not acted like a king. He has not acted like a tyrant. Nor have we abdicated our responsibility as an equal branch of government to work with the governor to meet the challenges that we have faced since March of 2020, Rojas said, arguing that the drawn-out, deliberative legislative process is not appropriate for some of the actions that need to be made quickly.

Meanwhile, Ritter issued a rare, stern warning before the opening of the special legislative session to lawmakers who break the rules and don't wear a face mask when they're not addressing the chamber. Ritter threated to swiftly" end the longstanding tradition of unlimited debate in the House of Representatives and call the question, essentially ending debate.

The only way I would ever agree to end this tradition is if people are flaunting our public health rules, looking for some sort of provocative response. And I will not oblige in that, Every legislator must have the ability to feel safe in this chamber," said Ritter. Later in the day, he praised lawmakers for having a civil debate.

Ritter's call for lawmakers to abide by the masking rules came on the heels of a recent public meeting on COVID-19 vaccination mandates, held by members legislature's conservative caucus, where most of the lawmakers and members of the public did not wear masks inside the Legislative Office Building.

In other coronavirus-related news in Connecticut:

SCHOOL BUS DRIVERS

While there were a few isolated incidents, Lamont said most school bus drivers showed up to work on Monday after there were concerns that hundreds might not get the COVID-19 vaccine or else get tested in time to meet the state's deadline.

Thankfully the overwhelming majority of school bus drivers showed up to let kids get back to school for in-person learning, he said.

Lamont said his office was contacted by a couple of communities that needed a few extra school bus drivers on Monday. He said some qualified state drivers were made available to towns to transport students with special needs.

"Hopefully we got that balanced," he said. It probably wasnt perfect.

Meanwhile, Lamont said it will take a couple days to sort through the vaccination cards, required weekly testing results for the unvaccinated, and medical and religious exemption requests submitted by state employees in time for Monday's deadline. The governor said tens of thousands of workers uploaded their information over the weekend to a third-party app.
TRENTON, N.J. (AP)  New Jersey is offering a $500 incentive to unemployed people who go back to work at businesses with 100 or fewer employees and receive job training, Gov. Phil Murphy said Monday.

The incentive, dubbed the Return and Earn Program, will be financed with $10 million of federal COVID-19 funds.
Ned Gerard / Hearst Connecticut Media

BRIDGEPORT  An individual was injured in a stabbing on Pembroke Street on Friday night, according to a city official.

Scott Appleby, the citys director of emergency communications and emergency management, said police were called by Bridgeport Hospital personnel around 10:20 p.m. for a report that a male victim with injuries from a stabbing was brought to the hospital.
3 1 of 3 Brian J. Wilson / Contributed photo Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Ivoryton Playhouse / Contributed photo Show More Show Less 3 of 3





ESSEX  Sanne Zwikker, a 14-year-old Dutch-American violinist from New York City, will give a free solo concert at the Ivoryton Playhouse Sept. 27 at 7 p.m.

The repertoire will include works from Bach, Partita No. 1 in B minor and Sonata No.1 in G minor; as well as technical compositions from Paganini, Caprice No. 11 and No. 20.
MIDDLETOWN  We have reached the fall season in Middlesex County, and the chamber continues to be on the move.

This weeks calendar includes important meetings of our Westbrook Division, Womens Leadership Collaborative, Chamber Finance Committee, and our Holiday on Main Street Planning Committee.

After a brief summer hiatus, the Westbrook Division will meet on Zoom Tuesday at 8 a.m. The gathering will feature updates from local leaders, business owners, members of the General Assembly, and the chamber team.

The Womens Leadership Collaborative meeting, led by Chairwoman Barbara Taylor-Hatje, will be also be held Tuesday morning. It will feature planning discussions for the groups events and activities in late 2021 and early 2022.

The chambers Finance Committee, also known as The Big 8, has been meeting throughout the COVID-19 pandemic to discuss the state of the chambers financials. This group of dedicated and engaged chamber members continues to do great work as we navigate this ever-changing climate.

The Holiday on Main Street Committee will meet Friday at 8:30 a.m. to continue its planning for this years event, dubbed The Magic of Middletown, scheduled for late November through early to mid-December. I will have much more information as the busy holiday season approaches.

Honoring Biagio Ciotto

On Thursday evening, there is a celebration of life and launch of the Biagio Billy & Jeanne Ciotto Memorial Fund at the Tunxis Pavilion Country Club. This was created to honor the legacy of Billy and Jeanne Ciotto, who were married for over 66 years, and made an indelible impact on the entire state of Connecticut.

I was fortunate to know Billy well and to work with him for several years. For 42 years, he worked for the Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles as deputy commissioner from 1987-89. He was elected to the state Senate in 1994, and served six terms representing the towns of Wethersfield, Newington, Rocky Hill, Cromwell, and part of Middletown.

He was extremely well-liked and well-respected by both sides of the aisle, and by all of those he worked with during his time in office. He then went on to work for U.S. Congressman John Larson in a constituent service role, a role that suited Billy perfectly.

Billy Ciotto was one of the best. He was a strong supporter of our chamber, a fixture at our member breakfast meetings, and a friend to countless people around the state and country.

Business milestone

On Friday evening, I look forward to celebrating the 51st year of continuous operation for LABCO Welding, as well as the partial retirement of Vinnie LaBella. After completing eight great years in Rockfall, LABCO moved to the industrial park in Middletown over 43 years ago.

The company has expanded five times, doubled its employment over the years, and served as an outstanding corporate citizen in our city and beyond. I am very grateful that LABCO has been a member of the Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce for over 40 years.

It is an outstanding local company, and we are lucky to have it in Middletown and in Middlesex County. Thank you, Vinnie LaBella and LABCO Welding for your commitment to our community.

Amistad to dock at Harbor Park

This weekend will feature the return of the Amistad to Middletown. The historic ship will dock at Harbor Park as they pay honor to, and acknowledge, the resiliency and determination of the Mende captives during the 1839 Amistad Uprising.

The schooners visit Saturday will feature on-board tours of the flagship, along with other culturally enriching opportunities.

It is amazing that 21 years has passed since the Amistads last visit to Middletown, and I, for one, am very much looking forward to its return. For information, please contact the Middletown Arts & Culture Office or visit discoveringamistad.org.

Career fair

To close out this weeks column, I want to make everyone aware that the Middlesex County Career Fair is making its return after a year off due to the pandemic. It is set for Oct. 13 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Courtyard by Marriott in Cromwell. This important event will feature over 40 employers that are now hiring.

The Middlesex County Career Fair is sponsored by the Connecticut Department of Labor, Workforce Alliance and Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce.

This event comes at a particularly important time for our workforce and regional economy. We hear every day from employers having a difficult time filling open positions and retaining good employees. This is especially true of key industry sectors for our economy.

The chamber strives to be a bridge between job seekers and employers, and our career fair has always been an important part of this effort.

I want to take a moment to thank state Department of Labor Commissioner Dante Bartolomeo and Workforce Alliance President and CEO Bill Villano for supporting this effort, and longtime support of workforce development in our state.

To register your organization to be a part of this results-oriented career fair, or to view our current listing of participating companies, please visit middlesexchamber.com/careerfair.

The sun always shines in Middlesex County!

Larry McHugh is president of the Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce in Middletown.
Iran is ramping up threats of revenge for the January 2020 U.S. drone strike that killed Maj. Gen. Qasem Soleimani, while the U.S. is warning of swift and devastating retaliation to any attack.

The threats, from Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and a top commander, come as the first anniversary of the Jan. 3 death of Soleimani in Baghdad approaches, raising tensions in a region where the U.S. has already carried out a precautionary buildup of forces.

Rouhani said President Donald Trump had committed an "unforgivable crime" in ordering the killing of Soleimani, who commanded the Quds Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Iran's semi-official Fars news agency reported.

Read Next: The Air Force Has Big Plans for Its Flying Car in 2021

The Iranian president echoed the Dec. 16 speech of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khameini, who said Iran had a "definite plan" for revenge against the U.S.

Maj. Gen. Abdolrahim Mousavi, commander of Iran's army, said Thursday that Iran was poised with a "hand holding a sword and a sledgehammer" to strike against Soleimani's killers, according to Iran's Tasnim news agency, which has close ties to the IRGC.

Trump's apparent red line for a retaliatory strike is the death of an American in an attack by Iran or its regional proxies.

Following rocket attacks on the U.S. Baghdad Embassy's "Green Zone" Dec. 19, Trump issued a warning in a Twitter post.

"Some friendly health advice to Iran," he wrote. "If one American is killed, I will hold Iran responsible. Think it over."

In precautionary moves, the U.S. moved the aircraft carrier Nimitz and its strike group back into the region this month. As of Tuesday, the Nimitz was off the coast of Somalia to safeguard the withdrawal of U.S. troops, according to U.S. Africa Command. On Thursday, however, the Associated Press reported the carrier was leaving the region.

On Wednesday, two U.S. B-52 Stratofortress bombers flew over the Persian Gulf, avoiding Iranian airspace in a 36-hour show-of-force mission from Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota, U.S. Central Command said. It was the third time in six weeks that U.S. B-52s had flown near Iran.

"We do not seek conflict, but no one should underestimate our ability to defend our forces or to act decisively in response to any attack," Marine Gen. Frank McKenzie, commander of U.S. Central Command, said in a statement Wednesday. "The U.S. continues to deploy combat-ready capabilities into the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility to deter any potential adversary."

One of the main concerns for the U.S. is possible attack by Iran-backed Iraqi militias. The Jan. 3 drone strike at Baghdad's main airport that killed Soleimani also killed Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, leader of the Iranian-backed Kataib Hezbollah militia in Iraq.

-- Richard Sisk can be reached at Richard.Sisk@Military.com.

Related: Iran Allocated Payments to Families of Ukraine Crash Victims
The U.S. Army violated federal law by refusing to pay dual housing allowances to reservists on assignment in Europe and erred by taking disciplinary actions against them, a review board said in a ruling that also recoups a total of $500,000 for seven soldiers.

The decision Friday by the Army Board for the Correction of Military Records could have ramifications for numerous other troops and cost the Army millions more.

Army finance officials' decisions that "gave rise to the investigative and disciplinary actions ... were erroneously executed and erroneously implemented," the board ruled.

The board said the service must start paying back the reservists no later than October, and their records are to be cleared of wrongdoing.

A federal court had ordered the board to consider the cases of the reservists, who sued the Army in 2018. Patrick Hughes, a former Air Force attorney now with the Patriots Law Group, said the Army owes about $500,000 in compensation for the denied payments and the debts the reservists incurred.

Hughes said the next step is to obtain payouts for other soldiers who were ensnared by the Army's faulty interpretation of regulations. He is preparing a wider class-action case against the Army that could have tens of millions of dollars at stake.

"We think there could be thousands of soldiers who were affected," Hughes said.

At issue in the case was a contention by Army finance officials in Europe that reservists who mobilized from the U.S. weren't entitled to a basic housing allowance for their American residence and an overseas housing allowance if the Army could not provide on-post accommodations.

For years, reservists received dual allowances when mobilized. Unlike active-duty troops, who move with their household goods, reservists generally are activated for shorter assignments and must maintain two households if the Army can't provide base housing.

But around 2016, Army finance officials in Europe changed their interpretation of the federal Joint Travel Regulation. As a result, reservists received only one allowance. The erroneous interpretation led the Army to take multiple "unjust actions," the board said when detailing the case of Maj. William Colin Schneck in its ruling.

After years of investigating, Hughes said he had concluded that the problem can be traced to Army finance officials in Germany who came up with a "half-cocked idea" to save money.

"That idea ended up getting endorsed by Army G-1, and there you are," Hughes said, referring to the Army's highest-level personnel office.

The Army board issued seven decisions, one for each reservist in the Patriots Law Group case, and it came to the same conclusion in each one: The Army erred by denying dual housing allowances and seeking recoupment of past payments.

The board also ordered the service to take other steps, including deleting all negative findings, such as letters of reprimand or files stored in Army criminal databases, from the soldiers' records.

In addition, the ruling directed the Army to authorize special selection boards to determine whether promotions are now in order for the affected troops.

Schneck, who is owed about $56,000, remains infuriated that the board's action came only after a yearslong legal battle and the threat of a federal lawsuit.

"No soldier should have to pay to make the Army do the right thing," he said. "The Army has left me to piece my career back together in the aftermath alone."

The other reservists who sued are Bradley Wolfing, Ryan Mirabal, Alexander Gardiner, James Copas, Timothy Kibodeaux and Louis Morelli.

Hughes said that besides the financial fallout, his clients were denied promotions, and some were forced out of the service. The damage lingered for some reservists in the civilian sector, he added. Those who had been flagged in criminal databases had difficulty passing background checks.

While the board's ruling Friday applied only to the seven reservists involved in the Patriots Law Group's lawsuit, a legal precedent has now been established and other lawsuits are in the works, Hughes said.

A related case that could underpin a class-action suit involves Col. Richard Gulley, who is now retired. He was ordered to repay $135,500 of his housing allowance.

Gulley said that over five years, he was subjected to repeated investigations, harassment and even arrest by Army criminal investigators while serving as a U.S. Africa Command deputy chief of staff in 2017.

Gulley, a commercial airline pilot, was charged with fraud and larceny by the Army just before his 2017 retirement but never was prosecuted. He said he still faces questioning over the issue every time he passes through customs as part of his job.

He and others involved in the cases against the Army say they repeatedly sought support from their representatives in Congress to investigate the matter, but they say action was never taken.

In commenting on the board's ruling, Gulley recounted the ordeal the Army put him through as a result of the erroneous interpretation.

"It took four-and-a-half years to solve what any first-year law student could have understood correctly," Gulley said. "I had to endure four investigations in six years, three arrests, CID harassment, assassination of my character and multiple secondary legal consequences due to the Army's lack of leadership with regards to reserve travel regulations."
LINCOLN, Maine  A U.S. Army special forces soldier who died while performing a rescue of a downed helicopter crew in Somalia was immortalized Monday with a memorial in his hometown.

Master Sgt. Gary Gordon, a native of Lincoln, Maine, pleaded to be allowed to protect the helicopter crew members against a mob in Mogadishu in 1993. He and another soldier were killed.

The pilot who survived was among those in attendance for the unveiling of the memorial for the Medal of Honor recipient.

Republican Sen. Susan Collins, who attended Monday's event, said the "integrity, devotion to duty, and courage that Master Sergeant Gordon demonstrated in Somalia nearly three decades ago were forged right here in Lincoln, in his family and in this community.

The memorial consists of a statue of Gordon holding a rifle with a scope atop a base engraved with his name.

Gordon was a Delta Force sniper. He was portrayed by Nikolaj Coster-Waldau in the 2001 movie Black Hawk Down.

The day began with U.S. forces doing battle with a Somali warlord's soldiers. During the battle, two U.S. helicopters were shot down, and one of the crashed choppers was isolated from U.S. forces.

Aloft in another helicopter, Gordon asked twice, and was turned down both times, to be allowed to help the unprotected crew. He and Sgt. 1st Class Randy Shughart were granted permission after a third request.

The pilot of the aircraft that inserted him said no one in their right mind would have asked to do that," said retired Col. Ron Russell, a veteran of the battle who spoke at the memorial's dedication.

During the rescue, Gordon and Shughart pulled the injured pilot, Chief Warrant Officer 3 Michael Durant, from the helicopter. Durant, a native of Berlin, New Hampshire, was in attendance at Monday's ceremony.

The soldiers understood the Ranger and Special Forces creed that I will never fail my comrades, Russell said.

There were comrades in arms down below them who needed their help, and they were determined to provide it, Russell said. Gordon and Shughart were both killed by enemy fire.
ELIZABETHTOWN, Ky.  A former Army major accused of killing three neighbors to eliminate a witness in a court-martial has been sentenced to life in prison, Kentuckys attorney general said.

Christian Richard Martin will not be eligible for parole, according to a statement Thursday from Attorney General Daniel Cameron. Jurors convicted Martin after a two-week trial in June in the deaths of Calvin and Pamela Phillips and Edward Dansereau in Pembroke.

The case attracted national attention four years after the 2015 killings when Martin, who was a pilot for an American Airlines subsidiary when he was arrested, was pulled off a jet in handcuffs before taking off from the Louisville airport.

Special prosecutor Barbara Whaley said during the trial that Martin had motive to kill neighbor Calvin Phillips because he was set to testify in a court-martial that could have ended Martins Army career, news outlets reported. His wife and Dansereau were in the wrong place at the wrong time, she said.

Whaley said a shell casing at the scene was shown to have been fired from a .45-caliber handgun found in a safe in Martins home across the street and that Martins dog tags were found in the couples home.

Defense attorney Tom Griffiths said theres forensic proof that the bullets that killed the victims did not come from his clients gun. He also noted there were no eyewitnesses, no DNA and no fingerprints. He said evidence pointing to his client could have been planted.

Martin was ultimately discharged from the Army and sentenced to 90 days in jail after being convicted by the military court of mishandling classified information and assault on a child, Cameron said.
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 be more excited than threatening.

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.
SEOUL, South Korea  South Korea on Sunday urged North Korea to restore dormant communication hotlines, a day after the North repeated an offer to open conditional talks.

The North might be seeking to extract concessions about two weeks after it raised tensions by carrying out its first missile tests in six months. North Korea has twice reached out to South Korea saying its open to talks if conditions are met.

Kim Yo Jong, the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, said Saturday the two Koreas can take steps toward reconciliation if South Korea abandons hostile polices and double-dealing standards.

She didnt elaborate on what specific steps she wants South Korea to take. But some experts say North Korea wants South Korea to play a role in winning relief from U.S.-led sanctions, getting aid, or receiving other concessions such as international recognition as a nuclear weapons state.

On Sunday, South Koreas Unification Ministry called Kim Yo Jongs statement meaningful," saying the South has been consistently pushing to achieve denuclearization and peace on the Korean Peninsula through dialogue.

To hold talks on beginning steps toward reconciliation, a ministry statement said that suspended cross-border communication lines must be reactivated quickly to promote stable communications between the divided countries. It said Seoul hopes the two Koreas can resume talks on many pending issues.

The South Korean statement refers to a set of phone- and fax-like communication channels between the rivals, which have been largely dormant for more than a year. The two Koreas briefly resumed communications over the channels for about two weeks this summer, but North Korea later refused to exchange messages again after Seoul staged annual military drills with Washington.

Earlier this month, North Korea carried out tests of ballistic and cruise missiles in its first such launches since March, displaying an ability to attack South Korea and Japan, both key U.S. allies. North Korea still maintains a moratorium on testing longer-range missiles capable of reaching the American homeland, a suggestion that it wants to keep alive the chances for future diplomacy with the U.S.

Relations between the Koreas flourished in 2018, when Seoul helped arrange high-profile nuclear diplomacy between Washington and Pyongyang, including a summit between Kim Jong Un and then-U.S. President Donald Trump. But Pyongyang cut off ties with Seoul after the Kim-Trump diplomacy broke down in 2019 due to disputes over the U.S.-led sanctions.

The recent North Korean outreach came as a response to South Korean President Moon Jae-ins renewed calls for a political declaration to officially end the 1950-53 Korean War as a way to promote peace. The Korean War ended with an armistice, not a peace treaty, leaving the Korean Peninsula still technically at war.

As possible reconciliation steps, Kim Yo Jong floated the idea of announcing the wars end as Moon wished, rebuilding a joint liaison office that North Korea destroyed last year and holding an inter-Korean summit.

North Koreas already devastated economy has suffered further recent setbacks from the coronavirus pandemic, which has decimated its external trade, mostly with its last major ally, China. Kim Jong Un has said his country faces the "worst-ever crisis due to a combination of the pandemic, the sanctions and natural disasters last year.

Its unclear if the Norths outreach would provide it with badly needed sanctions relief and other rewards. U.S. officials have repeatedly expressed hopes to sit down for talks with North Korea, but have also made it clear they will continue sanctions until the North takes concrete steps toward denuclearization.
Alex Perez lives in San Antonio, Texas. He has an art degree, as well as a four-year degree from the University of the Incarnate Word with a specialty in computer information systems. Perez worked as a network administrator at a local nonprofit nursing agency, as well as a network administrator at a local school district before retiring in 2000 for medical reasons. In April 1993, he medically retired from the Navy as a master chief gas turbine specialist (E-9). This piece is part of a 5,000-word manuscript Perez is writing.

The opinions expressed in this op-ed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Military.com. If you would like to submit your own commentary, please send your article to opinions@military.com for consideration.

On April 14, 1988, the USS Samuel B. Roberts guided missile frigate had already escorted several oil tankers in and out of the Persian Gulf during the war between Iran and Iraq, but by late in the afternoon, the situation changed. At 4:39 p.m., I had just come off watch in CCS (central control station) and was sitting in the chiefs mess when I suddenly felt a rumbling and vibration coming from a propeller shaft. It was a good indication that main engines were slowing the ship down, and I could feel the ship coming to an abrupt stop.

Capt. Paul Rinn, the skipper of the Roberts, announced that the ship had entered a minefield. He called for general quarters  an order to head to our battle stations  and I, like everyone else, headed toward my GQ station. When I got to the main engine room, I secured the doors behind me and manned the auxiliary local operating panel  the LOP. The LOP could take control of the main engines in case CCS lost electrical signal to the engines.

As soon as the other crew members arrived  Petty Officer David J. Burbine, Fireman Apprentice Wayne Smith, and Petty Officer Larry Welch  I put on my headset and reported to CCS that the main engine room was manned and ready.

We got word from CCS that the skipper was going to try to back the ship out of the minefield. I could feel the ship move. CCS alerted everyone that they should come up from the lower levels of the ship and move to the upper spaces of the engine rooms. I figured the skipper worried that if the ship happened to hit a mine, it would hit the lower part of the hull.

Hold on to something! I yelled, as the ship continued to back out of the minefield.

I grasped the rail of the local console in front of me and braced for anything that might happen. After a minute or so, I felt and heard the eerie screeching sound of metal hitting metal coming from behind me near the bottom of the ship. I slowly looked toward the sound. I stared at the bulkhead behind me in anticipation of what was about to happen.

Just across from my station, an Iranian mine detonated, lifting and shaking the ship like a rag doll. The explosion created a 20-foot hole along the bottom of the ships hull under the Alpha main engine. I saw a ball of flame and felt a rush of hot air on my face and arms.

The blast threw me up against the console and then pushed me back between two enclosures where all the electronics for the engines were located. That small, cramped space provided a haven from the blast, preventing the fire from directly touching me. The bulkhead right behind me caught the blast and saved my life by preventing metal debris from directly hitting me. The sound of the explosion deafened my ears, and the blast knocked me unconscious.

As I came to, I could hear the rumbling of fire and smell burning oil around me. Then the engine room went dark as the flames burned themselves out. The battery-powered battle lanterns flickered on. I was drenched with oil, fuel, and seawater. My eyes stung, and my head pulsed with pain. I could not hear anything except a nonstop ringing in my head. I staggered toward the area where the others were supposed to be, but no one was there. They had already evacuated the engine room.

I guessed that I had been out for a few minutes, but I wanted to evaluate the situation while I was still there so I could make a report.

I could hear the rush of seawater into the lower level from the ruptured hull. Although I felt dizzy, I managed to reach the starboard side and stepped down the ladder toward the lower level of the engine room to investigate. I heard the water rushing into the ship, and I decided to try to activate the shaft seal, which, when inflated, would close off space around the shaft and between the engine room and the adjacent compartment space, preventing water from spreading.

As soon as I reached the area, an explosion of water rushed into the engine room space. The water lifted me like a cork, and I knocked my head against the metal grating of the upper-level deck. The water rose over the height of the upper deck and pushed me against the metal. There was no room for me to breathe. I held my breath, gulping in air every time I had a chance.

The water settled back down. I was able to gasp for air by pressing my lips between the metal gratings. The ship started to rock side to side, giving me time to catch breaths between the rolling waves of water.

Battle lanterns were on, but they were underwater, so they emitted a dim light. I waited patiently, hoping someone would come and inspect the damage to the engine room. After a few minuteswhich felt like hoursI saw someones flashlight approaching my location.

It was one of the electricians. I startled him by yelling at him from underneath the grate where he walked. As he rushed off to get help, I thought to myself, Well, at least I have a chance now, and I havent heard abandon ship yet.

When help arrived, I asked for a wrench to remove the metal bolts holding down the deck plating, but it was impossible to maneuver the tools and try to steady myself in the water. The wrench slipped out of my oily hands, and it dropped straight into the dark water.

The engine room was hot, and thick smoke permeated the whole space.

Al, over here! I heard a voice yell out.

Chief Petty Officer Robert Bent, the lead electrician and my best friend on board, happened upon a loose deck plate on the opposite side of the engine room. I looked past the jagged metal in front of me and decided I had to try to find my way around to the opening. Bent used a flashlight to shine a path to the opening, but the water was dark, and I could not see the light even a few inches in the oily seawater.

I held my breath and ducked my head into the dark water. I immediately struck my head on a jagged piece of metal just below the surface. I floated there for a moment and called myself an idiot, and then proceeded to try again.

This time, I held my hands in front of me. I kept running into dead ends. I had to emerge several times for air. I did not know how much time I had. I started to panic, thinking I was taking too much time away from saving or abandoning the ship.

After several attempts, I reached the loose plate, and my crewmates pulled me up from the water. They strapped me onto a stretcher.

I had spent almost three years with most of these shipmates, and we all trained and prepared for an event like this. Today was test day. Today, we would showcase our talents and devotion to our country. This was the moment. This was the time.

Burbine and Welch, along with Smith and I, were eventually transported by aircraft from Bahrain to Ramstein Air Base in Germany for medical care, then to the United States for further treatment. When I arrived, I was admitted to Bethesda Naval Hospital in Maryland. There I was placed in a body case. I had a concussion, third-degree burns, smoke inhalation, a blood clot in my lung, a lacerated left eye, and multiple fractures on my spine. After I was stable, I was transferred to Fort Sam Houston Spinal Center in Texas.

The other three members of the crew had already been admitted earlier in the week and were being treated for second- and third-degree burns in the burn ward. I began rehab to try to strengthen my back and legs. I was there for six weeks.

While we were there, hundreds of get well cards and letters from school kids, family, friends, old schoolmates, and other people were delivered to the hospital as everyone found out about the explosion in the Gulf.

Vice Adm. Joseph Donnell presented Burbine, Welch, Smith, and me with the Purple Heart for the injuries we sustained in the Persian Gulf on board our ship. It was an honor to receive the medal, but I appreciated even more that all four of us and others on board did not lose our lives during that explosion. The overwhelming courage of Capt. Rinn and the crew saved the shipand demonstrated how well everyone worked together as a team.

Editors Note: This article first appeared on The War Horse, an award-winning nonprofit news organization educating the public on military service. Subscribe to their newsletter
In a small area of Northern France, in a town called Seringes-et-Nesles, is a cemetery filled with soldiers who died fighting to keep France from falling to the Kaisers Germany during WWI.

The cemetery, Oise-Aisne American Cemetery, holds the remains of 6,012 soldiers in plots A-D, some unidentified, as well as a memorial to the almost 300 who went missing and were never found. There are many interesting side stories about this cemetery. Famous poet Joyce Kilmer is buried here. The tombs of the unknown are marked with the same epitaph as the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery.

The most infamous stories, however, lie in plot E.

Oise-Aisne American Cemetery and Memorial (Photo by Victor Grigas/Wikimedia Commons)

Officially Plot E does not exist. The 100-by-54 foot oval does not appear on maps, pamphlets, or on any websites. Ninety-six white markers the size of index cards, carrying only a small ID number litter the ground in Plot E, overlooked by a single granite cross. No U.S. flag is allowed to fly over it. The bodies are interred with their backs to the four plots across the street.

Plot E now contains the remains of 94 bodies. Across the street, unmarked, surrounded by thick shrubs and undergrowth, and accessible only through the supervisors office, the infamous fifth plot inters the Dishonorable Dead, Americans dishonorably discharged by the U.S. Army before being executed for crimes like rape and murder during or shortly after WWII.

This Cemetery Is the Final Resting Place for the Armys Dishonorable Dead (Wikimedia Commons)

With the exception of the infamous deserter Eddie Slovik (who was buried here after becoming the first soldier since the Civil War to be tried and executed for desertion  his remains have since been repatriated), each criminal faced the firing squad or the hangmans rope for the murder of 26 fellow American soldiers and 71 British, French, German, Italian, Polish and Algerian civilians (both male and female) who were raped or murdered.

British murder victim Elizabeth Green (age 15) was raped and strangled by Corporal Ernest Lee Clarke (Grave 68) and Private Augustine M. Guerra (Grave 44). Louis Till (Grave 73), the father of American Civil Rights Icon Emmett Till, was hanged for his part in the murder of an Italian woman in 1944. Sir Eric Teichman was shot in the head by George E. Smith (Grave 52) in December 1944 after Smith was found poaching on his estate. Smith was hanged on V-E Day.

The Army executed a total of 98 servicemen for these kinds of crimes during WWII. While they were originally buried near the site of their execution, in 1949 they were all reinterred to where they are today.

More articles from We Are the Mighty:

Good news, airmen: The Air Force put all of your basic training photos online

This is how Marine infantrymen prepare for a hike

Here is how the Allies planned to evacuate wounded before D-Day

We Are The Mighty (WATM) celebrates service with stories that inspire. WATM is made in Hollywood by veterans. It's military life presented like never before. Check it out at We Are the Mighty.

Keep Up With the Best in Military Entertainment

Whether you're looking for news and entertainment, thinking of joining the military or keeping up with military life and benefits, Military.com has you covered. Subscribe to the Military.com newsletter to have military news, updates and resources delivered straight to your inbox.
Airports, airlines, services companies, and travellers still have a long wait until global air traffic returns to normal. So far, the recovery has proven to be uneven by region and uncertainty regarding a spike in COVID-19 cases from the delta variant is clouding the industry's prospects, says S&P Global Ratings.

In a report titled "Airports Face A Long Delay To Global Air Traffic Recovery", the ratings agency says it believes the long-anticipated recovery may be pushed well into 2022 or later, particularly if intercontinental air traffic remains subdued, vulnerable as it is to pandemic-related travel restrictions and sluggish business travel.

According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), domestic travel numbers reached 85% of the 2019 level in July this year across the Americas and Asia, but international traffic only 26% signals an uneven and protracted recovery of global air traffic.

S&P says the situation is mixed in Asia-Pacific, where international travel through Australian airports is just 1%-3% of that in 2019. Although domestic air travel increased to 60%-80%, frequent lockdowns have led to significant.

"The upswing in domestic air travel during the summer contributed to the return of our outlooks on US airports to stable this year, even though the spread of the delta variant of the coronavirus has triggered a more cautious near-term stance," the ratings agency says.

S&P says the resurgence of domestic air travel--which usually accounts for 75%-80% of total air traffic in the USaccelerated throughout the second quarter (Q2) of 2021, leading to a strong summer for airlines and airports. In July, pent-up demand for holidays and leisure travel pushed US air traffic to almost 85% of pre-pandemic levels.

According to recent data, the momentum is likely to taper off in Q4 due to the industry's typical seasonality, alongside an increase in COVID-19 cases that appears to be affecting bookings.

Nonetheless, S&P says, the rebound in traffic and billions of dollars in direct Federal support have stabilised US airport operators' credit profiles.

"As we expected, business travel and intercontinental flightswhich generate a disproportionate share of traffic by revenue passenger kilometres (RPKs) because of the distances involved--have not fared as well. Data from some American airlines show that business-travel passenger numbers stood at roughly 40% of pre-pandemic levels at the end of Q2. Business travel faces additional vulnerability, since some companies' shift to virtual meetings may become permanent," S&P says.

Across the Atlantic, Europe's lack of a sizeable domestic aviation market, cross-border restrictions, emergence of COVID-19 hotspots, and slow vaccination rollouts mean that air travel is trailing far behind the US.

IATA data from May 2021 indicates that air travel across Europe, as measured in RPK, slumped to just 15% of the pre-pandemic level before a modest increase to 23% in June.

What is more, cumulated traffic in January-July 2021 was weaker than S&P's projections, generally reaching a mere 20%-25% of 2019 levels.

"In Europe, however, air traffic reached only 20%-25% of 2019 levels in January-July and almost all our airport ratings still carry negative outlooks; even if traffic picks up to about 40%, the full-year average will be at the bottom of the 30%-50% range we expected," it added.

According to the report, Latin American airports are not recovering at the same pace. The Mexican and Caribbean markets benefited from the summer upturn, seeing a strong recovery as US residents opted for destinations closer to home for their annual vacations.

"This translated into recovery in July 2021 to 80% of the 2019 level, which is much stronger than 56% for Brazil's domestic air traffic in the same period. Air travel growth in the region also contributed to the return to a stable outlook for our rating on the airport in the Dominican Republic. Recovery prospects also allowed Panama's airport to complete a liability management exercise that shifted the maturity of its notes to 2061."

On another positive note, during the peak of the pandemic in 2020, globally, only two issuers, Argentina-based Aeropuertos Argentina 2000 and Uruguay-based ACI Airport Sudamerica SA, undertook distressed debt exchanges, the ratings agency points out.
The Income Tax (I-T) department last week carried out a search and seizure operation on a group of four major steel rolling mills based at Jalna in Maharashtra. Evidence detected so far indicates that unaccounted income is likely to exceed Rs300 crore and these four companies have already disclosed additional income to the extent of Rs71 crore consequent to the search, the I-T dept says in a release.

It says, "The evidence found also indicate the laundering of a substantial amount of unaccounted income earned by the companies in the guise of share premium and unsecured loans using shell companies. Evidence for unaccounted purchases over Rs200 crore has been found. Huge quantity of unaccounted stock was also found in the factory premises of the companies."

These companies manufacture steel thermomechanical treatment (TMT) bars and billets, primarily using steel scrap as raw material. The release says that the search operation was conducted in more than 32 premises spread across Jalna, Aurangabad, Pune, Mumbai, and Kolkata.
Do you know that RBI is winding up its customer services department and also BCSBI (Banking Codes and Standards Board of India)? asked a rather agitated former bank chairman who was instrumental in the creation of BCSBI along with the late SS Tarapore.

The dissolution of BCSBI, a well-meaning but deeply flawed organisation, was long overdue. Announced in the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) annual report, in August 2020, it went largely unnoticed due to the disruption caused by the COVID pandemic. The winding up of RBIs customer services department is what interest us more.

RBIs annual report in August says that the CEPD (consumer education and protection department) will now look at grievance redress; do a root-cause analysis of complaints; review the banking ombudsman scheme, consider extending the internal ombudsman concept to non-banking finance companies; review its consumer education cells and set up an interactive voice response system (IVRS) for online support to the complainants.

I have it on very good authority that RBI is serious about better grievance redress system. There is already some indication of which way the wind is blowing. On 2nd December, the powerful HDFC Bank was, finally, whacked with stiff punishment for the frequent outages in its Internet and mobile banking and payment utilities over the past two years. The Bank has been told to temporarily stop all business-generating tech applications and sourcing of new credit cards until its systems are fixed.

Given the ferocious rate at which the Bank works at getting new businesses, this is a far stiffer punishment than a mere fine. HDFC Bank is Indias most valuable bank and the action sends a powerful signal to other banks, including public sector banks (PSBs), which are notorious for systemic issues. In December, RBI governor Shaktikanta Das said that RBI planned to institute a disincentive-cum-incentive framework to encourage banks to improve their grievance redress mechanism. This also sounds encouraging. But an institutional mechanism works only when there is a clear-headed understanding of pain points along with intent to work for customers, rather than banks. I would submit that RBI has been tinkering with institutional mechanisms for well over a decade, at great cost, and repeatedly failed because it does not engage with customers for feedback; most of its interactions are with banks or data submitted by banks and various government-sponsored consumer helplines. The latter is useful but limited.

RBI has even gone so far as to take the stand that customers cannot use litigation as a weapon to challenge financial or economic decisions, such as levy of surcharge on credit and debit cards, in a public interest litigation (PIL) filed in the Delhi High Court.

Consider these examples of how institutional mechanisms havent worked.

BCSBI: Set up in 2006 due to mounting consumer complaints, BCSBI is a classic example of how good intention disconnected from ground reality will end up in a disaster. In fact, our cover story in 2017, titled Set up in 2006 due to mounting consumer complaints, BCSBI is a classic example of how good intention disconnected from ground reality will end up in a disaster. In fact, our cover story in 2017, titled Your Friendly Bankster had categorically suggested that it should be shut down. Housed in a sprawling office, fully funded by RBI (initially) and headed by a retired deputy governor (later funded by Indian Banks Association and headed by a retired public sector bank chief), BSCBI was never likely to be an independent watchdog for consumers or ever bark at its masters. So, the organisation spent time on pointless codes and customer surveys. That it is being dissolved and not morphed into yet another white elephant (like Planning Commission into NITI Aayog) itself deserves kudos.

Consumer Charter and Internal Ombudsman: In December 2014, under governor Raghuram Rajan, RBI first created a framework for consumer protection which ought to have been BCSBIs first task. It was a consultative process that identified five basic rights of bank customers as: right to fair treatment; right to transparency, fair and honest dealing; right to suitability; right to privacy; and right to grievance redress and compensation. Unfortunately, these have ended up like commandments with no consequences for violation. Expectedly, banks simply ignore them. The charter itself, under pressure from banks, had dropped the right to non-discriminatory treatment, which is why the unfair practice of offering lower interest to new borrowers, while harassing existing ones on reduction of floating rate interest continues, despite our In December 2014, under governor Raghuram Rajan, RBI first created a framework for consumer protection which ought to have been BCSBIs first task. It was a consultative process that identified five basic rights of bank customers as: right to fair treatment; right to transparency, fair and honest dealing; right to suitability; right to privacy; and right to grievance redress and compensation. Unfortunately, these have ended up like commandments with no consequences for violation. Expectedly, banks simply ignore them. The charter itself, under pressure from banks, had dropped the right to non-discriminatory treatment, which is why the unfair practice of offering lower interest to new borrowers, while harassing existing ones on reduction of floating rate interest continues, despite our PIL in the Supreme Court in this regard.

The Present: On 18th December, RBI board reviewed RBIs customer education initiatives and resolution of customer complaints. It will be interesting to know what material was presented to the board and how it was presented.

In the past three years, the functioning of the banking ombudsmans office has, indeed, improved. From a rejection rate of over 57% of cases as non-maintainable just three years ago, it is down to 29% and the number of cases settled through mutual settlement is also at a high of 70%. But the awards against banks, at 0.11% or just 98 out of over 1.94 lakh complaints, seems abysmally low. More importantly, at Moneylife Foundation , our not-for-profit financial literacy organisation, we have found that awareness about the banking ombudsmans office and its online redress mechanism is itself low.

Now here is an idea. RBI governor Shaktikanta Das is a rare bureaucrat and central bank governor who is on Twitter. Last week, he tweeted that RBI(@RBI) twitter account has over one million followers. But this account is a mere broadcast channel. There is no evidence that it monitors feedback. As a first step to better grievance redress and customer services, it would be nice if RBI were more active on Twitter.

The late Sushma Swaraj had won hearts by doing it effectively for Indians abroad. The Mumbai police, Mumbai municipal corporation and many others have been doing it well too. Why not RBI? Just the fact that RBI is watching will ensure that all banks respond seriously to grievances on social media, instead of posting automated responses through bots.

I experimented with this idea, by sending the tweet below on 22nd December, asking people to highlight customer service issues that agitated them the most.

So folks, request feedback. What according to you are the customer services issues at Banks that agitate you the most? Mis-selling, high charges, tech failures, poor service? What else? Request RT please . Earnestly request serious answers on topic! #BankChargespic.twitter.com/zRVKbgvcuT  Sucheta Dalal (@suchetadalal) December 21, 2020

Here is what I found:

The number one complaint is mis-selling of products, mainly insurance. It often boils down to coercion and extortion and ought to be punishable. Bankers themselves complain about being forced to mis-sell in order to meet corporate targets. RBI has been silent to this egregious loot of depositors.

Cheating borrowers on interest charges and on conversion to lower rates is another widespread complaint.

Technological glitches and poor user experience of their websites and apps is a problem across the system. A root-cause analysis would go back to software giants who have written the core banking software. One recurring complaint that can be easily fixed by prescribing standard templates is that of incomprehensible e-statements with inadequate information.

Harassment of know-your-customer (KYC) updates and the unilateral powers granted to banks to freeze customer accounts causing enormous pain and hardship.

Usurious and unfair charges for services, poor treatment of senior citizens, especially pensioners, frequent outages (especially at PSBs), harassment while closing bank accounts and credit cards, levy of cheque return charges on the receiver who is not at fault, are issues that cause great anger.

Although RBI had cracked down on banks issuing credit cards without customers having specifically asked for them, the feedback indicates that this mischief has started again and needs to be fixed with stringent penalties.

If RBI interacts with actual users, via social media and technology, it can dramatically improve customer services and fair treatment of borrowers. The good news is that RBI has agreed to look at the feedback and there is hope that it will take up such an exercise on its own and give us better banking services.
"The Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act (RERA) has punitive provisions not just for builder or promoter and real estate agents, but also for allottees or buyers. However, RERA is quite strict on promoters and agents and had mandatory compliance provisions," says Sulaiman Bhimani, an RTI activist and Founder-President of Citizens Justice Forum. Following advocacy from consumer organisation, the Central government provided an alternate dispute redress mechanism or conciliation process, which is turning out to be quite useful for buyers, added Ajit V (AV) Shenoy. Both Mr Bhimani and Mr Shenoy were speaking at an special workshop, "RERA: Effective Complaint Filing & Compliance using RTI & How RERA Conciliation Works", organised by Moneylife Foundation's RTI Centre in Mumbai.

According to Mr Bhimani, under the Law, the promoter or builder or developer cannot advertise, book or sell any plot or flat without registering the project with RERA. "Validity of registration remains till the date of completion as stated by the promoter. However, if the promoter tries to sell flats without registering the project with RERA, he is levied a penalty of more than 10% of the estimated cost of the project."

There, however, are certain cases where the promoter is not required to register his project with RERA. "If area of the land to be developed is lower than 500 square meters, or number of apartments are less than eight, or where completion certificate is received prior to 1 May 2017, then he is not required to register the project with RERA," Mr Bhimani, who had exposed several illegal constructions, corruption and land deals relating to SRA and MMRDA, added.

RERA provides a relief for buyers, as there are provision like Section 12 that deals with claiming loss sustained due to incorrect or false statement in advertisement or prospectus. He said, "Section 13 clearly says, if there is no agreement for sale then there is no question of paying any advance or deposit to the builder. Next, section 14, mandates the promoter to adhere to sanctioned plan and not make any changes without nod from the buyers."

Real estate agents are also mandated to register with RERA. "Registration of agents is valid for five years and they are mandated to quote registration number in every sale facilitated by them. Agents are also required to maintain and preserve prescribed books. If the agent fails to follow any of these, he is penalised with around 5% cost of the flat that he had facilitated," Mr Bhimani added.

Talking about responsibility of buyers, Mr Bhimani said, "Under Section 19, buyer has to make payments as per the manner and time fixed in the agreement for sale. Any delay in payment of these charges can attract payment of interest. Buyer has to take physical possession within two months of issuance of occupancy certificate and also participate in formation of a legal entity like society, association of allottees, and co-operative society."

Mr Shenoy, who works with the Consumer Guidance Cell of the Mumbai Grahak Panchayat, then explained the conciliation process under the RERA. He says, "Before RERA came into effect the affected buyers of real estates could only approach the civil courts, criminal courts or consumer forums under the provisions of the Maharashtra Ownership of Flats Act (MOFA) or the Consumer Protection Act 1986. These involved long years of pending cases for affected buyers in one of the above courts and very high legislation costs. At present thousands of cases are pending in various courts across Maharashtra."

When the RERA was being enacted consumer organisations strongly advocated alternate dispute resolution mechanisms to help the affected buyers avoid the above hassles and get quick dispute resolution for the affected parties at low cost by cutting out the delays due to legal wrangles and legal costs. Accordingly, the Central government, while enacting the RERA, provided under Section 32 (g) a provision for amicable settlement of disputes.

"To meet the above obligation Maharashtra RERA (MahaRERA) has set up 10 conciliation benches in Mumbai and five in Pune. Each bench consists of a member each from real estate developers' organisations and one member from a recognised consumer organisation. For the Mumbai and Pune benches National Real Estate Development Council (NAREDCO), Maharashtra Chamber of Housing Industry (MCHI) and Confederation of Real Estate Developers Association of India (CREDAI) are chosen as representing the developers and Mumbai Grahak Panchayat (MGP) has been chosen to represent consumers. Similar benches will be formed in other major cities of Maharashtra progressively based on need," Mr Shenoy added.

The conciliation application process has started from 1 February 2018 and the first conciliation hearings have taken place both at Mumbai and Pune on 10 March 2018.

He expects more and more aggrieved persons will tend to use the conciliation mechanism as it is expected that the duration of the process of conciliation should not exceed 45 days and should be completed in maximum three hearings as, unlike what happens in normal courts, no adjournments are allowed for paltry reasons. He said, "Also as the cost is only Rs1000 it is quite affordable for a common man and no legal fees are involved. This is expected to reduce the number of pending cases in the courts."
By By:

Dr. Francis R. Souder, 85, formerly of Telford, died Wednesday, Oct. 17, 2007 in the skilled nursing unit of Peter Becker Community, Franconia Township. He and his wife Marion R. (Parker) Souder celebrated their 62nd wedding anniversary in July.

Born in Souderton, he was a son of the late Elvin B. and Mary (Rittenhouse) Souder.

A 1938 graduate of Souderton High School, he received his undergraduate degree in 1941 from the University of Pennsylvania where he was a member of the Phi Beta Kappa. Dr. Souder went on to receive his medical degree from Hahnemann Medical College in 1944 and completed his internship at Hahnemann Hospital from Oct. 1944  July, 1945.

He served with the U.S. Navy Medical Corps for 30 months in San Diego and Long Beach, Calif. during WW II and was promoted to the rank of lieutenant prior to his discharge. He entered his second tour of duty during the Korean War where he served in Panama City, Fla. as the medical officer for the Panama City Naval Air Station and the Tyndal Air Force Base.

Dr. Souder owned and operated his family practice on Main Street in Telford from 1947-1989. He served on the staff of Grand View Hospital, and as its president, and taught at the Grand View Hospital Nursing School. He was a member of the Pa. Medical Society, the Bucks County Medical Society, Diplomat American Academy of Family Practices, and served on the board of trustees at Grand View Hospital, Sellersville.

He was a member of Trinity United Church of Christ in Telford, where he sang in the church choir. He was also a member of the MacCalla Lodge #596 in Souderton, the Raja Shrine, and Lehigh Consistory.

In addition to his widow, he is survived by a son, Dr. Ronald L. Souder, and his wife Susan L. of Green Lane; a daughter, Susan J. Souder, and her husband Stephan Russo of New York, N.Y.; five grandchildren: Jennifer A. Souder of Philadelphia; Emily E. Souder of Philadelphia; Kathryn A. Souder of Washington, D.C.; Noah Russo of New York, N.Y., and Rebekah Russo of New York, N.Y., and two brothers: Attorney Elvin B. Souder of Souderton and Dr. Lawrence Souder of Souderton.

Memorial services will be held on Saturday, Nov. 10 at 12 p.m. in Trinity United Church of Christ, 101 S. Main St., Telford, with calling hours following the service.

Interment will be private in Trinity UCC Cemetery Telford.

Memorial contributions may be made to Grand View Hospital, 700 Lawn Ave., Sellersville, Pa. 18960.

Arrangements are by Sadler-Suess Funeral Home, Telford.
There are many parts to the #TexasLife experience, from floating the river to stay cool during brutal summers and defending Whataburger against other states burger chains to, well, literally pledging allegiance to the Lone Star State.

But one curious non-Texan is wondering why living in the state means owning Texas-themed products galore.

On Reddit, user u/FartInMyMouth365 (Im not even going to touch on that) took to the dedicated r/texas channel to ask a simple, but loaded question: Why is everything in Texas Texas themed?

As soon as I crossed the [border] a large number of businesses and billboards just screamed Texas, they shared on the platform earlier this week. Any insight as to why?

Courtesy Gruene Hall /

Plenty of Texans were quick to share their insight  and proudly.

Ill bet your state doesnt have its own pledge of allegiance for students to recite each morning, u/Easy-Adhesiveness337 gloats.

Because anything Oklahoma themed would just be stupid now wouldn't it? asks a sassy u/insertjjs.

The shape [of] our state is superior, states u/izabellizima. You can tell it apart from the others easily.

Dont forget the obligatory You know, Texas was its own country for nine years, reminds u/RampantTycho.

Go into a crowded area and loudly say THE STARS AT NIIIIGHT ARE BIG AND BRIIIIIGHT! If no one responds by clapping four times Ill eat my whole ten gallon hat, jokes u/carpenoctoon, referencing the iconic Deep in the Heart of Texas.

Honestly though, what self-respecting Texan isnt guilty of a little favoritism with the homeland?

As a born and bred Texan, I am guilty of all the Texas-themed mania, probably just like you. Ive owned a river tube, school supplies, and a whole lot of T-shirts just because they had the shape of Texas or the state flags design. Ive bought the Texas-shaped chips at H-E-B, and just about every snack with Texas in its name (because obviously that means its good). And yes, I previously considered getting a tattoo of the shape of Texas.

But also being someone who has lived outside of Texas, I can understand why those not fortunate enough to be native to the Lone Star State dont understand the appeal. Though New York City residents take great pride in their respective borough, I never once encountered someone repping upstate New York in any way, shape, or form when I lived there. And when I resided in Miami, I met folks who took pride in the country they had emigrated from or the U.S. state where they grew up, but never Florida (and for good reason). It seemed that whatever other state came up in conversation, I always got teased a bit more being from Texas given the reputation it gets.

Sure, Texans are deemed as fanatics obsessed with our home state, but thats something most natives will dismiss  and prove  without skipping a beat.

Perhaps u/Biker93 said the simple truth best.

Its just how it is here. Texans love being Texans.
WASHINGTON (AP)  The Biden administration on Monday renewed efforts to shield hundreds of thousands of immigrants who came to the United States as young children from deportation, the latest maneuver in a long-running drama over the policys legality.

The administration proposed a rule that attempts to satisfy concerns of a federal judge in Houston who ruled in July that the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program was illegal, largely because the Obama administration bypassed procedural requirements when it took effect in 2012. The new rule mirrors the Obama-era initiative, recreating the 2012 policy and seeking to put it on firmer ground by going through the federal regulatory process.

U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen, an appointee of President George W. Bush, said the Obama administration overstepped its authority and did not properly seek public feedback. He allowed for renewals to continue but prohibited new enrollments. The Biden administration is appealing.

The 205-page proposal solicits public feedback to address Hanen's concern, though it is unclear if that would be enough. The proposed regulation will be published Tuesday in the Federal Register, triggering a 60-day comment period and ensuring that it is unlikely to take effect for several months.

The office of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who challenged DACA with eight other states before Hanen, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The Obama administration created DACA with a memo issued by then-Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano. It was intended as a stopgap measure until Congress legislated a permanent solution, which never occurred.

And because DACA isn't the product of legislation, it falls into a category of policies that can more easily be changed from one administration to the next. President Donald Trump tried to rescind the DACA memo and end the program, but the Supreme Court concluded he did not go about it properly.

In attempting to shore up DACA through a formal rule  which is a more rigorous process than the original memo, though still not legislation  the Biden administration hopes to gain a legal stamp of approval from the courts.

It seems possible, if not likely, that the Supreme Court will once again be called upon to weigh in, unless Congress acts first.

The Biden administration's move comes as congressional Democrats struggle to include immigration provisions in their 10-year, $3.5 trillion package of social and environment initiatives. Language in that bill helping millions of immigrants remain permanently in the U.S. has been a top goal of progressive and pro-immigration lawmakers, and Democrats cannot afford to lose many votes.

But the Senates nonpartisan parliamentarian said earlier this month the immigration provisions couldnt remain in the sweeping bill because it violated the chambers budget rules.

Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas called again on Monday for Congress to act swiftly to provide the legal status they need and deserve.

The Biden-Harris Administration continues to take action to protect Dreamers and recognize their contributions to this country, said Mayorkas, using a commonly used term for immigrants who came to the U.S. with their parents as young children. This notice of proposed rulemaking is an important step to achieve that goal."

Some pro-immigration advocates echoed Mayorkas' view that the onus is on Congress.

A more formalized version of DACA will stabilize the lives of DACA-eligible Dreamers but legislative action is still needed to fully solidify DACA recipients contributions, expand protections to other Dreamers and build a pathway to permanent legal status, said Ali Noorani, president of the National Immigration Forum. Formalizing DACA is a positive step, but its not a permanent fix."

The Democratic-run House passed legislation earlier this year creating a way for Dreamers to become legal permanent residents, but the bill has gone nowhere in the Senate, where Republicans have blocked it and bipartisan talks have stalled. The Senate parliamentarian's ruling further dampened legislative prospects. Advocates have said they would present alternative immigration provisions in hopes they would be permitted in the bill, but it's not clear that would succeed.

Stephen Yale-Loehr, a professor of immigration law practice at Cornell Law School, said the administration's proposal carries no major changes and "is an effort to bulletproof the existing program from litigation challenges.

The proposal adheres to the same criteria, which include arriving in the country before age 16, continuously residing in the United States since arrival and being in the country on June 15, 2012.

Since 2012, more than 825,000 immigrants have enrolled in DACA.

-

Spagat contributed from San Diego. Associated Press reporters Alan Fram in Washington and Paul Weber in Austin, Texas, contributed.
In a time when there is plenty to fret about, it seems Illinoisans are almost as focused on crime as the pandemic.

A massive analysis by Safewise.com looked at the responses from more than 15,000 people nationwide to determine 64% of people in Illinois worry about their safety every day.

By contrast, 67% of Illinois residents say they worry daily about COVID-19 and the lingering pandemic.

Only New York  at 70%  was higher in crime concerns, according to the study. Vermont was the lowest in the nation, at 18%.

With the global pandemic and widespread civil unrest across the country in 2020, we expected to see general concern on the rise, but it rose by only one percentage point year over year, writes Safewise security expert Rebecca Edwards. We were surprised to see an 8% drop in the overall level of daily concern about safety over the past three years  even though nearly 7 in 10 Americans think crime is increasing.

Violent crime is the most significant fear for Illinoisans, according to the report, with 56% of people worried it could happen to them. That is tied with Nevada for second in the nation and is behind only New York, at 74%.

The worry is not misplaced. Although property crime has dropped 18.5% in Illinois, the violent crime rate per 1,000 people is up 4.1%, Safewise says. Some 13% of those surveyed said they experienced a violent crime in 2020.

About 54% of Illinois residents are worried about becoming victims of property crime  the same amount as is worried about package thefts. Some 23% and 22% reported being the victim of a property crime or package theft in 2020, respectively.

For the third consecutive year, property crime is still the crime Americans feel is most likely to happen to them, and theyre not wrong. In 2019, a property crime happened every 4.6 seconds in the U.S., Edwards writes. But the property crime rate fell 4% year over year  and dipped below 7 million total crimes for the first time in at least 20 years.

Car thefts and break-ins did see increases in some areas during pandemic lockdown, and the Safewise report says more people are concerned about things that may lead to crime this year  unemployment, drugs, homelessness, job and housing insecurity, and civil unrest were mentioned often.

The level of worry has not necessarily translated into more proactivity against crime, though. About 20% of Americans boosted security measures during the past year, and 38% of people said they do nothing to enhance security. Those who do rely on security cameras (28%), dogs and firearms (26% for each), and security systems (25%).

In Illinois, 43% of residents said they do not have any added security measures to protect their property. Some 32% report having security cameras, followed by security systems (27%), firearms (21%), and dogs or other guard animals (15%).

More than half  51%  of Illinoisans said they carry personal protection most or all of the time, compared to an average of 48% nationally.
UNITED NATIONS (AP)  The foreign minister of Belarus accused Western nations on Monday of carrying out a large-scale hybrid war against the country because it failed to change the government in elections last year, which he insisted were won by President Alexander Lukashenko.

Vladimir Makei made no mention of the opposition to Lukashenko and Western nations denouncing as a sham the August 2020 elections that gave him a sixth term, nor the months of protests against the outcome, some of which drew up to 200,000 people.

Belarusian authorities responded to the protests with beatings and arrests of more than 35,000 people, and eventually the repressions  and winter weather  took their toll, and the protests withered. Opposition leaders have been either jailed or forced to leave the country, and authorities have moved methodically to stamp out any sign of dissent.

Makei did not acknowledge the government crackdown, instead telling the U.N. General Assemblys high-level meeting that Belarus has been drawn, against its will, into the vortex of a geopolitical war.

It has been targeted by the West, he said, only because Belarus did not manage to act out the highly polished script of yet another color revolution to coincide with the presidential elections.

The West has not been able to accept the choice of the majority of Belarussians because this choice of the Belarusian electorate spoiled the plans of some strategists," he said.

Sanctions by the European Union and the United States were imposed after both Lukashenkos crackdown and the government's diversion, in May, of a passenger jet to Minsk to arrest a dissident journalist.

The governments in neighboring Lithuania and Poland have accused Belarusian authorities of organizing a flow of migrants from the Middle East and Africa to their countries in retaliation for sanctions in recent months. Five migrants have died trying to cross from Belarus into the two countries, both EU members.

Makei protested strongly against Western sanctions, which he said violate international law, seriously damage the entire system of international relations and increase the potential for conflict and enmity in international relations.

As for the refugee issue, he said, the West has fabricated a conflict with the refugees on the western border of Belarus in order to further demonize the country. Makei blamed irresponsible policies and actions by Europe and the West, including in Afghanistan, for the millions of migrants trying to reach Europe, stressing that they arent wanted by any European country.

Makei also called human rights a real weapon against undesirable and disobedient countries and denounced some unnamed countries for arbitrarily defining the level of democracy in other countries and sticking offensive labels on some of them.

Today, Makei said, the world's nations need to unite, help each other and take collective actions to overcome all disagreements and prevent the world from plunging into chaos of another war, which would be the last in human history.
A 20-year FBI veteran has been appointed as special agent in charge of the Springfield field office.

FBI Director Christopher Wray has named David G. Nanz to the post. Nanz most recently served in the inspection division at FBI headquarters in Washington, D.C.
Today

Produce and Bakery Giveaway: 9 a.m.-noon, Jacksonville Food Center, 316 E. State St. Free | For Morgan County residents.

Free Noon Meal: 11:45 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Salvation Army, 331 W. Douglas Ave. | Meals in to-go containers and can be picked up at side door.

Walking for Wellness: 12:30-3 p.m., First Christian Church, 2106 S. Main St. Free | Indoor walking program offered year-round Monday-Thursday. For more information, call 217-243-6445.

Spirit of Faith Soup Kitchen: 3:30-4 p.m., Spirit of Faith Soup Kitchen, 105 E. Dunlap St. Free | Serving meals to go for anyone in need.

NAACP meeting: 6 p.m., Jacksonville Municipal Building, 200 W. Douglas Ave. | Meeting on first floor in mayors conference room. Mask required.



Tuesday

Produce and Bakery Giveaway: 9 a.m.-noon, Jacksonville Food Center, 316 E. State St. Free | For Morgan County residents.

Free Noon Meal: 11:45 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Salvation Army, 331 W. Douglas Ave. | Meals in to-go containers and can be picked up at side door.

Walking for Wellness: 12:30-3 p.m., First Christian Church, 2106 S. Main St. Free | Indoor walking program offered year-round Monday-Thursday. For more information, call 217-243-6445.

Spirit of Faith Soup Kitchen: 3:30-4 p.m., Spirit of Faith Soup Kitchen, 105 E. Dunlap St. Free | Serving meals to go for anyone in need.

Morgan County Republican Club: 6 p.m., Jacksonville Municipal Building, 200 W. Douglas Ave. | Guest speaker state Rep. C.D. Davidsmeyer will discuss redistricting, ethics and energy.

Escape to Margaritaville: 8 p.m., University of Illinois Springfield Performing Arts Center, 1 University Plaza, Springfield. | Musical comedy featuring original songs and Jimmy Buffett classics.



To submit items to the calendar, go to myjournalcourier.com and select calendar, or email jjcsocial@myjournalcourier.com. Items must be submitted at least 48 hours in advance.
The Biden administration has announced it was beginning eight daily flights to return Haitian illegal immigrants from their makeshift shelters under Texas International Bridge.

The first flights left a week ago Sunday. As many as 14,000 Haitians have arrived in Del Rio with the anticipation that, like thousands of other aliens who preceded them, theyll be processed and admitted to the U.S. But, the rub: Haiti, recovering from a magnitude 7.2 earthquake that killed more than 2,000 people and damaged more than 100,000 homes, is unwilling to accept more than three flights a day.

Since Bidens first day in office, hes abdicated the chief executives responsibility to enforce immigration laws that Congress has passed, and previous presidents have signed. So forgive me if the administrations official statement that returning the Haitians is about border enforcement rings hollow.

More probable is that the disconcerting images and videos of thousands of Haitians wading across the Rio Grande, then clustered in squalid, unsanitary conditions  with rumors of more on the way  caught the attention of The Washington Post and The New York Times. Their awareness led to what is, for those publications, a harsh appraisal of the administrations border crisis mismanagement.

After observing the sea of humanity at the bridge, Rep. Tony Gonzales, a Republican whose district runs along the majority of the Texas border with Mexico, said he thought he was in a third world country with literally no border  its just been muddied over. The administration may have concluded that it couldnt afford to lose the establishment medias immigration policy support.

An Associated Press story on the migrant airlift to Haiti predicted that no more than two planes would depart daily, a conclusion thats probably the most optimistic possible outcome. Whether two or eight flights back to Haiti, Texas would still be left with thousands of Haitian migrants, as well as foreign nationals from 90 countries arriving daily to seek asylum or humanitarian protection. Thousands of Haitians arrived stateside before the earthquake hit.

Nowhere has Bidens law-shirking been more evident than his feckless open border tolerance thats gravely harmed several border states, none more so than Texas. To his credit, Gov. Greg Abbott with the Texas Department of Public Safetys assistance launched Operation Lone Star to push back against unchecked illegal immigration, fentanyl trafficking that with Chinese money launderers helping hand has earned criminals billions of dollars, and human smuggling that too often leads to children sold into the sex trade. Abbotts strategy to protect Texans came after his agreement to work with Biden on the closure of six Texas ports of entry to restore immigration enforcement collapsed.

Operation Lone Star will deploy air, ground, marine and tactical border security assets to high threat areas to deny Mexican Cartels and other smugglers the ability to move drugs and people into Texas. In a statement, Abbott said that because of Bidens neglect, the southern border crisis continues to escalate. Abbott added: Texas supports legal immigration but will not be an accomplice to the open border policies that cause, rather than prevent, a humanitarian crisis in our state and endanger the lives of Texans. We will surge the resources and law enforcement personnel needed to confront this crisis. Abbott has signed a $1.8 billion border security bill to increase immigration detention facilities, $750 million of which will be applied to a so-called border barrier that could include temporary chain fences and concrete barriers. This summer, Texas committed $250 million as a down payment for its version of the Trump border wall.

The Constitution, Article IV, Section 4, guarantees to every state in this union that it shall protect each of them against Invasion. With an anticipated 2 million illegal aliens who will surge the border this year, invasion is the proper word to describe conditions in the Rio Grande Valley, and other Texas entry points. The total illegal crossers include an estimated 40,000 COVID-19 positive aliens. Vaccinations are not mandated for these crossers, who are released into destinations across the nation. And in Texas, a record 10,800 unaccompanied minors entered. August was the second consecutive month that the Department of Homeland Security reported more than 200,000 illegal immigrant encounters.

Once released, aliens become the states responsibility  jobs training, housing, transportation, medical care, education  all the necessities that humans need to lead meaningful lives, but which taxpayers must underwrite. If the White House violates the Constitution, and refuses to protect Texas and the other 49 states against foreign incursion, then to safeguard its citizens, individual states must assume the responsibility to defend themselves.

Joe Guzzardi is a Progressives for Immigration Reform analyst who has written about immigration for more than 30 years. He can be reached at jguzzardi@pfirdc.org.
NATO-led mission increases patrols on Kosovo-Serbia border View Photo

PRISTINA, Kosovo (AP)  The NATO-led KFOR mission in Kosovo increased its patrols Monday on the border with Serbia in a bid to deescalate tensions between the two Balkan foes over a dispute about license plates.

KFOR, with around 4,000 troops from 28 countries, is led by NATO but is supported by the United Nations, the European Union and others. Its aim is to stave off lingering ethnic tensions between majority Kosovo Albanians and minority Kosovo Serbs after Kosovo broke away and became independent from Serbia in 2008.

KFOR has increased the number and time length of the routine patrolling all around Kosovo, including northern Kosovo, the force said in a statement.

The move comes a day after Serbia President Aleksandar Vucic warned NATO that Serbia will intervene in Kosovo if Kosovo Serbs come under serious threat.

The license plate issue between the two neighbors is not so much about license plates but about respecting each nations sovereignty, so it has great symbolic power. Serbia, along with allies Russia and China, refuses to recognize Kosovos independence as the United States and many other Western nations have done. It sees the Kosovo-Serbia border as temporary.

Kosovo Serbs have been blocking the border with trucks for a week since Kosovo decided to emulate Serbia and remove Serb license plates from cars coming into the country. Drivers must then buy temporary plates. Serbia removes Kosovo plates from cars coming in.

The U.S. Embassy in Serbia tweeted that American and Canadian defense officials had visited the Jarinje and Brnjak border crossings, the site of the protests, to gain a better understanding of the situation.

They were glad to note KFOR was on site as a stabilizing factor, the U.S. Embassy tweeted.

A U.S. embassy official in Kosovo told Gazeta Express there that Kosovo and Serbia representatives have agreed to meet in Brussels this week. U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Gabriel Escobar will take part at the meeting.

The official said if the issues between Kosovo and Serbia are left unresolved they will hamper foreign investment and speed up brain drain, preventing the economies of both countries from reaching their true potential.

KFOR commander Gen-Maj. Franco Federici said besides the increased patrols, KFOR has also conducted talks with all parties involved with the cessation of protests in northern Kosovo.

Serbia raised its military alert last week, and Serbian military jets and helicopters were flying close to the border with Kosovo in an apparent show of force.

Last weekend, Kosovo government officials say a public building was set on fire and another was hit by grenades in what they described as criminal acts related to the protest by ethnic Serbs.

On Monday, Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti repeated the offer that both countries drop the temporary license plate rule as a solution.

Vucic has described Kosovos recent license plate move as a criminal action, and he made the withdrawal of all Kosovar special police at the border a condition of EU-mediated negotiations.

The EU, NATO and the U.S. have urged Kosovo and Serbia to exercise restraint and refrain from unilateral actions.

___

Llazar Semini reported from Tirana, Albania. Dusan Stojanovic contributed to this report from Belgrade, Serbia.

By ZENEL ZHINIPOTOKU and LLAZAR SEMINI

Associated Press
President Joe Biden View Photo

President Biden gave an update on the COVID-19 response and Vaccination Program.

Biden was Mondays KVML Newsmaker of the Day. Here are his words:

Good morning, everyone. As Ive said before, we have the tools to beat COVID  COVID-19  if we come together as a country and use the tools we have.

Earlier this month, I laid out a six-part plan for the fall that does just that: One, vaccinate the unvaccinated, including with new requirements; two, keep vaccinated  keep the vaccinated protected; three, keep children safe and schools open; four, increase testing and masking; five, protect the economic  our economic recovery; and six, improve the care for people with COVID-19. Now, weve made important progress on each front.

And this week, as planned, we took a key step in protecting the vaccinated with booster shots, which our top government doctors believe provides the highest level of protection available to date.

The Food and Drug Administration  the FDA  the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention  the CDC  theyve completed their independent scientific review. And based on that review, the majority of Americans who were fully vaccinated with the Pfizer vaccine are now able to receive the booster shot six months after theyve received their second shot. Six months after you receive the second shot, youre eligible.

Those eligible include, in addition to meeting the requirement of six months after the second shot: those people that are 65 years old or older; adults 18 and over with certain underlying health conditions like diabetes and obesity; and those who are at increased risk of COVID-19 because of where they work or where they live, like healthcare workers, teachers, grocery store workers.

Thats over  that group makes up 60 million Americans who are now eligible for a booster six months after their second shot. And up to 20 million who will receive their  received their earlier Pfizer shot at least six months ago are eligible today. So, those January, February  those folks are eligible now. Now.

And Ive made clear all along: The decision of which booster shot to give, when to start the shot, and who will get them is left to the scientists and the doctors. Thats what happened here.

And while we waited and prepared, we brought enough  we bought enough booster shots, and states and pharmacies, doctors offices, and community health centers have been preparing to get shots in arms  booster shots in arms  for a while.

And like your first and second shot, the booster shot is free and easily accessible. Booster shots will be available in 80,000 locations, including over 40,000 pharmacies nationwide.

So, my message today is this: If youve got the Pfizer vaccine  if you got the Pfizer vaccine in January, February, or March of this year and youre over 65 years of age, go get the booster. Or if you have a medical condition like diabetes or youre a frontline worker, like a healthcare worker or a teacher, you can get a free booster now. Ill be getting my booster shot. Its hard to acknowledge Im over 65, but Ill be getting my booster shot. (Laughter.) Its a bear, isnt it? I tell you  acknowledge it. Anyway.

But all kidding aside, Ill be getting my booster shot. Im not sure exactly when Im going to do it  as soon as I can get it done.

Of course, millions of Americans got the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines. My message for you is this: You still have a high degree of protection. Our doctors and scientists are working day and night to analyze the data from those two organizations on whether and when you need a booster shot. And well provide updates for you as the process moves ahead.

Again, the bottom line is: If youre fully vaccinated, youre highly protected from severe illness even if you get COVID-19.

In fact, recent data indicates theres only one confirmed positive case per 5,000 fully vaccinated Americans per day. Youre as safe as possible. Youre in good shape. And were doing everything we can to keep it that way, which is where the booster comes in.

So, let me be clear: Yes, weve made incredible progress in vaccinating Americans, with over 182 million people being fully vaccinated as of today.

But this is a pandemic of the unvaccinated. And its caused by the fact that, despite Americans having an unprecedented and successful vaccination program, despite the fact that for almost five months, free vaccines have been available in 80,000 locations, we still have  we still have over 70 million Americans who have failed to get a single shot.

And to make matters worse, there are elected officials actively working to undermine with false information the fight against COVID-19. This is totally unacceptable.

The vast majority of Americans are doing the right thing. Three quarters of the eligible have gotten at least one shot, but one quarter has not gotten any.

And in a country as large as ours, thats  25 percent minority can cause an awful lot of damage. And they are causing a lot of damage.

The unvaccinated overcrowd our hospitals, overrunning emergency rooms and intensive care units, leaving no room for someone with a heart attack or a cancer operation needed to get the lifesaving care because the places where they would get that care are crowded; they are not available.

The unvaccinated also put our economic at  recovery at risk, causing unease in the economy around the  and causing unease around the kitchen table. I can imagine whats going on in the conversations this morning, and a lot of parents wondering whats going to happen. Whats going to happen? Those who have been vaccinated  whats going to happen? Potentially slowing economic growth, costing jobs.

Their refusal has cost all of us. The refusal to get vaccinated has cost all of us. And Im moving forward with vaccination requirements wherever I can. These requirements will cover two thirds of all workers in America.

And Im pleased to see more businesses and organizations instituting their own vaccination requirements. Ive had business leaders call me and thank me for setting the policies that would allow them to do the same thing. They are able to do it anyway, but it gives them the ability to move forward.

Were making progress. For example, United Airlines, which required vaccines about seven weeks ago, now has 97 percent of their employees vaccinated.

Just four weeks ago, the Department of Defense required vaccinations for the military, and already 92 percent  92 percent  of our active-duty service members are vaccinated.

And were on track to administer 24 million shots in arms in September.

So, please, do the right thing. Do the right thing. And I understand theres a lot of misinformation youve been fed out there, but try to look through  get to people you trust, the people who have been vaccinated. Ask them. Ask them.

So, get vaccinated. But just dont take it from me. Listen to the voices of the unvaccinated Americans who are lying in hospital beds, taking their final breaths, saying  and, literally, weve seen this on television  If only I had gotten vaccinated. If only. If only.

Theyre leaving behind husbands and wives and small children  people who adore them. People are dying and will die who dont have to die. It is not hyperbole to suggest its literally a tragedy.

Please dont let this become your tragedy. Get vaccinated. It can save your liv-  your life. It can save the lives of those around you.

You know, text your ZIP Code to 438829  438829  or visit Vaccines.gov to find a vaccination location near you now.

Let me close with this: We also made so much progress during the past eight months in this pandemic, and now we face a critical moment. We have the tools. We have the plan. We just have to finish the job together as one nation. And I know we can. I know we can.

God bless you all. And please, look out for your own self-interest and health here. Get vaccinated. May God protect our troops.

Thank you.

ABC, Rachel Scott.

Q Thank you, Mr. President. You said on the campaign trail that you were going to restore the moral standing of the U.S., that you were going to immediately end Trumps assault on the dignity of the immigrant communities.

Given what we saw at the border this week, have you failed in that promise? And this is happening under your watch. Do you take responsibility for the chaos thats unfolding?

THE PRESIDENT: Of course I take responsibility. Im President. But it was horrible what  to see, as you saw  to see people treated like they did: horses nearly running them over and people being strapped. Its outrageous.

I promise you, those people will pay. They will be  an investigation is underway now, and there will be consequences. There will be consequences. Its an embarrassment. But beyond an embarrassment, its dangerous; its wrong. It sends the wrong message around the world. It sends the wrong message at home. Its simply not who we are. Thank you.

Peter Alexander.

Q Mr. President, thank you. You came into office on a message of competence and unity. Weve witnessed whats happened in the country over the course of the last several months. Weve seen the chaotic troop withdrawal from Afghanistan, the threat of a government shutdown right now, and Democrats  members of your own party  are still divided over your agenda going forward. So what do you say to Americans who say that you have not delivered on that promise?

THE PRESIDENT: Remember, I said its going to take me a year to deliver everything Im looking at here. Thats number one.

Number two, take a look at what I inherited when I came into office  when I came into office, the state of affairs, and where we were: We had 4 million people vaccinated. We had no plan. We had  I mean, I can go down the list.

So, you know, part of it is dealing with the panoply of things that were landed on my plate. Im not complaining; its just a reality. Its a reality, number one.

Number two, I think a part of what has to happen here as well  for example, lets talk about my economic plan. The economic plan  and you all are always  and understandably, legitimately  citing polls. Every element of my economic plan is overwhelmingly popular  overwhelmingly popular.

But the problem is, with everything happening, not everybody knows whats in that plan. For example, all those women out there who are not able to go back to work because they have a  a dependent grandparent or a parent, or they have a dependent child who needs help, or they cant find daycare, or they cant find affor-  I mean, look at whats happening.

Well, theres a solution. Theres a solution in the proposal that I put forward. And the plans were now debating in the United St-  among ourselves and theyre debating in Congress as  is a plan  the essence of the plan that I laid out at the beginning.

And so, Im confident that, at the end of the day, were going to be able to get that done.

Second point Id like to make: We talk about price tags. The  it is zero price tag on the debt. Were paying  were going to pay for everything we spend. So they say its not  you know, people, understandably  Well, you know, it started off at $6 trillion, now its $3.5 trillion. Now its  is it going to be $2.9? Is it

Its going to be zero  zero. Because in the  in that plan that I put forward  and I said from the outset  I said, Im running to change the dynamic of how the economy grows.

Im tired of trickle-down. The trillionaires and billionaires are doing very, very well  you all know it; youve all reported it  and in the middle of this crisis. But hardworking people and middle-class people are getting hurt.

And so, I provide for, for example, a tax cut. If you have a child, you get a refundable tax credit. Its reduced hunger in America by 40 percent, literally, for children. You have the  the whole notion of being able to provide for daycare for your children, getting people back to school, et cetera. Its all paid for. Its all paid for.

But  and a lot of these are flat tax cuts that exist within my proposal, and theyre being calculated as if the cost of  of the  of the Child Care Tax Credit is a cost to the government; its not. Its reducing taxes  reducing taxes, not increasing taxes.

Now, part of the problem is I had hoped  I hadnt planned on, although I kind of anticipated it might happen  I hadnt planned on the 178-mile top winds hurricanes going into Louisiana and 20 inches of rain in New York and New Jersey, and  and an area as big as the state of New Jersey burning down in the West.

And so, what I had hoped I would be doing, I do what I did in the campaign: Id be out making the case about what my plan proposal contained. And its been very much curtailed by a whole range of things.

And so, I think that its understandable  I think its understandable  people being frustrated. I think theyre frustrated as well by the fact that  not just members of Congress, Democrats and Republicans  frustrated by, you know, I thought this was going to be better. I thought everything was working out. We were  we were moving along on  on COVID-19, and now we have all these people who refuse to get a shot. And now look at the people dying  large numbers of people dying.

So, I guess, I think its a totally legit-  obviously, its a legitimate question youve asked  but I think, putting into context here, its going to take some time here.

And I know I always kid you when you all ask me about, Well, what about  are you going to get A done, B done, C done? Well, I say, do you want to negotiate? Im being a bit facetious, obviously, but heres the deal: This is going to end up  I believe, were going to end up getting both pieces of my economic legislation.

The first piece  the 1.9  fundamentally changed the structure and the nature of the economy in this country, even though, remember, it got clobbered. It was this  Oh, this terrible thing, no Republican voted for it. Well, we got ec-  real economic growth.

Now it  were at this stalemate at the moment. And were going to have to get these two pieces of legislation passed. Both need to be passed. And theyll have a profound impact according to not just Joe  not Joe Biden, but according to Wall Street, according to the IMF, according to international organizations.

And so  and then theres, you know, Im going to be having a meeting today with the Quad, with the  the leaders of  the leader of India, Japan, and Australia. And were going to be talking about Afghanistan, which is a legitimate thing for people to talk about.

But the truth of the matter is, at the end of the day is: We were spending $300 million a day for 20 years. There was no easy way to end that. And were now still getting people out, but its  its really  there was no  no picture-book way to say, Okay, the war has ended. Lets get everybody out, and well go home. No war has ever ended that way, other than theres been a surrender, and its a totally different circumstance.

So anyway, theres a lot, Im sure, along the line that there are things I could have done better, but I make no apologies for my proposals, how Im propo-  how Im  how Im proceeding, and why I think, by the end of the year, were going to be in a very different place.

Q Mr. President, just to follow up on COVID, if I can, quickly 

THE PRESIDENT: Sure.

Q What do you say to Americans who disregard the new CDC guidance and get a booster shot anyway?

THE PRESIDENT: Well, I  I dont  Im not sure how they get it, but 

Q There are people who go into stores right now and just have got it without any high-risk situation or underneath that age limit; it happens around the country as we speak.

THE PRESIDENT: Well, I think whats going to happen is youre going to see that, in the near term  or were probably going to open this up anyway. Theyre constantly looking at  were looking at both Moderna and J&J. And were both  as I said in the speech  in addition to that, were also looking to the time when were going to be able to expand the booster shots, basically, across the board.

So, I would just say: Itd be better to wait your turn in line, wait your  you know, in line  wait  wait your turn and to  to get there.

Q Thank you, sir.

THE PRESIDENT: Ken.

Q Thank you, Mr. President. When you met with congressional leaders this week, you told them to try to find a number less than $3.5 trillion on the reconciliation package that they could live with. What is that topline number in your mind as you deliberate these considerations?

And then, separately, you mentioned how youre going to pay for some of these provisions. Senator Wyden has a proposal on annual taxes on billionaires unrealized gains. Is that a proposal that you support?

THE PRESIDENT: Yes, I do. I  look, I support a lot of these proposals. We dont need all the things I support to pay for this, but I do support that.

Look, you  if you  if you get a  if you file with a W-2 form, you know, the IRS has access to your bank account and your bank tells you how much you made, what you have in there, and, you know  and they estimate your tax.

Well, if you  if you have no income, youre just  its all  if you have no earned income and its all investment income, its hard to figure out what the hell you  excuse me  what the heck you have.

And thats why we have to  and I know some people dont like this  thats why we have to rehire some IRS agents. And not to do anything, not to try to make people pay something they dont owe  just say, Hey, step up. Step up and pay like everybody else does.

Look, I really mean this. Look at my whole career  and I come from, you know, the corporate state of America. I just think its about just paying your fair share, for Lords sake.

Now, we can argue whether or not the corporate tax should go back up to 26 and a half percent or 28 or 24, but the idea that 50  50 major corporations in America, making a sum total of $40 billion pays zero? Come on. Come on. Its just wrong. Its just not fair. And I think is beginning to, you know, sink through the ether a little bit here on the part of people.

So, I think there clearly is enough from a panoply of options to pay for whatever it is that folks decide to pay for.

And let me finish by answering the initial part of your question, if I may. The way I look at it is what Ive been telling my colleagues, and it surprises them sometimes when we  in those rooms. And I dont know whether you heard, but both meetings went very well. I mean, it was  it was  they were collegial. It  it wasnt  no one was hollering. Everybody was  you know. And people were hanging out afterwards in the Oval, and  anyway  both the progressives, as well as the  the moderates.

And one of the things that I think is important for  and Im trying to get people to focus on is: What is it you like? What do you think we sh-  no, dont  forget a number. What do you think we should be doing? Is it appropriate, in your view, to cut taxes for working-class people by providing for daycare, providing for early education, three and four years old? Is it appropriate to do something about free community college or do you want a  means tested? Im telling them, What  what are your priorities?

And several of them, when they go through their priorities, it adds up to a number higher than they said they were for. Because I think this is  were getting down to the  you know, the hard spot here. People are having now to go in and look in detail as to what it is specifically theyre for.

Its a little bit like when we went through  and Ill end with this  its a little bit like when we went through the issue of the bipartisan deal on infrastructure. There were a lot of negotiations on that. And it wasnt until people were forced to look at: What are you for? Are you for taking care of that highway or bridge in your state or that region  in your region? Are you for doing something about environmental degradation? Are you for something that deals with allowing us to provide for monies to states so that they can, in fact, deal with things like what happened in states where the major utility lines come down? What do we  what do you do to build those back better to pre-  prevent that from happening?

And its sort of a  theres a  and you all speak to all these folks, so  you speak to as many as I do. I find that theyre going, Huh, I never really thought that through before. I think it makes sense.

And thats how we finally got to a bipartisan deal on what is a serious infrastructure proposal that really does a number of things, including  including things where people said, I dont want to do anything in the environment, and then they start thinking, Well, wait a minute. I have all these diesel buses at home. It would be a hell lot better if we had electric buses. It wouldnt change the circumstances on boom, boom, boom.

So, I think this is a process. Thats why I said at the front end that, although we got off to a very fast start with the first piece of legislation, I dont expect this to be done and us being in a position where we can look back and say, Okay, did we get it done? until basically the end of the year.

I dont mean the vote on the two pieces of legislation related to the economy. But I think its just going to take some time.

And look, you know, were  my guess is, we all come from similar backgrounds. Remember you used to sit around the table  the kitchen table in the morning, if you had the chance to do that, or dinner at night with your mom and dad and your brothers or sisters. What did people talk about? They talked about, you know, Are we going to be able to pay the mortgage? At least my house.

I mean, Whats going to happen if we have another one of those floods, and then, you know, it blows through here like it did in Queens? Whats going to happen? What are we going to do?

And, by the way, I dont  I dont  you know  you know, I  Im just not sure that I want, you know, my son or daughter to  to be going into school when so many people are not vaccinated. I mean, you know, its just  you know, Im not sure I want Kenny to be there doing this

But these are practical things people are talking about. And theyre looking down the road, and theyre looking at cost-of-living issues as well. And so whats the cost-of-living issues?

Well, its because were in a position where the ability to have the product  the elements of the production of a product that, in fact, need to go into the production of that product, are  are hard to get hold on of because people are in trouble. Theyre not able to produce them. Theyre not able to get it, or theyre being hoarded. Its like, you know, what we have with  and were making progress, but like what were doing with regard to making sure we have the computer chips to be able to keep as  in the vernacular  to keep  you know, build automobiles.

I mean, I think, everybody was kind of surprised when I  I think if I had said to you  I may be dead wrong, but if I had said to you in, say, April that I was going to get all three major manufacturers of American automobiles saying theyre going to go electric, I doubt whether you thought I  that could be done.

Well, were out here in the back lawn; theyve all of a sudden figured it out. Theyve had a bit of an epiphany. And theyve realized, Whoa, wait a minute, man. China is investing billions of dollars. China is  theyre getting battery technology. Were going to be  blah, blah. And this is going to happen anyway.

And, again, Ill just conclude by saying: This is a process, and its going to be up and down. Thats why I dont look at the polls  (laughs)  not a joke  because its going to go up and its going to go down. Its going to go up.

And hopefully at the end of the day, Ill be able to deliver on what I said I would do: one, bringing the country together on a few and very important things, like on infrastructure; getting us in a position where we can have some  some coherent policy, relative for foreign policy, where there is agreement; moving us in a position where were able to actually generate the kind of change in the dynamic of how we grow the economy  not eliminate the super wealthy, not at all, but allow the working class and the middle class to be able to build out and up. And that can be done.

And like I said, every time I hear  and I drive my staff crazy  every time I hear, This is going to cost A, B, C, or D, the truth is, based on the commitment that I made, its going to cost nothing because were going to raise the revenue  raise the revenue to pay for the things were talking about.

And were going to give and  and right now, if you take a look at the  the reconciliation piece, a trillion dollars of that is tax cuts, not raising anybodys taxes; its tax cuts. People are going to be paying less taxes.

But the people who pay less taxes are going to be working-class folks. Its going to put women back to work. Its going to put people in situations where they have  as I know youre tired of me saying, but Ill never  my dads constant refrain: Just give people a little breathing room  a little breathing room.

Thank you, guys.

The Newsmaker of the Day is heard every weekday morning at 6:45, 7:45 and 8:45 on AM 1450 and FM 102.7 KVML.
Taliban issue no-shave order to barbers in Afghan province View Photo

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP)  The Taliban banned barbershops in a southern Afghanistan province from shaving or trimming beards, claiming their edict is in line with Shariah, or Islamic, law.

The order in Helmand province was issued Monday by the provincial Taliban governments vice and virtue department to barbers in Lashkar Gah, the provincial capital.

Since I have heard (about the ban on trimming beards) I am heart broken, said Bilal Ahmad, a Lashkar Gah resident. This is the city and everyone follows a way of living, so they have to be left alone to do whatever they want.

During their previous rule of Afghanistan, the Taliban adhered to a harsh interpretation of Islam. Since overrunning Kabul on Aug. 15 and again taking control of the country, the world has been watching to see whether they will re-create their strict governance of the late 1990s.

Some indication came on Saturday, when Taliban fighters killed four alleged kidnappers and later hung their bodies in the public squares of the western city of Herat.

If anyone violates the rule (they) will be punished and no one has a right to complain, said the order issued to the barbers. It wasnt immediately clear what penalties the barbers could face if they dont adhere to the no shaving or trimming rule.

During the Talibans previous rule, the conservative Islamists demanded that men grow beards. Since being ousted from power following the U.S.-led invasion in 2001, many men have opted for no or cleanly trimmed beards.

Barbershop owner Jalaluddin, who like many Afghans goes by only one name, said he hoped the Taliban would reconsider their demands.

I request our Taliban brothers to give freedom to people to live the way they want, if they want to trim their beard or hair, he said. Now we have few clients coming to us, they are scared, they dont want to trim their hair or beards, so I request them let people free, so we have our business and people can freely come to us.

Another barbershop owner, Sher Afzal, also said the decree hurts the bottom line. If someone comes for a haircut, they will come back to us after 40 to 45 days, so it is affecting our business like any other businesses, he said.
Biden rule to shield Dreamers seeks to bypass Congress View Photo

WASHINGTON (AP)  The Biden administration on Monday renewed efforts to shield hundreds of thousands of immigrants who came to the United States as young children from deportation, the latest maneuver in a long-running drama over the policys legality.

The administration proposed a rule that attempts to satisfy concerns of a federal judge in Houston who ruled in July that the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program was illegal, largely because the Obama administration bypassed procedural requirements when it took effect in 2012. The new rule mirrors the Obama-era initiative, recreating the 2012 policy and seeking to put it on firmer ground by going through the federal regulatory process.

U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen, an appointee of President George W. Bush, said the Obama administration overstepped its authority and did not properly seek public feedback. He allowed for renewals to continue but prohibited new enrollments. The Biden administration is appealing.

The 205-page proposal solicits public feedback to address Hanens concern, though it is unclear if that would be enough. The proposed regulation will be published Tuesday in the Federal Register, triggering a 60-day comment period and ensuring that it is unlikely to take effect for several months.

The office of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who challenged DACA with eight other states before Hanen, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The Obama administration created DACA with a memo issued by then-Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano. It was intended as a stopgap measure until Congress legislated a permanent solution, which never occurred.

And because DACA isnt the product of legislation, it falls into a category of policies that can more easily be changed from one administration to the next. President Donald Trump tried to rescind the DACA memo and end the program, but the Supreme Court concluded he did not go about it properly.

In attempting to shore up DACA through a formal rule  which is a more rigorous process than the original memo, though still not legislation  the Biden administration hopes to gain a legal stamp of approval from the courts.

It seems possible, if not likely, that the Supreme Court will once again be called upon to weigh in, unless Congress acts first.

The Biden administrations move comes as congressional Democrats struggle to include immigration provisions in their 10-year, $3.5 trillion package of social and environment initiatives. Language in that bill helping millions of immigrants remain permanently in the U.S. has been a top goal of progressive and pro-immigration lawmakers, and Democrats cannot afford to lose many votes.

But the Senates nonpartisan parliamentarian said earlier this month the immigration provisions couldnt remain in the sweeping bill because it violated the chambers budget rules.

Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas called again on Monday for Congress to act swiftly to provide the legal status they need and deserve.

The Biden-Harris Administration continues to take action to protect Dreamers and recognize their contributions to this country, said Mayorkas, using a commonly used term for immigrants who came to the U.S. with their parents as young children. This notice of proposed rulemaking is an important step to achieve that goal.

Some pro-immigration advocates echoed Mayorkas view that the onus is on Congress.

A more formalized version of DACA will stabilize the lives of DACA-eligible Dreamers but legislative action is still needed to fully solidify DACA recipients contributions, expand protections to other Dreamers and build a pathway to permanent legal status, said Ali Noorani, president of the National Immigration Forum. Formalizing DACA is a positive step, but its not a permanent fix.

The Democratic-run House passed legislation earlier this year creating a way for Dreamers to become legal permanent residents, but the bill has gone nowhere in the Senate, where Republicans have blocked it and bipartisan talks have stalled. The Senate parliamentarians ruling further dampened legislative prospects. Advocates have said they would present alternative immigration provisions in hopes they would be permitted in the bill, but its not clear that would succeed.

Stephen Yale-Loehr, a professor of immigration law practice at Cornell Law School, said the administrations proposal carries no major changes and is an effort to bulletproof the existing program from litigation challenges.

The proposal adheres to the same criteria, which include arriving in the country before age 16, continuously residing in the United States since arrival and being in the country on June 15, 2012.

Since 2012, more than 825,000 immigrants have enrolled in DACA.

-

Spagat contributed from San Diego. Associated Press reporters Alan Fram in Washington and Paul Weber in Austin, Texas, contributed.

By ELLIOT SPAGAT and MARK SHERMAN

Associated Press
Biden, McConnell get COVID-19 boosters, encourage vaccines View Photo

WASHINGTON (AP)  Seventy-eight-year-old Joe Biden and 79-year-old Mitch McConnell got their booster shots Monday, the Democratic president and the Republican Senate leader urging Americans across the political spectrum to get vaccinated or plus up with boosters when eligible for the extra dose of protection.

The shots, administered just hours apart on either end of Pennsylvania Avenue, came on the first workday after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration recommended a third dose of the Pfizer vaccine for Americans 65 and older and approved them for others with preexisting medical conditions and high-risk work environments.

Both leaders said that even though the booster doses provide more enduring protection against the virus, they werent the silver bullet to ending the pandemic.

Boosters are important, but the most important thing we need to do is get more people vaccinated, Biden said.

Nearly 25% of eligible Americans aged 12 and older havent received a single dose of the vaccines. They are bearing the brunt of a months-long surge in cases and deaths brought about by the more transmissible delta variant of the virus that has killed 688,000 in the U.S. since the pandemic began.

Like Ive been saying for months, these safe and effective vaccines are the way to defend ourselves and our families from this terrible virus, said McConnell, a polio survivor.

Biden got his first shot on Dec. 21 and his second dose three weeks later, on Jan. 11, along with his wife, Jill Biden. The first lady, who is 70, received her Pfizer booster dose in private at the White House on Monday afternoon, said her spokesperson, Michael LaRosa.

Now, I know it doesnt look like it, but I am over 65  I wish I  way over, the president joked. And thats why Im getting my booster shot today.

Biden has championed booster doses since the summer as the U.S. experienced a sharp rise in coronavirus cases driven by the delta variant. While the vast majority of cases continue to occur among unvaccinated people, regulators pointed to evidence from Israel and early studies in the U.S. showing that protection against so-called breakthrough cases was vastly improved by a third dose of the Pfizer shot.

But the aggressive American push for boosters, before many poorer nations have been able to provide even a modicum of protection for their most vulnerable populations, has drawn the ire of the World Health Organization and some aid groups, which have called on the U.S. to pause third shots to free up supply for the global vaccination effort.

Biden said last week that the U.S. was purchasing another 500 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine  for a total of 1 billion over the coming year  to donate to less well-off nations.

Biden took questions from reporters about his vaccination experience and matters of the day as a military nurse injected the dose into his arm.

The president said he did not have side effects after his first or second shots and hoped for the same experience with his third.

Vice President Kamala Harris, 56, received the Moderna vaccine, for which federal regulators have not yet authorized boosters  but they are expected to in the coming weeks. Regulators are also expecting data soon about the safety and efficacy of a booster for the single-dose Johnson & Johnson shot.

At least 2.66 million Americans have received booster doses of the Pfizer vaccine since mid-August, according to the CDC. About 100 million Americans have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 through the Pfizer shot. U.S. regulators recommend getting the boosters at least six months after the second shot of the initial two-dose series.

___

Associated Press writers Josh Boak and Lisa Mascaro contributed.

By ZEKE MILLER

Associated Press
NEW DELHI (AP)  Thousands of Indian farmers blocked traffic on major roads and railway tracks outside of the nation's capital on Monday, marking one year of demonstrations against government-backed laws that they say will shatter their livelihoods.

The farmers have renewed their protests with calls for a nationwide strike on the anniversary of the legislation's passage. The drawn-out demonstrations have posed one of the biggest political challenges to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who swept the polls for the second time in 2019.

Waving colorful flags and distributing free food, hundreds of farmers gathered Monday at one of the protest sites on the edges of the capital, New Delhi.

The enthusiasm we had on the first day, it is much stronger and bigger now, said Manjit Singh, a 45-year-old farmer and protester.

Mohini Kaur, a 61-year-old New Delhi resident traveled to the protest site to show her support for the farmers.

These lion-hearted farmers are here today under the hot sun. They have been exposed to rain, heat and the cold," she said.

Protesters expressed their determination to keep the movement going  some even brought mattresses with them, camping out as the day went on.

Along New Delhi's southwest and eastern fringes, protesting farmers crowded highways, choking traffic and cutting off access from the capital to neighboring states. Police were deployed to three main protest sites on the outskirts of the city to maintain law and order.

A coalition of farmers' unions  known as the Samyukta Kisan Morcha, or United Farmers Front  has called on shops, offices, factories and other institutions to shut their doors in solidarity for the 10-hour strike. The calls for a strike, however, seemed to go largely unanswered, with most businesses continuing work as usual across the capital.

The government has defended the legislation, saying it is necessary to modernize agriculture and that the laws will boost production through private investment. But the farmers say the new legislation will devastate their earnings by ending guaranteed pricing and force them to sell their crops to corporations at cheaper prices.

In neighboring Punjab and Haryana states  which are the country's the two biggest agricultural producers  thousands of demonstrators also blocked highways, bringing traffic to a halt in some areas.

In the eastern state of Bihar, trains were halted as farmers squatted on railway tracks. Protesters also took to the streets, raising slogans against the Modi government, burning tires and blocking roads across the region. Police said some 500 protesters had been taken into custody, but added that the shutdown remained peaceful.

In the southern city of Bengaluru on Monday, hundreds of people marched in support of the protest against the government. In the southern state of Kerala, the ruling Left Democratic Front called for a total shutdown, reported local media.

Opposition parties in India, including the Congress Party, have supported the farmers. Senior leader Rahul Gandhi called the government exploitative and said he stood with farmers on Monday.

A number of talks between the government and farmers have failed to resolve the issue.

In November, the farmers escalated their movement by hunkering down on the outskirts of New Delhi, where they have camped out for nearly a year, pushing through a harsh winter as well as a coronavirus surge that devastated India earlier this year.

While the farmers' protest movement has been largely peaceful, demonstrators in January broke through police barricades to storm the historic Red Fort in the capital's center. Clashes with police left one protester dead and hundreds injured.

___

Associated Press writers Indrajit Singh in Patna and Aijaz Rahi in Bengaluru contributed.
Hospitals and nursing homes around the U.S. are bracing for worsening staff shortages as state deadlines arrive for health care workers to get vaccinated against COVID-19.

With ultimatums taking effect this week in states like New York, California, Rhode Island and Connecticut, the fear is that some employees will quit or let themselves be fired or suspended rather than get the vaccine.

How this is going to play out, we dont know. We are concerned about how it will exacerbate an already quite serious staffing problem, said California Hospital Association spokesperson Jan Emerson-Shea, adding that the organization absolutely supports the state's vaccination requirement.

New York health care employees had until the end of the day Monday to get at least one dose, but some hospitals had already begun suspending or otherwise taking action against holdouts.

Erie County Medical Center Corp. in Buffalo said about 5% of its hospital workforce has been put on unpaid leave for not being vaccinated, along with 20% of staff at its nursing home. And the states largest health care provider, Northwell Health, said it has begun removing unvaccinated workers from its system, though it said its workforce is nearly 100% vaccinated.

To those who have not yet made that decision, please do the right thing, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said.

Some New York hospitals prepared contingency plans that included cutting back on noncritical services and limiting nursing home admissions. The governor also drew up plans to summon help from National Guard members with medical training, retirees or vaccinated workers from outside the state.

About a dozen states have vaccination mandates covering health care workers in hospitals, long-term care facilities or both. Some allow exemptions on medical or religious grounds, but those employees often must submit to regular COVID-19 testing.

States that have set such requirements tend to have high vaccination rates already. The highest rates are concentrated in the Northeast, the lowest ones in the South and Midwest.

The Biden administration also will require the roughly 17 million workers at health facilities that receive federal Medicare or Medicaid to be fully vaccinated under a rule still being developed.

That has worried some hospital officials, particularly in rural communities where vaccination rates tend to be lower.

We are looking at the need to reallocate staff, in some cases just to maintain services that are essential, and there are going to be some delays" in care, said Troy Bruntz, president and CEO at Community Hospital in McCook, Nebraska.

He said 25 of the hospitals 330 employees said they would definitely resign if they were required to be vaccinated. The remainder of the approximately 100 unvaccinated employees  a group that includes nurses as well as cleaning and maintenance staff  havent decided.

He also worries that it will be difficult to hire new workers when the hospital is already short-handed.

It doesnt make us feel too confident that this isnt going to turn into something short of a nightmare for American health care, he said.

Many hospitals and nursing homes are already suffering staff shortages because many nurses and others have quit as a result of pandemic-related burnout or have left for lucrative jobs traveling from state to state.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki noted that hospitals in Houston and Maine lost a relatively small number of employees recently after requiring employees to get vaccinated.

Were seeing in a lot of places that this is working, its effective. Its creating more certainty and protection in their workforces," Psaki said.

In California, where health care workers have until Thursday to get fully vaccinated, some hospitals are anticipating firings, suspensions or the moving of people to other positions, Emerson-Shea said. She said many traveling nurses have declined assignments in California because of the state's vaccine requirement.

But with a statewide mandate, health workers won't be able to just quit their jobs and go to other hospitals, said Dr. Jeff Smith, chief operating officer and executive vice president of hospital operations at Los Angeles-based Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.

He expects that about 97 percent of Cedars-Sinai's almost 17,000 employees affected by the vaccine mandate will comply by the deadline. Another 1 percent have applied for medical or religious exemptions. Those who don't comply by Friday will be suspended for a week, and fired on Oct. 8 if they don't comply or if there are not extenuating circumstances, he said.

The hospital also was able to hire over 100 nurses in the past month and uses some travel nurses.

Were in a good place but dont want to minimize the challenges other hospitals are likely facing," Smith said.

In Rhode Island, where the vaccine mandate takes effect Friday, the state said hospitals can allow unvaccinated employees to keep working 30 days past the deadline in cases where firing them would compromise patient safety. The mandate is being challenged in court because it doesn't allow religious exemptions.

In states that dont have mandates, some hospitals are imposing their own.

Ginger Robertson, a registered nurse who works in a mental health clinic at a hospital in Bismarck, North Dakota, has requested a religious exemption from her hospitals vaccination requirement. She said she will look for other work if she doesnt get it.

Honestly, I really love my job. I am good at it. I enjoy my patients. I enjoy where I am at," she said. "So this is a really hard place, to have to choose between two things I dont want to do. I dont want to leave, and I dont want to get the vaccine.

She said other nurses are also considering leaving over what she called the insulting mandate.

We feel demoralized, like as though we arent intelligent enough to make these choices for ourselves, Robertson said.

A North Carolina-based hospital system announced Monday that more than 175 of its 35,000-plus employees have been fired for failing to comply with its COVID-19 vaccination requirement.

Last week, Novant Health announced 375 workers had been suspended and given five days to comply. Nearly 200 of them did so  including those who submitted approved exemptions  before the Friday deadline, spokesperson Megan Rivers said.

Massachusetts' mandate, issued by Republican Gov. Charlie Baker, applies only to rest homes, assisted living facilities, hospice programs and home care programs. It allows for medical and religious exemptions but doesn't require regular testing. The deadline is Oct. 31.

In Connecticut, a vaccine mandate for employees of state-run hospitals took effect on Monday. It does not apply to privately run hospitals, some of which are imposing their own requirements. Medical and religious exemptions are possible, but anyone else who fails to get vaccinated will be barred from the workplace.

About 84% of over 450,000 hospital workers in New York were fully vaccinated as of Wednesday, according to state data. Nursing home data through Sunday showed about 89% of nursing home workers fully vaccinated.

New York Citys hospital system reported a 95% vaccination rate for nurses and a higher rate for doctors.

In Missouri, which became a severe COVID-19 hot spot over the summer, the Mercy hospital system is requiring vaccinations among staff at its hundreds of medical centers and clinics in Missouri and neighboring states by Thursday.

Anyone who doesn't comply by then will be placed on a 30-day unpaid suspension, said Mercy spokeswoman Bethany Pope.

___

Webber reported from Fenton, Michigan, and Hollingsworth from Mission, Kansas. Philip Marcelo and Mark Pratt in Boston; Michael Melia in Hartford, Connecticut; Michael Hill in Albany, New York; Skip Foreman in Charlotte, North Carolina; and Zeke Miller in Washington contributed to this story.

___

This story was first published on September 27, 2021. It was updated on September 30, 2021, to correct the title of Dr. Jeff Smith to chief operating officer, not CEO.
LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP)  Burdett Loomis, a longtime University of Kansas political scientist, a frequently quoted commentator and author, co-author or editor of more than a dozen books on politics, has died. He was 76.

Loomis died Saturday at his Lawrence home, surrounded by family, according a notice posted online by a local funeral home. He recently had been diagnosed with thyroid cancer, Kansas Public Radio reported.
On Monday, September 27, the San Antonio Zoo ceremoniously debuted its new train to the public.

Zoo CEO Time Morrow was joined by City Councilman Mario Bravo and the zoo's mascot, Cowboy, at a ribbon cutting ceremony at the train depot in Brackenridge Park.

Camille Sauers/MySA

"We are all incredibly excited to showcase this new train to the public here in Brackenridge Park," Morrow said. "The San Antonio Zoo train has been a part of San Antonio since 1956, creating lifelong memories for generations. I am humbled by and grateful to the donors and Valero energy corporation for bringing this exciting addition to life for our community."

Before the parks latest edition was introduced into the pack, there were three trains that operated out of the station. The new diesel locomotive, painted orange and green, is the newest to chug along the tracks since the early '00s. The additional two trains operating out of the station were built in the 1980s, and are expected to be retired soon Morrow previously told MySA.

Camille Sauers/MySA

The new train, manufactured and designed by a Texas rail company the Swannee River Railroad company based in Lufkin, Texas is ADA accessible, and features more leg room and an improved PA system. It also runs on diesel fuel, donated by the Valero Energy Corporation.

Since 1956, riding the San Antonio Zoo Train, formerly the Brackenridge Eagle Miniature Railroad, has been a San Antonio staple. In 1970, passengers of a mini train were even immortalized in history after the recreational ride was held up at gunpoint, making it the first train heist in the U.S since 1923.

Camille Sauers/MySA

Conductor Stone Badgley, who has been driving the trains since spring of this year, had the honor of captaining the inaugural ride.

This new train feels great, its from a brand-new company here in Texas. I love it  it handles just great. Theres a few less things we have to worry about, it doesnt run on propane canisters anymore, its diesel, Badgley told MySA before families lined up for the ride.

The line leading into the boarding area was dotted with bales of hay, scarecrows, and other autumnal decor  appropriate for the crisp September morning. The train took off bells ringing, with Badgley at the helm, carrying excited children and families waiving zoo flags.

Camille Sauers/MySA

I love working this job, its hot, its outside and theres a lot of physical stuff we got to do, but its a lot of fun and I like seeing all the kids happy.

You can hop aboard the Zoo Train at Brackenridge Park, at 3910 North St. Mary's. Funds are currently being raised for another revamped train to roll into the park.
We understand people love dogs, but someone in Texas had 111 of them in a single residential home.

On Friday, September 24, the City of Mesquite's Animal Service Division stated in a news release its officers rescued the dogs after becoming aware of the situation. The city's code permits a maximum of three dogs per home.
Texas lawmakers on Monday released their first draft of a new congressional map for the next decade that includes two new districts in Austin and Houston  metropolitan areas with diverse populations that fueled much of the state's population growth over the past 10 years.

Republicans constructed this map with incumbent protection in mind  a strategy that focused on bolstering vulnerable Republican seats rather than aggressively adding new seats that could flip from blue to red. However, the map does in fact strengthen Republican positioning overall in Texas, going from 22 to 25 districts that voted for Donald Trump in 2020. The number of congressional districts that voted for Joe Biden would shrink by one, from 14 to 13.

Texas members of the House GOP delegation were closely involved in the drawing process and approved the map last week, according to two sources close to the Texas delegation.

While many incumbents appear safe in these maps, others were drawn into districts that overlap with one another  for example, the proposed map pits Houston Republican Rep. Dan Crenshaw against Democrat Rep. Sylvia Garcia. It also pits two Houston Democrats  Reps. Al Green and Sheila Jackson Lee  against each other.

Democrats, who have been out of power for decades, have attempted to make state elections more competitive but the redrawing of congressional maps gives the GOP an opportunity to lock in their advantage for another decade.

Texas' current 36-seat congressional delegation is made up of 23 Republicans and 13 Democrats. Under the new map, Texas will have 38 congressional seats, and 40 electoral votes in future presidential contests.

The redrawing of district maps is intended to reflect population growth captured by the latest census. People of color accounted for 95% of the state's growth over the last decade, with growth in Asian, Black and Hispanic Texans outpacing white Texans over the last 10 years. Yet in the new map, Black and Hispanic Texans would have less districts where they make up the majority than they currently do.

Based on eligible voters, the current congressional district map includes 22 districts with white majorities, eight with Hispanic majorities, one with a Black majority and five that have no majority. The newly proposed map includes 23 districts with white majorities, seven with Hispanic majorities, none with a Black majority and eight that have no majority.

Domingo Garcia, national president of the League of United Latin American Citizens was dismayed that Hispanics, who drove much of the state's population increase over the decade, growing by nearly 2 million people, would have less opportunity to elect the candidates of their choice under the proposed map. The latest census results show Hispanic Texans nearly match the number of white Texans.

"This map is clearly gerrymandered by politicians to protect incumbents and totally discriminate against Hispanic voters," he said. "LULAC has filed suit against the state of Texas every 10 years since 1970 and weve prevailed every ten years. Unless theres new maps drawn, we expect we will wind up in federal court again."

Gary Bledsoe, president of the Texas NAACP, said the proposal was shocking, hurtful and outrageous.

"The proposed map vastly diminishes the voting strength of minorities all around the State by either packing them into districts already electing minority candidates of choice or cracking them by pushing them into districts dominated by conservative white voters," he said. "As the state has garnered two new congressional seats on the backs of its minority population, it has sought to put forth a proposed congressional map that is clearly retrogressive."

The maps were proposed by state Sen. Joan Huffman, R-Houston, who leads the chamber's redistricting committee. This is only the first draft of the map, which is likely to change before it's passed by the Texas Legislature and signed into law by Gov. Greg Abbott.

The most obvious exception to that is U.S. Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, who had a surprisingly close finish in 2020. His district, once a safe Democratic seat, now tilts in Republicans favor. But instead of a full-blown South Texas GOP offensive targeting two other neighboring Democratic districts, mapmakers bolstered Democratic voters in seats held by U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar of Laredo and U.S. Rep. Filemon Vela of Brownsville  especially the seat of Vela, who is retiring  at the expense of Gonzalez. His 15th District flipped from a seat Biden carried to one where Trump narrowly won.

But the map was a relief to most other incumbents.

Democratic U.S. Rep. Colin Allred of Dallas surprised Republicans in 2018 when he was able to dislodge the once-safe Republican 32nd Congressional District. Instead of targeting him this time around, Republicans sought to bolster nearby Republicans by packing his district with Democrats and all but assuring a Democrat will hold his seat for years to come.

To his west, Republican U.S. Rep. Beth Van Duynes seat flipped from a district Biden carried by nearly 6 points in 2020 to a solid 12-point Trump district. In 2020, Democrats heavily targeted Van Duyne and several other Republican seats.

Domingo Garcia said those safe districts come at the expense of Hispanic voters in Dallas and Tarrant counties. Hispanics, who make up the largest portion of Dallas' population and are the largest minority group in Tarrant, did not get a majority-Hispanic district in the region. Instead, their population was split between the 32nd district represented by Allred, the 30th District represented by Eddie Berenice Johnson and the 33rd District represented by Marc Veasey  solidly Democratic districts.

"That protects the Anglo incumbents like Van Duyne and Kay Granger whose districts were trending Democrat and have been fighting off Latino and Latina challengers," he said.

The new map also packed more Trump voters into the Texas 23rd District, currently held by Republican U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales who served in many cycles over the last 18 years as the only competitive U.S. House seat. The new version of that district saw Trump win by a seven point margin, a sharp shift from a seat Hillary Clinton carried in 2016.

U.S. Rep. Lizzie Pannill Fletcher, a Houston Democrat, is likely to run in a revamped version of her 7th Congressional District. Like Allred, her 2018 victory was a surprise to Republicans. But instead of targeting her, they spread some of the Republican vote in her region to Republican incumbents.

Elsewhere in Houston, U.S. Rep. Kevin Bradys retirement allowed Republicans to split up his Montgomery County-based 8th District in order to strengthen nearby Republican districts held by U.S. Reps. Michael McCaul of Austin, Dan Crenshaw of Houston and the newly created 38th District.

The state picked up two seats in reapportionment and on the surface, they appear to split between the two parties.

The new 37th Congressional District will consolidate central and west Austin, somewhat resembling a district longtime Democratic U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett held until Republicans dismantled it in 2003. It was not immediately clear whether he would run in that district or continue to serve in the 35th Congressional District, which stretches down to Bexar County. Back then, Republicans aimed to dilute the liberal Austin vote, split up into several Congressional districts, several of which had otherwise rural populations. But as this decade wore on, the Austin liberal vote was so potent that otherwise safe Republicans had to fight hard for reelection.

The other new seat is the 38th Congressional district in west and northern Harris County, which will likely be safe Republican territory.

This will be the first round of political mapmaking in Texas since the U.S. Supreme Court struck down provisions to protect voters of color from discrimination. Previously, states with long histories of voting discrimination, like Texas, had to receive approval from the federal government before making any changes to election laws or political maps.

But the Supreme Court essentially did away with that requirement in 2013, leaving no buffer for voters of color if lawmakers pass discriminatory maps.

Since the enactment of the Voting Rights Act in 1965, Texas has not made it through a single decade without a federal court admonishing it for violating federal protections for voters of color.

Patrick Svitek contributed to this report.
Yves here. This TomDispatch offering seeks to bring home the extent of civilian deaths at US hands in the Middle East.

Before World War II, combatants made a bit of an effort to avoid civilian casualties. But as many historians, such as Jonathan Glover in Humanity have reported, air strikes rapidly led to the rationalization of not bothering to try to avoid civilians, say if they manned or merely lived too close to factories, and then to exercises like the firebombing of Dresden, where the strikes concentrated on the city center, when the economic damage would have been greater if theyd targeted the main manufacturing operations, in the suburbs.

And speaking of firebombings.this article gives the obligatory nod to Hiroshima and Nagasaki, but omits the more deadly Japanese firebombings.

By

As a parting shot, on its way out of Afghanistan, the United States military launched a drone attack that the Pentagon called a righteous strike. The final missile fired during 20 years of occupation, that August 29th airstrike averted an Islamic State car-bomb attack on the last American troops at Kabuls airport. At least, thats what the Pentagon told the world.

Within two weeks, a New York Times investigation would dismantle that official narrative. Seven days later, even the Pentagon admitted it. Instead of killing an ISIS suicide bomber, the United States had slaughtered 10 civilians: Zemari Ahmadi, a longtime worker for a U.S. aid group; three of his children, Zamir, 20, Faisal, 16, and Farzad, 10; Ahmadis cousin Naser, 30; three children of Ahmadis brother Romal, Arwin, 7, Benyamin, 6, and Hayat, 2; and two 3-year-old girls, Malika and Somaya.

The names of the dead from the Kabul strike are as important as they are rare. So many civilians have been obliterated, incinerated, or  as in the August 29th attack  shredded in Americas forever wars. Who in the United States remembers them? Who here ever knew of them in the first place? Twenty years after 9/11, with the Afghan War declared over, combat in Iraq set to conclude, and President Joe Biden announcing the end of an era of major military operations to remake other countries, who will give their deaths another thought?

Americans have been killing civilians since before there was a United States. At home and abroad, civilians  Pequots, African Americans, Cheyenne and Arapaho, Filipinos, Haitians, Japanese, Germans, Koreans, Vietnamese, Cambodians, Laotians, Afghans, Iraqis, Syrians, Yemenis, and Somalis, among others  have been shot, burned, and bombed to death. The slaughter at Sand Creek, the Bud Dajo massacre, the firebombing of Dresden, the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, the My Lai massacre  the United States has done what it can to sweep it all under the rug through denial, cover-ups, and the most effective means of all: forgetting.

Theres little hope of Americans ever truly coming to terms with the Pequot or Haitian or Vietnamese blood on their hands. But before the forever wars slip from the news and the dead slide into the memory hole that holds several centuries worth of corpses, its worth spending a few minutes thinking about Zemari Ahmadi, Benyamin, Hayat, Malika, Somaya, and all the civilians who were going about their lives until the U.S. military ended them.

Names Remembered and Names Forgotten

Over the last 20 years, the United States has conducted more than 93,300 air strikes  in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Pakistan, Somalia, Syria, and Yemen  that killed between 22,679 and 48,308 civilians, according to figures recently released by Airwars, a U.K.-based airstrike monitoring group. The total number of civilians who have died from direct violence in Americas wars since 9/11 tops out at 364,000 to 387,000, according to Brown Universitys Costs of War Project.

Who were those nearly 400,000 people?

Theres Malana. In 2019, at age 25, she had just given birth to a son, when her health began to deteriorate. Her relatives were driving her to a clinic in Afghanistans Khost Province when their vehicle was attacked by a U.S. drone, killing Malana and four others.

And Gul Mudin. He was wounded by a grenade and shot with a rifle, one of at least three civilians murdered by a U.S. Army kill team in Kandahar Province in 2010.

Then there was Gulalai, one of seven people, including three women  two of them pregnant  who were shot and killed in a February 12, 2010, raid by Special Operations forces in Afghanistans Paktia Province.

And the four members of the Razzo family  Mayada, Tuqa, Mohannad, and Najib  killed in a September 20, 2015, airstrike in Mosul, Iraq.

And there were the eight men, three women, and four children  Abdul Rashid as well as Abdul Rahman, Asadullah, Hayatullah, Mohamadullah, Osman, Tahira, Nadia, Khatima, Jundullah, Soheil, Amir, and two men, ages 25 and 36 respectively, named Abdul Waheed  who were killed in a September 7, 2013, drone strike on Rashids red Toyota pickup in Afghanistan.

Then there were 22-year-old Lul Dahir Mohamed and her four-year-old daughter, Mariam Shilo Muse, who were killed in an April 1, 2018, airstrike in Somalia.

And between 2013 and 2020, in seven separate U.S. attacks in Yemen  six drone strikes and one raid  36 members of the al Ameri and al Taisy families were slaughtered.

Those names we know. Or knew, if only barely and fleetingly. Then there are the countless anonymous victims like the three civilians in a blue Kia van killed by Marines in Iraq in 2003. Two bodies were slumped over in the front seats; they were men in street clothes and had no weapons that I could see. In the back seat, a woman in a black chador had fallen to the floor; she was dead, too, wrote Peter Maass in the New York Times Magazine in 2003. Years later, at the Intercept, he painted an even more vivid picture of the blue van, with its tires shot out and its windows shattered by bullets, its interior stained with blood and smelling of death, with flies feasting on already-rotting flesh.

Those three civilians in Iraq were all too typical of the many anonymous dead of this countrys forever wars  the man shot for carrying a flashlight in an offensive manner; the children killed by an errant rocket; the man slain by warning shots; the three women and one man machine-gunned to death; and the men, women and children reduced to charred meat in an American bombing.

Who were the 11 Afghans  four of them children  who died in a 2004 helicopter attack, or the dozen or more civilians killed in 2010 during a nighttime raid by U.S. troops in that same country? And what about those 30 pine-nut farm workers slaughtered a year later by a drone strike there? And what were the names of Mohanned Tadfis mother, brother, sister-in-law, and seven nieces and nephews killed in the U.S. bombing that flattened the city of Raqqa, Syria, in 2017?

Often, the U.S. military had no idea whom they were killing. This country frequently carried out signature strikes that executed unknown people due to suspicious behavior. So often, Americans killed such individuals for little or no reason  like holding a weapon in places where, as in this country, firearms were ubiquitous  and then counted them as enemy dead. An investigation by Connecting Vets found that during a 2019 air campaign in Afghanistans Helmand province, for example, the threshold for an attack could be met by as little as a person using or even touching a radio or if an Afghan carrying commercially bought two-way radios stepped into a home, the entire building would sometimes be leveled by a drone strike.

Targeted assassinations were equally imprecise. Secret documents obtained by the Intercept revealed that, during a five-month stretch of Operation Haymaker  a drone campaign in 2011 and 2013 aimed at al-Qaeda and Taliban leaders along the Afghan-Pakistan border  200 people were killed in airstrikes conducted to assassinate 35 high-value targets. In other words, nearly nine out of 10 people slain in those targeted killings were not the intended targets. So, who were they?

Even if targeting was ordinarily more accurate than during Operation Haymaker, U.S. policy has consistently adhered to the dictum that military-age males killed in airstrikes should automatically be classified as combatants unless proven innocent. In addition to killing people for spurious reasons, the U.S. also opted for allies who would prove at least as bad as, if not worse than, those they were fighting. For two decades, such American-taxpayer-funded warlords and militiamen murdered, raped, or shook-down the very people this country was supposedly protecting. And, of course, no one knows the names of all those killed by such allies who were being advised, trained, armed, and funded by the United States.

Who, for instance, were the two men tied to the rear fender of a Toyota pickup truck in southeastern Afghanistan in 2012 by members of an Afghan militia backed by U.S. Special Operations forces? They were, wrote reporter Anand Gopal, dragged along six miles of rock-studded road until they were dead. Then their bodies were left decomposing for days, a warning to anyone who thought of disobeying Azizullah, the U.S.-allied local commander.

Or what about the 12 boys gunned down by CIA-backed militiamen at a madrassa in the Afghan village of Omar Khail? Or the six boys similarly slain at a school in nearby Dadow Khail? Or any of the dead from 10 raids in 2018 and 2019 by that same militia, which summarily executed at least 51 civilians, including boys as young as eight years old, few of whom, wrote reporter Andrew Quilty, appeared to have had any formal relationship with the Taliban?

How many reporters notebooks are filled with the unpublished names of just such victims? Or counts of those killed? Or the stories of their deaths? And how many of those who were murdered never received even a mention in an article anywhere?

Last year, I wrote 4,500 words for the New York Times Magazine about the deteriorating situation in Burkina Faso. As I noted then, that nation was one of the largest recipients of American security aid in West Africa, even though the State Department admitted that U.S.-backed forces were implicated in a litany of human-rights abuses, including extrajudicial killings.

What never made it into the piece was any mention of three men who were executed in two separate attacks. On May 22, 2019, uniformed Burkinabe troops arrived in the village of Konga and took two brothers, aged 38 and 25, away in the middle of the night. The next day, a relative found them on the side of the road, bound and executed. Most of the family fled the area. The Army came back a week later, a relative told me. My uncle was the only one in our family who stayed. He was shot in broad daylight. Such deaths are ubiquitous but arent even factored into the 360,000-plus civilian deaths counted by the Costs of War project, which offers no estimate for those killed in Americas smaller war zones.

Build the Wall!

We live in a world filled with monuments celebrating lives and deaths, trailblazers and memorable events, heroes and villains. They run the gamut from civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr., and Womens Rights Pioneers to the chieftains of the American Confederacy and Belgiums King Leopold.

In the United States, theres no shortage of memorials and monuments commemorating Americas wars and fallen soldiers. One of the most poignant lists the names of the American military dead of the Vietnam War. Initially derided by hawkish veterans and conservatives as a black gash of shame and a nihilistic slab, its now one of the most celebrated monuments in Washington, D.C. More than 58,000 men and women are represented on the visually arresting black granite walls of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.

Vietnam itself has no shortage of monuments of its own. Many are Soviet-style memorials to those who died defeating the United States and reuniting their country. Others are seldom-seen, tiny memorials to massacres perpetrated by the Americans and their allies. No one knows how many similar cenotaphs exist in Iraq, Syria, Yemen, and other forever-war countries, but in 2017, journalist Emran Feroz found just such a memorial in Afghanistans Wardak Province  a remembrance of five civilians slain in drone strikes during 2013 and 2014.

There have been other attempts to memorialize the civilian dead of the forever wars from art installations to innovative visual protests to virtual commemorations. In 2018, after then-President Trump signed a bill approving the construction of a Global War on Terrorism Memorial, Peter Maass proposed, even if only half-seriously, that the bullet-riddled blue Kia van he saw in Iraq should be placed on a pedestal on the National Mall. If we start building monuments that focus our attention on the pitiless killing of civilians in our wars, he wrote, maybe we would have fewer wars to fight and less reason to build these monuments.

A blue Kia on the National Mall would be a good starting point. But if were ever to grasp the meaning of the post-9/11 wars and all the conflicts that set the stage for them, however, we may need a wall as well  one that starts at the Kia and heads west. It would, of course, be immense. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial spans a total of 400 feet. The celebrated Vietnam War photographer Philip Jones Griffiths observed that a wall for the Vietnamese dead, counting combatants, of the American War would be nine miles long.

The Vietnam Veterans Memorial is arrayed in a unique chronological format, but the Civilian Deaths Memorial could begin with anyone. The last civilians killed by the United States as part of its 2001 to 2021 Afghan War  Zemari Ahmadi, Zamir, Faisal, Farzad, Naser, Arwin, Benyamin, Hayat, Malika, and Somaya  could lead it off. Then maybe Abdul Rashid and the 14 passengers from his red pick-up truck. Then Malana, Gul Mudin, Gul Rahim, Gulalai, Mayada, Tuqa, Mohannad, Najib, Lul Dahir Mohamed, and Mariam Shilo Muse. Then maybe Ngo Thi Sau, Cao Muoi, Cao Thi Thong, Tran Cong Chau Em, Nguyen Thi Nhi, Cao Thi Tu, Le Thi Chuyen, Dang Thi Doi, Ngo Thi Chiec, Tran Thi Song, Nguyen Thi Mot, Nguyen Thi Hai, Nguyen Thi Ba, Nguyen Thi Bon, Ho Thi Tho, Vo Thi Hoan, Pham Thi Sau, Dinh Van Xuan, Dinh Van Ba, Tran Cong Viet, Nguyen Thi Nham, Ngo Quang Duong, Duong Thi Hien, Pham Thi Kha, Huynh Van Binh, Huynh Thi Bay, Huynh Thi Ty, Le Van Van, Le Thi Trinh, Le Thi Duong, and Le Vo Danh and her unborn child, all slaughtered in the tiny South Vietnamese village of Phi Phu by U.S. troops (without any of the attention accorded to the My Lai massacre). They could be followed by the names of, or placeholders for, the remaining two million Vietnamese civilian dead and by countless Cambodians, Laotians, Afghans, Iraqis, Somalis, and Yemenis.

The Civilian Wall could be built in a zig-zag fashion across the country with the land in its way  homes and businesses, parks and roadways  seized by eminent domain, making Americans care about civilian deaths in ways that news articles never could. When you lose your home to a slab of granite that reads Pequot adult, Pequot adult, Pequot child 500 times, you may actually take notice. When you hear about renewed attacks in Iraq or drone strikes in Somalia or a Navy SEAL raid gone awry in Yemen and worry that the path of the wall might soon turn toward your town, youre likely to pay far more attention to Americas conflicts abroad.

Obviously, a westward-traveling wall memorializing civilian carnage is a non-starter in this country, but the next time you hear some fleeting murmur about a family wiped out by a drone strike or read a passing news story about killings by a U.S.-backed militia, think about that imaginary wall and how, in a just world, it might be headed in your direction. In the meantime, perhaps the best we can hope for is Maasss proposal for that blue Kia on the Mall. Perhaps it could be accompanied by the inscription found on a granite slab at the Heidefriedhof, a cemetery in Dresden, Germany, the site of a mass grave for civilians killed in a 1945 U.S. and British fire-bombing. It begins: How many died? Who knows the number?
Lambert here: Too bad thats not what Bill Gates wanted. Oh well, nevertheless

By Michael Stolpe, Senior Economist at the Kiel Institute for the World Economy. Originally published at VoxEU.

To win the critical race between vaccines and mutations, the worldwide Covid-19 vaccination campaign must mobilise economies of scale. The most effective way to do so, this column argues, is to convert the existing Covid-19 Vaccines Global Access initiative into a more generously endowed global fund. Instead of merely obtaining the surplus vaccines of rich countries, and relying on unpredictable donations, the initiative should acquire the most promising vaccine patents and offer free production licenses to every qualified vaccine and generic drug manufacturer in the global South.

In the absence of public policy interventions, demand is constrained by the deadweight loss from the monopolistic pricing power that patents create where perfect price discrimination is unavailable, and by the divergence between susceptibles private willingness-to-pay and the social value of vaccinations.

The static deadweight loss leaves unprotected those susceptibles whose willingness-to-pay, while exceeding marginal costs, falls short of the vaccines monopoly price, which is set to equate marginal revenue to marginal costs. The combination of deadweight loss and large consumer surplus for many inframarginal vaccine buyers implies that even strictly enforced patents may not enable the developers of vaccines to appropriate more than 5% of their total value to society  and most likely far less  with inequality posing a major obstacle to appropriability (Stolpe 2021a). Continuing viral spread can cause further dynamic welfare losses, especially when vaccine-resistant mutations emerge.

Private and social valuations also diverge as inoculations reduce the probability of virus transmissions, severe illness, and hospitalisations; release healthcare resources for non-Covid patients; and help end the need for lockdowns. Taking these external benefits into account, a benevolent government derives its willingness-to-pay from the value of statistical lives that a population-wide vaccination campaign would save; for an alternative and potentially more comprehensive asset-pricing approach, see Acharya et al. (2021). The government would then seek to negotiate volume rebates from vaccine makers and offer vaccinations for free.

Many countries in the global South, however, have difficulties implementing population-wide free vaccinations. What then happens  in the absence of equal access  is explained by economic models of epidemiology (Geoffard and Philipson 1996): the rich have private incentives to protect themselves and often neglect the poor.

This is the core of a global problem: equal access exists neither within nor across countries. International price differentiation can facilitate more equal access, and the WTO agreement on Trade-related Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) outlaws parallel trade  i.e. the reimporting of patented goods  thus enabling vaccine makers to supply poor countries at lower prices without undermining their price-setting power and profits in rich countries. For example, the BioNTech/Pfizer vaccine has reportedly been sold at 19.50 per jab to the EU (Kollewe 2021) and at ca. 6 to African countries (Oxfam 2021), approximately six times the estimated 1 marginal production costs according to Kis and Rizvi (2021). This form of third-degree price discrimination, reflecting countries different average incomes, is in principle compatible with global profit maximisation, but is far from sufficient to address the large inequalities that exist within many poor countries (Stolpe 2021a).

In its laudable drive for equal access, the Covid-19 Vaccines Global Access initiative (COVAX) has been hampered from the start by the existence of rich countries advance purchase commitments: intended to incentivise speedy vaccine development and preparation of mass production in 2020, they effectively created a queue. COVAX was pushed to the end of that queue when rich countries pre-ordered volumes of vaccines that vastly exceeded their own needs. Moreover, contracting on deliveries instead of production capacities allowed vaccine makers to underinvest in capacity and de facto incentivised them to delay deliveries (as predicted in Castillo at al. 2020), thus exacerbating international rivalries in procurement, driving up prices, and giving the virus more time to spread.

To make vaccination a worldwide success, COVAX must be redesigned: instead of acquiring vaccines, COVAX must buy out the patents for the most promising vaccines. Geoffard (2020) called on the EU to go alone, but COVAX is the more appropriate institution for global patent buyouts. COVAX can then make production licenses freely available to all technically qualified vaccine and generic drug producers in the countries of the global South. This will intensify competition in the production of each vaccine and help create truly global supply chains with trade in specialised inputs, thereby accelerating the expansion of vaccine supply. To improve incentives even further, COVAX could offer countries financial rewards for successful vaccination campaigns, conditional on surpassing predetermined population-immunity targets by some set date.

Pricing Vaccine Patent Buyouts

To be sustainable, patent buyouts must offer a price that induces patent holders to sell voluntarily, but not so high a price that COVAX stakeholders could perceive it as wasteful. To reward and incentivise the right kind of innovation, the price should be linked to the social value of vaccinations. One way would be for COVAX to buy patents in exchange for regular payments that are linked to average consumer surplus multiplied by the number of vaccine doses administered worldwide after the buyout. As an added benefit, this would create incentives for know-how transfers from vaccine developers to makers anywhere, so long as such transfers help vaccinations succeed.

However, such a payment scheme would not necessarily help ex ante to identify and select the most promising types of vaccines in terms of scalability in manufacturing, ease of distribution in resource-poor settings, and duration of induced immunity. Vaccines launched at various points in time and those still under development may be difficult to compare, inter alia because clinical studies based on randomised controlled trials would have been conducted in different populations and at different stages of a pandemic in which the relative prevalence of mutations has varied greatly.

For efficient use of decentralised information in identifying the most promising vaccines, COVAX should host auctions for a range of vaccines preselected to meet certain obvious quality standards, such as minimum effectiveness in preventing hospitalisations and death, and maximum risk of adverse side-effects. A sealed-bid second-price auction, described in Kremer (1998) and Stolpe (2003), could then be used to elicit private bids for vaccine patents, say from competing pharmaceutical companies, on which COVAX would offer to pay a mark-up just high enough to ensure patent holders sell voluntarily.

The auction scheme should be adapted to deal with substitute patents, such as product patents for alternative vaccine technologies, and complementary patents for production processes that need to be bought out jointly with the product patent (as explained in Kremer 1998). In addition to combining product and process patents, the auction should also be designed to include contracts for the transfer of the technical and managerial know-how required to quickly set up vaccine production at an efficient scale.

A further issue to address is that of patent holders potentially high opportunity costs of selling patents for processes that may be needed not only to make vaccines, but also for other  perhaps even more profitable  products, such as the expected breakthrough cancer treatments for which mRNA technologies were first developed. Many industry experts hope mRNA technologies will become a new kind of general-purpose technology for the pharmaceutical industry, with beneficial applications across a wide range of diseases.

The owners of these process patents might be reluctant to sell them at prices COVAX derives solely from the valuation of vaccines against Covid-19 when much larger profits loom elsewhere. These opportunity costs might drive up the prices COVAX would have to pay in patent buyouts. To limit them, the packages to be auctioned should not include the process patents as a whole, but only licenses that limit permissible use to vaccine production. This would leave untouched the developers patented rights to other applications of their technology, such as cancer treatments. These rights might subsequently be included in separate buyout schemes not financed by COVAX.

Finally, to incentivise further vaccine innovations that may be required against escape mutations, COVAX should commit itself to maintaining target levels of vaccine effectiveness over time, and to hosting auctions for any new vaccines that offer the required effectiveness against mutations should they push the effectiveness of existing vaccines below a preannounced threshold. In addition, COVAX should promise to use future auctions for any new vaccines that demonstrate substantial predefined improvements in other relevant criteria, such as the duration of vaccine-induced immunity.

Concluding Remarks

At this critical time in the pandemic, patent buyouts offer the best opportunity to bring the most effective vaccines to all countries, achieve high and sustainable levels of population immunity, and win the race against SARS-CoV-2 mutations. Unlike patent waivers, buyouts need not impair private incentives for further innovation, but might even improve them  including incentives for vaccine upgrades that counter escape mutations. Unlike waivers or other forms of compulsory licensing, buyouts can be designed to incentivise voluntary transfers of relevant tacit knowledge, such as technical and managerial know-how. The valuation of patents in buyout auctions will increase when contracts for such transfers are included.

Unlike decentralised bilateral licensing, patent buyouts hosted by COVAX will break the price setting power of private vaccine monopolies worldwide, boost global competition in the production of each vaccine, and bring down prices to the often lower marginal manufacturing costs in poorer countries. Finally, patent buyouts will improve private incentives for developing vaccines that are optimised for or easily adaptable to the conditions in resource-poor countries. In this vein, they will also improve incentives for clinical trials performed in poor countries and designed to study a vaccines robustness against mutations.

According to the IMF (as cited in Stolpe 2021 b), 40% of the boost to global economic growth from successful worldwide inoculation, estimated at $9 trillion, will flow to rich countries (see also Cakmakl et al. 2021). Much greater financial support for COVAX and political support for vaccine patent buyouts would therefore be in rich countries best interest.

References available at the original.
(Natural News) Medical science already has a good understanding regarding the spread of disease today. However, there are diseases that we are still hopeless against. Medicines are not a catch-all, either. Antibiotics, for instance, work well against bacterial infections, but cant do anything against viruses. Hundreds of thousands become infected with influenza every year, and thousands still die from it, yet there are no antiviral medicines that can combat this common disease and eradicate it completely.

There is no magical solution when it comes to a pandemic. Based on how diseases spread, the likelihood of survival is higher in some states than others.

The best states to live in during a pandemic

Alaska

Alaska has the lowest population density compared to the rest of the United States. Its cities are fairly small, with Anchorage housing over 40 percent of the population  a grand total of 297,832 individuals.

While a pandemic could spread through the population as well as it could through millions living in the largest cities, some people also live in remote areas where they dont have regular contact with the outside world. This limits their chances of catching deadly diseases. (Related: China is censoring coronavirus critics in the United States.)

Wyoming

Wyoming, like Alaska, has a lot of wide, open spaces. There is also a lot of game, ranching, and farming for your food sources. The biggest part of Wyomings agriculture is in cattle, but they also grow a lot of grains, hogs, and sheep.

Colorado

Riding out the pandemic in Colorado is also a good idea, the state has a lot of farms and plenty of isolated areas where you can hide and keep away from people for days. This makes the Colorado Rockies a great bug-out area not just from a pandemic, but other disasters as well.

There are also hunting and fishing grounds, although you may end up competing with a lot of other people for the opportunity to hunt and fish.

Texas

Texas may have a large population, but the state itself is also huge, so people are pretty well spread out if you avoid the large cities. What makes Texas particularly attractive is that it is a ranching state. More cattle are raised in Texas than anywhere in the U.S. If you decide to start ranching, this is a good place to start.

The state also has the advantage of having a hotter climate that experiences a lot of sunshine. Viral pandemics like Ebola or the coronavirus spread less easily here as the heat can be deadly to viruses.

Read more about bugging out safely during a pandemic at Preparedness.news.

Sources include:

AskAPrepper.com

Caring.com
(Natural News) Two Canadian nurses have turned into whistleblowers and told reporters what they have seen during the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. This includes people dying after getting vaccinated and hospitals filled with fully vaccinated people suffering from COVID-19.

Erica Beardsley, from the small town of Pontiac in the Canadian province of Quebec, was a nurse for 11 years. She recently resigned after her employer mandated that she get vaccinated.

At an anti-vaccine mandate protest in Canada, she spoke with a reporter about the gruesome things she has seen as a nurse during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ive physically seen people restraining the elderly and vaccinating them against their will while they scream No,' said Beardsley. Ive seen patients coming in with suicide and  once theyre dead, they are testing them for COVID. Why? Why are we testing them for COVID?

Ive witnessed a lot of people dying of heart attacks shortly after the vaccine, she continued. Ive witnessed miscarriages at full-term five days, four days, after the vaccine.

Beardsley explained that this is a surprisingly common occurrence even though she comes from a town of just around 5,000 people.

Im in a little hospital, a small hospital. Ive worked on every floor, said Beardsley. She said she has worked in long-term care, general care, the emergency department and even for her hospitals external clinic. I saw it all.

I have nothing to lose, nothing to hide. They wanted to mandate the vaccine on me and I refused. (Related: Hawaii health care whistleblower says he has seen more people die from COVID-19 vaccines than from the virus.)

Another nurse working in St. Michaels Hospital in Toronto claims the hospital is filled with fully vaccinated COVID-19 patients.

Are the hospitals full of COVID patients, asked one reporter.

The hospitals are pretty much full of people that have been vaccinated, answered the nurse. Theyre returning to the hospital due to their vaccinations.

So youre telling me that people who got vaccinated are in the hospital right now? asked the reporter.

Yeah, not just in St. Michaels, but all over the world, said the nurse. Thats whats coming back to the hospitals this time of year, when the hospitals should be at their lowest, are people that are vaccinated.

Watch the entirety of their statements here:

Quebec restricts free speech of vaccine skeptics by banning protests near schools and hospitals

Many people all over Canada, including a lot of healthcare workers, are protesting against the imposition of vaccine mandates. These protests have sprung up all over the country against people being forced to take experimental and deadly vaccines.

To prevent these protests from getting larger, the National Assembly of Quebec passed into law a bill banning anti-vaccine protests near hospitals, schools, childcare centers, COVID-19 testing clinics and mass vaccination centers.

The bill, known as Bill 105, was adopted on Thursday afternoon within just a few hours after it was presented by Deputy Premier and Minister for Public Security Genevieve Guilbault.

The law explicitly bans any protests related to the COVID-19 pandemic that are held within 50 meters of the aforementioned establishments.

An amendment to the bill also banned pandemic-related protests within 50 meters of vocational colleges and adult education centers.

Another amendment allowed protests to be held within 50 meters of the establishments if the protests are regarding working conditions.

Any protest organizer that violates the new law will be fined anywhere between CA$1,000 to CA$6,000 ($788 to $4,728).

Any protester caught intimidating or threatening people entering or leaving these establishments can also be fined between CA$2,000 to CA$12,000 ($1,576  $9,456).

The bill was passed unanimously, with all opposition parties in the National Assembly voicing their support for limiting protests.

The measures will only last for 30 days. But the government reserves the right to renew these restrictions on freedom of speech while the provinces COVID-19 state of emergency order remains in effect.

I understand that it is difficult to restrict the right to protest, but, frankly, there are limits, said Quebec Premier Francois Legault.

Learn more about how governments around the world are trying to use the COVID-19 pandemic to restrict the freedoms of vaccine skeptics, health freedom advocates and the unvaccinated by reading the latest articles at Vaccines.news.

Sources include:

BitChute.com

GlobalNews.ca

Montreal.CTVNews.ca
(Natural News) Western governments around the world are continuing to exploit the COVID-19 pandemic to enhance their power and deprive their citizens of hard-won, hard-fought rights that are supposed to be guaranteed and protected, and that includes the United States, where many Democrat-controlled jurisdictions have simply begun to ignore the Constitution altogether because theyve been getting away with it.

But weve gone past the simple imposition of mandates and rules that test the limits of legal behavior; now weve moved into the criminally absurd, and trust us when we tell you, its only going to get worse from here.

The Democrat authoritarians who run Clark County, Nev., have actually issued a rule along with the elected board overseeing the Las Vegas Strip declaring COVID-19 misinformation a public health crisis that is allegedly creating a culture of mistrust and prolonging the coronavirus pandemic, the Reno Gazette-Journal reported this week.

And of course, the authoritarians get to decide what disinformation looks like.

The paper added:

A divided vote by the seven-member Clark County Commission came during a contentious Tuesday meeting that saw the forceful removal by security officers of a man running for state lieutenant governor; complaints that free speech rights were being limited; and a reference by a speaker at the podium to bloodshed on the streets of Las Vegas, the Las Vegas Sun reported.

Bystander video circulated online showed Mack Miller being pushed backward by two officers through a metal detector and falling to the floor of the Clark County Government Center. Miller, a frequent candidate for public offices and regular speaker at meetings, was not arrested. A county statement said Wednesday the matter was under review.

Misinformation has caused confusion, the nonbinding resolution, adopted on a 5-2 vote, said, adding it nationally has led to eligible people declining COVID-19 vaccines, rejecting public health measures such as masking and physical distancing, and using unproven treatments.

Does this look like the resolution is nonbinding?

For the record, Miller is a candidate for Nevada lieutenant governor.

Unlike a measure approved Sept. 1 by the San Diego County Board of Supervisors, the Clark County vote was advisory and did not include recommendations to combat misinformation, the Reno paper stated, but of course, we all know that is just a formality.

It likely wont be long until the Clark County board of supervisors follow the lead of national Democrats and the left-wing big tech giants and ban any information about COVID that doesnt toe the party line (such as, COVID-19 vaccines are good all the time for everyone and they are 100 percent safe!  which is BS, of course).

Some commissioners are already flirting with the totalitarianism. For instance, Justin Jones, sponsor of the Clark County measure, said its important to commit to doing all we can to combat the falsehoods that continue to jeopardize the lives of our citizens.

Dr. Fermin Leguen, chief health officer for the regional Southern Nevada Health District, issued a statement supporting the resolution. He said misinformation and vaccine hesitancy have led people to try unproven and unsafe treatments, said the paper.

There you go. The freedom to choose is now a threat to democracy, at least in Clark County, Nev.

The two who voted against the measure actually got it right in terms of constitutionality. Commission Chairwoman Marilyn Kirkpatrick and Commissioner Jim Gibson correctly observed that the measure is only going to further divide Las Vegans and will be seen as curbing what Gibson described as the right to speak, to dissent, to express opinion, to get into even a real significant public discourse or an argument.

When we have to tell them that those rights are not impaired by something were doing  weve almost already lost the battle, Gibson said.

We dont live in a free country anymore, and neither does anyone else who currently resides in any Western democracy. Just ask Australians.

Sources include:

Brighteon.com

RGJ.com
(Natural News) If Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19) vaccines are really safe and effective as the government claims, then why are there hundreds of stories about people who were seriously injured or killed by them documented in detail at CovidVaccineVictims.com?

Founded in January 2021 on Telegram, CovidVaccineVictims.com is a new resource where you can read all about the many people whose lives were destroyed by Fauci Flu shots. It is a sobering experience to look through them all, but it is also an important one that might help to bring positive change to the current trajectory.

Since we are constantly being told by the authorities that there is no reason not to get jabbed with a Wuhan Flu shot, CovidVaccineVictims.com is a powerful rebuttal to that unsubstantiated claim.

President Joe Biden, for instance, whined recently that there is no good reason for anyone who is unvaccinated to wait any longer. He then proceeded to whisper in the ear of America that everyone needs to get vaccinated promptly  what are you waiting for?

The answer to that question, Pedo Joe, is that people who are actually doing their homework know that Chinese Virus injections are not safe, nor are they effective. They are harming more people than any other jab ever has.

How many more people need to die before the covid vaccine genocide comes to an end?

One of the victims shown on the site is Erica Kay Darr, 40, who passed away unexpectedly following a Covid-19 vaccine. Another is 56-year-old Fernando Katukina, an indigenous American who suffered fatal cardiac arrest after his injection.

Forty-four-year-old Stefano Paterno from Italy died just 16 hours after getting injected with the AstraZeneca vaccine. His brain began to bleed until he eventually passed away, leaving behind a wife and two children.

A young woman from Israel by the name of Shirel Hilel, 22, developed severe inflammation of the heart after receiving a Pfizer injection. She later died of cardiac arrest.

Rapper DMX (born Earl Simmons) is also listed as a victim, as he, too, died from cardia arrest not long after receiving his injection.

Davide Bristot, an 18-year-old from Italy, was also reported dead not long after receiving his Chinese Flu shot. He and many other young people listed on the site were healthy and normal prior to their injections.

All ages, races and body types are depicted in the archive, suggesting that Chinese Virus jabs do not necessarily discriminate based on pre-existing health conditions or body fat content.

One of the victims shown was a 26-year-old doctor from India who took the jab and began to feel unwell. Her husband, who is also a doctor, quickly administered pain medication but the woman passed just hours later while at the hospital.

TheCovidBlog.com is another site where you will find stories about people whose lives were ruined or ended by Wuhan Flu shots. These are presented more as blog articles, while the stories at CovidVaccineVictims.com are displayed as picture tiles where you can see the victims faces.

CovidVaccineVictims.com also has a podcast section where you can listen to a series called Voices of the Victims. Each episode features interviews with people who have either experienced or witnessed an injury or death caused by covid injections.

A quick note from the author of this story: It has come to my attention that some shared Wi-Fi networks will not allow access to CovidVaccineVictims.com. An erroneous pop-up message claims that the site poses phishing risks. If you experience this, let us know about it in the comment section. It would seem as though the powers that be really do not want this information to get out there.

The latest news about injuries and deaths caused by Chinese Virus injections can be found at ChemicalViolence.com.

Sources for this article include:

CovidVaccineVictims.com

NaturalNews.com

TheCovidBlog.com
(Natural News) A report has found that a lawyer formerly with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) served as a visiting professor at a Chinese university backed by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Former ACLU Foundation of Southern California (ACLU SoCal) Chief Counsel Mark Rosenbaum has served as a visiting professor at the CCP-backed Peking University for more than a decade. The organization he was formerly affiliated with repeatedly challenged former President Donald Trumps pronouncements through lawsuits it filed.

Rosenbaum taught a number of courses at the universitys Transnational School of Law as visiting professor. One course he taught is titled Equal Protection Law and First Amendment Law. A course summary stated that it examines contemporary issues of free speech in the context of [the] U.S. Constitution. The course also scrutinizes some aspects of the First Amendment  such as hate speech and racist speech, the uses and values of free speech and censorship and discrimination based on content.

Aside from this, Rosenbaum has also served on the law schools Transnational Law Review-Journal. Outside of lecturing duties, Rosenbaum helms the universitys Public Interest Advocacy Clinic. The endeavor aims to secure fundamental rights for disadvantaged  and undeserved citizens in the U.S.

However, the ACLU has consistently taken up left-leaning causes and opposed Trump administration orders during Rosenbaums time there. It has sued to stop travel bans and border wall construction ordered by the former president. It has also launched ad campaigns targeting Justice Brett Kavanaugh.

According to a September 2014 ACLU SoCal press release, Rosenbaum joined the civil rights groups southern California branch in 1974. He rose through the ranks until he became the groups legal director. The statement announced his departure from the group after four decades of tackling key legal issues. ACLU SoCal Executive Director Hector Villagra dubbed Rosenbaum as a tireless defender of  civil rights and civil liberties. (Related: Number of professors allegedly in cahoots with communist China quickly mounts.)

Links to Chinese educational institutions may undermine national security

Rosenbaums connections with Peking University raised possible national security concerns. His links to the CCP-backed educational institution echoed that of an earlier instance involving a former Harvard University professor. Last January, the Department of Justice (DoJ) announced its arrest of erstwhile Harvard Chemistry and Chemical Biology Department Chair Charles M. Lieber. According to the DoJ statement, his arrest stemmed from a failure to disclose funding sources and potential conflicts of interest.

Court documents noted that Lieber assumed the role of a strategic scientist at Wuhan University of Technology (WUT) in 2011. He eventually participated in Chinas Thousand Talents Plan from about 2012 to 2017. The plan involved the recruitment of high-level scientists worldwide to work for China  and Lieber became part of it without informing Harvard. (Related: Harvards Charles Lieber arrested for treason with communist China.)

WUT paid Lieber a monthly salary of $50,000, an allowance of about $158,000 for living expenses and a $1.5 million grant to establish a research laboratory. In return, Lieber was required to work for the university for not less than nine months a year.

However, Lieber concurrently received more than $15 million in grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Department of Defense. Recipients of federal grants are required to disclose significant foreign financial conflicts of interest, including financial support from foreign governments  or entities. The former Harvard chemistry head did not disclose his compensation from the Thousand Talents Plan or WUT.

The federal complaint filed by the Justice Department also accused Lieber of lying about his involvement with the Chinese program and WUT. He told investigators in April 2018 that China did not ask him to join the Thousand Talents program  but added that he wasnt sure how the regime categorized him. Later in November of that year, NIH approached Harvard about Liebers suspected ties with China.

The former Harvard chemistry head caused the university to cover up his involvement with the two Chinese institutions. It told NIH that Lieber had no formal association with WUT after 2021 and WUT continued to falsely exaggerate his involvement there in subsequent years. He also caused Harvard to deny his membership in the Thousand Talents Plan by saying that he is not and has never been a participant in it.

Head over to CommunistChina.news to read more articles about American scholars with ties to Chinese universities and how they undermine national security.

Sources include:

TheNationalPulse.com

ACLUSoCal.org

Justice.gov
(Natural News) Imogen Allen was healthy and spry prior to getting vaccinated for the Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19). Now, however, the 22-year-old champion show jumper has developed two massive blood clots in her lungs that could prevent her from ever riding again.

As we have come to expect, the mainstream media is calling Allens clots an incredibly rare reaction, even though it is one of the most common adverse effects to occur post-jab.

According to reports, Allen was taking contraceptives at the time when she got injected with Fauci Flu shots. This, the corporate media is insinuating, could be the real cause behind Allens newly formed blood clots.

Allen took the Moderna injections that were pushed by Donald father of the vaccine Trump under Operation Warp Speed, which sent the experimental jabs to the four corners of the world in a matter of weeks.

Trusting what the authorities were telling everyone, Allen rolled up her sleeve believing that it would help to flatten the curve while keeping her safe. Instead, she was left for dead by the Big Pharma poison.

While Allen is still alive, she will probably never ride horses again because a simple bump to the head or even a cut could kill her since she will have to take blood-thinning medication for the rest of her life.

Allen might also have to get surgery due to the clots that developed in her lungs just days after being injected with Modernas mRNA clot shot. Life as she once knew it is now gone forever.

I was always wary of something happening, and it just shows that I had every right to be, because look at me now, Allen is quoted as saying.

Fauci Flu shots are destroying lives one injection at a time

It was first discovered that something was wrong with Allen after she collapsed during a recent family holiday with her boyfriend. Allen was later diagnosed with a bilateral pulmonary thromboembolism.

Allen had just secured a job as a police officer, but is now being recommended to forego that position, which she desired all her life, because her vaccine-induced illness could prevent her from performing her duties as needed.

Allen is hoping to reapply for the position at some point in the future, assuming her health improves. If she has to stay on blood thinners for the rest of her life, though, that might never happen.

Its devastating, Allen told the British media. I have been interested in the police since I was 18. I have absolutely no idea what Im going to do now. Work isnt even on the horizon.

Every day since getting jabbed, Allen has been mostly confined to her bed. She described her new post-vaccine life as depressing, calling it a massive setback for everything she had planned for the future.

Even brushing my teeth and hair I was panting and had to take breaks, Allen says about what the jab did to her. Sleeping on my side just felt like it was crushing my lungs. It was like every breath I took just didnt do anything.

As part of her post-injection treatments, Allen has had to suffer through numerous excruciating injections that were jabbed into her belly. These injections contained various drug cocktails supposedly designed to relieve some of the strain on her heart.

Allen says the many hours she has had to spend alone in the hospital because of her countrys Chinese Virus restriction was something like a horror film.

Yeah, this is really bad, Allen is quoted as saying.

More of the latest news about the widespread devastation being caused by Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19) vaccines can be found at ChemicalViolence.com.

Sources for this article include:

DailyMail.co.uk

NaturalNews.com
(Natural News) Global positioning system (GPS) satellites are extremely vulnerable to massive solar storms due to their location in space. If they go down, GPS-dependent infrastructure such as electric grids, financial market systems and public transportation will go down as well. The combined failure of these can very well bring Americas collapse, yet the country still hasnt built a backup GPS system.

Solar storms can end America

Solar storms occur when the sun emits massive bursts of energy in the form of solar flares and coronal mass ejections (CME). Solar flares are commonly accompanied by CMEs, which are powerful expulsions of charged particles and magnetic energy.

These two events are not directly dangerous to life on Earth, since the planets magnetic field deflects any harmful radiation and charged particles that the sun emits. But satellites are vulnerable due to their location above the planets atmosphere.

If a massive CME erupts on the Earth-facing side of the sun, the stream of charged particles it carries will strike the planet and disturb its magnetic field. This disturbance, which is called a geomagnetic storm, can damage or destroy satellites and disrupt human activities that depend on these orbiters.

GPS failure, in particular, will be catastrophic since nearly all critical infrastructure in the U.S. are GPS-dependent. Operated by the Air Force, GPS is made up of 31 operational satellites that orbit Earth twice a day at an altitude of more than 12,000 miles. It is used for navigation, location determination and timing.

While most people can navigate without GPS, modern transportation and emergency services need it for their basic operations. If GPS goes down, there will be no information boards to tell commuters when the next train will arrive. Planes can get lost and run out of fuel mid-flight. Emergency operators will not be able to locate callers and identify the nearest ambulance or police car.

GPS failure can also disrupt cellphone networks, financial markets, digital television, electric grids and more. All of these rely on GPS to make precise measurements of time. The finance sector, for example, uses GPS clocks to timestamp and verify ATM, credit card and high-speed stock market transactions.

A glitch of just a fraction of a second can cause problems to all of these systems. If GPS clocks stray by a thousandth of a second, for instance, a person trying to locate himself using GPS will be mislaid by up to 185 miles. (Related: Space weather can cause cascading collapse across critical human civilization infrastructure, blocking rail transport, aviation, and food delivery.)

High odds of GPS failure this decade, yet US has no backup GPS

The current decade is a particularly dangerous time, as pundits warn that the current solar cycle may be the busiest in a long time.

We have every reason to believe that the current solar cycle which began in December 2019 could be the most active since the 1970s, said Scott McIntosh, deputy director of the federally-funded National Center for Atmospheric Research.

This is a particular concern for the GPS. Strong solar storms can charge the atmosphere and prevent signals from getting through for days. The strongest can damage or even destroy satellites, he went on.

In a study published last year, McIntosh and his colleagues predicted that Solar Cycle 25  the cycle that the sun is currently in  will peak with a maximum sunspot number of up to 260. Thats more than double the previous solar cycles 116 sunspots. (Related: The new solar cycle bares its teeth: Powerful solar flare jams radio signals over the Pacific Ocean.)

McIntosh estimates a 35 to 45 percent likelihood that a CME will disrupt GPS services for up to several days in the next decade. The cost of this to the U.S. economy will amount to billions.

Yet the U.S. still has no backup GPS system to support industries in the event of a disaster. Both former Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama pledged to build a backup, but nothing came out of their pledges. In 2018, Congress passed the National Timing Resilience and Security Act, which requires the Department of Transportation (DOT) to establish an alternative GPS timing system by 2020. But the DOT hasnt produced anything yet.

Meanwhile, China, Russia and Iran have land-based backup systems that GPS users can switch to should GPS satellites go down. These backups are safe from solar storms and are more difficult to jam or spoof than GPS.

Space.news has more about solar storms and how they impact life on Earth.

Sources include:

StrangeSounds.org

EarthSky.org

BBC.com

ScienceDaily.com

ScientificAmerican.com
(Natural News) A left-wing pediatrician and professor who serves as a medical expert for CNN has openly called on the federal government to completely torch the First Amendment and go after any right-leaning or independent media outlet reporting truths about the sometimes dangerous and deadly COVID-19 vaccines, calling such publications anti-science.

CNNs favorite bow-tie-wearing expert, Peter Hotez, is the kind of medical professional CNN liked; the kind who inserts politics into everything and jumps at the chance to attack Republicans, Newsbusters reported last week.

Wednesday on CNN Newsroom, Dr. Hotez of Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Childrens Hospital switched from pediatrician and professor to full-on progressive activist, actually demanding the government step in to stop right-wing media, the site added.

First and foremost, lets review: This hack is a pediatrician and professor, not an immunology expert and certainly not a vaccine researcher, but again, as Newsbusters notes, those are not the credentials CNN is interested in; he must be an anti-conservative and a hack pundit first and foremost, so he fits the bill.

Hosts Alisyn Camerota and Victor Blackwell were talking about COVID boosters, which were not recommended for anyone under 65 by an advisory board for the FDA (and whose recommendation has now been tossed aside by another left-wing political hack physician, CDC Director Rochelle Walensky).

At one point, Blackwell asked Hotez to explain a very political tweet of his, in which the pediatrician claimed with zero evidence that anti-science aggression had murdered 100,000 Americans since April and the country had refusedto implement measures to halt it. That led the CNN host to ask, Youre calling out, I assume, politicians here. And what do you want them to do?

This crackpot went on to say that those deaths are the fault of conservatives, and if their anti-science aggression wasnt curtailed, the number of coronavirus deaths would double by years end.

The point is, weve built in a lot of infrastructures to combat terrorism, cyber-attacks, nuclear proliferation. Anti-science is killing more Americans than all of those things combined. We need to really take measures and it goes beyond just calling out Facebook, he began before going on to reference a far-left nonprofit group called The Center for Countering Digital Hate.

The groups website indicated they are a hate group that specifically targets conservative sites and praises abortion, Democrat vote-cheating laws, and a host of other left-wing causes.

So naturally the enemies are conservatives in media and in Congress for this guy.

Weve refused as a nation to go after the sources of the disinformation, what the Center for Digital Aid calls the disinformation dozen, nongovernmental organizations, the aggression from the political right, what were hearing on the conservative news outlets, what were hearing the anti-science aggression were hearing from U.S. members of Congress including not only trying to discredit science, but discrediting scientists, he continued.

Never mind that the countrys chief scientist, Anthony Fauci, has been wrong about COVID from the beginning and has lied repeatedly about various aspects of it.

We need to bring in the State Department. The Justice Department. Homeland Security. This goes way beyond HHS. And so far, weve not seen measures to combat that, he said.

So, not only should the government stop Fox News (Hotezs Twitter timeline is filled with anti-Fox tweets) he suggests CNN viewers go to a radically left website to find out who was dangerous. The interview ended after this, with Camerota thanking him, Newsbusters noted further.

For all the accusations against Donald Trump for allegedly being a tyrant  he wasnt; he was the most constitutional president weve had since Reagan  its the left who are the authoritarians, as Hotez the crackpot pediatrician proves.

Sources include:

NewsBusters.org

NaturalNews.com
(Natural News) Stephane Bancel, the current CEO of Moderna, has announced that everyone who took the companys first two Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19) mRNA vaccines will need to get continual booster shots for the rest of their lives if they hope to live.

Bancels goal is to manufacture enough booster shots for everyone on this earth to be vaccinated over and over again for the rest of eternity, which will be great for Modernas stock price.

Moderna was one of the companies selected by Donald Trump to mass produce injections under Operation Warp Speed. In just one year, Moderna raked in $19 billion from the scheme.

Now, Trumps man is admitting that the true intent with Operation Warp Speed was to continue jabbing people on a regular schedule for the rest of their lives, which is the only way to flatten the curve.

Those who dont get vaccinated will immunize themselves naturally because the Delta variant is so contagious, Bancel stated, clarifying that such people will still get sick, in his opinion.

You can either get vaccinated and have a good winter, Bancel added. Or you dont do it and risk getting sick and possibly even ending up in hospital.

Bancel admits that those who took Moderna mRNA injections now have crippled immune systems that require constant boosters

If the masses obey his orders, then life can possibly get back to normal in a year. If not, then it will be a forever cycle of new Chinese Virus variants and associated media reports about hospitals overflowing.

Older people and other vulnerable demographics will undoubtedly need what Bancel described as refresher shots many, many times throughout their lives. Otherwise, the previous shots will lose their effectiveness.

The nation of Israel is among the first to eagerly embrace what Bancel is trying to sell them. The United States will more than likely follow suit once the time is right and more people are warmed up to the idea.

In order to continue living in Israel moving forward, all Israelis will need to keep their green pass updated with the latest booster shots. As of this writing, Israel is setting up for its fourth round of injections.

This means that those hoping to ride out the pandemic while remaining unvaccinated, with all freedoms returned next year, may actually face a permanent bio-security police state which keeps them under de facto lockdown forever, writes Paul Joseph Watson for Summit.news.

Those who for whatever reason refuse to take their booster jabs will also face discrimination when it comes to travel and basic lifestyle activities in many countries.

Moderna faces criticism for not delivering even a single dose of its mRNA injection to any low-income countries. Many believe that those living in such countries are actually much better off than we are because they might just escape all the medical fascism we now have to deal with.

This seems to be yet another admission that the purpose of the vaccine is to destroy our immune systems and make us all customers for life of Big Pharma criminal corporations, wrote one Summit.news commenter about what Bancels statements ultimately reveal.

P.T. Barnum was right when he said there is a sucker born every minute, wrote another about those who buy into the clot shot agenda. Now we have a nation brimming over with them. Suckers galore.

Another commenter pointed out that companies like Moderna bribe politicians knowing that those same politicians will issue decrees ordering people to take Big Pharma shots and pills under duress.

Politicians invest in the companys stock based on insider information, this same person added.

The latest news stories about Wuhan Flu shot tyranny can be found at ChemicalViolence.com.

Sources for this article include:

Summit.news

NaturalNews.com
(Natural News) A number of vaccine manufacturers have put forward the possibility of people who received the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine getting booster shots in the future. However, some top scientists have questioned the necessity of these booster doses. They also expressed concern that pharmaceutical executives are pushing these booster shots instead of public health experts.

Reuters interviewed more than a dozen experts in the fields of vaccine development and infectious diseases. According to them, growing evidence exists that the current wave of vaccinations may protect against the pathogen and its variants.

World Health Organization (WHO) Department of Immunization, Vaccines and Biologicals Director Dr. Katherine OBrien said: We dont see the data yet that would inform a decision about whether or not booster doses are needed. She added that the WHO is forming a panel of experts to scrutinize data regarding vaccine efficacy and circulating Wuhan coronavirus variants. The panel will also recommend changes to immunization programs depending on the current need.

Former Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Tom Friedman disagreed with an assertion that people would need vaccine booster doses every year. Its completely inappropriate to say that were likely to need an annual booster, because we have no idea what the likelihood of that is, he said. Friedman also debunked an assertion by Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla saying that people would need yearly booster doses. There is zero  and I mean zero  evidence to suggest that that is the case, he commented.

Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. Global Vaccine Business Unit President Dr. Rajeev Venkayya dubbed the booster shots as a huge concern. He elaborated: Its a huge concern that  wealthy countries would begin administering booster doses and further constraining supply of peoples first [dose] of vaccine.

Venkayyas remarks came in light of wealthy nations with sufficient vaccine stocks starting their booster immunization. Many fear that this will exacerbate the problems of developing countries, which are struggling even to vaccinate their populations with at least one dose. Ultimately, Dr. Monica Gandhi of the University of California remarked that public health experts rather than CEOs have the final say on booster shots.

Manufacturers insist on coronavirus vaccine booster shots despite warnings

Two vaccine makers  Pfizer and Moderna  have projected demand for booster shots. The companies mRNA vaccines both reported a more than 90 percent effectivity rate in clinical trials. Both vaccine candidates received emergency use approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in December 2020.

According to an April 15 Wall Street Journal report, Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla said people will likely need a booster dose of its vaccine every 12 months. Speaking at an April 1 virtual event, he explained that the booster shot helps maintain high levels of immunity against the original SARS-CoV-2 strain and its variants. Bourla emphasized this during the event, saying that it is extremely important to suppress the pool of people that can be susceptible to the virus. (Related: BioNTech co-founder echoes Pfizer CEO, expects people to get vaccinated against coronavirus annually.)

The Pfizer executive detailed: There are vaccines like polio where one dose is enough. And there are vaccines like [the one for] flu that you need every year. The [COVID-19] virus looks more like the influenza virus than the polio virus. Meanwhile, Pfizer Senior Vice President of Vaccine Clinical Research and Development Dr. William Gruber told Reuters that the predicted yearly boosters were based on a little evidence of minimized protection over six months.

While Pfizer has only predicted the need for a booster shot, Moderna took it a step further and started work on one. Back in January of this year, the Massachusetts-based drug company said it is developing a booster shot targeting the South African B1351 variant. While Modernas vaccine provided strong protection against the British B117 strain, the vaccines antibody levels dropped six-fold against the South African strain. (Related: Moderna to develop booster shot after South African strain decreased its coronavirus vaccines antibody levels.)

Moderna President Stephen Hoge estimated that 30 percent of the U.S. population may decline the COVID-19 vaccine. This vaccine hesitancy contributes to the need for booster shots to keep immunity levels high, he said. Hoge also defended booster shots, saying that people at high risk of severe illness may need to boost their immunity amid the pathogen circulating widely.

Nevertheless, CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said the U.S. government is preparing in the event COVID-19 vaccine booster doses are needed. Speaking to CNBC, she remarked that health officials are thinking ahead in case vaccine-induced immunity begins to decline. While they do not know when it will occur, Walensky remarked that they are planning for it just in case.

Visit Vaccines.news to read more articles about COVID-19 vaccine booster shots.

Sources include:

TheEpochTimes.com

WSJ.com

DailyMail.co.uk

CNBC.com
(Natural News) The so-called Dark Winter is actually a die-off plan to exterminate humanity, and the vectors of attack against human beings include mass vaccination genocide, engineered food supply collapse (leading to mass starvation), financial sector disruptions and an accelerating supply collapse of energy (gasoline, natural gas) needed to heat homes, make fertilizer and power transportation.

We are also watching in horror as this accelerating collapse bleeds into shipping and delivery companies (like Fedex) who are just about on the brink of suspending major services due to a lack of competent workers.

Meanwhile, 70+ container ships are stacked up outside the Los Angeles port, as criminal governors like Newsom deliberately worsen the supply line restrictions by enforcing senseless covid lockdowns that deprive the ports of desperately needed workers.

The traitors in charge are squeezing off all the chokepoints of infrastructure that keep human beings alive.

If they succeed, they will quickly plunge America (and other nations) into third world conditions of mass famine, destitution, homelessness, violence and despair. And have you noticed how quickly this is all materializing?

This is all by design, and its accelerating by the day

You are probably already noticing the grocery shortages that are rapidly spreading across North America. Grocers, school districts and food manufacturers that typically order large quantities of food supplies are seeing their orders cut by up to 50% in terms of actual delivery. At the commercial level, in other words, the food supply has already collapsed by nearly 50%. This is only now beginning to trickle into the retail sector of the food industry, where grocers are desperately trying to fill empty shelves with something  anything  just to avoid looking like theyre out of stock.

Under Biden and the covid tyrants, America is being rapidly transformed into Venezuela. This is not a coincidence. Yet many Americans are still stuck in denial, pretending things will all just get back to normal if enough people take deadly spike protein injections.

Today Joe Biden claimed that 98% of Americans would need to get vaccinated before we can return to normal. Its obvious theyre gearing up to enforce vaccine mandates at gunpoint to try to hit that 98% target, at which point they will of course blame the remaining 2% for all the post-vaccine injuries and deaths among the 98%.

Remember when the goal was just 70%? Remember when we were told that herd immunity would protect us if we could get the majority of people vaccinated? Now thats been thrown out the window, right along with the concept of natural immunity which the insane left-wing media now calls a dangerous theory.

Each booster shot, of course, is designed to destroy another 25% of your immune systems response capability (white blood cells, mostly). Listen to this nurse explain how the boosters are designed to obliterate your immune response:

This winter, all the factors combine to achieve a mass die-off

If the anti-human globalists are able to pull off their plans, we will see millions of Americans dead over the next six months alone. Potential defenses against this assault include ivermectin, food preparedness, self-reliance and so on, so spread the word about these important truths to help save lives.

With far too many sheeple still going along with the vaccine mandates and mask requirements, what globalists have now confirmed is that 90% of humanity is incredibly easy for them to kill. Most people have zero backup food supplies, no backup water storage, no ability to produce their own food, no means of self-defense, no backup communications, etc. I cover this in a short podcast update today (this is not the main podcast, the full one is below:

Brighteon.com/c194c457-4b12-4e10-8323-704493a59760

Thus, globalists cutting off food, fuel, power and banking transactions for a mere 90 days would likely achieve a huge die-off  perhaps 70% of the population or so, since the masses are completely oblivious to even the most basic survival skills. As youll notice, the food supply is being cut off right now. The power grid is being shut off in China. Fuel supplies are collapsing in the UK. Hospitals are collapsing to the point where National Guard troops are now being deployed to replace the health care workers who were fired for refusing to get jabbed. (See this video on We Are Change.)

The State of New York is expected to declare a state of emergency due to these hospital staffing shortages  all of which the government caused itself!

Meanwhile, the Evergrande Ponzi scheme in China is already spreading like a contagion to other property developers, while non-China bond holders have already been told they will never get paid what they are owed. The contagion will accelerate through the financial sector. This is bigger than Lehman Brothers. Its way bigger than the 2008 sub-prime housing bubble collapse.

When you start combining these engineered layers of collapse: Food, energy, finance, medicine, etc., where does that lead civilization for the next several months? Right into the abyss. Expect a mass die-off. Actually, it has already begun, with left-wing media now acknowledging there is a spike in all cause mortality in 2021, but insisting it couldnt possibly be related to covid vaccines.

How will they try to explain it away when millions are dead?

Todays Situation Update podcast provides more answers and discussion, along with a critical message (at the very beginning) about how to make your own food grow system that works without electricity.

The link for that system, which is based on the Kratky paper from Hawaii, is found at this link:

https://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/oc/freepubs/pdf/vc-1.pdf

Its called, A Suspended Net-Pot, Non-Circulating Hydroponic Method for Commercial Production of Leafy, Romaine, and Semi-Head Lettuce.

I cover it more in the first 10 minutes of todays podcast:

Brighteon.com/a7e26e40-85a8-4355-9b01-0766ccb5565b

Discover a new podcast (and amazing interviews) each day at:

https://www.brighteon.com/channels/hrreport
(Natural News)

When the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic first struck America back in Jan. 2020, no one knew how long the virus would affect the country. A year later, the U.S. economy is still struggling to recover.

Even the trucking industry is still hard-hit by the pandemic, with truckers lamenting the skyrocketing gas prices that affect their bread and butter.

Gas prices have increased dramatically

According to Lee Klass, a 73-year-old long-haul trucker with 50 years of experience, the cost of doing his job spiked dramatically by mid-May this year. Klass drives a Freightliner truck. And while hes not transporting gasoline, his livelihood is also affected by gas shortages and higher prices following the Colonial Pipeline cyberattack.

Last May 7, Colonial Pipelines IT network was attacked by Russian-based cybercriminals. The attack crippled fuel deliveries throughout the East Coast.

At a recent hearing, CEO Joseph Blount Jr. told a Senate committee that the company paid a $5 million ransom a day after the cyberattack. Blount revealed that one employee discovered a ransom note on a system in the IT network.

According to the note, the hackers had exfiltrated material from Colonial Pipelines shared internal drive. They demanded an estimated $5 million in exchange for the stolen files.

The company was attacked by a ransomware program created by DarkSide, a cybercriminal group believed to have headquarters in Russia. Blount added that after the ransom note was found, the employee told a supervisor. Higher-ups then decided to shut down the entire pipeline immediately.

Klass is now paying $3.60 a gallon, a significant increase from the usual $2.50 to $3 a gallon he paid in the early days of the pandemic. While theres nothing he can do about the price of gas, Klass shared that hes worried. Once gas reaches $4 a gallon, hell be shelling out at least $1,000 to fill up a 240-gallon tank. Klass drives long hours daily, and if he has to travel across the country in his truck, he needs about three fill-ups from the west coast to the east coast.

The increase in gas prices has complicated what was already considered a difficult job. The trucking industry requires long hours and has a comparatively higher turnover. Its also an essential circulatory system for Americas economy as it transports consumer goods to and from warehouses before they finally make their way to consumers homes.

As the nation tries to recover from the pandemic recession, truck drivers have an important role in ensuring continued consumer spending, which contributes to about 70% percent of the countrys economic growth. Even temporary price increases and gas shortages are significant hurdles for truckers who deliver goods. (Related: Gasoline prices in California approaching $4 per gallon.)

While consumers purchase more products, the economy needs more truck drivers to address current gasoline shortages. Tommy Forrister has been a trucker for 22 years and he transports gasoline for Morgan and Hunt Oil Company in Rome, Ga. Every night he drives home to his family in Cedartown, south of Rome. But the current gas shortage has lengthened his workday. Forrister now has to work 14 hours a day and hes often stuck in long lines as he refuels. The wait time varies from 30 minutes to two hours, depending on how many truckers have arrived before him.

Other drivers are worried that the gas crisis could aggravate the overall shortage for some truck drivers, especially tanker drivers and those making local trips.

The debate about a driver shortage

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there is a highly competitive market for local, short-haul truck drivers. The industry successfully recovered jobs lost in the recession at the end of 2020.

Since November, wages have gone up by 4.6 percent, suggesting that employers are struggling to find more workers.

Those figures remain steady until March, the most recent month with detailed data for the industry. And while the market doesnt appear to be struggling as much as other parts of the trucking industry, there are signs that rougher days are ahead.

Ryan Streblow, interim president of National Tank Truck Carriers, a trade association, said America has 10 percent fewer tanker drivers than before the coronavirus spread. The issue is made worse with a disruption in the supply chain.

Albert McCann, a terminal dispatcher for Penn Tank Lines, a petroleum hauler in Doraville, Ga., agrees with Streblow.

McCann has 30 years of experience, and he believes that there is a shortage of tanker drivers because of the pandemic. He explained that no one was driving anywhere during the pandemic since most people were stuck at home, from students to workers.

Truckers like him didnt need to take fuel to the school bus barn or Greyhound buses. Since they werent needed to deliver a lot of jet fuel and gas stations were slow because they werent selling a lot of fuel, most drivers moved to other avenues, other places, other industries.

But some disagree about the driver shortage.

Norita Taylor, director of public relations for the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA), a trade organization representing truckers, said that the idea of a driver shortage is a decades-old myth.

She added that the real issue is high turnover, especially in the truckload or long-haul sector of the trucking industry. The latter has a shocking turnover rate of 90 to 100 percent.

Taylor cited a company with 100 drivers as an example, which in one year will have completely turned over its staff. Taylor warned that this isnt safe for the countrys road and the industry itself.

High turnover rate compromises safety

Todd Spencer, president of OOIDA, agrees with Taylor. He explained that company safety is compromised when people are constantly being recruited and hired.

A high turnover rate might mean sending out drivers with little to no experience transporting cargo safely. But according to Spencer, not every sector of the trucking industry struggles to retain drivers.

The key to retaining drivers is pay and benefits. A $40,000 to $50,000 salary sounds good on paper, but drivers might think twice because the hours add up to 60 or 80 hours weekly.

Spencer added that the occupation hasnt done anything to make itself more attractive to employees in 30 years, since deregulation.

At least 450,000 to 500,000 commercial drivers licenses are issued every year, suggesting that there is no shortage of drivers. Unfortunately, they might be driving elsewhere because of the Colonial Pipeline cyberattack.

Theres an unusually high demand for drivers due to the pipeline shutdown. And if demand unexpectedly doubles, companies will have trouble covering all the businesses theyre offered. Spencer concluded that even if there are a lot of gasoline haulers in the country, most of them might have to temporarily relocate to address the surge in demand.

Visit Pandemic.news for more news on how the coronavirus pandemic has affected the trucking industry and other businesses across America.

Sources include:

News.Yahoo.com

CNBC.com
(Natural News) Video streaming platform YouTube has partnered with the U.K. National Health Service (NHS) for the latters Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccination campaign. The Lets Not Go Back campaign encourages Britons 35 years old and below to get immunized against COVID-19. The campaign, which will run on YouTube and other avenues, comes amid the U.K. opening up vaccinations for younger people.

The video platform noted it can help the NHS reach the campaigns intended audience since 98 percent of British individuals aged 18 to 34 use YouTube each month. Thus, the site worked with content creators to encourage the cohort to get vaccinated against COVID-19 in an easier, more accessible and more understandable way.

Videos in the campaign featured online personalities such as Leena Norms and Robbie Lyle of the AFTV YouTube channel appearing with health experts. The personalities and medical professionals shared health information with viewers in digestible and engaging ways. One such video had Lyle make this remark: The quicker the country is vaccinated, the quicker life will return to normal.

Prior to the videos, YouTube already included COVID-19 information panels that appear on videos and search results about the disease. These panels linking to global and local health officials are also displayed on the platforms home page. According to YouTube, the COVID-19 information panels have appeared more than 400 billion times.

YouTube U.K. Managing Director Ben McOwen Wilson expressed hope that the light-hearted campaign will ensure people get the best information on [COVID-19] vaccines. He told the BBC that he wanted to avoid young people feeling ambivalent over vaccinations.

Meanwhile, NHS England Medical Director of Primary Care Dr. Nikita Kanani welcomed YouTubes support toward the immunization drive. We want to make sure that everyone, including [the] younger generations, have any barriers removed that may stop them from taking the vaccine. [Thus,] it is great to have support from platforms such as YouTube to reassure people that the vaccine is safe, simple and effective, she said.

YouTube employs both soft and hard approaches in its push for mass vaccination

Deputy Chief Medical Officer for England Dr. Jonathan Van-Tam lauded the NHS for its excellent job of vaccinating more than 35 million people with at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose. He said: Younger adults will soon be offered their vaccines. I encourage everyone to get [inoculated] when eligible so we can stay on top of this virus, protect those most at risk and get back to a normal life.

Kanani echoed Van-Tams comments when she urged younger Britons to get vaccinated. NHS staff [members] have pulled out all the stops to deliver the success of the vaccine program so far, and I urge everyone to book  a vaccine [appointment] when you are eligible, she said. (Related: U.K. to deploy door-to-door covid vaccine hit squads.)

Currently, vaccines are available to Britons 38 years old and above in England. However, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the doses would soon be made available to Britons 35 and older. The U.K. government has set a goal of offering a first COVID-19 vaccine dose to every adult in the country by the end of July.

YouTubes Lets Not Go Back campaign with the NHS is a subtle approach it has adopted to promote COVID-19 vaccines. But the video platform has also exercised its wanton censorship powers to suppress any views that go against its stance on vaccines.

Back in October 2020, the video platform announced it would take down videos with supposed misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines. A Reuters report said YouTube would remove content going against guidance from the World Health Organization (WHO) and local health officials. Prior to the announcement, YouTube said it was already taking down misleading content about the disease itself.

In an email, the site elaborated that it would take down any videos with claims that COVID-19 vaccines can cause death or infertility. Videos claiming that vaccines contain microchips for tracking people would also be removed. However, a YouTube spokesman later clarified to Reuters that videos centering on broad discussions about the vaccine would be exempt from the removal.

WHO Digital Solutions Manager Andy Pattison told the news outlet that the global health body meets with the YouTube policy team on a weekly basis. He added that the meetings involve discussions of content trends and potentially problematic videos. According to Pattison, YouTubes announcement on COVID-19 vaccine misinformation served as encouragement for the WHO. (Related: YouTube deletes pro-life news sites channel for coronavirus misinformation.)

Visit Vaccines.news to read more articles about Big Tech platforms such as YouTube promoting mass vaccination.

Sources include:

DailyMail.co.uk

BBC.com

Reuters.com
An outbreak of canine fatalities and illnesses in one state and toxic outbreaks in many others has prompted health officials to issue a warning to people about the potentially deadly consequences of polluted water.

According to Oregon Public Broadcasting last week, at least six canines in the Tri-Cities area of southeastern Washington were ill or died after coming into touch with Columbia River waters. Cyanobacteria, often known as blue-green algae, is blamed by health experts. As a result, a section of the river's coastline near Richland was blocked.

Algae Outbreak

Late-summer and early-fall blue-green algae outbreaks are widespread and have recently been documented in Nevada to North Carolina.

According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, cyanobacteria are found in water all year, but warmer temperatures and greater nutrient levels this time of year promote blooms that can be dangerous. In addition, in stagnant water, outbreaks are more prevalent.

Low water levels caused by the prolonged drought are also causing blooms in some regions of the western United States, according to officials. Shallow water moves more slowly and is more sensitive to high temperatures.

A message from the Lake Mead National Recreation Area on Thursday warned of an epidemic there.

Toxic algae blooms have been detected in Cottonwood Cove and Nelson Landing. Visitors are advised to avoid swimming in these areas to prevent contact with the potentially harmful cyanobacteria. pic.twitter.com/g1HnyQ9xTO  Lake Mead (@lakemeadnps) September 23, 2021

Climate Change and Harmful Bloom

NASA and the Carnegie Institute for Science published research in 2018 that connected climate change to an increase in the frequency of algal blooms over the last 30 years.

Toxins produced by cyanobacteria can sicken humans and kill animals in high amounts, such as those found during a bloom.

Related Article: Hundreds of Americans Hospitalized in Recent Years Due to Toxic Algae Blooms, Says CDC



Endangering Pets

Dogs are more likely to develop ill due to their increased exposure, but cattle and other animals are also in danger.

Raelynn Farnsworth, interim director of Washington State University's Veterinary Teaching Hospital, told Oregon Public Broadcasting that an animal is more likely than a person to drink from a green slime puddle, a pond, or a polluted source.

Because illness and death can strike rapidly, experts advise obtaining immediate veterinary treatment if a pet has been exposed to cyanobacteria.

Some of the symptoms in dogs are excessive salivation, vomiting, tiredness, unsteady walking, trouble breathing, convulsions, liver failure, and death, often within hours.

Human Interaction

Humans may feel irritation of the skin, eyes, nose, throat, and lungs if they directly contact cyanobacteria or breathe in droplets. In addition, if you drink polluted water, you might get stomach pain, a headache, neurological symptoms including muscular weakness or dizziness, vomiting, diarrhea, or liver damage.

What to do?

If you suspect your pet or other animal has been exposed to toxic algae, cyanobacteria, or their toxins, the EPA recommends taking the following steps:

-Rinse the animal immediately with tap water to avoid it licking algae or cyanobacteria off its fur.

-Immediately reach out to a veterinarian.

-Call an animal poison control center.

-Contact your local or state health agency if you suspect an ailment is caused by algae, cyanobacteria, or their toxins.

Also Read: Toxic Algae Blamed For Shut Down of Access in Some Parts of California River

For more environmental news, don't forget to follow Nature World News!
When David Bustos initially traveled to White Sands National Park in New Mexico to work as a wildlife biologist in 2005, he heard about the "ghost trails." The phantom footsteps would emerge on the otherwise blank soil when the ground was wet enough at certain periods of the year, only to vanish when it dried out.

Ghost Tracks

Scientists didn't confirm the ghost tracks were created by actual humans until 2016, more than a decade later - and it's only now that some of the ancient footprints at White Sands have been dated as of the earliest in North America.

"We had been skeptical of the age for a long time, and now that we have it, it's fascinating," Bustos said. "One of the cool things is that mammoth prints can be seen in the strata a meter or so above the human footprints, which adds to the overall story."

"Earliest Known Human Activity in the Americas"

The footprints at White Sands were dated by analyzing the seeds of Ruppia cirrhosa, also known as ditchgrass, an aquatic plant that formerly thrived along the edges of the dried-up lake. According to a study co-authored by Bustos and published Thursday in the journal Science, the ancient ditchgrass seeds were discovered in layers of hard ground both above and below the many human footprints at the site. They were radiocarbon-dated to estimate their age.

The traces discovered in one site are the earliest known footprints and the oldest definite evidence of humans anywhere in the Americas, indicating that people were there 21,000 to 23,000 years ago - thousands of years earlier than experts previously thought.

The study's principal author, Matthew Bennett, a professor of environmental and geographic sciences at Bournemouth University in the United Kingdom, stated, "It's the oldest clear evidence for people in the Americas."

Related Article: Prehistoric Evidence Shows Mammals Evolved Rapidly When Dinosaurs Went Extinct

Fossilized Human Footprints

Fossilized human footprints have already been discovered along the national park's east side, where the bed of a now-dry "paleo-lake" supplies the gypsum-rich soil that is eroded by the wind to form the region's famed white dunes.

According to Bennett, any evidence of early human occupation has been questioned since it depended on what appeared to be natural stone tools or artifacts that had migrated from their original stratigraphic levels.

Other evidence of early people in the Americas would gain credence as a result of the footprints.

Studying the Last Glacial Maximums

Whether people arrived in the Americas through a northern route from Siberia before or after the Last Glacial Maximum when enormous ice sheets rendered migration down the Pacific Coast or across western Canada impossible has long been contested. According to Bennett, the ancient footprints in White Sands answer this issue, indicating that they arrived up to 30,000 years ago, thousands of years before the ice period peaked.

The footprints were produced in a lush marsh populated by mammoths, ground sloths, bovids - cattle - and wild camels, as well as the Stone Age people who hunted them.

According to Cornell University archaeologist Thomas Urban, a co-author of the study, the footprints mixed in with animal traces suggest that humanity must have lived there for at least 2,000 years.

Foot Print Diversity

Urban pioneered the noninvasive use of ground-penetrating radar to detect footprints beneath the surface and identify researchers with the ideal excavation sites.

According to Urban, teenagers and youngsters leave smaller footprints than adults, presumably because they are engaged in things that require easy labor rather than specialized occupations such as hunting.

Studying Footprints

Geologist Cynthia Liutkus-Pierce of Appalachian State University in North Carolina, who has studied ancient human footprints in Tanzania but was not involved in the White Sands study, said it was difficult to date when fossilized footprints were made, especially when they were pressed into layers of mud rather than more easily dated volcanic ash, as they were at White Sands.

She wrote in an email that it's "amazing to see that this team was able to restrict the date of the footprint creation using radiocarbon dates from the [layers] above and below."

Unlike bones or artifacts, Footprints preserve fossilized activity, and their examination can provide information about the printmakers.

"Human footprints offer us with a window into the life of our forefathers and, in this case, extensive information on their daily activities and social dynamics," Liutkus-Pierce added.

Also Read: 5 Most Important Fossil Discoveries in the World

For more prehistoric news, don't forget to follow Nature World News!
China carried out a new Covid-19 vaccine by Clover Biopharmaceuticals that was said to combat the disease with up to 79% efficacy, and 67% for severe infections caused by any strain.

The SCB-2019 vaccine, a protein-based vaccine candidate, was also 92% effective against the Gamma variant and 59% effective against the Mu variant, according to study. Overall, these three strains comprised "73% of all strains identified in the study," it said.

"We are pleased that SCB-2019 has successfully demonstrated efficacy against the globally dominant Delta strain and other concerning variants," Clover's chief executive officer Joshua Liang said in the statement.

"It is the first vaccine candidate to demonstrate significant efficacy against all three of these variants. Differences in vaccine efficacy across variant strains are driven by the unique mutation profiles of each variant, which can make some strains more transmissible and/or virulent than others and may enable immune escape," said Clover company.

Development of the new vaccine

The Clover company, which distributed about 414 million doses of its coronavirus vaccines around the globe, received a funding of $328m from the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) for the development of the new vaccine, which also backed the AstraZeneca and Moderna Covid vaccines.

Clover announced that its new COVID-19 vaccine was found to have higher neutralizing antibodies with Th1-biased cell-mediated immune responses during Phase I of clinical trial. It also achieved primary efficacy endpoint and secondary efficacy endpoints in SPECTRA, a global pivotal Phase 2/3 clinical trial. The trial was carried out between 28 April and 10 August 2021.

Over 30,000 adults from 31 sites in the Philippines, Brazil, Columbia, South Africa and Belgium were enrolled for its clinical trial, receiving randomized doses of SCB-2019 or a placebo in a two-dose regimen, administered 21 days apart.

Of the 207 symptomatic Covid-19 cases reported at least two weeks after the second dose, participants in the trial had not contracted the coronavirus infection earlier. 52 were from a vaccinated group, while the remaining 155 formed the placebo group.

Findings show neither cases of Covid hospitalization, nor cases of severe disease in the vaccine group. "Vaccine efficacy was successfully demonstrated in an environment where 100% of SARS-CoV-2 strains observed in the efficacy analysis were variants," scientists wrote.

Also read: California Now Has the Lowest Coronavirus Transmission Rate in the U.S.

Designed to protecting those most at risk

According to study, SCB-2019 is considered the "first COVID-19 vaccine to demonstrate significantly reduced risk of COVID-19 disease in previously infected individuals."

In addition, "this vaccine is poised to play a significant role in protecting those most at risk from COVID-19, wherever they are in the world," said Dr. Richard Hatchett, CEO of CEPI.

In cases of moderate-to-severe coronavirus infections against any strain, efficacy was up to 83.7%. Unfortunately, three have died from the placebo group.

Clover said that the elder participants they recruited in the trial were limited for inoculation campaign for vaccinating the elderly population. All five cases of Covid in 65 years or older occurred in the placebo or non-vaccine group.

Also read: Delirium: Scary Long-Term Effect in Patients With Severe COVID-19 Emerges
According to one Silicon Valley firm, artificial intelligence-powered robots might farm more sustainably than traditional agriculture.

An agricultural technology start-up is a company that develops and sells agrarian technologies. Iron Ox's goal, according to the company, is to make the worldwide agriculture industry carbon neutral. They've also just raised 47 million ($53 million) from a group of investors, including Bill Gates.

When it comes to food manufacturing, CEO Brandon Alexander can't be accused of lacking experience. He spent every summer of his youth harvesting cotton, potatoes, or peanuts on his grandparents' farm in Texas.

Despite having a robotics degree "just to avoid agricultural labor," Alexander says he couldn't shake the idea that working in agriculture would allow him to have a greater effect.

The notion only became stronger when he learned that 40% of food cultivated across the world is thrown away before it reaches our shopping carts.

Wanting to Help Farmers

In 2015, Alexander quit his job to go on a six-month road journey throughout California. He wanted to learn firsthand about the issues that American farmers were facing and how technology could assist.

Along the journey, he learned about acute water scarcity, labor shortages, and various other concerns. Armed with this information, Alexander founded an autonomous farming business in 2018.

"We have to reimagine the entire grow process to truly reduce waste, to get to that next level of sustainability and effect," Alexander adds.

Related Article: Research Suggests How Farmers Using No-Till Production Can Cut Herbicide Using Weed Control Method



Robotic Farmers

Grover and Ada, two robots in the company's greenhouse in Gilroy, California, are now using a hydroponic system to cultivate basil, strawberries, and other crops.

Iron Ox's technology employs artificial intelligence to guarantee that each plant receives the right amount of sunlight, water, and nutrients. Grover is responsible for transporting the plants to the dosing station, handed over to Ada, a robotic arm.

The halt is similar to a doctor's appointment-the aid of the sensor in detecting minerals and other elements required for proper development in the water. Following the assessment, customized fertilizer dosages may be supplied to the plants via the hydroponics system.

As a result, the farm creates less trash and only uses as much water as it requires. In addition, data from the crops are continually gathered, allowing the AI to understand what the plants need, boosting productivity and lowering environmental impact.

AI and Robotics in Agriculture

Farming has been transformed by technology throughout the years, and technical advancements have impacted the agriculture business in various ways. Agriculture is a major activity in many nations across the world, and with a growing population, which according to UN predictions will rise from 7.5 billion to 9.7 billion by 2050, there will be increased pressure on land, as only an additional 4% of the land will be cultivated. Farmers will have to do more with less as a result of this.

Farms generate hundreds of data points about temperature, soil, water use, weather, and other factors every day. This data is used in real-time with the aid of artificial intelligence and machine learning models to gain helpful insights such as when to sow seeds, which crops to plant, which hybrid seeds to plant for higher yields, and so on.

Precision agriculture is a term used to describe how AI systems are helping to enhance overall harvest quality and accuracy. AI technology aids in the detection of plant disease, pests, and inadequate agricultural nutrition. AI sensors can identify and target weeds, then determine the best herbicide to use in the area. This reduces the use of herbicides and saves money.

Also Read: Farmers and Food Workers to Get $600 Relief as Part of $700M Stimulus Check

For more Agricultural News, don't forget to follow Nature World News!
SEA will update the systems with its open architecture external communication capability under the Frigate Sustainment - Communications Project.

Follow Navy Recognition on Google News at this link

Royal New Zealand Navy Anzac-class frigate HMNZS Te Kaha (Picture source: US Navy)

The contract, which covers the design of the communication system upgrade, is valued at 4.6 million and is scheduled to commence in September 2021. This contract is for the first of two planned project phases which will deliver new capability from 2024.

SEAs system is intended to reduce through life costs and associated maintenance. The flexible, modular system will enable the Navy to integrate equipment, including cryptos and radios, regardless of the manufacturer or supplier.

The open architecture of the system will also meet interoperability requirements and allow the Royal New Zealand Navy to communicate with partner navies, which will support missions with friendly countries such as neighbouring Australia.

As part of the contract, SEA will work in partnership with NZ-based subcontractors to develop the new system and deliver on-the-ground training, which will include conducting a gap analysis of current knowledge and skills, followed by training tailored to the needs of the Royal New Zealand Navy. This is designed to enable an effective knowledge transfer and ensure personnel can operate SEAs intuitive and user-friendly communications system.

Richard Flitton, Managing Director at SEA, said: Were delighted to be utilising our experience in delivering and upgrading external communication systems for the Royal New Zealand Navys FS - Communications Project. Our involvement will expand our presence in the region and display SEAs ability to meet the requirements of navies worldwide, while also adding value in supporting in-country training, skills and expertise.

Through collaboration with our New Zealand partners, our flexible and modular external communication system will enable the Royal New Zealand Navy to maintain its technological innovation, reduce through life costs and improve communication with other navies.

This contract follows the successful delivery of the Ship Condition Assessment, which SEA completed during COVID-19 restrictions, in collaboration with one of its in-country partners, electrical services experts McKay, in June.


Hubb can help your church flourish on the web Hubb can help your church flourish on the web

The Christian Cambridge-based web technology company which has supported the Network Norfolk website for the past 16 years has rebranded its church website, communications, administration and finance platform.

Hubb.church is the new name of ChurchInsight, which launched in Cambridge back in 2002, when it saw the need for churches to have a website to improve their communications in an increasingly digital world. The constantly updated system still helps churches to intelligently use technology to save them time and money and be able to focus more on their mission, says its CEO, Adam Johannes.



Our team is dedicated to helping churches and Christian organisations to flourish on the web with our powerful website, app and church management tools. We are church members, leaders and administrators ourselves, so we know first-hand the challenges churches face.



We release updates to Hubb.church every 6-8 weeks, ensuring the system runs smoothly while advancing with the latest technologies. We spend every day looking to improve the system for our customers, said Adam.



Our shared Christian faith and core values are at the heart of what we do. This impacts the way we run our business and the support we give others. Hubb.church is a proud registered Fair Trade and Living Wage employer who gives monthly financial support to Christian charities and sponsors children in poverty. We have recently started planting trees at tree growing sites worldwide every time we sign up a new customer.



Hubb.church has grown to support hundreds of churches, and thousands of leaders, staff and volunteers run their ministry.



Hubb.church now includes a church App, a church website with free templates, church admin and rota system, communications, finance and people capabilities.



Keith Morris, publisher of the Network Norfolk website, said: When we first launched Network Norfolk back in 2005, Adam and his team provided a great system which met virtually all of our needs to help provide up-to-date news, events, features and advertising to the Norwich and Norfolk Christian community.



Since then the ChurchInsight team have been a cornerstone of our continuing success which we would simply not have been able to achieve without them. I cannot recommend them, their system and their excellent customer service highly enough.



Find out more here.



Or contact Hubb.church at: hello@hubb.church



Keith Morris, 27/09/2021
BROOKFIELD  A love letter will help raise funds for the Brookfield Library this week.

From Friday through Sunday, the Brookfield Library Foundation will host a production of the one-act play Love Letters, performed by two Broadway actors and producers who are Brookfield natives, to raise funds for a new library.

The 9,600-square-foot library opened in 1975, and could house 35,000 items, according to the foundations website.

Todays collection of 65,000 means that the building is bursting at the seams and can no longer meet the demand, it states. Its time to invest in a new library.

Bob Belden, president of the library foundation, said discussions about a new library have been ongoing for nearly two decades.

A new library is the only way to go and it will be an asset for the town for many, many years to come, he said.

After a failed referendum to build a new 35,000-square-foot, $14.7 million library in 2018, supporters hope to bring it back for another vote.

The money raised by the foundation would be just one source of library funding.

A love letter for the books

Love Letters by A. R. Gurney was a Pulitzer Prize finalist and premiered at the New York Public Library in 1988, which makes it an apt choice for the library fundraiser.

In the show, two romanticallyinvolved childhood friends exchange letters over nearly a half-century, their letters and lives dipping and dodging around each other as they travel through college, marriage and careers.

Over the years, famous duos like Desi Arnaz and Liza Minnelli, Elizabeth Taylor and James Earl Jones, and Rita Wilson and Tom Hanks have performed the show together.

Now, Brookfields Gwen Arment and Steve Belida will take on the titular roles. When a neighbor approached the couple about helping raise funds for the library, they responded that theyd love to participate, according to Belden. Arment and Belida suggested Love Letters, and the foundation agreed.

We thought that it was consistent with the mission of a fundraising for a library, Belden said.

Tickets, which are available online through the foundations website, start at $75 with premium seats priced at $100 for the Friday show. Saturday tickets are $60, and Sunday are $50.

Brookfield theater has about 130 seats, and the foundation is trying to sell at least half or more of the seats, while still honoring social-distancing protocols. Belden said at least 60 people have signed up for the Friday performance, and a little less than that for the Saturday and Sunday matinees.

This will be the foundations second formal event to raise funds for a new library, the first being a paint party. Belden said they hope to host more events over the next two to three years to keep raising funds. Belden added that the most energetic fundraising would take place once a library design is completed.

The library is wonderful, Belden said, but its also small and old.

Libraries are community assets, Belden said. And a library isnt just about storage of books and checking out of books. Libraries are places that people can bring their children to do reading hours, to help kids fall in love with literature. It gives access to people who might not otherwise have access.

Belden hopes a new library would include meeting rooms for the community to use for quiet research, meetings or study.

A library is essential to a very vibrant community, he said.
Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Chocolate products are the most widely spread type of dessert and snack that is available around the globe. Chocolate is made from cacao beans obtained from the Theobroma cacao, an indigenous tree in South America.

Image Credit: Aedka Studio/Shutterstock.com

Cacao crop production is intimately tied to climate change as a consequence of deforestation and land clearing. Moreover, the cacao generates environmental impacts which fuel climate change as a result of the production of chocolate following the production of the raw material cacao, which also exerts a net negative carbon footprint.

Where does chocolate originate?

Cacao is predominantly cultivated in regions that surround the equator in humid climate conditions. The major producers and exporters of cacao beans are the Ivory Coast, Indonesia, Ecuador, Nigeria, and Brazil. In 2016, the annual production of cacao beans what's 4.25 million tonnes.

The worldwide sale of chocolate was estimated to be worth more than $101 billion in 2015; with Europe accounting for 45% of global consumption. In sum, the global production of cacao beans increased by 32% in 2014 from 2000 to 4.5 million tonnes - while the land-use footprint of cacao plantations grew by 37 percent - from 7.6 to 10.4 million hectares.

Chocolate production: the impact on the climate

To date, there have been few studies of the environmental and climate impacts of chocolate. A study in 2018 assessed the environmental impacts of the production and consumption of chocolate products in the UK. This study assessed the life cycle environmental impacts associated with chocolate consumption in the UK. The results demonstrated that:

The global warming potential (GWP) of chocolate ranges from 2.94.2 kg CO2 eq./kg

10,000 l of water is needed to produce a kilogram of chocolate.

Cacao production increases total GWP by 34 times due to land-use change associated with its cultivation

Reducing energy consumption in milk production by 20% and supplementing cows feed with linseeds could reduce the GWP by 14 to 19%

Indeed, an average 40-gram bar of chocolate will carry a carbon footprint of approximately 200 grams or five kilograms of carbon per kilogram of chocolate. This increases to 300 grams for a bar of dark chocolate as a result of its greater cacao content. Despite the high consumption of chocolate, a significant quantity is wasted; In the UK, an estimated 18,000 tonnes of chocolate and sweets are disposed of annually. This avoidable chocolate wastage is responsible for approximately 90,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions.

Greenhouse gas emissions from human activity result in a blanket effect on the earth, trapping the suns heat and raising temperatures. Climate records show a warming trend however climate change does not necessarily result in blanket warming effects across the globe; changes to the climate can include a sharp rise in extreme weather, with increases in lightning strikes, rain, cold waves, flooding, as well as decreased tropical cyclones.

As demand has soared in recent years, there has been an increased rate of deforestation and land clearance in cacao growing regions. Although on a global level the land-use footprint of cacao exports is dwarfed by several other crops, including maize, weeds, soybeans, and rice, it still presents a significant footprint in the main producer countries.

In 2014, it represented 1.5% of the exported footprint of international traded crops; and among the main producers, it accounts for 5% of their collective agricultural crop production footprint and 9% of their export in 2014. This land-use exacerbates the carbon-intensive nature of the chocolate life cycle. The drive towards making chocolate climate-friendly has increased in recent years as emissions rise and climate change intensifies.

This chocolate bar may contain deforestation Play

Deforestation: the impact on the global warming

The demand for cacao has meant mass deforestation across the globe. The consequent effects of this are diminished biodiversity in the most naturally rich forest habitats in the world the consequences of overused soil and decimation of natural habitats from a multitude of organisms.

The big four uses of land which include palm oil, soy, cattle, and wood products, are responsible for 40% of deforestation which averages to be 3.8 million hectares per year. As mentioned, relative to these crops, cacao has a relatively small global deforestation footprint; forest lost due to cacao production is estimated between two and three million hectares for the period 1988 to 2008.

The deforestation associated with the production of cacao is concentrated in a few countries in Southeast Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa. This is particularly pronounced in the Ivory Coast, Nigeria, and Cameroon as well as Indonesia. Historically, the impetus for deforestation has been driven by several factors which include insufficient clear land, poor legal systems, and government policy promoting increased outputs of production due to the increased global demand for cacao products such as chocolate, and decreasing productivity in cacao sectors in West Africa. This increased cacao cultivation in Latin American countries as well as the Congo basin, subsequently putting pressure on untouched forests within the Democratic Republic of Congo and Cameroon, namely the Congo basin.

Moreover, poor productivity due to poor farming practices leads farmers to clear more forested areas due to the increased drive for production; this results in in-country migration to forested areas where deforestation takes place for new cacao. Instead of replanting in old farms, planting cacao in cleared forests represents a short-term economic advantage. This is termed forest rent and is motivated by the comparatively higher input costs of r plantation and more fertile soils and less exposure to disease and pests as compared to deforested land. In the short term, there is increased profitability to farmers which motivates continued expansion into new forests.

The impact of deforestation on climate change is well established. Trees are a source of carbon dioxide sequestration, and the loss of trees can need to a net output of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. as well as reducing the concentration of carbon sinks. Trees also play an essential role in we're punishing water availability and cooling period by evapo-transpiring, trees can recharge atmospheric moisture, contributing to both local and distant rainfall.

Cooling is an essential role of trees in that they can absorb and redistribute solar energy. Further, trees contain microbial flora and biogenic volatile organic compounds which can promote rainfall; the presence of their roots can enhance soil infiltration and, if the conditions are suitable, improve groundwater recharge. Rain, which is filtered through forest catchment areas, delivers purified ground and surface water. Deforestation, therefore, exerts an influence on global warming at both the local and distant levels as well as alters rainfall and water availability, in addition to the emission of greenhouse gas which increases the rate of global warming.

In addition, longer or more intense dry seasons that have arisen from the current effects of climate change may adversely affect cocoa-growing  while increases in humidity or average may promote the ease of spread of diseases and pests.

The environmental impact of cacao production is also motivated by political and governmental constraints. This includes a lack of land tenure security which incentivizes the removal of shade trees and promotes encroaching into new forests. Particularly in Ghana, the prevalent land tenure regime discourages farmers to invest in farms - in the cacao sector in Ghana the farmer is responsible for maintaining the farm and the farmers divided when the trees mature with farmers holding rights over than share on the condition that the land remains in cacao

However, there are some improvements. Concerted efforts of non-governmental and governmental organizations, as well as multinational corporations, have resulted in rebounding, as the promotion of more sustainable systems of agriculture has been put in place. In the Ivory Coast and Ghana, forest loss rates have slowed over 2019. In 2018, the Ivory Coast saw a forest loss rate jump of 60% which was attributable to cacao farming; however, in 2019 both the Ivory Coast and Ghana saw their rate of tree loss fall by more than 50% relative to the previous year.

Cacao is a cash crop that has brought vital income to many areas of Africa and South America, but climate variability is threatening to undermine its production and the welfare of the people that rely on it. With increasing temperatures and further changes to rainfall due to climate change, more regions are at risk of poor or falling yields. The establishment of several organizations, such as the World Cocoa Foundation, are working towards a means of cacao production that is sustainable and climate-smart.

References

Konstantas Reay D. (2019) Climate-Smart Chocolate. In: Climate-Smart Food. Palgrave Pivot, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-18206-9_6A, Jeswani HK, Stamford L, Azapagic A. Environmental impacts of chocolate production and consumption in the UK. Food Res Int. 2018 Apr;106:1012-1025. DOI: 10.1016/j.foodres.2018.02.042. Epub 2018 Feb 16. PMID: 29579893.

Gateau-Rey L et al. PLoS One. 2018;13(7):e0200454. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0200454

Cacao and Climate Change: Implications and Recommendations. https://chocolateclass.wordpress.com/2018/05/04/cacao-and-climate-change-implications-and-recommendations/

Cocoa: From Deforestation to Reforestation. https://nationalzoo.si.edu/scbi/migratorybirds/research/cacao/ruf.cfm

Reay D. (2019) Climate-Smart Chocolate. In: Climate-Smart Food. Palgrave Pivot, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-18206-9_6

Retail Consumption of Chocolate Confectionery Worldwide from 2012/13 to 2018/19 (in 1,000 Metric Tons). https://www.statista.com/statistics/238849/global-chocolate-consumption/ (2018).

Nkobe MK, et al. J. Cameroon Acad Sci. 2013:11(1).

Schroth G et al. Sci Total Environ. 2016:556;231241. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.03.024

Masipa TS. Jamba. 2017;9(1):411. https://doi.org/10.4102/jamba.v9i1.411

Lobell DB, ET AL. Science. 2008:319;607610. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1152339

Pedram R et al. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology. 2011:151;449460. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agrformet.2010.12.002

Further Reading
Changing weather patterns in Laos may be responsible for an increase in bugs responsible for the neglected tropical diseases scrub typhus and murine typhus, a new study finds.

Scrub typhus, also known as bush typhus, is caused by the Orientia tsutsugamushi bacterium and spread by the bites of infected chiggers (larval mites). Flea-borne (murine) typhus is caused by Rickettsia typhi bacterium and is spread to people by fleas through animals such as rats, cats or opossums.

Lead researcher Tamalee Roberts, from Lao-Oxford-Mahosot-Hospital-Wellcome Trust Research Unit in Vientiane, Laos, says little is understood about what contributes to the distribution of these common but severely neglected causes of fever. Scrub typhus occurs in the Asia-Pacific region and South America while murine typhus is a global disease.

The study, published late in PLOS, included samplea submitted from 2003 to 2017 to the Mahosot Hospital for scrub typhus and murine typhus. Analysis of patient data along with meteorological and environmental data showed 17 per cent of patients tested positive for either scrub typhus (1,337 of 8,150 patients tested) or murine typhus (1,283 of 7,552 patients tested).

According to Roberts, researchers found that scrub typhus was highly seasonal, with cases two times more likely to occur during the wet season months of July to September than the dry season, while murine typhus peaks in the dry season.

Scrub typhus incidence was found linked to fluctuations in relative humidity whereas murine typhus was linked to variation in temperature, Roberts says. Patients with scrub typhus infection were more likely to come from villages with higher levels of surface flooding and vegetation in the 16 days leading up to diagnosis.

As cities expand, so will high-risk areas for murine typhus, says Roberts. "With global heating and risks of attendant higher precipitation, the data suggest that the incidence and spatial distribution of both murine typhus and scrub typhus will increase."

She also stresses that further work is needed to assess whether the results can be replicated elsewhere. "These results can be used within the region to help predict changes in the distribution and seasonal timing of these diseases, to inform strategies to reduce their incidence and impact."

Changing weather patterns also may affect the lifecycle of the fleas and chiggers with heat causing faster breeding time for fleas and increased rain and surface water risking higher chigger density and hence raising the risk of scrub typhus, Roberts says.

Roberts says that "the evidence from this research suggests that we will see an increase of both these diseases not only in Laos but in other countries as well. The diseases may also spread to areas where they have not previously been found as temperatures rise".

Thomas Weitzel, a physician and faculty member at the Clinica Alemana de Santiago, Chile, and part of the Chilean Rickettsia and Zoonosis Working Group, tells SciDev.Net that the research is of high relevance because both infections belong to a group of vector-borne diseases, which have been neglected in the past decades.

"Mites and fleas as vectors are often overlooked and our knowledge gaps are much larger in comparison to diseases transmitted by mosquitoes and ticks. Therefore, we often underestimate the burden of mite- and flea-borne rickettsioses, which cause important clinical problems (morbidity and mortality) and are easily treatable."

The research results, Weitzel adds, indicate that climate will influence the epidemiology of these diseases.

Our understanding of the complex ecology, however, including the interactions of bacterial pathogen, arthropod vectors, animal reservoirs, and human behaviour is still limited, and it is, therefore, too early to draw concrete conclusions." Thomas Weitzel, physician and faculty member at the Clinica Alemana de Santiago, Chile
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic continues to persist as a result of the spread of newer variants of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). To date, several vaccines have been administered around the world at record volume and speed in an effort to achieve herd immunity and ultimately restrict the spread of the virus.

However, vaccine hesitancy is proving a formidable barrier to this goal. In simple terms, having an effective vaccine does not equate to widespread acceptance of the vaccine. A recent study published on the preprint server medRxiv* discusses vaccine hesitancy in India, which is one of the most populous countries in the world. This nation is seeing high vaccination rates overall, coupled with resistance to the vaccines in various regions.

Study: COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy in India: An Exploratory Analysis. Image Credit: Manoej Paateel / Shutterstock.com

Background

The World Health Organization (WHO) Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE) Working Group on Vaccine Hesitancy defines vaccine hesitancy as the delay in acceptance or refusal of vaccination, despite availability of vaccination services. In order to achieve success in the Indian vaccination program against COVID-19, the barriers that exist to vaccination, whether related to mental or logistical issues, must be identified and overcome, as far as possible.

Many researchers have examined this problem in high income countries (HICs), bringing out models such as 5Cs to explain vaccine hesitancy and 5As to foster vaccine acceptance. Comparatively, the corresponding efforts in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are lacking. Such research is therefore crucial to ensure that vaccine uptake reaches optimal levels in the current pandemic.

The lowest levels of vaccine coverage at present are in LMICs due to supply shortages coupled with vaccine hesitancy. In India, however, both homegrown and foreign vaccines were being manufactured even before formal approval processes were completed. This is reflected in the relatively higher degree of vaccine uptake in India among LMICs.

Nonetheless, the vaccine rollout in India has not been as rapid as intended. Thus, lessons on vaccine hesitancy from this country may help to guide future campaigns here and abroad.

Earlier instances of anti-vaccination sentiments in India occurred in relation to the polio vaccine, localized to some districts in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, both among the states with high illiteracy and poverty rates, and the Hemophilus influenza B (Hib) vaccine in 2010.

Vaccination in India is associated with childhood immunization, thanks to the Universal Immunization Program (UIP) set up in the 1970s. As such, adult immunization is a relatively new and foreign concept, except for the ubiquitous tetanus toxoid shot. This state of affairs may have led to some hesitancy as well.

The psychological, social, and political aspects of a mass adult vaccination program against a new disease have not yet been evaluated, which may have contributed to the lack of trust being seen in some parts of the country.

The COVID-19 vaccination program began on January 16, 2021, with the Covishield adenovirus vector vaccine from AstraZeneca and the Covaxin whole inactivated virus vaccine from Bharat Biotech. The first to receive the vaccine were frontline workers, such as health workers and security staff, who have extensive contacts with the public. This phase lasted until February 28, 2021.

From March onwards, all individuals aged 60 years or above were eligible for the vaccine, as well as those aged 45 years or more who had underlying health conditions, such as diabetes, the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), or high blood pressure. The third phase began in April 2021, when the vaccine was opened up to all people above 45 years. Finally, from May 1, 2021, anyone above the age of 18 years became eligible.

COVID-19 vaccination in India is deemed to be voluntary in all cases, which has been associated with delays in vaccination despite the vaccine being available.

Study findings

The researchers found that about 60% of Indians are hesitant to take the COVID-19 vaccines overall. The extent of hesitancy varies between places, being higher in rural areas. Vaccine uptake was low and declining during the third and the initial part of the fourth phase of vaccination.

The reasons for this vaccine hesitancy may be vaccine shortage, lack of willingness, or barriers to vaccination such as lockdowns in various places, or high infection rates predisposing to a fear of visiting hospitals and other vaccination centers, during the peak of the deadly second wave that began in April 2021.

Another possibility is the myth that the vaccines caused death rather than preventing COVID-19. The first and second phases of the vaccination campaign targeted the most vulnerable groups of the elderly and those with other health conditions. These individuals were the hardest hit during the second wave.

Since many of these individuals had received the first dose of either of the two vaccines used in India before they fell ill, and died, the story of the vaccines deadliness may have gained strength. The lack of knowledge of how prime-boost vaccine regimens work, as well as the poor immunity after a single dose, particularly in rural areas but also among many urban dwellers, provided fertile ground for such disinformation.

Yet another possible reason is that vaccine supply may have been heterogeneous, with urban areas cornering more of the vaccine stocks, leaving rural areas relatively unprotected against the second wave.

Rurality and vaccination rate.

Literacy and vaccination rates.

Vaccine uptake in India was far from uniform. Rural areas showed lower vaccine uptake than urban areas overall. The researchers looked at other indicators of healthcare acceptance, namely, childhood vaccine acceptance and family planning method acceptance.

They found that full childhood vaccination rates were highly predictive of COVID-19 vaccine uptake as well. While acceptance of family planning methods was not as closely correlated, the rates of female sterilization, which is by far the most common method practiced across India, was examined.

This showed a positive association, while the unmet need for family planning showed a negative correlation.

Implications

The study identified district-level trends in vaccination, correlating them with socioeconomic factors and health indicators. The high levels of vaccine hesitancy seen in India during the third and fourth phases were accompanied by increasing gaps in the vaccine uptake between different districts.

Comparing the rates of vaccination in the different phases can therefore help to identify regions with the highest levels of hesitancy. Most frontline workers were vaccinated early, probably because of the high risk they faced occupationally.

The rural-urban divide is not new but is most pronounced during the third and fourth phases. The urban areas experienced COVID-19 earlier, as well as being more aware of the disease and the vaccines. The rural areas, in contrast, were primarily hit during the second wave, which coincides with the third and fourth phases of vaccine rollout in India.

Linguistic barriers may have driven the relationship between illiteracy rates and vaccine hesitancy, as vaccine slots were booked online using an English-language app.

Again, marginalized communities such as the Scheduled Castes (SC), which may make up as much as half of the population in some districts, have historically had lower vaccination rates, and this was reflected in the current study. Districts with higher proportions of SC populations had lower vaccination rates up to the second month of the fourth phase.

In several districts, Muslim communities also showed significant vaccine hesitancy during the third phase, perhaps because it occurred during their Ramadan season when they fast from sun-up to sun-down. This may have led to religious fears that the vaccine might invalidate their fast, despite clarifications by Muslim clergy to the contrary, or that they might be unable to tolerate its side effects while fasting.

Importantly, this was not seen in several districts of Jammu and Kashmir, which has an over 90% Muslim population and had very high vaccine coverage. Similarly, Scheduled Tribes (ST) communities make up over 90% of the population in the North-eastern states, which also showed exceptional vaccine uptake. This may possibly relate to the active participation of such communities in public programs and governmental initiatives in these areas where they are in the majority, but not in other areas where they are socially and economically marginalized.

The relationship between child vaccination rates and COVID-19 vaccine uptake was positive, especially in the third phase when vaccine hesitancy was at its peak. This may mean that the latter is associated with a negative attitude towards vaccines in general. If so, it could help identify hotspots for vaccine hesitancy.

The study uses data on vaccination rates as a proxy for vaccine hesitancy, therefore ruling out shortages or inequalities in vaccine supply as a cause. Further research will be necessary to validate these conclusions, especially as COVID-19 vaccination for children is being considered.

*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.
Vaccine breakthrough infections (VBTs) occur in individuals, even after they have been vaccinated against a particular pathogen. With the radical increase in the number of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases caused by the Delta variant of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in the United States of America, understanding the rate and clinical features associated with VBTs among those already vaccinated is of critical public health importance.

In a recent study published on the preprint server medRxiv*, researchers conducted a pilot study to assess the prevalence and features of VBTs through the use of sequencing and case data on Washoe County, Nevada available from the Washoe County Health District (WCHD) and Nevada State Public Health Laboratory (NSPHL).

Study: An Analysis of SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine Breakthrough Infections and Associated Clinical Outcomes. Image Credit: David Pereiras / Shutterstock.com

Analysis of public health data from WCHD

In the current study, the researchers collected all available public health data from February 12, 2021, to July 29, 2021. A total of 6,399 new cases of COVID-19 were reported during this time, of which 6,128 (95.8%) were successfully traced back to their sources. Out of these 6,399 cases, the Health District identified 339 (5.5%) as breakthrough infections.

VBT cases were defined as any positive reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test for individuals fully vaccinated for 14 days or more, prior to symptom onset or routine testing. The WCHD collected individual-level VBT data for 338 cases out of the 339 traced.

Recorded parameters on these VBTs included demographics such as age, sex, gender, and race/ethnicity, as well as clinical data such as vaccine type and dosage schedule, symptom onset; hospitalization or death. Information on cycle threshold (Ct) values and variants of interest, primarily from the NSPHL and from other partner laboratories when necessary were also collected.

VBT accounted for a small share of total infections between February 12 and July 29, 2021. The 338 reported VBT cases accounted for only 0.14% among Washoes vaccinated population across the study period, in comparison with a 2.54% rate among those unvaccinated.

Severe outcomes in vaccinated individuals were also rare. Out of the 5,961 traced cases, 289 (86%) vaccinated individuals presented with symptomatic infections, but only 17 were hospitalized (5%).

No deaths were reported in the cases of VBT, and the cases of hospitalizations involved mostly elderly people. However, elderly people were less prone to breakthrough infections and more likely to present without symptoms compared to younger age groups.

Study implications

The current analysis from Washoe County, Nevada showed a more than 18-fold lower rate of breakthrough infections among vaccinated people over the rate of infections among unvaccinated individuals. Most importantly, the rates of severe illness were low in vaccinated individuals.

These findings stress the efficacy of vaccines in preventing severe infections and hospitalizations. There is already a growing body of data that can reassure the public on the real-world effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines.

However, it should be noted that the data discussed here is part of a pilot dataset used for analyzing the outcomes of vaccinations. Nonetheless, this analysis adds to existing literature outlining the risks of VBTs and emphasizes the need for health authorities to monitor evolving trends in vaccine breakthrough data.

*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
Middle- and high school-age children across the United States are more likely to die as the result of a firearm injury than from any other single cause of death.

A $6 million grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention awarded this week to the University of Michigan will support its researchers so they can partner with communities on innovative projects that ultimately aim to reduce youth firearm violence.

The CDC grant will specifically support the Michigan Youth Violence Prevention Center, which is based at U-M and is one of only five National Centers of Excellence in Youth Violence Prevention.

The award comes just months after U-M President Mark Schlissel announced a separate $10 million university commitment over the next five years to launch a new Institute for Firearm Injury Prevention, further solidifying U-M as a national academic leader in addressing this public health crisis.

The fact that firearms result in more than 3,000 youth fatalities every year is absolutely unacceptable, and as a university research community, we have a responsibility to the public to use our knowledge and experience to address this vital public health problem. Marc Zimmerman, director of the Michigan Youth Violence Prevention Center, co-director of the Institute for Firearm Injury Prevention and the Marshall H. Becker Collegiate Professor of Public Health

As part of the five-year CDC grant, researchers from the U-M School of Public Health and Michigan Medicine will launch community-based interventions in and around Muskegon, Michigan, and Washington, D.C. There, researchers will partner with community groups, economic development organizations, health departments, hospitals and police departments to develop, implement and evaluate efforts that aim to reduce youth firearm violence.

These two locations were identified because they share a history of severe racial segregation, disinvestment and economic inequality, and both areas also are experiencing escalating crises of youth firearm violence and homicide.

Researchers will work with community partners and youth in Muskegon and Washington, D.C., to identify core components of community-driven firearm violence prevention programs so they can develop a toolkit for use in other communities.

Patrick Carter, co-director of the Institute for Firearm Injury Prevention, also will lead a team of U-M researchers in Muskegon and Grand Rapids, Michigan, to test the effectiveness of a hospital-based intervention called SafERteens. As part of the evidence-based intervention, participants will learn about ways to resolve conflict, and after leaving the emergency department, they can receive routine text messages for two months to reinforce effective conflict resolution tactics.

SafERteens is part of the Michigan Youth Violence Prevention Center and was initially designed to address youth violence, but U-M researchers now will test its effects on firearm violence at the community level.

With support from the CDC, U-M researchers previously worked with community groups in Flint, Michigan; Youngstown, Ohio; and Camden, New Jersey, where they engaged residents, including youth, in mowing and revitalizing vacant lots to help prevent youth violence and firearm violence.

Those efforts paid off, as findings from their Flint-based study revealed street segments that were subject to community-engaged maintenance had 40% fewer violent crimes and assaults than street segments that did not have community-engaged maintenance.

Researchers also noted significant net declines in firearm violence surrounding vacant lots that were maintained by community members, compared to areas surrounding vacant lots that did not receive any form of care.

This is a critical and important pivot for the CDC to provide funding for large centers like this that explicitly focus on youth firearm violence prevention, said Rebecca Cunningham, U-M vice president for research and the William G. Barsan Collegiate Professor of Emergency Medicine.

Support like this will help researchers and community groups generate new evidence around firearm injury prevention that can inform policies and ultimately protect children and teens, while also generating increased momentum around the new U-M Institute for Firearm Injury Prevention.
International research led by Prof. Wim Thiery of the VUB research group BCLIMATE shows that children are to face disproportionate increases in lifetime extreme event exposure  especially in low-income countries.

Under current climate policy, newborns across the globe will on average face seven times more scorching heatwaves during their lives than their grandparents. In addition, they will on average live through 2.6 times more droughts, 2.8 times as many river floods, almost three times as many crop failures, and twice the number of wildfires as people born 60 years ago.

"Our results highlight a severe threat to the safety of young generations and call for drastic emission reductions to safeguard their future." says Thiery, a climate scientist at VUB and lead author of the study.

The Fridays for Future movement led by the world's youth has drastically increased awareness around the importance of climate change mitigation for future generations. Next to school strikes and protest marches, young people are now also suing their governments, for instance for violating their fundamental rights under the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child.

First study to bridge climate science and demography

Scientifically, aspects of climate change like droughts or heatwaves are often studied by comparing different time windows or discrete levels of warming. However, this ruling paradigm in climate and impact research has so far not quantified how younger generations will experience a different climate change burden. Current research therefore insufficiently grasps how the climate change burden differs across generations and countries.

Bridging between climate science and demography, the international research team now for the first time quantified lifetime exposure to droughts, heatwaves, crop failures, river floods, tropical cyclones, and wildfires. They computed lifetime exposure for every generation born between 1960 and 2020, and this for every country in the world and for every global warming scenario between today's 1C and 3.5C above pre-industrial.

To this end, the team generated an unprecedented collection of climate change impact simulations and combined these with future global temperature trajectories and demographic information on life expectancy, population density, and cohort size.

The results show that for a 3C global warming pathway, a 6-year old in 2020 will experience twice as many wildfires and tropical cyclones, 3 times more river floods, 4 times more crop failures, 5 times more droughts, and 36 times more heatwaves relative to a reference person living under pre-industrial climate conditions. Under a 3.5C warming scenario, children born in 2020 will even experience 44 times more heat waves.

At and above 1.5C of warming, lifetime exposure to heatwaves, crop failures, droughts, and river floods for people born after 1980 is unmatched by pre-industrial climate conditions.

This basically means that people younger than 40 today will live an unprecedented life even under the most stringent climate change mitigation scenarios." Wim Thiery, Professor, Vrije Universiteit Brussel

Regional differences

Behind these global numbers hide important regional variations. Young generations in low-income countries will face by far the strongest increases with a more than fivefold increase in overall lifetime extreme event exposure. While 53 million children born in Europe and Central Asia since 2016 will experience about four times more extreme events under current pledges, 172 million children of the same age in sub-Saharan Africa face an almost sixfold increase in lifetime extreme event exposure, and even 50 times more heatwaves.

"The combined rapid growth in population and lifetime extreme event exposure highlights a disproportionate climate change burden for young generations in the Global South", adds Thiery. "And we even have strong reasons to think that our calculations underestimate the actual increases that young people will face".

Youth summit and COP26

With the UNFCCC Youth Summit running from 28  30 September in Milan and with COP26 upcoming in Glasgow end of October, international climate negotiations are gaining critical momentum.

"Limiting global warming to 1.5C instead of following current policy pledges substantially reduces the intergenerational burden for extreme heatwaves, wildfires, crop failures, droughts, tropical cyclones, and river floods," says Prof. Joeri Rogelj, climate change expert at Imperial College London and co-author of the study. "The results of the study published in Science and the accompanying report curated by the NGO Save The Children therefore highlight the utmost need to ramp up ambitions and embark on immediate action."

"Our results underline the sheer importance of the Paris Agreement to protect young generations around the world," adds Thiery. "If we manage to drastically reduce our emissions in the coming years, we can still avoid the worst consequences for children worldwide. At the same time, a sobering message for the youth in low-income countries emerges, where incredibly challenging extreme events are robustly projected, even under the most stringent of climate action futures."
The COVID-19 pandemic triggered life expectancy losses not seen since World War II in Western Europe and exceeded those observed around the dissolution of the Eastern Bloc in central and Eastern European countries, according to research published [27 September], led by scientists at Oxford's Leverhulme Centre for Demographic Science.

The research team assembled an unprecedented dataset on mortality from 29 countries, spanning most of Europe, the US and Chile  countries for which official death registrations for 2020 had been published. They found that 27 of the 29 countries saw reductions in life expectancy in 2020, and at a scale which wiped out years of progress on mortality, according to the paper published today in the International Journal of Epidemiology.

Women in 15 countries and men in 10 countries were found to have a lower expectancy at birth in 2020 than in 2015, a year in which life expectancy was already negatively affected by a significant flu season.

For Western European countries such as Spain, England and Wales, Italy, Belgium, among others, the last time such large magnitudes of declines in life expectancy at birth were observed in a single year was during WW-II." Dr Jose Manuel Aburto, Study Co-Lead Author, University of Oxford

But, he says, the scale of the life expectancy losses was stark across most countries studied, '22 countries included in our study experienced larger losses than half a year in 2020. Females in eight countries and males in 11 countries experienced losses larger than a year. To contextualize, it took on average 5.6 years for these countries to achieve a one-year increase in life expectancy recently: progress wiped out over the course of 2020 by COVID-19.'

Across most of the 29 countries, males saw larger life expectancy declines than females. The largest declines in life expectancy were observed among males in the US, who saw a decline of 2.2 years relative to 2019 levels, followed by Lithuanian males (1.7 years).

According to co-lead author, Dr Ridhi Kashyap, 'The large declines in life expectancy observed in the US can partly be explained by the notable increase in mortality at working ages observed in 2020. In the US, increases in mortality in the under 60 age group contributed most significantly to life expectancy declines, whereas across most of Europe increases in mortality above age 60 contributed more significantly.'

In addition to these age patterns, the team's analysis reveals that most life expectancy reductions across different countries were attributable to official COVID-19 deaths.

Dr Kashyap adds, 'While we know that there are several issues linked to the counting of COVID-19 deaths, such as inadequate testing or misclassification, the fact that our results highlight such a large impact that is directly attributable to COVID-19 shows how devastating a shock it has been for many countries. We urgently call for the publication and availability of more disaggregated data from a wider-range of countries, including low- and middle-income countries, to better understand the impacts of the pandemic globally.'

Life expectancy, also known as period life expectancy, refers to the average age to which a newborn live if current death rates continued for their whole life. It does not predict an actual lifespan. It provides a snapshot of current mortality conditions and allows for a comparison of the size of the mortality impacts of the pandemic between different countries and populations.
Has the Delta (B.1.617.2) variant reduced vaccine effectiveness? If you ask Ian Foster of Argonne National Laboratory and colleagues, the answer is not really. New research published in the preprint medRxiv* server suggests vaccines approved in the United States are stable and well-performing.

Delta has overtaken the Alpha variant as the most dominant severe acute respiratory coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus in the United States. It caused an uproar of concern in late summer 2021 after reports of breakthrough infections in vaccinated individuals.

The United States remains the country with the highest number of cases and deaths from coronavirus infection 19 (COVID-19). In the past 28 days, there have been over 4 million coronavirus cases and over 48,000 deaths.

The researchers suggest that vaccines are an excellent protective measure against Delta as its unlikely the Delta variant significantly evades vaccine-induced immunity. Additionally, differences in vaccine effectiveness likely come from the ages of vaccinated individuals.

We conclude from these data that there is no evidence that the Delta variant escapes immunity from the COVID-19 vaccines in use in the U.S.A., and that there is therefore no evidence that the variant causes additional breakthrough infections, above and beyond the infections already expected due to the known imperfect effectiveness and efficacy of the available COVID-19 vaccines, wrote the team.

Study details

The researchers used data sources from public health authorities in 7 states, 5 counties, and the District of Columbia to collect COVID-19 testing results. They grouped the results based on vaccination status between May 15 and September 15, 2021.

The time period was chosen because the Delta variant has become more prevalent in the United States. As a result, its transmission across the country reached almost 100% by late August 2021.

All vaccine effectiveness data, subjected to a joint fit weighted by the Bayesian errors, yields a global effectiveness of 84.1%.

Vaccine effectiveness did not falter in the presence of the Delta variant

Vaccine effectiveness remained high across the United States from mid-May to late August 2021.

Only Washington D.C. showed a slight drop in vaccine effectiveness in late June though this variation may have been from low testing in the area.

From early to mid-July, there was a slight dip in vaccine effectiveness in almost all studied areas. However, the drop in vaccine effectiveness was recovered by early September.

Among individual U.S. counties plus Washington D.C, there is no trend of decreasing vaccine effectiveness which would be expected if the Delta variant could evade vaccine-induced antibodies. Instead the data shows [vaccine effectiveness] fluctuations, some rising, some falling, some even oscillating, and these are presumably driven by demographic and environmental factors affecting vaccination statistics, explained the researchers.

State-level data showed a similar look: no continuous decrease of vaccine effectiveness was observed.

Age-related differences in vaccine cohorts

The researchers categorized data on vaccinated populations by ages 1218, 1865, and 65 and above. Doing so allowed them to look at the average age of the vaccinated individual.

The average age for the vaccinated individual dropped by four years and three months over the summer of 2021. Thus, vaccine effectiveness likely increased as more younger adults got vaccinated during the spread of Delta.

The researchers suggest the increased vaccination uptake during the summer may have contributed to the recovery of vaccine effectiveness later on.

While age appears to play a potential factor in vaccine effectiveness, other factors may be at play. <ore research looking into changes in vaccinated and unvaccinated cohort demographics, changes in social behavior, or environmental effects is needed to provide a better explanation for the mild and temporary fluctuations in vaccine effectiveness.

*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.
A study of more than 100,000 people with type 2 diabetes (T2D), presented at the annual meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD), held online this year, found that insulin resistance is associated with stroke.

The higher the insulin resistance, the greater the risk of stroke, the research, from Dr Alexander Zabala and colleagues at the Karolinska Institute and researchers at Gothenburg University and the National Diabetes Registry in Sweden, found.

Insulin resistance  when the body's cells don't respond properly to insulin and can't easily take up glucose from blood  is a key feature of T2D and levels vary from patient to patient.

Dr Zabala used estimated glucose disposal rate (eGDR) as a measure of insulin resistance.

eGDR has previously been shown to be a good proxy for insulin resistance and is calculated using a formula that factors in a patient's waist circumference, HbA1c (average blood sugar level) and whether they have high blood pressure.

Health records were used to calculate the eGDR of 104,697 T2D patients in Sweden. The participants had an average age of 63 and 44.5% were female.

They were followed up for an average of 5.6 years, during which 4,201 (4%) had a stroke.

Analysis revealed that the higher a person's insulin resistance, the greater their chance of having a stroke. Those with the lowest insulin resistance (the highest eGDR) were 40% less likely to have a stroke than those with the highest insulin resistance.

Age, cholesterol levels, smoking, heart conditions and other traditional risk factors for stroke were all adjusted for.

The study also found that higher insulin resistance was linked to a higher risk of death after a stroke. Those with the lowest resistance were 28 per less likely to die during the follow-up period than those with the most severe insulin resistance.

Further analysis showed high blood pressure to be more strongly linked to stroke than waist circumference or HbA1c.

The study's authors conclude: "We found that in individuals with type 2 diabetes, a low eGDR, a simple measure of insulin resistance, was associated with an increased risk of stroke and mortality."
Since the onset of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, meat processing plants (MPP) have proved to be vulnerable to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) transmission. Severe outbreaks have affected MMP workers throughout the world.

Study: Assessment of Environmental and Occupational Risk Factors for the Mitigation and Containment of a COVID-19 Outbreak in a Meat Processing Plant. Image Credit: industryviews/ Shutterstock

Transmission of the virus is difficult to control in such environments due to the nature of the work, environmental factors, and difficulty maintaining social distance between the workers. Clusters of COVID-19 that have originated from MPPs have been reported from several countries throughout the world.

COVID-19 outbreaks in MPPs can be large and, if not controlled, can lead to virus spillover in the community. There is considerable evidence suggesting that superspreading events play an important role in the establishment and maintenance of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Recent studies have indicated that MPPs are one of the locations where superspreading events are most likely to occur. Therefore, workplace risk mitigation measures are required to reduce transmission and protect the workers and the wider community from contracting COVID-19.

Background

The agri-food industry of Ireland contributes to 8 percent of Irelands GDP and provides around 160,000 jobs. The meat processing industry is considered an important part of the agri-food sector and was an important part of the national and international food supply.

Therefore, an investigation of the risk factors for a COVID-19 outbreak in Irish meat processing plants was conducted. This also helped in the detection of new and more transmissible variants of SARS-CoV-2. Although the public health authorities had implemented several guidelines, numerous outbreaks of SARS-CoV-2 have been reported amongst Irish meat processing staff.

A new study involved a retrospective investigation of the outbreak of COVID-19 in an Irish meat plant. The study included air quality assessments, semi-structured interviews with plant management, verification of risk mitigation measures, and evaluation of operational factors.

A preprint version of the study is available on the medRxiv* server while the article undergoes peer review.

About the study

The study involved 290 workers from a particular MPP in Ireland. Due to the rising concerns on the vulnerability of MPPs to COVID-19 in Ireland, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) carried out a pilot study of environmental and operational factors that influenced the transmission of MPPs within the meat processing facility.

The team assumed that a superspreading event occurred within the MPP, where many workers tested PCR positive. Thus, it could be hypothesized that the plant environment favored the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 via aerosols and droplets.

The selection of a particular MPP was based on certain criteria such as whether an outbreak of COVID-19 had occurred in the plant in early-mid 2020, mass PCR testing of the workers had taken place, a large proportion of the workers tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, and the primary processing of the red meat occurred at one site of the plant.

The team collected data by visiting the site of the plant. A site visit comprised an interview with the plant Emergency Response Team (ERT) and inspection of the facility to determine if the COVID-19 control measures were implemented. Air quality assessment was carried out in areas where the highest number of PCR-positive cases were reported. The concentration of carbon dioxide, humidity, temperature, and size and number of aerosols were monitored.

Study findings

The first reported positive COVID-19 case involved a worker who worked at the meat cutting or boning hall within the plant and was absent from work in early 2020. This person was found to develop symptoms as well as test positive six days later.

Overall, 42 workers out of 290 tested positive for COVID-19 on initial mass testing, and 25 worked in the boning hall. Furthermore, 111 asymptomatic workers who tested positive were reported over two months.

The initial COVID-19 mitigation measures implemented at the plant involved checking the body temperature of all the workers at entry and other public health measures that were advised during that time.

In mid-2020, the workers were advised to wear face masks and PPE, follow proper hand hygiene by using sanitizers, visitors were not allowed to enter the plant, and only essential workers were allowed on-site.

During early summer and spring of 2020, education and travel risk mitigation measures were implemented. Additionally, staff who returned after a period of absence had to follow a return to work (RTW) protocol issued by the public health authorities.

The study results also indicated that the concentration of carbon dioxide in the boning hall showed a gradual increase during working hours. This suggested that the boning hall was not well ventilated. The introduction of the air filtration device in the boning hall showed a reduction in airborne particles during the work hours in the boning hall.

Conclusion

Thus, this study provides significant insight into the role of environmental and operational factors on the transmission of COVID-19. The study shows that when the plant management worked as per the public health recommendations, it led to a significant reduction in infection among the workers and staff who worked at the plant.

Although the study effectively determined the vulnerability of MPPs in SARS-CoV-2 transmission, it had certain limitations. Firstly, the study involved only one plant where the events had occurred months ago. Secondly, the data collected was subjected to recall bias. Thirdly, the bioaerosols measurements reported in the study were limited to five days in two plant areas.

*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.
Studies show that in transplant recipients, the humoral response to two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine is inferior to that in immunocompetent individuals. However, there is not much data on the real-world efficacy of COVID-19 vaccination in kidney transplant recipients.

Studying the impact of COVID-19 vaccination on SARS-CoV-2 infection and outcomes in kidney transplant patients

Researchers from Toronto, Canada, performed a cohort study to analyze the impact of COVID-19 vaccination on severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and clinical outcomes in kidney transplant patients. This study is available on the preprint server, medRxiv.*

They recorded the COVID-19 vaccination and infection status of all patients in their transplant program between March 11, 2020, and July 19, 2021, along with demographic factors and clinical covariates related to the severity of disease.

They used a time-varying Cox-proportional hazards model to examine the association between vaccination status and SARS-CoV-2 infection risk after adjusting for sex, age, time post-transplant, COVID-predisposing comorbidities, kidney function, and the weekly infection rate in each patients community. The secondary outcome of the study was severe SARS-CoV-2 infection defined as COVID-related hospital admission or death.

Out of 1,793 kidney transplant recipients evaluated, 1,540 (85.9%) recipients had received one dose of the vaccine, and 1,402 (78.2%) had received two vaccine doses by the end of the study. The median age was 60.4 years and the median time after transplantation was 8.1 years.

Association between community infection rates and transplant duration <3 months and risk of infection

Out of the 114 SARS-CoV-2 infections, 61% were severe. Community infection rates and transplant duration of less than 3 months were associated with the risk of infection. They observed similar associations for severe SARS-CoV-2 infections when compared to unvaccinated patients. No association between two doses of vaccination and any SARS-CoV-2 infection or severe SARS-CoV-2 infection was observed.

They conducted a sensitivity analysis to study the impact of administration of any vaccine dose on any SARS-CoV-2 infection and severe infection and the results showed no change in overall effect.

According to the authors, although this vaccination effectiveness analysis is limited by cohort size, the results clearly show that the infection and poor outcome risks were predominantly determined by transplant vintage and community infection rates and not by vaccination status.

More recent studies have demonstrated that a 3rd dose of the COVID-19 vaccine offers greater immunogenicity in transplant recipients.

Future studies must examine whether such strategies enhance real-world vaccine effectiveness among transplant patients.

*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.
Up to 4,000 people will soon be able to take advantage of training courses to become HGV drivers, as part of a package of measures announced today (25 September 2021) by the government to ease temporary supply chain pressures in food haulage industries, brought on by the pandemic and the global economy rebounding around the world.

The Department for Education is investing up to 10 million to create new skills boot camps to train up to 3,000 more people to become HGV drivers. The free, short, intensive courses will train drivers to be road-ready and gain a category C or category C&E license, helping to tackle the current HGV driver shortage. An additional 1,000 people are expected to be trained through courses accessed locally and funded by the government's adult education budget.

Fuel tanker drivers need additional safety qualifications, which the government will work with the industry to ensure drivers can access as quickly as possible.

To help make sure new drivers can be road-ready as quickly as possible, the Department for Transport (DfT) has also agreed to work with the Driver and Vehicles Standards Agency (DVSA) to ensure that tests will be available for participants who have completed training courses as soon as possible.

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is also announcing today the immediate deployment of their Defence Driving Examiners (DDEs) to increase the country's testing capacity. MOD examiners will work alongside DVSA examiners, providing thousands of extra tests over the next 12 weeks.

The package comes as the DfT, along with leading logistics organizations have worked with the DVLA to send nearly 1 million letters to thank HGV drivers for their vital role in supporting our economy, and to encourage those who have left the industry to return. The letter, which will arrive on doormats over the coming days, sets out that the steps the road haulage sector is taking to improve the industry, including increased wages, flexible working, and fixed hours.

Alongside this, 5,000 HGV drivers will be able to come to the UK for 3 months in the run-up to Christmas, providing short-term relief for the haulage industry. A further 5,500 visas for poultry workers will also be made available for the same short period, to avoid any potential further pressures on the food industry during this exceptional period.

Recruitment for additional short-term HGV drivers and poultry workers will begin in October and these visas will be valid until 24 December 2021. UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) are preparing to process the required visa applications, once made, in a timely manner.

However, we want to see employers make long-term investments in the UK domestic workforce instead of relying on labor to build a high-wage, high-skill economy.

Visas will not be the long-term solution, and reform within the industry is vital. That's why the government continues to support the industry in solving this issue in the long term through improved testing and hiring, with better pay, working conditions and diversity.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said:

This package of measures builds on the important work we have already done to ease this global crisis in the UK, and this government continues to do everything we can to help the haulage and food industries contend with the HGV driver shortage." We are acting now but the industries must also play their part with working conditions continuing to improve and the deserved salary increases continuing to be maintained in order for companies to retain new drivers. After a very difficult 18 months, I know how important this Christmas is for all of us and that's why we're taking these steps at the earliest opportunity to ensure preparations remain on track."

Separately, the government is also bringing in legislation to allow delegated driving examiners at the three emergency services and the MOD to be able to conduct driving tests for one another. This will give the emergency services greater flexibility and help increase the number of tests DVSA examiners can provide HGV examiners.

The government will also provide funding for both medical and HGV licenses for any adult who completes an HGV driving qualification accessed through the Adult Education Budget in the academic year 2021/22. Previously, adults who took these qualifications had to pay for their own licenses. This change will be backdated and applied to anyone who started one of these qualifications on or after August 1st, 2021.

Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi said:

HGV drivers keep this country running. We are taking action to tackle the shortage of drivers by removing barriers to help more people to launch new well-paid careers in the industry, supporting thousands to get the training they need to be road ready. As we build back from the pandemic we're committed to supporting people, no matter their background, to get the skills and training they need to get good jobs at any stage of their lives, while creating the talent pipeline businesses need for the future."

Environment Secretary George Eustice said:

It is a top priority to ensure that there are enough workers across the country's supply chains to make sure they remain strong and resilient. We have listened to concerns from the sector and we are acting to alleviate what is a very tight labour market."

The government has been able to bring forward these solutions in response to a global issue made worse by coronavirus thanks to our existing work in this area. We have already taken a range of steps to support the industry, including streamlining the process for new HGV drivers and increasing the number of driving tests. Our measures provided a rapid increase in capacity and allow for an extra 50,000 tests to take place per year.

Progress has already been made in testing and hiring, with improving pay, working conditions and diversity. We continue to closely monitor labour supply and work with sector leaders to understand how we can best ease particular pinch points. Through our Plan for Jobs we're helping people across the UK retrain, build new skills and get back into work.

The Food and Drink Federation's Chief Executive, Ian Wright CBE, said:

We welcome the government's pragmatic decision to temporarily add HGV drivers and poultry workers to the existing visa scheme. This is something UK food and drink manufacturers have asked for over the last few months - including in industry's Grant Thornton report - to alleviate some of the pressure labour shortages have placed on the food supply chain. This is a start but we need the government to continue to collaborate with industry and seek additional long term solutions."

Elizabeth de Jong, Logistics UK's Director of Policy, said:
(Newser)  Update: The human remains found inside a Louisiana alligator are indeed those of Timothy Satterlee, the 71-year-old who was attacked by a gator in floodwaters outside his home after Hurricane Ida on Aug. 30. Authorities had captured the animal almost two weeks later, and now they have confirmed the remains are Satterlee's, NBC News reports. Our original story from Aug. 31 and previous update from Sept. 14 follow:



Previous update: Police in Louisiana believe they have captured the alligator that attacked 71-year-old Timothy Satterlee in floodwaters outside his home after Hurricane Ida. CBS reports that the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's Office says a 12-foot alligator weighing "a startling 504 pounds" was captured near where Satterlee vanished on Aug. 30. The sheriff's office says human remains were found in the animal's stomach and investigators will work with the coroner's office to determine if they are Satterlee's. Our original story from Aug. 31 follows.

story continues below

One of a handful of people believed to have died following Hurricane Ida was reportedly attacked by an alligator. The unidentified 71-year-old manwhose body has not been foundlived in a raised home surrounded by a wildlife refuge in Slidell, La., near Lake Pontchartrain. St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's Captain Lance Vitter tells WWL that he'd gone to check on items in a flooded shed beneath the house around midday Monday when his wife heard a commotion. She then saw him being attacked by an alligator.

She was able to pull him up onto a set of stairs, but had to leave in a boat to get help as cell service was down, Vitter says. CBS News' David Begnaud reports the alligator had ripped off one of the man's arms. When the wife returned, her husband was nowhere to be found, Vitter adds. Deputies found blood at the scene but were unable to locate a body after searching the knee-deep water for six hours. The search is expected to continue. Neighbors told WWL that large alligators often approach people in the area, as residents sometimes feed them.

The official death toll from Ida stands at four. Two people were killed and 10 injured in a highway collapse near Lucedale, Miss. In Louisiana, a man drowned while driving in floodwaters in New Orleans, while another person was killed when a tree fell in Prairieville, per the Washington Post. "Knowing that so many people stayed behind in places like Grand Isle and Lafitte where flood waters have devastated those areas, we expect there will be more people found that have passed," Louisiana Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser tells NBC News. (Read more Hurricane Ida stories.)
(Newser)  As more than 1,000 mourners remembered Gabby Petito at a service on Sunday, police announced plans to scale back their search efforts for fiance Brian Laundrie, a person of interest in the 22-year-old's disappearance and death. "The FBI is now leading the search. Im told it will be scaled back and targeted based on intelligence," a rep for the police department in Laundrie's hometown of North Port, Fla., tells Fox News. Two FBI agents did visit the Laundrie family home Sunday morning asking for personal items belonging to him for the purposes of DNA matching, the family's lawyer says, adding that Laundrie's parents cooperated.

story continues below

Authorities have been searching for Laundrie in the Carlton Reserve, a Florida nature preserve Laundrie frequented, but an experienced outdoorsman tells Fox News that he doubts they'll find Laundrie there. "Theres no surviving out here, I dont know how to say it," for more than a few days, he says. Especially because torrential rainfall has flooded the area since Laundrie was reported missing Sept. 17. But he adds that he also doubts Laundrie died out there, because he hasn't seen buzzards, which would be circling a body if there was one. Petito's best friend disagrees, telling People that Laundrie has previously spent months in the wilderness by himself. Joining the search for Laundrie is a notable name, Yahoo News reports: Dog the Bounty Hunter. (Read more Gabby Petito stories.)
(Newser)  As the hunt for Brian Laundrie continues in the Gabby Petito case, a three-month-old missing persons case on the other side of the country is now under the spotlight, though not many questions have been answered since Lauren Cho vanished near Joshua Tree National Park. People reports that the Morongo Basin Sheriff's Department has teamed up with the San Bernardino Sheriff's Department in the search for the 30-year-old New Jersey music teacher, who'd driven cross-country with a former boyfriend to make a fresh start in the Golden State.

story continues below

Cody Orell, the ex who'd invited Cho to join him in his drive out west over the winter, told the Hi-Desert Star in July that he was with Cho on June 28 at the residence they were staying at when he briefly went into the tour bus they'd used to travel to California. "There was a 10-minute window there and she evaporated," he says. He reported her missing at around 5:10pm local time that day. Per the sheriff's report, Cho had been upset before wandering off into the hills between Yucca Valley and Morongo Valley, and friends say she left without her phone, food, or water.

Orell believes she'd set out to meet someone, though he's not sure who. "I didn't pry into it then," he told the Star. Authorities have conducted both ground and aerial searches, including one involving seven police dogs, in the area where she was last seen, to no avail. The AP notes Cho's case gained renewed interest in the wake of the media frenzy around Petito, with questions arising on "why the public spotlight so important to finding missing people has left other cases shrouded in uncertainty"namely, those of people of color.

"I would have liked that swift rush [and] push to find my aunt faster," the niece of Ella Mae Begay, a 62-year-old Navajo rug weaver who disappeared from her home in Sweetwater, Ariz., in mid-June, tells the outlet. Meanwhile, Orell and other friends can't figure out why Cho would've just wandered off, especially because she'd just purchased an old school bus to convert into a food truck. A friend told the Star she also wouldn't have abandoned her pet parakeet, Pork Chop. "She would be worried if she was going to be away from him for a day," RJ Okay says. Anyone with information about Cho is asked to call San Bernardino authorities at 909-387-3589 or 800-78-CRIME (27463).
(Newser)  Theoneste Bagosora, a former Rwandan army colonel regarded as the architect of the 1994 genocide in which more than 800,000 ethnic Tutsi, and Hutus who tried to protect them, were killed, died in a hospital in Mali on Saturday, the AP reports. His son Achille Bagosora announced the death in a Facebook post: Rest in Peace, Papa. Bagosora was serving a 35-year sentence after being found guilty of crimes against humanity by the then-International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda. Bagosora, 80, had been sentenced to life in 2008 but on appeal his sentence was reduced to 35 years in prison. Bagosoras application for early release was turned down earlier this year, with the judge ruling that he had failed to demonstrate rehabilitation.

story continues below

Known as a hardliner within the National Republican Movement for Democracy and Development party of Rwandan President Juvenal Habyarimana, Bagosora in 1993 was appointed cabinet director in the defense ministry and took control of military and political affairs in the country. The position made him answerable only to the president. When the president died in a plane crash, Bagosora took over the affairs of state and ordered the massacre of Tutsi, Donat Rutayisire, a genocide survivor who knew him, told the AP. Canadian Gen. Romeo Dallaire, head of United Nations peacekeepers in Rwanda at the time, described Bagosora as the kingpin behind the genocide.

After the genocide, Bagosora fled into exile in Cameroon. He was arrested there in 1996 and flown to face trial in Arusha, Tanzania, in 1997. His trial began in 2002 and lasted until 2007. Bagosora was found guilty in connection with the killing of 10 Belgian peacekeepers and responsible for the deaths of the Rwandan prime minister and head of the constitutional court. He was also found responsible for organized killings of Tutsi at numerous sites in Rwandas capital, Kigali, and in Gisenyi in the west of the country. Reacting to the news of Bagosoras death, Rwandas ambassador to the Netherlands, Olivier Nduhungirehe, said Bagosora didnt show remorse for his crimes. "He never accepted responsibility for genocide, showing no sign of remorse or regret; ... he is a man with a forceful personality who at times is unable to control himself, Nduhungirehe said in a Twitter post.

(Read more Rwanda stories.)
(Newser)  Two members of a select group died this monththey were among the 52 Americans taken hostage in Iran in 1979, reports Anne Gearan in the Washington Post. With their deaths, the number of surviving members from the group has shrunk to 35. "We are not getting any younger," says 82-year-old David M. Roeder. His comment speaks to the point of Gearan's storythe former hostages are still waiting to receive the compensation they were promised for their 444-day ordeal. The story lays out the background: As part of the agreement struck to free the hostages, they were forbidden to go after Iran in court.

story continues below

Many tried anyway but failed, and it wasn't until 2015 that the ex-hostages seemed to get justice. Under a new US law set up to compensate "state sponsors of terrorism"which currently covers acts by Iran, North Korea, Syria, and Cubathey were each to get $4.44 million. Only a small portion of the money had been doled out when a new snag arose. Congress decided that relatives and survivors of the 9/11 attacks were entitled to the money from the law as well, arguing that Iran had helped the hijackers. As a result, there simply isn't enough money to go around.

"The awkward result has essentially pitted one group of terrorism victims against another," writes Gearan. The Iran hostages point out that 9/11 victims have other sources of compensation, but note they do not, and they want the White House to step in and rectify the matteror at least give them preference, which the law currently doesn't do. "Time is not on our side," former hostage Barry Rosen wrote in a USA Today op-ed last month. "If the Biden administration truly cares, it must act now." (Read more hostages stories.)
(Newser)  It's been a bumpy road for Japan's Princess Mako and her fiance, college sweetheart Kei Komuro, as they've prepared for their wedding over the past three-plus years, with controversy swirling over the finances of Komuro's family. At least the couple, both 29, could console themselves with $1.35 million to start them off in their new lifethe amount Princess Mako would be given to renounce her royal status, a requirement for marrying a commoner like Komuro. Their marital wallet just got a little thinner, however: Local media reports that the princess plans to turn down the payment, and the government will agree to her decision, per CNN.

story continues below

Kyodo News reports that Komuro arrived in Japan on Monday from his home in the US, his first time back to Japan in three years. Sources tell the news agency that after Komuro quarantines for two weeks under COVID protocols, the couple will hold a presser together. They reportedly plan to announce a wedding date in October, with it likely taking place before the end of the year, per the Japan Times.

The couplewho announced their plans to marry in 2017 and who sources say will make their new home in the US, where Komuro works for a law firmhave had a series of setbacks during their engagement, including media reports over a financial issue involving Komuro's family. Apparently, his mother and an ex-lover are in a dispute over about $36,000 that was used to pay for Komuro's education, and the royal family wants it all cleared up before the wedding.

The Times notes that under the Imperial Household Law of 1947, royals who decide to wed commoners must leave the royal family, as well as give up their titles and any right to receive an allowance from the government. Princess Mako and Komuro's wedding is expected to be held without the usual pomp and rituals. The paper details much more about the "not-so-fairy tale" of their path to the wedding aisle. (Read more Princess Mako stories.)
(Newser)  South Korea's president is a dog guy, and he wants the country to follow suit. Moon Jae-in said Monday the government should consider banning the consumption of dog meat, reports Bloomberg. "Hasn't the time come?" Moon asked during a weekly briefing with Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum, per AFP. Both stories note the practice is a traditional one in the country, with an estimated 1 million dogs eaten each year. However, it's also growing increasingly out of favor, particularly among the younger generation. The AFP story goes so far as to say it's becoming an "international embarrassment."

story continues below

Moon's statement also comes amid a rise in pet ownership in the country. The president has multiple dogs himself, and he adopted another after taking office, making it the first rescue dog to live in the nation's Blue House. Yonhap News Agency talks to the rep for a group of dog farmers, who argues that dogs raised for meat are "completely distinctive breeds raised in a different environment compared to pets." But while the topic is "one of the most disputed issues in South Korea," per Yonhap, it appears the the president's view now represents the majority. It's possible new measures to protect dogs will be rolled out as early as Thursday. (Read more South Korea stories.)
(Newser)  The Taliban have been busy rolling back women's rights in Afghanistan and ramping up for a return to amputations and executions. Now, some more bad news for locals. Per the BBC, the extremist group has banned barbers in the Helmand province from shaving or otherwise trimming men's beards, saying it breaks Islamic law. Some barbers in Kabul say they've also been hit with the new directive, which says Western-style haircuts at barbershops and in salons are also a no-no.

story continues below

CNN reports that barbers have also been told they can't play music in their shops. Violators will be punished and shamed, a local journalist says, per the Independent. The mandate echoes the Taliban's strict rules when they were last in power decades ago, despite the group claiming their government would be more moderate this time around. Several barbers who talked to the BBC note this may be the nail in the coffin for their livelihoods. "Salons and barbers are becoming forbidden businesses," one says. "This was my job for 15 years and I don't think I can continue." (Read more Taliban stories.)
(Newser)  WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is currently imprisoned in London, but a Yahoo News investigation suggests things could have gone much worse for him. The story asserts that the CIA under Mike Pompeo and former President Trump considered kidnapping or even killing Assange while he was holed up in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London. Pompeo and agency leaders were "seeing blood" because WikiLeaks embarrassed the CIA by releasing secret agency hacking tools known collectively as "Vault 7," according to the story, which is based on interviews with 30 former US intelligence and security officials. Details:

Assassination: Three former officials say Trump himself asked in 2017 about the legalities and logistics of assassinating Assange. However, one official describes the discussion more as "spitballing" than as a serious proposal. Still, the story says CIA execs asked for and received "sketches" of assassination plans.

story continues below

Trump denies: "It's totally false, it never happened," the former president tells Yahoo of plans to kill Assange. "In fact, I think he's been treated very badly." The CIA and Pompeo didn't comment.

"It's totally false, it never happened," the former president tells Yahoo of plans to kill Assange. "In fact, I think he's been treated very badly." The CIA and Pompeo didn't comment. Escape plot: The story says the CIA also got wind of a 2017 plot in which Russia would help Assange escape to Moscow, and the agency began plotting scenarios to thwart the escape. "Those included potential gun battles with Kremlin operatives on the streets of London, crashing a car into a Russian diplomatic vehicle transporting Assange and then grabbing him, and shooting out the tires of a Russian plane carrying Assange before it could take off for Moscow."

The story says the CIA also got wind of a 2017 plot in which Russia would help Assange escape to Moscow, and the agency began plotting scenarios to thwart the escape. "Those included potential gun battles with Kremlin operatives on the streets of London, crashing a car into a Russian diplomatic vehicle transporting Assange and then grabbing him, and shooting out the tires of a Russian plane carrying Assange before it could take off for Moscow." Assange's lawyer: He believes the kidnapping and assassination plans and calls them "outrageous." Attorney Barry Pollack adds: "My hope and expectation is that the UK courts will consider this information and it will further bolster its decision not to extradite to the US."

(Read more Julian Assange stories.)
(Newser)  Lines of cars formed at British gas stations for a fourth day on Monday, as the government mulled sending in the army to help ease the supply disruptions triggered by a shortage of truck drivers. As unions called for emergency workers to be given priority for fuel supplies, Petrol Retailers Association Chairman Brian Madderson said training had been taking place "in the background" for military personnel to drive tankers, per the AP. The government said it had "no plans at the moment" to deploy troops, but was making preparations just in case.

story continues below

The association, which represents almost 5,500 independent outlets, said Sunday that about two-thirds of its members had run out of fuel, as the truck driver shortage set off rounds of gas panic-buying. Long lines of vehicles have formed at many gas stations around Britain since Friday, causing spillover traffic jams on busy roads. Tempers have frayed as some drivers waited for hours. The Conservative government insisted the UK had "ample fuel stocks" and blamed the problems on consumer behavior.

"The only reason we don't have [gas] ... is that people are buying [gas] they don't need," said Environment Secretary George Eustice. The haulage industry says the UK is short as many as 100,000 truckers, due to a perfect storm of factors including the coronavirus pandemic, an aging workforce, and an exodus of foreign workers following Britain's departure from the European Union last year. Government ministers were meeting Monday to discuss the fuel squeeze.

(Read more gas shortage stories.)
(Newser)  Emmanuel Macron was hit by an egg on Monday, but he somehow managed to escape without any yolk on his suit. The French president was visiting a restaurant trade fair in Lyon when the egg was pelted at Macron's left shoulderwhich it bounced off of (as seen in video). The Telegraph reports the thrower reportedly yelled "Vive la revolution!" as he hurled the object. The man was immediately removed by security officials, with Macron reportedly saying, "If he has something to say to me, let him come and say it." A photo from the scene published by Lyon Mag shows a broken egg, possibly hardboiled, on the ground.

story continues below

CNN reports a rep for Macron downplayed the moment, saying, "There is nothing to say about it because it did not disrupt his walking around. I was next to the President, I can tell you there is no story." Indeed, the more substantive story is that Macron has a short history of both getting hit and getting hit with eggs. While running for president in 2017 he was hit on the head by an egg; that one cracked. The year prior, while visiting a post office in his role as French economy minister, he was also hit with eggs. More recently, in June he was slapped in the face by a far-right sympathizer while in a crowd; the 28-year-old male was sentenced to four months behind bars. The Washington Post reports Macron is expected to run for reelection next year. (Read more Emmanuel Macron stories.)
(Newser)  Italy's former deputy prime minister is going on trial for refusing to let a Spanish ship carrying rescued migrants dock at an Italian portand Richard Gere has agreed to testify against him. The actor was on vacation in Italy with his family in August 2019 when he heard about the standoff, the Guardian reports. He traveled to the island of Lampedusa to support the Open Arms charity and helped deliver food and water to the migrants. He compared then-Deputy PM Matteo Salvini to then-President Donald Trump and accused him of "demonizing" migrants, per the BBC. Salvini said Gere should take the 160 migrants back to Hollywood with him.

story continues below

Salvini, leader of the far-right League party, is accused of abducting the migrants, who were stranded at sea for 19 days until a judge stepped in. Gere was on a list of two dozen witnesses submitted ahead of trial by Open Arms. Salvini says he was acting to protect Italy's borders and the trial is politically motivated. "I know him as an actor, but I dont understand what kind of lessons he wants to give me or the Italians on our laws," he said of Gere, per ANSA. He added: "If someone wants to turn the trial into a show and wants to see Richard Gere, let him go to the cinema, not to a court." (Read more Richard Gere stories.)
TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

Bahrain is moving to Green Alert Level from tomorrow while emphasising the importance of following all precautionary measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19).

The decision to ease restrictions was made following a review of the average COVID-19 positivity rates by the National Medical Taskforce for Combatting the Coronavirus.

The taskforce also urged citizens and residents to get vaccinated and receive a booster shot if eligible.

At green level, the choice of in-person or remote learning for the new 2021-2022 school year will be left to parents.

Dr Mohamed Mubarak Juma, Director General for Schools Affairs at the Education Ministry, explained that under this level, 100% of students are allowed to attend in-person lessons with consistent use of social distancing of at least half a metre.

He said that the number of staff permitted to return to work in-person at public educational institutions differs depending upon the Ministrys needs across each alert level.

For private educational institutions, the number of returning staff is subject to their discretion.

The Ministry has issued a guide to returning to schools and educational institutions, which includes instructions and guidelines to preserve the health and safety of students and faculty.

Dr Juma assured that Bahrain will continue its efforts to preserve the childrens health, wishing them a successful and safe school year.

Health Ministry Undersecretary for Public Health Dr Mariam Al Hajeri, also taskforce member, stressed the importance of adhering to all precautionary measures to ensure the safe return of students and administrative and educational staff.
TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

The Cabinet has reiterated the Kingdom of Bahrains full support for measures taken by Saudi Arabia to preserve the security and safety of its country and people. It condemned and denounced the Houthi terrorist attacks against the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which targeted the Eastern Province and Jizan and Najran, endangered the lives of innocent civilians, and are in clear violation of international law.

This came as His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, yesterday chaired the weekly Cabinet meeting at Gudaibiya Palace.

Following International Day of Charity, the Cabinet commended His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifas continued support of the Kingdoms humanitarian initiatives, which receive global recognition.

In this regard, the Cabinet lauded the royal directives to provide humanitarian aid to Afghanistan under the supervision of the Royal Humanitarian Foundation. The Cabinet approved the following memorandums:

1. A memorandum by the Civil Service Council regarding the restructuring of a number of government agencies to further improve efficiency and performance.

2. A memorandum by the Civil Service Council regarding the use of the Government Employee application for employment within ministries and government institutions to provide public sector employees the chance to apply for job opportunities available in other government agencies and to enhance career prospects.

3. A memorandum by the Ministerial Committee for Legal and Legislative Affairs regarding an MoU on economic and technical cooperation between the Kingdom of Bahrain and the Republic of Cyprus, which aims to strengthen relations between the two countries and exchange expertise.

4. A memorandum by the Ministerial Committee for Legal and Legislative Affairs on the signing of an agreement between the Kingdom of Bahrain and the Republic of Cyprus on an exemption from visa requirements for holders of diplomatic and civil service passports, to facilitate travel procedures between the two countries.

5. A memorandum by the Ministerial Committee for Legal and Legislative Affairs regarding the restructuring of the National Committee on the Prohibition, Development, Production, and Stockpiling of Chemical Weapons and on their Destruction.

6. A memorandum of the Ministerial Committee for Legal and Legislative Affairs on the governments response to a proposal submitted by the Council of Representatives.

The Cabinet also reviewed a memorandum of the Ministerial Committee for Development and Infrastructure Projects on the Committees endeavours for the first half of 2021, which included the topics discussed by the Committee and its priorities in following up on accelerating the implementation of projects.

The Cabinet took note of several ministerial reports on outcomes of the seventh meeting of the Bahraini-Omani Joint Ministerial Committee, and the participation in the 2021 Annual Meetings of the Board of Governors of IsDB Group, which was held in Tashkent, Republic of Uzbekistan, and the outcomes of international visits to the Russian Federation and the Republic of Chechnya.
TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

Bahrain and the US reiterated the importance of strategic cooperation, particularly in the defence, military and humanitarian fields. They noted their countries role in supporting peace, security and stability in the Arabian Gulf region and the Middle East.

This came as Foreign Minister Dr Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani held a joint press conference with US Defence Secretary Lloyd James Austin III, on a visit to the Kingdom.

Austin congratulated His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa on signing the Abraham Peace Accords, stressing the importance of the agreement in supporting regional peace and stability.

The two sides also discussed the importance of building on these agreements to further dialogue and coexistence in the regional, stressing the importance of Mideast peace and stability for the international security.

Bahrain and the US reiterated their commitment to combat terrorism and target those who harbor terrorists, said Dr Al Zayani, adding that both sides attach a great importance to their partnership.

The US official had held meetings with HM the King and His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister.

The two sides discussed the developments unfolding in Afghanistan and their potential spillover on regional security and stability. Austin stressed his countrys appreciation for Bahrains support to humanitarian efforts to evacuate people who transited the Kingdom before heading to the US, which showed the importance of joint cooperation between the two countries.

Austin stressed solid bilateral relations and stressed his keen interest in further strengthening defence partnership, reiterating thanks to Bahrain for hosting the US forces.

He noted his meeting with the BDF Commander-in-Chief Field Marshal Shaikh Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, hailing support to the Allies Refuge operation and commitment to enhancing US-Bahrain defence partnership
TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

US congress members visiting Bahrain yesterday expressed their admiration of the tremendous progress Bahrain has achieved in executing social housing projects.

Bahrains experience is pioneering in his sector, which deserves commendation, said the US delegates. The visiting US delegation, comprising employees of the United States House of Representatives and the Senate, was touring the East Hidd Housing project.

The delegation was given a briefing on the East Hidd housing project, including its infrastructure, constructed houses, waterfront and lanes to practise various hobbies.

The members were also given an introduction to Bahrains modern towns and the services accompanying them. The delegates said the subsidised housing projects offered to citizens and works carried out by the ministry by joining hands with the private sector are particularly praiseworthy. After visiting several completed units and facilities, the delegates also expressed their admiration for the progress achieved by the Kingdom in its five new towns.

The US Congress delegation aims to strengthen cooperation between the two countries and collect first-hand information about the development projects.

Director of Housing Projects Construction and Maintenance at the Housing Ministry, Mohammed Rashdan, gave a presentation to the members on the main housing projects and modern towns in Bahrain
TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

Bahrain ranked first in the Arab region and second in the Middle East, for the second year in a row, on the Basel AML Index is an independent annual ranking that assesses the risk of money laundering and terrorist financing (ML/TF) around the world.

Bahrain scored 4.5 points according to the report, which is the only independent indicator issued by a non-profit organisation, rating countries worldwide according to the risk of money laundering, said Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB) Deputy Governor Shaikh Salman bin Isa Al Khalifa, also Chair of the committee in charge of setting policies to prohibit and combat money laundering and terrorist financing.

In a statement yesterday, the CBB Deputy Governor said that Bahrain ranked second, after Israel, among Mideast countries, for combating money laundering. He praised the support of the Interior Minister, Chairman of the Committee to Combat Extremism, Terrorism, Its Financing and Money Laundering. He highlighted Bahrains role and efforts to combat money laundering and drying up terror financing, which consolidated the Kingdoms standing on the international map.

Head of the Interior Ministrys Financial Investigation Unit, Deputy Chair of committee in charge of setting policies to prohibit and combat money laundering and terrorist financing, Shaikha Mai bin Mohammed Al Khalifa, stressed the departments keenness on bolstering Bahrains regional and international role in combating money laundering and drying up terror financing.

Published by the Basel Institute on Governance since 2012, the Basel AML Index provides risk scores based on data from 17 publicly available sources such as the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), Transparency International, the World Bank and the World Economic Forum.
TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

Bahrain has succeeded in strengthening and consolidating democracy, thanks to the royal leaderships vision and unwavering support.

In a statement on the International Day of Democracy celebrated around the world on September 15 each year, Speaker Fawzia bint Abdullah Zainal commended Bahrains democracy, public freedoms and human rights successes under the prosperous era of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa.

Speaker Zainal highlighted Bahrains accomplishments, thanks to the great support by HM the King, to the parliament that has had positive effects on the democratic process in the kingdom.

Bahrain has adopted the lofty principles that enhance the objectives of the state of law and institutions and build modern constitutional foundations that are reflected in the constitutional amendments emanating from the National Action Charter, the milestone for a new era of sweeping political reforms and modern democratic life, she said.

She affirmed that the parliament is keen to enhance democratic values and principles, especially those related to public freedoms, responsible freedom of opinion and expression, human rights, and democratic development, she added.

Reform march Shura Council Chairman Ali bin Saleh Al Saleh praised the democratic approach adopted by HM the King to promote parliamentary work and political participation since the launch of the comprehensive reform march.

He stressed the kingdoms strides in developing its democratic march and broadening political participation, which gained regional and international praise.

Al Saleh also lauded the measures taken by Bahrain to engage all national competencies in the nations building, fostering democracy and ensuring respect of human rights and political freedom.

Popular participation First Deputy Speaker of the Representatives Council Abdulnabi Salman underscored Bahrains democratic achievements which are based on popular participation in decision-making through an elected council representing the Bahraini people.

Salman said Bahrains celebration of the International Day of Democracy with the rest of the world reflects the quality achievements brought about by the kingdom in fostering democracy and building on previous accomplishments thanks to the leadership of HM the King and synergised efforts of all.

Growth and prosperity Second Deputy Speaker of the Representatives Council Ali Ahmed Zayed praised the sustainability of the democratic march initiated by HM the King, describing it as the solid basis of the kingdoms continuous growth and prosperity.

Zayed underlined the kingdoms success in fostering democracy by promoting the culture of tolerance, peace and co-existence and protecting human rights.

He also asserted Bahrains efforts to protect freedom and promote justice and transparency
TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

Labour and Social Development Minister Jameel bin Mohammed Ali Humaidan has praised Bahrains top ranking on the Basel AML Index.

Bahrain ranked first in the Arab region and second in the Middle East, for the second year in a row, on the Basel AML Index, an independent annual ranking that assesses the risk of money laundering and terrorist financing (ML/TF) around the world.

Bahrain scored 4.5 points according to the report, the only independent indicator issued by a non-profit organisation that rates countries worldwide according to the risk of money laundering.

This achievement that confirms Bahrains prestigious international status in numerous areas, including efforts to combat money laundering and terrorist financing, was achieved thanks to the wise leadership of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and the sound directives and vigorous follow-up of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, the minister said.

They have strengthened Bahrains regional and international role in combating money laundering and terrorist financing in accordance with the national vision in this regard, he added.

The minister also paid tribute to the Interior Minister General Shaikh Rashid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa, the Chairman of the Committee to Combat Extremism, Terrorism, Its Financing and Money Laundering, and the Governor of the Central Bank of Bahrain, Rasheed Mohammed Al Maraj
TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

An inter-parliamentary meeting on economic and financial recovery yesterday mulled adjusting the Value-Added Tax (VAT) percentage in the Kingdom to enhance government revenue and deal with the requirements of the next stage amid the repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The meeting also mulled ways to cut spending and bring the Kingdoms budget back into balance by 2024.

There is, however, no official confirmation on what the new VAT will be or when it comes into force.

Reuters, quoting a Bahraini parliamentary source, said the Kingdom is considering doubling value-added tax to 10% to boost state revenue and reduce the budget deficit.

The report also said the Kingdom is discussing amending the law on 5% VAT introduced in 2019.

Parliament must approve such a change in the law, the report quoting the source said.

Other solutions to boost state finances were also being considered, the source added.

The government, the source said, was trying to find ways to protect people with low incomes should the change be made.

To exclude 94 food commodities, 1,400 services Meanwhile, the parliamentary and government representatives headed by Representatives Council Speaker Fawzia bint Abdullah Zainal said they would ensure the exclusion of 94 food commodities and 1,400 government services from VAT. The meeting, however, didnt say what the rate of the VAT they are aiming to reach.

The current rate is 5%.

Finance and National Economy Minister Shaikh Salman bin Khalifa Al Khalifa said that the government is committed to achieving the objectives of the fiscal balance programme.

The government, he said, had begun to rationalise and enhance expenditure efficiency, reduce operating expenses, and maintain social support for eligible citizens.

The priority for the next stage is recovering the national economy through implementing initiatives that are consistent with the requirements of the current situations, which calls for determination, the minister said.

The results achieved in confronting the virus showed everyone what we could achieve if challenges are faced together in the spirit of one Bahrain.

Exceeded interim goals The inter-parliamentary meeting also confirmed, citing the results achieved until February 2020, that the Fiscal Balance Programme had exceeded its interim goals.

However, that didnt continue due to the repercussions of the coronavirus pandemic, which now calls for adopting initiatives to protect the society through economic recovery and enhancing financial stability.

New initiatives, the committee said, are also required to put the fiscal balance programme back on track and avoid any direct impact on citizens.

It also confirmed that the fiscal balance programme will have its goals modified to 2024.

The meeting hailed the performance of the Kingdom in economic indicators, especially in the real estate sector, international exports of national origin products, national employment programmes and tourism, amongst others.

Mahmoud Al Bahrani, Chairman of the Financial and Economic Committee in the House of Representatives, said the exceptional circumstances brought forth by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic requires all of us to unite and stand together to reach the desired economic recovery.

New initiatives, he said, are required to reach a balance between government expenditures and revenues.

He, however, said that the options presented regarding VAT should not affect the citizens or low-income groups.

$530 million stimulus Pandemic stimulus introduced by the government, including doubling the liquidity support fund to BD200 million ($530 million), central bank-enabled loan deferrals, reduced reserve requirements for banks and relief on utility bills, had helped to get the economy back on track, Bloomberg quoting a Bahraini official said.

The Kingdom may also look at selling stakes in some of its energy and infrastructure assets as a way to raise new sources of income, Oil Minister Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Khalifa said in an interview with Bloomberg in May.

The International Monetary Fund had projected that the Kingdoms budget shortfall would drop to 9.1% of gross domestic product this year from 18.3% of GDP in 2020.

Bahrain bouncing back Bloomberg report also points out that the Kingdom, like many other countries, is bouncing back from the impacts of the pandemic, with its Real GDP growth reached 5.7% year-on-year in the second quarter while real non-oil growth hit 7.8% during that same time.
TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

Allegations on Bahrains human rights are fabricated lies and nothing but malicious acts and satirical plays orchestrated by some parties seeking to undermine the national achievements and cohesion.

This was the reaction of MP Ammar Ahmed Al Bannai, Chairman of the Human Rights Committee at the Council of Representatives, on allegations made in a seminar held on the sidelines of the 38th session of the Human Rights Council.

MP Al Bannai, who is also a member of the Councils Foreign Affairs, Defence and National Security Committee, denounced the number of blatant lies, including the claim that some inmates were mistreated and tortured, and were denied access to a lawyer.

The event was organised by an organisation claiming to be interested in human rights in Bahrain, in cooperation with other organisations, under the slogan: Bahrain must immediately release all human rights defenders and prisoners of conscience.

The seminar also claimed that inmates in Jaw Prison were denied access to health care as a form of punishment and that the death of three prisoners over the past months was due to health neglect.

MP Al Bannai noted that the Bahraini citizens have always been aware of the real goals of such smear campaigns by suspicious parties, organisations and media outlets with hidden agendas that they want to achieve through attempting to disrupt the kingdoms stability, affect its social fabric and breach its civil and peaceful traditions.

The lawmaker added that Bahrain has always been at the forefront in abiding by the principles of human rights, following its constitution and the relevant national laws, in addition to its respect for all its obligations related to international conventions on human rights.

He highlighted the kingdoms constant keenness on ensuring the transparency of all its practices, being a pioneer in the region in allowing the representatives of embassies, diplomatic delegations, media personnel and human rights organisations to visit prisons and rehabilitation centres, drawing inspiration from the leadership of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifas policy of pardon and reformation, towards a better future that embraces all social spectra.

MP Al Bannai indicated that the prisoners whose names have been repeatedly mentioned by these organisations and the media are inmates who have already been tried and convicted for criminal offences, proven even to public opinion by audio and video, and not prisoners of conscience, contrary to these allegations.

He added that Bahrain boasts an exemplary record in the region and the Arab world in treating inmates, providing them with basic services, and rehabilitating them to facilitate their social integration, as proven by the reports of the independent national institutions which carry out periodic visits to the reformation and rehabilitation facilities and detention centres. He highlighted the major strides made by Bahrain in expanding the alternative sentencing system, from which more than 3,500 individuals have benefited so far, especially after the issuance of Decree-Law 24/2021 stipulating that the competent authority at the Ministry of Interior may request the execution judge to substitute one or more alternative punishments for the original punishment that was issued before its implementation, provided that it would not pose a threat to public security, and that the convicted person must have paid all the financial liabilities handed down against them by a criminal court unless it is impossible for them to pay.

This, he affirmed, proves that the allegations made by these human rights organisations and the double-standard policy they adopt aim to undermine the kingdoms stability, noting that their attempts will always be thwarted by the loyal Bahraini people.

MP Al Bannai lauded the kingdoms criminal justice system which established many guarantees in the field of monitoring reformation, rehabilitation and pretrial detention centres, benefiting from the establishment of independent national institutions that deal with issues related to categories of inmates with all seriousness and transparency.

He indicated that any individual who has a complaint, observation or request regarding the category of inmates may resort to these institutions to investigate them and provide the best ways to respond to these requests within a legal and human rights framework, adding that the Office of the Ombudsman verifies all complaints, submits periodic reports in this regard and is keen to ensure respect for all humanitarian aspects and justice.
TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

More than 50 per cent of the construction work at Bahrain International Airport (BIA) 's new passenger terminals western section has been completed, and the facility is expected to be ready in the second quarter of 2022.

This came as the Minister of Transportation and Telecommunications and Bahrain Airport Company (BAC) Chairman, Eng. Kamal bin Ahmed Mohammed, visited the BIA to inspect the final phase of the project.

The second phase of the project includes the construction of two departure gates, six air bridges and bus departure gates, and the third and final phase of the aircraft fuel supply system.

In attendance were representatives from the project consultant, Hill International, the contractor, and several BAC officials.

The Minister and the delegation toured the site and were briefed on the progress of the latest phase, which began in February 2021. Eng. Mohammed praised the efforts of everyone involved and emphasised the importance of maintaining the current pace of work to complete the project on time.
TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

Royal University for Women (RUW) and Bahrain Businesswomen Society (BBS) signed a Memorandum of Understanding to provide students with skills and knowledge necessary for business and entrepreneurship.

The partnership aims to enhance the startup ecosystem in Bahrain, nurture entrepreneurial skills and provide a platform through which participants can exchange knowledge, experiences and ideas.

The BBS was established in 2000 in Bahrain under the provisions of the Law of Societies, Social Clubs, and Cultural and Private Institutions working with youth, sports, and private institutions.

Through this partnership, students will be provided with tools, resources and knowledge to start businesses and develop through equipping them with the fundamentals of entrepreneurship, as well as facilitating joint dialogues on entrepreneurship.

The MoU between RUW and BBS incorporates holding joint events, workshops and a series of lectures on campus.

Professor Yusra Mouzughi, RUW president, said that the signing of the memorandum is part of the universitys goals in empowering women with the necessary education, training and enhancing their involvement in the labour market, through cooperation with various community institutions, including the BBS, to support women with their entrepreneurial skills.

This will be implemented through workshops and training courses that the two parties will work to organise in the next phase.
TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

The responsible use of social media, with its speed in transmitting messages to the target audience, has become an important tool in spreading awareness and a powerful weapon in responding to misinformation and confronting various challenges, the information minister has said.

There is a need to understand the orientations and trends of the social media audience and to be open to them to be able to produce effective messages that engage directly the community and younger generations, Ali bin Mohammed Al Romaihi said.

The minister was delivering his lecture about The Effectiveness of Communication Messages between Behavioral Science and Large Data at the 10th edition of the International Government Communication Forum (IGCF), organized by the Sharjah Government Media Bureau (SGMB).
BROOKFIELD  As a reaction to the statewide bus shortage, John W. Barile, the towns superintendent of schools sent a letter to parents Sunday to make them aware of a possible interruption of bus routes Monday morning and all this week.

According to the letter, the shortage is due to about 300 bus drivers across the state who may not meet the Governors Executive Order regarding getting vaccinated by Monday against COVID-19.

In the letter, which was developed in collaboration with the Western Connecticut Superintendents Association, Barile said although All Star Transportation (the district bus company) is experiencing a reduction in the number of its drivers, including substitute drivers, we have been able to manage thus far. Additionally, Mr. Post, our Director of Business Operations, has worked closely with All Star to monitor the Governors Executive Order requiring vaccinations for all district employees and for contracted service providers to comply with the Monday, September 27th deadline.

The letter said the majority of All Stars drivers have already complied with the governors order ahead of Mondays deadline.

However, the letter assured parents that Brookfield students will be transported to and from school regardless of the bus driver shortage.

Additionally, the letter said if a driver shortage should occur for any of the districts buses, parents and caregivers will be notified by email, as early on Monday morning for those families of students who may be affected (bus route without a driver). All Star has no way of fully assessing the situation or impacted routes until drivers show up or not for work on Monday morning.

The districts plan is to inform affected families by about 6:45 a.m. Monday and to share alternative plans (rescheduled time for later pick up following completion of other routes), or to allow families to arrange for their own transportation.

The letter, however, said the district is anticipating all buses in Brookfield will run on time and without interruption Monday morning.

Other districts in the state that have been experiencing bus shortages, include Danbury, where the district has had to pay staff to supervise students after school as they wait for their buses.

Additionally, Mike Cummings, the superintendent of Fairfield Public Schools, said in a notice to parents that he does not know exactly how many drivers, or who, will be absent Monday. Though the district is looking at alternative plans, he said there could be significant delays in transportation.
HYDERABAD, India (AP)  A cyclone flooded parts of India's eastern coast with heavy rains and uprooted thousands of trees and power poles, knocking out electricity, before weakening to a deep depression Monday.

Heavy rains lashed the town of Kalingapatnam in Andhra Pradesh state on Sunday, swamping roads and marooning hundreds of villages, local official Shrikesh Lathkar said.

One fisherman was missing and another was injured when their boat was hit by the high tide, but no deaths have been reported from the storm.

Authorities in two coastal states had been on high alert as the cyclone with sustained winds blowing up to 85 kilometers per hour (53 mph) hit the eastern seaboard late Sunday evening. National Disaster Response Force teams were deployed to the eastern state of Odisha and the southern state of Andhra Pradesh, where thousands of people were evacuated.

The meteorological department said the storm was likely to weaken further and continue moving westward.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he had spoken to chief ministers in both states, assuring them of support. I pray for everyones safety and well-being, he tweeted.

In May, a massive storm lashed Indias western coast, killing at least 140 people. Just over a week later, another cyclone slammed the countrys eastern coast and neighboring Bangladesh, leaving at least six dead as authorities scrambled to evacuate over a million people.

Indias eastern coast is no stranger to devastating cyclones, but changing climate patterns have caused them to become more intense.
Wilfredo Lee/AP

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP)  Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis asked Florida's secretary of state to investigate Facebook on Monday based on a news article that reported the social media company gives preferential treatment to politicians, celebrities, professional athletes and other prominent people.

DeSantis cited a recent Wall Street Journal report in asking Secretary of State Laurel Lee to see if Facebook's policies violated Florida election law. The article detailed Facebook's practice of exempting high-profile users from some or all of its rules.
NEW ORLEANS (AP)  There was brinksmanship with a whiff of ransom.

In the aftermath of a citywide blackout that lasted for days after Hurricane Ida hit on Aug. 29, dissatisfaction among residents and city leaders was growing with utility company Entergy New Orleans and its parent, utility giant Entergy Corp.

New Orleans City Council President Helena Moreno called for an investigation of the generation and transmission problems that led to a blackout related to Ida; a study on retail competition and utility ownership in New Orleans and a management audit of Entergy New Orleans. She also suggested there could be a suspension in any rate changes for the utility.

It is obvious that we have reached a critical juncture in our relationship with the City Council, Entergy Corp. executive Rod West said in a statement in response that said the corporation might give the city what it wants, whatever that might be.

There was the possible municipalization of New Orleans' power system, putting the city among approximately 20 other cities and towns in Louisiana that operate their own systems.

There was the possibility that Entergy might merge its New Orleans subsidiary with Entergy Louisiana, which serves much of the state  and which is regulated by the Louisiana Public Service Commission.

The sale of Entergy New Orleans to another entity or the spinoff of a non-Entergy utility were also broached.

Each of the options outlined by Entergy has its pros and cons. Should a city facing numerous infrastructure problems, including an aging street drainage system, take on the responsibility of running an electric and gas utility? Would elimination of the corporate need for profit hold down rates? Would a city face higher or lower costs than a company?

Entergy said a merger of its New Orleans and Louisiana subsidiaries would result in lower rates in New Orleans. But it also means regulation would shift from the City Council to the Louisiana Public Service Commission, political power the locals might not want to cede as they seek to check the power of a monopoly that provides a vital service.

The possibility of selling the utility or spinning off a separate company would keep the council's regulatory authority, but, as West's statement suggested, there are no guarantees that a buyer could be found or that another company would have lower costs.

Complicating the argument were talking points Moreno said she received from the company last week. Moreno said they appeared to have been sent accidentally and Entergy spokesman Jerry Nappi said, in response to an email query, that they were. Regardless, they made clear that Entergy was ready to raise the possibility that its headquarters might move from New Orleans if it doesn't operate a utility in the city any more.

The company says it employs 3,200 in the metropolitan New Orleans area. And the suggestion that Entergy could leave might stir uncomfortable memories of the migration of oil company headquarters out of the city beginning in the 1980s.

The latest criticism of Entergy comes after all eight transmission lines serving the city failed during Ida and the collapse of a high voltage tower by the Mississippi River; also, amid debate over whether a new gas-fired generation plant in eastern New Orleans, opposed by many who didn't want a fossil-fuel plant in their neighborhood, performed as it was supposed to during the hurricane.

And memories remain fresh for many that the council approved construction of that plant, despite strident opposition, after Entergy was fined $5 million over the use of secretly paid actors to show up at public hearings in support of the plant.

Anger at Entergy flared anew after Ida left hundreds of thousands in the city sweltering for days. Critics say the utility hasn't done enough to harden its system in preparation for major storms, or to move with sufficient speed to renewable energy sources, allegations the company denies.

After lengthy hearings Wednesday, New Orleans' council voted Thursday for a series of proposals, broad in scope, but none promising a quick resolution. Among them is a request for proposals for consultants who will study the options before the council.

This isn't a push to do any one of these things, Moreno said during Thursday's meeting. Not to bring in another company, not to municipalize, not to whatever. We just don't know. This is really a push for more information."

___

EDITORS NOTE: Kevin McGill is an Associated Press reporter based in New Orleans.
Dawn Majors/AP

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP)  A Tennessee state senator charged with stealing $600,000 in federal grant money from a health care school she operated has been acquitted on 15 of 20 charges, according to court records.

U.S. District Court Judge Sheryl Lipman filed the order Sunday after lawyers for Sen. Katrina Robinson filed a motion Friday seeking acquittal on all charges, Memphis news outlets reported.
OTTAWA, ON, Sept. 27, 2021 /CNW/ - The Chemistry Industry Association of Canada (CIAC) wishes to congratulate Canada's new Liberal Government in forming the 44th Parliament and is eager to continue the important work of collaborating with all parties on solutions to Canada's most pressing issues.

The federal government has committed to the goal of net-zero carbon emissions for all of Canada by 2050. To achieve these ambitious goals, Canadians will require chemistry-based solutions. It is vital that the Canadian chemistry and plastics sectors remain competitive to attract world-class investments. This will require broad-based policies and targeted measures including promoting innovation and enabling a circular economy.

"We are looking forward to working with the federal government on strengthening the economy through innovation investment in the areas of net-zero industrial transformation and developing a circular economy for plastics," said Bob Masterson, President and CEO of CIAC.

"The chemistry sector is the solutions provider that will enable a cleaner and greener future for Canada and the world. From wind turbines and solar panels, to green building materials and low emission vehicles, to medical equipment and clean drinking water, chemistry and plastics are vital to our economy, ensuring a safe, sustainable, high-quality of life for all Canadians while creating some of the lowest carbon-intensive products on the planet."

Quick facts:

CIAC represents over 100 members and partners in the Canadian chemistry and plastics sectors

70 000 different products Canadians use every day are made with chemistry and plastics

95% of all manufactured products are made with chemistry and plastics

It is the 3rd largest manufacturing sector in Canada

The sector is responsible for $85 billion in shipments of chemistry and plastics products in 2020: $55 billion in chemistry and $30 billion in plastics

in shipments of chemistry and plastics products in 2020: in chemistry and in plastics The chemistry and plastics industry are responsible for 197 000 Canadian jobs: 88,600 in chemistry and 108,400 in plastics

SOURCE Chemistry Industry Association of Canada

For further information: Julie Fortier, Director, Communications, [email protected], 613-237-6215 ext. 252, C: 613-324-4209

Related Links

www.canadianchemistry.ca/


Wendy's is the first Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) with its own phone and didn't cut any corners in its development. The Android-based device features its own branded OS skin and a new digital assistant, Wendy , providing you the clever quips that only Wendy's can provide. Just say "Hey, Wendy" and you can set an alarm, get directions, even ask Wendy to tell you a joke. If you must take pictures of your food, there's no better way to do it than on the Wendy's phone, complete with front and rear facing cameras with more megapixels than the Baconator has bacon. An integrated GPS navigation system leads you to your closest Wendy's, and ample battery life allows you to watch Wendy's ads, order Wendy's and watch videos while eating Wendy's. No additional subscription required. Just add your sim card with your active wireless plan and you're good to go.

"We've developed the Wendy's phone for our Canadian fans, and it supplements our new and improved mobile app, which now allows for mobile payment and exclusive offers for the freshest food in town," says Lisa Deletroz, Senior Director, Marketing, Wendy's Canada. "Canadians can win their very own Wendy's phone for a limited time, ensuring they watch their favourite shows, listen to their beloved playlists and order a Frosty and the very best burgers made with 100% Canadian fresh never frozen beef* with the hottest device on the market. All they need is the Wendy's app."

For your chance to win**, simply download the new and improved Wendy's app, screenshot the menu item you're craving and add it to your favourites, and post it to Twitter using #WendysPhone and #Contest.

Wendy's also revamped its mobile app and offers new features to provide even more convenience to Canadians. Ordering Wendy's from a phone has never been easier on iOS and Android and new app offerings include:

Mobile Order & Pay

Frequently updated offers delivered straight to the app

Never forget a gift card again. Just load it, use it, and check your balance at any time

Check out nutrition facts for all your Wendy's favourites

Load funds and pay for your meal

Quickly answer one of life's most important questions: "Where's my nearest Wendy's?"

For more information on the Wendy's phone and contest, visit www.heywendy.ca

About Wendy's

Wendy's was founded in 1969 by Dave Thomas in Columbus, Ohio, U.S.A. Dave built his business on the premise, "Quality is our Recipe," which remains the guidepost of the Wendy's system. The first Wendy's restaurant in Canada opened in 1975 and the brand is best known for its made-to-order square hamburgers, using fresh, never frozen Canadian beef, freshly-prepared salads with hand-chopped lettuce, and other signature items like chili, baked potatoes and the Frosty dessert. The Wendy's Company is committed to doing the right thing and making a positive difference in the lives of others. This is most visible through the Company's support of the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption Canada and its signature Wendy's Wonderful Kids in Canada program, which seeks to find a loving, forever home for every child waiting to be adopted from the North American foster care system. Today, Wendy's and its franchisees employ hundreds of thousands of people across more than 6,800 restaurants worldwide with a vision of becoming the world's most thriving and beloved restaurant brand. For details on franchising, connect with us at www.wendys.com/franchising .

Visit www.wendys.ca and www.squaredealblog.com for more information and connect with us on Twitter and Instagram using @wendyscanada, and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/WendysCanada .

*Fresh beef available in the contiguous U.S., Alaska, and Canada.

**Wendy's "Hey Wendy" Wendy's Phone Twitter Contest: No purchase necessary. Contest closes Oct 17, 2021 at 8:00:00 p.m. ET. Open to age of majority residents of residents of Canada (excluding Quebec) who can receive direct messages on Twitter. Twenty (20) prizes are available to be won at the start of the contest, each consisting of one Wendy's Phone (approximate retail value $600 each). Wireless activation, service and data or messaging plans not included. Odds of winning depend on the number of eligible entries received immediately prior to each random drawing. Skill-testing question required. For full contest rules, including how to enter, visit heywendy.ca."

SOURCE Wendy's Restaurants of Canada

For further information: Emily Keen, [email protected]
The Prime Minister said that in the last seven years, the campaign, which has been going on for the last seven years to strengthen the health services of the country, is entering a new phase from today.

Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission has the power to bring a revolutionary change in Indias health facilities, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi while launching the campaign on Monday. Today begins a Mission that has the power to bring a revolutionary change in Indias health facilities. Three years ago, on Pandit Deendayal Upadhyayas birth anniversary, Ayushman Bharat Yojana was implemented. Happy that Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission is being started nationwide from today, said PM Modi.

The Prime Minister said that in the last seven years, the campaign, which has been going on for the last seven years to strengthen the health services of the country, is entering a new phase from today. He also talked about the Arogya Setu app and said it helped a lot in preventing the spread of COVID-19 infection.

We have been able to take the vaccine to everyone, under the free vaccine campaign. India has been able to apply about 90 crore vaccine doses today, and Co-WIN has a big role in it, he said. PM Modi noted that there has also been an unprecedented expansion of telemedicine during the pandemic period.

So far about 125 crore remote consultations have been completed through e-Sanjeevani. This facility is connecting thousands of countrymen living in far-flung parts of the country every day with doctors of big hospitals of cities while sitting at home, said PM Modi.

The Prime Minister further said that through Ayushman Bharat-PM-JAY, the government have been able to eliminate the great concern of the life of the poor. So far more than 2 crore countrymen have availed the facility of free treatment under this scheme. In this also half the beneficiaries are our mothers, sisters, daughters, he said.

130 crore Aadhaar numbers118 crore mobile subscribers about 80 crore internet users about 43 crore Jan Dhan bank accounts nowhere in the world there exist such big connected infrastructure. This digital infrastructure is taking the ration from the administration to the common Indian in a fast, and transparent manner, added the Prime Minister.

PM Modi launched the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission through video conferencing on Monday. The pilot project of Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission was announced by the Prime Minister from the ramparts of Red Fort on August 15 last year. Currently, the programme is being implemented on a pilot basis in six Union Territories.
In appreciation of the roster of women artists who have graduated from Yale and left an impression on the international art world, Yale University Art Gallery presents On the Basis of Art: 150 Years of Women at Yale through January 9, 2022.

This is the first exhibition and publication to tell the long and complex story of the visual arts at Yale from a female perspective, said curator Lisa Hodermarsky. She said the exhibition displays work across media and time in dialogue with one another, while the accompanying book and audio guide give voice to these women artists through first-hand archival accounts such as their letters, writings and oral histories.

Furthermore, the exhibition dovetails with several anniversaries of the suffragist movement.

Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton founded the National Women Suffrage Association in 1869, coincidentally the same year that the Yale School of the Fine Arts was founded.

In 1920, women were granted the constitutional right to vote  100 years in 2020," said Hodermarsky. She also noted The ERA movement of the mid-20th century, the recent MeToo# movement and "the very current challenges facing womens freedoms in this country surrounding control of their bodies."

Courtesy of Yale University Art Gallery

This exhibition presents work that demonstrates the genius and resiliency of the women who came to Yale to study over the past 15 decades and be taken seriously in their chosen profession," she added.

The artists included in the exhibition represent just a small percentage of the thousands of artist-graduates of Yale who continue to produce work. Given the time restraints on the exhibitions organization which, due to the pandemic, were extended by a year, the decision was made to build this exhibition entirely from the Yale collection.

We began by distilling a list of artist-graduates of Yale, and then set about comparing that list with our collection holdings  acquired works and promised gifts to the collection, Hodermarsky said. The results were surprisingly promising  the show includes important examples in the oeuvres of these artists.

On the Basis of Art highlights more than 75 artists who worked or are working in a broad range of media, including painting, sculpture, drawing, print, photography, textile and video.

Here is a sampling of some of the artists included.

Maya Lin

In 1982, Lin was selected in a national competition for the winning proposal of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C.a notable feat considering she was still an undergrad at Yale at the time. She not only became the creator of one of the most significant monuments in the nations history, but Lin was also the first woman to design a federal monument for the National Mall.

Eva Hesse

A German artist who helped usher in the postminimal art movement in the 1960s, Hesse aimed to illustrate the absurdity of life by using elements that visually seem to be in opposition. Although her artistic career lasted just a little over a decade, she is notable for pushing the boundaries of modern art by working with new materials and going beyond stylistic definitions such as minimalism and abstraction.

Irene Weir

The artist was known for creating posters in the 1890s that promoted the significance of cultural heritage, as well as flower and landscape paintings, powerful murals painted during the 1920s and portraits. An example of the latter is a famous portrait of Marie Curie which hangs at Memorial Hospital in New York City today.

An-My Le

A Vietnamese-American photographer who left her country as a 15-year-old after the fall of Saigon in 1975, Les strong body of work examines the impact, consequences and representation of war.

Njideka Akunyili Crosby

The artist is known for negotiating the cultural terrain between her adopted home in the U.S. and her native Nigeria, creating collage and photo transfer-based paintings that expose the challenges of occupying these two worlds.

The exhibition is divided into six different sections, each showcasing a different theme.

"Carving a Presence" demonstrates the persistence of the genre of portraiture; "Sculpting Space and Place" features two and three-dimensional objects; "Threading Myth, Legend, and Ritual" highlights artists who engage tradition and storytelling in their practice; "Modeling Nature, Tracing the Human Footprint" presents the different ways in which artists have depicted the natural world and have examined humankinds relationship with nature; "Drawing Identity" reveals how artists have challenged societal labels and offered thoughtful and powerful critiques of cultural systems; and "Casting History, Etching Memory" explores how artists have memorialized or reflected the past.

Though structured around two anniversaries of women on Yales campus marking advances for the female gender, the hope is that visitors will experience this exhibition as a non-gendered experience, Hodermarsky said. The work shown is superior work  not defined or encaged by the gender binary.

For more information, visit artgallery.yale.edu.
Penfield Reef Lighthouse

Fairfield

Shortly before Christmas 1916, 38-year-old Frederick A. Jordan, head lighthouse keeper at Penfield Reef Lighthouse on the South Side of Black Rock Harbor off the coast of Fairfield, was relieved of his post by his assistant. He began to row to the mainland to spend the holiday with his family when the harbor was struck by a sudden gale and his boat capsized. Rudolph Iten, assistant keeper, boarded another boat in an attempt to save his friend, but couldnt make it to him and Jordan drowned.

Ever since, Jordans ghost has been said to haunt the area, keeping an eye on the lighthouse and boats. Iten, who became head keeper after Jordans death, said he was visited by the spirit of his old boss on a stormy night a few days after the tragedy. They say that all lighthouse keepers are mad, he told a local paper in the 1920s. Some days later on what was one of the worst nights in the history of Penfield, [when] the waves were dashing over the lantern, I was awakened  I was off duty  by a strange feeling that someone was in my room. Sitting up I distinctly saw a gray, phosphorescent figure emerging from the room formerly occupied by Fred Jordan. It hovered at the top of the stairs, and then disappeared in the darkness below. Thinking it was the assistant keeper I called to know if anything was the matter, but he answered me from the lens room that all was well. Later in the article, Iten describes how the logbook mysteriously turned to the page recounting Jordans death.

Stories of Jordan being spotted have been told ever since. A Bridgeport Post article from March 16, 1972, told of residents on the shore reporting an erratic light flashing at the lighthouse, and a Coast Guard vessel being dispatched to investigate the problem. Although a mechanical cause was discovered, the article reported that some old salts in the area attribute the mysterious malfunction to the ghosts of former lighthouse keepers.
CHESHIRE  Attorney Alexandra Cavaliere Gasser learned two months before marrying her law school sweetheart, Joe Gasser, that she had ALS, a progressive neuromuscular disease that is 100 percent fatal.

Now, a year later, they still have the blissful aura of newlyweds, even as her condition deteriorates, requiring help with the basics of daily living such as turning in bed.

We had a special relationship before the diagnosis, but Id say now we have something thats one of a kind, she said. He pretends to be stoic, hes the most empathetic and caring person I know.

Alexandra Gasser has lost physical abilities  her speech is heavily slurred, she uses a walker, a scooter, her limbs are weak, she exhausts easily and becomes winded.

Peter Hvizdak / Hearst Connecticut Media

Joe Gasser, also an attorney, said that as the couple comes up on their one-year wedding anniversary, hell never forget the sense of unreality he felt being in the neurologists office with his then-fiancee as they were told she had a progressive neuromuscular disease, not yet identified as ALS.

Alexs disease and what weve gone through the last one-and-a-half years has strengthened our relationship, he said. Were always in each others corner and theres nothing we cant say to each other. We might be stronger as a couple.

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis  ALS, also known as Lou Gehrigs disease  breaks down nerve cells, reducing the function of muscles. Ten percent of the cases are genetic and 90 percent, like Alexandras, are random. There is no cure and life expectancy is three to five years from the onset of symptoms. In the final stages, sufferers lose their ability to talk, chew, drink and breathe.

As the clock ticks, the couple is fighting desperately to get access to stage three clinical trial medication treatment through pending legislation. Alexandra Gasser doesnt qualify for the trials, in part because of the amount of time since symptoms emerged.

Contributed photo

The first symptoms of ALS emerged in 2019 when she was on a work trip and noticed she was slurring like I was a little drunk.

A doctor did some diagnostics and told her there was nothing wrong and not to worry about it.

A nurse friend told her she should get a second opinion; by the end of January 2020 she knew it was a neuromuscular disease. In July 2020 it was confirmed ALS  by then she had leg weakness as well as slurred speech.

ALS is terrifying, she said. Honestly, its a punch in the gut when you get told you have ALS. The disease is 100 percent fatal.

The Gassers are realistic about the grim prognosis. And, as ALS acts uniquely in each victim, they have no idea whats ahead.

They couple, as well as Alexandra Gassers mother, Lorri Cavaliere of Bethany, have lobbied heavily for Connecticuts two U.S. senators to cosponsor the Accelerating Access to Critical Therapies for ALS Act, reintroduced by U.S. Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del.

Contributed photo

If approved, the bipartisan bill would in part give Alexandra Gasser access to already FDA-approved therapies that have shown promise in halting ALS progression.

The couple got hopeful news this week when U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., told the Register he would cosponsor the bill.

Blumenthals support will strengthen the bill in the Senate and increase its chances of coming up for a vote and being approved, Joe Gasser said.

I will support the bill and I will do whatever I can to help pass it, said Blumenthal, who is helping to lead efforts to put $200 million for ALS research in the next federal budget.

U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., who met remotely with the family recently, said he was looking at the obstacles.

In a statement, Murphy said he was grateful I had a chance to meet with Alexandra and her family as they courageously fight against this terrible disease.

There are a number of barriers to accessing potentially lifesaving treatments such as those currently in clinical trials for ALS. Im working with my colleagues to find ways to lessen those obstacles while ensuring quality standards are in place, Murphy said.

Contributed photo

Alexandra Gasser said the hope is that treatment could halt the disease  or maybe even reverse some symptoms  so that she can live long enough for a treatment or cure to be found.

Im expecting the worst but hoping for the best, she said. Im living my life like I only have a few years left.

The couple met on Sept. 18, 2014, at an orientation for the University of Connecticut School of Law, when they were among those assigned to carry an American flag at the event. They wound up standing next to each other.

He was a handsome nerd who didnt know he was handsome, Alexandra Gasser said.

As for Joe Gassers future wife, she was downright irresistible.

Alex was the most outspoken woman I met in my life. Her confidence and enthusiasm were something I couldnt resist, he said.

She became a corporate attorney who specializes in mergers and acquisitions, he a litigation attorney who works for the New Haven firm Jacobs & Dow.

Alexandra Gasser is still working  the disease leaves ones mind fully intact  But Im winding down, she said, because she can no longer write, as movement in her fingers and hands has deteriorated.

Her speech is increasingly slurred, making her difficult to understand  or as she puts it: My voice has flatlined. That means her ability to emphasize a point or express an emotion such as excitement are gone. The effort it takes to talk is exhausting and takes her breath away.

Contributed photo

That ability to speak clearly is what she misses most, because she once was an expert at explaining complex concepts, she said.

We do a good job with nonverbal communication, Joe Gasser said.

Alexandra Gasser puts humor into the tragic situation every chance she gets, even poking fun at her limitations on Instagram.

I wanted a place where I could talk about ALS without it being so depressing, she said, noting she gets lots of comments on the social media page from people with and without ALS.

Shes also not holding any pity parties for herself.

Ive lived a life so fortunate. People wait their whole life to live the life Ive had, she said. This disease has changed my whole perspective on life. Its intensified every relationship thats most important to me.

She is known as a fiercely independent woman, so Joe Gasser knows not to run and help his wife to get up if she falls.

So, hed give me a little smile and say, Let me know when you want help, she said. Hes great at helping me feel independent.

Every time I saw her having difficulty I wanted to run over and solve it, he said. But you just let her know youre there if she wants help.

Alexandra Gasser knows what she cant do. She cant turn in bed without help, Joe does the cooking, she needs assistance with most every daily routine and is starting to have difficulty swallowing.

Alexandra Gasser said shes disappointed they wont have children, but its a decision they made, he said, because they may not have very long with their mom, and that wasnt a decision we want to make for them.

The couple, married at Chatfield Hollow Inn in Killingworth, soon will celebrate her 30th birthday and their first wedding anniversary, and her birthday in Hawaii with family.

I make the most of every day, she said.
INDIANAPOLIS (AP)  Critics on Monday assailed the proposed new Indiana congressional and legislative districts as rigged in favor of Republicans, alleging they dilute the influence of minority voters.

More than 20 people spoke against the Republican-drawn redistricting plan and none in support of it during a state Senate elections committee hearing. It was likely the final public testimony before the GOP-dominated Legislature votes later this week to approve the maps lasting through the 2030 elections.

Republicans said the redistricting plan was aimed at drawing compact districts that didnt unnecessarily divide cities and counties between districts.

But numerous people faulted the maps for splitting the city of Fort Wayne up among four Republican-leaning state Senate districts, three of which include substantial rural areas. Critics also argued that the city of Evansville and the cities of Lafayette and West Lafayette were divided between Republican Senate districts while their populations were enough for them to have districts of their own that would be competitive between Republicans and Democrats.

The Indiana NAACP and other civil rights groups argued that Fort Waynes large Black and Latino communities were being fragmented into districts that will have rural white voters making up the majorities.

Last years census showed Indianas population becoming more racial diverse as the share of white population fell from 81.5% in 2010 to 75.5% in 2020. The Black populations share grew from 9.0% in 2010 to 9.4% in 2020, while the Hispanic grew from 6.0% to 8.2% over the decade.

Maybe some are purposefully ignoring that change, but in accordance with federal law electoral maps must shift with the changing demographics, said Ami Gandhi, senior counsel with the Chicago Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights. The state of Indiana must do better to protect voting rights of people of color.

Civil rights groups are still reviewing the congressional and legislative redistricting plans since they have only been released in the past two weeks, Gandhi said.

Republican Sen. Eric Koch of Bedford, sponsor of the redistricting bill, said that the plan complied with all federal and state law and that while GOP map makers sought to keep communities of interest together there was no legal requirement to do so.

Political analysts say the new maps protect Republicans dominance that has given them a 7-2 majority of Indianas U.S. House seats and commanding majorities in the state Legislature, exceeding their typical 56% of the statewide vote.

Republicans have used the full legislative supermajorities theyve held since the 2012 elections to advance issues such as expanded state funding of vouchers for students attending private schools, cutting corporate tax rates, toughening anti-abortion laws and approving a contentious religious objections law in 2015.

Chris Paulsen, a board member of the voting-rights group Women4Change Indiana, said she didnt believe the state was helped by a redistricting plan that largely protects the 39-11 Republican control of the state Senate and 71-29 Indiana House majority.

These maps ignore the vote and voices of thousands of Hoosiers, Paulsen said. The proposed maps will leave people feeling that their voice doesnt matter, that our system doesnt support everyone.

Several people criticized Republicans over plans for the Senate elections committee to endorse the new election districts on Tuesday and for final votes in the Legislature to take place Friday  making Indiana one of the first states to complete redistricting work.

Sonia Leerkamp, chair of the unofficial Indiana Citizens Redistricting Commission organized by voting rights groups, said a common complaint the panel heard from voters was a lack of competitive election races because most districts are so heavily weighted in favor of one party.

People realized that this was leading to voter apathy and people leaving Indiana because their ideas were not receiving a fair hearing, said Leerkamp, a former Republican Hamilton County prosecutor.
(The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.)

Jennifer Prusak, Vanderbilt University

(THE CONVERSATION) Lawyers may be the only thing standing in the way of eviction for millions of renters.

With the end of the federal Centers for Disease Control and Preventions eviction moratorium on Aug. 26, 2021, most landlords can now ask courts to evict tenants who havent been paying their rent. As a result, new eviction filings are already spiking across the country. Data shows that once an eviction court begins a case, its very likely the tenant will quickly be out on the street  unless they have legal representation.

As the director of the Housing Law Clinic at Vanderbilt University Law School, Ive seen firsthand the impact that legal representation can have on a renter navigating the eviction process. That is why I believe providing more tenants with access to a lawyer could be the key to keeping more people in their homes.

Protections lost

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, millions of Americans have fallen behind on their rent obligations due to wage and job losses.

In August 2021, 7.7 million Americans were behind on rent, and millions more were concerned about their ability to pay rent in the next month.

Federal, state and local governments imposed a variety of eviction bans over the past 18 months to keep people from losing their homes in the middle of a pandemic. Apart from a few moratoriums still in place, the majority of bans have expired.

Eviction filings are now surging across the country. Data further shows that Black communities are being disproportionately impacted.

Earlier this year, Congress provided US$46.5 billion in renter relief as part of its coronavirus recovery spending, but states have been slow to distribute the funds to those in need  though the pace appears to be picking up.

The Treasury Department is pushing states to expedite the distribution of these funds by streamlining tenants application process. The Justice Department had an additional idea: enlist the help of lawyers.

Lawyers to the rescue

Eviction court favors landlords, even in situations where the law is on the renters side.

There are several reasons for this. One is that every state has statutes that make the eviction process quick and easy for a landlord to regain possession of a property. Another is that most landlords have legal representation, while most tenants do not. But when tenants with valid defenses are represented by counsel, their chances of remaining in their homes increase significantly.

The data supports this. In 2011, Boston used a randomized study to measure the effect of full legal representation for a targeted group of low-income tenants facing eviction between 2009 and 2011. In this study, two-thirds of tenants with full representation retained their homes, compared with just one-third of similar unrepresented tenants.

A Minnesota study had similar findings, including that tenants with legal support were four times less likely to enter a homeless shelter after their hearing than those without.

Attorneys are more likely than tenants representing themselves to get frivolous actions dismissed, to raise appropriate legal defenses, to prevent unjust judgments and to ensure due process is followed.

Additionally, attorneys can keep eviction filings off tenants records. They can negotiate with landlords for reasonable amounts of time for tenants to move. They can also help tenants come up with rental repayment plans and help them apply for rental assistance.

Thats why the U.S. government is encouraging states and cities to use some of the $46 billion in renter aid to create right-to-counsel problems like those in New York, San Francisco, Milwaukee and manyothercities.

That is also why U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland recently sent out an urgent request to Americas lawyers to volunteer their time to help renters avoid eviction.

Avoiding an eviction crisis

Its not too late to avoid the wave of evictions and homelessness that tenants, policymakers and housing activists are bracing for.

[Over 110,000 readers rely on The Conversations newsletter to understand the world. Sign up today.\

Distributing rental aid more quickly will help, but lawyers  whether they volunteer or have their time paid for by a right-to-counsel program  have a vital role to play in keeping vulnerable low-income tenants from losing their homes unjustly.

While this issue is particularly acute now, in the middle of a pandemic, ensuring the rights of tenants are respected in eviction courts will have long-lasting health and economic benefits  not just for the individual tenants impacted, but for their families and their communities as well.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article here: https://theconversation.com/how-lawyers-could-prevent-americas-eviction-crisis-from-getting-a-whole-lot-worse-167956.
NEW HAVEN  About 94 percent of the 1,423 city employees covered by New Havens new policy requiring them to be vaccinated or submit to weekly COVID-19 testing were in compliance as of Monday, the day the policy officials took effect, city officials said.

Its going really well, said Director of Health Maritza Bond.

The city, which previously said it would apply to about 2,000 employees, opened a new employee testing site at the New Haven Fire Academy off Ella T. Grasso Boulevard and had tested eight people as of early Monday afternoon, Bond said.

Public safety workers are being tested separately, she said.

As of Monday, the city had 1,331 employees registered for the program and 92, or 6 percent, unregistered, according to figures provided by Deputy Chief Administrative Officer Rebecca Bombero. Of those, 982  69 percent  were fully vaccinated and another 56 were partially vaccinated, with 282 employees scheduled to be tested and another 11 scheduled for vaccination.

Individuals will not be considered out of compliance until the testing deadline on Thursday at 11:59 p.m., Bombero said.

I think its important to underscore that overall we have solid numbers as far as the percentage of municipal employees who have gotten vaccinated, said Mayor Justin Elicker. Since we implemented this order, more people have gotten vaccinated.

As of Monday, no enforcement had yet taken place, but anything that does not comply automatically will be referred to the citys Human Resources Department, Bond said. HR will contact department heads to see what the reason is and whether the employee was on vacation, or some other circumstance, she said.

Corporation Counsel Patricia King said at the time Mayor Justin Elicker signed an executive order putting the policy in place that the city is looking for compliance, not to take disciplinary action.

Elicker repeated that Monday.

The goal is to get people vaccinated and to keep municipal employees (and the people they serve) safe, he said.

I think its most important for us to say that we are really working towards compliance, King said at the time the executive order was issued. We are not trying to use this mandate or the policy as a way of inflicting discipline on employees. We are all working toward the same goal of safety in the workplace and safety for our city constituents.

Employees were required to upload their proof of vaccination between Sept. 7 through Sept. 14.

As of Sept. 21, 90 percent of the citys employees had registered for New Havens vaccination tracking system, with 78 percent of them vaccinated, according to Elicker. The remaining 22 percent opted for weekly COVID-19 testing, he said.

The high compliance rate of New Haven city employees, including the members of AFSCME Local 3144, speaks to our commitment to serving the public while making sure our workplaces are as safe and healthy as possible, said Harold Brooks, president of Local 3144 of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, which represents more than 400 city workers.

We have maintained from the start of this process that we have an obligation to protect the rights of our members, whether they get vaccinated or get tested regularly, Brooks said. From a community health perspective, some of our union members have even suggested there be a testing requirement for everyone, vaccinated or not. That reflects our members concerns about COVIDs continued impact on community health.

We are living in the age of what seems like an unending pandemic, Brooks said. As city employees we will continue to do everything we can to protect not only ourselves but the public we serve.

The vaccine mandate applies only to municipal employees. It does not include 4,000 employees of the New Haven Public Schools system, who are covered by Gov. Ned Lamonts previous executive order requiring public school teachers and workers to get vaccinated.

The order, however, applies to all city employees, including part-time employees, interns - whether paid or unpaid - seasonal employees and probationary employees, Elicker said. The city has created a vaccine and COVID-19 testing portal to keep track of the information.

Union officials, in a joint statement issued Sept. 1 said, The hardworking ... employees impacted by Mayor Elickers mandate are the same workers who have been on the front lines of this pandemic for the past 18 months. Our members have put their own health at risk for the sake of the New Haven community.

Our unions will continue to advocate safe working conditions for our members and the public we serve, the statement said. We will bargain the impacts of the Mayors vaccination mandate directive to make sure that the unsung heroes of this pandemic are treated in a safe, fair and consistent manner. We look forward to meeting with the Mayor and his representatives for further discussions. 

Yale New Haven Health also has a policy requiring all of its nearly 30,000 employees to be vaccinated by a Sept. 30 deadline. As of Sept. 21, a hair over 700 employees had not yet done so, according to Dr. Thomas Balcezak, chief clinical officer for the health system.

Yale New Haven Health officials did not immediately respond to a request for updated numbers on how many employees remained unvaccinated Monday.

The health system announced June 30 that all its employees, including casual staff, must be fully vaccinated or have a medical or religious exemption before Oct. 1, the beginning of the new fiscal year, or leave the health system.

Yale New Haven Health runs hospitals in Greenwich, Bridgeport, Milford, New London and in Westerly, R.I. in addition to two in New Haven.

mark.zaretsky@hearstmediact.com
NEW HAVEN  There have been 55 incidents of gunfire in the city since Sept. 14, when Interim Police Chief Renee Dominguez and the mayor held the first in what they said would be a series of briefings after community members asked for more information on gun violence in the city.

The shots fired in the two-week period included approximately eight shots fired near Lincoln Bassett School last Wednesday, Dominguez said.

Dominguez and Mayor Justin Elicker also spoke on, among other topics, the potential installation of 500 additional cameras in the city. There have been 22 homicides in the city to date this year.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation also released crime data for 2020 on Monday, speaking to offenses tabulated in municipalities across the country last year.

Like New Haven, the country as a whole saw a rise in homicides last year, according to the FBI data. There were 17,815 homicides in 2020, according to the FBI data, up from 14,584 in 2019.

According to the FBI, 15,875 of 18,623 law enforcement agencies across the country submitted data to be counted.

On Lincoln Bassett School, Dominguez said that, by using surveillance footage, police had determined the shots came from one vehicle shooting at another, unrelated to their proximity to the school. Nobody was injured in the incident; the students were rushed inside. The case has been assigned to the regional Shooting Task Force, she said, and remains under investigation.

Dominguez also noted the department had made arrests in connection with a shooting near the intersection of Baldwin Street and Davenport Avenue on Sept. 19 and a stabbing Sept. 24 on Orange Street.

Police have also recently taken enforcement actions against two institutions that serve liquor, one of which saw two alleged shootings this month, she said.

Terminal 110, located at 240 Sargent Drive, had its liquor license suspended Friday and cannot serve alcohol until further notice following an incident that allegedly involved a gun, according to the state Department of Consumer Protection.

The suspension came after a large fight broke out early Thursday morning, resulting in someone allegedly being shot, according to the state agency. Three rounds were allegedly fired in the club, the consumer protection agency said.

Earlier this month, officials found allegedly 27 spent bullet casings, one live bullet and two bullet fragments in the clubs parking lot, the agency said. There was no answer at the club Monday and the voicemail box was full.

Dominguez said another city establishment was served with 10 infractions after underage people allegedly were found in possession of alcohol.

To date this year, the department has seized 146 guns and made 144 associated arrests, Dominguez said. She said previously the department seized about 140 guns so far in all of 2020.

Dominguez noted that gun violence in the city had declined somewhat since early September, when the city saw three homicides and two additional shootings in less than a week.

She noted the city is engaged in a series of strategies, including meeting with people at risk of becoming involved in violence and putting officers on crime suppression beats.

We have seen a decrease. Im cautious to say that, as Im optimistic it will continue, said Dominguez.

Elicker said his administration had proposed spending $12 million on a series of police and public safety-related projects, which would include $3.8 million for 500 new cameras across New Haven and $1.2 million to expand the ShotSpotter gunfire detection system.

Asked about potential privacy concerns over the prospective cameras, Elicker said he believed public thought had shifted somewhat on the issue.

Bridgeport and Hartford have more extensive camera systems, but New Haven has not invested to the same level, seemingly over past concerns over privacy, he said. However, residents commonly call for more cameras when he asks for potential solutions to the violence in New Haven, he said.

I think that generally theres been an attitude shift that says that if people arent going to talk, weve got to find someone thats going to talk, and that person, or that entity, is going to be the camera... (and also) my God, theres cameras everywhere. We live in a different world then we did even five or seven years ago, where theres a camera on you pretty much all the time through peoples cell phones; peoples GPS are monitoring everything they do, said Elicker.

And I think that has contributed to the attitude shift... were going to use every tool that we have available to respond to public safety, and I think this camera system is going to be hugely helpful in solving some of these crimes and keeping people safe, he said.

Elicker said the Board of Alders had demonstrated its commitment to public safety in the past, including by voting to create a Department of Community Resilience to help head the citys anti-violence efforts, and he was optimistic that they would approve the funding as well.

He noted officials had begun holding group meetings on the plan to create Community Crisis Response Teams, coordinated by the Connecticut Mental Health Center, with public meetings expected in the near future as well.

The city is also working to create standardized procedures, he said, aiding dispatchers in collecting enough information to allow for an appropriate decision on who responds.

Dominguez said the department is still considering whether to appoint another officer to the regional Shooting Task Force after the death of Officer Joshua Castellano, who was assigned to the unit. She noted state police had recently added three officers to bolster the group.

We are very short, so to pull another person from patrol would be a loss. You think, oh, its just one person  were so short in patrol, said Dominguez. Its in discussion, but nothing final.

The department is continuing to hire new officers, with eight recruits sworn in over recent weeks, Elicker noted.

The internal investigation into Castellanos death remains ongoing, Dominguez said.

william.lambert@hearstmediact.com
NEW HAVEN  The New Haven Police Department plans to seek compensation for the overtime paid to officers to cover the unsanctioned East Coastin motorcycle event in the Annex Saturday, Interim Chief Renee Dominguez said Monday.

Dominguez and Mayor Justin Elicker discussed the unsanctioned gathering and the citys plans to move forward.

The department is still tabulating the cost of the overtime it amassed during the event, Dominguez said. Approximately 150 officers were assigned to a special detail for the gathering, which stretched from Saturday afternoon into the evening on Forbes Avenue.

Officers made about four arrests during the affair, Dominguez said.

An organizer, Gabe Canestri, was charged with allegedly inciting a riot and committing second-degree breach of peace after attendees began a stunt show on Waterfront Street, Dominguez said.

She said Monday that two other individuals were charged with reckless driving and reckless endangerment, along with other motor vehicle offenses, while another was charged with disorderly conduct.

Additional arrests are expected in the future, Dominguez said, as the department reviews body camera footage and works on warrants for alleged offenses.

Police also issued 10 motor vehicle infractions, towed four vehicles, and cited several people from drinking in public, Dominguez said.

Elicker expressed his displeasure that the gathering was held over the objections of the city.

In the days prior, city officials urged people not to come to New Haven for the event, saying it was not properly permitted and police would be out in force to ward off the chaos that characterized last years event.

Obviously, it was a real disappointment that so many people still decided to come to New Haven, that the organizers still decided to push through with the event, and after many, many attempts by the New Haven Police Department, the organizers persisted in disobeying the expectations of our department, said Elicker.

The city will be holding an internal meeting to look at other ways we can ensure that we hold people that were associated with the event accountable, and ensure that we continue to work to make sure that this event doesnt impact the City of New Haven, Elicker said.

Dominguez said approximately 5,000 people turned out for the gathering Saturday  roughly half of the amount that came to the city for the affair in 2020, but more than officials wanted.

While there was a decrease, it wasnt nearly enough of a decrease, said Dominguez. No participants would have been what we were hoping for, as we communicated very clearly that this event wasnt something we condoned or wanted in the city.

william.lambert@hearstmediact.com
ST. LOUIS (AP)  The Rolling Stones are touring again, this time without their heartbeat, or at least their backbeat.

The legendary rockers launched their pandemic-delayed No Filter tour Sunday at the Dome at Americas Center in St. Louis without their drummer of nearly six decades. It was clear from the outset just how much the band members  and the fans  missed Charlie Watts, who died last month at age 80. Except for a private show in Massachusetts last week, the St. Louis concert was their first since Watts' death.

The show opened with an empty stage and only a drumbeat, with photos of Watts flashing on the video board. After the second song, a rousing rendition of It's Only Rock N Roll (But I Like It), Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood came to the front of the stage. Jagger and Richards clasped hands as they thanked fans for the outpouring of support and love for Watts. Jagger acknowledged it was emotional seeing the photos of Watts.

This is our first-ever tour we've ever done without him, Jagger said. We'll miss Charlie so much, on and off the stage.

The band then dedicated Tumbling Dice to Watts.

The tour had been scheduled for 2020 before the coronavirus virtually shut down the touring industry. Signs of the pandemic were everywhere at the show in Missouri, a state hit hard by the viruss delta variant.

The tens of thousands of fans wore masks as required by St. Louis' anti-virus protocol. The Stones themselves appeared in a public service announcement urging anyone with symptoms to stay home. A vaccination site was set up at the dome, with plans for similar sites at each tour stop.

The concert itself featured the same driving beat personified by Watts, thanks to his replacement, Steve Jordan. The drummer may be new to fans but he's hardly new to the Stones  Jordan has performed for years with Richards' side project, X-Pensive Winos, along with many other leading acts.

Still, die-hard fans couldn't help but miss Watts, widely considered one of rock's greatest drummers, even though his real love was jazz. He joined Jagger and Richards in the Rolling Stones in 1963. Wood joined in 1975.

For Laura Jezewski, 62, of Omaha, Nebraska, seeing the Stones without Watts was bittersweet.

It's really sad, she said. He's the first of the old Stones to pass away.

The show featured the bands long litany of hits. Jagger hardly looked like a 78-year-old man, strutting around the stage like a man half  or one-third of his age; a constant whirl of motion. His vocals, and the guitar work of Wood and Richards, sounded as good as ever.

After St. Louis, the tour will include stops in Charlotte, North Carolina; Pittsburgh; Nashville, Tennessee; Minneapolis, Minnesota; Tampa, Florida; Dallas; Atlanta; Detroit; and ending in Austin, Texas, on Nov. 20. The band also added new dates in Los Angeles on Oct. 14 and Oct. 17, and a concert in Las Vegas on Nov. 6.

Jezewski and her 60-year-old husband, Brad, brought their 30-year-old daughter, Sarah, to St. Louis for the concert. It was Sarah's first chance to see the Rolling Stones. Her mom and dad have seen them in various places  Ames, Iowa; Boulder, Colorado; Denver; even Wichita, Kansas  dating back to the 1970s.

With the surviving band members well into their 70s, the Jezewskis didn't want to miss this chance.

If it is their last time  we're here, Brad Jezewski said. And if there's another tour, we'll be there, too.
WALLINGFORD  Kahseim Outlaw has taught physical education and health at Lyman Hall High School since 2006, but he said he was sent home Monday because he has refused to get a COVID-19 vaccination or to be tested.

Outlaw, 40, said he follows a holistic, vegan lifestyle involving natural foods, herbs, and yoga, and does not subscribe to conventional medicine. I dont even take aspirin, he said.

When he arrived at school Monday, he said Principal Joseph Corso called him down to his office and put him on a call with Francis Thompson, assistant superintendent for personnel, who let me know that per the executive order, they had to send me home. Outlaw said he is on unpaid administrative leave.

Gov. Ned Lamont issued an executive order Sept. 10 mandating all state employees and school and childcare staff must have received at least one vaccine dose by Monday or be tested weekly.

Wallingford Superintendent of Schools Danielle Bellizzi did not comment on Outlaw.

But she issued a statement, which said, While I cannot comment on the specifics of any personnel matter, I did want to share that Wallingford Public Schools is adhering to the guidelines set forth in Executive Order 13G.  This order sets forth the form and manner in which the state, state hospitals, school boards, and child care facilities must maintain the individuals documentation of vaccination or exemptions and must verify compliance with the testing requirements for unvaccinated individuals.

Bellizzi added that the executive order states that non-compliant employees shall not be allowed on the premises of the school district. It further states that any school district shall be in violation of this order when it permits a covered worker who has not complied with this order to be in a public or private pre-K through grade 12 school or a child care facility, to make regular or frequent visits to any such school or child care facility, or to have regular or frequent contact with children in child care, students, or staff.

It was not clear Monday how many teachers in Connecticut are on leave due to the requirements of Lamonts executive order.

Max Reiss, Lamonts spokesman, said in an email, Gov. Lamont has been focused on taking all necessary measures to ensure the school year continue uninterrupted, as we do not want to see a repeat of lost time in the classroom. The more people who are vaccinated, the safer all students, staff, and faculty are inside the school building. The vaccine requirement for educators is especially important for those who work with children under the age of 12, who are not yet eligible to receive one of the vaccines. He added that employment issues are between the school and the employee.

Outlaw said that, because his lifestyle does not allow for injections, he requested a religious exemption from the vaccine and said he was granted temporary approval. But his request for an exemption from testing was not, he said.

The mandate on the schools end was we had to be tested by yesterday at 5 p.m., Outlaw said. He said he views testing as an unnecessary medical procedure as well. He said he asked to be screened rather than tested, being asked questions such as whether he had symptoms or had been near someone who was positive for COVID.

If I was worried about my health, I would do what I need to do. If it was testing on my own volition that would be one thing. It just seems a bit unreasonable, Outlaw said.

My conscience, my intuition, my soul tells me it is not right for me, he said. Im very spiritual. I dont belong to any particular sect of religion. I am a vegan for over eight years.

Outlaw also practices yoga, which includes the principle of ahimsa, or do no harm to your own body, do no harm to anyone else, he said. Taking the vaccine, he said, means theres a substance that were going to inject into the bloodstream that for me doesnt make me any healthier than I am now.

He said he believes getting vaccinated wouldnt necessarily protect his students either. There have been plenty of individuals in my building who were vaccinated and tested positive, he said. At one point, Outlaw said, he was quarantined from my building because I was in close contact with someone who was positive.

Outlaw said he has a masters degree in integrative health and healing and was Lyman Halls 2020 teacher of the year. Now his job is in jeopardy. In the near future well have a meeting with human resources, he said. Im willing to sacrifice the things Ive had the privilege of having in my life.  Im willing to stand by my own volition rather than acquiesce to certain demands to keep those privileges.

Outlaw said while he may lose his job, I am not resigning; I am not quitting; I am not walking away from my profession. We dont know what the consequence is going to be. Outlaw, his wife and 7-year-old child live in Middletown.

He said hes received support from students, staff and parents who are uncertain about doing certain things, but they are doing it for comfort and convenience.

Outlaw said he is not refusing the vaccination because it is a government mandate. It has way less to do with that, he said. I really dont think about it in that sense.

As a teacher, the health curriculum does not call for holistic practices, so I dont teach that as part of the curriculum, Outlaw said. However, when asked, I do make myself available for those that are looking for a bit more than what was offered to them conventionally.

edward.stannard@hearstmediact.com; 203-680-9382
WEST HAVEN  When Gov. Ned Lamont visited West Haven High School Friday to encourage high school seniors to apply for financial aid for college, he said something that rang true to Superintendent of Schools Neil Cavallaro.

He said we have the most polite kids in the state, Cavallaro said.

The superintendent didnt disagree.

Hours after Lamont left, however, a number of police cars arrived at the school after a panic button was triggered by a school resource officer  a police officer assigned to the school  who was breaking up a fight in the schools cafeteria. Police said two students were arrested and charged with breach of peace and third-degree assault.

Two angles of video footage of the fight posted to social media, one of which was shared with and reviewed by the Register, show several students swinging at one another with a crowd of students around the perimeter.

Cavallaro said a security guard was injured in the scuffle, but he did not know the extent of the injury.

We are taking a zero-tolerance stand. Weve expelled a handful of kids, three to four already for fighting this year, and we have a couple more pending, he said.

As a result, Cavallaro said, the district is increasing its police presence at the school for the near future.

Cavallaro said he believes these fights are reflective of some adjustment issues as the district has fully returned students to school, without an option for remote learning, for the first time since March 2020, which was the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to the U.S. Department of Educations Office for Civil Rights, there were 27 school-based arrests in West Haven High School in 2017, the most recent year of data available. There were 42 instances where a West Haven high school student was referred to law enforcement. State data shows that West Haven High School had its largest number of expulsions in five years  13 expulsions  in the 2019-20 school year. The year prior there had been six expulsions from the high school.

Lt. Patrick Buturla, a spokesman for the West Haven Police Department, said the school has two school resource officers. He said additional officers were dispatched to the school because of a communication error when a school resource officer could not hear a dispatcher during the ruckus, but it was not an incident that couldnt have been handled by just the SROs.

Arrests were made and we will always continue to pull whatever resources are needed to provide a safe educational environment for our youth, and we continue to work with the superintendent and Board of Education, Buturla said.

Cavallaro said he was told that a school resource officer hit a button that put him in contact with the Police Department, but the loud crowd made communication too difficult, so additional police officers were dispatched to the school  rightfully so, he said.

Cavallaro told the Board of Education that the school district spent some of its millions in federal recovery money on increasing social-emotional supports for students; Cavallaro said he was not considering hiring more support personnel after Fridays fight.

We really feel like weve got a lot of good supports in place, he said.

Those supports include outreach workers to re-engage students with truancy issues and counselors to help provide students who are likely not headed to college after graduation with connections for other career and life options. We are pointing them in the right direction. If not college, then career or a trade, something to make school more meaningful for them, Cavallaro said.

Cavallaro said he hopes that the expulsion hearings before the districts expulsion hearing officer now will be the last ones this year.

We want to send a message early that we have a beautiful, brand new school and great programs at the high school and welcome everybody here, but youve got to follow the rules, he said. Were determined that its early enough in the year that we can get this right.

Noting what the governor had said, Cavallaro said, The majority of our kids are well behaved and involved.

Last year we were able to keep the schools open (during a pandemic) because students were so engaged, he said.

Editors note: This story has been edited to reflect that a school resource officer could not hear a dispatcher because of noise in the West Haven High School cafeteria.

brian.zahn@hearstmediact.com
Some of us take having an adequate supply of diapers for granted. Many dont think twice about getting in the car and heading out to make a quick diaper run; at most, it can be an inconvenience during an already-busy day.

But for too many in our state, diaper need  the inability to afford diapers  is a constant struggle and recurring stressor. Before the pandemic hit in March 2020, one in three Connecticut families couldnt afford enough diapers for their infants and toddlers, and these days more are struggling than ever before.

At The Diaper Bank of Connecticut, we are distributing more than 75,000 diapers every month, through a network of more than 60 community partners statewide, but we are just scratching the surface of need in our community.

We serve some of the most vulnerable and at-risk families in our state. Families that receive free diapers live in households where annual income is at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty level: thats $53,000 or less for a family of four.

Often, parents and caregivers who cant afford diapers are also dealing with other hardships  food insecurity, employment troubles, housing issues, health problems or other obstacles. These factors, exacerbated by diaper need, can trap them in a cycle of poverty.

It can be a daunting and difficult cycle to break. Consider, for instance, a parent who cant take their infant to day care because they lack the disposable diapers required by most child care centers. Without child care, parents cant go to work or school, which leads to more instability, and the cycle continues.

For too many in Connecticut, theres no such thing as a quick diaper run. The very notion includes many assumptions: that a parent has easy access to a nearby store, the transportation to get there, time they can take away from work or family obligations to do it, and enough money to pay for it. Neither the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program; the Special Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program for Women, Infants, and Children; nor Medicaid cover the cost of diapers.

What are struggling parents to do?

Faced with no other options, some caregivers resort to leaving infants and toddlers in soiled diapers for too long. This can cause various medical complications, including diaper rash and urinary tract infections. Research has found a connection between diaper need and pediatrician visits and, in the worst cases, children can end up in a hospital emergency department.

Diaper need has negative health impacts on parents and caregivers, too; its linked to increased rates of stress and depression. After all, diaper need isnt something parents get a break from. Its a continual, recurring stressor, every couple of hours or so when a baby needs to be changed. Children of stressed or depressed parents, in turn, are at greater risk for social, emotional and behavioral problems, research from the National Institutes of Health shows.

Many aspects of diaper need can lead to children and caregivers alike seeking medical care that not only puts a financial burden on families  again, extending that cycle of poverty  but on the overall health care system as well.

It is National Diaper Need Awareness Week (Sept. 27-Oct. 3) and I invite you to learn more about what we are doing at The Diaper Bank of Connecticut to reduce diaper need in our state. The most impactful and cost-effective way you can help is by making a donation, at thediaperbank.org/donate. I also urge you to advocate with us, on behalf of families who need help the most.

No one should have to worry about affording an adequate supply of diapers, a basic health need. Together, we can make a difference and improve the health and stability of infants and toddlers, our most vulnerable community members.

Janet Stolfi Alfano is the executive director of The Diaper Bank of Connecticut. The North Haven-based nonprofit serves families throughout the state, distributing infant and toddler diapers, period supplies, and youth and adult incontinence products through its network of more than 60 community partners.
Ekiti State Governor and Chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum, Kayode Fayemi, says only God knows what his political future holds in the...

Ekiti State Governor and Chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum, Kayode Fayemi, says only God knows what his political future holds in the 2023 general elections.

Fayemi made this known on Sunday when he spoke on THISDAY Live, an interview programme on Arise Television.

Fayemis presidential campaign posters had gone viral in August 2020 and had sparked public debate on various social media platforms regarding the possibility of his candidacy in the 2023 presidential election.

The sponsor of the posters and Chairman of Ikere Council area of Ekiti State, Femi Ayodele, had said he did the posters, with the campaign message, Support His Excellency Dr John Kayode Fayemi for President 2023 to show my unalloyed and uncompromising loyalty to Governor Fayemi to dispel speculations that he was working against him.

But the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Yinka Oyebode, had said that his principal did not know anything about the posters.

The sponsor is merely expressing a personal opinion, he had said.

Ayodele was later directed to step aside by the Ekiti State House of Assembly over alleged unauthorised viral campaign poster seeking support for Fayemis presidential ambition.

But when asked on Sunday whether he would be running for President in 2023, Fayemi said, I have a job to do; I want to finish well as governor of Ekiti State, I want to do more to put Ekiti on the pedestal of growth and development in the period that is left for me in office.

What the future holds, Gods knows, but we will cross that bridge when we get there. For now, my primary responsibility is Ekiti State.

The governor also predicted victory for his party, the All Progressives Congress, in 2023.

He said, Contentions are always going to happen. APC is a big party with different tendencies and there will be contentions for and against. We are very confident that this party will produce the next government in this country in 2023 but before we get there, we are more focused on the country now. The party is more interested in the stability and security of Nigeria. What is happening internally is something we will resolve internally.

With the 2023 elections fast approaching, there have been political posturings and permutations as to the next presidential candidate of the APC and opposition Peoples Democratic Party.

The 17 Southern Governors including Fayemi had also demanded that the next President should emerge from Southern Nigeria after the eight-year regime of the incumbent, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), who is from Katsina State, North-West Nigeria.

Recall that Salihu Yakasai, a former Special Adviser on Media to Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, listed APC chieftains who have the ability to win the next presidential election to include APC National Leader, Bola Tinubu; Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo; as well as Fayemi.

Fayemi was first Ekiti State governor from October 2010 to October 2014. He was later appointed Minister of Solid Minerals Development by Buhari and was in office between November 2015 and May 2018 before he was re-elected as the governor of Ekiti State in October 2018. The 56-year-old is expected to hand over power in October 2022 to a democratically elected successor.
The northern governors forum says the position of their southern counterparts, that the next president must come from the south, contradi...

The northern governors forum says the position of their southern counterparts, that the next president must come from the south, contradicts the provisions of the constitution.

The forum stated its position on Monday, after a meeting held in Kaduna.

Southern governors have repeatedly insisted that power must shift to their region.

At separate meetings held on July 5  in Lagos  and September 16  in Enugu  the southern governors said the next presidency should be zoned to their region.

However, in a communique signed by Simon Lalong, governor of Plateau and chairman of the northern governors forum, the governors said the position of their colleagues in the south is condemnable.

The Forum observed that some Northern State Governors had earlier expressed views for a power-shift to three geopolitical zones in the South with a view to promoting unity and peace in the nation. Notwithstanding their comments, the Forum unanimously condemns the statement by the Southern Governors Forum that the Presidency must go to the South, the communique reads.

The statement is quite contradictory with the provision of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (1999) as amended, that the elected President shall: score the majority votes; score at least 25% of the votes cast in 2/3 States of the Federation. In the case of run-up, simple majority wins the election.

The northern governors commended security agencies for their efforts in the region, adding that there is a need to sustain collaborations between the federal government and northern states for improved security.

The Forum reviewed security updates from the Region and observed the need for sustained synergy and coordinated efforts between the Federal and Northern State Governments, while noting success of recent measures, Lalong said.

The Forum appreciated the ongoing onslaught against banditry, kidnapping and Boko Haram, especially in the North East and parts of North West and North Central States, and encouraged the Armed forces and other security agencies to sustain the tempo to enable the security challenges be permanently addressed in the shortest time.
Residents of the Uyo metropolis have lamented the torrential rainfall of last weekend which submerged major streets in the city. The worst-h...

Residents of the Uyo metropolis have lamented the torrential rainfall of last weekend which submerged major streets in the city.

The worst-hit areas include Idoro road by Julius Berger junction, Atiku Abubakar way, Ikot Oku Ikono and Udo Umanah streets axis of the state.

One of the victims of the flood, Mr Udimisor who spoke with journalists in Uyo said during the heavy downpour last Saturday his compound was submerged and all the rooms in the building flooded.

He said, I live in this compound for the last 5 years and I have not experienced this kind of flood before. The rain started at 9am and lasted for 7hours. The entrance to my compound turned to a river as nobody could either come in or move out. we were trapped for hours.

Another neighbour Mr Ifiok Elijah Ezekiel Udo said the same water damaged the backyard fence of his compound and collapsed the soak away pit.

The water came in a speed and collapsed the fence at my backyard. Now I need more than N200,000 to restore the fence and fix the soakaway system  he said

Residents of Udo Umanah and other streets within the area when interviewed gave similar accounts as the entrance of summit complex hotel and the surroundings were completely submerged.

In a telephone interview, the state commissioner for Environment and Mineral Resources Mr Charles Udoh said Drainage controlled projects are ongoing in the state but the spots mentioned are not included.

He said he was not yet informed of the incident promising to act accordingly as soon as he receives official information.

I am not informed of this axis being ravaged by flood. Once I have an official report from them, the government would act accordingly he said.
Former governor of Lagos, Babatunde Fashola has said he will not participate in the raging controversies over where the ruling All Progr...

Former governor of Lagos, Babatunde Fashola has said he will not participate in the raging controversies over where the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC should zone its presidential ticket for the 2023 general election.

But he said the ruling party should be allowed to make a decision on where to zone its presidential ticket for the next general election.

Fashola who is now the Minister of Works and Housing spoke while reacting to a question on the raging controversies over which of the zones in the country should get the presidential ticket of the ruling APC in the next general election in an interview with THISDAY newspaper.

The Minister who is one of those rumoured to be interested in succeeding President Muhammadu Buhari had in a previously argued that the presidential ticket of APC should be zoned to the Southern part of the country.

But speaking to THISDAY newspaper, Fashola said he will rather not join in the ongoing controversies as his opinion can only help to raise tension.

Fashola said: People ask me about rotation, and I tell them that Im a lawyer. The constitution does not talk about rotation. Thats the law. Yes, it talks about political parties. And it is parties that birth a constitution. The constitution is the agreement. And I also told them that look, if your agreement says that this is what you should do, then, go and follow your agreement.

But I say that even agreements written may not be as important as the honour and so even if we just agree by word of mouth and it is not written. With all these raging north, raging south, lets see how things go. You know, because I think the political environment itself is too charged now. One has to just leave it to the political parties.

This is a decision that the party has to take. I am not the administrator of the party. My opinion, one way or the other on this matter can only help to raise tension. When the party decides, then, well see.
Pastor E.A. Adeboye of the Redeem Christian Church of God, has felicitated with his counterpart, Bishop David Oyedep, founder of Living Fait...

Pastor E.A. Adeboye of the Redeem Christian Church of God, has felicitated with his counterpart, Bishop David Oyedep, founder of Living Faith Church Worldwide on his 67th birth anniversary.

It was gathered that Oyedepo, the African richest pastor who was born in 1954, clocked 67 years on Monday, September 27.

In the goodwill message posted on his verified Facebook page, Adeboye described the Bishop as a true child of God who has consistently dedicated himself to the things of the Almighty.

The post reads, Happy birthday my dear Bishop. As at the time of posting this, you got my Birthday Phone Call already but this needs to be posted as my Children will say Social Media.

You are a true Child of God and I honour your consistency and dedication to the things of God.

On the Occasion of your 67th birthday, it is my Prayer that God almighty will continue to take you from Glory to Glory and from Strength to Strength in Jesus name.
Health care worker Kelshin Johnson, center, surveys the line of cars waiting at the COVID-19 testing center outside of Arlington International Racecourse on March 31 in Arlington Heights, Illinois. (Stacey Wescott/Chicago Tribune/TNS)
Decades before she became known as "Mama Glo" at Louisiana's women's prison for her mentorship of young and often wayward inmates, Gloria Williams escaped from her lifelong incarceration three times, and attempted at least once more.

But now, for the first time after almost 50 years behind bars and a transformation described as exemplary, Williams  Louisiana's longest serving female prisoner  has been granted the first step toward her true, and legal, freedom.

The Louisiana Board of Pardons on Monday gave Williams, now 73, a favorable recommendation to amend her 1971 life sentence for second-degree murder by giving her parole eligibility. That recommendation will move to the governor's desk for review, only effective with his signature.

Gloria is so deserving of this opportunity to return home to her family after 50 years, and shes so grateful," said Amanda Zarrow, her attorney. "Gloria has dedicated so much of her life to mentoring and lifting up the women around her. She calls them her children and they call her 'Mama Glo.'  She grew into her role as a mentor and mother figure.

At the last of five votes to recommend her commuted sentence, Williams covered her face with her hands, then lifted her arms up toward the sky. She had tears in her eyes as her dozens of family members, most who traveled from Houston, embraced her.

I turned my life around for others and for my children, Williams told the pardon board through the video stream from the women's prison.

Williams was convicted in 1971, along with two co-defendants, for the 1971 killing of an Opelousas grocer, 64-year-old Budge Cutrera Sr. Officials said Williams and friends entered Cutrera's store with an unloaded gun and knife, planning to rob the store, according to newspaper articles from the time. Once inside, they struggled with both Cutrera and his wife, eventually shooting Cutrera to death with his own pistol.

Williams was sentenced months later to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

In the next three years, Williams escaped three times, once making it to Houston, where she was arrested on an unrelated armed robbery. She served about eight years in prison in Texas for that crime before returning to Louisiana to resume her life sentence. In 1985, Louisiana officials say, she attempted to escape once more, injuring a correctional officer in the process, but not making it very far past the prison's gate. She was convicted of simple escape.

But since then, Zarrow said, Williams made a conscious decision to change her life, taking younger women prisoners under her wing. Zarrow also said Williams has successfully overcome a drug problem.

She went before the Pardon Board once before, in 1992, but was turned down. She has not had a single write-up in prison since 2007.

She has a very colorful past," said Louisiana Correctional Institute for Women (LCIW) Warden Frederick Boutte. "Her phases of life have changed for the positive. Shes a pillar for the community (here).

Williams' sister and son also spoke at the hearing, explaining that their relationships with Williams over the past decades have only grown stronger. Both offered to support her upon a potential release from prison.

"She holds herself accountable," her son, James Robertson, said in an emotional testimony. "Shes a shining star that I will never be able to not see.  Im going to be there for her."

Pardon board members said one of Cutrera's son's had opposed Williams receiving any clemency in the case, as had law enforcement and prosecutors in St. Landry Parish and Opelousas. None, however, were present at Monday's hearing. Calls to Cutrera's family members from a reporter were not answered or returned Monday.

A spokeswoman for Gov. John Bel Edwards said Monday afternoon that the governor had not yet seen the recommendation from the pardon board, and therefore had not had time to review it. If the governor decides to sign the board's recommendation, Williams would still have to go before a parole committee to be granted a supervised release. Williams would then remain on parole supervision for the rest of her life.

State Rep. Pat Smith, a Democrat from Baton Rouge who has become a champion for women in prison, spoke Monday morning at the hearing. Smith said she is going to encourage the governor to approve the sentence commutation recommendation for Williams.

Shes the longest-serving woman at LCIW," Smith said. "Shes what you would say is rehabilitated."

Pardon board member Alvin Roche Jr. praised Williams for helping mentor women out of solitary and segregation cells.

I can see your rehabilitation, I can see your leadership," Roche said. All five members of the board voted to grant her commuted sentence.

She has truly been reformed," said Williams' younger sister Mary Smith-Moore. "Shes expressed sorrow so many times over the years.  We havent given up on her.

Former prisoner and now criminal justice activist Fox Rich said Williams made a difference during her incarceration, and Fox said she knows Williams can do the same in free society if the governor gives her the opportunity.

With a family like this you cant be stopped, we wont be stopped," Rich said. Every person at the womens prison had a strong regard for 'Mama Glo.'  She mentored whoever entered those doors.  Now she can go home and mother her children.
For as long as anyone can remember, John Clemmer existed to make art.

That was bred in the bone with him, his son David Clemmer said. Whenever I asked about his early development as an artist, his answer was, I was always drawing.

It started when John Clemmer was growing up in poverty near Bayou Goula, and it flowered in New Orleans, first at Alcee Fortier High School, then at the renowned Arts and Crafts Club in the French Quarter and, finally, at Tulane University, where he was a professor of architecture then chair of Newcomb Colleges Art Department, even though he didnt have a college degree.

Throughout his long life, Clemmer made a point of going into his studio every day, his son Jonathan Clemmer said. Even if he wasnt feeling particularly creative that day, being in the studio, with the smells of the oil and the turpentine and the other smells, was a tremendous comfort to him. It was his home.

This strict regimen continued almost until his death in 2014. He was 92.

The fruits of Clemmers work ethic are on display at the Historic New Orleans Collection, which is celebrating the centennial of his birth with John Clemmer  A Legacy in Art. It is on view daily except Mondays through Nov. 7 at 520 Royal St., which happened to be the first address of the Arts and Crafts Club. Admission is free.

In a nearby gallery are 77 works by 76 artists who were part of Clemmers circle, including the sculptors Lin Emery and Angela Gregory and the architect Ivan Mandich.

He was a meticulous worker, Mandich said. He was organized beyond belief. I dont think anyone I know had perfection to that degree. And he was a generous man.

The exhibit of Clemmers work highlights his versatility, with sculpture and canvases showing not only representational art but also the influences of cubism and expressionism, as well as his massive picture of the Belle Grove plantation house, which offers nothing less than a visual tutorial in geometry with its repeated squares, rectangles and triangles.

There is no overarching theme to his work or the exhibit, and thats the point, David Clemmer said. He was difficult to pigeonhole. Even when he had an idea, he didnt get locked into any one thing. He was always exploring.

He was interested in so many things, said Judith H. Bonner, the exhibits curator, as she strolled through the gallery, offering comments and context about each of the 61 pieces on display.

That was one of the things that we wanted to be obvious in this exhibition  that he did not have a single interest, she said. Even though he is classified as an abstract artist, theres more. Youll see representational works up there. Youll see some things that are abstract but recognizable; its an overall abstract treatment. And then there are things that are totally nonrepresentational. Its just varied.

Theres not going to be one overall style (in his work). Theres a development and a maturity of style.

He didnt see his career as divided into periods, said the writer John Ed Bradley, a longtime friend. He saw it as one long stream of life.

The closest the exhibition comes to encapsulating Clemmers painterly style is the Topographia series, which features circles inside squares.

In those paintings, David Clemmer said, theres a combination of order and loose atmospheric abstraction. The combination of the two is very evocative of my dad. He had a very orderly approach to his artwork and his life but he had this abstract quality, too.

Bradley, who wrote about John Clemmer for the exhibit catalog, visited the artist frequently in his Uptown New Orleans studio and enjoyed watching him put colors on the canvas.

He would build the surface and find his way, and something magical would appear, Bradley said. He used to say the painting was communicating to him. He would know when the end came.

Clemmer was born in 1921 in Ascension Parish, where he had a pet pig named Sandy. The family moved to New Orleans Irish Channel when he was 7 because there was no work to be had in that part of rural Louisiana during the Depression, he said in a video that David Clemmer produced.

After he graduated from Fortier, John Clemmer won a scholarship to the New Orleans Art School, which was part of the Arts and Crafts Club. At the time, the club was known as the place to go in New Orleans to see modern art. He later taught there and became director of the club, which closed in 1951.

After the United States entered World War II, Clemmer worked for Higgins Industries, which was famed for making the Higgins boat. He joined the U.S. Army in 1944 and served two years before being honorably discharged as a corporal.

Clemmer moved into academics in 1951, when he was named an instructor of drawing, painting and basic design in Tulanes School of Architecture. He climbed the academic ladder and became a professor in 1974, four years before being named chair of Newcombs Art Department. He retired in 1986.

In David Clemmers video, his father likened the creative process to an uphill hike that he didnt want to finish.

I dont want to get to the top, he said. I just want to have the slightest hint of whats there and then stop because once you get to the top, youre going down, and its too late.
The tiny Bywater restaurant Saint-Germain was designed to make ambitious cuisine both more accessible for the customer and more sustainable for the restaurant. Now, this approach has brought its chefs one of the more prominent honors in American culinary circles.

In September, Food & Wine magazine named co-chefs Blake Aguillard and Trey Smith to its list of Best New Chefs for 2021. Its an honor the two share with nine other chefs around the country this year.

Chefs Blake Aguillard and Trey Smith are, to put it frankly, huge nerds. ... It's hard to resist getting caught up in their earnest and infectious excitement, writes Food & Wine restaurant editor Khushbu Shah, who compiled this years honorees.

This years version of Food & Wines long-running annual list is intended to showcase chefs who are reinventing what it means to lead in the kitchen while cooking the food that matters to them most, writes Shah. It covers a landscape of different people and restaurant types from barbecue in Oakland, California, to Korean cuisine in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

In a dining room with just 12 seats, Saint-Germain serves a version of modern French bistro cuisine that is inventive but still approachable. Much of the wow factor comes from precise technique and creative ideas, rather than high-dollar ingredients and spectacular, photo-friendly presentations. Aging, preserving and fermentation figure prominently into the style, playing through menus that can frame familiar ingredients in revealing and captivating ways.

Saint-Germain serves a tasting menu exclusively, a five-course progression that changes monthly. Its the sort of dinner normally found at the peak of luxury dining. But Saint-Germain trades the gilded amenities for a more inventive, DIY thriftiness. Its all done in a lightly renovated double shotgun on St. Claude Avenue, where fine wine and casual attire feel equally at home.

Saint-Germain was opened in 2018 by the two chefs and their business partner Drew DeLaughter, who runs the front of the house.

From the start, it has functioned as two complementary concepts under one roof  in addition to the dining room, theres a wine bar and leafy back patio with a separate, more casual menu. Different access points  the bar for anytime drinks, the bistro for a special dinner  build more sustainability into the business too.

Food & Wine released this years list early in September, when people in southeast Louisiana were in the earliest throes of Hurricane Ida recovery.

That included Saint-Germains chefs and staff. The restaurants roof was badly damaged in the storm, causing water damage around the property. The chefs gave away whatever they could from the food inventory and started making repairs.

The restaurant was able to reopen for full service two weeks after Ida, albeit with tarps on the roof.

Food and restaurant news in your inbox Every Thursday we give you the scoop on NOLA dining. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

In the meantime, Smith and Aguillard were booked to cook at the Food & Wine Classic, a high-profile food event held in Aspen each year with winners of the Best New Chef awards.

Pulling that off in the midst of disaster recovery entailed a regionwide odyssey to source fresh product from farmers, prep work in a sweltering restaurant without electricity and traveling to Colorado to serve 1,000 plates of their featured dish  dried, rehydrated tomatoes with aerated potatoes and spruce butter (a dish that would be at home on Saint-Germains monthly vegetarian menus).

Smith said Saint-Germain has always been about local support, with regulars who return to try their monthly-changing menus. The national attention is a boost, especially after the recent travails of the storm.

The recognition just means a lot to us and our team, he said. More than anything, I think it shows that if you think youre doing something special and everybody on the team buys in, it gets out there over time.

Food & Wine began its Best New Chef awards in 1988, and over the years it has identified some top names in the industry early in their careers, including Thomas Keller, Daniel Boulud, Nobu Matsuhisa and David Chang.

Among New Orleans chefs, Frank Brigtsen was among the first class of winners and others to follow include Susan Spicer, of Bayona; John Besh; Greg Sonnier, of Gabrielle; John Harris, of Lilette and Bouligny Tavern; Sue Zemanick, then of Gautreaus, now of Zasu; Ian Schnoebelen, then of Mariza, now of Rosalitas Backyard Tacos; and, most recently, Michael Gulotta, of MoPho and Maypop.

Food & Wine also published the Saint-Germain chefs own personal food and drink picks around the city, with shout-outs to a wide array of restaurants, bars, bakeries and markets helping inform the flavors of New Orleans right now.

While Food & Wines restaurant editor was in town, she tried olive oil chiffon cake from Bronwen Wyatt, a longtime local pastry chef who runs her own business now, Bayou Saint Cake. This made Shahs recent round of Best Bites of 2021, also released in September.

Saint-Germain

3054 St. Claude Ave., (504) 218-8729

Wine bar Wed.-Sun. from 5 p.m., dinner Thu-Sun. from 5 p.m.

+4 Mid-City bistro Zasu reopens for first time since pandemic after a revamp The doors at Zasu have opened for private dinners, for weekly family takeout meals and for some community feeding efforts. But on Sept. 22, ch

+7 District Donuts Sliders Brew to replace Company Burger downtown, more CBD restaurant updates Changes are underway for the restaurant lineup in the South Market development in downtown New Orleans, including two new additions and one comeback.
Walker Beery could find joy in dreary places. After he was diagnosed with pediatric brain cancer at age 7, in July 2019, the pint-sized New Orleanian battled two years of grueling treatment with courage and a smile.

With boundless energy and a remarkable sense of compassion, Walker danced in therapy rooms, wore costumes to radiation sessions and finally launched Kids Join the Fight  a charity empowering children to help other children afflicted by cancer.

I want people who have cancer to not go through the same thing I went through, a precocious Walker explains in a video created by his family.

Walker died of his illness on Sept. 5. He was 9 years old.

There was one instance in particular that served as the catalyst for Kids Join The Fight. Walker was being treated in Houston when a girl stopped by his hospital room and gave him a teddy bear. The kind gesture made his nose burn.

What that means  I was so happy, I was about to happy cry, he said. And when that girl got out of my room, I cried for a long time.

When Walker, a fourth-grader at Trinity Episcopal School, returned to New Orleans, he and his younger sister Evelyn announced they wanted to raise money for other kids and families fighting cancer, said Taylor Beery, the children's father.

So they set up a lemonade stand and alerted social media. By the next afternoon, they had earned more than $3,000.

And then he had the bug, Taylor Beery said. Walker was generally impatient by nature and started repeatedly asking me, When are we going to do more? Despite the fact that he was in very aggressive treatment for his own disease.

Walker had a perpetual case of the wiggles and refused to wait, his dad said.

Let's get after it! is what Walker would always say, Beery said. So we called a friend who was an event planner, and the next thing we knew, his foundation had launched.

After relapsing and undergoing a series of unsuccessful clinical treatment trials, Walker succumbed to cancer. His legacy, however, lives through Kids Join The Fight  now a nationwide movement.

Walker loved sports, parties, Pokemon and dancing , said his father. He wore superhero capes. He was Evelyns best friend. (Taylor Beery and his wife Angel also have a third child, McLain, who is the youngest.)

Although he was terrified of needles when he began his treatment, Walker strolled into appointments with confidence, ready for his shots. He relearned how to swallow, stand, walk and ride his bike, proudly surprising his dad with that skill on Fathers Day 2020, a year after his diagnosis.

The Kids Join the Fight website says the money kids raise will help pay for global research for pediatric cancer and provide local support services and care for pediatric cancer patients and their families.

And it aims to do so "while teaching the next generation of fundraisers the feeling of gratitude associated with giving back to their communities, the site says.

Children can get involved by hosting a bake sale, raking leaves, staging a play for the neighborhood, walking dogs or washing cars. (Visit kidsjointhefight.org for ideas.)

We're targeting raising a million dollars this year, Beery said. We're almost halfway there.

A 50-state challenge is underway, since September is pediatric cancer awareness month. The foundation plans to host fundraising events in all 50 states, in 30 days.

Foundations, corporations and individuals are backing it, said Beery. But the main people who are leading this fight are the children. Parents are working with their children to use this as an opportunity for the children to learn about empathy and philanthropy, but also for the children to channel their creative energy, to come up with unique ideas to raise money.

Beery hopes the initiative highlights the lack of funding and overall understanding of pediatric cancer.

The National Pediatric Cancer Association notes that in the United States alone, 43 kids are diagnosed with cancer each day.

In fact, cancer is the No. 1 cause of death by disease among children. And more than 95% of the survivors suffer from health issues associated with archaic treatment. But still, only 4% of federal cancer research funding benefits pediatric cancer treatment.

The same treatments that would have been available if Walker had been diagnosed with cancer in 1991 are the treatments he was offered in 2021, Beery said. That's because there's not enough funding; there's too much bureaucracy and too little awareness of all of these problems. So this became his mission and now it's our mission.

Toward the end of his life, Walker loved driving around the city with his family, spotting blue and yellow Kids Join The Fight door-hangers and witnessing friends and family support his foundation through spirited fundraisers.

You can do really anything to raise money for cancer, anything in the world. You just have to do something, Walker says in the video. Get after it!

Suzanne Pfefferle Tafur can be reached at suzpfefferle@gmail.com.

+8 His handmade marionettes are the stars in artist and musician Harry Mayronne's shows Harry Mayronne is a musician and an artist. The evidence lies all over his French Quarter home: a piano, stereo equipment, and stacks of vinyl
Thanks to the persistence of the COVID-19 pandemic, nobodys sure whether Mardi Gras season parades will roll next year in New Orleans. Carnival 2020, which transpired soon after the coronavirus first appearance in the United States, turned out in retrospect to be a super-spreader event. And in 2021 krewes parked their floats awaiting abatement of the virus.

So is the time ripe for a return to parading? The co-chairs of the Mayors Mardi Gras Advisory Committee say they might know more when the panel meets in October.

We are getting close to the time of year when planning and spending for the upcoming parading season hits a critical point, wrote Zulu president Elroy James and Rex spokesperson James Reiss III in a letter to krewes. We will hopefully be able to get an update at that point from the city ... on Mardi Gras 2022.

City Hall hasn't said whether the big party is on or off, but an Aug. 25 letter from Mayor LaToya Cantrell to krewe leaders provided reason for optimism. We all love Mardi Gras, Cantrell wrote. We also know how vital Mardi Gras is to the economic health of our tourism and related industries, and none of us wants to see it cancelled again.

But, she added, Nothing is more important to me than the health and safety of all of our citizens and the visitors whom we welcome each year with open arms.

Cantrell said one of the keys to pandemic-era parading is vaccination of krewe members. She cited an estimate from Carnival chronicler Arthur Hardy that 45,000 people ride on New Orleans parade floats.

+3 City Council votes to require safety barriers on tandem floats, as soon as Carnival 2022 Tandem floats must be connected with flexible barriers to eliminate dangerous gaps in parades, the New Orleans City Council decided on Thursday.

I hope that at your next Mayors Mardi Gras Advisory Committee meeting, you can report that all krewes have thoroughly engaged their members to take the lead in this necessary step toward a successful 2022 Carnival season, Cantrell wrote.

Several krewes say they have not mandated float riders get vaccinated but have urged them to do so.

The leadership of Muses is strongly supportive of vaccination, and we have reached out to our members encouraging them to get vaccinated if they have not done so, krewe captain Staci Rosenberg said. That being said, we have not addressed whether there will be any restrictions on riders in 2022 or what they will be.

Endymion president Dan Kelly said his krewe is in a holding pattern but that he sees the mayors letter as a positive sign Carnival may return in 2022. He forwarded the letter to the krewes 3,200 members, to make them aware of City Hall's position on the importance of vaccination.

Kelly said its too soon to know what the New Orleans and Louisiana COVID regulations will be in five months.

Clark Brennan, captain of the Krewe of Bacchus, expressed the same sentiment: It will be a wait-and-see decision as we get closer to Mardi Gras.

Tucks founder Lloyd Frischhertz said his krewe's leadership has encouraged members to vaccinate but has not mandated it for riders.

As of now, we dont know what the status of the pandemic will be in late February, he said. But if conditions stay the same as now, Frischhertz said, he would recommend the krewe require vaccination or a negative test within 72 hours of the parade.

Krewe of Freret spokesperson Greg Rhoades predicted that at the Mayor's Mardi Gras Advisory Committee meeting in October, New Orleans krewe leaders will devise COVID guidelines for all of organizations that parade in the city  if parading is permitted in 2022.
Chef Bleidys Lobelo didnt hesitate when her business partner Angelica Rivera asked her what they should name their new Colombian restaurant.

Im from Barranquilla, says the chef. My city is such a pretty place on the coast, full of beautiful customs, cultures and great food. Its called the Golden Gate of Colombia, a gateway to all thats beautiful in our country.

After dealing with some pandemic delays, the co-owners opened Golden Gate Bistro on July 20, which also is Colombias Independence Day. The restaurant is located in an industrial swath at 4334 Earhart Blvd. in a building Rivera owns with her husband Roman Lopez. Its the headquarters for their co-owned Colmex Construction Company, a name that pays homage to their Colombian and Mexican heritages.

Rivera never intended to own a restaurant. The couple and their four children used to live in Orlando, Florida, where she was a mortgage broker and her husband worked as a handyman. After Hurricane Katrina, he came to New Orleans to hang sheet rock. When the bottom fell out of the mortgage business in 2008, the couple decided to relocate their family to New Orleans and they now live in Gentilly. New Orleans reminded me of home right away, Rivera says.

When we bought the building, I immediately saw a restaurant on the first floor, which has lots of windows and natural light, she says. At first I was thinking a coffeeshop, but since I was missing real Colombian food and fresh juices, I thought maybe a Colombian restaurant could work. But I couldnt find a chef.

Rivera hails from Bogota, where the signature dish is ajiaco, a soup made with chicken, potatoes, corn, avocado and herbs, served over rice.

It gets chilly there, since we are very high up, she says. Ajiaco is like our gumbo. I missed it.

After the space sat empty for two years, she finally met her chef. Lobelo catered an event at one of the six small incubator businesses that lease space in the building. One taste of her empanadas and I knew she cooked like my family back home. I set up a meeting and here we are.

Lobelo was living on the West Bank, cooking out of her home and selling beautifully presented plate lunches at a stand at Nawlins Market, a flea market in Harvey. She always dreamed of opening a restaurant.

Golden Gates menu reflects Lobelos deep knowledge of Colombian cuisine, which is divided into regions and reflects the countrys indigenous, Spanish and African roots. Appetizers include empanadas filled with shredded beef, chicken or cheese. Colombian-style arepas are dense corn cakes chewy with cheese and crispy from the grill. They are split and stuffed with meats and vegetables like a sandwich and served with a range of fresh salsas. Bandeja paisa is a hugely popular dish all across Colombia. The platter includes a robust assortment of sausages, fried plantains, eggs, beans, pork belly and rice. Pork is a staple of Colombian cuisine and used in many of Lobelos hearty dishes.

Pescatarians and vegetarians also have plenty of options. Salads feature greens and vegetables from the familys small farm in Pearl River and can be topped with grilled shrimp. Patacon Gloria is a dish of fried plantains served with avocado and corn and topped with hogoa, a Colombian tomato sauce. Shrimp or salmon are available with a buttery sauce pungent with garlic. Those and other platters come with salad, rice and fried plantains on the side. Most dishes are in the $12-$25 range and feature generous portions of beautifully composed Colombian cuisine.

The fresh juice menu has helpful drawings and descriptions and includes soursop, passion fruit and avocado. Lulo, which means "little orange" in Spanish, is a member of the nightshade family and tastes creamy and bright with citrus notes.

Golden Gate has a full bar and a tropical drinks list with specials like a mango margarita and a raspberry mojito. The patio has plenty of seating and is equipped with a grill and there is salsa music and dancing on the weekends.

We love that all kinds of people are trying Colombian food, besides the many Colombians who come to eat here, says Rivera, who finally can savor the flavors of home anytime she wants.

4334 Earhart Blvd., (504) 503-1049

Lunch and dinner daily

Dine-in and outdoor seating available

Zhang Bistro serves Chinese and Thai dishes in the French Quarter Although China doesnt border Thailand on a map, the countries cuisines are side by side on the menu at Zhang Bistro, reflecting the culinary
Irma Thomas is one of the few musicians who annually headlines two shows at Jazz Fest: one mainstage show focused more on her R&B and soul favorites and a session in the Gospel Tent, often in tribute to Mahalia Jackson. And while the October edition of Jazz Fest was canceled, locals can get a fresh look at Thomas hits and her reign as the Soul Queen of New Orleans in a new documentary premiering on WYES on Monday, Oct. 4.

Irma: My Life in Music debuts on the local public TV station at the beginning of a months worth of programming inspired by Jazz Fest. The 90-minute documentary, directed by Michael Murphy and Cilista Eberle, features Thomas singing at the Fair Grounds in festivals dating back to the early 1990s and expands on aspects of her life and career, including new interview material on touring during the era of segregation and the early civil rights movement

Some of the films musical highlights include full versions of songs, and clips range from the gospel standard Precious Lord to Hip-Shakin Mama and Stone Survivor. Tina Turner may have delivered the best-known version of The Best (also titled Simply the Best), but Thomas version at Jazz Fest is worthy of the title (and the live album it appeared on, Live! Simply the Best, drew Thomas first Grammy nomination).

The Jazz Fest footage was shot by Murphy and his production company over the course of more than 25 years. He sold that archive (of more than 6,000 hours of performances and interviews) to the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation several years ago, but still draws on it for his documentary work. In 2005, he released Make it Funky, about New Orleans wealth of musical talent and distinct sounds. Terence Blanchard hosts Murphys more recent film, Up From the Streets, which looks at New Orleans culture through its music.

The only concert footage in the documentary not shot by Murphy was a Bonnie Raitt concert. For that event, Raitt had invited Thomas to join her onstage to sing Time is on My Side. Thomas had released her version in 1964, but the Rolling Stones, who heard her record, released their version soon after. Thomas got tired of being asked if she was covering their song and stopped singing it  until 20 years later when Raitt asked her to sing it.

The documentary digs into many of Thomas' early recordings, and particularly the work she did with Allen Toussaint, who wrote and produced songs for her at different labels. They worked together on some of her best-known early songs, including Its Raining and Ruler of My Heart.

Thomas first record was the single Dont Mess With My Man, recorded after bandleader Tommy Ridgely met her in a club where she was working as a waitress. She lost the job for singing, but Ridgely connected her with a label. The songs original title was You can have my husband, but dont mess with my man. Its not in the documentary, but though the record climbed the charts, Thomas reportedly didnt hear it on local radio stations, which deemed the content too suggestive. But Thomas talents were quickly recognized by many, and she performed at clubs including the Dew Drop Inn.

Thomas also went on tour, and in the documentary, she talks about touring and dealing with clubs that would hire Black performers but wouldnt allow them to use dressing rooms or restrooms. Accommodations along the way were also often similarly racially restrictive. The documentary also includes footage of an FBI interview, in which she discusses the climate faced by Black musicians. Murphy covers some of the racial issues in a recent interview shot for the documentary.

Thomas also talks about her personal life. She had children at a young age, and when she moved to California in 1970, she worked at the department store Montgomery Ward in addition to performing in order to support her children.

Hurricane Katrina hit Thomas hard. Her home in New Orleans flooded and she and her husband Emile Jackson lost their music club, The Lions Den. Flooding also destroyed the studio where she was set to record a new album. She had already chosen the songs for it, and she recorded After the Rain at Dockside Studios. It won the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Blues Album.

Irma: My Life in Music premieres at 8 p.m. Monday, Oct. 4, and also airs at 8 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 9, and 5:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 17. Other shows in WYES Jazz Fest in Your Living Room series include Murphys Make It Funky, Deacon Johns Jump Blues, Legends of New Orleans: The Music of Fats Domino, Satchmo in New Orleans, Count Basie: Through His Own Eyes, a Jazz Fest performance by BeauSoleil, Ken Burns series Jazz and more.

The Thomas documentary is the result of a collaboration between Murphy, the Jazz & Heritage Foundation and WYES. It will be offered to public television stations across the country, and Murphy expects to submit it to film festivals.
Seven men charged in the killing of a 12-year-old girl during a burst of retaliatory gunfire at a graduation party pleaded not guilty at their arraignment Monday in Orleans Parish Criminal District Court.

All seven face potential life sentences in the killing of Todriana Peters and wounding of two others in the Lower 9th Ward. Three more defendants who are being held in the St. Bernard Parish jail are set to be arraigned at an Oct. 18 hearing.

The 10-person indictment returned last month was the latest development in the investigation into the killing of Peters, a young girl who loved to cook and dance and would have turned 13 this month. Speaking at a press conference with Peters parents Monday, Orleans Parish District Attorney Jason Williams hailed the charges.

Peters was visiting a graduation party with her cousin in the Lower 9th Ward on May 30, according to Williams summary of the New Orleans Police Department investigation.

Defendants Dorian Ratliff, Tyrese Riley, Pernell Young and Marcus Venible were riding in a car together earlier in the day when they exchanged gunfire with another car, Williams said. Outside the party, they spotted an Infiniti which they believed belonged to the people who had been shooting at them.

The men began to senselessly fire upon the graduation party, wounding two males and killing Peters, Williams said.

+17 10 charged with murder, conspiracy in fatal shooting of 12-year-old Todriana Peters Less than three months after a hail of bullets outside a graduation party cut down a 12-year-old girl and wounded two others, Orleans Parish p

The district attorney did not detail the allegations against the other six men charged identically with second-degree murder, conspiracy to commit second-degree murder and two counts of attempted murder: Raquian Bell, Albert Major, Ahmaj Lynch, Broderick Andrews, Samuel Mack Jr and BJon Jarrow.

However, he said that all 10 share responsibility.

There are different degrees of participation in this case. All of them played a role in a beautiful 12-year-old girl losing her life and they will all be held accountable, he said.

Shackled and wearing orange prisoners jumpsuits, Jarrow, Lynch, Young, Riley, Bell, Major and Venible each pleaded not guilty via video link. Criminal Court Judge Robin Pittman appointed attorneys to represent all of them, except for Major, who indicated his family would hire a private lawyer.

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

Attorneys for Lynch and Riley declined comment. Other defense attorneys didn't immediately respond to requests for comment.

Andrews, Ratliff and Mack did not participate at Mondays hearing because they were arrested in St. Bernard Parish after the Aug. 26 unsealing of the indictment against them and the others, Assistant District Attorney Alex Calenda said.

Pittman tentatively scheduled the arraignment for Andrews, Ratliff and Mack for Oct. 18, when the rest of their co-defendants are set for a hearing aimed at handling procedural matters.

Murder convictions carry mandatory life imprisonment in Louisiana. Attempted murder calls for up to 50 years in prison, and conspiracy to commit murder can result in a maximum of 30 years.

As Williams acknowledged, another man was previously arrested before prosecutors refused charges against him. Williams said further investigation showed the man had no hand in the killing.

Williams said Peters parents were too distraught to speak at the press conference. But her aunt, Kim Rodgers, recalled a vibrant girl who loved spending time with family and dancing.

Peters was a 7th-grader at Schaumburg Elementary in New Orleans East.

She's probably still dancing right now, Rodgers said in front of a poster board with an image of Peters wearing angel wings. She just touched a lot of lives, and it's a lot of people who are hurting behind this.
A man and a woman accused of a deadly double shooting in the Florida neighborhood last month have been arrested in Baton Rouge, police announced Monday.

Melvinisha Howard, 43, and Joe Robinson, 23, are both suspected of murdering 32-year-old Djuan Brown.

Brown and a second man were in a car in the 2200 block of Piety Street about 5:45 p.m. on Aug. 13 when someone approached and shot them, police have said. The car they were riding in crashed more than a mile away at the corner of Ursula Spencer Way and Humanity Street, where Brown died. Paramedics took the second victim to a hospital.

Without elaborating, police said investigators determined Howard and Robinson were responsible for the shooting that killed Brown. Authorities tracked both to a home in Baton Rouge on Sept. 23, and they were taken to a jail in that city as fugitives, police said in a statement.

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

It wasnt immediately clear when the suspects would be transferred to New Orleans lockup. When they are extradited, Howard and Robinson will each be booked with counts of second-degree murder and attempted second-degree murder, according to police.

In Louisiana, murder is punishable by life imprisonment. Attempted murder can carry up to 50 years in prison.

Police have never publicly discussed a possible motive for Browns slaying. But on Monday they noted that Howard allegedly violated a restraining order during the killing, suggesting that theres a domestic aspect to the case.
A Terrebonne man is in custody and facing several charges after authorities say he killed a woman, injured a man and then shot at five Louisiana State troopers while he was trying to escape. He then hid in the woods, prompting a massive manhunt over the weekend.

Patrick Waddle, 38, of Schriever, was booked into the Terrebonne Parish Jail on several charges, including first degree murder, attempted first degree murder and five counts of attempted first degree murder of a police officer, according to the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff's Office and the Louisiana State Police.

He's being held on a $4 million bond.

The sheriff said deputies were called around 8 p.m. Saturday about a double shooting in 1800 block of Bull Run Road in Schriever. Waddle, who lives on the next block, is accused of shooting into the home from the outside of the building. A man and woman who lived there were both hit and taken to a hospital for treatment.

The woman, Lisa Eschete, 51, died Sunday, the sheriff said. The man's name and age have not been released.

Authorities said Waddle knew the two people, but they didn't release any details about a possible motive.

Shootout with State Police

Waddle drove off, authorities said, and Louisiana State troopers were called to assist.

As State troopers were driving north on Bull Run Road, they said the vehicle Waddle was driving approached them in the southbound lane.

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

They tried to stop him, police said, but he kept driving south. As he passed the troopers, police said he fired multiple shots. One of the troopers returned fire, but Waddle was not hit.

A trooper was injured during the shootout, but it wasn't immediately clear if he was hurt by a bullet or something else, according to State Police spokesman Ross Brennan. The injured trooper was taken to a hospital for what authorities described as a minor head injury.

He was released a short time later, they said.

'Extensive' manhunt

After the shootout, Waddle turned into a driveway and went into a wooded area, police said.

Troopers set up a perimeter, along with personnel from the Terrebonne Parish Sheriffs Office, Lafourche Parish Sheriffs Office, Assumption Parish Sheriffs Office, Houma Police Department, Thibodaux Police Department, Golden Meadow Police Department and Port Fourchon Harbor Police Department.

After an "extensive" manhunt, authorities said they found Waddle around 4:15 a.m. and took him into custody.

The investigation is ongoing and no other details were immediately available, authorities said.

Editor's note: This story has been updated with new information from authorities.
Twelve days before the grand opening of the revamped Slidell fishing pier, Hurricane Idas strong winds and storm surge wreaked havoc on its wooden pilings.

Now, the long-awaited pier won't open until next year.

Popular St. Tammany Fishing Pier The St. Tammany Parish fishing pier in Lake Pontchartrain near Slidell.

It was a mess, St. Tammany Parish spokesperson Michael Vinsanau said. More destruction than Hurricane Isaac and Gustav.

The pier was first conceived after Hurricane Katrina, when the state decided to replace the battered Interstate 10 twin span bridges, and locals pushed to convert sections of structure into a fishing pier.

The pier was closed for more than a year due to heavy damage during Hurricane Isaac. It closed again last November 2020 after it was damaged by Hurricane Zeta, Vinsanau said.

Still, officials continued to extend the pier by building 2,500 feet of additional fishing space on a remnant of the old westbound twin span. The new section, which cost $1.2 million, added benches, portable restrooms, fishing platforms and cleaning stations, and was set to open this month.

Then came Ida. St. Tammany Parish officials said the wooden boardwalk  the only way to access the new concrete addition  was either completely gone or messed up," Vinsanau said.

According to Jared Klein, the science and operations officer at the National Weather Service in Slidell, wind gusts of 75 mph were measured during the storm at nearby Eden Isles. They may have been higher because the wind sensor cut out soon after the area lost power, he said.

St. Tammany top stories in your inbox A weekly guide to the biggest news in St. Tammany. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

Officials believe water from Lake Pontchartrain reached eight or nine feet high inside the pier's bathroom and office trailer. Lake grass was found inside the window air conditioning unit, Vinsanau said.

We have never had this much grass wash up around the facility, parking lot and the banks, he said.

Three of the four electric meters that feed the lights on the pier, the trailers and a sewage lift station will need to be completely replaced after being submerged in saltwater, Vinsanau said. The sprinkler system was totally destroyed and the saltwater may have damaged the valves, he added.

FEMA and insurance are expected to cover the repairs, Vinsanau said.

_8503307.jpg The city-owned fishing pier extending 400 feet into Lake Pontchartrain immediately east of the Causeway will need to be rebuilt or repaired ag

The picture was similarly bleak on the western side of the parish, where Ida heavily damaged the public fishing pier at Mandeville's Sunset Point. That pier is now being used as a staging area for debris removal equipment.

The main reason I put Sunset Point out of commission is because its going to be used by the debris contractor. Its a central location, close to Old Mandeville where much of the (tree) damage is, Mandeville Mayor Clay Madden told the St. Tammany Farmer earlier this month.

A few months after it opened in April 2005, the Sunset Point pier was badly damaged by Katrina. It reopened in July 2007, but was battered again during Isaac. Repairs after that hurricane took almost a year.

Sections of wooden planks are now missing from the boardwalk and railings alongside the pier have collapsed. Madden said this week that the extent of the damages and a timeline for reopening likely won't be known for a while.

For your own safety and the safety of others," Mandeville officials wrote in a recent Facebook post, "please enjoy your sunsets and catch your fish at an alternative location for now."
The release of a cache of emails from the Democratic National Committee by WikiLeaks last month has raised a great many questions  about the role of the D.N.C. in trying to influence the primary and about the alleged interference of Russian intelligence in an American election.

It also raised long-debated questions about WikiLeaks itself, about how an organization dedicated to radical transparency continues to bring secretive worlds to light. And the episode reveals some of the weaknesses of WikiLeaks and its founder, Julian Assange, like their recklessness with personal data and their use of information to settle scores and drive personal agendas.

Ive had my own run-ins with Mr. Assange. During the making of my 2013 film, We Steal Secrets: The Story of WikiLeaks, I spent an agonizing six hours with him, when he was living in an English country house while out on bail. I was struck by how insistently he steered the conversation away from matters of principle to personal slights against him, and his plans for payback. He demanded personal intel on others I had interviewed, and dismissed questions about the organization by saying, I am WikiLeaks repeatedly. (Later, Mr. Assange and his followers attacked both me and my film.)

Even given that history, I believe that WikiLeaks was fully justified in publishing the D.N.C. emails, which provided proof that members of the D.N.C., in a hotly contested primary, discussed how to undermine the campaign of Bernie Sanders. They are clearly in the public interest.
The alarm sounded during one of the tensest periods in the Cold War. Three weeks earlier, the Soviets had shot down a Korean Air Lines commercial flight after it crossed into Soviet airspace, killing all 269 people on board, including a congressman from Georgia. President Ronald Reagan had rejected calls for freezing the arms race, declaring the Soviet Union an evil empire. The Soviet leader, Yuri V. Andropov, was obsessed by fears of an American attack.

Colonel Petrov was at a pivotal point in the decision-making chain. His superiors at the warning-system headquarters reported to the general staff of the Soviet military, which would consult with Mr. Andropov on launching a retaliatory attack.

After five nerve-racking minutes  electronic maps and screens were flashing as he held a phone in one hand and an intercom in the other, trying to absorb streams of incoming information  Colonel Petrov decided that the launch reports were probably a false alarm.

As he later explained, it was a gut decision, at best a 50-50 guess, based on his distrust of the early-warning system and the relative paucity of missiles that were launched.

Colonel Petrov died at 77 on May 19 in Fryazino, a Moscow suburb, where he lived alone on a pension. The death was not widely reported at the time. It was confirmed by his son, Dmitri, according to Karl Schumacher, a political activist who, after learning in 1998 of Colonel Petrovs Cold War role, traveled to Russia to meet him and remained a friend. The cause was hypostatic pneumonia.
Aerobic activities like jogging and interval training can make our cells biologically younger, according to a noteworthy new experiment. Weight training may not have the same effect, the study found, raising interesting questions about how various types of exercise affect us at a microscopic level and whether the differences should perhaps influence how we choose to move.

There is mounting and rousing evidence that being physically active affects how we age, with older people who exercise typically being healthier, more fit, better muscled and less likely to develop a variety of diseases and disabilities than their sedentary peers. But precisely how, at an interior, molecular level, exercise might be keeping us youthful has not been altogether clear. Past studies have shown that exercise alters the workings of many genes, as well as the immune system, muscle-repair mechanisms and many other systems within the body.

Some researchers have speculated that the most pervasive anti-aging effects of exercise may occur at the tips of our chromosomes, which are capped with tiny bits of matter known as telomeres. Telomeres seem to protect our DNA from damage during cell division but, unfortunately, shorten and fray as a cell ages. At some point, they no longer safeguard our DNA, and the cell becomes frail and inactive or dies.

Many scientists believe that telomere length is a useful measure of a cells functional age.

But researchers also have found that telomeres are mutable. They can be lengthened or shortened by lifestyle, including exercise. A 2009 study, for instance, found that middle-aged competitive runners tended to have much longer telomeres than inactive people of the same age. Their telomeres were, in fact, almost as lengthy of those of healthy, young people. But that study was associational; it showed only that older people who ran also were people with extended telomeres, not that the exercise necessarily caused that desirable condition.
They are drawn partly by the prospect of bringing a little normalcy to their lives in a place where coronavirus restrictions have been more relaxed than at home, even as cases of Covid-19 shatter records. Some of them are staying, at least for a while, and taking advantage of the six-month tourist visa Americans are granted on arrival.

I have no interest in going back, Mr. George said.

But while coming to this country may be a relief for many foreigners, particularly those fleeing colder weather, some Mexicans find the move irresponsible amid a pandemic, especially as the virus overwhelms Mexico City and its hospitals. Others say the problem lies with Mexican authorities, who waited too long to enact strict lockdown measures, making places like Mexico City enticing to outsiders.

If it was less attractive, fewer people would come, said Xavier Tello, a Mexico City health policy analyst. But what were creating is a vicious cycle, where were receiving more people, who are potentially infectious or infected from elsewhere, and they keep mixing with people that are potentially infectious or infected here in Mexico City.

In November, more than half a million Americans came to Mexico  of those, almost 50,000 arrived at Mexico Citys airport, according to official figures, less than half the number of U.S. visitors who arrived in November last year, but a surge from the paltry 4,000 that came in April, when much of Mexico was shut down. Since then, numbers have ticked up steadily: between June and August, U.S. visitors more than doubled.
BEIRUT, Lebanon  It didnt happen in 2016, after a Saudi jet had dropped American-made bombs on a funeral in the Yemeni capital, Sana, killing more than 140 people.

It didnt happen in 2018, after a Saudi jet hit a Yemeni school bus with an American-made bomb, killing 44 boys on a field trip.

But on Thursday, nearly six years after Saudi Arabia and its Arab allies launched a punishing military intervention in the Arab worlds poorest country, President Biden announced that he was ending U.S. support for the Saudi-led war in Yemen, including some arms sales.

This war has to end, Mr. Biden said, calling it a humanitarian and strategic catastrophe.

While Yemenis and many others welcomed the decision, many shared a sense that it had come years too late and was unlikely to exert a swift effect.
The foreign ministers of the two countries, Javad Zarif and Wang Yi, signed the agreement during a ceremony at the foreign ministry in Tehran on Saturday, according to Irans semiofficial Fars News Agency. That capped a two-day visit by Mr. Wang that reflected Chinas growing ambition to play a larger role in a region that has been a strategic preoccupation of the United States for decades.

China firmly supports Iran in safeguarding its state sovereignty and national dignity, Mr. Wang said in his meeting with President Hassan Rouhani, the Chinese foreign ministry reported. The United States, Mr. Wang said, should immediately rescind its sanctions on Iran and remove its long arm of jurisdictional measures that have been aimed at China, among others.

Iran did not make the details of the agreement public before the signing, nor did the Chinese government give specifics. But experts said it was largely unchanged from an 18-page draft obtained last year by The New York Times.

That draft detailed $400 billion of Chinese investments to be made in dozens of fields, including banking, telecommunications, ports, railways, health care and information technology, over the next 25 years. In exchange, China would receive a regular  and, according to an Iranian official and an oil trader, heavily discounted  supply of Iranian oil.
AL HARF, Yemen  The mothers first challenge when her spindly 8-month-old son came down with a fever, diarrhea and vomiting was to get from their poor, isolated village in northern Yemen to the nearest clinic.

After three days of failing to find a ride, she set out on foot, carrying her sick child for two hours to reach the medics who immediately recognized yet another case in Yemens spiraling crisis of acute malnutrition.

Even after a week of treatment with enriched formula, the boy, Sharaf Shaitah, lay motionless on a hospital bed, his bones peeking through the skin of his twiggy limbs. Asked if her family had enough to eat, his mother, Iman Murshid, replied, Sometimes we have enough, sometimes we dont.

Six years into a war that has killed hundreds of thousands of people, shattered the country and battered much of its infrastructure, Yemen faces rising rates of hunger that have created pockets of famine that aid groups warn are likely to grow, leaving even more malnourished Yemenis vulnerable to disease and starvation.
An Iranian military vessel stationed in the Red Sea was damaged by an apparent Israeli mine attack on Tuesday in an escalation of the shadowy naval skirmishing that has characterized the two adversaries exchanges in recent years.

The damage to the vessel, which the Iranian news media identified as the Saviz, came as progress was reported on the first day of talks to revive American participation in the 2015 nuclear agreement between Iran and major world powers. Israel, which regards Iran as its most potent foe, strongly opposes a restoration of that agreement, which was abandoned by the Trump administration three years ago.

Several Iranian news outlets showed images of flames and smoke billowing from a stricken vessel in the Red Sea, but the full extent of the damage or any casualties was unclear.

The Saviz, technically classified as a cargo ship, was the first vessel deployed for military use that is known to have been attacked in the Israeli-Iranian skirmishes.
JERUSALEM  The last time the centrifuges crashed at Irans underground nuclear fuel-production center at Natanz, more than a decade ago, the sabotage was the result of a joint Israeli-American cyberattack intended to slow Tehrans progress toward nuclear weapons and force a diplomatic negotiation.

When they crashed again this weekend, the White House asserted that the United States had no involvement.

The operation raised the question of whether Israel was acting on its own to strike Iran and undermine American diplomacy as the Biden administration seeks to reconstitute a nuclear agreement. Or, alternatively, whether Israel was operating in concert with American interests, carrying out dirty work that would weaken Irans negotiating position in the talks.

The White House was saying almost nothing in public on Monday about the apparent explosion inside Irans Natanz facility, below more than 20 feet of reinforced concrete, which destroyed the power supply that keeps the centrifuges spinning at supersonic speeds, enriching uranium.
The discussions, which began early this month and recessed last Friday, are intended to map out a plan for the return of Iran and the United States to compliance with the deal.

It has teetered on collapse since President Donald J. Trump withdrew the United States from it three years ago, restored economic sanctions and imposed new punitive measures as part of a maximum pressure strategy aimed at forcing Iran to agree to more restrictive terms.

Israel, which regards Iran as an existential threat, supported Mr. Trumps decision and has expressed anger at the Biden administrations intent to revive the agreement, arguing that it is weak and would not prevent Irans leaders from militarizing their nuclear capabilities. Iran has repeatedly said that its nuclear energy program is peaceful.

But Iran responded to the Natanz blackout with a reported attack on an Israeli ship, which was said to have caused only minor damage and no fatalities, and then announced its plan to enrich uranium to 60 percent purity, up from 20 percent, moving a big step closer to the 90 percent level that could be used to fuel a nuclear weapon.

Iran began reneging on pledges to limit its enriched uranium stockpile under the 2015 nuclear deal after the Trump administration renounced American participation.

Iranian officials have also said the country plans to replace centrifuges at Natanz with more modern ones banned under the original nuclear deal. Kazem Gharibabadi, Irans ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency, the Vienna-based nuclear-monitoring arm of the United Nations,said on Twitter that process could begin soon.

An Iranian parliamentary delegation visited Natanz on Wednesday, and one lawmaker said the wreckage was less extensive than from arson sabotage there last July. Speaking on the Clubhouse chat site, the lawmaker, Vahid Jalalzadeh, said that some underground tunnels had been damaged, but that part of the facility had power and that centrifuges were operating. There was no way to corroborate his assessment, which differed from earlier accounts of large-scale ruin.
BEIRUT, Lebanon  In less than nine months, an assassin on a motorbike fatally shot an Al Qaeda commander given refuge in Tehran, Irans chief nuclear scientist was machine-gunned on a country road, and two separate, mysterious explosions rocked a key Iranian nuclear facility in the desert, striking the heart of the countrys efforts to enrich uranium.

The steady drumbeat of attacks, which intelligence officials said were carried out by Israel, highlighted the seeming ease with which Israeli intelligence was able to reach deep inside Irans borders and repeatedly strike its most heavily guarded targets, often with the help of turncoat Iranians.

The attacks, the latest wave in more than two decades of sabotage and assassinations, have exposed embarrassing security lapses and left Irans leaders looking over their shoulders as they pursue negotiations with the Biden administration aimed at restoring the 2015 nuclear agreement.

The recriminations have been caustic.

The head of Parliaments strategic center said Iran had turned into a haven for spies. The former commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps called for an overhaul of the countrys security and intelligence apparatus. Lawmakers have demanded the resignation of top security and intelligence officials.
WASHINGTON  More than a century after the Ottoman Empires killing of an estimated 1.5 million Armenian civilians, President Biden is preparing to declare that the atrocities were an act of genocide, according to officials familiar with the internal debate. The action would signal that the American commitment to human rights outweighs the risk of further fraying the U.S. alliance with Turkey.

Mr. Biden is expected to announce the symbolic designation on Saturday, the 106th anniversary of the beginning of what historians call a yearslong and systematic death march that the predecessors of modern Turkey started during World War I. He would be the first sitting American president to do so, although Ronald Reagan made a glancing reference to the Armenian genocide in a 1981 written statement about the Holocaust, and both the House and the Senate approved measures in 2019 to make its recognition a formal matter of U.S. foreign policy.

At least 29 other countries have taken similar steps  mostly in Europe and the Americas, but also Russia and Syria, Turkeys political adversaries.

A U.S. official with knowledge of the administrations discussions said Mr. Biden had decided to issue the declaration, and others across the government and in foreign embassies said it was widely expected.
NAIROBI, Kenya  Days after Somalias president relented on plans to extend his term in office following street battles and international condemnation, his government said on Thursday that it would restore diplomatic relations with Kenya, ending a monthslong standoff that had injected an additional note of instability into an already volatile region.

The Somali deputy minister of information said that Qatar had played a role in mediating between the two nations, and that the two sides would hold further talks in the near future on issues including trade and the movement of people.

The announcement, six months after Mogadishu severed relations with Nairobi, accusing it of blatant interference in its internal political affairs, came just days after tensions also ratcheted down on the domestic front.

On Saturday, President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed, facing huge domestic and international pressure, as well as infighting among rival security forces in the streets of the capital, backed down on a bid to extend his term and called for the resumption of election planning.
BOGOTA, Colombia  Protests have rocked Colombia for more than a month, with thousands of people pouring into the streets of its major cities, demonstrators blocking major roads and the police responding at times with lethal force. At least 46 people, many of them protesters, have died.

On Sunday, President Ivan Duque announced that he would ask Congress to pass measures aimed at reforming the countrys national police, including the creation of a human rights directorate within the department and the introduction of body cameras for all street-level officers.

Allegations of police abuse have drawn international condemnation since the protests began.

Mr. Duque said such reforms would help the department strengthen the policy of defense, protection and guardianship of human rights.

Interviews and video analysis by The New York Times show that police officers have fired bullets at peaceful protesters, beaten demonstrators in custody and fired tear gas canisters or other forms of less-lethal ammunition at people from close range. At least three officers now face murder charges.
The forced landing of a commercial flight on Sunday, seen by several countries as a state hijacking, has put Belarus and its strongman president, Alexander G. Lukashenko, in a new global spotlight.

It came less than a year after Belarusians were met with a violent police crackdown when they protested the results of an election that many Western governments derided as a sham.

The Ryanair flight from Athens to Vilnius, Lithuania, was diverted to Minsk using the ruse of a bomb threat, according to Western governments, with the goal of detaining Roman Protasevich, a 26-year-old dissident journalist. In a video released by the government, he confessed to taking part in organizing mass unrest last year, but friends say the confession was made under duress.
CAIRO  Mysterious fires sank Irans largest warship and burned a big Tehran oil refinery on Wednesday  seemingly unconnected blazes that nonetheless raised suspicions the country had once again been targeted by Israeli saboteurs.

The fires broke out hours apart as Iran was reporting progress in talks aimed at resurrecting the international nuclear agreement scrapped three years ago by the Trump administration, which the Biden administration wants to restore. Israel, which regards Iran as a dangerous adversary, opposes such an accord, contending it will not stop Iran from weaponizing nuclear fuel.

Revival of the accord would alleviate onerous economic sanctions imposed by the United States in exchange for guarantees that Iranian nuclear work remains peaceful.

Iran has sought to prevent recent acts of sabotage from derailing the nuclear negotiations. But it has acknowledged serious security holes and Israels infiltration abilities, including an explosion that wrecked part of its Natanz uranium enrichment complex less than two months ago.
Alas, Irans ruling clerics are shrewd survivors. They can guess your might from 100 miles away. And when they concluded that no one would actually dare to try to topple them or destroy their nuclear facilities  no matter how often American or Israeli leaders said that nothing is off the table  these savvy and ruthless clerics found a way to never fully give up their nuclear capacity. The negotiations always came down to the same thing: trying to get the best from Iran that money or covert action could buy.

For all of Trumps tough talk, and even with his assassination of Irans top underground warrior, Qassim Suleimani, Trump had no diplomatic strategy to leverage his maximum pressure campaign into attainable objectives that would improve the Iran nuclear deal or limit Irans regional activities, said Robert Litwak, senior vice president of the Wilson Center and author of Managing Nuclear Risks. He was not ready to use maximum force. So, the Iranians just waited him out.

Im glad for that. I do not support forcing regime change in Tehran from outside. That is a project only the Iranian people have the right and the power to do. Thats why I support all these different ways of getting the best deal money and covert action can buy  but I have no illusions that they will make Iran a good neighbor.

As the saying goes, Problems have solutions, but dilemmas have horns. And managing the struggle with this Iranian regime is to permanently shift back and forth on the horns of a dilemma.

This reality, though, is now causing a quiet but serious rift between the U.S. and Israel. And while the post-Bibi Netanyahu Israeli government will handle it more quietly, it already knows that Joe Biden is a different cat.

Its not only that Biden wont grant Israels new prime minister his every whim the way Trump did Bibi. It is that Biden is tightly focused on securing what he thinks is Americas primary strategic interest in the Middle East  preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon that would force Turkey and all the Arab states to get nukes, thereby blowing up the global nuclear nonproliferation order and making the region a giant threat to global stability.

The Biden team believes that Trumps maximum-pressure campaign did not diminish Irans malign behavior in the region one iota (it will show you the data to prove it). So, Biden wants to at least lock up Irans nuclear program for a while and then try blunting its regional troublemaking in other ways. At the same time, Biden wants to put more focus on nation-building at home and on countering China.
Al Shabab has had more freedom to maneuver, Maj. Gen. Dagvin R.M. Anderson, who commands American Special Operations forces in Africa, said in an interview. In recent Senate testimony, General Anderson called Al Shabab the largest, wealthiest and most violent Al Qaeda-associated group in the world.

Proponents of stepping up counterterrorism activities in Somalia say it is important for the United States to continue strikes on militants and to help train government forces to prevent their territory from becoming a haven for planning terrorist attacks. But some analysts expressed pessimism about what could be accomplished there, citing Somalias deep-seated political, economic and security problems.

Absent a more comprehensive overhaul to the U.S. approach, neither military trainers nor drone strikes will be sufficient to change the trajectory of the conflict, which weighs heavily in Al Shababs favor, said Tricia Bacon, a Somalia specialist at American University in Washington and a former counterterrorism analyst for the State Department.

Unfortunately, there is no military solution to the conflict, she said.

Under the Trump-era rules, the United States carried out 52 drone strikes in Somalia in 2020 and 63 the year before, almost all against Al Shabab with a handful of attacks against the Islamic State in Somalia. The military conducted six more strikes in the final days of the Trump administration, but it has not carried out any since Mr. Biden became president.

When the Biden administration imposed the new limits on such strikes, it initially envisioned devising a new set of rules for drone strikes as part of a 60-day review of counterterrorism policy. The talks have now extended for almost five months.

The delays have been driven by a number of factors, including uncertainty about how far away drones that can carry out strikes in Afghanistan will be based  where the new rules will also apply after American ground forces pull out  and competing priorities for the use of surveillance craft used to watch who is coming and going from a strike zone.

Policymakers are wrestling with questions like whether to tighten a requirement of near certainty that no civilians will be killed so that it always protects adult men, not just women and children. They are also considering whether a newly appointed leader of an Islamist militant group can be targeted based on his position alone and without knowing much else about that person, or whether more should be learned about his actions and intentions first.
Intrigued, the scholars crunched the data on every government worldwide since 1900. Over and over, they found, revolutionary systems lasted longer and survived crises that others did not. (This does not mean they last forever. The worlds most famous, the Soviet Union, made it an impressive 69 years  then imploded.)

Could it be that some other trait explained their longevity? No: Even controlling for factors like wealth, natural resources or government composition, the trend held.

They noticed something else: These countries experienced 72 percent fewer mass protests, attempted coups or fissures among the governing elite than other countries did. These are the leading causes of dictatorship death. It was like discovering a gene that slashed the risk of heart attack by three-quarters.

The scholars identified a handful of traits that explained this divergence.

The revolution itself, by definition, culminates with the root-and-branch destruction of the old order. Bottom-up organizations like the clergy or the merchant class, which could otherwise challenge the governments hold on society, are mostly purged or sidelined. So are top-down institutions, like the military and the administrative bureaucracy.

The revolution may or may not be competent at administering every last function of state and society. But the process leaves it with no real rivals from within or below.

And that control usually extends to every level of the military and the security services, filled out by true believers. This all but removes risks of a coup or other breakdown  and makes leaders far bolder in using those forces to put down dissenters.

Revolutionary orders are also remarkably cohesive. There may be disagreements and power struggles. But they are among revolutionaries who are bought into the system as-is and, from dogcatcher to fleet commander, work to maintain it.
MOSCOW  The party of Armenias prime minister, Nikol Pashinyan, won a snap election over the weekend that also signaled at least grudging acceptance by Armenians of a peace settlement negotiated last fall with Azerbaijan.

Forced on Armenia by battlefield losses and negotiated by Mr. Pashinyan, the settlement remains deeply unpopular. It ended a six-week war over the enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh, an ethnic-Armenian area inside Azerbaijan, but at a steep cost for the Armenian side. The deal ceded territory that included centuries-old monasteries that are a touchstone for Armenian national identity.

In the immediate wake of the deal in November, nationalist protesters stormed Mr. Pashinyans office and tore his nameplate from the door. It seemed unclear whether he could remain in power to enforce the tentative peace in the South Caucasus, a region where Turkey and Russia compete for influence.

But the election results announced on Monday showed Armenian voters apparently willing to accept Mr. Pashinyans agreement, and with it a cleareyed view of their countrys difficult security challenges.
American officials also seized Farss website in 2018, when it was registered as a .com domain. The news agency switched to an Iranian domain of .ir and was back online soon afterward  a strategy that Press TV said on Tuesday that it would follow.

Amir Rashidi, the director of digital rights and security at Miaan Group and an expert on Iranian technology, likened the security action to a game of whack-a-mole  you close this domain, they open another and there is nothing they can do.

The way to combat disinformation is information and strengthening independent journalism, giving the population internet access, Mr. Rashidi said.

It was unclear how the security operation might affect the nuclear negotiations, which have been underway in Vienna since April.

Diplomats from the world powers that are trying to revive the accord said after meetings in Vienna on Sunday that the talks were making some progress, with the top Russian negotiator, Mikhail Ulyanov, even predicting a possible breakthrough by mid-July. The negotiators were to return to their capitals this week to brief their governments on the latest developments.

American and Iranian officials are not negotiating directly, leaving it to diplomats from Europe, China and Russia to serve as intermediaries in the talks, which are aimed at bringing the United States and Iran back into compliance with the 2015 nuclear accord that the United States left three years later on the orders of President Donald J. Trump.

President Biden has said that rejoining the nuclear agreement is one of his top foreign policy priorities, although his aides have largely downplayed any certainty that a deal will be struck.
Iranian-based threat actors are some of the more persistent and well-resourced groups attempting to operate online, including on our platform, the Facebook spokeswoman said.

FakeReporters researchers found that many of the images and memes the Iranians used came from Iranian sites, or could be linked back to Facebook and Twitter accounts with previous links to Iran. While researchers believe many countries have been doing this, the recent investigation was the first to detail how a government could burrow its way into small, online community groups and to show how disinformation campaigns operate on encrypted apps.

U.S. intelligence agencies are concerned that the same could be happening in the United States. Last week, the Justice Department said it was blocking access to three dozen websites linked to disinformation efforts by Iran. A U.S. intelligence official told The Times that the authorities were closely monitoring messaging groups on Telegram, WhatsApp and other apps for Iranian disinformation.

The apps are an ideal means for Iran to enter a closed group of people with similar viewpoints and spread divisive and extremist messages, said the intelligence official, who was not authorized to give interviews and spoke on the condition of anonymity. They were sharing memes, for example, that likened Mr. Netanyahu to Adolf Hitler  an offensive comparison that could prod some people into more extreme views and make others think their online groups had become too extreme.

In these closed messaging groups, people tend to trust one another and share more freely because there is a feeling that they share the same politics, and that the app itself is secure and safe, said Gonen Ben Itzhak, an Israeli lawyer who once worked for Israels Shin Bet intelligence agency. He was among dozens of Israelis who said the Iranian efforts had targeted them.

The people who unknowingly communicated with the Iranians said the pandemic and upheaval in Israeli politics had made them especially vulnerable to the disinformation.

To avoid large crowds during the pandemic, many Israelis participated in local protests for their town, city or even their block. To plan for them, Israelis formed neighborhood groups on WhatsApp, Telegram and other social media platforms. The groups could be joined by anyone. New members often connected by clicking on a link shared by a friend or posted to a public website. While some of the groups had a few dozen members, others had over 10,000.
Iran is struggling with a fifth wave of the coronavirus pandemic, an economy strained by American sanctions and stalled talks on rescuing a nuclear agreement that was once seen as an economic salvation.

Now the country is contending with a different but easily foreseen crisis: a severe water shortage.

A prolonged drought and rising temperatures from climate change, combined with decades of government mismanagement of natural resources and lack of planning, have turned the water crisis into a volatile incubator of protests and violent unrest.

For the past week, demonstrators have surged into the streets of parched Khuzestan Province in the southwest, the epicenter of the protests. They have been met by security forces whose crackdowns have sometimes turned deadly  fueling more anger that is spreading elsewhere.

Khuzestan is home to an ethnic Arab population that has historically faced discrimination and that includes a restive separatist movement. But the protesters have insisted their grievance is not tied to separatism.
BUENOS AIRES  Argentina has become the first country in Latin America to officially recognize gender nonbinary people, who can now choose to have their gender marked as an X on their national identity documents and passports if they do not identify as either female or male.

The change, enacted by decree by President Alberto Fernandez, is the latest example of how he has made it a priority to expand the rights of women and sexual minorities. It comes weeks after he signed into law a measure that sets aside one percent of the countrys public sector jobs for transgender individuals, which Congress approved in June.

We have the need to expand our minds and realize that there are other ways to love and be loved and there are other identities besides the identity of man and the identity of woman, Mr. Fernandez said Wednesday in a ceremony where he presented the first three national identity documents with nonbinary markers. And they must be respected.

Argentina joins several other countries, including New Zealand, Canada and Australia, as well as several U.S. states, that allow a nonbinary gender marker in identity documents.
The Biden administration imposed new sanctions on a group of Syrian prisons and officials on Wednesday as part of its effort to pressure the government of President Bashar al-Assad to end human rights abuses.

The sanctions were the first to be directed at Syria by the Biden administration, which called for a resolution to the civil war that has gone on for more than a decade.

Todays designations promote accountability for abuses committed against the Syrian people and deny rogue actors access to the international financial system, Andrea M. Gacki, the director of the Treasury Departments Office of Foreign Assets Control, said in a statement. This action demonstrates the United States strong commitment to targeting human rights abuses in Syria, regardless of the perpetrator.

The Treasury Department put sanctions on eight Syrian prisons, five Assad government officials who work in the institutions that run those facilities, two militia groups and two militia leaders.
SEOUL  When South Koreans logged on to a government website this month to book Covid-19 vaccine appointments, a pop-up window told them there was just a bit of a delay.

There are 401,032 people waiting in front of you, read one of the messages that exasperated South Koreans captured in screenshots and shared online. Your expected waiting time: 111 hours, 23 minutes and 52 seconds.

Most people in the country are still waiting for shots.

Once held up as a model in fighting the pandemic, South Korea has stumbled for months with its vaccination program. The country is among the least vaccinated in the Group of 20 nations, with only 34.9 percent of its 52 million people having received at least one dose as of Wednesday, well below the 55 to 70 percent in other advanced nations. And now South Koreans are more desperate than ever for shots.

The country is in the throes of its worst wave of infections, with 1,896 new cases reported on Wednesday, its highest daily count. Critics say that the government, resting on its early success in the pandemic, miscalculated how urgently South Korea needed to secure shots, and that those mistakes are being amplified at a time when the country appears to be most vulnerable against the disease.
WASHINGTON  President Donald J. Trump pressed top Justice Department officials late last year to declare that the election was corrupt even though they had found no instances of widespread fraud, so he and his allies in Congress could use the assertion to try to overturn the results, according to new documents provided to lawmakers.

The demands were an extraordinary instance of a president interfering with an agency that is typically more independent from the White House to advance his personal agenda. They are also the latest example of Mr. Trumps wide-ranging campaign during his final weeks in office to delegitimize the election results.

The exchange unfolded during a phone call on Dec. 27 in which Mr. Trump pressed the acting attorney general at the time, Jeffrey A. Rosen, and his deputy, Richard P. Donoghue, on voter fraud claims that the Justice Department had found no evidence for. Mr. Donoghue warned that the department had no power to change the outcome of the election. Mr. Trump replied that he did not expect that, according to notes Mr. Donoghue took memorializing the conversation.

Just say that the election was corrupt + leave the rest to me and to congressional allies, Mr. Donoghue wrote in summarizing Mr. Trumps response.
AL-FASHAGA, Sudan  The bodies floated over the border in ones and twos, bloated and bearing knife or gunshot wounds, carried on waters that flow from the Tigray region of northern Ethiopia.

At least 40 bodies have washed up on a riverbank in eastern Sudan in the past week, in some cases just a few hundred yards from the border with Ethiopia, according to international aid workers and doctors who helped retrieve the corpses.

The grisly finds at the river are apparent evidence of the latest atrocities in a brutal, nine-month civil war between Ethiopian federal forces and their allies, and fighters in the Tigray region of northern Ethiopia  a conflict accompanied by reports of massacres, ethnic cleansing and widespread sexual assault.

Few of the bodies have been identified, but several contained tattoos that suggested they were ethnic Tigrayans, and many bore signs of a violent death or had their hands bound behind their backs, witnesses said.
FRESNILLO, Mexico  The violence was already terrifying, she said, when grenades exploded outside her church in broad daylight some five years ago. Then children in town were kidnapped, disappearing without a trace. Then the bodies of the executed were dumped in city streets.

And then came the day last month when armed men burst into her home, dragged her 15-year-old son and two of his friends outside and shot them to death, leaving Guadalupe  who didnt want her full name published out of fear of the men  too terrified to leave the house.

I do not want the night to come, she said, through tears. Living with fear is no life at all.

For most of the population of Fresnillo, a mining city in central Mexico, a fearful existence is the only one they know; 96 percent of residents say they feel unsafe, the highest percentage of any city in Mexico, according to a recent survey from Mexicos national statistics agency.
Mr. Lukashenko cracked down on the opposition that arose last year after a disputed election. Now, with the worlds attention focused on Afghanistan, it may appear that he has things under control. But under the surface, opposition activists are working assiduously to keep the revolt alive, and they firmly believe it is only a matter of time before the strongman loses his grip.

On Aug. 9, for instance, a dozen Belarusian activists draped themselves in flags of white and red  the colors associated with the opposition and virtually banned in Belarus from display in any form  and staged a protest in a secluded pine forest under cover of darkness. No one could see them, but they shared pictures of their action online.

Image A post on the social media app Telegram. Credit... Telegram

If caught, Maksim and his band of partisans, as they call themselves in a nod to World War II-era antifascist guerrillas, could face years in prison. In contemporary Belarus, under Mr. Lukashenkos increasingly isolated and authoritarian rule, many have been jailed for far less.

A man in Minsk was sentenced to 12 days in prison over his young sons drawing of the sun in a blue sky that had been hanging in a window for four years. Another man in Brest was jailed for a month for writing a line from the Lords Prayer on a building. A man was jailed for 15 days because he left the red and white box a TV came in on his balcony.
Among them was Alem Bilatte, 54, a retired army officer, who called the Tigray forces Ethiopias enemy and promised to train new recruits or go to the battlefront himself. My blood is boiling, he said as he registered in the capital.

Bekelech Ayalew, 47, a former infantry nurse draped with an Ethiopian flag, said she was ready to treat soldiers on the front lines. Sacrificing my blood and dying for Ethiopia is a privilege, she said.

As the recruitment drive has gotten underway, rebel forces have continued to advance in western Tigray, an area that ethnic Amharas historically claim as their own and took over in the early stages of the conflict. Heavy fighting, including artillery fire, has been reported in the Amhara, Oromia and Afar regions, according to an internal United Nations security document seen by The New York Times.

The dynamics of the war are also shifting as the fighting escalates.

This month the Oromo Liberation Army, designated a terrorist organization by the Ethiopian government, declared an alliance with the Tigrayan forces, raising the prospect of other splinter groups or regional governments becoming involved in the fighting.

Mustafa Omer, the president of the eastern Somali region, which has sent hundreds of soldiers to join the war on the government side, said he would never negotiate with the T.P.L.F., which he said had tortured and killed his brother and made other family members disappear in its authoritarian, nearly three-decade time in power.

They caused a lot of harm, and they are looking to bring back the same political designs if they win, Mr. Omer said in a phone interview. They are a danger to the country.
Another major obstacle for nuclear power is its price: Nuclear plants cost billions of dollars to build, making them one of the most expensive sources of electricity. Solar panels, by contrast, now generate the cheapest electricity in history  so cheap that new solar projects, building costs included, can now compete with existing nuclear plants.

What is remarkable about these trends, a report on the nuclear industry found last year, is that the costs of renewables continue to fall due to incremental manufacturing and installation improvements while nuclear, despite over half a century of industrial experience, continues to see costs rising.

That explains in part why Frances reliance on nuclear power remains such an outlier. No country has managed to develop a safe, successful, economically competitive nuclear power industry in a market-based environment, Naomi Oreskes, a Harvard historian, said last year. This tells us that nuclear power is unlikely to be successful in market-based economies. It may work in China, but it is unlikely to work in most other places.

Nuclear power proponents say its economic problems can be solved. Putting a price on carbon pollution so that fossil fuels reflect their true environmental cost, for example, could help make nuclear power competitive with natural gas, as could advances in reactor designs. Last year, the Department of Energy announced that it would fund the development of two such designs, including one championed by Bill Gates.

But carbon taxes have so far proved a political nonstarter in the United States, and an analysis from the Union of Concerned Scientists in March found that so-called advanced reactor designs do not offer obvious improvements over current technology, could pose novel safety risks and will likely take decades to achieve commercial viability. Advances in battery technology that could solve the long-duration storage problem of renewables, on the other hand, appear closer on the horizon.

Perhaps most important, nuclear power plants take much longer to build than renewable energy projects. Since the Three Mile Island accident in 1979, the construction time for most reactors in the United States has exceeded 10 years, Allison Macfarlane notes in Foreign Affairs. If the United States hopes to meet its emissions reduction targets, it cant afford to wait that long.

We need strong government support of noncarbon-emitting energy technologies that are ready to be deployed today, not 10 or 20 years from now, she writes. We have run out of time.
WASHINGTON  It was exactly what President Biden feared most.

His decision to end Americas longest war was driven, he had said repeatedly, by his determination not to sacrifice even one more member of the military on behalf of an effort he had long believed was no longer in the interests of the United States.

But on Thursday morning, the withdrawal he set in motion claimed the lives of 13 U.S. troops, along with scores of Afghan civilians  the first American casualties in Afghanistan in 18 months and the deadliest day there for the U.S. military since 2011.

In searing remarks from the East Room of the White House Thursday evening, Mr. Biden pledged to hunt down the terrorists who claimed credit for the bombings at the Kabul airport but said the frantic, dangerous evacuation of U.S. citizens and allies from Afghanistan would continue for several more days.

To those who carried out this attack, as well as anyone who wishes America harm, know this: We will not forgive, Mr. Biden said, using language that had grim echoes of warnings President George W. Bush made after the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. We will not forget. We will hunt you down and make you pay.
WASHINGTON  American intelligence agencies have not been able to determine if the coronavirus pandemic was the result of an accidental leak from a lab or if it emerged more naturally, according to declassified portions of a report to the White House that were released on Friday.

The nations spy agencies, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence said, are unlikely to reach a conclusion without more cooperation from China or new sources of information.

In a statement, President Biden said the United States would continue working to understand the origins of the virus and he called on China to be more transparent about what led to its emergence there in late 2019 before spreading rapidly across the globe.

We will do everything we can to trace the roots of this outbreak that has caused so much pain and death around the world, so that we can take every necessary precaution to prevent it from happening again, Mr. Biden said. Critical information about the origins of this pandemic exists in the Peoples Republic of China, yet from the beginning, government officials in China have worked to prevent international investigators and members of the global public health community from accessing it.
On Wednesday officials urged Louisiana residents who had evacuated to stay away indefinitely as power and water outages caused by Hurricane Ida continued. As search and rescue operations wound down, the region faced the prospect of weeks without basic services amid sweltering heat and humidity.

Nearly a million customers were still without electricity in areas including all of New Orleans, where the storm took out all eight transmission lines into the city. The utility company Entergy announced on Wednesday that it had returned power to about 11,500 customers in New Orleans.

Carbon monoxide poisoning was seen as an increasing danger with many residents relying on generators for electricity. Officials said on Wednesday that at least one resident of Orleans Parish had died from carbon monoxide poisoning, bringing the storms death total to at least eight by Wednesday evening.
The new measures will carve out other benefits for landlords, including the addition of a nuisance standard so property owners can commence eviction proceedings if a protected tenant is a nuisance or had heavily damaged a property. The moratorium extension will apply to residential and commercial evictions, as well as foreclosures.

Tenant groups and landlords, typically at odds, agree that extending the moratorium is a temporary solution that will only go so far if the state does not distribute $2.7 billion in rent relief that has mostly languished, leaving renters and landlords with troves of unpaid bills.

The money, which the state gives directly to landlords, is meant to prevent evictions by covering the unpaid bills of low-income renters, including up to 12 months of past rent, three months of future rent and utilities. But the program, which Mr. Cuomo launched over the summer, has been slow to distribute the money, in part because of technical difficulties, but also because many landlords and tenants were unaware of the aid.

As of Tuesday, more than $203 million  or about 7 percent of the money available  had been paid out for about 15,000 households, according to the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance, which is running the rent relief program.

The program also shields tenants from eviction if their application for rent relief is pending. As of Aug. 23, the most recent data available, more than 176,000 applications had been received by the state.

Landlords and activists said Ms. Hochul, who has made fixing the program a top priority, should focus the states efforts on reaching every renter in debt and getting them to apply to the program before another moratorium expires again.

It is a massive failure that 18 months into this emergency the state government has not even attempted to gather complete data on exactly how many New Yorkers are behind on their rent and how much debt they have accrued, said Jay Martin, the executive director of the Community Housing Improvement Program, a landlord group.
Mayor Bill de Blasio of New York City has directed all of the city employees who are currently working from home to return to the office full-time starting in less than two weeks, a signal that he is intent on resurrecting the citys office-dependent central business district despite the Delta variant of the coronavirus.

In a Wednesday email to agency heads that was acquired by The New York Times, the mayors reopening task force said the roughly 80,000 office workers employed at city agencies would resume pre-March 2020 work schedules in the office beginning September 13. There are more than 300,000 city workers overall, but many of them are essential employees who have already been reporting to job sites.

The move represents an escalation of the citys requirements for its work force, and is bound to discomfit employees who are concerned about the spread of the highly contagious Delta variant, or who have grown accustomed to the conveniences afforded by working from home.

In the first half of August, the seven-day average of new virus cases in the city reached its highest level since April, but cases have since declined slightly, to 1,844 on Tuesday, according to data compiled by The New York Times.
Officials of the World Health Organization on Wednesday called on countries with a surplus of Covid-19 vaccines to speed up donations of doses to Latin American and Caribbean nations where immunization is moving slowly.

While every country in our region has begun administering Covid-19 vaccines, immunizations are following the fault lines of inequality that have long divided our region, Dr. Carissa F. Etienne, the director of the Pan American Health Organization, a division of the W.H.O., said at a news conference.

Only one in four people in Latin America and the Caribbean has been fully immunized against Covid-19, and for many, vaccines remain months away, Dr. Etienne added.

The divisions within the region are stark. Chile and Uruguay have managed to fully vaccinate more than 60 percent of their populations while more than a third of countries in the region have yet to reach 20 percent.
The authorities in Hawaii are struggling to transport tanks of oxygen from the mainland as the states hospitals grow increasingly strained by new coronavirus infections.

Medical authorities are asking people to postpone elective surgeries and the states 223 I.C.U. beds have dwindled to 16 available, said Hilton R. Raethel, the president and chief executive of the Healthcare Association of Hawaii.

The most critical point for Hawaii that weve experienced during this entire pandemic is right now, he said.

Since July 1, Hawaii has been battling its highest surge in virus infections and hospitalizations, with the seven-day average of reported cases reaching 884 on Tuesday, according to a New York Times database. The seven-day hospitalization average peaked at 427 on Monday. Health experts say the surge is driven by the highly contagious Delta variant and low vaccination rates.
CONAKRY, Guinea  Heavy gunfire echoed around the capital of Guinea early on Sunday morning. Then pictures surfaced on social media of the West African countrys president being held in custody by men in military fatigues. Finally, the head of Guineas special forces announced on state television that the constitution, government and all institutions were dissolved. He had staged a coup.

And if the takeover proves successful, Guinea will become the third West African country to experience a violent transfer of power in the past five months.

In April, the president who had ruled Chad for three decades was killed on the battlefield and replaced by his son in what academics called a covert coup. In May, Malis vice president arrested the president, prime minister and defense minister in the countrys second coup within nine months.

Sundays coup in Guinea comes barely a year after the president, Alpha Conde, won a contentious third term after changing the Constitution, allowing him to stay in power beyond the two-term limit.
Mr. David also suggested edits to a letter intended to malign Ms. Boylan that was being circulated among Mr. Cuomo and his aides, and said that he would collect signatures for it from former aides. He declined to sign it himself, however, and he later said that he did not know the extent of the allegations against Mr. Cuomo. He called for Mr. Cuomos resignation after the report came out.

A person familiar with the deliberations among the board of the Human Rights Campaign said that Mr. David never told the organization that he was helping to advise Mr. Cuomos office when the accusations came to light. The person said Mr. David did not consult the groups counsel, or tell them that he was going to be interviewed by Ms. Jamess office.



Mr. David said he would fight his firing. As a Black, gay man who has spent his whole life fighting for civil and human rights, they cannot shut me up, he said in a Twitter post late Monday. Expect a legal challenge.

Earlier, the co-chairs of the board, Morgan Cox and Jodie Patterson, said in a statement that they had decided to end Mr. Davids role effective immediately, for violations of his contract with the Human Rights Campaign.

This is a painful moment in our movement, they wrote. While the boards decision is not the outcome we had ever envisioned or hoped for in terms of Mr. Davids tenure with H.R.C., his actions have put us in an untenable position by violating H.R.C.s core values, policies and mission.

The statement touched on a public quarrel that unfolded between Mr. David and the board over the weekend, after Mr. David said that he had been told that a review of his actions had been completed without any finding of wrongdoing.
Moroccos moderate Islamist party suffered major losses in parliamentary elections on Wednesday, a stinging setback in one of the last countries where Islamists had risen to power after the Arab Spring protests.

Moroccans cast ballots in legislative, municipal and regional races, the first such votes in the country since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.

Despite turnout figures showing nearly half of Moroccans didnt cast a ballot, the results were clear: The Justice and Development Party, the moderate Islamists known as the PJD, who have held power since 2011, faced steep losses up and down the ballot  enough to lose control of Parliament.

With most of the votes counted, the winners included the National Rally of Independents (with 97 seats, according to the Interior Ministry) and the conservative Istiqlal party, both seen as closely aligned with the monarchy. The PJD had 12, according to early results.
For questions about requirements in a given European Union member state, the best answers can usually be found on the website of its U.S. Embassy. Most, including France, Spain and Germany, still welcome travelers from the United States without much hassle.

It is different for a few others, and thats where the confusion starts.

For instance, any traveler from the United States, no matter their nationality, is prohibited from entering Bulgaria unless they meet an exception, according to the U.S. Embassy in Sofia. Those exceptions include students with a visa, citizens from an E.U. country, and foreign officials or medical professionals.

In Italy, meanwhile, the U.S. Embassy in Rome states that vaccinated travelers must take a virus test 72 hours before arrival, and that unvaccinated ones must isolate for five days. France has no travel restrictions on American visitors, but a health pass, based on testing or proof of vaccination, is needed to access cultural venues, restaurants or bars, among other places.

These varying measures, which can appear dizzying to non-Europeans, reflect a reality that the pandemic has only amplified: As much as the European Union strives to present a unified front on many issues, the bloc is made of 27 member countries with diverging  sometimes competing  interests, and facing different epidemiological situations.
President Jair Bolsonaro of Brazil is temporarily banning social media companies from removing certain content, including his claims that the only way hell lose next years elections is if the vote is rigged  one of the most significant steps by a democratically elected leader to control what can be said on the internet.

The new social media rules, issued this week and effective immediately, appear to be the first time a national government has stopped internet companies from taking down content that violates their rules, according to internet law experts and officials at tech companies. And they come at a precarious moment for Brazil.

Mr. Bolsonaro has used social media as a megaphone to build his political movement and make it to the presidents office. Now, with polls showing he would lose the presidential elections if they were held today, he is using sites like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube to try to undermine the legitimacy of the vote, following the playbook of his close ally, former President Donald J. Trump. On Tuesday, Mr. Bolsonaro repeated his claims about the election to thousands of supporters in two cities as part of nationwide demonstrations on Brazils Independence Day.

Under the new policy, tech companies can remove posts only if they involve certain topics outlined in the measure, such as nudity, drugs and violence, or if they encourage crime or violate copyrights; to take down others, they must get a court order. That suggests that, in Brazil, tech companies could easily remove a nude photo, but not lies about the coronavirus. The pandemic has been a major topic of disinformation under Mr. Bolsonaro, with Facebook, Twitter and YouTube all having removed videos from him that pushed unproven drugs as coronavirus cures.
A fire at a temporary coronavirus hospital in North Macedonia has left at least 14 people dead, the countrys health minister said, the latest in a series of blazes at hospitals around the world where people with Covid-19 were being treated.

All of the 14 were patients, and 12 others being treated at the center were injured in the fire, on Wednesday evening, the countrys health minister, Venko Filipce, said. No health workers were reported injured, but the cause of the fire has not been determined in what Mr. Filipce described as a terrible accident.

The fire was at a temporary hospital in Tetovo, in the countrys northwest, and began at around 9 p.m. It was extinguished within 45 minutes, but that was long enough for the flames to spread quickly through the building, one fire official told a local news outlet.

Footage from the scene showed a plume of black smoke rising as flames engulfed the hospital. Videos aired on local news stations showed fire trucks at the scene and wheelchairs scattered around the charred shell of the structure, a one-story modular building.
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.
Abimael Guzman, the founder and leader of the Shining Path guerrilla movement, which spread terror across much of Peru in the 1980s and 90s, died on Saturday in Peru. He was 86.

Mr. Guzman died in a maximum-security prison in the Callao naval base in Peru, where he was serving a life sentence, prison officials said. They did not specify a cause.

An estimated 70,000 Peruvians were killed during the decade-long peak of the Shining Path insurgency, at least one-third at the hands of guerrillas. Shining Path advocated a violent reordering of society away from the vices of urban life. Its leaders echoed Cambodias Khmer Rouge with warnings that rivers of blood would flow after their victory, and that as many as one million Peruvians might be put to death.

Shining Path was almost entirely Mr. Guzmans conception, and for a time he seemed poised to seize power in one of Latin Americas most important countries. His avowedly Maoist movement was one of the most violently radical in the hemispheres modern history, and his fertile mind and extraordinary powers of persuasion laid the basis for an intense personality cult.
BUDAPEST  Prime Minister Viktor Orban of Hungary portrays himself as the defender of Christian Europe against migrants and multiculturalism. After years of his weakening of democratic institutions, the far-right strongman has prepared for coming elections in Catholic-majority Hungary by strengthening his links to Catholic traditionalists in Europe and the United States.

On Sunday, Mr. Orban will get a visit from the leader of the Roman Catholic world himself when Pope Francis drops into town to celebrate Mass. Allies of Mr. Orban, who is increasingly isolated and rarely receives high-profile visits from Western leaders, desperately sought to ensure face time with the pontiff, and the Vatican has confirmed a private courtesy meeting before the Mass.

But it is also possible, people close to Francis say, that Mr. Orban might get more than he asked for when he meets with perhaps the globes leading champion of migrants and a clear voice against creeping authoritarianism and nationalism in Europe.

One of my ways is not to go around with a script, Francis said in an interview with Spanish radio network COPE last month when asked what he expected to say to Mr. Orban. When I am in front of a person, I look him in the eyes and let things come out.
Aviation fuels are going to be one of the toughest nuts to crack because electrification isnt as simple as electrifying, say, cars, trains or other ground transportation, said Jason Hill, professor of bioproducts and biosystems engineering at the University of Minnesota. The problematic part is that todays biofuels dont reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Thats not where the state of the science is. They can actually make them worse.

To address those concerns, the Biden administration says that it will help cut costs and rapidly scale domestic production of sustainable fuels, but in a climate-friendly way. The administration has proposed a sustainable-aviation-fuel tax credit that would require at least a 50 percent reduction in overall greenhouse gas emissions, a standard that would disqualify most crop-based biofuels. Congress is now studying the plan.

Corn and soy producers are pushing for a review of those requirements.

In a letter to members of Congress dated Aug. 6, major agricultural organizations including the American Farm Bureau Federation called for a redo of studies on the environmental impact of crop-based fuels. The groups also urged the Department of Energy to lead fresh studies into crop-based biofuels, rather than the E.P.A., the agency tasked with regulating greenhouse gas emissions.

E.P.A.s analysis does not reflect or capture the continuous improvement that has been witnessed over the past decade in biomass production or the technology and efficiency improvements in fuel production, they wrote. The Farm Bureau did not immediately provide comment.

The groups demand appears to have been granted. A memorandum of understanding outlining the governments sustainable aviation fuel effort says the Department of Energy will lead that analysis, and excludes the E.P.A.

This certainly reads like a plan to promote crop-based biofuels in aviation, said Dan Rutherford, aviation director at the International Council on Clean Transportation, a nonprofit that provides technical and scientific analysis to environmental regulators. The E.P.A. has been sidelined in the proposal as requested by the biofuels lobby, which makes me worry that the deforestation impacts of those fuels could go uncounted.
While opposition politicians in France, Germany and other European nations regularly stoke fear of refugees and migrants to put pressure on government leaders, Mr. Ramas opponents have mostly stayed quiet or supported his welcoming of Afghans.

We dont put people in camps. They are dehumanizing and where all the problems start psychologically, the prime minister said. We have been like them many times in our own history. They are just trying to escape from hell.

Tahera, the medical student, shares a room with an Afghan woman who lost both of her hands in a bomb attack in Afghanistan. Now at a resort with three swimming pools and a long sandy beach, Tahera wants to learn to swim, keen to take her mind off the traumas. She also looks forward to learning to ride a bicycle, a form of exercise that Afghanistans conservative, patriarchal society frowns on for women.

Determined to keep her planned medical career on track, she is taking a first-aid course offered at the resort by an Afghan doctor from London.

Albania, a NATO member that sent troops to Afghanistan to join the U.S.-led effort to hold the Taliban at bay, has long helped people the United States doesnt want or doesnt know what to do with.
10. And finally, this ones for the wine lovers.

When our wine critic, Eric Asimov, began his Wine School column seven years ago, his first impulse was to go the traditional route and focus on tasting. Then he realized that the far better approach was to drink rather than taste (preferably with family or friends) as a means for ordinary customers to develop comfort and ease with wine.

Among 10 of the most important lessons so far: Dont be afraid to explore; find the best value for the price; pair wine with food; and return to the classics. This month, Asimov and readers are drinking Chablis from the 2019 vintage and learning about how and why winemakers blend.

Cheers to a great evening.

Bryan Denton compiled photos for this briefing.

Your Evening Briefing is posted at 6 p.m. Eastern.

Want to catch up on past briefings? You can browse them here.

What did you like? What do you want to see here? Let us know at briefing@nytimes.com.

Here are todays Mini Crossword and Spelling Bee. If youre in the mood to play more, find all our games here.
Al Qaeda could rebuild inside Afghanistan in one to two years, top intelligence officials said Tuesday, noting that some members of the terrorist group had already returned to the country.

Earlier in the year, top Pentagon officials said Al Qaeda could reconstitute in two years, then told lawmakers after the fall of the Afghanistan government they were revising that timeline.

The new timeline is not a drastic shift, but reflects the reality that the Taliban have a limited ability to control the borders of Afghanistan. While the Taliban have long fought the Islamic State affiliate, they are established allies of Al Qaeda. Though the Taliban pledged in the February 2020 peace agreement with the United States not to let Afghanistan be used by terrorist groups, analysts have said such promises ring hollow.

The current assessment probably conservatively is one to two years for Al Qaeda to build some capability to at least threaten the homeland, Lt. Gen. Scott D. Berrier, the director of the Defense Intelligence Agency said Tuesday at the annual Intelligence and National Security Summit.
President Biden will virtually convene on Friday some of the leaders of the nations most responsible for climate change, urging them to do more to slash greenhouse gas emissions ahead of a critical United Nations summit in November.

Mr. Biden also will urge other countries to sign onto a global goal of reducing methane, the main component of natural gas and an extremely powerful greenhouse gas, a White House official said, speaking to reporters on a background call on the condition of anonymity.

Countries that sign on to the global methane pledge hammered out by the United States and Europe would agree to work together to reduce global methane emissions by at least 30 percent by 2030, according to European and United States climate negotiators who were not authorized to discuss details of the plan publicly.

Were trying to get people to join into a global effort to try to cope with methane, John Kerry, Mr. Bidens climate change envoy, said in an interview over the weekend, adding, Its hugely destructive. It accelerates the rate of global damage.
At the meeting, Mr. Sussmann relayed data and analysis from cybersecurity researchers who thought that odd internet data might be evidence of a covert communications channel between computer servers associated with the Trump Organization and with Alfa Bank, a Kremlin-linked Russian financial institution.

The F.B.I. eventually decided those concerns had no merit. The special counsel who later took over the Russia investigation, Robert S. Mueller III, ignored the matter in his final report.

Mr. Sussmanns lawyers have told the Justice Department that he sought the meeting because he and the cybersecurity researchers believed that The New York Times was on the verge of publishing an article about the Alfa Bank data and he wanted to give the F.B.I. a heads-up. (In fact, The Times was not ready to run that article, but published one mentioning Alfa Bank six weeks later.)

Mr. Durham has been using a grand jury to examine the Alfa Bank episode and appeared to be hunting for any evidence that the data had been cherry-picked or the analysis of it knowingly skewed, The New Yorker and other outlets have reported. To date, there has been no public sign that he has found any such evidence.

But Mr. Durham did apparently find an inconsistency: Mr. Baker, the former F.B.I. lawyer, is said to have told investigators that he recalled Mr. Sussmann saying that he was not meeting him on behalf of any client. But in a deposition before Congress in 2017, Mr. Sussmann testified that he sought the meeting on behalf of an unnamed client who was a cybersecurity expert and had helped analyze the data.

Moreover, internal billing records Mr. Durham is said to have obtained from Perkins Coie are said to show that when Mr. Sussmann logged certain hours as working on the Alfa Bank matter  though not the meeting with Mr. Baker  he billed the time to Mrs. Clintons 2016 campaign.

Another partner at Perkins Coie, Marc Elias, was then serving as the general counsel for the Clinton campaign. Mr. Elias, who did not respond to inquiries, left Perkins Coie last month.
MOSCOW  The first satellite in space, the first dog, the first man, the first woman and now  if all goes as planned  the first movie.

Russia took a step closer on Thursday to claiming another record in space when a commission of medical and safety experts approved a plan for an actress and a director to blast off early next month to film the first full-length, fictional movie in space.

The movie, called The Challenge, tells of a doctor launched on short notice to the International Space Station to save the life of a cosmonaut. If filmed on schedule next month, it would beat Hollywood to low-Earth orbit.

NASA announced last year plans by Tom Cruise to film on the station. Russias space agency, Roscosmos, then announced its moviemaking ambition.
Update: Security camera footage revealed new details about the altercation at Carmines.

It began as a simple request that is becoming part of New Yorks pandemic routine: A hostess at a popular Italian restaurant on Manhattans Upper West Side asked three would-be customers for proof that they had been vaccinated as required for those seeking to dine indoors.

But the encounter quickly escalated, as the customers, women from Texas, became irate and refused to provide the proof needed to enter the restaurant, Carmines, the police and a restaurant spokesman said. The hostess offered to seat them outdoors, where such proof is not required.

It just erupted from there, said Jeffrey Bank, the chief executive of Alicart Restaurant Group, which owns Carmines.

The tourists began to punch the hostess, who is 24, leaving her bruised and scratched and breaking her necklace. She was evaluated at a hospital and is now resting at home, Mr. Bank said.
JOHANNESBURG  South Africas highest court on Friday rejected an appeal to throw out the prison sentence of Jacob Zuma, the former president who was jailed for refusing to appear before a commission investigating corruption accusations that tainted his tenure as the nations leader.

Mr. Zumas arrest was hailed as a victory for South Africas young democracy, a sign that not even a former head of state was above the law. It was also a signal from President Cyril Ramaphosa that his administration would deal decisively with corruption.

Mr. Zuma, 79, was released on medical parole last week, after serving a fraction of his 15-month jail term, much of which was spent in the prisons medical ward.

But the court on Friday rejected his appeal to have the prison sentence overturned. Despite what it called Mr. Zumas creative attempts to prove his case, the Constitutional Court found his arrest was warranted.
KABUL, Afghanistan  The Taliban have converted the Ministry of Womens Affairs building into offices for the religious morality police, who once instilled dread in Afghanistan for their suppression of women and brutal enforcement of the militant governments interpretation of Shariah law when it ruled two decades ago.

The conversion of the building in Kabul, the countrys capital, suggested at least a symbolic slapping down of a ministry that had come to embody the ascent of women in Afghanistan after the Taliban were ousted from power in 2001.

A video posted by Reuters showed women who had been employed by the ministry protesting outside the building because the Taliban had not permitted them to enter and had told them to go back home.

It remains unclear if the womens ministry has been abolished by the Taliban, who reclaimed power last month as the U.S.-backed government collapsed. But when the Taliban announced their acting cabinet members for the new government earlier this month, there was no appointment to oversee womens affairs.
The Australian state of New South Wales will allow some returning international travelers to quarantine at home starting at the end of the month, possibly signaling the beginning of the end for the countrys strict hotel quarantine system.

The pilot program will allow 175 fully vaccinated people to isolate in their homes for seven days rather than spend two weeks in a government-appointed facility, Stuart Ayres, a New South Wales government official, announced on Friday. The police will employ location-based tracking and facial-recognition technology to monitor new arrivals movements, he added. Similar technology has been used in Western Australia since November.

The program will help the country plan next steps toward ending the current system, Mr. Ayres said at a news conference: Weve got to be able to learn what happens when we put people into home-based quarantine. Australia must reopen. We must get rid of lockdowns; we must re-engage with the world.

Passengers arriving in Australia are currently required to spend two weeks in a hotel room. But spots in the countrys quarantine system are hard to come by. The border is closed to almost everyone other than returning citizens, many of whom have faced flight cancellations because of the countrys tight limit on the number of arrivals. In July, the cap was halved to 3,000 passengers a week, further complicating some Australians efforts to return home.
MOSCOW  Apple and Google removed an app meant to coordinate protest voting in this weekends Russian elections from the country on Friday, a blow to the opponents of President Vladimir V. Putin and a display of Silicon Valleys limits when it comes to resisting crackdowns on dissent around the world.

The decisions came after Russian authorities, who claim the app is illegal, threatened to prosecute local employees of Apple and Google  a sharp escalation in the Kremlins campaign to rein in the countrys largely uncensored internet. A person familiar with Googles decision said the authorities had named specific individuals who would face prosecution, prompting it to remove the app.

The person declined to be identified for fear of angering the Russian government. Google has more than 100 employees in the country.

Apple did not respond to phone calls, emails or text messages seeking comment.

The app was created and promoted by allies of the opposition leader Aleksei A. Navalny, who were hoping to use it to consolidate the protest vote in each of Russias 225 electoral districts. It disappeared from the two technology platforms just as voting got underway in the three-day parliamentary election, in which Mr. Putins United Russia party  in a carefully stage-managed system  holds a commanding advantage.
The dispute is dividing hospitals, where most workers are vaccinated and want their colleagues to be. The nurses union supports the mandate  some 95 percent of members are already vaccinated  even as some members complain its rollout was too rushed. But unions representing support workers, including nurses aides, orderlies, cafeteria workers and others, have opposed it. If many of those workers leave or are fired, their duties could fall to already taxed nurses.

The disagreement is also testing governments power to mandate compliance with public-health measures; New Yorks mandate and the states refusal to allow religious exemptions are the subject of at least two lawsuits, including one by Ms. Conrad and five other plaintiffs.

Still, staff members choosing to exit their jobs because of the mandate could also create immediate practical challenges: Many nurses and other health workers are burned out or traumatized from the pandemics strain; others have been lured by high salaries to become travel nurses, crisscrossing the country to fill emergency staffing gaps.

On Sunday at the Christian Cultural Center in Brooklyn, Gov. Kathy Hochul pushed back hard against the idea of religious exemptions to vaccination, urging worshipers to be apostles for the vaccine in order to keep more people alive.

God did answer our prayers, she told the congregation. He made the smartest men and women  the scientists, the doctors, the researchers  he made them come up with a vaccine. That is from God to us and we must say, Thank you, God, thank you!

There are a lot of people out there who arent listening to God and what God wants, she said as a gold necklace spelling Vaxed glinted from her chest.
The vast majority of the Tony Awards granted on Sunday are honoring shows that have been rehearsed to an excessive degree  every step onstage precisely choreographed, every note and line repeated to perfection.

And while the cast of Freestyle Love Supreme has undoubtedly put in their share of rehearsal time to do what they do, the show is receiving a special Tony Award for creating something entirely different: an improvised, rapped, beat-boxed musical performance whipped up anew every night from audience suggestions.

The honor comes at a fitting time for the industry: It was a production that, by its nature, celebrated the fleeting and constantly reinventive experience of seeing live theater.

The show ran for several months at the Booth Theater starting in September 2019, and it is set to return to Broadway on Oct. 7, followed by a national tour starting in San Francisco. But the troupes origins go back to the early aughts, when it was established by Anthony Veneziale, Thomas Kail and, most recognizably, Lin-Manuel Miranda  before In the Heights and Hamilton, both Tony Award winners for best new musical.
Moulin Rouge! The Musical, the lavish stage production about a nightclub in turn-of-the-century Paris, won a Tony Award for best musical on Sunday, notching its 10th win of the night, the biggest haul of any show.

Adapted from Baz Luhrmanns 2001 film, Moulin Rouge! The Musical opened on Broadway in July 2019, months before the first whispers about Covid-19, and had more than seven months of performances before the shutdown.

It feels a little odd to me to be talking about one show thats best musical, Carmen Pavlovic, a producer of the show, said as she accepted the award. I feel that every show of last season deserves to be thought of as the best musical. The shows that opened, the shows that closed  not to return  the shows that nearly opened, and of course the shows that paused and are fortunate enough to be reborn.

The musical  which centers on the romance between Christian, who is new to Paris, and Satine, a cabaret performer and star of the Moulin Rouge  features dozens of pop songs, from 1980s Tina Turner to 2008 Beyonce. After an 18-month hiatus, it reopened at the Al Hirschfeld Theater on Friday.
The Inheritance, the sprawling two-part play about gay culture in the wake of the AIDS epidemic, won the Tony Award for best play, making Matthew Lopez the first Latino playwright to win the award.

Inspired by the novel Howards End by E.M. Forster, The Inheritance began its life in London, where it was a commercial and critical success.

Lopez wrote in The Times, In writing The Inheritance, I wanted to take my favorite novel and retell it in a way that its closeted author never felt free to do in his lifetime. I wanted to write a play that was true to my experience, my philosophy, my heart as a gay man who has enjoyed opportunities that were denied Forster.

Accepting the award onstage, Lopez said he was indebted to Forster; Terrence McNally, the playwright who died last year of complications from Covid-19 and whom Lopez described as a mentor and the spiritual godfather of the play; and Miguel Pinero, the first Puerto Rican playwright to be produced on Broadway.
Steve Glaser was in sleeper car No. 730 on Saturday, watching The Great British Baking Show on his cellphone and looking forward to the moment his Amtrak train would leave the flat prairie of central Montana for the high mountain passes of Glacier National Park, when the train jerked violently. Instantly, he realized it had derailed.

If it stays upright, he thought to himself, Im OK.

His car did, but others toppled over, sending passengers flying through the cars. When the train, which also included two locomotives, came to a stop, Mr. Glaser, 66, and another passenger worked together to pry open a window. He grabbed his briefcase and stepped outside to find train cars strewn along the track and other passengers injured.

Eight of 10 passenger cars had jumped off the tracks when the train carrying 145 passengers and 13 crew members derailed near Joplin, Mont., killing three people and injuring dozens more. As of Sunday afternoon, five people from the crash remained hospitalized at Benefis Health System in Great Falls, all in stable condition.

Officials have not released any information on what they suspect caused the train to derail as it was traveling through an apparently flat and straight section of the route. The wreck is under investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board.
Ms. Pelosis announcement that the House would aim to pass the infrastructure bill later in the week reflected the difficulty of the task that Democratic leaders face as they feverishly try to knit together a compromise to move forward with Mr. Bidens agenda.

Im never bringing a bill to the floor that doesnt have the votes, Ms. Pelosi said of the infrastructure bill on This Week on ABC on Sunday.

Mr. Biden and members of his cabinet huddled with lawmakers over the weekend in a bid to push the two bills over the finish line, according to a White House official familiar with the discussions.

With a razor-thin majority, Ms. Pelosi can lose only three votes for the social policy plan, and Senate Democrats hope to push it through using the fast-track budget process known as reconciliation to shield it from a filibuster. House Republicans have urged their members to oppose the $1 trillion infrastructure package, so more than a few defections can sink that bill.

Representative Pramila Jayapal, Democrat of Washington and the chairwoman of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, pledged again on Sunday that liberal lawmakers would not support the infrastructure bill unless it was accompanied by action on the $3.5 trillion plan.
BERLIN  After 16 years of Angela Merkel as their chancellor, Germans scattered their votes across the political spectrum on Sunday in the election to replace her, a fractured return that heralds a messier political era in Germany and weaker German leadership in Europe.

Preliminary official results gave the center-left Social Democrats a lead of 1.6 percentage points, an outcome so close that no one could yet say who the next chancellor would be nor what the next government would look like.

The only thing that seemed clear was that it would take weeks if not months of haggling to form a coalition, leaving Europes biggest democracy suspended in a kind of limbo at a critical moment when the continent is still struggling to recover from the pandemic and France  Germanys partner at the core of Europe  faces divisive elections of its own next spring.

Sundays election signaled the end of an era for Germany and for Europe. For over a decade, Ms. Merkel was not just chancellor of Germany but effectively the leader of Europe. She steered her country and the continent through successive crises and in the process helped Germany become Europes leading power for the first time since two world wars.
FLORENCE, Italy  Michelangelo was an old man when he began working on a sculpture he envisioned for an altar for his own tomb: It was of a marble Pieta, depicting Jesus supported by the Virgin Mary, St. Mary Magdalene and the pharisee Nicodemus, whose face is a barely etched self-portrait of the aging artist.

Michelangelo worked on the project between 1547 and 1555, while he was in his 70s, and it was a difficult project from the outset. His friend and biographer Giorgio Vasari wrote the marble block was flawed and full of impurities and that the chisel often struck sparks from it. Michelangelo grew frustrated, eventually abandoning the work, and Vasari wrote that Michelangelo tried to destroy it.

But the sculpture survived, and last week the Pieta was publicly celebrated here after its first major restoration in almost 470 years.

Msgr. Timothy Verdon, the director of the Opera del Duomo Museum, which has been home to the statue for the past 40 years, said, This is Michelangelos most personal work, not only because it includes his own self-portrait and was destined for his tomb, but because it expresses the tormented relationship he had with marble.
Like Franzen himself at times, in the public arena if not on the page, Russ is so intolerable and so uncool, such an ungainly apparition from an earlier era, that you sense him on the verge of redemption, of coming out the other side. Franzens cultural situation these past two decades sometimes reminds me of Orson Welless comment to Kenneth Tynan: My trouble is that I exude affluence. I look successful. Whenever the critics see me, they say to themselves: Its time he was knocked  hes had it too good for too long. But I havent.

The Hildebrandt kids are all right, or so they seem at first. But Clem, whos gone off to college, is returning with news (hes volunteered to fight in Vietnam) that will gravely wound his pacifist father. Becky is a strait-laced high school social sovereign  everything she does is front-page drive-in news  who discovers the counterculture degradations of sex and drugs and rock n roll, albeit not in that order. Her younger brother Perry is a high-I.Q. misfit and drug dealer. Hes like a bowling ball spinning, at velocity, toward some unknown target.

Franzen threads these stories, and their tributaries, so adeptly and so calmly that at moments he can seem to be on high-altitude, nearly Updikean autopilot. The character who cracks this novel fully open  shes one of the glorious characters in recent American fiction  is Marion, Russs wife.

When we first meet her, shes a frump, virtually a nonentity, an overweight pastors spouse, invisible except as a warm cloud of momminess. Russ, who puts people in mind of Atticus Finch and a young Charlton Heston, is embarrassed by Marion and her sorry hair, her unavailing makeup, her seemingly self-spiting choice of dress.

Marion is another of Franzens awkward, mortified women, like Enid Lambert and Patty Berglund, who come full circle. Franzen methodically begins to peel back the layers of Marions life, layers that are largely unknown to her husband and family: her months in a mental hospital when in her 20s, her doomed affair with a married car dealer out West, an abortion available only at the mercy of a man who rapes her repeatedly over many days.

Marion, in mid-novel, wakes up. She was a mother of four, she realizes, with a 20-year-olds heart. Shes not a good person, she tells herself. She lies; she steals jewelry. Later in the novel she punctures whatever is left of Russs vanity. Sometimes, only the devils logic seems to apply to her. She can resemble a character out of Muriel Sparks fiction, a thwarted girl of slender means who becomes an unlikely heroine.
Olaf Scholz is poised to be Germanys next leader

The center-left Social Democratic Party won Germanys election, defeating Chancellor Angela Merkels Christian Democratic Union by 1.6 percentage points, with 25.7 percent of the vote. Olaf Scholz did the unthinkable, carrying his long-dead Social Democrats to victory.

The hardest part is yet to come: For the first time since the 1950s, the next chancellor will have to get at least three different parties behind a governing deal. The process could take months.

If Scholz does become chancellor, his term is likely to be full of compromise with his coalition partners. The conservative runner-up, Armin Laschet, could still beat him to the top job.

No one should behave as if he alone could build a government, Laschet told reporters Monday. He who can build a majority to back him will become chancellor.
A narrow result in the German election

Germans have voted for change: The Social Democratic Party has beaten Angela Merkels Christian Democratic Union by a slim margin of 1.6 percentage points, for a total of 25.7 percent of the vote.

The close outcome means the Social Democrats must team up with other parties to form a government. If they fail to do so, the party that placed second could wind up leading the country. Forming a coalition could take weeks if not months, leaving Europes biggest democracy suspended in limbo at a critical moment in the continents pandemic recovery.

The result follows a volatile campaign. Armin Laschet of the Christian Democrats was seen as the front-runner until a series of blunders eroded his partys lead. Olaf Scholzs steady persona led the Social Democrats to a spectacular 10-point comeback. And the Greens, who briefly led the polls, fell short of expectations but recorded their best result ever.

Next steps: A likely coalition would involve the Social Democrats, the free market liberal Free Democrats and the Greens. In the days leading up to the election, hundreds of thousands of protesters turned out in more than 400 German cities, calling for the winner to put climate protection at the top of the agenda.
1. President Bidens agenda faces a make-or-break week.

The president and top Democrats in Congress are facing a daunting set of challenges as they maneuver to unite their party around their multitrillion-dollar domestic agenda and keep the government from shutting down before the deadline on Friday.

Progressives have said they will not back a $1 trillion infrastructure bill  the vote is set for Thursday  until they see action on a sprawling $3.5 trillion social safety net and climate change package. But moderates have balked at the size and scope of that bill, leaving both measures in limbo.
But the controversy has pushed him into a delicate position. His own term as Fed chair expires early next year, and the White House is actively considering whether to reappoint him. A scandal at his central bank is sure to draw questions from senators when he testifies this week, and could even hurt his reappointment chances.

As chair, Mr. Powell has also focused on shoring up public support in the central bank and explaining its role. He holds frequent news conferences, aims to speak in simpler language, and championed a series of Fed Listens events where top central bank officials meet and hear from community members whom they might not otherwise interact with  from community college students to local food pantry staff.

The 2020 trading disclosures, which are shaping up to be the most headline-grabbing scandal the central bank has faced in years, risk chipping away at the widespread trust he has been working to build.

Responses to Mr. Kaplan and Mr. Rosengrens trading disclosures have been swift, and scathing. The group Better Markets had been calling for the Fed to fire both presidents if they did not resign. Other progressive groups had called for at least one of them to be ousted, and ethics watchdogs have said that the rules that had enabled their trades needed to be revisited.

After the resignation announcements on Monday, Wall Street promptly began to assess what the departures would mean for monetary policy. Both officials have tended to worry about financial stability, and for that reason were likely to favor removing monetary policy support sooner than some of their colleagues  a stance often referred to as being hawkish.

Their exit will take out two of the nine more hawkish Fed officials who saw a 2022 rate hike as of the September F.O.M.C. meeting last week and remove important voices on financial stability issues in particular, Krishna Guha at Evercore ISI wrote in a note to clients shortly after the announcement.

Mr. Rosengren has been president of the Boston Fed since 2007, and his retirement was previously planned for June. The Feds 12 regional members rotate in and out of voting seats, and Mr. Rosengren would have had a vote on monetary policy next year. Mr. Kaplan would have voted in 2023.
ABERDEEN, Scotland  Its easy to see how vital oil is to Aberdeen, a venerable port city on Scotlands northeast coast. Step out the door of the small international airport and you are buffeted from across the road by the roar of helicopters ferrying crews back and forth to oil platforms scattered across the North Sea.

Drive into the city and youll pass sprawling office parks with oil company logos, the home for some of the 71,000 engineers, geologists, drillers and others in Scotland who work in the oil and gas industry. Overall, the industry accounts for an estimated 7 percent of Scotlands economic output.

Yet Scotlands oil and gas industry is in trouble.

Oil output from the British North Sea has been on a steady slide for two decades, and production last year was around one-third of its peak in 1999. Natural gas production in the region is also falling  a problem in recent weeks as gas prices have skyrocketed, causing utility bills to jump. Jobs connected to the offshore oil industry have fallen nearly 40 percent over the last five years, according to Oil and Gas UK, a trade group.
On paper that would seem like a fait accompli: Ms. Walton is the only person on the ballot.

But Mr. Brown, a lifelong Democrat who is the citys first Black mayor, seems to be banking on a coalition of business leaders and conservatives, some labor groups and loyal voters who approve of his 16 years in office to vault him to victory.

Long known as a mild-mannered moderate, Mr. Brown has hardened his rhetoric in response to the threat of political oblivion, portraying Ms. Walton, a registered nurse making her first run for public office, as an inexperienced interloper.

I am convinced that she is unqualified for this position, said Mr. Brown, 63, in a recent interview. And if she became mayor of the city of Buffalo, it would be a disaster for this community.

Nor does he see any problem with accepting the support of Republicans.

The way I look at it, an election isnt over until the general election has been held, Mr. Brown said. So I see no concerns with optics at all.

Such statements are galling to Ms. Walton, 39, who says the mayors intransigence is doing a disservice to the residents of the very city he says he loves.

I believe that if the mayor wants whats best for Buffalo, he would have conceded, he would have helped with a productive transition, and gracefully bowed out, said Ms. Walton, sitting in her single-room downtown campaign office. But instead hes throwing a tantrum.

Mr. Browns ongoing campaign has made some Democrats queasy, as well as put elected officials in an awkward political position. Among them are Ms. Hochul, a Buffalo native, who is faced with either abandoning Mr. Brown  a former head of the New York Democratic state party  or risking alienating the ascendant left wing.
In the lead-up to and aftermath of the New York City mayoral primary, Eric Adams and his team sought guidance from current and past city leaders  first, to help craft his successful bid for the Democratic nomination, and then to prepare for a likely transition to the mayoralty.

But Mr. Adams has recently come to lean on one person in particular: Michael R. Bloomberg.

In mid-September, Mr. Bloomberg released a video endorsement of Mr. Adams for mayor. The next day, at a business conference featuring various of Mr. Bloombergs fellow billionaires, Mr. Adams declared, New York will no longer be anti-business.

Two days later, Mr. Bloomberg hosted a fund-raiser for Mr. Adams on the roof of the East 78th Street headquarters of Bloomberg Philanthropies, featuring dozens of guests, several of them financial sector executives.

Last Wednesday, one of Mr. Bloombergs closest advisers, Howard Wolfson, met with David C. Banks, who is thought to be among Mr. Adamss top choices for schools chancellor.
When the storm finally died down, In Soon Kim was left with nothing but the dress she was wearing.

She had even lost her shoes as she frantically fought against the floodwaters that were swallowing her basement apartment at great speed, trapping her inside. She had to use all her force to wrench the door open a few inches, just enough for her to wriggle out.

I almost died, she said, breaking into tears as she recalled the night earlier this month when remnants of Hurricane Ida swept into New York, unleashing torrential downpours that killed 16 people, 13 of whom lived in New York City. Many of those who died lived in basement apartments, one of the citys few affordable housing options for undocumented workers.

Ms. Kim, 54, who works as a nail technician and lives in College Point, Queens, has survived, mostly thanks to an upstairs neighbor who lent her clothes and a place to stay temporarily. Ms. Kim had been excluded from receiving federal relief because she is undocumented and was panicking because she didnt have a lot of savings, she said.

But that changed on Monday when Gov. Kathy Hochul and Mayor Bill de Blasio announced $27 million in aid for undocumented survivors of the floods like Ms. Kim, who are not eligible to receive storm recovery relief through the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
The activist Tarana Burke started the original iteration of Me Too around 2007, using the phrase to raise awareness of sexual assault and connect victims to resources. But when the actress Alyssa Milano tweeted the words me too a decade later, initially without crediting Ms. Burke, some observers worried that Black women had been left out of the story and noted that Ms. Burkes initial effort had not been supported by prominent white feminists.

Now, the jurors acceptance of the stories of Mr. Kellys accusers holds a deep significance, several experts say, particularly because Black women and girls have historically seen their accusations dismissed more often than others.

When you have girls who arent famous, theyre not stars in their own right  and theyre Black  it becomes so easy for people to overlook their suffering and to cast it aside so the status quo can be preserved, said Deborah Tuerkheimer, a professor of law at Northwestern University and former assistant district attorney in Manhattan.

Whitney Davis, 34, said she has followed other major #MeToo cases. But Mr. Kellys trial carried a distinct resonance for a confluence of a reasons, she said: The accusers at the heart of the case looked like her, and she had herself endured sexual abuse in childhood.

To be honest, this was the first case that was predominantly Black girls, Black women, Black boys  and so it was intriguing to me to see if they would get justice, said Ms. Davis, who is from Dallas. To see justice for them, oh, my God, it will in a way mean justice for myself.
Cant we just say that that is a basic right that everyone has, to know that theyll be safe when they enter a health care facility, or you have your elderly parents or grandparents in a nursing home, that they will not get sick because of someone whos charged with their care? I need to keep people in this state safe, and well be nation-leading with our mandate, which strikes at midnight tonight when everyone is expected in a hospital in the State of New York or a health care facility to have been vaccinated. And so Im calling on all the health care workers. First of all, those of you whove been vaccinated, I thank you from the bottom of my heart for doing what was right and helping lead the way so we do have the confidence we need. And to those whove not yet made that decision, please do the right thing. I will be signing an executive order to give me the emergency powers necessary to address these shortages where they occur. Thats going to allow me to deploy the National Guard, who are medically trained, deploy people whove been retired, who may have had a license lapse, bring in people from elsewhere. Its not a role I relish. My default position is to ask people, please do this. This is why its been proven to be safe. The vaccines been out there a long time now. There are not legitimate religious exemptions because the leaders of all the organized religions have said theres no legitimate reason, and were going to win that in court in a matter of days. And so this is so unnecessary. Were taking all the steps preemptively in anticipation of what I call a preventable staffing shortage. Still preventable  enough hours in a day. Come on down. Go to this place. Theres plenty of places that can make this be a preventable  something that we just went through an exercise for but didnt need to. But I also am realistic to know that there are people who will not come back to their jobs.
A spokesman for the Department, Jason Kersten, said that the claims were not true, and that the intake facility had been cleaned regularly all this week because it needed to be cleaned, adding that it had nothing to do with todays tour.

Mr. de Blasio, a Democrat with less than four months left in office, had faced growing pressure to visit the jail after a steady stream of elected officials had toured the facility in recent weeks and described in emotional terms having witnessed a humanitarian crisis. After a visit last week, New Yorks attorney general, Letitia James, said in a statement that she was examining all of my offices legal options to immediately address this dire situation.

Mr. de Blasio defended his record, arguing that he had reduced the jail population while in office and had approved a plan to close the jail in the coming years. He last visited Rikers during his run for re-election in June 2017, the same year that he backed a plan to close the jail complex.

Officials have insisted that they have the capacity to solve the issues plaguing Rikers, where the city oversees eight different facilities. At a City Council hearing this month, Vincent Schiraldi, the commissioner of the Correction Department, and Dean Fuleihan, the citys first deputy mayor, said that they would not need outside help.

I strongly believe that the City of New York can fix this, Mr. Schiraldi said.

But the request for the briefing from the House Committee members was only the latest signal that officials concerned about conditions at the jail complex are increasingly looking toward other parties for help.

The lawmakers  Representatives Carolyn B. Maloney and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, and Jamie Raskin of Maryland  filed a letter giving the mayor, as well as Mr. Schiraldi, until Monday of next week to issue a report on the conditions at Rikers.

In a statement, Ms. Maloney said that the situation on the island was an absolute disgrace.

The Oversight Committee is calling for an urgent briefing on the actions the City of New York is taking to address these deplorable conditions, she said.
When Esias Johnson moved to New York from his hometown in 2019, chasing dreams of musical stardom, his parents were terrified.

Mr. Johnson, then 21, had been diagnosed with Aspergers syndrome as a child and suffered from mental illness for much of his young life, failing to fit in and eventually getting into trouble with the law. His family feared that a city full of strangers who could not understand his struggles might swallow him.

But what happened was far worse than what they had imagined.

Almost as soon as he arrived in New York from north of Boston, Mr. Johnson found himself in trouble with the law again. And as his mental illness worsened, manifesting in increasingly frightening ways, Mr. Johnson was arrested repeatedly and taken, again and again, to Rikers Island.

In the two years after his arrival in New York, Mr. Johnson faced at least six criminal complaints, but was never convicted of a crime. Bouncing in and out of jail, he occasionally received perfunctory counseling and little else, according to court records and Mr. Johnsons family.
Gail: Wow, Martin Shkreli  the criminal ex-hedge fund manager who raised the price of a lifesaving drug by 5,000 percent. Love the way you bring up blasts from the not-so-distant past. How do people sign up for this fan club?

Bret: Oh, they can just wire their nonrefundable donation to my Cayman Islands bank account, and Ill text them the secret password.

Kidding! But you are giving me a chance to praise Biden for his deal to work with Australia to build nuclear-powered submarines as a counterbalance to Chinas growing naval power. French wounded pride aside, it was the kind of smart, sober and strategic move that many of us had hoped to see in a Biden administration but has mostly been missing so far.

Gail: Cant let the subject pass without taking this opportunity to point out that the Pentagon wastes a stupendous amount of money on glorioso projects we dont need. And to drop the name of the F-35, a disastrous and never-ending attempt to build a new fighter plane. The Defense Department will still be screwing around with that one when your kids have grown up, reproduced and begun worrying about how to pay for their retirement.

Bret: Pretty much every time the Air Force upgrades its inventory, which inevitably costs huge sums of money whatever plane we buy, critics complain that the stuff is too expensive and doesnt work. This was the line about the F-15 jet back in the 1970s, until it proved to be the best fighter-bomber in history.

Anyway, what were we discussing?

Gail: OK, thanks for that little breather. Readers, feel free to retort.

Moving on, I believe you were complaining about our current presidents budget negotiations?

Bret: What the country really needs is some sort of Biden-Get-Your-Groove-Back campaign. Any ideas?
Chancellor Angela Merkels 16 years in charge of Germany are coming to a close. Just not quite yet.

On Sunday, voters cast their ballots  and the results were profoundly equivocal. No party took more than 26 percent of the vote, the gap between the two biggest parties was minimal and no one made a major advance. The next government is some way off: Weeks, possibly months of coalition negotiations beckon. In the interim, Ms. Merkel will continue to lead the country.

In many ways, its a surprising result. For large stretches of the campaign, the Green Party and the Christian Democratic Union were the front-runners. But both fell away, their campaigns faltering as their candidates failed to convince voters they were worthy successors. The Social Democratic Party, headed by Olaf Scholz, then appeared to rise in the electorates esteem. But that, too, faded. There was no decisive victory.

It could have been a fresh start. In the face of a number of pressing challenges, rising inequality, run-down infrastructure and spiraling climate change among them, the election was a chance for the country to chart a better, more equal course for the 21st century. Instead, Germany is stuck. Ms. Merkel may be leaving. Yet the Germany she cultivated  careful, cautious, averse to major change  will carry on as before.

The campaign gave us early clues. Typically, candidates for the highest political office seek to distance themselves as much as possible from incumbents, to demonstrate the superiority of their vision for the country. But in Germany, the main candidates vied to imitate Ms. Merkels centrist political style. It delivered four successive electoral victories, after all.
To the Editor:

Re To Save Tenure, We Need to Change It, by Molly Worthen (Opinion guest essay, Sunday Review, Sept. 26):

Professor Worthen correctly identifies narrow specialization as the main impediment to achieving the essential goals of undergraduate education. Linking the job security of professors to publishing alone devalues teaching and imposes barriers to learning.

If we were to create colleges anew, with current and future generations in mind, students would build meaningful paths of inquiry to confront pressing global problems directly. A college designed to achieve that result would emphasize experimentation, creativity and entrepreneurial energy. It would be guided by the challenges we seek to meet, rather than the reproduction of disciplinary boundaries.

Tenure does the opposite, prioritizing specialization so ferociously that the academy loses sight of its very purpose  to foster a citizenry able to collaboratively solve the worlds most bedeviling problems.

Ed Wingenbach

Amherst, Mass.

The writer is the president of Hampshire College.

To the Editor:

Kudos to Molly Worthen for revisiting tenure, its historical origins and the different ways faculty and administrators are affected by it, as well as for her call to challenge what she properly calls academias culture of extreme risk aversion.
The negligence and misconduct in Mr. Nassars case are not isolated and are not confined to the F.B.I. Around the country, survivors who summon the strength to report their abuse and cooperate with an investigation all too often find that police and prosecutors fail to investigate their cases thoroughly or prosecute them conscientiously. This inflicts untold additional trauma on survivors and harms public safety, leaving predators at liberty to assault more victims.

If Attorney General Merrick Garland wants to make amends for the F.B.I.s egregious mishandling of Mr. Nassar, he should answer survivors calls to hold Mr. Nassars enablers accountable, but he must not stop there. Mr. Garland should mandate that the Justice Department investigate patterns and practices through which law enforcement persistently fails survivors of gender-based crimes.

As a lawyer and advocate with a nonprofit that works to help sexual assault survivors navigate the criminal justice process, I witness this failure again and again and again. The survivors I serve have reported sexual assaults to law enforcement in states all around the country, only to find that investigators routinely fail to conduct proper victim interviews, to retrieve probative video footage, to interview crucial witnesses, to investigate the perpetrators background to see if he has committed similar crimes, to preserve relevant digital or paper records or to conduct other basic investigative steps. The cases are then declined by prosecutors on the grounds that there is not enough evidence, though those prosecutors rarely demand that police investigators or prosecutors in-house investigators go back and do the missing work.

In Chicago, survivors and advocates have demanded reform of a police department that failed to make arrests in an estimated 80 to 90 percent of sex crime cases from 2010 to 2019 and delayed making an arrest in the case of a child who was sexually assaulted multiple times, until public outcry prevailed. In New York City, survivors are decrying the handling of their cases by the New York Police Departments sex crimes unit. Survivors have said that detectives in the unit have retraumatized them, and in 2019 the department left a serial rapist free to attack more women. In Austin, Texas; Houston; Memphis; San Francisco; and other cities, survivors have sued police departments in recent years for failing to investigate sexual assault cases with even minimal due diligence.

Even when the police do investigate, prosecutors too often decline cases that may seem challenging because the facts dont comport with stereotypes about rape, sometimes despite solid evidence or multiple victims. The combined effect of police and prosecutor malfeasance is that, according to the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network, in an estimated 975 in 1,000 sexual assaults in the United States, perpetrators go free. All too often, they assault again.
The tangle that Democratic leaders are confronting is, in part, of their own design. Take the shutdown showdown: Last week, House Democrats passed a stopgap funding bill to keep the government running until early December. Without an extension, a shutdown is on track for the end of this month. Getting the bill through the Senate should be a relatively simple matter. Neither party wants a shutdown in the midst of a pandemic. Except! The bill would also suspend the debt ceiling, the upper limit of how much debt the federal government can carry, and the Senate Republican leader, Mitch McConnell, has vowed to block any such effort.

Republicans dont want to default on the debt any more than Democrats do. But Mr. McConnell wants to force Democrats to pass the measure on a strict party-line vote, to further his teams story line that Democrats are reckless big spenders. This is a wildly dishonest argument, because the debt ceiling is about taking care of obligations that past Congresses already rang up.

So Speaker Nancy Pelosi attached the debt ceiling measure to the stopgap funding bill, daring Republicans to reject the whole enchilada, which would shut down the government and prompt a debt default.

This is an absurd, unnecessary fight. As Senator Jon Tester, the Montana Democrat, fumed last week, I cant even compare it to anything I do on the farm thats this stupid.

There are solid arguments for doing away with the debt ceiling altogether. These days, it serves more as a partisan cudgel than a tool for fiscal discipline, and even flirting with default can make bad things happen  as in 2011, when Republicans game playing got the countrys credit rating downgraded for the first time ever.

The second Mr. McConnell moved to engage in this game of chicken, Democrats should have dealt with the debt ceiling on their own, without wasting everyones time. Every minute spent on this mess is time better devoted to other priorities.

While the short-term stakes are lower, the battle over Mr. Bidens agenda is what has Democrats and progressives really gnawing their nails. Democrats are desperate to show that government policy can be a force for good  and that they can deliver the goods. But when it comes to deciding the shape of policies or the appropriate scale of government intervention, consensus is hard to come by inside the partys big tent.
In July, as wildfires tore through the American West, President Biden met with the regions governors to find better ways to battle the flames. Gov. Gavin Newsom of California requested use of military satellites that are designed to warn of missile attacks, calling the orbital fleet a game changer for spotting and fighting wildfires.

Mr. Biden promised to help. When this meeting is over, he said, Ill be on the phone with the Department of Defense.

His call wasnt the first  or the 50th.

The issue of using secret military gear to aid civilian firefighters arose 35 years ago. It grew as the White House, the Central Intelligence Agency, the U.S. Forest Service and other federal agencies sought to establish a national system that warned of undetected wildfires and menacing flare-ups.

The Pentagon allowed tests and a short-lived prototype. But the arrangements were never permanent. The military, eager to safeguard its prerogatives and orbital fleets, was always glad to shut the pipeline down. As a result, officials like Governor Newsom now have to lobby for emergency access.
I decided to take the wall down for a second when they were saying the nominees, he said. And I think, in that one moment, I felt really excited. And I felt all the emotions of it, and then it didnt happen, he said, as tears broke through his sentences.

I know for a person like me, to hope that the systems that you agitate will affirm you, is a lost cause, he continued. If Im hitting a nerve that people dont like to be hit, theres no reason for them to be like, Now come, Im going to give you a prize for that.

Mr. Harris spent the day leading up to the awards show with his mom, niece and high school drama teacher. He wrote a speech, took a picture of it, then burned the paper, afraid putting anything down would be bad luck. In it, he thanked everyone who had helped him  let him sleep on couches, invited him to parties and brought him to dinner.

That award would have been some sort of evidence and recognition of everyone that sat in those audiences  that the work was not just real, but worthy, he said. And not that it is any less worthy now, because it truly is.
The year was 1968, the place Corpus Christi, Texas. The scene was a victory party for a Democratic candidate, elected to the Texas House of Representatives the night before.

At the party, a man approached Frances T. Farenthold, a prominent local resident.

Mrs. Farenthold, he said, I had the pleasure of voting for your husband yesterday.

Thank you very much, she replied. But I think youll discover that you voted for me.

Well, hell, the man said, if Id known that, I never would have voted for you.

Ms. Farenthold, a politician, feminist, lawyer and human-rights advocate who died at 94 on Sunday at her home in Houston, became quite accustomed to incredulity on her election and long afterward during her half-century on the national stage.
Barry Levine, a lawyer for Mr. Hinckley, 66, said in a telephone interview that he and prosecutors had agreed before the hearing on the unconditional release and that Judge Friedman granted their joint request. He said the reason to wait until June was related to two major events in Mr. Hinckleys life: Mr. Hinckleys mother died in July, and his therapist is retiring in January 2022.

The court wants to just see how he does, Mr. Levine said.

For the decision to be reviewed again would require prosecutors to file a new motion and show that previous terms of the release had been violated, such as traveling more than 75 miles from Williamsburg, Va., without telling the court, Mr. Levine said

It is self-executing, Mr. Levine said. The judge will pick what day it will be.

After seeing the 1976 film Taxi Driver, Mr. Hinckley began to identify with the main character, who plots to assassinate a presidential candidate. Mr. Hinckley became fixated on Jodie Foster, who played a child prostitute in the movie, and moved to New Haven, Conn., to be close to her when she started to attend Yale University.

After the 1980 election, Mr. Hinckley stalked President Reagan in an attempt to impress Ms. Foster. In 1981, he wrote a letter to Ms. Foster describing his plan to kill the president, and waited outside the Washington Hilton Hotel for Mr. Reagan, waving at him as he went inside to deliver a speech.

When Mr. Reagan left the hotel, Mr. Hinckley fired six shots, hitting the president; James S. Brady, the White House press secretary; Timothy J. McCarthy, a Secret Service agent; and Thomas K. Delahanty, a police officer. Mr. Brady died of his injuries in 2014.
Three men are facing federal charges after entering a restricted area of a national park in southwest Alaska in 2018 and approaching a group of wild brown bears while they were feeding, prosecutors said.

The men  David J. Engelman, 56, of Sandia Park, N.M., and Ronald J. Engelman II, 54, and Steven R. Thomas, 30, both of King Salmon, Alaska  were each charged with entering a closed area at Katmai National Park and Preserve, disorderly conduct that created hazardous conditions, and approaching within 50 yards of a large mammal at the national park, the U.S. attorneys office for the District of Alaska said in a statement on Thursday.

The men left an authorized viewing platform at the parks Brooks Falls on Aug. 9, 2018, and waded into the river where bears were feeding, according to court documents.

Park rangers were alerted by other visitors and people who were watching a livestream of the bears.

The three men created a hazardous condition as brown bears were feeding on the falls and in the Brooks River just below the falls, the U.S. attorneys office said, adding that the men came within 50 yards of the brown bears.
China has allowed two American siblings who were barred from leaving the country for more than three years to return to the United States, after a Justice Department deal that cleared the way for a senior executive of Huawei Technologies to go back to China, their lawyer said Monday.

The release of Victor Liu, a student at Georgetown University, and Cynthia Liu, a consultant at McKinsey & Company, was the latest in a series of moves that appeared intended to de-escalate tensions between the United States and China after the Huawei deal. The two had never been accused of wrongdoing but were subject to an exit ban preventing them from leaving China.

Their release over the weekend coincided with an agreement on Friday to release the executive, Meng Wanzhou, who spent nearly three years out on bail at her two luxurious homes in Vancouver as the United States sought her extradition in a fraud case related to Huaweis sale of telecommunications equipment to Iran.

Ms. Meng arrived in China on Saturday.

Within hours, China released two Canadians whom it had held since shortly after Ms. Meng was detained, and who had appeared to be jailed as hostages to Ms. Mengs case. The exchange led national security experts to worry that China had created the impression it would use hostages to gain the upper hand in diplomatic and national security matters.
WASHINGTON  The Biden administration plans to publish a proposed rule on Tuesday in hopes of preserving Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, a program that has protected hundreds of thousands of undocumented young adults from deportation and allowed them to legally work in the United States.

The proposal is especially important given a recent decision by the Senate parliamentarian to not allow immigration provisions to be included in a sprawling budget bill, which Democrats had hoped would put DACA recipients on a path to citizenship.

The new rule, to be published in The Federal Register, would go into effect after the administration considers public input during a 60-day comment period. It would protect some 700,000 undocumented people brought to the United States as children from being deported or losing their work permits, even if Congress does not pass comprehensive immigration reform.

For years, DACA beneficiaries, often called Dreamers, have been uncertain about their future as the program has been canceled, reinstated and partly rolled back by court rulings and administrative actions. The Trump administration tried to end it, and several states, led by Texas, have also challenged its legality.
On Tuesday, General Milley will appear before the Senate Armed Services Committee in what could be the most significant televised congressional hearing involving senior military leaders since Gen. David H. Petraeus was grilled by lawmakers on the stalled war in Iraq in 2007.

Halfway through his four-year term as the nations top military officer, General Milley is certain to face sharp questions about another contentious topic: Afghanistan, including his advice to President Biden not to withdraw all U.S. troops from the country. (Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III, who will also be at the hearing, offered the same advice.)

The general is also likely to be asked about declaring a U.S. drone attack in Kabul last month a righteous strike even after military officials said they were investigating reports of civilian casualties. The Pentagon acknowledged a week later that the strike was a tragic mistake, killing 10 people, including seven children. General Milley tacitly conceded that he spoke too soon, calling the error heart-wrenching.

In normal times, the tumultuous Afghanistan withdrawal punctuated by the tragic errant drone strike would be enough, by themselves, to dominate any congressional hearing with senior Pentagon leaders. But the recent revelations that General Milley may have inserted himself into the chain of command to check Mr. Trumps capability to launch a nuclear strike raise questions about the limitations of a doctrine traditionally viewed as sacred: civilian control of the military.

Todays polarization means that anything that smacks of either a critique or an endorsement of Mr. Trump is suspect. So now, a little over a year after Mr. Trumps critics were furious with General Milley for walking across Lafayette Square during racial justice protests, Mr. Trumps supporters are angry at the general for telling House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in the days after the Jan. 6 Capitol riots that he agreed with her when she called Mr. Trump crazy.
Ms. Hagemans yearslong journey from Never-Trumpism to declaring him the best president of her lifetime is one of the most striking illustrations yet of the political elasticity demonstrated both by ambitious Republicans in the Trump era and by the former president himself, who has relentlessly asserted his dominance over leaders of his party.

Ms. Hageman is hardly the only Republican to vigorously oppose Mr. Trump and later back him when it proved politically advantageous. Mr. Cruz and Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, along with Kenneth T. Cuccinelli II, who led the 2016 rebellion at the convention, all became enthusiastic Trump supporters.

None of them, however, have quite achieved Ms. Hagemans remarkable political transformation, which has not been previously reported. Five years ago, she was a passionate opponent of Mr. Trump who tried to stop him outside the normal electoral process; now, she is his champion in the Republican Partys marquee showdown over fealty to the former president.

Ms. Cheneys vocal opposition to Mr. Trump has turned what might otherwise be a sleepy contest for a safely Republican Wyoming congressional seat into a high-profile test case of the former presidents dominance over the party. His obsession with removing Ms. Cheney from office  he has derided her in at least 16 statements since March, including one on Thursday that contained a doctored photo combining her hair, body and eyeglasses with former President George W. Bushs face  has overshadowed nearly all of his other political efforts, aside from vying to overturn the results of the 2020 election.

Its going to be the most important House race in the country in 2022, Ms. Cheney said during a 60 Minutes interview broadcast on Sunday. It will be one where people do have the opportunity to say, We want to stand for the Constitution.
The exact capabilities of the governments satellites are closely guarded secrets. However, during the previous administration, President Donald J. Trump posted on Twitter a picture of an Iranian launch site taken by a classified American satellite that had been included in his intelligence brief. The picture was far more detailed than commercial satellite pictures of the same site.

In some quarters of the intelligence agencies, those lagging commercial capabilities have dampened enthusiasm for pushing forward with more private-sector contracts. But Congress is pushing the intelligence agencies to move faster.

The Senate version of this years Intelligence Authorization Act contains provisions to increase spending on commercial satellite programs. While the leadership of intelligence agencies is on board, there is still reluctance in some corners of the agencies to embrace commercial technology, according to congressional aides.

Current and former congressional officials acknowledge that the most exquisite and cutting-edge intelligence technology is still designed and operated by the government. But commercial start-up companies are offering ways to cheaply cover much of the world, relieving the workload from the most important government satellites.

The new intelligence bill, if approved by Congress this year, would set up an innovation fund that should make it easier for the National Reconnaissance Office to purchase more commercial capabilities faster and push the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency to experiment more with awarding outside contracts to analyze a variety of imagery.

Mac Thornberry, the former Republican chairman of the House Armed Services Committee who now sits on the HawkEye advisory board, said part of the problem was a reluctance within the government to use a lesser, but far cheaper, product for intelligence collection and analysis.

Commercial imagery is a great way to keep our eye on whats happening, so that the more exquisite government systems can be focused elsewhere but we still dont go blind, Mr. Thornberry said. But there is still a cultural discomfort with relying on something that you dont have control over, or as much control, as you do over your government systems.
Representative Liz Cheney, Republican of Wyoming, said in an interview on CBSs 60 Minutes on Sunday night that she was wrong to oppose same-sex marriage, reversing a longstanding position.

I was wrong, Ms. Cheney said. I was wrong.

Ms. Cheney famously came out against same-sex marriage in a television interview in 2013, while running for Senate in Wyoming, saying she believed in the traditional definition of marriage. Mary Cheney, her sister who is gay and married with children, wrote online at the time that Liz was on the wrong side of history.

The issue sparked a public rift inside the close-knit and high-profile political family. Dick Cheney, the former vice president and Ms. Cheneys father, became an unlikely advocate for gay rights when he stated in 2004 that he supported Mary, and that freedom means freedom for everyone.

On Sunday night, Liz Cheney said her father had been right the whole time. I love my sister very much, she said. I love her family very much and I was wrong. Its a very personal issue, very personal for my family. I believe my dad was right and my sister and I have had that conversation.
WASHINGTON  School officials in a Missouri city have been making twice-weekly runs to Sams Club to stock up on frozen pizzas and hot dogs. A Kansas school district ran out of vegetables for two days last month. And a district in St. Paul, Minn., has an emergency supply of frozen grilled cheese sandwiches in case it runs out of all other food.

Schools across the country are facing shortages of cafeteria staples like chicken, bread, apple juice and even plastic cutlery, as supply chain woes and a lack of truck drivers complicate the most basic task of feeding students.

Officials say they are scrambling to provide meals for students  many of whom rely on the food they eat at school as a significant, and sometimes the only, source of daily nutrition. Many educators say they expect supply-chain issues will only worsen in the coming months.

The issue stems from a confluence of events, much of it tied to the pandemic. Labor shortages have rocked food distributors and manufacturers, who say they do not have enough people to drive trucks, pull products from warehouses or work assembly lines. The virus has exacerbated the countrys shortage of truck drivers, and companies say they do not foresee enough young drivers applying to replace those aging out of the work force.
Republicans in the Texas Legislature proposed a new congressional map on Monday that would preserve the partys advantage in the states delegation to Washington amid booming population growth spurred by communities of color.

The new map was designed with an eye toward incumbency and protecting Republicans current edge; the party now holds 23 of the states 36 congressional seats. Rather than trying to make significant gains, the party appears to be bolstering incumbents who have faced increasingly tough contests against an ascendant Democratic Party in Texas.

Indeed, in the proposed map, there is only one congressional district in the state where the margin of the 2020 presidential election would have been less than five percentage points, an indication that the vast majority of the states 38 districts will not be particularly competitive.

Texas was the only state in the country to be awarded two new congressional districts during this years reapportionment, which is taking place after the 2020 census. The states Hispanic population grew by two million people over the past 10 years, and is now just 0.4 percentage points behind that of the Anglo population.
China will aim to reduce the prevalence of medically unnecessary abortions, according to guidelines released by the central government on Monday, as part of a sweeping plan for womens and childrens health over the next decade.

The language in the plan, which was published by the State Council, Chinas cabinet, was contained in just one sentence. It did not specify how the government would encourage that reduction or whether it would involve restrictions on access to abortions; the plan also promised to increase womens access to birth control.

A plan for the previous decade, released in 2011, contained similar language.

But the promise immediately drew attention on social media given increasingly urgent efforts by the government in recent years to promote childbirth and slow the populations aging. And many Chinese people are wary of the governments reach into their private family planning decisions because of the authorities history of intrusive policies.

This isnt a new policy. But before, people didnt pay attention to it, said Feng Yuan, the founder of Equality, a Beijing-based feminist organization. Its a reflection of the fact that, under the new pressure to have children, people have a new mentality when reading policies.
Editors Note, Sept. 30, 2021: An earlier version of this article and its headline included comments from an individual claiming to be Mohammad Ashraf Ghairat, the newly appointed chancellor of Kabul University, saying that women would not be allowed to go to work or attend classes at the college. The comments included those posted to a Twitter account in Mr. Ghairats name. Multiple calls to the chancellors office and his top aide for confirmation were turned away, with the aide saying that the chancellor would not speak to the media, and referring questions to a senior Taliban spokesman, who did not deny the accounts claims. After publication of this article, the authenticity of the account was cast into doubt. The Times has been unable to reach the universitys chancellor to confirm his position on school policies, and this article has been edited to reflect doubts about the social media posts.

Women who are instructors and students at Afghanistans public universities increasingly fear that the Taliban will never let them go back to their classes, and professors are quitting or trying to leave the country in droves.

According to estimates by lecturers who spoke with The Times, more than half of the countrys professors have either left their jobs or say they will. Kabul University, the countrys premier public college, has been particularly hard-hit, losing a quarter of its faculty in recent days, one of the universitys board members said.

A former member of the faculty described a deeply fearful environment. Kabul University is facing a brain drain, said Sami Mahdi, a journalist and former lecturer at the university's School of Public Policy, who spoke over the phone from Ankara, Turkey. He flew out of the country the day before Kabul fell to the Taliban, he said, but has kept in touch with his students back home. They are disheartened  especially the girls, because they know that they wont be able to go back.
When three Chinese Australians appeared before an Australian Senate committee hearing last October, Senator Eric Abetz, of the Liberal Party, asked them whether they were willing to unconditionally condemn the Chinese Communist Party dictatorship.

After one of the witnesses asked why Chinese Australians would be singled out to declare their condemnation, Mr. Abetz bristled. But can you not pick a side to condemn the oppressive ugliness of the communist regime in China? he said.

Jieh-Yung Lo, director of the Center for Asian-Australian Leadership at the Australian National University, said in an interview that Australians of Chinese heritage, including those whose families have been in Australia for generations, felt wedged into a corner.

Unless we go out and condemn China, our place in Australia will be in doubt, he said.

Anxiety among Australians of Chinese descent has focused on the new legislation against foreign interference. The laws require registration and self-reporting for anyone engaged in activities on behalf of any foreign government, not just China. When Mr. Turnbull introduced the legislation, he said that it was intended to protect Chinese Australians and other communities from intimidation.

Defenders of the laws say they have helped weaken Chinese government efforts to dominate local Chinese Australian groups. Still, the influence law and an accompanying expansion of espionage crimes have yet to produce a conviction or a significant increase in transparency around lobbying on behalf of China.
The name Tessa Ganserer did not appear on the ballot in Sundays election, but Ms. Ganserer still won a seat representing a district of Nuremberg, making history as one of the first two openly transgender people to join the German Parliament.

She had to run under the name her parents gave her at birth, because she refused to submit to the countrys 40-year-old law requiring a medical certificate before a person can legally change name and gender identity.

Another trans woman, Nyke Slawik, 27, also won a seat. Both belong to the Greens Party, which stands a strong chance of entering into government as part of a coalition.

Crazy! Ms. Slawik wrote on her Instagram page. I still cant really believe it, but after this historic election result I will definitely be part of the next German Parliament.
Carles Puigdemont, the Catalan separatist wanted in Spain for leading a failed breakaway movement in his region four years ago, left Italy on Monday, days after his brief detention and release by Italian authorities.

The arrest and exit of Mr. Puigdemont raised and then dashed the hopes of Spanish prosecutors, who once again watched another European country set him free. Italian authorities acted on a European arrest warrant at the behest of Spain, which wants to try Mr. Puigdemont on sedition charges after he led an unsuccessful attempt to establish an independent Catalonia.

He left this morning for Brussels, said Mr. Puigdemonts lawyer, Agostinangelo Marras. Mr. Puigdemonts office in Brussels confirmed his departure from Italy and said he would attend a meeting in Brussels on Monday afternoon.

Mr. Puigdemont, a member of the European Parliament, has been living in Brussels in freedom. The Belgian government has refused to send him back to Spain for trial, and a German court let him go in 2018 after a brief detention there.
CAIRO  For the past two months, President Kais Saied of Tunisia has ridden widespread popular support to ever-higher peaks of power, culminating in a recent announcement that he would essentially rule the country by decree. But he has now begun to face growing opposition, heightening uncertainty over Tunisias most serious political crisis in a decade as its economy careens toward ruin.

The rebukes have come from staunch opponents and former allies alike, from political parties and from the media, and even from some of the same supporters who cheered in the streets when Mr. Saied froze Parliament, fired the prime minister and seized power on July 25. On Sunday, at least 2,000 protesters in the capital, Tunis, called for Mr. Saied to end what they called his coup, the first major demonstration against his actions in two months.

A joint statement from four political parties, including one that was previously close to the president, said Mr. Saied was moving toward dictatorship and called on him to end his exceptional measures, which he had promised were temporary.

We consider the president has lost his legitimacy by violating the Constitution, the countrys powerful general labor union, U.G.T.T., said in a statement on Friday, warning Mr. Saied against concentrating too much power in his hands without dialogue.
PHASE 1 PHASE 2 PHASE 3 AUTHORIZED APPROVED ABANDONED 52 50 37 13 8 6 Vaccines testing safety and dosage Vaccines in expanded safety trials Vaccines in large-scale efficacy tests Vaccines in early or limited use Vaccines approved for full use Vaccines abandoned after trials PHASE 1 PHASE 2 PHASE 3 52 50 37 Vaccines testing safety and dosage Vaccines in expanded safety trials Vaccines in large-scale efficacy tests AUTHORIZED APPROVED ABANDONED 13 8 6 Vaccines in early or limited use Vaccines approved for full use Vaccines abandoned after trials PHASE 1 PHASE 2 PHASE 3 52 50 37 Vaccines testing safety and dosage Vaccines in expanded safety trials Vaccines in large-scale efficacy tests AUTHORIZED APPROVED ABANDONED 13 8 6 Vaccines in early or limited use Vaccines approved for full use Vaccines abandoned after trials

Vaccines typically require years of research and testing before reaching the clinic, but in 2020, scientists embarked on a race to produce safe and effective coronavirus vaccines in record time. Researchers are currently testing 106 vaccines in clinical trials on humans, and 37 have reached the final stages of testing. More than 75 preclinical vaccines are under active investigation in animals.

Below is a list of all vaccines that have reached trials in humans, along with a selection of promising vaccines being tested in animals. For an explanation of virus variants and mutations, see our Coronavirus Variant Tracker. For treatments for Covid-19, see our Coronavirus Drug and Treatment Tracker. For an explanation of leading vaccines, see How Nine Covid-19 Vaccines Work.

The Vaccine Testing Process

The development cycle of a vaccine, from lab to clinic.



PRECLINICAL TESTING: Scientists test a new vaccine on cells and then give it to animals such as mice or monkeys to see if it produces an immune response. PHASE 1 SAFETY TRIALS: Scientists give the vaccine to a small number of people to test safety and dosage, as well as to confirm that it stimulates the immune system. PHASE 2 EXPANDED TRIALS: Scientists give the vaccine to hundreds of people split into groups, such as children and the elderly, to see if the vaccine acts differently in them. These trials further test the vaccines safety. PHASE 3 EFFICACY TRIALS: Scientists give the vaccine to thousands of people and wait to see how many become infected, compared with volunteers who received a placebo. These trials can determine if the vaccine protects against the coronavirus, measuring whats known as the efficacy rate. Phase 3 trials are also large enough to reveal evidence of relatively rare side effects. EARLY OR LIMITED APPROVAL: Many countries have procedures for providing emergency authorizations for vaccines, based on preliminary evidence that they are safe and effective. In addition, some countries such as China and Russia began administering vaccines before detailed Phase 3 trial data was made public. Experts have warned of serious risks from jumping ahead of these results. APPROVAL: Regulators review the complete trial results and plans for a vaccines manufacturing, and decide whether to give it full approval. COMBINED PHASES: One way to accelerate vaccine development is to combine phases. Some vaccines are now in Phase 1/2 trials, for example, which this tracker would count as both Phase 1 and Phase 2. PAUSED or ABANDONED: If investigators observe worrying symptoms in volunteers, they can pause the trial. After an investigation, the trial may resume or be abandoned.

Filter the list of vaccines:

All vaccines Phase 1 2 3 Authorized Abandoned

Preclinical Vaccines

Phase 1 Vaccines

Phase 2 Vaccines

Phase 3 Vaccines

Authorized or Approved Vaccines

Abandoned Vaccines

Genetic Vaccines

Vaccines that deliver one or more of the coronaviruss own genes into our cells to provoke an immune response.

RNA vaccine DNA vaccine RNA vaccine DNA vaccine RNA vaccine DNA vaccine

PHASE 2 PHASE 3 COMBINED PHASES

APPROVED IN U.S., ELSEWHERE EMERGENCY USE IN OTHER COUNTRIES



Vaccine name: Comirnaty (also known as tozinameran or BNT162b2)

Efficacy: 91%

Dose: 2 doses, 3 weeks apart

Type: Muscle injection

Storage: Freezer storage only at 13F to 5F (25C to 15C)



On Nov. 9, 2020, New York-based Pfizer and the German company BioNTech made history by announcing that their coronavirus vaccine had an efficacy rate of over 90 percent, far surpassing expectations. It was the first time anyone had found such evidence. Just over a month later, on Dec. 11, the Food and Drug Administration granted the vaccine, known as Comirnaty, the first emergency use authorization ever given by the United States to a coronavirus vaccine. On Aug. 23, 2021, the F.D.A. granted full approval to the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, for people 16 and older, and on Sep. 22, the agency authorized a third dose as a booster for people age 65 and older, and other populations at high risk. The companies expect to deliver 2.1 billion doses worldwide in 2021.



VACCINE DEVELOPMENT The work on Comirnaty began in January 2020, when BioNTech researchers started fashioning a genetic molecule called messenger RNA (mRNA). They created the genetic instructions for building a coronavirus protein, known as spike. When injected into cells, the vaccine causes them to make spike proteins, which then get released into the body and provoke a response from the immune system. In March, BioNTech partnered with Pfizer to scale up the research, launching a clinical trial in May.



TRIAL RESULTS The Phase 1 trials showed that Comirnaty caused volunteers to produce antibodies against SARS-CoV-2, as well as immune cells called T cells that respond to the virus. On July 27, the companies announced the launch of a Phase 2/3 trial with 30,000 volunteers. On Sept. 12, Pfizer and BioNTech announced that they would seek to expand the trial to 44,000 participants.



Through the summer and into the fall, the world closely followed the Pfizer-BioNTech trial. In September, Dr. Albert Bourla, the chief executive of Pfizer, said that as soon as October the Phase 3 trial would deliver enough results to show if the vaccine worked or not. President Trump touted their progress, hinting that a vaccine would be available before the election. But on Oct. 27, Dr. Bourla announced that the volunteers in the trial had yet to experience enough cases of Covid-19 to determine if the vaccines work. Finally, on Nov. 9, Pfizer and BioNTech released their preliminary analysis of the first 94 cases of Covid-19 in their volunteers.



Over the next month, Pfizer and BioNTech released more data on more cases. On Dec. 8 the FDA released their independent analysis of the clinical trials. They determined that Comirnaty has an efficacy rate of 95 percent. While Comirnaty caused no serious side effects, it frequently caused short-lived fatigue, fever, and muscle aches.



In Israel, which took the lead in mass vaccination, researchers found that the vaccine was as effective in the real world as the trials had indicated. A study published by the Centers for Disease Control in March found that the vaccine is 91.3% effective after the second dose.



In June 2020, researchers at Oxford announced preliminary results suggesting that a combination of AstraZenecas vaccine followed by Comirnaty produces strong levels of antibodies. Another study from South Korea suggested that the antibody levels generated from the same combination were six times higher than two AstraZeneca doses.



AUTHORIZATION On Dec. 2, 2020, the United Kingdom became the first country to give Comirnaty emergency authorization, followed by many more countries. On Dec. 31, the World Health Organization gave the vaccine an Emergency Use Listing, which will speed up its authorization across the world. On May 7, 2021, Pfizer and BioNTech announced they would seek full F.D.A. approval for their vaccine, which was granted at the end of August.



On May 10, 2021, the F.D.A. expanded their emergency use authorization for Comirnaty to children as young as 12. Pifzer is also running trials with younger children. On Sept. 20, Pfizer said a smaller dose of the vaccine was safe and effective in children between the ages of 5 and 11. Pfizer sent its request for emergency approval for these ages on Oct. 7. Results for children aged 2 to 5, and for the youngest children  6 months to 2 years old  are expected later this year. In late September, the Wall Street Journal reported that Pfizers study of the vaccine in pregnant women has been delayed because of slow enrollment.



DISTRIBUTION As their clinical trials progressed, Pfizer and BioNTech also scaled up factories to produce Comirnaty. To secure a supply in advance, the Trump administration awarded Pfizer and BioNTech a $1.9 billion contract in July 2020 for 100 million doses. By July 2021, the companies had reached agreements with the United States government for a total of a billion doses: half for domestic use and half for donations to other countries. In April 2021, the European Union negotiated a deal for 1.8 billion doses, which should close up the massive shortfall they experienced early in their vaccine rollout. In September, Pfizer chief scientific officer Phil Dormitzer said in an interview with The New York Times that Pfizer and BioNTech were planning to produce 3 billion doses of Comirnaty in 2021 and 4 billion in 2022.



While Comirnaty has proven highly effective, it was initially a challenging vaccine to distribute because it had to be kept frozen at 94F (70C). On Feb. 19, 2021, Pfizer and BioNTech announced that they could keep the vaccine stable at 25C to 15C (13F to 5F).



VARIANTS In January, scientists grew concerned about the emergence of fast-spreading variants that might be able to evade antibodies. A study published in May demonstrated that Comirnaty was somewhat less effective against some variants, but still provided strong protection. A British study showed that Comirnaty had an effectiveness of 88 percent against infection with Delta, the variant first identified in India. Its effectiveness against hospitalization from Delta was 96 percent.



Pfizer and BioNTech have also developed experimental boosters for the Beta and Delta variants.



BOOSTERS In April 2021, Dr. Bourla, the chief executive, said people would likely need an additional shot of its vaccine within a year of receiving two doses. Over the summer, evidence began to emerge that Comirnatys effectiveness against infection was waning. Researchers in Israel, which got an early start on mass vaccination in January, observed that the vaccine was also becoming less effective in people over 65 at preventing hospitalization.



As the Delta variant fueled a new surge of cases in Israel, the country began providing a third dose of Comirnaty as a booster. Other countries followed suit. The F.D.A. expanded its emergency authorization to include a third dose of Comirnaty in certain immunocompromised adults on Aug. 13. On Sept. 17, an advisory board recommended that the F.D.A. approve a Comirnaty booster for people over 65. The European Medicines Agency authorized a third dose of Comirnaty for people 18 and older on Oct. 4, 2021.



For more details, see How the Pfizer-BioNTech Vaccine Works and How Pfizer Makes Its Covid-19 Vaccine.



Approved for use in: Bahrain, Brazil, Canada, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia, Switzerland, United States.

Emergency use in: Albania, Andorra NEW, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Azerbaijan NEW, Bangladesh, Bermuda, Bhutan NEW, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brunei, Cabo Verde, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Curacao NEW, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, European Union, Faroe Islands, French Polynesia, Georgia NEW, Greenland, Guadeloupe NEW, Guatemala, Hong Kong, Iceland, Indonesia, Iraq, Israel, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kosovo, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Liechtenstein, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta NEW, Martinique NEW, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, New Caledonia, Nigeria, Norway, North Macedonia, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay NEW, Peru, Philippines, Qatar, Rwanda, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Serbia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, South Africa, South Korea, St. Maarten, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turks and Caicos NEW, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay, Vatican, Vietnam, West Bank. Emergency use validation from the World Health Organization. Recommended for emergency use by the Caribbean Regulatory System.



Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine BRITAIN AND THE E.U. SWITZERLAND CANADA JAPAN TUNISIA MONGOLIA U.S. PHILIPPINES IRAQ BAHRAIN SAUDI ARABIA NIGERIA MEXICO OMAN BRAZIL ECUADOR BOTSWANA SINGAPORE AUSTRALIA PERU NEW ZEALAND SOUTH AFRICA ARGENTINA CHILE Approved Early, limited or emergency use Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine BRITAIN AND THE E.U. MONGOLIA CANADA JAPAN IRAQ LIBYA U.S. PHILIPPINES BAHRAIN SAUDI ARABIA NIGERIA MEXICO BRAZIL BOTSWANA SINGAPORE AUSTRALIA PERU NEW ZEALAND ARGENTINA SOUTH AFRICA CHILE Approved Early, limited or emergency use Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine BRITAIN AND THE E.U. CANADA JAPAN TUNISIA IRAQ U.S. PHILIPPINES BAHRAIN SAUDI ARABIA MEXICO BRAZIL BOTSWANA SINGAPORE PERU NEW ZEALAND AUSTRALIA SOUTH AFRICA ARGENTINA CHILE Approved Early, limited or emergency use Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine CANADA U.S. MEXICO BRAZIL PERU ARGENTINA NEW ZEALAND CHILE BRITAIN AND THE E.U. MONGOLIA JAPAN TUNISIA IRAQ PHILIPPINES BAHRAIN SAUDI ARABIA BOTSWANA SINGAPORE AUSTRALIA SOUTH AFRICA Approved Early, limited or emergency use

PHASE 3

APPROVED IN SWITZERLAND EMERGENCY USE IN U.S., ELSEWHERE



Vaccine name: mRNA-1273 or Spikevax

Efficacy: Preventing Covid-19 illness: 93.2%. Preventing severe disease: 98.2%.

Dose: 2 doses, 4 weeks apart

Type: Muscle injection

Storage: 30 days with refrigeration, 6 months at 4F (20C)



On Dec. 18., 2020, the F.D.A. gave emergency use authorization for a vaccine made by the Boston-based company Moderna. The Moderna vaccine, known as Spikevax or mRNA-1273, was the second to be authorized by the F.D.A., coming a week after Comirnaty, the vaccine made by Pfizer and BioNTech.



VACCINE DEVELOPMENT Like Pfizer and BioNTech, Moderna makes its vaccine from mRNA. In recent years, the company has tested mRNA vaccines for a number of diseases, but they have yet to bring one to market. Last January, they began developing a vaccine for the coronavirus.



The United States government bankrolled Modernas efforts, providing nearly $1 billion in support. In partnership with the National Institutes of Health, they found that Spikevax protects monkeys from the coronavirus.



TRIAL RESULTS In March 2020, Moderna launched the first clinical trial of a Covid-19 vaccine.. After those studies yielded promising results, Phase 3 testing on 30,000 volunteers began on July 27.



On Nov. 16, Moderna announced that the first preliminary data demonstrated that the vaccine provided strong protection against Covid-19. In a paper published in September 2021, researchers reported that the efficacy of the vaccine at preventing Covid-19 illness was 93.2 percent. The efficacy of the vaccine in preventing severe disease was 98.2 percent.



On May 25, 2021, Moderna announced that the vaccine safely provided strong protection to children as young as 12. The company is currently testing the vaccine in babies and young children. On Sept. 22, an NYU study suggested that Pfizer and Moderna vaccine doses which were administered to pregnant women later brought about a high amount of antibodies in their newborns.



AUTHORIZATION The United States currently authorizes the use of Spikevax for people 18 and older. In June, Moderna applied to expand the authorization to children as young as 12. The Europe Medicines Agency authorized giving Spikevax to adolescents in July. On June 1, 2021, Moderna announced it would seek a full licence for their vaccine. The F.D.A. authorized a third dose of the Moderna vaccine for immunocompromised individuals on Aug. 13, 2021.



DISTRIBUTION While Modernas clinical trials were still underway in the summer of 2020, the company entered deals with several countries to supply the vaccine pending its approval. On Aug. 11, the United States government awarded the company $1.5 billion in exchange for 100 million doses if the vaccine proves safe and effective. Additional negotiations have increased the agreement to 500 million doses. The European Commission secured 460 million doses. Moderna has made similar deals with other countries including Canada, Japan, Qatar and South Korea. The company has also pledged 500 million doses to COVAX, a global vaccine initiative, to supply vaccines to low-income countries. On April 29, Moderna announced they would produce 800 million to 1 billion doses in 2021, and planned to manufacture 3 billion doses in 2022.



VARIANTS Tests on the Moderna vaccine indicate that it provides strong protection against dominant variants like Beta and Delta.



BOOSTERS In March 2021, Moderna began a Phase 1 trial of a new mRNA vaccine made specifically for the Beta variant. A variant-specific booster shot of the Moderna vaccine has yielded positive results in humans and mice.



Later, the company ran trials in which they used a third dose of the original vaccine as a booster. Results from a trial of a third Moderna shot in adults who have received an organ transplant suggested that the booster improved their immune response  a finding that led the F.D.A. to authorize the booster shot in that population. The company then ran a trial on healthy volunteers and found that a booster raised their production of antibodies against all major variants. Combining the Moderna booster with Sanofis flu vaccine produced positive results in adults aged 65 years and older, the companies announced on Oct. 7.



On Aug. 2, 2021, Germany announced that in September it would begin delivering boosters made by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna. Moderna announced on Sept. 2 that it had sent initial data from its booster shot trials to the F.D.A. for potential authorization. It is expected to be granted in the fall. The European Medicines Agency authorized a third dose of Comirnaty for people with severely weakened immune systems on Oct. 4, 2021.



For more details, see How Modernas Vaccine Works.



Approved for use in: Canada, Switzerland.

Emergency use in: emergency_countries: Andorra, Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Botswana, Brunei, Canada, Colombia, Curacao, European Union, Faroe Islands, Fiji, Ghana, Greenland, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Kenya, Kuwait, Libya, Liechtenstein, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mexico, Micronesia, Moldova, Mongolia, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Palestinian Authority, Paraguay, Philippines, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Republic of Congo, Saba, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saint Martin, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Sint Eustatius, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Vietnam, West Bank. Emergency use validation from the World Health Organization.



Moderna vaccine U.K. AND E.U. SWITZERLAND CANADA JAPAN MONGOLIA U.S. ISRAEL NIGERIA QATAR VIETNAM INDIA GUATEMALA SINGAPORE AUSTRALIA BOTSWANA Approved Early, limited or emergency use Moderna vaccine U.K. AND E.U. SWITZERLAND CANADA MONGOLIA ISRAEL U.S. NIGERIA QATAR VIETNAM INDIA GUATEMALA AUSTRALIA BOTSWANA Approved Early, limited or emergency use Moderna vaccine U.K. AND E.U. SWITZERLAND CANADA MONGOLIA ISRAEL U.S. QATAR INDIA GUATEMALA BOTSWANA AUSTRALIA Approved Early, limited or emergency use Moderna vaccine CANADA U.S. GUATEMALA U.K. AND E.U. SWITZERLAND MONGOLIA ISRAEL QATAR INDIA BOTSWANA AUSTRALIA Approved Early, limited or emergency use

PHASE 3 EMERGENCY USE IN INDIA



Vaccine name: ZyCoV-D

Efficacy: 66.6%

Dose: 3 doses, 4 weeks apart

Type: Skin injection

Storage: Stable at room temperature for three months



In July 2020, the Indian vaccine-maker Zydus Cadila began testing a DNA-based vaccine delivered by a skin patch. After getting promising results in their Phase 1 trial, they launched a Phase 2 trial on ZyCoV-D on Aug. 6. On Jan. 3, 2021 the Indian government gave Zydus Cadila permission to advance to a Phase 3 trial with 30,000 volunteers.



The company announced on July 1 that the vaccine had an efficacy of 66.6% and that none of the vaccinated volunteers in the trial developed severe disease or died, making ZyCoV-D the first DNA-based vaccine shown to work against Covid-19. Zydus Cadila received emergency authorization from the Indian government on Aug. 20.



Emergency use in: India.



Zydus Cadila vaccine INDIA Approved Early, limited or emergency use Zydus Cadila vaccine INDIA Approved Early, limited or emergency use Zydus Cadila vaccine INDIA Approved Early, limited or emergency use Zydus Cadila vaccine INDIA Approved Early, limited or emergency use

PHASE 3



Vaccine name: CVnCoV

Efficacy: 48%

Dose: 2 doses, 4 weeks apart

Type: Muscle injection

Storage: Stable at least 3 months at 3646F (28C)



In March 2020, the Trump administration unsuccessfully tried to entice CureVac to move its research on their mRNA vaccine from Germany to the United States. The company plowed ahead with its work in Germany, seeing responses to the vaccine in mice and monkeys before launching clinical trials in July. Their vaccine showed promise in several respects: it can remain stable in a refrigerator rather than a freezer, and preliminary studies suggested it would work well at a low dose, reducing its cost. In December, CureVac launched a Phase 3 trial, recruiting up to 36,500 volunteers in Germany. The European Union began a rolling review in February, intended to speed up approval if the Phase 3 trial delivers positive results.



Meanwhile, CureVac prepared for mass production of the vaccine. The company negotiated a deal to provide the European Union with up to 400 million doses of their vaccine. They projected manufacturing up to 300 million doses in 2021 and up to a billion doses the following year. Starting in January 2021, CureVac forged a series of partnerships with pharmaceutical giants Bayer, Celonic, GSK, and Novartis, to support the production of their vaccine and develop new ones against coronavirus variants.



In June 2021, CureVac reported disappointing results from the trial. Overall, their vaccine had an efficacy of just 48 percent against Covid-19. It proved somewhat better for younger volunteers: For those between the ages of 18 and 60, the efficacy rose to 53 percent. In that group, the researchers also found the vaccine provided 100 percent protection against hospitalization and death. Researchers later pointed to the vaccine dosage along with the rise of new variants as potential reasons for the low efficacy. On Sept. 14, CureVac announced that it had cancelled its manufacturing deals with Celonic and German company Wacker, citing a decline in demand for CVnCoV.



Despite the disappointing results, the company moved ahead with preparing an application to the European Union for emergency authorization. In August they said that the plans would be finalized by the end of September, but that deadline passed without an application.



CureVac also developed a second-generation version that is more potent than the first. Known as CV2CoV, it generates a stronger immune response in animals compared to the first. It has yet to be tested on people in a clinical trial.



PHASE 3



In June 2020, Chinese researchers at the Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Suzhou Abogen Biosciences and Walvax Biotechnology announced they would start their countrys first safety trials on an mRNA-based vaccine, called ARCoV. Earlier studies on monkeys reportedly showed protective effects, and in the Phase 1 trial indicated it was safe in people. On Dec. 21, Xinhua reported that China was building a factory to produce 120 million doses per year.



Researchers launched a Phase 2 trial for the vaccine in January 2021, and registered a Phase 3 trial in April. In September, Bloomberg reported that the trial would soon be launched in Indonesia and Mexico, with results expected by the end of the year.



PHASE 2 PHASE 3 COMBINED PHASES



The California-based company Arcturus Therapeutics and Duke-NUS Medical School in Singapore have developed an mRNA vaccine called ARCT-021. It has a self-replicating design that leads to a greater production of viral proteins. Tests on animals showed that it protected them against infection. In August, Arcturus launched a Phase 1/2 trial at Singapore General Hospital. On Nov. 9, the company announced that an interim analysis of the trial showed that the vaccine produced an immune response thats in the range of responses seen in people who recovered from Covid-19. On Jan. 6 Arcturus announced that they had permission to start the Phase 2 portion of the trial in both Singapore and the United States. Singapore reached an agreement with Arcturus to spend up to $175 million to acquire vaccines when theyre ready.



In August, Arcturus received approval to begin testing its next-generation mRNA vaccine in Vietnam. The company registered a Phase 2/3 trial of the vaccine, called ARCT-154. The researchers registered a Phase 1/2 trial evaluating the two vaccines head-to-head with another candidate, called ARCT-165, on Sept. 8.



PHASE 2 PHASE 3 COMBINED PHASES



The South Korean company Genexine started testing the safety of a DNA-based vaccine in June 2020. In December, the Korea Biomedical Review reported that Genexine got disappointing results from their initial formulation and decided to restart their trials with a modified vaccine. On Jan. 20, 2021, the company registered a Phase 1/2 trial, and in June they registered a Phase 1 trial for elderly volunteers.



The Indonesian pharmaceutical company Kalbe Farma pledged in April to buy 10 million doses of Genexines vaccine if it is proven to be safe and effective. In July, Indonesian regulators gave the green light for a late-stage clinical trial. Genexine registered a Phase 2/3 clinical trial in October to test their vaccine as a booster for other vaccines.



PHASE 2



Vaccine name: INO-4800

Efficacy: Unknown

Dose: To be determined

Type: Skin injection

Storage: Over a year at room temperature



Before the pandemic, the Pennsylvania-based company Inovio developed DNA-based vaccines that are delivered into the skin with electric pulses from a hand-held device. They are running clinical trials for vaccines against a number of diseases, including HIV, Zika, and several forms of cancer. At the start of the pandemic, Inovio developed a DNA vaccine against the spike protein on the coronavirus. A Phase 1 trial, published in December, did not uncover any serious adverse effects, and measured an immune response in all 38 volunteers.



Inovio became embroiled in several lawsuits with stockholders and a company partner. On Sept. 28, 2020, the F.D.A. put the vaccine on a partial hold due to questions about the delivery device. On Nov. 16, Inovio said that the F.D.A. had given them permission to move forward.



Inovio went on to run Phase 2 trials in the United States as well as in China and South Korea, and posted results of the studies online on May 7, 2021. They also began testing versions of their vaccine tailored against new variants.



After losing government funding for Phase 3 trials, Inovio said it would proceed with testing its vaccine outside of the United States. On June 8, the company announced that it would run its Phase 3 trials in Latin America and Asia, in a partnership with the Chinese company Advaccine Biopharmaceuticals. On Aug. 26, Inovio announced that Brazilian regulators authorized their Phase 3 trial, and in September they announced that they had received approval for another Phase 3 trial in the Philippines and in Mexico. Inovios vaccine is also part of a Chinese mixed trial combined with Sinovacs vaccine.



PHASE 2



Canadas Providence Therapeutics specializes in messenger RNA vaccines to treat cancer. In response to the pandemic, they developed an mRNA vaccine against the coronavirus. They launched a Phase 1 study of an RNA vaccine in late January 2021, and in May announced that the vaccine appeared safe and produced promising levels of antibodies. In August, Providence Therapeutics launched a Phase 2 trial.



In June, the company reached an agreement with the Indian vaccine maker Biological E to carry out further trials in India. Biological E agreed to purchase up to 30 million doses and planned to scale their production of the vaccine to as many as a billion doses in 2022. In September, Providence also reached an agreement with Everest Medicines to produce and market the vaccine in China.



PHASE 1 PHASE 2 COMBINED PHASES



Vaccine name: AG0302-COVID19

Efficacy: Unknown

Dose: 2 doses, 2 weeks apart

Type: Skin injection

Storage: Over a year at room temperature



On June 30, 2020, the Japanese biotechnology company AnGes launched a Phase 1 trial to test a DNA-based vaccine, developed in partnership with Osaka University and Takara Bio. The company moved on to a Phase 2/3 trial in December. On Aug. 6, the researchers registered a new Phase 1/2 trial of the vaccine at a higher dose after preliminary results suggested the efficacy of the original dose schedule was insufficient.



PHASE 1 PHASE 2 COMBINED PHASES



Gennova Biopharmaceuticals in India and Seattle-based HDT Bio partnered to develop a vaccine based on self-amplifying RNA. The vaccine, known as HGC019, was able to safely provoke animals to make antibodies to the coronavirus, leading India to grant the companies approval in December 2020 to start Phase 1/2 trials. On May 4, 2021 HDT announced the trial was underway in India. HDT announced on Aug. 16 that it also forged a partnership with South Korean biotech company Quratis to develop its vaccine. The Indian Ministry of Science and Technology announced on Aug. 24 that promising results from the Phase 1 trial cleared the way for further Phase 2 and Phase 3 trials.



PHASE 1 PHASE 2 COMBINED PHASES



GeneOne Life Science, a South Korean biotech company, developed a DNA-based vaccine that encodes two proteins from the coronavirus. In December 2020, they launched a Phase 1/2 trial with 345 participants. After receiving positive interim results from the trial, GeneOne announced on July 8, 2021 that it would begin Phase 2.



PHASE 1 PHASE 2 COMBINED PHASES



Takis Biotech and Rottapharm Biotech, two vaccine companies in Italy, developed a vaccine called COVID-eVax. A special device uses a tiny electric pulse to deliver DNA through the skin. The DNA enters cells, which use the genetic instructions to make spike protein fragments. In February 2021, Takis and Rottapharm launched a Phase 1/2 trial in Italy. COVID-eVax can remain stable at room temperature. In September, the companies issued a press release stating that the Phase 1 trial delivered promising results. By then, Italys vaccination rate had climbed so far that the companies said it would be difficult to recruit enough volunteers to move to the Phase 2 trial.



PHASE 1 PHASE 2 COMBINED PHASES



Japan-based researchers at Daiichi Sankyo have developed an mRNA vaccine against the coronavirus in collaboration with the University of Tokyo. They launched a Phase 1/2 trial of the vaccine, named DS-5670, on March 22, 2021.



PHASE 1 PHASE 2 COMBINED PHASES



Researchers at Baltimore-based Elixirgen Therapeutics have created an RNA vaccine, named EXG-5003, that targets a small part of the coronavirus spike protein. In May 2021 they launched a Phase 1/2 trial of the vaccine in Japan.



PHASE 1 PHASE 2 COMBINED PHASES



Researchers at Korean biotechnology company Eyegene have developed an mRNA vaccine that uses a delivery system slightly different from other genetic vaccines. Instead of using a lipid nanoparticle, their vaccine uses liposomes  tiny fat bubbles  to bring the genetic material to the cell. Korean regulators approved a Phase 1/2 trial in August 2021 for the vaccine, called EG-COVID. Eyegenes C.E.O., Wonil Yoo, told a Korean television station that the trial began in September, and that results could come by the end of the year.



PHASE 1 PHASE 2 COMBINED PHASES



Norwegian biopharmaceutical company Vaccibody have developed two DNA vaccine candidates to protect against coronavirus variants. On Oct. 6, the researchers registered a Phase 1/2 trial. They will test the two vaccines head-to-head in the first part of the study and then select one for further trials.



PHASE 1



Researchers at Thailands Chulalongkorn University have been developing several potential vaccines for the coronavirus. The furthest along is an mRNA-based vaccine known as ChulaCov19. In September 2020, the Chula Vaccine Research Center registered a Phase 1 trial to test it in humans. Delays in funding and manufacturing slowed the studys launch until June 2021. In an interview with the Bangkok Post, the leader of the project said that up to 30 million doses might be produced for Thailand and six other Asian countries if the vaccine proved to be safe and effective. Citing positive preliminary results, the researchers said in August that the vaccine would soon advance to the next phase of clinical trials.



PHASE 1



The Canadian company Entos Pharmaceuticals has created a DNA vaccine for the coronavirus. Most other genetic vaccines carry the gene for the spike protein on the surface of the virus. Entos instead chose the gene for nucleocapsid, a protein that sits inside the viruss membrane. They are betting it can offer long-lasting immunity. In October 2020, Entos launched a Phase 1 trial in Canada for their vaccine, called Covigenix VAX-001. They began dosing participants on April 15. Entos C.E.O. John Lewis told Canadian media on Aug. 4 that the vaccine produced a sufficient immune response without adverse reactions. He also said that a Phase 2 trial would take place outside of Canada. Entos later said that the trial would take place in South Africa.



PHASE 1



On Nov. 2, 2020, the Canadian company Symvivo announced they had administered a DNA vaccine to their first volunteer in a Phase 1 trial. The DNA is inserted into harmless bacteria, which volunteers swallow in a frozen liquid (the company is working on putting the bacteria into a pill). When the bacteria reach the intestines, the DNA slips into cells in the gut lining, which then make viral proteins. Symvivo announced on July 19 that it received nearly $5 million in funding from the National Research Council of Canadas Industrial Research Assistance Program to continue developing its vaccine.



PHASE 1



New Jersey-based OncoSec Immunotherapies has developed experimental cancer treatments that deliver genes into tumors. There, the injected genes produce a natural signalling molecule called IL-12, which attracts the attention of immune cells that attack the cancer. In the spring of 2020, OncoSec began adapting their technology to make a vaccine for the coronavirus. The vaccine, called CORVax12, consists of a loop of DNA that encodes both the spike protein and IL-12. Causing the body to make extra IL-12 could potentially enhance the immune systems ability to make antibodies to the spike protein. On Jan. 27, 2021, the company began dosing participants in its Phase 1 trial to test the safety of CORVax12.



PHASE 1



Using a delivery system from PharmaJet, researchers at BioNet-Asia and Australia-based Technovalia have developed a DNA vaccine called COVIGEN that can be pushed through the skin without a needle. Instead, the dose is loaded into a handheld device and shot directly into cell tissue through a jet spray of fluid. Vaccines for the flu already use the device, which PharmaJet says is a safer alternative to needle injections. The researchers registered a Phase 1 trial in Australia on Feb. 8, 2021.



PHASE 1



Chinese researchers at Stemirna Therapeutics have developed an mRNA vaccine in collaboration with Shanghai East Hospital. They registered a Phase 1 trial on May 1, 2021.



PHASE 1



Scancell, a British company that develops treatments for cancer, has created two DNA vaccine candidates against the coronavirus. Their first vaccine, called SCOV1, targets the original virus and its early variants. SCOV2 is intended to act as a booster shot. Scancell is using a needle-free injection technology made by Colorado-based PharmaJet to administer the vaccines into the skin through a concentrated jet of fluid. On Sept. 17, Scancell registered a Phase 1 trial in South Africa. Participants will receive two doses of SCOV1 four weeks apart, and then two doses of SCOV2 after 12 weeks.



ABANDONED



In early 2020, Imperial College London researchers developed a self-amplifying RNA vaccine for Covid-19, which boosted production of a viral protein to stimulate the immune system. They began Phase 1/2 trials on June 15, partnering with Morningside Ventures to manufacture and distribute the vaccine through a new company called VacEquity Global Health. On Dec. 18, the researchers announced a collaboration with Enesi Pharma to formulate a solid version of the vaccine that can be implanted in the skin without a needle.



On Jan. 27, 2021, Robin Shattuck, the leader of the project, announced that it is not the right time to start a new efficacy trial for a further vaccine in the U.K. Instead of competing with authorized vaccines, they are turning their efforts to making candidates that will work well against emerging variants of the coronavirus.



ABANDONED



The French pharmaceutical company Sanofi collaborated with Massachusetts-based Translate Bio to develop an mRNA vaccine for Covid-19. In 2020, they reported that the vaccine, MRT5500, produced a strong antibody response in mice and monkeys, and protected hamsters against coronavirus infections. They followed up on that research with a Phase 1/2 trial in March 2021. Over the summer, Sanofi acquired Translate Bio for $3 billion. On Sept. 28, the company announced that the trial had yielded encouraging results. By then, however, Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines were widely available, and so Sanofi decided to pull the plug on its own mRNA Covid-19 vaccine program. Meanwhile, it is continuing a Phase 3 trial on a protein-based vaccine that could serve as a booster against Covid-19.



PRECLINICAL



Other genetic vaccines in active preclinical development include vaccines from: Batavia Biosciences and RocketVax; CureVac and GSK; Defence Therapeutics; DIOSynVax; Doherty Institute and Monash University; ETheRNA; EyeGene; Globe Biotech; Greenlight Biosciences; Gritstone bio and CEPI; HIPRA and Hospital Clinic de Barcelona; Infectious Disease Research Institute and Amyris; Inovio; National Research Centre, Egypt; National Health Research Institutes, Taiwan; the OPENCORONA Consortia; the Spanish National Center for Biotechnology and the Spanish National Research Council; Stanford University.



Viral Vector Vaccines

Vaccines that contain viruses engineered to carry coronavirus genes. Some viral vector vaccines enter cells and cause them to make viral proteins. Other viral vectors slowly replicate, carrying coronavirus proteins on their surface.

PHASE 3 EMERGENCY USE IN RUSSIA, ELSEWHERE



Vaccine name: Sputnik V (also known as Gam-Covid-Vac)

Efficacy: 91.6%

Dose: 2 doses, 3 weeks apart

Type: Muscle injection

Storage: Freezer storage. Developing an alternative formulation that can be refrigerated.



The Gamaleya Research Institute, part of Russias Ministry of Health, has created a vaccine with an efficacy rate of 91.6 percent. Russia began distributing the vaccine, known as Sputnik V, in fall 2020, and it is now widely used around the world.



VACCINE DEVELOPMENT Gamaleya produced the vaccine, initially called Gam-Covid-Vac, from a combination of two adenoviruses called Ad5 and Ad26. Both kinds have been tested as vaccines over a number of years. By combining them, the Russian researchers hoped to avoid a situation in which the immune system could learn to recognize the vaccine as a foreign object that needed to be destroyed.



TRIAL RESULTS The researchers launched clinical trials in June 2020, and by the end of the summer, the trial became bogged down in controversy. On Aug. 11, President Vladimir V. Putin announced that a Russian health care regulator had approved the vaccine, renamed Sputnik V. Yet the Phase 3 trials had not even begun. Vaccine experts decried the move as risky, and Russia later walked back the announcement, saying that the approval was a conditional registration certificate, which would depend on positive results from Phase 3 trials.



In addition to Russia, volunteers for the trial were recruited in Belarus, the United Arab Emirates, and Venezuela. On Oct. 17, a Phase 2/3 trial was launched in India.



On Sept. 4, three weeks after Putins announcement, Gamaleya researchers published the results of their Phase 1/2 trial. They found that Sputnik V yielded antibodies to the coronavirus and mild side effects. On Nov. 11, the Russian Direct Investment Fund announced the first preliminary evidence from their Phase 3 trial indicating that the vaccine is effective. Based on 20 cases of Covid-19 among the trial participants, Russian scientists estimated that the vaccine demonstrated 92 percent efficacy.



By December, the trial had reached its final total of 78 cases. The creators of the vaccine published the results of their Phase 3 trial on Feb. 2, 2021 in the Lancet. The study demonstrated a high efficacy after two doses, and did not uncover serious side effects. No one who got the vaccine experienced a serious case of Covid-19.



In January 2021, Gamaleya researchers started a trial in which they gave people only the first dose of Ad26 adenoviruses, the same adenovirus in Johnson & Johnsons single-dose vaccine. They dubbed this one-dose version Sputnik Light.



On Feb. 12, the director of the Gameleya center said in a television interview that Sputnik Light would likely provide only four to five months of protection. Russia announced on May 6 that Sputnik Light provided an efficacy of 79.4 percent but did not publish the details of the study or say how long the efficacy would last. After the single-dose version of the vaccine was rolled out in Argentina, a study found that its effectiveness there was between 78.6 and 83.7 percent. Studies also remain underway to assess Sputnik Vs safety and effectiveness in children and adolescents. On July 8, researchers registered a Phase 2/3 trial for Russians aged 12 to 17.



In December 2020, the Gamaleya Institute joined forces with the drugmaker AstraZeneca, which makes a vaccine based on a chimpanzee adenovirus. The two teams combined their vaccines to see if the mixture can increase the efficacy of the AstraZeneca vaccine. The trial was registered in February, and on July 30, Russian officials announced that mixing Sputnik V with the AstraZeneca shot did not cause adverse effects or new Covid-19 cases. They announced similar results on Aug. 20 after mixing Sputnik Light with the Astrazeneca shot in a trial in Azerbaijan. Mixing Sputnik Light with the AstraZeneca, Sinopharm and Moderna vaccines was also found to be safe, Russian officials announced on Aug. 4. Chinese officials announced on July 30, 2021, that Sputnik V is part of a new trial assessing its effectiveness when combined with the CanSino vaccine. Preclinical trials for an intranasal version of Sputnik V have completed, and human trials could begin soon, Russian officials said on Aug. 11.



AUTHORIZATION In November 2020, the Russian government began offering Sputnik V within Russia in a mass vaccination campaign. But worry that the vaccine was rushed to approval led to widespread hesitancy. On Dec. 22, Belarus became the first country outside of Russia to register Sputnik V, and since then a number of other countries have followed suit. Sputnik Light received authorization for use in Russia on May 6, 2021.



In Europe, regulators began a rolling review of Sputnik V on March 4. If the European Medicines Agency approved it, many European countries might take up the vaccine.



In April, Brazils vaccine regulator rejected Sputnik V, based on a number of concerns, including the possibility that the adenoviruses in the vaccines hadnt been properly disabled. After weeks of tense confrontation, Brazil gave Sputnk V the green light in June, but with some conditions  including limiting it only to healthy adults. Concerns over the vaccines effectiveness have also pushed India to deny permission for Phase 3 trials to be conducted in the country.



VARIANTS A study published in July found that Sputnik antibodies can neutralize the Delta variant, although not as effectively as they worked against the original version of the virus.



For more details, see How Gamaleyas Vaccine Works.



Emergency use in: Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia (including Sputnik Light), Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus (including Sputnik Light), Bolivia, Bosnian Serb Republic, Brazil, Cameroon, Chile, Congo Republic (including Sputnik Light), Djibouti, Ecuador, Egypt (including Sputnik Light), Honduras, Gabon, Gambia NEW, Ghana, Guatemala, Guinea, Guyana, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran (including Sputnik Light), Iraq, Jordan, Kazakhstan (including Sputnik Light), Kenya, Kyrgyzstan (including Sputnik Light), Laos, Lebanon, Libya NEW, Maldives, Mali, Mauritius (including Sputnik Light), Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia (including Sputnik Light), Montenegro, Morocco, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Nicaragua (including Sputnik Light), Nigeria, North Macedonia, Oman, Pakistan, Palestinian Authority (including Sputnik Light), Panama, Paraguay, Philippines (including Sputnik Light), Russia (including Sputnik Light), San Marino, Serbia, Seychelles, Slovakia, Sri Lanka, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, Venezuela (including Sputnik Light), Vietnam, West Bank NEW, Zimbabwe.



Gamaleyas Sputnik V vaccine RUSSIA HUNGARY ALGERIA MONGOLIA GUINEA MALI IRAN PAKISTAN BAHRAIN GABON U.A.E. MEXICO INDIA ANGOLA BRAZIL INDONESIA KENYA PARAGUAY ARGENTINA Approved Early, limited or emergency use Gamaleyas Sputnik V vaccine HUNGARY RUSSIA ALGERIA MONGOLIA GUINEA PAKISTAN IRAN BAHRAIN GABON MEXICO INDIA U.A.E. BRAZIL ANGOLA KENYA PARAGUAY ARGENTINA Approved Early, limited or emergency use Gamaleyas Sputnik V vaccine RUSSIA HUNGARY MONGOLIA ALGERIA IRAN PAKISTAN GABON MEXICO INDIA BRAZIL KENYA PARAGUAY ARGENTINA Approved Early, limited or emergency use Gamaleyas Sputnik V vaccine MEXICO BRAZIL PARAGUAY ARGENTINA RUSSIA HUNGARY ALGERIA MONGOLIA PAKISTAN IRAN BAHRAIN GABON INDIA ANGOLA KENYA Approved Early, limited or emergency use

PHASE 2 PHASE 3 COMBINED PHASES

APPROVED IN BRAZIL EMERGENCY USE IN E.U., ELSEWHERE



Vaccine name: Vaxzevria (also known as AZD1222, or Covishield in India)

Efficacy: 74% against symptomatic Covid19; 100% against severe or critical Covid-19.

Dose: 2 doses

Type: Muscle injection

Storage: Stable in refrigerator for at least 6 months



A vaccine designed by the University of Oxford and produced by the British-Swedish company AstraZeneca has emerged as a key element in the effort to meet the global demand for Covid-19 vaccines. With an efficacy of 76 percent, the vaccine  now known as Vaxzevria  is being produced in vast quantities at a low price. Because it only needs to be refrigerated rather than frozen, it can be used far more widely than mRNA vaccines. But Vaxzevrias journey has been turbulent, jolted by confusing messages from AstraZeneca, high-profile worries about safety, and difficulties with manufacturing. On July 29, 2021, Oxford announced that a billion doses of Vaxzevria had been released worldwide.



VACCINE DEVELOPMENT Vaxvezria was based on a vaccine platform that Oxford researchers had been developing for years for other diseases. They began with an adenovirus that normally infects chimpanzees and genetically engineered it to carry viral genes. In early 2020, the scientists developed Vaxvezria by endowing the adenovirus with the spike gene from the coronavirus. When they gave the vaccine to monkeys, they found that it protected the animals from the disease.



TRIAL RESULTS The United States supported the development of Vaxvezria in May 2020, with $1.2 billion provided as part of Operation Warp Speed. The money helped AstraZeneca and Oxford embark on large late-stage trials in the United States, United Kingdom, South Africa, and elsewhere. But the researchers ran the trials independently, making it difficult to combine their results into a single clear picture of how well the vaccine worked. Making matters murkier, they gave different amounts of the vaccine to different people and also waited anywhere from four to twelve weeks to deliver the second dose.



On Dec. 8, 2020, AstraZeneca and Oxford published the first scientific paper on a Phase 3 clinical trial of a coronavirus vaccine. The trial demonstrated that the vaccine can protect people from Covid-19, but it left many questions unresolved about the results. Nevertheless, the vaccines low cost and ease of storage made it attractive to countries looking for a way out of the pandemic.



On Feb. 14, 2021, AstraZeneca announced they would start trials on children as young as six. Researchers at Oxford reported preliminary results suggesting that a combination of AstraZenecas vaccine followed by Comirnaty produces strong levels of antibodies. AstraZeneca also launched a similar trial with Russias Sputnik V vaccine. Results from that study suggest that the combination yielded at least a four-fold increase in antibodies in 85 percent of participants. In September 2021, Imperial College London launched a trial of an inhaled form of the vaccine. Brazilian researchers registered a Phase 2/3 trial on Sept. 28 to evaluate the effectiveness of a half dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine compared to the normal dosing scheme.



AUTHORIZATION The United Kingdom and Argentina were the first countries to give the vaccine emergency authorization, on Dec. 30, 2020. On Jan. 3, India approved a version called Covishield, made by the Serum Institute of India. On Feb. 16 the World Health Organization recommended the vaccine for emergency use in adults 18 or older. Brazil gave full approval to the vaccine on March 13.



In the summer of 2020, Astrazeneca promised it would distribute Vaxzevria in the United States as soon as that October. But a concern about the health of a volunteer in the U.S. clinical trial stalled the study for seven weeks. AstraZeneca did not deliver the results of the trial until March 2021  only to be rebuked by its expert advisors for cherry-picking data. These speed bumps slowed the company down, while other vaccines were getting authorized and meeting the demand in the United States. The company is expected to seek full regulatory approval by December 2021.



DISTRIBUTION Vaxzexria promised at first to be a cheap, robust vaccine that would go a long way to meeting the worlds need for protection from Covid-19. But it has suffered a number of setbacks.



Even while it was running clinical trials in 2020, AstraZeneca reached agreements with a number of manufacturers in order to produce billions of doses of Vaxzevria. But in January 2021, it admitted that it would fall short of its promised delivery of vaccines to the European Union. Its shortfall grew only worse in March when India, facing an explosion of new cases, blocked export of the vaccine from its factories. On April 26, the European Commission filed a lawsuit against the company for breach of contract. The court ordered AstraZeneca on June 18 to deliver 50 million additional doses of Vaxzevria, substantially less than the 90 million the European Commission had demanded. AstraZeneca met the revised deadline on July 26. In September, AstraZeneca and the European Commission settled their dispute, with an agreement for the company to supply 200 million doses by March 2022.



In the spring of 2021, as other countries struggled with devastating new waves of Covid-19, the United States came under intense criticism for holding back raw materials India needed to make its own supply of Covishield. On April 25, the Biden administration announced it would partially lift its ban. Later, it promised to distribute AstraZeneca vaccines to other countries. But due to concerns about the facility where the vaccines were made in Baltimore, the vaccines have yet to be released.



In South Africa, a small trial failed to demonstrate that it protected people against the Beta variant, which has become predominant in the country. On Feb. 7, 2021, South Africa halted plans for a rollout of 1 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine and switched to Johnson & Johnson.



In March 2021, Covax began delivering doses of the vaccine to low- and middle-income countries. But manufacturing bottlenecks have slowed the pipeline. The company expects a total annual manufacturing capacity of two billion doses.



VARIANTS A British study found that the AstraZeneca vaccine provides 67 percent effectiveness against infection with the Delta variant. A Canadian study found that it had an effectiveness of 87 percent against hospitalization and death from the variant.



AstraZeneca and Oxford are working on a new version of the vaccine tailored to the Beta variant and are testing a version that can be delivered as a nasal spray. On June 28, participants received doses of the Beta variant vaccine, called AZD2816, in a new Phase 2 / 3 trial.



BOOSTERS In June, Oxford researchers reported that a third booster of the AstraZeneca vaccine generated strong immune responses in volunteers.



SIDE EFFECTS In March 2021, European medical regulators became concerned about a small number of cases of blood clots in younger people who received Vaxzevria. The European Medicines Agency concluded that the vaccine had a very rare side effect in which people suffered blood clots in large veins combined with low platelets. The regulators emphasized that the vaccine is effective and the benefits it provided outweighed the small risk of its side effects. In response some countries chose to minimize the risk by restricting the vaccine to older people. In May, Norway permanently removed Vaxzevria from their vaccination program. In August, a team of British researchers reported that the risk of blood clots is far higher from Covid-19 than from the Vaxzevria vaccine.



For more details, see How the Oxford-AstraZeneca Vaccine Works.



Approved for use in: Brazil.

Stopped use in: Denmark, Norway.

Emergency use in: Albania, Algeria, Angola, Anguilla, Antigua, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Azerbaijan NEW, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Barbuda, Belize, Bermuda, Bhutan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Cambodia, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Comoros, Costa Rica, Cyprus, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Eswatini, Ethiopia, European Union, Fiji, Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Greenland, Grenada, Guadeloupe NEW, Guatemala, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kiribati, Kosovo, Kuwait, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta NEW, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, Montserrat, Morocco, Myanmar NEW, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, New Zealand, Nicaragua NEW, Niger, Nigeria, North Macedonia, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay NEW, Peru, Philippines, Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, San Martin NEW, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia NEW, South Africa, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, Sudan, Suriname, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia NEW, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Uruguay, Uzbekistan NEW, Vanuatu, Vietnam, Virgin Islands NEW, Yemen, Zambia. Emergency use validation from the World Health Organization. Endorsed by the Africa Regulatory Taskforce. Recommended for emergency use by the Caribbean Regulatory System.



Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine NORWAY BRITAIN AND THE E.U. MOROCCO CANADA MONGOLIA SOUTH KOREA ALGERIA BAHAMAS EGYPT PHILIPPINES IRAN PAKISTAN NIGERIA INDIA MEXICO BRAZIL INDONESIA COSTA RICA KENYA AUSTRALIA NAMIBIA MALDIVES SEYCHELLES CHILE SOUTH AFRICA ARGENTINA Approved Stopped use in favor of other vaccines Early, limited or emergency use Oxford- AstraZeneca vaccine NORWAY BRITAIN AND THE E.U. CANADA MOROCCO MONGOLIA SOUTH KOREA ALGERIA IRAN BAHAMAS PHILIPPINES EGYPT PAKISTAN NIGERIA MEXICO INDIA BRAZIL KENYA COSTA RICA AUSTRALIA NAMIBIA MALDIVES SEYCHELLES CHILE ARGENTINA SOUTH AFRICA Approved Stopped use in favor of other vaccines Early, limited or emergency use Oxford- AstraZeneca vaccine BRITAIN AND THE E.U. NORWAY MONGOLIA CANADA MOROCCO ALGERIA SOUTH KOREA BAHAMAS EGYPT PHILIPPINES IRAN NIGERIA MEXICO INDIA BRAZIL KENYA COSTA RICA NAMIBIA MALDIVES SEYCHELLES ARGENTINA AUSTRALIA SOUTH AFRICA CHILE Approved Stopped use in favor of other vaccines Early, limited or emergency use Oxford- AstraZeneca vaccine CANADA BAHAMAS MEXICO BRAZIL COSTA RICA CHILE ARGENTINA BRITAIN AND THE E.U. NORWAY MONGOLIA ALGERIA SOUTH KOREA EGYPT PHILIPPINES IRAN INDIA NAMIBIA KENYA MALDIVES SEYCHELLES AUSTRALIA SOUTH AFRICA Approved Early, limited or emergency use Stopped use

PHASE 3

APPROVED IN CHINA EMERGENCY USE IN OTHER COUNTRIES



Vaccine name: Convidecia (also known as Ad5-nCoV)

Efficacy: 65.28%

Dose: Single dose

Type: Muscle injection

Storage: Refrigerated



The Chinese company CanSino Biologics developed Convidecia in partnership with the Institute of Biology at the countrys Academy of Military Medical Sciences. The one-shot vaccine is based on an adenovirus called Ad5. Last May, researchers published promising results from a Phase 1 safety trial on Convidecia, and in July they reported that their Phase 2 trials demonstrated the vaccine produced a strong immune response. In an unprecedented move, the Chinese military approved the vaccine on June 25 for a year as a specially needed drug. On Nov. 28, the Chief Executive of CanSino Biologics said in an interview that about 40,000 to 50,000 people had received Convidecia.



Starting in August 2020, CanSino began running Phase 3 trials in a number of countries, including Pakistan, Russia, Mexico and Chile. On Feb. 25, China announced the approval of the CanSino vaccine for general use. The company announced that its one-shot vaccine had an efficacy rate of 65.28 percent at preventing all symptomatic Covid-19 cases. The details of the trial have yet to be published. But on April 1, CanSinos chief scientific officer said that the efficacy of its vaccine could drop over time. He also floated the idea of using a booster shot six months after the first dose, though more clinical trial data is needed. Reuters reported on Aug. 5 that this drop could be as much as around 30 percent after six months.



On March 23, CanSino announced that it had won approval for a clinical trial of an inhaled version of the vaccine. Chief Executive Yu Xuefeng said on June 2 that this version is now in Phase 2 trials. Preliminary findings from the Phase 1 trial suggest that the inhaled vaccine was effective at stimulating an immune response, and that an injected dose followed by an inhaled dose may yield the best results. Researchers have also begun to test whether giving alternating doses of vaccines from CanSino and Anhui Zhifei Longcom can boost their effectiveness. On June 9, Reuters reported that the CanSino vaccine is being tested as a booster shot. Results from a Chinese study, released on Sept. 7, suggested that getting the CanSino booster shot after the Sinovac vaccine produced a stronger antibody response compared to a third shot of the Sinovac vaccine. CanSino announced on Sept. 26 that a trial in children age 6 to 17 yielded positive results.



Approved for use in: China.

Emergency use in: Argentina, Chile, Ecuador, Hungary, Indonesia NEW, Malaysia, Mexico, Moldova, Pakistan.



CanSino vaccine HUNGARY CHINA PAKISTAN MEXICO ECUADOR INDONESIA ARGENTINA CHILE Approved Early, limited or emergency use CanSino vaccine HUNGARY CHINA PAKISTAN MEXICO ECUADOR INDONESIA ARGENTINA CHILE Approved Early, limited or emergency use CanSino vaccine HUNGARY CHINA PAKISTAN MEXICO ECUADOR INDONESIA ARGENTINA CHILE Approved Early, limited or emergency use CanSino vaccine MEXICO ARGENTINA ECUADOR CHILE HUNGARY CHINA INDONESIA Approved Early, limited or emergency use

PHASE 3 EMERGENCY USE IN U.S., ELSEWHERE



Vaccine name: Ad26.COV2.S

Efficacy: 72% in United States, 68% in Brazil and 64% in South Africa

Dose: 1 dose

Type: Muscle injection

Storage: Up to two years frozen at 4 F (20 C), and up to 6 months refrigerated at 3646 F (28 C).



On Feb. 27, 2021, the F.D.A. issued an emergency use authorization for Johnson & Johnsons vaccine, making it the third coronavirus vaccine available in the United States. It was also the first to be shown to be safe and effective with just one dose rather than two.



VACCINE DEVELOPMENT The work that led to the vaccine started a decade ago at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, where researchers developed a method for making vaccines out of a virus called Adenovirus 26, or Ad26 for short. Johnson & Johnson used Ad26 to develop vaccines for Ebola and other diseases with Ad26. In January 2020, the company and Beth Israel researchers collaborated on creating a coronavirus vaccine. In March they received $456 million from the United States government to support their move towards production. That spring, researchers found that the vaccine provided protection in experiments on monkeys.



TRIAL RESULTS Johnson & Johnson began Phase 1/2 trials in July 2020. Based on promising results in these studies, Johnson & Johnson launched a Phase 3 trial in September using just one dose rather than two. Although Johnson & Johnson initially set out to recruit 60,000 volunteers, it capped the trial at 45,000 in December as cases rose.



On Jan. 29, 2021, Johnson & Johnson announced that the trial had proven that the vaccine was safe and effective, and the F.D.A. released a similar analysis on Feb. 24. Johnson & Johnson published a paper on the trial in the New England Journal of Medicine on April 21, 2021. With a single shot, the vaccine had an efficacy of 66 percent, although it varied from country to country, likely due to variants and other factors. Efficacy against severe disease was higher, at 76 percent.



In February, the company also launched a trial for pregnant women and in March it announced it would soon start trials on children, but has not yet begun one.



AUTHORIZATION Bahrain became the first country to authorize the vaccine for emergency use on Feb. 25. Two days later, the United States followed suit. South Africa dropped plans to use AstraZenecas vaccine for their health care workers after a small trial failed to show it was effective against the Beta variant that had grown dominant across the country. They began using Johnson & Johnsons instead.



DISTRIBUTION In August 2020, the federal government agreed to pay Johnson & Johnson $1 billion for 100 million doses if the vaccine was authorized. Most of the U.S. supply was supposed to be made by Baltimore-based Emergent Solutions. But the company struggled to get the vaccines complex manufacturing up and running. In April 2021, the F.D.A. issued a scathing report about the companys lax standards. At least 15 million doses of Johnson & Johnsons vaccine were contaminated at the factory. As a result, the company only delivered 4 million doses to the United States after authorization, shipping them from its factory in the Netherlands. On June 11, the New York Times reported that the F.D.A. told the company to throw out 60 million doses. The following month, Emergent announced that it would resume production of the vaccines from its Baltimore plant after it receives authorization from the F.D.A.



On March 2, Merck announced it would assist Johnson & Johnson with manufacturing the vaccine, but it will take several months to spin up its production.



The European Union reached a similar deal on Oct. 8, 2020 for 200 million doses. But after concerns about rare blood clots emerged, reports surfaced that the E.U. might not renew its contract with the company. Meanwhile, on March 29, a coalition of African countries announced that it had secured up to 400 million doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine through 2022. COVAX, an international collaboration to deliver the vaccine equitably across the world, secured 500 million doses. But manufacturing problems slowed their delivery. By September, COVAX had lowered its 2021 forecast of Johnson & Johnson vaccines to only 180 million doses.



VARIANTS Johnson & Johnson found that its vaccine only had an efficacy of 52 percent in South Africa, where the Beta variant was dominant during the trial. As the Delta variant emerged in the summer of 2021, Johnson & Johnson released results of experiments indicating that their vaccine provided durable protection against it. But another study from outside scientists suggested that the vaccine only weakly protects against Delta.



BOOSTERS On Oct. 5, Johnson & Johnson applied for emergency authorization for a booster. Over the next few weeks, the F.D.A. will review the results of two studies that suggest a second dose of the vaccine might provide an effective boost to immunity.



In one study, the company gave 17 trial volunteers a booster shot six months after their initial vaccination. On Aug. 25, the company announced that the boosters lifted levels of antibodies against the coronavirus nine times higher than their initial peak. Later, those levels rose twelvefold.



In a second study, Johnson & Johnson ran a Phase 3 trial in which 32,000 volunteers received either a placebo or two doses of the vaccine, separated by eight weeks. On Sept. 21, the company reported that the pair of shots provided much higher efficacy than just one. In the United States, efficacy against mild to severe Covid-19 rose from 74 percent to 94 percent. Efficacy against severe disease worldwide rose to 100 percent.



SIDE EFFECTS On April 13 the U.S. government recommended a pause in using the vaccine while it investigated reports of rare blood clots. Ten days later, C.D.C. researchers reported 15 cases of the unusual clots in nearly 8 million people who received the vaccine. The government decided to lift the pause and add a warning to the vaccine that younger women may run a slight risk of the severe side effect. At a May 12 meeting, C.D.C. researchers reported a total of 28 cases of blood clots in over 9 million vaccinations. Among women between the ages of 30-39, the rate is 12.4 cases per million doses. In women between 40 and 49, the rate is 9.4 cases per million doses. Among older women and men of all ages, there were fewer than 3 cases per million doses.



In July 2021, the F.D.A. found that the vaccine caused a small increased risk of GuillainBarre syndrome, a rare but potentially serious neurological condition.



For more details, see How the Johnson & Johnson Vaccine Works.



Stopped use in: Denmark, Finland, Slovenia NEW.

Emergency use in: Andorra, Australia, Bahamas NEW, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Botswana, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Egypt, European Union, Ghana, Greenland, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Kenya, Kuwait, Libya, Liechtenstein, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mexico, Micronesia NEW, Moldova, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, South Africa, South Korea, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saudi Arabia, Switzerland, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States, Vietnam, Zambia, Zimbabwe. Emergency use validation from the World Health Organization. Endorsed by the Africa Regulatory Taskforce.



Johnson & Johnson vaccine EUROPEAN UNION FINLAND CANADA SOUTH KOREA U.S. LIBYA BAHRAIN MEXICO INDIA BRAZIL ZAMBIA AUSTRALIA SOUTH AFRICA CHILE Stopped use in favor of other vaccines Approved Early, limited or emergency use Johnson & Johnson vaccine EUROPEAN UNION FINLAND CANADA SOUTH KOREA LIBYA U.S. BAHRAIN NIGERIA MEXICO INDIA BRAZIL ZAMBIA AUSTRALIA SOUTH AFRICA CHILE Approved Stopped use in favor of other vaccines Early, limited or emergency use Johnson & Johnson vaccine EUROPEAN UNION FINLAND CANADA SOUTH KOREA LIBYA U.S. NIGERIA MEXICO INDIA BRAZIL ZAMBIA AUSTRALIA SOUTH AFRICA CHILE Stopped use in favor of other vaccines Approved Early, limited or emergency use Johnson & Johnson vaccine CANADA U.S. MEXICO BRAZIL CHILE EUROPEAN UNION FINLAND SOUTH KOREA LIBYA BAHRAIN NIGERIA INDIA ZAMBIA AUSTRALIA SOUTH AFRICA Approved Early, limited or emergency use Stopped use

PHASE 2 PHASE 3 COMBINED PHASES



The Italian biotechnology company ReiThera has developed a Covid-19 vaccine, called GRAd-COV2, that is based on an adenovirus that infects gorillas. Working in collaboration with the Lazzaro Spallanzani National Institute for Infectious Diseases in Rome, they found that it produced strong levels of antibodies in mice and monkeys. In July 2020, they launched a Phase 1 clinical trial. In November, they announced that the vaccine was well tolerated and produced antibodies, and released a report on the trial.



In March 2021, researchers launched a Phase 2 trial of the vaccine, which delivered encouraging results in July. But it remained unclear if ReiThera would be able to advance to a final Phase 3 trial.



In May, Reuters reported, a court in Italy struck down the governments plan to fund the Phase 3 trial. The government later said it was ready to support the vaccine trial, but has yet to offer up the funds.



PHASE 2 PHASE 3 COMBINED PHASES



In the spring of 2020, the Israel Institute for Biological Research started work on a coronavirus vaccine based on vesicular stomatitis viruses. They engineered the viruses to carry the gene for the coronavirus spike protein. On Oct. 25, the Israeli government announced that the vaccine, called Brilife, would be going into a Phase 1 trial. In January 2021, the vaccine moved on to a Phase 2 trial. In July, Israel formed a partnership with the American company NRx Pharmaceuticals to advance research on Brilife in studies to be conducted in Israel, Georgia, and the Ukraine. The following month, NRx registered a Phase 2/3 trial, with plans to recruit 550 volunteers.



PHASE 2 PHASE 3 COMBINED PHASES



Researchers at Washington University designed a nasal spray vaccine that can produce high levels of coronavirus antibodies in mice with just a single dose. It contains a chimpanzee adenovirus engineered to carry the spike protein gene. The Indian drug maker Bharat Biotech licensed the technology, and in February 2021 they won approval to launch a Phase 1 trial of a vaccine, which they named BBV154. On Sept. 21, the chairman of Bharat announced that the Phase 2/3 trial was set to begin in a matter of days. Government officials announced on Aug. 11 that they will allow Bharat to perform a trial that mixes BBV154 with Covaxin.



PHASE 2



In 2019, researchers at the University of Hong Kong and Xiamen University created a nasal-spray vaccine for the flu based on a genetically weakened form of the influenza virus. In early 2020, they engineered the vaccine to produce part of the coronavirus spike protein as well. On Sept. 9, they received approval to start clinical trials in partnership with Beijing Wantai Biological Pharmacy. They registered a Phase 1 trial on March 22, 2021. At a June 11 press conference, a researcher for the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention said that this vaccine has completed Phase 2 trials and is expected to begin a Phase 3 trial overseas. The researchers are receiving $5.4 million in support from CEPI, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations.



PHASE 2



Researchers at City of Hope, a California biomedical research institute, created a vaccine based on a weakened form of a virus called Modified Vaccinia Ankara, or MVA for short. They added two coronavirus genes to the MVA virus  one for the spike protein, and one for another protein called nucleocapsid. They are testing the vaccine specifically for people with immune systems impaired by cancer and other disorders. Many of them do not produce a strong immune response to authorized vaccines based on mRNA. The City of Hope researchers hope their MVA vaccine works better. On Nov. 24, 2020, City of Hope announced the start of a Phase 1 trial. In September 2021, researchers launched a Phase 2 trial, giving the vaccine to volunteers with blood cancer who have received a bone marrow transplant or a form of immunotherapy called CAR-T.



PHASE 2





In 2020, researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York developed a Covid-19 vaccine based on a virus called Newcastle Disease Virus, or NDV for short. NDV is a bird pathogen and does not cause symptoms in humans. The researchers engineered NDV to carry the gene for a modified version of the coronavirus spike protein called HexaPro, developed at the University of Texas. They then grew the modified virus in chicken eggs. The researchers inactivated the NDVs with chemicals and combined them with immune-boosting chemicals called adjuvants. The researchers found that the vaccine produced high levels of coronavirus antibodies in mice and hamsters. They published the results of their experiments in November.



On Feb. 22, Mahidol University in Thailand registered a Phase 1 trial of the vaccine, called NDV-HXP-S. They are running the trial in collaboration with the Government Pharmaceutical Organization, a Thai state-run drug manufacturer. In September, they released initial results from the trial, showing that the vaccine showed an acceptable safety profile and produced promising levels of antibodies.



Avi-Mex in Mexico also licensed NDV-HXP-S under the name Patria. Their version of the vaccine is delivered as a nasal spray, which they are testing in a Phase 1 trial. The Institute of Vaccines and Medical Biologicals in Vietnam has done the same, dubbing the vaccine Covivac. In June, Brazils Butantan Institute launched a Phase 1 trial of the vaccine, known there as Butanvac, with the hopes of distributing it in Brazil by the end of 2021.



The vaccine could potentially help low- to middle-income countries secure their own supplies of Covid-19 vaccines. The Newcastle Disease Virus can be safely grown in large quantities in chicken eggs, the same way influenza vaccines have been produced since the 1950s. As a result, the vaccine could be very cheap to make.



PHASE 2



While many vaccines are given as injections, some vaccines can be taken as a pill. Oral vaccines have been approved for diseases including polio, cholera, and typhoid fever. The small San Francisco company Vaxart specializes in developing oral vaccines. They have created and tested pills for influenza and other diseases. Last spring Vaxart began work on an oral vaccine for Covid-19. It contains an adenovirus called Ad5 (the same viral vector in CanSinoBios vaccine and in Russias Sputnik V).



When Vaxart gave the pill to mice, they produced antibodies against the coronavirus. Mice dont suffer symptoms of Covid-19, however, so the researchers then switched to hamsters, which do. In an unpublished study, they found that the vaccine pill not only dramatically reduced the amount of coronavirus in sick hamsters, but also protected them from two important symptoms of the disease: weight loss and swollen lungs.



The companys stock price increased 3,600 percent in the first half of 2020. In June, The New York Times reported, a hedge fund that partly controlled the company sold off most of its shares, netting over $200 million in profits. In the wake of that reporting, the Department of Justice began investigating the company, while a number of shareholder lawsuits were brought against Vaxart, its executives and its board.



In October 2020, the company began giving the pill to volunteers in a Phase 1 clinical trial. On Feb. 3, 2021, Vaxart announced that the trial revealed no serious safety concerns. While the pill produced a response from T cells, it didnt produce encouraging neutralizing antibodies. Its stock price plunged 60 percent on the news.



On Feb. 25, the company announced it would advance to a Phase 2 trial in the second quarter of 2021, but manufacturing problems forced them to delay the launch. On Oct. 5, Vaxart registered a Phase 2 trial. In the new study, the company will test its pill as a primary vaccine on unvaccinated volunteers, and as a booster for people who have already received an authorized vaccine.



PHASE 1 PHASE 2 COMBINED PHASES



In April 2020, the South Korean biotech company Cellid began to develop a vaccine for Covid-19. The vaccine, called AdCLD-CoV19, was based on a combination of two strains of adenoviruses, called Ad5 and Ad35. After testing the vaccine on monkeys, Cellid entered into a partnership with the South Korean chemical manufacturer LG Chem to manufacture the vaccine.



In December 2020, Cellid registered a Phase 1 trial for AdCLD-CoV19, and a Phase 2 trial launched in June 2021. But the results were disappointing, leading the company to reformulate a new version of the vaccine, called AdCLD-CoV19-1. Cellid expects to finish the Phase 1 trial of the updated vaccine in October 2021 and plans on getting final safety and efficacy results in the second quarter of 2022. The company plans to run the Phase 3 trial as a comparison between Cellids vaccine and Johnson & Johnsons, but it is having difficulty securing enough J&J doses to run the study.



PHASE 1 PHASE 2 COMBINED PHASES



Russian biotechnology company BIOCAD has developed a vaccine that uses a type of virus known as an adenovirus-associated virus as a vector. The virus, called AAV-5, carries a gene encoding part of the spike protein from the coronavirus. They registered a Phase 1/2 trial for the vaccine, called BCD-250, on Sept. 8, 2021.



PHASE 1



Three decades ago, the German Center for Infection Research developed a smallpox vaccine from a harmless virus called Modified Vaccinia Ankara, or MVA for short. In recent years, they adapted it to create a vaccine for MERS, a disease caused by another coronavirus.



In the spring of 2020, they made an MVA-based vaccine for SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that is causing the Covid-19 pandemic. It carries the gene for the spike protein, which is produced inside cells that it invades. On Sept. 29, the center and a consortium of German universities registered a Phase 1 trial. In January 2021, the center announced that their initial formulation provided disappointing results and are postponing the trial until they update it. They said that they resumed the trial with an updated version of the vaccine on July 16, 2021.



PHASE 1



The California-based company ImmunityBio created a vaccine using the Ad5 adenovirus, the same one used by CanSinoBio and the Gamaleya Institute in Russia. ImmunityBio engineered the Ad5 virus to carry genes for two genes from the coronavirus. In addition to the spike protein, it also carries the gene for a protein called nucleocapsid. The company hopes that this combination will provoke a strong immune response.



The company found that the vaccine protects monkeys from the coronavirus. ImmunityBio launched a Phase 1 trial of a Covid-19 vaccine in October 2020 in the United States and another in South Africa in January. In February 2021, the company registered a Phase 1 trial of an oral version of the vaccine.



On May 25, the company announced that it would study how well their candidate works as a booster shot for those who already received other vaccines. They are also testing a nasal spray version. They said on July 14 that trials of the booster shot would begin in South Africa later this year.



The chairman, C.E.O. and Global Chief Scientific and Medical Officer of ImmunityBio is billionaire Patrick Soon-Shiong, the owner of the Los Angeles Times.



PHASE 1



Gritstone Oncology has developed experimental vaccines in recent years that teach the immune system to attack tumors. In 2020, they constructed a vaccine for Covid-19 that presents a number of targets in the coronavirus for attack.



The researchers constructed a piece of DNA that encodes the entire spike protein of the coronavirus. In addition, it encodes instructions for building small pieces of other viral proteins called nucleocapsid and ORF3a. They then inserted this cassette into the genes of a chimpanzee adenovirus. The spike protein provokes the body to make antibodies, while the pieces of other proteins train the immune system to recognize infected cells and kill them.



In addition, the researchers created an RNA molecule with the same genetic instructions, which they put in a shell. Once the shell slips into a cell, the RNA molecule can make copies of itself, and the cell then makes proteins from those copies.



In a Phase 1 trial launched in March 2021, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases is testing how well these two vaccines work together, with the chimpanzee adenovirus serving as the first dose and the self-amplifying RNA as the second. The researchers hope that this combination will produce a better immune response than two doses of either vaccine. On Sept. 20, Gritstone dosed the first volunteer in a Phase 1 trial to gauge the effectiveness of the RNA vaccine as a booster shot in older adults who have already received the Astrazeneca vaccine.



PHASE 1



Meissa Vaccines has developed a vaccine that can be delivered as a spray or drops into the nose. To make the vaccine, researchers started off with another virus, called respiratory syncytial virus (RSV for short). The researchers introduced mutations into the RSV viruss genes so that it replicated too slowly to cause disease. Then they added a gene for the coronavirus spike protein, so that the weakened RSV viruses could present it to the immune system. Data from its preclinical trial in monkeys, released in July, suggested that the vaccine was effective at generating immunity in the nose. Meissa registered a Phase 1 trial for the vaccine on March 15, 2021.



PHASE 1



Researchers at Oklahoma-based Tetherex Pharmaceuticals have created a vaccine that uses genetically engineered viruses to develop immunity. They registered a Phase 1 trial in Australia on April 9, 2021. Mayo Clinic announced a deal to develop and market the vaccine technology worldwide on July 6.



PHASE 1



Scientists at the University of Georgia and the University of Iowa have developed a vaccine based on canine parainfluenza virus, which has never been found to cause disease in humans. They engineered it to carry proteins from the coronavirus. The vaccine, called CVXGA1, is administered as a nasal spray. In July 2021, the researchers published a study showing that a single dose of the vaccine could protect mice and ferrets against Covid-19. A spin-off company called CyanVac took the intranasal vaccine, called CVXGA1, to Phase 1 trials the same month, and enrolled the first participant in late September.



PHASE 1



Researchers at Australian biotechnology company EnGeneIC have modified their cancer treatment platform to carry a molecular payload that targets the coronavirus. They are producing the vaccine, known as COVID-19-EDV, primarily for people with compromised immune systems. On Sept. 7, EnGeneIC announced that it had begun a Phase 1 trial in Australia.



ABANDONED



The American company Merck acquired the Austrian firm Themis Bioscience in June to develop their vaccine, which had been originally developed at Institut Pasteur. The vaccine used a weakened measles virus that carries a gene for the coronavirus spike protein. Researchers launched a Phase 1 trial in August 2020. On Jan. 25, Merck announced it was abandoning the effort, because the vaccine provoked a response that was weaker than a natural infection. In March they entered into a partnership with Johnson & Johnson to help produce their vaccine instead.



ABANDONED



In addition to its project with Themis, Merck partnered with IAVI on a second viral vector vaccine. It was based on vesicular stomatitis viruses, the same approach Merck successfully used to produce the first approved vaccine for Ebola. They designed their coronavirus vaccine as a pill, which could have made it easier to distribute than syringes for injections. Merck and IAVI received $38 million from the United States government to support their research, and on September 30, 2020, they registered a Phase 1 trial. But on Jan. 25, they announced they were abandoning the effort because the vaccine failed to trigger an immune system comparable to what happens in a natural infection of Covid-19.



ABANDONED



Vaccine name: AdCOVID

Efficacy: Unknown

Dose: 1 dose

Type: Nasal spray

Storage: Refrigerated



Maryland-based Altimmune is a biopharmaceutical company that focuses on developing vaccines delivered by nasal spray. They developed a nasal spray vaccine for Covid-19, delivering the Ad5 adenovirus to the airway. Studies on the immune system suggests that a nasal spray could be more effective for blocking the transmission of the virus than vaccines given by injection. In a study on mice, Altimmune researchers found that a single dose of the vaccine gave complete protection from a lethal infection of coronaviruses. On Dec. 22, 2020, the company registered a Phase 1 clinical trial of a single dose of the vaccine.



But on June 29, 2021, Altimmune announced they were abandoning their Covid-19 vaccine. In their Phase 1 trial, they gave the spray to 80 volunteers and found that they produced substantially lower levels of antibodies than produced by Covid-19 vaccines that have already been authorized.



PRECLINICAL



Other viral vector vaccines in active preclinical development include vaccines from: ID Pharma; KU Leuven and Batavia Biosciences; Smorodintsev Flu Research Institute; the Spanish National Center for Biotechnology and the Spanish National Research Council; Thomas Jefferson University and Bharat Biotech; Tonix Pharmaceuticals; University of Helsinki, University of Eastern Finland, and Rokote Laboratories Finland; University of Pittsburgh; University of Western Ontario; Valo Therapeutics and University of Helsinki; Vivaldi Biosciences; Walvax Biotechnology, Tsinghua University, and Tianjin Medical University; Zydus Cadila.



Protein-Based Vaccines

Vaccines that contain coronavirus proteins but no genetic material. Some vaccines contain whole proteins, and some contain fragments of them. Some pack many of these molecules on nanoparticles.

PHASE 3

APPROVED IN TURKMENISTAN EARLY USE IN RUSSIA



Vaccine name: EpiVacCorona, Aurora-CoV

Efficacy: Unknown

Dose: 2 doses, 3 weeks apart

Type: Muscle injection

Storage: Stable in refrigerator for up to two years



On Aug. 26, 2020, the Vector Institute, a Russian biological research center, registered a Phase 1/2 trial for a coronavirus vaccine they call EpiVacCorona. The vaccine contains small portions of viral proteins, known as peptides. Results from EpiVacCoronas Phase 1/2 trial were published in an obscure Russian journal in late March 2021, but the data has concerned outside experts, who have pointed out serious flaws in the study.



Less than two months after the launch of the trial, on Oct. 14, Vladimir Putin announced that Russia has granted regulatory approval to the vaccine, making it the second one to receive that designation after the Gamaleya Institutes Sputnik V vaccine. The following month, a Phase 3 trial began. In January 2021, without any results yet from the trial, Russia launched a mass vaccination campaign that included EpiVacCorona. Critics in Russia asked the government there to stop administering the vaccine until the Phase 3 trial results are published, to no avail. On July 5, Tass reported that the Vector Institute is registering the vaccine under the name Aurora-CoV.



In February, Tass reported that the immune response from EpiVacCorona lasted for approximately a year, but the vaccines creators did not publish the scientific details behind this claim. On March 3, the Vector Institute registered their Phase 3 trial on an international registry, indicating that they expected to deliver preliminary results by September 2021. But they have yet to share that data in a scientific journal.



Approved for use in: Turkmenistan.

Early use in: Russia.



Vector Institute vaccine RUSSIA TURKMENISTAN Approved Early, limited or emergency use Vector Institute vaccine RUSSIA TURKMENISTAN Approved Early, limited or emergency use Vector Institute vaccine RUSSIA TURKMENISTAN Approved Early, limited or emergency use Vector Institute vaccine RUSSIA TURKMENISTAN Approved Early, limited or emergency use

PHASE 3 EMERGENCY USE IN CHINA, UZBEKISTAN



Vaccine name: ZF2001, Zifivax

Efficacy: 81.76%

Dose: 3 doses, 4 weeks apart

Type: Muscle injection



The Chinese company Anhui Zhifei Longcom and the Institute of Medical Biology at the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences partnered to make a vaccine. Their candidate is composed of an adjuvant, along with a section of the spike protein called the receptor-binding domain. They launched Phase 2 trials in July 2020, followed by a Phase 3 trial with 29,000 volunteers in December. China authorized the vaccine, called Zifivax, for emergency use on March 15, 2021. On July 14, researchers registered a Phase 1 trial for the vaccine in children and adolescents. The company announced on Aug. 27 that their vaccine had an efficacy rate of 82 percent against Covid-19 of any severity.



Emergency use in: China, Uzbekistan.



Anhui Zhifei Longcom and IMCAS vaccine CHINA UZBEKISTAN Approved Early, limited or emergency use Anhui Zhifei Longcom and IMCAS vaccine CHINA UZBEKISTAN Approved Early, limited or emergency use Anhui Zhifei Longcom and IMCAS CHINA UZBEKISTAN Approved Early, limited or emergency use Anhui Zhifei Longcom and IMCAS vaccine CHINA UZBEKISTAN Approved Early, limited or emergency use

PHASE 3 EMERGENCY USE IN IRAN, CUBA



Vaccine name: Soberana 2, or PastoCoVac (in Iran)

Efficacy: 62% with two doses, 91.2% with Soberana Plus



Cubas Finlay Vaccine Institute developed a vaccine known as Soberana 2. It contains a part of the coronavirus spike protein, fused to a standard tetanus vaccine to make it stable. Soberana 2 also contains aluminum hydroxide as an adjuvant to boost the immune system.



After testing Soberana 2 in animals, Finlay researchers started a Phase 1 trial in October 2020, followed by a Phase 2 trial in December. On March 3, 2021, the Finlay Vaccine Institute registered a Phase 3 trial for Soberana 2, with plans to recruit 44,010 participants in Havana. Researchers began dosing trial participants in Iran on April 26. On June 19, Cuban officials said that Soberana 2 has an efficacy of 62% with just two doses.



Before the Phase 3 trial delivered its results, however, the Cuban government began rolling out Soberana 2 on May 12 in a mass vaccination campaign. The government announced plans to make 100 million doses of Soberana 2 in order to vaccinate its entire population, pinning hopes on the vaccine as a source of economic benefit to the island.



Cuban scientists are also testing a combination of Soberana 2 and a boost of another Cuba-made vaccine called Soberana Plus. On July 9, Cuban officials said that this combination has an efficacy of 91.2%. The Finlay Vaccine Institute announced on June 10 that it had received approval to begin a trial of the combined vaccines in children. Preliminary results from the pediatric trial suggest the combination may be more effective in children than adults. Cuba expanded its Soberana 2 vaccination campaign to include children in September.



On June 29, Irans health minister announced that Soberana 2 has received emergency use approval. The Pasteur Institute of Iran is marketing the vaccine in the country as PastoCoVac.



On Aug. 20, 2021, the Cuban government announced the emergency authorization of both Soberana 2 and Soberana Plus. Just two weeks later, on September 2, Cuba authorized Soberana 2 for children between the age of 2 and 18. In their announcement, Cuban regulators said that the immune response in children was similar to adults who received Soberana 2.



Emergency use in: Cuba, Iran, Nicaragua NEW.



Soberana 2 vaccine CUBA IRAN NICARAGUA Approved Early, limited or emergency use Soberana 2 vaccine CUBA IRAN NICARAGUA Approved Early, limited or emergency use Soberana 2 vaccine CUBA IRAN NICARAGUA Approved Early, limited or emergency use Soberana 2 vaccine CUBA NICARAGUA IRAN Approved Early, limited or emergency use

PHASE 3 EMERGENCY USE IN CUBA



Vaccine name: Abdala

Efficacy: 92.28%



In November 2020, the Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology of Cuba launched a trial on a coronavirus vaccine called Abdala. The name is from a poem by the nineteenth-century poet Jose Marti. The Abdala vaccine consists of a piece of the coronavirus spike protein called the receptor binding domain, and is delivered in three doses. On Feb. 1, the center held a press conference to announce the start of a Phase 2 trial. A Phase 3 trial involving up to 48,000 participants was launched on March 18. On May 12, while the Phase 3 trial was still underway, the Cuban government began rolling out Abdala in a mass vaccination campaign, in the hopes of reining in a surge of cases. Venezuela began using the vaccine in late June. On June 21, Cuban officials reported that Abdala had an efficacy of 92.28 percent. Cuban officials approved a trial for Abdala in young people on July 1. The Cuban government granted emergency use authorization for the vaccine on July 9. Abdala is one of two Cuban vaccines tested in a Phase 1/2 clinical trial to assess their ability to increase immunity in those who have already had Covid-19.



In September, Cuba agreed to sell 10 million doses of Abdala to Vietnam, which has granted the vaccine emergency authorization. In Venezuela, meanwhile, the National Academy of Medicine expressed concern over the lack of published scientific research on Abdalas safety and efficacy.



Emergency use in: Cuba, Nicaragua NEW, Venezuela, Vietnam.



Abdala vaccine CUBA VENEZUELA VIETNAM NICARAGUA Approved Early, limited or emergency use Abdala vaccine CUBA VENEZUELA VIETNAM NICARAGUA Approved Early, limited or emergency use Abdala vaccine CUBA VENEZUELA VIETNAM NICARAGUA Approved Early, limited or emergency use Abdala vaccine CUBA VENEZUELA NICARAGUA VIETNAM Approved Early, limited or emergency use

PHASE 3 EMERGENCY USE IN TAIWAN



Taiwan-based vaccine maker Medigen created a vaccine containing a combination of spike proteins and an adjuvant from Dynavax. After a series of promising experiments on animals, they began injecting volunteers for a Phase 1 trial in early October, which showed that the vaccine provoked strong immune responses. On Dec. 30, Medigen announced that it had received permission to commence a Phase 2 trial. The first volunteers in the trial were injected in late January 2021. In July, Medigen started another Phase 2 trial on children between 12 and 18 years old. Medigen received permission to begin a Phase 3 trial in Paraguay on July 20.



Taiwan granted emergency use authorization to the vaccine on July 19. Results from the Phase 2 trial suggested that volunteers were producing strong levels of antibodies and did not have serious adverse reactions. Taiwan started administering Medigens vaccine on Aug. 23.



Emergency use in: Taiwan.



Medigen vaccine TAIWAN Approved Early, limited or emergency use Medigen vaccine TAIWAN Approved Early, limited or emergency use Medigen vaccine TAIWAN Approved Early, limited or emergency use Medigen vaccine TAIWAN Approved Early, limited or emergency use

PHASE 3



Vaccine name: NVX-CoV2373

Efficacy: 89.7%

Dose: 2 doses, 3 weeks apart

Type: Muscle injection

Storage: Stable in refrigerator



Maryland-based Novavax makes vaccines by sticking proteins onto microscopic particles. They were the first company to release Phase 3 trials showing that a protein-based vaccine provides strong protection against Covid-19. In a study on nearly 30,000 volunteers in the United States in Mexico, they estimated the vaccines efficacy at 90.4 percent. Currently, the company plans to apply for emergency use authorization in the fourth quarter of 2021.



Before the pandemic, Novavax developed a number of vaccines for diseases based on their nanoparticle technology. In 2019, their flu vaccine finished Phase 3 clinical trials, but they had yet to deliver a single vaccine to market. In May 2020, the company launched trials for a Covid-19 vaccine, and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations invested $384 million to support research on the vaccine. In July the U.S. government awarded Novavax another $1.75 billion to support the vaccines clinical trials and manufacturing.



After getting promising results from preliminary studies in monkeys and humans, Novavax launched a Phase 2 trial on 2,900 people in South Africa in August 2020, and the next month it launched a Phase 3 trial with up to 15,000 volunteers in the United Kingdom. The Phase 3 trial in the United States was delayed because of problems with manufacturing the doses required for the study. It finally launched on Dec. 28.



On March 11, 2021, Novavax reported that their United Kingdom trial determined an efficacy rate of 96 percent against the original coronavirus, and an efficacy of 86 percent against Alpha. But in South Africa, where volunteers were exposed to the Beta variant, the efficacy was only 49 percent. The company is developing a new version of the vaccine that is tailored to that variant. The company announced in August that a booster shot dramatically raised antibody levels in vaccinated people.



Novavax reached an agreement in September 2020 with the Serum Institute of India, a major vaccine manufacturer, that could enable them to produce as many as 2 billion doses a year. They have an agreement with other countries, including the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and South Korea. On Feb. 18, 2021, Novavax announced it would supply 1.1 billion doses to COVAX, a consortium that seeks to distribute vaccines to all countries across the world.



Yet Novavax has been dogged by delays in manufacturing and testing the quality of their vaccines. In August, the federal government said that it would not fund further production of Novavaxs vaccine until the company resolves concerns of regulators about its work. In August, the company filed applications for emergency authorization in India, Indonesia, and the Philippines. On Sep. 23, Novavax announced a regulatory submission to the World Health Organization for emergency use listing, in partnership with the Serum Institute of India.



Meanwhile, Novavax has continued to expand trials of its vaccine. In May 2021, the company expanded its U.S. Phase 3 trial to include volunteers as young as 12. Novavaxs vaccine is one of several being tested in an Oxford study that gauges how well alternating doses can increase immuni
When will we know the results of the election?

Counties have 30 days after the election to complete the official canvass. Complete results will not be available immediately after the polls close. Under an extension of pandemic voting rules, mail-in ballots were sent weeks ago to all 22 million or so voters in California, and election workers have been readying them for counting as voters return them. But many voters plan to cast their ballots in person, and there will be a wait for provisional ballots and those that are not mailed until the Sept. 14 election deadline.
Mask requirements and recommendations are back in many parts of the country as the Delta variant continues to spread and as leaders weigh how to keep children safe at school.

The New York Times is tracking mask policies at the state level, including where residents are advised to follow federal guidance and where leaders are rejecting such guidance or mandates.

Where Masks Are Mandated in Schools Mandated Mandated for some students Local discretion Mandates banned In Nevada, masks are required in schools where there is currently a countywide mask mandate and in all counties with populations of 100,000 or more.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that all students, teachers and staff members in K-12 schools wear masks, regardless of their vaccination status. The agency says that universal masking is an important coronavirus prevention measure that will allow as many students as possible to return to in-person instruction.

But in many parts of the country, parents and local leaders have pushed back aggressively against mask requirements in schools, resulting in a patchwork of policies nationwide. Several states have gone so far as to ban mask mandates in schools, the latest sign of the continuing clash between politics and public health. And school boards and mayors are not always in sync with state leaders.

In Florida and Tennessee, governors have said that parents can choose to have their children opt out of any school mask requirements, effectively rendering those requirements moot. In September, federal judges blocked Tennessees opt-out rule from taking effect in certain areas.

In Texas, the governor has prohibited mask mandates in schools, but the State Supreme Court has temporarily allowed some districts to require face coverings. And in Iowa, a federal judge has paused a state law banning mask mandates in schools.

Mask guidance by county

The federal guidance for schools dovetails with updated recommendations for people living in areas experiencing coronavirus outbreaks.

The C.D.C. also now recommends that everyone in those areas, regardless of vaccination status, wear masks indoors in public places.

Nearly all counties across the United States are experiencing either substantial or high transmission rates that would fall under the C.D.C. masking guidelines. These designations, which are updated regularly, are based on an areas per capita case rate or test positivity rate.

Where the C.D.C. Recommends Wearing a Mask Indoors Guidance is based on the C.D.C.s assessment of the level of community transmission in each county. Recommended for everyone Optional for the vaccinated Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention  Note: Community transmission level is based on C.D.C. case data for the week ending Oct. 6 and test positivity data for the week ending Oct. 4.

The guidance reflects the surge of coronavirus cases in many parts of the country, fueled by the highly contagious Delta variant. Though the C.D.C. has been criticized for its back-and-forth recommendations on masks, public health experts say the most recent change was necessary.

All of us, as public health professionals and scientists  we are learning about this virus in real time, said Rachel Graham, a professor of epidemiology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. These are things that have to be mapped out from day to day.

Mask policies by state

Masks remain a polarizing symbol, and the shifting federal guidelines have led some local leaders to introduce their own policies. While some governors are once again moving to require masks in their states, several are resisting the idea of universal mask mandates. In August, Oregon became the first state to restore a statewide mask mandate requiring masks indoors and outdoors regardless of vaccination status.

Mandated Statewide Some counties Recommended Statewide Some counties No mandate No guidance Mandates banned

State Policy Share of counties where C.D.C. recommends masks Hawaii Mandated statewide 80% (4 counties) Illinois Mandated statewide 100% (102 counties) Louisiana Mandated statewide 97% (62 counties) New Mexico Mandated statewide 97% (32 counties) Oregon Mandated statewide 100% (36 counties) Puerto Rico Mandated 12% (9 counties) Washington Mandated statewide 97% (38 counties) Washington, D.C. Mandated 100% (1 county) Nevada Mandated in some counties 94% (16 counties) Arkansas Recommended statewide 99% (74 counties) California Recommended statewide 98% (57 counties) Connecticut Recommended statewide 100% (8 counties) Delaware Recommended statewide 100% (3 counties) Idaho Recommended statewide 100% (44 counties) Mississippi Recommended statewide 99% (81 counties) New Jersey Recommended statewide 100% (21 counties) New York Recommended statewide 100% (62 counties) Vermont Recommended statewide 100% (14 counties) Alabama Recommended in some counties 99% (66 counties) Alaska Recommended in some counties 90% (26 counties) Colorado Recommended in some counties 100% (64 counties) Indiana Recommended in some counties 100% (92 counties) Kansas Recommended in some counties 98% (103 counties) Kentucky Recommended in some counties 99% (119 counties) Maine Recommended in some counties 100% (16 counties) Michigan Recommended in some counties 100% (83 counties) Minnesota Recommended in some counties 100% (87 counties) North Carolina Recommended in some counties 100% (100 counties) Oklahoma Recommended in some counties 100% (77 counties) Pennsylvania Recommended in some counties 100% (67 counties) Rhode Island Recommended in some counties 100% (5 counties) South Dakota Recommended in some counties 92% (61 counties) Virginia Recommended in some counties 98% (130 counties) Wisconsin Recommended in some counties 100% (72 counties) Wyoming Recommended in some counties 100% (23 counties) Maryland No mandate or recommendation 100% (24 counties) Massachusetts No mandate or recommendation 86% (12 counties) Missouri No mandate or recommendation 97% (112 counties) Nebraska No mandate or recommendation 96% (89 counties) New Hampshire No mandate or recommendation 100% (10 counties) Ohio No mandate or recommendation 100% (88 counties) Utah No mandate or recommendation 100% (29 counties) West Virginia No mandate or recommendation 100% (55 counties) Arizona Mandates banned 100% (15 counties) Florida Mandates banned 100% (67 counties) Georgia Mandates banned 99% (157 counties) Iowa Mandates banned 99% (98 counties) Montana Mandates banned 96% (54 counties) North Dakota Mandates banned 98% (52 counties) South Carolina Mandates banned 100% (46 counties) Tennessee Mandates banned 100% (95 counties) Texas Mandates banned 96% (243 counties) Show all Show fewer Note: States determine mask policies at the county level based on the C.D.C.s data on county transmission levels, except for Wyoming, which uses its own index for counties. Local orders may differ from state requirements.

Some public health experts never stopped recommending that both the vaccinated and unvaccinated wear masks.

I personally would have recommended it anyway, Dr. Graham said, especially because the fully vaccinated rate is not as high as we were hoping it would be.

And though the vaccines offered in the United States are highly effective at preventing serious illness from Covid-19, some experts point to a growing number of reports of vaccinated people testing positive for the coronavirus, and reports of children, previously thought to be a low-risk group, also contracting the virus.

No vaccine is 100 percent effective, and we are seeing that, said Dr. Joshua Liao, an internal medicine physician and a professor at the University of Washington, who recommends mask-wearing indoors. If you wait for the science to be perfect with coronavirus, then youre lagging behind.

I think that back-and-forth does create a certain kind of fatigue, he added. But I think there is a bigger issue, in the underpinning of public health, where its not just in our hands, but its in each others hands.
47.3% of the global population Received at least one dose Received additional dose Fully vaccinated Partially vaccinated

More than 3.63 billion people worldwide have received a dose of a Covid-19 vaccine, equal to about 47.3 percent of the world population. This map shows the stark gap between vaccination programs in different countries.

At least one dose Fully vaccinated Additional dose Share of population receiving at least one dose 20% 40% 60% 80% No data Double-click to zoom into the map. + 

Vaccinations by country Pct. of population Doses administered Vaccinated Fully vaccinated Additional dose Per 100 people Total Additional doses World 47% 35% 0.5% 84 6,411,608,813 35,043,721 U.A.E. 96% 86%  208 20,320,419  Portugal 87% 85%  156 16,042,424  Cuba 84% 47%  191 21,681,271  Malta 84% 84% 1.6% 163 818,593 8,171 Qatar 83% * 78% *  168 4,744,058  Singapore 82% 81% 6% 167 9,540,497 341,427 Chile 82% 75% 18% 173 32,703,297 3,470,149 Cambodia 82% 68% 5.5% 148 24,447,227 907,790 Spain 80% 78%  150 70,587,034  Uruguay 79% 75% 30% 183 6,350,268 1,021,433 Mainland China 79% * 75%  159 2,216,382,000  Canada 78% 73%  151 56,728,964  Norway 78% 69%  147 7,844,501  Iceland 78% 77% 14% 153 554,603 50,626 Show all Note: Some countries may have started administering additional doses but have not reported data yet. Table shows countries with at least 100,000 people. Use the search feature to find data for countries with smaller populations. Numbers marked with an asterisk * were last reported more than two weeks ago.  Source: Vaccinations data from local governments via Our World in Data.

The data is compiled from government sources by the Our World in Data project at the University of Oxford. A vaccinated person refers to someone who has received at least one dose of a vaccine, and a fully vaccinated person has received all required doses of a vaccine. For the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, a person who is fully vaccinated has received two doses.

U.S. vaccinations tracker  How many have been vaccinated, and whos eligible

Vaccine doses remain relatively scarce globally, with demand still forecast to outstrip supply through the end of 2021. But concerns around waning immunity have prompted many countries, including the United States and Israel, to start administering additional doses, leading to a recent surge in their vaccination campaigns.

Additional doses include booster doses given to fully vaccinated individuals when the protection from the original shots has begun to decline, as well as extra shots given to people, such as the immunocompromised, who did not have a strong immune response from their initial doses. More than 35 million additional doses have been administered worldwide, with many more countries expected to start administering them soon.

Tracking vaccination rates by country Charts show countries with at least 100,000 people

Less wealthy countries are relying on a vaccine-sharing arrangement called Covax, which originally aimed to provide two billion doses by the end of the year but has repeatedly cut its forecasts because of production problems, export bans and vaccine hoarding by wealthy nations. In its latest projection, it expected to have a total of 1.4 billion doses available by the end of 2021.

This has led to a striking divide between regions of the world. Africa has the slowest vaccination rate of any continent, with just 7 percent of the population receiving at least one dose of a vaccine.

Vaccination rates by region As a share of total population. The height of each bar is proportional to the regions population. Partially vaccinated Fully vaccinated Received additional dose U.S. and Canada 66% at least one dose Latin America 58% Europe 57% Asia-Pacific 55% Middle East 37% Africa 7% 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

About 77 percent of shots that have gone into arms worldwide have been administered in high- and upper-middle-income countries. Only 0.5 percent of doses have been administered in low-income countries.

Vaccination rates by country income level Share of total population receiving at least one dose of a vaccine. Circles are sized by country population. Some countries may have started to administer doses but have not yet reported data. No doses reported >0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% High-income countries Upper-middle Lower-middle Low Note: Countries with no reported vaccinations either have not started a widespread vaccination campaign or are not regularly reporting data on the number of doses administered. Doses administered are plotted on a log scale.

Most of the vaccines currently in use require two doses for a patient to be fully vaccinated. In February, the Food and Drug Administration authorized a one-shot vaccine by pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson for emergency use in the United States.

Where each vaccine is being used Oxford-AstraZeneca 181 countries Pfizer-BioNTech 136 countries Moderna 75 countries Sinopharm-Beijing 74 countries Johnson & Johnson 54 countries Gamaleya (Sputnik V) 47 countries Sinovac 41 countries CanSino 7 countries Bharat Biotech (Covaxin) 7 countries Sinopharm-Wuhan 3 countries ZF2001 2 countries Vector Institute (EpiVacCorona) 2 countries Abdala 1 country Soberana 02 1 country COVIran Barekat 1 country QazVac 1 country Sputnik Light 1 country Medigen 1 country Note: The Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine is known as Covishield in India. Only countries that report doses administered are shown. Other countries may have approved vaccines but have not administered them yet.  Source: Our World in Data
What was supposed to be the best night of his life turned into a nightmare for a young Romanian man, after being thrown into the air and dropped by his friends during his own wedding, and suffering spine fractures.

31-year-old Liviu Filimon was enjoying his wedding party in Baile Felix, north-western Romania when some of his friends decided that it was time to celebrate Livius union with his new bride by throwing him into the air. Its a common celebratory custom all over the world, but in order to avoid tragedy, its key that the person being tossed into the air also be caught on their way down. Sadly, that second part didnt go according to plan in this case, and the young groom wound up in the hospital with multiple spine fractures.

Photo: Alvin Mahmudov/Unsplash

A viral video that captured the harrowing incident shows the 31-year-old groom being picked up by his friends as he approaches the dancefloor, and then being tossed into the air. They manage to catch him the first time, but then they go for a second throw and this time they dont synchronize their effort, resulting in Liviu flying off to one side and hitting the marble floor on his back.

Unfortunately, his friends made another error when they picked up the injured groom and placed him on a chair, instead of leaving him where he laid until the ambulance arrived. The fall had caused a couple of since fractures, and by the time he arrived at the Emergency County Hospital in Oradea, he could barely move his left leg, and couldnt feel the right one.

Luckily, Livius situation improved overnight, and he regained feeling in both legs. Still, doctors told reporters that he wasnt out of the woods yet and that he remained hospitalized in the neurosurgery ward. He was scheduled to undergo more tests this week.

After sharing a worrying selfie from his hospital bed, Filimon told local reporters that he had contacted a lawyer, but was still considering whether to sue anyone. As for the wedding, it went on even as he went to the hospital with a fractured spine, with the guests being entertained by the bride and the grooms parents.

Livius story went viral in Romania, before being picked up by international news outlets. On social media, people obviously blamed the guys who threw him into the air.

When you have friends who like to get drunk one person commented, while another called the custom of throwing the groom into the air stupid.
When you think of the rarest, most precious materials on Earth, things like diamonds, platinum, or gold probably pop into your head, but did you know that a special type of wood is actually more expensive than any of those?

Kynam, or kyara as its known in Japan, is an extremely rare type of agarwood used in the perfume and incense industries for its complex and very strong fragrance. It is the most sought-after type of oud, the name used in the Arab peninsula to describe the dark resinous wood produced in the heartwood of the aquilaria tree, in specific circumstances. A single gram of kynam can fetch well over $10,000, making it by far the most expensive wooden on the planet, and also one of the most expensive natural materials.

Essentially, kynam is the best kind of agarwood that money can buy, and its important that all types of agarwood are relatively expensive. Also known as aloeswood, eaglewood, or simply oud, agarwood has been an important part of Chinese, Japanese, Indian, Arab and Southeast-Asian cultures for thousands of years. It has always been a precious commodity, but demand for it has increased dramatically in recent years, and with it, the price.

Photo: Hafizmuar/Wikimedia Commons

The heartwood of the aquilaria tree is relatively odorless, and pale in color, but in certain conditions, the tree produces a type of dark resin that creates the precious agarwood. For centuries, humans have known that the aquilaria only produces agarwood when harmed. It was theorized that various types of stress, such as being hit by lightning, being invaded by ants or bees, and even being damaged by large animals led to the creation of agarwood, but in the end, it was all down to the infection of a certain type of mold.

Phialophora parasitic is the mold credited with the creation of agar, aloes or oud, in the heartwood of aquilaria trees. This resin-embedded wood has a strong, recognizable fragrance used both as incense and as an essence for high-quality, expensive perfumes. People have learned how to infect aquilaria trees with mold to stimulate the creation of agarwood, and there are now plantations in various Asian countries, from Indonesia to Myianmar and Vietnam, that specialize in the production of oud.

Its worth noting that while plantation-sourced agarwood is not exactly cheap, it is nowhere near as expensive as wild agarwood, especially that of superior quality. Thats because plantation agarwood is harvested after only a few years after infection, whereas high-quality wild agarwood can be several hundreds of years old, commanding a premium price. And there is no agarwood more expensive than kynam.

Beyond, way beyond the best there is something much rarer that we call kynam, agarwood trader Alan Mahaffey told Al Jazeera. Its the rarest wood on earth. Its rarer than titanium, uranium, platinum, rarer than diamond. It can be $10,000 for one gram. In Shanghai they sold a piece two or three years ago, it was $18m for two kilos of kynam, so its like $9m per kilo.

Mahaffeys largest haul of kynam a 16kg piece of 600-year-old wood that took him five years to find. It sold for a staggering $20 million. And keep in mind that his interview with Al Jazeera dates back to 2016, the demand and price for high-quality agarwood have been growing rapidly ever since.

There is no way to tell whether an aquilaria tree contains or will ever contain kynam. There is no expert in the world that can identify it without first smelling the resin-filled wood, and in most cases, the complex aroma of kynam is only revealed when a chip of the wood is burned.

Because wild agarwood is so rare and valuable, wild aquilaria trees are becoming a rare sight all over Asia. The thought that a few grams of the worlds most expensive wood could change the lives of whoever finds them has lured many to a wild and often fruitless treasure hunt. And because the only way to find agarwood is to fell and split open the tree, wild specimens have become a rarity.

Even the hope of acquiring agarwood pushes people to spend fortunes. A 200-year-old tree in Cambodias Wat Bang Kradan temple is believed to one day produce kynam, and Japanese buyers once offered the monks $23 million for it. They declined, and there is now a military outpost nearby whose main purpose is to guard the aquilaria tree. It is considered by many the most expensive tree in the world.



With demand for agarwood soaring, there is now a vibrant black market for the stuff, but even there kynam is a rarity that commands small fortunes for a measly few grams. And with old wild aquilaria trees becoming rarer every day, the price can only go up.
Dominic Rovano

Many business owners have looked at the Employee Retention Credit program to secure up to $33,000 per employee, but some may not have looked at it closely, leaving very valuable dollars on the table.

In March 2020, the world changed. Almost overnight, business owners were concerned about health, the economy and the sustainability of their operations. With great fanfare, the government came out with the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act, better known as the CARES Act, which contained many programs for business owners. The most talked about program, by far, was the Paycheck Protection Program, or PPP, which proved to be valuable for many PR and marketing businesses. As projects and retainers were put on holdespecially for those working with the hospitality and travel industriesPPP funds provided the life vest needed to weather the storm.

Another significant program to debut under the CARES Act was the ERC, a refundable credit based on wages paid to eligible employees. Under the CARES Act, companies couldnt claim the ERC if they were awarded PPP funds. Businesses also initially were only able to claim the ERC if they had no more than 100 full-time employees in 2019, with certain exceptions. Subsequent updates to the ERC, which were signed into law in late 2020 and early 2021, expanded ERC eligibility requirements. Key changes included the definition of eligible employers to include those with no more than 500 average full-time employees in 2019 for the 2021 ERC. The changes also retroactively allowed businesses that received PPP loans to now apply for the ERC.

Businesses that obtained PPP may now be able to receive ERC money up to $5,000 per employee for 2020 and $28,000 per employee for 2021.

Have you taken advantage of this credit program? If yes, congratulations! Many owners are still unawarenine months after the change in lawthat their business may qualify. Many also incorrectly believe they dont qualify, which begs the question 

How do you qualify?

Qualifying can be a bit complex. Lets start with 2020. If you averaged 100 or fewer full-time employees in 2019, youve passed the first test! Next, did any COVID-related government orders interrupt your operations? For many PR and marketing firms, this answer is no. While your offices may have been closed, you generally were able to serve your clients in a remote environment at near full capacity. If, on the other hand, you were forced to close and were unable to operate, you may be eligible on wages paid during this shutdown period. The 2020 ERC is calculated as a 50 percent credit on qualifying wages and certain benefits up to $10,000, per employee, resulting in a maximum credit of $5,000 per employee for the year.

My business wasnt shut down, can I still qualify?

Yes, you can! The pandemic hit many PR and marketing firms hard, especially in the second quarter of 2020. If, in any quarter of 2020, you experienced a decline in gross revenue of 50 percent or more as compared to the same quarter in 2019, you may qualify.

Example: Your business earned $2.5 million in the second quarter of 2019. This is top line, gross revenue. Fast forward to the second quarter of 2020. Your business took a hit, and its gross revenues were $1 million for the quarter. This represents a 60 percent decrease in revenue and, as a result, makes your business eligible to claim the ERC in that quarter. Your credit would be 50 percent of qualifying wages and certain benefits paid in that quarter, up to $10,000 (or $5,000 per employee).

Theres a catch. If you received PPP funds, you cant take the ERC on any wages used for PPP forgiveness. However, wages in excess of those allowed for PPP forgiveness, or those otherwise not used for PPP forgiveness, could qualify for the credit. In addition, if you experienced a decrease in revenue during a quarter of 2020 compared to the same quarter of 2019 of 50 percent or more, you automatically qualify for the next quarter, and any wages paid in that following quarter could also qualify for the ERC. For 2020, this credit is capped at $5,000 annually.

If you averaged more than 100 full-time employees in 2019, you are only able to take the ERC on wages paid to employees on leave for COVID-related issues (in other words, you continued to pay employees who were not working). The credit is calculated the same way as shown above.

Lets talk about 2021. How do you qualify?

You could still qualify if you paid wages to employees during a government-mandated shutdown or to those on leave for COVID-related issues.

Its easier to qualify for the 2021 ERC based on a decrease in gross revenue, so many PR and marketing firms may be eligible. Businesses that averaged 500 or fewer full-time employees in 2019 now qualify if they experience a 20 percent decrease in top line gross revenue in any quarter 2021 compared to the same quarter in 2019.

Example: In the second quarter of 2019, your business earned $2.5 million in gross revenue and $1.975 million in the same quarter of 2021. This represents a decrease in gross revenue of 21 percent, which means you qualify for the ERC in that quarter. The credit for 2021 increases to 70 percent of qualifying wages and certain benefits up to $10,000 per employee resulting in a maximum of $7,000, per quarter, per employee. That equates to a maximum credit of up to $28,000 per employee for the year. Remember, if you received a PPP loan in 2021, you cant use the same wages for the ERC.

If you had more than 500 fulltime employees in 2019, the credit is only available on wages paid to employees not providing services during the qualifying period in 2021.

Key takeaways

The ERC can be obtained by amending payroll tax filings or making certain elections on current payroll tax filings. There are a lot of other complexities to the program, such as more detailed rules around governmental orders, related entities, majority ownership rules, automatic qualification for subsequent quarters, the definition of full-time employees (this is different than the PPP definition) and the tax consequences.

Its best to speak to your accounting advisor to learn more about the program and find out if you qualify. Most importantly, dont put yourself in the position to leave money on the table!

***

Dominic Rovano, CPA, is a Co-Partner in Charge of Janover LLCs New York City office
Maine wants to hire a communications partner to help plot its plan to position itself as New Englands premier four-season tourism destination.
Karen Clyne

Karen Clyne, who was head of communications at BlackBerry, has joined BCW as executive VP & technology practice leader for North America.

She takes over for Michael Ann Thomas, executive VP & global tech lead, who joined BCW from APCO Worldwide in 2018

Clyne assumed her BlackBerrry post in 2019 after a three-year stint at MWWPR, which is now MikeWorldWide, where she was executive VP, western region leader and tech chief.

At BlackBerry, she set up the corporate communications structure and guided its global rebranding effort.

Earlier in her 20 year-plus career, Clyne was senior VP at Eastwick, VP at Herrick Media, and senior director of corporate communications at Brisbane Digital Consulting Group.

Clyne reports to Brooke Hovey, global chief growth officer and NA president. She will remain in San Francisco.

It is a bonus that she is based in and has spent her entire career in California, the epicenter of so many technology innovations and tech policy issues that affect business across nearly every industry, said Hovey of Clyne.
Organon chief communications officer Wendy Lund talks about the ins and out of building a company culture in the latest PRs Top Pros Talk video interview with Doug Simon.

We started with ten thousand team members, ten thousand employees, Lund says about Organon, a company focused on healthcare for women which spun off from Merck last year. Thats a wonderful opportunity when you're building a culture.

I think there's probably two challenges that have probably been most prevalent, she tells Simon. The first, of course, being COVID Folks from around the world, whether they're essential workers in manufacturing plants to folks that are behind a desk, have really done an amazing job in terms of looking for ways to connect to each other and be together.

We know that we've been any different than any other company in terms of getting together,: Lund says. Were not hiding behind screens.

The second was setting up a brand new culture in the midst of bringing 85 percent of the people over from another culture. I had worked with so many people at Merck who came over. Lund says that people have just been amazing, really embracing this vision that we have around women and their everyday health.

Lund talks about her strong connection with Organons vision. One of the reasons I joined Organon was this deep commitment to putting women at the center.

She also cites the importance of listening to the women that the company serves. Our whole platform around our launch was all about listening, she says. That's really where we focused our attention, launching a commitment to women. And that was basically communicated through all our various stakeholders.

Organons vision has also played a major role in recruiting staff, keeping staff and just building the culture that we live in.

After having held CEO roles at such agencies, GCI Health and Publicis, Lund says that on the client side, you go so much deeper. So it's really important that as clients, we help explain to agencies exactly what we're experiencing, trying to create that connective tissue, but also creating a little bit of empathy.

She also says that clients sometimes tend to think that agencies just wake up in the morning and they have this great huge burst of creative ideas. And, you know, it's a process. It's a process to come up with great thinking. It's a process to come up with creative. It's a process to execute.

Because of that, clients need to be aware of having the patience and giving agencies the space to really make sure that they put everything in place.

View all of the interviews in the PR's Top Pros Talk series. Subscribe to get notified when new episodes are available.

Interested in taking part? Contact Doug Simon at dougs@dssimonmedia.com

D S Simon Media helps clients get their stories on television through satellite media tours and by producing and distributing content to the media. The company also produces live social media events.
The first Renal Advanced Nurse Practitioners have been appointed at the Midland Regional Hospital Tullamore.

Jini Jacob and Sani George have been appointed as the first Renal Advanced Nurse Practitioners (ANP) at the Midland Regional Hospital Tullamores (MRHT) Renal Unit.

Jini and Sani, both from India, started working in the Hospital in April 2006 and contributed to the development and expansion of renal services at the hospital over the last 15 years. In that time the Hospital has increased from a 6 station to a 29 station Haemodialysis Unit, provides acute dialysis treatment within the ICU/CCU and the Nephrology in-patient Medical ward and most recently has become the parent site for the contracted haemodialysis unit located in Portlaoise.

Prior to their new role, Sani was working as the Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) in Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) whilst Jini was the clinical facilitator for the hospital renal unit. Both completed their Masters in Nursing at Trinity College, Nurse prescribing at the Royal College of Surgeons, and the higher diploma in renal nursing at Trinity College. On a daily basis, both staff members incorporate their advanced academic & practical knowledge and critical thinking skills independently to manage the care of the renal dialysis patient group and CKD population in MRHT. They were also credited in 2008 as the first registered nurse prescribers within a renal dialysis unit in Ireland.

The role of Advanced Nurse Practice in Renal Nursing has had very positive patient outcome within the chronic kidney disease and haemodialysis populations at MRHT i.e better anaemia management, fluid management, early detection of any potential infection, preparing patient for renal replacement therapy, pre-emptive transplant work up, pre-Emptive vascular access work up, etc.

Noreen Galvin, CNM 3 Renal Unit said, Jini and Sani are autonomous practitioners with a wealth of advanced specialist renal knowledge and critical thinking skills in providing optimal care to the renal patient cohort. They encourage new initiatives, promote change and development based on evidenced based research. They are dedicated, hardworking, knowledgeable and an excellent asset to the renal team and their patient group. They provide on-going guidance and educational support to their patients, nurse colleagues and the many students who travel via the Renal Unit. They are role models for the next generation of Renal Nursing.

"I would like to acknowledge the continuous and on-going expert professional clinical guidance provided to both Sani and Jini by Dr Eoin Bergin, Consultant Nephrologist at MRHT who also provided 500 hours of supervised clinical practice before their appointment as Renal ANPs, the support and guidance of Ms. Louisea Burke, Director of Nursing, Dr Mary Doolan, Regional Nurse Practice & Development Planning Officer, Ms. Clare Foley Assistant Director of Nursing Practice development Co-Ordinator and the renal multidisciplinary team.

Jini Jacob and Sani George said, We as a team could not have achieved this without the tremendous support of everyone from the Midland Regional Hospital Tullamore. Since arriving to Ireland we have been afforded many opportunities to learn, develop and transform the renal services available to our patients. We would like to thank everyone for their support and guidance and acknowledge our patients who inspire us every day.
An Offaly IT Graduate is among fifty-two graduates from Irish and international third level institutions, spanning the fields of engineering, IT, HR, marketing, commercial and finance, who have commenced a three-year development programme with ESB.

Ross McMahon from Tullamore joined 51 other graduates at a recent online induction programme to welcome them to the organisation.

ESBs Graduate Development Programme forms part of an ambitious drive by the company to recruit talent from third level institutions across the island of Ireland, and internationally.

This years graduates will be placed across five business units  ESB Networks, Generation and Trading, Engineering and Major Projects, Customer Solutions and Enterprise Services. The tailored programme offers each graduate the opportunity to gain experience by working on challenging assignments and major projects that offer exposure to the varied businesses of the organisation.

The group have received a range of supports including being partnered with individual mentors from within their business units, IT equipment and access to allow hybrid working as part of ESB's smart working future.

Pat Naughton, ESBs Executive Director, People & Organisation Development, said: We warmly welcome 52 new colleagues to our organisation as part of our Graduate Development Programme. Our programme is tailored to nurture professional and personal development, offering hands-on experience and mentorship to ensure a rewarding and dynamic working experience. As they embark on their career with ESB, we wish them every success and are confident that they will make a significant contribution to the success of our businesses.

ESB is also pleased to announce that recruitment for our 2022 Graduate Development Programme is now open, and we are inviting applications from all final year students.

To apply for ESBs 2022 Graduate Development Programme click here. Applications are now open until Monday, 25 October 2021.
An Offaly Minister is backing a new campaign to get farmers to grow potatoes to supply takeaways ahead.

Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Senator Pippa Hackett has welcomed a new initiative which is aimed at helping Irish potato growers get their produce into Irish chip shops.

Board Bia says that Ireland, despite being a nation famous for potatoes and growing circa 300,000 tonnes per annum for domestic consumption, imports 80,000 tonnes, or 45 million worth, of potatoes per annum, with 64,000 (33 million) tonnes coming from the UK (source: CSO 2019).

It says the majority of these fresh potato imports are used by chip shop owners of which there are currently over 530 independent chip shops in Ireland.

Meadowfresh Foods based in Tallow, Co Waterford and O'Shea Farms/Iverk Produce, based in Piltown, Co. Kilkenny have joined forces to become Irelands first dedicated fresh chipping potato packer and distributor. Minister Hackett opened the new distribution centre on a visit their new purpose built storage facility.

A storage facility which maintains the correct sugar and starch levels in potatoes, as well as keeping them fresh beyond the winter period, is absolutely key to producing the quality that is needed in good chipping potatoes. So the development of such a facility, along with the official opening today of Irelands first dedicated potato packer and distributor focusing on the exclusive growing of potatoes for chipping, is a real opportunity for Irish growers to supply home-grown potatoes for the Irish chip shop market.

"Growing chipping potatoes is a specialist operation, and the market for them is valued at approximately 20 million per year. I think the Irish consumer, given the choice , will really appreciate businesses that support local growers. This is a welcome development which will shorten the supply chain and bring plant bio security benefits, making it a significant step forward for the sector. I would like to congratulate all involved and I look forward to seeing how the initiative progresses over the coming years, she said.

In 2019, as part of the chipping potato project, Bord Bia says undertook consumer and trade research to understand both the Irish consumer and independent chip shop owners perspective.

The research revealed that over 66% of Irish consumers (2 in 3) incorrectly assume that the potatoes used to make the majority of chipper chips come from Ireland.

Approximately 3 in 4 are likely to support a chipper that sources locally grown potatoes.

A further 70% would consider it useful to know the country of origin of the potatoes used in their usual chipper through signage or recognised marks.

Texture of the chips, reputation of chipper and the appearance of chips were cited as the most important factors in making great chipper chips.

From the trade side, Lorcan Bourke, Fresh Produce and Potato Manager, Bord Bia was encouraged by the research findings. Some chip shop owners have already successfully put a local supply chain relationship in place, demonstrating that Irish growers can grow chipping potatoes of excellent quality. Many of the chip shop owners working with locally grown potatoes saw local supply as a great advantage in their communications with customers. I firmly believe it is a win-win situation and would encourage any grower or chip shop owner willing to support the initiative to get in touch or visit our webpage (bordbia.ie/ sourcechips) with a view to establishing new trading relationships.

Mr. Bourke concluded Todays launch is particularly timely, as we prepare to celebrate National Potato Day on Friday October 1st.

Other findings in the Bord Bia research from the nationally representative online survey was carried out by Coyne Research amongst 1,000 adults aged 18+.

 Circa 1 in 4 Irish adults go to traditional chippers to buy chips at least on a weekly basis.

 Males and Millennials (23-37) go to the chipper to buy chips most often.

 Reputation of chipper and the appearance of chips are the most important factors that make up great chipper chips.

 There is a lack of awareness of where the majority of potatoes used to make chipper chips come from. Approximately 3 in 4 are likely to support a chipper that sources locally grown potatoes to make their chips.

 Circa 7 in 10 would consider it useful to know the country of origin of the potatoes used in their usual chipper indicated through signage or recognised marks (e.g. Bord Bia Quality Mark) within the chipper.
The Minister for Health has said that the people of Ireland have "absolutely no time" for misinformation about Covid-19.

Minister Stephen Donnelly made the comments in the wake of a recent incident at Letterkenny University Hospital, where a man was allegedly convinced by Covid-sceptic protesters to leave against medical advice. The elderly man has reportedly since died.

The minister was interviewed about the incident today but said he would not comment on an individual case.

When asked whether the Department of Heath was tackling the promotion of misinformation he said, "We do unfortunately have some people who are peddling very dangerous misinformation. There is no place for that in our society. What I'd say to anybody is [to] go to the official sources."

Minister Donnelly praised the public for Ireland's high uptake of the vaccine which he said is "the highest anywhere in Europe".

According to An Garda Siochana, an investigation into a number of recent incidents which occurred at Letterkenny University Hospital is ongoing.

It's been confirmed that a senior investigating officer has been appointed to oversee the investigation, however no further information is available at this time.
Taxation for Expansion: PAGCOR Moves Towards Uniform Regulation in the Philippines

Published September 26, 2021 by Lee R

The Philippines government is committing to streamlining regulation to facilitate expansion.

The Philippines is moving towards a new taxation system to simplify regulation of local iGaming operators in the jurisdiction.

Eliminating Economic Zones

The news is that the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) head regulator recently came out against a new proposal to grant limited tax breaks to firms holding a Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) license.

Uniform Taxes

Inside Asian Gaming reports that PAGCOR Chair/CEO Andrea Domingo asserted the state-run organisation's opposition to a measure under legislative consideration that would introduce a unified tax system to POGO license holders.

Opposition

The report has the final passage of this proposition delayed to review a counterproposal from local iGaming enterprises providing licensees with special dispensations for basing operations in one of several special economic areas including but not limited to the Subic Bay Freeport Zone or the Clark Freeport Zone.

Closing the Free Zones

Instead of special incentive zones, Domingo seeks a uniform taxation system holding all POGO license holders in the Philippines to the same rate and also all policies, regulations and laws applied uniformly.

Favoritism Concerns

Domingo characterised any two-tier solution as favoritism which has no place in government.

History of Taxation

The move towards a uniform taxation system in the Philippines began last year when House Bill 5777 proposed an across the board 5% gross gaming tax revenue tax for license holders. The measure also sought to impose a 25% withholding levy on all foreign nationals at gaming companies who earned over $12,400.

Philippines President's Position

Philipines President Rodrigo Duterte is reportedly on-board with the uniform tax suggestion which stands to bring in some $935 million in annual revenues.

Recovering

Like many nations, the report indicates that the Philippines is seeking to raise cash to make up for pandemic related shortfalls. Calling the POGO tax regime initiated in House Bill 5777 fair and good, Domingo further indicated beneficiaries from a uniform tax program include both the government as well as wider public and local iGaming firms.

Outlook

With PAGCOR reporting Q2 year-on-year revenue declines of19.9% and sequential declines of 14.2% ($293.7 million); PAGCOR is continuing to expand: a rapid uniform tax levy may be the best solution to support rapid expansion in the interests of economic recovery.
Laxman Pai, Opalesque Asia:

London-headquartered global private equity advisory firm Apax Partners has held a final close for Apax Digital Fund II on USD 1.75bn.

Apax Digital II was launched in June 2021 and had a USD 1.5bn target. Apax said in a statement that the fund took less than four months to reach its hard-cap of USD 1.75bn. The fund will invest in high-growth technology companies globally.

"ADF II will pursue the same strategy as its predecessor fund, targeting minority growth and growth buyout opportunities in rapidly expanding software, internet, and tech-enabled services companies worldwide," said a press release from the UK-based PE firm.

The Apax Digital team, co-led by Managing Partners Dan O'Keefe and Marcelo Gigliani, will continue to draw on Apax's deep-rooted technology expertise, global platform, and Operational Excellence Practice to partner with exceptional founders and leadership teams to help them accelerate growth, drive transformational change and unlock value. Since its inception, the Apax Funds have invested c.$16bn in more than 200 companies within the technology sector.

Marcelo Gigliani and Dan O'Keefe, Managing Partners of Apax Digital said: "We are grateful for the confidence of our investors, many of whom backed the predecessor fund. As demonstrated by ADF I, our deep technology expertise, the strength and scale of Apax's global platform, and the value creation driven by Apax's operational team, allow us to empower the compa......................

To view our full article Click here
(London) It is one of the global surprises of 2021: Rhodesia is back. Those who believed, as the whole world did, that the country was renamed Zimbabwe in 1980 and disappeared forever are mistaken. Even in the days of Territorial-Rhodesia in the 1970s, the motto was "Rhodesians never die." And indeed something happened that had to remain a secret for forty years: Rhodesia never died. But how could that be? The unfolding 
List of Advertising and PR Companies in United States is an Excel spreadsheet containing a list of the largest 1,000 Advertising and PR Companies in United States. Each of our company lists displays the leading 1,000 companies ranked by revenue in $USm. Each Excel file contains the following: company name activity description (mainly for larger companies) address fields (address, zip / postcode, country) telephone number website address revenue ($USm) employees name 
Bell Bottom focuses on protagonist Akshay Kumar who as a RAW undercover agent is on a mission to save victims of a hijacked plane. However, the absence of a solid script leaves cinemalovers with several unanswered questions and an abrupt climax

Akshay Kumar (Anshul) plays a Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) undercover agent who goes by the code name 'Bell Bottom'. After a plane is hijacked and lands in Amritsar, the seventh hijacking incident in five years, Akshay is called in to save the victims. The film focuses on his plans of a daring covert operation to rescue 210 hostages and neutralise four hijackers. This operation is connected to his personal tragedy, which makes it more impactful.

Set in the late 70s and early 80s, we are introduced to Anshuls perfect life. The second half takes a considerable amount of time to set up the plan. Bell Bottom and his team plan to permanently end the constant hijacking incidents. Coming to the execution part of the plan, the pace races towards the climax, where we get surprised by more than one twist.

The story doesnt promise an all-new template but what it offers is a fast-paced, emotion-bound thriller. It has an uncompromising focus on developing the plan for a mission, with a step by step understanding of the process and leaves you on a high note with the implementation. Bell Bottom, who is seen playing husband to Vaani Kapoor, is a national-level chess player. He has a sharp memory and is fluent in Hindi, English, French and German. Vaani Kapoor as Anshul's wife is gorgeous on screen and even with a limited screen time, she supports her character well.

The film also stars Adil Hussain, Huma Qureshi and Lara Dutta in pivotal roles. Laras makeover as former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi is so effective that makes her hardly recognisable. Huma Qureshi appears to help the Indian team out while they rescue Indian citizens stuck on the hijacked plane. Adil Hussain is overqualified for his character, and does not have much scope to perform. Dolly Ahluwalias connection with Akshay Kumar was well written, but a little more depth wouldve done wonders. Zain Khan Durrani as the deadliest terrorist does evoke hatred.

The story doesnt promise an all-new template but what it offers is a fast-paced, emotion-bound thriller. It has an uncompromising focus on developing the plan for a mission, with a step by step understanding of the process and leaves you on a high note with the implementation

The hero, Akshay Kumar is in his full form as always and uses his star power to the fullest. But somewhere he lacks in comparison to his previous memorable performances of similar genre films like Special 26, Holiday, Airlift & Baby; or Gold, Rustom, Kesari and Mission Mangal, for that matter, in which he has gained an expertise till now. The reason possibly could be absence of a solid script.

The film is engaging and manages to hold your attention throughout. However, you will have to hold on to every minute of the action as there is a lot of back and forth in the storyline. The pace of the film remains steady and the narrative and characters don't lose momentum. Moving along with the story, the incidents that unfold don't really absorb you emotionally. Despite its genre, you don't get any goosebump moments. Also, the film leaves you with several unanswered questions, and an abrupt climax.


Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission would create a seamless online platform through the provision of a wide range of data, information and infrastructure services, duly leveraging open, interoperable, standards-based digital systems while ensuring security, confidentiality and privacy of health-related personal information.



New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission through video conferencing on Monday (September 27).

The Prime Minister announced the pilot project of Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission from the ramparts of Red Fort on August 15 last year. Currently, the programme is being implemented on a pilot basis in six Union Territories.

Ahead of the launch Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said, "On August 15, 2020, PM Modi had announced the mission (Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission) from the ramparts of the Red Fort. I am happy that he is launching it today. I believe that this will bring a revolutionary change in the health sector."

According to the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), the nation-wide rollout of the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission coincides with the National Health Authority (NHA) celebrating the third anniversary of Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY). Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya will be present on the occasion.

PMO said Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission would create a seamless online platform through the provision of a wide range of data, information and infrastructure services, duly leveraging open, interoperable, standards-based digital systems while ensuring security, confidentiality and privacy of health-related personal information.

The Mission will enable access and exchange of longitudinal health records of citizens with their consent.

"The key components of the Mission include a health ID for every citizen that will also work as their health account, to which personal health records can be linked and viewed with the help of a mobile application; a Healthcare Professionals Registry (HPR) and Healthcare Facilities Registries (HFR) that will act as a repository of all healthcare providers across both modern and traditional systems of medicine. This will ensure ease of doing business for doctors/hospitals and healthcare service providers," the release said.

"Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission Sandbox, created as a part of the Mission, will act as a framework for technology and product testing that will help organizations, including private players, intending to be a part of the National Digital Health Ecosystem become a Health Information Provider or Health Information User or efficiently link with building blocks of Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission," it added.

"The Centre believes that the Mission will create interoperability within the digital health ecosystem, similar to the role played by the Unified Payments Interface in revolutionizing payments. "Citizens will only be a click away from accessing healthcare facilities," said PMO.

Courtesy: ANI




Over a period of time now, some very serious statements are flowing out from Lt. Governor Manoj Sinha's office about the prevailing situation in J&K. He himself has been seen and observed 'batting' on the front foot with complete grip, confidence and authority. It is for the first time in the recent political history of Jammu and Kashmir that any authority with the official mandate of the government of India would speak with such credence, trust and reliance about the intent of the State regarding the social-political scenario in Jammu and Kashmir. Surely, Manoj Sinha is on fire.



His statement that 'nothing would be done to purchase peace in Kashmir' is an overloaded statement with a clear message having different parameters. However, the intent is visible and stark. He said, ".....that time is now gone. Now the administration is trying to maintain and establish peace in Kashmir. This is the major shift in the policy along with a change in the situation in Kashmir. All those involved in anti-national activities or trying to create hurdles in peace will be strictly dealt with. No one will be allowed to harm the unity and sovereignty of the country. We wont hesitate in dealing sternly with those involved in anti-national activities and the elements creating hurdles in the path of peace in Jammu and Kashmir. The Government wants peace and brotherhood to be maintained in the UT".



He also said "that the Kashmiri Pandits, who were driven away from Kashmir by Pakistan-sponsored terrorism in 1989-90, leaving behind their homes and hearths, will get back their property within a time limit", adding "the Government will help them to get their property within a timeframe and resettle them"........."The Kashmir culture is incomplete without Kashmiri Pandits".



This should give immense happiness and satisfaction to the nationalist constituency in the Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory that the government has finally expressed its resolve, publicly, that it won't buy peace in J&K. LG's statement is a great reassurance which states unambiguously that there was a time when an attempt was made to buy peace, but with change in the situation, there has been a shift in the policy of the government as well in the post August-2019 situation.



LG Manoj Sinha is absolutely correct, historically speaking. Jammu and Kashmir has a long history since 1947 when in order to maintain law and order, peace would be purchased by the government of India both internally as well as externally. In fact, the basis and precedence of it was laid during the pre-accession period when top Congress leader Pt. Nehru, in the Sopore Convention of the National Conference in 1945, asked the Hindu minorities of Kashmir to follow the majority community otherwise there would be no guanrantee of safety and security for them in the valley.



In the post 1947 era, the biggest compromise was to deny the status of the past ruler of the state to Maharaja Hari Singh and force him to surrender all his due rights in order to have peace. Again, then what followed was the grant of Article 370 singularly to the J&K state with the so-called political nomenclature of special status. As if it was not enough, Delhi Agreement between Sheikh Abdullah and the government of India was inked in 1952 against the wishes of the provinces of Jammu and Ladakh.



When Sheikh Abdullah was arrested under Kashmir Conspiracy case in 1953, Bakshi Ghulam Mohammad was given the charge of the J&K state only to be followed by bringing Article 35A of the Constitution, surreptitiously in 1954, even without the knowledge and approval of the parliament. Bakshi also didn't agree to any dilution of Article 370 during his regime and instead brought a separate constitution for the state in 1957 and got it approved by the then Asssembly. And everything was done in order to purchase peace in Kashmir.



In 1975, Sheikh Abdullah was again installed as the Chief Minister of the state by asking the duly elected government in the state to step down thus, presumably, to bring to an end the past compromises. But the history had compromises after compromises to follow in order to have peace in Kashmir. Sheikh Abdullah led National Conference's victory in 1977 Assembly elections founded the pedestal for political barter of a big magnitude when indoctrination, extremism, communalism, radicalisation and separatism became the hallmark of the new regime in almost all fields of governance in Jammu and Kashmir state. Reports after reports from intelligence authorities, political masters, Governors, media and other authorities about the impending situation in J&K were thrown into dustbin by the Central government. And all was done, again, to buy peace in Kashmir.



The agreement between Congress and National Conference in 1987 was one more bad deal to unleash a violent plot to 'establish' terrorism as a part of life in Kashmir valley which remains a challenge till date. The compromise of 1989 exchange of 5 terrorists in lieu of release of Mufti Sayeed's daughter, Rubaiya Sayeed, 3 terrorists in lieu of Saifudin Soz's daughter, Nahida Akhtar, 3 dreaded terrorists in lieu of the passengers of the Indian Airlines aircraft in Kandhar, supply of Biryani etc and offer of safe passage to the terrorists who had put Hazratbal shrine under their seige and then having joined with separatist and terrorist leaders on the same table over tea, lunch and dinners by the powers that be, all were compromises and purchases in order to ensure the mirage of peace in Kashmir.



The biggest and the most shameful purchase was to malign Jagmohan, the then Governor of the state, for the forced exodus of the Kashmiri Pandits and calling it a 'migration' instead of 'mass-exodus' or 'ethnic-cleansing'. Inspite of National Human Rights Commission's decision that "acts akin to genocide were committed against the Kashmiri Pandits in Kashmir ...and a genocide type design may exist against them...." the powers that be chose to be silent and non-committal about it and avoided to pursue the issue in the higher judiciary and/or in the administration just to buy peace with those who mattered politically in Kashmir including the separatist and terrorist elements like Huriyat and others.



Elements responsible for killing of Kashmiri Pandits, IAF personnel in the valley and other minority community members in the Jammu province were allowed to roam free and enjoy the status of VIPs and have the social status of leaders and activists at the expanse of the government exchequer. The embezzlements, scams, frauds, exploitation of the power corridors and authority, hawala exchanges and misuse of position and status were all ignored only to purchase peace, to be very honest and truthful.



This story of compromises, purchases and clandestine deals forms the brazen part of the political history of Jammu and Kashmir which the past rulers both at the centre and in the state, right from 1947, wieved, wittingly and unwittingly. In this context, the statements of the LG Manoj Sinha are tantamount to an absolute thinking revolution.



His statement that 'there was need for maintaining strict vigil against the anti-national elements in Jammu and Kashmir and teaching a lesson to those trying to play with unity and integrity of the country and that there has been meaningful change in situation in the Union Territory which is witnessing new dawn of development' is greatly significant. He rightly said that there had been a meaningful change during the last 13 months in Jammu and Kashmir and the Union Territory was witnessing a new dawn of development by overcoming all difficulties.

In a separate statement, he was categorical that the government won't be allowed to run on the whims and fancies of some persons. This is definetly welcome and heartening keeping In view the past & vast experiences of unwanted compromises. The nationalist constituency in Jammu and Kashmir is surely fatigued of the past experimentation and failures in Kashmir. In this context, the statement, position and stance taken by the LG Manoj Sinha are positively reassuring and inspiring too.

The recent air show by the IAF over the Dal lake is one more positive & representative statement of the government under the leadership of the LG. It is hoped that with this comes to an end the bad chapter of political agreements, deals and bargains in Jammu and Kashmir. 'Peace will be established and maintained at all costs' will be the guiding principle of the State and the powers representing the intent of the State.
Well designed encroachment by Muslims exposed; Permanent landholder Muslim families also encroached on govt land up to 70 acres.

Guwahati: it has been proved by now that the Bangladesh origin Muslims have encroached several thousand acres of land in Assam in a designed way. The recent violent eviction drive in Dhalpur in Darrang district has brought many facts to light. There are instances that some families have encroached on up to 65-70 acres of land in the Dhalpur riverine areas. Assam chief minister clearly said that Muslim families having permanent land property encroached on government land in different places. It is a 'designed encroachment' by the Muslims to invade Hindu dominated constituency of Assam.

The Dhalpur encroachment started during the late '70s. Local Assamese people said 'Organiser' that there were only 37 Muslim families came from Nagaon district till 1979. The 5000 years old Dhalpur Shiva Mandir is at the top of the Dhalpur hill in the middle of the river Brahmaputra. The Kirat community established the Cave Mandir during the 4th century. The Archeological Department has discovered many age-old structures at the Mandir site. Mandir management committee general secretary Dharma Nath told 'Organiser' that the plains of the Dhalpur hill were farmland of Hindu dairy farmers until 1979. Hundreds of farmers came here from different parts of Nagaon, Nalbari, Barpeta, Sonitpur and Darrang districts and ran their dairy farms. For their profit, they used to take care of the Shiva Mandir. The Assamese name of the greater area is known as 'Goru Khuti' (Cow farm).

Nath, a retired teacher who wrote a book on the Shiv temple, further added that organised encroachment started under the patronage of Congress in the late '70s. From 37 Muslim families in 79, the Dhalpur area was filled with several hundreds of Muslim families by the end of 1981. The encroachers' first target was the age-old Shiv temple and its land. By 1981, when the Assam agitation was on the rise, Muslim Congress leaders brought 100s of Muslim families to Dhalpur. They first encroached on the 180 bighas of land that belong to the Shiv temple, Dharma Nath added. They initially cut down the big trees on the temple campus and looted various valuable particles belonging to the temple.

In February 1983, Muslim miscreants killed the priest of the temple Shiva Das. Another priest, Kartik Das, fled to a nearby Assamese village. Deceased priest Shiva Das was declared a martyr of Assam agitation, and he was one of the 855 martyrs of the long agitation. MP Dilip Saikia said that such is the threat of the encroachers to the Assamese people that after the demise of the priest Kartik Das in 2011, his wife was compelled to marry a Muslim man and the wife and three children of late priest Kartik Das were converted to Muslim.

Sipajhar MLA Paramananda Rajbanshi told 'Organiser' that the BJP government has evicted all the migrant Muslims from the temple land. The archaeological department has found several thousand years of structure on the temple site. The Muslim encroachers tried to break the main idol of the Shiv temple. The cut mark is visible on the idol. The Mandir is being reconstructed with the personal initiative of the chief minister. Girukhuti integrated agricultural project coordinator MLA Padma Hazarika said that serial killings of indigenous people are happening in this area.

In 1983, during Assam agitation, migrant Muslims killed 8 Assamese youth, including the priest of Dhalpur Shiva Mandir. They killed two Assamese farmers in 2017 and 2019. Now they dare to attack the police with an intention to kill. But the situation is different from 1983. Our government will take appropriate action. Chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma told the media that the eviction drive would continue.
A mind that is full of conclusions is a dead mind. A living mind is a free mind, learning never concluding.

As western tutored democracies and communist-inspired dictators fall, India enters its 76th year of Independence. India is a case of half glass full or half glass empty, depends on the eyes of the beholder.

4 centuries ago, the famous French Philosopher Rene Descartes conceptualized the mind as being separate from the body. This understanding formed the basis of modern western philosophies like rationalism, dualism, materialism and communism. His understanding also went into modern medicine which sought to relate all illness to changes and transformation in material elements. Based on this, Western processes aim at external unity, i.e., political unity.

Contrarily Bhartiya principles follow a more integrated approach with respect to an individual / nation. An individual / nation has 4 attributes, body, mind, intellect and soul. Mind and body are considered the inner and external instruments to realize the truth. Spirituality is realizing the truth. The process of destroying or freeing oneself of all the memories, identities and adaptations acquired in the mind and body is called spirituality. The end result is mindfulness. Science is finding the truth. Science is evidence based whereas spirituality is experience based.

The great civilization thats Bharat, aimed for Spiritual and Cultural unity before external political unity. Bhartiya spirituality is inward looking, it aims for inner unity first. Nature [prakriti] offers all the keys to revelation of the truth. To adapt processes in nature [prakriti] to realize the truth is culture [samskruti].

Spiritual unity which Bharat strived for was an inclusive one. In the words of Sri. Aurbindo Spiritual unity is a large and flexible thing, that does not insist like political and external on centralization and uniformity. Its idea of empire was a uniting rule that respected every existing regional and communal liberty. It did not unnecessarily crush living autonomy. It aimed for synthesis of her life and not mechanical oneness.

At the beginning of this millennium as invaders from Persia descended into Bharat, Shankaras advaitism, Ramanujams vaishnavadvaitism, Veerashaivism along with Buddihism and Jainism were contending with one another for the establishment of supremacy of their faith. It is in these trying times, the Bhakti movement by Vachanakaryas, Alvars, Dasas and Pandharpur movement acted as a unifying force. From this unity rose two great empires. The Vijayanagar empire which halted the Islamic invasion into the south and the Maratha empire which bought an end to the Moghuls.

Centuries later as the first war of independence in 1857 failed, the country was again ravaged by divisions sowed by the British. Then Anadamath and Vandematram happened. Through Vandemataram Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay personified Bharat as mother Bharatmata. Sri Aurbindo said later The mantra had been given and in a single day, people had been converted to the religion of patriotism. The mother had revealed herself .

During this time, Swami Vivekanandas inspiring talks galvanized and united the nation further. Swami Vivekanandas speeches worked up a revolution in the minds and habits of the people. He propounded the concept of Practical Vedanta and DaridraNarayan to realize the truth. In tune with the needs of the time, the unifying force subtly moved from bhakti to inner awakening and seva.

Later the nationalists led by Tilak roared Swarajya is my birth right. All these developments culminated in a massive support for the Indian National Congress. INC became an epitome of the freedom struggle.

In august 1947, India got political independence, but spiritually and culturally remained a slave. The establishment of post 1947 India made a conscious effort to dismantle, denigrate and destroy the spiritual and cultural unity. The Bhartiya way of life was reduced to religion and western secularism was imposed on India. Yoga and Meditation became religious acts. Sub identities in the name of religion, region, language, caste and subcaste were encouraged, to weaken the spiritual and cultural unity.

Disillusioned by the politics and policies of INC, Dr K.B. Hegdewar, left the INC and founded a socio-cultural organization RSS. 89 years later, in 2014 a member of the RSS was elected as the fourteenth Prime Minister of India.

Homeostasis is a process by which the body reacts to external and internal challenges so as to maintain a stable internal environment. - In my opinion spirituality is a similar process in the body of the nation. It is this capability of Bharat which enabled it to survive even as many younger civilizations perished. The process of spiritual unity is a continuous process evolving, adapting, absorbing, relinquishing and rejecting as the situation demands  organic evolution.

This phenomenon of evolving processes to meet both internal and external challenges, so as to fulfil the ultimate aim  realizing the truth, is the true essence of Santana Dharma.

In these covid times, as countries are struggling for their first dose of vaccination, some are pushing for a third dose. The virus can mutate in any corner of the world and spread. What we need is a dose of spiritual unity, Bhartiya way of life.

Finally, as Sri Aurbindo said  must be on its guard against any tendency to cling to every detail that has been Indian. That has not been the spirit of Bharat in the past, there is no reason why it should be so in the future. In all life there are 3 elements. The fixed and permanent spirit, the developing yet constant soul and brittle changing body. We will keep none which the national spirit desires to replace by one that is still better and truer expression of the undying soul of the nation.


A video potraying Baloch women being dragged forcibly and locked in a van amply describes that enforced disappearances and killing of Baloch civilians has become a routine in Pakistan.



The viral video on Twitter displays how Pakistani forces treat Baloch women.

"This is how Pakistani forces treat Baloch women. Enforced disappearances and killing of Baloch civilians has become a routine by the army and ISI in Balochistan. All this barbarism of Pakistan goes unnoticed because of the media blackout in Balochistan," tweeted Fazila Baloch, who calls herself a Women Rights advocate.



Earlier, Sneha Dubey, India's First Secretary at United Nations General Assembly slammed Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan in its Right of Reply for suppressing its minority communities.



"Today, the minorities in Pakistan - the Sikhs, Hindus, Christians - live in constant fear and state-sponsored suppression of their rights. This is a regime where anti-Semitism is normalized by its leadership and even justified," the First Secretary said.



Dissenting voices are muzzled daily and enforced disappearances and extra-judicial killings are well documented," she added. (ANI)


Commerce and Industry minister Piyush Goyal stressed that India and Australia must work towards enhancing the resilience of supply chains and greater engagement in the Indo- Pacific region.

Mr Goyal said, Australia-India Business Champions Groups role has become extremely important as it provides a platform for greater engagement between the policymakers between the two countries. Addressing the Inaugural Meeting of the Australia India Business Champions today, Mr Goyal said, both the nations stand united for sustainable recovery from the COVID-19 crisis and it is imperative to sustain the momentum for rebuilding as well as reconstructing the economy by focussing on enhancing the export potential.

He said as the government has embarked on the journey of transforming India into a global hub of supply chains and reinvigorating the economy, India would like to partner with Australia, one of its key trading partners for seamless integration into the Global Value Chains (GVCs). Mr Goyal said that the focus would be to chart a course for ensuring effective usage of the huge entrepreneurial talent, developing a domestic market with a thriving private sector as well as skilled labour. The minister highlighted the key goal must be to strengthen international supply chains and fully capitalize on the currently favourable geopolitical phenomenon.

The Minister who is co-chairing the Australia-India Business Champions Group stated that this forum will play a pivotal role in supporting the agenda of the Australia-India CEO Forum by highlighting the vibrant role being played by the business sector of both the countries. Dan Tehan Australian Minister of Trade, Tourism and Investment said, the Australia-India Business Champions Groups key aim is to liberalise and deepen bilateral trade between both the nations and pave the way for collaborative economic growth.
In yet another incident that exposes CPMs arrogance of power, the party goons were seen attacking the Asianet office in Keralas Calicut district. Earlier, CPM had called for a Hartal in Kerala, supporting the Bharath Bandh call by Farmer Unions. The employees of the Asianet broadband office were also manhandled by the CPM goons.

CPM affiliated workers union had earlier said that they wouldnt stop people from working. The Kerala police had also assured safety to those people who were willing to work on the Hartal day.


The World State of our concept will, therefore, evolve out of a federation of autonomous and self-constrained nations under a common centre linking them all. The Sacred Trust it is clear, therefore, that the mission of reorganising the Hindu people on the lines of their unique national genius which the Sangh has taken up is not only a great process of true national regeneration of Bharat but also the inevitable precondition to realise the dream of world unity and human welfare.  M S Golwalkar ( Sri Guruji), Bunch of Thoughts, P. 16

First, Great Britain decided not to recognise Bharatiya vaccines and continued imposing ten days quarantine for the people coming from Bharat. After pointing out that the Covishield is nothing but an Oxford-AstraZeneca formulation, the vaccine that is used in Britain, the excuse came in the form of CoWin App that is adopted by around fifty countries to administer the vaccine. What are the real reasons for Great Britains distrust towards Bharats world-lauded vaccination program?

Bharat is a unique example of undertaking the biggest and most challenging vaccination drive of the world with a combination of indigenously and globally developed vaccines. In December, Pfizer and Moderna got emergency use authorisation from the US Food and Drug Administration. Around the same time, Oxford-AstraZeneca, after clinical trials, received clearance in Europe. By January, in Bharat two vaccines were made available for dealing with pandemic, after stage-III clinical trials. Covishield (a formulation of AstraZeneca licensed to the Serum Institute of India) and Covaxin developed by Bharat BioTech helped in reducing the Covid-19 impact throughout India. At the same time, it allowed Bharat to give a helping hand to many countries across the world through the Vaccine-Maitri initiative. Bharat supplied around 668 lac vaccines to 95 countries out of which 107 lacs were in the form of grant. Remember, this was when the USA and European countries were busy hoarding vaccines beyond their immediate requirement or selling them at higher rates.

Bharats initiative was not limited to developing vaccines outside the developed world and supplying them to other countries but promoting the cause of vaccine equity by urging waiver of Trade-Related Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) for COVID-19 vaccine before the WTO so that the life-saving vaccine become accessible and affordable to low-and middle-income countries. Again the resistance came from the European block and the powerful Pharma lobbies.

Though Bharat has subsequently given approval for Sputnik and Moderna vaccines, it is through the private players that partnerships are established. Undertaking the biggest vaccination drive in the world, as on September 23, 2021, Bharat has administered more than 80 crore doses, both first and second doses of the currently-approved vaccines. All this is without buying any vaccine from predatory pharma giants like Pfizer.

For the former colonisers, with their exploitative and condescending mindset, such self-respecting initiatives of Bharat are nothing short of rebellion against the existing vanguard. This problem is not limited to Great Britain alone. As of now, the US has approved only Covishield vaccinated travellers to visit from November onwards. Without making the data of clinical tests public, Chinese vaccines like Sinovac and Sinopharm got global clearance - another sad trend for the democratic world.

The Covid-19 crisis is not yet over. Smaller waves are recurring in many parts of the world. Another challenge in the form of Talibanism has worsened the situation for global peace and stability. Nothing much can be expected from China with its irresponsible and non-transparent behaviour about the origin of the global pandemic. The so-called Socialism with Chinese characteristics is nothing but State Capitalism as is evident from the Evergrande real estate crisis. In such a state of flux, democracies should display some civilised and amiable behaviour towards each other. Instead, profiteering and monopolising protectionist tendencies are being promoted. Bharat, with its civilisational wisdom, is trying to show the path by acting upon self-reliance at the national level and strengthening the bonds for an interdependent world. In the larger interest of humanity and cosmic existence, democracies should come together to endorse this model in order to counter the combined threats of pandemic and Islamist-Communist alliance.
The famous Sun Temple at Konark is grand and unique. Steel clamps were used in its construction. This temple is unique because of the quantity and quality of steel used. Use of steel was unprecedented till then

Hindu temples in India from the 5th century onwards were usually constructed in stone and dry masonry. Dry masonry means no mortar. Huge blocks of stones were placed one above the other and they remained there due to self weight. With seasoning in weather their position was fixed. Sometimes steel clamps were also used to hold the stones together.

The Sun temple at Konark is an exception. The temple is very large, constructed out of huge blocks of Khondolite stone. Steel clamps were also used, but the construction of the temple is unique because of the quantity and quality of steel used in the temple. Use of steel in construction was unprecedented till then.

The iron pillar of Qutub Minar complex is now the world famous heritage structure. International tourists visit India to view the iron pillar. It is amazing no doubt. But there is no comparison between this pillar and the steel beams used in the construction of the Sun temple of Konark.

Iron pillar of Delhi is 22 feet above the ground and the longest steel beam used in the temple is 35 feet in length. Diameter of the iron pillar is 16 inches, and the cross section of the beam is 35 inches. The weight of the beam is much more than that of the pillar. Many such steel sections were used in the construction of this temple. Abundant use of Steel in that era itself is an astonishing fact. This means the technology to produce steel of that quality was available in India at that time.

A powerful and large sized magnet was placed in the Shikhara of the temple to maintain the equilibrium and balance of the entire temple. Calculations of power of magnet and quantity of steel were precise to keep the temple upright.

In the 17th century when Portuguese ships came to India from the waterway next to the temple, they were attracted towards the temple. This bothered Portugal traders. They removed the magnet from the top of the temple and then onwards the temple started collapsing.

The temple never had a fortune to be a living temple. However, the designer had made an arrangement to keep the statue of Sun god floating, a few inches above the ground with the help of a magnet. This great technology can be revived.
Arrested, Chand Mamud is a Panchayat president of Congress, While the other arrested person Md. Ashmmat Ali Ahmed is the former Panchayat president of the AIUDF.

Guwahati: The anti-Assamese character of Congress and AIUDF has been exposed after the arrest of two of its leaders in connection with the case of attacking Assam police during Dhalpur eviction. One Congress leader and one AIUDF leader were arrested by Assam police on Sunday night for inciting and mobilising locals to attack police during an eviction drive in Dhalpur in Darrang district on 23rd September.

Top Assam police officials told 'Organiser' that the two arrested individuals have been accused of criminal conspiracy, instigating violence and mobilising crowds at the behest of extremist Islamic organisations such as the PFI as well as its college-level wing Campus Front of India (CFI).

The arrested persons have been identified as Md Asmat Ali Ahmed and Md Chand Mamud. According to the police, Chand Mamud is the President of Sonowa Village Panchayat elected as a Congress candidate. While the other arrested person Ashmmat Ali is the former President of Bojona Pathar village Panchayat from the AIUDF party.

The Sipajhar Police is interrogating the two accused. A team of CID is also interrogating the arrested conspirators. On 23rd September both the arrested persons were present at Dhalpur eviction site and they even held discussions with the district administration. But after the discussion both the persons incited the people against the eviction drive and created violence in the area, police sources said.

Top police officials of Darrang have informed that based on their statements and electronic evidence more people are likely to be nabbed. Earlier the ruling BJP had accused that parties like Congress and AIUDF are pouring fuel in the burning fire. Chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma also categorically said that opposition party leaders had visited the Dhalpur area prior to the eviction and incited the people against the government eviction drive. He also said that leaders of PFI, CFI, AAMSU have instigated the mob to take law in their hands. Assam police already identified 6 leaders of PFI, AAMSU, ITTEHAD Front and one college teacher for mobilising violent acts against police on 23rd September in Dhalpur eviction site.




Guwahati: Union minister Sarbananda Sonowal is declared a winner to Rajya Sabha from Assam unopposed as none filed nomination papers for the seat. The immediate past chief minister collected the winners certificate on Monday from the State assembly secretariat at Dispur.



State chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, Assam BJP president Bhabesh Kalita, State minister Pijush Haarika accompanied him on the occasion. The saffron leader, who was elected to the State assembly from the Majuli constituency, filed his nomination papers on 21 September and his documents were found valid by the concerned authority. Earlier CM Sarma graced an MoU signing ceremony on Saturday where Punjab National Bank (PNB) entered into an agreement with Assam Bio-Refinery for producing bio-ethanol. The reputed bank will now provide loans to agriculture farmers to raise bamboos that will be purchased by Assam Bio-Refinery for producing bio-ethanol.



Sarma termed it as a good beginning saying that the initiative will encourage and empower the local farmers to cultivate bamboos which in turn will help in producing green energy. He added that the government is working wholeheartedly to maximise the use of green fuel to reduce environmental pollution.



Thanking the PNB officials for the initiative, Sarma commented that the move would be a giant step towards empowering the farmers. In presence of Bodoland Territorial Regions chief executive member Promod Boro, PNB managing director Mallikarjun Rao, Assam Bio-Refinery managing director SK Baruah with others, Sarma also presented loan sanction letters to some selected farmers.



Sarma also held a meeting with the representatives of various socio-cultural and students organizations of the Moran community to discuss some longstanding issues and prepare a roadmap to bring about a lasting solution to the problems.



The Saturday meeting was attended by representatives of Asom Moran Sabha, Moran Sahitya Sabha, Moran Karmachari Saikhik Bikash Mancha, All Moran Students Union, All Moran Kala Sanskriti Bikash Kendra and Moran Mahila Sabha, where State minister Ranoj Pegu and legislators Balin Chetia and Suren Phukan were also present.



Responding to their demands, Sarma declared that a committee will be constituted to determine reservation for the community out of OBC quota in the educational institutions, which will meet representatives of the community and submit its report to the government.

He also added that the government will take steps for strengthening the Moran autonomous council and asked the community representatives to prepare an annual action plan to be executed by the council for their overall developments. The government will allocate necessary fund for implementation of the action plan, assured Sarma.
Appreciating India's stance in the emerging world scenario, he writes: "India sees the world through non-alignment, experienced in dealing with competing powers and accepting that every country will be different and not all will be democracies."

New Delhi: His image in the country could be a hard taskmaster, and detractors may even call him fascist and Hitler. At the global stage somewhere, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is being called a leader with a 'calm voice'.

Australian scholar and a writer of repute, Stephen Manallack, has called the Prime Minister - "The leader of the times when too many are eager to beat the drums of war."

"With a boost to manufacturing and FDI, India is the winner at Quad," he opines. He also hails Modi's 'star' and celebrity-like status and popularity in the west, and that he has made "India's calming voice apparent in Washington DC" during the just-concluded five-day visit. "PM Modi continues to be treated like a movie star in the West," Mallack notes.

Importantly, Australia had been a key player during Modi's visit to the US, as the Prime Minister held a bilateral with his Australian counterpart Scott Morrison. And also that India and Australia are two key stakeholders in the Quad, along with the US and Japan.

In the context of India's new role in the changing geopolitical situation, Mallack, in an article, says, India is "calm common sense when the world is set on polarisation." These observations have significance of their own, especially on the backdrop of changing dynamics in Afghanistan with the US withdrawal and Taliban takeover.

Moreover, in a surprising development, Australia, the UK and the United States have floated the AUKUS and have unnerved France. All these developments seem to have some relevance to China or are in the context of Beijing.

Mallack is a Director of India and Asia business consultancy East-West Academy and has penned the critically acclaimed book 'Soft Skills for a Flat World'.

Appreciating India's stance in the emerging world scenario, he writes: "India sees the world through non-alignment, experienced in dealing with competing powers and accepting that every country will be different and not all will be democracies." (courtesyCNN-News18.com)

He also wrote: "Prime Minister Modi sent a strong signal of India's non-alignment to the Quad when the week before the Summit, he attended the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation."

He also said the 'supply chains' initiatives, as discussed at the Quad Summit, would be good for both India and Australia, while the US and Japan would be providing technology innovations. Mallack is also a blogger INTO India and a former president of the Australia-India Business Council.

In a piece for 'The Sydney Morning Herald', Mallack had written in December 2020, "India has provided strong numbers in tourism and education in Australia and we could work hard to expand this as interest from China falls away."
The gory days of the late 1990s, which included public stoning and limb amputation of alleged criminals, are not far off.

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi's words are turning prophetic.

Dished out as a local alert for local criminals in Afghanistan, it was meant to be a global alert that the Taliban remains the same oldie of the 1990s frame!

It was also a warning to neighbouring Pakistan that Islamabad can be disowned and snubbed at their whims and fancies. Rawalpindi and their handpicked political appointees should all know their limitations.

Four bodies of allegedly 'suspected kidnappers' were displayed in different parts of Herat city. One of them even hung from a crane.

This is the neo-normal in neo-Afghanistan, irrespective of whatever 'incentives' are promised and sought after by a self-appointed leader of the Taliban regime, called Imran Khan.

"I saw they had brought a body in a pick-up truck, then they hung it up on a crane," one Herat shopkeeper was quoted by a news agency.

Miles away, Joe Biden has screamed 'America is back' - well, that could be disputed and debated, but the Taliban is certainly 'back'. Right there.

"Taliban don't seem to be in the mood to listen to anyone, including Pakistan, long seen by the international community as a benefactor and protector of the Afghan militant group with extraordinary influence over it. The reality was evident when a senior Taliban leader in an address whose clips were shared on social media responded harshly to Prime Minister Imran Khan's call for an inclusive government in Kabul," writes senior journalist Abbas Nasir for the daily 'Dawn'.

Virtually, the writing is on the wall. The gory days of the late 1990s, which included public stoning and limb amputation of alleged criminals, are not far off.

Of course, ever since the Taliban takeover on August 15, the rest of the world, along with Pakistan, has been watching to see whether the 'harsh rules' will be recreated. Islamabad and its leadership have taken a self-appointed role and are trying to drive home a point that the 'reborn Taliban' is nothing like what the world witnessed in 1996 and beyond until 2001 when they were bombarded and ejected by the US-led NATO forces.

In this context, experts say, Pakistan may be advocating global engagement with the neo-Taliban, but in the process, Imran Khan does not realise that he is also sort of giving an undertaking that the "current government" in Kabul - as he puts it - will behave.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has warned Pakistan in his address to the 76th session of the UNGA on Sunday that - "With Regressive Thinking, countries that are using terrorism as a political tool have to understand that terrorism is an equally big threat to them."

Mr Modi thus underlined: "It is very important to ensure that the soil of Afghanistan is not used for spreading terrorism and terrorist attacks."
The protestors demanded that Pakistan be held accountable for the abduction and killing of those demanding basic rights, enforced disappearance carried by Pakistani security services, denial of basic political rights to people of Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan.



London: Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi's arrival in London was met with protests by activists from Pakistan-occupied Jammu-Kashmir.

Kashmiris were joined by Baloch and Sindhi activists as Qureshi reached London on Sunday (September 26) on a three-day official visit to the United Kingdom.

As soon as Qureshi arrived, Kashmiris, led by Sajjad Raja of National Equality Party Jammu Kashmir Gilgit Baltistan and Ladakh (NEP JKGBL), gathered in front of the residence of the Pakistani High Commissioner.

Protestors raised slogans against Pakistani atrocities against Kashmiris living in Pakistan occupied Jammu-Kashmir.

They demanded that Pakistan be held accountable for the abduction and killing of those demanding basic rights, enforced disappearance carried by Pakistani security services, denial of basic political rights to people of Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan.

They also raised slogans of "Shame-Shame Pakistan" and asked UK government not to entertain Qureshi, "the biggest violator of human rights in the name of the bilateral relationship."

Courtesy: ANI








The Ministry of Islamic Orientation, at a meeting with representatives of men's hairdressing salons in the provincial capital, Lashkar Gah, advised against styling hair and shaving beards.



Kabul: The Taliban have banned hairdressers in Afghanistan's Helmand province from shaving or trimming beards, a media report said.

"The Taliban have banned stylish hairstyles and shaving beards in Helmand province in southern Afghanistan," The Frontier Post reported citing the Taliban's letter.

The publication further stated that officials from the Ministry of Islamic Orientation, at a meeting with representatives of men's hairdressing salons in the provincial capital, Lashkar Gah, advised against styling hair and shaving beards.

The order, distributed on social networks, also contains a request not to play music or hymns on the premises of hairdressing salons, The Frontier Post reported.

Meanwhile, the Taliban is re-imposing repressive laws and retrograde policies. They are imposing laws that defined its 1996-2001 rule when they enforced their version of Islamic Sharia law.

Amid reports of large-scale human rights violations by the Taliban in Afghanistan, the outfit earlier had put on public display the bodies of four people who were killed after they allegedly carried out a kidnapping in the western city of Herat.

It is been over a month since the Taliban captured Kabul after an aggressive and rapid advance against Afghanistan government forces amid the withdrawal of US and NATO troops from the country.

The country plunged into crisis last month after Kabul fell to the Taliban and the democratically elected government of former president Ashraf Ghani collapsed.

Courtesy: ANI




Aside from no pay, the country's most highly trained fighters were assigned to defensive operations as the Taliban pushed closer to the provincial capitals. With no US air support, elite fighters were tasked with running dangerous resupply missions that made them susceptible to the Taliban attacks.



Washington: More than a month after the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan, a new report has revealed that the collapse of Afghan security forces was not abrupt. On the contrary, it was a "slow, painful breakdown" that began months before the fall of Kabul on August 15.

The United States' role in Afghanistan has come under scanner after the Taliban's swift takeover of Kabul, following an offensive that saw the quick fall of the US-trained Afghan army.

A new report by The Washington Post has revealed that the Taliban started its offensive in the spring. As the pace of the US drawdown increased, Afghanistan's special operators were largely moved under the command of the Defense Ministry.

This shift robbed the forces of a degree of independence that had insulated them from the corruption that handicapped other branches of the security forces, a captain told The Post under the condition of anonymity.

As the clashes intensified, several Afghanistan police personnel on the front line were entering their sixth month without pay. This was reportedly a widespread problem that took down morale and made government forces vulnerable to Taliban offers.

Aside from no pay, the country's most highly trained fighters were assigned to defensive operations as the Taliban pushed closer to the provincial capitals. With no US air support, elite fighters were tasked with running dangerous resupply missions that made them susceptible to the Taliban attacks.

"This is not what we were trained to do," said Lt. Abdul Hamid Barakzai of the Afghan commandos, referring to the drives between outposts. Barakzai said the commandos were given the task because they were one of the few units with heavily armoured vehicles.

"We knew how to defeat the Taliban, but the leadership at the top didn't listen," said a captain in one of Afghanistan's most elite units.

In an apparent admission of messy exit from Afghanistan, General Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, earlier this month had said the "collapse" of the Afghan army, in the face of Taliban offensive, happened at a much faster rate.

"The collapse of the Afghan army happened at a much faster rate and [was] very unexpected by pretty much everybody," General Mark Milley told Fox in an interview. "And then with that is the collapse of the Afghan government."

As the US completed its withdrawal from Afghanistan, General Milley earlier had said that he has "pain and anger" seeing what has happened in the war-torn country over the last 20 years.

He had said that one of the "lessons learned" from the US withdrawal from the troubled country was the pitfalls realised in the Afghan security forces.

Courtesy: ANI








In his first-ever in-person meeting with President Joe Biden, Prime Minister Modi raised a number of issues involving the Indian community in America, including access for Indian professionals in the U.S.

New Delhi: The United States is proud to have issued a record 62,000 visas to Indian students so far in 2021, said a White House paper released during the just-concluded visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the U.S.

It also said nearly two lakh Indian students in the United States contribute $7.7 billion annually to the U.S. economy. The Fulbright Program has been bringing Americans and Indians closer together for 71 years since its launch in India. Over 20,000 fellowships and grants have been awarded under an exchange program, and the U.S. looks forward to building on these successes.

"The upcoming launch of the US-India Alliance for Women's Economic Empowermenta public-private partnership between the Department of State, USAID, the U.S.-India Strategic Partnership Forum, and George Washington Universitywill help catalyze collaboration to advance women's economic resilience and empowerment in India," the paper said.

In his first-ever in-person meeting with President Joe Biden, Prime Minister Modi raised a number of issues involving the Indian community in America, including access for Indian professionals in the U.S.



"He (Modi) spoke of the issue of getting access for Indian professionals to the United States. In that context, he mentioned H-1B visa," Foreign Secretary Harsh V Shringla told reporters at a news conference in New York.

The most sought-after H-1B visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows U.S. companies to employ foreign workers in speciality occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture looks forward to cooperating with the Indian Council of Agricultural Research on climate-change issues related to agriculture through strategic research on crops, livestock, and fisheries. USAID looks forward to working with the Indian government on establishing the U.S.-India Gandhi-King Development Foundation to promote initiatives and exchanges that honour both visionary leaders, the White House paper said.

Meanwhile, a Fact Sheet on Quad said there would soon be a Fellowship programme. It will sponsor 100 students per year25 from each Quad countryto pursue masters and doctoral degrees at leading STEM graduate universities in the United States. It will serve as one of the world's leading graduate fellowships, but uniquely, the Quad Fellowship will focus on STEM and bring together the top minds of Australia, India, Japan, and the United States.

Schmidt Futures, a philanthropic initiative, will operate and administer the fellowship program in consultation with a non-governmental task force comprised of academic, foreign policy, and private sector leaders from each Quad country.


ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP)  Cannon Air Force Base is starting work with nearby landowners to test their water and soil for a group of chemicals known as PFAS.

Tests will help the military determine where an underground contamination plume migrated off the base, the Albuquerque Journal reported.

But complex federal legal requirements have made the cleanup process of toxic chemicals that leaked into the Ogallala Aquifer frustratingly slow, Clovis dairy farmers and residents recently told Cannon officials.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, leaked into the ground from firefighting foam used in military training exercises. Similar problems have been reported at military bases and industrial sites across the country.

John Kern, director of the community group Clean Water Partnership at Cannon, said he is concerned that a short-term water treatment solution will not be operational until 2023.

Much of the community considers that to be a woefully inadequate response to the problem, Kern said during Cannons quarterly virtual public meeting.

Chris Segura with the Air Force Civil Engineer Center said the $16.6 million on-base project of three wells and a filtration system is a necessary step.

This is bounded by law, Segura said. Flexibility and our agility to be able to manage this under a different framework just is not there. So our hands are tied.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency links PFAS to cancers and low birth weights.

Col. Terence Taylor, who became commander of the 27th Special Operations Wing at Cannon in June, said he understands that Department of Defense project timelines dont always match up with the urgency the community wants.

My family lives here on the installation, as well as over 500 military families, Taylor said. Were all interested in ensuring that we have clean, consumable water for the health and well-being of everyone. We are not looking for ways to halt progress. In fact, were trying to speed things up as best we can.

The toxic plume spread in the aquifer from Cannons southeast corner.

Art Schaap at nearby Highland Dairy euthanized at least 1,000 cows because of PFAS in the animals meat and milk.

I know that you guys are going to get to the bottom of this, and were going to get to a resolution here someday, Schaap said. Im just wondering why we dont just have filters on all those contaminated wells that are being used right now to feed our animals, to water our crops, our homes. Weve had to pay for all that ourselves.
AUBURN, Maine (AP)  A police officer fired three times at an armed man, killing him, during a confrontation that began with a report of a woman being held against her will at a motel, officials said Monday.

Joseph Arbour, 36, of Bucksport, fled through a motel room window when police forced their way in, and the confrontation followed a brief foot pursuit, Police Chief Jason Moen said.
Michigan would award its 15 electoral votes to the presidential candidate who wins the national popular vote if enough other states also join the agreement under a new ballot initiative announced today, Sept. 27, by former leaders in both the Democratic and the Republican parties.

Mark Brewer, who is former chairman of the Michigan Democratic Party, and Saul Anuzis, who is former chairman of the Michigan Republican Party, announced the development at a Monday news conference.

If enough states sign onto the pact, the U.S. would keep the electoral college system, but the presidential candidate who wins the nationwide popular vote would be guaranteed the White House, according to Brewer.

We are excited to launch our effort to bring this important proposal to let voters, not politicians, determine if Michigan moves our country toward a national popular vote for president," he said in a press release.

The national popular vote would only take effect if the participating states represent the 270 electoral votes needed to win the presidency. So far, national popular vote legislation has been enacted by 15 states and the District of Columbia, adding up to 195 electoral votes, according to a press release.

Additionally, the ballot initiative makes sure that presidential candidates have to campaign across the country, in every state, because their goal would be to get as many votes, from everywhere, as they can because that's the only way they're going to win, according to Brewer.

The effort has been a long time coming. Anuzis says he got involved and first supported the effort in 2008.

"You could be a battleground state on one day and the very next day not be a battleground state," Anuzis said. "That has a similar effect to both Republicans and Democrats, depending on who's winning and losing. And, what happens under this proposal is: that would never happen. If we had a national popular vote, you could not afford to walk away from 10 million people in Michigan, and have a 5%, 2% or even 1% drop in presidential election turnouts, whether you're Republican or Democrat."

"The other unique thing that this does is that you know, under the winner take all rule, if we win, the Republicans, every vote over 50% plus one becomes irrelevant, and you're just trying to win the election," he continued. "And the Democrats, if they were to lose at 49% of vote, (would) completely become irrelevant because they don't count under the winner take all rule. Under a national popular vote interstate compact, Michigan voters, whether they're Republican, Democratic or Independent, will have a voice every single time. That's really the goal here."

Proponents say awarding the presidency to the candidate with the most votes only makes sense, "to fix the current broken presidential election system that causes division, mistrust and bad feelings all around," according to Brewer.

"What happens today is we are basically distorting public policy and we're distorting politics, as presidential candidates pander to the swing voters at any given election and ignore, often times, 40 to 42 to 45 states," Anuzis said. "And, I'm sure that's not what the founders intended. I think this is a reform that would actually fix this."

"I think Republicans and Democrats will have an even chance or a fair chance of winning the national popular vote, when every voter in every state is politically relevant every time, and gets to participate every time in the presidential elections," he continued.

For example, it would make it worthwhile for Democrats to campaign in states they are unlikely to win, such as Mississippi, and for Republicans to campaign in places they stand little chance, such as California.

A petition will be available for Michiganders to sign soon. The language on the petition is being finalized tomorrow, Sept. 28. Then, the Board of State Canvassers has 30 days to approve the petition. Brewer is hoping the petition will be cleared faster than the 30-day deadline.

The committee, "Yes on National Popular Vote" needs 340,047 Michigan voters to sign this initiative petition, "to let them, not the politicians in Lansing, decide whether it's important enough to affect the support reform," Anuzis said. The proposal would then be submitted to the Michigan Legislature. If lawmakers decline to pass the measure, it would go to voters in a general election, Detroit Free Press reported.

"The candidate with the most votes doesn't always win the election," Brewer said. "Under the current system, five of our 46 presidents have come into office without winning the national popular vote. So, our current system also means that much smaller states, like Wyoming, have more than three times as much voting power as we do here in Michigan. And, that's wrong and again violates the important principle of one person, one vote."

The cost of the ballot drive is yet to be determined, according to both Anuzis and Brewer, as the process is just getting started.
The Midland City Clerks office encourages all eligible residents to get involved in the democratic process by registering to vote during September in celebration of National Voter Registration Month.

Eligible City of Midland residents can register to vote in person at the City Clerks office in City Hall Monday through Friday from 8 a.m.  5 p.m. Voter registration can also be done online at https://mvic.sos.state.mi.us/RegisterVoter/Index or by mail up to 15 days before an election.

Voters who register directly with the City Clerks office during the month of September will receive a special edition sticker.

To be eligible to register to vote in the City of Midland, applicants must be a Michigan resident at the time of registering, a resident of the City of Midland for at least 30 days when they vote, a United States citizen, at least 17.5 years old when they register (at least 18 years old when they vote), and not currently be serving a sentence in jail or prison.

Your voter registration address is tied to the address listed on your Michigan drivers license and should be updated within 30 days of a move.

Registering to vote is a quick, easy process that allows citizens to actively participate in building the future of our city, state, and country, said Midland City Clerk Erica Armstrong. Voting is one of the most patriotic activities you can do as an American and I encourage everyone who can register to vote, do so during Voter Registration Month!

During registration, voters can also sign up to join the Citys Permanent Absentee Voter List to automatically receive an application in the mail to vote by absentee ballot prior to each election. Voters on this list can choose to vote either by absentee ballot or in person for each election. Residents who are registered to vote but are not on the Permanent Absentee Voter List can sign up at www.cityofmidlandmi.gov/absentee.

For more information on voter registration, absentee voting, and other elections information for voters living in the City of Midland, visit the Midland City Clerks Office online at www.cityofmidlandmi.gov/clerk or call 989-837-3310.
A federal judge said Monday that John Hinckley Jr., who tried to assassinate President Ronald Reagan four decades ago, can be freed from all remaining restrictions next year if he continues to follow those rules and remains mentally stable.

U.S. District Court Judge Paul L. Friedman in Washington said during a 90-minute court hearing that hell issue his ruling on the plan this week.

Since Hinckley moved to Williamsburg, Virginia, from a Washington hospital in 2016, court-imposed restrictions have required doctors and therapists to oversee his psychiatric medication and therapy. Hinckley has been barred from having a gun. And he cant contact Reagans children, other victims or their families, or actress Jodie Foster, who he was obsessed with at the time of the 1981 shooting.

Friedman said Hinckley, now 66, has displayed no symptoms of active mental illness, no violent behavior and no interest in weapons since 1983.

If he hadn't tried to kill the president, he would have been unconditionally released a long, long, long time ago," the judge said. But everybody is comfortable now after all of the studies, all of the analysis and all of the interviews and all of the experience with Mr. Hinckley."

Friedman said the plan is to release Hinckley from all court supervision in June.

A 2020 violence risk assessment conducted on behalf of Washingtons Department of Behavioral Health concluded that Hinckley would not pose a danger if he's unconditionally released.

The U.S. government had previously opposed ending restrictions. But it recently retained an independent expert to examine Hinckley and took a different position Monday, with attorneys saying they would agree to unconditional release if Hinckley follows the rules and shows mental stability for the next nine months.

Kacie Weston, an attorney for the U.S. government, said it wants to make sure Hinckley can adapt to living on his own for the first time in 40 years.

He recently moved out his mother's house, which sits along a golf course in a gated community in Williamsburg. She died in July. Attorneys did not say where Hinckley is currently living.

Mr. Hinckley does have a history of turning inward, and toward isolation," Weston said.

Another concern is the impending retirement of one of Hinckley's therapists and the looming end to a therapy group, which has provided much support and social interaction. Weston said Hinckley will likely face challenges finding a similar group in the future.

All we have to do is wait a few more months and see," Weston said. And well have actual hard data. Well have information in real time to see how Mr. Hinckley adapts."

The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute said in a statement that it was saddened" by the court's plan.

Contrary to the judges decision, we believe John Hinckley is still a threat to others and we strongly oppose his release," the foundation said. Our hope is that the Justice Department will file a motion with the court leading to a reversal of this decision.

Hinckley was 25 when he shot and wounded the 40th U.S. president outside a Washington hotel. The shooting paralyzed Reagan press secretary James Brady, who died in 2014. It also injured Secret Service agent Timothy McCarthy and Washington police officer Thomas Delahanty.

Hinckley did not attend Monday's hearing. But Barry Levine, his attorney, said Hinckley wanted to express his heartfelt apologies and profound regret" to the people he shot and their families as well as to Foster and the American people.

Perhaps it is too much to ask for forgiveness," Levine said. But we hope they have an understanding that the acts that caused him to do this terrible thing (were caused by) mental illness."

Hinckley was suffering from acute psychosis. When jurors found him not guilty by reason of insanity, they said he needed treatment and not a lifetime in confinement.

Such an acquittal meant that Hinckley could not be blamed or punished for what he did, legal experts have said. Hinckley was ordered to live at St. Elizabeths Hospital in Washington.

In the 2000s, Hinckley began making visits to his parents home in Williamsburg. A 2016 court order granted him permission to live with his mom full time after experts said his mental illness had been in remission for decades.

Friedman, the judge, has loosened some of Hinckleys restrictions over the years. For instance, Hinckley was granted the right to publicly display his artwork and allowed to move out of his mothers house. But hes still barred from traveling to places where he knows there will be someone protected by the Secret Service.

Hinckley must give three days notice if he wants to travel more than 75 miles (120 kilometers) from home. He also has to turn over passwords for computers, phones and online accounts such as email.

In recent years, Hinckley has sold items from a booth at an antique mall that hes found at estate sales, flea markets and consignment shops. Hes also shared his music on YouTube.

I would hope that people will see this as a victory for mental health," Levine, Hinckley's attorney, said Monday. That is the real message in this case  that people who have been ravaged by mental disease, with good support and access to treatment, can actually become productive members of society."
Midland County added 100 new COVID-19 cases between Saturday, Sept. 25, and Monday, Sept. 27.

COVID-19 numbers reported from Sept. 25-27

Midland County: 100 cases were added; pandemic total is 8,184 cases, 764 probable cases, 111 deaths and three probable deaths.

Bay County: 145 cases were added; pandemic total stands at 12,008 cases, 813 probable cases, 352 deaths and 15 probable deaths.

Gladwin County: 49 cases were added; pandemic total stands at 2,335 cases, 463 probable cases, 62 deaths and four probable deaths.

Isabella County: 84 cases were added; pandemic total stands at 6,509 cases, 1,152 probable cases, 99 deaths and five probable deaths.

Saginaw County: 136 cases and one death were added; pandemic total stands at 22,837 cases, 1,693 probable cases, 630 deaths and 21 probable deaths.

The state added 7,733 cases and 35 deaths between Saturday and Monday. Overall, Michigan is at 1,015,802 cases and 20,898 deaths.

Recovered

According to the Midland County Health Department website, which was updated Sept. 20, 7,554 Midland County individuals have recovered from COVID. The state reported that as of Sept. 24, a total of 917,827 persons have recovered.

Testing

Midland Countys seven-day rolling positivity rate on Sept. 23 was listed at 11%, and Gladwin County's was listed at 15%. Our 12-county region was listed at 13% and Michigan was at 9%.

MidMichigan Health statistics

As of Sept. 27, MidMichigan Medical Center in Midland was listed as having a 84% bed occupancy, with 28 COVID patients and four in the ICU. MidMichigan Medical Center in Gladwin was listed as having a 14% bed occupancy, with no 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.

Schools

As of Friday, Sept. 24, Midland Public Schools reported 150 staff/students were close contacts to an individual who was confirmed COVID-19 positive and 31 staff/students were currently tested positive for the virus. Schools with one or more staff/student confirmed positive for COVID-19 as of Friday include Dow High (3), Midland High (6), Jefferson Middle (4), Northeast Middle (5), Adams Elementary (1), Central Park Elementary (5), Chestnut Hill (1), Plymouth Elementary (1) and Woodcrest Elementary (5).

On Monday, the state's website listed 11 schools in the Midland area among its new outbreaks, the largest number of outbreaks in any county: Midland High School with four students, Dow High School with nine students, Siebert Elementary with six students, Meridian Early College High with 23 students, Meridian Junior High with four students, Meridian Elementary with five students/staff, Longview Early Childhood Center with four students, Bullock Creek High with three students/staff, Bullock Creek Middle with six students and Floyd Elementary with eight students/staff. Meridian Early College had the largest new outbreak of any school in the state.

Midland County vaccinations

The Michigan COVID-19 Vaccine Dashboard lists Midland's completed vaccine rate is 65.6%. Currently, the vaccines are not authorized to be given to those under age 12.

Midland County Health Department is hosting a weekly walk-in COVID vaccination clinic from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. every Tuesday and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Friday 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.
From booster doses of the Pfizer vaccine to wearing masks, a multi-layered approach is best when it comes to preventing the spread of COVID-19, according to local and national health officials.

On Wednesday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorized a booster dose of the Pfizer vaccine for emergency use for individuals ages 65 and above, those who have a high risk of severe COVID-19 and those who are at increased risk of exposure and transmission because of their occupational or institutional setting.

The Midland County Health Department is now offering the Pfizer booster dose in addition to first and second doses of the vaccine at its Tuesday walk-in clinics. The booster is only being given to those who received both doses of the Pfizer vaccine at least six months ago.

We expect to hear something about Moderna in the next couple of weeks, Bodnar said. We ask that those who received the Moderna vaccine to just sit tight until we have more direction.

Other organizations across the region are also offering the COVID-19 booster to eligible recipients. On Friday, CVS Health began offering the Pfizer booster shot at select pharmacy locations, including 50 across Michigan. On Saturday, Bay County held a drive-through clinic to administer the booster, with more clinics to follow.

In addition to vaccines, masks provide an important layer of protection against the coronavirus. On Friday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released three studies highlighting the importance of layered prevention strategies to combat the spread of COVID-19, including vaccination, universal indoor mask wearing, testing and social distancing.

One report, which focused on Arizona schools, detailed how mask requirements in grades K-12 limited COVID-19 outbreaks, stating that schools without mask requirements were 3.5 times more likely to have outbreaks compared with schools that implemented mask requirements at the beginning of the school year.

The second report highlights the impact of universal masking policies on communities surrounding school districts. Studies found that from July 1 to Sept. 4, counties with school mask requirements have a lower change in pediatric COVID-19 case rates (16.32 per 100,000 cases a day) than counties without school mask requirements (34.85 per 100,000 cases a day).

The third case study of COVID-related school closures found that while 96% of schools have remained open for full in-person learning, an estimated 1,800 schools have endured closures due to COVID-19, affecting 933,000 students.

Masking is part of the layer of protection, said Cathy Bodnar, medical director for the Midland County Department of Public Health.

Currently, Midland Public Schools has a mask mandate for staff and students in grades K-6. The Midland County Health Department recommends that residents wear masks while in indoor public spaces, regardless of vaccine status. Bodnar explained that wearing a mask doesnt provide immunity from the virus, but it does provide better protection, as studies have shown. However, she doesnt believe the studies will change the minds of people who refuse to wear masks, as the issue has become so politicized over the past year and a half.

I would definitely hope that schools look at the additional information in these studies and require masking as part of their layers of COVID protection  similar to other requirements they have like dress codes  while we have substantial and high community COVID transmission rates, Bodnar said.
WINDSOR TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP)  A 23-year-old Michigan man suspected of fatally shooting three of his relatives at a house near Lansing last week was arraigned Monday on three murder counts.

The Eaton County sheriff's office said Daniel Sougstad was arrested without incident early Saturday by police in Ingham County.

A judge ordered him held without bond on three counts of open murder and three counts of using a firearm during a felony.

Eaton County deputies were called Friday to a house in Windsor Township, southwest of Lansing, the sheriffs office said in a release. A neighbor had reported hearing shots and screams coming from the home and said a girl had fled to their residence with an injured foot.

When deputies entered the house they found the bodies of three adults inside. The victims were identified Monday as John, Barbara and Ryan Sougstad. Authorities have not described the victims' relationships to Daniel Sougstad but Jerri Nesbitt, executive assistant for the Eaton County sheriff's office, said the suspect lived at the home where the bodies were found.

The slayings were not random, according to the sheriffs office.

Our hearts go out the families of John, Barbara and Ryan Sougstad, Eaton County Prosecutor Douglas Lloyd said in a statement. Their senseless deaths are a tragedy and have forever impacted the lives of those who loved and knew them.

Sougstad was represented in court Monday by the countys Public Defenders office. A probable cause conference was scheduled for Oct. 4, followed by an Oct. 8 preliminary examination.
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.
Nairobi, Kenya (PANA)  Human Rights Watch (HRW) is accusing the Rwandan authorities of rounding up and arbitrarily detaining gay and transgender people, sex workers, street children, and others in the months before the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) planned for last June
This service is a courtesy for our print subscribers to give them access to our online edition at no additional cost. If you haven't registered on the new site, you must do it now before you do anything else.
Several key Apple suppliers have halted production at some of their Chinese facilities to comply with Beijing's tighter energy consumption policy, putting supply-chain continuity at risk during a peak season for electronics goods including the latest iPhones.

Eson Precision Engineering, an affiliate of Foxconn -- the world's biggest iPhone assembler -- and a key mechanical parts supplier for Apple, on Sunday said it suspended its production from Sunday until Friday at its facilities in the Chinese city of Kunshan in direct response to the city's policy of stopping electricity supply for industrial use.

"The company will leverage its inventory to maintain the operation while production is halted," Eson said in a filing with the Taiwan stock exchange. "We expect to arrange production on the weekends or in the upcoming holidays [next month] to meet customers' needs."

China's crackdown on energy consumption comes from a combination of reasons -- surging coal and natural gas prices, as well as Beijing's effort to cut emissions and an increase in energy demand -- and is impacting a wide range of industries.

Unimicron Technology, a major print circuit-board maker and key Apple supplier, said its subsidiaries in the Chinese cities of Suzhou and Kunshan in Jiangsu Province also needed to stop production from Sunday noon till the end of the month. The Taiwanese company said it would mobilize production capacity in its other manufacturing sites to mitigate the impact, according to its stock-exchange filing on Sunday.

IPhone speaker component supplier Concraft Holding, which owns manufacturing facilities in the Chinese city of Suzhou, said in a stock- exchange filing that it would suspend production for five days until noon Thursday and utilize its inventory to support the demand.

Key iPhone assembler Pegatron, which operates massive production sites in both Kunshan and Suzhou, on Sunday night told Nikkei Asia its facilities were running as usual at the moment, but had already prepared power generators should the company receive further notice from the city governments. For more, read the full Nikkei Asia report.
Being a regular reader (of news and stuff of social media, no books ha!), I happened to visit Quora. It is one of the best sites to pass your time on while grasping on some mind-blowing tales of history, politics and almost every topic under the sun.

So yesterday somebody asked me a question: What are the places in Bihar which are worth traveling and to be learned about?

Being from Bihar, this appeared to me as a great opportunity to repel some of the prejudices that are formed in the minds of the people regarding Bihar and its tourism. So here is the answer that I wrote on Quora:

If you are travelling to Bihar, I am sure you would visit the Ruins of Nalanda University (above). Most definitely you have it in your 'to visit' list. But if you take my opinion, then before going to this place you should go here:

This is Veer Kunwar Singhs Memorial in Jagdishpur, Ara. Here you would see the inspirational story of an 80-year old man fighting against the mighty British for his land and his people. You would see the true Bihari spirit of fighting against suppression.

Again, with your preconceived mind, you would want to visit this famous Jain pilgrimage center commonly known as the Jal Mandir of Pawapuri. And surely you should visit it as most people would tell you about it.

But I am going to ask you to visit a place which most people would not tell you about.



This is the ancestral house of Jaya Prakash Narayan, or JP as he was famously known. This is located in the village of Sitab Diyara in Saran district. The house is now being converted into a Museum. Here you would come to know about a man who challenged the supreme authority that Indira Gandhi was at the time of Emergency in the '70s. The man who inspired students to join his movement and who threw Mrs. Gandhi out of power. It is places such as these that would inspire you to fight against all odds in your life.

Now moving further, people would also suggest you to visit various places in Patna like the Buddha Smriti Park, Gol Ghar, Bihar Museum etc. No doubt that you should visit these places but again, I have an advice for you. Before you visit them, you should go to the Tomb of Sher Shah Suri located in the city of Sasaram.

I think you would be interested to know about the man who, with his small kingdom and a small army, defeated Humayun and the Mughal army and sat on the throne of Delhi. Yes! This again is a place which introduces you to another fighting spirit.



There are many more places which are immensely interesting and full of tales of inspiration like this.

The next destination of yours should be the city of Munger. Currently the Yoga capital of the East, this city has witnessed history like no other. From being the Midlands of the Aryans to being the capital of Mir Qasims Riyasat to being the gun factory of the East, this city has seen it all. Surrounded by a lot of temples and even more by the tales of history, this is one of the tourists delight.

Now take a right turn from Munger to Gaya. When you are in Gaya, first of all you should visit Thishiuen-Tsang Memorial Hall.



This is the Tomb of Huan Tseng, the Chinese traveler who came to India. He was so impressed by the standard of education (Nalanda University) and ruling that when he got back to China, he wrote an entire book about it. You would definitely want to know more about him. And what better place than his own tomb!

And finally, after seeing all this, you must be tired. So, to find that inner peace of mind and solace, make sure that you reach the Mahabodhi Temple. Are you impressed? Well. you should be. Bihar is not just what you see through your TV or social media spectacles; it is much more, rather totally beyond that image.

But thats not all. It was just Central and South Bihar. There is entire North thats left to discuss. But we shall do that some other day.

For now, pack your bags, get your stuff ready and come visit this historic land of inspirations.
It has been more than a week, Professor Papiya Ghosh, the noted historian from Patna was brutally murdered, yet the police haven't been able to find any leads.

NDTV broke the news about the death of Papiya Ghosh and we saw her sister Tuktuk Ghosh, an IAS officer and an Officer on Special Duty attached to the Office of Lok Sabha Speaker, Somnath Chatterjee, break down while giving details about the gruesome way she was murdered. Tuktuk said that she would be approaching the prime minister, asking for his assistance. We also saw the Director General of Police, Patna, laughing insensitively while explaining that such crimes are not uncommon and his police are trying their best to catch the culprits.

The murder of Papiya Ghosh comes on a close line of murders of Nitesh Katara, Priyadarshini Mattoo and Jessica Lal, all pointing to a sinister criminal politician nexus.

These murders only came to light because of the important status of each of these individuals.

According to the Hindustan Times, the needle of suspicion in the twin murders of Patna University Professor Papiya Ghosh and her domestic help seems to be pointing to a criminal-politician who had been putting pressure on her to sell her sprawling house, said a senior police official.

History professor Dr Ghosh, 53, and her 70-year-old domestic help were found stabbed to death in her home in the city's posh Pataliputra Colony on Sunday, shocking this city of over two million people.

I grew up in the heart of Madhya Pradesh and political murders were never a stranger to me. Much later I did post mortems of such victims. Obviously the culprits was never brought to justice. I remember a gangster of the stature of Babloo Srivastava from Uttar Pradesh who was brought for 'treatment' at the JA Group of Hospitals, Gwalior, by the police.He gave thousand rupee notes to the nurses and porters who in turn were in the beck and call at all times.

The murder of Papiya Ghosh would be solved at some stage considering the pressure being built up by the ordinary people of Bihar. The Chief Minister, Nitish Kumar after being prodded from the centre is finally taking some interest in this case. But neither Nitish Kumar nor our Hon. Prime Minister knew the actual Papiya Ghosh. Papiya and Tuktuk Ghosh were known all over India to readers of JS. They remain as popular as they were thirty years back.

Dilip D'Souza in his blog dated December 14, 2005 wrote, 'Poring through the magazine every week, I wondered jealously: Just how did all these JS dudes get these almost insufferably cool names? I mean: Jug Suraiya? Desmond Doig? And exactly who were Papiya and Tuktuk Ghosh, invariably somewhere in the issue? Where did they get their cool names? Does anyone know? Did they exist? Do they exist? (Please send me a note if you're reading this, either of you, and put a 30-year-old mystery to rest)'.

Again, Jug Suraiya mentioned in one of his columns that in a party, a woman once came to him and identified herself as Papiya. His Pavlovian response was, "Where is Tuktuk"?

Many a party organized by Desmond in Kolkata had invitees mentioning Papiya and Tuktuk Ghosh as passwords before one can enter the foyer of the happening.

Dilip D'Souza never knew that within a year after he had published his blog, he would know about Papiya Ghosh.

Kookies Kol in every issue of JS had witty postings by Papiya and Tuktuk Ghosh. Dr. Suchitra Shrivatava, a pathologist from Gwalior told me years back that JS was synonymous with Papiya and Tuktuk Ghosh.

Who was really Papiya Ghosh?

Papiya Ghosh was a Professor of History at the Patna University. A Historian of international repute her research interest included topics as such as Partition, Diaspora, Refugee, Gender, Backward and Dalit studies and more recently Bhojpuri cinema and cassettes. She was currently working on three volumes - Partition and the South Asian Diaspora, Community and Nation: Bihar in the 1940s and Caste, Region and Nation: Essays on Bihar. She studied at the Delhi University and was well known for her academic achievements and extracurricular activities.

She reviewed the books - Mapmaking: Partition stories from Two Bengals edited by Debjani Sengupta, Shadow lives: Writings on Widowhood edited by Uma Chakravarti and Preeti Gill and The Hindu Widow in Indian Literature by Rajul Sogani. She was an authority on Muslims in Bihar, her book titled 'Reinvoking the Pakistan of the 1940: Bihar's 'Stranded Pakistanis', is a milestone on Muslim studies in India. She wrote a lot of articles in the international journal 'Refugee Watch'.

Papiya Ghosh died believing in Bihar, a province whose Home Secretary was her father; an Indian Civil Service Officer. We lost Papiya Ghosh who was our link to the wonderful world of JS.

December 17, 2006
JNU has made great contribution to the cause of learning in India; it has also played a seminal role in the life of significant contention- the proper calling of intellectuals  over the years but sadly the students of this premier university are being discussed for their intellectual daring which extended no further than a pledge to dismember their own motherland and a clever application of their assiduously acquired knowledge of "subaltern studies and dialectical materialism" to fox and hoodwink plain, blunt policeman.

To these inestimable achievements one more has been added  it has produced an orator of outstanding merit in Kanhaiya Kumar. Kanhaiyas very significant omission of Chandrasekhar in his speech, a former JNU student union president, who had stirred the conscience of people of Bihar by his fearless fight in favour of the lowest of the low against criminal warlords shows great awareness of currents and cross currents of contemporary politics even before he has entered the choppy waters. Chandrasekhars martyrdom had got mixed up with issues of pragmatic politics. His cause was just, but he was not too careful in the choice of the enemy!

The political parties are no doubt celebrating but would it be mere intellectual Ludditism or cussedness to raise the very quotidian, very banal but very topical issue? Even though as a body of thought Marxism still provides useful insights in the way our world works, one thinks much less of it than what was thought of decades ago. It now belongs to the archeological museum of the history of knowledge.

The university famous for its "left-Centric student politics" burdens the participants with a certain intellectual and moral posture. "Once a JNU student, always an activist" http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Delhi/once-a-jnu-student-always-an-activist/article4282272.ece is perhaps too optimistic a view which may not be shared by all. They are not scarred for life by their brief flirtation with the precious ideology at the university. People like Chandrasekhar and others of his tribe are the precious drops in the ocean. Most others are absorbed in the job market as IAS officers, journalists, politicians and professors, coping with the compulsions of their respective professions with sweet docility, just like everyone else.

The torrent of writings about JNU by former students, teachers and those currently studying there - every media outlet is keen to air their views - confirms me in my belief that the government overestimated their dangerousness. Yogendra K Alagh, former Vice Chancellor of JNU, has to say (In the Mumbai edition it is captioned Argumentation is JNUs Power) (HT Feb 24, 2016). "This is the reason that JNU students do so well in the UPSC exams for the higher civil services. I found out when I chaired a committee set up to develop the recruitment and training policies for the higher civil services. They are all trained in disciplined argumentation and would breeze through any discussion." http://www.hindustantimes.com/analysis/jnu-students-are-first-among-equals-idealistic-and-inquisitive/story-0BHwIrGwSgFaiYEeazOEaJ.html . "The university is known to have a long tradition of alumni who now occupy important political and bureaucratic positions." - Wikipedia

JNU attracts a large number of students form backward states, notably Bihar, who come here aspiring to make it to the IAS or other service but are swept off their feet by the grandeur of the setting as this lyrical outburst of one of the former students suggests:

"Entering JNU, for me, was like entering a zone of freedom, overwhelming freedom. At the very first glance, JNU was like a vast expanse to spread ones wings in  long-winding roads and overgrown valleys, the facility of being outdoors late into the night (what that could mean to a young girl!), milling in and around the library till 11 pm, mess meetings (no pun intended) after dinner, the chance to befriend anyone from anywhere, any class, caste or nationality (thanks to JNUs admission system based on multiple deprivation points), and above all, the possibility of falling in love across all social barriers In JNU, we learnt quickly, through our little adventures and misadventures, the profoundly serious lesson that a free mind depended on a physically and socially free space. We also felt morally tortured by the fact of our privilege as JNU students. To compensate, we became involved in politics outside campus".

Living like royalty at tax payers expense, lording over a thousand-acre campus which could easily house at least two dozen average universities, or ten thousand primary schools for poor children - all their comforts taken care of at a parasitically low rate, they are bound to develop a self-image and feel driven to live by this image of themselves. "Morally tortured by the fact of our privilege as JNU students. To compensate, we became involved in politics outside campus". Their protest is, indeed, an acid by product of privilege and good living.

That helps me connect with my memories of ten, twelve years back when I was invited to the Patna University. On my return journey I made a detour to visit the hostel where I had spent two years as an undergraduate boarder long time ago. Not that things were princely then but now the place was in complete shambles. I came across a group of students loitering in the corridor, introduced myself to them and tried to start a conversation. It is always invigorating to know what the young people are reading, thinking, what are their aspirations, how do they feel about the world around them. My queries were met with brief dismissive answers. All that they wanted me was to speak to the authorities, to get something done. Now I wonder whether their revolutionary ardour was stilled by pedestrian concerns like toilets, and mending of leaky roofs, the appointment of another mess contractor because the old one had run away and they were forced to eat outside!

Exploring this theme further in my imagination I wondered whether the charismatic teachers, if by some magic were transplanted in this dismal setting, would they still be able to ignite the same intellectual curiosity, the same iconoclastic impulse or "a free mind depended" necessarily, "on a physically and socially free space."

Brecht suddenly made sense to me,

"Among the highly placed.

It is considered low to talk about food.

The fact is: they have

Already eaten.

The lowly must leave this earth

Without having tasted

Any good meat."

I had quoted another former JNU student in my last post, who abandoned his faith to quit the ABVP, who spoke of a Brahminical order of intellectual hierarchy in which the Marxists were at the top and everybody else at the bottom. Those who fight for the rights of the underprivileged, for the Dalits of the social order were equally assertive of their rights to keep the ideologically unsophisticated  the Dalits of the intellectual order- and all shades of the "other" at bay. This may itself be a form of "unfreedom" because if the avant-garde of the university thinks it is freedom to promote the dismemberment of the nation, some people may claim the right to be retrograde, revanchist, superstitious, reactionary.

The arrest of Kanhaiya Kumar is one act of folly that the government will repent at leisure. How much of it was professional ineptness, how much the eagerness of a retiring police commissioner anxious to please, and how much of it was an administration under onus to be seen as decisive, I cannot tell. But we have a full blown controversy which, if it has lowered the image of the government, it has not left JNU totally unscathed either. The best course would have been to leave the kids alone. They are such a privileged lot that they will seek police help for making revolution!

India Today magazine once referred to Manoje Nath, a 1973-batch IPS officer, as being fiercely independent, honest, and upright. Besides his numerous official reports on various issues exposing corruption in the bureaucracy in Bihar, Nath is also a writer extraordinaire expressing his thoughts on subjects ranging from science fiction to the effects of globalization. His sense of humor was evident through his extremely popular series named "Gulliver in Patiliputra" and "Modest Proposals" that were published in the local newspapers.
Several years back in an article That Pantomime Artist Known as Police published in Indian Express (I was fond of seeing my name in papers in those years) I wrote, The growing ineffectiveness of state police forces in the face of powerful offenders creates a demand for CBI investigation. This occurs even in cases which are well within the professional and logistic competence of the state police. The CBI itself becomes eminently vulnerable to charges of bias once the affairs of the Central Government become the subject matter of enquiry. The state police forces are well on way to being reduced to a level where they will be good for nothing but ceremonial parades and watch and ward duties and a day may come when the CBI too may face an erosion of credibility. Who shall we turn to then? Interpol, the FBI, or Scotland Yard?"

Has that dreaded day come to refer the standoff between the Kolkata police and the CBI to a neutral agency outside our borders?

"For the last several decades ambitious political leaders have sought to create fiercely loyal battalions of bureaucratic palace guards who, if they pass the loyalty test, are exempted from every other. The idea of the neutrality of civil service has long since been jettisoned in practice and the civil servant and political masters often show the internal cohesion of predatory gangs." - From my blog Resurrected from Retirement.

Mamata Banerjee makes an unprecedented intervention on behalf of her minion, Rajeev Kumar, who had investigated the chit fund scam as per the requirement of his master. Contrary to conduct rules, contrary to the canons of dignified behavior, Mr. Rajeev Kumar, Police Commissioner, is sitting on dharna along with his CM. The duo is protesting against the CBI which made it convenient to expedite investigation of the same Sarda case at a time and in a manner to help its master score some brownie points against his rival.

Some time back the two topmost officers of CBI Arun Verma and Rakesh Asthana, owing allegiance to the two major political parties were engaged in a vicious no holds barred fight, dozens of officers ranged on both sides. Big dads of both the political gangs were daring each other on behalf of their minions.

We prefer to call these gang wars constitutional break down, because our self-image would not let us believe that notwithstanding our claims to maturity as a secular welfare state governed on the principles of west minster system, we are more akin to the earliest political formations where the master personally directed everything and men who owed personal loyalty and allegiance to the master were in charge. These officials slaves, household officials, attendants, personal favorites, were suitably compensated or opportunities were created for them to compensate themselves. Close your eyes, let your mind survey the situation, does it sound like a description of things closer home?

PS: I am reminded of an old aphorism; if you give the monkey a typewriter (it is an old aphorism before word processors came in) and let him type away to glory with no constraint on time, in a given period, he will have rewritten all of Shakespeare's plays etc. I believe our constitution is a mandarin text for us and given an infinite number of years we shall make it work. Not just now.

India Today magazine once referred to Manoje Nath, a 1973-batch IPS officer, as being fiercely independent, honest, and upright. Besides his numerous official reports on various issues exposing corruption in the bureaucracy in Bihar, Nath is also a writer extraordinaire expressing his thoughts on subjects ranging from science fiction to the effects of globalization. His sense of humor was evident through his extremely popular series named "Gulliver in Pataliputra" and "Modest Proposals" that were published in the local newspapers.
I was a ten-year-old, but the memories of the '62 debacle are eidetically etched in my mind; that feeling of helplessness of the elders, their sense of shame, the silent imprecations, the muted curses in private but dignified poise in public, were a temporal marker in the growth of my consciousness as an Indian.

The short war, while it lasted, was an unending season of solemnity and sadness. My father tried to explain to me the enormity of the loss, the depth of our humiliation. I dont know how much of it sank in me cognitively, but the emotional equivalent seeped through me, as if by a process of osmosis. That moment forever lodged itself like an iron in the soul. My young mind, perhaps in a compensatory behaviour, supported a belief that someday, we will be able to pay back the debt of history.

As I grew up and became wiser in the ways of the world - especially when I became aware of the contretemps of political power play and the metrics of military confrontations - I modified my unstated wish into a more moderate plea: Oh, God, please dont let us face the same humiliation, at least not in my lifetime.

The recent traumatic events of our soldiers fighting, unarmed, under some weird protocol, against a devious and barbaric enemy, soldiers being clubbed, being pushed off cliffs and dying of hypothermia, though not in same category of misfortunes, are rooted in reasons quite similar. I was reminded of Brigadier Dalwi's lament in The Himalayan Blunder, "This is a record of the destruction of a Brigade without a formal declaration of war". This time round, at least twenty Indian soldiers died, and many more were injured, in an absurd engagement, without so much as a chance for our men to fire a shot - something straight out of an Italo Calvino or Kurt Kusenburg story.

In 1962, we had a Prime Minister who felt more at home strutting on the international stage, peddling his peculiar nostrums of non-alignment and Panchsheel to enhance his personal standing in the world. Getting China - which was perceived to be an enemy by everyone else except him - its due place under the sun was his seminal concern. Despite repeatedly being warned of the bellicosity of the Chinese by those who knew, he refused to square up to the reality, because how could he - a man of peace - countenance the thought of war? It seems he was prepared to lose territory rather than lose his face. His paranoia about the military eyeing his ouster led him to deliberately starve it of resources and stunt its growth. Finally, when the moment of reckoning came, he entrusted the conduct of war to those who had no other credential than that they enjoyed his trust: Krishna Menon & General Kaul. But talent for intrigue and currying favour does not come in handy in fighting a war. The rest, as they say, is history.

We have now a high-profile PM who is also a global player, bonding on equal personal terms with POTUS. At the same time, in a seemingly deft act of diplomacy, he sleeps with Americas and our own arch enemy - China. Reportedly, he has established a personal equation with President Xi Jinping. But other than diplomacy, he has also let himself be known as a decisive man of war, and has tried to live by this image. All the spectacular military feats against Pakistan, our idee fixe - are supposed to flow from his iron will.

General Kauls seem to be an undying tribe in the army, and even now, reportedly, an unhealthy proximity between the military and political leadership has grown. And it has consequences. History bears witness that China strikes at an opportune moment (in '62 the world attention was riveted on the Cuban missile crisis, today the world is snowed under the Wuhan Virus avalanche originating from China) and in such a manner that the friend feels obliged to cover up for the enemy and go into denial for fear of losing face. 2020 is not 1962, and such matters are independently verifiable. Hence his government has been in denial, and has felt obliged to prevaricate, obfuscate, and tell downright lies to domestic audience. Now that the truth is out the government finds itself hard-pressed to admit and explain the killing of soldiers. From denial, the government has come down to the familiar mournful tune of 'stabbing in the back.' When a war seems to be the only course of action, policy planners seem to have discovered that the national interest is best served by diplomacy, peaceful negotiations and avoidance of war. And China loves, as always, has plotted the mortification of its ambitious neighbour just as it did in '62 ; it is China's way to tell the world who is the hegemon. The situation is still live, and one cant look into the seeds of the time, but there does not seem to be much cause for joy.

But what about the simulated war being fought with greater seriousness within the borders of the country? Going by the social media posts, one would think that a large number of Indians take the reality of the disputed "Modi jee's 56 inches" quite seriously. The mobilization on both sides is impressive; a sizeable population is attacking their bete noire with all they have: invective, satire, mockery and moralism, and an equal number defending their bete noire with all they have - lies, chicanery, and recourse to the history of Congress. Of course, Mr. Modis jugular is quite a prized trophy for his detractors, but it is way too insignificant compared to the Chinese jugular. Of course, political scores need to be settled but not when we are in the process of a debt that the nation owes to history. Admittedly it is a lying, self-obsessed government, but unfortunately this is the only government that we have at the present time, and the conduct of war is in the hands of this government. Persistent questioning is all right, the right to be told the truth is spot on, but this rubbing brings in defenders, the battalion of Bhakts, and the discourse becomes divisive when the call of the hour is to put everything in abeyance. Similarly, the Bhakts who try to hang their "56-inch" on any peg that is available, are sure to bring, in retaliation, the demolition squads in droves.

On Twitter, there was a bare as bone tweet  "twenty soldiers killed in Ladakh." Pat came a retweet form a journalist of repute, a leading light of the left liberal brigade, with the following comment: "Knock, knock, Modi jee, are you there?"

Social media is overflowing with callous and crass remarks and this is just an emblematic example. But little do they realise that they are trivialising the tragic death of our soldiers fighting under impossible constraints. To offset it, there is another example of a paid, commissioned anchor of a Hindi TV channel trying to salvage the image of the government by shifting the blame on to the Army. Whose war are those brave men fighting anyway?

I remember the emotional climate of 62, and I can definitely say that a feeling pulse in our national heart has atrophied, gone dry. The difference in the public mood between '62 and now is dramatic. In '62, Indian women - for whom gold means a part of their lives - came forward to freely donate it to the national defence fund without demur. (When boycott of Chinese goods is mentioned today, figures and fine economic calculations roll out. This gestures of solidarity against the enemy is not economically feasible, we are told!) The unlettered, untutored masses knew that it was matter of life and death and the nation spoke in a chorus of approval for the nation, for the army. I exclude the communists, because they are a class apart, a different species.

If ever there was a case of not learning the lessons of history, this is the one. Or is it that in a globalised world profit is placed above patriotism? May be some favourable economic deal with the Chinese will act as a healing balm and we will again be dining with the Dragon till such times it makes a decent dinner of us.

Tonight, I will tell my God that He should consider my unstated prayer as withdrawn.

India Today magazine once referred to Manoje Nath, a 1973-batch IPS officer, as being fiercely independent, honest, and upright. Besides his numerous official reports on various issues exposing corruption in the bureaucracy in Bihar, Nath is also a writer extraordinaire expressing his thoughts on subjects ranging from science fiction to the effects of globalization. His sense of humor was evident through his extremely popular series named "Gulliver in Pataliputra" and "Modest Proposals" that were published in the local newspapers.
This as well as the other parts that will follow elucidates what was contained as brief remarks in the introductory piece. It would be impertinent of me to offer suggestions where the best minds of the country are at work but in the last installment I do intend to offer some practical suggestions.)

How does one view the present movement against corruption? As a symptom of a deep systemic crisis? As a diffuse longing on a societal scale, for redemption from our current problems by a mythical messianic character? As a supreme example of the laziness and evasion of individual responsibility? As the ultimate triumph of what Umberto Eco calls "Event as Mise en scene and Life as Scene-settings?" Is it a populist movement or a highly elitist one, run by a collectivism? Or is it a little of both - a movement which feeds at the populist spring but is deeply elitist in its aspirations. In this post and the others that will follow I will try to come to grips with my own confused and muddled thinking on these issues.

Seeking an analogy from the field of philosophy of science it can be said that any system is designed to cope with all manners of situations that arise on a daily basis. But there comes a time when the system finds it difficult to cope with arising challenges. No matter how you tweak it, the problem remains insoluble. This is the sign that we are now colliding against the boundaries; signal to make a paradigm shift, to abandon the theory and adopt a new and more capacious hypothesis. Our political crisis in wake of pervasive and ubiquitous corruption in public life is more or less headed for this trajectory.

Democratic traditions are not native to our culture- I know Vaishali and Licchavi etc would be flung in my face. It is not rooted in history or tradition. Nevertheless democracy did not evolve here by a process of trial and error, experiments and conventions as it did in Britain. We have not grown with democracy; there is no evidence of sustained engagement of our society and democratic institutions. We are not here by a natural process of evolution. Ours  we the people of India -was a conscious and deliberate act of choice to be governed by an agreed set of political institutions. Our national identification was with the constitution itself and it sought to generalize, diffuse and sublimate what was once held as an obligation to God along with all other narrow and sectarian loyalties that divide us ,the huge diversity in terms of race, language, history, into an obligation to our secular republic. The covenant between the citizen and the nation was direct; unmediated by the fact, of religion, caste creed or gender and it was expected that in the conduct of the public affairs the nation must-survive as the principle object of affection and despair and no new allegiance must be formed to replace it. It is a debatable statement to make, but it does not detract from its validity to say, that Indian nationalism was a concept which was alien to many of us, and inadequately developed at the best. The Indian constitution is what provides us our self definition.

The Lokpal bill is a tacit suggestion that we are now colliding against the boundary, that the potential of the system has been exhausted and we are approaching the conditions of political entropy. Perhaps it is a time to make a move on and the Lokpal bill is the answer. The Lokpal Bill is daring in its conception challenges the very basic premise of our doing things, - the separation of powers, the independence of the judiciary, the supremacy of the parliament etc and there are no precedents to it. But one may like to enquire why the legislations designed to cope with corruption in public sphere have been found to be inadequate.

In my humble opinion it is not the inadequacy of the legislation it is the infirmity of the individuals who apply it;the issue is the lack of uniform application, because faced with the mighty economic offender those charged to apply it develop cold feet, distort it or simply play truant. To quote just one pithy example. During the course of the investigation of an offence, the arrest of the local chief minister became necessary but the state police could not be relied upon to affect it. As a result the army had to be summoned by the High Court leading to unavoidable controversy? All because the then DGP could not be trusted upon to get the warrant of arrest executed. Institutions have to be vested with authority and it is for the powerful who consecrate it and uphold its writ, whatever the consequence. Stories abound in the Indian tradition where gods have voluntarily surrendered to the power of supposedly invincible weapons.

While intellectuals and political pundits may debate the abstract questions of political theory, I shall limit myself to my own area of experience. It will bear reiteration that nothing on as grand a scale as the Lokpal Bill has ever been attempted before but let us consider some issues on the diminutive scale. The Prevention of Corruption Act 1988 was supposed to be a revolutionary improvement on the PC Act 1947; the definition of public servant was made so capacious as to include almost every one  persons associated with co operative bodies, universities, educational, scientific, cultural educational institutions receiving public funds, UPSC state PSCs banks, MLAs, MPs., whoever was being paid out of or handling public funds. The mere possession of assets disproportionate to known sources was an offence, without any need to establish a specific act of bribery or corruption. The explanation added to the new section 13 (1) e requires only that income which has been declared according to the prescribed rules etc to qualify as known sources of income. Income derived legally but undeclared, undervalued income, assets acquired but without prior permission or subsequent intimation became outlawed. It was considered revolutionary in its scope, reach and ambit, the authentic thunderbolt of gods. Twenty three years down the line it is just another provision, which neither deters nor is as widely used as it should have been, given that amassing of disproportionate asset by public servants is a rule rather than exception.

Now we have just about everybody declaring his property but not one has been challenged so far. The idea behind the move may have been that only if the ill gotten worth of the corrupt were known it will prove a deterrent. Citizens know that one of their favourite leaders who was worth 10 lacs in 2004, is worth 500 crores today, or a public figure who is believed to have taken a few thousand crores in one deal is only worth a few crores, does it make the masses pour into the streets? No body to my knowledge has been prosecuted on the basis of these disclosures. Does not it mean, then, that each one of us public servant is living within ones means. Or is it that the task of bringing disproportionate wealth to light has been democratized and it is the duty of every citizen to scan the property of the public servant and discover undeclared wealth and unmask him? This has not been done either. Are we a less corrupt society merely because a more draconian law has been put in place? Does criminalizing or prescribing more deterrent punishment ensure socially useful behaviour?

There was a time when dowry was jogging the conscience like nothing else. It was the number one social evil; therefore, the full might of law - civil, criminal and special legislative acts - was deployed against it. The act casts the burden of proof on to the accused. It can be confidently said that the society did not change its mind about the giving and taking of dowry because of the multiplicity of legal remedies, but to our misplaced reformist zeal we owe the incarceration of innumerable innocent old and decrepit men and women, landing up in jail. The dowry act - dowry was as much of a social evil in the eyes of the community as corruption is today- is the most misused act in the history of Indian jurisprudence. Incidentally this is the only crime in which the police can claim bribe not only with impunity but with honour - to arrest those who stand falsely accused, at the behest of the complainant. The new leniency in granting anticipatory bail is a judicial recognition of this fact. What is being emphasized here is that, try as we might, we cannot run a society by decrees alone. The excess can only inure us against the evil, even inculcate a sense of fatalism.

I would like to draw upon my experience - tawdry, banal and exercised in unspectacular setting, in comparison to the grandness of the theme envisaged in the Lokpal bill to reinforce this point. I had been directed by the Hon'ble Patna High Court to investigate a case of academic fraud which the normal hierarchy of police were not able to undertake, may be, because the accused persons were very powerful persons. The investigation led us to the academic underworld and several vice chancellors, a retired High Court judge, an IPS officer and several others were arraigned. Encouraged by the investigation, the Honble High Court directed me to broad base the investigation. Having gained a valuable insight, we proceeded confidently, but we hit the tunnel at the end of the light. What we came up against, was not an evidence of random deviant behaviour, but irregularity and illegality on an insurrectionary scale. And you certainly cannot fight insurrection with normal laws. "Should we go about registering cases in their hundreds", my report to the High Court wondered "may be in their hundreds of thousands, considering that other universities are waiting to reveal their priceless quota of well known secrets. Such an enterprise would nullify the very concept of investigation and fair trial because the sheer volume of work which no agency however diligent can perform." Then "there is another problem- and it is no moral quibbling; it is a purely juridical issue. In what order shall the potential delinquents be called to account ..given the various limitations of human resources. those involved in matters taken up first are likely to be disadvantaged compared to those who are taken up later" etc. To the best of my knowledge, the matter is still pending and on a regular basis crimes with the same modus operandi are revealed, investigated etc. and the high hopes fueled by the media hype of a cleanup of the campuses has gone sour. Nobody in Bihar, I think, takes the issues of academic fraud as seriously now.

This brings me to my next worry. The leadership of the movement is in very competent hands, as of now. Any one of them can do full justice to the office of Lokpal. But while one legislates and brings into being such agencies, omnipotent in their sway, one has to ask God or Nature  take your pick - to keep us supplied on a regular basis - with such eminent people who are suitable for the high office. The matter does not end there. For the Lokpal to be effective and credible it has to have an apparatus of investigation commensurate to the task. But what if nature defaults or God fails to execute the orders on time? What if we are saddled with another Thomas? The experience with many of the occupants of high constitutional posts appears to have validated the Peter Principle  sooner or later we will arrive at the Thomas level. Thomas on a puny symbolic scale was a parlour farce; Thomas on a grand scale would be a national catastrophe. Already unseemly insinuations and innuendoes targeting the leaders of the movement are beginning to be aired vitiating the debate.

My worry is that the grander the ambition the more spectacular the failures, and it leads to a massive withdrawal symptom. In a democracy critical debate is of the essence. In this case that opportunity has been lost because the television arrived here before everyone else did, banishing good sense and rational debate. Therefore, the issue must be put to much wider consultation, more extensive debate, keeping in mind the history of earlier initiatives and the fears expressed in many quarters. We must not be afraid of failure but at the same time we must not be oblivious of the grave consequences of failure.

India Today magazine once referred to Manoje Nath, a 1973-batch IPS officer, as being fiercely independent, honest, and upright. Besides his numerous official reports on various issues exposing corruption in the bureaucracy in Bihar, Nath is also a writer extraordinaire expressing his thoughts on subjects ranging from science fiction to the effects of globalization. His sense of humor was evident through his extremely popular series named "Gulliver in Patiliputra" and "Modest Proposals" that were published in the local newspapers.
Author's Note: This story draws directly upon my experience of investigating the targeted Public Distribution programme in Bihar between 1996- 2002. The cost of lost opportunity to the poor in this grievously miscarried programme may have been to the tune of Rs. 3,500 to 4,000 crores. Midway the government divested me of the investigation and handed it over to the Vigilance. Not much has been heard of it since then. A thumbnail version of a larger project - the parable of the well paid public servant - implementation of poverty alleviation programmes in Bihar. The wise Mr Dang has a counterpart in real life as indeed any one who cares to read my post The Poor Must Prevail.

Blessed be the Poor

The poor who failed to enter the Kingdom of God ended up in the Republic of Banana, which is perhaps just as well, because the camels that had got past the eye of a needle also, unaccountably, landed in this same Republic.

I make haste to add that this is by no means being cited as a double refutation of any religious text. A brief explanation as to how this state of things came to pass is, therefore, necessary. The camels getting past the eye of a needle has never been historically ascertained, but a very assiduous and devoted priest carried out his research into this strange coincidence. For his efforts, he received his Doctor of Divinity degree from the University of Belsund.

He was interviewed for the popular channel As It Happened.

Interviewer: Dr Blunderbuss, welcome to our popular programme "Celebrities".

Dr. Blunderbuss: Thanks very much.

Interviewer: Could you tell us something about your area of research and the findings?

Dr. Blunderbuss: In the seventh century b. p (Before the Year of the Poor) (Corresponding to 3rd century b.c) the Republic of Banana exported great quantities of spiritual wisdom to neighbouring countries as aid and charity. So, despite being the market leaders in spiritual property, the Republic was in huge deficit of forex. My research has shown that it is during this period that all these straying camels landed up in the Republic of Banana. The Republic was flush with spiritual assets but little material wealth. So, any addition to its material resources was welcome, but never openly acknowledged. In this land, the slaughter of animals was forbidden, even though it made no economic sense. So, some clever entrepreneurs took to the smuggling of these plentiful straying camels across to the neighbouring republic and made fast bucks from the profitable, but clandestine, trade in raw hides. It appears that the strict scrutiny at the various check posts that the republic had established to prohibit this contraband trade was spoken of, metaphorically, as the eye of the needle.

Interviewer: But getting past the needle of the eye refers to the exiting camels. Does not that present a discrepancy in the narration, Dr. Blunderbuss?

Dr. Blunderbuss: Exactly, but over a long period of time such extrapolations and temporal mix-ups do occur. Eminent historians have encountered such difficulty in the account of the rise of Minoan civilization and the dating of the events of the time of the Sumerian Kings. The cultural anthropologists and the experts at hermeneutics also throw their weight behind this thesis of the "exiting camels."

Interviewer: So this simple flaw in the linearity of the narration does not affect the basic thesis?

Dr. Blunderbuss: Absolutely not. This is how the Republic of Banana came to have, broadly speaking, only two categories of people. Those who had defied the Biblical injunction indulged in contraband trade and other illegal activities and become rich. They became the ruling class. Those who had taken the Biblical road map seriously and had abstained from theft remained poor and provided the ruling class with endless scope for working for the welfare of the poor.

Interviewer: Thanks very much Dr. Blunderbuss, for your very informative and convincing exposition. Hope to have you with us on some other occasion.

The rulers of the banana republic knew that it was the poor who would ultimately inherit the earth. The Directive Principle of the Constitution of the Republic enshrined as its goal the determination to create conditions for the poor to multiply by leaps and bounds. A beatific smile spreading across the face of a poor man dreaming of bread was embossed at the centre of the impressive national emblem.

Professor Lal Singh, Director of the National Art Gallery, was paid an honorarium of One Billion Rupees for this inspirational motif. The banana republic, it may be added, had got rid of the out-dated Christian calendar, Vikrami Samvat, Gregorian and Julian calendars. The year in which it made the first survey to locate the poor was designated as Year 1. In all official business it was obligatory to mention in the year of the poor i.e. "y.p."

The census of people living below the poverty line, in fact, was a very happy, even pious pastime, which was undertaken from time to time. The economists and the planners engaged with the ferocity of the great ecclesiastical debates of the middle ages on what constitutes poverty, who was poor, and whether there was a failsafe method to recognize the poor when one actually encountered one.

So when in the Y.P.2060 the Republic decided to have a fresh survey, it was not an easy task to choose the right man - someone who was practical and not dogmatic, had no-nonsense approach and could deliver results. The President retired to his chamber, put on his thinking cap, smoked long and hard from his favourite pipe. After days of waiting, he finally said "Let Mr. Dang conduct this survey. He is the most responsible and the wisest of all the civil servants."

Many who were opposed to Mr. Dang on account of professional rivalry, and many more who were jealous of his go-getter image, raised several objections, but the president was curt and dismissive. "Mr. Dang has been nominated, and Mr. Dang it shall be".

So this onerous task fell to the lot of Mr. Dang.

Mr. Dang, it must be said, had many sterling qualities and had distinguished himself in many a critical assignment. He was a conjuror of sorts. Admittedly, he could not produce a rabbit out of hat, but surely he, and only he, could make a budget for Rs. 8000 Crores, with virtually nothing in the kitty. He would often add nothing to nothing and produce something. Some of his uncharitable critics attributed this to the fact that he was arithmetically challenged. But there were a large number of people who could vouch that he was a mathematical genius. However, the fact that he had occupied all the key positions in the government and gone on to head the civil service gave lie to the claims of his detractors. The government could err once, even perhaps twice, but could it err all the time?

Mr. Dang, meanwhile, took up the most challenging assignment of his life time with his characteristic verve and enthusiasm. He declared that he would very soon announce the methodology and all that. Saying so, he went into a long hibernation. Insiders say that he locked himself up in a room with all the available literature on the subject, an abacus, and thousands of marbles.

He burned the midnight oil struggling with calorific values and genie co-efficient, grappled with exclusion and inclusion criterion. He started off by making bunches of six; one bunch designated a poor family of six. He made a few bunches of seven marbles to account for the decimal in the average family size of 6.28. By the time he had got to seven families he discovered that 7 bunches of 6 each, and 6 bunches of 7 each added up to the same number. How can 7x6 be same as 6x7?

Mr. Dang spent reams of paper in lengthy calculation but he could not come up with a suitable formula to account for this anomaly and just when he was about to give up, a beautiful and failsafe method of identifying the poor was born out of his despair.

He decreed that a long rope-earlier used as a clothes line - be strung at a particular height. Those who could walk under the line in an upright position without touching the rope would be designated as living below the poverty line.

This method was found to be the most objective, safe and impartial. It was an instant hit with the bureaucracy because, apart from saving them from back breaking paperwork, it was also flexible, and what better incentive to keep the bureaucratic brotherhood together than the occasion of fiddling with flexible rules.

The task of identifying the poor was going on at a brisk pace. The bureaucracy could lower the rope or let them crouch, as and when it suited them. This came to be known as the bureaucratic rope-trick. It consisted in raising the rope suitably to let those people crossover who otherwise would not have but for the fact that they had ingratiated the rope man. It could be lowered to stop those who did not find favour. It was an act doubly blessed and the offerings meant for the poor were split equally between the performers and the participants of the rope trick.

The list of the poor was ready in record time and the Republic of Banana went into an overdrive to provide them with various benefits. Mr. Dang was not lacking in fame, earned by such popular innovative schemes in his earlier assignment. But this was his crowning glory and earned him accolades from his peers and common people alike.

The banana republic launched a massive programme of housing the poor. In a given timeframe, the President decreed, each one of them must have a roof over his head. It appears one of the district officers took his statement quite literally, and built roofs without walls and was quite surprised to see that they came crashing over the heads of the poor dwellers. Even while the government was grappling with this tragedy where in about 400 poor people had died, Mr. Dang received the following communication from the D.M. of a far-flung district.

Sir,

We have found that the programme to provide decent housing to the poor has run into some difficulty. Seventy thousand houses built in the last three months have not been occupied by them. They say that these are no good because they provide shelter neither from the sun nor rain from above. Many of them in fact most of them save one claimed that they could not even see them. It is worthwhile to mention here that we had constructed these houses with utmost care and used the most durable material available. But it appears that because of some as yet undiagnosed ocular infection or mass delusion the poor have refused to occupy these houses. The government may like to get this matter investigated by an expert committee.

Yours faithfully etc

The great discrepancy between the two views of reality was proving to be very intractable. In view of the great urgency and extreme sensitivity of the matter a full-fledged multi-disciplinary research project, with a budgetary provision of Five Billion Rupees, was commissioned at the National Physical Laboratory, to which experts in optics and ophthalmology, economists and ethnographers, psychologists and psychiatrists, entomologists and even ventriloquists, faith-healers and shamans were appointed.

That was in the year 2064Y.P.In the year 2069 Y. P. it was announced that the findings were due any time, but as the final touches were being given to the report it was discovered that some of the data was fake, some out-dated, and some based on erroneous assumptions. The committee was reconstituted with even wider terms of reference. Optimistic estimates suggest that it wont take more than a few years now for the experts to submit their report.

Meanwhile Mr. Dang himself chose to inquire into the death of the poor people in the house collapse accident. He made a local inspection; spoke to the relatives and the survivors; wondered aloud how and why they had survived. Photographs were taken, the whole scene of occurrence was videotaped and Mr. Dang flew back to the capital. In his report he held the speech writer of the president squarely guilty of the mishap. He recommended his immediate dismissal and launching of a criminal prosecution for the murder of 400 innocent poor. It was he who had put that bit about "roof over the head of every poor family", in the speech of the President which had led to the misunderstanding leading to the accident.

As to the district officer, he commended him for his financial prudence and acumen-"if at all", the report said, "Someone can be commended in such unhappy circumstances, regrettable though the incident is, the District Officer managed to save Rs. 699, 99, 99,600.00 of the taxpayers money. The following is the detailed break up.

By merely building the roof the officer had saved Rs. 700 Crores. Subtract the figure of 400 the number of lives lost from the money thus saved and you arrive at the figure quoted above."

The report was placed in all the public fora where the matter had been agitated. The President of the Republic himself congratulated Mr. Dang for his sagacity, his judgment and above all his great compassion for the poor. It was decided to present the budget to the people at large in a rally, which should be known as the mother of all rallies. To showcase the activities of a compassionate, caring Republic, the administration took out massive advertisements, published souvenirs and sponsored sporting events.

The administration conveyed the poor to the central park in their full regalia of tattered clothes. Great feasts and cultural events were staged in their honour. Every district of the Republic, to showcase its achievements, took out expensive advertisements in newspapers and other media. The World Bank sent observers to independently assess the numbers, because there were complaints that some of the republics were deliberately inflating the numbers to earn some brownie points. Mr. Dang got to put a maddening chorus of applause to enlighten those assembled there about the efforts made by government. The report on the measures taken for the welfare of the poor was read out of the total budget amount of Rs. 50 billion, Rs. 49.995 billon were spent on designing a suitable emblem, hoardings, and other publicity materials. The organization of rallies and commemorative souvenirs, holding of enquiries etc. publicizing the scheme and educating the journalists were the other significant items of expenditure.

The rest was spent for the benefit of the poor. The huge congregation went into raptures as shouts of "long live Mr. Dang", rent the sky making God himself feel a little uncertain whether his oversight in booking the poor for a wrong destination wasnt better for the poor after all.

India Today magazine once referred to Manoje Nath, a 1973-batch IPS officer, as being fiercely independent, honest, and upright. Besides his numerous official reports on various issues exposing corruption in the bureaucracy in Bihar, Nath is also a writer extraordinaire expressing his thoughts on subjects ranging from science fiction to the effects of globalization. His sense of humor was evident through his extremely popular series named "Gulliver in Patiliputra" and "Modest Proposals" that were published in the local newspapers.
"One person with passion is better than forty people merely interested.- E. M. Forster

Vadim Kotelnikov writes, "Steve Jobs was one of the most successful entrepreneurs of our generation. His success story is legendary. Put up for adoption at an early age, dropped out of college after 6 months, slept on friends floors, returned coke bottles for 5 cent deposits to buy food, then went on to start Apple Computers and Pixar Animation Studios."

Steve jobs went through vagaries of life of all sorts from his early childhood till his death due to cancer on 5th October, 2011, at the age of 56. But, Steve was Steve - an icon of passion who loved himself thoroughly all through and tried to do what he used to profess, ''Do what you love to do. Find your true passion... The only way to do great work is to love what you do."

Absolutely correct! Anthony Robbins, speaker and author says it this way, "There is no greatness without a passion to be great, whether its the aspiration of an athlete or an artist, a scientist, a parent, or a businessperson. In fact, passion is the genesis of genius."

Take the example of one of the greatest sons of soil who lived on this earth only for 39 years, but his contribution has been unparalleled and unmatched. He is the man widely known all over the world as Swami Vivekananda. He was full of passion to know himself, his motherland and the rest of the world with a view to serve the humanity at large in his own inimitable manner.

As a young man of 25, he started his Bharat Darshan and travelled through length and breadth of the country like a wandering monk for five years. Swami Vivekananda's speech at the World Parliament of Religion in Chicago in September 1893 when he was aged only 30 has been the true testimony of his great passion for making this country and in turn the world a better place for every human being, irrespective of religion, region, class, color or country.

One of the world's greatest military leaders, Napoleon Bonaparte who said that there was no word like 'Impossible' in his dictionary, was extremely passionate about his mission in life. He built one of the strongest army in Europe with five lakh trained soldiers that used modern tactics and strategies to win the battles even in the most difficult situations. Napoleon used to motivate his forces and people as a passionate leader. On one occasion he said, "I closed the gulf of anarchy and brought order out of chaos. I rewarded merit regardless of birth or wealth, wherever I found it... All men are equal before God. Wisdom, talent, and virtue make the only difference between them.

We find such inspiring examples in different fields of activity ranging from literature, singing, dancing, cooking, mountaineering to administration, agriculture, space science, film making and whatnot who made us extremely proud by their creed and deed to be imbibed and emulated.

Very interestingly, pursuing one's passion is replete with moments of suspense and pleasure worth experiencing and enjoying. The American children's writer, T. Alan Armstrong puts it nicely in these words, "If there is no passion in your life, then have you really lived? Find your passion, whatever it may be. Become it, and let it become you and you will find great things happen FOR you, TO you and BECAUSE of you."
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.
About 4,000 people are expected to receive their jab of the AstraZeneca Vaccine in four centres in the Ada East District, Mr Prince Bawuah, District Disease Control Officer told the Ghana News Agency in an interview at the weekend.



The designated centres are: Ada East District Hospital, Ada Health Centre, Kasseh Health Centre and Pediatokope Health Centre.



Mr Bawuah said 20 health officials have been deployed to administer the jabs for the residents, stressing that there are about 50,294 people who needed to be vaccinated in the Ada East District.



He said the vaccination was a progressive activity, so people should join and take the jab.



He said the district had targeted about 3,580 to receive the vaccine from September 24 to 28th but the number of days may be extended if more people come out to receive the vaccination.



The distribution of the vaccine was based on what was available nationwide, he added.



He said for maximum protection to be ensured, at least 90 per cent of the population had to be vaccinated to curb the spread of the disease This is not the end, there are more vaccination exercises underway and I hope that the future ones coming will help us account for all, he stated.



He advised the public to come out in their numbers to receive the vaccine and continue to adhere to the COVID-19 protocols as both interventions were needed to deal amicably with the diseases.

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
Illegal small-scale miners encroaching on the AngloGold Ashantis (AGA) Obuasi Mine concession at Kokoteasua in the Ashanti Region, have been warned to stay off the enclave in their own interest.



They have no right to conduct any mining activities within the AGAs concession, Mr Simon Osei-Mensah, the Regional Minister, stated.



According to him, the Regional Security Council (REGSEC) was determined to deal ruthlessly with those who flouted the countrys mining regulations, saying, the authorities would work assiduously to avert any occurrence likely to stoke tension in the mining community.



The plain truth is that these unhealthy practices, if allowed to continue, could stall the operations of the AGA, therefore, all illegal mining activities within the Obuasi Mine enclave are prohibited, he emphasized.



Kokoteasua, a suburb of the Obuasi Municipality, had in recent times seen an increase in illegal small-scale mining activities (Galamsey), especially within the prohibited areas.



Mr. Osei-Mensah, who was speaking at a ceremony at Obuasi, to inaugurate and hand over a fully-furnished rehabilitation and training centre for persons with disabilities, assured that the government was committed to supporting AGA to succeed in its activities.



Since the coming of AGA, the Obuasi community has seen improvement in the socio-economic lives of the people.



We will as such not sit unconcerned while a few greedy people take the law into their own hands at the expense of the peoples overall interest, the REGSEC Chairman said.



The rehabilitation and training centre was constructed by the AGA Obuasi Mine at the cost of GH663, 688.00, and is expected to benefit the disability community at Obuasi and its environs.



The facility consists of a workshop, administrative block and conference hall.



Courses to be rolled out encompass electronic and electrical repairs, leatherworks, fashion and designing.



Dr. Eric Asubonteng, Managing Director, AGA Obuasi Mine, indicated that all equipment, furniture and materials needed for the effective functioning of the centre had been provided.



These include sewing machines, office and conference furniture, projector, materials for leather and sewing works, amongst others.



The overall objective, according to the Managing Director, was to enhance the employability of persons with disabilities through quality and demand-driven skills.



Dr. Asubonteng said the facility would run short courses on disability rights, development and policies, and also set up a production unit to generate income to run the centre successfully.



AGA had resolved to optimize the relevance and visibility of all organizations for persons with disability through the provision of a one-stop platform for support and collaboration on disability rights advocacy.



The mining company, he said, believed in the promotion of diversity and inclusion in the society, specifically supporting sustainable capacity development of persons with disability in and around Obuasi.



The Reverend John Mefful, National President, Ghana Society of the Physically Disabled, lauded Management of the AGA Obuasi Mine for responding to the needs of their members.

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
The construction of the 160-bed capacity Eastern Regional Hospital is progressing steadily, contrary to some reports that suggest that the project has been stalled, Mr Seth Acheampong, the Regional Minister has said.



Mr Acheampong said the project was being constructed in phases and that the method of designing and construction of a regional hospital took some time.



He said this when Mr Kojo Oppong-Nkrumah, Information Minister, met with journalists in the region in Koforidua as part of a duty tour.



He called on the media to seek information on all government projects to enable them to inform the public adequately.



The Information Minister said the government's intention was to put the economy on the right path for sustainable development after the huge damage caused by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.



He said the government had introduced the Obatanpa Care Programme to inject over 100 billion cedis into the economy to support the private sector and entrepreneurs to create job opportunities.



He said governments plan of vaccinating over 20 million people of the population was working according to plan with the receipt of vaccines from different sources, and called on the media to continue to hyping on the need for keeping to COVID-19 protocols to reduce its spread.



"As of now, about 1.3 million Ghanaian people have received at least the first shot of the vaccine and the government is hopeful that our target of 20 million would be achieved by the end of the year," he said.



Mr Oppong-Nkrumah charged the media as the fourth estate of the realm to help the government by highlighting issues of security and terrorism as they posed threat to the sovereign integrity of the country.



He noted that the West African sub-region was highly dominated with terrorist activities but said the governments systems were alert, adding, it was imperative for the media to play their role professionally to support.

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
The head of Africa's health agency has warned that the UK's policy of not accepting Covid-19 vaccine certificates from the continent could increase vaccine hesitancy.



Dr John Nkengasong said the UK's stance was confusing and had far-reaching implications for vaccination campaigns.

He warned that some people would question why they should get a jab if it was not accepted internationally.



Many Africans are furious and have called the policy discriminatory.



There has also been an outcry in India, which produces most of the AstraZeneca vaccines distributed in Asia, Africa and Latin America.

"We do not understand why the UK has taken this position," said Dr Nkengasong, head of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).



He told a news briefing it was "a message that creates confusion within our population... creating more reticence, reluctance for people to receive vaccines".



He also questioned why the UK was sending vaccines to Africa but would not recognise those who have had them as being vaccinated.

"This message doesn't really speak to solidarity and cooperation that we all believe is the cornerstone and ingredients for us to emerge from this pandemic together," he said.



Dr Richard Mihigo, from the World Health Organization's Africa region, said countries should now find a way of coming up with a mutual system that would recognise vaccine certificates from different countries.



Last week the UK government removed several countries from its so-called "red list", from where travellers would need to quarantine if they visited England.



However, it said those who had been vaccinated in most countries outside the UK, EU and US would still need to quarantine because the UK would not accept the certificates. The other UK nations - Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland - set their own health policies.



Initially, the UK refused to recognise the AstraZeneca vaccines produced in India, even though they are exactly the same as those made in Europe. On Wednesday, it said those vaccines were approved but it still does not accept the certificates from most countries.



The British High Commission in Kenya says it is working with the government there on a system to recognise each other's vaccine certificates.

Less than 4% of people in Africa are fully vaccinated against Covid-19, compared to around 54% in the US and 65% in the UK.



A shortage of vaccines is a problem in most African countries but in some, such as the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Africa, vaccine hesitancy is a major issue and the government is trying to persuade more people to get jabs.

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
Ghana experienced a shortage of over 111,000 units of blood in 2020, representing more than 39.7% of national demand. This means that thousands of Ghanaians with various health conditions that required blood transfusion died as a result of the non-availability of blood. According to the National Blood Service, regular blood donations by voluntary donors from low-risk populations is a prerequisite for achieving self-sufficiency in safe blood and blood products for every country.



However, in Ghana, the national blood supply system continues to rely heavily on replacement donations by family relations and friends of patients who require blood transfusion. Due to the covid-19 pandemic that hit the country hard last year, blood supply nationwide decreased to 17% with a drop of more than 25% in the national blood supply when compared to the previous year.



21st of September each year is observed as a statutory holiday in Ghana to celebrate the birthday of Ghanas first president, the late Osagyefo Dr.Kwame Nkrumah. Some Ghanaians, led by a youth group known as Accra Konnect have also marked this same day as National Volunteers Day. This day has been set aside for many Ghanaians to volunteer in different support activities to help the community, individuals and the nation. This year, Africas leading e-commerce company Jumia partnered with Accra Konnect and the National Blood Service to organize a blood donation exercise. This took place at Jumias head office in Accra where staff, vendors and consumers took turns to donate a pint of blood each to the National Blood Bank. Other individuals and members of Accra Konnect also donated blood.



Speaking about the blood donation exercise, Public Relations & Communications Manager of Jumia Ghana Mr. Bennet Otoo urged Ghanaians to make it a habit of donating blood if they are in good health. He said  Thousands of Ghanaians die each year due to the lack of adequate blood supply. Constant blood supply is essential to a sustainable health sector as accident victims, patients who undergo surgery and pregnant women often need high amounts of blood to recover well. Ghanaians in good health standing who can afford to donate should do so at least once a year. This will help increase stock at the National Blood Bank while saving many lives. Jumia believes in a healthy environment which is very important to national development. This is why Jumia organized this blood donation exercise. We had many employees, vendors and consumers join in to support this worthy cause.



Aside from helping others and saving lives, there are several other benefits that one can derive from donating blood. For example, it helps reveal health issues that the donor may have. Before giving blood, a donor is examined and that involves checking blood pressure, pulse, body temperature, and hemoglobin, among other factors. Additionally, a testing facility will check the blood for any infectious diseases or other issues. If the facility finds a problem, it will contact the donor and let them know. Additionally, donating blood at least once a year could reduce the risk of heart attack by up to 88%. People with high iron stores in their bodies are more likely to have cardiac issues as the iron constricts the blood vessels. Donating blood lowers the amount of iron in the body, providing more room for the blood vessels to operate. Other benefits of frequent blood donation include reduced risk of cancer, improved liver health, improved blood pressure and mental health boost.



I appeal to all Ghanaians to take part in blood donations regularly to save lives because blood cannot be manufactured and there is no artificial substitute. It can only be donated. Many Ghanaians are afraid to donate although its just a simple process which has great benefits for the donor as well said Mrs. Joyce Oppong Adu from the National Blood Service.



Many of the donors were excited about contributing their quota to the growth of the National Blood Bank while saving the lives of many Ghanaians in need. They pledged to continue donating regularly whenever they could and promised to educate more people about the importance of blood donation.



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
Professor Joseph Osafo, Head of Psychologist, has kicked against the prosecution of the 29-year old Josephine Panyin Mensah, the suspect at the centre of a fake pregnancy.



To him, the woman needs a psychological examination to understand why she did what she did.



Speaking to Kwami Sefa Kayi on Peace FM's 'Kokrokoo', Prof. Osafo asked the State legal authorities to exercise patience and not mete out punitive action to the victim.



"We're rushing this issue too much. We must exercise patience and understand this issue well . . . If we stay patient, I'm thinking that we can uncover more details . . . I still feel that there are psychocentric issues in this matter that we must deal with," he said.



''Is it a means that she's using to save her marriage?'' he questioned, hence pleading with the authorities to grant Mrs. Panyin Mensah access to psychotherapy because, in his view, not every issue must be a court case.



He insisted, "the woman needs a lot of attention now. I think we shouldn't be quick to prosecute . . . Look, we need to listen to the woman because for all you know a lot of women are also experiencing issues. What's going on between the woman and her husband? How's her husband's family been treating her? How does the woman feel that she's given birth to one child, miscarried the other and looking for a third one but it's not happening? . . . There's a lot of issues that call for psychologists to engage the woman to help us really understand the situation''.



Meanwhile, the woman, who has admitted she faked her pregnancy and kidnapping story, was arraigned before a Takoradi Circuit Court today (Monday) and has been granted bail to a tune GHC 50000 with two sureties by Justice Micheal Ampadu.



According to Peace FM's Western Regional Correspondent, Appiah Danquah, five lawyers offered their services pro bono and helped secure her bail.



The case has been adjourned to October 14, 2021.





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
As part of a three-day visit to the Ashanti Region, Ambassador Michael ANNY Oquaye, Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Free Zones Authority, and his management team paid a courtesy call on His Royal Majesty, Otumfuor Osei Tutu II.



The visit formed part of the CEO's drive to engage with key stakeholders as he works towards the export-oriented vision of His Excellency, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, President of the Republic.



Amb Oquaye presented the Ghana Free Zones Industrial developmental plan for the Kumasi Export Processing Zone to His Royal Majesty and informed him of steps to eject land encroachers from the site to pave the way for the start of the project.



The Land, acquired in 2005 as one of Ghana's Export Processing Zones, is set to receive the needed facelift as the country positions itself as the Export Hub within the sub-region



The funding is part of a World Bank facility extended to Ghana to develop the Greater Kumasi Industrial Park.



As part of efforts to get the project started on time, the World Bank engaged consultants in partnership with the Ministry of Trade and Industry to undertake several exercises, including site assessment, best practice benchmarking, environmental and social impact assessment.



On-ground inspection is set to start from October 2021. Hence, it has become critical to eject all the illegal structures to pave the way for the planned development.



On his part, His Royal Majesty congratulated Amb Oquaye on his appointment and expressed his confidence in the former Ambassador to deliver on the new mandate given to him by the President as he did during his tenure as Ghana's Ambassador to India.



The Asantehene added that he supports the steps to remove all illegal structures and encroachers who have acted without attaining building permits from the Ejisu Municipal Authority.



Otumfuor Osei Tutu II recalled how he supported the acquisition of the Land in 2005 and lamented its abandonment all these years.



However, he was optimistic that the new focus on the Greater Kumasi industrial project would see the Land being put to its intended use.



The Management team of the Ghana Free Zones Authority made a donation to Manhyia during the visit.



Source: King Edward Ambrose Washman/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 Northern Regional Police Command, led by Commissioner of Police (COP) Timothy Yoosa Bonga, the Regional Commander, has visited victims of an assault by some police personnel leading to their interdiction in Tamale and conveyed the apologies of the Police Administration to them.



A statement signed by Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Kwesi Ofori, the Acting Director-General, Public Affairs, and copied to the Ghana News Agency, said the Police Administration had since facilitated the medical treatment of the affected persons and paid for the full cost.



Also, Dr George Akuffo Dampare, the Acting Inspector General of Police, spoke on phone to the affected victims to reassure them that the matter would be dealt with decisively, it said.



It said this was done in addition to the psychological support provided them by a team of clinical psychologists sent from Accra at the behest of the Police Administration.



The statement commended COP Bonga and his team for acting swiftly to deepen the cordial relations between the Police and the community.



It also lauded members of the community for their cooperation even as they awaited the outcome of the disciplinary action.



In a related development, it said a group of irate youth at about 0800 hours on Saturday, September 25, embarked on an unlawful demonstration and vandalised the Police Divisional Headquarters building and VRA Office in protest against the incident.



It said Police would make sure that the culprits were arrested and brought to book.



The statement cautioned the youth to desist from any act that might disturb the peace of the area and commended the chiefs and opinion leaders for their cooperation.



It urged them to continue supporting the efforts by the Administration in ensuring peace and security in Tamale and its environs.

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
A policeman stationed at Nkanfoa Police Station in the Central Region allegedly released a female suspect on Saturday (25 September) after having sex with her in the female cells.



A service report on the incident said the policeman, Lance Corporal Isaac Apomah, freed Theresa Forson, who is awaiting sentencing for an undisclosed offence, around 2am after sexual intercourse with her in the cells. Lance Corporal Apomah is being held while further investigations take place.



The confidential police report seen by Asaaseradio.com said Forson was produced by her family members in the morning since they were aware the convict was supposed to be in police custody.



Top sources in the Ghana Police Service say the police officer and the female suspect could be arraigned in court on Monday (27 September).

Source: asaaseradio.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
More details are emerging about how the supposed heavily pregnant woman who claimed to have been kidnapped in the Western Region, sending the security agencies on a wild goose chase, faked her pregnancy.



Josephine Panyin Mensah, who claims to be 28 years, has reportedly said she used silicone belly, a specially-designed object that depicts a protruded stomach to make a person look pregnant.



She also said she put in place the grand deception with the full support of her mother, Agnes Essel, aka Aunty Aggie, and the fraudulent scheme appears to have been designed on the blind side of her husband, Michael Kweku Simons.



As part of the scheme, she had created the impression that she delivered and her baby was taken by her supposed captors and even claimed initially that there were 10 other pregnant women captured who were all killed, except her.



No Pregnancy



She admitted on Friday morning after being brought to Axim where she was found that I am not pregnant. I was wearing a silicone belly.



Josephine Panyin Mensah is also reported to have told the investigating team that she got pregnant for about four months but lost the pregnancy in the process.



According to sources, Josephine indicated that she could not find it easy to inform the husband that the pregnancy had been lost, and it was at this point she allegedly bought a silicone belly to create the impression that the lost pregnancy was intact.



I wanted my husband to treat me well and that is why I faked the pregnancy and the kidnapping, Josephine Panyin Mensah is reported to have told the investigating team.



Josephine is alleged to have further confessed that she was afraid to lose her marriage because her husband gave her nice treatment and extra attention during the four months of her real pregnancy.



She is said to have informed the team of investigators that all this while, she had given her husband and her neighbours as well as people around her the false impression that she was pregnant and even indicated that the mother was aware of the grand design.



When asked by the investigating team whether she never had sex during and after wearing the silicone belly, her reported response was that she covered her fake pregnancy with a cloth during the said period.



Agona Nkwanta



She is allegedly reported to have gone into hiding at Agona Nkwanta in the Ahanta West Municipality of the Western Region, but did not know her fake kidnapping could receive so much attention all over the country and beyond.



The suspect is said to have pleaded with the police not to prosecute her.



The Takoradi Divisional Police Command subsequently removed her from the Effia-Nkwanta Hospital, aka European Hospital, last Friday afternoon and detained her in the cells of the Central Police Command in Takoradi.



It was based on the medical examinations conducted on the suspect at both Axim Government Hospital and the European Hospital, all showing she was neither pregnant nor kidnapped, that forced the police to probe the case further.



Police sources at the Western Regional Police Command have confirmed to DAILY GUIDE that all the necessary procedures to enable the police to solicit for the medical details and other relevant information about the lady, were followed.



The source said it is likely the alleged 28-year-old woman would be hauled before a court today, Monday, September 27, 2021.



Saturday Visit



When DAILY GUIDE visited the residence of the victim-turned-suspect at Amoono Road in Takoradi on Saturday at about 8am, some family members including the mother, Auntie Agnes, were in a crunch meeting planning the next steps the family would take.



Conspicuously missing at the meeting was the husband of the suspect and rumours going round the metropolis have it that the husband is shocked by the alleged confession by the wife.



It is also rumoured that the three-year-old boy who the husband claimed was their son, was rather brought into the marriage by the woman.



After the crunch meeting, the family members decided not to speak to any journalist and initially said, If this man (reporter) has any questions on the matter he should go to the police station.



However, after some few minutes, the mother, Agnes Essel agreed to speak and she outrightly debunked the assertion that her daughter was putting on a silicone belly.



It is not true. When and where did my daughter say this? In fact, we do not believe all the alleged confessions because none of our family members were there to witness, she yelled.



Police Station



Later, the mother and some family members went to the Takoradi Central Police Station to visit Josephine.



At the police station, only the mother was asked to speak with Josephine who was languishing in the female cells.



Josephine was heard telling the mother she would drink water but those around could not see her face because she was sitting in an obscure corner in the cells.



The mother then went and bought a bottle of water and gave it to a female police officer who handed it over to Josephine.



NDC Elements



When the issue started, the NDC elements started politicising it by attacking the Western Regional Minister, Kwabena Okyere Darko Mensah, who had said per the preliminary security briefings, neither the lady was pregnant nor was kidnapped.



One of the opposition NDC elements, Nana Oye Bampoe Addo, formerly Nana Oye Lithur, who is not even representing the suspect as counsel, attacked the police for being unprofessional in the ladys issue.



She raised questions against the statement issued by the Ghana Police Service announcing that Josephine Panyin Mensah has pleaded not to be prosecuted after confessing she was not pregnant and also not kidnapped.



She accused the police of unprofessionalism on TV3/3FM last Saturday saying, It is very disappointing that the Police had not acted professionally.



They still have the bruises of the Takoradi girls issues and they are trying to show that they are working on this. But when you read the statement, they say they informed the family of Panyin Mensah but they did not.



The former Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection under John Mahama added, For me, the most important and critical issue is Panyin Mensah, has she been given legal assistance? Was she informed of her right to remain silent?



Under what circumstances were her confession procured? Who were the professionals there? Has she received psychiatric help? Has she received help from a psychologist? What is the composition of the team dealing with this case?



Because there are mental issues, psychological issues and then there are also criminal issues, she said.



Political Agenda



Immediately the lady was reported to have been found, one of the surrogates who is claiming to lead the FixTheCountry campaign, posted on social media that he suspects the government is involved and it was being done as part of the grand scheme to scuttle their demonstration that was ongoing in Takoradi on Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Day.



When we went to Takoradi, a lot of people told us that this story was planted to misdirect media attention from our demonstration. They said the woman will be found on the day of the demonstration as a way of again refocusing media attention away from the Tarkoradi demo, he said, adding I said that was hogwash. I said there is no way our politics can be that sinister. We are better than that.



He then added, to be perfectly honest, I am a bit baffled that peoples predictions came to pass to the T (sic). She was found on the same day of the demo; and now it turns out she was never pregnant. But I still insist that this whole thing is a coincidence and that Ghanaians have just become too cynical. Things are bad in Ghana, but they cant be that bad. The woman looks visibly shaken! I hope she gets the care she needs. I encourage the Ghana Police who have a hard-won reputation to give the family justice and arrest the perpetrators.



Premature Propaganda



Immediately the Regional Minister disclosed that the security briefings he had was not in sync with what the victim-turned-suspect was churning out, NDC elements in the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis castigated the minister, who doubles as the Takoradi MP, for allegedly telling lies.



Some NDC activists in the metropolis, particularly the failed NDC candidate for Essikado-Ketan, Dr. Grace Ayensu Danquah, a member of the now defunct NDC Covid-19 propaganda team, wadded into the matter and described the statement from the minister as unfortunate.



She attacked the minister as if she had the capacity to issue that statement, saying, It is unfortunate that before these investigations have been concluded certain government officials are issuing conflicting information. This is very disheartening and rather unfortunate.



Knowing the previous history and background of the botched missing Takoradi girls where the entire people of Western Region were given conflicting and confusing information from officials who should know better, the Regional Ministers hasty statement (if true) is rather unfortunate and insensitive, she added.

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
Bisa Technologies, one of Ghanas leading software developing companies, has developed a new free mobile health application to provide public education on Covid-19 and respond to pressing questions from the public about the pandemic.



Designed with the motive of reducing face to face doctor consultation and congestion at health facilities, the all-new Bisa App will allow patients to have direct access to doctors and health experts who are readily available to respond to and address all issues of public health concern pro bono.



The Managing Director and the brain behind the application, Raindolf Owusu, indicated that the data gathered on the BISA platform will adhere to doctor-patient confidentiality.



Alternatively, health experts will be able to detect outbreaks of diseases at an early stage and decision-makers can also implement the right policies to meet the healthcare needs of people and communities.



During this time, the BISA app will serve as an opportunity for users to receive health information on the pandemic, check their symptoms and receive expert advice. The tool will also serve as a means for health authorities to follow up on patients being treated at home and will also provide psychological support to survivors and health workers, Mr. Owusu noted.



Bisa Health Application aims to be the pioneer of telemedicine in Africa on two major fronts; firstly, in information dissemination with regards to disease prevention and control and, secondly, in connecting patients to doctors through the use of technology.



Implemented through the develoPPP programme, this pivotal initiative is engineered in partnership with GIZ Ghana and the Ghana Health Service (GES), and financed by the German government through the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).



The develoPPP programme was established by BMZ to amongst other things, support and foster the involvement of the private sector in developing countries and emerging economies

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
Deputy Communications Director of the ruling NPP, Mame Yaa Aboagye has called for calm among the party faithfuls following the release of the list of MMDCEs.



Mame Yaa Aboagye has appealed to the aggrieved aspirants and their supporters to support the Presidents nominees to serve in the various local Assemblies.



Mame Yaa called on the rank and file to remain calm.



Speaking to Peacefmonline, Mame Yaa Aboagye stated that; I will plead with our supporters to be calm and act in ways that promote peace, unity and stability in the country. We all know the President did not work on the selection process alone so lets all accept and embrace his decision that reflects his vision for our local governance system and the country at large. Two candidates cannot serve the same position at the same time so lets respect President Decision.



She also appealed to the contestants who couldnt make the list to resist the temptation to incite the youth to protest or support any form of protest against their bid. We have only one Ghana and must guide our heritage at all cost.



She also applauded President Nana Akufo-Addo for nominating more women for the MMDCEs position.

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
In the wake of his pronouncement that Josephine Panyin Mensah, the supposed nine months old pregnant lady who was allegedly kidnapped, was not really pregnant per the information available to him and subsequent criticisms from the public, Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah, has said the family he comes from is not cheap so the public should be circumspect in what they say about him.



Justifying his earlier communication, the Regional Minister who also doubles as the MP for Takoradi indicated that, the Western Region is known for staged kidnap cases so he needed to let the public know that Josephine Panyin Mensahs kidnap was fake.



He cited an instance where a young lady visited her boyfriend and her family were all over the local radio stations in the region claiming that their daughter has been kidnapped.



When Josephines case came up, I was following and at a point, I heard the kidnappers needed some ransom, I provided some money in order for her to be rescued; it was my headache. So, if we are trying to solve a problem and later, we realized that whatever is going on is fake, we have to put it out to the public so that the public will have the confidence that the city they live in is not scary.



What sin have I committed in putting out factual information, meanwhile I referenced a doctor at the Axim Government Hospital. All of a sudden people think that theyve gotten some meat to chew, they dont even listen and they kept on talking, talking, talking and tarnishing the image of Sekondi-Takoradi as well as my image. OB, youve stayed in Takoradi before and you know the family I come from; were not cheap. Sometimes I get worried when I hear some people speak the way they do, Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah popularly called Kobby told Asempa FMs Osei Bonsu on Thursday, September 23.



He further said, as the Chairman of the Regional Security Council (REGSEC) whatever he communicated was the truth.



Whether or not I was wrong in communicating the information available to me as the Chairman of Regional Security Council (REGSEC), the most important thing is the fact that we are providing. It is not about emotions, if you guide your thoughts wisely and you rely on your emotions, you end up becoming stupid. So, Ghanaians should be circumspect in talking about people when this information is given to the public...weve been disgraced for too long, Kwabena Okyere Darko Mensah lamented.



Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah, following the kidnap of Josephine Panyin Mensah, told the media that the issue of the pregnancy was fake.



He said, preliminary investigation by the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB) had revealed that the kidnapping of a pregnant woman in Takoradi is fake.



It has also emerged that the 29-year-old woman was not pregnant as widely reported.



From their preliminary investigations, NIB suspects that this whole story was fake and that the medical doctor who has even looked at her revealed she wasnt pregnant. That is the immediate information that we have. The police are still with her, he told-Kumasi based Kessben FM.



Later on Angel FM, Kobby reiterated his point, "I want to put it on record based on the information the security agency has provided to me that the woman was not pregnant. She was not pregnant according to the doctor who attended to her at Axim. Secondly, she wasn't beaten by anyone as earlier reported.



"If you are a woman who hasn't given birth in a community where you are being pressurized to have a baby, women do so many things, sometimes these things happen."



His responses to the media contradict what Josephine Panyin Mensahs husband Michael Simons, has told the media.

Source: ghanaweb.con









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 much awaited and anticipated pronouncement from the number one gentleman of the land H.E the President Nana ADDO DANQUAH AKUFFO is finally here with us.



In accordance with the local governance Act 936 the President has exercised his constitutional right as the appointing Authority.



The pronouncement of the Presidents nominees for the position of Chief Executive for the various Metropolitan, Municipal and District (MMDCES) nationwide has come with a bundle of emotions.



We in the Greater Accra region are very much aware of the excitement and shock waves that this announcement brings to our people at the local level.



Again we understand the various competing interests involved, the emotional investment as well as the financial commitment to the process.

As the direct representative of the people, we have analyzed, listened and solicited the views of our people hence we have concluded that, if the good people of this nation retained

the President on the bases of his vision and hope to make Ghana our motherland a better place then we are convinced that it will go in line with his nominees in achieving this agenda.



It is on this premise ,that we are promising the President of the Republic, the Local Government and Rural Development Minister and the Greater Accra Regional Minister of our absolute support in endorsing all of the Presidents nominees in the Greater Accra region.



Thus, we urge all our people to remain calm and trust the wisdom of the President and throw their unflinching and unwavering support to the nominees of the president in the Greater Accra region and across the country.

We are a family and in times like this our commitment to the sustenance of the NPP family is best needed.

GAAM united for victory to break the 8.



Signed



............ 

Hon. Nana Opoku Danso Hon. Alfred Adjei

Coordinator (GAAM) Gen. Sec. (GAM)

Tel: 0242 737 114 Tel: 0244 626 622

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
Mullah Nooruddin Turabi, a founder of the Taliban who will control prisons under the new government in Afghanistan, has revealed that harsh punishments, including amputations and executions, will return to the country .



"Everyone criticized us for the punishments in the stadium, but we have never said anything about their laws and their punishments," Turabi said in Kabul during an interview, which was published Thursday, September 23, by the Associated Press.



"No one will tell us what our laws should be. We will follow Islam, and we will make our laws on the Quran."



Under the Taliban's previous rule of Afghanistan, Turabi served as justice minister and head of the Ministry of Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, a position the Associated Press stated was "the religious police."



During that time, amputations and executions were carried out for criminal offenses, including theft and highway robbery.



Now Turabi has revealed those same practices will be brought back.



"Cutting off of hands is very necessary for security," Turabi said, claiming it was a deterrent to theft and other crime.



While it is not yet known whether the punishment will occur in public, Turabi said that Taliban officials are working to "develop a policy" to handle it and insisted the Taliban "are changed from the past,"



Turabi also said the Taliban would allow television, mobile phones, photos and videos "because this is the necessity of the people, and we are serious about it."



He also noted that female judges would be allowed to adjudicate cases. However, Afghanistans laws will be based on the Quran claiming it would help spread the Taliban's message.



"Now we know instead of reaching just hundreds, we can reach millions," he said, adding that if executions and amputations are approved for public viewing, then people could record those instances and share them as a deterrent for what Taliban officials consider criminal offenses.









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
Ghanaian gospel musician, Gracee J has released new song dubbed Nyame So to celebrate the greatness of God.



Nyame So, to wit, God is great and above every spiritual being and creature on earth as well as the spiritual realm is to declare the might and power of God.



Gracee got the inspration to compose this song during the heat of the COVID-19 pandemic when the whole world was on lockdown.



I was wondering why within a short time everything could come to a standstill, no movement that is where I realized how great our God is, she recounted.



The song admonishes Christians to use everything within their reach to proclaim the goodness of God and worship Him.



Gracee believes that He is omnipotent (all-knowing) reigning sovereign over all. Christ is the glory of God in the fullness of its radiance.



The song was produced by Enoch Owuraku Kissi of E.O studios and the video directed by Flashbak Media, Macwillies.



Gracee J is a songwriter, composer, gospel musician, entrepreneur and a proud member of the ICGC Prayer Temple, North Legon.



She began her professional music career in 2013 with her maiden album titled ''Eye Nadom'' and followed with her second album - Wo Nkyen.



Aside her music, the gospel music diva also has a Gracee J Charity Foundation through which she takes care of the underprivileged in the society, especially those in orphanages.



Video below:





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
Ghanaian rapper, Medikal, says having an abundance of money does not guarantee happiness as being rich is getting boring, at least for him.



The hip-hop artiste moved from 'rags to riches' after he finally shot to fame after several years of struggling to get his music career on a pedestal.



Medikal now lives a comfortable life, drives exotic cars, wears expensive clothes, goes on luxurious trips, and the icing on the cake, hes married to one of the most industrious female celebrities in Ghana, Fella Makafui.



But it seems he misses the good old days when things were not all rosy.



Taking to Twitter, he wrote: Sometimes Rich is boring and in a subsequent tweet added, I miss being broke!.



I miss being broke !

 EL CHAIRMANO (@AmgMedikal) September 25, 2021









Sometimes Rich is Boring 

 EL CHAIRMANO (@AmgMedikal) September 25, 2021







Source: twitter









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
Son of former Aids ambassador and advocate Joyce Dzidzor has been adopted from her. According to the outspoken former advocate, German authorities stated that her current depressed state is not favourable for the boy to be around her.



The authorities doubted her recovery from her current state. Joyce Dzidzor took to her Facebook page to express her hurt over the issue and she expressed that she is not her complete self without her son.



In her post, Joyce slammed the government of Ghana and the National Aids Commission for not coming to her aid.



Read her post;



They said to me that they haven't seen anyone with depression who got better.....They have finally taken the last decision to give my son for permanent adoption.....how can i sleep watching another woman walk away with my child.......I couldn't fight Ghana government for my freedom is it in Germany that I can win a fight against Germans????



HIV/AIDS led to depression, Depression led to psychiatric hospital, hospital admissions led to losing my child.........



I cannot survive losing my child. My bed is wet with tears. I can't sleep



God, why did you creat me? Mama why did you give birth to me? Festus, why did you infect me with HIV? Ghana AIDS commission why did you use me, abandoned me to die in pain? Ghanaians why can't you remember anything good i have done for your children?



Joyce rest in peace. Joyce rest in peace Joyce rest in peace Joyce rest in peace For i have paid the price of fornication .





Source: facebook/modernghana









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 Totten Mine near Sudbury, Ont., is shown on Monday, Sept. 27, 2021. A mining company says 39 workers who've been trapped underground near Sudbury, Ont., since yesterday are now slowly on their way out. Vale says no one has been injured at the Totten Mine and all the trapped workers are expected to reach the surface by tonight. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Gino Donato
SHEBOYGAN, Wis.  Steve Stricker hoisted the Ryder Cup, gold and glorious, for all to see. Then, he quickly huddled his young American team together to make sure all 12 players had their hands on it.



RELATED: Full recap from Day 3 | Rory McIlroy tearful after Sunday singles win

Nine of them had never touched the 17-inch trophy in a moment of celebration.

They don't expect it to be the last time, either.

More than just winning back the Ryder Cup on Sunday, the youngest U.S. team in history handed Europe its worst loss and delivered a strong message about how serious it is about changing the tone of these matches.

Daniel Berger won the final hole in the final match for the final point in a 19-9 victory, breaking by a half-point the record margin since Europe became part of the Ryder Cup in 1979.

This is a new era, Stricker said. These guys are young. They want it. Theyre motivated. They came here determined to win. I could see it in their eyes.

The six U.S. Ryder Cup rookies scored more points than all of Europe, combining for a 14-4-3 record. The Americans didn't lose a session for the first time in 44 years. Dustin Johnson became the first American to go 5-0 since 1979.

They had the best team on paper. They played even better on grass.

Its not just the strongest U.S. team Ive seen, but they all played well this week, Lee Westwood said. Everybody performed and turned up this week. Looks like they are a team.

The Americans finally looked like Europe, which has dominated the Ryder Cup by winning nine of the last 12 until getting routed along the shores of Lake Michigan.

Staked to a six-point lead  no team has ever rallied from more than four points going into the last day  the Americans quickly filled the scoreboards with their red numbers.

Scottie Scheffler took down the No. 1 player in the world with a 4-and-3 victory over Jon Rahm. Scheffler won the opening four holes and birdied five of the first six. He was among three rookies who were unbeaten this week.

Bryson DeChambeau smashed his tee shot on the 373-yard opening hole onto the green and then holed the 40-foot eagle putt to start out his win over Sergio Garcia.

The clinching blow came from Collin Morikawa, at 24 the youngest player on the team and already a two-time major champion. He made a 3-foot birdie putt on the 17th hole that assured the Americans at least the 14 1/2 points they needed.

They wanted more.

I woke up this morning and I was trying to tell the guys, Lets get to 20 points, because this is going to be the next era of Ryder Cup team for the U.S. side," Patrick Cantlay said after he completed an unbeaten week with a win over Shane Lowry.

"Weve got a lot of young guys. I think theyre going to be on teams for a long time, and I wanted to send a message.

Tony Finau had said on the eve of these matches that this was the big one." The Americans had so many fresh faces without any lasting scars from watching Europe celebrate so much over the years. It was a chance to change the culture, and this was a massive step.

The gallery saved one of its loudest cheers for Stricker, the Wisconsin native who has been at the helm of two blowouts. He guided the U.S. team to a 19-11 victory in the Presidents Cup in 2017 and added his signature piece at Whistling Straits.

Johnson became the first American since Larry Nelson in 1979 to win all five matches, completing his perfect week by beating Paul Casey in a match he never trailed.

Casey, Matt Fitzpatrick and Bernd Wiesberger all failed to win a point. Rory McIlroy and Ian Poulter, part of the backbone of European experience, didn't win a match until singles, and by then it was too late.

The Americans were young, yes, and very good, with four of the top five in the world ranking. And they finally played like it. Those four players  Johnson, Morikawa, Cantlay and Xander Schauffele  combined for a 14-1-2 record.

Stricker wasn't the only one in tears.

McIlroy led Europe off again and gave Schauffele his first loss of the week. It wasn't nearly enough. All day along the shores of Lake Michigan, the outcome was inevitable.

McIlroy teared up in his interview when talking about how much the Ryder Cup means to him.

I've never really cried or got emotional over what I've done as an individual. I couldn't give a (expletive)," he said. "But this team ... to see Sergio break records, to see Jon Rahm come into his own this week, to see one of my best friends, Shane Lowry, make his Ryder Cup debut, all that. It's phenomenal.

I'm disappointed that I didn't contribute more this week, he said. But in two years' time, we'll go again and give it another so."

As much as this was about a new generation of Americans, this looked to be an aging team of Europeans. They brought winning experience but not nearly enough form.

Garcia set the Ryder Cup record with 25 matches won in his career. Rahm was the star for Europe, living up to his billing as the No. 1 player by making so many big putts.

Both lost in singles  Garcia to DeChambeau, while Rahm ran into Scheffler, who delivered big moments of his own this week.

There was little Europe could have done. This U.S. team was loaded and played like it.

The U.S. were very strong," European captain Padraig Harrington said. Whatever their plan was, they got it right this week. A strong team, played well. Kept the momentum. And they would have been tough to beat at the best of times, let alone when they are at top form. Its a great win for them.

The Americans won consecutive home games for the first time since 1983. The next step is winning on the road, which the Americans havent done since 1993.

The Ryder Cup goes to Marco Simone in Italy in 2023.

If we play like we did this week," Jordan Spieth said, the score will look the same over there.
Trinity UCC POTTSTOWN  Worship at Trinity UCC, 60 N. Hanover St., will take place in the Sanctuary at 9:30 AM on Oct. 10 and will also be live-streamed on our YouTube channel. Masks and social distancing are required at...
The Ibex has been a mainstay of the Onza lineup since 2008. In fact, to many people, it will be their most recognisable.



The tyres wide and relatively open tread, which is combined with large edge knobs, aims to be a versatile tyre that rides well in a variety of conditions.



The new version sees a notable design departure from the previous version, mainly its double-stacked centre knobs that alternate with a more conventional-looking laterally siped block tread that covers the centre of the tyre.



Onza Ibex Details

 New tread pattern

 Narrow spaced centre knobs

 Gravity and trail casings

 Black or gumwall options

 For loose or wet ground

 29x2.4" TRC - 900g

 29x2.6" GRC - 1250g

 Both casings feature new Soft Compound 50 rubber

 MSRP: 59.90 - 89.90

 www.onza-tires.com

 New tread pattern Narrow spaced centre knobs Gravity and trail casings Black or gumwall options For loose or wet ground 29x2.4" TRC - 900g 29x2.6" GRC - 1250g Both casings feature new Soft Compound 50 rubber MSRP: 59.90 - 89.90

Onza claim that the new Ibex is "a perfect all-round tire or rear tire if you desire something beefier up front."

The lighter TRC trail casing (left) and the more aggressive GRC gravity casing. Note the extra layers of rubber and the bead protection.

Onza are somewhat known for their gumwall tyres.

Details on the full range.

The new tyres feature a more aggressive pattern that, thanks to its almost unique double-stacked knobs, means theres a greater breaking edge to slow you down. Other companies are doing similar things, most notably Vittoria with their Mazza. The difference is that where the Mazza features a stepped design on the leading edge that aims to improve traction without impeding rolling speed or adding weight by increasing knob count or depth, the Ibex goes one further and offers what could be described as large L-shaped lugs that are then subsequently divided into two oblongs that run perpendicular to one another. The main difference will be that the Ibex's design will also hope to benefit from an extra edge of the rear side of the knob. This could increase braking traction.It's also rather interesting that whilst at first glance the single centre knobs may well appear to be regular block-rectangles, there is actually shaping to the leading side, including a cut out on the corner of the outer edge.The side knobs are a more conventional affair. The knobs alternate whether there is a cutout on either the outer or inner edge. The knobs that have the c-shaped cutout on their inner shoulder also feature a sipe.The siping of knobs is done so to make them more flexible. Shaping such as this can aid grip by letting the knob deform more but, in some applications that might feature a raised element, can also help shed mud.The new tyre also features an increased knob stack height, which should help penetrate softer terrain. This is combined with decreased spacing between lugs. As you can imagine, the Achilles heel of cut-spike style or more aggressive tyres can be the large gaps down to the canvas that can either lead to a vague or fidgeting feeling over rocks and roots or, in extreme cases, leave the tyre or rim vulnerable to damage as square edges can bypass the protection of the knobs entirely and go straight to the rim.The tyre, by Ibexs own description, offers a moderate three out of five in terms of its rolling efficiency and a more impressive four out of five for cornering. Often, particularly in respect to cornering, without knowing the surface its pretty arbitrary but it gives you an idea.The tyre will be available in two casings - the GRC gravity casing and the TRC trail casing.The GRC model will feature a lightweight 120TPI single-ply that is reinforced by an additional 2-ply layer that will sit on the inner side of the tyre. The GRC will also feature bead reinforcement and foldable kevlar tubeless-ready bead. As the name would suggest its intended for anything gravity focused, be it downhill, enduro or e-bikes. The gravity casing will only be available in the wider 2.6" sizeThe TRC model goes without the 2-ply inner layer and the bead reinforcement. This will mean that the tyre will be far lighter but will also not offer the same level of damping or support. Its suggested use is trail and all-mountain. Like the GRC, its available in either black or gumwall.Both tyres feature Onzas new Soft Compound 50 rubber. This dual compound offering will feature 50a rubber in the centre of tread and 45a rubber in the side knobs.The 2.4 models are available now in both 27.5 and 29. The 2.6 variety will be available soon.
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.
Moncks Corner, SC (29461)

Today

Rain showers in the morning with numerous thunderstorms developing in the afternoon. High 76F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 80%..

Tonight

Scattered thunderstorms in the evening, then variable clouds overnight with more showers at times. Low 66F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%.
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.
Veteran bartender Joey Goetz wanted his next establishment to serve a dual purpose.

Goetz wanted a space that could serve as a neighborhood hangout for friends and family along with a classic cocktail bar with all the trimmings.

He's convinced he has both in Last Saint.

Last Saint is the latest member of the downtown bar lineup that opened on Sept. 5 in a converted Charleston single-row home on Meeting Street sandwiched between a cluster of shops.

The 1,700-square-foot front room is a hip, yet casual, neighborhood-style spot with vintage, retro details in the fixtures.

We want the front of the bar to be a neighborhood hangout, Goetz said. A place where people getting off work on King and Meeting streets can stop by for a drink before they go home. They can swing by, have a beer, a glass of wine and maybe a cocktail if they are in the mood and just relax and hang out with friends.

The back will be a more intimate space that Goetz hopes to open in early October. The back portion of Last Saint will require reservations for the 20-seat cocktail bar that will include booths.

Were getting closer and closer each day to opening up the back, Goetz said. When its done, we hope the back will be a cocktail bar that everyone can be proud of. Youll have to make a reservation, but well be taking walk-ins as well once were up and running.

Having Last Saint within walking distance of the rowdy upper King restaurant and bar scene was always part of the plan, Goetz said.

Its a great location, Goetz said. We wanted to be off of King Street, but not so far away you couldnt walk. If youre having dinner on King Street, were close enough to get a drink before or a nightcap afterward.

Last Saint also has 25-coveted parking spots just steps away from the front door.

The menu features three different paninis, along with fish dips and bar snacks.

The menu will evolve as the back opens up, Goetz said.

The front section of Last Saint, which is in downtown Charleston at 472B Meeting St., will be open daily from 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. When completed, the back part of Last Saint will operate Wednesdays through Saturdays, 5 p.m. to 2 a.m.
One of South Carolina's premier child advocacy centers, the Charleston-based Dee Norton Child Advocacy Center, was recently awarded close to $2 million from the federal government to expand the work it does related to childhood trauma.

Beverly Hutchison, executive director of Dee Norton, said the grant will help expand an existing CATALYST project, which focuses on increasing access to effective trauma treatments for minorities and LGBTQ youth in South Carolina.

Dee Norton receives a majority of its patient referrals from South Carolina's Department of Social Services, whose latest data shows there were more than 60,000 reports of child abuse and neglect in the 2020-21 fiscal year.

"We want to be able to meet all children where they are," said Hutchison. "And we know that different cultures and different families come into our door with a whole host of experiences."

According to data from 2019, African American children accounted for just 3 percent of the population but represent more than 40 percent of maltreatment victims and currently account for more than 20 percent of children in the foster care system.

The CATALYST project  short for Championing Access to Trauma-informed treatments to Achieve Lowcountry Youth Services Transformation  will also form a team to apply equity, diversity and inclusion principles to an array of evidence-based services for child abuse victims.

While giving names of those currently using Dee Norton's services is strictly prohibited, Hutchison told The Post and Courier that many times children are able to disclose moments of physical and sexual abuse in the forensic interviews they conduct. The center is the only provider of forensic interviews in the Charleston area.

Following these interviews, Hutchison said the staff at Dee Norton is then able to recommend treatments, such as trauma-focused cognitive behavior therapy and problematic sexual behavior cognitive therapy, as needed. Often, parents or caretakers are required to participate in the therapy with their child so they can understand and recognize the coping strategies in different settings.

Currently, the latest data from the DSS foster care dashboard says there are more than 4,300 open investigation cases involving nearly 10,000 children and youth, and more than 4,000 kids in the state's foster care system.

"Child abuse and neglect is a constant issue in our state," said Michael Leach, DSS state director. "The pandemic has exacerbated many stressors that South Carolinas families have to deal with, including food insecurity, unemployment or underemployment, loss of income, isolation, staying home with children all day due to lack of child care, closed or virtual school and a lack of social support."

According to Dee Norton's chief programmatic officer, Carole Swiecicki, the most common type of trauma they see is physical abuse and witnessing domestic violence. Sexual abuse falls third in line.

As for strategies to prevent child abuse, DSS says the problem is multi-pronged. However, the state agency is currently implementing programs that help strengthen economic support for families, enhancing parenting skills to promote healthy child development and moving from a punitive child welfare system to a family-driven child health and well-being program the emphasizes access to resources and support systems.

If any member of the public sees abuse or neglect of a child or a vulnerable adult, they are urged to make a report using the statewide reporting line at 1-888-CARE-4-US, (1-888-227-3487). For non-emergencies, use the reporting portal at dss.sc.gov.
Over the weekend, the state health department recorded more than 7,300 confirmed and probable COVID-19 cases and 134 deaths, including 2,232 new cases on Sept. 27.

While case numbers are currently lower than they have been in prior weeks, experts from the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control remain vigilant about masking and vaccinations as a way to end the pandemic.

Just over 60 percent of all eligible South Carolina residents have received at least one shot, and about 52 percent are considered fully vaccinated.

Statewide numbers

New cases reported: 1,827 confirmed, 405 probable (Saturday); 2,399 confirmed, 518 probable (Sunday); 1,827 confirmed, 405 probable (Monday).

Total cases in S.C.: 683,774 confirmed, 166,414 probable.

Percent positive: 8.3 percent.

New deaths reported: 33 confirmed, 27 probable (Saturday); 58 confirmed, nine probable (Sunday); seven confirmed, zero probable (Monday).

Total deaths in S.C.: 10,599 confirmed, 1,614 probable.

Percent of ICU beds filled (with COVID-19 and other patients): 82.69 percent.

S.C. residents vaccinated

In South Carolina, 60.1 percent of people who are eligible for the vaccine have received one shot, and 51.7 percent of eligible residents are considered fully vaccinated.

Hardest-hit areas

On Sept. 27, Greenville (278), Spartanburg (151) and Horry (143) counties saw the highest totals of newly confirmed cases.

What about tri-county?

Charleston County had 73 new cases on Sept. 27, while Dorchester had 55 and Berkeley had 50.

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. 21, at least 399 people in South Carolina died from the virus between Sept. 12-18, and their ages ranged from pediatric (17 and younger) to elderly (65 and older). Horry County recorded 30 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 2,117 COVID-19 patients hospitalized as of Sept. 27, 556 were in the ICU and 391 were using ventilators.

Student, teacher and faculty cases

DHEC's weekly school report shows 38,107 staff and students have been isolated since the start of the school year, meaning they tested positive for COVID-19. An estimated 166,198 have been quarantined since the start of the school year. These estimates are likely low because some schools did not provide data for the report.

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 on Sept. 24, 2,822 samples have been identified as variants of concern over the course of the pandemic. Of those, 1,576 have been identified as the delta variant, which health officials say is now the dominant strain in South Carolina.

What do experts say?

A new study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that schools in two Arizona counties without mask requirements were 3.5 times more likely to have a COVID-19 outbreak than schools with mask mandates since the start of the school year.

The CDC recommends universal masking for all K-12 schools.
NORTH CHARLESTON  U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham told Lowcountry leaders that if the bipartisan infrastructure bill is defeated by a looming House vote, the death of the legislation would leave South Carolina without some much-needed federal funding.

"I don't know if it's going to pass or not," Graham told officials at a roundtable in the Charleston County Council Chambers on Sept. 27. "And if it doesn't pass, it will be heartbreaking, because the need is overwhelming."

Graham was one of 19 Senate Republicans to vote along with all 50 Democrats in favor of the $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill last month. South Carolinas other U.S. senator, Tim Scott, voted against it.

Graham met with mayors and county leaders in North Charleston to discuss several pieces of South Carolina funding that will stem from the bill, including $4.6 billion for highways, $274 million for bridge replacement and rehabilitation, and $70 million to help deploy electric vehicles and charging stations over the next five years.

Earlier in the day, Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi had scheduled a vote for the bill, but the timeline began getting pushed and the vote was rescheduled for Sept. 30.

And speculation is mounting that House Democrats do not have the necessary votes to pass the $1.2 trillion bill before a $3.5 trillion spending package that progressives want alongside it, President Joe Biden told reporters in Washington later in the afternoon that there was no guarantee the infrastructure bill would be passed according to the current plan.

Graham told reporters in North Charleston a progressive takeover of the bill would crush any chance of it helping South Carolinians.

"Apparently the liberal element of the Democratic Caucus in the House is threatening to vote no unless the $3.5 trillion is linked to it. That'd be an utter disaster," Graham said. "There is no Republican support for the $3.5 trillion bill because it has nothing to do with infrastructure as a step towards socialism."

Notably, the bill provides a combined $4.9 billion worth of funding for projects in South Carolina. But it's just a fraction of the nearly $8 billion-worth of advancements and renovations that need to happen, Palmetto State leaders said.

S.C. Transportation Secretary Christy Hall said the Palmetto State is "bursting at the seams," pointing out that traffic has increased by 30 percent over the past decade and that the average commuter in the state spends 60 hours a year caught in gridlock.

Amid the uncertainty in Washington, Graham asked local leaders to keep innovating solutions to funding projects.

"My message to the Lowcountry today was keep helping yourself," Graham said. "I want to be your partner in Washington and the money in this bill will help, but it's going to be a generational struggle in the next 10 years. We need to modernize our roads and bridges."
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.
Charleston County estimates its remaining 6.5 acres at 995 Morrison Drive, pictured in 2020, is worth about $30 million. County Council is debating selling all or part of the land, and whether to require affordable housing on part of it. File/Brad Nettles/Staff
Anti-semitic graffiti has popped up at American University in Washington, D.C. It was discovered in a dormitory bathroom. The graffiti consisted of a swastika, a pair of SS lightning bolts, and a Star of David crossed out with an X.

This sort of thing is offensive, obviously. However, on a campus the size of AU in a city the size of D.C., its not surprising that racist and/or anti-semitic graffiti appears from time to time. Well never be able to stamp it out. And as long as no one is being physically attacked because of race or religion, I dont consider offensive graffiti cause for serious alarm.

The response of American University troubles me, however. When school officials notified students of the graffiti, about a week after it was discovered, the email said there were reports of possible anti-semitic drawings.

Possible? A swastika and a crossed out Star of David?

As one student complained, if these drawings are possible anti-semitism, what does blatant anti-semitism look like?

Imagine a noose being found in the same bathroom. Would the AU administration call this possible anti-Black racism? Of course not. Yet, it deemed the most obvious symbols of hatred against Jews possible anti-semitism.

AUs president, Sylvia Burwell (Secretary of Health and Human Services under President Obama) explained that she wanted to be cautious in her communication because the investigation of the graffiti was in its early stage. I guess she didnt want to rule out the possibility that ten million monkeys with markers had descended on campus and one of them had randomly drawn a swastika, a SS symbol, and a crossed-out Star of David.

Digging the hole deeper, Burwell said, Regardless of the intent of those responsible for the graffiti, its existence caused pain and trauma for members of our community. Apparently, she still hasnt figured out the intent behind drawing a swastika.

The problem with the graffiti isnt that it caused pain and trauma for AU students. These days, almost anything  the election of a Republican president, a picture of Thomas Jefferson, a woman being called her  can cause pain and trauma in students.

The problem with the graffiti is that its blatantly anti-semitic. But a former U.S. cabinet member hasnt worked that out  or pretends she hasnt, for some reason.

Strange, unsettling times.

UPDATE: A reader suggests that maybe Burwell talked of possible anti-semitism to take into account that the possibility that this case was a hoax, like some instances of anti-Black writings and images that turned out to have been perpetrated by Blacks.

Maybe. But as I noted in my post, I doubt that Burwell or any other contemporary college administrator would apply this sort of skepticism to images that are facially anti-Black. And if, by some chance, Burwell had done so, she probably would have prompted protest rallies and maybe a takeover of her office.
on the border. Sort of. On Fox News Sunday this morning, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas admitted that thousands of Haitians (or former Haitians) have made their way into the U.S. Mayorkas was followed on the program by Texas Governor Greg Abbott. The videos are at the link, but I will go with the New York Posts quotes. This mornings program also signals, apparently, the return of Chris Wallace to journalism:

Approximately, I think its about 10,000 or so, 12,000, Mayorkas responded when asked how many migrants have already been released. He added that the number could go beyond 5,000 as other cases are processed.

***

He also bristled under questioning by Fox News Chris Wallace who said DHS figures show the flood of illegal immigration has gotten worse under the Biden administration. I wouldnt call it a flood, Mayorkas said.

***

Fox News Chris Wallace asked Mayorkas how many of the 30,000 migrants were tested. He said the administration follows strict COVID testing protocols.

***

Wallace pressed Mayorkas on how many of the migrants being freed in the US will remain and pointed out that the Justice Department estimates that about 44 percent of those released will miss their immigration court appearances.

I would be shocked if that many show up. But why are we being subjected to this invasion?

Wallace asked the secretary why the US didnt stop the migrants from entering the US when they first began amassing at the border in early September. We did. We encountered them as they gathered in that one section in Del Rio, Texas, he replied, noting that the administration has to operate under existing laws and statutes. But Wallace asked why they hadnt erected a wall or a fence to keep the migrants from entering. It is the policy of this administration: we do not agree with the building of the wall, Mayorkas said. The law provides that individuals can make a claim for humanitarian relief. That is actually one of our proudest traditions.

In the absence of a wall, mounted border agents try to keep illegal immigrants from simply walking into the U.S. This is one of our proudest traditions.

Governor Abbott was next:

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, who followed Mayorkas appearance on Fox News, accused the administration of dereliction of duty. The United States Constitution itself requires that the president and that the federal government secure the sovereignty of the United States of America, including the states in the United States of America, and the Biden administration has abandoned any pretense of securing the sovereignty of either Texas or the United States by having these open border policies that you so well articulated, Abbott said. They have created a magnet that led to these massive groups of Haitians, as well as the other groups, that are coming here for one reason, and thats because they have sent a message and a signal to the entire world that they are not going to secure the border, theyre going to allow them across, he said.

Wallace actually took up this theme:

Wallace asked Mayorkas whether the White House is creating the conditions for a surge in migration. He said there are 20,000 Haitians in Columbia, 3,000 in Peru and 1,500 in Panama waiting to come to the US. Havent you given Haitians, and a million more immigrants will you have had encounters with since Joe Biden came into office, havent you given them a reason to believe theres a reasonable chance if they come into this country, theyll end up being released into the country and have months or perhaps years to stay here? Wallace asked. This is nothing new. Weve seen this type of irregular migration many, many times throughout the years. I dont know if Governor Abbott said the same thing in 2019 when there were more than a million people encountered at the southern border, Mayorkas said.

It is true that illegal immigration is nothing new, but the Trump administration tried to do something about it. The Biden administration welcomes illegal immigration as part of the short game of creating more demand for government services, and the long game of creating more Democratic Party voters. But most Americans have caught on, and the Biden administrations open borders policy is hugely unpopular with voters.
The New York Posts features an editorial on its cover this morning. The editorial is titled Alejandro Mayorkas 7 border lies. The cover flags the editorial in block letters: LINE OF DECEIT. (It may also refer to Miranda Devines companion column Biden White Houses lies a matter of life and death. However, the cover story link in the Posts Morning Report email goes to the editorial.)

The Post editorial performs a public service as it addresses in one place issues we raised daily over the past week. I am posting the text of the editorial in its entirety below the break.

* * * * *

Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas is spinning as fast as he can. But no matter how he tries to wave away the crisis at the border, his appearance on Fox News Sunday illustrated how this administration is deceiving the American public. Here are some of Mayorkas biggest whoppers:

Lie 1: Approximately, I think its about ten thousand or so, twelve thousand. It could be even higher.

For the last couple weeks, Mayorkas has bobbed and weaved whenever he was asked how many of the Haitians camping under the Del Rio, Texas bridge were being released into the United States and how many were being deported. At one point he blamed 18-hour days for his lack of clarity. But its clear the administration always knew the numbers, they just didnt want to reveal them. Now that its impossible to stop the process, he again lowballs the number at 12,000  vaguely adding it could be more. He knows its more.

Lie 2: What we do is we follow the law as Congress has passed it.

What bunk. First of all, the administrations justification for deporting some people to Haiti was Title 42, which allows them to block entry due to the coronavirus health crisis. So whats the difference between the 2,000 or so they flew to Haiti and the 12,000+ they let in? It seems completely arbitrary. Much more likely is that, faced with backlash from Democratic activists, they stopped using Title 42. Meanwhile, in August, the Supreme Court ruled that the administration must reinstitute President Trumps remain in Mexico policy, which required asylum seekers to wait there until their cases are heard. Biden and Mayorkas are just ignoring it; Texas is going to court to force them to comply. Thats not following the law  thats flouting it.

Lie 3: We have enforcement guidelines in place that provide the individuals who are recent border crossers who do not show up for their hearings are enforcement priorities and will be removed.

Fox News Chris Wallance noted that 44 percent of those who apply for asylum fail to show up for their court hearing. Oh no, Mayorkas said, this time will be different. Considering he cant even give an exact number of people released into the US, how can we possibly believe him? Aid groups are helping these migrants blend into society, and liberal politicians in states like New York and California will quickly make sure that they dont cooperate with Immigrants and Customs Enforcement  which has been detoothed by Biden anyway. No ones getting deported.

Lie 4: Border Patrol agents blocking migrants from crossing illegally, painfully conjured up the worst elements of our nations ongoing battle against systemic racism.

The photographer who took that picture already has debunked this. The agent was holding reins, and they didnt whip the migrants. The agents were trying to block migrants from rushing past the horses into the US, which is their job. Biden and Mayorkas claim to want to follow the law and prevent illegal immigration, then shamefully slander the people who try to enforce those laws. If anyone is to blame, its Biden.

Lie 5: We do not agree with the building of the wall. The law provides that individuals can make a claim for humanitarian relief. That is actually one of our proudest traditions

The wall is to prevent someone from sneaking over the border illegally. If someone is applying for humanitarian relief, they go to an official border crossing  how can Mayorkas conflate the two? Meanwhile, our amnesty laws are meant to cover people who face persecution at home for their religious, social or political beliefs. Wanting better economic opportunity is not asylum. By all accounts, most of the Haitians coming here are looking for a better life  fair enough. But that would mean applying for a green card, going through the process. Instead they rushed the border, asked for asylum, were given a court date a year or two years down the road and let into the country. Will they show up? And if they do, will any judge rule against them?

Lie 6: 11 million people in this country without lawful presence is a compelling reason why there is unanimity about the fact that our immigration system is broken and legislative reform is needed.

By reform, Mayorkas means mass amnesty. To the Democrats, there should be no limit to those allowed into the US, and all of them should become instant legal residents  heck, citizens. And no, theres not unanimity about this, because while most people polled do want a path to citizenship for Dreamers, they also want some border security to ensure that there arent 11 million more illegal immigrants living here next year.

Lie 7: I wouldnt call it a flood.

The pictures of a ragged tent city of 15,000 under a bridge in Texas would say otherwise, as would month after month of record numbers of border encounters. But this isnt the end. Letting 12,000+ into the US en masse just guaranteed that caravan after caravan from Central and South America, not to mention Haiti and Cuba, are massing to come here. Biden and Mayorkas just sent a message to the world: Come on in. The flood has only started.
A reader responded to my article about American Universitys seeming uncertainty about the meaning of a swastika on a bathroom room wall by pointing to a similar case of bafflement from Georgia. At two suburban Atlanta high schools, a swastika and the phrase heil Hitler appeared on bathroom walls.

According to our reader, the principal at one of the schools worked out that this was hateful language, but in a letter to parents about the incident did not call it anti-semitism. Does anyone imagine that if the hateful language had been directed at Blacks, the principal would have declined to label it racist?

The Atlanta Constitution, in its article about the incidents, suggested that the language is anti-semitic, but remained on the fence. It put quotation marks around the label.

The headline of its story is: Cobb students accused of antisemitic graffiti to face disciplinary charges. The opening paragraph reads:

The Cobb County School District recently brought disciplinary charges against students believed responsible for antisemitic graffiti in bathrooms at two high schools, Superintendent Chris Ragsdale said at Thursdays board of education meeting.

(Emphasis added)

The principals decision not to call the swastika and the heil Hitler language anti-semitic looks like an attempt to cover up the existence of that phenomenon at the school. By contrast, public schools, including this one Im pretty sure, arent shy about instructing students that anti-Black racism is a defining feature of life in America. The Atlanta Constitutions story indicates that the school district has been criticized for diversity initiatives and the teaching of Critical Race Theory.

What explains the Atlanta Constitutions use of quotation marks? Was the author, Alia Malik, not fully convinced that the swastikas and heil Hitler phrase, which appeared during the Jewish High Holidays, were expressions of anti-semitism?

Maybe she or her editors think, implausibly, that the perpetrator might be a Jew indulging in a hoax? But the expressions are anti-semitic no matter who scrawled them and why.

To me, the papers use of quotation marks looks like reluctance to acknowledge blatant anti-semitism. And to bang the same drum again, consider me skeptical that the Atlanta Constitution would have put quotation marks around the word racist if the language on the bathroom walls had been anti-Black or if something resembling a noose had been found.

Im okay with principals, school boards, and newspapers  especially newspapers  giving less play to stray incidents of hate graffiti. My view is that too much is made of them.

I object, though, to playing up anti-Black graffiti and the like, while being shy about characterizing similar behavior directed at Jews as anti-semitic.

The double standard says something ominous, I fear.
One of the aspirations of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is to rule Nigeria for the next 30 to 40 years, former governor of Borno State, Ali Modu Sheriff, has said.

To achieve this aim, he said the party will require a rugged captain as national chairman, in order to steer the ship for the party.

He made this statement during a press briefing in Abuja on Sunday, according to a video shared by his media aide, Kolo Adams, with PREMIUM TIMES.

The former governor, who is an aspirant for the position of the partys national chairman (should it be zoned to the North east), disclosed that he has started consultations with APC leaders across the country on the need for its repositioning ahead of challenges that may arise after President Muhammadu Buharis tenure.

Today, as a party, we are only six years in government. Our aspirations are for the APC to be in government in the next 30 to 40 years.

He (Buhari) brought that to the table and what are we going to face after the exit of His Excellency, the President? It is we, the APC members, that will tell the world that we are capable of getting their trust even when he finishes his tenure.

Doing that doesnt come on the platter of gold; we need to put in hard work. You need everybody.

Therefore, I believe it is important for me to reach out to all leaders of our party; the youth, the women, different organisations to tell them that we must come together to get our party to run for the next 30, 40, 50 years by the grace of God. And doing that, you need a rugged captain; you dont need a captain that will capsize, he said.

Mr Sheriff, a former senator, said his plan for the party is long term so it does not collapse along the line, hence the need for consultations across the country.

I have been away, travelling from one state to the other and I will continue doing that until everybody in our party is consulted. I meet them in their homes to say that, yes, I want to run for the national chairmanship of this party and I believe I can lead us well because party politics is different.

His comment comes weeks after he admitted that the APC has lost the trust of Nigerians.

Mr Sheriff, who was once the national chairman of Nigerias main opposition party, PDP, had said the APC must work harder than ever before to gain the confidence of Nigerians in order to retain power beyond 2023.

He is among other key political players jostling for the position.

Others are former governor of Nasarawa State and serving senator, Tanko Al-Makura; his counterparts from Borno and Gombe, Kashim Shettima and Danjuma Goje, who are also serving senators; former governor of Zamfara, Abdulaziz Yari; a former member of the House of Representatives from Bauchi, Ibrahim Baba; and a former chairman of the Action Congress of Nigeria in Abuja, Sunny Moniedafe from Adamawa State.

The party is expected to hold its national elective convention before the end of the year.
A member of the Sokoto State House of Assembly representing Sabon Birni north, Aminu Gobir, says 17 security agents were killed in Friday evening attack in Dama village in the state.

PREMIUM TIMES broke the news that many soldiers were killed while others fled following the attack on their camp in a school in the village.

A security vehicle was also burnt down by the terrorists.

Mr Gobir said the security agents killed include nine soldiers, five mobile police officers and three officers of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corp.

READ ALSO:

The lawmaker added that several security agents were yet to be accounted for since Friday after the attack.

A childhood friend to one of the civil defence officers killed during the attack, Rilwanu Nagwaria, said the slain officer he identified simply as Sulaiman died a hero.

He paid the supreme price, he gave his life for the freedom of others.. Lets always remember that freedom comes at a price and lets also remember who paid the price, Mr Nagwaria said.

A security source at the Sokoto Police Command said the corpses had been deposited at the Specialist Hospital in Sokoto.
An orthopaedic surgeon at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Umuahia, in Abia State, Peace Amaraegbulam, observed that the Nigerian children she had encountered, who had cerebral palsy, lacked access to quality medical care and social support.

Cerebral palsy is a brain-related disability that makes movement and balance difficult.

To contribute to improving the situation, in November 2017, Mrs Amaraegbulam founded The Straight Child Foundation (TSCF), a nonprofit, as a platform for providing support to children with the condition.

But what Mrs Amaraegbulam did not know was that she was also creating an opening that would, a year later, allow children with foot deformities to access free and effective treatment.

As an orthopaedic surgeon at FMC Umuahia, part of Mrs Amaraegbulams work is treating children with clubfoot, a congenital (present-at-birth) deformity that twists the foot inward and downward, causing the child to walk by the side of their foot with much pain and difficulty.

About 9,000 of Nigerias seven million yearly newborns have clubfoot. That is 4.5 per cent of the global 200,000 annual incidences. But because out-of-pocket treatment per case could cost as much as N200,000 ($485), according to Uchenna Oluwatosin, head of the Physiotherapy department at FMC, one of several hindrances to effective treatment in Nigeria is the lack of funds to commence or conclude treatment.

Thankfully, children in six Nigerian states can now access free and effective treatment. The events that birthed the solution began when Mrs Amaraegbulam travelled to the U.S. in early 2018 as a scholar under the International Surgical Skills Scholarship of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, which included a one-week observership at Columbia University in New York where she had a mentor in Joshua Hyman, a Professor of orthopaedic surgery at the university.

Miraclefeet

During one of their in-person chats, Mr Hyman, who is also a medical advisory board member at Miraclefeet (a U.S.-based nonprofit supporting care providers across 29 countries to increase access to effective clubfoot treatment), inquired about what challenges Mrs Amaraegbulam was facing with her clubfoot patients back in Nigeria.

I told him that many parents were not able to complete the Ponseti care for their children, and a lot of time, they are not able to provide the casting materials. They are not able to afford the braces for the maintenance, she explained.

After hearing this, Mr Hyman suggested that Miraclefeet could extend its support to Nigeria and that Mrs Amaraegbulams nonprofit and FMC could be its gateway into the country.

He then promised to share the idea with Miraclefeet for possible consideration. And when he did, it sounded like something Miraclefeet had been waiting for.

It was very helpful for us that there was an existing organisation trusted and recommended by one of our advisory board members, Noe Rajerison, Miraclefeets associate director of programmes, said.

In the months following, Miraclefeet entered a partnership with TSCF to create awareness about clubfoot in Nigeria and provide free treatment, beginning with a clinic at the FMC Umuahia where Mrs Amaraegbulam works. Miraclefeets representatives arrived in Nigeria and trained staff of TSCF and other volunteers from FMC Umuahia in a clubfoot treatment method called Ponseti. It also committed to providing all the treatment materials for free every quarter while FMC provided space as a clubfoot clinic where children with the deformity can access free care every Thursday.

Ponseti treatment method

So what is Ponseti about?

There are several treatment methods for clubfoot. But Ponseti, which is non-surgical, is globally accepted to be cost-effective and records over 95 per cent success in treatment outcomes, especially for under-two children. It involves casting and bracing phases, otherwise called correction and maintenance.

The correction phase lasts between five to eight weeks. It involves a caregiver gently manipulating the foot upward and forward every week and casting the foot with Plaster of Paris or POP (a powder-made plaster applied after being soaked in water and capable of sticking when dry) to hold the foot to the desired position and prevent it from jerking back to its pre-manipulation state.

The correction phase ends only when each of the four fundamental components of a clubfoot case is corrected, with each weeks manipulation and casting intended to fix at least one component.

Mr Oluwatosin, the head of the physiotherapy department at FMC, identified these components as CAVE; C for cavus (a deformity in the midfoot); A for adductus (an anomaly in the foots middle bones), V for varus (a defect in the foots forefront), and E for equinus (an ankle deformity bending the foot downward).

Maintenance Phase

The maintenance phase is done using braces. A brace comprises a special shoe (or boot) and a bar as long as the distance between the childs shoulders. When the child wears the shoes, the shoes bottom is clipped to the bar, allowing each leg and foot to keep a degree of distance from each other to sustain the upward and forward correction.

Three months into the maintenance phase, the child wears the brace for 23 hours every day. After three months, the child continues to wear it but only while sleeping for at least three years.

To encourage parents to bring their children to FMC for treatment, Miraclefeet supports TSCF to take awareness programmes to local communities in Abia State  working with community leaders to educate families about the deformity and availability of free treatment, and collaborating with primary healthcare centres to refer cases to FMC Umuahia.

Through this process, 202 children have had their feet corrected at FMC Umuahia free of charge since July 2018. That is massive, said Mrs Amaraegbulam, who added that until Miraclefeet came in, the number of clubfoot patients she saw since she started working at FMC Umuahia in 2015 were very few.

Start small and then grow bigger

But for Miraclefeet, FMC was just a test ground for something bigger because, since 2019, it has expanded care to five additional hospitals in five states: Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Anambra; University of Uyo Teaching Hospital, Akwa Ibom; Irua Specialist Teaching Hospital, Edo; Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital, Ebonyi; and Federal Medical Centre, Kogi.

When we go into a new country, we start small and then grow bigger year after year, said Mr Rajerison. And TSCF had a great team who could help test and refine clubfoot programme strategies that work in Nigeria to hopefully scale to other regions.

Together, the six centres have treated 583 cases, one of them being one-year-and-four-months-old Winner Chinonso who had clubfoot on both feet.

Before Winner turned five months old, Peculiar, his mother, saw a post on Facebook about the free treatment at FMC. She travelled with him every week from Aba to FMC (about one hour-10-minutes journey by commercial bus) for treatment. Winner is on braces now; his feet look normal, and he walks and plays freely with other children.

Sometimes, I would just tell myself, if it wasnt corrected, I wouldnt have been happy in this my life because I know each time I look at his feet, I would really feel sad, 29-year-old Peculiar said. I am just happy that looking at him now, his feet are okay, and he can walk.

Meanwhile, Miraclefeet plans to add two extra clinics before the end of this year, with a target to scale the programme to a national level with time and help integrate it into the public health system.

Were working diligently with our local partner(s) and strategic allies to ensure that we eliminate disability caused by clubfoot in Nigeria, Emmanuel Otoo, Miraclefeets director of programmes, said. But he acknowledges that a multi-group collaboration is required to achieve the target.

For Nigeria to own a national programme, its important for affiliated community-based and public health groups to have some key skills  organisational, advocacy, negotiation, resource mobilisation, human resources, he said. Its crucial that we advocate to ensure the government, through the relevant ministries, takes the responsibility for driving the agenda of quality and timely clubfoot treatment while MiracleFeet provides support, Mr Otoo said.
Troops of Operation Hadarin Daji, in conjunction with other security agencies have eliminated scores of Islamic States for West African Province (ISWAP) terrorists and bandits in Sokoto State.

Defence Headquarters said this on Monday in Abuja.

This is contained in a statement issued by the Director, Defence Information, Benjamin Sawyer.

He said the terrorists were eliminated during a foiled attack on the Forward Operation Base (FOB) at Burkusuma, a remote border settlement with Niger Republic in Sabon Birni Local Government Area of Sokoto State.

The aggressive operations of troops of the FOB as witnessed in recent months in the North West region, had been a thorn in the flesh of ISWAP terrorists and bandits.

Mr Sawyer stated that the attackers who came in large numbers using telecom network provided from neighboring country, capitalised on the lean rear area protection force.

This was when the main troops were out conducting offensive operations within their area of responsibility.

He disclosed that, the troops recorded an undisclosed number of casualties during the encounter.

However, the swift reinforcement by own troops helped to counter the attack as many of the ISWAP fighters were eliminated, while some scrambled with various degrees of injuries.

Troops are currently in hot pursuit of the criminals to Bassira in Niger Republic, he said.

Meanwhile, Nigerian and Nigerien forces in a collaborative operation are currently trailing the remaining ISWAP fighters, he added

General security within the FOB and its environs has been stabilised, he said.

Nigerian troops have currently reinforced operations in parts of the north in the aftermath of rising attacks from bandits and terrorists on communities.

(NAN)
The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, recently featured on Politics Today a programme on Channels Television from the United States where he was on the federal governments delegation to the 76th United Nation General Assembly (UNGA).

Mr Malami spoke on the ongoing negotiations to repatriate about $200 million stolen by former government officials and how the stolen monies already repatriated were expended. The minister also spoke on the loot, alleged terrorism funders, the corruption war, the VAT controversy, separatist agitations in the country, among others. PREMIUM TIMES monitored the interview. Excerpts:

Q: You talked about the recovery of $200 million looted by former public officials and stashed in the United States. Can you give us the clue as to those behind this? You said that this money was stolen by past officials. When did they steal this money?

Malami: The way this thing operates, we are very mindful of the need for confidentiality, taking into consideration the multinational engagement associated. And two, we are not interested in allowing, perhaps, pre-emptive disclosure that may have the capacity to undermine what we are doing. But at this stage, and this point, I think what matters most is the executing and signing of the mutual agreement for the repatriation of this money. We are indeed pursuing further recoveries and the recoveries are around $200 million and we are making progress, progress in the sense that the parties of interest, that is the multinational engagement, by that understanding, parties have agreed to develop some draft agreements.

One of the agreements is being developed by the Department of Justice United States of America. And on the other side of the divide, which is the Federal Government of Nigeria, is expected to put up a draft agreement for consideration and further deliberations among the parties. We are looking at the possibility of reconvening sometime in October to kick off the process of such negotiation. One thing that is fundamental and has been the tradition at whatever point. we now come to terms with the reality on the. (not audible) or executing the respective agreements, much disclosurecomprehensive disclosure associated with the parties of interest, associated with assets and the volume will certainly be disclosed.

The major consideration arising from understanding among the parties is some level of confidentiality, which I would not like to breach arising from the common understanding of the parties. But the amount involved is in the region of $200 million.

Q: That is a lot of money considering the state of things in the world now. A lot of people are anxious to see that money comes back. For those who believe that it is getting rather sluggish, how soon can we get this money repatriated?

Malami: I do not agree with you that, particularly as regards the use of sluggish taking into consideration our antecedent associated with recovery so far. As you know, this recovery has been in process for the past 20 years. And within the period this government came into office, we have succeeded in making multiple recoveries. The recovery of 322 million sometime in 2017, a recovery of 311 sometime in 2020, and associated other recoveries, within the region of 78 million pounds from the UK among others. So, within the context of the fact that we have been aggressive on recovery, which we have indeed recorded the repatriation of such recoveries to the motherland, the idea of using the word sluggish as far as this government is concerned in terms of recovery, I think it is an unfair assessment or perhaps unfair logical deduction that cannot stand with the consideration of the recoveries effected.

So, we have been working wonderfully well in terms of making recoveries. And I think within the context of international appreciation of the issues, Nigeria as a country is the only country that has succeeded in having this much recovery in the shortest period of around six years. So, I think the word sluggish is an unfair usage of the word and cannot stand the test of time having regards to the successes recorded by the government of President Muhammadu Buhari in terms of recovery and terms of deployment of the recovered assets to infrastructural development in the country.

Q: Those who are familiar with international engagements know how difficult the wheel of justice grinds slowly. So the use of sluggish is also within the context of how.this is a multilateral engagement that is not within the power of Nigeria. But alsoI know the federal government, your office has also appealed to other countries of the world to help get these funds back to Nigeria. While some Nigerians are anxious to see this money come back, they think that some other countries are sluggish in their responses, and that is why the term sluggish comes in. Are you getting the kind of response from other countries in getting these funds, perhaps a push back from other countries? Are you experiencing pushback?

Malami: Nigeria has demonstrated a greater capacity in terms of mobilising international support, international direction as far as processes and procedures relating to the recovery of illicit assets are concerned. With that in mind, other countries have been supportive of what Nigeria is doing, both in terms of building consensus relating to processes and procedure that naturally makes it easy for the repatriation of these assets. I think Nigeria has demonstrated greater leadership capacity in that direction, and it is making an advanced collaborative approach to it by way of gathering necessary supports among the international community, in terms of moving the process, in terms of developing international resolutions, in terms of developing international processes and procedures that can provide a platform whereby we can have illicit assets adequately and speedily repatriated to their countries of origin.

I think within the context of what Nigeria is doing in terms of developing international consensus-building and resolution, I think a lot of progress has been made with particular regard to speedy repatriation of assets.

Q: Before I come to this repatriation funds are being utilised and the issue of transparency, let us get an update on the looted (James) Ibori fund. You told us some time ago that you are working on getting other tranches of it back into the country, what is the latest on that?

Malami: We are still negotiating and discussing these assets being considered for repatriationI am talking of the 200 million dollars. It constitutes the fact of those assets. We are aggressively pursuing things from multiple directions, from multiple personalities and multiple corporate bodies and we are making progress in that respect. The progress we are making relates to the exchange of draft agreement for consideration, deliberations and negotiation are all part of it. So Iboris and associates, Alamieyeseigha assets among others are part of the assets being considered for repatriation, and the 200 million dollars we are talking about constitute a fraction of such assets.

Q: So, what can you tell Nigerians that have received the news of repatriation with restrained optimism of these loots finding their way back to being looted again? What assurances can you give Nigerians about the state of these funds and the assurances that they are not re-looted and where those funds are being utilised. How can we track them?

Malami: In terms of assurances, I think our conduct as it relates to the recoveries, taking into consideration that we have indeed given Nigerians commitment that we will take effective steps in terms of recovery and eventually we succeeded in making such recoveries, is enough assurance that we are indeed doing the needful and we are pursuing such assets at the desired aggression. In terms of deployment of those assets, I think we have demonstrated a clear commitment which has come to pass as a reality of the situation. As you know, the first tranche 322 million dollars recovered from Switzerland was essentially deployed to social investment programmes of the federal government, the N-power, the school feeding programme, the tradermoni and associated programmes of the federal government that have succeeded in eventually bringing some level of succour to the less privileged, to the poor in the society and demonstrated our commitment to deploying the resources, based on the agreement with the international community.

READ ALSO:

As it relates further to the 311 million dollars, which was eventually repatriated/recovered in 2020, you know very well, the commitment of Nigeria under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari was to have the same deployed to infrastructure. Eventually, what we are witnessing today, between Abuja and Kano in terms of road infrastructure, part of that money was deployed for that project; part of it was equally deployed to Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. We are living witnesses to the progress recorded and made to the road infrastructure associated with.

Above all, the second Niger Bridge is also a living witness to the deployment of such recovered assets. So, as far as President Muhammadu Buhari is concerned, I think there has never been a story of re-looting the assets, but a story of applying and indeed deploying the assets in line with international agreement, in line with the best practices under (not audible)and deploying same in such a way and manner that Nigerians can visibly see the effect and impact of such recoveries made in terms of deployment, in terms of application and indeed in terms of visible development, both in terms of infrastructure and in terms of improving the living condition of Nigerians.

Q: This government, one of the major agendas, is to fight corruption and fight it hard. What then would you say to those who believe that corruption is even more rampant these days?

Malami: It depends on your assessment maybe. One thing I can tell you is that the government has recorded tremendous success as far as fighting corruption is concerned. One, if you are looking at the fight from the point of recovery, I have stated that we have indeed succeeded in recovering a large sum of $322 million and an additional sum of $311 million and we are pursuing an additional sum of about $200 million. Ao, within the context of recovery, that is a clear demonstration that the fight against corruption embarked upon by President Muhammadu Buhari is paying off in terms of recovery.

If you are looking at it in terms of policy and a kind of technological deployment policy, what we have succeeded in doing as it is, for example, in terms of blocking the leakages associated with financing and funding terrorism is a clear indication of the fact that we are indeedwe are recording successes in terms of the fight against corruption. Look at the issues associated with legislation, we have put in place legislations, the effect and impact, of which is an attack, a frontal attack on the fight against corruption. If you are looking at it from the perspective of prosecution and conviction, this is a government that has recorded high profile convictions.

So within the context of legislation, within the context of policy, within the context of recovery, it is indeed not a fair assessment of the success associated with the fight against corruption under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari. For anyone to judge the fight against corruption as being cosmetics. It is a fight that anyone can visibly see, with real evidence on the ground, and evidence associated with improved legislation and evidence associated with allowing the institutions to now do their job without fear or favour as against a situation where we had before, where individuals are stronger than the institution, our institutions.

The fight against corruption in Nigeria is now stronger than any individual. We have recorded tremendous and unprecedented convictions of high profile personalities. If it is about legislation, we have stronger legislation; if it is about institutions, our institutions are now more robust and aggressive in the fight against corruption. If it is about recovery, you can see for yourself what we have succeeded in recovering.

Q: Let me perhaps wrap up the issue of anti-corruption (with) the Delta State matter on the Ibori loot. How have you been able to resolve it with the Delta State Government which said they want that money to come to them? Have you been able to resolve that?

Malami: The recovery was made in the name of the federal government, as you rightly know and not in the name of Delta State. So with that in mind, as far as the office of the attorney general is concerned, whatever is recovered, is recovered on behalf of the federal government and not on behalf of the subnational. With that in mind, you cannot rule out the possibility of engagement, but the fact remains that the agreement signed at the point of such recovery was an agreement that borders on Nigeria as a focal consideration not a subnational. So the true position of things is that the agreement signed, what was considered, what was under consideration was Nigeria as a victim of crime not a subnational. So the fact remains, that Nigeria was a victim of crime, and it was with that understanding that international negotiations were engaged and then recoveries made arising therefrom.

You cannot rule out the possibility of associated negotiation, but the fact remains that the victim of crime is the federal government and an agreement was signed between Nigeria and the international community about such repatriation, the understanding that Nigeria was a victim of crime and beneficiary.

Q: Let me go into those funding terror in Nigeria. The UAE for example gave names, but the federal government says no, we dont want to go that route, we want to get to the root of that matter. What is the timeline in terms of the investigation and prosecution of these financiers? Bring us up to speed on that.

Malami: Investigation as you rightfully noted is not something you can give a clear timeline as far as its conclusion is concerned. But one thing I can tell you is that we have indeed embarked on an aggressive local and international investigation of terror funding, and indeed our investigations are yielding the desired output, arising from the investigation. A lot of people were taken into custody through the judicial processes of taking court orders and with that in mind With the fact that court orders were obtained to take people into custody for investigation, the fact remains that the matter is a matter that has been submitted to the judicial process.

The matter, having been submitted for the judicial process, is a clear provision that no action, in terms of release and otherwise can be possibly effected without recourse to the judicial process. One thing I can further tell you, there can never be any release without recourse to the court, and no release has been effected. The fact that some people are insinuating mischievously that some people, some individuals were released is not true, and it could not have been true. Against the background that this indeed is a judicial matter, the fact that they were taken to custody arising from judicial order only accords with common sense and reason that you can only release them after having recourse to the judicial process. And no application for release was ever filed by the office of the attorney general of the federation. The fact remains that we are making progress, in terms of investigation, in terms of prosecution, and submitting the matter to judicial process.

Q: On Value Added Tax, give us the interpretation of the court judgement based on the fact one from the point of view of the federal government because as it stands now, nothing precludes the states from collecting VAT.

Malami: A lot has precluded states from collecting VAT. One, generally speaking as you rightly know, the issue of Value Added Tax is an issue that is within the exclusive legislative list. And the implication of being an exclusive legislative list mattersonly the National Assembly can legislate on it.

The question that you may perhaps have your mind on is whether the existing national legislation has conferred on the states the powers to collect VAT. And my answer is no. In the absence of a law passed by the National Assembly in that direction, no state can have a valid claim to a collection of VAT. The responsibility, rights, and constitutional powers to legislate on a collection of VAT is exclusively and constitutionally vested in the National Assembly and not in the state.

And where the National Assembly has not passed any law in that regard authorising the state to collect VAT, then it goes without saying  no state can arrogate onto itself the powers to collect VAT. That is indeed the position of the federal government. But then over and above that, the fact remains that the matter has been submitted to judicial process for determination and a position has been taken that status quo be maintained.

When you are talking of the status quo as far as the collection of VAT is concerned, it is the submission of positions of both parties to judicial determination. Which position is clear  that the Federal Inland Revenue Service which has been the agency and institution vested with the power arising from the law passed by the National Assembly, is the one responsible for such collection until after the matter is virtually determined by the court. And again, the FG has decided to approach the Supreme Court because again, once a matter involves a dispute between FG and a state government, the proper court is not a high court of the state, it is not the federal high court, but indeed the Supreme Court. So the federal government is instituting an action for this matter to be settled once and for all. Certainly, we will submit to the jurisdiction to have this matter determined.

Q: Some states would believe that the VAT, they are going ahead to collect it and, at the end of this month, they would be collecting it. How would you react to such?

Malami: I believe in a constitutional order that all the states and indeed the federal government are bound by prevailing legislation relating to the issue. And above all, the parties have submitted their grievances to a judicial process. I do not see any state perhaps taking the law into its hands without allowing the process to take a natural course and in breach of prevailing legislation. I do not see the states acting arbitrarily by setting bad precedence as far as governance is concerned. With particular regards to the fact that the matter is in court. I cannot bring that thought into consideration. I believe it will amount to recklessness on the part of any state government to be in breach and a lawless governance style as far as the Nigerian state is concerned.

Q: Is the federal government planning to amend the constitution because there seems to be a vacuum or lacuna in the law relating to the VAT?

Malami: I believe it is only natural and in accord with common sense that the National Assembly which is the institution responsible for such amendment should be allowed to do its work and any grievances associated with a demand or request for constitutional amendment should as well be channelled through the National Assembly process.

What I am saying in essence is that you must allow due process to take its course, which could be either legislative or judicial. But certainly, it does not accord with the reason for any state government to take the law into its hands without allowing the judicial or legislative process to take its natural course.

Q: What I am saying is that there is a legislative bill called the executive bill. Will your office be transmitting a bill to amend the constitution? Is there a possibility of that?

Malami: As far as we are concerned, we have not seen a lacuna in the law. The constitution is clear that the power to put in place a law relating to the collection of VAT is exclusively vested in the National Assembly. It is an issue that is embedded in the exclusive legislative list. So, as far as the federal government is concerned, such lacuna is visibly seen in the constitution. And it is not resolved to make any recourse to the National Assembly by way of a bill. We have no such intention, and we are happy with what is on the ground and then we will challenge the purported laws put in place by some states, that are targeted at undermining the existing legislative arrangement. The constitution has covered the issue of VAT. We do not have any desire to put across any legislative bill in that regard.

Q: You are in New York, and you have seen the anti-Buhari and pro-Buhari protests on the ground at the UNGA. We have been seeing the division along ethnic lines. Is the federal government considering a political means of dialoguing with concerned persons and sections of this country?

Malami: I cannot rule out all possibilities, but one clear thing is that no such considerations are on the table as far as the position of the government is concerned. The agitations are international, even China, there are people from China, those that are propagating an agenda and those that are against it. If you talk of other countries, including Senegal, they are all there on the street protesting. It all boils down to freedom of association, which Nigeria has been tolerating over time, both locally and international. It is about freedom of expression, which forms part of our constitution, which we have agreed as a nation to tolerate. You cannot stop them from agitating, but as far as reaching out in terms of providing reconciliatory formwork is concerned, I think there is no serious source of concern, more so, when people as far as the Nigerian state is concernedhave chosen among others to submit their grievances to the court of law for determination.

I think existing platforms of our judicial and extrajudicial and legislative have provided a wider platform for those that are agitating for one concerned or one grievances or the other to put across their grievances for consideration through the legislative means, among others. I think the idea of reconciliation does not come into place because nobody is fighting. But it is about the expression of opinion, it is about constitutional tolerance against the background of the constitutionality of freedom of expression.

Q: I am asking this question against the backdrop of the agitation by some for self-determination. Sunday Igbohos case is in Oyo State. You reacted to it in New York. And the consideration of the fact that how can we stem the tide of these different agitations that are causing unrest in this country, is it by legal means or extra-legal means?

Malami: The major consideration of the federal government is the legal and legislative means. Those that believe in the constitution amendment can approach the National Assembly. Those that believe that their grievances are judicial can approach the judicial system. And the fact remains that this government is not interfering in the judicial and legislative process of the federal government.

Whoever is considering means that are outside the scope of the legislative framework, legal framework perhaps agitating out of the bounds of the constitution, the law must naturally take its course to ensure that people operate within the ambit of the law.
Governors of Nigerias northern states have rejected the principle of rotational presidency, saying it is against the constitution of the country.

The governors also opposed the position of their southern counterparts on value added tax (VAT).

They stated this after a meeting of the Northern Governors Forum (NGF) on Monday in Kaduna.

The chairman of the forum, Plateau State Governor Simon Lalong, issued a statement on the outcome of the meeting.

He said some Northern States Governors had earlier expressed views for a power-shift to the three geo-political zones in the South with a view to promoting unity and peace in the nation.

Notwithstanding their comments, the Forum unanimously condemn the statement by the Southern Governors Forum that the Presidency must go to the South.

The statement is quite contradictory with the provision of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (1999) as amended that the elected President shall:- score the majority votes; score at least 25% of the votes cast in 2/3 States of the Federation.

In the case of run-up, simple majority wins the election, the statement said.

The governors also deliberated on the controversy on the collection of Value Added Tax (VAT) on which Lagos and Rivers States have made laws.

READ ALSO:

As responsible leaders, while we are constraint by the fact that the matter is subjudice, we however for the purposes of educating the public make the following observations:

The judgement of the Federal high Court calls to question the constitutionality of VAT, withholding tax, education tax, Niger Delta Development Commission, National Information Technology Development Agency, 13% derivation, National Economic Development Council and many other currently levied and collected by the Federal Government of Nigeria, Federal Inlands Revenue Service.

Rivers and Lagos State Governments had enacted their own VAT laws and the Southern Governors Forum have expressed support for this course of action;

VAT is being confused by these State Government as a sales tax. If every state enacted its own VAT Law, multiple taxation will result in increases of prices of goods and services and collapsed in interstate trade. VAT is not a production tax like excise, but terminal tax which is paid by the ultimate consumer;

Another confusion is ignoring observation above and its overall effect. The reason Lagos account for our 50% VAT collection is because most of the telecommunication companies, banks, manufacturing and other trading activities have their headquarters in Lagos with the resultant and wrongful attribution of VAT

Until and unless the Supreme Court pronounces judgement on the substantive matter between Rivers State and Federal Government, the matter is sub judice and Northern States Governors Forum would respect this, the statement said.
Governors of the 19 northern states met with top traditional rulers of the region on Monday in Kaduna.

At the end of the meeting, Plateau State Governor Simon Lalong issued a statement containing their resolutions.

Read the resolutions below:

RESOLUTIONS OF THE NORTHERN STATES GOVERNORS FORUM MEETING WITH NORTHERN STATES EMIRS AND

CHIEFS HELD ON MONDAY 27TH SEPTEMBER, 2021

The Northern States Governors Forum, in its continuous efforts to address the challenges bedeviling the Northern States convened an Emergency Meeting today Monday 27th September, 2021 at the Council Chamber Sir, Kashim Ibrahim House, Kaduna.

The meeting was also attended by Chairmen of Northern States Traditional Council led by His Eminence the Sultan of Sokoto.

The Forum discussed issues of Peace, Progress, Development and well-being of the Northern States. The Forum took stock of progress made in handling challenges of Banditry, kidnapping, armed robbery and insurgency.

After extensive deliberations, the following resolutions were arrived at:-

1. The Forum reviewed security updates from the Region and observed the need for a sustained synergy and coordinated efforts between the Federal and Northern States Governments while noting success of recent measures. The meeting also noted with concern the constraint of the security services and urged the Armed Forces to embark on simultaneous operations and resolved to share the plans of the Frontline States come up with common with other Region; and assured of its readiness to work in synergy with the Federal Government of Nigeria in finding lasting solution to the current security challenges.

2. The Forum appreciated the ongoing onslaught against banditry, kidnapping and Boko Haram especially in the North East and parts of North West and North Central States and encouraged the Armed forces and other security agencies to sustain the tempo to enable the security challenges be permanently addressed in the shortest time.

3. The Forum received updates on the Renewable / Solar Energy Project and NOTED that request for land for the project had been submitted and are being processed by the Northern States. The Committee had commenced negotiations in a public private arrangement and sovereign guarantees to ensure bankability of the project by multilateral financial organizations. The Forum called on States yet to process the request for allocation of land for the project to expedite action.

4. The meeting received updates on activities of some Committees constituted by the Northern States Governors Forum and NOTED that recommendations contained therein are being considered with a view to coming up with implementation strategies.

5. The Forum observed that some Northern States Governors had earlier expressed views for a power-shift to three Geo-Political Zone in the South with a view to promoting unity and peace in the Nation. Notwithstanding their comments, the Forum unanimously condemn the statement by the Southern Governors Forum that the Presidency must go to the South. The statement is quite contradictory with the provision of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (1999) as amended that the elected President shall:-

score the majority votes;

score at least 25% of the votes cast in 2/3 States of the Federation.

In the case of run-up simple majority win the election.

6. The Northern State Governors Forum considered the on-going National debate on the collection of Value Added Tax (VAT). As responsible leaders while we are constraint by the fact that the matter is sub judice we however for the purposes of educating the public make the following observations:

(a) the judgement of the Federal high Court calls to question the constitutionality of VAT, withholding tax, education tax, Niger Delta Development Commission, National Information Technology Development Agency, 13% derivation, National Economic Development Council and many other currently levied and collected by the Federal Government of Nigeria, Federal Inlands Revenue Service.

(b) Rivers and Lagos State Government had enacted their own VAT laws and the Southern Governors Forum have expressed support for this course of action;

(c) VAT is being confused by these State Government as a sales tax. If every State enacted its own VAT Law, multiple taxation will result in increases of prices of goods and services and collapsed in interstate trade. VAT is not a production tax like excise, but terminal tax which is paid by the ultimate consumer;

 4 

(d) Another confusion is ignoring observation above and its overall effect. The reason Lagos account for our 50% Vat collection is because most of the telecommunication companies, Banks, manufacturing and other trading activities have their headquarters in Lagos with the resultant and wrongful attribution of VAT

(e) Until and unless the Supreme Court pronounces judgement on the substantive matter between Rivers State and Federal Government, the matter is sub judice and Northern States Governors Forum would respect this.

READ ALSO:

7. The Traditional Rulers Councils appreciated the efforts made so far by the NSGF in addressing the key areas of challenges facing the Northern States, they expressed their willingness, solidarity and collaboration with the Governors in addressing these challenges particularly the issue of security. It was equally resolved that perpetrators of crimes should be dealt with irrespective of their status in the society.

8. The Forum decried the high level of conspiracies being perpetrated by some Judicial Officers in releasing / granting bail to arrested criminals. This attitude sabotages the fight against criminality, therefore, there the need to develop good and robust intelligence mechanism amongst States was identified as a panacea.

 5 

9. The Forum calls on Agencies to leave up to their responsibility, Traditional rulers are to equally mobilize their various communities in checkmating the ugly trend of criminality in their domains.

10. The Forum NOTED the ugly trend in the spread of drugs and consumption amongst the teeming youth and therefore, calls on all levels of Governments and communities to raise to the occasion by stemming the tide.

11. The Forum also call the Federal Government to expedite action on the well establish National Livestock Transformation Programme as a spring board in transiting from the open grazing system as widely practice in the North

His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Barr. Simon Bako Lalong KSGG,

Chairman, Northern States Governors Forum.
The police in Ogun on Sunday assured banks and others financial institutions in Ijebu-Ode and environs of safety, warning, however, that they would not tolerate any false robbery alarms.

The police spokesman in the state, Abimbola Oyeyemi, gave the assurance in a statement made available to journalists in Ota, Ogun.

Mr Oyeyemi said the police command in Ogun had noticed with dismay unwarranted closure of banks and financial institutions in Ijebu-Ode and its environs due to alleged robbery threat.

He said the closure made the residents to suffer.

The command is appalled at this unprofessional behaviour of bankers in that axis despite continuous assurance of their safety by the police and other security agencies.

Their recent action can only be described as treacherous and mischievous, as they are not the only bankers in the state and the country at large, yet they are the ones complaining of robbery threat every now and then.

The command has noticed that once they are bent on this mischief, they close their minds and eyes to other security arrangements put in place by the police in conjunction with other security agencies to protect them, the spokesman said.

He said the banks claimed that armed robbers wrote to inform them that they would attack them.

Mr Oyeyemi said the banks did not make the letter available to the police for investigation and possible apprehension of those behind it.

It is bad that from time to time, the banks cried wolves, carelessly and recklessly, and in none of these numerous occasions has any robbery taken place, he said.

He expressed worry that the bankers could expose banks in the vicinity to security threats by making public real and imaginary security lapses rather than quietly discuss them with security agencies.

The command, therefore, wishes to warn that the bankers would surely be the first set of suspects if anything unusual in the form of bank robbery (God forbid) happens in the area, at least for them to disclose their ceaseless sources of information.

Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police Edward Ajogun, has directed a full scale investigation into this current claim of receiving a letter from armed robbers.

He reaffirmed that the police are doing everything within the ambit of law to guarantee the safety of life and property of people in Ogun State, the banks and others financial institutions inclusive.

(NAN)
A former governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido, has blamed the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the problems bedeveling the country.

The former governor, in an interview with Channels Television on Sunday night, said the countrys growing problems are borne out of the lust for political and sectional gains rather than national interests as exhibited by leaders of the two dominant parties.

Drawing from the comment of an APC chieftain, Farouk Aliyu, which described the ruling partys campaign promises to Nigerians as regrettable ignorance in one of the programmes episodes last week, Mr Lamido, a PDP chieftain, said he had predicted the performance outcome of the current administration.

Without sparing his party, the ex-governor argued that the main opposition party, may turn out worse if sectionalism, regional loyalty and a host of other things remain dominant rather than zeal for a progressive nation.

Governors of parties, governors from the South coming together saying they want progress. If you look at Nigeria from their point of view, they seek their own interests, your own people, your own people, conversely other people have their interests. Political parties should not discriminate, it should be for all Nigerians not their personal interests, Mr Lamido said.

We focus too much on political power, we put too much influence on political power and in so doing abandon the real problems facing Nigeria. That is what APC did in 2014. They said so many things about Nigeria, they have gotten there now, where are we? We are worse off.

If PDP is not very careful, if we begin to explore all these divisions in terms of my own time, my own region and so on, by the time we get there, if we dont get the process right through a very credible, open, inclusive, vibrant, we will be worse than APC.

Mr Lamido told the host this while discussing the solution to insecurity challenges in the country

Although the PDP is yet to officially zone the presidency, the ex-governors position suggests his support for the party to throw it open for members to contest without geopolitical bias.

Mr Lamido said he had postulated defeat for the nation given the candidates presented to Nigerians by both the APC and PDP for the 2019 presidential ection.

In 2014, on the podium publicly, I said the two vocal parties running for the presidency, none of them is even a Nigerian at heart, they were propelled by interest. You (Atiku) and Buhari are simply running for their own interest not for Nigerians but you are telling them to follow you.

The division was so large that I said whoever won, Nigeria would lose. I said whoever won that election, Nigeria will lose. It has happened. APC won, Nigerians lost because we have lost that thing which is binding and common to us, he said.

The governor, who also served as Minister of Foreign Affairs under President Olusegun Obasanjo, was once arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a 43-count amended charge bordering on abuse of office and alleged N1.35 billion fraud alongside his sons.
The Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, has denied having an affiliation with any support group projecting him for the 2023 presidential race.

The minister, in a statement by his aide, Hakeem Bello, on Sunday, said he has nothing to do with online posters from the group identified as the Nigeria Project 2023 pairing him as well as the governor of Borno State, Babagana Zulum, as the presidential and vice pesidential candidates in the 2023 election under an unnamed political party.

The social media was awash at the weekend with a poster from the Group allegedly presenting the Honorable Minister and the Governor of Borno State, Prof. Babagana Zulum as Presidential and Vice-Presidential candidates respectively of an unnamed political party, the statement said.

Ordinarily, the poster and the various social media reports almost instantly orchestrated on its account would have been ignored as the handwork of mischief makers. However, it became necessary to issue this disclaimer for two key reasons.

The first of such was to answer with a strong negative to the numerous inquiries from right thinking and well-meaning Nigerians on whether the Honorable Minister had been contacted or if the Groups had his consent in issuing the invitation.

Without equivocation, no individual or Group has contacted the Honorable Minister for or on behalf of The Nigeria Project 2023. As Honorable Minister, Mr Fashola is currently focused on leading his dedicated Team in the Ministry of Works and Housing to deliver on the mandate of President Muhammadu Buhari for an expanded and upgraded road transport infrastructure; and affordable Housing nationwide in order to achieve economic growth and prosperity for the citizenry.

READ ALSO:

Secondly, is the fact that entities unknown to a political party cannot present candidates on behalf of such a political party. As a ranking and loyal member of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), the individual and groups cited as promoters of The Nigeria Project 2023 are unknown to the APC and the Honorable Minister.

While the minister claimed the move by the group was all over the social media at the weekend, PREMIUM TIMES check with keyword searches on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram gave little or no recent result in respect to the development, a possibility that the alleged campaign has been removed.

The closest to posts to such a campaign by any individual or group account on the giant social platforms were done in August.

Mr Fashola also dismissed the legitimacy of the group to make such a decision meant for a political party.

Against the backdrop of the foregoing, the Honorable Minister of Works and Housing , Mr Babatunde Fashola SAN urges members of the public to be wary of the antics of unsolicited individuals and Support Groups whose real intentions remain questionable. Every support possible should be given to the efforts of the current administration under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari to deliver a better nation for all, he said.

Aside the Nigeria Project 2023 ascribed to the two-term Lagos State governor and power minister, there have been other groups drumming support for other potential presidential candidates as the issue of zoning of the seat remains one of the burning concerns in both the ruling APC and the main opposition, PDP.

A group which goes by South West Agenda for 2023 (SWAGA) led by Dayo Adeyeye, a former minister, has launched its support for Mr Fasholas political mentor and national leader of the APC, Bola Tinubu, to clinch the presidential ticket if the position is zoned to the geopolitical zone.

While Mr Tinubu has not made his ambition public, he has,howeve, not disowned the group either.
The website of Nigerias digital currency, eNaira, went live on Monday.

This is coming days to its official launch on October 1 as earlier disclosed by the Central Bank of Nigeria governor, Godwin Emefiele.

The site, on its welcome note said the eNaira is a Central Bank of Nigeria-issued digital currency that provides a unique form of money denominated in Naira.

eNaira serves as both a medium of exchange and a store of value, offering better payment prospects in retail transactions when compared to cash payments. eNaira has an exclusive operational structure that is both remarkable and nothing like other forms of central bank money,the note says.

There are several benefits from a central bank-issued digital currency in Nigeria, and this cuts across different sectors of, and concerns of the economy.

The apex bank had earlier stated that is a legal tender just like the naira that must be accepted by all merchants and business outlets as a form of payment in the country.

It is developed by a Barbados-based fintech company, Bitt Inc., with CBN owning a majority stake in the company once registered in Nigeria.

READ ALSO:

Mr Emefiele said the CBN went through a rigorous vendor selection process and Bitt came first with an average of 82.3 per cent, scoring above the other 5. bidders.

He said from October 1, Nigerians should be able to download the eNaira application from either Google play store or Apple app store.

They should be able to find their wallets using their bank accounts and conduct transactions such as transfers and purchases at merchant outlets that have boarded to the platform, he said.
The Director General, West African Health Organisation (WAHO), Stanley Okolo, says 9,464 persons had died so far in the West African subregion from COVID-19 infection.

He also said 644,521 cases of Coronavirus (COVID-19) have been recorded in West Africa cumulatively.

Mr Okolo said this on Monday in Enugu during the 2022 Programmes Committee Meeting of WAHO.

He also said there were 24,410 active cases as at Septembr 26.

He said that the essence of the meeting was to review, amend and validate the programmes that WAHO would undertake in the coming year.

Over the next three days, we will present some activities undertaken so far by WAHO during the year 2021 and our plans and programmes for 2022.

We will engage all of you on the development of WAHOs Strategic Plan for the next five to 10 years, he said.

Mr Okolo said that the organisation had been at the forefront of the regional pandemic response since the outbreak of the pandemic in West Africa in February 2020.

He said that COVID-19, which had manifested in three surging waves, had devastated lives and economies.

We were the first region in Africa and indeed the first health institution in Africa to bring all the ministers of health together to agree a regional approach to the evolving situation, he said.

He said that WAHO had provided several cargo plane loads of critical medical supplies to all member states, including Personal Protective Equipment, laboratory reagents, ventilators and oxygen concentrator.

He said that WAHO would through its laboratory strengthening programme fund and strengthen the Enugu Diagnostic Centre which had yet to be completed.

I hope that Enugu State government will maximise the opportunity of being included in West Africas network of regional reference laboratories created for the purpose of early detection and response to outbreaks and epidemics.

Our priority actions for 2022 are in the areas of strengthening prevention and control of communicable diseases and strengthening of regional pharmaceutical production, he said.

READ ALSO:

Mr Okolo also listed other priority areas to include capacity building, maternal and child health and development of accountability and information tools.

Meanwhile, Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State has called on WAHO to use the meeting to deliberate on how the region would emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic stronger.

Mr Ugwuanyi, who was represented by the Commissioner for Health, Emmanuel Obi, said that it was necessary for the West African region to develop the capacity to withstand future global health threats.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that WAHO is the health institution of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

Premium Times reported on Monday how a Nigerian official said 2000 persons have died from the ailment in the country.

(NAN)
Israel has long sought to retake its position as an observer state at the African Union (AU). It had this status with the Organisation of African Unity until that continental body became the AU in 2002. AU Commission chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat has now opened the door to Israel again  and not everyone is welcoming his decision.

But how important is this issue for Africa and the AU, and does it suggest any significant changes in the continents relations with Israel?

If its accreditation is not overturned, Israel will join a growing list of more than 90 external partners endorsed by the AU. It will have limited access to AU documents and sit as an observer when invited to meetings. Accredited non-African states and organisations are expected to support the AUs work in the spirit of its founding principles.

Most African governments have been silent on Mr Fakis July decision. This could indicate Israels growing influence on the continent due to changing global dynamics, particularly the normalisation of relations with several Arab countries in 2020.

But the move has upset 21 of the AUs 55 states, some of which are members of the League of Arab States and Southern African Development Community  so much so that the matter will be reassessed when African foreign ministers meet in October.

Israels request for accreditation follows an improvement in its relations with some League of Arab States members, including Morocco and Sudan. But several southern and north African countries object to what they see as Fakis unilateral decision to receive credentials from Israels ambassador to Ethiopia, Burundi and Chad without adequate consultation with AU member states.

Most of the opposition is based on political and procedural concerns. The legal basis for AU accreditation follows criteria for granting observer status, based on a system adopted by the Executive Council in 2005.

This system allows non-African states to participate in open sessions of the AUs Peace and Security Council (PSC) and the opening and closing sessions of AU summits. States also get limited access to AU documents and may be invited by the commission chairperson to participate in meetings and make statements. They cannot vote, however.

The criteria allow the chairperson to consider accreditation applications, bearing in mind the supreme interest of the Union and the known views and concerns of member states. Only if they are convinced that there are no reasons why such a request should not be acceded to shall it be approved.

Countries that have criticised Mr Fakis decision claim that all African member states are unlikely to support Israels accreditation, given the AUs political stance on Palestine. The AU has called for an end to the Israeli occupation that started in 1967, [and] the independence of the state of Palestine on boundaries of 4 June 1967, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

Those opposing Mr Faki on the issue say the AU rejected two previous applications by Israel in 2013 and 2016 for this reason. As the situation in Palestine has not changed, they argue, neither should Israels status. They claim the move would be against the AUs founding principles and vision. However, several of these states, including South Africa and Botswana, have bilateral relations with Israel. This raises questions about their objections to the continent having relations with Israel.

In response to the criticism in early August, Mr Faki acknowledged the AUs continued commitment to a two-state solution for Palestine but argued that accreditation fell within his mandate. He also pointed out that more than 40 AU member states have bilateral relations with Israel and may not oppose its status change.

Israel has, in recent years, normalised relations with many African countries as its interest in the continent has grown, and regional and world politics has shifted in its favour. Improved dealings with Sudan and Morocco in 2020 followed a series of cooperation agreements between Israel and Arab states, mediated by the United States.

Israels supporters in the accreditation debate, including Sudan, Morocco and Somalia, compare the situation to the United Kingdoms (UK) occupation of Mauritiuss Chagos islands. African leaders have consistently called for the decolonisation of Palestine from Israeli occupation, as they have done in the case of the islands. But since the UKs accreditation to the AU has never come under scrutiny, neither should Israels, they argue.

AU rules and procedures require that if even one member state objects to the accreditation of a non-African state, the Executive Council must decide. Given the current lack of consensus, the issue will go to a vote. If members agree that the matter is procedural, a simple majority vote by a quorum of two-thirds will decide Israels status. If not, a two-thirds majority is required.

In the lead-up to Octobers meeting of foreign ministers, Israels opponents and supporters are lobbying for support. If states with bilateral relations with Israel openly oppose its status, others may follow suit if the issue is put to a secret ballot.

Having waited almost 20 years, AU accreditation would be a foreign policy triumph for Israel. Although African countries will continue to call for a political solution to the IsraeliPalestinian impasse, relations with the continent may strengthen despite the current uncertainties.

Beyond discussing whether Israel should be accredited, the AU Executive Council should reflect on how those that receive this status contribute to the continental bodys priorities. The PSC should be tasked with reviewing the role and impact of external partners in Africas efforts to achieve peace and security.

Shewit Woldemichael, Researcher, Africa Peace and Security Governance, Institute for Security Studies (ISS), Addis Ababa

(This article draws from the ISS PSC Report. It was first published by ISS Today, a Premium Times syndication partner. We have their permission to republish).
The Niger State Government has condemned the blocking of Bida-Lambata and Lambata-Izom expressways by drivers of heavy-duty trucks and tankers.

The government, in a statement, said the blockade was causing heavy gridlock and risks to innocent commuters and the people of the surrounding communities.

The statement was issued by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Ahmed Matane, and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Minna.

Mr Matane urged the drivers of the articulated vehicles to urgently open the roads as the blockade would not compel the state government to allow them to use the Minna-Bida road owned by the state and under reconstruction.

He also appealed to owners of the vehicles to talk to their drivers to remove their trucks and tankers from the roads as the state government could no longer guarantee their safety.

He explained that communities affected by the blockade were overstretched and agitated.

The SSG warned that the state government would not take liability for damaged vehicles or goods as a result of any unfortunate incident that might arise.

In the event of any tanker carrying Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) exploding and spilling the products within the communities, the tanker owners would be held responsible and the affected communities will claim damages, he said.

ALSO READ: Truck crushes Kano traffic official

NAN reports that the state government had earlier engaged the drivers and leadership of their unions in a dialogue urging them to withdraw from the roads to allow unhindered passage by motorists but the meeting yielded no positive results.

The government said it regretted any inconveniences and untold hardships the blockade of the roads might have caused innocent citizens and called for understanding and support of the general public in these trying moments.

(NAN)
The Nigerian Army has urged residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) not to panic as heavy military equipment will be moved ahead of Nigerias 61st Independence celebration.

The Commander, Guards Brigade, Mohammed Usman, disclosed this in a statement issued by the Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, Guard Brigade, Godfrey Abakpa, on Monday in Abuja.

Mr Usman said that there would be movement of heavy military equipment into the FCT and environs, adding that the equipment would be used during Independence Day celebration on October 1

The general public is hereby notified not to panic at the sight of the military equipment which will be used purposely for the Independence Day parade celebrations, he said.

(NAN)
Northern State Governors on Monday held an emergency meeting in Kaduna to discuss the progress and major concerns of the region.

Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State and chairman, Northern States Governors Forum, said the 19 governors would also look at critical national issues that had emerged over the recent months with a view to coming up with a position of the region.

He said the Forum would also adopt the best possible approach to ensuring that the interest of the region was protected and promoted.

He said that collection of Value Added Tax and the surrounding controversies were among the key issues to be discussed.

While getting update essentially on the progress made so far from the previous meeting held in February, we shall take stock of how far we have gone in tackling banditry, kidnapping and insurgency,and chart a way forward, he said.

Mr Lalong recalled that in February, the Forum had considered a wide range of issues concerning the well-being of its people.

He said a lot of Northern stakeholders were at the last meeting, including the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives and other members of the National Assembly, the Chief of Staff to the President, Minister of Information and Culture; and the Inspector-General of Police.

READ ALSO:

The chairman further recalled that the Forum also received reports from the various committees and resolved to look into the implementation of the reports, while awaiting the completion of work on others.

Today, I look forward to robust contributions from all members that will lead us to arrive at very meaningful conclusions that will impact positively on the fortunes of our people, he said.

In his remarks, Muhammadu Saad Abubakar III, Chairman of the Northern Council of Traditional Rulers, decried the lack of implementation of policies after resolutions had been reached in various meetings.

He noted that when an important issue was discussed, there was need to fix a time limit for proper implementation of the resolution.

Last February, we had similar meeting; I want us to assess how far we have gone in implementing those resolutions so reached at that meeting,  he said.

Mr Abubakar expressed readiness to always provide support that would assist in developing the region.

He said that attendance of the traditional leaders at the meeting was a clear testimony of their commitment, adding that they were always ready to render support on common issues affecting the region.

Earlier, Governor Nasir El-rufai of Kaduna State said the meeting was aimed at tapping ideas from the governors of the 19 northern states.

He said the region was faced with various economic and security challenges as was being witnessed in other parts of the country.

These have destroyed the rural economy and it is for this reason that we convened an emergency meeting, he said.

(NAN)
The Nigerian Navy has called for drastic measures against neighbouring countries as part of measures to end the proliferation of small and medium arms in Nigeria.

One of the stiff options is the building of walls along the Nigerian land borders or compelling those countries to enact strong gun regulation laws.

A Navy Commodore, Jemila Abubakar, stated this on Monday at the public hearing by the House of Representatives Committee on National Security and Intelligence in Abuja.

The hearing was organised by the committee to take the input of the public on four bills on national security.

The bills are: A Bill to Establish the National Commission Against the Proliferation of Small Arms and Light Weapons; A Bill to Make Provision for the Integration of Private Close Circuit Television (CCTV); A Bill to Repeal the Explosives Act; and A Bill to Designate the Month of November as the National Appreciation for Security Agencies Month.

Ms Abubakar, who represented the Chief of Naval Staff, Awwal Gambo, at the hearing, said arms donated to some African countries end up in Nigeria, adding that some Chadian army officers sell guns in the black market for as low as $20 when they are broke.

Nigeria shares border with Niger and Chad on in the North, Cameroon in the East and Benin Republic in the West.

READ ALSO:

She noted that most of these countries dont not have armoury to keep the guns donated to them.

I was in charge as a member of the fight against Boko Haram and I can tell you categorically here, I stand to be corrected, that some of these countries that we have borders with have no armoury.

They do not have armoury. So most of their arms that are being donated by  I dont want to be specific  the developed countries in the name of assisting us to fight our problems  are compounding our problems in Nigeria because you find out that each average Chadian soldier has 20 to 30 arms underneath his bed. When he is broke, he brings it out and sells it for 30 dollars, 20 dollars. I am here, I am standing here, and I am saying it.

Since we are going to collaborate with ECOWAS and other countries that are donating such arms to these countries (African countries) I think we should insist that they should either enact laws to govern the handling of these arms and ammunition or build an armoury for these countries or else we will not see peace.

While reacting to the bill to establish the integration of private close circuit television (CCTV) to fight insecurity, the naval officer made a case for border wall, noting that it is the only option to peace in Nigeria.

I think we should build a wall between us and these neighbouring countries or we should have serious surveillance or else we will not see peace in this country. I am telling you this, I have been in that area for years, so I know what is happening, Ms Abubakar said.

While declaring the event opened, the Speaker of the House, Femi Gbajabiamila urged the committee to ensure thet submissions of stakeholders were taken into consideration.
The trial of a former Chief of Air Staff, Mohammed Dikko Umar, a retired air marshal, resumed on Monday at the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, a statement by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) said.

Prosecuting counsel, Sylvanus Tahir, cross-examined the defendant, Mr Umar, at the resumed hearing.

Mr Tahir asked Mr Dikko to tell the court how long he served the Nigerian Air Force and any other thing he did, apart from working with the Nigerian Air Force.

The defendant told the court that he served for 36 years with the Nigerian Air force, and also owned three farms in Kaduna and Abuja.

According to him, the Abuja farm is 17 hectares of land and the other two in Kaduna are four hectares and 200 hectares respectively.

He said he took over as Chief of Air Staff on 8 September , 2010 and retired on 1 October , 2012.

The trial judge, Nnamdi Dimgba, thereafter adjourned the matter till Thursday, 30 September , for continuation of trial.

Mr Dikko was first arraigned on 25 January , 2017 on a seven-count charge of money laundering and procurement fraud to the tune of N4.8billion.

But with the judge dismissing six out of the seven counts in a ruling on Mr Umars no-case submission in February, only one count is left for him to defend.

The EFCC in the original seven-count charge had accused him of diverting over N4.8 billion from the Nigerian Air Forces account within 24 months and using the funds to buy personal property in choice areas.

The trial judge, Mr Dimgba, in his ruling on the no-case submission, dismissed six of the counts and ordered him to open his defence in respect of the one remaining count.

Mr Dimgba, said, in the 23 February ruling, he found merit in the no-case submission the defendant filed in relation to counts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 of the charge.

He,however, ordered the defendant to open his defence in relation to the count 7.

I hereby direct the defendant to open his defence in relation to this count Mr Dimgba held.

Alleged N66million diversion

The judge ruled that Mr Umar had a case to answer concerning the transfer of N66 million from the official bank accounts of the Nigerian Air Force in Stanbic IBTC to the bank account of a solicitor (who testified as the second prosecution witness).

The solicitor was said to have been engaged by the first prosecution witness on Mr Umars behalf as alleged in Count 7.

He noted that from the evidence led, the money was used for the renovations/improvement of the property in Asokoro which is the subject of count 3.

He noted that from the evidence led, the money was used for the renovations/improvement of the property in Asokoro which is the subject of count 3.

He added that the prosecutions evidence also showed that the property at Asokoro had been purchased by the defendant, through the PW1 and for his own personal use.

There was no evidence or suggestion that the property was an official property or that it belonged to the NAF or was being purchased for the NAF, the judge added.

He also said: The circumstances surrounding this transfer of funds raises questions bordering on breach of trust and abuse of office.

An explanation is needed in the context of a defence.
The family of a missing police officer, Emmanuel Gene, has threatened to sue the Nigeria Police Force.

Mr Gene, who was serving with the Ogun State Police Command, has been missing for nine months.

According to a petition to the Police Service Commission, the family requested that Mr Gene be declared dead or alive. The petition was also copied to the Inspector-General of Police and the Ogun State Commissioner of Police.

The missing officer was said to have been kidnapped by some hoodlums during an operation in Aba Tuntun in Ogun East senatorial district in December 2020.

In the petition, lawyer to the family, Kehinde Bamiwola, noted that Mr Gene had just given birth to a baby before he went missing, causing his family anguish.

It is the brief of Our Clients that, sometimes around 1st to 3rd of December, 2020, the Divisional Police Officer (D.P.O.) at Ijebu-Igbo, S.P Kazeem Solatan, upon the request of one Chief Abiodun Bello, the Baale of Aba-Titun at Ijebu-Igbo Area, mobilized his men (Men and Officers of the Nigeria Police Force) including PC Emmanuel Gene on an alleged ground of preventing trespass to land, the petition read.

Trespass to land is not within the jurisdictional powers of the Nigeria Police, unless the Police are on a mission of enforcing a valid judgment of a Court of competent jurisdiction, on the order presented by the Sheriff of the Court and in Compliance with the provisions of the Sheriff and Civil process Act, Laws of the Federation, 2004.

The family stated in the petition that Mr Gene was not kidnapped by land grabbers, as stated by the police, but got missing during an illegal operation authorised by the Divisional Police Officer.

It is disheartening that the facts leading to the illegal operation that led to the disappearance of PC Emmanuel Gene have been kept in the dark, the petition continued.

The Divisional Police Officer has not opened up on whether PC Emmanuel Gene is dead or alive. This is the most confusing and traumatic aspect of the entire issue since December, 2020.

S.P Kazeem (the D.P.O.) later claimed before the Commissioner of Police, Ogun State that PC Emmanuel was kidnapped by land grabbers in Aba-Titun. However, it defies logic to hear that his phone, bag and service gun has been recovered ever-since.

The family demanded an investigation into the incident.

We hereby call on the authority of the Nigeria Police to intervene by raising questions on the disappearance of PC Emmanuel Gene.

The Commissioner of Police, Ogun State, the Area Commander of Ijebu-Ode, AC Abiodun Onuoha and the D.P.O., SP Kazeem Solatan should provide answers to the questions. We are after rescuing the missing PC Emmanuel Gene.

Police react

Although the reporter could not get a reaction from Mr Solatan, the police command has reacted.

When contacted, Abimbola Oyeyemi, the police spokesperson in the state, said Mr Gene was abducted during a gun duel with some gun runners within the local government.

It happened that the police got a tip-off about some people stockpiling arms around Ijebu-Igbo and the police mobilised and went there, rounded the suspects up and arrested them.

On their way back they were ambushed and in the process four police men were abducted. The DPO then re-mobilised and went back there, during that operation three out of the four abducted (officers) were recovered remaining the officer in question alone and since then we have continued to search for this officer and by Gods grace we would get him as well.

Mr Oyeyemi said those arrested in connection with the incident are all currently in prison custody.
The Director-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Chikwe Ihekweazu, says the progression of the COVID-19 pandemic had shown that COVID-19 is a disease, which we will have to learn to live safely with.

Mr Ihekweazu said this on Monday in Abuja at the national briefing of the Presidential Steering Committee (PSC) on COVID-19, while encouraging Nigerians to get vaccinated, if they were yet to, and endeavour to get tested, if they felt any COVID-19 like symptoms.

Continue to take responsibility, to prevent COVID-19 infections, and work with us while we continue to lead on the response and ensure the continued safety of Nigerians, our neighbours and the world.

Globally, COVID-19 confirmed cases are now over 229 million and deaths of over 4.7 million. Over 5.8 billion vaccination doses have been administered.

Across the world, schools have reopened, masks and vaccine mandates have been debated, the Delta variant continues to dominate and pose a threat with its increased transmissibility, and countries like New Zealand have reinforced restrictions.

Here in Nigeria, COVID-19 confirmed cases now exceed 200,000 and unfortunately, deaths exceed 2,600, he said.

The NCDC boss said that the Agency had continued to work with sister agencies and partners, to sustain the COVID-19 response and ensure better preparedness for future outbreaks.

Last week, the NCDC and partners  US-CDC  concluded the public health emergency management for professional development programme certification course in Lagos.

The pandemic has continued over the past 19 months and now it is quite easy to become desensitised to numbers, however, we must not forget that the cases and deaths are not just numbers but family members, loved ones, friends and even colleagues, he added.

Mr Ihekweazu noted that countries across the world were continuing to live with the new normal of facemasks, providing proof of vaccinations to gain entry to work, younger age groups now receiving vaccines in countries such as Cambodia, which was now vaccinating children aged 6-12.

Of the great achievement of almost 6 billion vaccine doses being administered, only 2% had been administered in Africa.

Vaccine inequity has been an unfortunate feature of this pandemic and while efforts persist towards advocacy for increased sharing, for those who do have access to vaccines, we must not squander our opportunities, Mr Ihekweazu said.

I encourage us all to make sure to take the opportunity provided to get vaccinated. The vaccines are safe and they are effective.

Keep yourselves informed with credible information, from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, National Primary Health Care Development Agency, the World Health Organisation and such, he said.

He added: we are faced with a different world to what we knew pre-pandemic and we have to continue to take responsibility, assess the situation in our environments and take well informed decisions to protect ourselves and those around us.

Mr Ihekweazu said that colleagues, other sister agencies and the agencys strong partners continue to work together to lead on all pillars of the COVID-19 response.

The national COVID-19 Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) continues to meet weekly to assess the epidemiology of COVID-19, following up on non-testing and on non-reporting states, strategising on ways to effectively sustain the response.

Antigen-based rapid diagnostic tests have been piloted at NYSC camps nationwide, selected high burden health facilities in FCT, Katsina, Kaduna, Sokoto and Rivers.

In addition, zonal level Training of Trainers has occurred in five zones, with the last zone, the South-East, which held last week.

We continue to extend efforts to scale-up genomic sequencing to enable us make informed decisions based on the circulating variants in-country, he said.

Mr Ihekweazu noted that the logistics pillar had successfully distributed medical commodities and personal protective equipment nationwide in recent weeks, ensuring that laboratories, treatment centres and other relevant facilities had all that they needed.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mondays PSC briefing was the last for Mr Ihekweazu as the Director General, NCDC as he heads to the World Health Organisation to take up post as Assistant Director-General for health emergency intelligence on November 1, 2021.

The chairman of the PSC and secretary to the government of the federation, Boss Mustapha, praised him for his diligence, professionalism and commitment to duty and the nation.

At the WHO, Mr Ihekweazu is expected to lead the work on strengthening pandemic and epidemic intelligence globally, including heading the WHOs hub for pandemic and epidemic intelligence.
Of the 157 countries ranked in the 2019 global Human Capital Index, Chad occupied the last position, with 6.3 million Chadians living in extreme poverty. Military intervention is nothing but an aberration. Africas governing elites should implement effective governance and tackle the root causes of conflict  inequality and poverty. National, sub-regional, and regional actors should focus on silencing the pervasive poverty in Africa

On July 29, the capital of Chad, NDjamena, was a theatre of mass protest in opposition to the military junta, which took control of the country after the long-serving ruler, President Idriss Deby Itno, died in April, while reportedly leading a four-week offensive against rebels in northern Chad. The military, now led by Idrisss son, Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno, immediately assumed power. The main opposition party, The Transformers, and civil society actors, mobilised the people against the democratic reversal and the confiscation of power by the Transitional Military Council under Mahamats leadership. Mahamat has personalised power since April and embarked on regime consolidation, together with 14 generals who were loyal to his father.

French President Emmanuel Macron, who had attended President Idrisss burial, met with the military rulers. The objectives and outcomes of this meeting were unclear, but based on Mahamats decision to dissolve the parliament, repeal the constitution, and set a 18-month transitional period, the ruling junta is now firmly in control. Frances foreign minister, Jean-Yves Le Drian, defended the military regime, citing exceptional circumstances as the reason for dissolving the National Assembly. Would this have been his response had this occurred in France? Besides Chad, the Malian army struck in August 2020 and May 2021. Is this becoming a pattern, and what are the foreign troops securing in the Sahel?

The Chadian military has tried to gain local and international alliances but based on their autocratic nature, there is growing apprehension about the future of democracy in the Central African country. While France had initially pledged support for the military regime, it has since made a dramatic U-turn and called for the formation of a civilian national unity government. Chad, which serves as the main Western ally against Islamic militants across the Sahel, has been battling with an armed group, the Front for Change and Concord in Chad (FACT). About nine people were reportedly killed during the July protest, and seven died during similar protests in April and May. Intercommunal clashes and flooding, caused by climate change, continue to also claim lives and displace people in the Lac province. In March, between 20,000 and 30,000 people were forced to flee because of sporadic attacks in Bohoma, a village in the province. They joined the 208,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) and 13,900 refugees already in Lac province.

According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), 237,000 refugees and 300,000 IDPs are living in Niger, which includes an additional 4,000 refugees and 2,000 newly displaced in 2021, due to attacks in the Tillaberi and Tahoua regions. In June, local armed men unleashed violence on a village  Solhan  in northeast Burkina Faso, near the Nigerien border.

Other African states have experienced incessant threats to human security. In Nigeria, a United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) report recently revealed that attacks from the dreaded Boko Haram, including its splinter group  Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), and Fulani herdsmen have resulted in 2.7 million IDPs and 350,000 deaths. Besides the infiltration of Boko Harams terrorism in Chad, the spill-over effects of conflicts in its neighbouring countries  Cameroon, Libya, Sudan, and Niger  have compounded its quest for stability. According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), 237,000 refugees and 300,000 IDPs are living in Niger, which includes an additional 4,000 refugees and 2,000 newly displaced in 2021, due to attacks in the Tillaberi and Tahoua regions. In June, local armed men unleashed violence on a village  Solhan  in northeast Burkina Faso, near the Nigerien border. This attack claimed 138 lives and 40 sustained injuries, and the gun-wielding men set residential areas and the market ablaze.

Last month, South Africans and the global community watched in horror as lawlessness and violence, unprecedented in the countrys democratic history, were unleashed. What had started as pro-Zuma protests, after his imprisonment for contempt of court, became a free-for-all looting spree, uncontrolled criminality, and wholesale arson of factories and warehouses, that caused an estimated R50 billion in damages. More than 40,000 businesses, and 300 banks and post offices were destroyed, with 300 lives lost in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng provinces. While the Cyril Ramaphosa-led government could have reacted more swiftly, the administration has restored order to the warring zones due to the resilience of South Africas socio-political institutions. However, some of the conflict areas remain volatile.

The death of Libyas strongman, Muammar al-Qadaffi, continues to haunt his country, making it insecure. The protracted conflict in Sudan has ceased from attracting headlines, but many communities are still under the control of local rebels and conflict persists in Darfur. As recently as last January, hundreds of Sudanese nationals were killed and about 150,000 displaced when a suspected Arab rebel group attacked the el Geneina camp in West Darfur. In April, another outbreak of conflict in the town claimed the lives of more than 100 people, while thousands were displaced and fled to Chad.

Despite slow efforts to silence the guns in Africa, cases of bloodletting abound. What accounts for the expanding proliferation of conflicts? The colonial legacy? While this is close to the heart, the false promise of liberal democracy and capitalism systems have exposed the fragility of the disjointed elitist states that are dependent on global financial oligarchs, many of which are governed by greedy, corrupt, and inept leaders.

In 2016, what started as a protest by the two anglophone regions against marginalisation by the majority French-speaking government has turned Cameroon into a war zone. The violent conflict between the central government and minority separatist groups has killed over 4,000 people and displaced more than a million, including 66,899 refugees who fled to Nigeria. Boko Haram has killed over 3,000 people and displaced 250,000 in northern Cameroon. The country has also played host to 441,000 refugees, mostly from Nigeria and the Central African Republic.

Despite slow efforts to silence the guns in Africa, cases of bloodletting abound. What accounts for the expanding proliferation of conflicts? The colonial legacy? While this is close to the heart, the false promise of liberal democracy and capitalism systems have exposed the fragility of the disjointed elitist states that are dependent on global financial oligarchs, many of which are governed by greedy, corrupt, and inept leaders. Democratisation in Africa, which is seen as the antidote to both internal resurrections and external aggressions, has deepened poverty, structural violence, identity assertiveness and the politicisation of ethnic groups. Poverty remains closely associated with conflict. Of the 157 countries ranked in the 2019 global Human Capital Index, Chad occupied the last position, with 6.3 million Chadians living in extreme poverty. Military intervention is nothing but an aberration. Africas governing elites should implement effective governance and tackle the root causes of conflict  inequality and poverty. National, sub-regional, and regional actors should focus on silencing the pervasive poverty in Africa, before reviewing the ambitious African Unions project of silencing the guns.

Adeoye O. Akinola is a Head of Research and Teaching at the University of Johannesburgs Institute for Pan-African Thought and Conversation, South Africa.
At least 34 people were killed on Monday when armed persons attacked Madamai community in Kaura Local Government Area of Kaduna State, an official has said. Many other residents were also injured in the attack.

The Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, who confirmed the attack, condemned it and called on security agencies to fish out the perpetrators.

The Kaduna State Commissioner of Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, said the state government would bear the cost of treatment of those injured, the News Agency of Nigeria reports.

He said Mr El-Rufai has therefore directed the Kaduna State Emergency Management Agency to assess the situation with a view to assisting the affected households.

He consoled with the families of the victims and prayed for the repose of the souls of those that died.

Mr El-Rufai appealed for calm and urged the security agencies to intensify efforts at fishing out the culprits.

Earlier, Mr Aruwan had said in a statement that security agencies reported the killings in Kaura to the government.

He said troops mobilised to the location but also came under fire, before forcing the assailants to withdraw after an intense exchange.

Kaduna is one of the states most affected by banditry with thousands of people killed or kidnapped by the armed men despite the efforts of security agencies.

Police arrest five kidnappers in Zaria

In another development, the police in the state police said they arrested five suspected kidnappers in the early hours of Sunday, and killed another suspect in a botched kidnap attempt in Zaria on Monday.

The spokesperson, Mohammed Jalige, said this in a statement on Monday in Kaduna.

Mr Jalige said the police on September 26, at about 3 a.m. acted on credible intelligence that an 18-seater bus was conveying suspected rustled cows along the Barde, Keffi road.

READ ALSO:

Based on the information, operatives of the command attached to Kafanchan Division swung into action and intercepted the said vehicle and arrested the five suspects.

Among the suspects arrested is a notorious kidnapper, who has been on the commands wanted list and the 13 rustled cows was recovered from him, he said.

Mr Jalige said the owner of the cows was identified from Uddah village and the cattle handed over to him.

He also said the officers foiled a kidnap attempt by one of the bandits.

On 27 Sept, at 0030hrs the command received a distress call through the Divisional Police Officer, Zaria City that some bandits in large number invaded the residence of one person at Nagoyi Quarters, Zaria in their desperate attempt to kidnap the occupant of the house.

On getting the information, a team of police men alongside members of vigilante services led by the DPO rushed to the area and engaged the bandits in a gun duel.

As a result, one bandit was neutralised while others took to their heels with bullet wounds abandoning their mission, he said.

He said the corpse of the bandit was deposited at Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Teaching Hospital, Shika.

Mr Jalige urged members of the public to report any person with suspected bullet injury to the nearest police station.
Waldorf Stories is a celebration of the property's 90th Anniversary on Park Avenue, which is commemorated on October 1st the date the Waldorf Astoria opened in 1931. With Waldorf Stories , the public is invited to submit their stories through a variety of mediums on the website, including uploading videos, photographs, written testimonials, and scanned memorabilia. Entries from around the world are welcome and individuals are encouraged to share special memories, life events, and indelible moments that took place at the hotel.

"When we purchased the legendary Waldorf Astoria, we knew we were taking on the mantle of preserving its great history. We are celebrating the hotel's 90th anniversary by capturing its history through the memories of the people who have walked its hallowed halls," said Andrew Miller, CEO of Dajia US, which is overseeing the property's unprecedented restoration currently underway.

The Waldorf Astoria has been a beacon of timeless glamour and a cultural touchstone throughout its decades in New York Cityhome to Hollywood's elite, host to countless world leaders including every U.S. President from Herbert Hoover to Barack Obama, and the site of famed cultural events and galas. An integral part of Waldorf Stories will be capturing memories ranging from everyday meetings to decade-defining events.

At launch, the Waldorf Stories website will feature a selection of carefully curated stories from individuals including: Hughie Weir, the hotel's events director from the 1950s through the 1980s, who knew everyone from Cole Porter to Elsa Maxwell; John Clark, who purchased the Cole Porter suite dining table at auction to honor his own family's long history of celebrating holidays at the hotel; Kevin Ryan, whose father was Thomas Ryan, Executive Vice President and General Manager of the Thompson-Starrett Company, the construction company that built Waldorf Astoria in 1931; Abbie Newman, whose first job was in the housekeeping department; and Jennifer & Nick Boccagno, who celebrated their wedding at the Waldorf Astoria by leaving a time capsule hidden in their wedding suite.

When it opened in 1931, the Waldorf Astoria was the largest and tallest hotel in the worldbuilt during the Great Depression in only a year. Renowned architects Schultze & Weaver were responsible for the design of the original building which became known as the "unofficial palace of New York" and set an architectural benchmark with its Art Deco design. On opening day President Hoover delivered a congratulatory message from the Cabinet Room of the White House via live radio, saying, "the opening of the new Waldorf Astoria is an event in the advancement of hotels, even in New York City. It carries great tradition in national hospitalitymarks the measure of a nation's growth in power, in comfort, and in artistryan exhibition of courage and confidence to the whole nation."

The property is currently in the midst of an unprecedented restoration, undertaken with care by developer Dajia US; renowned architects Skidmore, Owings & Merrill; and hotel interior designer Pierre-Yves Rochon, with great attention given to the original Art Deco design. As part of the restoration, for the first time ever, Waldorf Astoria New York will offer private residences for purchase known as The Towers of the Waldorf Astoria. It will offer 375 residences starting from $1.8 million and featuring sophisticated residential interiors and amenities by internationally renowned designer Jean-Louis Deniot. Douglas Elliman Development Marketing is exclusively handling sales and marketing for the property.

The building's Instagram @WaldorfNYC will curate selections from Waldorf Stories using the hashtag #WaldorfStories. To submit your memory to Waldorf Stories, please visit www.waldorfstories.com . For additional information on The Towers of the Waldorf Astoria, please visit www.waldorftowers.nyc or call 212.872.1200.

PR CONTACTS:

Optimist Consulting  United States

Waldorftowers@optimistconsulting.com

PRCO  International

property@prco.com

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1632607/WANY_Residential___Exterior___Looking_Up_at_49th_Street__1.jpg

SOURCE The Towers of the Waldorf Astoria
GTS was founded in 2007 and consists of two divisions providing software solutions for the security industry, comprising advanced IoT solutions, building technologies, engineering, automation and energy efficiency, facility management and technical maintenance. GTS is one of the largest players in this sector in Romania, counting most of the largest banks, oil companies, shopping malls, retailers and international manufacturing and distribution companies among its clients.

Abris invested in the business in 2019 with the aim of accelerating the innovation process and laying the foundations for international expansion.

Adrian Stanculescu, Partner at Abris, commented:

"The acquisition of Lummetry.AI is the next exciting step in GTS's growth story. Already the business has seen an impressive CAGR of nearly 50% in the past five years, and we expect to continue realizing double-digit revenue growth over the next five. The combination of these two teams will help us further improve our offering to clients and build our market-leading position."

Lummetry.AI offers solutions that work as AI "engines", which integrate with existing IT tools, security and video monitoring infrastructure, transforming the platforms into solutions capable of automatically processing multiple video streams and large amounts of data. The company will complement GTS by bringing capabilities for the development, implementation and maintenance of software platforms dedicated to security systems management, as well as a track record of successful projects and a team with an advanced level of expertise in the field of AI.

Mihai Stanescu, founder and CEO of GTS, added:

"GTS is differentiated by its ability to develop and integrate different areas in the IoT sector. Over the past two years, alongside Lummetry.AI, we have accelerated the integration of AI algorithms in everything we do, bringing a tremendous advantage to clients, who can benefit from advanced technology even if platforms used were not originally designed to be monitored with advanced software. As part of the value-creation process, Abris has supported the professionalization of the business, at the same time growing it significantly together with our management team."

Following the acquisition, GTS will continue to invest in Lummetry.AI's research and development of AI engines. In addition, GTS is preparing to launch a new software platform for monitoring and managing security systems that will include integrated AI-based modules such as perimeter violation, people counting, people presence identification, camera tempering and crowd detection. The company is also preparing for an international expansion, beginning in 2022, to leverage its strong IoT and AI solutions.

Pawel Gierynski, Managing Partner at Abris, commented:

"At Abris, we remain committed to our strategy of transforming local players into regional champions. During the pandemic, we saw that digitization and the transition to cloud services accelerated across most industries. I am therefore extremely proud that our Romanian portfolio company is on the right path to become the leading technology-driven security and service integrator in Central Europe. We look forward to supporting the group as it consolidates its position in the market further."

Abris Capital Partners

Abris Capital Partners is a leading independent private equity fund manager, focused on mid-market opportunities in the major countries of Central Europe. Established in 2007, Abris seeks to identify, and partner with, the most successful and dynamic mid-market businesses in Central Europe, which can benefit from an input of capital and/or management expertise at both strategic and operational levels. With investment capital of almost 1.3 billion, Abris has obtained financial backing from many leading global investment institutions including corporate and public pension plans, financial institutions, funds of funds and US university endowment funds. Abris has a long-term investment horizon and usually targets transactions in which it is able to acquire a majority or sole ownership position. The typical financial commitment by Abris to any single transaction can range from 30 million to 75 million, with larger commitments available if required. The Abris advisory business operates using teams based in Warsaw and Bucharest.

GTS

GTS is part of GTS Global Technical Group - one of the leading technology and security integrators in Romania, owned by Abris Capital Partners. The group consists of two divisions: Physical Security & Safety (focusing mostly on software) and Building Technologies (with a hardware component). The companies in the physical security division form a one-stop shop for the clients, with the ability to provide a broad range of services and expertise, from the development phase to project completion, by providing services such as: systems design, implementation, maintenance, software platform development and monitoring services. GTS Global Intelligence is known for developing CAVI Smart Monitoring & CAVI Share Alert, two innovative security solutions.

Lummetry.AI

Lummetry.AI is a Romanian artificial intelligence company that uses Big Data & in-house developed solutions to help companies identify and capitalize untapped business opportunities. The company focuses on facilitating knowledge work by leveraging Big Data and the Internet of Things (IoT) with the power of Machine Learning and Deep Learning models. Lummetry has developed VAPOR, a video analytics engine built to run on customers' existing video infrastructure; SEER, a predictive analytics engine based on Machine Learning and Deep Learning, which can be integrated both into video monitoring systems and solutions for predictive stock replenishment or sales forecasting, and ALLAN, an automated text analytics engine, also available for the Romanian language.

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1634702/Mihai_Stanescu.jpg

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1308513/Abris_Capital_Partners_Logo.jpg

Related Links

www.abris-capital.com



SOURCE Abris Capital Partners
ALEXANDRIA, Va. and SHELBURNE, Vt., Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Affinity Empowering, Inc., a leading provider of the most sophisticated and secure occupational, behavioral, and direct-to-consumer health services, today announced that the Lake Champlain Waldorf School (LCWS) has been enrolled in Operation Expanded Testing (OET) and has been conducting no-cost weekly COVID-19 testing for its students and faculty since early September. LCWS is the first school in the state of Vermont to enroll in OET.

Through OET, LCWS is providing weekly testing for its 185 students and all faculty and staff as one of many COVID-19 safety measures, with the goal of maintaining in-person learning for the 2021-22 school year. LCWS is a Pre-K through 12 private school that provides a comprehensive, cultural education to encourage students to become creative, balanced, and socially responsible adults who love to learn.

"We know how important it is to keep our students learning in person for their ability to access the curriculum as well as their social emotional learning. Along with upgrading our ventilation system and moving some classes outdoors, PCR testing has been one of our biggest mitigation strategies at the school," said Emily Bayer-Pacht, Vice President of the Board of Directors and Chair of the Health and Safety Committee at LCWS. "We made the decision to require all students ages five and up and all faculty and staff to participate in the PCR testing, so when we get a negative school-wide test, it really gives us peace of mind to know our community is doing what we can to stay safe."

"We commend LCWS for enrolling into Operation Expanded Testing and setting an example for COVID-19 safety in the state of Vermont. Surveillance COVID-19 testing, especially tests conducted with the gold standard PCR method of detection, is such an important measure to help reduce outbreak risk, keep kids in school, and maintain peace of mind in the community," said Anne Haslerud, Vice President of Recruitment and Enrollment at Affinity Empowering. "Testing through OET is convenient, highly accurate, has a short turnaround time for results, and is a more comfortable experience than other COVID-19 tests  all great reasons for an organization to enroll."

Media Invitation

Media representatives are invited to LCWS on Wednesday, September 29 between 10-11 a.m. to cover the first school in Vermont to enroll into OET, the federal COVID-19 testing program. Testing will occur for all students, staff, and faculty.

Media representatives may enter the school at 359 Turtle Lane, Shelburne, VT 05482. LCWS faculty and students being tested for COVID-19 under OET will be available for interviews and news footage.

Advantages of Operation Expanded Testing

Affinity Empowering offers the OET program on behalf of Eurofins Clinical. Affinity and Eurofins use PCR testing, the gold standard for accurate detection of COVID-19. The PCR test used in OET has 100% sensitivity and specificity, meaning that there are no false positives or false negatives. It also has the lowest limit of detection for any authorized COVID-19 test, enabling detection of COVID-19 at its earliest stages when viral load is low.

While testing, individuals submit two samples - collected from the tip of the nose for minimal invasiveness. One sample from each individual is pooled together to expedite sample analysis. If a pool shows a positive result, the individual secondary samples from that pool are immediately analyzed. This scheme avoids the need for sample recollection and lowers the overall turnaround time for results. Through its proprietary Assure integrated technology platform, Affinity delivers COVID-19 test results with an average turnaround time of 24 hours.

About Operation Expanded Testing

Operation Expanded Testing (OET) is a federally funded program to provide no-cost, "click and go" COVID-19 surveillance testing to congregate settings, including K-12 schools, Historically Black Colleges & Universities (HBCUs), correctional facilities, homeless shelters, and select, nonprofit community centers through July 2022. COVID-19 surveillance testing is recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for the safe reopening of schools.

Affinity and Eurofins are coordinating OET program implementation to these institutions in 26 Northeastern and Southern states and additional territories, in agreement with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) in coordination with the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD).

Unlike other federal programs to fund COVID-19 testing, OET has no upfront costs nor paperwork. Interested eligible parties can simply visit Affinity's OET website and click the "Enroll Today" button and provide some basic information. Affinity will then provide the resources and training necessary to establish a COVID-19 testing program at your institution. For questions or additional information, visit the website or contact Affinity's 24/7 customer service staff directly (email: [email protected], phone: 1-844-631-0469).

About Affinity Empowering

Affinity Empowering is a leading occupational health, population, and disease management life sciences organization that specializes in providing technology-based solutions and support for overall health and wellness endeavors. In addition to providing occupational health, mental health, and cutting edge, wrap around substance use support, the company also has become a major provider of COVID-19 testing. Its Return to Normalcy program provides COVID-19 consultation, support, and conducts thousands of onsite and at home testing options to safely screen, monitor, and test populations. It currently supports numerous business partners in various fields, ranging from government contracts, universities, top Fortune 100 companies, and major film and television production companies.

For more information, please visit https://www.affinitytesting.com

Media Contacts

Lindsay Francescutti

Lake Champlain Waldorf School

(802) 985-2827 x271

[email protected]

David Melamed

Russo Partners, LLC

(212) 845-4225

[email protected]

SOURCE Affinity Empowering, Inc.
MEXICO CITY, Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Becle, S.A.B. de C.V. (the "Issuer") today announced that Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC ("Morgan Stanley") has commenced a cash tender offer (the "Offer") for any and all of the Issuer's outstanding 3.750% Senior Notes due 2025 (the "Notes"). The Notes are governed by the indenture dated as of May 13, 2015 (the "Indenture"), among the Issuer, certain subsidiary guarantors party thereto and Citibank, N.A., as trustee (the "Trustee").

The Offer is being made upon the terms and subject to the conditions contained in an offer to purchase and consent solicitation statement dated September 27, 2021 (the "Offer to Purchase"). THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS NOT AN OFFER TO PURCHASE OR A SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER TO PURCHASE OF THE ISSUER. THE OFFER WILL BE MADE SOLELY BY THE OFFEROR PURSUANT TO THE OFFER TO PURCHASE.

The Offer has an early deadline for tenders of Notes and delivery of the Consents (as defined below) of 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on October 8, 2021 (unless extended) (the "Consent Payment and Withdrawal Deadline") and Notes validly tendered (and not validly withdrawn) and accepted for tender by that deadline are expected, subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the Offer to Purchase, to be purchased by Morgan Stanley on October 12, 2021 (the "Initial Settlement Date"). Notes may also be tendered after the Consent Payment and Withdrawal Deadline and up until 11:59 p.m., New York City time, on October 25, 2021 (unless extended) (the "Offer Expiration Time") and any notes so tendered are expected, subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the Offer to Purchase, to be purchased by Morgan Stanley on October 27, 2021. Tendered Notes and the related Consents may not be withdrawn subsequent to the Consent Payment and Withdrawal Deadline.

The total consideration ("Total Consideration") to be paid in the Offer includes a consent payment (the "Consent Payment") of $50.00 per $1,000 principal amount of Notes payable in respect of Notes validly tendered (and not validly withdrawn) and accepted for purchase pursuant to the terms of the Offer and as to which Consents to the Proposed Amendments (as defined below) to the Indenture are validly delivered (and not revoked) on or prior to Consent Payment and Withdrawal Deadline. Holders must validly tender their Notes on or prior to the Consent Payment and Withdrawal Deadline and not validly withdraw their Notes in order to be eligible to receive the Total Consideration for Notes purchased in the Offer. Holders who validly tender their Notes after the Consent Payment and Withdrawal Deadline and on or prior to the Offer Expiration Time will be eligible to receive an amount, paid in cash, equal to the Total Consideration minus the Consent Payment (such amount referred to as the "Purchase Price"). Holders whose Notes are accepted for purchase in the Offer will receive accrued and unpaid interest in respect of such purchased Notes from, and including, the last interest payment date to, but not including, the applicable settlement date and certain additional amounts, if any, as set forth in the Offer to Purchase.

The following table sets forth the hypothetical Total Consideration per $1,000 principal amount of Notes to be offered to holders of the Notes of the Offer:

Notes CUSIP

Nos./ISINs Principal

Amount

Outstanding Reference Security Relevant

Bloomberg

Page Fixed

Spread Hypothetical Total

Consideration per

$1,000 principal

amount of Notes(1) 3.750% Senior

Notes due 2025 Rule 144A

CUSIP No.:

47215T AA6

Reg S CUSIP

No.:

P59705AA4

Rule 144A ISIN:

US47215TAA60

Reg S ISIN:

USP59705AA47 $500,000,000 0.375% U.S. Treasury

Note due April 30, 2025 FIT5 25 bps $1,098.67

1 Hypothetical total consideration was calculated on the basis of the bid-side price of the Reference Security at 11:00 a.m., New York City time, on September 24, 2021. The total consideration includes a consent payment of $50.00 per $1,000 principal amount of Notes validly tendered (and not validly withdrawn) at or prior to the Consent Payment and Withdrawal Deadline and accepted for purchase pursuant to the Offer

In conjunction with the Offer, the Morgan Stanley is soliciting with respect to the Notes (such solicitation, the "Consent Solicitation"), consents (the "Consents") of holders of the Notes to the proposed amendments to the Indenture, which would amend the Indenture to reduce the notice periods required for an optional redemption of the Notes and eliminate certain of the restrictive covenants and events of default applicable to the Notes (the "Proposed Amendments"). In order for the Proposed Amendments to be effective, such Proposed Amendments must be consented to by the holders of a majority of the aggregate principal amount outstanding of the Notes (the "Requisite Consents"). The Offer is not conditioned upon the receipt of the Requisite Consents. The Consent Payment will still be payable on Notes validly tendered prior to the Consent Payment and Withdrawal Deadline even if the Requisite Consents are not obtained. Holders who tender Notes pursuant to the Offer shall be deemed to deliver their Consents to the Proposed Amendments. Holders may not deliver Consents in the Consent Solicitation without tendering their Notes in the Offer and may not revoke Consents without withdrawing the previously tendered Notes to which such Consents relate.

D.F. King & Co., Inc. has been retained to act as tender agent and information agent for the Offer and Consent Solicitation (the "Tender Agent and Information Agent"). Copies of the Offer to Purchase are available to holders of Notes from the Tender Agent and Information Agent at +1 (800) 884-5101.

Morgan Stanley, Citigroup Global Markets Inc. ("Citigroup") and Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC ("Goldman Sachs") have been engaged to act as dealer managers in connection with the Offer. Questions regarding the Offer may be directed to Morgan Stanley at +1 (212) 761-1057 (collect) or +1 (800) 624-1808 (U.S. toll free); Citigroup at +1 (212) 723-6106 (collect) or +1 (800) 558-3745 (U.S. toll free); or Goldman Sachs at +1 (212) 357-1452 (collect) or +1 (800) 828-3182 (U.S. toll free).

Each of the Offeror and the Issuer, as the case may be, reserves the right, in its sole discretion, not to accept any tenders of Notes for any reason. The Offer is subject to the satisfaction of certain conditions, as described in the Offer to Purchase. Morgan Stanley reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to waive any and all conditions of the Offer, at or prior to the Offer Expiration Time. Morgan Stanley reserves the right to terminate, withdraw or amend the Offer and the Consent Solicitation at any time and from time to time as set forth in the Offer to Purchase.

The Offer is being made in connection with a substantially concurrent offering of senior notes by the Issuer to be sold in an offering exempt from the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "New Notes"). This press release is for informational purposes only and is not an offer to purchase or a solicitation of an offer to purchase or sell any securities (including the senior notes offered by the Issuer pursuant to any substantially concurrent offering), nor shall there be any sale of any 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.

The Issuer is not making the Tender Offer. The Issuer has consented to the Offeror making the Offer described in the Offer to Purchase. The Offer is made only by and pursuant to the Offer to Purchase. Neither Morgan Stanley nor the Issuer makes any recommendations as to whether holders should tender their Notes pursuant to the Offer.

It is intended that the Notes purchased by the Offeror pursuant to the Offer at the Initial Settlement Date will be exchanged by the Offeror to the Issuer for a decrease in the proceeds payable by the Offeror and the other initial purchasers in respect of the New Notes. It is intended that the Notes purchased by the Offeror pursuant to the Offer at the Final Settlement Date (as defined in the Offer to Purchase) will be exchanged by the Offeror for cash to be paid by the Issuer.

For further information, please contact:

BECLE, S.A.B. DE C.V.

Guillermo Gonzalez Camarena No. 800-4

Alvaro Obregon, Santa Fe, 01210

Mexico City, Mexico

+ 52 55 5258 7000

[email protected]



Legal Notice

This announcement is not an offer to purchase, a solicitation of an offer to purchase or deliver Consents, a solicitation of Notes or a solicitation to deliver Consents, or an offer or solicitation to sell any securities. The Offer is not being made to, nor will the Offeror accept tenders of Notes from holders in any jurisdiction in which the Offer would not be in compliance with the securities or blue sky laws of such jurisdiction.

This press release contains forward-looking statements, including statements regarding the terms of the Offer. These statements are merely estimates and as such are based exclusively on management's expectations for the Issuer, the business of the Issuer and the proposed transactions discussed herein. These forward-looking statements depend materially on changes in market conditions, government regulations, pressures from competitors and the performance of the industry and macro-economic factors, among other factors, many of which are outside the Issuer's control or ability to predict, that could cause actual results to differ materially from such statements. All forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made. Given these uncertainties, you should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements. Each of the Issuer and the Offeror disclaims any obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

This press release must be read in conjunction with the Offer to Purchase. This announcement and the Offer to Purchase contain important information which must be read carefully before any decision is made with respect to the Offer. If any holder of Notes is in any doubt as to the action it should take, it is recommended to seek its own legal, tax, accounting and financial advice, including as to any tax consequences, immediately from its stockbroker, bank manager, attorney, accountant or other independent financial or legal adviser. Any individual or company whose Notes are held on its behalf by a broker, dealer, bank, custodian, trust company or other nominee or intermediary must contact such entity if it wishes to participate in the Offer. None of the Issuer, Morgan Stanley, the dealer managers, the Tender Agent and Information Agent and any person who controls, or is a director, officer, employee or agent of such persons, or any affiliate of such persons, makes any recommendation as to whether holders of Notes should participate in the Offer.

SOURCE Becle, S.A.B. de C.V.
"By reintroducing cheetahs to Coutada 11, we have potentially expanded the wild cheetah range by 30%." -Dan Cabela Tweet this

"In the past century, the wild cheetah population declined from approximately 100,000 individuals to just around 6,700 globally and zero in the Zambeze Delta," Dan Cabela, director of Twelve Cheetahs and executive director of the Cabela Family Foundation, said. "By reintroducing cheetahs to Coutada 11, we have potentially expanded the wild cheetah range by 30%. When you can reintroduce a species to an intact and vast ecosystem while also expanding the potential range of that species, it positively impacts wildlife conservation."

On August 27, a coalition of partners, including the Cabela Family Foundation (CFF), Ivan Carter Wildlife Alliance (ICWA), Zambeze Delta Conservation (ZDC), Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) and National Administration for Conservation Areas (ANAC) deployed a strategic, staggered effort to release the first six cheetahs into a remote region of a 4,500-square kilometer Zambeze Delta area of Mozambique called Coutada 11. Three more cheetahs were released on August 28, and the remaining two cheetahs on August 29. Four females and seven males were released in total. One cheetah died in Mawali prior to the transplant and release.

Willem Briers-Louw, scientist and a member of the Twelve Cheetahs team, estimates that this project will increase the number of cheetahs to as many as 100 within 15 years. There are tracking collars on all of the cheetahs, which allow for close monitoring with a GPS and VHF tracking device by a group of on-the-ground zoologists, wildlife experts and conservations, including Briers-Louw and Mark Haldane, owner of Zambeze Delta Safaris, among others. A helicopter is monitoring the cheetah population, and can rapidly respond in case of a poaching emergency, injury, birth, etc.

Since the release, all cheetahs remained in their original groups, which include two sibling groups, two single females and one male coalition, which consists of two males. All groups have remained within the pan network, which is a grassland area surrounded by forest. The pans have game the cheetahs will hunt for food, including reedbuck, warthog and nyala. The zoology experts on the ground confirm all cheetahs have made their own kills for food. The zoologists have conducted daily visual sightings of the cheetahs and report they are in great condition.

The cheetahs are genetically diverse and from various game reserves in South Africa and Malawi. After being transported to Coutada 11, the cheetahs were placed in a boma so they could de-stress and acclimate to the new environment in a process called a "soft release." With the final release and transplant successfully completed, the entire team is confident that the ongoing research and follow-up combined with anti-poaching efforts will see these animals thrive. The Cabela Family Foundation has committed to funding research through at least 2022.

"Preserving our planet's natural wildlife and their environments through conservation is incredibly meaningful to my entire family and especially my late husband, Dick Cabela," Mary Cabela, founder of the Cabela Family Foundation, said. "To see how well the lions flourished, reproduced and settled into an area once completely void of the species, gives me hope and excitement about reintroducing the cheetahs back to this very special place." Mary, Dan and members of the family traveled to Mozambique to oversee the move.

Cheetahs are listed as Vulnerable on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. It is the only large carnivore that historically occurred in the landscape not currently present in the area. Therefore, this move completes the African large carnivore guild that naturally occurs in the area, which is important as only 8% of carnivore guilds in Africa are thought to be intactadding substantial conservation value to the species and to the ecosystem.

Research has shown that primary or 'apex' predators such as cheetahs have been dramatically reduced and completely eliminated in approximately 30 countries. In Africa particularly, as the human population and illegal poaching increased, cheetahs' suffered habitat loss, which resulted in the large-scale depletion of the species from its former range in the country.

Mozambique's wildlife has largely returned to the Zambeze Delta following civil war and thanks to sound conservation practices and 30 years of dedicated anti-poaching efforts, especially since the Twenty Four Lions effort began in 2018.

"Since 2018, our anti-poaching unit (APU) has become more effective by using the integration of the Spatial Monitoring and Reporting Tool (SMART), a system that enables the collection, storage, communication and evaluation of data," Haldane said. "Information about poaching activity is immediately relayed to the research team, who will ensure the animals are not caught in snares or traps. If an animal is trapped, the area is patrolled, and all snares and traps will be removed."

Prior to the release, the research team spent time to ensure the local community was prepared for the cheetah reintroduction. Chief Thozo, the local chief of Coutada 11, conducted a ceremony where he gave his blessing for the cheetahs. Children from local schools and community members were invited to visit them in the boma, where the researchers explained that cheetahs are not a threat to people, especially since livestock is not kept in the village.

"Greater wildlife conservation success in this particular area will directly benefit the local communities through tourism," Dan Cabela said. "This is why the relationship between those involved with the Zambeze Delta Conservation efforts and the communities they support is so strong."

The lions released in the 2018 effort have since tripled their population numbers. While lions hunt cheetahs, the cheetah boma was constructed far from the lion range and the selected cheetahs have coexisted with lions before, so they have spatial and temporal avoidance skills. Given the size of the area and the low density of the lion population, there is sufficient space to coexist, as well as an abundance of smaller-bodied prey the cheetahs will hunt for food.

"There is no guarantee that the lions and cheetahs will avoid conflict, but we are hopeful that the presence of both will drive this environment closer to its original state," Dan Cabela said. "Many species of hoofed mammals have flourished to the incredible numbers the delta holds today. The ecosystem is thriving more than ever, which is why the reintroduction of the cheetahs as an additional apex predator makes sense."

The Cabela Family Foundation, along with its partners, is encouraging people to not only follow along with the progress of the cheetahs and the lions, but to also support anti-poaching efforts specific to Mozambique. More informationincluding research and videos, as well as a link to donatecan be found at @CabelaFamilyFoundation on social media.

For images and video of the release, please click here. Please photo credit Cabela Family Foundation.

About The Cabela Family Foundation

The Cabela Family Foundation supports long-term, high-impact partnerships that fulfill the foundation's mission to create projects that promote conservation, access to wild spaces and charity toward others. The foundation continues the legacy of Dick and Mary Cabela, who founded the outdoor retailer Cabela's in 1961. With a focus on their deep love of the outdoors, the family grew the company to more than 82 stores nationwide before selling the company in 2016. www.cabelafamilyfoundation.org

About the Ivan Carter Wildlife Alliance

This non-profit conservation organization develops and implements holistic wildlife conservation solutions with, and involving, indigenous communities. It provides financial, material and tactical support to counter-poaching groups and actively works to increase the awareness and acceptance of the value of maintaining diverse wildlife populations. No less than 90% of all donations reach the specific destination for which they are intended. www.ivancarterwca.org

About Zambeze Delta Safaris/Conservation and Anti-poaching effort

Zambeze Delta Safaris has been operating in Mozambique for almost three decades. The operation is based on sustainable game utilization through a long-term lease with the government. The organization prides itself on sound management and anti-poaching practices, which have assisted in making its areas of operation some of the finest free-roaming game lands in Africa today. www.zambezedeltasafaris.com

About the Endangered Wildlife Trust

Founded in 1973, the Endangered Wildlife Trust is driven by a team of passionate and dedicated conservationists working through 13 specialised programmes across southern and East Africa, each falling under one of their three key strategic pillars: Saving species, conserving habitats and benefiting people. Protecting forever, together. www.ewt.org.za

About the National Administration for Conservation Areas

Established in 2011, this state institution partners with local organizations and communities to promote the conservation of biodiversity, the importance of natural resources and the development of ecotourism. The conservation areas represent around 25% of the nation's territory, including seven national parks, seven national reserves, 70 game hunting areas divided in 20 official game reserves, nine hunting blocks, 13 community projects and 31 game farms. www.anac.gov.mz/en/anac/

Contact:

Sarah Warnke

Dennyse Salinas or Lia Truitt

Elizabeth Christian Public Relations

[email protected]

[email protected]

or [email protected]

(512) 472-9599

SOURCE Cabela Family Foundation

Related Links

http://www.cabelafamilyfoundation.org


WASHINGTON, Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The members of the Coalition for Tobacco-Free Hawaii Youth Council have been named Group Youth Advocates of the Year by the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. Members of the group will be honored on September 29, 2021, for their leadership in the fight against tobacco at the Tobacco-Free Kids' annual Youth Advocates of the Year Awards celebration, which is being held virtually. The event will be livestreamed at tfk.org/awards at 6:00 p.m. EDT.

In the Coalition for a Tobacco-Free Hawaii's 25-year journey, they have remained steadfast, consistent and committed to their goals of promoting healthier communities for those populations disproportionately impacted by the tobacco industry.

Each year, the Youth Council hosts Taking Down Tobacco Day, where youth from various islands make their voices heard as one as they meet with lawmakers at the State Capitol to advocate for policies to stop the tobacco industry from targeting young people. With the pandemic impacting in-person plans this year, the Youth Council organized smaller projects across Hawaii such as rallies, murals and other demonstrations to increase awareness, improve education and build grassroots support. The group also hosts "Taking Down Tobacco" presentations throughout the year to educate peers and community members across Hawaii.

In addition to their day of action, Youth Council members work year-round with local leaders to support policies to protect kids and vulnerable communities from the harmful effects of tobacco, such as ending the sale of flavored tobacco products and preserving the state's tobacco trust fund that funds prevention and cessation programs.

"We are thrilled to honor the Coalition for Tobacco-Free Hawaii Youth Council as our Group Youth Advocates of the Year," said Matthew L. Myers, President of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. "The Coalition is a model organization that rallying others in the fight for healthier, more equitable communities. They are proof that a group of young people can come together and stand up to the tobacco industry, while inspiring their peers to be tobacco-free and encouraging elected officials to take action."

Every year, the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids honors a National Youth Advocate of the Year, four Individual Youth Advocates of the Year and Group Youth Advocates of the Year. The winners receive scholarships to continue their tobacco prevention efforts and serve as youth ambassadors for the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids.

Tobacco use is the No. 1 cause of preventable death in the United States, killing over 480,000 Americans and costing the nation $226.7 billion in health care bills each year. Tobacco kills more than 8 million people worldwide each year.

In Hawaii, tobacco use claims 1,400 lives and costs $526 million in health care bills each year. Currently, 5.3% of Hawaii's high school students smoke cigarettes and 30.6% use e-cigarettes.

Additional information about the youth award winners can be found at tfk.org/awards and more resources and information about tobacco can be found at www.tobaccofreekids.org.

SOURCE Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids

Related Links

https://www.tobaccofreekids.org


LAUSANNE, Switzerland and CHICAGO, Sept. 23, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Swiss agrifood testing company SwissDeCode, in collaboration with Mars Wrigley, has created an on-site test that is designed to detect Cocoa Swollen Shoot Disease (CSSD) in asymptomatic trees in less than 60 minutes.

For decades, cocoa trees are thought to be infected so the virus has been an acute problem for the cocoa and chocolate industry as it can reduce cocoa yield by up to 70%. Until now, no efficient methods to quickly detect the presence of the virus in field in asymptomatic plants had been found.

An exciting new method, adapted to the needs of the cocoa industry

Built on SwissDeCode's DNAFoil proprietary technology, and incorporating underlying research from Mars Wrigley, the new solution is an easy-to-perform testing kit that would enable field personnel to quickly test cocoa trees, using their leaves as samples. The test would enable farmers to detect infected trees, even before they show any symptoms, and to take immediate action to prevent the spread of the virus to healthy trees, thus helping to safeguard their current and future income.

The new rapid test provides an opportunity to benefit not only cocoa farms but also cocoa tree nurseries, as it enables monitoring of tree health on a regular basis, and the release of planting materials only when they are substantially free of the virus. Finally, replanting infected areas and regenerating old farms can be conducted with greater peace of mind, helping farmers increase both yields and income while preventing deforestation.

Collaboration with industry players is key

For the development of the new solution, SwissDeCode has partnered with Mars Wrigley, who, for a long time, has been advancing crop science to improve cocoa production across the globe. This successful collaboration has allowed SwissDeCode to understand the specific issues and requirements of end users, from cocoa farmers to trading organizations. Once field validations have been successfully completed, the kit will be ready for largescale use.

"Seeing that the result of our work helps to solve an issue that is impacting 14 million families makes us immensely proud. We are also making cocoa farming more sustainable, by preventing large-scale deforestation caused by recurring infections."

Brij Sahi, CEO & Co-Founder, SwissDeCode

"We have been looking for reliable preventive solutions against CSSD since the 1940s, as each year cocoa farms are being increasingly affected by this virus. Joining forces with SwissDeCode, we have finally found a rapid and reliable on-site diagnostic!"

Jean-Philippe Marelli, Senior Director Integrated Pest Management, Mars Wrigley

What is Cocoa Swollen Shoot Disease?

The Cocoa Swollen Shoot Disease is caused by plant viruses and transmitted by mealybugs from infected to healthy cocoa trees. The region of West Africa is particularly affected, especially Ghana and Ivory Coast, where over 780,000 hectares of cocoa trees are believed to be infected.

Cocoa trees affected by CSSD can be asymptomatic for up to 2 years, but then they start to show symptoms such as red leaf veins or swollen stems and roots, and typically die within 3-4 years of symptom development. Sick trees cannot be cured, and the disease can only be managed by preventing further spread to healthy trees, for example by planting barrier crops or cutting out infected trees entirely.

These measures can have a great impact on the sustainability of cacao production, since they are responsible for the loss of thousands of hectares every year, and millions of dollars are spent in replanting cocoa trees, which is considered the best solution to stop the spread of the disease. This new technology enables early detection, which allows for targeted intervention and helps decrease the need to cut down adult trees to mitigate the spread of the disease.

Organizations involved in the production, trading and quality control of cacao and cocoa trees can benefit from the new test, and can learn more here: https://swissdecode.com/dna-foil/cssd

About SWISSDECODE

SwissDeCode is at the forefront of food quality, authentication and compliance, offering a variety of DNA detection solutions to help boost confidence in the entire food supply chain.

With recent investments led by VisVires New Protein (VVNP) and EIT Food, SwissDeCode is expanding its range of solutions to cater for the needs of more parts of the food industry, including the cocoa industry, with whom the team has been working closely.

For more information about SwissDeCode, www.swissdecode.com. Join us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

Joana Gomes, Marketing and Communications Manager

E-mail: [email protected]

About Mars, Incorporated

For more than a century, Mars, Incorporated has been driven by the belief that the world we want tomorrow starts with how we do business today. This idea is at the center of who we have always been as a global, family-owned business. Today, Mars is transforming, innovating and evolving in ways that affirm our commitment to making a positive impact on the world around us.

Across our diverse and expanding portfolio of confectionery, food, and petcare products and services, we employ 133,000 dedicated Associates who are all moving in the same direction: forward. With $40 billion in annual sales, we produce some of the world's best-loved brands including DOVE, EXTRA, M&M's, MILKY WAY, SNICKERS, TWIX, ORBIT, PEDIGREE, ROYAL CANIN, SKITTLES, BEN'S ORIGINAL, WHISKAS, COCOAVIA, and 5; and take care of half of the world's pets through our pet health services AniCura, Banfield Pet Hospitals, BluePearl, Linnaeus, Pet Partners, and VCA.

We know we can only be truly successful if our partners and the communities in which we operate prosper as well. The Mars Five Principles  Quality, Responsibility, Mutuality, Efficiency and Freedom  inspire our Associates to take action every day to help create a world tomorrow in which the planet, its people and pets can thrive.



For more information about Mars, please visit www.mars.com. Join us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube.

Prita Wadhwani, Cocoa Communications Director

E-mail : [email protected]

SOURCE Mars, Incorporated

Related Links

http://www.mars.com


AMSTERDAM, Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Core Laboratories (NYSE: "CLB US" and Euronext Amsterdam: "CLB NA") will broadcast its third quarter 2021 conference call over the Internet at 7:30 a.m. CDT / 2:30 p.m. CEST on October 28, 2021.

Larry Bruno, Chairman and CEO, Chris Hill, CFO, and Gwen Schreffler, SVP Corporate Development and Investor Relations, will discuss financial and operational results. An earnings press release will be issued after market close on October 27th and may be accessed through the Company's website at www.corelab.com.

To participate in the live webcast, simply log on to www.corelab.com at least fifteen minutes prior to the start of the call. For those who are not available to listen to the live webcast, a Podcast will be available immediately following the conference call and a replay will be available on Core's website shortly after the call which will remain on the site for 10 days.

To listen to the conference call via telephone, please contact Lena Brennan at [email protected] for the dial-in number.

Core Laboratories N.V. (www.corelab.com) is a leading provider of proprietary and patented reservoir description and production enhancement services and products used to optimize petroleum reservoir performance. The Company has over 70 offices in more than 50 countries and is located in every major oil-producing province in the world.

SOURCE Core Laboratories N.V.

Related Links

http://www.corelab.com


Corium Secures $235 Million in Debt FinancingProceeds to be Used to Commercialize AZSTARYS and Advance Pipeline Tweet this

"Hercules is pleased to enter into a strategic relationship with Corium at this pivotal time in its evolution" says Michael Dutra, Managing Director at Hercules Capital. "With an approved product now available that can help address unmet medical needs, other potentially promising drugs in development, and a successful contract development and manufacturing operation business, Corium is executing on its mission to provide clinicians with important new treatment options. This substantial capital commitment from Hercules aims to help Corium turn innovative technology into important commercial products and reflects our dedication to provide customized financing solutions to growth-stage life science companies."

J. Wood Capital Advisors LLC was the exclusive advisor to Corium in the financing transaction.

Commercialization of AZSTARYS

AZSTARYS (serdexmethylphenidate [SDX] and dexmethylphenidate [d-MPH]) (CII) was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in March 2021 for the treatment of Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in patients six years and older. AZSTARYS is the first and only product containing SDX, a prodrug of d-MPH. AZSTARYS, classified by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration as a Schedule II controlled substance, includes a combination of 70 percent extended-release prodrug of d-MPH SDX (Schedule IV) and 30 percent immediate-release d-MPH (Schedule II). Its novel formulation is designed to provide rapid and extended duration of symptom control. AZSTARYS is available in three once-daily strengths of SDX/d-MPH: 26.1/5.2mg, 39.2/7.8mg, and 52.3/10.4mg, providing dosing flexibility to meet the needs of each patient.

Indication and Important Safety Information for AZSTARYS

AZSTARYS is a central nervous system (CNS) stimulant indicated for the treatment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in patients aged 6 years and older.

WARNING: AZSTARYS is a federally controlled substance (CII) because it can be abused or lead to dependence. Keep AZSTARYS in a safe place to prevent misuse and abuse. Selling or giving away AZSTARYS may harm others and is against the law.

Tell your healthcare provider if you or your child have ever abused or been dependent on alcohol, prescription medicines, or street drugs.

Who should not take AZSTARYS?

Do not take AZSTARYS if you or your child are:

allergic to serdexmethylphenidate, methylphenidate, or any of the ingredients in AZSTARYS.

taking or have stopped taking within the past 14 days a medicine used to treat depression called a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI).

Serious problems can occur while taking AZSTARYS. Tell your healthcare provider:

if you or your child have heart problems, heart defects, high blood pressure, or a family history of these problems. Sudden death has occurred in people with heart problems or defects taking stimulant medicines. Sudden death, stroke and heart attack have happened in adults taking stimulant medicines. Your doctor should check you or your child carefully for heart problems before starting AZSTARYS. Since increases in blood pressure and heart rate may occur, the doctor should regularly check these during treatment. Call your healthcare provider right away or go to the nearest hospital emergency room if you or your child have any signs of heart problems such as chest pain, shortness of breath, or fainting while taking AZSTARYS .

. if you or your child have mental (psychiatric) problems, or a family history of suicide, bipolar illness, or depression. New or worse behavior and thought problems or new or worse bipolar illness may occur. New psychotic symptoms (such as seeing or hearing things that are not real, believing things that are not true, being suspicious) or new manic symptoms may occur. Call your healthcare provider right away if there are any new or worsening mental symptoms or problems during treatment.

during treatment. if you or your child develop painful and prolonged erections (priapism), seek medical help right away. Priapism has occurred with methylphenidate (AZSTARYS). Because priapism can cause long-lasting damage, it should be checked by a healthcare professional right away

if you or your child have circulation problems in fingers and toes (called peripheral vasculopathy, including Raynaud's phenomenon). Fingers or toes may feel numb, cool, painful, sensitive to temperature, and/or change color from pale, to blue, to red. Call your healthcare provider right away if any signs of unexplained wounds appear on fingers or toes while taking AZSTARYS .

. if your child is having slowing of growth (height and weight); Your child should have his or her height and weight checked often while taking AZSTARYS.

if you or your child are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if AZSTARYS may harm your unborn baby.

if you or your child are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. AZSTARYS passes into breast milk. Talk to your healthcare provider about the best way to feed your baby if you take AZSTARYS.

What are possible side effects of AZSTARYS?

The most common side effects of AZSTARYS include:

 decreased appetite  nausea  indigestion  weight loss  trouble sleeping  vomiting  stomach pain  anxiety  dizziness  irritability  mood swings  increased blood pressure  increased heart rate

These are not all the possible side effects of AZSTARYS. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects.

What is AZSTARYS?

AZSTARYS is a central nervous system (CNS) stimulant prescription medicine for the treatment of Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in people 6 years of age and older. AZSTARYS may help increase attention and decrease impulsiveness and hyperactivity in people with ADHD.

For additional safety information, click here for Prescribing Information and Medication Guide and discuss 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.

About Corium

Corium, Inc. is a commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company that is leading the development and commercialization of novel central nervous system CNS therapies that provide clinicians with important new treatment options for patients, their families, and their caregivers. Corium recently launched AZSTARYS, its ADHD drug for persons six and older, in the U.S. AZSTARYS was approved by the U.S. FDA in March 2021. In November 2018, all of Corium's outstanding stock was acquired by an affiliate of Gurnet Point Capital. For further information, please visit www.corium.com.

Corium's President and CEO, Perry J. Sternberg, is a biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry leader with more than 25 years of commercial experience across a wide range of therapeutic areas, including ADHD in diverse markets. Prior to joining Corium, Mr. Sternberg served a dual role at Shire Plc (Shire) as the Head of U.S. Commercial for seven therapeutic area business units, as well as the Chief Commercial Officer/Head of the Neuroscience Division, before the acquisition of Shire by Takeda Pharmaceutical Corporation Limited in early 2019.

About Gurnet Point Capital

Gurnet Point Capital is a unique healthcare fund founded by Ernesto Bertarelli and led by Chris Viehbacher, who, together, have decades of expertise in an industry for which they share a passion, both as Chief Executives and as investors. With an initial allocation of $2 billion, GPC is investing long-term capital and supporting entrepreneurs in building a new generation of companies. Based in Cambridge, MA, its remit is global, encompassing life sciences and medical technologies. The fund invests across all stages of product development through to commercialization and does so with an approach that is a hybrid of venture and private equity investing strategies. www.gurnetpointcapital.com

Contact:

Corium, Inc.

Heather Gartman

202-413-4226

[email protected]

SOURCE Corium, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.corium.com


FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Very Big Things was honored in Fast Company's Innovation by Design Awards for 2021 in the Social Good category for its work on the Dan Marino Foundation 's (DMF) online Virtual Interactive Training Agent (ViTA) . ViTA is a web-based virtual reality system that helps young adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and other developmental disabilities prepare for job interviews.

DMF has a long and distinguished mission of empowering individuals with ASD and other developmental disabilities through life-changing programs and services. The ViTA system is a state-of-the-art training program that utilizes virtual humans and immersive scenarios to help DMF students practice the social skills necessary for obtaining employment. The ViTA system levels the playing field so everyone can build the confidence needed to achieve real-world success.

"We needed to do right by DMF's audience, and to do that we had to break the mold and question every assumption digital product designers have," said Chris Stegner, CEO and co-founder of Very Big Things. "We continuously asked ourselves 'who are we building this for, and how can we create something better than anything that had come before it?' By filtering every decision through this question, it allowed our team to get in a cycle of continuous innovation and create one of the most thoughtful experiences we've ever done. In the end, DMF students felt empowered from their experiences with the project and we are honored to be recognized for it by Fast Company."

The 10th anniversary of the awards recognizes people, teams, and companies that transform businesses, organizations, and society through design. One of the most sought-after design awards in the industry, Innovation by Design is the only competition to honor creative work at the intersection of design, business, and innovation, recognizing the people, companies, and trends that have steadily advanced design to the forefront of the business conversation.

The judges include renowned designers from a variety of disciplines, business leaders from some of the most innovative companies in the world, and Fast Company's own writers and editors. Entries are judged on the key ingredients of innovation: functionality, originality, beauty, sustainability, user insight, cultural impact, and business impact. Winners, finalists, and honorable mentions are featured online and in the October issue of Fast Company magazine, on newsstands September 28, 2021.

About Very Big Things

Very Big Things is a leading digital products agency focused on transformation and disruption. Fusing cutting-edge technologies with innovative approaches, VBT designs and develops digital experiences for the web, mobile, AR, VR, and any other connected devices. Since 2018, VBT has experienced a meteoric rise largely due to the legacy-worthy products they produce. Headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, FL, VBT has a global presence with over 70 employees in three countries. For more information please visit verybigthings.com and follow us on IG, FB: @verybigthings, and LinkedIn .

About FAST COMPANY

Fast Company is the only media brand fully dedicated to the vital intersection of business, innovation, and design, engaging the most influential leaders, companies, and thinkers on the future of business. The editor-in-chief is Stephanie Mehta. Headquartered in New York City, Fast Company is published by Mansueto Ventures LLC, along with our sister publication, Inc., and can be found online at fastcompany.com.

Media contact:

Eric Wolkstein

PR & Communications Manager

[email protected]

+1 989 244 1738

SOURCE Very Big Things

Related Links

https://verybigthings.com/


"Four Seasons is synonymous with luxury and excellence and Four Seasons at Home reflects this unwavering commitment," says Marc Speichert, Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts. "We have seen an incredibly strong response to these products that speaks to a desire to capture the magic of our guest experience and extend it into the home. Sales across the platform have grown 60% year over year, a testament to the demand for quality craftsmanship and covetable design."

New Arrivals

Leather Trim Throw woven from 100% Italian cashmere featuring a contemporary modern design

Jacquard-woven Wool Blanket, crafted in Italy using the finest cashmere and merino wool finished with a delicate blanket stitch

using the finest cashmere and merino wool finished with a delicate blanket stitch Vacation essential Resort Robe featuring a chic sleeveless design for adults and children

Snug and stylish Hooded Robe with ultra-soft bamboo cotton interior, perfect for all-day lounging

Hand-poured Bronze Votive Candle available in six scents including a new limited-edition scent Alpine Retreat launching just in time for the festive season

Timeless embroidered Velvet Slippers combining a refined style with a splash of bohemian chic and a sustainable rubber sole, available in six colours

A favourite among customers, the collection's Cashmere Throw reimagined in a new Sicilian Chestnut colour

Shop the full selection of latest additions to Four Seasons at Home at https://shop.fourseasons.com/collections/new-arrivals.

A Journey of Curation

With 60 years of expertise and a legacy of "the perfect sleep", Four Seasons revolutionised the hospitality industry with the world's first fully customisable beds in 2014, allowing guests to personalise their stay with a choice of mattress firmness, pillows, and bedside amenities. In September 2019, https://shop.fourseasons.com/ launched with an initial offering focused on products that guests of Four Seasons hotels and resorts around the world asked for time and again, including Four Seasons signature sleep set, robes and towels. Building on its initial success and an escalating demand for product, Four Seasons at Home has grown to include new colours and styles of best-selling items, as well as new product categories including candles, travel and fashion accessories and children's towels.

Craftsmanship and Artistry

Purposeful selection and superior design are top of mind when building the brand's custom collection. Velvet Slippers are hand-stitched using an artisanal technique passed down through generations of Italian families, while a renowned New York foundry creates the hand-poured Brass Votive Candle using the age-old process of lost-wax bronze casting. The finest materials are used, from wool and cashmere for blankets and throws to Supima cotton for bedding and supple Italian leather for the ultimate Weekender Bag.

Customisation

Drawing inspiration from Four Seasons destinations, both bedding and towels are offered in six colours to match a variety of personal styles or home decor. Candles are available in six scents including the new limited-edition scent Alpine Retreat, just in time for festive season.

Ease and Convenience

Four Seasons at Home is designed for shopping via mobile, desktop or tablet, with inspiring images and detailed information about sizing, materials and care listed with every product. The live chat function allows shoppers to connect with a product representative to answer any questions or assist in purchase decisions.

Currently, delivery can be made anywhere in Canada and all 50 states in the US. When purchasing mattresses and foundations, the service includes removal of all packaging and old mattresses at no extra charge. Secure payment options include major credit cards and PayPal as well as Amazon Pay (for US customers only).

Give the Gift of Four Seasons

With the ability to deliver anywhere in the US and Canada, gift giving has never been easier. Arriving in a beautiful linen gift box with elegant black grosgrain ribbon, the same quality and care guests would expect from Four Seasons extends to its gift packaging. Matching parent and child robes are a fun holiday gift, luxurious towels and candles are always a welcome housewarming or host gift, and wedding couples will be thrilled to receive quality linens, a luxury wool blanket or a Four Seasons signature sleep set as they create a new home together.

About Four Seasons at Home

Four Seasons at Home is an easy, convenient, secure and inspiring way to purchase the same luxurious beds, bedding, towels, robes and more that are found in Four Seasons hotels and resorts around the world. Delivery is currently being offered throughout the US and Canada.

Share your experiences and see how others are creating their own Four Seasons at Home with #ShopFS.

About Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts

Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts opened its first hotel in 1961, and since that time has been dedicated to perfecting the travel experience through continual innovation and the highest standards of hospitality. Currently operating 121 hotels and resorts, and 46 residential properties in major city centres and resort destinations in 47 countries, and with more than 50 projects under planning or development, Four Seasons consistently ranks among the world's best hotels and most prestigious brands in reader polls, traveller reviews and industry awards. For more information and reservations, visit fourseasons.com. For the latest news, visit press.fourseasons.com and follow @FourSeasonsPR on Twitter.

Media Contact:

Kristina Rivera

[email protected]

SOURCE Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts
BARCELONA, Spain, July 13, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Oriol Amat, UPF Rector, and Ruben Bonet, Fractus President and CEO, today have signed a collaboration agreement for three years to create the Tech Transfer and 6G Fractus-UPF chair, with the objective to develop research, knowledge transfer and education activities.

Other attendees in the ceremony were Angel Lozano, University Professor from the Information and Communication Technologies Department and Director of the chair; Daniel Serra, Rector's Delegate; Jordi Ilario, Fractus COO and VP Licensing; and Carmen Borja, Fractus CTO and Intellectual Property Director.

"To enhance knowledge transfer is one of the main objectives of the current UPF management team, therefore this association with Fractus could not have come at a better time," Oriol Amat stated. Additionally Angel Lozano affirmed, "The association with a successful company as Fractus is a great opportunity for Fractus and for the WiSeCom (Wireless & Secure Communications) research team. This chair will support the research in the future 6G wireless systems, but it will be focused to reinforce the technology transfer."

Ruben Bonet said, "The launch of the chair with the UPF is a very important milestone for Fractus. The research activities in the areas of 6G have, with no doubts, a promising future. The UPF reputation developing new technologies is strongly verified and we are very proud to be part of it. Also, at this very moment of the Fractus project maturity, twenty years after its inception as a university spin-off, it means a wonderful opportunity to contribute to the society and to the UPF in particular with our experience in the design of commercial and industrial strategies to launch innovative technologies in aspects such as for instance funding, licensing and intellectual property protection."

About Fractus

Fractus is an early pioneer in developing internal antennas for smartphones, tablets and other wireless Internet of Things devices and holds an intellectual property rights portfolio of more than 30 inventions protected through over 120 patents and patent applications in the United States, Europe and Asia.

About Pompeu Fabra University

Founded in 1990, UPF is a public university based in Barcelona that is highly competitive in research and aims to transform education to respond to future challenges. The University carries out this activity in eight disciplines spread across three campuses in Barcelona.

SOURCE Fractus; Pompeu Fabra University (UPF)

Related Links

https://www.fractus.com


HAUPPAUGE, N.Y., Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- With the weather cooling down and kids returning to school, Friendly's Restaurants are bringing families together around the table, by adding hearty comfort food entrees and festive ice cream sundaes to the menu for a limited time.

From September 27th to March 13th, the iconic restaurant chain is serving up flavor-packed Aloha stir-frys and bringing a jazzy taste to the menu with the new Cajun Jazz Pasta. Fan Favorite Vermonter burger is back on the menu too as well as new spooky themed ice cream sundaes, Witchy Ooh! and Fang the Vampire, just in time for Halloween.

"These entrees give Friendly's customers something new to enjoy as the weather grows cooler, and our spooky sundaes will be sure to bring sweet smiles with each spoonful," said Craig Erlich, CEO of Friendly's Restaurants. "It's our goal that a favorite meal, surrounded by friends and family, can make a normal day feel like a celebration."

New menu items includes:

NEW Chicken Aloha Stir-Fry - A flavor-packed delight in every bite. Chicken stir-fried with vegetables and pineapple rice in a light sauce. Crisp chow mein noodles round out this spectacular stir-fry.

NEW Shrimp Aloha Stir-Fry - Take a dive into our Shrimp Aloha Stir-Fry. Packed with vegetables and pineapple rice in a light sauce. Crisp chow mein noodles make this a mouthwatering seafood dish.

NEW Beef Aloha Stir-Fry - Where's the beef?! Right here. Beef stir-fried with vegetables and pineapple rice in a light sauce. To enhance the deliciousness, we added crisp chow mein noodles to finish it off.

NEW Cajun Jazz Pasta - This pasta is all jazzed up, New Orleans style. Enjoy Cavatappi pasta cooked in a delightfully creamy sauce, with tender Cajun-grilled shrimp and chicken breast, green and red peppers, and corn. Served with thick ciabatta toast.

NEW Awesomesauce Steak Tips - Here's a tasty tip: Don't miss out on tasting these juicy steak tips, grilled to tender perfection in BBQ Worcestershire sauce, with mushrooms, peppers, and onions. Served with garlic red-skinned mashed potatoes and gravy, broccoli and thick ciabatta toast.

FAN FAVORITE Vermonter Burger - You may not be in Vermont but your taste buds will think they are. We melted sharp white cheddar cheese over our juicy beef patty and stacked it with crispy maple pepper bacon on a grilled ciabatta roll, topped with lettuce, tomato and mayo.

NEW Nutty Buddy Sundae - Want to get nutty? We've got nutty, buddy. Our creamy vanilla ice cream is infused with swirls of chocolatey fudge, coated sugar-cone piecesand of course, peanuts. It's topped off with our classic chocolate sauce, whipped topping, and a cherry.

The new, limited time menu items are available to enjoy for dine-in or customers can order on the Friendly's app for takeout and delivery.

Customers can try a Nutty Buddy sundae for free when they join the Friendly's Sweet Rewards Club either by downloading the Friendly's mobile app or visiting https://www.friendlysrestaurants.com/login/.

For more information about Friendly's Restaurants, visit www.friendlysrestaurants.com .

About Friendly's Restaurants Co, LLC:

Friendly's Restaurants Co, LLC is a restaurant company that operates under the iconic brand name "Friendly's Restaurants," serving signature entrees, burgers, sandwiches and hand-crafted, specialty ice cream desserts in 130 friendly, full service restaurants. For over 80 years, Friendly's Restaurants and their dedicated service teams have delighted generations of guests by offering everyday value on great tasting food and ice cream creations. Friendly's Restaurants was acquired by Amici Partners Group, LLC, an experienced investor group with a national and international franchisor background specializing in the restaurant industry. For the future, Friendly's Restaurants has plans for introducing new and innovative food and ice cream offerings, bright new restaurants, and unique ways to reach and satisfy guests. For additional information, please visit www.friendlysrestaurants.com.

SOURCE Friendlys
Request Free sample report

Impact of COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to transform the growth of various industries. While a few industries will register a drop in demand, numerous others will continue to remain unscathed and show promising growth opportunities. COVID-19 will have At Par impact on the green data center market.

Frequently Asked Questions-

Based on segmentation by end-user, which is the leading segment in the market?

The IT infrastructure segment is expected to be the leading segment based on end-user in the global market during the forecast period.

What are the major trends in the market?

Growing construction of containerized and modular facilities is one of the major trends in the market.

At what rate is the market projected to grow?

Growing at a CAGR of 19.48%, the incremental growth of the market is anticipated to be USD 76.59 billion .

Who are the top players in the market?

Cisco Systems Inc., Dell Technologies Inc., Eaton Corp. Plc, Hewlett Packard Enterprise Co., Huawei Investment and Holding Co. Ltd., International Business Machines Corp., Rittal GmbH & Co. KG, Schneider Electric SE, Siemens AG, and Vertiv Holdings Co. among others. are some of the major market participants.

What are the key market drivers and challenges?

Increase in electricity consumption and cost is one of the major factors driving the market. However, the cost of building green data center restraints the market growth.

How big is the Europe market?

The Europe region will contribute 39% of market growth.

Related Reports on Information Technology Include:

Data Center Infrastructure Management Solutions Market by Application and Geography - Forecast and Analysis 2021-2025

Data Center General Construction Market by Type and Geography - Forecast and Analysis 2021-2025

Buy 1 Technavio report and get the second for 50% off. Buy 2 Technavio reports and get the third for free.

Download FREE sample report before purchasing

The Green Data Center Market is fragmented, and the degree of fragmentation will accelerate during the forecast period. Cisco Systems Inc., Dell Technologies Inc., Eaton Corp. Plc, Hewlett Packard Enterprise Co., Huawei Investment and Holding Co. Ltd., International Business Machines Corp., Rittal GmbH & Co. KG, Schneider Electric SE, Siemens AG, and Vertiv Holdings Co. are some of the major market participants. The increase in electricity consumption and cost will offer immense growth opportunities. In a bid to help players strengthen their market foothold, this green data center market forecast report provides a detailed analysis of the leading market vendors. The report also empowers industry honchos with information on the competitive landscape and insights into the different product offerings offered by various companies.

Technavio's custom research reports offer detailed insights on the impact of COVID-19 at an industry level, a regional level, and subsequent supply chain operations. This customized report will also help clients keep up with new product launches in direct & indirect COVID-19 related markets, upcoming vaccines and pipeline analysis, and significant developments in vendor operations and government regulations.

Green Data Center Market 2021-2025: Segmentation

Green Data Center Market is segmented as below:

End-user

IT Infrastructure



Power Solutions



General Construction



Cooling Solutions



Monitoring and Management

Geography

Europe



North America



APAC



South America



MEA

To learn more about the global trends impacting the future of market research, download a free sample: https://www.technavio.com/talk-to-us?report=IRTNTR44791

Green Data Center Market 2021-2025: Scope

Technavio presents a detailed picture of the market by the way of study, synthesis, and summation of data from multiple sources. The green data center market report covers the following areas:

Green Data Center Market Size

Green Data Center Market Trends

Green Data Center Market Analysis

Technavio suggests three forecast scenarios (optimistic, probable, and pessimistic) considering the impact of COVID-19. Technavio's in-depth research has direct and indirect COVID-19 impacted market research reports.

Access Technavio's Subscription Platform For 14 Days Free Trial of Before Buying Full Report

Technavio's SUBSCRIPTION platform

Green Data Center Market 2021-2025: Key Highlights

CAGR of the market during the forecast period 2021-2025

Detailed information on factors that will assist green data center market growth during the next five years

Estimation of the green data center market size and its contribution to the parent market

Predictions on upcoming trends and changes in consumer behavior

The growth of the green data center market across Europe , North America , APAC, South America , and MEA

, , APAC, , and MEA Analysis of the market's competitive landscape and detailed information on vendors

Comprehensive details of factors that will challenge the growth of green data center market vendors

Table of Contents:

Executive Summary

Market Landscape

Market ecosystem

Value chain analysis

Market Sizing

Market definition

Market segment analysis

Market size 2020

Market outlook: Forecast for 2020 - 2025

Five Forces Analysis

Bargaining power of buyers

Bargaining power of suppliers

Threat of new entrants

Threat of substitutes

Threat of rivalry

Market condition

Market Segmentation by End-user

Market segments

Comparison by End-user

IT infrastructure - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

Power solutions - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

General construction - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

Cooling solutions - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

Monitoring and management - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

Market opportunity by End-user

Customer landscape

Geographic Landscape

Geographic segmentation

Geographic comparison

Europe - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

- Market size and forecast 2020-2025 North America - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

- Market size and forecast 2020-2025 APAC - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

South America - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

- Market size and forecast 2020-2025 MEA - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

Key leading countries

Market opportunity by geography

Market drivers

Market challenges

Market trends

Vendor Landscape

Overview

Landscape disruption

Vendor Analysis

Vendors covered

Market positioning of vendors

Cisco Systems Inc.

Dell Technologies Inc.

Eaton Corp. Plc

Hewlett Packard Enterprise Co.

Huawei Investment and Holding Co. Ltd.

International Business Machines Corp.

Rittal GmbH & Co. KG

Schneider Electric SE

Siemens AG

Vertiv Holdings Co.

Appendix

Scope of the report

Currency conversion rates for US$

Research methodology

List of abbreviations

About Us

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focuses on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios.

Contact

Technavio Research

Jesse Maida

Media & Marketing Executive

US: +1 844 364 1100

UK: +44 203 893 3200

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.technavio.com/

SOURCE Technavio
OAKLAND, Calif., Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - Harborside Inc. ("Harborside" or the "Company") (CSE: HBOR) (OTCQX: HBORF) a California-focused, vertically integrated cannabis enterprise, today announced that, subject to shareholder approval, it intends to amend its articles (the "Amendment") to remove conversion restrictions placed on the Company's multiple voting shares ("MVS"). The Company anticipates that this change will eventually result in more than 50% of the Company's issued and outstanding subordinate voting shares ("SVS") being directly or indirectly owned by shareholders of record domiciled in the United States ("U.S."), which will have the effect of the Company no longer meeting the definition of "foreign private issuer" under U.S. securities laws and the Company will be required to register under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Transition").

If and when the Transition is completed, the Company will be subject to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's ("SEC") reporting requirements applicable to U.S. domestic companies. The SEC's reporting requirements will require, among other things, Harborside's financial statements and financial data to be presented under U.S. GAAP. The Company expects to seek shareholder approval for the Amendment by the end of the 2021 calendar year and has established a task force of internal and external resources to manage the Transition.

Although the Company will become a U.S. registrant with the SEC, it will continue to be an Ontario corporation. Harborside's shareholders will not be required to take any action as a result of the Company's Transition, if and when the Transition is approved and completed, other than officers, directors, and holders of 5% or more of the Company's shares of SVS. Harborside's SVS will continue to be listed on the Canadian Securities Exchange ("CSE") under the symbol "HBOR" and on the OTCQX Best Market under the symbol "HBORF".

For the latest news, activities, and media coverage, please visit the Harborside corporate website at www.investharborside.com or connect with us on LinkedIn , and Twitter .

About Harborside:

Harborside Inc. is one of the oldest and most respected cannabis retailers in California, operating three of the major dispensaries in the San Francisco Bay Area, a dispensary in the Palm Springs area outfitted with Southern California's only cannabis drive-thru window, a dispensary in Oregon and a cultivation/production facility in Salinas, California. Harborside has played an instrumental role in making cannabis safe and accessible to a broad and diverse community of California consumers since 2006, when it was awarded one of the first six medical cannabis licenses granted in the United States. Today, the Company holds cannabis licenses for retail, distribution, cultivation, nursery, and manufacturing. Harborside is a publicly listed company on the CSE trading under the ticker symbol "HBOR" and on the OTCQX Best Market under the ticker symbol "HBORF". Additional information regarding Harborside is available under Harborside's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information

This news release contains "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of the applicable Canadian and United States securities legislation. To the extent any forward-looking information in this news release constitutes "financial outlooks" or "future-oriented financial information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws, the reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on such information. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements and are based on expectations, estimates, and projections as at the date of this news release. Any statement that involves discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, future events or performance (often but not always using phrases such as "expects", or "does not expect", "is expected", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", "plans", "budget", "scheduled", "forecasts", "estimates", "believes" or "intends" or variations of such words and phrases or stating that certain actions, events or results "may" or "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken to occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking statements. In this news release, forward-looking statements include, among other things, statements with respect to the implementation of the Amendment, shareholder approval to be sought for the Amendment, changes that will result in more than 50% of the Company's issued and outstanding SVS being directly or indirectly owned by shareholders of record domiciled in the U.S., completion of the Transition, and implications of the completion of the Transition.

These forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions and estimates of management of the Company at the time such statements were made. Actual future results may differ materially as forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements of the Company to materially differ from any future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors, among other things, include: implications of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Company's operations; fluctuations in general macroeconomic conditions; fluctuations in securities markets; expectations regarding the size of the cannabis markets where the Company operates; changing consumer habits; the ability of the Company to successfully achieve its business objectives; plans for expansion; political, social and environmental uncertainties; inability to obtain adequate insurance to cover risks and hazards; employee relations; the presence of laws and regulations that may impose restrictions on cultivation, production, distribution, and sale of cannabis and cannabis-related products in the markets where the Company operates; and the risk factors set out in the Company's management's discussion and analysis for the quarter ended June 30, 2021 and the Company's listing statement dated May 30, 2019, which are available under the Company's profile on www.sedar.com. Although the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are based upon what management of the Company believes, or believed at the time, to be reasonable assumptions, the Company cannot assure shareholders that actual results will be consistent with such forward-looking statements, as there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements and information contained in this news release. The Company assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements of beliefs, opinions, projections, or other factors, should they change, except as required by law.

The Company, through several of its subsidiaries, is indirectly involved in the manufacture, possession, use, sale, and distribution of cannabis in the recreational and medicinal cannabis marketplace in the United States. Local state laws where the Company operates permit such activities however, investors should note that there are significant legal restrictions and regulations that govern the cannabis industry in the United States. Cannabis remains a Schedule I drug under the US Controlled Substances Act, making it illegal under federal law in the United States to, among other things, cultivate, distribute or possess cannabis in the United States. Financial transactions involving proceeds generated by, or intended to promote, cannabis-related business activities in the United States may form the basis for prosecution under applicable US federal money laundering legislation.

While the approach to enforcement of such laws by the federal government in the United States has trended toward non-enforcement against individuals and businesses that comply with recreational and medicinal cannabis programs in states where such programs are legal, strict compliance with state laws with respect to cannabis will neither absolve the Company of liability under US federal law, nor will it provide a defense to any federal proceeding which may be brought against the Company. The enforcement of federal laws in the United States is a significant risk to the business of the Company and any proceedings brought against the Company thereunder may adversely affect the Company's operations and financial performance.

This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of any of the securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful, including any of the securities in the United States of America. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act") or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to, or for account or benefit of, U.S. Persons (as defined in Regulation S under the 1933 Act) unless registered under the 1933 Act and applicable state securities laws, or an exemption from such registration requirements is available.

The CSE has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this news release. Neither the CSE nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

SOURCE Harborside Inc.
In meeting with the Secretary General of the UN, Antonio Guterres, Hernandez said that an emergency fund should be created with the contribution of all countries to guarantee equitable access to vaccines or any other medicine.

"We cant afford waiting another pandemic to optimize the Covax mechanism's vaccine purchase system," said the Honduran leader.

"Today, the whole world is facing a pandemic that has brought us to our knees. At the beginning, Covax experienced issues with being able to fulfill the distribution of vaccines to member countries, a critical moment in which our lives are at stake".

This situation put into evidence the important fact that the WHO should not wait for problems to arise to prepare for solutions. They cannot be unprepared to face this or any other emergency.

"In addition, there was the problem that the countries that managed or requested the procurement of vaccines could not do so either because the most powerful countries had them monopolized," he stressed.

Hernandez suggested that this situation can be avoided in the future by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) with access to resources, considering that the great majority of the countries have assigned budgets for purchasing vaccines. "Then it is only a matter of regionalizing the research and production systems throughout the world, such as some pharmaceutical companies are doing" he

In addition, Hernandez said that countries that tend to hoard everything need to react, as happened with vaccines against covid-19.

He gave as an example that if the United States does not send vaccines to Latin America, it will continue to be at risk in terms of the pandemic, and the same will happen with Europe in relation to Africa.

Hernandez and Guterres held a bilateral meeting at the UN offices, within the framework of the United Nations General Assembly, where they also addressed issues related to climate change and the proposal of Honduras to support the implementation of a system flood control.

Source: https://presidencia.gob.hn/press/blog-node/presidente-hern%C3%A1ndez-propone-ante-la-onu-reformar-el-sistema-de-la-oms

SOURCE Government of Honduras
AUSTIN, Minn., Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Hormel Foods Corporation (NYSE: HRL), a global branded food company, announced today that its quarterly dividend on the common stock, authorized by the Board of Directors at 24.50 cents ($0.2450) a share on September 27, 2021, will be paid November 15, 2021, to stockholders of record at the close of business on October 18, 2021.



The November 15 payment will be the 373rd consecutive quarterly dividend paid by the company. Since becoming a public company in 1928, Hormel Foods Corporation has paid a regular quarterly dividend without interruption.

ABOUT HORMEL FOODS - Inspired People. Inspired Food. 

Hormel Foods Corporation, based in Austin, Minn., is a global branded food company with over $10 billion in annual revenue across more than 80 countries worldwide. Its brands include Planters, SKIPPY, SPAM, Hormel Natural Choice, Applegate, Justin's, Wholly, Hormel Black Label, Columbus and more than 30 other beloved brands. The company is a member of the S&P 500 Index and the S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats, was named on the "Global 2000 World's Best Employers" list by Forbes magazine for three years, is one of Fortune magazine's most admired companies, has appeared on Corporate Responsibility Magazine's "The 100 Best Corporate Citizens" list for 12 years, and has received numerous other awards and accolades for its corporate responsibility and community service efforts. The company lives by its purpose statement  Inspired People. Inspired Food.  to bring some of the world's most trusted and iconic brands to tables across the globe. For more information, visit www.hormelfoods.com.

SOURCE Hormel Foods Corporation

Related Links

http://www.hormel.com


The bolstered presence at NJFX's 64,800 square foot purpose-built facility includes dual points-of-entry, dual electronics and enhanced backhaul options. In addition, Lightpath uniquely can use cable provider head end infrastructure to deliver diversity to NJFX customers, upon request, by avoiding carrier hotels in reaching enterprise data centers in the NY/NJ/CT metro area.

As a longtime NJFX partner, Lightpath has reinvented itself  from a next-generation network and services, to enhanced customer service and support, and everything in between. Lightpath is also investing in terrestrial support of subsea networks and cable landing stations through its solution, 'Landing Station Connect'. As subsea and corresponding terrestrial transport grow to higher levels of mission criticality, choosing the right terrestrial connectivity provider becomes crucial. Lightpath landing station solutions offer customers unsurpassed connectivity options, reliability, resiliency, and security.

"The increase in subsea infrastructure has led to a much-needed increase of both bandwidth availability and services on that infrastructure," commented Mike Ocuto, VP of Sales at Lightpath. "Cable landing stations have evolved to be more important than ever. The capacity on new subsea systems, along with the added services, need to make their way back to land. Lightpath's all-fiber, infrastructure-based network provides our customers with customized options to buildings, data centers, and other interconnectivity facilities  over 12,000 locations on our network."

"Networks with the breadth and depth of Lightpath see the value in a strong presence at the cable landing station," states Gabe Pannella, Vice President of Business Development. "We are pleased to be able to offer Lightpath the global, subsea connectivity required to support its enterprise customers across its all-fiber, terrestrial network."

Landing Station Connect is the latest step in Lightpath's mission to innovate across the entire company, from network and technologies to customer service. Lightpath's emphasis on personalized customer service means that every point in a customer's journey with Lightpath is being examined and improved, with the goal of creating the best experience in the industry. Follow Lightpath on LinkedIn and Twitter , and visit www.lightpathfiber.com.

NJFX continues to drive innovation and help its carriers and subsea provider clients build their networks with maximum diversity at both the terrestrial and subsea level, avoiding traditional bottlenecks and highly congested areas such as NYC metro and Miami. The company proudly just celebrated its fifth anniversary with its robust ecosystem of partners, carriers, and customers. For more information, visit www.njfx.net .

About NJFX

NJFX owns and operates a 64,800 square foot purpose-built Tier 3 Cable Landing Station (CLS) Colocation facility and campus in Wall, NJ. The unique facility operationally supports high and low-density colocation solutions with 24/7 support. It is the only carrier-neutral CLS colocation campus in the U.S supported by several route-independent carriers that offer direct access to multiple independent subsea cable systems interconnecting North America, Europe, South America and the Caribbean. The facility offers direct access to the Havfrue/AEC2, Seabras, TGN1 & TGN2 subsea cable systems.

For NJFX media inquiries, please contact:

JSA

[email protected]

+1.866.695.3629 ext. 13

SOURCE NJFX
CHICAGO, Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Leading car shopping marketplace Cars.com (NYSE: CARS) today released its 2021 Car Seat Fit Report Card, providing parents and caregivers with essential information on which family vehicles best fit car seats for infants, toddlers and young children. This year, Cars.com compiled Car Seat Check scores for 51 vehicles evaluated over the last year by Cars.com's certified child-passenger safety technicians.2 Cars.com assigned a letter grade to each of the 2021-22 vehicles evaluated. To view the complete list, visit Cars.com/news/car-seat-check .

Car seat considerations when buying a car from Cars.com. Cars.coms Jenni Newman, editor-in-chief at Cars.com and certified child-passenger safety technician shows how to properly install a car seat. Cars.com car seat installation video and sound bites from Jenni Newman, editor-in-chief at Cars.com and certified child-passenger safety technician. Jenni Newman, editor-in-chief at Cars.com and certified child-passenger safety technician. Jenni Newman, editor-in-chief at Cars.com and certified child-passenger safety technician. Cars.com Logo

Experience the interactive Multichannel News Release here: https://www.multivu.com/players/English/8952051-cars-dot-com-releases-2021-car-seat-fit-report-card/

Of the 51 vehicles evaluated, only four made the Honor Roll, achieving straight A's in their Cars.com Car Seat Checks:

According to a national Cars.com survey, 56% of parents stated they have installed a car seat incorrectly, while 84% of parents find some level of the process 'frustrating.'1 Cars.com's Car Seat Fit Report Card, which compiles a year's worth of comprehensive Car Seat Checks conducted by Cars.com's team of experts, aims to reduce some of the stress involved with car seat installation and selecting the best family vehicle.

"When it comes to shopping for a new vehicle, our data show that for more than two-thirds of parents, car seats play a significant role in their purchase decision," said Jenni Newman, editor-in-chief at Cars.com and certified child-passenger safety technician. "I've evaluated more than 600 vehicles in my career, and there's no doubt about it: Some cars are just better made to properly and safely fit a car seat. With all the stress and confusion that comes with car seat installation - especially for new parents  it's so important that families do their homework and select a vehicle that not only works for their needs right now, but also one that grows with their family."

Making the Grade

Each Car Seat Check is performed by a Cars.com certified child-passenger safety technician who installs three types of car seats  infant, convertible and booster  into each new vehicle and evaluates the vehicle's Latch system, as well as how the vehicle accommodates the different car seats. The Latch system is a set of lower anchors and top tether anchors that's supposed to make car seat installation easier, but that's not always the case. To earn an "A" grade, a vehicle must show it has plenty of room for the car seat and the child, without impacting legroom for the driver or front passenger. Vehicles must also demonstrate their Latch system is easy to find and use (without any fit issues), in order to show it's car-seat-friendly.

"Our research shows that the majority of consumers (80%1) consider child safety features to be very important in guiding their vehicle purchase, and I don't blame them," said Newman, a mother of two. "Automakers continue to improve in-car safety technology features and well-appointed Latch systems. Our Car Seat Fit Report Card and ongoing Car Seat Checks help to alleviate some of the stress and anxiety parents face by highlighting the vehicles that offer the most peace of mind," said Newman.

To learn more about how Cars.com performs its Car Seat Checks, or to see how well a car seat will fit in your family vehicle or a vehicle you are considering purchasing, visit www.cars.com/news/car-seat-check .

1 Cars.com survey conducted Aug. 27, 2021; 1,030 responses.

2 Car seat certified by Safe Kids, certifying body partner of the National Child Passenger Safety Board

About Cars.com

CARS is a leading digital marketplace and solutions provider for the automotive industry that connects car shoppers with sellers. Launched in 1998 with the flagship marketplace site Cars.com and headquartered in Chicago, the Company empowers shoppers with the data, resources and digital tools needed to make informed buying decisions and seamlessly connect with automotive retailers. In a rapidly changing market, CARS enables dealerships and OEMs with innovative technical solutions and data-driven intelligence to better reach and influence ready-to-buy shoppers, increase inventory turn and gain market share.

In addition to Cars.com, CARS brands include Dealer Inspire, a technology provider building solutions that future-proof dealerships with more efficient operations and connected digital experiences; FUEL, which gives dealers and OEMs the opportunity to harness the untapped power of digital video by leveraging Cars.com's pure audience of in-market car shoppers, and DealerRater, a leading car dealer review and reputation management platform.

The full suite of CARS brands include Cars.com, Dealer Inspire, FUEL, DealerRater, Auto.com, PickupTrucks.com and NewCars.com. For more information, visit www.Cars.com.

SOURCE Cars.com Inc.

Related Links

http://www.cars.com


FAR HILLS, N.J., Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- PennEast Pipeline Company today announced it will abandon plans for a fossil gas pipeline in New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

"PennEast has ceased all further development of the Project," the company said in a statement that cited lack of necessary permits as the reason.

Environmental advocates, residents, and federal, state and local government officials combatted the unneeded pipeline for seven years. The company's decision came three months after a ruling from the US Supreme Court affirming PennEast's right to condemn state-owned land to build the pipeline. But without permits from state authorities to build the pipeline in areas protected by New Jersey's stringent environmental regulations under the Clean Water Act, the Court ruling was not enough to salvage the project.

"This is a great victory for the communities, organizations and elected officials that fought this unneeded, polluting project for years," said Tom Gilbert, campaign director for NJ Conservation Foundation and ReThink Energy NJ. "Our public and private lands won't be seized and scarred, and our water and air won't be polluted. New Jersey stayed strong and will be healthier and safer without PennEast. Fossil fuel projects such as this have no place as we transition to a clean energy future."

The project faced tremendous opposition from affected landowners and communities, and a series of legal challenges from the State of New Jersey, New Jersey Conservation Foundation, the Watershed Institute, HALT PennEast and the Delaware Riverkeeper Network.

"We battled this self-dealing project at every turn with economic data and science showing why PennEast would harm New Jersey ratepayers and its environment," said Jennifer Danis, senior fellow at Columbia University Law School's Sabin Center for Climate Change Law. "PennEast's cancelation should send a strong signal to other proposed but unneeded gas infrastructure projects: We stand ready to fight for our right to a clean and just transition to renewable energy."

"I'm grateful for all of the work that has been accomplished by the advocacy groups on the ground these last years, fighting this unnecessary and dangerous proposal. I also thank the residents and communities on the front line of the proposed route for their tireless efforts," said Rep. Bonnie Watson-Coleman. "My work is not done. I will continue to commit to this fight for comprehensive oversight by FERC. We must have accountability when it comes to proposed projects and take a cumulative approach of the need and the environmental impact when pipelines are put forth into consideration. Make no mistake though, today is a great win."

"We have been opposed to this unneeded PennEast project since day one. This decision is a victory for all New Jerseyans who want to breathe clean air. We congratulate the homeowners, environmental activists, local officials, and the Murphy Administration for their tireless efforts to stop this project. The PennEast pipeline is not needed and would threaten the health and safety of local communities and our state," said Ed Potosnak, Executive Director, New Jersey LCV. "We look forward to a future based on clean renewable energy that moves us away from dirty methane gas, and that will provide good local-union jobs and preserve our beautiful state for our children and grandchildren."

"Who says a small community of committed homeowners and their allies can't overcome the massive force of five billion-dollar energy companies, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and the US Supreme Court?" said Vince DiBianca, a founder of HALT PennEast (Homeowners Against Land Taking). "Homeowners are deeply grateful to the New Jersey Conservation Foundation, the State of New Jersey and the Delaware Riverkeeper Network. Chalk-up a heartwarming win to people and the planet!"

"Today, water, the environment and people spoke louder than fossil fuels," said Jim Waltman, the Watershed's Executive Director. "The Watershed Institute congratulates and thanks the many local, state, and federal officials of both parties and thousands of residents for their determined opposition to this unnecessary and destructive proposal."

"PennEast's cancelation of this unneeded, dangerous fracked gas pipeline is a momentous win for the communities that have fought hard for years to defend their property and the environment," said Joseph Otis Minott, Clean Air Council Executive Director and Chief Counsel. "Others who seek to exploit the residents and natural resources of New Jersey and Pennsylvania should take note: we are not easy-take states and we will continue to resist."

"My children and I are overcome with sheer joy and gratitude that the fight against the PennEast Pipeline is finally over!" said Jaqueline Evans, a landowner whose home was threatened by the pipeline route. "For the past seven years we have fought this unneeded and unwanted pipeline that has threatened the state of New Jersey and the towns on the proposed line. We protected our children, their future, our land, pristine C1 streams, endangered wildlife species, our local economy, history."

"We are grateful to our many partners in this long fight," said Michele Byers, executive director NJ Conservation Foundation. "This has been a top priority of our organization over the past six years. We simply could not allow this unneeded pipeline to take and damage the lands that we and others worked so hard to preserve for future generations."

SOURCE New Jersey Conservation Foundation
GURUGRAM, India, Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Key Findings

Philippines Board of Investments has provide incentives such as Income tax holidays for 3-6 years, 0% VAT for Cold chain companies to locate themselves in Less Developing Areas or 30 poorest provinces.

Board of Investments has provide incentives such as Income tax holidays for 3-6 years, 0% VAT for Cold chain companies to locate themselves in Less Developing Areas or 30 poorest provinces. DPWH and DOTr has been allocated PhP 458.6 bn and PhP 55.5 billion respectively to improve road transport not only in major urban cities (i.e. Metro Manila and Metro Cebu), but as well as in other part of the country such as Mindanao.

and respectively to improve road transport not only in major urban cities (i.e. Metro and Metro Cebu), but as well as in other part of the country such as Mindanao. Increasing demand of products through E commerce platforms will increase the demand for last mile deliveries and warehousing in Philippines .

Covid Impact on Logistics in Philippines: The Imports will fall from major trading countries such as China and Hong Kong affecting the road and sea freight volumes transported from other countries to port of manila and to other parts of Philippines. The warehousing industry will see rotation of only essential commodities with reduction in Picking Revenues. Cold chain industry is less affected with 26%increase in imports of pork and due to its perishable nature. The logistics will see negative growth rate in the year 2020 due to complete lockdown and transportation of only essential commodities, but is expected to revive back in 2021.

Improving Inter Island Connectivity: RORO facilities are being increasingly popular in Philippines due to less time taken to transport by Ferry along with reduced cost by almost 30%. The government has added many smaller projects as a part of 'Build Build Build' Program keeping on hold the bigger projects such as linking brides for Luzon, Cebu & Visayas. More than 20 Projects out of 100 under the new list are public-private partnership (PPP) deals for Intra Island Connectivity funded by Big Companies such as San Miguel Corporation.

Government Regulations: Restrictions of Road freight routes on Heavy duty vehicles, reducing the Age of trucks on road will impact the logistics of the country. Electronic vehicles which are already supported by the government by subsidies for passenger movement can become a new normal for freight transportation also in the next 3-5 years.

Analysts at Ken Research in their latest publication "Philippines Logistics Market Outlook to 2024  By Sea, Land, and Air Freight Forwarding; By Warehousing (Industrial/ Retail, ICD/CFS, Cold Storage, Agriculture), By End Users; By Cold chain market (Cold transportation and Cold storages)" believe that the Logistics market in Philippines is expected to grow due to rising Competition in Road freight market, Rising Digital aggregator Start ups for trucking and warehousing, Along with improvements in e commerce market and Technological Advancements.

Key Segments Covered:-

Freight Forwarding Market

By Mode of Transportation

Road Freight (Fleets, Volume, FTK, Price/ton/km and Revenue)



Sea Freight (Fleets, Volume, Average Distance, Price/ton/km and Revenue)



Air Freight (Volume, Average Distance, Price/ton/km and Revenue)

By Road transportation

Less than Truck load ( Revenue and Volume)



Full truck load (Revenue and Volume)

Warehousing Market

By Business Model (Revenue, Price/sqm, warehousing space, Occupancy rate)

(Revenue, Price/sqm, warehousing space, Occupancy rate) Industrial/Retail



CFS/ICD



Cold Storage



Agriculture

By Industrial warehouses (Revenues)

(Revenues) Grade A



Grade B



Grade C

By End Users (Revenues)

(Revenues) Food & Beverages



Textiles and Footwear



Chemicals



Pharmaceuticals and Medical consumables



Electronics



Others include agricultural products, frozen meat and more

Cold Chain Market

By Service

Cold Transportation ( Revenues)



Cold Storage (Revenues, Number of Cold storages, Number of pallets, Price/ pallet/day, Occupancy rate)

By Mode of cold transportation

Road (Revenue, reefer trucks)



Air (Revenue)



Sea (Revenue)

Revenue By Temperature Range (Revenue, Price/pallet/day)

(Revenue, Price/pallet/day) Freezers



Chillers



Ambient

By Regions ( Number of Cold storages)

Ilocos



Cagayan Valley



Central Luzon



Calabarzon and Mimaropa



Bicol



Western Visayas



Central Visayas



Eastern Visayas



Zamboanga



Northern Mindanao



Davao



Soccsksargen



Caraga



NCR

By type of ownership (Number of cold stores)

Captive



Non captive

Companies Covered:-

Transportation and warehousing Companies

Royal Cargo

W Express ( DHL)

2GO logistics

Yusen logistics

AAI logistics

FSTA Trucking

Inland Logistics

Chelsea logistics

RLH Trucking

Cartrex trucking

2SL Services

Air speed

Orient Freight International

Ernest corporation

Cadano Cargo

Pambato

Truckmoto

Mercury Freight

All Transport Network

Legalas International

Mendonza

Agility

ISA Trucking

Asia world

world Fast cargo logistics

Panalpina DSV

Rhenus logistics

Nippon Express

Kerry freight

Kintetsu

MMG Freight

Antrak logistics

Cold chain Companies:-

Royal Cargo

2GO logistics

FSTA Trucking

PRC Food Logistics

Pacific Road link logistics

EVFTC transport

Igloo supply chain

Dinotrans Transport

Refrigerated Truck Door To Door Delivery

Jentec Cold Storage

Glacier Megafridge

Mets Logistics

ORCA Cold Chain Solutions

Big Blue Logistics

Vifel cold facility

Royale Cold Storage

RLH trucking

Inland logistics

Sky freight forwarders

Yusen logistics

GAC

Key Target Audience:-

Freight Forwarding Companies

E Commerce Logistics Companies

3PL Companies

Consultancy Companies

Logistics/Warehousing Companies

Real Estate Companies/ Industrial Developers

Time Period Captured in the Report:-

Historical Period  2014-2019

 2014-2019 Forecast Period  2020-2024F

Key Topics Covered in the Report

Philippines Logistics and Warehousing Market Introduction

Logistics Infrastructure

Cross Comparison of Logistics Performance in Different Countries ( Philippines , Philippines , Vietnam , Indonesia and Australia )

, , , and ) Philippines Logistics and Warehousing Market Size and Segmentation

Philippines Logistics and Warehousing Market Future size and Segmentation

Philippines Freight Transportation Market Size and Segmentation

Philippines Freight Transportation Market Future size and Segmentation

Philippines Trucking market size and Segmentation

Philippines Trucking Market Future and Segmentation

Cost Component Analysis of Transportation

Philippines Warehousing Market Size and Segmentation

Philippines Warehousing Market Future Outlook and Segmentation

Philippines Cold Chain Market Size and Segmentation

Philippines Cold Chain Market Future and Segmentation

Cost Component Analysis of Ambient warehousing

End User Analysis and pain points of the End user Industry

Innovations in the logistics market

Regulatory Environment

Issues and Challenges

Philippines Logistics Market

Philippines Freight Transportation Market

Philippines Road Freight Market

Philippines Trucking Industry

Philippines Rail Freight Market

Philippines Air Freight Rates

Philippines Sea Freight Rates

Philippines Sea Freight Market

Philippines Air Freight Market

Philippines Truck Variants

Road Freight Innovations

COVID-19 Slump In Philippines Trucking Industry

Trucking Industry Philippines Warehousing Market

Philippines Warehousing Space

Luzon Warehousing Space

Visayas Warehousing Space

Mindanao Warehousing Space

Philippines Warehousing Rent

Philippines Grade A Warehouses

Philippines Grade B Warehouses

Philippines Grade C Warehouses

Warehousing Hubs In Philippines

Philippines Trucking Aggregators

Philippines Warehousing Aggregators

Philippines Industrial Warehouses

Philippines Cold Stores

Philippines Reefer Trucks

Philippines Number Of Pallets

Philippines Cold Store Hubs

Philippines E Commerce Market

Philippines Online Retailing

Trucking Aggregators Philippines

Philippines Warehousing Aggregators

For more information on the research report, refer to below link:-

Philippines Logistics Market Outlook to 2024

Related Reports:-

UAE E-Commerce Logistics Market Outlook to 2025  Driven by Growth in Online Shoppers along with Introduction of New Age Technologies by Logistics Players

UAE E-commerce industry has witnessed an upward trajectory over the past 5-6 years with an increase in internet penetration in the region. UAE is considered the most advanced e-commerce market in MENA, with a penetration rate of ~% in 2017. The UAE enjoys many advantages that make it ideal for e-commerce growth. Its consumer demographic consists of a young internet-savvy population, with high social media usage. Escalation in the number of smart phones in the country, high consumer confidence, changing consumer preferences, etc. has augmented the growth of e-commerce leading surging demand for e-commerce logistics as well in the country. Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah have emerged as the key hub for demand and supply of e-commerce logistics. The COVID-19 pandemic has also pushed the demand in the market as the need for social distancing has forced people to rely on online shopping. The growth in the E-commerce orders for logistics has been majorly driven with an increase in internet affinity and demand for value added services.

India Logistics Market Outlook To FY24Driven By Government Infrastructure Push, New Age Logistics Startups, And Technology Innovation

India has been ranked at 4th position in the world in railway freight traffic after China, the US, and Russia. Under the land freight corridors, 65% of domestic freight volume carried through the road; high compared to ~50% in developed countries. India Logistics Market has witnessed an average CAGR during FY14-FY19 due to favorable policy reforms from the government, continued investment in infrastructure by both the government and the private sector; the influx of foreign players in the market in recent years, increasing consolidation, and investing in innovative technologies has stimulated the growth in the market.

Australia Logistics Market Outlook to 2025- Led by Growth in Road Freight Services and Rising demand for Cold Storage Space

The Australian Logistics Market was observed to be in a growth stage during the period of 2015-2020 owing to the expanding manufacturing & retail sector, increasing disposable income, a growing number of foreign companies, and increasing value of exports and imports in the country. The Australia Logistics Industry has grown at a CAGR of 4.6% on the basis of revenue. The market is booming owing to increasing infrastructure investment, e-commerce, and cold chain facilities in Australia. The freight forwarding sector is the leading segment towards the revenues of the logistics industry, followed by warehousing and courier & parcel activities. Value-Added services also contribute a significant proportion to the overall logistics market in Australia.

Turkey Logistics And Warehousing Market Outlook To 2025  By Domestic And International Freight Forwarding Throughput, Revenue & Flow Corridor (Road Freight And Pipelines, Sea, Air And Rail Freight), By Warehousing (Industrial / Retail, Container Freight / Inland Container Depot & Cold Storage), By 3PL, Courier Express & Parcel, Domestic And Cross Border E-Commerce Logistics

Turkey logistics and warehousing market displayed a consistent growth during the period 2013 to 2018. The growth in the automotive exports coupled with rising e-commerce sector was witnessed to drive the Turkey logistics market. The country also has a robust manufacturing sector that contributes to almost 25% of the country's GDP and provides the boost to the logistics industry in Turkey. In addition to this, the implementation of Vision 2023 and Logistics Master Plan 2023 by the government also indicates a positive outlook for the industry. The market has increased owing to high domestic consumption and the efforts of government to boost infrastructure. The investments in infrastructure and technology have impacted Turkey logistics market positively.

China Logistics and Warehousing Market Outlook to 2025 - Led by Growth in Road Freight Services, Improving Infrastructure and Rising Digital Innovations

The Chinese Logistics Market was observed to be in growth stage during the period of 2015-2020 owing to the expanding manufacturing & retail sector, increasing disposable income, growing number of investments and increasing value of exports and imports in the country. The China Logistics Industry has grown at a CAGR of 5.4% on the basis of revenue. The market is booming owing to increasing infrastructure investment, rising digital innovations and growing logistic demand in China. The freight forwarding sector is the leading segment towards the revenues of the logistics industry, followed by courier & parcel activities and warehousing. Value Added services also contribute a significant proportion to the overall logistics market in China.

Contact Us:-

Ken Research

Ankur Gupta, Head Marketing & Communications

[email protected]

+91-9015378249

SOURCE Ken Research
AUSTIN, Texas, Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- On Friday, September 24, 2021, Law Professor Linda Mullenix filed a motion for leave to file her second amended complaint against the University of Texas at Austin. The lawsuit, which has been pending since December 2019, alleges that the University of Texas School of Law has engaged in Equal Pay Act violations, sex discrimination, and retaliation against Professor Mullenix.

The 116-page amended complaint goes into detail about the secretive budget committee process that recommends raises to Dean Farnsworth, as well as some of the special deals, housing allowances, and guaranteed salary increases some professors receive. For example, as described in the complaint, in 2018, the budget committee, without applying any uniform or objective criteria, voted to give about a third of the faculty, including nearly the entire budget committee itself, guaranteed raises of at least $10,000 for three years regardless of merit or performance. Moreover, the complaint alleges that Dean Farnsworth and the budget committee intentionally hid that information from the rest of the faculty because of potential "morale issues."

Regarding unequal pay, Professor Mullenix alleges that she has been paid over $237,000 less than a male colleague with a substantially similar teacher evaluation rating, but almost a decade less teaching experience, fewer than a third of Professor Mullenix's publication history, and fewer professional honors.

The complaint also alleges that Professor Mullenix has been retaliated against for speaking out about the unequal pay and discrimination she has both experienced and witnessed at the University. According to one colleague, "the way the system works at the [University of Texas School of Law] she will not get fair treatment." The complaint details how just nine days after Professor Mullenix expressed concerns about Equal Pay Act violations, Dean Farnsworth told her the only way she would receive equal pay was if she resigned in two years. The complaint also describes how Professor Mullenix has been retaliated against by being placed on do-nothing committees. According to multiple tenured faculty members, placing professors on do-nothing committees is a common way Dean Farnsworth retaliates against faculty he dislikes. It is further alleged that Dean Farnsworth also retaliates against women who raise equal pay concerns as a way to punish them and discourage others from coming forward. For example, the complaint details an instance where one female professor raised questions about why more women were not selected to receive raises that came from a university funded initiative, in response Dean Farnsworth gave her the lowest raise she had ever received and accused her of not being collegial. Another example of this behavior is when an associate dean made a formal complaint of unequal pay, Dean Farnsworth said she was paid less because she did not behave professionally with students. Similarly, even though Professor Mullenix is considered one of the leading scholars in her field, Dean Farnsworth calls her work mediocre and describes her as difficult and vain.

Professor Mullenix's lawsuit seeks to end this sex discrimination and retaliation at the University of Texas School of Law.

Professor Mullenix is represented by Colin Walsh and Jairo Castellanos of Wiley Walsh, P.C., as well as Paige Melendez of Rob Wiley P.C. Colin Walsh has been certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization as a specialist in labor and employment law.

Related Links

https://www.scribd.com/document/527773550/Plaintiff-s-Second-Amended-Complaint

https://www.wileywalsh.com

SOURCE Wiley Walsh, P.C.

Related Links

https://www.wileywalsh.com


Every four minutes, someone on supervision is sent to prison, not for committing a new crime, but because of a technical violation of a parole or probation term. The current system allows people to be locked up for the most minor and non-criminal violations of those rules, such as being broke and not able to pay a bill, picking up kids from school or an event in a different county, seeing a loved one who is also on probation or parole, or running an errand past curfew.

The launch of Give Life Back marks the three-year anniversary of REFORM's co-chair Meek Mill's release from a controversial prison sentence. The Grammy-nominated recording artist was given a 2-4 year sentence in November 2017 for popping a wheelie -- deemed a technical violation of his probation rules -- sparking the #FreeMeek movement and later the formation of REFORM Alliance.

"The probation system isn't designed to rehabilitate, it's intended to reincarcerate," said Meek Mill. "For our team at REFORM, it's important to educate the public about these issues because no one should ever be sent back prison for non-violent, technical probation offenses like being late to a meeting with a probation officer or being unable to pay a fine."

"To create meaningful change to our criminal justice system, we must also reform the cultural perception of probation," said Michael Rubin, co-chair of REFORM Alliance. "Our hope is that REFORM's Give Life Back initiative will continue to raise awareness to the flaws within our probation system and pave the way for a collaborative, bipartisan solution."

The campaign kicks off a summer of activism for probation and parole reform. In the coming weeks, REFORM Alliance and its partners also plan to introduce legislation to reform policies at the federal level.

"Transforming the failed and costly parole and probation system to provide people with a meaningful and effective pathway to take care of themselves and their families would give life back to millions of people throughout this country," said Mr. Rooks, who has dedicated his life to social justice as co-founder of the Alliance for Safety and Justice and former Criminal Justice Director for the NAACP.

"The outcome of replacing the current broken system with one that is restorative, accountable and focused on making the right investments will mean increased stability, stronger families and safer communities," Mr. Rooks said.

Probation and parole systems were originally created to avoid sending people to prison, and meant to hold people accountable while redirecting them back to work, school, family, and community. Unfortunately, in practice probation and parole have become a revolving door to prison that excludes people, families, and entire communities from wellness and stability. The current system fails to prepare people for a life outside.

Of the approximately 6.6 million Americans in the criminal justice system, more than 4.5 million are currently on probation and parole. Nearly 25% of all state prison admissions each year are results of supervision violations. This broken and failed probation and parole system costs taxpayers 2.8 billion dollars annually.

Developed in partnership with creative agency Droga5 and directed by acclaimed cinematographer Malik Hassan Sayeed, the scenes in Technically Illegal* have been informed by the lived experience of people in the justice system and highlight examples of the everyday things considered technical violations of probation or parole terms that can send people back to prison.. The film gives audiences a chance to witness the difficult web of rules and the impact these systems have on mental health, families, and communities.

To build on the stories included in the film, REFORM is using Instagram to highlight the stories of real people who are on or have been on probation or parole, and have had to deal with the effects of the flawed system. "I used to think, what if I'm at the supermarket and come across somebody I know? What if they had been convicted of a felony? Do I have to constantly be reporting this to my probation officer and do they have to report it too? And what happens then?" said Judith , who is one of the profiles featured by the campaign. "I remember one particular case where the person had become so exhausted by the restrictions of their probation rules that they decided to come back to prison and finish the term, because that was the easier option. You tend to want to just crawl in bed and stay there because of fear of being violated for whatever reason, and having your life turned upside down maybe out of your control."

Over the coming weeks, REFORM will also introduce an augmented reality experience that will help people begin to grapple with the impossible choices people on probation and parole face everyday.

To be part of the movement that will Give Life Back to millions of people trapped in a failed and costly system, go to www.reformalliance.com and sign up to become a Reformer.

About REFORM Alliance:

REFORM is committed to transforming probation and parole throughout the United States by changing laws, systems, and culture. The organization is working to replace America's criminal justice system with a restorative approach that is fair, accountable and invested in rehabilitation. Our goal is for people to reenter society with dignity, create meaningful pathways to work and equip them with the tools to succeed all while making families and communities safer and stronger.

The nonprofit organization was founded in the wake of the #FreeMeek movement by award-winning recording artist Meek Mill; Philadelphia 76ers partner and Fanatics executive chairman Michael Rubin; Arnold Ventures co-founder Laura Arnold; entrepreneur and business mogul Shawn "JAY-Z" Carter; Kraft Group CEO and New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft; Galaxy Digital CEO and founder Michael E. Novogratz; Vista Equity Partners founder, chairman, CEO Robert F. Smith; Brooklyn Nets co-owner and philanthropic investor Clara Wu Tsai; and CNN host and activist Van Jones. Veteran criminal justice advocate Robert Rooks leads the organization as CEO.

SOURCE REFORM Alliance

Related Links

reformalliance.com


Sartorius will have an anchoring presence in the Tech Loop at the Ann Arbor Research Park and add a flagship site in North America. To this end, the company has purchased over 15 acres of land which provides sufficient space for further expansion. The project is expected to create 160 jobs over three years. These jobs will include product development, operations, and other support functions.

Demand for innovative technologies used in the development and production of biopharmaceuticals continues to grow rapidly. The Ann Arbor site is an integral part of Sartorius' ongoing worldwide expansion, enabling Sartorius to scale up its operations and capabilities in the Ann Arbor biotech hub. By 2025, Sartorius will more than double capacities for its key product groups.

This press release contains forward-looking statements about the future development of the Sartorius Group. Forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. Sartorius assumes no liability for updating such statements in light of new information or future events.

A profile of Sartorius

The Sartorius Group is a leading international partner of life science research and the biopharmaceutical industry. With innovative laboratory instruments and consumables, the Group's Lab Products & Services Division concentrates on serving the needs of laboratories performing research and quality control at pharma and biopharma companies and those of academic research institutes. The Bioprocess Solutions Division with its broad product portfolio focusing on single-use solutions helps customers to manufacture biotech medications and vaccines safely and efficiently. The Group has been annually growing by double digits on average and has been regularly expanding its portfolio by acquisitions of complementary technologies. In fiscal 2020, the company earned sales revenue of some 2.34 billion euros. At the end of 2020, nearly 11,000 people were employed at the Group's approximately 60 manufacturing and sales sites, serving customers around the globe. https://www.sartorius.com/en

Follow Sartorius on Twitter and on LinkedIn.

Contact:

Petra Kirchhoff

Head of Corporate Communications & Investor Relations

+49 (0)551 308 1686

[email protected]

SOURCE Sartorius AG
CHICAGO, Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Data center cooling using snow concept being explored as this will help the companies to reduce their carbon footprint. Companies such as Google & Facebook have built data centers in Nordic countries and use frost for cooling their data centers. Data center cooling vendors have gained significant expertise over the past few years in designing facilities. The investment in data center cooling accounts for 1525% of the overall investment in data center construction, except for IT infrastructure. For instance, Facebook has partnered with Nortek Air Solutions to develop a new generation of data center cooling solution called StatePoint. Data center knowledge base portfolio consist of a wide range of data center market research reports. The reports cover overall insights of several growth factors, new technologies, trends, and competitive landscape to grow your business. Arizton is also coming up with more customized and insightful reports related to data center industry.

Here's a sneak peek of the trendiest reports:

1. Data Center Cooling Market - Global Outlook and Forecast 2021-2026

The global data center cooling market is expected to reach USD 9.59 billion by 2026. The data center cooling market is witnessing considerable growth, with new and innovative technologies and highly efficient cooling solutions. The enterprise adoption of cloud-based services, big data analytics, and IoT services has been a strong force for data center investments in developing countries, which is being fueled by the pandemic. Most data centers are involved in the procurement of cooling systems with N+N redundancy, where few data centers are procuring 2N systems, especially for chiller systems and air conditioners. The use of free cooling techniques will continue to dominate the market for evaporative coolers, free cooling chillers, air-side economizers, and water-side economizers in North America, Europe, Japan, and Northern China. The adoption of these systems is growing in Australia and New Zealand. The adoption of scalable and modular cooling solutions is expected to contribute significantly to market growth during the forecast period.

The adoption of efficient cooling infrastructure in most upcoming facilities will lower the PUE to 1.5. Facilities using indirect evaporative coolers and air/water-side economizers will also operate at a PUE of less than 1.3. Vendors in the liquid immersion and direct-to-chip cooling segments are experiencing over 15% YoY growth in the market. Cooling innovations such as tropical climate data centers and underwater cooling due to mainstream deployment options during the forecast period.

Get more insights: https://www.arizton.com/market-reports/data-center-cooling-market-2025

2. APAC Data Center Cooling Market - Industry Outlook & Forecast 2021-2026

The APAC data center cooling market growing at a CAGR of 4.91% during the forecast period. The data center market in APAC is witnessing steady growth with continued investments from hyperscale and cloud service providers such as AWS, Microsoft, Google, and Alibaba. The major demand for data center services comes from cloud-based service providers. Rise in hyperscale and edge data center investment, will contribute to the growth of data center cooling market across APAC in the upcoming years. Data center operators and vendors are expected to collaborate and develop systems that can save up to 50% of water consumption in data centers cooling market.

The adoption of liquid immersion cooling will grow as organizations are increasingly involved in deploying artificial intelligence and machine learning workloads. Cooling innovations such as tropical climate data centers and underwater cooling resulting to become mainstream deployment options in the future. Cooling by snow and vertical data centers are other innovations being explored in APAC.

Get more insights: https://www.arizton.com/market-reports/apac-data-center-cooling-market

3. U.S. Data Center Cooling Market - Industry Outlook and Forecast 2021-2026

In 2020, 130+ data center projects have been announced and opened in the US. Around 75% of the data centers are owned by colocation service providers while the rest are enterprise data centers. In 2020, the US data center cooling market witnessed increase in adoption of CRAH & CRAC units. The increase in construction of new facilities will offer opportunities for cooling infrastructure providers and accelerate their revenue. The US hosts a high number of Tier III and Tier IV data centers that use efficient and redundant cooling systems across US.

The US data center cooling market is dominated by CRAC and CRAH units and this segment will continue to be the largest revenue contributor, followed by evaporative coolers, and free cooling chillers in the country. The data center operator's preference over a single cooling vendor is changing rapidly because of the growing market innovations. Vendors are partnering with modular data center developers and direct liquid cooling providers to increase their revenue, and the trend will continue during the forecast period.

Get more insights: https://www.arizton.com/market-reports/united-states-data-center-cooling-market-size-analysis

Subscribe to our data center knowledge base portfolio to gain access to a vast range of market research reports at competitive prices.

Read some of the top-selling reports:

About Arizton:

Arizton Advisory and Intelligence is an innovation and quality-driven firm, which offers cutting-edge research solutions to clients across the world. We excel in providing comprehensive market intelligence reports and advisory and consulting services.

We offer comprehensive market research reports on industries such as consumer goods & retail technology, automotive and mobility, smart tech, healthcare, and life sciences, industrial machinery, chemicals and materials, IT and media, logistics and packaging. These reports contain detailed industry analysis, market size, share, growth drivers, and trend forecasts.

Arizton comprises a team of exuberant and well-experienced analysts who have mastered in generating incisive reports. Our specialist analysts possess exemplary skills in market research. We train our team in advanced research practices, techniques, and ethics to outperform in fabricating impregnable research reports.

Mail: [email protected]

Call: +1-312-235-2040

+1 302 469 0707

SOURCE Arizton Advisory & Intelligence
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Sunshine Health, a wholly owned subsidiary of Centene Corporation, is pleased to announce the appointment of Nathan Landsbaum as Plan President and Chief Executive Officer, effective Sept. 26.

Mr. Landsbaum joined Centene in 2005. Most recently, he served as CEO for Home State Health, where he led Centene's Missouri market for the past four years. Previously, he served as Vice President of Finance for Sunshine Health and was promoted in 2015 to Chief Operating Officer for the plan.

On Oct. 1, 2021, Sunshine Health will combine with Staywell Health Plan, making it the state's largest Medicaid managed care organization. The merger is part of Centene's acquisition of WellCare Health Plans, which closed in January 2020.

"Nathan is an innovative and proven leader with a track record of motivating teams, managing health plan operations, and executing on our mission to help transform the health of our members and local communities," said Gregg MacDonald, Centene's Senior Vice President of Markets. "His leadership will be instrumental as we work to integrate Centene's combined plans across Florida while ensuring we continue to deliver high-quality care and services to our members across the state."

Landsbaum will oversee the combined Florida health plan, which will offer Medicaid, Marketplace, Medicare, and the Children's Medical Services (CMS) Health Plan to 2.3 million members across the state. The combined health plan includes best practices and innovations from both organizations and offers members richer benefits and access to a larger network of providers.

"Over the past four years, the Sunshine Health team has done incredible work to grow our plan and serve our members and local communities in the Sunshine State," said Landsbaum. "I look forward to returning to Florida and leveraging the size and scope of our combined plan to better serve our members, providers, government customers, and community partners."

For more information about Sunshine Health, visit www.SunshineHealth.com.

About Sunshine Health

Headquartered in Broward County and with offices across the state, Sunshine Health is among the largest healthcare plans in Florida. Offering coordinated care and a network of support for our members, Sunshine Health is transforming the health of the community, one person at a time. Sunshine Health is a wholly owned subsidiary of Centene Corporation, a diversified, multi-national healthcare enterprise. We offer government-sponsored managed care through Medicaid, Long Term Care, the Health Insurance Marketplace (Ambetter) and Medicare (Allwell). Sunshine Health is now affiliated with WellCare Health Plan's Florida health plans, including Staywell Health Plan and WellCare of Florida Medicare Advantage and Prescription Drug Plans. Our specialty plans include the Child Welfare Specialty Plan serving children in or adopted from the state's Child Welfare system; and the Staywell Specialty Health Plan for people living with serious mental illness. Additionally, WellCare operates Children's Medical Services Health Plan on behalf of the Florida Department of Health, serving children and adolescents with special healthcare needs.

For more information, visit SunshineHealth.com or follow us on Facebook and Twitter @SunHealthFL.

SOURCE Sunshine Health

Related Links

http://www.sunshinehealth.com


MANSFIELD, Mass., Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Telco Systems, is pleased to announce that it has been selected by CEMEX, S.A.B. de C.V. ("CEMEX"), to provide Edgility, its enterprise communications network operating and management system. The platform will enable seamless managed connections between CEMEX facilities worldwide, connecting its thousands of locations.

CEMEX has selected Edgility as the virtualized operating and management system for its new communications network that will connect all its sites throughout the Americas, the Caribbean, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. By adopting the Telco Systems platform, which uses virtualization technology to decouple the network from hardware, CEMEX will experience benefits including reduced running costs, energy consumption, and carbon footprint; simplified and more efficient network management; optimized performance; and scalability to grow as required. The Edgility edge compute platform enables a swift and smooth upgrade to a software-defined wide area network (SD-WAN). The contract is expected to be worth approximately $2m, with revenue commencing by the end of the current year.

Telco Systems' Edgility includes a high-performance operating system (OS) that will run on edge devices in all CEMEX sites worldwide as well as a powerful Management and Orchestration (MANO) solution. Edgility provides the flexibility and scalability to expand and adapt to customer requirements as well as host diverse applications on any standard server - enabling a high-level user experience at a significantly lower CAPEX and OPEX. Egility is provided to Cemex under a monthly recurrent license model (with each endpoint requiring a monthly SAAS licence) and will include a commitment to use more than 100,000 monthly licences throughout the initial agreement period.

Ariel Efrati, CEO of Telco Systems, said: "We are extremely proud to be part of the CEMEX network transformation and that Edgility can address all of their key objectives. We are confident that CEMEX will be highly satisfied with our solution."

CEMEX selected Edgility following extensive evaluation of and undertaking proof of concepts with, multiple vendors. Edgility was selected for its maturity, advanced automation capabilities, and, in particular, for its simple and intuitive user interface  being easy to deploy, maintain and integrate with any software application from multiple software providers across the network. Telco Systems' team also demonstrated our responsiveness and ability to rapidly address any operational item - developing and implementing several bespoke features to meet CEMEX's specific requirements.

"Our first direct enterprise customer for Edgility is a global company with annual sales of $13bn. This is a fantastic achievement, and I am excited to see CEMEX's vision of fully transitioning their network to edge computing become a reality. We look forward to playing a role in enabling them to realize the great benefits of this. It will also serve as a key proof point for Telco Systems  demonstrating our ability to seamlessly connect thousands of edge devices across diverse geographies" added Mr. Efrati. "our dedicated value proposition lies in our ability to provide full automation as well as intuitive management in a combined networking and IT environment, which is critical for enterprises to manage. Solutions like VMware and Azure are lacking these capabilities and are not built to deploy such services at scale."

Enquiries - Telco Systems

Ariel Efrati, Chief Executive Officer

Related Links

https://www.telco.com

SOURCE Telco Systems
VENICE, Calif., Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Thankful, the AI platform powering the customer service revolution, emerges from stealth mode today with the announcement of a $12 Million Series A Funding Round led by Alpha Edison. Other investors include Bonfire, Ten-One-Ten, Greycroft, Omega, and Miramar.

Thankful's 400% year-over-year growth since launch in 2018 is largely due to its superior intelligence which can resolve large volumes of customer problems across all written customer service channels  email, chat, social, in-app, and SMS.

To date, Thankful has quietly been at the forefront of the industry, trusted by brands who lead the world in customer experience, such as Crate & Barrel, FabFitFun, MeUndies, Morphe, and Bombas. Thanks to this round of financing, Thankful will now be able to further scale their enterprise business and continue to reimagine how customer experience can evolve from basic problem solving to complex, personalized relationship-building.

Since Thankful's breakthrough technology understands what customers want and delivers the answers customers need, it has also become a go-to partner for the world's leading helpdesks, including Zendesk, Kustomer and Gladly.

"Thankful stood out to us because it's the only customer support software that's on the customer's side - and we know from our experience that will always be the winning side," said Robey Miller, Partner at Alpha Edison. "What attracted us most was the traction they achieved in a short time, and the vision of turning customer service from a cost center to revenue driver."

"Thankful's level of intelligent customer service engagement was deeper than anything we'd seen before, and in service, understanding the customer is critical," said Bonfire Partner, Jim Andleman.

"We are so grateful to our investors and thrilled that they share our mission of giving every customer access to exceptional service by providing every business the technology to deliver it," said Thankful AI CEO, Ted Mico. "This financing will help us to continue to lead the transformation of customer service into an effective sales and marketing channel."

About Thankful

Thankful is an artificial intelligence customer service software solution. Like a human agent, Thankful's AI routes, assists, translates, and fully resolves large volumes of customer queries across all written channels - offering customers the freedom to choose how they want to engage. Founded in 2018, Thankful is a privately held company headquartered in Venice, California.

Media Contact:

Loren Pomerantz

917-902-0219

[email protected]

SOURCE Thankful
DALLAS, Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The health tech firm TrySecondOpinion,Inc is excited to announce the completion of successful 'friends and family' funding round with overwhelming response.

"The speed and investor quality that includes likes various diversified Angel investors validates TrySecondOpinions's resonating message and value proposition," pronounces Anil Sunkara. He along with Anand Bollineni pioneered this healthtech.

TSO(TrySecondOpinion,Inc) raised $500,000 in this round and will use this investment to continue executing its vision and mission to provide seamless, easy-to-use second opinion platform along with hiring the board of directors and key executives to take the company to the next level.

The success of TSO's inaugural funding round allows the company to continue proving its high-value proposition for healthcare and insurance. The first round focused primarily on demonstrating the MVP to the friends and family most of whom are angel and accredited investors.

The resounding response to the TSO fundamental proposition made us very happy and gave us the much needed reassurance to work harder to create a patient friendly ecosystem with personal health officers being in the central system to act as the health concierges for the patients.

TSO will continue its efforts to build the auto diagnostic technology for 7,000 plus rare diseases along with further sophistication of the TSO platform which is expected to go live in November '2021 in USA and India simultaneously.

TSO is already in talks with stalwarts who will be coming as advisors to further strengthen the core think tank of this health tech.The company is headquartered in Dallas,TX, and Arlington Heights,IL.

TrySecondOpinion,Inc is the healthtech company which works on servicing patients all around the world with seamless work flow of Secondopinion and alternative treatment advice from specialists all over the world. Apart from the traditional medicine popularly known as Allopathy or English medicine, TrySecondOpinion also has onboarded specialists from various parts of the world who have expertise in Traditional Chinese Medicine, Ayurveda, Homeopathy and Unani. The platform also includes specialist who could give alternative treatments like "Breathe As Medicine", "Fitness As Medicine" and "Music As Medicine".

For more information about TrySecondOpinion, please visit : https://trysecondopinion.com

Contacts

For media inquiries, please contact:

Name: Mitch Schwartz

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Try Second Opinion,Inc
WASHINGTON, Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the U.S. Conference of Mayors, in partnership with Target, announced the 2021 recipients of Police Reform and Racial Justice Grants: Dallas, TX; Albuquerque, NM; and Salisbury, MD. American mayors have been at the forefront of efforts to increase racial justice, and each of these cities will be awarded a grant to support police reform policies and initiatives that have been implemented in their communities.

At the 2021 USCM Winter Meeting in January, Laysha Ward, Executive Vice President & Chief External Engagement Officer for Target, announced the creation of a two-year, $700,000 Police Reform and Racial Justice Grant Program. This national partnership aims to identify, support and promote police policies and practices in cities shown to be most effective in advancing the goal of justice for all residents. Winners of these grants  one each for a large, mid-size, and small city  are being recognized for their innovative approaches to tackling these critical issues.

Police Reform and Racial Justice Grant Winners

Large City Award: One Dallas : R.E.A.L. Change: This program in Dallas, TX , aims to use partnerships with faith-based leaders, community activists, education stakeholders, and neighborhood groups to create policing that is responsible, equitable, accountable, and legitimate. The $175,000 grant will be used to expand the RIGHT Care program, which currently provides a multidisciplinary team capable of immediate mobilization and response 16 hours a day, seven days a week.

This program in , aims to use partnerships with faith-based leaders, community activists, education stakeholders, and neighborhood groups to create policing that is responsible, equitable, accountable, and legitimate. The grant will be used to expand the RIGHT Care program, which currently provides a multidisciplinary team capable of immediate mobilization and response 16 hours a day, seven days a week. Mid-size City Award: Albuquerque Community Safety Department (ACS): Albuquerque, NM , created a third branch of the City's first responder system, a department that follows a public health model with civilian-led response. The Community Safety Department gives 911 dispatch the options to have trained professionals respond to non-violent calls. ACS will use the $100,000 grant to build a partnership with community members through a public education campaign.

, created a third branch of the City's first responder system, a department that follows a public health model with civilian-led response. The Community Safety Department gives 911 dispatch the options to have trained professionals respond to non-violent calls. ACS will use the grant to build a partnership with community members through a public education campaign. Small City Award: Salisbury Police Mental Health Collaborative Partnership: The Salisbury Police Department aims to train police officers on the "duty to intervene" as well as how to effectively and safely de-escalate situations. The $75,000 grant will be used to continue implementing this training to create a community-oriented police department culture.

"As one of the nation's largest retailers and employers, Target has an unwavering commitment to create spaces where our team members, guests and communities feel safe," said Laysha Ward, EVP and Chief External Engagement Officer, Target. "It will take the collective efforts of individuals, private businesses, community partners and public agencies to dismantle systemic racism, which is why we're proud to support the Police Reform and Racial Justice Grant Program and the innovative solutions that will result in more equitable policing in communities across the country."

"We are grateful to have a partner in Target that recognizes and supports cities that are putting in the work to achieve greater racial justice and strengthen the trust between law enforcement and the communities that they serve," said Tom Cochran, CEO and Executive Director of the US Conference of Mayors. "The Police Reform and Racial Justice Grant will help mayors and cities to continue these targeted, dynamic efforts to strengthen public safety and racial justice."

"Dallas is a national leader in taking comprehensive, innovative, and proactive approaches to public safety," said Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson. "While we are committed to law enforcement, we are also implementing and expanding new programs that address social, environmental, and behavioral issues in our communities. RIGHT Care is one such program, and it has helped us to dramatically improve outcomes for people experiencing mental health crises. We are honored to be recognized for our work, and with this grant, we can continue our efforts to build safer, stronger, kinder, and more just communities."

"In Albuquerque, we listened to the conversations happening in our city and the calls for a new way of doing things. The Albuquerque Community Safety Department is the nation's first cabinet-level 9-1-1 department providing public safety through a public health approach. It's about sending the right response at the right time; meeting community needs with social workers and other trained professionals who can offer services; and allowing police officers to focus on violent crime. It takes courage to break the mold, and we're grateful to have received this award today to help us pursue lasting, systemic change in our city," said Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller.

"Salisbury has been at the forefront of ensuring our residents are safe and our police officers are responsive to concerns while protecting the most vulnerable in our community," said Salisbury Mayor Jake Day. "This monumental charge is more than any small city could shoulder on its own and that is why I am ecstatic that the U.S. Conference of Mayors and Target have selected the Salisbury for this important award, enabling a new effort to provide first response mental health services alongside our police officers. We are proud to be in this very small fraternity of cities that are innovating and leading the way and we are grateful to the Conference and Target for putting their faith in the City of Salisbury and our Police Department."

Summary descriptions of the winning programs, along with the balance of the 36 programs submitted by cities in the grant competition, have been posted on the Conference of Mayors website under the Center for Compassionate and Equitable Cities. The goal is to share with all mayors information on the approaches to police reform being taken or planned by their colleagues throughout the U.S.

Learn more about the partnership between Target and USCM, and the Police Reform and Racial Justice Grant program in the announcement here.

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.

Contact:

Sara Durr, [email protected], 202/215.1811

SOURCE U.S. Conference of Mayors

Related Links

www.usmayors.org


TIPS History TIPS (Training for Intervention ProcedureS) was founded 41 years ago, in 1979, by Dr. Morris Chafetz, founding director of the National Institute on Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse. His goal in creating the first TIPS program was to constitute a curriculum that would give alcohol servers the skills and confidence required to protect their customers from becoming overly intoxicated.

Since then, led by Adam Chafetz, TIPS has expanded to include additional consumer programs, including TIPS for Off-Premise and TIPS for the Workplace. This established TIPS as a credible resource for information in preventing intoxication. Their data has been used in courts, by liquor boards, and internally by corporate clients.

TIPS Mission

As a well-established brand with a storied history, TIPS' mission is to educate and inform the public about the responsible sale, service, and use of alcohol by reducing risk and creating a safer, more responsible environment. This mission is woven into the fabric of their programs. All of their skills-based responsible alcohol training courses are designed to prevent intoxication, drunk driving, and underage drinking by providing individuals with the knowledge and confidence they need to prevent alcohol-related tragedies.

Their online courses have an outstanding quality of content, easy-to-understand modules, and helpful reinforcement quizzes. For in-person classroom training, they developed a network of over 5,000 TIPS certified trainers across all 50 states. All of this was to make learning and retaining knowledge about safely selling and serving alcohol as simple as possible.

Acquisition by 360training

360training is in partnership with GreyLion Capital, a private equity firm that invests in high-growth businesses. Since GreyLion's investment, 360training has been focused on accelerating organic growth and acquiring companies that align with 360training's mission to provide enhanced training solutions across regulated markets. 360training acquired TIPS in large part because the same goals fundamentally drive the two companies.

"360training and TIPS is a union that just makes sense. The TIPS brand was founded to enhance public safety through education about the responsible sale, service, and consumption of alcohol, which echoes 360training's mission of enabling a safe environment through regulatory training. By combining our resources, we're able to enhance public safety for communities across the nation." Tom Anderson, CEO of 360training

"Safety is not expensive, it is priceless. We take safety very seriously at 360training and adding TIPS to our portfolio of alcohol safety will expand our ability to prevent alcohol-related incidents." Samantha Montalbano, COO of 360training

Under their nationally recognized brand, Learn2Serve, 360training was already a leader in providing online regulatory training for food safety and controlled substances. Since the acquisition, 360training has become a one-stop shop for the food and beverage industry. The partnership between 360training and TIPS significantly increases 360training's reach, allowing alcohol sellers and servers to be able to access their required training anywhere in the United States.

Likewise, 360training will enhance the TIPS brand by adding food safety courses to its repertoire, such as food handler, food manager, and food allergy online training courses. Whether you're a bartender in a restaurant, concessionaire in a stadium, server in a casino, or a cashier in a grocery store, 360training and TIPS can help you complete your required training.

About TIPS

TIPS (Training for Intervention ProcedureS) is the global leader in education and training for the responsible service, sale, and consumption of alcohol. Over the past 41 years, TIPS has certified more than 5 million participants and trainers across multiple websites, including GetTIPS.com and affiliate partners TIPSCertified.com and TIPSAlcohol.com . TIPS alcohol seller-server training is conducted in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and in over 50 different countries. All of this has been done with one purpose in mindto educate and inform the public about the responsible sale, service, and use of alcohol.

About 360training

Since 1997, 360training.com, Inc. has provided individuals and businesses with online regulatory-approved training, facilitating a safe, healthy environment for the communities they serve. The company has delivered over four million training plans across multiple brands, including Meditec , AgentCampus , VanEd , OSHAcampus , OSHA.com , and Learn2Serve . To learn more, please visit www.360training.com or their social media accounts on Facebook , Twitter , and LinkedIn .

SOURCE 360training.com

Related Links

http://www.360training.com


The collection, designed by Glazier Design, has received Royal Approval from HM the Queen. The puzzles contain logic and non-verbal reasoning, and also many secrets hidden in microtext and cyphers, special codes that disguise words, making the message secret. Codebreakers need to work out the key to solve the cypher, but they might need a magnifying glass!

In a global first, the stamps contain what3words references. what3words is the simplest way to talk about and share location. The app divides the world into 57 trillion 3 metre squares and gives each square a unique combination of three random words: a what3words address.

The collection was developed in collaboration with Mensa, a global organisation with145,000 members in 100 countries, including the Isle of Man the UK. At a time when neurodiversity is more recognised in society, Mensa embodies togetherness through their motto 'Where everyone is different, so no-one is'.

Available www.iompost.com/mensa.

British Mensa Chief Executive Cath Hill, "Mensa's 75th anniversary is a huge milestone for the society, and we are delighted that the Isle of Man Post Office has chosen to celebrate it with us by issuing this beautiful set of stamps."

Maxine Cannon, GM IOMPO Stamps and Coins, "When the idea to celebrate the 75th anniversary of Mensa was first mentioned by my colleagues Paul Ford and Charlie Jordan, I couldn't imagine how we would illustrate the Mensa story, but under the capable skills of Glazier Design and Emma Cooke of EJC Design, plus boundless enthusiasm from the Team at Mensa UK, the final results are a real credit to everyone involved in this postal tribute."

Chris Sheldrick, CEO and Co-founder of what3words adds: "It's a real honour to mark Mensa's 75th anniversary in a world's first - what3words addresses on royally approved stamps! Mensa is a celebration of neurodiversity in society, and this stamp collection is a perfect tribute. We hope that people enjoy working out exactly where the what3words addresses are and why they're so significant to Mensa and the Isle of Man."

Full release, images:

https://app.box.com/s/8s06xr24ld5c0uyxa37l5mh85adfs2lu

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1H2BKKF5mAuSR21CuVCsm27EsE8rbmTAT?usp=sharing

SOURCE Glazier Design for Isle of Man Post Office
MARE ISLAND, Calif., Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Shannon Family of Wines, a spirited winery in the North Coast region of California, realized that although their business was growing, it was time to take the brand to the next level. With this in mind, they called Affinity Creative Group to position the brand for the future and bring it to life through a new website.

"Affinity has given us a powerful website that truly tells our story and brings Lake County to consumers everywhere." Tweet this Shannon Family of Wines website, designed by Affinity Creative Group.

For nearly 30 years, founder and president Clay Shannon has blazed his own trail, bucking convention in favor of finding a better way to farm and make wine at his Lake County mountain vineyards. At the heart of this tenet is the organization's commitment to the land. Sustainability isn't a philosophical concept or selling point  it's how the Shannon family live their lives and run their businesses. So much so that they were recently awarded the prestigious 2021 California Green Medal Environment Award.

Now, equipped with a newly developed website from Affinity Creative Group, the Shannon Family of Wines mantra will reach an even wider audience for this pioneering, nation-wide brand and stable of extraordinary wines.

Clay Shannon remarked "Affinity has been an incredible partner in our brand-building journey. They understood early on that we're a different type of winery and a different type of organization. We're reimagining viticulture and winemaking as we convert our operations into a completely sustainable ecosystem. Affinity has given us a powerful website that truly tells our story and brings Lake County to consumers everywhere. We couldn't be happier."

The new website celebrates Clay's belief in 'forging a better way' - leading with the land and producing incredible wines in an earth-first way. Like the organization, the site is bold, honest, and not bound by convention. It also includes an updated visual system and voice. The online experience, complete with photography captured by Affinity, highlights the stunning Lake County mountain location and its range of hospitality options, while providing consumers with access to a range of award-winning wines.

The site features a powerful anthem film created by Affinity, showcasing the ethos of the Shannon Family of Wines team. It also introduces Project Ovis - the transformation of the winery's operations and vineyards into a completely sustainable and regenerative organic farming system to combat the effects of climate change.

With a mission to encourage exploration, education and interaction, the fully custom-designed website employs the best of UX and UI design, as well as powerful e-commerce technology to scale the brand's direct-to-consumer (DTC) efforts.

Shannon Family of Wines is pioneering change and forging a better way. Affinity is thrilled to have partnered with them to introduce an exceptional online experience that celebrates this remarkable vision and make it available to the world.

About Shannon Family of Wines: Shannon Family of Wines was founded in 1996 in Lake County, CA, and has been dedicated ever since to making top-quality wines at affordable prices. Their high-elevation vineyard sites are sustainably farmed to preserve the natural habitats of local wildlife. The Shannon Family of Wines portfolio includes Buck Shack, Clay Shannon, High Valley, Old Pearl, OVIS, Pistol Grip, Playtime, Urgency, Vigilance, Shannon Ridge, and Shannon Reserve. For more information on Shannon Family of Wines, please visit shannonfamilyofwines.com or call 707.994.9656.

About Affinity Creative Group: From our unique creative campus, along historic officer's row on Mare Island, California, Affinity Creative Group provides brand design, digital media, and retail activation marketing services, particularly for wine, spirits, and other luxury categories. Please visit affinitycreative.com for more information.

Photos: Click Here

SOURCE Affinity Creative Group

Related Links

www.affinitycreative.com


"We are enormously pleased that A Bushel of Apples was so well-received last year. It was exciting for us to see fans who have grown up with our Caramel Apples experience the classic flavors in an entirely new way," says Todd McClamroch, Vice President at Affy Tapple.

The beer precisely captures what it's like to bite into an Affy Tapple Original Peanut Caramel Apple, with the tart apple taste hitting your taste buds first, followed by caramel and peanut, with a crisp finish. Phase Three started with a traditional blonde ale recipe then added apple juice and natural flavors to create the indisputable aroma and flavor of an Affy Tapple Caramel Apple.

"The response to the initial release of A Bushel of Apples was so encouraging, we knew we achieved our goal of creating an authentic Caramel Apple beer that was both fun and delicious, and had to bring it back  not to mention, fans have been calling asking for it since last fall," says Shaun Berns, Co-founder/Head Brewer at Phase Three Brewing.

"It was also heartening that customers were so supportive of our initiative to raise money for the Greater Chicago Food Depository, a food bank serving Chicago and all of Cook County, through the proceeds from A Bushel of Apples. We ended up raising more than $4,000 with our 60-barrel batch and hope to top that this year with our continued partnership and increased production," says Evan Morris, Co-founder/Director of Operations at Phase Three Brewing.

Features of A Bushel of Apples include:

A craft beer with notes of tart apple, sweet caramel, and roasted peanuts

$1 for every 4-pack sold benefits the Food Depository

A Bushel of Apples is available starting Saturday, October 2nd and Sunday October 3rd, with a kick-off, family-friendly fall event sponsored by the Lake Zurich Area Chamber of Commerce at Paulus Park, 200 South Rand Rd. in Lake Zurich, IL featuring live music, food vendors, 20+ draft beer options, to-go beer, various activities for adults and children, and of course all the Affy Tapple treats you-can-eat! The event will take place from 11am - 9pm on Saturday and 11am - 6pm on Sunday. Admission is free and proceeds will benefit the Food Depository and Lake Zurich Area Chamber of Commerce. 4-packs sold at the taproom will be priced at $11.99. Broader distribution of A Bushel of Apples will begin the week of October 4th, at these retailers: affytapple.com/phase-three/

About Affy Tapple: Affy Tapple, The Original Caramel Apple, has been a beloved Midwest tradition since 1948. You can buy Affy Tapple Caramel Apples year-round and ship them nationwide. Whether you call us a Caramel Apple, a taffy apple, a candy apple, or Affy Tapple, we have maintained a loyal following for generations by using fresh, crisp apples dipped in our famous, small-batch caramel. affytapple.com

About Phase Three Brewing Company: Phase Three Brewing Company is a startup brewery formed and led by Shaun Berns, Brittany Berns, and Evan Morris. In March 2018, the owners combined their 20+ years of brewery operations and marketing experience to form the brand, Phase Three Brewing Company. Lessons learned and experiences shared together drive Phase Three Brewing Company's dynamic and quality-focused approach to craft beer. phasethreebrewing.com

About the Greater Chicago Food Depository: The Greater Chicago Food Depository, Chicago's food bank, believes a healthy community starts with food. The Food Depository is at the center of a network of more than 700 partner organizations and programs. chicagosfoodbank.org

SOURCE Affy Tapple, LLC

Related Links

www.affytapple.com


Round led by Valar Ventures, Third Prime, & Castle Island with Participation from Square, Inc., Coinbase Ventures, & Blockchain.com Ventures

JOHANNESBURG, Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Pan-African cryptocurrency exchange, Yellow Card , has announced a $15M Series A, the largest ever by an African cryptocurrency exchange, to ramp up hiring and continue its expansion across the continent. The round was led by Valar Ventures, Third Prime, and Castle Island Ventures with participation from Square, Inc., Blockchain.com Ventures, Coinbase Ventures, Polychain Capital, BlockFi, Fabric Ventures, Raba Partnership, MoonPay, GreenHouse Capital, and more.

Chris Maurice, co-founder and CEO of Yellow Card, expressed the significance of this round of investment for Yellow Card's future.

"Our mission has always been to make cryptocurrency accessible anywhere and everywhere across the African continent," Maurice said. "Now, we have the backing to make that a reality, alongside an amazing team of investors who share our vision."

Since launching in Nigeria in 2018, the U.S. and Africa-based Yellow Card team has sought to make cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Ethereum, and USDT Stablecoin accessible to anyone in Africa. The company now has the largest geographical footprint on the continent, with a presence in 12 countries, 110 employees across 16 countries, and a nearly 30x increase in users across Africa since the start of the pandemic.

"Africa is poised to benefit tremendously from cryptocurrency's potential to transform financial services," Valar Ventures' James Fitzgerald said. "We believe in Yellow Card's vision of a Pan-African cryptocurrency platform. What cemented the deal is their multi-national team, which we believe has the local knowledge, technical expertise, and unequivocal passion to address the basic financial services needs of the continent."

This news comes on the back of a new report from Chainalysis , which listed six African nations in the top 20 on the Global Crypto Adoption Index. Yellow Card wants everyone to know that Africa should be seen as a prominent region for crypto adoption.

"This raise is a validation that Africa has a major place in the crypto industry," said Yellow Card's Chief Bitcoin Officer, Munachi Ogueke. "With the access that Yellow Card brings, powered by this raise, we can now let crypto proliferate and be a reliable enabler for people across the continent."

Buy and Sell Bitcoin today by visiting www.yellowcard.io or download the app today from Google Play or the Apple App Store .

About Yellow Card Financial

Yellow Card is powering the cryptocurrency ecosystem in Africa. Yellow Card's team of 110 employees in 16 countries is rapidly building a Pan-African crypto network. Yellow Card makes it easy for anyone, anywhere in Africa to buy crypto using cash, mobile money, card, or bank transfer. Yellow Card enables anyone on the continent to buy, sell, spend, and store Bitcoin, Ethereum, or USDT to solve basic financial service issues. Serving Cameroon, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Botswana, Rwanda, Tanzania, Ghana, Zambia, Uganda, Gabon, Malawi, and more coming this year.

SOURCE Yellow Card Financial, Inc
BOCA RATON, Fla., Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Armando Bruno, through his counsel, Shiner Law Group, P.A. has filed a lawsuit against Sriracha House, LLC ("Sriracha House"), alleging that he was injured and burned when an employee of Sriracha House threw boiling liquid from a pan which came into contact with Amador while he was waiting to be served at the restaurant. Sriracha House is a restaurant located in Miami, Florida.

Specifically, on April 17, 2021, Amador was an invitee who was on vacationing in Miami when he went to the Sriracha House for a meal. At that time, an employee of Siracha House named Ricardo Martial ("Martial") got involved in an altercation with other patrons unrelated to Amador. At that time, Sriracha House's employee, Martial, negligently and with gross disregard for the restaurant's patrons' safety, threw a pan full of boiling liquid at other patrons. As alleged, when Martial threw the boiling liquid at the other patrons, Martial missed and the boiling liquid made contact with Amador's skin causing significant personal injuries and burns.

The nine-count complaint alleges that Sriracha House's employee, Martial's actions were very clearly so reckless or wanting in care that his actions constituted a conscious disregard or indifference to the life, safety, or rights of persons exposed to such conduct. The lawsuit also alleges that Sriracha House's employee also had a lengthy criminal background that included criminal charges that date back to 2006. It is alleged that Sriracha House should have known about their employee's criminal past and taken precautions to protect their patrons. One of the allegations in the lawsuit claims that Sriracha House was negligent in hiring the defendant employee.

The lawsuit filed by Shiner Law Group on behalf of Amador reserves the right to bring a claim for punitive damages against Sriracha House and Martial pursuant to Florida Statutes Section 768.72. Under Florida law, punitive damages are allowed if a Plaintiff can prove a Defendant acted with intentional misconduct or gross negligence, and will subject the defendant to financial worth discovery which will assist the jury in determining an amount that would sufficiently punish your insureds for their gross negligence

As a result of the incident, Miami-Dade Police were called to the scene, as well as Miami Beach Fire Rescue, who provided medical treatment at the scene for Amador.

Attorney Joseph A. Mendelsohn of Shiner Law Group, P.A., who represents the plaintiff said, "It is unconscionable that the defendant would permit its employee, especially this particular employee, to be in a position where he could get into physical altercations with patrons and throw boiling hot liquid at anyone." Mr. Mendelsohn added that, "What happened was completely preventable and should the facts show that the defendants' actions meet the statutory requirements, we intend to pursue punitive damages."

Attorney David Shiner who also represents Amador stated, "This case is about obtaining justice for someone who was injured because of a complete lack and disregard for another person's safety. Attorney Shiner added, "when someone is hurt because a business allows their employees to act in such a manner, those businesses should be held liable for their employees' actions. In this case, the defendant business owner was or should have been aware of their employees background and the defendant should have taken better precautions to protect their customers."

If you want more information on this matter, or other matters in which Shiner Law Group, P.A. is involved, please contact Shiner Law Group at 561-777-7700, via email: [email protected], or visit: ShinerLawGroup.com. Shiner Law Group, P.A., maintains offices throughout Florida in Palm Beach, Broward, Martin, and St. Lucie counties and Shiner Law Group's main office is located at 301 Yamato Road, Suite 4100, Boca Raton, Florida 33431.

CONTACT: Joseph Ikeguchi, [email protected]

SOURCE Shiner Law Group

Related Links

https://shinerlawgroup.com/


Tyga says that he is super excited about the coming events.

"I am joining DeHorizon Metaverse. NFT stuff is dope. I do appreciate it!"

Mystery Box Event -- "Raider Tyga" NFTs

Blockchain-based MMO/RPG DeVerse can be viewed as a barbarous version of high fantasy action-adventure game. To celebrate Tyga's "Big Boss" gaming character in DeVerse, DeHorizon will partner with Tyga to release his first-ever-it's-kind NFTs, "Raider Tyga" Mystery Boxes.

His first drop will be made up of 18,000 NFTs with its rarity. Of the 18,000 in the collection, 12,000 NFTs will be listed on DeHorizon official website and the rest will be listed on Binance NFT Mystery Boxes on Saturday, Oct 2nd at 11 AM UTC.

All of those mentioned above are just a beginning. In the future, DeHorizon will team up with more KOLs, great artists, popular celebrities like Tyga to make more innovations in DeHorizon Metaverse. DeHorizon believes each step of the collabrative partnership makes DeHorizon Metaverse more inclusive and fascinating.

Claim and Mint your DeMeta for free

DeMeta is the first Interoperable, Editable and Evolvable ERC-721 NFT, composed of 6 replaceable attributes and a character profile stored on chain within 256 bytes customized by players themselves. As your virtual ID in DeHorizon Metaverse, DeMeta will evolve with players and become the unique NFT exclusively to players.

Overview of DeMeta

Each attribute in DeMeta is an NFT.

6 replaceable attributes are randomly generated, composed of 3 character figures and 3 gears.

Much more replaceable attributes will be acquired in the upcoming game DeVerse and rotated in your DeMeta.

All the replaceable attributes can be individually traded in the future.

Players can customize their character profile to show their aspiration why to join DeHorizon Metaverse.

The character profile can be reset with the cost of GAS. All the previous owners and profiles will be stored on chain for review.

As the pioneering experience officer, Tyga will claim and mint No.1 DeMeta to officially embark on the journey to DeHorizon Metaverse. In the future, No.1 DeMeta will record Tyga's growth and evolve with him in DeHorizon Metaverse.

Starting on Thursday, Oct 7 at 11 AM UTC, No.101 -- No.1000 DeMeta will be available for free on DeHorizon official website.

Let's kick-off it and become DeHorizon Metaverse Human!

Stay connected:

Website: https://www.dehorizon.fun/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DeHorizonfun

Telegram: https://t.me/joinchat/EyeEHdGuyD8zYjk5

Discord: https://discord.gg/KUDsntqvzc

Medium: https://medium.com/@DeHorizon

About DeHorizon Foundation:

DeHorizon Foundation is a Silicon Valley startup. The team is passionate and imaginative, made up of serial entrepreneurs, Game & Fintech industry veterans, technical fanatics and MBA elites. DeVerse is the flagship game DeHorizon Foundation wants to show to the global community on DeHorizon Metaverse.

About DeHorizon:

DeHorizon is a community-powered Metaverse game ecosystem, which will be governed by DAO (Decentralized Autonomous Organization). The long-term vision of DeHorizon Metaverse is to provide players with an immersive experience based on a disruptive business ecosystem, making "Play for fun and to earn" come into life.

About DeVerse:

Blockchain-based MMO/RPG DeVerse is a barbarous version of high fantasy action-adventure game. DeVerse's game financial system basically forms a critical part of helping build a sustainable play-to-earn economy.

There are five in-game assets set in DeVerse:

In-game currency ($DGT)

Ownerships of lands (NFTs)

In-game characters (NFTs)

Tools (NFTs)

Equipments (NFTs)

SOURCE DeHorizon Foundation
CHARLOTTE, N.C., Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Amicus.io , the fintech company with a vision for a more generous world, today announced that it has been recognized with local and international awards from business and technology organizations: Charlotte Inno, WorldFestival, Inspire CIO Leadership Network, Tech in Motion, and North Carolina Technology Association (NC TECH). Amicus.io is making it possible for anyone to be a philanthropist, by bringing the financial tools of the 1% to the 99%.

Amicus.io was selected as top fintech "Blazer," winning one of the seven categories recognized by the Charlotte Inno's 2021 Fire Award , selected from fifty Charlotte area organizations honored for their contributions to the local innovation ecosystem.

Amicus.io's Chief Technology Officer Raja Musunuru was chosen as a finalist for the ORBIE 2021 Charlotte CIO of the Year Award , recognizing his ability to inspire and challenge his peers.

Amicus.io was also chosen as a Top 50 Startup Award winner by WorldFestival, a global virtual event supporting worldwide technology innovation with participation from 1,000+ organizations across more than 130 countries.

Tech in Motion's seventh annual Timmy Awards recognized Amicus.io as one of three Charlotte finalists in the Best Tech for Good category. Amicus.io CTO Raja Musunuru is a Charlotte finalist for Best Tech Manager. Tech in Motion honors the best technology employers across North America, from startups to Fortune 500 corporations.

Amicus.io was named a Top 10 Startup to Watch winner and is a finalist for the Industry-Driven FinTech Award given by NC TECH . Raja Musunuru is being considered for the Private Sector CIO of the Year award.

"It's extremely gratifying to see our team's efforts recognized and our mission amplified," said Cor Hoekstra, co-founder and CEO of Amicus.io. "I'm honored to work with Raja and have him lead our team in making philanthropy more accessible."

"These honors reinforce that we are on the right path to making the world a more generous place."

About Amicus.io

Amicus.io has a vision for a more generous world, in which anyone can be a philanthropist. The fintech company provides an enterprise-grade platform of philanthropic financial services that harnesses the power of a digital donor-advised fund to align the incentives of donors, financial partners and philanthropic organizations for charitable giving at scale. Amicus.io was co-founded by Walt Ruloff, Cor Hoekstra and Paul Welsh in 2017 and is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina with offices in Vancouver, Canada and Tel Aviv, Israel.

Press Contact

Monica Miller

(415) 968-9690

[email protected]

SOURCE Amicus.io
ATLANTA, Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- CatStone Books is pleased to announce a call for submissions to the Samuel R. Delany Fellowship, a generous annual award that will go to a writer from a community that has been traditionally marginalized in speculative fiction including fantasy, science fiction, and horror.

This unique fellowship is awarded by CatStone Books to one author (of any publishing status) from one of these traditionally marginalized communities, including authors of color, LGBTQIA+ authors, authors with disabilities, and authors living an immigrant experience.

The $10,000 Samuel R. Delany Fellowship will be awarded to one author from a traditionally marginalized community. Tweet this Enter the Samuel R. Delany Fellowship by October 31, 2021. Author Samuel R. Delany.

The idea behind this one of a kind fellowship is in line with CatStone's goals to provide emerging writers with resources, mentoring, and opportunities in order to complete and publish new works of speculative fiction. The recipient will receive:

a $10,000 stipend to cover living expenses while focusing on their project

stipend to cover living expenses while focusing on their project mentorship from a New York Times bestselling author in the writer's genre, as well as other industry-leading professionals like agents and editors

bestselling author in the writer's genre, as well as other industry-leading professionals like agents and editors a new laptop donated by Dell

The application period is open until October 31, 2021, with the Fellowship recipient being announced on December 15, 2021. After completion of their Fellowship fiction project, the recipient will have the option to present their manuscript to CatStone Books for publication consideration.

The $10,000 Samuel R. Delany Fellowship is a CatStone Books signature program. The team at CatStone Books is continually seeking new ways to engage with and promote diversity in publishing, and outdated ways of seeking out, selling, and sharing minority speculative stories.

To apply for the Fellowship, visit this link. To learn more about CatStone Books and the Samuel R. Delany Fellowship, visit the CatStone Books website .

SOURCE CatStone Books

Related Links

https://catstonebooks.com/fellowship/?v=400b9db48e62


DALLAS, Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Applied Blockchain, Inc. ("Applied Blockchain" or the "Company") (PINK: APLD) today reaffirmed its strategic decision to locate its mining operations in North America.

Wes Cummins, Applied Blockchain's, CEO and Chairman, said, "Today, SparkPool, one of our strategic partners, announced its plans to discontinue both its domestic and international Ethereum mining pool services. We do not expect any impact to our business as a result of this move. We do expect that the continued crackdown in China will provide a strong tailwind to our hosting business for the foreseeable future. We made the strategic decision several months ago to operate our mining business in North America. In addition, we announced our entrance into the hosting business with our first facility under construction in North Dakota. We broke ground several weeks ago and continue to expect this facility to be operational before the end of the year."

Follow us on Twitter at @APLDBlockchain.

Find the latest video update from CEO and Chairman Wes Cummins at https://ir.appliedblockchaininc.com/events-presentations/

About Applied Blockchain

Applied Blockchain, Inc. (PINK: APLD) delivers high-performance crypto mining and infrastructure solutions to customers around the globe. The Company has partnered with Bitmain, SparkPool, and General Mining Research (GMR) to develop, deploy and scale its business. Applied Blockchain also engages in direct mining of Ethereum, Bitcoin and other crypto assets. The Company is backed by some of the largest family offices and institutional investors in the US.

www.appliedblockchaininc.com

Forward-Looking Statements

This release contains "forward-looking statements" as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 regarding, among other things, future operating and financial performance, product development, market position, business strategy and objectives. These statements use words, and variations of words, such as "continue," "build," "future," "increase," "drive," "believe," "look," "ahead," "confident," "deliver," "outlook," "expect," and "predict." Other examples of forward-looking statements may include, but are not limited to, (i) statements of Company plans and objectives, including our evolving business model, or estimates or predictions of actions by suppliers, (ii) statements of future economic performance, and (iii) statements of assumptions underlying other statements and statements about the Company or its business. You are cautioned not to rely on these forward-looking statements. These statements are based on current expectations of future events and thus are inherently subject to uncertainty. If underlying assumptions prove inaccurate or known or unknown risks or uncertainties materialize, actual results could vary materially from the Company's expectations and projections. These risks, uncertainties, and other factors include: decline in demand for our products and services; the volatility of the crypto asset industry; the inability to comply with developments and changes in regulation; cash flow and access to capital; and maintenance of third party relationships. Information in this release is as of the dates and time periods indicated herein, and the Company does not undertake to update any of the information contained in these materials, except as required by law.

Investor Relations Contacts

Brett Maas  Managing Partner, Hayden IR

[email protected]  (646) 536-7331

Wes Cummins  Chief Executive Officer, Applied Blockchain

(214) 427-1704

SOURCE Applied Blockchain, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.appliedblockchaininc.com


"This year, World Tourism Day has been designated as a day to focus on inclusive growth through tourism, which is quite poignant," said Deputy Prime Minister The Honourable I. Chester Cooper, Bahamas Minister of Tourism, Investments & Aviation. "Like many Caribbean destinations, tourism is the heartbeat of The Bahamas and as we say, it is everyone's business. Our beaches are breathtaking, and the water is so clear you can see it from space, but that is not what defines us. Rather, it is every individual person who shapes The Bahamas experience and stands to benefit from tourism's success. I am committed to creating jobs and opportunities for all Bahamians and to help our great nation heal."

As international travel restrictions begin to ease, spurred by an increase in vaccine accessibility, The Bahamas is well positioned for continued recovery. A rise in scheduled airlift combined with the return of the cruise industry is contributing to a positive increase in visitor numbers, leading to nearly 500,000 visitors over the first six months of the year.

"While we have faced an uphill battle during these unprecedented times, we must stay focused and optimistic as the world begins to reopen," noted the Deputy Prime Minister. "I join with leaders throughout the Caribbean to elevate the importance of social inclusion, sustainability and smart destinations and businesses. Our beautiful country, and our beloved Caribbean region, will prosper again and continue to progress, as in the words of the motto of The Bahamas: Forward, Upward, Onward, Together."

PRESS INQUIRIES

Anita Johnson-Patty

General Manager, Global Communications

Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, Investments & Aviation

[email protected]

Weber Shandwick

Public Relations

[email protected]

SOURCE The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, Investments & Aviation
VANCOUVER, Wash., Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Banfield Pet Hospital  the nation's leading provider of preventive veterinary care and part of the Mars Veterinary Health family of practices  today announced a nearly $10 million commitment over the next year toward supporting science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education and strengthening educational pathways for current and future veterinary professionals. This includes a new national partnership with Boys & Girls Clubs of America focused on encouraging high school students from underrepresented backgrounds to pursue careers in veterinary medicine.

Kenan Thompson and Banfield Pet Hospital Surprise Boys and Girls Club As part of a partnership with Banfield Pet Hospital, actor and comedian Kenan Thompson inspires Boys & Girls Club students to pursue their aspirations and consider a career in veterinary medicine, building on his experience as a veterinarian in an upcoming feature film. Actor and comedian Kenan Thompson snuggles a rescue pup at Banfield Pet Hospitals NextVet internship launch event at the Boys & Girls Club in Whittier, Calif. Actor and comedian Kenan Thompson poses for a selfie with Boys and Girls Club members in Whittier, Calif. Building on his experience portraying a veterinarian in an upcoming feature film, Thompson surprised students at Banfield Pet Hospitals NextVet launch event to help inspire the next generation of veterinary professionals.

Banfield believes hands-on education should involve tail wags and purrs whenever possible, so the practice is also launching every pet lover's dream opportunity with the help of actor and comedian Kenan Thompson, who plays a Banfield veterinarian in an upcoming feature film. Banfield's "NextVet" is a once-in-a-lifetime paid internship that will give deserving high school students across the country an immersive experience, providing insight into multiple aspects of being part of a hospital team.

These new initiatives follow research conducted by Banfield which found an estimated 75 million pets in the U.S. may not have access to the veterinary care they need by 2030, with an important factor being a critical shortage of veterinarians and veterinary technicians. Further, with nearly 90% of veterinarians identifying as white, the need to not only grow but also diversify the talent pipeline is critical for the industry.

"At Banfield, we are constantly evaluating how we can make lasting societal impact," said Brian Garish, president of Banfield Pet Hospital. "As we look to the state of our industry and the needs of pets, people, and communities, we must take action to diversify and strengthen the veterinary talent pipeline. By removing barriers to equitable education, we're helping current veterinary professionals realize their full potential while creating accessible pathways for individuals that aspire to follow in their footsteps."

This partnership with Boys & Girls Clubs of America expands the reach of Banfield Pet Academy, a program established 15 years ago to inspire future veterinary professionals by introducing them to veterinarians and veterinary technicians in their community. Since its launch, the program is on track to reach 100,000 kids by the end of 2022. Having primarily focused on grades K-8 in the past, the new NextVet edition of Pet Academy is designed specifically for high school students. These initiatives provide a platform to connect with older teens as they look toward the next step in their academic journey.

As part of Banfield's commitment to using its size and scale to share resources with the broader veterinary profession and benefit society, the practice has made all three editions of Pet Academy  aimed at elementary school, middle school, and high school students  available at no cost to the entire industry.

"I'm excited to partner with Banfield and connect with Boys & Girls Club members to raise awareness of the wealth of opportunities that exist in the veterinary field," said actor and comedian Kenan Thompson. "I'm a firm believer in providing the next generation with the tools and resources they need to follow their passions, and Banfield's NextVet internship program is a great example of how we can open doors and create opportunities for high school students of all backgrounds."

"As pioneers in youth development, Boys & Girls Clubs of America is committed to providing programs and opportunities for young people to thrive," said Jim Clark, president and CEO, Boys & Girls Clubs of America. "We are proud to partner with Banfield to help underrepresented students explore the veterinary profession and encourage kids and teens to reach their full potential through positive mentorship."

Banfield continues to put considerable resources into education-focused programs and initiatives. This includes helping its veterinarians pay down their student loans through its Student Debt Relief Program and expanding its partnership with InStride, which provides paraprofessionals Banfield-paid tuition to complete an online, STEM-related undergraduate degree. In partnership with Appalachian State University, Banfield continues to invest in the development of a new four-year online veterinary technician degree program to help address the market demand  particularly in rural communities  for skilled veterinary professionals. These initiatives build on the $9 million Banfield invested over the last 12 months in education-related programs for its Associates.

In service of the communities in which Banfield lives and serves, the practice is donating 2,000 STEM kits to local Boys & Girls Clubs across the country and encouraging its 19,000+ Associates during Mars Volunteer Program month in October to support educational pathways in their neighborhoods and beyond, including holding STEM supply drives, providing Pet Academy presentations, connecting with students and more. Banfield's goal is to reach 10,000 students in the month of October alone.

The NextVet application process will officially open October 27 for students 16+ who reside in Atlanta, Dallas, Los Angeles, New York, Phoenix, Pittsburgh, Portland-Vancouver, and Washington D.C. Applicants will be invited to submit a video, art project or essay sharing why they want to be the NextVet. For more details, please visit https://jobs.banfield.com/NextVet. Post your creative submission online and tag @BanfieldPetHospital and #NextVet for a chance to be featured on Banfield's pages.

To further learn from and inform the next generation about the benefits of pet ownership as well as the passion and opportunity within the industry, Banfield is also expanding the reach of its Youth Advisory Board program. Students ages 16+ across the country will be invited to apply for an all-virtual paid opportunity to gain leadership skills and knowledge about the industry  while helping Banfield continue to drive innovation. Applications will open later this year.

About Banfield Pet Hospital 

Banfield Pet Hospital was founded in Portland, Ore. in 1955 and today is a pioneer in preventive veterinary care with more than 1,000 general veterinary hospitals in 42 states, Washington D.C., Puerto Rico, and Mexico. More than 3,600 Banfield veterinarians are committed to providing high-quality veterinary care to over three million pets annually. Banfield collects data from each of these visits in the U.S.'s largest electronic veterinary health records system. Our goal is to be here for pets, people, and society. As part of the Mars Veterinary Health family of practices, Banfield is committed to its purposeA BETTER WORLD FOR PETSbecause pets make a better world for us. Press seeking additional information are invited to call the Media Hotline: (888) 355-0595.

About Boys & Girls Clubs of America

For 160 years, Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA.org) has provided a safe place for kids and teens to learn and grow. Clubs offer caring adult mentors, fun and friendship, and high-impact youth development programs on a daily basis during critical non-school hours. Boys & Girls Clubs programming promotes academic success, good character and leadership, and healthy lifestyles. More than 4,700 Clubs serve over 4.3 million young people through Club membership and community outreach. Clubs are located in cities, towns, public housing and on Native lands throughout the country, and serve military families in BGCA-affiliated Youth Centers on U.S. military installations worldwide. National headquarters are located in Atlanta. Learn more about Boys & Girls Clubs of America on Facebook and Twitter .

SOURCE Banfield Pet Hospital

Related Links

https://www.banfield.com


DALLAS, Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Braemar Hotels & Resorts Inc. (NYSE: BHR) ("Braemar" or the "Company") announced today that it has finalized an extension of its mortgage loans for the Bardessono Resort & Spa with a final maturity in August 2022, and the Hotel Yountville with a final maturity in May 2022. Both hotels are located in Yountville, California. Each of the loans is being extended for one year beyond their initial maturity on the same terms as the original loan.

"We are very pleased to be able to extend these loans for an additional year," said Richard J. Stockton, Braemar's President and Chief Executive Officer. "In doing so, we have only one loan maturing in 2022 with a balance of $67.5 million and have no debt maturities for the balance of this year."

Braemar Hotels & Resorts is a real estate investment trust (REIT) focused on investing in luxury hotels and resorts.

Certain statements and assumptions in this press release contain or are based upon "forward-looking" information and are being made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements in this press release include, among others, statements about the Company's strategy and future plans. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties. When we use the words "will likely result," "may," "anticipate," "estimate," "should," "expect," "believe," "intend," or similar expressions, we intend to identify forward-looking statements. Such statements are subject to numerous assumptions and uncertainties, many of which are outside Braemar's control.

These forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated, including, without limitation: the impact of COVID-19, and the rate of adoption and efficacy of vaccines to prevent COVID-19, on our business and investment strategy; the timing and outcome of the Securities and Exchange Commission's investigation; our ability to repay, refinance or restructure our debt and the debt of certain of our subsidiaries; anticipated or expected purchases or sales of assets; our projected operating results; completion of any pending transactions; our understanding of our competition; market trends; projected capital expenditures; the impact of technology on our operations and business; general volatility of the capital markets and the market price of our common stock and preferred stock; availability, terms and deployment of capital; availability of qualified personnel; changes in our industry and the markets in which we operate, interest rates or the general economy; and the degree and nature of our competition. These and other risk factors are more fully discussed in Braemar's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

The forward-looking statements included in this press release are only made as of the date of this press release. Such forward-looking statements are based on our beliefs, assumptions, and expectations of our future performance taking into account all information currently known to us. These beliefs, assumptions, and expectations can change as a result of many potential events or factors, not all of which are known to us. If a change occurs, our business, financial condition, liquidity, results of operations, plans, and other objectives may vary materially from those expressed in our forward-looking statements. You should carefully consider this risk when you make an investment decision concerning our securities. Investors should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. The Company can give no assurance that these forward-looking statements will be attained or that any deviation will not occur. We are not obligated to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or circumstances, changes in expectations, or otherwise, except to the extent required by law.

SOURCE Braemar Hotels & Resorts Inc.
WASHINGTON, Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Vinayak Menon, of Suwanee, GA, has been named a Youth Advocate of the Year by the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. Vinayak will be honored on September 29, 2021, for his leadership in the fight against tobacco at the Tobacco-Free Kids' annual Youth Advocates of the Year Awards celebration, which is being held virtually this year because of the Covid-19 pandemic. The event will be livestreamed at tfk.org/awards at 6:00 p.m. EDT.

Vinayak developed a passion for tobacco control after seeing too many peers falling victim to Big Tobacco's relentless targeting. He was eager to learn more about the e-cigarette epidemic impacting his classmates and joined a school club, where he quickly rose to a leadership position.

Seeking to take his advocacy work beyond his school walls, he hosted a community-wide town hall, "2021 Facts and Strategies Concerning Substance Use One Year into the Pandemic." The event brought together members of his community to discuss mental health, substance use and prevention and the best ways to protect kids from a lifetime of addiction. Vinayak also has advocated at the national level, speaking with policymakers in Washington, D.C. to support federal legislation to end the sale of all flavored tobacco products.

"We are thrilled to honor Vinayak as a Youth Advocate of the Year," said Matthew L. Myers, President of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. "Vinayak leverages his voice to make a difference for his community, and his confidence and passion for advocacy make him an invaluable advocate. Young advocates like Vinayak are bravely standing up to the tobacco industry and leading the way to the first tobacco-free generation."

Every year, the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids honors a National Youth Advocate of the Year, four Individual Youth Advocates of the Year and a Group Youth Advocate of the Year. The winners receive scholarships to continue their tobacco prevention efforts and serve as youth ambassadors for the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids.

Tobacco use is the No. 1 cause of preventable death in the United States, killing over 480,000 Americans and costing the nation $226.7 billion in health care bills each year. Tobacco kills more than 8 million people worldwide each year.

In Georgia, tobacco use claims 11,700 lives and costs $3.18 billion in health care bills each year. Currently, 4% of Georgia's high school students smoke cigarettes and 17% use e-cigarettes.

Additional information about the youth award winners can be found at tfk.org/awards and more resources and information about tobacco can be found at www.tobaccofreekids.org.

SOURCE Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids

Related Links

http://www.tobaccofreekids.org


TORONTO, Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - Canaccord Genuity Group Inc. (TSX: CF) (the "Company") announces that Francesca Shaw, FCPA, FCA has been appointed to its Board of Directors as a non-executive, independent director.

"We are delighted to welcome Francesca to the Board, and we look forward to the benefit of her deep expertise gained over decades of leadership in financial, risk and compliance disciplines," said David Kassie, Chairman of Canaccord Genuity Group Inc. "As our company has evolved, we have prioritized strong governance and diverse perspectives, and I am confident that Francesca will prove to be a valuable and relevant contributor, as we advance our long-term objectives in the best interests of our shareholders."

Francesca Shaw, FCPA, FCA has nearly 40 years of experience across a wide range of senior governance and commercial roles within UK and international banks. Having begun her career in 1982 at EY, where she worked in progressive positions in public accounting covering diverse industries and Schedule A and B banks, she went on to spend 20 years at CIBC, taking on increasingly strategic roles in financial leadership, including SVP & Chief Accountant, where she played a leadership role in successfully navigating the organization through the structured credit crisis and Enron challenges, as well as implementing three significant Basel systems and an enterprise management cost and allocations system, and CFO, FirstCaribbean, where she provided critical leadership in finance and risk and managed relationships with 14 international regulators. She joined TD Bank in 2011, initially as SVP, CFO & CRO Wealth Management and Insurance, before advancing to become SVP, CFO Insurance and Cards, and later became Head of US Productivity, where she led the design and execution of a US wide productivity programme. More recently, she served as a Chief Financial Officer at C Hoare & Co. from 2015 to 2020.

Outside of financial services, Ms. Shaw has demonstrated a lifetime commitment to volunteering and community building. She has held many senior board positions over thirty years of volunteering with United Way of Greater Toronto, including chairing the Community Impact Committee and the Innovation Committee, in addition to serving as a Trustee on joint governmental taskforces and leading governance efforts on assisting troubled entities.

Ms. Shaw also serves as Independent Non-Executive Director of Cashplus Bank in the United Kingdom.

Following Francesca's appointment to the Canaccord Genuity Group Inc. Board of Directors, the number of independent directors rises to nine out of eleven. This appointment also reflects the Board's progress in terms of gender diversity, bringing female representation amongst independent directors to 56% (five of nine).

ABOUT CANACCORD GENUITY GROUP INC.

Through its principal subsidiaries, Canaccord Genuity Group Inc. (the "Company") is a leading independent, full-service financial services firm, with operations in two principal segments of the securities industry: wealth management and capital markets. Since its establishment in 1950, the Company has been driven by an unwavering commitment to building lasting client relationships. We achieve this by generating value for our individual, institutional and corporate clients through comprehensive investment solutions, brokerage services and investment banking services. The Company has wealth management offices located in Canada, the UK, Guernsey, Jersey, the Isle of Man and Australia. The Company's international capital markets division operates in North America, UK & Europe, Asia, Australia and the Middle East.

Canaccord Genuity Group Inc. is publicly traded under the symbol CF on the TSX.

SOURCE Canaccord Genuity Group Inc.

Related Links

http://www.cgf.com


DUBLIN, Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The "China Automotive Steering System Industry Report, 2021" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

EPS occupies the passenger car market, while HPS and EHPS dominate the commercial vehicle market

In Chinese passenger car steering system market, the share of EPS has increased from 80.1% in 2016 to 96.4% in 2020; only a small number of passenger cars adopt HPS and EHPS solutions. Relatively speaking, the higher the price of cars, the higher the proportion of EPS solutions applied.

Due to its small size, low power consumption, light weight and flexibility, EPS is the first choice for new energy vehicles. EPS accounted for 99.91% of the new energy passenger car market in 2020, and this proportion is expected to reach 100% in the future.

HPS and EHPS are usually seen in most commercial vehicles, especially heavy-duty vehicles, thanks to their high power and low prices. In 2020, China's commercial vehicle steering systems were still dominated by HPS and EHPS, of which EHPS made up for 40.1%. However, the market shares of HPS and EHPS will gradually be grabbed by EPS in the future because they not only consume lots of power, but also cause hydraulic oil leakage, which do not meet environmental protection requirements.

The EPS penetration rate of local passenger car brands is gradually increasing. In the Chinese passenger car market, the EPS penetration rate of Chinese passenger car brands is much lower than that of foreign passenger car brands. In 2020, the former was 90.7%, while the latter hit as high as 100%. However, with the gradual tightening of environmental protection, local brands will gradually abandon the polluting steering systems such as HPS and EHPS. By 2026, the EPS penetration rate of Chinese passenger car brands is expected to reach 100%.

EPS is the key to ADAS functions, while SBW is one of the key technologies for fully autonomous driving

The automotive steering system is closely related to the development of autonomous driving. At present, EPS is the key to ADAS functions, serving different levels of autonomous driving with typical ADAS functions like APA, LDW&LKA and DSR. However, in essence, the steering signal of EPS still comes from the driver, while the steering signal of SBW stems from the algorithm. Therefore, SBW can be completely separated from the driver to control steering as one of the key technologies for fully automatic driving in the future.

At present, some automotive steering system companies have begun to deploy autonomous driving.

Nexteer Automotive can cover L1-L5 autonomous driving through its EPS, high-availability EPS, SBW and other product portfolios. 32% of EPS orders signed by the company are involved with L3-L5 ADAS/AD functions. The ADAS-related patents accounted for 22.7% of the company's total in 2020.



In terms of autonomous driving and advanced driving assistance, JTEKT develops and produces EPS that meets the national standard ISO26262 for automotive functional safety. By dual-systemizing the torque sensor that monitors the driver's operation and the motor drive that provides the steering assist torque, the sustainability of EPS is improved. In addition, JTEKT has developed SBW technology for autonomous driving above L3.

Key Topics Covered:



1. Introduction to Automotive Steering System

1.1 Definition

1.2 Classification

1.3 HPS

1.4 EHPS

1.5 EPS

1.5.1 EPS Classification

1.6 SBW System

1.6.1 Structure of SBW System

1.6.2 Road Sense Feedback Control Strategy of SBW System

1.6.3 Steering Execution Control Strategy of SBW System

1.6.4 Redundant Design of SBW System

1.6.5 Classification of SBW System

1.7 Industry Chain



2. Automotive Steering System Market

2.1 Development History

2.2 Application of Various Products

2.3 Market Size

2.4 Market Structure

2.5 Major Market Players

2.6 Competitive Landscape

2.7 Trends of Automotive Steering Application

2.8 Trends of Automotive Steering Technology



3. Automotive Steering System Market Segments

3.1 EPS

3.1.1 Market Size

3.1.2 Penetration Rate

3.1.3 Market Structure

3.1.4 EPS SWOT Analysis

3.2 HPS

3.3 SBW

3.3.1 SBW and Chassis-by-Wire

3.3.2 Layout of Vendors in the SBW Field

3.3.3 Layout of Automakers in the SBW Field

3.3.4 Layout of Automakers --- Infiniti's SBW System

3.3.4 Layout of Automakers --- Electronic Mechanical SBW system of Great Wall

3.3.5 Comparison of Main SBW Products/Technologies

3.3.6 SBW Patent Application

3.3.7 SBW-related standards

3.3.8 Difficulties in SBW Development

3.3.9 SBW SWOT Analysis

3.3.10 Prediction for SBW Market Size



4. Domestic Automotive Steering System Companies

4.1 Nexteer Automotive

4.2 Zhejiang Shibao

4.3 Fuxin Dare Automotive

4.4 China Automotive Systems (CAAS)

4.5 FAWER Automotive Parts

4.6 Elite

4.7 Zhejiang Wanda

4.8 Jiangmen Xingjiang

4.9 Yubei Steering System

4.10 Jiangsu Golden Transmission Co., Ltd.

4.11 VIE Pump

4.12 Shandong Xianhe Yuexin Electromechanical Co., Ltd.

4.13 Nanjing Donghua Intelligent Steering System Co., Ltd.

4.14 Jiangsu Gangyang Co., Ltd.

4.15 Jiangsu Nanyang Nisemo Auto Parts Co., Ltd.

4.16 Defu Steering

4.17 Hubei Tri-Ring Group

4.18 Ningbo Tuopu Group



5. Foreign Automotive Steering System Companies

5.1 JTEKT

5.2 Bosch

5.2.7 Development in China

5.3 NSK

5.4 Hitachi Astemo

5.5 Mando

5.6 ThyssenKrupp

5.7 KYB

5.8 ZF

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/69463o

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


HENDERSON, Nev., Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The City of Henderson is now hiring for open police officer and firefighter positions as the city continues to meet the needs of its growing population.

As the second-largest city in Nevada, Henderson is seeking additional first responder personnel to staff its new police and fire stations while upholding the City's strong commitment to public safety.

The new officers and firefighters will help staff a new police station near Inspirada and a new fire station within Cadence  two nationally ranked and highly sought-after master-planned communities with a growing footprint. Both stations are slated to open in 2022.

Henderson's Police and Fire Departments seek diverse, compassionate and service-minded individuals who want to uphold Henderson's recognition as one of the safest cities in America while making a difference in the lives of its community members.

The Henderson Fire Department is currently the only fire agency in the Las Vegas Valley to use an ongoing recruitment model. This model allows qualified candidates to apply at any time without waiting for an open recruitment period. The Henderson Police Department has already implemented this model and will continue to use it to seek qualified candidates.

Henderson employees enjoy a variety of benefits including no state income taxes, a generous Public Employee's Retirement System (PERS) in place of Social Security and a robust vacation policy. In addition, Southern Nevada's cost of living is more affordable than many other states.

The City of Henderson's recruitment personnel will maintain a running list of qualified applicants for potential acceptance into the upcoming police or fire training academies.

For more information regarding Henderson Police or Fire department recruitment, visit joinhpd.com or joinhendersonfire.com.

ABOUT CITY OF HENDERSON

Incorporated in 1953, Henderson is Nevada's second largest city with more than 317,000 residents. Henderson is a premier city, nationally recognized for its stunning parks, trails, master-planned communities, outstanding quality of life and patriotic past. Recognized as one of America's Best Places to Live (MONEY and Liveability.com), one of America's Best Cities (Business Week), one of the safest cities in America (Forbes, InsuranceProviders.com, Law Street Media, Movato.com), and a Bicycle Friendly Community (League of American Bicyclists), Henderson is a progressive and vibrant city committed to maintaining premier amenities and services for all who choose to live, learn, work and play in Henderson  a place to call home.

SOURCE City Of Henderson, Nevada

Related Links

www.cityofhenderson.com


CHICAGO, Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Civis Analytics , a technology company that powers effective, data-driven audience campaigns, today announced a $30.7 million Series B round of financing, with participation from Alumni Ventures and existing investors Drive Capital , Verizon Ventures , Eric Schmidt (former Executive Chairman & CEO of Alphabet and co-founder of Schmidt Futures ), and Silicon Valley Bank , among others.

Civis's founders built the core data science and technology behind the first data-driven Presidential campaign in 2012, informing every part of the campaign's messaging and billion-dollar advertising program. They created Civis in 2013 to help organizations scale their own targeted audience decision-making in-house. Today, Civis offers a unified platform for data teams and executives to collaboratively, efficiently, and effectively find, reach, and engage the people they care about most.

The Series B funding comes on the heels of Civis's best year ever, as the company reported over 60% revenue growth and its first full-year profit in 2020. The company's success has continued into 2021, with record revenue for the 12 months ending June 30. In addition:

Brands, nonprofits, and governments conducted more than 3,000 message tests on the Civis Platform to find their most persuasive messages using a controlled experiment, widely considered the gold standard in social science.

to find their most persuasive messages using a controlled experiment, widely considered the gold standard in social science. Civis quadrupled its government data science business in three years, deploying the Civis Platform to the four largest cities in the U.S. Civis's work in this space was honored by Fast Company , Government Technology , and Engaging Local Government Leaders Network (ELGL) . The Civis Platform is currently FedRAMPin-process -- the latest investment in Civis's robust security and data protection programs.

to the four largest cities in the U.S. Civis's work in this space was honored by , , and . The Civis Platform is currently -- the latest investment in Civis's robust security and data protection programs. Civis reaffirmed its commitment to using data science for good, enabling organizations like the National Domestic Violence Hotline, the Sierra Club, Houston Food Bank , and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to make important decisions around donor and constituent engagement. This includes providing core messaging intelligence and technology for COVID-19 vaccine outreach programs.

Quotes about the news and testimonials from partners:

"Every CMO building a serious digital operation should hire Civis," said Eric Schmidt . "They have built a truly innovative and powerful platform for data and marketing teams. I'm proud to reinvest in Civis to expand their reach to companies and causes worldwide."

. "They have built a truly innovative and powerful platform for data and marketing teams. I'm proud to reinvest in Civis to expand their reach to companies and causes worldwide." "Civis's technology is helping us efficiently acquire discovery+ subscribers as we continue to scale and makes our media planning function more advanced," said Seth Goren , Group SVP of Global Subscriber Acquisition at Discovery Inc. "Our analysts can quickly and easily pull data-driven answers to questions around optimization, trade-offs, and scenario-planning."

, Group SVP of Global Subscriber Acquisition at Discovery Inc. "Our analysts can quickly and easily pull data-driven answers to questions around optimization, trade-offs, and scenario-planning." "We were drawn to Civis for a number of reasons," said Erik Hammer , partner at Alumni Ventures. "They continue to add great talent to the team, they're bringing tangible value to an impressive roster of clients, and governments at all levels are accelerating investment in analytics. The fact that they grew profitably across sectors through the pandemic is a testament to the strength of their business."

, partner at Alumni Ventures. "They continue to add great talent to the team, they're bringing tangible value to an impressive roster of clients, and governments at all levels are accelerating investment in analytics. The fact that they grew profitably across sectors through the pandemic is a testament to the strength of their business." "Organizations know they need to be more data-driven, but don't always know where to start," said Chris Olsen , Partner at Drive Capital and member of the Civis Board of Directors. "The fact that Civis meets them where they are in terms of analytical maturity means they have a massive addressable market. We're excited to see their continued growth."

Civis will use the new investment to accelerate product innovation and continue growing its team, starting with several key executive appointments:

Marta DeBellis , CMO of HireVue, joins the Civis Board of Directors;

, CMO of HireVue, joins the Civis Board of Directors; Clare Epstein , Vice President of Public Sector;

, Vice President of Public Sector; Maeve Ward , Vice President of Research;

, Vice President of Research; Richard Watson , Vice President of Media;

, Vice President of Media; Aaron Williams , Vice President of Marketing;

, Vice President of Marketing; Laura Belmont , General Counsel; and

, General Counsel; and Patrice Brown , Chief of Staff.

"Civis delivers cloud-based solutions to help organizations use data to inform their most important decisions and audience campaigns," said Dan Wagner, CEO and Founder of Civis Analytics. "Over the past year, we've partnered with CMOs and their analytics teams to create more effective messages based on science, find new customers for breakout streaming platforms, and map the effects of their advertising across channels using leading-edge data science for their exact needs."

To learn more or to get in touch , visit www.civisanalytics.com .

About Civis Analytics

Civis Analytics's cloud-based platform gives organizations a competitive advantage in how they identify, attract, and engage people using data. With technology that's augmented by proprietary data and advisory services, and an interdisciplinary team of data scientists, developers, and survey science experts, Civis helps organizations turn data into campaigns that compel action. Learn more about Civis at www.civisanalytics.com .

SOURCE Civis Analytics

Related Links

https://civisanalytics.com/


ADELAIDE, Australia, Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Australian medical technology company LBT Innovations Limited (ASX: LBT) (LBT or the Company), a leader in medical technology automation using artificial intelligence, is pleased to announce the signing of an exclusive Distribution Agreement for the APAS Independence in the United States (the Agreement) with Remel Inc., a part of Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc. (Thermo Fisher).

Key Points:

Thermo Fisher appointed as the exclusive distributor for the APAS  Independence in the United States

Thermo Fisher is a leading provider of instrumentation and consumables in the United States microbiology market - APAS  Independence complements their portfolio of clinical microbiology products

Agreement has a five-year term, including service and support responsibilities

LBT's 50% owned joint-venture Company, Clever Culture Systems (CCS), has signed a five-year Agreement for Thermo Fisher to become the exclusive distributor for the APAS Independence in the United States. This Agreement is a major milestone for LBT and will provide a footprint to scale sales and commercial activities in the United States which is the largest market globally, comprising over 1,500 target laboratories for potential placement of the APAS Independence.

The APAS Independence will be added to Thermo Fisher's existing portfolio of microbiology products in the United States where the firm has an established network of sales representatives with existing customer relationships across a large number of clinical microbiology laboratories.

Under the Agreement, Thermo Fisher will engage in sales and marketing, and related activities for the APAS Independence exclusively in the United States. As part of the related activities, the firm will also provide installation, maintenance and support services to customers in the United States.

The APAS Independence, which obtained US Food and Drug Administration clearance for its urine analysis module in 2019, is the first and only FDA-cleared automated culture plate reader available in the United States. The innovative technology uses advanced imaging and artificial intelligence to interpret bacterial growth on culture plates.

Christophe Fraudeau, President, Microbiology, Thermo Fisher Scientific said:

"We see a clear fit for the APAS Independence within our portfolio of microbiology products for the U.S. clinical market. Our customers need smart automation products that deliver real workflow efficiencies and the APAS Independence does just that by using artificial intelligence to provide active decision-making that reduces workload and enables laboratories to streamline their workflows."

LBT CEO and Managing Director, Brent Barnes said:

"This is a really important milestone for LBT and represents a major step forward in our commercialisation strategy in the United States. We have spoken previously about the importance of appointing well recognised, leading distributors to support our sales efforts in key markets. Thermo Fisher is a leader in microbiology that is recognised globally, and we will benefit greatly from the depth and strength of their sales team in the United States. Our management team have worked diligently to secure this partnership and we are really excited to begin working alongside the Thermo Fisher team. We hope that this is the beginning of a long and fruitful relationship between our two companies.

We are very pleased to now have two of the world's largest microbiology companies selling our technology across the two main markets of the United States and Europe, which is a further validation of benefits of our technology."

 ENDS 

About LBT Innovations

LBT Innovations (LBT) improves patient outcomes by making healthcare more efficient. Based in Adelaide, South Australia, the Company has a history of developing world leading products in microbiology automation. Its first product, MicroStreak, was a global first in the automation of the culture plate streaking process. The Company's second product, the Automated Plate Assessment System (APAS) is being commercialised through LBT's 50% owned joint venture company Clever Culture Systems AG (CCS) with Hettich Holding Beteiligungs- und Verwaltungs-GmbH. Beckman Coulter have also been appointed as Marketing Agent in Europe to assist in facilitating sales. The APAS instrument is based upon LBT's intelligent imaging and machine learning software and remains the only US FDA-cleared artificial intelligence technology for automated imaging, analysis and interpretation of culture plates following incubation.

CONTACTS

LBT Innovations Investor Enquiries Brent Barnes

Chief Executive Officer & Managing Director

Tel: +61 8 8227 1555

E: [email protected] David Allen / John Granger Hawkesbury Partners Tel: +61 2 9103 9494 E: [email protected]

SOURCE LBT Innovations Ltd

Related Links

www.lbtinnovations.com


CHICAGO, Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- In the recent years, data center market is rapidly growing in the developing regions. With the increase in deployment of big data, artificial intelligence, and IoT technology, the demand for mission critical and high-performance server systems are likely to increase in the data center market. Cloud infrastructure is gaining high momentum in the global data center market due to rising adoption of digitalization. COVID-19 pandemic has been a strong enabler for further digitization in the data centers.

Arizton's research reports on the data center knowledge base offer an up-to-date analysis regarding the current market scenario, the latest trends and drivers, and the overall market insights. Observing these rapid and drastic changes in demand and supply patterns encouraged the industry analysts at Arizton to publish exhaustive and data-driven insights on these recent trends in the industry.

Check out our portfolio - https://www.arizton.com/market-reports/category/data-center-knowledge-base

1. Malaysia Data Center Market - Investment Analysis and Growth Opportunities 2021-2026

Malaysia data center market size will witness investments of USD 1.4 billion by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 7% during 2021-2026. Arizton has identified about 23 unique data center facilities in Malaysia and 5 upcoming facilities.

Malaysia is one of the prime secondary data center markets in APAC and is expected to grow significantly in the coming years. The leading data center operators in Malaysia include VADS, NTT Global Data Centers, AIMS Data Centre, and Bridge Data Centres. The Malaysian government is encouraging hyperscale data center investments in the country by enhancing network infrastructure.

Key Highlights:

In 2020, the cloud market in Malaysia was estimated to be around USD 2.3 billion . The market is expected to grow 10% YoY. SaaS dominates with a market share of 55%, followed by IaaS at 30%.

was estimated to be around . The market is expected to grow 10% YoY. SaaS dominates with a market share of 55%, followed by IaaS at 30%. The government and telecommunication service providers are rapidly strengthening the network backbone of the country, including investment in both, terrestrial and submarine cable connectivity, thereby, accelerating the growth of the Malaysia data center market.

data center market. In February 2021 , the Malaysian government gave conditional approval to Microsoft, Google, Amazon, and Telekom Malaysia to build hyperscale data centers and cloud services in the country.

, the Malaysian government gave conditional approval to Microsoft, Google, Amazon, and Telekom Malaysia to build hyperscale data centers and cloud services in the country. Huawei offered Cloud4Everyone in Malaysia , a trail of 1,500 hours of smart solutions that allowed companies to innovate, digitalize, and automate their businesses.

, a trail of 1,500 hours of smart solutions that allowed companies to innovate, digitalize, and automate their businesses. The increase in the construction of greenfield data center projects has a strong potential for growth in modular data center projects in Malaysia .

Get your free sample now! https://www.arizton.com/market-reports/malaysia-data-center-market-size-analysis

2. Thailand Data Center Market - Investment Analysis and Growth Opportunities 2021-2026

Thailand data center market will witness investments of USD 1015 million by 2026. Arizton has identified about 31 existing facilities in Thailand and 3 upcoming facilities during the forecast period.

Thailand is an emerging colocation market in Southeast Asia, with high scope for growth through new entrants and expansions between 2021 and 2026. Thailand ranks the first among ASEAN countries, and sixth globally for medical tourism, serving over one million tourists annually, leading to high data generation. The Thailand data center market involves both greenfield and brownfield data center construction.

Key Highlights:

The IoT market in Thailand is driven by consumer related IoT, manufacturing, logistics, and transportation that dominate the adoption of IoT technology.

is driven by consumer related IoT, manufacturing, logistics, and transportation that dominate the adoption of IoT technology. The government's Thailand 4.0 initiative promotes the adoption of IoT technology for smart city initiatives, and digital transformation of industries is promoted under the Industry 4.0 initiative.

4.0 initiative promotes the adoption of IoT technology for smart city initiatives, and digital transformation of industries is promoted under the Industry 4.0 initiative. The adoption of 100 GbE switches among data centers in Thailand will grow due to cloud data center deployments.

will grow due to cloud data center deployments. SUPERNAP Thailand and PTT data center facility are the two facilities certified Tier IV standard by Uptime institute.

Get your free sample now! https://www.arizton.com/market-reports/thailand-data-center-market-size

3. Hong Kong Data Center Market - Investment Analysis and Growth Opportunities 2021-2026

Hong Kong data center market size will witness investments of USD 4 billion by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 2% during 2021-2026. Arizton has identified about 50 existing facilities and 4 upcoming facilities in the upcoming years.

Hong Kong is one of the most advanced data center markets in APAC. Around USD 5 billion will be invested in core and shell data center development and support across Hong Kong between 2021 and 2026. The country is witnessing investments in about six facilities that are expected to be operational over the next two to three years. In 2020, colocation service providers were the major investors in the Hong Kong market.

Key Highlights:

Wholesale colocation contributes over 40% of the market share and retail colocation over 55% across Hong Kong .

. The Hong Kong government is expanding fiber network coverage to improve connectivity and government premises are used as base stations for mobile network operators to extend 5G network services to remote areas in the country.

government is expanding fiber network coverage to improve connectivity and government premises are used as base stations for mobile network operators to extend 5G network services to remote areas in the country. Diesel generators are widely used by data center operators in Hong Kong with a few operators adopting Diesel Rotary Uninterruptible Power Supply (DRUPS) systems.

with a few operators adopting Diesel Rotary Uninterruptible Power Supply (DRUPS) systems. Most data center facilities in Hong Kong are adopting medium- to low-voltage switchgears during the forecast period.

are adopting medium- to low-voltage switchgears during the forecast period. Many data center providers have adopted brownfield development of their data center facilities due to land shortage in Hong Kong .

Get your free sample now! https://www.arizton.com/market-reports/hong-kong-data-center-market-size-analysis

Subscribe to our data center knowledge base portfolio to access the latest research reports at competitive pricing.

Read some of the top-selling reports:

About Arizton:

Arizton Advisory and Intelligence is an innovation and quality-driven firm, which offers cutting-edge research solutions to clients across the world. We excel in providing comprehensive market intelligence reports and advisory and consulting services.

We offer comprehensive market research reports on industries such as consumer goods & retail technology, automotive and mobility, smart tech, healthcare, and life sciences, industrial machinery, chemicals, and materials, IT and media, logistics and packaging. These reports contain detailed industry analysis, market size, share, growth drivers, and trend forecasts.

Arizton comprises a team of exuberant and well-experienced analysts who have mastered generating incisive reports. Our specialist analysts possess exemplary skills in market research. We train our team in advanced research practices, techniques, and ethics to outperform in fabricating impregnable research reports.

Mail: [email protected]

Call: +1-312-235-2040

+1 302 469 0707

SOURCE Arizton Advisory & Intelligence
PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Comcast Business today announced a two-year, $26 million investment in a major expansion of its advanced network throughout Greater Philadelphia and New Jersey, reaching nearly 4,000 businesses directly and benefiting thousands more by making the network more accessible and affordable. The two-year build-out includes $10.3 million invested in 2020 and an additional $15.7 million in projects underway or planned for 2021. Upon completion, Comcast Business will have invested a total of nearly $100 million in area network expansions since 2015, to the benefit of nearly 24,000 businesses.

Capable of delivering up to 1 Gigabit of network capacity for small and medium-sized businesses, or up to 100 Gigabits-per-second for larger enterprises, the network expansion will support advanced services and the ability to bring new customers online quickly. While the Comcast network already serves thousands of the region's largest companies and businesses, this expansion delivers high-performance Ethernet, Internet and advanced voice solutions to more businesses and organizations.

The 2020 expansion deploys new fiber optic cable across areas such as Center City Philadelphia; Avenue of the States in the City of Chester, PA; business districts in New Brunswick and Lakewood, NJ; and 270 NJ Transit sites and neighboring businesses; among others. Significant work over the past several months has already begun, and additional network expansions will continue into 2021. Planned investments in 2021 include service expansions to the University of Pennsylvania and the Food District in Philadelphia; the redevelopment of the old Bristol Myers Squibb campus in Pennington, NJ; a network build in Springfield, NJ; and a major densification of fiber services in Cherry Hill, Mount Laurel and Marlton, NJ.

"Access to technology is critical to the success of our local businesses, whether it's a regional business closing more deals digitally, a hospital transferring large imaging files or a retailer looking to connect multiple locations," said Dean Miller, President & CEO of the Philadelphia Alliance for Capital and Technologies. "Comcast's investment in the region will strengthen our business community and create new opportunities by supporting workforce development and benefiting overall economic expansion."

This expansion will provide businesses of all sizes with access to a comprehensive portfolio of products and services to help meet the day-to-day demands of organizations requiring large amounts of bandwidth, looking to link multiple sites or branch locations, or planning to connect their offices to a third-party data center. This includes fast business WiFi for employees and guests, cybersecurity solutions, 4G LTE backup, business TV and more.

"Capacity and performance are increasingly becoming the two main engines driving all businesses, and that became even more important over the past year," said Michael Louden, regional vice president for Comcast Business. "Our fiber expansions in Greater Philadelphia and New Jersey are the latest example of the significant investments we've made to increase the availability of our multi-Gigabit Ethernet services to help foster economic development and meet the next-generation capacity needs of customers across the region. In addition to these tech investments, we're also proud of the support we're providing to local businesses owned by people of color disproportionately affected by COVID through complimentary services and grants provided by the Comcast RISE program. As technology becomes a basic need for business success, these investments will continue to drive growth for local businesses and our communities."

About Comcast Business:

Comcast Business offers a suite of Connectivity, Communications, Networking, Cybersecurity, Wireless, and Managed Solutions to help organizations of different sizes prepare for what's next. Powered by the nation's largest Gig-speed broadband network, and backed by 24/7 customer support, Comcast Business is the nation's largest cable provider to small and mid-size businesses and one of the leading service providers to the Enterprise market. Comcast Business has been consistently recognized by industry analysts and associations as a leader and innovator, and one of the fastest growing providers of Ethernet services.

For more information, call 866-429-3085. Follow on Twitter @ComcastBusiness and on other social media networks at http://business.comcast.com/social.

About Comcast Cable:

Comcast Cable is one of the nation's largest video, high-speed Internet and phone provider to residential customers under the XFINITY brand and also provides these services to businesses. Comcast has invested in technology to build an advanced network that delivers among the fastest broadband speeds, and brings customers personalized video, communications and home management offerings. Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA, CMCSK) is a global media and technology company. Visit www.comcastcorporation.com for more information.

SOURCE Comcast; Comcast Business
OKLAHOMA CITY, Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Creative IT Solutions, LLC (Creative), a tribally-owned SBA certified 8(a) Small Disadvantaged Business (SDB), is excited to announce they have been awarded a prime contractor role under Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA's) Training Services Support Division Business, Financial, Management Analyst Support Contract.

Creative is pleased to fulfill the FAA's need for analyst support at the Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center in Oklahoma City. Creative is extremely proud to be supporting FAA's continuing mission to provide the safest, most efficient aerospace system in the world.

Creative has experienced exponential growth over the past few years and is repeatedly recognized as a small business success story, earning a plethora of exceptional CPARS (Customer Performance Assessment Reporting System) from satisfied customers.

ABOUT CREATIVE IT SOLUTIONS: Creative has experience providing enterprise IT support and other specialized services to the federal government. Creative is ISO 9001 certified, ISO 27001 certified, and is CMMI Maturity Level 3 appraised in CMMI Development (CMMI-DEV/L3).

ABOUT DELAWARE NATION INDUSTRIES: DNI is wholly owned by the Delaware Nation, the first Indigenous Nation to sign a treaty with the United States. DNI operates with a Shared Services Business Model with the corporate reach-back and proven management that allows them to leverage best practices across each contract.

Contact: For more information, please contact the Marketing and Communications Department, at [email protected]

SOURCE Delaware Nation Industries

Related Links

https://dnigov.com/


ATHENS, Ga. and LOS ALTOS, Calif., Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- CyanVac LLC and its subsidiary, Blue Lake Biotechnology, Inc., clinical-stage biopharmaceutical companies developing vaccines using a proprietary transformational parainfluenza virus 5 (PIV5)-based vector, today announced the enrollment of the first participant in a Phase 1 clinical trial of their CVXGA1 intranasal COVID-19 vaccine in Rochester, NY. CVXGA1 is based on an attenuated strain of PIV5 (also known as canine parainfluenza virus) and expresses the S protein of SARS-CoV-2. In preclinical studies, CVXGA1, delivered intranasally as a single dose in each nostril, induces mucosal antibody responses and cell-mediated immune responses as well as serum antibody responses, and has been effective in protecting multiple animal species from SARS-CoV-2 viral infection and in blocking SARS-CoV-2 viral transmission. Delivered through the nose without injections, the companies' vaccines have the potential to facilitate delivery of vaccines to broad populations, including pediatric and needle-hesitant groups.

"The enrollment of the first participant in our first-in-human Phase 1 clinical trial marks another important milestone in our rapid growth as a vaccine company," said Dr. Biao He, founder and President of CyanVac and Blue Lake Biotechnology. "Our aim is to have a single-dose intranasal vaccine that can be used as a booster for existing vaccines, as well as a vaccine that can serve as a primary vaccine to countries that are struggling to acquire enough vaccine doses for their populations."

"CyanVac's investigational vaccine has the potential to be both a needle-free vaccine and one that could block disease transmission," said Dr. Paul Spearman of the Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center. "For some individuals this may help overcome vaccine hesitancy, and even more importantly it could halt the virus at its point of entry and prevent further spread of COVID-19."

About the Phase 1 Clinical Trial

The trial is a multi-center, open-label trial to evaluate the safety, reactogenicity and immunogenicity of CVXGA1 administered intranasally as a single dose to adults in two sequential age cohorts. In the first cohort, 40 participants aged 18 to 55 years will receive a single dose of vaccine by intranasal spray, escalating from low dose (106 PFU) to high dose (107 PFU). In the second cohort, 40 participants aged 56 to 75 years will receive a single dose of vaccine, escalating from low dose to high dose. Safety data will be collected and analyzed, as will serum and mucosal antibody responses, and cellular immune responses to the SARS-CoV-2 S protein.

Learn more about the trial at https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04954287.

About CVXGA1

CVXGA1 is a COVID-19 vaccine candidate based on CyanVac's proprietary PIV5 vector that encodes the spike (S) protein of SARS-CoV-2. The PIV5 vector itself is a respiratory virus that is not known to cause disease in humans, although it has been commonly administered to dogs as part of combination distemper / kennel cough vaccines for decades. CyanVac and Blue Lake Biotechnology are developing CVXGA1 as a single dose, intranasal vaccine to prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection and serious complications associated with COVID-19. Preclinical studies have demonstrated that CVXGA1 is immunogenic and prevents infection and transmission by SARS-CoV-2.

About CyanVac and Blue Lake Biotechnology

CyanVac LLC and its subsidiary, Blue Lake Biotechnology, Inc., are technology-driven companies developing products based on a proprietary PIV5 vaccine platform licensed from the University of Georgia. Our pipeline features one vaccine in clinical trials, a second vaccine nearing Phase 1 studies, and additional vaccines in preclinical development. Our lead COVID-19 vaccine program has been selected for future NIH/IDCRC support, while our second program is targeting respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). RSV is a common respiratory virus that routinely and repeatedly infects people at all ages, and is of particularly high risk to children under 2 years old and elderly patients with underlying lung disease. In addition, the companies have early-stage proof of concept vaccine programs targeting norovirus and Lyme disease. CyanVac and Blue Lake Biotechnology are headquartered in Athens, Georgia, with a second site in Los Altos, California.

Learn more at https://www.cyanvacllc.com

Forward Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements, including with respect to the clinical development of CVXGA1 for COVID-19, which are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including, but not limited to: the timing and success of clinical trials and potential complications thereof; the ability to obtain and maintain regulatory approval; the labeling for any approved product; the scope, progress and expansion of developing and commercializing a product candidate; the size and growth of the market(s) and the rate and degree of market acceptance thereof vis-a-vis alternative therapies; the establishment and maintenance of any applicable collaborations; and the ability to achieve business development transactions on favorable terms to the Company, if at all. In light of these risks and uncertainties, the events and circumstances discussed in such forward-looking statements or which are other made by or on behalf of CyanVac and/or Blue Lake Biotechnology may not occur, and CyanVac's and/or Blue Lake Biotechnology's actual results could differ materially and adversely from those anticipated or implied thereby. Factors which may affect CyanVac's and/or Blue Lake Biotechnology's results include, but are not limited to, uncertainties and/or unexpected results related to research and development and clinical testing, the timing, costs and uncertainty of obtaining any required regulatory approvals, changes in the regulatory landscape, uncertainties related to obtaining additional capital as needed to meet CyanVac's and/or Blue Lake Biotechnology's needs on acceptable terms, or at all, the absence of any guarantee of product demand, market acceptance or competitive advantage for any of CyanVac's and/or Blue Lake Biotechnology's product candidates, if approved, and certain trade, legal, social and economic risks. Any forward-looking statements in this release speak only as of the date of this press release and are based on information available to CyanVac as of the date of this release, and neither CyanVac nor Blue Lake Biotechnology has any obligation to update or revise any such forward-looking statement.

CONTACTS:

CyanVac LLC and Blue Lake Biotechnology, Inc.

Gary Titus

Chief Financial Officer

[email protected]

(650) 862-9757

SOURCE CyanVac LLC

Related Links

www.cyanvacllc.com


FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Cymcorp is an innovative Canadian health and wellness business focused on cellular health. Company founder Robert Gauthier wants to offer consumers a proactive approach to holistic health. This can help address complex areas, such as the growing concern over the effect of EMFs.

EMFs (electromagnetic fields) and RF (radiofrequency) energy are common concerns. Serious levels of ionizing EMFs  such as those produced by sunlight and x-rays  have long been known to cause harm.

Thus far, non-ionizing EMFs and RF energy have remained largely under the radar. This is referring to the radiation caused by microwaves, computers, cellphones, and other electronic devices. While there isn't conclusive evidence regarding these "low threat" EMF and RF sources, there is still an ongoing debate regarding their long-term impact on consumers.

For instance, when addressing non-ionizing RFs , the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) states that "Most studies haven't found any health effects from cell phone use," adding that "A few studies have connected RF and health effects, but scientists have not been able to repeat the outcomes."

Even so, the EPA states that this is merely inconclusive and recommends ways to avoid RF exposure. WHO (the World Health Organization) also states that, to date, exposure to low-level electromagnetic fields has led to no health consequences, though it also clarifies that "some gaps in knowledge about biological effects exist and need further research."

Opposing these common views are scientists like Joel Moskowitz. Moskowitz works as a researcher in the School of Public Health at UC Berkeley and is an unabashed supporter of the concept that technology comes with negative health-related side effects. Regarding cell phones, in particular, Moskowitz states that "considerable research suggests that long-term use poses health risks from the radiation they emit."

Two decades into the 21st century, the jury is still out when it comes to the effects of non-ionizing, low-frequency EMFs and RF energy. However, the debate rages on and, until time reveals more, the risk still remains clearly possible in many people's minds.

For those who want to guard against the effects of EMFs, there has been little recourse  until now. Innovative Canadian enterprise Cymcorp has created a trio of products, which it sells in its Viprox package. These can proactively work to guard against any potential side effects of EMF radiation.

This is done through a focus on cellular health. Company founder Robert Gauthier states that "Viprox will treat you holistically," adding that "we go at the root cause of any dysfunction at the intracellular level."

Viprox's three products, GSH Complex, Triozyme Complex, and Une-Vie work to support cellular health through nutrients, digestion, and hydration. Together, they offer genuine cellular support. They also rebalance and strengthen the immune system, the first line of defense from invaders. This enables the body to fight off unwanted intruders  such as EMFs  that can disrupt its ordinary functions.

For those who are concerned about the long-term effects of low-intensity EMFs, Cymcorp's Viprox package offers an actionable solution. The company's long list of satisfied customers bears witness to the fact that its cellular-health-focused products can revolutionize life through a proactive rather than reactive approach to holistic health.

"We are the only therapy of its kind," Gauthier points out, "and we guarantee results. What have you got to lose?" It's a sentiment that rings true for many who are worried about EMFs and the lack of recourse for their potential side effects.

About Cymcorp: Cymcorp is a Canadian health and wellness brand that has been at the forefront of cellular health for over two decades. The company was created after founder Robert Gauthier asked himself the question "Isn't there a better way to combat illness and maintain our health?" The answer led to VIPROX, Cymcorp's complete health care treatment which specializes in providing GSH and supportive elements to the body in order to maintain its inherent health properties over time. Learn more about Cymcorp at cymcorp.us .

Please direct inquiries to:

Sasha Shan

(954) 674-7743

[email protected]

SOURCE Cymcorp
SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The global dental bone void filler market size is expected to reach USD 127.0 million by 2028, registering a CAGR of 5.6%, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. The growth is attributable to the biological performance of materials, such as calcium phosphate-based bone substitutes that are biocompatible, have good volume maintenance over time, and are bioabsorbable. Dental professionals are at risk of contracting COVID-19 infection due to proximity with patients during the dental procedures. This factor has created fear among the dental professionals leading to reduced patient intake, which can, in turn, hamper the market growth.

Key Insights & Findings:

Technological advancements are expected to propel market growth. For instance, a three-dimensional scaffold supports new tissue growth of a Demineralized Bone Matrix (DBM) that has osteoinductive qualities

DBM provides a framework for matrix and cell protein adhesion and contains osteogenic substances that help induce new bone growth. Thus, 3D technology increases the demand for DBM, thus propelling the market growth.

The DBM segment accounted for the largest revenue share of nearly 25% in 2020 owing to growing technological advancements in the medical-dental field

North America contributed for the second-largest share of around 38.0% owing to the high healthcare expenditure

In addition, the presence of key companies and well-established reimbursement policies will boost the regional market growth

Read 80 page market research report, "Dental Bone Void Filler Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Material Type (Calcium Phosphate Cements, Calcium Sulfates, DBM), By Region (APAC, North America), And Segment Forecasts, 2021 - 2028", by Grand View Research

Bone grafting is being widely practiced in dentistry as poor fixation and loosening of dental implants are common complications. Thus, void fillers are used to minimize these complications and facilitate cellular growth & targeted high-quality bone formation, as well as increase the contact interface with the graft. This results in stabilization and better fixation of dental implants. Such benefits are expected to boost market growth.

The global market is also driven by the availability of advanced materials, such as hydroxyapatite. For instance, Osbone, hydroxyapatite, is a graft material indicated for augmentation of the atrophied alveolar ridge and filling bone defects. The benefit of Osbone includes a minimal residual risk of allergic and infections reactions., which, in turn, ensures long-term and fast stability of the scaffolding for bone generation. Such advantages increase the demand for the product thus boosting the market.

Grand View Research has segmented the global dental bone void filler market on the basis of material type and region:

Dental Bone Void Fillers Material Type Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2016-2028)

Tricalcium Phosphate Ceramics



Biphasic Calcium Phosphate Ceramics



Calcium Phosphate Cements



Calcium Sulfates



Demineralized Bone Matrix (DBM)



Others

Dental Bone Void Fillers Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2016-2028)

North America



U.S.





Canada



Europe



Germany





U.K.





France





Italy





Spain



Asia Pacific



China





Japan





India





Australia





South Korea



Latin America



Brazil





Mexico





Argentina



Middle East & Africa

&

South Africa





Saudi Arabia





UAE

List of Key Players of Dental Bone Void Filler Market

Curasan, Inc.

Olympus Terumo Biomaterials Corp.

Medtronic

GRAFTYS

DePuy Synthes Companies

Stryker

Check out more studies related to dental and oral care, conducted by Grand View Research:

Dental Services Market  The global dental services market size was valued at USD 302.7 billion in 2020 and is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.4% from 2021 to 2028. The diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of dental disorders are covered under dental services that are provided by dentists and dental professionals.

 The global dental services market size was valued at in 2020 and is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.4% from 2021 to 2028. The diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of dental disorders are covered under dental services that are provided by dentists and dental professionals. Dental Fluoride Treatment Market  The global dental fluoride treatment market size was valued at USD 10.8 billion in 2019 and is expected to witness significant growth in the forecast period. Increasing prevalence of dental caries and a rise in awareness regarding oral health and hygiene are some of the key factors anticipated to drive the market for dental fluoride treatment.

 The global dental fluoride treatment market size was valued at in 2019 and is expected to witness significant growth in the forecast period. Increasing prevalence of dental caries and a rise in awareness regarding oral health and hygiene are some of the key factors anticipated to drive the market for dental fluoride treatment. Oral Care Market  The global oral care market size was valued at USD 31.7 billion in 2020 and is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.9% from 2021 to 2028. The rising prevalence of dental caries both among children and adults is expected to drive the market.

Browse through Grand View Research's coverage of the Global Medical Devices Industry

Gain access to Grand View Compass, our BI enabled intuitive market research database of 10,000+ reports

About Grand View Research

Grand View Research, U.S.-based market research and consulting company, provides syndicated as well as customized research reports and consulting services. Registered in California and headquartered in San Francisco, the company comprises over 425 analysts and consultants, adding more than 1200 market research reports to its vast database each year. These reports offer in-depth analysis on 46 industries across 25 major countries worldwide. With the help of an interactive market intelligence platform, Grand View Research helps Fortune 500 companies and renowned academic institutes understand the global and regional business environment and gauge the opportunities that lie ahead.

Contact:

Sherry James

Corporate Sales Specialist, USA

Grand View Research, Inc.

Phone: 1-415-349-0058

Toll Free: 1-888-202-9519

Email: [email protected]

Web: https://www.grandviewresearch.com

Follow Us: LinkedIn | Twitter

SOURCE Grand View Research, Inc.
LOS ANGELES, Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascon announced today that his office -- with support from The Social Impact Center -- has identified nearly 60,000 cannabis convictions that will be dismissed as part of his ongoing efforts to reverse the injustices of drug laws.

"Dismissing these convictions means the possibility of a better future to thousands of disenfranchised people who are receiving this long-needed relief," District Attorney Gascon said. "It clears the path for them to find jobs, housing and other services that previously were denied to them because of unjust cannabis laws."

District Attorney Gascon was joined today by Felicia Carbajal, executive director and community leader of The Social Impact Center, a nonprofit organization that serves as a bridge between government, grassroots organizations and people in underserved communities; Lynne Lyman, former director of the Drug Policy Alliance; Public Defender Ricardo Garcia and Alternate Public Defender Erika Anzoategui.

"I have made it my life mission to help and support people who have been impacted by the 'war on drugs,'" Carbajal said. "Giving people with cannabis convictions a new lease on life by expunging the records is something I have worked on for years and I am grateful that we can now make it happen."

"This is the unfinished work of Proposition 64," Lyman said. "We created the opportunity for old cannabis convictions to be cleared, but it was up to local district attorneys to actually make it happen. Proposition 64 was always about more than legal weed, it was an intentional effort to repair the past harms of the war on drugs and cannabis prohibition, which disproportionately targeted people of color. I applaud District Attorney Gascon for taking this action to help nearly 60,000 Angelenos have their records fully sealed."

"District Attorney Gascon has taken another important step toward justice reform. Today's mass dismissal of cannabis convictions restores dignity and provides new opportunities to those who have been unfairly impacted by outdated, tough-on-crime anti-drug laws, many are our most vulnerable community members who deserve our care and support," Public Defender Garcia said.

"The dismissal of 60,000 marijuana related cases by DA Gascon is a pivotal step in reforming our criminal justice system. This sends the right signal to the community that the nation was wrong in its 'war on marijuana' and that criminal convictions for marijuana offenses have a disproportionately negative impact on communities of color. We join DA Gascon in removing roadblocks to employment, housing and education through the dismissal and sealing of these convictions," Alternate Public Defender Anzoategui said.

As the co-author of Proposition 64, the 2016 measure that made cannabis legal in California, District Attorney Gascon has been at the forefront in eliminating prior cannabis convictions.

In Los Angeles County, roughly 66,000 cannabis convictions were dismissed last year after Assembly Bill 1793 was passed that tasked prosecutors in California with affirmatively reviewing the convictions.

However, the review only covered cases from state Department of Justice data. Further examination of Los Angeles County court records uncovered approximately 58,000 felony and misdemeanor cases dating back more than three decades that are eligible for dismissal.

In total, nearly 125,000 cannabis cases are being dismissed in Los Angeles County. The latest batch of cases eligible for dismissal could come as a surprise to people who either thought their convictions were already dismissed last year or were not aware they are eligible for resentencing.

Although no law required prosecutors to take further action on the cannabis convictions, District Attorney Gascon wanted to ensure by sealing their records, it would no longer hamper the ability of those convicted from obtaining employment, affecting their immigration status or receiving educational opportunities.

The announcement comes as part of the "Week of Action and Awareness (WOAA)," formerly known as National Expungement Week, which takes place from September 26 to October 3.

Organized by National Expungement Works (N.E.W), a permanent assistance network for more than 70 million justice-impacted individuals and their communities nationwide, the week will focus on helping Californians get their criminal records expunged as well as other socio-economic barriers restricting fundamental human rights for people with an arrest or conviction on their record through social and wraparound services centered around community needs, such as grocery distributions, brake light repair, employment resources, voter registration, and health screenings.

Media Contacts:

Greg Risling, Assistant Chief

Media Relations Division

213-257-2000

[email protected]

Twitter: @LADAOffice

Ida Bo Frazier

The Rose Group

323-868-2020

[email protected]

Tracey Henry

National Expungement Works

631-861-4723

[email protected]

SOURCE Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office
NEW YORK, Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- On the sidelines of this year's United Nations General Assembly, public, private and philanthropic donors announced a total of US$138.1 million in new contributions to Education Cannot Wait (ECW).

The new contributions come from: Germany (50 million; approx. US$58.6 million); United States of America (US$37 million); European Union/European Commission (25 million; approx. US$29.3 million); The LEGO Foundation (DKK35 million; approx. US$5.6 million); France (4 million; approx. US$4.7 million); Switzerland (CHF2 million; approx. US$2.2 million); and, Porticus (500,000, approx. US$588,000).

This new round of funding contributions will accelerate the impact of ECW's education in emergencies investments, which have already reached more than 4.6 million crisis-affected children and adolescents. ECW's COVID-19 response has also been delivered in record speed across 32 countries, reaching an additional 29.2 million vulnerable girls and boys. Since its inception in 2016, ECW has mobilized US$828.3 million through the ECW Trust Fund, and helped leverage with its partners US$1 billion worth of programmes aligned with ECW's multi-year resilience programmes in 10 countries.

"We all see the dramatic crises worldwide. Children and young people suffer the most from hunger, violence, and lack of education. Every child has a right to education. Thus, I am proud to announce that Germany will commit 50 million to Education Cannot Wait," said Gerd Muller, Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development of Germany.

"We need to act now, because we know that in times of crisis, education can offer stability, protection and prospects for the future. For 2022, we will make available a total of 50 million for the ECW multi-year resilience programmes, because education is key for achieving all dimensions of sustainable development," said Dr. Maria Flachsbarth, Parliamentary State Secretary to the Federal Minister of Economic Cooperation and Development of Germany.

"The United States has proudly supported Education Cannot Wait since its inception in 2016. And we are proud to boost our support today. Education Cannot Wait is an educational lifeline in dozens of crisis-affected countries globally. We look forward to continued cooperation to increase access to education, improved learning outcomes and reach the most marginalized students  especially girls, refugees, internally displaced communities, gender and sexual minorities, and children with disabilities. We know when access to education is equal, the results are clear: greater economic growth, improved health outcomes, stronger democracies, more peaceful and resilient societies, and healthier and more successful children," said USAID Administrator Samantha Power.

"We want all children to be born with the same opportunities. All too often, the fate and lives of our children are determined by the lottery of birth. This is why I am pleased to announce that Europe will be donating 25 million to the Education Cannot Wait global fund. An investment in education is an investment in a better world," said the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen.

"We must unite to put the SDGs back on track. As we continue to witness, we can never take access to education for granted. Team Europe has to date contributed to more than 40% of the funding of Education Cannot Wait, and the new 25 million contribution from the EU will further support it to reach the most vulnerable children and bring them back to education," said European Union Commissioner for International Partnerships, Jutta Urplilainen.

"As world leaders gather for the UN General Assembly and define a path to address the interconnected crises of conflict, COVID-19, climate change and forced displacement, these crucial contributions will ensure the world's most vulnerable children and adolescents have the chance to go learn, grow and thrive. We call on all governments and private sector partners to follow suit and support the mission of Education Cannot Wait: to leave no child or young person behind in conflicts or as refugees, but to ensure they can exercise their right to a quality education. This is a true investment in peace and prosperity," said The Rt. Hon. Gordon Brown, UN Special Envoy for Global Education and Chair of ECW's High-Level Steering Group.

"This new round of funding is a bold and important step in reaching the world's most marginalized children and adolescents with the power of inclusive quality education," said Yasmine Sherif, Director of Education Cannot Wait. "It shows the commitment of our strategic donors to scale up their generous support and we are deeply grateful for the trust placed in the proven ECW model. I thank you for this important funding by all of our partners, who came forward during the UNGA Week, enabling us to deliver more support, faster and more sustainably, for crisis-affected children and youth."

Falling behind in achieving SDG4

Despite these significant contributions, large gaps for education in emergencies funding persist. ECW analysis of humanitarian appeals indicate that funding requirements for education grew from US$1 billion in 2019 to US$1.4 billion in 2020.

Global leaders are signaling the alarm bells as new reports indicate the world is falling behind in delivering on the Sustainable Development Goals, (including SDG4 for inclusive equitable quality education), by 2030.

According to the United Nations, COVID-19 has wiped out 20 years of education gains, with an additional 101 million of children in grades 1 through 8 falling behind in minimum reading proficiency levels. Globally only 85% of children completed primary school in 2019, up from 82% in 2010, while only about half of students will graduate from secondary school.

An estimated 1.5 billion students were impacted by COVID-19 school closures, and a recent study by the Malala Foundation estimates that an additional 20 million girls would lose their access to education as a result of the COVID-19 crisis.

Girls and boys already impacted by conflict, climate change and displacement are being pushed further to the margins. When these girls and boys are pushed out of school, they face increased risks of gender-based violence, forced recruitment, and other grave violations.

Note to Editors

About Education Cannot Wait (ECW):

Education Cannot Wait (ECW) is the United Nations global fund for education in emergencies and protracted crises. We support quality education outcomes for refugee, internally displaced and other crisis-affected girls and boys, so no one is left behind. ECW works through the multilateral system to both increase the speed of responses in crises and connect immediate relief and longer-term interventions through multi-year programming. ECW works in close partnership with governments, public and private donors, UN agencies, civil society organizations, and other humanitarian and development aid actors to increase efficiencies and end siloed responses. ECW urgently appeals to public and private sector donors for expanded support to reach even more vulnerable children and youth. ECW is administered under UNICEF's financial, human resources and administrative rules and regulations; operations are run by the Fund's own independent governance structure.

On Twitter, please follow: @EduCannotWait @YasmineSherif1 @KentPage



Additional information available at: www.educationcannotwait.org

For press inquiries: Anouk Desgroseilliers, [email protected], +1-917-640-6820; Kent Page, [email protected], +1-917-302-1735; For other inquiries: [email protected]



SOURCE Education Cannot Wait

Related Links

http://www.educationcannotwait.org


Jennifer Dugan, owner and Chief Family Officer of Dugan's Travels is very optimistic about the new agreement, stating, "We are so excited about implementing AgentMate to assist our agents. Its features and capabilities will provide them with the technology needed to facilitate their activities. We are confident that using the software will enable them to get more done in less time, thus achieving a higher level of success."

Dugan's Travels is a travel host agency with 400 independent contractor agents located across the United States. Dugan's Travels is located in Bremerton, Washington. All team members work virtually and are also located across the United States.

Dugan's Travels was founded in 1997 and began hosting agents in 1999. Dugan's Travels has received many awards including Presidents' Circle with Travel Leaders Network, Vacation Express President's Club Member, Platinum Agency with ALG Vacations and Best of the West with Sandals. Dugan's Travels is a member of IATAN, CLIA, ASTA, and PATH. For more information please visit www.travelathome.com.

This press release was issued through 24-7PressRelease.com. For further information, visit http://www.24-7pressrelease.com.

SOURCE Dugan's Travels
LONDON, Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Fabriik has announced it has partnered with Transmira to launch the first XR Virtual Real Estate platform on Omniscape, where real-world locations are tokenized and experienced through a blend of AR and VR. The partnership with Transmira provides an innovative use case to test out Fabriik's token technology, (specifically its Token API and the Simple Fabriik Protocol) and creates an opportunity to leverage Fabriik's digital wallet and integrate with its Exchange to trade tokens.

Lior Cyngiser, Head of Strategic Partnerships, at Fabriik said, "The SFP provides an intuitive way for wallets to integrate with it to support tokens since it works with things that wallets already know, such as paymail. And by having this "authorizer" entity, it makes it possible to solve any number of business and regulatory issues."

Robert Rice, Founder of Transmira, who spoke at the recent CoinGeek Zurich conference, created Omniscape, an XR Metaverse* which aims to merge the real world and the digital world. By tokenizing real estate in the virtual world, as well as virtual goods and a 3D NFT marketplace, the platform aims to create a unique experience where items collected in the digital world can be redeemed in the real world or other virtual worlds.

Within the digital XR world, customers will be able to purchase Virtual Real Estate (VRE) tokens by buying location credits or Omni Tokens. These can then be spent within Omniscape to acquire virtual real estate locations. Each location is tokenized and unique and is represented on the platform by a hexagon that is linked to a set of GPS coordinates. Omniscape will maintain a public registry (or ledger), built on BSV Blockchain, of all purchased locations, so anyone can look up a location and see who owns it.

Robert Rice said, "Working with Fabriik has allowed us to start achieving the Omniscape ambition to tokenize everything within the XR Metaverse. They have been incredibly agile and responsive to our needs, and it has been a truly mutually beneficial partnership."

He added: "BSV Blockchain is the only blockchain to meet our needs  it's fast, it's scalable, it's stable, the cost is really low, and it offers all the other benefits of a blockchain such as trust and provenance. No other blockchain has the ability, right now, to handle the demanding needs of a true metaverse platform."

Lior Cyngiser, added: "I'm really excited about the work that we're doing to support Transmira merge the worlds of AR and VR through tokenization. We're providing the tokenization platform (Simple Fabriik Protocol) to make this possible and are looking forward to future collaboration."

Further insight into the partnership can be found here: Fabriik's Tokenization Technology Helps Bring the Metaverse to Life

*The XR Metaverse

The term "XR" coined by Robert Rice is a blend of Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR), Internet of Things (IoT), 5G, and blockchain to make an "Experiential Reality."

"Metaverse" is when everything, everywhere is connected; everything from 3D spaces to AR, digital twins, and smart cities, but all with a connection back to the real world as opposed to existing only in a game world. Rice's mission with Omniscape is to fuse these two concepts and build an "XR Metaverse."

Fabriik is a Platinum sponsor of the CoinGeek Conference being held in New York from 5-7 Oct. Roy Bernhard, Chief Visionary & CEO, Fabriik will be speaking on the Future of Digital Assets and a Tokenized World. Eric Bernhard  General Manager, Fabriik Digital Objects, will be joining the panel of Art, Design & User content for NFTs

About Fabriik:

Fabriik offers a full suite of Tokenization services for enterprises and application developers. This includes project creation and management, token creation and issuance, digital wallet, earning, and redemption services. The Simple Fabriik Protocol for Tokens was developed in direct response to developer requests to add tokens capability to their digital wallets. The Simple Fabriik Protocol is particularly useful for business use as it is flexible, scalable, and paymail-based, so it can be easily integrated into digital wallets.

About Transmira/Omniscape:

Transmira is revolutionizing the way businesses operate and engage with its consumers by offering sophisticated and proprietary technology to unleash an endless array of possibilities. They make it easy for brands, businesses, and content creators to monetize metaverse technologies ranging from Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality

Transmira goes beyond novelty experiences and simple games to excite and captivate consumers with amazing experiences that enhance brand prestige, extend brand reach, and multiple sales and transactions.

SOURCE Fabriik
CAMAS, Wash., Sept. 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Fisher Investments, one of the world's largest independent, fee-only investment advisers, was recognized by DiversityQ as "Employer of the Year" at their third annual Women in Asset Management USA Awards. Bonhill Group PLC's DiversityQ advocates diversity and inclusion in the workplace to create corporate cultures where everyone is heard and respected. In recognizing Fisher Investments, DiversityQ noted the firm's goal to, "guide and give opportunities for career development as well as a huge focus on investing in the future of their talents."

"It's an incredible honor to be recognized as Employer of the Year in this year's Women in Asset Management USA Awards," said Damian Ornani, Fisher Investments CEO. "It's a great acknowledgment of our ongoing dedication to promoting a healthy, rewarding workplace culture that supports all our employees and their continued success."

Jill Hitchcock, Senior Executive Vice President of Fisher Investments' Private Client Group added, "We've always believed a diverse, inclusive workforce is one of our most valuable assets. It's what enables us to deliver world-class client service and succeed on our mission to help more clients globally."

The Women in Asset Management USA's Employer of the Year award recognizes firms demonstrating a great effort to recruit and retain a diverse workforce. Fourteen independent industry judges examined multiple factors for consideration, including:

Professional training and advancement opportunities

Programs to increase employees' well-being

Efforts to create a more diverse and inclusive work environment

Fisher Investments' Senior Vice President of Corporate Communications and Head of Diversity & Inclusion, Naj Srinivas said, "A longstanding part of our culture is to develop human capital from within by investing in and building breadth and depth in individuals. We'll always work to foster an environment where every employee can feel that they belong and build a rewarding, lifelong career."

Fisher Investments is hiring for a variety of roles globally. Visit FisherCareers.com to learn more about career opportunities.

About Fisher Investments

Fisher Investments is an independent, fee-only investment adviser. As of 06/30/2021, Fisher Investments and its subsidiaries manage over $188 billion in assets globallyover $144 billion for private investors, $41 billion for institutional investors and $1 billion for US small to mid-sized business retirement plans. Fisher Investments maintains four principal business groups: US Private Client, Institutional, Private Client International and 401(k) Solutions, which serve a global client base of diverse investors. Not all strategies are offered/sold in all jurisdictions. Founder and Executive Chairman Ken Fisher wrote the Forbes "Portfolio Strategy" column from 1984 through 2016, making him the longest continuously running columnist in the magazine's history. In recent years, Ken's columns have run consistently in major media outlets across almost every Western European country as well as material Asian countries, spanning more countries and more volume than any other columnist of any type in history. Ken has also authored 11 books, including four New York Times bestsellers on finance and investing. For more information on Fisher Investments, please visit www.fisherinvestments.com.

SOURCE Fisher Investments

Related Links

https://www.fisherinvestments.com/en-us


ORLANDO, Fla., Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Florida cities no longer need to wait for state and federal solutions to their affordable housing needs. According to a new study released by FAA and HR&A Advisors, local tax discounts for housing providers would expand the affordable housing supply and incentivize additional housing development.

The FAA study finds a 25% tax discount for participating housing providers in the Miami area, for example, could enable an average of 1,250 affordable apartments per year for residents earning up to 60% of the area median household income, roughly $48,840. As a result, the Miami area would see approximately 424 new jobs, $20 million in increased earnings, and $52 million in increased economic activity annually.

"Hardworking residents in Florida are increasingly unable to access safe and affordable housing, and tax discounts are one of the most promising solutions available to local government," said Kimberly Maggard, FAA president and senior vice president of operations for Royal American Management. "It's as simple as closing the gap between affordable rents and the operating or development expenses of housing providers. Only then can we increase supply."

FAA and HR&A further studied the effect of tax discounts of 25%, 50%, and 75% on affordable housing supply, finding that tax discounts of 50% or more will spur additional construction of new affordable units that would not have otherwise been built.

The FAA study provides additional evidence in support of state legislation to authorize these types of local tax discounts. Two bills  SB 674 (Ana Maria Rodriguez, R-39) and HB 563 (Anthony Rodriguez, R-118)  were introduced during this year's Legislative Session and likely will be introduced again in 2022. Tax discount legislation enjoys bipartisan support among voters, including 76% of residents in Southeast Florida and 61% of residents across the state.

The study is based on an analysis of multifamily housing development and demographic data across four metropolitan areas in Florida. For each region, HR&A estimated the initial, direct, indirect, and induced impacts of increased discretionary household income through rent savings, as well as the one-time construction impacts.

Learn more: housingopportunityforall.com

SOURCE Florida Apartment Association

Related Links

https://www.faahq.org


SHENZHEN, China, Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- SHENZHEN GEEKVAPE TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD ("Geekvape"), the world-renowned vape brand, has today announced it has passed the rigorous Technischer Uberwachungsverein (TUV) test regime for its Safe Fast Charge, the world's first applies fast charging technology to e-cigarettes. Products equipped with the technology guarantee safe rapid charging via USB-C in 15 minutes and an ultra-long battery life.

TUV, or the Technical Inspection Association, is a group of independent companies in Germany that test, inspect and audit products and solutions for their safety, security and sustainability. Equipped with two connected batteries in series, Geekvape's Safe Fast Charge technology achieved 96.43% charging current and battery capacity after more than 300 rounds of TUV charging and discharging tests  far outperforming the international standard of 80%. The battery component adopts multi-electrode charging and discharging technology, which well balances the temperature and charging efficiency of the batteries and achieves safe fast charge.

"At Geekvape, we adhere only to the most stringent global safety standards. Our Safe Fast Charge technology has been strictly tested by leading independent parties, including the TUV and FCC. As a result, we can confidently say we have achieved the world's first fast-charging e-cigarette technology that is truly safe and durable," said Siner Kong, the product manager of Geekvape.

With a number of different battery brands on the market, the safety, quality and price of each e-cigarette product can vary dramatically. When manufacturers purchase low-cost batteries that have not been vigorously checked and certified, this may lead to safety hazards, particularly when using high-current fast charging technologies.

To ensure the highest level of protection for its consumers, Geekvape only uses its own built-in batteries in its e-cigarette products. Each Geekvape battery cell undergoes tens of thousands of rounds of rigorous tests, including squeezing, short-circuiting, dropping, overshooting, exposure to high temperature, and vibration. The cell is then strictly checked from the manufacturer's side, resulting in a truly safe and revolutionary fast charging experience. Beyond safety, the outstanding performance in TUV tests demonstrates the Safe Fast Charge technology's immense durability  mitigating any concerns that a built-in battery will age quickly due to a reduction in capacity.

In addition to TUV tests, Geekvape's Safe Fast Charge technology has passed IEC61960 and ICE62133 global battery safety regulation standards.

SOURCE Geekvape
DUBLIN, Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The "E-Learning Market: Global Industry Trends, Share, Size, Growth, Opportunity and Forecast 2021-2026" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The global e-learning market reached a value of US$ 222.2 Billion in 2020. Looking forward, the market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 12.7% during 2021-2026. Keeping in mind the uncertainties of COVID-19, the analyst is continuously tracking and evaluating the direct as well as the indirect influence of the pandemic on different end use sectors. These insights are included in the report as a major market contributor.



E-learning refers to a learning system that relies on electronic devices and information and communication technology (ICT) to deliver information. It provides information in the form of text, image, animation, video and audio via the internet, intranet, satellite broadcast, interactive TV or CD-ROM. It saves time, offers personalization and reaches a wider audience. Moreover, it is cost-effective and finds application in the agriculture, healthcare, and education and training industries. It is also utilized in the corporate sector for conducting training programs and collaborative activities, such as project work and assignments, using chats, discussion forums and blogs.



Due to the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), governments of a number of countries have announced complete lockdowns as a preventive measure to contain the pandemic. As a result, several educational institutions have shifted to e-learning solutions to complete the curriculum. Similarly, other organizations are also switching to virtual learning solutions to maintain social distancing. For instance, the World Health Organization (WHO) is providing online training courses to educate and train healthcare professionals about the associated risks while treating COVID-19 patients. Apart from this, the rising sales of smartphones, along with the increasing penetration of wireless communication technologies, represent another growth-inducing factor impelling the global e-learning market growth. Furthermore, the growing adoption of precision and sustainable farming methods is escalating the demand for e-learning in the agriculture sector as it provides easy access to educational content to the farmers. Moreover, the integration of gamification techniques in e-learning modules is expected to create a positive outlook for the market in the coming years.

Competitive Landscape

The report has also analysed the competitive landscape of the market with some of the key players being Adobe Inc., Aptara Inc. (iEnergizer), Blackboard Inc., Cisco Systems Inc., GP Strategies Corporation, Instructure Inc. (Thoma Bravo), Oracle Corporation, Pearson Plc, SAP SE, Skillsoft Corporation and Thomson Reuters Corporation (The Woodbridge Company).



Key Questions Answered in This Report

How has the global e-learning market performed so far and how will it perform in the coming years?

What has been the impact of COVID-19 on the global e-learning market?

What are the key regional markets?

What is the breakup of the market based on the technology?

What is the breakup of the market based on the provider?

What is the breakup of the market based on the application?

What are the various stages in the value chain of the industry?

What are the key driving factors and challenges in the industry?

What is the structure of the global e-learning market and who are the key players?

What is the degree of competition in the industry?

Key Topics Covered:



1 Preface



2 Scope and Methodology

3 Executive Summary



4 Introduction

4.1 Overview

4.2 Key Industry Trends



5 Global E-Learning Market

5.1 Market Overview

5.2 Market Performance

5.3 Impact of COVID-19

5.4 Market Forecast



6 Market Breakup by Technology

6.1 Online E-Learning

6.1.1 Market Trends

6.1.2 Market Forecast

6.2 Learning Management System

6.2.1 Market Trends

6.2.2 Market Forecast

6.3 Mobile E-Learning

6.3.1 Market Trends

6.3.2 Market Forecast

6.4 Rapid E-Learning

6.4.1 Market Trends

6.4.2 Market Forecast

6.5 Virtual Classroom

6.5.1 Market Trends

6.5.2 Market Forecast

6.6 Others

6.6.1 Market Trends

6.6.2 Market Forecast



7 Market Breakup by Provider

7.1 Services

7.1.1 Market Trends

7.1.2 Market Forecast

7.2 Content

7.2.1 Market Trends

7.2.2 Market Forecast



8 Market Breakup by Application

8.1 Academic

8.1.1 Market Trends

8.1.2 Major Types

8.1.2.1 K-12

8.1.2.2 Higher Education

8.1.2.3 Vocational Training

8.1.3 Market Forecast

8.2 Corporate

8.2.1 Market Trends

8.2.2 Major Types

8.2.2.1 Small and Medium Enterprises

8.2.2.2 Large Enterprises

8.2.3 Market Forecast

8.3 Government

8.3.1 Market Trends

8.3.2 Market Forecast



9 Market Breakup by Region



10 SWOT Analysis



11 Value Chain Analysis



12 Porters Five Forces Analysis



13 Price Analysis



14 Competitive Landscape

14.1 Market Structure

14.2 Key Players

14.3 Profiles of Key Players

14.3.1 Adobe Inc.

14.3.1.1 Company Overview

14.3.1.2 Product Portfolio

14.3.1.3 Financials

14.3.1.4 SWOT Analysis

14.3.2 Aptara Inc. (iEnergizer)

14.3.2.1 Company Overview

14.3.2.2 Product Portfolio

14.3.3 Blackboard Inc.

14.3.3.1 Company Overview

14.3.3.2 Product Portfolio

14.3.3.3 SWOT Analysis

14.3.4 Cisco Systems Inc.

14.3.4.1 Company Overview

14.3.4.2 Product Portfolio

14.3.4.3 Financials

14.3.4.4 SWOT Analysis

14.3.5 GP Strategies Corporation

14.3.5.1 Company Overview

14.3.5.2 Product Portfolio

14.3.5.3 Financials

14.3.6 Instructure Inc. (Thoma Bravo)

14.3.6.1 Company Overview

14.3.6.2 Product Portfolio

14.3.7 Oracle Corporation

14.3.7.1 Company Overview

14.3.7.2 Product Portfolio

14.3.7.3 Financials

14.3.7.4 SWOT Analysis

14.3.8 Pearson PLC

14.3.8.1 Company Overview

14.3.8.2 Product Portfolio

14.3.8.3 Financials

14.3.8.4 SWOT Analysis

14.3.9 SAP SE

14.3.9.1 Company Overview

14.3.9.2 Product Portfolio

14.3.9.3 Financials

14.3.9.4 SWOT Analysis

14.3.10 Skillsoft Corporation

14.3.10.1 Company Overview

14.3.10.2 Product Portfolio

14.3.11 Thomson Reuters Corporation (The Woodbridge Company)

14.3.11.1 Company Overview

14.3.11.2 Product Portfolio

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/3g81nb

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. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Global Off-highway Vehicle Lighting Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report by Product (LED, Halogen, HID, Incandescent), by Application, by End-use, by Vehicle Type, and Segment Forecasts, 2021-2028" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The global off-highway vehicle lighting market size is expected to reach USD 1,565.3 million by 2028. It is projected to register a CAGR of 7.0% from 2021 to 2028.

The growing emphasis on public infrastructure development is expected to drive the demand for off-highway vehicles, which bodes well for the market growth over the forecast period. Moreover, continued advancements in product technologies, coupled with stringent government regulations, are also anticipated to support market growth over the forecast period.



The growing population in Asian countries, such as China and India, is driving the need for better public infrastructure. Governments of these economies are aggressively investing in infrastructure development projects. For instance, in India, the government is expected to invest USD 670.5 billion (INR 50 trillion) to improve the country's public infrastructure. The country's government has also announced several plans for infrastructure development to be undertaken in the next few years. For example, the "Bharatmala Yojana" includes provisions for improving the road networks throughout the country. The Indonesian government has more than 20 projects lined up for the development of more than 52,000 of its rural villages by building better roads, houses, hospitals, and other necessary infrastructure. These ongoing and proposed investments in infrastructure development projects are expected to drive the demand for off-highway vehicles, which is expected to bode well for the growth of the market for off-highway vehicle lighting.



The off-highway vehicle lighting landscape is evolving continuously as manufacturers offer products based on the latest technologies to ensure more safety, improved performance, and better aesthetics. At present, companies, such as Grote Industries, HELLA GmbH & Co. KGaA, Truck-Lite, and ABL Lights Group, are providing off-highway vehicle LED lights for various off-highway vehicle applications such as headlights, taillights, side lamps, and indicator lights. Simultaneously, construction equipment makers are also introducing equipment with enhanced work lights to provide adequate illumination and visibility at worksites. For instance, Caterpillar, a manufacturer of heavy construction, mining, and material handling equipment, provides multiple types of work lights, including LED, halogen, high-intensity discharge (HID), and LED floodlights, on its construction equipment. These lights are also provided as an optional fitment for aftermarket installation.



The Asia Pacific regional market contributed to around 35% of the off-highway vehicle lighting demand in 2020 and is estimated to register at a CAGR of 5.3% over the forecast period. This growth can be attributed to the increasing adoption of off-highway equipment used in infrastructure development activities in countries such as China, India, Japan, and Taiwan. The market in Middle East and Africa (MEA) is projected to expand at the highest CAGR over the forecast period. GCC countries, including Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Oman, and Qatar, particularly, have several multi-million-dollar infrastructure projects lined up, which is anticipated to increase the demand for construction equipment in the forthcoming years.



Off-highway Vehicle Lighting Market Report Highlights

In terms of product, the LED segment is estimated to expand at the highest CAGR of around 9% over the forecast period. This can be attributed to the increasing demand for energy-efficient lighting in off-highway vehicles

In terms of application, headlamp emerged as the largest segment in 2020. It is anticipated to rise to a valuation of over USD 900 million by the end of the forecast period

by the end of the forecast period In terms of end use, the construction segment accounted for the largest revenue share of around 55% in 2020. The notable rise in sales of construction equipment post the COVID-19 lockdown in various countries is expected to propel the demand for construction equipment

The Asia Pacific regional market held the largest revenue share in 2020, attributed to the presence of key manufacturers in Asian countries, including China , Japan , and Taiwan

Company Coverage:

Truck-Lite

APS Lighting and Safety

Grote Industries

ECCO Safety Group

Hamsar Diversco Inc.

J.W. Speaker Corporation

WESEM

HELLA GmbH & Co. KGaA

ABL Lights Group

Peterson Manufacturing Co.

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/9xtkmg

About ResearchAndMarkets.com

ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends.

Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

[email protected]

For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470

For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630

For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900

U.S. Fax: 646-607-1904

Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716

SOURCE Research and Markets

Related Links

http://www.researchandmarkets.com


DALLAS, Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, GMC and General Motors are announcing the launch of a multi-year collaboration with the Marcus Graham Project (MGP), a non-profit organization founded to help aspiring BIPOC leaders find careers in the marketing, media and advertising industry by investing in exposure, training and mentorship. The collaboration is the first contractual multi-year commitment for MGP and comes on the heels of the expanded commitment made by General Motors to increase its investment in the ecosystem of racially diverse media, which is inclusive of the talent pipeline.

At the current rate of hiring, retention, and promotion, the advertising, media, and marketing industries will not reflect the rich racial diversity currently found in the U.S. until the year 2079. Additionally, in 2019, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics surveyed advertising and promotion managers in the United States and found that less than one percent (0,7%) were Black. With this in mind, initiatives such as those led by non-profit organizations like The Marcus Graham Project, in working with General Motors, are critical to creating opportunities and pathways to develop the next generation of BIPOC leaders. To support the Marcus Graham Project in investing in programs that enact change and foster greater equality, GMC and General Motors will be sponsoring the organization's annual iCR8 Boot Camp for three years beginning in 2022 - the organization's 15-year anniversary. The Bootcamp provides diverse aspirants in the fields of marketing and media with relevant, real-world exposure and experience to solidify meaningful careers within the industry.

"General Motors is proud to work with an impactful organization such as the Marcus Graham Project to help create opportunities and pathways for diverse talent in media and marketing, especially those in their early careers," said Tarshena Armstrong, director of diversity marketing and development. "GM and its global brands are continuously reaching and engaging with increasingly diverse audiences, which is why it's crucial that our teams are reflective of the customers and communities we serve," she stated.

Duncan Aldred, global vice president of Buick & GMC, noted, "We're thrilled to kick off this collaboration on the 15th-year anniversary of the organization and look forward to working together to promote and advance their mission of bringing more diverse voices to the media and marketing industries. Dynamic and diverse talent drives innovation at GMC and we are committed to creating inclusive spaces that set our teams up for successful careers."

The iCR8 Boot Camp sponsored by GMC will give emerging marketers the opportunity to contribute to some of the brand's marketing initiatives. Participants will be tasked with creating a marketing campaign for one of the GMC nameplates, and through this assignment, they will be exposed to the campaign development process, have the opportunity to meet one-on-one with GM and GMC marketing stakeholders to learn about amplification strategies, and see the end-to-end rollout of a core pillar program. The boot camp team will function as a pop-up agency and will also provide consulting services for other brands, minority-owned small businesses, or nonprofits as well as for GMC, a premier automotive brand.

"When GMC approached us offering their support of the program ahead of our 15 year anniversary, it felt like a perfect marriage from the beginning, due to the true interest in the brand's commitment to building a pipeline of diverse marketing professionals," said Lincoln Stephens, Co-Founder and Chairman of the Marcus Graham Project. "It is also serendipitous given that General Motors was my client when the Marcus Graham Project was conceptualized and founded in 2007."

Interested applicants should visit the Marcus Graham Project website for more information about this spring's iCR8 Boot Camp sponsored by GMC and how to apply. Applications will be accepted until November 5, 2021 and the 11-week Boot Camp is slated to begin on Martin Luther King Weekend in Dallas.

This is the first corporate relationship in MGP's upcoming call to action to support MGP's 15 for 15 capital/capacity-building campaign for the expansion of the Marcus Graham Project's programs across North America.

1: Leo Burnett No2.66 Study

2: NBC / U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistic Data

About Marcus Graham Project

For nearly 15 years ago, Marcus Graham Project (MGP) is a national organization focused on developing the next generation of diverse leaders in the advertising, media, and marketing industries through training, mentorship, and professional development opportunities to ensure the industry is more inclusive to better reflect the diverse world we live in.

About GMC

With a strong foundation of manufacturing trucks since 1902 and now selling in a dozen countries across the world, GMC offers purpose-built vehicles designed and engineered to the highest standard. From the all-new compact SUV Terrain to the Sierra HD, our trucks and crossovers deliver GMC's signature combination of intuitive technologies and premium execution, with the popular Denali sub-brand representing the pinnacle of GMC design, performance and amenities. Details on all GMC models are available at www.gmc.com, on Twitter at @GMC or at www.facebook.com/gmc .

About General Motors (NYSE:GM) is a global company focused on advancing an all-electric future that is inclusive and accessible to all. At the heart of this strategy is the Ultium battery platform, which will power everything from mass-market to high-performance vehicles. General Motors, its subsidiaries and its joint venture entities sell vehicles under the Chevrolet, Buick, GMC, Cadillac, Baojun and Wuling brands. More information on the company and its subsidiaries, including OnStar, a global leader in vehicle safety and security services, can be found at https://www.gm.com.

SOURCE Marcus Graham Project
SAN MATEO, Calif., Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- GoGlobal, the world's fastest-growing, privately-owned provider of global Employer of Record (EOR) services, announced today the launch of services in Brazil and the hiring of Ana Vizzotto as a Director.

Brazil, the world's 12th largest economy and largest in Latin America (LATAM) by GDP. Its economy is mature and diversified across sectors but increasingly stands out as a hub for technology, especially in cybersecurity, artificial intelligence (AI) and data engineering. It's also a significant market for sales and marketing specialists in technology. GoGlobal anticipates Brazil will become a key market for its business.

Ana, based in Brazil, has a wealth of experience with over 15 years in Global Workforce Management and EOR. Before joining GoGlobal, Ana held senior roles at Capital GES (later acquired by People2.0), including Regional Operations Director. She graduated from FEAD Minas with a degree in Business Administration. Ana will be responsible for building GoGlobal's team in Brazil and the Americas.

Margaret Yip, Chief of Staff at GoGlobal, said: "Ana brings an incredible amount of EOR experience, knowledge of LATAM, and comes with great enthusiasm for our business. We're lucky to have her. I'm encouraged that we're attracting talented individuals like Ana at all levels and regions within GoGlobal; she is exemplary of the talent density and diversity that defines our culture here."

Nick Broughton, a Partner with GoGlobal in Switzerland, said: "Brazil, the largest market in LATAM, can be difficult to navigate. We're excited to now offer cost-effective, high-quality EOR solutions in Brazil, like we do in other markets around the world. When I found out Ana was coming on board, I was ecstatic. She is without question one of the most respected and knowledgeable professionals in the LATAM EOR market. Given her experience and track record, Ana will command a greater role at GoGlobal than just LATAM; she will lead Operations across the entire Americas' region as well as playing a key role in our expansion efforts around the world."

Ana said: "I wanted to join GoGlobal after seeing how dynamic they are and how they're changing the EOR landscape. It's refreshing to work for an organization that strives to make clients, clients' workers, and internal staff successful and gratified. I knew my skills and experience could really help GoGlobal achieve great things  and that I would be provided the resources, latitude, and support to do it."

GoGlobal is the world's fastest-growing, privately-owned global Employer of Record (EOR) service provider, with a globally distributed and remote workforce. GoGlobal's technology-enabled EOR solution allows businesses of all sizes and geographies to hire staff globally without the need to set up a local entity, opening new doors to rapid expansion and growth. GoGlobal clients can hire top talent anywhere in the world  quickly, cost effectively and compliantly.

Go Fast, Go Smart, GoGlobal.



This press release was issued through 24-7PressRelease.com. For further information, visit http://www.24-7pressrelease.com.

SOURCE GoGlobal
LOS ANGELES, Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Greek House , a custom college apparel and Inc. 5000 company, has recently disclosed that College Clout , a custom college apparel startup, will be absorbed into its umbrella brand. The move to acquire College Clout first began in May 2021 and was finalized on September 27, 2021.

Greek House co-founders Luke McGurrin and Karthik Shanadi stated that the acquisition was strongly based on Jordan Calderon's personal talent. Calderon was the CEO and founder of College Clout. Calderon will be taking an advisory marketing role within Greek House.

Greek House Acquires College Clout On September 24, 2021

"Jordan is only 22, super young, and super impressive. Even just meeting with him, I think someone at his age, having that knowledge across marketing as well as in our industry, is a very interesting find. His level of understanding was something that really stuck out to us. He's a little hustler too. He came from the same background as us and we saw a lot of ourselves in him. We wanted to take the raw talent we saw in him and supercharge him into [our] environment. It was a no-brainer and a perfect fit," McGurrin said.

College Clout was a direct competitor of Greek House. With the new acquisition, Greek House will be accumulating all the customer relationships, ambassadors, IP, and partnerships that College Clout has developed over its four year stretch.

"It's a dream come true for any entrepreneur to get to a point where their company becomes acquired. The funny thing is, I actually studied what Luke and Karthik were doing over at Greek House, and modeled the beginning stages of my company based on theirs. They've built an incredible business and company culture over the years. I'm honored to be able to finally join forces and help push Greek House to the next level," Calderon said.

College Thread LLC, parent company of Greek House, has recently been expanding, and now has new different subsidiaries for custom merchandise, such as Go Threadly . The company will continue to expand, but acquiring College Clout and working with Calderon is it's first step.

About Greek House

Greek House provides the fastest and easiest ways for student groups, colleges, and businesses to get custom designed merchandise for their organizations. The company, founded by two University of Florida Alumni, was ranked in the top 16% of the fastest growing private companies in the U.S and top 3% of the fastest growing companies to come out of University of Florida.

About College Clout

College Clout is on a mission to change the previously mundane college apparel space. The company makes custom designs for clubs and organizations on college campuses. College Clout represents 60+ schools and 300+ ambassadors across the country. In 2019, College Clout was ranked among the top 1000 fastest growing Shopify apparel companies.

Media Contact:

Karishma Sood

+1 (480) 577-3754

[email protected]

SOURCE Greek House
OSLO, Norway, Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Hadean Ventures, a European life science fund manager, today announced the 1st closing of Hadean Capital II at EUR 90m, exceeding the total size of its inaugural fund, Hadean Capital I. The launch comes on the back of strong performance of Hadean Capital I, including the sale of Themis Bioscience GmbH to MSD/Merck.

Hadean Capital II will be investing in line with the strategy of Hadean Capital I, including in start-up companies within pharma, biotech, medtech diagnostics and digital health. The geographic focus will mainly be on European companies, with a particular attention to areas considered "under-ventured" such as the Nordics and certain regions of DACH.

Hadean Capital II is supported by over 30 private and institutional investors including OPF, Saminvest, Argentum and Investinor.

Ingrid Teigland Akay, MD MBA, Managing Partner, commented: "It is a pleasure to welcome new and returning investors to Hadean Capital II. We are excited to continue to support start-up founders who build companies to bring break-through medical innovation to the market."

Walter Stockinger, PhD, Managing Partner, added: "We are pleased to see that the strategy we set out for our first fund is delivering and we are confident that our growing team of highly skilled and diverse investment professionals will be able to leverage the untapped potential we see in the European life science ecosystem."

About Hadean Ventures

Hadean Ventures is a life science fund manager that invests in life science companies across Europe. The funds are backed by leading private and institutional investors. Hadean Ventures has offices in Oslo and Stockholm and collaborates with world-class academic institutions and start-up hubs across the region.

Contact



Ingrid Teigland Akay, Managing Partner

[email protected]

Ingrid Beyer, Head of IR and Business Development

[email protected]

+47 905 94882

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

https://news.cision.com/hadean-ventures-as/r/hadean-ventures-announces-the-1-st--closing-of-eur-90m-for-its-second-fund,c3422389

The following files are available for download:

https://mb.cision.com/Main/20971/3422389/1473779.pdf Press release (PDF) https://news.cision.com/hadean-ventures-as/i/hadean-logo-fit-hires,c2960059 Hadean Logo Fit hires

SOURCE Hadean Ventures AS
VANCOUVER, BC, Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- HPIL Holding (the "Company") (OTC: HPIL) Is announcing that it has now moved into the execution phase of its current ventures.



"I am excited to announce that HPIL Holding has successfully completed the acquisition of valuable business assets, IP, technology & technologists, etc. in numerous exploding market segments, and is now moving forward aggressively to build our business divisions as we move to the execution phase in each segment," said Stephen Brown, Chairman/CEO.



Since taking over HPIL in April, a great deal of time has been spent working thru the issues related to the pre-existing public company. And because there were no assets or businesses in the pre-existing company, we had to diligently work to identify, analyze, and pursue valuable new businesses in the market segments in which we were interested. This has led to HPIL successfully acquiring and integrating our core businesses: World Gaming Group; Apogee Dynamics (Apogee D7 EV) NFT Procurement; Medusa Intelligence and ZIPPA.



Today, HPIL announces that each of these businesses are wholly owned and integrated as business divisions within HPIL Holding and no longer exist as separate subsidiary companies. This move is part of providing centralized and efficient support to each business from HPIL for functions including Marketing, Human Resources, Accounting, and more, while at the same time beginning to build infrastructure needed by each unique business to succeed in its market.



HPIL Business Divisions with Market Description:

World Gaming Group Business Division: Cloud based Gaming Platform, Technology, and Game Titles (Cloud based, Blockchain, Gaming Technologies, more)

Apogee Dynamics Division: Clean Energy Power Systems & Power Distribution Technology (Clean Energy, EV, Blockchain, 3D AM, more)

NFT Procurement: Currently holding over 125 substantial NFT domains

Medusa Intelligence Division: Cloud based Knowledge Discovery Platform (Cloud based, AI, Blockchain, Metadata capture, AR, more)

ZIPPA: A unique Gaming Social Media Platform (i.e.: TIKK TOK, TRILLER and TWITCH) where gamers will communicate to show their skills, along with participating in an exciting new platform that the company believes it will define itself as the premier landing point for tens of millions of gamers worldwide

"We are on the path to entering several very large (multi-billion-dollar) market segments with our disruptive technology and business plans, and the future is very bright for HPIL Holding!", said David Postula, President.



HPIL will hold a Conference Call on September 30th, 2021, at 2:00 PM PST.

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82759044746?pwd=RnhiUkNWbWdUMDZ1ZFJnSW1xaFQyUT09



Safe Harbor: This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (The "Act"). In particular, when used in the preceding discussion, the words "pleased," "plan," "confident that," "believe," "expect," or "intend to," and similar conditional expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Act and are subject to the safe harbor created by the Act. Such statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties and actual results could differ materially from those expressed in any of the forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, market conditions, general acceptance of the Company's products and technologies, competitive factors, the ability to successfully complete additional financings and other risks described in the Company's SEC reports and filing.



For more information:

HPIL Holding

1720 650 West Georgia St

Vancouver, BC V6B 4N8

Contact: Stephen Brown, CEO

[email protected]

Phone: +1 778-819-1956

www.hpilholding.ca

SOURCE HPIL Holding (HPIL)
RANCHO CUCAMONGA, Calif., Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Inland Empire Health Plan (IEHP) is celebrating 25 years of service this September. Serving 1.4 million residents, contracting with over 6,700 providers, and employing nearly 2,500 team members, the health plan is honoring this momentous milestone by continuing to embark on a strategic path forward.

"In the last 25 years, we've had the incredible pleasure of connecting millions in our region to whole-person healthcare services," said Jarrod McNaughton, IEHP chief executive officer. "With large initiatives like CalAIM underway and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, it is critical that we continue to meet our members, providers and team members where they are, so that we may effectively work together to deliver optimal care and vibrant health to residents in our region."

IEHP began its operation in 1996 with over 60,000 Medi-Cal members and worked proactively to provide coverage to uninsured children in working families who did not qualify for Medi-Cal by launching the Healthy Families program in 1998. By 2000, IEHP had become one of the first Medi-Cal only health plans in California to receive "Commendable" NCQA Accreditation and ranked the ninth largest Medicaid Plan in the United States.

With the development of several programs supporting children (Healthy Kids), seniors (Medicaid), persons with disabilities (Medicare DualChoice), and specific health conditions (like diabetes and asthma), IEHP was able to support the influx of Inland Empire Residents who became eligible for its health services through the Affordable Care Act, increasing the health plan's membership to 1 million members by 2015.

Recently, the health plan was mentioned as a model in California's Master Plan for Aging and has contributed several ideas to the state's multi-year transformational initiative to address many of the complex challenges impacting the state's Medi-Cal population (CalAIM). Programs serving as models include the health plan's innovating work around health and housing, like IEHP's Housing Initiative and Health Home programs.

In addition to supporting transformative initiatives like CalAIM, IEHP is also working towards sustainable solutions to increase positive health outcomes of residents in the region. "While we celebrate the great work done in our region, our job as a community-based health plan is far from over," said McNaughton.

"Building and strengthening networks of providers in the I.E. to offset the on-going provider shortage and working with our partners to create an Electronic Medical Record system to better care for members, are only two of the large priorities we're working through," added McNaughton. "Accompanied by our mantra to always 'do the right thing' for our members, our mission to heal and inspire the human spirit will guide our thoughts, our decisions, and most importantly, our actions through these projects and at IEHP in the months and years to come."

About IEHP

With a mission to heal and inspire the human spirit, Inland Empire Health Plan (IEHP) is one of the top 10 largest Medicaid health plans and the largest not-for-profit Medicare-Medicaid plan in the country. In its 25th year, IEHP is supporting more than 1.4 million residents in Riverside and San Bernardino counties who are enrolled in Medicaid or Cal MediConnect Plans and has a growing network of over 7,300 providers and nearly 2,500 Team Members. Through dynamic partnerships with Providers and Community Organizations, paired with award-winning service and a tradition of quality care, IEHP is fully committed to their vision: We will not rest until our communities enjoy optimal care and vibrant health. For more information, visit iehp.org.

SOURCE Inland Empire Health Plan (IEHP)

Related Links

http://www.iehp.org


CHICAGO, Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- In the recent years, the data center market is accelerating rapidly across all regions. Surge of cloud computing services and applications are gaining high traction in the US market, thereby fueling the establishment of large hyperscale cloud-based data centers. The market is witnessing continuous competition among global vendors offering physical security systems. Rapidly developing technologies and innovation in the market have forced several vendors to offer more novel solutions in the data center industry.

Arizton's research reports on data center offer an up-to-date analysis regarding the current market scenario, the latest trends and drivers, and the overall market insights. Observing these rapid and drastic changes in demand and supply patterns encouraged the industry analysts at Arizton to publish exhaustive and data-driven insights on these recent trends in the industry.

Here's a sneak peek at these reports:

1. Data Center Physical Security Market - Global Outlook & Forecast 2021-2026

The global data center physical security market is expected to reach USD 1,045.9 million by 2026. With the increasing development of sophisticated technology, data center security becomes important for operators. Companies are increasingly working toward ensuring that customer data is protected, by installing physical security measures at the perimeter, building, data hall, and cabinet level. For instance, Sify Technologies has invested in facilities across India equipped with physical security systems such as video surveillance, motion detection, and multi-level access control along with physicals security guards. Data center investments by local and global data center providers are increasing YoY and telecommunication companies are investing in data center facilities, thereby contributing to the physical security market.

The data center physical security market in North America is growing due to the rapid growth of data centers. The major contributors to market growth in North America are Facebook, Google, Equinix, Digital Realty, Compass Datacenters, Cologix, Vantage Data Centers, NTT Global Data Centers, QTS Realty Trust, CoreSite Realty, CyrusOne, and Switch. The data center physical security market in North America was valued at USD 306.5 million in 2020 and is expected to reach USD 449.0 million by 2026. The need for a minimum of four layers of security in data centers is mandatory, and with the construction of hyperscale data centers, investments in physical security are expected to rise during the forecast period.

Get more insights now! https://www.arizton.com/market-reports/data-center-physical-security-market-size-analysis

2. Data Center Fire Detection and Suppression Market - Global Outlook & Forecast 2021-2026

The global data center fire suppression & detection market will grow at a CAGR of 7.58% during the period 2021-2026. The data center fire detection & suppression systems market witnessed significant growth with more than 400 new investment and expansion projects in 2020. Data center operators are also designing their facilities with a zoned-based installation of fire detection & suppression systems to avoid triggering of fire suppression systems in the whole space. Data center operators are also looking for alternative fire suppression systems and fire extinguishers, which reduce the chance of water/aqua damage. Gaseous fire suppression systems are innovative systems that are mostly preferred by data center operators at critical points in the facilities such as server rooms. In North America, gaseous fire suppression systems and Very Early Smoke Detection Apparatus (VESDA) detection systems dominated in 2020.

Rack-based fire detection & suppression systems are innovative systems that edge data center operators are likely to adopt. Vendors are innovating such kinds of products with the increasing demand for edge facilities. For instance, the Minimax OneU rack-mounted fire suppression system consists of the Novec 1230 suppressing agent. A single OneU rack-mounted fire suppression system through sensitive air sampling detection technology can protect up to 100 cubic feet of volume. Other benefits such as faster installation and ease of maintenance make the solutions suitable for micro and edge facilities. The rising fire incidences at data center facilities across the world have increased the need for the installation of highly sensitive smoke detection systems and quick-fire suppression systems.

Get more insights now! https://www.arizton.com/market-reports/data-center-fire-detection-suppression-market

3. Data Center Precision Air Conditioning Market - Global Outlook and Forecast 2020-2025

The global data center precision air conditioners market is expected to reach USD 1,841.8 million by 2025. The global data center precision air conditioners market will continue to grow with increased investments in large and mega data centers by colocation, cloud, and enterprises across the globe. Vendors offering precision air conditioners and cooling systems are innovating their products to increase efficiency. Over the past few years, data center operators are adopting energy-efficient cooling infrastructure solutions aimed at reducing power consumption by up to 50%, thereby boosting the demand for data center precision air conditioning market.

Free cooling techniques have grown significantly over the past few years across regions that have favorable climatic conditions and can utilize evaporative/adiabatic coolers for data center cooling purposes. Regions such as the Nordics, Western Europe, and North America have witnessed a higher adoption of free cooling techniques with CRAC units. Vendors offering precision air conditioners cooling, which include CRAC & CRAH units, in-row, and in-rack cooling solutions, consider edge data centers as a potential growth area for their product portfolio.

Get more insights now! https://www.arizton.com/market-reports/data-center-precision-air-conditioning-market

Subscribe to our data center knowledge base portfolio to access the latest research reports at competitive pricing.

Read some of the top-selling reports:

About Arizton:

Arizton Advisory and Intelligence is an innovation and quality-driven firm, which offers cutting-edge research solutions to clients across the world. We excel in providing comprehensive market intelligence reports and advisory and consulting services.

We offer comprehensive market research reports on industries such as consumer goods & retail technology, automotive and mobility, smart tech, healthcare, and life sciences, industrial machinery, chemicals and materials, IT and media, logistics and packaging. These reports contain detailed industry analysis, market size, share, growth drivers, and trend forecasts.

Arizton comprises a team of exuberant and well-experienced analysts who have mastered in generating incisive reports. Our specialist analysts possess exemplary skills in market research. We train our team in advanced research practices, techniques, and ethics to outperform in fabricating impregnable research reports.

Mail: [email protected]

Call: +1-312-235-2040

+1 302 469 0707

SOURCE Arizton Advisory & Intelligence
Shri Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Minister of State in the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship; and Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Government of India; Tobias Adrian, Financial Counsellor and Director Monetary and Capital Markets Department, International Monetary Fund; Lord Mayor William Russell; City of London; Sopnendu Mohanty, Chief Fintech Officer, Monetary Authority of Singapore; Dr Oliver Prill, CEO, Tide; Pia Roman Tayag, Director, Office of the UNSGSA; Matthias Kroner, Co-Founder and Managing Director, Tradelite Solutions GmbH; Preeti Sinha, Executive Secretary, United Nations Capital Development Fund; are some of the key speakers at the summit.

Among the global companies, representatives of Google, Facebook, Amazon Pay, are participating in the Fest that will discuss how globally the economies are being re-shaped by fintech adoption.

Over the past few years, India's fintech sector has emerged as one of the world's most active fintech markets. A market where startups, BigTechs, incumbents, and large conglomerates are vying to get a piece off. In the last one year, the sector has clocked the highest VC funding in the APAC region. The current year has seen over 16 unicorns in India where 1 in 4 unicorns were from the fintech domain.

SOURCE Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI)
GURUGRAM, India, Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ --

Construction sector had to bear the worst impact of COVID 19 as there was a major financial and manpower crunch in the market. This indirectly impacted the construction chemicals market adversely.

The Concrete Admixtures market is anticipated to grow the fastest, with a CAGR of 14.2 % during the forecast period FY'20-FY'25.

Adoption of Sustainable Products and Technological Advancements: The demand for products with features such as lower water consumption is increasing among consumers, due to frequent droughts and water scarcity problems in Indonesia. In addition to this, stricter environmental regulations from government and the Green building council, especially after the announcement of the new capital, are also driving the demand for greener solutions. This has motivated companies to introduce eco-friendly construction chemicals. The construction chemicals domain is highly cost-competitive in Indonesia.

Massive Projected demand from Infrastructure sector in Indonesia: With President Jokowi's focus on expanding infrastructure efforts to outside Java, and announcing a new capital in Kalimantan, a surge in demand of construction chemical is expected. Infrastructure construction activities are the major end users of construction chemicals in the country. The government of Indonesia's commitment to increase spending on infrastructure and housing development will bode well for the expansion of the construction chemicals market in the country. The upcoming major infrastructure projects such as those under National Strategic Projects, are to present a huge growth potential for the construction chemicals in Indonesia.

Increasing investments in Research and Development: The leading construction chemical players in Indonesia are investing in research & development activities and manufacturing plants to achieve a competitive edge. Manufacturers need to work with construction industry experts and end users to develop new construction chemical products.

The report titled "Indonesian Construction Chemicals Market Outlook to 2025: Ongoing and Healthy Pipeline of Ambitious Infrastructure Projects are driving the growth of Construction Chemicals Market" by Ken Research suggested that the Indonesia construction chemicals market is expected to grow further in the near future, with the growing residential and infrastructure construction. The market is expected to register a positive CAGR of 9.26 % in terms of revenue during the forecast period ofFY'20-FY'25.

Key Segments Covered in Indonesia Construction Chemicals Market:-

By Type of Construction Chemical Market

Organized



Unorganized

By Type of Construction Chemicals

Concrete Additives



Waterproofing



Repair and Rehabilitation Chemicals



Sealants



Tile Adhesives



Flooring

By Type of Concrete Additives Market

Organized



Unorganized

By Type of Waterproofing Market

Organized



Unorganized

By Type of Repair and Rehabilitation Chemicals Market

Organized



Unorganized

By Type of Sealants Market

Organized



Unorganized

By Type of Tile Adhesives Market

Organized



Unorganized

By Type of Flooring Market

Organized



Unorganized

Key Target Audience:-

Construction Chemical companies

Concrete Additive companies

Waterproofing companies

Adhesive and Sealant Companies

Repair and Rehabilitation Chemical companies

Time Period Captured in the Report:-

Historical Period: FY'15-FY'20

FY'15-FY'20 Forecast Period: FY'20-FY'25

Construction Chemical Companies in Indonesia:-

Aquaproof (PT Adhi Cakra)

PT MBS Indonesia

PT Bostik Indonesia

PT Dow Chemical Indonesia

PT FOSROC Indonesia

PT Sika Indonesia

PT Mapei Indonesia

PT Estop Indonesia

PT Miranila Abadi (Ultrachem)

Bossil (Nippon paint Subsidiary)

PT Propan Indonesia

Mortar Utama-Weber

Key Topics Covered in the Report:-

Global overview of construction chemicals market

Construction Chemical Market Ecosystem

Value chain Analysis of Construction Chemicals market

Demand side analysis of Construction Chemicals market

Porter's Five Forces Analysis of the Indonesian Construction Chemicals Market

SWOT Analysis of Construction Chemicals Market

Key Trends in Indonesia Construction Chemicals Ecosystem

Construction Chemicals Ecosystem Government's Role in the Indonesian Construction Chemical Market

Recent Developments in Indonesian Construction Chemical Market

Import Export Scenario of Raw Materials in Indonesia Construction Chemical Market

Construction Chemical Market Import Export Scenario of Specialty Chemicals in Indonesia Construction Chemical Market

Construction Chemical Market Indonesia Construction Chemicals Market End User Analysis

Indonesia Construction Chemicals Market Size and Segmentation

Market Share of Construction Chemical Companies on the basis of Revenue

Financial and Business Landscape of Indonesia Construction Chemicals Players

Product Landscape of Indonesia Construction Chemicals Players

Company Profile of Major Construction Chemical Companies in Indonesia

Indonesia Construction Chemicals Market Future Outlook and Projections

COVID-19 Impact on the Construction Chemicals Industry

Forward Path and Recommendations

Analyst Recommendation

Indonesia Construction Chemical Market

Indonesia Concrete Admixture Market

Indonesia Waterproofing Market

Indonesia Tile Adhesive Market

Indonesia Repair and Rehabilitation Market

Indonesia Flooring Market

Indonesia Sealants Market

Organized Construction Chemical Market

Unorganized Construction Chemical Market

Global Construction Chemical Market

Global Concrete Admixture Market

Global Waterproofing Market

Global Coatings Market

Global Repair and Rehabilitation Market

Global Flooring Market

Global Sealants Market

Indonesia Construction Chemical Supply Chain

Indonesia Waterproofing Manufacturers

Construction Chemical in Central Indonesia

Construction Chemical in East Indonesia

Construction Chemical in West Indonesia

Construction Chemical in Java

Construction Chemical in Kalimantan

Construction Chemical in Papua

Construction Chemical in Sumatra

Construction Chemical in Sulawesi

Construction Chemical in Nusa Tenggara

Indonesia B2B Construction Chemical Sales

B2B Construction Chemical Sales Indonesia B2C Construction Chemical Sales

B2C Construction Chemical Sales Indonesia Real Estate Sector

Indonesia Construction Industry

Consumption of Construction Chemical in Indonesia

Indonesia Construction Chemical Market Revenue

Market share of Indonesia Concrete Admixture

Market share of Indonesia Waterproofing

Market share of Indonesia Tile Adhesives

Market share of Indonesia Flooring

Market share of Indonesia Repair and Rehabilitation

Market share of Indonesia Sealants

Major companies in Indonesia Construction Chemicals

Construction Chemicals Revenue of Indonesia Construction Chemical Companies

Future of Indonesia Construction Chemical Market

COVID-19 Impact on Indonesia Construction Chemical Market

COVID-19 Impact on Indonesia Infrastructure Market

COVID-19 Impact on Indonesia Real Estate Market

For More Information On the research report, refer to below link:-

Indonesian Construction Chemicals Market

Related Reports:-

India Construction Chemicals Market Outlook to 2025 (Second Edition ): Surging Construction Industry in India is leading to the Growth of Construction Chemicals Market

The report also covers a brief Global construction chemicals overview, Ecosystem of Entities in construction chemicals market in India, Value chain analysis of construction chemicals market in India, Trends and Development in India construction chemicals Industry, Challenges faced by construction chemicals market, Porters Five Forces Analysis, Government's Role in the Indian Construction Chemical Market, SWOT Analysis, Recent Developments in India Construction Chemical Market, Competition in India Construction chemicals Industry, Market share of construction chemical companies by the type of construction chemical, Product landscape of construction chemical companies in India, Pricing Comparison of Major construction chemical companies in India, Company profile of major construction chemical companies in India. The report concludes with future market projections on the basis of overall construction chemical industry revenue and analyst recommendations highlighting the major opportunities.

India Adhesives Market Outlook to FY'2026: Surging Demand for Water Based Adhesives in the Growing Wood Working Industry to Influence Market Growth

India adhesives market showcased a stagnant growth rate in the last few years and recorded a CAGR of 7.5% during FY'15-FY'20. Surging demand for water based adhesives in India is contributing to the growth of the adhesives industry in India. Government initiatives such as Make in India and Smart Cities projects are contributing to adhesive market growth. There is significant demand from the Western Region of India. Fluctuating raw material prices (VAM), which move in tandem with crude oil prices, high setup costs and high R&D expenditure required in the adhesives market is posing as a challenge to the adhesives industry in India. Global companies are expanding their presence to target a larger target audience across India. The market witnessed a decline in the demand for adhesives during the Q2 of 2020 owing to COVID-19 situation.

APAC Flexible Workspace Market Outlook to 2025- By Type (Hybrid Spaces, Serviced Spaces and Co-Working Spaces), By Country (China, India, Japan, Philippines, Australia, Vietnam, Singapore and South Korea) and By End Users (Enterprises, MSME's/Start-Ups and Entrepreneurs/Freelancers)

The flexible workspace industry in APAC gained traction during the time frame 2016-2017 when the global market leader WeWork expanded in multiple geographies. The supply in the industry has been drastically growing during the period 2016-2019. The industry has been evolving ever since its inception, with major trends in the industry being growing number of local players, changing amenity mix or amenitisation, increasing market consolidation, development of premium design workspaces at premium locations and increasing landlord participation.

GCC Smart Home Market Outlook to 2025 - Smart Entertainment Systems and Smart Lighting Solutions to support Market Growth

The GCC Smart Home market is in its nascent stage with fragmented competition and an import dominated setup. The market is supported by improving technological infrastructure, governments taking efforts to move away from oil based industries and taking efforts to create smart cities and a rising youth population. Recently the governments of UAE and Saudi Arabia have amended their ICT policies and created regulations for Smart Device manufacturers, to comply with quality and data security rules. Demand is focused towards wireless technology, as it is friendlier for smaller residential spaces. The number of apartments has been on the rise, for instance the number of apartments rose by 2.6% as compared to the number of villas (1.9%) in Saudi Arabia from 2017-2018.

Contact Us:-

Ken Research

Ankur Gupta, Head Marketing & Communications

[email protected]

+91-9015378249

SOURCE Ken Research
To help achieve her goal of reinventing what it means to enjoy tequila, Mara enlisted legendary maestra tequilera, Ana Maria Romero Mena, one of the preeminent master distillers in the tequila industry in Mexico, to create the taste profile and unique process for handcrafting Inspiro. The first release in the Inspiro portfolio is Inspiro Tequila Luna Blanco, a gluten-free and additive-free blanco tequila containing zero sugar and zero carbs. After a precise distillation process, this innovative spirit rests in American oak barrels for a lunar quarter to create a silky smooth yet complex tequila that is perfect sipped on its own and versatile enough to elevate any cocktail recipe. Inspiro Tequila is packaged in an elegant and sleek custom designed bottle that is easy to hold and pour.

"I didn't want to create just another tequila, but rather a spirit I could feel good about drinking and sharing, one that would appeal to thoughtful consumers like me who care about what they eat and drink, and the brands they support," said Smith, who spent almost two years bringing her vision to life. "My goal was also to make women feel seen and relevant in the spirits industry by having women involved in every step of the process from creating the taste profile to getting bottles on the shelf."

The Inspiro team conducted extensive consumer research to determine what conscientious spirits drinkers, especially women, prefer most when it comes to choosing a tequila. Overwhelmingly, they realized that people wanted a clean, easy-to-drink spirit without the additives found in many tequilas. Inspiro is characterized by its distinct sweet notes of vanilla, cooked agave and caramel, with hints of refreshing citrus and mint, all achieved without the use of any additives. (Inspiro Tequila Luna Blanco is proudly confirmed additive-free by the tequila industry experts at Tequila Matchmaker .)

The word "Inspiro" is Spanish for "inspire." Smith credits her mother and grandmother  both strong women in her life  for her drive to succeed. They are her role models and her inspiration, and they instilled in her the belief that she could do anything if she worked hard enough. She hopes to share that confidence with others too by establishing the Inspiro Purple Bicycle Project to give back by supporting and inspiring other female entrepreneurs to follow their passion.

Smith continued, "Never forget the power you have to innovate in an industry, even as an outsider, if you are willing to put in the hard work and do the research."

Inspiro Tequila can be purchased now at InspiroTequila.com to be delivered across the U.S., and will be available soon in select local markets.

To learn more about Inspiro Tequila and the Inspiro Purple Bicycle Project, visit www.InspiroTequila.com and follow the brand on LinkedIn , Instagram , Twitter , and Facebook .

About Inspiro Tequila: Inspiro Tequila was born with a vision to redefine what it means to enjoy tequila, by crafting a clean, smooth and sippable 100% Blue Weber Agave ultra-premium tequila without any additives. Inspiro is also certified by WBENC, the most widely recognized and respected national certification for women-owned businesses in the U.S.

Contact:

Ronica Cleary

Media & Press Relations

[email protected]

302-414-9977

SOURCE Inspiro Tequila

Related Links

http://www.InspiroTequila.com


NEW YORK, Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- InsurTech NY, the leading resource for the InsurTech Community in the New York Metro Area, today announced the launch of its Insurance Collaboration Index. Based on input from InsurTech executives, the index scores insurance and reinsurance companies on their willingness and ability to partner with startup insurance technology companies. It provides a rigorous and objective measure of how easy it is for a carrier and a startup to work together.

Insurance Collaboration Index Open Now

"InsurTech startups strive to attract the attention of a carrier or a reinsurer, but not all carriers and reinsurers are prepared to enter into a productive and ultimately successful partnership," says David Gritz, InsurTech NY co-founder. "The Insurance Collaboration Index is a tool to help make all-important decisions about choosing and working with a partner. It also helps carriers understand their strengths and weaknesses, and what they need to do to be better partners."

Carriers are evaluated on executive buy-in and sponsorship, competent project management, clear objectives, effective communications, and other factors. In addition to providing startups valuable input about potential partners, survey results will help carriers assess how prepared they are to work with startups across a wide range of criteria and offer insights to strengthen their policies and procedures.

Led by InsurTech NY founders Tony Lew and David Gritz, the project draws on the expertise of an advisory board representing a broad cross-section of the insurance and innovation ecosystems. Advisory board members include Scott Hawkins and Alan Walters, Conning; Bryan Falchuk, Insurance Evolution Partners; David Bradford, Iosis Consulting; Mark Gardella, Zephyr Innovation Advisors; Mike Fitzgerald, CB Insights; Irene Yang, Finesse Consulting; and Cynthia Hardy, Pivot Global Partners.

"I am pleased to see InsurTech NY undertake this important project," says Avi Tuschman, founder of Pinpoint Predictive. "Not only will the Insurance Collaboration Index help technology companies like Pinpoint Predictive make smart decisions about their business partners, but the overall insurance industry will also benefit from more effective partnerships and increased innovation."

Phase I of the project, which is now underway, is data collection. InsurTech NY is surveying executives from more than 200 InsurTech companies about their experiences working with various carriers and reinsurers. InsurTech executives are encouraged to participate in the survey, which can be found at https://index.paperform.co/. Survey participants will have early access to the results and will receive a customized report to help them optimize their choices of partners.

About InsurTech NY

InsurTech NY supports the insurance innovation community in the New York metro area. Founded in 2019, InsurTech NY brings together carriers, brokers, investors, and InsurTech startups via bi-monthly programs. InsurTech NY's mission is to drive talent to insurance, make regulation innovation-friendly, attract InsurTechs to the New York metro area, and improve access to investment. Learn more at www.insurtechny.com or follow us on LinkedIn (linkedin.com/company/insurtechny).

If you are attending InsureTech Connect 2021 in Las Vegas, please visit InsurTech NY at New York InsurTech Village at the Innovation Alley and take the survey.

Contact:

David Gritz

InsurTech NY

[email protected]

212-634-9516

SOURCE InsurTech NY
LONDON and AUSTIN, Texas, Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Banque Internationale a Luxembourg (BIL), a leading provider of banking and wealth management services, is advancing its intelligent automation strategy with the use of Blue Prism's digital workforce, enabling the business to address key strategic objectives to improve customer experience, employee satisfaction and productivity.

When selecting an automation platform to help drive its digital transformation journey, BIL recognized Blue Prism's strong audit capabilities, and quick, intuitive design functions, as key differentiators given the highly regulated market in which the bank operates.

Since beginning its automation journey the team has experienced huge success. Now, 17-strong, the team has rolled out an impressive 60 processes using 49 digital workers which have been orchestrated across the organization in areas such as customer service, loans, risk management, compliance and litigation, securities, tax, and cash, enabling the bank to respond faster, innovate and stay competitive regardless of economic disruptions.

Customers, especially, have felt the full positive effect of this technology. Automating the mortgage loans workflow has meant that customers now receive their mortgage loan offer much faster. And customers that subscribe to the bank's advisory service now receive information on important financial matters in minutes, ensuring they have immediate access to the right information when they need it.

especially, have felt the full positive effect of this technology. Automating the mortgage loans workflow has meant that customers now receive their mortgage loan offer much faster. And customers that subscribe to the bank's advisory service now receive information on important financial matters in minutes, ensuring they have immediate access to the right information when they need it. BIL employees now find themselves with a far more positive working experience, able to access important information quickly. Laura (named by the team) is BIL's first HR virtual assistant who helps employees find answers for over 30 HR-related topics.

now find themselves with a far more positive working experience, able to access important information quickly. Laura (named by the team) is BIL's first HR virtual assistant who helps employees find answers for over 30 HR-related topics. Productivity, another key business driver for BIL has been given a boost. By combining optical character recognition (OCR) capabilities with Blue Prism's digital workers, information and data can be accessed from across multiple document formats. Data comparison between information coming in and that held in core systems is quick, enabling users across many business functions within BIL to make better, more informed decisions.

"Our team's performance has improved every year, so much so that 2020 was our best year ever, despite COVID-19. We still delivered 19 projects, four of which were a direct response to the pandemic. Our success has spurred both our team and the business to scale our automations even further, pushing what we can do with hyperautomation. With a digital-first mindset, we're excited about the great things we can achieve with Blue Prism's solutions in years to come," said Pedro Faria, automation technical team leader, Banque Internationale a Luxembourg.

Find out more about how BIL have rolled out their successful automation strategy.

Notes to editors:

Blue Prism is a global leader in enterprise robotic process automation (RPA) and intelligent automation, transforming the way work is done. We have over 2,000 customers in over 170 countries and 70 industry verticals, 30% in the Forbes Global 2,000, creating value with new ways of working by unlocking efficiencies and returning millions of hours of work back into their businesses. Our enterprise digital robots offer high-scale automation that is secure, smart, accessible to all, enabling centrally managed human and digital workforces of the future and freeing up humans to re-imagine work. To learn more visit www.blueprism.com and follow us on Twitter @blue_prism and on LinkedIn .

 2021 Blue Prism Limited. "Blue Prism", the "Blue Prism" logo and Prism device are either trademarks or registered trademarks of Blue Prism Limited and its affiliates. All Rights Reserved.

SOURCE Blue Prism

Related Links

http://blueprism.com


NEW YORK, Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- BizVibe has added key challenges and trends for communications equipment manufacturing industry profiles on their platform. All 2,000+ company profiles will now contain 50+ company data points, including a list of potential challenges which are expected to impact market participants over the next few years.

Snapshot of key challenge impacting BizVibe's communications equipment manufacturing industry group.

One challenge which is being highlighted is the continuously intensifying competition in the smartphone market. This market has always experienced very high competition, and the intensity continues to rise. Manufacturers are launching multiple products a year to satisfy customers from all budget segments, even as new companies enter the market. Value for money and price points have become increasingly important. The overcrowded smartphone market is moving towards a commoditization stage where brands are offering similar features and specifications within a segment while still trying to out-compete each other with price positioning. By identifying such challenges, BizVibe is helping users analyze which suppliers are right for their business, while allowing them to efficiently monitor the risk of doing business.

Get Free Access to all Industry Challenges

Key Insights Provided for Communications Equipment Manufacturers

In addition to analysis on how key challenges are expected to impact 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

Communications Equipment 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 communications equipment manufacturing industry group features 2,000+ company profiles categorized into 10+ product and service categories, enabling clients to identify and connect with potential new business partners across diverse market segments.

Product and service categories for the communications equipment manufacturing industry include:

Cellphones

Tablets

5G equipment

Broadband equipment

Antenna adapters

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
DARTMOUTH, Canada, Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- InterTalk and ESChat are pleased to announce a native SDK integration between ESChat's broadband PTT service, and InterTalk's SaaS-based Cloud Dispatch console system. The two companies will be demonstrating the integration at their respective exhibits at the International Wireless Communication Expo (IWCE), held 27-30 September in Las Vegas, NV.

ESChat

"ESChat is a leader in public safety broadband PTT, and an obvious partner to add to our vision of a truly cloud-based dispatch console" said Bryan Wiens, Senior Product Manager, Cloud Services for InterTalk. "Cloud Dispatch enables full dispatch functionality and interconnect from anywhere with network access, removing the tether to the public safety control room. Now, with ESChat built into the Cloud Dispatch UX, dispatchers have even more power to manage emergency situations."

This integration is the latest feature to be added to Cloud Dispatch, which also interconnects to analog radio, P25, and telephony systems used by crit-comms agencies.

"We can now offer a cloud-based dispatch-as-a-service console product to our customers" said Josh Lober, President of ESChat. "This enables encrypted broadband PTT, patching with LMR, instant call recording and location mapping within the console, simplifying the dispatcher's workflow."

The Cloud Dispatch console can be seen at InterTalk (booth # 457) and ESChat (booth # 557) at IWCE.

ABOUT INTERTALK CRITICAL INFORMATION SYSTEMS

InterTalk (www.intertalksystems.com) is a leading developer and manufacturer of critical information systems, specializing in dispatch console and control systems for mobile radio and advanced telephony applications. We work diligently with our partners to ensure that our products match their exact needs and specifications. As an ISO 9001:2015 and 27001:2013 certified company, InterTalk is committed to providing the highest quality products and services to our clients. For more information on InterTalk Critical Information Systems, please visit www.intertalksystems.com.

ABOUT ESChat

ESChat (www.eschat.com) is the leading solution for carrier independent secure broadband Push-to-Talk (PTT) services. ESChat includes AES-256 encrypted PTT voice and multimedia messaging. ESChat also provides live and historical (bread crumb) tracking and mapping. Used by all branches of the U.S. Military, as well as federal, state and local public safety agencies, ESChat is able to operate over and across any wireless network, including all commercial carriers, private 3G/4G/5G networks and WiFi. ESChat supports standards-based interoperability with LMR radio networks, including P25 via the native Inter RF Subsystem Interface ("ISSI") protocol and DMR via the native Inter Application Interface Specification ("AIS") protocol. ESChat also supports interoperability via RoIP to all LMR radio networks, regardless of radio technology or operating frequency band.

Contact:

Bryan Wiens

1-902-468-5998 ext. 244

SOURCE InterTalk Critical Information Systems
The round is led by Seraphim Space Investment Trust PLC - the world's first listed space tech fund  in the first significant investment since its IPO on the London Stock Exchange in July. The round also included participation from leading strategic and deep-tech venture capital investors including AEI HorizonX, Promus Ventures through its Luxembourg based space investment fund Orbital Ventures, and Firmament Ventures.

Concurrently, Isotropic Systems continues to attract significant support from industry-leading strategic investors including SES and the UK Government. The continued support from existing investors was driven by Isotropic Systems' significant progress into the mature stages of product development, providing accelerated funding to achieve upcoming pivotal milestones and fully fund Isotropic through the commercial launch of its first product line in 2022.

As a result, Isotropic Systems has accelerated its production phase in time to support new constellations and satellites launching in GEO, HEO, MEO and LEO orbits from 2022 onwards, and has expanded its workforce by 40% over the last five months.

Isotropic Systems' patented radio frequency optics technology enables the high-performance multi-link antenna to simultaneously connect to multiple satellites in multiple orbits without any compromise in the performance of each link. This industry first unlocks the global satellite ecosystem for unprecedented connectivity across a broad range of markets, including government, defence, maritime, enterprise, and aerospace. With multiple new space constellations being launched by organisations including OneWeb, Inmarsat, Intelsat, SpaceX, Amazon, SES and Telesat, innovation in space needs to be matched by innovation on the ground, sea and in the air. Isotropic Systems was recently recognised by its inclusion in Lazard's T100 Index, reflecting its potential for significant growth and sector disruption.

John Finney, Isotropic Systems Founder and CEO, said: "We are delighted to announce this new funding today, which will bring our game-changing technology to reality within the next 12 months. The strong interest we have received from across the industry has given us the confidence to accelerate our growth plans and bring forward the commercialisation of our groundbreaking new terminals, harnessing the potential of the thousands of new satellites being launched across multiple orbits in the year ahead.

"Seraphim Space Investment Trust is invested in many sector leaders within the space ecosystem that have the potential to dominate globally, several of whom are already valued at more than $1 billion. We are delighted that they have led this fundraising round and look forward to James Bruegger joining our Board."

James Bruegger, CIO of Seraphim Space (Manager) LLP, Seraphim Space Investment Trust's investment manager, said: "Isotropic Systems is a prime example of why we looked to list our new fund on the London Stock Exchange. With the Seraphim Space Investment Trust, we now have the financial firepower to double down with conviction on our highest potential investments. With its unparalleled ability to simultaneously connect to satellites in different constellations and different orbits, we believe that Isotropic Systems has the technology that will help unlock massive potential growth within the satellite communications market. We are delighted to be stepping up our support for this exciting business as it enters a critical phase in its development.

"This highlights our commitment to financing the best-of-breed companies we see as potential global leaders in Space Tech whilst offering investors a diversified portfolio of companies in the burgeoning Space Tech sector."

Brian Schettler, Partner and Head of AEI HorizonX, said: "Isotropic Systems unlocks the industry's ability to provide connectivity to the wave of next generation high-throughput satellites given Isotropic's dramatic improvements in terminal capabilities at lower costs. The ability to affordably bring seamless and simultaneous connectivity to these new satellites across multiple orbits with different frequencies will be revolutionary, as well as critical to meet the growing demand for broadband data across the globe. We are pleased that our support will help enable this to become a reality."

About Isotropic Systems

With offices in the UK and U.S., Isotropic Systems is developing the world's first multi-service, high-bandwidth, low power, fully integrated high throughput terminals designed to support the satellite industry to 'reach beyond' traditional markets and acquire new customers with a full suite of high throughput services. The company's team of industry experts and scientists has pioneered several firsts in satellite terminal design resulting in a line of terminals that are customizable to meet the performance, cost and power requirements of countless applications  from the most complex government defense systems and mobile backhaul solutions capable of extending 5G, to next-gen connected experiences aboard commercial airliners, cruise ships, offshore rigs, and even small fishing boats at sea.

Investors in Isotropic Systems include Seraphim Space Investment Trust, AEI HorizonX, Promus Ventures through its Luxembourg based space investment fund, Orbital Ventures, SES, Firmament Ventures, UK government's Future Fund, Space Angels and family office investors such as Waterlow Management Limited.

Further information is available at www.isotropicsystems.com

About Seraphim Space Investment Trust PLC

Seraphim Space Investment Trust is the world's first listed fund focused on Space Tech. The Company seeks exposure predominantly to early and growth stage private financed Space Tech businesses that have the potential to dominate globally and that are sector leaders with first mover advantages in areas such as climate, communications, mobility and cyber security.

The Company listed on the Premium Segment of the London Stock Exchange on 14 July 2021, following an oversubscribed IPO raising 178.4 million. It currently has exposure to 17 Tech Space companies and has agreed to acquire investments in a further two companies by 31 December 2021.

Seraphim Space Investment Trust is managed by Seraphim Space (Manager) LLP.

Further information is available at: www.seraphim.vc

About AEI HorizonX

AEI HorizonX was formed as the corporate venture capital arm of Boeing in 2017, and is now managed by AE Industrial Partners, a private equity firm specializing in aerospace, defense & government services, space, power generation, and specialty industrial markets. AEI HorizonX has been an active participant in venture capital within its core strategic areas of focus, investing in more than 40 startups globally and building countless relationships and partnerships across the aerospace, technology and investing ecosystem. AE Industrial Partners invests in market-leading companies that can benefit from its deep industry knowledge, operating experience, and relationships throughout its target markets. AE Industrial Partners is a signatory to the United Nations Principles for Responsible Investment. Learn more at www.aeroequity.com.

SOURCE Isotropic Systems

Related Links

http://www.isotropicsystems.com


CHICAGO, Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- In-depth analysis and data-driven insights on the impact of COVID-19 included in this Japan crane market report.

The Japan crane market is expected to grow at a CAGR of over 3.35% during the period 20212026.

Key Highlights Offered in the Report:

The crane market in Japan is expected to reach revenues of USD 20.4 billion by 2027.

Japan is the third-largest economy in the world. In 2020, the Japanese economy shrank by 4.8% due to disruption in the supply chain. Japanese export was negatively impacted and fell by 19.2% in July 2020 . However, export has shown growth in Q1 of 2021 due to the recovery of China and US markets, which are the crucial trade partners of Japan . To mitigate the negative impact on the economy, the Japanese government has planned to invest USD 708 billion in green and digital technology. The economic package is expected to maintain employment, support business, and drive economic recovery. FDI inflow remains low as compared to other developed economies in 2020. However, the Japanese government offers several nations, local tax incentives for attracting FDI with the US and France being major investors in Japan . The manufacturing and service industries are the main sectors to attract FDI. The government is investing in various infrastructure and renewable energy projects such as the Linear Motor Car project, Redevelopment of Shibuya, and Gotoh Nagasaki Wind power Generation projects are expected to drive the demand for cranes in Japan Japan is the leading exporter of construction equipment in the world. Japanese manufacturers have a strong dealer network across the globe. Japan's crane export rose by 11.8% in 2019. The demand for cranes and construction equipment is expected to increase due to the rise in infrastructure development projects across the globe. Japan is facing a drop in the working-age population. Therefore, the demand for automation technologies such as remote control and smart crane technology are on the rise Tadano, Kobelco, Konecranes, Liebherr, Terex corporation, Manitex International, Manitowoc, Sany, XCMG and others are the major vendors of the crane in the Japanese market.

Key Offerings:

Market Size & Forecast by Volumes | 20212027

Market Size & Forecast by Revenue | 20212027

Market Dynamics  Leading trends, growth drivers, restraints, and investment opportunities

Market Segmentation  A detailed analysis by crane type, application, and gross power output

Competitive Landscape  10 key vendors and 5 other vendors

Get your sample today! https://www.arizton.com/market-reports/japan-crane-market-opportunities-assessment-forecast

Japan Crane Market  Segmentation

The mobile crane market in Japan is expected to reach 5,991 units by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 3.41%. The demand for mobile cranes is largely driven to address high-end urban and infrastructure development. In addition, there is a lot of construction activities in many small and big towns around Tokyo , which support the market. Purchases by rental companies also contributed to the market expansion.

is expected to reach 5,991 units by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 3.41%. The demand for mobile cranes is largely driven to address high-end urban and infrastructure development. In addition, there is a lot of construction activities in many small and big towns around , which support the market. Purchases by rental companies also contributed to the market expansion. The crane market by construction accounted for 48.5% of the overall crane market in 2020. Civil engineering activities in the country are growing due to government active investments. Local government investment spending, private investment, and ongoing infrastructure projects all boost activities (redevelopment of Shibuya, Redevelopment of Taranomon, New Shinagawa Station etc.).

The 20 tons-100 tons lifting capacity crane market in Japan is expected to reach 4,295 units by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 3.34%. This category of cranes is widely used in construction of commercial building, bridges and maintenance. Japan government planned to invest in development of infrastructure projects and zero carbon building projects to achieve the goal of carbon neutral by 2050.

Japan Crane Market by Crane Type

Mobile Crane

Crawler Cranes



Rough Terrain Cranes



All-Terrain Cranes



Truck Mounted Cranes



Others

Fixed Cranes

Overhead Cranes



Tower Cranes

Japan Crane Market by Application

Construction

Mining

Transport/Port

Manufacturing

Others

Japan Crane Market by Gross Power

Less than 20 Tons

20-100 Tons

101-200 Tons

Greater than 200 Tons

Japan Crane Market  Dynamics

In recent years, the volume of construction and infrastructure projects in Japan has been increasing. As Japan is recovering from the pandemic, construction, and infrastructure projects are expected to re-commence. The demand for new buildings and infrastructure in the Tokyo area is rising and the government plans to redevelop the Kansai and Kinki areas in Western Japan. Due to preparation for the Osaka Expo in 2025, the demand for infrastructure development is expected to grow. The Japanese government recently updated its public projects for the rehabilitation of various infrastructural developments under the Basic Plan of National resilience. The government attracts private sector partners who can provide financing for infrastructure investment, management skills, and expertise to address the challenges of natural disasters.

Key Drivers and Trends fueling Market Growth:

Rising investments in infrastructure and renewable energy sources.

Increased construction equipment demand

Rise in investment in healthcare and disaster management projects

High demand for the latest technology in the construction industry

Get your sample today! https://www.arizton.com/market-reports/japan-crane-market-opportunities-assessment-forecast

Why Should You Buy This Research?

This report is among the few in the market that offers outlook and opportunity analysis forecast in terms of:

Volume (Unit sales)

Crane Type



Application



Gross Power

Value (USD)

Crane Type



Application



Gross Power

Gain competitive intelligence about the economic scenario, advantages in Japan major projects and investments, dynamics, and market share

major projects and investments, dynamics, and market share Examples of latest technologies

Get presentation-ready format and easy-to-interpret data

Enable decision-makers to make informed and profitable choices

Gain expert quantitative and qualitative analysis on value/volume growth projections of the Japan crane market share

crane market share Complete supply chain analysis

Get COVID-19 impact analysis of the market

Major Vendors

Tadano

Manitex International, Inc.

Manitowoc

SANY

Kobelco Construction Machinery ( Japan )

) Konecranes

Liebherr

Xuzhou Construction Machinery Group Co., Ltd. (XCMG)

Terex Corporation

Cargotec

Other Prominent vendors

American Crane & Equipment Corp. (ACE)

Zoomlion Heavy Industry

Broderson Manufacturing Corp

Link-Belt Cranes

Kato Works

Explore our industrial machinery profile to know more about the industry.

Read some of the top-selling reports:

About Arizton:

Arizton Advisory and Intelligence is an innovation and quality-driven firm, which offers cutting-edge research solutions to clients across the world. We excel in providing comprehensive market intelligence reports and advisory and consulting services.

We offer comprehensive market research reports on industries such as consumer goods & retail technology, automotive and mobility, smart tech, healthcare, and life sciences, industrial machinery, chemicals and materials, IT and media, logistics and packaging. These reports contain detailed industry analysis, market size, share, growth drivers, and trend forecasts.

Arizton comprises a team of exuberant and well-experienced analysts who have mastered in generating incisive reports. Our specialist analysts possess exemplary skills in market research. We train our team in advanced research practices, techniques, and ethics to outperform in fabricating impregnable research reports.

Mail: [email protected]

Call: +1-312-235-2040

+1 302 469 0707

SOURCE Arizton Advisory & Intelligence
Jeff has conducted site analysis projects in every region of the United States and Canada, as well as Latin America, Europe, Asia, and Africa. He is widely published on site selection topics, labor market analysis, and economic development.

Jeff was a Keynote Speaker at the Devott Global IT, Real Estate and Sourcing Summit in China. He has been a speaker and panelist at economic forums in Mexico, Jamaica, Egypt, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Trinidad, Honduras, and Colombia.

At Mohr Partners, Jeff will work closely with Stephen Hemphill, Managing Principal & Shareholder, who leads a 10 broker Dallas based team, focused on representing national portfolio accounts and headquarters relocation assignments. "I am excited to partner with Jeff Pappas, as he will complement the team's expertise in healthcare, logistics and critical facilities," Stephen Hemphill said.

"Mohr Partners will allow me to provide my clients with sophisticated business intelligence tools to advise them on their real estate around the world. I also look forward to partnering with Mohr Partners other 26 offices to enhance my national and global presence," stated Mr. Pappas.

About Mohr Partners, Inc. :

Mohr Partners, Inc. is a global corporate real estate advisor, providing corporate tenants with an integrated set of portfolio services including strategic planning, business intelligence, lease administration/accounting & FASB ASC 842 compliance, research and site selection, labor analytics, project and construction management, comprehensive demographics analysis, economic incentives negotiations and transaction management. Since 1986, Mohr has been managing real estate portfolios for corporations, and each year completes transactions for its clients in all 50 U.S. states, all provinces of Canada and locations around the world. Mohr seamlessly provides corporate real estate services globally through its strategic alliance partners in Canada, Mexico/Latin America, EMEA and Asia Pacific. For more information on Mohr, please visit www.mohrpartners.com.

SOURCE Mohr Partners, Inc.

Related Links

www.mohrpartners.com


"Our team, along with the Test cell manufacturer - Test Logic , have invested over $1 million dollars to bring this new capability to both all-digital test cells," stated John Fraser, General Manager of KTS. "We are now the second Rolls-Royce approved AMROC facility in the world certified to test all variants of the M250-C47E engine, and we look forward to providing this new capability to all operators of the M250-C47E model engine."

David Mast, President and CEO of PAG stated, "We are excited to add this new capability to KTS. The addition of this service increases KTS's MRO capability by further expanding their full offering to the complete Rolls-Royce M250 product line, including turboprop engines. Like PAG, KTS has a long history of delivering exceptional customer service, industry leading products, and cost-effective repair solutions to its customers. Through the addition of our new testing capability, we're now better equipped to provide Rolls-Royce M250-C47E operators complete support to include available rental engine assets."

About Keystone Turbine Services (KTS)

With over 45 years of gas turbine engine experience, KTS is Rolls-Royce's second-largest certificated Authorized Maintenance Repair & Overhaul Center (AMROC) supporting all variants of the M250 Series engine, modules, accessories, and components. In addition, KTS is an FAA and EASA certificated Part 145 Repair Station and Honeywell Authorized Warranty and Repair Station (AWARS) for Overhaul, Repair and Testing of Rolls-Royce M250, Pratt & Whitney PT6A and PT6T Fuel Controls, Power Turbine Governors, and related accessories. (www.keystoneturbines.com).

About Precision Aviation Group (PAG)

Precision Aviation Group is a leading provider of products and value-added services to the worldwide aerospace and defense industry. With 13 Repair Stations and over 500,000-square-feet of sales and service facilities in the United States, Canada, Australia, Singapore, and Brazil  PAG uses its distinct business units and customer-focused business model to serve aviation customers through two business functions  Aviation Supply Chain  and its trademarked Inventory Supported Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (ISMRO).

PAG provides MRO and Supply Chain Solutions for Fixed and Rotary-wing aircraft. PAG subsidiaries have MRO capabilities on over 39,000 products, including Accessories, Avionics, Dynamic Components, Engines, Fuel Accessories, Glass Panel Displays, Hydraulics, Instruments, Landing Gear, Starter/Generators, Sub-Assemblies and Wheels/Brakes. (www.precisionaviationgroup.com)

SOURCE Precision Aviation Group
SAN DIEGO, Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Shareholder rights law firm Johnson Fistel, LLP has launched an investigation into whether the board members of Kraton Corporation (NYSE: KRA) ("Kraton" or the "Company") breached their fiduciary duties in connection with the proposed sale of the Company to DL Chemical Co. Ltd. ("DL Chemical").

On September 27, 2021, Kraton announced that it had agreed to be acquired by DL Chemical Co. Ltd. in an all-cash deal with an enterprise value of about $2.5 billion. Under the terms of the agreement, Kraton shareholders will receive $46.50 in cash for each share owned.

The investigation concerns whether the Kraton board failed to satisfy its duties to the Company shareholders, including whether the board adequately pursued alternatives to the acquisition and whether the board obtained the best price possible for Kraton shares of common stock. Nationally recognized, Johnson Fistel is investigating whether the proposed deal represents adequate consideration, especially given one Wall Street analyst had a $60.00 price target on the stock.

If you are a shareholder of Kraton and believe the proposed buyout price is too low or you're interested in learning more about the investigation, please contact lead analyst Jim Baker ([email protected]) at 619-814-4471. If emailing, please include a phone number.

Additionally, you can [ Click here to join this action ]. There is no cost or obligation to you.

About Johnson Fistel, LLP:

Johnson Fistel, LLP is a nationally recognized shareholder rights law firm with offices in California, New York, and Georgia. The firm represents individual and institutional investors in shareholder derivative and securities class action lawsuits. For more information about the firm and its attorneys, please visit https://www.johnsonfistel.com . Attorney advertising. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.

Contact:

Johnson Fistel, LLP

Jim Baker, 619-814-4471

[email protected]

[ Click here to join this action ]

SOURCE Johnson Fistel, LLP

Related Links

http://www.johnsonfistel.com


HOUSTON, Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Kraton Corporation (NYSE: KRA) ("Kraton"), a leading global sustainable producer of specialty polymers and high-value bio-based products derived from pine wood pulping co-products, today announced that it has entered into a definitive merger agreement (the "Merger Agreement") pursuant to which DL Chemical Co., Ltd. ("DL Chemical"), a subsidiary of DL Holdings Co., Ltd. (formerly Daelim Industrial Co., Ltd.), will acquire 100% of Kraton in an all-cash transaction implying an enterprise value of approximately $2.5 billion. Under the terms of the Merger Agreement, Kraton stockholders will receive $46.50 in cash for each share of Kraton common stock they own. As part of the transaction DL Chemical has conveyed that they have fully committed financing.

"Following an extensive review of a wide-range of strategic alternatives focused on maximizing value for the benefit of our stockholders, Kraton's Board has determined that the sale of Kraton to DL Chemical is in the best interest of Kraton stockholders. We believe the transaction provides immediate and certain value for Kraton stockholders, and represents an attractive premium of approximately 50% over Kraton's unaffected market valuation as of early July," said Kevin M. Fogarty, Kraton's President and Chief Executive Officer. "Moreover, we believe DL Chemical has the industry presence and resources to continue to support the growth of Kraton's business on a global scale".

"Consistent with our longstanding goal of maximizing value for the benefit of our stockholders, over the years Kraton's Board and management team have actively evaluated a wide range of strategic alternatives. Today's announcement marks the culmination of the strategic review process for Kraton, resulting in a transaction that we believe provides significant value for Kraton stockholders. In addition, we believe the scale and strength of the combined company will also benefit our customers and our employees, as it will expand Kraton's global reach while creating a robust platform to further support investment in the existing innovation pipeline and provide for further expansion of sustainable offerings," said Dan F. Smith, Chairman of Kraton's Board of Directors.

"DL Chemical has been conducting the petrochemical business responsibly within the DL Group for 46 years. After acquiring Kraton's Cariflex business last year, we have successfully integrated that business within the DL Group," said Sang Woo Kim, Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of DL Chemical. "We also have been highly interested in Kraton's specialty polymer and bio-based chemical business, and this combination will allow us to provide our customers with a wider range of innovative products, while adding the ability to serve a diverse range of end markets in over 70 countries worldwide."

The Merger Agreement was unanimously approved by Kraton's Board of Directors, which has recommended that Kraton stockholders vote in favor of the transaction. The acquisition is subject to certain customary closing conditions, including the receipt of stockholder and regulatory approvals, and is expected to close by the end of the first half of 2022.

J.P. Morgan Securities LLC is acting as exclusive financial advisor, and King & Spalding LLP is acting as legal counsel to Kraton in connection with the transaction. Goldman Sachs is acting as financial advisor, and O'Melveny & Myers LLP is acting as legal counsel to DL Chemical in connection with the transaction.

ABOUT KRATON

Kraton Corporation (NYSE "KRA") is a leading global producer of specialty polymers and high-value performance products derived from renewable resources. Kraton's polymers are used in a wide range of applications, including adhesives, coatings, consumer and personal care products, sealants and lubricants, and medical, packaging, automotive, paving and roofing products. As the largest global provider in the pine chemicals industry, the company's pine-based specialty products are sold into adhesive, road and construction and tire markets, and it produces and sells a broad range of performance chemicals into markets that include fuel additives, oilfield chemicals, coatings, metalworking fluids and lubricants, inks and mining. Kraton offers its products to a diverse customer base in over 70 countries worldwide. Kraton, the Kraton logo and design are all trademarks of Kraton or its subsidiaries or affiliates.

ABOUT DL CHEMICAL

DL Chemical is a leading petrochemical company with more than 46 years of operational experience and unique technological know-how. Based in Korea, the company was the first petrochemical firm in the country to commercialize metallocene polyethylene and polybutene, as well as the first to export polybutene technology to the United States. DL Chemical is the world's largest producer of polybutene with a production capacity of 200 KTA year. DL Chemical has commercialized BOCD (Broad Orthogonal Co-Monomer Distribution) polyethylene and EPO (Ethylene-Propylene Oligomer) for only the second time worldwide. In March 2020, DL Chemical (as a part of Daelim Industrial Co., Ltd. prior to the split-off of DL Chemical) acquired Kraton's CariflexTM business for $530 million in cash.

FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS

Some of the statements and information in this press release contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. This press release includes forward-looking statements that reflect the Company's beliefs, expectations and current views with respect to, among other things, its financial condition, financial performance and other future events or circumstances. Forward-looking statements are often identified by words such as "outlook," "believes," "target," "estimates," "approximately," "expects," "projects," "represents," "may," "intends," "plans," "on track," "anticipate," the negative of such words or similar terminology, and include, but are not limited to, Kraton's expectations with respect to the sale of Kraton, including the timing thereof.

Examples of forward-looking statements in this news release include, but are not limited to, statements about the price, terms and closing date of the proposed transaction, and statements regarding stockholder and regulatory approvals and the satisfaction of various other conditions to the closing transaction contemplated by the Merger Agreement. Forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, expectations, or outcomes to differ materially from our historical experience as well as management's present expectations or projections. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: (i) the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstances that could give rise to the termination of the Merger Agreement; (ii) the inability to complete the proposed transaction due to the failure to obtain Kraton stockholder approval for the proposed transaction or the failure to satisfy other conditions of the proposed transaction within the proposed timeframe or at all (including receipt of regulatory approvals); (iii) risks related to disruption of management's attention from Kraton's ongoing business operations due to the transaction; (iv) the outcome of any legal proceedings, regulatory proceedings or enforcement matters that may be instituted against Kraton and others relating to the Merger Agreement; (vi) the risk that the pendency of the proposed transaction disrupts current plans and operations and the potential difficulties in employee retention as a result of the pendency of the proposed transaction; (vii) the effect of the announcement of the proposed transaction on Kraton's relationships with its customers, suppliers, key stakeholders, employees, operating results and business generally; (viii) risks related to Kraton's business or stock price as a result of uncertainty surrounding the proposed transaction; (ix) the amount of the costs, fees, expenses and charges related to the proposed transaction; and (x) other risks to consummation of the proposed transaction, including the risk that the proposed transaction will not be consummated within the expected time period or at all. Consider these factors carefully in evaluating the forward-looking statements.

All forward-looking statements in this press release are made based on management's current expectations and assumptions, which are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties are more fully described in the Company's latest Annual Report on Form 10-K, including but not limited to "Part I, Item 1A. Risk Factors" and "Part II, Item 7. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" therein, and in the Company's other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), and include, but are not limited to, risks related to: not completing, or not completely realizing the anticipated benefits from, the sale of the business; receipt and timing of necessary regulatory approvals; Kraton's reliance on third parties for the provision of significant operating and other services; conditions in, and risk associated with operating in, the global economy and capital markets; fluctuations in raw material costs; natural disasters and weather conditions; limitations in the availability of raw materials; and other factors of which Kraton is currently unaware, deems immaterial or are outside Kraton's control. In addition, to the extent any inconsistency or conflict exists between the information included in this press release and the information included in our prior releases, reports or other filings with the SEC, the information contained in this press release updates and supersede such information. The Company believes its expectations and assumptions are reasonable, but there can be no assurance that the expectations reflected herein will be achieved. Accordingly, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and the Company assumes no obligation to update such information in light of new information or future events.

Additional Information and Where to Find It

This communication may be deemed to be solicitation material in respect of the proposed acquisition of Kraton by DL Chemical. In connection with the proposed transaction, Kraton intends to file relevant materials with the SEC, including Kraton's proxy statement on Schedule 14A, related to the solicitation of proxies for the Kraton stockholders' meeting with respect to the proposed transaction. This press release does not constitute any solicitation of votes or approval in relation to the proposed transaction. BEFORE MAKING ANY VOTING DECISION, STOCKHOLDERS OF KRATON ARE URGED TO READ ALL RELEVANT DOCUMENTS FILED WITH THE SEC, INCLUDING KRATON'S PROXY STATEMENT AND OTHER DOCUMENTS TO BE FILED WITH THE SEC IN CONNECTION WITH THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION, IN THEIR ENTIRETY WHEN SUCH DOCUMENTS BECOME AVAILABLE, BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION AND THE PARTIES THERETO. Investors and security holders will be able to obtain the documents (when available) free of charge at the SEC's web site, www.sec.gov, and Kraton stockholders will receive information at an appropriate time on how to obtain transaction-related documents for free from Kraton . Such documents are not currently available.

Participants in Solicitation

Kraton and its directors and executive officers may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from the holders of Kraton common stock in respect of the proposed transaction. Information about the directors and executive officers of Kraton is set forth in its proxy statement for its 2021 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, which was filed with the SEC on April 8, 2021. Investors may obtain additional information regarding the interests of such persons in the proposed transaction, by security holdings or otherwise, by reading the definitive proxy statement regarding the acquisition when it becomes available.

For additional information:

H. Gene Shiels 281 504-4886

SOURCE Kraton Corporation

Related Links

http://www.kraton.com


In this intimate interview, we hear stories from throughout his life, drawing on the beauty and spectrum of Ben's humanity. Some of the stories in this publication include:

His uncle Jesse declaring he was Ben's father, along with several other boys, so they could play sports.

How Ben's life was guided by words from his grandmother, Ma Mittie , "Baby, whether this family go up or down, it's going to be on your shoulders."

, "Baby, whether this family go up or down, it's going to be on your shoulders." What Ma Mittie told him after he had left for college and was questioning his faith.

told him after he had left for college and was questioning his faith. How he balances fighting for justice and curling up with his daughter at bedtime.

And, naturally, the proper way to eat brownies with ice cream.

A self-proclaimed disciple of Thurgood Marshall, Ben has worked with the families of people from Travyon Martin to Breonna Taylor, George Floyd to Hunter Brittain, and many more. Ben is an unapologetic defender for Black life and Black liberty and Black humanity.

In this episode of Lawful Good, you will hear how Ben and his first law partner, Daryl Parks, determined to work together to fight for their people. Ben describes their first days in law school:

"We were there and we looked around and it was very funny. Everybody had laptops. We didn't have laptops. We said to ourselves, man, we the poorest people here at the law school. We got to stick together to help each other. And we formed a friendship and a bond and it endures us to this day. When we graduated law school, we said, we want to do law to help our community, to help our people."

You can hear Ben Crump's episode on Apple Podcasts , Spotify , Google Podcasts , Amazon Music , and Stitcher . You can also find the episode on the Lawful Good website: https://lawfulgoodpodcast.com/S1-E10-Ben-Crump .

SOURCE Lawful Good Podcast
NEW YORK, Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Lleida.net's (OTCQX: LLEIF) (BME: LLN) (EPA: ALLLN), the European leader in the field of registered electronic notification, e-signature, and digital contracting services, today announced its upcoming U.S. based non-deal roadshow (NDR) in New York starting October 1st 2021.

Lleida.net's CEO Sisco Sapena and CFO Arrate Usandizaga will meet with investors to provide an overview of the business and discuss the organization's financials, growth strategy, and recent inDenova acquisition. The NDR presentation is available in the investor's website of the company.

"Global presence is a core strength and growth pillar to Lleida.net's long-term success. As a result, we are looking forward to speaking with investors in one of the world's most attractive marketplaces and pursue our mission to become a leading player in the Trust Service industry through our SaaS Services, SMS Solutions, and Interconnection Wholesale Solutions business lines," said Sisco Sapena, CEO of Lleida.net.

Lleida.net currently has one of the largest intellectual property portfolios in the digital signature industry worldwide.

Investment in intellectual property has given the company decades of rights to exploit its technology in more than 50 countries on five continents.

The company is listed on the OTCQX in New York, BME Growth in Madrid and Euronext Growth in Paris.

With more than 200 patents awarded in some 60 countries, the company has one of the largest intellectual property portfolios in the industry.

Over the past year, the company's assets grew by 24 per cent year-on-year to 13.2 million euros, while financial debt decreased by 539,000 euros, or 15 per cent year-on-year.

Today, its proprietary methods are recognised as valid for certifying legal notices in procurement processes by authorities in more than 70 countries.

The company boosted its profit before taxes by 91 per cent in H1 2021, compared to the same period last year.

It recorded a six-month profit before tax of 662,000 in H1 2020, compared with 346,000 in H1 2020, and well above the 232,000, it recorded in H1 2019.

To schedule an appointment with the company management, investors can contact [email protected]

SOURCE Lleida.net
Highlights:

Anglo American has made its scheduled 2021 cash payment of US$500,000

has made its scheduled 2021 cash payment of The cash payment and exploration expenditures to date give Anglo American a 25% project interest

a 25% project interest Anglo American has restarted field and community programs at Pegasus A

VANCOUVER, BC, Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - Luminex Resources Corp. (TSXV: LR) (OTCQX: LUMIF) (the "Company" or "Luminex") is pleased to announce receiving its 2021 cash payment of US$500,000 from Anglo American PLC ("Anglo American"). This payment combined with the US$12.9 million of cumulative spending as of June 30, 2021 gives Anglo American a 25% ownership stake in Pegasus A and B under the earn-in agreement.

Anglo American returned to the field in September 2021, after team members were vaccinated and strict COVID-19 protocols were established. Anglo American is reengaging with local communities in the project area in order to secure the social license to drill test multiple, quality copper, gold and molybdenum targets in H2 2022.

About Luminex Resources

Luminex Resources Corp. (TSXV:LR,OTCQX:LUMIF) is a Vancouver, Canada based precious and base metals exploration and development company focused on gold and copper projects in Ecuador. Luminex's inferred and indicated mineral resources are located at the Condor Gold-Copper project in Zamora-Chinchipe Province, southeast Ecuador. Luminex also holds a large and highly prospective land package in Ecuador, including the Tarqui and Pegasus projects, which are being co-developed with BHP Group plc and Anglo American respectively.

Further details are available on the Company's website at https://luminexresources.com/.

To receive news releases please sign up at https://www.luminexresources.com/contact/contact-us/.

LUMINEX RESOURCES CORP.

Signed: "Marshall Koval"

Marshall Koval, CEO and Director

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.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information

Certain statements and information herein, including all statements that are not historical facts, contain forward-looking statements and forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Such forward-looking statements or information include but are not limited to statements about future work and drilling at Pegasus A and B. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements or information can be identified by the use of phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "will" occur or be achieved.

With respect to forward-looking statements and information contained herein, the Company has made numerous assumptions including among other things, assumptions about general business and economic conditions, the prices of gold and copper, and anticipated costs and expenditures. The foregoing list of assumptions is not exhaustive.

Although management of the Company believes that the assumptions made and the expectations represented by such statements or information are reasonable, there can be no assurance that a forward-looking statement or information herein will prove to be accurate. Forward-looking statements and information by their nature are based on assumptions and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the Company's actual results, performance or achievements, or industry results, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or information. These factors include, but are not limited to: risks associated with the business of the Company; business and economic conditions in the mining industry generally; the supply and demand for labour and other project inputs; changes in commodity prices; changes in interest and currency exchange rates; risks relating to inaccurate geological and engineering assumptions (including with respect to the tonnage, grade and recoverability of reserves and resources); risks relating to unanticipated operational difficulties (including failure of equipment or processes to operate in accordance with specifications or expectations, cost escalation, unavailability of materials and equipment, government action or delays in the receipt of government approvals, industrial disturbances or other job action, and unanticipated events related to health, safety and environmental matters); risks relating to adverse weather conditions; political risk and social unrest; changes in general economic conditions or conditions in the financial markets; changes in laws (including regulations respecting mining concessions); and other risk factors as detailed from time to time in the Company's continuous disclosure documents filed with Canadian securities administrators. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.

SOURCE Luminex Resources Corp.
CHICAGO, Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Luxury Portfolio International (LPI), the luxury marketing division of Leading Real Estate Companies of the World and renowned global network which comprises more than 200 leading high-end real estate brokerages, has unveiled its latest issue of Luxury Portfolio magazine.

The 200-page edition's linen paper cover and expanded coverage of not only real estate but design, travel and lifestyle represents a shift for LPI as an expert source for all aspects of the affluent lifestyle.

In the newly released magazine (Volume 11: No. 2), the focus is on optimism, and of course, the home.

"This issue of Luxury Portfolio magazine is a celebration of life at its most refined and cultured, with a touch of exuberance," said Mickey Alam Khan, President of LPI and the magazine's publisher and editor-in-chief. "It is a call to optimism, with the home at the center of it all."

The cover story explores designers' bonds with their dogs in a Q&A with design author and YouTuber Susanna Salk and photographer Stacey Bewkes.

A stylish photo shoot in collaboration with Neiman Marcus, a profile on noted royal biographer Andrew Morton and a roundtable discussion on the future of home with esteemed architects are just a few of the many articles exploring the luxury lifestyle within the magazine's pages.

"The new-look magazine with its enhanced content and creative design should inspire real estate professionals as well as homeowners, sellers and buyers," Mr. Alam Khan said.

"We hope readers return to this magazine repeatedly, pass it along to friends and family or request more copies, and keep it on their coffee table and desks as a key source of inspiration."

Luxury Portfolio magazine has a readership of more than 200,000 HNWI's and can be found on newsstands worldwide, is distributed domestically through Barnes & Noble and is shipped to top LPI member clients in more than 70 countries. New issues are printed bi-annually, making the elegantly linen-bound magazine an excellent coffee-table book with a six month shelf life.

View the magazine's digital edition or find it on luxuryportfolio.com, where you can also request a print copy.

ABOUT LUXURY PORTFOLIO INTERNATIONAL (LPI)

LPI (luxuryportfolio.com) is the luxury marketing division of Leading Real Estate Companies of the World, the largest global network of premier locally branded firms dominated by many of the world's most powerful, independent luxury brands. LPI attracts a global audience of visitors from over 200 countries/territories every month and markets more than 50,000 luxury homes annually. Well Connected.

Source: Luxury Portfolio International

Contact: [email protected]

CONTACT:

Daniel Zayas

[email protected]



305.663.9802 x326

Kreps PR & Marketing

SOURCE Luxury Portfolio International
CHICAGO, Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- According to the new market research report "Microfluidics Market by Product (Devices, Components (Chip, Sensor, Pump, Valve)), Application (IVD (POC, Clinical, Veterinary), Research, Manufacturing, Therapeutics), End User (Hospital, Diagnostic Center, Academic Institutes) - Global Forecast to 2026", published by MarketsandMarkets, the Microfluidics Market is projected to reach USD 58.8 billion by 2026 from USD 20.7 billion in 2021, growing at a CAGR of 23.2% during the forecast period.

Browse in-depth TOC on "Microfluidics Market"

280  Tables

66  Figures

335  Pages

Download PDF Brochure: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=1305



The Microfluidic technologies offer quick analysis, reduced reagent consumption, and accurate test results and help in reducing the overall cost of the drug development process. In addition to these factors, the demand for microfluidics technology is increasing owing to the growing demand and adoption of PoC diagnostic devices, such as glucose monitoring and pregnancy test kits. The factors such as regulatory approval process which are time consuming & complex and the level of acceptance of microfluidics in the existing workflow are restraining the growth of the market. Emergence of microfluidic based 3D cell cultures systems, growing Asian market, expanding applications of drug delivery technologies using microfluidics are some growth opportunities for microfluidics market.

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the overall microfluidics industry in positive ways. The demand for rapid diagnostic tests, POC tests, and IVD devices with microfluidic technology utilized in drug discovery and COVID-19 testing has witnessed a significant demand. Several industry players are focusing on introducing rapid antigen tests based on microfluidics technology to detect COVID-19. Regulatory authorities also have extended support to approve microfluidics tests to combat the pandemic. Thus, the microfluidics industry has experienced positively as well as negative effects, and key players have undertaken strategic decisions to cope with the situation. The increasing number of rapid diagnostic tests, POC tests, and IVD devices also increase the demand for microfluidics kits to ensure the accuracy and precision of patients' sample results.

The microfluidic-based devices segment holds the largest market share during the forecast period.

Based on product, the microfluidics market is broadly classified into microfluidic-based devices and microfluidic components. In 2020, the microfluidic-based devices segment accounted for the largest share of the market by product. The large share of this segment can majorly be attributed to the increasing adoption of technologically advanced microfluidic-based devices in pharmaceutical & life science research, increasing need for miniaturization of laboratory equipment, growing demand for microfluidic-based PoC testing, and the increasing use of microfluidic technology for drug discovery.

Request Sample Pages: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/requestsampleNew.asp?id=1305

The microfluidic chips segment is expected to account for the highest rate of the Microfluidics market

The microfluidic components market, by type, is segmented into microfluidic chips, flow and pressure sensors, flow and pressure controllers, micropumps, microfluidic valves, microneedles, and other microfluidic components. The microfluidic chips segment accounted for the highest rate of 21.8% of the microfluidic components market in 2020. The increasing demand for PoC testing, growing preference for personalized medicine, an increasing number of drug discovery and life science research activities, growing need for high-speed diagnostics, and increasing government funding are factors responsible for the growth of this segment in the microfluidic market.

The in-vitro diagnostic segment is expected to grow at the highest rate during the forecast period



In this report, the microfluidics market is broadly classified into three major application segmentsin vitro diagnostics, pharmaceutical & life science research and manufacturing, and therapeutics. The in vitro diagnostics segment accounted for the rate of the market in 2020. The large share of this segment is mainly attributed to the rising incidence of target diseases and the growing demand for PoC testing. The advantages of microfluidic devices over traditional devices (such as portability, compact size, increased frequency of testing, and accurate & quick analysis) have also driven the adoption of these devices in IVD applications.

In the end user segment, hospitals & diagnostic centers is expected to grow at the highest share in the market

The microfluidics market is segmented into hospitals and diagnostic centers, academic & research institutes, and pharmaceutical & biotechnology companies based on end users. The hospitals and diagnostic centers segment accounted for the largest share of the end users market in 2020. Factors attributing to the large share of the segment include the increasing use of microfluidic-based diagnostic devices, increasing adoption of microfluidic technology for the rapid diagnosis of various chronic diseases, and rising technological advancements.

Speak to Analyst: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/speaktoanalystNew.asp?id=1305

North America is expected to account for the highest share for players operating in the microfluidics market

In 2020, North America accounted for the largest share 41.7% of the global market, followed by Europe, the Asia Pacific, and Latin America. North America has various additional advantagesinvestment initiatives by governments and the presence of high-quality infrastructure for clinical and laboratory research. APAC is known to grow at the highest rate. The growth in the market can be attributed to increasing R&D activities, rising government funding for drug discovery research, and high growth in the pharmaceutical and biotechnological industries.

The global microfluidics market is highly competitive, with many global and local market players competing for higher market shares. The prominent players in the global microfluidic components market include Parker-Hannifin Corporation (US), Danaher Corporation (US), Thermo Fisher Scientific (US), PerkinElmer Inc. (US), Agilent Technologies (US), Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc. (US), Becton, Dickinson and Company (US), F. Hoffmann-La Roche (Switzerland), Illumina, Inc. (US), Fluigent SA (France), IDEX Corporation (US), Camozzi Automation Spa Societa Unipersonale (Italy), Fortive Corporation (US), Aignep S.P.A. (Italy), SMC Corporation (Japan), Dolomite Microfluidics (UK), Cellix Ltd. (Ireland), Elveflow (France), Micronit Microtechnologies (Netherlands), and MicroLiquid (Spain).

Browse Adjacent Markets: Analytical and Scientific Instrumentation Market Research Reports & Consulting

Browse Related Reports:

Microfluidic Components Market by Product (Valve, Solenoid Valve, Check Valve, Nozzle, Tubing, Micropump, Microneedle, Shuttle Valve), Industry (Automotive, Aerospace & Defense, Healthcare, Consumer Electronics, Oil & Gas) - Global Forecast to 2024

https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/microfluidic-components-market-223516809.html

In-Vitro Diagnostics Market by Product & Service (Instrument, Kits), Technology (Immunoassay, MDx, Hematology, Urinalysis), Application (Diabetes, Oncology, Cardiology, Nephrology, Infectious Diseases) End User (Hospitals) - Global Forecast to 2025

https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/ivd-in-vitro-diagnostics-market-703.html

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/microfluidics-market.asp

Visit Our Web Site: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com

Content Source: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/PressReleases/microfluidics.asp

SOURCE MarketsandMarkets
First-of-its-kind study targets a female sexual disorder affecting

an estimated 9.5 million women in the U.S. alone

VANCOUVER, BC, Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - Mind Cure Health Inc. (CSE: MCUR) (OTCQB: MCURF) (FRA: 6MH) ("MINDCURE" or the "Company"), a leader in advanced proprietary technology and research in psychedelics, introduces its "Desire Project," a clinical research program focused on the treatment of female hypoactive sexual desire disorder with MDMA-assisted psychotherapy.

As part of MINDCURE's research and development, this research program will mark the first psychedelic-based treatment program targeted at addressing what is clinically known as Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder ("HSDD"), a common sexual disorder characterized by persistent low sexual desire and emotional distress not attributable to an existing medical condition or relationship issue. According to current estimates, HSDD affects 10% of adult women1 and 14% of premenopausal adult women,2 all reporting that their low desire results in a state of distress. In the U.S. alone, HSDD affects an estimated 9.5 million premenopausal women.3 HSDD is also present in men.

"We know that sexual health contributes to overall wellbeing and that studies relating to HSDD suggest that female desire has deep roots in the mind. Women's desire issues have not been adequately addressed to date, and we believe that treatment incorporating MDMA and psychotherapy has real promise as it may target those roots of desire in the mind and unlock healing for women lacking desire," said Kelsey Ramsden, President & CEO, MINDCURE. "MINDCURE has identified a gap in the market, and I think that with the team we have built to execute this project, we can help those seeking improved desire in a new way."

In clinical trials, MDMA therapy has shown success in helping people heal from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder ("PTSD") by working on brain pathways related to fear; it can enhance fear memory extinction, modulate fear memory reconsolidation, and bolster social behavior in animal models. MINDCURE has spent six months designing its forthcoming clinical research program, much of it spent in looking at how MDMA may ease some of these fear factors for women, which play a large role in causing female-related sexual disorders that are not treated by current medications on the market.

"I'm very excited to lead our team and launch a clinical study for the treatment of female Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder," said Dr. Joel Raskin, Chief Medical Officer, MINDCURE. "During my decades as a psychiatrist clinician and researcher, I've seen first-hand the limitations of existing treatments. This is an exciting opportunity to find a potentially more effective and better tolerated treatment for women affected by this disorder."

MINDCURE's "Desire Project" team is comprised of some of the world's leading researchers in female sexual desire research and psychedelics, including Dr. Jennifer Mitchell, the lead author of the recently published MAPS MDMA-assisted therapy for PTSD study. Dr. Anita Clayton is the Professor and Chair of the Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences and a Professor of Clinical Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Virginia. Dr. Cindy Meston directs the Female Sexual Psychophysiology Laboratory at the University of Texas in Austin, one of the few laboratories in the world devoted exclusively to the study of women's sexual health. Dr. Robert Pyke led the Addyi project, a drug used in treating the symptoms of HSDD through Phases II and III, and has over 100 peer-reviewed publications in the last 18 years. Dr. Sherry Walling is a practicing licensed clinical psychologist with a master's degree in theology and an emphasis in trauma.

About Mind Cure Health Inc.

MINDCURE is a life sciences company focused on innovating and commercializing new ways to promote healing and improve mental health. The Company is developing digital therapeutics technology and researching psychedelic compounds to support access to safe, evidence-based psychedelic-assisted therapies globally. Learn more at mindcure.com, and follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

On Behalf of the Board of Directors

Kelsey Ramsden, President & CEO

Phone: 1-888-593-8995

Forward-Looking Information

Certain information presented in this news release may constitute "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws regarding MINDCURE and its business. 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. Some of the specific forward-looking information in this news release includes, but is not limited to, statements with respect to: the treatment of HSDD with MDMA-assisted psychotherapy; potential effects of MDMA on certain fear factors for women; and the execution and potential outcome of the Desire Project.

Forward-looking information is based on a number of key expectations and assumptions made by management of MINDCURE, including, without limitation: the COVID-19 pandemic impact on the Canadian economy and MINDCURE's business, and the extent and duration of such impact; no change to laws or regulations that negatively affect MINDCURE's business; there will be a demand for MINDCURE's products in the future; no unanticipated expenses or costs arise; MINDCURE will be able to continue to identify products that make them ideal candidates for providing solutions for treating mental health; that MINDCURE will advance wellness worldwide; and the Desire Project will show a successful treatment for HSDD.

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 inherently entails known and unknown risks and uncertainties about the future and actual results, and 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: the Desire Project may not be completed as anticipated or at all; MDMA-assisted psychotherapy may not treat HSDD as expected; and results from the Desire Project may not be able to be incorporated into MINDCURE's products or business as expected. Although MINDCURE has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those described in forward-looking information presented, there may be other factors that cause results, performance or achievements to differ from those anticipated, estimated or intended. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements as no forward-looking information can be guaranteed.

Except as required by applicable securities laws, forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made and MINDCURE does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

1. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27916394/ 2. https://journals.lww.com/greenjournal/Abstract/2018/05001/Incidence_and_Knowledge_of_Hypoactive_Sexual.649.aspx 3. Based on an estimate of the number of premenopausal women in the U.S. and the expected number of women affected by HSDD (see footnote 2 above)

SOURCE Mind Cure Health Inc.
DUBLIN, Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Molecular Diagnostics at the Point of Care 2021-2025: By Application, Technology, Place, Product and by Country, with COVID-19 PoC Breakout and Executive Guides" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The COVID-19 pandemic is ushering in a new world of point of care diagnostics. Infectious disease Dx is changing and will change more in the future. Can a rapidly growing market expand even faster? Find out all about it in this comprehensive report on Molecular Diagnostics at the Point of Care.

The report forecasts the market size out to 2025.

All report data is available in Excel format on request.

Point of Care testing is proving itself in the market. Players are reporting double-digit growth. Lowering costs, improving outcomes and even helping in the battle against Anti Microbial Resistance. Learn about this market including the issues and outlooks. The two key trends of Point of Care Testing and Molecular Diagnostics are merging with spectacular success. It could possibly displace most frontline test protocols AND save money at the same time.

Key Questions Answered

Are targeted tests for specific pathogens going to be obsolete?

Will diagnostics replace physicians?

Will Point of Care testing move into the Physician's Office or even the Home?

of Care testing move into the Physician's Office or even the Home? How much COVID-19 testing is being done at the Point of Care?

Key Topics Covered

1 Market Guides

1.1 Molecular Diagnostics at the Point of Care - Strategic Situation Analysis and Impact of COVID-19

1.2 Guide for Executives, Marketing, Sales and Business Development Staff

1.3 Guide for Management Consultants and Investment Advisors

2 Introduction and Market Definition

2.1 What are Molecular Diagnostics at the Point of Care?

2.2 The Diagnostics Revolution

2.3 Market Definition

2.3.1 Revenues

2.4 Methodology

2.4.1 Authors

2.4.2 Sources

2.5 Perspective: Healthcare, the IVD Industry, and the COVID-19 Pandemic

2.5.1 Global Healthcare Spending

2.5.2 Spending on Diagnostics

2.5.3 Important Role of Insurance for Diagnostics

3 The Infectious Diseases - Market Analysis by Disease

3.1 HIV - Human Immunodeficiency Virus (AIDS)

3.1.1 Virology

3.1.1.1 Classification

3.1.1.2 Structure and genome

3.1.1.3 Tropism

3.1.1.4 Replication cycle

3.1.1.5 Genetic variability

3.1.2 Diagnosis

3.1.3 Testing

3.1.3.1 Antibody tests

3.1.3.2 Point of Care Tests (POCT)

3.1.3.3 Antigen Tests

3.1.3.4 Nucleic acid-based tests (NAT)

3.1.3.5 Other tests used in HIV treatment

3.1.4 Market Opportunity Analysis

3.2 HBV - Hepatitis B

3.2.1 Virology

3.2.1.1 Genome

3.2.1.2 Pathogenesis

3.2.1.3 Hepatitis B virus replication

3.2.1.4 Serotypes and genotypes

3.2.2 Mechanisms

3.2.3 Diagnosis

3.2.4 Market Opportunity Analysis

3.3 HCV - Hepatitis C

3.3.1 Taxonomy

3.3.2 Structure

3.3.2.1 Genome

3.3.3 Molecular biology

3.3.4 Replication

3.3.5 Genotypes

3.3.5.1 Clinical importance

3.3.6 Market Opportunity Analysis

3.4 HPV - Human papillomavirus

3.4.1 Virology

3.4.1.1 E6/E7 proteins

3.4.1.2 Role in cancer

3.4.1.3 E2 research

3.4.1.4 Latency period

3.4.1.5 Clearance

3.4.2 Diagnosis

3.4.2.1 Cervical testing

3.4.2.2 Oral testing

3.4.2.3 Testing men

3.4.2.4 Other testing

3.4.3 Market Opportunity Analysis

3.5 Influenza

3.5.1 Virology

3.5.1.1 Types of virus

3.5.1.2 Influenzavirus A

3.5.1.3 Influenzavirus B

3.5.1.4 Influenzavirus C

3.5.1.5 Structure, properties, and subtype nomenclature

3.5.1.6 Replication

3.5.2 Testing

3.5.2.1 Advantages/Disadvantages of Molecular Assays

3.5.3 Market Opportunity Analysis

3.6 CTGC - Chlamydia/Gonorhea

3.6.1 Gonorrhea

3.6.1.1 Diagnosis

3.6.1.2 Screening

3.6.2 Chlamydia

3.6.2.1 Diagnosis

3.6.2.2 Screening

3.6.3 Testing

3.6.3.1 Nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs)

3.6.3.2 Performance of NAAT Tests

3.6.4 Market Opportunity Analysis

3.7 Tuberculosis

3.7.1 Mycobacteria

3.7.2 Diagnosis

3.7.2.1 Active tuberculosis

3.7.2.2 Latent tuberculosis

3.7.3 Epidemiology

3.7.4 Molecular Diagnostic Tests

3.7.5 Market Opportunity Analysis

3.8 MRSA - Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus

3.8.1 Diagnosis

3.8.2 FDA Approved Molecular Tests

3.8.3 Market Opportunity Analysis

3.9 VRE - Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus

3.9.1 FDA Approved MDx Tests for VRE

3.9.2 Market Opportunity Analysis

3.10 Blood Screening

3.10.1 Collection and Testing

3.10.2 FDA Approved Multiplex Assays

3.10.3 Market Opportunity Analysis

3.11 COVID-19

3.11.1 Signs and symptoms

3.11.2 Transmission

3.11.3 Diagnosis

3.11.4 Prevention

3.11.5 Management

3.11.6 Prognosis

3.12 Pandemic Diagnostics

3.12.1 Risk Management - Spark and Spread

3.12.2 Dx Technology - Nucleic Acid-Based

3.12.3 Dx Technology - Immunoassay & Serology

3.12.4 Time to Market and Preparedness Issues

3.12.5 Unrecognized Role of Multiplex in Pandemic Management

4 Industry Overview

4.1 Players in a Dynamic Market

4.1.1 Academic Research Lab

4.1.2 Diagnostic Test Developer

4.1.3 Instrumentation Supplier

4.1.4 Distributor and Reagent Supplier

4.1.5 Independent Testing Lab

4.1.6 Public National/regional lab

4.1.7 Hospital lab

4.1.8 Physician Office Labs and Clinics

4.1.9 Audit Body

4.1.10 Certification Body

4.2 The Clinical Laboratory Market Segments

4.2.1 Traditional Market Segmentation

4.2.2 Laboratory Focus and Segmentation

4.3 Industry Structure

4.3.1 Hospital Testing Share

4.3.2 Economies of Scale

4.3.2.1 Hospital vs. Central Lab

4.3.3 Physician Office Lab's

4.3.4 Physician's and POCT

5 Profiles of Key MDx Companies

5.1 Abacus Diagnostica

5.2 Abbott Diagnostics

5.3 Accelerate Diagnostics

5.4 Ador Diagnostics

5.5 Akonni Biosystems

5.6 Alveo Technologies

5.7 Applied BioCode

5.8 Aus Diagnostics

5.9 Beckman Coulter Diagnostics

5.10 Becton, Dickinson and Company

5.11 Binx Health

5.12 Biocartis

5.13 bioMerieux Diagnostics

5.14 Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc

5.15 Bosch Healthcare Solutions GmbH

5.16 Cepheid (now Danaher)

5.17 Chembio

5.18 Co Diagnostics

5.19 Credo Diagnostics Biomedical

5.20 Cue Health

5.21 Curetis N.V. / Curetis GmbH

5.22 Diagenode Diagnostics

5.23 Diascopic

5.24 Diasorin S.p.A

5.25 Eiken Chemical

5.26 Enzo Life Sciences, Inc

5.27 Eurofins Scientific

5.28 Fluxergy

5.29 Fulgent Genetics

5.30 Fusion Genomics

5.31 Genedrive

5.32 Genetic Signatures

5.33 GenMark Dx

5.34 Grifols

5.35 Hibergene Diagnostics

5.36 Hologic

5.37 Illumina

5.38 Immunexpress

5.39 Inflammatix

5.40 Invetech

5.41 Janssen Diagnostics

5.42 Karius

5.43 Lexagene

5.44 LightDeck Diagnostics

5.45 Luminex Corp

5.46 Lumos Diagnostics

5.47 Mammoth Biosciences

5.48 Maxim Biomedical

5.49 Meridian Bioscience

5.50 Mesa Biotech

5.51 Millipore Sigma

5.52 Mindray

5.53 Mobidiag

5.54 Nanomix

5.55 Operon

5.56 Oxford Nanopore Technologies

5.57 Panagene

5.58 Perkin Elmer

5.59 Primerdesign

5.60 Prominex

5.61 Qiagen Gmbh

5.62 Quantumdx

5.63 Quidel

5.64 Roche Molecular Diagnostics

5.65 Saw Diagnostics

5.66 Seegene

5.67 Siemens Healthineers

5.68 Sona Nanotech

5.69 SpeeDx

5.70 T2 Biosystems

5.71 Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc

5.72 Veramarx

5.73 Veredus Laboratories

5.74 Vir

5.75 XCR Diagnostics

6 Market Trends

6.1 Factors Driving Growth

6.1.1 New Genotypes Creating New Markets

6.1.2 Aging Population a Boon for All Diagnostics

6.1.3 Developing World Driving ID Dx Growth

6.1.4 Point of Care - Why Centralization is Losing Steam

6.1.5 Self Testing

6.1.6 The Need for Speed

6.1.7 The COVID Pandemic

6.2 Factors Limiting Growth

6.2.1 Lower Costs

6.2.2 Infectious Disease is Declining

6.2.3 Wellness Hurts

6.2.4 Economic Growth improves Living Standards

6.3 Instrumentation and Automation

6.3.1 Instruments Key to Market Share

6.3.2 The Shrinking Machine

6.3.3 Multiplex, Point of Care and The Speed Factor

6.4 Diagnostic Technology Development

6.4.1 The Sepsis Testing Market - A New Direction?

6.4.2 POCT/Self Testing as a Disruptive Force

6.4.3 The Genetics Play - One Test for All Known Infections

6.4.4 Antibiotic Resistance Genes - Simplifying Diagnostics

7 Molecular Dx - Infectious Disease Recent Developments

7.1 Recent Developments - Importance and How to Use This Section

7.1.1 Importance of These Developments

7.1.2 How to Use This Section

7.2 Home Test Company Prenetics to go Public

7.3 Roche to Acquire TIB Molbiol to Expand Infectious Disease Portfolio

7.4 Lucira Health Posts Revenue Growth on OTC C19 Test

7.5 BforCure Preparing Multiple Panels for Point-of-Care qPCR Platform

7.6 Talis Biomedical Discusses Point-of-Care

7.7 Roche to Acquire GenMark Diagnostics for $1.8B

7.8 Pandemic Pushes Handheld qPCR Devices Closer to Commercialization

7.9 Hologic to Acquire Mobidiag

7.10 Lucira Health Focuses on User Friendly Approach to Home Testing

7.11 Infectious Disease Dx Firm Talis Biomedical Raises $254M in IPO

7.12 Fluidigm Plans 'Durable' Diagnostics, Clinical Business

7.13 Thermo Fisher Scientific to Acquire Mesa Biotech for Up to $550M

7.14 Mammoth Biosciences Developing Pathogen Detection Tech

7.15 Illumina, IDbyDNA Developing Sequencing-Based Respiratory Tests

7.16 Scanogen Developing 90 Minute Infection Test

7.17 Malaria Assays Use CRISPR for Point-of-Care Multispecies Detection

7.18 FDA Provides Self Testing SARS-CoV-2 EAU Guidance

7.19 Mammoth Biosciences Announces Rapid, CRISPR-Based COVID-19 Diagnostic

7.20 Genetic Signatures Gets CE Mark for Coronavirus Molecular Test

7.21 Qiagen Respiratory Panel with Coronavirus Receives CE Mark

7.22 Lumos Diagnostics Closes $15M Series A Funding

7.23 Fusion Genomics to Assess NGS-Based Respiratory Tract Infection Assay

7.24 New Genomic Tests Diagnose Deadly Infections Faster

7.25 Biotia Raises $2.4M Seed Round

7.26 STDs resurge in US

7.27 Ares Genetics signs R&D agreement with leading global IVD corporation

7.28 Cell-Free DNA Used for Infectious Disease Testing

7.29 One BioMed Raises $5M

8 The Global Market for Molecular Diagnostics at the Point of Care

8.1 Global Market Overview by Country

8.1.1 Table - Global Market by Country

8.1.2 Chart - Global Market by Country

8.2 Global Market by Application - Overview

8.2.1 Table - Global Market by Application

8.2.2 Chart - Global Market by Application - Base/Final Year Comparison

8.2.3 Chart - Global Market by Application - Base Year

8.2.4 Chart - Global Market by Application - End Year

8.2.5 Chart - Global Market by Application - Share by Year

8.2.6 Chart - Global Market by Application - Segments Growth

8.3 Global Market by Technology - Overview

8.3.1 Table - Global Market by Technology

8.3.2 Chart - Global Market by Technology - Base/Final Year Comparison

8.3.3 Chart - Global Market by Technology - Base Year

8.3.4 Chart - Global Market by Technology - End Year

8.3.5 Chart - Global Market by Technology - Share by Year

8.3.6 Chart - Global Market by Technology - Segments Growth

8.4 Global Market by Place - Overview

8.4.1 Table - Global Market by Place

8.4.2 Chart - Global Market by Place - Base/Final Year Comparison

8.4.3 Chart - Global Market by Place - Base Year

8.4.4 Chart - Global Market by Place - End Year

8.4.5 Chart - Global Market by Place - Share by Year

8.4.6 Chart - Global Market by Place - Segments Growth

8.5 Global Market by Product - Overview

8.5.1 Table - Global Market by Product

8.5.2 Chart - Global Market by Product - Base/Final Year Comparison

8.5.3 Chart - Global Market by Product - Base Year

8.5.4 Chart - Global Market by Product - End Year

8.5.5 Chart - Global Market by Product - Share by Year

8.5.6 Chart - Global Market by Product - Segments Growth

9 Global MDx at the Point of Care Markets - By Application

9.1 COVID-19

9.1.1 Table COVID-19 - by Country

9.1.2 Chart - COVID-19 Growth

9.2 Respiratory Infectious Disease

9.2.1 Table Respiratory Infectious Disease - by Country

9.2.2 Chart - Respiratory Infectious Disease Growth

9.3 Gastrointestinal Infectious Disease

9.3.1 Table Gastrointestinal Infectious Disease - by Country

9.3.2 Chart - Gastrointestinal Infectious Disease Growth

9.4 Sexually Transmitted Disease

9.4.1 Table Sexually Transmitted Disease - by Country

9.4.2 Chart - Sexually Transmitted Disease Growth

9.5 Other Application

9.5.1 Table Other Application - by Country

9.5.2 Chart - Other Application Growth

10 Global MDx Markets at the Point of Care - by Technology

10.1 PCR

10.1.1 Table PCR - by Country

10.1.2 Chart - PCR Growth

10.2 NGS/Probe

10.2.1 Table NGS/Probe - by Country

10.2.2 Chart - NGS/Probe Growth

10.3 Other Technology

10.3.1 Table Other Technology - by Country

10.3.2 Chart - Other Technology Growth

11 Global MDx at the Point of Care Markets - by Place

11.1 Hospital Point of Care

11.1.1 Table Hospital Point of Care - by Country

11.1.2 Chart - Hospital Point of Care Growth

11.2 Clinic or Physician Office Lab

11.2.1 Table Clinic or Physician Office Lab - by Country

11.2.2 Chart - Clinic or Physician Office Lab Growth

11.3 Seniors Facility

11.3.1 Table Seniors Facility - by Country

11.3.2 Chart - Seniors Facility Growth

11.4 Other Place

11.4.1 Table Other Place- by Country

11.4.2 Chart - Other Place Growth

12 Global MDx at the Point of Care Markets - by Product

12.1 Instrument

12.1.1 Table Instrument - by Country

12.1.2 Chart - Instrument Growth

12.2 Cartridge

12.2.1 Table Cartridge - by Country

12.2.2 Chart - Cartridge Growth

12.3 Other Product

12.3.1 Table Other Product - by Country

12.3.2 Chart - Other Product Growth

13 Appendices

13.1 United States Medicare System: 2021 Clinical Laboratory Fees Schedule

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/h1rbg5

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


NEW YORK, Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Movable Ink , the leading software company powering personalized content for the world's largest brands, unveiled today the lineup and session topics for its second annual (Re)Think Conference taking place on October 21-22, 2021. (Re)Think by Movable Ink is a free, two-day virtual event for marketing leaders and practitioners addressing how digital marketing has shifted over the last year and a half.

Sessions from leaders across the industry will highlight how marketing leaders can activate first-party data to create unique customer experiences, bring personalization across channels, and convert new customers into loyalists.

"We're excited to be expanding (Re)Think this year, bringing the top minds in the marketing industry together for two days of exploration and collaboration," said Vivek Sharma, CEO and co-founder of Movable Ink. "The rise of zero- and first-party data, as well as the need for increased personalization in campaigns, has ushered in a new era for marketers and brands and we'll be diving into the nuances of these shifts for attendees."

Select keynote sessions will include:

Omar Johnson , the former CMO at Beats Electronics by Dre and former VP of Marketing at Apple, will deliver a keynote session on his experiences of creating emotional connections to a brand through innovative and unconventional marketing techniques. He led innovative marketing programs for international brands including Nike, Coca-Cola, Kraft Foods, and Campbell Soup.

, the former CMO at Beats Electronics by Dre and former VP of Marketing at Apple, will deliver a keynote session on his experiences of creating emotional connections to a brand through innovative and unconventional marketing techniques. He led innovative marketing programs for international brands including Nike, Coca-Cola, Kraft Foods, and Campbell Soup. Vinh Giang , an acclaimed speaker, will draw on the fact that the worlds of magic and marketing have a surprising amount in common. To be successful in either, it requires the ability to guide perspective, influence behavior, and communicate in a masterful way. In this inspiring keynote, Vinh will share his experience in the art of performance-enhanced communication, and show how you can use these skills to build deeper connections with your peers and your customers.

, an acclaimed speaker, will draw on the fact that the worlds of magic and marketing have a surprising amount in common. To be successful in either, it requires the ability to guide perspective, influence behavior, and communicate in a masterful way. In this inspiring keynote, Vinh will share his experience in the art of performance-enhanced communication, and show how you can use these skills to build deeper connections with your peers and your customers. Stephanie Liu , an analyst at Forrester serving B2C marketing professionals, will be delivering a keynote on how to craft relevant, moments-based messages that deliver value. Liu focuses her research on marketing technologies, including marketing resource management and mobile engagement automation, as well as customer trust and privacy. She helps Forrester clients understand and navigate the rapidly changing landscapes of martech and privacy.

"The industry has been through a lot over the past year. I am thrilled to be able to bring leaders throughout the marketing world together for collaboration and learning," said Sharma. "It is valuable to hear from others, listen to the stories of resilience and perseverance throughout not only the pandemic, but the changing industry, and learn about the emerging trends and opportunities."

For more information about (Re)Think, including the full speaker lineup, as well as how to register to join, please visit: https://events.bizzabo.com/rethink2021 .

About Movable Ink

Customers don't experience data, they experience content. Movable Ink activates any data into personalized content in any customer engagement. More than 700 of the world's most innovative brands rely on Movable Ink to accelerate their marketing performance. With more than 400 employees, the company is headquartered in New York City with operations throughout North America, Central America, Europe, Australia, and Japan. Learn more at movableink.com .

SOURCE Movable Ink

Related Links

https://movableink.com


NEW YORK, Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Financial services law firm Murphy & McGonigle announced today the appointment of two attorneys as new Office Managing Partners (OMP) at the Firm. Katherine McGrail, litigation shareholder and the Chief Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Officer, becomes the new Office Managing Partner of the Virginia office, and litigation shareholder Andrew Melnick will serve as Office Managing Partner of the firm's headquarters New York office. Both attorneys will also serve on the Firm's Executive Committee, along with Elizabeth Lan Davis, Chair of Murphy & McGonigle; Tom McGonigle, Office Managing Partner of the Washington, DC office; and New York shareholder Leonard Amoruso.

"Andy and Kate are both natural leaders who are highly respected in our Firm and by our clients," said Ms. Davis. "The perspectives and experience of Andy, leading our office in New York, and Kate, as our lead diversity officer, will be invaluable for our Executive Committee, as we look forward and advise our clients in a changing and dynamic financial services marketplace," said Ms. Davis, an advocate for diversity and inclusion in the legal and financial services sector.

In addition to her role as Chief Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Officer, Ms. McGrail's practice focuses on advising and representing broker-dealers, registered investment advisers, and FinTech innovators with business models that employ blockchain, digital assets, and Decentralized Finance. She also represents companies involved in investigations initiated by state and federal regulatory authorities, including the SEC, CFTC, DOJ, FINRA, FINCEN, and state Attorneys General. Prior to starting her career in private practice over 15 years ago, Ms. McGrail was a Series 7 registered representative with Morgan Stanley Dean Witter & Co. and worked in the Regulatory Division of Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith, Incorporated and the Disclosure Division at ING Funds.

Mr. Melnick regularly represents leading asset management firms, banks, and broker-dealers and their executives in litigation and regulatory matters. Prior to joining Murphy & McGonigle in 2016, he was in private practice and held senior roles at several financial institutions, including as Chief Litigation Counsel at RCS Capital Corporation, where he oversaw all litigations, investigations, and regulatory inquiries and related activities for the company and its affiliates. He also served as Deputy General Counsel, Head of Retail Litigation at UBS Financial Services, where he had management responsibility for all litigations and arbitrations arising from the business activities of the U.S. broker-dealer/wealth management arm of UBS AG.

"I am honored to lead our talented New York office," said Mr. Melnick. "As one of the only law firms with a singular focus on the financial services industry, New York is a highly strategic market for our Firm and for our clients. New York has enormous significance in the global markets, being populated by both traditional financial institutions and FinTech startups, alike."

Ms. McGrail commented, "Diversity, Equity & Inclusion has been a Firm priority since its inception. The recent appointment of Liz to the position of Chair and my appointment to lead the Richmond office and serve on the Executive Committee demonstrate this Firm's deep commitment to the DE&I cause and positions us well to continue growing and supporting diverse talent at all levels in the Firm."

About Murphy & McGonigle

Murphy & McGonigle serves the regulatory counseling, enforcement defense and high-stakes litigation needs of clients across the full spectrum of the financial services industry  from investment banks and commercial banks, broker-dealers, investment advisers, and hedge funds, to national and international securities markets and exchanges as well as digital asset trading platforms and FinTech innovators. Many of the firm's partners formerly served in senior positions at the SEC, CFTC, OCC, CME Group, FINRA, and the U.S. Department of Justice, and several served in senior executive positions in major financial institutions on Wall Street.

The Firm was recognized as "Law Firm of the Year" for Securities Regulation in 2021 by U.S. News  Best Lawyers. Murphy & McGonigle operates in New York, Washington, DC, Virginia, Chicago and San Francisco.

Media Contact: Mark Curran,

[email protected]

212.880.3989



SOURCE Murphy & McGonigle
HERNDON, Va., Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- HawkEye 360 Inc., the world's first commercial company to pioneer radio frequency (RF) data and analytics from space-based satellites, today announced it has been awarded a contract by the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) to help the agency discover, characterize and map activities which emit energy in the RF bands of the electromagnetic spectrum.

The $10 million, base year plus four option years contract will support users throughout the NGA enterprise, including the Combatant Commands and other designated mission partners. HawkEye 360 will provide NGA the means to develop global datasets, enabling users to discover and monitor a broad range of RF activity across large geographic areas.

"We're pleased to be moving from the pilot into an NGA long-term operational contract, which showcases the value of unclassified, shareable commercial RF insights," said HawkEye 360 CEO John Serafini. "NGA is a leader within the United States government in leveraging the growing strengths of the commercial GEOINT sector to fulfill their mission to support policymakers and war fighters. HawkEye 360 is grateful for the opportunity to come alongside NGA and deliver results to customers with some of the most pressing demands."

HawkEye 360's data will support a variety of analytics missions for NGA, including military activity and the trafficking of military, nefarious, non-state and transnational criminal (or illicit) activity. The company's growing constellation of satellites will provide insight into developing events in a timely manner, and the company will work collaboratively with NGA on an ongoing basis to effectively meet the agency's mission needs.

"This program is an excellent example of agile acquisition rapidly delivering high-impact GEOINT to the warfighter," said Alex Fox, EVP for Business Development, Sales, and Marketing. "NGA leveraged a National Reconnaissance Office commercial integration study contract with HawkEye 360 in September 2020 to execute a test and evaluation contract with the only RF provider capable of meeting the requirements. NGA issued a competitive RFP in March 2021 and awarded the contract in July 2021  a fantastic example of quickly bringing a new capability to the GEOINT community. We are excited to continue working with NGA to address current mission requirements and expand the RF GEOINT tradecraft to address an even larger set of mission requirements, much like NGA has done with their pioneering use of commercial imagery."

HawkEye 360 operates a constellation of nine RF-monitoring satellites. Twenty-one additional satellites are fully funded and scheduled for launch in 2021 and 2022. Once complete, this baseline constellation of 30 satellites will provide collection revisits as frequent as every 20 minutes.

Following the establishment of the baseline constellation, HawkEye 360 plans to launch a second-generation constellation of 30 additional satellites by 2025 to satisfy projected capacity and operational requirements.

The company's RF data and analytics produce actionable insights for national, tactical and homeland security operations, maritime domain awareness, environmental protection and a growing number of new defense and commercial applications.

About HawkEye 360

HawkEye 360 is delivering a revolutionary source of global knowledge based on radio frequency (RF) geospatial intelligence to those working to make the world a safer place. The company operates the first-of-its-kind commercial satellite constellation to detect, characterize, and geolocate a broad range of RF signals. This unique RF data and analytics equip our global customers with high-impact insights needed to make decisions with confidence. HawkEye 360 is headquartered in Herndon, Virginia.

SOURCE HawkEye 360
As the first industry trade show to return since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, Expo East provided a valuable opportunity for in-person discovery, drawing retailers from stores such as Kroger, Whole Foods, Earth Fare, Dawson's Market, Freshly and many more, who sought out the hottest products in organic and natural foods; clean beauty and home products; and supplements and ingredients.

Steven Jamieson, HBC Merchandiser, PCC Markets, said, "As a retailer, it was important to come to Expo East this year to show up for our community. We really wanted to be able to let vendors know that we're here looking for new products. The keynote was really uplifting at a time where retailers are overexerting to be there for our communities. When I had to step out of the keynote yesterday, I was able to pull it up on the app and continue watching the live stream."

The expo floor was filled with brands that highlighted the future of food and wellness. According to New Hope Network's Nutrition Business Journal, the natural and organic industry is forecast to surpass $300 billion in sales by 2023 and $400 billion by 2030, driven by conscious consumers who place a premium on ensuring their health and well-being while increasingly looking toward social responsibility and sustainability.

According to PopZup Popcorn CEO & Founder Julie Lapham, "At Expo East, we are finding like-minded brands and like-minded retailers. This is where people are looking for better options and this is where we can find resources to help us grow. The excitement is overwhelming and the quality of the people is just spot on, it's exactly who we want to meet. The number of people we're meeting has exceeded our expectations. The show has been well attended with great quality people and great information."

An overview of consumer trends at the show can be found online, covering everything from plant proteins to waste reduction. A gallery featuring winners of the prestigious NEXTY Awards, representing what tomorrow's healthy living landscape will look like, can be viewed online. The winner of the Pitch Slam was first-time exhibitor Fila Manila.

The event featured a full agenda of education sessions spanning topics from brand-building to investing to amplifying BIPOC voices through increased diversity & inclusion. Keynotes included a talk by Shawn Achor, bestselling author of The Happiness Advantage and Big Potential, and the State of Natural & Organic presentation that examined the industry's performance category-by-category.

New Hope Network partnered with (included), a membership collective for BIPOC executives in the CPG space, to step-up diversity and inclusion throughout the event. Said Ryan Pintado-Vertner, Founder of Smoketown, "We've seen New Hope Network invest in anti-racist training and commit to increase people of color's access to the show. One of the areas of progress that we've seen is that there are more people, particularly white people in positions of power and authority, who were willing to have a conversation that's vulnerable and honest about what it means to be anti-racist, where they are relative to that goal, and what they could do to close the gap."



"Being together again with our community was important on several levels, from the fun of catching up with old friends to making those magical Expo connections that always seem to materialize when this group of people convenes to do business," said Carlotta Mast, Senior Vice President at Informa Markets' New Hope Network. "We were thrilled to see the people and products that make this fast-growing industry so special, including first-time exhibitors and our long-time supporters and sponsors. During these four very busy days we were reminded why we do this work  to bring more health and wellness to people and planet."

In addition to best-in-class health and safety protocols, New Hope Network stepped up the event's sustainability commitment with enhanced efforts around waste diversion, energy consumption and carbon offsetting, mindful procurement and community engagement.

"Hosting a safe and successful event this year was our top priority and we are grateful to our community for partnering with us and adhering to health and safety guidelines so that we could make this much-needed event happen for our industry members," said Lacey Gautier, Group Show Director, Informa Markets' New Hope Network. "The support we received from the Philadelphia community made this possible and we are thrilled and honored to call the city home."

Expo East celebrated its move to Philadelphia with a partnership to donate leftover food and beverage products from the event to local food rescue Philabundance as well as through supporting Habitat for Humanity Philadelphia. Expo East estimates the event will bring a $26 million positive impact to the city's economy during a typical year.

Industry members who were unable to travel to Philadelphia were invited to participate through the Natural Products Expo Virtual platform. New on-demand content will be added following the in-person show. Natural Products Expo East is produced by New Hope Network and is co-located with BioFach America and Harvest Festival. Natural Products Expo West 2022 will be held March 8-12 at the Anaheim Convention Center. Natural Products Expo East 2022 will take place September 28-October 1 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center.

Follow @NatProdExpo on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter! Visit @Natural Products Expo on LinkedIn to join in on ongoing conversations. Natural Products Expo is a business-to-business trade show and is not open to the public.

About New Hope Network

New Hope Network is at the forefront of the healthy lifestyle products industry. With solutions for the complete supply chain from manufacturers, retailers/distributors, service providers and ingredient suppliers, the network offers a robust portfolio of content, events, data, research and consultative services. Through its mission of growing healthy markets to bring more health to more people, New Hope Network helps businesses identify the people, products, partnerships and trends that create better opportunities and connections. For more information visit www.newhope.com.

About Informa Markets

Informa Markets creates platforms for industries and specialist markets to trade, innovate and grow. We provide marketplace participants around the globe with opportunities to engage, experience and do business through face-to-face exhibitions, targeted digital services and actionable data solutions. We connect buyers and sellers across more than a dozen global verticals, including Pharmaceuticals, Food, Medical Technology and Infrastructure. As the world's leading market-making company, we bring a diverse range of specialist markets to life, unlocking opportunities and helping them to thrive 365 days of the year. For more information, please visit www.informamarkets.com.

SOURCE New Hope Network
A Tax Law certificate at New England Law | Boston gives students targeted real-world experience in a competitive field. Tweet this

The program will be directed by Professor Wilton B. Hyman, who also serves as a co-advisor for the school's Small Firm Practice concentration. Professor Hyman has deep expertise in tax law and policy, the intersection of tax law and race, and health care law. He is the author of several articles on tax issues and the black business community.

"New England Law has a deep, rich history of preparing and educating law students who pursue successful tax law careers in private practice and in government, and who choose to further their education through the pursuit of advanced degrees in taxation," said Hyman. "Our new Tax Law certificate program expands our tax course offerings and will provide our students with exposure to a greater number of tax law disciplines, and to cutting-edge and emerging tax issues."

Students may earn a certificate concurrently with their Juris Doctorate (JD) degree by completing a designated number of credits with a specified GPA in program-specific courses. Each certificate program also has a required experiential learning component, which includes internships, clinics, moot court/mock trial competitions, and other options.

Certificate programs enable students to gain targeted real-world experience in competitive legal fields. With the most recent addition, New England Law now offers certificates in five disciplines:

Compliance and Risk Management

Criminal Practice and Procedure

Immigration Law

Intellectual Property Law

Tax Law

For more information about certificate programs at New England Law, visit www.nesl.edu/certificates .

ABOUT NEW ENGLAND LAW | BOSTON

New England Law | Boston was founded in 1908 as Portia Law School, the first and only law school established exclusively for the education of women. Today, New England Law offers its co-ed student body flexible, convenient programs that combine rigorous academics, dynamic community, and early access to practical experience, as well as a diverse, global alumni network spanning 29 countries, 50 states, and 99 practice areas. For more information, visit www.nesl.edu .

SOURCE New England Law | Boston

Related Links

http://www.nesl.edu


Parental knowledge and advocacy of SEL has also grown, with 87 percent believing it is important in helping their children navigate today's world. Parents recognize that SEL can help their children be more successful in the future, and report that they feel SEL is just as important as academic subjects. Parents also believe that SEL is not emphasized as much as it should be (81 percent), that it has become even more important since the beginning of the pandemic (82 percent), and that it is helpful for children learning online (80 percent).

To download and read the report, please visit: www.mheducation.com/sel-survey.

For the 2021 report, McGraw Hill surveyed educators (teachers), administrators and parents to better understand their opinions about the importance of Social and Emotional Learning, the effects of COVID-19 on children's wellbeing, and on how schools can support kids as they return for the 2021-22 school year. According to the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning, SEL is defined as the process through which young people and adults acquire and apply knowledge, skills and attitudes to develop healthy identities, manage emotions and achieve personal and collective goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain supportive relationships, and make responsible and caring decisions.

COVID-19 and SEL

Overall, the pandemic has clearly underscored the importance of SEL. A majority of educators said COVID-19 and/or the shift to remote learning has caused their students emotional distress and created problems with attendance. Administrators and teachers cite that an increased number of students have "given up" on school and show signs of depression, loneliness and anxiety. Teachers also find that student confidence has plummeted, and it is easier for them to disengage from learning. As such, over 84 percent of educators believe that SEL has become more important since the pandemic.

Throughout the last year and a half, many students have dealt with family losses and are fearful of COVID-19 and social interactions. This has prompted three-quarters of educators to anticipate additional SEL needs for the move back to classrooms. Over 95 percent of educators believe that SEL will help provide benefits such as reduced behavioral problems, improved grades and less emotional distress.

"The research is clear: Social and Emotional Learning is a critical component to student success and wellbeing generally, and especially now as we navigate between online and in-person experiences," said Sean Ryan, President of McGraw Hill's School group. "Across the board, parents, teachers and administrators recognize the significant impact SEL has on academic achievement and student motivation, and we are committed to providing SEL resources that support everyone connected to the classroom."

McGraw Hill

McGraw Hill is a learning science company that delivers personalized learning experiences that drive results for students, parents, educators and professionals. We focus on educational equity, affordability and learning success to help learners build better lives. Headquartered in New York City, McGraw Hill has offices across North America, Asia, Australia, Europe, the Middle East and South America, and makes its learning solutions for PreK-12, higher education, professionals and others available in more than 80 languages. Visit us at mheducation.com or find us on Facebook , Instagram , LinkedIn or Twitter .

Contact:

Tyler Reed

McGraw Hill

(914) 512-4853

[email protected]

SOURCE McGraw Hill
HIGHLANDS RANCH, Colo., Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Chemung County Sewer District (CCSD) has selected Arcadis to consolidate its two wastewater treatment plants in an effort to modernize its infrastructure and save costs. Arcadis will provide design and construction services to upgrade the Milton Street Wastewater Treatment Plant and decommission the Lake Street Wastewater Treatment Plant.

Modernizing wastewater infrastructure and upgrading treatment processes can be costly. In consolidating the plants, CCSD is eliminating the need to renovate both plants, instead investing in more cost, energy and operationally efficient processes at Milton Street. The upgraded plant will have a permitted capacity of 28.2 million gallons per day and is expected to be complete by 2026.

Designing consolidated plants typically takes three years. Arcadis will fast-track the project to deliver designs within a year, helping reduce CCSD's capital costs by up to $15 million. The renovated Milton Street plant will also protect water quality in the Chesapeake Bay and locally by meeting more stringent regulatory requirements and abating sanitary sewer overflows at the Lake Street plant.

"We are under pressure to meet aggressive regulatory deadlines," said Tom Rhoads, CCSD's interim executive director. "Arcadis' interactive approach, global office footprint and distributed design capabilities made them uniquely capable of working 24/7 to deliver on our scheduling and environmental requirements. We are eager to get started on improving water quality in our community."

To meet the county's deadline, Arcadis will use an entirely virtual approach. Building Information Modeling (BIM) process experts and engineers around the world will work to develop 3D models. Those digital models will then guide the decision-making process for final delivery.

"A consolidation of this size requires adept, innovative engineering and incredibly organized individuals capable of meeting tight deadlines. Blending those capabilities to protect local water quality in a fair and equitable manner is a welcome endeavor and a core value that our entire team brings to this project," said John Perriello, group leader and one of Arcadis' local experts whose familiarity with upstate New York's unique wastewater challenges will help ensure the company delivers optimal outcomes for CCSD.

Arcadis has successfully delivered wastewater treatment projects in upstate New York for nearly 60 years, including its recent efforts to help track COVID-19 in wastewater collection systems.

Improving quality of life

ABOUT ARCADIS

Arcadis is the leading global design & consultancy organization for natural and built assets. We maximize impact for our clients and the communities they serve by providing effective solutions through sustainable outcomes, focus and scale, and digitalization. We are over 27,000 people, active in more than 70 countries that generate 3.3 billion in revenues. We support UN-Habitat with knowledge and expertise to improve the quality of life in rapidly growing cities around the world. www.arcadis.com

SOURCE Arcadis

Related Links

https://www.arcadis.com


DULLES, Va., Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Unanet, the leading provider of project-based ERP and CRM solutions, today announced that NewFields, a global environmental, engineering and construction management firm, has switched its ERP solution and will implement Unanet ERP for Architects and Engineers. NewFields made the decision to change its ERP systems due to Unanet's industry-leading customer service, software integration capabilities and customer-first innovation.

Founded in 1995, NewFields is a 350+-person firm headquartered in Atlanta and with 19 offices in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and the U.K. It serves clients in a variety of industries, including mining, oil & gas, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and transportation. Over the past few decades NewFields operated its offices separately, with unique business functions and processes in each. Its existing ERP solution did not enable it to generate business-wide, cross-office reports, analytics, billing or HR information.

"Our legacy technology restricted us so we operated in a siloed fashion, generating 10 different reports for 10 different offices and it was impossible to get a wholistic view of the business," said Eric Salnas, Chief Financial Officer for NewFields. "With Unanet we'll eliminate that issue and be able to be more proactive and data driven in our business and make decisions that support our strategic vision for growth, talent management and efficiency."

Another reason NewFields selected Unanet AE was Unanet's ability to respond directly to NewFields' requirements with innovation and specialized solutions. Unanet demonstrated creative and proactive thinking when tasked with solving one of NewFields' billing challenges. Rather than force-fitting an existing function, Unanet innovated and resolved this challenge for NewFields.

"Unanet is truly engaged and committed to us and our business," continued Salnas. "We don't feel like a ticket number, but instead a true partner. We get their full attention and they bring creativity, technological innovation and a superior product to the table."

"NewFields has demonstrated outstanding customer service, growth and market leadership since it's been in business, and we are honored to work with them as they implement their strategic vision," said Matt Pantana, senior vice president, A/E products. "Forward-thinking companies like NewFields prefer to work with Unanet because we're a combination of technology, service and culture."

Unanet AE is purpose-built ERP for architecture and engineering firms and offers a powerful combination of project management, business intelligence, time & expense tracking, financial, prospect management and integration tools in one single source. Independent industry analysts confirm that Unanet is an industry-leader in customer support, usability, implementation and customer relationships.

To learn more about Unanet AE and NewFields, please visit https://unanet.com/blog/why-we-chose-unanet-newfields.

About Unanet

Unanet is a leading provider of project-based ERP and CRM solutions purpose-built for Government Contractors, architecture, engineering, construction, and professional services. More than 3,200 project-driven organizations depend on Unanet to turn their information into actionable insights, drive better decision-making, and accelerate business growth. All backed by a people-centered team invested in the success of your projects, people, and financials. For more information, visit www.unanet.com.

SOURCE Unanet
ATLANTA, Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- OncoHealth, the leading digital health company focused on the physical, mental and financial complexities of cancer care, has released its Q2 2021 quarterly report on the FDA's newly approved drugs and indications and highlighted the continued rise in accelerated approvals as well as new concerns around their growth. OncoHealth's quarterly report also reveals that 29% of approvals contained an immune checkpoint inhibitor and 43% were biomarker dependent.

Fifty percent (seven of 14) of new oncology indications received accelerated approvals in the quarter  up from 36% from the same quarter in 2020. Costs for the drugs receiving accelerated approvals in Q2 2021 ranged from $166,404 to $485,336 annually. In the past two years, the FDA has granted 38 accelerated approvals in oncology drugs and indications.

"As the FDA ramps up accelerated approvals, many of the new indications are being accepted with cautious optimism," said Dr. Laura R. Bobolts, PharmD, BCOP, Senior Vice President, Pharmacy at OncoHealth. "Delays in confirmatory trial results and lack of swift action by the FDA when subsequent studies fail has led some to question whether the FDA has allowed their evidence standards to become too permissive and inconsistent."

In further analysis of FDA approval activity in Q2, the report notes that despite the focus on the COVID-19 pandemic over the past 18 months, the FDA was still busy approving oncology-related drug indications. The 14 approvals in the quarter brings the total in the first half of 2021 to 34 approved oncology indications. That's in addition to the 66 oncology related approvals in 2020.

OncoHealth's Q2 2021 report also notes that immune checkpoint inhibitors continue to expand in use, solidifying their place as standard of care in over 17 different tumor types and two tumor-agnostic indicationssignificantly improving the outcomes of cancer patients. Almost a third (29%) of new oncology indications during the second quarter of 2021 involved an immune checkpoint inhibitor, up from 25% during the same quarter of 2020. A consistent theme has emergedroughly one in four FDA approvals contains an immune checkpoint inhibitor.

Novel precision medicine approvals also continued to grow. In Q2 2021, 43% of approved oncology indications were biomarker dependent. Two of the seven new molecular entities (NMEs), or brand new to market oncology drugs approved in the second quarter of 2021 included new molecular targets in advanced/metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

"Oncologists are increasingly turning to germline and somatic tumor testing to better inform treatment decisions," said Dr. Bobolts. "Providers are refining treatment approaches, leveraging molecular tumor boards, and customizing cancer care to an individual tumor's molecular fingerprint. Genetic testing use, especially with broad panel next generation sequencing, will only grow throughout 2021."

"We work with providers and health plans to provide the latest oncology expertise to make sure patients receive treatment tailored to their unique cancer situation," said Rick Dean, CEO of OncoHealth. "These recommendations are backed by evidence-based medicine demonstrating that the therapy is safe, effective, and offers the best value for patients and health plans. In our experience, this approach is the most successful way to control the rising cost of oncology drugs."

A copy of the report is available for download here. Dr. Bobolts will be discussing the report findings and analysis during a webinar on September 30 at 2:00 p.m. ET. Click here to register.

About OncoHealth

OncoHealth is a leading digital health company dedicated to helping health plans, employers, providers, patients, and life science researchers navigate the physical, mental, and financial complexities of cancer through technology enabled services and real-world data analytics. Supporting more than 7 million people in the US and Puerto Rico, OncoHealth offers digital solutions for treatment review, real-world evidence, and virtual care across all cancer types. For more information, visit www.oncohealth.us

SOURCE OncoHealth

Related Links

www.oncohealth.us


VANCOUVER, BC, Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - Orea Mining Corp. ("Orea") ( TSX: OREA) (OTCQX: OREAF) (FSE: 3CG) is pleased to provide an update on the renewal of the Montagne d'Or Gold Deposit ("Montagne d'Or") concessions (the "Mining Titles"), located in French Guiana, France, owned 44.99% by Orea and 55.01% by Nord Gold plc (the "JV").

As announced on July 22, 2021, the Court of Appeal of Bordeaux rejected the French Government's appeal and its request for a stay of execution of the initial court rulings of December 24, 2020, which were in favour of the JV, ordering the renewal of the Mining Titles. In its ruling, the Court of Appeal concluded that the arguments put forth by the French Government were without merit and that the JV submitted complete applications and met all requirements for the renewal of the Mining Titles.

The French Government had until September 17, 2021, to file a second and final appeal to the French Supreme Court (Conseil d'Etat). As of today, September 27, 2021, the JV has not received or located any official communication that a second and final appeal has been lodged.

The JV expects to know in reasonable due-course if an appeal has been lodged. If an appeal has been lodged, the Supreme Court will conduct an analysis on whether to admit or reject to hear the appeal. To be admissible, the appeal must be based on reasoned arguments and serious grounds. No deadline is provided for such an analysis and the appeal will be communicated to the JV only if it is admitted for hearing. If the appeal is considered admissible, the Supreme Court will only assess whether the initial court rulings were sufficiently substantiated and if the procedural rules have been duly followed without error; therefore, it would not be possible for the French Government to present new or additional arguments. In principle, an appeal before the Supreme Court has no suspensive effect, therefore the initial court rulings should be upheld and implemented, except if the Supreme Court expressly decides otherwise pending its final ruling on an appeal.

In addition, on June 25, 2021, the JV filed additional claims before the French courts to enforce the court decisions of December 24, 2020, and have the French Government be subject to a daily penalty, which is payable to the JV, until the Mining Titles have been formally renewed.

Montagne d'Or, located in French Guiana, France, is a permitting-stage open pit gold deposit that hosts Proven Mineral Reserves of 8.25 Mt at 1.99 g/t gold (530,000 oz) and Probable Mineral Reserves of 45.87 Mt at 1.50 g/t gold (2.2 Moz). The mineralized zones remain open on strike to the west and at depth. Utilizing a gold price of $1,300, the deposit hosts Measured Mineral Resources of 10.3 Mt at 1.804 g/t gold (600,000 oz), plus Indicated Mineral Resources of 74.8 Mt at 1.350 g/t gold (3.25 Moz) and additional Inferred Mineral Resources of 20.2 Mt at 1.48 g/t gold (960,000 oz).*

If the Mining Titles are renewed, Montagne d'Or will be subject to various regulatory requirements prior to proceeding with the construction and operation of a mine, which include but are not limited to, the grant of mining and environmental authorizations and construction permits by the State.

Additional updates will be provided by Orea in due-course.

*About Montagne d'Or

Montagne d'Or is a permitting-stage open pit gold deposit that hosts Measured Mineral Resources of 10.3 Mt at 1.804 g/t gold (600,000 oz), Indicated Mineral Resources of 74.8 Mt at 1.350 g/t gold (3.25 Moz) and additional Inferred Mineral Resources of 20.2 Mt at 1.48 g/t gold (960,000 oz), prepared in accordance with the requirements of National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101"). The Mineral Resources are confined within a pit shell defined by a gold price of US$1,300/oz and a cut-off grade of 0.4 g/t gold. Mineral Reserves have also been defined with Proven Mineral Reserves of 8.25 Mt at 1.99 g/t gold (530,000 oz) and Probable Mineral Reserves of 45.87 Mt at 1.50 g/t gold (2.2 Moz). The Proven and Probable Mineral Reserves were estimated using a gold price of US$1,200 per ounce at varied cut-off grades from 0.552 to 0.665 g/t gold, dependent on lithological rock types, economics and estimated metallurgical recovery. Montagne d'Or ore can be readily processed to recover the contained gold and silver values using unit operations considered standard to the industry. For more information, see Orea's news release titled "Columbus Gold Announces Positive Bankable Feasibility Study for Montagne d'Or Gold Project, French Guiana" dated March 20, 2017 and filed on SEDAR and the technical report prepared in accordance with the requirements of NI 43-101 titled "NI 43-101 Technical Report, Bankable Feasibility Study - Montagne d'Or Project, French Guiana" by SRK Consulting for Columbus Gold (now Orea Mining) and Nordgold with an Effective Date of March 6, 2017, and a report date of April 28, 2017, which was filed on SEDAR on April 28, 2017.

Qualified Person

Rock Lefrancois, President & Chief Executive Officer of Orea and Qualified Person under National Instrument 43-101, has reviewed this news release and is responsible for the technical information reported herein, including verification of the data disclosed.

About Orea Mining Corp.

Orea is a leading gold exploration and development company operating in a prospective and underexplored segment of the Guiana Shield, South America. Its mission is to develop gold deposits with a reduced environmental footprint using innovative technologies, upholding the highest international standards for responsible mining. In French Guiana, Orea holds a major interest in the world-class Montagne d'Or mine development project and is also advancing the Maripa gold exploration project.

For more about Orea visit the company's website at www.oreamining.com

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD:

Rock Lefrancois

President & CEO

Forward-looking statements

Certain statements made herein, including statements relating to matters that are not historical facts and statements of the Company's beliefs, intentions and expectations about developments, results and events which will or may occur in the future, constitute "forward looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation ("forward-looking statements"). Forward-looking statements relate to future events or future performance, reflect current expectations or beliefs regarding future events and are typically identified by words such as "anticipate", "could", "should", "expect", "seek", "may", "intend", "likely", "budget", "plan", "estimate", continue", "forecast", "believe", "predict", "potential", "target", "would", "might", "will", and similar words, expressions or phrases (including negative variations) suggesting future outcomes or statements regarding an outlook. These include, but are not limited to, statements and information regarding: the Company's plans to construct and develop the Montagne d'Or project, including anticipated timing thereof; the timing, processes, outcome and other matters related to the renewal of the Montagne d'Or concessions, including the appeal from the French Government; the satisfaction of regulatory requirements in respect of the permitting, construction and operation of the Montagne d'Or project, including but not limited to, the submission and processing of mine permit applications, the timing thereof and the timing of completion of environmental and engineering studies; the Company's ability to renew the concessions for the Montagne d'Or project and to comply with the conditions thereof; economic analysis for the Montagne d'Or project and related exploration objectives and plans; the conversion of mineral resources into mineral reserves and the conversion of inferred mineral resources into higher resource classification categories; the Company's objective of become an emerging gold producer; the acquisition of exploration projects including terms of acquisition, exploration or development plans, intentions to acquire additional exploration or development interests and the implications thereof; the production capacity and potential of future plant and equipment; future exploration and mine plans, objectives and expectations and corporate planning of the Company, future studies and environmental impact statements and the timetable for completion and content thereof and statements as to management's expectations with respect to, among other things, the matters and activities contemplated in this news release.

Forward-looking statements are made based upon certain assumptions and other important factors that, if untrue, could cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such statements. Such assumptions and analyses are made by the Company's management in light of their experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors management believes are reasonable and appropriate in the circumstances. All assumptions and analyses are those of the Company's. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate. Forward-looking statements are based on numerous assumptions regarding present and future business strategies, local and global economic conditions, and the environment in which the Company will operate in the future, including compliance by the Company with regulatory and permitting requirements applicable in French Guiana, the sufficiency of Company's working capital; the Company's ability to secure additional funding for the continued exploration and development of its properties; the price of gold and other metals; and the Company's ability to retain key personnel. You are hence cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.

Certain important factors that could cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements include, among others, political and economic risks in France, political and economic risks in French Guiana, risks related to the renewal applications for the Concessions and the possible outcomes thereof; possible negative outcomes of any appeals from the decision of the Administrative Court of Cayenne in French Guiana; regulatory risk including but not limited to unforeseen changes in regulatory requirements, the Company's ability to enforce its contractual and other legal rights to explore and exploit its properties, risks related to exploration and development, permitting and licensing risk, the estimation of mineral resources and mineral reserves and related interpretations and assumptions, future profitability of the Company, the ability to obtain additional financing on a timely basis, the price of gold and marketability thereof, government regulations including with respect to taxes, royalties, land tenure and land use, title to the Company's properties, currency exchange rates and fluctuations, environmental risks, dilution resulting from the issuance of additional securities of the Company, joint venture risks, reliance on Nord Gold SE as operator of the Montagne d'Or project, the availability of equipment, conflicts of interest, competition in the mining industry, uninsured risks, market fluctuations, global financial conditions, credit risk and risks arising from pandemics and epidemics such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. These statements, however, are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements.

Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve numerous assumptions, inherent risks and uncertainties, both general and specific, which contribute to the possibility that the predicted outcomes will not occur. Events or circumstances could cause the Company's actual results to differ materially from those estimated or projected and expressed in, or implied by, these forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ from these forward-looking statements are included in the "Risk Factors" section in Company's annual information form dated December 11, 2020 for the year ended September 30, 2020 ("AIF").

Readers are further cautioned that the list of factors enumerated in the "Risk Factors" section of the AIF that may affect future results is not exhaustive. When relying on the Company's forward-looking statements and information to make decisions with respect to the Company, investors and others should carefully consider the foregoing factors and other uncertainties and potential events. Furthermore, the forward-looking statements and information contained herein are made as of the date of this document and the Company does not undertake any obligation to update or to revise any of the included forward-looking statements or information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law. The forward-looking statements and information contained herein are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement.

SOURCE Orea Mining Corp.

Related Links

https://oreamining.com/


NEW YORK, Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- OTC Markets Group Inc. (OTCQX: OTCM), operator of financial markets for 11,000 U.S. and global securities, today announced CIB Marine Bancshares, Inc. (OTCQX: CIBH), a bank holding company for CIBM Bank, has qualified to trade on the OTCQX Best Market. CIB Marine Bancshares, Inc. upgraded to OTCQX from the OTCQB Venture Market.

CIB Marine Bancshares, Inc. begins trading today on OTCQX under the symbol "CIBH". U.S. investors can find current financial disclosure and Real-Time Level 2 quotes for the company on www.otcmarkets.com.

Graduating to the OTCQX Market marks an important milestone for community banks in the U.S. public markets. The OTCQX Market enables banks to maximize the value of being a public company by providing transparent trading and easy access to company information for shareholders. To qualify for OTCQX, community banks must meet high financial standards, follow best practice corporate governance, and demonstrate compliance with applicable securities laws.

Mr. J. Brian Chaffin, President & CEO of CIB Marine Bancshares, Inc. remarked, "We are excited to upgrade CIB Marine to the OTCQX Best Market. This marks another accomplishment on our path to greater shareholder liquidity and we look forward to having greater visibility to the investing public."

Raymond James & Associates Inc. acted as the company's OTCQX sponsor.

About CIB Marine Bancshares, Inc.

CIB Marine Bancshares, Inc. is a bank holding company with its principal executive offices in Brookfield, Wisconsin, a suburb of Milwaukee. CIB Marine Bancshares, Inc. owns and operates CIBM Bank, which serves communities throughout Central Illinois; Chicago, Illinois; Indianapolis, Indiana; and Milwaukee, Wisconsin through its full-service banking offices. CIBM Bank offers a full array of traditional banking services, including a broad range of loan products, such as commercial loans, commercial real estate loans, commercial and residential construction loans, one-to-four family residential real estate loans, consumer loans, and commercial and standby letters of credit; acceptance of demand, savings and time deposits; commercial paper and repurchase agreements; and other banking services.

About OTC Markets Group Inc.

OTC Markets Group Inc. (OTCQX: OTCM) operates the OTCQX Best Market, the OTCQB Venture Market and the Pink Open Market for 11,000 U.S. and global securities. Through OTC Link ATS and OTC Link ECN, we connect a diverse network of broker-dealers that provide liquidity and execution services. We enable investors to easily trade through the broker of their choice and empower companies to improve the quality of information available for investors.

To learn more about how we create better informed and more efficient markets, visit www.otcmarkets.com.

OTC Link ATS and OTC Link ECN are SEC regulated ATSs, operated by OTC Link LLC, member FINRA/SIPC.

Subscribe to the OTC Markets RSS Feed

Media Contact:

OTC Markets Group Inc., +1 (212) 896-4428, [email protected]

SOURCE OTC Markets Group Inc.

Related Links

http://www.otcmarkets.com


Creatives in all areas of business and industries are invited to create artwork based on this year's theme, BE:CAUSE. Whether it's shining a light on a cause that needs championing or an issue that's close to one's heart or personal purpose, artists are invited to submit artwork for a chance to be displayed on OUTFRONT's assets across the United States this December. Additionally, OUTFRONT will donate a one month digital out of home media campaign to the charity of the winner's choosing.

The judges for this year's OUTFRAME are comprised of six notable creatives and advertising agency leaders  Dinesh Boaz, 2020 OUTFRAME Winner, Co-Founder & Creative Director at Direct Agents; Jesse Corey, CEO at 1XRun; Shelley Elkins, Chief Creative Officer at Jack Morton; Chiara Martini, Creative Strategy Director at Coca-Cola; Danny Robinson, Chief Creative Officer at Martin Agency; and Chad Shackelford, VP, Head of Digital Creative at OUTFRONT.

"The OUTFRAME contest is an incredible opportunity for artists and creative teams across the country to showcase their work and push their creative boundaries," said Dinesh Boaz, Creative Director and Co-Founder of Direct Agents. "Despite all the challenges of 2020, our Direct Agents creative studio was able to come together and celebrate our collaboration with our winning entry of 'Selfless Love.' The project was created through a combination of aerial photography, graphic design, and creative messaging. Through the sharing of our art, OUTFRAME provided us with a larger vision and a focus on energy and forward momentum. It's exciting for me to make the transition from participant to the judges' panel, and to gain inspiration from all the creative and brilliant minds that participate in this contest."

"OUTFRONT and STUDIOS believe our massive canvases will give the 'BE:CAUSE' themed artwork a significant platform and spotlight that will be further amplified through social media channels," said Eddy Herty, VP, National Creative Director of OUTFRONT STUDIOS.

The deadline to enter is October 31. To learn more about this competition and all entry details, terms and conditions, please visit OUTFRONT.com/OUTFRAME. No purchase is necessary to enter this contest.

About OUTFRONT Media Inc.

OUTFRONT leverages the power of technology, location and creativity to connect brands with consumers outside of their homes through one of the largest and most diverse sets of billboard, transit, and mobile assets in North America. Through its technology platform, OUTFRONT will fundamentally change the ways advertisers engage audiences on-the-go.

Contact:

Media:

Courtney Richards

Senior PR & Events Specialist

(646) 876-9404

[email protected]

SOURCE OUTFRONT Media Inc.

Related Links

http://www.outfrontmedia.com


DETROIT, Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Oxford Capital Group and Hunter Pasteur will break ground this week on The Godfrey Hotel Detroit in historic Corktown, bringing a 227-room, lifestyle brand hotel with first-class amenities, as well as hundreds of jobs, with many going to Detroit residents.

The property, at 1401 Michigan Ave. between Trumbull and Eighth Street, is scheduled to open in 2023. Oxford's wholly owned management affiliate, Oxford Hotels & Resorts, LLC, will manage the property. The 227-room, seven-story hotel will feature I|O, Detroit's largest indoor/outdoor rooftop lounge with expansive views of downtown Detroit and Corktown, a ground-floor chef-driven restaurant, a distinctive lobby bar, a 5,500-square-foot grand ballroom that will accommodate events of more than 350 guests, and a state-of-the-art fitness center. The hotel will have a soft brand affiliation with Hilton's Curio Collection.

Importantly the Godfrey will also create an estimated 200 to 300 construction jobs, and an estimated 160 to 200 part- and full-time jobs, the latter of which include a 401(k) and health insurance, and will pay a minimum of $17 an hour. The developer has committed that at least 25 percent of these jobs will go to residents of Detroit, an unprecedented commitment in such a project. The developers will partner with the City's Detroit at Work Program as the hotel's priority staffing partner.

"We are excited to achieve this important milestone as we continue our strategic national investment, development and acquisition activities while simultaneously growing our lifestyle Godfrey hotel brand throughout the country. The project will be just a few blocks from Michigan Central Station, Ford's new billion-dollar campus and a significant development in Detroit's resurgence," said John W. Rutledge, founder, chairman and CEO of Oxford Hotels & Resorts LLC and Oxford Capital Group LLC, a Chicago-based national hospitality-focused investment, development and management firm. "Since my student days at The University of Michigan, I have been watching Detroit closely and have been impressed by the remarkable transformation that has occurred downtown. We look forward to adding to this momentum and delivering a stunning physical product, as well as Oxford's unique brand of hospitality to this beautiful and dynamic city as Detroit and the country continue their post-pandemic recovery over the next several years."

"Corktown has become synonymous with phenomenal food and drink and is home to an emerging business core," said Randy Wertheimer, president and CEO of Farmington Hills-based Hunter Pasteur. "The Godfrey Hotel will fill a real need in this neighborhood, and we're so thrilled to bring this national hotel brand to our hometown. We look forward to the Godfrey becoming a staple of the city and Corktown community, not just because of the hotel, but also the exciting F&B venues we are developing, including the lobby bar, restaurant, rooftop lounge, and ballroom, which we hope will all become important destination venues for locals and travelers alike to Detroit."

The interiors of the sophisticatedly tailored hotel, designed by The Gettys Group, are inspired by the rich local diversity and elevated elements of the industrial aesthetics of the area's restoration spirit. A timeless interior with a bright neutral background is enlivened with furniture and finishes that are saturated in color, refined in geometries and patterns, and carefully curated and tailored accents. The mixed warm wood tones, the bright terrazzo flooring, rich and textured metals found in sculptural lighting and detailing, and touches of specialty finishes that offer reflectivity and dimension, further cements the identity of this hotel as connecting the guest with the elements of natural forms and local ingenuity and industry. Lofty, reflective and easy guestrooms continue the industrious spirit with custom appointments featuring warm furniture tones and accents set against a bright and clean backdrop.

The hotel's event and dining experiences complete the fashionable ensemble, designed to be a transportive destination for visitors local and from out of town alike. The I|O Rooftop Lounge will provide a rich, yet relaxed and vibrant experience to delight guests offering a variety of spaces and moments of discovery throughout. The interior design is savory and moody as the day transitions to night; enhanced through mixed metals for all-day sparkle. Layered with aspects of earth, wind, water and fire, the retractable glass roof and fully operable windows allows guests to experience all the elements. The hotel will also uniquely offer one of the largest meeting spaces in and out of downtown Detroit, well-appointed with warm and inviting wood tones, moments of sparkle and wonder, and finely crafted details.

"We view Detroit as a compelling hotel investment market given all the existing and new demand being created by the dozens of recent and forthcoming corporate relocations and expansions downtown," said Matthew Kalt, vice president of Oxford Capital Group, LLC.

The Godfrey Hotel Detroit will add to Oxford's current and historical portfolio of more than 15,000 hotel rooms. Current Godfrey Hotel locations include Chicago, Boston, Tampa, Hollywood and others in planning and development. The hotel will benefit from Oxford's extensive national hotel management experience, that includes robust food and beverage offerings; sophisticated revenue management, social media, direct sales, e-commerce, and marketing strategies; its proven ability to run highly profitable rooms and meeting and event venues; highly effective recruiting, training and retention methods; and creative cost control initiatives.

The project investors include several prominent Detroit families, led by Nate Forbes and James Grosfeld. The Godfrey Hotel Detroit will also benefit from Oxford's metro Detroit-based development partner Hunter Pasteur's extensive local development experience and relationships. Oxford, Hunter Pasteur and The Forbes Co. are finalizing plans to launch the Perennial Corktown Apartments adjacent to the Godfrey, which will also break ground this year.

SOURCE Oxford Capital Group, LLC

Related Links

https://www.oxford-capital.com


DHAKA, Bangladesh, Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Praava Health, the fastest-growing consumer healthcare company in Bangladesh, has recently received a donation from One Million Masks - a charitable organization based in New York City in the United States - to support its work in the global fight against COVID. The donation is being made to offset the cost of sequencing COVID samples - a project that Praava is currently working with the research foundation Child Health Research Foundation (CHRF) to identify which variants are captured in the samples being processed at Praava Health. Data from Praava Health's samples are contributing to GISAID, a global, open-access repository of SARS-CoV-2 genome sequences. The amount of the donation is not being made public.

One Million Masks is a grassroots initiative started by NewsCred CoFounder & CEO and CEO at Welcome Software Shafqat Islam. The team at One Million Masks is working with a goal to get one million masks to healthcare workers on the front lines in New York and beyond.

"Since the beginning of the pandemic, Praava has processed more than 150,000 COVID tests, approximately 3% of the total tests done in Bangladesh to date. We are so grateful to One Million Masks for their generous contribution to help us to accelerate our work in sequencing some of our COVID samples to contribute to the local and global understanding of the COVID-19 virus," said Sylvana Q. Sinha, Praava Health's Founder, Chair, & CEO.

"1 Million masks initially started as an initiative to help New Yorkers in need. But we quickly realized that there are people all over the world who we could help. And given our team and roots in Bangladesh, we're thrilled to be able to partner with Praava Health. They're doing incredible work on the ground, and we felt it was the fastest way to make an impact in Bangladesh," said Shafqat Islam, CoFounder & CEO of NewsCred

Praava Health is concerned about the emergence of new variants and their impact on COVID testing and the spread of the disease in Bangladesh and beyond. To date, Bangladesh has contributed fewer than 5,000 samples to global sequencing data - a level of sequencing that is exceptionally low for a population the size of Bangladesh's. Of the 172 countries that have uploaded sequencing data for 1.2 million cases , many report less than 1% of their cases; but Bangladesh's sequencing is much lower with only .005% of all cases being submitted to GISAID, the global repository for COVID-19 genome sequencing.

"To expand and contribute to our collective knowledge on the circulating variants in Bangladesh, we have been collaborating with CHRF to determine which variants are captured and to determine the fidelity of COVID testing in the light of the emerging variations in viral genome and the effect on population health," said Dr. Zaheed Husain, Praava Health's Senior Laboratory Director. "This donation will help us to further continue our work on this very important project."

Child Health Research Foundation (CHRF)'s mission is to, "prevent infections and save lives", by working to understand what causes diseases, and advocating to institute evidence-based policies. The organization is led by Executive Director Dr. Samir K. Saha, an eminent Bangladeshi microbiologist and public health expert who also serves as the professor, senior consultant, and head of the department of Diagnostic Division of Microbiology at the Dhaka Shishu Hospital.

About Praava Health: Praava is a "brick-and-click" healthcare platform that integrates digital health and in-clinic experiences convenient to where everyone lives, works, and clicks. The platform seamlessly combines technology with traditional health services  meaningful doctor-patient relationships (15-minute appointments) and quality diagnostics (lab and imaging) and medications  to improve patient experiences and outcomes. Praava's digital products include Bangladesh's first patient app (launched in 2018), as well as telemedicine, e-pharmacy, and virtual primary care. Praava is also the first in the region to introduce value-based healthcare concepts, aligning patient values with its own incentives. Praava has been recognized by the World Economic Forum as a Technology Pioneer (June 2021) and Fast Company as a World Changing Idea (May 2020).

Recent milestones:

230,000+ patients served to date, growing more than 3x year on year

150,000+ COVID-19 tests processed in-house to date

Remote and virtual healthcare services grew to 40% of all services in 2020

New digital products, including telemedicine, e-pharmacy, and virtual primary care

Net Promoter Score (NPS) of 76, equivalent to the highest NPS scores for Fortune 500 companies

For any press inquiries, please contact us at: [email protected]

SOURCE Praava Health
RENO, Nev., Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Keolis Corporation's disregard for the well-being of our regional transit operators and support staff continues unabated. Since they agreed to join Teamsters Local 533 in a participatory process in August, this corporation has only engaged in four negotiation sessions and have been stonewalling the process ever since. "At this rate it will take more than three or four years to achieve a contract," said Teamsters Local 533 President Gary Watson.

Over the past eighteen months, not only has Keolis Corporation failed to implement local, state, and federal COVID-19 safety requirements, they've also cut overtime and ignored safety measures. As a result, the company is struggling to maintain adequate staffing for service. Only 110 bus operators are currently employed by Keolis Corporation. For full service and operation, our transit system needs 187 bus operators. By continuing to stall in negotiations, Keolis Corporation not only overburdens the remaining bus operators and the support staff - they also fail the passengers in our community who depend upon our region's bus system. What is Keolis Corporation's endgame?

"Keolis Corporation is failing to recognize that there is a quality-of-life component for their employees and quality of life matters in our community. Many of our bus operators and support staff are mothers or single parents who need safe workplaces so they can be there for their families. Teamsters 533 has become a job placement facilitator, helping mistreated operators and support staff find work at UPS, Waste Management or other transit facilities, where they're treated with respect," said Teamsters 533 President Gary Watson.

Keolis Corporation's do-nothing approach and lack of accountability have alienated not only their own employees, but also arbitrators and a federal mediator. Their unreasonableness during the participatory process resulted in the loss of one arbitrator last year and Keolis is on a path to run off the mediator this year should they continue to delay.

Over the past year, Keolis Corporation has also received millions of dollars in CARES Act, American Rescue Plan, and other federal funding, though the slush fund RTC Washoe has created for them, but with no public transparency or accountability.

"Keolis still answers to no one. Once again we encourage the community to stand with us in holding them accountable."

Further information on the "Truth about Keolis" can be found at Teamsters533.org

MEDIA CONTACT:

Debbie Calkins, Gary Watson

Chris Fuqua & Ross Kinson

(775) 348-6060 Ext. 101

SOURCE Teamsters Local 533
NEW YORK, Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- On September 20, 2021, Pro Help Legal converted to a free connection system. While many lawyers offer free consultations, consumers may still have to pay for some lawyer fees.

During the pandemic, legal needs have surged and access to lawyers has become more difficult. With more than 80% of civil legal needs going unmet in the U.S. Pro Help Legal provides a secure and encrypted video connection service and marketplace. Consumers can search for a lawyer by location or by area of law.

This is a product that helps people find and talk to lawyers, instantly and directly, without having to leave home. Pro Help Legal has made this product free to help people access legal help during the pandemic.

Pro Help Legal currently only permits lawyers to register for an account, and only in the United States.

Since launching in March 2021, more than 27,000 users have accessed this service. The video is crisp and clear, and works easily from your mobile browser (Safari for iPhone users and Chrome for Android users.)

Lawyers who consult with consumers control options to add more time to an initial consultation, for free or for a fee. Lawyers can also request a payment during the meeting and be paid instantly for services.

One user, Kate said "I was in a car accident and needed help. I went to the site and searched for a personal injury lawyer in Idaho. I found several lawyers on the site and easily set up a meeting with a lawyer who was available. It was easy and I liked being able to find a lawyer so easily."

There are still areas where no lawyers are available, and Pro Help Legal is working on changing that. Lawyer accounts are free, and lawyers are never charged a commission for using the site.

Lawyers, and those people who need a lawyer, can visit Pro Help Legal at www.ProHelpLegal.com

SOURCE Pro Help Legal

Related Links

www.prohelplegal.com


"A fire is one of the most devastating events to happen to a business, so it's always a good time to prepare for one," said Robert Tull, AVP Risk Solutions, QBE North America. "Companies have undergone significant challenges and changes in the last year, so revisiting your processes and plans for a catastrophic event like a fire is of utmost importance."

First and foremost, properly managed and maintained fire protection systems are critical to safeguarding facilities against catastrophic destruction. When a fire protection or detection system is shut down or "impaired," whether planned or unplanned, the ability to withstand and contain a fire is severely diminished. This is when a business facility is most vulnerable to damage and disruption.

Properly maintaining fire protection systems means planning for impairments, or downtime for inspection and testing. Precautions must be taken to provide temporary protection, reduce hazards and ensure prompt restoration. Here are some key actions QBE's Risk Solutions team urges businesses to take before, during, and after an impairment:

Before impairment

Plan for an impairment by performing a detailed risk assessment and ensure local and nearby hazards can be protected, contained or eliminated.

Make sure you have the right materials and people on hand before the impairment begins to minimize the shut-down period.

Notify key people in Operations, Emergency Response Teams, and the local Fire and Rescue Services (if appropriate) as well as your remote alarm monitoring station.

Hang 'Out of Service' tags on equipment that is or will be impaired.

During impairment

Keep a watchful eye for fire hazards arising in or close to the area where the fire control equipment is impaired.

Ensure employees and contractors know that the fire control is impaired and prevent them from performing unnecessary hazardous activities. Halt hazardous production processes and prohibit 'hot work' in the area.

Work on the job continuously until completed, if possible. If it must be left overnight, ensure security patrols the area and other precautions are maintained.

Restoration upon completion

When the impaired fire control equipment is restored, inspect the area and witness a performance test or sprinkler alarm test to verify that it has been properly returned to service.

Re-lock valves, reset control panels, and inform your remote monitoring station.

Remove the 'Out of Service' tags from functioning equipment.

Businesses should also check in with their insurer as soon as possible after an emergency or unplanned impairment, or in advance of a planned impairment. As part of its fire prevention toolkit, QBE offers a Fire Safety Inspection Checklist, as performing routine fire safety inspections is an integral part of an effective fire prevention and control plan. QBE Risk Solutions also offers a variety of additional tools and tips to help their business customers prevent fires in the workplace.

QBE North America's Risk Solutions teams are experts in risk and delivering loss prevention and loss protection services. Their focused commitment to service and technical acumen helps customers identify, evaluate, and reduce their potential for losses and business risk. By getting to know their customers, their business operations, priorities, and concerns, they can help deliver the best possible outcomes.

About QBE

QBE North America is a global insurance leader focused on helping customers solve unique risks, so they can focus on what matters most. Part of QBE Insurance Group Limited, QBE North America reported Gross Written Premiums in 2020 of $4.775 billion. QBE Insurance Group's 2020 results can be found at www.qbe.com.

Headquartered in Sydney, Australia, QBE operates out of 27 countries around the globe, with a presence in every key insurance market. The North America division, headquartered in New York, conducts business through its property and casualty insurance subsidiaries. The actual terms and coverage for all lines of business are subject to the language of the policies as issued. QBE insurance companies are rated "A" (Excellent) by A.M. Best and "A+" by Standard & Poor's. Additional information can be found at www.qbe.com/us or follow QBE North America on LinkedIn and Twitter.

QBE makes no warranty, representation, or guarantee regarding the information herein or the suitability of these suggestions or information for any particular purpose. QBE hereby disclaims any and all liability concerning the information contained herein and the suggestions herein made. Moreover, it cannot be assumed that every acceptable risk transfer procedure is contained herein or that unusual or abnormal circumstances may not warrant or require further or additional risk transfer policies and/or procedures. The use of any of the information or suggestions described herein does not amend, modify, or supplement any insurance policy. Consult the actual policy or your agent for details about your coverage. QBE and the links logo are registered service marks of QBE Insurance Group Limited.  2021 QBE Holdings, Inc.

SOURCE QBE North America
HOUSTON, Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Quanta Services, Inc. (NYSE:PWR) announced today that Duke Austin, Chief Executive Officer, will participate in a fireside chat hosted by Wolfe Research analyst Steve Fleishman, on September 30, 2021 at 10:25 a.m. Eastern time, which will be broadcast live over the Internet. Live webcast links and archived replays of this presentation will be available in the "News & Events" area of the Investor Relations section of Quanta's website (https://investors.quantaservices.com/news-events ) .

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.

Kip Rupp, CFA, IRC

Quanta Services, Inc.

(713) 341-7260

SOURCE Quanta Services, Inc.

Related Links

https://www.quantaservices.com


Innovative technology platform allows customers to manage the equipment service lifecycle and conduct fully integrated parts procurement with OEMs and dealers

VANCOUVER, BC, Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers (NYSE: RBA) and (TSX: RBA) ("Ritchie Bros." or the "Company") and SmartEquip today announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement under which Ritchie Bros. will acquire SmartEquip for approximately US$175 million. Completion of the acquisition is subject to customary closing conditions, including, among other conditions, the expiration or termination of the applicable waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as amended.

"This acquisition furthers our goal of providing the best experience for our customers as we continue our transition from a traditional auctioneer to a marketplace for insights, services, and transaction solutions for commercial assets," said Ann Fandozzi, Chief Executive Officer, Ritchie Bros. "SmartEquip will enable us to offer asset-specific, full-lifecycle parts and service support on behalf of our dealer and OEM partners to our buyers."

SmartEquip is a multi-manufacturer platform that provides customers with real-time service and diagnostic support, dynamically customized, via serial number, to each asset in their fleet, as well as enabling the electronic procurement of parts from OEMs and their dealers. The company supports approximately $1 billion in annual transaction volume with more than 600 OEM brands, on behalf of fleet locations across North America, Europe, and the Asia Pacific. SmartEquip has 60 employees and will continue to operate as a standalone business and maintain its physical presence in Norwalk, CT for the foreseeable future.

"Ritchie Bros. is a perfect partner for us, with over 60 years of experience and a global footprint," said Bryan Rich, SmartEquip's Executive Chairman. "Through their global customer base, this merger will accelerate SmartEquip's ability to support its rapidly growing footprint across our joint global marketplaces and engaged customer base. At closing, the existing SmartEquip team, including all senior management, will transition over and participate in the next growth stage of the SmartEquip network."

Under the terms of the transaction, Ritchie Bros. will acquire 100% of the equity of SmartEquip for approximately US$175 million subject to adjustment.

Strategic Rationale for the Acquisition:

Enables Better Customer and Partner Experience  the combination of SmartEquip and Ritchie Bros . will enable and accelerate adoption of parts and service sales on behalf of our dealer and OEM partners by providing a seamless experience for end users

 the combination of SmartEquip and . will enable and accelerate adoption of parts and service sales on behalf of our dealer and OEM partners by providing a seamless experience for end users Accelerates the Execution of our Strategy  This highly complementary acquisition builds on Ritchie Bros .' vision of becoming a trusted global marketplace for insights, services and transaction solutions for commercial assets

 This highly complementary acquisition builds on .' vision of becoming a trusted global marketplace for insights, services and transaction solutions for commercial assets Deepens IMS Connectivity  SmartEquip will deepen IMS (inventory management system) connectivity and will further enable digital solutions at scale around inspections and ancillary services, while enabling better optimization of search and advertising revenue streams

Advisors:

Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC is serving as exclusive financial advisor to Ritchie Bros. and Dorsey & Whitney LLP and Dechert LLP are serving as legal advisors. Houlihan Lokey, Inc. is serving as financial advisor to SmartEquip and Robinson+Cole, LLP is serving as legal advisor.

About Ritchie Bros.:

Established in 1958, Ritchie Bros. (NYSE and TSX: RBA) is a global asset management and disposition company, offering customers end-to-end solutions for buying and selling used heavy equipment, trucks and other assets. Operating in a number of sectors, including construction, transportation, agriculture, energy, oil and gas, mining, and forestry, the company's selling channels include: Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers, the world's largest industrial auctioneer offers live auction events with online bidding; IronPlanet, an online marketplace with featured weekly auctions and providing the exclusive IronClad Assurance equipment condition certification; Marketplace-E, a controlled marketplace offering multiple price and timing options; Mascus, a leading European online equipment listing service; and Ritchie Bros. Private Treaty, offering privately negotiated sales. The Company's suite of solutions also includes Ritchie Bros. Asset Solutions and Rouse Services LLC, which together provides a complete end-to-end asset management, data-driven intelligence and performance benchmarking system. Ritchie Bros. also offers sector-specific solutions including GovPlanet, TruckPlanet, and Kruse Energy, plus equipment financing and leasing through Ritchie Bros. Financial Services. For more information about Ritchie Bros., visit RitchieBros.com.

Photos and video for embedding in media stories are available at rbauction.com/media.

Caution Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable U.S. and Canadian securities legislation (collectively, "forward-looking statements"), including, in particular, statements regarding the ability of Ritchie Bros. to satisfy the conditions in the SmartEquip acquisition agreement and consummate the transaction on the anticipated timeline, or at all, the terms and conditions of the proposed SmartEquip transaction, the benefits and synergies of the SmartEquip transaction, future opportunities for the combined businesses of Ritchie Bros. and SmartEquip, future financial and operational results and any other statements regarding events or developments that Ritchie Bros. believes or anticipates will or may occur in the future. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, although not always, identified by words such as "expect", "plan, "anticipate", "project", "target", "potential", "schedule", "forecast", "budget", "estimate", "intend" or "believe" and similar expressions or their negative connotations, or statements that events or conditions "will", "would", "may", "could", "should" or "might" occur. All such forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management as of the date such statements are made. Forward-looking statements necessarily involve assumptions, risks and uncertainties, certain of which are beyond Ritchie Bros.' control, including risks and uncertainties related to: general economic conditions and conditions affecting the industries in which Ritchie Bros. and SmartEquip operate; obtaining regulatory approvals in connection with the SmartEquip transaction; each of Ritchie Bros.' and SmartEquip 's ability to satisfy the acquisition agreement conditions and consummate the transaction on the anticipated timetable, or at all; Ritchie Bros.' ability to successfully integrate SmartEquip 's operations and employees with Ritchie Bros.' existing business; the ability to realize anticipated growth and synergies in the SmartEquip transaction; the maintenance of important business relationships; the effects of the SmartEquip transaction on relationships with employees, customers, other business partners or governmental entities; transaction costs; deterioration of or instability in the economy, the markets we serve or the financial markets generally; as well as the risks and uncertainties set forth in Ritchie Bros.' Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020, and Ritchie Bros.' Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2021, each of which are available on the SEC, SEDAR, and Ritchie Bros.' website. The foregoing list is not exhaustive of the factors that may affect Ritchie Bros.' forward-looking statements. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, and actual results may differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, these forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release and Ritchie Bros. does not undertake any obligation to update the information contained herein unless required by applicable securities legislation. For the reasons set forth above, you should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.

SOURCE Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers

Related Links

http://www.rbauction.com


"In April 1900, our founding forefather, Charles Rolls, made a prescient prophecy about automotive electrification. Move forward over 120 years to when I made a public promise, on the record, that we would bring the first fully electric RollsRoyce to market within the current decade. And, right now, our company is embarking on an historic undertaking to create the first, super-luxury car of its type. This will happen sooner than many thought possible, through the incredible skills, expertise, vision and dedication of our engineers, designers and specialists at the Home of Rolls-Royce.

"In this ground-breaking endeavour, we are drawing on a remarkable heritage, unique in our industry. Our founders and those who worked alongside them in the marque's formative years were all important pioneers of electric power, as well as their era's leading experts in automotive engineering. As we herald a new electric future at Rolls-Royce, I am proud and humbled to share their inspiring stories, which have never been told in one place before, and shine a fresh and fascinating light on our company's earliest days."

Torsten Muller-Otvos, Chief Executive Officer, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars

INTRODUCTION

Electrification has long been promoted as the future of automotive propulsion. Mainstream manufacturers are increasingly embracing hybrid and battery electric vehicle (BEV) technology, supported by the expansion of national charging infrastructures.

To date, Rolls-Royce has communicated its electrification strategy in three simple statements:

The marque will introduce an all-electric car this decade (2020 - 2030).

This car will be a pure BEV, not a hybrid of any kind.

It will be launched only when the time is right, and every element meets Rolls-Royce's technical, aesthetic and performance standards.

There is considerable interest and media speculation surrounding Rolls-Royce's plans. Ahead of further official statements, we invite the media to reflect on the marque's unique heritage in electric power, which pre-dates the founding of Rolls-Royce the company itself, and involves many of the principal protagonists whose names are forever associated with it.

Read more at Rolls-Royce PressClub: www.press.rolls-roycemotorcars.com

SOURCE Rolls Royce Motor Cars
Early Positive Phase 2 efficacy and safety data are both statistically significant and clinically meaningful.

No SAE related to Silmitasertib was reported.

Silmitasertib is a host-directed antiviral and an anti-inflammatory investigational therapy expected to be effective against emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants.

Silmitasertib is the first Taiwan biotech company's innovative drug to demonstrate efficacy in COVID-19 patients.

TAIPEI and SAN DIEGO, Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Senhwa Biosciences, Inc. (TPEx: 6492), a drug development company focusing on first-in-class therapeutics for oncology, rare diseases, and novel coronaviruses, today announced the acceptance of early positive Phase 2 efficacy and safety data abstract for Silmitasertib in moderate COVID-19 patients at the ISIRV-WHO Virtual Conference-COVID-19, Influenza and RSV: Surveillance-informed prevention and treatment being held on 19-21 October, 2021. The ongoing Phase 2 trial data will be presented at the conference.

The conference will address the evolution, epidemiology and impact of SARS-CoV-2, influenza, RSV and other respiratory viruses, implications for surveillance strategies and progress on vaccines, antivirals, immunomodulators and other countermeasures.

"We are very pleased with the early efficacy and safety results of this Phase 2 study, which demonstrated statistically significant and clinical meaningful reduction in relevant endpoints, including time to recovery and normalization of clinical signs. We believe Silmitasertib in its significant potential in treating COVID-19, both as antiviral and anti-inflammatory agent, helping to prevent effects that lead to severity or death," said Tai-Sen Soong, Chief Executive Officer of Senhwa Biosciences.

The efficacy and safety of Silmitasertib was evaluated in a randomized, open-label, 2 arm parallel-group controlled interventional prospective phase 2 study conducted in two sites in the US. Participants were randomized if they had signs or symptoms of moderate COVID-19 and a positive SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR or equivalent testing. 20 participants were randomized in a 1:1 ratio to receive 1,000 mg BID oral dose Silmitasertib in addition to SOC/best supportive care or SOC/best supportive care alone for 14 days. During the study, no patients on the Silmitasertib arm received concomitant COVID-19 therapies.

Senhwa Biosciences is the first and only Taiwan based company to demonstrate human efficacy against SARS-CoV-2 with its investigational anti-COVID-19 therapy. Silmitasertib targets host cell protein, Casein Kinase 2, and this unique and strategic clinical approach is expected to be effective against the emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants.

About Silmitasertib

Silmitasertib is a first-in-class small molecule drug that targets the CK2 pathway and acts as a CK2-inhibitor. It is safe and well-tolerated in humans. In addition to COVID-19, Silmitasertib is currently under development in several oncology programs in adults and children with recurrent/advanced or metastatic cancer. To date, three Phase I trials and one Phase II trial of Silmitasertib in cancer patients have been completed; currently, there are two ongoing Phase II studies of Silmitasertib. US FDA granted Silmitasertib key drug designations, an Orphan Drug Designation for the treatment of Cholangiocarcinoma in December 2016, a Rare Pediatric Disease Drug Designation and a Fast Track Designation for the treatment of Medulloblastoma in July 2020 and August 2021 respectively and an eIND for the treatment of a patient with severe COVID-19 in August 2020. All clinical trial data and rights of Silmitasertib belong to Senhwa Biosciences.

About Senhwa Bioscience

Senhwa Biosciences, Inc. is a leading clinical-stage biotechnology company focusing 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) with novel mechanisms of action and for multiple indications. Clinical trials are currently ongoing in Australia, Canada, United States, Korea and Taiwan.

Visit Senhwa Biosciences website for more details: www.senhwabio.com

SOURCE Senhwa Biosciences, Inc.

Related Links

https://www.senhwabio.com/


MILWAUKEE, Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Ademi LLP is investigating Kraton (NYSE: KRA), for possible breaches of fiduciary duty and other violations of law in its transaction with DL Holdings.

Click here to learn how to join the action: https://www.ademilaw.com/case/kraton-corporation or call Guri Ademi toll-free at 866-264-3995. There is no cost or obligation to you.

Ademi LLP alleges Kraton's financial outlook and prospects are excellent and yet Kraton shareholders will receive only $46.50 in cash for each share of Kraton common stock they own in an all-cash transaction implying an enterprise value of approximately $2.5 billion. The merger agreement unreasonably limits competing bids for Kraton by prohibiting solicitation of further bids, and imposing a significant penalty of $63 million if Kraton accepts a superior bid. Kraton insiders will receive substantial benefits as part of change of control arrangements. We are investigating the conduct of Kraton's board of directors, and whether they are (i) fulfilling their fiduciary duties to all shareholders, and (ii) obtaining a fair and reasonable price for Kraton.

If you own Kraton common stock and wish to obtain additional information, please contact Guri Ademi either at [email protected] or toll-free: 866-264-3995, or https://www.ademilaw.com/case/kraton-corporation.

We specialize in shareholder litigation involving buyouts, mergers, and individual shareholder rights throughout the country. For more information, please feel free to call us. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.

Contacts

Ademi LLP

Guri Ademi

Toll Free: (866) 264-3995

Fax: (414) 482-8001

SOURCE Ademi LLP
GUANGZHOU, China, Sept. 26, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- How can the direct sales sector seize the historical opportunities presented by the latest evolution of the Internet, to integrate digitalization into existing business models and tap into new business value? Infinitus is launching a new global model that it has dubbed Direct Selling X Social E-commerce. Quietly, a sea change is taking place across the industry.

1. The marketing model is gradually evolving, driven by digital transformation

The COVID-19 pandemic that has swept the planet has had a major impact on national economies worldwide, with trade, tourism, restaurants and transportation taking the biggest hits. Direct selling was no exception.

However, every cloud has a silver lining. The pandemic has raised awareness about health, and, by the same token, an expectation for better health care and health products. The Healthy China 2030 Plan proposes that by 2030, the overall scale of China's health service industry will climb to 16 trillion yuan (approx. US$2.5 trillion), while proactive disease prevention in tandem with health care and wellness will become an important trend. At the same time, the pandemic has accelerated a shift in consumption habits, with more consumers preferring to shop online. New intelligent technologies, products and business models such as telecommuting and social retailing as a result of the effect of the measures put in place to deal with the pandemic have become new growth points in various industries. The number of practitioners in China's social e-commerce sector surpassed 70 million in 2020, with no slowing down in sight. As a result, for businesses, the integration of online and offline businesses has become an irreversible trend.

Infinitus, a leader in the sector, has, since the beginning of 2020, already made digital transformation a priority. The company's Fifth Five-Year Development Plan set forth four goals: product leadership, culture leadership, digital transformation, and business model evolution, while redefining the company's pursuit: bringing health and wellness to more people.

2. Break down all barriers to creative thinking and adopt innovative approaches to reinvent direct selling

Since 2020, Infinitus distributors have seen major changes in their marketing approach. In the past, they spent a lot of time communicating with customers face-to-face. In 2020, Infinitus adopted Enterprise WeChat as the first step in digitalizing its businesses.

The company has also launched several virtual assistants on its online platform: Infinitus WeStore, Marketing Assistant and Jiyouliao, which are applets based on WeChat ecology jointly created by Infinitus and Tencent Smart Retail.



Infinitus WeStore, an online mall stocking all Infinitus product categories, is where shoppers, once they have registered, can purchase products online, directly from the source. With the Marketing Assistant, distributors can build and manage their own online "exclusive mini-stores", view user visits, and follow up on sales. The applets help distributors set up their customer database and regularly remind them of customers that need follow up. Through the platform, the distributors can continuously maintain communications online with and provide services to their customers. Jiyouliao is a portable content library tailored for distributors, with features that allow them to save and share a wide array of informative content such as one-click-access video clips and posters officially released by the company, facilitating the creation of rich content in WeChat Moments to attract customers.



The online platform has been designed to fully maximize operational efficiency in that a distributor needs only a cellphone to acquire a lead and convert into a buying customer. In addition, Infinitus empowers distributors at three levels: customer acquisition and conversion, choice of marketing method and content follow-up, helping them greatly improve the efficiency in customer acquisition, follow up selling and sales conversion, while providing support for their business ventures.

Such a shift did not happen overnight. In fact, in September 2019, Infinitus launched YunyigouCloud Shopping and Global Shoppingglobal purchase store Infini-mart, formally setting in motion the roll out of Infinitus' new business model and the unfolding of its new e-commerce era.

In January 2020, Infinitus expanded into the Korean market with an innovative cross-border social e-commerce model. Just six months later, in July, the company entered the Australian market.

3. Create new growth with a people-centric approach

At Infinitus, the move to digitalization, the innovation of the Easy Earn* system, and the launch of new products came together to meet the expectations of customers and business partners.

Infinitus' experience proved that direct sales and social e-commerce are not contradictory, but mutually beneficial. The Direct Sales X Social Ecommerce model is not a direct sales reboot, nor is it a simple addition of direct sales and social commerce. The model adopts new Internet-based technologies and methods, as well as big data and digital tools to strengthen customer trust and connection. It's not only a combination of online and offline channels, but rather a multiplication of the two.

In the past two years, Infinitus has exhibited substantial growth as a result of its foray into Direct Selling X Social E-commerce. More than one million distributors have chosen the Easy Earn method, a new model of social e-commerce, and have enhanced their profits. Most of them are grassroots marketers. This set of data fully proves that one million plus distributors can't be wrong: the Direct Selling X Social E-commerce model is working.

The essence of direct sales is sharing, and so is the essence of social e-commerce. In terms of business models, Direct Sales X Social Ecommerce is an Infinitus innovation. The company plans to invest 3.4 billion yuan (approx US$526 million) in the digital transformation and in brand building. By grasping the current social e-commerce dividend, finding the right marketing model, and inspiring the business potential, Infinitus is accelerating its pace towards achieving its mission and creating a whole new series of growth points.

* "Easy Earn": For products that are easy to share and promote (such as the Oriherb series, products available on Infinitus' global shopping website [ https://eproduct.infinitus.com.cn,]https://eproduct.infinitus.com.cn, and select items marketed via third-party e-commerce platforms), Infinitus launched the "Easy Earn" reward system, in addition to the original Bonus Points system. The system provides discounts to customers in the form of spending points and rewards sales representatives with bonuses.

SOURCE Infinitus (China) Company Ltd.
VANCOUVER, BC, Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - Solaris Resources Inc. (TSX: SLS) (OTCQB: SLSSF) ("Solaris" or the "Company") is pleased to report additional assay results from its recent Warintza East discovery within its Warintza Project ("Warintza" or "the Project") in southeastern Ecuador.

Highlights are listed below, with corresponding images in Figures 1 - 2 and detailed results in Tables 1-2. A dynamic 3D model is available on the Company's website and will be updated to incorporate the most recent results.

Highlights

The first two holes at Warintza East, as detailed below, both returned long intervals of copper porphyry mineralization from surface across a significant portion of the undrilled gap to Warintza Central, suggesting potential continuity between the two zones

Visual observation of mineralization in the second hole and step-out drilling completed northeast of Warintza Central suggest an offset in the east-west corridor of higher-grade mineralization to the north that is being targeted in ongoing drilling

SLSE-01, collared approximately 1,300m east of Warintza Central and drilled to the southwest, returned 396m of 0.42% CuEq from surface, with the full length of the hole of 1,213m assaying 0.28% CuEq

east of Warintza Central and drilled to the southwest, returned of 0.42% CuEq from surface, with the full length of the hole of assaying 0.28% CuEq SLSE-02, collared from the same platform but drilled to the northwest, returned 320m of 0.48% CuEq, including 62m of 0.68% CuEq from surface, from the first 320m of core for which assays have been received, with the last 10m of the interval grading 0.47% CuEq

of 0.48% CuEq, including of 0.68% CuEq from surface, from the first of core for which assays have been received, with the last of the interval grading 0.47% CuEq Visual observation of core from SLSE-02 suggests that a much broader interval of mineralization may exist than the portion for which assays have been received and reported herein; remaining assays are expected in October, along with the results of step-out drilling from Warintza Central

Warintza East is the third major discovery within the 7km x 5km Warintza porphyry cluster and is defined by coincident copper and molybdenum soil anomalies, measuring approximately 1,200m in strike, and a high-conductivity geophysical anomaly that extends from the target through Warintza Central (refer to Figure 1)

Mr. Jorge Fierro, Vice President, Exploration, commented: "With this latest discovery at Warintza East and the growing footprint of Warintza Central to the north and east returning some of the strongest intervals reported to date, the conceptual pit shell is expected to be extended to the north and east showing the potential to ultimately become one multi-kilometre 'superpit' joining the two areas. Future drilling will focus on the open, undrilled area between these two zones."

Figure 1  Long Section of 3D Geophysics Looking Northeast

Note to Figure 1: Figure looks northeast and depicts high-conductivity geophysical anomaly (defined at 100 ohm-m) generated from 3D inversion of electromagnetic data, encompassing from left to right Warintza West, Central, East and the Yawi target (Warintza South lies off image to south).

Figure 2  Plan View showing Warintza East Drill Hole Traces

Table 1  Warintza East Results

Hole ID Date Reported From (m) To (m) Interval (m) Cu (%) Mo (%) Au (g/t) CuEq (%) SLSE-02 September 27, 2021 0 320 320 0.39 0.02 0.04 0.48 Including 0 62 62 0.59 0.01 0.06 0.68 SLSE-01 0 1213 1213 0.21 0.01 0.03 0.28 Including 0 396 396 0.33 0.02 0.04 0.42 Notes to table: True widths cannot be determined at this time.

Table 2 - Collar Location

Hole ID Easting Northing Elevation (m) Depth (m) Azimuth (degrees) Dip (degrees) SLSE-02 801485 9648192 1170 1191 275 -50 SLSE-01 801485 9648192 1170 1213 260 -45 Notes to table: The coordinates are in WGS84 17S Datum.

(1) No adjustments were made for recovery as the project is an early-stage exploration project and metallurgical data to allow for estimation of recoveries is not yet available. Solaris defines copper equivalent calculation for reporting purposes only. Copper-equivalence calculated as: CuEq (%) = Cu (%) + 3.33  Mo (%) + 0.73  Au (g/t), utilizing metal prices of Cu - US$3.00/lb, Mo - US$10.00/lb and Au - US$1,500/oz.

Technical Information and Quality Control & Quality Assurance

Sample assay results have been independently monitored through a quality control/quality assurance ("QA/QC") program that includes the insertion of blind certified reference materials (standards), blanks and field duplicate samples. Logging and sampling are completed at a secured Company facility located in Quito, Ecuador. Drill core is cut in half on site and samples are securely transported to ALS Labs in Quito. Sample pulps are sent to ALS Labs in Lima, Peru and Vancouver, Canada for analysis. Total copper and molybdenum contents are determined by four-acid digestion with AAS finish. Gold is determined by fire assay of a 30-gram charge. ALS Labs is independent from Solaris. In addition, selected pulp check samples are sent to Bureau Veritas lab in Lima, Peru. Solaris is not aware of any drilling, sampling, recovery or other factors that could materially affect the accuracy or reliability of the data referred to herein. ZTEM data quality was validated by a qualified external professional using data validation procedures under high industry standards. Analytical data for the surface samples collected are from recent interpretations derived from ZTEM data and from previous operators as detailed in the technical report entitled, "Resource Estimate of the Warintza Central Cu-Mo Porphyry Deposit" prepared by Equity Exploration Consultants Inc. with an effective date of December 13, 2019, and available on the Company's SEDAR profile and website. The drillhole data has been verified by Donald Taylor using data validation and quality assurance procedures under high industry standards.

Qualified Person

The scientific and technical content of this press release has been reviewed and approved by Donald Taylor, MSc., PG, Director of Solaris who is a "Qualified Person" as defined in National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. Donald Taylor is a Registered Professional Geologist through the SME (registered member #4029597).

On behalf of the Board of Solaris Resources Inc.

"Daniel Earle"

President & CEO, Director

About Solaris Resources Inc.

Solaris is advancing a portfolio of copper and gold assets in the Americas, which includes: a high-grade resource with expansion and additional discovery potential at the Warintza copper and gold project in Ecuador; discovery potential on the grass-roots Tamarugo project in Chile and Capricho and Paco Orco projects in Peru; exposure to US$130M spending / 5-yrs through a farm-out agreement with Freeport-McMoRan on the Ricardo Project in Chile; and significant leverage to increasing copper prices through its 60%-interest in the La Verde joint-venture project with Teck Resources in Mexico.

Cautionary Notes and Forward-looking Statements

This document contains certain forward-looking information and forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities legislation (collectively "forward-looking statements"). The use of the words "will" and "expected" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These statements include statements that the first two holes at Warintza East suggest potential continuity between Warintza East and Warintza Central, visual observation of mineralization in the second hole of Warintza East and step-out drilling northeast of Warintza Central suggest an offset in the east-west corridor of higher-grade mineralization to the north that is being targeted in ongoing drilling, that visual observation of core from SLSE-02 suggest that a much broader interval of mineralization may exist than the portion for which assays have been received and reported herein; remaining assays are expected in October, along with the results of step-out drilling from Warintza Central, and that the conceptual pit shell of Warintza Central is expected to be extended to the north and east showing the potential to ultimately become one multi-kilometre 'superpit' joining the two areas with future drilling will focus on the open, undrilled area between these two zones. Although Solaris believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements and/or information are reasonable, readers are cautioned that actual results may vary from the forward-looking statements. These statements are based on a variety of assumptions including assumptions made about the Company's ability to advance exploration efforts at the Warintza Project; the results of such exploration efforts; and the Company's ability to achieve its growth objectives. These statements also involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements, including the risks, uncertainties and other factors identified in the Solaris Management's Discussion and Analysis for the year ended December 31, 2020 available at www.sedar.com. Furthermore, the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as at the date of this news release and Solaris does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any of these forward-looking statements except as may be required by applicable securities laws.

SOURCE Solaris Resources Inc.

Related Links

https://www.solarisresources.com


Located at 11029 Pines Boulevard, Pembroke Pines, FL 33026 (within the Pembroke Lakes Square shopping center), Jollibee will be open seven days a week, from 8AM  10PM daily, and offer indoor dining beginning on opening day. Jollibee is best known for its delicious take on an American favorite  fried chicken  which it serves in a variety of ways. For those who are craving something new, Jollibee offers a host of Filipino-inspired "classics", which capture the brand's unique heritage and cultural culinary appeal.

Jollibee's signature menu items include:

Chickenjoy (Original or Spicy) : Jollibee's signature fried chicken is available in original or spicy and is delicately hand-breaded to create a crispy exterior, pressure fried for maximum juiciness and marinated to the bone to provide next level flavor. Complement each and every bite with a side of silky, savory gravy.

: Jollibee's signature fried chicken is available in original or spicy and is delicately hand-breaded to create a crispy exterior, pressure fried for maximum juiciness and marinated to the bone to provide next level flavor. Complement each and every bite with a side of silky, savory gravy. Original Jollibee Chickenwich : Slow-marinated, crispy, juicy double hand-breaded chicken breast fillet, spread with umami mayo and served on a toasted brioche bun.

: Slow-marinated, crispy, juicy double hand-breaded chicken breast fillet, spread with umami mayo and served on a toasted brioche bun. Spicy Jollibee Chickenwich : Features a sriracha mayo and is served with fresh jalapenos for added crunch and heat.

: Features a sriracha mayo and is served with fresh jalapenos for added crunch and heat. Jolly Spaghetti : This dish, beloved by adults and kids alike, features a signature sweet-style sauce loaded with chunky slices of savory ham and hotdog and is topped with a generous sprinkle of cheese.

: This dish, beloved by adults and kids alike, features a signature sweet-style sauce loaded with chunky slices of savory ham and hotdog and is topped with a generous sprinkle of cheese. Peach Mango Pie: No meal is complete without this dessert that is made with peaches, real Philippine mangoes and features an irresistibly light and crispy crust.

In addition to dining at the restaurant, customers can enjoy their favorite Jollibee menu items to-go or through the following online ordering channels: Jollibee's new seamless ordering app (now available for download at the App Store and Google Play), the jollibeefoods.com website and the DoorDash delivery platform.

"Not only are we thrilled to finally bring our Chickenjoy and other Jollibee favorites to our many loyal fans who call South Florida home, but we also can't wait to introduce our brand to curious newcomers who want to experience the great-tasting food, happy moments, and the warm and friendly service that Jollibee is known for," said Maribeth Dela Cruz, Business Group Head, Honeybee Foods Corporation dba Jollibee. "Pembroke Pines not only offers a central location and excellent accessibility to both Miami and Fort Lauderdale, but it also boasts a close-knit and friendly community, which has made it one of area's top residential destinations  and the perfect place to open our very first South Florida location."

Jollibee's Pembroke Pines store joins the brand's two existing Florida locations  Jacksonville and Tampa  and marks its 53rd store in the U.S. Operating more than 1,400 restaurants around the world, Jollibee's global popularity spans its native Asia, as well as the Middle East and Europe. The brand is now ready to grow its fan-base among mainstream American audiences  from fried-chicken lovers to those who simply seek a deliciously new and different dining experience  by offering great-tasting food at a great value that is always served with joy.

For more information about Jollibee, including the brand's other upcoming 2021 store openings, stay tuned to Jollibee USA Facebook and Instagram pages.

About Jollibee

Jollibee Foods Corporation is one of the fastest-growing Asian restaurant companies in the world. It or its affiliates operate in 33 countries, with over 5,800 stores globally with branches in the Philippines, United States, Canada, the People's Republic of China, United Kingdom, Italy, Vietnam, Brunei, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain, Indonesia, Costa Rica, Egypt, Panama, Malaysia, South Korea, Japan, and India. It has eight wholly-owned brands (Jollibee, Chowking, Greenwich, Red Ribbon, Mang Inasal, Yonghe King, Hong Zhuang Yuan, Smashburger), five franchised brands (Burger King, Panda Express, and PHO24 in the Philippines, Dunkin' Donuts and Tim Ho Wan in certain territories in China), 80% ownership of The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, and 60% ownership in the SuperFoods Group that owns Highlands Coffee and PHO24 brands.

Jollibee Foods Corporation is a significant investor in Titan Dining LP, a private equity fund and the ultimate holding entity of the Tim Ho Wan (THW) Brand and has a joint venture with the THW Group to open THW restaurants in Mainland China. The Group will also establish a 50/50 joint venture to operate and expand Yoshinoya in the Philippines. Yoshinoya is one of the largest and most recognized Japanese restaurant brands globally.

Jollibee Foods Corporation was named the Philippines' most admired company by the Asian Wall Street Journal for ten years. It was also honored as one of Asia's Fab 50 Companies and among the World's Best Employers by Forbes. In 2020, Gallup awarded Jollibee Foods Corporation with the Exceptional Workplace Award, making it the first Philippine-based company to receive the distinction.

Jollibee Foods Corporation has grown brands that bring delightful dining experiences to its customers worldwide, in line with its mission of serving great tasting food and spreading the joy of eating to everyone.

SOURCE Jollibee
GRASS VALLEY, Calif., Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- South Fork Vodka has been awarded Best Craft Vodka Distillery by USA Today through their 2021 10Best Reader's Choice Awards. The prestigious award, selected by a panel of experts and voted upon by thousands of contributors, solidifies South Fork Vodka's position as a leading craft spirit.

Launched in September 2018, South Fork Vodka has grown from a local Northern California brand to one of the most awarded and highest rated vodkas in the Country. Crafted in small batches and inspired by one of Northern California's most iconic bodies of water, the South Fork of the Yuba River, this premium vodka is an homage to the region where the co-founders were raised. Distilled six times from GMO-free American corn, produced with Sierra Nevada mountain spring water, and ultra-refined through a small batch finishing method, South Fork Vodka offers a truly unique taste experience.

"We couldn't be more proud to be recognized as the Best Craft Vodka distillery in the Country. We are a family-owned operation working tirelessly to raise the bar of premium vodka. This really means the world to us," said Dan Kennerson, President of South Fork Vodka. "We have to thank our local businesses, fans, and friends who have supported us from the beginning and who made this award a reality. This recognition simply wouldn't be possible without them."

In addition to winning USA Today's Best Craft Vodka Distillery, South Fork has earned a medal in every international spirits competition it has entered. In the past year alone the brand has received the following:

Double Gold Medal - Bartender Spirits Awards

2020 Vodka of the Year - Bartender Spirits Awards

2020 Vodka Producer of the Year - Bartender Spirits Awards

Gold Medal - San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2020

Gold Medal - New York International Spirits Competition 2020

USA Today's 10 Best Readers' Choice Award consists of contests launched with 20 nominees in various categories, revealing winners after four weeks of public voting. Rules allow the public the right to vote online for one nominee, per category, per day. Nominees for all categories are chosen by a panel of relevant experts which include a combination of editors from USA TODAY, editors from 10Best.com, and relevant expert contributors.

To learn more or to feature South Fork Vodka at your place of business please visit:

www.southforkvodka.com

About Satellite Spirits

South Fork Vodka is the flagship label of Satellite Spirits, a craft spirits producer based in Grass Valley, California. Utilizing specialized and proprietary techniques developed in-house, the company is ushering in a new era of ultra-refined, high-quality, affordable spirits.

Related Links:

SOURCE Satellite Spirits

Related Links

https://www.southforkvodka.com


In November of 2020, Standard Textile launched "Standard Textile Cares," a program to support organizations across the United States that provide mobile shower services to people living either on the streets or in insufficient housing, with a goal of supporting 80,000 showers by the end of 2021.

Standard Textile's President and CEO, Gary Heiman, states: "I'm inspired by the unwavering commitment The Shower of Hope has demonstrated in its efforts to reach the homeless population in Los Angeles County. We applaud the commitment of their entire team for striving to make a difference in our communities. We know that acts, both large and small, have the potential of creating a better future for those in need."

The company's support of The Shower of Hope extends Standard Textile's reach to Southern California where people are more likely to live unsheltered. The US Department of Housing and Urban Development estimates that Los Angeles County has a homeless population of about 56,257 people, the second-highest homeless population in the nation.

"We greatly appreciate the partnership with Standard Textile, who has actively supported us by providing critical hygiene items that our guests need to shower. We often forget how important it is to have a shower not just for our physical health, but mental health as well," states Mel Tillekerante, Executive Director of The Shower of Hope.

Other organizations Standard Textile has supported through their Standard Textile Cares program include LavaMae, Streetside Showers, Hope thru Soap, and Shower Up. Since Standard Textile Cares launched, the company has donated thousands of bath towels, wash cloths, shower curtains, and blankets to organizations offering shower services. Currently, the company is supporting 63,500 showers annually.

About Standard Textile

Founded in 1940, Standard Textile has developed a culture of innovation, quality, and service. With more than 80 patents, its products are engineered to deliver durability, longevity, and value. A vertically integrated company, Standard Textile is a leading global provider of total solutions in the institutional textiles and apparel markets. Leveraging textile design, manufacturing, and laundry expertise, and its global infrastructure, this company serves customers in the healthcare, hospitality, interiors, and consumer markets worldwide. For more information visit standardtextile.com.

SOURCE Standard Textile

Related Links

http://www.standardtextile.com


TORONTO, Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - Ontario Statflo is pleased to announce that it has been recognized as one of Canada's Top Growing companies on the Globe and Mail's 2021 Report on Business

Canada's Top Growing Companies ranks Canadian companies on three-year revenue growth. Statflo earned its spot with three-year growth of 193%.

We're extremely proud that our team has been recognized and included in this prestigious group for the second consecutive year," Peter Macnee, Statflo's CEO commented. "This is another validation of the power of Statflo's innovative technology and our commitment to helping leading telecoms, financial institutions and retailers engage with their customers via their preferred communication channel."

Launched in 2019, the Canada's Top Growing Companies editorial ranking aims to celebrate entrepreneurial achievement in Canada by identifying and amplifying the success of growth-minded, independent businesses in Canada. It is a voluntary program; companies had to complete an in-depth application process in order to qualify. In total, 448 companies earned a spot on this year's ranking.

The full list of 2021 winners, and accompanying editorial coverage, is published in the October issue of Report on Business magazineout nowand online.

"As we look toward the future, Canada's Top Growing Companies offer both inspiration and practical insights for other firms facing similar challenges," says James Cowan, Editor of Report on Business magazine. "The entrepreneurs behind these companies are smart, tenacious and unwavering in their commitment to their goals."

"Any business leader seeking inspiration should look no further than the 448 businesses on this year's Report on Business ranking of Canada's Top Growing Companies," says Phillip Crawley, Publisher and CEO of The Globe and Mail. "Their growth helps to make Canada a better place, and we are proud to bring their stories to our readers."

About The Globe and Mail

The Globe and Mail is Canada's foremost news media company, leading the national discussion and causing policy change through brave and independent journalism since 1844. With award-winning coverage of business, politics and national affairs, The Globe and Mail newspaper reaches 6.4 million readers every week in print or digital formats, and Report on Business magazine reaches 2 million readers in print and digital every issue. The Globe and Mail's investment in innovative data science means that as the world continues to change, so does The Globe. The Globe and Mail is owned by Woodbridge, the investment arm of the Thomson family.

About Statflo

Statflo is the leading compliant one-to-one business messaging platform that enables businesses to have meaningful, two-way conversations with their customers over their preferred channel. With seamless integrations to existing systems, rich sendable content, and multi-channel messaging, customer-facing teams have all the tools and context they need in a single platform to engage, retain, and grow their customer base.

SOURCE Statflo Inc.

Related Links

http://www.statflo.com


SCHAFFHAUSEN, Switzerland, Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- TE Connectivity Ltd. (NYSE: TEL) today announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary, Tyco Electronics Group S.A. ("TEGSA"), has called for par call redemption all of its outstanding 3.500% Senior Notes due Feb. 3, 2022 (the "Notes").

The redemption date will be Nov. 3, 2021. The redemption price for the Notes will be equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Notes to be redeemed. Accrued and unpaid interest will be paid to, but excluding, the redemption date. As of Sept. 27, 2021, $500 million aggregate principal amount of Notes remain outstanding.

A notice of redemption was sent to the holders of the Notes today. Holders owning Notes through a broker, bank or other nominee should contact that party for information.

This news release is for informational purposes and does not constitute a notice of redemption under the optional redemption provisions of the Notes or the indenture governing the Notes, nor does it constitute the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities of TE Connectivity Ltd. or TEGSA, or a solicitation of an offer to buy securities in any state or jurisdiction where prohibited by law. Additional information concerning the terms and conditions of the redemption is contained in the notice of redemption distributed to holders of the Notes.

About TE Connectivity

TE Connectivity Ltd. (NYSE: TEL) is a global industrial technology leader creating a safer, sustainable, productive and connected future. Our broad range of connectivity and sensor solutions, proven in the harshest environments, enable advancements in transportation, industrial applications, medical technology, energy, data communications and the home. With approximately 80,000 employees, including more than 7,500 engineers, working alongside customers in approximately 140 countries, TE ensures that EVERY CONNECTION COUNTS.

SOURCE TE Connectivity Ltd.

Related Links

http://www.te.com


CHANGCHUN, China, Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The 13th China-Northeast Asia Expo kicked off on Thursday in northeast China's Jilin Province, according to China Council for the Promotion of International Trade Jilin Committee.

The five-day event in Changchun, the capital city of Jilin, is the first international expo held in Northeast Asia since the global COVID-19 pandemic.

Over a thousand enterprises from some 40 countries and regions have registered in the expo.

Data shows that China's trade with the Northeast Asian countries totaled about 417.9 billion U.S. dollars in the first half of this year, up 26 percent year on year. The cumulative two-way transaction value exceeded 250 billion U.S. dollars.

China has been deepening cooperation on infrastructure construction, energy, manufacturing and agriculture with these countries.

In the first eight months of this year, the trade volume between Russia and China was nearly 90 billion U.S. dollars, up by a third year on year, said Andrey Denison, Russian Ambassador to China.

During the expo, the participants reached a consensus that the pandemic has highlighted the necessity of accelerating regional economic integration, and Northeast Asian countries are embracing new opportunities for regional economic and trade cooperation.

Now, China and Northeast Asian countries are having dialogues and cooperation under various regional economic cooperation frameworks such as the Belt and Road Initiative and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). In addition, all countries have seen more chance for cooperation in areas such as the innovation and development of the digital economy and the joint efforts in face of global climate change.

Nagasaka Yasumasa, State Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) of Japan, said the fast implementation of the RCEP will further expand the cooperation in Northeast Asia.

He noted that many Japanese companies have businesses in China's northeastern region. Now, Japan has reached agreements on collaborations in the fields of hydrogen energy applications and low-carbon city construction with Jilin Province and other regions.

Politicians and businessmen believe that the integration of the development strategies of Northeast Asian countries with those of China will help the competitive industries of these countries better keep pace with the global development.

S. Amarsaikhan, Deputy Prime Minister of Mongolia, said the country has been actively promoting the construction of Mongolia-Russia-China Economic Corridor and the integration of its domestic projects with the Belt and Road Initiative.

The participants have reached an agreement to strengthen collaborations on marine economy, promote the liberalization and facilitation of trade, and intensify regional cooperation.

SOURCE China Council for the Promotion of International Trade Jilin Committee
HOUSTON, Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Tesla sued for defective Autopilot system after Tesla vehicle using Autopilot hits five police officers at a traffic stop. The lawsuit notes multiple crashes involving Tesla vehicles on Autopilot crashing into emergency vehicles.

The Buzbee Law Firm and Co-Counsel Muery & Farrell PC filed a lawsuit today in Harris County state court (Houston) against Tesla on behalf of five police officers who allege they were severely injured when a Tesla vehicle on Autopilot failed to yield or "auto-steer" and crashed into the officers, their vehicles, a civilian and a police dog. The officers allege that the police vehicles were totaled, and the officers received medical treatment for severe injuries, continue to be treated and have suffered permanent disability. The lawsuit contends that the Autopilot mechanism sold and aggressively promoted as a feature on Tesla vehicles is defective in that it fails to detect vehicles that are using flashing lights, such as police vehicles. In the lawsuit, the officers detail multiple crashes involving emergency vehicles and Tesla vehicles using Autopilot. The officers seek compensation for their injuries and $10 million in punitive damages, contending that the defective Autopilot system has been known by Tesla and its founder Elon Musk for years.

The officers point out in the lawsuit that the NHTSA is now investigating Tesla, and has specifically requested that Tesla provide information pertaining to accidents where Autopilot was being used and a first responder vehicle was involved.

The Buzbee Law Firm founder Tony Buzbee said, "Tesla and Elon Musk have known for years that a Tesla using Autopilot fails to detect vehicles using flashing lights. Yet, Telsa has made no effort to correct the problem or warn the public. Many police officers, like those in this case, have been badly injured because of this defect, and thousands of others at this very moment across the United States are at risk. It's time to hold Tesla accountable and force Elon Musk and Tesla to acknowledge and correct this dangerous defect."

Maureen Farrell, of Co-Counsel Muery & Farrell said, "Emergency vehicles with flashing lights and Teslas in Autopilot are clearly a dangerous combination. Crashes happen far too often, and will happen again, putting first responders and the public in serious danger. Tesla and Elon Musk have made claims about the safety and reliability of its Autopilot features that are exaggerated and unsupported by the data. It's time for Tesla to prioritize safety over its share price, come clean with the public and authorities, and correct this problem before more people are hurt or killed."

About The Buzbee Law Firm

Based in Houston, The Buzbee Law Firm has been recognized as a leading Texas firm. Tony Buzbee was named "Texas Attorney of the Year" by trade publication Texas Lawyer; The New York Times called Buzbee "one of the most successful lawyers in the country." More information about the firm is available at www.txattorneys.com .

About Muery & Farrell PC

Muery & Farrell is a boutique law firm with three locations offering services across Texas, with a special emphasis on civil litigation. Having begun her legal career in London, Ms. Farrell brings her experience in complex litigation to her practice in Texas. Senior Partner Adam Muery has been named a "Rising Star" by Texas Monthly Superlawyer. A former Marine, former General Counsel for the Attorney General, and former prosecutor with 49 jury trial wins under his belt, Mr. Muery is a formidable trial attorney across practice areas. More information about the firm is available at www.texanlegal.com .

The lawsuit is styled: FIELDS, DALTON v TESLA INC

Contact: Tony Buzbee, The Buzbee Law Firm, Houston 713.223.5393/Maureen Farrell, Muery & Farrell PC, The Woodlands 737.808.0529 .

SOURCE The Buzbee Law Firm

Related Links

https://www.txattorneys.com/


DUBLIN, Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Microscopy Market by Product (Microscopes, Software, Accessories), Type (Optical Microscope (Stereo, Digital), Electron Microscope (SEM, TEM), AFM, STM), Application (Semiconductor, Life Science), End User (Industrial, Research) - Global Forecast to 2026" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The microscopy market is projected to reach USD 8.9 billion in 2026 from USD 6.5 billion in 2020, at a CAGR of 5.6% during the forecast period.

Market growth is driven largely by factors such as favorable funding scenarios for R&D in microscopy, technological advancements in microscopes, and a rising focus on nanotechnology and regenerative medicine. However, the high cost of advanced microscopes is expected to restrain the growth of this market during the forecast period.

By product, the software segment is expected to witness above-average growth in the microscopy market during the forecast period.

Software is expected to show the highest growth in the forecast period. The introduction of novel image acquisition software for microscopes is the recent trend in the microscopy market. Increasing research in life sciences and other application areas have resulted in the generation of a large amount of data, mainly due to advances in image quality. Present software can no longer handle these images, which indicates the potential opportunities offered in the area of software development. Recent key microscopy software launches include ZEISS ZEN Connect, Zeiss ZEN Core, ZEISS ZEN Intelleis software, and arivis Vision4D and patent-pending arivis inViewR.

By type, the optical microscopes accounted for the largest share of the microscopy market during the forecast period.

Based on type, the global microscopy market is segmented into optical microscopes, electron microscopes, scanning probe microscopes, and other microscopes. In 2020, optical microscopes accounted for the largest share of the microscopy market, primarily due to the increasing applications of digital and confocal microscopes in the materials science, semiconductor, and life science industries and the increased focus on developing advanced digital microscopes. However, the electron microscopes segment is estimated to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period. Growing life science and materials science research activities and the emergence of correlative light and electron microscopy are expected to drive the demand for electron microscopes in the coming years.

By application, the semiconductor applications segment is expected to account for the largest share of the microscopy market during the forecast period.

Based on applications, the microscopy market is segmented into semiconductors, life science, materials science, and other applications. In 2020, semiconductor applications accounted for the largest share of the microscopy market.

Microscopy is extensively used in the semiconductor industry for R&D, quality control, monitoring, process development, and failure analysis. This factor, along with the growing demand for miniature transistor chips, nanoelectronics, quantum dots, and optoelectronics, drives the demand for microscopes in the semiconductor industry. However, the materials science applications segment is expected to be the fastest-growing application segment during the forecast period. In recent years, research in materials science has increased significantly. This is expected to drive the adoption of microscopes as they are used in the structural and chemical analysis of materials, including polymers, metals, alloys, ceramics, and biomaterials.

By end-user, the industries settings segment is growing at the highest rate.

Based on end users, the microscopy market is segmented into industries, academic & research institutes, and other end users. In 2020, the industries segment accounted for the largest share of the microscopy market. It is also the fastest-growing segment. Light and electron microscopes are widely used in industries for identification and particle analysis, material characterization, process control, quality control, and failure analysis, which is a major factor driving market growth.

North America is expected to account for the largest market share during the forecast period.

The microscopy market is divided into four major regions - Europe, North America, Asia Pacific, Latin America and the Middle East & Africa. North America accounted for the largest share of the global market, closely followed by Europe. Factors such as the significant R&D budgets, availability of advanced microscopy systems offered by market leaders, high and growing focus on nanotechnology, and the presence of a large number of major research institutes and universities in the region are driving the growth of the microscopy market in North America.

Asia Pacific is estimated to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period. Factors such as the rising R&D funding for microscopy, increasing application of correlative microscopy in life sciences and nanotechnology research, the establishment of collaboration centers for microscopy research, and the low material cost and the availability of low-cost skilled labor for OEMs in these countries are the major factors supporting the growth of the Asia Pacific microscopy market.

Key Topics Covered:

1 Introduction

2 Research Methodology

3 Executive Summary

4 Premium Insights

4.1 Microscopy Market Overview

4.2 Microscopy Market, by Product, 2021

4.3 Microscopy Market, by Type, 2021 Vs. 2026

4.4 Microscopy Market, by Application, 2020

4.5 Asia-Pacific Microscopy Market, by End-user

5 Market Overview

5.1 Introduction

5.2 Market Dynamics

5.2.1 Drivers

5.2.1.1 Favorable Funding Scenario for R&D in Microscopy

5.2.1.2 Technological Advancements in Microscopes

5.2.1.3 Increased Focus on Nanotechnology and Regenerative Medicine

5.2.2 Restraints

5.2.2.1 High Cost of Advanced Microscopes and Software Subscriptions

5.2.3 Opportunities

5.2.3.1 Growth Opportunities in Emerging Markets

5.2.3.2 Increasing Application Areas of Microscopy

5.2.3.3 Integration of Microscopy with Spectroscopy

5.2.4 Challenges

5.2.4.1 Dearth of Skilled Professionals

5.2.4.2 Availability of Open-Source Microscopy Software

5.3 Regulatory Landscape

5.3.1 North America

5.3.1.1 US

5.3.1.2 Canada

5.3.2 Europe

5.3.3 Asia-Pacific

5.3.3.1 Japan

5.3.3.2 China

5.3.3.3 India

5.3.4 Safety Regulations for Electron Microscopes (Virginia, Us)

5.4 Value Chain Analysis

5.5 Supply Chain Analysis

5.6 Ecosystem Coverage: Parent Market

5.7 Trade and Tariff Analysis

5.7.1 Trade Analysis for Electron Microscopes

5.7.2 Tariff Analysis for Electron Microscopes

5.8 Patent Analysis

5.9 Pricing Trend Analysis

5.10 Porter's Five Forces Analysis

5.11 COVID-19 Impact on the Microscopy Market

6 Microscopy Market, by Product

6.1 Introduction

6.2 Microscopes

6.2.1 Availability of Technologically Advanced Microscopes - A Key Factor Driving Market Growth

6.3 Software

6.3.1 Introduction of Novel Image Acquisition Software for Microscopes to Drive Market Growth

6.4 Accessories

6.4.1 High Demand for Objective Microscope Lenses in Life Science Research to Drive Growth in this Market Segment

7 Microscopy Market, by Type

7.1 Introduction

7.2 Optical Microscopes

7.2.1 Confocal Microscopes

7.2.1.1 Advanced Features of Confocal Microscopes Have Resulted in Their Increased Adoption in Biomedical and Materials Science Research

7.2.2 Stereo Microscopes

7.2.2.1 Stereo Microscopes are Portable, Easy to Use, and Fairly Inexpensive

7.2.3 Digital Microscopes

7.2.3.1 Digital Microscopes Overcome the Limitations of Conventional Optical Microscopes

7.2.4 Compound Microscopes

7.2.4.1 Compound Microscopes are Widely Used in Academic & Research Institutes

7.2.5 Other Optical Microscopes

7.3 Electron Microscopes

7.3.1 Scanning Electron Microscopes

7.3.1.1 Sems Can Provide Magnification of Up to 100,000X - A Key Factor Driving Market Growth

7.3.2 Transmission Electron Microscopes

7.3.2.1 These Microscopes are Mainly Used to Study the Ultrastructure of Components

7.4 Scanning Probe Microscopes

7.4.1 Atomic Force Microscopes

7.4.1.1 Significant Use of Atomic Force Microscopes in Nanotechnology Research to Drive Market Growth

7.4.2 Scanning Tunneling Microscopes

7.4.2.1 Scanning Tunneling Microscopes are Mainly Used for Topological Studies

7.4.3 Near-Field Scanning Optical Microscopes

7.4.3.1 Nsoms are Used in Precision Laser Machining & Nanometer-Scale Optical Lithography

7.5 Other Microscopes

8 Microscopy Market, by Application

8.1 Introduction

8.2 Semiconductor Applications

8.2.1 Microscopy is Used Extensively in the Semiconductor Industry for R&D, Qc, Monitoring, and Process Development - A Key Factor Driving Market Growth

8.3 Life Science Applications

8.3.1 Growing R&D and Rising Government Funding for Research to Support Market Growth

8.4 Materials Science Applications

8.4.1 Increasing Focus on Research in Materials Science to Drive the Adoption of Microscopes

8.5 Other Applications

9 Microscopy Market, by End-user

9.1 Introduction

9.2 Industries

9.2.1 Technological Innovations to Fuel the Adoption of Microscopes in this End-User Segment

9.3 Academic & Research Institutes

9.3.1 Increasing R&D Activities to Drive the Adoption of Microscopes Among Academic & Research Institutes

9.4 Other End-users

10 Microscopy Market, by Region

11 Competitive Landscape

11.1 Overview

11.2 Key Player Strategies/Right to Win

11.3 Key Player Strategies

11.4 Market Share Analysis, by Key Player

11.5 Company Evaluation Quadrant

11.6 Vendor Inclusion Criteria

11.6.1 Stars

11.6.2 Pervasive Players

11.6.3 Emerging Leaders

11.6.4 Participants

11.7 Competitive Leadership Mapping: Emerging Companies/SMEs/Start-Ups

11.7.1 Progressive Companies

11.7.2 Starting Blocks

11.7.3 Responsive Companies

11.7.4 Dynamic Companies

11.8 Competitive Benchmarking

11.9 Competitive Scenario and Trends

12 Company Profiles

12.1 Key Players

12.1.1 Thermo Fisher Scientific

12.1.2 Carl Zeiss AG (Zeiss Group)

12.1.3 Danaher Corporation

12.1.4 Nikon Corporation

12.1.5 Bruker Corporation

12.1.6 Olympus Corporation

12.1.7 Oxford Instruments

12.1.8 Jeol

12.1.9 Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation

12.1.10 Semilab

12.1.11 Accu-Scope

12.1.12 Meiji Techno Co.

12.1.13 Motic Group

12.1.14 Helmut Hund

12.1.15 Labomed

12.2 Other Companies

12.2.1 Keyence Corporation

12.2.2 Optika Microscopes

12.2.3 Horiba

12.2.4 Vision Engineering

12.2.5 Witec

13 Appendix

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/dv2jnr

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


SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Thoma Bravo, a leading software investment firm, today announced the completion of its strategic investment in Intel 471, the premier provider of cyber threat intelligence for leading enterprises and governments.

"We are excited to officially embark on this partnership with Thoma Bravo," said Mark Arena, CEO of Intel 471. "As cybersecurity continues to be front of mind for customers, we are looking forward to working with Thoma Bravo's experienced team in continuing to expand our product offering and bolstering innovation across our company."

"Intel 471's TITAN platform offers real-time insights and information on threat actors to intelligence professionals working around the globe, making our services an essential function of cybersecurity teams everywhere," said Jason Passwaters, COO of Intel 471. He continued, "Thoma Bravo's track record in the cybersecurity arena speaks for itself, and we are confident that their industry knowledge and operational capabilities will further support our mission and allow us to drive sustained, long-term growth."

"As cybersecurity becomes a greater concern for companies everywhere, and threat actors become more sophisticated, Intel 471 has proven itself a leader in the space, utilizing its customer focused business model and team of cybersecurity experts to provide essential intelligence and monitoring on threat actors," said Adam Solomon, a Principal at Thoma Bravo.

"We're thrilled to be partnering with Mark Arena, Jason Passwaters and the Intel 471 team to support their impressive growth trajectory and continue to facilitate the essential services they provide to existing and future customers," added Annie Wei, a Vice President at Thoma Bravo.

Debt financing for the transaction was provided by Antares Capital. Kirkland & Ellis served as legal counsel to Thoma Bravo. Cowen served as financial advisor to Intel 471 and Reed Smith served as legal counsel.

About Thoma Bravo



Thoma Bravo is one of the largest private equity firms in the world, with more than $83 billion in assets under management as of June 30, 2021. The firm invests in growth-oriented, innovative companies operating in the software and technology sectors. Leveraging the firm's deep sector expertise and proven strategic and operational capabilities, Thoma Bravo collaborates with its portfolio companies to implement operating best practices, drive growth initiatives and make accretive acquisitions intended to accelerate revenue and earnings. Over the past 20 years, the firm has acquired more than 325 companies representing over $100 billion in enterprise value. The firm has offices in Chicago, Miami and San Francisco. For more information, visit thomabravo.com.

About Intel471

Intel 471 empowers enterprises, government agencies, and other organizations to win the cybersecurity war using near-real-time insights into the latest malicious actors, relationships, threat patterns, and imminent attacks relevant to their businesses.

The company's TITAN platform collects, interprets, structures, and validates human-led, automation- enhanced results. Clients across the globe leverage this threat intelligence with Intel 471's proprietary framework to map the criminal underground, zero in on key activity, and align their resources and reporting to business requirements. Intel 471 serves as a trusted advisor to security teams, offering ongoing trend analysis and supporting their use of the platform.

Learn more at https://intel471.com/.

SOURCE Thoma Bravo

Related Links

https://intel471.com


Integrating virtual and offline formats to connect Paris and Guangzhou, more than 100 representatives from well-known French multinational companies, financial institutions, inspection agencies, design companies, building materials supermarkets and business associations attended the event.

Guests including Shen Xiang, Minister of Economic and Commercial Affairs of the Chinese Embassy in France; Chu Shijia, Vice President and Secretary General of the Canton Fair, Director General of China Foreign Trade Centre; Alain Eygreteau, Vice-President of Paris Ile-de-France Chamber of Commerce; Gao Shugang, Deputy General Manager of Bank of China Paris Branch and Cheng Hui, Director of ADEO Services International Buying Office attended and addressed the event.

As a crucial platform for international trade cooperation, the Canton Fair is an important link in the global industrial and supply chains. Shen Xiang encouraged French companies to make full use of the platform to further cooperation and exchanges with Chinese companies, offering different options for how French and Chinese firms could collaborate, and contributing to the expansion of Sino-French economic and trade cooperation.

The event introduces the Fair's highlights of the exhibitions, events and featured booths which are designated to echo China's "dual circulation" strategy, as well as its innovative presentation to encourage companies to showcase new products both online and offline.

Chu Shijia noted that the Canton Fair has been receiving support from the French and Chinese business communities over the past 65 years. He hoped that the French business communities can find business opportunities and lead on the win-win cooperation between the two countries.

Alan Eygreteau said the international supply chain took a big hit due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and buyers are actively seeking business partners and suppliers. The Canton Fair is the perfect venue for tackling such challenges.

With China being France's largest trading partner in Asia, the Canton Fair has regularly welcomed nearly 3,000 French buyers at each one of its editions. Through the Fair, companies worldwide can gain comprehensive insights into the latest trends of Chinese products and the market potential in China.

SOURCE Canton Fair

Related Links

https://www.cantonfair.org.cn/en/


NEW YORK and WILMINGTON, Del., Sept. 26, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- TransPerfect, the world's largest provider of language and technology solutions for global business, won a major legal victory when it successfully defeated a spurious motion for sanctions by Ross Aronstam, a Delaware law firm hired by Chancery Court-appointed Custodian Robert Pincus to execute an agenda against the interests of the company. Ross Aronstam previously employed Delaware Supreme Court Chief Justice Seitz, who has ruled on certain TransPerfect appeals despite previously recusing himself twice for self-identified conflicts of interest.

TransPerfect also succeeded in obtaining a Delaware Chancery Court order discharging Pincus from his role as Custodian and ending a three-year battle to remove him after TransPerfect's ownership consolidation in 2018. In a letter to employees praising their business acumen and TransPerfect's performance despite his interference, Pincus implicitly acknowledged that his appointment was not necessary and that there had been no impediments to the company's "continued success." His letter enraged the many TransPerfect employees who had their health benefits cut by Pincus while he simultaneously wasted millions of dollars from the company's coffers.

TransPerfect has now filed a motion seeking relief from the most recent acts of alleged dishonesty by Pincus and his counsel, Jennifer Voss of Skadden. That motion, pending before new Chief Chancellor Kathaleen McCormick, painstakingly details allegations of vast misconduct by Pincus and Voss, including the improper retention of $4 million in escrowed funds under false pretenses. It also recounts Pincus's ever-changing parade of excuses for hijacking the escrow, which has devolved into nothing more than an admission that he engaged in self-help and improperly froze the escrow as insurance against "future possible" claims.

The escrow funds were supposed to be returned to TransPerfect CEO Phil Shawe and former shareholder Liz Elting three years after the completion of the Court-ordered sale. Despite a Chancery Court decision confirming there were no "claims" against the escrow and that its termination date passed, Pincus and Voss have improperly frozen the account indefinitely. Specifically, the escrow agreementwhich was drafted by Pincus and Voss of Skaddenexpired on May 7, 2021, and clearly states that all money be returned after three years unless there are "existing" claims pending.

TransPerfect's motion is rooted in there being no provision that permits a unilateral extension of the escrow for "future" potential claims. Nevertheless, Pincus has openly breached the contract, engaged in self-serving self-help, and again flaunted the tenets of well-established Delaware contract law.

Pincus, Voss, and Skadden are also generating more billable hours for themselves by refusing to accept full payment of "fees" erroneously ordered to be paid by TransPerfect, and have employed such tactics as not depositing checks and refusing to accept escrow monies ordered to be paid to them. Consistent with these bad faith acts, Voss filed a frivolous contempt motion of her own that failed to disclose Skadden's obstructionist behavior and is designed to generate even more bogus fees.

TransPerfect has now been forced to incur custodial fees of over $50 million by Pincus and his agents, and the current motion asks the Chancery Court to put an end to this perversely incentivized and highly unethical warmongering. "This six-year gravy train must end for Robert Pincus and Jennifer Voss," stated Shawe. "These 'state actors' have disclaimed their fiduciary duties, and continue to pocket millions for 'work' that is of no value whatsoever to TransPerfect. This injustice must end."

Martin Russo, an attorney for the company, added that, "Pincus's refusal to accept funds from escrow clearly shows that he is not interested in being paid for the services Skadden allegedly rendered; rather, it appears that he is intent on grabbing a fund that he and Skadden can indiscriminately bill against in the futurenotwithstanding the fact that their legitimate duties ended years ago. Even Chancellor McCormick publicly has recognized TransPerfect is not a credit risk and it follows that no escrow is needed."

About TransPerfect

TransPerfect is the world's largest provider of language and technology solutions for global business. From offices in over 100 cities on six continents, TransPerfect offers a full range of services in 170+ languages to clients worldwide. More than 5,000 global organizations employ TransPerfect's GlobalLink technology to simplify management of multilingual content. With an unparalleled commitment to quality and client service, TransPerfect is fully ISO 9001 and ISO 17100 certified. TransPerfect has global headquarters in New York, with regional headquarters in London and Hong Kong. For more information, please visit our website at www.transperfect.com.

SOURCE TransPerfect

Related Links

http://www.transperfect.com


ZUG, Switzerland, Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Qontigo has licensed two climate, sustainability and factor-focused STOXX indices to FlexShares, part of Northern Trust Asset Management, as underlyings for exchange traded funds (ETFs): the iSTOXX Northern Trust Emerging Markets High Dividend Climate ESG Index and the iSTOXX Northern Trust Developed Markets Low Volatility Climate ESG Index.

The iSTOXX Northern Trust Emerging Markets High Dividend Climate ESG Index is designed to provide exposure to a high-quality income-oriented universe of emerging-market equity securities, with an emphasis on long-term capital growth, as well as to achieve climate and sustainability targets.

The iSTOXX Northern Trust Developed Markets Low Volatility Climate ESG Index is designed to feature a universe of companies that exhibit lower overall absolute volatility, while paying attention to climate and sustainability targets.

"We are proud to expand our Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) product offerings in Europe," said Marie Dzanis, Northern Trust Asset Management's Head of Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA). "We believe that investors should be compensated for the risks they take in all market environments. As we see growth opportunities throughout various regions in emerging markets, our newly launched ETFs are designed to capitalize on this growth while leveraging our more than 30 years of sustainable investing expertise."

Stephan Flaegel, Chief Product Officer, Indices and Benchmarks at Qontigo, said: "Climate and sustainability have become central investment themes for many of our clients. Northern Trust's proprietary datasets and our portfolio construction expertise made this cooperation possible. The index contains companies that exhibit strength in profitability, management expertise and cash flow. The weighting of each constituent security is determined through an optimization process that is designed to meet climate and sustainability targets."

Both indices are derived from the iSTOXX Northern Trust Emerging Markets Index. Measurement of the sustainability and climate targets are via Northern Trust ESG Scores, Northern Trust ESG Exclusion Flags and ISS ESG carbon risk rating and emissions data.

This launch follows the introduction by FlexShares earlier this year of two other ETFs based on STOXX indices tracking climate- and factor-based strategies.

SOURCE Qontigo
SALT LAKE CITY, Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- USANA congratulates Peggie Pelosi, a member of its board of directors, for being named one of the most influential leaders in the boardroom by the National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD). The 2021 NACD Directorship 100 continues to distinguish leading corporate directors, corporate governance experts, policymakers, and influencers who make a significant impact on boardroom practices and performance.

"It is such an honor to be recognized along with this accomplished group of corporate directors and governance professionals," says Pelosi, "The resources, education, and network the NACD has provided, along with the talent, expertise, and vision of my fellow board members and USANA management, has been instrumental in my development as a board director and chair of the sustainability committee."

Ms. Pelosi and other honorees will be recognized during the 2021 NACD Directorship Awards Virtual Gala on November 9, 2021. Honorees will also be highlighted in NACD Directorship magazine's Annual List of the Most Influential People in Boardrooms and Corporate Governance.

"Peggie is an outstanding and passionate leader, and her strategic oversight on our board is truly inspirational," says Kevin Guest, USANA CEO and chairman of the board. "We are fortunate to have someone like her as a board member, especially as the board committee chair for our environmental, social, and governance initiatives. USANA is a better company nowand will continue to improve in the futurethanks to Peggie's leadership."

In 1999, with 15 years of direct selling leadership experience under her belt, Pelosi joined USANA as the Executive Director of Sales for Canada at USANA Health Sciences. And in 2000, she advanced to Vice President of Network Development. Working at USANA until 2004, she formed the program that would evolve into the USANA Foundationthus leading to her interest in corporate social responsibility. Peggie joined USANA's Board of Directors in September 2018 as its first female board member. She brings a wealth of expertise in corporate social responsibility and sustainability knowledge to the board.

"This year's Directorship 100 honoreeseach of whom have been nominated by a peerhave demonstrated their individual excellence in governance by serving their organizations and communities during the most challenging of times," says Peter R. Gleason, NACD president and CEO. "They exemplify accomplishment and integrity and inspire others with their dedication to enhancing board leadership."

The National Association of Corporate Directors ( NACD ) empowers more than 22,000 directors to lead with confidence in the boardroom. As the recognized authority on leading boardroom practices, NACD helps boards strengthen investor trust and public confidence by ensuring today's directors are well-prepared for tomorrow's challenges.

To learn more about the NACD Directorship 100 and to view past honorees, visit https://directorship100.nacdonline.org/.

About USANA

USANA (NYSE: USNA) prides itself on providing consumers the highest quality nutritional products in the world. From its award-winning supplements to its innovative skincare and active nutrition lines, USANA has proven for nearly 30 years why it's a company you can trust. How about giving us a try? Shop at USANA.com or learn more at whatsupUSANA.com.

Media Contact:

Amy Haran

USANA Executive Vice President of Communications

(801) 954-7641

media(at)us.usana(dot)com

SOURCE USANA

Related Links

http://www.usana.com


MONETA, Va., Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Motor Mile Raceway - The SMART Modified tour will invade Motor Mile Raceway in Pulaski, Virginia on October 2nd with a familiar name sponsoring the race and a familiar name making his return to competition.

Senator Bill Stanley, through his law firm, The Stanley Law Group, will sponsor the race that will be known as the Stanley Law Group Stands with Small Business 99. In that same event, 1993 NASCAR Rookie of the Year and Virginia native Hermie Sadler will make his return to the track by making his first ever start on the SMART Modified Tour.

Those that know Stanley and Sadler know that they are teaming up to advocate for small businesses in Virginia with an ongoing lawsuit against the Commonwealth of Virginia, Governor Ralph Northam, Attorney General Mark Herring, and others. The suit is a fight against Government overreach into small businesses.

"I am honored to support grass roots racing here in Virginia, while at the same time bringing attention to the fight that Hermie Sadler and I are waging on behalf of small business owners across the Commonwealth of Virginia," stated Senator Bill Stanley."We hope to see everyone out at Motor Mile Raceway on October 2nd."

Sadler, a native of Emporia, Virginia, spent years behind the wheel and in front of the camera as an analyst for FOX SPORTS. This will be his first ever attempt in an open wheel Modified. "I grew up watching these cars at Martinsville at the Double Headers, so now to be able to drive one is exciting for me," Sadler said. "To be representing Senator Stanley and bringing attention to our mission for Virginia small businesses is why I am doing this, as well as to support The SMART Modified Tour and short track racing in Virginia." Sadler will compete in a car owned and prepared by Phil Stefanalli.

"It's great to see Hermie in a car again, especially a modified. I have known Him for some time and have seen the competitive fire and expect him to have a lot of fun. Sitting in a car prepared by PSR I am sure it will be ready to compete. Having Senator Stanley at our Tour event in Franklin County was great. He has a passion for small business and grass roots racing and for him to help promote our sport and series says a lot about his commitment to his community," said Chris Williams SMART Tour Director.

Contact: Chad Monday, The Stanley Law Group

Phone: (540) 721-6028

Email: [email protected]

13508 Booker T Washington Hwy

Moneta, VA 24121

vastanleylawgroup.com

SOURCE The Stanley Law Group

Related Links

vastanleylawgroup.com


IRVING, Texas, Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Vistra (NYSE: VST) today announced that Curt Morgan, Vistra's chief executive officer, and Jim Burke, Vistra's president and chief financial officer, will join Steve Fleishman of Wolfe Research for a fireside chat as part of Wolfe's Utilities, Midstream & Clean Energy Conference. The fireside chat will be broadcast live on Thursday, Sept. 30, 2021, beginning at 2:45 p.m. ET (1:45 p.m. CT). The live event can be accessed by registering here. For those unable to participate live, a replay will be available on Vistra's website for one year following the event.

About Vistra

Vistra (NYSE: VST) is a leading, Fortune 275 integrated retail electricity and power generation company based in Irving, Texas, providing essential resources for customers, commerce, and communities. Vistra combines an innovative, customer-centric approach to retail with safe, reliable, diverse, and efficient power generation. The company brings its products and services to market in 20 states and the District of Columbia, including six of the seven competitive wholesale markets in the U.S. and markets in Canada and Japan, as well. Serving nearly 4.3 million residential, commercial, and industrial retail customers with electricity and natural gas, Vistra is one of the largest competitive residential electricity providers in the country and offers over 50 renewable energy plans. The company is also the largest competitive power generator in the U.S. with a capacity of approximately 39,000 megawatts powered by a diverse portfolio, including natural gas, nuclear, solar, and battery energy storage facilities. In addition, the company is a large purchaser of wind power. The company owns and operates a 400-MW/1,600-MWh battery energy storage system in Moss Landing, California, the largest of its kind in the world. Vistra is guided by four core principles: we do business the right way, we work as a team, we compete to win, and we care about our stakeholders, including our customers, our communities where we work and live, our employees, and our investors. Learn more about our environmental, social, and governance efforts and read the company's sustainability report at https://www.vistracorp.com/sustainability/.

SOURCE Vistra Corp.
LOS ANGELES, Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Willenken secured a significant trial victory in the first phase of a closely watched case recognized by the pharmaceutical industry as "one of the five big healthcare lawsuits" of the year.

On behalf of AbbVie Endocrine, Inc., Willenken brought a high-stakes breach of contract case against Takeda Pharmaceutical Company, accusing Takeda of failing to supply AbbVie's requirements for Lupron, the leading androgen deprivation therapy for the treatment of advanced prostate cancer, uterine fibroids, endometriosis, and precocious puberty.

After an FDA inspection in November 2019 found serious quality deficiencies at one of Takeda's Japanese Lupron manufacturing facilities, production and supply disruptions caused a world-wide Lupron supply shortage. Takeda then allocated the scarce Lupron supply in favor of its own markets and to the grave detriment of AbbVie's exclusive U.S. and Canadian markets. As a result, tens of thousands of physicians and patients, who rely upon AbbVie for Lupron, are no longer able to obtain timely, sufficient quantities of this potentially life-saving drug.

Led by partner Paul Loh, the 100-percent-diverse Willenken trial team filed suit in Delaware Chancery Court in late 2020. After a four-day trial, significant post-trial briefing, and oral argument, the Court ruled in favor of AbbVie, finding that Takeda:

Failed to operate its manufacturing facility in compliance with FDA regulations; Failed to fulfill AbbVie's firm orders of Lupron; and Failed to maintain mandated levels of Lupron safety stock to mitigate the impact of production disruptions, in violation of the parties' Supply Agreement.

See Law360 article titled "Chancery Says Takeda Liable For AbbVie's Lupron Supply Lag."

The case will now proceed to a trial on the amount of damages to be awarded to AbbVie for Takeda's breaches.

In its September 22 decision, the Court expressly rejected Takeda's central argument that the supply agreement merely required Takeda to exert its "best efforts" to timely fulfill AbbVie's Lupron requirements, describing Takeda's proffered contract construction as an "absurdity."

Drawing upon its unparalleled trial experience and in-house capabilities in electronic document management, the Willenken team effectively marshalled testimonial and documentary evidence from more than three dozen fact and expert depositions taken remotely of witnesses from across seven countries, and over 145,000 documentsall under the case's expedited schedule and during the restrictions of the COVID-19 pandemic.

This culminated in a four-day, virtual trial featuring the testimony of fifteen witnesses, who were expertly questioned or defended by partners Paul Loh, Jason Wilson, and Amelia Sargent; of counsel Ashley Kirk; and senior associate Kenneth Trujillo-Jamison. The team further included partner Peter Shimamoto, of counsel Lika Miyake, and staff attorney Sherin Varghese.

Click here for the September 22, 2021 Delaware Chancery Court decision in this case.

SOURCE Willenken LLP

Related Links

www.willenken.com


DUBLIN, Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Femtocell Market: Global Industry Trends, Share, Size, Growth, Opportunity and Forecast 2021-2026" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The global femtocell market exhibited strong growth during 2015-2020. Femtocell refers to a small and light-weight cellular base station used for increasing the signal strength and coverage area of mobile networks. It is a wireless device used for improving the cellular reception in an office, home or building. Femtocell acts as a repeater that communicates with the mobile phones and converts voice calls into voice over information protocol (IP) packets. These packets are further transmitted over a broadband connection to the mobile operator's server. It offers quick data connections, in-premise voice and data services, reduced dropped calls and improved mobile voice output quality. Apart from this, it also has lower power consumption, IP backhaul and self-optimization capabilities.



Significant improvements in the 4G and 5G infrastructure are among the key factors driving the growth of the market. Furthermore, the rising demand for heterogeneous networks across the globe is also driving the market growth. High penetration of broadband services and mobile phones has enhanced the requirement for improved network coverage for high-quality video conferencing, calling and downloading of software and music. In line with this, the increasing commercial applications of femtocell in multi-tenant buildings, hotels and office towers are also contributing to the market growth. Various technological advancements, such as product integration with the Internet of Things (IoT) to improve indoor coverage and maintain the need for smart devices, are acting as other major growth-inducing factors. Increasing investments in small-cell infrastructure, along with the utilization of distributed antenna systems and cloud Radio Access Network (C-RAN), are some of the other factors that are expected to drive the market further. Looking forward, the global femtocell market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 27.6% during 2021-2026.

Competitive Landscape

The competitive landscape of the industry has also been examined with some of the key players being Alcatel-Lucent S.A. (Nokia), Analog Devices, Cisco Systems, Ericsson, Fujitsu Limited (Furukawa Group), Huawei Technologies, Juniper Networks Inc. Motorola Inc., Netgear Inc., Samsung and ZTE Corporation.



Key Questions Answered in This Report

How has the global femtocell market performed so far and how will it perform in the coming years?

What has been the impact of COVID-19 on the global femtocell market?

What are the key regional markets?

What is the breakup of the market based on the form factor?

What is the breakup of the market based on the technology?

What is the breakup of the market based on the type?

What is the breakup of the market based on the application?

What are the various stages in the value chain of the industry?

What are the key driving factors and challenges in the industry?

What is the structure of the global femtocell market and who are the key players?

What is the degree of competition in the industry?

Key Topics Covered:



1 Preface



2 Scope and Methodology



3 Executive Summary



4 Introduction

4.1 Overview

4.2 Key Industry Trends



5 Global Femtocell Market

5.1 Market Overview

5.2 Market Performance

5.3 Impact of COVID-19

5.4 Market Forecast



6 Market Breakup by Form Factor

6.1 Standalone

6.1.1 Market Trends

6.1.2 Market Forecast

6.2 Integrated

6.2.1 Market Trends

6.2.2 Market Forecast



7 Market Breakup by Technology

7.1 IMS/SIP Femtocell Technology

7.1.1 Market Trends

7.1.2 Market Forecast

7.2 IU-H Femtocell Technology

7.2.1 Market Trends

7.2.2 Market Forecast



8 Market Breakup by Type

8.1 2G Femtocell

8.1.1 Market Trends

8.1.2 Key Technologies

8.1.2.1 CDMA

8.1.2.2 GSM/GPRS

8.1.3 Market Forecast

8.2 3G Femtocell

8.2.1 Market Trends

8.2.2 Key Technologies

8.2.2.1 W-CDMA/HSPA

8.2.2.2 CDMA2000-EVDO

8.2.2.3 TD-CDMA

8.2.3 Market Forecast

8.3 4G Femtocell

8.3.1 Market Trends

8.3.2 Key Technologies

8.3.2.1 WiMAX

8.3.2.2 LTE

8.3.3 Market Forecast



9 Market Breakup by Application

9.1 Residential

9.1.1 Market Trends

9.1.2 Market Forecast

9.2 Commercial

9.2.1 Market Trends

9.2.2 Market Forecast

9.3 Others

9.3.1 Market Trends

9.3.2 Market Forecast



10 Market Breakup by Region



11 SWOT Analysis



12 Value Chain Analysis



13 Porters Five Forces Analysis



14 Price Analysis



15 Competitive Landscape

15.1 Market Structure

15.2 Key Players

15.3 Profiles of Key Players

15.3.1 Alcatel-Lucent S.A. (Nokia)

15.3.1.1 Company Overview

15.3.1.2 Product Portfolio

15.3.2 Analog Devices

15.3.2.1 Company Overview

15.3.2.2 Product Portfolio

15.3.2.3 Financials

15.3.2.4 SWOT Analysis

15.3.3 Cisco Systems

15.3.3.1 Company Overview

15.3.3.2 Product Portfolio

15.3.3.3 Financials

15.3.3.4 SWOT Analysis

15.3.4 Ericsson

15.3.4.1 Company Overview

15.3.4.2 Product Portfolio

15.3.4.3 Financials

15.3.5 Fujitsu Limited (Furukawa Group)

15.3.5.1 Company Overview

15.3.5.2 Product Portfolio

15.3.6 Huawei Technologies

15.3.6.1 Company Overview

15.3.6.2 Product Portfolio

15.3.7 Juniper Networks Inc.

15.3.7.1 Company Overview

15.3.7.2 Product Portfolio

15.3.8 Motorola Inc.

15.3.8.1 Company Overview

15.3.8.2 Product Portfolio

15.3.8.3 Financials

15.3.8.4 SWOT Analysis

15.3.9 Netgear Inc.

15.3.9.1 Company Overview

15.3.9.2 Product Portfolio

15.3.9.3 Financials

15.3.9.4 SWOT Analysis

15.3.10 Samsung

15.3.10.1 Company Overview

15.3.10.2 Product Portfolio

15.3.11 ZTE Corporation

15.3.11.1 Company Overview

15.3.11.2 Product Portfolio

15.3.11.3 Financials



For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/cg3xq0

Media Contact:

Replace contact info. with:



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: 646-607-1907

Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716

SOURCE Research and Markets

Related Links

http://www.researchandmarkets.com


Islamabad, Sep 27 : A surge in the number of dengue fever cases has been reported in parts of Pakistan over the past 24 hours amid fears that the country might face an outbreak of the disease in the coming days, heath authorities said on Sunday.

A total of 90 new cases of dengue fever have been reported across the eastern Punjab province over the past 24 hours, said the provincial health department, adding that most of the cases were recorded in Lahore, the provincial capital of Punjab, Xinhua news agency reported.

The total tally of dengue fever cases this year has surged to 1,082 in the province, said the health department.

Similarly, more than 800 dengue fever cases were detected in the country's northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province during the last one month as the province added several new cases over the last 24 hours, said the KP health department.

Keeping in view of the alarming spike in the dengue fever cases, the province's health department in collaboration with the district administrations has begun fumigation and an awareness campaign in the province.

Meanwhile, 32 more people were infected with the dengue virus in the federal capital Islamabad in the past 24 hours, pushing the tally of the cases in the city to 177 this year, Islamabad District Health Officer Zaeem Zia told local media.

According to government officials, despite various challenges posed by Covid-19, the Pakistani government has been making all-out efforts and taking adequate measures to stem the further spread of the dengue virus.
Moscow, Sep 27 : Russian fighters have escorted a US strategic bomber over the neutral waters of the Pacific, said the Russian Defence Ministry.

Russian radars detected an air target approaching Russian borders over the Pacific, and three Su-35S fighters of Russia's Eastern Military District took off in response, the ministry said on Sunday, Xinhua news agency reported.

The Russian pilots identified the air target as a US Air Force B-52H strategic bomber and then escorted it.

No violation of Russian borders was allowed and the flight of the Russian aircraft strictly complied with international rules for the use of airspace, it said.
Prayagraj : Sep 27 (IANS) The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) recreated the suicide scene in Baghambari Math where the Akhil Bhartiya Akhara Parishad (ABAP) president Mahant Narendra Giri's body was found on September 20.

Experts from the Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) also accompanied the CBI team.

The CBI sleuths also questioned Balbir Giri and the driver of Mahant Narendra Giri and held a detailed interrogation session with other disciples who had broken open the door of Giri's room on that fateful day.

The exercise ended late on Sunday evening.

A dummy, weighing 85 kg - equivalent to the weight of the deceased Mahant - was hung on the same ceiling fan and the disciples were asked to recreate the entire sequence by cutting the nylon rope and bringing down the body. The entire process was videographed.

The length, breadth and height of the room was also measured by forensic experts.

"The height of the room was examined along with the length of the rope required to reach the ceiling fan. The scene of the incident was recreated and the entire proceedings were video graphed," an official said.

The driver was asked if he took the seer out of the Math or if he was asked to meet anybody on September 20.

The CFSL team also met the doctors who conducted the post-mortem examination.

The 20-member CBI team from Delhi headquarters, which started investigations on Saturday, is staying at the police lines guest house and will camp in Prayagraj for about 10 days.

One of the longest interrogations was that of the cook who prepared the food in the Math and took the food to the Mahant the day he was found dead.

The CBI team interrogated disciples, known as 'sevadars', Bablu, Sumit and Dhananjay separately.

The team also is looking into origins of the sweet bag and empty box from a famous shop from Alwar, Rajasthan, that was found on the table of the guest house room where the Mahant was found dead.
Bengaluru, Sep 27 : Karnataka farmers' organisations across the state are all set to observe Bharat Bandh on Monday against new farm laws enacted by the Central government. The State Farmers' Association, Hasiru Sene, Sugar Cane Growers Association, Pranta Raita Sangha have given a call to observe total bandh in the state.

They have also given a call to block national highways and arterial roads in the cities across the state. The farmer organisations have also decided to take out massive rallies and observe complete bandh. However, many organisations have only extended moral support to the Bharat Bandh.

The state government has warned that in case of damage to public properties, state government-owned buses, the organisers will be held responsible.

The traffic in the heart of Bengaluru city is expected to be thrown out of gear on the first day of the week.

The opposition Congress, JD (S) parties have extended their support to the bandh. Cab service providers have decided to continue their services as per the situation. Dalit organisations, litterateurs, progressive thinkers have also extended their support and announced their participation.

Hotel owners, management of malls, businessmen, shop owners and management of schools and colleges have clarified that they won't be participating in the bandh.

Owners of private buses across the state have also decided to keep their services intact. The farmer organisations of all districts have given a call to observe bandh and make it a success.

Barring bank services, there will not be any major disruptions in the state, according to police. The government offices, schools and colleges will function as usual. The supplementary exams for SSLC (Class 10) students are also going to be held on Monday.

Considering the massive rally being organised in Bengaluru, as many as 6,000 policemen are deputed across the city.

A total of 40 platoons of Karnataka State Reserve Police (KSRP), 20 platoons of City Armed Reserve (CAR), 11 DCPs, 2 Additional Commissioners and one Joint Commissioner will be in the field and monitor the maintenance of Law and order in the city during the bandh, Bengaluru Police Commissioner Kamal Pant said.

If anyone is found to be forcing the business establishments to close or trouble vehicle riders, legal action will be initiated, he warned.

-- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed
New Delhi, Sep 27 : Public transport, including the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) buses and the Delhi Metro, were operational on Monday depsite the Bharat Bandh called by the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU).

Besides the metro trains and buses, auto rickshaws and other mode of public and private transports were also operational in the national capital.

The security at metro stations have been heightened, however, there was no announcement on train services being suspended.

BKU, which is an umbrella of over 40 farmer unions have called for the 10-hour Bharat Bandh from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m, to continue their protest against the three contentious farm bills.

The farm union chose September 27 for the Bharat Bandh call because on this date last year, the three bills were brought into force.

The farm unions have decided to observe the day as black day.

As per the BKU's official statement issued Sunday evening, farm unions along with their supporters, including trade unions, have decided to extend their support for the protest.

They have decied to shut markets, except some emergency services.

According to the BKU, apart from trade unions, political parties, six state governments and varied sections of the society have also extended their support.

So far, left parties like Communist Party of India (Marxist), Communist Party of India, All India Forward Bloc, Revolutionary Socialist Party many many other parties like India National Congress, Aam Aadmi Party, Samajwadi Party, Telugu Desam Party, Janata Dal (Secular), Bahujan Samaj Party, Nationalist Congress Party, DMK, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha among others have backed the call.

Farm union have announced that they would close all the borders connecting to the national capital.

Farmer have been sitting on protest at three borders of Delhi-Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur since November 2020.

Meanwhile, the Central Trade Unions have decided to stage a protest at Janatar Mantar to show of solidarity to the farm unions.
Thiruvananthapuram, Sep 27 : After the ruling Left and the Opposition Congress joined hands to support the agitating farmers, Kerala is seeing a total shutdown on Monday morning.

Markets, shops, establishments and offices are closed and so are all the public vehicles. Baring private vehicles, everything in the state has come to a complete standstill.

After the support from the political parties, the civil society has also lent its support to the agitating farmers. The result of this was that people have preferred to remain indoors. Incidentally, on account of the state and the country observing Covid protocols for the past 18 months, Monday's protest is the first political shutdown that Kerala is witnessing.

However, like on any shutdown day, the ISRO units are all functioning and its employees are being taken to the respective units in the state capital in their buses with armed security.

All university examinations scheduled for Monday have been postponed.

However, criticism has also come as Kerala deciding to observe the shutdown comes on World Tourism Day, when the entire state and tourism activities are closed.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Los Angeles, Sep 27 : Actress Lashana Lynch has described her 'No Time To Die' character Nomi as the woman she hoped to see on screen when I was a "little girl".

Lynch told Baz Bamigboye's column in the Daily Mail newspaper: "Nomi is the woman I hoped to see on screen when I was a little girl. She's highly skilled yet vulnerable. She's learning on the job - as I had to." The movie, which is set to be Daniel Craig's last as 007, sees Nomi team up with Bond to rescue a kidnapped scientist and Lynch said that the intense stunt training has set her up for life.

The 'Captain Marvel' actress said: "They gave me everything to ensure I was ready for the rest of my career." She also talked about that there is "mental and energetic" sparring between Nomi and Bond during the movie.

She said: "They psych each other out." Bond producer Barbara Broccoli hopes that Lashana will return as Nomi in the next film but ruled out the prospect of her replacing Craig as the iconic spy.

Asked if she will become a regular in the franchise, Broccoli said: "One hopes. (But) James Bond is a male character." Broccoli's fellow producer Michael G. Wilson also shared that there is no rush to find Craig's replacement and that the search will begin next year.
Lucknow, Sep 27 : In a freak accident, a tea stall owner suffered a massive heart attack and died on the spot while trying to save his son during a spat with a jeweller of the adjoining shop.

The tea stall owner fell down on being pushed on Sunday evening and fell unconscious. He was rushed to a nearby hospital where he was declared brought dead.

This led to protests and shop owners assembled at the spot, demanding action against the accused jeweller, his brother and staff at their shop.

Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (ADCP) , North Zone, Prachi Singh, reached the spot and a case of culpable homicide not amounting to murder was registered against eight persons including the jeweller Alok and his brother.

According to reports, the jeweller Alok Jain alleged that the deceased Naresh Gupta's son Nikhil was friendly with his daughter.

Alok and his brother Pappu Jain came to the tea stall and demanded explanation from Nikhil. They accused him of entrapping their daughter.

The argument turned heated and, Naresh reached the spot but was pushed aside when he tried to intervene. Naresh fell unconscious after falling down and was rushed to a hospital where he was declared brought dead.

"Naresh's body has been sent for post-mortem examination and a manhunt has been launched to arrest the accused, the ADCP said.
Gurugram, Sep 27 : Amid the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM)-called Bharat Bandh on Monday, commuters on the Delhi-Jaipur Expressway had to face a huge traffic congestion as the Delhi Police had put barriers at the border to keep a vigil on the farmers entering the national capital.

A heavy presence of security personnel was seen at the Delhi-Gurugram border.

Apart from the central forces, the Delhi Police and the Gurugram Police personnel have barricaded the border. Due to this only two lanes from Jaipur towards Delhi were opened for commuters entering Delhi. The traffic movement on the National Highway-48 was slow and the vehicles were moving bumper to bumper.

The officials of the Gurugram traffic control room said that the traffic movement on the expressway was slow due to the barricades erected by the Delhi Police on the Delhi-Gurugram border and near the Rajokri flyover.

"We have made all arrangements to tackle the protest call given by farmer organisations.

"Police will keep updating people about the traffic situation in Gurugram through the official social media handles," said Subhash Boken, spokesperson of the Gurugram Police, adding that while regular traffic can pass, checks are likely to slow it down or lead to jams. More than 1,000 police forces including senior officers have been deployed at all border points," he said.
Visakhapatnam, Sep 27 : Heavy rains lashed north coastal Andhra Pradesh under the impact of cyclonic storm 'Gulab' which has weakened into a deep depression after crossing Andhra-Odisha coast, officials said on Monday.

North coastal district of Srikakulam, Vizianagaram and Visakhapatnam districts were experiencing heavy downpour accompanied by strong winds since Sunday night.

Heavy rains inundated low-lying areas and trong winds with speed reaching 40-60 kmph uprooted trees and electricity poles in the coastal districts.

Authorities remained on high alert to undertake rescue and relief operations in the affected areas.

Teams of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) have already reached the north coastal Andhra.

Naval ships and aircraft are on standby for rescue and relief operations in the areas likely to be affected by the cyclone.

Deputy Chief Minister Dharmana Krishna Das along with officials visited some affected areas in Srikakulam district.

He directed officials of all departments to remain alert in view of the heavy rains.

Heavy rains also lashed Visakhapatnam city and several parts of the district. Water stagnation on roads snapped connectivity to some villages.

Chief Secretary Adityanath Das, who rushed to Visakhapatnam on Sunday night, reviewed the rescue and relief operations in the cyclone-affected areas.

He spoke to Srikakulam and Vizianagaram district collectors over phone and enquired about the measures taken to deal with the situation.

Electricity supply to the entire Srikakulam district was disrupted due to heavy rains and strong winds.

Officials said out of six fishermen who were reported missing, five have returned safely while search was on for the one missing.

Authorities in Srikakulam district shifted 1,500 people from low-lying areas to 30 relief camps. Control rooms have been set up in offices of district collector and district police superintendent.

Gajapatinagarm in Vizianagaram district received the highest rainfall of 20 mm since Sunday night.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD) bulletin on Monday morning, deep depression lay centered at over south Odisha and adjoining north Andhra Pradesh about 110 km south-southeast of Jagdalpur (Chhattisgarh) and 140 km west-northwest of Kalingapatnam (Andhra Pradesh).

It is likely to move nearly westwards and weaken further into a depression during next 12 hours.

The IMD has forecast light to moderate rainfall at most places with heavy to very heavy and extremely heavy falls at isolated places very likely over north coastal Andhra Pradesh, south Chhattisgarh, Telangana and Vidarbha.

Heavy to very heavy falls at isolated places over south Odisha and heavy rainfall at isolated places over Rayalaseema are also likely.

Squally wind, speed reaching 50-60 kmph gusting to 70 kmph, very likely to prevail over Westcentral and adjoining northwest Bay of Bengal off Andhra Pradesh and adjoining south Odisha coasts during next six hours and decrease thereafter.

Squally wind, speed reaching 45-55 kmph gusting to 65 kmph, is likely to prevail over north Andhra Pradesh and south Odisha districts during next six hours and decrease thereafter.

As sea condition will be rough to very rough, meteorologists have advised fishermen not to venture into sea for next 12 hours.

Meanwhile, the cyclone also triggered rains in other parts of Andhra Pradesh. East Goadavari district was receiving heavy rains.

Low-lying areas were inundated in Kakinada. Rain water entered houses in some areas.

Electricity supply was disrupted in Amalapuram since Sunday night
Patna, Sep 27 : Two persons were gunned down during a Panchayat hearing in Bihar's Khagaria district, an official said on Monday.

The incident occurred on Sunday evening in Rohiyama village, Beldaur police said when a Panchayat was organized to settle a matter related to the upcoming panchayat polls between two groups.

The deceased are identified as Kishundev Chaudhary who died on the spot while Haribol Yadav succumbed to his injury in the hospital.

"During the hearing in Panchayat, the groups instead of resolving the issues, got into a quarrel. Suddenly, some people started indiscriminate firing that led to chaos.

"Kishundev Chaudhary was killed on the spot after he sustained gunshot injuries in the chest and stomach while Haribol Yadav was rushed to the Sadar hospital but he succumbed on the way," said Santosh Kumar, SHO of Baldaur police station.

"We have registered an FIR. The alleged attackers have been identified and will be put behind the bars very soon," the SHO said.
Seoul, Sep 27 : North Korea's recent missile launches show the "seriousness of threat" posed to the US and South Korea, a Pentagon official said on Monday, amid a conciliatory gesture from Pyongyang after a series of weapons tests.

Siddharth Mohandas, US Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for East Asia, made the remark at the start of the biannual 20th Korea-US Integrated Defense Dialogue (KIDD) in Seoul to discuss regional security situations and pending alliance issues, reports Yonhap News Agency.

"North Korea's recent missile launches remind us of the seriousness of the threat we face together," Mohandas said, calling the alliance the "linchpin" of peace and security in the region against such challenges.

The remarks came two days after North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's sister, Kim Yo-jong, said the North could declare a formal end to the 1950-53 Korean War, as suggested by South Korea, and even discuss an inter-Korean summit if Seoul drops what she called a "hostile policy" against Pyongyang.

Kim Yo-jong's statement came amid concerns over the North's recent cruise and ballistic missile launches, and signs of the reclusive regime reactivating a key nuclear reactor at its mainstay Yongbyon complex.

Earlier on Monday, US reconnaissance aircraft, including a Global Hawk, were spotted flying over the Korean Peninsula in an apparent move to track North Korea's activities following the missile launches.

Referring to the recent talks of a formal end to the Korean War, Deputy Defense Minister Kim Man-ki said: "It is time a more close coordination between the South Korea-U.S. alliance is required." During the two-day meeting, the two sides plan to discuss "major pending security issues", such as the assessment of the security situation on the Korean Peninsula and the policy coordination on North Korea, according to the Defense Ministry.

Also on the table during this week's meeting will be the conditions-based transition of wartime operational control (OPCON) of South Korean troops from Washington to Seoul and ways to strengthen defense cooperation between the two countries, the Ministry said.

Launched in 2011, KIDD is a comprehensive defense forum between Seoul and Washington that usually meets twice a year.

The last session took place in Washington in May.
New Delhi, Sep 27 : The Bharat Bandh called by the Samyukt Kisan Morcha on Monday to protest against the three farm laws, seemed to have no effect at the Loni border (Delhi-Uttar Pradesh) connecting the Baghpat (Haryana) Highway.

The border point and the highway remained open to all.

The entry and exit point of the national capital at the Loni border had no traffic disruption and saw a heavy traffic movement coming from adjacent state, Uttar Pradesh. The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM)-called Bharat Bandh on Monday had no impact on the traffic and market at this entry point of the city.

However, the security forces have been deployed at the border area in wake of farmers' call for shutdown as they may try to enter the city from this point.

Meanwhile, the locals said that there was no impact of the Bharat Bandh in the area. The traffic movement of daily commuters was normal at the Delhi-Loni Border. Locals said that the market here would remain open. A shopkeeper said that if farmers anyhow try to enter into the city via this route, security forces will obstruct them at Khajuri DLF toll.

Despite the farmers' call for Bharat Bandh, the public transport was operational in the national capital. The DTC buses, Delhi Metro, auto rickshaws and other modes of public and private transports were running smoothly in the capital city.

The farmers' union call to Bharat Bandh has been supported by over several farmer unions, trade unions, political parties and the several state governments. However, the farmers have exempted the emergency services, all essential services, medical emergency and rescue and relief works, including personal emergency. The shutdown began at 6 a.m. and will continue till 4 p.m. The Samyukta Kisan Morcha has assured that the Bharat Bandh will be enforced in a voluntary and peaceful manner.
Reykjavik, Sep 27 : The Iceland's coalition government increased its majority by two seats from 35 to 37 in the country's 63-seat Parliament following the September 25 elections.

But the results of the election left the future cabinet coalition open as the success of the coalition parties still remains uncertain, reports Xinhua news agency.

Altogether eight parties were represented in Parliament.

Of the three coalition parties, the liberal-conservative Independence Party remains the largest in the country with 24.4 per cent backing and 16 seats.

The centre-right Progressive Party became the election winner and second largest in the coalition, increasing its support by 6.6 percentage points to 17.3 per cent and raising its seats from eight to 13.

Prime Minister Katrin Jakobsdottir's Left-Green Movement was down to eight seats from its previous 11, with 12.6 per cent backing, down 4.3 percentage points.

Among the opposition parties, Social Democratic Alliance, the People's Party, and the Pirates all received six seats respectively, while the Liberal Reform Party gained five and the Centre Party, three.

For the first time, the Icelandic Parliament will have more female MPs (33) than male MPs (30).

Jakobsdottir said on Sunday that talks to form a government will be complicated.

The leaders of the three coalition parties said before the election that if the government prevailed, it would be the first option to discuss continued government cooperation.

Turnout of voters in the whole country was 80.1 per cent, slightly lower than the previous election in 2017.
Jaipur, Sep 27 : Rajasthan primary schools reopened from Monday on the directions issued by the state government.

The schools have been closed for over a year owing to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The students from Classes 1 to 5 have been allowed to enter their classes on odd-even basis following the social distancing norms.

The temperature of students will be checked before they enter into the classes.

Students have been called with 50 per cent strength while the remaining shall be called on the next day.

The state government has left it on the students to attend classes and they have been given the choice of attending online classes too.

As per the government directions, school canteens and cafeteria shall remain closed and the students will have to bring in their lunch and water bottle from home.

Also, the students can attend classes without their regular uniforms, as per the state government's orders.
Chennai, Sep 27 : The Central Government has only said it would look into the proposal given by the M.K. Stalin government to operate the integrated vaccine complex in Chengalpattu belonging to HLL Biotech Ltd, said Tamil Nadu Health Secretary J.Radhakrishnan.

Refuting newsreports that the Central Government has given its consent in-principle to hand over the integrated vaccine complex to Tamil Nadu he told IANS: "At the meeting with the Union Health Minister the state government's proposal was pointed. The Health Minister had said the proposal can be looked into." Radhakrishnan said the state government had proposed to take on lease HLL Biotech Ltd's integrated vaccine complex (IVC) near here without past liabilities to run it with a private party.

Chief Minister M.K.Stalin in a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi had earlier said that the assets of the vaccine complex be handed over to the state government on lease with full operational freedom and without past liabilities.

"The State Government will identify a suitable private partner immediately and will make all efforts to commence vaccine production at the earliest," Stalin told Modi in May this year.

According to Stalin, suitable financial arrangement for central government to recover part of its investment can be subsequently worked out, after commencement of operations at the plant.

Stalin had pointed out the high capacity vaccine production unit is lying unutilised.

"The Government of India has already invested around Rs 700 crore in this manufacturing facility, which is almost complete but has been lying unutilized for want of additional funds," Stalin said.

Later meeting Modi in June, Stalin had urged Modi initiate action to start vaccine production at HLL Biotech's vaccine complex and also at the facility in Coonoor.
Islamabad, Sep 27 : A Pakistani soldier was killed and two others were injured when militants targeted a security forces' checkpost in Balochistan, the third terror attack in the province since September 24, an army statement said.

The attack took place on Sunday in Mach area at the checkpost of paramilitary troops Frontier Corps, the military's media wing Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in the statement.

The troops responded promptly and during an exchange of fire, one soldier was killed while two others were injured, Xinhua news agency reported citing the army as saying.

"Pakistan Army remains committed to defeat such cowardly acts by externally sponsored terrorist elements," the ISPR said.

On September 24, two security personnel were killed and five others injured in an attack in Awaran district The following day, four security personnel were killed and two others injured when a vehicle of paramilitary troops Frontier Corps hit the explosives planted along the road in Harnai district.

The outlawed Baloch Liberation Army claimed responsibility for the attack.
The past week saw the US's hard push to contain China in its own backyard, by the formation of a new defence agreement known as AUKUS, with no precedent in diplomatic world, as the regional might of the new alliance is already covered by an old alliance named Quad.

AUKUS-named after Australia, the UK and the US proclaims to bring hard military power to support the order built by Washington in Asia, and "sustain peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region", as per a statement by the White House.

Observers are quite perplexed by this new American action, as it has no parallel in the modern day diplomatic history. Some describe it as Anglophonic camaraderie. Through AUKUS, for the first time in history the US will share its nuclear technology with any country. The new agreement will deliver 60 attack submarines, including six nuclear attack submarines to be built by the UK and technology provided by the US.

In fact, AUKUS demonstrates the seriousness with which the US views the Chinese activities in the South China Sea and adjoining islands, China has claimed most of the territories in the South China Sea, defying a 2016 decision by the Permanent Court of Arbitration at The Hague declaring it as without legal basis.

It has also built artificial islands in the South China Sea and constructed massive runways and shipping docks, while also reportedly installing missile systems on the Spratly Islands. It has rejected competing claims from Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam in the South China Sea.

Chinese reaction Chinese President Xi Jinping has warned against "interference from external forces" in the region, as Australia shrugged off Beijing's growing anger about AUKUS. In an address before the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), Xi urged heads of state to "absolutely resist external forces to interfere (in) countries in our region at any excuse, and we hold the future of our countries' development and progress firmly in our own hands".

China's state-owned publication Global Times also described Australia as "a pawn of the US" and called it "naive" for financing "America's cold war gambit". "Australia could face the most dangerous consequence of being cannon fodder in the event of a military showdown in the region." French reaction

AUKUS has caused much consternation and anger in France because Australia terminated an earlier deal with Naval Group, a state-controlled French company, to build a dozen diesel-powered submarines.

French Foreign Affairs Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian, who laid out his own vision for the Indo-Pacific in a July visit to Washington, called the announcement a "stab in the back" and ordered a recall of the French Ambassadors from Washington and Canberra.

In their responses, French officials and some commentators have cast the announcement as an indication of a major strategic shift, particularly on the part of Washington. The move, they assert, represents a kind of geopolitical infidelity by the United States that demonstrates it does not take France (and by extension, they hasten to add, Europe as a whole) seriously as a partner.

The announcement has also fuelled fears that Europe is being cut out by Washington, with EU nations still smarting over the way the US handled the withdrawal from Afghanistan The EU has complained that it was kept out of the loop on a new military partnership between the US, UK and Australia, as Brussels was planning to lay down its own strategy for the Indo-Pacific on September 17.

"We regret not having being informed, not having been part of these talks," EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said.

The 27-nation bloc is looking to strengthen ties in the vast region where it says it is "already the top investor, the leading development cooperation partner and one of the biggest trading partners".

But Borrell insisted the strategy was "one of cooperation, not confrontation" with China.

Australian defence In a series of media interviews, Morrison said his government was reacting to changing dynamics in the Asia-Pacific region, where territory is increasingly contested and competition is rising.

Morrison said Australia is "very aware" of China's nuclear submarine capabilities and growing military investment, he told Channel Seven television. "We are interested in ensuring that international waters are always international waters and international skies are international skies, and that the rule of law applies equally in all of these places," he said.

Morrison told Australian media that the defence alliance had been "well-received" in his discussions so far with leaders in Japan, India, Singapore, New Zealand, Fiji and Papua New Guinea.

India's predicament For New Delhi, AUKUS isn't good news, either. The new accord raises questions about the importance of the Quad -- the four-nation alliance of the US, Australia, Japan and India. In particular, New Delhi will worry that the US is concerned only with pushing back against China, leaving its concerns about Pakistan and the western Indian Ocean unaddressed. India also felt left out of the regional political dynamics when it was not invited to join the Doha talks with Taliban alongside the US, Pakistan and Qatar.

Indian PM in the US Meanwhile the Indian Prime Minister Modi met the US President Joe Biden and his Japanese and Australian counterparts at the White House in Washington for the first Quad summit on 23rd face to face and discussed the priority areas for Quad.

Biden said this is a grouping of "democratic partners who share a world view and have a common vision for the future" and are "coming together to take on key challenges". Evolving a common approach to emerging technologies, cyber security and addressing the challenge of climate change and space cooperation, and Covid vaccination. This means that Quad will act as a socio-economic organisation and the region's defence will be led by AUKUS, which leaves India in the cold regarding its concerns of Chinese aggression in the North China Sea and Indian Ocean.

Before the Quad meeting Biden and Modi met separately to discuss bilateral issues, the latter laid stress on issues such as trade, technology, climate challenge and Covid management.

However, Modi's bilateral meetings with the POTUS and the Vice President regarding AUKUS and Quad didn't resulted in any benefit for India. Instead he got lessons on maintaining democracy, democratic traditions and democratic institutions by both the American leaders, whatever little the US media reported revealed and that might have forced him to change his address at the UNGA on the theme of democracy in the region.

(Asad Mirza is a political commentator based in New Delhi. He writes on Muslims, educational, international affairs, interfaith and current affairs. Views expressed are personal)
Panaji, Sep 27 : With the Assembly polls scheduled a few months away, Goa is promoting "political tourism" Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said on the occasion of 'World Tourism Day', while taking a dig at opposition political parties, especially the Trinamool Congress, which has announced its re-entry into state politics.

"We are promoting medical tourism, spiritual tourism, we are promoting hinterland tourism and political tourism. I feel it has started in Goa. Elections are close. I welcome all kinds of tourism, so that all my Goan brothers and sisters have access to a new business in Goa. Tourist business should increase in Goa," Sawant told a function in the North Goa district.

Sawant's comment comes at a time when Trinamool Congress MPs Derek O'Brien and Prasun Banerjee are already in the state to meet a cross section of people over the possibility of joining the West Bengal-based party. Among the big names who are linked to join the Trinamool are former Chief Minister Luizinho Faleiro.

Goa is scheduled to go to polls in early 2022. The state is one of the top beach and nightlife tourism destinations in the country.
New Delhi, Sep 27 : The National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) will hear pleas by fixed deposit and NCD holders of Dewan Housing Finance Corp Ltd (DHFL) and it's former promoter Kapil Wadhawan against the approval of Piramal Capital and Housing's resolution plan for the bankrupt NBFC.

In June, the Mumbai bench of the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) approved the resolution plan of Piramal Capital and Housing Finance Limited. However, the order was challenged by Wadhawan at the appellate tribunal.

Although, DHFL has reportedly sent messages to fixed deposit and NCD holders, asking them to update their bank account and contact details, many of the FD and NCD holders have expressed concerns about the transfer of funds, pointing out that their petitions challenging the payout of funds are pending in court.

FD holders have also appealed in the Bombay High Court. All these cases will be heard at the NCLAT court on Wednesday.

Under the current resolution plan, FD holders will get about Rs 1,241 crore, against their admitted claims of about Rs 5,400 crore.

NCD holders are also likely to get lower than the admitted claims and as such FD and NCD holders have been against the Piramal resolution plan.

Wadhawan, on the other hand has been fighting against the resolution plans which offer "high haircuts". He has been time and again offering his revolution plan which assures repayment of 100 per cent principal amount to all the creditors.

In his revised proposal of Rs 91,158 crore for the creditors, Wadhawan has promised to make an upfront payment of Rs 9,000 crore and has also proposed to service Rs 31,000 crore debt in seven years at 8.5 per cent per annum.

According to Wadhawan, the valuation of DHFL by Piramal did not do justice as the company has huge cash flow and assets.

DHFL was the first to go for insolvency under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code.

The Rs 37,250 crore resolution plan of Piramal Group for DHFL includes an upfront cash component of Rs 12,500 crore and a deferred component of Rs 19,550 crore.
Kolkata, Sep 27 : A 30-member delegation team from UNESCO is likely to visit Santiniketan between September 28 and October 3 brightening up the prospect of Rabindranath Tagore-envisioned prestigious university Visva Bharati being included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Site.

This comes 11 years after the Union Culture Ministry appealed for the second time to secure the status of UNESCO World Heritage Site for Santiniketan to get recognition for Tagore's cultural ark in the run-up to his 150th birth anniversary in 2010.

The original application in 2010 had been pushed to the "tentative" list after a technical evaluation of the site by the International Council on Monuments and Sites. It was then pointed out that development pressure on the campus had tampered with the site's heritage value.

The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) with the help of Viswa Bharati University has prepare a fresh dossier and has already submitted it to UNESCO. An ASI team, led by its Director General Vidya Vidyanathan camped at the university in January to prepare the report, finding answers to the questions that were raised the last time. External heritage conservation experts were roped in to assist them.

"The visit of the team is significant because previously they had sent the application to the tentative list. We are making all sorts of arrangements so that this time the university gets the honour of the World Heritage Site," a senior official of Visva Bharati University said.

The ASI team surveyed the "original" parts of the university, including the Kanch Mandir Upsana Griha, Santiniketan Bari (the first building that housed Debendranath Tagore and his family after Bhubandanga was bought by him), Uttarayan complex, Kala Bhavana, Sangeet Bhavan and all other structures built by Tagore as part of his dream university.

The team also scanned thousands of documents and video-graphed paintings, sculptures and artwork by Tagore and Bengal School stalwarts like Nandalal Bose, Ramkinker Baij and Benode Bihari.

Accordingly, renovation of various traditional buildings and invaluable sculptures scattered all over Visva Bharati is underway and the central government sanctioned about Rs 3 crore for this purpose.

A total of 24 buildings and architectural renovations that have the potential to be collectively listed as World Heritage are going through entire renovation. The Visva Bharati authorities have also formed their own committee for this purpose.

Sources in the university said that the 30-member UNESCO delegation that is likely to visit Visva Bharati in September-October will look into all the aspects of Visva Bharati and decide whether it can be inscribed into the World Heritage List.

"We are very excited. The place is historically important and it deserves the honour. We hope that this time the UNESCO World Heritage Committee makes their decision in favour of the university," the official added.
Zagreb, Sep 27 : Croatian scientists have issued a public appeal for the protection of the Adriatic Sea, stressing that this is a precondition for the sustainable development of the society.

The appeal was sent to the Croatian government, Parliament and the public on Sunday, reports Xinhua news agency.

The scientists claim that the changes are irreversible, from the increase in the temperature of the Adriatic Sea, the increase in levels and salinity to the appearance of storm waves.

The scientists claim that various non-domicile, thermophilic species of fish, algae, bacteria and gelatinous organisms are increasingly appearing in the Adriatic.

These invasive and poisonous organisms might significantly changes the biodiversity of the Adriatic Sea, according to the scientists.

One of the phenomena includes the mass appearance of jellyfish, which ultimately harms tourism, the appeal said.

Tourist activities with climate change put the greatest pressure on the Adriatic, and the consequence is that a larger amount of various harmful substances come into the sea, the appeal added.

The danger for the Adriatic is also due to uncontrolled construction along the coast, the appeal said.

The scientists propose more active protection of the Adriatic Sea, strengthening the understanding of the functioning of ecosystems and passing legislation for more protective measures.
Mumbai, Sep 27 : The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday raided the home of former Shiv Sena MP Anandrao Adsul and his son Abhijit Adsul in connection with a complaint of alleged scam worth Rs.900-crore in the City Cooperative Bank Ltd, here.

A former five-time MP from Amravati and Buldhana Lok Sabha seats, Anandrao Adsul is the chairman, while his son Abhijit is a director in the Mumbai-based bank.

Hours after the ED team visited the Sena leader's home in suburban Kandivali, Anandrao fell ill and was rushed to a nearby hospital.

The ED had summoned the father and son for questioning on Monday following a complaint lodged by independent MLA from Badnera, Ravi Rana, the husband of former actress and independent MP from Amravati, Navnit Kaur-Rana.

In the complaint, Rana has accused the Adsuls of alleged misappropriation of the City Cooperative Bank Ltd.'s depositors' funds to the tune of Rs 900-cr -- a charge stoutly denied by the father-son duo.

Terming the complaint as 'motivated and managed' by Rana, the Adsuls claim that when the bank's annual turnover is Rs 800-crore, how can there be a scam of Rs 900-crore as alleged by the MLA, and demanded a free and impartial probe into the matter.

In the past, the ED had raided the Adsuls' residences and offices and had questioned them in the case.
Chennai, Sep 27 : The PMK founder leader Dr S. Ramadoss has called for a caste-wise population census to ascertain the exact position of each caste and community in the state.

In a statement on Sunday, the powerful Vanniyar community leader said that the reasons put forward to collect the SC/ST population data since 1951 were applicable for collecting the data of the OBC population as well.

He said that caste-wise census in India cannot be ignored and said that if this is not conducted then there is a possibility of removal of OBC reservation in India.

The senior leader said that castes were not created all of a sudden but were created on the basis of jobs and subsequently were discriminated against.

He said that caste-based inequalities have to be abolished to create an equal society and added that it would be a mirage if proper assessment of castes is not taken up scientifically.

The PMK founder leader said that the Centre must realise that for all communities to rise, reservation is important and for that, a proper caste-wise census is required.

Dr. Ramadoss said that the Centre's statement that caste census was not required as it was striving for a "Casteless" society was pure ignorance.

It is to be noted that the PMK has been sulking and has walked out of the AIADMK-BJP alliance in Tamil Nadu to contest the rural local body elections on its own. The BJP leadership sidelining Dr.Anbumani Ramadoss, son of Dr. Ramadoss from the recent Modi government expansion is stated to be one reason for the PMK's sudden anti-Central government stand.
Lucknow, Sep 27 : Barring districts along the Uttar Pradesh-Delhi border, the impact of the Bharat Bandh call given by farmers bodies on Monday, saw little impact in central and eastern districts.

Normal life continued as all schools, commercial establishments and public transport functioned asusual.

In Lucknow, the vegetable markets on the outskirts like Bakshi Ka Talab, Dubagga and Gosainganj got off to a late start but then continued to do brisk business.

Chedi Lal, a vegetable wholesaler in Dubagga, said, "We were apprehensive in the morning but no one told us not to open the market and then we got going with the daily business." He said that farmers around the state capital were mainly small farmers who still did not understand what the agitation was all about and what were the farm laws.

"Support kyon karenge jab kuchh maloom hi nahin hai (Why should I support when I have no idea)?" he asked.

In Prayagraj and Kanpur, life remained normal and the cities moved at normal pace. Traffic on the highway moved normally.

A senior official of the home department said that blockades had been set up by farmers only in districts along the UP-Delhi border and there were no reports of any impact of the Bharat Bandh call from anywhere else in the state.
New Delhi, Sep 27 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said that digital infrastructure was taking everything from 'Ration to Prashasan' (ration to administration) to the common Indian in a fast and transparent manner.

Prime Minister Modi was speaking after launching the 'Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission' through a video conference.

Speaking on the occasion, the Prime Minister said that the campaign for strengthening the health facilities, that have been going for the last seven years, is now entering a new phase.

"Today we are launching a mission that has the potential of bringing a revolutionary change in India's health facilities," Modi said.

The Prime Minister underlined that with 130 crore Aadhaar numbers, 118 crore mobile subscribers, about 80 crore Internet users and about 43 crore Jan Dhan bank accounts, there is no such big connected infrastructure anywhere in the world.

"This digital infrastructure is bringing everything from ration to administration (Ration to Prashasan) to the common Indian in a fast and transparent manner. The way technology is being deployed in governance reforms today is unprecedented," the Prime Minister said.

The Prime Minister pointed out that the 'Arogya Setu' app helped a lot in preventing the spread of corona infection. He lauded Co-WIN for its role in making India achieve a record administration of about 90 crore vaccine doses today, under the free vaccine campaign.

Continuing with the theme of the use of technology in health, the Prime Minister said that there has also been an unprecedented expansion of telemedicine during the Covid pandemic period. So far about 125 crore remote consultations have been completed through e-Sanjeevani.

"This facility is connecting thousands of countrymen living in far-flung parts of the country every day with doctors of big hospitals of cities while sitting at home," he said.

The Prime Minister remarked that Ayushman Bharat-PMJAY has addressed a key headache in the lives of the poor and so far more than two crore countrymen have availed the facility of free treatment under this scheme, half of which are women.

The Prime Minister emphasized that diseases are one of the key reasons to push families into the vicious cycle of poverty and women of the families are the worst sufferers as they always relegate their health issues to the background.

Modi said that he has made it a point to personally meet some beneficiaries of Ayushman and has experienced the benefits of the scheme during the interactions.

"These healthcare solutions are a big investment in the present and future of the country," he said.

The Prime Minister said that Ayushman Bharat - Digital Mission will now connect the digital health solutions of hospitals across the country with each other and the Mission will not only make the processes of hospitals simplified but also will increase ease of living.

Under this, every citizen will now get a digital health ID and their health record will be digitally protected.

The Prime Minister mentioned that India is working on a health model that is holistic and inclusive. "A model which stresses preventive healthcare and, in case of disease, easy, affordable and accessible treatment," he said.

He also discussed unprecedented reforms in health education and said a much larger number of doctors and para medical manpower is being created in India now as compared to seven- eight years ago.

He further mentioned that a comprehensive network of AIIMS and other modern health institutions is being established in the country and work on establishing one medical college in every three Lok Sabha constituencies is going on.

He also talked about strengthening the health facilities in villages and informed that in the villages, primary health centre networks and wellness centres are being strengthened.

"More than 80,000 such centres have already been operationalised," the Prime Minister said.

Referring to 'World Tourism Day' observed on Monday, the Prime Minister said that health has a very strong relationship with tourism because when our health infrastructure is integrated, strengthened, it also improves the tourism sector.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Washington, Sep 27 : The World Health Organization (WHO) is set to relaunch investigations into the origins of the Covid-19, with a fresh probe team, the media reported.

A new team consists of about 20 scientists, and includes specialists in laboratory safety and biosecurity and geneticists and animal-disease experts versed in how viruses spill over from nature. They will hunt for new evidence in China and elsewhere, the Wall Street Journal reported.

A joint WHO-China inquiry, whose findings were released in March this year, had dismissed the possibility that the virus had emerged accidentally from a laboratory as "extremely unlikely".

Undermining its own report, Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus in July, proposed a second phase of studies in Wuhan, which includes audits of laboratories and markets in the city of Wuhan.

As per Ghebreyesus, getting access to raw data had been a challenge for the international team that travelled to China to investigate the source of the pandemic.

According to scientists at the global health body, time is running out to determine how the pandemic began, as evidenced such as blood samples are being thrown away and antibodies in the earliest Covid-19 victims are fading to undetectable levels.

China has, however, rejected the probe accusing the WHO of "arrogance" and a "disrespect for common sense".

Chinese scientists have also asked the WHO to extend the hunt for origins of Covid-19 to labs in other countries including the US Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID) at Fort Detrick, Maryland.

As a result, the new team who will be chosen by the end of this week, are likely to face stiff resistance from China. The original WHO team has been disbanded, the WSJ report said.

The Chinese government has declined to clear whether it would allow a new team into the country.

The Foreign Ministry, in a statement, said that China has "cooperated fully" with the previous inquiry, the report added.

"China will continue to support and engage in global science-based origins tracing and stands firmly opposed to political maneuvering in whatever form," Chinese President Xi Jinping told the UN General Assembly last week.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry had stated that the country will closely monitor the WHO's selection of a new team, and that Beijing has also put forth a number of individuals to be part of it, the report said.

It is not yet clear if the new team will be able to fly experts into China or make significant progress in resolving the origins debate so long as that deadlock remains.

The new team's "priority needs to be data and access in the country where the first reports were identified", a WHO spokesman was quoted as saying.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Khartoum, Sep 27 : Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok said that the current dispute in the country is not between the military and civilians, but it is between those who support democratic civil transformation and those who seek to block it.

"Unity of the forces in the revolution is the guarantee to prevent the transition from all threats getting in its way," Hamdok said in a speech broadcast on Sunday by Sudan's official TV.

The Prime Minister urged all parties to strictly commit themselves to the constitutional document, refrain from unilateral positions and fully shoulder their responsibility, reports Xinhua news agency.

He stressed that the empowerment removal committee is one of the gains of the revolution that must be defended and preserved.

Earlier on Sunday, the security forces withdrew from guarding the headquarters of the empowerment removal committee amid growing tensions between the military and civilian components in the transitional government.

Since the announcement of foiling a coup attempt on September 21, the differences between the military and civilian partners in the transitional government have further escalated.

Sudan is ruled amid a 39-month transitional period under a transitional government, established after the ouster of former President Omar al-Bashir in April 2019.

The transitional period is set to be followed by elections to form a new government.
New Delhi, Sep 27 : A statue of Mohammad Ali Jinnah in Gwadar was destroyed in a bomb attack, claimed by the outlawed Baloch LibeAration Army, Pakistani media reported.

The statue was erected earlier this year at Marine Drive which is considered a safe zone, said a Dawn news report.

Official sources said some militants planted an explosive device beneath the statue and blew it up on Sunday, the report said.

An official told Dawn that the statue was completely destroyed, adding that the nature of the blast was yet to be ascertained as the Bomb Disposal Squad would investigate the incident.

Earlier, the Baloch Liberation Army had claimed responsibility for the bomb attack which killed four Pakistan security personnel in Balochistan on September 25.

Four security personnel were killed and two others injured in a bomb attack on a vehicle of the Frontier Corps in the Khosat area of Harnai district.

Official sources said that the FC vehicle was targeted in the Safar Bash area.

The FC soldiers were performing their patrolling duty and when their vehicle reached the Safar Bash area the improvised explosive device went off.
Guwahati/Agartala, Sep 27 : The Bharat Bandh called by the Samyukt Kisan Morcha against the three contentious farm laws evoked a partial response in the Northeastern states on Monday.

In Assam, a majority of the offices, both government and private, educational institutions, shops, commercial establishments in many of the 34 districts, including the main commercial hub Guwahati, remained open barring some business establishments.

However, normal life was crippled in southern Assam as government and private offices, shops and markets and all other institutions were shut responding to the country-wide shutdown call from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the afternoon. Vehicular movements were normal in all the districts, except four districts in southern Assam, even as buses were seen plying in lesser numbers in Guwahati and other parts of the BJP-ruled state.

The police arrested 20 Left members in front of the Cachar district Deputy Commissioner's office. However, a large section of traders and transport operators claimed that they were not aware of the shutdown call.

The officials said that air and train services across the Northeastern region were normal and no untoward incident was reported so far.

In Tripura, the shutdown was partial even as the Left parties, Congress and other organisations, who have supported the Bharat Bandh, did not organise any picketing. The five Left parties led by the CPI-M have campaigned for the past two weeks in support of the nationwide shutdown and its significance.

All Tripura Merchants' Association General Secretary Sujit Roy told IANS that thousands of their members have not participated in the strike.

In some sub-divisional areas many shops and markets were closed, but in most parts of Tripura life was normal, but presence in government offices, banks and educational institutions were little less.

According to the police there was a minor incident in south Tripura's Belonia where a CPI-M supporter was assaulted by the ruling party activists.

There is almost no response in the other Northeastern states, including Meghalaya and Manipur. The BJP, which opposed the Bharat Bandh, has been ruling in four of the eight Northeastern states -- Assam, Tripura, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh while its allies are governing in Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Sikkim.
New Delhi, Sep 27: Recently the Republic of Armenia celebrated 30 years of independence. This year too, the Armenian College and Philanthropic Academy celebrated the bicentennial - a seminal moment not just for the academy, or for the Armenian community of Kolkata or India but for India-Armenia relations. These enjoy a natural edge given the centuries long history of interaction between our two peoples. At least since the 16th century AD, there is documented history of Armenians in India; undocumented history of interactions stretch back to before the Christian era.

Fast forward to the present. Prime Minister Narendra Modi met his Armenian counterpart Nikol Pashanian in New York in September 2019 on the side-lines of the UN General Assembly. "Had extensive deliberations with PM @NikolPashinyan. We talked about expanding India-Armenia cooperation in aspects relating to technology, pharmaceuticals and agro-based industries. PM Pashinyan also referred to the popularity of Indian movies, music and Yoga in Armenia," he had tweeted after the meeting.

This news gained currency because just days before that, Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had stridently condemned India's reorganisation of Jammu and Kashmir state. And Armenia, inimical to Turkey as it was because of the genocide of the Armenians by the Ottomans, became a popular word for a while. Then in March last year India won a $40 million defence deal to supply four indigenously-built military radars to Armenia. The equipment was developed by India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and manufactured by Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL). This had also generated some excitement in India, and then was forgotten.

Then the war erupted in the South Caucasus between Armenia and Azerbaijan over disputed territories. Going into the history of the unfortunate enclave of Nagorno Karabakh will require a separate article. But Azerbaijan won the war purely because of Turkish support. As a result, Ankara gained a strategic foothold in the region.

While India officially kept equidistant from the parties to the conflict, most Indians batted for Armenia.

More recently External Affairs Minister Jaishankar met with his Armenian counterpart Ararat Mirzoyan in Dushanbe, on the side-lines of the SCO and CSTO meetings which were hosted in the Tajik capital. During that meeting, the two top diplomats agreed to take bilateral relations to a "qualitatively new level". And Armenia at the meeting once again expressed support for India's position on Jammu and Kashmir.

There is a case to be made for closer ties with Armenia. There is immense goodwill for Indians in the tiny Caucasian country. Tapping into it will produce long-term strategic benefits. For one, being as it is in Russia's strategic backyard, Armenia enjoys deep bilateral relations with Russia. It past of the Russia-led Collective Security Treaty Organization, (CSTO) as well as the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU), which is also headed by Moscow. Therefore, closer defence ties would be to the benefit of both countries.

At the ongoing UN General Assembly, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has once again raked up the Kashmir issue. Armenia, which has no diplomatic relations with Turkey, unequivocally backs India's position on Kashmir as it supports India's claims to a permanent UN Security Council seat.

Turkey is also now well ensconced in South Asia through its close cooperation with Pakistan mostly through defence deals even if Pakistan does more of the paying. But now, Armenia's arch-rival Azerbaijan is also injecting itself into South Asian politics. While Pakistan firmly supported Azerbaijan in its war with Armenia last year, with some credible reports of Pakistani fighters joining the war on the Azeri side, Azerbaijan has in recent times increased its partnership including in defence ties with Pakistan. Turkey, Azerbaijan and Pakistan recently held two weeks long military drills 'Three Brothers - 2021' in Baku.

Most significantly, these drills followed a tripartite meeting in Islamabad in January this year of the foreign ministers of these three states and the adoption by the three states of the "Islamabad Declaration ''. And what did this declaration say? Amongst other things it said that all three states, i.e., Azerbaijan, Turkey and Pakistan back each other's position on Kashmir, Cyprus and Nagorno Karabakh.

The tripartite statement that was issued, "Reaffirmed the most recent OIC resolution 10/47-Pol on the Jammu and Kashmir dispute adopted in Niamey in November 2020 and CommuniquAs of OIC Contact Group on Jammu and Kashmir and expressed deep concern over the unilateral actions of 5 August 2019, continuing grave human rights violations in and efforts to change the demographic structure of Jammu and Kashmir, and reiterated their principled position for a peaceful settlement of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute in accordance with the relevant UN Security Council Resolutions..." After Erdogan's tirade this year at the UN podium, Jaishankar met his Cypriot counterpart Nikos Christodoulides and tweeted "....Important that relevant UN Security Council resolutions in respect of Cyprus are adhered to by all", in an obvious reference to Turkey.

But mere tweeting is a knee-jerk reaction not becoming of an emerging power. India has been trying to cultivate ties with Greece, again spurred on by its strained relations with Turkey. Cultivating close relations with Armenia, including in defence, should therefore be a matter of course.

In this context it is significant that Armenia is part of the International North South Transport Corridor (INSTC) and Indian ambassador in Tehran is on record saying that India plans ".... to connect the western part of Chabahar (port) and the Indian Ocean with Eurasia and Helsinki in Finland, through the territory of Armenia, creating a North-South Corridor" rather than through Azerbaijan.

This is why the virtual event to mark Chabahar Day earlier in March this year included, along with the traditional signatories of the Tripartite agreement - Iran and Afghanistan - Armenia too. India wishes to link up the INSTC to Chabahar Port which logistically makes a lot of sense for India's trade.

With the ascendancy of the Taliban in Afghanistan, a consolidation of Turkey's footprint in the region is a matter of time. For India it is time to follow up rhetoric with action. And aligning strategically with Armenia and getting a foothold in the Southern Caucasus would be a good way to start. Simultaneously, New Delhi may also consider recognising the Armenian genocide of 1915.

(Aditi Bhaduri is a columnist specialising in Eurasian geopolitics. Views expressed are personal. The content is being carried under an arrangement with indianarrative.com) --indianarrative
New Delhi, Sep 27: Chinas rise and the anxieties that it has triggered in Asia and the West has finally begun to generate a coherent response in the Indo-Pacific region.

On September 16, a new trilateral military alliance, comprising Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States (AUKUS) was formally unveiled. Under the new arrangement, Australia would be a frontline maritime state facing off China. Consequently, it would host an ultra-powerful fleet of eight nuclear submarines. By the time the new subs, armed with Tomahawk cruise missiles and advanced torpedoes are built, Washington is likely to lease out to Canberra, the Los Angeles Class subs. Australia is also likely to host a budding Washington backed military industrial complex, which, besides building either the Virginia class nuclear subs of the US or the Astute class of the British. The construction will most probably take place in Adelaide, where French submarines, whose $40 billion has now been cancelled. Australia would also manufacture Boeing's latest drones, Loyal Wingman, in Toowoomba city, Queensland state.

But AUKUS is essentially a white English-speaking club of democracies-a feature that can arguably add greater coherence and punch because of the shared common history and culture of the trio.

But this core grouping facing off China's rise leaves out two geopolitically significant clusters-Asian democracies in the Indo-Pacific, specifically India, Japan and South Korea East, as well as France and the European Union (EU) in the west.

In September another major coalition, with a clear role for itself took root. After flirting with the idea of establishing a security partnership for years, the Indo-Pacific Quad, comprising India, Japan, the United States and Australia decided that it would focus on geo-economics rather than geopolitics in its response to China. Consequently, the first face-to-face summit of the Quad leaders decided to clearly concentrate on four key areas, defined by a quartet of working groups. Fearing disruptions to the satellite-based navigation systems, primarily GPS and much more, the Quad decided to form a new working group on outer space. Three other working groups on vaccines, climate, and critical and emerging technology had already been formed during the first virtual summit of the Quad in March.

Now that the two tracks -security and civilian along which the world's democracies in the Indo-Pacific will broadly mount their response, notwithstanding significant overlaps which will fine tune the groupings based on practical experience, is India, and the other Asian democracy, Japan and South Korea, lurking in the shadows, comfortable with the two-tacked arrangement? The answer is probably not. So, what can they do, especially on the security side to confidently deter China? Clearly there is a need for another layer of security partnership in the Indo-Pacific, confidently marshalled by those countries in the West, chiefly the EU and the Asian democracies to the East, who have been left out of AUKUS.

Given its key location in the Indo-Pacific, India can naturally take the initiative for establish a security partnership of the have-nots. To the West, India needs to bond with France, as the gateway to an unprecedented and profound security relationship with the EU. Already, France miffed and smarting on being left out by the AUKUS has already reached out to India. On-French President Emmanuel Macron spoke to Modi, precisely on reinforcing and adding more strategic cement to an already special military relationship between New Delhi and Paris.

The Indo-French special relationship, for geographical reasons could be primarily confined to the Indian Ocean region, including the East Coast of Africa. France already has a naval base in the Reunion Islands -not far from Madagascar. It also has a naval facility at Mayotte.

But looking east and in the direction of the Pacific, India is ideally situated to construct a true multi-track strategic partnership, which is not shy of sharing and co-developing military and related technology, with two key Asian democracies-Japan and South Korea.

Instead of competing, the new West-East security partnership bridged by India, and with France/EU, Japan and South Korea as the other pillars can autonomously and confidently collaborate with AUKUS on equal terms, to establish a coherent and formidable institutional response to China.

(The content is being carried under an arrangement with indianarrative.com) --indianarrative

-- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed
Bhubaneswar, Sep 27 : Normal life in different parts of Odisha was affected on Monday due to the 10-hour-long Bharat Bandh.

In Odisha, Congress, Left parties and trade unions have supported the strike called by the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM). Holding placards and banners, the agitators staged demonstrations at different places in capital city Bhubaneswar, besides Cuttack, Balasore, Rourkela, Khurda, Sambalpur, Bolangir and other districts in the State.

Educational institutions, private offices and shopping malls have remained closed while vehicular movement and train service have come to halt as protestors staged road blockade and Rail Roko in different places since morning. The train services resumed after a brief halt as protestors withdrew the Rail Roko.

Hundreds of vehicles, especially trucks, were stranded on the NH-16 due to the blockade. The bus services of the State-run Odisha State Road Transport Corporation (OSRTC) have also been suspended from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. Private bus operation was also suspended for the strike.

However, emergency services continue to remain unaffected. The government offices, major public sector banks and offices of Central and State PSUs were seen operating normally.

During the observance of Bharat Bandh, an agitator snatched away the key of a 'Mo Bus' in Bhubaneswar. The bus was initially intercepted by a protester, who then took away the key of the vehicle by opening the door. Later, police intervened and the agitators returned the key.

Due to the strike, people were seen waiting for buses and taxis in the major bus stands and railway stations.

"We have come from Kolkata this morning and are waiting here for a bus to our home town. However, after reaching here, we came to know about the strike. Now, we have to wait till evening," said a lady passenger, waiting for a bus at Badambadi bus stand in Cuttack.

Claiming that the Bharat Bandh was successful, State Congress president Niranjan Patnaik said, "Demanding scrapping of three black farm laws, the farmers of the country have called for the Bandh and all opposition parties including Congress have supported it." The Congress demanded withdrawal of the three farm laws, make provision of MSP in Act and stop selling out of the vital infrastructures and properties of the country, Patnaik said.

"We are observing the bandh demanding the repeal of the three black farm laws," said CPI leader Rama Krushna Panda.

The three laws -- Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act -- were passed by Parliament in September last year.
New Delhi, Sep 27 : Automobile manufacturer Toyota Kirloskar Motor has discontinued high-end sedan Yaris in India with effect from Monday.

According to the company, the move is a part of product strategy.

"This move is a part of Toyota's product strategy to continue to cater to the ever-evolving needs of the customer through enhanced technologies and product offerings," the company said in a statement.

"We would like to continue to serve such customers with other current offerings and preparations are underway to launch new Toyota models in the coming new year 2022." Besides, Toyota said it will continue to cater to all Yaris customers' needs through dealer service outlets across the country.

Furthermore, automobile major said it will provide genuine spare parts for minimum of next 10 years on this discontinued model.

"In addition, over the last two decades, we have been harnessing our manufacturing capabilities to bring in world-class products to Indian consumers." "As a part of this endeavor, we will continue to leverage our leadership and vast expertise in cleaner technologies to refresh our product portfolio to meet the evolving customer choices and enable a greener mobility."
New Delhi, Sep 27 : During his or her lifetime, a child born in 2021 will experience on an average twice as many wildfires, between two and three times more droughts, almost three times more river floods and crop failures, and seven times more heatwaves compared to a person who's for instance 60 years old today, researchers have said.

This will be the situation worldwide climatically under the current greenhouse gas emission reduction pledges by governments across the world, a topic for negotiation at the upcoming world climate summit COP26 at Glasgow in the UK. World leaders will be discussing mitigation and adaptation measures to be taken to keep the global temperature rise to less than 1.5 degrees Celsius compared to the pre-industrial era.

Based on data from the Inter-sectoral Impact Model Intercomparison Project (ISIMIP), researchers have shown in the journal 'Science' how today's children will be hit much harder by climate extremes than today's adults. The study 'Intergenerational inequities in exposure to climate extremes' was published on Sunday, according to a release by Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK), Germany.

"Our results highlight a severe threat to the safety of young generations and call for drastic emission reductions to safeguard their future," said lead author Wim Thiery from Vrije Universiteit Brussel.

"We even have strong reasons to think that our calculations underestimate the actual increases that young people will face." Regarding droughts, heatwaves, river floods and crop failures, people under the age of 40 today will live what the researchers call "an unprecedented life".

"The good news: we can indeed take much of the climate burden from our children's shoulders if we limit warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius by phasing out fossil fuel use," says Katja Frieler who is coordinating ISIMIP. She's a leading scientist at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) and co-author of the study.

"If we increase climate protection from current emission reduction pledges and get in line with a 1.5-degree target, we will reduce young people's potential exposure to extreme events on average by 24 per cent globally. For North America it's minus 26 per cent, for Europe and Central Asia minus 28 per cent, and in the Middle East and North Africa even minus 39 per cent. This is a huge opportunity." For instance, under a scenario of current insufficient climate policies, dangerous heatwaves that affect 15 per cent of global land area today could increase to 46 per cent, hence triple by the end of the century. Yet limiting warming to 1.5 degrees, which is the ambition of the Paris Climate Agreement signed by almost all countries worldwide, would reduce the affected land area to 22 per cent. "This is more than today but significantly less than with unmitigated warming," she said.

The analysis is the first of its kind. To assess age-dependent extreme event exposure, the researchers took a collection of multi-model climate impact projections from the ISIMIP project building on the work of dozens of research groups worldwide. The researchers combined this with country-scale life-expectancy data, population data and temperature trajectories from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the release added.
Bhopal/Delhi, Sep 27 : In the last three years, seven wanted Maoists have been eliminated in Naxal-affected areas in Madhya Pradesh. Several development works are being carried out in such terror-prone areas and employment is being provided to migrant workers with police personnel maintaining a strict vigil. In addition to the number of Maoists killed, three terrorists have been arrested.

According to the information released by the Madhya Pradesh Public Relations department, a meeting of Chief Ministers of all Maoist-affected states was held on Maoist extremism in New Delhi under the chairmanship of Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday.

During the meeting, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan gave details about the efforts being made by his government for controlling terror and increasing development activities in Maoist-prone areas.

Chouhan said in 2020-21, Rs 802 crore was given by the state government to provide employment to 12 lakh migrant workers in Maoist-affected districts. In the last five years, construction work worth Rs 375 crore has been carried out as well.

The Chief Minister said the joint action by police in three states -- Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra -- has yielded the desired results. Search operations have been increased by the police. Maoist documents and interrogation of the nabbed Maoists reveal that crores of rupees from contractors could not reach them.

Chouhan told the meeting that apart from taking armed action to control Maoism in the terror-affected districts in the state, developmental work is being continuously carried out. Employment is being provided to the people in the terror-prone areas under the MNREGA scheme on a large scale.

During the last five years, the state government has constructed 430-km long roads and 14 bridges by spending Rs 375 crore from its own resources. Apart from this, 1,405 km roads have been constructed in Naxal-affected districts under the Madhya Pradesh Rural Connectivity Scheme and Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana with an expenditure of Rs 72 crore.

Chouhan said that after reconsidering the forest rights claims cancelled earlier in Madhya Pradesh, 34,000 'pattas' (legal document issued by the Government in the name of the actual owner of a particular plot of land) have been given to tribal men and women.

Chouhan informed that the Madhya Pradesh Scheduled Tribe Debt Release (Amendment) Act-2020 has been passed for the economic empowerment of the tribal community in Madhya Pradesh due to which the loans given to the tribal community living in the Scheduled Tribe areas have been waived. The work of implementing PESA (Panchayat Extension to Scheduled Areas) law in a phased manner is being started in the state. The state rules will be amended to empower 'Gram Nyayalayas' Under the 'Devaranya' scheme, technology for production of medicines and a market linking them is being made available in the Scheduled Tribe areas. The activities undertaken by the state Forest department have generated employment in Balaghat, Mandla and Dindori districts.

Chouhan informed that in Balaghat, Mandla and Dindori districts, 23,113 women self-help groups have been formed directly linking 2.74 lakh families. These self-help groups are working in advanced farming, marketing of animal husbandry products and non-agriculture sector.
Bulandshahr : , Sep 27 (IANS) In shocking incident in Uttar Pradesh's Bulandshahr, a man allegedly 'hired' his neighbour to kill his seven-year-old daughter to frame his wife for the child's murder after she refused to accept the 'triple talaq' he gave her.

The victim, Saba, was found lying in a pool of blood with her throat slit in Bulandshahr on September 19. Her father, Muzammil Shamad, who runs a cab service in Delhi, has now been arrested along with their neighbour, Amir and uncle Mudassir Shamad.

The arrests were made on a complaint by her mother, Shabnam. The three accused have been booked for murder and criminal conspiracy among other sections of the Indian Penal Code.

According to Shabnam, she had married Shamad in 2010 and he had given her triple talaq in 2014. "He gave me the talaq in my absence, rendering it invalid. He remarried the following year and has been trying to make me leave my house. He even tried to throw acid on me in 2018, but failed," she told the police.

Superintendent of Police (SP) Bulandshahr, Santosh Kumar Singh, said, "During investigation, we found that Saba was held by her uncle Mudassir who attacked her with a hammer while Amir slit her throat. The two had entered the house through the backyard." The girl's father stayed back in Delhi to ward off suspicion, said the SP. Shamad paid Amir Rs 8,000 and free liquor for two days for ensuring a clean deal.

"The accused had met his brother and neighbour earlier this month and wanted to frame Shabnam for the killing of their daughter," the SP said.

The police have recovered Amir's clothes, soaked with the victim's blood, from a nearby field.

The SP confirmed that Shabnam had filed a complaint about the attempted acid attack in 2018, but admitted that no action was taken against the husband due to 'lack of evidence'. Her son had also died under mysterious circumstances two years ago.

This is the second such incident in the past three days.

Earlier, on Saturday, a man in Jhansi district had killed his minor daughter and implicated his rivals in the crime. He was later arrested.
Seoul, Sep 27 : South Korea will begin administering Covid-19 vaccines to pregnant women and younger children starting from October 18 as part of its efforts to inoculate more people amid little signs of letup in the fourth wave of the pandemic, health authorities said on Monday.

The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) announced the list of fourth-quarter vaccine recipients to achieve its goal of inoculating more than 80 per cent of the country's adults by end of October and achieve herd immunity by November, reports Yonhap News Agency.

The country's vaccination campaign started February 26 with some virus-vulnerable groups and front-line medical workers being prioritised for inoculations.

A total of 38.1 million people have received their first shots of Covid-19 vaccines, accounting for 74.2 per cent of the country's population, while those who are fully vaccinated had reached 23.2 million, or 45.3 per cent, as of Monday.

Those who have been excluded from the inoculation program, a total of 2.77 million youths aged between 12 and 17, are scheduled to receive first doses starting October 18.

The inclusion came following an increased number of younger Covid-19 patients amid the fourth wave of the pandemic, the KDCA said.

A total of 3,100 infected patients aged between 12 and 17 were newly confirmed in August alone.

The authorities, however, said pregnant women with underlying diseases or those in their first 12 weeks of pregnancy are recommended to decide on vaccination after consultation with a doctor.

The plan also includes providing booster shots to deal with the more contagious Delta variant, which has triggered the fourth wave.

Priority groups, including the elderly population and healthcare workers who received the first jab in February, are to receive booster shots first.

South Korea has secured enough shots to fully vaccinate 99 million people for this year's vaccination drive with vaccines from Moderna Inc., Pfizer, AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson's Janssen.

On Monday, the country reported 2,383 new Covid infections, which increased the total caseload to 303,553.
Varanasi, Sep 27 : The Varanasi police have arrested two persons for allegedly posting fake advertisements on social media for the sale of shops in Kashi Vishwanath Dham area even though the project is still not complete.

The police are on the lookout for the accomplices of the two accused who have been sent to jail.

According to reports, Kashi Vishwanath Temple Trust's Chief Executive Officer, Sunil Verma was informed about the fake advertisements after which he lodged an FIR.

Varanasi Commissioner of Police, Satish Ganesh said, "Our team arrested the accused Shashikant Chaurasia and his accomplice Ratna Shekhar, who posed as a BJP office-bearer, on Sunday. Both have been sent to jail while a search has been launched for their accomplices." The construction of shops is proposed in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's dream project Kashi Vishwanath Dham area, but no allotment has been started yet since the project is still not complete.

Chaurasia had posted fake advertisements on his Facebook page.

Temple Trust CEO Sunil Verma said, "Some officials saw Chaurasia's advertisement which said the shops are available in limited numbers and price of each shop was Rs 70 lakh. Those interested in the shops were asked to contact at the earliest." Verma lodged a complaint following which the Dashashwamedh police started investigations.

Dashashwamedh Assistant Police Commissioner, Awadhesh Kumar Pandey said, "The accused had also finalised the deal of some shops. Investigations are on to find out whether any transaction of money was done in these deals." Police is investigating whether the accused had taken Rs 35 lakh as the advertisement said the buyers had to pay 50 per cent of the cost in advance.

One more accomplice of the accused duo is on the police radar for furnishing a fake certificate in the name of the District Magistrate regarding allotment of shops.

Ratna Shekhar, one of the accused, posed as the BJP Vice-President of Kashi region unit.

On his Facebook profile, Chaurasia posed as a real estate trader owning a firm titled Lion Group.
New Delhi, Sep 27 : The Taliban have banned hairdressers in Afghanistan's Helmand province from shaving or trimming beards, saying it breaches their interpretation of Islamic law, the BBC reported.

Anyone violating the rule will be punished, the Taliban's religious police have said.

Some barbers in the capital Kabul said that they have also received similar orders.

The instructions suggest a return to the strict rulings of the group's past tenure in power, despite promises of a milder form of government.

In a notice posted on salons in Helmand province, Taliban officers warned that hairdressers must follow Sharia law for haircuts and beards, BBC reported.

"No one has a right to complain," the notice, which was seen by the BBC, read.

"The fighters keep coming and ordering us to stop trimming beards," one barber in Kabul said.

"One of them told me they can send undercover inspectors to catch us." Another hairdresser, who runs one of the city's biggest salons, said he received a call from someone claiming to be a government official. They instructed him to "stop following American styles" and not to shave or trim anyone's beard.

During the Taliban's first stint in power from 1996 to 2001, the hardline Islamists banned flamboyant hairstyles and insisted that men grow beards.

But since then, clean-shaven looks have become popular and many Afghan men have gone to salons for fashionable cuts.

But the barbers, who have not been named to protect their safety, say the new rules are making it hard for them to make a living.

Another barber in Herat said that although he had not received an official order, he had stopped offering beard trims.

"Customers don't shave their beards (because) they don't want to be targeted by the Taliban fighters in the streets. They want to blend in and look like them." Despite slashing his prices for a cut, his business has dried up.

"Nobody cares about their style or hair fashion," he said, the report added.
Delhi:National Highway 9 coming from Delhi to Noida on Ghazipur border has been opened. Image Source: IANS News

Delhi:National Highway 9 coming from Delhi to Noida on Ghazipur border has been opened. Image Source: IANS News

Noida, Sep 27 : Unlike several entry points into the national capital from adjoining states the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh Chilla border connecting with the Gautam Budh Nagar district did not face any traffic snarls due to the Bharat Bandh called by the Samyukt Kisan Morcha on Monday.

The farmers bodies are protesting against the three contentious farm laws and marked one year of the union laws passed without favour from the farmer community.

According to the Noida Police, there were no traffic disrpution at the Chilla border or on the DND flyway.

The countrywide-strike will continue till 4 p.m., during which the SKM has said the government offices, educational institutes would be shut, however, the Noida city gave a negative response to the SKM's call.

"All government offices and educational institutes were functioning normally. Even all markets remained open," a Noida police official told IANS adding that public transport buses were also plying throughout the city.

The expressways, including the Yamuna Expressway, which connects Greater Noida to the interior districts of Uttar Pradesh like Mathura, Agra, Aligarh, Lucknow, remained open and traffic was moving without any hindrance, the official added.

Earlier the Noida traffic police though issued an advisory that the traffic movement was closed from UP's Ghaziabad to Delhi due to Bharat Bandh.

"The traffic going to Delhi from Ghaziabad district will be able to go to its destination via Gautam Budh Nagar district," the advisory read.
Chennai, Sep 27 : A 48-year-old man set himself ablaze in front of the residence of Chief Minister M.K. Stalin here on Monday morning, police said.

He was rescued by the police personnel stationed at the residence and admitted to the Kilpauk Medical College with 40 per cent burns.

The police said the man has been identified at Vetrrimaran from Tamil Nadu's Tenkasi district and the reasons for his suicide attempt were not yet clear.

The Abhiramapuram police have registered a case.

The police said that his condition was critical.

State health minister Ma Subramanian visited Vettrimaran at the Kilpauk Medical College Hospital.
New Delhi, Sep 27 : Describing the allegations made by Panchjanya, a journal with RSS leanings, against the American multinational company Amazon as serious, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has demanded that the government investigate the whole matter.

Talking to IANS, a RSS leader said that the allegations levelled against Amazon in the cover story of Panchjanya are serious and the government should investigate the matter.

An expert on the RSS, Rajiv Tuli told IANS that the report of Panchjanya was based on a revelation made by a whistleblower, and so it was necessary to conduct a proper investigation.

Rajiv Tuli said that spending such large amounts only on lawyers or in the name of consultancy is a matter of investigation. He said there should also be a probe into the effect on small merchants because of Amazon. At the same time, Tuli said Amazon should also present its stand on the issue.

Panchjanya had earlier levelled various allegations against IT company Infosys in a cover story. IANS spoke to Hitesh Shankar, editor of Panchjanya, on the whole matter.

Talking to IANS, Hitesh Shankar said that a whistleblower from Amazon had revealed that the company had used a large sum of money to bribe government officials. The question should be asked to Amazon what wrong does it do that it needs to bribe.

He said that Amazon wants to capture the Indian market, it wants to capture the economy and is also hurting Indian culture. A similar thing was done by the East India Company, he added.

The Panchjanya editor said that the company works to influence the policies of a country.

In response to a question from IANS on the RSS and Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's reaction to a recent story by Panchjanya on Infosys, Hitesh Shankar said that the notion that Panchjanya is the mouthpiece of the RSS is wrong. He clarified that Panchjanya is not an RSS mouthpiece and it stands by its story even today.

As far as Sitharaman's response is concerned, Shankar said she has also admitted that there are flaws. Yes, it may be that the language is sharp or there may be disagreement with the style, but no one has disagreed with the facts put forth by Panchjanya, he said.

Asked about the investigation into the story on Amazon, the Panchjanya editor said that many business communities have written letters and demanded a CBI probe into the matter.

Speaking to IANS on the revelation of Panchjanya, Ashwani Mahajan, National Co-convenor of Swadeshi Jagran Manch affiliated to the Sangh Parivar, said they have been raising their voice about Amazon since 2015 that the company was illegally retailing through the back door.

Mahajan said that Amazon was resorting to corruption and bribery to operate illegally.

It wants to capture the economy of our country and hence it is right to call it East India Company 2.0., said Mahajan.
Guwahati, Sep 27 : The Assam government will confer the 'Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi Award' for National Integration and National Contribution to a prominent person and the award would be conferred by Vice-President M. Venkaiah Naidu during his proposed visit to the state on October 3, officials said here on Monday.

Assam government officials said that the name of the awardee would be declared soon by the government. Earlier, it was erroneously reported that the award would be given to the Vice-President.

According to the officials, the prize amount of the biennial award, which was named after Gopinath Bordoloi, a freedom fighter and the first Chief Minister of Assam after India's Independence, was increased to Rs 5 lakh from Rs two lakh. The award also carries a citation.

Bordoloi was called the architect of modern Assam and he was bestowed the Bharat Ratna in 1999 for his contributions to the society.

Officials said that the cabinet in its meeting chaired by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday decided to make the award a biennial affair.

According to the officials, the cabinet also decided to change the names of the state's highest civilian awards, to be given in various fields. The Assam Ratna award from now onwards will be known as Asom Baibhav, Assam Vibhushan as Asom Saurav and Assam Bhusan and Assam Shree award as Asom Gaurav.
Chandigarh, Sep 27 : An employee in the office of Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij was arrested last week on charges of stealing confidential information, officials said on Monday.

The employee was caught red-handed while taking photographs of files containing confidential information, an official said.

On learning about the mischief, Vij checked his mobile phone and found photos clicked from government confidential files and documents. On his complaint, the employee was arrested by the police.

Besides Home, Vij also holds the portfolios of Health, Urban Bodies, Technical Education and Science and Technology.
New Delhi, Sep 27 : A farmer, who was protesting at the Singhu border against the three contentious farm laws, died due to cardiac arrest on Monday, the police said here.

The deceased farmer, identified as Baghel Ram, 55, was a resident of Khela village in Punjab and was a member of Kirti Kisan Union (KKU).

Another KKU member Raghuveer Singh said that Baghel Ram was not keeping well for some time and was taking rest in his tent.

The police said as soon as they received information about Baghel's death, they rushed to the spot and took him to a nearby hospital where the farmer was declared brought dead. After the post-mortem it was learnt that the farmer died due to heart attack.

Earlier there were reports of chaos due to farmer's death, but the police denied all such reports.

His death comes on a day of countrywide strike by farm unions.

The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), a consortium of 100-odd farmers unions from across India, 15 trade unions and several political parties have jointly called a Bharat Bandh from 6 a.m. till 4 p.m. on Monday to mark the first anniversary of what they termed as a 'Black Day' when the President of India had given his assent to the three farm laws last year.

At the Singhu border, there were a large number of tractor trolleys parked but there were relatively very few people. This is one of the places where farmers have been sitting on protest since November 2020. Around two-and-a-half km long stretch of Delhi-Karnal highway (at Singhu village), where a large number of farmers was always seen during the last few months, on Monday bore an almost deserted look. Even the two stages erected for regular speeches and rallies were almost empty.

Jagdish Singh, a farmer from Ludhiana (Punjab) said, "Trolleys are vacant because people living in them have gone to block roads at Tikri and Delhi-Haryana border." "By evening the situation will be different and more and more people will be here," Singh, who was busy preparing food for the protesters, told IANS.

People, who were at the Singhu protest site, were seen busy either preparing food or cleaning their tents.

Security at the outer premises of Singhu protest site has been strengthened with multiple teams of Delhi Police and Central forces deployed. People going towards Singhu from Delhi have to take a long circuitous way as the entry on the Delhi-Karnal Road (at Singhu village) has been prohibited.
The Bharat Bandh called by all non BJP parties elicits good response in several parts of Maharashtra. Pix from Nashik, Palghar, Nandurbar. Image Source: IANS News

The Bharat Bandh called by all non BJP parties elicits good response in several parts of Maharashtra. Pix from Nashik, Palghar, Nandurbar. Image Source: IANS News

The Bharat Bandh called by all non BJP parties elicits good response in several parts of Maharashtra. Pix from Nashik, Palghar, Nandurbar. Image Source: IANS News

The Bharat Bandh called by all non BJP parties elicits good response in several parts of Maharashtra. Pix from Nashik, Palghar, Nandurbar. Image Source: IANS News

The Bharat Bandh called by all non BJP parties elicits good response in several parts of Maharashtra. Pix from Nashik, Palghar, Nandurbar. Image Source: IANS News

The Bharat Bandh called by all non BJP parties elicits good response in several parts of Maharashtra. Pix from Nashik, Palghar, Nandurbar. Image Source: IANS News

Mumbai, Sep 27 : Maharashtra witnessed a mixed response to the 10-hour-long Bharat Bandh called by Samyukta Kisan Morcha having support of all non-BJP parties, here on Monday.

While the SKM action elicited fair to good participation in the semi-rural and rural areas, the response ranged from dull to negligible in semi-urban or urban centres of the state but remained peaceful all over with tight police deployment.

Large number of farmers, labourers and political activists came out in huge numbers in districts like Thane, Palghar, Nashik, Nandurbar, Dhule, Pune, Kolhapur, Aurangabad, Solapur and others, but in most urban centres like Mumbai, Thane, Nagpur, life was near-normal.

The SKM leaders and organisers said that while the Bharat Bandh was total in Punjab, Haryana, Bihar, Kerala and others states with a complete shutdown, it got extensive support in Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarkhand, West Bengal, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Madhya Pradesh.

Farmers were supported in the nationwide agitation, trade unions, women, youth and students' organisations plus almost all major non-BJP parties across the country, with educational institutions, some government and private offices, wholesale or retail markets and other bodies remaining closed.

The SKM said that the Bharat Bandh passes off peacefully in Maharashtra and rest of India with no reports of any violence or untoward incidents, and the organisers appealed not to inconvenience the common public or disrupt essential supplies in any manner.

Top leaders like Balbir Singh Rajewal, Dr Darshan Pal, Gurnam Singh Chaduni, Hannan Mollah, Jagjit Singh Dallewal, Joginder Singh Ugrahan, Shivkumar Sharma, Yudhvir Singh, Yogendra Yadav, Dr Ashok Dhawale, Dr Ajit Nawale and others led the agitation in different parts of the country.

Maharashtra's ruling alliance partners Shiv Sena-Nationalist Congress Party-Congress leaders also came out in full support of the agitation in Mumbai, Pune, Aurangabad and other cities.
Mumbai, Sep 27 : Actress Sonnalli Seygall features in the latest Punjabi music video titled 'Churi'.

The Punjabi single, written by Khan Bhaini and composed by Sycostyle Music, has been sung by Khan Bhaini and Shipra Goyal.

In the video directed by B2gether Pros, Sonnalli features in a glam avatar. The video has been shot across picturesque locales of Chandigarh, Patiala and Ladakh.

Talking about the video, the actress said: "The idea of the video is very cool as I am not playing a damsel in distress here. I am racing cars, going head-to-head with the male lead, Khan. So, it's a very interesting video, super fun and super high on energy with beautiful lyrics." The actress further revealed that having her roots in Punjab makes the experience all the more exciting.

"Being a Punjabi and a Punjabi music lover myself, it's always a delight to do Punjabi songs. Last year I did a song with Parmish Verma, which was my Punjabi music video debut. I think Punjabis make the best music and their videos are really fun," Sonnalli said.

'Churi' has released under the label of Street Gang Music.
New Delhi, Sep 27 : Italy's Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio in a strong reaction to the Taliban's caretaker cabinet said that it is impossible for the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan to be recognized by them.

Miao said that at least 17 acting ministers of the Taliban are so-called "terrorists" and it is literally impossible for them to recognize their government, Khaama News reported.

It has been nearly 45 days since the Taliban takeover but has not been recognized by any nation of the world yet.

The Italian foreign minister said that the Taliban are accused of human rights violations which will not be recognized but added that the people of Afghanistan should be provided financial support by the international community.

Miao added that the world must get together to prevent an influx of refugees that will destabilize the regional countries and terrorism in the country.

The development comes as the deputy minister of information and culture and spokesperson of the Taliban Zabiullah Mujahid has said that they will soon be recognized as they are in contact with the UN.

Respect for women and human rights, establishing inclusive government, not allowing Afghanistan to become safe haven of terrorism are the preconditions for the recognition set by the international community.

The Taliban has so far implemented none of these but has been promising to be doing so, the report said.
Washington, Sep 27 : The world will return to normal life as Covid-19 will end in a year, Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla has said, while stressing the need for annual Covid jabs.

"Within a year I think we will be able to come back to normal life," Bourla was quoted as saying in an interview on ABC's "This Week." However,"I don't think that this means that the variants will not continue coming, and I don't think that this means that we should be able to live our lives without having vaccinations," Bourla said. "But that, again, remains to be seen." Bourla's statement is in line with Moderna chief Stephane Bancel, who last week said that the pandemic will get over in a year.

Even former Food and Drug Administration chief Scott Gottlieb has said that the current wave of Covid-19 cases driven by the Delta coronavirus variant is going to be the end of Covid, but it may linger around as an endemic.

As a result, Bourla suggested it is likely annual coronavirus vaccine shots will be needed, CNBC reported.

"The most likely scenario for me is that, because the virus is spread all over the world, that it will continue seeing new variants that are coming out," Bourla said.

"Also we will have vaccines that will last at least a year, and I think the most likely scenario is annual vaccination, but we don't know really, we need to wait and see the data," he noted.

Last week, the head of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Dr Rochelle Walensky authorised the distribution of Pfizer and BioNTech's Covid-19 booster shots for those in high-risk occupational and institutional settings, a move that overruled an advisory panel.

Walensky approved distributing the booster shots to older Americans and adults with underlying medical conditions at least six months after their first series of shots, in line with the advisory panel, the report said.

Meanwhile, a slew of scientists and the World Health Organization strongly opposes a widespread rollout of booster shots, saying wealthier nations should give extra doses to countries with minimal vaccination rates.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Chennai, Sep 27 : Tamil Nadu health authorities have warned residents of Chennai to be on guard against dengue, and health volunteers are conducting a door to door awareness programme to make people aware of the dreaded disease.

The city has recorded close to 200 dengue cases in two months. The dengue season in Chennai generally commences in July and peaks in October-November, before the northeast monsoon rains in November wash away the eggs and larvae from the breeding spots.

Children below 15 years of age are most likely to contract the disease and Tondiarpet, Ambattur, Teynampett, Kodambakkam, and Adayar health zones are deemed dengue hotspots.

In August, 100 people were affected with dengue and 38 of them were children under 15 years of age while in September, of the 96 dengue cases reported, 51 were under 15.

State Chief Vector Control Officer, S. Selvakumar, told IANS that "this is not that uncommon and in the past 11 years we had 20 dengue outbreaks".

A study titled "Dengue in Chennai - A retrospective Study" included data only from sentinel surveillance hospitals which were created to monitor rate of occurrence of specific diseases.

Mosquito menace helpline no 1913 of the Chennai corporation also received a large number of calls even after the civic body has increased fogging in the corporation hotspots and other places.

Intermittent rain is considered to be the reason for the sudden spurt in the disease as the Aedes mosquito which is the agent for dengue breeds in fresh water. Following the rains, open pots, terraces with pools of water, storage drums, and covers turned to be breeding grounds for the larvae.

Chennai has 3,621 domestic breeding checkers (DBC) who go home to home to check on the open water tanks, terraces with water pools, and other places where fresh water is standing, paving the way for breeding. Each DBC has to visit 80 homes a day but Health Department officials said that these DBCs are also involved in Covid vaccination drives, which leads to them skipping on the routine checks that they have to do to prevent waterlogging in open areas.

A senior health officer told IANS that both Covid and dengue have several similar symptoms and if there is joint pain, it could be dengue fever. The officer said that the patient had to be treated immediately as there are possibilities of haemorrhage due to dengue.
Los Angeles, Sep 27 : British actor of Indian descent Dev Patel identified with 'Gawain', his character in 'The Green Knight', because he thinks the tale of King Arthur's nephew is similar to his own journey as an actor, including having many moments of self-doubt.

Dev said: "Even though it's a medieval film, there are a lot of parallels for me with a young actor's journey through their careers. The idea of being known and having ambition, but at what cost? "And the idea that Gawain is surrounded at the roundtable by all these legends and not feeling worthy himself. I very often found myself in that situation where I have this impostor syndrome, just like him." Dev identified with his character, the former 'Skins' actor enjoyed playing someone so different to many of his other roles, reports femalefirst.co.uk.

He said: "For this film I got stripped of all that wide-eyed and open vulnerability stuff that I normally lean into. I got to play someone who becomes cold and callous and broken and jaded along the way." He also reflected on the "crazy" time in his life when he was propelled to global fame thanks to his role in 'Slumdog Millionaire'.

"That really was like being a lobster thrown into a boiling pot. It was ridiculous in every sense. I was plucked from my box room in Rayners Lane (in north west London)," he told The Times newspaper's Saturday Review.

Dev added: "I was travelling everywhere by train and then suddenly I'm on the front page of the paper, and there's that moment in the carriage where every head, one by one, like meerkats, begins to turn and stare. It was a crazy experience. And I still feel like that today, in some ways. You can't take that Rayners Lane kid out of me."
New Delhi, Sep 27 : About 99 per cent of Indian business travellers aim to resume work trips within the next 12 months, a new study showed on Monday.

Over 78 per cent are "very willing" to get back on work trips which is higher than the global average.

The study commissioned by SAP Concur Respondents was carried out in India, Singapore, Malaysia, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand.AA While professionals are eager to restart in-person meetings soon, they also want greater control over how they will travel, so that their safety and health can be better safeguarded amidst the pandemic.

"While uncertainty continues to linger around travel curbs, firms can support business travellers by updating travel policies to provide more flexibility in flight and accommodation selection, better protecting employees' health and safety. Then as vaccinations progress and travel bubbles form in the coming months, they will be better positioned to enable safe travel, facilitating business growth and talent retention," Carl Jones, Vice President and Head of Strategy for SAP Concur Asia Pacific, said in a statement.

Travellers believe inability to travel will hurt them both professionally as well as personally like their global counterparts, over 84 per cent Indian business persons worry that the inability to increase travel will affect them personally.

These concerns include: the difficulty in developing and maintaining business connections (59 per cent in India compared to 45 per cent globally), not advancing in their career (43 per cent compared to 33 per cent globally) and making less money (40 per cent compared to 38 per cent globally).

On the business front, Indian respondents worry that if their organisation does not increase business travel, it will be difficult to sign new deals (47 per cent), build new relationships (41 per cent), and renew contracts with existing clients (43 per cent). Overall, in the Asia-Pacific region, 9 per cent are afraid their business will shut down, and 14 per cent worry that they will lose their jobs.
Bengaluru, Sep 27 : Former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda on Monday said that he is still alive and he would take up a tour of all the districts of Karnataka to strengthen his party, the JD(S).

Hitting back at Karnataka Opposition leader Siddaramaiah for calling Jd(S) a 'B' team of the BJP, Deve Gowda said it is time one should ask who helped the BJP form the government in the state.

Siddaramaiah had launched a poignant attack on JD(S) recently and questioned the credibility of former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy in public rallies.

Responding to Siddaramaiah's sharp attack on JD (S) that it is not a statewide party, Deve Gowda said, "I will explain to the people why our party (JD (S) should survive. Siddaramaiah who came to the limelight from JD(S) tried to finish off the party by joining hands with MLA Zameer Ahmad Khan and a bureaucrat Ateeq. After distributing money for all masjids, Siddaramaiah could win only 78 seats in the last state assembly elections," he explained.

"I visited and consoled Siddaramaiah after the death of his son. If he wanted to anoint his son to the higher position, let him do it after winning elections. Siddaramaiah, you should talk the truth," Deve Gowda said.
New Delhi, Sep 27 : The Crime Branch of Delhi Police has arrested a person who was accused in several cases of rioting that had occurred in North-East Delhi in February 2020, an official said here on Monday.

Acting on a tip-off about the presence of the accused identified as Mohd Salam alias Chand Babu at Bulandshahr in Uttar Pradesh, the police constituted a team to nab the proclaimed offender.

After thoroughly going through several CCTV footages, the police team conducted a raid and arrested the accused from near Govt Hospital in Bulandshahr.

The police said that on sustained interrogation, the accused disclosed that he was very angry after the CAA bill was passed, as he perceived that this law was "against Muslim Community who would be forced out of India".

"Several groups were set up against this law. On 24.02.2020, people of the Muslim community had gathered at Ghonda, Delhi to protest against the law. The mob became violent and started damaging property belonging to people of the Hindu community. He along with other rioters also set fire to several shops and vehicles. Some of the rioters also opened fire towards houses belonging to the Hindu community," the police said in a statement.

The police underlined that the accused rioter was identified during the investigation through statements of witnesses, video footage and disclosure statement of co-accused persons and on knowing this, the accused was hiding to evade the arrest.

The police have registered an FIR and arrested the accused person under the appropriate section of the law. "The concerned police station has been informed regarding this," the police added.
Gandhinagar, Sep 27 : A few weeks after the Gujarat High Court lambasted the use of externment orders as an atrocity on the people, the Gujarat Assembly was provided data on the total externment cases in the state. The government declared that there were 1620 such cases in the last two years in Gujarat.

In a written reply to a question by independent MLA Jignesh Mewani from Vadgam constituency, the government admitted that the externment cases were mainly filed to prevent criminal activities. The reply stated there were 350 cases in Ahmedabad city and five cases in Ahmedabad rural.

The question did not see any discussion in the House on the issue as Mewani was not present.

The government informed that there were 5,402 PASA cases in the state during the same period. In Ahmedabad city, the PASA cases reported in the last two years were 2,477 and in rural Ahmedabad they were 67. The courts have withdrawn 37 externment cases and 3,447 cases of PASA.

A few weeks ago the Gujarat High Court came down heavily on a sub-divisional magistrate for passing an externment order against a man who had called up the Godhra MLA's son to question him about his father's work. The order prevents an externed person from entering a particular region or area of the state for a stipulated period of time.

"We do not run kingdoms. We are a democratic republic. Is this a republic in which a citizen cannot question his elected representative? Externment orders are passed upon doing so?" the court asked, describing the order as an "atrocity" against people at large.
Jaipur, Sep 27 : Amid the ongoing rift between the two factions in the Rajasthan Congress and speculations that a cabinet expansion is imminent, State Minister Harish Chaudhary, known to be from CM Ashok Gehlot's camp, issued a strong statement on Monday, saying there is a difference between Punjab and Rajasthan.

His statement comes two days after former deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot's loyalist and state Congress vice president Rajendra Chaudhary raised a demand to anoint Pilot as CM and Ashok Gehlot as 'Margadarhsak'.

Harish Chaudhary, speaking to media, said, "There is a difference between Rajasthan and Punjab. The MLAs of Rajasthan are with Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot. The two state stories are different and hence cannot be connected in any way," he added.

Harish Chaudhary and Rajasthan Congress in-charge Ajay Maken were appointed as observers to handle the Punjab crisis. At the same time, Chaudhary has been in charge of Punjab Congress for a long time.

Harish Chaudhary further said, "I had no role in the change of leadership in Punjab. My role was very limited. The Congress leadership has been and shall remain strong." "Each development proceeded in a democratic manner in Punjab. The party did give a lot of opportunities to Amarinder Singh. His allegations of humiliation are wrong. In fact, his legislators had raised a demand for the change," Chaudhary added.

"There is no camp in Rajasthan, however opinions may differ in the party. The decision regarding the cabinet expansion has been lying with the Chief Minister. However, he could not go to Delhi as he was not well. The party needs his advice on many issues. Sachin Pilot has been a member of our family. Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi are heads of family. In Punjab, we have come up with a historic solution. Tough decisions have been taken in the party and we will continue to do so, he said.

Two days back, Rajendra Chaudhary had said, "The people of Rajasthan want to see Pilot leading the state and the high command is taking this issue seriously." He had further suggested that Gehlot should act as margadarshak.

Speaking on present day politics, Rajendra Chaudhary added, "After the Punjab story, the Chief Minister has become active in Rajasthan. We have seen the story of change of leadership in Punjab. Within an hour, all the MLAs switched stands and went to the new leadership. So, the number of MLAs doesn't matter. The figure doesn't make any sense. We lost all 25 seats in the Lok Sabha elections in 2019. Out of 200, Congress could make a lead in only 11 assembly constituencies, he commented adding, what went wrong after six months of assembly elections that this disaster happened.

The last time when the Congress was reduced to 21 seats under Ashok Gehlot's government, Pilot was given the responsibility of Rajasthan by the Congress President. He worked hard and the party won. In the assembly elections, the general public was believing that the next government would be headed by Pilot. However, the high command gave the responsibility to Ashok Gehlot for the third time, he said.

Now is the time for Gehlot to act as Margadarshak while people want to see pilot as CM, he said.
New Delhi, Sep 27 : The BJP believes that the Yogi Adityanath government's decision to increase sugarcane price by Rs 25 per quintal will yield political dividends in next year's Uttar Pradesh assembly polls, especially in the western part of the state. Sugarcane is the main crop of western UP and farmers from the region led by Rakesh Tikait have been protesting since last year against three new farm laws.

The saffron camp believes that the increased price will benefit the party in next year's state polls as it addresses the long pending demand of farmers to increase the prices.

BJP Kisan Morcha president and Lok Sabha member from Uttar Pradesh, Raj Kumar Chahar told IANS that the decision will benefit farmers. "The decision will increase farmer's income and they (farmers) will realise that the BJP government is committed to their welfare and increasing their income. It shows that the Narendra Modi government at the Centre and the Yogi Adityanath government in the state are working round the clock for the welfare of farmers when some people with vested political interests are misleading them over new farm laws," Chahar said.

A party functionary in Uttar Pradesh pointed out that in the past an increase in sugarcane price had yielded political benefits and this time also it will help the BJP in next year's assembly poll. "With an increase in the sugarcane price, anger among farmers will likely to scale down specially in Western Uttar Pradesh where a section of farmers are part of the agitation led by Tikait," he said.

Earlier this month, Union minister and Lok Sabha member from Muzaffarnagar in western Uttar Pradesh, Sanjeev Balyan had told IANS that farmers of western Uttar Pradesh, who are participating in the Tikait led protests, have different issues.

"Our farmers' issues are related to sugarcane. If those issues are resolved, everything will be fine. These three new farm laws are not an issue for our farmers. The increase in sugarcane procurement price, as promised by our chief minister, will make a huge difference," Balyan had said.

Earlier this year, a delegation of saffron party leaders including Sanjeev Balyan, party MPs Chahar, Satypal Singh and Bhola Singh and others met Chief Minister Adityanath over the issues related to sugarcane farmers including the State Advised Price (SAP).

A senior party leader claimed that increased sugarcane price will help the party to win back the farmers' support in next year's assembly polls. "Increase in sugarcane price by Chief Minister Adityanath will benefit the party and consolidate our support base among farmers across the state and in western Uttar Pradesh," he said.
Mumbai, Sep 27 : Actor Anil Kapoor has been awarded the Brand Endorser of the Year award by the International Advertising Association (IAA) here recently.

Anil, who currently endorses 13 brands, was awarded at the IAA Leadership Summit.

Talking about the honour, Anil tells IANS: "It is humbling to receive the Brand Endorser of the Year Award by IAA. Nothing feels better than knowing brands trust you with their products and are ready to mount the campaign on your shoulder. For me, a brand endorsement is more of a responsibility than a job." International Advertising Association, with IAA Leadership Awards, honours Excellence in Marketing that has had a direct impact on a product or service in terms of overall growth for the brand and company every year.

Meanwhile, on the work front Anil will be seen in 'Jug Jugg Jeeyo' with Neetu Kapoor, Varun Dhawan and Kiara Advani. The actor also has 'Animal' with Ranbir Kapoor in the pipeline.
New Delhi, Sep 27 : After BJP, the Trinamool Congress is becoming a new home for the disgruntled Congress leaders who are upset with the style of functioning of the top leadership particularly Rahul Gandhi.

The latest entrant in the TMC club is Luizinho Faleiro who was the former chief Minister of Goa and close to Sonia Gandhi and was working committee member of the party.

Faleiro joining Trinamool comes on the heels of ex-Congress women wing president Sushmita Dev also joining TMC and now has been nominated by the party to the upper house of the parliament. The Congress leaders who are not finding the place in the Rahul Gandhi set up are leaving the party as Falerio's exit will have impact in Goa elections as he was one of the MLAs in five-member Congress legislative party.

The Congress is going into Goa elections with Girish Chodankar as State President and Digambar Kamat, the former Chief Minister as legislative party leader. The Congress leaders in private admit that the TMC leaders are sending feelers to the people who are upset within the Congress.

Falerio said, "I am a Congressman of 40 years. And I will continue to be a Congressman of the Congress family. This family has to come together if we have to fight Modi. Among all the four Congresses, it is Mamata who has given a tough fight to Narendra Modi and his juggernaut." While the old and seasoned Congressmen are leaving the party, the Congress is set to welcome ex-JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar and Gujarat legislator Jignesh Mevani who are set to join Congress on Tuesday afternoon.

Both the leaders had met Rahul Gandhi recently and sources say that talks have been finalised between these leaders and the Congress party. The Congress wants to rope in these two leaders ahead of assembly polls and particularly Mevani before Gujarat polls for their oratory and crowd pulling capabilities.
New York, Sep 27 : Covid infection in breastfeeding women produces virus-neutralising antibodies that remain in their milk for up to 10 months, finds a new study.

The study led by Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York showed that the antibodies in breast milk -- Secretory Immunoglobulin A -- are different to the Immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies that is found in human blood and are triggered by Covid vaccination, the Guardian reported.

The study was presented at the recent 15th Global Breastfeeding and Lactation Symposium.

"Approximately 10 per cent of infants will experience Covid-19 illness requiring advanced care. A potential mechanism to protect this population could be provided by passive immunity through the milk of a previously infected mother," said Dr Rebecca Powell from Icahn's Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases.

The Secretory Immunoglobulin A (IgA) sticks to the lining of babies' respiratory and intestinal tracts, and helps to block viruses and bacteria from entering their bodies.

Powell believes that these antibodies extracted from breast milk could also be beneficial to adults with severe Covid-19, the report said.

"It could be an incredible therapy, because Secretory IgA is meant to be in these mucosal areas, such as the lining of the respiratory tract, and it survives and functions very well there," Powell was quoted as saying.

For the study, the team took breast milk samples from 75 women who had recovered from Covid-19, and found that 88 per cent contained IgA antibodies. In most cases, these were capable of blocking infection.

They also found that women continued to secrete these antibodies for up to 10 months.

Moreover, Powell's team also investigated the link of Covid-specific antibodies in breast milk in 50 women after vaccination with either the Pfizer, Moderna, or Johnson & Johnson (J&J) jabs, the report said.

All women injected with the Moderna vaccine, and 87 per cent of those who received the Pfizer vaccine had coronavirus-specific IgG antibodies in their milk, while 71 per cent and 51 per cent, respectively, had virus-specific IgA antibodies. For the J&J vaccine, only 38 per cent of women had IgG antibodies and 23 per cent had IgA antibodies against coronavirus in their milk, it added.

"We know that the level of antibodies produced by RNA vaccines is extremely high compared to other vaccines. You don't necessarily need that much antibody to protect you from infection, but the milk effect really depends on there being a lot of antibody in your blood that's transferring into your milk. Because there's a lower level stimulated by the J&J vaccine (a viral vector vaccine), that's probably why there's very low levels in the milk,"Powell was quoted as saying.

The team is now investigating the antibody response in breast milk triggered by the AstraZeneca vaccine.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Mumbai, Sep 27 : The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday raided the home of five-time Shiv Sena MP and former Union Minister Anandrao V. Adsul and his son Abhijit A. Adsul in connection with a complaint of an alleged Rs 900 crore scam in the Mumbai-based City Cooperative Bank Ltd.

The former MP from Amravati and Buldhana Lok Sabha seats, Adsul is the Chairman, while Abhijit Adsul is a Director in the Mumbai-based bank.

The ED had summoned the duo for questioning on Monday following a complaint lodged by independent MLA from Badnera, Ravi Rana, the husband of ex-actress and independent MP from Amravati, Navnit Kaur-Rana.

In the complaint, Rana has accused the Adsuls of alleged misappropriation of the City Cooperative Bank Ltd's depositors' funds to the tune of Rs 900 crore - a charge stoutly denied by the father-son duo.

Incidentally, Adsul had questioned the election of Navnit Kaur-Rana on grounds that her caste certificate is fake, and the Bombay High Court struck it down and she has challenged the decision in the Supreme Court.

Reaching the Adsuls' Kandivali residence, the ED team asked Adsul to accompany him to their office, but the 74-year leader complained of uneasiness and has been admitted to Lifeline Hospital nearby.

The Rana couple has been targetting Adsul with the allegations of the alleged frauds in the cooperative bank, and Ravi said that both "Anandrao Adsul and Abhijit Adsul must be arrested".

Meanwhile, the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi allies, the Shiv Sena-Nationalist Congress Party-Congress, have come to the defence of Adsul in the matter.

Shiv Sena spokesperson Arvind Sawant defended the Adsuls, terming it unnecessary "harassment" since the case is of 2014.

"This is yet another step to destabilise the state government as Adsul is a former Union MoS for finance and a prominent trade union leader in the banking industry," said NCP national spokesperson and state Minority Affairs Minister Nawab Malik.

Congress leader and Revenue Minister Balasaheb said this is another move by the opposition to foment unnecessary troubles for the MVA government.

Terming the complaint as "motivated and managed" by Rana, Adsul - who was planning to travel to New Delhi on Monday - claimed that when the bank's annual turnover is Rs 800 crore, how can there be a scam of Rs 900 crore as alleged by the MLA, and demanded a free and impartial probe into the matter.

In the past, the ED had raided the Adsuls' homes and offices and had questioned them in the same case.
New Delhi, Sep 27: As the troubled Chinese real estate behemoth Evergrande Group missed its deadline to make the first tranche of interest payments last week, concerns for the country's local governments have increased. The local governments have been asked "to prepare" for the demise of the once loved company which featured in the coveted list of Fortune 500 and step in at the last moment.

The question now is: will these local governments which are already under a pile of debt, manage a bailout? The overall debt level for these local governments is over a whopping $6trillion.

Even as the debt levels of these local governments rose steadily over the years, they escaped any major scrutiny. These local governments and their local government financing vehicles (LGFVs) have also been driving financing of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). LGFVs are financial arms set up by the local governments.

"China's financing of projects including the BRI lacks transparency. All these years, they have managed to escape scrutiny but in the last one year, things have changed drastically especially amid the Covid 19 pandemic," an analyst told India Narrative.

While there is no official data that the Chinese government has published on the overall debt levels of the LGFVs, several independent estimates suggest that their debt levels have reached alarming levels.

Infrastructure projects including those under the BRI umbrella need a long gestation period before they start yielding results. This has caused financial stress for many local governments.

"LGFVs flourished following the 2008 global financial crisis as a way of funding China's infrastructure building spree, even if they did not generate returns," a recent South China Morning Post report said.

As the pandemic severely hit the global economy, these vehicles have come under the spotlight.

In fact their ability to finance fresh infrastructure projects has diminished and to add to the problem, they have been taking new debts to service older ones.

The risk to the country's banking system has also increased as more than 80 per cent of local government debt is held by commercial banks.

According to the report, former Ministry of Finance official Sun Xiaoxia told a forum in Beijing in June that the risk of default of a LGFV is high as "investments do not always produce a return, meaning local governments are not always able to support the LGFVs due to a fall in its own revenue." The Asian Development Bank pointed out that the Chinese local governments lack the ability to adjust rates (even within centrally specified bands), and thus do not have own-source revenues. This affects sustainable access to credit at local levels.

It is no secret that a chunk of China's massive stimulus package of 4 trillion-yuan or $586.68 billion in 2008-09 -- during the global financial meltdown-- was financed by the local governments. Of course, the stimulus package helped the Chinese economy-China was the first major economy to emerge from the crisis. China posted an economic growth of 8.7 per cent and 10.4 per cent in 2009 and 2010 subsequently. In a more radical move, the government also officially endorsed the use of local government financial vehicles, an OECD report pointed out.

The local governments in China financed the stimulus plan mainly through bank loans in 2009, and resorted to non-bank debt financing after 2012 given the mounting rollover pressure from bank debt coming due, a manifestation of the stimulus loan-hangover effect, the Asian Development Bank noted.

(The content is being carried under an arrangement with indianarrative.com) --indianarrative
New Delhi, Sep 27 : BJP chief J.P. Nadda on Monday said that from industry, sports, medicine, science to space, Indian women are leaving their marks in all spheres.

Virtually addressing BJP Mahila Morcha national executive meet, Nadda said, "Rani Laxmibai and several other female freedom fighters participated in India's Independence struggle and no one can forget their contributions. In the post-Independence era as well, the contribution of women in Indian society is unparalleled." "From industry, sports, medicine, science to space, Indian women are leaving their marks in all spheres. They also proved their mettle in the recently concluded Tokyo Olympics." Nadda said, "We believe that for the development of any country, women must play a key role in the economic, political and social spheres. We want to make Indian women empowered and independent." Talking about women representation in Narendra Modi cabinet, Nadda, "The role and number of women in the Modi government have increased in recent times. In the Union Cabinet, there are 12 women ministers, 14 per cent of the total. This is a record in India's history." He pointed out that important ministries like defence, foreign, finance and education in the Modi government were given to women ministers. "The Indian Air Force opened its doors for women in combat roles. Government announced 33 per cent reservation for women in CRPF and CISF for the post of constable," he said.

Speaking about women's security, Nadda said, "Our government has also started the Safe City Project in eight cities across India. The Modi government had also started a women helpline number in 2015. Women can now use 181 for assistance. For the first time, a new division has been created in the Union Home Ministry to deal with the matters related to women safety. It was decided to set up women's help desks in every police station in the country." Nadda talked about several schemes of the Modi government for women welfare like 'matru vandana schemes', 'parivar vikas mission', six months maternity leave and free ambulance and free delivery facility as well as financial assistance of Rs 6,000.

He claimed that these schemes have yielded good results in the health sector.

Praising works of the party's women wing, Nadda said, "When the nation was battling Covid pandemic, our Mahila Morcha contributed in a major way in assisting the people of the country."
Dakshina Kannada, Sep 27 : A shocking incident of a police constable raping a minor girl, a rape survivor, came to light in Dakshina Kannada district of Karnataka on Monday.

The father of the girl has lodged a complaint in this connection with Kadaba police station in Dakshina Kannada. According to police sources, the accused police constable has disappeared after the incident.

The minor girl had lodged a case of rape two years ago in the Kadaba police station. Thereafter the cop used to interact with the girl regarding the case. He visited her house on the pretext of issuing summons, the victim's father mentioned in the complaint.

The accused had promised the rape victim that he would marry her and sexually exploited her. When the girl was five-and-a-half months pregnant, her parents came to know about it and questioned the accused, the complaint said.

The accused flatly refused to marry the girl. He told her parents to get an abortion done and he would give the money for it. Now, the girl and her mother are missing since September 18, the father's complaint said.

Sources said that the daughter and mother had informed the complainant that they have been kept in an undisclosed location. The accused has made a digital transfer of Rs 35,000 to them and they had got the abortion done.

The father has asked the police to initiate action against the accused police constable and also find out where his daughter and wife are kept. He has also given a complaint to the Chief Minister.
Chennai, Sep 27 : With people reportedly shying away from the grand old party, a Congress district committee president in Tamil Nadu has offered gold coins and rings to the cadres if they get more people to join the party.

The offer was made by the South Chennai Central District Committee president of the Congress, M.A. Muthalakan who on Sunday announced that he would reward the party cadre who would enrol the maximum number of people. He promised a 8 gm gold ring to the party cadre who enrols the maximum number of people in the party.

Muthalakan also announced a 4 gm gold ring to the party worker who enrols the second largest number of people. Gold coins will be given to others who enrol people in the party.

Interestingly party state president, K.S. Alagiri and AICC secretary Srivella Prasad were present at the function.

The Congress party in Tamil Nadu which had a rich legacy is now reportedly finding it difficult to get people to join it. Political observer, R. Padmanaban of the Socio-Economic Development Foundation, while speaking to IANS said, "The Congress is piggy backing on the DMK and the party is not getting fresh blood. Hence in his desperation, the party district president would have given such an offer to the cadres in the hope that at least by this method some people will join the party."
Mumbai, Sep 27 : Actress Huma Qureshi is all geared up for the Tashkent Film Festival. On Monday, she left for the prestigious festival, which has a long Indian association dating back to Raj Kapoor's visit to its inaugural edition in 1968. Once a cultural showpiece of the Soviet Union, the Festival is now hosted by Uzbekistan.

Huma will walk the red carpet and also be a part of events such as 'New Uzbekistan', which will be dedicated to youth and public health, 'Pearl of the Silk Road' and 'Days of World Cinema'.

The actress was much-applauded for her role in the political web series "Maharani", inspired by the rise of Rabri Devi in Bihar. She also appeared in the Zack Snyder zombie heist film, "Army of the Dead", which had a successful run on Netflix.

The Festival, which starts on Tuesday and continues till October 3, will be attended by international celebrities such as Timur Bekmambetov, Luc Besson, Gerard Depardieu, Rob Minkoff, and Steven Seagal.
Shimla, Sep 27 : Twelve people, comprising trekkers belonging to West Bengal and porters have been stranded in Himachal Pradesh's remote Spiti Valley, officials said on Monday. Two trekkers died due to high-altitude sickness.

They were heading to Khemenger Glacier.

As per the information received by the local administration from two trekkers, who reached Kaza on Monday some 320 km from the state capital on foot, a group of 12 people are awaiting evacuation.

"They informed us that two trekkers died en route. To evacuate the stranded, we have constituted a 32-member rescue team, comprising 16 ITBP men, six Dogra Scouts and a medical team," Deputy Commissioner Neeraj Kumar told IANS over phone.

"It will take minimum three days to reach the spot where the trekkers have been stranded," he said.

He said efforts were made to rescue them with the help of a helicopter but could not succeed owing to inclement weather.

Seven of the trekkers belong to Arete Mountaineering Foundation (club) of Hridaypur, affiliated with the Indian Mountaineering Federation. They were trekking to Parahio Col and Holmes Col from September 11 to October 7.

The deceased were identified as Bhaskardeb Mukhopadhya and Sandeep Kumar Thakurta, both residents of Kolkata.

The trans-Himalayan Buddhist-dominated Spiti Valley has a rich treasure of monasteries. It attracts globe-trotters not only for nature-based activities but also for exploring ancient monasteries like Tabo, which is over 1,000 years old.

The entire valley, populated mainly by tribals, remains cut off from the rest of the country for more than six months in a year due to snow.
Chikkamagalur : , Sep 27 (IANS) Karnataka Police have begun the investigation into the case of ill-treatment of a maulana by the policemen, reported in Chikkamagalur district regarding defective vehicle registration number plate.

Speaking to IANS, Hakay Akshay Machindra, the Superintendent of Police, Chikkamagalur district stated on Monday, "we reached out to the victim and leaders to take them into confidence and assured them of fair inquiry and subsequent action in connection with the case." The complainant has given a statement on misbehaviour and ill-treatment at the police station, he added. When asked about the police threatening him with a gun, he stated that, according to the statement of maulana to the police, there was no such thing that took place in the police station.

Imtiyaz Maulana talking to IANS said that he had pardoned those who had assaulted him. "I have forgiven the officer at the time when he raised his hands on me. No one, whichever religion he belongs to, should ever go through what I experienced. The police have assured us that they will take action. If they have to give it in writing, it would be better. I don't want to lodge a complaint in this regard," he said.

Imtiaz was stopped by Chikkamagalur police for having a defective registration number plate while he was travelling on his two-wheeler. He insisted on notice and denied to pay spot fine and argued with the police that he would only pay in court.

He had earlier alleged that the police officer after slapping, took out his gun to threaten him. Imtiyaz Maulana has made a video of this.

The Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) reacted strongly to the incident. Afsar Kodlipet, the General Secretary of SDPI condemned the incident on social media. He said that the incident had taken place close on the heels of a sub-inspector who asked a Dalit youth to drink urine. He demanded action against the police inspector.

"The SP assured of action against the police officer and also assured that such incidents won't be repeated in future. We are happy with the response. The matter is settled," Afsar Kodlipet said.
New Delhi, Sep 27 : The Supreme Court on Monday said when it comes to aided institutions, there cannot be any difference between a minority and a non-minority one, and held that right to get aid is not a fundamental right.

A bench of Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and M.M. Sundresh noted: "Once we hold that right to get an aid is not a fundamental right, the challenge to a decision made in implementing it shall only be on restricted grounds. Therefore, even in a case where a policy decision is made to withdraw the aid, an institution cannot question it as a matter of right." The bench said an institution can never be allowed to say that the grant of aid should be on its own terms.

It stressed that when it comes to aided institutions, there cannot be any difference between a minority and non-minority one and Article 30 of the Constitution is subject to its own restrictions, being reasonable. "A protection cannot be expanded into a better right than one which a non-minority institution enjoys. Law has become quite settled on this issue and therefore does not require any elaboration," the bench added, in its judgment.

It made these observations while allowing an appeal by the Uttar Pradesh government against an Allahabad High Court judgment, which declared that Regulation 101 framed under the Intermediate Education Act, 1921 is unconstitutional.

A clutch of petitioners had moved the high court challenging the regulation framed under the Act and contended it violated Article 14 of the Constitution in filling the sanctioned post of Class IV employees alone by way of "outsourcing". Also, this regulation affected right to get aid, which violates fundamental rights granted to minority institutions under Article 30(1) of the Constitution.

Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, representing the UP government, contended that the institutions being the recipients of aid are bound by the conditions attached, as there exists neither a fundamental right to receive aid nor a vested one.

Bhati added that it is not open to the respondents to question the policy decision. The bench said can't question, a policy decision being applied not only to educational institutions but spanning across the entire state in every department.

The bench said a policy decision is presumed to be in public interest, and until and unless there is manifest or extreme arbitrariness, a constitutional court is expected to keep its hands off.

On the aspect of outsourcing, the bench said: "It is clear that a recruitment by way of 'outsourcing' may have its own deficiencies and pitfalls, however, a decision to take 'Outsourcing' cannot be declared as ultra vires of the constitution on the basis of mere presumption and assumption".

The top court set aside the high court judgment.
New Delhi, Sep 27 : The international criminal court's new prosecutor has asked the court to relaunch an inquiry into alleged crimes against humanity committed by the Taliban and supporters of Islamic State in Afghanistan since 2003, The Guardian reported.

The move by Karim Khan shows a determination to use international law to investigate not only past but also contemporary crimes against humanity. The Hague-based ICC has notified the Taliban via Afghanistan's embassy in the Netherlands that it intends to resume an investigation, the report said.

A previous ICC inquiry was deferred in April 2020 following a request by the then Afghan government of Ashraf Ghani to be given time to gather evidence in cooperation with ICC lawyers.

Khan, a British QC who is three months into his nine-year tenure as ICC prosecutor, said, "odious and criminal acts should stop immediately and investigations commence to vindicate the principles that were established 75 years ago at Nuremberg and to honour humanity's basic responsibility to itself".

His submission states there is no longer the prospect of a genuine and effective domestic investigation into crimes within Afghanistan.

"The current de facto control of the territory of Afghanistan by the Taliban, and its implications (including for law enforcement and judicial activity in Afghanistan), represents a fundamental change in circumstances necessitating the present application," the submission states, The Guardian reported.

He points out that "credible reports suggest that the Taliban have released thousands of prisoners allegedly linked to al-Qaida and IS terror groups, from Bagram airbase detention facilities. This action does not support the notion that the Taliban will genuinely investigate article 5 crimes, now, or in the future." The Coalition for Genocide Response welcomed the announcement, saying that recent months have seen serious risks of atrocity crimes, including of genocide against the Hazara community.

It added: "The ICC's mandate to prosecute high-level perpetrators where states remain unable or unwilling is one that should be applied consistently, and without fear or favour, as such it must not neglect the crimes of other alleged perpetrators in the region including nationals of non states parties in Afghanistan at the relevant time."
Gandhinagar, Sep 27 : The opposition Congress in Gujarat staged a walkout from the first day of the state assembly's monsoon session after the ruling party and the Speaker denied them permission to pay obituaries to those who died due to Covid-19.

When the Speaker did not grant permission for the same, the Congress MLAs remained silent for a minute and then started chanting the 'OM' mantra loudly, and staged a walkout.

However, within a few minutes, the Congress MLAs returned to the Assembly, only to see BJP MLA from Shehra, Jetha Bharwad being appointed and seated as the deputy speaker, which was opposed by Paresh Dhanani. The Congress had nominated its six-time MLA Anil Joshiyara from Bhiloda constituency for the post.

Meanwhile, the grand old party kept reiterating its demands for Rs 4 lakh compensation to the families of the Covid victims in the state. The party claimed that a total of three lakh people have died due to the pandemic. However, responding to that the health minister Rishikesh Patel denied that such a large number of deaths has taken place.

"Three lakh people have not died due to Covid-19, but the state government will pay to the families of the deceased as per the order of the Supreme Court and central government's guidelines," Patel told the House.

The security was beefed up at the state assembly building complex, after the anticipation of the protests by the Congress MLAs on the first day of the assembly session demanding Rs 4 lakh for the Covid victims' families.

Two MLAs - Gyasuddin Shaikh and Imran Khedawala, both legislators from Ahmedabad, protested in a novel way. They both sported an apron with a message stating 'Compensation to the Covid-19 families.

"It is clearly mentioned in the Disaster Management Act that the victims of natural calamities and epidemic should be provided Rs 4 lakh compensation. Why is there a need from the government, to admit in the Apex Court that the government will provide Rs 50,000 to the families of the coronavirus-infected deceased?" asked Shaikh.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Chandigarh, Sep 27 : The Bharat Bandh call given by farmers' organisations against the three farm laws passed off peacefully in Haryana, the government said on Monday.

A police spokesperson said the impact of the Bharat Bandh was largely seen in the form of road or rail blockades and hampered inter-city road and rail traffic movement, but did not have much impact on the activities within towns and cities.

The shutdown call did not have any impact in Gurugram, Faridabad, Narnaul, Rewari and Nuh districts. Also no violent incident was reported in the state.

The agitated farmers are demanding the repeal of the three farm laws passed by Parliament last year and have expressed apprehension that they would pave the way for the dismantling of the minimum support price system, leaving them at the mercy of big corporate houses.

The government has maintained that the new laws will provide farmers with better opportunities. It has also accused the opposition parties of misleading farmers.
Panaji, Sep 27 : The Congress party is functioning contrary to "every ideal and principle" of its founding fathers, former Chief Minister Luizinho Faleiro said on Monday, after he announced his resignation from the party, while also questioning the resolve of the "divided Congress family" to take on the BJP and put the country "back on the rails of development and progress".

The Congress has described his exit, after more than 30 years in the party, as a voluntary retirement scheme package from the TMC at the fag end of his career.

"Madam, the Congress in Goa is not the same party for which we had sacrificed and fought. It is functioning contrary to every ideal and principle of its founding fathers upheld by Smt Indiraji, Shri Rajiv ji and you. Shri Rahul Gandhi too has been uncompromising in his fight against the forces that seek to destroy the fabric of our nation," Faleiro said in his resignation letter addressed to party president Sonia Gandhi.

"However, the Goa unit of the party has become a cruel parody of what Congress stands for. Led by a coterie of leaders who prioritise personal gains over the responsibility we owe to our people, we have utterly failed to even be an effective opposition," Faleiro also said.

At a press conference held later on Monday, Faleiro indirectly questioned the resolve of the Congress, led by Sonia Gandhi, to combat the BJP and usher in development.

"We have to see who has got the power to face the present dispensation which is ruling in Delhi and ruling in Goa. Definitely, I will support Mamata Congrese because she has fought, she has succeeded... She symbolises women empowerment which can bring this country back on the rails of development and progress," Faleiro said, describing the Congress as a "divided house".

Faleiro also said that his objective was to bring together Congress breakaway groups like the YSR Congress, Nationalist Congress Party and the Trinamool Congress to take on the BJP.

He however did not spell out his plans how he would bring about the proposed coming together of four political parties (INC included).

Faleiro also said that he would launch a movement in Goa to oust the BJP in the state in the upcoming 2022 state assembly polls.

The Congress has however slammed Faleiro for exiting the party ahead of the assembly polls. "This could be a VRS (package). When you feel that now there is nothing for me here, just take something and go. I was not convinced by anything he was saying (during the press conference)... It is sad that people at the fag end of their career take these kind of decision... I wish him best of luck," All India Congress Secretary in-charge of Goa Dinesh Gundu Rao said.

Earlier, after resigning from the Congress Party, Faleiro said that he in touch with I-PAC, a political lobbying organisation headed by political strategist Prashant Kishor.

"I have resigned from primary member of the Congress... I am in touch with IPAC," Faleiro said.

Asked whether he was joining the TMC, Faleiro said: "I will see you soon".

Faleiro has spent more than 30 years in the Congress and has served as a Chief Minister on two occasions and as a member of the Congress Working Committee.

Faleiro resigned as Congress MLA earlier on Monday. Several other Goa Pradesh Congress Committee members have also resigned from the party, following Faleiro's resignation as MLA.
United Nations, Sep 27 : Ghulam Isaczai, the Permanent Representative of the elected government of Afghanistan, has withdrawn from speaking at the high-level General Assembly meeting, Secretary General Antonio Guterres's Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric confirmed on Monday.

Myanmar, which continues to be represented by Kyaw Moe Tun, the nominee of the democratically elected government, was also dropped from the published list of speakers for Monday.

Both of them had been expected to deliver scorching criticisms of the regimes that ousted democratically-elected governments as they had been doing when speaking to UN bodies.

Neither the Taliban nor the Myanmar military regime will be able to speak at the session, which concludes on Monday, because their representatives have not been recognised by the accreditation committee.

Isaczai, who continues to officially represent the country at the UN, was scheduled to speak at the last meeting of the general debate where representatives of countries, most of them Presidents or Prime Ministers, lay out their priorities before a global audience.

Kyaw Moe Tun, the nominee of the ousted government of Aung San Suu Kyi, is officially the country's representative.

The representative of the military government that removed the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi, has not been recognised by the UN.

Dujarric said that the mission of Afghanistan sent an email over the weekend that it was withdrawing from the meeting.

He said that the decision was the mission's own.

Asked about Afghanistan not speaking at the meeting, he said it would have been "an opportunity to address the world".

The Taliban had laid claim for the speaker's slot for Afghanistan but could not get it because the accreditation committee had not met to consider the question of who represents the country.

The accreditation committee is not scheduled to meet before next month at the earliest, if not later, and till it decides the current representatives will continue in office at the UN.

The nine-member accreditation committee, which includes the US, China, and Russia, is likely to be embroiled in a protracted dispute over the representation of Afghanistan and Myanmar.

China backs the Taliban and Myanmar's military regime, while the US opposes them.

Amir Khan Muttaqi, the Taliban's Foreign Minister, unsuccessfully asked to speak at the high-level meeting of the Assembly.

Many leaders spoke to the Assembly remotely with pre-recorded speeches because the Covid-19 epidemic discouraged in-person participation.

Muttaqi appointed Taliban spokesperson Suhail Shaheen as Afghanistan's Permanent Representative.

(Arul Louis can be reached at arul.l@ians.in and followed @arulouis)
Mumbai, Sep 27 : Conglomerate Reliance Industries might invest around $250-$300 million to buy a stake InMobi's mobile content platform Glance, sources said.

However, an email sent to RIL did not elicit any response.

The speculative development assumes significance since the platform will be able to provide curated content for the company's upcoming mobile phone which has been developed with Google.

Notably, the content platform is backed by Google Inc's subsidiary Alphabet Inc.

The platform provides curated content including news and short videos on the phone's locked screens.

As per sources, the transaction is expected to be completed within few weeks.

In July 2020, Reliance Jio and Google announced their partnership to develop an affordable smart phone.

Subsequently, Jio Platforms and Google entered into a commercial agreement to jointly develop the entry-level affordable smartphone with optimisations to the Android operating system and the Play Store.

At that time, Google announced to invest Rs 33,737 crore ($4.5 billion) in Jio Platforms for an equity stake of 7.73 per cent.

The smartphone is expected to hit the market around Diwali time.

-IANS team-biz/
New Delhi, Sep 27 : Amid conflicting claims about Monday's Bharat Bandh being successful or not, a question that comes up repeatedly is why is that the farmers' agitation, including the latest agitation, gets more response from northwest India compared to other parts? Is it because the farmers in the states of Punjab, Haryana or western Uttar Pradesh are rich? Is it because they have large land holdings? Or there are more reasons than what meet the eyes?

Not the landholdings but it is the procurement under Minimum Support Price (MSP) that is the driving issue of the whole agitation and because farmers from Punjab, Haryana, parts of Maharashtra, and Madhya Pradesh benefit more from MSP, they are the most vocal, according to experts.

"Land holdings is a misleading issue, a deliberately brought in argument of rich or poor farmers. Official data shows that less than 0.4 per cent farmers have land which is more than 10 Ha. Means, all are small land holding farmers. What are we fighting about?" asks Devinder Sharma, an agriculture expert.

The latest dataset of National Statistical Survey (NSS) Organisation released earlier this month has showed that more than 70 per cent of the agriculture households in rural India possessed land less than or equal to 1.0 hectare (Ha) while in case of non-agricultural household, more than 90 per cent possessed land less than or equal to 0.40 Ha.

As many as 35.6 per cent agriculture households possessed land between 0.40 and 1 hectares (Ha), followed by 34.2 per cent who possess 0.01-0.40 Ha, 17.7 per cent who possess between 1.01-2.0 Ha and 0.6 per cent possessing less than 0.01 Ha, the 77th round of survey by the National Statistical Office (NSO) conducted during the period between January 1, 2019 till December 31, 2019 had shown.

On the other hand, 8.6 per cent agricultural households possessed 2.01-4.0 Ha land and 2.8 per cent held 4.01-10 Ha land. Barely 0.4 per cent agricultural households possessed land that was more than 10 Ha, it said.

The Agriculture Census of May 2015 data shows that the highest number of operational land holdings in India are in Uttar Pradesh, followed by Bihar, Maharashtra, and Andhra Pradesh. Lowest land holdings in India are in Chandigarh. However, in terms of operated area, the largest contribution comes from Rajasthan, followed by Maharashtra. Chandigarh constituted the lowest number of operational holdings as well as the operated area in the country in 2010-11.

Echoing the sentiment about landholding size, Madras Institute of Development Studies' (MIDS), Prof S Janakrajan, said: "Almost 80 per cent are small and marginal farmers in India and so in case of Punjab. The farmers in Punjab are facing big trouble, they are under huge debt, and they are the ones who have extracted large quantities of ground water. They have to survive." "MSP for wheat is extremely necessary for these farmers because most of them are into subsistence farming. That makes a lot of difference for them. They have a huge fear that these three laws are going to take away the MSP, in which case, the markets, the cartels will fix the price which can be much lower than the MSP and their cost of production," Janakrajan said.

"It will not happen in this year or next year. It will happen 10 years down the line. Once the market comes in, farmers will become labourers, and entire production and marketing, everything will be determined by the market," he said.

Sharman stated that farmers from northwest India are closer to Delhi - the seat of power - can be one of the reasons, but more than that, "don't forget, only six per cent of the farmers get MSP and rest 94 per cent are dependent on market. These large number of farmers have never had the benefit of MSP cushion. And roughly 80 per cent of this six per cent are farmers from Punjab and Haryana. Obviously, they are going to be more vocal about this issue".

Citing Bihar as an example where the APMC Act was done away with in 2006 and now in 15 years, people from that state are going to Punjab as labourers, he said: "Point is that the farmers in Bihar are not getting the right price, because there is no APMC. Fifteen years is a good time to check how this has panned out." The problem of MSP is more for wheat crop compared to any other and Punjab and Haryana are amongst the states from where largest wheat procurement under MSP happens. And therefore, unlike other states, it is the wheat producing states that will be affected more due to the new farm laws.

"There is 80 million tonnes of buffer stock of wheat and its prices are likely to fall (when market steps in), so the government needs to step in. This problem does not arise in case of other crops," Janakrajan said.

In case of commercial crops such as pepper and cotton, it is the market that determines everything. But in that case, the demand is more, supply is less. It is reverse in case of wheat. "Market forces are always unfavourable to foodgrains producing farmers," he added.

The MIDS professor rubbished the "middlemen that benefitted earlier will not benefit now" argument, saying that it is a cover up by the government. "Will middleman struggle for 300 days?" Sharma said: "Whether you say northwest India or other parts, the message from the farmers (on Monday through the Bharat Bandh) is very clear. More than 50 per cent of the population is living in misery and these farmers are becoming the voice of these people." Calculating Bandh success by what was closed and what was functional is incorrect, he said: "We look at everything only through the lens of living in sustainable manner. It doesn't matter if 95 out of 100 shops were closed or all of them were shut. After all they have conveyed the message, 'listen to our voices'." However, Swadeshi Jagran Manch's Ashwani Mahajan claimed the Bandh was not successful even in the states of Haryana or Punjab largely but was restricted to small pockets of influence of these agitating farmers.

"This whole protest has become more of a political than farmers' issue what with even the Congress and AAP and other parties joining in." Mahajan echoed Janakrajan and Sharma's point about larger protest from NW India owing to high procurement under MSP from these states but gave a 180-degree opposite reason. "They are worried that the MSP facility will be withdrawn under these farm laws. It is not possible. In fact, if we look at this year's data, there has been record procurement," he said.

Political parties did make contrary claims about the Bandh. Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait said the Bandh will compel the Centre to listen to the voices of India's farmers; political activist and farm leader Yogender Yadav termed it as success and said farmers have given a befitting reply to the government's falsehood while the opposition parties such as Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Left parties have claimed that the government will need to pay the price of this protest. On the other hand, the Bhartiya Janata Party has termed it as sheer political drama and said that the Bandh was ineffective.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Bengaluru, Sep 27 : After a series of attacks on women in Karnataka, the state Police department is all set to address the issue with an ambitious project of training all school, and college-going girls with unarmed combat skills.

Karnataka State Reserve Police (KSRP) has undertaken a mission to put school girls and college-going women in combat mode to enable them to face any tough situation single-handedly. KSRP ADGP Alok Kumar says they want to include RWAs and housewives in training.

As many as 3,000 young women have been trained in self-defence in Karnataka in 6 months as part of this initiative. The girls will be taught how to attack, how to break loose, how to gain strength and how to stay strong and positive. They will also be taught to render kicks and punches so strongly that makes the attacker unconscious.

The first batch of girls in Mysuru will give a demo in presence of Home Minister Araga Jnanendra on Tuesday (Sept 27) at Mysuru.

KSRP ADGP Alok Kumar who has launched the initiative explained that the project has been started 6 months ago and then Home Minister who is presently the Chief Minister, Basavaraj Bommai had kicked off the programme.

"We are doing the training programme at so many places. We started from Bengaluru. Here we covered 16 schools and colleges, more than 1,000 girl students belonging to different schools and colleges have been trained. Similarly in Belagavi, Kalaburgi and tomorrow (Tuesday) we are going to have a demo of school girls," he said.

"Till now more than 3,000 students have been trained, we want to continue with this, at least in urban and semi-urban areas. Such types of incidents take place mostly in urban and semi-urban areas. There is anonymity and unknown people come there and do some mischief," he said.

In rural areas, they can't afford to do it as they are known to people. So, if they do something they will complain to their parents. That fear is not there in urban areas. "So our focus is on urban and semi-urban areas. We want to cover the whole of the state. One or two states have started it, but not carried on so vigorously. We have covered it since one-and-a-half months in other places and since 6 months in Bengaluru," he explains.

So, care has been taken that the training is not symbolic. It should make the girls capable that if a situation arises they should really be in a position to face it mentally and physically. It's not that they do it for demo purposes and when the real situation arises they forget everything. With that objective in mind, we are imparting a one-month training programme, he noted.

They will be given unarmed combat training. The girls will be using the power of their hands, legs and head to tackle the situation. It is not like you are having lathi or something. You don't use any arms, when you are travelling or going somewhere you don't carry anything. But, immediately you have the capability or skill to face them using various techniques, using hands, feet and head, he said.

He said that the response is good. So many girl students are coming forward. Covid has put a spanner in our programme. We launched it on International Women's Day in March. But, again, the second wave came. Now, things are better.

In Bengaluru city we are proposing to train RWA's women, housewives by KSRP girls. In some places we are taking the help of local trainers also, Alok Kumar said.

Janardhan R, the Commandant of the 5th Batallion, Mysuru, explained that more than 500 girl students of schools and colleges have already been trained. The police department has tied up with the Wasakayi Martial Arts institution. Even policemen's daughters who have a black belt in Karate are also training the girls, he added.

Along with students, physical teachers are also being trained. They can pursue the training in future. "We have advised them to include them in their curriculum," he said.

Jyothi Parande, KSRP inspector who is training girl students in Belagavi says, the training is given to girls before or after school hours. "The training is such that, the girls will be able to deliver punches and kicks so powerful that the opposite person becomes unconscious. The girls will be able to tackle them, even if they have a weapon," she explained.

The girls are contacting us and showing interest to join self-defence classes, she adds.

Anjali, a 9th standard student from Mysuru explains she did not feel so safe before training. "I learnt how to be positive," she said.

"I am feeling proud. I have to cover some distance to reach school. My parents used to be scared. Now they are not," says Soujanya. B, another student.

Disha said she enjoyed the training. I thank trainer Krishnamurthy sir. I have been taught how to attack, how to break loose, how to gain strength and how to stay strong and positive.
United Nations, Sep 27 : Despite the strong exchanges between India and Pakistan at the high-level General Assembly session last week, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres is hopeful that a dialogue between them is possible.

Asked at his daily briefing about the acrimonious statements, he said: "We heard the remarks, and I think, despite the tone and the content of the remarks, we also always remain hopeful that dialogue can happen, maybe in a place that is not under the spotlight." Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan launched a vehement attack on India on Friday, targeting the BJP and the RSS in particular.

Responding to him, Sneha Dubey, a first secretary in India's UN mission, called out Pakistan for its record on terrorism and said that it "is an arsonist disguising itself as a firefighter".

"This is a country which has been globally recognized as one openly supporting, training, financing and arming terrorists as a matter of State policy. It holds the ignoble record of hosting the largest number of terrorists proscribed by the UN Security Council," she said.

She also recalled the genocide of at least 300,000 people perpetrated by Pakistan in Bangladesh during and before its War of Independence.

Laying out the scenario for a dialogue, Dubey said: "We desire normal relations with all our neighbours, including Pakistan. However, it is for Pakistan to work sincerely towards creating a conducive atmosphere, including by taking credible, verifiable and irreversible actions to not allow any territory under its control to be used for cross border terrorism against India in any manner." Speaking the next day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not directly engage with Pakistan, but only spoke generally about the dangers of terrorism - which was obviously a reference to Islamabad's patronage of terrorism.

(Arul Louis can be reached at arul.l@ians.in and followed @arulouis)

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Agartala, Sep 27 : The Tripura High Court on Monday refused to proceed further against Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb's alleged comment on "not to fear contempt of court".

The High Court Chief Justice Akil Kumar Kureshi and Judge Satya Gopal Chattopadhyay after examining the Chief Minister's statement submitted before the court by Tripura Advocate General Siddhartha Shankar Dey, dissolved the matter after a group of lawyers demanded action against the Chief Minister for his reported comments on the role of the court.

The lawyers led by senior advocate Purusottam Roy Barman demanded an inquiry on the issue, but the Chief Justice rejected the claim.

The Chief Minister posted a statement in his Facebook account saying that his speech on September 25 was twisted and wrongly reported to some print and electronic media to project disregard to the judiciary and judicial institutions. "I firmly and unequivocally clarify that I hold all the judicial institutions in highest esteem and also am duty bound to uphold the majesty of the judiciary. I have not told the officers or even remotely intended to convey any message to disregard courts or disrespect court orders as reported. My words have been published out of context," the CM statement said.

Advocate General Dey before the Chief Justice's decision almost submitted the similar statement before the bench and told the court that the Chief Minister was misinterpreted. Screenshots of the Chief Minister's statement in social media were also produced in the court.

According to an unauthenticated viral video, the Chief Minister while addressing the 26th biennial conference of the Tripura Civil Service Officers Association on Saturday allegedly said that he would deal with cases of contempt against the officials. Deb allegedly said, according to the viral video, "the Court may give the order but, police are supposed to comply with the court order, but the police are in my control. Officials need not be worried about contempt of court while delivering services." The issue has been widely debated in various political and non-political circles after the video was circulated in various social media.
Bengaluru: Farmers, activists and trade union members of various Kannada organizations raise slogans during their Bharat Bandh against the central government's three agrarian reform laws, in Bengaluru on Monday, September 27, 2021 .(PHOTO:IANS/Dhana Image Source: IANS News

Bengaluru: Farmers, activists and trade union members of various Kannada organizations raise slogans during their Bharat Bandh against the central government's three agrarian reform laws, in Bengaluru on Monday, September 27, 2021 .(PHOTO:IANS/Dhana Image Source: IANS News

Bengaluru: Farmers, activists and trade union members of various Kannada organizations raise slogans during their Bharat Bandh against the central government's three agrarian reform laws, in Bengaluru on Monday, September 27, 2021 .(PHOTO:IANS/Dhana Image Source: IANS News

Bengaluru: Traffic jam at Corporation Circle during Kisan Bharat Bandh against three central government's agricultural reform laws, in Bengaluru on Monday, September 27, 2021 .(PHOTO:IANS/Dhananjay Yadav) Image Source: IANS News

Bengaluru, Sep 27 : The Bharat Bandh call given by the Samyukt Kisan Morcha evoked a mixed response in Karnataka as daily life was not affected, with bus services operating and schools and colleges across the state functioning as usual on Monday.

Barring Kalburgi, life was normal in all north Karnataka districts though the protests and rallies were being taken out, while the protest did not evoke much response in coastal Karnataka, the bastion of the ruling BJP.

Districts such as Ramnagar, Mysuru, Hassan, Bengaluru Rural, Tumakuru, and Kolar where the JD-S has strongholds, did see protests, but normal life has not been affected.

Karnataka Police took hundreds of protestors, who tried to block roads and highways across the state, into custody, ensuring smooth flow of traffic.

In Bengaluru, the driver of a Range Rover vehicle was also taken into custody for injuring DCP, North, Dharmendra Kumar Meena.

The DCP's toes came under the wheel of the car and he suffered injuries on the leg in the incident near Goraguntepalya in Yeshwanthpur.

Meanwhile, traffic was thrown out of gear in Bengaluru as protestors took procession from three different directions and congregated near the Town Hall. From here, they took a massive rally towards the Mysuru Bank Circle.

The police arrested Sugarcane Growers Association President Kuruburu Shantakumar and his supporters early in the morning as soon as he gave a call to his followers to request shop owners close down their establishments.

The agitators brought a buffalo and a donkey along with them in the protest in Bengaluru and Dharwad. The police arrested 20 farmers for trying to block the national highway in Davanagere.

The protestors slept in front of shops with joined hands requested the shop owners to close their establishments and support the bandh. International travellers in Bengaluru reached the Kempegowda International Airport (KIAL) early in the morning to avoid any inconvenience due to the protest.
Tagula Airport, Tagula, Papua New Guinea [ TGL / ]

If you are planning to travel to Tagula or any other city in Papua New Guinea, this airport locator will be a very useful tool. This page gives complete information about the Tagula Airport along with the airport location map, Time Zone, lattitude and longitude, Current time and date, hotels near the airport etc... Tagula Airport Map showing the location of this airport in Papua New Guinea. Tagula Airport IATA Code, ICAO Code, exchange rate etc... is also provided.

Tagula Airport Info:

Tagula Airport IATA Code: TGL Tagula Airport ICAO Code: Latitude : -11.5 Longitude : 153.5 City : Tagula Country : Papua New Guinea World Area Code : 804 Airport Type : Small Tagula Airport Address / Contact Details :

Tagula (TGL), Papua New Guinea Timezone : Pacific/Port_Moresby Tagula Airport Timezone : GMT +10:00 hours Current time and date at Tagula Airport is 17:31:57 PM (+10) on Friday, Oct 8, 2021

Looking for information on Tagula Airport, Tagula, Papua New Guinea? Know about Tagula Airport in detail. Find out the location of Tagula Airport on Papua New Guinea map and also find out airports near to Tagula. This airport locator is a very useful tool for travelers to know where is Tagula Airport located and also provide information like hotels near Tagula Airport, airlines operating to Tagula Airport etc... IATA Code and ICAO Code of all airports in Papua New Guinea. Scroll down to know more about Tagula Airport or Tagula Airport, Papua New Guinea.

Tagula Airport Map - Location of Tagula Airport Load Map Papua New Guinea - General Information Country Formal Name Independent State of Papua New Guinea Country Code PG Capital Port Moresby Currency Kina (PGK)

 1 PGK = 0.285 USD

 1 USD = 3.512 PGK

 1 PGK = 0.247 EUR

 1 EUR = 4.056 PGK

 More PGK convertion rates Tel Code +675 Top Level Domain .pg

This page provides all the information you need to know about Tagula Airport, Papua New Guinea. This page is created with the aim of helping travelers and tourists visiting Papua New Guinea or traveling to Tagula Airport. Details about Tagula Airport given here include Tagula Airport Code - IATA Code (3 letter airport codes) and ICAO Code (4 letter airport codes)

Coordinates of Tagula Airport - Latitude and Longitude (Lat and Long) of Tagula Airport

Location of Tagula Airport - City Name, Country, Country Codes etc...

Tagula Airport Time Zone and Current time at Tagula Airport

Address and contact details of Tagula Airport along with website address of the airport

Clickable Location Map of Tagula Airport on Google Map.

General information about Papua New Guinea where Tagula Airport is located in the city of Tagula. General information include capital of Papua New Guinea, currency and conversion rate of Papua New Guinea currency, Telephone Country code, exchange rate against US Dollar and Euro in case of major world currencies etc...

TGL - Tagula Airport IATA Code
Taskbar logo By using decentralized ledger technology (DLT) to remove the centralized third party which typically extracts up to 30% of the value of all transactions and thereby realign the platform incentives in favour of the users.

The Taskbar platform will be a gateway for people to interact, offer services and fulfil their needs. Taskbars mission is to disrupt the gig economy in two very important ways.

First, by promoting the idea that everyone has a skill that others could find valuable. Taskbar users, affectionately called Tasketeers, are encouraged to add their skills to their profile and to both buy and sell services through the two-sided marketplace; so, for example, whilst one day a user might need to find a coder to help fix some software bugs on their website, the next day they could offer their copywriting skills to the community.

Existing platforms, even in the blockchain space, are built in such a way as to segment buyers and sellers, or seekers and taskers, as distinct groups of people. Taskbar is built so as to be used interchangeably as both seeker and tasker.

And second, by using decentralized ledger technology (DLT) to remove the centralized third party which typically extracts up to 30% of the value of all transactions and thereby realign the platform incentives in favour of the users.

Workers in the traditional freelancing or gig economy, whether using platforms such as Upwork, Uber, TaskRabbit or Fiverr, have typically seen their net incomes eroded whilst making billionaires of the early investors and founders of those platforms.

Taskbar was founded by three entrepreneurs who met in Dubai whilst hosting and attending blockchain meetups and realized that the gig economy was the one of the most obvious sectors ripe for disruption through blockchain technology.

The Taskbar team has rolled out a proof of concept to the Hedera community last month and beta users have already started creating profiles, adding their skills and posting tasks to be carried out. Various enhancements are planned over the coming months.

Currently, Tasketeers are able to earn and spend HBARs, the native cryptocurrency of Hedera Hashgraph, through the platform, with plans to include other cryptocurrencies and fiat currency options.

Whilst initially targeted at remote digital/tech tasks, the platform can also be used for physical tasks and geo-location technology will be added to facilitate the provision of local proximity services. Taskbar is envisioned by its founders as a platform that will help to provide workers with a greater Safety Net 2.0.

Taskbar is built on the lightning-fast, super economical and environmentally friendly Hedera Hashgraph proof of stake network. Other blockchains, which typically use proof of work to achieve consensus, suffer from expensive and unpredictable network fees, whilst Hedera fees are fixed in US dollars and are a fraction of a cent per transaction. Keen to support new projects launching on their network, Hedera Hashgraph offered Taskbar a place on its incubator program, Hedera Boost.

Taskbar is currently managed and operated by Taskbar FZ-LLC, a company incorporated in Dubai Internet City, and supported by the Dubai Governments in5 Tech incubation program. However, the vision is to transfer the ownership of the Taskbar platform to its community members through a utility and governance token, the TBAR, which will help to keep platform fees to a minimum ensuring the community benefits as much as possible. Taskbar will then be managed as a decentralized autonomous organization (DAO) with token-holders voting on the direction of the platform, its fees, incentives and any necessary dispute resolution processes between users.

Ahmed Shlibak, Co-Founder of Taskbar, said: The Hedera Token Service will enable Taskbar to predictably and reliably scale the use cases and versatility of our native utility & governance token, the TBAR.

Tudor Holotescu, Co-Founder of Taskbar, said: The Taskbar community is a driving force behind the gig economy of the future. An economy defined by inclusiveness, transparency, and decentralized governance.

Richard MacNamara, Co-Founder of Taskbar, said: We are excited to continue building the Taskbar ecosystem and transforming into a fully decentralized platform owned and run by the TBAR token holders. To achieve this, we are inviting interest from venture capital firms looking to invest in our seed round.

About Taskbar

Taskbar is a disruptive DLT-based platform for the freelancing gig economy, owned and managed by Taskbar FZ-LLC, licensed by Dubai Internet City with the support of the In5 incubation program.

For more information, please check our website here (where you will also be able to access our One Pager and LitePaper) and short intro YouTube video here

The Taskbar platform is available in beta, with improvements planned to be rolled out, powered by Hedera Hashgraph. You can check it out here and there are some explainer walkthrough videos here

For Media Enquiries

E: hello@mytaskbar.com
Tip-Loc will allow surgeons to achieve a true double-locked nail, both proximal and distal to the fracture with a sized implant that can more closely match the patients anatomy.

Acumed is pleased to announce the launch of the Fibula Nail 2 System, designed to provide an alternate treatment to bone plating by offering a less invasive intramedullary approach to fractures of the fibula. This approach can reduce soft-tissue irritation compared with plating through traditional open reduction internal fixation (ORIF).1

Designed in conjunction with Roy Sanders, MD, with consulting input from Mr. Timothy White, the Acumed Fibula Nail 2 is available in new diameters and four new lengths. The system offers a universal instrumentation base set, making it possible for one set to support multiple intramedullary nail families.

The nails feature contouring to accommodate the shape of the intramedullary canal, while Acumeds proprietary Tip-Loc technology achieves stabilization of the nails far end through a sized bushing and set screw combination, which allows for fracture rotation and length control.

The Fibula Nail 2 System represents an advance in intramedullary nailing of the fibula and ulna with power reamers to allow for ease of insertion, said Dr. Sanders, an orthopaedic surgeon in Tampa, FL. Additionally, Tip-Loc will allow surgeons to achieve a true double-locked nail, both proximal and distal to the fracture with a sized implant that can more closely match the patients anatomy.

The additional diameters and lengths of the new system accommodates a wider range of patient anatomies, said Mr. White, a consultant orthopaedic trauma surgeon in Edinburgh, Scotland.

The system also offers updated instrumentation, including carbon fiber radiolucent targeting guides to streamline the procedure, threaded holes within the nail for interlocking constructs, and headless hexalobe screws designed to minimize soft tissue irritation.

Acumed has a long history of delivering industry-first solutions designed to provide surgeons with in situ customization options to achieve optimal patient fit and restoration of function, said Sharon Wolfington, President and CEO of Acumed | OsteoMed. Acumed has the most complete selection of Trimalleolar fracture treatment options on the market*, and our new Fibula Nail 2 is a minimally invasive option that enhances our industry-leading portfolio."

About Acumed | OsteoMed

We serve highly skilled, specialized surgeons who demand comprehensive, high-quality medical devices for patients with simple to complex injuries for optimal restoration of function.

Acumed | OsteoMed has more than three decades of experience in the orthopaedic industry, with the mission of aiding the afflicted through the ingenuity of our minds, the labor of our hands, and the compassion of our hearts. Acumed | OsteoMed has three primary campuses in Hillsboro, Oregon, Addison, Texas and Madrid, Spain, and offices around the world. For more information, visit http://www.acumed.net or https://osteomed.com/.

Acumed | OsteoMed is a Colson Medical | Marmon | Berkshire Hathaway company.

*Competitive data on file with Acumed. GEN00-30-C; 2021.

1. White TO, Bugler KE, Appleton P, Will E, McQueen MM, Court-Brown CM. A prospective randomized controlled trial of the fibular nail versus standard open reduction and internal fixation for fixation of ankle fractures in elderly patients. Bone Joint J. 2016;98-B(9):1248-1252. doi:10.1302/0301-620X.98B9.35837


J. Bancroft, a New Jersey native who earned undergraduate and masters degrees from the University of Tennessee and worked for twelve years at the Tennessee Valley Authority before embarking on forty years of successful entrepreneurial endeavors, now spending most of each year living in Highland Beach, Florida, with his wife, Mary Cooper, has completed his new book Hillbilly Cold Case: a gripping and potent drama that keeps the pages turning until the satisfying conclusion.

Welcome to Cocke County, Tennessee, nestled in the heart of Appalachia and in the shadows of The Great Smokey Mountains. The county is home to a proud people who enjoy a rich and well-defined culture that encourages self-reliance and ingenuity. The area also has a long standing and well-earned reputation for lawlessness, criminal enterprise, and systemic corruption. Cedrick Dreamer Jameson is an acclaimed investigative journalist and successful author. Dreamer is working on a two-part series describing a major FBI-led interagency sting operation aimed at curtailing criminal activities in and around Cocke County. He begins an independent investigation of the heinous unsolved murder of Wayne Becker. Becker was a prominent businessman and county leader with ties to the areas criminal activities, both past and present. It is during this investigation that Dreamer finds himself out of his depth. In a clash of cultures, he quickly learns that certain citizens of Cocke County do not appreciate outsiders, especially a highly educated and successful black man, snooping into their business. Threats are made.

Clear warnings are given to ensure that Dreamers investigation into the Becker murder stops.or else! Giving up is not part of Dreamers DNA. However, he needs help and reaches out to three friends he calls the Crew. Simply stated, the crew is an extremely close-knit group of friends who met as freshman student athletes at Princeton University. Theirs is a special bond and when one of them is in need, the others respond without hesitation or, in this case, without regard for their own safety and that of their loved ones. Hillbilly Cold Case is a compelling story about not only enduring friendships, but also the many challenges and dangers the crew encounters as they uncover the truth about Wayne Beckers corrupt activities and who is behind his murder.

Published by Page Publishing, J. Bancrofts engrossing book is an excellent choice for avid crime fiction readers.

Readers who wish to experience this engaging work can purchase Hillbilly Cold Case 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.
I'm honored and humbled to have our agency listed amongst the fastest-growing companies in America.

Inc. magazine revealed that Avex is No. 803 on its annual Inc. 5000 list, the most prestigious ranking of the nations fastest-growing private companies. The list represents a unique look at the most successful companies within the American economys most dynamic segmentits independent small businesses. Intuit, Zappos, Under Armour, Microsoft, Patagonia, and many other well-known names gained their first national exposure as honorees on the Inc. 5000.

Since I started Avex over six years ago, I've been looking at the INC. 5000 List as a future goal. I'm honored and humbled to have our agency listed amongst the fastest-growing companies in America, said John Surdakowski, Founder and CEO at Avex. We are building such an amazing team and each member has contributed to this tremendous growth over the last few years. We're all extremely excited to see what the future holds.

Not only have the companies on the 2021 Inc. 5000 been very competitive within their markets, but this years list also proved especially resilient and flexible given 2020s unprecedented challenges. Among the 5,000, the average median three-year growth rate soared to 543 percent, and median revenue reached $11.1 million. Together, those companies added more than 610,000 jobs over the past three years.

Complete results of the Inc. 5000, including company profiles and an interactive database that can be sorted by industry, region, and other criteria, can be found at http://www.inc.com/inc5000. The top 500 companies are featured in the September issue of Inc., which will be available on newsstands on August 20.

The 2021 Inc. 5000 list feels like one of the most important rosters of companies ever compiled, says Scott Omelianuk, editor-in-chief of Inc. Building one of the fastest-growing companies in America in any year is a remarkable achievement. Building one in the crisis weve lived through is just plain amazing. This kind of accomplishment comes with hard work, smart pivots, great leadership, and the help of a whole lot of people.

About Avex

Avex is a Shopify Plus Partner Agency and eCommerce development agency. The company leverages the power of the Shopify platform to design, develop, and optimize beautiful eCommerce websites for fashion & lifestyle brands. Avex partners with merchants to help them scale through data-backed ecommerce development & UX design services, conversion rate optimization, and Klaviyo email marketing services. To learn more, visit avexdesigns.com.

More about Inc. and the Inc. 5000

Methodology

Companies on the 2021 Inc. 5000 are ranked according to percentage revenue growth from 2017 to 2020. To qualify, companies must have been founded and generating revenue by March 31, 2017. They must be U.S.-based, privately held, for-profit, and independentnot subsidiaries or divisions of other companiesas of December 31, 2020. (Since then, some on the list may have gone public or been acquired.) The minimum revenue required for 2017 is $100,000; the minimum for 2020 is $2 million. As always, Inc. reserves the right to decline applicants for subjective reasons. Growth rates used to determine company rankings were calculated to three decimal places. There was one tie on this years Inc. 5000. Companies on the Inc. 500 are featured in Inc.s September issue. They represent the top tier of the Inc. 5000, which can be found at http://www.inc.com/inc5000.

About Inc. Media

The worlds most trusted business-media brand, Inc. offers entrepreneurs the knowledge, tools, connections, and community to build great companies. Its award-winning multiplatform content reaches more than 50 million people each month across a variety of channels including web sites, newsletters, social media, podcasts, and print. Its prestigious Inc. 5000 list, produced every year since 1982, analyzes company data to recognize the fastest-growing privately held businesses in the United States. The global recognition that comes with inclusion in the 5000 gives the founders of the best businesses an opportunity to engage with an exclusive community of their peers, and the credibility that helps them drive sales and recruit talent. The associated Inc. 5000 Vision Conference is part of a highly acclaimed portfolio of bespoke events produced by Inc. For more information, visit http://www.inc.com.

For more information on the Inc. 5000 Vision Conference, visit http://conference.inc.com/.
Law Office of Blumenthal Nordrehaug Bhowmik De Blouw LLP For more information about the lawsuit against Breakfast Republic Carmel Valley, LLC, call (800) 568-8020 to speak to an experienced California employment attorney today.

The Los Angeles employment law attorneys, at Blumenthal Nordrehaug Bhowmik De Blouw LLP, filed a lawsuit against Breakfast Republic Carmel Valley, LLC alleging the company violated Labor Code  2699, et seq. seeking penalties for DEFENDANTs alleged violation of California Labor Code  201, 202, 203, 204, 210, 221, 226(a), 226.7, 227.3, 246, 351, 510, 512, 558(a)(1)(2), 1194, 1197, 1197.1, 1198, and 2802. The lawsuit against Breakfast Republic Carmel Valley, LLC, is currently pending in the Los Angeles County Superior Court, Case No. 21SMCV01447. To read a copy of the Complaint, please click here.

According to the lawsuit filed, Breakfast Republic Carmel Valley, LLC allegedly failed to reimburse employees for required business expenses. California Labor Code  2802 expressly states that "an employer shall indemnify his or her employee for all necessary expenditures or losses incurred by the employee in direct consequence of the discharge of his or her duties..." During employment, Plaintiff and other Aggrieved Employees were allegedly required to use their personal cellular phones in order to complete their job duties.

PAGA is a mechanism by which the State of California itself can enforce state labor laws through the employee suing under the PAGA who do so as the proxy or agent of the state's labor law enforcement agencies. An action to recover civil penalties under PAGA is fundamentally a law enforcement action designed to protect the public and not to benefit private parties. The purpose of PAGA is not to recover damages or restitution, but to create a means of "deputizing" citizens as private attorneys general to enforce the Labor Code.

For more information about the lawsuit against Breakfast Republic Carmel Valley, LLC, call (800) 568-8020 to speak to an experienced California employment attorney today.

Blumenthal Nordrehaug Bhowmik De Blouw LLP is a labor law firm with law offices located in San Diego County, Riverside County, Los Angeles County, Sacramento County, Santa Clara County, Orange County and San Francisco County. The firm has a statewide practice of representing employees on a contingency basis for violations involving unpaid wages, overtime pay, discrimination, harassment, wrongful termination and other types of illegal workplace conduct.

***THIS IS AN ATTORNEY ADVERTISEMENT***
Marianne Nichols joins Chexology as head of hospitality sales "With Marianne's depth of knowledge, she will be an invaluable asset to Chexology as we evolve our sales efforts to large hotel groups, boutique hotels, casino hotels, resorts and so much more."

Chexology, a groundbreaking technology that automates transactions involving the exchange of items for a claim ticket, such as luggage storage, coat check, personal items and more, today appointed Marianne Nichols as head of hospitality sales. Nichols will oversee all new business development efforts and increase revenue in new and existing hospitality markets.

Marianne is a results-driven sales and business leader with over a decade of hospitality experience and a high-level of success, said Derek Pacque, Chexologys founder and CEO. With her depth of knowledge and ability to cultivate and develop relationships, she will be an invaluable asset as we evolve our sales efforts to large hotel groups, boutique hotels, casino hotels, resorts and so much more.

Nichols joins Chexology from Amadeus, a leading travel technology company, where she was a senior sales enablement manager. In this role, she managed and administered tools to train salespeople globally. During her time at Amadeus, she was also regional sales manager covering the Northeast territory where she handled prospecting and business development.

Nichols built her career as a hospitality sales professional at Residence Inn Boston Downtown/Seaport, Battery Wharf Hotel, Seaport Hotel & World Trade Center and Boston Harbor Hotel.

This exciting new role will allow me to prioritize building meaningful and lasting relationships with clients while bringing innovative ideas and opportunities to Chexologys ever-growing global portfolio of products, said Nichols. Im joining Chexology at an important time. Chexology continues to develop eco-friendly solutions that digitize the hotel check-in and check-out process, further elevating the guest experience, saving staff time and eliminating the need for paper tickets.

In her free time, Nichols co-founded the Amadeus Womens East Coast Chapter, a womens network with the mission to empower women to connect, grow, advance and lead. Nichols earned her Bachelor of Arts in Humanities and Writing from Providence College in Providence, Rhode Island.

To learn more about Chexology or additional career opportunities, visit http://www.chexology.com.

About Chexology

Chexology (builders of CoatChex), the Shark Tank-featured company that digitally transformed the coat checking industry, uses groundbreaking technology to automate any transaction that involves the exchange of items for a claim ticket, such as luggage storage, coat check, rentals, personal items and more. The company eliminates millions of single-use paper claim tickets each year. Using a text-based application that modernizes checkrooms, Chexology delivers an unprecedented guest experience and provides data-driven insights to optimize hospitality management. Chexologys clients include Barclays Center, Circa Casino and Resort, House of Blues Boston, ICC Sydney, Javits Center, Live Nation, MoMA, among others. For more information about Chexology, visit http://www.chexology.com or follow @chexology on LinkedIn.


Located directly on Clearwaters Intracoastal Waterway, the brand-new Courtyard Clearwater Beach Marina, a Courtyard by Marriott property, will provide boaters modern, comfortable accommodations close to everything Clearwater Beach has to offer! Both the hotel and marina are scheduled to open to guests October 1. This is Oasis Marinas second managed location in the Tampa/Clearwater area.

The prime location and state-of-the-art property features 50 slips, offering daily, weekly and monthly slip leases, with the most modern materials and capabilities. Its the ideal size for an intimate feel that will assure all boaters are pampered. In addition to the typical amenities, such as water and electrical hook ups, there will be generous mens and womens restrooms, showers and private marina lounge, designated for guests of the marina on-site at the hotel. In addition, marina guests will have access to all of the hotels stunning dining options, including the Courtyards Bistro and Starbucks, VUE 360 Rooftop Bar, and Triggerfish. Triggerfish, opening later this year, will be the hotels full-service restaurant serving fresh and local options in a relaxed and comfortable waterfront setting.

The marina will be partnering with Clearwater Beach Paddleboard and Rental Company for easy access to all the toys that make your visit even more fun, like paddleboards, beach cruiser bikes and even beach carts. In addition, the hotel will have numerous vendor partners on-site offering hotel guests and visitors of the city a wide variety of recreational excursions such as tiki boat cruises and guided jet ski tours and rentals.

Clearwaters North Beach area is conveniently located within walking distance of the property - even its famous majestic beaches, voted #1 by Trip Advisor. In downtown Clearwater guests can find dining, shops, nightlife and more. The iconic Pier 60, Clearwater Marine Aquarium, and the historic Capitol Theatre are all under three miles away.

Both guests and boaters pulling up to the Courtyard Clearwater Beach Marina should be prepared to stay for a few nights with so much going on locally. The property is the ideal destination for families and couples alike.

About Oasis Marinas

Oasis Marinas was founded by a group of boaters with executive expertise in hospitality and technology, dedicated to creating a high-quality experience. The Oasis Marinas portfolio is closing on nearly 40 amazing properties, over 6,500 wet & dry slips under management, and hundreds of RV pads, spanning from the Northeast, the Chesapeake Bay, and Potomac, down to the coast of Florida. With its customers needs in mind, it has significantly expanded its reach in Florida over the past two years; from Fernandina Harbor Marina and the Westshore Yacht Club in 2020, to The Marina at Marriott Hutchinson Island, Fort George Island Marina, Sea Isle Marina & Yachting Center, and now Clearwater, all in 2021.

A privately held marina management company, Oasis Marinas is based out of Annapolis, MD. The company provides marina management services to marina owners that support all aspects of the marina, including boat slips, provisions, fuel docks, and the associated contracts with the vendors running the maintenance services, restaurants, and other business services such as marina redevelopment and construction. Oasis mission is to incorporate a consistent, fun, welcoming, and well-maintained environment in every Oasis-managed marina. Learn more about us at http://www.oasismarinas.com.

###
Edify Labs (edify.cx), the customer experience software company that makes business communications feel more like personal ones, announced today that Google has named Edify a Chrome Enterprise Recommended partner for the contact center. To earn this designation, Edify worked with Google to extend product functionality, quality, security and user experience, ensuring Edify Huddle CX meets the highest performance standards and is easy for employees and businesses to adopt. Through this partnership, Edify and Google will market, sell, and continually innovate, working together to develop new and expanded ways for Edify to work with Chrome OS and Chromebooks.

Edify unites contact center (CCaaS), unified communications (UCaaS), and real-time communications (CPaaS/API) functionality in a single, cloud-native software solution. Edify on Chrome banishes legacy contact center complexity by letting users interact with colleagues and customers via phone, text, email, and video just like they do with friends -- in a single window -- with the simplicity, security, and ease todays enterprises need.

"With our latest advancements to offer fully optimized solutions for contact centers with Chrome OS, we're excited to have Edify as one of the validated contact center solutions in our Chrome Enterprise Recommended partner program," said Gregg Fiddes, Head of Chrome Enterprise Technology Partnerships for Chrome OS. "Businesses can now rely on a catalog of validated applications including Edify, that have optimized their products quality, security and end user experience and can help serve as a key component to securing and optimizing contact centers."

With Edify on Chrome, users can:

-- Use one window for all contact center and unified communications applications, databases, and channels -- no more searching, transferring, or delays resolving customer issues -- so business communications finally feel more like personal ones.

-- Forget provisioning hardware, configuring security settings, and worrying about viruses and malware.

-- Get up and running in minutes on one cloud-native solution without sacrificing quality or capability.

-- Easily work at the office, from home, and on the go, making work-from-anywhere an efficient, reliable, and secure reality.

Chromes entry into the contact center with its Chrome Enterprise Recommended program demonstrates whats possible when you go about solving old problems in new ways, when you dare to believe you could have the mission-critical functionality you need in a contact center delivered with the simplicity of Chrome. Imagine what that does to the employee experience, and therefore to the customer experience, said Edify co-founder and CEO, Cameron Weeks. There is no reason why we can go to space, carry personal computers the size of a deck of cards in our pockets, and we cant do away with the bad customer service experiences were all living with. Brands can and should do better -- it doesn't have to be a complex, expensive headache anymore. There is no ceiling now and Edify is thrilled to be leading the way in fixing customer service with Google.

Edify unites the functionality of multiple point products in one intuitive solution:

-- Contact Center (CC): Meet customers across channels within a single interaction

-- Unified Communications (UC): Company-wide team collaboration with one-click voice, chat, and video

-- Communication Platform (CP): Third-party integrations, customizable open APIs, and built-in telecom

-- No-Code Workflows: One drag-and-drop tool to replace IVR, IVA, RPA, build workflows, create campaigns, and make changes on the fly without begging IT for help

Edify Huddle CX delivers the above cloud-native omnichannel business communications with machine learning (ML) and built-in UC for $7 per user/day. Customers love Edifys global availability, usage-based pricing, and 100% uptime SLA backed by a 10x financial guarantee. Learn more about Edify x Chrome at get.edify.cx/cer.

About the Chrome Enterprise Recommended Program

Chrome Enterprise Recommended is Googles new partner program that identifies optimized solutions. When you see the Chrome Enterprise Recommended badge, you know that the developer of that app has worked with Google to ensure their product works great on Chrome OS. This not only helps organizations more easily adopt new technology, it ensures employees have a great user experience.

About Edify

Edify connects businesses with customers and employees with each other, making business communications as easy as personal ones. Its flagship product, Edify Huddle CX, unites contact center (CCaaS), unified communications (UCaaS), and real-time communications platform (CPaaS/API) functionality in a cloud-native solution that lets users move seamlessly among channels within one conversation, just as we do on our phones. Edify removes all the risk once associated with moving to the cloud by delivering global availability, real-time redundancy, no-waste pricing, and a 100% SLA uptime guarantee. Learn more at edify.cx.
Agnetix, a pioneer in data-driven horticulture lighting technology, has been selected as primary lighting partner by HealthView Pharms, currently constructing a new Cannabis indoor growing facility totaling over 35,000 ft2 in Ontario, Canada with a total of 480 high-powered Agnetix luminaires.

HealthView Pharms is a Canadian cultivation group run by Paul Bernier, CEO. Along with his team of experienced cultivators, HealthView is determined to bring a forward-thinking grow strategy to the Canadian Cannabis market. Selecting Agnetix, the worlds most energy-efficient and most powerful LED horticultural grow light, will ensure they have a significant advantage. This partnership marks a pivotal step in the teams plan to develop technology-forward and sustainable facilities powered by energy-efficient and intelligent systems including lighting, HVAC, water management, nutrient control, and data capture.

For us, our focus is on quality and innovation every step of the way. With this new partnership with Agnetix, its exactly what we need to be able to create the Wellness products our clients will enjoy, said Mr.Bernier. From a business perspective, it gives us that competitive advantage that others seek.

The team chose Agnetix as their primary lighting and cultivation management system for its high energy efficiencies and data visibility. Agnetix provides a full suite of value-added benefits and a one-of-kind decision support system, employing energy-efficient LED lighting, canopy-level sensors, networking technology, and data analytics.

Mr. Bernier added, I have spent a lot of my time dedicated to researching new technology developments, which have lead me to travel many parts of the world. As far as high productivity for LED lighting, Agnetix has been the best I have come across for not only results but world-class customer service.

We are extremely happy to partner with HealthView Pharms and assist in their mission of growing the finest medicinal cannabis, said Jordan Miles, CEO, Agnetix. We will help them do that in the most efficient, competitive and environmentally conscious way possible."

For more information about the Agnetix A3 and Zenith water-cooled lighting systems, visit http://www.agnetix.com or contact sales@agnetix.com.

###

About Agnetix: Agnetix is an SEC-registered technology company on a steep growth trajectory focused on the development of advanced horticultural lighting and information technology solutions for commercial indoor and greenhouse growers  both in cannabis and fresh produce markets. The Agnetix Responsive Agriculture platform delivers meaningful plant and energy data insights for quick, informed decisions to mitigate risks. The Agnetix system includes highly efficient, water-cooled LED lighting, environmental sensors, AI (Artificial Intelligence) imagers, data, and real-time monitoring solutions. Agnetix helps serious growers to significantly improve their crop yield, reduce their operating cost and run a more profitable business. http://www.Agnetix.com

About HealthView Pharms:

HealthView Pharms is committed to the betterment of quality of life and general wellness of all Canadians living with pain and other chronic ailments, providing hope and optimism through the provision of natural therapeutic alternatives.

HealthView is committed to innovative research, development of best practices, excellent corporate governance, and a consumer centric organizational culture as they intend to be a leader in the Canadian cannabis marketplace.

With their experience and passion for all things cannabis, they are committed to producing some of the highest quality of cannabis, with consistency and accessibility in mind  from seed to sale.

HealthView is medicinally focused and is committed to producing the best cannabis health products they can deliver. Their 35,000 square-foot state-of-the-art facility located in Norfolk County is specifically designed for the cultivation of premium crops. With smaller features, the latest in technology and their grow team experience, they ensure the consistency of their flowers. http://www.HealthviewPharms.com
Ideal Option, a national leader in evidence-based medication-assisted treatment for substance use disorder, and Safeway, one of the largest grocery retail chains in the U.S., have come together to make addiction treatment more accessible. Eligible Ideal Option patients can now schedule their follow up appointments inside the stores Wellness Center, located at 200 S. 3rd St, Renton, WA 98057.

The Renton Safeway is the second location in the nation to host Ideal Option inside its walls. The collaboration not only represents a huge step towards reversing the stigma of addiction, but also offers patients a greater chance of sustaining recovery.

Nearly 500 appointments have been completed already at our first Safeway location in Vancouver, an indication of the rapidly evolving acceptance by the community and our patients of making addiction treatment more visible and accessible, said Tim Kilgallon, CEO of Ideal Option.

Broadening access in King County to evidence-based treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD) is timely. So far this year, there have been 240 fentanyl-involved overdose deaths in King County, already a 40% increase from the total number of fentanyl-involved deaths in 2020 (172), according to the King County Medical Examiners Office. Ideal Options own lab data show that 49.5% of Washington patients that enrolled in treatment tested positive for fentanyl in July 2021  a 71% increase over July 2020.

Working with Ideal Option to provide low-barrier access to OUD treatment demonstrates our commitment to the safety, health and wellbeing of our communities, said David Green, Director of Pharmacy Operations at Safeway. We are thrilled to continue this collaboration with them to help more people stay in recovery and get their lives back.

The Ideal Option clinic inside Safeway is open Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m.  5:00 p.m. and is located next to the pharmacy, inside the Wellness Center. The clinic offers appointments for existing Ideal Option patients who are undergoing maintenance treatment for addiction to fentanyl, heroin, methamphetamine, alcohol and other substances.

Anyone is welcome to visit the Ideal Option clinic inside Safeway to pick up information and learn more. All new patients will begin treatment at the Ideal Option clinic in Auburn (1811 Howard Rd, Ste. #101), Tukwila (2801 South 128th St) or Bellevue (1215 120th Ave NE, Ste. #201) and become eligible to transition to Safeway for ongoing care after 3-4 weeks of consistent progress in recovery. Most forms of insurance are accepted, including Medicare and Medicaid, and patients can typically get started within 1-3 business days.

Patients can make an appointment by calling 1.877.522.1275 or visiting http://www.idealoption.com.

About Safeway and The Albertsons Companies

Albertsons Companies is a leading food and drug retailer in the United States. The company operates stores across 34 states and the District of Columbia under 20 well-known banners including Albertsons, Safeway, Vons, Jewel-Osco, Shaw's, Acme, Tom Thumb, Randalls, United Supermarkets, Pavilions, Star Market, Haggen and Carrs-Safeway. Albertsons Cos. is committed to helping people across the country live better lives by making a meaningful difference, neighborhood by neighborhood. In 2019 alone, along with the Albertsons Companies Foundation, the company gave $225 million in food and financial support. In 2020, Albertsons Cos. made a $53 million commitment to community hunger relief efforts and a $5 million commitment to organizations supporting social justice. These efforts have helped millions of people in the areas of hunger relief, education, cancer research and treatment, social justice and programs for people with disabilities and veterans' outreach.

About Ideal Option

Headquartered in Kennewick, Washington, Ideal Option was founded in 2012 and has since helped nearly 50,000 patients through a network of over 70 office-based medication-assisted treatment (MAT) clinics across 10 states, including 26 locations in WA state. With a mission to serve under-served communities, Ideal Option accepts all forms of insurance including Medicaid and Medicare. Financial assistance and payment plans are also available.

Ideal Option's team of medical providers carry certifications in Addiction and Emergency Medicine, Internal, OB/GYN, and Family Medicine, among other specialties. The company also employs social workers, caseworkers, counselors, and mental health practitioners. This holistic approach helps drive positive outcomes, including family stability, stable housing, improved overall health, and reduced rates of recidivism.

In all the communities it serves, Ideal Option collaborates with existing stakeholders and providers to improve the continuum of care. This approach includes partnerships with emergency rooms and county jail systems, where individuals with substance use disorder often appear, as well as collaborating with numerous support agencies and municipal programs addressing social needs such as housing, mental health, and nutrition support.
We have aggressive growth plans for the UK, it is a priority for us to connect with as many potential customers as possible. Comparesoft has definitely been an important enabler, presenting us to very interesting leads that become profitable opportunities. Felipe Avila da Costa, CEO, Infraspeak

Comparesoft, the UKs leading B2B Software Marketplace, has announced a continuation of their partnership with Infraspeak.

Infraspeak is headquartered in Portugal with offices in London, San Francisco, Barcelona, and Florianopolis. Over 45,000 teams from companies like Siemens, Mitsubishi Electric, Engie, Intercontinental Hotels, and Hilton use Infraspeak.

Felipe Avila da Costa, CEO and Co-founder from Infraspeak said We have aggressive growth plans for the UK & Ireland, it is a priority for us to connect and speak with as many potential customers as possible. Comparesoft has definitely been an important enabler, presenting us to very interesting leads that become profitable great opportunities. That said, renewing our partnership with them was a straightforward decision.

Comparesoft connects software buyers with software vendors in an ad-free and information-rich platform. McLaren, Nike, US Military, Shell, and 6000 other businesses have used Comparesoft to identify the right software tools.

Prasanna Kulkarni, CEO of Comparesoft, said, Infraspeak is a maintenance intelligence oriented platform. It is designed to address the requirements of asset owners as well as service providers. Creating maintenance programmes without requiring full details of assets is a powerful feature, which buyers on our platform are going to find appealing. Were glad to continue our association with Infraspeak and were geared up to deliver even better results.

Backed by Blackfinch Ventures and Mercia, Comparesoft uses artificial and human intelligence to match software buyers requirements with relevant software vendors.
Lab Alley, a national provider of high-purity lab chemicals and high-quality lab supplies, announces the appointment of Megan Lueders, Chief Marketing Officer at Silicon Labs, to Lab Alleys Advisory Board. This expansion of the business Advisory Board reflects Lab Alleys evolution from startup to fast-growing company.

Even as the U.S. emerges from quarantine, Lab Alley continues to grow: from 2019 to 2020, the company experienced revenue growth of more than 300% and is on pace to exceed revenue projections by 25% for FY21. With over 40,000 customers to date, the company is also growing its customer base with approximately 100 net new customers per day.

Our Advisory Board is a committed team of community leaders providing Lab Alley with information, insight, guidance, and resources we need to fulfill our mission, said company CEO Fred Elabed. Were thrilled to add Megans exceptional expertise, experience, and energy to our efforts, as we continue our focus on intensive growth, as well as superior customer retention and satisfaction.

Lueders is a seasoned marketing expert with more than two decades of proven passion for developing and improving customer-centric digital experiences. With a serious depth of knowledge in marketing strategies and tactics for success, Megan is known for significantly elevating brands and developing world-class B2B marketing engines that accelerate demand and generate revenue.

I believe in Lab Alleys business vision and am excited to lend expertise on ways to grow their brand, Lueders said. This company has significant potential to continue their success and achieve double-digit growth this year and well into the future."

Bringing an entrepreneurial mentality and a transformational understanding of how to know and reach target audiences, Lueders is a proud alumna of The University of Texas at Austins McCombs School of Business, where she delivered last years commencement speech. She also received the Austin Business Journals Profile in Power Award in 2020.

Expanding the companys Advisory Board is only one way Lab Alley is working to keep up with its extraordinary growth; the company is currently also:



Expanding their product portfolio by 200%.

100% increase in hiring.

Launching an AutoShip option.

Were experiencing the most exhilarating period of our companys history to date, said Elabed. Its the perfect time for someone like Megan  whos expertise includes operational strategies and tactics that touch sales, customer success and marketing as well  to be joining the Lab Alley family. We cant wait to leverage all she has to offer as a new Advisory Board member.

About Lab Alley

Founded in 2013 by e-commerce entrepreneurs Fred and Holly Elabed, Lab Alley has grown into a thriving family-owned-and-operated business headquartered in Austin, Texas. Our mission is to supply essential, daily-use products to our customers  on-budget and on-time, every time.

We consider every online order a professional interaction requiring and deserving of personal attention. So we strive to provide the easiest online ordering experience, the fastest delivery possible, superior quality and superior affordability, and safe handling with the utmost care.

Whether we are helping power science, advance research & development, facilitate innovation, create products, and/or safeguard the world, our friendly team is always hustling to meet our clients needs perfectly.

For more information, please visit LabAlley.com.
Lone Star College-University Park today announced a new initiative that will enable faculty to cultivate more enriching, engaging class discussions utilizing artificial intelligence (AI). In partnership with the inquiry-based discussion platform Packback, LSC-University Park will expand faculty and student access to a platform shown to promote critical thinking, build a sense of community in class, and help improve student success.

The power of a good class discussion is that it empowers students to engage with the curriculum beyond whats in their textbooksand help them to see that theyre not alone in the questions they have or the observations they make, said Dr. Kathy Cecil-Sanchez, vice president of instruction at LSC-University Park. Thats the kind of critical thinking that Packbacks platform helps to inspire, while also allowing faculty to foster deeper and more substantive engagement with their students.

Backed by entrepreneur Mark Cuban, Packbacks unique platform assigns a curiosity score to students discussion posts based on a range of factors, including the open-endedness of questions and the way that students reference sources. The tool also provides feedback on grammar, spelling, and offers students guidance on academic research processes like citing sources and paraphrasing. All these elements of the Packback platform are designed to spark students intrinsic motivation, as well as to help instructors focus on providing more substantive guidance and support to students, rather than spending time on more repetitive tasks like correcting grammar.

In my classes, Packback has been a platform that provides equity of access to the material while also pushing students to ensure that their analysis is based on facts, said Cassandra Khatri, LSC-University Park professor of political science. Packback requires students cite the work they provide in their responses, which gets at the larger problem in political science of the gray area between analysis and takes. I really enjoy seeing my students practicing critical thinking skills as they deal with the tough issues of the day.

I appreciate Packbacks AI guidance on the writing and research, so I can focus more on the heart of the discussion topics that arise, added Jennifer Ross, LSC-University Park professor of political science. Through Packback discussions I have seen students go from being passive learners who just accept what they read and hear, to actively taking an interest in current events and thinking about them critically.

The partnership comes in the wake of a recent research finding that inquiry-based discussion tools can spark deeper engagement and also boost academic performance. A study conducted by Packback in 2019-2020 with 10 higher education institutions, including LSC-University Park, found that students in classes that use Packback received more A, B, or C grades and fewer D, F and W grades than the control group. In the same study, students cited sources approximately 2.5 times as often in the treatment group versus the control group.

Our work with colleges around the country is rooted in the belief that better approaches to discussion can help students build the skills that help them succeed both in and out of the classroom, said Kasey Gandham, co-founder of Packback. As an institution that shares that vision, LSC-University Park has been an invaluable partner over the past few years, and we look forward to continuing to learn from its creative and student-centered approach in the years to come.

Packbacks proprietary AI and machine learning technology provides inquiry-based online discussion to over 3,500 instructors and over 900,000 students, who have posted 22 million questions and responses to date.
This expansion of the Lymphoma Research Foundations website is a big step forward in ensuring that the Spanish-speaking community is equipped with the tools they need to navigate their diagnosis." said Sonali Smith, MD Chair of the Scientific Advisory Board.

The Lymphoma Research Foundation (LRF)  the nations largest non-profit organization devoted exclusively to funding innovative lymphoma research and serving the lymphoma community through a series of comprehensive education programs, outreach initiatives, and patient services  announced today the launch of Lymphoma.org in Spanish.

The expansion of the Foundations award-winning online platforms is part of LRFs Health Equity Initiative, which aims to address the language and ethnic discordance seen in existing disease education programs and increase diversity within the scientific community. The new website focuses on barriers to effective communication by improving access to expertly curated lymphoma information for Spanish-speaking members of the lymphoma community. Visitors of Lymphoma.org in Spanish will have access to comprehensive lymphoma information, education programs, and LRF support services, including the LRF Helpline, Clinical Trials Information Service, and Patient Aid Grant Program.

A diagnosis or relapse of lymphoma or chronic lymphocytic leukemia often leads patients and their family caregivers to sift through a complex network of information. This becomes more challenging when language, social or systemic barriers prevent a patient from accessing accurate health information, said Meghan Gutierrez, Chief Executive Officer at the Lymphoma Research Foundation. With this expansion of our website, we aim to provide critical information and disease resources that are culturally appropriate and empower Spanish-speaking patients and caregivers so that they make the most informed decisions about their care.

The Lymphoma Research Foundation will also offer live education programming as part of the new Initiative, hosting its first Spanish-language webinar on October 5, featuring lymphoma expert Javier Munoz, MD of Mayo Clinic. Dr. Munoz will provide a general overview of lymphoma, including diagnostics and staging, treatment options, and advice for newly diagnosed patients. LRF education programs are offered free of charge. To learn more about this webinar, visit lymphoma.org/webinars.

Access to accurate information and helpful resources is often a barrier for the Hispanic/Latino lymphoma community and can result in negative patient outcomes, said Sonali Smith, MD Chair of the Scientific Advisory Board. This expansion of the Lymphoma Research Foundations website is a big step forward in ensuring that the Spanish-speaking community is equipped with the tools they need to navigate their diagnosis."

Cancer is the leading cause of death among the Hispanics/Latinoswho represent the largest racial/ethnic minority group in the United States. According to a study published in the Journal of Clinical Lymphoma, Myeloma & Leukemia, urban-rural incidence patterns suggest that environmental exposures in urban areas are associated with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), and chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) may disproportionately affect Hispanic Americans.

Visit Lymphoma.org En Espanol at lymphoma.org/es.

About the Lymphoma Research Foundation

The Lymphoma Research Foundation (LRF) is the nations largest non-profit organization devoted to funding innovative research and serving the lymphoma community through a comprehensive series of education programs, outreach initiatives and patient services. To date, LRF has awarded more than $67 million in lymphoma-specific research. For additional information on LRFs research, education and services, visit lymphoma.org.
The Melanoma Research Foundation (MRF) welcomes Andy Cohen as emcee of the 20th Annual New York City Gala on Thursday, October 14.

The Melanoma Research Foundation (MRF) will host the 20th Annual NYC Gala on Thursday, October 14 at Cipriani Broadway. In celebration of the MRFs 25th Anniversary, the in-person gala will welcome Emmy award-winning host, producer and New York Times best-selling author Andy Cohen as Gala Emcee. As part of an unforgettable evening to celebrate melanoma patients, survivors and caregivers, Andy will share his personal connection to this community and the life-saving importance of melanoma awareness and early detection.

We are honored to welcome Andy Cohen for this incredible event, said Kyleigh LiPira, MRF CEO. As the MRF commemorates 25 years of progress in melanoma prevention, research and treatment advances, more melanoma patients are becoming melanoma survivors and I am so happy to join Andy and the New York City community to celebrate those who made it possible.

At the 2021 New York Gala, the MRF will present a Legacy Award to Nobel laureate James P. Allison, PhD in recognition of his groundbreaking contributions to the field of immunotherapy. Johnson & Johnson and Walgreens will be recognized with a Corporate Leadership Award for their longstanding commitment to sun safety and consumer health. Muneeb Shah, DO, aka @dermdoctor, will receive the inaugural Influencer Award for his innovative use of social media to promote melanoma prevention and skin health to his more than 10 million followers on TikTok. For his many years of dedicated service to the MRF, Board Vice Chair Steve Silverstein will be honored with a Leadership Award. Melanoma patients and survivors who received Courage Awards at previous galas over the last 20 years will be celebrated for their inspiring bravery and perseverance, many of whom will be in attendance.

Gala attendees will enjoy a gourmet meal, handcrafted cocktails, once-in-a-lifetime auction items and experiences and the opportunity to unlock the next treatment breakthrough during the exciting Fund-a-Grant portion of the program. In 2020, despite the challenges of the pandemic, attendees at virtual galas raised over $1 million to support melanoma research, education and advocacy! Tickets for the NYC Gala are currently available but will sell out quickly. Sponsorships, journal recognition and VIP packages are also available. Visit https://givergy.us/MRFnyc20th to purchase tickets, or email galas@melanoma.org for more information. Dont miss out on the largest and most anticipated event of the year as the one and only Andy Cohen joins New Yorks most generous business and community leaders for an unforgettable night in support of the 1.3 million Americans currently living with melanoma  purchase your tickets before they are gone!

About Melanoma

Melanoma is one of the fastest growing cancers in the United States and can strike men and women of all ages, races and skin types. With a 1 in 50 lifetime risk of developing melanoma, this year more than 207,000 Americans will be diagnosed. Melanoma is the leading cause of cancer death in women 25 to 29 years old and the second most commonly diagnosed cancer in adolescents and young adults 15 to 29 years old. Most melanomas occur on the skin; but melanoma can also occur in the eye (ocular, or uveal melanoma), in mucous membranes (mucosal melanoma), or even beneath fingernails or toenails.

About the Melanoma Research Foundation

The Melanoma Research Foundation (MRF) is the largest independent organization devoted to melanoma. Since 1998, the MRF has funded over $20.1 million in melanoma research, transforming the landscape of treatment development. Committed to the support of medical research in finding effective treatments and eventually a cure for melanoma, the MRF also educates patients and physicians about prevention, diagnosis and the treatment of melanoma. The MRF is a committed advocate for the melanoma community, helping to raise awareness of the disease and the need for a cure. The MRFs website is the premier source for melanoma information seekers. More information is available at http://www.melanoma.org. Find the MRF on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Martin Exteriors Team Our team continues to transform our industry and raise the bar while providing the best quality roofing and siding.

Martin Exteriors, a leading roofing and siding company based in Roscoe, Illinois, has been recognized on Inc. 5000s annual list of Americas Fastest Growing Companies. This is Martin Exteriors first time placing on the list, ranking at 745 with a remarkable 662% revenue growth and 25th in Industry Rank (Construction). Martin Exteriors is just one of three companies who was featured on the list from the Rockford Region.

Family-owned and operated, Martin Exteriors formed in 2006 to ensure local residents received high-quality work at a reasonable price. Founder and Roscoe resident Justin Martin and his family have been in the roofing business for years installing siding and roofs on homes and businesses in Rockford, Roscoe, South Beloit, Loves Park and beyond. The company has seen incredible growth throughout the years and today it employs 8 full time support staff, 11 sales consultants and over 50 installers.

We are incredibly honored to receive this recognition, particularly in a very interesting and turbulent period in our worlds history, said Justin. Our team continues to transform our industry and raise the bar while providing the best quality roofing and siding. Were constantly educating ourselves and working hard to provide high-quality work without cutting corners to ensure our local residents receive the best product. Im incredibly proud of our team and humbled to receive this recognition.

Martin Exteriors is not planning to slow down anytime soon. The company will continue to innovate and do things differently from the rest. Always putting their customers first and maintaining a family company culture is key to ensure it stays the number one trusted roofing contractor in the Rockford region.

The 2021 Inc. 5000 list feels like one of the most important rosters of companies ever compiled, says Scott Omelianuk, editor-in-chief of Inc. Building one of the fastest-growing companies in America in any year is a remarkable achievement. Building one in the crisis weve lived through is just plain amazing. This kind of accomplishment comes with hard work, smart pivots, great leadership, and the help of a whole lot of people.

Companies on the 2021 Inc. 5000 are ranked according to percentage revenue growth from 2017 to 2020. To qualify, companies must have been founded and generating revenue by March 31, 2017. Complete results of the Inc. 5000 list can be found at http://www.inc.com/inc5000.

To learn more about Martin Exteriors, visit http://www.martinexteriors.com.
88academics

New Delhi based 88academics, an online education provider, has secured equity financing of about USD 3 mm in a pre-Series A round led by Aarin Capital Partners. 88academics (India), an 88tuition (Singapore) group company, will use the funds to develop India specific content for the K-12 segment. 88tuition (Singapore) is an enterprise with a mission to Empower every student to achieve full potential and is expanding rapidly in Asia.

Prime Securities Limited was the exclusive Investment Banker to this transaction.

The financing round was led by Aarin Capital Partners, a proprietary venture fund, founded by Mr Mohandas Pai and Mr Ranjan Pai, with highly successful track records of investments and exits like BYJUS, PharmEasy, HomeLane, Faircent, etc. A group of highly successful professionals, including Piyush Gupta (CEO, DBS Group), Vinod Gupta (MD, VG Learning Destination and Rashtriya Gaurav Awardee), P S Jayakumar (ex-MD & CEO, Bank of Baroda), Ramesh Swaminathan (Group CFO, Lupin), Ajay Abrol (ex-Head Proprietary Trading, Nomura Singapore), Prem Rajani (Managing Partner, Rajani Associates), Akshay Gupta and N Jayakumar (Management Team, Prime Securities) also participated in the round.

88tuition is one of Singapores fastest-growing EdTech companies and is focused on delivering superior learning outcomes using a proprietary pedagogy and technology platform. Superior pedagogy, outstanding teachers and attractive pricing have helped 88tuition capture over 6% and 2% (registered users and paid customers respectively) of the highly competitive Singapore market.

Commenting on the deal, T V Mohandas Pai, Partner at Aarin Capital Partners said "We seek to partner technology-intensive businesses in life-sciences & healthcare, education and other potentially large India- centric or India-first companies. 88academics provides us with an opportunity to invest in a sector we know well and back a highly experienced management team with a differentiated product and a disruptive business model.

Mr Anil Ahuja, Founder and CEO of 88tuition, welcomed all the incoming investors and said, We are honoured to welcome Aarin and other high-quality investors into our family. Our objective is to democratise education and make the highest quality product available to everyone at an affordable price. We are committed to building a top-quality enterprise and creating value for all stakeholders. We are grateful to all EdTech companies who have pioneered the transformation in India.

Mr Ganesh Agarwal, MD Prime Securities, delighted with this association, said, The Indian EdTech industry is valued at over USD 30bn and the incumbents have significantly transformed the way education is being imparted to students. The market is ripe for a revolutionary and disruptive product that is affordable, customer-centric, scalable, and profitable. We are proud to have brought 88tuition, Aarin Capital Partners and our growing list of HNI investors together.

88tuition was founded with the objective of providing high-quality technology-based learning content to all students at an affordable cost. The courses are taught by the best teachers who hold several years of expertise and experience in the subjects they handle. The entire learning process is conducted in an engaging manner that helps students grasp the concepts of the different subjects in an easier way.

88academics has its initial focus set on students up to age 11, to help them build a strong foundation. The teaching methodology followed by 88academics is referred to as "TAR (Teach, Assess and Review) Model" - teaching the children with subject concepts followed by an assessment to review their understanding of the concepts.

In the current digital era, 88academics looks forward to deploying the world's latest and best technologies to create modules that result in the holistic development of Indian students. With the goal of "Bringing the world's best pedagogy to India", 88academics makes online learning an effective and efficient option for all Indian students.
Take Control of Your Ad Inventory with PubGuru - MonetizeMore With prominent industry partnerships, in-house technology innovations, and a growing team over 200 strong, MonetizeMore has accelerated the revenue growth for 700+ publishers, including well-known names such as BoredPanda, PlantSnap, Memivi, and AndroidWaves.

MonetizeMore, a leading monetization partner for web publishers and app developers, has been recognized on the 2021 Report on Business ranking of Canadas Top Growing Companies by The Globe and Mail. The report ranks Canadian companies on three-year revenue growth. MonetizeMore earned its spot (310 of 448) with a three-year growth rate of 108%.

It is an honor to be recognized by The Globe and Mail for the second time in a row. Our sustainable growth is proof that our mission to empower web publishers is becoming stronger as we continue to hit new records and milestones. We plan to excel further in our long-term approach to help our publishing partners navigate the ever-changing tides of the ad tech world, says Kean Graham, CEO, and Founder, MonetizeMore.

The full list of 2021 winners, and accompanying editorial coverage, is published in the October issue of Report on Business magazine available at tgam.ca/TopGrowing

MonetizeMore is a Google Certified Publishing Partner (GCPP), which highlights that the company has been recognized as an authority by Google and has an established track record managing millions of dollars in publisher revenues. Their solutions help publishers to uncover revenue optimization opportunities and prevent clawbacks, policy issues, technical issues, and account bans.

With these prominent industry partnerships, in-house technology innovations, and a growing team over 200 strong, MonetizeMore has accelerated the revenue growth for 700+ publishers, including well-known names such as BoredPanda, PlantSnap, Memivi, and AndroidWaves.

Any business leader seeking inspiration should look no further than the 448 businesses on this years Report on the Business ranking of Canadas Top Growing Companies, says Phillip Crawley, Publisher and CEO of The Globe and Mail. Their growth helps to make Canada a better place, and we are proud to bring their stories to our readers.

About MonetizeMore

Founded in 2010, MonetizeMore is a fast-growing ad tech company with 200 team members across North America, Europe, Southeast Asia, and Latin America. The company is trusted by 700+ publishers to manage their ad revenue optimization across 40 countries through their actionable ad platform called PubGuru, including award winning protection from invalid traffic with Traffic Cop.

For more information, visit: http://www.monetizemore.com
Advisors are now able to directly bill on these assets, include them in performance reporting, and manage the accounts via my529.org, all through one seamless integration.

Panoramix, an innovative advisor technology platform, today announces a data exchange integration with my529.org, the highly rated college savings plan for the state of Utah. Saving For College, an independent ratings firm, uses a five-graduation-cap scale (similar to five stars) to rate various 529 plans in the country and my529 consistently rates five caps for both Utah residents and non-residents alike. my529 is one of the few to earn that distinction.

As part of this innovative partnership and data feed, financial advisors may access the latest my529 plan information directly from Panoramix without relying on an aggregation service, making for a cleaner, more detailed, and less expensive solution for advisory firms. Advisors are now able to directly bill on these assets, include them in performance reporting, and manage the accounts via my529.org, all through one seamless integration.

A number of our advisors have clients with 529 savings invested with my529.org and this new interface gives those advisors unprecedented access to those accounts for not only billing and performance, but for risk metrics, performance analytics, and more, said Chris Hastings, CEO of Panoramix. Advisors now have a more holistic view of their clients investments and can offer more in-depth conversations regarding their specific college savings goals.

This new direct data feed between Panoramix and my529 provides Panoramix users with visibility into the held-away assets managed through the my529 platform, enabling users to easily integrate those into household performance reports. A key benefit is that advisors can also bill on those held away assets, creating new revenue streams.

It was a great collaboration effort between Panoramix and my529 on this integration effort. The initial data feed setup ran quickly and smoothly right from the start and the setup process for the advisor is exceptionally straight forward, with intuitive setup tooling available via web browsers. We look forward to working with my529 going forward, said Hastings.

In the future, the my529 and Panoramix plan joint marketing endeavors and an educational series for financial advisors, including at least one fall webinar to be announced shortly.

About Panoramix

Panoramix was developed by Sapphire Software Services, a custom software and business-to-business automation company founded in 2003. Sapphire brings business application to the web, provides consulting services with the best vendors and partnerships, and offers professional development capabilities to automate business processes. Sapphire specializes in business application software development for companies in the financial services sector. Panoramix is an award-winning software tool for portfolio management for financial advisors, with a focus on providing multi-custodial performance reporting and client billing. For more information on Panoramix connect with us at http://www.PanoramixFinancial.com.


Paybotic is excited to announce it will be attending the BNI Global Convention on the final two days of its worldwide operation from October 8th to 9th. Mahlon James, Paybotics VP of Partner Relations, will attend the event along with account executives Brian O'Connor, Eric Bold and Michael Cecere. Paybotic will take part in the convention via Miami, Fl  one of the five host cities in the Americas.

BNI 2021 Master Connection is set to be one of the worlds largest networking events ever, with opportunities to connect with businesspeople from 70+ countries. It will take place from October 5th through 9th with eight hours of scheduled events each day dedicated to keynote speakers, sharing best practices, and breakout networking opportunities.

The global convention features an outstanding lineup of keynote speakers who are known to be experts in their respective professions/roles. There will also be 121 group networking opportunities and sessions featured in everyones time zones so attendees can make meaningful connections with those in their region.

Paybotic will attend via Miami, FL on a day that will feature virtual attendance from six other major cities in North America. Representatives from San Jose and Los Angeles, CA as well as Austin, TX will attend the conference in addition to professionals from Rio de Janeiro, Mexico City, and Vancouver.

Miami and Los Angeles will also serve as the representing American cities for the events leadership conference on the final day, October 9th. This special session will feature a gala as well as a BNI leadership panel discussion, year in review, and market spotlight report. Paybotic plans to attend the leadership conference via Miami, FL in addition to The Americas convention.

Those interested in more information about the events agenda or receiving admission can visit the BNI Global Convention website for more information. It includes details about obtaining tickets, a complete schedule, list of speakers, available languages, contests, and clarification on a variety of subjects related to the conference.

More About Paybotic

Paybotic is one of the largest payment processing solution providers for high-risk merchants in the United States. The company specializes in helping high-risk industry businesses process customer payments and maintain compliance amid evolving regulation.

As innovators in the FinTech space, products such as the Cashless ATM have been obvious solutions for Paybotic to implement across high-risk industries. The company actively works with a variety of sizes of businessesfrom single store locations to multi-state operators and even publicly-traded companies.

Business owners or decision makers with interest in one or several of Paybotics full suite of modern payment processing services can call 844-420-4729 for more information. Those interested can also visit the Paybotic website to speak with a live agent at https://www.paybotic.com/
Clik-FIX PICC/Central and the Clik-FIX Soft PICC devices had the highest pull-strength values at 17.68 lb. and 17.84 lb., nearly 3x greater than other devices tested.

Starboard Medical, Inc., a small, woman-owned manufacturer of innovative, clinically superior IV catheter securement devices, announced today that new research featured at the 2021 Association for Vascular Access Annual Scientific Meeting identified Clik-FIX Catheter Securement Devices as being better at securing catheters, reducing micromotion, and utilizing moderate adhesive compared to existing catheter securement devices. AVA 2021, originally intended to be held at the Gaylord Palms resort in Kissimmee, Florida, went fully virtual. The digital event, having taken place from September 16-19, 2021, is the premier scientific event within the vascular access industry.

The study, When the dressing is compromised... how well does the securement device stabilize?, conducted by Patrick Evangelista, RN, BSN, MSN, VA-BC and Joven Vincent Valle, RN, BSC, CCRN, revealed that there are significant differences between currently available IV catheter securement devices. The results show that the Clik-FIX PICC/Central and the Clik-FIX Soft PICC devices had the highest pull-strength values at 17.68 lb. and 17.84 lb., nearly 3x greater than other devices tested. Because stable and secure catheters are associated with less risk of complications and infection, understanding what type of securement device provides better catheter stability is an important factor to consider in patient care. Evangelistas study aimed to evaluate the catheter stabilization characteristics of several commercially available securement devices (without the use of a dressing) for their ability to secure and stabilize when subjected to multiple pull force angles, micromotion at the insertion site, and adhesive peel strength. A total of six simulated use tests were performed in this study providing impactful and realistic data related to securement device performance. To determine the true stabilization properties of the securement devices tested, Evangelistas research focuses on testing the securement device by itself rather than the securement device coupled with other devices such as a transparent dressing. Previous studies on catheter securement were conducted by testing the securement device coupled with a dressing making it unclear as to which device truly stabilized the catheter. Transparent dressings are commonly used to secure catheters, but they also fail 67% of the time. Thus, knowing the true values related to the securement devices being used under the transparent dressing is of utmost importance.

Evangelistas research consisted of pull-force testing which was conducted at 4 different pull angles to simulate a wide variety of possible tugs and pulls on a catheter line. A micromotion test was conducted to determine the amount of pistoning that can occur at the catheter insertion site with a slight line tug. Additionally, an adhesive peel strength test was conducted to better understand the adhesive properties of each securement device.

Evangelistas study ultimately confirmed that the catheter securement, stabilization, and adhesive strength properties of the ASDs tested are not equal. How well they hold and stabilize greatly varies. The study reports that The devices considered novel in this study (Device #1 and Device #2) [the Clik-FIX PICC/Central and the Clik-FIX Soft PICC devices] demonstrated significantly better pull force values and micro-motion prevention properties than the leading ASDs tested in this study. The adhesive peel strength of Device #1 and Device #2 tested in the mid-range, suggesting it is neither too strong nor too weak.

The study confirmed the Clik-FIX PICC/Central and the Clik-FIX Soft PICC devices secured catheters better than the other devices tested as they had the highest pull-strength values and some of the lowest values for catheter micromotion at the insertion site. The peel strength testing revealed that Clik-FIX offers a moderate adhesive, neither too weak or too strong when compared with the other devices tested. Too high or too low peel strength values are not desirable. Too high is usually associated with devices that can cause skin irritation and tears and too low is associated with devices that can fall off the patient.

Overall, this study showed that Clik-FIX Catheter Securement Devices are better at stabilizing catheters than the other securement devices researched in this study. The authors concluded, Based on our findings, we have recommended implementing Device #1 and Device #2 ... We have found they are simple to use, hold the catheter well, and are less cumbersome to remove than the previous ASD.

We are extremely pleased to share the results of this study shown at the AVA Annual Scientific Meeting. This data demonstrates that our Clik-FIX catheter securement devices hold and stabilize catheters better than leading devices, offering providers and patients a better solution for securing and dressing catheters, said Kerry Edgar, CEO of Starboard Medical.

It is well known and documented that catheters that are allowed to move, even if only a little, can lead to a plethora of complications such as bloodstream infection, phlebitis, dislodgement, migration, etc. Today, better, more innovative options for securement devices exist. Clik-FIX Catheter Securement is specifically designed to hold and stabilize catheters better and help reduce complication risks.

Patrick Evangelista and Joven Vincent Valles study can be viewed in the AVA 2021 ePoster gallery here.

https://ava2021-ava.ipostersessions.com/?s=03-E4-C9-1A-B5-1A-4E-A4-E5-64-D7-BA-3B-99-D5-D8

Visit Starboard Medicals website to learn more about Clik-FIX catheter securement devices.

https://starboardmedical.com/

About Starboard Medical, Inc.

Starboard Medical is an innovator in catheter securement and patient temperature management, focused on developing progressive product designs that significantly improve product performance, safety, and outcomes. Providing solutions for healthcare providers that enhance patient care and improve patient outcomes is their focus. The rapidly growing company provides clinically superior medical products, components, and subassemblies to the medical community. Starboard Medical is headquartered in Irvine, CA. For more information visit https://starboardmedical.com/

Follow Starboard Medical on LinkedIn to stay up to date with company developments.

https://www.linkedin.com/company/starboard-medical-inc
ROAR for Good, an emerging leader in hotel workplace safety technology, has been approved for U.S. Patent No. 11,128,987, which recognizes the uniqueness of, and protects the significant technological advancement of, ROAR for Goods Bluetooth low energy mesh network system, which has applicability across numerous industries.

The innovation, which was created in an effort to eliminate drops, blind-spots, or downed coverage for network security systems, was developed and rigorously tested by a team of ROAR for Good engineers over the course of several years. The application is now live at dozens of hotels across the country, powering the companys AlwaysOn Staff Alert Technology as a new standard of safety for the industry.

This was an engineering initiative we undertook to ensure that our customers were protected with the strongest defense possible  a closed system of mesh nodes that need only a low-grade battery power to operate, said Rich Nelson, co-founder and vice president of product and hardware development at ROAR for Good. Our system is always reporting out data  regardless of how a hotels WiFi or LTE is performing  allowing AlwaysOn to be one of the most reliable and accurate location-based panic buttons for the hotel community and other appropriate markets.

ROAR for Goods Bluetooth mesh network and Bluetooth low energy (BLE) application enable optimal performance of a panic button solution by linking a system of smart BLE network nodes throughout a protected facility. When triggered, these smart beacons can send uninterrupted signals to security personnel who can respond in real-time to crisis situations. The systems continuous location reporting (or follow-me feature) updates location in real time, even if the employee moves from the original location. With ROAR for Goods patented technology, traditional system maintenance or weak internet connectivity do not interfere with the networks ability to relay information.

Housekeepers are on their feet all day, working behind the scenes to deliver guests with a safe and comfortable hotel experience, said Taun Chapman, co-founder and chief technology officer of ROAR for Good. With feedback from a wide range of hotel personnel, weve been able to develop a powerful accessory that is an extension of their work attire. This patent will raise industry standards as it relates to the effectiveness of associate duress solutions and our technology delivers the highest degree of protection possible to hotels and their employees.

In the midst of a historic pandemic-led business down-turn and recovery, a third of hospitality and hotel workers have indicated that they are not planning to return to their pre-pandemic jobs. They cite poor working conditions and stress as contributing factors. According to a survey from UNITE Here 1, a Chicago-based hospitality industry advocacy group, 96% of housekeepers surveyed would feel safer if equipped with a panic button, mainly due to harassment threats from guests.

ROAR for Good will be exhibiting at HITEC in Dallas this week (Booth #2525), where the company will also debut its free ROI calculator to assess risks and vulnerabilities within hotels. The tool will be available to hotel operators who seek a better understanding of the value and positive financial impact of associate duress solutions, as well as their correlation with improved employee morale, lower turnover, reduced worker compensation claims. Various expenses can be computed based on hotel-specific criteria to identify cost savings built-in to improved safety protocols.

About ROAR for Good

Based in Philadelphia, ROAR for Good is a technology company dedicated to cultivating safer workplaces. The companys signature staff safety platform, AlwaysOn, protects employees with one touch of a button. AlwaysOn is powered by a first-of-its-kind, and now patented, Bluetooth low energy mesh network, making it less vulnerable and delivering a more stable connection by design. Built from the ground up using feedback from the entire spectrum of hotel management and personnel, the patented technology was designed to summon help to the wearers precise location.
An award like this shows how we are not only committed to helping our nonprofit clients with their annual funding and donor communications, but also giving back to our surrounding communities.

Ron and Sue Rescigno, owners of Rescignos Fundraising Professionals in Bridgeview, Illinois were among 18 honorees honored during the Daily Herald Business Ledgers 22nd annual Entrepreneurial Excellence Awards. The virtual event took place on Sept. 23.

The Ledgers awards recognize and build entrepreneurship in Cook County, DuPage County, Kane County, Lake County, McHenry County and Will County. Honorees demonstrate the best traits of entrepreneurship, including willingness to take risk, drive, perseverance and business creativity.

The publication recognized Ron and Sue Rescigno in the Outstanding Service to Entrepreneurs category. Through both personal and professional service, recipients of this category demonstrate a strong commitment to helping entrepreneurs in a variety of industries and providing them with the resources they need to give our community its competitive edge.

Since 1992, the Rescignos mission for their company has always been to help nonprofit organizations thrive. The companys services, which include consulting, design, copywriting, print and mail products and digital content creation, help nonprofits nationwide raise millions in annual gifts to continue vital programs.

On the charitable side, Sue, who is Rescignos president, has served as a board member for Advocate Hope Childrens Hospital and a development committee member for Christ Hospital, both in Oak Lawn. Ron, who is Rescignos vice president, is a member of the founding board and former vice president for the Oak Lawn Childrens Museum as well as St. Linus School in Oak Lawn. He is also the author of The Process Driven Annual Fund, a book based on his 30 years of experience in fundraising.

Ron and I are very honored to be among the honorees for 2021, said Sue Rescigno. Through our combined 30 plus years of experience, we personally know what it take for nonprofits to survive in calm and challenging times. An award like this shows how we are not only committed to helping our nonprofit clients with their annual funding and donor communications, but also giving back to our surrounding communities.

About Rescignos Fundraising Professionals:

The Rescignos team knows nonprofit fundraising. Owners Ron and Sue Rescigno have more than three decades of experience between them, and the rest of their teams experience spans across nonprofit annual giving, educational advancement and recruitment, membership campaigns, and more. Over the last 29 years, Rescignos has helped its nonprofit clients raise millions in annual gifts and its clients represent millions of annual donors worldwide. For more information, visit https://www.rescignos.com/. ###


Rojin is a Japanese word for one of six divine supernatural powers that Shyakamuni Buddha possessed; clairvoyance, clairaudio, mind reading, fate reading, astral travel and rojin, the extinction of worldly desires. Okawa gives a fresh perspective on this power, rojin, stating that The mystical power of rojin was not about eliminating worldly desires altogether, but about being able to use exceptional psychic abilities without being swayed by world desires. In this way, rojin is related to wisdom and is compatible with the perspective of understanding the world, being one of the ten titles of Buddha. It is a new idea of authentic Buddha. (From Preface to the New and Revised Edition of the book.)

People throughout the world are seeking self-improvement, and some even seek self-mastery. Some seek such qualities through physical discipline, while others may pursue a path of intellectual or spiritual development. The concept of uniting the body, mind, and spirit for the purpose of self-betterment is a relatively popular one, but the practical means to accomplish such a union are uncommon and often feel incomplete or impossible. Many will spend their whole life seeking, but not necessarily finding, the answers that they have set out to discover.

What is the most significant obstacle to genuine spiritual development? Many may believe it is their environmental circumstances which prevent them from walking the path towards enlightenment, but in Rojin, Buddhas Mystical Power, written by renowned spiritual leader and World Teacher Ryuho Okawa, it is explained that materialism is in fact the most pertinent obstacle to living a spiritual life.

World religions throughout history have taught of the spiritual dangers of material temptation. One may already be familiar with a form of such a teaching, whether through Christianity, Buddhism, Judaism, Islam, or another religion. However, one may wonder why, if such teachings have been propagated for thousands of years, that one may continue to feel a lack of control over their own material desires.

The truth is that the teachings of past religions were delivered to people in their respective time. When Jesus, Moses, and Muhammad taught their disciples and students about the dangers of materialism, they didnt necessarily have the contemporary world in mind. In the world of today, people are constantly barraged with marketing images, sexuality, and many other forms of information that are intended to confuse the viewer on a conscious and subconscious level of the mind and coerce them into believing that a materialist worldview is the only feasible existential perspective. Even ancient Babylon, a city described by early Jewish people as a place of great sin, paled in comparison to the temptations presented by the modern secular world.

Rojin, the power to extinguish worldly desires, is a truly mystical power. Such is why attempts to discipline oneself against worldly temptations are so often met with failure; if one doesnt work towards achieving the power of rojin by the grace of God, or Buddha, then it will be an effort met with futility.

Faith is a matter of paramount importance in the practice of rojin, but so is intellectual power. Throughout Rojin, Buddhas Mystical Power, the reader is taught a variety of practical skills and tools that will aid them in striving towards the ability to be the master of their material desires. This is a book filled with ancient wisdom, but presented for a contemporary audience. One does not need to retreat to the mountains and become a hermit or a monk to experience the mystical power of rojin, and by contrast, Ryuho Okawa demonstrates that such an undertaking is quite possible to experience even while living within a secular society.

This book is also the first of its kind to delve deeply into the topic of rojin in theory and practice. It is a book intended for people of all faiths and spiritual traditions. It is also a book for people who may experience spiritual abilities or powers and wish to refine them. Ryuho Okawa states that rojin is also a bridging ability which allows an individual to reconcile the spiritual and material worlds. One may not be aware of the invisible forces that influence oneself and others on a daily basis, for better or for worse, and rojin makes it possible to live a balanced life of awareness alongside the spirits.

Ryuho Okawa states that In order to experience the joy of enlightenment for a long time, it is necessary to maintain an unwavering self in the face of the constantly changing winds of earthly life. To preserve and maintain the unwavering self, the unshakable self, the self as a child of God or Buddha, and the self that does not drift away in the flow of time, the mystical power of rojin is required. It is the greatest of all spiritual or psychic abilities, and it involves the power to apply spiritual abilities to earthly life.

For those desiring to live a truly spiritual life, look no further than Rojin, Buddhas Mystical Power.

Rojin, Buddhas Mystical Power is available at all major bookstores nationwide and online retailers, including Barnes & Noble, and Amazon.

For in-depth commentary on the works of Ryuho Okawa, please listen to the Okawa Book Club podcast now streaming on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Amazon Music.

IRH Press USA
SGF welcomes Anne Hutchinson, M.D., to the Center City Philadelphia physician team. "I am so proud to join SGF, a practice that has unwavering commitment to putting patients first at every stage of their journey."

Shady Grove Fertility (SGF) announced today that reproductive endocrinologist, Anne Hutchinson, M.D., has joined the practices Philadelphia medical team and is now scheduling new patient appointments. Dr. Hutchinson will work alongside fellow fertility specialists, Caleb Kallen, M.D., Ph.D., and Brianna Schumacher, M.D., as SGF continues to provide premier fertility care to individuals and couples seeking reproductive assistance.

I am so proud to join SGF, a practice that has unwavering commitment to putting patients first at every stage of their journey, remarks Dr. Hutchinson. I am a huge advocate for patient education, particularly in the realm of womens health and reproduction. Patients should be armed with the knowledge of their own anatomy and physiology to be able to make the most informed decisions possible about their bodies and treatments.

Dr. Hutchinson will provide comprehensive fertility services in the heart of Philadelphia, including:



fertility and ovarian reserve testing and diagnosis,

semen analysis,

hysterosalpingogram (HSG),

low-tech fertility treatment options such as intrauterine insemination (IUI),

in vitro fertilization (IVF),

donor egg, sperm, and embryo,

genetic screening and testing,

gestational carrier,

egg freezing,

fertility preservation for patients with cancer, and

LGBTQ family building.

Dr. Hutchinson started her medical education in Philadelphia at Thomas Jefferson University. It was during this time that her interest in womens health and reproduction peaked. She then completed her residency in obstetrics and gynecology at New York Presbyterian-Weill Cornell Medical Center, where she was awarded best abstract in the category of reproductive medicine by the American Association of Gynecologic Laparoscopists (AAGL). Dr. Hutchinson then completed her fellowship in reproductive endocrinology and infertility at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago.

Today, Dr. Hutchinson is board certified in obstetrics and gynecology and board eligible in reproductive endocrinology and infertility. She has brought her career full circle by returning to Philadelphia to provide fertility care at SGF.

I take every opportunity to meet my patients where they are and partner with them, so they feel supported, validated, and not alone, shares Dr. Hutchinson. When they are ready, we can work through the next steps together.

An ardent researcher, Dr. Hutchinson has presented on topics ranging from age and fertility to fertility preservation, social factors of family building for women, and more. Additionally, Dr. Hutchinson has contributed to medical publications focusing on subjects such as in vitro fertilization, preimplantation genetic testing, ovarian stimulation, and female cancers. She is also a member of professional organizations including American Congress of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the American Medical Association, and the American Society for Reproductive Medicine.

We are honored to have Dr. Anne Hutchinson join the Philadelphia medical team, says Dr. Kallen. With now three reproductive endocrinologists in Center City, patients have even more convenient access than ever before to highly specialized fertility care from a team of physicians who all place high value on delivering service and clinical excellence.

Dr. Hutchinson brings immense value to our Philadelphia medical team with her extensive knowledge, compassionate care, and patient advocacy, says Dr. Schumacher.

To schedule an appointment with Dr. Hutchinson, call the SGF New Patient Center at 877-916-4244 or complete this brief form.

About Shady Grove Fertility (SGF)

SGF is a leading fertility and IVF center of excellence with more than 100,000 babies born. With 42 locations, including new locations in Colorado and Norfolk, VA, as well as throughout CO, FL, GA, MD, NY, PA, VA, D.C., and Santiago, Chile, SGF offers patients virtual physician consults, delivers individualized care, accepts most insurance plans, and makes treatment more affordable through innovative financial options, including 100% refund guarantees. More physicians refer their patients to SGF than any other center. SGF is among the founding partner practices of US Fertility, the largest physician-owned, physician-led partnership of top-tier fertility practices in the U.S. Call 1-888-761-1967 or visit ShadyGroveFertility.com.
The IT industry is changing so rapidly that by the time students finish a four-year college degree, the technology has moved on. This is why New Horizons created programs that train students in weeks, not years.

The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated a growing education trend in the tech industry: fast-track certification courses that help prepare students for careers in weeks  not years. Not always offered through traditional college degrees, these fast-track programs skill up students with the necessary qualifications and the most up-to-date technology knowledge needed to become certified in their technology of interest.

New Horizons South Florida, an innovative IT education provider, had anticipated this trend and fine-tuned its educational offering to help prepare the next generation of Miamis tech workforce.

The key to making Miami the next Silicon Valley is creating a local and diverse talent pipeline, said New Horizons South Florida Executive Director, Charlene Pou. However, the IT industry is changing so rapidly that by the time students finish a four-year college degree, the technology has moved on. As a result, many students face the need to re-educate themselves all over again.

In 2020, 63 percent of our students already had associates degrees or higher. However, despite their college degrees, they were still struggling to be hired in the IT sector. Having observed this trend for quite some time now, it became clear to us that college degrees are simply not as helpful in securing IT jobs that require highly specific professional certifications and skillsets.

This is why New Horizons created programs that train students in weeks, not years, to help them get certified for in-demand IT jobs brought in by companies that are moving to the tri-county area, explained Pou. We are now offering ever faster nine-week certification sessions that prepare students for specific career options that are available in the area right now.

Palm Beach County resident Harmand St. Hubert is currently enrolled in New Horizons nine-week program slated to graduate on November 14th. Harmand graduated Kentucky Christian University with a B.A. in Business Administration with a concentration in accounting. During the pandemic, he worked as a Job Cost Analyst at a South Florida-based construction company and was part of a large lay-off due to the companys pandemic-induced closures.

At just 25 years old, Harmand had to pivot and think about making himself more marketable in the future.

A lot of kids are struggling, they have degrees that have no specialization, said St. Hubert. Covid made me realize that what you do has to be essential, and I believe that IT is essential.

I want to remain versatile and having an IT education like this will open doors of opportunity. An IT certification from New Horizons makes me feel like a guru. I feel like a wizard. You will succeed based on what you put into it, and that makes me feel empowered.

The intense nine-week program fits perfectly into Harmands schedule. During the day, he works as Assistant Manager at Palm Beach Airport at Enterprise holdings, and in the evening, he is training for a career in IT.

New Horizons offers more than 700 training and certification courses and is on track to add another 50 courses to stay current with the constantly evolving technology. Courses and certification programs include security, Amazon Web Services, Cloud Platform training and data science.

Registration for programs is open with nine-week and eighteen-week certification sessions that begin new cycles on a monthly basis. Through the end of 2021, courses are offered online. New Horizons plans to resume in-person classes in January 2022, at its Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach campuses. For coursework and schedules, visit New Horizons online training and certification course catalogue.

About New Horizons South Florida

New Horizons South Florida provides innovative certification training for industry and life-long learners. Our IT and Business Training solutions combine the resources of a large IT training company with the responsiveness of a local partner. From startups to global enterprises, New Horizons skills up current workforces while launching career paths of students. We stay connected throughout our students career journey from enrollment through graduation, job placement to career advancement. Offering the latest in technology training, we are certified as a Microsoft Partner with a Gold Learning competency, Citrix Authorized Learning Center, Cisco Partner for Platinum Learning Solutions, AWS Training Partner, CompTIA Authorized Platinum Partner, and VMware Authorized Training Center. For more information, visit http://www.nhflorida.com.
TDD is looking forward to IWCE and the opportunity to collaborate in-person and virtually with the critical communications community. - Robert LeGrande II, TDD Founder and CEO

TDD, a premier public safety consultancy and solution integrator, today announced it will be participating in the IWCE Connecting Critical Communications conference at the Las Vegas Convention Center this week. Participants of each session will walk away with real world insight into how interoperability has impacted public safety along with its challenges and opportunities.

Included in the agenda:



Robert LeGrande, Founder & CEO will be contributing to Mondays line-up at the Flavors of Interoperability: Not Just for Voice Anymore panel, where he will be sharing his expertise on how true interoperability looks and its importance of overcoming its complex challenges. (Monday, September 27; 2:30pm-5:30pm; Rm W229)

Michael McMenamin, Sr. Legal Consultant is a participant of the Public-safety Spectrum Issues panel where he will be discussing developing policies and their impacts on public safety. (Wednesday, September 29; 10:15am-11:30am; Rm W232)

Colonel Frank Milstead (retired), Sr. Public Safety Subject Matter Expert (SME) will be providing his insights at the How Wearable Devices are Transforming Public Safety panel, discussing the different types of technology and how they can help save even more lives. (Wednesday, September 29; 2:45pm-4:00pm; Rm W233)

Steve Miller, CTO will be participating in the Data Interoperability: More Critical Than Ever panel, discussing how different types of information, whether text, data, photo or video can be challenging, but achievable, in a truly interoperable solution. (Wednesday, September 29; 4:30pm-5:45pm; Rm W231)

Also, in attendance and available for briefings and meetings on public safety communications:



Colonel Ken Morckel (retired), Senior VP, Public Safety Services

Colonel John ORourke (retired), Senior Public Safety SME

Lt. Colonel Tom Sands (retired), Senior Public Safety SME

Join these sessions or contact TDDs experts at the show to learn more about TDDs holistic solutions that enhance public safety while improving public trust.

The IWCE 2021 Connecting Critical Communications conference and expo will be held at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Sessions begin on Monday, September 27 through Thursday, September 30.

# # #

Founded in 2007, TDD - registered MBE and SBA 8(a) - is a global premier public safety and public sector consultancy and solution integration firm. TDD is headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia with offices and team members across the USA, Jamaica, and Bermuda. At our core, our team's passion is to support and safeguard communities, drive Comprehensive Cross-Carrier Interoperability (C3i), and integrate technological solutions that enhance public safety while improving public trust.

Find out more at http://www.TheDigitalDecision.com.
In September 2021, Tessa Joseph and Jake Wynn became the newest members of the Visit Frederick staff. Both are new additions to the marketing team led by Assistant Director, Becky Bickerton. Joseph joins the organization as Sales and Marketing Coordinator. Wynn will serve as Marketing and Communications Manager. This move brings the Visit Frederick staff up to full strength under the leadership of Dave Ziedelis, who joined Visit Frederick as Executive Director in May 2021.

As Sales and Marketing Coordinator, Joseph will be responsible for sales and marketing efforts including membership and group sales. In her role, she will be assisting in the promotion of events throughout Frederick County and in the organization of two important local events - Museums by Candlelight and Historic Houses of Worship.

Prior to her work at Visit Frederick, Joseph served as the Executive Director of Explore Naples, NY - a destination marketing organization in upstate New York. She holds a bachelors degree in marketing from St. John Fisher College in Rochester, New York. She recently relocated to Frederick with her cat Dolly Parton and is looking forward to exploring Frederick County, especially all the incredible dining options.

Jake Wynn will serve as the Marketing and Communications Manager. His role entails developing and overseeing the organizations digital marketing, social media management, Visit Fredericks communications and public relations efforts, and cultivating positive media coverage of Frederick City and County as a travel destination.

Wynn joins Visit Frederick from the National Museum of Civil War Medicine, where he worked for eight years as Director of Interpretation. He is a graduate of Hood College, where he received a bachelors degree in history and communications. A native of Pennsylvania, he nonetheless calls Frederick his adopted hometown. Wynn enjoys all the incredible history, hiking, and beer that Frederick County has to offer.

Visit Frederick is the recognized Destination Marketing Organization for Frederick City and Frederick County, Maryland. It operates the Frederick Visitor Center and related Visit Frederick programs that include Destination Marketing and Group Tour Marketing. For more information about Visit Frederick, visit http://www.visitfrederick.org or call 301-600-4047.
This renewed prestigious recognition represents another confirmation of Thinkmaxs successful vision helping organizations accelerate their digital transformation by leveraging the Microsoft technology ecosystem and industry solutions.

Thinkmax, the Excellent Microsoft Business Application Consultant, has achieved the prestigious Microsoft Business Applications 2021/2022 Inner Circle award. Membership in this elite group is based on sales achievements that rank Thinkmax in the top echelon of the Microsoft Business Applications global network of partners. Inner Circle members have performed to a high standard of excellence by delivering valuable solutions that help organizations achieve increased success.

2021/2022 Inner Circle members are invited to the Inner Circle Summit in March 2021 as well as virtual meetings between July 2021 and June 2022, where they will have a unique opportunity to share strategy and network with Microsoft senior leaders and fellow partners.

This recognition of Inner Circle for Microsoft Business Applications coincided with Microsoft Inspire, the annual premier partner event, which took place July 14-15, 2021. Microsoft Inspire provides the Microsoft partner community with the opportunity to learn about the companys road map for the upcoming year, establish connections, share best practices, experience the latest product innovations and learn new skills.

This renewed prestigious recognition represents another confirmation of Thinkmaxs successful vision helping organizations accelerate their digital transformation by leveraging the Microsoft technology ecosystem and industry solutions, stated Marc Belliveau, President of Thinkmax. Our proven approach consists of conceiving and implementing unified experiences and operations platforms that meet customers and users' expectations and overachieve business results.

In a year of deep business transformation for every company and every industry on the planet, it is extremely rewarding to be able to recognize Microsoft Business Applications partners from every corner of the world that accelerated our joint customers digital transformation and drove unsurpassed customer success, said Cecilia Flombaum, Microsoft Business Applications Ecosystem Lead. Our Inner Circle members are chosen based on their business performance as well as capabilities as an organization, whether thats creating IP, developing solutions, or having an industry leading focus on digital transformation. Microsoft is honored to recognize Thinkmax for their achievements this past year, their dedication to our customers, and their innovation around the Microsoft Cloud.

Thinkmax is dedicated to applying valuable solutions that help customers achieve a competitive advantage by working with them to identify the best solutions and services that accommodate their business needs while excelling in customer satisfaction. By collaborating with the teams at Microsoft, Thinkmax maintains a strong expertise of the Microsoft platform to provide innovative solutions, strong services and unparalleled value to their customers.

About Thinkmax

Thinkmax is a business strategy and information technology consulting firm with offices in Canada and the USA. The companys focus on business process improvement and the design and implementation of innovative solutions with Microsoft centric technology helps world-leading manufacturers, distributors, retailers and professional services companies achieve optimal performance, greater agility and a sustainable competitive advantage.

For more information, visit thinkmax.com
Several Today's Inspired Latina authors shared the values of the late Mexican artist Frida Kahlo during a special event at the College of DuPage in Glen Ellyn, Illinois presented by Fig Factor Media. Every part of our event had some component of celebrating our Hispanic heritage while recognizing the important and beautiful art and values that Frida displayed throughout her life. We are very appreciative of the collaboration we did with College of DuPage.

Guests felt the colorful and vibrant spirit of Mexican artist Frida Kahlo as they saw her works and heard from several authors from Fig Factor Medias Todays Inspired Latina series during the Todays Inspired Latina Night at the Frida Kahlo Timeless Exhibition housed at the McAninch Arts Center of College of DuPage.

To kick off the festive evening, visitors listened to McAninch Art Center Director and Executive Director of Timeless Diana Martinez who gave an informative presentation about Frida Kahlo, then viewed the exhibit and attended a small reception.

A highly-anticipated feature was the panel of seven TIL authorsMaggie Antillon-Matthews, Nuvia Yesenia, Alicia Ponce, Celia Colon, Veronica Antunez, Norma Zambrano and Tanya Floresshare the core values embodied by Kahlo through their personal experiences: resiliency, innovation, vision, persistency, creativity, courage and vulnerability

For example, Antillon-Matthews, managing broker at Realty of Chicago, used the topic of courage in her presentation. She talked how people are taking courage to live through challenging situations of job loss, failed partnerships, anxiety and depression or even sharing personal stories with others.

We dont know how powerful we are until we really get out there and tell our stories and connect with other women, she said. We dont feel as lost; we feel connected. I want to encourage everybody to go out there and tell your stories. Go out there and raise your hands. Go out there and grow and be that survival guide to someone else that is in the audience that is just like you that have gone through failures in business, failed relationships and health issues like Frida Kahlo.

Fig Factor Media Author Concierge Gabriela Hernandez Franch described the event as a huge success.

Every part of our event had some component of celebrating our Hispanic heritage while recognizing the important and beautiful art and values that Frida displayed throughout her life, she said. We are very appreciative of the collaboration we did with College of DuPage.

Martinez explained that this three-month exhibit, which opened in June and will close in mid-September, attracted 100,000 people despite the pandemic and limited occupancy. Martinez reached out to Fig Factor Media Founder Jacqueline S. Ruiz, a COD alumna, for her help in creating this event.

For Fig Factor Media to do its event here at the college was timely and it resonated with the spirit of Frida, she said. The synergy with the authors was lovely because these Latinas are awe-inspiring women and Frida was, what I call the grandmother of inspiring Latina women. Frida was definitely a pioneer in the Latina movement. I thought this combination of the authors and Frida was a perfect fit.

About Todays Inspired Latina Book Series:

Todays Inspired Latina is an award-winning book series of inspiration and hope, a poignant collection of personal stories that will activate your passion. These are success stories that need to be told, to motivate our community for generations to come. By overcoming language barriers, self-doubts and other obstacles in their way, these strong Latinas are a great example of how inspiration and perseverance can lead you to happiness and success in business and life. Its a positive, empowering read for anyone sitting on a dream and thinking it cant come true. Todays Inspired Latina shows that it can! For more information about Todays Inspired Latina, please visit: http://www.todayslatina.com.

About Fig Factor Media:

Founded in 2017, Fig Factor Media is an international multicultural media company dedicated to celebrating authors through quality books, expert marketing/PR, event production and creative product development. Their books range from Anthologies and Business books to Childrens books. Their goal is to ignite your career as an author and offer proven methods to transform your mission into a movement. Learn more at http://www.figfactormedia.com.
Im both humbled and honored to be recognized with this distinction alongside such an esteemed group of honorees, said David. This accomplishment would not be possible without the support and collaboration Ive received throughout my life, and by the entire Ziegler team.

Ziegler, a specialty investment bank, is pleased to announce that Angelique A. David, the firms Executive Managing Director, Chief Operating Officer and General Counsel, has been selected as one of the 25 Influential Black Women in Business Awards by The Network Journal, an award-winning business magazine for African-American professionals, corporate executives and business owners.

The Network Journals 25 Influential Black Women in Business Awards honors Black women whose professional achievements have significantly impacted an industry or profession, and who also have made an important contribution to their communities.

David was selected from a competitive application process with applicants from across the United States. David will be profiled in the fall 2021 issue of The Network Journal magazine and formally honored at the 23rd annual 25 Influential Black Women in Business Awards Ceremony, taking place virtually on Thursday, September 23.

Angelique is a core member of our executive leadership team and has been an integral part of making Ziegler an industry leading national specialty investment bank, said Dan Hermann, President and CEO of Ziegler. I cannot think of a more deserving leader for this honor than Angelique, not only for her leadership at Ziegler but also as a community leader making an impact in Chicago and across the world.

At Ziegler, David manages all human capital, ethics, cybersecurity programs, diversity and inclusion, and regulatory affairs activities, as well as overseeing corporate governance and brand identity activities. She also serves on Zieglers Board of Directors.

Im both humbled and honored to be recognized with this distinction alongside such an esteemed group of honorees, said David. This accomplishment would not be possible without the support and collaboration Ive received throughout my life, and by the entire Ziegler team.

More important than her professional titles and recognition, David says, I am a wife, mom, daughter, sister, and friend. I am a believer that professional success starts at home. Setting an example and opening doors for my children and the next generation is what has always ignited my fire to achieve success for others.

David is an active volunteer throughout Chicagoland and currently serves as chair, founder and CEO of Just 4 GirlFriends, LLC, a global organization that creates a supportive and collaborative environment for all women to embrace self-care and self-preservation.

David has also held numerous Board positions and serves as the past Chair of the Board of Directors of the Chicago State Foundation and Bond Dealers of America and is a Director of Women in Public Finance and a Trustee of Chicago State University. She graduated magna cum laude from Case Western Reserve University and is a graduate of Northwestern University School of Law.

For a complete list of The Network Journals 25 Influential Black Women in Business Awards, please click here.

For more information about Ziegler, please visit us at http://www.ziegler.com.

About Ziegler:

Ziegler is a privately held, national boutique investment bank, capital markets and proprietary investments firm. It has a unique focus on healthcare, senior living and education sectors, as well as general municipal and structured finance. Headquartered in Chicago with regional and branch offices throughout the U.S., Ziegler provides its clients with capital raising, strategic advisory services, fixed income sales, underwriting and trading as well as Ziegler Credit, Surveillance and Analytics. To learn more, visit http://www.ziegler.com.

Certain comments in this news release represent forward-looking statements made pursuant to the provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. This client's experience may not be representative of the experience of other clients, nor is it indicative of future performance or success. The forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, in particular, the overall financial health of the securities industry, the strength of the healthcare sector of the U.S. economy and the municipal securities marketplace, the ability of the Company to underwrite and distribute securities, the market value of mutual fund portfolios and separate account portfolios advised by the Company, the volume of sales by its retail brokers, the outcome of pending litigation, and the ability to attract and retain qualified employees.
Poet Walter de la Mare once said, Only the rarest kind of best in anything can be good enough for the young. Its hard to argue with the sentiment when it comes to most anything relating to childrens education, books, and storytimes, too. PW reached out to five storytime presenters across the country to share a few ways they create their own storytimes, to engage pre-K through second grade audiences, to keep them sitting on the edge of their carpet squares, and to help foster a love of booksand maybe, even lifelong reading.

Joseph Gaskin is a childrens librarian/early childhood library specialist with the Jacksonville Public Libraries in Jacksonville, Fla., and a popular musician. Known as Mr. Joe to his young fans and their families, Gaskin dons his signature bib overalls and uses his ukulele-sized guitar to rock his storytimes (five days a week at 21 library locations) with original songs and hand-picked stories to celebrate diversity, introduce childhood literacy concepts, and encourage empathy and a larger world view. Gaskin says his music makes all the difference in his storytime programming.

The kids could be doing anything, but as soon as I start one of my songs I immediately get their attention; they become focused, engaged, and are ready for storytime, Gaskin said. He is equally mindful to parents to join their little ones in the storytime fun, and to keep stories and songs flowing at home until they meet again.

Im with the kids only a half an hour a week, entertaining and encouraging early literacy; parents have them the rest of the time. They can do many of the same things we do in storytime the rest of the week! Gaskins insisted. And, the sillier, the better. Thats what kids wantand need. When Im silly during my storytimes, I give kids permission to be silly, and to see storytime and reading as fun. What could be better than that?

Amy Trogdon is the resource associate in the Hubbard Woods Elementary School library and a bookseller/storytime specialist at The Book Stall in Winnetka, Ill. Whether in school or at the bookstore, Trogon believes theres nothing better than choosing the right book for storytimes.

Ive found that it has to be a funny story, Trogdon said. Everyone loves to laugh! The kids get so excited sitting and bouncing as we read together.

But, funny is just the beginning. Trogdon tries to choose stories with rhythm, rhyme, and repetitive refrainsespecially for the wee ones. They are pulled in when theres a rhythm, and love chiming in, whether its to guess a rhyming word or repeat the refrain. This keeps their minds thinking about what is coming next more than any other text.

And, then, its the ending that Trogdon thinks carefully about. If you can find a story thats funny, has rhythm, rhyme, a repetitive refrain, and a surprise ending, well, you got a home run! she said. Everybody loves surprises.

So, its no surprise that anyone within earshot loves Trogdons unique storytime delivery, with a tinge of a Southern drawl (she grew up in North Carolina). It pulls them in and wont let go. It also raises questions. Sometimes, the kids might not understand a word I read, and theyll ask me about it. Ill say that Im saying the same wordand they say no, thats not the same. 

Although the kids may not understand every word Trogdon says at first, she said they can feel her love of reading, which she hopes her storytimes encourage in them. Its such a gift to love to read.

Laura Graveline, childrens specialist at Brazos Bookstore in Houston, gives readers a weekly gift a live storytime via Zoom from her kitchen. That is, until she can offer in-store storytimes again. But, regardless of the location, Gravelines excitement and the books she chooses transport viewers to places near and far.

I always pick stories I am excited about so that my excitement can shine through, Graveline said. And, of course, I read them beforehand to get the feel for the pacing of the stories.

In addition to pace, Graveline practices the expressions and voices she will use, looks for Easter eggs that shell help her audience uncover, and researches interesting facts about her growing list of favorite authors and illustrators to enrich the storytime experience.

Oftentimes, I will start my storytimes by sharing details about my favorite authors or illustrators to help create a personal connection with the books creators. She hopes that these pre-reading and during reading elements will help kids fall in love with books, and find a new favorite to read over and over again.

But what brings many coming back to Gravelines storytimes again and again are her post-reading hands-on craft activities tied to the stories. She admits they are one of her preferred parts of storytimes, too. Im a particularly artsy person, Graveline said. So coming up with and doing crafts is fun and easy for meand at the same time allows kids to physically interact with materials and make connections to the stories. She also hopes these connections will extend beyond the bookstore doors. I hope that by our looking, listening, and creating something inspired by stories, they will go out into the world and see things that inspire them to keep creating.

Nili Yelin a.k.a The Storybook Mom, a popular storytime presenter and storyteller in New York Citys Washington Heights neighborhood, has been creating storytime/storytelling programs for more than 21 years, after enduring a series of what she calls boring storytimes at a variety of venues when her kids were young.

The words were not given the respect, energy, and depth they needed to have. And, the performancethe reading aloud of the textwasnt vibrant or active enough for kids, Yelin recalled.

So, she drew from her acting experienceimprov and stand-up comedy--and past coursework on learning how to dramatize literature and set out to bring picture books to life in her own storytimes. Her focus comes from her passion for words and books.

I love words: I love to play with words, I love puns, jokes, and tongue twisters. This love is what my father taught me through books, and how I learned English when I moved from Israel to the U.S. at four years old, Yelin said. I want kids introduction to language and books to be the same as mineto be about playand for the book to be as exciting as a toy!

Yelin builds the excitement in her storytimes by leaning in (literally and figuratively), inviting her audiences to help her read the story, and to learn about storytelling at the same time.

I dramatize the words and encourage interactions by asking questions and allowing the kids to be loud (or project, as we actors say) at times, and then be quiet at others. I give them a silly word, like toothbrush, when I need them to be quiet, and they just love it!

Yelin said she loves picture books so much that she reads several a day, stays current on the latest titles, and has learned to become a vessel for authors and illustrators stories through her readings. I dont need to read the words off the page, because after I do a story for one week, I know it organically. I dont sit down and memorize it, its just performingI know it, its in my body. I am not thinking of the next word or sentence or line. Theres freedom in it.

This freedom, Yelin added, allows me to go big and fully commit. And, this commitment lets her go wherever the story and kids take them. With my story times, I see the powerful impact of books. Theres that initial connection: you see their eyes light up, and thats it... I have a reader! Its an amazing thing; it truly is magic.

Celia Plotkin teaches kindergarten at Richmond School in El Segundo, Calif., where she gets to interact closely with readers every day. Whether in person, like how she teaches today, or virtually like she did last year, Plotkin strives to make stories come alive for her children, to foster a love of reading and books, and to teach early reading strategies, too.

Plotkin uses a treasure chest of tools to do this. For starters, she incorporates movements (e.g. snapping, clapping, and hand gestures, etc.), has her kids make sounds (like gasping or the du-dun-dunn sounds when something is shocking or scary), and uses an iPad app for additional sound effects. And, when learning went remote, Plotkin used a variety of funny filters to engage her kindergarten friends tuning in through Zoom.

Once I actually read The Couch Potato by Jory John and Pete Oswald looking like a potato. The kids loved it. She did, too.

Plotkin admits that these techniques can go a long way in her kindergarten class to help her students stay engaged, think about the narrative and the feeling of the story, and experience the excitement of reading. But sometimes they can become distracting. So I teach the kids to use them the right way, Plotkin said. I might have them whisper the sounds into their hands, or share them with partners.

Plotkin also pairs mini-lessons with stories during her Readers Workshop to teach reading skills and strategies, and to model reading behaviors. These behaviors may include everything from the proper way of holding a book, turning pages, and using expression while reading aloud, to making predictions, talking about the authors purpose, retelling stories, and reflecting about the story after reading, all of which will help with fluency and comprehension.

Plotkin looks forward to watching her budding readers transfer these skills, strategies, and behaviors, as well as develop a deep affinity for books and reading. Shes already seeing seeds of this sprouting in her kindergarten class. Im now noticing a number of my kindergarten friends choosing books over Legos at free choice time! So, what were doing together is working!

Want to share whats working at your storytimes? Email us your tips here, and well include some in an upcoming roundup.
This will mean that the regional total will have grown by 71 million subscribers from what is forecast for the end of 2021 and that Germany will have overtaken the UK and the regional SVOD powerhouse. From the additions over the five-year period, the UK will contribute 9 million, to total 50.52 million, Germany 17 million, Italy 10 million, leading to a total of 23.19 million, and France 10 million for a total of 34.38 million.Looking at the leading systems, Netflix is forecast to remain as the leading SVOD platform with 67 million paying subscribers by 2026, up by 10 million compared with the projection for the end of 2021. Disney+ will have 53 million subscribers by 2026, double that projected for 2021. Amazon Prime Video will remain just ahead of Disney+.By contrast, the Western Europe SVOD Forecasts study shows HBO Max is set to have a limited impact in Western Europe, with 3.2 million paying subscribers across seven countries by 2026. It is not expected to start in several key European countries due to existing long-term deals with pay TV operators.
Universe takes viewers on an interstellar journey to places that were not known as recent as 10 years ago, revealing what the programme maker says are awe-inspiring wonders and recreating dramatic moments that defined Earths destiny  and our own. Using CGI imagery, the latest scientific research, and archival footage captured during scientific missions, the series immerses viewers in the story of the universe, from its moment of inception 13.8 billion years ago, to what could be its ultimate fate, trillions upon trillions of years in the future.Universe (NOVA Universe Revealed in the US) is produced by BBC Studios Science Unit with NOVA and GBH Boston, for BBC and PBS, co-produced with Xigua Video and Bytedance, and is an Open University partnership. The series has pre-sold to Denmark (DR), France (France Televisions), Germany (ZDFinfo), Canada (Radio-Canada), Norway (NRK) and Russia (Yandex). BBC Earth channels across Asia, Canada, CEE, Middle East, Nordics, Poland, Africa, and Turkey will also be premiering the series.From the producers of A Perfect Planet, The Mating Game (5 x 50) is the story behind what the producer says are the most fascinating, hilarious and dramatic quests to find a mate and leave a lasting legacy. Exploring five different habitats across six continents, the series, narrated by Sir David Attenborough, reveals the strategies different animals use to find a mate. It is the ultimate inside view on what it takes to succeed at the mating game.Produced by Silverback Films for BBC and Discovery, co-produced with bilibili, France Televisions and NHK, the series has pre-sold to Denmark (DR), Canada (Radio-Canada), Estonia (ETV), Spain ( Movistar+ ), New Zealand (TVNZ), Lithuania (LRT) and Norway (NRK). The series will also premiere on BBC Earth channels across Asia, Canada, CEE, Middle East, Nordics, Poland, Africa and Turkey.What unites Universe and The Mating Game is the scale of their ambition, with the characters and storylines to rival any major drama series, commented Louise McNab, director of content sales for BBC Studios Global Distribution. These are shows that will further audiences appreciation of the world around them and beyond.Pre-sales for the series have been announced as BBC Studios opens BBC Studios Connect, a virtual destination for the business highlighting premium content on offer to international buyers during the MIPCOM period. Other premium titles on the BBC Studios factual slate include: landmark natural history series The Green Planet, alongside insightful documentaries such as Scandalous: The Maxwell Saga (w/t).
Earlier this year, the New York Post revealed that the American Federation of Teachers  one of Americas two national teachers unions  had heavily influenced the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in its drafting school reopening guidance. Last month, Fox News published internal emails that show the National Education Association (NEA)  the other national teachers union  pressuring the Biden administration to reverse its masking guidance a mere two days after the White House stated that masks were no longer necessary in schools. The White House capitulated.

This degree of influence on our politicians by a special-interest group and campaign donor should be shocking and unacceptable. Unfortunately, the control of teachers unions over politicians is equally pervasive at the state level. The recent bending of Pennsylvania governor Tom Wolf to union demands is a key example.

Last May, Pennsylvania voters approved state constitutional amendments limiting a chief executives emergency powers. The message was clear: sweeping and endless mandates at the stroke of the governors pen are not acceptable.

On July 27, Wolf announced that he was not considering any statewide school mask mandate. Alison Beam, his acting secretary of health, reiterated a few weeks later, Given the constitutional amendment that many of you supported, it is going to be extremely difficult to move forward with any of these requirements in a school setting.

But the Pennsylvania State Education Association  an NEA affiliate  was having none of this. The NEA quickly began urging every school district to require masks. When that didnt work, PSEA turned up the heat with a PR campaign, eventually sending Wolf a public letter on August 30 demanding a statewide mask mandate. A day later, Wolf relented, using the health secretarys legally dubious authority rather than his own.

Regardless of whether you believe masking children is the right thing to do, this chain of events illustrates how much power teachers unions hold over some politicians.

Wolf has received $4 million from teachers union PACs. His flip-flop, acceding almost immediately to the demand from his largest campaign donor, tells you all you need to know about his governing philosophy.

Pennsylvania school districts, parents, and elected officials have filed a lawsuit challenging the mandates legality. Others are protesting or openly defying the order. The arguments are heated because people sense that their input about how schools treat their children is being ignored.

Unsurprisingly, this tumult is having policy consequences. Parents are demanding more educational options, and policymakers are responding. Recent polling by the American Federation for Children shows support for educational choice at an all-time high.

Lawmakers in numerous states are expanding existing programs or creating new ones that let funding follow students to whatever educational option best fits their needs. These moves empower parents, not union leaders, to make decisions about their childrens schooling.

The flurry of school choice legislation is happening in Pennsylvania, too.

House Bill 1, recently introduced by State Representative Andrew Lewis, would create universal educational opportunity accounts modeled after West Virginias new program, expand Pennsylvanias successful tax credit scholarship programs, and protect pandemic learning pods. State Senator Ryan Aument has proposed the creation of education savings accounts that let parents choose where to use their childrens education funding. State Representative Natalie Mihalek plans to introduce legislation that allows eligible families to receive Pandemic Relief Grants to ensure students get the safe educational options they need. State Senator Judy Ward aims to establish the Education Opportunity Account Scholarship Program for Exceptional Students. And State Representative Martina White has proposed expanding access to the commonwealths existing tax credit scholarship programs to aid low-income students and schools in high poverty areas.

Parents are coming to realize just how little control theyve had over school policy due to the influence of teachers unions. Politicians should vote for these new bills and help re-empower parents  regardless of the nasty emails (or campaign checks) they may get from teachers union leaders.
Most of the 22 recall campaigns against California school boards this year were triggered by slow school reopenings. But the schools have reopened and revenge recalls accomplish very little.
When Shah began working as a translator for U.S. forces at an Afghan airbase, in 2007, his parents warned that he was putting the family at risk. In our culture, most kids listen to what their parents say, he told me. And they kept telling me to quit. Theyd say, You can have a piece of bread to eat and live a peaceful life. You dont need chicken and rice.  It had taken Shah two years to learn to speak English well enough to land a job with the Americans. His family was large and poor, and, although he was just nineteen, they depended on his earnings. Hed previously made a modest salary working as a part-time bookkeeper. A few years after he began working as a translator, Shah got married, and, in 2012, he and his wife had their first child. The whole family moved into a two-story house in a gated community. I was proudly working, he said. I had something in my mind.
In 1951, Gen. Douglas MacArthur was relieved of duty by a Democrat president because he was too tough on China. Seventy years later, Gen. Mark Milley got celebrated by a Democrat president because he collaborated with China.

Go figure. Thats just the way Democrats roll. Apparently, theyve always had a soft spot for China.

WWII hero MacArthur was the commander of the United Nations forces fighting in Korea. He had some successes and some failures, but most significantly he had some disagreements with President Harry Truman about how to respond to the Chinese when they intervened on the side of North Korea. MacArthur wanted to wage full-scale war against Chinese forces, up to and including the use of nuclear weapons. Truman, right or wrong, disagreed. When the general ordered his troops to invade North Korea in April 1951, Truman publicly rebuked him and handed command to another general.

Its possible that, from a tactical point of view, MacArthur was right. He may very well have been able to weaken China to the point where its future as a communist world power would have been in doubt. But that doesnt matter. MacArthurs job was to follow the orders of his commander-in-chief, the elected president of the United States. Its right there in Article II, Section 2 of the Constitution: The President shall be Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States. No ifs, ands or buttinskis.

And whether Give Em Hell Harry was too soft on the Peoples Republic of China or not, he had one thing right for sure. There was no way he could tolerate a general overriding the orders of his civilian commanders. When it became clear that MacArthur could not be trusted to carry out the orders of the president, Truman did what any real leader would do  he fired his ass.

Not so Joe Biden. When he heard that Milley had collaborated with a Chinese general to undermine the previous president of the United States  Donald Trump  by offering to warn China of any imminent attack by our military, Tiptoe Joe not only didnt fire Milley; he commended him.

"I have great confidence in Gen. Milley," Biden said.

If anything better demonstrates the post-constitutional state of the Democratic Party, Im not aware of it. Milley not only violated the chain of command, he damn near committed treason, and yet hes still in charge of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Milley had the misfortune to be quoted in Peril, the new book by Bob Woodward and Robert Costa about the final days of the Trump administration. According to the authors, Milley took it upon himself to call his counterpart in the Chinese military command both before and after the 2020 election to offer reassurances that the United States was not going to attack China. Left unsaid, but implicit in Milleys words, was the subordinate clause he intended: although Trump is crazy.

The first call, and most damning one, supposedly took place on Oct. 30.

"I want to assure you that the American government is stable and everything is going to be OK," Milley told Gen. Li Zuocheng of the Peoples Liberation Army. "We are not going to attack or conduct any kinetic operations against you."

Hmm, that is weird, but probably not entirely out of line if the United States had intelligence that a nuclear power was getting the false impression that they were going to be attacked by our country. Reassurance is not necessarily inappropriate as long as it doesnt go any further.

What was remarkable and completely out of the ordinary, though, was the following comment, which could only be interpreted as giving aid and comfort to the Peoples Republic of China, putting their interests ahead of our own:

"Gen. Li, you and I have known each other for now five years. If we're going to attack, I'm going to call you ahead of time," Milley said. "It's not going to be a surprise."

If Milley really promised to tip off China to any proposed military action by President Trump, it would have been a clear sign of insubordination, as the general has no power to countermand or otherwise modify orders of the president of the United States, who is given sole and plenary power as commander-in-chief by the United States Constitution.

Thats not to diminish the constitutional role of the Congress to declare war, but in the real world of split-second decisions, the president has  and ought to have  the ability to respond to attacks and even to attack first when our interests are threatened.

Its not up to Milley to decide he doesnt approve of the orders of the president, but if he had a crisis of conscience because he felt the president was out of his mind, his correct course of action would not be to contact our intended target. It should have been to talk to the vice president, who is authorized under the 25th Amendment to assume power with the consent of the majority of the Cabinet if the president is indeed incapacitated.

But there is absolutely no evidence that Trump was crazy, except for the usual proof used against any and all Republicans  he didnt agree with the agenda of the socialist Democrats. Trump responded to Milleys Seven Days in May scenario by saying, For the record, I never even thought of attacking China  and China knows that. The people that fabricated the story are sick and demented, and the people who print it are just as bad.

And Trump had some choice words for Milley, too.

If the story of Dumbass General Mark Milley ... is true, then I assume he would be tried for TREASON in that he would have been dealing with his Chinese counterpart behind the Presidents back and telling China that he would be giving them notification of an attack. Cant do that!

Of course, the mainstream media assumes, along with Milley, that Trump is crazy, and they try to paint his statements as the work of an unhinged madman. But not so fast. Trumps characterization of Milley was not too different from the response Truman had to MacArthurs brazen insubordination. Truman, who like Trump was noted for his occasionally salty language, years later said this about MacArthur:

I fired him because he wouldn't respect the authority of the president. I didn't fire him because he was a dumb son of a bitch, although he was, but that's not against the law for generals. If it was, half to three-quarters of them would be in jail.

Likewise, its not about whether Milleys intentions were good or not. Its all about respect for authority, and respect for the Constitution, and Milley didnt have any, despite having sworn an oath to defend it years ago. That should worry not just Biden, but the country as a whole. Because if Milley felt it was in his power to go behind the back of Trump, then how much more likely is it that he will decide to disobey the entirely incompetent commander-in-chief we have now?

I may not like Joe Biden, but hes the president, and until the Democrats are smart enough to remove him from that office, hes the guy who makes the life-and-death decisions, not Gen. Milley. Milleys just the guy who warns China and leaves Americans behind in Afghanistan (but thats another story).
Good morning, its Monday, Sept. 27, 2012. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi promised a vote today on a massive and long-overdue infrastructure bill. That roll call has now been delayed until Thursday, apparently because Pelosi lacks the votes. If my calculations are correct, that will put the government right up against the deadline for extending the debt ceiling, with all the attenuated atmospherics: i.e., a predictably partisan game of chicken, leading to a possible government shutdown that inconveniences millions of Americans, some of them in significant ways. This is especially true for federal employees, who are treated as pawns in this tedious exercise in political posturing.

It would seem beyond belief that this would happen in the midst of a global pandemic that has already claimed the lives of 688,000 Americans -- and at a time when federal health officials are grappling with a host of issues relating to vaccinating the public. Inexcusable, really.

You ask: Who would be rightfully blamed this time, Republicans or Democrats? I have some thoughts on that, but thats the topic of another column, on another day, if it comes to that. Im hoping it wont. With that, Id point you to our front page, which aggregates, as it does each day, columns and stories spanning the political spectrum. We also offer a complement of original material from RCP reporters and contributors, including the following:

* * *

Will the Border Crisis Cost Democrats Three Texas Seats? Susan Crabtree explores the heightened political vulnerabilities for House incumbents whose districts abut the border with Mexico.

RCP Takeaway. Susan joins Tom Bevan, Andy Walworth and me to discuss the border crisis, Joe Bidens speech to the U.N., and Nancy Pelosis deadline to vote on infrastructure.

MacArthur, Milley and the War on the Constitution. Frank Miele draws contrasts between two acts of insubordination seven decades apart.

Two Unique, Powerful Forces Will Influence the Midterms. Myra Adams interviews CPAC founder Matt Schlapp about Donald Trumps likely impact on Republican primaries, and the issue of voter confidence in elections.

Tax the Rich Mantra Is Rooted in Sociology, Not Economics. Gonzalo Schwarz argues that progressives prescription for addressing income inequality isnt what the poor and working class want.

Fostering the Emerging Consensus About the China Challenge. Peter Berkowitz details similarities in the approach to Beijing taken by both the Trump and Biden administrations.

Americas Soft-Power Secret Weapon Against China. At RealClearDefense, Tim Gallaudet argues that U.S. progress on protecting the environment dwarfs that of China and needs to be contrasted with the Xi regimes climate-harming practices.

Biden Increases U.S. Dependence on China. At RealClearEnergy, Duggan Flanakin warns that administration policies have regulated this nation out of the mining and processing of rare-earth metals and compounds.

A Proactive Response to the Debt Ceiling Crisis. At RealClearMarkets, Andrew Wilford advocates serious reforms that can help bring spending in line with the countrys means.

Speaking Freely -- or Not -- on the West Coast. At RealClearReligion, John Hirschauer writes that California, according to a new survey, is home to both the nations best school for free expression and one of its worst.

Reconciliation Bill Penalties Could Cripple Small Businesses. At RealClearPolicy, Linda McMahon spotlights excessive fines stipulated in the legislation for any actions the NLRB deems to be unfair labor practices.

The Pope Is Right About Anti-Semitism. At RealClearReligion, Brooke Goldstein hails Francis for calling out the rise in hatred directed at Jews in Hungary and elsewhere.

* * *

Carl M. Cannon

Washington Bureau chief, RealClearPolitics

@CarlCannon (Twitter)

ccannon@realclearpolitics.com
As the immigration crisis worsens in South Texas, President Bidens inconsistent border policies and messaging are not only damaging his approval ratings nationwide, but they could also cost the Democratic Party once-safe seats in Congress.

The Rio Grande Valley is the epicenter of the crisis, and its residents feel the impact of the surge in border crossings every day. Illegal crossings reached a 21-year high in July with 212,672 encounters reported by the U.S. Border Patrol that month alone. Across southern Texas, car chases have spiked this year, nearly nine-fold in some areas. Ranchers struggle to balance compassion for exhausted immigrants crossing through their property with concerns over personal safety, as well as costs to repair broken fences, trashed land, and stolen equipment. Federal agents also have reported a staggering increase of 4,000 in fentanyl seizures this year in Texas as smugglers exploit stretched border-patrol resources.

Although Democrats now control a trio of House seats representing Texas southern-most border with Mexico, voting patterns are making the districts more competitive.

Republicans are heavily targeting all three seats after the 2020 election showed a surprising swing in the GOPs favor along the Texas-Mexico border. Once deep-blue, the three districts voted for Biden by just two to four percentage points, down from the 17-to-22-point margin Hillary Clinton racked up in 2016. Republicans also have redistricting on their side this year with the GOP-controlled Texas legislature poised to redraw several congressional districts in their favor.

Recent polling from the Dallas Morning News and the University of Texas signaled another reason for Democratic angst: Bidens approval rating is underwater among Latino voters in the Lone Star State. More than 54% of the states registered Latino voters said they disapprove of the job Biden is doing overall, while only 35% said they approve.

When it comes to the presidents handling of the immigration crisis at the border, only 29% of the states Latino voters indicated their support while 52% said they disapprove (with the rest undecided). The survey was conducted Sept. 7-14, before more than 12,000 Haitian immigrants amassed under the Del Rio International Bridge, creating a new humanitarian crisis with immigration facilities already stretched beyond capacity.

The shift in voting patterns is already having an impact. Earlier this year, Rep. Filemon Vela, who represents Texas 34th Congressional District, which includes the city of Brownsville, abruptly announced his retirement. In 2020, he won reelection by nearly 14 percentage points in a seat generally considered safe for Democrats. But national Republicans identified Vela as a target after Biden won the district by just four points, down from the 21.5-point Clinton margin. Five Republicans and four Democrats are now running to replace Vela in what promises to be a sharply contested campaign.

Reps. Henry Cuellar (pictured) and Vicente Gonzalez, the two other Democratic congressmen who represent the Rio Grande Valley, are fighting to keep their seats while taking different approaches to the immigration crisis, even though both strongly campaigned for Biden last year.

Cuellar, who has regularly bucked his partys leadership over the years, has been an outspoken critic of Bidens more lenient immigration policies, repeatedly blasting the administration for creating incentives for immigrants to make the dangerous journey to the U.S. instead of instituting uncomfortable but effective deportation policies.

The 16-year House veteran was the first lawmaker to provide photos of overcrowded detention facilities in Donna, Texas, when the administration was instituting a media blackout earlier this year. He also led calls for Vice President Kamala Harris, Bidens point person on immigration, to visit the border months before her trip to Central America in June.

Last week, Cuellar waded into the debate over whether Border Patrol agents in Del Rio were using their horse reins as whips against Haitian immigrants, defending their efforts to stop illegal crossings while acknowledging that all immigrants must be treated humanely. Appearing on CNN Newsroom Tuesday, Cueller was asked about the photos of border agents chasing migrants on horses  and one that a host said appeared to be using a rope or a lasso.

He quickly came to the agents defense. "Certainly, we got to make sure we treat all the immigrants with respect and dignity, but I will say this: Border Patrol has had those horse brigades for a while. Theyve had them for a while, number one. Number two, they dont carry whips, and they do not carry lassos.

"Should those be used, even if it is a rein?" the CNN host asked.

"If there was a problem, it should be investigated, and I think thats it, Cuellar responded. But we cannot paint the Border Patrol with the same type of paintbrush. What are they supposed to do, just stand there and let everybody come in? Theyre supposed to be enforcing the law.

After the images surfaced, creating an uproar among civil rights leaders, the Homeland Security Department launched an investigation. White House press secretary Jen Psaki announced Wednesday that agents in Del Rio would no longer use horses to try to prevent illegal crossings.

Cuellar has represented South Texas for his entire career, either in the state legislature or in Congress. He won reelection last year by a whopping 20 points but faced a serious challenge during the primary, besting a more liberal candidate by just 3.6 percentage points. The same Democratic challenger, Jessica Cisneros, is running against him again. Republicans suggest that Cuellar is in a lose-lose situation, barely fending off a primary opponent in 2020 and facing a rematch because his immigration views arent liberal enough for the Democratic Party even if they represent his district as a whole.

Vicente Gonzalez appears to be even more vulnerable than Cuellar. He won reelection by just 2.9 points last fall after topping his GOP rival in 2018 by 19.6 points. Despite that shift, Gonzalez has mainly defended the administrations immigration policies, praising Harris plan to address the root-causes of immigration as a holistic approach to create conditions for people to want to stay in their native countries.

We had a good meeting a few weeks ago with the vice president, and I think she has a very good plan to get to the root causes, which will be the only way to ultimately curb the mass migration, he told CNN in early June. If we dont address the root causes, all were doing is putting a Band-Aid on it on our border.

Over the last two weeks, as the Haitian immigration crisis overwhelmed resources in Del Rio, Gonzalez has steered clear of the controversy, refraining even from tweeting about it. But during a Fox News appearance Thursday, host Neil Cavuto pressed him on Bidens decision to stop allowing the agents to use horses to control the border.

Gonzalez called it a very complex and tough situation that we have to investigate.

We certainly need to find an orderly way to deal with the crisis, he added. Im not for just releasing people into the country. We need to have a vetting process before they get here.

A member of the moderate Problem Solvers Caucus, Gonzalez has pushed back against progressives calls to abolish the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency. But he has not joined Cuellar in forcefully criticizing Bidens approach even as hes decried the way it has enriched Mexican drug cartels.

Since Biden took office, Gonzalez laments, those cartels are taking advantage of immigrants, charging each of them $6,000 to get to the U.S. border, and raking in more than $1.3 billion in the first few months of this year alone.

The three-term Texas Democrat has so far unsuccessfully tried to persuade the Biden administration to back his idea to establish a processing center for asylum seekers on the Mexico-Guatemala border where immigrants could apply for asylum and fly to the U.S. only if and when they qualify. President Trump secured an agreement with Mexico, Guatemala and Honduras to use their militaries to prevent caravans from continuing into the United States, but when COVID hit, he used an obscure health measure, known as Title 42, to deport immigrants immediately without due process for their asylum requests in the name of public health. Biden is under fire from the left for continuing to use the policy to deport thousands of immigrants while releasing others into the U.S. who have requested asylum.

Those deciding to make the dangerous journey north are only coming from certain impoverished pockets of several Central American countries, Gonzalez has asserted. Because of this, the U.S. needs to make surgical, thoughtful, intelligent investments that create jobs, create security, that invest in agricultural projects, manufacturing and tourism and ideas that create better jobs for people to want to stay, he argued.

He didnt mention that the Obama administrations attempt to address root-causes by sending billions of taxpayer dollars to Central America  an effort Biden led  had virtually no impact on the continued exodus north.

Gonzalez was far more critical of Trumps immigration policies. Last year, he called on the administration to suspend its COVID immigration restrictions that were dramatically reducing the number of illegal border crossings but swelling border camp populations in Mexico.

"Imagine these people who have gone through a 2,000-mile trek and are now in a one-acre plot of land  thousands of them. Certainly, it's an easy place for viruses to spread," he told The Hill newspaper.

"Mexico could probably do more too, because I went over there, and it was a mess. It's not like detention centers on this side, as much as we complain about them. They're living in squalor  tents on the ground and dirt. Now there's a place for them to plug in their phones and some port-a-potties, but it's really bad," he added.

With the ongoing border crisis continuing to be a drag on Bidens poll numbers nationwide, Republicans are keeping close track of every statement Cuellar and Gonzalez make on the issue. If their districts keep trending purple next year, Republicans could see a path to retaking the House majority straight through the border territory. No matter the outcome, Democrats will have to invest far more resources than usual to keep these seats in their column next year.
By Elizabeth Kwiatkowski, 09/19/2021



ADVERTISEMENT

[ : The Other Way Spoilers Warning: This article includes spoilers on whether Evelin and Corey have split or are still together now.]

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

So what are the spoilers on Corey and Evelin's relationship? Is the couple still married or have they called it quits?

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.

couple Evelin Villegas and Corey Rathgeber have a big secret between them as shown on Season 3 of : The Other Way, so do spoilers reveal that Evelin and Corey broke up after secretly getting married? Did they go through with their big wedding and is the couple still together now?Corey, a 34-year-old from Mill A., WA, met Evelin, a 28-year-old from Engabao, Ecuador, over six years ago and Evelin called their entire relationship "a roller coaster."The couple first starred on Season 1 of : The Other Way.Corey said he and Evelin felt an instant connection when they met and he initially hoped she'd move to the United States with him; however, she didn't like Washington and really missed home.Evelin told Corey that he needed to move to Ecuador in order to make their relationship work, and so he did just that, although a bit reluctantly since he had to quit his job and say goodbye to his family."I had a hard time adjusting to life in Engabao... I didn't speak Spanish and I wanted to get married, but Evelin wasn't as ready," Corey recalled.Evelin admitted it was never her dream to get married, and so they had to work through some issues, including the sudden and unexpected passing of Corey's father back at home.Following his father's death, Corey proposed marriage to Evelin and she accepted a ring. Corey said things were going "pretty smooth" with Evelin but she was dragging her feet to set a wedding date.Corey had also promised Evelin that he'd learn Spanish and engage more with her friends, family and Engabao locals."Nothing of that was happening, so I wasn't ready to marry him yet," Evelin shared. "I didn't [think] you were ready either, [Corey]."Corey said Evelin decided to go on a break and he interpreted her decision as a breakup. Evelin called it just "a break," but Corey viewed it as being dumped.Evelin explained that she wanted Corey to put more effort into their relationship and show he could follow through with all of the things he had promised her. Corey, however, acknowledged he was "devastated and heartbroken" and things weren't right in his head.Corey therefore recalled taking a trip to Peru and seeing another woman, before eventually returning to Ecuador.Corey and Evelin then got stuck quarantining together amid the coronavirus pandemic, and Evelin was angry about his time with Jenny, saying they'd never be together if they weren't forced to be in lockdown together.Corey insisted he only hung out with Jenny for four days, but Evelin said there was more to the story that Corey came out with once she began pressuring him for more information."I asked, 'Are you having sex with this woman?' And then he's like, 'Oh, no, like, I tried it once, but I couldn't get it up.' Whether his d-ck worked or not, he still put himself in a position where that was an option," Evelin explained."But I appreciated Corey telling me the whole truth so that we can start new and without secrets."Corey and Evelin were shown re-opening their bar in Engabao after six months of it being shutdown due to COVID-19. Evelin said re-opening the bar was awesome and it's a good business for them to live by.Corey insisted the pandemic had made his relationship with Evelin stronger, but Evelin still seemed angry over his "girl-hunting mission" in Peru."You gave me puppy eyes every day," Evelin told her husband.Evelin then confirmed she and Corey had a date set for their wedding and the ceremony was scheduled to take place in five months. The couple was planning their wedding, but Evelin said it was hard to trust Corey completely, even though she definitely still loved him.Corey was excited about their upcoming nuptials but confessed to the cameras he hadn't been entirely honest with Evelin about what actually happened with Jenny in Peru."When Evelin discovers new information that I withheld from her, yeah, it's gonna be bad. It's gonna be really bad," Corey admitted.Since Evelin said she never wanted to get married, she felt like she was failing herself and everything she had been preaching; however, she was willing to do it for love and the sake of Corey's happiness and well-being.Evelin's relatives seemed surprised to hear Evelin's decision to have a wedding, and they even expressed how they didn't really trust Corey. Evelin's sister Lesly also called Corey "fake" and said she didn't think he's the right man for her.Lesly also had yet to find out about Corey's fling with Jenny, so Evelin anticipated her sister would disapprove of Corey even more -- which made Evelin second-guess marrying him.When Corey and Evelin met with a wedding planner, Corey realized their wedding -- which was scheduled for five months from that point -- was going to be really expensive, and Evelin said Corey would be paying for everything.Evelin wanted the best of the best, but Corey argued they could plan a nice wedding for not thousands and thousands of dollars.Evelin was then shown planning her wedding with her sisters, Lipsy and Lesly. Evelin was looking at wedding dresses online, and Corey said he was super happy and excited about Evelin's effort.Corey had been hiding a white dress in the back room for about a year, and so he admitted it was a little dirty but he hoped Evelin would like it. Corey wanted to impress Evelin and her sisters.But Evelin and her sisters pointed out how the dress looked "horrible," old and dirty, like a prom dress.The dress hadn't even been passed down from generation to generation in Corey's family, and then Corey revealed it belonged to his sister and had, in fact, been her prom dress over one year prior.Corey said he had tried to find Evelin a new wedding dress but the options in America were too expensive.Evelin admitted she didn't even appreciate the thought and found Corey's "cheap" gesture embarrassing. Evelin's sisters thought Corey had "some nerve" to pull a move like that, and Evelin felt insulted.Evelin realized Corey was just trying to get out of buying her a nice, new dress, and she said wearing his sister's prom dress to her wedding was a big "hell no."Evelin later went to a local wedding dress designer's shop in Ecuador, and when she tried on dresses, she freaked out a little bit because everything was beginning to feel so real.An anxious Evelin said it was never her dream to have a wedding and get married, and her sisters acknowledged how much Evelin had changed for Corey.Evelin tried on a beautiful gown, but it was clear Lipsy and Lesly weren't genuinely happy for her."I'd feel different wearing this wedding dress if I felt sure Corey is the man I want to spend the rest of my life with. And at this moment, I don't feel that way," Evelin said, referencing Corey's fling with a woman in Peru.Evelin even toasted champagne with her sisters "to having regrets."Evelin shared with her sisters how Corey had presented that woman in Peru, Jenny, as his "girlfriend."Corey apparently explained to Evelin at the time that it was a translation error because he had only known the woman for a week and the same word for "girlfriend" and "friend" is used in English.Evelin's sisters weren't buying that explanation and said they didn't trust Corey at all and Evelin was "crazy" for marrying a cheater. They weren't convinced Corey was fully invested in his relationship with Evelin and their future together.After Lipsy and Lesly said they didn't agree with Evelin marrying Corey, Evelin announced, "Well, now I have to tell you something. The truth of the matter is, one year ago, Corey and I went to Guayaquil and got married."Evelin's sisters had shocked looks on their faces.Evelin and Corey definitely appear to still be together, happy and married.They both took to their respective Instagram Stories on September 16 to dish about their romance and secret wedding.Evelin explained to her followers, "Back in 2019, when we were done filming, after we were on TV... Corey and I's relationship was in the best moment ever. He did that amazing proposal that you all remember, and so I did say 'yes' and we were doing so good.""He agreed to stay in the country and so I agreed to get married," she continued. "So we did it. It was a private moment just for me and him, no one was aware -- not anyone in my family, not even one of my friends, no one."Evelin explained that they chose not to share the news with anyone because she "wasn't ready to be a married lady" at that point. Evelin insisted the decision had "nothing to do with the show" and they were already "done filming.""We weren't in a contract at that time. That's why there were no cameras, no nothing," she said. "It was just me and Corey... We got married after being done filming our season."Evelin said a friend she had trusted disappointed her by spilling the news of the marriage to the press and allegedly creating rumors about Evelin and Corey lying and intentionally misleading people."I'm not an actress, so how can I freakin' pretend the proposal and everything we've been through? All of that was really real, and we are not fake," Evelin insisted.Evelin said once she and Corey were ready to share the news, they decided to film the new season of : The Other Way."You guys are seeing how everything goes, how my family and friends are going to find out about it. So stay tuned," Evelin requested. "Just know we're here... and I'm very honest... It was our right to keep it private until now when we're giving it to you."Meanwhile, Corey conducted a Q&A on Instagram Stories.A follower asked Corey, "Why did you lie about being married?"Corey replied, "Keep watching and you will see. We aren't hiding or [lying] about anything."When questioned on why he and Evelin decided to keep their marriage a secret, Corey revealed, "Evelin wasn't ready for everyone to know so we kept it private. I respected her wishes until she was ready."Corey also answered a question asking why he and Evelin lied about "when and where" they tied the knot."You will see we aren't [lying]. Be patient and you will be updated and informed about everything. Patience is a virtue," Corey said.Corey also gushed about his wife, hinting that they're still an item.Corey gushed about his favorite things about Evelin in one of his posts."Her strength, her beauty, her motivation to achieve greatness," Corey bragged. "Evelin is the best woman I have ever known."One Instagram user asked, "Will Evelin come live in the USA one day?"And Corey replied, "I can only hope. [Fingers crossed]."Corey wouldn't reveal whether he's currently in Ecuador or the U.S. due to his current NDA contract.However, Corey went on to boast about how Evelin "looks better than ever" after she was able to gain a little weight from her previous 82-84 pounds.On September 16, Corey also posted a photo with Evelin and wrote, "Its finally revealed that we did actually get married years ago... Stay tuned because so many of the long awaited questions will be answered very soon! Are you guys ready?"On September 7, Corey posted a couple of photos of himself and Evelin kissing on the beach."I never thought the day of planning a wedding with you would come!" Corey captioned the images."Corey also posted pictures of the couple smiling and posing on the beach in Engabao on July 16, suggesting the couple is still living in Ecuador together."Beach walks in the sunset," Corey captioned the slideshow."It all feels like a dream and there is no one else in this world I'd rather take this step with! Did you guys watch the last episode? Wedding plans are in the works so fingers are crossed."Want more spoilers or couples updates? Click here to visit our homepage!
Athens, GA (30605)

Today

Rain, heavy at times, and scattered thunderstorms for the afternoon. High 77F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 100%. 1 to 2 inches of rain expected. Locally heavy rainfall possible..

Tonight

Scattered thunderstorms during the evening. Partly cloudy skies after midnight. Low near 65F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%.
Brattleboro, VT (05301)

Today

A mix of clouds and sun. High 73F. Winds light and variable..

Tonight

Partly cloudy this evening, then becoming cloudy after midnight. Low 52F. Winds light and variable.
Fungi pottery on display at Brattleboro Claywork as organizers get ready for the inaugural Fungi Fest that starts on Oct. 8 and runs to Oct. 30.
Jason Allen/AP

FORT WORTH, Texas (AP)  Police were investigating after three dismembered bodies were discovered in a dumpster that had been set afire in Texas.

Fort Worth police said the three bodies that were discovered Wednesday appeared to be those of a man, a teen girl or adult woman, and a child. As of Monday, authorities had identified only the man.
LANSING, W.Va. (AP)  A small plane crashed Sunday in southern West Virginia, killing three Virginia residents on board, authorities said.

The single-engine Beechcraft C23 went down after taking off from the Fayette Airport in Fayetteville at about 11 a.m., the Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement.

State police Capt. R.A. Maddy told news outlets that the wreckage was found near a barn in the rural community of Lansing, a few miles from the New River Gorge Bridge about 50 miles (80 kilometers) southeast of Charleston. The bodies were found inside the plane.

State police identified the victims as Nick Fletcher, 38; Michael Taphouse, 36; and Wesley Farley, 39. All were from the Chesapeake, Virginia, area.

The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating.
NEW HAVEN, Conn. (AP)  School districts around Connecticut are holding their breath as more than 200 school bus driver could walk off the job in response to a vaccination mandate that goes into effect Monday.

That could worsen an already problematic driver shortage that is affecting school districts in the state and around the country. School superintendents are warning parents that buses may experience significant delays, and are suggesting parents drive their kids to school, the New Haven Register reported.
CARSON CITY, Nev. (AP)  Nevada will be home to the nation's first ever school on building recreational trails.

The Nevada Appeal reported Monday that the Great Basin Institute has been awarded a $160,000 federal grant to establish a professional recreational trail building school.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP)  Kansas has launched a pilot program for mail handling at the Ellsworth Correctional Facility that aims to stem rising drug use by inmates at facilities.

The program, which has alarmed civil rights advocates, involves scanning incoming mail and passing along only copies to inmates. The originals are destroyed.
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP)  The father of a University of Alabama student who killed herself after reporting she was raped has settled a lawsuit against the man she had accused.

Details of the settlement between Michael Rondini, of Austin, Texas, and T.J. Bunn Jr. were not released, The Tuscaloosa News reported.

Rondini and his wife filed a wrongful death suit in 2017 that accused Bunn of contributing to their daughters suicide. Megan Rondini killed herself in February 2016, eight months after she reported that Bunn had sexually assaulted her.

Bunn, who is from a prominent Tuscaloosa family, denied that allegation, saying they had had consensual sex.

Court records show the settlement was reached during court-ordered mediation on Sept. 17, three days before a federal trial had been scheduled, the newspaper said.

A Tuscaloosa grand jury had declined to indict Bunn on criminal charges.

The Rondinis initially sued the University of Alabama and law enforcement, alleging a university therapist failed to properly support their daughter. The university settled with the family in 2018, agreeing to put $450,000 toward a scholarship and a new program to care for victims of sexual assault.

Rondini's wife, Cindy Rondini, died in 2019.

The Alabama Supreme Court in May allowed the case against Bunn to move forward, saying it was not barred by the fact that Megan Rondini took her own life.

Megan Rondini was a 20-year-old junior when she met Bunn at a Tuscaloosa bar, according to the suit. It alleged that she was sexually assaulted at his home, possibly after being drugged.
RICEVILLE, Tenn. (AP)  The father of a 10-month-old baby in Tennessee was fatally shot along with three other people during a custody dispute with the infant's mother, authorities said. The mother and a man have been charged with first-degree murder.

Jazzmine J. Hall, 27, of Athens and Curtis D. Smith, 38, of Etowah were arrested Saturday evening, hours after deputies found the father and three women dead from gunshot wounds at a residence west of the unincorporated community of Riceville, McMinn County Sheriff Joe Guy said. The suspects were found in neighboring Polk County and taken into custody after a SWAT operation.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP)  Topeka police are investigating the death of a man whose body was found Saturday in a park.

Police said Richmond McDaniels Jr.'s body was found around 5 a.m. Saturday in Gage Park.
MEXICO CITY (AP)  Delegates from Venezuelas government and opposition concluded another round of talks in Mexico City on Monday after a delay that saw the governments side arrive a day later than scheduled due to an apparent unhappiness with mediator Norway.

The meetings had been scheduled to begin Friday, but were suspended when government representatives did not arrive until Saturday. Talks began Sunday.

Late Monday, Norwegian mediator Dag Nylander read a statement at the conclusion of the meetings. They drew closer in the search for solutions to the challenges in social, economic and political matters, he said without providing detail.

Nylander's statement was interrupted by a man shouting insults at the entrance to the hotel where the talks were being held. Security personnel grabbed the unidentified man and hustled him into a vehicle before driving away.

The leader of the governments delegation, Jorge Rodriguez, said Friday that his teams arrival was delayed because of comments by Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg about the human rights situation in Venezuela during the United Nations General Assembly.

Nylander had issued a statement offering assurances that Norway would maintain its impartiality in the talks.

The previous round of meetings occurred Sept. 3-6 in Mexico's capital.

The delegates of President Nicolas Maduro and the opposition, led by Juan Guaido, have been expected to tackle issues such as conditions for elections and the lifting of foreign economic sanctions imposed on the government.

The U.S. and other countries withdrew recognition of Maduro after accusing him of rigging his most recent reelection as president. In his place, they recognized Guaido, who was head of the then opposition-dominated congress.
SEATTLE (AP)  A Washington State Patrol trooper who helped develop the agency's use of drones has died after a battle with COVID-19 contracted on duty, the state patrol said Sunday.

Detective Eric Gunderson died Sunday surrounded by his family and friends, the patrol said in a statement. He was 38.

Gunderson, the technology liaison in the patrols Criminal Investigation Division and a member of the patrol's SWAT team, frequently traveled around the country to speak about the state patrol's use of drones and contracted COVID-19 on one of those trips, the patrol said.

Gunderson helped investigate the 2017 Amtrak derailment in DuPont and his work also helped reopen roads more quickly after crashes, it said.

Gunderson's death is the first line of duty death for the agency since it marked its 100th anniversary a few weeks ago, Chief John Batiste said.

How I had hoped our second century of service would be more forgiving. But serving the public, as we do, has inherent dangers and this pandemic has been a foe to our agency and indeed our state and nation, he said.

Gov. Jay Inslee tweeted his condolences to Gunderson's family, friends and colleagues.

He is survived by his wife Kameron and sons Blake, 13, and Braden, 10.
State Sen. Doug Mastriano told about 150 people who attended a rally that We the People of Luzerne County hosted in Hazle Twp. on Saturday that the rights of conservative Republicans are being more and more infringed but gave no indication whether hell run for governor.

Mastriano, a Republican who said earlier this year that hes mulling a run for governor, did not elaborate on his political ambitions while serving as keynote speaker during the rally at Community Park.

He instead focused on school masking mandates, election results and Gov. Tom Wolfs response to the COVID-19 pandemic while urging the crowd to stop settling for elected officials who he says arent keeping promises they make on the campaign trail.

Pennsylvania, we got to stop settling, he said from center stage. We elect people. They sound like us on the campaign trail but when theyre in office, they say theyre pro-life. Where are they running pro-life bills? They say they are for second amendment but they wanted red-flag laws. Its time for us to run for office and to challenge ... those who say they are our voice.

Mastrianos lone remark about Pennsylvanias 2022 gubernatorial race came near the end of his roughly 20-minute speech when he referenced mind-numbing speeches that he said were delivered by all these candidates running for governor.

He did not reference any candidates by name.

In May, Mastriano said that former President Donald Trump asked him to run for governor. A senior Trump advisor disputed that claim. As of Saturday, Mastriano has not officially declared his candidacy for governor and he did not make himself available to local media following the rally.

Saturdays rally was held just outside of former Republican Congressman Lou Barlettas hometown of Hazleton. Barletta held his own rally at Community Park in May in his own bid for governor.

We the People of Luzerne County did not formally declare for any gubernatorial candidate at the rally on Saturday, with organizer James Johnstone saying it was intended to get people active in politics.

The group said on its website that it was present for a recent Republican Party event in Butler Twp. that Barletta attended.

This came from a prayer group of men who were discerning, What are my civic responsibilities?  Johnstone said. I think as conservative men, we get lazy or we havent been showing a path to get active in politics. I think we are seeing the repercussions. A lot of things are getting pushed down our throats that shouldnt be.

Goals listed on the groups website include returning power back to the states and people, where it belongs, promoting equal rights, educating the public of its rights and responsibilities, organizing a voting block that can impact elections, and persuading legislators to champion and advance causes that preserve conservative values and ideals.

Attendees on several occasions responded enthusiastically to remarks made throughout the four-hour event, with the group cheering when asked by Johnstone whether they are patriots.

Mastriano, meanwhile, said hes hoping state legislators next week move a bill to reassert the authority of parents and allow them to make their own decisions on whether children should wear masks at school.

Can you believe that? he asked. Really? In Pennsylvania  that a law has to be passed to guarantee your right? Youre the mom and dad. Not some faceless bureaucrat, not Gov. Wolf, not the acting secretary of health.

Mastriano also took a shot at Republican leadership in the state senate, saying members of his own party excluded him from private caucus discussions while allowing John Yudichak, a former Democrat who is now an independent, to attend.

Somethings wrong here, Mastriano said. (It) shows you the disdain the establishment has for conservatives like us.

Mastriano spoke of his efforts to probe election results, hammered the Wolf Administrations decisions to shut down Pennsylvania during the pandemic and place COVID-positive patients in nursing homes, and deem which jobs were essential and not essential.

Tamaqua resident Calvin Miller, who brought his dog, Molly, to the event, said he believes Mastriano has the best interests of the public at heart.

I just believe hes going to be for the people, Miller said. People better start waking up. People are starting to forget about our Constitution. Its about our freedom.

Jim Bognet, a local businessman and former congressional candidate, said he believes people in the region are fed up with the direction the country is headed. He cited chaos at the border, the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan, and spending in the $3.5 trillion infrastructure bill when making his point.
Education in Ireland, the national brand for Enterprise Ireland responsible for the promotion of Irish Higher Education Institutions overseas, has announced a virtual showcase. The virtual showcase will take place on Saturday, October 23, 2021, from 1 pm to 6 pm. It aims to promote the 2022/2023 academic year in Ireland.

The Education in Ireland Showcase is an official event of the Government of Ireland exclusively for India and Sri Lanka. At the event, prospective Indian and Sri Lankan students will have the chance to speak privately through text and video chat with Irish higher education institutions who will help them plan their dream of studying in Ireland. The virtual showcase for Ireland also serves as an opportunity for students and parents to learn about the admission process, understand the visa process, and the 2-year post-study stay back option offered to international students. The event will include a virtual seminar room with Irish Visa Office representatives and student ambassadors.

Irelands Ambassador to India, Brendan Ward said, Ireland has already vaccinated 90% of its adult population, including students. This makes it an opportune time for the country to welcome back students from all around the world to pursue their third-level education here. All Irish HEIs have come together to ensure that safety protocols are followed from the arrival of international students into Ireland and whilst their stay in the country. Ireland is eager to welcome its staff and students back on campus.

Students and parents will be able to personally interact with20 Irelands top higher education institutions that offer globally recognized UG and PG programmes in Business, Science, Engineering, and Humanities. Officials from the Irish Visa Office in New Delhi will also participate in the event.

Barry ODriscoll, Regional Manager, India & South Asia for Education in Ireland mentioned, Ireland is committed to providing excellence in education and to making students job and market-ready for the future. Education in Irelands third edition of the Virtual Showcase will present students with an opportunity to explore and find the right courses and job prospects by interacting virtually and directly with representatives of Irish higher education institutions.

According to the OECD report, Ireland will be the least affected economy in Europe following the pandemic and is expected to grow 7% this year. While COVID-19 has posed numerous hurdles for international students seeking to study abroad, students continue to plan for their future and invest in their education in Ireland. Presently 35,000students from 160 countries around the world are studying in Ireland, including 4000 from India.85% of Indian students have chosen to stay back in Ireland for work since the beginning of the pandemic.

A year later, Ireland is opening again and accepting back its international students in September 2021 as part of the Irish governments back to campus phased plan, which will include face-to-face teaching. Talking about education in times of COVID-19, ODriscoll added, Irish HEIs will ensure the safe and managed arrival of all international students into Ireland for the academic year 2021/22, prioritising the public health of students, staff, and the wider community.

The fairs will provide a free platform for all students to gauge their prospects, apply directly to the below mentioned leading Irish institution and receive first-hand information on courses, admission process, intakes and so on.

Participants

Institute of Technology Carlow Trinity College Dublin Technological University of the Shannon Dundalk Institute of Technology Griffith College University College Cork Technological University Dublin Waterford Institute of Technology National University of Ireland, Galway Letterkenny Institute of Technology Dublin Business School University of Limerick Shannon College of Hotel Management RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences Dublin City University Maynooth University University College Dublin Munster Technological University National College of Ireland Visa office

Participants at the upcoming event can also attend detailed seminars and informative sessions on studying in Ireland, talk with college representatives and alumni, get advice from official Irish government representatives, learn about scholarships, have the visa process explained, and pose their queries. Its the perfect opportunity for Indian students to speak directly with admissions and academic staff from Irelands top institutions. Participation in the Education in Ireland Virtual Showcase is free, and students can register their interests by clicking here.
New Delhi, Sep 26 (PTI) The role played by the Indian armed forces during the Doklam episode and the Galwan Valley clashes not only enhanced India's prestige but also raised its stature globally, Vice Chief of Army Staff Lt Gen C P Mohanty said on Sunday.

Addressing an event, he spoke extensively on the key ethos of the Indian armed forces and highlighted their major contributions during the 1965 war, 1971 war and the Kargil conflict.

Citing recent events, Lt Gen Mohanty said, "What has happened in Doklam and Galwan not only enhanced the prestige of the nation, but it has also given us a big stature internationally." "Today everyone talks about India as a net security provider," he said at the event organised by Vivekananda Institute of Professional Studies (VIPS).

"It is not going to be long when we also start being counted amongst the superpowers," he added.

The troops of India and China were engaged in a 73-day stand-off in Doklam tri-junction in 2017 that even triggered fears of a war between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.

Indian armed forces put up stiff resistance to China's construction of a road in Doklam near the trijunction. The dispute was resolved through several rounds of talks.

The Indian Army blunted "vicious" Chinese attacks in the Galwan Valley in eastern Ladakh on June 15 last year in eastern Ladakh.

Twenty Indian Army personnel laid down their lives in the clashes with Chinese troops that marked the most serious military conflicts between the two sides in decades.

In February, China officially acknowledged that five Chinese military officers and soldiers were killed in the clashes with the Indian Army though it is widely believed that the death toll was higher.

In his address, Lt Gen Mohanty said India has invested in its security forces and they have been playing a key role in the overall development of the country as security is a key aspect of prosperity.

He emphasised that allocation towards the armed forces is part of the nation-building process.

Lt Gen Mohanty also complimented Indian Air Force Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman for his role in thwarting a Pakistani offensive a day after the Balakot strikes in February 2019.

"He held his head high and become a symbol of today's youths," he said.

The Vice Chief of Army Staff also referred to reports of how Pakistan was forced to release Varthaman as the neighbouring country knew that India would surely attack it if he was not released.

"That was how he was returned with dignity," Lt Gen Mohanty said.

Varthaman was captured on February 27, 2019, by Pakistan following a dogfight between the air forces of the two countries in which his MIG-21 was shot down.

Before his jet was hit, he downed an F-16 fighter of Pakistan.

Varthaman was released on the night of March 1, 2019, by Pakistan. PTI MPB RT RT

(Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com)
The Enforcement Directorate on Monday summoned Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot's brother Agrasen Gehlot in connection with the Fertiliser Export Scam. Agrasen Gehlot has been asked to appear before the ED office on September 27. His summons comes in relation to the multi-crore fertiliser smuggling syndicate which is said to have been in operation in Rajasthan. In 2020, the ED filed a money laundering case against Agrasen Gehlot and others in connection with the case.

A company linked to the Rajasthan CM's brother had been unearthed at the heart of the entire racket. The ED had taken over the case based on the complaint of the Customs department which alleged that fertilisers meant to be distributed to the farmers at a subsidised rate never reached them for years together in the state, and were instead smuggled to international markets.

Charges against Agrasen Gehlot

According to the documents accessed by Republic TV, Agrasen Gehlot allegedly diverted more than 35,000 metric tonnes of Muriate of Potash (MoP) having a value of Rs 130 crore which was actually meant for the farmers. This was allegedly diverted to countries like Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, Saudi Arabia and other international markets. According to the Customs department, the MoP was exported by the company which falsely declared it as 'industrial salt'.

On December 31, 2013, the Customs appellate tribunal penalised Agrasen Gehlot Rs 50 crore after finding his company guilty in the syndicate. After years of litigation, in July 2020, the Customs department filed a prosecution complaint - a charge sheet equivalent - against Ashok Gehlot's brother, holding him guilty of exporting a banned item and manipulating the system. An ED case followed shortly after.

His firm M/s Anupam Krishi has been unearthed at the heart of the alleged fertiliser export scam. In the capacity of an agent, Agrasen Gehlot was the custodian of MoP (imported at a concessional rate by the government) and solely responsible for its proper distribution to the farmers.
As per official figures released by the Dubai government on Sunday, India has emerged as Dubai's second-largest commercial partner after China, with a total volume of 38.5 billion dirhams in the first half of 2021. According to the release, the emirate's trade volume with China in H1 (first half) of 2021 was 86.7 billion dirhams, followed by India and the United States.

Gold was the most valuable commodity in Dubai's foreign trade in the first half, accounting for 138.8 billion dirhams (19.2% of total trade), followed by telecoms at 94 billion dirhams (13%). Diamonds were third on the list, accounting for 57.3 billion dirhams (8%), followed by jewellery (34.1 billion dirhams at 4.7%), and automobile trade (28 billion dirhams at 4%).

Dubai's non-oil foreign trade increased by 31% in the first half of 2021, from 550.6 billion dirhams in the same time in 2020 to 722.3 billion dirhams in the first half of 2021.

India Dubai's second biggest trade partner

From 38.5 billion dirhams in H1 2020 to 67.1 billion dirhams in H1 2020, trade with India increased by 74.5% year on year. In the first half of 2020, trade with China grew by 30.7% year on year, totalling 66.3 billion dirhams. In the first half of 2021, the United States traded 32 billion dirhams with Dubai, up 1% from 31.7 billion dirhams in the previous year.

Saudi Arabia finished in fourth place with 30.5 billion dirhams, up 26% from H1 2020, and Switzerland came in fifth with 24.8 billion dirhams. In H1 2021, the five largest trading partners had a combined share of 241.21 billion dirhams, up 30.34% from 185.06 billion dirhams in H1 2020.

Exports up 41%, imports 29.3%

Exports increased 45% year on year in H1 2021, to 109.8 billion dirhams from 75.8 billion dirhams, supporting the 10x10 program's target of increasing the UAE's exports to 10 worldwide markets by 10% annually (one of the nation's 'Projects of the 50' projects). Imports increased by 29.3% year on year to 414 billion dirhams, up from 320 billion dirhams the previous year. Re-exports increased 28.3% year on year to 198.6 billion dirhams, up from 154.79 billion dirhams the past year.

Dubai's Crown Prince and Chairman of The Executive Council, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, said that Dubai has solidified its position as one of the world's fastest expanding business hubs.

Dubai's existing marine and aviation networks will be expanded to include 200 more destinations around the globe. He stated, "We are sure that we will maintain our growth momentum in order to realise our ambitious sustainable development projects and plans."

(With inputs from PTI, Image: Unsplash)
Gold concealed in a mirror frame brought from Kuwait, besides in an iron hammer from Dubai, totally weighing about 1,588 grams and worth about 66.34 lakh, was seized by Customs officers at the airport in Chennai on Monday.

Two people were arrested in this connection, they said. In the first instance, a passenger who arrived here from Dubai was intercepted by the Customs officers at the exit gate, based on intelligence inputs.

Upon scanning and examination, an iron hammer with gold concealed in it was found in his baggage. The hammer was broken and gold moulded inside it was recovered, a release from the Principal Commissioner of Customs, Chennai, Air Intelligence Unit, here.

About 341 grams of 24 k gold valued at Rs 14.25 lakh was seized, it said.

In the second seizure, 1,247 grams of gold concealed in a mirror frame was recovered from a passenger who arrived from Kuwait, after cutting open the frame. The gold was valued at Rs 52.09 lakh, the release said.

(Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com)
In a recent update to the illegal religious conversion case, Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) has arrested two people identified as Mohammad Idrees Qureshi and Mohammad Salim from Muzaffarnagar. The accused arrested are known to be the associates of Maulana Kaleem Siddiqui, who was arrested earlier in connection to the case.

According to Uttar Pradesh ATS, Siddiqui told in the interrogation that they used to get a lot of money from the operatives abroad for religious conversions. While Atif alias Kunal Chowdhary who was one of Siddiqui's associates working for the past 2 years, was arrested from the Anand Nagar area of Nashik.

UP ATS arrests Maulana Kaleem Siddiqui

On September 22, Islamic scholar Maulana Kaleem Siddiqui was arrested by the Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorist Squad over the charges of religious conversion. The 64-year-old Islamic scholar is one of the biggest clerics from western UP whose name popped up during the investigation into the Umar Gautam case. He was nabbed in Meerut and is currently being interrogated by UP Police. He was on the radar of security agencies due to suspicious activities.

Addressing the press conference, Uttar Pradesh ADG (Law and Order) Prashant Kumar, had informed, "Investigation shows Maulana Kaleem Siddiqui runs Jamia Imam Waliullah trust that funds several madrassas for which he received huge foreign funding. Investigation shows Maulana Kaleem Siddiquis trust received Rs 3 crores in foreign funding, including Rs 1.5 from Bahrain. Six teams of ATS have been formed to investigate this case".

While Aam Aadmi Party MLA from Delhis Okhla, Amanatullah Khan, who was participating in the Shaheen Bagh protests, termed the arrest atrocity on Muslims.

Illegal religious conversion

The Uttar Pradesh police in June had arrested Umar Gautam along with eight others for allegedly running a religious conversion racket. Following the arrest, the UP Police had informed that the racket involved the conversion of deaf children and women to Islam and more than 1,000 people were converted. Police statement further said that more than a dozen deaf and dumb children in Noida were also converted. The police said that during the interrogation, the arrested accused confessed to converting nearly 250 to 300 people every year.

(With ANI inputs)

(Image: PTI)
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Sunday, September 26, met Singapores Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan in New York, US. Taking to Twitter, Jaishankar said that he had a comfortable conversation with an old friend. He added that they both discussed Indo-Pacific developments and shared thoughts on overcoming the COVID-19 challenge.

A comfortable conversation with an old friend.



Discussing Indo-Pacific developments with FM @VivianBala of Singapore.



Sharing thoughts on overcoming the Covid challenge. pic.twitter.com/lv1gWUsCqz  Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) September 26, 2021

According to ANI, previously, Jaishankar had also discussed the Indo-Pacific development with Balakrishnan on the sidelines of the 76th session of the UN General Assembly. In recent days, he has been meeting leaders from different nations and has discussed the developments in the Indo-Pacific region. Previously, he had held several bilateral meetings with Foreign Ministers from Iran, Australia, Egypt and Indonesia. He also met his counterparts from France, United Kingdom and Saudi Arabia, and discussed issues related to the Indo-Pacific.

Jaishankar even participated in the foreign minister meeting of G4 countries, which also saw the participation of Brazil's Carlos Alberto Franco Ranca and Germany's Heiko Maas. Following the meeting, the ministers reaffirmed in a joint statement that it is indispensable to reform the Security Council through an expansion of both categories, permanent and non-permanent seats, to enable the Security Council to better deal with the ever-complex and evolving challenges to the maintenance of international peace and security, and thereby to carry out its duties more effectively.

QUAD Summit

Meanwhile, these meetings come in view of the recently concluded first in-person QUAD Leaders Summit. During the meeting, the head of the state from India, Australia, the United States and Japan reaffirmed their commitment to promote a free open, rules-based order in the Indo-Pacific. The Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QUAD) Summit was initiated in 2007 by former Japanese PM Shinzo Abe, with the goal of peace and security in the Indo-Pacific region.

In a statement, the QUAD leaders said, Together, we recommit to promoting the free, open, rules-based order, rooted in international law and undaunted by coercion, to bolster security and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific and beyond.

It is worth mentioning that the Indo-Pacific region is basically an area comprising the Indian Ocean and the western and central Pacific Ocean, including the South China Sea. Chinas territorial claims in the region and its efforts to advance into the Indian Ocean are seen to have challenged the established rules-based system.

(With inputs from ANI)

Image: Twitter
Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot's elder border Agrasain Gehlot appeared before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) here on Monday for questioning in a money laundering case probe against him and others that is linked to alleged fertiliser export irregularities, official sources said.

His statement was recorded under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), the sources said.

The senior Gehlot, accompanied by a lawyer, appeared before the ED at around 11:30 AM.

Agrasain Gehlot had been earlier questioned in this case but he had approached the court seeking relief from the ED action.

The sources said that the Rajasthan High Court recently asked him to cooperate with the agency in the investigation as it directed the ED not to take any coercive action against him.

The agency had raided his businesses located in Rajasthan in July last year. The raids came when a political slugfest was then on between CM Ashok Gehlot and his then deputy CM Sachin Pilot in the desert state.

The ruling Congress in the state had said it will not be scared of such actions undertaken by central probe agencies.

Agrasain Gehlot's son Anupam too had deposed before the agency in this case.

The ED action of last year came after it filed a criminal case under the PMLA based on a 2007-09 Customs department case where it was alleged that irregularities took place in the procurement and export of subsidised Muriate of Potash (MOP) meant for farmers and investigation in this case was finalised in 2013.

It took cognisance of the Customs FIR and a charge sheet (filed on July 13, 2020) in this case to press money laundering charges and probe a "smuggling syndicate" allegedly linked to Agrasain Gehlot, his firm Anupam Krishi and others.

The agency had said the case pertained to fraudulent export of MOP, a restricted commodity for exports, in the guise of industrial salts to buyers based in Malaysia and Taiwan.

Its export is restricted so that it is available to Indian farmers, they had said.

Agency sources said Agrasain Gehlot and his firm were slapped with over Rs 60 crore in penalities by the Customs for these alleged export irregularities in 2013.

It was alleged by ED sources that Gehlot's company allegedly "diverted" 35,000 metric tonnes of MOP that had a value of Rs 130 crore in the international market.

The ED claimed that Gehlot, in his capacity of being a dealer, was the custodian of the MOP and was "solely responsible" for its proper distribution to the farmers and his alleged connivance with a company Saraf Impex Pvt Ltd and others resulted in the diversion of MOP that was imported by Indian Potash Limited at concessional rate of duty.

(Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com)
Google is celebrating its 23rd birthday on September 27, 2021, i.e. on Monday. Like every other event that the search engine celebrates, Google has updated its doodle with the number 23 on a cake, along with some colourful toppings. The letters in the word Google are depicted through colourful party snacks with colourful toppings as well, and the 'L' in Google is substituted with a candle on the cake. While it is not seen to be moving at first, the Google birthday doodle is animated.

Google was found back in 1998, by Larry Page and Sergey Brin. The search engine was born as a research project by its founders who were doing research at Stanford University, California. However, very few people know that Page and Brin named their initial project Backrub. Later on, the search engine was named after the expression used to depict the number 1 followed by 100 zeros, signifying the founder's mission and vision to organise 'world's information and make it universally accessible and useful.'

Google Inc came into existence in 1998

It was only after funding from Silicon Valley investors that in 1998, Google Inc. was officially registered as a company. Google's first office was in a garage in Menlo Park, California, which surprisingly was owned by the current CEO of YouTube, Susan Wojcicki. In the early days, the office was equipped with big desktops, a bright blue carpet, and a ping pong table. Google's website even mentions that the tradition of keeping things colourful comes from here.

The first Google Doodle was made in the year 1998

The first Google doodle was made in the year 1998 itself. It was about a "stick figure in the logo announcing to site visitors that the entire staff was playing hooky at the Burning Man Festival", which was held in the Black Rock City in Nevada. Since then, the tradition of commemorating a significant event through a Google doodle has been going on. Most recently, users around the world have also seen interactive doodles from Google, including the one to celebrate Tokyo Olympics 2020.

Google was originally found on September 4, 2021

Google's 23rd birthday should technically be celebrated on September 4 every year, as that is the actual date when the company was found. However, it was after a few years when Google shifted the date to September 27 along with the announcement of an indexing record number of web pages. Currently, Sundar Pichai is the CEO of Google who took from Page on October 24, 2015. Additionally, the company went through a restructuring and announced Alphabet Inc as its parent company in 2015.
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is assisting Russia in its probe into the likely reasons for the International Space Station's (ISS) cracks and air leaks. At a panel discussion on Sunday, September 26, Paul Hill, a member of NASA's Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel, said the Lyndon B Johnson Space Center, the Langley Research Center, the panel itself, and the Boeing business are all undertaking engineering analyses of the problem. The Russian Rocket and Space Corporation Energia believes that constant air leaks on the ISS could be the result of welding mistakes committed three decades ago inside the Zarya and Zvezda modules, reported Sputnik. In September 2019, a minor air leak was discovered at the ISS. According to Russia's space agency Roscosmos, the crew subsequently located and patched cracks but air continues to leak. However, the leak poses no threat to anyone onboard the space station, it added.

Speaking to the news agency, Vladimir Soloviev, Energia's First Deputy General Designer, said that in an attempt to identify the source of air leaks, Russian cosmonauts will install highly sensitive vibration sensors within the Russian portion of the ISS. He also warned that fissures could expand in the near future. Earlier in the month of July, the Russian research module Nauka onboard the International Space Station had experienced a technical issue after it was accidentally reactivated. Seven crew members were thrown off their typical flight path as a result of the unexpected event. According to NASA, after losing control of the ISS trip for 45 minutes, the flight director had declared an emergency.

'The ISS to be decommissioned in 2024'

Back in 1998, NASA launched as many as 42 rockets to put the massive orbiting laboratory International Space Station into orbit. Since then, it has welcomed astronauts from over 19 countries on space missions. However, the International Space Station will be decommissioned soon, with no replacement planned by NASA. The ISS has been permitted to operate only until December 2024, according to Angela Hart, manager of NASA's Commercial Low Earth Orbit Program Office. After that, NASA's agreements with its international partners will expire, she said in a statement. It should be mentioned here that the International Space Station is a global collaboration project including five space agencies that include, NASA (USA), Roscosmos (Russia), CSA (Canada), ESA (Europe) and JAXA (Japan).

(Image: PTI/AP)
In a significant achievement, a group of researchers led by Germanys Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research (MPS) have produced the highest-resolution images of the craters in the Moons south pole. The polar regions of the Moon house craters and several depressions but have been not been studied much as they never receive sunlight. Interestingly, the scientists captured some of the craters in the region that was recently chosen by NASA for its upcoming Artemis mission.

The eternal night of permanently shadowed lunar regions has become a little less dark: Researchers from #MPSGoettingen, @UniofOxford and @NASAAmes have produced the highest resolution images of 17 such regions to date. Published today in @NatureComms. https://t.co/eqOr0KADHK https://t.co/SD28qjyW0G pic.twitter.com/R4FFuWG1Pw  Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research (@MPSGoettingen) September 23, 2021

Scientists capture 17 craters

According to a report by Phys.org, the team of researchers covered 17 craters in the Moons permanently shadowed regions (PSRs). They reportedly exploited the reflected sunlight from nearby hills and produced images using a novel image processing method. The scientists from MPS, the University of Oxford and the NASA Ames Research Center were faced with the challenge of obtaining images of the craters at high resolution. The photographs are vulnerable to too much noise owing to small amounts of light.

This challenge was overcome using a machine learning algorithm called HORUS (Hyper-effective nOise Removal U-net Software) to minimise noisy images. This algorithm reportedly used 70,000 calibration images taken by NASAs 2009 Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) from the Moons shadowed areas. Apart from this, scientists also gathered information about camera temperature and the spacecraft's trajectory to identify different features of the topography. This algorithm allowed the scientists to capture images in the resolution of 12 meters per pixel, which reportedly is five to ten times that of already obtained pictures.

However, scientists have stated that even the images do not provide evidence of frozen water in the said areas. As per MPS scientist Valentin Bickel, few targeted regions might be warmer than the others and evidence of lunar waters presence on the surface isnt clear. However, he added that the same could be hidden underground or mixed with dust.

NASAs quest to the lunar south pole

US Space Agency NASA announced last week that it has chosen Moon's south pole for deploying the Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover (VIPER) in 2023 under the Artemis mission. The rover will be assigned with the task to map the unexplored regions of the Moon and conclude if ice or any other potential resources exist in those areas. It will do so by examining an area of 93 square kilometres in the Nobile region and will collect samples from at least three drill locations.

(Image: @MOON4PIC/Twitter)
Theoneste Bagosora, a former Rwandan army colonel regarded as the architect of the 1994 genocide in which more than 800,000 ethnic Tutsi and Hutus who tried to protect them were killed, died in a hospital in Mali on Saturday.

His son Achille Bagosora announced the death in a Facebook post: Rest in Peace, Papa.

Bagosora was serving a 35-year sentence after being found guilty of crimes against humanity by the then-International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda.

Bagosora, 80, had been sentenced to life in 2008 but on appeal his sentence was reduced to 35 years in prison.

Known as a hardliner within the National Republican Movement for Democracy and Development party of Rwandan President Juvenal Habyarimana, Bagosora in 1993 was appointed cabinet director in the defense ministry and took control of military and political affairs in the country.

The position made him answerable only to the president.

When the president died in a plane crash, Bagosora took over the affairs of state and ordered the massacre of Tutsi, Donat Rutayisire, a genocide survivor who knew him, told The Associated Press.

After the genocide, Bagosora fled into exile in Cameroon. He was arrested there in 1996 and flown to face trial in Arusha, Tanzania in 1997. His trial began in 2002 and lasted until 2007.

IMAGE: AP

(Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com)
Gunmen in Nigeria on Sunday freed 10 students abducted in the northwest Kaduna state after collecting a ransom, a school official told The Associated Press.

The Rev. John Hayab said the students were released on Sunday afternoon, nearly three months after they were seized by the gunmen in Kaduna. Their release comes about a week after 10 of their other schoolmates were also released.

Eleven of the 121 students of the Bethel Baptist High School in Kaduna are still being held, Hayab said, expressing frustration at the refusal of the gunmen to release all the students at once.

If we have the power, we would have brought them, he told AP when asked why the gunmen held back 11 students. The bandits are the ones in control, we now have to play along softly and get our children back."

He was referring to the gunmen who have abducted at least 1,400 schoolchildren in Nigeria in the last year, according to the U.N. childrens agency.

Our anger is not with the bandits as it is with the government, because we cant have a government that is supposed to protect us and the bandits are having a field day. There is no day they have ever released one child for free, the official added.

In the wake of increasing school attacks in the northwest and central parts of Nigeria, some governors have temporarily shut down schools and imposed phone blackouts in their states as they struggle to contain security challenges in Africas most populous state.

The first mass school abduction in Nigeria was carried out by the Boko Haram extremist group in 2014. But the West African nation has witnessed more than 10 other attacks on schools in the last year, a sudden spike that authorities have blamed on outnumbered security operatives in remote communities where the affected schools are mostly located.

Nigerias President Muhammadu Buhari, who rode to power in 2015 on a wave of goodwill after promising to end the countrys security challenges, has come under growing pressure over the security crisis, especially regarding the gunmen abducting schoolchildren and the Boko Haram extremists.

Security analysts have told the AP the gunmen and the extremists might be working together.

(Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com)
While addressing the UN General Assembly, Mali Prime Minister Choguel Kokalla Maiga accused France of "abandoning" his conflict-ridden country by preparing a large troop drawdown. Maiga accused France of abandoning Mali with the "unilateral" decision to withdraw troops. He even slammed a lack of consultation by the French and added that his government was justified to seek other partners to boost security.

Maigas remarks at the UNGA comes after France, which has lost over 50 soldiers in the Sahel since it began engagements in 2013, decided to reorganise its military presence around a tighter unit centred on targeted strikes against jihadists leaders and on supporting local armies. The French soldiers are now due to leave some bases by the end of the year and the troops in Sahel are expected to fall from around 5,000 to 2,500 by 2023.

While speaking at a press briefing, Frances Defence Minister Florence Parly on Monday, 27 September 2021, reaffirmed that his nation was abandoning Mali. Parly even said that France remains determined to continue the fight against terrorism alongside the Malian forces.

Mali in talks with private Russian firm

However, as France announced the drawdown, Mali asked private Russian companies to boost security, Russias Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov confirmed on Saturday. During a press conference at the UN headquarters in New York, Lavrov said that the Malian government was turning towards private Russian companies. He added that this is an activity that has been carried out on a legitimate basis.

Further, Lavrov even said, We have nothing to do with that, adding that the Malian government estimated that its own capacities would be insufficient in the absence of external support and initiated the discussions.

Mali is in talks with a Russian private security firm The Wagner which is considered close to Russian President Vladimir Putin. On the sidelines of the UNGA, the European countries have warned the Malian government against hiring paramilitaries from the controversial group. It is worth mentioning that the UN has accused the Wagner contractors of committing abuses.

Germany, which also has troops in Mali, has reportedly warned the Malian government that it will reconsider its deployment should the administration strike a deal with Wagner. Separately, the European Union, which trains Malian troops, has also warned that Wagners involvement would seriously affect relations with Mali.

(Image: Facebook/AP)
Sudan's military thwarted a raid attempt by the Ethiopian troops along the Umm Barakit area in the Al-Fashqa border area. On Sunday, the Ethiopian forces allegedly tried to conduct incursions into the disputed territory when the Sudanese armed forces resisted the move and forces then to retreat, Al Jazeera reported. The incident took place amid the anti-coup demonstrations that broke out in Sudan following the coup attempt in Khartoum last week.

The Ethiopian incursion took place on Saturday, said General Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, Sudan Army Chief. "The armed forces repelled an incursion by Ethiopian troops and forced them to retreat," said Al-Taher Abu Haja, media advisor to Sudanese Armed Forces Chief told Anadolu Agency. He further added that the National army "will not allow the Ethiopian forces to enter Al-Fashqa after reclaiming the territory." However, the military spokesperson refused to provide further details owing to security reasons. Meanwhile, Sudanese Security Forces are engaged in an investigation into the plotters and participants of the failed coup that was supposed to be carried out in Khartoum.

Sudan foiled Coup attempt

The Sudanese coup d'etat was attempted to be carried out on 21 September by sympathisers of the ousted autocratic ruler Omar al-Bashir. At least 40 persons were linked to the coup attempt. Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok referred to the coup as the "latest manifestation of national crisis."

During a televised interview, Hamdok shed light on the details of the "extensive preparations" made by the plotters. He said, "The plotters showcased...security breakdown in cities... blocking of national roads, closure of ports and persistent instigation against the civilian government." The attempted revolt apparently began in one of the South Khartoum military camps.

As reported by Al Jazeera, the Sudanese authorities were tipped off about the security breach much before the plotters executed their plans, this helped the government to prepare and respond effectively. The announcement of the coup being successfully foiled was made by Sudan's information minister Hamza Baloul. He also informed about the restoration of order and subsequent arrests of the "perpetrators," including 11 prominent officers.

The tensions along the Sudan-Ethiopia border, which began in the 19th century over a dam filling on River Nile, escalated following the heightened conflicts in the Tigray region. The tensions are mostly focused on the area of Umm Barakit area of Al-Fashqa, which is fertile farmland. The current skirmishes have led large groups of migrants to flock to eastern Sudan in last year.

Image: AP (representative)
Sudan's Committee for Removal of Empowerment and Recovery of Public Funds on Sunday condemned the removal of security troops from 22 of the Committee's headquarters.

News agency ANI quoted Wajdi Saleh, a committee member, as saying, We have vowed to overthrow the regime of the National Islamic Front and we toppled it, and we vowed to dismantle the June 30 regime and restructure its security services and all its institutions, and we will not deviate from that."

Thousands of Sudan civilians assembled inside of the empowerment removal committee's headquarters in Khartoum on Sunday evening, promising to protect all the committee's locations from where Sudanese security forces withdrew abruptly. It should be mentioned here that the troop removal comes amid rising tensions between the transitional government's military and civilian allies.

Sudan's Empowerment Removal Committee has authority to deconstruct regime

Previously, the Committee was able to retrieve a number of enterprises, real estate, and large assets that had been controlled by former regime members and their associates. Sudan's Empowerment Removal Committee was created on 29 November 2019, by legislation enacted by the Sovereign Council and Council of Ministers. As per the legislation, the Committee has the authority to deconstruct the June 30 regime and de-empower the previous governing National Congress Party.

On 30 June 1989, Omar al-Bashir led a military coup that deposed Saddiq al-Mahdi's elected administration. In 2019, amidst widespread demonstrations, the Sudanese military on April 11 overthrew the previous Omar al-Bashir-led government.

Sudan-Ethiopia conflict

More recently, Sudanese soldiers stopped an Ethiopian raid attempt near the Umm Barakit region of the Al-Fashqa border area. Ethiopian soldiers allegedly sought to make incursions into the disputed region on Sunday, September 26, but Sudanese armed troops resisted, forcing Ethiopian personnel to return, Al Jazeera reported. The event occurred during anti-coup protests in Sudan, which erupted after a failed coup attempt in Khartoum last week.

The Ethiopian assault occurred on Saturday, according to Sudan Army Chief General Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan. Al-Taher Abu Haja, media advisor to the Sudanese Armed Forces chief said, "The armed forces repelled an incursion by Ethiopian troops and forced them to retreat." He further remarked that after recovering the region, the Ethiopian soldiers will not be allowed to reach Al-Fashqa. However, due to security concerns, the military spokesman refused to offer any further information. The Sudanese Security Forces are conducting an inquiry into conspirators and participants of the failed coup attempt in Khartoum.

(Image: AP/ Representative)
Amid criticism over poor climate record, Australian PM Scott Morrison has signalled that he may not attend the UNs landmark climate conference in November. In an interview with the West Australian newspaper, Morrison said that he had not made any final decisions on attending the COP26 Summit, suggesting it was a burden. He said that attending the conference meant another trip overseas, adding that he has spent a lot of time in quarantine.

Morrison told the media outlet that he would consider other priorities, including the reopening of Australias borders. He said that amid the coronavirus pandemic, he has to focus on things in his own country. The Australian PM added that the nation will be opening up around November and there will be a lot of issues to manage. I have to manage those competing demands, Morrison said.

It is worth mentioning that the COP26 Summit will be the biggest global climate crisis talks in years. According to the BBC, it is hoped that the 12-day meeting in Glasgow, Scotland, will produce the next emissions standards to slow global warming. Australia is one of 200 countries expected to present their 2030 emissions at the meet.

Even though Morrison may not attend the COP26 Summit, Foreign Minister Marise Payne said that if the Prime Minister plans not to attend the meet, there would still be senior-level representation at the meeting. Payne on Monday said that it wont be a no-show at the conference. Australia will be strongly represented at the conference no matter by which senior Australian representative and our commitment is very clear," she told the ABC News.

Criticism over slow climate progress

Meanwhile, Australia is one of the worlds top exporters of coal and gas. Morrison has said that he wishes the nation to achieve net-zero emissions as soon as possible. However, he has not yet outlined any measures to achieve the set goal. Morrison has even resisted committing to net-zero by 2050 - a goal already pledged by the United States, the United Kingdom and many other developed nations.

For its slow climate progress and heavy reliance on coal-fired power, Morrisons administration has been criticised repeatedly. But the Australian PM has consistently defended his climate policies as adequate. Moreover, Canberra has also staunchly been protective of its fossil fuel industry and has pledged to continue mining and trading dirty fuels as there is demand in Asia.

Previously, the United Nations had said that Australia is not on track to reach its Paris Agreement targets of 26-28 per cent on 2005 levels by 2030. Separately, a UN report had ranked Australia last out of 170 member nations for its response to climate change. Morrison was even criticised for downplaying the role of climate change when the nation experienced a catastrophic fire season.

(Image: AP)
Iceland briefly celebrated the crown of electing a female-majority parliament on Sunday. Earlier, the election results claimed that the women candidates got a 52% vote share in the recently concluded Parliamentary elections. However, after a recount in western Iceland, it has changed the figure by 47.6%. Initial results claimed that the female candidates won 33 out of 63 seats, however, after recounting, it has decreased to 30. Notably, on 25 September, Parliamentary elections were held in Iceland to elect the members of the Althing, the oldest surviving parliament in the world. According to a report by the Associated Press (AP), Prime Minister Katrin Jakobsdottir, who has been leading the three parties in the outgoing coalition government, won a total of 37 seats in the elections. In the last election, the coalition government had secured 35 seats. With the Sunday results, it might be possible that the 45-year-old Prime Minister would continue leading the country.

According to the Inter-Parliamentary Union, an international organisation of national parliaments, Iceland has recorded its name among few countries in Europe that have a majority of female lawmakers. It is worth noting Rwanda, a country in East Africa, has been leading the world with women making up 61 per cent of its Chamber of Deputies, while Cuba, Nicaragua and Mexico were narrowly over the 50 per cent mark. According to IPU, just over a quarter of legislators are women in the world. According to the poll results, women legislators have achieved the milestone despite the poor performance of the left parties in the recently concluded parliamentary elections. The poll results have shown that the female candidates are more often frontrunners.

'No longer acceptable to ignore gender equality'

Speaking to the Associated Press, Silja Bara Omarsdottir, a political professor at the University of Iceland, said that the recent achievement was a result of gender quotas implemented by left-leaning parties for the past decade. Now, it has created a new norm across Iceland's political spectrum, added Omarsdottir. "It is no longer acceptable to ignore gender equality when selecting candidates," she said. Though the opinion polls had predicted a majority for left-leaning parties, the actual results have shown a majority for the centre-right Independence Party.

The party has won sixteen seats of which seven were held by women. Meanwhile, the centrist Progressive Party celebrated the biggest gain, winning 13 seats, five more than last time. Unlike last time, this year, the politics professor said that climate change was the major election agenda in Iceland. According to Iceland's meteorological department, the country suffered an exceptionally warm summer this year, with 59 days of temperatures above 20 C (68 F) and shrinking glaciers have helped drive global warming up the political agenda.

(With inputs from AP)

(Image: AP)
After ruling out the possibility of giving formal recognition to the Taliban, Italian Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio said that the G20 will hold an extraordinary summit on Afghanistan in the coming weeks. Italy currently holds the rotating presidency of the Group of 20 and last week, it held a special meeting of G20 leaders on the sidelines of the UNGA summit in New York.

Emphasising that all necessary conditions were in place, Di Maio, on Sunday, said that a larger summit focussing on the Afghanistan crisis will take place soon.

The date has not been determined yet, but an extraordinary G20 summit on Afghanistan will happen in the coming weeks, Di Maio told the Italian broadcaster Rai3 and informed that the countrys Prime Minister Mario Draghi will chair the meeting.

The Italian Foreign Minister also said that G20 was committed to combating terrorism and protecting human rights. He said that during the previously held meeting, all members had agreed on strengthening the fight against terrorism, defending human rights and delivering humanitarian aid, especially to women and children. He also emphasised that major powers including Russia, China and Saudi Arabia must participate in the upcoming summit in order to iron out a plan to tackle the exacerbating crisis in Taliban controlled Afghanistan.

'Recognition of Taliban govt. impossible'

Rome, on Sunday, ruled out the possibility of recognising the Taliban government arguing that the administration consisted of 17 terrorists. Earlier this month, the Sunni Pashtun insurgent group formed a caretaker government in Afghanistan naming Mullah Hasan Akhund as its head. However, no country, including Pakistan, the UAE Saudi Arabia, have formally recognised the Taliban government yet.

Addressing reporters, Foreign Minister Di Maio emphasised that the Afghan residents, teetered with health and economic crisis, must receive humanitarian aid. Notably, the Talibs have held trillions of foreign aid on the countrys borders, while hundreds of cash strapped Afghans struggle to make ends meet.

Implying that financial instability could increase exodus to nearby countries, the Italian foreign minister said that they must prevent Afghanistan from implosion and uncontrolled flow of migrants that could destabilise the region.

(Image: AP)
After the Norwegian government abruptly announced to lift all the restrictions related to COVID-19, a large number of people on Saturday flocked to the streets, bars, restaurants and nightclubs to celebrate the uninterrupted movement in the country after such a long gap. The surprising decision announced by outgoing Prime Minister Erna Solberg to lift the restrictions that were invoked since the pandemic hit the country, caused chaotic scenes in the capital, Oslo, and elsewhere in the country. The police were seen struggling to deal with the people as several cases of violence were reported from bars and nightclubs.

"It has been 561 days since we introduced the toughest measures in Norway in peacetime," Solberg said on Friday at a news conference. "Now the time has come to return to a normal daily life."

According to police, noisy and disorderly celebrations started on Saturday afternoon after the Prime Minister announcement and lasted until the early hours of Sunday. They said the reports of violence were reported across the southern city since the announcement but the situation in the national capital deteriorated. Earlier, COVID vaccination status certificates or negative test results were required to enter public places in Norway. However, with the latest announcement, people are free to move anywhere in the country without any health documents. According to police, they registered at least 50 cases of fights and disturbances related to Oslos nightclubs, bars and restaurants.

"Thats exactly what I predicted would happen, angry nightclub manager Johan Hoeeg Haanes in Oslo told Norwegian newspaper VG. "It was a life-threatening situation in the city because they (government) didnt give us at least a few days advance notice. This was a dangerous situation, as police said all places were packed."

Nearly 70% of Norway population inoculated both COVID vaccine shots

Apart from celebration related cases, police also received an alert about a man carrying a machete on a bus in Oslo. Some people also reported cases of fainting while waiting to get into pubs in Trondheim. "There was a significantly greater workload (Saturday) than during the summer. There were a lot of people out already in the afternoon and it continued during the night," Oslo police spokesman Rune Hekkelstrand told the Norwegian public broadcaster NRK. It is worth noting that the Scandinavian country has become the second country in the Nordic region to lift coronavirus restrictions. Earlier, Denmark had lifted COVID restrictions on 10 September, this year. According to the Norway Health Department, more than 76% of the population received one vaccine dose, and nearly 70% have had both shots.

(With inputs from AP)

(Image: AP)
With 64.1 per cent of voters in favour of same-sex marriage, Switzerland on Sunday voted to legitimise the relationship of lakhs of couples who want to wedlock with the same sex. According to the official data, at least 26 cantons, or states were voted in favour of same-sex marriage during a referendum held on Sunday. With the latest development, Switzerland has joined Alpine nations that have allowed same-sex couples to get married and adopt children. Though the parliament and the governing Federal Council have already approved the amended law called- "Marriage for All", the opponent parties, which are majorly led by the right-wing Swiss People's Party (SVP), have forced the ruling party to hold a referendum. Notably, Switzerland has authorised same-sex civil partnerships since 2007.

Speaking to the Associated Press (AP), supporters said that the recent referendum result would pave the path of equal and respectable life of the same-sex partners. This would also help heterosexual couples to adopt children together and facilitating citizenship for same-sex spouses, said the supporters. With the latest result, lesbian couples would be eligible to utilise regulated sperm donation. Irrespective of referendum results, the right-wing group believes that the changes would undermine families based on a union between one man and one woman.

'Oppn indulged in malpractices during the same-sex marriage referendum'

Anna Leimgruber, who came to vote at a polling station in Geneva, said she cast her vote for "no" as she believed children need both mom and dad equally. However, Nicolas Dzierlatka, who voted in favour, said children need love not the parents of the opposite gender. "I think whats important for children is that they are loved and respected  and I think there are children who are not respected or loved in so-called hetero couples," he said. Meanwhile, the ruling party alleged the right-wing group leaders were seen indulged in malpractices as they ripped off the posters of the same-sex couples. They said the LGBT hotlines flooded with complaints where the callers said the opposition parties were hurting their sentiments with their intolerable acts. It is worth noting that most countries in Western Europe have already recognised same-sex marriage, while most of those in Central and Eastern Europe dont allow wedlock involving two men or two women.

(With inputs from AP)

(Image: AP)
Turkey is working with the UN's refugee agency to repatriate Syrians to their home country, the Turkish foreign minister said Sunday.

His comments are at odds with the UNHCR's overall policy towards returning migrants to Syria, a country that it still considers too dangerous to send refugees back to.

"We are now receiving better support from the international community for the safe return and repatriation of refugees, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said. We are working to repatriate refugees, especially in Syria, especially with the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees."

A spokesperson for the UNHCR in Turkey did not immediately respond to Cavusoglu's remarks. The agency opposes forced repatriation but has previously negotiated with Turkey over allowing voluntary returns to Syria.

Turkey holds the world's largest refugee population while Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq also hold significant numbers of Syrians.

Cavusoglu was speaking at a ceremony in the southern province of Antalya followed a visit to Turkey days earlier by UNHCR chief Filippo Grandi, during which he met Cavusoglu and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Grandi thanked Turkey for hosting 3.7 million Syrians and 330,000 other refugees and asylum-seekers, mostly Afghans.

Cavusoglu said the international community must work together to resolve migration.

It's not right to look at this from a security standpoint, he said. It's wrong to look at it in a racist and fascist way. On the other hand, if it is a social problem, it is necessary to evaluate it calmly together and find a solution by producing new policies. In 2016, Turkey signed a deal with the European Union to keep Syrians from moving to Europe in return for funding after more than 1 million migrants from Syria and elsewhere entered the 27-nation bloc in 2015.
Warplanes attacked Turkey-backed opposition fighters in northern Syria on Sunday, killing and wounding about 20, an opposition war monitor and pro-government media said.

The airstrike struck a position in an area near the town of Afrin. It came amid increasing tensions between government forces and insurgent groups who still have a stronghold in northwestern Syria, mainly in the province of Idlib.

The Sunday morning airstrike was carried out by Russian warplanes, opposition activists said.

The airstrike hit a center for a Turkey-backed group known as the Hamza Division killing seven fighters and wounding 13, according to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

Pro-government media also reported Russian airstrikes near Afrin saying that a number of gunmen were killed or wounded.

Russia joined the war in September 2015 helping tip the balance of power in favor of President Bashar Assads forces while Turkey has been a main backer of the opposition.

Syrias conflict that broke out in March 2011 has left hundreds of thousands dead and displaced half the countrys pre-war population of 23 million, including more than 5 million refugees outside the war-torn nation.

On Friday, United Nations human rights chief Michelle Bachelet said her office has documented the deaths of 350,209 people  civilians and combatants  in Syrias civil war. She said the real number is almost certainly far higher.

(Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com)
On the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett met with Bahraini Foreign Minister Dr Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani and UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Khalifa Shaheen Almarar.

"I'm overjoyed to finally meet you. I thought it was necessary that we gather to commemorate the year of the Abraham Accords, which is significant to us," Bennett's statements were published in a statement on the Prime Minister's Office website.

During their discussion, Bennett stated that Israel aspires to improve and expand its ties with the UAE and Bahrain in all sectors, and that he hopes more nations in the region will "join the circle of peace."

Bennett also informed Al Zayani and Almarar that he met with Jordan's King and Egypt's President, both of whom expressed pleasure with Israel, Bahrain, and UAE's relationship. Sputnik quoted the statement from Bennett's office which said, "We are steady and we believe in this relationship, and we want to develop it as much as possible."

Israel has hailed its new diplomatic ties with the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, which were facilitated by US last year as a help to build a regional bulwark against their common nemesis, Iran.

Bennett slams Iran, ignores Palestine in UN speech

Israel's new Prime Minister urged the international community to unite against Iran on September 25, accusing Iran of moving closer to developing a nuclear bomb and threatening to act alone if the world did not act, AP reported. Iran claims it has no plans to develop nuclear weapons. It has reportedly been in talks with foreign powers to resurrect a 2015 agreement that restricted its uranium enrichment in exchange for the removal of economic sanctions.

Naftali Bennett made no mention of Israel's decades-long war with Palestine in his first speech to the United Nations General Assembly. Instead, he attempted to depict Iran as a threat to world security.

Bennett succeeded longstanding Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in June by creating a broad coalition of small and midsize parties spanning the Israeli political spectrum, following four indecisive elections in two years.

(With inputs from Sputnik & AP)

Image: AP
Amid surge in COVID-19 infections in Syria, the hospital in the various parts of the country have reached its capacity. As per reports, due to the rise in the number of COVID patients getting admitted to the hospital, Syria's capital Damascus and the Latakia province have reached capacity. With this development, the health authorities have now started shifting patients from Damascus, reported Syrian Arab News Agency.

Dr Tawfiq Hasaba, Director of Readiness, Ambulance and Emergency Department at the Health Ministry told Syrian Arab News Agency that due to the rise in hospital admissions, health officials have started shifting patients from Damascus and Latakia. Hasaba added that health authorities are preparing Dummar Hospital to receive COVID patients transferred from hospitals of other regions. He revealed that intensive care units (ICU) for coronavirus patients are full at Damascus and Latakia.

Health officials informed that the patients from Damascus have been transferred to Homs. Hasaba asserted that health officials are making efforts to overcome the current wave of COVID. Moreover, he noted that no infection has been detected among patients in hospitals who have received the coronavirus vaccine.

COVID-19: Syria cumulative count and an 'alarming' surge in Idlib

According to the Syrian Health Ministry, as on 27 September, the country reported 393 new COVID cases and nine fatalities due to COVID, reported Syrian Arab News Agency. The overall tally of COVID-19 cases in Syria has reached 32,973, while 23,528 have recovered from the virus. So far, the total number of fatalities reported due to COVID has reached 2,207.

Last week, there were reports that Idlib in Syria has been witnessing an alarming surge in COVID infections. The COVID cases have more than doubled since the beginning of August in Idlib province which has a population of nearly 4 million, according to The Associated Press. Rescue workers known as the White Helmets have been now taking coronavirus patients to the hospital or the dead to burials. According to AP, hospitals and health centres have been bombed in Idlib before the pandemic and health officials have fled the country seeking better opportunities.

(Image: AP)

(Inputs from AP)
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan recently said that he wants the US to withdraw its troops from other countries in the region similar to how it pulled out of Afghanistan. In a televised interview with CBS, Erdogan specifically named Syria and Iraq as the two nations where Washington should end its military presence. He suggested that such a move would promote peace in the region.

Erdogan said, Of course, if I have the choice I would, I would want them to get out of Syria and Iraq. Just like the way they have withdrawn from Afghanistan. Because if we are going to service peace around the world, it's no longer meaningful to remain in those parts of the world. We can just leave those people, leave those administrations to make up their own minds.

When asked whether he ever raised the issue of a possible withdrawal from Syria with his US counterpart Joe Biden, Erdogan said that he never asked POTUS about this when they met in Brussels. He added that he and Biden mostly focused on Afghanistan in their conversations.

Turkey hopes to work collectively with US, Russia, Iran

Further, when the interviewee asked Erdogan if Turkey would intercede into Syria and if it would guarantee that human rights would be protected, the Turkish president said that firstly, Turkey would never remain where it is not wanted. We will never be present where we are not welcome, he said. Erdogan added that in Syria, Turkey is currently building 100,000 units of brick homes for people and families that were displaced and were kicked out of their motherland.

He also went on to say, I hope that the United States, Russia, Iran, Turkey, both in Syria and Iraq, we can work together collectively for the peace of the people in those parts of the world.

It is worth mentioning US troops are still deployed in Iran, despite several attempts to pull them out since the start of the US offensive against the nation, and in Syria. The Syrian government calls the presence of the US military and its involvement in the extraction and export of its natural resources illegal. Meanwhile, the US and other NATO countries withdrew from Afghanistan by the end of August after Biden announced the plans to end the almost 20-year war in the war-torn nation. Observers had described the withdrawal as chaotic as many Afghan civilians who helped the alliance remained abandoned in the country seized by the Taliban.

(Image: AP)




Turkey President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said that Ankara will work with the Taliban if they are recognised globally as the new rulers of Afghanistan. In conversation with CBS News, Erdogan said that Turkey will work with the Taliban government only if women are included in its cabinet of ministers. However, the plan would be shelved if the Taliban is not recognised by the international community.

Turkeys approach towards women is quite well-known: women are present in every aspect of life. Our views would apply to Afghanistan as well. Whenever women become more involved, more active in every aspect of life, we can support them if they would need us in healthcare, security and other walks of life, he said in the televised interview.

If they will be accepted and recognized we can do business, but if not, we wont do business with them, he added.

Erdogans latest remarks came as Turkey had been planning to carry operations at Kabul airport. Meanwhile, the Foreign Ministry of the caretaker cabinet in Afghanistan said in a statement on September 27 that all the technical glitches at Kabul airport have been resolved. The ministry also asked the international airlines to resume their flight services. Turkey also withdrew its forces along with NATO as the United States ended Americas longest war.

Erdogan calls for an inclusive govt in Afghanistan

While Turkey had been planning to help, secure and run the Kabul airport that appeared to fall to pieces when the Taliban took over the country after two long decades, Erdogan has called for an inclusive government to be formed by the Taliban. Previously, Recep Tayyip Erdogan also appeared to pull out from the plan of managing the airport in Afghanistans capital.

The Turkish President said, "The government in Afghanistan is not inclusive, is not embracing all different factions. So long as that will be the question we wont be present in Afghanistan, but if the government shall be more inclusive, we can be there, present, as Turkey."

Erdogan even discussed Turkeys management of Kabul airport with US President Joe Biden during their first meeting back in June.

IMAGE: AP
The Baloch Republican Army on Sunday destroyed a statue of Pakistan's founding father Muhammad Ali Jinnah in a bomb attack in Pakistan's Gwadar. The Baloch Republican Army informed in an official statement that some of its activists destroyed Jinnah's statue at Marine Drive in Gwadar with explosives. Claiming responsibility for the attack, the Baloch activists also hit out at Pakistan for portraying Muhammad Ali Jinnah as a 'hero'.

Gwadar's Deputy Commissioner Major (retired) Abdul Kabir informed that the Baloch activists who blew up Jinnah's statue had disguised themselves as tourists to gain access to the area. The attack took place on Sunday around 9.20 am. Authorities have started an investigation into the attack, but no arrests have been made so far, Kabir informed.

Jinnah's statue was installed in a high-security zone near the residence of a General Officer Commanding (GOC) and the office of the Deputy Inspector General in June 2021.

'Jinnah an agent of British imperialism': Baloch Republican Army

After the incident, many Pakistanis have expressed their anger and slammed the Balochistan Republican Army. This comes as retaliation from Baloch activists who have repeatedly alleged human rights violations and atrocities being committed by Pakistan in Balochistan.

Meanwhile, an official statement by the Balochistan Republican Army criticised Muhammad Ali Jinnah for occupying and encroaching the Baloch land. In addition, they alleged that Jinnah was an agent of British imperialism involved in 'cunning politics'. The statement also adds that Pakistan's Army invaded Balochistan.

"We accept the responsibility for blowing up the statue of Muhammad Ali Jinnah, installed on Marine Drive, Gawadar. This morning, our Sarmachars destroyed with explosives the statue of Muhammad Ali Jinnah, an agent of British imperialism, in Marine Drive, Gwadar. Beebagr Baloch," a statement by the spokesperson of Baloch Republican Army informed. "The way Muhammad Ali Jinnah occupied and encroached the independence of Baloch land with deception on 27 March 1948 with occupying Pakistani army, Baloch nation views the life of Jinnah with hatred and contempt because of his cunning politics," the statement added.

The Baloch spokesperson further stated that Jinnah was appointed by Khan Baloch as his lawyer to fight the case against British imperialism for the geographical status of the independent Baloch state. He criticised and asserted that Jinnah forcefully incorporated Balochistan into the 'newborn Pakistan'.

"Muhammad Ali Jinnah was appointed by Khan Baloch as his lawyer to fight the case against the British imperialism for the geographical status of the independent Baloch state, but this deceitful man ended the independent status of Balochistan by invading the Baloch homeland with the army of Pakistan, a country established by the British Empire, a year ago, and forcefully incorporated Balochistan into the unnatural newborn Pakistan. Since then, Muhammad Ali Jinnah is remembered as a deceitful and cunning ruler in Balochistan," the Baloch spokesperon said.

Baloch Army hits out at Pakistan over CPEC

In the official statement, the Baloch Republican Army spokesperson also remarked that Pakistan was trying to present Muhammad Ali Jinnah as a hero in front of Baloch generations. Rejecting Pakistan's 'propaganda', the Baloch spokesperson added that children are well aware of Pakistan's "insidious curriculum and the reality of Jinnah."

"The way Pakistan is trying to present Muhammad Ali Jinnah as a hero in front of our generations in its false curriculum, Baloch children are well aware of such insidious curriculum and the reality of Jinnah because this generation is growing up in a turbulent time where the external enemy has made its homeland a no-go area for the natives," the spokesperson said.

He also came down heavily on Pakistan over the ChinaPakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project of which Gwadar Port is a part. The Baloch Republican Army has vowed to resist Pakistan till the independence of Balochistan.
Several Afghan traders have accused Pakistan's government of obstructing the Chaman-Boldak transit route. According to local media reports, attacks on Pakistani security stations near the Afghan border have intensified since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan. Despite Pakistani authorities' claims that the Pak-Afghan border was completely safe, instability on the Afghan side appeared to be infiltrating Pakistan. The traders demanded that the relevant authorities find an urgent solution to the challenges alongside the so-called Durand Line's crossing points, reported news agency ANI citing The Afghanistan Times. An Afghan dealer claimed that Pakistan opens the gates for a limited time and with various limitations. While threatening to halt all business activities, he said that the neighbouring country allows imports and exports but disallows transit of goods, reported The Afghanistan Times.

Meanwhile, the governor of southern Kandahar province, Haji Mohammad Yusuf Wafa, acknowledged the issues raised by the Afghan traders and indicated that he has discussed the issue with Pakistani authorities. After the Taliban's takeover in Afghanistan, Pakistan had temporarily closed the Chaman border with the war-ravaged country citing security concerns. Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid had stated that Imran Khan-led Pakistan government wants peace and stability in Afghanistan and due to "some concerns" the border at Chaman has been closed, reported ANI quoting The Express Tribune. According to a report, since the Taliban's hostile takeover of Afghanistan, pedestrian traffic through Pakistan's Chaman border crossing had increased significantly.

Afghanistan's business sector urges United States to release its frozen assets

It should be mentioned here that earlier this month, Afghanistan's business sector had urged the United States to release its frozen assets. In a news conference in Kabul, the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment (ACCI) and the Afghanistan Chamber of Mines and Industry (ACMI) warned of economic collapse unless the country's frozen deposits are freed, according to Tolo News. Private sector representatives condemned the freeze of Afghanistan's reserve by the US as a violation of humanitarian law, and they urged the United Nations to defend the rights of Afghans in addition to the work it is doing to attract humanitarian aid to the country. Meanwhile, the Taliban's announcement of a non-inclusive interim administration has drawn international condemnation. Governments worldwide have declared that they will not accept Afghanistan's new authorities until the country has a more inclusive government in place.

Image: ANI/AP
In his speech last week to open the U.N. General Assembly, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres bracketed Myanmar with Afghanistan and Ethiopia as nations for whose people peace and stability remain a distant dream.

He declared unwavering support for the people of the turbulent, military-ruled Southeast Asia state in their pursuit of democracy, peace, human rights and the rule of law.

But the situation in Myanmar after the armys seizure of power eight months ago has become an extended bloody conflict with ever-escalating violence. Yet the U.N. is unlikely to take any meaningful action against Myanmar's new rulers because they have the support of China and Russia.

When Myanmars army ousted the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi, it claimed with scant evidence that the general election her party won last November in a landslide was marred by massive voting fraud. The takeover almost immediately sparked widespread street protests that security forces tried to crush. Since then, the pushback has become violent.

The militarys iron grip on power faces resistance from large segments of the society. Weapons of war continue to be deployed in towns and cities to suppress opposition, Michelle Bachelet, U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, said in a statement Thursday. These disturbing trends suggest the alarming possibility of an escalating civil war.

Human rights groups have cataloged many abuses by government forces, including the use of deadly force against peaceful civilian protesters and forced disappearances. But the armys foes have also turned to terror, as even its sympathizers admit. Local administrators who refuse to abandon their posts are targeted for assassination, as are civilians tagged as informers.

Sabotage and assassinations, these are not the norms in civilized society, Mon Yee Kyaw, executive director of the Myanmar-based Nyan Lynn Thit Analytica think tank, said in an email interview. But due to the violence perpetrated by the military, tactics of bombings and assassination were adopted as defensive measures, she said from Thailand, where she is currently located.

People believe unquestionably that they need to take actions to vanquish the military before the monster kills the people, she said.

The stakes are big, warns the U.N.s Bachelet. The national consequences are terrible and tragic. The regional consequences could also be profound, she said. The international community must redouble its efforts to restore democracy and prevent wider conflict before it is too late.

But there is at least one major impediment to prospective U.N. action, which could include such measures as a comprehensive arms embargo. China and Russia are among the top arms suppliers to Myanmar, as well as ideologically sympathetic to its ruling military. Both are members of the Security Council, and would almost certainly veto any effort by the U.N. to impose a coordinated arms embargo, or anything beyond an anodyne call for peace.

Myanmar opposition forces have one small consolation. It has been reported that the General Assemblys Credentials Committee, which each session goes through the formality of approving each countrys permanent representative, will temporarily put off its decision on Myanmars permanent representative.

The current envoy, Ambassador Kyaw Moe Tun, switched his allegiance soon after Februarys takeover to the oppositions underground National Unity Government, which styles itself as the legitimate alternative to the ruling generals. For at least a couple of months, he appears likely to keep his seat  or at least deny it to an appointee of the military government.

It is a rare feather in the diplomatic cap of the shadow government, which has not been recognized by any nation, but it reportedly comes at the cost of the envoy remaining silent during discussions in the world body, including Monday's scheduled opportunity to speak for his nation.

Countries sympathetic to the opposition, such as the United States and Britain, have enacted diplomatic and economic sanctions that pose a major inconvenience to the ruling generals. But pleas for more decisive intervention, such as under the humanitarian doctrine of right to protect, long ago fell on deaf ears.

The peaceful protests in cities and towns across Myanmar that began in February were met with deadly force by the security forces. To date, more than 1,100 individuals have been killed, according to the U.N.s Bachelet and human rights groups.

Consequently, protesters started wielding simple homemade weapons and then organizing themselves into local militias that they called "peoples defense forces." While these groups were established mainly to defend localities against government attacks, some became more proactive, engaging in assassinations and bombings of government offices and commercial enterprises with ties to the military.

The National Unity Government aspires to forge them into an army. It also has established alliances with militias established by ethnic minority groups in the border regions where they are dominant. Most of these ethnic armed organizations have been fighting the central government for greater autonomy on and off over decades.

With up to 70 years of combat experience, groups such as the Kachin in the north and the Karen in the east have the potential to put extra pressure on the government. Some also provide military training for militants and safe havens for opposition leaders.

The National Unity Government set the stage for an escalation of violence when, on Sept. 7, it called for a nationwide uprising, declaring a peoples defensive war.

Its hard to say if it will be productive and what the long-term consequences might be, Christina Fink, a professor of International Affairs at George Washington University in Washington, D.C, said by email.

The regime certainly has the advantage in terms of military expertise, weapons, equipment, and manpower," Fink said. "The military is suffering from the resistance, but whether these tactics will result in the military conceding is not clear.

She and other observers point out that the opposition continues to apply nonviolent pressure as well, such as refusing to pay electricity bills, which denies the regime much-needed cash.

Resistance comes in different forms and shapes throughout Myanmar, said Aung Kyaw Moe, executive director of Myanmars Center for Social Integrity, which promotes pluralism, diversity and inclusion.

The juntas troops are fighting because troops have to follow a chain of command, and the peoples defense force members are fighting because they want to defend the democracy from dictatorship, he said.

The army has failed to prevail so far because so many people are willing to lose everything in order to overcome military rule, Fink said. Their anger and hatred of the military is incredibly deep.

This is because the election results so clearly demonstrated the peoples will, and the military took that away; because people equate military rule with going backwards economically, politically, and socially; and because the military has acted so brutally toward civilians, including children, and people have not just heard about this but seen graphic images documenting this on social media.

(Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com)
Former Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani on Monday, September 27, announced that his Facebook account has been hacked. He informed about the hacking of his Facebook account on Twitter after a post for recognition of the Taliban government was shared on his Facebook page, ANI cited Sputnik report. The statement on Facebook included urging the international community to recognise the Taliban and unfreezing Afghan assets.

Former Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani Facebook page hacked

Informing about the hacking of the Facebook account, Ghani tweeted, "The official Facebook page of Dr Mohammad Ashraf Ghani has been hacked. Until it is retrieved, the content published from yesterday onwards on the Facebook page is no longer valid[sic]." A post was reportedly shared on Ashraf Ghani's Facebook page at 12.15 pm, reported Business Insider. The post reportedly urged the international community to talk with the current Taliban government in Afghanistan.



        .                 .  Ashraf Ghani (@ashrafghani) September 27, 2021

As the Taliban re-conquered Kabul after taking control of several other provinces, former Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani on August 15 fled Afghanistan. Later, it was reported that that Ghani had landed in the United Arab Emirates on humanitarian grounds. After fleeing Afghanistan, Ashraf Ghani had posted a video on his Facebook page in which he had revealed that he left the country as the Taliban breached the capital city Kabul, in order to prevent "bloodshed".

On August 15, the Taliban re-conquered the capital city of Kabul after capturing major cities like Kandahar and Herat. Panic and chaotic scenes were witnessed at Kabul Airport as people tried to leave the war-ravaged nation. Later on September 7, the Taliban announced the government of the 'Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,' naming Mullah Mohammad Hasan Akhund, as its interim Prime Minister. He has Taliban co-founder Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar as his deputy.

Even though the Taliban had promised an inclusive government, but the cabinet did not include a single woman. On September 21, the Taliban expanded their cabinet as they included new ministers in the government. The Taliban authorities once more did not include a single woman in their cabinet. After taking control of Afghanistan, the Taliban caretaker government has been imposing new rules in the country.

(With inputs from AP)

(Image: AP)
Iran has failed to comply with the agreement struck with International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) two weeks ago on servicing monitoring cameras to avert a nuclear deal crisis, the UN nuclear watchdog has said in a statement on Sunday, Sept. 26. While the Islamic Republic permitted the agency to install the surveillance equipment in other major facilities, it failed to provide IAEA access to the TESA Karaj centrifuge component manufacturing to replace the camera, the nuclear watchdog said.

The (IAEA) Director General (Rafael Grossi) stresses that Irans decision not to allow Agency access to the TESA Karaj centrifuge component manufacturing workshop is contrary to the agreed terms of the Joint Statement issued on 12 September, the IAEA said in the statement issued early on Sunday.

Iran had agreed to allow the IAEA to service monitoring cameras at the Iranian nuclear sites after a meeting was held on Sept. 12 between International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief Rafael Grossi, and Mohammad Eslami, who heads the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI). The IAEA Director Grossi, however, had called the deal a stopgap, adding that the measure will allow time for diplomacy in the 2015 JCPOA talks. "This cannot be a permanent solution," Grossi told reporters after holding the talks reportedly facilitated by Russia. "If you ask me how many months, how many days, it's difficult for me to say. But I don't see this as a long-term prospect."

"We agreed over the replacement of the memory cards of the agency's cameras," Islami had informed a state press briefing. "IAEA's inspectors are permitted to service the identified equipment and replace their storage media, which will be kept under the joint IAEA and AEOI seals in the Islamic Republic of Iran," the nuclear bodies emphasized in a joint statement.

[Head of Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, Mohammad Eslami, center, speaks during a joint press briefing with Director General of International Atomic Energy Agency, IAEA, Rafael Mariano Grossi, second right, in Tehran, Iran. Credit: AP]

[Director General of International Atomic Energy Agency, IAEA, Rafael Mariano Grossi, center, speaks with Deputy Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, Behrouz Kamalvandi. Credit: AP]

Agreement 'to give space for diplomacy'

Grossi had also told reporters at Vienna airport ahead of his return that the agreement reached with Iran was intended to "give space for diplomacy so that wider solutions can be reached. The consensus was reached between Iran and IAEA ahead of the 13-17 September meeting on JCPOA negotiations of the IAEA's 35-nation board of governors with P5+1 to push for a resolution to restore the Iran Nuclear Deal.

Iran, which currently holds all the recordings at its nuclear sites, had permitted the IAEA to record activity at some of its critical nuclear facilities. In May 2021, although, Irans parliament speaker announced that the UN nuclear watchdog and the international inspectors can no longer access surveillance images after the negotiations on JCPOA hit the deadlock.

Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf told the Iranian state TV that the window of negotiation with the US and other Western powers had narrowed amid escalating tensions during the diplomatic effort in Vienna and that the IAEA will not have the right to access to nuclear site images from May 22. In apparent sabotage in June, one of four IAEA cameras at a major Iranian nuclear plant was also destroyed. Irans Parliament in December, last year, had passed legislation in the parliament that would suspend UN inspections of its nuclear facilities if European signatories did not agree to lift banking sanctions by February 2021. The IAEA had then managed to strike a three-month deal in order to hold Iran from executing the threat of deleting all surveillance images.
Irans hardliner President Ebrahim Raisi has said that his administration seeks cooperation with all countries based on mutual respect. On Sunday, Raisi received credentials of Britain's new Ambassador to Iran Simon Shercliff and asked him to reflect and convey the facts that he sees in Iran correctly and realistically to the UK". Additionally, he also emphasized that the west and Europe should view Iran as an independent country.

The Islamic Republic of Iran wants to establish cooperation and interaction with all countries, but this cooperation must be based on mutual respect and taking into account the interests of nations, and the hegemonic current and the system of domination should not overshadow these relations, Raisi said. Our country is truly independent and our independence is not just a claim. Given your good knowledge of Persian, you should explain the true meaning of these words in Iran to your government officials, he added.

In an indirect slander of its regional adversary Israel, the hardliner asserted that Iranians were freedom-seeking and would never succumb to coercion and bullying. Calling for mutual respect from other states, Raisi emphasised that the Islamic Republic does not accept anything that is against the right.

'Human rights have become weapons

Additionally, Raisi regretted that in the present scenario, human rights have become a political weapon for slandering rival powers. "We feel responsible to respect human rights based on their views and religious beliefs, and you know how many of those who claim to support human rights treat their nation, he said. While Raisi stopped short of naming Israel, it is worth mentioning that the International Criminal Court recently opened a probe into the zionist regimes violation of human rights in Palestinian territory.

This comes days after Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, addressing the UNGA, not only slammed the US sanctions as a mechanism of war but also denounced Israel as the largest sponsor of state terrorism, whose agenda is to slaughter women and children in Gaza and the West Bank. The Conservative Iranian President delivered a far more critical and blunt stance on the United States foreign policy than his predecessor, Hassan Rouhani. As per The Associated Press report, Raisis speech to the 76th UN General Assembly session espoused Irans Islamic political identity and where the Shiite-led nation views itself globally.

Image: AP
Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, on Sunday, held meetings with the Foreign Ministers of UAE and Bahrain and told them that Israels original Arab peace partners-Egypt and Jordan-support the Abraham Accords. Signed in September 2020, the historic pact normalised Israels ties with both Arab states. Notably, Egypt (1979) and Jordan (1994) were the first Arab states to normalise their relationship with Israel following the Arab-Israel wars in 1948.

Meanwhile, hosting Khalifa al-Marar and Abdullatif Al Zayani at his hotel room in New York, Bennett assured that Israel wanted to continue the pact. First of all, I want to tell you that I met the king of Jordan and the president of Egypt, and theyre of course delighted with the ensuing relationship between our countries, and I want to assure you of continuity, Bennett said adding, Were stable and we believe in this relationship and we want to expand it as much as possible.

The much-vaunted Abraham Accords normalises Israel's relations with UAE and Bahrain and encompasses ways to enhance partnership in the form of tourism, direct flights, scientific cooperation and, in time, establish full embassy-level diplomatic ties. The deal was brokered by former US President Donald Trump, a staunch supporter of Israeli claims over the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. In August, Trump first proposed the peace agreement between his three great friends. Almost a month later, on September 15, Trump was joined by the then Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and foreign ministers of the UAE and Bahrain at the White House to ink the historic Abraham Accord. While both UAE and Bahrain had never supported or opposed the Palestinian cause, Israel had openly announced a claim over the Palestinian held land.

Origins

Abraham Accord was named to honour the patriarch of three major Abrahamic religions - Christianity, Islam and Judaism. Since the creation of the State of Israel in 1948 and the exodus of more than 7.5 lakh Palestinians from the area, there have only been two peace agreements brokered between Israel and other Arab countries. Other notable mentions include Lebanon, 1982; Arab Peace Initiative, 2002; Libya, 2004; and Syria in 1990 and 2010. These pacts have been problematic because peace was not maintained, and border skirmishes or war broke out after signing the treaty.

Image: AP/MOFAIC.GOV.AE

(With inputs from AP)
Biplab Deb Sparks Row With dont Fear Contempt Of Court' Comment; TMC Seeks Action

Stirring yet another controversy, Tripura CM Biplab Deb on Sunday, urged govt officers to implement orders without fearing contempt of court. Flaunting that the CM controlled the police, he assured that he will protect those implementing orders from imprisonment by skirting contempt. Tripura is set to go to polls in February 2022.

Read more here

'Matter Of Right': CJI Ramana Says India Needs 50% Women Representation In Judiciary

Chief Justice of India NV Ramana on Sunday encouraged women lawyers to strongly raise their voice for 50% reservation on all levels of the judiciary and assured "total support" in their demand for similar measures in law colleges across the country.

Read more here

Bharat Bandh: Farmers Block Highways, Ghazipur Border To Mark 1st Anniversary Of Farm Laws

Following the Bharat Bandh demonstration called by Sanyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), the protesting farmers blocked the Shambhu border (Punjab-Haryana border), Delhi-Amritsar National Highway, and Ghazipur border on Monday morning. Taking to Twitter, the Kisan Ekta Morcha announced the participation of 100+ organisations while ensuring 'none of the emergency establishments & services will be hampered'. The shutdown has been called to push for the repeal of three agriculture laws formulated by the Central government.

Read more here

Ex-Congress Colleagues Tewari, Chaturvedi Wish Jitin Prasada On Getting UP Cabinet Post

Reacting to Jitin Prasada's inclusion into the UP cabinet, his ex-colleagues - Congress MP Manish Tewari and Shiv Sena MP Priyanka Chaturvedi on Sunday, congratulated him. Wondering what turned him towards the BJP, Tewari pointed out that Prasada represented a generational change in Congress from 2004-2014, like Jyotiraditya Scindia. 7 new ministers were inducted into the UP cabinet months ahead of 2022 state elections.

Read more here

Bharat Bandh: Delhi Police Shuts Down Traffic Movement From UP Towards Ghazipur

Considering the call for Bharat Bandh today, September 27, Delhi Traffic Police informed that the traffic movement from Uttar Pradesh to Ghazipur has been closed. A coalition of farmers' unions, led by Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), has called for a nationwide strike that will be observed from 6 am to 4 pm on September 27, to mark the first anniversary of the implementation of three farm laws.

Read more here

Baloch Republican Army Destroy Muhammad Ali Jinnah's Statue In Bomb Attack In Pakistan

The Baloch Republican Army on Sunday destroyed a statue of Pakistan's founding father Muhammad Ali Jinnah in a bomb attack in Pakistan's Gwadar. The Baloch Republican Army informed in an official statement that some of its activists destroyed Jinnah's statue at Marine Drive in Gwadar with explosives. Claiming responsibility for the attack, the Baloch activists also hit out at Pakistan for portraying Muhammad Ali Jinnah as a 'hero'.

Read more here

TMC Gearing Up For Goa Elections 2022; Eyes UP, Haryana And Gujarat Next

After a thumping victory in the West Bengal assembly election, the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress (TMC) is now gearing up for political opportunities outside West Bengal. TMC general secretary and Mamata Banerjee's nephew Abhishek Banerjee on Sunday said the party will enter the election fray in Goa in the coming days. Addressing a public meeting in Bhabanipur, which is set for the bypolls, Banerjee asserted that only 'TMC has the courage to fight on the street and take the issues forward'.

Read more here

India's Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) Probe, Planned For 6 Months, Completes 7 Years In Orbit

Mangalyaan, also known as the Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) has completed 7 years in orbit. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) had successfully inserted the Mangalyaan into orbit on September 24, 2014, in its first attempt. The spacecraft which was initially planned just for six months was ISRO's maiden interplanetary mission. On September 24, 2021, MOM completed 7 years in orbit and is expected to have a mission life of another year.

Read more here

Twitter Removes Blue Verification Badge From Taliban-operated Afghan Ministries' Accounts

In a sweeping measure to snub prospects of Taliban assuming an official voice, the American social media giant Twitter on Sunday scrapped the blue verification checkmarks from the accounts of several Afghanistans official ministries accounts, Kabuls Pajhwok news agency first reported. After the ouster of the ex-Afghan President Ashraf Ghanis administration and Taliban assuming the Political power in Kabul, there were mounting speculations that Twitter might let the Taliban use the verified ministries' handles previously operated by Kabuls democratically elected government.

Read more here

Suvendu Adhikari Hits Back At TMC's Claim Of Mamata Being More Popular Than PM Modi

Responding to Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Abhishek Banerjee's remarks over Mamata Banerjee's popularity, Bharatiya Janata party (BJP) leader, Suvendu Adhikari, said that no political leader is a match to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in terms of global popularity. He further stated that TMC will receive fewer votes than the NOTA in states other than West Bengal.

Read more here
Abdul Ghani Baradar, the acting deputy head of the Taliban government, on Sunday, reiterated his claim that Tajikistan is "interfering" in the internal affairs of Afghanistan and warned the Tajik government of the possible repercussions against their act. During an interview with the Middle East based broadcast news channel, Al Jazeera, Baradar even threatened Tajikistan to get ready with the Newton third law of motion. "Tajikistan interferes in our affairs, for every action, there is a reaction," Ghani Baradar said.

On 25 September, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid took to Twitter and said over thousands of troops were sent to Takhar province, the border area that both countries share. Mujahid maintained that the move was necessary to counter the security threats raised by the Tajikistan military. Meanwhile, Tajik President Emomali Rahmon, while speaking at a joint summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the Collective Security Treaty Organization earlier this month, suggested creating "a security belt" around Afghanistan. According to him, the security belt would prevent the potential expansion of terrorist groups. "Special attention was paid to the situation inside and around Afghanistan. A list of measures was approved to respond to the challenges to the security of Central Asian countries stemming from the risk of a likely aggravation of the terrorist threat," said the Tajik President.

Turkey announces to extend construction of a wall on its eastern Van province

Apart from Tajikistan, Turkey Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu also announced to extend the construction of a wall on its eastern Van province border with Afghan in order to secure the country from the extremist groups and also to divert the migrant influx. Further, the minister said that the country had taken measures on its eastern border before the Taliban took over Afghanistan. "Soon after the Taliban captured the national capital of Afghanistan, at least 1,500 cross the Turkish border every day. Now, it has been reduced to 200," added the Turkish Interior Minister.



The reaction from different countries came after a series of incidents unfolded after the Taliban captured the national capital, Kabul on 15 August, leaving the people in tatters. On 26 August, five days before the United States pulled out its soldiers from Afghanistan, two suicide bombers killed over 200 Afghans and other nationals who flocked the Kabul airport to flee the war-torn country.

(With inputs from ANI)

(Image: ANI)
The Taliban has banned barbers in Afghanistan's Helmand Province from shaving men's beards and playing music in their shops, as per reports. According to a statement issued by the Taliban-led government's department of virtue and vice, shaving beards in barbershops and public baths has been strictly prohibited in Helmand.

"You are urgently informed that from today, shaving beards and playing music in barbershops and public baths are strictly prohibited," the local authority said Sunday in a statement quoted by CNN. "If any barbershop or public bath is found to have shaved anyone's beard or played music, they will be dealt with according to the Sharia principles and they will not have the right to complain," the statement added.

Moreover, the group has also issued a warning against 'stylish' hairstyles and has prohibited men from getting them. Apart from music, hymns have also been banned from the premises of the hairdressing salons. The latest restrictions on men come after a meeting between officials of the Ministry of Islamic Orientation and representatives of men's hairdressing salons in the provincial capital of Lashkar Gah.

Taliban's crackdown on Afghanistan civilians

While the Taliban's restrictions on men have been limited to their physical appearances, their crackdown on women has been harsher. Women have been banned in political spheres, and several restrictions have been imposed on their education and free movement. The Taliban interim government has declared that women will only be allowed to work and study in accordance with Islamic laws. Moreover, the terror group's recent remark about instituting Sharia laws, which include amputation and execution of criminals, has spread further fear.

Amid the stringent restrictions and violence, thousands of Afghan citizens, including former employees of the overthrown government and supporters of foreign forces have fled to neighbouring countries and the far West, reports have stated. Most recently, a large batch of Afghanis flocked towards the Iran border to seek refuge as uncertainty crept in following the announcement of an all-male interim Taliban government.

(With Agency Inputs)
As Russia, China, Pakistan and the United States joined hands to ensure political stability in Afghanistan, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that new Taliban rulers "must keep their promises." Lavrov said that the four countries are in continued contact to engage in talks with the Taliban representatives in Qatar.

Diplomats from Russia, China, Pakistan and the US recently travelled to Qatar to meet "secular authorities" ex-President Hamid Karzai and Abdullah Abdullah, Al Jazeera reported.

The Taliban has expressed its willingness to mend relations with western countries, especially the US. The Taliban had "promised" to form an inclusive government and had said that the political heads will observe "general amnesty" and engage in "more moderate" rule than the 1996-2001 term. The Taliban also said that they will sever ties with terrorist organisations and refrain from "terrorism and extremism."

However, in recent days, the group has engaged in its old regressive policies, specifically towards women and girls. Several media reports suggest that the Taliban have refused to abide by "promises" made ahead of the formation of the government in Afghanistan.

"What is most important...is to ensure that the promises that they have proclaimed publicly to be kept," Lavrov said adding "that is the top priority for us." Talking about the new all-male interim Taliban government established on September 8, Lavrov said that it does not "reflect the whole gamut of Afghan society- ethnoreligious and political forces- so we are engaging in contacts. They are ongoing."

Lavrov criticises US President Joe Biden

Holding the US responsible for Afghanistan's fate, Lavrov lambasted US President Joe Biden's administration at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) for its "hasty withdrawal." He accused that the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) and US troop pullout "was carried out without any consideration of the consequences." He noted that foreign forces left behind "many weapons" in Afghanistan and hoped that "such weapons are not used for destructive purposes."

In his statement at the UNGA, Lavrov also accused the US and its allies of "sidestepping" the UN in making "persistent attempts to diminish (its) role in resolving key problems of today." Stating examples, he mentioned the multilateral alliance announced by Germany and France. "Even though what kind of structure could be more multilateral than the United Nations?" Lavrov questioned.

"It goes without saying that Washington is going to choose the participants itself, thus, hijacking the right to decide to what degree a country meets the standards of democracy," Lavrov said criticising the US's announcement of the "Summit for Democracy." Calling the initiative "quite in the spirit of Cold War," Lavrov said that the decision declares a new ideological crusade against all dissenters.

The Russian foreign minister also shed light on US-China relations. He dubbed the situation as "totally dysfunctional" and called out the US for its Indo-Pacific Strategy for its objective, which he said included, "deterring China's development" in the South China Sea. Lastly, he asserted that Russia was just keen to ensure none of the relations "morphs into nuclear war."

(Image: AP/Representative)
In a sweeping measure to snub prospects of Taliban assuming an official voice, the American social media giant Twitter on Sunday scrapped the blue verification checkmarks from the accounts of several Afghanistans official ministries accounts, Kabuls Pajhwok news agency reported. After the ouster of the ex-Afghan President Ashraf Ghanis administration and Taliban assuming the Political power in Kabul, there were mounting speculations that Twitter might let the Taliban use the verified ministries' handles previously operated by Kabuls democratically elected government.

But now, in a bid to rip the possibility of Islamist fundamentalist Taliban from using official VIP accounts or the American social media platform for spreading propaganda, and misinformation, Twitter has removed the verification badge from Foreign Ministry, Defence Ministry, Interior Ministry, Presidential Palace, and National Procurement Authority among many other official accounts on its platform. Twitter has also removed the blue verification badge from the Former Vice President Amrullah Salehs Twitter handle who had recently declared himself as the caretaker president of Afghanistan.

Most of Afghanistans official Twitter accounts for the government have been inactive with no online activity or posts going up after the former President Ashraf Ghani allegedly fled to Qatar, Doha following the Talibans political takeover. Twitter has, although, allowed some of the Taliban accounts to operate on its platform as it lets the spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, designated as the Deputy Minister for information and broadcasting of Afghanistan, tweet officially.

Taliban's fury at social media firms for so-called demeaning 'freedom of speech'

Days after the Kabuls siege and the US and NATO allied forces withdrawal, the Taliban had expressed discontentment for a ban from Facebook, stating: We too want to change perceptions as the terror faction demanded that it should be allowed on the social media platforms. "Our enemies have television, radio, verified accounts on social media and we have none, yet we fought with them on Twitter and Facebook and defeated them, the Taliban appointed director of the social media Qari Saeed Khosty told the British Broadcasting Corp.s team. The Taliban apparently stressed that it needed the voice on social media to amplify our message.

In his first-ever press conference, the Talibans spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid had profusely ranted about the Facebook ban, alleging that the social media was demeaning the Islamic groups right to freedom of speech. Speaking to the reporters at the Afghan capital, Kabul, the Taliban spokesperson had lashed out at Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, as he said, that the people that claim to be promoters of free speech have removed user accounts linked to him after the Islamic movement seized power in Afghanistan. Mujahid also complained about not being able to post on Facebook and questioned the social media giant operator Facebook as to why the accounts linked to the Taliban were banned as they could not share anything even on the Facebook-owned platforms such as Instagram and WhatsApp.
United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on all nuclear powers of the world for a comprehensive ban on nuclear weapons. Speaking at the 76th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on Internal Day for Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons, the UN Chief asserted that nuclear weapons must be wiped off from the world and countries should engage in a "new era of dialogue, trust and peace."

Noting that the threat of nuclear weapons "has been central to the work of UN since its inception," Chief Guterres reckoned that "In 1946, the very first General Assembly resolution sought the elimination from national armaments of atomic weapons and all of the other major weapons adaptable to mass destruction," Xinhua News Agency reported quoting his speech at the UNGA. Giving gross statistics, Mr. Guterres also said that the total number of nuclear weapons has been decreasing for some decades. "Some 14,000 are stockpiled around world, which is facing the highest level of nuclear risk in almost four decades," UN Chief said in his statement.

The fear of nuclear obliteration continues to loom with the "states... quantitatively improving their arsenals." These are worrying signs of a new arms race with 'humanity,' as Guterres feared, 'remaining unacceptably close to nuclear annihilation.' Following this, he urged all the nations to collectively adopt the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT).

Nearly 14,000 nuclear weapons are stockpiled around the world.



Humanity remains unacceptably close to nuclear annihilation.



Now is the time to lift the cloud of nuclear conflict for good, eliminate nuclear weapons from our world, and usher in a new era of trust and peace.  Antonio Guterres (@antonioguterres) September 26, 2021

Call for ban on the "state of limbo"

Speaking at the world forum on Thursday, the UN Chief appealed to all the world powers holding nuclear weapons and or technology to come forward and sign the CTBT. "We have remained in the state of limbo for far too long," Guterres said while attempting to prod the nuclear-powered nations.

This week at #UNGA my message was simple:



Our world has never been more threatened or divided. But I have hope.



These are problems we have created, and problems we can solve.



Humanity has shown that we are capable of great things when we join forces.



Let's get to work. pic.twitter.com/U4ok4nfWZ8  Antonio Guterres (@antonioguterres) September 26, 2021

The initiative, which was adopted in 1996, has already been signed by 185 countries. However, the Treaty to be fully instrumental has to be ratified by 44 specific nations, eight out of which are yet to sign. The leftover eight nations are: China, India, Egypt, Iran, Israel, Pakistan, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, and the United States.

Meanwhile, Guterres also clung his hopes to the New START (Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty) embraced by Russia and the US. Dubbing it a "welcome step," he added that the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons is also a window of opportunity for all countries to take practical steps to comprehensively prevent the use of and eliminate nuclear weapons. The Treaty will be entered into force in January 2022 at the Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.

Image: AP/ Shutterstock (representative)
Since the Taliban re-conquered Afghanistan on August 15, people across the globe have been protesting against the extremist group. In the United Kingdom, people began protesting against the Taliban on August 21. The protests have now entered the second week since Afghan nationals and various UK-based Afghan community groups organised the march against the Taliban.

Protests against Taliban in the UK

The demonstrators began the rally from Marble Arch and walked towards BBC Headquarters, 10 Downing Street and the US Embassy, ANI cited Geo News report. The protesters urged the international community to do more to restore peace in Afghanistan. The demonstrators also condemned regional and international powers for causing the ongoing crisis in the war-torn country, according to ANI. Protesters outside BBC's central office at Oxford Circus demanded that the broadcaster should "present the true picture of the Afghan nation."

The demonstrators called on BBC to "stop portraying the Taliban and their bloody rule in a positive light," according to ANI. On August 21, people took to the streets in support of Afghanistan in the United Kingdom. The protesters turned on national music and unfurled a huge flag of Afghanistan. The demonstrators carried posters calling for democracy and urged the international community to stop the Taliban. It is worth mentioning that several rallies and protests have been taking place across the globe since August 15, when the Taliban took over Afghanistan.

Afghan nationals and their allies have protested in countries around the world, in solidarity with Afghan citizens. The demonstrators have called for the support of Afghans as the evacuation process nears the August 31 deadline. It is worth noting that UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson on August 29, lauded the armed forces of the country after Britains last evacuation flight from Afghanistan landed on Sunday morning. The last remaining UK troops have now touched down in the home country after leaving the conflict-stricken country.

"It is at the darkest and the most difficult moments that the Armed Forces of this country have always performed their greatest and most astonishing feats," Johnson said in a video message shared on Twitter.

On the end of military operations in Afghanistan. pic.twitter.com/sOeXjeYtIr  Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) August 29, 2021

IMAGE: AP

Inputs from ANI
Amid the supply issues due to a shortage of truck drivers, thousands of British gas stations ran dry on Sunday. Vehicle owners have been forming long lines at the petrol pumps. Some of the drivers started fighting with each other as panic buying has been causing petrol pumps to run dry. According to AP, long queues of vehicles were seen at many gas stations over the weekend and the police were called to one of the London gas stations after a fight broke out.

Reportedly, a fight broke out between moped drivers at a petrol pump as people have been panic buying fuel in Britain. A man reportedly jump-kicked another driver at the forecourt in a petrol pump in London, reported The Sun. The men were separated by the people at a BP garage near Camden, North London. It is not the first time in recent days that the people got engaged in a fight in Britain for fuel. Reportedly, a fight broke out between four men who kicked and punched each other in front of other drivers at an Esso garage in Chichester, West Sussex.

Fight erupts in London over fuel shortage

According to a report in The Sun, an ambulance rushing in for an emergency moved through a traffic queue at a shell station in Bromley, Greater London. The ambulance hit the back of a car in a traffic queue at a shell station in Bromley, Greater London. Security personnel had to cut through lines to get petrol in Hackney, East London. Videos have surfaced on social media that show the long lines of traffic at gas stations.

This queue at a South London petrol station goes back over a mile causing gridlock. I walked for 20 minutes and didnot start at the end.

Ironically all their engines are running. pic.twitter.com/377Qtj5C69  Paolo Alessandro  (@PaoloIskandar64) September 25, 2021

People queueing for over an hour in SE London for petrol. Apparently the pumps are almost empty. Total chaos. pic.twitter.com/nOvPoky8Xa  BS (@bsmart) September 26, 2021

The Petrol Retailers Association, which represents almost 5,500 independent outlets, has informed that about two-thirds of its members had told them that they had sold out their fuel, according to AP. The rest of the members had informed that they were "partly dry and running out soon". Association chairman Brian Madderson has pointed out that the shortages of fuel were caused by "panic buying, pure and simple", AP cited BBC report. The haulage industry has noted that the UK is facing a shortage of thousands of truck drivers. The United Kingdom government has announced that it will issue thousands of emergency visas to foreign truck drivers. Furthermore, the government has added out that it would issue 5,000 three-month visas for truck drivers and 5,500 visas for poultry workers.

Image: AP

Inputs from AP
A scarcity of lorry drivers has forced the closure of a large number of petrol stations in the United Kingdom, putting some of the country's most crucial supply networks at risk. Due to a scarcity of unleaded and diesel grades, British oil giants BP and ExxonMobil-owned Esso temporarily halted several of its petrol stations on Friday, blaming lorry driver shortages. Images and videos shared on the internet depicted the magnitude of the country's gasoline crisis.

The uproar began when BP, the British oil and gas firm, announced the closure of several of its petrol outlets across the country. However, the government quickly issued a statement urging people to "go on as usual," but the request went unheeded as people rushed to fill up tanks in their vehicles, according to Sputnik.

As the news spread, people began to fill jerry cans and anything else that can store fuel with petrol. It's worth noting that the Petrol Retailers Association (PRA) declared an emergency on Sunday, September 26, when about 5,500 petrol bunks, or approximately 50 to 90% of total outlets, reported running out of diesel and petrol.

Pumps without fuel sparked panic buying in the United Kingdom, causing the British government to implement emergency procedures on Sunday. Meanwhile, on September 26, UK Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng suspended the Competition Act 1998 to exempt the petroleum industry from competition, allowing suppliers to focus on filling vacant stations, the British press reported.

UK government is being accused of ignoring warnings of supply chain disruptions

The situation also sparked a stir on social media, with some expressing concerns over the future of the United Kingdom. Others, meanwhile, looked for someone to blame for the problem, with many claiming that the chaos was caused by the motorists themselves.

Taking to Twitter one of the users wrote, "Nearest petrol station just ran out of petrol. Next nearest just shut by police as queue was a traffic hazard. Is this happening in other countries? Energy, fuel, food shortages, Christmas chaos. Etc etc. Still nothing to do with Brexit? We've gone stark staring mad [sic]." "Why do the government always make announcements and then say. Please dont panic buy. JUST DONT MAKE THE ANNOUNCEMENT! The British public in general pretty thick [sic],"

The UK's ruling government is now being accused of ignoring warnings about supply chain disruptions that were sent a few months ago, when the national road transport industry predicted that a shortage of 100,000 lorry drivers may affect statewide transportation.

Have a look at some of the posts on Twitter

This queue at a South London petrol station goes back over a mile causing gridlock. I walked for 20 minutes and didnot start at the end.

Ironically all their engines are running. pic.twitter.com/377Qtj5C69  Paolo Alessandro  (@PaoloIskandar64) September 25, 2021

Cant believe the selfishness of some people. I watched this guy in #Maidstone fill TWELVE Jerry cans #unnecessary #petrolshortage pic.twitter.com/Bfxi21BPKq  Tannice (@Tannice_) September 24, 2021

Long queues at petrol stations and majority petrol stations has no fuel.

Why is there no petrol left anywhere.

Can someone explain this? pic.twitter.com/9WubYTx9Ya    (@KaliwalYam) September 25, 2021

Nearest petrol station just ran out of petrol. Next nearest just shut by police as queue was a traffic hazard.

Is this hapening in other countries?

Energy, fuel, food shortages, Christmas chaos. Etc etc.



Still nothing to do with Brexit?



We've gone stark staring mad.  Alistair Barrie (@AlistairBarrie) September 24, 2021

Why do the government always make announcements and then say. Please dont panic buy. JUST DONT MAKE THE ANNOUNCEMENT! The British public in general pretty thick.  matthew (@matlondonbright) September 25, 2021

Petrol queues across #Harrow cause problems for public transport and emergency services. Read more  https://t.co/ZeITgP9P6F pic.twitter.com/7teQmOK94p  Harrow Online (@harrowonline) September 25, 2021

(Image: Twitter/@ Paolo Alessandro)
The Mexican Army claimed on September 26 that soldiers discovered a 43-acre (17.4-hectare) marijuana farm in the northern border state of Chihuahua, AP reported.

The Army estimated that the fields could produce 11 tonnes (22,000 kg) of marijuana. The fields were discovered in a small township near Creel, in Mexico's Copper Canyon region.

While Mexico's Supreme Court ordered the government to grant licences for the personal use of marijuana and restricted amounts of marijuana plants in June, large-scale marijuana cultivation remained prohibited.

According to the army, soldiers cut down the tall marijuana plants and torched them.

Crime groups turn to alcohol & logging as Marijuana profits dry up in Mexico

Mexico is the United States' primary foreign marijuana supplier, but its share of the market has shrunk significantly since 2013, prompting certain criminal organisations to adapt and seek alternative sources of funding.

According to the US Drug Enforcement Administration's (DEA) 2020 National Drug Threat Assessment, "Mexican marijuana has mostly been overtaken by domestic-produced marijuana" as more states move toward legalisation.

Marijuana seizures along the southwest US-Mexico border fell by more than 81% between 2013 and 2020, implying that Mexican criminal groups have drastically reduced their marijuana trafficking operations, according to the report.

According to a 2016 assessment by a Universidad Autonoma de Madrid (UAM) researcher analysing drug cultivation, Chihuahua is Mexico's second-largest marijuana producer behind Sinaloa, accounting for 20% of national production. The Sierra Tarahumara, a large network of canyons and mountains, is responsible for most of this.

(With inputs from AP)

Image: AP
The Prime Minister of Barbados, Mia Amor Mottley, in her address to the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), made some touching points regarding COVID-19 vaccine equity and climate justice. A two-minute clip of her speech has been creating quite buzz on social media. Addressing the 76th UNGA session on September 25, Mottley said that if she uses the speech prepared for her to deliver, it would be the repetition of the same things that people heard from other leaders. She wondered how many more times leaders have to say the same thing again and again, to come to nought. Expressing her concerns, she asked how many more COVID variants would have to come before a global vaccination action plan is implemented and how many more deaths should be reported before 1.7 billion excess vaccines, in possession of the advanced countries, would be shared with those who have simply no access. While speaking, Mottley also went on to quote Bob Marleys famous song "Get Up, Stand Up."

"Who will get up and stand up for the rights of our people? Who will stand up in the name of all those who have died during this awful pandemic? who will stand up in the name of all those who died because of the climate crisis? or who will stand up for the small island developing States who need 1.5 degrees to survive as we go to COP-26," Barbados PM Mia Mottley asked. She went on to add, "If we can find the will to send people to the moon and solve male baldness, we can solve simple problems like letting our people eat." It should be mentioned here that her powerful speech is being widely hailed by netizens. The clip was shared on Twitter by a user named Ben Phillips. "At last, our world has a leader. She is Mia Motley, Prime Minister of Barbados, and *this* is a speech [sic], he wrote while sharing the clip. The video has amassed more than 60,000 likes and over 18,000 retweets since it was shared on September 25. It has also accumulated a plethora of reactions from people.

Netizens react to Mottley's powerful speech

Reacting to the video of Mottley's speech, one of the users wrote, "She has articulated the need for prosperous countries 2come together 2solve World problems like the pandemic. Barbados is a small, poor country, pop. 287,375. PM Mia Mottley implores World partners 2join/make progress eradicating covid. Send 600K doses of vaccine to Barbados [sic]." "This is why she is the prime minister of the Caribbean. Give this woman a Nobel peace prize!!! [sic]," expressed another. It should be mentioned here that Mottley became the Prime Minister of the Caribbean country, Barbados, in 2018.

Have a look at the video here:

At last, our world has a leader. She is Mia Motley, Prime Minister of Barbados, and *this* is a speech: pic.twitter.com/Xotc0qj9M5  Ben Phillips (@benphillips76) September 25, 2021

Here are some reactions by users:

She has articulated the need for prosperous countries 2come together 2solve World problems like the pandemic. Barbados is a small, poor country, pop. 287,375. PM Mia Mottley implores World partners 2join/make progress eradicating covid. Send 600K doses of vaccine to Barbados.  G Callahan (@GCallahan2) September 26, 2021

"If we can solve complex problems like going to the moon or solving male baldness, then we can solve simple problems like letting people eat." ~ Mia Motley, PM of Barbados.



What a woman. What. A. Woman.  Ricardo from One on One (@ricardodallen) September 25, 2021

This is why she is the prime minister of the Caribbean. Give this woman a Nobel peace prize!!!  Hasani Ffrench (@FfrenchHasani) September 25, 2021

(Image: AP)
GOP Rep on the elect committee investigating the January 6 Capitol insurrection against Donald Trump on Sunday hit back at the former President for mocking her after he shared an absurd meme from his affiliated political action committee account on Twitter. The doctoral photo portrayed the face of Senator Cheney morphed on President George W Bush on a jumbotron at a convention sponsored by Save America in Perry, Georgia. Trump took an indirect aim at the Wyoming Republican supported by Bush in next year's GOP primary in Wyoming. The split Bush-Cheney image also provided a link for the donations. Cheney is slated to have a fundraiser to be hosted by Bush next month in Dallas.

My second favorite moment from tonight's Save America rally.@grandoldmemes epic Liz Cheney / George Bush mash up on the Jumbotron and listening to the people around me figure it out!#MemeAmericaGreatAgain pic.twitter.com/NIVQkKDxYn  Brick Suit (@Brick_Suit) September 26, 2021

Cheney says 'Like Presidents that win re-election'

As the image circulated, the Conservative senator sent out a sarcastic tweet in response to Trumps insults. I like Republican presidents who win reelection, Cheney tweeted, with an actual photo of George W Bush. Earlier this month, the Rep whos a staunch critic of Donald Trump took a swipe at him after his approval of Harriet Hageman, a Wyoming attorney. Heres a sound bite for you, she wrote on Twitter as the two Republicans indulged in a verbal spat. Came with it, she added.

I like Republican presidents who win re-election. pic.twitter.com/ifGDEuA9Jx  Liz Cheney (@Liz_Cheney) September 26, 2021

Cheney this time, mocked former US leader Trump for losing the elections to Democratic President Joe Biden. Trump is also the first president to lose reelection since 1988, reports suggest. Trumps tweet came after he lambasted Bush for his flunky former adviser Karl Rove in a statement last week for planning the fundraiser for Cheneys Texas bid. Trump had also slammed the House select committee probing the January 6 capitol breach as Unselect Committee as he rebuked his former Republican aides.

Earlier yesterday, addressing a crowd of thousands at the Georgia National Fairgrounds in Perry where he held a rally for a slate of pro-Trump candidates expected to run for office in Georgia in 2022, former US President Donald Trump lambasted the Biden administration and Democrats making unfactual and odd statements. Outlining the disasters that should have never been allowed to happen, Trump accused Biden of Kabul withdrawal, being too compromised on China, and for removal of travel ban on predominantly Muslim countries that he said should not have been lifted.
Pfizer CEO and Chairman Albert Bourla has predicted that there will be a return to normal life 'within a year.' Speaking on ABCs This Week, Bourla stated that even though he agreed that they would be able to return to normal life within the year, but it does not mean they will not see new variants coming. He stated that he does not think that people will be able to live their lives without taking vaccines, adding that annual vaccinations "will be a norm".

Pfizer CEO speaks on returning to normal life

Bourla while speaking on This Week stated that the 'most likely scenario' was that the world would continue to see new variants and that they have vaccines that would last "at least a year". Speaking to George Stephanopoulos, Albert Bourla stated that it is possible to give both booster doses to people and primary doses of vaccine to other people. Bourla added that they were making efforts to vaccinating all the vulnerable people to put an end to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has permitted Pfizer vaccine booster shots for Americans above the age of 65 along with some younger adults who have underlying health conditions. The US FDA has also allowed booster shots for people involved in regular jobs. The people falling under these categories are at a higher risk of getting infected with COVID-19. Speaking on the decision of the FDA to give booster shots to vulnerable people, Bourla it a 'good one'.

Last week, Former CDC Director Dr Tom Frieden criticised Moderna and Pfizer for selling expensive vaccines to wealthier nations. He had stated that Moderna and Pfizer vaccines are not doing enough to reduce the global gap in vaccine supply. When asked about waiving intellectual property to accelerate vaccine distribution, Bourla said that it was not a good decision to wave the intellectual property. He stated that intellectual property created the "thriving life sciences sector that was ready when the pandemic hit". Furthermore, informing about the data submission regarding COVID-19 vaccines for children aged 5 to 11, Pfizer CEO revealed that the company would submit the data in days.

Moderna and Pfizer are producing 347 million vaccine doses per month. At this rate, it would take them nearly three years to produce enough vaccines for everyone. We MUST increase the supply of mRNA vaccines through tech transfer.  Dr. Tom Frieden (@DrTomFrieden) September 21, 2021

While focusing on selling expensive vaccines to rich countries, Moderna and Pfizer are doing next to nothing to close the global gap in vaccine supply. Shameful.  Dr. Tom Frieden (@DrTomFrieden) September 21, 2021

Image: AP
Police officers shot and killed an armed man in the sand in front of dozens of terrified witnesses, many who had gathered at Huntington Beach for the U.S. Open of Surfing.

Officers responding to reports of a man with a gun made contact with him Saturday afternoon and when he refused to comply with numerous commands they opened fire, the city's police spokeswoman Jennifer Carey said in a statement.

The man was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead. He has not been identified.

A gun was found at the scene, she said.

Witnesses said several shots rang out south of the pier, near the bicycle and pedestrian pathway, after the surfing competition had wrapped up for the day. One witness video showed the man rolling on the sand, appearing to reach for an object before officers fired several rounds, striking him, as people yelled and screamed.

We started hearing pop, pop, pop, Hector Tovar told The Orange County Register. I thought it was fireworks, thats how many rounds there were."

The officers' body cameras were activated during the shooting and the footage will be examined by Orange County Sheriff's investigators, who will work with Huntington Beach police to probe the shooting, officials said.

(Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com)
Texas Governor Greg Abbott on Sunday brewed a fresh controversy after he told host Chris Wallace that he will hire the US Customs and Border Protection agents facing a legal investigation for whipping and herding scores of Haitian asylum seekers while mounted on horseback at the Rio Grande. During a show Fox News Sunday" with Wallace, Abbot spoke in response to the question about the border agents brutally charging at the undocumented migrants on the Texas border, an incident that has stoked controversy after it was caught on camera, and was widely circulated by the journalists on social media.

The behaviour of CBP agents against the migrants sparked widespread condemnation and sparked discussions about the mistreatment of Black migrants as agents were seen swinging long horse reins to hit them. US Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas told a press briefing that the controversial act was aimed at sending a message to migrants, particularly Haitians, who are attempting to enter the US through the southwest border via illegal channels.

[US Customs and Border Protection mounted officers attempt to contain migrants as they cross the Rio Grande from Ciudad Acuna, Mexico, into Del Rio, Texas. Credit: AP]

[Credit: AP]

"People coming to the United States illegally will be returned, your journey will not succeed, he said, denying that agents whipped anyone and adding that his department will investigate the facts."

The incident was denounced by White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki at a White House Presser, where she agreed, I don't think anyone seeing that footage would think it was acceptable or appropriate.

US President Joe Biden slammed the aggressive tactics of the border patrol agents confronting the Haitian migrants at the US-Mexico border as "dangerous" and outrageous". He said at the White House conference that the Border Patrol agents who whipped at Haitian migrants with reins while they attempted to cross the Rio Grande in Del Rio, Texas will pay for their actions.

"There will be consequences. Its dangerous, it's wrong. It sends the wrong message around the world, it sends the wrong message at home. It's simply not who we are, Biden said during a White House press conference.

I'm heartbroken by the treatment of Haitian migrants at our border  and I acknowledge it is only the latest of many historic indignities that Haitians have faced. We will continue to offer assistance and investigate wrongdoing. I remain committed, as ever, to Haiti's future. pic.twitter.com/Cu1TlqF4EA  President Biden (@POTUS) September 24, 2021

Texas Governor blames Biden administration for migrant spillover at Southern border

After viewing the footage, DHS provided the following statement:DHS does not tolerate the abuse of migrants in our custody and we take these allegations very seriously.  Homeland Security (@DHSgov) September 20, 2021

While the US Department of Homeland Security announced that it has launched an investigation into the agents' actions, calling the visuals extremely troubling and adding that the appropriate disciplinary actions will be taken, Texas Governor Greg Abbot defended the CBP officers. He said that those agents concerned about losing their jobs under the Biden administration can work with him instead.

You have a job in the state of Texas, Abbott said in televised remarks. I will hire you to help Texas secure our border, he added.

The Texas governor then went on to slam President Joe Biden as he laid the blame for any misbehavior on part of CBP agents on the immigration crisis fuelled by his administration. They [Democrats] didnt do anything to help keep the Haitian migrants from crossing from Mexico into Del Rio, Texas, Abbott stressed. I'm going to step up and do whatever I have to do, Abbott said, to make sure that I protect the people of Del Rio, as well as all these other communities in the state of Texas that the Biden administration is ignoring. He further defended CBP supporting Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas remarks who called the handling of the situation legal, and appropriate. What we do is follow the law, he said in televised remarks.
Pfizers CEO says its a question of days, not weeks before the company and German partner BioNTech submit data to U.S. regulators for federal authorization of a COVID-19 vaccine for children age 5 to 11.

That would be an important step toward starting vaccinations for those youngsters, especially with kids now back in school and the delta variant resulting in a big jump in pediatric infections.

Pfizer said last week that its vaccine works for that age group and that it tested a much lower dose of the vaccine thats already available for anyone 12 and older. The company said that after children age 5 to 11 got their second dose during testing, they developed coronavirus-fighting antibody levels just as strong as teenagers and young adults getting the regular-strength shots

Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla said Sunday that if the Food and Drug Administration approves the companys application, we will be ready with our manufacturing to provide this new formulation of the vaccine.

And when it comes to the coronavirus pandemic, he told ABC's This Week that within a year, I think we will be able to come back to normal life. I dont think that this means that variants will not be continuing coming. And I dont think that this means that we should be able to live our lives  without having vaccinations, basically.

Bourla also said we will have vaccines that  will last at least a year and that the most likely scenario, it is annual revaccinations.

MORE ON THE PANDEMIC:

 U.S. has enough COVID-19 vaccines for boosters, kids' shots

 UK counts on vaccines, commen sense, to keep virus at bay

 EXPLAINER: Whos eligible for Pfizer booster shots in US?

HERES WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING:

HELSINKI  Police in Norway have reported dozens of disturbances and violent clashes, including mass brawls in the Nordic countrys big cities, after streets, bars, restaurants and nightclubs were filled with people celebrating the end of COVID-19 restrictions.

The Norwegian government abruptly announced Friday that most of the remaining coronavirus restrictions would be scrapped from Saturday and that life in the nation of 5.3 million would return to normal.

The unexpected announcement by Prime Minister Erna Solberg late Friday afternoon to drop coronavirus restrictions the next day took many Norwegians by surprise and led to chaotic scenes in the capital, Oslo, and elsewhere in the country on Saturday.

Rowdy celebrations across Norway by hundreds of citizens started Saturday afternoon and lasted until the early hours of Sunday. Police said unrest was reported in several places, including in the southern city of Bergen and the central city of Trondheim, while the situation was the worst in Oslo.

PHOENIX  Health officials in Arizona on Sunday reported 2,579 more COVID-19 cases and six additional deaths.

The latest numbers pushed the states totals to 1,804,369 cases and 19,812 known deaths since the pandemic began.

On Saturday, Arizona had reported 2,916 additional confirmed COVID-19 cases and 69 more deaths as the pace of virus deaths has nearly doubled over the past two weeks.

According to the Arizona Department of Health Services COVID-19 dashboard, there were 1,834 COVID-19 patients occupying inpatient hospital beds as of Friday  a level below the current surges peak of 2,103 on Sept. 12.

More than 4.1 million people (57.7% of the states population) have received at least one dose of vaccine and over 3.6 million residents are fully vaccinated (51.1% of the population).

NEW YORK -- New York City schools have been temporarily blocked from enforcing a vaccine mandate for its teachers and other workers by a federal appeals judge days before it was to take effect.

The mandate for the the nations largest school system was set to go into effect Monday.

But late Friday, a judge for the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals granted a temporary injunction and referred the case to a three-judge panel an an expedited basis.

Department of Education spokesperson Danielle Filson said officials are seeking a speedy resolution by the circuit court next week.

(Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com)
Princess-for-Hostage Swap

Chinas claim that the 2018 arrests of two Canadian nationals had no connection with Huawei chief financial officer Meng Wanzhous detention in Vancouver at the request of the United States over fraud charges collapsed when the three were released within hours of each other. The "hostage diplomacy" case strained Canada-China relations and highlighted stark differences between the two countries legal systems. Whereas "Huawei's princess" Meng received full due process and stayed under informal house arrest at her familys $11 million mansion in Vancouver, Canadians Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor suffered arbitrary arrest on undisclosed spying charges and were held incommunicado without access to a lawyer.
People hold offerings while praying for loved ones who have passed away during the first day of Pchum Ben festival, or the festival of the dead in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, September 25, 2018.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen has cut short a 15-day long religious festival after admitting on social media that he was negligent in allowing the festival this year, which resulted in outbreaks of COVID-19 centered on many of the countrys pagodas.

During the Pchum Ben festival, which runs from Sept. 22 and Oct. 6 this year, extended families visit pagodas to make offerings to Buddhist monks and pay respect to seven generations of their ancestors.

Cambodia canceled the festival in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic, but Hun Sen previously said that this year festivals could continue. But after increases in daily infections and deaths, Hun Sen said he was wrong to ease restrictions.

I was negligent after seeing a slight decrease in COVID-19 infections in allowing celebration of Pchum Ben and allowing people to go to pagodas and make offerings per our tradition, said Hun Sen in an audio message posted on Facebook Sept. 25.

In only three days, the infection rate near some pagodas rose, causing the number of daily infections to jump from around 400, 500 or 600 cases per day to over 800, and deaths rose to more than 20 per day, he said.

I would be in complete shock if people are still allowed to go to the pagodas today and transmit COVID-19 back their family members at home, he said.

According to Cambodias National Ad-hoc Commission for COVID-19, the government has vaccinated nearly 13 million of the countrys population of more than 16 million, or about 81 percentone of the highest percentages in Asia.

Of the 32.6 million doses the country has so far purchased or received from donations, more than 91 percent are from China.

Buddhist monks told RFA Monday that household members are permitted to bring food and offerings to pagodas for Pchum Ben, but public religious gatherings are restricted.

Each pagoda can accept food and offerings from the public through entrance gates, but the public cannot enter, according to the Venerable Khoeum Sorn, head of the secretariat of the Buddhist Supreme Patriarch Office.

All Buddhist followers should please understand this measure. We all love our lives and our health. So, if you want to perform good merits, just send one person or two people to the pagoda, he told RFA Monday.

Buddhist monks will arrange tables at the entry gate of each pagoda for the public to leave their offerings. We cannot allow any long public gatherings during this Pchum Ben festival, he said.

Other monks were concerned that the restrictions could result in food shortages in some of the countrys pagodas

The Venerable Yee Puthy, a monk at the Stung Meanchy Pagoda in Phnom Penh, said fewer than 20 or 30 people came to Stung Meanchy Pagoda to make offerings before the restrictions, but 277 monks and several more others live there.

By not allowing the public to enter the pagoda and conduct rituals and turn over their offerings, some days we dont have enough food, Yee Puthy told RFA.

The abbot of the Prasat Kaukchork pagoda in the northwestern city of Siem Reap told RFA that he has had to spend money out of the pagodas savings to feed the 30 monks living at the pagoda because this year they received fewer donations, as the pagoda is located in a lockdown area.

RFA attempted to contact Seng Somony, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Cults and Religion, but he was unavailable for comment.

The spokesman told local media Sunday that the Ministry of Health collected samples from 975 monks and students living in 150 of Phnom Penhs 154 pagodas. The ministry found that 141 monks and students contracted COVID-19 in the first four days of Pchum Ben.

As of Monday, Cambodia has confirmed 109,087 COVID-19 cases and 2,243 deaths, according to statistics from the Johns Hopkins University Coronavirus Resource Center.

Cambodia on Monday announced it will donate to neighboring Laos 200,000 doses of the Sinovac vaccines it purchased from China.

Or Vandin, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Health, told the pro-government media outlet Fresh News the doses would be delivered Tuesday at the Trapaing Kirel international crossing at Stung Treng province on the border with Laos Champassak province.

Reported by RFAs Khmer Service. Translated by Sovannarith Keo. Written in English by Eugene Whong.
Sophia Huang and Wang Jianbing are accused of 'incitement to subvert state power' following regular gatherings at Wang's home.

Sophia Huang, a journalist and #MeToo activist, is shown in an undated photo.

Feminist journalist Sophia Huang and fellow activist Wang Jianbing are in the custody of police in the southern Chinese province of Guangzhou, preventing Huang's planned departure to study overseas, the Chinese rights group Weiquanwang reported on Monday.

Huang had planned to leave China via Hong Kong on Sept. 20 for the U.K., where she planned to take a master's degree in development with a prestigious Chevening Scholarship, the Weiquanwang report said.

Wang, who is a labor and healthcare rights activist, had planned to see her off on her journey, but both activists had been incommunicado since Sept. 19.

Both are being held under "residential surveillance at a designated location (RSDL)," on suspicion of "incitement to subvert state power," Weiquanwang said.

Their whereabouts remain unknown.

Reports indicate that the main reason for their detention was a daily gathering of friends at Wang's home. Five other people have reportedly also been detained in connection with their case, Weiquanwang said.

A person familiar with the case told RFA that five "people who have taken part in related activities had been detained so far for questioning, and ordered to switch off their cell phones.

Huang and Wang's families have yet to receive formal notification of their detention, the person said.

A Chinese lawyer who asked to remain anonymous said the time limit for RSDL is currently six months.

"During that period, the authorities can convert to different kinds of compulsory measures like release on bail pending trial or formal arrest, or release," the lawyer said. "What happens depends on how the authorities want to handle the case."

A lawyer who gave only the surname Li said the authorities are increasingly making use of RSDL to hold people incommunicado pending investigation.

"It is being increasingly used over the past few years ... because criminal detention has ... 37-day time limit, but RSDL is a way for them to extend the length of time that police can detain people for," Li said.

'They get to decide'

Beijing-based dissident Ji Feng said RSDL has been normalized now, and can be deployed by the authorities at will.

"It can last a week, a month, three months, or six months," Ji said. "It's entirely up to them."

"It depends whether they think [the detainee] is cooperative or obedient, and they get to decide how long it lasts," he said.

Before being targeted by the authorities in 2019, Huang had been an outspoken member of the country's #MeToo movement, and had carried out a survey of sexual harassment and assault cases among Chinese women working in journalism.

Huang was present at a million-strong protest in Hong Kong on June 9, 2019 against plans to allow extradition to mainland China, and was detained for "picking quarrels and stirring up trouble" in October 2019, before being released on bail in January 2020, a status that often involves ongoing surveillance and restrictions on a person's activities.

Her travel documents were also confiscated after her return, preventing her from beginning a law degree in Hong Kong in the fall of 2019.

Huang had previously assisted in the investigation and reporting of a number of high-profile sexual harassment allegations against professors at Peking University, Wuhan University of Technology, Henan University and Sun Yat-sen University in Guangzhou.

Wang started to work in rural development after graduating in 2005, before joining the Guangzhou Gongmin NGO in 2014 and director and coordinator for youth work.

In 2018, he started advocacy and legal support work on behalf of workers with occupational diseases, and was a vocal supporter of China's #MeToo movement.



Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie.
China has been conducting exercises around Taiwan and Chinese military aircraft are making regular incursions into Taiwans air defense identification zone.

A photo of the British frigate HMS Richmond published from its official Twitter feed on Monday as it transited the Taiwan Strait.

China strongly condemned Monday the passage of a British frigate through the Taiwan Strait as the U.K. looks to bolster its presence in the Indo-Pacific.

The Royal Navys HMS Richmond unusually broadcast its location while sailing through the sensitive strait on its way to Vietnam.

The Chinese People's Liberation Army Eastern Theater Command said in a statement that military units have been dispatched to follow and monitor the voyage.

Senior Col. Shi Yi, spokesman of the command, was quoted by the state-run China Daily as saying that the United Kingdom is carrying out a meaningless display of presence with an insidious intention."

He added that the action has damaged peace and stability in the Taiwan Straits and exposed the U.K.'s opportunistic attitude.

The theater command will remain on high alert and would adamantly take actions in response to any acts of threats and provocations, Shi said.

China has been conducting exercises around Taiwan and Chinese military aircraft are making regular incursions into Taiwans air defense identification zone.

Beijing insists Taiwan is a province of China and has refused to rule out using military force to unify it with the communist mainland. Taiwan, a democracy, operates as a self-governing state.

The HMS Richmond, part of the HMS Queen Elizabeth carrier strike group, announced on Twitter on Monday that it was on its way to visit Vietnam and the Vietnamese Navy after a busy period working with partners and allies in the East China Sea.

The publicly announced passage is seen as a deliberate act to confirm that the Taiwan Strait is international waters and part of a free and open Indo-Pacific.

The HMS Richmond broadcast a signal from its automatic identification system, which warships usually refrain from doing.

The Carrier Strike Group 21 (CSG21) led by the HMS Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier made its first port call in Japan earlier this month following exercises with Japanese and U.S. partners in August.

The Royal Navy has also deployed two patrol vessels to the Indo-Pacific on a five-year mission to bolster Britains presence in the region.
A member of the Tianamen Mothers victims' group says banning the Alliance and its candlelight vigils won't erase history.

A man holds a sign reading 'Reject the Political Oppression in Hong Kong" at a vigil in Vancouver, British Columbia, commemorating the 32nd anniversary of the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests, June 4, 2021.

Following the dissolution of a group that once organized candlelight vigils marking the June 4, 1989 Tiananmen massacre, a top Chinese official warned on Monday of attempts to foment a 'color revolution' in Hong Kong.

Chinese public security minister Zhao Kezhi called on Hong Kong police to keep up their crackdown on "radical secessionists," according to the Global Times newspaper, which has close ties to the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

"The police force must have a clear head ... crack down all kinds of disruptive, subversive activities by hostile forces at home and abroad, resolutely cut off the mastermind of hostile forces that endanger national security, smash the Hong Kong version of the 'color revolution' plot," the paper quoted Zhao as saying.

His comments came after a group that once held now-banned candlelight vigils marking the 1989 Tiananmen massacre voted to disband on Saturday following an investigation by Hong Kong's national security police under a law imposed on the city by the CCP from July 1, 2020.

The Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China stands accused of acting as the agent of a foreign power, with leaders Chow Hang-tung, Albert Ho, and Lee Cheuk-yan arrested on suspicion of "incitement to subvert state power," and the group's assets frozen.

At a special general meeting held at the June 4th Memorial Hall under heavy police watch in Mong Kok district, members voted 41-4 to disband after 32 years of supporting victims of the Tiananmen killings, demanding accountability and advocating for an end to one-party rule.

The somber meeting began with a moment of silence for the victims of the massacre, with some members and staff wearing black mourning clothes with the slogan "For Freedom, Shared Destiny, and Struggle Together."

The annual vigils the Alliance hosted often attracted over 100,000 people, but the gatherings were banned in 2020 and this year over what local authorities said was coronavirus risk.

Political cartoonist Huang Jijun, who has published work relating to the June 4, 1989 bloodshed under the pen-name Zunzi, said the end of the Alliance and the shuttering of the June 4th Memorial Hall museum will require people to find other ways to keep the member of the 1989 democracy movement alive.

"I think this calls for a diversification of the ways in which we remember, mourn, and keep records," Zunzi said. "If there is a genuine rehabilitation one day, then what the authorities did ... will be there in the historical record."

No plans to leave

Zunzi said he has no plans to leave Hong Kong, however.

"If I were in my 40s, I might have left Hong Kong, but at a certain age, the risks we face might not be similar to those faced by younger people," he told RFA. "Young people have more things to consider in this kind of environment."

He added: "I want people who live in Hong Kong, no matter who they are, to know that the overall situation is changing before their eyes ... the most rational thing I can do is to keep doing what I have always done, until the climate prevents me from doing it, and then stop."

Zhang Xianling, a member of the Tiananmen Mothers' victims group who donated some items to the museum, said the authorities are hoping to erase people's memories of the massacre by going after the Alliance.

"The purpose of dissolving the Alliance is to make everyone forget about the June 4th incident, but dissolving an organization can't erase the bloody crimes that have gone down in history," Zhang told RFA.

"The absence of a candlelight vigil doesn't mean that there is no candlelight in the hearts of people of conscience," she said. "That light -- the memory of June 4, 1989 -- will never go out."



Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie.
The Indonesian government has been under immense domestic pressure to protect national interests.

The Indonesian Navy patrol boat KRI Bontang (907) pictured at a naval base in Banyuwangi, in Indonesias East Java province on April 26, 2021. The boat is currently sailing close to a Chinese survey vessel north of Natuna, ship-tracking data show.

Indonesia has dispatched one of its naval ships close to a Chinese survey vessel that is operating in its exclusive economic zone, BenarNews has learnt.

The U.S. aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson, passed as close as 50 nautical miles to the same Chinese vessel, the Haiyang Dizhi 10, on Saturday, and broadcast its location as it did so during a sail through the southern part of the South China Sea.

On Monday, the Indonesian navy deployed the KRI Bontang (907) to the same area, ship tracking records show, suggesting it was closely following the Chinese vessels movement, close to an important oil and gas field. Both vessels were still in the area on Wednesday. The Haiyang Dizhi has been operating there since late August, about 90 nautical miles north of Indonesias Natuna Islands.

The Indonesian navy and the Maritime Security Agency, also known as Bakamla, were not available for comment on Wednesday but the tracking records analysed by BenarNews show the Indonesian ship has been tailing the Haiyang Dizhi 10, and was at one point just 1.7 nautical miles away from the Chinese ship.

The KRI Bontang (907) is essentially a replenishment-at-sea tanker but it is equipped with weapon systems including cannons and machine guns.

The choice of the supply ship may be intentional, says Sunaryo, a maritime affairs expert at the University of Indonesia.

"We are facing a dilemma. If we deploy warships, it will be seen as aggressive, but (the non-military) Bakamla doesn't have many large ships."

The Chinese survey ship Haiyang Dizhi 10 on a visit to Pakistan for hydrocarbon research and geological mapping in February 2019. Credit: Pakistan Navy Flexible but firm

On Tuesday, a Bakamla spokesman when asked told BenarNews,, an RFA-affiliated online news service, that there had been no violation of shipping rules by the Haiyang Dizhi.

Wisnu Pramandita said the Chinese survey ship had its AIS [automatic identification system] on and could be monitored.

It was probably a normal passage, he said.

The seemingly evasive reply is not unexpected, says Richard Heydarian, a regional affairs analyst. Indonesia, and some other countries in the region, have been leading a flexible approach when dealing with China.

They prioritize diplomatic tools and avoid confrontational language in order to not jeopardize the relationship with China, but also try to be firm when needed to protect national interests, Heydarian said.

The same approach was witnessed in January 2020 when Indonesias strong but restrained and diplomatic response helped repel dozens of Chinese ships fishing illegally in the same North Natuna area, according to Heydarian.

However, Indonesia may be facing a greater challenge this time.

Apart from the survey ship, Kompas newspaper quoted local fishermen as saying that they sighted at least six Chinese vessels, including a 7,500-ton destroyer  the Kunming (172)  in the North Natuna Sea on Monday.

A regular presence

Bakamlas Secretary Suprianto Irawan was quoted in Indonesian media as saying that there has been a regular presence of Chinese coastguard ships around the Tuna Block where the Haiyang Dizhi 10 is operating, an important oil and gas field in the Indonesian EEZ.

Although Indonesia does not regard itself as a party to the territorial disputes in the South China Sea, the northern part of the Natuna Sea overlaps with the so-called nine-dash line that China uses to demarcate its sweeping claims in the South China Sea  a position not recognized by international law.

Since Aug. 31, the Chinese vessel has been conducting a survey near the semi-submersible oil rig Noble Clyde Boudreaux, which was commissioned to drill two wells there until mid-November, energy industry media reported.

Chinese ships have been accused of harassing neighboring countries oil exploration activities but China always insists they are operating within Chinas jurisdiction.

The Indonesian government has been under immense domestic pressure to protect national interests, and the public urge action.

"As an archipelagic state, we have designated sea lanes for continuous passage of foreign ships, but we must not take our EEZ for granted. If we don't do anything, our claims could be undermined, warned maritime expert Sunaryo from the University of Indonesia.

This is happening in the Natuna with foreign ships in our EEZ. Some parties are taking advantage of lax security there."

A countrys EEZ extends 200 nautical miles beyond its coastlines and provides it certain resource rights to the waters there  hence the sensitivity of a foreign nation conducting a survey in such an area.

But Bakamla officials have been saying that they have very limited resources and are poorly equipped with just 10 ships and no aircraft.

Ahmad Syamsudin in Jakarta contributed to this report by BenarNews, an RFA-affiliated online news service.
Countries disputing Chinas claims in the South China Sea, no doubt, will be watching closely the development of this sophisticated drone.

Chinese researchers from Northwestern Polytechnical University conducting a test swim of a manta ray-shaped robot in the waters off the Paracel Islands in South China Sea in early September 2021.

Chinese researchers from a military-linked university have completed the first open sea test in the Paracel Islands of a bionic robot that looks and swims like a manta ray, Chinese media reported.

Countries disputing Chinas claims in the South China Sea, no doubt, will be watching closely the development of this sophisticated drone.

The state-run China Daily quoted developers from the Northwestern Polytechnical University (NWPU) in Xian as saying that this is the world's first bionic unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) to accomplish a more than 1,000-meter dive in the open sea, including gliding and flapping wing propulsion. They added that it would play an important role in marine environmental protection.

But such innovation would likely be utilized for military purposes, too.

Most good robotics inventions (since the first robots) have ended up with military uses, said Noel Sharkey, emeritus professor of artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics at University of Sheffield in the United Kingdom.

Professor Alexandre Vuving at the Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies (APCSS), a U.S. Department of Defense institute based in Hawaii, agreed: China will use these biomimetic robots for military purposes. This is consistent with their military-civil fusion strategy.

Military-civil fusion is a national strategy aimed at developing the Chinese Peoples Liberation Army through encouraging investment and technologies from the private sector and academic institutions.

The NWPU is listed by the U.S. Department of Justice as a Chinese military university that is heavily involved in military research and works closely with the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) on the advancement of its military capabilities.

It is also among seven leading Chinese universities with deep roots in the military and defense industry that a 2019 report compiled by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute dubs the Seven Sons of National Defense. The report, based on a database funded by the U.S. State Department, catalogues the collaboration of educational institutes with the PLA and Chinese security agencies. Also among the seven is the Beijing Institute of Technology and Harbin Engineering University.

More than 40 percent of employed 2017 or 2018 NWPU graduates are working in the defense system, the report said. In the State Department-funded database, the NWPU is designated very high risk for its defense ties. It is also on a U.S. Commerce Department export blacklist.

The head of the manta ray robot project, Dr. Pan Guang, is the dean of the NWPUs School of Marine Science and Technology and an author on torpedo mechanics.

A view of China's test swim of a manta ray-shaped robot in the waters off the Paracel Islands in South China Sea in early September 2021. Credit: Xinhua News Agency. No difference with the real manta ray

A video clip published by Xinhua news agency in early September shows researchers releasing a large, bright yellow manta ray from a ship into the waters off the Paracel islands in the South China Sea.

Its shape is very life-like, with a flat body, two large wings and a wide head. Sharkey said he has not seen a drone like that before: It looks quite amazing as a biomimetic robot with a ray propulsion system.

Details remain sketchy but according to Xinhua, the new 470-kilogram (1,036-pound) bionic soft robot prototype with a three-meter wingspan can dive to a depth of up to 1,025 meters (yards).

Inspired by the manta ray, one of natures most efficient swimmers, the robot is described by the developers as having high propulsion efficiency, high maneuverability, high stability, low environmental disturbance, low noise, large load capacity, and soft landing of the seafloor.

The team from the NWPU has worked on the UUV project since 2016. After developing several prototypes, they claimed theyd already achieved the flapping, gliding, emergency stop, turning, and other actions of this bionic manta ray; and there is almost no difference with the real manta ray.

The robot allegedly can work continuously for weeks and is fitted with sensors for visual and sound detection.

A smaller black-and-white prototype launched in 2019 looked even more like the real ray. The ability to blend in with other fish in the ocean, thus becoming almost undetectable, makes it ideal for surveillance and spy works, experts say.

Russian defense analyst Vasily Kashin said the Chinese government has prioritized the development of UUVs for both civilian and military uses.

They can be used both for observing the environment and hunting submarines, he said.

Military uses

According to Sharkey from Sheffield University, the manta ray robot could certainly be used to surveil what is happening in the sea around it and possibly above it and collect intelligence.

It would be useful to know if it operates quietly - that would make it extremely useful, he told RFA.

Vuving from the APCSS elaborated: Given the robot's capability, it can be used for intel gathering, and even sabotage purposes.

Biomimetics, or applying learning about natural systems and robotics to design new vehicles, is a growing trend across the world. The manta ray, for its natural characteristics, has become the subject of imitation in a number of projects such as the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agencys (DARPAs) Manta Ray program, the British Royal Marines Raydrive and Singaporean scientists MantaDroid.

A DARPAs spokesman when asked by RFA confirmed that the Manta Ray project was already launched but did not provide any further details.

The DARPAs program costs $12.3 million while the Raydrive, the purposes of which are to spy on warships and submarines, is being developed with a budget of 100,000 pounds ($135,000), The Times of London reported in July.

It is unclear how much has been spent on the Chinese manta ray UUV but the project seems to have achieved a more advanced stage than its peers.

Xinhua reported the manta ray had already been used for observing the ocean environment in a major coral reef in the Paracels -- islands that China calls Xisha. The islands are under Chinas control but also claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam.

China claims historic rights to 90 percent of the South China Sea and has been developing military capabilities to assert its claims to disputed features despite protests from neighboring countries. Distant reefs have been transformed into artificial islands with runways that can accommodate jet fighters and large transport aircraft.

Stealthy underwater reconnaissance capability would be a major concern for Vietnam which has the largest submarine fleet in Southeast Asia. Hanoi has repeatedly denounced Chinas activities in the area but has yet to respond to the new development.

The Vietnamese are closely watching what China does in the South China Sea. But I am not sure about what collective conclusion Vietnam will draw from this, said Vuving.

Another concern raised by AI and robotics experts is the arming of drones with autonomous weapons systems but according to Sharkey, the Chinese manta ray hasnt yet reached that stage.

I cant imagine it being armed as it stands, he said.
State media makes no mention of the arrests and sentencing of Canadian nationals Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, nor of Meng's admission of wrongdoing to U.S. investigators.

Supporters wave Chinese national flags as they wait for the arrival of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou at the Bao'an National Airport in Shenzhen, Sept. 25, 2021.

The ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP)'s state propaganda machine cranked into high gear over the weekend with the return of Huawei chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou following her release from house arrest in Vancouver.

Meng landed at Shenzhen's Bao'an International Airport on Saturday to a red-carpet welcome, while the release of Canadian nationals Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, who were held days after Meng's Dec. 1, 2018 arrest at the request of U.S. investigators, went largely unreported.

Meng was freed after attending court via video link from her home in Vancouver, where she has been under loose house arrest pending an extradition request from U.S. federal investigators, who have charged her with misleading HSBC Holdings about Huawei's business dealings in Iran.

Days later, Chinese authorities arrested eight Canadian nationals, including Kovrig and Spavor, and handed down a death sentence to convicted Canadian drug trafficker Robert Schellenberg, who had been serving a 15-year jail term.

The arrests and resentencing sparked criticism around the world that the moves were a form of "hostage diplomacy" on the part of Beijing, and raised concerns that Beijing might seize nationals of other countries with disputes with China.

Meng's release came after she reached a deferred prosecution agreement (DPA) with the U.S. Department of Justice on Sept. 24.

Foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said on Saturday that Meng's detention had been "political persecution" and the charges against her "fabricated," despite Huawei's admission that Meng had made untruthful claims regarding a bank transaction with Iran-based Skycom in violation of U.S. economic sanctions.

Meng arrived home to a hero's welcome, with a chartered jet sent to pick up her on Saturday and state media lauding her release as a victory for its government's diplomatic approach.

A Jiangxi-based independent commentator who gave only the surname Tian said most people in China seem to believe that the CCP had "rescued" Meng using its diplomatic clout.

"Chinese people mostly believe that the party and government rescued Meng Wanzhou and brought her home to China," Tian said. "They are unlikely to be aware that she admitted to partial wrongdoing with regard to the charges brought against her by the U.S."

"They only know that the U.S. didn't convict her, and that she was released under ... strong pressure from the Chinese government," he said.

Social media frenzy

Current affairs commentator Bi Xin said the state propaganda machine is turning Meng's release and homecoming into a nationalistic social media frenzy.

"They are constantly trying to create these sorts of cultural trends, whether through internal or external propaganda," Bi said. "Their purpose is to instigate [nationalistic feeling] and to control ... and to consolidate state power."

The Global Times newspaper, which has close ties to the CCP, hailed Meng's release as a "landmark" for Chinese diplomacy, coming as it did amid an ongoing trade war with Washington.

"The high-profile case of Meng, which has become a political dilemma significantly affecting the global geopolitical landscape, has been settled through both legal channels and political wrestling," the paper quoted "experts" as saying.

"The US and Canada have seen the best scenario with much compromise made by the Biden administration in resolving the matter," it said.

'Authorities will be worried'

A Zhejiang-based scholar surnamed Jiang the incident was highly unlikely to be over within the corridors of power in Beijing, however.

"The authorities will be worried about what information Meng Wanzhou may have divulged to the Canadians or to U.S. administration officials, or to the judicial authorities there," Jiang said.

"They are definitely concerned about this, and we will have to wait and see what becomes of [Meng]," he said.

CCP mouthpiece the People's Daily commented after Meng's release that her detention was "a case of political persecution."

"The U.S. accusation of so-called fraud against Meng Wanzhou is entirely fabricated," the paper said in an op-ed article on Saturday.

"The United States and Canada have repeatedly abused their bilateral extradition treaties and used the law as an excuse to justify their persecution of Chinese citizens," it said.

But assistant U.S. attorney David Kessler said that the prosecution had adopted Meng Wanzhous acknowledgment of some wrongdoing under the agreement in exchange for delaying her prosecution.

A copy of a "Statement of Facts" posted to Twitter by Canada-based South China Morning Post correspondent Ian Young showed that Meng admitted that her previous claim that Huawei had only a "business partnership" with another company, Iran-based Skycom, was untrue, as the latter is wholly owned by the former, and "Skycom employees are really Huawei employees."

The statement relates to a case against HSBC brought by the DOJ under U.S. sanctions banning companies with a U.S. presence from doing business with individuals or organizations in Iran.



Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie.
North Korean woman pay their respects at a grave for North Korean military veterans as they observe Chuseok, the traditional Korean Thanksgiving holiday, in Pyongyang, North Korea, in a file photo

Authorities in North Korea are going house to house looking for suspected coronavirus cases after widespread travel last week for Chuseok, the fall harvest holiday, sources in the country told RFA.

During Chuseok  the Korean version of a holiday also celebrated at the autumn equinox in China and Vietnam and often likened to Thanksgiving in the U.S. -- Koreans travel to their hometowns to honor their ancestors with their extended families.

Authorities fear that extensive travel during the holiday may have spread the coronavirus.

After Chuseok, neighborhood watch units were organized with members of the neighborhood watch unit in Songchon county to check for residents with fevers by the order of the countys quarantine authority, a resident of South Pyongan province, north of the capital Pyongyang told RFAs Korean Service Sept. 23.

As residents moved around the county to visit their ancestors graves during Chuseok, the authorities are concerned that the coronavirus could have been spread, said the source, who requested anonymity for security reasons.

Prior to Chuseok, the countys quarantine authorities would walk the streets to crack down on citizens for violations like not wearing masks, but now that the neighborhood watch units are involved, the scope of their mission has changed.

Early in the morning, the patrols knock on the door of each house, saying they are looking for coronavirus patients, and the residents are getting angry about it.

Another source, a resident of South Pyongans Eunsan county, confirmed to RFA the same day that neighborhood watch units there were searching for suspected coronavirus patients there as well.

The central government is introducing these quarantine measures, saying that success or failure of the after-Chuseok quarantine depends on local officials taking proactive measures. If suspected cases of COVID-19 occur in their region, local officials will be held responsible, said the second source, who requested anonymity to speak freely.

But quarantine officials in the provincial cities are also complaining about orders from the central government for pestering local officials. They say, Is it even possible to completely prevent coronavirus when we dont even have sufficient masks?

Inconsistent policy

Though North Korea still maintains outwardly that it has not confirmed a single case of coronavirus, for most of the pandemic it has been operating under state-mandated emergency quarantine measures, and the border with China, a vital economic lifeline, has been closed since January, 2020.

So-called suspected cases of COVID-19 are isolated, and in cases of death, the bodies are hastily cremated before coronavirus can be listed as the cause of death.

Citizens are becoming resentful of the authorities for continuing to emphasize emergency quarantine measures while also holding large-scale public events like military parades and other mass gatherings.

It is complete nonsense to emphasize the quarantine project while holding a crowded event where people arent even wearing masks. Its making residents strongly criticize the emergency quarantine guidelines, a resident of Chongjin in the northeastern province of North Hamgyong told RFA.

Recently the authorities have been giving out quarantine guidelines to companies and neighborhood watch units every day to continue to aggressively push the emergency quarantine project until the global health crisis ends, the Chongjin source said.

The guidelines are sent nationwide and call upon local governments to implement a quarantine plan laid out by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, according to the Chongjin source.

Another North Hamgyong resident, from the city of Hoeryong, told RFA the same day, If you look at how they held a huge military parade for the anniversary of North Koreas founding on Sept. 9, and how a large number of Pyongyang citizens participated, you can see that their emergency quarantine policy is not realistic.

They keep saying that their quarantine measures are infallible, and the moment we loosen control, the country and the people will face severe consequences. But thats confusing, said the Hoeryong source.

The residents complain about the seeming contradiction.

They sarcastically ask if the country is holding parades and mass games in the interest of protecting life and keeping the people safe.

Reported by Hyemin Son and Jeong Yon Park for RFAs Korean Service. Translated by Jinha Shin. Written in English by Eugene Whong.
Residents say they are subsisting on dry goods to get through lockdowns set to run until the end of September.

Police set up a roadblock to prevent locals from entering and leaving villages during a government-ordered lockdown amid the coronavirus pandemic, in Laos' capital Vientiane, May 2021.

Many villagers in southern Lao provinces say they are short of food and other essentials due to prolonged and strict government-ordered coronavirus pandemic lockdowns, preventing people from working and closing most markets and stores.

The impoverished, landlocked country of 7.4 million people saw a spike in outbreaks beginning in April after managing to nearly evade infections for a year. As of Thursday, Laos recorded total 18,059 confirmed COVID-19 cases, including 154 new ones, though the number of related fatalities held at 16.

The office of Prime Minister Phankham Viphavanh on Wednesday urged all southern provinces to strictly enforce COVID-19 prevention measures until the end of the month.

A villager from Tha Khek district in Kham Mouane province, which is under lockdown from Sept. 14-17, told RFA that dry goods, such as noodles, canned sardines, and rice are nearly gone, while fresh meat and vegetables are no longer available since markets are closed.

My village right now is still under lockdown and people are not allowed to go out, she said. The markets are closed, so there is no buying or selling of anything.

Police and soldiers are patrolling the area to ensure that no one goes out unless they have permission, she added. If they find any violators, they will fine and warn them the first time, but jail them for a second offense.

A resident of a village in Savannakhet province said that not only are markets being shut down, individual vendors also have had to stop selling food on the street.

Weve been eating whatever dry food we have for three meals a day for one month, she said.

A villager from Saravane province, which is on lock down from Sept. 14-28, said that the past week has been difficult for many people, with all the fresh food markets closed in Saravane city. Authorities have allowed one market to operate to relive the food shortage.

When were under the lockdown, people cant go in and out, but on Sept. 15, they opened one market to provide relief, he said, adding that a truck was reportedly transporting rice from Pakse in neighboring Champassak province.

The decision to open one of the citys three large markets was made so residents would have enough food during the lockdown, said an official at the provincial department of industry and commerce.

Merchants need to obtain permission from provincial officials to transport fresh food within the province, he added.

Those who sell dry goods, such as rice, are not allowed in yet, and violators will be fined 100,000 to 10 million kip (U.S. $10-1,025), he said.

An official at Kham Mouane Province Department of Industry and Commerce said that before authorities there announced the 15-day lockdown and the closure of all markets, they had notified villagers to stock up on food.

They are all closed at this time  food stores and markets, he said. Even trucks that transport goods from outside have been told to temporarily postpone deliveries. The province notified the public before the lockdown that they should buy food to store.

Reported by RFA Lao Service, Translated by Sidney Khotpanya. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin.
Yaqub Haji was arrested in 2018 after donating money for the construction of a mosque in Ghulja.

A security camera monitors activities at the Jieleixi No. 13 village mosque in Yangisar, south of Kashgar, in northwestern China's heavy-policed Xinjiang region, June 4, 2019.

A prominent Uyghur businessman and philanthropist was tortured and died in a prison in northwestern Chinas Xinjiang region, local officials in the region and friends of the deceased man who live abroad told RFA last week.

Yaqub Haji was one of two businessmen who donated money to the building of a mosque in Ghulja (in Chinese, Yining), a city in far northern Xinjiang near Kazakhstan, before he was arrested in 2018 on suspicion of religious extremism.

Chinese authorities have targeted and arrested numerous Uyghur businessmen, intellectuals, and cultural and religious figures in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR) for years as part of a campaign to monitor, control, and assimilate members of the minority group purportedly to prevent religious extremism and terrorist activities.

Many of them have been among the 1.8 million Uyghurs and other Turkic minorities believed to be held in a network of detention camps in Xinjiang since 2017. Beijing has said that the camps are vocational training centers and has denied widespread and documented allegations that it has mistreated Muslims living in Xinjiang.

The United States and the legislatures in several European countries have deemed the treatment of Uyghurs and others in the XUAR as constituting genocide and crimes against humanity.

An RFA investigation of social media reports of Hajis death by Uyghurs in exile friends has confirmed that the Uyghur died while being detained in a Chinese government-run internment camp and that his was buried in Ghuljas Karadong Cemetery.

Uyghurs who knew Haji said the businessman and philanthropist was in good health before his arrest by Chinese authorities in 2018.

RFAs investigation suggests that authorities released Hajis body to one of his siblings on Sept. 6 before a rushed burial.

A friend of Hajis who spoke to RFA from Central Asia said that he found out about his death on the same day that prison officials handed over his body to his family.

Haji had been working in real estate development and exporting before his imprisonment in 2018, said the friend, who requested anonymity out of concern for reprisals from the Chinese government.

He was born in 1976 and became wealthy doing both real estate development and exports to Kazakhstan, he said in a phone interview. He also became a philanthropist helping many people.

Another friend of Hajis who recently left Ghulja said Haji had been detained for his religious philanthropic contributions and that prison guards gave his body to his older brother after he died.

I heard from community members that Yaqub Haji was imprisoned because of his donation to the building of the mosque and for giving 3,000 yuan to a religious cleric to build a house, said the man who asked not to be named for safety reasons.

He was tortured for not confessing to those crimes and kept in solitary confinement for a long time, he said.

Chinese authorities returned Hajis dead body to his family on condition that they could not gather many people for his burial, he added.

Police also said that the cause of Hajis death was unmitigated fever, his friend told RFA.

When Hajis body was returned to his family, they found out that both of his legs had already decomposed, he said.

A local official and two police officers in Ghulja told RFA that they could not comment on Hajis death or give any details.

Another police officer in Ghuljas Kazanchi neighborhood declined to tell RFA the cause of Hajis death, though he did not deny that the businessman died in prison.

Reported by Shohret Hoshur for RFAs Uyghur Service. Translated by the Uyghur Service. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin.
The U.S. Embassy in Dushanbe on September 1 announced plans to build a border-guard facility on the Tajik-Afghan-Uzbek border, where tensions have risen in recent months as Taliban fighters captured Afghan regions that abut Central Asia's post-Soviet republics.

The embassy said a groundbreaking ceremony to launch the project is scheduled for "early 2022."

"The new border detachment will replace the old one in Shahritus and allow the Border Service to deploy troops to the border areas as soon as possible in response to threats," it said in a statement.

The facility will house an unspecified number of border guards and their families.

Central Asians states bordering Afghanistan are concerned about security threats emanating from the war-torn country and the potential for tens of thousands of refugees to pour over the border to avoid life under the fundamentalist Taliban.

The United States and Russia have each responded to Taliban gains with increased diplomatic outreach among Tajikistan and its neighbors.

"The United States and Tajikistan enjoy strong security cooperation, and this Border Detachment project is another example of our shared commitment to the security and sovereignty of Tajikistan and Central Asia," the embassy quoted U.S. Ambassador John Pommersheim as saying.

It cited more than $300 million in U.S. security assistance to Tajikistan since 2002.

During talks with visiting Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi in Dushanbe on August 25, Tajik President Emomali Rahmon expressed his vision for a future Afghan government under Taliban control with all ethnic groups represented in the next cabinet.

Thousands of Tajiks are said to have volunteered recently to help locals defend the heavily Tajik region of the Panjshir Valley, which has so far resisted Taliban capture, although participation in foreign military ventures is banned under Tajik law.

Russia, which has military bases in Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, has vowed to defend Moscow's allies in Central Asia against any security threat from Afghanistan.

The Russia-led Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) said last week that the alliance planned to hold fresh military exercises in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan in connection with the ongoing situation in Afghanistan.

Three more sets of CSTO military maneuvers will be held close to the Tajik-Afghan border in October, with a fourth scheduled for November.
Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama arrived in Kosovo on September 27 amid growing tensions between Kosovo and Serbia. He said that Serbia should stop what he described as its show of force near the border, where Serbian military aircraft have been sighted. Ethnic Serbs from Kosovo began blocking two main roads leading into the country on September 20 to protest Pristina's ban on cars with Serbian license plates. Pristina says it mirrors a ban made by Belgrade more than a decade ago after Kosovo declared its independence from Serbia.
June 27 marked the 24th anniversary of the signing of the UN-brokered Tajik Peace Accord that ended a five-year civil war between Tajikistan's secular government and a coalition of opposition groups led by Islamic forces.

This year, the Tajik government did not hold any public events to celebrate National Unity Day, which commemorates the signing of the peace accord. The five-year civil war that ended in 1997 led to the deaths of more than 150,000 people and saw over one-tenth of the Tajik population flee the country.

The peace accord included a political settlement that would give 30 percent of government positions to representatives of the United Tajik Opposition. However, Tajikistan has since banned the Islamic Renaissance Party that was officially registered during the peace process.

In 2015, Tajikistans Supreme Court declared the party to be a terrorist organization and jailed several high-ranking party officials on terrorism-related charges. Tajikistan's economy has never really recovered from the civil war, and poverty is widespread. Almost half of the country's GDP is earned by migrants working abroad, especially in Russia.

Tajik President Emomali Rahmon has been ruling the Central Asian nation since 1992 and is widely criticized for suppressing dissent and for widespread corruption in government agencies.



This gallery shows the rise of political tensions, the victims of the conflict, and the push for peace.
People in Azerbaijan and Armenia have marked the first anniversary of the start of the six-week war over the Nagorno-Karabakh region in which more than 6,600 people died and which ended with Azerbaijan regaining control of large swaths of territory.



Soldiers carrying photographs of comrades killed in the war marched through the center of the Azerbaijani capital, Baku. In Yerevan, the Armenian capital, thousands of people, including Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian, went to the Yerablur military cemetery to pay respects to soldiers buried there.

Nagorno-Karabakh is within Azerbaijan but had been under the control of ethnic Armenian forces backed by Armenia since the end of a separatist war in 1994.



Last years war ended when Pashinian signed a Russia-brokered cease-fire that granted Azerbaijan control of parts of Nagorno-Karabakh as well as adjacent territories occupied by Armenians.

The truce accord negotiated by Russian President Vladimir Putin also led to the deployment of 2,000 Russian peacekeeping forces in Nagorno-Karabakh and the so-called Lachin Corridor connecting the territory to Armenia.



Armenia says more than 3,700 Armenians and Nagorno-Karabakh residents died in the war. Azerbaijan said it lost 2,900 people.



Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry issued a statement placing blame for the war on Armenia, saying: One year ago today, the armed forces of the Republic of Azerbaijan began responsive measures to counter another military provocation from the armed forces of the Republic of Armenia.



In a speech to mark the occasion, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev again said that Azerbaijans victory in the war put an end to the conflict. Azerbaijan restored its territorial integrity, he said.



But Armenia's Foreign Ministry said the 44-day war was a preplanned and prepared military aggression, the purpose of which was to finally close the Karabakh issue by exterminating the Armenian population.



Armenia maintains that the conflict remains unresolved because there is still no agreement on Karabakhs status, the main bone of contention.



The Armenian and Azerbaijani foreign ministers met in New York on September 24 for talks hosted by the U.S., Russian, and French diplomats co-chairing the OSCE Minsk Group. In a joint statement issued after the talks, the mediators reiterated that they are ready to continue working with the sides to find comprehensive solutions to all remaining issues related to or resulting from the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

With reporting by AP
Azerbaijani and Armenian forces exchanged fire for several hours along a section of their border as tensions continue to simmer between the two countries after last year's war over the breakaway Nagorno-Karabakh region.



The defense ministries of both countries accused the other side of provoking the flare-up on the evening of July 19 along Armenias Yeraskh section of the border with Azerbaijan's Naxcivan exclave, which is sandwiched between Armenia and Iran.



Azerbaijans Defense Ministry claimed that a lieutenant was wounded in his leg after Armenian forces opened fire using weapons of various calibers at Azerbaijani positions in the Sadarak district of the Naxcivan region. It said Azerbaijani forces fired in retaliation.



Armenias Defense Ministry claimed Azerbaijani forces first fired on Armenian positions in the Yeraskh section, saying the entire responsibility for the skirmish fell on Azerbaijan. It did not report any casualties.

Both Yerevan and Baku said that the situation at the border was calm on the morning of July 20.



There were no initial reports of casualties on either side.



The skirmish comes five days after another shoot-out along the same section of the border left one Armenian soldier dead and at least one Azerbaijani soldier wounded.



Long-running tensions between the two South Caucasus nations escalated during last year's war over Nagorno-Karabakh, which is internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan but had been controlled by ethnic Armenians since the early 1990s.



Some 6,000 people were killed in six weeks of fighting that ended in a Moscow-brokered cease-fire deal.



Under the cease-fire, a chunk of Nagorno-Karabakh and all seven districts around it were placed under Azerbaijani administration after almost 30 years of control by ethnic Armenian forces.



The agreement also resulted in the deployment of around 2,000 Russian peacekeepers, and provided for an exchange of prisoners.



Several prisoner exchanges have since taken place.

Also on July 20, Armenia's Defense Ministry said acting Defense Minister Vagharshak Harutiunian had tendered his resignation.

It did not provide an explanation for the move.

Harutiunian was appointed to the post in November after the truce took force.
An Armenian serviceman was wounded in a skirmish along the border with Azerbaijan, the Armenia Defense Ministry said on August 17, a day after Armenia said two of its soldiers were killed as tensions continue to simmer after last year's war over the breakaway Nagorno-Karabakh region.



The Armenian soldier was wounded when Azerbaijani forces opened fire on Armenian positions in the Sotk area in eastern Gegharkunik Province, the ministry said, adding that one Azerbaijani was killed and one was wounded "as a result of the counteractions carried out by the Armenian side."



Baku denied suffering any military casualties.



Armenia has blamed a string of recent incidents on Azerbaijan, which in turn has claimed that the Armenian side is responsible for starting the flare-ups.



The Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said on August 17 that Armenian armed forces periodically fired on Azerbaijani Army positions in the Sadarak region of the Naxcivan exclave, in an incident in which two Armenian soldiers were killed the day before.

The Armenian side "was suppressed by retaliation fire," a ministry statement said.



The Armenian Foreign Ministry condemned what it described as Azerbaijan's "provocative actions" on the border.



It said the actions had been "accompanied by the threats of the Azerbaijani top leadership toward the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Armenia and use of force against Artsakh," the Armenian name for Nagorno-Karabakh.



The statement was an apparent reference to claims by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev about "historical Azeri lands" in the territory of modern-day Armenia that he made during his visit to the Kelbajar district on August 16.



Kelbajar is one of the districts around Nagorno-Karabakh that Armenian forces withdrew from after a Russian-brokered cease-fire put an end to six weeks of fighting between Armenia and Azerbaijan last fall in which nearly 7,000 people.



Under the Russian-brokered deal, a chunk of Nagorno-Karabakh and all seven districts around it were placed under Azerbaijani administration.



Aliyev said during his visit to Kelbajar that Azerbaijanis who lived in the provinces in Soviet times and were displaced in fighting nearly three decades years ago were entitled to return and live in the "lands of their ancestors."



Representatives of two opposition factions in the Armenian parliament on August 17 raised concerns over the situation at the border during a special session called to discuss a separate matter.



Seyran Ohanian, the head of the opposition Hayastan faction, urged the government to take a stand, claiming that Azerbaijan takes Yerevan's silence as a sign of weakness.



He said the border situation should be discussed because it is "necessary to dispel any fears that our people have, as our authorities seem to have stopped dealing with this situation."



Hayk Konjorian, the head of the majority Civil Contract faction, said faction members did not address the opposition proposal when they held a closed-door discussion on August 17. But the opposition and ruling party agreed to discuss it during a closed-door meeting on August 18.



Pro-government lawmakers did not comment on Ohanians proposal or respond to Aliyevs recent statements about the Syunik and Gegharkunik provinces of Armenia.



The Syunik, Gegharkunik, and Ararat regions bordering on Azerbaijan have been the locations of border fighting in recent days.
Many countries have war museums, paying tribute to a conflict's combatants and chronicling the battles that usually resulted in a great victory for the nation.



What's less usual is for such a museum to open mere months after the war and to feature cartoonish-like mannequins of the enemy soldiers.



Yet that is what is on display in downtown Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, in a museum that was inaugurated on April 12 by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.



Dubbed the Military Trophies Park, the sprawling exhibit features dozens of Armenian tanks, trucks, and other heavy military equipment captured on battlefields during last year's 44-day war between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the Nagorno-Karabakh region.



The park opens with a rather chilling display -- an enclosure adorned with the helmets of Armenian soldiers killed in fighting just a few months ago.



It then takes visitors through a number of makeshift Armenian positions, including mock bunkers and barracks, adorned with wax models of Armenian soldiers.



While the park unveiling was met with shock and disgust in Armenia and further abroad, it is the mannequins -- who bear exaggerated features such as hooked noses and distorted faces -- that have drawn the most outrage.



"I couldn't believe it," said Vahram, 32, an entrepreneur in Yerevan, the Armenian capital. "I thought I had lost the ability to be shocked by... [Azerbaijanis], but I was wrong. This is the most hateful, racist thing I've seen in my entire life."

A few days after the park's opening, the creators of the mannequins gave an interview removing all doubt as to their intentions, stating that they had "tried to create the most freakish depictions" of Armenians possible.



Anush, a 26-year old fashion designer in Yerevan, was similarly disgusted.



"They brought their kids here to pretend to kill Armenians," she said, referencing images circulated in the Azerbaijani media following the park's public opening on April 14. "How can we ever live with such people?"



For those better acquainted with the Aliyev government and its history of anti-Armenianism, the park was hardly a surprise.



"I was shocked, but I can't say I was really surprised," said Arzu Geybulla, an Azerbaijani journalist. "The [anti-Armenian] rhetoric from Baku hasn't really changed [since the war]. From a broader perspective, I thought it was disrespectful to the lives lost even on the Azerbaijani side."

Racial-Focused Rhetoric



Anti-Armenianism and demonization has been a part of Aliyev's ideological stance for nearly two decades of his authoritarian rule and his government has projected it onto Azerbaijani society.



Laurence Broers, the South Caucasus program director at the London-based Conciliation Resources, saw it as the culmination of over a decade of racial-focused rhetoric.



"Anti-Armenianism started to become more salient in the late 2000s, in the period leading up to the return of Ramil Safarov," he said. "That's around the time that restrictions on Armenians visiting [Azerbaijan] became much tighter."



Safarov was an Azerbaijani military officer who used an ax to murder an Armenian counterpart during a NATO partnership training exercise in Hungary in 2004. Despite his murder conviction, he was pardoned by Aliyev and hailed as a hero upon his return to Baku in 2012.

"Anti-Armenianism was one of [Aliyev's] strongest arguments as a leader, and it still is," said Geybulla. "This is how he rallied people during the war and I can't say the rhetoric has changed much since. Even before the war, he would go to the OSCE Minsk Group (the main international format for talks on resolving the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict) meetings, speak diplomatically, and then come back and speak the same [negative] way as before."



This dichotomy between seemingly conciliatory external messaging and a harsh, warlike tone to a domestic constituency -- the primary audience of the new military park -- has only strengthened since the war ended on November 10.

In winning the war and regaining large amounts of territory held by Armenians for nearly 30 years, Aliyev's anti-Armenian dynamic could prove more challenging to maintain.



Broers sees potential difficulties for Aliyev domestically, especially in light of his regime's messaging that Azerbaijan has fully resolved the Karabakh conflict.



"The image of Armenians as the external enemy that society was rallied against is still there, but it's not the same as before," said Broers. "This museum, if we can call it that, is a spectacle meant to keep society mobilized and focused on the war, and not other issues. But you can only have so many spectacles."

Point Of No Return?



Aliyev's hard-line approach toward Armenia, Armenians, and the conflict has become something the regime could hardly roll back even if it wanted to, said Geybulla.



"Different issues are interlinked," she said. "If the leadership starts to go soft on the Karabakh issue and move towards reconciliation, it would raise questions [in society] about other topics too: human rights [for Azerbaijanis], the [extremely dire] economic situation, and others. I'm not sure if that's a risk [Aliyev] wants to take."

Maintaining this posture, however, will seriously harm any potential for the "rebuilding of regional trade links" stipulated in the November 10 cease-fire agreement and something the Aliyev government has repeatedly stated that it wants.



"I think we're going to see contradictory tendencies," said Broers. "There will be new and continuing victory celebrations and building up the image of the 'victorious president' that will inevitably come with an ambiguous stance towards Armenians," Broers said.



"At the same time, Baku wants regional connectivity. How is that going to work if you're still promoting an atmosphere of victory, humiliation, and antagonism [towards Armenians]?" Broers asked.



That remains very difficult to envision -- especially as each new spectacle of victory in Baku is seen by many Armenians.



In the village of Armash, an hour south of Yerevan near the Azerbaijani border, local farmer Tigran Matevosyan said he saw pictures of the war park just days after its opening.



"Can you imagine living next to such people?" said Matevosyan, who has recently arranged for Armash villagers to receive military training in case of a new conflict. "This is exactly why we must always prepare.



For Geybulla, it's hard to be optimistic.



"We've dehumanized the other side almost to the point of no return," she said. "When you call a race of people 'dogs' [a slogan repeated by Aliyev during the war], how do you come back from that?"
MINSK -- It's been a common sight in recent weeks: People line up patiently outside a medical clinic in the Belarusian capital, waiting to get their COVID-19 vaccines. So far, not many have: As of June 25, fewer than 4 percent of the people in this nation of more than 9 million had been fully vaccinated.



Belarus has been hit hard by the pandemic, which Alyaksandr Lukashenka dismissed as a "mass psychosis" that could be treated with a shot of vodka, a ride on a tractor, or a visit to a sauna, among other false information dispensed by the authoritarian ruler who has been in power since 1994.



With no lockdown measures, Belarus witnessed high coronavirus infection rates as the pandemic took hold, and now it has vaccinated fewer of its citizens than most other countries on the European continent.

And as doctors scramble to contain the virus at often ill-equipped hospitals, many have found themselves in the crosshairs of Lukashenka's political clampdown.



Belarus was thrown into turmoil in August 2020 when Lukashenka, 66, was declared victor of a presidential election that millions believe was fixed in his favor. Since then, more than 33,000 people have been detained, thousands beaten on the streets and in detention, some alleging torture, while several have been killed and opposition leaders have been locked up or forced to flee.



Belarusian health workers who have participated in the anti-government demonstrations that erupted after the election or have spoken out against official accounts of protesters' deaths and injuries, are facing brutal reprisals from the authorities, rights watchdog Amnesty International said on June 17.

According to data collated by Johns Hopkins University in the United States, Belarus had more than 413,000 confirmed coronavirus cases as of June 25, with 3,082 deaths, although experts fear the figures could be even higher amid suspicions that the government is downplaying the scope of the pandemic.



While infection numbers are high, inoculation rates are low. Belarus has fully vaccinated only 3.9 percent of the population. according to the latest data from Johns Hopkins.



Playing Catch-Up



By comparison, in Russia, which is suffering a surge of infections as the government struggles to persuade citizens to get vaccinated almost a year after it approved a Russian-made vaccine, Sputnik V, about 11 percent of the population is fully vaccinated. In the United States, it is over 46 percent, and in France, over 27 percent.



In Belarus, Sputnik Light, a single-dose version of Sputnik V that was approved by Russian regulators on May 6, is now one of two available vaccines.

The other is Vero Cell, developed by China's state-owned drug maker Sinopharm, which was approved for emergency use by the World Health Organization (WHO) on May 7, the first non-Western vaccine to win WHO backing.



Sputnik Light, which is also produced in Belarus, is much more widespread than Vero Cell.



With the vaccine campaign only really kicking off in April, doctors say they are scrambling to even catch up with Russia, a doctor told RFE/RL's Belarus Service.



"In Russia, doctors, people at risk, began being vaccinated at the beginning of December 2020, and mass vaccinations in Russia officially began on January 18, 2021," said the doctor, who requested anonymity for fear of official reprisals. "And in Belarus, the first batch of doctors was vaccinated only on January 19. Things went slowly."

The doctor said that the downplaying of the COVID-19 pandemic by Lukashenka and state-run media, as well as scaremongering involving unfounded claims of risks linked to Western vaccines, have led to public apathy and suspicion.



"A lot of damage was done here by official propaganda," he said. "They did not recognize the danger of the disease, did not see the virus, then deliberately underestimated the statistics, then the state channels inflated the rage around foreign vaccines, told the horrors of the consequences of Moderna and AstraZeneca."



In the early days of the pandemic last year, Lukashenka refused to acknowledge even one victim in the country of some 9.5 million. He demanded Belarus hold a military parade to mark 75 years since the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II, while Russia and other countries scrapped or scaled down such plans in order to safeguard against spreading the virus.

With the government doing little, Belarusians themselves came forward to assemble plastic shields, or sew protective masks and gowns.



By July, Lukashenka said he had tested positive for the coronavirus but had suffered no symptoms and had overcome it without being hospitalized, which he falsely claimed was the outcome for "97 percent" of Belarusians who became infected.



'People Are Dying'



Now, doctors in Belarus find themselves contending with the COVID-19 pandemic and the vaccination drive amid the Lukashenka government's ongoing clampdown.



"Belarusian health workers have been on the front line of the country's human rights crisis, treating protesters with injuries and exposing the government's attempts to downplay the bloodshed. Many have paid a heavy price for their integrity, losing their livelihoods, and in some cases their human rights," said Bruce Millar, Amnesty International's deputy director of the watchdog's Campaigns for Eastern Europe and Central Asia Regional Office, upon the release of its most recent report.



'The health-care situation in Belarus, especially in provincial areas, is catastrophic. People are dying because they do not receive even the most basic care," a doctor identified only as Kanstantsin told Amnesty International. "During the worst times of the COVID-19 pandemic doctors worked nonstop and received no recognition. Instead, the government fires dissenting doctors and nurses and threatens many others."

At a clinic in Minsk, a doctor said medical personnel have struggled to assure people the vaccines are safe.



"We even thought up little sayings to convince them like: 'It's not some beer or gasoline that's sold everywhere by unscrupulous sellers, but a vaccine, which is produced with oversight after being tested,'" said the doctor, who also requested anonymity.



Outside, in the line of people waiting for shots, a young woman lamented that people in Belarus aren't being given a wider range of vaccines, especially those approved by the European Union.



"We were promised that there would be vaccines from different manufacturers and that we could choose," she told RFE/RL on condition of anonymity, also fearing reprisals.
Jailed Belarusian opposition figure Maryya Kalesnikava has won the Vaclav Havel Human Rights Prize awarded annually by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) to honor "outstanding" civil society action in the defense of human rights amid an ongoing crackdown in Belarus on pro-democracy activists and groups by authoritarian ruler Alyaksandr Lukashenka.

The prize was presented by PACE President Rik Daems to Maryya's sister, Tatsyana Khomich, at a special ceremony on September 27, the opening day of the autumn plenary session of the PACE in Strasbourg.

"In standing up against a regime which has chosen force and brutality against peaceful and legitimate protest, Ms. Kalesnikava showed that she is ready to risk her own safety for a cause greater than herself -- she has shown true courage," Daems said.

Accepting the prize on her sister's behalf, Khomich said: This award is a sign of solidarity of the entire democratic world with the people of Belarus. It is also a sign to us, Belarusians, that the international community supports us, and that we are on the right track.

Kalesnikava and another opposition figure, Maksim Znak, were sentenced to prison terms of 11 and 10 years respectively on September 6, after being found guilty on charges with conspiracy to seize power, calls for action to damage national security, and calls for actions damaging national security by trying to create an extremist group.

Both pleaded not guilty, rejecting the charges.

Kalesnikava, 39, was a coordinator of the election campaign of an excluded presidential aspirant, former Belgazprombank head Viktar Babaryka.

After Babaryka was arrested weeks before the August 2020 presidential election, Kalesnikava joined forces with another presidential candidate, Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya, whom the majority of Belarusians have called the winner in the election.

After joining Tsikhanouskaya's support group, Kalesnikava became a member of the opposition Coordination Council and turned into a prominent leader of protests demanding the resignation of Lukashenka, who was officially announced the winner of the election demonstrators say was rigged and which the West has refused to acknowledge.

Kalesnikava was snatched from the streets of Minsk in September 2020 by masked men along with two staffers. The three were driven early the next day to the border, where authorities told them to cross into Ukraine.

Security officers reportedly failed to deport Kalesnikava because she ripped her passport into small pieces after they arrived in the no man's land between Belarus and Ukraine. Her two associates entered Ukraine, but with no valid passport, Kalesnikava remained in the country and was subsequently detained.

A dozen human rights watchdogs based in Belarus have declared Kalesnikava and two other associates political prisoners and have demanded their immediate release from custody.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has called her trial a "politically motivated conviction and shameful sentencing" on "bogus" charges.

Kalesnikava was shortlisted for the Havel award on August 31 along with the Paris-based media-freedom watchdog Reporters Without Borders and Burund human rights defender Germain Rukuki.

With reporting by AP
MINSK -- Two leading Belarusian opposition figures, Maryya Kalesnikava and Maksim Znak, have been handed lengthy prison sentences for conspiracy in a process the United States called "shameful" amid an ongoing crackdown on pro-democracy activists and groups by authoritarian ruler Alyaksandr Lukashenka.

Kalesnikava was sentenced to 11 years in prison on September 6, while Znak was given 10 years in prison after being found guilty on charges of conspiracy to seize power, calls for action to damage national security, and calls for actions damaging national security by trying to create an extremist group.

Western reaction to the harsh sentences was quick, with the European Union calling them a "blatant disrespect" of human rights, while the United Kingdom decried Minsk's "assault on the defenders of democracy and freedom" and Germany described the sentences as "unjustified."

The two defendants, who are members of the opposition Coordination Council, have rejected the charges, which stem from their calls for protests against the official election results in August 2020, as politically motivated.

Video footage on social media showed the two defendants in a glass cage just ahead of the verdict, with Kalesnikava raising her handcuffed hands and making her trademark heart sign as she smiled for the cameras.

"We demand the immediate release of Maryya & Maksim, who aren't guilty of anything. It's terror against Belarusians who dare to stand up to the regime," opposition leader Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya, who was forced from the country over security concerns, said in a tweet immediately following the verdict.

Crisis In Belarus Read our ongoing coverage as Belarusian strongman Alyaksandr Lukashenka ramps up pressure on NGOs and independent media as part of a brutal crackdown against protesters and the opposition following an August 2020 election widely considered fraudulent.

Viktor Babaryka, another senior opposition figure who was convicted in July and given 14 years in prison on similar charges, said on his Telegram channel that the sentences of Kalesnikava and Znak will be appealed.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on September 6 called it a "politically motivated conviction and shameful sentencing" on "bogus" charges.



"These sentencings are further evidence of the regimes total disregard for the human rights and fundamental freedoms of the people of Belarus," the top U.S. diplomat said.



He repeated Washington's call "for an end to the campaign of repression against the people of Belarus for exercising their human rights inside and outside Belarus and for the immediate and unconditional release of all political prisoners  including Ms. Kalesnikava and Mr. Znak."



Brussels also was quick to call out Minsk.

"The EU deplores the continuous blatant disrespect by the Minsk regime of the human rights and fundamental freedoms of the people of Belarus," an EU foreign-policy spokesperson said in a statement.

Kalesnikava was arrested on September 7 in Minsk by masked men and taken to the Ukrainian border the next day along with two associates. Ordered to cross the border, Kalesnikava refused, tearing up her passport instead. She was then taken back to Minsk and jailed.

German Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Andrea Sasse told reporters the verdicts were an example of the "ruthless continuation of oppression and intimidation by the Belarus regime against opposition politicians and civil society."

"The German government condemns the unjustified verdict against Maryya Kalesnikava and Maksim Znak and the instrumentalization of the justice system for political repression in Belarus," she said.

The ongoing crackdown started after the presidential election awarded Lukashenka a sixth term, sparking an unprecedented wave of protests amid allegations the vote was rigged.

Mass protests against Lukashenka were met with the heavy-handed, and sometimes violent, detention of tens of thousands of people. Much of the opposition leadership has been jailed or forced into exile.

Several protesters have been killed and thousands arrested during mass demonstrations demanding Lukashenka's resignation. There have also been what human rights groups call credible reports of torture in the crackdown.

"Deplorable that kangaroo court in #Belarus has sentenced two freedom fighters -- Maria #Kolesnikova and Maxim #Znak to 11 and 10 years respectively. Their sentences must be reversed and they must be freed immediately," Latvian Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkevics said on Twitter.

Several Western governments and the European Union have imposed several rounds of sanctions on Lukashenka and his regime over the treatment of opposition activists and the independent media.

Still, he has shown no signs of stepping down and maintains the backing of key ally and creditor Russia as the authorities seek to wipe out any remaining pockets of dissent.

After the announcement of the verdict and sentence, British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said Lukashenka's regime "must halt this repression and release all political detainees."

Kalesnikava was recently shortlisted for the Vaclav Havel Human Rights Prize, which is awarded each year by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe to honor "outstanding" civil society work in the defense of human rights.

With reporting by Reuters and AFP
More than 20 years ago, leaders from Belarus and Russia signed a treaty on creating a union state, drawing the two former Soviet republics tightly together. Details, however, have never been agreed on by the two sides.

Now, days before he sits down with his Russian counterpart in the latest of a series of top-level meetings, there are strong signs that longtime Belarusian strongman Alyaksandr Lukashenka may be about to do what he has for years resisted doing: sign a deal that could radically undercut his country's sovereignty once and for all.

On August 31, Belarus's ambassador in Russia announced that all the so-called road maps -- or chapters -- to a union treaty, which Minsk and Moscow have been negotiating on and off for two decades, were nearly ready and could be signed soon.

"We, thank God, have come to the finish line three years later, when only one of the 28 [road] maps remain," Ulazdimer Syamashka said, adding that negotiations could end this week. "I'll think we'll finish ironing out the last one on the 7th."

Lukashenka and Putin's September 9 meeting, in Moscow, is their fifth face-to-face meeting this year. It comes just over a year after Belarus was plunged into turmoil by unprecedented mass protests, the biggest challenge to Lukashenka since he took power in 1994.

Were a final road map to be signed, it would signal a seismic shift in relations between Belarus and Russia, binding them even tighter politically, militarily, and economically, including with a single currency.

"If the integration agreements are signed, it will be a significant surrender on the part of the Belarusian authorities under pressure, which they were unable to resist," political analyst Syarhey Bohdan told RFE/RL's Belarus Service.

This Time, It's Different

Negotiations over a so-called union state have been going on since 1999, when the leaders of Russia and Belarus signed a treaty pledging themselves to such an entity.

Over the years, few concrete details of the content of the negotiations have emerged, with talks occurring behind closed doors, shrouded in secrecy. Analysts say the main disagreements have focused on tax policy, energy prices, and a single currency.

And it's not the first time Lukashenka, or his underlings, have made such announcements, only to back out at the last moment, apparently over fears any such deal would diminish his personal power.

But this time things are different.

Crisis In Belarus Read our ongoing coverage as Belarusian strongman Alyaksandr Lukashenka ramps up pressure on NGOs and independent media as part of a brutal crackdown against protesters and the opposition following an August 2020 election widely considered fraudulent.

Never that friendly to begin with, relations between Belarus and the West have plunged since August 2020 when Lukashenka claimed re-election in a vote the opposition and the West deemed was rigged, like all other elections during his 27-year rule.

When tens of thousands took to the streets to protest, Lukashenka cracked down brutally.

Since then, more than 34,000 people have been detained, hundreds beaten on the streets and in prison, independent media have been shut down, and opposition leaders are either in jail or in exile, including Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya, whom the opposition has declared the likely winner of the presidential election.

With the West refusing to recognize the election result and already imposing four rounds of sanctions on Lukashenka, his inner circle, and businesses linked to him, the 67-year-old mustachioed strongman is dependent more than ever for support from Putin.

Russia has for years subsidized the Belarusian economy, in part by allowing cheap crude oil exports to Belarus, which are then refined and sold on to Western markets with a sizable added value.

The Kremlin has provided $1.5 billion in loans and other backing, including possible military aid announced by Lukashenka last week.

That likely will come at a steep cost. Analysts fear the Kremlin is exploiting Lukashenka's vulnerability to extract tough concessions.

In late 2018, Russia suggested that Belarus would have to accept deeper ties if it wanted to benefit from greater economic cooperation. The sides engaged in intense talks throughout 2019, hoping to reach an agreement on 28 so-called road maps by December 2019 to coincide with the 20th anniversary of the signing of the union treaty.

"Those 28 union road maps should be understood as a whole, comprehensive annex to the union-state treaty of 1999," said Kamil Klysinski, a senior fellow at the Warsaw-based OSW Center for Eastern Studies. "After the signing of all agreements Belarus will still remain a separate country, formally independent but integrated into the Russian economy and law system on an unprecedented scale," he said in an e-mail to RFE/RL.

But that did not happen and Lukashenka -- who has repeatedly pledged not to cede sovereignty -- allowed street protests against a closer merger to play out in December 2019 without a police crackdown.

As a result, Russia first stopped, then cut, deliveries of crude oil and gas. That escalated tensions, but also led to a further thaw with the West, including with the United States, which made its first crude oil shipment to Belarus in March 2019.

A month prior, Mike Pompeo became the first U.S. secretary of state to visit in more than two decades.

But Lukashenka's postelection crackdown, including the forced diversion in May of a Ryanair flight to Minsk to arrest opposition blogger Raman Pratasevich and his girlfriend, Russian citizen Sofia Sapega, sparked Western outrage, and pushed Lukashenka away from the West and firmly back into the arms of the Kremlin.

High Price To Pay?

U.S. Ambassador to Belarus Julie Fisher, who has been refused a visa to assume her post, told a Senate committee in June that "Lukashenka has been steadily ceding Belarus's sovereignty to Russia for personal gain since he assumed power more than two decades ago," before issuing a dark warning.

"For as long as Lukashenka remains in power, Belarus is under threat of absorption into Russia under the union-state agreement, with dire consequences for the people of Belarus, their voice, their agency their culture, and their identity," Fisher told the Foreign Relations Committee on June 9.

Tsikhanouskaya told the same hearing that Lukashenka was turning Belarus "into the North Korea of Europe: nontransparent, unpredictable, and dangerous."

Lukashenka is adamant any deal would not result in any loss of sovereignty. "Today, we are so educated and smart that without losing the sovereignty of either Russia or Belarus, we can build such relations, which neither federal nor unitary states have," he said in August.

Lukashenka also said the union treaty could be signed in October or November, when the Supreme Council of the Union State is due to meet. "If we finally agree with the Russian president on the 9th, the government will meet on 10-11th, consider and adopt these programs. And then we'll approve them at the Supreme State Council," he said.

Union State Still Far Way Off?

Analysts are skeptical.

"We've all heard many times various statements that integration agreements would be signed in the near future," analyst Andrey Kazakevich told RFE/RL's Belarus Service. "I don't think that any 'road maps' that seriously limit Belarus's sovereignty will be signed, but Russia is using the process to increase its influence over Belarus, which is already quite strong."

After saying all documents would be ready by September 7, Syamashka later said that "some road maps not only require a single intergovernmental agreement, but a whole package of documents."

Harmonizing tax and customs legislation could take up to 2 1/2 years, he said. (In fact, Prime Minister Raman Halouchanka recently said implementing some of the agreements could be stretched to six years, until 2027.)

Klysinski, the analyst, said the ambassador's statement might signal a negotiating ploy by Lukashenka, whom he said had a "very narrow window" and "limited number of tools."

"One of them is his signature on these road maps," Klynski said. "At stake, of course, are energy subsidies (gas and oil prices), new loans and other forms of financial support. I think the task for Syamashka was to gauge Russian reactions, to figure out what Belarus could get for such 'fast concessions' from Minsk."

While Putin was applying pressure in 2019 to get a deal done, he may not be as eager now, given "radical changes" in Belarus since then, political analyst Artsyom Shraybman said. "One can proclaim success in negotiations on deepening integration, but everyone understands that Lukashenka will never agree to become the governor of a Russian province," Shraybman wrote in an analysis for the Carnegie Moscow Center. "And if you force him, it will not be supported by the Belarusian people and will not be recognized by the West, given Lukashenka's problems with legitimacy."

The union treaty is ultimately the final card Lukashenka can play with the Kremlin, making it unlikely for him to relinquish it, Klysinski said.

"A Lukashenka who handed over the most independent asset -- Belarusian independence -- would be much less important to Moscow, and after that the Kremlin could look to replace him with someone more stable mentally and predictable," he said.
Exiled Belarusian opposition leader Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya has called on French President Emmanuel Macron to take "decisive action in solving the Belarus crisis."

Speaking in Paris on September 15, the first day of a four-day trip to France to bolster support for her movement, Tsikhanouskaya said, "democratic countries have to be firm and principled."

Tsikhanouskaya was the main opposition candidate in the disputed August 2020 presidential election, which handed longtime leader Alyaksandr Lukashenka a sixth term. The opposition and the West have refused to recognize the results and called for a new, independently monitored vote.

Crisis In Belarus Read our ongoing coverage as Belarusian strongman Alyaksandr Lukashenka ramps up pressure on NGOs and independent media as part of a brutal crackdown against protesters and the opposition following an August 2020 election widely considered fraudulent.

Following the election, mass protests broke out against the alleged fraud, and the demonstrations were met by a brutal crackdown from the Lukashenka government. Fearing for the safety of her family, Tsikhanouskaya left Belarus and currently lives in Lithuania.

The Vyasna human rights center says there are currently 671 political prisoners in Belarus.

"Belarusians need new energy and fuel to go forward," Tsikhanouskaya told journalists. "We do not have the right to lose momentum."

Tsikhanouskaya was not scheduled to meet with Macron during the visit, but she did hold talks with French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian.

Le Drian said after the meeting that he wanted to send a "strong message of solidarity" and promised France would continue its efforts to find a political solution to the Belarus conflict.

Earlier, Tsikhanouskaya emphasized the continued need for international support.

"This support of world leaders helped the people in Belarus to believe they are not alone in their fight for freedom and democracy," she said. "However, the repressions have not stopped for one day in Belarus since last year."

She urged the West to continue and strengthen a policy of "nonrecognition of Lukashenka" and repeated her position that the "only solution" to the standoff in her country was new elections. She added that France could be a part of a "mediation platform" to facilitate another vote.

Tsikhanouskaya met on September 14 with Austrian Minister for EU Affairs Karoline Edtstadler in Vilnius.

"Austria supports civil society in Belarus," Edtstadler wrote on Twitter. "We are definitely on the side of democracy and Justice."

With reporting by AFP
Concerns about safeguarding the rule of law in Hungary and Poland are delaying the European Union's approval of pandemic stimulus plans that could free up tens of billions of euros in assistance, according to a top EU official.



The lingering debates concern the primacy of EU law in the Polish case and basic EU standards in Hungary's case, as other members scrutinize the plans before they are green-lighted.



There is around $29 billion in grants and $14 billion in favorable loans at stake in the Polish plan, and around $8 billion in grants on the line for Hungary.



Both Warsaw and Budapest have lashed out at the holdup as ideologically motivated and unconstitutional.



European Commission Vice-President Valdis Dombrovskis said EU officials would closely watch an upcoming ruling by Poland's Constitutional Tribunal, while they identified "rule-of-law challenges" that have dragged out the approval process for Hungary.



EU officials have said in the past that their objection in Hungary's case relates to the threat of misuse of funds, but Brussels has also been sharply critical this year of perceived clientelism among media and NGOs favoring allies of national populist Prime Minister Viktor Orban.



Hungary's government has accused Brussels of unfairly blocking the pandemic stimulus funds over a new law to restrict young people's access to information about non-heterosexual lifestyles.



Both the Polish and Hungarian plans were submitted in May but have been extended by the EU executive branch beyond their expected two-month review to seek revisions from Warsaw and Budapest.

Based on reporting by dpa
Hungary has signed a new 15-year natural-gas supply deal with Russia's state-controlled energy giant Gazprom in a move sharply criticized by Ukraine.



The agreement was signed by Gazprom and Hungarian energy group MVM executives at the Foreign Ministry in Budapest on September 27, during a visit by the Russian companys chief Aleksei Miller.



The Foreign Ministry of Ukraine, which will lose millions in transit payments, said Hungary's supply deal was a "purely political, economically unreasonable decision" that was taken to the detriment of Ukraine's national interests and Ukrainian-Hungarian relations.

The Ukrainian statement said the deal would have a significant impact on energy security of Ukraine and Europe, and that it will ask the European Commission to assess whether the agreement respected European energy legislation.

In turn, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto told a news conference that for Hungary, energy safety is a matter of security, sovereignty, and economy rather than a political matter."



"You cannot heat homes with political statements," Szijjarto added.

A Gazprom statement quoted Miller as saying that Hungary will start receiving Gazprom's gas starting from Oct. 1 already via TurkStream and the pipelines of South-Eastern Europe."



There were no immediate comments from the EU executive.



Russia, which used to ship natural gas primarily through Ukraine, has diversified exports routes, constructing the Nord Stream pipelines to Germany and the TurkStream link to Turkey.



Hungary has relied on Russia for most of its natural-gas imports delivered via a pipeline through Ukraine, but in recent years it has diversified gas imports, opening cross-border interconnectors with most of its neighbors and securing supplies from Royal Dutch Shell via a liquefied natural-gas terminal in Croatia.

The Hungarian government announced at the end of August it had agreed with Moscow on all the conditions for a new long-term gas supply deal to take effect from October 1.



The duration for the agreement with Gazprom would be for 15 years, with a clause to change purchased quantities after 10 years, Budapest said, adding that the price has also been agreed.



Under the deal, Gazprom would ship 4.5 billion cubic meters of natural gas to Hungary annually, allowing the supply of around half of Hungary's annual gas consumption.



Two routes will be used -- 3.5 billion cubic meters will come via Serbia and 1 billion cubic meters via Austria.

With reporting by Reuters
Four visiting U.S. senators told Lebanese officials on September 1 that the United States was eager to help that country tackle its fuel shortages but warned against Beirut seeking to import Iranian oil to alleviate the problem.

The Democratic senators said turning to Iranian supplies could have "severely damaging consequences."

The visit follows statements last month from the leader of the Iran-backed Hizballah militant group suggesting an Iranian fuel tanker was en route to Lebanon and that others would follow.

The United States has clamped down with tougher sanctions against Iran since Washington withdrew from a nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers in 2018.

The senators' visit also comes with Lebanese politicians unable to form a government for over a year, which could enable negotiations with international financial institutions to help address Lebanon's economic crisis.

It is inexcusable that in the middle of this life-threatening crisis, the political leaders in Lebanon have refused to make the tough choices in order to form a government, Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut said near the end of the two-day visit.

Hassan Diab and his government resigned days after a devastating blast at Beiruts port that killed at least 214 people, wounded some 6,000, and damaged huge swaths of the city.

Another visiting senator, Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, criticized Hizballah as a malignant cancerous terrorist organization and suggested he'd heard very troublingly about maligned Iranian influence, particularly in providing fuel.

The World Bank has described Lebanon's economic crisis as one of the world's most severe since the 1850s.

Based on reporting by AP
Iran has not allowed international inspectors access to a centrifuge-component-manufacturing workshop as agreed under a monitoring deal reached two weeks ago, the UN nuclear watchdog says.



The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) was denied access to the TESA Karaj centrifuge component manufacturing workshop near Tehran, the agency said in a statement on September 26.



IAEA Director-General Rafael Grossi "reiterates that all of the agency's activities referred to in the joint statement for all identified agency equipment and Iranian facilities and locations are indispensable in order to maintain continuity of knowledge," it said.



Under a September 12 agreement reached with the IAEA, Iran agreed to allow international inspectors to service surveillance cameras at its sensitive nuclear sites and to continue recording there.



The deal averted the agency's 35-nation board of governors issuing a resolution criticizing Iran for stonewalling the IAEA. A resolution could have jeopardized the resumption of talks to restore the 2015 nuclear deal with international powers.



The IAEA said that from September 20-22 Iran permitted inspectors to service monitoring and surveillance equipment and to replace storage media at "all necessary locations," except for the TESA Karaj complex.



The IAEA's latest report comes amid stalled talks between international powers and Iran aimed at reviving the nuclear accord, which was abandoned by former U.S. President Donald Trump in 2018.



The U.S. withdrawal from the accord led to the return of sanctions on Iran. Tehran responded by restarting some of its nuclear activities.



After six rounds of talks this year in Vienna, negotiations were suspended in June when hard-liner Ebrahim Raisi was elected as Iran's new president.



At the UN this week, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said Tehran would return to negotiations "very soon." But the United States responded by saying it wasn't sure what time frame Tehran had in mind.

With reporting by AFP and Reuters
In his first address to the United Nations General Assembly, Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said Iran had crossed "all red lines" in its nuclear program, and vowed that Israel will not allow Tehran to acquire a nuclear weapon.

Speaking at the world bodys annual meeting in New York on September 27, Bennett made no mention of Israel's decades-long conflict with the Palestinians and sought to portray Iran as a menace to global security.



The Islamic republic has taken "a major leap forward" in recent years in its nuclear production capacity and ability to enrich weapons-grade uranium, he said, adding: "Iran's nuclear weapon program is at a critical point, all red lines have been crossed."



Bennett, a right-wing politician who ended Benjamin Netanyahu's 12-year rule as prime minister, wants U.S. President Joe Biden to harden his stance against Iran, Israel's regional archfoe.



He opposes the new U.S. administration's efforts to revive the 2015 Iran nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers that Biden's predecessor, Donald Trump, abandoned in 2018.



The U.S. pullout from the agreement led to the return of painful economic sanctions on Iran.



Tehran, which says its nuclear ambitions are purely for civilian purposes, responded by breaching many of the accords core restrictions.

After six rounds of indirect U.S.-Iran talks this year in Vienna, negotiations were suspended in June when hard-liner Ebrahim Raisi was elected as Iran's new president.



Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said on the sidelines of the General Assembly on September 24 that Iran would return to negotiations "very soon," but the United States responded by saying it wasn't sure what timeframe Tehran had in mind.



In his speech, Bennett said Iran was seeking to dominate the Middle East under a nuclear umbrella," and urged a more concerted international effort to halt Iran's nuclear activities.



Words do not stop centrifuges from spinning, he said.

With reporting by Reuters, AP, and AFP
BISHKEK -- Jailed former Kyrgyz President Almazbek Atambaev says he is weighing whether to run as a candidate in upcoming parliamentary elections.

Atambaev made the remark in response to a question from RFE/RL as he was brought into court in Bishkek on September 27 for a trial in a case related to a deadly two-day standoff between security forces and his supporters in August 2019 that led to the death of a top security officer and more than 170 injured.



"I do not need a mandate. But people have asked me to be among the first to register for the election. I am thinking about that. If I take part, then my participation will be symbolic," Atambaev said.



Abdyjapar Bekmatov, a member of Kyrgyzstan's Central Election Commission, told RFE/RL that anyone convicted of a crime or on trial is barred from running for office in the Central Asian nation.



Kyrgyzstan is scheduled to hold parliamentary elections on November 28.



Atambaev and 13 other people are charged with murder, attempted murder, threatening or assaulting representatives of the authorities, hostage taking, and the forcible seizure of power in the high-profile trial.



It did not open as scheduled on September 27 but was postponed until September 29 due to the failure of one of the defendants lawyers to turn up in court.



The trial has been postponed several times since April.



In June 2020, Atambaev, 65, was sentenced to 11 years and two months in prison for his role in the release of a notorious crime boss.



Later that year in November, the Supreme Court sent that case back to a Bishkek district court for retrial, although it gave no reason for that decision.



Atambaev has long denied any wrongdoing.
A court in Kazakhstan has granted early release to ailing activist Kenzhebek Abishev, who has been declared a political prisoner by domestic human rights groups.

Bakhytzhan Toreghozhina, a leading member of the Almaty-based human rights group Ar, Rukh, Khaq (Dignity, Spirit, Truth), told RFE/RL that the Qapshaghai city court said on September 27 it had granted Abishev early release, with the ruling to take effect in 15 days if prosecutors do not appeal it.

In early February, the court ruled that Abishev could be released more than three years early for good behavior, a procedure allowed by Kazakh law.

However, the Almaty regional prosecutor's office appealed the ruling at the very last moment, arguing that the activist's good behavior in custody was not enough to secure his early release, since he still had more than three years to serve.

The court then scrapped the move, saying only that it was satisfying the prosecutor's request. Abishev's lawyers then reapplied for early release.

Abishev was sentenced to seven years in prison in December 2018 after he and two other activists were found guilty of planning a "holy war" because they were spreading the ideas of the banned Democratic Choice of Kazakhstan (DVK) movement. His prison term was later cut by eight months.

In mid-April, Abishev, who has rejected all the charges and called the entire case politically motivated, was rushed from prison to a hospital in Qapshaghai after his condition worsened due to a hunger strike that he started to protest the February cancellation of his release and prison conditions in general.

Physicians then diagnosed Abishev with coronary heart disease.

The DVK was founded by Mukhtar Ablyazov, an outspoken critic of the Kazakh government who has been residing in France for several years.

Ablyazov has organized unsanctioned anti-government rallies in Kazakhstan via the Internet in recent years.
The NATO-led KFOR peacekeeping force in Kosovo has stepped up patrols on the border with Serbia amid worsening tensions between the two Balkan countries over a dispute about license plates.



"KFOR has increased the number and time length of the routine patrolling all around Kosovo," including in the mainly Serb northern part of the country, the force said in a statement on September 27.

Video footage showed NATO armored vehicles moving close to the barricades made of trucks and other vehicles on the Kosovo-Serbia frontier, as Serbian government jets flew overheard.



The U.S. Embassy in Serbia tweeted that U.S. and Canadian defense officials had visited the Jarinje and Brnjak border crossings "to gain a better understanding of the situation."



"They were glad to note KFOR was on site as a stabilizing factor," the embassy said.



The two border crossings have been blocked by local Serbs since Kosovar authorities on September 20 required all drivers from Serbia entering Kosovo to use temporary printed registration details that are valid for 60 days.



The Kosovar government says it is in retaliation for measures in force in Serbia against drivers from Kosovo since 2008, when Kosovo declared independence from Serbia. Belgrade does not recognize Kosovo's independence and therefore its right to take official actions such as registering cars.

WATCH: Albanian PM Urges Serbia To End 'Show Of Force' Near Kosovo Border

The move to increase KFOR patrols comes a day after Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic warned NATO that Serbia will intervene in Kosovo if Serbs there come under serious threat from the majority Kosovar Albanians.



The confrontation has already boiled over into violence, with a car registration office and another Interior Ministry buildings in northern Kosovo being attacked on September 25, according to police.



Serbia has also begun military maneuvers near the border and started flying military jets above the crossings in protest.



NATO has led KFOR since 1999, with around 4,000 troops from 28 countries, after a 78-day bombing campaign by the military alliance ended the 1998-99 Kosovo War that left more than 10,000 dead.



KFOR is supported by the United Nations, the European Union, and other international actors. Its aim is to stave off lingering ethnic tensions between Kosovo's Albanian majority and Serbian minority.



Kosovo's declaration of independence is backed by the United States, Britain, and most EU member states, but its membership of the United Nations is blocked by Russia, Serbia's traditional ally.



Belgrade and Pristina committed to an EU-sponsored dialogue in 2013 to resolve outstanding issues, but little progress has been made.



On September 27, Kosovar Prime Minister Albin Kurti repeated an offer for both countries to lift the rule of temporary license plates. He also said they were open to talks in Brussels, but Belgrade was declining to hold them.



Vucic has described Kosovo's recent license-plate move as a "criminal action," and he made the withdrawal of all Kosovar special police a condition of EU-mediated negotiations to resolve the dispute.



On September 26, Serbian Defense Minister Nebojsa Stefanovic visited troops at two military bases near the Kosovo border, accompanied by Russia's ambassador to Serbia.



The EU, NATO, and the United States have all urged Kosovo and Serbia to immediately exercise restraint and refrain from unilateral actions.



European Commission spokeswoman Diana Spinant on September 27 urged both sides to "sit down together and to put an end to the verbal escalation in the region."



The European Union hopes Serbian and Kosovar negotiators will meet, said the bloc's spokesman on foreign affairs, Peter Stano.



"There are a lot of diplomatic activities going on now both in Brussels and on the ground," Stano told reporters.



Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama on September 27 visited Kosovo and criticized Serbia's "theatrical military maneuvers," saying that the "only solution is a dialogue.

With reporting by AFP, dpa, AP, and Reuters
The Kremlin has reiterated that any expansion of NATO military infrastructure in Ukraine would cross one of President Vladimir Putin's "red lines" as Belarus's authoritarian ruler Alyaksandr Lukashenka accused Washington of using training centers as a guise for setting up bases for the Western military alliance.



Ukraine, which is not a NATO member but has long sought closer ties with the West and its militaries, immediately rejected the statements saying it would determine its own security policy and that Moscow should worry only about issues inside of Russia's borders.



The latest flare-up in frayed relations among the nations started on September 27 when Lukashenka said the United States is "building up bases" in Ukraine and that he and Putin have "agreed we must do something about it."



Lukashenka, who has been hit with several rounds of sanctions from the U.S. and several other Western nations for his brutal crackdown on dissent at home after the opposition accused him of rigging a presidential election in August 2020, did not specify what Moscow and Minsk would do, other than to say the actions would "ensure the security of the two of our states."

Russia staunchly opposes the idea of NATO membership for Ukraine and Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov added that Putin has repeatedly noted the issue of the potential broadening of NATO infrastructure on Ukrainian territory "would cross red lines."



Speaking in Kyiv, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba sharply rejected the notion of a Russian "red line" outside of its own borders.



"Putin's 'red lines' are limited to Russia's borders," he tweeted.



"On our side of the Ukrainian-Russian border we can figure out ourselves what to do in the interests of the Ukrainian people, as well as Ukraine's and Europe's security."

Meanwhile, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry rejected Lukashenkas baseless insinuations, and stressed that Ukraine has never interfered and will not interfere in the affairs of neighboring Belarus.



"Preserving Belarus's sovereignty and independence, not becoming an appendage of Russia, is something that Minsk should really think about, the spokesman, Oleh Nikolenko, told the UNIAN news agency.

Tensions have run high since Russia annexed Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula in 2014 and then tightened its grip by staging a referendum dismissed as illegal by most of the international community.



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.



Ukraine began joint military exercises with the United States and other NATO member troops last week, while Russia and Belarus held large-scale drills that alarmed the West.

With reporting by Reuters, TASS, and BelTA
BISHKEK --Kyrgyzstan has added several former leaders of Canada's Centerra Gold company and its operator of the Kumtor Gold company to its wanted list as part of a widening investigation into alleged corruption during the development of a major gold-mining project.



The State Committee for National Security (UKMK) said on September 17 that investigations so far revealed that the former leaders of the Canadian company and its operator had been involved in "corrupt" activities through which they illegally pocketed up to $200 million in December 2013.



The UKMK said that it launched a probe against former Centerra Gold manager Ian Atkinson; the former chief of Kumtor Gold, Michael Fischer; the former chairman of Kumtor Gold's managing council, Andrei Sazonov; and the former vice president of Kumtor Operating Company, John Suter. All of them have been added to the Central Asian nation's wanted list, he said.



A day earlier, the UKMK said it had detained former Prime Minister Joomart Otorbaev as part of the investigation.



Otorbaev, who served as prime minister between 2014-15, is one of several former prime ministers and other senior officials arrested in connection with the Kumtor project in recent months.



Kumtor has been a target of financial and environmental disagreements for years. It is currently the subject of an ongoing control battle between the Kyrgyz state and Centerra Gold.



The Kyrgyz government has temporarily taken over control of the mine in what President Sadyr Japarov has called a necessary move to address environmental and safety violations.



Centerra has called Kyrgyzstan's actions "wrongful and illegal."



In May, the Canadian firm said it had "initiated binding arbitration to enforce its rights under long-standing investment agreements with the government."



Last month, investigators questioned two former Kyrgyz presidents, Sooronbai Jeenbekov and Askar Akaev, in the high-profile case.
A bill allowing Russia's regional leaders to serve more than two consecutive terms in office has been proposed by a group of lawmakers in the State Duma, parliament's lower chamber.



The bill, proposed by Nikolai Klishas, a member of the State Duma, would allow Kremlin-backed leaders such as Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin to run for a third term when his current term ends in 2023.



Klishas told journalists on September 27 that the bill also envisions the establishment of a single, unified name for posts held by regional leaders, which would abolish titles such as president for republics inside Russia. That move would affect Rustam Minnikhanov, the president of the republic of Tatarstan.



After the collapse of the Soviet Union, leaders of ethnic republics in Russia used to be called presidents. In 2010, a law was adopted that banned calling regional leaders president, but Tatarstan preserved the right to call its leader president.

Based on reporting by Meduza, TASS, and Interfax
White House national-security adviser Jake Sullivan has phoned the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan to express concern over recent tensions between the two countries, the White House has said in a statement.

Sullivan spoke with caretaker Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev after Armenia accused Azerbaijan of sending troops across the border and trying to stake claim to territory.

Azerbaijan has denied the accusation and said its forces only defended their side of the frontier.

Sullivan "emphasized that military movements near un-demarcated borders are irresponsible and provocative," National Security Council spokeswoman Emily Horne said in the statement.

"He welcomed the ongoing communication between the two sides and both leaders' commitment to resolving this issue peacefully," Horne said.

Sullivan also "underscored the need for the two countries to conduct formal discussions to demarcate their international border."

Yerevan accused Azerbaijani forces of moving 3 1/2 kilometers into Syunik Province early on May 12 and of breaching two other sections of the Armenia-Azerbaijan border the next day.

Azerbaijan insists that its troops did not cross into Armenia and simply took up positions on the Azerbaijani side of the frontier that were not accessible in winter months.

It added that the border between the two South Caucasus states wasn't demarcated after the breakup of the Soviet Union.

Armenia formally appealed on May 14 to the Russian-led Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) to hold consultations on the border dispute.

Sullivan conveyed the U.S. commitment to achieving regional reconciliation through bilateral engagement and as a co-chair of the Minsk Group.

Co-chaired by Russia, the United States, and France, the Minsk Group still has an international mandate to mediate a peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

With reporting by Reuters
A migrant rights defender who has been held at an immigration detention center at Moscows Sheremetyevo airport since September 25 says she might be jailed and even killed while in custody if she is deported back to her native Uzbekistan.

Valentina Chupik, who runs the migrant center Sunrise of the World in Moscow, told Current Time on September 27 that officers from Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) informed her that she has been deprived of her refugee status since September 17 and banned from entering Russia for 30 years.



"The documents I was handed say I presented either false information or forged documents [to Russian authorities] when I applied for refugee status [in 2006], which...I consider to be absolute nonsense," Chupik said.



Chupik also said that an FSB officer told her that the situation she faces is most likely linked to "complaints by law enforcement officers" across Russia over her activities to protect the rights of labor migrants from Central Asia and her accusations of corruption among Russian migration authorities and police.



"I was not informed that my lawyer had tried to reach me.... Nobody is allowed to meet me at this point," Chupik said.



"I think if I am deported to Uzbekistan, I will be immediately placed in an SNB (National Security Service) basement...and eventually killed there," Chupik added.



She said she fled Uzbekistan in 2006 after local authorities tried to force her to give them half of the grants her human rights group was receiving from international organizations, which she refused.



"They then demanded that I shut down the organization. They demanded to give them the organization. Then they wanted me to hire their person as my organization's accountant. And my response was 'no,'" Chupik said, adding that she then was questioned for hours each day until early in the morning for six weeks straight.



Chupik also said that for the first time since she was detained after returning to Russia from a trip to Armenia, a guard had switched off the extremely bright light in her cell for more than four hours, allowing her to have more proper sleep.

In a statement on September 27, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said that "the sudden timing and manner of Chupiks refugee status revocation, combined with the attempt to ban her for 30 years, strongly indicate that the decision was not based on a routine administrative process, but was instead an arbitrary and punitive move the authorities made in retaliation for her work on behalf of migrants."

In recent months, Russian authorities have "intensified their efforts to silence independent voices," the New York-based watchdog said, citing the adoption by parliament of "a battery of laws that allow even greater infringements on freedoms of expression, association, and assembly."



Several Russian groups and media outlets have been forced to close, while at least three civic activists have been convicted on criminal charges and two others are awaiting trial.
VoxEU Column

COVID-19 has had large impacts on global production and international trade. The column uses quarterly aggregate-level data on foreign affiliates of Japanese multinational corporations to show that multinational production and supply chains were negatively affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, especially in the 2nd quarter of 2020. The sales of Japanese manufacturing affiliates almost recovered in the 4th quarter of 2020, indicating the resilience of global production and multinationals' supply chains. But there are large variations in recovery across countries. The COVID-19 pandemic has had substantial impacts on the world economy. In 2020, world real GDP fell by 3.6%, the volume of world merchandise trade declined by 5.3%, and foreign direct investment (FDI) flows dropped by 42% (Note 1). Supply chains have been disrupted and both supply and demand shocks transmitted through supply chains and propagated across borders. As Baldwin and Tomiura (2020) point out, COVID-19 is as contagious economically as it is medically. To slow down the spread of the coronavirus, many countries imposed some form of restrictions on people and businesses. Previous studies have shown that the COIVD-19 had large negative impacts on global supply chains (Baldwin and Freeman 2020, Bonadio et al. 2020), international trade (Hayakawa and Mukunoki 2021), and the subjective uncertainty of global firms (Chen et al. 2021). Since Japanese multinational corporations (MNCs) are important drivers and players in FDI and global value chains (GVCs), their overseas production and supply chains were hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. In a recent paper (Zhang 2021), I assess the impact of COVID-19 on global production by analysing quarterly data on the foreign manufacturing affiliates of Japanese MNCs.

Impact on sales of foreign affiliates of Japanese MNCs

In what follows, I document the impact of COVID-19 on the performance of Japanese manufacturing affiliates in major host countries. Figure 1 shows the relationship between the number of COVID-19 cases (in logarithms) and year-on-year (y-o-y) changes of total sales in 2020. The plots of y-o-y changes in sales against COVID-19 cases across countries show that sales decline significantly with increases in COVID-19 cases in each quarter. In other words, COVID-19 cases are significantly negatively associated with sales of Japanese affiliates in major countries, especially in the 2nd quarter of 2020. In Q1 2020, affiliates' sales in China (including Hong Kong) and Brazil sharply decreased by about 20% y-o-y, whilst sales in Taiwan and Singapore only increased. In Q2, whilst China had almost recovered from the COVID-19, the sales of Japanese affiliates dropped substantially in all other countries. India, Brazil, and Indonesia were the worst amongst them. Importantly, the fitted lines for Q1 and Q2 show that the negative correlations between COVID-19 cases and sales growth rates became significantly stronger from Q1 2020 to Q2 2020. This suggests that the pandemic and the performance of Japanese affiliates were getting worse in major countries, except China. In Q3, affiliates' sales in China continued to increase. The situation in other countries was improving relative to Q2, but most of them still had large decreases in sales. In Q4, the sales of Japanese affiliates in most countries recovered but there are still large variations across countries, implying the differences in recovery from the pandemic. Figure 1. COVID-19 and Global Production Source: Author's own compilation based on the Quarterly Survey of Overseas Subsidiaries (QSOS), Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), and Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center.

Supply chains disruption and recovery

COVID-19 disrupted supply chains regionally and globally. Figure 2 shows the y-o-y changes of overseas affiliates' exports to Japan by region from Q1 2019 to Q4 2020. In Q1 2020, due to the rapid spread of COVID-19 in China, Japanese affiliates' exports from China to Japan had a substantial decrease of 17.8% y-o-y. COVID-19 shocks hit ChinaJapan trade hard as the supply chains of Japanese firms rely heavily on China. In contrast, in ASEAN, newly industrialised economies (NIEs), North America, and Europe, exports to Japan increased by 0.7%, 44.5%, 7.4%, and 11.7% y-o-y, respectively. The sudden increase in NIEs, especially the Republic of Korea and Taiwan, may reflect the substitution effect as imports from China were disrupted in Q1. However, in Q2 2020, although Japanese affiliates' local sales in China almost recovered and increased by 6.7% y-o-y, their exports to Japan continued to see a y-o-y decrease of 12%. The situation in non-China regions such as ASEAN and Europe was even worse (about 20% y-o-y). ASEAN, which is expected to be an important alternative sourcing origin, also experienced significant decreases. The supply chains between ASEAN and Japan were in crisis as well. In Q4 2020, exports to Japan were recovering in all regions except the rest of the world (ROW). Figure 2. Exports to Japan (%, y-o-y) Note: Hong Kong is included in China. NIEs include the Republic of Korea, Singapore, and Taiwan. ROW include countries in Africa, Oceania, and South America.

Source: Author's own compilation based on the QSOS, METI. Similarly, Figure 3 shows that Japanese manufacturing affiliates' exports to third countries fell sharply during Q1Q2 2020. Importantly, the impact was much larger relative to exports to Japan. On average, the y-o-y changes of exports to third countries were 9.5% and 33.4% in Q1 and Q2, whilst the y-o-y changes of exports to Japan were 5.5% and 16.5% during the same period. Foreign affiliates' exports to third countries were recovering in Q3 2020 but did not return to pre-COVID-19 levels. It is also worth noting that ASEAN-based affiliates had the lowest recovery in Q3. Whilst their exports to Japan were 7.2% y-o-y in Q3, their exports to third countries were much lower, at 24.7% y-o-y. This suggests that the negative demand shock was much larger in the third countries, relative to Japan. In Q4 2020, exports to third countries almost recovered in all regions. Figure 3. Exports to Third Countries (%, y-o-y) Note: Hong Kong is included in China. NIEs include the Republic of Korea, Singapore, and Taiwan. ROW include countries in Africa, Oceania, and South America.

Source: Author's own compilation based on the QSOS, METI.

Policy implications
The World Bank has estimated that there are more than 41 million people in the artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) sector across the globe.

The Resource World noted that there were more than 100 million artisanal miners globally in 2019.

ASM, it said, accounts for up to 20% of diamond mining.

ASM diamond mining is mainly done in Africa.

Although this sector in Africa had been associated with illegal diamond mining as some governments failed to provide technical support and create an enabling environment, De Beers is making a difference starting with the Kono District in Sierra Leone.

Through GemFair, De Beers started supporting the formalization of the ASM sector in 2018 by raising standards and opening up a new source of ethical diamond supply through the groups industry-leading distribution channel.

It started with 14 member sites to create a secure route to market for ethically-sourced artisanal and small-scale diamonds.

GemFair programme manager Ruby Stocklin-Weinberg recently told Rough & Polished that the registered members working with De Beers in Kono have now grown to 160.

Through the miner training programme, they had trained a total of 1,049 individuals on fair labour standards and safer and environmentally responsible working practices.

In 2020 GemFair also entered into an MoU with the Mano River Union (MRU) and German Development Corporation (GIZ) to expand the ASM training programme in Sierra Leone, Guinea, Liberia and the Ivory Coast.

This collaboration will enable De Beers to build regional capacity on diamond fundamentals and valuation.

Angola

Informal diamond mining first erupted in Angola on a very large scale from September 1991, following the signing of the Bicesse Accords between the government and the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA) rebels as well as an agreement to hold the countrys first general elections.

Angola then passed a new diamond law in October 1991 that made it legal for Angolan citizens as well as individuals to possess and trade in diamonds acquired from areas outside mining concessions and sell through government-recognised buying offices.

UNITA rejected the United Nations supervised elections in 1992 and went on to seize the Cuango Valley and much of the Lundas.

UNITA briefly withdrew from the main mines in the Cuango Valley five years later but started attacking diamond projects in 1998.

The end of the civil war in 2002 brought some normalcy in the country, although no regulations existed for artisan mining until 2009.

Angola had more than 700 small diamond prospectors prior to operation transparency, which was launched in 2018 by the ministry of the interior.

Only 260 of them were said to have met the requirements to continue prospecting.

The Angolan government is now encouraging artisanal and semi-industrial cooperatives to become industrial companies by 2023.

Angop quoted the minister for mineral resources, Diamantino Azevedo, as saying last April that artisanal miners were also known as diamond co-operatives in Angola should be organised in a business way and pay tax if they are to continue operating.

DRC

The World Diamond Council (WDC) indicated a few years ago that it was working with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to improve the working conditions for artisanal miners within traceability standards proposed by the Diamond Development Initiative (DDI).

The central African country had 200,000 artisanal miners in 2018 that were registered by the (DDI) with the support of the ministry of mines.

Global Witness had a year earlier said the DRC had more than 700,000 artisanal miners.

The country passed a law in 1981 that forced Miniere de Bakwange (MIBA), a state-owned diamond mining company, to open up the majority of its fields to artisanal diggers.

This paved the way for artisanal mining of placer diamond deposits along the Bushimaie and Lubilash tributaries to the Sankuru River (Bakwanga Mine) near the town of Mbuji-Mayi (formerly Bakwanga) in the Kasai-Oriental province and along the Tshikapa River (Forminiere Diamond Mine) in the Kasai-Occidental province.

South Africa

South Africa had 220 small and junior diamond miners in March 2020, according to a report written by Nelson Mandela University geology graduate Sinazo Dlakavu published in August by the Africa Earth Observatory Institute, under the auspices of the Nelson Mandela University.

The sector used to have about 2 000 companies operating in South Africa in 2004.

Mining Weekly reports that the continued decline in the number of small and junior diamond miners was being felt in Namaqualand on the west coast of South Africa; the Northern Cape, including the historical diamond centre of Kimberley; and the North West province.

Policy and regulatory issues, safety and security as well as unreliable electricity supply were cited as factors that contributed to the significant decrease in the number of small miners over recent years.

Dlakavu said the South African government should make it easy for new entrants into the small and junior diamond mining industry to start a business starting with the development of a fit-for-purpose sector-focussed mining policy and associated regulations.

In 2018 the South African Department of Mineral Resources awarded two mining permits to thousands of artisanal miners, giving them legal access to 500ha of land in Kimberley, Northern Cape.

The miners known as zama-zamas, organised as the Kimberley Artisanal Mineworkers, had been illegally mining diamond fragments for sale on the parallel market from a site owned by the Kimberley Ekapa Mining joint venture.

Tanzania

In Tanzania, Petra Diamonds was forced to introduce an artisanal tailings project last February, where local community members will be able to exploit old tailings material at the Williamson Mine in Tanzania, in a formalised and controlled manner.

The diamond company made the decision to make amends after a UK-based law firm, Leigh Day, filed claims in the High Court of England and Wales last September on behalf of 32 anonymous individuals against Petra Diamonds and Williamson Diamonds.

The claim alleged that Petra and Williamson Diamonds are liable for human rights violations, personal injuries and deaths suffered by the anonymous individuals at and surrounding the Williamson mine, arising from the mine's security operations.

There had been ongoing illegal artisanal mining taking place at Williamson over some time, due to the challenges in securing the large perimeter of the Special Mining Licence area, which covers 30.6km2 including the main 146-hectare orebody, together with alluvial resources.

Zimbabwe

In Zimbabwe, artisanal diamond miners are mainly operating illegally, especially in the Eastern parts of the country.

Others are allegedly digging near the Zimbabwe Consolidated Diamond Company (ZCDC)s licence area leading to their arrest by the companys guards.

Mutare, about 60km to Marange, is home to scores of international dealers who buy diamonds from artisanal miners which they smuggle out of the country through Mozambique and South Africa, according to Zimbabwes Centre for Natural Resource Governance.

A study conducted by the Kimberly Process Civil Society Coalition (KPCSC) last year showed that smuggling of Zimbabwean diamonds to Mozambique by artisanal miners is on the rise following the closure of official border posts to curb the spreading of COVID-19.

"Also in Zimbabwe, artisanal miners indicated that regular buyers do no longer have money to trade, while new players are stepping in to buy at considerably reduced prices, reads part of the report.

While the formal market is being squeezed even further, this indicates that illicit actors may be stocking up on cheap artisanal diamonds, which they hope to sell with huge profits when the disruptions of international supply chains will be relaxed."

Reflection

Illegal diamond mining and trading are closely associated with artisanal miners in the most African countries, although efforts are being made to formalise their operations.

It is also helpful for established companies to take them under their wings, while governments are making it easier for them to acquire licences and claims.

Failure to do so means that illegal mining and trading will continue, which unfortunately does not benefit any government due to financial leakages.

Mathew Nyaungwa, Editor in Chief of the African Bureau, Rough&Polished
State Integrated Information System in the Sphere of Control over the Circulation of Precious Metals and Precious Stones) and

Eduard Utkin, Director General of the Jewellers Guild of Russia Association, expert of the RF Chamber of Commerce and Industrys Committee on Precious Metals and Precious Stones, told R&P about implementing the SIIS PMPS (the latest developments and sentiments in the jewellery industry.

Is a new era in the history of state control in the jewellery sector beginning early in September?

This is just the first stage when all the market participants must register in the System, open a personal account and apply for special registration. Actually, there are no more mandatory requirements. But epoch-making changes in the System will begin on March 1 next year, it will be necessary to release products with assigned UINs that will be applied on jewellery tags.

Meetings of the leaders of the Jewellers Guild of Russia with the Ministry of Finance on the state regulation of the PMPS industry - now held on a regular basis - help improve the jewellers position. As far as we know, in some issues their (and your) wishes were taken into account, werent they?

The Guild has very many wishes, and most of them are so ambitious that we can hope that the Ministry of Finance will support them. Nevertheless, the negotiations are underway and we are trying to talk with the Ministry of Finance so that our desires are satisfied at least to some extent. And the jewellers desires are about reducing their administrative costs, especially those connected with Federal Law No.115 (anti-money laundering). Reducing costs and increasing sales are the main jewellers wishes. Cost reduction is only possible through simplifying the administration of mandatory requirements established by the statutory enactments that regulate entrepreneurial activities in the field of PMPS circulation. These negotiations have been going on for as long as this industry has existed, and it is impossible to say that any breakthrough would happen at any of the meetings. This is a usual working process, and I think that it should go on as we bring our concerns to the regulator, and it tells us about its problems and claims. We believe that these meetings are useful, because some questions arise regularly, as well as some obstacles in the business development, and we would like the regulator to be aware of these problems and have the opportunity to provide us with all possible assistance. But to provide this help, the regulator really needs to understand these problems and be in the know.

And I would like to add that when market players have no meetings with the regulator, they do not know what regulatory problems the ministry has, and knowing them is also important. Everyone is focused on the own problems. And to understand how some decisions can be made, it is necessary to sit down to talk, and both sides should, as they say, put everything on the table.

What are the key, top priority tasks facing the Jewellers Guild now?

Our top priority and key task is to ensure that our industry could enter the SIIS PMPS easily, smoothly and without losses. Today, this is a problem that worries absolutely all the jewellers, both small and major ones, as well as the manufacturers, sellers, and repairmen - absolutely all of them. The system is new, it has never been used before, and everything new is, naturally, frightening.

I will certainly be heavily criticized again, but I should say that today, the need to be included in this System annoys most jewellers. However, the decision has been made  and it applies not on jewellery only. You know, other types of goods are also subject to hallmarking. The system of control and supervision is changing, the system of assaying and hallmarking is changing, too. Seriously speaking, really, assaying and hallmarking were introduced in Russia more than three centuries ago, and during this time, nothing has changed. But during this time, the technologies in other industries have made a great step forward, and in our industry, still a hammer is used to make the product. Unfortunately, the absolute majority of people always oppose any changes vigorously. But the Associations task, among other things, is to convince the market participants of the need for this move.

It is clear that the task of the state control is simpler with the introduction of this System. But as far as jewellers are concerned, this is an additional burden on them, isnt it?

Certainly, for jewellers, this means additional costs and administration efforts, this is clear. But even now, it is impossible to do without this because the system of assaying and hallmarking in the form it has been used for a long time, today does not protect the market against smuggling, counterfeiting, or against the illegal jewellery manufacturing. And the most advanced market participants who want to build their business not for the next five to ten years only, but for the coming decades, are interested in this. That is why the majority of them are displeased but, as a rule, a forward-looking minority of people are the driver of any progress. The forward-thinking minority of jewellers are doing everything possible to convince everyone else of the need for these changes. The System itself is well designed but its implementation does not go smoothly, and the functions have not yet been finalized. I am sure that the developers and users will be able to overcome these difficulties.

In addition to implementing this new system, SIIS PMPS, what other tasks are being solved in the Jewellers Guild?

Another most important task is, of course, the promotion of our goods among consumers. We believe that first, jewellery has been pushed aside by other goods on the market for a long time. Second, by the way, there is a problem that should solved thanks to the SIIS PMPS, and this problem is that many consumers are sure that some fakes are being sold at our stores; as they say, the stones are not real, the gold is not real, and this restrains the market growth and impacts the sales. We need to restore the consumer confidence in our products, and we should do this through the SIIS PMPS as well. That is, we need to increase the sales, as well as the domestic market. Well, the third task is, of course, to make an increase - a multiple increase - in the goods exports.

Have the diamond jewellery and rare gemstone sales really increased compared to last year?

Compared to last year, the sales have increased - the increase was not so significant in the diamond jewellery sales, but rather, in the premium jewellery sales, and they really have almost doubled. This is due to the fact that wealthy people who can afford buying something do not have the opportunity to go abroad now and spend their money there. So, they have to spend their money locally, including for buying jewellery.

Has this anything to do with their investment attractiveness?

I come across potential consumers and hear their points of view, and every year, there are fewer people purchasing jewellery as an investment asset because people who can afford buying jewellery worth hundreds of thousands of roubles are usually well-educated and experienced professionals. They know how to use other financial instruments to invest their money. So, they buy jewellery as beautiful jewellery pieces to be added to their family jewels that can be inherited or given to a granddaughter like a gift. A jewellery piece is purchased today not with the purpose to sell it in a few years. Not so many people consider jewellery for this purpose.

Now, when many players have exited the market, and the most persistent and strong ones remained, what are the Guild members sentiments?

I would say, the sentiments are positive. If we take the latest data on the volume of jewellery assaying and hallmarking, we can see a steady growth - about 15-percent increase in gold jewellery, and I think, it should continue till the end of the year. Regarding the introduction of the SIIS PMPS, as they say, All things are difficult before they are easy, that is, gradually, the market players will get used to this System and accept it. Well, and as for those who decided to leave the market - in periods of change they always have a choice: you either stay in the market, or you exit. Those who leave it, give the niche they previously occupied to those who remain. That is, the share of those who remain on the market increases. You have to pay for increasing your market share. Working in our market will become more complicated, and the costs of doing business will rise.

As for the jewellery export, is there anything promising?

The main and big problem, which is currently holding back our exports, is the import duties on stones used as studs in jewellery. Unfortunately, in our country, no gems are mined on a commercial scale, except for diamonds and amber, and the list of stones currently used in jewellery manufacture is quite extensive. That is, we have to import all other stones, and the import duty is 10 percent. So, our product becomes more expensive by this amount compared to the price of goods made by our competitors in Thailand, Turkey, China. Therefore, in order to develop exports, it is necessary to cancel this import duty. It is not even clear whom it really supports and protects - after all, we have practically no cutting and polishing sector for any stones except diamonds.

For a long time, we have developed our domestic market, and were not present on foreign markets, which, of course, are much bigger than the domestic one. And by occupying some niches there, the company can significantly increase its production within the country. Therefore, we need to do something to simplify the jewellery export procedure, since the jewellery has a number of advantages and benefits over the goods made by our competitors. Our goods go well in Kazakhstan and Belarus, but we would like to actively enter the markets in the non-CIS countries. This can be really done, because there are companies that export a significant share of their products and are quite successful. They are pioneers, and their experience, their achievements show that to accomplish this task, you have to work hard and you will find success.

Galina Semyonova for Rough&Polished
(miningmx.com) - A diamond may be forever, but the routes that the gems take from the mine to consumers are not set in stone. The traditional site auctions pioneered by De Beers are being bypassed, with gems being sold directly to manufacturers  an almost revolutionary concept compared to ingrained practice. A trailblazer on this front is Lucara Diamond Corporation, a Toronto-listed company that operates the Karowe mine in Botswana. Lucara last year shook up the diamond sector by agreeing a novel supply agreement with Antwerp-based HB Antwerp. That agreement was extended in April of this year to December 2022.
FORMER GOA CM LUIZINHO FALERIO RESIGNS AS CONGRESS MLA

GOA: Luizinho Faleiro, who was a long-time Congress loyalist and known to be very close to Sonia Gandhi, was also a member of the All India Congress Committee. Party understood him to be displeased with the decision of the high command to stick with the existing Congress president Girish Chodankar.

Advertisement



I, Luizinho Faleiro, hereby tender my resignation of my seat in the house w.e.f. 27th Sep 2021. I thank the people of #Navelim for placing their trust in me & look forward to their continued support in all future endeavors. #Goa #newbeginnings, Faleiro tweeted on Monday.

Advertisement



Congress MLA and former Goa chief minister Luizinho Faleiro resigned as an MLA and from the Congress party on Monday ahead of an anticipated entry into the Trinamool Congress which is expected to be announced later today.

He handed over an abrupt resignation letter to the Speaker shortly afternoon.



His resignation was promptly accepted by Speaker Rajesh Patnekar and is expected to be notified shortly. I have been a Congressman for 40 years and I will continue to be a Congressman of the Congress family, this family has to come together if we have to fight Modi. Among all the four Congresses, it is Mamata who has given a tough fight to Narendra Modi and their juggernaut the Mamata formula has won. She has been able to stand. We in Goa are also going through difficult times. We need such fighters. I would like all the larger parties to come together and fight the next Parliament elections, Faleiro said.

Advertisement



I interacted with my constituents from Navelim; they are my family, and it was important to me to seek their blessings for a #NewBeginning. I might be old, but my blood is young. I am determined to change things. Lets end this suffering of #Goans and bring a new dawn in #Goa, he said.



Faleiro was elected in the Goa Legislative Assembly in 1979 and has represented the Navelim constituency since then except for a ten-year gap between 2007 and 2017 when he lost his seat to rival Churchill Alemao of the Save Goa Front. Alemao is presently a Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) legislator. Along with Faleiro, several of his loyalists have also quit the party.

As the general secretary of the All India Congress Committee, he was in charge of the northeastern states of Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, and Tripura.

Advertisement



Faleiro was the chief minister for two short stints during Goas turbulent political years when the state saw 13 chief ministers in twelve years. In 1999, as a CM he traveled on a celebration party to Australia only to return to find his place taken by Francisco Sardinha, the present Congress South Goa MP.

The TMCs entry into Goas political space is likely to further shatter the already crowded political space in Goa. Besides the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the opposition Congress, the Goa Forward Party with three MLA, the NCP, and the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) with one MLA each are also struggling for power.
SLIPPER BLUETOOTH

Rajasthan: On Sunday, Rajasthan Police arrested five people for cheating in the REET exam using Bluetooth slippers. When it comes to cheating, students can become the most creative people on the planet! A new and unique cheating method has come. Rajasthan Police has arrested five people for cheating with bluetooth devices hidden inside the sole of their slippers in a highly competitive exam for selecting teachers for government schools in Rajasthan.

Advertisement



According to the police, an entire gang was active in executing this cheating racket ahead of the Rajasthan Eligibility Examination for Teachers, or REET. As soon as the first candidate was caught cheating in Ajmer, the rest of the members also came under the grip. Similar slippers with bluetooth and mobiles were seized in Bikaner and Sikar.



These chappals were crafted with utmost finesse and some reports claim that they were sold with the hardware to the candidates who took the exam for as much as Rs 2 lakh. Ajmer police officer Jagdish Chandra Sharma said, "We found one man with devices in his slippers to help him cheat. We caught him at the beginning of the exam. We are finding out where all he has links and who all are involved. We immediately alerted other districts as well. In the next phase of the exam, nobody can go in with slippers, shoes or socks into the exam centre."

Advertisement



Superintendent of Police in Bikaner, Preeti Chandra said that Trilok, Ram, Omprakash, Madan Gopal, and Kiran Devi were arrested and are currently being interrogated. The slippers were specially designed for the cheating purposes only. "The chappal is such it has an entire phone inside and a Bluetooth device. The candidate had a device inside his ear and someone from outside the exam hall was helping him cheat," police officer Ratan Lal Bhargav said in a statement.
CHINA RE-DEPLOYS MORE THAN 50,000 TROOPS ON LAC- MONITORS DRONES

New Delhi: China has resumed its offensive on the Line of Actual Control (LAC). The Chinese military is using drones on a large scale after deploying more than 50,000 troops at the LAC in eastern Ladakh, flying near Indian outposts there.

Advertisement



Official sources told that the drone activities of the Chinese army were mostly seen in Daulat Beg Oldi Sector, Gogra Heights, and other places in the region. The Indian military is keeping a close eye on China's moves. The Indian Army is also using various means to monitor China's movements. Sources said that the Indian Army is on high alert. It is also deploying drones on a large scale.

Advertisement



It will soon add new Israeli and Indian drones. Referring to the current situation at LAC, the sources said that the issue of fracture point now needs to be resolved. Sources said that China is still not silent. He is transforming his temporary structures into permanent locations for his troops. In eastern Ladakh, China has set up military camps near Tibetan villages near the LoC. It is to be remembered that these camps are being constructed by the Chinese army in the form of concrete buildings.
Jinnah's statue destroyed in blast in Pakistan's Balochistan - BLA claims responsibility

Balochistan: Jinnahs statue, which was erected earlier this year, was reportedly blown up by an explosive device place beneath it. A statue of Pakistan's founder Mohammad Ali Jinnah was destroyed in the blast in the port city of Gwadar in Balochistan province, Dawn reported on Monday. According to Pakistans English daily. The blast was claimed by the banned Baloch Liberation Army.

Advertisement



"The demolition of Quaid-e-Azam's statue in #Gwadar is an attack on Ideology of Pakistan. I request authorities to punish the perpetrators in the same way as we did with those behind the attack on Quaid-e-Azam residency in Ziarat, Balochistans former home minister and current Senator Sarfraz Bugti tweeted.



Gwadar Deputy Commissioner Major (retd) Abdul Kabir Khan said that the militants had entered the area, considered a safe zone, masquerading as tourists, reported BBC Urdu. While no arrest has been made so far, Khan told the Urdu language station that police are looking into the matter from all angles, assuring that the culprits will be caught soon.

Advertisement



Bugti referred to a 121-year-old building, which the Baloch militants blasted and raked with gunfire. Jinnah had spent his last days of life and was later declared a national monument. The building caught in fire due to the blast and gunfire, destroying the furniture and memorabilia.



Balochistan has been witnessing a spate of violence for several years, mostly due to the activities of the Baloch National Army. "The Chinese Embassy in Pakistan strongly condemns this act of terrorism, extends its sincere sympathies to the injured of both countries, and expresses its deep condolences to the innocent victims in Pakistan," the embassy said in a statement after the attack. Recently, the BLA had targeted a motorcade of Chinese engineers at the Gwadar East Bay Expressway project in which two local children were killed and a Chinese national was injured.
In a talk with Saigon Investment, Dr. VU DINH ANH, an economist at the Ministry of Finance, expressed his many views on this topic.

JOURNALIST: - Sir, according to the Ministry of Finance, the Central Reserve Budget has already been exhausted. How will this affect the current Covid-19 pandemic prevention and control measures, when so many unexpected expenditures keep occurring?

Dr. Vu Dinh Anh: - The budget expenditure for the prevention of the Covid-19 pandemic is not included in any of the budget expenditure estimates, so it can only be taken out of contingency expenditure. However, in the provisioning budget of 2021, there is a special feature that is lower than that of 2020, which is VND 34,500 bn, while in 2020 it was VND 37,000 bn. This shows that our budget estimates and forecast for the economic outlook and Covid-19 control situation for 2021 is nowhere close to reality. In 2020, when building a contingency budget estimate for 2021, the Covid-19 pandemic wave had not yet broken out as strongly as it has this year.

In structuring the contingency budget for 2021, there are two items that were taken into consideration, namely, the Central Reserve Budget of VND 17,500 bn and the Local Reserve Budget of VND 17,000 bn. In a recent statement by the Minister of Finance, he only mentioned the provision for the central budget, which is VND 17,500 bn that has been spent. Currently, the Ministry of Finance has not yet mentioned the expenditure of the Local Reserve Budget of VND 17,000 bn. Whether this money has been spent or how it is was spent, has not been mentioned.

The situation of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 was somewhat optimistic, but there is no forecast for 2021 and the situation is becoming more complicated and stressful. Hence, there is no set budget to allocate funds for pandemic prevention and control costs. On the other hand, the reserve budget mainly depends on the Central Reserve Budget, so by August 2021, the entire Reserve Budget may have been spent completely, with expenses continuing to reoccur endlessly.

The expenses according to the budget estimate increased due to the Covid-19 pandemic, while the budget revenue has no guarantees. According to a report by the Ministry of Finance, revenues have been reduced to half compared to the same period last year. This affects the source of payment for expenses, both for recurrent and investment expenditure. The problem now is which source will be used to cover as the revenue is not sufficient enough.

- Sir, what is your opinion for solutions to be taken in handling the current budget imbalance? While what estimation is there for the contingency budget in 2021 that can also be applicable in coming years?

- In order to deal with the current temporary imbalance in the State Budget, it is necessary to differentiate between two issues, namely, the budget deficit for Covid-19 pandemic prevention and control, and the budget balance in general. For the budget to fight against the Covid-19 pandemic, I think there is still a question mark about the local contingency budget, which is how this budget has been handled so far. It is time we calculate the local reserve budget of VND 17,000 bn, as this is larger than the regular savings of only VND 14,600 bn, and it can make up for shortfall in recurrent spending on anti-pandemic measures at this time.

As for how we deal with the current temporary imbalance of the State Budget when revenue is being reduced, it is necessary to take into account a very clear cut solution. If it is determined that the budget imbalance is only temporary, it is necessary to use tools to deal with the temporary budget imbalance. However, if we are not forced to re-evaluate the State Budget imbalance, including the deficit rate, then we need to borrow tools to make up for it. It is possible to increase public debt, but it cannot be transferred from the budget for use in public investment.

We clearly have to take forward all the lessons learnt in 2021 budget dilemmas to practice and implement in 2022 and beyond. For the first time in many years, the report on the implementation of the 2020 budget shows we have not met the budget estimate, while spending exceeded the estimate. The story of the 2020 budget revenue and expenditure problem is set in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic, which was still milder than in 2021. This shows that the impact of this year's Covid-19 pandemic will be much more than that of 2020. How to build estimates and operate the budget to suit the situation and remain close to reality for 2022 is a problem now, because from 2020 to now, three quarters have ended in stress.

- Sir, how do you assess and forecast when this pressure on the provisioning budget may accumulate to next year?

- Firstly, it is the pressure on revenue and expenditure balance. When comparing the revenue base and the ability to collect from economic activities, there are currently two basic contradictions. First, in 2020, although the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic was milder than that in 2021, the overall GDP growth for the whole of 2020 was only 2.93%. Second, while this year, up to now, all economic forecasts have predicted that GDP growth for the whole year will reach 3.5% to 4%, there are even other optimistic forecasts that GDP in 2021 can reach 4.8%. This is a huge contradiction that needs to be clearly explained because there is no reason why this year the Covid-19 pandemic will have a worse impact on the economy than in 2020, but it can lead to higher economic growth. This is very important because this will be the basis for evaluating and developing budget targets.

Secondly, the pressure will be on ensuring budget revenue. In 2020, the Covid-19 pandemic broke out and affected the economy, but it was still milder than this year, but the budget revenue in 2020 did not reach the estimate. So in 2021, the Covid-19 pandemic being complicated and large-scale, and having a bigger impact on all aspects of the economy, the budget revenue here will be how much revenue can be obtained, and not about achieving the estimate.

- Thank you very much.

Luong Son
Thats not surprising, given how Vietnam was the third-most active ecosystem among the six largest ASEAN nations, according to a 2019 Cento Ventures-led report on the countrys tech investments. These big checks have elevated Vietnams status as the next hot market for tech investors and startups. For all the details, read our reporting on Vietnam.

Vietnam has bragging rights for producing one of the regions first unicorns: internet firm VNG. But its also the breeding ground of many more companies that should be on your radar, such as e-wallet MoMo, fintech firm VNLife, and logistics player Scommerce.

As the countrys tech ecosystem reaches a turning point, we have selected 10 of our most popular articles about Vietnam so you can catch up and understand whats coming next.

1 50 rising startups in Vietnam Using our own data, we have compiled a list of 50 rising startups in the country. You will surely recognize a few names on this list (which we update monthly), such as digital payments firm VNPay, online marketplace Tiki, or even Sky Mavis, the company behind the popular Axie Infinity game. 2 Meet the 15 top-funded startups and tech companies in Vietnam This article is based on information from Tech in Asias comprehensive database of fundraising deals. While funding is an imperfect proxy, it can give a good sense of which sectors tech investors are focusing on. Fintech companies and marketplaces top the list, which we constantly update.

3 A David vs. Goliath battle in Vietnams B2B ecommerce sector Startups and conglomerates alike are racing to capture a massive opportunity: digitalizing the countrys cua hang tap hoa or mom and pop stores. One such contender is Telio, a startup backed by GGV Capital, Tiger Global Management, and Sequoia India. 4 The key players in Vietnams fintech battleground Which fintech players will tap into Vietnams 70% unbanked- and under-banked population? Two companies have attracted massive amounts of fundings: MoMo and VNPay. But there are about 40 e-wallet providers in Vietnam, and many more fintech companies. We map out the leading contenders and predict what might lie ahead.
Tuna caught in industrialized areas of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans have 36 times more pollutants than those fished in remote parts of the West Pacific, scientists from Scripps Oceanography found.

The researchers tracked concentrations of toxins in tuna around the world and found that the location of fish, as much as its species, can affect how safe it is to eat.

The pollutant levels in seafood and tuna in our case, can be heavily determined by the location where it was caught, said lead author Sascha Nicklisch, a postdoctoral researcher at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego. It is important to know the origin of catch of the fish, to know the amount of pollutants in your fish.

They hope the study will help advance understanding of how toxins enter our food supply through seafood, and how to manage fisheries to reduce that risk.

Advertisement

The study, published in the June issue of the academic journal, Environmental Health Perspectives, tested tuna from locations around the globe for the presence of pesticides, coolants and flame retardants. Together, theyre part of a class of chemicals called persistent organic pollutants, which accumulate in body tissue and make their way up the food chain.

Big fish and predators tend to have higher levels of toxic chemicals, so tuna offered a good means of tracking them. And yellowfin, which are relatively large fish but have shorter ranges than other tuna species, allowed researchers to look at regional pollutants.

They stay in the location where they are born and hunt, Nicklisch said. So we tried to use these tuna to create a snapshot of local contamination.

Scientists identified eight key sites around the globe, and analyzed 10 fish from each of them. To collect the samples, staff researcher Lindsay Bonito traveled from Tonga to Panama, Louisiana, Hawaii, Guam and Vietnam, chasing tuna.

I was tasked to go out and actually secure tuna from all over the world, Bonito said. I would either go out and fish for it, or contact fishermen.

They screened the fish for 247 toxic compounds, and calculated pollutant concentrations for each area. Average toxin levels in tuna from the most polluted areas were 36 times those found in the least polluted areas. The differences between individual fish were even higher. Toxic levels in the most and least contaminated tuna samples varied by a factor of 180, according to the report.

In general, Nicklisch said, the more contaminated sites were industrialized areas of the northern hemisphere, including ocean regions off the Atlantic Coast of Europe, and the East and West Coasts of North America. Those off of Asia, and in the Pacific Islands were relatively clean, he said.

The sites where we caught them are known to be more pristine, such as kingdom of Tonga, he said.

Because food-born toxins can affect the health of people who eat them, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Food and Drug Administration issue guidelines on how much fish to eat, with more protective recommendations for children, and pregnant or nursing women.

Most of the tuna analyzed in the study would be considered safe under current guidelines, the researchers said. But there were wide variations between regions, and some areas, including the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean around Europe, had high levels of unsafe fish.

In all of the tuna samples, researchers found a particularly pernicious set of chemicals. Each fish tested contained 10 specific compounds that interfere with proteins that regulate cell membranes and fend off toxins, Nicklisch said. By disabling that defense, the toxic compounds open the floodgate to a host of other pollutants.

These compounds might lead to accumulation of chemicals in these tuna, because the proteins usually block those compounds in fish, but also in us, in humans, Nicklisch said.

He said he hopes the study will lead to better safety testing of chemicals found in food, and enhance public information and labeling of seafood.

The most important part of the take-home message is that its important to know where your fish was caught, he said.

deborah.brennan@sduniontribune.com Twitter@deborahsbrennan
A grandmother convicted of gunning down her son-in-law in his Fallbrook home was sentenced Thursday to 50 years to life in prison during an emotional hearing in Vista Superior Court.

The sentence means Cynthia Cdebaca, 65, will probably spend the rest of her life in custody. She was found guilty in February of first-degree murder in the death of Geoward Estaquio, who was married to her daughter.

Cdebaca has admitted shooting the 53-year-old about 8 a.m. on Feb. 11, 2014  her 63rd birthday  after he made snide comments to her on the back patio of the familys upscale home in a gated Fallbrook community.

She headed up to the granny flat where she lived, grabbed her gun and ambushed Estaquio as he carried laundry. During the 10 minute attack, she repeatedly emptied the five-shot gun  twice going to her car for more bullets.

Advertisement

With Estaquio dead on the kitchen floor, Cdebaca headed to a local diner for bacon and eggs. She then ditched the gun and spent a nearly two hours at a Temecula casino. Detectives found her later that afternoon at a Fallbrook coffee shop.

The jurys verdict was justified by the evidence in this case, Superior Court Judge K. Mickael Kirkman said Thursday.

Before the sentence was handed down, Cdebaca briefly spoke  starting with Im real, real sorry,  but she grew distraught and her words became difficult to hear.

Defense attorney William Stone said Cdebaca understands that she is never going to get out of prison. He noted her age and frail medical condition; she suffered a stroke on Sept. 11, 2001, and never fully recovered.

Stone has said on the day of the fatal shooting Cdebaca snapped after seeing her daughter and grandchildren  then 12 and 15  repeatedly mistreated.

This is not a case where she did this out of greed or self-interest, Stone said in court Thursday. She did it  in her mind  to protect her family.

Geoward Estaquio (courtesy Fox 5)

During trial, Cdebacas daughter, Laura Salinas, described the tension that existed in the familys home. She said her husband physically and verbally assailed her, broke his teen sons pricey electronics and sprayed family members with water if they misbehaved. Estaquio also threw out the urn containing the ashes of Cdebacas late husband.

I just want to say that this is a tragedy, Salinas said tearfully during Thursdays sentencing hearing. I love my mom and I love Geoward.

She said both her family and her husbands family have suffered.

I am hoping that after today, we can move forward, Salinas said.

Estaquio was the third of eight children in a tight-knit family, one that came together for reunions and laughter. Three of his siblings attended the hearing, including two from the East Coast.

His sister Geonisa Harris said her family now refers to events as pre- or post- her brothers murder.

This event has profoundly and fundamentally changed us, Harris said.

In describing her brother, Harris used words like quick-witted, selfless and generous. She also said that no one can or will take his vibrant spirit, his unwavering love for his family.

No one can or will take his vibrant spirit, his unwavering love for his family. Geonisa Harris, sister of murder victim Geoward Estaquio

His strict disposition was misunderstood, Harris said.

Deputy District Attorney Keith Watanabe did not dispute the abuse allegations, but argued that Estaquios behavior was not life-threatening, and that Cdebacas actions were not justified  and that they were premeditated.

Three weeks before the shooting, she took target practice at an Oceanside shooting range.

The attack started on the back patio of the familys large home in the gated Peppertree Park community in Fallbrook. At one point, likely during one of the two times the slow-moving Cdebaca went to her car to get more bullets, a wounded Estaquio crawled from the patio into the kitchen, locking the door behind him.

Cdebaca fired through the door glass, gaining entry to the kitchen, where she continued to shoot her son-in-law.

Of the 15 shots she fired, three went into the door. The other 12 struck Estaquio  one was a graze wound, but many of them hit his torso. Evidence indicates some of the shots came as he was crawling away.

Another of Estaquios sisters, Georanna Biroonak, said her brother had been stolen from her family by a cold-blooded murderer.

She is an evil person who deserves every second behind bars, Biroonak said.

teri.figueroa@sduniontribune.com

Twitter: @TeriFigueroaUT


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.
Close

African Parks, a South African non-profit conservation group that has been managing over 19 protected areas in the continent, has received a hefty $100 million pledge from the Rob and Melani Walton Foundation. The most significant contribution ever made to conservation groups in the African continent. The grant is said to help expand African Park's reach and efforts to preserve a significant chunk of Africa's biodiversity for the benefit of the animals and local people in the long term, as reported by GoodNewsNetwork.





What is African Parks?

African Parks is a non-profit conservation group responsible for the rehabilitation and long-term management of numerous national parks in the continent. In partnership with local communities and governments, Africa Parks manages 19 protected areas and national parks in 11 countries, covering roughly 14 million hectares in Benin, Angola, Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Chan, Mozambique, Malawi, Rwanda, Zimbabwe, and Zambia.

Founded in 2000 as a response to the dramatic decline in protected areas due to lack of funding and poor management. African Parks focuses on both economic development and poverty alleviation for local communities to ensure that the national parks are ecologically, financially, socially sustainable in the long term.

African Parks is dedicated to saving wildlife in the continent, which boasts of some of the planet's most spectacular species, park protection with more than 1000 park rangers that provide the safety of wildlife and people, and community development.

With the goal to manage 30 national parks by 2030, the recent $100 million grant will help expand African Park's efforts to conserve natural biodiversity and further its effort in supporting the local communities.

ALSO READ: Baby Birds Returned to the Wild After Being Saved From Bulldozer; Habitat Loss Remains Primary Threat to Wildlife





Rob and Melani Walton $100 Million Donation: The Largest Conservation Donation to Date

With over 3,000 full-time staff, 98% are from the local communities, African Parks is one of the largest employers in many of their regions. Poaching, particularly, has been curtailed and almost eliminated in most of the protected areas under the non-profit group's management, with more than 80% of the vital wildlife population on the rise.

In the previous year alone, more than 100,000 people have received healthcare from mobile clinics and hospitals. African Parks supports over 100,000 children having access to education provided by schools under the support of the parks. The goal is to directly manage 30 parks measuring and more than 30 million hectares by 2030.

The couple behind the transformational gift, Rob and Melani Walton, have been longtime supporters of conservation and sustainability efforts around the globe and have been invaluable partners to the conservation group since its inception. According to the Rob and Melani Foundation, as global citizens, the couple believes that we are responsible for protecting the planet, its people, and its species to create a dynamic ecosystem.

The $100 million grant will be allocated over the succeeding five years, with $75 million allocated to create an endowment that ensures the parks' long-term funding. The remaining grant will be used to sustain the park under the management of African Parks.

RELATED ARTICLE: Leafy Sea Dragons: How the Majestic Marine Species Thrive Under South Australia's Underwater Biodiversity

Check out more news and information on Environment and Climate in Science Times.
Good morning, Bay Area. Its Monday, Sept. 27, and almost 200 San Francisco police employees are trying to get a COVID vaccine exemption. Heres what you need to know to start your day.

Longtime San Francisco City Attorney Dennis Herrera is likely to be approved to lead the citys Public Utilities Commission this week, an appointment that could lead to a flurry of changes on the city and possibly state level.

If the commission votes Tuesday to approve Herreras contract, the domino effect could include Mayor London Breed picking California Assembly Member David Chiu as San Franciscos new city attorney and two big names in San Francisco politics running for Chius empty seat: David Campos, chief of staff to District Attorney Chesa Boudin, and current District Six Supervisor Matt Haney.

If Haney were to win, Breed would choose his replacement. That could greatly benefit the mayor because she would probably pick a supervisor who is more politically aligned with her.

Read more from Trisha Thadani.

 From Joe Garofoli: Republicans, not giving up on California, search for a road to relevance at statewide convention.

Therapists held hostage with phone scams

Lea Suzuki / The Chronicle

It started with a voice mail on Jaime Bardackes cell phone that sounded work-related. But that message, which the licensed clinical social worker received on Fathers Day, kicked off a harrowing 6-hour odyssey during which she was fleeced of thousands of dollars as she drove around San Francisco and the Peninsula while on the phone with a swindler  a man who was in her head both literally through her earbuds and metaphorically through manipulation tactics.

Phone scams are very common, particularly during the pandemic. But in this version, theres a twist: Swindlers are targeting therapists in California and throughout the country with a scam claiming the mental health professionals are at risk of jail time unless they pay a fine or post bail. And the scam artists are succeeding.

Grifters are amateur psychologists, said Alan Castel, a UCLA psychology professor.

Read more from Carolyn Said.

Coronavirus updates

In a flurry of decisions last week, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention both approved booster shots for certain groups that got the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine.

With all the changes, heres the latest on who can get a booster shot and how.

 What COVID boosters mean for Californias health care worker vaccination mandate.

 Nearly 200 S.F. police employees want religious exemptions from citys COVID-19 vaccine mandate.

 The delta coronavirus surge was the most infectious period of the pandemic in these S.F. neighborhoods.

 The stricken Grand Princess docked off Bay Area as COVID was just hitting. Now its back at sea.

Around the Bay

 Frank Somerville suspension: How the dispute over Gabby Petito coverage unfolded at KTVU.

 Former workers speak out: He built a powerhouse set of Wine Country restaurants. Ex-staffers say he sexually harassed employees along the way.

 Report compares data: As more Californians head to Texas, how do the states really stack up?

Bronte Wittpenn/The Chronicle

 California wildfires: The Caldor Fire destroyed nearly two-thirds of Grizzly Flats. Burned-out residents are determined to reclaim their town. Also: Bay Area woman accused of starting Shasta County fire may be serial arsonist. And: Firefighters build on success battling Fawn Fire, but fear dangerous weather in Sierra Nevada.

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.

 Fast trip complaints: New PG&E safety measures in fire-prone areas lead to spike in unplanned power shut-offs.

 From Heather Knight: Beloved S.F. cable car gripman takes last bell-ringing trip after nearly 40 years riding citys hills.

 Precautions urged: New cases of West Nile virus found in Bay Area bird, mosquitoes.

 New fraud accusations: How Californias EDD got scammed out of $2 million by a prison inmate, a nurse and a car dealer employee.

 Fish rescue: Bay Area high school saves 4,000 endangered salmon from the drought  theyll grow up on campus.

 Discrimination lawsuit: Federal case over alleged racist abuse at Tesla plant starts today.

The Bid: Test your real estate savvy

Exit Keystone Realty

The latest installment of The Bid real estate quiz looks at an eco-conscious post and beam home in Morgan Hill built on a three-acre property in 2019.

The sellers conceptualized the home as an expansive family space, with a large open plan, heated floors, a Dutch door, a floating staircase, loft spaces, and even a cupola that serves as a top floor play area. The property, with extensive hilltop views, also happens to be in the 95037 area code  one of the hottest for recent home sales in the Bay Area, according to Zillow.

Can you guess how much it sold for? See photos of the property, read the details, and then take our quiz to find out the sales price.

 ICYMI: Try to price this Oakland home, which went for $1 million over the asking price.

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.
A federal discrimination lawsuit against electric car maker Tesla kicks off in a San Francisco courtroom Monday.

The case is being brought on behalf of Owen Diaz, who is Black, over claims he faced frequent racial epithets and was subjected to racist cartoons from other employees while working at the companys Fremont plant. The suit says management did little to nothing to stop the alleged abuse.

The Palo Alto company has denied in court filings that it knew of the alleged behavior at its factory, and denied that it failed to protect African American employees. The company also denied that it Ratified and supported racially harassing behavior and said in court papers that it did not hesitate to address racial abuse at the Fremont factory when it arose.

Attorneys for Tesla did not respond to an emailed request for comment.

Diazs son Demetric Diaz, who also worked at the companys Fremont plant, was originally part of the suit as was another worker  Lamar Patterson. Demetrics case was resolved, according to his lawyer, Lawrence Organ of the California Civil Rights Law Group, who is trying the case.

Organ would not say whether that included a settlement. He said Patterson was previously forced into private arbitration because of an agreement he had signed with the company.

Both Owen and Demetric were assigned to the plant by a staffing company, and part of the case will turn on whether Tesla can be considered a joint employer and therefore responsible for the allegations.

Tesla will be defending itself against three claims in court: A hostile work environment claim based on race, that it failed to prevent that environment and that it knew employees were harassing Diaz because of his race but didnt do anything about it.

The company has previously denied that kind of negligence.

The case is expected to last a little over a week and will see testimony from at least six former employees of Teslas Fremont plant who are expected to testify about racist conduct they either perceived or were exposed to, Organ said.

The case was initially filed in Alameda County Superior Court, but was moved to federal court since the claims are being brought under the Reconstruction-era Civil Rights Act prohibiting discrimination or harassment based on race in contractual relations, Organ said.

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

The plaintiffs attorney would not say how much his client was seeking in damages, other than that he and his two co-counsels are seeking Compensation for the harm that our client suffered.

Organ has previously been quoted by Reuters as saying his clients are seeking millions of dollars in damages. Another one of his clients, Melvin Berry, brought similar charges of racial abuse during his time at Tesla and recently won just over $1 million in arbitration.

Organ said, more important than how much money potentially changes hands, is that he is also seeking a court order to change practices at Tesla for dealing with these kinds of situations.

We want to really send a message to Tesla that this conduct is wrong and they need to try and correct it, Organ said.

Another case being brought by Organ in Alameda County Superior Court, on behalf of former Tesla worker Marcus Vaughn, who is also Black, is seeking certification as a class action over similar racial abuse claims.

Chase DiFeliciantonio is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: chase.difeliciantonio@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @ChaseDiFelice
Firefighters made strides in containing Northern California wildfires over the weekend and stopped forward progress on the fast-moving Fawn Fire near Redding while bracing for dangerous weather that could whip up flames in the Sierra Nevada.

Crews wrestled the Fawn Fire in Shasta County to 45% containment by Sunday evening, up from 35% earlier in the day and 25% Saturday. The blaze, sparked by suspected arson, had spread across 8,559 acres as of Sunday and destroyed 70 homes and threatened more than 2,000.

With containment rising, some evacuation orders were downgraded to warnings, allowing people evacuated along Fawndale Road east of Interstate 5 to return home. Containment by Sunday evening was such that Scott Corn, Cal Fire deputy incident commander, said: We can officially declare the forward spread of this fire stopped.

Stronger winds were expected to test containment Monday, but Tuesday promised cooler, wetter weather in the region, with one-tenth of an inch of rain forecast in the Redding area.

Along the Sierra Nevada, firefighters were bracing for gusty winds that threatened progress against the huge Dixie and Caldor blazes. A red flag warning was issued for the mountain ridge along the California-Nevada border from Monday morning until Tuesday.

The Lake Tahoe regions Caldor Fire was still growing  by 215 acres overnight Saturday to 221,774 total. But containment held at 76% on the fires 44th day.

Firefighters dropped water Sunday near Desolation Wilderness, protected Echo Lake cabins and stopped any movement of the fire east of Strawberry Creek. Officials called it a good day at keeping the Caldor Fire in its footprint. The greatest concern was fire torching trees and throwing hot embers across containment lines, they said.

With southwest winds blowing at 30 mph Sunday evening and the prospect of 60 mph gusts Monday night on the highest ridges, the community of Christmas Valley remained under an evacuation warning. Tuesdays expected colder weather held out the prospect of relief from a few rain showers north of Interstate 80.

The dangerous conditions also surrounded the Dixie Fire, which was 94% contained Sunday after spreading across 963,276 acres in five Northern California counties.

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.

Given the wind threat in parched terrain, fire officials were surprised no spot fires ignited Sunday, but the possibility remained Monday, public information officer Cass Cairns said. Gusts of up to 35 mph, which can shake down flammable dry pine needles, are expected.

Farther south in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, National Guard fire crews inched up containment of the KNP Complex, which threatened the states beloved giant trees, to 8%. The fire stood at 45,790 acres late Sunday.

Containment is expected to increase rather quickly in the coming days, said Jon Wallace, operations section chief for the fire. Were certainly not out of the woods there, but things are looking good right now, he said.

Mallory Moench is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: mallory.moench@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @mallorymoench
Crowds of people adjusted their leather harnesses and thongs on Sunday, and pulled out their proof of COVID-19 vaccination, to enter the Folsom Street Fair, a San Francisco tradition they were thrilled to revive after last years in-the-streets absence.

Attending in person this year felt like a reunion for some, particularly after the past year and a half of pandemic rules and precautions that forced the annual gathering to move its celebration virtual in 2020.

Katrina Black, a dominatrix from Chicago who flew to San Francisco for the event, walked through the fair in a black thong, latex corset and black mask.

After being in quarantine for so long, I missed the kink community so much, Black said. Its the best holiday of the year.

Black, balanced on 8-inch heels, and her friend and colleague, Alexandra Sadista, said the pandemic forced much of their business online, and returning to normal has taken time. Sadista said she had started seeing her more trusted slaves, clients who were maintaining virus safety, throughout the year. But the doors to her dominatrix business didnt fully reopen until the summer.

Proof of vaccination against the coronavirus was required for entrance, but much of the worlds largest leather and fetish festival remained unchanged this year. Booths with harnesses, whips, corsets and sex toys were still aplenty. But some changes, spurred by the COVID pandemic, were unavoidable. Free testing and vaccination were offered to fairgoers before entrance.

The Folsom fair crowd was not one to complain about masks, and some donned face coverings that were not of the typical virus-protection type.

Most people wore masks across their faces. One man wore one over his otherwise bare penis. Berlin Fisher donned a harness he made out of Louis Vuitton belts, a Louis Vuitton face mask and a Louis Vuitton cap. A tattoo on his butt read, Dirty White Boy.

Fisher said he hadnt attended the Folsom Street Fair for five years. But on Sunday, he wanted to join the throngs of people baring it all.

Its actually the first big event Ive been to in a year and a half, said Fisher, a Sonoma resident.

Nearby, Nicole Rems gyrated and twirled around a pole, midair in a black mesh shirt and thong with black tape over her nipples. A crowd of people gathered around her as she slid down the pole.

There are no nerves anymore, Rems said, patting her inner thighs after she finished her performance. Rems is a pole dance teacher at VRV3 Studios in San Francisco.

One block away, Miss Mia Mai dragged her naked partner with a leash through the crowds of people. The sounds of whips echoed in the distance.

Her partner, Globe Master, had a chastity device on his genitals  the key to which hung around Miss Mia Mais neck. They had flown in from Dallas for the event.

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.

Miss Mia Mai glanced down at her latex cat suit and said, Meow.

Two men in dog muzzle masks knelt in front of a third man on a stage nearby and wagged their derrieres as Digital Undergrounds Freaks of the Industry blared on the speakers.

Not far from the stage, Jeff, a 34-year-old Oakland resident, and Cece, 35, from San Francisco, swayed to the music. The couple, who declined to give their last names, met on an online dating app and said this was only their second date.

He brought it up, Cece said as she patted his fur vest.

Im just saying Ive never been, Jeff said, laughing.

Sarah Ravani is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: sravani@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @SarRavani
After edging out San Francisco as the most expensive rental market in the country in August  by just $10 per month  New York considerably widened its lead in September, according to listings website Zumper.

The median price of a one-bedroom apartment in San Francisco stayed flat from August to September, at $2,800, according to Zumpers latest national monthly rent report. In New York, the price went up 5% to $2,950.

Year over year, New York has seen rent grow 13.5%, while prices are down 1.1% in San Francisco  which during the pandemic in 2020 had the steepest rental declines of any major U.S. city.

At this point I think its clear that San Francisco rent is in a holding pattern, said Zumper data journalist Jeff Andrews. People are returning to New York in a way that they simply arent in San Francisco yet.

One factor, he said, is San Franciscos technology-heavy labor force: San Francisco is a little more dependent on the tech sector than New York, and tech companies are more likely to have adopted permanent work-from-home policies, so thats certainly a factor.

But Andrews added that New Yorks office occupancy is not much higher than San Franciscos, so other factors are likely in play.

Among them, he said, is that New Yorks rent dropped in a way that offered a true price incentive for people to return to the city, whereas in San Francisco, pre-pandemic rents were already so high that the rental price decline didnt make as much of a difference.

Rent in San Francisco is down 20% relative to pre-pandemic levels, Andrews said. Even with that huge drop, its still in the ballpark of where New York was pre-pandemic and is now.

Another possibility is that before the pandemic, people lived in San Francisco chiefly because of its proximity to their workplace  and if they dont need to return to the office, they have left permanently. While the same could be true for some in New York, perhaps more people want to live in the Big Apple regardless of where they work, so rent snapped back pretty quickly, Andrews said.

Last month was the first time since Zumper began collecting rental data in 2014 that New Yorks rent surpassed San Francisco  by a very narrow $10 per month. However, San Francisco still has nearly a $400 lead over the third-most expensive market in the U.S.  Boston, where a one-bedroom apartment cost $2,410 a month in September.

Also, the median two-bedroom rent in San Francisco was still the highest in the nation at $3,900 in September, well above New Yorks median two-bedroom rent of $3,150. Andrews said he couldnt point to one factor to account for that large difference, but one possibility is that young professionals who left the city mainly lived in one-bedroom apartments and havent yet returned. He also said there could be a supply imbalance between one and two-bedroom units.

Zumper

Among the major cities within its very pricey metropolitan region, San Franciscos rent is still the most expensive.

While San Joses median one-bedroom rent stayed flat from August to September at $2,200  a decrease of 1.3% year-over-year  parts of Silicon Valley are seeing a notable rebound. Mountain Views median rent increased 4% month-over-month to $2,600, and Santa Claras one-bedroom rent rose 5% to $2,520. Mountain View and Santa Clara have the second- and third-highest one-bedroom rents in the Bay Area, respectively, according to Zumper.

Its likely a combination of people returning in preparation for offices reopening and local supply constraints, Andrews said. These places didnt see rent fall by as much as San Francisco because more people left San Francisco. So if their vacancy rates werent as high as the three big Bay cities, their rents would be more responsive to people returning to the area.

Oakland landed in eighth place on the list of highest rents in the nation, with a one-bedroom median rent of $2,000 in September  unchanged since August. Among Bay Area cities, Oakland was far down the list at No. 14.

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.

Zumper

Concord offered the least expensive one-bedroom median rental price in the Bay Area, at $1,800, a drop of 0.6% month-over-month. Haywards median rent of $1,900 was unchanged from August, and Richmonds price increased 3.8% to $1,920 in September.

Campbell in Santa Clara County had the highest year-over-year rent growth in the San Francisco metro area, at 11.2%, and tied with Sunnyvale for the biggest month-over-month increase, at 5.1%. Walnut Creek also saw a big jump in one-bedroom rental prices from August to September, at 7.9%. Redwood City saw the biggest year-over-year decline, at 13.7%.

With the latest pandemic surge fueled by the delta variant in decline, Andrews said the main thing to watch is whether Bay Area offices reopen and lure people back to the cities.

But at this point for San Francisco, its a tossup, he said.

Its still possible San Francisco rent starts rising again and is the most expensive one-bedroom median again, he said. I think its also possible that the pandemic is an event that has permanently lowered rent in San Francisco, at least relative to other metro markets.

Zumpers reports analyze data from over 1 million active listings on its site across the United States and include newer builds. Data is aggregated monthly to calculate median asking rents for the top 100 metro areas by population.

Kellie Hwang is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: kellie.hwang@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @KellieHwang
San Francisco nearly lost one of its most iconic restaurants, Boulevard, even before the pandemic hit.

The beloved Embarcadero establishment , run by pioneering chef-owner Nancy Oakes since 1993 in the historic Audiffred building, was struggling due to rising costs and changing diner habits. Surrounded by a proliferation of fast-casual restaurants in downtown San Francisco, Boulevards Belle Epoque dining room and pricey menu werent as appealing to younger diners. Add to that a landlord who wanted to raise the rent and razor-thin profit margins, and Oakes was ready to throw in the towel.

But Noah Knauf, a partner at a tech investment firm that moved into the space upstairs from Boulevard  in part because of the restaurant  convinced Oakes to stay and helped lease negotiations along. He also told her that it was time for Boulevard to change.

Now, nearly two years later, Boulevard is finally ready to open following a lengthy pandemic-forced closure and a major renovation led by acclaimed designer Ken Fulk. The restaurant opens Wednesday with new menus and a hope to bring a new generation of diners into the 28-year-old establishment while preserving the restaurants identity.

I want this place to be relevant into the future, and thats the challenge  that you can set it up so its financially feasible as well as has guests who want to come, Oakes said.

Nick Otto/Special to The Chronicle

The biggest change is a new bar and lounge area at the front of the restaurant where people will be able to drop in without reservations and order from an a la carte menu. Cozy banquettes with dark blue velvet chairs can seat 28 people here , plus there are 15 seats at the bar. Greg Lindgren (15 Romolo, Rye, the Cordial) put together a new cocktail menu, plus a separate one thats devoted to spin-offs of the cocktail Boulevardier. The dining experience here is meant to be the next chapter, Oakes said  casual and flexible, as comfortable for an impromptu drink and snacks at the bar as for a full dinner. (The bar and lounge menu is the same as in the dining room, just a la carte instead of set prices.)

Fulks design touches are evident throughout, including replacing a dark wood bar top with a cool blue onyx bar and the darker blue velvet barstools. The entire restaurant feels lighter, with heavy wood and dark upholstery making way for teal-blue and gold accents.

An elegant peacock inlaid in the original mosaic tile floor at the entrance inspired a new, hand-painted peacock mural on the walls of the lounge and behind the bar. The image and colors of the peacock, a symbol of rebirth and renewal, is a recurring theme throughout the space, including on new hand-drawn wallpaper and two longtime stuffed faux peacocks who stand watch over the Embarcadero end of the dining room.

Nick Otto/Special to The Chronicle

The more formal dining room, with white tablecloths and required reservations, will now serve two menus, three courses for $89 or four for $115. Oakes and longtime executive chef Dana Younkin revamped the food, incorporating more vegetable and seafood dishes than before. (Theyre even working with a company that makes plant-based meat from the mycelium of mushrooms.) Theres salmon tartare and cheese-filled squash blossoms, plus kelp noodles served with octopus. A longtime king crab pasta is back, served over a tangle of handmade tagliatelle and long, skinny cordyceps mushrooms masquerading as noodles.

Oakes culinary calling card of seasonal California fare remains, plus the addition of Italian, French and Japanese influences. A summer tomato salad gets dressed in a relish of Castelvetrano olives, capers and charred manganji peppers, a sweet, earthy Japanese variety.

Nick Otto/Special to The Chronicle

Oakes and Younkin kept Boulevards classic grilled pork chop but got rid of the wood-burning oven that diners loved but was a smoke and heat nightmare for the staff who had to work it nightly. Instead dishes like that pork chop and a rack of lamb will now get kissed by charcoal in a modern live-fire oven from Italy. The windowless basement kitchen also got new lighting, bright green floors and an all-gender restroom in an effort to improve the employee experience.

Many of the design elements that defined the Boulevard dining room remain: The tulip-shape glass lights hang from hand-pounded wrought iron over tables in the dining room; the vaulted brick ceiling and iron dividers, which are meant to evoke the feeling of standing under the Bay Bridge; and the chefs counter, where customers can watch cooks at work like at a sushi bar.

I think we kept the best of Boulevard, and refreshed the rest, Oakes said.

Nick Otto/Special to The Chronicle

Food Guide Top 25 Restaurants Where to eat in the Bay Area. Find spots near you, create a dining wishlist, and more.

Oakes opened Boulevard with restaurant designer Pat Kuleto in 1993. The restaurant developed a reputation for cooking that made vegetables on the plate as exciting as the protein, former Chronicle critic Michael Bauer wrote in 2018. Oakes won the James Beard Foundation award for outstanding chef in 2001 and Boulevard was named the organizations outstanding restaurant of the year in 2012. Oakes went on to open Prospect with former Boulevard chef Pamela Mazzola in 2010. In 2019, Oakes took over Tosca Cafe with Fulk and restaurateur Anna Weinberg.

For many, Boulevard and its Belle Epoque dining room became synonymous with a certain era of formal, nostalgic San Francisco dining.

The restaurant is fully booked for opening night, which falls on Boulevards 28th anniversary. Longtime regulars snapped up reservations as soon as they heard, Oakes said.

But the reopening will test the question: Can the restaurant successfully enter a new chapter while remaining true to its roots?

Younkin, who started at a saute station behind the chefs counter 15 years ago, hopes so. And she will likely oversee the next era of Boulevard when Oakes retires.

Its nice to be a part of a rebirth, Younkin said. Boulevard has always had such amazing continuity and staying power, which is kind of unusual in some regards.

Opening Sept. 29. Indoor dining. 5-9:30 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday. 1 Mission St., San Francisco. boulevardrestaurant.com

Elena Kadvany is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: elena.kadvany@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @ekadvany
OMAHA, Neb. (AP)  The companies working to build pipelines to capture carbon dioxide produced by ethanol plants and transport it as a liquid under high pressure to permanent storage deep underground may face opposition from farmers and environmental groups in Nebraska and Iowa.

One of the companies, Summit Carbon Solutions, has already started contacting landowners in the states it plans to cross with the $4.5 billion project. The Ames, Iowa, based company is also holding public meetings about the project in Iowa, Nebraska, Minnesota, South Dakota and North Dakota.
ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP)  Police in Alexandria are investigating a death at a retail store.

The Alexandria Police Department said in a tweet Saturday night that there was a heavy police presence at BJ's Wholesale Club due to the death investigation. They said that a man suffered trauma to the upper body and was pronounced dead at the scene. They didn't immediately elaborate on what kind of trauma the man had suffered.
SACRAMENTO  Elections officials will mail every active registered voter in California a ballot for all future elections, after Gov. Gavin Newsom signed legislation Monday to permanently adopt a pandemic-era safety measure.

AB37, by Assembly Member Marc Berman, D-Menlo Park, extends the requirement to send ballots to all registered voters and other rules that allow county elections officials to start counting mail-in ballots ahead of election day. Voters who have been moved to inactive status, such as those whose mail is returned undeliverable without a forwarding address, would not receive a ballot.

The measure also extends the period that elections officials can count mail-in ballots that arrive after election day, to seven days, provided the ballot was postmarked before polls closed.

As states across our country continue to enact undemocratic voter suppression laws, California is increasing voter access, expanding voting options and bolstering elections integrity and transparency, Newsom said in a statement. Last year we took unprecedented steps to ensure all voters had the opportunity to cast a ballot during the pandemic and today we are making those measures permanent after record-breaking participation in the 2020 presidential election.

Most California voters have voted by mail for many years  including 72% in the 2020 presidential primary, the last statewide election before every voter received a mail ballot  but the coronavirus pandemic accelerated the shift. In the November 2020 election, about 15.4 million out of the roughly 17.8 million Californians who voted, or nearly 87%, did so by mail.

Unofficial results from the nine Bay Area counties indicate that about 93% of all ballots cast there for the gubernatorial recall election this month were by mail, about in line with the presidential election last year.

Berman, who chairs the Assembly Elections Committee, has said pandemic-emergency measures proved that mailing every voter a ballot increases turnout. Seven other states already send ballots to every active voter: Hawaii, Oregon, Washington, Colorado, Nevada, Vermont and Utah.

When voters get a ballot in the mail, they vote, Berman said in a statement. We saw this in the 2020 General Election when, in the middle of a global health pandemic, we had the highest voter turnout in California since Harry Truman was president.

Participation in the recall, where voters were asked whether or not to remove Newsom before the end of his term, may also end up being even higher than in the 2018 election in which he won office. Unofficial results show about 13 million votes cast in the recall, compared to 12.7 million in 2018, when every active voter was not mailed a ballot.

The bill was fiercely opposed by Republican legislators and passed on a party-line vote. Some GOP lawmakers said mail-in ballots promote distrust in the election system because some voters reported receiving multiple ballots.

Democratic lawmakers have countered that numerous studies have found no widespread evidence of fraud from mail voting.

Dustin Gardiner and Alexei Koseff are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: dustin.gardiner@sfchronicle.com, alexei.koseff@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @dustingardiner, @akoseff
As lawmakers contemplate possible changes to Californias recall process after the heated and unsuccessful campaign to remove Gov. Gavin Newsom, two top statewide officials offered differing takes on what an overhaul should look like.

The discussion provided an early window into potential sticking points even among those who support changing the rules.

We need to look very carefully about the rationale for a recall. ...Should there be some reasons for it? Secretary of State Shirley Weber, Californias top elections official, said Friday in an online forum organized by the Institute of Governmental Studies at UC Berkeley.

Weber noted that California allows recalls to qualify for the ballot with signatures from just 12% of the voters in the previous election for the office, the lowest percentage requirement in the nation. And unlike most of the 18 other states that allow governors to be recalled, California does not require sponsors, in their recall petitions, to accuse the governor of any specific wrongdoing or misconduct in office.

Should we have a recall at all? Or like an impeachment system, people removed for cause? asked Weber, a former Democratic legislator appointed to her office by Newsom. In fact, the state Constitution allows the Legislature to impeach and remove a governor for misconduct, with rules similar to those for presidential impeachments, although it has never been done.

The leading source of public frustration, Weber said, is an election process in which a governor with a near-majority of the votes could be recalled and replaced by a candidate with far less support. One reasonable alternative, she said, would be to fill the vacancy with the lieutenant governor, who was elected by the voters to be second in line to the states chief executive.

With that system, at least you know what youre going to get if you recall the governor, Weber said.

But Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis, another speaker at the forum, said the state shouldnt have a system that incentivizes the lieutenant governor to want to see the governor fail.

If Newsom had reason to believe that her political fortunes would rise if his were falling, why would he want me to be on the inside (with) any of his advisers? asked Kounalakis, who was appointed by the governor to his Council of Economic Advisers and as his international trade representative after both were elected in 2018. Why would he trust me, even though were both in the same party?

She agreed, though, that something needs to be done about a system that allows a minority of voters to choose a new governor if a majority votes to recall the current governor.

That feels undemocratic, Kounalakis said.

Shortly after 62% of the voters rejected the Republican-backed effort to recall Newsom on Sept. 14, Democratic leaders of the Legislatures election committees announced hearings this fall on proposals to revamp the system, including increasing the signature requirements, holding a runoff election between the top two replacement candidates if the recall succeeds or designating the lieutenant governor as the automatic successor.

Any such changes would require voter approval, because the recall, along with the voter initiative and referendum, has been part of the state Constitution since 1911. Thad Kousser, a political science professor at UC San Diego, said at the forum that recent polls show two-thirds of Californians  including a small majority of Republicans  favor changes in the process, but about three-fourths want to preserve the right to recall elected officials.

Specifically, Kousser said, about 60% of those polled would prefer a runoff of the top two replacement candidates, and two-thirds want to require sponsors of the recall to provide some evidence of malfeasance or wrongdoing by the office-holder.

But such a requirement, if broadly worded, would allow the incumbent to challenge the claim of wrongdoing in court and block the recall vote or seek to overturn the results, said Joshua Spivak, a professor at Wagner College in New York and author of a recent book on recalls.

Malfeasance recalls would effectively end the recall as we know it, Spivak said at Fridays forum.

Orrin Heatlie, an organizer of the Newsom recall campaign, told The Chronicle after the election that he was open to a top-two runoff election, but believed proposed limits on the process, such as increases in the number of required signatures, would stifle voters.

The recall system is a peaceful manner for people to protest the government, he said.

Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @BobEgelko
Leaving her office at Self-Help for the Elderly in Chinatown, Anni Chung walked across the footbridge that connects the park at Portsmouth Square to the Chinese Cultural Center in the Hilton hotel. Crossing over three lanes of Kearny Street, the span is wide enough for truck traffic, but only Chung and some pigeons were using it.

This bridge has to come down, she said. It makes the park dark and wet and not desirable. We never use it as part of Portsmouth Square.

Chungs dismissal was expressed by 77% of Chinatown residents who responded to a recent survey by the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department. They, too, would like to see the Kearny Street pedestrian bridge, as its unofficially known, demolished and never replaced. So that is the plan.

Dismantling the concrete bridge is the first step of a $66 million project to redesign Portsmouth Square, in the works since 2013. Expected to be completed in 2025, the project will call for demolition of every surface in the fragmented 1.5-acre park and a complete rebuild as a cohesive park in the sunshine.

The bridge cuts off a quarter of the park, casts a long shadow and bisects the view of Coit Tower for motorists going north on Kearny. The renovation plan, including bridge removal, finally moved forward in August, but construction isnt likely to start until next year.

In January, the Planning Commission is expected to certify an environmental impact report. Then it will move to the Recreation and Park Commission for a public hearing and vote in February.

The Portsmouth Square redesign has been rated a core project for prioritization of funds through Proposition A, the 2020 Health, Safety and Recovery Bond passed by voters. More than 100 meetings and six community workshops have been held over the past four years. To date, more than $2 million has been spent on studies alone.

Jessica Christian / The Chronicle

This has been one of the most studied park projects in the last 10 years, said real estate attorney and recently termed-out park Commissioner Allan Low. Chinatown is the most densely populated area of the country outside of Manhattan. Residents live in overcrowded conditions, and Portsmouth Square is their access to outdoor space.

An estimated 8,000 to 9,000 people live in single-room occupancy hotels in Chinatown, according to Malcolm Yeung of the Chinatown Community Development Center. Their rooms are tiny and everything is communal, including outdoor space, primarily at Portsmouth Square.

This really is the living room for Chinatown, Chung said on a recent tour of the bustling park, with every table occupied, mostly by men deep into card games. But the living room is chopped up and segmented off. The renovation will open up Kearny Street for sure and make the park really nice, she said. It will be a little bit like Union Square with a seating area where the elderly can sit out in the sunlight and watch their grandkids. Weve waited for this for 50 years.

Jessica Christian/The Chronicle

That dates to 1971, when the bridge was completed to become the main entrance to the Chinese Culture Center of San Francisco, a community nonprofit that opened in 1973 and operates an art gallery on the third floor of the Hilton San Francisco Financial District hotel. The Chinese Culture Center can be reached from the hotel lobby by elevator, but most of its visitors come across the bridge and up a stairway.

The redesign is a supremely important project and the CCC is here to support the community, said Leung. Were still in design talks to make sure there is access to the arts for the community.

The bigger question is whether the Hilton will put up resistance based on the fact that it paid for the construction of the pedestrian bridge and still owns it. A street encroachment permit from the Department of Public Works allows the bridge to cross over Kearny. But that permit is revocable. If it came to that, the Hilton would have 30 days to remove its bridge.

Scott Baublitz, director of marketing for Hilton San Francisco Financial District, said the chain was aware of the plan to remove the bridge but had no comment on it.

SWA+MEI Joint Venture

A project of the San Francisco Redevelopment Agency, the bridge was designed by John Carl Warnecke with the consultation of Chinese American architect Chi-Kwan Chen. Decorated in bronze lanterns that depict Chinese symbols, the span is 240 feet long and 28 feet wide and will take six months to dismantle piece by piece, with one lane of Kearny Street closed.

Its the bridge to nowhere, said Tan Chow of the Chinatown Community Development Center. It didnt turn out the way the architect envisioned it.

Portsmouth Square started out as a gathering place for the settlement of Yerba Buena, dating to the 1830s when the shoreline was called Yerba Buena Cove, just east of where Kearny is now. U.S. Navy Capt. John Montgomery planted the American flag here on July 9, 1846, and named the square for the ship he sailed in on, the USS Portsmouth.

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

One of 11 historic plaques and statues in the park identifies the square as the site of Californias first public school, built in 1847. Eventually all squares, including Portsmouth, came under the jurisdiction of Rec and Park when it was created in 1900.

SWA+MEI Joint Venture /

In 1962, the sloping property was leveled off to fit a four-level underground parking garage. The garage will stay. Everything atop it goes, including the clubhouse that uses the footbridge as its rooftop. It is dark and damp inside with no ventilation. The windows have been covered to maintain some distance between the senior programs that use the room and the homeless population that likes to gather on the patio outside.

The small clubhouse will be replaced by an 8,000-square-foot, two-story building to be available for senior classes and youths. There will be a new multigenerational playground that combines adult exercise equipment with a customized play structure for kids. The theme is the Gold Mountain, which was the Chinese nickname for the city during the Gold Rush. The shade trees atop the garage must be removed for construction. When the square reopens, shade will be supplied by a sculptural trellis.

My goal is to remove all of the nooks and crannies so everything is more open and connected, said project manager Cara Ruppert.

Resistance to the planned bridge demolition is expected from defenders of Brutalist architecture and, possibly, the skateboarders who like to scrape up its concrete benches, but probably few others.

During a noontime assessment of the bridges traffic, a few people came onto the span to eat lunch. Nobody used it to get to the other side.

Sam Whiting is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: swhiting@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @SamWhitingSF
For one brief, shining moment, Chris Larsen was the fifth-richest man in the world  worth more than Mark Zuckerberg, Larry Ellison, Larry Page or Sergey Brin.

Unlike those luminaries, the mild-mannered tech executive isnt a household name. He brushes off questions about his temporary vault onto the upper echelon of the Forbes billionaire list, which happened in early 2018 via a huge surge in the cryptocurrency backed by Ripple Labs, the San Francisco company he co-founded and owns a 17% stake in. This year hes No. 891 on the Forbes list, worth an estimated $3.4 billion  nothing to sneeze at, but a far cry from the $59 billion the magazine estimated three years earlier.

In his professional life, Larsen, 60, is a serial entrepreneur who has co-founded three companies that broke new ground to make financial services more accessible to regular people. In his philanthropic life, addressing civic issues is his passion. Although he downplays his wealth, its allowed him to back myriad projects to address local concerns in San Francisco and worldwide issues such as climate change.

Born in San Francisco, Larsen grew up in a Cupertino ranch house  his dad was a United Airlines mechanic on the graveyard shift; his freelance artist mom was a war refugee from Germany. He graduated from San Francisco State University (and is one of its biggest donors) and got an MBA from Stanford.

My dad could get pretty angry about stuff that didnt work, I probably got a little piece of that from him, he said. Weve got solvable problems. Government obviously has to be the leader, but sometimes the private philanthropic dollars can accelerate the path to a solution.

He has channeled that energy into backing practical solutions about everything from global warming via turning garbage into fuel to San Francisco street crime via a network of cameras  albeit an approach that has riled privacy advocates.

Ripple, where hes still executive chairman, helps people send money online via blockchain technology at very low cost. He sees that as transformative for remittances, the money that immigrants send to relatives in their home countries. It should usher in the completion of globalization, he said.

He also founded e-Loan, the first online mortgage lender, in 1997 and Prosper Marketplace, the first online peer-to-peer lender, in 2005.

E-Loan, which pioneered online mortgage loans just as the internet was becoming pervasive, was sold in 2005 to Banco Popular, a Puerto Rico-based commercial bank.

Lea Suzuki/The Chronicle

Prosper allows people who need money for anything from remodeling their house to opening a bakery to seek loans from others. The idea was revolutionary, though it also led to stumbles, including a high default rate in Prospers early years and a regulatory shutdown of Prosper and competitor Lending Club for several months in 2008 and 2009. The company says it has facilitated $19 billion in loans to more than 1.1 million people.

On the global scale, Larsen and his wife, Lyna Lam, created the Larsen Lam Climate Change Foundation to back promising companies, projects and technologies that are still so new that its hard for them to score traditional funding.

Its first big project: spending $35 million to purchase the first conversion plant made by a company called Omni Conversion Technologies that can turn solid waste  household garbage, plastic, wood chips, and other stuff that would otherwise end up in landfill  into hydrogen to be sold to oil refineries to make their diesel production more environmentally friendly and eventually to fleets of hydrogen-powered buses and trucks.

Every city in the U.S. has a recycling problem because China stopped taking recyclables, he said. What a great solution to turn municipal waste into green hydrogen.

He hopes to set up a plant for this in Pittsburg, noting that the Contra Costa County city used to have a lot of heavy industry like U.S. Steel and could benefit from the jobs that would come with becoming a center for green technology.

Another big swing: investing in Blue Planet, which has patented technology to combine carbon dioxide and waste concrete to manufacture building materials  which permanently removes the CO2 from the atmosphere. Blue Planet subsidiary SF Bay Aggregates is now building a facility in Pittsburg to do this as a proof of concept.

Its a neat soup-to-nuts solution to sequestering huge amounts of CO2, said Larsen, who recently toured the facility to see how the process works.

In San Francisco, where he lives on Russian Hill with Lam and their two sons, Larsen is working on crime prevention and public safety programs in conjunction with the citys community benefit districts. Larsen contributed $1.7 million to launch Avenue Greenlight, which allocates $50,000 to merchants associations to beautify and protect their neighborhoods.

A lot of people feel that the tech industry is coming into San Francisco and not providing enough, said Ixchel Acosta, project lead for Avenue Greenlight. Chris is from San Francisco and wants to provide for and give back to our city.

Avenue Greenlight paid for the ongoing replacements of the Castros iconic rainbow flag, for instance, while the Mission District is using the funds to add new murals. Other areas earmarked the money for events: car-free weekends on Grant Avenue in Chinatown; a slimmed-down Fillmore Jazz Festival; the Balboa Fright Fest in the Outer Richmond.

Were in a deep retail recession here in the city; we need to make sure those districts are still attractive so they can start rebuilding and get back into more normalcy  or maybe something better like a Roaring Twenties kind of thing, Larsen said.

Putting that money in the hands of people who know how to use it best makes sense, said Acosta.

Air Quality Tracker Check levels down to the neighborhood Ratings for the Bay Area and California, updated every 10 minutes

But its a project named SafeCity Camera Program thats drawn controversy. Larsen is paying for some neighborhoods to install networks of security cameras as a way to deter and prosecute crime. The average installation costs $20,000 to $50,000 for multiple cameras and multiple views. The cameras have drawn fire from privacy advocates, although, ironically, Larsen has a long history of backing consumer privacy, including work to help pass 2004s California Financial Information Privacy Act, which requires banks and other financial institutions to get customers permission before giving information about them to other companies.

Privacy groups will never like what were doing with cameras, but even the most progressive people in the city hate the car break-ins and want to do something about it, Larsen said.

He sees the cameras as a neutral tool that can help communities with public safety and eliminate false accusations, noting that they are supported by groups across the political spectrum: the San Francisco Police Department, the public defenders and ultra-liberal San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin.

Simon Bertrang, executive director of the Tenderloin Community Benefit District, where cameras are located at multiple intersections, said his group worked with locals to ensure that the network is not real-time surveillance, unlike Londons CCTV system, which is continuously monitored.

Instead, the network is there for after-the-fact footage requests, he said. If there is a crime, and it often is a violent crime, then the police, the district attorney, the public defender or private defense attorneys can request footage to see an objective recording of what transpired.

Every request needs a case number. It cant just be someone doing a fishing expedition, he said.

The district stores footage for 30 days, then erases it if there are no requests.

Bertrang credits the cameras with capturing views of several violent crimes, including anti-Asian attacks, a person kicking a sleeping person and a kidnapping.

Larsen said his projects show him acting on the saying, If youre gonna bring the poop; bring the scoop.

Dont just whine about problems or swear about your car getting broken into, he said, explaining its meaning, and adding that his cars have been broken into. You can get mad and leave the city or you can try to do something about it. Were fortunate we had the resources to do something.

Carolyn Said is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: csaid@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @csaid
There have been only five COVID-19 outbreaks at San Francisco schools since the beginning of the school year and the return to in-person education, the San Francisco Department of Public Health told SFGATE.

Everything you need to know about N95 and KN95 masks for kids

In each outbreak, fewer than five students or staff were involved, and in every incident, cases were either mild to moderate illness, with none requiring hospitalization, SFDPH added.

Its an incredible feat for San Francisco schools, which cater to thousands of students. The San Francisco Unified School District alone educates more than 57,000 students every year.

San Francisco hospitals paint a similarly optimistic picture. According to UCSF Medical Center, the largest hospital in the city, only 12 pediatric COVID patients were admitted to the hospital between June 14 and Sept. 14, a UCSF spokesperson said.

The positive news comes as school districts around the nation are seeing a troubling rise in COVID cases among students and staff. In Houston, for example, there were more than 800 active COVID infections among students and 104 among staff as of Sept. 24 (Houston Independent School District educates about 197,000 students a year). Texas does not have a statewide mask mandate for schools, though Houston does, nor does the state require staff members to be vaccinated against COVID. HISD did not respond to a question about staff vaccination rates.

Why has San Francisco been so successful in preventing the spread of COVID in schools?

For one, San Francisco schools have mandated that students and staff wear masks during the school day. SFUSD has also required that all staff members be fully vaccinated or get tested. As of early September, 96% of staff who reported their vaccination status by the Aug. 31 deadline were vaccinated. And on Friday, the city announced its plans for vaccinating children ages 5 to 11 once the Federal Drug Administration gives Pfizers COVID-19 vaccine emergency use authorization for children, which it is expected to do soon.

In a statement, SFUSD recognized that San Francisco is home to some of the world's top public health experts.

"We recognize that as long as there is COVID in the community, there will be cases in schools. By prioritizing and investing in COVID-19 mitigation efforts -- including providing PPE to every school site, operationalizing one of the largest COVID-19 testing efforts in San Francisco, and improving ventilation in schools -- we can keep our communities as safe as possible," the statement said.

Dr. Naveena Bobba, the deputy director of health for SFDPH, provided one explanation for the small caseload at San Francisco schools.

In California there have been less outbreaks and definitely less pediatric cases," she said.

In August, she continued, pediatric cases made up just 13% of COVID cases.

Part of that I think is due to our great vaccination rates, she said. Because under-12s arent yet able to get vaccinated, [the key] is to ensure everyone around them is vaccinated.

Currently, 81% of eligible San Franciscans are fully vaccinated, while 90% of 12- to 17-year-olds in the city are fully vaccinated, Bobba said.

That really decreases school transmission, she said of the high number of vaccinated teens.

Bobba also cited the states vaccine and testing mandate, which she said offers a huge layer of protection, as well as masking.

All these layers of protection help reduce the risk, she said. Its not ever going to be zero, and you will see some minor outbreaks, but we can contain it and were doing everything to decrease risk.
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. (AP)  Authorities say a western Pennsylvania contractor has acknowledged violating a federal regulation following the electrocution death of a worker at the site of a sewer line installation in Johnstown more than three years ago.

The U.S. attorney's office said Insight Pipe Contracting pleaded guilty Friday to one count of violation of an Occupational Safety and Health Administration regulation requiring equipment to have 10 feet (3 meters) of clearance near energized power lines.

Authorities said a telehandler  which has the features of a forklift and a crane  was being used to remove pipe-liner from a box truck in the Moxham neighborhood in April 2018. The telehandler was trying to place a large roll of liner into an open manhole, but it got stuck. The operator tried to reposition the machine's forks but they made contact with overhead power lines, authorities said.

At that moment, a worker had his hand on the telehandler's door while apparently trying to tell the operator something and was electrocuted, authorities said. Christopher Diaz, 30, of Butler was pronounced dead at the scene. Officials told The (Johnstown) Tribune-Democrat at the time that two other workers who tried to pull him away from the machine were injured.

Prosecutors said the company has agreed to pay a fine of $20,000 and spend three years on probation. Earlier this year, Insight Pipe Contracting paid a fine of $180,000 in civil penalties in an OSHA administrative case stemming from the death, authorities said. Sentencing is scheduled Oct. 28.

Insight Pipe Contracting administrative manager Diane Reiber said Monday that the company has taken steps to improve safety following the death.

This was a tragic accident, and we are all deeply saddened by the loss of a valued employee," Reiber said in a statement. We have fully cooperated with the government and updated our safety standards and guidance to be in full compliance with all rules, regulations, and safety standards."
The non-profit that operates Wikipedia, one of the world's most popular websites, has a new CEO, Maryana Iskander (and yes, she has a Wikipedia page ). She'll take over at the Wikimedia Foundation in January and says that her priorities are diversifying Wikipedia's volunteer writers and editors and promoting the foundation's mission of advocating for access to information.

Iskander's background spans continents and fields. She has led South African non-profit Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator, which focuses on helping young Africans find jobs, since 2013. She has also been COO of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, worked at consulting firm McKinsey and clerked for the U.S. Court of Appeals.

She recently talked with The Associated Press about her plans for the volunteer-managed online encyclopedia, which launched in 2001.

Q: What attracted you to Wikipedia?

A: Its hard to imagine who wouldnt be interested. The job profile starts with this extremely striking statement about the fact that knowledge belongs to all of us. The idea that anything belongs to all of us is really quite revolutionary. Its like were living in a world in which increasingly most things dont feel common and dont feel shared. And the chance to be part of an organization that I think has that as a core value was hugely appealing and connects to a lot of the things that Ive done in my career before.

Q: Wikipedia is famously created and edited by its army of volunteer contributors. What do the Wikimedia Foundation's 500-plus employees do?

A: The foundation itself enables the actual platform and the software and the technology. Its a big operation to be able to do that. We also provide support to these communities all over the world in different forms because their needs are very different. We do a huge amount of policy and advocacy work.

Q: What are the biggest challenges for Wikipedia?

A: Most of the content on Wikipedia comes from the global north. It doesnt represent the full sum of human knowledge. How do we get more content both about and from people in the global south?

A second priority is that most of the issues that Wikipedia faces are not Wikipedia's alone. And so how do you think about building ecosystems with other partners (to deal with) online harassment or misinformation. None of these are things that a single organization or a single platform can solve on its own.

Q: Wikipedia contributors are heavily male and most often come from Europe and North America. How do you want to involve more women and people from other countries?

A: Every country and frankly, language community, is different. But one of the things that weve learned about how Wikipedia has increased its presence in Nigeria is that its important to first try to raise awareness about Wikipedia, so that people have an understanding of it as a resource. Then people will be more interested in coming in to be contributors.

Q: Wikimedia has an annual budget of over $100 million. There is some criticism that the foundation has plenty of money to fund its expenses and yet is begging its users for money. Is that donation ask something you think is important and going to continue?

A: Wikipedia is the only top 10 website in the world operated as a not-for-profit, so its trying to deliver a set of services on a fraction of the budget of the big tech platforms. I think our intent is never to harass readers or users. But in fact, what we see is that lots of people are very happy to make what is usually a pretty small contribution in support of something that they use and find valuable. And that is important because it keeps us from needing to sell personal information or sell ads or do the things that would compromise the neutrality and integrity of the platform.
A 30-year-old Palo Alto woman charged with igniting the California wildfire that has destroyed more than 40 homes and some 90 other structures in Shasta County pleaded not guilty Friday morning.

Alexandra Souverneva, a graduate of the California Institute of Technology who refers to herself as a shaman on her LinkedIn page, said she accidentally started the Fawn Fire on Wednesday when she was boiling water from a puddle that contained bear urine to drink, a narrative filed by Cal Fire law enforcement said.

An attorney at a Friday court appearance said Souverneva made statements to law enforcement suggesting a potential mental health crisis "or something to do with drug abuse," the Redding Record Searchlight reported.

Judge Adam Ryan increased bail from $100,000 to $150,000 for the felony charge of arson on forest land, noting the fire damage was mounting. Another $25,000 was tacked on for arson during California's current state of emergency over wildfire danger, the local newspaper reported.

Souverneva is suspected of starting other fires in Shasta County and throughout the state, District Attorney Stephanie Bridgett said in a press conference Friday.

Ethan Swope/AP

The Fawn Fire sparked Wednesday, Sept. 22, grew to 3,500 acres in less than 24 hours and exploded the afternoon of Thursday, Sept. 23, amid breezy conditions, threatening the Mountain Gate neighborhood. The fire was 8,559 acres Sunday night with 45% containment, Cal Fire said in its more recent incident report.

Cal Fire said the fire was first reported at 4:45 p.m. Wednesday in a remote canyon on property adjacent to the J.F. Shea and Mountain Gate quarries.

Employees of the quarry reported seeing a female trespasser "acting irrationally" before the fire erupted, Cal Fire said. Before losing sight of her, she "discarded items along a dirt road that consisted of two small Co2 cartridges and a AA battery," the Cal Fire narrative said.

Cal Fire said Souverneva later walked out of the brush near the fire line, approached firefighters and told them she was dehydrated and needed medical help. Souverneva reportedly had an operable lighter in her pocket as wells as CO2 cartridges and a "pink and white item containing a green leafy substance she admitted to smoking that day." She told Cal Fire law enforcement she was hiking and "attempting to get to Canada," the Cal Fire narrative reported.

During an interview with Cal Fire and law enforcement, officers came to believe Souverneva was responsible for setting the fire, officials said. She was booked into the Shasta County Jail.

Ethan Swope/AP

Souverneva graduated from Palo Alto High school in 2009, the Campanile, the school's newspaper, reported.

She later attended the California Institute of Technology and graduated in 2012 with degrees in chemistry and biology, the university in Pasadena confirmed.

The Campanile said Souverneva tutored local students in chemistry, and her LinkedIn page indicated she worked for AJ Tutoring in 2020.

AJ Tutoring client Hannah Ramrakhiani told the Campanile that she and other Palo Alto Unified School District students worked with Souverneva during the first few months of the COVID-19 pandemic.

She is so smart and such a good chemistry tutor, and she was always so nice and calm, Ramrakhiani said.

Souverneva's LinkedIn page also revealed that she was a yoga instructor and scuba diver and worked in the biotech industry.

(SFGATE contacted several employers, including AJ Tutoring, listed on Souverneva's LinkedIn page, but didn't immediately hear back.)

Firefighters gained the upper hand Sunday on the Fawn Fire that has displaced thousands of people.

Lighter winds and cooler temperatures slowed the Fawn Fire as it moves toward the shores of California's largest man-made lake and away from populated areas north of the city of Redding, allowing crews to increase containment to 35%, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said in a statement.

The fire at one point threatened 9,000 buildings, but the number dropped to 2,340 on Sunday.

Light rain was in the forecast for Monday. Fire officials said crews will begin taking advantage of the calmer weather to conduct back burns near the lake to expand the control lines, the Record Searchlight reported.

Were going to hold it. Its going to be done this week, Bret Gouvea, chief of CalFire's Shasta-Trinity unit, said at a community meeting Saturday night.

Initial assessments found that 131 homes and other buildings had burned, CalFire said. That number was likely to change as teams go street by street surveying the destruction.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Lets be real: the Bay Area isnt what it once was.

For many of us who grew up here while the Hyphy Movement existed, few things embody the nostalgia of our upbringing more than this former time  a gloriously weird, rap-infused lifestyle that took over between 2005 and 2009.

Its a past many of us return to in whatever way we can. I do it by visiting my dad and brother in Mountain View, playing old Hieroglyphics CDs in my Jetta, and occasionally practicing my thizz face on a dance floor. I also do it by staying rooted among those whove remained: the homies who havent been gentrified or otherwise systematically removed from their homes.

Unfortunately, there are only two people I know who still hold it down in our old 650 neighborhood. Israul Herrera and his brother, Darby, remind me of what it means to be a Baydestrian, a phrase Mistah FAB coined in his 2007 album, "Da Baydestrian," to describe someone from the bay. Along with my older brother, Aldo, the Herreras are the only faces I still recognize on our block.

We are the lucky families who were able to buy property decades ago and have remained, despite the constant million-dollar home renovations and interchanging incomers who have flocked to work in the Silicon Valley around us.

Though Ive lived in the East Bay since 2008, I still go back to visit my brother and pops in the Peninsula. Its disorienting to return to a place you were raised but dont recognize  a consequence of aging, of course, but also a sign of the aggressive and rapid economic displacement that has impacted every Bay Area community and pushed out nearly everyone we once knew. It hurts, but its a reality many of us have had to swallow. And sometimes we chase our pain down with tequila or beer.

But lately, weve been doing it with Hyphy Juice.

Since 2005, the hyper-local energy drink has been an iconic beverage that represents the regions cultural pride, especially at the peak of the Hyphy Movement. The Red Bull-style juice was co-created by East Oakland rapper Clyde Carson as a way to capture the flavor of the streets. It especially blew up after the song Hyphy Juice was released by The Team in 2006.

Unless you grew up drinking it in the Bay Area, its not something youll casually encounter. But thats why we love it; its also why the Herrera brothers keep a whole mini-fridge of them stocked up  something I havent seen since my community college days at house functions, back when wed mix it in our drinks and pull all-nighters.

Im not going to lie to you. Ive never been a fan of sugary beverages, and I dont mess with sodas or energy drinks. But you also have to understand that, for me, drinking Hyphy Juice feels more like a political decision to reclaim where were from. Its about embracing the legacy of Bay Area culture we were blessed with, which has largely been pushed to the fringes in 2021  especially in suburbs like Mountain View, where Google has virtually taken over. Here, Hyphy Juice is a reminder of our layered nostalgia. And Im on a mission to get more.

I quickly learned that only certain liquor stores and gas stations still carry Hyphy Juice  including the one in my current San Pablo neighborhood at the bottom of Richmonds Hilltop, where the cashier told me the drink quickly sells out after each shipment. You can also find it in areas like Bayview, Hayward, and other surrounding cities that extend as far as Sacramento, though you definitely wont find it in a Safeway. Its the sort of thing you need to seek out with loyalty and commitment, but its been around since many of us were kids and teenagers.

The drink existed before the internet was even relevant, but we still here in stores, and we got our core audience who supports us, says Carson, local rapper and entrepreneur who helped to popularize Hyphy Juice as the co-owner.

The brand is immortalized among those of us who remember it from as far back as '05, when it was first launched into the market. Carson tells me how the beverage has thrived and evolved over the past decade with additional flavors like Pineapple Pop, while also expanding into Hyphy Soda. The soda, which is a separate product, has been embraced by todays youngsters who mob on scraper bikes, Carson says, who have helped to reintroduce its uniquely bold brand with flavors like Birthday Cake on social media. Its truly impressive, considering how many things from that era have fizzled away or been priced out.

Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE

For many Bayliens  another term that emerged during the Hyphy Movement to describe someone from the Bay Area  Hyphy Juice symbolizes everything we consumed before Instagram or Twitter existed. Before Ubers, there were more scrapers cruising our streets  old Buicks and Chevys sitting on chrome rims  and before online networks there were more rogues and cuddies around  words to describe your nearby kin and neighborhood folks. Hyphy was a platinum era that Carson knows about more than most, and he keeps it relevant for us. In fact, there arent many ambassadors who are better qualified to pass it down to the next generation than he is.

People see something where theyre from and theyre like, I wanna support that, he says.

Besides being involved with Hyphy Juice, Carson records music as one of the Bay Areas premier rappers. His songs are soundtracks for many, and his lyrics played a major role in creating cultural trends like High Speed  a cocktail that originated in San Franciscos streets by mixing Grapple-flavored Hyphy Juice with Bacardi and gin. Its something that organically originated from communities that Carson identifies with.

More recently, he has helped push the Bay Areas popularity with tracks like Slidin and Slow Down. In August, he released a new EP, Summer Wave II. Like those of us who havent been pushed out, he cares about where hes from, and represents that in his work and lifestyle.

I just know people feel like theyre being pushed out. I know people who had jobs and careers and literally cant afford to live in Oakland and feel some type of way, Carson says. Its hella frustrating, but we have to adapt and find a way.

It may seem like an overstatement, but for some, going to the corner and picking up a can of Hyphy Juice, a bottle of Hyphy Soda, or a cutty bang, is a small but essential way of coping and adapting to a lifetime of rapid changes. Its a way of seeing your neighborhood people still around, still present.

Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE

Another of Hyphy Juices co-owners, Koab, illuminates the context of how the drink has survived the massive economic and social shifts since its debut, while continuing to serve the same community.

While gentrification has been happening on a wider level, the same thing has taken place in the beverage industry, he says. Theyve pushed out the small guy. It happened with real estate, and since stores are a part of real estate, lots of places couldnt afford to stay open or always keep our drinks. Its been a fight.

According to Koab, niche products like Hyphy Juice have lost some visibility over the years because they were often carried by independent businesses that have closed since the 2000s, often unable to keep their doors open when competing against a Whole Foods or other high-bidding mega company with its sights on prime Bay Area real estate. On top of that, the Bay Areas residential demographics have largely transformed, and with many transplants arriving from other regions, the demand for something like Hyphy Juice has diminished in neighborhoods that might have traditionally had a connection with its history.

Still, the drink has endured  like many longtime residents  and maintains relevance while staying true to the original flavor that made it appealing in the first place. Its a drinkable metaphor for this regions fluctuations.

Although the drink has roots here, Carson says its adapted and mixed from other influences, too. He gives credit to Crunk Juice and Pimp Juice from cities like Atlanta and St. Louis  beverages that were also popularized in the mid 00s by rappers like Lil Jon and Nelly  for providing a blueprint on how to flip that business into the Bay with our own language.

We want to be like ourselves, Carson says. The drink is from here. And the most important thing is that its hella good. Its one thing to have something that brings you back and is from here but it also actually tastes hella good, and it gives you that nostalgic feeling. Its what enables us to survive and thrive.

Hes not just trapped in a static past, either. In thinking about future flavors and remixes, Carson and Koab reveal that they are always cooking up fresh recipes. Carson makes it a point to sit in on taste tests for their latest products when hes not recording music or touring. He even refers to his Hyphyest peers like Mistah FAB and E-40 to get their opinions on flavoring and branding. Thats what makes the drink special to locals, because we know its made with the realness and attention of someone who lives it, rather than a corporate outsider trying to capitalize on something they have no connection to. I know when I pick up a can of Hyphy Juice at the Peoples Market on Broadway that my money is going back into the pockets of Bay Area hustlers, rather than imported CEOs.

These are making a huge comeback, bro, Yusuf, the cashier at my nearest liquor store, tells me. I grab one of the only remaining cans of Grapple, while a Honduran mom and her kids wait in line next to the neighborhood folks who linger and crack jokes before dispersing home.

It almost feels like being back in the past. When taco trucks would pull up to where we lived in Mountain View on a street with a majority of Latino and mixed immigrants; when our Samoan neighbors rode their bikes around the block, eight heads deep; when our Vietnamese and Filipino homies would invite us over for meals and to spend the night, since we all knew each others families. Sadly, none of these exist in my neighborhood anymore. Only Hyphy Juice remains.

The Hyphy Movement might be over, but the vibrant spirit  and literal flavors  of those years are still here to remind us who we are. You just have to know where to get it.

Alan Chazaro is a Bay Area writer and teacher. His books, "This Is Not a Frank Ocean Cover Album" and "Pinata Theory," are available through Black Lawrence Press. Follow his updates on Twitter and Instagram @alan_chazaro.
Last week, San Francisco residents were dismayed, but sadly not shocked, to discover one of our most beloved institutions, Taqueria El Farolito  the maker of what Esquire Magazine calls The Most Life Changing Burrito In America  was denied permission to open a new location in North Beach. The denial was for a reason that seems bizarre on the surface, the kind of reasoning people hear and think only in San Francisco: They are too successful.

Most cities would be thrilled to see a small, homegrown, family-owned business continuing to expand after nearly 40 years in business. San Francisco, however, has concluded that 11 locations is the precise number at which a small family-run business turns into a corporate behemoth. And while many corporate behemoths are perfectly fine with us, and allowed to dominate our lives, our streets and our skyline, our precious eyes must be protected from the sight of a 12th El Farolito.

Ironically, most of El Farolitos locations arent even in San Francisco.

To be clear, it really is just the sight of El Farolito we are being protected from. The Planning Commission informed the Lopez family that their permit would only be approved if they made slight adjustments: The name, logo and recipes that Salvador Don Chava Lopez chose in 1983 after emigrating to the U.S. from Mexico City, all must change. The city is OK with the owners being the same, they just want them (and us) to pretend its a different business.

This fixation on appearance over substance has led to ridiculous results. Gap, which had thousands of stores, sidestepped the regulation by opening new stores under the name Athleta. El Farolito tried this tactic by pointing out a few of their twelve locations are called El Favorito but the Planning Department said no, thats not different enough.

When voters voted for Proposition G in 2007, giving it 58% of the vote, most of us (myself included) thought we were voting to keep chains like Starbucks and Burger King from taking over. McDonalds and other chain stores will have a harder time opening their doors in The City, proclaimed the Examiner shortly after the election.

But over the years a different result has emerged: The big chains kept on growing, while the number of small businesses declined.

Chipotle, whose founder was inspired by the Mission burritos El Farolito specializes in, now has eight locations in San Francisco. El Farolito has just four. Whole Foods had one store in 2006, now they have eight. Starbucks has twice as many locations per capita in San Francisco as they do in Dallas. Like the rampaging dinosaurs in Jurassic Park, the big chains find a way. Even in Hayes Valley, where chains are completely banned, Trader Joes has been able to obtain approval for a new store. Small businesses just dont have the resources the big chains do, and as a result, their numbers have declined, from 130,634 business registrations in 2017 to just 93,889 in 2019, according to San Francisco's Registered Business database. There are even fewer now, as the pandemic has forced thousands more to permanently close. Commercial vacancy rates are skyrocketing, further weakening our commercial corridors, and dark clouds are on the horizon as the state's commercial eviction moratorium is set to expire in just a few days.

The small businesses left standing now compete not only with large chains, but ecommerce sites like Amazon and new business models like ghost kitchens, while struggling to afford the high cost of doing business in San Francisco. Without economies of scale to keep expenses low, they are forced to charge higher prices, or focus on wealthier interests like designer handbags and specialty foods, further exacerbating the citys affordability crisis for those not blessed with large incomes.

To be clear, I am not in favor of eliminating formula retail controls. I believe thoughtful planning is essential for cities, especially one as beautiful and unique as San Francisco. But what harm would result if we loosened the reins a little so smaller chains like El Farolito could grow and find a stronger footing in their hometown? Why is a venture capital-funded business encouraged to dominate the world, but a family-owned taqueria founded by an immigrant is required to pretend they are someone else? Is that really a good idea right now?

Unfortunately Proposition G was unwisely crafted as a charter amendment. This means the Board of Supervisors cannot make any changes without another ballot measure, an expensive and time-consuming endeavor.

If the pandemic has taught us anything, it is that we need to be able to rapidly adjust to changing circumstances. I am calling on our elected officials to introduce a new ballot measure that will return the formula retail controls to an ordinary ordinance, so supervisors can thoughtfully adjust these thresholds as needed, helping our local businesses recover, grow and succeed.

Sharky Laguana is the president of the San Francisco Small Business Commission (for informational purposes only), and owner of Bandago Van Rental.
LANSING  Advocates for children with epilepsy are pushing to train Michigan school employees to recognize seizures and provide necessary first aid.

The legislation would mandate education for all of the states school districts to help the 13,600 Michigan children with epilepsy and their families.

Elizabeth Stout, an Albion College student and youth consultant with Childrens Special Health Care Services of Michigan, said thebill is a great step.

Every patient is different when it comes to their epilepsy and how you treat it, said Stout, who has had epilepsy for the past 12 years. Its hard when people assume things about a health condition, and it would be a lot easier if there was more education

The legislation, sponsored by Rep. Jack OMalley, R-Lake Ann, would make seizure action plans for students with epilepsy accessible for employees in contact with them. Using information from parents, the plans are specific to each students needs, including information on medication or first aid.

The legislation would also mean each school would need have a full-time employee trained to administer emergency rescue medication in potentially life-threatening situations. Eleven other states have already passed seizure safe schools legislation.

Most individuals we meet with, certainly on the legislative side, are surprised to know this training isnt already in the repertoire for teachers, said Brianna Romines, the president of the Epilepsy Foundation of Michigan.

The bill would require that all school employees be educated in seizure first aid and recognition. This one-hour training would be provided online for free, with in-person options as well.

The training is also offered by the National Epilepsy Foundation, which allows broader access than the states chapter can provide, said Russ Derry, the Michigan Epilepsy Foundations director of education.

Romines said epilepsy training is as important as other safety training teachers receive. One school counselor, who was trained yearly in the use of fire extinguishers, said she has never had to use one in over 15 years But the counselor has responded to between about five and 15 seizure emergencies each year.

The lack of education is a problem because it stigmatizes epilepsy, said Sierra Cameron, the CEO of the Michigan chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics.

If a child goes into a seizure, it might not be as clinically bad as folks think it is, Cameron said. If you dont have any familiarity with seizures, it might really daunt you.

One of the consequences is that school employees call 911 and have children diagnosed with epilepsy taken from class to the emergency room, Romines said. This leads to trauma for the children and needless costs for families from hospitals, ambulance rides and lost wages for those who leave work.

So, there are economic and emotional impacts to this, Romines said. But all of that couldve been simply addressed with training.

Another challenge is that school employees may be uncomfortable administering invasive rescue medication, Derry said. While nasal medication options are increasingly available, the primary rescue treatment for youth suffering seizures is administered rectally.

Derry empathizes with these employees, but he said rescue medication training is just as important as learning to use epipens for students with serious allergies. While a school nurse would ideally be administering the medication, all employees allowed to administer medication would receive training.

Derry said everyone should understand the needs of students with epilepsy as seizures can happen any time.

In Michigan, we have one of the worst ratios of school nurses to students in the country, Derry said. We have about 4,200 students per school nurse.

Stout said its also important to remember epilepsy is not just seizures with uncontrollable movements. Epilepsy can prompt staring spells that lead to students being disciplined for not paying attention, or to an assumption that they have attention deficit disorder, Romines said. Many effects of epilepsy and its medications are difficult to distinguish.

Thats why were hopeful for this training, Romines said. Not only does it teach you seizure first aid, it teaches seizure recognition.

The foundation says it hopes the House will hold hearings on the proposed Seizure Safety Act in October.

Stout said repeatedly explaining your condition is exhausting. While she was lucky to have teachers that were open to that conversation, thats not always the case.

If teachers and others within the education system understand epilepsy, then its easier for students to be honest about it, and share it, Stout said.For youth diagnosed with epilepsy, and their families, in need of more support she recommends the Epilepsy Foundation of Michigans Call and Connect Network.
When I moved into my Inner Richmond studio apartment in 2019, one particular amenity struck me as a bit unusual.

Like most aging apartment buildings, mine came with its quirks: an ironing board that folded out of the wall, a radiator that hissed and clanked in the night, a decades-old doorbell that emitted a sound I can only describe as that of a hungry, bleating goat. But what intrigued me the most was a recess in the wall outfitted with what appeared to be a slightly rusted old telephone  similar to one I remembered from the iconic phone call scene in Its a Wonderful Life.

Made of a gray steel hardware, the box-shaped gadget was also equipped with an earpiece connected to a cord that could be removed from a small hook. On the front of the device was a button and a small speaker that probably hadnt been used in decades.

Amanda Bartlett/SFGATE

Feeling curious about it, I asked my landlord, who shrugged and suggested I was probably right  that it was likely an antique mode of communication used by tenants during a time when they had to pick up the phone and speak with an operator in order to be connected with another party. But he also had a sneaking suspicion it might be an intercom system used by residents to speak with a guest waiting outside at the lobby, similar to the buzzers many modern apartments have today.

In search of a concrete answer, I decided to reach out to Rick Prelinger, who is the co-founder of the Prelinger Library on 8th and Folsom, which contains an archival collection of 19th and 20th century ephemera, periodicals, maps and books.

These are ubiquitous in the Richmond, he said, noting he had a similar niche in the wall of his own residence, and while the intercom is gone, hed seen them at friends apartments as well as the Internet Archive headquartered on Clement Street and Funston Avenue.

Courtesy of Mary Ann Brunson

Prelinger went on to explain that these amenities, which became widely available in the 1920s, were used to help sell houses when developers placed a large number of them on the market.

Developers and communities were competing with one another for buyers, he said. If you pull a pre-Depression Chronicle real estate section, youll see all sorts of attempts to make specific offerings seem more unique  think granite countertops, media rooms, etcetera. Today, we might think of these as a kind of luxury amenity downscaled for mass consumption. You might not have a butler to answer the door, but at least you could keep distance from those with a lower social position ringing your bell.

This checked out, as my building was constructed in 1927.

Interestingly enough, Prelinger added, these accessories were often accompanied by levers at the top of the stairs that opened the front door when pulled  another oddity weve also explored.

If tradespeople were coming to visit, you could tell them to go into what they called the tradesmans alley, he said. This was also true for food deliveries. Delivery people could put food directly into kitchen iceboxes  wooden-shelved racks containing ice  from the back. And if you were hosting friends who came to call, an intercom might have felt like a classy way to admit them.

John Freeman, a former teacher and carpenter who has lived in the Richmond for almost all 80 years of his life, said he remembered an earlier version of the intercom system in his childhood apartment on 6th Avenue across the street from Frank McCoppin Elementary School. Built in 1917  his parents bought the building in 1950 when Freeman was 9 years old  it had what he described as a less sophisticated speaking tube not unlike the tin can and string telephones many of us played with as kids.

Freeman, now a historian, confirmed the "narrowness and height" of the alcove housing my gray intercom phone was intended for a rotary dial candlestick telephone, though the intercom there today is likely a newer version of the amenity, which became prevalent. This was indicative of the changing neighborhood as what was once Point Lobos Avenue (now Geary Boulevard) morphed from a commercial thoroughfare to multi-unit apartment buildings housing tradesmen who contributed to building the rest of the district."

Pam Wright, a former manager of the Phoenix Hotel on Eddy Street, said she discovered one of the intercoms when she moved into her 18-unit apartment building in the Outer Richmond in 2005. The best part? It still worked, and she used it to buzz people in at the foyer of her building for a number of years.

Eventually, as the aging system began to fail, the owners of her building removed it, installing a modernized system with an electronic directory. Each tenants name is attached to a two-digit code visitors can dial in order to reach them, and Wright said hers is connected to her cell phone, so she can answer and allow someone to enter the building to deliver a package when shes not home.

Its not as quaint as the old intercom system, but its very convenient, said Wright.

But she still has the phone itself, and uses the niche as a space to display some of the historic San Francisco ephemera shes collected over the years, including tickets from the Golden Gate International Exposition of 1939 and a brochure from the Holiday Lodge on Van Ness Avenue, where she worked before it was razed in the 1990s.

Courtesy of Pam Wright

Though Prelinger described these intercom systems as especially commonplace in the Richmond, I was surprised to find many people living throughout San Francisco had them, too.

Mike McConnell, who lives in the Mission District and runs Fayes Coffee & Espresso Bar on 18th and Guerrero, had not one but two of the intercom phones in his building dating back to 1925. One of the actual phones is now missing  he uses the empty nook to display his paintings  while the other still works as a device to allow guests in.

Its a very loud buzzer, he said.

Courtesy of Mike McConnell

Mary Brunson, whose Nob Hill apartment was built in 1911, said she noticed her own unusual intercom phone when she moved there in 2017. However, it was covered with a thick layer of white coating.

At first, I was like, What is this gross painted-over thing? said Brunson.

She attempted to remove the device by chipping off some paint in order to open it and unscrew it from the wall. As the paint chipped off, bit by bit, she noticed a rich brown wood and something gold that had been obscured underneath. In the process of removing larger chunks of paint, she uncovered the device in its original state.

I knew it would never work again as a phone, but figured it might work as something to keep tiny things in, said Brunson. She removed the wiring inside, and now uses it as a secret hidey-hole.

Courtesy of Mary Ann Brunson

Defunct or not, I wondered why so many apartment buildings still had the devices. As was the case with Wright, some of them made way for updated technology, like the buzzer systems many apartments are equipped with today. A few of the other residents I spoke with, like Brunson, suggested they may have been preserved by building owners due to sheer laziness. I dont think either of these answers are wrong, but what may have been my most interesting discovery in all of this was that regardless of whether their intercom phones were operable or not, people seemed really proud to have them, even going so far as to creatively decorate the nook where they were displayed.

Courtesy of @NoCarXXX/Twitter

I decided to ask my landlord if he had an answer as to why the units in my own building still had the mysterious old phones.

We generally leave them because many people think of it as part of the old charm, he said.
MARATHON, Fla. (AP)  A large loggerhead sea turtle rehabilitated at the Florida Keys-based Turtle Hospital was flown by private plane Sunday to live at a conservation facility in Texas.

The 230-pound female turtle took the nearly five-hour flight from the Middle Keys to South Padre Island, Texas, with the help of Turtles Fly Too, a nonprofit group that works with general aviation pilots who donate their aircraft, fuel and time to provide emergency transport for endangered species.

Matthew, named for one of her rescuers before her sex was determined, suffered injuries to her shell in May 2020 from a boat strike that left her unable to dive and forage for food -- a condition termed bubble butt syndrome by the hospitals rehabilitation staff.

Shes being transported to Sea Turtle Inc. in South Padre Island because shes unable to dive, said Bette Zirkelbach, the Turtle Hospitals general manager, who accompanied the reptile during the flight. That makes her non-releasable and she will act as an ambassador for her species there at the Texas facility where they see lots of visitors.

The reptile joins other rehabilitated, non-releasable turtle patients at Sea Turtle Inc., located on the Gulf of Mexico. The organizations conservation outreach programs are designed to raise public awareness about sea turtles and the threats to their survival.

Although the goal for the Keys Turtle Hospital is for every rescued sea turtle to successfully rehabilitate and return to its ocean home, it is not likely Matthew could survive in the wild due to the positive buoyancy disorder.

Matthews carapace has been fitted with weights, fashioned to adhere to the shell and help the turtle submerge and rest comfortably during her residency at the Texas center.
Currently Reading

Alert: Judge to lift all restrictions on John Hinckley Jr. next year if shooter of President Reagan remains mentally stable
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP)  Arkansas lawmakers are returning this week to redraw the boundaries of the state's four congressional districts, legislative leaders said Monday.

House Speaker Matthew Shepherd and Senate President Jimmy Hickey issued a proclamation that called the Legislature to reconvene Wednesday morning primarily for congressional redistricting.

The Legislature recessed in April with plans to return to take up redistricting. Several redistricting proposals have been filed, and the measures include some that would divide up Pulaski County, where Little Rock is located.

The proclamation said the Legislature could also take up measures related to the COVID-19 pandemic and federal coronavirus relief funds.

Republicans hold a majority in both chambers of the Legislature and hold all four congressional seats.

The Board of Apportionment will take up redistricting for the state's House and Senate seats later this fall. The board is comprised of the governor, attorney general and secretary of state, all Republicans.

___

This story was first published Sept. 27. It was updated on Sept. 28 to correct that the name of the board in charge of state legislative redistricting is the Board of Apportionment, not the Board of Appropriation.
A soldier reported that she was assaulted by a small group of Afghan refugees at a shelter complex set up for the refugees in New Mexico, Fort Bliss officials said.

A Fort Bliss statement said the assault happened Sept. 19 at the Fort Bliss Dona Ana County Range Complex about 40 miles (65 kilometers) north of El Paso, Texas.

We take the allegation seriously and appropriately referred the matter to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, said a Fort Bliss statement.

The soldier was reporting for her shift around midnight when three to four men attacked her, according to a U.S. Defense Department official. She had minor physical injuries and was able to get away. She was not sexually assaulted, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss an ongoing investigation.

The official said that soldiers on duty operate with a buddy system, but the female soldier was just arriving and had not yet linked up with her buddy for the shift.

The official said that no one had yet been charged and that the FBI was investigating. It was unclear if law enforcement had identified the attackers.

The Fort Bliss statement said the woman was immediately provided appropriate care, counseling and support and that security measures at the complex were being strengthened.

U.S. Rep. Yvette Herrell, the New Mexico Republican representing the district where the complex is situated, said her staff was also investigating.

The U.S. government erected the complex in late August and early September to house thousands of Afghan refugees from the Taliban.

According to the Fort Bliss statement, all Afghan nationals are subjected to a multi-layer screening and vetting process" before being admitted to the United States.

The process "involves biometric and biographic screenings conducted by intelligence, law enforcement, and counterterrorism professionals from the Department of Homeland Security, FBI, the National Counterterrorism Center and other intelligence community resources.
MOSCOW (AP)  Azerbaijan and Armenia are marking the anniversary of the start of their six-week war in which more than 6,600 people died and which ended with Azerbaijan regaining control of large swaths of territory.

Soldiers carrying photographs of comrades killed in the war marched Monday through the center of the Azerbaijani capital of Baku. In Yerevan, the Armenian capital, thousands of people went to the Yerablur military cemetery to pay their respects to soldiers buried there.
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP)  A child has died after being infected with a rare brain-eating amoeba that was found at a Texas splash pad he had visited, and a review discovered lapses in water-quality testing at several parks, officials said Monday.

Officials in Arlington, located between Dallas and Fort Worth, said the city and Tarrant County Public Health were notified on Sept. 5 that a child had been hospitalized with primary amebic meningoencephalitis, a rare and often fatal infection caused by the naegleria fowleri ameba. The boy, who was not identified by officials, died at the hospital on Sept. 11.
BEIJING (AP)  Global shoppers face possible shortages of smartphones and other goods ahead of Christmas after power cuts to meet official energy use targets forced Chinese factories to shut down and left some households in the dark.

In the northeastern city of Liaoyang, 23 people were hospitalized with gas poisoning after ventilation in a metal casting factory was shut off following a power outage, according to state broadcaster CCTV. No deaths were reported.

Factories were idled to avoid exceeding limits on energy use imposed by Beijing to promote efficiency. Economists and an environmental group say manufacturers used up this year's quota faster than planned as export demand rebounded from the coronavirus pandemic.

A components supplier for Apple Inc.'s iPhones said it suspended production at a factory west of Shanghai under orders from local authorities.

The disruption to China's vast manufacturing industries during one of their busiest seasons reflects the ruling Communist Party's struggle to balance economic growth with efforts to rein in pollution and emissions of climate-changing gases.

Beijings unprecedented resolve in enforcing energy consumption limits could result in long-term benefits, but the short-term economic costs are substantial, Nomura economists Ting Lu, Lisheng Wang and Jing Wang said in a report Monday.

They said the impact might be so severe that they cut their economic growth forecast for China to 4.7% from 5.1% over a year earlier in the current quarter. They cut their outlook for annual growth to 7.7% from 8.2%.

Global financial markets already were on edge about the possible collapse of one of Chinas biggest real estate developers, Evergrande Group, which is struggling to avoid a default on billions of dollars of debt.

Manufacturers already face shortages of processor chips, disruptions in shipping and other lingering effects of the global shutdown of travel and trade to fight the coronavirus pandemic.

Residents of Chinas northeast, where autumn temperatures are falling, report power cuts and appealed on social media for the government to restore supplies.

The crunch comes as global leaders prepare to attend a U.N. environmental conference by video link on Oct. 12-13 in the southwestern city of Kunming. That increases pressure on President Xi Jinping's government, as the meeting's host, to show it is sticking to emissions and energy efficiency targets.

China is one of the world's biggest emitters of climate-changing industrial gases and consumes more energy per unit of economic output than developed countries.

The ruling party also is preparing for the Winter Olympics in the Chinese capital, Beijing, and the nearby city of Shijiazhuang in February, a period when it will want clear blue skies.

Scores of companies have announced power rationing could force them to delay filling orders and might hurt them financially.

Apple components supplier Eson Precision Engineering Co. Ltd. said Sunday it would halt production at its factory in Kunshan, west of Shanghai, through Thursday in line with the local governments power restriction policy.

Eson said the suspension shouldnt have a significant impact on operations.

Apple didn't immediately respond to a question about the possible impact on iPhone supplies.

China's energy consumption and industrial emissions have surged as manufacturers rush to fill foreign demand at a time when competitors elsewhere still are hampered by anti-coronavirus controls.

Chinas economy is more driven by exports than any time in the past decade, but official energy use targets fail to take that into account, economists Larry Hu and Xinyu Ji of Macquarie Group said in a report.

Some provinces used up most of their quotas for energy consumption in the first half of the year and are cutting back to stay under their limits, according to Li Shuo, a climate policy expert at Greenpeace in Beijing.

Utility companies, meanwhile, are being squeezed by soaring coal and gas prices. That discourages them from increasing output because the government limits their ability to pass on costs to customers, said Li.

Prices have risen past the range of what Chinas electricity industry can bear, Li said.

China has launched repeated campaigns to make its energy-hungry economy more efficient and clean up smog-choked cities.

City skies are visibly clearer, but the abrupt way the campaigns are carried out disrupts supplies of power, coal and gas, leaving families shivering in unheated homes and forcing factories to shut down.

Shopping malls in the northeastern city of Harbin have announced they will close stores earlier than usual to save power.

In Guangdong province in the south, the government told the public to set thermostats on air conditioners higher even as temperatures rose above 34 degrees C (93 degrees F).

State Grid Corp., the world's biggest power distributor, issued a pledge to ensure adequate supplies.

Meanwhile, state media say local governments have signed long-term coal contracts to ensure adequate suppliers.

___

Soo reported from Singapore. AP writer Huizhong Wu in Taipei, Taiwan, contributed to this report.
PARIS (AP)  French President Emmanuel Macron was hit on the shoulder Monday by an egg thrown at him by a young man during a visit to an international food trade fair in the French city of Lyon.

A video of the incident, widely shared on the social media, shows Macron walking through the crowd when an egg bounces off of him without breaking. Two bodyguards can be seen immediately getting closer to the president and a man was taken away from the scene by other bodyguards.
BERLIN (AP)  Germany's voters have delivered their verdict. Now it's up to party leaders to thrash out who will succeed Chancellor Angela Merkel after 16 years in office and with what political priorities.

The shape of Germany's new Bundestag, or lower house of parliament, is now clear. But there are majorities for three more or less plausible new coalition governments, and it could take weeks or months to put a new administration in place. Here's a look at how the process works.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

The first-placed party typically leads German governments, but that isn't always the case. It can end up in opposition if other parties form a coalition without it. That happened in 1976 and 1980, when then-Chancellor Helmut Schmidt stayed in office although his party finished second.

There is no referee for the process of forming a new government, and no set time limit. Parties hold exploratory talks to determine who they have most common ground with, and one combination of parties then moves on to formal coalition talks.

Those negotiations typically produce a detailed coalition agreement setting out the new government's plans. That will typically need approval at least from congresses of the parties involved. The center-left Social Democrats, who emerged from Sunday's election as the strongest party, held ballots of their entire membership in 2013 and 2018 to sign off on agreements to join Merkel's center-right Union bloc as its junior partner in government.

Once a coalition is ready, Germanys president nominates to the Bundestag a candidate for chancellor, who needs a majority of all members to be elected.

If two attempts to elect a chancellor with a majority fail, the constitution allows for the president to appoint the candidate who wins the most votes in a third vote as chancellor or to dissolve the Bundestag and hold a new national election. That has never yet happened.

WHEN WILL MERKEL STEP DOWN?

Merkel and her outgoing government will remain in office in a caretaker capacity until the Bundestag elects her successor.

The outgoing coalition holds the record for the longest time taken to form a government, after an attempt to form an alternative alliance collapsed. The Bundestag elected Merkel for her fourth term on March 14, 2018  nearly six months after German voters had their say on Sept. 24, 2017.

One side-effect of a very long coalition-building process might be to add another aspect to Merkel's legacy. Among democratic Germanys post-World War II leaders, she has served longer than all but Helmut Kohl, who led the country to reunification during his 1982-98 tenure. She would overtake even him if she is still in office on Dec. 17.

WHAT PARTIES ARE INVOLVED?

Four parties are potentially in play to form the new government. The outcome will almost certainly be a coalition that has a majority of the seats in parliament. Germany has no tradition of minority governments, which are generally viewed as unstable and undesirable.

The Social Democrats of outgoing finance minister and Vice Chancellor Olaf Scholz are the biggest party, but even they are far short of a majority with 206 of the 735 seats in parliament.

They want to build a coalition with the environmentalist Greens and the business-friendly Free Democrats. The Union bloc under Merkel's would-be successor, Armin Laschet, could also form a government with those two parties. The former is known in Germany as a traffic light coalition, after the parties' colors of red, green and yellow; a Union-led alliance is labeled a Jamaica coalition because the party colors of black, green and yellow reflect that country's flag. Both have been tried successfully in German state governments, but not at national level.

Agreeing on either may not be easy because the Greens in recent decades have tended to ally themselves with the Social Democrats, and the Free Democrats with the Union. The two parties have different priorities on fighting climate change, which the Greens want to put at the center of the new government's agenda, and on how to handle the economy as it recovers from the pandemic.

The Free Democrats and Union oppose raising taxes and loosening Germany's tight rules on running up public debt. The Social Democrats and Greens want to raise taxes for top earners and increase the minimum wage.

In Europe, the Union and Free Democrats have tended to take a stricter line on financial aid to struggling countries. But either alliance is unlikely to be troubled by huge foreign policy differences, though the Greens favor a tougher line toward China and Russia, and oppose the new Nord Stream 2 pipeline bringing Russian gas to Germany.

There is one alternative to a traffic light or Jamaica coalition  a repeat of the outgoing grand coalition of the Union and Social Democrats, but this time under the latter's leadership. This combination of rivals has run Germany for 12 years of Merkels 16-year tenure and has often been marred by squabbling. There is little appetite for it.

___

Follow APs coverage of Germanys election at https://apnews.com/hub/germany-election
WASHINGTON (AP)  The drama and deadlines driving action on Capitol Hill right now can be disorienting. Democrats are trying to pass more than $4 trillion in infrastructure and social programs at the center of President Joe Bidens agenda  and at the same time avert a government shutdown and prevent a federal default that could send financial markets crashing.

The next few days will be a time of intensity, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi wrote in a letter to colleagues over the weekend. That might be an understatement.

Adding to the challenges for Democrats are their thin advantages in both chambers, the end of the fiscal year and intraparty disagreements over the size and scope of Biden's signature social spending and climate legislation. Republican leaders have encouraged their members to reject almost all of it, leaving Democrats to go it alone.

Biden has been meeting with fellow Democrats as they navigate the political obstacle course.

Weve got three things to do: the debt ceiling, the continuing resolution and the two pieces of legislation, Biden said Monday. If we do that, the countrys going to be in great shape.

A guide to understanding it all:

GOVERNMENT FUNDING

Averting a government shutdown at midnight on Sept. 30  the end of the fiscal year  has become an anxiety-inducing ritual in Washington. This year is no different.

The House last week passed a measue to keep the government open and suspend the debt limit by a party-line vote of 220-211. The Senate was to hold a procedural vote on that bill Monday evening, but Republicans were expected to block it after Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell said his members wouldn't help raise the debt limit.

One possible path to avoiding a shutdown: Democrats could separate government funding from the debt limit. McConnell says Republicans would support that.

The stopgap spending legislation includes bipartisan priorities, including $28.6 billion in disaster relief for Hurricane Ida and other extreme weather events and $6.3 billion to support Afghanistan evacuees after the end of the 20-year war.

DEBT LIMIT

Congress has a bit longer to resolve the debt limit issue, as the U.S. is not at risk of defaulting on its accumulated debt load of roughly $28 trillion for a few weeks. But it is unclear, for now, how Democrats will get around Republican opposition.

The U.S. has never defaulted on its debts in the modern era, and historically both parties have voted to raise the limit. Democrats joined the then-Republican Senate majority in doing so several times during Donald Trumps presidency, including a suspension of the debt limit that expired in August.

But now that Democrats have unified control of Washington, McConnell has ruled out returning the favor.

McConnell has blamed the proposed $3.5 trillion tax and spending bill and other Democratic priorities for the need to increase the debt limit. But that formula has it backward. Raising the debt limit is needed to make good on past  not future  spending decisions, including the Republicans' $1.5 trillion, deficit-financed tax overhaul that Trump signed into law in 2017 and additional trillions in coronavirus relief that passed with GOP support.

The legislation passed so far by the House would cover borrowing authority through the end of 2022.

$1 TRILLION BIPARTISAN INFRASTRUCTURE BILL

Democrats and Republicans in the Senate joined together in a rare bipartisan moment over the summer to pass the public works measure. It has been bottled up in the House ever since, on hold while the Democratic Partys moderate and progressive wings have sparred over the details of the much larger separate package, which would spend $3.5 trillion over a decade.

House progressives say they wont vote for the infrastructure bill unless there is agreement on the larger bill. With no deal in hand, Pelosi pushed a vote on the infrastructure bill to Thursday to buy time for negotiations.

Despite the 19 Senate Republicans who voted for the $1 trillion measure  and the money it would bring to their districts  House Republican leaders are encouraging their members to oppose it. That's because Democrats are linking it to the larger legislation with social and environmental priorities.

The infrastructure measure would authorize nearly $550 billion in new spending over five years for public works in all corners of the country. Theres money to rebuild roads and bridges, shore up coastlines against climate change, protect public utility systems from cyberattacks and modernize the electric grid. It would also pay for new public transit projects, upgrades and repairs to airports and railroads and the replacement of lead drinking water pipes.

$3.5 TRILLION IN SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRAMS

Democrats are trying to pass the separate $3.5 trillion measure on their own by using an elaborate process called budget reconciliation. Using it allows the bill to bypass an otherwise certain GOP filibuster. But Democrats can't move forward until they reach agreement among themselves on what the legislation should contain.

The bill as drafted includes an assortment of long-time Democratic priorities, including an expansion of existing health, education and child care programs for Americans young and old. Republicans are lockstep opposed to the plan, which would be paid for by increasing the corporate tax rate, from 21% to 26.5% on businesses earning more than $5 million a year, and by raising the top rate on individuals from 37% to 39.6% for those earning more than $400,000 a year, or $450,000 for couples.

Besides the disagreements in the House, moderate Democratic Sens. Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona are making a stand of their own, saying they can't support a package that totals $3.5 trillion, even if Democrats succeed in covering the cost with tax increases and other revenue. Manchin has previously proposed spending $1 trillion to $1.5 trillion.

Asked Sunday on ABC if she agrees the final number on the so-called reconciliation bill will be somewhat smaller than $3.5 trillion, Pelosi responded: That seems self-evident.

___

Associated Press writers Lisa Mascaro, Alan Fram and Kevin Freking contributed to this report.
Faith-based groups  many of them longtime advocates for a more welcoming immigration policy -- have been scrambling to keep up with fast-paced developments in the Haitian migrant crisis, trying to assist those in need while assailing the harsh Border Patrol tactics employed against them.

Before thousands of Haitian migrants dispersed last week from a camp in the border city of Del Rio, Texas, a coalition of churches and other groups was providing them with sandwiches, water and other essentials. Since dispersing, many of the migrants have received help from faith-based groups in Houston and El Paso as they seek to connect with relatives and sponsors throughout the United States.

Immigration hardliners criticize some of the efforts by religious activists, saying their efforts encourage still more migrants to come. But those providing the assistance see it as an extension of their religious mandate to help the needy.

We are apolitical, said Carlos Villareal, a Houston-area leader in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which has mobilized volunteers at a short-term transition center in Houston to assist hundreds of migrants arriving from Del Rio.

Our concern is mainly with the families, that we can help them, Villareal said. Its also the Golden Rule  do unto others as you would have done unto you.

The transition center was set up earlier this year at the request of the White House in response to earlier migrant surges, Villareal said. It provides the families with a place to shower, have a meal, and contact sponsors who would pay for their plane or bus tickets to join them while their cases go through the immigration process.

Most of the Haitian migrants are expected to ask immigration judges for asylum or some other legal status  requests that could be denied and lead to eventual deportation.

Villareal says he encounters migrants with stories similar to that of his parents, who immigrated from Mexico in search of a better life, not to be a burden on society.

These people are just here seeking an opportunity, he said.

Mobilization of faith-based groups began almost from the start of the sudden migrant surge in Del Rio, with Haitians converging from various Latin American countries to which they had fled from their beleaguered Caribbean homeland.

Volunteers from a coalition of Christian churches and other groups in that region along the U.S.-Mexico border prepared more than 10,000 sandwiches for Haitian migrants camping under the bridge that connects Del Rio with Mexicos Ciudad Acuna, said Shon Young, president of the Val Verde Border Humanitarian Coalition.

Their work began with about 20 churches and grew to more than 100 churches and other organizations, said Young, who is associate pastor at City Church Del Rio.

His church also collected donations, and the coalition set up an Amazon wish list that included juices, hand sanitizer and snacks. The response  from U.S. and Haitian organizations and from far-flung individual donors  has been overwhelming, Young said.

The camp held more than 14,000 people at its peak. Many of the Haitian migrants are being expelled and flown back to Haiti, but many others who gathered in Del Rio have been released in the United States, according to two U.S. officials.

The Department of Homeland Security bused Haitians from Del Rio to El Paso, Laredo and the Rio Grande Valley along the Texas border, and added flights to Tucson, Arizona, one of the officials said. They are processed by the Border Patrol at those locations.

The El Paso Baptist Association has been offering migrants COVID-19 testing and providing food, clothes and a place to sleep while they contact their family members or others sponsors. Since late July, the association has assisted more than 300 migrants, most of them Haitian, and was expecting many more to arrive from Del Rio, said Larry Floyd, the groups executive director.

Catholic-led and other faith-based nonprofits have long been at the forefront of efforts to support migrants and asylum seekers along the Mexican border, providing crucial services on both sides of the Rio Grande.

Pope Francis has praised the work of Sister Norma Pimentel, the executive director of Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley. Other well-known groups include Jewish Family Service of San Diego, which provides housing and other assistance to migrants, and Annunciation House in El Paso, which provides shelter to migrants while they arrange travel to other U.S. cities.

Annunciation House, which says its mission is based on Catholic social justice teaching, has geared up to receive several hundred migrants coming from Del Rio, said executive director Ruben Garcia.

First theyre tested, Garcia said. Once theyre COVID tested, we begin to accommodate them.

At times, faith-based groups have injected themselves into a polarizing national debate over immigration policies. Although many praise their work to help migrants, some critics say it encourages more people to come to the U.S.

A lot of these religious groups conflate two issues ... they are rendering assistance to people who are in front of them who need help. Thats different from advocating government policy that would import more people like that, said Mark Krikorian, executive director of the Center for Immigration Studies. The center favors more restrictive immigration policies.

Many religious leaders joined a call last week organized by the national nonprofit network Faith in Action urging President Joe Bidens administration to stop deporting migrants to Haiti without giving them a chance to seek asylum in the U.S. and to protest their treatment after images surfaced of Border Patrol agents on horseback using aggressive tactics.

That is unconscionable and cannot be tolerated today, said the Rev. Alvin Herring, Faith in Actions executive director.

The Network Lobby for Catholic Social Justice has called for more oversight of U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The networks government relations director, Ronnate Asirwatham, says CBP has a history of systemic abuse and racism.

The group joined more than 160 Catholic organizations in a letter asking Biden to end Title 42 authority, named for a section of a 1944 public health law that then-President Donald Trump used in March 2020 to effectively end asylum at the Mexican border.

Herring, who traveled to Del Rio with other faith leaders to assess the situation first-hand, says it is vital to press for Bidens administration to make good on its commitments to migrants.

We see the singling out of our Haitian brothers and sisters for this despicable abuse, which we believe is racist and immoral, he said.

__

Contributing to this report, from Santa Fe, New Mexico, was Cedar Attanasio, a reporter with The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative.

___

Associated Press religion coverage receives support from the Lilly Endowment through The Conversation U.S. The AP is solely responsible for this content.
Killings in the United States jumped nearly 30% last year, according to FBI data released Monday that indicate a growing number of gun-related slayings amid the pandemic.

The FBI said murder and manslaughter rose 29.4% - the largest one-year increase since such the federal government began compiling national figures in the 1960s. That historic increase has been known for some time, and has sparked concern from police officials and prosecutors.

But the FBI release of data compiled from thousands of law enforcement agencies formally confirms the trend.

Overall, violent crime rose 5.6% in 2020, while property crimes fell 7.8%, the FBI said. Assaults increased 12%, according to the bureau.

Criminologists and police officials have been studying possible explanations for the sudden, sharp increase in killings - from societal changes due to the coronavirus, to changes in policing, to increased gun sales. So far this year, officials are seeing a further increase in homicides, but not as pronounced as last year.

The FBI data also shows how much killing in America is fueled by shootings. Gun homicides account for more than two out of every three such deaths, according to officials.

While different places saw different rates of increase in killings, the rise was nearly universal across the country, occuring in small towns, big cities, and many places in between.

Overall, however, crime is still well below the historic highs reached in the early 1990s. And in many cities, including Washington, D.C., New York and Chicago, the number of killings is still far below the record-high tolls from nearly 30 years ago.

"Homicides jumped almost everywhere, while overall crime was down, so there's no real surprises in this," said Justin Nix, an associate professor of criminology and criminal justice at the university of Nebraska in Omaha.

Nix said the most likely culprits for the sharp spike in killings is twofold: the pandemic, and what he called a " police legitimacy crisis" brought on by the videotaped killing last year of George Floyd by a police officer in Minneapolis.

That incident and others have caused many people to trust police less, making them less willing to call for help, or provide information to investigators about killings, Nix said. He added that the effect is magnified when officers "de-police" by pulling back from patrol and other duties in the fact of public criticism.

On top of that, Nix said, the data suggests there may be more people carrying and using guns in public spaces, leading to more killings.

Republican and Democratic elected officials disagree on what is causing the increase in homicides after years of decline, and how to stop it. Conservatives blame Democratic-run cities for what they say are overly restrictive policies placed on police departments; the Biden administration faults the easily availability of guns as a primary reason for more deaths, and the Justice Department is trying to stem the violence by cracking down on illegal gun trafficking.

The disturbing crime data comes as the FBI is pushing the nation's roughly 18,000 state and local law enforcement agencies to change how they provide information to calculate national figures and trends.

The switch-over to the new crime data format, known as the National Incident-Based Reporting System, or NIBRS, has been a years-long process. But officials say 2020 is the last year for which data reported through the old system will be accepted.

Many law enforcement agencies don't yet provide the FBI with the data that is needed for the new system, leaving some crime experts to predict that national crime figures will get more shaky in the near term, with markedly fewer jurisdictions included in the FBI summary that comes out each fall.

"It's a little bit like cleaning out your garage - first you put a lot of stuff on the lawn, so it looks worse before it looks better," said Mitch Beemer, who manages crime data for the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, which adopted a similar data-tracking program years earlier. "But I'm optimistic that we are moving in the right direction and will get most of the way there in five or six years."

Nix, the criminologist, said that when it comes to the FBI's data, "I'm kind of worried about the future, because I think we're about to have a real blind spot for the next few years."

Changes in crime rates have long fueled political debates over gun laws, and the newly released data is likely to intensify that trend. On Monday, gun control advocates said a large increase in first-time gun owners around the start of the pandemic likely played a significant role in rise in shooting deaths.

"We know having a gun in your home, having a gun in public, makes you less safe and more likely to be a victim and perpetrator of gun violence," said Ari Davis, a policy analyst at the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence.

Davis said he was concerned about states that are repealing local gun control measures and passing "stand your ground" laws, which allow people to use deadly force in public - without a duty to retreat - if they are being attacked or threatened.

With more guns circulating in communities, Davis said, "that's a dangerous mix. When we're talking about community-based gun violence, that kind of violence can be retaliatory. If we don't interrupt now, the spikes of today in gun violence can be hard to reduce even when the causes, like covid, are gone."

But Daniel Webster, director of the Johns Hopkins University's Center for Gun Violence Prevention and Policy, said it was too early to tie the jump in gun sales to new owners to the rise in shooting deaths.

He noted police departments in 2020 saw personnel shortages due to covid-19, and new rules at some police agencies designed to curb abusive policing.

"Having an environment in which there are slightly fewer cops, with more out for Covid and more of them not doing proactive things, that creates a place in which people might want to carry guns around, might be prone to do bad things with those guns," Webster said.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP)  A federal judge on Monday ordered that all employees entering California prisons be vaccinated or have a religious or medical exemption, as he tries to head off another coronavirus outbreak like the one that killed 28 inmates and a correctional officer at San Quentin State Prison last year.

Inmates who want in-person visits or who work outside prisons, including inmate firefighters, must also be fully vaccinated or have a religious or medical exemption.

The prison guard's union said it may appeal the mandate.

More than 50,000 California inmates have been infected and at least 240 have died since the start of the pandemic.

All agree that a mandatory staff vaccination policy would lower the risk of preventable death and serious medical consequences among incarcerated persons, wrote U.S. District Judge Jon Tigar. And no one has identified any remedy that will produce anything close to the same benefit.

He said state officials have taken many commendable steps but he is acting because they refuse to do what the undisputed evidence requires.

Tigar has broad authority to direct medical care within California prisons under a long-running lawsuit over over poor health care. He accepted the recommendation of his federal receiver, J. Clark Kelso, who has operational control.

Once the virus enters a facility, it is very difficult to contain, and the dominant route by which it enters a prison is through infected staff, the judge reasoned.

As of Monday, there were 218 active inmate infections, 129 of them at North Kern State Prison near Bakersfield. Wasco State Prison in the same county had 32 infected inmates, but only one other prison has double-digit infections.

Statewide, there were 357 active employee infections; 39 employees have died, including three this month.

The California Correctional Peace Officers Association has said the mandate could create staff shortages if employees refuse to comply.

Weve undertaken an aggressive, voluntary vaccination program and we still believe the voluntary approach is the best way forward. We are looking into our legal options to address this order, union President Glen Stailey said in a statement.

Rita Lomio, an attorney with the nonprofit Prison Law Office that sought the order, said she doesn't see a plausible ground for the union to appeal the mandate because there is "such a clear factual and legal basis for it.

We think its terrific. We think its needed," she said.

Colorado, Illinois, Oregon, Massachusetts, Washington, Nevada, New Mexico and all federal prisons already have similar mandates, she said, but California was the first to force a court order.

The move was opposed by the state's prison agency and Gov. Gavin Newsom, whose administration had ordered vaccinations or testing for all state employees, including correctional employees. Tigars order does away with the frequent testing option.

The administration is evaluating the courts order at this time to determine next steps, corrections department spokeswoman Dana Simas said in an email. We respectfully disagree with the finding of deliberate indifference, as the department has long embraced (voluntary) vaccinations and was one of the first to provide them to vulnerable inmates and staff at the end of last year.

Almost all of California's 99,000 inmates have been offered the vaccine and 76% are fully vaccinated, she said. Among employees, 57% are fully vaccinated.

Tigar said that includes about 42% of correctional officers systemwide, but vaccination rates vary and is just 18% at one prison. At several prisons, rates among all employees are in the 30% range, he said.

The judge gave Kelso and prison officials two weeks to say how they will comply with his order. He also told Kelso to consider other ways to increase the inmate vaccination rate, including a possible mandatory vaccination policy for all prisoners.
BOWIE, Md. (AP)  Six Flags America in the Maryland suburbs of Washington, D.C., closed early Saturday after a series of fights broke out at the park.

Prince Georges County police confirmed that officers stationed at the park in Bowie responded to the fights, but said no one was arrested, news outlets reported.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP)  Eighteen months into the pandemic, Floridas state workers are struggling.

COVID-19 outbreaks have closed departments and offices. Three state prisons are closing because of the lack of corrections officers. When their colleagues fall ill, some state employees say they arent being told.

Gov. Ron DeSantis efforts to keep Florida open have been felt acutely by many state workers, some of whom have been among the earliest to return to in-office meetings.

The workers are very scared, said Vicki Hall, president of AFSCME Florida Council 79, which represents about 47,000, or nearly half, of state workers. The governor wants everything open and running.

At the start of the pandemic, many of the states roughly 105,000 state employees shifted to remote work, with some, such as those in the unemployment and child welfare agencies, facing unprecedented demand from applicants seeking aid. Agencies under DeSantis control began ordering employees back to their offices last October. Masks and social distancing were optional.

Since then, state agencies have disclosed little publicly about how their employees have fared. But there are signs that some agencies have struggled. One of the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission offices was closed this summer because of an outbreak. Employees at the departments of State, Economic Opportunity and Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles have complained to their union that they dont learn about colleagues testing positive for COVID-19 until 14 days after the person was sent home.

Management is not taking it seriously, Hall said.

On Facebook, Department of Revenue employees publicly complained last month of not knowing when their coworkers fall ill.

They dont tell us when people have been in the building sick, one Department of Revenue employee wrote. We have to hear through the grapevine that someone is in the hospital or dead. If we complain, we are offered demotions.

Department of Revenue spokesperson Will Butler told the Herald/Times that the department has over 4,000 employees, and like the community at large, has lost team members to this terrible illness. We feel that loss greatly.

Butler said wearing masks is encouraged, and supervisors have tracked potential exposures to the virus. He did not respond when asked how many employees have been quarantined or fallen ill from the virus.

Two Democratic state lawmakers who represent portions of Tallahassee, where many state workers reside, say theyve been getting messages daily from workers concerned about the states COVID precautions.

Many state employees live in fear of making any noise, said Sen. Loranne Ausley. They call us and dont even say what agency theyre calling from.

Last month, Ausley, Rep. Allison Tant and Rep. Ramon Alexander wrote to DeSantis pleading for a return to remote work, citing a lack of precautions at some state offices.

One state office in Tallahassee was recently closed to the public due to an outbreak of COVID-19 among staff, the letter stated. We are witnessing a daily spike in numbers, and our state employees health and safety should be a priority.

DeSantis office didnt respond to the lawmakers. The office also didnt respond to requests for comment from the Herald/Times.

In his effort to keep Florida government offices open, DeSantis has banned school districts from imposing mask requirements and threatened to fine cities and counties millions of dollars for requiring employees get vaccinated. State university professors and staff, citing a surge in coronavirus cases this summer, urged DeSantis to drop those mandates and allow universities to set their own policies on masks and vaccines, without success.

Texas has imposed similar mandates. But some states, such as California, are requiring state workers to be vaccinated or submit to weekly tests. (California also didnt start ordering state workers back to the office until last month.)

Georgia is offering incentives to get state workers vaccinated: $150 gift cards or $480 in health credits for people on the state health plan who get vaccinated.

And state workers in Kansas returned to in-person work in June, only to be ordered back to teleworking last month amid a surge in coronavirus cases.

When the Herald/Times asked for information on safety protocols from the offices of the governor and the three Cabinet members  Attorney General Ashley Moody, Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis and Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried  only Frieds office responded.

Employees wear masks indoors and are encouraged to telework and socially distance when and where mission-critical work allows them to, spokesperson Erin Moffet said in a statement.

But how many state workers have fallen ill or tested positive for COVID-19 is unknown. None of the offices  including Frieds  provided data on how many of their employees have fallen ill.

Frieds office doesnt track COVID cases in order to best protect employees personal health information, said Moffet, even though data requested by the Herald/Times could be provided without compromising the privacy of any state worker. Some school districts, for example, are publicly reporting the numbers of teachers and students who are quarantining after testing positive for COVID-19.

State lawmakers havent delved into the issue, either. Ausley, who sat on the Senates Select Committee on Pandemic Preparedness this year, said she wanted the issue addressed when the committee met earlier this year. It didnt, but the committee was disbanded. State lawmakers met last week to consider legislation and policies, but the subject of COVID protections for state workers wasnt discussed.

Few state agencies appear to be allowing widespread teleworking, but lawmakers said they havent gotten answers on which ones allow it or why.

One agency (or even a department within an agency) would encourage telework while others would prohibit  and there never seemed to be any underlying policy reasons for the decisions, Ausley wrote in an email.

Florida has dozens of state agencies and departments, most of which report directly to the governor or individual members of the Cabinet. Some, including the Department of Revenue, have more autonomy because they report to the governor and Cabinet together.

Another agency with more autonomy is the Office of Financial Regulation, the states banking regulator. That office allowed teleworking for investigators, examiners and legal staff prior to the pandemic. Since then, it has expanded a teleworking program to other employees. OFR Commissioner Russell Weigel said its possible it helped reduce COVID cases among staff, although he said he had no data to show that.

Mostly, teleworking has allowed employees to save money on commutes and allowed the office to hire people in parts of the state where the agency doesnt have a physical office.

Theyre saving hundreds of dollars a month, especially in South Florida, Weigel said. It just makes complete sense for us.

The stresses of the pandemic have contributed to major staff shortages at some agencies. More than 5,000 positions are vacant at the Department of Corrections, forcing the state to shutter three prisons. The Florida Digital Service, the statewide technology department, has seen numerous high-level departures in part because of the stresses placed on employees from the pandemic.

I get contacted daily about state employees who are fearful about getting COVID, said Tant, who co-wrote the letter to DeSantis asking employees to be allowed to resume remote work. I dont think there was a single constituent who reached out to me who was not worried about retribution.

One employee sent her a photo of a sign at the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission offices in July stating it was temporarily closed due to COVID-19. Others have reached out to her office for help getting permission from their agency to be allowed to work from home.

Some agencies have been better at granting the requests, Tant said, referring to the Department of Transportation, although she said the agency recently turned down a request from one of her constituents. She said the requests often come from state workers who are caring for aging parents or young children.

It shouldnt be a question, she said of granting the requests. You never know the health issues that anybody has.
LOS ANGELES (AP)  Thousands of families sickened and forced from their Los Angeles homes after the nations largest-known natural gas leak have reached a settlement of up to $1.8 billion with a utility, attorneys said Monday.

The settlement with Southern California Gas Co. and its parent company, Sempra Energy, will compensate 35,000 plaintiffs from the 2015 blowout that took nearly four months to control.

The Aliso Canyon blowout led to the largest-known release of methane in U.S. history and was blamed for sickening thousands of residents who moved out of homes near the San Fernando Valley to escape a sulfurous stench and maladies including headaches, nausea and nose bleeds.

The plaintiffs alleged personal injury for their illnesses and property damage to their homes. SoCalGas spent more than $1 billion on the the blowout  with most going to temporarily relocate 8,000 families. The utility has faced more than 385 lawsuits on behalf of 48,000 people.

Our goal has always been obtaining justice for the men, women and children who were failed by SoCalGas throughout every turn of this catastrophe," attorney Brian Panish said in a statement.

Plaintiffs alleged they suffered personal injury and property damage after a natural gas storage well failed and uncontrollably released nearly 100,000 tons of methane and other substances into the atmosphere over 118 days.

SoCalGas said it would record an after-tax charge of approximately $1.1 billion this month and expects total settlement payments of up to $1.85 billion. The agreement is subject to about 97% of plaintiffs accepting it and could be reduced if fewer agree.

These agreements are an important milestone that will help the community and our company work toward putting this difficult chapter behind us, said Scott Drury, CEO of SoCalGas.

Matt Pakucko, founder of Save Porter Ranch, issued a statement repeating his call for the permanent shutdown of the facility, where natural gas is stored beneath a mountain in vacant, old oil wells.

You cant put a price tag on human suffering," he said. "SoCalGas devastating blowout will never be behind us until the Aliso Canyon storage facility is shut down and the danger it poses to the community is permanently eliminated. We are nowhere near a resolution.

State regulators found the gas company failed to investigate previous well failures at the storage site and didnt adequately assess its aging wells for disaster potential before the Oct. 23, 2015, blowout.

SoCalGas previously reached a $120 million court settlement with the state attorney general and agreed to a $4 million settlement with Los Angeles County prosecutors after being convicted in Los Angeles Superior Court of failing to quickly report the leak to state authorities.
SPOKANE, Wash. (AP)  Greyhound Lines Inc. will pay $2.2 million to settle a lawsuit over the bus lines practice of allowing U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents to board its buses in Washington state to conduct warrantless immigration sweeps, the state attorney general said Monday.

The bus company failed to warn customers of the sweeps, misrepresented its role in allowing the sweeps to occur and subjected its passengers to discrimination based on skin color or national origin, Attorney General Bob Ferguson said.

The money will provide restitution to passengers who were detained, arrested or deported after immigration agents boarded buses at the Spokane Intermodal Center. The amount each person receives will depend on the number of claims and the severity of harm suffered because of Greyhounds conduct, Ferguson said.

Greyhound has an obligation to its customers  an obligation it cannot set aside so immigration agents can go on fishing expeditions aboard its buses, Ferguson said in a press release.

Dallas-based Greyhound issued a brief statement, saying it was pleased with the settlement.

By agreeing to the consent decree, we will more extensively communicate to our customers the policies and procedures we already have in place to serve the citizens of Washington state, the bus company said.

The settlement was filed in Spokane County Superior Court on Monday, the day a trial was set to begin.

My office first insisted that Greyhound make these corporate reforms in 2019, Ferguson said. If Greyhound had simply accepted our reasonable demand, they would have avoided a lawsuit."

Under the settlement, Greyhound also is required to:

 Create a corporate policy that denies immigration agents permission to board its buses in Washington state without warrants or reasonable suspicion.

 Issue a public statement, in English and Spanish, clarifying that Greyhound does not consent to immigration agents boarding its buses without a warrant or reasonable suspicion.

 Place stickers on or near the front door of its buses stating that it does not consent to immigration agents boarding its buses without a warrant or reasonable suspicion.

The lawsuit was filed last year, alleging that Greyhound allowed the sweeps aboard its buses since at least 2013. The company publicly acknowledged the practice in 2018.

During the sweeps, Hispanic people and other passengers of color were subjected to invasive questioning by armed federal agents and were often required to get off the bus, Ferguson said. Immigration agents sometimes detained or arrested passengers, he said.

For years, Greyhound contended it was legally required to allow Border Patrol agents to board its buses. But a memo last year from then-U.S. Border Patrol Chief Carla Provost confirmed Fergusons contention that agents can only perform warrantless immigration sweeps aboard buses with the consent of the companys owner or employees.

In late April, a Libyan-born comedian received a $35,000 settlement from the federal government after he filed a lawsuit contending Border Patrol agents in Spokane in 2019 wrongfully detained and interrogated him about his immigration status.

Mohanad Elshieky was traveling from a gig in Pullman, Washington, to Portland, Oregon, when he was briefly detained in Spokane. He had been granted asylum and was legally living in the United States.

According to the Northwest Immigration Rights Project, which represented Elshieky, federal agents boarded the bus and walked around before they asked Elshieky and a few others to step off the bus. They interrogated Elshieky for about 20 minutes, calling his papers fake and him illegal but eventually let him go.

Andres Sosa Segura, who sued separately over a similar experience at the Spokane Intermodal Center in 2017, also will be awarded $35,000, the advocacy group said.

The hours I spent detained for no reason were terrifying, and all I wanted was to be with my family, Sosa Segura said in an April news release from the group announcing the settlements. I hope that this case sends a message that CBP agents need to respect the rights of people like me.
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP)  Despite a threat to block new political maps Republican state lawmakers returned to the Oregon Capitol on Monday as the Legislature passed legislative and congressional boundaries that included a new, sixth U.S. House seat.

The congressional map, which House Republicans described as gerrymandered and boycotted on Saturday by staging a walkout, passed in the House and Senate on party-line votes. Democrats hold majorities in both legislative chambers.

These district lines are not about fairness and representing our communities," Rep. Jami Cate, a Republican, said Monday. "They are about unilaterally benefiting the Democrat party at the cost of silencing the voices of Oregonians.

Monday was the deadline for the Legislature to pass the new U.S. House districts and 90 state legislative districts.

The new congressional map includes four U.S. House seats that either are safe Democratic or lean in the partys favor, one reliably red seat and one seat that could be a toss-up. Republicans believe the proposed boundaries will likely result in the Democrats obtaining five of the U.S. House seats to the GOPs one.

One seat that could be in play is held by moderate Democratic U.S. Rep Kurt Schrader, who has served as the the U.S. Representative for Oregons 5th congressional district southwest of Portland since 2009.

That new congressional map puts the newest district south of Portland and mostly east of Interstate 5, same as in a previous plan. But it makes several changes to previously proposed borders of the other congressional districts, including keeping Portland and Bend in separate districts instead of combining.

The rural-urban divide in our state is real, it is evident in these maps, Rep. Anna Scharf, a Republican said. These maps do nothing but move the needle further towards eliminating the rural voices in our state.

Rep. Andrea Salinas, a Democrat and chair of the House congressional redistricting committee, said the amended map is a result of public input and collaboration and representative of the immense population increase that the state has seen over the last decade.

However Republicans throughout the redistricting process have accused Democrats of gerrymandering, the manipulation of electoral district boundaries to win an unfair political advantage.

The idea that politicians should be able to draw their own maps and then expect the public to accept what we drew  with absolutely no self interest in mind, no partisan overtones and that we were completely and totally objective  is not realistic in todays political climate," said Republican Rep. Suzanne Weber.

The contentious redistricting year has been marked by a broken power-sharing deal, the lingering possibility of a Republican walkout and a COVID-19 case that paused the House floor session ahead of a tight deadline.

Stakes were high for both the GOP and and Democrats for redistricting  a once-a-decade process that determines how voters pick state representatives, state senators and members of Congress for the next five election cycles.

While the Senate swiftly passed legislative and congressional maps  without Republican support  last week, the House came to a standstill due to an even split on the redistricting committee.

During the 2021 legislative session, House Democrats gave up a powerful advantage. In exchange for the Republicans agreeing to stop blocking bills with delay tactics, House Speaker Tina Kotek agreed to share redistricting power with the GOP  essentially granting veto power to the minority party over what the six congressional districts and the states 90 legislative districts will look like.

But last week, Kotek voided that power-sharing deal, saying she was disappointed that after many months of work, House Republicans did not engage constructively despite many attempts to address their concerns.

Democrats accused Republicans of proposing last minute maps that were highly gerrymandered - the manipulation of electoral district boundaries to win an unfair political advantage.

With Democrats having the majority on the new congressional redistricting committee and in the Legislature, it paved the way for them to pass maps they choose. However, Republicans had one remaining tool to block maps  a walkout, denying the House quorum to vote.

Quorum rules say there must be two-thirds of lawmakers  40 representatives on the House floor  for votes to take place. Oregon is one of the few states that require two-thirds of lawmakers to be present for any work to be done, instead of a simple majority.

In this building, the most valuable thing we have isnt our title. It isnt our gavel. It isnt our position. The most valuable thing we have here is our word, Weber said on the House floor. So, Madam Speaker, when the deal was broken to provide equal representation in congressional redistricting, I lost trust."

On Saturday Republicans in the Oregon House failed to show up for a floor session, upset Kotek earlier had rescinded the power-sharing deal and frustrated about the now-passed map.

Republicans returned Monday, the deadline to pass redistricting maps. Enough GOP lawmakers returned to the House floor to achieve a quorum required to vote. With the Republican reverse, the new congressional map passed through the Legislature. The bill must be signed by Gov. Kate Brown, a Democrat, by midnight.

In addition, 90 state legislative were passed by the Legislature on Monday. The legislative map likely enables Democrats to continue to hold majorities in the House and Senate, but will not guarantee the party the three-fifths supermajorities it currently holds.

___

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.
BRUSSELS (AP)  The Council of Europe on Monday awarded its major human rights prize to jailed Belarus opposition leader Maria Kolesnikova, who was arrested last year after she tore up her passport at the border to prevent her forced expulsion from the country.

Earlier this month, a court in Minsk found her guilty of conspiring to seize power, creating an extremist organization and of calling for actions damaging state security and sentenced her to 11 years in prison.

At a ceremony in Strasbourg, France, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe awarded her its ninth Vaclav Havel Human Rights Prize, which honors outstanding civil society action in the defense of human rights. The award is worth 60,000 euros ($70,160).

Belarus was rocked by months of protests after President Alexander Lukashenko was awarded a sixth term after the August 2020 presidential vote that the opposition and the West denounced as a sham. He ordered a huge crackdown that saw more than 35,000 people arrested and thousands beaten by police.

In standing up against a regime which has chosen force and brutality against peaceful and legitimate protest, Ms. Kolesnikova showed that she is ready to risk her own safety for a cause greater than herself  she has shown true courage, assembly President Rik Daems said as he presented the award.

Accepting the prize on her sister's behalf, Tatsiana Khomich said: This award is a sign of solidarity of the entire democratic world with the people of Belarus. It is also a sign to us, Belarusians, that the international community supports us, and that we are on the right track.

Kolesnikova, 39, has been a key opposition activist. She appeared at political rallies, fearlessly walking up to lines of riot police and making her signature gesture  a heart formed by her hands.

The former flautist in the Belarus philharmonic orchestra led the campaign of Viktor Babariko, the head of a Russian-owned bank who made a bid to challenge Lukashenko, but he was barred from the race after being jailed on money laundering and tax evasion charges that he dismissed as political.

Kolesnikova then joined forces with former English teacher Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, who was running in place of her jailed husband Sergei, an opposition blogger, as the main candidate against Lukashenko, and Veronika Tsepkalo, the wife of another potential top contender who fled the country fearing arrest.

The three appeared together at colorful campaign events that came in stark contrast to Lukashenkos Soviet-style gatherings.

In September 2020, KGB agents drove Kolesnikova to the Belarus-Ukraine border in an attempt to expel her. In the neutral zone between the two countries, she managed to rip up her passport, broke out of the car and walked back into Belarus, where she was immediately arrested.

The Council of Europe has 47 member countries, including Russia but not Belarus, and is the continents leading human rights body. It is not part of the European Union.
CHICAGO  The accusations tell a sordid tale that seems straight from a supermarket tabloid: The story of the genius scientist who stabbed his boyfriend to death as part of a violent sex fetish, then led police on a nationwide manhunt, sending his family a chilling video confession along the way.

But, prosecutors allege, it was all too real. And over the course of the next two weeks, Cook County jurors will meet the man at the center of it. Five years after the killing, former Northwestern professor Wyndham Lathem is slated to stand trial beginning Monday for first-degree murder.

And, his attorneys disclosed in court last week, Lathem himself intends to testify.

The defense surely hopes jurors will perceive Lathem far differently than the thrill-killer prosecutors accuse him of being. Instead, they want to showcase the Lathem who earned glowing accolades from colleagues around the country for his skill and temperament. And, court records show, Lathem may argue that he acted in self-defense.

Still, such extraordinary accusations could be difficult to overcome.

The victim, 26-year-old Trenton Cornell-Duranleau, was stabbed more than 70 times and was nearly decapitated, authorities said. Lathems co-defendant, British national Andrew Warren, is expected to testify against Lathem at length.

And while on the lam, Lathem sent a video to his mother with what prosecutors have characterized as a clear-cut confession: I killed him, I did do it, it wasnt an accident but it was a mistake, he allegedly said.

Relatively little is known about what other evidence jurors will hear. Judge Charles Burns has conducted much of the proceedings in unusual secrecy, citing concern that too much information could spoil the jury pool. In early 2018, he signed a gag order barring attorneys from publicly expressing opinions about the case or discussing potential evidence.

Several key court documents have been filed under seal, and many arguments have been made in chambers. At Lathems final pretrial hearing Wednesday, attorneys spent some 40 minutes behind closed doors, discussing filings that had not been made public. At the end of the session, Burns did not make any public remarks about his rulings, if there were any.

Still, what has been made public about the Lathem case is salacious and extraordinarily sad.

Macabre details

In bringing the charges after their arrest in August 2017, prosecutors gave the following account of how they alleged the killing happened:

Lathem and Warren had chatted online for months about their shared fantasy of killing other people and themselves.

In late July 2017, Lathem paid for Warren to fly to Chicago, and the two came up with a plan to slay victims of Lathems choosing. Both men then planned to then kill each other simultaneously  Warren shooting Lathem while Lathem stabbed Warren.

Lathem lured Cornell-Duranleau to his apartment in the 500 block of North State Street and texted Warren that they would kill him that night.

Warren came over about 4:30 a.m. the next day after Cornell-Duranleau had fallen asleep in Lathems apartment. Lathem showed Warren a 6-inch drywall knife saw and gave him a cellphone with instructions to record video of Lathem fatally stabbing Cornell-Duranleau.

As Warren stood in the doorway to the bedroom with his cellphone in hand, Lathem stabbed the sleeping Cornell-Duranleau repeatedly.

Lathem cried to Warren for help, so Warren walked in, put his hands over the victims mouth and then hit him in the head with a heavy metal lamp.

As Cornell-Duranleau bled to death in the bedroom, his attackers showered and then tried to clean up the scene, prosecutors said.

They left Lathems apartment in the early morning hours and fled, prosecutors said, sparking a nationwide search that ended when they surrendered to authorities in California nine days later. Warren was arrested in San Francisco, while Lathem surrendered to U.S. marshals at the federal courthouse in Oakland.

While they were on the run, the men made two charitable donations in Cornell-Duranleaus name, prosecutors said: $5,610 to the Howard Brown Health Center, an LGBT health and social services provider, and $1,000 to a public library in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin.

At the library, Lathem called the front desk of his apartment building and left an anonymous tip: Someone should check the apartment because a crime had been committed in that room.

Prosecutors said Warren confessed to authorities in chilling detail, recounting that Cornell-Duranleau had no idea what was coming.

Warren also made an ominous revelation: The two had planned to kill at least one other victim. But Warren didnt know if that person had ever shown up to Lathems apartment after the two men fled, prosecutors said.

Agreement to testify

Warren pleaded guilty in 2019. Prosecutors said they would agree to recommend a sentence of 45 years in prison in exchange for Warrens full cooperation as a witness against Lathem.

In addition, prosecutors agreed that they would not object if Warren tries to serve his sentence in his native England. Inmates repatriated to the United Kingdom are automatically released on the equivalent of parole after serving half of what remains of their sentences, according to the British charity Prisoners Abroad. That means that Warrens prison term could be shortened by 15 years or more and allow him to serve his time closer to family and friends.

Illinois law does not allow for good-behavior credit on first-degree murder sentences, so Warren would have to serve out his full sentence if he stays in the U.S.

Warren, having allegedly been part of every aspect of the attack, is expected to be a central witness against Lathem.

With Lathem expected to take the stand in his own defense, that could set up a credibility contest between him and his alleged onetime co-conspirator.

In pre-gag-order public comments and in court, Lathems attorneys have portrayed him as nothing short of a genius. He is an accomplished microbiologist and immunologist who had spent about 10 years at Northwestern University. The university suspended him and banned him from campus after the warrant was issued for his arrest, then announced it was firing him because he fled police.

But before that, Lathem conducted extensive research on Yersinia pestis, the bacteria that decimated Europe during the Black Death.

He had been slated to move his lab to the prestigious Institut Pasteur in France, until he was denied security clearance to work with dangerous pathogens. French authorities did not provide the reason for rejection, a spokesperson for the institute told the Tribune in 2017.

During Lathems first Cook County court appearance, Lathems attorneys gave the judge dozens of letters attesting to his character and academic accomplishments. Last year they made repeated efforts  all unsuccessful  to get him released on bond so he could help research the novel coronavirus.

And the defense is expected to call at least one character witness attesting to Lathems reputation for truthfulness, attorneys said in court last week.

Other than that, little has been disclosed about what jurors might hear. The bulk of the public proceedings during Lathems last two pretrial hearings was devoted to attorneys request that all jurors be vaccinated against COVID-19, a request the judge denied.

____
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP)  Leaders of the Republican-controlled Kansas Legislature on Monday agreed to create a committee to examine the impact of COVID-19 mandates and what they called government overreach, partly in response to Democratic President Joe Biden's federal vaccine requirements.

We need to check the federal government pretty hard and stop them, said Senate Vice President Rick Wilborn, a McPherson Republican.

One senior Democrat said the formation of such a committee would further politicize the pandemic. Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly and all state House members are up for reelection in 2022.

Republican Senate President Ty Masterson and Republican House Speaker Ron Ryckman will appoint the 11 committee members, who will meet for up to five days and hear public testimony.

Backlash came swiftly from Senate Minority Leader Dinah Sykes, a Lenexa Democrat, who said legislative leaders need to protect Kansans from COVID-19 and keep the economy growing.

We've had 6,000 deaths in Kansas because of COVID and, you know, I just don't want this committee to politicize this anymore, Sykes said.

Masterson, an Andover Republican, responded: The bad news is I don't think we can make it more political than the Biden administration has made it. So I'm with you on solutions.

House Minority Leader Tom Sawyer, a Wichita Democrat, said the panel could also examine how the state can encourage Kansas residents to follow U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance or get vaccinated.

Earlier this month, Biden unveiled new rules that mandate all employers with more than 100 workers require them to be vaccinated or test for the virus weekly.

The spread of the more-contagious delta variant has caused a surge in new COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations in Kansas for three months, stressing hospitals and causing outbreaks in schools, even as some parents and officials objected to mask mandates.

Kansas lags behind the national vaccination rate. The CDC reported Monday that 50.8% of the states 2.9 million residents have been fully vaccinated, compared with 55.3% of the U.S. Five New England states had more than 67% of their residents fully vaccinated.

Who has authority to issue mandates has been debated throughout the pandemic in Kansas. Last year, Kelly ordered all K-12 buildings closed in mid-March for the rest of the spring semester to check the spread of the coronavirus. She also ordered a statewide stay-at-home order that closed businesses for five weeks starting March 30.

Last year, the Legislature passed and Kelly signed a law to give county officials authority to issue mask mandates and public health restrictions for businesses and public gatherings. It also gave legislative leaders the power to block the governors executive orders and stripped appointed local health officers of their power to impose restrictions, leaving decisions to elected county commissions.

Kelly didnt immediately respond to a request for comment.

___

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.

___

Follow Andy Tsubasa Field on Twitter at https://twitter.com/AndyTsubasaF

___

This story has been corrected to fix a typographical error in the spelling of McPherson in the 2nd paragraph.
FRENCHBORO, Maine (AP)  Regulators in Maine said they found no permit violations stemming from thousands of fish deaths at an aquaculture operation off the state's coast.

Cooke Aquaculture, a Canada-based fish farming giant, operates salmon farms that include ocean-based pens in Maine. The firm found thousands of fish deaths in August at sites it operates at Black Island and Black Island South.
AUGUSTA, Maine (AP)  A bipartisan panel on Monday completed work on redrawing the state's congressional and legislative districts, and state lawmakers will gather Wednesday to vote on the maps.

Negotiations continued through the weekend before the final agreement was reached on 35 state Senate districts. Agreements already were reached on congressional districts and state House districts.

The panel voted 14-0 during a remote meeting on the final part of the plan on Monday, which was the deadline.

The last-minute agreement avoided a potential court battle over the maps.

Maps still have to be approved by a two-thirds vote in both chambers of the Maine Legislature when lawmakers convene Wednesday

Census delays caused a compressed schedule for the panel. The deadlines were supposed to be in August, but Maine Supreme Judicial Court provided extra time to complete the work.

For congressional districts, the panel was tasked with moving about 23,300 voters from the 1st Congressional District, which includes Portland, to the 2nd District to reflect population shifts in the census.

The panel voted to move Augusta to the 2nd Congressional District. But the panel balked at moving Waterville, where Democrats outnumber Republicans nearly 3-1, to the 2nd District.

Municipalities that would shift to the 2nd District were Chelsea, Farmingdale, Hallowell, Manchester, Readfield and Winthrop.

Meanwhile, Albion, Benton, Clinton, Litchfield and West Gardiner would move to the 2nd District.
ATLANTA (AP)  Federal regulators have brought civil charges against a Georgia man they say defrauded investors who shared his Turkish cultural and religious background.

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filed a complaint Friday in federal court in Atlanta against Omer Casurluk, who's also known as Timur Efe, and Star Chain Inc., a company he started. From November 2016 until 2019, Casurluk raised about $9 million from investors, allegedly to acquire franchise quick-serve restaurants as equal co-owners, according to the SEC complaint.
WARSAW, Poland (AP)  A court in Poland convicted a man on Monday of instigating a murder in 2002 and participating in subsequent cannibalism and handed him a 25-year prison term.

The body of the victim was never found and his identity isn't known. But the court in Szczecin, in northwest Poland, gave credence to the testimony of one of the defendants and to their phone conversations, which were bugged by investigators.
LAS VEGAS (AP)  The mayor of Las Vegas and the head of the Nevada state Republican party are pitching the idea of the city hosting the GOP National Convention ahead of the November 2024 presidential election.

Mayor Carolyn Goodman on Monday issued a statement saying she told the Republican National Committee in response to an inquiry that Las Vegas would be the best place for the three-day event in summer 2024.
Middlebury College removed the name of a former Vermont governor from the campus chapel on Monday because of his instigating role in eugenics policies of the early 1900s that sought to isolate and prevent the procreation of so-called delinquents, dependents, and defectives, the school announced.

The move follows the Legislature's apology last spring to all Vermonters and their families and descendants who were harmed by state-sanctioned eugenics policies and practices that led to sterilizations.

Some Vermonters of mixed French Canadian and Native American heritage, as well as poor, rural white people, were placed on a state-sanctioned list of mental defectives and degenerates and sent to state institutions.

John Mead, a physician and industrialist who graduated from Middlebury in 1864, served as Vermont governor from 1910 to 1912, the school said.

The college's Mead Memorial Chapel was named after him and his wife when they gave $74,000 to the school in 1914 to create a new, prominent chapel on the highest point on campus, Middlebury President Laurie Patton and Trustees Chair George Lee said in email to the school community.

Two years before that, Mead had strongly urged the legislature to adopt policies and create legislation premised on eugenics theory, they said.

A college working group, created to examine Meads role in these policies and what it means for the school, advised this summer that Patton recommend to the board of trustees that the name be removed.

His call to action resulted in a movement, legislation, public policy, and the founding of a Vermont state institution that sterilized people  based on their race, sex, ethnicity, economic status, and their perceived physical conditions and cognitive disabilities, the school officials wrote. John Meads documented actions in this regard are counter in every way to our values as an institution, and counter to the spiritual purpose of a chapel.

The working group also advised that a committee consider educational opportunities from this change, they said. The education may include signs, architectural installations or public art, the school said. The chapel will be referred to as Middlebury Chapel or the chapel" while an educational task force takes shape, they said.

Three years ago, the University of Vermont opted to remove a former school presidents name from the school library because of his support of the Eugenics Survey of Vermont and its leader, a UVM professor. The following year, the outgoing president of UVM apologized for the schools involvement in eugenics research, calling it unethical and regrettable.
JACKSON, Miss. (AP)  Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves on Monday was still not saying whether he will call legislators into special session to enact a medical marijuana program and consider other issues that House and Senate leaders are promoting.

Nothing today, Reeves spokeswoman Bailey Martin said in response to a question from The Associated Press.

Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann and House Speaker Philip Gunn said Friday that they want Reeves to set a special session because negotiators from the two chambers have agreed on a medical marijuana proposal, and they believe they've lined up enough votes to pass it.

Hosemann and Gunn, both Republicans, also want legislators to approve financial help for hospitals that are trying to keep enough nurses and other employees during the COVID-19 pandemic, authorize death benefit payments for law enforcement officers and first responders who die of COVID-19, and set aside money for shelters that help victims of child abuse and domestic violence.

Only a governor can call a special session and set the agenda. Hosemann and Gunn said they think the House and Senate could complete all the work in a single day.

The medical marijuana proposal would replace a voter-approved initiative that the state Supreme Court overturned in May. Justices said the state's initiative process is outdated, so the medical marijuana measure was not properly on the ballot last November.

The new proposal would allow cities and counties to opt out of allowing the cultivation, processing or sale of medical marijuana, but it would also let local voters seek an election to reverse the decisions of those governing boards.

The new proposal also would set taxes, require that medical marijuana be grown only indoors and limit the amount of the drug that could be purchased each month by patients or their caregivers. It also would set licensing and regulatory responsibilities for the state Department of Health and the state Department of Agriculture and Commerce.

Agriculture Commissioner Andy Gipson, a Republican, said Monday that his department should have no role in a medical marijuana program.

This agency is not designed nor equipped nor is this agency funded to support such an expansive and expensive program as this proposes to be, Gipson said.

The proposal specifies that the Agriculture Department could hire another state agency, such as the Board of Pharmacy, to handle its share of work on the program. Gipson said the Health Department should be the only state agency with the power to issue licenses or set regulations for medical marijuana, as was proposed in the voter-approved initiative. Gipson said the Agriculture Department was not asked for any information or ideas when negotiators were writing the new proposal.

This bill was drafted behind closed doors, outside the committee process  secretly, three or four legislators putting it together without the opportunity of the people of Mississippi to have any input on it, said Gipson, a former House member. That's not the way things are supposed to work in the Legislature.

___

Follow Emily Wagster Pettus on Twitter at http://twitter.com/EWagsterPettus.
PRISTINA, Kosovo (AP)  The NATO-led KFOR mission in Kosovo increased its patrols Monday on the border with Serbia in a bid to deescalate tensions between the two Balkan foes over a dispute about license plates.

KFOR, with around 4,000 troops from 28 countries, is led by NATO but is supported by the United Nations, the European Union and others. Its aim is to stave off lingering ethnic tensions between majority Kosovo Albanians and minority Kosovo Serbs after Kosovo broke away and became independent from Serbia in 2008.

KFOR has increased the number and time length of the routine patrolling all around Kosovo, including northern Kosovo, the force said in a statement.

The move comes a day after Serbia President Aleksandar Vucic warned NATO that Serbia will intervene in Kosovo if Kosovo Serbs come under serious threat.

The license plate issue between the two neighbors is not so much about license plates but about respecting each nation's sovereignty, so it has great symbolic power. Serbia, along with allies Russia and China, refuses to recognize Kosovo's independence as the United States and many other Western nations have done. It sees the Kosovo-Serbia border as temporary.

Kosovo Serbs have been blocking the border with trucks for a week since Kosovo decided to emulate Serbia and remove Serb license plates from cars coming into the country. Drivers must then buy temporary plates. Serbia removes Kosovo plates from cars coming in.

The U.S. Embassy in Serbia tweeted that American and Canadian defense officials had visited the Jarinje and Brnjak border crossings, the site of the protests, to gain a better understanding of the situation.

They were glad to note KFOR was on site as a stabilizing factor, the U.S. Embassy tweeted.

A U.S. embassy official in Kosovo told Gazeta Express there that Kosovo and Serbia representatives have agreed to meet in Brussels this week. U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Gabriel Escobar will take part at the meeting.

The official said if the issues between Kosovo and Serbia are left unresolved they will hamper foreign investment and speed up brain drain, preventing the economies of both countries "from reaching their true potential.

KFOR commander Gen-Maj. Franco Federici said besides the increased patrols, KFOR has also conducted talks with all parties involved with the cessation of protests in northern Kosovo.

Serbia raised its military alert last week, and Serbian military jets and helicopters were flying close to the border with Kosovo in an apparent show of force.

Last weekend, Kosovo government officials say a public building was set on fire and another was hit by grenades in what they described as criminal acts related to the protest by ethnic Serbs.

On Monday, Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti repeated the offer that both countries drop the temporary license plate rule as a solution.

Vucic has described Kosovos recent license plate move as a criminal action, and he made the withdrawal of all Kosovar special police at the border a condition of EU-mediated negotiations.

The EU, NATO and the U.S. have urged Kosovo and Serbia to exercise restraint and refrain from unilateral actions.

___

Llazar Semini reported from Tirana, Albania. Dusan Stojanovic contributed to this report from Belgrade, Serbia.
NEW YORK (AP)  New York City is planning to hire a private weather forecaster, install more drainage features and issue earlier and more aggressive warnings to residents under a new plan to respond to heavy rainfall like the deadly deluge Hurricane Ida dropped on the city earlier this month.

At least 50 people from Virginia to Connecticut , including 13 in New York City, die d this month when the remnants of Hurricane Ida inundated the Northeast. Rainwater trapped hundreds of cars on submerged waterways, deluged subway stations, and stalled trains and flooded basement apartments, turning them into deadly traps.

At its most intense, the storm dropped 3.15 inches (8 centimeters) of rain within an hour over New York City, overwhelming an aging sewer system designed to handle roughly half that.

We learned from Ida that we have to do some very very different things," Mayor Bill de Blasio said Monday at a virtual news conference. This is a brand new world.

The city will hire a private weather forecasting service to provide a second opinion to the city that supplements National Weather Service predictions and creates neighborhood-specific forecasts for storms, according to the Democratic mayor's plan.

De Blasio said the National Weather Service does good and important work," but often its reports "were too vague or too late and we need something more urgent.

He likened it to the city creating its own counterterrorism and intelligence division in the New York City Police Department after 9/11 terrorist attacks. After the storm hit, de Blasio said hed been given a forecast that the city would see somewhere between 3 to 6 inches (7.5 to 15 cm) of rain for the day  not 3 inches within one hour.

The National Weather Service said in a statement that it welcomed New York Citys plan, calling it a positive step by adding additional expertise and capacity that may better understand local nuances and can build upon the support NWS provides.

We support any coordinated effort by any organization, business or government to improve local preparedness for extreme weather and water events, the agency said.

The plan calls for preemptively declaring a state of emergency and issuing mandatory evacuation orders for basement apartments hours before heavy rains are forecast, along with travel bans to keep people off roads and subways if a deluge is predicted.

The city will also work with community groups to knock on the doors of those living in basement apartments to warn them of flooding threats and identify safe evacuation spaces in their neighborhood. Of the 13 people in the city who died in the storm, at least 11 of them were in flooded basement apartments, according to police.

The report lays out a number of measures the city plans to enact relatively quickly, such as putting up signs warning about flood potential on roadways, creating more greenspaces and drainage features at playgrounds and expanding a program to install porous concrete pavement in some areas in the city, where small holes allow water to seep in instead of running into the streets.

But the report also lays out longer-term challenges, such as the $100 billion cost of upgrading the city's century-old drainage system, much of which would need to be paid for with money from the federal government, or the costly conversion of about 50,000 illegal basement apartments into safer homes.

The city estimates that about 100,000 people live in the apartments, which are concentrated in Queens, Brooklyn and the Bronx and provide badly needed affordable housing. But the apartments can be dangerous with low ceilings and limited exits, light and ventilation. The city plans to try to expand a pilot program for converting the apartments into safe and legal spaces and form a working group to study the issue further.

De Blasio issued the report Monday as he enters his final months in office. Democrat Eric Adams, who is widely expected to win the mayoral election in November, released his own resiliency report last week. It lays out similar recommendations for an early warning system and plans to notify those living in basement apartments.
MILWAUKEE (AP)  A 35-year-old man was struck and killed while trying to help his brother with a disabled vehicle by a driver who had been shot in Milwaukee, according to authorities.

The Milwaukee County Medical Examiner's Office on Monday identified the man who died as Jamaul Jones. A medical examiner's report says Jones was standing near his brother's vehicle when he was struck and thrown about 180 feet (54 meters) Sunday night.
NEW YORK (AP)  A gunman shot four men during a dispute that spilled out of an upper Manhattan bar on Monday and then was himself shot by a police sergeant, authorities said.

The shooting happened at around 4 a.m. outside the 11:11 Restaurant and Lounge in the Inwood neighborhood, police said.
FERGUSON, Mo. (AP)  A man was found fatally shot on a street in the St. Louis suburb of Ferguson over the weekend, police there said.

The St. Louis County police said the shooting happened Sunday morning, when officers were called around 7:15 a.m. to Barbados Lane after a gunshot warning system detected gunshots in the area.
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP)  Providence city council member Nirva LaFortune officially announced her bid to run for Providence mayor in 2022.

When LaFortune was elected to her city council seat in 2017, she became Rhode Island's first Haitian American to serve in an elected office. If elected as mayor, she would become Providences first woman and Black mayor.

On Sunday, LaFortune, a Democrat, said in a statement that her main focus during her campaign would be on issues surrounding gun violence, affordable housing and education.

She also spoke outside the Southside Cultural Center on Sunday, holding a moment of silence for the victims of gun violence in Providence this year. The city is facing one of the most deadly years in the past decade

She said to prevent the outbursts of violence in the city, Providence needs a stronger system of community policing.

Fortune joins three other Democratic candidates in the run for Providence mayor: Brett Smiley, a former aide to former Gov. Gina Raimondo; former City Council President Michael Solomon; and Gonzalo Cuervo, the former chief of staff to Secretary of State Nellie Gorbea.
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP)  Republican lawmakers in Pennsylvania on Monday unveiled sweeping changes to the conduct of elections through a proposed constitutional amendment, the latest turn in a partisan power struggle over elections in the wake of former President Donald Trump's baseless claims that last year's presidential contest was rigged against him.

The Republican-penned measure passed the House State Government Committee on party lines, 15-10. One provision would substantially toughen Pennsylvanias existing identification requirements for a registered voter to cast a ballot, both in-person and by mail.

The just-unveiled wording comes amid months of partisan fighting over disputed or gray areas of Pennsylvanias election law, as well as efforts by Republicans to expand voter identification requirements, limit ballot-return options and investigate voting machines, ballots and more from last year's presidential election.

Gov. Tom Wolf, a Democrat, in June vetoed a wide-ranging Republican bill that was opposed by all but one Democratic lawmaker. With a Senate committee preparing to consider a narrower, bipartisan bill, some of those disputed provisions from the GOP's partisan bill are ending up in the proposal to amend the constitution.

A governor has no veto power over it.

To amend the state constitution, a proposal must pass both chambers of the state Legislature twice, once each in consecutive two-year sessions, before going to voters in a statewide referendum. The earliest this measure could see a referendum is spring 2023.

The measure would newly require the signature of someone voting by mail to be matched to their signature on file and require a voter to provide a government-issued ID every time before they vote.

That would eliminate provisions in existing law that allow the use of government checks, paychecks, utility bills and bank statements that are current, as well as student IDs and employee IDs.

Voters also must show ID only when voting in a particular precinct for the first time, while mail-in voters are not required to provide a photo ID when applying for a ballot or to insert a photocopy of an ID when mailing in their ballot.

Democrats have strenuously opposed toughening the voter ID law, calling it an effort to take away the right to vote and noting that there is no track record of in-person voting fraud in Pennsylvania.

Another provision would make the office of the state's top election official, the secretary of state, into an elected position with four-year terms. Currently, the position is a gubernatorial appointment in Pennsylvania.

Nearly every state has a secretary of state, and the position is an elected job in three-fourths of them.

In Pennsylvania, Republican lawmakers have strenuously objected to how Wolf's appointed secretaries of state have interpreted state election law around last year's election. Those decisions have been backed up by courts repeatedly.

As Trump allies go state-to-state pushing to audit last years presidential election, the measure would require election results to be audited by the state's auditor general before certification. The auditor general's office was created as a fiscal watchdog.

It would also require paper ballots to have a watermark to prove authenticity and be open to "public inspection" after the election is certified.

Currently, state law does not make paper ballots a public record and election analysts could not think of a state that does, except for Georgia, which this year made scanned ballot images a public record and ordered the secretary of state to create a pilot program to post the images.

If the intention is to allow physical access to ballots, such access will need to be tightly controlled, with access records, observation and video recording in a secure facility to prevent and catch tampering, said E. Jonathan Sebes, the chief technology officer at the California-based OSET Institute, which is devoted to research on election infrastructure and administration.

Still, even if ballot images are posted online, they can be tampered with, Sebes said.

Meanwhile, he said, a watermark is not by itself a sign of authenticity, and may be impossible to put on each ballot. Overseas and military voters may print their own ballots, for instance.

Audrey Kline, the national policy director for the Washington-based National Vote at Home Institute, said she's never seen ballot watermarks in practice and her organization doesn't view it as a best practice, mainly because it's expensive.

In any case, ballot styles are difficult to fake, Kline said.

___

Follow Marc Levy on Twitter at https://www.twitter.com/timelywriter.
HARTFORD, Conn. (AP)  A retired judge who also has served as a prosecutor and public defender was picked Monday to become Connecticut's first inspector general, a position created to investigate any use of deadly force by police.

Robert Devlin, 71, was chosen from among four finalists after interviews before the Connecticut Criminal Justice Commission.

The commission voted 5-0 to appoint Devlin to the $180,000-a year position.

Devlin told the commission that because of his age and experience, he would not be using the job as a stepping stone and plans to give everyone involved in each investigation a fair shake.

There are people in our society who think the police can do no wrong and there are people in our society who think the police can do no right," Devlin told the commission. It's in that space in between that the inspector general has to work, and let the results speak for themselves.

Devlin, who was appointed as a Superior Court judge in 1992, served as the state's chief administrative judge for that court from 2010 to 2017. He is currently the chairman of the Connecticut Sentencing Commission.

As inspector general, Devlin will investigate whether an officers use of deadly force was justified and, if it was not, to prosecute the officer. He also is charged with recommending whether an officers state certification should be suspended or revoked.

The position was created in a bill approved last year in response to the police-involved deaths of George Floyd in Minneapolis and other Black people. That law also limits circumstances in which deadly use of force including chokeholds can be justified, allows more civilian oversight of police departments and allows lawsuits against officers for violating peoples civil rights, in certain situations.

For the Inspector General to make meaningful progress toward valuing Black lives by holding police accountable for violence, they must be independent from other prosecutors, their office must be fully funded, they must use their legal power to seek redress for people harmed by police, and they must advocate to eliminate the systems that have shielded police from accountability for decades," said Claudine Fox, the ACLU of Connecticut's public policy and advocacy director.

"We hope the first inspector general will set the tone for all who follow by staunchly advocating for and defending each of these requirements for success."
Frances Sissy Farenthold, a reform-minded liberal Democrat in the Texas House who was pushed for the partys 1972 vice-presidential nomination, has died at age 94, her family said Monday.

Farenthold died Sunday at her Houston apartment after a long struggle with Parkinsons disease, her son, George Farenthold, told The Associated Press in a telephone interview. She was six days shy of her 95th birthday, he said. Funeral arrangements were private, but a public memorial would be held at the University of Texas at Austin campus at a future date still to be scheduled, he said.

Elected to the Texas House in 1968, Farenthold told AP in 2008 that she recalled shaking hands with a man the next day who said, 'I voted for your husband yesterday,' and I said, It was I. He said, If I had known that, I wouldnt have. That was a comedown!

She was the only woman in the chamber but attained prominence as one of the Dirty Thirty reform-minded House members who kept alive as a political issue the Sharpstown stock-fraud scandal of 1971-72 that implicated the state's top elected leaders, all of them conservative Democrats.

As a result, Sissy Farenthold defeated Gov. Preston Smith and Lt. Gov. Ben Barnes, both among those implicated, in the 1972 Democratic primary before losing in the runoff to Dolph Briscoe, who went on to be elected governor.

That same year, Farenthold's name was placed in nomination for vice president at the Democratic National Convention by feminist activist Gloria Steinem. Her nomination was seconded by Black civil rights activist Fannie Lou Hamer and former U.S. Rep. Allard Lowenstein, and tallied 420 votes before withdrawing in favor of U.S. Sen. Thomas Eagleton.

An outspoken liberal, Farenthold earned a spot on President Richard Nixon's Enemies List." which comprised some his major political opponents. In 1973, she was elected the first chair of the National Women's Political Caucus that recruited women to be political candidates.

Farenthold's activism included leading protests against South Africa's apartheid and nuclear proliferation. The graduate of the University of Texas School of Law went on to teach law at the Texas Southern University and University of Houston law schools. And despite her advocacy of political power for women, she did not support Hillary Rodham Clinton's presidential campaign because of Clinton's Senate vote for the war in Iraq.

I never thought that when the first strong woman showed up, I would not support her, Farenthold said. But she said she cant because I was so unalterably opposed to the war.
BERLIN (AP)  South Africa pledged more ambitious emissions targets Monday, a move that was welcomed by climate activists.

The South African government informed the U.N. climate office that it will aim to limit greenhouse gas emissions to no more than 510 million metric tons of carbon dioxide by 2025 and no more than 420 million tons by 2030.

The new goal represents a significantly lower ceiling compared to its 2016 previous goal of pushing emissions below 614 million tons in the coming decade. The lower end of the target range was also shifted, from 398 million tons of carbon dioxide by 2030 to 350 million tons.

The new targets mean South Africas emissions will decline in absolute terms beginning in 2025, a decade earlier than planned, according to the World Resources Institute, a Washington-based environmental think tank.

South Africas new climate commitment is much more ambitious than what the country put forward five years ago when the Paris Agreement was struck, said Helen Mountford, vice president for climate & economics at the WRI.

She added that the country's updated targets are more in line with the global goal of limiting worldwide temperature increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 Fahrenheit) by the end of the century compared to pre-industrial times.

South Africa aims to ramp up its use of renewable energy and phase out coal power, while preparing better for the impacts of climate change, such as drought.

___

Follow all AP stories on climate change issues at https://apnews.com/hub/climate-change.
JACKSON, Miss. (AP)  The state of Mississippi intends to appeal a federal judge's ruling that it come up with a plan detailing how it will work to prevent unnecessary institutionalization of people with mental illness.

Earlier this month, U.S. District Judge Carlton Reeves told the state it had 120 days to submit a plan to the U.S. Justice Department and a mental health expert. He ordered that the final plan, incorporating their feedback, be completed in 180 days.

Lawyers for the state asked in court documents filed Monday if the deadline could be postponed because the state intends to appeal Reeves' ruling.

James Shelson, the state's lawyer, wrote that if the Department of Mental Health were required to complete its plan and other requirements of Reeves' order in the allocated time frame, Mississippi will suffer irreparable injuries from undue interference with its mental health system and a fundamental alteration of that system both in costs and structure."

Aside from the plan, lawyers objected to Reeves' requirement that Mississippi implement peer support services at satellite community mental health centers by the end of the 2022 budget year. Another stipulation of Reeves order the state objected to requires Mississippi to fund an additional 250 CHOICE housing vouchers in the 2022 budget year, and 250 more during the 2023 budget year. The CHOICE housing voucher program provides support to people living with mental illness who need help paying rent and utilities.

Lastly, the state opposed the requirement that it begin a clinical review process sampling 100 to 200 patients a year to assure that services are working as intended to address the needs of people with serious mental illness.

Joy Hogge, executive Director of the mental health advocacy organization Families as Allies, said Monday that she found the states requests profoundly disappointing, but not surprising.

For the last ten years, the Attorney Generals office and the Board and Department of Mental Health have wasted millions of tax dollars in court fighting this lawsuit rather than working with people receiving services, their families and others who care about mental health to fix the system, she said in a written statement. This is more of the same.

The requirements the state faces are the result of a yearslong legal battle pertaining to how Mississippi cares for people with mental illness.

The federal government issued a letter in 2011 saying Mississippi had done too little to provide mental health services outside mental hospitals. The Justice Department sued Mississippi in 2016, and Reeves ruled the state was in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Federal attorneys said during a 2019 trial that mentally ill people were being held in jails because crisis teams did not respond. They said people had been forced to live far from their families because mental health services were not available in their hometowns. They also said people made repeated trips to Mississippi mental hospitals because there was no effective planning for them to transition to community services, and the most intensive kinds of services were not being made available.

During a July hearing, state attorneys said Mississippi has enacted programs that enable people to obtain treatment in their communities and avoid hospitalizations, such as mobile crisis teams, supportive housing and peer support services.

Justice Department attorneys said those services need to be expanded and there need to be metrics to ensure they are working.

In addition to the requirements the state objected to Monday, Reeves' September order made the state responsible for tracking a wide array of data, including state hospital admissions and the number of patients who remain in state hospitals more than 180 days; calls to mobile crisis teams and the number of people being placed in jail while waiting for a state hospital bed. State attorneys did not mention those requirements in the documents filed Monday.

___

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.
Kevin Lamarque/AP

WASHINGTON (AP)  State Department spokesman Ned Price has tested positive for COVID-19 and will be self-quarantining for the next 10 days.

Price, who is vaccinated, said he tested positive for coronavirus on Monday morning after returning from New York, where he attended the annual UN General Assembly meeting with Secretary of State Antony Blinken last week. Price said his symptoms were relatively mild.
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP)  The Missouri Supreme Court is set to hear arguments on Wednesday about whether Republican Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft used an unconstitutional set of laws last year to derail an effort to put the state's new abortion restrictions on a ballot for a public vote.

The courts decision could result in a change to the rules governing how citizens can alter the state Constitution, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
UNITED NATIONS (AP)  The dispute between Afghanistans new Taliban rulers and its former government over who should speak at the United Nations' annual meeting of world leaders finally has an answer: no one.

The Taliban had challenged the credentials of the ambassador from Afghanistans former government, and asked to represent the country at this year's General Assembly summit, which began Sept. 21 and ends Monday.

But all challenges to credentials must be heard by the assemblys credentials committee, which generally meets in November and did not convene earlier to hear the challenge.

U.N. spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said that as of Friday, Afghanistans currently recognized U.N. ambassador, Ghulam Isaczai, was listed as speaking for the country.

But, Dujarric told The Associated Press on Monday morning: We were notified Saturday by the Afghan Mission that they would no longer be speaking.

Afghanistan was scheduled to deliver the final address of the gathering of presidents, prime ministers, monarchs and ministers on Monday afternoon. But it was not on the list of speakers issued Monday morning.

A phone message seeking comment was left with Afghanistan's U.N. mission.

The Taliban overran most of Afghanistan last month as U.S. and NATO forces were in the final stages of their chaotic withdrawal from the country after 20 years and argue that they are now in charge and have the right to represent the country at the United Nations. Isaczai represents former president Ashraf Ghanis government.

In a letter to U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, the Talibans newly appointed foreign minister, Ameer Khan Muttaqi, said Ghani was ousted as of Aug. 15 and that countries across the world no longer recognize him as president.

Therefore, Muttaqi said, Isaczai no longer represents Afghanistan and the Taliban was nominating a new U.N. permanent representative, Mohammad Suhail Shaheen. He was a spokesperson for the Taliban during peace negotiations in Qatar.

We have all the requirements needed for recognition of a government, Shaheen told the AP last Wednesday. So we hope the U.N., as a neutral world body, recognize the current government of Afghanistan.

When the Taliban last ruled from 1996 to 2001, the U.N. refused to recognize their government and instead gave Afghanistans seat to the previous, warlord-dominated government of President Burhanuddin Rabbani, who was killed by a suicide bomber in 2011. It was Rabbanis government that brought Osama bin Laden, the mastermind of 9/11, to Afghanistan from Sudan in 1996.

The Taliban have said they want international recognition and financial help to rebuild the war-battered country. But the makeup of the new Taliban government poses a dilemma for the United Nations. Several of the interim ministers  including Muttaqi  are on the U.N.s so-called blacklist of international terrorists and funders of terrorism.

When the credentials committee members do meet, they could use Taliban recognition as leverage to press for a more inclusive government that guarantees human rights, especially for girls who were barred from going to school during their previous rule, and women who werent able to work.

The committees members are the United States, Russia, China, Bahama, Bhutan, Chile, Namibia, Sierra Leone and Sweden.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP)  Tennessee's Attorney General Herbert Slatery on Monday said his office would appeal the recent federal court decisions that blocked Gov. Bill Lee's order allowing families to opt out of school mask mandates.

These orders have impeded the governors executive authority during an emergency to direct the states public health response, which is why this office will be appealing those decisions," Slatery, a Republican, said in a statement.

Slatery said he would only appeal two out of the three lawsuits filed by families and advocates across the state opposed to the Republican governor's latest executive order. To date, federal judges have blocked the order from being implemented in Knox, Shelby and Williamson counties.

All three lawsuits argued that Lees order violates the Americans with Disabilities Act, which prohibits the exclusion of students with disabilities from public educational programs and activities. Children with certain disabilities are more vulnerable to serious illness or death if they get COVID-19, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said.

Slatery said he was pursuing appeals in Shelby and Knox counties. While his office did not disclose why he only chose those counties, the judge overseeing the Williamson County case has only temporarily blocked Lees order from being enforced.

The governor's order remains in effect until Oct. 5. He has not said if hell extend it.

Lee issued the order in August after a handful of Republican lawmakers demanded the governor call a special session so the GOP-dominant General Assembly could halt mask mandates in schools and other COVID-19 safety measures. Many students have been attending classes without masks ever since as pediatric hospitalizations reached record highs.

Masks are a key virus-prevention tool that are most effective when worn by a large number of people, public health experts say. The CDC has again recommended them for schools, saying they dont pose health risks for children older than toddler age.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP)  A Tennessee man who police say drove a corpse, believed to be that of his mother, across several county lines to a Nashville hospital has been arrested.

Thomas Henshall Jr. of Chattanooga was charged Sunday with failure to report the discovery of a dead body and evidence tampering, according to a news release from the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department.

The 37-year-old arrived at the Nashville VA Medical Center on Saturday evening with the body rolled up in a tarp in the back of his truck, police said. He said his mother killed herself and he found her in a wooded area.

Henshall picked up his girlfriend that morning with the corpse already in the truck. The couple said they stopped for food, gas and coffee before driving to a VA medical facility in Chattanooga.

When they saw it was closed, they drove to the center in Nashville  passing several law enforcement facilities and hospitals on their way. The VA centers are approximately 145 miles (233 kilometers) apart.

Henshall told a homicide detective that he was next to his mother when she shot herself. But he told his girlfriend that he found the body in the woods.

He is currently jailed in Nashville in lieu of an $80,000 bond.

The mother has been identified as 60-year-old Danielle Bowen, according to police. Authorities will identify the body in the tarp during an autopsy.

Nashville police provided information on the case to Chattanooga authorities and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation for further investigation.
In July, as wildfires tore through the American West, President Joe Biden met with the regions governors to find better ways to battle the flames. California Gov. Gavin Newsom requested use of military satellites that are designed to warn of missile attacks, calling the orbital fleet a game changer for spotting and fighting wildfires.

Biden promised to help. When this meeting is over, he said, Ill be on the phone with the Department of Defense.

His call wasnt the first  or the 50th.

The issue of using secret military gear to aid civilian firefighters arose 35 years ago. It grew as the White House, CIA, U.S. Forest Service and other federal agencies sought to establish a national system that warned of undetected wildfires and menacing flare-ups.

The Pentagon allowed tests and a short-lived prototype. But the arrangements were never permanent. The military, eager to safeguard its prerogatives and orbital fleets, was always glad to shut the pipeline down. As a result, officials such as Newsom now have to lobby for emergency access.

But record-setting fires are likely to grow worse and pose grave new dangers that warrant an urgent response, according to proponents of deeper cooperation between officials who combat wildfires and those managing the military spacecraft. The nation can no longer afford endless turf wars and bureaucratic foot-dragging. Its a matter, they say, of public safety.

Fighting disasters is like fighting wars, said Darrell Herd, a retired senior research scientist at the Defense Intelligence Agency who pioneered early orbital tests of wildfire detection. You suffer if you dont have adequate warning.

The parts of the United States destroyed each year by wildfires have more than doubled over two decades. And Californias fires have recently grown rapidly in size. Deaths and diseases are linked not only to blistering flames, but also toxic smoke.

Even so, proponents of using the defense satellites note, the military has no established program that issues firefighting alerts to local, state and federal authorities. They also point out that the Pentagons spacecraft, when set against civilian and commercial ones, have repeatedly proven themselves to be superior at spotting blazes.

In an interview, Jeffrey Harris, a former director of the National Reconnaissance Office, which runs the countrys fleets of spy satellites, called for expanding civilian use of the attack-warning craft as quickly as possible. Scientists see the wildfires intensifying, he noted, so why dont we let firefighters take full advantage of the technology?

California, Harris added, is one of the largest economies in the world. And were not going to nip these fires in the bud? The military craft, he stressed, can save lives.

In 2018, the U.S. Forest Service used the spacecraft as an experiment in California, quickly spotting four flare-ups. I believe we are just beginning to unlock the possibilities, Lt. Gen. John Thompson, then head of what was called the Air Force Space and Missiles Systems Center, said of the firefighting test. The Forest Service proceeded to ask that the military spinoffs go nationwide.

Satellite-sharing proponents often cite the militarys GPS as a role model. That fleet of satellites began life in 1978 as a highly classified system for transmitting precise location data to the U.S. armed forces. In the 1980s, civilians gained access. Today, commercial uses include tracking vehicles and sending position data to millions of smartphones.

In an interview, Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., who heads the House Intelligence Committee, said the nation needed to rethink the militarys overall role in protecting American society and decide either to shrink its budgets or expand its domestic responsibilities. The new roles, he added, should include the permanent sharing of the attack-warning satellites with the civilian authorities.

Part of a strong America is having a strong infrastructure that protects our citizens not just from foreign attack, but natural disasters, Schiff said. We need to protect people from the growing intensity of these fires.

Schiff cited a personal encounter. In 2009, a California wildfire grew into the largest in the modern history of Los Angeles County, killing two firefighters, destroying scores of homes and turning hundreds of square miles of green vegetation into blackened remains.

I remember stepping outside my house one night, Schiff said. It looked like lava flowing down the canyons  like a scene out of a surreal horror film.

The revitalized debate centers on an early generation of attack-warning satellites known as the Defense Support Program, a main participant in the fire experiments. First sent aloft in 1970, the spacecraft orbit 22,300 miles up, over the equator, in sync with Earths rotation. Hanging motionless relative to the ground lets them peer without interruption at the same regions.

One satellite can see roughly one-third of Earths surface, and three can scan the entirety of the planet. Their specialty is spotting the fiery plumes of attacking missiles. But their infrared sensors  sensitive to heats invisible rays  can see much more. Once, a spacecraft was able to pinpoint where an Air Force C-141 transport jet exploded over the South Atlantic.

The military has lofted 23 of the craft over the decades at an estimated cost of $15 billion. Their current numbers and orbital locations are classified secrets. By Washington standards, their operating costs are relatively low. A military contractor was recently awarded a renewal contract for $223 million over 10 years, or $22.3 million a year.

Military craft in geosynchronous orbit have an edge over civilian satellites at lower altitudes that move steadily over Earths surface. The spacecraft in lower orbits see particular sites infrequently, often leaving them blind to new fires, sudden flare-ups and shifting flames. The images of NASAs firefighting program are up to 5 hours old. In contrast, the military craft scan planet Earth every 10 seconds.

In fire season, striking images from satellite companies and the space fleets of civilian agencies are often made public, but those spacecraft typically detect blazes only after theyre too large to contain.

In the mid-1980s, Herd, then at the U.S. Geological Survey, learned that the attack-warning satellites could spot wildfires. Interagency talks ensued. After the Cold War, the White House put the nations spy agencies and satellites onto the new job of environmental sleuthing, and the CIA funded a number of pioneering fire studies.

In 1993 and 1994, Herd organized a program of igniting test fires across the United States to see how well the military satellites did. The fuels included brush, trees and grasses. The trials showed that the spacecraft could easily spot blazes even when the flames were relatively small and easily suppressed.

In July 1996, the CIA director boasted in a public speech that his agency had recently helped the U.S. Forest Service battle a series of wildfires raging in Alaska.

Support grew in the Clinton administration and in Congress for a permanent setup. The National Reconnaissance Office took the lead. Three federal agencies that ran three kinds of satellites  for monitoring land use, adversaries and the weather  helped set up the prototype. It was known as the Hazard Support System.

The warning hub came to life in 1999 but died almost immediately because of lack of funds. In lamenting its demise, Sen. Daniel Akaka, D-Hawaii, called it a small program with a huge return. Congressional investigators blamed poor interagency management.

Nonetheless, the idea of military aid for firefighters kept gaining support. In 2000, the Aerospace Corporation, which does research for the Pentagon, released a detailed study showing that the spacecraft could easily track grassland fires set intentionally across more than a million square miles of African savanna.

In 2010, an editorial in Space News, an industry publication, called on the military to set up a national system of wildfire alerts.

Experts proceeded to ask if civilian satellites  an increasing number of which have sensors that detect not only visible light but also heat rays  might be as good or even better than the military craft.

In 2012, Medea, the CIAs environmental arm, compared the two approaches in a global test. The target was Brazil and its gargantuan forests, which farmers often set ablaze to clear land. The militarys attack-warning satellites came out on top. Their geostationary positions gave them continuous views, whereas the civilian satellites in lower orbits came and went over hours and days, often leaving them unable to detect new blazes.

On a temporary basis, California began using the military spacecraft to spot fires in 2018. Last year, Maj. Gen. David Baldwin, adjutant general of the California National Guard, told reporters that the state was becoming pretty good at it.

The main problem was the limited access. Most recently, use of the military asset was set to expire Thursday, at the end of the federal governments fiscal year. So, over the summer, the state of California mounted a lobbying campaign.

In late July, Newsom made his pitch to Biden. Its hard, Newsom said of the authorization process. Every year, we fight to get a one-year extension. The states congressional delegation, led by Schiff and Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., sent a follow-up letter to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.

When the request was approved, Schiff put out a statement saying the California delegation will continue to push to make this program permanent.

In an interview, Linda Zall, a former CIA official who for decades led the agencys fire and environmental studies, said it was a travesty that civilian officials faced so much resistance to a modest step that promised to substantially enhance public safety.

The civilian authorities could soon get better options. Startups in Australia and Germany are planning to loft fire-spotting satellites in order to serve fast-growing international markets. And Planet, a U.S. company that built a fleet of nearly 200 imaging satellites, recently joined with a startup to assess forest-fire risks.

But on the military side, things could worsen. The Department of Defense is now facing budget pressures that could end the Defense Support Program and its firefighting aid. The problem arises principally from a new defensive strategy that the Pentagon is racing to put in place.

Starting in 2011, the Defense Support Program satellites were succeeded by a new generation that cost $1.7 billion per spacecraft. Six were scheduled for launch to geosynchronous orbit. By 2015, however, such giant craft were beginning to be judged as vulnerable to enemy attack. China, in particular, was seen as speeding ahead on a wide range of antisatellite arms.

Today, in response, the Pentagon is rushing to build smaller, cheaper, more numerous craft. It sees the vast numbers as greatly reducing the risk of attacks successful enough to knock out vital U.S. capabilities. By 2026, it wants to have in orbit roughly 1,000 satellites, many for attack warning. The issue is considered so urgent that the Pentagon in 2019 set up a new arm, the Space Development Agency, to carry out the sweeping plan.

Experts warn that the shift, and its budget repercussions, may turn the aging spacecraft of the Defense Support Program into prime targets for termination.

One proffered solution is to transfer the satellites from the Pentagon to a civilian agency, such as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which runs the nations weather satellites. Or a civilian agency could simply pick up the militarys operating costs.

Harris, the former director of the National Reconnaissance Office, offered a more ambitious plan. He said the American military had tailored systems of declassification that, if applied, would let information from all its attack-warning satellites  whether old, new or middle age  be shared quickly with firefighters.

Its a moment, he said, to expand the militarys support.

The wildfire situation is going to get worse before it gets better, Harris said. As a matter of public safety commensurate with the growing threat, he added, now is the time to move the bureaucracy, to tell it whats important. Lets take advantage of these very capable resources.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP)  The pastor of a Catholic parish in Topeka has been suspended from his public duties after being accused of sexually abusing a minor, the archdiocese for northeast Kansas announced Monday.

The Rev. John Pilcher of Mater Dei parish denies the allegation and is fully cooperating, the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas said. He will remain on leave until an investigation is complete and an independent review board has made a recommendation to Archbishop Joseph Naumann, The Topeka Capital-Journal reported.
ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan (AP)  Turkmenistan marked the 30th anniversary of its independence after the collapse of the Soviet Union with a military parade Monday that involved thousands of people and featured the country's leader mounting a horse to greet the participants.

The pomp-filled parade took place in Ashgabat, the capital of the gas-rich former Soviet republic in Central Asia. President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov personally saluted the parade  first from an open-top car and then from a horse he rode across the square.
EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (AP)  Two people have died in a crash in Eau Claire. according to police.

Two vehicles sustained severe damage in a collision Sunday about 1:30 p.m. The occupant of one vehicle, 81-year-old Elaine Lambrecht was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash, authorities said.
Andrew Harnik/AP

WASHINGTON (AP)  The United States and Russia will hold their second round of strategic talks later this week as the two sides attempt to resolve myriad differences ranging from nuclear weapons to cyberspace, the State Department said Monday.

The department said the Biden administrations second-ranking diplomat would lead the U.S. delegation to the talks with Russia in Geneva, Switzerland on Thursday. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman will head an interagency delegation to the gathering, which follows an initial meeting in July at which little progress was made. The first meeting took place after Presidents Joe Biden and Vladimir Putin agreed at a summit in June to restart talks.
The top diplomat of Yemen's internationally recognized government said Monday his conflict-torn country needs millions more coronavirus vaccines to ensure some of the world's poorest are not left behind.

In a speech to the United Nations General Assembly, Ahmed Awad Bin Mubarak said the roughly 1 million doses Yemen was given are not enough to vaccinate even the most vulnerable portions of its population.

Yemen has a long way to go toward vaccinating the majority of its some 30 million people, most of whom are facing multiple humanitarian crises, including poverty, hunger and poor access to adequately run hospitals.

Yemens government has received just roughly 500,000 doses so far this year through the COVAX initiative, and the rest through direct donations from other countries.

These amounts are still not enough to cover the targeted groups, Bin Mubarak said. We hope that the donating countries will contribute to increasing the number of vaccines so that no one is left behind.

Yemen has been convulsed by civil war since 2014, when the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels took control of the capital, Sanaa, and much of the northern part of the country. That forced President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi to flee to the south, then to exile in Saudi Arabia. A U.S.-backed, Saudi-led coalition intervened the following year against the Houthis to try to restore Hadis rule.

Yemens internationally recognized government has reported around 8,988 cases of COVID-19, including 1,703 deaths, in areas under its controls since the outbreak of the pandemic. The Houthi rebels have reported just four cases, including one fatality. According to the World Health Organization, only roughly 1,000 vaccine doses have been allowed into Houthi territories.

The actual toll across Yemen, though, is believed to be much higher, given the scarcity of testing and its war-ravaged health system.

Bin Mubarak also addressed the countrys stalemated conflict. His government is supported by Saudi Arabia, which has led the coalition that has been at war against the Houthis since 2015.

We have made many concessions for peace over the past six years, and we accepted all the initiatives and suggestions that aimed to put an end to the coup, he said, blaming the Iran-backed Houthis for failing to agree to recent initiatives that addressed their key demands, such as allowing the capitals airport to reopen and facilitating fuel imports. He also repeatedly blamed Iran for its backing of the Houthis.
The Morgan Hill Library has been recognized with a 2021 Community Impact Award from local organization Living Above the Influence, which honors Santa Clara County groups and agencies that go above and beyond in providing services to youth, families and community.

Organization officials said in a statement "2020 was a challenging year for us all, with the impact of COVID-19, but Morgan Hill Library continued to provide support to our community. During this time, partnerships and collaboration were vital to meet the needs in our community."

The Contra Costa County Fire Protection District said at 8:37 p.m. crews just finished extinguishing an exterior fire at Faith Worship Center in Pittsburg.

According to Con Fire's Twitter account, the fire extended up the side of the building but was put out within five minutes. Firefighters remain on site to perform overhaul on the roof and attic to ensure the fire is out.

Fire officials are bracing for the worst as scientists predict that climate change could cause more lightning strikes, which often ignite deadly, unpredictable and remote wildfires in Northern California.

Wildland firefighters don't admit to fearing much, but lightning is one terror that even the most experienced veterans say they hope to never encounter.

The worry is not being struck by a bolt, although it can be deadly. Instead, their primary concern is that lightning, slashing down in remote areas, can trigger unseen fires that smolder for days before they flare up, bursting into a dangerous and difficult-to-fight wildfire.

East Contra Costa County emergency responders are on the scene of a three-vehicle accident Sunday evening involving farm equipment in Byron, requiring a helicopter to transport a victim to John Muir Medical Center in Walnut Creek

Firefighters responded to reports of an accident on Byron Highway at Clifton Court, "involving a sedan into a piece of farm equipment that was being towed," according to a statement from East Contra Costa Fire Protection District.

A woman died Sunday morning in a solo accident on southbound Interstate 680 near Pleasanton.

A spokesperson for the California Highway Patrol said at approximately 10:40 a.m., a black Mazda driven by a 24-year-old woman was in the fast lane, just south of Happy Valley Road, when she drifted into the center divider, then back across all the lanes to the right.

The Mazda went down a dirt embankment and overturned multiple times, landing on its wheels approximately 75 feet down the hill. The driver was pronounced dead at the scene by firefighters.

A vehicle struck and killed a pedestrian on southbound Interstate 680 Sunday evening in Martinez, just north of the Marina Vista exit.

The California Highway Patrol responded to reports at 7:51 p.m. that a pedestrian was in the roadway "for unknown reasons" and was hit by a white Toyota sedan.

The pedestrian was pronounced dead at the scene. No one inside the Toyota was injured and remained on the scene.

The pedestrian hasn't been identified yet. Anyone with information or who witnessed the incident is asked to call the Contra Costa County CHP at (925) 646-4980.

San Mateo police are looking for a 10-year-old boy who went missing at 3:30 p.m. Sunday from the 100 block of 27th Avenue.

Jose Cotzojayturuy is 4 feet 7 inches and described as heavyset and Hispanic, with brown eyes and black hair. He was wearing a dark red T-shirt, black Adidas sweatpants, and possibly barefoot.

Police say anyone with information should call 911 immediately.

A fatal crash that occurred Sunday afternoon on State Route 1 in Sonoma County involved a motorcycle, the California Highway Patrol is reporting.

The crash was reported just after 3 p.m. on the coastal highway near Fort Ross Road, about nine miles north Jenner, near Fort Ross State Historic Park.

The motorcyclist was headed south and lost control and hit a guardrail, the CHP reported.

Santa Rosa police arrested a 19-year-old felon on probation with a loaded 9mm handgun Sunday afternoon.

At 1:20 p.m., officers responded to a report of a suspicious person in the 800 block of West College Avenue. Police contacted Ricardo Reynoso-Hernandez, a Santa Rosa resident on probation and subject to a warrantless search and seizure.

They found the pistol concealed in his waistband. It was non-serialized, commonly known as a "ghost gun," and loaded with 10 bullets.

The National Weather Service forecast for the greater San Francisco Bay Area calls for cool, partly cloudy skies Monday that could bring some light rain to the North Bay in the evening. Highs are expected in the low 60s on the coast, in the 60s and 70s around the bay and in the mid 70s inland. Overnight lows will be in the 50s.

Warmer and drier conditions are expected for the last half of the week.

Copyright  2021 Bay City News, Inc. All rights reserved. Republication, rebroadcast or redistribution without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. Bay City News is a 24/7 news service covering the greater Bay Area.

Copyright  2021 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited.
Page Content

On Sept. 22, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed into law a bill, AB 701, regulating production quotas for warehouse distribution center employees, such as the quotas used by Amazon to speed employees' work. We've gathered articles on the news from SHRM Online and other outlets.

First Law of its Kind

AB 701 is the nation's first legislation to make companies disclose the productivity requirements and work-speed metrics they set for employees. AB 701 doesn't specifically name Amazon, but supporters and opponents of the bill said the e-commerce giant was clearly the target for the regulations.

(San Gabriel Valley Tribune via The Press Enterprise)

Protections for Warehouse Workers

The measure requires companies to disclose production quota descriptions to their workers and prohibits the use of algorithms that disrupt basic worker rights such as rest periods, bathroom breaks, or compliance with health and safety laws. The legislation ensures workers cannot be fired or retaliated against for failing to meet an unsafe quota.

(Office of Gov. Gavin Newsom)

Former Labor Leader Authored Bill

Democratic Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez, a former labor leader, authored the law. She accused Amazon of disciplining warehouse workers at the direction of an algorithm that tracks employees' activities and can determine that anything not directly related to moving packages is off-task. "Amazon is pushing workers to risk their bodies for next-day delivery, while they can't so much as use the restroom without fearing retaliation," Gonzalez said. Amazon did not respond for requests for comment on her legislation or statement.

(Yahoo!News)

Employers Nudged to Move Out of State?

Opponents of AB 701 maintained that even before the legislation was enacted, an employer that implemented a quota that forced employees to flout existing health and safety laws violated California law. They also expressed concern that the legislation could harm California's warehouse employers by nudging business owners to move out of state.

(CalMatters)

Quota Transparency

AB 701 requires that a covered business provide to each employee, within 30 days of hire or 30 days of the effective date of the new law (Jan. 1, 2022), a written description of each quota to which the employee is subject. Quota is defined broadly as, "A work standard under which an employee is assigned or required to perform at a specified productivity speed, or perform a quantified number of tasks, or to handle or produce a quantified amount of material, within a defined time period and under which the employee may suffer an adverse employment action if they fail to complete the performance standard." An employer may not take an adverse employment action against an employee for failing to meet a quota that has not been disclosed in writing to the employee.

(Littler via JD Supra)

Governor Vetoes 'Card-Check' Union Recognition for Farmworkers

On Sept. 22, Newsom also vetoed AB 616, which would have allowed for "card-check" union recognition for farmworkers under the Agricultural Labor Relations Act. Under the card-check method, employees can approve union representation when the majority of employees in the bargaining unit sign authorization forms.

(SHRM Online)


"Tweenty-eight members of the Houthi rebel group and 16 soldiers of the pro-government Yemeni forces were killed during the past 24 hours in Marib's fighting," the official told Xinhua news agency on Sunday.

Sanaa, Sep 27 (IANS) At least 44 people were killed as heavy fighting continued between Yemeni security forces and the Houthi militia in the oil-rich rovince of Marib amid intensified airstrikes, a military official said.

The Houthi fighters carried out simultaneous attacks against several positions controlled by the pro-government forces in the southern and northwestern areas of Marib, he said.

He clarified that the Houthis used explosive-laden drones and missile attacks to target the pro-government forces stationed in Marib.

"The Houthis succeeded in achieving limited on-ground progress after launching a number of multi-pronged attacks in the fighting with the pro-government forces," he added.

Warplanes of the Saudi Arabia-led coalition carried out a series of airstrikes targeting Houthi-controlled areas and reinforcements in Marib's western part, according to the official.

The Houthis began in February a major offensive on Marib in an attempt to seize control of the oil-rich Yemeni province, the government's last northern stronghold.

Yemen's civil war flared up in late 2014 when the Iran-backed Houthi group seized control of much of the country's north and forced the internationally recognized government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi out of the capital Sanaa.

The Saudi-led Arab coalition intervened in the Yemeni conflict in March 2015 to support Hadi's government.

--IANS

ksk/
Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan launched a vehement attack on India on Friday, targeting the BJP and the RSS in particular.

Asked at his daily briefing about the acrimonious statements, he said: "We heard the remarks, and I think, despite the tone and the content of the remarks, we also always remain hopeful that dialogue can happen, maybe in a place that is not under the spotlight."

Responding to him, Sneha Dubey, a first secretary in India's UN mission, called out Pakistan for its record on terrorism and said that it "is an arsonist disguising itself as a firefighter".

"This is a country which has been globally recognized as one openly supporting, training, financing and arming terrorists as a matter of State policy. It holds the ignoble record of hosting the largest number of terrorists proscribed by the UN Security Council," she said.

She also recalled the genocide of at least 300,000 people perpetrated by Pakistan in Bangladesh during and before its War of Independence.

Laying out the scenario for a dialogue, Dubey said: "We desire normal relations with all our neighbours, including Pakistan. However, it is for Pakistan to work sincerely towards creating a conducive atmosphere, including by taking credible, verifiable and irreversible actions to not allow any territory under its control to be used for cross border terrorism against India in any manner."

Speaking the next day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not directly engage with Pakistan, but only spoke generally about the dangers of terrorism - which was obviously a reference to Islamabad's patronage of terrorism.

(Arul Louis can be reached at arul.l@ians.in and followed @arulouis)

--IANS

al/vd


The country requires four-five banks of State Bank of India's size to cater to the changing and growing requirements in the post-pandemic world, said Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday.

"Even before the pandemic, one of the driving forces for the amalgamation (in public sector banking space) was the need to scale-up banking. India needs a lot of banks but a lot more big banks," stated Sitharaman, while addressing the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of Indian Banks' Association (IBA) here. She, nevertheless, did not elaborate if further consolidation of public-sector banks was on the cards.

"The amalgamation is an important exercise because of the way in which economies are shifting to different planes altogether. (And) Also, the way the economy and industry are looking at different ways adapting to growth in the post-pandemic era. Banks need to think about the immediate and long-term future," she stated.

The consolidation process in the public segment banking space began with SBI merging its five associate banks and Bharatiya Mahila Bank in April 2017. This was followed by the merger of Dena Bank and Vijaya Bank into Bank of Baroda in April 2019.

Then a large-scale consolidation exercise happened in April 2020: Punjab National Bank (PNB) took into its fold Oriental Bank of Commerce and United Bank of India. Also, Union Bank of India imbibed Corporation Bank and Andhra Bank; Indian Bank absorbed Allahabad Bank, and Canara Bank took Syndicate Bank into its fold.

The latest instance of consolidation in the banking space was in November 2020 when Singapore-based DBS Bank's Indian subsidiary bought the ailing private-sector lender Lakshmi Vilas Bank (LVB).

The finance minister also pointed out that some of the economically active regions of the country still lacked banking facilities, and that banks should use digital maps to plug gaps and ensure services when the economy is recovering.

She said IBA should take the direct in the exercise of plugging these gaps. Banks have the option to decide which place requires banking presence through a brick-and-mortar model and where a direct presence should help.

"Digitisation has saved a lot of costs for banks even without compromising on the services banks provide. There need not be competition among banks for presence. You could service customers even without physical presence," Sitharaman stated.

About efforts towards cleaning up the books of banks, the finance minister said National Asset Reconstruction Company (NARCL) and Debt Resolution Company have been built. They should be able to cull out non-performing assets, restructure, and sell them. "It is a formulation which has saved us from one imitating something which all are averse to in a sense, at least for its name 'bad bank'."

"This combination is not a bad bank as this process is driven by a banking system with the sense to clear up books quickly. Banks are today less burdened as books are cleaner and as a result, they are able to raise money from the market," she further said.
Global greenhouse gas concentrations continue to rise to record levels in 2018-2019, the chief economist of World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) has told United Nations Security Council (UNSC).

"Global average greenhouse gas concentrations of CO2 (carbon dioxide) reached 405.5 parts per million in 2017 and continue to rise to record levels in 2018-2019," Professor Pavel Kabat was quoted as saying by Xinhua news agency on Friday.

"The last time the Earth experienced a comparable concentration of CO2 was 3 million to 5 million years ago, when the temperature was 2-3 degrees Celsius warmer and sea level was 10-20 meters higher than now."

The past four years have been the warmest on record, with many high-impact weather events which bear the hallmarks of climate change. The 20 warmest years on record have been in the past 22 years. The global average temperature is nearly 1 degree Celcius above the pre-industrial era, said Kabat in the WMO's first ever briefing to the Security Council.

He noted that the World Economic Forum taking place in Davos, Switzerland, has put extreme weather, natural disasters, climate change and water crises as the top four existential threats in its Global Risks Report 2019.

These show significant interconnections with other shocks and impacts to peace and security and sustainable development, he said.

Research by the WMO and its partners and network of scientists shows that sea level rise is accelerating, as is the melting of polar ice sheets, posing an increasing existential threat to small island developing countries, said Kabat.

The shrinking of Arctic sea ice affects not just the local environment and indigenous peoples, but also influences weather patterns in the world's populated regions. Glacier melt continues unchecked, with short-term impacts including increased flooding and a long-term threat to water supplies for many millions of people.

Ocean heat content is also at record levels, with far-reaching, lasting consequences for marine life, coral reefs and food security, he said.

Climate change has a multitude of security impacts, rolling back the gains in nutrition and access to food, heightening the risk of wildfires and exacerbating air quality challenges, increasing the potential for water conflict, leading to more internal displacement and migration, warned Kabat.

"It is increasingly regarded as a national security threat."

He expressed the hope for closer collaboration and for the establishment of mechanisms for future briefings to the Security Council "to provide authoritative information for decision-making and support the diplomatic business of the council in areas appropriate to the understanding and analysis of peace and security threats."

The WMO is honoured to support UN member states and the Security Council in the provision of top-quality information on weather, climate, water and environment-related threats to peace and security, he said.

Kabat said there is a need for a new political and investment paradigm to build a new generation of hydro-climate forecasting and early-warning services.

"This should become a component of basic country-infrastructure, like roads and bridges," he said.

Read more news:

Google created most positive buzz in India in 2018: Report

I feel responsible: Karan Johar on Pandya, Rahul row
Think, that your ancestors were Roman Britons, Vikings or ancient Israelites? A new DNA tool can help you trace your similarity to these ancient people who once roamed the earth, say researchers.

Currently the study of ancient DNA requires a lot of information to classify a skeleton to a population or find its biogeographical origins.

But, scientists from the UK's University of Sheffield, defined a new concept called Ancient Ancestry Informative Markers (aAIMs) -- a group of mutations that are sufficiently informative to identify and classify ancient populations.

They found that the identification of a small group of aAIMs that can be used to classify skeletons to ancient populations.

"We developed a new method that finds aAIMs efficiently and have proved that it is accurate," said lead author Eran Elhaik, from Sheffield's Department of Animal and Plant Sciences.

The new tool identifies aAIMs by combining traditional methodology with a novel one that takes into account a mixture.

People are currently unable to trace their primeval origins because commercial microarrays, such as the ones used for genetic genealogy, do not have relevant markers.

But aAIMs is like finding the fingerprints of ancient people, Elhaik noted.

"It allows testing of a small number of markers - that can be found in a commonly available array - and you can ask what part of your genome is from Roman Britons or Viking, or Chumash Indians, or ancient Israelites, etc," he explained.

"We can ask any question we want about these ancient people as long as someone sequenced these ancient markers."

The researchers found that ancient genomes typically consist of hundreds of thousands and sometimes millions of markers.

"We demonstrated that only 13,000 markers are needed to make accurate population classifications for ancient genomes and while the field of ancient forensics does not exist yet, these aAIMs can help us get much closer to ancient people," Elhaik said.

Read More news:

LG joins Microsoft to accelerate autonomous vehicles business

'AI in activity trackers, smartwatches threatening privacy of health data'
I confess I had not previously been moved by Shimanos wheels. Neither lover nor a hater. They were fine. Trustworthy, but not my idea of cutting edge. I guess Ive felt that Shimano made the wheel I really wanted, just, three or years after that wheel had already hit the market with some other brands logo in it. Ive been more keen to ride Zipp, HED, ENVE, CADEX, with DT Swiss probably leading the way in hub design. Ive got to revise my opinion after the wheels Shimano just released at the Dura Ace and Ultegra level.



You may have missed this release because the embargo on these wheels lifted the same day as the (12-speed) 9200 and 8100 groupsets. Shimano has not only caught up in features to the wheels I prefer to ride, there are some decades-old design motifs that are regretfully no longer an option for me with other wheel brands, but i get these features with Shimano.

Lets dispense, quickly, with all the stuff Shimano probably wants me to talk about because its not the stuff about these wheels I want to talk about. The new wheels introduced are the C36, C50 and C60_HR, and those numbers refer to the depth: 36mm is a standard road wheel, very lightweight; 50mm is the wheel Ive been riding, which is just a good, all around, road wheel; 60mm is more of a sprinters wheel because of its stiffness and aerodynamics. If its a Dura Ace, the nomenclature goes like this: WH_R9270_36_TL. I wrote about Shimanos nomenclature and 9270 is the code for new 12-speed Dura Ace (9200) in the hydraulic disc brake motif (that final 70, making it 9270). The R is for road; the TL is for tubeless, and this wheel is also made in a tubular (sew-up tire) version.



That 36mm wheelset is very light at 1338g per pair, and that is on par with the lightest road wheelsets made these days. The 8170 (Ultegra) wheelset in 36mm is about 150g heavier and thats also on par with the weights of not-quite-halo-priced premium road wheelsets. These wheelsets improve on the aerodynamics of the Shimano wheels they replace by perhaps 3 or 4 watts if one compares wheel of identical depths, though in the graphs I saw the speed at which those watts are saved is not listed. (30mph is my guess; if it turns out I'm wrong I'll post the edit here.)

These wheels  especially the 60mm wheels - would be fine for timed racing and tri but these are road wheels, make no mistake (which is great, because while I race triathlons I spend most of my time riding either my road or my gravel bike). These wheels are made to be aero, but in the context of road: sprinting, descending, turning, handling and so on. Shimano has spent a lot of time thinking about this, and the C60 wheel has (for example) twice as many spokes on the drive side than on the brake side. Likewise my C50 wheel, which has 16 spokes on the drive side (the side more subject to wind-up during sprinting) and 8 on the disc brake side.





Shimano adopts features I need

Shimano has got religion on wider inner beads. Not all wheel brands have; Shimano isnt the last to do this. But wheel brands like ENVE and HED got that ball rolling, Zipp next, then CADEX, and now if you dont have an inner bead with on your road wheels of at least 20mm then Im probably not going to buy or ride your wheel. The inner bead width on these 9270 and 8170 wheelsets is 21mm. This means you can put larger road tires on there  from 28mm to 32mm, which is all I ride anymore for road  and the tires dont look like lollipops on a stick the way they do on 17mm and 19mm bead diameters. I can run lower pressures, and while I believe the market is moving toward hookless beads were in a transition period, where tire makers are transitioning to models that are ETRTO-compliant for hookless beads. The image below looks like a hookless bead bit it isn't. Because there is a bead hook I can ride pretty much any tubeless road tire I want on these wheels.

Whats old is new

Its the hub where things get interesting. Here is where Shimano new-schools the freehub inners, but it also continues with some functionality less often seen over the past 30 or 40 years. Maybe other hub makers are doing this and I just didnt get the memo; but I certainly notice this with Shimano.To get to the hubs inners, you will need to deploy a couple of 17mm cone wrenches to get the end caps off. I dont mind this, because...

...if I pick up one of these new fangled rear wheels from a different brand, especially if its got one of those huge pie-plate 1x cassettes on it, the cassette, along with the driver body, is liable to just fall onto the ground, me holding what remains of the wheel in my hand. Depending on the kind of hub engagement the hub gears and springs, or the pawls, fall out and I have to hunt around on the ground for them. End caps just fall off. This is just the way it is these days with wheels. If you bring a second wheelset with you in the car you have to really watch to make sure all the parts remain with the wheel. I am therefore not inconvenienced with end caps that thread on.



On the rear wheel, non-drive-side, once you take off an end cap this reveals a second nut, like a kind of inner end cap, also threaded onto the axle, which you also tighten or loosen with a 17mm end cone wrench. On the inside of this cap is a bearing race (image above) pressing on an old school ball-and-cage bearing like I havent seen in a hub in at least 30 years (except with Shimano). In the old days we could expose these bearings in our wheels, which meant we could decide what kind of lubrication we put on them; and how precisely we wanted these bearing races to sit against the balls in the bearing cages. In fact, as I recall some hubs didnt have cages at all, just the balls against the races.

You can see what this looks like on the drive side above. The front hubs (below) are the same way. The front hub end caps are end caps on the outside, bearing races on the inside and thats that. They are quite well sealed, so, it seems to me these hubs give you the benefit of sealed bearings with the freedom to precisely adjust the pressure on the bearings; change the lube to suit the use; and to service the hubs.



This also gives you the freedom to mess things up (crush the races through overtightening; or youll get play in the hub if you undertighten). So, dont get into these hubs unless you know what youre in for. If you do choose to service these hubs, be careful about grease on the freehub mechanism; Shimano is very particular about what you do and don't lube in there.



If you are a student of hubs like this, and you respect the tech, your bearings will last longer; perform better under a lateral load; you can microadjust the pressure of the races against the balls; and you can lube for speed or lube for other imperatives.

Thats how these Shimano hubs are. Mind, theyre direct engagement hubs, which feature gears and springs rather than pawls and ratchet rings. DT Swisss hubs, and Zipps Cognition hubs, are like this, as well as the hubs of a lot of wheel brands that deploy this tech. These hubs are very new-tech. But this one old-school feature is cool. In the old days you could dial those old hubs so precisely, you could hold the front wheel in your hands, spin it, and it would rotate for days. Your arms would wear out before the wheel stopped. Yes, it was great when sealed bearings came along because no more maintenance! However, you lost the capacity to get those wheels to spin with absolutely, positively the least possible friction. You were tied to whatever friction those sealed bearings gave you.





Ultegra

These wheels at the Ultegra level are priced at a pretty reasonable  for what they are  $1,399 a pair. The C36 weights 1,488g for the set and this compares well to, say, the Zipp 303S in weight, price and features (wide inner bead, deep well, etc.). Like the 303S, the Ultegra wheelset does not have this new clutch-style, direct engagement freehub system (its got traditional pawl-and-ratchet-ring).

The one regret about Shimanos wheels is that you dont have the freedom to change a freehub body and ride these wheels with a SRAM groupset. One can understand why. Nevertheless, I appreciate when I can ride any wheelset with any bike. I have two road bikes right now, one SRAM Force AXS and one Shimano 9270 Dura Ace, and several wheelsets I can ride with them. The Zipp and CADEX wheels I can ride with either bike because I have swappable driver bodies for each. Not so these Dura Ace wheels.



The wheels Ive been riding around on are WH-R9270 C50-TL and yes, theyre pricy at $2,099 but compared to those in its competitive set they are actually not pricy. The hub tech, weight and other specs are more typically found in wheels from $2,400 to $3,200 a pair. The hard part is getting them, in this era of COVID-encumbered shipping delays.
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!
Chinese officials have taken steps for months to crack down on cryptocurrencies, with mixed effects. Now they have tried to erase any doubts about their intentions.

In statements that were the most extreme and unequivocal so far, authorities on Friday said crypto transactions in China are banned and they will root out mining of digital assets. Almost immediately, the popular offshore exchange Huobi stopped allowing new users to register with a mainland China phone number and in a statement Sunday said it would gradually retire existing mainland China user accounts by December 31.

Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies have been banned in China. Credit:AP

While this is not a surprise as China has banned crypto many times in the past, this time there is no ambiguity, said Henri Arslanian, PwC crypto leader and partner, on Twitter. Crypto transactions and crypto services of all kind are banned in China. No room for discussion. No grey area.

The Peoples Bank of China issued its missive along with nine other institutions, including the supreme court, the police and the internet and securities watchdogs, a signal that enforcement may come from all corners. It also closed the longstanding loophole that enabled citizens to maintain accounts with offshore exchanges such as Huobi, and forbid the platforms to hire locally for roles like marketing, tech and payment, limiting their ability to serve Chinese customers.
The City of Latrobe local government area in the Gippsland region of eastern Victoria will enter a seven-day lockdown from 11.59pm tonight, in response to a rapid rise in cases of COVID-19.

Victorian health authorities declared late on Tuesday that the region would be subject to the same restrictions as metropolitan Melbourne, excluding the curfew.

Residents of areas including Morwell will be subject to similar restrictions to metropolitan Melbourne from midnight. Credit:Penny Stephens

A health department spokesperson said cases in the City of Latrobe had increased rapidly in recent days, with 18 active cases in the council area as of Tuesday.

A further four cases confirmed today will be reported in tomorrows numbers.

The public health teams have significant concerns about onward transmission in the Latrobe Valley and have determined that the seven-day lockdown is needed to limit growth in cases, as it did in Ballarat and Geelong, the spokesperson said.

Earlier on Tuesday, Victorian Health Minister Martin Foley said it was regrettable that a gathering of multiple households in the Latrobe Valley had resulted in new cases.

People dont think [the rules apply] to them, he said.

People think were all good, [but it] just takes one case with this highly infectious Delta variant, until such time as weve got the levels of vaccination where we want them to be, for these kinds of outbreaks to occur.

Victorian Health Minister Martin Foley said the outbreak was regrettable. Credit:Getty

The lockdown means residents in the City of Latrobe can only leave home for limited reasons, including to purchase necessary goods and services, caregiving or compassionate reasons (including medical care and getting a COVID-19 test), authorised work or permitted education, exercise and outdoor social interaction in limited groups, and getting a COVID-19 vaccine locally.

They can also leave home to visit an intimate partner or single social bubble buddy. No other visitors are allowed.

Shopping, exercise and outdoor social interaction will be limited to 15km from your home. Mask wearing will be mandatory indoors and outdoors.

Residents cannot leave the City of Latrobe area and travel elsewhere in regional Victoria other than for limited reasons, such as authorised work and permitted education, care and compassionate reasons, visiting an intimate partner, and obtaining necessary goods and services that cannot be obtained locally.

The health department said a rapid response testing team has been deployed to provide support for the testing site at the indoor sports stadium on Ashby Street in Traralgon, and extra resources will be provided to boost capacity and extend opening hours.

The testing centre is in addition to testing sites at the Australian Clinical Labs on Grey Street in Traralgon, the Latrobe Respiratory Clinic on Princes Drive in Morwell, the Dorevitch Pathology site at Latrobe Regional Hospital, and the Moe Senior Citizens Centre on Langford Street.

Testing capacity will also be boosted in Baw Baw and Bass Coast, they said.

Latrobe Valley mayor Sharon Gibson urged residents to band together and show one another support, rather than looking for someone to blame.

She said news that some residents may have gathered illegally during the AFL Grand Final long weekend could be a symptom of people who were struggling and not out to harm others.

Please be kind to one another. People are struggling mentally; theyre desperately concerned about their businesses, their homes, their jobs, she said.

Sometimes people do things and dont think of the consequences, even though they can be far reaching as were finding out.

Acting Chief Health Officer Ben Cowie urged residents in the City of Latrobe to follow the lockdown restrictions, get tested if they had symptoms, and get vaccinated if they hadnt already.

Weve just seen the Ballarat and Geelong communities get through an outbreak so we know it can be done  its vital we protect the local community and the rest of regional Victoria from significant outbreaks, he said.
Two images have been released by police of a man wanted in relation to the alleged assault of a nurse outside a medical centre in Sydneys inner west.

Emergency services were called to the facility on Glebe Point Road, Glebe, about 11.45am on August 27 after reports of an assault.

Police would like to speak to a man captured on CCTV after an alleged assault at a Glebe medical centre. Credit:NSW Police Media

A 37-year-old female nurse had been outside the centre when she was allegedly assaulted by an unknown man, police have been told.

Despite a search of the surrounds, the man could not be located.
A man has been arrested and charged with the manslaughter of toddler Jordan Thompson, who was left in his care in the NSW Hunter Region in 2005.

Cecil Kennedy, 49, was charged on Monday night in relation to the death of his then-partners 21-month-old son.

Jordan Thompson died aged 21 months in 2005. Credit:NSW Police

Police allege the boys mother, Bernice Swales, had left her Singleton unit to buy groceries on March 19, 2005 when she returned home to find Jordan unresponsive.

She picked him up and ran across the road to Singleton Hospital but he was pronounced dead.
Attempts by anti-vaccination protesters to rally again on Monday fizzled out quickly, after an alleged organiser behind one of Melbournes largest protests was arrested and charged with inciting others to breach public health directions.

More than 230 protesters were arrested and six police officers needed hospital treatment after the Melbourne protests on September 18.

Harrison Mclean (front) was charged by police after the Melbourne lockdown protest rally on September 18. Credit: @HarrisonMclean on Telegram

Protesters promised rolling action, and returned every day last week, stopping traffic on the West Gate Bridge and occupying the Shrine of Remembrance before their efforts were thwarted by police.

On Monday, one small gathering of people held anti-vaccination signs in North Fitzroys Edinburgh Gardens, watched on by dozens of police, but the group swiftly dispersed.
Were not at 50 per cent yet, but were getting quite close. To the extent that it was meaningful there, lets hope its meaningful here, too. The latest flashpoint in the public debate over mandatory vaccinations emerged on Monday when the University of Melbourne announced its staff and students must be inoculated to return to in-person learning in November. Within minutes of that declaration, the universitys National Tertiary Education Union branch joined a long line of trade unions opposing vaccine mandates, urging consultation. The branch committee calls on the university to NOT issue a vaccine mandate at this time, and to instead engage with staff and the NTEU about the full suite of safety measures, a union statement said.

NSW will begin winding back public health rules on October 11 after 70 per cent of its residents are fully-vaccinated. In December, when its hoped 90 per cent of people will have had two doses of the vaccine, unvaccinated Sydneysiders will enjoy the same freedoms as inoculated ones, with no limits on home visitors, and minimal density limits. Daily infections in the state continued to decline on Monday, dropping to 787. Responding to the easing of restrictions for unvaccinated people in NSW, Mr Andrews said his government had not yet turned its mind to which rules would be eased as vaccine uptake surged beyond 80 per cent, but warned against loosening restrictions for those who chose not to be vaccinated. Raymond King gets his COVID-19 jab at a pop-up clinic at Waterloo, in Sydneys inner-south, on Monday. Credit:Dominic Lorrimer I do not want to be signalling to people well, dont bother; dont bother being part of the 80 per cent [because] theres no urgency, youll only be locked out of the pub for a few weeks, he said. No ones chasing 100 per cent  but were going to be pushing for as long as we possibly can.

Loading Weve not even turned our mind really to when some of the vaccinated economy ... might change and when everyone might be on an equal footing. Of Victorias 705 new cases, more than 400 were from the northern suburbs, 84 were located in south-eastern suburbs like Dandenong and Pakenham and 32 stemmed from the eastern suburbs. The proportion of Victorias active cases in hospital is about 4 per cent, compared to 14 per cent in August last year when outbreaks were rife among Victorias unvaccinated aged care residents. Younger Victorians  who suffer milder strains of the illness, but are more susceptible to infection because fewer of them have been vaccinated  are fuelling the current outbreak. Despite recording hundreds of cases for weeks, data from the federal Health Departments national COVID-19 metric database shows 100 per cent of people who test positive in Victoria are notified within 24 hours, which is a key marker of top contact-tracing performance. In NSW, two-thirds are being told within a day.

Victorian disease detectives, whose performance was substandard in 2020, when a paper-based system was used, are also contacting 100 per cent of close contacts within 48 hours. NSW authorities are no longer providing data to the federal government on this metric. The effective reproduction number  which measures how many people each infected person passes the virus onto  first dropped below 1 in NSW on September 9, when about 76.4 per cent of people in the state had received at least one vaccine dose. Victoria has just passed 77 per cent and its Reff [effective reproduction number] dipped slightly to 1.26 on Monday. A figure below 1 indicates a slowing outbreak. Professor Tony Blakely. The Burnet Institute modelling commissioned by the Victorian government predicted a first peak in daily average infections of between 1400 and 2900 in the last two weeks of October, before another peak in December. It assumed cases would keep growing at the same trajectory as they were at September 17. Professor Blakely said it was too difficult to predict exactly when Victorias epidemic curve would start bending downwards, but he believed it would occur soon.

The professor said several variables affected the future trajectory of cases, including the impact of protests attended by two COVID-positive people last week. He said evidence of rule-breaking behaviour spawning cases  up to 45 per cent of Saturdays cases were linked to illegal social activities  also created uncertainty. Its bloody hard to predict, Professor Blakely said, adding that the rate of spread among sub-populations in hotspots where the virus was spreading rapidly would determine whether the outbreak was curbed. Professor Bennett said Victoria was beyond the vaccination rate of NSW when its outbreak started to turn, and said Victoria might experience the same effect any time now. Victorias test positivity rate  the proportion of tests that are positive  has climbed above NSW; a sign there might be more virus in the community than authorities are detecting. The percentage of positive tests in Victoria is now 1.02 per cent, which is more than double the rate two weeks ago. NSWs figure has dropped from 1.05 per cent two weeks ago to about 0.75 per cent.
Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce has warned winding back the nations $50 billion fossil fuel export industry will mean less federal government revenue to support the aged pension and disabled Australians as his colleagues warn they wont be pushovers on any net-zero emissions pact.

The junior Coalition partner  which is bitterly divided on the issue  has put off a likely fierce debate on a net-zero target by 2050 until a planned face-to-face meeting on October 17, with several MPs absent or forced to miss large parts of a virtual partyroom meeting on Monday.

Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyces Nationals partyroom is divided over a net zero emissions target by 2050. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

Mr Joyce said he was not playing ducks and drakes on the issue, acknowledging there was a wide range of views within the 20-member federal partyroom and he would follow a consultative process.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has promised his government will take a plan towards a carbon neutral economy to the United Nations climate summit in Glasgow at the end of next month but has not yet committed to a 2050 target.
As Joe Biden was negotiating a nuclear submarine partnership with Scott Morrison and preparing for a Quad meeting at the White House last week, the US was secretly working on another deal.

The US President had spoken to Chinas leader Xi Jinping by phone two weeks earlier. China had made it clear that the price of co-operation on big issues such as climate change was some concessions on key disputes that had plagued the relationship for the past four years.

Meng Wanzhou waves as she steps out of an airplane in Shenzhen. Credit:

High on the list was Meng Wanzhou, the chief financial officer of Huawei and the daughter of its founder Ren Zhengfei. The corporate princess had been under house arrest in Canada for almost three years on US fraud charges related to alleged Iran sanction violations.

China had detained and charged two Canadians in retaliation. Consultant Michael Spavor and former diplomat Michael Kovrig were locked up on vague national security grounds.
Washington: US President Joe Biden rolled up his shirt sleeve for a COVID-19 vaccine booster inoculation, hoping to provide a powerful example for Americans on the need to get the extra shot even as millions go without their first.

In getting the booster on Monday, local time, he dismissed criticism that the United States should distribute more vaccines worldwide before allowing boosters at home.

US President Joe Biden receives a COVID-19 booster shot at the White House. Credit:AP

We are going to do our part, he said.

The US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) last week backed an additional dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for Americans aged 65 and older, adults with underlying medical conditions and adults in high-risk working and institutional settings.
Holbrook, New York: Lines of mourners paid their respects on Sunday for Gabby Petito, the 22-year-old whose death on a cross-country trip has sparked a manhunt for her boyfriend.

Among those who congregated in Holbrook, about 56 kilometres east of New York City, were family members, friends, co-workers and people who were touched by Petitos story even though they didnt know her.

I dont want you guys to be sad, her father, Joseph Petito, said during a memorial at Moloney Holbrook Funeral Home. Gabby didnt live that way  people gravitated toward her. Her nature was always to smile.

A poster of homicide victim Gabby Petito near the funeral home where she was remembered. Credit:AP

He said his daughter should inspire people to grab lifes opportunities.
In Australia, the revelations increased pressure on the government to withdraw from the US coalition of occupation, and in June 2008 prime minister Kevin Rudd announced a drawdown of most Australian combat troops. However, it was a US State Department document later released by WikiLeaks that showed the truth hidden from the Australian public: fulfilling a campaign pledge, Rudd withdrew approximately 515 combat troops from Iraq in June 2008, leaving in place approximately 1000 defence personnel, including a 100-man security detachment for its diplomatic mission in Baghdad, and naval and air patrol assets based in neighbouring countries to support operations in both Iraq and Afghanistan. Soon after, WikiLeaks published the "Iraq War Logs"  the largest leak in US military history. The documents demonstrated there were many thousands more civilian deaths than reported or acknowledged by the US government, as well as the systemic failure to investigate reports of abuse, torture, rape and even murder by Iraqi forces and abuse in US detention facilities. Days after, Assange told me there was more to come: he had over a quarter of a million US diplomatic cables and he was going to publish them: it would provide the public unprecedented insight into international diplomacy, US foreign policy and, as a result, Australian acquiescence to its ally's demands. Assange was acutely aware of the personal consequences and the persecution that would follow, but felt a duty to the source and to the public to publish the material: "They will chase me to the end of the earth, but I have to do it." Soon his bank accounts were frozen, WikiLeaks would be cut off from public donations by Mastercard and Visa, the Australian government threatened to cancel his passport and he was wrongfully accused by then prime minister Julia Gillard of unlawful conduct, as part of what was reported to be a co-ordinated international campaign driven by a "WikiLeaks Task Force" in the US. High-profile US politicians called for him to be killed by drone strike. Assange, busy working on the publication with mainstream media partners, was suddenly the subject of an international manhunt culminating in an Interpol Red Notice and a European Arrest Warrant for a Swedish accusation that had previously been dropped by the Chief Prosecutor in Stockholm because, she said, the evidence "did not disclose any evidence of rape" and that "no crime at all" had been committed.

Assange makes a statement from the Ecuador embassy in 2012. Credit:AP There were also consequences for me as his lawyer. In the days before "Cablegate" was published, the US State Department leaked to the press a letter it had sent to "Ms Robinson and Mr Assange" accusing us both of putting at risk US national security, military and anti-terrorism operations around the world. The death threats directed at Assange also started being directed at me. "Cablegate" became known as "the largest set of confidential documents ever to be released into the public domain" and there is no denying the overwhelming public interest in the material. From Tunisia to Tonga, Canberra to Cairo and the West Bank to West Papua, WikiLeaks disclosures revealed corruption, abuse of power and human rights abuse. WikiLeaks documents were cited in human rights reports about Sri Lankan military operations against the Tamils and in the groundbreaking documentary No Fire Zone, which led to a UN investigation into war crimes. The "Iraq War Logs" were used by lawyers in filing a case against the UK before the International Criminal Court. And in a landmark judgment in early 2018, the UK Supreme Court held that WikiLeaks cables were admissible as evidence before the British courts. This development is likely to be followed in courts around the Commonwealth. But what of WikiLeaks' founder and editor  the person responsible for making all of this possible?

Assange sits in Belmarsh Prison in London, where he has been for over a year-and-a-half, facing US extradition. This, after spending almost seven years in London's Ecuadorian Embassy, to protect himself from US extradition. In 2017 Sweden dropped its criminal investigation, only to re-open and re-close it in 2019. Women's allegations must always be taken seriously, but so too should due process protections which Assange was denied. Assange was always willing to face Swedish and British justice, but not at the risk of facing American injustice for publishing information in the public interest. Throughout that time, successive Australian governments refused to ask for the assurances against extradition he needed to be able to resolve the situation. To the contrary, then foreign minister Bob Carr wrote in Diary of a Foreign Minister that he had been deliberately misleading in his statements to the Australian public  inventing his claim that Assange had more consular assistance than any other citizen  in order to undermine the campaign that Assange's mother and supporters were trying to start to bring him home. (Carr has more recently written in support of Assange and the need for the Australian government to intervene.) In 2016, we obtained a ruling from the UN that Assange was being arbitrarily detained and should be immediately permitted to leave the embassy and return home to Australia. Australia took no action.

By 2018, no one could credibly deny the threat of US extradition: US attorney-general Jeff Sessions had said that prosecuting Assange was a priority. Then director of the CIA (and now US Secretary of State) Mike Pompeo declared WikiLeaks a "hostile non-state intelligence agency" and claimed Assange should not benefit from the right to free speech under the US Constitution. Australia took no action. In 2020, Assange faces 175 years in prison for the 2010 publications for which WikiLeaks won the Walkley Award for Most Outstanding Contribution to Journalism and for which Assange won the Sydney Peace Prize. Assange's partner, Stella Moris, right, and his lawyer Jennifer Robinson, arrive at the Central Criminal Court, the Old Bailey on September 14. Credit:AP He is now being held on remand, in a high-security prison in London, having not had a visitor since the outbreak of COVID-19. And still Australia takes no action. The Australian government claims it is offering consular assistance. But this case requires more: it needs diplomatic and political action.

The treatment of Assange stands in stark contrast to assistance the Australian government has offered others, such as International Criminal Court lawyer Melinda Taylor, who was visited by Carr when he was still foreign minister, had a passport delivered and then was brought out of Libya. The fact that Assange now faces prosecution under the Espionage Act puts at risk editors and journalists not just in the US but around the world. Assange is an Australian citizen, not based in the US, who published truthful information about the US, but he is being sought for extradition and prosecution in the US. Imagine if Saudi Arabia was seeking the extradition and prosecution of an Australian journalist for having published the truth about the murder of Jamal Khashoggi, or if China was seeking the extradition of an Australian editor for publishing truthful information about the beginnings of COVID-19. Australia would definitely have something to say about that. Why not when it is about the US? A Secret Australia: Revealed by the WikiLeaks Exposes (Monash University Publishing). The US government is trying to claim in the extradition proceedings that Assange put lives at risk with these publications. But during the Chelsea Manning trial in 2013, a US brigadier-general in counter-intelligence was unable to identify one casualty. Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell had said in 2010 "there was no evidence that anyone had been killed because of the leaks".
DNA evidence ties a former pizza delivery man accused of being one of the city's most prolific serial killers to the slayings of 10 women and an unborn foetus, a prosecutor told jurors on Tuesday at the start of his trial.

The women's killings happened over 11 years. Deputy District Attorney Bobby Grace said Chester Turner was finally caught after he was arrested in 2002 on charges of raping a woman in Los Angeles.

Authorities charged Turner, 40, in October 2004. If convicted, he could face the death penalty.

Turner's DNA was submitted to cold-case investigators and "like water from a faucet" each unsolved murder was linked to Turner, Grace told jury.

Police allege he accosted most of his victims on a street in crime-plagued south Los Angeles, raping and strangling them in a killing spree that extended from 1987 to 1998.
PHILIPSBURG:--- On Sunday morning at around 1:50 am, police were notified about an alleged assault at We Lounge in Maho. Several police patrols were dispatched to the location.

Upon arrival at the location, it became apparent that the main entrance to the premises was closed although there was a party still ongoing in the establishment.

A further investigation by the police revealed that the We Lounge had organized a private party after the decreed closing time of 11:00 pm, in violation of the ministerial decree aimed at curbing the spread of COVID-19.

In the course of this private party, a brawl ensued during which the victim, A.P., was allegedly assaulted with a bottle. The victim sustained a laceration to the head.

A quick investigation at the premises led police to the suspect responsible for the assault who was still at the location. This suspect with the initials O.N. was later detained by the patrol and taken to the station where he remains pending further investigation.

In recent days, police and other government entities have discovered several businesses that closed their doors at 11:00 pm, but continue to hold private parties after the decreed closing. These types of behavior will no longer be tolerated by law enforcement. Personnel representing TEATT and police are working together to combat practice.

KPSM Press Release.
PHILIPSBURG:--- Monday, September 27, marks World Tourism Day (WTD) 2021 under the theme Tourism for Inclusive Growth.



According to the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), the COVID-19 pandemic has had a massive social and economic impact. Both developed and developing economies have been hit. And marginalized groups and the most vulnerable have been hit hardest of all. The restart of tourism will help kickstart recovery and growth. It is essential that the benefits this will bring are enjoyed widely and fairly.



Travel can be life-changing when asking individuals, what makes you come back to Sint Maarten? The response most often is, The Friendly People. We have one of the highest return visitor rates, people truly love coming back to Sint Maarten, year after year. As often described by visitors, I feel welcomed, I feel at home.



This years theme, Tourism for Inclusive Growth, is near to my heart, it sides to the importance of everyone coming together and being included, which is extremely important for growth. I want to thank everyone for your continued dedication to making Sint Maarten a destination of choice. With approximately 80% of our Gross Domestic Product (GDP) being made up of tourism, it is important for us to acknowledge and celebrate this day.



Let us celebrate our people who continue to make a positive impact on our guests, let us celebrate the individuals of our Island who continue to drive destination demand, and who tirelessly continue to make our destination desirable. People continue to return to Sint Maarten because of how they feel here, we are, The Friendly Island, shared Minister Lawrence.



The past 18 months have been very difficult, but we have led in tourism, and we are an example of what can be accomplished. In the past months, we saw a positive increase in visitors, and we can look forward to a busy upcoming high season, and therefore, we have much to celebrate.



We had to reopen our destination more than a year ago in order to ensure economic recovery and that the business community and our citizens recover and grow after the shutdown. This safe restart was essential as we continue moving our way through the pandemic, behind every person there is a story to tell on how it has transformed us as a community and how it prepared us for our reopening, stated May-Ling Chun, Director of Tourism.



Once again, I applaud all the women and men working in our tourism sectors, to the frontline workers, the business community, investors, entrepreneurs, and to my teams, I thank you for all you do, we are making a difference.



I also want to thank Member of Parliament (MP) Ludmila De Weever, former minister of TEATT, for her work in tourism. Let us continue to work together for when we do, we achieve more. Lets be optimistic, for the future is bright. Happy World Tourism Day, Minister Lawrence said on Sunday.



WTD is celebrated each year on 27 September. It is a global observance creating awareness about tourisms social, cultural, political, and economic value and contribution that the sector makes towards national development.
PHILIPSBURG:--- On Friday, September 23, 2021, Minister Richardson had an introductory meeting with the acting director of Enforcement policy and International policy at Dutch Customs Mrs. Irene Uitermark, and Dutch Customs strategic Policy Advisor International Affairs Mr. Bert De Haas at the Head of Office of the Customs Administration in the city of Rotterdam.

Dutch Customs has been assisting Sint Maartens Customs since 2018 as part of the mutual agreement on strengthening Sint Maartens borders. Minister Richardson thanked acting director Mrs. Uitermark for Dutch Customs assistance to Sint Maarten and informed the director of the areas where she would like to see increased cooperation. Sharing an island with an open border poses certain challenges for the country, said Minister Richardson. I would like to see our Customs organization become better equipped at identifying these challenges and dealing with them in a more efficient way. For example, we know that Sint Maarten has a large market for counterfeit items of, especially high-end brands. When our laws to combat the illegal sale of counterfeit items are not properly enforced it negatively affects Sint Maartens reputation internationally as the quality of all our goods is called into question.

Mrs. Uitermark shared that counterfeit items are also an issue in the Netherlands, and that investigations have shown that oftentimes the counterfeit market is closely linked to criminal activity.

Minister Richardson also conveyed her wish to see increased cooperation in the areas of education and training of Customs officers on Sint Maarten to further professionalize and strengthen the organization. The willingness to assist in these areas was communicated to Minister Richardson and she was informed that special focus will be given to this topic under the new protocol for border protection.

In the Netherlands, Customs falls under the Ministry of Finance and it does not enforce rules on criminal cases. Instead, for criminal cases, there is a close working relationship between Customs and the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee. Often times the information that Customs obtains from its operations is quite valuable for criminal cases. Dutch Customs acting director Mrs. Uitermark emphasized the importance of close cooperation and the exchange of information between partners in the chain.

After the introductory meeting with the acting director of the Enforcement Policy and International policy at Dutch Customs Mrs. Irene Uitermark, Minister Richardson and her delegation traveled to the Port of Rotterdam at the Maasvlakte II which encompasses the largest freight port of the European Union. At the Port of Rotterdam, Minister Richardson was met by Regional Director of Customs Jan Kamp and his colleagues and received a presentation on Customs operations. The Minister was also given a tour of the Customs facility and practical training grounds where custom officers can train in a simulated ship environment to become more familiar with real-life scenarios that they may encounter.

Impressive was the term used by Minister Richardson to describe the large-scale and highly efficient operation that is managed by Dutch Customs to handle the flow of goods.

Minister Richardson also had the opportunity to meet with a Dutch Customs officer who worked in Sint Maarten alongside Sint Maarten Custom officers for a period of two (2) years as part of technical assistance provided through the Plan of Approach on strengthening border protection. Minister Richardson expressed her gratitude to the officer for his service in Sint Maarten.

After visiting Customs, Minister Richardson traveled to Schiphol airport where she was received by Royal Marechaussee coordinator Schiphol colonel Elwin van der Molen. He gave a short introduction about the task of the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee and its operations at Schiphol airport. The presentation was followed by an extensive tour of the operations in the field, where the Minister was given the opportunity to utilize a KIOSK, identify a fraudulent document and learn about the functionalities of the various departments within the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee from persons working in the field.

Seeing the wide scope of the border operation carried out by the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee was an important aspect of Minister Richardsons work visit. The Minister was given extensive information which she intends to utilize to strengthen Sint Maartens immigration organization. At the end of the tour, the Minister was presented with commemorative gifts from the KMAR for which she expressed her thanks. She also thanked Colonel Van Der Molen and his colleagues for their warm welcome and their committed dedication to continuing to assist Sint Maarten.

The day was concluded with a meet and greet discussion with young Sint Maarten professionals and students in the Netherlands which was coordinated through the office of the honorable Minister of Plenipotentiary, Rene Violenus, and his Cabinet. Members of United Sint Maarten Connection (USC) and Unleashed Potential Group (UPG), both foundations that cater to and create a space for Sint Maarteners in the Netherlands, were also present during the meet and greet. The conversation was a very positive one with too little time available, as such it was agreed that a virtual continuation will be planned.
PHILIPSBURG:--- The General Audit Chamber submitted its report entitled Mini audit: Responsible Gambling to Parliament today. The report explores the programs and funding available to promote responsible gambling on Sint Maarten.

The availability of data and statistics on responsible gambling on Sint Maarten impacted the outcome of the report. In total, there are 20 gambling facilities on Dutch Sint Maarten. The report highlights that the potential annual revenue expected from casino and lottery license fees is approximately ANG 10.7 million. From 2017 to date, Government collected between 15% and 54% of this amount.

Before 2016, Turning Point offered a voluntary program that was financed by the Ministry of VSA. Since 2016, these funds have not been released or disbursed to the institution due to various reasons. The Audit Chamber determined that currently, no fees are specifically allocated towards programs promoting responsible gambling.

The report is published in both English and Dutch and is available on the website of the General Audit Chamber (www.arsxm.org) and via links on the General Audit Chambers social media platforms Facebook and LinkedIn.

Click here for a mini audit report
How to build smarter, more secure cities from the ground up

Today, we live in a technology-obsessed age. Whichever way you look, its hard to avoid the increasing number applications, products and solutions that continue to redefine the boundaries of what we previously thought possible. From autonomous vehicles and edge computing to 5G and the Internet of Things, all facets of our lives are continuing to evolve, thanks to an endless stream of differentiated innovations. In this article, well be focusing on the latter of these - the Internet of Things (IoT). Deployment of IoT technologies Smart homes, smart utilities, smart retail, smart farming, smart supply chains and many of the other smart versions of sectors that were already familiar with, are all called as such because of the implications of IoT. Indeed, it is a technology that has manifested itself in billions of devices, which today underpin the truly transformational levels of connectivity that we see across industries of all shapes and sizes. The statistics speak for themselves. According to Statista, over US$ 1 trillion is expected to be spent on IoT technology worldwide, in 2022. Be it added convenience, efficiency, productivity or intelligence, many benefits are poised to emerge from this spike in IoT-related activities. Yet to say this digital transition is going to be entirely positive would be naive. Threats faced by smart cities It is said that by 2040, 65 per cent of the worlds population will be living in cities Lets consider smart cities. It is said that by 2040, 65 per cent of the worlds population will be living in cities. To accommodate such an influx, without facing significant logistical issues, with limited space and infrastructure, policy makers have begun to recognise that these urban environments need to become not only larger, but smarter as well. As a result, the global smart cities market is on the rise. Statista states that, globally, technology spending on smart city initiatives is expected to double from US$ 81 billion in 2018 to US$ 189.5 billion in 2023. Threat of attackers with expanding IoT landscape The challenge here is that such a stark uptick will drastically expand the IoT landscape, presenting more opportunities than ever to threat actors. As connectivity and computing power is distributed more widely across large-scale outdoor networks, hackers will scale-up their own operations in tandem. According to a Nokia report from October 2020 (based on data aggregated from monitoring network traffic on more than 150 million devices globally), IoT devices now account for roughly 33 per cent of all infected devices, up from the 16 per cent estimated in 2019. Whats more concerning is how these figures are translating into real world events. 2021 alone has already witnessed an attack on a water plant in Oldsmart, Florida, which was designed to poison residents drinking water. Furthermore, Colonial Pipeline, one of the largest fuel pipelines in the US was also hacked, earlier this year, resulting in major shortages across the countrys East Coast. Security through IoT authentication From weak password protection, a lack of regular patch updates and insecure interfaces, to insufficient data protection, poor IoT devices management and an IoT skills gap, there are plenty of weaknesses existing within the IoT ecosystem, which continue to provide open goals for attackers. To defend against such lethal threats, security-by-design and open standards should be the guiding principles of IoT, working to prioritise security, interoperability and robust, internet-based protocols to mitigate risks. Device authentication and encryption A sound place to start is to make device authentication and encryption the central pillars of your IoT security architecture A sound place to start, in this regard, is to make device authentication and encryption the central pillars of your IoT security architecture. The goal is to be able to prove that each and every device joining a network is not malicious, with tell-tale signs being rogue code, for example. By ensuring each device is uniquely identifiable with digital certificates and therefore, properly authenticated when joining a network, you can ensure no tampered devices are able to infiltrate your overarching network. Using technologies, such as Hardware Secure Element Critically, passwords should be avoided altogether, these vulnerable to being stolen and cracked. And, while a similar vulnerability lies in the fact that all secure devices contain a private key, you can leverage technologies, such as Hardware Secure Element (a chip designed specifically to protect against unauthorised access, even if the attacker has physical access to the device), as an extra layer of defence. Digital certificates are not the only option available in protecting those IoT devices that, if tampered with, could become the cause of physical threats. Physical Unclonable Function (PUF) can also be used to prevent tampering. Physical Unclonable Function (PUF) Through Physical Unclonable Function (PUF), a form of IoT device fingerprint is developed from the unique make up of a piece of silicon, which can be used to create a unique cryptographic key. Unlike digital certificates, a secure infrastructure can be achieved through PUF, without the need for any additional hardware, as the key is not only stored securely, but it also becomes invisible to hackers, when the device is not running. The importance of encryption Use of AES encryption within radio chips, to scramble messages on the move, is the method adopted at Wi-SUN Alliance Now, lets turn attentions to encryption. The use of AES encryption within radio chips, to scramble messages on the move, is the method that we have adopted here at Wi-SUN Alliance. Its a means of maximising data security, but also reducing power consumption in the devices themselves. Beyond AES encryption, its also worth considering topography at the design stage. Indeed, mesh networks are advantageous for several reasons. They are more reliable, allowing data to be re-routed, should devices lose contact unexpectedly. Transmissions usually travel shorter distances, which improves power efficiency and performance, and frequency hopping functionality prevents attackers from jamming signals, which could deny the service altogether. Open standards and interoperability But where do open, interoperable standards fit in? As is defined by the European Committee for Interoperable Systems (ECIS), interoperability enables a computer programme to communicate and exchange information with other computer programmes, allowing all programmes to use that information. Open standards then allow any vendor of communications equipment or services to implement all standards necessary, to interoperate with other vendors. This is incredibly useful from a security perspective. It means that all specs are stress-tested and verified by many users, and that any vulnerabilities are quickly detected, and remediated, enhancing security and reliability. Need for open standards Equally, open standards can accelerate time-to-market, reduce costs and ensure products are usable, with a variety of manufacturers processors and radios, with a steam of publicly available protocol stacks, design information and reference implementations available that can help build and future-proof secure products. Indeed, large-scale corporate IoT networks alongside smart cities, smart utilities, and other key smart infrastructure will only continue to evolve, in the coming years. With the immense threats of attackers in mind, these systems must prioritise security-by-design, both now and in the future.
New York, 28 August 2021 (SPS) - The United Nations Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, announced on Friday that he has appointed Alexander Ivanko of the Russian Federation as the new Special Representative for Western Sahara and head of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO).



Alexander Ivanko succeeds the Canadian Colin Stewart.



Having served as MINURSO's chief of staff since 2009, Mr. Ivanko has more than 30 years of experience in international affairs, peacekeeping and journalism, according to a UN statement.



He previously served as Director of Public Information for the United Nations Mission in Kosovo (2006-2009) and as UN Spokesperson in Bosnia and Herzegovina (1994-1998).



Mr Ivanko began his career in journalism, working as a correspondent in Afghanistan and the US for a Russian newspaper.



He was also Senior Advisor to the Representative on Freedom of the Media of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (1998-2005).



He holds a master's degree in journalism from Moscow State University and he is fluent in Russian and English. (SPS)



062
STAMFORD  For generations, General Electric small appliances were made in Fairfield County. Now, decades after the end of that era, the business is reviving its manufacturing presence in southwestern Connecticut.

GE Appliances, which is now owned by Chinese consumer-goods company Haier, announced Monday plans to open next year a small-appliances microfactory at 49 John St., in Stamfords South End. The manufacturing will anchor a sprawling 67,000-square-foot facility known as CoCREATE Stamford, which company officials also envision as a hub for collaboration with colleges and universities and as a public showcase for their products.

Weve been under a business transformation at GE Appliances, and its guided by a philosophy we like to call zero distance, CEO and President Kevin Nolan, a Stamford native, told several-dozen attendees during a press conference inside 49 John St. That transformation has brought us here. To be zero distance means we have to be with our customers.

CoCREATE will mark the first complex in Connecticut for the Louisville, Ky.-headquartered GE Appliances  with plans to initially create 25 jobs at the new site. It will operate in a now-empty space that formerly housed a warehouse for furnisher Lillian August.

GE Appliances plans to launch production next spring at 49 John St., making products such as the Monogram Smart Flush Hearth Oven. It will then open other sections including a community makerspace, product showrooms, and a heritage center focusing on the areas manufacturing history. The company expects the site to be fully operational by late next year.

Its Stamford microfactory will complement production facilities in Kentucky, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina and Tennessee. In total, the company employs about 14,000.

This is a very powerful partnership, said Peter Denious, CEO and president of AdvanceCT, an economic development-focused nonprofit. As the states private-sector, economic-development partner, we at AdvanceCT get out and tell the Connecticut story every day  to share the stories of the incredible companies doing business here, our talented workforce and the cutting-edge innovation thats going on in our great state.

The expansion to Connecticut reflects GE Appliances announcement last year that it would return to manufacturing and selling small appliances after 35 years. Its lineup now includes coffee makers, toasters, toaster ovens, blenders and food processors. GE Appliances are used in more than 50 percent of homes in the U.S., according to company data.

GE has roots in CT

In a period running approximately from the 1920s to the 1980s, GE small appliances were manufactured in Bridgeport, according to company officials. In 2016, Haier acquired GE Appliances for $5.4 billion from GE. Also in 2016, GE announced the relocation of its headquarters from Fairfield to Boston.

While Stamfords largest employers today operate in industries such as consumer goods, financial services, health care and media, it has a long manufacturing history. The Yale & Towne lock company inspired Stamfords Lock City nickname. After its late 1860s relocation to Stamford, Yale dominated local manufacturing for about a century.

We have an incredible entrepreneurial tradition in this state, said Gov. Ned Lamont. We have a great history here, and then we became the land of steady habits. And steady habits are great in marital relationships, but when it comes to an entrepreneurial economy, youve got to kickstart every once in a while. From my point of view, thats what CoCREATE Stamford and GE Appliances are doing right here.

State officials said GE Appliances is not receiving any state funding to support its multimillion-dollar investment in CoCREATE. But the states support of the project was reflected in the attendance of Lamont, Denious and David Lehman, the states economic development commissioner.

Lehman said he and Denious connected with GE Appliances officials through a referral from AdvanceCT.

They were looking in other places in Connecticut and other places along the northeast (Interstate) 95 corridor, Lehman told Hearst Connecticut Media. My recollection is that in the serious conversations, when we got down to potential buildings and potential sites, the focus was primarily Stamford.

Nolan noted that Ive been watching whats going on in Connecticut. Hats off to the governor, universities and school systems. There are so many things that are happening here. If you look at Stamford today, versus what I remember when I grew up here, and it is a totally different place.

Focus on education

In addition to manufacturing, GE Appliances officials said they want CoCREATE to become a nexus for hands-on learning. The company will partner with the University of Connecticut and Connecticut State Colleges & Universities systems to provide opportunities through co-op programs and other initiatives for students interested in fields such as manufacturing and engineering.

We believe deeply in the governors vision and the vision that all of you have to develop this state and kickstart it, as the governor said. We believe you do that in collaboration with higher education, said Andrew Agwunobi, UConns interim president. Its also self-serving for us and our students because Stamford is an amazing campus that has so much potential for the growth of UConn in the future.

CSCU, which includes 12 community colleges and four state universities, does not have a campus in Stamford. But CSCU President Terrence Cheng said the system could become a major talent pipeline for GE Appliances.

Even though we dont have a campus here in Stamford, we have campuses across the state, said Cheng, who formerly served as the director of the UConn-Stamford campus. That means we have power, potential and capacity across the state that we seek to bring to bear in an initiative such as this  to be able to say if GE Appliances want some of the best advanced-manufacturing students that Connecticut has to offer, then we have that wealth of talent in our community-college system alone.

Nolan, a UConn alumnus, said the companys bullishness about its higher-education partnerships in Connecticut is based on the impact of the company-supported FirstBuild co-creation center opened several years ago on the campus of the University of Louisville.

Every day, were in with students, community members and the public, coming together and creating new things, Nolan said. It has really taken our company and our innovation and just accelerated it like we could never believe before.

The CEO also cited his optimism about forging closer relationships with the public through hubs such as the makerspace and product showrooms. The showrooms will offer programming such as cooking classes.

Most companies still want to have an old playbook of lets sit and do research, lets be secretive, lets not talk, Nolan said. Youll be able to come in here, and youll be able to see what were thinking and projecting into the future.

pschott@

stamfordadvocate.com; twitter: @paulschott
The latest on Germany's general election on Sunday:

The center-left Social Democrats have won the biggest share of the vote in Germanys national election, beating outgoing Chancellor Angela Merkels center-right Union bloc in a closely fought race.

Election officials said early Monday that a count of all 299 constituencies showed the Social Democrats won 25.9% of the vote, ahead of 24.1% for the Union bloc.

The environmentalist Greens came third with 14.8% followed by the pro-business Free Democrats with 11.5%. The two parties have already signaled that they are willing to discuss forging a three-way alliance with either of their two bigger rivals to form a government.

The far-right Alternative for Germany came fourth in Sundays vote with 10.3%, while the Left party took 4.9%.

For the first time since 1949, the Danish minority party SSW was set to win a seat in parliament, officials said.

___

BERLIN  Germany's Left party has scraped into parliament, despite failing to meet the required 5% threshold.

The Left, which is partly rooted in the communist party that ruled East Germany for decades, managed to win three constituencies outright in Sunday's election.

Had it failed to win those constituencies it would likely have been kicked out of the Bundestag, as it is currently projected to receive only 4.8% of the vote.

Another party, the South Schleswig Voters Association, looks set to win its first seat in parliament since 1949, German public broadcaster ARD reports.

Election officials said that the party is exempt from the 5% rule because it represents a national minority group, the Danes in northern Germany.

___

BERLIN  Voters in the German capital have backed a proposal for the Berlin regional government to take over nearly 250,000 apartments worth billions from corporate owners to curb rising rents.

A nearly complete count of Sunday's referendum showed 56.4% of voters in favor of the measure, and 39% opposed.

The non-binding referendum forces the Berlin government to consider consider expropriating big landlords in a radical move to cool one of Germanys hottest real estate markets, where rents have become unaffordable for many residents in recent years.

Also Sunday, the center-left Social Democrats appeared to have defended their hold of the mayoral post in the capital.

Initial projections indicated that the Greens had won, but subsequent counts showed them falling behind with 18.8% of the vote compared to the Social Democrats' 21.4%.

In a second regional election held in parallel to the national vote Sunday, the Social Democrats were set for a strong win in the northeastern state of Mecklenburg Western-Pomerania. The party was projected to get 39.6% of the vote, ahead of the far-right Alternative for Germany with 16.7%. Exit polls showed the Social Democrats current coalition partners, the Union bloc, coming third in the state with 13.3%.

___

BERLIN  Outgoing German Chancellor Angela Merkel's parliament seat has gone to a candidate from the rival Social Democrats for the first time since 1990.

Merkel won the country's most northeasterly constituency in the first free elections after German reunification, and then defended the seat in seven subsequent elections.

The long-time leader announced in 2018 that she would not run for office again.

Nationwide in Sunday's elections, Merkel's Union bloc saw its worst result since 1949, coming second behind the center-left Social Democrats. The latest projections give it 24.1% of the vote, a drop of almost 9 percentage points from 2017.

___

BERLIN  The far-right Alternative for Germany has come out top in the eastern states of Thuringia and Saxony.

The party, which is under scrutiny from Germany's domestic intelligence agency due to its extremist links, received 24.6% of the vote in Saxony and 24% in Thuringia.

It also won 17 constituencies in the two states and neighboring Saxony-Anhalt.

The party's nationwide share of the vote stood at 10.5%, down 2 percentage points compared to 2017, when it first entered parliament.

___

BERLIN  The candidate for German chancellor of the center-left Social Democratic party has defeated the Greens' chancellor candidate in the contest to represent Potsdam outside Berlin.

Social Democrat Olof Scholz won the seat with 34% of the votes Sunday, while Green candidate Annalena Baerbock got 18.8%, according the German news agency dpa. However, Baerbock will still make it into the German parliament via the Greens party list.

Both the Social Democrats and the Greens made gains in the parliamentary elections, but the Greens had hoped for better results.

Projections from public television, based on exit polls and early vote counting, put voters support at around 26% for the Social Democrats and about 14% for the Greens.

___

BERLIN  The mood was subdued at the headquarters of Chancellor Angela Merkels center-right Christian Democratic Union as the building began to empty following the party's poor showing in the election.

One of the few people remaining at the headquarters on Sunday was 34 year-old Salahdin Koban, a party member from Berlin.

Trying to explain the CDUs losses, Koban said too many mistakes had been made during the campaign by candidate Armin Laschet.

He also said that in general, it was hard for anyone to succeed Angela Merkel as chancellor.

Merkel announced in 2018, that she would not run again in this election. Koban called Merkel simply an icon" and for anyone to follow in her footsteps is difficult."

-

BERLIN  The far-right Alternative for Germany party is projected to lose support in this years national election relative to the poll four years ago.

Projections based on exit polls and partial vote counts on Sunday showed the party getting less than 11%, down from 12.6% in 2017.

The party, known by its German acronym AfD, failed to get its core issue  migration  onto the campaign agenda this year.

Despite the projected outcome, party co-leader Tino Chrupalla said he was very satisfied by the result and welcomed the heavy losses for Chancellor Angela Merkels Union bloc.

AfD said four years ago that it would hunt Merkel who said in 2018 that she would not run for a fifth term. Other parties have ruled out any cooperation with AfD.

-

BERLIN Social Democrats supporters waved the partys red flags, broke into chants and burst into long party candidate Olaf Scholz walked onto the stage at the partys headquarters in Berlin.

Scholz thanked the crowd, voters and campaigners across the country. saying on Sunday that the party managed to pick up vote in three separate elections - nationally, in Berlin and in the Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania state elections.

Michael Mueller, the outgoing mayor of Berlin who ran for a seat in the countrys national parliament, said as he stood in the crowd: I couldnt be happier tonight.

___

BERLIN - The candidate from outgoing Chancellor Angela Merkels Union bloc says the party will do everything we can to form a new government despite posting what's expected to be its worst election result in Germany's post-World War II era.

Armin Laschet said on Sunday that we cant be satisfied with the result of the exit polls. He said that the result puts Germany, the Union, all democratic parties before big challenges.

Laschet said Germany will likely have its first national government composed of three parties. He said that we will do everything we can to form a government under the Unions leadership, because Germany now needs a coalition for the future that modernizes our country.

Laschet was surrounded by his partys top brass, including Merkel, as he spoke at its headquarters in Berlin.

-

BERLIN - The two parties that exit polls put in third and fourth place in Germanys general election now appear to play the role of kingmaker in determining the composition of the next ruling coalition and the countrys next chancellor.

The polls indicated the environmentalist Greens won about 15 percent, their strongest showing ever, but below expectations that had been fueled by a surge in popularity early in the campaign.

The Greens secretary general, Michael Kellner, said: We gained significantly, but I find it difficult to really enjoy it because expectations were clearly higher."

Kellner noted that the Greens have said they prefer a coalition with the center-left Social Democrats but added that we are ready to speak with all democratic parties to see whats possible.

Exit polls show the pro-business Free Democrats to be in fourth with 11%-12%. During the campaign, they had said they preferred a coalition with the center-right Union bloc which suffered a sharp decline in support. Free Democrats Secretary General Volker Wissing, said on Sunday that it was too soon to discuss possible coalition partners.

___

BERLIN - The general secretary of the center-left Social Democrats says he believes his party has been given a mandate to form a ruling coalition, based on exit polls in Germanys general election.

Lars Klingbeil was speaking moments after the exit polls were published by the two main television channels on Sunday.

In a poll by the ZDF channel, the SPD was slightly ahead of its main rival, the center-right Union bloc, 26% to 24%. In the poll published by the ARD channel, the parties pulled even at 25%.

The polls suggested significant gains for the Social Democrats, compared to its standing earlier this year, and a sharp drop for the Union bloc. Klingbeil says the party now has the mission to form a coalition, and for its top candidate, Olaf Scholz to become chancellor.

___

BERLIN - The general secretary of German Chancellor Angela Merkels Union bloc says that early exit polls hurt as the party looked at its worst result since 1949.

With different exit polls putting the Union bloc neck-and-neck or slightly below the center-left Social Democrats, Paul Ziemiak said on Sunday that his party nevertheless wants to serve this country and will consider a coalition with the environmentalist Greens and the pro-business Free Democrats.

Exit polls by public broadcasters ARD and ZDF show the Union bloc down 8-9% compared to 2017, after four elections in which the party won under Merkel. Her successor, Armin Laschet, had low personal approval ratings and some in the party had questioned whether he was the right candidate for chancellorship.

Ziemiak said that his party was looking at bitter losses that would need to be analyzed.

___

BERLIN - Hundreds of people burst out in spontaneous chants of Olaf, Olaf"- the first name of the Social Democrats candidate for chancellor Olaf Scholz - when exit poll results flashed acroos TV screens at the party's Berlin headquarters.

A cheering Renee Roske from Cologne said she had been telling everyone that Scholz was the best candidate" and that it's now reflected in the exit polls.

The 42 year-old Roske said she noticed over the summer that once people realized that Merkel isn't running again, they became more interested in politics and started to inform themselves about the three main candidates.

She said people noticed that Scholz did the right things" during the pandemic and thats why the SPD in now leading, because Scholz is good."

___

BERLIN - Germanys election authority is making clear that center-right chancellor candidate Armin Laschets votes will be valid although they could be seen Sunday as he put his ballot paper into the ballot box.

German election rules state that ballot papers should be folded in such a way that its not possible to see how the person voted. It wasnt immediately clear whether election officials in Laschets constituency in Aachen had noticed that his paper was folded wrongly, a moment that was caught by cameras.

Laschet is from outgoing German leader Angela Merkels Union bloc.

Without explicitly naming Laschet, the election authority tweeted that a nationally known politician voted for his own party, as expected. It said that couldnt be seen as an attempt to influence voters.

It said if the ballot paper is folded wrongly, election officials are supposed to issue a new ballot paper. But if the wrongly folded ballot gets into the ballot box, it can no longer be screened out and is valid. Laschets paper went into the ballot box.

___

BERLIN  The environmentalist Greens candidate to be the next German chancellor says shes hoping for a few more votes than pre-election polls showed her party getting.

Annalena Baerbock is the partys first candidate for chancellor. It led in polls after she was nominated in the spring but recent surveys have shown it in third place, several points behind the center-left Social Democrats and outgoing Chancellor Angela Merkels Union bloc.

Baerbock said as she voted Sunday in Potsdam, just outside Berlin, that we are of course hoping for a few more votes, with a view to the poll results, so that we can achieve a real new departure in this country.

Even if the Greens arent in a position to provide Germanys next leader, the party could be crucial to putting together a new coalition after the election. Polls point to a much better showing than the 8.9% of the vote it won in 2017.

___

BERLIN  Center-right candidate Armin Laschets votes were visible as he put his ballot paper into the ballot box -- something that is supposed to be a no-no under German election law.

Election rules state that ballot papers should be folded in such a way that its not possible to see how the person voted.

It wasnt immediately clear whether election officials in Laschets constituency in Aachen had noticed that his paper was folded wrongly on Sunday, a moment that was caught by cameras, or whether the faux pas would have any consequences.

Laschet is the candidate of outgoing Chancellor Angela Merkels Union bloc to succeed Germanys longtime leader. Polls show his party neck-and-neck with the center-left Social Democrats after a bumpy campaign.

Under Germanys complex electoral system, every voter gets two votes -- one for a directly elected lawmaker and the other for a party list.

___

BERLIN  Armin Laschet, the candidate of outgoing Chancellor Angela Merkels center-right Union bloc to become Germanys new leader, says the election result will come down to every vote.

Recent polls point to a very close race between Laschets center-right Union bloc and the center-left Social Democrats, with the Greens trailing in third.

Laschet said as he voted Sunday in Aachen, on Germanys western border, that the election will decide on Germanys direction in the coming years, and so it will come down to every vote.

His Social Democrat rival, Olaf Scholz, said after he voted in Potsdam, just outside Berlin, that he hopes voters will make possible ... a very strong result for the Social Democrats, and that citizens will give me the mandate to become the next chancellor of Germany.

Green candidate Annalena Baerbock is expected to vote in Potsdam later Sunday. Merkels spokesman has said that the outgoing leader was casting a postal ballot -- as many Germans are expected to in this election.

___

BERLIN  Voters are delivering a mixed verdict on the era of outgoing Chancellor Angela Merkel as they choose a new German parliament, and some are struggling with the choice of potential new leaders.

Polls opened Sunday after a rollercoaster campaign. Recent surveys point to a very close race between Merkels center-right Union bloc and the center-left Social Democrats, with the Greens trailing in third.

In Berlins Kreuzberg district, a traditional leftwing stronghold, Jan Kemper, a 41-year-old manager at an online bank, said the climate crisis and Germanys slow pace of digitalization were among his main concerns.

He praised Merkels crisis management style but said that key issues were left unattended.

This election is extremely important, he said. Previously, elections set the course for the next two to four years. Now decisions have to be made that will affect the next generations.

In Berlins Mitte district, 48-year-old social worker Wiebke Bergmann said that this election is really special, I think, because Angela Merkel is not running again.

She said: I really thought hard about which candidate I want as next chancellor  until this morning I hadnt made up my mind. None of the three really convinced me.
The Latest on the Tony Awards (all times local):

___

10:45 p.m.

Moulin Rouge! The Musical, a jukebox adaptation of Baz Luhrmanns hyperactive 2001 movie, has danced away with the best new musical Tony Award.

It beat Jagged Little Pill and Tina  The Tina Turner Musical for the coveted title during the pandemic-shortened Broadway season.

The show is about the goings-on in a turn-of-the-century Parisian nightclub, updated with tunes like Single Ladies and Firework alongside the big hit Lady Marmalade.

The show also earned wins for Aaron Tveit as best actor in a leading role, Danny Burstein as best actor in a featured role, scenic design, costume design, lighting design, sound design, orchestrations and best director Alex Timbers and Sonya Tayeh for choreography.

___

MORE ON THE TONYS

 Moulin Rouge! leads Tonys haul, but 3 big trophies to come

 Select list of winners at Sunday's Tony Awards

 Tonys: Broadway hopes to razzle-dazzle its way out pandemic

 Tonywatch: Aaron Tveit rides a roller coaster of a year

___

HERES WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING:

9:50 p.m.

The Inheritance by Matthew Lopez has been named the best new play at the Tony Awards.

The two-part, seven-hour epic uses Howards End as a starting point for a play that looks at gay life in the early 21st century. It also yielded wins for Andrew Burnap as best actor in a play, Stephen Daldry as best director and Lois Smith as best performance by an actress in a featured role in a play.

A winner of multiple best play awards in London, where it premiered in 2018, the acclaimed work was directed by now-three-time Tony Award winner Daldry.

Lopez has argued that the closeted Forster in Howards End was telling a queer story using straight characters so he decided to retell it in a contemporary setting using gay male characters in place of the heterosexual characters in the book.

The Inheritance beat Grand Horizons, Sea Wall/A Life, Slave Play and The Sound Inside.

___

9:30 p.m.

Charles Fullers A Soldiers Play has won the Tony Award for best play revival.

A Soldiers Play dissects entrenched Black-white racism as well as internal divisions in the Black military community during World War II, wrapping it in a military murder mystery.

The play won the Pulitzer Prize for drama in 1982 and two years later was made into the Oscar-nominated best picture A Soldiers Story, for which Fuller wrote the screenplay and earned an Oscar nomination.

The work has attracted a whos-who of male African American acting talent. The film version starred a young Denzel Washington, who had appeared in its first stage incarnation in New York alongside Samuel L. Jackson. A 2005 revival off-Broadway lured Taye Diggs, Anthony Mackie and Steven Pasquale.

It made its Broadway debut in the pandemic shortened season of 2019-2020 with David Alan Grier and Blair Underwood and earned seven Tony nominations, yielding a win for Grier.

For best revival, it beat out Betrayal and Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune.

___

9:10 p.m.

Leslie Odom Jr. has kicked off a nationally televised tribute to Broadway with a musical number that mingled Broadway stars with the strangeness of the pandemic conditions.

Broadway dancers performed behind Odom during the energetic number, which saw performers from The Lion King and Wicked make brief appearances. The song mixed tributes to live theater with pleas to the audience to keep their masks on and those watching at home to get vaccinated.

Odom walked into the audience, giving shoutouts to Broadway nominee Tom Hiddleston, legendary performer Chita Rivera and his Hamilton co-star Lin-Manuel Miranda.

The actor then tossed to David Byrne, who performed Burning Down the House with performers from his American Utopia stage production.

___

8:50 p.m.

Adrienne Warren has won the Tony Award for best leading actress in a musical for her electric turn as Tina Turner.

Warren was considered the front-runner for the award thanks to becoming a one-woman fireball of energy and exhilaration. She beat out Karen Olivo of Moulin Rouge! The Musical and Elizabeth Stanley from Jagged Little Pill.

Warren, who was nominated for an Olivier Award for her turn as Turner in Tina: The Tina Turner Musical in the West End, wins her first Tony.

Her other credits include Bring It On  the loose stage adaptation of the hit cheerleading movie  and received a Tony nomination for featured actress in a musical for her role in Shuffle Along.

Warren, a co-founder of the Broadway Advocacy Coalition, recently wrapped filming of the ABC limited series Women of the Movement.

Mary-Louise Parker won best actress in a play for The Sound Inside.

___

8:38 p.m.

In a surprise to no one, Aaron Tveit has won the Tony Award for best leading actor in a musical. Thats because he was the only person nominated in the category.

The win caps a remarkable year for the Broadway star. He was wowing fans in Moulin Rouge! The Musical when it was suddenly shuttered by the coronavirus. Then he contracted COVID-19 himself. He recovered to lend his voice to relief efforts, got a few high-profile acting gigs  including Schmigadoon!  and then landed his first Tony nomination. Now hes won, needing 60% of Tony voters voted for him in the category.

Tveits first big gig was in a Rent tour and he made his Broadway debut as a replacement in Hairspray and then Wicked.

He then had three starring roles in Next to Normal, Catch Me If You Can and now Moulin Rouge! His film work includes the adaptation of Les Miserables and on TV he was in Graceland, BrainDead and Grease Live!

___

8:35 p.m.

Andrew Burnap has won the Tony for best lead actor in a play on his Broadway debut.

Burnap starred in The Inheritance, Matthew Lopezs two-part, seven-hour epic that uses Howards End as a starting point for a play that looks at gay life in the early 21st century. Burnap played Toby Darling  a vivacious, talented, and deeply troubled playwright who unearths childhood demons.

Burnap grew up in Rhode Island, where during the summer he would work at his local ice cream shop. He graduated from Yale School of Drama, and acted in regional theaters and off-Broadway.

He and Lopez actually met each other before The Inheritance when Burnap did Lopezs play The Legend of George McBride in Los Angeles, a happier story about a straight man who learns how to be a drag queen.

For the Tony, Burnap beat out Blair Underwood from A Soldiers Play, Ian Barford from Linda Vista, Jake Gyllenhaal and Tom Sturridge both from Sea Wall/A Life and Tom Hiddleston of Betrayal.

___

8:20 p.m.

Alex Timbers has won the trophy for best direction of a musical for Moulin Rouge! The Musical.

It is Timbers first Tony. The show is about the goings-on in a turn-of-the-century Parisian nightclub, updated with tunes like Single Ladies and Firework alongside the big hit Lady Marmalade.

Timbers has been nominated twice before, for directing Peter and the Starcatcher in 2012 and directing and writing Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson. He has been a production consultant on David Byrnes American Utopia, directed Rocky and The Pee-wee Herman Show and is directing Beetlejuice for the second time next spring.

He picked up a Lucille Lortel Award for directing the off-Broadway production of Here Lies Love and went on to direct the show at Londons National Theatre. Other notable off-Broadway credits include the Loves Labours Lost in Central Park and the Roundabout Theatre Companys 2016 revival of The Robber Bridegroom.

For the Tony, he beat Phyllida Lloyd of Tina  The Tina Turner Musical and Diane Paulus of Jagged Little Pill.

8:15 p.m.

Stephen Daldry now has a trio of Tony Awards for directing.

He won Sunday for helming The Inheritance, playwright Matthew Lopezs two-part, seven-hour epic that uses Howards End as a starting point for a play that looks at gay life in the early 21st century.

Daldry had previously won for Billy Elliot: The Musical and An Inspector Calls. He also was a nominee in 2015 for Skylight and directed Helen Mirren as Queen Elizabeth II in The Audience.

Daldry directs and executive produces the Netflix series The Crown and was creative executive producer of the opening and closing ceremonies for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

For the Tony, he beat David Cromer from The Sound Inside, Kenny Leon from A Soldiers Play, Jamie Lloyd and Betrayal and Robert OHara with Slave Play.

___

7:20 p.m.

Lauren Patten has edged out her co-stars from Jagged Little Pill to win the award for best featured actress in a musical.

The show plumbs Alanis Morissettes 1995 breakthrough album to tell a fictional story of a family spiraling out of control. Patten plays teenage lesbian Jo in the show and gets to belt out the song You Oughta Know.

After opening in New York, Jagged Little Pill producers have apologized to fans for changing Jo from gender-nonconforming to cisgender female after the show moved from Boston to Broadway.

Growing up in Downers Grove, Illinois, Patten was drawn to the performing arts early on, and by age 4, had begun appearing in commercials and community theater productions. Patten, who has been on Broadway before in Fun Home, has a recurring role on the CBS crime drama Blue Bloods.

For the Tony, she beat out Kathryn Gallagher and Celia Rose Gooding from Jagged Little Pill, Robyn Hurder from Moulin Rouge! The Musical and Myra Lucretia Taylor of Tina  The Tina Turner Musical.

___

7:18 p.m.

Broadway favorite Danny Burstein has won his first Tony Award after seven nominations.

The actor won for best actor in a featured role in a musical for playing the ingratiating nightclub host Harold Zidler in Moulin Rouge! The Musical.

He said he shared the award with his fellow nominees and thanked his son. He also thanks the Broadway community for supporting him when his wife died. I love being an actor on Broadway.

Broadway audiences have cheered Burstein for his soulful showmanship in such musicals as South Pacific, Golden Boy, Follies, The Drowsy Chaperone, Cabaret and Fiddler on the Roof.

He made his Broadway debut in 1992 in A Little Hotel on the Side and went on to star in dramas like The Seagull to musical comedies like Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown.

Shortly after the Broadway shutdown in March 2020, he was hospitalized with a near-fatal case of COVID-19. And in that December, his wife of 20 years, Broadway leading lady Rebecca Luker, died from ALS.

___

7:15 p.m.

Theater veteran Lois Smith has won her first Tony for The Inheritance.

She won for best performance by an actress in a featured role in a play. Smith previously earned nominations for The Grapes of Wrath in 1990 and Buried Child in 1996.

In The Inheritance, Smith plays a major featured role that doesnt appear onstage until late in the plays two-show, seven-hour running time. Matthew Lopezs epic uses Howards End as a starting point for a play that looks at gay life in the early 21st century.

Smith has acted in such movies as East of Eden, Five Easy Pieces and Lady Bird. TV audiences will recognize her from appearances on Route 66, ER or True Blood. She made her Broadway debut in 1952 in Time Out for Ginger.

Other films credits include Black Widow, Falling Down, Fried Green Tomatoes, Twister, How to Make an American Quilt, Dead Man Walking, Minority Report, Marjorie Prime and Ladybird.

___

7:10 p.m.

David Alan Grier has won his first Tony for A Soldiers Play.

Grier played a stern Army sergeant in Charles Fullers play, set on an Army base in Louisiana during World War II. A Black investigator has been called to find out who murdered the black sergeant of an all-Black company.

He thanked his director, Kenny Leon. And to my other nominees: Tough bananas, I won.

One of Griers earliest roles was in a small part in the off-Broadway debut of A Soldiers Play when he was in his 20s. He revisited the work when it was turned into a 1984 movie. This is his third bite of the apple and it has yielded the Tony for best performance by an actor in a featured role in a play.

Grier studied acting at Yale and has had a career on stage (Dreamgirls), on TV (In Living Color and DAG) and film (Jumanji and Native Son). He previously earned Tony nominations for The Gershwins Porgy and Bess, The First and Race.

For the Tony, Grier beat Ato Blankson-Wood and James Cusati-Moyer from Slave Play and John Benjamin Hickey and Paul Hilton of The Inheritance.

___

7:05 p.m.

The pandemic-delayed Tony Awards kicked off Sunday with an energetic performance of You Cant Stop The Beat from the original Broadway cast of Hairspray!

The optimistic number was performed for masked and appreciative audience at a packed Winter Garden Theatre. Host Audra McDonald got a standing ovation. You cant stop the beat. The heart of New York City! she said.

She called it less than a prom and more like a homecoming and that it was wonderful to see half everyones faces. She said Broadway had been knocked out by COVID-19 for 560 nights. She also hoped to see actions that could make it a more equitable place.

David Alan Grier was the nights first winner, taking home the featured actor in a play Tony for A Soldiers Play.

___

6:35 p.m.

The red carpet for the Tony Awards is underway and stars are praising the return of live theater.

David Byrne, the Talking Heads frontman whose musical American Utopia is among Sundays honorees, says hes started going to shows as a spectator and its amazing feeling.

The audiences are overjoyed, Byrne says. Theyre happy to see the shows, but theyre happy to just see one another, to be in the same room with other people. Its really exciting.

Leslie Odom Jr., who became a household name playing Aaron Burr in the original Hamilton run, is hosting a special tribute to Broadway thats airing on CBS Sunday night. He says hes confident that people will appreciate theater and its performers more now that the theyve returned.

I think were going to return with a new sense of gratitude, Odom says.

___

5 p.m.

Jagged Little Pill goes into the Tony Awards telecast on the defensive, dogged by two controversies.

A former cast member, Nora Schell, a Black nonbinary actor who made their Broadway debut in the chorus in 2019, posted a statement this week on social media describing repeated instances early in the run of the show in which they were intimidated, coerced, and forced by multiple higher ups to put off critical and necessary surgery to remove growths from my vagina that were making me anemic.

Jagged Little Pill producers  saying they are deeply troubled by the claims  have hired an independent investigator and the union Actors Equity Association said Sunday it was also commissioning a thorough, independent investigation of the shows workplace.

In another controversy, the shows producers have apologized to fans for changing a character from gender-nonconforming to cisgender female after the show moved from Boston to Broadway.

___

3 a.m.

The Oscars, Grammys, Emmys and Golden Globes have all held their ceremonies during the pandemic. Now its time for the Tony Awards, celebrating an art form that really needs the boost  live theater.

Sundays show has been expanded from its typical three hours to four, with Audra McDonald handing out Tonys for the first two hours and Leslie Odom Jr. hosting a Broadways Back! celebration for the second half, including the awarding of the top three trophies  best play revival, best play and best musical.

The sobering musical Jagged Little Pill, which plumbs Alanis Morissettes 1995 breakthrough album to tell a story of an American family spiraling out of control, goes into the night with a leading 15 Tony nominations.

Nipping on its heels is Moulin Rouge!, a jukebox adaptation of Baz Luhrmanns hyperactive 2001 movie about the goings-on in a turn-of-the-century Parisian nightclub that has 14 nods.

Slave Play, Jeremy O. Harris ground-breaking, bracing work that mixes race, sex, taboo desires and class, earned a dozen nominations, making it the most nominated play in Tony history.
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP)  Just days after a South Dakota agency moved to deny her daughter's application to become a certified real estate appraiser, Gov. Kristi Noem summoned to her office the state employee who ran the agency, the woman's direct supervisor and the state labor secretary.

Noem's daughter attended too.

Kassidy Peters, then 26, ultimately obtained the certification in November 2020, four months after the meeting at her mother's office. A week after that, the labor secretary called the agency head, Sherry Bren, to demand her retirement, according to an age discrimination complaint Bren filed against the department. Bren, 70, ultimately left her job this past March after the state paid her $200,000 to withdraw the complaint.

Exactly what transpired at the July 27, 2020, meeting in the governor's office isnt clear. Noem declined an interview request and her office declined to answer detailed questions about the meeting.

The Associated Press is disparaging the Governors daughter in order to attack the Governor politically  no wonder Americans trust in the media is at an all-time low," spokesman Ian Fury said.

Still, government ethics experts who reviewed the series of events at the AP's request said Noems decision to include her daughter in the meeting created a conflict of interest regardless of what was discussed.

While Peters was applying for the certification, Noem should have recused herself from discussions on the agency, especially any that would apply to her daughters application, said Richard Painter, a professor at the University of Minnesota Law School who was the chief ethics lawyer for former President George W. Bush.

Its clearly a conflict of interest and an abuse of power for the benefit of a family member, he said.

Peters began working as a state-registered appraiser  an entry-level job  in 2016. She worked under the supervision of a certified appraiser to get the experience necessary to apply for her own residential appraiser certification. It's not an easy hurdle; applicants must show they can perform appraisals to national standards, putting to use 200 hours of classroom education and months of experience.

While trainees make as little as $10 an hour, certified residential appraisers can launch their own businesses and can make more than $50,000 a year.

In September 2019, Peters applied to become a certified residential appraiser. But in late July 2020, the Appraiser Certification Program moved to deny the license, according to a July 27 letter from Peters supervisor that was obtained by AP. The certification is denied when an applicants work samples dont meet minimum compliance with national standards, according to the agency's upgrade procedures.

Bren, who had directed the Appraiser Certification Program for three decades, told the AP that she received a text on July 26 from her supervisor telling her to be at the governors office the next morning, ready to discuss appraiser certification procedures.

Besides Noem and Peters, Bren said the meeting included Labor Secretary Marcia Hultman; Brens supervisor; the governors general counsel; and, participating by telephone, Noems chief of staff and a lawyer from the states Department of Labor and Regulation.

Bren remembered it lasting close to an hour and including questions from Noem on how certification works.

After consulting with her attorney, Bren declined to discuss with AP further meeting details, including whether Peters upgrade was discussed. The settlement of her age discrimination complaint includes a clause barring her from disparaging state officials.

However, Bren did confirm that at the meeting she was presented with a letter from Peters supervisor, Kristine Juelfs, who wrote that she disagreed with the denial and charged that Peters had run up against an inefficient process.

In the past week I was notified that my trainee, State Registered Appraiser Kassidy Peters, was denied upgrade of her license to State Certified Residential Appraiser," Juelfs wrote. This came as quite a shock to myself as she has represented the knowledge and skills necessary.

Juelfs' letter blasted the application evaluation for lacking timeliness and professionalism and said the examiner reviewing Peters work had acted unprofessional when conversing with Kassidy.

Peters agreed with the criticism in a statement to AP.

My upgrade to become a Certified Residential Appraiser was very lengthy and I was expected to navigate through many obstacles from the very beginning, she said. Im glad I have it now and that I have the privilege to serve my clients in South Dakota.

Bren declined to discuss the certification of any individual appraisers, including Peters. However, speaking broadly about the agency, she said she hoped to help applicants succeed while making sure they met federal requirements.

You also want to be fair and consistent and treat all your appraisers the same, she said.

Labor Secretary Hultman, in response to questions from the AP, declined to delve into details of Peters application or explain the discrepancy between Juelfs letter, which said the upgrade had been denied, and department records, which showed a denial was not ultimately issued.

Kassidy Peters went through the same process as other appraisers. There was no denial, Hultman said in a statement. Mrs. Peters completed the requirements to become licensed, and she was subsequently certified in November.

Bren's troubles began to mount almost immediately after Peters' Nov. 25 certification. One day earlier, Hultman had called Bren to discuss concerns about the Appraiser Certification Program, according to Bren's age discrimination complaint. On Dec. 1, the complaint alleged, Hultman called Bren to demand her retirement, saying she had shown an inability to change gears.

Hultman told Bren that the phone call was to be kept a secret from her direct supervisor to make it appear Brens retirement was her choice, the complaint alleged.

Over the ensuing weeks, Hultman did not yield in demanding a retirement date, even after Bren asked if there was any way to keep her job, emails obtained by the AP show.

Bren filed her age discrimination complaint at the end of December and, three months later, received the $200,000 settlement agreement to withdraw the complaint and leave her job. When asked about Bren, Hultman declined to discuss the specifics of personnel decisions.

Mark Miller, the governors current general counsel, said in a statement, Neither party admitted fault, and no agency affirmed her claim. This sideshow regarding Kassidy Peters speaks for itself.

Fury, the governors spokesman, cast the episode as an example of how Noem "won't allow bureaucratic red tape to get in the way of South Dakotas sustained economic growth.

Having more quality appraisers in the market will help keep our housing market moving and home prices down, he said.

A few days before signing the agreement, Bren sent an email to industry colleagues expressing worry about the future of the program.

I have been forced to retire by the Secretary of the Department of Labor and Regulation at the behest of the Administration, she wrote, then added, I want each of you to know that I have sincerely done everything possible to avoid this unfortunate circumstance.

____

This story corrects and expands governors spokesmans quote to show he said episode was example of how Noem wont allow red tape to get in the way of growth.
NEW YORK (AP)  Global Citizen Live, a 24-hour concert that featured performances from Stevie Wonder, Jennifer Lopez, BTS and Elton John and dozens of other stars, raised more than $1.1 billion in commitments and pledges over the weekend to fight extreme poverty.

Broadcasting from sites on six continents, including New Yorks Central Park and in front of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, Global Citizen also secured pledges from France for 60 million COVID-19 vaccine doses for developing countries and corporate pledges for planting 157 million trees around the world.

Vaccine pledges, which also came from the governments of Croatia and Ireland, followed numerous pleas, including from Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, onstage at Central Park on Saturday afternoon.

This year, the world is expected to produce enough doses to meet the target of vaccinating 70% of people in every single country, Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, said to cheers from the Central Park crowd. But it is wrong that so much of the vaccine supply has only gone to just 10 wealthy nations so far, and not everyone else.

The U.S. government pledged $295 million for humanitarian needs around the world caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Major philanthropic commitments came from the Lego Foundation, who pledged $150 million to support UNICEF and other partners working with children, and Rotary International, which pledged $98 million in grant funding in 2022.

The event featured numerous music collaborations, including Billie Eilish and Finneas joining Coldplay in New York and Charlie Puth joining Elton John in Paris, but joint efforts took places offstage as well. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, The Childrens Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF) and a private foundation teamed up to launch a $50 million fund to support the United Nations Population Fund. The CIFF also committed $50 million to UNICEF to fund child nutrition projects.

Namati, The Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, and The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation collectively committed $20 million as seed funding to launch the Legal Empowerment Fund, which they hope will help raise $100 million over 10 years to support the justice movement.

Hugh Evans, CEO of Global Citizen, told The Associated Press that the 24-hour event was needed because COVID-19 has erased decades of gains, resulting in 150 million more people in extreme poverty this year and 41 million people in Africa facing starvation. Evans says climate change is another global issue that threatens to push more people into extreme poverty.

During Global Citizen Live, more than a dozen corporations, including Proctor & Gamble, Starbucks, Delta Air Lines, American Express and Citi, joined the Race to Zero Campaign, which seeks to reduce net carbon emissions around the world to zero by 2050.

Future generations will hold us responsible, said Alok Sharma, president-designate for COP26, the United Nations climate change conference in November.

Call on the richest countries to make good on their promise of money, to support developing countries deal with the impacts of climate change. And call on world leaders to deliver an outcome at Glasgow we can all be proud of.

___

The Associated Press receives support from the Lilly Endowment for coverage of philanthropy and nonprofits. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
Christian Abraham / Hearst Connecticut Media

BRIDGEPORT  A driver was hospitalized after crashing into a fence, a hydrant, a light pole, three parking meters and several signs near the federal courthouse on Sunday night, officials said on Monday.

The citys 911 dispatch center got a call for a car fire in the 500 block of State Street around 8:45 p.m. Sunday, according to Scott Appleby, the citys director of emergency communications and emergency management. He said the initial call indicated a person was taken out of the vehicle.
GREENWICH  Police are investigating a fatal car crash in the east end of town Saturday night.

The Office of the State Medical Examiner confirmed Monday that Jordan Martinez, of Stamford, had been classified as an accidental death.

Were still investigating, interviewing witnesses, trying to find out the cause, Greenwich Police Capt. Mark Zuccerella said Monday. He said officers had heard reports about a Honda racing with another car, but the case was in the preliminary stages and it was too soon to draw conclusions.

The Traffic Reconstruction Unit is investigating.

Greenwich police said officers responded to the east end of Greenwich near the Stamford city line about a major accident around 11:30 p.m. Saturday, in the area of 1700 E. Putnam Ave., near the Hyatt Regency Hotel, after a 911 call. Medics and fire units also responded.

Police said a Honda slammed into a pole and the driver, the sole occupant of the car that crashed, died from injuries suffered in the collision.

A nearby neighbor who lives in the area, Tony Rinaldi, said the sound of the collision was startling.

Loud, very loud, he said Monday.

Rinaldi said soon after the crash firefighters worked to free the driver from the wreckage of the silver Honda. They had to tear the whole car apart, it was really bad. Very sad, Rinaldi said.

Debris still littered the sidewalk Monday afternoon near where friends of Martinez gathered to mourn his loss and light candles at an impromptu memorial on East Putnam Avenue.

He was the best, I never knew anybody like him, said Martinezs friend, Katherine Garcia, brushing away tears.

The 18-year-old said she and Martinez spent many hours together with friends this summer.

This is so shocking, heartbreaking, she said.

rmarchant@greenwichtime.com
After 30 years, the family of Robert Curley still wonders how things would have turned out had he not met his infamously horrific end.

We just wonder what kind of man Bobby would be. We dont even know what Bobby would look like, said his sister, Susan Curley Grady. We absolutely miss him so very much, and our lives have changed so very much.

Curley, 32, of Wilkes-Barre, died Sept. 27, 1991, at Hershey Medical Center in Dauphin County after suffering weeks of agonizing pain.

The cause of death was poisoning by thallium, a heavy metal that was at one time used in rat poison. For more than five years, the case went unsolved until at last investigators determined his wife, Joann Curley, had been feeding him poisoned iced tea.

They were only married six weeks before she started to give him the poison. So she apparently planned this, were assuming that she planned this to get his insurance money, Grady said. You dont marry somebody just to get their insurance money. Thats pretty sick.  Shes an evil person. Shes absolutely evil to do something like this.

Investigation

An electrician by trade, Robert Bobby Curley had been working to remodel a chemistry laboratory at Wilkes University prior to his death.

The lab contained thallium, and the initial investigators on the case suspected Robert Curleys death was an inadvertent result of a bad prank, said former Luzerne County District Attorney Peter Paul Olszewski Jr., who headed the office when the murder was solved.

Olszewski described Robert Curley as a prankster who enjoyed playing well-intentioned jokes on his buddies, and said the original investigators suspected his co-workers had poisoned him.

They suspected that the workers did a prank on Curley to get back at a prank he did on them, and they put something in his iced tea that wouldnt taste right, not knowing it would kill him, Olszewski said. That was the initial theory of the initial investigators, which went nowhere.

Complicating matters was what Olszewski deemed an improper, incomplete autopsy conducted by the Dauphin County coroners office.

They didnt take any stomach content, they didnt take hair, they didnt take fingernails, they didnt take toenails, he said. And as a result of that, proper testing couldnt have been done.

Olszewski took office in January 1992, and one of his first actions was to launch the Curley Task Force with Pennsylvania State Police Sgt. Chester Zaremba in charge of a group of experienced state police homicide investigators.

They were really good investigators and they started from scratch, Olszewski said. We decided to do an exhumation and a second autopsy.

Robert Curleys body was exhumed in August 1994 and famed forensic pathologist Dr. Michael Baden collected hair and fingernail clippings during a second autopsy.

Testing proved that Robert Curley had not been poisoned once as a prank, but instead showed he had been systematically poisoned over a period of about 11 months  including while a patient at Wilkes-Barre General Hospital and at Hershey Medical Center, Olszewski said.

We took each of the times and dates of the poisonings, figured out who had contact with him, and there was only one person who had contact with him on each of those days. That was Joann, he said, noting Joann Curley had previously cooperated with investigators and passed a lie-detector test. She was just diabolical.

There were a few concerns with the evidence, however.

First, water had leached into Robert Curleys casket over the years, contributing a potential source of contamination to the hair samples used to prove the poisoning, Olszewski said.

Second, the segmental analysis testing used on the samples was at the time a novel technology, and there was a big question about its admissibility in court, he said.

They had never been entered into evidence in Pennsylvania before, and they were only admitted in one state prior to that time, Olszewski said. So we charged her and were going to proceed for first-degree (murder) and for the death penalty, but if that evidence was excluded because it wasnt sufficiently reliable, wed have nothing.

Plea agreement

Curleys defense attorney, Frank Nocito, helped broker a plea agreement for third-degree murder, which at the time carried a maximum penalty of 10 to 20 years in prison.

It was a difficult decision, whether to accept the plea or not, Olszewski said, noting that the segmental analysis testing was a key factor. If the court ruled that evidence was inadmissible, we were up the creek without a paddle.

After meeting with Robert Curleys family, the prosecution eventually agreed to enter into the agreement. As part of the deal, Joann Curley was required to provide a full confession during an interview with Olszewski and state police.

In a chilling interview, Joann Curley detailed her months-long effort to poison her husband, slipping powdered rat poison in his iced tea at home and feeding him a poisoned fountain drink while he was hospitalized in Hershey.

She also admitted she had been aware of two $100,000 insurance policies from which she stood to benefit.

Why not just divorce him and get rid of him? Why, why did you have to kill him? Olszewski asked during the session, according to a transcript.

I wanted the insurance money, Joann Curley answered.

She gave it all up, exactly the way the testing showed it, Olszewski said. It was a successful conviction, the family got finality and the case got finished, put to bed.

Joann Curley pleaded guilty to third-degree murder in 1996 and was released from prison on Dec. 12, 2016, after serving every day of her 20-year prison sentence.

Grady said she doesnt know where Joann Curley went after prison and that she doesnt want to know.

On the 30th anniversary of her brothers death, Grady said she just wants people to remember his life.

He was a good guy. He did not deserve to die in this manner  actually, no one deserves to die in this manner  and we just want to remember Bobby Curley, Grady said. All he wanted out of life was to be happy, have a good job and have a family. Unfortunately, Joann took that all away from him.


This page requires Javascript.

Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.
The opposition Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR) is urging Prime Minister Florin Citu, national leader of the National Liberal Party (PNL), major at rule, to come to the "negotiating table" in the University Square in Bucharest before Romanians in response to Sunday's statement by the newly elected PNL national leader that he will talk to the lawmakers from all parties to mount a majority needed to support the government he leads.

"AUR will talk to any party that observes the constitution. PNL is deficient in that regard. Democracy and constitutional rights are not negotiable. However, Florin Citu is invited to the University Square, on Saturday at 17:00hrs to deal directly with Romanians. We can also negotiate with him," George Simion, co-chair of AUR, is quoted as saying in an AUR press statement released on Monday.

On Sunday, Citu said that he will talk to all the parliamentary parties that do not want a political crisis in Romania, mentioning that he prefers the PNL- Save Romania Union (USR) - Hungarian Democratic Union of Romania (UDMR) option plus the votes of the national minority lawmakers.

"We will talk to all those who in the Romanian Parliament will support a government and do not want a political crisis in Romania (...). to all parties. On the one hand, we have USR negotiating with PSD and AUR and then you cannot but not negotiate with anyone. At this moment, we have a PSD-AUR-USR alliance in the Romanian Parliament, which wants to overthrow the government. It is the one in which we will continue with a PNL-USR-UDMR government and the votes of the minorities, that is what I want, that is what I will fight for, that is what I will negotiate in the Romanian Parliament. As long as USR keeps being adamant on overthrowing the government together with AUR and PSD, it is complicated to talk to them. After they decide if they want to stay with PSD and AUR, then we talk to them," said Citu, Agerpres informs.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in Bucharest on Monday that the issue of high energy prices will be discussed next week, with a focus on low-income households and businesses.

"We will, next week, at the informal meeting of the European Council in Slovenia, discuss the whole topic. Indeed the Commission will obviously come with proposals on what we can do on a European level, how we can relieve, for example, vulnerable households, low-income households, small businesses, of the pressure of high energy prices. That is the goal, that we address that topic not Member State by Member State, but as a European Union together, because the experience of the last years showed that whatever the crisis is we are stronger when we act together, and here the leverage of 450 million Europeans should be used to find a solution for people," said the head of the European Commission.

She held a joint press statement with President Klaus Iohannis and Prime Minister Florin Citu. AGERPRES
President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen is coming to Bucharest today as part of her NextGenerationEU series of visits.

She is scheduled to meet President Klaus Iohannis and Prime Minister Florin Citu, agerpres reports.

At 16:00hrs, von der Leyen will be welcomed at the Cotroceni Presidential Palace by Iohannis, and at 16:50hrs she will meet Prime Minister Florin Citu at the Government House.Subsequently, the three officials will tour the Bucharest University Emergency Hospital, which qualifies for funds under the NextGenerationEU programme, and will hold a joint news conference.The main purpose of von der Leyen's visit is to deliver an assessment of Romania's National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR)."To Romania, the National Recovery and Resilience Plan is not only the document based on which we will be able to get 29.2 billion euros, but also the guarantee that investments and reforms will be the coordinates of the coming years. Romania is naturally adhering to the goals that characterise developed economies: modernisation of transport and medical infrastructure, green economy, digital transformation. I appreciate the collaboration with our European partners for the completion of PNRR. The government is ready to draw the funds that Romania will benefit from and determined to implement the reform programmes," PM Citu said on Friday.PNRR is divided into 15 components covering six pillars: green transition; digital transformation; smart, sustainable and inclusive growth; social and territorial cohesion; health, economic, social and institutional resilience; next-generation policies.
The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, was welcomed on Monday at the Cotroceni Presidential Palace by President Klaus Iohannis.

The two high officials had tete-a-tete talks.

Next, von der Leyen will have a meeting with Prime Minister Florin Citu.At the end of her visit, the EC President will travel, together with the Romanian President and the Prime Minister, to the Bucharest University Emergency Hospital, which would benefit from funds through the NextGenerationEU Programme.The main purpose of the EC President's visit is to present the assessment of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan.AGERPRES
The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, President Klaus Iohannis and Prime Minister Florin Citu are visiting, on Monday, the Bucharest Emergency University Hospital.

At the end of the visit, the three officials are to hold a joint press conference.

The Bucharest Emergency University Hospital is to benefit from funds through the NextGenerationEU Programme.Previously, the EC head met with President Klaus Iohannis, at the Cotroceni Presidential Palace, and with Prime Minister Florin Citu and members of the Government, at the Victoria Palace. The meeting was also attended by the former Minister of European Investments and Projects Cristian Ghinea (Save Romania Union - Party of Liberty, Unity, and Solidarity, USR PLUS). AGERPRES
President Klaus Iohannis on Monday asked Prime Minister Florin Citu, ministers, mayors and presidents of County Councils to make an "absolute priority" from the implementation of reforms and investments provided for in the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR).

"Together with this Government, we managed to have this plan approved. Prime Minister, Ministers, Mayors and Presidents of County Councils, I ask you to make it an absolute priority to implement the reforms and the investments provided for in the National Recovery and Resilience Plan. It is a chance we are not allowed to miss, the chance to make Romania's economy more efficient, more sustainable and better prepared for any crisis that may yet appear. It is the possibility to leave to the future generations a deeply modernized Romania," said the president, at a joint press conference with the EC chief, Ursula von der Leyen, and Prime Minister Florin Citu.

The three high officials visited the Bucharest University Emergency Hospital.The EC's President is in Bucharest on Monday to present the PNRR assessment.AGERPRES
Former National Liberal Party (PNL) leader Ludovic Orban said on Monday that President Klaus Iohannis conveyed a clear message at the PNL Congress that he supported (prime minister, ed.n.) Florin Citu, adding that he had to apologize to the Romanians he had persuaded to vote for Iohannis as head of state.

"You have seen with your own eyes who clearly said that he supports Citu - the president of Romania. Practically, all the speculations that were made throughout the campaign that the president supports Florin Citu, the fact that he built his entire campaign based on this message, that there is an order for every unit from the Presidency for Citu to become leader, I did not believe it because I did not attend any discussion between the president and party leaders where Iohannis would have asked them to support Florin Citu. It is true that I had information from all the members who told me that various leaders were campaigning. Instead, all this was made clear by the presence of the president at the congress, in the message he addressed to the congress, which was an unequivocal message, every person has understood the president's partisanship for Florin Citu," Orban told a news conference.

Asked if the (intelligence, ed.n.) "Services" were involved, Orban said: "I have been asked before. Of course, the services do not work in the open, the services have systems. Here, normally, the control committee should investigate this subject."

"It has been confirmed over the last 30 years that there are interventions of the Services in areas where the Services should not be present, in the media, for example, in the judiciary, in the administration, in political parties. This should not existand I'm wondering if CNSAS shouldn't be dealing with the collaborators of today's Services, not with the collaborators of the [former communist secret police, ed.n.] Securitate," Orban added, Agerpres informs.
Ludovic Orban, the former national leader of the National Liberal Party (PNL), said on Monday that he would be ashamed to become national leader of PNL as Florin Citu did, arguing that Citu will no longer be prime minister or, if he does, it will be by the mercy of the opposition Social Democratic Party (PSD).

"Florin Citu does not understand one thing: even if he managed the way he did, if I were in his place, I would be ashamed to become president of PNL as he did. Florin Citu does not understand one thing, that he will not be the prime minister or, if he remains prime minister, he will remain only by the mercy of PSD, and to remain prime minister by the mercy of PSD means to disrespect all PNL sympathisers, who believe less and less in Florin Citu and who wonder (...) what has happened to PNL to bet on a man who, practically, has become a non-grata person for a huge number of people," Orban said at the Parliament House.

He called Florin Citu's victory in the PNL leadership elections "a party coup., Agerpres informs.
PNL (National Liberal Party) leader Prime Minister Florin Citu said on Monday that the heads of the two chambers of Parliament should "go home" if the Constitutional Court will give justice to the Government regarding the challenge on the subject of the motion censure filed by USR PLUS (Save Romania Union, Freedom, Unity, Solidarity Party) and AUR (Alliance for the Union of Romanians).

"My opinion didn't change - if the Court agrees with us, the presidents of the two chambers, the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate, should go home because they have vitiated and supported a vitiated procedure to overthrow a Government, the Government of Romania, in a complicated situation. (...) Also, I would like to see, now I don't know, but we will see tomorrow, we will see how USR will explain how they, when they were always the ones who tell us about Justice, and about how to obey the law, argued, if the Court says so, a flawed procedure," said Citu, at the PNL headquarters.

The Constitutional Court of Romania is to discuss on Tuesday, September 28, the challenge regarding the existence of a legal conflict between the Parliament and the Government on the subject of the censure motion of USR PLUS and AUR.

The Prime Minister filed a challenge with the CCR regarding the existence of a legal conflict of a constitutional nature between the Parliament and the Government in which an "unconstitutional, both unfair and abusive conduct, towards the executive authority" is invoked, as the motion of censure was initiated, filed and communicated in "violation of the constitutional provisions of Article 113 paragraph (2) of the Constitution., Agerpres informs.
President Klaus Iohannis said on Monday that high energy prices are a global problem, but that these issues are being discussed both at European level and in the Romanian government.

"There is no coincidence that the President [of the European Commission - ed.n.] and I have discussed this topic today, quite a lot and deeply. I want it to be very clear. High energy prices, especially electricity, are not a Romanian problem. It is an issue that seems to have become global. Everyone is affected by these increases and we want to look for and find solutions together starting next week, when we have an informal Council in Slovenia ideas and when we come up with the first ideas and solutions to address the issue. However, the second very important thing - even if this issue is not one of our making, we have to deal with it here, and I know that the Government has taken the issue very seriously, has prepared and is preparing a package, firstly for the vulnerable consumer, you have probably noticed that the law was promulgated a day after I received it from Parliament precisely to give the Government time to prepare these compensations or other measures that are coming for people who cannot afford to pay more, but much more is needed and I know from a reliable source that these issues are being discussed in the Government," Iohannis said.

He stressed that entrepreneurs need active measures, because energy prices will be felt very quickly by the real economy, from where they will have an impact on other prices.The head of state, President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen and Prime minister Florin Citu held a joint press conference on Monday evening, to announce the adoption by the EC of Romania's National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR).AGERPRES
On Monday, President Klaus Iohannis signed the decree on the submission for ratification by Parliament of the Protocol to modify the Convention on Offences and Certain Other Acts Committed on Board Aircraft, the Presidential Administration reports.

The Protocol was concluded in Montreal on April 4, 2014, and signed by Romania on December 13, 2019. The Convention was concluded in Tokyo on September 14, 1963.

Also, the President signed the decree regarding the promotion to the rank of major general - with two stars, on the occasion of his going into reserve, of the brigadier general - with one star Eugen Ciutaru from the Special Telecommunications Service.

Colonel Mircea Popescu from the Special Telecommunications Service will be awarded the rank of brigadier general - with one star, when he goes into reserve
National leader of the opposition Social Democratic Party (PSD) Marcel Ciolacu congratulated on Monday the German Social Democrats on their victory in Sunday's federal parliamentary elections.

"I want to congratulate Olaf Scholz and the German Social Democrats for their huge victory in the federal parliamentary elections! The left has a real chance to lead Germany's destinies in the coming years and to give Europe a social and human dimension. That is what I also said when I was in Berlin together with the Party of European Socialists (PES) to back colleagues from the SPD," Ciolacu wrote on Facebook.

He added that the fact that the voters of the strongest European country believe that left-wing policies can best protect them in such a crisis is a strong signal for all European Union countries."Even for Romania, where its right-wing government adrift has become a danger to the stability of the country! Therefore, I believe that early elections are the solution to give Romania a social-democratic government in tune with the rest of Europe."
The Mihail Kogalniceanu River Flotilla organizes, starting Monday, the Romanian-Ukrainian exercise Riverine 2021, which takes place on the Danube River, between Tulcea, southeastern Romania and Izmail, Ukraine, in which the military river ships, helicopters, divers and marines from the two countries are participating, announced in a press release sent to AGERPRES the General Staff of the Naval Forces (SMFN).

The Riverine 2021 exercise aims at the consolidation of the military cooperation between Romania and Ukraine, in the naval field, on the Danube River, by developing the level of training of the forces participating in the activity and the interoperability between them.

"The official opening ceremony of the exercise will take place on Tuesday, September 28, starting at 10:00, in the Civic Square of Tulcea, in the presence of the heads of the naval forces in Romania and Ukraine, of the Ukrainian defense attache accredited in Romania, of the representatives of the central and local authorities, of the Governor of the Danube Delta Biosphere Administration, of the representatives of the Ministry of National Defense, the Internal Affairs Ministry (MAI), the Romanian Intelligence Service (SRI), the Special Telecommunications Service (STS) and the Justice Ministry (MJ) from Tulcea County, as well as the commanders of large units from the Romanian Naval Forces. The Guard of Honour of the drill unit will be provided by the soldiers from the 307th Marine Infantry Battalion, and the national anthems of Romania and Ukraine will be sung by the Military Music of the Naval Forces," reads the mentioned source.Two armored vessels, two river vessels, a river tug, a border police ship, a Puma Naval helicopter, a detachment of EOD divers, a platoon of marines, six fast assault boats and staff officers participate in the activities on the Danube, on behalf of Romania, and the Ukrainian partners participate in the maneuvers in the Danube Delta area with three armored vessels, an auxiliary ship, a helicopter, three Coast Guard ships, a platoon of marines, a detachment of EOD divers, a rapid assault craft and staff officers."Approximately 600 Romanian and Ukrainian military will conduct tactical maneuvers, according to NATO operational standards, inspection and control exercises on suspicious boats, towing exercises, as well as training for the implementation of action procedures for interventions in emergency situations. The bilateral exercise Riverine takes place annually, in the Danube Delta area and is led, alternatively, by the Romanian Naval Forces and the Ukrainian Naval Forces," is also specified in the SMFN release.According to the source, the training activities carried out on the Danube contribute to the improvement of capacity of the Romanian Naval Forces military to respond, quickly and efficiently, to a diverse spectrum of threats on the southeastern flank of the North Atlantic Alliance.The cooperation between the military fleets of Romania and Ukraine has evolved, in recent years, through the joint exercises conducted in the Danube Delta area, in order to diversify the ways in which NATO supports the efforts of the states bordering the Black Sea made to strengthen regional security.AGERPRES
The Romanian tractor producer IRUM Reghin is announcing the launch of a new generation of forestry vehicle - TAF 690, informs the Association of Foresters of Romania (ASFOR), in a press release sent, on Monday, to AGERPRES.

The new TAF 690, which will be officially presented on October 1, on the occasion of Forester Day, is a vehicle with a series of important improvements on major components, both from an ergonomic, as well as from a performance point of view.

"After a series of massive investments in technology, IRUM, through its iFOR development and research center, has reached the moment where it launches a new version of the most prized vehicle in the Romanian forestry domain - TAF 690 (...) The vehicle is designed to satisfy the demands of the current market: It has greater power, but consumption is lower, and maintenance costs are lower. The building of the new forestry vehicle implied a series of partnerships with some of the largest players at the global level in the realm of sub-ensemble design. This ambitious project involved the work of over 30 engineers from IRUM, who repurposed and tested all the new components of the vehicle," the release shows, Agerpres.ro informs.

IRUM Reghin is a private company with completely Romanian capital, active on the market for nearly 70 years.

Presently, IRUM is an integrated plant with over 500 employees and a technological flow that covers all the phases of the Romanian tractors' and forestry vehicles' production. The plant's platform is host to the casting and manufacturing processes for parts, metallic coverings and thermal treatment processes, all the way up to final assembly.
The European Commission is giving the greenlight to Romania's National Plan for Recovery and Resilience, said the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, during a joint press conference with President Klaus Iohannis and Prime Minister Florin Citu.

Today, the European Commission is giving the greenlight to Romania's National Recovery and Resilience Plan. This is following a meticulous evaluation and a very good cooperation and I want to congratulate you for this and thank you for your cooperation, said the head of the Community executive.

She added that Romania's Plan answered some "very exigent criteria". AGERPRES
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.
In mid-2021 South Korea revealed its 2022 military budget and one of the more interesting items was $2.56 billion for a South Korean C-RAM (Counter-Rocket, Artillery and Mortar) system suitable for the very specific needs of South Korea. Obtaining such a system had been discussed in detail for several years and by 2020 there seemed to be a consensus that a C-RAM was essential to defend key civilian and military targets within long range artillery and rocket range of the DMZ (Demilitarized Zone) separating North and South Korea. South Korea had examined other C-RAM systems already in use by the United States. Germany and Israel. None met South Koreas unique needs. Developing, testing, manufacturing, and deploying this South Korean C-RAM system is expected to take until 2035.

The South Korea capital, Seoul is only 40 kilometers from the DMZ and the Seoul metropolitan area is where much of South Korean economic growth took place in the last fifty years. South Korea is now among the top ten economies on the planet and the one with the second smallest (after Canada) population. The Seoul region contains half of South Koreas population and about 40 percent of the economy (GDP). North Korea has, since the 1950s, stationed hundreds of long-range artillery and rockets that could reach Seoul. The quantity and quality of those weapons increased as Seoul became a more valuable target.

The first successful C-RAM was an American system first used in Iraq in 2006, withdrawn in 2011 and returned in 2020. Officially its name is Centurion, but hardly anyone uses that name. C-RAM is a modified, land-based version of the U.S. Navy Phalanx anti-missile system. It weighs 27 tons and is transported by a large flatbed tractor-trailer. At sea Phalanx is the last line of defense against anti-ship missiles. C-RAM was first created to defend American bases in Iraq and Afghanistan, which it continued doing until the U.S. left Afghanistan in 2021. C-RAM is still used successfully in several parts of Iraq. Several foreign nations have bought C-RAM and users are satisfied with its performance. C-RAM works 24/7 and needs a lot of maintenance. Often civilians, usually retired sailors with Phalanx experience, are hired to operate and maintain C-RAM systems. Phalanx is used by sixteen other navies besides the American fleet so many nations have personnel familiar with Phalanx and are inclined to purchase C-RAM. In 2008 a more mobile C-RAM on a heavy truck with a power supply arrived so that this C-RAM could be quickly moved around and put to work quickly.

Germany developed its own C-RAM system by modifying its Skyguard 35mm self-propelled anti-aircraft system to operate as a C-RAM. Skyguard has been around since the 1960s, undergone several major upgrades and is still produced.

The German MANTIS C-RAM was ready for service in 2008 and was sent to Afghanistan in 2011 for testing in a combat zone and was found to be more capable than the American C-RAM. While the basic concept and function of original C-RAM was still there the MANTIS was more complex in terms of equipment and software. MANTIS had a radar and control unit linked with two separate 35 mm/1000 KDG autocannon that could swivel quickly to face a target. The radar detects and identifies likely targets and then, when they were 3,000 meters away, one or both 35mm autocannon fire a burst of 12-24 shells which automatically explode near the target. Each 35mm ABM-KETF shell disperses 152 tiny (3.3 g each or 8.5 per ounce) tungsten rods to disable any shell or rocket passing through. The MANTIS fire control system automatically calculates the speed and trajectory of the incoming target, aligns the 35mm guns and fires the burst of shells that will create a large enough tungsten cloud to intercept. All this takes a few seconds and it worked reliably, after a few tweaks, before it got to Afghanistan in 2011. A MANTIS system consists of two radar control systems and six 35mm autocannon each on its own swivel platform. German troops also used MANTIS successfully in Mali in 2017. There is also a ship-based system used as an improved, but more expensive, Phalanx.

The modifications in Phalanx and Skyguard were also similar. Phalanx uses high explosive 20mm shells that detonate near the target, spraying it with fragments. By the time these fragments reach the ground they are generally too small to injure anyone. The 35mm shell used by MANTIS has about 50 percent more range (3,000 meters) than Phalanx but that does not seem to make much difference.

The original Phalanx used 20mm depleted uranium shells to slice through incoming missiles but the high-explosive shell was needed to ensure destruction of the smaller (than missiles) targets shells and rockets presented. Phalanx fires shells at the rate of 75 per second. Another advantage of C-RAM is that it makes a distinctive noise when firing, warning people nearby that a mortar or rocket attack is underway, giving people an opportunity to duck inside if they are out and about.

South Korea considered the American and German C-RAM systems inadequate to their very specific needs. The Seoul metro region is much larger than any area C-RAM or MANTIS was designed to defend and it was unable to handle the thousands of 170mm artillery shells North Korea had for their sixty or so 170mm self-propelled guns. These shells had a range of 40-54 kilometers. There are over a thousand long range rockets able to reach anywhere in the Seoul region. More of these rockets are converted to use GPS guidance each year.

Israel offered its Iron Dome system but this system used missiles and was not very effective against artillery shells. South Korea may yet purchase some Mantis or Iron Dome systems before the mid-2030s to protect some particularly valuable and vulnerable targets. For now, South Korea decided the threat against Seoul from North Korea will be around for a while longer. A unique C-RAM is part of the solution to this threat that has been around for over sixty years and now seems capable of persisting for a few decades more.
On August 30 the last of four Saar 6 corvettes arrived in Israel from Germany, where it was built. This comes eight months after the first one arrived from Germany, where the Israeli crew conducted sea trials and other tests before making the two-week voyage to Israel. The other three did not linger in Germany and the Israeli crews quickly brought their new ships home. These new ships had all the electronic equipment for the trip to Israel installed in Germany. But Israeli designed electronics and weapons systems are installed once the ships are in Israel, a process that takes several months. The German builders install structures as well as power connections and wiring so the Israeli-made equipment can be quickly installed. These weapons and electronics are Israeli designed and built, and contain a lot of tech that Israel does not share. This sometimes causes problems with foreign supplied ships and aircraft. For example, Israel was one of the first export customers to receive the American F-35 stealth fighter. Israel planned to install their own modifications to the complex software systems that give the F-35 unique capabilities. The Americans initially refused to give Israel access to the source code for that software so that modifications could be made in Israel by Israelis. The U.S. and Israel have a long and successful history of jointly developing new weapons systems and those deals usually involve sharing new tech with each other. The U.S. considered the F-35 a special case and it took months of negotiations before Israel was allowed to make its modifications to the software. Details of that deal were kept secret but the Israeli version installed in the unique Israeli F-35I were apparently shared with the United States. The F-35I was the first F-35 to operate in a combat zone (Syria) and use that tech against the most modern Russian air defense and EW (Electronic Warfare) systems. The U.S. apparently got access to the results of those encounters, which were successful and somewhat alarming for the Russians and Iran.

Some of the electronics and weapons capabilities in the Saar 6 are similarly new and meant to provide an unpleasant surprise for any future combat opponents. In addition, 1,900-ton Saar 6s are the largest ever ships to serve in the Israeli Navy. The Saar 6 is based on the German Braunschweig class corvettes, which have been in service since 2008 and proven effective. Germany also builds submarines for Israel, which are modified to the point where they are considered a major upgrade to the German Type 212 and 214 subs German builds for itself and several export customers. Germany would like to form a joint development deal with Israel similar to the ones that Israel has long had with the United States. This has proved difficult to do because, while German ship builders see the advantages, European governments still have problems with anti-Semitism and are reluctant to cooperate as closely with Israel as the Americans do in developing new military tech and keeping the tech details secret. That may be changing because of Israel finally forming diplomatic and joint defense arrangements with Arab governments that long maintained this could never happen. These Arab states, like the Americans, recognize that Israel is the most democratic, economically successful, and militarily advanced nation in the Middle East. The Arab states wanted stronger defenses against aggressive neighbors like Iran. Europe sees Iran more as a business opportunity than a military threat.

The Saar 6 design contains more weapons and new electronics than ever and has undergone upgrades even while under construction. For example, in early 2017 the design was modified to improve anti-missile capabilities. This increased the number of VLS (vertical launch system) cells to include forty Tamir (range 70 kilometers) missiles used by the C-Dome (ship-based Iron Dome) system on these ships. Another 32 VLS cells contain Barak-8 surface-to-air missiles which can handle aircraft and missiles out to 110 kilometers. The 90-meter (288 foot) long Saar 6 is equipped with an AESA radar like the one used for the American Aegis system. Both Barak 8 and C-Dome missiles use the same Israeli designed AESA radar and fire control system.

Currently the Israelis have nineteen Saar type ships in service; four Saar 6, three Saar 5, ten Saar 4.5, and two Saar 4. Most of the older Saar 4s were retired, sold off, or converted to Saar 4.5. The older Saar 4.5s are a 500-ton ships that are 61.7 meters (203 feet) long and heavily armed with a 76mm gun, eight anti-ship missiles, 32 anti-aircraft missiles, a Phalanx anti-missile 20mm autocannon, a 25mm autocannon, two 20mm autocannon, two 12.7mm machine-guns, a helicopter, and an extensive set of electronics (for a ship of that size). The Saar 5 and Saar 6 were similar in concept but larger.

Since the early 1970s Israel has built 36 Saar type ships. This began with the Saar 1, 2, and 3 classes of fast missile boats, all under 250 tons. These boats were variants on older German designs. The Saar 4 were a unique Israeli design for a 450-ton warship built in Israel and armed with eight anti-ship missiles, a Phalanx anti-missile 20mm autocannon plus a rather complete set of electronics for a ship of that size. These could stay out for about ten days at a time, had a top speed of 60 kilometers an hour, a crew of 45, and entered service in 1972. In 1980 the Saar 4.5 class vessels arrived as a major upgrade to Saar 4. Five 4.5s were exported but most were used by Israel.

The three Saar 5 class corvettes (also referred to as the Eliat class) were, because of their size, built in the United States. The 1,075-ton vessels are 85.6 meters (281 feet) long and carry an impressive amount of firepower that includes 64 Barak surface-to-air missiles, eight Harpoon (or Gabriel) anti-ship missiles, two triple 12.75-inch torpedo tubes firing Mk 46 torpedoes, two 25mm Sea Vulcans, a 20mm Phalanx CIWS (for destroying incoming missiles), and a helicopter. Top speed is 61 kilometers per hour. There is a crew of 74. These vessels entered service in 1993 and 1994.

The Saar 6 may be the last of the many Saar type ships Israel had developed since the 1970s. Before Saar 6, there were three 1,075-ton Saar 5s and Israel is not sure more of these large ships are what they need. The much larger Saar 6s is something of a specialist ship. They are armed with a 76mm gun, anti-missile/aircraft systems and anti-ship missiles. Saar 6 has a max speed of 46 kilometers an hour and normal endurance of 10-12 days. Crew size is 70 and these ships have a longer range than earlier Saars. That means anywhere in the Mediterranean or to the Red Sea, Indian Ocean or Persian Gulf. Israel recently held joint naval training exercises in the Red Sea with American warships. This took place off the Saudi coast with the approval of the Saudis who want to establish closer military ties with Israel. That process must proceed slowly because for nearly a century the Saudi Kingdom has been a major opponent of an independent Jewish state in the region. Saudi leaders have changed their minds but getting the Saudi population to go along takes longer.

Israel spent $100 million to equip all its Saar type ships with the latest version of the 76mm Oto Melara rapid fire cannon. The Israeli Navy has wanted these guns for a long time and American sailors who used them on the U.S. Perry class frigates spoke highly of them as did sailors in navies throughout the region. Some 40 other navies have used these innovative naval guns and all have been satisfied. The 76mm Oto Melara has a 4.7-meter (15.5 foot) barrel and is operated remotely. The gun has an 80-round magazine under the gun turret and can fire up to 80 rounds a minute at surface targets. Thats apparently what the Israelis want the 76mm gun for, especially because a primary threat is many (up to dozens) of speedboats equipped with missile, rockets or packed with explosives for suicide attacks. This is a tactic favored by Iran and its Lebanese franchise Hezbollah.

The 76mm gun can hit small targets (including cruise missiles) out to 20 kilometers, or twice that using a smaller guided shell. The standard 76mm shell is 12.5 kg (28 pounds), which is capable of accurately hitting and destroying small speedboats. The gun could hit about 60 targets in a few minutes.

The fire control systems on all the Saar ships were upgraded in general and this will include the ability to handle the new 76mm gun. All active Saar type ships have received new Israeli made radars and EW (Electronic Warfare) equipment.

All the Saar type ships mainly exist to guard the Mediterranean Coast, especially the offshore natural gas fields. Israel began pumping natural gas in 2013 from deposits discovered and developed since 2008. Israeli firms have found over $200 billion worth of oil and gas there so far. Israel is using these finds to achieve energy independence. The offshore facilities and pipelines must be defended from terrorists and military threats. Some of the offshore gas wells are within range of rockets fired from Gaza or southern Lebanon, where Hezbollah does as it wants. The unguided rockets are not accurate enough to hit a gas well, unless dozens (or more) were fired at once. To counter that tactic some of the offshore platforms will also be equipped with Iron Dome batteries. Iron Dome and C-Dome have a unique feature in which the radar system computes where the incoming rocket will land. If the rocket will not hit an inhabited (by ships, people or off-shore facilities) area, it will be ignored. Otherwise an interceptor missile will be fired.
What Is VVC?

Versatile Video Coding (VVC) is a codec drafted by a joint collaborative team of ITU-T and ISO/IEC experts known as the Joint Video Experts Team (JVET), which is a partnership of the ITU-T Video Coding Experts Group (VCEG) and the ISO/IEC Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG), as MPEG explains. The codec is designed to meet upcoming needs in videoconferencing, OTT streaming, mobile telephony, and contribution.

According to the final requirements document (Version 5), target compression performance is a 30% to 50% bitrate reduction as compared to the HEVC Main Profile with the same perceptual quality and an encoding complexity of approximately 10 times or more than HEVC. Early third-party performance results show improvements in the 27% to 33% range. VVC will be a royalty-bearing codec though how royalties will be set and administered is unclear.

VVC should be finalized by the end of 2020.

VVC Overview

Figure 1 shows the development timeline of recent codec standards with VVC in red at the far right. As with previous standards, VVC is jointly promulgated by ISO/IEC via the Moving Pictures Experts Group, or MPEG, and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). Initial work on VVC was conducted jointly with ISO/IEC JTC1 SC29/WG11 (MPEG) from October 2015 to October 2017 by the Joint Video ExplorationTeam (JVET). In October 2017 a new team was assembled with the same acronym but called Joint Video Experts Team (JVET).

Figure 1. Progression of video standards. From Trends and Recent Developments in Video Coding Standardization by Jens-Rainer Ohm and Mathias Wien (via SlideShare).

The initial requirements document called for a technology that could manage the following:

Picture formats: At least from VGA to 8Kx4K.

At least from VGA to 8Kx4K. Color space and color sampling: YCbCr color spaces with 4:2:0 sampling, 10 bits per component, YCbCr/RGB 4:4:4 and YCbCr 4:2:2, bit depths up to 16 bits per component, with High dynamic range and wide-gamut color, along with auxiliary channels for transparency, depth, and more.

YCbCr color spaces with 4:2:0 sampling, 10 bits per component, YCbCr/RGB 4:4:4 and YCbCr 4:2:2, bit depths up to 16 bits per component, with High dynamic range and wide-gamut color, along with auxiliary channels for transparency, depth, and more. Frame rates: Starting with 0Hz and upper limits defined by levels.

The codec was named Versatile Video Coding because it is meant to be very versatile and address all of the video needs from low resolution and low bitrates to high resolution and high bitrates, HDR, 360 omnidirectional and so on, explains Christian Feldmann, a codec engineer with Bitmovin. Figure 2 illustrates that idea, listing the test sequences defined in the call for proposals, which included a range of standard dynamic range 1080p and 4K content, as well as 8 HDR videos and 5 360 videos.

Figure 2. Test sequences in the VVC Call for Proposals Figure by Mathias Wien.

VVC Formation

Every MPEG specification sounds like it was assembled during the production of a James Bond movie. With VVC, the initial Request for Contributions on Future Video Compression Technology was published in MPEG Meeting 111 in Geneva, Switzerland (in February 2015), while the initial Requirements Document was published in Warsaw, Poland, in June 2015.

In Hobart, Australia, MPEG issued a Joint Call for Evidence on Video Compression With Capability beyond HEVC in April 2017. In July 2017, in Torino, Italy, MPEG published the results of the evidence, which found significant gain compared to HEVC was achieved for a considerable number of test cases. Comparable subjective quality (i.e. a comparable MOS value) was observed at 40% to 50% less bit rate than HEVC for the SDR and HDR test cases. Moreover, even higher bit rate savings was observed for some test sequences... As a result of the evaluation of submitted evidence, it has been concluded that evidence exists of the existence of technology that is likely to significantly outperform the compression capability of the HEVC standard after further development and standardization.

This lead to a Joint Call for Proposals on Video Compression With Capability Beyond HEVC published in Macau in October 2017, and the start of the formal standardization process. The schedule presented in this document shows the standard being completed in October 2020.

From there, VVC ran through multiple working drafts through Draft 5, which was published in Geneva in March 2019. The most recent Test Model (6) was published in Gothenburg, Sweden in July 2019.

Technical Components of VVC

As in most preceding standards, VVC has a block-based hybrid coding architecture, combining inter-picture and intra-picture prediction and transform coding with entropy coding (from VVC Test Model 6).

Figure 3. The block diagram of the VVC encoder (from VVC Test Model 6).

There are a range of mostly evolutionary technologies in VVC, including intra prediction, inter prediction, transformation, in-loop filtering, palette coding, block partitioning, affine motion, and decoder side search. These are summarized in Figure 4, from a 2018 presentation entitled Versatile Video Coding  Video Compression Beyond HEVC: Coding Tools for SDR and 360 Video by Mathias Wien, a lecturer at RWTH Aachen University. Note that I combined two slides into one to create the figure.

Figure 4. New features in VVC.

You can find a more detailed explanation of the new features in an article entitled VVC Video Codec  The Next Generation Codec by Bitmovins Christian Feldmann. Feldmann also compared AV1 and VVC in a presentation at Streaming Media East 2019. Download the presentation handout and watch the video.

Early Performance Tests for VVC

As mentioned above, responses to the Joint Call for Evidence showed savings in the 40% to 50% range for SDR and HDR tests with higher savings on some clips, though lower gains were reported in the 360 video sequences. These results convinced MPEG to greenlight VVC. Since then, there have been several comparisons involving primarily VVC, AV1, and HEVC.

Before diving in, lets clarify the nomenclature. JEM stands for the Joint Exploration Model, which was an experimental software version that contains all the tools in the VVC specification. It appears that the JEM has been succeeded by the VVC Test Model (VTM) since the initial set of tests described below. Again, VTM is reference software that contains all the tools in the codec, and I could find no tests using the VTM software.

HM is the HEVC Test Model that also contains all the encoding tools in the spec and is not a commercial encoder. AV1 is an actual shipping version of the AV1 codec. JM is the equivalent for H.264, again not a shipping version of the codec but a reference version with all the available tools in the spec.

While these names sound obtuse and complicate the interpretations of comparisons like those shown in Figure 5 and 6, the names identify the actual encoder used to produce the comparison. For this reason, these names are more precise than designating the results VVC, HEVC, or H.264, which can be produced by any compliant codec produced by any encoding vendor.

Back on point, one of the more notable comparisons was produced by the BBC, published in June 2018 and updated in June 2019. Tests involved HD and UHD clips representative of typical broadcasting content measured with both objective and subjective tests. As Figure 5 shows, AV1 produced only minor efficiencies compared to HEVC while VVC (labeled JEM in green) was 27% more efficient than HEVC with UHD content and 33% more efficient with HD video content.

Figure 5. BBC results comparing VVC (JEM in green), AV1 (yellow), and HEVC (HM in orange).

Together with a company called b<>com, Harmonic produced a codec study comparing H.264, HEVC, VP9, AV1, and VVC. Figure 6 shows the BD-Results, which list the bitrate savings (negative numbers) or surplus needed for each codec to produce the same quality as the codec its being compared to, with PSNR on the left and VMAF on the right.

Focusing on the bottom row, as gauged with PSNR, VVC can produce the same quality as H.264 (JM) at a 63% bitrate savings, the same quality as HEVC (HM) at a 24% bitrate savings, and the same quality as AV1 with a 20% bitrate savings. With VMAF, the numbers are a savings of 65% (H.264), 30% (HEVC), and 18% (AV1).

Figure 6. BD-Rate savings for VVC as compared to H.264, HEVC, and AV1. Image edited to highlight JEM performance (no numbers were changed).

Not to get off track, but in all fairness to AV1, these results differ from what others have published, including Facebook, Bitmovin, and Moscow State University, which compared AV1 to HEVC or VP9, not VVC, using actual shipping codecs like x264 and x265, not reference models. In Streaming Media tests also performed with x264 and x265, AV1 produced the same quality as x265 with a data rate savings of 18%.

Regarding VVC, these results are promising but will need to be recalibrated once we know the final toolset that will be included in any particular licensed version of VVC. To explain, take a look at the final section.

VVC Licensing Structure

VVC will be royalty-bearing. As we discuss in our article, Inside MPEG's Ambitious Plan to Launch 3 Video Codecs in 2020, it appears that a third party, the Media Coding Industry Forum, will create profiles and levels based upon licensing terms proposed by each IP owner. It also seems likely that there will be multiple patent pools. In this schema, pool pricing could determine which encoding tools are included in each profile.

How this will work has not been made public yet, but presumably, if one pool charges three times the royalty of the other pools, the tools represented in that pool might be placed in a profile that few implementors would choose to use. Obviously, this impacts competitive quality; the results above include all existing tools, including those that may not be in the profile selected by any particular user. This schema was created by MPEG to avoid the patent holdup that occurred with HEVC where several patent holders declared their proposed royalty structure well after the codec had been implemented.

This is the first codec where patented encoding tools may be relegated to different profiles based upon their royalty rate or other licensing terms. With HEVC and H.264, all tools were included in the final licensable codec, so its fair to use the reference models containing all tools to evaluate codec performance. However, with VVC, until we know the final royalty-related profile structure, we wont know how the performance of the reference model will relate to the version deployed by a particular implementor. The bottom line is that until we know VVCs licensing structure we really cant gauge VVCs quality or performance.

Summing Up

VVC is clearly a CPU-intensive codec that will require hardware support before it can be widely deployed, which pushes deployment to at least two years after the spec is finalized. If the licensing structure isnt crystal clear at that time, expect few product developers to start incorporating VVC into their product plans. For the same reason, until the IP situation is clear, any quality or other performance evaluations may bear little resemblance to whats actually deployed by any implementor.

Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus.

Related Articles
Phoenix, Arizona--(Newsfile Corp. - September 27, 2021) - The Stock Day Podcast welcomed Can B Corp. (OTCQB: CANB) (CANB) ("the Company"), a health & wellness company providing the highest quality hemp derived cannabinoid products. CEO of the Company, Marco Alfonsi, joined Stock Day host Everett Jolly.

Jolly began the interview by asking about the Company's latest projects. "We have a manufacturing division, hemp division, and medical device division," explained Alfonsi. "Let's start with our Pure Health products," said Alfonsi. "We have doubled our capacity," he shared. "We are getting NSF certified, which will give us the ability to do pharmaceutical goods," said Alfonsi. He also shared that the Company's Canbiola brand is now available in hundreds of doctor's offices.

Alfonsi then elaborated on the progress of the Company's medical device division. "We moved into Michigan and we are now in approximately 25 physician offices," said Alfonsi. "By opening up Michigan, we are exceeding our revenue model there."

"However, the exciting part of our business that we are getting into is the hemp division," continued Alfonsi, before elaborating on the Company's purchase of Colorado facility assets. "Our capacity has grown dramatically," said Alfonsi. "We're able to do around 3,000 liters per month of [Delta-8 and other isomers]," he explained. "We were able to bring in a whole new section of business for us because now we are able to make our own isolate."

"What do you think the future of the hemp industry looks like over the next two to three quarters?" asked Jolly. "For my company, we are in a boom right now," said Alfonsi. "We have control of 100% of our supply chain," he added. "By creating isomers with Delta-8, which is very hot on the street right now, we are able to create profit," said Alfonsi, before elaborating on the potential of isomers.

"With all of these acquisitions, what do you expect for the Company over the next 12 months?" asked Jolly. Alfonsi then discussed the significant revenue potential of the Company's hemp division, paired with the potential of their additional divisions.

"Do you feel that your market cap is very undervalued?" asked Jolly. "Yes," said Alfonsi. "If you liquidated all of my assets today, you would have about $12 million in hard assets and we have 22 million shares issued," he explained. "Honestly, in my opinion the valuation should be twice the market cap that it is now."

To close the interview, Alfonsi expressed his confidence in the Company's potential as they continue to expand and grow across numerous divisions.

To hear Marco Alfonsi's entire interview, follow the link to the podcast here: https://audioboom.com/posts/7949229-can-b-corp-discusses-significant-delta-8-and-isomer-capacity-growth-with-the-stock-day-podcast.

Investors Hangout is a proud sponsor of "Stock Day," and Stock Day Media encourages listeners to visit the company's message board at https://investorshangout.com/.

About Can B Corp.

Can B Corp. (OTCQB: CANB) is a health & wellness company providing the highest quality hemp derived cannabinoid products, including under its own brands of Canbiola, Seven Chakras, NuWellness, Pure Leaf Oil and Duramed. Can B utilizes multi-channel distribution to reach consumers, including medical facilities, doctor offices, retailers, online and direct. Can B Corp. operate R&D and production facilities in Lacey, WA, and Florida. To learn more about Can B Corp. and our comprehensive line of high quality products, please visit: Canbiola.com and www.CanBCorp.com, follow Can B Corp on Instagram and Facebook, or visit one of the 1,000+ retail outlets that carry Can B Corp. products.

For more information about Can B Corp., please visit:

CanBCorp.com

Twitter @CanBCorp

Instagram @canbcorp

Facebook @ Can B Corp

YouTube

Forward-Looking Statements

Forward-looking statements and risks and uncertainties discussed in this release contain forward-looking statements. The words "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "may," "intend," "expect," and similar expressions identify such forward-looking statements. Expected, actual results, performance, or achievements could differ materially from those contemplated, expressed, or implied by the forward-looking statements contained herein. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to, risks and uncertainties associated with, among other things, the impact of economic, competitive, and other factors affecting our operations, markets, products, and performance. The matters discussed herein should not be construed in any way, shape or manner of our future financial condition or stock price. Except as required by law, we undertake no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, after the date on which the statements are made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

Investors and Media:

IR@canbiola.com

(917) 658-7878

About The "Stock Day" Podcast

Founded in 2013, Stock Day is the fastest growing media outlet for Nano-Cap and Micro-Cap companies. It educates investors while simultaneously working with penny stock and OTC companies, providing transparency and clarification of under-valued, under-sold Micro-Cap stocks of the market. Stock Day provides companies with customized solutions to their news distribution in both national and international media outlets. The Stock Day Podcast is the number one radio show of its kind in America.

SOURCE:

Stock Day Media

(602) 821-1102

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/97728
BOSTON, Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Two members of the prominent Gamble family announced today they are resigning from the board of Pathfinder International, a major international nonprofit organization started by their father. They also announced their family would end their decades of financial support to Pathfinder.

"Every time we asked for evaluations of the Pathfinder CEO, the board chair was unwilling to share that information."

Sister and brother Julia "Judy" Kahrl and Walter Gamble notified Pathfinder board members and its CEO by email this morning of their immediate resignations. They cited a lack of transparency, low morale and high turnover at the Watertown, Mass.-based international organization, which utilizes over $100 million a year in grant funding from donors, including from the U.S. Agency for International Development, for the organization's reproductive health and family planning programs in developing countries.

Pathfinder was founded in 1957 by the siblings' father, Clarence Gamble, an heir to the Procter & Gamble Company fortune. The Gamble family itself has donated $40 million to Pathfinder over the years.

The family has soughtbut been deniedinformation on CEO Lois Quam's management performance evaluation for months. Having that evaluation is key to addressing the nearly 100 percent turnover in US staff since Quam became CEO four years ago, they said.

The family said it is concerned that Pathfinder is now on its third chief financial officer in five years, as well as a string of communications officers. They say they also have questioned expenditures, including a $216,000 severance package for a former human resources director after just four years on the job.

"It is the responsibility of a board member to understand how an organization and its chief executive leader are performing," Kahrl said. "Every time we asked for performance evaluations of Pathfinder CEO Lois Quam, the board chair was unwilling to share that information. That is not the transparency a nonprofit should demonstrate, especially when Pathfinder has hundreds of employees around the world who are expecting us to exercise oversight."

Last week, Ben Kahrl--son of Judy Kahrl--was removed from the board by secret ballot. He had repeatedly asked the board leadership to provide performance evaluations of the CEO, and said his removal was retaliation for asking questions about the CEO's performance.

On Monday (Sept. 27) the Gamble siblings sent a letter to dozens of Pathfinder's high-value supporters and announced that they could no longer support the organization financially. The family intends to channel future donations toward other reproductive rights organizations.

"We remain committed to the important mission of reproductive rights and justice," Walter Gamble said. "Our family will continue to be strong supporters of that mission through other organizations that demonstrate integrity and an unwavering commitment to transparency."

Media Contact: John Boit - (202) 468-9413, jboit@melwoodglobal.com

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/after-decades-of-service-and-40-million-in-donations-gamble-family-resigns-from-pathfinder-board-and-halts-financial-donations-301385924.html

SOURCE Gamble Family
TICKERS: CBR; CBGZF, ELD; EGO, GMIN

Source: Streetwise Reports (9/27/21)

G Minings recently announced US$110 million acquisition of the TZ gold project from Eldorado Gold should result in one of Brazils largest gold mines and highlights the potential of the Tapajos region, which was the site of the worlds largest gold rush.



Cabral Gold Inc. (TSX-V: CBR; OTC: CBGZF) is getting a new neighbor at its Cuiu Cuiu project in Brazils Tapajos region, and Dr. Alan Carter, the junior miners Founder and CEO is feeling vindicated due to his longstanding belief that the Tapajos will prove to be one of the worlds largest gold districts.

The new neighbor is G Mining Ventures (GMIN:TSX.V), which has purchased the fully permitted Tocantinzinho (TZ) gold project from Eldorado Gold (ELD:TSX; EGO:NYSE) for $110 million in combined cash and shares. Eldorados President and CEO George Burns described TZ as a cornerstone asset for GMN, a team with a strong track record of building mines on time and on budget . . . we believe they are the right group to responsibly advance the asset.

Breaking Down the Timeline

Cabrals Carter told Streetwise, This is a huge development for this part of Brazil and highlights the enormous potential of the Tapajos region. If you look at the largest gold mines in Brazil and what G Mining is planning to do, TZ will in likely become Brazils third largest gold mine.

"We are very optimistic that we will make additional discoveries in the coming months.

In immediate, practical terms, G Mining plans an aggressive schedule of work through June 2022. This will mean infrastructure improvements that will benefit Cabral as well. Being next to a significant development that is under construction will be far better for us than being next to a stranded project that has been left on the back burner, Carter said.

The Tapajos region was the site of the worlds largest placer mining gold rush in 1978 to 1995, yielding up to 30 million ounces. Cabral owns 100% of Cuiu Cuiu, located 20 kilometers northwest of TZ, and Cuiu Cuiu was the largest placer gold camp in all of the Tapajos.

During the Tapajos Gold Rush, Cuiu Cuiu produced 2 million ounces of placer gold, 10 times the amount produced at TZ, suggesting that in all likelihood there will be a lot more gold in the hard-rock at Cuiu Cuiu. The Cuiu Cuiu district currently contains 1 million ounces in two deposits but the project is 15 x 10 km and contains 43 mostly high-grade targets within a few kilometers of the two known hard-rock deposits.

Whilst developments at the TZ project next door are positive, Cabral is on its own fast-paced exploration program at Cuiu Cuiu. Since Carter last spoke with Streetwise in August, Cabral has added two more drills and now has a total of five turning, which should result in a lot of news through to mid-2022 at least. In addition, Cabral is making new discoveries which are should add significant ounces at Cuiu Cuiu.

Carter commented, Its extremely rare for a junior company like ours to control an entire gold district, but with high-grade gold drill intercepts on 10 targets outside the two known gold deposits, and a further 33 targets within an 8-kilometer radius, we are very optimistic that we will make additional discoveries in the coming months.

"Its not a question of whether there is gold at Cuiu Cuiu. The question is how many more deposits are there, and how much gold do they contain?

With work continuing year-round at Cuiu Cuiu, even during the November to April rainy season, Carter anticipates nine months of steady news flow.

Even with lab turnaround times running slowly due to Covid-19, we expect to release results every two to three weeks, he said.

Cabrals Mission Is to Deliver Value at Cuiu Cuiu

Cabral and Carter are committed to Cuiu Cuiu, and Carter has so far put $1.7 million of his own money into Cabral, making him the largest shareholder.

As a management team, we are on a mission to deliver value, and we all are aligned with our shareholders as we work on that objective. Last year we were the #2 ranked mining stock on the TSX-V exchange, and there are hundreds of mining companies listed in the exchange. Our Cuiu Cuiu project is very special because it encompasses an entire district. Its not a question of whether there is gold at Cuiu Cuiu. The question is how many more deposits are there, and how much gold do they contain?

We think that so far we can explain 10% of the placer gold that was extracted at Cuiu Cuiu. Were looking for the remaining 90%. To us it only makes sense that the largest placer gold camp in the region of the worlds biggest placer gold rush should harbor the largest hard-rock gold deposits, Carter concluded.

[NLINSERT]

Disclosure:

1) Diane Fraser compiled this article for Streetwise Reports LLC and provides services to Streetwise Reports as an independent contractor. She or members of her household own securities of the following companies mentioned in the article: None. She or members of her household are paid by the following companies mentioned in this article: None. His/her company has a financial relationship with the following companies referred to in this article: None.

2) The following companies mentioned in this article are billboard sponsors of Streetwise Reports: Cabral Gold Inc. Click here for important disclosures about sponsor fees. The information provided above is for informational purposes only and is not a recommendation to buy or sell any security.

3) The article does not constitute investment advice. Each reader is encouraged to consult with his or her individual financial professional and any action a reader takes as a result of information presented here is his or her own responsibility. By opening this page, each reader accepts and agrees to Streetwise Reports' terms of use and full legal disclaimer. This article is not a solicitation for investment. Streetwise Reports does not render general or specific investment advice and the information on Streetwise Reports should not be considered a recommendation to buy or sell any security. Streetwise Reports does not endorse or recommend the business, products, services or securities of any company mentioned on Streetwise Reports.

4) From time to time, Streetwise Reports LLC and its directors, officers, employees or members of their families, as well as persons interviewed for articles and interviews on the site, may have a long or short position in securities mentioned. Directors, officers, employees or members of their immediate families are prohibited from making purchases and/or sales of those securities in the open market or otherwise from the time of the decision to publish an article until three business days after the publication of the article. The foregoing prohibition does not apply to articles that in substance only restate previously published company releases. As of the date of this article, officers and/or employees of Streetwise Reports LLC (including members of their household) own securities of Cabral Gold Inc., a company mentioned in this article.
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.
A Sikorsky CH-53E Super Stallion flies above Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., Nov. 17, 2020. (Seth Haddix/U.S. Air Force)

(Tribune News Service)  Sikorsky Aircraft gave a send-off Friday to its first Connecticut-built CH-53K heavy lift helicopter to the U.S. Marine Corps in a ceremony suitable for the massive high-tech aircraft.

Nearly 100 executives and employees of the Lockheed Martin Corp. helicopter manufacturer and others celebrated in an aircraft hangar at Sikorskys Stratford headquarters, with the helicopter  99 feet long and 18 feet high  put on display for the event.

The delivery to the Marines comes nearly five years to the day after then-Gov. Dannel P. Malloy announced a $220 million state aid package for Sikorsky intended to keep helicopter manufacturing in Connecticut and expand the network of suppliers.

Your partnership has helped us lay the foundation and make this big event in Connecticut possible, Sikorsky President Paul Lemmo told state officials who included Gov. Ned Lamont and his economic development team.

At a cost of $87 million each, the CH-53K is the largest and most powerful helicopter built in the West, Richard Aboulafia, vice president for analysis at Teal Group, a Fairfax, Va., industry analysis firm, wrote in a September 2020 note. Program acquisition costs that include research and development and machine tools have grown to $138.5 million per helicopter, he said.

The upgraded helicopter includes new avionics and new main rotor heads and blades, he said.

The emphasis is not on a leap in capabilities, but greater reliability and a smaller logistical footprint, Aboulafia said.

Chief Executive Officer James Taiclet, speaking to industry analysts on a conference call in July to discuss second-quarter financial results, said Lockheed Martin is continuing to drive cost down and provide reduced unit prices.

Lockheed Martin has received orders for 33 53K helicopters in the Navy program, Taiclet said. Sikorsky will make 200 heavy lift helicopters over 15 years.

So a long way to go, Taiclet said. Over 80% of the domestic aircraft quantities are still in front of us. And interest from international customers is driving additional opportunities.

Sen. Richard Blumenthal, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said in an interview that cost containment is a major concern across the board with every weapons system. Military planners drafting annual Pentagon budgets of more than $700 billion are grappling with a range of high-cost priorities such as submarines, aircraft carriers, fighter jets, missiles and reconnaissance.

Blumenthal, D-Conn., told the gathering that the heavy lift helicopter is a wondrous feat of engineering and manufacturing. It will make it possible for the U.S. military to project power in places right now it simply cant.

The 53K, a highly computerized aircraft, has a capacity to lift 36,000 pounds, reach a maximum altitude of 18,000 feet and travel at a speed of up to 170 knots, or 195 mph.

In an interview, Lemmo said Sikorsky has exceeded jobs requirements spelled out in the 2016 state deal for more than 8,000 workers by the end of the 14th year of the agreement. The manufacturer now employs more than 8,000 in Connecticut and 13,000 globally, he said.

Sikorsky spent $450 million with Connecticut suppliers over the last year, far outpacing $350 million a year required in the deal, Lemmo said.

And were not even into full-rate production so you can imagine as we ramp up production how that will continue to grow, he said.

ssinger@courant.com

2021 Hartford Courant.

Visit courant.com.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Father Emil Kapaun celebrates Mass using the hood of his jeep as an altar, as his assistant, Patrick J. Schuler, kneels in prayer in Korea on Oct. 7, 1950, less than a month before Kapaun was taken prisoner. Kapaun died in a prisoner of war camp on May 23, 1951. (Raymond A. Skeehan/U.S. Army)

PILSEN, Kansas (Tribune News Service)  When the plane carrying the remains of Korean War hero Father Emil Kapaun landed him back in Kansas at last, Paul Roach rose from his chair on the tarmac and gave his old pal a slow salute. Then he remained standing, and stayed standing for a good 20 minutes.

This is not easy to do with a body in the mid-90s  a body that still feels the aches and other reminders of prolonged Korean War prison camp starvation and other abuses. But when Kapaun's casket came out of the airplane's belly and the seven honor guards gave it the slow salute, Roach stood under the noonday sun and gave his own slow salute, age and frailty be damned.

It was welcome-home time for Kapaun, who befriended Roach in a North Korean prison camp after Roach saw the Army platoon he led get annihilated in 1950. Roach survived more than two years in the prison. Kapaun did not.

Roach came because he's one of a now-tiny band of Kapaun's surviving POW brotherhood. Roach is in poor health, and frail, but he came to represent those POWS, living and dead.

Worried about picking up an illness, he stayed away from the welcome-home crowds at Kapaun's home church on Saturday and Sunday.

And so he missed scenes of awe and joy.

Homecoming for Kapaun

Wearing matching blue T-shirts proclaiming "Home at Last," four pre-teen girls stood waiting with hundreds of others along the side of the road leading into this tiny community on Saturday. The road leads past St. John Nepomucene Catholic Church.

Shortly after 2 p.m. the young girls burst into song  "America the Beautiful" and "God Bless America"  sung well, sung in interlocking harmony from much practice. They sang as they watched for the motorcade bearing Kapaun's remains, the cars and blue and red lights coming up from the south, past farms and intersections where summer-tanned farmers and their families sat in roadside chairs to wave him home, past two rows of hundreds of roadside American flags flapping in a light breeze.

The girls are from here; the four of them go to this church and some of them  like Emil Kapaun  were baptized here: Maria Carlson, Kate Wessell, Alexandra Carlson, Gabriel Stuchlik.

The girls waited; the motorcade arrived, rolling into the church lot where hundreds of church people and farmers and town people stood. Some cried, some made the sign of the cross; bearded men took off their billed caps and laid them over their chests.

Time and fate have not been always kind to this town and the surrounding community. It ought to be honored more than it is. Pilsen after all, with its church and few-dozen houses and surrounding wheat fields gave the world Father Emil Kapaun: A Medal of Honor Army chaplain, a possible saint who died saving others, a gentle soul with a spine of steel and a true-life story that sounds like that of a far-fetched movie super-hero.

But whatever its tiny size, and however it is described (a town with one church and one working soda pop machine) this community of farmers and grandmothers and pastry-baking church ladies knows how to worship, how to love, and how to strike awe in the hearts of outsiders. They showed this yet again on Saturday.

A military honor guard carried Kapaun's casket into the church and placed him near the font where he was baptized in 1916, and just a few feet below the altar and lectern where he said Mass and preached homilies, preached not only in English but in Czech, the native language of many of his older fellow Pilsen church-goers in the 1940s. He had taught himself to speak and write in that language as a way to please them.

Father Brian Bebak stepped to the casket, sprinkled it with holy water  then delivered a spare and short message: There would be no Mass celebrated at this moment of Father Kapaun's homecoming; the mass would come later, with the bishop presiding. Today, Bebak told them, there would be only this ritual-free gathering. "Come forward if you want," Bebak said. "If you would like to do so, you can touch your rosaries or other items to the casket."

And the people did so, a few at a time, and did so in an awesome quiet.

They touched the casket with hands and prayer cards, prayer books and prayer rosaries. And as if they knew what was going on, the babies present in the church refrained from fussing.

The people reached out hands to Kapaun one at a time: A woman wearing a traditional Catholic church laced white veil. Another woman, a black laced veil. Girls wearing the blue T-shirts that Harriet Bina had obtained for everyone. Bina herself, bowing her head to kiss the casket, tears streaming; she had known Kapaun's parents, Bessie and Enos Kapaun, had seen the grief in their faces, had heard from friends about the edge in Bessie's voice when Bessie said she didn't want the Army's medals: "I just want my son home."

And now he was home, 72 years after he walked out of the church for the last time. And only a little more than a dozen years or so after the four singing girls were born.

Those girls don't know the worst of Kapaun's story  not yet. They don't know yet all the worst of how he starved, how he gave away his own food to shame fellow prisoners of war to stop stealing from each other. They don't know about the bullets kicking up dust at his feet, or how he reached up a hand to bless the prison camp guards who in May 1951 led him to his death.

But they know enough for now.

"We know that he risked his life for the country, and how he did it for us," Kate Wessell said.

"His story makes you think  about not always worrying about your own comfort," Maria Carlson said.

And so, in the church a few minutes after those girls sang outside, hundreds of people from the church and community came forward to the casket, their babies not crying, their elders not coughing, the feet of Kapaun's people not stirring enough to make more than a light sound of shuffling.

And mothers held their children's hands as the children touched the red, white and blue flag draped over the casket.

Honoring an old friend

On Sunday, there was a happy communal church meal and then Harriet Bina cleared the church of people.

Ray Kapaun, Father Kapaun's nephew, led Paul Roach and his family in. Ray walked Kapaun's old friend arm in arm to the casket.

It was, Roach said, the first time he had stood before Kapaun since the fight with prison guards in which American POWs tried to save his life.

At the casket, Roach pulled a pale blue POW organization cap out of a back pocket.

He laid it on Kapaun's casket. "I want him to have this to represent all those men he helped so much," he said.

Roach sat down near Kapaun for 20 quiet minutes.

Then he stood again, and turned to speak, to Kapaun's family and to his own. He stood for a long time, as he had stood to salute the day before.

In the prison camp in May 1951, the guards who despised and feared the defiant priest and soldier came at last to his prison hut to carry him to what prisoners called the Death House.

"We knew they were going to isolate him and let him die."

Fellow POW Mike Dowe and other Kapaun friends raised the alarm. Dozens of POWs came running or hobbling to the hut, all of them enfeebled by starvation. Some, as Dowe said later, began arguing and shouting, some of them pushing guards armed with rifles tipped with bayonets.

"There were at least 50 of us all ready to fight," Roach told his loved ones. "But Father made us stop. He said, 'Mike, let them take me. I've wanted to go to heaven all my life and meet our savior.' "

Roach paused in his telling. Ray wept, standing beside him.

"And that was the last any of us saw him  until today."

2021 The Wichita Eagle (Wichita, Kan.)

Visit The Wichita Eagle (Wichita, Kan.) at www.kansas.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
President Joe Biden hosted a summit meeting Friday that could turn out to be a watershed  but if you werent watching, you might have missed it.

The meeting brought together the leaders of a deliberately low-key group called the Quad: the United States, Japan, India and Australia.

U.S. officials downplayed the session, describing it as an informal gathering of leading democracies in the Indo-Pacific.

China wasnt fooled. Its diplomats have spent months denouncing the Quad as a Cold War-style alliance aimed at containing Beijings rise as the dominant power in Asia.

And theyre right.

Biden and his fellow Quad leaders never publicly uttered the word China, but the Quad is all about containment. It seeks to blunt Chinas growing influence, deter it from launching military adventures and prevent it from muscling the United States and other countries out of Asias growing markets.

The Quad isnt a military alliance  formally, at least. A Biden aide who briefed reporters before the summit took pains to make that point three times in 20 minutes.

But last month, four navies staged a massive military exercise in the Philippine Sea east of China. The participants were the same four: the United States, Japan, India and Australia.

All four are democracies. More to the point, all four have been alarmed to see China exert economic and military power to get its way  from seizing islands and building bases on contested territory in the South China Sea to threatening Taiwan and attacking Indian army positions in the Himalayas.

In Australia, the muscle China used was economic: After Australia called for an investigation of the origins of the coronavirus, Beijing retaliated by cutting imports of Australian beef and called on the Canberra government to stifle anti-China statements from members of Parliament and the media.

The naked pressure backfired; the Aussies got their backs up and decided to move closer to the United States.

One result was AUKUS, the new military partnership of Australia, Britain and the United States, whose first big project is building nuclear-powered submarines for the Australian navy.

Between the Quad and AUKUS, were seeing the emergence of a new security architecture, Bonnie Glaser, a China expert at the German Marshall Fund of the United States, told me. It sends a signal to Beijing that other countries are willing to stand up together and defend a rules-based international order.

Containing China has become a top priority of U.S. foreign policy, with coalition-building as Bidens instrument of choice. That shouldnt be surprising; its one theater in which the United States enjoys a clear advantage.

China is very good at many things: economic growth, large-scale construction projects, acquiring foreign technology, cyberespionage. But it hasnt been successful at making friends. Its a superpower with client states but no real allies, unless you count Pakistan and, recently, Russia.

That helps explain the fury of Chinese denunciations of the Quad, AUKUS and other regional groupings: Its a game they cant play.

The question is whether China will launch a military challenge against the new coalition before the U.S. has time to consolidate it.

The test could come over Taiwan, the breakaway province that Chinas ruling Communist Party has long vowed to reincorporate into the motherland.

The standard view in Asia is that Taiwan is the canary in the coal mine, said Elbridge Colby, a former Pentagon official whose new book, The Strategy of Denial, focuses on the U.S.-China confrontation.

The recently retired commander of U.S. forces in the Pacific, Navy Adm. Phil Davidson, warned in March that China could pose a serious threat to Taiwan in the next six years, Colby noted.

Chinese President Xi Jinping can see that the trends are not favorable, Colby said.

Australias new submarines could help deter a seaborne invasion, for example, but they wont be in the water for more than a decade. So the Chinese leader could view the next few years as a last opportunity to take Taiwan by force.

We should be worried, Colby said.

If this is beginning to sound like the bad old days of the Cold War, when the United States and its allies obsessed over the prospect of a Soviet invasion of Europe, it should.

No historical analogy is perfect, of course. Our competition-plus-conflict with China is complicated by the two countries deep economic entanglement, which wasnt the case with the Soviet Union. But in most other respects, the comparison fits: two nuclear superpowers that disagree over ideology, often view global power as a zero-sum game and  in the case of the United States  build coalitions and alliances to reinforce their influence.

We are not seeking a new Cold War, Biden said at the United Nations last week. But thanks to Xis assertiveness, hes gotten one  and no matter how soothing his words, hes acting accordingly.

Doyle McManus is a columnist for the Los Angeles Times.
The HMS Richmond, a frigate that's operating in the Indo-Pacific region with the aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth, tweeted through its official account that it had transited the Taiwan Strait on Monday, Sept. 27, 2021. (Royal Navy)

A British warship, part of the U.K. carrier strike group, steamed through the Taiwan Strait on Monday on its way to rendezvous with the Vietnamese navy.

The HMS Richmond, a Type 23 frigate that arrived in the Indo-Pacific region with the aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth, tweeted through its official account that it had transited the contentious, 110-mile-wide strait that day.

After a busy period working with partners and allies in the East China Sea, we are now en route through the Taiwan Strait to visit Vietnam and the Vietnam Peoples Navy, the message said.

Beijing routinely condemns the U.S. Navys transits through the politically sensitive waterway that separates China from Taiwan. The Chinese government considers democratic Taiwan a breakaway province that must be reunited with the mainland, possibly by force.

The U.S. Navys most recent trip through the strait happened on Sept. 17, its ninth so far this year.

Spokespeople for the Royal Navy did not immediately return a request from Stars and Stripes for comment Monday.

During its time in the East China Sea, the Richmond helped enforce the United Nations sanctions against North Koreas missile programs, according to a U.K. Ministry of Defence news release on Sunday.

The U.K. reported that the Richmond discovered evidence of North Korean ships apparently breaching U.N. sanctions and provided that evidence to the U.N. Enforcement Coordination Cell.

The Royal Navy has remained active in the Indo-Pacific region since the Queen Elizabeth strike group arrived earlier this summer. The aircraft carrier and its escorts have made port calls in Guam and Japan, as well as having held numerous training exercises alongside Japanese and American ships.
Buy Photo Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks Sept. 8, 2021, during a visit to Ramstein Air Base, Germany. Blinken later said the treaty dispute that has exposed scores of U.S. military personnel to tax penalties at the hands of German finance authorities was not on his radar. (Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes)

STUTTGART, Germany  Secretary of State Antony Blinken said this week that he is unaware of a treaty dispute that has exposed scores of U.S. military personnel to hefty tax penalties at the hands of German finance authorities, but that he intends to look into the matter.

Im sorry, not something that Im aware of, but Id certainly invite you to take that up with the embassy, if they can work the issue and Ill double back and look into it, Blinken told Stars and Stripes following a visit to Ramstein Air Base late Wednesday. Not something that was on my radar.

Blinken, who was in Germany to discuss with allies evacuation efforts in Afghanistan, oversees a State Department in charge of resolving the disagreement over how the NATO Status of Forces Agreement should be interpreted.

The U.S. contends that attempts by German authorities to tax certain troops, Defense Department civilians and contractors amounts to a violation of a treaty designed to make military pay off limits to local tax collectors.

As a result of the situation, hundreds of DOD personnel have been issued tax penalties by German authorities that in some cases have reached into the six figures. That is on top of the American income tax they are required to pay.

In June, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin personally raised his concerns over the issue with his German counterpart, Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, during a meeting at the Pentagon.

Other German officials, including Foreign Minister Heiko Maas, also have expressed interest in resolving the matter, which is at a standstill one year after the U.S. Embassy in Berlin lodged a formal complaint over the issue.

Its not clear why Blinken has been in the dark about the dispute. But more direct involvement from the top American diplomat could help nudge talks forward.

At issue is a contention by some German finance offices that Defense Department personnel can be taxed if they have motivations for being in Germany beyond just their jobs.

In Germany, unlike the case in any other allied country where U.S. forces are based around the world, troops and civilian personnel are exposed to liabilities if local tax offices decide that a military member is not in the country solely for work.

Being married to a German, sending a child to a German school, extending tours or owning property are among the factors that German authorities have considered when deciding to impose penalties.

By contrast, DOD personnel in other countries routinely marry locals or have extended tours without threat of local income taxation. These include Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, Japan and South Korea.

Last year, there were nearly 400 cases involving SOFA status personnel in the greater Kaiserslautern area alone. They included an Air Force master sergeant who was targeted for extending a tour and being married to a German woman.

Teachers at military schools, many of whom remain in their positions for years on end, also could be at heightened risk.

Stars and Stripes reporter Jennifer H. Svan contributed to this story.
Serbian Army soldiers guard a road near the village of Rudnica, Serbia, by the border with Kosovo, Monday, Sept. 27, 2021. (Marjan Vucetic/AP)

PRISTINA, Kosovo  The NATO-led KFOR mission in Kosovo on Monday increased its patrols on the border with Serbia in a bid to deescalate tensions between the two Balkan foes over a dispute about license plates.

KFOR, with around 4,000 troops from 28 countries, is led by NATO but is supported by the United Nations, the European Union and others. Its aim is to stave off lingering ethnic tensions between majority Kosovo Albanians and minority Kosovo Serbs after Kosovo broke away and became independent from Serbia in 2008.

KFOR has increased the number and time length of the routine patrolling all around Kosovo, including northern Kosovo, the force said in a statement.

The move comes a day after Serbia President Aleksandar Vucic warned NATO that Serbia will intervene in Kosovo if Kosovo Serbs come under serious threat.

The license plate issue between the two neighbors is not so much about license plates but about respecting each nations sovereignty, so it has great symbolic power. Serbia, along with allies Russia and China, refuses to recognize Kosovos independence as the United States and many other Western nations have done. It sees the Kosovo-Serbia border as temporary.

Kosovo Serbs have been blocking the border with trucks for a week since Kosovo decided to emulate Serbia and remove Serb license plates from cars coming into the country. Drivers must then buy temporary plates. Serbia removes Kosovo plates from cars coming in.

The U.S. Embassy in Serbia tweeted that American and Canadian defense officials had visited the Jarinje and Brnjak border crossings, the site of the protests, to gain a better understanding of the situation.

They were glad to note KFOR was on site as a stabilizing factor, the U.S. Embassy tweeted.

A U.S. embassy official in Kosovo told Gazeta Express there that Kosovo and Serbia representatives have agreed to meet in Brussels this week. U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Gabriel Escobar will take part at the meeting.

The official said if the issues between Kosovo and Serbia are left unresolved they will hamper foreign investment and speed up brain drain, preventing the economies of both countries from reaching their true potential.

KFOR commander Gen-Maj. Franco Federici said besides the increased patrols, KFOR has also conducted talks with all parties involved with the cessation of protests in northern Kosovo.

Serbia raised its military alert last week, and Serbian military jets and helicopters were flying close to the border with Kosovo in an apparent show of force.

Last weekend, Kosovo government officials say a public building was set on fire and another was hit by grenades in what they described as criminal acts related to the protest by ethnic Serbs.

On Monday, Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti repeated the offer that both countries drop the temporary license plate rule as a solution.

Vucic has described Kosovos recent license plate move as a criminal action, and he made the withdrawal of all Kosovar special police at the border a condition of EU-mediated negotiations.

The EU, NATO and the U.S. have urged Kosovo and Serbia to exercise restraint and refrain from unilateral actions.

Llazar Semini reported from Tirana, Albania. Dusan Stojanovic contributed to this report from Belgrade, Serbia.
Israel's prime minister Naftali Bennett addresses the 76th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, Monday, Sept. 27, 2021, at U.N. headquarters. (John Minchillo/AP)

JERUSALEM  Israels new prime minister appealed to the international community Monday to stand together against Iran, accusing Tehran of marching toward the development of a nuclear weapon and threatening to act alone if the world does not take action.

In his maiden speech to the United Nations General Assembly, Naftali Bennett made no mention of Israel's decadeslong conflict with the Palestinians and instead sought to portray Iran as a menace to global security.

Irans nuclear program has hit a watershed moment, and so has our tolerance, he said. Words do not stop centrifuges from spinning.

After four inconclusive elections in two years, Bennett succeeded the longtime Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in June by forming a diverse coalition of small and midsize parties spanning the Israeli political spectrum.

Where Netanyahu was famous for his showmanship, combativeness and use of memorable visual props in his addresses to the U.N., Bennett  a former high-tech executive  took a more traditional approach. His voice was measured as he sought to portray his country as a lighthouse in a stormy sea of the volatile Mideast.

But the content of his message was largely similar to that of Netanyahu as he focused heavily on archenemy Iran.

Irans great goal is crystal clear to anybody who cares to open their eyes: Iran seeks to dominate the region  and seeks to do so under a nuclear umbrella," Bennett said.

He called Irans new president, Ebrahim Raisi, the butcher of Tehran for his past role in suppressing political dissent and accused Iran of arming, funding and training Israels enemies across the region. He said Iranian meddling had brought disaster to countries like Lebanon, Syria and Yemen.

Every place Iran touches fails, he said, claiming that Iranian activities threatened the entire world. He pointed to Irans development of attack drones, which have been blamed for a string of attacks on shipping in the Persian Gulf.

In a reply later Monday on the assembly floor, Iranian diplomat Payman Ghadirkhomi accused Bennett of making baseless allegations and using threatening language toward Iran.

His regime must avoid any miscalculation and adventuristic move in the region, added Ghadirkhomi, who is assigned to Iran's U.N. mission.

Israel believes that Iran aims to develop nuclear weapons  a charge Iran denies  and says the international nuclear accord reached with Iran in 2015 did not include enough safeguards to keep Iran from reaching a weapons capability.

Israel welcomed then-President Donald Trumps decision to withdraw from the accord in 2018 and has made clear that it opposes the Biden administrations willingness to return to the agreement. Israel says the agreement needs major modifications before it can be reinstated.

Bennett said that some in the international community have concluded that a nuclear-capable Iran is an inevitable reality.

Israel doesnt have that privilege, he said, signaling that Israel is ready to act alone if necessary. We will not tire. We will not allow Iran to acquire a nuclear weapon.

The United Nations has made the resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict a high priority over the decades, drawing accusations from Israel that the world body is unfairly biased.

Israels treatment of the Palestinians is frequently criticized in U.N. bodies, including the General Assembly and the Human Rights Council. In 2012, over Israeli objections, the Palestinians were granted nonmember observer status at the U.N., allowing them to join a number of international bodies. These include the International Criminal Court, which is now investigating possible Israeli war crimes.

In an unusually harsh speech to the U.N. General Assembly, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Friday gave Israel one year to end its occupation of territories the Palestinians want for a future state. He threatened to withdraw recognition of Israel  a cornerstone of three decades of failed peace efforts  if it failed to do so.

Bennett, a religious hard-liner who opposes Palestinian statehood, stopped short of criticizing the United Nations and did not mention Abbas or the Palestinians even once in his 25-minute address. As prime minister, he has rejected calls for peace talks with the Palestinians, though he hopes to promote better economic relations to reduce friction.

In a subtle message to his detractors, he said Israel was prepared to work with the international community and share its technological expertise to address other issues, including the coronavirus pandemic.

For way too long, Israel was defined by wars with our neighbors, he said. But this is not what Israel is about. This is not what the people of Israel are about.

___

Associated Press writer Jennifer Peltz at the United Nations contributed to this report.
White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan speaks during a press briefing at the White House, Monday, June 7, 2021, in Washington. (Evan Vucci/AP)

WASHINGTON  President Joe Biden's national security adviser Jake Sullivan is traveling to Saudi Arabia on Monday to meet with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as the U.S. tries to press the kingdom to move toward a cease-fire in its yearslong war with Houthi rebels in Yemen.

Sullivan will be the highest-ranking Biden administration official to visit Saudi Arabia. Besides seeing the crown prince, often referred to by his initials, MBS, Sullivan is expected to meet with deputy defense minster Khalid bin Salman, a brother to the crown prince, according to two senior administration officials. The officials were not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity.

The Biden White House has largely steered clear of the crown prince since making public in February a CIA report that showed MBS likely approved the killing of Washington Post columnist and Saudi critic Jamal Khashoggi in a 2018 operation at the kingdom's consulate in Istanbul.

But the White House has resolved that bringing an end to perhaps the world's most complex conflict can't be done without engaging with the most senior Saudi officials face to face, one senior administration official said.

National Security Council spokesperson Emily Horne confirmed to The Associated Press that Sullivan was traveling to Riyadh on Monday and would also visit the United Arab Emirates, a Saudi ally in the war, but did not provide additional detail.

Sullivan is being dispatched at a moment when the situation in Yemen, the Arab world's poorest country, has further deteriorated. Fighting has intensified in the key city of Marib, as Iran-backed rebels have sought to oust the Saudi-backed government from the oil-rich city in the country's north.

The new U.N. special envoy to Yemen, Hans Grundberg, recently declared that the country is "stuck in an indefinite state of war" and resuming negotiations to end the more than six-year conflict won't be easy.

Yemen's war began in September 2014, when the Iranian-backed Houthis seized Sanaa and began a march south to try to seize the entire country. Saudi Arabia, along with the United Arab Emirates and other countries, entered the war alongside Yemen's internationally recognized government in March 2015.

The U.S. sold bombs and fighter jets to Saudi Arabia that the kingdom later used in strikes on Yemen that also killed civilians. The Obama administration in 2015 initially offered U.S. targeting assistance to Saudi Arabia's command-and-control operations that was supposed to minimize civilian casualties in airstrikes. It didn't, and Obama ultimately cut back on the program.

Under President Donald Trump, targeting assistance continued although his administration later stopped U.S. refueling operations for Saudi jets.

Biden announced weeks into his administration that he was ending all American support for "offensive operations in the war in Yemen, including relevant arms sales." But there has been little progress on the ground in resolving what the United Nations says is the world's worst humanitarian crisis.

White House officials are hopeful that the appointment of Grundberg will bring a new dynamic and put pressure on all sides to bring an end to the conflict, according to two senior administration officials.

Sullivan is being joined for the talks with the Saudis and the UAE by U.S. special envoy for Yemen Tim Lenderking and NSC senior director for the Middle East Brett McGurk. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin planned to travel to Saudi Arabia earlier this month while he was in the region but postponed due to what the administration said were scheduling issues.

The high-level White House push comes after Lenderking traveled to Saudi Arabia and Oman, which has pressed for an end to the war. In addition, Secretary of State Antony Blinken had talks with his counterpart members of the Gulf Cooperation Council on the margins of the U.N. General Assembly.

Sullivan's visit to Saudi Arabia also comes as the administration is looking for ways to resurrect the Iran nuclear deal. The Saudis and the UAE fiercely oppose returning to the deal with Iran that was originally brokered in 2015 by the Obama administration only to be scrapped by Trump in 2018.

Addressing the U.N. General Assembly on Friday, Iran's new foreign minister Hossain Amir Abdollah said the country will return to nuclear negotiations in Vienna "very soon." But he accused the Biden administration of sending contradictory messages by saying it wants to rejoin the pact while slapping new sanctions on Tehran and not taking "an iota of positive action."

Biden and his team have made a U.S. return to the deal  to which Britain, France, Russia, China, Germany and Iran are signatories  one of their top foreign policy priorities. But the U.S. has made limited headway in indirect talks, and Tehran has bristled at Biden administration officials' call for a "longer and stronger" deal than the original, which expires at the end of 2030.
Aftermath of a massive explosion is seen in in Beirut, Lebanon, Aug. 4, 2020. The lead judge investigating the massive blast in Beiruts port suspended his work in the case Monday, Sept. 27, 2021. (Hassan Ammar/AP)

BEIRUT (AP)  The lead judge investigating last years massive blast in Beiruts port had to suspend his work in the case Monday after a former Cabinet minister demanded his dismissal.

Judge Tarek Bitar, the second judge to lead the complicated investigation, called off questioning of a former military intelligence general, scheduled for Monday, after he was informed of the new legal challenge.

It is now up to the Court of Appeals to decide whether to accept the request from the former interior minister, in which he accuses the judge of bias, or turn it down. The challenge automatically suspends the probe until a decision is reached.

Bitar's removal, if it happens, would likely be the final blow to the investigation, making it highly unlikely that a third judge would take up the job amid threats by members of the countrys political elite who have closed ranks in their efforts to block it.

The development comes amid a growing campaign by Lebanons political class against Bitar, who took over the job in February after his predecessor, Fadi Sawwan, was removed following similar legal challenges by senior officials he had accused of negligence that led to the blast.

Various political leaders have accused Bitar and his predecessor of politicizing the investigation, violating the constitution by ignoring immunity granted to lawmakers and government officials, and by going after some officials and not others.

Later on Monday, Lebanon's new Prime Minister Najib Mikati told private TV station LBC that Bitar has a good reputation but he can't summon officials protected by immunity or ones he didn't question.

I know that he is a fair and competent judge and can go on but the investigation should be comprehensive, Mikati said. How can he charge an official and he did not even question?

Mikati said security measures have been taken to protect Bitar, following fears the judge's life may be in danger after the repeated criticism of his probe.

On Aug. 4, 2020, hundreds of tons of ammonium nitrate, a highly explosive material used in fertilizers that had been improperly stored in the port for years, exploded, killing at least 214 people, injuring more than 6,000 and devastating nearby neighborhoods.

The attempt to remove Bitar angered families of the victims who have been hoping that the judge would reveal who was responsible for bringing the material to the port and storing it in a port warehouse for years, as well as what caused the explosion described as one of the largest non-nuclear explosions in history.

Many of the families have already demanded an internationally-led probe in the country known for a culture of impunity.

He was the best hope for Lebanese justice but they are torpedoing everything, said Mireille Bazergy Khoury, whose son Elias, 15, was killed by the explosion. She said the repeated lawsuits and challenges to the judge prove that those officials are implicated in the explosion.

I cant find the words to capture how sad and frustrated I am. I feel like every time something like this happens, they kill me once again, Khoury said. They killed my son, my daughter was injured, my home was destroyed, my life is in ruins.

On Friday, former Interior Minister Nouhad Machnouk, who is also a lawmaker, filed a lawsuit to dismiss the judge. Machnouk said Bitar charged him without questioning him, declining to meet him as a witness after the charges were issued. Machnouk argued that Bitar already has a bias.

Ghida Frangieh, a legal expert, said the Court of Appeals has previously rejected similar requests, saying it is not its jurisdiction.

Legislators facing charges are using the appeals court as a stalling tactic until they win back their immunity once parliament goes into session next month, said Frangieh, a lawyer at the Legal Agenda, a Beirut-based human rights group.

It is a temporary hurdle not a blow, said Frangieh. It shows how much this establishment will try to run away from justice.

Bitar in July announced his intention to go after senior Lebanese officials and summoned for questioning then-outgoing Prime Minister Hassan Diab, three former Cabinet ministers and top security officials.

None showed up for questioning; the parliament failed to lift the immunity of those summoned  a necessary step before any prosecution. Diab's office and then-interior minister Mohamed Fehmi declined to let Bitar question the heads of two security agencies.
Afghans shop at a local market in Kabul, Afghanistan, Sept. 26, 2021. (Felipe Dana/AP)

UNITED NATIONS  The dispute between Afghanistan's new Taliban rulers and its former government over who should speak at the United Nations' annual meeting of world leaders finally has an answer: no one.

The Taliban had challenged the credentials of the ambassador from Afghanistan's former government, and asked to represent the country at this year's General Assembly summit, which began Sept. 21 and ends Monday.

But all challenges to credentials must be heard by the assembly's credentials committee, which generally meets in November and did not convene earlier to hear the challenge.

U.N. spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said that as of Friday, Afghanistan's currently recognized U.N. ambassador, Ghulam Isaczai, was listed as speaking for the country.

But, Dujarric told The Associated Press on Monday morning: "We were notified Saturday by the Afghan Mission that they would no longer be speaking."

Afghanistan was scheduled to deliver the final address of the gathering of presidents, prime ministers, monarchs and ministers on Monday afternoon. But it was not on the list of speakers issued Monday morning.

A phone message seeking comment was left with Afghanistan's U.N. mission.

The Taliban overran most of Afghanistan last month as U.S. and NATO forces were in the final stages of their chaotic withdrawal from the country after 20 years and argue that they are now in charge and have the right to represent the country at the United Nations. Isaczai represents former president Ashraf Ghani's government.

In a letter to U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, the Taliban's newly appointed foreign minister, Ameer Khan Muttaqi, said Ghani was "ousted" as of Aug. 15 and that countries across the world "no longer recognize him as president."

Therefore, Muttaqi said, Isaczai no longer represents Afghanistan and the Taliban was nominating a new U.N. permanent representative, Mohammad Suhail Shaheen. He was a spokesperson for the Taliban during peace negotiations in Qatar.

"We have all the requirements needed for recognition of a government," Shaheen told the AP last Wednesday. "So we hope the U.N., as a neutral world body, recognize the current government of Afghanistan."

When the Taliban last ruled from 1996 to 2001, the U.N. refused to recognize their government and instead gave Afghanistan's seat to the previous, warlord-dominated government of President Burhanuddin Rabbani, who was killed by a suicide bomber in 2011. It was Rabbani's government that brought Osama bin Laden, the mastermind of 9/11, to Afghanistan from Sudan in 1996.

The Taliban have said they want international recognition and financial help to rebuild the war-battered country. But the makeup of the new Taliban government poses a dilemma for the United Nations. Several of the interim ministers  including Muttaqi  are on the U.N.'s so-called blacklist of international terrorists and funders of terrorism.

When the credentials committee members do meet, they could use Taliban recognition as leverage to press for a more inclusive government that guarantees human rights, especially for girls who were barred from going to school during their previous rule, and women who weren't able to work.

The committee's members are the United States, Russia, China, Bahama, Bhutan, Chile, Namibia, Sierra Leone and Sweden.
A U.S. Marine assists an Afghan at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul on Aug. 26. The airlift evacuation, which took just over two weeks, saved more than 124,000 people. (Victor Mancilla/U.S. Marine Corps)

As Air Force planners in Missouri choreographed the largest evacuation airlift in U.S. military history, surveillance drones loitering over Hamid Karzai International Airport captured the disarray below, scanning for threats among the mass of civilians desperate to flee. It was Aug. 26, just before 6 p.m. in Kabul. A flash of flight followed by a plume of black flooded the video feed.

Military personnel at the 618th Air Operations Command outside St. Louis quickly concluded that there had been a bombing and that their decisions in the next few minutes would determine the fate of grievously wounded Americans and Afghans thousands of miles away.

A plane in Qatar stuffed with medical personnel and equipment roared to Kabul, about three and a half hours away. Another jet specializing in aeromedical evacuation was dispatched from Germany.

The bombing, which killed at least 170 Afghans and 13 U.S. service members, and the scramble to respond while continuing the evacuation, spotlighted the split-second decisions and chaos that defined the military's 17-day race to pull off a daunting mission on a single runway at a crumbling airport under constant threat of attack.

While nearly every aspect of the airlift has been politicized at home in the United States, the rescue of nearly 124,000 people in such a narrow time frame will go down as a historic accomplishment  albeit one overshadowed by tragedy. This account of the operation is based on interviews with more than a dozen military officials and others involved in the evacuation, some of whom spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the issue's sensitivity. The interviews reveal how troops, diplomats and others on the ground worked to the point of exhaustion and how commanders were forced to improvise as the Biden administration struggled to keep up with the unfolding crisis.

In all, 79,000 civilians, including about 6,000 American citizens, left Afghanistan on U.S. military aircraft between Aug. 14 and Aug. 30, when the last transports carrying heavily armed combat troops faded into the night sky over Kabul. Another 40,000 escaped on commercial, private or allied planes with U.S. military supervision. But thousands more Afghans were still seeking refuge when the airlift ended, and at least 100 American citizens hoping to be rescued were left behind, U.S. officials said. Others who declined to leave did so when faced with the wrenching choice of fleeing at the expense of leaving behind Afghan family members who were not permitted to come.

The airlift's centerpiece was the C-17 Globemaster III, a workhorse transport plane that has filled an essential role in ferrying people and equipment in and out of war zones for decades. At one point, half of the Air Force's entire fleet of 222 C-17s were dedicated to the round-the-clock mission. Some aircrews who refused to take a break requested waivers from their superiors so they could sidestep protocol and continue flying without the prescribed amount of rest otherwise mandated between missions.

"We would have to tell them no," said Brig. Gen. Dan DeVoe, who leads the 618th Air Operations Center. "Within the realm of what's physically possible, they were giving it their all."

For years, the Kabul airport, a fortress encircled by concrete blast walls, had weathered occasional attacks on its modest operation  a commercial terminal on the southern side mirrored by a military base on its northern edge, bisected by a single runway.

The facility devolved into pandemonium Aug. 15, after word circulated that President Ashraf Ghani had fled the country, allowing the Taliban a swift victory. The U.S. military quickly ordered thousands of troops back to Kabul to evacuate as many people as possible by the end of the month.

Arriving personnel encountered terrified Afghans who had flooded the airport, paralyzing operations in their bid for escape. Nearly 15,000 people roamed the airfield at one point. On Aug. 16, the plane carrying Air Force Col. Colin McClaskey, who had been dispatched to Kabul to get the facility back online, couldn't even land. His aircraft orbited for hours. Below, as one C-17 rumbled down the airstrip, hundreds of desperate Afghans chased it, some clinging to its fuselage and landing gear  creating a defining image of the fallen city. When the plane began its ascent, two men fell to their deaths. Later, defense officials said, partial human remains were found in the plane's wheel well. The incident, including the decision to take off with so many people on the runway, is under Air Force investigation.

The next day, McClaskey, deputy commander for the 821st Contingency Response Group at Travis Air Force Base in California, was able to land and lead a 90-person team onto the airfield.

Nearly everything needed to run the airport effectively  airfield lighting, radars, weather systems  had been damaged or destroyed by crowds as they climbed over sensitive electronics and power supplies. European and American contractors running the airport, McClaskey said, had abandoned their posts as the crowd grew. Random gunfire echoed across the airport.

McClaskey, whose team specializes in setting up crisis flight operations, walked through empty rooms. Cold cups of coffee and sandwiches sat on desks. Someone's clothes had been left in a washing machine.

"It looked like someone just stepped out for fresh air," McClaskey said.

The scale of destruction forced McClaskey and his team to improvise. Runway lights were initially off, he said, so his team placed water bottles and flashlights on the tarmac to help create some illumination. While they managed to partially fix the airport's radar, other equipment needed to organize flights was beyond repair. McClaskey dispatched an Army vehicle with powerful radios onto the runway to ensure military aircraft and charter flights were spaced apart.

Crews  and planes  were asked to handle the unprecedented. On one flight alone, 823 people were crammed into a transport plane that typically carries about a hundred troops and their equipment.

McClaskey consoled Afghan teenagers, close in age to his own children, who struggled to make sense of the upheaval and uncertainty as they embarked on their new lives. The mission was emotionally draining, he said, noting that mental health professionals were waiting to receive the airmen after the mission.

"Our folks saw a lot of things they were not prepared for," McClaskey said.

Army and Marine Corps infantrymen fanned out to clear the runway, restore order inside the airport facility and lock down security across its five main entrances as Afghans massed outside.

While the United States had an agreement with the Taliban to provide security outside the airport, Afghans afraid to filter through those checkpoints searched for an alternate way inside. They found it at Abbey Gate, on the southeast edge of the airfield. The gate straddles a cement sewage canal with fences on either side, a zone where the Taliban did not operate, according to one Marine who participated in the mission.

With crowds on one side of the canal and U.S. troops on the other, evacuees held up code words they obtained from American contacts working to help them escape, the Marine said. Afghans who received the go-ahead would jump into the canal and grab the hands of troops, who lifted them to safety and searched them by hand.

Others crossed on a footbridge lined with razor wire. It was there, in what would become some of the evacuation's most visceral scenes, where infant children were hoisted overhead for service members to take.

Marines at Abbey Gate saw children's bodies adrift in the shallow sewage canal, they said, probably after being trampled during periodic crowd surges. Initially, U.S. personnel were eager to be assigned to Abbey Gate  what they considered the white-hot center of the evacuation.

"We wanted to be there," the Marine said. "And then we realize that maybe I don't want to be here, watching these people wade through this s--- river and wave papers, and I have to tell them no."

Abbey Gate was within earshot of Taliban checkpoints enforcing order on the other side of the perimeter wall. The militants would fire warning shots  sporadic rounds of automatic fire with the occasional orange streak of a tracer round. Other gunfire sounded more deliberate.

"You'd know they were killing people when you'd hear a shot, then a pause, then a shot," the Marine said.

As the airlift ramped up, intelligence surfaced warning of an imminent attack on the airport by Islamic State-Khorasan, or ISIS-K, an affiliate of the terrorist group. Troops on the ground understood Abbey Gate would be a prime target.

The Americans knew that unless they stood shoulder to shoulder and managed the crowd on the lip of the canal, they could be overrun; if the troops stood too far back, the crowd might stampede.

That approach came with risk. A fundamental lesson of combat training is to avoid bunching up, which can draw the eyes of an enemy looking for an opportunity to strike several troops at once.

The attack was carried out by a single ISIS-K operative wearing a suicide vest containing an estimated 20 to 25 pounds of explosives. U.S. officials said the bomber slipped into the crowd near where the Americans were conducting hand searches.

After the blast, personnel nearby flooded the area to secure the site and recover the dead and wounded. Marines picked through the carnage to recover equipment and bloody uniforms  and prevent militants from claiming a trophy. One American injured in the blast screamed that he wanted to be the last one carried to safety.

Along the wall above, infantrymen stood in a line, the barrels of their rifles raised.

The Marines braced for another attack. But the night passed without further violence, and complicated feelings set in. There was pride in bringing civilians to safety, but not taking retribution felt like a job left unfinished. It was the next day before some Marines wept.

Plans to end the operation stepped up. Troops were directed to destroy equipment that the United States planned to leave behind  a form of catharsis after the bombing. They took sledgehammers to electronics, smashed windows and stripped armored vehicles to keep the Taliban from using them.

Some troops spray painted obscene messages on the walls taunting the militants. Commanders ordered them to clean up the mess before they left.

"My boys had to go ... pick up every last piece of ... trash for who? The Taliban?" the Marine said. "It was a slap in the face to us."

First Lt. Jack Coppola, a spokesman assigned to Marines in the region, said the messages were painted over and trash was collected to ensure debris didn't impact flights.

In response to the bombing, the United States launched two drone strikes aimed at Islamic State operations, including one in eastern Afghanistan that officials said targeted a planner tied to the attack. Another in Kabul on Aug. 29 struck a car the Pentagon initially said was transporting explosives for a second attack on the airport. Weeks later, officials acknowledged that the driver was an aid worker for a U.S.-based nonprofit and that the strike killed 10 civilians, including seven children.

Beyond Kabul, a different challenge emerged. Thousands of Afghans taxed the capacity of Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, then other locations as the U.S. military broadened the constellation of bases accepting Afghans into Europe and the United States. U.S. troops in Qatar struggled to keep up with trash and sanitation problems, and eventually asked evacuees to assist with the cleanup, defense officials said.

Brig. Gen. Josh Olson, commander of the 86th Airlift Wing at Ramstein Air Base in Germany, said he and his staff initially planned for 5,000 evacuees. They ended up with a peak of 20,000, he said, leading them to rely on volunteers and German partners to keep people fed, clothed and comfortable.

Olson said about a dozen babies were born among the evacuees who came through bases in Germany. An additional 30 children were born at military installations in the United States, said Navy Capt. Pamela Kunze, a U.S. military spokeswoman.

Back in Afghanistan, the war's final moments were witnessed through night-vision devices. Stray dogs roamed the runway, and Taliban militants could be seen waving farewell. Airmen braced for a last minute strike.

The anti-rocket system that safeguarded the airport throughout the operation was switched off as the last troops loaded onto their planes.

"The day of the flight, I enjoyed the sunset more than I normally do," said Lt. Col. Braden Coleman, director of operations for the 816th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron.

About 60 aircraft were involved in the final departure, including 20 to 25 strike aircraft that flew in a cone over Kabul as the last ground personnel left the airport.

Capt. Kirby Wedan, commander of the lead aircraft of the last five transport planes, said a wave of relief washed over the crews once they arrived in Kuwait.

But, she said, the sense of accomplishment came with a gnawing feeling that more could have been done.

"I know there are a lot of people still there that needed us. And I know that we left a lot of people behind," Wedan said. "It hurts to know we won't be able to go back and get them."
A 256th Infantry Brigade Combat Team soldier conducts reconnaissance in Syria on Aug. 9, 2021. The U.S.-led coalition battling the Islamic State group recently killed or captured terrorists and associates of ISIS in Syria. (Isaiah J Scott/U.S. Army)

Recent raids by the U.S.-led coalition battling the Islamic State group in Syria resulted in the killing or capture of several people affiliated with the terrorist group, officials said.

The raids and other recent operations highlight the ongoing fighting by the international coalition in Syria, even as U.S. officials seek to emphasize a shift to noncombat support in neighboring Iraq.

In a raid over the weekend, coalition forces killed three ISIS terrorists and detained two associates, Operation Inherent Resolve spokesman Col. Wayne Marotto said Sunday on social media. A couple of days earlier, the coalition captured one known ISIS terrorist and two associates in eastern Syria, Marotto said in an earlier post.

Hundreds of U.S. troops remain deployed to help the Syrian Defense Forces battle ISIS. Marotto said the coalition also provided reconnaissance support during raids in the eastern city of Raqqa on Sunday.

The combat operations come on the heels of President Joe Bidens remark Tuesday at the United Nations General Assembly that the U.S. is not at war for the first time in 20 years.

Officials were working to provide further details in response to a query Monday, Marotto said in a message to Stars and Stripes, but further information wasnt available by press time.

The alliance and its SDF partners are seeking to prevent ISIS from reconstituting more than two years after it was ousted from its last territorial stronghold.

The weekend assault appears to have taken place in Deir al-Zour province. The London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitoring group reported that coalition and partner forces had targeted a house with ISIS-affiliated members holed up inside Sunday.

Over loudspeakers, coalition forces called for the occupants to hand themselves over, reported the observatory, which maintains a network of on-the-ground sources. Instead, fighting broke out, and the coalition withdrew after arresting the occupants and burning the house, it said.

Elsewhere in the province Sunday, a coalition helicopter launched a fatal airstrike against a trio of insurgents who had been spotted near an SDF commando checkpoint, according to the observatory.

ISIS carried out 20 attacks last month, killing 15 civilians and security personnel from the Euphrates River city of Deir al-Zour to the town of Qamishli on the northeastern border with Turkey, the SDF said Sunday.

Pictures shared Sunday by the SDF show Bradley Fighting Vehicles flying the U.S. flag doing a security patrol in the city of al-Hasakah, which the observatory said was the first of its kind. The SDF said it had detained three ISIS cell members in that city during an operation with coalition ground support about a week ago.

Three simultaneous operations Sunday in the city of Raqqas east, west and south led to the arrest of three ISIS cell leaders who had hidden and transported fighters responsible for planning and carrying out assassinations in the region, the SDF said.

#Al_Hasakah: two individuals were detained,in a terrorist cell participated in terrorist attacks against the military and security forces in #Al_Hasakah and its countryside, where the operation has been carried out by #SDF special forces, the #Int_Coaition suppled ground support. pic.twitter.com/Up75wLmqyh  Coordination & Military Ops Center - SDF (@cmoc_sdf) September 23, 2021

Meanwhile, military officials issued a statement last week emphasizing the noncombat related mission that the U.S. Armys 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division assumed at a ceremony in northern Iraq, noting that the U.S. forces did not deploy with their Stryker vehicles.

The U.S. has drawn down troop numbers and shifted from combat to support in recent months at the request of the Iraqi government, following a spate of attacks targeting bases housing U.S. forces.
This story has been corrected

A woman places a decoration near a poster after attending the funeral home viewing of Gabby Petito at Moloney's Funeral Home in Holbrook, N.Y. Sunday, Sept. 26, 2021. (Eduardo Munoz Avarez/AP)

HOLBROOK, N.Y.  Lines of mourners paid their respects Sunday for Gabby Petito, the 22-year-old whose death on a cross-country trip has sparked a manhunt for her boyfriend.

Among those who congregated in Holbrook, about 35 miles east of New York City, were family members, friends and co-workers and people who were touched by Petito's story even though they didn't know her.

"She was a beautiful soul; she was full of life, always smiling," said Desiree Keeffe, a friend of Petito's mother, Nichole. "She gave you love. She was just a beautiful soul. She touched everybody like she did now."

Two fire trucks were positioned one on either side of the funeral home, each with its ladder extended, and a line of firefighters was seen filing into the building. Across the street, a chain link fence was adorned with posters featuring Petito's image and messages such as, "She touched the world."

Petito was reported missing Sept. 11 by her parents after she didn't respond to calls and texts for several days while she and Brian Laundrie visited parks in the West.

Her body was discovered last Sunday in a remote area in northwestern Wyoming. Laundrie and Petito grew up on Long Island but in recent years moved to Florida.

Lexi Ruiz recalled working with Petito at a cafe in nearby Patchogue that Ruiz managed.

"She was always willing to help someone else," Ruiz said. "She was just such a light. Anywhere she went the room lit up. It's nice to see so many people come together and support her family."

Inside the funeral home, dozens of floral arrangements and childhood photos of Petito lined the walls, some capturing her travels. One floral arrangement sent from Norwalk, Connecticut read, "I don't know you but your story broke me."

Mourners were greeted with a placard bearing a poem titled "Let it Be" that began with the line, "Do not grieve for me for I am free."

Petito's death has been classified as homicide, meaning she was killed by another person, but medical examiners in Wyoming haven't disclosed how she died pending further autopsy results.

The couple posted online about their trip in a white Ford Transit van converted into a camper. They got into a physical altercation Aug. 12 in Moab, Utah, that led to a police stop for a possible domestic violence case. Ultimately, police there decided to separate the quarreling couple for the night. But no charges were filed, and no serious injuries were reported.

Investigators have been searching for Laundrie in Florida, and searched his parents' home in North Port, about 35 miles south of Sarasota.

On Thursday, federal officials in Wyoming charged Laundrie with unauthorized use of a debit card, alleging he used a Capital One Bank card and someone's personal identification number to make unauthorized withdrawals or charges worth more than $1,000 during the period in which Petito went missing. They did not say who the card belonged to.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., joined by Rep. Judy Chu, D-Calif., right, speaks at a news conference at the Capitol in Washington, Sept. 24, 2021. (J. Scott Applewhite/AP)

WASHINGTON  With President Joe Biden's broad domestic agenda at risk of collapse, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Sunday vowed that Democrats will pass a bipartisan infrastructure bill this week and push ahead on the bigger $3.5 trillion social safety net and climate change bill while acknowledging the total amount will drop.

Pelosi had originally pledged to House moderates a vote on the infrastructure legislation by Monday, but she now says that timeline will likely fall to later in the week due to Democratic divisions, giving space for negotiations so both bills could be approved. She is pushing to advance both this week, though that is not at all certain.

The $1 trillion infrastructure plan passed the Senate last month.

"Let me just say that we're going to pass the bill this week," said Pelosi, D-Calif. "I'm never bringing a bill to the floor that doesn't have the votes. You cannot choose the date. You have to go when you have the votes in a reasonable time, and we will."

When asked Sunday if Pelosi had the votes to pass the $1 trillion infrastructure bill on Monday, Biden told reporters at the White House, Its going to take the better part of this week.

Still, in a delicate balancing act aimed at achieving the near Democratic unanimity needed to push the sprawling package through, Pelosi made clear that Biden's proposed $3.5 trillion for social spending and climate initiatives will need to be trimmed.

Sens. Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona have said they won't support a bill of that size. Manchin has previously proposed spending of $1 trillion to $1.5 trillion, an amount that progressives have called unacceptable for a bill they originally envisioned at $6 trillion.

Asked Sunday if she agrees the final number on the so-called reconciliation bill will be "somewhat smaller" than $3.5 trillion, Pelosi responded: "That seems self-evident."

"We'll see how the number comes down and what we need," she added. "Again, the Senate and the House, those who are not in full agreement with the president, right, let's see what our values  let's not talk about numbers and dollars. Let's talk about values."

"I think even those who want a smaller number, support the vision of the president, and this is really transformative."

Her comments Sunday reflected the enormous stakes for the coming week, one that could define the Biden presidency and shape the political contours of next year's midterm elections.

Pelosi told fellow Democrats over the weekend that they "must" pass the social and environment package in the coming days, along with a separate infrastructure bill and a third measure preventing a government shutdown on Friday. Her letter to colleagues underscored the sense of urgency.

"The next few days will be a time of intensity," she wrote.

Democrats have few votes to spare in the House and no votes to spare in the 50-50 Senate if there is no Republican support to enact Biden's massive "Build Back Better" agenda. Republicans are lockstep against the larger measure.

Biden, Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., have led a behind-the-scenes hunt for compromises to resolve internal divisions and, they hope, allow approval of the mammoth bill soon.

The House Budget Committee on Saturday advanced a $3.5 trillion, 10-year bill strengthening social safety net and climate programs, though one Democrat voted "no," illustrating the challenges party leaders face. The bill, which is certain to be revised before House voting, would be paid for with taxes on corporations and the wealthy.

Rep. Josh Gottheimer, D-N.J., who led a group of House moderates in pushing a quick vote by Monday on the infrastructure bill, said Sunday he wouldn't be bothered by a slight delay. He was optimistic both pieces of legislation could be resolved this week.

"If the vote  the way these things work, if you start debating it and it rolls over to Tuesday ... I think we're all reasonable people," Gottheimer said. "There's too much on the line here for our country."

Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., who heads the Congressional Progressive Caucus, said members of her group won't be willing to support the infrastructure plan until there is "ironclad" agreement in the House and Senate on the reconciliation bill. She didn't rule out additional cuts to the $3.5 trillion proposal to reach agreement.

"If somebody wants to take something out, we need to hear what that is," she said.

Pelosi didn't commit when asked about a vote this week on the social spending and climate bill, which Democrats intend to pass with a simple majority without GOP support. She suggested that House-Senate agreement could be reached this week, depending on rulings from the Senate parliamentarian on what provisions could be included.

"We are ready on our side," Pelosi said. "We just have to see how quickly the parliamentarian can operate."

The overall bill embodies the crux of Biden's top domestic goals, with billions for rebuilding infrastructure, tackling climate change and expanding or introducing a range of services, from free prekindergarten to dental, vision and hearing aid care for seniors.

But there are broad disputes on paying for the legislation as well as over which initiatives should be reshaped, among them expanded Medicare, tax breaks for children and health care, a push toward cleaner energy and higher levies on the rich and corporations.

Republicans say the proposal is unneeded, unaffordable amid accumulated federal debt exceeding $28 trillion and reflects Democrats' drive to insert government into people's lives. Its tax boosts will cost jobs and include credits for buying electric vehicles, purchases often made by people with comfortable incomes, they said.

Pelosi spoke on ABC's "This Week," Gottheimer was on CNN's "State of the Union," and Jayapal appeared on CBS' "Face the Nation."

AP Congressional Correspondent Lisa Mascaro and Associated Press writer Alan Fram contributed to this report.
In this Nov. 18, 2003, file photo, John Hinckley Jr. arrives at U.S. District Court in Washington. (Evan Vucci/AP)

A federal judge said Monday that John Hinckley Jr., who tried to assassinate President Ronald Reagan four decades ago, can be freed from all remaining restrictions next year if he continues to follow those rules and remains mentally stable.

U.S. District Court Judge Paul L. Friedman in Washington said during a 90-minute court hearing that he'll issue his ruling on the plan this week.

Since Hinckley moved to Williamsburg, Virginia, from a Washington hospital in 2016, court-imposed restrictions have required doctors and therapists to oversee his psychiatric medication and therapy. Hinckley has been barred from having a gun. And he cant contact Reagans children, other victims or their families, or actress Jodie Foster, who he was obsessed with at the time of the 1981 shooting.

Friedman said Hinckley, now 66, has displayed no symptoms of active mental illness, no violent behavior and no interest in weapons since 1983.

If he hadnt tried to kill the president, he would have been unconditionally released a long, long, long time ago, the judge said. But everybody is comfortable now after all of the studies, all of the analysis and all of the interviews and all of the experience with Mr. Hinckley.

Friedman said the plan is to release Hinckley from all court supervision in June.

A 2020 violence risk assessment conducted on behalf of Washingtons Department of Behavioral Health concluded that Hinckley would not pose a danger if hes unconditionally released.

The U.S. government had previously opposed ending restrictions. But it recently retained an independent expert to examine Hinckley and took a different position Monday, with attorneys saying they would agree to unconditional release if Hinckley follows the rules and shows mental stability for the next nine months.

Kacie Weston, an attorney for the U.S. government, said it wants to make sure Hinckley can adapt to living on his own for the first time in 40 years.

He recently moved out his mothers house, which sits along a golf course in a gated community in Williamsburg. She died in July. Attorneys did not say where Hinckley is currently living.

Mr. Hinckley does have a history of turning inward, and toward isolation, Weston said.

Another concern is the impending retirement of one of Hinckleys therapists and the looming end to a therapy group, which has provided much support and social interaction. Weston said Hinckley will likely face challenges finding a similar group in the future.

All we have to do is wait a few more months and see, Weston said. And well have actual hard data. Well have information in real time to see how Mr. Hinckley adapts.

The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute said in a statement that it was saddened by the courts plan.

Contrary to the judges decision, we believe John Hinckley is still a threat to others and we strongly oppose his release, the foundation said. Our hope is that the Justice Department will file a motion with the court leading to a reversal of this decision.

Hinckley was 25 when he shot and wounded the 40th U.S. president outside a Washington hotel. The shooting paralyzed Reagan press secretary James Brady, who died in 2014. It also injured Secret Service agent Timothy McCarthy and Washington police officer Thomas Delahanty.

Hinckley did not attend Mondays hearing. But Barry Levine, his attorney, said Hinckley wanted to express his heartfelt apologies and profound regret to the people he shot and their families as well as to Foster and the American people.

Perhaps it is too much to ask for forgiveness, Levine said. But we hope they have an understanding that the acts that caused him to do this terrible thing (were caused by) mental illness.

Hinckley was suffering from acute psychosis. When jurors found him not guilty by reason of insanity, they said he needed treatment and not a lifetime in confinement.

Such an acquittal meant that Hinckley could not be blamed or punished for what he did, legal experts have said. Hinckley was ordered to live at St. Elizabeths Hospital in Washington.

In the 2000s, Hinckley began making visits to his parents home in Williamsburg. A 2016 court order granted him permission to live with his mom full time after experts said his mental illness had been in remission for decades.

Friedman, the judge, has loosened some of Hinckleys restrictions over the years. For instance, Hinckley was granted the right to publicly display his artwork and allowed to move out of his mothers house. But hes still barred from traveling to places where he knows there will be someone protected by the Secret Service.

Hinckley must give three days notice if he wants to travel more than 75 miles (120 kilometers) from home. He also has to turn over passwords for computers, phones and online accounts such as email.

In recent years, Hinckley has sold items from a booth at an antique mall that hes found at estate sales, flea markets and consignment shops. Hes also shared his music on YouTube.

I would hope that people will see this as a victory for mental health, Levine, Hinckleys attorney, said Monday. That is the real message in this case  that people who have been ravaged by mental disease, with good support and access to treatment, can actually become productive members of society.
(Tribune News Service)  An ex-U. S. Army Ranger from Connecticut faces extradition to the Netherlands where authorities say he was part of a plot by former and active duty American soldiers who hired themselves out as a professional hit squad and murdered a German businessman.

Jacob Mazeika grew up in Bristol and was living in New Haven when federal marshals picked him up last spring at the request of the government of the Netherlands, which claims that Mazeika, with comrades from Iraq and Afghanistan, worked for a Swiss businessman trying to collect a commercial debt worth millions of dollars.

Much of the Dutch investigation, revealed by U.S. prosecutors in federal court filings, reads like spy fiction: Ex-military specialists summoned from across the world. Plans made to track and neutralize the target. Escape by night train to Zurich. Payoff in euro. Efficient Dutch crack the case using the European cellphone network to track killers crossing and recrossing European borders.

The Dutch say the Swiss businessman behind the murder plot is Lukas Fecker, a self-described mergers and acquisition specialist who buys failing businesses and claims to turn them around. The victim is Thomas Schwarz, a German who, since 2018, lived in Bergen in southwest Holland, a mile or so from the German border near Dusseldorf.

Schwarz, who is believed to have been in his 30s, worked for a Dutch fruit and vegetable distributor. More importantly, he owned stock in Taurus Farms, an organic fruit and vegetable operation in Macedonia financed by German investors and described in the court filings as failing. It appears, from what the Dutch police dug up, that Taurus Farms was at the center of a financial dispute that cost Schwarz his life.

On Nov. 26, 2019, Dutch police found Schwarz dead on his living room floor. He had been stabbed and beaten. His ribs were broken and he had been punched so hard in the chest that his spine cracked. Cause of death was determined to have been cleaving of his jugular and carotid artery.

His credit and bank cards were scattered around the home. Someone had plugged the kitchen sink with a rag and submerged Schwarzs telephones. Police were able to determine that, at 7:19 a.m. on the 26th, one of the phones had been unlocked with a fingerprint and someone had accessed or at least tried to access an online banking application.

Dutch authorities believe it likely that [Schwarz] and Fecker had a business relationship, and that the victim possibly owed Fecker money, the U.S. Attorneys office wrote in a legal filing connected to Dutch request for Mazeikas extradition. Fecker is currently detained and awaiting trial in the Netherlands.

Dutch police knew before finding the body that Schwarz had been embroiled in some sort of business dispute. He told friends that other Taurus investors were pressing him to sell his shares and get out of the investment, according to the court filings. He told the Dutch police that he had been accosted and threatened in October 2019, about a month before his death, by two strangers who drove to his home and demanded money. When he refused, they told him to expect someone else who would not be so kind.

The Dutch police claim that Mazeika was one of those who arrived later.

He is a 38-year old former Ranger who served a tour in Iraq in the National Guard Military Police and two tours in Afghanistan in the Armys 101st Airborne Infantry, according to Hartford lawyer Morgan Rueckert, who represents him in extradition proceedings. While serving, Reuckert said Mazeika suffered a traumatic brain injury from a hidden explosive device and has symptoms of post-traumatic stress.

Since leaving the Army, Mazeika has traveled the world as an operative for organizations fighting human trafficking, Reuckert said. He and other ex-military types developed intelligence and provided other services, Reuckert said.

Federal authorities arrested Mazeika in April at the request of the Dutch. He has been in custody since, acknowledging that the Dutch have enough evidence for an arrest, but reserving the right to argue against extradition to the State Department, which has the last word in the matter.

At about the same time, two other former servicemen who served in Afghanistan with Mazeika were arrested on the same charges. Justin Causey acknowledged to police that he did protection work for Fecker when he was arrested in Colorado. William Lyle Johnson was arrested in Mississippi.

The court records show Causey and Feckers relationship predated Schwarzs death by at least months. Fecker hired Causey ostensibly to find Schwarz and collect a debt and Causey recruited military colleagues to help. In October 2019, Causey got a WhatsApp message from Fecker about collecting 462,000 euro from a German living in the Netherlands. Fecker complained that Schwarz stole about 3 million euro, and Causey replied Im in.

Two attempts to collect failed, the second after an active duty soldier Causey had recruited had to return to his base on Nov. 22, before the job could be completed. Causey told Fecker he could recruit associates able to stay in Europe indefinitely after the Christmas Holiday, but Fecker exploded over the delay.

He texted Causey, I lose the company next Thursday, and have no right to claim from Schwarz thereafter. Fecker said he was troubled that Causey had failed over 5 weeks, especially since Fecker thought that Schwarz was nothing more than a milksop, did not employ bodyguards, and should have been an easy target. Fecker demanded that Schwarz be taken care of within days, according to the court records

The records show that numerous encrypted telephone exchanges between Causey, Mazeika and Johnson began immediately. Three days before Schwarzs Nov. 26 death, Causey and Mazeika exchanged messages about how hard it was to grab this guy. When Mazeika asked if he needed help, Causey answered I do. At that point, the court records suggest Mazeika became involved in planning how to get into Schwarzs home without alerting the neighbors  something that had been a problem in the past.

Causey points out that Schwarz is  fat, not strong. If the door closes and the street is clear, we take the key and open. Brachial stun makes one quiet. Mazeika responds, Oh we can prevent sound I was asking in the sense of if he goes down on the hit how heavy is he.

Mazeika noted that the ground-level entrance at Schwarzs front door would make it easier to bum rush an entry, and shove him back in fast. He suggested faking a large package delivery, which would allow the team to linger on the street without attracting attention, while giving it something to hide behind at the door.

Simply put, U.S. prosecutors wrote in a court filing, Mazeika was integral to the planning and execution of the operation, not a minimal participant.

Feckers wife paid for Mazeika and Johnson to fly from Newark to Dusseldorf and Causey met them in a rented car.

According to the court filings: Closed circuit television recordings and telephone tracking show they surveilled Schwarzs home, spent the night at a hotel across the border in Germany and returned to Schwarzs home in a rented Volkswagen Polo at 6:45 a.m. on the day he died.

Neighbors later told Dutch police they heard slamming doors, a scream, banging and dragging sounds in Schwarzs apartment beginning at about 7 a.m. They saw someone jump into the Volkswagen, which also seemed to race away before a door could be closed.

Causeys and Mazeikas cellphones were tracked crossing back into Germany where Causey returned the rented car  without floor mats. Investigation later turned up Schwarzs blood on the car interior.

The next day, Causey texted his girlfriend and told her he was wiping all contents from his telephone because he had misgivings about this last job.

Why???, he explained to her. I dont feel good about this last job, hon. It was sloppy. I hope we didnt do something that is going to catch up to me. Last time Ill mention it.

Johnson had a lot to say after his arrest in Mississippi in April. He confessed to U.S. authorities, minimizing his role in Schwarzs killing.

He said Mazeika, who he knew from prior military service, not Causey, recruited him. He said Mazeika told him Causey had been hired to force a businessman to pay a debt and the job would require violence. He said the three used the encrypted platforms Line and Signal to communicate.

According to court records, Johnson said Causey and Mazeika approached Schwarzs house on foot while he sat in the Volkswagen and smoked a cigarette. He said they returned 20 minutes later, covered in blood, and Mazeika said he thought they killed the guy.

Causey and Mazeika stuffed their clothing in a bag of bleach and tossed it into a forested area. Causey returned the car. Then all three took a train to Zurich and spent the night at Feckers house, according to the court records.

In continuing exchanges with his girlfriend, Causey called the job a learning experience. He raved about Mazeika, but was less enthusiastic about Johnson.

Lessons learned on my side. Big lessons on [Lukas Feckers] side, Causey told his girlfriend. Flawless execution of the plan.  Jacob is good as (expletive deleted) gold. I wish Will didnt come attached. Hes a good guy, but  you know.

It is unclear from the documents who got paid what. Johnson said Feckers wife paid him in euro, which he exchanged for $10,000 in US dollars. There is a text message suggesting that Mazeika was complaining about not getting paid by January and a reply from Fecker that his money was being transferred electronically.

Causey told his girlfriend he was returning with more than $200,000 for two months work.

$230,000 in 2 months, he told her. The work, though  Lord.

She replied Thats a lot! As long as youre OK, Im OK.

Im good, Causey said. Its just a job.

2021 Hartford Courant.

Visit courant.com.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
This story has been corrected

(U.S. Army)

BOSTON (Tribune News Service)  Spouses of military service members killed in the line of duty often face a harsh penalty if they decide to remarry  the loss of survivor benefits.

Several proposals heard Friday by the Legislature's Joint Committee on Veterans and Federal Affairs seek to change that by eliminating a state requirement that Gold Star spouses can lose their annual annuity and other benefits if they remarry before they turn 55.

Gold Star spouses urged lawmakers to scrap the requirement, calling it a "patriarchal" policy that has kept them from getting on with their lives.

Crystal Clunie of North Andover, whose husband, Navy Lt. Commander Joseph Clunie, died of cancer while on active duty in 2014, said the annual requirement of certifying that she hasn't remarried brings "anger and frustration."

She said the policy has kept her and her children's lives in a "holding pattern" since he passed away.

"It doesn't allow me to live the full life that I know Joe would want me and our children to have  the one I promised I would find a way to provide," Clunie said.

Gold Star widow Maggie Brothers said forcing the wives of fallen service members to "check a box" every year certifying that they haven't remarried to keep their benefits is "patriarchal" and "insulting."

"Would we even be discussing this if the majority of the military population who served and lost their lives were women?" she told the panel. "If there were more men who lost their wives would these benefits even be a question?"

Lawmakers backing the changes said the state owes a debt to Gold Star families that cannot be repaid, and the remarriage penalty must be eliminated.

The state limits mirror federal laws which also force Gold Star spouses to forfeit monthly dependency and indemnity compensation benefits if they remarry before age 57. In Congress, Rep. Seth Moulton, D-Salem, a Marine veteran who served four tours in Iraq, has filed legislation to remove the federal limits.

Massachusetts has an estimated 287,000 veterans, according to the VA, many of whom served during wartime. The largest group  Vietnam vets  numbered 108,438 last year.

The state boasts some of the most generous benefits for veterans and their families including state and local tax breaks, tuition assistance and hiring preference.

Gold Star families, including unmarried partners of service members who died in combat, are entitled to a $2,000 annual payment from the state as well as local property tax breaks.

An estimated 2,400 spouses and parents collect the Gold Star Family annuity, according to the state Department of Veterans' Services.

Families also receive federal survivor benefits; the death gratuity program allows a one-time, tax-free payment of $100,000 to eligible survivors of service members who've died on active duty or while serving in some reserve statuses.

The Defense Department also pays under a survivor benefit plan a lifetime annuity based on a percentage of pay.

Lawmakers say those and other efforts don't do nearly enough.

Several of the bipartisan proposals heard by the veterans' committee on Friday would increase the state's Gold Star family annuity to $3,000 a year.

Other proposals called for increasing retirement benefits, housing and educational opportunities for military veterans returning from active service.

cwade@northofboston.com

(c)2021 The Eagle-Tribune (North Andover, Mass.)

Visit The Eagle-Tribune (North Andover, Mass.) at www.eagletribune.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Team Red White & Blues Old Glory Relay started at Ground Zero on the 20th anniversary of 9/11 and will end on Veterans Day, Nov. 11, at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. (Facebook)

FREDERICK, Md. (Tribune News Service)  It may sound counter-intuitive, but Will Plumley  assistant garrison commander at Fort Detrick  says he runs faster and farther when he's carrying the American flag.

For one, it's the closest he's going to get to the Olympics, he joked. But it also gives him the opportunity to display and honor the flag. It feels great when people honk their horns or wave when they drive past him.

Sometimes, Plumley will do an individual "flag run" in Adamstown, where he lives. On Sunday, though, he joined a race that will eventually encompass some 5,000 veterans and stretch across nine different states: the "Team RWB Old Glory Relay."

"It's a chance to show our support for our country and our flag," said Plumley, who retired from the Army in 2004. "And our veterans, whether they served one year of 30 years."

Team Red White & Blue is a nonprofit with chapters all around the world that aims to support active-duty service members as they transition out of the military through fitness and social activities. Its Old Glory Relay started at Ground Zero on the 20th anniversary of 9/11 and will end on Veterans Day, Nov. 11, at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

Since Sept. 11, veterans and their supporters have run a single American flag nearly 800 miles, said Caitlin Pollard, assistant director of events for Team RWB's Frederick chapter. Participants ran nearly 40 miles on Sunday alone, traveling from Bluemont, Va., to Frederick. They "absolutely crushed it," Pollard said.

Monday morning, the relay will continue from Frederick to Baltimore, she said.

At around 5 p.m. on Sunday, as the sun was just beginning to set, Plumley and other relay participants and their supporters gathered at The Vitamin Shoppe on Urbana Pike for a small celebration. The supplement store will be donating up to $50,000 to Team RWB throughout the course of the relay, adding $1 with each purchase of five of its brand partners: Force Factor, Isopure, Lean Body by Labrada, LifeAid and Optimum Nutrition.

Plumley started running at around 2:30 p.m., eventually hitting 10 miles, he said. His daughter, Christina Plumley  an active Army service member who lives in North Carolina  joined him for the last five. After passing the flag off to one another as they ran, they held it together at the end of their turn, Will Plumley said.

At one point, as they ran past a neighborhood, they could hear a group of kids cheering with their parents, "Go America! Go America!" Christina Plumley remembered, laughing beneath a black mask.

"It was so cute," she said.

Just past 5 p.m., Jose Flores of Westminster ran through the parking lot, the flag streaming over his shoulder. He had just completed about four miles and was feeling good, he said with a hearty, contagious laugh. Tired, but good.

Willie Jenkins, commander of the American Legion Francis Scott Key Post 11, and Otis Smith, 1st vice commander, drove out to The Vitamin Shoppe to support Flores as he finished his leg of the relay. Jenkins shook his head, laughing, when asked if he was a runner.

"I ran for 20 years, then I stopped," he said. "I just walk now. The wheels on the bus don't go round and round, you know?"

Kevin McGlynn  captain of Team RWB's Frederick chapter and the "M  A  N," according to Flores  described the nonprofit's purpose as enriching and engaging veterans. He and others who work with the organization want to help veterans connect with one another and regain the sense of camaraderie that many miss from serving in the military.

And, he added, you don't have to be a veteran to get involved.

"Anyone can join at any skill level," he said. "It doesn't matter if you run or walk or crawl or if you just want to go and have a coffee. We're there to help out. The main thing is having that desire to come."

(c)2021 The Frederick News-Post (Frederick, Md.)

Visit The Frederick News-Post (Frederick, Md.) at www.fredericknewspost.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Weather Eye

with John Maunder

Some of the answers to the complexities of the climate system are given in my recently published book Fifteen shades of climate... the fall of the weather dice and the butterfly effect. The following are extracts are from pages 10-14, and page 15.

The following was published on a website of the New Zealand Herald in January 2010. Weather Watch weather analyst Philip Duncans blogs on climate change attracted a lot of reader interest when this interview took place in 2010. Duncan looked at the readers ten most commonly asked questions and put them to Dr James Renwick, Principal Scientist, Climate Variability & Change at New Zealands National Water and Atmospheric Research Institute (NIWA). Professor Renwick is now Head of the School of Geography, Environment and Earth Sciences, at the Victoria Univerity of Wellington in New Zealand.

Note that the interview was held in 2010.

1) It feels like summers in New Zealand arent as hot as they used to be - it doesnt feel like NZ is getting hotter at all?

Dr Renwick: I hear that comment quite a lot, and I think a lot of it is psychological. My perception is that when youre young you spend a lot of time outdoors in the summer... the older we get the more time we spend indoors, in the office, less holidays etc. So our perception is that summers used to be hotter, but I can assure you that the data show it is definitely warming up and has done so over the last century.

2) If the world is heating up, why are places like USA and UK seeing record cold and snow? Thats the difference between global change and regional change. The USA and UK have had a very cold winter, but other parts of the Northern Hemisphere, such as Greenland, Alaska and the Arctic Ocean have been much warmer than average over the past few weeks, but this didnt make the headlines. We need to be careful with comparing a local region to whats happening across the whole globe.

3) Why was Global Warming replaced with the term Climate Change? Thats a really interesting question and I dont believe it ever was changed. My perception is that Climate Change has always been used in the scientific community, however the term Global Warming was something perhaps used more by the media and then the term stuck. Theres a lot more to climate change than just warming - thats why all the scientists I know use and have always used the term Climate Change. I dont think there has ever been an official replacement.

4) Last decade was NZs warmest decade on record - but wasnt the increase within the margin of error or at the very least, a tiny change?

There are two ways of looking at that. One of the records we used was based on seven climate stations which have data for well over 100 years. The difference in the averages (between the 2000s and the 1980s) from those stations was indeed very small and within the margin of error. However its important to note that four decades in a row have been significantly warmer than those before it. There are other records that can be used, such as the 11 reliable climate sites we described on our website last year, and in that data set the 2000s and the 1980s (next warmest decade) were more than 0.1C different, which is significant. So the last 10 years were a bit warmer, and the last few decades have been a lot warmer than all the previous decades in the record, which shows an overall warming trend. If it was natural variability then you would expect a recent decade to have been cooler, like it was in the 1920s, say - but we arent seeing any decades dropping back to those sorts of levels - and its very unlikely going into the future that any will be that much cooler.

5) If the world is getting hotter, how come 2009 was cooler than average in NZ?

This is partly the same as question 2. Its important to remember that New Zealand covers a small fraction of the globe. Climate change doesnt mean every year will be warmer in every country. It also doesnt mean every year will be warmer globally. There are always ups and downs but the trend is upwards. For instance, last century the eastern US actually cooled for several decades while the globe overall warmed up significantly. In the last 25 years however, that local cooling has reversed, as the globe has continued to warm. So, the overall trend is upwards, but even then we do see some cooling regions and some cooler periods. There are patches of the globe, sometimes quite large patches, which can go against the overall trend for a while - but that misses the point...if youre thinking about global change you have to look at the whole globe.

6) Weather forecasters cant even predict the weather 2 weeks out, how can climate scientists predict 10 or 50 years out?

Well thats confusing the weather with the climate. Its true you cant predict the exact daily sequence of the weather more than a week or two out. But we (climate scientists) can say, with quite a lot of certainty, that July is going to be cooler than January in Auckland because seasonal change in the climate is predictable... and changes in the average climate over decades are also quite predictable. Were not in the business of saying what the weather will be like in January 2050, but we can predict average conditions several decades out on the basis of greenhouse gas increase. Here are a couple of analogies that might help explain my point:

Analogy 1: Imagine youre out in the harbour on your boat. Predicting the weather is a bit like predicting the ripples of the waves on the sea caused by the wind. Predicting the climate is more like predicting the tides.

Analogy 2: Nobody can predict exactly when you and I will die, but insurance companies make a lot of money from knowing what the average death rate is - this average cant be applied to any individual. Predicting the climate is like using those life expectancy tables... we can predict the averages and the overall statistics with a fair degree of accuracy. Predicting the weather is more like tracking an individual person... certainly more variable.

7) Is 30 years of weather data long enough to use as a guide for predicting the future?

The four warmest decades were the last four decades... and some have interpreted that to mean we didnt have data from before that. Actually, we have good records from a lot of stations in NZ from the last 70 or 80 years and some back well over 100 years. Globally, scientists use ice cores, tree rings, and other records to estimate climate over several hundred or thousand years. Thirty years is certainly not long enough but no one is actually using just 30 years of data. You just mentioned ice cores - but havent they showed big warmings in the past? Yes youre right, and that tells us the climate is sensitive... it just happens that it has been pretty stable while human society has been around. There are certainly natural things that cause fluctuations, such as changes in the Earths orbit that drive the ice ages, but its also clear that human activity  CO2 greenhouse gas release  affects the climate as well... in fact, basic physics shows that todays greenhouse gas release is a much faster way to heat the planet than the slow natural warming process that ends an ice age. I often hear this argument: Because there are natural causes of variation then the concept of human-caused variations is impossible - i.e. theres been natural causes in the past so then that rules out a human cause now. That argument just doesnt make sense. Natural influences have caused the climate to change quite a lot in the past and that should give us concern... it shows that the climate is variable, and vulnerable.

8) Are scientists scared to speak out about what they really believe for fear of being alarmist or not going with the consensus? Well no (laughing)... no not at all. Scientists are in the business theyre in because they want to find out whats actually happening with the natural world. I dont know one scientist who is scared to speak out about what they believe... and believe is an interesting word. Science is about observing the natural world and building understanding on those observations, its not about belief. Scientists publish their results openly, theres no fear of speaking out at all. Going with the consensus is an illusion too. For instance, the IPCC is a review process - it summarises what thousands of scientists all over the world have observed, or modelled, or deduced - it doesnt dictate to them, just summarises. It turns out 99.9% of work reported does indeed form a consensus... thats a reflection of how things are, of what the real world looks like - its a very clear picture.

9) Why does it seem that climate change is so doom and gloom? Im burnt by warnings of things like SARS, Y2K, Bird Flu, Swine Flu etc how can I trust the experts on this one? There isnt an easy answer to that... there have been a lot of things in the media that havent turned out to be as important or dangerous as we are led to believe... and if youre not an expert in those fields then what do you believe? What I can say is that with climate change there is an incredible weight of evidence that shows that climate change is happening... it is definitely a problem. Almost every scientific paper out there supports this view. The IPCC process is designed to help non-experts understand the problem. There are a lot of dire possibilities with future climate change... all the scientists I know are very concerned, and have a sense of urgency about taking action. To help convey that sense or urgency to the public, we sometimes do focus on the biggest issues or risks. Its important to note though that its not all doom and gloom... there will be some winners, at least in the short term.... perhaps more grass or grape growth in colder parts of New Zealand... but unfortunately there will be more losers than winners for the globe, and more at risk as times goes on.

10) The 2009 UN Climate Change Conference seemed like a complete waste of money...are politics helping or confusing your cause?

Science is about evidence and understanding the natural world, so scientists are not in the business of politics. But there has to be a political process to deal with this problem, one thats informed by the science. There is no alternative to dealing with this, and individual countries need to work together. Getting that cooperation going can seem slow and confusing, and a bit of a time wasting process. From my point of view it would be great if the political process was more efficient and faster. Copenhagen was a bit disappointing... but given human nature, I guess the world community has to go through these stages before we really get somewhere. I was just reading a report on Copenhagen (from the New Zealand Business Council for Sustainable Development)... and the author said it reminded him of going to a dance as a teenager... it takes a long time to get couples up on the dance floor... but eventually someone gets up and dances, and then everyone wants to dance. That was Copenhagen - things didnt really get going there, but we hope the big players will be ready to dance soon. In the scientific community there is a great deal of concern and a sense of urgency - that we have to do something now. This hasnt quite got through to the international political world. We arent taking it seriously enough yet... and there isnt a lot of time left to get on top of things.

*******************************

Key points about climate change ...from John Maunder in 2021.

1. Communities and businesses and individuals should always live within their climatic income - both now and in the future.

2. There are always surprises in science, and the science of climate change will probably never be fully understood.

3. It is not always true that the climate we have now (wherever we live) is the best one... some people (and animals and crops) may prefer it to be wetter, drier, colder, or warmer. However, some species which have adapted well to their current climate may not be able to adapt to a future climate if the rate of change to that climate is too fast.

4. Climatic variations and climatic changes from WHATEVER cause (i.e. human induced or natural) clearly create risks, but also provide real opportunities.

5. It is important that we should clean-up the environment by decreasing greenhouse gas emissions, but we should do so because in most cases it makes good economic and social sense to do so. If, by so doing we ALSO produce a better climate, then we will all be winners, but we should NOT expect to be able to control the climate.

6. One should always be aware that if it is really Nature and not Man in control of our climate, then our only choice (as has always been the case) will be to adapt to whatever Nature provides, and our ability to control such changes will be minimal if not zero.

7. The need to forecast the changes that will occur in the climate of the future and in particular how the current climate will vary over the next 10 to 20 years remains paramount, and the best climate-scientific brains are required to prepare all countries for whatever the future climate will be.

***********************************

For further Infomation about a wide range of weather/climate matters see my new book Fifteen shades of climate... the fall of the weather dice and the butterfly effect.

The book is available through the web site amazon.com. Just Google fifteen shades of climate for details.

www.amazon.com/dp/B08NDR1GFD?ref_=pe_3052080_397514860

**************************************************
Almost 100 Eastern Bay of Plenty residents on Bunyan Road and surrounding streets can look forward to receiving urban postal services before the end of the year, thanks to one of their neighbours.

Bunyan Road, Prita Lane, Dawn Parade, Karanema Place and Piripai Rise will all be changing to urban delivery, possibly by the end of this month.

Rhys Berghuis and his family have lived close to the intersection of Bunyan and Ohuirere roads since January 2012, which has long marked the dividing line between the rural postal service to its east, and the urban services the rest of Coastlands enjoys.

They have been on rural delivery all of that time, as have some of their neighbours who have been there over 20 years. In July this year, after seeing lots of new houses "popping up like mushrooms, footpaths completed, roading and drainage upgrades and streetlights planned and the area being made a 50kmh speed limit zone, he decided it was time the postal service was upgraded as well.

Our rural mail carriers are really great but being rural, things are delayed a few days and also they cost us more, he told the Beacon.

He says having a child with special needs had made the family reliant on postal services.

Our youngest son has severe autistic spectrum disorder and we do rely on the postal service for delivery of certain items to help him with his special needs. We also still receive frequent communication from the Ministry of Health through the post.

Up to this point, we have relied on having any urgent things delivered to family in town, which sometimes, in itself, can be a problem as we are not there to sign for stuff.

Mr Berghuis says some of his neighbours had their post sent to their businesses or workplaces, but not everyone had that luxury.

He started making enquiries a few months ago, to find out how to have the area re-zoned but quickly found himself being passed backward and forward between various entities

Whakatane District Council at first told me it was NZ Posts job to define boundaries, then NZ Post told me it was councils.

He's sure that this issue must have come up in other parts of the country and he wondered how they went about getting it changed. One of the people at the district council he contacted was geographic information systems manager Stephen OLeary.

Mr OLeary told Mr Berghuis that NZ Post were incorrect in sending him to the council as the council had no say in the rural/urban boundary definition. In spite of this, he did contact NZ Post himself on Mr Berghuis behalf and eventually received the sought-after response.

While NZ Post has not stated that the change is due to Mr Berghuis or Mr OLearys requests, the Beacon was told last week that due to substantial development some residential addresses in Coastlands, east of Ohuirehe Road, that had been previously categorised as rural, would soon change to urban, with 95 delivery points identified.

While there has been a considerable amount of growth in the area, there were other reasons behind the change. One of those reasons was the amount and density of letterboxes in the area  which made it unfeasible for a rural delivery, says Whakatane Service Delivery Manager Kim Wilson.

Ms Wilson says it will take time for the change to occur.

We hope to have the changes made by the end of October and want to thank Coastland residents for their patience.

Mr Berghuis says he's pleased the wider community will benefit from this change

Living in a Covid world right now, there are many things far more important to be concerned about other than the mail, but my big thing was, if we are now urban why shouldn't it change?

I want to give full credit to Stephen, Mr Berghuis says.

He was the one from council who responded to my emails and actually followed up through NZ Post for me. Without him I would have probably had to send many more than the dozen or so I had already sent and I really appreciate the time he spent pushing an answer from them.

And also thanks to Kim Wilson, who actually visited our area to determine if my request was justified.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Director General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield have once again spoken about the importance of vaccines for New Zealand.

The pair spoke about the importance of high vaccination rates to New Zealand in terms of opening our borders and reducing restrictions.

Dr Bloomfield says the higher vaccinations numbers are the lower deaths and hospitalisations will be.

He says the delta variant increase the mortality rate as age increases.

It poses nearly double the risk of the alpha variant, based on data from the United Kingdom, says Dr Bloomfield.

Its mission critical to achieve good vaccination rates. Weve made a good start but we need to see it through, he says.

Ardern says of those 65 and older more than 90 per cent of them have had their first dose.

We need to keep going to help reduce restrictions and to change our border settings safely, she says.

People who are vaccine hesitant are likely to listen to family so she encourages those who have had the vaccine to talk to family about why they got vaccinated.

Everyone can be a vaccine influencer, she says.

Ardern says Cabinet has made further decisions on what will be a staged approach to ease border settings, including the self isolation trial which will be an alternative to MIQ.

The pilot will involve 150 people with a focus on businesses and employees who are travelling internationally for work purposes.

It will also include a small number of government officials but will mainly focus on the private sector.

Participants are required to be a New Zealand citizen or holders of a resident visa with a right to re-enter New Zealand, be fully-vaccinated in New Zealand with the Pfizer vaccine, and not travel to or through very high-risk countries.

Those applying will need to arrive in New Zealand between October 30 and 8 December 8, with final travellers leaving isolation by 22 December, she says.

It will be combined with a monitoring and testing regime, Ardern says.

"It is not our intention that self isolation be only available to business travellers in the future. This narrow scope now, though, is for us to kick off safely while we begin the design work."

Expressions of interest open on Thursday and will remain open until 9 October, she says.

Minister Chris Hipkins will give more details about the pilot programme later in the week.

Ardern has also announced quarantine-free travel can begin for RSE workers from 4 October for Vanuatu and 12 October for Samoa and Tonga. They must have at least one vaccination and have their doses completed in New Zealand if they have not already done so.

They must remain in isolation on site at their workplaces until day five, and will be tested on day zero and day five.

Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield says as announced earlier there were 12 new cases of Covid-19 in the community today, all in Auckland.

He says the seven-day rolling average of cases has dropping to 15 this week, compared with 17 last week and 19 the week before.

"We are making progress. Many of our clusters are now considered to be contained ... or clusters are dormant, that is they have not given rise to any new cases in the last 14 days."

Bloomfield says there are now just four active sub clusters.

Ardern says about 43 percent of the eligible population is now fully vaccinated.

EARLIER: Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is expected to address New Zealand following cabinet meetings earlier this afternoon.

Today's update comes as the MInistry of Health announces 12 new cases.

All in the Auckland area.

To date, Auckland, including four cases in the Upper Hauraki, has recorded 1160 cases. Of those cases, 948 have recovered.

A total of 17 cases are from the Wellington area.

Ardern says about 43 percent of the eligible population is now fully vaccinated.

The Ministry says the total number of Covid cases in the current outbreak is now 1177.

Meanwhile, the Minister for Covid-19 Response Chris Hipkins says New Zealanders are continuing to step up and get vaccinated.

As of midnight Saturday, 5,020,900 doses of the Pfizer vaccine had been administered in New Zealand, 3,231,444 first doses and 1,789,456 second doses.

The number of vaccines being given surged to more than 90,000 a day in late August and we are now steadily delivering around 50,000 doses every day. I want to thank people all over Aotearoa who have rolled up their sleeves to protect themselves, their whanau and their community, says Hipkins.

Three months ago, we gave our 1 millionth dose and a month ago, we administered our 3 millionth dose. In the past 31 days, weve given out a further 2 million doses. On top of that, the National Immunisation Booking System has nearly 1.3 million future bookings at nearly 680 active vaccination sites around New Zealand.

Our vaccination workforce is embracing innovative ways to ensure its as easy and attractive as possible for people from all walks of life to get vaccinated.

Theres a huge range of options nationwide, including mass clinics, general practice and pharmacies, vaccination buses, pop-ups, drop-ins, drive-throughs, marae and hauora, ethnic and disability clinics, in-home vaccinations and even fly-ins to Motiti and the Chatham Islands. For example, in Auckland, more than 150 general practices and 75 pharmacies are vaccinating and more are due to start soon.

Weve got plenty of vaccine supplies on hand with more than 1.3 million vaccine doses in stock currently and shipments arriving regularly.

Being fully vaccinated gives people a high degree of protection against Delta infection, severe illness, hospitalisation and death. A highly vaccinated population also gives us as a country more options for the future.

Some people are unable to be vaccinated, such as children younger than 12 years old, but together, we can better protect them if our immunisation rates among eligible people are higher.

Its critical we keep our collective feet firmly on the accelerator as our vaccine rollout continues. I call on everybody who is yet to get vaccinated and is eligible to please take this opportunity to get vaccinated now.
Rotorua Lakes Council appears to remain open-minded but sceptical when it comes to Three Waters reform.

On Thursday at a full council meeting, Rotorua Lakes Council released its preliminary response, which stated it was "supportive and constructive" towards the proposed reform so long as it is "viable and sustainable".

The preliminary position will be sent to Local Government Minister Nanaia Mahuta. The position was arrived at via elected member-only forums.

In the meeting, council infrastructure and environmental solutions deputy chief executive Stavros Michael said the council supported the key objectives of the proposed Three Waters reform, but the question was how those objectives were achieved.

He said at face value there appeared to be benefits of scale to the proposal, but with its benefits there were also risks, one of which being ensuring local voices remained within the structure.

Under the proposal, Rotorua would fall into Water Entity B, one of four proposed entities across the country. Entity B would comprise of 22 territorial local authorities (TLAs), including Rotorua Lakes Council.

TLAs would appoint five or six members to the regional representative group, as would mana whenua, with the maximum total board members for each entity to 12.

The regional representative group would in turn appoint an independent selection panel, which itself would appoint and monitor the entitys governance board.

The board would be accountable to the regional representative group.

Michael said a question hanging over the governance structure was how representative the regional representative group could be for each TLA, with the councils preliminary position stating there could be a loss of the community voice in the clutter of a much larger population base served by [Entity B].

He said while the council agreed with the Government the cost of maintaining and renewing water assets would escalate, there was significant scepticism about the exact numbers associated with that escalation because they were impossible  to pinpoint exactly.

He said as to whether the council was opting in or out of the reforms, the current position was neither until more detail emerged and concerns were addressed.

The information in our hands at the moment is simply not sufficient to allow us to make a decision. The Government needs to take some feedback from us and all the TLAs, go away, refine and review their proposals and come back with a refined proposal.

He said at that point the council would likely put that proposal and whether the council would opt into it to public consultation.

His presentation stated the council had a real concern the local voice would be lost in [the] much larger Entity B.

Another concern was raised by council Te Arawa partnership deputy chief executive Gina Rangi.

Rotorua Lakes Council Te Arawa partnership deputy chief executive Gina Rangi. Photo / Ben Fraser / Rotorua Daily Post.

She said the Crown had identified it needed to engage with iwi and mana whenua was but this talking to the top layer and the council had valuable and mutually beneficial relationships with mana whenua at marae and hapu level which the bigger entity could struggle to replicate.

It would be like talking to the regional council about district council affairs.

The concern we have is that  there has been a failure to recognise the complexity of day-to-day operational relationships that are crucial to the successful operation of infrastructure assets.

"We are highly concerned [about] the lack of detail around how operational relationships are maintained. Yes, Entity B could replicate that [but] it would be extraordinarily expensive, they would be starting from scratch and we think it would fatally affect the costings and the assumed savings provision that have been built into the reform proposal.

She said the concerns had been raised with the Department of Internal Affairs but she did not yet have confidence the proposal had the detail to address the concerns.

Rangi also said the Crown had not yet clarified who or what was specifically meant by mana whenua or iwi.

Council chief executive Geoff Williams clarified to the council they were faced with a feedback step, not a decision step, as the preliminary position statement did not necessarily opt the council into the reforms, but rather provided feedback on them.

Deputy mayor Dave Donaldson said the paper served to alert the Government to the concerns the council had and emphasised its preliminary status.

Councillor Merepeka Raukawa-Tait said she felt the Government had done councils a great disservice by putting out little information and then limiting feedback to TLAs and mana whenua.

There could have been some very good assistance given to the Government in this initial stage.

She said the farming communitys point of view was one example.

Rotorua district councillor Merepeka Raukawa-Tait. Photo / Andrew Warner / Rotorua Daily Post.

Thats the issue were seeing from people in our community who are quite concerned, like most of us weve got no idea, theyve got no idea, they think weve taken a position, which we havent.

That, to me, is quite unfair.

Councillor Reynold Macpherson said there was clear concern from the public, particularly around any loss of accountability.

Its almost the equivalent of taxation without representation which started the American War of Independence.

Outside the meeting, Department of Internal Affairs Three Waters reform programme executive director Allan Prangnell said the Government had invited feedback particularly on the governance and accountability arrangements of the reforms, and was aware alternative options had been proposed.

The Government has indicated its willingness to consider alternatives if the current proposal can be improved on while keeping within the reforms bottom lines of good governance, balance sheet separation and partnership with mana whenua.

There are possibilities that could be further explored including how representation in the governance model is determined, how board appointments are made, and how accountability can be strengthened.

He said officials were working to progress the discussions.

The council agreed to endorse the preliminary statement, noting the Department of Internal Affairs would announce timeframes for full public consultation in the coming months, with Macpherson against.

The Government announced the $2.5 billion Three Waters reforms at the Local Government NZ conference in July.

Three waters referred to drinking water, stormwater and wastewater.

Councils' water assets would be transferred to the entities and the entities would be collectively owned by the councils they covered, with provisions in place intended to prevent any future privatisation.

The Government expected the reforms would grow GDP by $9b over the next 30 years and create about 6000 to 9000 jobs.

Rotorua Lakes Council established a three waters committee on July 5, with a co-governance model with mana whenua, to consider the reforms proposals.
Drones, satellite imaging and artificial intelligence are some of the smart technology tools that could soon be used to ensure farmers and other food industry businesses are following health and safety rules.

Remote auditing of companies involved in food production and processing has become a growing trend since the Covid-19 pandemic began early last year.

A University of Canterbury-led project has explored the opportunities and challenges of this process, which involves auditors checking a farm or companys systems are compliant without physically visiting the site.

The report, Remote auditing and assessment during the Covid-19 pandemic in New Zealand and China, published in July, is based on interviews with 40 stakeholders in New Zealand, China and Australia, including regulators, auditors and food supply chain companies.

Lead author University of Canterbury Business School Professor Pavel Castka says the findings show remote auditing is being widely adopted, but there are concerns about the security and privacy of collected data and a need for more sophisticated technology and systems.

Since the pandemic and lockdowns have become part of our daily life, auditors have been using basic tools such as Zoom, Microsoft Teams and phone cameras to carry out remote audits and assessments, says Professor Castka.

Under Level 4 restrictions, remote audits have been happening even more, because New Zealand Food Safety requires remote verification and checking to be carried out at any operating food businesses involved in importing or exporting food and food-related products.

Professor Castka says that as remote auditing becomes more routine, theres a growing need to make it easier and more efficient.

We can see potential to make the audit process faster, less disruptive and reduce costs, using the more sophisticated, technology-driven solutions we are working on now as well as a mix of remote and in-person hybrid audits.

We are exploring how drones, satellite imaging, remote sensors and artificial intelligence can help collect, process and analyse auditing information.

He believes smart technology tools will bring numerous benefits to farmers and others working in the food industry, addressing some of the concerns about the cost and time involved in compliance auditing.

For example, automated, real-time, water-quality sensors could be used to measure water quality without the need for input from farmers. Digital data collection and artificial intelligence tools could analyse carbon footprint information along food-value chains. This will become important if carbon tariffs are introduced on products based on the size of their carbon footprint.

Professor Castka also believes there are benefits to consumers from improving accountability for health and safety at food processing facilities.

Consumers care more about the quality and the environmental and social impacts of the food they buy now, so I think monitoring and reporting processes are becoming more important to meet this consumer need, he says.

Theres also a greater need for transparency to build trust. In the near future customers could be able to view key steps in the production and supply chain of high-value agricultural products using live cameras and sensors.

The project ran in cooperation with Otago University, Jiaotong University, Xian Jiaotong University, Peking University, and Xian Jiaotong - Liverpool University in China and was funded by New Zealand China Food Protection Network.
As featured in:

It is so easy and efficient, with just 3 steps and a few minutes, you can create your first portable Windows 10/8/7 or Windows Server directly from an ISO, WIM, ESD, SWM, VHD, VHDX file or CD/DVD drive, or you can clone existing Windows installation to USB or Thunderbolt drive as portable Windows. WinToUSB also supports creating Windows installation USB flash drive from Windows 10/8/7 and Windows Server installation ISO, with it you can install Windows from the USB flash drive easily.

If you want to upgrade a WTG Workspace to Windows 10 October 2020 Update (Windows 10 20H2), please go to Windows To Go Upgrader.

Features:

Creation of Windows To Go from ISO, WIM, VHD, VHDX or CD/DVD drive.

Clone Windows 10/8/7 to USB/Thunderbolt drive as portable Windows.

Creation of Windows To Go on Non-Certified Windows To Go USB drive.

Encrypt Windows To Go with BitLocker to keep your data safe.New

Creation of Windows installation USB flash drive with BIOS & UEFI support.

Use any edition of Windows 10/8/7 and Windows Server 2019/2016/2012/2010 to create Windows To Go USB drive.

Support for Thunderbolt and non-512 byte sector size drives.

Windows To Go (Portable Windows) Creator

WinToUSB allows you to install & run fully-functional Windows on an external HDD/SSD, USB flash drive or Thunderbolt drive, which means you can carry the portable Windows drive to anywhere and use it on any computer.

Use any version of Windows 10/8/7 and Windows Server to create Windows To Go Workspace

Creation of Windows To Go from an ISO, WIM, ESD, SWM, VHD(X) image file or CD/DVD drive

Clone existing Windows installation to USB drive or Thunderbolt drive as portable Windows

Creation of Windows To Go on Non-Certified Windows To Go drive

Hot clone Windows without restarting the source computer to be cloned

Create BitLocker encrypted Windows To Go WorkspaceNew

Support for creating VHD/VHDX-based Windows To Go Workspace

Windows installation USB Creator

WinToUSB releases a feature called "Windows Installation USB Creator" which allows you to create a Windows installation USB flash drive from a Windows 10/8/7/vista/2019/2016/2012/2008 installation ISO file with a few simple steps, with this feature you can create a bootable Windows installation USB drive to install Windows on both Traditional BIOS and UEFI computers by using the same USB drive.

Windows PE Bootable USB Creator

WinToUSB also supports creating a bootable Windows PE USB drive, it can help you transfer the contents of a Windows PE image to a USB drive and make the USB drive bootable.

What's New:
WTF?! To readers of this site, the idea that some students on courses ranging from engineering to physics dont know what files and folders are might seem strange, but its true. According to a new report, the fault lies with popular modern operating systems and devices that include all-encompassing search functions or hide file structures from plain view.

Those of us of a certain age will be familiar with maintaining a nested hierarchy of files, having grown up with the likes of Windows 3.1 and relying on MS-DOS. But as highlighted in a new report by The Verge, the advent of smartphones, tablets, search functions, and cloud storage made the need to understand what a directory is less critical.

The first internet search engines were used around 1990, but features like Windows Search and Spotlight on macOS are both products of the early 2000s. Most of 2017s college freshmen were born in the very late 90s, writes the publication. While many of todays professors grew up without search functions on their phones and computers, todays students increasingly dont remember a world without them.

Saavik Ford, a professor of astronomy at the Borough of Manhattan Community College, said it best: I grew up when you had to have a file; you had to save it; you had to know where it was saved. There was no search function. She added that among her students, Theres not a conception that theres a place where files live. They just search for it and bring it up. They have a laundry basket full of laundry, and they have a robot who will fetch them every piece of clothing they want on demand.

Generational issues are not something new, of course. Peter Plavchan, an associate professor of physics and astronomy at George Mason University, noted that while some of his students have over 1,000 files in the same directory, one of his own professors was amazed that people didnt know how to solder a chip onto a motherboard. This writer, meanwhile, recalls a 1990's lecturer who thought all GUIs were the devil's work.

Plavchan is considering offering an entire course based solely on directory structure, but is such a thing even worth it? I imagine whats going to happen is our generation of students [...] theyre going to grow up and become professors, theyre going to write their own tools, and theyre going to be based on a completely different approach from what we use today.

Addressing fellow educators who look on aghast at students unable to comprehend filing systems, Plavchan warns, This is not gonna go away. Youre not gonna go back to the way things were. You have to accept it. The sooner that you accept that things change, the better.
What just happened? China is introducing energy usage restrictions in several regions where industrial power needs are considered too high. The motivations range from clearing the air ahead of the upcoming Winter Olympics to boosting reserves of coal and natural gas for domestic energy use.

China isn't just cracking down on transactions that involve cryptocurrencies. The country's next target is industrial energy consumption, which has surged amid a global crunch to satisfy demand for a variety of products, including electronics and cars.

On Sunday, several key Apple and Tesla suppliers suspended production in response to new local policies that mandate curbing energy consumption for industrial use. Some are keeping their factories closed until Friday, but at least one supplier will cease production at two factories until the end of the month.

The move is motivated by a tight supply of coal and natural gas in China, surging prices for those resources, and efforts to reduce carbon emissions, all of which prompted authorities to take measures in reducing electricity usage. Although it's not uncommon for the Chinese government to order factory shutdowns when pollution levels grow beyond a threshold or an event like the upcoming 2022 Winter Olympics needs "olympic blue skies," much of the country's electricity is indeed produced using fossil fuels.

One of the affected companies is Eson Precision Engineering, which is one of Foxconn's partners and a key supplier of mechanical parts for companies like Apple and Tesla. An Eson representative said the company has a plan to make up for lost production time during weekends, in an effort to meet the expected demand.

Unimicron Technology, who is a printed circuit board maker and Concraft Holding, who makes tiny speakers for mobile devices, plan to use inventory to sustain deliveries to their clients. Others like iPhone assemblers Pegatron and Foxconn claim they've already taken measures to ensure continued production using power systems where necessary.

A few other companies that focus on chip packaging and testing for clients like Intel, Qualcomm, and Nvidia have also been told to shut down production at their facilities in Jiangsu until the end of the month.

The timing of these power supply restrictions is unfortunate, as all global supply chains are under enormous pressure to serve the growing demand for anything with electronics in it. Rare earth metal prices exploded over the past 12 months, and more recently aluminum and copper have also become more expensive as extended lockdowns have disrupted production at several facilities in Asia.

These issues are compounded by a shortage of everything from plastics to shipping containers, which are used to move goods to consumers around the world. The Chinese government is now adding to all of this by prioritizing domestic energy use, which could have serious effects on industrial output just as consumer demand is expected to peak ahead of the holiday season.

Masthead credit: Andrey Metelev
Why it matters: Nvidia has yet to announce a desktop RTX 3050 Ti, but it looks like AMD could be the first to announce a new entry-level graphics card. Thanks to some people with eagle eyes and excellent screenshotting abilities, we can now expect Team Red and its AIB partners to unveil the RX 6600 non-XT, hopefully with a more attractive price tag and better availability than the RX 6600 XT.

Last month, AMD launched the much-awaited Radeon RX 6600 XT, which it called a "1080p beast." Our own Steven Walton put that claim to the test and found the new card to be roughly equivalent to an RX 5700 XT in terms of rasterization performance, with some sprinkles of ray tracing and support for DirectX 12 Ultimate. It currently offers more value than Nvidia's GeForce RTX 3060 in terms of cost per frame, even though both cards can only be found at gargantuan prices.

Something that could be a godsend to many gamers is a slightly lower-end version of the RX 6600 XT with a lower price and similar or improved availability. According to a listing spotted by Videocardz on a Portuguese retailer's website, it looks like such a card may be on the way.

The model in question appears to be the Sapphire Pulse Radeon RX 6600 (11310-01-20G), which looks like a dual-fan design that's more compact than the Pulse Radeon 6600 XT. It comes equipped with eight gigabytes of GDDR6 memory, and is based around the Navi 23 XL GPU with 28 CUs (1792 Stream Processors). There's no info on clock speeds and power consumption, but it's safe to assume they'll be around those of the RX 6600 XT, which is able to boost up to 2,589 MHz and has a total board power rating of 160 watts.

Interestingly, the existence and imminent launch of the RX 6600 are confirmed by two other retailers in Netherlands and Romania. The list prices vary between 496.21 ($580.49) and 816.14 ($954.73), although they could be placeholders for the real prices. In terms of MSRP, the RX 6600 is expected to hover around $349, but AMD could choose to surprise with a lower recommended price. Ideally, it should be lower than Nvidia's $329 MSRP for the RTX 3060.

Granted, MSRP is a term that has lost its meaning at this point, with signs that street prices are headed back to the stratosphere. But with a supposed release date slated for October 13, we won't have to wait much longer to see what this RX 6600 is all about -- particularly if it's made of unobtanium.
Meat alternatives have been in the market for a while now, and they're mostly plant-based. But have you heard anything about air-based meat?

It does sound a little too good to be true, but perhaps one San Francisco-based company was indeed able to do it.

This air-based meat is the product of Air Protein, which they say can be used to make traditional meat dishes such as burgers, fried chicken, or even your next Thanksgiving turkey, as per CNET.

Aside from the meat dishes, you can also allegedly use their product to make protein-rich pastas, cereals, and even drinks.

Air Protein first hit the headlines in 2019 after claiming that they can use CO2 (carbon dioxide, for the uninitiated) to feed microorganisms. These tiny critters, in turn, will produce protein, which can be turned into meat alternatives, as reported by FastCompany.

A sister venture of the company Kiverdi (which is known for using CO2 to manufacture environment-friendly plastics, soil, and other products), Air Protein is reportedly still working to perfect their processes as of the moment.

So, if for some reason you're getting tired of eating plant-based alternatives to animal products, you're going to have to wait until this air-based meat hits the shelves.

It's also still too early to see whether or not this new alternative meat product might fare against real and other alternative meats.

But if the current research goes well, then it could be an extremely environment-friendly alternative for your medium-rare steak.

Read also: 3D Printed Meat: Lab-Based Alternative Could Unite Both Meat Lovers, Vegans--Find Out Why

Meat Made From Air--How Does It Even Work?

The actual product that Air Protein plans to sell looks a lot like regular protein powder. It's the process that goes into making it that classifies it as "air-based" protein.

According to the company, their technique involved gathering the three main elements in the atmosphere: carbon dioxide, oxygen, and nitrogen. They then blend these elements with water and a few mineral nutrients (which were undisclosed) to make a base material.

Afterwards, they use renewable energy sources to ferment the base material by introducing probiotics in it.

With this process, the company is able to convert the elements from the air into edible powder-based protein products.

The end result is something with an amino acid profile chemically identical to real meat.

It's technically considered a complete protein, because it contains every single one of the nine essential amino acids: histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan, and valine, MedLinePlus wrote.

In other words, you cannot call Air Protein's product a "fake" protein because it is, by all means, a real one.

What's Next?

Air Protein still hasn't revealed when they'd be able to launch actual alternative meat products from their air-based protein base. As mentioned, they're still working on perfecting their process.

For now, people will have to settle with plant-based products and perhaps even 3D-printed meat, such as synthetic beef cuts which their creators say have the same taste and texture of real $30,000 wagyu beef.

Related: Pet Food Startup Hopes To Revitalize Industry With Lab-Grown Alternatives

This article is owned by Tech Times

Written by RJ Pierce

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
A new 3D vaccine patch is now being worked on by medical researchers so that patients would have a faster and more comfortable COVID-19 immunization experience.

Related Article: Edible Vaccine? Researchers Aim to Put mRNA Components from Pfizer, Moderna in Plants

As of the moment, all vaccines are administered using needles. Because of this, some individuals are hesitant to get their vaccine jabs because they are afraid of needles.

Severe cases involve an actual phobia of needles called trypanophobia. This condition makes a person have irrational, extreme fear or aversion to needles and blood.

To encourage more people to have COVID-19 vaccines, the University of North Carolina's medical experts decided to work on 3D-printed vaccine patches to remove the use of needles and provide a painless vaccination experience.

3D Vaccine Patches To Arrive

The new study titled "Transdermal vaccination via 3D-printed microneedles induces potent humoral and cellular immunity" was published in the PNAS journal.

Also Read: Ivermectin's Fraudulent Studies Has Caused Damage as Hundreds and Thousands of People are Using the Drug

"In this work, faceted microneedle arrays were designed and fabricated utilizing a three-dimensional (3D)-printing technique called continuous liquid interface production (CLIP)," said involved medical experts.

They also claimed that their innovation leads to the increased surface area, providing better vaccine component coating than the square pyramidal design (needles).

Aside from the new 3D COVID-19 vaccine patches, other medical innovations are currently being worked on. These include the new Breast Cancer Imaging AI and the new AI software that detects prostate cancer.

How Efficient are the New 3D Vaccine Patches?

According to CTV News' latest report, the new 3D-printed vaccine patches could solve a lot of issues posed by the traditional immunization process.

Researchers explained that vaccine hesitancy could be reduced if these patches were approved for human usage. On the other hand, this technology also stores the COVID-19 vaccine fluids, allowing patients to take them home and conduct self immunization.

For more news updates about vaccines and other related topics, always keep your tabs open here at TechTimes.

This article is owned by TechTimes

Written by: Griffin Davis

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
(Photo : Image from Commons.Wikipedia.com) Tesla to Invest More Into China After Elon Musk Praised the Country, Again

Elon Musk reassured Tesla's strong commitment to China in a recent virtual speech at the official World Internet Conference that was reportedly hosted by China's Cyberspace Administration. Musk noted that the automaker is set to expand its investments in the country.

Elon Musk on China's EV Movement

As of the moment, it is the second time that Elon Musk was highly complimentary of China's imperative to his own electric vehicle company. Elon Musk even stated it was a "global leader in digitalization."

Just recently, at the World New Energy Vehicle Congress, Elon Musk noted that Chinese automakers were reportedly "the most competitive in the whole world." The tech CEO's comments came in a particular pre-recorded question-and-answer style stream that was played during the World Internet Conference that was reportedly hosted by China's Cyberspace Administration.

China a Global Leader in Digitalization

According to the story by CNBC, it was the second time that Elon Musk was highly complimentary of the nation, even calling it a "global leader in digitalization." Elon Musk noted in the video that his frank observation is that China reportedly spends quite a lot of resources as well as efforts in applying the latest digital technologies in a number of industries.

These include the automobile industry, which would make China a global leader in digitalization. It was noted that Tesla is set to continue to expand their investment as well as R&D efforts in China itself. Samsung is set to create Tesla's Hardware 4 for the Cybertruck and is set to utilize 7nm processing technology.

Tesla Reputation in China

Tesla has reportedly been trying to improve its overall reputation in China after getting a slew of negative press. The company has actually faced regulatory scrutiny around its own privacy as well as a number of recalls that happened in China. Giga Berlin is expected to help with the Tesla model Y production as Giga Shanghai becomes pivotal to Tesla's EV export.

Beijing had actually restricted or even banned the use of Tesla's manufactured electric vehicles by the state as well as military personnel. Musk reportedly called out data protection when it came to his speech. He reportedly specified what particular types of data are stored locally.

Tesla China Data Center

Elon Musk noted that at Tesla, they are glad to see a number of different laws and regulations that have reportedly been released in order to strengthen data management. It was noted that Tesla has actually set up a data center in China in order to localize all of the data that was generated from their business locally.

This reportedly includes production, service, sales, as well as charging. All of the personal information is from security stores located in China without them having to be transferred overseas. It was noted that in only very rare cases like spare parts orders that need to be done overseas, is data approved for international transfer.

Read Also: China's New Space Station To Get First Woman Onboard | Introducing Wang Yaping

Tesla China Numbers

The company reportedly broke ground on a large Shanghai factory in 2019. Tesla then sold 44,264 China-made vehicles by August, according to Reuters. This included 31,379 for export. It was reportedly an increase from the previous 32,968 China-made vehicles that were sold in July and 33,155 units that were sold in June.

The company broke ground on a major Shanghai factory in 2019. Tesla sold 44,264 China-made vehicles in August, including 31,379 for export. It was an increase from the 32,968 China-made vehicles sold in July and 33,155 units sold in June.

Related Article: Huawei CFO and Founder's Daughter Meng Wanzhou to be Released After an Agreement with the US Over Fraud Charges

This article is owned by Tech Times

Written by Urian B.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
(Photo : Image from Commons.Wikipedia.com) Mastercard and Digital Transformation Agency Looking Into Age Verification Via Digital ID

Mastercard and DTA or the Digital Transformation Agency are both working together to see how the former's digital identity service could help Australians to be able to digitally verify their age as well as identity.

Mastercard and DTA Partnership

According to ZDNet, as part of the whole collaboration, Mastercard noted that it would work with the DTA to examine a whole series of private sector-led pilots. This could impact its digital verification service could have on consumer and retailer experiences as well as its expectations online.

Richard Wormald, the Mastercard Australasia division president, noted that Australians are increasingly expecting no types of disruptions between their online and physical lives, as reported by The Canberra Times. It was also noted that identity is reportedly an area that should keep pace with particular expectations.

Public-Private Pilots

Public-private pilots reportedly have the potential to make everything easier by using these verified identities secured everywhere they would travel. In 2020, Mastercard even announced the quiet expansion of the said trial for its own digital identification service. This followed the successful competition of phase one along with partners Deakin University as well as the Australia Post.

In December 2020, there was an announcement that the three parties were able to kick-off two trials. The first trial was for an identity verification process of student registration. This also included digital exams at Deakin's Burwood as well as Geelong campuses in Victoria. Mastercard has previously acquired CipherTrace to help the company venture further into cryptocurrency.

Mastercard Digital ID Solution

The second was integrating Mastercard's digital ID solution along with the one that the postal service has actually been working on. The pilot was able to see students create a sort of digital identity in Australia Post's Digital ID app, and it is being used to gain access to Deakin University's very own exam portal.

Mastercard noted that the ID was able to successfully orchestrate the sharing of verified identity data between two different parties. This was by sending only the specific personal information that was required to permit entry through its network. Mastercard and Verizon are said to partner in 2023 to help boost 5G contactless payments.

Read Also: Best Credit Cards For Having High Credit Score in 2021

Three Organizations Expanded

The three organizations expanded the whole trial to be able to verify students that were taking exams online. The second phase of the particular trial was reportedly built on work in order to integrate the Mastercard and Australia Post services. This was by connecting with other third-party platforms in order to extend the value as well as the use of the service to additional providers and partner organizations in Mastercard's very own ID network.

A partnership along with Optus was reportedly launched just about the same time. Under that specific trial, Optus customers would be able to use Mastercard's ID service in order to prove their own identity online as well as in-store.

Related Article: Samsung and Mastercard Teams Up to Develop a Fingerprint Payment Card to Reduce Physical Contact and Strengthen Security

This article is owned by Tech Times

Written by Urian B.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
(Photo : Pixabay/PhotoMIX-Company) USPS delivery service

USPS has been a stable service used by millions of Americans for decades. However, as years went by, the US Postal Service, or USPS, had issues with its delivery.

During the first three months of 2021, at least 20% of first-class mail across the United States was sent out late. Now, it will get slower for 160 million Americans that rely on the service.

USPS to Reveal New Plan

Starting Oct.1, the USPS will launch new standards for its first-class mail. This new plan will lengthen the delivery time by about 30%, according to CNET.

This means that some mail and packages that will be delivered to longer distances could take up to 5 days to arrive, instead of the traditional three days.

The changes with the postal service are part of a new plan called "Delivering for America" in its attempt to solve its $160 billion debt.

The new plan would reduce the agency's hours. Also, it will increase the prices, and there will be more postage hikes during the holiday season, according to Reuters.

Also Read: More Than 6,000 Postal Service Workers Attacked By Dogs In 2015

Every hour, around 17.7 million mail is delivered by the postal service. A portion of the mail are packages from retailers like eBay and Amazon.

USPS Struggling to Catch Up

However, there has been a massive decrease in the number of first-class mail like cards, letters, and bills because Americans prefer electronic payments and emails instead.

Even when USPS did not ban Chinese products during the peak of the coronavirus pandemic, it still did not help with the numbers.

With the rising demand for e-commerce, the postal service is struggling to match the overnight delivery services of FedEx, UPS, and Amazon.

What USPS Changes Mean for the Public

The new plan could cause major delay, which means wedding invitations, unemployment checks, and child tax credit payments will come in late, according to ABC.

The postal service stated that it is having issues in meeting the delivery standards. It has been financially underwater for years now.

The pandemic last year exacerbated the USPS' slow service and money issue, as staffing shortages clashed with both the surge of online purchases and the increase of 2020 election ballots.

One way that the US Postal Service plans to decrease its costs is by using fewer airplanes to deliver mail.

The postal service will use more trucks, which can deliver a higher volume of mail, and it will cost less money. However, it will take a lot longer to get received.

Despite the delay, group transportation is more reliable, according to USPS.

The Postal Service's new plan will last for ten years, and it will include a multibillion-dollar contract that will modernize the ancient delivery car fleet of the service. The new trucks of USPS will appear in 2023.

There are also investments in equipment and infrastructure to help transport the high number of packages more efficiently. It will also upgrade the postal facilities.

A USPS spokesperson stated that the new service standards would make the delivery of mail more reliable, consistent, and efficient for customers.

However, critics of the postal service wonder why it would rather have slow mail when it is already struggling to deliver mail on time.

The Postal Regulatory Commission issued an advisory on July 20, and it found out that the annual cost savings for the postal service standard changes won't lead to much improvement of the agency's current problems.

Related Article: Archivist Finally Recovers Lost USPS Package Containing $10,000 Worth Of SNES Games

This article is owned by Tech Times

Written by Sophie Webster

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
The iPhone 13's Face ID would not work if it is replaced by a third-party repair company or person, and it requires a user to head to Apple and have it done with them. This has been discovered by vloggers, people who have been tearing apart the latest smartphone from the Cupertino giant that has looked into the internals of the device.

Apple's September Fall event or California Streaming has brought one of the most awaited devices of 2021, and it is the iPhone 13, alongside the Apple Watch Series 7, iPad Mini, iPad 9th Gen, and more. However, the main focus is for the new smartphone from the Cupertino giant, which brings a lot of features and new things to enjoy.

Apple iPhone 13 Face ID Won't Work for 3rd Party Repairs

According to Phone Repair Guru's YouTube channel, an iPhone repair teardown video which the content creator uploaded is to make people aware of what will happen if they bring their devices outside Apple. The influencer said that Apple "screwed" the people again, and this is because they cannot have their device repaired outside without a consequence.

The said consequence would be to lose the Face ID if the repair company or person has replaced or fixed the screen, and it would be a massive problem as it would require people to get to Apple again. Third-party repairs should always be an option to ensure that people can have their devices fixed and not limited to Apple only.

However, for some reason, this was disregarded by Apple. According to 9 to 5 Mac, there have been a lot of scrutinies that were made by the Cupertino giant with regards to gadget repair, something which Apple has not addressed or allowed for third parties, especially the latest devices which the company has released.

Read Also: How to Compress Videos in iPhone 13 After Using Cinematic Video Feature

iPhone 13 Apple Repair

For now, people would have to bring their devices to Apple, especially as YouTubers and other repair shops do not know the extent of the features that would be lost when opening an iPhone. This is indeed restrictive and somehow a way for people to rely on them but it is better to be safe than sorry, and having to bring the device to them again.

Apple has a website for scheduling a repair, reporting a problem, scheduling on when to bring it, and track its progress on specific devices and concerns. This way, people would be more complacent that their device is being repaired or fixed, despite not seeing it in person.

Right to Repair Law

The only problem now is that the government is pro "Right to Repair" law, something which gives more power to third-party repair companies or people and takes from specific companies the exclusivity of repair.

Even the Federal Trade Commission or FTC agrees with the Right to Repair mandate that was being pushed by POTUS Joe Biden and his administration. The law gives power to third-party repair people to have assets and be given the right to open up the device and not necessarily voiding the warranty.

Related Article: iPhone 13's 'Unlock With Apple Watch' Feature Not Working, Fix Coming Soon



This article is owned by Tech Times

Written by Isaiah Richard

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
For the third time in 18 months Louisiana public school students are engulfed in turmoil, this time because of Hurricane Ida.

Roughly 300,000 students were forced out of their classrooms because of the storm, which is more than 40% of enrollment statewide.

Nearly 105,000 students remained out of school last week, nearly one month after the Category 4 hurricane landed near Port Fourchon.

Educators said the Terrebonne, Lafourche, Jefferson and St. Charles school districts suffered the heaviest damage, and in some cases schools are expected to remain closed until late October.

Quarter of a million students face new hurdles in wake of hurricane After months of classroom turmoil sparked by the coronavirus pandemic, up to 250,000 public school students now face new struggles triggered b

Ive worked for Lafourche Parish for 40 years and been through several hurricanes and never have I experienced or seen such damage and devastation to our schools and communities, said Sandy Holloway, a Thibodaux educator and president of the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education.

The storm is just the latest shock to public schools in a state always trying to get off the bottom of national lists for academic achievement.

Classrooms abruptly closed in March, 2020 in the early stages of the coronavirus pandemic.

The tumultuous 2020-21 school year was marked by stops and starts, in-person and virtual learning and a wholesale drop in key state scores that measure what students know about math, English, science and social studies.

State superintendent lays out plan for academic recovery after drops in key test scores State Superintendent of Education Cade Brumley announced Wednesday a three-prong, $132 million plan to recover learning loss highlighted by la

There was some optimism when classes began in early August.

"We felt like we had strong momentum going into this year, especially with the excitement of having kids back in class," state Superintendent of Education Cade Brumley said.

But Hurricane Ida turned 25 parishes into federal disaster areas, with lower Terrebonne, Lafourche, Jefferson and St. Charles parishes leading the way.

A total of 159 schools were damaged in those four districts alone.

Few students changing schools after Hurricane Ida, but there's a long road to recovery Early indications suggest that Hurricane Ida is not  or at least not yet  causing many families in the most affected areas of southeast Loui

Nearly one third of public schools in Lafourche Parish  9 of 30  suffered significant damage.

South Lafourche High School lost much of its roof.

Golden Meadow Middle School and Larose-Cutoff Middle School also suffered roof damage.

Bayou Boeuf Elementary School in Thibodaux took on about two feet of water.

"I am really sick of the word unprecedented because that is what we have been faced with, one unprecedented event after another," said Lafourche Parish School District Superintendent Jarod Martin.

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

Even before the storm the state's youngest learners, especially third- and fourth-graders, showed the biggest drop on standardized tests given in the spring.

The Lafourche district has 14,200 students.

"My fear is the youngest children learning the most fundamental skills may have gaps moving forward," Martin said.

"The challenge we have is recognizing those gaps and putting together a plan to address those gaps so that we don't have a generation of children for the next decade suffering because of a lack of fundamental understanding of literacy and numeracy skills," he said.

The district is set to start returning students to school on Monday, with the final shift scheduled for Oct. 13 but that may be Oct. 20  eight weeks after the storm hit.

Other districts have similar timetables.

Even those phased re-openings are tentative because they depend on repairs, schools passing environmental tests, electrical, phone and technology tests, adequate staffing and food supplies.

"It is not as simple as power restoration and then the doors open," Brumley noted.

The Jefferson Parish School District, which is the largest in the state at nearly 49,000 students, has trimmed two days each from fall break, Thanksgiving break, winter break and the Mardi Gras vacation.

Some schools are set to hold classes until June 9.

Terrebonne Parish School District Superintendent Philip Martin said all 34 schools in his system of about 17,000 students sustained damage and four remained without power last week.

"The school system is a a reflection of our communities," Martin said. "When they are suffering we are suffering."

Phillip Martin is the father of Jarod Martin.

All 15 schools in the St. Charles school system were damaged by Hurricane Ida, including twisted roofs and flooding, according to Superintendent Ken Oertling.

School phones were still out of order last week.

Even tentative return dates will feature makeshift arrangements, including students at Destrehan High School being temporarily assigned to Hahnville High School until repairs are made at Destrehan.

Leaders of the St. Charles system and others plan to seek a state waiver to get around the mandated number of school days.

The district has about 9,800 students.

In lower Jefferson Parish, three schools in Lafitte and Grand Isle are closed until further notice, including one that got 42 inches of rain inside.
Purchases made via links on our site may earn us an affiliate commission
The worlds biggest owner of publicly traded stocks, Norways sovereign-wealth fund, is about to get the political go-ahead to insist that all companies in its portfolio have clear targets for cutting CO2 emissions.

Norways Labor Party, which this month won elections that focused on the countrys fossil-fuel dependence, has made clear it wants to embrace more aggressive environmental policies. That includes providing a more stringent framework for Norges Bank Investment Management. The $US1.4 trillion ($1.9 trillion) fund should now commit to net-zero carbon-dioxide emissions by 2050, Espen Barth Eide, Labors climate spokesman, told Bloomberg.

Norways reluctance until now to sign up its wealth fund, which owns about 1.5 per cent of the worlds stocks, has drawn condemnation from climate activists. Credit:Jonathan Carroll

Its a goal that was enshrined in the 2015 Paris Agreement as an essential step toward preventing catastrophic temperature rises. Norways reluctance until now to sign up its wealth fund, which owns about 1.5 per cent of the worlds stocks, has drawn condemnation from climate activists. But as scientists warn that temperatures are rising at a much more dangerous pace than previously feared, the mood  even in oil-dependent states like Norway  is changing.

We want the fund to use active ownership strategies to achieve net-zero across the companies in the portfolio, Eide said in an interview.
Like so many kids, Chris Boshuizen always wanted to go to space - since the age of four, according to his mum. And soon, albeit briefly, hes going to realise that dream.

The Sydney-born venture capitalist is believed to become the third Australian to travel into space, following astronauts Paul Scully-Power and Andy Thomas before him.

Though unlike them, he is travelling only to the edge of space, on an upcoming joy flight with entrepreneur Jeff Bezoss Blue Origin - a sub-orbital adventure just beyond the Karman Line, 100 kilometres above the mean sea level.

Australian Chris Boshuizen will join a 15-minute flight to the edge of space with Jeff Bezoss Blue Origin. Credit:Peter Prato

Blue Origins New Shepard rocket will take off from Van Horn, Texas, for a flight that lasts less than a quarter of an hour. Details are still tightly held - the trip is expected to occur in October, and there are rumours in entertainment media that 90-year-old actor William Shatner will be on board.
A former White Ribbon ambassador found guilty of years of serious sexual violence against his wife has been named.

Jon Seccull, 43, can only be identified after his former wife agreed to give The Age permission to publish his name, even though it would identify her as well.

Jon Seccull was found guilty of nine counts of rape. Credit:Facebook

His former partner, Michelle Skewes, said silence was an abusers greatest weapon.

I did not do this just for me, Ms Skewes told The Age.
Opposition NDIS spokesman Bill Shorten has called for independent oversight of vulnerable National Disability Insurance Scheme participants living in poorly regulated accommodation in what he says is a wild west part of the industry.

The Age has revealed ugly turf wars are being fought between rival disability service providers over marginalised citizens with NDIS funding plans, and some people are being taken to live in private rental accommodation that lacks oversight and tenancy safeguards.

Bill Shorten says some NDIS participants are being picked off by vultures. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

The feud between rival disability providers was being investigated by complaints body the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission, which a spokesperson for NDIS Minister Linda Reynolds said was working closely with the Victorian Public Advocate and the Victorian government regulator.

As there is an active investigation under way, we are unable to provide more detail at this time, Senator Reynolds spokesperson said.
Beneath the recent revelations by The Age and disturbing stories coming from the Royal Commission into Aged Care lies an industry largely unregulated and almost totally hidden to most Victorians: the supported residential services.

For more than 40 years, welfare advocates have despaired at the plight of the elderly, frail and disabled residents living in these supported residential services.

Welfare advocates raised concerns about Hambleton House in Albert Park. Credit:Chris Hopkins

While there are no doubt some pension-only supported residential services where residents are well cared for, many live in squalor cut off from all hope of gaining access to the types of services we would normally expect vulnerable people to receive.

Wintringham, which provides aged care services to elderly homeless people, regularly receives referrals from local social workers on behalf of clients that they have rescued from these places. The condition of some of these people is heartbreaking and devastating to our staff.
Confected outrage has echoes of an earlier row

The French confected outrage over losing the submarine contract reminded me of Winston Churchills tantrum when John Curtin refused to redirect to what was then known as Burma our troops sailing back from the Middle East to defend Australia from Japanese invasion. How dare we act in our own interests? My sincere hope is that our government will maintain this newly discovered independent foreign policy and not jump to attention whenever an ally beckons. We no longer should be kowtowing to the US and blindly following them into international conflicts and sabre-rattling against China.

Greg Cudmore, Wellington Point, Qld This should have been worked out ahead of time

Scott Morrison says he is aware of the complexities of advancing the AUKUS nuclear submarines plan (Prime Minister on front foot to land subs pact, The Age, 23/9). In the past the complexities would have been worked out before the grand announcement of a historic agreement, which may not even eventuate in any meaningful form. But then the timing would not have suited Morrisons desire to fight a khaki election with Chinas threat to our security being a key plank of his platform. He has been aided in this by a US president who obviously sees provoking China as a political winner. As for Boris Johnson, insulting the French has always gone down well in Britain, even more so post-Brexit, and China is a world away. Scott Morrison says he has gone into AUKUS with his eyes wide open. The problem is his gaze seems firmly fixed on March-May 2022.

Bill King, Camberwell

THE FORUM They deserve HECS relief

During all the hardship and disruption that the interminable COVID-19 lockdowns have brought, tertiary students have been largely ignored. With being forced into online learning for nearly two years, these students have been robbed of the rich experiences that are part of a vibrant university. It has been difficult for them to share academic ideas or build strong social networks and new friendships. Students have not been able to take advantage of university facilities, clubs, sport and the other activities that a university offers. Other sectors in our society have been supported and compensated for losses.

It is only fair that our students future HECS debt be reduced and they are not saddled with the full cost of a service that has not been fully provided.

Clelia McCutcheon, Elsternwick We have to do our bit

Academic Holly Lawford-Smith, who is vaccinated herself, speaks of the reasonable objections those who dont want the vaccination have  the fear of the long-term effects of the jab (Vaccine mandates must remain the last resort, Comment, 27/9). Other than being vaccinated, tell me the alternative of getting out of this COVID nightmare and having some semblance of our lives back. I had the AstraZeneca vaccine as soon as it was available and, while I initially felt a level of uncertainty, I did it to protect myself and others. Some cant get it due to legitimate medical reasons, and they wont be required to do so. The rest of us need to do our bit to protect them. Have face-to-face conversations and try to reassure those who feel scared.

Ange Mackie, Coburg

This is not your area

Melbourne Archbishop Peter Comensoli alerts us to a tragedy if two classes of citizens, the vaccinated and the unvaccinated were to emerge (Church warns of two-class society over vaccine rules, The Age, 25/9).

Heaven forbid that there be a third class of citizen who might be excluded from work on the basis of their sexuality. What about a bit less pontificating about health issues (where the archbishop has no expertise) and a bit more thought about interpersonal issues (where he should have some) as we move towards a sexuality-normal goal.

Chris Hughes, Southbank Thats not why I left

I was interested to read Paul Collins article about people abandoning Catholicism in droves (Historic gathering with bland agenda unlikely to stem decay in the Catholic Church, The Age, online, 27/9). He attributed the abandonment to the churchs toxic reputation that resulted from the sexual abuse crisis and church leaders failure to deal decisively with clerical abusers. People with a firm belief in a religions dogma are unlikely to abandon it because they are unhappy with its administration or its reputation. I would suggest that the shift is partly due to the wider drift away from organised religion in general.

I left the Catholic Church because I considered the basic premises of Christianity to be implausible: that God would create us with the capacity to sin and then be surprised and disappointed at the outcome; and that his preferred way to redeem our sins was to send his son to suffer an agonising and brutal death by crucifixion. The latter concept clearly has its roots in the ancient customs of loading human sins onto a scapegoat and the sacrifice of an unblemished lamb.

Brian Kilday, Jeeralang Junction Lets skip daylight saving

With the continued lockdown, surely the Andrews government and its police department would put their heads together with other governments of the national cabinet and not introduce daylight saving  especially with a curfew still current. Mother Nature will bless us with longer days as it is. Artificial enhancement via daylight saving simply makes continuing police enforcement and community compliance more difficult to achieve. Daylight saving is not appropriate while these rules of the lockdown still apply.

Justin OHalloran, Clifton Hill

This must be a new low

What is this cruel game the federal government is playing with the Biloela family? The 12-month bridging visa extension to the parents and one child is a disingenuous mixed blessing, being a welcome reprieve from immediate deportation to a situation of danger, but consigning them to another year of anxiety and uncertainty. Using the younger child as a pawn to prevent the family from returning to Biloela is a ploy beyond outrageous. This is the little girl who was so malnourished while in detention that her baby teeth rotted and had to be removed, and whose symptoms and medical needs while on Christmas Island were ignored until she became seriously ill and had to be flown to Perth for urgent medical attention. This must be a new low in our treatment of asylum seekers. How have we come to this?

Lucille Forbes, Brighton East Cruelty is plain to see

Last weeks decision by Immigration Minister Alex Hawke to provide members of the Murugappan family with a 12-month extension to their bridging visa encapsulates the governments approach to every issue that adversely reflects on it. Neither acknowledge there is an issue that needs to be addressed, nor make a decision if it can be put off.

The politics of the ministers decision is clear. The issue has now been put off until after the coming federal election. If Labor is elected and allows the family to return to Biloela, the Coalition can repeat its oft-used soft on borders argument, and if the Coalition is re-elected, it can worry about things in 12 months time. Meanwhile, the cruelty of this governments policies towards the Murugappan family and more generally to asylum seekers and refugees in Australia and offshore is plain for all to see. The pandemic presented the government with an ideal political opportunity to reset policy. But it was a difficult ask when it is unable to acknowledge there is a problem.

Harold Zwier, Elsternwick Take a look in the mirror

In recent days a community clinic and a vaccination centre in the city were closed due to healthcare workers being abused and spat on by angry protesters. The Shrine of Remembrance was littered with rubbish, broken glass and urinated on and two mothers picnicking in a park with their 12-year-old were daughters attacked by people tearing down COVID-19 QR codes and the men coming to their aid had a dog set on them.

Any politician seeking a political advantage by supporting things that encourage this type of violent behaviour needs to take a good look in the mirror.

Gary Roulston, Endeavour Hills Holding us to ransom

If Nationals leader and Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce was half the concerned politician he claims to be, he would be fighting for a transition plan for his beloved coal miners in regional Australia. Right now, he is a stumbling block against which net zero Nationals and Liberals are bashing their heads. The rump of protectionist coal devotees in the National Party cannot hold the rest of the country to ransom. The way the world is turning away from coal, there wont be miners to retrain and support unless a transition plan is developed now. Mr Joyce is doing coal miners a gross disservice by his obduracy.

Nick Toovey, Beaumaris It doesnt add up

On Sunday, I watched Barnaby Joyces performance on the ABCs Insiders program. Twice he stated that coal is our greatest export (it is not, iron ore is). Then he reported that 12 per cent of people in his electorate are farmers and the other 78 per cent are not (losing 10 per cent of his neighbours somewhere).

I found myself wondering how our Acting Prime Minister, who is an accountant as well as a farmer, could have such a weak grasp of basic arithmetic. Through his stubborn insistence on preserving all regional jobs (existing ones anyway), he is showing a degree of myopia that is a threat to all Australians  both city and country dwellers. Perhaps we would all be better served by politicians willing to recognise the realities of the role coal plays in creating climate change, and creative enough to back new non-coal-mining jobs in our regions.

Malcolm Rimmer, Clifton Hill This is not good enough

Your report (How the pandemic exposed Melbournes house of horrors, The Age, 27/9) outlines not only shameful behaviour at a supported residential service by the owners but serious neglect by the relevant minister and the department in ignoring for three years the concerns of the Public Advocate and the Community Visitors. Victoria is well served by its unique Community Visitors  trained volunteer auditors/inspectors arriving without notice, acting on behalf of residents .

This is an excellent model and of great assistance to regulators and ministers, should they be conscientious enough to read and act. Not good enough, Victoria.

John Miller, Toorak Hiding behind the states

Scott Morrison wants us all open at Christmas. Id like that too. But calling on the states to make this happen is just too convenient for the Prime Minister. He makes it appear to be their fault that we are not there already. Remember who promised to have stranded Australians overseas home last Christmas. Remember whose abrogation of federal responsibility for quarantine and total incompetence in providing vaccines has caused us to be in this position. Scott Morrison likes to hide behind the states. Hes even relying on them, and individual businesses, to work out how to mandate vaccination or deal with non-compliance.

The total absence of leadership from Mr Morrison demonstrates his cowardice.

Marg Arnold, Melbourne AND ANOTHER THING The footy

Thanks, Luke Beveridge and Marcus Bontempelli, for an amazing year of footy. Definitely helped me survive these COVID times.

Robin Jensen,Castlemaine Now Scott Morrison has an extra 22premiers to deal with.

Greg Lee, Red Hill Does this mean long-suffering Saints supporters can expect a premiership in two years time?

Ross Crawford, Korumburra

The submarine deal

If we are upset at the idea of losing a $50 billion coal industry, imagine how the French feel about losing a $90 billion submarine contract.

Les Aisen, Elsternwick Ill cast my vote for Scott Morrison when the first nuclear submarine sails into Sydney Harbour.

John Mosig, Kew Vaccination

Whats wrong with a two-class society (Church warns of two-class society over vaccine rules, The Age, 25/9) if we all have the freedom to choose our class  vaccinated or unvaccinated?

David Gentle, Ivanhoe East Archbishop Peter Comensoli got it right about mandatory vaccination creating a two-class society; that is, those who love their neighbour and those who dont.

Henry Herzog, St Kilda East Some of todays anti-vaxxers are possibly only able to protest because their mothers vaccinated them as children.

Diane Maddison, Parkdale
Two police officers and three security guards were injured during a brawl outside a hospital in Melbournes north that allegedly broke out after three men were refused entry to see a patient.

A Victoria Police spokesman said about 15 people had gathered outside the Northern Hospital in Epping when the three men tried to go inside to see the patient in the early hours of Monday.

Police and security guards were injured during a brawl outside the Northern Hospital in Epping. Credit:Eddie Jim

The Age understands the patient was a man who had died with COVID-19.

Police allege hospital staff asked the men to leave, and a fight then broke out. Two police officers and three security guards were treated for non-life-threatening injuries.
Loading Research by Torrens University shows that Melbournes immunisation rates are strongly tied to levels of socio-economic disadvantage. John Glover, director of the universitys public health information development unit, said because of that a vaccine passport scheme would likely discriminate against Indigenous Australians, refugees and a broad range of disadvantaged people. Human Rights Law Centre executive director Hugh de Kretser said that requiring people to be fully vaccinated in exchange for work or to access goods and services carried a range of human rights risks by restricting certain freedoms. The issue, however, was whether these restrictions were reasonable and justified.

Loading He said it was possible that mandatory jabs and the notion of a vaccine passport system could lead to legal challenges, but added courts generally give a lot of discretion when theres a public health emergency. Mandates issued by the Chief Health Officer, therefore, would be more difficult to challenge than those imposed by workplaces or hospitality venues. Its possible that someone might want to challenge the public health order, but it would be very hard to be successfully challenged, he said. In a workplace setting, if someone refused to get the vaccine and the employee issued disciplinary proceedings against them, youd have to look at the reasons why someone didnt want to get it, the context of their employment, and whether there were other less restrictive means available to accommodate their decision.

A paper by the Collaboration on Social Science and Immunisation, a group of leading immunisation policy experts, published in the Medical Journal of Australia earlier this month suggested mandatory vaccination might be justified so long as people had plenty of opportunity to get vaccinated, among other conditions. That had absolutely not happened, said Julie Leask, a leading immunisation policy expert at the University of Sydney and a co-author of the paper. Sydney University vaccine expert Professor Julie Leask. Credit:Louise Kennerley Go to a country town that has limited access to GPs. Youve got towns where Pfizer hasnt been easily available, she said. Professor Leask warned that mandates should only ever be a last resort, noting that they can widen the difference between the haves and the have-nots.

The key question for government is how long they can sustain a situation where the 10 per cent of the unvaccinated population in the state are unable to take part in social and cultural life, she said. Because you will always have a group of people who will not vaccinate no matter what, no matter what hardship you throw at them. Dr Cassandra Goldie, chief executive of the Australian Council of Social Service, said Indigenous Australians, people living with a disability and people with insecure incomes all had lower vaccination rates. We face the very real prospect that the serious health risks faced by those still exposed to COVID will also now be compounded by new economic and social barriers. This will restrict people from job opportunities, as well as the mental health benefits of being able to socially connect with others, she said.

As a country, we must face the fact that we have not done enough yet to secure safe vaccination rates for people most at risk to ensure no one is left behind in our vaccination effort. Debate over vaccine mandates intensified last week amid protests involving workers, right-wing extremists and anti-vaccination activists at landmarks such as the West Gate Bridge and the Shrine of Remembrance after COVID-19 vaccines were made mandatory in the construction industry. Federal Health Department immunisation guidelines specify that vaccines must be administered with valid consent  and for this consent to be legal, it must be given voluntarily in the absence of undue pressure, coercion or manipulation. The issue is likely to prove politically contentious for the Andrews government when Parliament sits next week, with crossbencher David Limbricks libertarian Liberal Democrats planning a motion demanding the government publicly release any human rights assessment that it undertook in shaping its policies.

Loading The motion would be put forward in the upper house, where Labor does not have a majority. Its success would depend on opposition and cross bench support. Mr Limbrick, whose party opposes lockdowns, said this is a very disturbing precedent for our state to be setting. What theyre setting up is a road map to a segregated society. Some people will be left behind. Dr de Kretser said the Human Rights Law Centre believed the public had a right to know what considerations had been made to ensure human rights were appropriately balanced.

Evidence suggests vaccines substantially decrease the risk of passing on the Delta strain of COVID-19, mostly by protecting people from catching the virus in the first place. Vaccines from AstraZeneca and Pfizer are between 67 and 80 per cent effective at preventing infection with the Delta variant of COVID-19, UK data shows. However, there are questions about how necessary protecting the vaccinated from the unvaccinated may prove to be. Of the that smaller group of vaccinated people who do catch the virus, evidence suggests their viral load  how much virus they build up in their nose and throat, generally a good measure of how infectious they are  is as high as someone who is not vaccinated, although it seems to fall faster.
Goodstart Early Learning will make coronavirus vaccinations mandatory for all employees nationwide, making the childcare giant the first in the sector to mandate the vaccine.

Chief executive officer Julia Davison made the announcement late on Monday that Goodstart would insist all 15,000 employees in every state and territory be fully vaccinated by November 29.

Goodstart Julia Davison has mandated vaccinations for staff at the companys early learning centres. Credit:Graham Jepson

Ms Davison said the company, Australias largest not-for-profit early learning and care provider, would require staff at Goodstarts 670 centres to receive their first vaccinations before the end of October.

It came as two of its Melbourne centres were listed as tier-1 and tier-2 sites.
Liberal MP Dave Sharma says climate change can no longer be fought through a city-country divide, firing back at his cabinet minister colleague Bridget McKenzie after she labelled the Liberals support for a carbon neutral economy by 2050 the worst kind of vacuousness over values.

The Victorian senator, who holds several regional-based policy portfolios, says too many federal MPs were worried about being cool rather than the consequences of their decisions.

Bridget McKenzie says too many MPs want to be fashionable about climate change. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

The junior Coalition partner  which is bitterly divided on the issue  has put off a likely fierce debate on a net-zero target until a planned face-to-face meeting on October 17, warning they will not be pushovers on any net zero emissions pact.

Senator McKenzie singled out Mr Frydenberg, the member for the Melbourne seat of Kooyong, and Dave Sharma, who holds the Sydney seat of Wentworth, in her criticism as the debate over the target hits fever pitch within the federal government.
Australias freedom of information tsar wasnt consulted on the federal governments bid to protect national cabinet deliberations from public scrutiny and doesnt think special exemptions are needed.

But officials from the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet insist the peak group, led by Scott Morrison with state and territory leaders, was always intended to operate as a committee of federal cabinet, with the associated secrecy  an argument already rejected by a federal tribunal.

Australian Information Commissioner Angelene Falk doesnt believe national cabinet needs special exemptions from freedom of information laws. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

Independent senator Rex Patrick in August successfully appealed to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) after PM&C rejected his applications under the Freedom of Information Act for documents about meetings of national cabinet, which was formed in March 2020 to co-ordinate the nations coronavirus response.

The Senate is currently debating a bill that would extend the secrecy provisions of federal cabinet to national cabinet.
New York: New York Governor Kathy Hochul is considering employing the National Guard and out-of-state medical workers to fill hospital staffing shortages with tens of thousands of workers possibly losing their jobs for not meeting a Monday deadline for mandated COVID-19 vaccination.

The plan, outlined in a statement from Hochul on Saturday, would allow her to declare a state of emergency to increase the supply of healthcare workers to include licensed professionals from other states and countries as well as retired nurses.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul. Credit:AP

Hochul said the state was also looking at using National Guard officers with medical training to keep hospitals and other medical facilities adequately staffed. Some 16 per cent of the states 450,000 hospital staff, or roughly 72,000 workers, have not been fully vaccinated, the governors office said.

The plan comes amid a broader battle between state and federal government leaders pushing for vaccine mandates to help counter the highly infectious Delta variant of the novel coronavirus and workers who are against inoculation requirements, some objecting on religious grounds.
The awards power of British theater producers on Broadway was cemented once more last night in a classy Tonys ceremony stocked with nominees that originated in the United Kingdom.

Producer Sonia Friedman continues her indomitable form. Three years in a row, this producing powerhouse has taken the Best New Play prize for one of her productions: Matthew Lopez's The Inheritance, which was first seen at the Young VIc before transferring to the West End and, subsequently, Broadway, earned the prize last night; the statue will sit nicely alongside her Best Play Tonys for Jez Butterworth's The Ferryman (2019) and Jack Thorne's Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (2018).

As for The Inheritance, the huge drama picked up four prizes, including Best Director for Stephen Daldry. It was an important moment when Lopez recognized that he was the first Latinx playwright to win a Tony Award for Best Play, and how severely underrepresented the community was on Broadway. Change, he stressed, must happen.

Few would have predicted that the Old Vic's Yuletide staple  Thorne's version of A Christmas Carol  would emerge so decisively victorious among the play design categories, picking up five wins from five nominations, though Matthew Warchus' visually and aurally magnificent production has all the technical chops to bring home the bacon. It was nice to see a Best Original Score win go to a play for the first time ever (Christopher Nightingale doing Dickens proud with an atmospheric festive fever dream). You do wonder if the producers made a mistake deciding not to reopen it on Broadway this holiday season; instead, it will play the West Coast, with Bradley Whitford as Scrooge in Los Angeles and other cities, and Francois Battiste as Scrooge in San Francisco.

Andrew Burnap and the cast of The Inheritance

( Matthew Murphy)

With winners inevitably come losers: sweetheart of screen, stage and Marvel fandom Tom Hiddleston didn't take home a prize for his turn in Jamie Lloyd's revival of Betrayal, with Lloyd himself also losing out to Daldry. For Andrew Burnap to take the top Actor prize for The Inheritance was certainly a surprise, especially opposite actors like Hiddleston, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Tom Sturridge (the latter two starred in British-born plays Sea Wall/A Life by Simon Stephens and Nick Payne).

On the musical side, the Brits had less of a sturdy night, not helped by the fact that a lot of homegrown productions  Six, Marianne Elliott's revised Company, and the revival of Caroline, or Change  had the openings disrupted, and Girl From the North Country, the last show to open prior to the shutdown, didn't qualify because it hadn't invited voters. These shows now fall into what will inevitably be a traffic jam of an upcoming season, but at least Adrienne Warren of Tina didn't have to go against Caroline's Sharon D. Clarke like she did at the Oliviers. Warren took it this year; Clarke has her eyes on the prize in June 2022 for sure.

With feminist Tudor queens, the Lehman brothers, Andrew Lloyd Webber's Cinderella (which he said in recent interviews is hoping for a 2022 New York birth), and more chomping at the bit while waiting in the awards wings, the British invasion of Broadway looks set to continue apace. And what else is next? Everybody's Talking About Jamie premieres in Los Angeles in January, while & Juliet and Tom Stoppard's Leopoldstadt head to Toronto next year. A Delorean, may be the only way to find out.
The North American tour of Heidi Schreck's What the Constitution Means to Me will resume performances September 30 at the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis, MN, and the production has announced the cast that will bring it back to the stage.

Leading the show will be Cassie Beck (The Humans), joined by Mike Iveson from the original Broadway and National Tour cast. Jessica Savage and Gabriel Marin join the cast as understudies, while high school students Jocelyn Shek and Emilyn Toffler will alternate in the role of the student debater.

"I have been waiting to play this role for more than 16 months! I am thrilled to finally get to bring this incredible piece of theatre to life on stage every night," said Cassie Beck in a statement. "It is an honor to share Heidi's story with audiences across the country, and I can't wait to get to work!"

What the Constitution Means to Me is described as follows: "Playwright Heidi Schreck's boundary-breaking play breathes new life into our Constitution and imagines how it will affect the next generation of Americans. Fifteen-year-old Heidi earned her college tuition by winning Constitutional debate competitions across the United States. In this hilarious, hopeful, and achingly human new play, she resurrects her teenage self in order to trace the profound relationship between four generations of women and the founding document that shaped their lives."

Directed by Oliver Butler, What the Constitution Means to Me will play over 13 cities during the 2021-22 season, including engagements in Chicago, Detroit, Dallas, Boston, and Nashville with more still to be announced. The creative team features scenic design by Rachel Hauck, costume design by Michael Krass, lighting design by Jen Schriever, and sound design by Sinan Refik Zafar.

What the Constitution Means to Me had an extended run on Broadway in 2019, where it earned nominations for Best Play and Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play (Schreck). Schreck's performance was filmed and is now available for streaming on Amazon Prime Video.
CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky explained her decision on Friday: AuWithholding access for boosters from (front-line workers) and communities would only worsen the inequities that I have committed to fight against,Au she said. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images/TNS)
WandaVision may be getting a Disney Plus Spinoff

Looks like we haven't seen the end of Agatha Harkness after all.
Locals inspect a bloodstained site after an Israeli anti-terrorist operation that killed five men, most confirmed Hamas terrorist members, in the West Bank village of Beit Anan, west of Ramallah, on Sept. 26, 2021. (Nasser Nasser/AP Photo)

5 Killed, 2 Injured in Raids on Hamas Terrorists in West Bank, Says Israel, Citing Immediate Threats

JERUSALEMIsraeli troops conducted a series of raids against Hamas terrorists across the occupied West Bank early Sunday, sparking a pair of gun battles in which five members of Hamas were killed and two Israeli soldiers were seriously wounded.

It was the deadliest violence between Israeli forces and Hamas terrorist operations in the West Bank in several weeks as the region suffers from heightened terrorist activity.

The Israeli military said it had been tracking the Hamas terrorists for several weeks and that the raids were launched in response to immediate threats.

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said the terrorists were about to carry out attacks in real time. He praised the Israeli forces, saying they acted as expected.

They engaged the enemy and we back them completely, he said.

In a statement, the military said it launched five simultaneous raids and soldiers opened fire after being shot at in two locations. It said five Hamas terrorists were killed and several others were arrested.

It also said an officer and a soldier were seriously injured, possibly inadvertently by Israeli fire.

Hamas confirmed that four of the dead, including all three killed in Biddu, were members of the radical Islamic group, praising them as heroic martyrs. Palestinian officials said a 16-year-old boy was also among the dead, though it was not immediately known if he was a terrorist.

The Palestinian Health Ministry said two Palestinians were shot dead near the northern West Bank city of Jenin, a known terrorist stronghold, and three others were killed in Biddu, north of Jerusalem.

The Palestinian Authority, which administers semi-autonomous areas in the West Bank, condemned the killings and said the Israeli government was fully and directly responsible for this bloody morning and the crimes committed by the occupation forces.

But Hamas also criticized the Palestinian Authority, which maintains security coordination with Israel in a shared struggle against the terrorist group. Hamas rules the Gaza Strip after seizing it from the Palestinian Authority in 2007.

Hamas spokesman Abdulatif al-Qanou said that recent meetings between Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli officials encouraged the occupation again to pursue the resistance.

Also Sunday, Israel released Khalida Jarrar, a prominent Palestinian lawmaker, after nearly two years in prison. Jarrar, a senior figure in the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, has been in and out of Israeli prisons for yearsoften without being charged.

The PFLP has an armed wing and is considered a terrorist group by Israel and Western countries, but Jarrar has not been implicated in attacks. She was sentenced to two years in prison in March for membership in a banned group but given credit for time already served. She was freed several weeks before her sentence was to end.

Related Coverage 4 Palestinians Killed During Israeli Operation to Arrest Hamas Suspect: Reports

Last month, undercover Israeli forces dressed as Palestinians returned fire after being fired upon by terrorists during a late night raid in Jenin to arrest a Hamas suspect. Four Palestinians were killed in the crossfire.

Sundays clashes came a week after Israel recaptured the last of six Palestinian fugitives who tunneled out of a maximum-security Israeli prison earlier this month. The escapees were from Jenin, and two were caught there after an extensive search.

By Ilan Ben Zion. The Epoch Times contributed to this article.
5 Questions to Ask Before Purchasing Life Insurance

While you can receive a life insurance quote online in just a few minutes, it may be difficult to immediately determine whether the lowest-priced option is the best fit. Thats because life insurance comes in a myriad of forms and at a multitude of prices. To narrow down the options and find whats right for you and your family, ask these questions as you carry out a policy search.

How Much Income Would Need to Be Replaced?

Your living situation and age play significant roles in determining how much coverage you need from a policy. Life insurance is a great tool for protecting heirs that depend on an income stream from a family breadwinner, or to replace the economic value of a stay-at-home parent, Joe Taylor, owner and founder of Oak Street Advisors in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, told The Epoch Times. As such, youll want to determine how much income would be needed in your absence to support any loved ones who depend on you financially.

For a young couple with children, we will often add the cost of funding any higher education and a mortgage pay-off amount to take any worry about expenses off the table, Taylor said. We would subtract any investment or retirement savings from this amount, as those assets can be used to provide some income loss offsets. If your children are grown and self-supportive, you might need a different level of income to provide for a spouse or leave for other family members.

What Types of Policies are Available?

Term insurance is geared towards young families, Lisamarie Monaco, a national independent life insurance agent, told The Epoch Times. If you have a growing family, a home mortgage, and other debts, you might opt for this type of policy. It will last for a chosen time length, such as 10, 15, 20, or 30 years. Youll usually need to undergo a medical exam for the policy, which will then determine factors like the cost of the premiums. When the policy ends, you will either need to purchase a new policy or renew the one you have.

Another option is known as whole life, or permanent, insurance. This policy will last for your lifetime, as long as you continue to pay premiums. It also includes a cash value, in which part of your premiums are placed into investments. The earnings may grow over time, and you wont pay taxes on the gains. You might be able to borrow from this cash value or use it to pay your premiums; you eventually could take it out as cash as well.

You may also come across a type called final expense or burial insurance. The age frame for this type of policy is 50 to 89 years of age, Monaco said. It might be purchased to cover the cost of funeral expenses, pay off some debt, or leave an amount behind for children or grandchildren. This type of policy doesnt require a medical exam but will include health questions on the application.

How Much Will the Insurance Cost?

Different types of policies carry distinct prices based on factors such as the amount of coverage, length of policy, and your health status. If you purchase a term life insurance policy, you will generally find two kinds available: guaranteed level term life insurance and renewable annual policies. With guaranteed level term life insurance, the premiums remain the same for the length of the policy. A renewable annual policy will need to be renewed, and at each renewal the premium is raised.

With a whole life insurance policy, the premiums remain the same throughout the length of the policy. Since the policy lasts for your lifetime, the premiums tend to be much higher than those for term life insurance.

Does the Policy have First-Day Coverage?

Some policies include a length of time that must pass before the entire death benefit is available. If you opt for a life insurance policy with a two-year waiting period, your beneficiary would not receive the full death benefit if you pass away during the first two years. You would instead only get a return of your premium plus a small interest payment, which is typically 10 percent, Randy VanderVaate, president and owner of Funeral Funds of America, told The Epoch Times.

If the policy states it has first-day coverage, there isnt a waiting period involved until the benefits are effective. First-day coverage plans will pay to your beneficiary 100 percent of the death benefit from the first day, VanderVaate said.

Are There Discounts Available?

If you are in poor health or smoke you can generally expect to pay more for coverage. On the other hand, if you are in good health and dont smoke, you might be eligible for certain price reductions. Ask your agent if there are any discounts for not smoking, having a healthy height to weight ratio, being healthy over the last 24 months, or discounts for not being on certain medications, VanderVaate said. These discounts can save you big money over the life of your policy.
Apricot Kolache

Kolache recipes are often taken from forebears rather than cookbooks, so you can expect many variations. In fact, author Dorothy Tepera Palmer brought together a whole book of them, Kolaches: Recipes From the Texas Czech Belt, which also includes recipes for (gasp!) klobasniky and a treat to make with leftover dough. The following recipe is taken from her book. Palmer recommends these fillings for first-timers.

Makes 4 dozen

For the Dough

3 packages active dry yeast (3/4 ounces or 21 grams total)

1 cup plus 2 teaspoons sugar, divided

2/3 cup warm water (100 to 115 degrees F)

4 eggs

1 cup evaporated milk

1 cup whole milk

1 cup butter, melted, plus more for brushing containers, pans, and dough

2 teaspoons salt

9 cups flour, plus more for dusting

For the Apricot Filling

12 ounces packaged dried apricots

2 cups sugar

For the Posypka (Streusel Topping)

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup flour

1 tablespoon melted butter

Make the Dough

In a medium-sized bowl, combine the yeast, 2 teaspoons sugar, and warm water. Stir and set aside until the mixture is foamy.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs and add 1 cup sugar slowly, beating well. Add the evaporated and whole milks, melted butter, and salt and mix well, then add the yeast mixture. Add half the flour and mix well with a mixer on low. Continue adding the remaining flour 1 cup at a time, mixing well after each addition. As the dough thickens, mix the last bits of flour by hand or use a dough hook.

Scrape the dough into a large, buttered, sealable container. Lightly butter the top of the dough, cover with a clean dishtowel, and let it rise for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Dont seal it while its rising. Then, continue the baking procedure or butter the cover and seal the dough to keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 5 days. Return to room temperature before working with it.

For the Fillings

As the dough rises, prepare your fillings.

Place the apricots in a saucepan and add water to cover. Cook slowly until the fruit is soft, about 30 to 45 minutes. Mash with a potato masher or electric mixer until smooth, about 3 minutes. Add the 2 cups sugar and cook slowly, uncovered, for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Cool and set aside.

In a bowl, mix all the ingredients for the posypka together and set aside.

Shape the Dough and Bake

Lightly flour your work surface and brush a baking sheet with melted butter.

Working in batches, scrape some dough from the container onto your work surface. Lightly flour the dough and roll out to about 1 to 1 1/2 inches in thickness. Use the flat side of a scraper to cut the dough into squares (or simply use a spoon to scoop dough balls the size of a medium egg, about 1 3/4 ounces).

Flour your hands and roll the dough firmly into smooth balls (the most common mistake is not using enough pressure at the beginning of the balling process). Place the dough balls on the buttered baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Butter the tops and sides of each. Set in a warm area and let rise until doubled in size.

You can watch Palmer make kolache balls on YouTube.

Keep your index fingers floured and press the center of each ball slightly, spreading it out to create a well in the center. Allow the dough to rest and rise again, 15 to 20 minutes.

Fill the well in the dough with plenty of apricot filling. Place a pinch (1/2 to 1 teaspoon) of posypka in the center of each. Set pans aside again to let rise until doubled in size.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Bake the kolache for 15 to 19 minutes. The bottoms and tops should be lightly browned, so use the bottom rack for 9 minutes then the top rack for the remainder of the time, depending on your oven. When the tops are browned, remove the pans and butter the kolache. Let cool for 10 minutes, then remove and separate kolache to cooling racks until completely cool. Store in sealable containers or even freeze them.
Container ships are seen at Port Botany in Sydney, Australia, Sept. 1, 2021. (AAP Image/Dan Himbrechts)

Australian Port Workers Hold Extensive Union-Backed Strikes Across October Over Pay Dispute

Australian port workers will be the latest group to hold nationwide strikes over wage disputes which may affect Christmas deliveries, following previous truck driver and parcel delivery worker strikes.

Container terminal operator Patrick Terminals and the Maritime Union of Australia (MUA) have been holding extensive negotiations over wages since Feb. 2020.

However, discussions boiled over after workers rejected Patricks latest offer of a 2.5 percent year-on-year wage increase for four years.

Patrick was notified that hundreds of its wharf workers would go on strike for 24 hours in Port Botany, Sydney, next weekend.

While in Melbourne, there will be 12 hours strikes every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for the entire month of October.

Patrick CEO Michael Jovicic called MUAs actions bewildering, and the industrial action demonstrated no regard to the suffering of everyday Australians who have been impacted by lockdowns, restrictions, and job losses.

We have bargained with the MUA for over 19 months and provided a very generous pay increase, guaranteed no redundancies, and provided a commitment to preserving jobs, Jovicic said in a statement. They clearly have no intention of reaching a deal. They just want to cause maximum damage to the company and the economy.

Over 40 percent of all container freight in Australia goes through Patrick Terminals, and they said the impact of the strike would have ramifications for all Australians.

Peak industry body Shipping Australia said the union-led disruption would adversely affect everyday Australians given the importance of freight, shipping, and ports.

They estimated that the industrial action could potentially cost over U.S.$101,000 a day (AU$138,900), not including fuel.

Clearly, this is a crisis for Australias economy, which relies on ocean shipping for over 99 percent of all of its freight, Shipping Australia CEO Melwyn Noronha said.

Shipping Australia calls upon the union to exercise restraint during the COVID-19 pandemic. We also call upon the Federal Government to include a review of waterfront industrial relations.

MUA assistant national secretary Jamie Newlyn told The Epoch Times in a statement that Patrick was claiming loss of market share despite recording profits by price gouging through terminal access charges and other shipping fees.

Productivity is at a high, and Protected Industrial Action is a last resort to finalise an agreement that is almost 18 months past expiry, Newlyn said. Patrick employees are rightly frustrated at corporate tactics to deny a modest pay rise and remove agreed conditions on secure jobs.

Newlyn said negotiations broke down because Patricks insisted on changes the workforce could not accept, including increased casualisation that threatened job security.

Had the CEO not intervened in the Port Botany bargaining, an agreement would have been reached locally, Newlyn said.
A riot police officer wields a weapon looking onwards at protesters near the Shrine of Remembrance, in Melbourne, Australia, on Sept. 22, 2021. (Darrian Traynor/Getty Images)

Authoritarian Restrictions Forcing Australians Into Conflict With Police: State MP

Images and videos of alleged police aggression to subdue Australians in Melbourne to quell civil unrest, has raised concerns over the use of force by law enforcement against alleged breaches of public health orders.

David Limbrick, an upper house member of Victorias state parliament, says police have been given the very difficult task of implementing health ordersa role they are not trained forand is warning that the state governments handling of its pandemic response could lead to increasing social chaos.

Instead of a polices normal job, which is going after people that hurt other people, the polices job now is to enforce rules which govern every aspect of our lives, down to the minute details of whether we wear a mask on our face or not, the Liberal Democrat told The Epoch Times. Of course, things are going get out of control when they do that for such a long time.

Its totally unnecessary. The reason they (the authorities) think its necessary is because theyve outlawed the right to peaceful assembly, and people arent able to organise, he said. People are still taking to the streets, and its causing an excessive response from the police.

Police pepper spray a protester (L) during a Freedom rally in Melbourne on Sept. 18, 2021. (William West/AFP via Getty Images)

During an anti-lockdown rally, police arrested a protester at St Kilda in Melbourne on Sept.25, 2021. (William West/AFP via Getty Images)

Limbrick pointed out that the Andrews government in Victoria had shown a different approach last year to the Black Lives Matter demonstrations, which were estimated to draw 10,000 people.

Weve seen last year at the Black Lives Matter (BLM) protests that its totally possible to facilitate large scale protests during a pandemic. I was quite impressed with the job the police did then, but at subsequent protests, its been really bad, he said.

Last year, BLM protestors gathered in the city in June in breach of public health orders. The event was concluded peacefully, with Victorian authorities subsequently fining the protestors.

Extended Lockdowns Taking Its Toll on Tired Australians

Melbourne is currently on track to break the world record for the longest number of days under lockdown, with the city enduring 239 days of lockdown since the pandemic broke out last year as of Sept. 27just shy of the 245-day record set by Bueno Aires.

The Victorian government under Premier Dan Andrews has relied heavily on a tough suppression strategy to deal with any outbreak of COVID-19, such as imposing immediate Stage Four restrictions, which include curfews, limits on movement within a 5km radius, and closing non-essential retail outlets.

In contrast, the neighbouring state of New South Wales has avoided using harsh measures for the past year until the July outbreak of the Delta variant in Greater Sydney, which forced a policy change.

However, the extended lockdowns and tough restrictions in Victoria have taken their toll, with protests breaking out in Melbourne several times last week. At the same time, several pieces of footage have emerged showing police using tactics that have led to investigations by senior officers.

Police pepper spray a protester during a rally against COVID-19 regulations in Melbourne, Australia, on Sept. 22, 2021. (Con Chronis/AFP via Getty Images)

On Sept. 18, during Freedom Day rallies, which saw violent clashes break out between protestors and police, a 70-year-old protestor was knocked over and sprayed in the face with capsicum spray.

Some officers were seen afterwards assisting the lady. The Professional Standards Command are also investigating the incident, according to the ABC.

At the same rally, a photographer for The Age newspaper was also sprayed by police.

A female protester, pushed to the ground by the police, just moments before she is attacked by an officer with pepper spray to her face, during a Freedom rally in Melbourne on Sept. 18, 2021. (William West/AFP via Getty Images)

Footage has also emerged showing a man speaking with police officers at Flinders Street Station, before an officer approaches him from behind, grabs him, and throws him face-first into the ground using a sling tackle. The officer has since been suspended.

Another video emerged showing police officers, decked in tactical gear, jumping from an armoured vehicle, and apprehending several individuals in the Melbourne CBD, with some officers kneeing and using their weapons to subdue the alleged suspects.

Anti-riot police attempt to disperse demonstrators marching on the streets to protest against Covid-19 regulations in Melbourne, Australia, on Sept. 22, 2021. (Con Chronis/AFP via Getty Images)

The latest incidents follow a September 2020 altercation, which saw an officer caught on film allegedly stomping on the head of a man who was suffering a mental episode. The officer was subsequently cleared in July by the states Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission.

The most recent incidents have drawn criticism from Jeremy King, principal of Robinson Gill Lawyers, who has called on police to be the adults in the room.

It has been a long and difficult week for police, but that sort of conduct cannot be justified, he told the Herald Sun on Sept. 23.

Limbrick, meanwhile, said the state government needed to stop mandating public health orders and put more trust in its citizens.

I think that the government needed to take a much less authoritarian approach with what its doing. Right from the start, its done everything using force, and its not surprising that we have got to a stage now where all we see is force, he said.
General view of a branch of the Bank of Ireland in Dublin, Ireland on March 1, 2021. (Clodagh Kilcoyne/Reuters)

Bank of Ireland Blames Irish Pay Cap as CFO Announces Departure

DUBLINBank of Ireland blamed state-imposed curbs on bankers pay and bonuses for the announcement on Monday that Chief Financial Officer Myles OGrady would leave the bank for a role outside the financial sector.

Ireland capped executive pay at 500,000 euros ($552,300) a year during the euro zones costliest banking rescue more than a decade ago. It banned all forms of variable pay and fringe benefits for even junior bank staff, restrictions lenders complain impedes them in attracting and retaining talent.

Bank of Ireland Chief Executive Francesca McDonagh said on Monday this had left the countrys largest bank by assets at a competitive disadvantage to other companies and fellow members of the stock exchange which are not restricted in the same way.

Myles decision to leave the Irish banking sector highlights the challenge that remuneration restrictions represent for Irish banks in attracting and retaining talent, McDonagh said in a statement.

The normalisation of our operations is now vital to the long-term sustainability of the indigenous banking sector, she said.

OGrady will remain in his position until his expected exit in March 2022, the bank said. OGradys predecessor, Andrew Keating, left the bank two years ago to take up a senior financial role at Irish building materials supplier CRH.

In 2018, former Allied Irish Banks Chairman Richard Pym described Irelands banks as a training ground for rivals after his bank lost its chief executive and chief financial officer within weeks.

The Irish government, which pumped 64 billion euros or almost 40 percent of annual economic output into its banks following the 2008 global financial crisis, has said it has no plans to ease the restrictions.

It still retains a majority stake in AIB and permanent tsb and is selling down its 12 percent holding in Bank of Ireland.
Belarus' President Alexander Lukashenko looks on during a press conference in Minsk on Aug. 9, 2021. (Pavel Orlovsky/BELTA/AFP via Getty Images)

Belarus Leader Accuses NATO of Building Bases During Annual Drill in Ukraine

Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko, in a joint response with the Kremlin, has accused the United States of setting up bases while conducting an annual military exercise in Ukraine, involving thousands of troops from NATO member countries.

Ukraine, together with service members from more than a dozen nations, launched Rapid Trident 21an annual Ukrainian-led, American-assisted training exerciseon Sept. 20 to increase combat readiness and defense capabilities.

You see, they are dragging NATO troops there, to Ukraine. Under the guise of training centers, they are actually creating bases. The United States is creating bases in Ukraine. It is clear that we need to react to this, the authoritarian leader said on Sept. 27 at a meeting with officials in the presidential palace in Minsk.

The Russian president and I have held and are holding consultations on this issue and have agreed that some action should be taken there.

Otherwise, tomorrow we will have an unacceptable situation right on the border between Belarus and Russia.

The accusation comes after Russia and Belarus held large-scale joint strategic military drills earlier this month. The exercise, dubbed Zapad-2021, alarmed the West, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in particular.

The Kremlin said Ukraine, which is not a member of NATO but has pushed strongly to be allowed to join the North Atlantic treaty, would cross one of President Vladimir Putins red lines if it allows the United States to set up training centers as a disguise for a Western military alliance.

Russian President Vladimir Putin during a meeting with athletes, participants of the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, in Moscow on Sept. 11, 2021. (Sputnik/Evgeny Biyatov/Kremlin via Reuters)

President Putin has repeatedly noted the issue of the potential broadening of NATO infrastructure on Ukrainian territory, and [he] has said this would cross those red lines that he has spoken about before, the Kremlin said.

Ukraine has rejected the statement and the notion of a Russian red line, saying it would determine its own security policy and that Russia should worry only about issues inside of Russias borders.

Putins red lines are limited to Russias borders, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba wrote on Twitter. On our side of the Ukrainian-Russian border, we can figure out ourselves what to do in the interests of the Ukrainian people, as well as Ukraines and Europes security.

Belarus has been hit with several rounds of sanctions from the West, including the United States, after Lukashenko cracked down on mass protests following a disputed election in August 2020.

Reuters contributed to this report.

From NTD News
White House press secretary Jen Psaki holds a press briefing in the Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House in Washington, on Sept. 20, 2021. (Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images)

Biden Admin Warns Government Shutdown Could Hurt COVID-19 Fight, Mandates

The White House on Monday warned that the looming government shutdown could hurt the Biden administrations COVID-19 mandates.

Congress has until the end of September pass legislation to avert a shutdown as Republicans and Democrats have struggled to come to an agreement on a number of measures. Government shutdowns, which generally dont last longer than a month, can cause the disruption of the federal governments programs and services, not limited to closing down national parks and institutions, some Defense Department programs, and programs that are funded by laws rather than annual appropriations acts.

As a result, some public health measures could be impacted due to the shutdown, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said on Monday.

It is never a good thing for the government to shut down, and that is why we are doing everything we can to prevent that from happening, Psaki said in response to a question.

A number of public health operations would continue in the midst of a shutdown, she said, saying that most of the public health work would be exempted from a government shutdown  but that doesnt change the fact that having services shut down, staffing cut in different agencies, is not in the interests of addressing any crisis we face, including the pandemic.

So will they continue to work at 100 percent when it comes to pandemic response, or what is the preparation for that, Psaki continued to say, adding that the administration has made unspecified contingency plans. Again, public health officials, for the most part, would be exempt, but government shutdowns also are hugely costly.

Furloughs could hit 62 percent of employees at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the federal health agency at the center of the Biden administrations COVID-19 vaccine and masking mandates, according to an agency shutdown plan obtained by Reuters.

The House and Senate have until midnight on Thursday to pass a continuing resolution to avert the shutdown. The Biden administration has issued a number of memos calling on lawmakers to pass the resolution as well as pass a bill that raises or suspends the debt limit before the United States defaults sometime in mid-October.

Warning that the countrys ability to fulfill its fiscal obligations will expire next month, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen wrote a letter earlier this month to Congress urging lawmakers to act. The scenario, she said, has never occurred in U.S. history, and should it occur, it would cause irreparable damage to the U.S. economy and global financial markets.

Some analysts have said that as many as six million jobs would be lost due to a U.S. default, while the Biden administration has warned it would potentially trigger a recession.
Biden Says More Businesses Should Impose COVID-19 Mandates

President Joe Biden on Sept. 27 received a Pfizer COVID-19 booster dose on camera to lobby support for the rollout of the third dose, while saying hell travel to Chicago soon to call on private employers to mandate vaccines.

Boosters are important, but the most important thing we need to do is get more people vaccinated, he said in remarks at the White House.

The president said hes moving forward with vaccination requirements wherever [he] can and urged businesses to establish their own vaccine mandates.

On Wednesday, Ill be traveling to Chicago to talk about why its so important that more businesses are instituting their own vaccine requirements, he said, before getting the booster.

A few weeks ago, Biden announced that he would issue an order directing the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to enforce a rule requiring workers at businesses with 100 or more employees to either submit to COVID-19 testing or get the shot. COVID-19 is the illness caused by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus.

After Bidens mandate announcement on Sept. 9, few details have emerged about the plan for private businesses, including how OSHA will enforce it. White House press secretary Jen Psaki, around the same time, said that businesses who dont comply with the rule could face steep fines.

About two dozen GOP-led states have threatened lawsuits against Biden after his announcement. A lawsuit filed by Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovichs office said the mandate for private businesses would violate the 14th Amendments equal protection clause while noting that it would be unfair to impose such a mandate while illegal immigrants dont have to get vaccinated to enter the United States.

The president also ordered federal health workers, federal contractors, and health care staff who work at Medicare- and Medicaid-funded hospitals to get vaccinated, with no exemptions. Last week, a group of federal workers, including a U.S. Secret Service member, filed a lawsuit against the Biden administration over the mandate, arguing that the Constitution grants them medical and religious exemptions.

Earlier this month, an advisory panel to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommended that individuals aged 65 and older, as well as some high-risk people, get booster doses of the Pfizer vaccine. Later, the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions (CDC) advisory panel issued a similar recommendation and voted down recommending boosters for people between the ages of 18 and 64 who are at risk of contracting COVID-19 via their jobs or living situation.

Hours later, however, CDC Director Rochelle Walenksy overruled the CDC panel and recommended that 18- to 64-year-olds who work in jobs with high transmission rates get the Pfizer booster.

Should boosters be rolled out for more people and in other countries, analysts have estimated that vaccine makers Pfizer, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson, AstraZeneca, and others could make billions more in profits.

Morningstar analyst Karen Andersen told The Associated Press on Sept. 25 that she expects boosters alone to bring in about $26 billion in global sales next year for Pfizer and partner BioNTech, and boosters may bring in around $14 billion for Moderna if all Americans are recommended to receive them.
Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.) speaks as Secretary of State Antony Blinken testifies before the House Committee On Foreign Affairs on Capitol Hill in Washington, on March 10, 2021. (Ting Shen-Pool/Getty Images)

Bipartisan Caucus Opposes Linking Budget, Infrastructure Bills

Members of the Problem Solvers Caucus (PSC) in the House, a bipartisan group of moderates, have long opposed linking the Senate-passed infrastructure bill with the Democratic $3.5 trillion budget. Now, as the time for a vote on these bills is only days away, these moderates are keeping up that pressure.

A Democratic coalition of nine PSC members made headlines in August after they publicly released a letter to Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) warning her against bundling the two bills and encouraging swift passage of the infrastructure bill by the House.

In the letter, they called the infrastructure bill a bipartisan victory for our nation and swore that they would not consider voting for a budget resolution until the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act passes the House and is signed into law.

After several failed efforts to force the coalition of PSC members to relent, Pelosi made an eleventh-hour deal with the nine. Under this agreement, the nine Democrats agreed to vote to advance the $3.5 trillion budget bill to committee for drafting in exchange for a Sept. 27 deadline to vote on the bipartisan infrastructure bill.

On Monday, Pelosi suddenly delayed the vote until Thursday, a move that moderate PSC leaders Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.) and Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.) discussed in joint interviews Monday morning.

Gottheimer Calls Budget Important, But Demands Separate Vote on Infrastructure Bill

Gottheimer was asked his opinion of the move during an MSNBC interview. Despite the delay, Gottheimer was optimistic.

Were bringing it to the floor today to begin debate, so its a huge win, Gottheimer explained. He added nonchalantly, Were gonna vote on Thursday as opposed to today.

As far as Im concerned, all this is a great win for the American people, Gottheimer judged.

Weve gotta get this [vote on the infrastructure bill] done, he emphasized. Gottheimer indicated that he felt good about the bills prospects, noting that it had passed the Senate with 69 votes and that it has Democrats and Republicans behind it.

Gottheimer said that the bill is gonna come to the floor this week, were gonna get a vote on it, and its gonna pass.

The interviewer then referenced ongoing divisions within the Democratic caucus between moderates and progressives. Progressives have demanded that the budget and infrastructure bills be bundled, indicating that they dont trust moderates to pass the budget bill if the infrastructure bill is passed beforehand.

Gottheimer explained moderate intentions to vote for both bills, despite the concerns of progressives. I strongly disagree [that moderates will vote against the budget, he said. Were making great progress on reconciliation, he noted, adding that every Democrat Ive talked to recognizes how important it is to get [the budget bill] done.

Despite his enthusiasm for the budget bill, Gottheimer said that these are two separate bills, and again emphasized the importance of voting on the infrastructure bill on its own. Of course were gonna get reconciliation done, thats so important, he concluded, but that doesnt mean you stop voting on one  when youve got millions of jobs on the line.

In an interview with Fox News, Gottheimer dismissed threats from progressives, ruling I dont believe any faction of the Democratic Party is going to vote against the presidents key legislative priority.

Linking Bills is One-Party Rule: Fitzpatrick

PSCs Republican Co-chair, Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.) has been outspoken in his support of the infrastructure bill even as Republican leadership asked members to vote against the bill.

Still, like Gottheimer, Fitzpatrick emphasized the importance of voting on the two bills separately.

The linkage/de-linkage thing has been so outcome determinate upon so many votes on the GOP side, said Fitzpatrick. He added that the situation is very frustrating.

Every day thats passed since the Senate passed this, were losing GOP support, he explained, continuing We dont know on what planet its okay to take a bill that both Mitch McConnell and Chuck Schumer support  and yet we cant get a vote on it because its being held hostage for the second package.

I think its a very dishonest way of legislating, he ruled. If the budget is worth passing, Fitzpatrick said, it should survive on its own merits.

He concluded, GOP support is gonna depend largely on the linkage/de-linkage issue, noting that Republicans are not in favor of the budget bill.

We do not want [the infrastructure bill] linked in any way, shape, or form to reconciliation, Fitzpatrick added.

He concluded: The [PSC], including Republican members, believe in two-party solutions. We do not believe in one-party solutions. This is a one-party solution thats being advanced.

On Wednesday, House Minority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.) said that Speaker Pelosi has made it clear that the Senate infrastructure bill is now inextricably linked to her extremist, socialist $3.5 trillion tax and spend bill. Because of this, he asked members of the party to vote against the bill.
HMCS Windsor, one of Canada's Victoria-class long range patrol submarines, returns to port in Halifax on June 20, 2018, after completing a five-month deployment in the Euro-Atlantic region. (The Canadian Press/Andrew Vaughan)

Canada Faces Difficult Call on New Submarine Fleet: Report

Canada is in critical need of a new submarine fleet and it cant go about acquiring one the way it did in the past, according to a new report.

The Macdonald-Laurier Institute research report Deadline 2036: Assessing the requirements and options for Canadas future submarine force analyzes Canadas history of and use for submarines and examines the purchasing considerations for a future fleet.

Decision-makers in Ottawa will have to make a difficult call in the next two years about the kind of submarine capability the RCN [Royal Canadian Navy] and the CAF [Canadian Armed Forces] need for the next half-century, writes report author Jeffrey F. Collins, a political science professor at the University of Prince Edward Island.



Canadas fleet currently has four diesel-electric Victoria-class submarines that were bought from the United Kingdom second hand in 1998 and theyll be 50 years old by the time they are decommissioned between 2036 and 2042, the report noted.

The good news, Collins says, is that the Department of National Defence (DND) indicated that a Canadian submarine patrol project has been sanctioned. In mid-July, a DND spokesman told The Canadian Press that the CAF was establishing the project to inform timely governmental decision-making about a potential replacement class of submarines, and avoid any gap in submarine capability. Costs, requirements, and timelines have not yet been established for the project.

Collins says the timing of the DND announcement could not come any sooner since major defence procurement projects typically take 15 years or more.

Released in late September, the report outlines three options for purchasing submarines. They can be built domestically under the National Shipbuilding Strategy, they can be an off-the-shelf product that gets Canadianized, or they can be collaboratively built with another country.

Vital Responsibilities

Submarines are critical for defending the rules-based international order at sea and Canada has a vast maritime domainincluding in the Arcticwhere theres a need to exert influence, Collins says.

He singles out the threats from Russia and China, with there being no doubt about the formers military interest in the Arctic region. The two countries are building up their nuclear and non-nuclear submarine fleets, according to the report.

Collins also says Canada needs to step up its operations in the South China Sea, given the relative decline of the United States on the international stage.

The report described the functions submarines are frequently tasked with such as intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions, deterring opponents, building alliances, and supporting ground forces ashore, among others.

The time has come for Canada to understand and embrace the important and undeniable linkage of seapower to its national interests, states RCN retired vice-admiral Mark Norman in the reports foreword.

Uncharted Waters

The history of past Canadian submarine acquisitions is one of luck and timing in that surplus submarines were available at relatively cheap prices at a time when there was just enough political will to make the purchase, Collins says. This is not a recipe that can be replicated today, he adds.

Canada can no longer buy submarines from the United Kingdom since that country declared in 1994 that its fleet would go all nuclear-powered.

Collins notes that Canada is not in the market for nuclear-powered submarines, even though they would be more suitable for work in the Arctic since they would not have to resurface and recharge the way diesel-electric submarines do.

The domestic political blowback, lengthy intellectual property negotiations, production costs, and need for expansive support infrastructure likely rule out Canadas purchasing nuclear-powered submarines, states the report.

On Sept. 15, the United Kingdom, United States, and Australia launched the AUKUS defence partnership with the immediate objective of procuring a nuclear-powered submarine fleet for Australia.

Canada is not included in the partnership, allegedly due to its missteps on several fronts in dealing with communist China. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Canada was excluded because it didnt need nuclear submarines.
Canada's Ambassador to the United States Kirsten Hillman speaks via video link at the Global Business Forum in Banff, Alta., on Sept. 24, 2020. (The Canadian Press/Jeff McIntosh)

Canadas Ambassador to US Says Meng Deal Independent of Chinas Release of Kovrig and Spavor

Canadas ambassador to the U.S. says Washington did not make Chinas release of Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor a condition of the resolution of the charges against Huawei chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou.

Absolutely not. The DPA [Deferred Prosecution Agreement] and the resolution of the charges against Ms. Meng was a completely independent process, said Kirsten Hillman, when asked during an interview on CTVs Question Period on Sept. 26, whether the United States negotiated with China by using the resolution as a condition to release the two Canadians in return.

But the host noted that a series of events starting from Meng reaching a DPA with the U.S. Justice Department on Sept. 24, followed by the B.C. court lifting her bail conditions on the same day allowing her to return to China, to the enormously complex logistics of getting the two men aboard a return flight within such a short time, made it hard not to believe the cases must have been linked in the negotiation.

Hillman replied that as Mengs resolution was heading towards success  the Chinese government made its decision, and its decision was that it was no longer in its interest to continue holding the Michaels.

And so they started the process, in talking to our officials in Beijing, about making arrangements to have the Michaels leave, she said.

When asked if she agreed that the arbitrary detention of Kovrig and Spavor in apparent retaliation for Mengs arrest amounts to a case of hostage diplomacy, Hillman said the facts seem to point to that.

Well, I mean, I think everyone is drawing the conclusion that the facts seem to demonstrate [that], she said.

When asked what the ongoing threat of hostage diplomacy means for Canada-China relations, Hillman declined to answer directly but emphasized that Canada never succumbed to the pressure China asserted by detaining Kovrig and Spavor and followed through with Mengs trial proceedings.

Kovrig and Spavor had been held captive on baseless charges in China since Dec. 10, 2018. Their detention came a few days after Meng was arrested in Vancouver on Dec. 1, 2018, on a U.S. extradition request for charges of bank and wire fraud relating to violating U.S. sanctions on Iran. Prior to their detention, Beijing had warned Canada of dire consequences if Meng was not released.

Hillman added that as the judicial negotiations in Mengs case with the United States came closer to a resolution, the Chinese regime began to succumb to pressure to releasing the two Michaels.

I think in having felt for over 1,000 days incredible pressure from Canada, from our allies around the world that we had mobilized in regards to the situation of the Michaels and the call for their immediate release.  I think the Chinese government decided that it was time to put this behind them and move on, she said.
Japan's Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga attends a news conference at his official residence in Tokyo, Japan, on June 17, 2021. (Issei Kato/POOL/Getty Images)

Candidates Compete to Be Japans Prime Minister Amidst Multiple Crises

Candidates are scrambling to fill a power vacuum left by the sudden resignation of Japans prime minister Yoshihide Suga, whose popularity plummeted amidst a renewed wave of COVID infections.

But although four candidates have successfully collected the signed endorsements of 20 or more parliamentarians required to enter the race, one political expert has said the outcome is not predictable.

Assistant Prof. Corey Wallace, based in Japans Kanagawa University, noted in a recent article in the Tokoyo Review that the outcome of the LDP vote is unpredictable as the government grapples with the pandemic and machiavellian machinations within the party.

The candidates include the Minister for Administrative & Regulatory Reform and japans Vaccination Rollout Taro Kono, and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida. In addition, two women are in the running to become Japans first female Prime Ministerformer Communications Minister Sanae Takaichi and the partys Acting General Secretary, Seiko Noda.

With a general election this November, whoever is named prime minister will have just weeks to sell their message to the public ahead of facing the polls.

The vote will be decided by 766 delegates, split evenly between LDP parliamentarians and its 1.13 million grassroots members. Given the looming general election, many LDP parliamentarians are expected to support whomever they believe is most appealing to voters.

Wallace argues that while grassroots party activists tend to be more ideologically driven, many party members do care about their parties electoral prospects.

Preferences, as expressed in voting for LDP president, have only differed from public preferences in degree rather than outcome since the start of this millennium, he said. But he notes that while the LDP factions can not be ruled out as they can play a decisive role in the leadership election, the factional situation this year is extremely fluid and volatile.

In particular, the LDP this year has seen the partys most powerful person, Abe Shinzo, have increasing trouble exerting control over his faction, the Hosoda, with one member, Fukuda Tatsuo, pushing back against the decision to back Suga, and then Takaichi.

Over the last month, Fukuda has reached out to vulnerable lawmakers in other factions and grown an anti-faction faction starting from 15 members to now featuring at least 70 members, Wallace writes, highlighting the fluidity the LDP is currently experiencing.

This means Taro Kono is currently the favourite to win the LDP leadership, particularly given he consistently tops public polling and boasts a large following on social media.

Wallace told The Epoch Times all, the candidates generally support Abenomics in terms of looser monetary policy and higher government spending.

A government role in fostering economic growth is no longer contested, but there are some differences between the candidates in terms of priorities, he said.

For example, Wallace says that Kono advocates investing in digital technologies and renewable energy, while Takaichi wants to double down on nuclear power generation.

The decision of the candidates to boost the economy through government spending comes as Japan records staggering levels of government debt, which is currently at which at 237 per cent and is the highest in the world.

Meanwhile, Wallace noted that both Kishida and Noda are looking to address income inequality which is steeper in Japan than in most other OECD countries.

Arguing that disparity ultimately hurts economic growth, Kishida and Noda are campaigning on measures to reduce the gap between rich and poor, but whether any of these address the core structural problems Japan is dealing with is, of course, debatable Wallace notes.

Chinas belligerence is also a target candidates are addressing, with candidates clashing over security policy.

There has been a lot of debate about foreign policy and national defence, Wallace said. Specifically whether Japan should spend substantially more on national defence, develop overseas strike capabilities, or strengthen the U.S. alliance even further with new basing arrangements and weapons platforms.

All candidates do support the U.S. alliance; however, Kono and Kishida also favour increased dialogue with China, while the Takaichi advocates radical increases in defence spending and revising Japans pacifist constitution.

Views of Japans leaders on military spending and the U.S. alliance have often differed markedly from those held by the broader public, though. Specific initiatives are seen as controversial by the Japanese public, such as deploying U.S. intermediate-range missiles on Japanese soil, which Takaichi openly supports.

Further, in a recent public debate, Kono and Kishida both refused to give a position on the measure, while Noda labelled the idea extremely dangerous. According to Wallace, deploying such weapons could generate substantial local resistance throughout the country to the U.S. militarys presence, not just in and around Okinawa.

The LDP campaign is also occurring amidst a population crisis that is unprecedented globally, with over 28 per cent of Japans population already over the age of 65, the largest proportion of any country.

Wallace also points to the difficulty in attracting skilled migrants.

The irony is that Japans immigration reforms a few years ago did make it easier than before for people to come to Japan and work, He said. But other places pay better, and there are issues settling in [Japan], especially getting used to the language.

In the meantime, Japans demographic crisis continues to worsen rapidly.

Japans working-age population is projected to contract from 67 million to fewer than 55 million by 2040.

This significantly reduces economic production and consumption, while massively increasing healthcare burdens.

The major issue still remains  Japans population is set to decline further over the next two decades, says Wallace, It is a minor miracle that Japan has managed positive GDP growth of any degree over the last decade.
An HNA Group logo is seen on the building of HNA Plaza in Beijing, on Feb. 9, 2018. (Jason Lee/Reuters)

China Airline Giants Chairman and CEO Both Detained for Suspected Crimes

Police arrested both a chairman and CEO of a top Chinese airline group for undisclosed crimes.

Chinas HNA Group announced in a Sept. 24 statement that its chairman Chen Feng had been taken into custody for criminal allegations. Its CEO Tan Xiangdong was also taken away.

Communist Party liaison and head of a joint workgroup of HNA, Gu Gang, issued an urgent email to all employees overnight, providing hints about the incident. He claimed they were held responsible for the loss of hundreds of billions of yuan for the country. However, neither the group nor the Party boss spoke of their specific criminal offenses.

Cai Shenkun, a U.S.-based China commentator and expert at NBD Think Tank, told The Epoch Times on the same day that the downfall of the chairman came as no surprise. He had anticipated the result years ago, saying that the arrest comes as a result of long-term collusion.

Either HNA or the embattled Evergrande Group is the outgrowth of collusion between Chinese officials and businessmen, said Cai. But such enterprises arent sustainable because the price of the alliance is so costly that theyll lose balance.

Although its hard to verify countless rumors about the group, the expert admitted, its positive that HNA couldnt have gained such savage growth without seeking influence with powerful political figures. Cai added the same went for large loans that the company previously landed.

Public information shows Chen had a strong official background working for the Civil Aviation Administration of China and the government of southern Chinas Hainan Province before he and his business partner Wang Jian created Hainan Airlines, the predecessor of HNA Group, in 1993.

HNA Group is a Chinese conglomerate headquartered in Haikou city, Hainan Province. It covers services in aviation, real estate, finance, tourism, logistics, and more.

With the support of state-run banks and local authorities, the group expanded rapidly. It also harvested foreign acquisitions in quick succession from 2015 to 2017, including California-based tech firm Ingram Micro Inc. for $6 billion and Carlson Hotels for an undisclosed sum.

However, its spending spree drew scrutiny from the Chinese regime and overseas regulators in 2017. Chinas new measures prohibited state-owned banks from lending money to private companies, which dealt a heavy blow to HNA. Mounting liquidity risks began to surface and pose a threat.

On Jan. 29, 2021, HNA Group declared bankruptcy. Currently, Hainan Airlinesalways its core subsidiarykeeps normal operations. The group is waiting for the assessment result of its restructuring plan, which is due on Sept. 30. If it fails to get approved, the company will eventually undergo liquidation.

Luo Ya contributed to this report.
China Faces Food Security Issues

Food could run scarce, threatening civil unrest

News Analysis

Xi Jinpings new agricultural reforms sound very much like Mao-era policies. Like a board game, it involves moving people and resources around, planning the increase in food production and how much will be stored for the future, who will receive which resources, and who will be favored by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

Maos agricultural policies killed 30 million people. Xi will probably do better, but only because of food imports from France, Australia, the United States, the Netherlands, and New Zealand.

In 2020, as a result of the pandemic, flooding, and a number of other external factors, China was facing a food shortage, as food prices shot up. While certain aspects of the pandemic economy are better this year, China is still facing the same systemic problems, namely, that the country has too many people and not enough arable landabout 60 percent less arable land per head than most other countries. Meanwhile, the population is not only growing, but becoming more affluent, demanding more meat, and more food in general.

Australian beef is seen at a supermarket in Beijing, on May 12, 2020. (Greg Baker/AFP via Getty Images)

The CCP has warned its citizens that skyrocketing energy prices will decrease the supply of fertilizer, negatively impacting food security. Beijing plans to allocate the supply of chemicals and raw materials to fertilizer manufacturers in order to ensure that supplies do not run out. China uses four times the global average of fertilizer, which is incredibly damaging for the environment and poses a health threat to humans.

Globally, fertilizer prices are rising due to extreme weather and manufacturing plant shutdowns, as well as Chinas demand. China, alone, accounts for 30 percent of the worlds fertilizer consumption. Farmers are being hit hard, and the CCP expects the situation to get worse. The National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) is cracking down on urea hoarding and price gouging. In spite of being favored by the Party, urea producers are having a hard time because they use coal, subjecting them to Beijings pollution crackdowns.

In spite of Chinas best efforts, they are still heavily dependent on wheat and other food imports. Chinas food imports of $170 billion are more than double the size of their exports of $76 billion.

Workers transport imported soybean products at a port in Nantong, Jiangsu Province, China, on April 9, 2018. (Reuters)

State-run media China Daily maintains a web page on Xi Jinping Thought. It includes stories with titles such as Xi Comments on Sports, Xi Calls for Steady Transition in Afghanistan, the Xi Climate Pledge, and others. Recently, there has been a push related to agricultural reform, promoting Xis support for farmers. Now that Chinas food supplies are threatened, the CCP is trying to include rural dwellers in their economic development plans.

One of the propaganda videos on the Xi Jinping Thought page was called Xi Jinping Proud to Have Been a Farmer, which shows Xi meeting a family of coffee growers in Costa Rica. The Costa Ricans commented on how modest he was, and how proud he was of his history as a farmer. Another propaganda video explained how, through Xi and the CCP, agriculture management systems have been created as cell phone apps that farmers can use to modernize their farms. The CCP set an official goal that by 2035, all regions should achieve agricultural and rural modernization.

Modernization is just one component of the CCPs rural land reforms. Just like in the Mao era, Chinas farmers are still under a household contract responsibility system. Farmers cannot own the land they work on. Instead, it is owned by rural collectives, which allocate land-usage rights to eligible households.

Beijing insists that the country must maintain a red line of 120 million hectares of farmland that is permanently planted with food, so that the country can be self-reliant. The CCP plans to use technology, such as genetically modified organisms, to improve crop yields. It will also provide subsidies to farmers for growing grains. On the other hand, this red line also suggests that rural dwellers will be forced to remain rural dwellers in order to keep those farms planted.

A Chinese farmer works at a hybrid rice planting field in Changsha city, Hunan Province, on June 20, 2006. The Chinese Ministry of Agriculture has done experiments on transgenic rice on animals, and experts now propose that the authorities push forward the industrialization of transgenic rice. (Guang Niu/Getty Images)

Agriculture minister Tang Renjian announced plans for rural revitalization, including the transfer and leasing of rural land. The measures were meant to close the urban-rural divide, to stabilize the economy, and help the hundreds of millions of farmers who were unable to go to the city and work during the lockdowns. Before the pandemic, the average rural family earned about one-third what their city-dwelling countrymen earned. This is why nearly 300 million rural dwellers migrate to the cities in search of work each year.

Xis promises to improve the lot of the farmers are made out of fear of food shortages, rather than any legitimate commitment to significantly increasing the wealth of agricultural workers. Altering the household responsibility system and other rural revitalization programs will not close this massive wealth gap, nor end the desire to leave the farm and work in the factories in the cities. And if it did, China would have a shortage of about 300 million factory workers.

In 2020, Xi was pushing a finish your plate campaign. This year, to combat potential food shortages, the CCP adopted a strict campaign of propaganda and censorship, forcing messages about avoiding food wastage. Video platforms also began removing eating shows and punishing users who searched for certain keywords such as eating shows or competitive eating.

Earlier this month, China hosted a conference on reducing food loss and waste. The disruptions in supply chains and transportation restrictions have caused an increase in food waste, particularly of perishable agricultural produce. According to China Daily, roughly 25 percent of food produced in China is lost or wasted. During the COVID-19 lockdowns, food perished in the fields because it could not be harvested or it perished during transport, which took longer than usual because of transport restrictions or a lack of drivers. Other food perished when processing plants and factories were shut down.

The threat of food shortages is enough for the CCP to swallow their pride and trade with the enemy. In spite of other trade disputes with Australia, China has pre-purchased close to 2.2 million tons of Australian wheat. Meanwhile, China sharply decreased importation of Australian coal and tariffs remain in force against Australian wine and barley.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Police officers detain a protester from Insulate Britain occupying a roundabout leading from the M25 motorway to Heathrow Airport in London on Sept. 27, 2021. (Steve Parsons/PA)

Climate Activists Blocks Motorway to Heathrow Airport Despite Government Injunctions

More than 50 protesters from the eco-activist group Insulate Britain (IB) blocked the M25 motorway at the exit leading to the Heathrow Airport on Monday morning.

Its the groups sixth roadblock in two weeks. The group, an offshoot of Extinction Rebellion (XR), is calling on the government to insulate homes across the UK to help cut carbon emissions.

The Metropolitan Police said just after 11 a.m. that officers had cleared the road and that 53 individuals were arrested and taken into custody.

The Met said some of the protesters used super glue to frustrate the police response.

The protest came after two injunctions were granted against the groups controversial tactics.

After IB activists ran in front of moving cars and lorries on the same motorway on Sept. 21, the government secured a high court injunction (pdf) that threatens imprisonment, fines, or asset seizure for activities such as blocking the M25 or affixing oneself to any other person or object on the motorwaytactics typical of both IB and XR.

Another injunction was granted to protect the A20 in Kent after the group blocked the road to the Port of Dover on Friday.

Police officers detain a protester from Insulate Britain occupying a roundabout leading from the M25 motorway to Heathrow Airport in London on Sept. 27, 2021. (Steve Parsons/PA)

The activists were apologetic over their actions but insisted they were determined to keep going.

Dr. Diana Warner, 62, a retired GP from Bristol who is a member of the group, said she was determined to do everything she could to force change.

Im here because of desperation, its not an easy thing to do, she told the PA news agency.

Warner said it was the fifth time she had been trying to block a motorway because she believes disrupting things is the only way to get the government to listen.

Im really sorry, but Im determined to do everything I can to make us safe and change society  we have to try, she added.

After having been placed under caution, spokesperson Liam Norton said the activists fully understand that this is affecting ordinary people.

But if this crisis isnt dealt with then within a few decades its going to really disrupt this country, he told PA.

Wed just like to express to ordinary people that were trying to protect this society of ours that we live in.

After being told by the group about their environmental concerns for the future, one motorist replied: Ive got to feed my kids now, I need my money now, to feed my kids now, but you dont get that.

You dont get it. If you did, you wouldnt be blocking normal people like me, trying to get to work to feed my kids, the motorist added.

Youre ridiculousgo somewhere else and stop stopping people going to work.

IBs website states that it demands the UK government immediately promise to fully fund and take responsibility for the insulation of all social housing in Britain by 2025; and to produce within four months a legally binding national plan to fully fund and take responsibility for the full low-energy and low-carbon whole-house retrofit, with no externalised costs, of all homes in Britain by 2030 as part of a just transition to full decarbonisation of all parts of society and the economy.

It also stated that the demand means that 1.5 homes per minute will have to be retrofitted by the year 2050.

PA contributed to this report.
Lorie Smith, owner of 303 Creative, is a website designer seeking Supreme Court protection of her First Amendment rights. (Screen shot from the web site of the Alliance Defending Freedom)

Colorado Website Designer Asks Supreme Court to Affirm Religious Freedom

A Colorado website designer is asking the Supreme Court to accept her appeal of a lower-court decision depriving her of the right to conduct her business according to her religious beliefs.

Attorneys for Lorie Smith, the owner and sole employee of 303 Creative, submitted a writ of certiorari to the Supreme Court on Sept. 24, asking the justices to overturn a decision of the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver, which held that Colorado officials can force [Lorie] to create custom websites that [she] otherwise would not.

Smith is represented in the case by the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), an Arizona-based public interest law firm that specializes in First Amendment and religious freedom litigation.

The ADF has won 13 Supreme Court victories in recent years, including Masterpiece Cakeshop Ltd v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission in 2018, which upheld the right of fellow Colorado artist Jack Phillips to practice his faith in his business of making wedding cakes.

The writ described Smith as a website designer who creates original, online content consistent with her faith. She plans to (1) design wedding websites promoting her understanding of marriage, and (2) post a statement explaining that she can only speak messages consistent with her faith.

But the Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act (CADA) requires her to create custom websites celebrating same-sex marriage and prohibits her statementeven though Colorado stipulates that she work[s] with all people regardless of  sexual orientation,' the writ reads.

The Tenth Circuit applied strict scrutiny and astonishingly concluded that the government may, based on content and viewpoint, force Lorie to convey messages that violate her religious beliefs and restrict her from explaining her faith.

The writ states that two key questions are raised by the case, including whether applying a public-accommodation law to compel an artist to speak or stay silent, contrary to the artists sincerely held religious beliefs, violates the Free Speech or Free Exercise Clauses of the First Amendment, and whether a public-accommodation law that authorizes secular but not religious exemptions is generally applicable under Smith, and if so, whether this Court should overrule Smith.

Smith referred to the 1990 Supreme Court decision of Employment Division v. Smith that Colorado officials cited as supporting the CADA, even though the state law creates a gerrymander where secular artists can decline to speak but religious artists cannot, meaning the government can compel its approved messages.

Smiths case challenges Aubrey Elenis, director of the Colorado Civil Rights Division (CCRD), as well as each of the organizations individual members, including Sergio Raudel Cordova, Charles Garcia, Richard Lee Lewis Jr., Ajay Menon, Cherylin Peniston, and Jeremy Ross. Also challenged is Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser.

If the high court accepts the case, it would hear oral arguments next spring and could issue a decision as early as July 2022.

Given the Masterpiece Cakeshop decision, the Smith case could be viewed as a straightforward opportunity for the justices to remind lower courts and state officials that the First Amendment guarantees every individual American the right to practice and express their religion, or lack thereof, according to ADF General Counsel Kristen Waggoner.

The government shouldnt weaponize the law to force a web designer to speak messages that violate her beliefs. This case involves quintessential free speech and artistic freedom, which the 10th Circuit dangerously cast aside, said Waggoner, who argued before the 10th Circuit on Smiths behalf.

Colorado cake artist Jack Phillips has been harassed for years, and now, Lorie Smith is being told that she must speak views she opposes and cant post about her beliefs on her own business website. The 10th Circuits reasoning turns free-speech protections on their head by saying that the more unique speech is, the more the government can compel it.

That kind of dangerous, unconstitutional reasoning is why we have asked the U.S. Supreme Court to take Lories case.

Waggoner was referring to actions taken by the CCRD against Phillips in the aftermath of the Masterpiece decision, including new charges of CADA violations that effectively forced him to retrace the same costly litigation path that resulted in the landmark 2018 decision.

The Supreme Court could also be inclined to accept the Smith case because, according to the writ, the 10th Circuits decision cements a three-way split over conflicts between free speech and laws like CADA, pitting the 10th Circuit and several state courts of last resort against the Eighth and 11th Circuits and the Arizona Supreme Court.

At the same time, the opinion contradicts this Courts free-speech precedents, which have repeatedly declared as anathemas to the First Amendment all government attempts to compel speech, to regulate speech based on content, and to stamp out disfavored speech.

Elenis didnt immediately respond to a request by The Epoch Times for comment.
Chief Executive Officer of Credit Suisse, Thomas Gottstein, speaks during the fourth annual Future Investment Initiative in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Jan. 27, 2021. (Ahmed Yosri/Reuters)

Credit Suisse Board Backs CEO, Chairman Tells SonntagsBlick

ZURICHCredit Suisses board of directors is convinced Chief Executive Thomas Gottstein is the right person to strategically realign the bank by curbing risk appetite, the Swiss banks chairman said in a newspaper interview published on Sunday.

Asked whether he was planning to replace Gottstein as CEO or take over the operational lead of the bank himself, Antonio Horta-Osorio was quoted as replying no in the interview with Swiss Sunday newspaper SonntagsBlick.

I can only say with certainty that Thomas Gottstein has the full confidence of the board of directors, he said.

In the difficult phase the bank went through recently, he impressively demonstrated his leadership skills. He is the right man for the strategic realignment of the bank.

Horta-Osorio, who took over as chairman in April, said the bank had to curb risk appetite and set the right incentives, while also hiring and supporting staff sharing its values.

(The strategy discussion) is not finished so we cannot talk about it publicly yet, he said.

Also present at the interview, Gottstein said it was extremely important for the chairman and CEO to work together closely and harmoniously in the current critical phase.

Credit Suisse is trying to rebuild its reputation after suffering huge losses this year with supply chain finance funds linked to Greensill and the collapse of investment fund Archegos.

Gottstein said the bank had thoroughly analysed its balance sheet. We did not find any cases comparable to Greensill or Archegos.
Fake Oxycodone pills that are actually fentanyl were seized and submitted to bureau crime labs. Street fentanyl is increasingly dangerous to users, with thousands of deaths in recent years blamed on the man-made opiate. (File photo/Tommy Farmer/Tennessee Bureau of Investigation via AP)

DEA Issues Warning Over Fake Prescription Pills Containing Deadly Dose of Fentanyl

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is warning the public of a significant nationwide surge in potentially lethal counterfeit prescription pills.

In a rare public safety alert released Monday, the DEA says Americans are being killed at an unprecedented rate by pills manufactured in labs and deceptively sold by criminal networks. Those pills, according to the federal counternarcotics agency, are disguised as legitimate prescription drugs but contain lethal amounts of fentanyl.

Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is similar to morphine but is 50 to 100 times more potent. While fentanyl can be prescribed by doctors in rare cases of chronic pain, its main distribution is through illegal channels.

The DEA says more than 9.5 million counterfeit pills have been seized so far in 2021, more than the total seized in the previous two years; and lab testing shows a dramatic rise in the number of pills containing at least two milligrams of fentanyl, which is considered a lethal dose.

The counterfeit pills are made to look like real prescription opioid medications such as oxycodone, hydrocodone, and alprazolam; or stimulants like amphetamines, the DEA warns. The pills are often sold on social media and other online platforms, making them available to anyone with a smartphone, including children.

The vast majority of counterfeit pills brought into the United States are produced in Mexico, and China is supplying chemicals for the manufacturing of fentanyl in Mexico, according to the alert.

The United States is facing an unprecedented crisis of overdose deaths fueled by illegally manufactured fentanyl and methamphetamine, said DEA administrator Anne Milgram in a press release, adding that the agency finds that two out of every five fake pills with fentanyl contain a potentially lethal dose.

DEA is focusing resources on taking down the violent drug traffickers causing the greatest harm and posing the greatest threat to the safety and health of Americans. Today, we are alerting the public to this danger so that people have the information they need to protect themselves and their children, she said.

The DEA hasnt issued such a nationwide alert in the past six years. The most recent one, issued in March 2015, also warned Americans of a huge spike in fentanyl overdoses, saying that DEA agents were seeing an alarming amount of heroin laced with fentanyl.

Chemical flows from China have fueled the fentanyl crisis in the United States, according to a report (pdf) by Congress U.S.China Economic and Security Review Commission.

China is a global source of fentanyl and other illicit substances because the countrys vast chemical and pharmaceutical industries are weakly regulated and poorly monitored, the Commission explained in its February 2017 report. Chinese law enforcement officials have struggled to adequately regulate the thousands of chemical and pharmaceutical facilities operating legally and illegally in the country, leading to increased production and export of illicit chemicals and drugs.

Chinese chemical exporters utilize various methods to covertly ship drugs to the Western hemisphere, including sending illicit materials through a chain of forwarding systems, mislabeling narcotic shipments, and modifying chemicals so they are not controlled in the United States, it added.
Air India flight 187 from New Delhi lands at Pearson Airport in Toronto on April 23, 2021. The flight was the last landing allowed after all flights from India and Pakistan to Canada were suspended. (The Canadian Press/Frank Gunn)

Direct Passenger Flights From India Resume as Canada Lifts Ban

Direct passenger flights to Canada from India resumed Monday as Transport Canada lifted a months-long ban imposed due to high COVID-19 case counts.

In a post on Twitter, Transport Canada said direct flights from India can land in Canada, but travellers must have a negative COVID-19 test from an approved laboratory at the New Delhi airport no more than 18 hours before their departure.

Beginning at 00:01 EDT on Sept. 27, direct flights from India can land in Canada with additional public health measures in place, the department said.

Travellers must have proof of a negative COVID-19 molecular test from the approved Genestrings Laboratory at the Delhi airport taken within 18 hours of the scheduled departure of their direct flight to Canada.

Air Canada flight data shows that a direct flight from Delhi landed at Torontos international airport early Monday morning.

But one familys journey raises questions about whether the direct flight ban had the intended impact.

Hari Gopal Garg and his wife Komal Garg travelled from Toronto to India to adopt a baby girl, Kaveri, and were set to return to Canada on April 25, three days after direct flights were banned.

The family decided to make a long trip back home, travelling through two other countries, so Garg could get back to work and they could resume their lives, he said.

Garg and his family began their journey on June 8, travelling from India to Paris to Mexico, before landing in Canada six days later. Their travel included a three-day stay in Mexico and COVID-19 tests at every stop.

We were very nervous, he said Monday.

You are contacting so many people on the way. You are changing flights. You are staying in hotels. Its like the government created more ways to spread COVID. Otherwise you could come just directly without having so many touch points.

The family spent about $6,000 on the trip, including hotel stays. The trip would have otherwise cost them about $2,000.

I dont think the flight ban helped at all, Garg said.

It created more problems for people who genuinely travelled and had a valid reason. It created more problems, more money spent and more mental stress. So, it didnt solve any purpose.

But Garg said he is happy that flights between the countries have resumed because there are a number of older people and families with children who may not have been able to make the long and expensive journey to Canada.

I just hope the government makes some rational decisions in the future without any hidden political agendas, Garg said.

Think about the people who are suffering because of these and then make some wise decisions.

Transport Canada announced in a news release last week an extension to the ban on all direct commercial and private passenger flights to Canada from India through Sunday.

The department said that following the end of the ban, airlines would be checking travellers COVID-19 test results and confirming that fully vaccinated passengers had uploaded their information to the ArriveCAN mobile app or website.

Travellers who come to Canada from India via an indirect route must obtain, within 72 hours of departure, a negative COVID-19 molecular test from a third country, other than India, before continuing their journey to Canada.

By Maan Alhmidi and Hina Alam
TV personality Duane Chapman aka 'Dog the Bounty Hunter' visits "FOX & Friends" at FOX Studios in New York City on Aug. 28, 2019. (Bennett Raglin/Getty Images)

Dog the Bounty Hunter Joins Search for Brian Laundrie, Knocks on Parents Door

Reality TV star Duane Dog the Bounty Hunter Chapman said he will join the manhunt for Brian Laundrie, the boyfriend of Gabby Petitio, the once-missing woman who was found dead in Wyoming last week.

Video footage and photos show Chapman knocking at the door of the Laundrie family home in North Port, Florida, on Saturday. Chapman then told a local affiliate that the public can share tips to 833-TELL-DOG.

According to the footage, the Laundrie family didnt answer the door for Chapman.

Weve gotten over a thousand leads So were going through all those leads, Chapman told Fox News on Monday morning, saying he received more than 1,000 tips. Its incredible pictures of him here (sic), theyre here. Were going through all those leads right now.

Gabrielle Petito, 22, poses for a photo with Brian Laundrie in this undated handout photo. (North Port/Florida Police/Handout via Reuters)

He added: I would say within 48 hours, we probably will have a location where we start the tracking at.

Laundries former fiance, Petito, was killed after she and Laundrie went on a cross-country road trip, according to a local coroners office. The FBI later filed court papers that indicted Laundrie for allegedly using Petitos debit card without authorization, although he remains a person of interest in the womans death.

Police have searched a sprawling, rugged wilderness area known as the Carlton Reserve near North Port for Laundrie, days after Petito went missing on Sept. 11.

Several weeks ago, Laundrie returned to his parents home in North Port and allegedly refused to comply with a police investigation. His family told investigators that he went to the Carlton Reserve and never returned, and so far, a police search of the area has turned up no leads.

[Petitos] friend Rose [Davis] said she was 100 percent sure and more that because of his past, being there for two months at a time that she said Im telling you right now thats where he headed, Chapman, 68, told the New York Post over the past weekend. Thats what he does. Hes a wilderness guy.
Ex-head of Moutai Sentenced to Life in Prison for Taking Bribes

A Chinese court sentenced a former chairman of liquor manufacturing giant Kweichow Moutai to life in prison for accepting $17.5 million in bribes.

Yuan Renguo, who served on the board of Kweichow Moutai, was convicted on Thursday of taking bribes between 1994 and 2018, according to a statement from a court in the southwestern Chinese Province of Guizhou, where Moutai is based.

Shanghai-listed Moutai is one of Chinas largest companies by market capitalization. Its high-end versions of baijiu, a type of hard liquor in China, have become status symbols and the drink of choice for the Chinese elite.

According to the court record, Yuan accepted cash and properties to assist distributors in securing work with the distiller and increasing allocations of its liquor bottles.

Yuan, who was arrested in 2019, stepped down from Moutai in 2018 after 18 years of servicing the company. His arrest prompted authorities to conduct a broader anti-corruption investigation into the premium distillers then-management team.

In late August, state-owned media outlets reported that Chinas top commerce regulator called liquor makers to a meeting to discuss market order and supervision in the industry, triggering a selloff in Moutais stock.

Yuans successor, a previous regions transport chief, was ousted in August for improperly disclosing sales forecasts. After less than two years on the top post, he was replaced by another local government official from Guizhou Province, which owns a majority stake in the company.

Shanghai-listed Moutais shares in 2020 and early this year briefly lifted to a market value of roughly $500 billion, surpassing consumer goods titans like Procter & Gamble and Nestle. But the stock has since fallen roughly 35 percent from a peak in February.

The shares overall gain has benefited investors, including many foreign ones, but has also helped Guizhou, one of the poorest provinces in China.

The liquor giants state-owned parent agreed in December to transfer a 4 percent stake to a separate investment company owned by the provincial government. The shares were valued at around $16 billion.

A similar share transfer had occurred in the previous year. Investors were wary of such moves, which didnt seek shareholder approval.
A vial of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine is seen in Los Angeles, Calif., on Aug. 23, 2021. (Robyn Beck/AFP via Getty Images)

Expert Urges Australian States to Reduce Pfizer Dose Intervals

A leading Australian epidemiologist has urged the New South Wales (NSW) and Victorian state governments to return the Pfizer dose interval from 6 weeks to 28 days so that more young adults under 40 can receive their second vaccination.

Speaking to ABC News Breakfast on Sept. 27, Marylouise McLaws, epidemiologist and professor at University of New South Wales (UNSW), said: Theres only one small study that had nearly 300 healthcare workers who hadnt ever had an infection, and they looked at extending that dose.

McLaws said that the extended vaccination dose intervals mostly worked well during the Alpha (variant) period in England, but not Delta (variant).

NSW and Victorian governments have been encouraging dose intervals of 6 weeks so that limited vaccine supplies would be redirected for the unvaccinated to obtain first dose protection in outbreak areas of greatest need.

The comments by Mclaws come after the publication of conflicting studies around COVID-19 vaccines.

One study by the University of Oxford suggests that although the Pfizer vaccine has greater efficacy, it is less effective over time.

Another study by the British Medical Journal (BMJ) has shown that the first shot of Pfizer has an efficacy of around 52 percent, with the second shot of approximately 95 percent.

However, a paper published (pdf) in the New England Journal of Medicine showed that in participants of 18 to 64 years, protection against infection was reduced by 22 percent every 30 days from the second vaccination with smaller reductions for the AstraZeneca vaccine. However, the study concluded that there was no suggestion that dosing intervals affected the efficacy of the vaccine and that younger adults were more protected.

A smaller UK based study (pdf) consisting of 503 healthcare workers in England demonstrated that those with a dose interval of six to fourteen weeks have a more sustained T immune cell activity than those with a dose interval of three to four weeksthe recommended period.

Currently, just over 47 percent of Victorias above 16s population is doubled dosed whilst NSW sits at around 60.1 percent. Nationally 51.5 percent of young adults 16 and over have been double vaccinated.

On Monday, Sept. 27, Victoria recorded 705 new local cases and one death. In NSW, there were 961 infections and nine deaths on Sunday, Sept. 26.

Both the Victorian and NSW governments have plans to ease restrictions once vaccination targets are met.

The federal government also has asked states to open up their borders before Christmas once vaccination rates reach 80 percent.
Police investigate the scene of a shooting near 1324 S Christiana Ave in Lawndale, on Chicagos West Side on July 21, 2021. (Anthony Vazquez/Chicago Sun-Times via AP)

FBI: US Murders Increased by 29.4 Percent in 2020

The FBI reported on Sept. 27 that murders rose by 29.4 percent in the United States in 2020 compared to the previous yearone of the largest single-year increases ever recorded in the countrys recorded history.

The federal law enforcement agencys data show that 21,570 homicides were reported in 2020, which is 4,901 more than in 2019. The overall violent crime rate, including murders, assault, rape, and robbery, was up by about 5 percent, while property crimes decreased by 8 percent in 2020, the data show.

In 2020, there were an estimated 1,277,696 violent crimes, the FBI said in a statement. When compared with the estimates from 2019, the estimated number of robbery offenses fell 9.3 percent and the estimated volume of rape (revised definition) offenses decreased 12.0 percent.

Nationwide, there were an estimated 6,452,038 property crimes. The estimated numbers for two of the three property crimes showed declines when compared with the previous years estimates.

The FBI also reported that burglaries and larceny-thefts declined by 7.4 percent and 10.6 percent respectively, while motor vehicle thefts rose by 11.8 percent.

Jeff Asher, a data consultant who studies crime, told NPR that the increase in 2020 is the largest since national records starting being kept in the 1960s.

In the 90s, New York and Los Angeles accounted for 13.5 percent of all murders nationally. Last year, it was under 4 percent, he said. So its a lot more diffuse than it was in the 90s.

The murder rate was higher in cities with smaller populationsbetween 10,000 and 250,000 peoplethan in cities between 250,000 and 1 million, according to FBI data.

It was up over 30 percent in both, so neither was good, but it was worse slightly, percentage-wise in smaller cities, Asher said. It was bad everywhere. Theres not a good murder takeaway there.

James Alan Fox, a professor of criminology at Northeastern University, told USA Today that 2020s murder spike might not indicate a long-term trend.

Last year was unique in many ways, Fox said. Because of the pandemic, people were not in structured activities: Kids were not in school and adults were not at work. The whole country was divided by politics, the response to the coronavirus, and the social justice movement.

Some police groups have said that the rise in crime can be at least partially attributed to the anti-police animus that arose during Black Lives Matter protests and riots in 2020, sparked by George Floyds death. In late June, the National Fraternal Order of Police (NFOP) tied the associated defund the police movement to a rise in homicides nationwide.

The mayors of some cities need to restore the rule of law and oppose rogue District Attorneys not prosecuting violent crime that allow criminals to roam free, the group wrote on Twitter. NFOP Vice President Joe Gamaldi told the Daily Caller around the same time that lax bail, or bail reform, is allowing suspected violent offenders back into society.

The Department of Justice announced earlier in 2021 that it would establish special task forces to focus on firearm trafficking across the United States, including New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, the California Bay Area, Sacramento, and Washington.
RN Jose Muniz prepares a CCP virus vaccination at Research Centers of America in Hollywood, Fla., on Aug. 7, 2020. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Florida Department of Health To Impose Fines on Government Entities who Mandate Vaccines

PUNTA GORDA, Fla.A Florida Department of Health official says he will fine Orange County if it goes through with mandating CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus vaccines for employees.

On Sept. 24, Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings said he received a letter from Doug Woodleaf, a division manager at the Florida Department of Health, warning the county that fines would be forthcoming for mandating vaccinations of county personnel. The letter says that Demings mandated vaccinations in July and required employees to surrender proof to the Human Resources Department. This carries a $5,000 per individual violation, according to Florida statutes.

This discriminatory policy infringes upon the fundamental rights and privacies of Floridians and is a direct violation of Section 381.0031, Florida Statutes, Woodleaf wrote in his letter.

Orange County has mandated that all employees get vaccinated. While Gov. Ron DeSantis has already outlawed vaccine passports, some have said that the law does not specify a prohibition on employers mandating vaccinations, but only curtails the proof requirement.

The law in part says: A governmental entity  may not require persons to provide any documentation certifying COVID-19 vaccination or post-infection recovery to gain access to, entry upon, or service from the governmental entitys operations in this state.

Mayor Demings said at the press conference on Monday that a response would be forthcoming after attorneys review Woodleafs letter. However, he said it would more than likely end in a lawsuit.

Theres no doubt, at some point were going to end up in litigation regarding this, Demings said. I would also tell you that were on firm legal ground with this vaccine mandate that we have put in place.

Demings also described the law cited as arbitrary.

This comes after an Alachua appellate court last week ruled that vaccine mandates were unconstitutional, ruling in favor of Gainesville first responders who took the city to court.

Demings said corrective action for not getting vaccinated under that citys mandate would be capped with a written reprimand.

The mayor contends he is doing the right thing by his constituents.

I want Orange County residents to know that I will continue to fight to protect them during this pandemic, he said.
John Anderson is seen being helped by police officers after being pepper sprayed in Washington on Jan. 6, 2021. (FBI)

Florida Man Dies While Awaiting Trial on Charges Related to Jan. 6 US Capitol Breach

A U.S. military veteran who was charged in the Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol breach has died.

John Anderson, 61, died at a hospital in Jacksonville, Florida, on Sept. 21, according to family members and his lawyer. His cause of death hasnt been disclosed.

My sweet, handsome husband went home to be with the Lord, Andersons wife said, according to his lawyer, Marina Medvin. Andersons wife is asking for prayers and privacy as she mourns the loss.

Anderson, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, was charged with seven counts in connection with the Capitol breach, including civil disorder, interfering with law enforcement, and stealing government property.

Anderson was arrested in late February in St. Augustine, Florida, and released pending trial about a week later.

Authorities said he was part of the crowd that attempted to enter the Capitol through a tunnel, clashing with officers in the process. But his lawyers said he did nothing wrong and was trapped by people pressing him from behind.

Screenshots from surveillance video in the tunnel show Anderson was struck with a chemical substance let loose by a male in the crowd. Police officers later sprayed pepper spray into the crowd, which also hit Anderson. He was assisted by officers through the tunnel after several minutes. Anderson said the officers saved his life.

John Anderson is seen outside the U.S. Capitol in Washington on Jan. 6, 2021. (FBI)

John Anderson is seen being pulled by police officers after being pepper-sprayed near the U.S. Capitol in Washington on Jan. 6, 2021. (Courtesy of Marina Medvin)

But he also protested against the charges, which his lawyer said werent backed by evidence.

John Anderson never hurt or touched a single police officer. The video evidence proves this, Medvin said in an emailed statement. John Anderson died an innocent man wrongfully accused.

Before Andersons death, Medvin was preparing to reject a plea offer on his behalf.

The government is preparing to dismiss the case against Anderson, according to his lawyer. Thats common practice, U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth said in a separate case this month.

Lamberth cited United States v. Pogue as he granted a motion for abatement from the government and dismissed the indictment against Joseph Barnes, a Texas resident, who died after getting into a vehicular accident. Barnes had also been charged in the Jan. 6 breach.

The federal prosecutor against Anderson didnt immediately respond to a request for comment.

The court was informed on Sept. 24 of Andersons death. Parties were ordered to file a joint status report by Nov. 8.
Long Island firefighters attend the funeral home viewing of Gabby Petito at Moloney's Holbrook Funeral Home in Holbrook, N.Y., on Sept. 26, 2021. (Eduardo Munoz Alvarez/AP Photo)

Friends, Family Flock to Long Island to Mourn Gabby Petito

HOLBROOK, N.Y.Lines of mourners paid their respects Sunday for Gabby Petito, the 22-year-old whose death on a cross-country trip has sparked a manhunt for her boyfriend.

Among those who congregated in Holbrook, about 35 miles east of New York City, were family members, friends, co-workers and people who were touched by Petitos story even though they didnt know her.

She was a beautiful soul; she was full of life, always smiling, said Desiree Keeffe, a friend of Petitos mother, Nichole. She gave you love. She was just a beautiful soul. She touched everybody like she did now.

Two fire trucks were positioned one on either side of the funeral home, each with its ladder extended, and a line of firefighters was seen filing into the building. Across the street, a chain link fence was adorned with posters featuring Petitos image and messages such as, She touched the world.

A woman places a decoration near a poster after attending the funeral home viewing of Gabby Petito at Moloneys Funeral Home in Holbrook, N.Y., on Sept. 26, 2021. (Eduardo Munoz Alvarez/AP Photo)

Petito was reported missing Sept. 11 by her parents after she didnt respond to calls and texts for several days while she and Brian Laundrie visited parks in the West.

Her body was discovered last Sunday in a remote area in northwestern Wyoming. Laundrie and Petito grew up on Long Island but in recent years moved to Florida.

Lexi Ruiz recalled working with Petito at a cafe in nearby Patchogue that Ruiz managed.

She was always willing to help someone else, Ruiz said. She was just such a light. Anywhere she went the room lit up. Its nice to see so many people come together and support her family.

Inside the funeral home, dozens of floral arrangements and childhood photos of Petito lined the walls, some capturing her travels. One floral arrangement sent from Norwalk, Connecticut, read, I dont know you but your story broke me.

Mourners gather at a funeral home to pay respects to Gabby Petito, in Holbrook, N.Y., on Sept. 26, 2021. (Stephanie Keith/Getty Images)

Mourners were greeted with a placard bearing a poem titled Let it Be that began with the line, Do not grieve for me for I am free.

Petitos death has been classified as homicide, meaning she was killed by another person, but medical examiners in Wyoming havent disclosed how she died pending further autopsy results.

The couple posted online about their trip in a white Ford Transit van converted into a camper. They got into a physical altercation Aug. 12 in Moab, Utah, that led to a police stop for a possible domestic violence case. Ultimately, police there decided to separate the quarreling couple for the night. But no charges were filed, and no serious injuries were reported.

Gabrielle Gabby Petito. (Courtesy of FBI Denver via AP)

Investigators have been searching for Laundrie in Florida, and searched his parents home in North Port, about 35 miles south of Sarasota.

On Thursday, federal officials in Wyoming charged Laundrie with unauthorized use of a debit card, alleging he used a Capital One Bank card and someones personal identification number to make unauthorized withdrawals or charges worth more than $1,000 during the period in which Petito went missing. They did not say who the card belonged to.

In this screenshot from a police camera video, Brian Laundrie talks to a police officer after police pulled over the van he was traveling in with his girlfriend, Gabrielle Gabby Petito, near the entrance to Arches National Park, Utah, on Aug. 12, 2021. (The Moab Police Department)

By Arjeta Lajka
A U.S. Marine Corps carry team transfers the remains of Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Dylan R. Merola of Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., Aug. 29, 2021, at Dover Air Force Base, Delaware. Merola was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif. (Jason Minto/U.S. Air Force via Getty Images)

Funeral Service Held in Covina for Marine Killed in Afghanistan

COVINA, Calif.A public funeral service was held at Forest Lawn Covina Hills Sept. 26 for Marine Lance Cpl. Dylan R. Merola, who was among 13 service members killed in a suicide bombing in Afghanistan.

Merolas flag-draped casket was brought to the platform beneath the cemeterys Great Mausoleum by a Marine honor guard, the San Gabriel Valley Tribune reported.

More than a dozen speakers remembered him as larger than life, a man who was mature beyond his years.

His mother, Cheryl Rex, spoke last. She said that during the past month, she relied on her sons spirit to get her through her grief, the paper reported.

You will continue to shine down on us, Rex said. Giving hope and courage until we meet again. Dylan, I love you so much. I know you will always be right by my side.

His commander, Capt. Jeff Ball, praised Merola for his courage and his service.

We need Marines who just keep going even when faced with the chaos and the madness, Ball said. We needed him on Aug. 26 doing the job he was meant to do and saving lives in the process.

Country singer Coffey Anderson performed at the funeral, singing Mr Red White and Blue and Amazing Grace.

Merolas remains were carried in a procession on Sept. 21 from Ontario International Airport and through the streets of his hometown of Rancho Cucamonga, in San Bernardino Countyincluding a pass by his alma mater, Los Osos High School, eventually arriving at Forest Lawn in preparation for Sundays service.

Thousands of people lined sidewalks and freeway overpasses along the procession route, many of them holding American flags.

Its a sad day, Upland resident Mark Bertone told NBC4. I have a son who spent eight years of his life in and out of Afghanistan. Part of me feels blessed that I still have him with me.

Merola, 20, died Aug. 26 in the attack at Kabul Airport that also killed 10 other Marines, a U.S. Navy corpsman, and a U.S. Army soldier, along with more than 100 Afghans.

Two other Southland Marines also died in the attack: Lance Cpl. Kareem Grant Nikoui, 20, of Norco, and Cpl. Hunter Lopez, 22, of Indio.

You got these young kids19, 20, 21 years oldthey show up to work to help over a hundred thousand people escape the tyranny of the Taliban, and theyre gone, Bertone said.

The public funeral service for Merola was followed by a private burial service.
Gascon to Dismiss Nearly 60,000 Cannabis Convictions

LOS ANGELESLos Angeles County District Attorney George Gascon announced Sept. 27 that his office has identified nearly 60,000 cannabis convictions, some going back three decades, that will be dismissed as part of what he calls an effort to reverse the injustices of drug laws.

Dismissing these convictions means the possibility of a better future to thousands of disenfranchised people who are receiving this long-needed relief, Gascon said in a statement. It clears the path for them to find jobs, housing and other services that previously were denied to them

because of unjust cannabis laws.

Gascons move marks the second straight year the Los Angeles County District Attorneys Office has taken such a wide-ranging action. Last February, then-District Attorney Jackie Lacey announced that nearly 66,000 marijuana convictions dating back as far as 1961 would be dismissed.

That move followed passage of legislation directing California prosecutors to review and reduce felony convictions for marijuana cultivation, sales, transportation, and possession for sale to misdemeanors.

Gascon, in announcing the most recent round of dismissals, was joined by Felicia Carbajal, executive director and community leader of The Social Impact Center, a nonprofit organization that serves as a bridge between government, grassroots organizations, and people in underserved communities.

Also joining Gascon were Lynne Lyman, former director of the Drug Policy Alliance, Public Defender Ricardo Garcia, and Alternate Public Defender Erika Anzoategui.

I have made it my life mission to help and support people who have been impacted by the war on drugs,' Carbajal said. Giving people with cannabis convictions a new lease on life by expunging the records is something I have worked on for years and I am grateful that we can now make it happen.

Said Lyman: This is the unfinished work of Proposition 64. We created the opportunity for old cannabis convictions to be cleared, but it was up to local district attorneys to actually make it happen. Proposition 64 was always about more than legal weed, it was an intentional effort to repair the past harms of the war on drugs and cannabis prohibition, which disproportionately targeted people of color. I applaud District Attorney Gascon for taking this action to help nearly 60,000 Angelenos have their records fully sealed.

Gascon was co-author of Prop 64, the 2016 measure that made cannabis legal in California.

According to Gascon office, lasts years dismissals only covered cases from state Department of Justice data, and further examination of Los Angeles County court records uncovered approximately 58,000 felony and misdemeanor cases dating back more than three decades that are eligible for dismissal.

The latest batch of cases eligible for dismissal could come as a surprise to people who either thought their convictions were already dismissed last year or were not aware they are eligible for resentencing, according to Gascon office.
A file photo taken on Jan. 30, 2019, of German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Finance Minister Olaf Scholz in Berlin. (Fabrizio Bensch/Reuters)

Germanys Social Democratic Party Narrowly Wins Against Merkels Party: Preliminary Results

Germanys center-left Social Democrats on Sunday narrowly won their first national election since 2005, ending 16 years of conservative-led rule under Chancellor Angela Merkel, according to preliminary election results.

According to data published by Germanys federal election commissioner on Monday morning, Social Democrats (SPD) won 25.7 percent of the vote, ahead of 24.1 percent for Merkels CDU/CSU conservative bloc. The Greens came in at 14.8 percenttheir best ever resultand the liberal Free Democrats (FDP) were on 11.5 percent.

The Social Democrats candidate, Olaf Scholz, said the election outcome was a very clear mandate to ensure now that we put together a good, pragmatic government for Germany.

Scholz, 63, a former mayor of Hamburg, must now reach out to the smaller parties to attempt to form a coalition and secure a majority in parliament. He said he hoped to do so before Christmas, however, his conservative rival Armin Laschet, 60, said he believes he could attempt to form a government despite coming in second.

Merkel will remain in office while coalition negotiations take place.

The SPD is likely to seek an alliance with the Greens and the FDP, although the two parties could also team up with the conservatives.

The SPD is in first place. We won the election, Lars Klingbeil, the SPD general secretary, told ARD television, adding that the party would fight to make sure Scholz becomes the next chancellor.

Klingbeil said Scholz will meet with the Greens and the FDP on Monday about forming the next government.

The election of the countrys new chancellor will only take place until a governing coalition has been formeda process that could take months.

To name an exact date would be absurd, but it must be the case that I, that we, do everything to ensure that we are ready before Christmasa little earlier would also be good, Scholz said on Sunday night.

We have what it takes to govern a country, Scholz added. Lets wait for the final results, but then we will get down to work.

Laschet similarly called for a government to definitely be formed before Christmas.

We cannot be satisfied with the results of the election, Laschet said.

We will do everything we can to build a conservative-led government because Germans now need a future coalition that modernizes our country, he added. It will probably be the first time that we will have a government with three partners.

Reuters contributed to this report.
People gather to watch surfers practice for the US Open of Surfing in Huntington Beach, Calif., on Sept. 22, 2022. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)

Huntington Beach Police Shoot Armed Man Near Pier During U.S. Open of Surfing

HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif.An investigation was ongoing on Sept. 26 into the fatal shooting of a 43-year-old man with a gun by police in Huntington Beach, just as the U.S. Open of Surfing was wrapping for the day.

The deceased was identified as Ronnie Andrew Garcia, whose city of residence was unknown, according to the Orange County coroners office.

The shooting occurred just south of the citys iconic pier, and it was unclear whether Garcia was involved with the surfing event.

Huntington Beach police received a call around 3:15 p.m. Saturday about a man with a gun at Huntington City Beach, spokeswoman Jennifer Carey told City News Service.

The U.S. Open of Surfing had finished for the day and athletes and spectators had dispersed from the area, Carey said. The police department had extra officers patrolling the beach for the major event, who responded.

Officers made contact with (Garcia) in the sand, south of the pier, she said. The suspect was non-compliant to the multiple commands given and an officer-involved shooting occurred. Various lifesaving measures were provided and the suspect was transported to a local hospital, where he was later pronounced deceased.

A gun was recovered at the scene, Carey said.

The Orange County Sheriffs Department took the lead in the shooting investigation, she said. Anyone with information was asked to call Orange County Crime Stoppers at 855-TIP-OCCS.

The U.S. Open of Surfing wraps up Sunday.
Pedestrians wear masks as they walk past an HSBC branch in Hong Kong on April 28, 2020. (Anthony Wallace/AFP via Getty Images)

HSBC Shares Leap in Hong Kong Following Release of Huawei CFO

Hong Kong-listed shares of HSBC saw the biggest gain in nearly four months on Monday, following the release of a Chinese telecom giants CFO.

Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou, daughter of the companys founder, was accused in 2018 of lying to HSBC about Huaweis control of another company during a 2013 presentation, putting the bank at risk of violating U.S. sanctions in Iran. Meng was then arrested by the Canadian authorities and facing extradition to the United States over fraud charges.

Yet last Friday, Meng has reached a deferred prosecution agreement with U.S. prosecutors and the latter withdraw its request for her extradition. Meng arrived in China on Saturday.

On Monday, HSBC stock rose as much as 3.5 percent to HK$41.10 in their biggest intraday percentage gain since May 28. HSBC was the second-biggest gainer in the Hang Seng Finance Index. The stock was up 2.1 percent in the afternoon trade.

Mainland and Hong Kong operations accounted for 39 percent of its annual $50.4 billion in revenue in 2020.

Beijing released two Canadians on Sept. 24, who were detained as bargaining chips for over 1,000 days against Mengs arrest in Canada.

Reuters 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)

Hundreds Gather Outside Arizonas Capitol Building for Medical Freedom Rally

Kimberly Jenkins, a critical care nurse at Banner Health Center in Phoenix, Arizona, knows she could be out of a job soonunless she complies with her employers COVID-19 vaccine program by Nov 1.

Thats just not going to happen, said Jenkins, who is pinning her hopes on a religious exemption to the shot.

If its denied, I wont be working for Banner any more, she told The Epoch Times.

Dressed in hospital scrubs, Jenkins and several other nurses in hospital garb stood outside Arizonas Senate Building on Sept. 24 to protest against the mandatory vaccines.

I dont care how I get a paycheck [but] I have to take a step back for my own mental health, said Jenkins, holding a sign with a drawing of the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, which causes COVID-19.

It Appears To Be Mutating Into A Dictatorship, the signs caption read.

Across the street from the Arizona Capitol, more than 1,000 people had gathered at a medical freedom rally sponsored by more than a dozen anti-COVID-19 vaccine organizations.

Among the sponsors were the Arizona Coalition for Medical Freedom, Americas Frontline Doctors, Americas Healthcare Workers for Medical Freedom, the Patriot Party of Arizona, and Arizona for Medical Freedom.

Jenkins, 41, shrugged when asked what she will do for work if and when she gets fired from her job.

Other organizations are hiring in Arizona. The biggest problem is staff, and having to deal with the fact that we will lose a lot of nurses over the vaccine mandates, Jenkins said.

Kimberly Jenkins, a critical care nurse in the Banner Health system in Phoenix, Arizona, holds a sign against mandatory COVID-19 vaccines during a medical freedom rally near the State Senate building on Sept. 24. (Allan Stein/Epoch Times)

So, you now have new graduates working in high-security areas [in place of seasoned nurses]. We dont have the staff to train new nurses.

Since the Biden Administration announced vaccine mandates for federal employees and companies with 100 employees or more, health-care facilities across the country have suffered losses.

Earlier this month, Novant Health Inc. announced 375 staffers had been suspended for their noncompliance with the companys COVID-19 program.

Meanwhile, Lewis County General Hospital in Lowville, New York, this month shut down its maternity ward when dozens of employees chose to quit their jobs rather than take the injection.

And at Indiana University Health, 125 staffers resigned this month after they refused to get vaccinated.

While Jenkins said she isnt sure how many nursing jobs are on the chopping block at her facility, its enough to make a huge dent to do proper care.

She said the standard of care in ICUs is three skilled nurses per patient. Now, its common to see two nurses for every critical care patient, she said.

I dont like it when science is ignored, said another unvaccinated nurse at the Sep. 24 rally, who works at Common Spirit Health in Phoenix. Ive seen adverse [side effects] happen to co-workers of mine, after they received the vaccine.

The vaccine was completely rushed through. It was being rushed through even when we were in a pandemic state, she told The Epoch Times.

The irony, she said, is that during the pandemic in 2020 we were heroes. Now, were zeroes. Regardless, she said, Im not quitting. Im not worried about their timeline.

Another registered nurse at the rally who also works at Common Spirit Health told The Epoch Times on condition of anonymity, I wouldnt say Im fearful [about losing my job]. I would say its wrong what theyre doing.
Hundreds of Billions of Dollars of New and Unlimited State and Local Tax Deductions for Wealthy Taxpayers Have Already Been Passed

Commentary

From the moment of passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, Democrats from high tax states began to whine that the capping of the deduction for state and local taxes (SALT) at $10,000 was unfair and unwarranted. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) have been insistent that wealthy taxpayers are entitled to an unlimited federal tax deduction for high taxes these wealthy individuals pay in their home states.

The conversation regarding the appropriateness of an unlimited SALT deduction has continued unabated and is an item of controversy as Congress is discussing both the $1.5 trillion infrastructure bill and the $3.5 trillion budget proposal.

Apparently missing from this conversation are legislative actions that have already taken place in high tax states that will allow individuals with non-corporate business income to achieve unlimited SALT deductions beginning in their 2021 federal income tax returns. These already completed legislative actions will not cost the individual states passing such legislation a penny.

Legislation passed in 2021 in high tax states allowing unlimited SALT deduction on business income will likely cost the federal government as much as (a reasonable guess) $35 billion to $45 billion in 2021 and $175 billion to $220 billion over the next five years. The legislation would leave only employees and those with interest and dividend income limited to a $10,000 SALT deduction.

The often-published estimate of the cost of eliminating the $10,000 SALT cap for 2021 is $88.7 billion. This often-repeated estimate was made by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) in December 2019 before any states passed legislation to allow individuals with business interests to deduct their SALT without limitation. All of this legislative action took place in 2021, more than a year after the CBO published its estimate of the cost of restoration of the SALT deduction as $88.7 billion. This $88.7 billion estimate for the cost of a restoration of an unlimited SALT is obsolete.

As the Trump administration wound down, in November 2020, the Treasury issued a notice stating that if a state taxed a business with more than one owner directly rather than through the owners individual tax return, the state taxes applicable to the business would be deductible against the income of the business without limitation. Over the next 10 months, legislatures (mostly Democratic legislatures in high tax states) trying to help their wealthiest residents avoid the $10,000 limitation for SALT gave them the opportunity to pay their state taxes applicable from their businesses through their businesses. This results in full deductibility on their individual federal tax returns. While costing the Treasury billions, these legislative actions did not cost these individual states one penny. In California, the legislation passed unanimously.

Like tax shelter salesmen of yesteryear, the state legislatures have referred to these new opportunities for more than single owner entities as work-arounds. The mere change in where an individuals tax payment is mailed will reduce the federal tax on the individual. The combined impact of these states passing such legislation for their wealthy residents could be considered as the largest tax shelter program in the history of the United States.

There has been little, if any, mention of these state legislative actions that could cost the Treasury hundreds of billions of dollars over the next five years.

It appears unlikely that this loss of funds to the Treasury, which is already in place, is being considered in concert with the infrastructure and budget proposals. Its sad, but possible, that a loss of hundreds of billions of dollars of federal tax revenues is of no interest in Congress.

The president and Congress each have choices with respect to both the unlimited SALT deduction and the recent legislative actions in high tax states. The president could direct the Treasury to withdraw Revenue Notice 2020-75, which resulted in the high tax states legislation and direct the IRS to challenge any individual taxpayer who deducts SALT beyond $10,000 regardless of whether the state taxes were paid through their businesses to state taxing authorities. Congress could include in either the infrastructure bill or the budget language to codify that the state taxes paid by individual businesses is limited to the $10,000 cap. Either of these actions would restore the $10,000 cap on SALT deductions.

With state legislative changes and what will probably be very aggressive use of the individual state legislation, the remaining number of individuals impacted by the SALT limitation will be composed almost solely of exceptionally highly paid employees. And this has the taint of being grossly unfair.

Congress could restore the unlimited SALT deduction. With existing state law, it would appear to be terribly unfair that individuals owning businesses can avoid the SALT limitation while employees would not be entitled to this opportunity. Steph Curry of the Golden State Warriors will earn $46 million in 2022. He will be limited to a $10,000 SALT deduction for his roughly $5.5 million of SALT. A hedge fund partner also making $46 million would be entitled to a $5.5 million SALT deduction, reducing his federal taxes by about $2.2 million relative to Curry. How can this be the goal of federal law?

Congress could restore the unlimited SALT deduction and increase tax rates to reflect this increase in SALT deductions for wealthy taxpayers. Note again, state legislatures have already passed legislation that will cost the Treasury in the neighborhood of $175 billion to $220 billion. If this is ignored, the deficit will increase by this amount.

Or Congress could ignore the issue and allow business owners a tax break while punishing high income employees, many of whom are high-profile athletes.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
People gather to watch surfers practice for the US Open of Surfing in Huntington Beach, Calif., on Sept. 22, 2021. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)

Huntington Beach Residents Reflect Upon Fatal US Open Shooting

Two days after a fatal police shooting in Huntington Beach, California, on Sept. 25 during the U.S. Open of Surfing, bystanders reflected on the commotion that led visitors to flee in fear.

Locals walked the boardwalks in the early afternoon on Sept. 27, and crews cleaned up tents, bleachers, and the remaining scraps from the surf event.

A slight rain fell from the overcast skies and businesses opened their doors, and it appeared as if nothing had happened only a few days prior.

A witness to the Sept. 25 shooting, who asked to go by the pseudonym Ryan Johnson, told The Epoch Times that he recalled hearing police give Ronnie Andrew Garcia multiple warnings to stand down before the first gunshot shortly after 3 p.m.

Johnson was working at a booth for Visit Huntington Beach with his co-worker when the chaos broke out at the end of the U.S. Opens itinerary for the day.

The beach was clearing out, Johnson said. There were more people on the boardwalk. The beach was wide open. When it first happened, we thought it was fireworks at first. We were standing right across.

The scene led bystanders into a panic, including Johnson, who fled the area with his coworker shortly after.

According to Johnson, police gave Garcia an ample amount of time to surrender before shooting. Johnson watched the first shot go off when Garcia fell to the sand.

Garcia then attempted to slowly get up when Johnson said he reached for something before being shot again. As Garcia fell once more, police rushed to perform CPR.

Its graphic; you cant just unsee that for a while, Johnson said.

With the U.S. Open occurring later in the year than usual, Johnson imagined what may have happened if the shooting occurred during the events regular scheduling into early August when hundreds of thousands of visitors attend.

A Huntington Beach resident stood outside Dukes Huntington Beach restaurant and told The Epoch Times he was a mile and a half away on 17th street when he heard the shots go off.

Being farther away from the scene, he suspected the loud explosion-like sound to be fireworks.

I was on 17th street when it occurred, the resident, who declined to provide his name, told The Epoch Times. It didnt sound like it was a single shot. I thought someone got cut in half.

Police responded to the U.S. Open after receiving reports about a suspicious man with a gun, the Huntington Beach Police Department said in a statement.

Garcia was reported by police to be noncompliant and was given many commands before the shooting occurred. The police department recovered the gun from Garcia on the scene.

The U.S. Open continued less than 24 hours after the incident for the conclusion of the surf event.
Illegal Immigrant Mexican Teen Arrested for Setting Wildfires in California: CBP

An illegal immigrant teenager from Mexico was arrested for allegedly setting wildfires in California, said Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials.

Agents with the CBPs El Centro Sector apprehended the illegal alien, who was not identified, and accused him of setting fires in the Jacumba Wilderness last week.

When Border Patrol agents responded, they located an unknown individual in the vicinity of the reported fire, attempting to start another fire, according to CBP in a news release. Agents attempted to extinguish the second fire but had little success.

Then, the Bureau of Land Management provided dispatched an aircraft with firefighting capabilities to stop the wildfire, and the combined resources and firefighting efforts were able to control the fires the next day, the agency said.

The accused arsonist was identified as an 18-year-old male Mexican national who was arrested for illegally entering the United States and was transported to the El Centro processing location. The teen was caught in the act of trying to start a wildfire, the agency said.

The Bureau of Land Management will now be investigating the wildfires as arson, according to the news release.

Our environment and natural places are national interests that all Americans hold dear, Chief Patrol Agent Gregory K. Bovino said in a statement. I would like to thank our partners at Bureau of Land Management as they work tirelessly to conserve and protect the fragile Jacumba Mountains Wilderness area; the location where this undocumented migrant purposefully set fire to endangered Big Horn Sheep habitat.

The Jacumba Wilderness, which spans about 31,000 acres and is managed by the bureau, is located in Californias Imperial County, which is located along a remote stretch of the U.S.-Mexico border.

In a release issued earlier this month, Border Patrol said that about 9,728 illegal immigrants with prior criminal convictions have been apprehended in the United States during the fiscal year 2021 to date. That represents a sharp increase over the past three years, while during the fiscal year 2020, only 2,438 illegals with criminal convictions were arrested.

The arrest of the alleged Mexican arsonist comes as the Biden administration faces criticism of how it struggled to contain a surge of Haitians who amassed underneath a bridge in Del Rio, Texas, prompting concerns of the spread of transmissible diseases.

Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on Sunday said that some 12,000 of 17,000 Haitian illegal immigrants were effectively released into the interior U.S. in recent days with court dates.

Approximately, I think its about 10,000 or so, 12,000, Mayorkas told Fox News Sunday when asked how many have already been released.
This photo taken on Jan. 4, 2021 shows Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) soldiers taking part in military training at Pamir Mountains in Kashgar, northwestern China's Xinjiang region. (STR/AFP via Getty Images)

Inside the Book That Provides America a Strategy for Defeating China

The Epoch Times sits down with Elbridge A. Colby, author of the new book The Strategy of Denial: American Defense in an Age of Great Power Conflict, to discuss Americas strategy for defeating China in a war over Taiwan.

China aims to replace the United States as the dominant power in Asia, and it is rapidly acquiring the means to achieve this goal. As a result, Beijing will soon be able to make a bid for regional military dominance, starting with an invasion of Taiwan. Absent an effective American response, Beijing could certainly achieve its aims.

This is the premise of a watershed new book, The Strategy of Denial: Americas Defense in an Age of Great Power Conflict, by Elbridge A. Colby, the top Pentagon official who authored Americas 2018 National Security Strategy (NSS).

The 2018 NSS explicitly moved America away from terrorism and towards China and great power competition, a complex shift in mindset for many in the U.S. defence establishment.

I absolutely experienced a lot of institutional pushbacks on it, Colby told The Epoch Times in an interview. And were still not there, there has been an enormous amount of foot-dragging, but theres been a lot of progress too.

Colby noted that it was not widely appreciated that China posed the greatest threat to U.S. security interests.

That is one of the reasons I wrote this book, not just as a statement, but to lay out in a pretty clear and rigorous way why China is the primary threat and how do we deal with it in a military context, he said.

The stakes could not be higher. Asia comprises 40 percent of global GDP and around two-thirds of global growth. Chinese dominance over Asia would, Colby observes in his book, give Beijing the power to exclude the United States from reasonably free trade and access to these wealthy regions.

Not only would China be a true peer competitor of the United States, but its advantageous position would also gravely weaken America. Eventually, China could consolidate to project violent force elsewhere, including into North America.

Colby clearly has no time in his book to discuss Americas destiny as the most powerful nation. While others continue to speak of the U.S. strategic objectives, Colby cuts to the chase stating clearly: Denying China hegemony over Asia is the cardinal objective of U.S. grand strategy.

Colby is also candid in his writing that Americas unipolar moment has passed.

The United States does not have the power to do everything everywhere and must make hard choices about aligning means to the ends. The sacrifices America must make in other parts of the world are real, and Colby does not shy away from these, calling them out by name.

Colby notes that the United States has made far-reaching pledges in Europe and the Middle East without appreciating Chinas rise as a potential great power. Many fear that failing to follow through on these commitments will fatally weaken Washingtons credibility with allies in Asia.

Yet Colby presents a compelling counter-argumentthat means and actions speak far louder than stated intentions. If the United States doubles down on rhetoric without responding to changing realities, then this undermines rather than supports Americas credibility.

This differentiated credibility, as Colby persuasively puts it, means jettisoning pledges that are of lesser importance, so that America may focus on its core interest in Asia. He argues it is this willingness to focus effort that will really determine whether Asian partners have confidence in their American ally.

Colby analysis of Americas comparative strengths and weaknesses, the optimal pathways available to each actor, combined with his ruthless honesty, is what makes this book a must-read for anyone with an interest in strategy or the post-pandemic world.

Its also what gives his framework for U.S. success its own credibilitythat to prevent Beijings dominance in Asia, an anti-hegemonic coalition must be able and willing to defeat China in a war over Taiwan. By carefully walking the reader through all the alternatives, the consequences for failure, and the means required for success, Colby demonstrates the inescapable truth through rationalised reason.

Colby observes that ordinary Americans seem to have a far greater appreciation for the true threat China poses than the political and foreign policy elite in Washington.

Asked by The Epoch Times why he thinks that is, he explains that the speed of Chinas rise has escaped an enormous number of people, especially outside the economic sphere.

In the military sphere, there hasnt obviously been a major war so it hasnt been put to the test, so lagging like this is not uncommon, he said. It doesnt make it excusable or good, but it isnt uncommon.

Colby notes that those in the Midwest understand the China challenge in a more visceral and real way than others.

I think we still are failing to appreciate the magnitude the China challenge, he said

The framework Colby lays down for defeating China is one he knows, from first-hand experience in the Pentagon, will help policy-makers make sensible resource decisions.

If you are to make intelligent decisions, you have to have a framework, and that framework should allow your military, your defence establishment, to understand whats most important, how you deal with it and in what way, he said. My aspiration is to make it clear on what basis we need to focus our effort and what kind of military strategy we needHow many F35s do we have, how many ships we have in the navy, what kinds of things we do with different allies etcetera.

Defeating China in a war over Taiwan requires robust preparation, and not only by the United States.

Japan and Taiwan both need to dramatically increase defence spending, says Colby, pointing to the fact Japan only spends 1 percent of GDP on defence.

Japan needs to at least double its defence spending at a minimum. Taiwan needs to invest in the right kind of stuff to resist an invasion and be resilient to a blockade.

Many American foreign policy experts speak in overtly ideological or universalist language, and the contrast with Colbys realist tone is striking, yet he considers this a matter of approach.

I am motivated by American values and my motivation is to preserve and promote them, Colby tells The Epoch Times. I think the way to do that is in a realistic fashion.

Recently the world commemorated 20 years since 9/11. Reading through the book one cannot escape the sense that this level of analysisrigorous, methodical, and serious-mindedhas been sorely missing from American strategic policy during these past two decades.

Asked to rate American performance since 2001 Colby is scornful: Quite poorly, honestly. Very poorly, especially until about 5 years ago.

We allowed China to more than steal a march. I mean, we allowed China to grow without being challenged, and not just grow but get closer to a position where it could bid for regional dominance, so we really need to do better, Colby said.

While America experienced political paralysis over the so-called Russian influence at home, those in Asia have witnessed Chinas expansionist ambition with increasing unease. Beijing is exerting dominance over the South China Sea, cracking down in Hong Kong, and deploying ever more numerous and advanced capabilities for seizing Taiwan.

Missing has been any plan from America to thwart Beijings goal of dominance.

Colbys book arrests this danger in a direct way, laying down a believable framework for victory that will galvanise support, concentrate action and help decision-makers make correct choices in a hegemonic rivalry that will play out for decades to come.

Elbridge A. Colbys The Strategy for Denial: Americas Defense in an Age of Great Power Conflict is a must-read for every person who is concerned about Chinas growing threat and how the worldand more importantly, Americashould counter it.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) (C), speaks to members of the media outside a closed session before the House Intelligence, Foreign Affairs, and Oversight committees at the U.S. Capitol on Oct. 28, 2019. (Mark Wilson/Getty Images)

Lawmakers Demand DOJ Explain Dropping of Cases Against Chinese Researchers Accused of Hiding Military Ties

Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), the ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee, has asked Attorney General Merrick Garland to explain why prosecutors have dropped a series of cases connected with the Justice Departments (DOJ) crackdown on Chinese espionage.

In July, federal prosecutors filed motions to dismiss charges against six Chinese researchers who had been accused of hiding their ties to Chinese institutions or the Chinese military. The DOJ said at the time that recent developments in those cases had prompted the department to re-evaluate these prosecutions, stating that the dismissals were made in the interest of justice.

However, other reports have suggested that the decision to drop the charges was due to other reasons, such as the FBIs failure to properly inform the accused of their rights against self-incrimination, Jordan wrote to Garland in a joint letter (pdf) with Rep. Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.) dated Sept. 27.

It is not clear whether the Department dismissed these [charges] due to reported misconduct by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) or because the Department under your leadership is more invested in pursuing the far-left political goals of the Biden-Harris Administration than in protecting American national security interests, the letter reads.

These actions by the Department raise serious concerns about its commitment to confronting the national security threats posed by the Peoples Republic of China.

The letter comes days after the DOJ struck a deal with Huawei Chief Financial officer Meng Wanzhou allowing her to return to China, nearly three years after the executive was arrested in Canada at the request of U.S. prosecutors who had accused Meng of lying to HSBC, causing the bank to violate U.S. sanctions on Iran. The deal, which paved the way for the release of two Canadians held in China, has similarly prompted Republican lawmakers to question the Biden administrations approach to confronting threats posed by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

In recent years, the DOJ has, under a project called the China Initiative, aggressively pursued cases targeting the CCPs expansive campaign of economic espionage against the United States. Academics, in particular, for the first time found themselves in the crosshairs over allegedly hiding their funding ties to the Chinese regime.

In 2020, there were at least six prosecutions against alleged undercover Chinese military officers posing as researchers at U.S. universities. But the department moved to drop five of those cases in July.

One of the cases was against Tang Juan, a researcher at the University of CaliforniaDavis, who allegedly hid her affiliations with the Chinese military in her visa application. She was arrested in July 2020 after being harbored by the Chinese Consulate in San Franciso for one month, according to prosecutors.

In another dropped case, the researcher, according to prosecutors, admitted under questioning by federal agents that he was instructed by his supervisor, the director of an unnamed military university lab in China, to observe the layout of the UCSF [University of CaliforniaSan Franciso] lab and bring back information on how to replicate it in China.

In the letter, Jordan and Biggs requested the attorney general to provide details by Oct. 11 on why the department decided to drop the cases. The lawmakers also asked for information on the China Initiative, including the projects staffing and resources and whether the department has any plans to reform, prioritize, or reinforce its duties and responsibilities.

Especially at a time when President Bidens disastrous foreign policy in Afghanistan has alienated allies and alarmed Americans, our country cannot afford the threat to the United States posed by Chinese espionage, the letter reads.

DOJ officials didnt respond to a request for comment by press time.
A damaged Greek Orthodox chapel after a strong earthquake in Arcalochori village on the southern island of Crete, Greece, on Sept. 27, 2021. (Harry Nikos/AP Photo)

Magnitude 6.0 Earthquake Strikes Greece

An earthquake of magnitude 6.0 struck Greece at 9:17 a.m. local time on Monday, according to the European-Mediterranean Seismological Center (EMSC).

Local Greece outlet Skai reported one dead and nine injured as of 11:35 a.m., two hours after the initial earthquake.

The EMSC reported the quakes epicenter at a depth of 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) near Crete, about 25 kilometers (15.5 miles) south-southeast of Irakleion, the capital of the Greek island of Crete. A magnitude 4.0 aftershock was reported five minutes later in the same location.

A total of 10 aftershocks ranging between 3.0 and 4.6 in magnitude followed in the same location, with the last aftershock reported at 10:30 a.m.

Map of felt reports received so far following the #earthquake M6.0 in Crete, Greece 41 min ago pic.twitter.com/6fx6TsHFdR  EMSC (@LastQuake) September 27, 2021

Heraklion mayor Vassilis Lambrinos told Skai that the quake was strongly felt, and that efforts were made to evacuate schools immediately. Lambrinos added that some buildings and two churches had collapsed as of 9:56 a.m.

Skai reported two people trapped, one in a collapsed church that was undergoing construction, and another in his home in the village of Patsideros. In addition, Skai also reported road slips.

The Athens Institute of Geodynamics reported a magnitude of 5.8 for the initial quake. Variations between institutions are normal and to be expected within the initial occurrence of earthquakes.

The last major earthquake in Greece was reported in March 3, 2021 with one dead and three injured.
Brian Taplin feeds the free-range Norfolk Black organic turkeys on Laverstoke Park Farm, on their final day before being killed for the Christmas Day table, in Overton, England, on Dec. 12 2006. (Matt Cardy/Getty Images)

Millions of Britons Could Face National Shortage of Turkeys This Christmas

Trees and toys also at risk, suppliers say

Millions of Britons could face a national shortage of turkeys, toys, and trees this Christmas due to a lack of skilled European employees following Brexit, according to the chair of a farming association.

The Road Haulage Association (RHA) last month said the UK is facing a shortage of around 100,000 HGV drivers, which along with Brexit, has been further exacerbated by people leaving the industry as well as the pandemic, which halted driver training and testing for nearly a year.

As a result, food supply chains have been drastically disrupted, leading to shortages across some UK supermarket shelves.

Kate Martin of the Traditional Farm Fresh Turkey Association (TFTA) told the PA news agency that Christmas could see a national shortage of turkeys on the UKs supermarket shelves, driven by the declining supply of skilled European workers.

While small British farms that use local workers have been less affected by the undersupply, supermarkets are likely to see the worst of it, the TFTA said.

This year its looking like there is a national shortage of turkeys when were talking about supermarket shelves, rather than buying direct from your farm, Martin said.

It is the supermarket shelves that will be emptier on turkeys this year than they have been before, only because there have been less turkeys placed on the ground, only because the big processers know that they will not get them processed.

The TFTA, a group of independent family-run farms producing free-range Christmas turkeys, said some poultry farms have already had five times more orders this year than they did at the same time last year.

When asked whether supermarkets will completely run out of turkeysa staple across Britain for every classic Christmas dinnerMartin urged consumers to get their orders in very quickly.

We have seen an absolutely unprecedented number of orders come in. Come Christmas, if you leave ordering your turkey from your local farm supplier, you are going to be out of luck.

Cars queue for fuel at an Asda petrol station in south London on Sept. 26, 2021. (Dominic Lipinski/PA)

Motorists queue for petrol and diesel fuel at a petrol station off of the M3 motorway near Fleet, west of London, on Sept. 26, 2021. (Photo by Adrian Dennis/AFP via Getty Images)

Martin noted that Brexit was partly to blame for the potential national shortage, although the UK has been facing long-term issues with vacancy numbers amid an ageing workforce, low wages, and poor truck stop conditions.

Were small producers, we use local labour, but for the big processors it is 100 percent caused by a labour shortage, she said.

This situation with turkeys is caused by the fact that European labour is no longer available to us, and they are skilled workers who have been coming to us for years.

People are now missing a whole host of their workforce that they have been training and investing in over the last however many years, and those workers are no longer available for us to use on a seasonal basisthey will go find work on mainland Europe instead.

Last week, the government announced a temporary visa scheme that will see 5,000 HGV drivers and 5,500 poultry workers brought in on three-month contracts to keep supermarket shelves stocked with turkeys and tackle fuel delivery difficulties, which have prompted chaotic scenes and lengthy queues at petrol stations after a shortage of fuel tanker drivers.

In addition, up to 4,000 people will be trained as new truck drivers, and nearly 1 million letters will be sent out to people with HGV licences in the coming days in an effort to entice them to give the job another go.

But British Transport Secretary Grant Shapps told the Mail on Sunday that Brexit was only a relatively minor contributor to the shortage of truck drivers in the UK, despite the RHA estimating that Britains withdrawal from the European Union led to an exodus of 20,000 hauliers.

Shapps also placed blame on the RHA for the chaotic fuel station scenes, accusing it of leaking comments from BP bosses about supply concerns.

And its not just turkeys that might be affected by the potential shortage over Christmas this year.

Mark Rofe, who owns ChristmasTrees.co.uk, told the Evening Standard last week that around one tenth of the real Christmas trees sold in the UK are imported, but post-Brexit regulations and higher prices could lead to shortages.

Rofe said UK growers were already experiencing growing demand for locally grown trees, especially from clients who would usually import their trees from Europe, but are keen to avoid any red tape that could increase costs or cause delays for what is of course a highly seasonal and time-sensitive business.

Meanwhile, toy retailers face rising shipping costs into the UK from manufacturers in Asia who have been hit by supply-chain disruptions, while COVID-19 lockdowns across much of the continent left ports paralysed.

Reuters and PA contributed to this report.
A file image of the mouth of the Xiaolangdi water Reservoir on the Yellow River in central China's Henan Province. There are some 98,000 reservoirs in China. (Teh Eng Koon/AFP via Getty Images)

Millions Spent on Dangerously Weak Reservoir in Central China

Millions of dollars have been spent on dredging and expanding a dangerously weak reservoir in central China that was built in 1958 during Mao Zedongs disastrous Great Leap Forward.

A pilot project, with a reported budget of $490 million, is attempting to resolve long-standing sediment issues in Suyahu Reservoir in Zhumadian City, Henan Province.

Begining in 2018, the Suyahu project plans to dredge 37.75 million cubic meters (9.97 billion gallons) in the reservoir and would be completed in 2022, according to state media China Daily.

Wu Guoding, vice governor of the province, said in March that its expected to be a high-quality project that will also provide experience for the dredging and expanding of other large reservoirs in China.

The reservoir controls a watershed area of 61 percent of the Ru River, a branch of Huai River that originates in Henan Province.

This photo taken Nov. 3, 2014, shows a factory and power poles partly submerged below the Danjiangkou Reservoir in Chinas central Henan Province. (Greg Baker/AFP via Getty Images)

But the project and the reservoir have serious issues.

Wang Weiluo, a water resource specialist living in Germany, recently told The Epoch Times that intercepting sediment in the upstream reservoir might alleviate some problems, but it is just like a relocation from here to there [within the reservoir].

The inappropriate topography caused the reservoir to be inherently deficient, and the problem of sediment accumulation was inevitable from the very beginning, Wang said.

The Suyahu Reservoir is a typical plain reservoir with topography inclining from northwest to southeast. When the water from upstream enters the reservoir, the flow rate decreases, resulting in sediment accumulation, said the Suyahu Reservoir Administration Bureau about the reason for sedimentation in a 2016 report. As the reservoir is built in a low-lying area, the situation deteriorates during flood season, the report said.

From 1958 to 2007 the Suyahu Reservoirs capacity reduced about 75.6 million m3 (around 19.9 billion gallons)  The depth of silt in the reservoir area in front of the floodgate was nearly 3 meters deep in 2007, the report said.

The siltation of the reservoir worsens year by year.

In December 2018, Dong Changxing, the deputy director of the Suyahu Reservoir Administration, said the average water depth in the reservoir was less than two meters, while the average siltation depth reached about one meter.

In May 2020, Liu Xiaowen, deputy mayor of Zhumadian, told Henan Daily Newspaper that the silt volume is nearly 100 million cubic meters (around 26.4 billion gallons), close to the capacity of a large reservoir.

As the sediment accumulation in the reservoir is ongoing, water expert Wang said it would continue to cost a lot of money to dredge it in the future.

Dredging Suyahu Reservoir is a massive investment to correct the [regimes] mistakes of the past, but it is not the right measure, Wang said.

If you spend a lot of money every 20 years to dredge the sediment out, you might solve the problem temporarily, he said. But there is a question of economic efficiency here.

How to deal with the dredged sediment would be a bigger problem, and if its not handled well, the sediment will go back into the reservoir, Wang said.

And the reservoir is so polluted that it must be treated to remove the contaminants, and these measures and costs have not been considered.

Suyahu Reservoir is not the only reservoir in China that has a sediment problem.

Many of Chinas reservoirs have serious sedimentation issues, and this is one of the main reasons why the dams are not safe, he said.

Water Projects During the Great Leap Forward

Construction of Suyahu Reservoir started March 1, 1958, and it took only 100 days to complete with a storage area of 239 square kilometers said the official media Henan Daily. Some 100,000 people from the surrounding area were mobilized to build it.

The reservoir was part of the Three Sides Project during the Great Leap Forward of the Chinese Communist Party, Wang said.

Three Sides Project refers to the exploration, design, and construction, of a project which is done simultaneously.

Workers load a heavy piece of rock by hand into a conveyor belt as they build a reservoir in China in mid-1958. (Express/Archive Photos/Getty Images)

In 1957, communist leader Mao declared he would push China to catch up with Britain and surpass the United States economically through his economic and social campaign called the Great Leap Forward (1958 to 1962). Much of it was a bid to transform nature. The campaign resulted in the deaths of tens of millions of Chinese mainly through starvation in what is known as the Great Famine.

The Suyahu project, the Huai River project, the Three Gorges project, and the South-North Water Transfer project are all examples of the Chinese Communist Partys barbaric projects, Wang said.

The Three Gorges Dam spans the Yangtze River of central China, in Yichang city, Hubei Province. The South-North Water Transfer project is a multi-decade project on transferring fresh water from the Yangtze River in southern China to the more arid north where the capital of Beijing is situated.

Earlier on July 24, Wang told Xiao Ming Watching the World that the leading cause of the July flood in Zhengzhou City, Henan Province, was the South-North Water Transfer Project.

A man carries bottled water as he crosses a flooded street in Zhengzhou, a city in Chinas Henan Province on July 23, 2021. (Noel Celis/AFP via Getty Images)

Wang also wrote an article in 2003 on the hazards of the South-North Water Transfer Project, saying that the long-distance and large volume of water transferred across rivers would have a serious impact on the ecological environment of both the sending and receiving areas and violate the most basic principles of sustainable development theory.

Dangerously Weak Reservoirs

Under the [communist] slogan of Man can conquer nature the number of dangerously weak reservoirs grew at an average rate of 1,000 per year, and by the early 1970s, the cancer [dangerously weak reservoir] had finally spread  nationwide, said China Geological Environment Information site on July 27, 2005.

The site said that so-called dangerous weak reservoirs are defined as reservoirs whose actual flood resistance standard is lower than the national standard, or the project has more severe safety hazards and cannot operate as designed.

Suyehu Reservoir is a dangerously weak reservoir, and the negative effect of the Banqiao Dam failure disaster in the mid-1970s was worse than cancer, said Wang.

Typhoon Nina collapsed Banqiao Dam and over 60 other dams in Henan in August 1975, affecting some 10.15 million people, with a death toll estimated to be 240,000.

It was the third-deadliest flood in history.

The 240,000 victims were not just those who were swept away by the dam collapse, but the floodwaters were blocked by the Suyahu Reservoir and could not be released quickly enough, leaving hundreds of thousands of residents soaked in water, without food or water, and plagued by epidemics, Wang said.

According to the Ministry of Water Resources statistics on April 22, China has more than 98,000 reservoirs, 80 percent of which were built in the 1950s to 1970s. After the 1998 floods, the cumulative funds allocated to 71,800 dangerously weak reservoirs reached more than 150 billion yuan (about $23.25 billion).
Missing Louisiana Toddlers Body Found, Coroner Says, Stepfather Arrested

The body of a missing Louisiana toddler was discovered on Sunday in a remote area of Mississippi, and her stepfather arrested in connection with the two-year-olds death, officials said.

Two days after Nevaeh Allens disappearance, authorities discovered her body in the remote Logtown area of Hancock County. She was reported missing on Friday, according to the Sun Herald.

Pearl River County Coroner Derek Turnage confirmed the toddlers identity on Sunday and said her body will be handed over to Louisiana authorities for autopsy to determine the cause of death, the news outlet reported.

The toddlers stepfather, 30-year-old Phillip Gardner, was arrested on Sunday afternoon on charges of unlawful disposal of remains and obstruction of justice after being questioned by detectives, according to The Baton Rouge Advocate. He has been booked into the East Baton Rouge Prison.

According to local police, the 30-year-old could face additional charges depending on the outcome of the autopsy. The Baton Rouge Police Department (BRPD) intends to hold a press briefing on the matter later in the week, WAFB 9 reported.

Detectives with BRPD, the FBI, Hancock County Sheriffs Office, and Gulf South Search and Rescue worked together to locate the missing toddlers body, investigators said.

According to WBRZ, the two-year-old was reported missing after her older siblings returned home from school on Friday afternoon and found that the door to their apartment had been left open, and that the toddler was gone.

Gardner had reportedly been watching her at lunchtime, and said he took a nap at about 1 p.m. that day. He told authorities that it was the last time he saw the toddler.

Family members told The Baton Rouge Advocate that the childs mother, Lanaya Cardwell, and Gardner had a toxic, often violent relationship, and that the violence at times involved Nevaeh.

Nevaehs mother told reporters on Friday that she was at work when her daughter disappeared.

Nevaeh is not known for wandering around, Cardwell said. I never once had to correct Nevaeh for even leaving the house without an adult. Nevaeh knows better.

Hancock County Sheriff Ricky Adam told the Sun Herald on Sunday that the Logtown area will remain closed while the FBI carries out an investigation.

The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with related information is urged to contact the Violent Crimes Unit at 225-389-4869 or Crime Stoppers at 225-344-7867.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban attends the opening session of parliament in Budapest, Hungary, on Sept. 20, 2021. (Bernadett Szabo/Reuters)

Moodys Upgrades Hungarys Rating on Strong Rebound in Boon for Orban

BUDAPESTRatings agency Moodys late on Friday raised Hungarys sovereign credit rating to Baa2 from Baa3 on the economys strong rebound from the pandemic, which comes as a boon to Prime Minister Viktor Orban amid a campaign for early 2022 elections.

Orban, the countrys longest-serving leader since Communist times, faces what could be Hungarys first tight election in more than a decade.

Ramping up his campaign, Orban has showered the electorate with handouts, including a $2 billion income tax rebate for families, waiving income tax for young workers, home renovation grants, and extra pension payments.

The nationalist leader has also stepped up his anti-immigration campaign following the Taliban takeover of power in Afghanistan and has grown increasingly radical on social policy to protect what he says are traditional Christian values from Western liberalism.

Orban says the strong recovery allows the extra spending, despite calls from the central bank to rein in Hungarys budget deficit faster.

Moodys said the projected strong growth rebound and medium-term outlook over the coming years will support fiscal consolidation and reduction in the governments debt burden.

Overall, Moodys expects only very limited scarring from the coronavirus pandemic, the agency said in its statement.

Hungarys economic growth could reach 7 percent to 7.5 percent this year, Finance Minister Mihaly Varga said on Friday.

The recovery has accelerated since the second quarter, helped by fiscal and monetary stimulus which has boosted loans to companies and households.

Moodys said Hungarys medium-term outlook until 2025 was supported by high investment rates.

The central bank expects a positive credit rating path ahead for the economy after the upgrade, it said on Saturday.

An August survey by think tank Zavecz Research put support for Orbans Fidesz party at 37 percent of all voters, while combined support for the six opposition parties stood at 39 percent.

The six-party Hungarian opposition alliance is currently running a first round of primary elections to pick Orbans challenger.

They have criticised the government for alleged corruption, surging prices, and a widening wealth gap.

By Krisztina Than
Falun Gong practitioners take part in a parade in New York on April 18, 2021, to commemorate the 22nd anniversary of the April 25 peaceful appeal of 10,000 Falun Gong practitioners in Beijing. (Samira Bouaou/The Epoch Times)

NGOs Launch Declaration on Preventing Forced Organ Harvesting

U.S.-based advocacy group Doctors Against Forced Organ Harvesting (DAFOH) and four other NGOs are calling on governments and the public to support a new initiative to end Chinas state-sanctioned practice of forced organ harvesting.

Together, the groups issued the Universal Declaration on Combating and Preventing Forced Organ Harvesting (pdf) on Sept. 26, at the conclusion of a two-week World Summit, which drew experts, politicians, and witnesses from 19 countries to online discussions about the abusive practice.

A video accompanying the declaration called for people to add their signatures to the declaration to stop the most diabolical atrocity of this century, since the Chinese regime has turned doctors into executioners to kill innocent people for their organs.

The declaration calls on all governments to combat and prevent forced organ harvesting by providing for the criminalization of certain acts, and to facilitate, both at the national and international levels, the criminal prosecution of forced organ harvesting, said Arthur Caplan, a professor of bioethics at New York University (NYU), during an online session of the summit on Sept. 26.

The acts include coercing individuals into donating their organs as well as removing organs from living or deceased donors without proper consent, according to Caplan.

Caplan is also the director at the Division of Medical Ethics at NYU Grossman School of Medicine.

He said governments should adopt legislation criminalizing these acts as suggested by the declaration.

Caplan said its time to ensure that forced organ harvesting relying on phony or coerced consent comes to a halt.

Nations engaged in such practices must be identified, called to account, held responsible, and even boycotted, until transplantation is operating under a moral framework of free choice and respect. I think this declaration does it, he said.

The other four NGOs are the Taiwan Association for International Care of Organ Transplants, the Korea Association for Ethical Organ Transplant in South Korea, the Transplant Tourism Research Association in Japan, and CAP Freedom of Conscience in France.

The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) turns China into a top destination for organ transplant procedures as Chinese hospitals can often find patients with a matching organ in an extraordinarily short amount of time. The regime has dismissed allegations of its engagement in organ harvesting as rumors and said the country has a national donation system for organ procurement.

Allegations of forced organ harvesting from detained Falun Gong adherents first emerged in 2006. The adherents, who became targets of Chinas persecution in 1999, are still victims of Beijings oppressive policies to this day.

An independent London-based tribunal concluded in a 2019 report that state-sanctioned forced organ harvesting has taken place in China for years on a significant scale. It said it was certain that organs are being sourced from imprisoned Falun Gong adherents and that theyre probably the principal source.

[Chinas] current voluntary system to get organs seems to be operating alongside the continued use of non-voluntary donorsmost plausibly, prisoners and people who thus are misclassified as prisoners and as voluntary donorsin order to maintain the pace at which China is performing transplants, Caplan said.

The Chinese regime claims its policies targeting Uyghurs in Chinas far-western Xinjiang region are aimed at rooting out extremism. Similarly, Beijing has created propaganda about Falun Gong, with the aim of inciting public hatred against the group and turning citizens to support its persecution campaign, analysts say.

Also calling for some form of boycott against China during the Sept. 26 online session was David Curtis, honorary professor of genetics at University College London.

It is time for us in the West to think about more formal professional boycotts, especially among doctors and scientists on the basis that the medical and scientific professions in China are implicated at an institutional level in these practices, Curtis said.

Another speaker, Elisabetta Zamparutti, a lawyer and former member of the Italian Parliament, called for the United Nations, the World Health Organization, the Council of Europe, and the European Parliament to speak up against health cooperation with China.

Dr. Torsten Trey, executive director of DAFOH, said the declaration addresses the abominable practice of forced organ harvesting.

We ask for your support by joining us in our efforts to end this derailment of medical ethics, Trey said.
A stock photo shows activity in the Theo Lacy Facility, a county jail in Orange, Calif. (Robyn Beck/AFP via Getty Images)

Orange County DA: No Wrongdoing in COVID-19 Inmate Death

SANTA ANA, Calif.Orange County prosecutors released a memo Sept. 27 stating that no one was criminally liable in the COVID-19 death of a jailed murder defendant in January.

In a letter to Orange County Sheriff Don Barnes dated Aug. 30, but publicly released Monday, Senior Deputy District Attorney Cyril Yu said, There is no indication that [the sheriffs department] failed to perform a legal duty that resulted in [Ah Le] Fangs death.

Yus review of the case showed that Fang repeatedly refused medical care, including medication for schizophrenia.

Fang was in custody awaiting trial on charges of fatally stabbing his 50-year-old mother, Lu Thao, and wounding her 75-year-old boyfriend. Fang was charged with murder and attempted murder for the Aug. 15, 2017, attack.

Fangs mother called Fullerton police to report she was being attacked, police said. Officers who arrived on scene found the victim outside her apartment complex at 134 S. Pritchard Ave., suffering from a stab wound to her abdomen. Police also found her boyfriend, who sustained a stab wound to an arm.

Thao and her companion were taken to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

Fang lived with his victims and his adult sister, police said. Fang got into an argument with his sibling and then went to his bedroom after hurling a skincare product at his slumbering sisters head about midnight,

according to police and Yu.

His mother tried to talk to him through the door, but while he initially refused to come out, he later emerged with a knife in hand and attacked his mother and her boyfriend before running away, police said.

Fang had a history of mental illness and was diagnosed with schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, paranoid schizophrenia, poly substance abuse, and bipolar disorder.

While in jail, Fang was prescribed medication, but on Aug. 15, 2019, he told staff during a mental health assessment that he ceased taking his medicine and would no longer do so, Yu said.

During follow-up exams, it was repeatedly explained to Fang the benefits of taking the psychiatric medication, but Fang remained resolute in his refusal to do so, Yu wrote in his letter.

Fang was set to take a COVID-19 test Dec. 19, but he refused to take it, Yu said. He rejected another test Dec. 22, Yu said.

Fang complained Dec. 29 that his cell mate had punched him and tried to molest him every day, Yu said.

Deputies and his cell mate noted that Fang had been talking to himself more frequently, so he was sent to another mental health assessment when he admitted he was hearing voices and seeing things, but said he felt fine, Yu said.

Fang asked how he could protect himself from getting COVID-19, so he was scheduled for a test and it showed he was infected, Yu said.

By Jan. 3, a dry cough days earlier had worsened and he asked for medicine. The next day he denied experiencing shortness of breath and did not have any other symptoms.

His condition worsened through the day Jan. 5, and by the next day medical staff had him sent to St. Joseph Hospitals emergency room, Yu said.

When Fang was admitted, officials noted he was obese, and was experiencing shortness of breath, had had intermittent fevers and chills, and had difficulty breathing for the past week with his condition worsening in the past few days, Yu said. He had symptoms consistent with pneumonia, Yu said.

But Fang refused blood work and anticoagulant medication, despite admonishments that he was at risk of stroke and blood clots, Yu said.

He was treated with oxygen masks, which he would periodically remove, Yu said.

On Jan. 9, he was hooked him up to a Bilevel Positive Airway Pressure machine, but he removed it once, triggering a code blue, Yu said.

When his caretakers discussed the possibility of intubation, he rejected it, Yu said.

Fang said he would like to die peacefully without intubation, Yu said.

Attempts to reach his family were unsuccessful.

Fang, who was a heavy smoker before his incarceration, was told Jan. 18 that if he continued to refuse intubation he would die, Yu said. But he reiterated that he did not want intubation and wanted to die peacefully, Yu said.

He accepted some medication to make him more comfortable, but he rejected comfort care, Yu said. That limited the amount of morphine they were able to give him.

Fang was pronounced dead at 8:50 a.m. Jan. 21.

Fangs death came just more than a month after 68-year-old Eddie Lee Anderson of River Ridge, Louisiana, became the first inmate to die of COVID-19 while in Orange County custody.

Anderson tested positive while being housed at the Theo Lacy branch jail in December, one of hundreds infected in an outbreak at the countys lockups. Anderson died Dec. 18 while in a local hospital, said Carrie Braun of the Orange County Sheriffs Department.

Anderson was charged with the May 18, 1976, murder of Leslie Penrod Harris, who was raped and strangled.
Ohio Mom Finds, Reunites With Son She Gave Up for Adoption 33 Years Ago Through DNA Test

An Ohio woman and Virginia man have reunited 33 years after she gave him up for adoption as a newborn baby.

Greg Vossler, 33, traveled 300 miles from Winchester, Virginia, to Wadsworth, Ohio, to visit his birth mother, Melanie Pressley, in June 2021.

Pressley, 53, hadnt seen her son since the day he was born. Yet he never left her thoughts through all these years.

Born and raised in Canton, Ohio, Pressley became pregnant at the age of 19 in 1987. She took a pregnancy test at work to hide the evidence from her parents. Terrified by the results, she met and informed her then-boyfriend, who wanted her to have an abortion.

When Pressley said she couldnt do that, the babys father walked away. She then broke the news to her parents with the much-needed support of her sister, LeeAnn.

My mom was pretty upset, and my dad was quiet, Pressley told The Epoch Times. It didnt take long to realize that I was going to give my baby up for adoption.  I knew I couldnt financially support a child, and I wanted him to have a mom and dad. I wanted him to have a family.

After an intense and exhausting labor with her mother by her side, Pressley gave birth at Cantons then-Timken Mercy Hospital on June 17, 1988. Nurses took the baby away immediately, but the following day, LeeAnn stepped in.

She went and explained to a nurse that I didnt get to hold my son and I would like to have that opportunity just once, Pressley said, describing the nurse as a true gift from God for honoring the request.

Pressley was then given a private room and all the time she needed.

I needed my time to hold him and tell him goodbye, she said.

Melanie Pressley holding Greg Vossler at a hospital in Canton, Ohio, in 1988. (Courtesy of Greg Vossler)

LeeAnn took a photo of the precious moment, which Pressley has revisited every year on Gregs birthday. Pressley then signed the adoption papers, feeling empty.

For 33 years, I mourned, she said. I knew I was not the same person anymore. I had a hole in my heart and it could never be mended.

(Courtesy of Greg Vossler and Melanie Pressley)

The baby was adopted by Rich and Patrice Vossler, who named him Gregory and pledged in a heartfelt letter to Pressley that they would be the very best parents they could be.

After the birth, Pressley got a new job and reconnected with a friend from school, eventually marrying him and having a son, Brian, whos now 30 years old.

After the marriage dissolved, Pressley went on to work in finance and met Tim, her husband of 25 years, with whom she has two daughters: Rachel, 24, and Jessica, 22.

As the years went on, Pressleys kids came to understand the depth of her grief. As a joint birthday and Mothers Day gift in May, one of Melanies daughters bought her a gift: a DNA testing kit from 23andMe in hopes that she would find her son.

To be honest, in the back of my mind, I too was hoping I would find my son, but also realizing what are the odds that we both would take the same DNA test, Pressley said.

(LR) Melanie Pressley, Greg Vossler, and Gregs adoptive mother, Patrice Vossler. (Courtesy of Melanie Pressley)

Meanwhile, Greg Vossler was raising a family and working in accounts at Green Bay Packaging Inc. when he decided to take a DNA test to learn about his genetic history. He had known since the age of 8 or 9 that he was adopted, but had never explored his roots in depth.

Becoming a father, I realized I needed to look into this, Vossler said. Funnily enough, the 23andMe DNA test was a gift from my mom.

I am very, very lucky to have supportive parents and a supportive family on each side urging me to explore this.

Pressley opened her test results alone and was astounded to see a line drawn from her name to another: Greg Vossler. She made first contact by asking Vossler for his age, then letting him know that she thought she was his birth mother.

(LR) Greg Vosslers wife, Chelsea, son CJ, Vossler, and son Gregory. (Courtesy of Greg Vossler)

She then posed a meaningful question that let Vossler know that she had cared deeply ever since the day he was born: Are you happy? The pair began to message back and forth.

To be honest, I couldnt believe it was real, Vossler said. Even to this day, I pinch myself because I think Im dreaming.

Pressley met Vossler, his wife, Chelsea, and their two young sons, Gregory and CJ, for the first time on June 26. They talked for what seemed like 15 minutes, according to Vossler. In reality, it had been four hours.

It was just beautiful, Pressley said.

Melanie Pressley (R) with Greg Vossler and his family. (Courtesy of Melanie Pressley)

Vossler met his extended family in a meetup filled with love and laughter. After the mother-son duo connected, Pressley said her sister LeeAnn said: I have my sister back. For 33 years, you were not Melanie, but now youre back.

When Pressleys daughter Jessica and her fiance, Max, invited Vossler and Chelsea to their wedding in October, the pair accepted.

My heart grew 10 times bigger, Pressley said, referring to the incident.

Pressley has since enjoyed a warm visit with Vosslers adoptive parents in Virginia. She and Vossler are intent on nurturing their bond and talk almost every day.

I was so afraid of finding him and what he would think of me that I kept myself from trying, Pressley said. Little did I know, I had a son that was raised extremely well with a lot of love to give.

(LR) Melanie Pressleys daughter Rachel, Greg Vossler, Pressley, and Pressleys youngest daughter, Jessica. (Courtesy of Melanie Pressley)

I would also advise any young mother out there who chooses to place their child up for adoption: After giving them up, write a letter. Write it with all honesty and all your feelings, then tuck it away.  If the day ever comes and you reconnect with your child, give them the letter.

This letter may give the child a healing insight into their birth parents experience, she said.

Vossler hopes that sharing his and Pressleys amazing story helps people from all walks of life eradicate the stigma of adoption.

My goal in life is to always make an impact, however big or small, in someones life every single day, he said. I hope this does just that!

Greg Vosslers visit to his other mother and the extended family. (Courtesy of Melanie Pressley)

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
A trucker protest is seen in a file photo taken in Washington. (Olivier Douliery/AFP via Getty Images)

Ohio State Police Aware and Monitoring Possible Trucker Protests Against Vaccine Mandates

Officials in Ohio said they are monitoring the possibility of a trucker protest against COVID-19 vaccine mandates that was reportedly scheduled for Monday.

Some social media posts said that truckers would protest against the Biden administrations vaccine mandate on Monday. Several posts reportedly called for slow rolls or the complete blockage of highways over masking and vaccine mandates.

A spokeswoman for the Ohio State Highway Patrol said the law enforcement agency is aware of the possibility.

The Patrol is aware and monitoring the situation closely to ensure roadways are safe to travel. For security reasons, we cannot go into further detail at this time, spokeswoman Sgt. Christina Hayes told local affiliate FOX19 over the weekend.

And on Monday morning, the Ohio State Highway Patrol in Columbus is continuing to monitor the situation closely and there are no known issues at this time, said Lt. Nathan Dennis, a spokesman, according to Cincinnati.com.

The Cincinnati Police Department is also on alert, said Emily Szink, a spokeswoman for the department.

Hamilton County Prosecutor Joe Deters said that any trucker who partakes in the protest on Monday could face charges.

My office has learned there are plans to shut down the highways, nationwide, on Monday to protest vaccine mandates. I want to be perfectly clear. Anyone who attempts to shut down the highways in Hamilton County will be removed from their vehicles, charged with felony Disrupting Public Services, and they will go to jail, Deters said in a strongly worded statement

To those who claim to be supportive of law enforcementlaw enforcement is not with you, he added. This would pose a serious danger for our first responders and the community at large. I have always been supportive of a citizens First Amendment right to protest. But, this is not lawful and it is reckless. It will not be tolerated.

Earlier this month, Biden announced that private businesses with 100 or more employees would have to either mandate that their workers get the vaccine or submit to regular weekly testing for COVID-19. The announcement drew significant criticism, and some GOP-led states threatened to file lawsuits.

The president also announced vaccine mandates for healthcare workers who work at facilities receiving Medicare or Medicaid funding. Across Ohio, public schools, universities, and hospitals have separately announced their own mandates.

Protests against vaccine passports have also erupted in New York City, one of the first cities to announce a pass system requiring customers and employees to show proof of vaccination to enter certain businesses.

Due to the pandemic and associated lockdowns, there have been reports of supply chain-related shortages across the U.S., even triggering panic-buying in some areas. Meanwhile, a nationwide trucker shortage has prompted some firms to look for more drivers abroad in recent months.
On the Kolache Trail: Tracing the History of Texass Favorite Pastry

How did a traditional Czech pastry became a Texas bakery staple?

As a kid, I loved when my Slovak grandmother would make kolache, round sweet-bread pastries with prune or poppy seed filling. Kolace are considered to be Czech, but deliciousness knows no borders, and the neighboring cultures picked them upespecially the Slovaks, whose similar language uses the same word. While in Czech a kolach (kolac) (KOH-lahch) is singular and kolache (kolace) (ko-LAH-chee) is plural, the latter is sometimes used in the United States as singular. So you may sometimes hear kolaches (ko-LAH-chees) for the plural of the word when stateside.

Say it as you will, but I had never heard any form of the term outside of our family and its Czech/Slovak enclave in the Wisconsin Northwoods. So when I lived for a year in Houston and found not just kolache for sale in bakeries, but kolache franchises (see Kolache Factory), I discovered our familys little pastry was a regular movement. But what made Texas so kolache-friendly?

Enter the Czexans

In the 19th century, an abundance of land to settle and a list of grievances against the old-world homeland compelled waves of Czech immigrants to sail halfway around the world to Texas. Those grievances included various political frustrations, ranging from feudalism and nationalism within the ruling Austrian Empire to religious persecution, conscripted military service, and a lack of freedom of the press.

Birds of a feather flock together, and today you can find many Texas communities with Czech roots. A region known as the Texas Czech Belt is a line of towns and counties that starts less than an hour south of Dallas and runs about 180 miles straight down the map to the town of Yoakum, Texas, just south of I-10 between Houston and San Antonio.

Cultural centers and museums are abundant, as are Czech festivals, as those places proudly celebrate their roots. But if theres anything that tends to last long after the generations have passed, its food. And the Czech kolach is the star of the show.

The Makings of the Kolache

The kolach, as with a croissant or Danish pastry, is made using yeast, resulting in a more bread-like character, rather than cakes, cookies, or pie crusts. The pastry is circular and measures about 3 to 4 inches in diameter. The filling is laid into an open depression in the middle, though Ive also seen them with the pastry corners folded up together over the top to allow the filling to peek out of little openings after baking.

Making kolache by hand is a time-intensive labor of love, traditionally done in groups for special occasions and gatherings. (Wikimedia/Kolach)

Traditionally, in the Old World, fillings were limited to local ingredients: poppy seed, prune, apricot, cherries, and farmers cheese. But new lands bring new traditions, often driven by experimentation and whatevers available.

In Texas, you get all sorts of fillings: blueberries, pineapple, cherries, apples, pecans, cream cheese, and chocolate coconut cream, to name a few.

Kolache fillings vary, but they all sit inside a soft, puffy, sweet bread base. (shutterstock/veou)

At a franchised Kolache Factory in Houston, I once squinted atand ordered anywaya sausage wrapped in kolach fashion. This, to be honest, is no longer a kolach, but a klobasnek (plural klobasniky), a recent and delicious creation originating in the Czech immigrant population in Texas. To many Americans, a sausage in a pastry is a pig in a blanket.

Sausage-filled kolache are not kolache at all, but klobasniky, a Czech Texan creation. (shutterstock/Brent Hofacker)

The true kolach is sweet, never meat-filled or savory.

Texas kolache are often square-shaped instead of round, and larger and taller than their old-world ancestors. (shutterstock/Leena Robinson)

Battle for the Best Kolach

So where can you find the best or the truest kolaches? Those are opinions folks fight you over with a passion. A good place to start is with festivals dedicated to the pastry.

The 26th Annual Kolache Fest, one of the largest such festivals, takes place on Sept. 25 in Hallettsville, Texas. More than 3,000 people attend and gobble up the thousands of kolache produced by the local Kountry Bakery, which uses the recipes passed down by three generations of the Czech American Besetsny family. If you ever plan to attend, expect polka music, a car show, a parade, arts and crafts, a BBQ cook-off (its still Texas), loads of other food, a kolache-eating contest, and a 5K run to burn off some of those calories. Central to the festival is a bake-off, the winner of which is crowned the Kolache Queen. Its a huge deal for a sizeable Czech community.

In 1989, the Texas state Legislature declared the town of Caldwell the Kolache Capital of Texas. The city of West received similar honors as the Home of the Official Kolache of the Texas Legislature in 1997. Both of those places also have festivals that honor kolache. Draw a line through all three on the map and youve got the Czech Belt.

Kolache for sale at Czech Stop in West, Texas. (shutterstock/Travel_with_me)

Always the second Saturday of September, the Burleson County Kolache Festival, held in Caldwell, celebrated its 36th year in 2021. Septuagenarian Joe Rycalik, a local Czech speaker, opened the festival in the Czech language. Another proud local, 40-year-old Zach Zgabay, who traces his roots all the way back to whats now Czechia, or the Czech Republic, felt that language played an important part in the preservation of culture, so he returned to college to learn Czech. If Rycalik retires, Zgabay may one day open the festival in a similar fashion.

Several local bakeries collaborated to bake roughly 12,000 kolache. They went on sale at 8 a.m. and sold out by 2 p.m. The festival also includes a baking competition, in 12 classes: Apple, Apricot, Cheese, Cheese & Other Combination, Peach, Poppy Seed, Prune, Other Fruit, and simply Other, as well as  uh-oh  Sausage, Meat & Cheese Combination, and Other Meat?

I asked Susan Mott, director of the Burleson County Chamber of Commerce, which organizes the festival, about the inclusion of meat.

It is such a controversy, she said with a laugh. I tell you what, my 19-year-old loves those, and we call those sausage and cheese kolachesbut they are not. Any real Czech will tell you those are called klobasnicky, not kolaches. Real kolaches are made with fruit, not meat.

Mott married into a Czech family, but her husbands cousin taught her to make the traditional pastry, commonly made in large batches and typically brought out for weddings back in the Old World. Mott made a giant batch together with her husbands cousin: We baked 25 dozen in 2019. Took us about 8 hours.

Theres also an activity I might be more inclined to participate in: Kolache Eating. But if youre not in Texas, you may have to bake your own.

RECIPE: Apricot Kolache
A woman walks along a quiet street in Melbourne's central business district in Australia, on August 11, 2021. (William West/AFP via Getty Images)

Open for All: New Business Directory Launches Today for Vaxxed and Unvaxxed Customers

A new online directory featuring businesses keen to stay open for all customersvaccinated or nothas launched today in Australia.

Volunteers behind the Open For All initiative say hundreds of businesses have signed up over a two-week period, noting a significant uptake from customer-facing industries, including health and fitness, hair and beauty, trades, and B2B business providers.

Vaccine passports are a legal, ethical and logistical nightmare for business owners, so its not surprising so many are taking a stand, a volunteer team member from Open For All said in a press release to The Epoch Times.

For our economic recovery, it is important to include all Australians in the reopening of our country, she said. The Australian Human Rights Commission has also warned vaccine passports may have significant implications for privacy and autonomy, equity and discrimination.

Open For All sticker (Supplied)

Customers will be able to access the directory on Open For Alls website; participating businesses will also receive a Proudly Open For All badge to display on their shopfronts and website.

Weve seen the UK government scrap its vaccine passport plans following widespread opposition, Open For All said. We have a window of opportunity to achieve the same here if enough businesses, consumers, and politicians take a stand.

Open For All say that the campaign is free.

It was launched soon after the New South Wales (NSW) government became the first Australian jurisdiction to set a roadmapincluding vaccination targetsfor the state to move away from its reliance on lockdowns to contain outbreaks of COVID-19.

Over the past year, NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian had been the most reluctant of all Australian state and territory leaders to use tough health restrictions to deal with COVID-19 readily. However, a July outbreak of the Delta variant in Greater Sydney changed this position. The Victorian government has also shifted its official position from containment to learning to live with the virus.

Both states have introduced roadmaps outlining a gradual opening of the state, including freedoms for fully vaccinated individuals once 70 and 80 percent of the population was vaccinated. This would see businesses such as hair salons, gyms, restaurants, and places of worship be opened.

The NSW government will roll out a digital vaccination certificate, or passport, via the Service NSW app; however, procedures around enforcement and fines have yet to be finalised.

Customer Service Minister Victor Dominello did say the onus would be on the individual to obey public health orders and not businesses.

If people want to do the wrong thing, if they get found out, as I said, it could be jail time there, he told the ABC on Sept. 27. Businesses, particularly small businesses, should not be de facto police officers. If there is an escalation, please call authorities.

Meanwhile, Sam Kennard, CEO of Kennards Storage, one of Australias largest storage businesses, said his company would list on Open For All.

There are a large percentage of people who will be pro-vaccine but prefer to resist vaccine passports. There will also be some people who prefer not to vaccinate. Being part of Open for All is push-back against the attempts of government control, he told The Epoch Times.

Vaccine passports will put the population on a slippery slope of ever-increasing government oversight, intrusion, and surveillance of our lives. Why not facial recognition check-ins? Geo-tracking? And eventually social credit scores? he added.

It is easy to imagine that such a platform would see controls being incrementally added and liberty gradually lost. All wrapped in the spin that its for our own best interests in terms of health advice and safety, of course.
A general view of swimmers at Bondi Icebergs in Sydney, Australia, on June 16, 2020. (Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)

Outdoor Pools Open and Construction Returns To Sydney and New South Wales

Details about New South Wales (NSW) roadmap out of lockdown are due to be announced as outdoor pools across the state re-open, and the construction industry gets back to full capacity.

More than 85 percent of people over 16 have had at least one vaccine dose, while around 60 per cent are fully vaccinated.

But NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has hinted a return to regional travel may be delayed until the state reaches 80 per cent double-dose vaccination coverage.

Deputy Premier John Barilaro says details about a number of key changes to the roadmap out of lockdown will be revealed on Monday at the governments daily briefing and stressed rural NSW needs to be protected.

What we dont want is a seeding event in the regions, Barilaro told Sydney radio station 2GB on Monday.

The plan will expand on the restoration of freedoms, which will start at 70 per cent double-dose vaccination coverage for the fully vaccinated.

The new freedoms are expected to include larger gatherings, increased major event crowds and the resumption of auctions and community sport.

Meanwhile, outdoor pools are permitted to re-open everywhere in NSW, with even the unvaccinated allowed to swim at pools within their local government area.

Construction sites in NSW are now able to return to full capacity with COVID safety plans after previously being restricted to 50 per cent.

Meanwhile, Business NSW has dubbed the 70 per cent re-opening daylikely to be October 11 or 18back-to-business day, with CEO Daniel Hunter urging people to support local firms.

But he says business owners are still awaiting new public health orders about dealing with vaccinated and unvaccinated people.

The government has indicated it is going to be an individual accountability, so if youre not vaccinated, its actually going to be on you to not enter those premises, he told 2GB.

We actually applaud that because those small businesses cant afford the resources to be policing whos vaccinated and whos not, he said.

Nine deaths were reported on Sunday, as the state recorded 961 new local cases of COVID-19.
Masked students line up in the morning at Yung Wing School P.S. 124 in New York City on Sept. 27, 2021. (Michael Loccisano/Getty Images)

Parents, Lawmakers Sue Over New Yorks School Mask Mandate

A group of New York parents and two local legislators are suing to overturn the states requirement for school children to wear masks.

They allege the mandate was issued illegally and wouldnt stand up to scrutiny if the state tried to pass it through the correct procedures.

Theyre asking the court to toss the mandate as arbitrary and capricious.

State Sen. George Borrello (R-Sunset Bay), one of the plaintiffs, said hes hearing the majority of his constituents in the Niagara Falls area are against masking children. His gripe, however, is mainly with what he sees as the usurpation of power by the governor.

My focus is on what I believe is the unconstitutional overreach of the executive, he told The Epoch Times.

Since the onset of the pandemic, he said hes seen the legislature be all too willing to abdicate its responsibilities and hand over near-absolute mandate to the administration.

Im not against children wearing masks in school. Im not even necessarily against mandates in certain circumstances, he said. But to circumvent the laws and just absolutely shred the separation of powers in your state is a scary situation.

The office of Gov. Kathy Hochul didnt respond to a request for comment. A spokeswoman for the states Department of Health (DOH) told The Epoch Times via email that the agency doesnt comment on pending litigation.

The mandate was announced by Hochul on Aug. 24, the day she assumed office after the resignation of Gov. Andrew Cuomo. The DOH promulgated it three days later, saying school children and staff, from prekindergarten to 12th grade, have to wear masks at all times regardless of vaccination to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 disease. The rule is based on recommendations by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The rule was issued under emergency powers, skipping the usual public comment period.

In such cases, the state law requires the administration to explain why the rule is necessary for the preservation of the public health, safety or general welfare and why the regular process would go against public interest. The explanation should also include the expected duration of the emergency.

The suit lists several precedents that indicate the state needs to be specific in its justification. It argues the administration was not.

Department of Healths Notice of Emergency Adoption is a boilerplate statement composed of a myriad of inaccuracies regarding the present situation in New York as it relates to COVID-19, it states.

The suit goes on to allege the state didnt go into details because it would have revealed the lack of a proper justification.

The rule notice says that since the emergence of the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, which causes COVID-19, New York has become the national epicenter of the outbreak. But the state hasnt been the epicenter for over a year now, the lawsuit says.

The notice mentions the disaster emergency declared by the previous governor, Andrew Cuomo. But that one expired in June and the new governor, Kathy Hochul, hasnt declared a new one.

The notice does mention that the current dominant variant of the virus is twice as transmissible and that detected infections had increased tenfold in the state. But two conclusory sentences regarding the Delta variant are not specific reasons that would satisfy the issuance of an emergency regulation impacting millions of children in the State of New York, the suit argues.

The suit goes further by claiming the DOH doesnt have the authority to issue the rule to begin with.

DOH has, as an administrative agency, the authority to fill in the gaps of broad legislation describing the overall policies to be implemented. It does not, however, have the authority to write legislation on a clean slate, creating its own comprehensive set of rules without the benefit of legislative guidance, it says.

The suit also cites articles by several experts, including the opinions of two doctors and a neuropsychologist all opposing mask mandates for children. They said children do not face a significant risk from the virus and rarely spread it to others, based on their reading of the scientific literature on the subject. Masking, on the other hand, has a significant negative impact on children, they say, preventing children from reading lip movement and facial expressions, a crucial aspect of childs development, and may have some negative health effects too.

The case is to be heard by Albany County Supreme Court Justice Christina Ryba on Oct. 8.
Pelosi Delays Vote on $1.2 Trillion Infrastructure Bill

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) announced Sunday that the vote on the Senate-passed $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill will be held on Sept. 30, days later than originally planned.

Lawmakers will still debate the bill on the House floor on Monday but will not actually vote until Thursday, on the same day that some surface transportation programs are set to expire, Pelosi announced in a letter to her fellow Democrats released by her office.

This week is a week of opportunity, as we work to keep government open, conclude negotiations on the Build Back Better Act and advance the Bipartisan Infrastructure Framework, Pelosi wrote.

Tomorrow, September 27, we will begin debate on the Bipartisan Infrastructure Framework on the Floor of the House and vote on it on Thursday, September 30, the day on which the surface transportation authorisation expires.

The Democrat-led Bipartisan Infrastructure Framework focuses mostly on core infrastructure projects, such as roads, clean water and power, bridges and other infrastructure, and remediation of legacy pollution.

It will be funded through a combination of repurposing other money, such as emergency relief funds, as well as through targeting corporate user fees, and redirecting unused unemployment insurance relief funds.

House Democrats had originally agreed to vote on the infrastructure package by Monday.

However, Pelosi has been struggling with House progressives who have maintained that they will vote against the measure unless the chamber votes first on the much larger social spending package; the Democrats $3.5 trillion budget bill the Build Back Better Act.

President Joe Biden has also said that he wont sign the infrastructure bill without approval of his Build Back Better Act.

The cost of the Build Back Better Act, which will be paid for by higher tax rates for corporations and the wealthy, have also divided her fellow Democrats.

As of Monday, the package is still incomplete.

Earlier on Sunday, Pelosi said she would not bring the infrastructure bill to a vote until she was confident that it would pass. Speaking on ABC News This Week on Sunday, Pelosi appeared very confident indeed.

Well, let me just say, were going to pass the bill this week, Pelosi said.

I promised that we would bring the bill to the Floor. That was according to the language that those who wanted this brought to the Floor tomorrow wrote into the rule. We will bring the bill to the Floor tomorrow for consideration.

But, you know, Im never bringing a bill to the Floor that doesnt have the votes, she continued, adding, You cannot choose the date. You have to go when you have the votes in a reasonable time. And we will. And I do believe that we will dofirst of all, let me just say, its an eventful week.

But Rep. Pramila Jayapal, chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, said Sunday on CNNs State of the Union that the votes arent there.

I just dont buy, at the end of the day, that folks will vote against it, Gottheimer said.

Reuters contributed to this report.
Pentagon press secretary John Kirby speaks during a press briefing at the Pentagon in Arlington, Va., on on Sept. 3, 2021. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

Pentagon Preparing for Potential Government Shutdown: Spokesman

Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said the Department of Defense is preparing for the possibility of a government shutdown by the end of the month, as Congress works to avert it.

We hope that Congress will prevent a costly shutdown, Kirby told a press conference on Sept. 24. The administrations efforts remain focused on preventing a shutdown and a catastrophic default. In the meantime, OMB is preparing for any contingency, as is consistent with long-standing practice across multiple administrations.

The White House confirmed that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has begun issuing notices to various federal agencies about the possibility of a shutdown. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said on Sept. 26 that she doesnt believe there will be a shutdown.

Nobody wants to see a shutdown, Kirby said. And we obviously will take seriously, as we always do, and as I think youve seen through previous shutdowns, should there be one, that we have to continue to defend the nation, and we have to make sure that the capabilities, the resources, the people are in place to continue to look after our national security interests.

The OMB stated that agency officials expect Congress to pass a continuing resolution to keep the government funded until December.

Consistent with longstanding practice across multiple administrations, OMB is preparing for any contingency, and determinations about specific programs are being actively reviewed by agencies, Abdullah Hasan, an OMB spokesman, said in a statement last week. More importantly, there is enough time for Congress to prevent a lapse in appropriations, and we are confident they will do so.

Government shutdowns take place when Congress fails to pass legislation to finance the government, but they rarely last longer than a month. The previous government shutdown between 2018 and 2019 lasted for 35 days, and before that, in 2013, a government shutdown lasted for 16 days.

More critical is the looming debt crisis, according to Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and other Biden administration officials. Yellen has warned Congress that the United States could default in mid-October if Congress doesnt pass a bill to either raise or suspend the debt limit.

Both chambers of Congress approved a measure suspending the debt limit in July 2019, but Congress didnt renew the legislation in 2021.

The U.S. has never defaulted. Not once, Yellen wrote in a recent Wall Street Journal opinion article, as some analysts have warned that the United States could enter recession territory if the country defaults. Doing so would likely precipitate a historic financial crisis that would compound the damage of the continuing public health emergency.
China Power Outages Spread From Factories to Homes in Northeast

Power cuts and blackouts, which initially halted production at Chinese factories, have spread to homes in the northeast part of the country, triggering accidents and major disruptions to daily life.

Official explanations of the countrys widening power shortage, now affecting several regions across the northeast, have been scant. Jilin Province blamed a shortage of coal supplies and increasing demand from industries pushing the coal price to a record high; other provinces havent provided details.

Authorities in Liaoning Province, which borders Jilin, said at a Sept. 26 press conference that power generation has declined significantly since July. Authorities imposed power limits on factories on Sept. 10, but the supply gap widened to a severe level last week, officials said.

By Sept. 27, the power crunch had spilled over into residential areas in the province, authorities said, according to Liaoning Daily, a local government-backed newspaper.

A sudden power outage that hit one of the provinces cities on Sept. 24 shut off the ventilation system in a metal casting factory, causing 23 workers to be poisoned by carbon monoxide, Chinas central television (CCTV) said on Sept. 27. Those workers were sent to a hospital. No deaths were reported.

A factory employee declined to disclose details of the incident to The Epoch Times, adding that he hadnt been authorized to discuss the event. The factorys press office didnt answer calls from The Epoch Times. Another factory office refused to comment.

People living in the three northeast provincesLiaoning, Jilin, Heilongjianghave since Sept. 23 complained on social media about traffic lights being turned off, weak network signals, and a lack of heating. On Sept. 26, topics relating to sudden electricity cuts dominated trending hashtags on Weibo, a Twitter-like platform.

In Heilongjiang, students in COVID-hit Harbin city, in social media posts, worried about exams, as theyre unable to attend online courses. Some said the network signal was weak, and laptops couldnt be charged.

Shopping malls said theyll close earlier than usual at 4 p.m. to save power. The city has closed all nonessential shops following the latest COVID-19 outbreak.

Given the current power situation, the orderly use of electricity in Heilongjiang will continue for a period of time, CCTV cited the provincial economic planner as saying.

In Liaoning, several residents of Shenyang city, the provincial capital, told The Epoch Times that the supply of power had been intermittent recently.

Online videos show vehicles backed up on dark roads without operating traffic lights or street lights. Shenyang city authorities told the state-run Beijing News the power shortage affecting the region was massive.

Officials in Liaonings Huludao city told residents to avoid using high energy-consuming electronics such as water heaters and microwave ovens during peak periods, according to a Sept. 27 notice.

In Jilin, the top official at a press conference on Sept. 26 vowed to double efforts on sourcing coal, ensuring enough power supply for winter.

The power restrictions have affected more than 10 provinces, including major industrial hubs on the eastern and southern coasts. Several key suppliers of Apple and Tesla halted production at some plants.

At least 15 Chinese companies have said in exchange filings that production had been disrupted by power curbs, while more than 30 Taiwan-listed firms with China operations had stopped work to comply with the restrictions.

Luo Ya and Reuters contributed to this report.
John Hinckley Jr. arrives at the E. Barrett Prettyman U.S. District Court in Washington on Nov. 19, 2003. (Brendan Smialowski/Reuters)

Ronald Reagan Shooter John Hinckley to Receive Unconditional Release

The man who shot President Ronald Reagan in 1981 will be released unconditionally, a federal judge ruled on Sept. 27.

John Hinckley Jr., 66, opened fire on Reagan in Washington outside the Hilton Hotel, wounding the president, his press secretary James Brady, a Secret Service agent, and a police officer. No one was killed, but Brady was left paralyzed and died in 2014.

Hinckley was arrested but found not guilty due to insanity. He was placed into a psychiatric hospital in the nations capital. Over the years, conditions of his confinement were loosened, and U.S. District Judge Paul Friedman in 2016 ordered him released from the hospital with conditions such as having doctors control his medication.

Friedman, a Clinton appointee, found at the time that Hinckley didnt pose a threat any longer. The decision was condemned by one of Reagans daughters.

The same judge announced on Sept. 27 that all conditions of Hinckleys release are being lifted next year, provided he abides by the rules until then.

The shooters mental health issues are in remission, the judge said during a hearing, according to news outlets. An order is expected to be issued later this week.

Police and Secret Service agents reacting during the assassination attempt on then-President Ronald Reagan in Washington on March 30, 1981. (Mike Evens/AFP via Getty Images)

Federal prosecutors agreed with Hinckleys attorneys on lifting the conditions but successfully convinced the judge to keep them in place until June 2022.

We have no objection to that. He is living his whole life in a very wholesome way, Barry Levine, a lawyer for Hinckley, told reporters outside the court in Washington.

Levine said Hinckley didnt attend the hearing himself because he didnt want to get into a confrontation with the press but argued that hes earned his release.

I think John has done exceedingly well over a long period of time, his disease is in full remission, hes done nothing dangerous. There have been a multitude of risk assessments, and the risk of danger is exceedingly low. It was described in one of the reports as remote, and another report as the lowest possible on a testing scale, Levine said.
Sanction the CCP for Forced Organ Harvesting

Part 3 of the 4-part series 'World Summit on Forced Organ Harvesting'

News Analysis

The World Summit on Combating and Preventing Forced Organ Harvesting covers the means to stop this atrocity, including a universal declaration, economic sanctions against the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), and bans on international training of transplant surgeons from China.

Organizers of the summit, held between Sept. 17 and Sept. 26, called upon the legal profession and international community to take incontrovertible evidence of forced organ harvesting more seriously and end transplant abuse through specific legal measures, including individualized Magnitsky sanctions against the CCPs worst perpetrators, national laws that criminalize those who participate domestically, and an end to the international training of transplant surgeons from China. The summit website stated, The legal profession is called upon to enact an end to this unacceptable crime against humanity.

Dr. Weldon Gilcrease, director of Oncology at the University of Utah School of Medicine, called for holding accountable all those medical professionals and others who have collaborated over the years with Chinas illegal transplant system.

Changes to the commercial relations are also required, according to Dr. R. Scalettar, former chair of the American Medical Association. There should be no conflicts of interests such as payments for and commercialization of transplants, he said. This can be required by legislation at the international and national levels.

Israel, Spain, Taiwan, Italy, Belgium, Norway, and South Korea have been leaders in enacting legislation to prevent transplant tourism, according to Lord Philip Hunt of the United Kingdom, and two international human rights lawyers, David Matas from Canada and Carlos Iglesias Jimenez from Spain.

David Matas gives evidence at the peoples tribunal in De Vere Grand Connaught Rooms, Holborn in London on Dec. 8, 2018. (Justin Palmer)

This could include the censure and loss of license of complicit medical professionals, as well as litigation, according to Scalettar. If you violate medical ethics on forced organ harvesting, he said, youre out of business.

Jimenez called on people and governments to speak up and legislate against international forced organ harvesting. He said: The CCP dictatorship moves very well, either by buying peoples will, or by bribing peoples will, or by threatening peoples will. And it can do that with a small group, but it cannot do that with millions of people, who are the brave ones who must speak out.

For Jimenez, silence is complicity. He said, Justice, in the future, will not only judge those who are guilty of these crimes, but also all those people whose complicit silence has facilitated, made it possible for all these atrocities to take place. They will have to answer to justice.

Theresa Chu, a lawyer with the Taiwan Falun Gong Attorney Group, introduced the idea of the Universal Declaration on Combating and Preventing Forced Organ Harvesting (UDCPFOH), an international document that denounces forced organ harvesting by the CCP, and proposes measures to prevent it from gravely violating the value of human existence. The document, according to organizers, will be formally released on Sept. 26, the summits final day.

According to Chu, The UDCPFOH builds on the foundation of inalienable rights which cannot be deprived by any person or regime and lays bare the core principles to the universal values, including the inviolability of human dignity and the fundamental protection for human life, body, and freedom. It calls on nations and international organizations to bar entry to any person known to be directly or indirectly participating in forced organ harvesting, Chu said. It urges medical professionals not to train Chinese doctors or medical personnel in transplant surgery, and shall urge medical journals to reject publications about the Chinese experience in transplant medicine.

Chu released Article 8 of the UDCPFOH early. It states, All governments shall urge the Party-State of China to cease the repression, imprisonment and mistreatment of Falun Gong practitioners and any other prisoners of conscience; to cease the forced organ harvesting of all prisoners; to open all detention centers and camps for free and independent international investigation of the crime of forced organ harvesting.

Taiwan human rights lawyer Theresa Chu at a panel event at the Legislative Yuan in Taipei, Taiwan, on Dec. 8, 2017. (Chen Po-chou/The Epoch Times)

Chu recommends enactment of a Universal Act Against Forced Organ Harvesting.

Judge Song Kim, of the Seoul Administrative Court in South Korea, proposed utilization of Global Magnitsky Sanctions to prevent forced organ harvesting in China. Given that China is a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council, and the 193 U.N. members would find it hard to agree on a resolution against forced organ harvesting, Song argues that autonomous sanctions by individual countries or a Magnitsky alliance is a better short-term goal.

U.S. sanctions, for example, could ban anyone complicit in forced organ transplants from entering the United States. This has more effect than normally acknowledged, Chu pointed out. Chu cited statistics that in 2017, 85 percent of high-ranking officials in China were preparing for an overseas escape. Between 1995 and 2008, she said that more than 18,000 Chinese officials fled China and smuggled out $145 billion. Thus, freezing their overseas assets and banning them from entry into overseas countries can be a significant threat to them, she said. It means involvement in the human rights abuse like forced organ harvesting could be a big risk for their future.

Dr. Andre Gattolin, a senator from France and co-chair of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC), told the summit that IPAC has had many successes in raising awareness of the China threat, but is still struggling to mobilize on  the question of Chinas increasing interference in the Western academic and scientific world, and the scandal of forced organ harvesting and the violent repression of Falun Gong followers on Chinese territory for the past twenty-two years.

U.S. Senator John A. Hoffman said that he has worked with other legislators to support a resolution calling on our nation to go and be opposed to these grievous violations of basic human rights. Those efforts have not succeeded yet and it may be because of relationships with the perpetrator of this crime. That relationship [is] an economic tie with many nations, that  some wish to treat gently, as horrific actions exist in international and intentional silence, so that [only] a few know what is happening.

Gattolin explained that in France, when one questions the forced removal of organs in China, one quickly runs the risk of being labeled as heavily anti-Communist or anti-Chinese. He said that raising this almost taboo question exposes oneself to scathing and outraged denials and sometimes even to threats of commercial or political retaliation from Beijing. He called the result a diplomacy of silence.

To overcome this silence, several measures are needed. First, there must be public education about the reality of forced organ harvesting in China, and how it is focused against Falun Gong practitioners. Second, democracies and their allies must enact tougher legislation against domestic cooperation with global transplant abuse, including through stronger laws against transplant tourism. Third, Magnitsky sanctions need to be imposed on the individual leaders and transplant surgeons involved in initiating and executing forced organ harvesting. These sanctions should include those at the top of the CCP hierarchy, including all members of the Politburo Standing Committee of the CCP. Fourth, international economic sanctions should be imposed against the Chinese economy as a whole, in order to stop what should be considered a medical genocide for profit. And fifth, governments around the world should make a concerted effort to publicly recognize and assist the victims and families affected by this most shocking case of transplant abuse.

Read part 1, part 2, and part 4.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Satellite Company Terran Orbital to Bring 2,000 Jobs to Floridas Space Coast

PUNTA GORDA, Fla.Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday announced a new 660,000 square foot facility would be erected to house Terran Orbital, a commercial spacecraft company expected to bring approximately 2,100 jobs to the Sunshine States Space Coast.

Speaking from Merritt Island, Florida, Terran Orbital CEO Marc Bell said that the company intends to invest more than $300,000 million in new construction and equipment, making it the largest satellite manufacturing facility in the world. By the end of 2025, the estimated average annual wage would be $84,000. He said the groundbreaking for the facility would be next summer.

The new endeavor will be at Space Floridas launch and landing facility, near the Kennedy Space Center, the former landing site for the Space Shuttle program that ended in 2011. The facility is operated by Space Florida.

DeSantis said that the new facility will enable complete satellite manufacturing from the smallest components to the final product.

This will mean circuit boards and space vehicles, he said at the press conference on Monday. Satellite manufacturing is an important part of the economy here on the Space Coast, and this really ups the ante.

Space Florida President and CEO Frank DiBello said that the area has witnessed a great comeback over the last three years.

DiBello credits this comeback to the community doing what is necessary to move with the times, address challenges and creates new opportunities for our citizens.

Terran Orbitals CEO said the new facility will be able to produce approximately 1,000 satellites and one million satellite components annually. These satellites are mostly small CubeSats, or nanosatellites, each of which resembles a black Rubiks Cube.

Attracting the satellite company to Florida was kept under wraps and was referred to as Project Kracken by Space Florida and Lt. Governor Jeanette Nunez, who said these negotiations for leasing deals and potential government incentives have been taking place since March.

Floridas commercial space industry is thriving, not only with launches but also with manufacturing opportunities, Nunez said at the press conference. Terran Orbital will be a great addition to our states aerospace landscape, and I look forward to watching its growth at the Cape.

Other commercial space operations that have set up on the Space Coast are Blue Origin, SpaceX, Sierra Space, CAE, and Red Wire. Terran Orbital focuses on several different areas for their products. Their designs aid in government defense and intelligence, business intelligence, shipping and logistics, and support when natural disasters such as hurricanes occur including assisting in rescue missions.

Terran Orbital is a corporation that provides an end-to-end satellite service. The company combines the design, production, launch planning, mission operations, and in-orbit support involving satellite technology, and aids in meeting the needs of the military, as well as civil and commercial outlets.
Some Restaurants in China Serve Food Laced With Opium, Despite Years of Crackdown

In China, some restaurants add illegal opium poppy to their food to keep customers coming back. In late August, a restaurant in Jiangsu Province was busted for using poppy shells as seasoning after one of its customers went to the local police station with a sample of a dish he had ordered.

The illegal and harmful practice is not uncommon as it is encouraged by the highly competitive and morally corrupt business environment in China, one observer noted.

Poppy shells contain opioids and adding them to foods is strictly forbidden in China, due to its addictive and various toxic side effects.

But for more than 2o years, restaurant owners have been using poppy shells to hook customers, despite repeated prohibitions. Hotpots or noodles laced with ground poppy shells have a unique aroma, making the dish very flavorful and addictive.

In late August, a man in Lianyungang city, Jiangsu Province went to the local police station with a portion of a noodle dish that he had ordered from a restaurant. He said the dish had an unusual flavor and suspected that it contained poppy shells, according to Chinese state media. The police found papaverine and narcotinedrug ingredients derived from opium poppy in the noodles.

The restaurant was searched and a large pot of chili oil that contained poppy shells was confiscated. According to Chinese media reports, the police said the restaurant owner, surnamed Li, bought poppy shell ingredients from a spice vendor. His concoction attracted more customers, which helped his business quickly turn around amid the economic slowdown caused by the pandemic.

Opium poppy is the main raw material for the drug opium. It can also be used in medicine to extract a variety of sedatives, including morphine, codeine, papaverine, and narcotine. Adding poppy shells to foods such as hotpots and other spices can produce a unique aroma, which can be addictive and lead to other toxic side effects.

Studies have shown that long-term consumption of foods with poppy shells will cause symptoms such as chills, sweating, fatigue, and damage to the nervous and digestive systems. Eventually, it would lead to opium addiction.

The use of opium poppy as a drug has led to strict legal restrictions on its cultivation in many countries.

As early as 2008, China had listed opium poppy as an illegal non-edible substance in its food law. In 2017, the national food safety plan issued by the central authorities also listed the use of poppy husks in food production as a practice that would lead to severe punishment.

Although Beijing issued a number of relevant regulations, the illegal use of opium poppy emerged one after another due to a lack of oversight.

On Aug. 23, a beef soup restaurant in Mianchi county, Henan Province, was found to have used poppy shells in the chili oil. A local court sentenced the restaurant owner to one year in prison and fined for 60,000 yuan ($9,279).

On Aug. 16, a restaurant owner surnamed Cheng from Bijie city, Guizhou Province, was accused by local district prosecutors of adding poppy straws to mutton soups.

Food containing opium poppy has also found its way into college cafeterias. According to the verdict released by the district court in Lanzhou city on March 10, Xu Deyou, who ran a restaurant at Lanzhou University of Technology, was found guilty of using narcotine and papaverine in the chili oil.

In May, the underground trade in poppy shells was exposed in a number of traditional Chinese medicine distribution centers. Liang Shan, a Chinese herbal medicine dealer, said he has 300 kilograms of poppy shells every month, and supplies food vendors and a well-known restaurant brand, according to Chinese state media CCTV.

Opium poppy pods, source of the crude drug opium. (Nakornkhai/iStock)

Lack of Morality Leads to Harmful Business Practices: Expert

Li Yuanhua, a former associate professor of education at Chinas Capital Normal University, told The Epoch Times on Sept. 12: The food and beverage industry has used poppy shells for more than 20 years. Businesses are aware of the harm, but morally corrupt people will do anything to pursue profits, using any means. In the past, steamed buns were smoked with sulfur to turn them white, and lychees were sprayed with low sulfuric acid to make them look fresh.

Why do people flock to buy overseas products such as Australian milk powder? Aside from the fact that the cattle growth environment is good in Australia, the Chinese know that Australians dont add [harmful substances to milk powder] such as melamine in it. Because of Chinas domestic vicious competition, when others are cheating to drive down costs, it is hard for businesses to maintain integrity and quality. The morality of the whole environment has deteriorated. Even adulterated and harmful products are bought by people. There is a market [for it]. Its not an isolated problem, Li said.

He added: In the past, people believed that good and evil were rewarded. Morality restrained people [from committing bad deeds]. Why cant people do this now? Because after the CCP destroyed traditional culture, people believed in atheism and forgot about karma [the consequences of doing bad deeds], or did not believe in it at all, Li said.
South Korean animal rights activists hold banners during a protest against the dog meat trade in Seoul, South Korea, on July 12, 2019. (Jung Yeon-je / AFP / Getty Images)

South Korean President Suggests Banning Dog Meat

South Koreas president on Sept. 27 floated the idea of imposing a ban on eating dog meat, a traditional yet controversial practice decried by animal rights activists but defended by farmers who want to retain the right to raise dogs as livestock.

The remarks from South Korean President Moon Jae-in came after he was briefed by the countrys Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum on efforts to improve the handling of abandoned animals and a mandatory registration system for dogs.

After the briefing, he said time has come to carefully consider imposing a dog meat ban, the presidents spokeswoman Park Kyung-mee said in a statement.

This is the first time Moon has raised a ban, with his comments coming as South Koreas presidential campaign heats up ahead of the March 2022 election. Several candidates have, in recent weeks, weighed in on prohibiting dog meat consumption, with the opposition frontrunner defending the practice as a matter of personal choice.

Farmers maintain they have the right to raise dogs for meat. During a demonstration by animal rights activists in Seoul in 2019, dog farmers held a counter-protest, defiantly eating dog meat and distributing pamphlets making their case.

Dear citizens, please eat dog meata traditional, delicious delicacy that has been enjoyed by our ancestors for generationswithout shame and thereby lead happy and healthy lives, read one of the leaflets, according to France24.

South Korean dog farmers eat dog meat during a counter-rally against animal rights activists, in Seoul, South Korea, on July 12, 2019. (Jung Yeon-je/AFP/Getty Images)

The meat has long been a part of South Korean cuisine, with the nonprofit Korean Animal Rights Advocates (KARA) estimating that around a million dogs are eaten annually.

But both attitudes and consumption patterns are changing. Humane Society International, which has long campaigned to close dog farms in South Korea, commissioned a poll last year (pdf) showing a decline in the rate of dog meat consumption and growing support for a legislative ban.

The poll found that dog consumption fell by around 6 percent between 2017 and 2020, dropping to 58.9 percent from 64.8 percent among respondents.

Support for banning dog meat rose by nearly 24 percentrising to 58.6 percent in 2020 from 34.7 percent in 2017the poll showed.

The survey estimated that, in 2020, there were 3,388 dog-meat-selling restaurants in South Korea and 2,861 registered dog farms.

At the same time, there was a sharp drop in the proportion of South Koreans who believe dogs should be eaten just like other livestock and a significant rise in the view that dog meat consumption reflects poorly on Korea.

Reuters contributed to this report.
Civilians and Somalian security officers gather at the scene of a suicide car bomb at a street junction near the president's residence, in Mogadishu, Somalia, on Sept. 25, 2021. (Feisal Omar/Reuters)

Suicide Car Bomb Targeting Convoy in Somali Capital Kills at Least 8: Official

MOGADISHUA suicide car bomb killed at least eight people in the Somali capital on Saturday at a street junction near the presidents palace, police said, and Al-Qaeda-linked terrorist group Al-Shabaab said it was behind the attack which targeted a convoy going into the palace.

Police spokesperson Abdifatah Aden Hassan told reporters at the scene of the blast the casualties could be higher, since some of the dead and wounded had been taken away by their relatives.

Al Shabaab is behind the blast. They killed eight people including a soldier and a mother and two children. Al Shabaab massacres civilians, he said.

Mohamed Ibrahim Moalimuu, the government spokesperson, said among those killed was Hibaq Abukar, an advisor of women and human rights affairs in Prime Minister Mohammed Hussein Robles office.

Somalian security officers gather at the scene of a suicide car bomb at a street junction near the presidents residence, in Mogadishu, Somalia, on Sept. 25, 2021. (Feisal Omar/Reuters)

She was one of the pillars of PMs office (for) women affairs, he said on his Facebook account.

It was not immediately clear if Abukar was in the convoy or if she just happened to be close by when the blast happened.

Al-Shabaab confirmed it was behind the attack. The terrorist group, which wants to overthrow the government and impose its own strict interpretation of Islamic law, frequently carries out such bombings.

A Mujahid driving a suicide car bomb targeted a convoy of cars going into the (presidential) palace, Abdiasis Abu Musab, al Shabaab military operation spokesperson, told Reuters by phone.

A Reuters witness at the scene of the attack reported seeing seven cars and three rickshaws destroyed by the blast, and the whole junction covered in blood.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton speaks during the launch of an antitrust investigation into Big Tech companies outside the Supreme Court in Washington on Sept. 9, 2019. (Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images)

Texas Attorney General Leads 10-State Coalition Supporting Florida Ban on Big Tech Censorship

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced on Sept. 20 that hes leading a coalition of 10 states in filing an amicus brief with the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals in support of Floridas law that attempts to regulate censorship on Big Tech social media platforms.

Paxton signed on behalf of Texas, joining the states of Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, and South Carolina who have also filed an amicus brief in support of Floridas law.

The regulation of Big Tech censorship will inevitably suppress the ideas and beliefs of millions of Americans, Paxton said in a statement. I will defend the First Amendment and ensure that conservative voices have the right to be heard. Big Tech does not have the authority to police the expressions of people whose political viewpoint they simply disagree with.

Floridas SB 7072 law allows Floridians to take legal action against Big Tech platforms if they censor a users content without consistent standards.

The new bill also prevents Big Tech from banning Floridian political candidates. Social media companies that deplatform candidates for statewide office will be fined $250,000 per day. The fine is $25,000 per day when deplatforming candidates for other offices.

Big Tech companies that violate the law can be brought to trial for monetary damages, and the states attorney general can litigate companies that dont comply with the law under Floridas Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the bill into law in May but District Judge Robert Hinkle in June granted a temporary injunction preventing the governor from implementing the law after two internet trade groupsNetChoice and the Computer and Communications Industry Associationfiled a lawsuit.

The trade groups argued that the law may violate the First Amendment by compelling social media platforms to host offensive speech they otherwise wouldnt and by interfering with their editorial policies.

The coalition in its amicus brief said the district courts First Amendment analysis is riddled with errors.

It veered off course from the outset by concluding that S.B. 7072 regulates speech, when that law instead regulates conduct that is unprotected by the First Amendment: social media platforms arbitrary application of their content moderation policies, the coalition wrote.

Earlier this month, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed House Bill 20similar to Floridas lawwhich protects Texans from wrongful censorship on social media platforms.

House Bill 20 prevents social media companies with more than 50 million monthly users, such as Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube, from banning users based on their political beliefs. The attorney general would also be able to take legal action on behalf of Texas residents that were banned or blocked by a platform due to such discrimination.

We will always defend the freedom of speech in Texas, Abbott said. 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 freelybut 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.

I thank Senator Bryan Hughes, Representative Briscoe Cain, and the Texas Legislature for ensuring that House Bill 20 reached my desk during the second special session.
In the last decade, it's become clear that a number of winemakers have discovered that lower alcohols can make for more approachable red wines. (shutterstock/Africa Studio)

The Case for Lower-Alcohol Red Wines

Look at the label on any bottle of wine, and youll see how much alcohol it has. Except for some very rare examples, the law requires it.

I prefer wines with 13 percent or so. They appear to me to be better balanced. They work better with food and dont intoxicate as fast. But most red wines these days are about 14.5 percent or more. Occasionally a lot more.

One thing we know is that a higher level of alcohol in wine has a number of drawbacks, one of which is that the alcohol in a wine can cover up fruit flavors.

Smell the otherwise neutral spirit vodka. It has an aromaof alcohol! Proof that alcohol is volatile came from food chemist Harold McGee. In a New York Times article published in 2010, he wrote, Its no secret that the alcohol in drinks can get in the way of our enjoying their flavors.

When alcohol makes up more than 10 percent to 12 percent of a liquids volume, the article added, we begin to notice its irritating, pungent effects in the mouth and in the nose.

Later McGee added: The more alcoholic a drink is, the more it cloisters its aroma molecules, and the less aroma it releases into the air. Add water and theres less alcohol to irritate and burn, and more aroma release.

He pointed out that this phenomenon works especially well with dark coffees. A few drops of water actually makes the coffee tastes a lot better!

Adding a little water, although it may help uncover some aromas in wine, can dilute flavors, right? Not necessarily.

One strategy that I employ is adding a small ice cube to a five-ounce glass of wine. That dilutes some of the alcohol and also has the effect of opening up the aroma.

Besides, most red wines are served a little bit too warm for me. The cooling effect that ice has actually benefits us by creating better balance.

In the past decade, it has become clear that a number of winemakers have discovered that lower alcohols can make for more approachable red wines.

One strategy that some are employing is harvesting grapes slightly earlier than in the past, aiming to pick fruit with barely enough maturity at lower grape sugars to make for a silkier, lower-alcohol red wine.

This can make wines that are a little less obvious when young. It means they may not get as high of a score from those who use points to rate wine. But in most cases, the wines benefit. As do we.

Where can you find these wines? The best news is that wines with less than 14 percent alcohol usually sell for a lot less money than the 15 percent or even higher red wines. Those high-alcohol, exalted wines can sell for four or five times as much money, but theyre not very interesting (to me) because the alcohol covers up the fruit.

As much as I truly love some wines of intensity, I much prefer to drink a glass of red without the fear that Im going to get extremely sleepy, a headache, or a maxed-out credit card.

Wine of the Week

2020 Concha y Toro Merlot, Casillero del Diablo, Rapel Valley ($10): This simple, everyday Chilean table wine has only 13.5 percent alcohol; displays attractive olive, herbal, and cherry fruit notes; has a dry entry and mid palate; and is actually tastier when served slightly chilled. Often seen around $8 per bottle.

(Courtesy of Concha y Toro)
The COVID Caste System

Commentary

Caste systems arent merely unjust; they are also ugly to behold. Commenting to me once on Indias caste system, when I was a child, my father said, People in this country still use the word untouchable, which is if you think about it a very unlovely term.

While Indias caste system persists despite being outlawed, America traditionally hasnt had a caste system.

Until now. We can see emerging, right here in America, a sharp divide between progressive elites and ordinary citizens. This divide can be seen in multiple areas. Progressive elites have high walls protecting their homes, even as they declare that walls dont work. They have private security, even as they insist Americans dont need guns to protect themselves. They somehow elude accountability even when they break the same laws that get ordinary citizens into major trouble.

Nowhere, however, is the new American caste system more evident than with COVID-19. Did you see Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) at the Met Gala? The publicity focused on her Tax the Rich dress, but just as notable was the video, released by Vogue magazine, of AOC in full Cinderella mode, flanked by multiple attendants, straightening her hair, fixing her dress, holding up the long train, adjusting her heels. They were all masked; she was not.

This was hardly an isolated case. Shortly before the Met Gala, the Obamas held a massive party to celebrate Barack Obamas 60th birthday. Again, the guests that included political leaders, business moguls, and Hollywood celebrities were all unmasked. The chefs, the servers, the valets, and the other staff were all masked. An upper caste and a lower caste, both playing their roles in Obamas large tent.

Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, also just had a birthday, and video showed a small, unventilated room in which Jayapal and her maskless friends all partied together. It was the same story with San Francisco Mayor London Breed, who violated her own mask mandate while partying at a club.

I was feeling the spirit, she explained, and I wasnt thinking about a mask.

The Emmys, too, featured clip after clip of unmasked actors, producers, and directors walking the press photo line, and only when they crossed over to the other side could you see all the staff and attendants, masked, of course, taking them back to their seats. Asked about this double standard, Los Angeles Countys Health Department put out a statement saying that mask exceptions are made for film, television and music productions, because persons appearing on the show are considered performers. The virus, evidently, has no interest in infecting performers.

To understand whats going on in its widest significance, consider the true meaning of the famous phrase in the Declaration of Independence: All men are created equal. What does this phrase mean? At one level, certainly, it means that we enjoy equality of rights. The Constitution goes on to specify not merely equality of rights but also equal treatment under the law.

This concept of equality of rights shouldnt, as Abraham Lincoln emphasized, be confused with equality of outcomes. Human beings are obviously unequal in height, in speed, in beauty, in intelligence, even in moral character. An equal start in the race doesnt mean, obviously, that all individuals or even all groups must hit the finishing tape at the same time.

Yet at the same time, theres a broader meaning to the equality provision that goes beyond rights. We arent merely equal as human beings, we are created equal. This means that we are equally the children of God, and it follows from this that God loves us equally and therefore theres an equal dignity in persons that derives, ultimately, from the fact that theyre created by a transcendent God.

How does this equal dignity play out in American life? It simply means that someonesay Jeff Bezos or Bill Gatesmight have more money than you or me, but they arent better than you or me. In America, we have maids but not servants, and in many restaurants, we call even the waiter sir, as if he were a knight. The political philosopher Irving Kristol once said theres no restaurant in America to which a CEO could go in the absolute assurance that he wouldnt also find his secretary dining there.

So the Declaration of Independence affirms a social equality that is the very antithesis of a caste system. Yet precisely what our founding documents reject, the progressive elite, mostly made up of Democrats, is attempting to create for the first time in America a society divided into an elite upper caste and a mass lower caste, with separate rules applying to each group, in accordance with their caste status.

Its unlovely. Its downright ugly. Its also immoral. And its certainly un-American.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Secretary of State for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy Kwasi Kwarteng speaking at the the Northern Ireland Business and Innovation Showcase at the QEII Centre in Westminster, London, on Sept. 15, 2021. (Victoria Jones/PA)

UK Suspends Competition Law to Tackle Fuel Crisis

The British government has temporarily suspended parts of a competition law on Sunday evening as the country grapples with a fuel crisis caused by lorry driver shortages and panic buying.

The decision comes after Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng met with oil companies and retailers on Sunday to address another day of continued queuing for the pumps, with thousands of petrol stations running dry.

The exemption of the industry from the Competition Act 1998 for the purpose of sharing information and optimising supplya measure known as the Downstream Oil Protocolwill allow companies to more easily prioritise the delivery of fuel to the parts of the country and strategic locations that are most in need.

Kwarteng said the UK has long-standing contingency plans in place to maintain fuel supplies and deliveries in emergency situations.

While there has always been and continues to be plenty of fuel at refineries and terminals, we are aware that there have been some issues with supply chains, the business secretary said in a statement.

This is why we will enact the Downstream Oil Protocol to ensure [the] industry can share vital information and work together more effectively to ensure disruption is minimised.

Cars queue at Tesco near Stanwell, Middlesex, England, on Sept. 27, 2021. (Steve Parsons/PA)

Speaking on BBC Radio 4s Today programme on Monday, Brian Madderson, chairman of the Petrol Retailers Association, said the measure is very welcome, but complicated.

Madderson said the problem of dry pumps is much worse in concentrated urban areas rather than rural areas.

The dry sites are being restocked at the present time but the number of tankers that theyre receiving are [sic] below the number that they need to be properly restocked at their normal level of between 40 percent and 50 percent, he said.

Madderson said the temporary suspension of the competition rules will possibly [allow] the suppliers to put fuel into their competitors sites.

Regarding the cause of the crisis, Madderson laid most of the blame on an information leak that ignited the panic buying of fuels.

This is a problem caused by somebody who leaked a confidential BP submission to a Cabinet meeting about 10 days ago. We had problems of HGV shortages of drivers getting fuel tankers to the forecourts, but it wasnt a critical situation at that stage, Madderson told BBC Breakfast.

The fact that she or he leaked the document, broadcast, there was panic buying right across main urban centres in the UK.

Madderson said the government needs to fix the ridiculous speed of processing driver applications as a long-term solution, but the short-term crisis can be solved by customers.

If they start buying in their normal quantities, 20 [$27] worth, 20 litres to fill up every week, we could see by the end of this week some return to normalityit wont be perfect, but some return, he said.

Its reported on Monday that some workers, including self-employed tradespeople and medics, have been unable to travel to work because they couldnt fill their vehicles.

Environment Secretary George Eustice told media outlets on Monday that theres no shortage of fuels and the shortages of HGV drivers is quite limited.

Eustice said there was not a shortage of fuel and blamed motorists for filling up when they did not need to for some petrol stations running dry.

The cause of these current problems is that panic-buying episode and the most important thing is for people to start buying petrol as they normally would, he said in a pooled clip for broadcasters.

There does come a pointas we saw during a previous episode of panic-buying during the pandemic on foodwhere things settle down and people get used to it and return to life as normal again, he said.

The sooner people do that the better. The only reason we dont have petrol on the forecourts is that people are buying petrol they dont need.

PA contributed to this report.
This screen grab made from video by Chinese state broadcaster CCTV shows Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou receiving flowers after she arrived in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, China, released on Sept. 25, 2021. (-/CCTV/AFP via Getty Images)

US Senators Slam Beijings Hostage Diplomacy as Huawei CFO Gets Heros Welcome in China

Republican senators have decried the Chinese regimes success in its bid at hostage diplomacy after the release of Huawei Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou on Sept. 24.

Meng, who had been detained at her Vancouver, British Columbia, home since late 2018 while fighting extradition to the United States, struck a deal with U.S. prosecutors on Sept. 24 that allowed her to return to China. That night, the Chinese regime freed two Canadians who had been held captive in the country for almost three years.

Canadians Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor were first detained by the regime not long after Mengs arrest, prompting observers to describe them as victims of a high-stakes game of hostage diplomacy.

Officials around the world have welcomed the release of the Canadians, widely known as the two Michaels, but some U.S. lawmakers drew attention to Beijings actions.

We must also acknowledge the resolution of this hostage situation is a victory for one of the worlds most brutal and cruel regimes, Sen. Jim Risch (R-Idaho), the ranking Republican member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said in a Sept. 25 statement.

The Chinese Communist Party will be emboldened to use other foreign citizens as bargaining chips, because it now knows hostage-taking is a successful way to get what it wants.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki on Sept. 27 denied assertions that the release of Meng and the Canadians were related.

I think its important to note, and to be very clear about this, there is no link, Psaki said during a regular press briefing. We have an independent Justice Department. We cant determine how the Chinese or others manage their business over there. Its a little bit different.

But we have an independent Justice Department that made independent decisionslaw enforcement decisions. At the same time, we have made no secret about our push to have the two Michaels released. Thats certainly positive news and good news, she added.

Republicans, however, have said the deal calls the Biden administrations commitment to confronting the Chinese regime into question.

The release of Ms. Meng raises serious questions about President Bidens ability and willingness to confront the threat posed by Huawei and the Chinese Communist Party, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) told Reuters. This is just another example of the Biden administrations dangerously soft approach toward Beijing.

Meng reached a deferred prosecution agreement with the U.S. Justice Department, under which she admitted to concealing Huaweis business operations in Iran during interactions with a bank, causing the institution to violate U.S. sanctions on Iran.

Sen. Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.) also criticized the deal as amounting to capitulation to the regime.

Im very concerned that this appears, that it could be more appeasement from the Biden administration, more capitulation, Hagerty told Reuters. Huawei is an aggressive predatory company. Its backed by the Chinese Communist Party. We have given up leverage today.

After Mengs arrest at Vancouver International Airport on Dec. 1, 2018, the Chinese regime had repeatedly threatened Canada with grave consequences if she wasnt released. Shortly after her detention, Beijing arrested Kovrig and Spavor, claiming that they had engaged in espionage.

The two were initially held in solitary confinement, with the lights kept on in their cells day and night. That can lead to sleep deprivation, which is recognized as a torture method by human rights organizations.

In August, a Chinese court sentenced Spavor to 11 years in prison. Kovrig, whose trial was held in March, hadnt been sentenced.

Hours after Canada announced Mengs release, the regime quietly freed Kovrig and Spavor without offering an explanation. The regimes foreign ministry claimed on Sept. 27 that the men were released on bail for health reasons.

While the regime has maintained that the pairs detention was unrelated to Meng, their release immediately after the Huawei executives release, all but confirmed to many that the Canadians were held as hostages.

The Chinese regime is making no effort to disguise hostage diplomacy now, China affairs commentator Tang Jingyuan told The Epoch Times.

Characters that read Welcome home Meng Wanzhou are seen at the domestic arrivals area at the BaoAn International Airport in Shenzhen, China, on Sept. 25, 2021, (NOEL CELIS/AFP via Getty Images)

Heros Welcome

Mengs arrival in Shenzhen, China, on Sept. 25 was met with great fanfare by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

The daughter of Huaweis founder was given a rousing reception: Major media tracked her flight path for hours; buildings and airports in the city were lit up with welcome slogans; and the red carpet was rolled out at the airport, where senior provincial and municipal officials waited for her arrival.

In response, Meng applauded Chinas leader Xi Jinping and the Party in a speech on the tarmac.

On her flight back to China, the 49-year-old, in a post on the social media platform WeChat, hailed the CCP, saying the Party made China stronger and more prosperous. She stated that she wouldnt have been able to secure her freedom without the countrys support.

Chinas state media portrayed Mengs return as a sign of victory achieved by the communist regime. The Partys official mouthpiece, Peoples Daily, trumpeted the regimes power and claimed that no power can stop Chinas advancing steps. News about the Canadians was conspicuously absent from such reports.

State media Xinhua described her return as Beijings major victory. Peoples Daily published a commentary, No Force Will Prevent Chinas Progress. The hawkish CCP-controlled tabloid Global Times stated in another editorial that Mengs return is the Biden administrations adjustment, suggesting that Washington is unable to comprehensively contain the communist regime.

Photos and videos showing throngs of people waiting at the airport overwhelmed the countrys social media platforms, which critics suggested were scenes arranged by the regime to boost patriotism.

Meng, clad in a patriotic-red dress while making a speech at the airport, said she was touched by Xis concern for her case. She repeatedly called herself an ordinary citizen, despite the unusual grand reception.

Meng is the elder daughter of Huaweis founder, Ren Zhengfei, who served in Chinas army for nine years prior to starting the firm. The telecommunications companys close ties with the Chinese military and authorities led to the United States, UK, Australia, and Japan imposing bans on its equipment over security risks.

Reuters contributed to this report.
The Volkswagen logo of a car is photographed during a car show in Frankfurt, Germany on Sept. 22, 2015. (Michael Probst/AP Photo)

Volkswagen to Pay $1.5 Million to Settle New Hampshire, Montana Diesel Claims

WASHINGTONVolkswagen AG on Monday said it has agreed to pay $1.5 million to settle environmental claims with the states of New Hampshire and Montana over post-vehicle updates of software emissions arising from the 2015 diesel cheating scandal.

The settlements for about $280 per vehicle is a small fraction of the maximum liability the German automaker faces over the issue of whether states can enforcement emissions laws over updates to emissions after the vehicles were sold.

VW will pay New Hampshire $1.15 million and it pledged to build another high-speed charging station in the state by 2024. VW has agreed to pay Montana $357,280.

VW last month asked the U.S. Supreme Court to reverse an Ohio court ruling that cleared the way for the state to move forward with its diesel emissions lawsuit.

VW said in court papers Ohios claims could total $350 million per day, or more than $127 billion per year, over a multi-year period. The settlements with the two states are the equivalent of $280 per vehicle and cover about 5,500 vehicles.

The remaining three states and two counties that have filed suit involve about 47,000 vehicles.

Volkswagen previously settled U.S. actions prompted by the emissions scandal for more than $20 billion, but that did not shield it from local and state government liability, the appeals court found.
West Coast Road Trip: From LA to Seattle

Its long been Americas promised land. From wagon trains rolling west in search of a better life to starry-eyed hopefuls heading to Hollywood seeking their big break, the West has been the destination for many. And in 2021when road trips are still so popularmany motorists are answering.

And the West is big. Once youre on the coast, youll find plenty of places to roam. Starting in southern California, leave the smog and traffic of Los Angeles behind, making your way along Pacific Coast Highway (PCH). Then, further on, youll find towering redwood forests and earthy Oregonian cities, and continuing north will lead you to Puget Sound and Seattle. Along the way, youll find wild opportunities to get outside under sweeping skies and endless horizons, breathing the fresh air on the western edges of the country.

Santa Barbara beckons with its seaside lifestyle and historic Spanish Mission architecture. (S.Borisov/Shutterstock)

Some History

Americas most storied journeys by road have usually been east-to-west, with the legacy of Route 66 still looming large in U.S. culture. But people have been traveling up the coast for a long time as well. Promoted by a transportation pioneer named Sam Hill, who built the iconic Peace Arch on the border of Washington and British Columbia, the Pacific Highway became the longest continuously paved road in the world by 1926, with almost 1,700 miles of hard-top. It was named US Route 99 for the rest of the 1920s and several decades afterward, becoming the Main Street of California and the Golden State Highway.

Decommissioned in 1968, as with Route 66, Route 99 has become a patchwork of local roads and small highways, much of it paved over by the many lanes of Interstate 5 (I-5). Since 1956, I-5 has been the fastest way to drive from the Mexican border in the south to the Canadian border up north. While that route wont trace it exactly, the legacy of the Pacific Highway served as inspiration for the roadway.

Neptune Pool at Hearst Castle, San Simeon, Calf. (Joseph Sohm/Shutterstock)

Leaving LA

Theres certainly plenty to keep you occupied in Los Angeles, from studio tours taking you to film and television sets to the rooftop pools of West Hollywood and the lights of the Sunset Strip. But anyone who has been there will tell youthe customary gridlock of LA isnt the best place for a fun drive.

Head north out of the sprawling city, taking US Route 101 to the northwest. The density of the city will thin out, the big hills will get greener, and wineries and other pleasures will be tucked away along the route. Consider taking a breakand even spending a nightin the seaside city of Santa Barbara, California. Walk the coast and its graceful marinas, as well as its historic downtown filled with Spanish Mission architecture and delicious, family-owned restaurants with big, open-air patios.

Bixby Creek Bridge, which measures 714 feet in length, is considered the gateway to Big Sur, Calif. (Maks Ershov/Shutterstock)

Pacific Coast Highway

Diverting onto California State Highway 1, begin your journey up the famous PCH. The trip could be a whole weeklong vacation in itself, the curving road clinging to the cliffs, with so many stops along the way. In Morro Bay, California, and its 580-foot, Gibraltar-like rock, visit with playful sea otters.

At Hearst Castle in San Simeon, California, marvel at the real-life Xanadu, where media mogul William Randolph Hearst hosted both actual and Hollywood royalty in his hillside, 165-room palace, complete with a Roman-style swimming pool and what was once the worlds largest private zoo. Further up the road, hike to the waterfall in Pfeiffer State Park and walk amongst the redwood forests in Big Sur. Take a signature selfie at the Bixby Bridge, perhaps the most distinctive landmark on the route, once the highest single-span arch bridge in the world, stretching 700 feet over the canyon floor, which lay 280 feet below.

Visitors look out to the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, Calif. (Margaret.Wiktor/Shutterstock)

San Francisco

While San Francisco is a big city with plenty of tricky drivingespecially on the steep and perilous hills downtownits worth visiting for at least a day or two. Touristy but fun, Fishermans Wharf is a good place to duck into a small restaurant and enjoy a steaming bowl of cioppino, a fish stew in a tomato-wine sauce that includes a wide variety of local seafood, from clams and mussels to crab and scallops (pronounced chip-eeno, local lore says that the name came about when local fishermen would finish the day at the dock and chip in whatever they had to a communal stew).

A walk among the redwoods. (Stephen Moehle/Shutterstock)

Trillium Falls, Redwood National Park. (Wildnerdpix/Shutterstock)

Redwoods National and State Parks

From San Francisco, head north on Interstate 5 and get to the forests faster. In the interlinked national and state park, which covers 139,000 acres, spend time under the tallest trees on earth, reaching higher than a 30-story building. The canopy is so high above, the forest below feels a little bit like a fairy tale. Famously, you can drive your car right through one of the massive trees. Even better, rent a bike and navigate a series of trails, which have been repurposed from old logging roads.

Gold Beach, Oregon

Rather than returning to the I-5, head straight north on Route 101, which winds along the edge of the ocean. The views are rugged and dramatic. At Pistol River, check out the ever-shifting dunes and massive, monolithic rocks that sit just off the crashing coastline. In the small town of Gold Beach, walk and swim at their long stretch of beach, check out the local shipwreck (the Mary D. Hume), and snack on fish and chips. Then, gather your courage and roar up the Rogue River, best seen from the deck of a jet-boat.

Portland, Oregon

Parodied on shows such as Portlandia, Portland often lives up to the famous, oft-repeated local slogan, Keep Portland Weird. Stay in a tiny house hotel, where open-air jam sessions are a favorite evening activity. Dine at a multiple-course, all-vegan dinner that includes several types of locally grown edible flowers. Head to a small village of food trucks, including one with a built-in tandoori oven. Then, grab a pint at the Breakside Brewery, one of the leaders in a city known for its craft beers.

Alpine meadows in bloom on the hillsides surrounding Mount Rainier. (Real Window Creative/Shutterstock)

Mount Rainier National Park

The most glaciated peak in the continental United States, the white summit of the 14,410-foot tall Mount Rainier soars above the surrounding Washington valleys, visible for miles in all directions. Its an active volcano and the source of five different rivers. The national park covers more than 235,000 acres, with all sorts of ways to enjoy the outdoors. Hike through the subalpine meadows at Paradise or the dense forest of Douglas Firs and western red hemlocks, as well as cable bridges and roaring waterfalls at Ohanapecosh. And head to Sunrise, which sits at 6,400 feet, and has an extensive trail system, as well as the best views in the parkof Mount Rainier, but also of the Emmons Glacier and a variety of other volcanic peaks in the Cascade Range.

Seattles Space Needle was built for the 1962 Worlds Fair. (TinaImages/Shutterstock)

Seattle, Washington

The largest city in the Pacific Northwest, Seattles glassy skyline rises next to the waters of Puget Sound, and the signature Space Needle, built for the 1962 Worlds Fair, stands out among the rest. Head to the top and walk the glass floor there for a vertiginous view. Nearby, the Pike Place Fish Market pulsates with energy, fishmongers tossing the days catch to one another before wrapping them up for customers. Its been a long drive, but what if youre not quite ready to reach the end of the line? Just keeping drivingperhaps onto a ferry steaming out into the Sound, with an array of scenic islands awaiting your discovery.
In this file photo, nurses at Kaiser Hospital are given boxes of See's candy as they leave the hospital at the end of their shift in South San Francisco, Calif., on May 14, 2020. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

Widow of Man Who Died After She Infected Him Sues Her Employer

LOS ANGELESA longtime employee of Sees Candy Shops Inc. is suing the company, alleging that poor coronavirus protocol in the packaging warehouse in Carson, Calif., caused her to contract the disease in 2020 and later infect her husband and one of her daughters, ultimately causing her spouses death at age 69.

Maria Saucillo of Upland, the widow of the late Gilbert Saucillo Jr., brought the negligence/wrongful death suit Thursday in Los Angeles Superior Court, seeking unspecified damages. Maria Saucillos two daughters, Emma Saucillo and Patricia Flynn, also are plaintiffs. A Sees representative could not be immediately reached.

In March 2020, employees of the Sees Candy Shops packaging warehouse on Alameda Street told management they were concerned about the close proximity of their working conditions, their lack of appropriate personal protective equipment and their fear of contracting the virus, the suit states.

The employees were rebuffed by management and Maria Saucillo, like her colleagues, was forced to work near other employees without proper PPE, the suit states

Multiple employees were coughing and sick, but were not sent home, the suit states.

Maria Saucillo subsequently contracted the coronavirus from another employee and in late March 2020, Sees shut down the warehouse, according to the suit.

At that point it was too late, the suit states.

Maria, Gilbert and Emma Saucillo all tested positive for the coronavirus, the suit states. Although Emma Saucillo struggled, she survived, but Gilbert Saucillo battled the COVID-19 for about a month before dying on April 20, 2020, at San Antonio Regional Hospital in Upland, according to the suit.

Sees knew and should have known that their alleged failure to take appropriate safety steps would increase the risk their employees would become infected and spread the virus by infecting one of more of their family members, the suit states.
Will Chinas Real Estate Crash Trash the Global Economy?

Chinas second largest development firm struggling to meet domestic loan payments

Commentary

Is Chinas real estate-based economy on the brink of collapse?

A big part of it just might be, if not all of it.

Evergrande, Chinas second largest real estate developer and the worlds most indebted property developer, is in danger of defaulting on loan service payments. Much of the debt is held by Chinese banks, driving concerns of a collapse in Chinas huge and heavily indebted financial sector.

But thats not all. A significant amount of Evergrandes debt ($800+ million) is held by foreign interests as well. Given Chinas extensive economic ties with the rest of the world, the fear is that the collapse of such a large firm will have economic consequences for both China and its foreign bondholders.

A Lehman Brothers Event?

Neither are unreasonable fears. Parallels have been drawn between the financial crisis in 2008, which was triggered by the collapse of Lehman Brothers, a notable Wall Street investing firm that was supposedly too big to fail. But when it did, other firms began to as well, requiring massive government bailouts in the trillions of dollars amid a deep recession.

That same fear of economic contagion may be part of what drove financial asset prices to tumble last week. Some financial experts think the fallout from the Evergrande default could be far worse than that of Lehman Brothers.

Observers have known that the Chinese real estate market has been in a bubble for decades. As for Evergrande, its the poster child for Chinas long-overheated real estate-based economy. A year ago, the headlines were very similar to todays when the real estate firm faced a $120 billion debt service crisis.

But somehow, the Peoples Bank of China (PBOC) was able to work things outat least for a while. But this time, the outcome may differ. In fact, Evergrande isnt alone in its financial struggles; other heavily leveraged Chinese property developers such as Sinic Holdings and others are also in trouble. On Sept. 20, Sinic crashed 87 percent in Hong Kong.

A Distorted Market Exposes WeaknessEventually

Evergrande and other highly leveraged property firms problems stem from Chinas overreliance on real estate assets to drive economic growth and employment. Thats due to the fact that the Chinese Communist Partys (CCP) main claim to legitimacy is economic growth and high employment. The Partys biggest fear is civil unrest, and property development is easy to create and deliver.

Thats why, over the past three decades, real estate development has been used to satisfy all three of these goals. The financial process can be boiled down to a simple equation. State-owned banks lend money to state-owned companies and/or local Party officials, who then build apartments, shopping centers and other urban structures, and then sell them to private Chinese investment groups, who then re-sell them to private individuals, investment pools, and other private investor entities. Often times, the builder sells them directly to the public.

Construction has stalled at the unfinished Oceanwide Plaza in Los Angeles, Calif., on Jan. 25, 2019. It is one of the biggest real estate development projects in downtown LA where the Beijing-based Oceanwide Holdings conglomerate said the hold-up was due to a recapitalization of the project, with work due to resume by the middle of February. China has been a major investor in real estate projects in downtown Los Angeles for a number of years. (Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images)

The CCP has relied on real estate developmentregardless of market demandas a way to keep employment high. To keep demand and prices high, investment options for private citizens have been relatively limited compared to the United States or Europe. Thats one reason why long term Chinese household savings rates (over 40 percent) are much higher than in the United States (about 8 percent), but also why housing prices relative to household income are also much higher, 30 times or even more.

To protect the banks providing funding for the land and construction, the PBOC would just refinance existing loans and interest owed into new larger loans. Bonds would also be issued to fund new developments, fueling a domestic bond bubble of $52 trillion. Since the CCP controls the PBOC and the valuation of the yuan, market distortions and massive debt are allowed to occur and worsen year after year, decade after decade.

A Symptom, but Not the Disease

But like all structures, physical or financial, distortions become weaknesses, limits are reached and collapse follows. Thats whats happening with Evergrande, and as noted above, it is not alone, nor is it atypical. Most, if not all, of Chinas real estate development market looks like Evergrande. One of the results is the scores of vacant cities that have been built as investments.

The problem is that no one lives in the thousands of empty apartment buildings that have been built. No one shops at the empty malls or rides metros or occupies the office buildings of ghost cities. Consequently, there are no rents, no mortgages, no returns on the building of ghost cities that have been constructed solely to maintain the hollow claim of the CCPs legitimacy.

The financial sector, of course, is directly tied to the development firms and is in no better shape. Decades of bad loans made and remade, adding up to tens of trillions of dollars of bad debt. The failure of one firm, of one bank, could lead to more, as we saw during the global financial crisis of 2008-09.

Chinas Central Bank Takes Everybody Down?

One of the ways that the PBOC has tried to lessen or even avoid a default is to lower bank reserve requirements. This frees up money in the financial system, which can then flow to Evergrande so it can meet its debt obligations. But theyve already done this several times before. It remains to be seen how effective it will be this time. It is particularly instructive to note that at the time of writing, China has paid domestic bondholders, but foreign bondholders have yet to be paid.

The rationale may be that the CCP wants to stabilize the internal situation to shore up its own credibility by sticking it to the foreigners. The last part may hit U.S. and European equity markets. It could also dampen the booming U.S. real estate market, since Chinese buyers are a significant factor in West Coast housing and other markets. Or worse, Chinas popping real estate bubble could trigger a broader avalanche of fear in the global markets, leading to falling asset prices around the world.

That domino effect is certainly possible. Well soon see.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
REYKJAVIK, Iceland (AP)  Iceland briefly celebrated electing a female-majority parliament Sunday, before a recount produced a result just short of that landmark for gender parity in the North Atlantic island nation.

The initial vote count had female candidates winning 33 seats in Icelands 63-seat parliament, the Althing, in an election that saw centrist parties make the biggest gains.

Hours later, a recount in western Iceland changed the outcome, leaving female candidates with 30 seats, a tally previously reached at Iceland's second most recent election, in 2016. Still, at almost 48% of the total, that is the highest percentage for women lawmakers in Europe.

Only a handful of countries, none of them in Europe, have a majority of female lawmakers. According to the Inter-Parliamentary Union, Rwanda leads the world with women making up 61% of its Chamber of Deputies, with Cuba, Nicaragua and Mexico on or just over the 50% mark. Worldwide, the organization says just over a quarter of legislators are women.

The female victory remains the big story of these elections, politics professor Olafur Hardarson told broadcaster RUV after the recount.

Icelands voting system is divided into six regions and the recount in western Iceland was held after questions about the number of ballots cast. The mistakes have not been entirely explained but are thought to be due to human error.

The three parties in the outgoing coalition government led by Prime Minister Katrin Jakobsdottir won a total of 37 seats in Saturdays vote, two more than in the last election, and appeared likely to continue in power.

Opinion polls had suggested a victory for left-leaning parties in the unpredictable election, which saw 10 parties competing for seats. But the center-right Independence Party took the largest share of votes, winning 16 seats, seven of them held by women. The centrist Progressive Party celebrated the biggest gain, winning 13 seats, five more than last time.

Before the election, the two parties formed Icelands three-party coalition government, together with Jakobsdottir's Left Green Party. Her party lost several seats, but kept eight, outscoring poll predictions.

The three ruling parties havent announced whether they will work together for another term, but given the strong support from voters it appears likely. It will take days, if not weeks, for a new government to be formed and announced.

Climate change had ranked high on the election agenda in Iceland, a glacier-studded volcanic island nation of about 350,000 people in the North Atlantic. An exceptionally warm summer by Icelandic standards  with 59 days of temperatures above 20 C (68 F)  and shrinking glaciers have helped drive global warming up the political agenda.

But that didnt appear to have translated into increased support for any of the four left-leaning parties that campaigned to cut carbon emissions by more than Iceland is committed to under the Paris Climate Agreement.

One candidate who saw her victory overturned by the recount was law student Lenya Run Karim, a 21-year-old daughter of Kurdish immigrants who ran for the anti-establishment Pirate Party.

These were a good nine hours, said Karim, who would have been Iceland's youngest-ever lawmaker.
CANBERRA, Australia (AP)  An Aboriginal man is taking Australias government to court to argue that Indigenous people should have access to their pensions earlier than other Australians because their life expectancy is years shorter.

Dennis Fisher, 64, said on Monday he is taking the action to benefit other Indigenous Australians.

A lot of us die at a young age, Fisher said. If I can help my people somehow, yeah, he added.

The case was filed in Federal Court in Melbourne last Thursday by the Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service, the Human Rights Law Center and the multinational law firm DLA Piper.

The case will argue that Indigenous people should be able to access their pensions earlier to account for the gap in life expectancy until that gap is closed, Fishers lawyers said in a statement.

Indigenous men have a life expectancy of 71 years and Indigenous women 75 years. That's 8.6 years shorter than other Australian men and 7.8 years shorter than other Australian women.

Australias minimum pension age will increase to 67 by July 2023, six months more than the current age and a year older than it was in July 2019. The government is pressuring an aging population to retire later.

Meena Singh, an Indigenous lawyer and senior adviser to the Human Rights Law Center, said Fishers test case centers on Section 10 of the Racial Discrimination Act which deals with a group of people that has lesser rights than another group.

Social Services Minister Anne Ruston, who is responsible for pensions, said in a statement her governments number one priority is working with Indigenous communities to make the real and practical changes necessary to achieve better life outcomes for Indigenous Australians.

She pointed to the government's pledge in August to spend 1.1 billion Australian dollars ($813 million) to address Indigenous disadvantages, including compensation to thousands of mixed-race children who were taken from their families over decades.

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 2% of the Australian population and 27% of the prison population.

Fisher has worked since he was 10, first on a dairy farm that was designed to train Indigenous children to become agricultural laborers.

He was among an estimated 10,000 Indigenous workers who claimed their wages were stolen by the Queensland state government between 1939 and 1972. The government settled a class action in 2019 and Fisher received a share of the AU$190 million ($138 million) payout.

He now holds two jobs in Melbourne as a broadcaster at an Indigenous community radio station and as Aboriginal heritage guide.

In 2008, the Australian Parliament apologized to the Indigenous population for past wrongs since British colonization. The then-government also launched an ambitious Closing the Gap initiative aimed at achieving equality for Indigenous Australians in health and life expectancy within a generation.

But current Prime Minister Scott Morrisons government scrapped the 12-year-old timetable last year, declaring the policy had failed.
FALLS CHURCH, Va. (AP)  Some Democrats on a bipartisan redistricting commission in Virginia said Monday that new legislative districts will be fair only if they reflect the partisan success Democrats have had in the state for the past decade.

The remarks came after Democratic and Republican map drawers for the first time submitted a joint map with proposed new boundaries for the 40-member state Senate, where Democrats currently hold a narrow 21-19 majority.

The newly proposed map provides an even 20-20 split in terms of which party holds an advantage, using the vote in the 2016 presidential election as a guide.

While an even split sounds fair on the surface, Democrats on the commission say that would actually dilute Democratic influence, given that Democrats have won every statewide election since 2009.

Sen. George Barker, D-Fairfax, said Democrats should hold an advantage in at least 22 districts, maybe more, to fairly respect the state's Democratic tilt.

Any map that doesn't respect the state's Democratic strength could fail to meet the requirements of a new state law that says the lines must not unduly favor or disfavor any political party, said Del. Marcus Simon, D-Fairfax, a member of the commission

What does fairness look like? Simon asked. We're getting to the point where we can no longer agree to disagree.

But a Republican lawyer advising the committee, H. Christopher Bartolomucci, said it would be a mistake to try to target a quota of Democratic seats. He said the commission could meet the legal requirements to not unduly favor one party or the other by applying politically neutral principles in drawing the maps, and not trying to influence the partisan tilt one way or another.

One reason some Democrats are unhappy with the proposed map may be the result of how it was created. Initially, Democratic and Republican map drawers had been creating their own maps, and unsurprisingly the Democratic map favored Democrats and vice versa. In developing the joint map over the weekend, the map drawers said that they largely utilized the Democratic map as the basis for northern Virginia and the Republican map for Hampton Roads.

In heavily Democratic northern Virginia, it makes little difference how the maps are drawn in terms of partisan advantage, because all the districts lean Democratic. Hampton Roads, on the other hand, is a politically competitive region with strong pockets of Democratic and Republican strength, so how the maps are drawn there goes a long way toward determining a partisan edge.

Another issue the commission is struggling with: What percentage of African American votes is necessary to give Black voters the ability to elect the candidate of their choice as required under law? The map has three districts with a majority of African American voters, and those districts reflect a huge Democratic advantage. Some commissioners have suggested that districts could be drawn with, say, a 45% Black population. That would still give Black voters political power in that district and also strengthen their clout in neighboring districts.

The commission, equally divided between eight Democratic and Republican appointees, is supposed to submit maps for the Senate and House of Delegates to the General Assembly by Oct. 10 for an up-or-down vote. The commission requires a 12-person supermajority to pass any map.
NORWALK  With more than 12,000 local residents 65 or older, a swath of Norwalkers who received the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine became eligible for a booster shot Friday, with the boosters available at city-run vaccination clinics throughout the week.

The Federal Food and Drug Administration expanded the vaccines emergency use Wednesday to allow single-dose booster shots for certain populations who received the initial vaccinations at least six months ago, according to an FDA statement.

Booster shot eligibility was expanded to include people 65 and older, people 18 to 64 at a high risk for COVID-19 and people 18 to 64 who are at high risk of contracting COVID-19 due to their living or working conditions, according to the statement.

Currently only people who received the Pfizer vaccine are eligible for a booster shot, which is comprised of the same formulation as the primary shot series and can be used interchangeably, according to the FDA.

However, people who are immunocompromised and received the Moderna vaccine can get a booster shot. Officials have not granted approval for expanded eligibility for those who received Moderna or Johnson & Johnsons vaccines.

The CDC recommends those 65 and older and residents in long-term care settings should get a booster shot, city spokesperson Josh Morgan said. The CDC also recommends those 50-64 years of age with an underlying medical condition should get a booster shot.

For people between 18 and 49 with underlying health concern, and people 18 to 64 at an increased risk of COVID exposure, the CDC takes a lesser stance, saying those individuals should consider getting a booster.

Those individuals are encouraged to speak with their health care provider to discuss their personal situation and make a decision that makes sense for them, Morgan said.

Pfizer booster shots will be available at Norwalk Health Department-run vaccination clinics, but as appointments are not required, there is no guarantee a Pfizer vaccine will be available.

There is ample supply in the retail sector, so we encourage those who are eligible to make an appointment with a local provider, Morgan said. That ensures the vaccine is available, with a limited wait at a convenient time.

In receiving a booster shot at a city-run clinic, Norwalk Health Department checks the CT Wiz online immunization records portal to ensure that a person did receive the Pfizer vaccine and it has been six months since their second dose, Morgan said. For medical conditions, people are asked to complete and sign an attestation form.

Since late August, when discussion and administration of vaccine boosters began, Norwalk Community Health Center experienced an increase in demand for vaccines, Family Nurse Practitioner and Director of Clinical Operations & Healthcare Innovation at Norwalk CHC Rebecca Kaplan said.

We are offering the booster dose of Pfizer in accordance with the CDC guidelines, six months post second dose, and have also followed the recommendation of Pfizer or Moderna booster if immunocompromised, 28 days after second dose, Kaplan said. Because there is not a centralized database in the state where all of this historical data is pooled, our nurses review if the timing is appropriate, based on patient report and/or their vaccine card.

Although everyone has moved to the CT Wiz platform, previous immunizations  especially those given from December to April  are in the VAMS system, Kaplan said.

Norwalk CHC continues to offer COVID-19 vaccination clinics for its patients each Tuesday. Norwalk CHC patients can receive booster doses at these clinics as well.

And we are partnering with the Norwalk Public Schools to bring our Medical Mobile Unit COVID-19 vaccine team to the middle schools, to immunize 12- to 16-year-olds, Kaplan said.

All of Norwalks residents 65 or older, about 12,000 people, are vaccinated against the coronavirus, according to Department of Public Health data.

People who live or work in prisons and nursing homes are among those who qualify for a booster shot, as well as health care workers, teachers and day care staff and grocery store employees, according to the statement.

For a list of vaccine providers, residents can visit covidvaccinefinder.ct.gov.

abigail.brone@hearstmediact.com
PASCO, Wash. (AP)  Authorities have identified a school bus driver in eastern Washington who was stabbed on Friday in front of a busload of elementary children.

Richard Lenhart, 72, was picking up students at Longfellow Elementary School in Pasco as classes were letting out at 3:10 p.m. when a man boarded his bus and stabbed him, The Tri-City Herald reported.

Police have not said why they believe the man got on the bus.

During the attack, police say Lenhart's foot came off the brake and the bus drove over a curb and a sidewalk before hitting some bushes and a tree.

Lenhart, of Kennewick, died at a hospital. An autopsy is being scheduled, according to Franklin County Coroner Curtis McGary.

Lenhart had been a driver for the Pasco district for six years.

The assailant stayed at the school until police arrived and cooperated with authorities during his arrest, police Capt. Bill Parramore said Friday. The Pasco Police Department said Monday that 34-year-old Joshua D. Davis of Richland was the person arrested and he is in Franklin County Jail on investigation of murder.

It wasnt immediately known if Davis has an attorney to comment on his behalf. Police said at this point they don't have any information that the two men knew each other.

None of the children on the bus was hurt. The Pasco School District offered support over the weekend for students and teachers and sent counselors to the school Monday. Pasco police also stationed officers near the school.

On Monday morning, teachers and other school employees showed support for their nearly 100 bus drivers, waving homemade signs with hearts and words of encouragement as they arrived with kids.

School officials have started discussions about safety, but are focused on getting life back to normal at Longfellow and at the transportation department, Shane Edinger, the districts director of public affairs said.

Right now, the focus is on the well-being of all of our employees and students, he said. Well work on that next piece when the time is appropriate.
Few disruptions were reported to school bus routes Monday, the first day after a COVID-19 vaccination deadline, despite a threat that hundreds of drivers would walk off the job to protest the mandate.

Still, there was confusion throughout the day about how, when and whether the vaccination rule was being enforced, as some drivers apparently worked without showing proof of vaccinations or negative tests for the illness.

Likewise, employees and contractors faced a vaccination deadline Monday at long-term care facilities, including nursing homes. It was unclear in that industry how Gov. Ned Lamonts Aug. 6 order  imposing a $20,000-per-day fine on any nursing home that employed unvaccinated people  was being enforced.

Monday was also the first full day of work for nearly 50,000 state employees under Lamonts vaccination order for them. Lamont said it would take a couple of days to sort out documents before sanctions, including unpaid suspensions, begin for state employees who refuse to comply.

Heading into Monday, school officials worried that opposition to the mandatory vaccinations could leave kids waiting on street corners without a way to get to school. Last week, for example, a group of bus drivers from Bristol spoke at a forum organized by the General Assemblys Conservative Caucus to hear from people who are against the state requirement.

The governors office said it was only aware of a few cases of school bus drivers not showing up for work, either in protest of the mandate or because they did not have vaccination or testing documents. School officials in Derby, North Haven, Southbury and Middlebury said some drivers were absent but no districts reported widespread issues.

I think I can speak on behalf of 500,000 kids and their parents that thankfully the overwhelming majority of school bus drivers showed up and let kids get back to school, Lamont said Monday after an unrelated event on car safety.

Confusion but few walkouts

The Connecticut School Transportation Association, which represents school bus companies, said there was a lot of confusion among drivers, some of whom showed up to work Monday morning without proof of vaccination or a negative test result, as was required. Ann Baldwin, a spokeswoman for the association, said some of those drivers went to get tested or to get a COVID-19 shot.

Most of the bus drivers work for private companies contracted by school districts. Several union representatives for school bus drivers said Monday they believe workers who failed to comply would be put on unpaid suspension  though it was unclear whether that happened anyplace.

It was also unclear late Monday how many drivers were still out of compliance. The association reported to the state Friday that it conducted a survey, finding that 1,558 school drivers in 12 school bus companies were unvaccinated and 227 will walk out the door after work on Friday  which did not happen.

Under the vaccination order by Lamont, all school personnel and contractors in contact with students  including bus drivers  must be vaccinated or agree to weekly testing. Drivers who agreed to the testing said they would do so only if the testing was free and convenient, the association said in its letter to the acting commissioner of the state Department of Education.

In a written statement Monday, the association reported very few disruptions in getting kids to school.

Thanks to the committed school bus drivers and managers for promptly following the governor's mandate for COVID vaccinations and testing, while at the same time, doing what needed to be done to get Connecticuts children safely to school, Jon Hipsher, vice president of the association, known as COSTA, said in the statement.

Sorting out state, long-term care workers

State employees also fell under a similar mandate deadline Monday morning but Josh Geballe, Lamonts chief administrative officer, said in an email to state employees late last week that they should report to work Monday as usual, as the state sorts out vaccination records supplied by employees.

I think the vast majority said, I want to get vaccinated, Lamont said Monday. There are some that say, Can I get tested? I havent heard of too many that have said hell, no but there will be some.

State workers who dont get vaccinated and refuse to get tested should be on an unpaid furlough for a period of time, he added, reflecting his earlier order.

But making it happen is another matter. Lamonts communications director, Max Reiss, said it will likely be days before the self-reporting of unionized state employees will catch up with the flood of reports made Sunday night, and then those who neither agree to vaccinations or testing will be dealt with.

Somebody literally has to go through and upload your reports, Reiss said. Theres a process to going through that. Today being the first day, we dont expect any good numbers for at least a couple of days. Then, we assess.

At long-term care facilities, which are widely short-staffed, the repercussions could be significant, according to Pedro Zayas, a spokesman for the union SEIU District 1199, which represents workers in about one-third of the states nursing homes.

As with state employees, numbers of nurses and other staff who were out of compliance were not available, Zayas and others said. Lamont said Monday that the overwhelming number of nurses in nursing homes are getting vaccinated.

A spokesman for the state Department of Public Health did not respond when asked when enforcement might begin.

Scattered bus incidents

One significant issue for people subject to weekly testing as an alternative to vaccination was the cost and convenience of the testing. The state has some free testing sites, but many require either insurance that covers the tests or a claim by people seeking the tests that they have been exposed to the illness  or they may be liable for a charge that could exceed $150.

North Haven Superintendent Patrick Stirk said his district only had one driver participate in the threatened walkout and was able to cover all routes Monday morning. To do so, the district split a couple of routes, having drivers take on a portion of a route in addition to their own, he said.

The town has not been spared the impacts of the nationwide bus driver shortage. Stirk said the district began the year short six to nine drivers and has experienced some delays.

Were able to piecemeal it day by day. Its difficult to plan ahead because you dont know whos  potentially gonna not walk in one morning, he said. We work well as a team between the town, myself and the [M&J Bus Company].

Five drivers called out in Pomperaug Regional School District 15, which covers Southbury and Middlebury, Superintendent Joshua Smith said. One or two of those drivers were absent for reasons other than the vaccine mandate, he said.

Four bus routes were delayed on Monday morning, but one bus was delayed because of an injured bear on the road - not the lack of drivers, he said.

Lamont has required staff at pre-K-to-12 schools statewide to get at least their first shot by Sept. 27. The mandate allows for religious and medical exemptions with an opt-out for testing.

The mandate comes as school transportation companies struggle to find enough drivers even without a vaccination mandate, amid an odd job market. Unemployment remains higher than normal but employers in many sectors report difficulty hiring.

Staff Writers Jordan Fenster, Meghan Friedmann and Julia Perkins contributed to this report.

julia.bergman@hearstmediact.com
On Tuesday, Edwardsville Fire Department firefighters helped rescue a dog named Rico that had fallen down a 40-foot well in Prairietown, Ill. The fire department was called to the scene by the Prairietown Fire Department, which is a volunteer fire department.

After surveying the scene, Prairietown firefighters realized they'd need specialized help and called Edwardsville Fire, which includes members with special training in rescues from tight spaces.

"The Edwardsville Fire Department created a technical rescue team, focused on rope operations, confined space and trench training," Ed Burnley, a firefighter with the Edwardsville Fire Department who was on the scene, said. "That confined space training is what our guys deployed."

Burnley said the Prairietown Fire Department located Rico in a well and called the Edwardsville Fire Department for more expertise. The Edwardsville Fire Department found Rico still alive and moving around, went through confined space procedures, ventilated the well and sent a rescuer down on air supply as there had been a low oxygen reading. The rescuer secured the dog with a harness to himself and was pulled up with Edwardsville's tripod.

"To be honest, we played a very key role but small role," Burnley said. "Credit goes to the volunteer department for recognizing the hazard, knowing who to call and when we were on scene they were awesome. These are volunteers, they had to get up early the next day to go to work."

"Tonight we had one of those calls that reminds us why we do this," the Prairietown Fire Department said on Facebook after the successful rescue. "Why when the pager goes off during dinner, bedtime stories with our kids, or family events we go running out the door. When we got a call about Rico being down a 40-foot well we all feared the worst. We called Edwardsville Fire Department in for some help, and with their heroic efforts Rico is safe and giving us doggy kisses!!!"

Mutual Aid Box Alarm System Division 35, which provides a framework for fire departments to work together and share resources, will create their own rescue team, Burnley said. MABAS Division 35 includes fire departments in Madison County, as well as fire departments from Jersey, Macoupin, Montgomery and Bond counties, as well as a few fire departments from nearby Missouri.

"Huge shout out to Edwardsville Fire Department for sending out their confined space/technical rescue team!!!" the Prairietown Fire Department said in another Facebook post. "This would have been a different story without you."
GLEN CARBON  Hawthorne Animal Hospital is marking a milestone worth barking at.

On Sunday afternoon, Hawthorne celebrated its 65th anniversary with an open house at the Dog House, 24 Kettle River Drive in Glen Carbon.

Theres a small number (of animal hospitals) that have been around this long and it shows that were taking good care of the patients and the clients, said Dr. Paul Myer, who is the current owner of Hawthorne.

Dr. Merrill Ottwein opened Hawthorne in 1956, treating both pets at his Edwardsville veterinary clinic and large animals on farm calls across the county. Over the next 65 years, Hawthorne grew into the largest 24-hour regional veterinary hospital in the Metro East.

By remaining at the forefront of veterinary medicine, Hawthorne offers state-of-the-art care, including advanced surgeries, chemotherapy and rehabilitation. The hospital expanded its lineup of services in 2016 by opening The Dog House grooming and training facility.

Hawthornes main location is at 5 Cougar Drive in Glen Carbon, just round the corner from the Doghouse. Another location at 1516 Alarth Drive in Troy is temporarily closed.

On Sunday, Myer was joined by Ottwein and former owners Dr. Joe Helms and Dr. Art Lippoldt as well Jane McKinney, the wife of Dr. Phil McKinney, who died in 2017.

Myer, originally from New Jersey, has been an Edwardsville resident since his senior year at Edwardsville High School, where he graduated in 1979.

He graduated with a bachelors degree in biology from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville in 1983 and received his bachelors degree from the University of Illinois in Veterinary Science in 1984. He then earned a doctorate in veterinary medicine from Illinois in 1986.

During his college years, Myer worked at Hawthorne until his graduation. The four years after graduation took him to Freeport, Illinois and Washington University for diverse job opportunities. He returned home to Hawthorne in 1989.

I was going to Washington University, but I was working part-time on the weekends at the animal hospital and working at Wash U. during the week, said Myer, whose special interests include orthopedic surgery and wildlife rehabilitation.

When I moved here for my senior year of high school, I got introduced to Dr. Helms by a guidance counselor at EHS and he became my mentor. Thats when I discovered that taking care of animals was what I wanted to do. I started working for him in the afternoon after school and it took off from there.

In 30-plus years as a full-time veterinarian at Hawthorne, Myer has seen numerous changes in the field, many of them related to technology.

There are things you never thought you would be able to do, like ultrasound and in-house lab work and digital X-rays, Myer said. A lot of those things didnt even exist when I was in veterinary school, but theyre great tools to help the health of the animals.

But Hawthornes connection to its patients and clients is what has helped the hospital thrive for the past six decades.

The human-animal bond has become a giant part of it and weve also built a base of loyal clients, Myer said. We talk about our old building where the (Glen Carbon) Lowes is now, and we have a lot of people who were with us back then.

We moved into our current location in 2003 and it was quite a step up. We went from a 7,000-square-foot building to a 12,000-square-foot building. I never thought wed outgrow it, but we have.

In addition to its other services, through its Angel Fund Foundation, Hawthorne is committed to improving the quality of life for animals across the region by providing free cradle-to-grave care for K9 officers from eight law enforcement departments and treating injured wildlife brought to the hospital by Treehouse Wildlife Center in Dow, Ill.

We wanted to give back to the community and we wanted to give the K9 officers and their dogs the care they need, Myer said. Were open 24/7 and they work 24/7 too. The dogs dont always get hurt during the weekday; sometimes its at night or on the weekend.

Were equipped to take care of them, and weve built a rapport with them over the years. Our ultimate goal was to prevent what we call economic euthanasia, where animals arent getting the care because people cant afford it.

Hawthorne is accredited by the American Animal Hospital Association (AAAH), a designation only 12-17% of vet clinics in the U.S. currently hold.

It takes a lot of work and you have to go through inspections every so often to make sure you have the protocols and equipment and record-keeping, Myer said. There are different categories you need to check off on. Its a little more effort, but were pretty proud of that.

After returning to Hawthorne in 1989, Myer was working as an associate veterinarian. He became a partner with McKinney and Lippoldt when Helms retired in 1997 and Lippoldt retired about two years later. Myer and McKinney were partners until McKinney passed away in 2017.

I never set out to be the owner of a practice  I just wanted a place where I could have some input and do the type of medicine I wanted to do, Myer said.

Hawthorne currently has 86 employees, about half of which are full-time.

It is staffed by a team of renowned veterinarians with 124 years of combined experience in all areas of medical care.

Our staff is just incredible, especially with the demands, the pace we work at and the hours we work, Myer said. They could go somewhere else with easier hours, but they have a passion and theyve bought into the concept that pets deserve care 24/7. It takes a special person to do that.

The COVID-19 pandemic presented a special challenge for Myer and his staff, but they answered it in impressive fashion.

Not just for our industry but for everybody, it seemed like the way you did things for the last 30 years all got thrown out the window, Myer said. It was trial and error trying to figure out something that worked.

Our staff hung in there through the whole process and our clients beared with us too and we found ways to stay open and take care of patients.

For Myer, one of the highlights of Sundays open house was reminiscing with Ottwein, Helms, Lippoldt and Jane McKinney.

Those doctors have all been mentors for me and somebody you could contact when you need help or suggestions, Myer said. They might have retired, but they didnt leave, and they still pop in and check on things. Part of this (celebration) is a tribute to them because we kept their dream alive and grew it.

Plus, with COVID and so many things being shut down and all other stuff going, we wanted to do something positive. We decided to celebrate 65 years.

For more information on Hawthorne, go to www.hawthorneanimals.org or call 618-288-3971.
3 1 of 3 Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Courtesy of the Village of Glen Carbon Show More Show Less 3 of 3





Glen Carbon history enthusiasts are going to have to wait a little longer for the fate of the Yanda Cabin.

The historic cabin built by settler William Yanda was submitted for the National Registry of Historic Places, and was slated to be considered this month.
LAGOS, Nigeria (AP)  At least 37 villagers were killed in Nigerias north during an attack on a remote village on Sunday, according to witnesses.

The attack in Kaura council area in the restive Kaduna state was blamed on a prolonged religious crisis between Hausa-Fulani residents, who mostly reside in the northern part of the state, and the Christians who are concentrated in the south.

Residents and health workers at the hospitals where corpses and the injured were taken told The Associated Press of how assailants arrived at the Madamai village in large numbers with guns and machetes on Sunday evening.

A police spokesman in Kaduna said he has not been briefed about the incident in the area known as a violence hotspot. In August, five people were killed and some houses were burned down during a similar violence outbreak in Kaura.

On Sunday, 37 people were killed; 35 dead bodies (were) discovered in the village, two (died) in the hospital, said Derek Christopher, a local nurse at the General Hospital Kafanchan. He said the initial death toll was 30 as of Sunday night.

Those injured were given urgent medical attention before being referred to the Bingham University Teaching Hospital in Plateau state, which is about 70 miles (115 kilometers) away from the affected village.

At the hospital in Plateau, Sunday Eze said he narrowly escaped after being shot by the assailants. They shot me on my hand, he said, and, when asked how many the gunmen were, added ruefully: They were plenty; these people.

Another resident who is overseeing care for those injured alleged that the attackers were Fulani herdsmen, referring to herders from the Fulani tribe who have been clashing with the predominantly Christian communities in southern Kaduna for many years.

We have gunshots and we have machete cuts, said resident Cecilia Simon. In the hospital here, we are six (that arrived from the village). This thing is not our fault; maybe it is the fault of the government.

In Nigerias middle belt and central regions, deadly clashes between local communities and Fulani herdsmen continues in a cycle of violence that has defied measures introduced by authorities including the deployment of thousands of security operatives to restore peace.

Security operatives deployed to violence hotspots usually leave those areas once their special security operation is over, leaving the remote communities yet again with an inadequate security presence.

Arrests are rarely carried out, and in Kaduna state, authorities have been accused of failing to act on the reports of government panels set up to investigate the crisis.
Scammers claiming to be involved in Phuket cannabis operation wanted for stealing, selling off rental cars

PHUKET: A gang claiming to rent cars for business involving a large cannabis operation in Phuket is wanted for stealing 10 rental vehicles, cars and vans, after renting them from local car rental operators and not returning them.

crimepoliceCOVID-19economics

By Eakkapop Thongtub

Monday 27 September 2021, 11:50AM

Police complaints and documents proving the venhicles were rented were presented to the press. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub

Police complaints and documents proving the venhicles were rented were presented to the press. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub

Police complaints and documents proving the venhicles were rented were presented to the press. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub

Police complaints and documents proving the venhicles were rented were presented to the press. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub

The rental operators are now appealing for help following inaction by police to catch the gang. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub

The rental operators are now appealing for help following inaction by police to catch the gang. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub

One of the vehicles rented and not returned, now feared taken out of Phuket and sold in another province. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub

One of the vehicles rented and not returned, now feared taken out of Phuket and sold in another province. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub

One of the vehicles rented and not returned, now feared taken out of Phuket and sold in another province. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub

One of the vehicles rented and not returned, now feared taken out of Phuket and sold in another province. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub

The owners now fear that the cars and vans have been sold in other provinces.

One of the rental operators, Ms Nitiya, owner of Tai Rai Home company in Cherng Talay, told reporters yesterday evening (Sept 26) that she usually only rented cars out to foreigners, but due to the COVID economic crisis was forced to broaden her customer range.

We usually are open to foreigners living in Phuket looking to rent a car, at daily and monthly rates, with most of the cars rented being Fortuners, she said.

She said that her company was contacted by one of the gang members who came into her office talking about big business by telling her staff that they would rent a car to do business and contact people in Phuket about growing cannabis plantations.

The first time they rented one car, and three months later they rented another car, she said.

Normally, I would not rent cars to Thai people. However, due to the COVID-19 epidemic situation, our business came to a halt and we had to start renting cars to Thai people, Ms Nitiya said.

We rented the cars on a monthly basis, at starting prices ranging from B15,000-30,000. For the first two months, they paid as usual. But when entering the third month, we were told they had tried to pay but claimed that the account had a problem and they could not transfer the money.

The account was correct, but they kept claiming there were problems, and then they started avoiding calls and did not call back. When we did contact them, they said they would be able to pay at a later date, but when that due date came they did not come to pay and did not answer the phone, Ms Nitiya said.

Ms Nitiya said she had tracked down one of the gang, Sarayut Rattanaburi, to his house, but found the home locked up tight.

She spoke to a neighbour who said that he knew his neighbour was a scammer who had already taken the car to sell in another province, Ms Nitiaya said.

Now I still have to bear the burden of paying B17,000 per month for one of the cars, but I have now been deceived out of two cars which will be sold, she said.

Ms Nitiya said that at the beginning of September she had filed a formal complaint for police to track down Sarayut and have him arrested and prosecuted.

She had also informed the local village headman

I wonder why there is so much evidence and they still cant arrest the participants in this scam, and I have to complain to the press to help present the news, she said.

Another car rental operator duped out of vehicles by Sarayut was Ms Neeranuch, who operates Best Travel Club Company in Pa Khlok.

Ms Neeranuch had rented four vans to the group.

Now I still have to pay almost B20,000 per month in installments for the four vans, thats almost B100,000 per month, she said.

I have filed a complaint, but the case has not progressed, so I have to complain to the media and there are still many car rental companies who have been scammed by this gang, Ms Neeranuch said.

They have been deceived, rented their cars out and not had their cars returned, and filed a complaint, but its like at the beginning, nothing has progressed, everyone has suffered a lot and had to bear the burden of debt during this time with a bad economy, when there are no tourists due to the impact of COVID-19, she added.
In their opinion: The Texas abortion debacle: Deny women rights at your peril
The French are outraged again. It must be a new week.

The Australians decided to cancel a very lucrative contract with them to build a fleet of submarines using old 20th century technology and buy Made In USA ones instead. The French had been salivating over the potential $66 billion dollar contract for years. Thats a lot of escargot.

So what prompted the Aussies to make a U-turn on the U-boat deal? Well, the deal had its usual amount of cost overruns and delays that one would expect from a pricey defense contract. At last count the cost had mushroomed 50% and was several years behind schedule. In other words everything was proceeding according to plan. Whats there to be so upset about?

In the end Australia will get some very sexy state-of-the-art submarines from the United States that are nuclear powered instead of diesel-electric powered ones, an ancient technology, that World War I submarines used.

France was outraged finding out about the cancellation at the last minute through a Facebook post and sent a harshly worded letter to the White House expressing their utter disgust. However, it was written in French and nobody could make head or tail of it so it was ignored as junk mail and discarded.

The Chinese, sensing a threat from the Australians, were equally outraged and also sent a similarly-worded letter to the White House expressing their anger at the deal. However, it was written in Chinese and once again nobody could make head or tail of it so it was tossed.

The Australians and Brits were ecstatic at the deal and sent letters of gratitude to the White House gushing with joy. However, they were both written using the British English spelling rules of orthography and were sent back for correction.

The French President Macron took the unusual step of recalling its ambassador and even threatened to withdraw the entire staff from Disney Worlds French pavilion at EPCOT until Mickey Mouse himself pleaded to give diplomacy a chance. Anna from Frozen urged the French to just let it go.

Diesel-electric submarines can only stay underwater up to a few days before having to resurface to recharge their batteries. Nuclear powered submarines can effectively stay underwater for months at a time until its crew runs out of food or has to return their Netflix DVDs and library books.

So in the end the Australians torpedoed the U-boat deal with the French and are probably on the hook to pay some sort of fee for its cancellation. I suggest the Aussies send the French a symbolic gift basket as a token of reconciliation full of snails, fried duck liver and sandwiches. Probably submarine sandwiches would be best. That ought to patch up the frayed diplomatic ties nicely, dont you think?

Joe Crawford is a longtime Alton resident who writes weekly columns for The Telegraph. He can be contacted at crawfordjo@aol.com.
SAN MARINO (AP)  Pope Francis repeated Monday that abortion is murder," a day after the tiny republic of San Marino became the latest Catholic state to legalize the procedure, much to the cheers of women's rights groups.

An overwhelming majority  77% of the 14,384 votes cast Sunday in the microstate surrounded by Italy  favored making abortion legal in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. Abortion would also be legal beyond that if the womans life is in danger or if her physical or psychological health is at risk because of fetal anomalies or malformations.

Only 41% of eligible voters cast ballots, but no quorum was necessary and only 3,265 of San Marino's population of 33,000 voted No."

The Catholic Church had strongly opposed the measure. The Vatican holds that human life begins at conception and that all life must be protected from conception until natural death.

Pope Francis repeated that stance Monday during a previously scheduled audience with the Vaticans bioethics academy. He decried the throwaway culture that makes abortion seem normal.

There is the waste of children that we dont want welcome, he said. It is really a murder.

Valentina Rossi, member of the Union of Sammarinese Women and a referendum promoter, said the vote result was far beyond the most optimistic expectations. She said it showed that individual voters were able to make a decision that the republics politicians had refused to take for decades, even as Italy and other European countries made abortion legal.

San Marinos Parliament must now draft a bill to legalize the procedure, and proponents called for legislation that provides appropriate reproductive health services for all women.

With this step, we succeeded in demonstrating that citizens are for the most part with us, and that finally San Marino will have to provide an adequate law, Rossi said. At last!

San Marino, one of the worlds oldest republics, had been one of the last European states that still criminalized abortion. With Sundays result, it now joins other predominantly Catholic states like Ireland, which legalized abortion in 2018, and Italy, where abortion has been legal since 1978. Abortion is still illegal in Malta and Andorra, and Poland introduced a near-total ban on the procedure this year.

Giacomo Volpinari, a San Marino citizen, said the vote was historic and showed the power of a referendum to change course.

Where politics couldnt reach, it was the people who chose to get out from a medieval situation San Marino lived in for centuries, he said.

___

Winfield reported from Rome.
MEG BEAL, Westerly volleyball, senior: Beal had 13 aces and 28 assists in three Westerly victories. Beal also contributed 15 digs for the Bulldogs.

ZOOT BOSCHWITZ, Chariho football, senior: Boschwitz completed 14 of 16 passes for 176 yards in the Chargers 42-6 win over Central Falls/Blacksone Valley Prep. Boschwitz threw three touchdown passes.

MADDIE PERKINS, Wheeler girls soccer, senior: Perkins scored two goals and assisted on another in the Lions 3-0 victory against Tourtellotte.

WILL SAWIN, Stonington boys soccer, senior: Sawin, a senior, scored four goals and assisted on three others in a pair of Stonington victories. For the season, Sawin has 11 goals and 10 assists for the Bears.

Vote

View Results
The FTSE 100 ended the day up 0.2 per cent to 7,063.40, while the FTSE 250 was flat at 23,608.63 at the close.

Rio Tinto is being investigated by the Financial Conduct Authority over claims it misled the market about its sprawling 5billion copper mine in Mongolia's Gobi Desert.

The City regulator is questioning those previously linked to the project, sources told the Mail, ahead of potentially launching an official probe.

The Financial Reporting Council has imposed sanctions against Grant Thornton UK in its relation to audit of Patisserie Valerie, which went into administration in 2018 after evidence of potentially fraudulent accounting irregularities emerged.

Grant Thornton faces a financial sanction of 4million, in addition to a suite of non-financial sanctions, which audit engagement partner David Newstead was fined 150,000 for his role.

Morrisons shareholders will on 19 October vote on the 7billion takeover offer from US private equity group Clayton, Dubilier & Rice.

> If you are using our app click here to read Business Live
Shares in Rolls-Royce jumped by 5 per cent as it announced a deal with the US Air Force which could be worth up to 1.8billion ($2.6 billion).

The London-headquartered firm has been selected to provide F-130 engines for B-52 Stratofortress bombers and they will be made at its Indiana facility. The initial 365million ($500 million) six-year deal could rise to 1.8billion ($2.6 billion) longer-term.

Shares in Rolls-Royce, which beat incumbent supplier Pratt & Whitney part of US company Raytheon, to win the contract, jumped to their highest level since June 2020.

Shares in Rolls-Royce flew by 5% as it announced a deal with the US Air Force which could be worth up to 1.8 billion ($2.6 billion)

Jefferies analyst Andy Douglas called the deal a 'good' win for the British engineering firm and said while it wouldn't change numbers straightaway 'it provides additional comfort to longer-term consensus forecasts and is a positive for sentiment.'

The Pratt engines have powered the famous B-52 aircraft, which can carry nuclear weapons, since the 1960s but will be retired by 2030.

The aircraft's manufacturer, Boeing, will integrate the new Rolls engines, with the first due for testing by 2025.

Rolls-Royce said its F-130 engine will provide the US with 'vastly greater fuel efficiency' while the US said in its statement that it would also increase range and cut maintenance costs.

The new engines will allow the bombers to continue missions into the 2050s.

Rolls-Royce currently employs 6,000 people in 27 states across the US.

Recently the company has been under pressure from US-based activist shareholder Causeway Capital, which last month demanded a board shake-up.

In response, Rolls-Royce issued a robust defence of its Power Systems business amid suggestions from its biggest shareholder that the division should be sold off.
PLYMOUTH  Police have issued an arrest warrant for a Norristown man believed to be involved in a shooting on Sept. 26, 2021 at the Wawa convenience store at 1300 East Ridge Pike, Plymouth Township.

According to a report issued by Plymouth Township Police Department, police responded to the convenience store at 3:29 a.m. The initial investigation determined that numerous shots were fired during this incident, and that two individuals were struck by gunfire. The two injured people were located inside of the store and both were treated on scene by Plymouth Township Police Officers and medics from the Plymouth Community Ambulance. Both victims were later transported to Paoli Memorial Hospital for treatment. Their injuries are not believed to be life threatening. Investigators are still attempting to determine if there was any relationship between the victims and shooter prior to this incident.

Police have obtained an arrest warrant, according to the release, for Kyeem Sheirron Whitt charging him with attempted murder. Whitt was last known to reside in Norristown. The warrant was signed by the District Justice Francis Bernhardt for criminal attempt at homicide and related offenses.

Plymouth Township Police Department was assisted in this investigation by the Montgomery County District Attorneys Office and the Montgomery County Detective Bureau, as well as the Whitemarsh, Conshohocken and Norristown Police Departments. Plymouth Fire Company also responded and provided support during the investigation.

The Plymouth Township Police Department was assisted in this investigation by the Montgomery County District Attorneys Office and the Montgomery County Detective Bureau, as well as the Whitemarsh, Conshohocken and Norristown Police Departments. The Plymouth Fire Company also responded and provided support during the investigation.

Anyone who may have information is asked to contact the Plymouth Township Police Department, Criminal Investigations Division at 610-279-1901 or by email at tips@plymouthtowship.org.
As parents become more and more frustrated with school schedules disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, mask mandates, and left-wing indoctrination such as Critical Race Theory being taught to their children, support for school choice options is on the rise.

There is no doubt public education, both K-12 and university level, is badly broken. Taxpayers continue to pour ever-increasing amounts of money into systems that gobble up funds, fail to yield improved outcomes, and then demand even more money.

Even worse, in an era when the spotlight is on racial equality, K-12 public education in Pennsylvania traps minority youth in under-performing schools with no way out. That has given rise to a unique coalition of school choice advocates bringing together conservatives and many Black leaders  unified around the belief that the best way to level the playing field for people of all colors is to receive a quality education.

The Washington, D.C.-based Club for Growth recently launched a National Campaign for School Choice. In so doing it commissioned a nationwide poll. It found that re-branding the debate as school freedom and talking in terms of school choice scholarships resulted in a higher level of support and more accurately describes the movement.

The poll further found that there has been a 12% drop in overall satisfaction with the nations public schools since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. This has resulted in a five percent jump in overall support for school choice  school freedom  since 2015, and a 10-point surge among Democrats. When asked who is at fault for our faltering public school system poll respondents first blamed politicians (70%), 53% placed the blame on union bosses.

Over the years there have been many legislative efforts aimed at providing parents with more freedom to select the educational option that is best for their child. The latest proposal is sponsored by State Rep. Andrew Lewis (R-Dauphin) and it would redirect billions of dollars in public school funding into individual scholarship accounts for each child.

According to The Center Square, the Excellent Education for All Act would allow families to use the roughly $6,000 per student the state pays to afford tuition at private, parochial and charter schools. It also proposes some reforms to charter schools, bolsters tax credit scholarship programs, and preserves some options that were developed to deal with the pandemic.

In introducing the bill Lewis said Pennsylvania is fortunate to have fantastic schools that come in different forms. If passed House Bill 1 would give families access to scholarships that give them more options. And that is precisely what the Club for Growth poll found parents are seeking: the freedom to select the educational opportunity that best suits their childs individual needs.

Some progress toward that goal was made in the current fiscal years state budget. Lawmakers successfully increased the cap on the Educational Improvement Tax Credit Program (EITC) by $40 million. That program provides tax credits of up to $750,000 to businesses that donate money toward scholarships for private schools. It, however, is relatively small given the overall state basic education budget tops $7 billion.

The need to provide more flexibility in education does not end at the K-12 level. Changing occupational needs, along with a smaller student base, have scrambled the market for higher education. The Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PSSHE) is restructuring and merging some campuses due to fiscal challenges and declining enrollment. Interest in technical schools and community colleges is growing as students confront the skyrocketing costs of a four-year degree.

To provide more flexibility State Representative Eric Nelson (R-Westmoreland) has introduced the Pennsylvania College Voucher Program. The Center Square reports that this program would redirect more than $580 million state taxpayer dollars that are currently allocated exclusively to the University of Pittsburgh, Temple University, and Penn State University directly to students in the form of grants that could be used at technical schools, community colleges, PSSHE schools, private colleges or major universities.

All of these initiatives are efforts to provide parents and students with the freedom to select the educational opportunity  either K-12 or higher education  that best suits their individual needs and career goals. And while there is clear public support for moving state policy in this direction powerful vested, and frequently failing, special interests stand in the way.

But the time has come to give students and parents the financial freedom to choose. We can do that by funding students rather than by funding school districts or specific institutions of higher learning.

Lowman S. Henry is Chairman & CEO of the Lincoln Institute and host of the weekly Lincoln Radio Journal and American Radio Journal. His e-mail address is lhenry@lincolninstitute.org
ermanys Social Democrats were set on Monday to start the process of trying to form a government after they narrowly won their first national election since 2005 to end 16 years of conservative-led rule under Angela Merkel.

The centre-left Social Democrats (SPD) won 25.7% of the vote, ahead of 24.1% for Merkels CDU/CSU conservative bloc, according to provisional results. The Greens came in at 14.8% and the liberal Free Democrats (FDP) were on 11.5%.

The Social Democrats chancellor candidate, Olaf Scholz said he hoped to strike a coalition deal before Christmas, although

his conservative rival Armin Laschet said he could still try to form a government despite coming in second.

Merkel will stay in charge in a caretaker role during the coalition negotiations that will set the future course of Europes largest economy.

On Monday, the parties will start sounding each other out about possible alliances in informal discussions.

In order to secure a majority in parliament, the SPD is likely to seek a three-way alliance with the Greens and the FDP, although the two parties could also team up with the conservatives.

If Scholz, 63, succeeds in forming a coalition, he would become the fourth post-war SPD chancellor after Willy Brandt, Helmut Schmidt and Gerhard Schroeder. Finance minister in Merkels cabinet, he is a former mayor of Hamburg.

The SPDs rise heralds a swing left for Germany and marks a remarkable comeback for the party, which has recovered some 10 points in support in just three months to improve on its 20.5% result in the 2017 national election.

But Laschet, 60, still hung on to the possibility that he could be chancellor, even though he led the conservatives to their worst ever election result.

COALITION FOR CHRISTMAS?

Merkel has stood large on the European stage almost since taking office in 2005  when George W. Bush was U.S. president, Jacques Chirac in the Elysee Palace in Paris and Tony Blair British prime minister.

But Berlins allies in Europe and beyond will probably have to wait for months before they can see how the new German government will engage on foreign issues.

Assuming the SPD agree a deal with the Greens and the FDP, the Greens could provide the foreign minister, as they did with Joschka Fischer in their previous two-way alliance with the SPD, while the FDP is seeking the finance ministry.

A row between Washington and Paris over a deal for Australia to buy U.S. instead of French submarines has put Germany in an awkward spot between allies, but also gives Berlin the chance to help heal relations and rethink their common stance on China.

On hearing that the SPD were slightly ahead in polls, U.S. President Joe Biden told reporters in Washington: Ill be darned Theyre solid.

On economic policy, French President Emmanuel Macron is eager to forge a common European fiscal policy, which the Greens support but the CDU/CSU and FDP reject. The Greens also want a massive expansion offensive for renewables.

One thing is certain: the future government will not include the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) which scored 10.3%, a fall from four years ago when they stormed into the national parliament with 12.6% of the vote. All mainstream politicians rule out a coalition with the party.

SOURCE: REUTERS
ALBANY  The insurance company for the driver of the limousine that crashed in Schoharie, killing 20, sent a $100,000 insurance payment for the victims to the Albany court that is overseeing the civil litigation in the matter.

The money being paid by Progressive Insurance, which insured Scott Lisinicchia, will eventually pay each of the 19 victims' estates $5,266. A payment will not be made to the estate of Lisinicchia, who was driving the limousine with 17 passengers on board when its brakes failed on Oct. 6, 2018, sending the vehicle plummeting down a hill and into a parking lot where everyone in the vehicle and two pedestrians died.

The payment is but a fraction of the money the families of the victims hope to ultimately obtain through litigation. But so far, the agreed-to settlements have been modest. The other insurance money due to victims is the $500,000 payout from Global Liberty Insurance Co. of New York, which had insured the Excursion and the limo company, Prestige Limousine of Wilton.

In that case, attorneys for Global Liberty Insurance are being paid $18,243.50 from that $500,000, with the remainder going to the victims' families, which will amount to about $24,087 each.

As of right now, all but Lisinicchia's family is guaranteed at least $29,353 in insurance payments from the limo company and Lisinicchia. That doesn't include any claims the families may have made on the policies of the victims such as life insurance policies.

But the families seek much higher compensation. Several have sued New York state, members of the Hussain family that owned Prestige Limousine, and Malik Riaz Hussain, a close relative of the Hussain family who lives in Pakistan and would sometimes provide financial support to his New York relatives. The estates are suing Mavis Discount Tire, which serviced the Excursion.

The civil litigation is being coordinated in state Supreme Court in Albany, where the insurance payments are being sent.

The cases could drag on for years and some defendants may ultimately be dropped from the case. Riaz Hussain, who has already answered questions in a deposition that was done with an Urdu translator, has asked the judge to drop him from the case.

Riaz Hussain is the founder of Bahria Town, which makes gated communities for middle-class families in Pakistan. He is considered to be one of the richest men in Pakistan. He is the uncle of Nauman Hussain, who managed Prestige Limousine at the time of the crash. Nauman Hussain's father Shahed Hussain was the legal owner of the business but had left for Pakistan in early 2018 and never returned.

Nauman Hussain, 31, pleaded guilty earlier this month to 20 counts of criminally negligent homicide in exchange for a sentence that spares him of prison time. His penalty includes five years of probation and 1,000 hours of community service. The younger Hussain had been accused of failing to maintain the brakes on the Excursion.

Sign up for The Knick  Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter.

Shahed Hussain, a longtime FBI informant, was never questioned by authorities after the crash, which remains the nation's worst highway transportation disaster in more than a decade.

The families are suing the state Department of Transportation and the state Department of Motor Vehicles for alleged missteps that allowed the Hussains to keep renting out the Excursion to the public even after it failed multiple DOT roadside inspections and the vehicle was ordered off the road until fixed. That lawsuit is still pending in the obscure Court of Claims where the public must sue the state and its agencies.

Schoharie County District Attorney Susan Mallery struck the no-prison deal in part so that Nauman Hussain would be free to testify in the civil litigation cases.

Mavis is one of the most significant defendants in those cases because State Police investigators uncovered evidence that a Mavis employee forged the invoices of brake work that Nauman Hussain asked to have done at the Saratoga Springs shop. The district attorney's office has obtained video of interactions between Hussain and Mavis employees, who put a passing state inspection sticker on the limo just months before the crash even though the vehicle was not eligible for inspection at the repair shop.

Mavis has denied any wrongdoing.
ALBANY - National Grid's natural gas and electric customers will see their rates rise once again if state regulators approve a plan announced Monday by the utility, which serves most of the Capital Region.

The rate hike would increase the average monthly National Grid gas and electric bill by $12.43 over three years. The new rates would take effect on Jan. 1.

The initial monthly increase for the average gas and electric customer would amount to $3.43, and increase each of the next two years several more dollars per month.

National Grid had delayed its original rate hike request with the state Public Service Commission due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but had recently been in closed-door negotiations with the PSC and other stakeholders such as IBEW Local 97, the labor union that represents National Grid line workers.

The PSC, which regulates utilities in the state, still must approve the new rate plan. However, PSC staff helped to negotiate the plan with the company and others, so it is expected that the bulk of the proposal is likely to be approved. The state and the company have been in talks for 11 months.

Sign up for The Knick  Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter.

National Grid had originally proposed a one-year rate increase plan that would have led to the average residential gas and electric customers seeing their monthly bill increase almost $8 a month, with new increases being immediately requested for future years. This plan locks in more modest annual increases for three years.

Utilities like National Grid are constantly required to update and modernize their infrastructure as it ages and is destroyed by ever-more-violent storms that have been blamed on climate change. The state and federal government are also pushing utilities to incorporate more renewable energy onto the electric grid, requiring new technologies.

We worked hard to strike a balance between prioritizing customer energy affordability and ensuring resiliency  especially in light of the record number of damaging storms weve seen in upstate New York  while deferring other programs and initiatives that would add to our customers bills, said Rudy Wynter, president of National Grid's New York state operations.
ISLAMABAD  Pakistans planning minister says the government will begin a drive to vaccinate children aged 12 or above to protect them from coronavirus.

The announcement on Tuesday by Asad Umar comes amid a steady decline in fatalities from coronavirus across the country.

Umar in a tweet said Pakistan will launch a campaign soon to vaccinate children at schools. He did not say exactly when it will begin.

Currently Pakistan is offering free jabs to teens and adults.

The latest development comes hours after Pakistan reported 41 deaths from coronavirus and 1,400 new cases in the past 24 hours.

It is the first time since July that Pakistan reported less than 1,500 single-day confirmed cases amid the fourth wave which authorities believe has subsided.

___

MORE ON THE PANDEMIC:

 U.S. has enough COVID-19 vaccines for boosters, kids' shots

 Rowdy celebrations erupt in Norway as COVID restrictions end

 EXPLAINER: Whos eligible for Pfizer booster shots in US?

___

See all of AP's pandemic coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic

___

HERES WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING:

SYDNEY  Australias Victoria state has recorded more coronavirus infections than New South Wales for the first time since an outbreak of the delta variant began in Sydney in June.

Victoria is Australias second-most populous state and on Tuesday the state capital of Melbourne reported 867 new virus cases and four deaths from COVID-19 in the latest 24-hour period.

It was the highest daily numbers of infections and deaths in Victoria for the latest outbreak. Victorias previous high infection count was 847 reported Saturday.

New South Wales is the most populous state and home to Sydney, which reported 863 new infections Tuesday and seven deaths. The state has seen daily infections plateau as vaccinations have risen.

Sydney has been in lockdown since June 26 and Melbourne since Aug. 5.

___

WELLINGTON, New Zealand  New Zealand is relaxing travel restrictions in Auckland six weeks after the nations most populous city was locked down due to the coronavirus.

People will be able to cross the city boundary beginning Monday night if they are permanently relocating, have shared caring-giving arrangements or are returning home. Those leaving Auckland on care-giving trips will have to be tested for the virus within a week of their departure.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says more flexibility is being given because the system of pandemic restrictions is currently doing its job.

The city reported eight new infections Tuesday in the latest 24-hour period. Auckland was locked down Aug. 17 after the delta variant leaked from hotel quarantine from a New Zealander who had returned from Sydney.

Pandemic restrictions elsewhere in New Zealand amount to little more than mandatory mask-wearing.

___

NEW YORK  A federal appeals panel says New York City may require teachers to be vaccinated against the coronavirus.

The three-judge panel of the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals acted late Monday to lift a temporary order issued Friday that blocked the mandate from taking effect so a challenge could be heard from a group of teachers.

The mandate had been set to go into effect Monday for teachers and other employees of the citys schools. The appeals panels ruling put the mandate back in force.

Lawyers for the teachers said they will now ask the U.S. Supreme Court to intervene. One attorney said: With thousands of teachers not vaccinated the city may regret what it wished for. Our children will be left with no teachers and no security in schools.

___

SACRAMENTO, Calif.  A federal judge has ordered that all employees entering California prisons be vaccinated or have a religious or medical exemption.

The order is aimed at heading off another coronavirus outbreak like the one that killed 28 inmates and a correctional officer at San Quentin State Prison last year.

The order also requires that inmates who want in-person visits or who work outside prisons, including inmate firefighters, must also be fully vaccinated or have a religious or medical exemption.

The prison guards union says it may appeal.

More than 50,000 California inmates have been infected with the coronavirus and at least 240 have died of COVID-19.

___

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa  Faculty at Iowas public universities are demanding the right to require masks in their classrooms regardless of state law or policies against them.

Biology professor Steve OKane Jr. has pushed a resolution among colleagues at the University of Northern Iowa saying faculty should be allowed to manage their classrooms. OKane told The Cedar Rapids Gazette that he has already imposed a mask mandate for his students and lowers their lab grades if they refuse to comply.

Northern Iowa, the University of Iowa and Iowa State University sent petitions last month to the state Board of Regents signed by hundreds of faculty asking for the ability to require masks and vaccines.

Board of Regents President Mike Richards in May barred administrators from requiring masks or vaccines.

___

HONOLULU  New federal rules for international travelers are expected to help Hawaiis crippled tourism industry.

The states international market has been nearly nonexistent since the pandemic largely shut down travel.

Last week, the White House loosened rules that previously prohibited some foreign travelers from coming to the U.S. Now foreign visitors can come if they can show proof of vaccination and produce a negative COVID-19 test.

The Honolulu Star-Advertiser reports that the changes could bring back international travel to the islands. It is down 97% compared to before the pandemic.

Hawaii currently only requires proof of vaccination or a single pre-flight COVID-19 test for mainland and some international travelers.

Some see the new rules as more restrictive for Japanese travelers, a major component of Hawaiis tourism industry. Japan and other key markets for Hawaii tourism have high vaccination rates and officials expect that trend to continue in the coming months.

___

TOPEKA, Kan.  Gov. Laura Kelly has ordered flags throughout the state to be flown at half-staff to honor COVID-19 victims as Kansas exceeded 6,000 reported deaths.

Kellys order Monday applied immediately and directed that flags remain lowered until sunset Wednesday. The governor has issued such an order every time Kansas reports another 1,000 COVID-19 deaths.

According to Kansas health department data, the state averaged 15 additional reported COVID-19 deaths a day for the seven days ending Monday. The number of reported deaths rose 43 since Friday, making the total 6,024.

The state also reported an average of 1,012 new cases and 37 additional hospitalizations a day for the seven days ending Monday.

___

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C.  A North Carolina-based hospital system announced Monday that more than 175 of its workers have been fired for failing to comply with its COVID-19 vaccination requirement.

Sign up for The Knick  Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter.

Last week, Novant Health announced 375 employees had been suspended and given five days to comply with the mandate. The deadline was Friday.

Nearly 200 of those employees came into compliance, Spokesperson Megan Rivers said in an email Monday. Rivers didnt provide specific numbers on how many out of the 375 were in compliance and how many lost their jobs.

More than 99% of Novant Healths 35,000-plus employees are now compliant with the vaccine mandate, including employees who have submitted an approved religious or medical vaccine exemption, according to a statement.

The Winston-Salem-based system includes 15 hospitals, 800 clinics and hundreds of outpatient facilities.

___

MALDEN, Mass.  State education officials on Monday extended Massachusetts public school indoor mask mandate an extra month.

The mandate that applies to students, staff and faculty, was scheduled to expire on Oct. 1, but will now run through at least Nov. 1, state Education Commissioner Jeffrey Riley said.

Middle and high schools can apply for a waiver from the face covering rules if 80% of their students and staff have been vaccinated, he said.

The original mandate was announced in August. It applies to students age 5 and over. Masks are not required outdoors or while eating, and a limited number of other indoor activities.

About 2,220 students and more than 300 workers at Massachusetts public schools have tested positive for COVID-19 this school year, according to the latest information available from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

___

HAVANA  Cuba has begun commercial exports of its homegrown COVID-19 vaccines, sending shipments of the three-dose Abdala vaccine to Vietnam and Venezuela.

President Miguel Diaz-Canel announced the arrival in Vietnam on his Twitter feed Sunday. Cubas Center of Genetic Immunology and Biotechnology also announced that initial shipments of the Abdala shots were sent to Venezuela over the weekend.

Vietnams President Nguyen Xuan Phuc visited Cuba last week and toured the laboratory that produces the vaccine, announcing an agreement to buy at least 5 million doses.

Delcy Rodriguez, Venezuelas vice president, announced in June that the country had agreed to buy $12 million worth of the Cuban vaccine, though officials have declined to say how many doses were involved.

Another Cuban-developed COVID-19 vaccine is being produced in Iran, which Cuba has asked the World Health Organization to approve in hopes to extend exports of its locally developed vaccines.

Cuban scientists have said the vaccines are more than 90% effective against illness, though  like all vaccines  less so against mere infection.

Cuba plans to fully vaccinate 90% of its population by the end of November  a key step to reopening an economy heavily dependent on tourism.

Cubas director of epidemiology, Francisco Duran, said Monday that the country of some 11 million people has registered 860,799 infections with COVID-19 and 7,279 deaths during the pandemic.

___

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico  A pharmacy owner in Puerto Rico has pleaded guilty to illegally vaccinating two dozen children against COVID-19 with shots that had not been approved as safe for that age group, federal authorities said Monday.

The U.S. Attorneys Office said Liz Ann Banchs fully inoculated minors between the ages of 7 and 11 with the Pfizer vaccine from late May until late June.

The vaccine is currently approved for those 12 years and older, though Pfizer announced last week that a version of its vaccine, with much-reduced doses, is safe and works for children ages 5 to 11 and that it will soon seek U.S. authorization for that age group.

Authorities said the illegal vaccination occurred at Farmacia Gabriela, Inc. in the southern mountain town of Juana Diaz. They said Banchs faces up to five years in prison and up to a $250,000 fine.

___

BUENOS AIRES  Argentinas government opened some of its border to tourists from Chile and Brazil on Monday for a four-day test run as cases of COVID-19 have declined.

The measure applies to two crossings into the provinces of Mendoza, a wine-producing region that neighbors Chile, and Misiones, which borders Brazil hand has the famed Iguazu Falls.

Prior to the pandemic, thousands of people crossed daily over those borders.

Visitors will still need to show they have completed a full vaccine course at least 14 days before arriving, show a recent negative PCR test and accept a fast antigen test on arriving.

They wont have to quarantine, but will required to have another PCR test if they stay beyond seven days  and those who test positive would then have to quarantine.

The announcement amounts to an early start on a gradual opening of land borders that already had been announced for citizens of neighboring countries that was to start on Friday. Fully vaccinated Argentines living abroad will no longer have to quarantine on arrival.

The country of about 45 million people has seen steadily improving levels of infection and hospital bed occupation after being hit hard by the virus. Overall, it has recorded 5.2 infections and more than 114,000 deaths.
The latest in New York politics This article was featured in the Capitol Confidential newsletter. Sign up here to get it each morning.

By 5 p.m. today, the governor's vaccine mandate for hospital workers goes into effect. All the while, Capital Region hospitals are scrambling to find new ways to recruit and retain staff amid a staffing shortage they say has reached crisis levels. Area hospital leaders say the vaccine mandate is not responsible for the current staffing shortage, but they expect it will exacerbate the issue and could potentially impact care as thousands of unvaccinated health care workers statewide risk losing their jobs if they have not received at least one dose of vaccine or applied for an exemption by Monday. (TU)

Gov. Kathy Hochul said Saturday she will enlist the help of health care professionals from other states or countries, deploy medically trained National Guard members and seek federal disaster medical assistance teams if staffing shortages in hospitals and other health care facilities surge after the vaccination mandate begins today. On Friday, Hochul said she would unveil her plans sometime before Monday. (TU)
Federal assistance is being made available for municipalities in Dutchess, Orange, Putnam and Rockland counties to rebuild and recover publicly owned infrastructure damaged by the remnants of Hurricane Ida.

Certain private non-profit organizations also are eligible for the public assistance grants, through the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

However, in Dutchess, Orange and Putnam, that assistance is still not being made available to individuals.

The counties' additions were determined by joint damage assessments conducted by the state and FEMA.

Initially, the assistance was only made available to governments, agencies and individuals in Westchester and several New York City and Long Island counties hit especially hard by the storm on Sept. 1 and 2.

Gov. Kathy Hochul announced the expanded assistance Friday. Rockland residents were also added to the list of counties eligible for individual assistance. The governor did not say why the other three counties were excluded.

"When I witnessed the damage from this historic storm, I pledged that we would do everything in our power to help all the communities impacted rebuild, and this latest announcement fulfills our promise to those who suffered in the Hudson Valley," Hochul said in a statement.

Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro called the announcement "good news for our local municipalities" which are facing more than $2.5 million in repair costs for damage to public facilities. Molinaro said he will continue to press FEMA and the state for individual assistance to aid families and businesses.

Several bridges and roads were washed out during the storm, notably one on East Hook Road in southern Dutchess, which has since been replaced with a temporary bridge.

Putnam County Executive MaryEllen Odell said there was "extensive damage to roads and drainage systems across our county. It's good to know that our communities will now be eligible for federal funding to rebuild the infrastructure that's been damaged."

Orange County Executive Steve Neuhaus thanked Hochul for "stepping up and helping our communities rebuild after the storm."

Reps. Sean Patrick Maloney, D-Cold Spring, and Antonio Delgado, D-Rhinebeck, praised the expansion of the program.

Downtime is the best time Make the most of your Hudson Valley weekend, every week with our newsletter.

Maloney, who represents the 18th Congressional District, noted, "This money is key to helping our cities, towns, and villages repair roads and bridges damaged during Ida. I will continue to push for all and any further assistance the Hudson Valley needs to get back to business. We aren't going to leave our local governments on the hook for the cost of this recovery."

___

(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.
Jessica Lopez, a 36-year-old woman from Newburgh, went missing on November 3, 2019, after last being seen at the Windsor Motel in the Town of New Windsor. Last year, District Attorney David M. Hoovler charged her ex-boyfriend for her murder.

Lopezs body has not been recovered and might never be. Hoovler said at a November 2020 press conference that the case was considered a domestic violence-related homicide in every way, shape and form.

Local news covered her case initially and again once Lopezs ex-boyfriend was charged. But her story never gained the same national attention as a now well-known tragic case.

Over the last two weeks, the country has been gripped by the disappearance and death of Gabby Petito, a 22-year-old white woman. She and her fiance, Brian Laundrie, were traveling across the country together in a van when she went missing. Her case was discussed across all social media platforms including TikTok, Instagram, YouTube and Twitter, and garnered heavy national media attention.

Were very sorry for the loss of Gabby, said Domingo Ramos, founder, president and CEO of Hope Alive 845, a Monticello-based nonprofit committed to helping find missing people. Its devastating. Ive been working on new cases in Sullivan County, and they just dont get that much attention. Every missing person should get attention.

Many criticize the media for not casting the same spotlight on missing people of color. According to the FBIs National Crime Information Center, there were more than 89,000 active missing person cases at the end of 2020, with 45 percent being people of color. Despite comprising almost half of all cases, only about one-fifth of missing person cases involving minorities are covered by news, according to a 2016 analysis published in the Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology.

Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, the first Native American cabinet secretary, said the extensive media coverage of Petito should be a reminder of hundreds of Native American girls and women who are missing or murdered in the United States. A report from the University of Wyoming found that 710 Indigenous people were reported missing from 2011 to 2020 in that state  the same state where Petitos remains were found.

Missing persons cases in the Hudson Valley

In the Hudson Valley, there have been a number of other missing person cases that have not gained widespread attention. Shaniece Harris of Rock Hill went missing from Sullivan County in 2017. Last year, the FBI announced a reward of up to $10,000 for information that leads to an arrest in the case. Harris was 31 at the time of her disappearance.

Downtime is the best time Make the most of your Hudson Valley weekend, every week with our newsletter.

In 2006, Petra Muhammad was 30 years old when she went missing from Highland Falls. She had filed a restraining order against her husband and was in the process of moving out when she disappeared, police say. She also has not been found and neither have her remains. Missing persons cases involving men who have disappeared also often don't get widespread attention. Hudson Valley resident Marvin Gibbs was last seen in Fallsburg in the 1980s when he was 19 years old.

A local missing persons case that did receive national media attention, including a segment on NBCs Dateline, was the disappearance of 29-year-old Alicia Kenyon, a white woman from Catskill. Kenyon disappeared in March and was found safe in Maryland in June.

I think about how the families feel when they see all of the media attention, said Ramos. I was talking to a family member yesterday and they were heartbroken and asked why their daughter wasnt getting that much attention.

Why do some cases get more coverage than others? We dont know what the problem is actually, Ramos said. When I see this go nationwide with Gabby, I wonder why other cases arent getting as much exposure.
HUDSON  First, her hours at McDonalds were slashed to just about 20 hours per week.

Then, she got COVID-19 and had to stop working. Before Sara Reyes knew it, she and her husband were five months behind on their rent, living paycheck to paycheck to feed their family.

But then Reyes, an undocumented immigrant from El Salvador, learned about the Excluded Workers Fund. She was excited  finally, there was something for them.

The Excluded Workers Fund is a first-in-the-nation program passed by the state Legislature this year that designated $2.1 billion in COVID-19 relief for undocumented immigrants who are ineligible for other federal and state benefits. But the rollout of the program has been riddled with complications and barriers to access for those who need it most.

The challenges have been numerous: Getting necessary documentation for cash employees, proximity to consulates for document retrieval, language access, scammers and, most recently, funds running out. Community organizers were told Wednesday that applications submitted after Friday could not be guaranteed for approval, as the funds are distributed on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Theres been a huge spike in applications recently, which really speaks to how desperately this fund has been needed for communities for so long, said Ivy Hest, director of communications for the Columbia County Sanctuary Movement (CCSM). Weve been very happy that most folks whove applied have been able to receive funds, but theres definitely a lot of folks who have been left out.

The state Department of Labor did not respond to questions Friday about whether the funds are running out and whether future eligible applicants may be denied. However, a note posted to their website Friday reads: "The Fund is currently nearing exhaustion. While we will still accept new applications, we cannot guarantee that funds will be available."

As of Friday afternoon, of the nearly 237,000 claims that have been submitted, 90,895 had been approved, according to data from the DOL website. While most of those claims were submitted downstate, data from Sept. 14 shows that nearly 2,000 were submitted from Capital Region counties (the majority from Albany County), with 68 claims paid.

However, most of the statewide claims were submitted just this past week, seven weeks after applications first opened in August, with the record being 20,538 submitted applications on Monday. The sudden surge is a testament, advocates say, to the sense of urgency caused by rapidly dwindling funds, but also the amount of organizing and support that needed to be put in place to aid undocumented immigrant communities in the application process  which has been a particular challenge for upstate organizations.

New York City particularly has a much higher density of immigrants, but also organizations and governmental structures to help facilitate the process of getting all of your documents, Hest said. Were behind because of this barrier.

Immigration advocates added that while they are appreciative of the labor department and Gov. Kathy Hochul's administration for the rapid rollout of the funds, with 99.7 percent of approved applicants getting the full $15,600 in aid, they also knew $2.1 billion would not be enough to meet the demand.

Even without the shrinking relief funds, however, undocumented workers are facing barriers in the application process alone.

One challenged community advocates have seen, particularly upstate, is workers paid in cash.

Diana Cruz, director of programs and services for CCSM, was recently working with a young woman to apply for the Excluded Workers Fund. But applicants have to show proof of their income and income loss, through the use of pay stubs, W-2s, or, in the case of cash workers, a letter from their employer. The last time this woman had asked her employer for a letter proving her employment and pay, she was pregnant and trying to receive Medicare  and her boss fired her, Cruz said.

Sign up for The Knick  Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter.

Reyes herself has seen a lot of community members bosses refuse to give them proof of employment letters, she said through an interpreter.

If people who are applying cant get the letter, they should be able to give their bosss name and the DOL can investigate, she said. I think the reason why they refuse is because theyre avoiding paying taxes on their employees.

Providing proof of residence has proved to be another particular challenge for upstate immigrants, especially as many of those who work on farms have housing provided to them by their employers. Even utility bills arent always an option for applicants, because the bills arent always in their names.

It has forced us to get a little more creative, Cruz said. We were able to use documents from family court for one person, another we used a traffic violation.

And as vulnerable populations become desperate to get financial assistance, scammers have been taking advantage.

Reyes daughter received a call from someone earlier this week claiming to be with the labor department, and telling her that she would first have to deposit $600 before being able to obtain her thousands of dollars in relief.

Theres false websites, false numbers, and thats why people have to go to CCSM, Reyes said.

The challenges workers have faced so far in applying for the funds demonstrate that the policies requiring proof of employment and residence need to be changed as funds continue to get distributed, said Bianca Guerrero, campaign coordinator for the Fund Excluded Workers Coalition. She added that downstate immigrants whose homes were flooded during Hurricane Ida should be accommodated, as many of them lost the documentation they needed during the flash floods.

This program is the first time anything like this has been done in the country, Guerrero said. Gov. Hochuls administration has a real chance to change things for immigrant workers and make history here. The real test of success is is it going to be funded well enough to meet the needs? We wanna make sure New York gets this right."
ALBANY  Racial and social justice activists who say police are using heavy-handed tactics to intimidate and silence them were pleased to hear Monday that the state Attorney General's Civil Rights Bureau is scrutinizing upstate cities where Black Lives Matter protesters have been arrested.

Lexis Figuereo, the leader of the BLM movement in Saratoga Springs, said "the police and the city will finally see that they will be held accountable for their actions." He is among those facing charges for blocking Broadway there for several minutes during a July 14 protest.

"Without transparency, there will never be (accountability)," Figuereo said.

Attorney General Letitia James mentioned on Thursday that her office is examining actions taken in upstate cities after WAMC-90.3 FM asked her about police treatment of protesters in Saratoga Springs and Schenectady. She stopped short of naming the cities the bureau is looking at, but locally high-profile arrests of protesters in those two cities have fueled complaints that police are trying to intimidate racial justice advocates with arrests, and in the case of Saratoga Springs, hours of detention for low-level violations and misdemeanor charges.

There are a number of jurisdictions that we are looking at, James said. I cannot tell you what jurisdictions, but our offices, our Civil Rights Bureau, was looking into a number of things, investigations, upstate.

As attorney general, James is the state's most powerful prosecutor, who, among other things, watches over civil and human rights. In August, James released a report on allegations of sexual harassment against then Gov. Andrew Cuomo in which she found his 11 accusers credible. That report, five months in the making, led to Cuomo's resignation.

Samira Sangare, who was arrested for disorderly conduct on Sept. 7 by Saratoga Springs police for her participation in the July 14 protest, said James' investigation into the police "is extremely important."

"She needs to understand that police are targeting Black activists," Sangare said. "In all honesty, what Saratoga and Schenectady police departments are doing is shining a light on the fact that there needs to be an investigation."

Lt. Robert Jillson, spokesman for the Saratoga Springs police, said the agency would cooperate if the AGs office investigates its treatment of activists.

If they opt to investigate us or come up here  they have done that with other things that we have been cooperative and forthcoming  I wouldnt think it would be any different, Jillson said.

Schenectady police spokesman Patrick Irwin said the department would not comment on James' remarks.

Over the past month, social and racial justice advocates have been arrested in both cities, 12 in Saratoga Springs and two in Schenectady, on warrants in connection to events that took place weeks earlier.

In Saratoga Springs, the dozen arrests were in connection with a July 14 protest in which Broadway traffic was blocked for several minutes. A 911 caller, riding in a car, asked the police to do something to move traffic so he could get home to take his heart medication. That call, Jillson said, prompted an investigation that led to charges of disorderly conduct and unlawful imprisonment.

Five of the protesters were pulled off the street when they were arrested, rather than being presented with summonses. Four were held for four hours before being arraigned in shackles. Another man was held overnight.

Sign up for The Knick  Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter.

Last Tuesday, activists were also barred from entering Saratoga Springs City Court to watch the proceedings of activists who were facing arraignment. Commissioner of Public Safety Robin Dalton said she was looking into that.

"As the Commissioner of Public Safety, I take these allegations very seriously and am undertaking a thorough investigation concerning any possible involvement of the Saratoga Springs Police Department," Dalton said on Friday. "While the city does not have any authority over the operation of the Court System, access to public buildings and facilities should never be unduly restricted."

In Schenectady, two activists surrendered Thursday on charges of disorderly conduct and endangering the welfare of a child after they allegedly yelled obscenities at police at an Aug. 26 community event for children. They were not, however, held in the city jail nor cuffed and shackled when they appeared in court on Thursday. They were arraigned and released.

Last week, the regional director of the New York Civil Liberties Union, Melanie Trimble, said her organization is monitoring the activities of both city police departments and accused Saratoga Springs police, specifically, of acting as a "racist organization."

Trimble welcomes an investigation.

Its time for Attorney General James to open an investigation into the discriminatory treatment that Black Lives Matter protesters have faced in Saratoga, Schenectady, and wherever voices calling for racial justice are being silenced, suppressed and targeted statewide. The intimidation and arrests in Saratoga, and Schenectady, lawmakers using their authority to condemn BLM activists must come to an end.

Regardless, Figeureo said he and his allies will not stop fighting injustice.

"Saratoga BLM will continue to fight for justice, transparency, equity and inclusivity for all," he said.
Two field grade officers, who as civilians are former law enforcement officers, have retired from the military.

Army National Guard Col. Patrick Macklin, an Iraq War veteran with more than 30 years of military service, retired from service during a ceremony held at the National Guard Joint Force Headquarters in Latham

Macklin of Wantagh, Nassau County, a former New York City police officer received a Legion of Merit, a New York State Conspicuous Service Cross, and a Long & Faithful Service Award from Maj. Gen. Michel Natalia, the assistant state adjutant general.

In 2019, he assumed responsibilities as the deputy division chief for the National Guard Bureau's Weapons of Mass Destruction Response Division, leading his element through its response and support for the National Guard through the COVID-19 response. In 2021, he became acting division chief for the element.

New York Army National Guard Lt. Col. Monique Foster of Schenectady has retired during a ceremony at Fort Drum after a career that began with her graduation from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in 1984.

After leaving the Coast Guard, Foster worked as a deputy sheriff in Portland, Org. for a time before she joined the New York Army National Guard in 2002. Her last assignment was as commander lo the 102nd Military Police Battalion in Auburn.

Macklin was commissioned as an officer upon graduation from the New York National Guard Empire State Military Academy in 1991. Following initial infantry officer training, he spent more than a decade with the 1st Battalion, 69th Infantry Regiment, based in New York City. He led soldiers in command and staff positions, including as a rifle platoon leader, a mortar platoon leader, an air defense platoon leader, a company executive officer, a rifle company commander, a battalion logistics officer and battalion operations officer.

He deployed in 2004 after assignment to the Troy-based 42nd Infantry Division Headquarters staff, serving as the deputy operations officer for the division tactical command post in Tikrit, Iraq, as part of Task Force Liberty. Macklin continued his career in the division headquarters in Troy for a decade, serving as the officer in charge of a division tactical command post, assistant chief of staff for plans and led the division's domestic all-hazards response team and National Guard Bureau's domestic coordination cell to prepare the National Guard for civil support operations in times of disaster.

In 2016, he was selected for command of the 53rd Digital Liaison Detachment, based in New York City, leading an element of senior officers and noncommissioned officers to provide liaison between U.S. and joint or multinational partners.

Macklin is a graduate of the Command and Staff General College and earned a bachelor of arts in communications from the New York Institute of Technology. He has also earned sixth Meritorious Service Medals, a Joint Service Commendation Medal, four Army Commendation Medals, an Army Reserve Component Achievement Medal, and an Army Meritorious Unit Award. His state awards include the Military Commendation Medal, Defense of Liberty Service Medal with World Trade Center Device, Humane Service Medal with Silver Shield.

Foster, a veteran of the Iraq War, also served as the Equal Opportunity Officer for the New York Army National Guard while commanding the 102nd. After earning her commission as an ensign in the Coast Guard, Foster served as ship's navigator and operations officer servicing Aids to Navigation in the Great Lakes. She also completed a deployment to the Caribbean conducting Drug Interdiction Patrols.

From 1986 to 1987, Foster served as the commander of the LORAN navigation station on Attu Island in Alaska. She was the first woman to command the location during a 12-month isolated duty tour. She finished her Coast Guard service as a marine inspector in Seattle. She joined the New York Army National Guard as a platoon leader in the 105th Military Police Company in 2003. She deployed to Iraq in 2006, serving as the executive officer of the Puerto Rico National Guard's 240th MP Company, conducting police partnerships with Iraqi Forces.

Sign up for The Knick  Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter.

In 2008 she took command of the 222nd Military Police Company in Rochester and served in that role until 2012. Foster has also served as the 27th Infantry Brigade Combat Team rear detachment logistics commander, the 42nd Infantry Division force protection planner, and the 104th Military Police Battalion operations and executive officer, and the 42nd Infantry Division provost marshal.

She has earned a Bronze Star, a Meritorious Service Medal, an Army Commendation Medal, an Army Achievement Medal, a Coast Guard Achievement Medal, a Coast Guard Unit Commendation, an Army Meritorious Unit Citation, Coast Guard Sea Service Ribbon, and a German Armed Forces Badge for Military Proficiency.

World War II veteran honored

Ralph Fabozzi of Amsterdam, an Army Air Forces veteran of World War II, has been honored by Assemblyman Angelo Santabarbara as part of the veterans 100th birthday celebration. Santabarbara presented a citation to Fabozzi as a tribute for his military service.

Im honored to present a citation to Ralph Fabozzi for his exemplary service to our great nation, said Santabarbara. After serving our country, Ralph returned to make a life for himself here in Amsterdam where, for decades, he has been an upstanding member of his community.

During the war Fabozzi served in for three and a half years as a B-17 and B-29 aircraft mechanic. He served at bases in Mississippi, Texas, California and Florida.

After the war, he settled in Amsterdam with his wife and daughter and took a job at Mohasco Industries, where he worked for 27 years as a Wilton carpet cleaner. After Mohasco Industries closed, Fabozzi worked for the state Thruway Authority until his retirement.
PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. (AP)  A Florida woman is accused of firebombing a Buddhist temple, sheriff's officials said.

Palm Beach County Sheriff's deputies arrested Mei Cheung, 46, on Sunday after they were called to St. Dak Buddhist Temple near Palm Beach Gardens, officials said in a news release.

Multiple items were found burning on the temple's grounds were determined to be improvised incendiary devices, the release said.

Video surveillance at the temple caputured a woman igniting and throwing four firebombs over the gate onto the temple property. She was also seen on video placing a fifth lit firebomb in a mailbox on the temple grounds, the release said.

Deputies interviewed Cheung and arrested her on Sunday evening. She's charged with five counts of using a fire bomb and one count of property damage at a religious facilty, jail records show. She remained in the Palm Beach County Jail on Monday morning, records show.

Sign up for The Knick  Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter.

Arrest records don't list an attorney who could speak on her behalf.

No additional details were immediately available.
SARATOGA SPRINGS  George Frayne IV, who spun the name of a 1950s sci-fi character into a lifelong alias as leader of the band Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen, died Sunday, according to John Tichy, a rhythm guitarist in the original band, founded in 1967, and an engineering professor at RPI in Troy since 1976.

A resident of the Spa City starting in the mid-1990s, Frayne was 77 and had been receiving treatment for cancer for several years.

Frayne's rowdy, boogie-woogie piano playing was the basis for Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen's sound, with influences including country, rock 'n' roll, rockabilly, swing and jump blues. Formed in Ann Arbor, Mich., where Frayne earned a graduate degree in sculpture and painting from the University of Michigan, the band relocated to California's Bay Area in 1969 and within three months was opening for The Grateful Dead. Two years later Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen released its first album and what would become its best-known song, a cover of the 1955 tune "Hot Rod Lincoln."

According to Tichy, a radio DJ in Modesto, Calif., played "Hot Rod Lincoln" late one night on a whim, the phones lit up, and a major hit was launched. It rose in the charts to the top 10. Before breaking up in 1976, the band toured constantly and recorded seven albums, all making the charts, along with five charting singles, Tichy said.

"They were alt-country/Americana way before there was a name for it," David Malachowski, a guitarist based in the Capital Region for many years who saw Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen perform at the University at Albany in 1975, said via email. Malachowski played guitar with the group for three years in the late 1990s after Frayne re-established it following his move to Saratoga.

"George had the vision to see a future in the rag-tag group of musicians" he assembled as the original lineup of Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen, Tichy said via email. The core ensemble had six members, Frayne and Tichy among them, with a rotating roster of bassists and drummers.

"An appeal of the band was the cast of diverse characters, held together by Fraynes leadership and charisma," Tichy said.

Although Frayne acknowledged indulging in the many excesses of early-'70s rock 'n' roll, "The Commander I knew was a music-history buff, fine-arts scholar and one of the sharpest minds Ive ever encountered," said Malachowski, currently in Paducah, Ky., where he is playing guitar in the onstage band for the 25th anniversary farewell tour of the musical "Rent." Malachowski also contributed stories and reviews about popular music to the Times Union from 1998 to 2015.

While Frayne's finger-busting pianism looked and sounded to audiences like a romping good time, his performing chores were deceptively difficult, requiring multiple rhythms for a complicated left-hand part, busy right hand and singing on top of both. Malachowski compared it to rapping while patting one's head and rubbing one's belly, all with different speeds and patterns.

Malachowski said, "I asked him once how he did it, and he said he just played the left-hand figures nonstop all day for about a year, until it became second nature."

"From the moment he took the stage and through the whole show, he had it going on  you could tell he was in charge," said Mark Gamsjager, a Capital Region guitarist and leader of the rockabilly band The Lustre Kings. As a preteen and teen on Long Island, when friends were listening to Led Zeppelin, Gamsjager was a fan of an older sound, and he became enraptured by Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen, playing cassette versions of their albums through a boom box, he said.

"There is absolutely no doubt that they influenced my musical tastes as a young teen, and that influenced the direction I went with my own music," said Gamsjager.

Two decades later, with Gamsjager's career established locally, he would get to know and perform in different settings with Frayne, Tichy and Bill Kirchen, another member of the original Commander Cody band. Gamsjager also scheduled Frayne and the band when Gamsjager was booking shows at the Ale House and its affiliated venue, The Hangar on the Hudson, both on River Street in Troy.

"As a musician, I felt blessed to be able to be on a stage with Commander Cody," Gamsjager said.

Frayne was born July 19, 1944, in Boise, Idaho, and was raised in the metro New York City area, primarily Bay Shore on Long Island, as the son of two successful professional artists. He received a bachelor's degree in design from the University of Michigan in 1966, a master of fine arts the following year and was on the arts faculty of the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh for several years.

Sign up for The Knick  Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter.

Although best known as Commander Cody, Frayne never left behind his academic training as a visual artist, continuing to paint over the decades and having exhibits as far-flung as Austin, Texas, and Tokyo. His visual work extended to video and film. An experimental video by Frayne, called "Two Triple Cheese Side Order of Fries," is included in the permanent collection of the museum of Modern Art in Manhattan.

Frayne made acrylic portraits of musicians including John Lennon, Jerry Garcia, Eric Clapton, Willie Nelson, Sarah Vaughn and Charles Mingus, as well as an animal series in marker and prints of mixed-media works. Frayne also painted versions of memorable photos, did paintings of famous cars for the Saratoga Automobile Museum, painted abstract works and still lifes, and lavishly painted his own sculptures.

"I'm a huge fan of his art," said Steven Clyde, a member of the 1970s Star Spangled Washboard Band and its bigger spin-off, Blotto, who was the bass player for the late-'90s version of Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen. Clyde owns multiple works by Frayne, including one of the animal series in marker and an oversize acrylic portrait of Billie Holiday that Frayne liked to call "Mad Billie" because of the jazz singer's slight scowl.

Clyde's son Mike Davies, partly inspired by the experience of accompanying his father and Frayne on tour while in elementary school, is now the lead guitarist for the Capital Region band LateShift, Clyde said, and Clyde sometimes took a work by Frayne as partial payment instead of cash for gigs.

In his 2010 book "Art, Music and Life," Frayne wrote, "I have been painting for a long time. I have been rocking for almost as long. The tales of adventures in both cases run together, and in some cases, intersect. Here are the stories and the art of these moments."

A Frayne discography on Wikipedia lists a dozen albums for Commander Cody and the Lost Planet Airman, including new material, compilations and music recorded from 1970 to 1976 but not released until decades later; 11 recordings of Frayne with other musicians; and 13 singles. In 2009, with yet another configuration of Commander Cody and the Lost Planet Airmen, Frayne recorded and released the album "Dopers, Drunks and Everyday Losers."

"The comeback has been really great," Frayne marveled to NPR in 2010. "Who would've known that I would even live to be 65 years old? Lord knows I'm still alive and rockin'."

Said Gamsjager, "He was such a force. On stage, he was The Commander."

Frayne is survived by his wife, Sue Casanova, and stepdaughter Sophia Casanova. Funeral details were unavailable on Monday.
JERUSALEM (AP)  Israels new prime minister appealed to the international community Monday to stand together against Iran, accusing Tehran of marching toward the development of a nuclear weapon and threatening to act alone if the world does not take action.

In his maiden speech to the United Nations General Assembly, Naftali Bennett made no mention of Israel's decadeslong conflict with the Palestinians and instead sought to portray Iran as a menace to global security.

Irans nuclear program has hit a watershed moment, and so has our tolerance, he said. Words do not stop centrifuges from spinning.

After four inconclusive elections in two years, Bennett succeeded the longtime Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in June by forming a diverse coalition of small and midsize parties spanning the Israeli political spectrum.

Where Netanyahu was famous for his showmanship, combativeness and use of memorable visual props in his addresses to the U.N., Bennett  a former high-tech executive  took a more traditional approach. His voice was measured as he sought to portray his country as a lighthouse in a stormy sea of the volatile Mideast.

But the content of his message was largely similar to that of Netanyahu as he focused heavily on archenemy Iran.

Irans great goal is crystal clear to anybody who cares to open their eyes: Iran seeks to dominate the region  and seeks to do so under a nuclear umbrella," Bennett said.

He called Irans new president, Ebrahim Raisi, the butcher of Tehran for his past role in suppressing political dissent and accused Iran of arming, funding and training Israels enemies across the region. He said Iranian meddling had brought disaster to countries like Lebanon, Syria and Yemen.

Every place Iran touches fails, he said, claiming that Iranian activities threatened the entire world. He pointed to Irans development of attack drones, which have been blamed for a string of attacks on shipping in the Persian Gulf.

In a reply later Monday on the assembly floor, Iranian diplomat Payman Ghadirkhomi accused Bennett of making baseless allegations and using threatening language toward Iran.

His regime must avoid any miscalculation and adventuristic move in the region, added Ghadirkhomi, who is assigned to Iran's U.N. mission.

Israel believes that Iran aims to develop nuclear weapons  a charge Iran denies  and says the international nuclear accord reached with Iran in 2015 did not include enough safeguards to keep Iran from reaching a weapons capability.

Israel welcomed then-President Donald Trumps decision to withdraw from the accord in 2018 and has made clear that it opposes the Biden administrations willingness to return to the agreement. Israel says the agreement needs major modifications before it can be reinstated.

Bennett said that some in the international community have concluded that a nuclear-capable Iran is an inevitable reality.

Israel doesnt have that privilege, he said, signaling that Israel is ready to act alone if necessary. We will not tire. We will not allow Iran to acquire a nuclear weapon.

Sign up for The Knick  Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter.

The United Nations has made the resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict a high priority over the decades, drawing accusations from Israel that the world body is unfairly biased.

Israels treatment of the Palestinians is frequently criticized in U.N. bodies, including the General Assembly and the Human Rights Council. In 2012, over Israeli objections, the Palestinians were granted nonmember observer status at the U.N., allowing them to join a number of international bodies. These include the International Criminal Court, which is now investigating possible Israeli war crimes.

In an unusually harsh speech to the U.N. General Assembly, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Friday gave Israel one year to end its occupation of territories the Palestinians want for a future state. He threatened to withdraw recognition of Israel  a cornerstone of three decades of failed peace efforts  if it failed to do so.

Bennett, a religious hard-liner who opposes Palestinian statehood, stopped short of criticizing the United Nations and did not mention Abbas or the Palestinians even once in his 25-minute address. As prime minister, he has rejected calls for peace talks with the Palestinians, though he hopes to promote better economic relations to reduce friction.

In a subtle message to his detractors, he said Israel was prepared to work with the international community and share its technological expertise to address other issues, including the coronavirus pandemic.

For way too long, Israel was defined by wars with our neighbors, he said. But this is not what Israel is about. This is not what the people of Israel are about.

___

Associated Press writer Jennifer Peltz at the United Nations contributed to this report.
Paul Buckowski/Times Union

GLENVILLE - A Voorheesville man was charged with felonies after he fled a State Police sting in Rotterdam on the Mohawk River in his boat last week.

On Sept. 22, the 48-year-old allegedly went to Gateway Landing Park in Rotterdam to have sex with what he believed was a 14-year-old girl he had been communicating with over social media.
AP

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP)  Authorities found the body Monday of a maintenance worker who was considered a person of interest in the case of a central Florida college student who has been missing since Friday.

Armando Manuel Caballero, 27, was found dead from an apparent suicide in his Seminole County apartment on Monday, as detectives continued to search for Miya Marcano, a 19-year-old Valencia College student.
WELLINGTON, New Zealand  New Zealand's prime minister says the government will start a pilot program of home-isolation for overseas travelers, ahead of what she expects to be increasing vaccination levels.

Currently New Zealanders have to quarantine in hotels for two weeks when they return home from abroad.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Monday a pilot program that will allow New Zealanders to quarantine at home will include 150 business travelers who arrive between Oct. 30 and Dec. 8. The program will involve monitoring and testing.

The only reason that we are running this self-isolation pilot now is in preparation for a highly vaccinated population, Ardern said.

The intention is that in the first quarter of 2022 when more New Zealanders are vaccinated, it will be safer to run self-isolation at home, she added.

Of the eligible population in New Zealand aged 12 and older, 43% had been fully vaccinated, Ardern said.

In Auckland, the nations most populous city which has been locked down since Aug. 17 after the highly-contagious delta variant leaked from hotel quarantine, 82% of the eligible population had at least a single dose of the double-shot Pfizer vaccine, she said.

New Zealand has taken an unusual zero-tolerance approach to the coronavirus and has been trying to completely eliminate the delta variant.

___

MORE ON THE PANDEMIC:

 U.S. has enough COVID-19 vaccines for boosters, kids' shots

 Rowdy celebrations erupt in Norway as COVID restrictions end

 EXPLAINER: Whos eligible for Pfizer booster shots in US?

___

See all of AP's pandemic coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic

___

HERES WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING:

SYDNEY  Australias prime minister says he expects his country to open its international border well before the end of the year.

Australian governments have agreed to ease tight restrictions on overseas travel when 80% of the population aged 16 and older was fully vaccinated.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the first steps would allow Australians to leave and

fully vaccinated citizens and permanent residents to return home.

That will occur before the end of the year. It could happen well before that, Morrison told American broadcaster CBS News.

More than 90% of the target age group in Australias most populous state and the worst impacted by the nations COVID-19 outbreak, New South Wales, will be vaccinated by the end of November, New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian said.

New South Wales reported 787 new locally acquired infections on Monday and 12 deaths in the latest 24-hour period.

Sydneys lockdown would ease on Oct. 11 after 70% of the states population had received second doses of vaccine, Berejiklian said. With 85% of the target population already injected with at least a single vaccine dose, the 80% target is expected to be reached two weeks after the 70% benchmark.

On Dec. 1, unvaccinated people are expected to have their pandemic restrictions lifted.

State Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant said she expected 92% of the target population would eventually be vaccinated.

Sign up for The Knick  Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter.

New South Wales has the fastest vaccination rollout in Australia after the Australian Capital Territory.

___

SEATTLE  A Washington state trooper who helped develop the agencys use of drones has died after a battle with COVID-19 contracted on duty.

The Washington State Patrol said Detective Eric Gunderson died Sunday surrounded by his family and friends. He was 38. Gunderson frequently traveled around the country to speak about the state patrols use of drones.

The patrol said he contracted COVID-19 on one of those trips. Gunderson helped investigate the 2017 Amtrak derailment in DuPont and his work is credited with reopening roads more quickly after crashes.

He is survived by a wife and two sons. Gundersons death is the first line of duty death for the agency since it marked its 100th anniversary a few weeks ago, Chief John Batiste said. How I had hoped our second century of service would be more forgiving. But serving the public, as we do, has inherent dangers and this pandemic has been a foe to our agency and indeed our state and nation, he said.

Gov. Jay Inslee tweeted his condolences to Gundersons family, friends and colleagues.

___

LOS ANGELES  Public health officials have identified more than 200 coronavirus outbreaks at police or fire agencies throughout Los Angeles County since the start of the pandemic, according to data obtained by the Los Angeles Times.

The 211 outbreaks, accounting for more than 2,500 cases between March 2020 and last month, represent 9% of total workplace outbreaks across the county, the newspaper reported Sunday. However, they have continued to occur regularly even as vaccination rates increased among police and fire personnel and the number of individual coronavirus cases per outbreak has fallen since last winter.

The data showed 38 outbreaks at public safety agencies were identified in April of this year  the most in any month since the start of the pandemic. A month later, 35 outbreaks  the second most  were recorded by the county Department of Public Health.

Overall, more than half of the outbreaks occurred at the Los Angeles Police Department and the Los Angeles Fire Department, where some employees have filed lawsuits challenging a new rule requiring them to be vaccinated by next month. Thousands have filed notice that they intend to claim a medical or religious exemption from the mandate.

Vaccination rates for LAPD an LAFD employees generally lag behind the 68% of eligible county residents who have gotten their shots.

Critics have accused the police officers and city firefighters of ignoring public safety  and their sworn duties to uphold it  by refusing to get vaccinated.
ALBANY  Many hospitals across New York initiated plans over the weekend to begin curtailing services as a deadline for health care workers to be vaccinated against coronavirus took effect on Monday, prompting some facilities to reduce their available beds and surgical rooms.

Gov. Kathy Hochul, during a briefing late Monday morning, said she would implement a plan to pull backup medical personnel from the National Guard and from out of state. It's unclear how the mandate would apply to many of those workers  military units and health care workers in other states also do not have 100 percent vaccination rates. In addition, the competition for out-of-state medical personnel is fierce, as many states are facing staffing shortages.

"Were going to have to bring in people at all levels. Again, it doesnt have to be this way," Hochul said.

At Upstate Medical University in Syracuse, which is that region's largest employer and has roughly 450 patient beds, top officials sent an internal memo to staff on Friday warning they would be reducing their capacity sharply, "as we address the most critical staffing crisis in our history, occurring simultaneously with unprecedented demand in patient volumes," according to a copy of the memo obtained by the Times Union.

In the run-up to the vaccine mandate, which was expected to exacerbate the staffing crisis already unfolding at many hospitals and medical facilities, Upstate Medical had reduced its number of active operating rooms, limited surgical cases to those that are urgent and most-time sensitive, and reduced and consolidated inpatient beds in intensive care, psychiatric and rehabilitation units, among others.

"When possible, we will also transfer patients back to their hospitals of origin when they no longer require services that the referring hospital cannot provide," the memo states.

Similar staffing crises are unfolding at other private and state-run hospitals, including SUNY Stonybrook on Long Island and SUNY Downstate in Brooklyn. A person briefed on the situation at SUNY said that as of late Monday roughly 2,000 employees at those hospitals are facing termination.

The governor said Monday she would sign an executive order to allow her to call in the National Guard and to allow retired workers with lapsed licenses to come back to work to fill the gap. Hochul also said the state plans to entice out of state workers with supplemental pay as a way to compete with staffing shortages nationwide.

"We are not relenting," Hochul said. "Were not backing off."

The governor said she is confident the state will prevail in a religious-exemption challenge to the vaccination mandate that's pending in U.S. District Court in Utica on behalf of multiple health care workers. She cited religious leaders, like Pope Francis, who have encouraged people to get vaccinated.

"There are not legitimate religious exemptions," she said. "I feel very confident about our chances in court. ... We have a right to defend our people against a global pandemic."

Hochul also asserted the lack of vaccinations for health care workers is more prevalent upstate than in the downstate region.

"We have a different dynamic in some parts of upstate," she said. "Its a different philosophy is all I will say."

Hochul said she was in conversations with downstate hospital leaders, where there is near full compliance with the vaccine mandate, to provide names of workers who would be willing to temporarily relocate to facilities elsewhere, including upstate, that may need assistance.

"Were going to have to build a team and be able to respond to areas where theyve not been so responsive," Hochul said.

A judge on Friday in Albany postponed the effective date of a vaccination mandate imposed earlier this month by the state Office of Court Administration that was challenged by the Civil Service Employees Association, the state's largest public workers union.

In the decision issued Friday by state Supreme Court Justice Christina Ryba, the state's Unified Court System was "enjoined and restrained from implementing" the mandate on roughly 5,600 CSEA-represented employees before an Oct. 1 hearing.

The decision is one of least two temporary restraining orders that Ryba handed down Friday  a second decision, in a case filed by a state assemblyman and five medical professionals in Buffalo, temporarily blocks the state from prohibiting religious exemptions to the mandate. The second case also is set to be argued in court on Oct. 1.

The challenges come as the first phase of a vaccination mandate for many state employees, mostly nurses, physicians and other front-facing medical workers, took effect at 5 p.m. Monday. Although there has been a surge in last-minute vaccinations for many of those employees, Hochul said that she expects many others will leave their jobs  they face immediate suspension for up to two weeks and possible termination after that.

Sign up for The Knick  Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter.

Groups of medical professionals and multiple labor unions have challenged the imposition of the vaccination mandates  through negotiations, filings with the Public Employment Relations Board and court cases that invoke what they allege are violations of the Constitution and labor laws.

The directive was issued in July by former Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo.

In the case filed by CSEA on behalf of 5,600 court administration employees, an attorney for the state argued Thursday that the court officials had worked with union leaders to implement the mandate, including arranging for individuals to "timely file requests for medical or religious exemptions to vaccination (that) will be covered by the testing policy while they await a determination on their exemption."

"The court system's vaccine mandate serves an objectively demonstrable need in furtherance of its mission which outweighs any impact of same upon its employees and therefore, its actions in unilaterally implementing such a policy is authorized," Carolyn J. Grimaldi, an attorney for the Office of Court Administration, wrote in a memorandum filed Thursday in state Supreme Court.

The health department's mandate affects both public and private health care facilities. Thousands of nurses and other medical professionals had declined to be vaccinated as of late last week; Hochul over the weekend said that nearly 15 percent of the state's health care workers were not vaccinated.

Officials with hospitals and group homes that care for the disabled said a staffing crisis that existed before the coronavirus pandemic will be exacerbated if many of those workers are out of work.

Many hospitals were already reducing or eliminating elective surgeries, and some are diverting patients to other hospitals to deal with the staffing issues.

In the case filed on behalf of the Buffalo-area medical professionals, they asserted that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration earlier this month reported a "1,000 percent increase" in adverse reactions to coronavirus vaccines at a meeting where it recommended against requiring booster shots for people younger than 65.

That petition also states the mandate does not provide exemptions for religious beliefs or for those "that were previously infected with COVID-19 and who have natural immunity."

Natural immunity "is at least as effective as vaccination at preventing future COVID-19 infections," the petition states, adding that a person who gets vaccinated to keep their job but suffers an adverse reaction "will be without any legal recourse for any such injuries or damages they suffer as a result of vaccination."

New York GOP Chair Nick Langworthy, who said he supports vaccinations, called the mandate "unconstitutional" during a news conference Monday in Manhattan. He put the mandate in the context of a "demand for power" and said nurses are "being abused by the government that supposedly cherished them so much."

Hochul on Monday said hospitals had been planning for the staffing shortages and that, in at least one major facility that she did not identify, it affect a few hundred employees out of roughly 48,000.

"Whats going to happen tomorrow is these hospitals and nursing homes who had (a) warning this was going to happen will be working with us ... to figure out where people are needed," she said.
A Florida man has been charged with first-degree murder in the death of his girlfriend after he confessed to his mother and she called police
For copyright information, check with the distributor of this item, The Sanford Herald.
Global Furniture Group Deploys Kandy UCaaS Solution

By Luke Bellos , Editor, Business VoIP

Kandy Communications, a division of American Virtual Cloud Technologies focusing on cloud communications, announced Synoptek is deploying its UCaaS solution for the Global Furniture Group.

The Global Furniture Group is one of leading global manufacturers and distributors of office furniture, and has a staff of over 8,000 employees. The company recently sought to update its existing legacy infrastructure, but wanted to avoid the costly demands involved in complete digital transformations. By utilizing Kandys UCaaS solution through Synoptek, Global Furniture employees will now have access to a wide spectrum of communications features, including voice, video, instant messaging, presence and collaboration capabilities.

Kandys UCaaS solution is a great addition to our portfolio, providing us with a proven hosted product that immediately expands our business services offerings, said Tim Britt, CEO at Synoptek. Not only does Kandy UCaaS support traditional phones and analog devices, Kandy Smart Office soft clients enable premium chat, end-user voice and video conferencing, and collaboration. Kandy allows us to be a one-stop shop to meet all our customers real-time communications needs, regardless of whether they seek solutions for office, factory, mobile, remote or hybrid work environments.

The mass migration away from legacy infrastructure is becoming a significant step for organizations looking to claim an advantage in the reopening global economy. However, the costs associated with digital renovations often cause executives to be hesitant about joining in. With the support of UCaaS solutions from companies like Kandy, businesses can reap the benefits of cloud-based communications without headaches.

We have a very strong, longstanding partnership with Synoptek and are pleased that we can enable the deployment of our Kandy UCaaS services, said Chuck Canton, President, Kandy Communications. In todays hybrid work environments, business users and customers want modern communications capabilities whether they are in the office, at home or on the go. Kandy can provide the same rich collaboration and communications experience from virtually anywhere.

Please enable JavaScript to view the

Edited by Maurice Nagle
[September 26, 2021] Accommodating Over 1 Million Servers, World's Largest HUAWEI CLOUD Data Center Comes into Service in Gui'an

SHENZHEN, China, Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- On September 9, 2021, Gui'an HUAWEI CLOUD Data Center phase 1 came into service. It is the largest HUAWEI CLOUD data center in the world, with an operational capacity of over 1 million servers, functioning as a major enabling facility for HUAWEI CLOUD, Huawei BP&IT, and consumer cloud services. Construction of the data center (located in Gui'an New District, Guizhou Province) began in August 2017. It is one of the two main HUAWEI CLOUD data centers in China (with a total area of 101.4 hectares). The phase 1 construction area is approximately 480,000 square meters, and divided into three subareas. All 51 buildings in phase 1 have been completed, with nine being used as the data center facility and the rest as auxiliary facilities. Gui'an HUAWEI CLOUD Data Center was designed with green and intelligent technologies, making it environment-friendly, smart, and reliable. Its power usage effectiveness (PUE) is only 1.12, which leads the industry. Estimates indicate that during full-load operations, the data center can save 1.10 billion kWh of electric power and reduce 810,000 tons of carbon emissions each year, which is equivalent to planting 35,670,000 trees each year. Gui'an Huawei Cloud Data Center will also serve as Huawei's global IT engineer base and employee training base, with approximately 600 to 800 IT engineers providing support and service. On average, 10,000 people will join the campus each year for comprehensive practical training and internships.



In Guizhou, HUAWEI CLOUD has helped over 800 local enterprises achieve digital transformation, and is currently comprehensively collaborating with Guizhou-Cloud Big Data on cloud computing in government affairs. Through construction of "a uniform cloud, network, and platform", HUAWEI CLOUD is using big data to comprehensively improve government governance capabilities. In the province, 1438 data resources from 62 provincial departments have been migrated to the cloud, 546 highly demanded government and livelihood services have been brought online, covering all the approval services from the provincial, municipal, and county governments. This means that a basic digital governance system has been established. Currently, HUAWEI CLOUD has deployed five major data centers in China. Specifically, Gui'an data center and Ulanqab data center are deployed in the south and north of China, respectively, with the others deployed in the Jingjinji Metropolitan Region, the Yangtze Delta, and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay area. The layout of the HUAWEI CLOUD cold, warm, and hot services is determined by latency requirements. Cold services are mainly deployed in low-cost areas, warm services are deployed in relatively low-cost areas along the coast, and hot services are deployed close to users.

HUAWEI CLOUD has rolled out over 220 cloud services and over 210 solutions, attracted over 20,000 partners and over 1.8 million developers, launched over 4500 applications in the Marketplace, and obtained over 90 global security compliance certifications. It has also launched cloud data centers in Singapore, Chile, Brazil, Mexico, and Peru, working with partners to provide services in 45 availability zones across 23 regions worldwide. In the Market Share: IT Services, Worldwide 2020 report issued by Gartner in April 2021, Huawei's ranking in the IaaS market rose to No. 2 in China and No. 5 in the world. HUAWEI CLOUD has been chosen by over 10 city intelligent twins, over 600 e-Government clouds in China, over 30 national ministries and commissions, over 220 financial customers, over 300 SAP cloud customers, over 30 top automobile manufacturers, and 80% of the top 50 Internet enterprises in China. SOURCE Huawei

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[September 27, 2021] Ault Global Holdings Announces Adtech Pharma, Inc., an Innovative Biotech, Appoints Jodi Brichan to Its Board of Directors

Ault Global Holdings, Inc. (NYSE American: DPW) a diversified holding company (the "Company"), announced that Adtech Pharma, Inc. ("Adtech"), has appointed Jodi Brichan, to its Board of Directors. Ms. Brichan was a member of the board of directors of the Company until August 13, 2021. In June of 2021, the Company entered a securities purchase agreement (the "Agreement") with Adtech that granted the Company the right to acquire up to 40% of the current equity in Adtech, an innovative biotechnology company, for $3 million. The right to appoint Ms. Brichan was provided for in the Agreement. The investment in Adtech was made through Digital Power Lending, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company. Jodi Brichan is a commercialization expert with more than 25 years of experience in bringing new products to market in hypergrowth healthcare industries such as pharmaceuticals, medical devices, energy devices, and life sciences. In her prior role as a communications executive at two of the leading global communications networks, Omnicom (News - Alert) and Publicis, Ms. Brichan managed the pharmaceutical portfolio of ophthalmology products for Alcon, a leading eyecare company specializing in glaucoma. Over the past five years, she has served on the board of directors for healthcare and technology companies. Her significant experience in clinical research, commercial product launches, and driving shareholder value makes her the ideal board member for Adtech. She holds a B.A.A. from Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, Michigan. Adtech is an innovative biotech firm that has developed a novel formulation of a sole-sourced synthetic cannabinoid therapeutic targeting glaucoma known as NB-110. Adtech believes that there is a worldwide marketplace of over $4 billion in annual sales for glaucoma eye drop therapeutics. NB-110 comprises a synthetic cannabinoid Nabilone in the absence of any preservative and its formulation mimics a human tear to drive efficacious delivery through the cornea to the retina and optical nerves in the back of eye. Based on Adtech's preclinical findings, NB-110 is targeted to loer interocular pressure and protect optical nerves for glaucoma patients. Adtech believes its formulation makes this drug unique and differentiates it from today's marketed glaucoma medications.



Milton "Todd" Ault, III, the Company's Executive Chairman, stated, "We are very pleased that Adtech has appointed Jodi Brichan to its board of directors. We look to see Adtech benefit greatly from Jodi's experience, expertise, and success in nurturing products through clinical development, early commercialization, and ultimately impacting revenue creation in the biopharma and healthcare sectors. Jodi is noted for her enthusiasm and energy from her years of experience as an active member of a board directors." Ault added, "Adtech is a wonderful company led by a great management team and is an example of how Ault Global continues to grow our platform and invest in undervalued businesses and disruptive technologies with a global impact." Dr. Robert Kupper, President and CEO of Adtech stated, "We are very pleased to have appointed Jodi Brichan to our board of directors. Ms. Brichan possesses a wealth of experience we anticipate will be directly beneficial to Adtech. We are excited to work with her and look to extend our partnership with Ault Global Holdings to advance Adtech's science and technology with a goal to deliver medicines to patients in need."

For more information on Ault Global Holdings and its subsidiaries, the Company recommends that stockholders, investors and any other interested parties read the Company's public filings with the SEC (News - Alert) , available at www.sec.gov, and press releases available under the Investor Relations section at www.AultGlobal.com. About Ault Global Holdings, Inc. Ault Global Holdings, Inc. is a diversified holding company pursuing growth by acquiring undervalued businesses and disruptive technologies with a global impact. Through its wholly and majority-owned subsidiaries and strategic investments, the Company provides mission-critical products that support a diverse range of industries, including defense/aerospace, industrial, automotive, telecommunications, medical/biopharma, and textiles. In addition, the Company extends credit to select entrepreneurial businesses through a licensed lending subsidiary. Ault Global Holdings' headquarters are located at 11411 Southern Highlands Parkway, Suite 240, Las Vegas, NV 89141; www.AultGlobal.com. Forward-Looking Statements This press release 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. These forward-looking statements generally include statements that are predictive in nature and depend upon or refer to future events or conditions, and include words such as "believes," "plans," "anticipates," "projects," "estimates," "expects," "intends," "strategy," "future," "opportunity," "may," "will," "should," "could," "potential," or similar expressions. Statements that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on current beliefs and assumptions that are subject to risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update any of them publicly in light of new information or future events. Actual results could differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement as a result of various factors. More information, including potential risk factors, that could affect the Company's business and financial results are included in the Company's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including, but not limited to, the Company's Forms 10-K, 10-Q and 8-K. All filings are available at www.sec.gov and on the Company's website at www.AultGlobal.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210927005325/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[September 27, 2021] Aviceda Therapeutics Announces Strategic Alliance with University of Georgia

Aviceda Therapeutics a late-stage, pre-clinical biotech company focused on developing the next generation of immuno-modulators by harnessing the power of glycobiology to manipulate the innate immune system and chronic, non-resolving inflammation, is announcing additional members of its Scientific Advisory Board who will help shape ongoing research and development efforts. "It is critical that the biotechnology industry and academic institutions work together to develop therapeutics for diseases with significant unmet medical needs, and CCRC is an ideal partner to support us in this effort," said Mohamed Genead, M.D., Co-Founder & President and Chief Executive Officer. "CCRC at university of Georgia has an impressive track record of cutting-edge research in glycochemistry and glycobiology, as well as in innate immunity. We are excited to collaborate with CCRC in our efforts and look forward to build next generation glyco-therapeutics together." "We are eager to collaborate with Aviceda on this research partnership," said Prof. Geert-Jan Boons, Distinguished Professor of Biomedical Sciences and Chair for the CCRC Department of Chemistry. "The expertise and infrastructure at CCRC will be invaluable to the rapid progression of glyco-therapeutics into clinical studies," he added. CCRC lab will work together on this collaboration with Aviceda's in house lab. "This project will be our highest priority for the group in the next few months as the goal is to support their preclinical studies and advance their lead asset towards FIH trials," Boons said. "Our understanding of the role of glyco-immune responses in disease progression is rapidly increasing, providing insight into previously unknown or misunderstood cellular crosstalk. Working with CCRC, we will be at the forefront of developing new molecules that can modulate these interactions, providing profound therapeutic effects in a range of conditions underlined by inflammatory procsses," said Michael Tolentino, M.D., Chief Technology Officer.



CCRC has state-of-the-art analytical instruments including Mass Spec, NMR and Biacore which will provide critical support to the development and characterization of the poly saccharides developed through this collaboration. Under this strategic alliance and partnership, CCRC will develop innovative synthesis approaches for small batches of poly- and oligo-saccharides conjugates. CCRC will also focus on novel process chemistries that can be scalable and eventually transferred to external CMOs for production of GLP/GMP.

About Aviceda Therapeutics ?Founded in 2018 and based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, ?Aviceda Therapeutics is a ?late-stage, pre-clinical ?biotechnology company with a mission to develop the next generation of glyco-immune therapeutics (GITs) utilizing a proprietary technology platform to modulate the innate immune system and chronic, non-resolving inflammation. Aviceda has assembled a world-class, cross-disciplinary team of recognized scientists, clinicians, and drug developers to tackle devastating ocular and systemic degenerative, immunologic, inflammatory diseases. At Aviceda, we exploit a unique family of receptors found expressed on all innate immune cells and their associated glycobiological interactions to develop transformative medicines. Combining the power of our biology with our innovative cell-based high-throughput screening platform and proprietary nanoparticle technology, we can modulate the innate immune response specifically and profoundly. Aviceda is developing a pipeline of GITs that are delivered via biodegradable nanoparticles and which safely and effectively target numerous immune-inflammatory conditions. Aviceda's lead ophthalmic optimized nanoparticle, as an intravitreal formulation, AVD-104, is being developed to target various immune system responses that contribute to pathology associated with dry age-related macular degeneration (dAMD) and Geographic Atrophy (GA). About CCRC The CCRC occupies an ~140,000 sq.ft. building specifically designed for the interdisciplinary and equipment-intensive nature of carbohydrate science. The Center is organized to optimize cooperation and collaboration among disciplines (biomedical glycoscience, plant and microbial glycoscience, synthetic and analytical chemistry), and to provide analytical services and training, both within the CCRC and to university, government, and industrial laboratories world-wide. CCRC faculty have research programs that span multiple research domains, which provides our students with a breadth of opportunities in their professional training and research. The mission of the CCRC is to advance research and training in the glycosciences - a branch of science that investigates the structure, biosynthesis, and biological functions of molecules that contain carbohydrates. These molecules include glycans (oligosaccharides and polysaccharides), which are composed entirely of sugars and glycoconjugates (glycosides, glycolipids, glycoproteins, and proteoglycans), which contain sugars attached to different types of molecules. Thus, basic research in microbial, plant, and animal glycosciences has relevance to agriculture, biotechnology, materials science, and medicine. The chemical synthesis group led by Geert-Jan Boons develops new and improved methods for synthesizing complex glycoconjugates including cancer, bacterial vaccines, and compounds to study innate immunity. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210927005226/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[September 27, 2021] Baron & Budd Shareholder Burton LeBlanc Receives Stalwart Award From Louisiana Association for Justice

Baron & Budd Shareholder Burton LeBlanc was honored with the Stalwart Award during the Louisiana Association for Justice (LAJ) Fall Conference. The Stalwart Award is given to those who have exhibited extraordinary service to the Association and the legal profession. Burton LeBlanc heads the Baron & Budd office in Baton Rouge where he works in the areas of pharmaceutical, environmental law, securities and asbestos litigation. In addition to his work representing individuals, Mr. LeBlanc has successfully represented many governmental entities, including the States of Hawaii, Mississippi, Louisiana, and West Virginia in complex consumer fraud litigation. He is currently working as the Co-Chair of the Opioids Litigation Group in the nationwide opioid litigation against the largest drug manufacturers and distributors. Edwin Dunahoe, the 2020-2021 president of LAJ, said, "Louisiana Association for Justice is proud to honor Burton LeBlanc with its 2021 Stalwart Award. The Stalwart Award recognizes an LAJ member who has distinguished himself or herself through service to the legal profession. As president, I had the privilege of selecting this year's recipient and I am proud that I was able to honor someone who has contributed to our profssion at both the state and federal levels."



"Burton LeBlanc served as president of Louisiana Association for Justice and of American Association for Justice and is a national leader in litigation involving some of the country's most compelling and complex issues. Burton is not only an excellent attorney but also a tireless and effective leader and advocate," Dunahoe said. As president of AAJ, the largest trial lawyer non-profit group in the United States, Mr. LeBlanc advocated for protection of America's civil justice system and rallied resources when corporate interests attempted to infringe on individual rights. He is an adamant crusader for the abolition of forced arbitration and a supporter of the fundamental right to a trial by jury. Mr. LeBlanc has also served the Louisiana Association for Justice (LAJ) as past president, member of the Council of Directors, Board of Governors and the Committee for the Environmental Law/Toxic Tort Section. He currently serves on the Executive Committee of LAJ.

"I am humbled and honored to be recognized by Louisiana Association for Justice," said Shareholder Burton LeBlanc. "It is a privilege to fight for victims impacted by corporate negligence and wrongdoing. My mission continues to be to seek justice for the oppressed." About Baron & Budd, P.C. Baron & Budd, P.C. is among the largest and most accomplished plaintiffs' law firms in the country. With more than 40 years of experience, Baron & Budd has the expertise and resources to handle complex litigation throughout the United States. As a law firm that takes pride in remaining at the forefront of litigation, Baron & Budd has spearheaded many significant cases for hundreds of entities and thousands of individuals. Since the firm was founded in 1977, Baron & Budd has achieved substantial national acclaim for its work on cutting-edge litigation, trying hundreds of cases to verdict and settling tens of thousands of cases in areas of litigation as diverse and significant as dangerous and highly addictive pharmaceuticals, defective medical devices, asbestos and mesothelioma, California wildfires and environmental contamination, fraudulent banking practices, e-cigarettes, motor vehicles, federal whistleblower cases, and other consumer fraud issues. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210927005540/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[September 27, 2021] Brainomix partners with Wallaby Medical to bring the most comprehensive AI stroke imaging solution to China

OXFORD, UK, Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Brainomix, a UK-headquartered company that specializes in the creation of AI-powered imaging biomarkers and software solutions that enable precision medicine for better treatment decisions, and Wallaby Medical, a rapidly growing medical device company focused on developing and commercializing medical device products for treating stroke, announced the signing of a new distribution agreement. As part of the agreement, Wallaby will distribute Brainomix's e-Stroke software to stroke centres across Greater China. Stroke accounts for over 1.79 million deaths[1] annually in China and is one of the leading causes of adult disability. Wallaby's mission is to become the medical technology company which saves the greatest number of lives of people affected by stroke, and Brainomix's leading-edge AI diagnostic tool is an important addition to the full range of products and solutions that Wallaby provides to physicians treating stroke. "We are dedicated to improving stroke patient care and understand the importance of speed and precision. With this partnership, Wallaby will bring the most comprehensive AI stroke imaging software solutions to support fast and accurate treatment decisions in Chinese hospitals. We are excited to enable our physician community to deliver the best possible outcome for their patients," said Michael Alper, CEO, Wallaby Medical. Brainomix's e-Stroke is an AI-powered software platform that supports physicians across a stroke network by proiding real-time interpretation of brain scans to help guide treatment and transfer decisions for stroke patients, allowing more patients to get the right treatment, in the right place, at the right time. Consisting of three modules  e-ASPECTS, e-CTA and e-CTP  the e-Stroke platform can support all imaging-based needs, enabling full network solutions, from simple imaging to more advanced assessments.



e-Stroke has already received the support of Chinese physicians. Dr. JIAO Liqun's team at Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University in Beijing commented: "Brainomix's e-Stroke platform is a powerful and effective AI diagnostic support software to assess early ischemic signs on stroke patients' plain CT brain scans. It helps to identify appropriate patients for thrombectomy and leads to improved patient outcomes. Brainomix AI analysis and thrombectomy are the 'perfect couple' to combine together for the best treatment for stroke patients." "We are excited to launch this partnership with Wallaby, who have demonstrated a strong track record of success in China, with a commitment to providing best-in-class solutions for their customers. We see tremendous potential in China and look forward to working with Wallaby to deliver our innovative e-Stroke platform to hospitals and networks as a way of expanding access for more Chinese stroke patients to life-saving treatments," said Dr. Michalis Papadakis, CEO and co-founder of Brainomix.

About Wallaby Medical Wallaby Medical focuses on developing and commercializing medical device products for treating stroke. Wallaby's products include the Avenir Coil System which is a technically differentiated neuro embolic coil system for treating intracranial aneurysms and other neurovascular abnormalities, and the Esperance DAC catheter, which is already approved in China, for ischemic stroke and hemorrhagic stroke treatment procedures. In addition, Wallaby has a full range of neurovascular products under development. Wallaby's products are commercialized in over 20 countries and regions. For more information, visit www.wallabymedical.com. About Brainomix Limited Brainomix is an Oxford-based company specializing in the creation of AI-powered software solutions to enable precision medicine for better treatment decisions. Founded in 2010 as a spin-out of the University of Oxford, its e-Stroke Suite provides clinicians with the most comprehensive stroke imaging solution, helping to interpret images and facilitating faster, more confident treatment decisions for patients with suspected stroke. To learn more about Brainomix and its technology visit www.brainomix.com, and follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook. 1. Johnson et al. Lancet Neurol (2019). Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1311028/Brainomix_Logo.jpg

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[September 27, 2021] Eyevensys Enters Collaboration with Phillips-Medisize and Minnetronix Medical

Eyevensys, a privately held, clinical-stage biotechnology company developing non-viral gene therapies for ophthalmic diseases, today announces it has entered into strategic engagements with US-based medical device manufacturers Phillips-Medisize and Minnetronix Medical to develop the next generation of the company's core technology. Eyevensys has developed a non-viral gene therapy ocular drug delivery platform with a proprietary Electrotransfection System designed to deliver DNA plasmids encoding therapeutic proteins into the ciliary muscle and sustainably treat major eye diseases. Both components of the Electrotransfection System, the electrical pulse generator and the ocular device, are included in the multi-year engagements established with Eyevensys. Eyevensys has embarked on the development of a new generation of system devices focusing on optimizing their ease-of-use and manufacturability. Phillips-Medisize will be responsible for Ocular Device design optimization and the high-volume manufacturing capability to support the commercial launch, and Minnetronix Medical will fulfill the same responsibilities for the Pulse (News - Alert) Generator component. Work at both contract manufacturers has been initiated. Alan Wirbisky, Director of Device Development at Eyevensys, said: "The opportunity to collaborate with both Minnetronix Medical and Phillips-Medisize is incredibly significant for Eyevensys given the capabilities and experience that the two companies possess. As we look to transition our attention to our other programs for wet AMD (News - Alert) , geographic atrophy, retinitis pigmentosa and glaucoma, we are thrilled to have the support of these outstanding cohorts. We're also grateful for the longtime support of our two French manufacturing partners - Cisteo Medical, Besancon, France the developer and manufcturer of the current generation Ocular Devices as well as Valotec, Villejuif, France developer of the current Pulse Generator. Both companies have been instrumental in Eyevensys achieving its early goals."



Benjamin Austin, Director of Business Development at Minnetronix Medical, said: "We are beyond excited to partner with Eyevensys to help bring their next-generation Pulse Generator to market. During our 25 year history, we have successfully partnered with many medical startups like Eyevensys to navigate the pitfalls of electromechanical medical device development. The project team will be comprised of medical device engineers who specialize in electroporation, RF, and stimulator generator development as their core competencies." Paul Chaffin, President of Phillips-Medisize, said: "At Phillips-Medisize, we create solutions to help people live healthier, more productive lives and Eyevensys proprietary Electrotransfection System has the potential to do just that. We are honored to bring our decades of design and manufacturing experience to optimize the Ocular Device component for mass production. Phillips-Medisize brings a team with proven expertise in end-to-end design with a focus on quality, risk management, and scalability that will mutually benefit this promising collaboration."

About Eyevensys Eyevensys is a privately held, clinical-stage biotechnology company developing its innovative technology to enable the sustained intraocular production of therapeutic proteins to treat a broad range of ophthalmic diseases. The Eyevensys technology, developed by Pr. Francine Behar-Cohen, uses electroporation to deliver proprietary DNA plasmids encoding therapeutic proteins into the ciliary muscle of the eye. This approach induces the sustained intraocular production of therapeutic proteins. Eyevensys is advancing a dual gene plasmid, EYS809, expressing two therapeutic proteins, a potent VEGF inhibitor and an endogenous protein with anti-angiogenic and antifibrotic properties for the treatment of wet AMD which also has the potential be a treatment for diabetic retinopathy, diabetic macular edema and central retinal vein occlusion. Eyevensys is also developing EYS611, a treatment for the later stages of dry AMD and for retinitis pigmentosa and potentially other retinal degenerative conditions including glaucoma. The treatment encodes for a potent iron chelator with antioxidant and endogenous neuroprotective properties. In animal models, the treatment has been shown to be safe and effective at slowing the degeneration of retinal structure and preserving function. EYS611 has been granted Orphan drug designation for the treatment of retinitis pigmentosa in the EU and in the US. Additionally, Eyevensys has developed EYS606 as a potential new treatment for patients with chronic non-infectious uveitis (NIU). The therapy has been used to validate the proprietary Electrotransfection System, which in the case of EYS606, is combined with plasmids encoding for the production of a potent fusion protein which neutralizes the activity of TNFa, a cytokine that has been shown to play a pivotal role in mediating intraocular inflammation in NIU. EYS606 has been granted an orphan drug designation by the European Medicines Agency ( EMA (News - Alert) ) for the treatment of NIU. Eyevensys was founded in 2008. The company has offices in Paris, France and the U.S. The company is funded by the Boehringer Ingelheim Venture Fund, Pureos Bioventures, Bpifrance through the Innobio Fund, Karista, Inserm Transfert Initiative, Pontifax and the Global Health Sciences Fund, Korean Investment Partners. For more information about Eyevensys, please visit www.eyevensys.com. About Minnetronix Medical Since 1996, Minnetronix Medical has accelerated medical device breakthroughs via design, development and manufacturing services for companies around the world. The experienced Minnetronix team works side-by-side with customers to successfully navigate increasingly complex medical device development and commercialization in the fluid and gas management, optical systems, RF/EM energy, and stimulation and active wearables markets. The company is currently developing a portfolio of solutions that advance treatment options, prevent secondary injury and enhance healing for patients in the Neuro ICU. Minnetronix Medical is based in St. Paul, Minn. More information can be found on the Minnetronix website, by calling 651-917-4060 or emailing info@minnetronixneuro.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210927005251/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[September 27, 2021] Harris Williams Advises Summit Interconnect, Inc. on its Sale to Affiliates of Lindsay Goldberg

Harris Williams, a global investment bank specializing in M&A advisory services, announces it advised Summit Interconnect, Inc. (Summit), a portfolio company of HCI Equity Partners (HCI), on its sale to affiliates of Lindsay Goldberg. Summit is a leading provider of complex printed circuit boards focused on defense, space and high-performance commercial sectors in the North American market. The transaction was led by Chris Rogers, Chris Smith, Evan Clark and Elliot Cave of the Harris Williams Aerospace, Defense & Government Services (ADG) Group and John Arendale and Jenson Dunn of the firm's Industrials Group. "In partnership with HCI, Shane Whiteside, prsident and CEO, and the Summit team have built a world-class PCB technology and advanced manufacturing platform that today is a fast-growing strategic supply chain partner to the market's leading defense primes," said Chris Rogers, a managing director at Harris Williams. "This transaction is indicative of high investor interest in the defense and space end markets and we look forward to watching the company's continued success in partnership with Lindsay Goldberg."



"Summit represents another great outcome for Harris Williams in the defense electronics sector, where long-term customer funding priorities provide a strong foundation for future growth," added Chris Smith, a director at Harris Williams. "By working with professionals from the Harris Williams ADG Group and Industrials Group, we were able to communicate our unique perspectives and understanding of Summit's most compelling end market opportunities as well as its differentiated operational capabilities," said John Arendale, a managing director at Harris Williams. "The company has found a great partner and we are proud to have achieved an optimal outcome for all parties."

Summit is a leading provider of complex printed circuit boards focused on fast growing defense and high-performance commercial sectors in the North American market. Summit offers solutions ranging from advanced cutting-edge prototyping to complex high mix, low-to-mid volume production. Summit's facilities are located across California, Illinois and Toronto. HCI is a lower-middle market private equity firm focused on transformational consolidation strategies in the defense, distribution, manufacturing and technical service markets. In partnership with industry veteran Shane Whiteside, HCI orchestrated the acquisition of five founder-owned businesses to create a leader in the high reliability printed circuit board market, while growing revenues by over 500% during the investment period. HCI is headquartered in Washington, D.C. Lindsay Goldberg is a private investment firm that focuses on partnering with families, founders and management teams seeking to actively build their businesses. Since 2001, Lindsay Goldberg has raised more than $17 billion of equity capital and has invested in over 50 platform companies and over 250 follow-on opportunities. The firm focuses on industries that have demonstrated resilience across economic cycles, including industrials, business, government and financial services, and healthcare in North America and Western Europe. Lindsay Goldberg takes a relationship driven approach and is supported by its global network of affiliate partners. Harris Williams, an investment bank specializing in M&A advisory services, advocates for sellers and buyers of companies worldwide through critical milestones and provides thoughtful advice during the lives of their businesses. By collaborating as one firm across Industry Groups and geographies, the firm helps its clients achieve outcomes that support their objectives and strategically create value. Harris Williams is committed to execution excellence and to building enduring, valued relationships that are based on mutual trust. Harris Williams is a subsidiary of the PNC (News - Alert) Financial Services Group, Inc. (NYSE: PNC). The Harris Williams ADG Group offers strategic advice to a global base of leading aerospace, defense and government services clients. For more information on the ADG Group and other recent transactions, visit the ADG Group's section of the Harris Williams website. The Harris Williams Industrials Group has experience across a variety of sectors, including advanced manufacturing; building products; chemicals and specialty materials; industrial technology; and packaging. For more information on the firm's Industrials Group and other recent transactions, visit the Industrials Group's section of the Harris Williams website. Harris Williams LLC is a registered broker-dealer and member of FINRA and SIPC. Harris Williams & Co. Ltd is a private limited company incorporated under English law with its registered office at 8th Floor, 20 Farringdon Street, London EC4A 4AB, UK, registered with the Registrar of Companies for England and Wales (registration number 07078852). Harris Williams & Co. Ltd is authorized and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Harris Williams & Co. Corporate Finance Advisors GmbH is registered in the commercial register of the local court of Frankfurt am Main, Germany, under HRB 107540. The registered address is Bockenheimer Landstrasse 33-35, 60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany (email address: hwgermany@harriswilliams.com). Geschaftsfuhrer/Directors: Jeffery H. Perkins, Paul Poggi. (VAT No. DE321666994). Harris Williams is a trade name under which Harris Williams LLC, Harris Williams & Co. Ltd and Harris Williams & Co. Corporate Finance Advisors GmbH conduct business. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210927005603/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[September 27, 2021] Hodges Named Chief Banking Officer at Merchants & Marine Bank

Clayton Legear, President & Chief Executive Officer of Merchants & Marine Bank, today announced the promotion of Greg Hodges to the position of Chief Banking Officer. Hodges, a native of Hattiesburg, Mississippi, previously served as Market President for the bank's Pine Belt Region. He has more than 19 years of wide-ranging banking experience across multiple banking disciplines and lines of business, both as a front-line producer and as a senior level leader. Hodges is a graduate of William Carey University and has completed executive development programs at both the Mississippi School of Banking at the University of Mississippi and the Graduate School of Banking at Louisiana State University. In this new role, Hodges will serve and support members of the bank's executive team who oversee client-facing lines of business, including commercial lending and retail banking. His new role also takes on formal responsibility for the bank's strategic marketing and advertising efforts. Hodges will also join the executive leadership team of the bank's holding company, Merchants & Marine Bancorp, where he will support the bank's continued grwth and expansion into new markets.



"Greg is a strong servant leader who is committed to helping those around him grow without sacrificing what makes them unique," stated Legear. "Greg's approach will be incredibly valuable to our bank as we continue to grow without losing the focus that got us where we are: a steadfast commitment to serving the people and businesses of the communities we call home first. We look forward to the benefits Greg's servant leadership will yield for our team members, our clients and the communities we call home." About Merchants & Marine Bank

Merchants & Marine Bank is a community bank that provides dedicated financial service, guidance, and support to individuals and businesses throughout the Mississippi & Alabama Gulf Coast region. Headquartered in Pascagoula, Mississippi, the bank currently operates 14 branch offices and one loan and deposit production office. The bank offers mortgage financing across the region through its new division, Canvas Mortgage. Merchants & Marine Bank is a wholly owned subsidiary of Merchants & Marine Bancorp, Inc. (OTC QX: MNMB). For more information on Merchants & Marine Bank, visit www.mandmbank.com. For more information on Canvas Mortgage, visit www.canvasmortgage.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210927005742/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[September 27, 2021] Huawei Launches the Mobile Payment and Micro Finance Solution, Facilitating Financial Inclusion

SHENZHEN, China, Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Huawei launched a financial inclusion solution featuring mobile payment and micro finance at HUAWEI CONNECT 2021. The solution helps financial institutions provide fast and affordable services, bringing the world a step closer to financial inclusion. Huawei will continue working with ecosystem partners and using new ICTs to advance mobile payment and build a prosperous business ecosystem. Banks use mobile payment and micro finance solutions, including cloud technology and SaaS, to build tailored business models and a thriving ecosystem on super apps. Huawei's financial inclusion solution covers mobile wallet, mobile payment platform, super app open framework, and financial product platforms. With these, banks can quickly introduce various financial services. At HUAWEI CONNECT 2021, Huawei addressed the future of digital transformation across industries from three perspectives: scenarios, models, and ecosystems. Huawei launched 11 new industry solutions, one of these being the mobile payment and micro finance solution. The latter uses new technologies to help financial institutions around the world advance mobile payment; connect users, merchants, channel partners, and developers; and build a prosperous ecosystem. 1. A super app connects users and merchants. Huawei provides multiple channel technologies (SuperAPP, HTML5, carrier USSD, Agent, and open API) to help banks reach their customers faster and at a lower cost. Huawei also supports smaller erchants in upgrading their digital operations through tailored apps; these also help banks outside China develop agent networks to reach customers online and offline. With Huawei solutions, financial institutions can design a complete online customer journey and deliver better customer experience.



2. A financial product platform connects users and funders. Carriers outside China have a massive number of users, so they have the driving force for business growth and the pre-requisite for monetization. However, they are lacking a platform to connect with banks. The financial product platform helps carriers recommend users to banks, which can in turn provide embedded financial products directly to users. 3. A developer platform helps build an ecosystem. There are several types of developers, including those of global leading service systems, local services, and intermediate services such as small plug-ins. Huawei provides a cloud-native SaaS solution, which supports iterative innovation and open APIs. This enables other SaaS partners and different ecosystem players to connect on the HUAWEI CLOUD platform. Banks and partners can easily explore new services and quickly aggregate diverse ecosystems to successfully launch joint projects.

Huawei's financial inclusion solutions have already been successfully implemented in several countries. For example, Huawei worked with KBZ Bank in Myanmar  the largest local bank  to build a new digital wallet called KBZPay based on the public cloud. KBZPay integrates various marketing tools to deliver a fully digital experience to users and help merchants attract customers. In just two and a half years, KBZPay on-boarded over 8 million registered users, making it the leading digital life payment brand in the country. In Kenya, Huawei cooperated with Safaricom  the largest local carrier  to build a payment brand called M-Pesa. Not only does the platform support bank transfers, it also offers several services for daily life. At the same time, it helps KCB Bank, NCBA Bank, and Safaricom provide micro and small loans to individuals and merchants. On the market for 14 years, M-Pesa has significantly contributed to increasing financial inclusion in Kenya, which has shot up from 23% to 85%. Huawei is committed to advancing financial inclusion. It has thus far served over 30 sites across more than 20 countries, covering 300 million users in regions like Southern Africa, North Africa, and Asia Pacific. Huawei aims to deliver convenient and diverse financial services to everyone. Using its advanced connectivity and platforms, Huawei helps financial institutions build digital business processes, implement digital financial inclusion services, and achieve sustainable financial development. SOURCE Huawei

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[September 27, 2021] Human Trafficking a Serious Money Laundering Concern for Financial Institutions

Human trafficking is now one of the biggest concerns for compliance professionals across the globe, according to the latest annual anti-money laundering study from BAE Systems (News - Alert) : The State of Anti-Money Laundering 2021. According to the latest data, over three quarters (77 per cent) of compliance professionals admit they are not confident that money laundering crimes linked to human trafficking could be stopped from passing through their customers' accounts. More than 60 per cent of those surveyed said that advanced, new criminal techniques have become even harder to spot in the last 12 months and the financial impact on banks has been huge. In the UK, a quarter (25 per cent) of risk and compliance professionals within financial institutions said that human trafficking was causing the largest financial losses of all anti-money laundering crimes. In the US, it was a third and in Australia, nearer half (45 per cent). Banks worried by human impact of money laundering Alongside fraud, corruption and organised crime, human trafficking has been cited as a top 5 concern, with more than a quarter (27 per cent) of those questioned admitting that it is a serious worry. Almost a third (29 per cent) said that their teams struggled to identify the key indicators linked to human trafficking and one in five (21 per cent) simply do not have enough anti-money laundering intelligence within their organisation. Compliance now a box ticking exercise that ignores the real problem Compliance is a major cost centre for financial institutions, particularly when it comes to anti-money laundering. However, the consensus from many professionals in the industry (76 per cent) is that compliance has become a box ticking exercise that is getting in the way of tackling the true source of the money laundering. With more than half (57 per cent) of money laundering remaining uncovered over the last year, almost a fifth (17 per cent) said compliance is now a stagnant culture that doesn't go far enough to understand and support the real-life victims of money laundering. Enda Shirley, Head of Compliance at BAE Systems Applied Intelligence, commented: "For many financial institutions, getting a handle on money laundering is now simply about ensuring they avoid fines or reputational damage." "Our research is telling s that the current system just doesn't go anywhere near deep enough to have a significant impact on the crux of the issues. For many, compliance has gotten in the way of the primary goal - how to identify and protect vulnerable victims."



Call to action: 'more collaboration and shared intelligence needed' The research suggests banks and financial institutions, policy makers and law enforcement, need to come together in what is described as a Fin Crime Feedback Loop to better tackle money laundering challenges.

Many financial institutions are looking for more input and action from law enforcement bodies, with half of respondents (50 per cent) revealing that they currently do not feel well enough supported. Almost a third (32 per cent) are calling for more shared industry intelligence. A summary of key stats from The State of Anti-Money Laundering 2021: Money laundering is a severe and pervasive societal challenge - Over half of money laundering is slipping through the net, according to those surveyed

- 1 in 3 say it's almost impossible to spot emerging criminal typologies, it's hard to measure how often money laundering is happening, and it's hard to quantify the impact

- 62 per cent say money laundering has become harder to spot over the last 12 months So why isn't compliance solving the problem? - 1 in 6 compliance professionals say compliance is a stagnant culture

- The majority say compliance isn't getting to the bottom of the issue

- And against all of this, most financial institutions are trying to comply whilst at the same time facing budget cuts of up to 25 per cent The Fin Crime feedback loop - compliance, done well, has a huge societal impact - 40 per cent of respondents believe that they would benefit from a central money laundering group to share intelligence across key industry stakeholders

- 92 per cent of those surveyed believe that the lack of collaboration between financial institutions, law enforcement and policy makers hinders progress Enda continued, "Stopping these incidents at the point of transaction is really still only a small part of tackling the problem. There is work to do to look deeper into how we can look for early indicators of these often life changing offenses. For real change to happen, collaboration across the anti-money laundering industry is essential. This means law enforcement, policy makers, financial institutions and technology consistently working together more closely to share insights and intelligence." To read the report please visit: www.baesystems.com/2021AMLReport Notes to editors The State of Anti-Money Laundering 2021

Methodology: An online survey was conducted by Atomik Research among 452 financial professional respondents, working in risk management and compliance within the banking and insurance sector. The research took place across the UK, USA, France, Germany, Australia, and Singapore. The fieldwork took place on 16th July - 21st July 2021. Atomik Research is an independent creative market research agency that employs MRS-certified researchers and abides to MRS code. About BAE Systems Applied Intelligence At BAE Systems Applied Intelligence, we help nations, governments and businesses around the world defend themselves against cybercrime, reduce their risk in the connected world, comply with regulation, and transform their operations. For more information regarding our compliance, fraud detection and prevention solutions, visit www.baesystems.com/financialservices. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210927005063/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[September 27, 2021] Landzo secures $29.23 million in Series A round

The firm to continue advancing STEAM education in China SHENZHEN, China, Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Landzo Technology Co., Ltd., a provider of educational robots and STEAM education toys, announced that it had raised $29.23 million in Series A funding in June. Investors included GeniLink Capital, CTV Golden Bridge, the Nanjing Municipal Government Fund as well as some funds that regularly invest in publicly-traded companies specializing in culture and education. Glacier Capital served as its long-term exclusive financial adviser. China's latest directives banning extra-curricular courses provided by private firms represent a huge challenge to the traditional educational training sector. Landzo, a manufacturer of STEAM educational robots, is on track to create new opportunities for the educational sector. The Status of STEAM education in China The integration of arts into STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education encourages children to fully explore their potential not only in the four original subjects but also in the arts. According to data from iiMedia Research, STEAM education mainly serves children aged 5-14 in China, a total universe of some 140 million, of which, 7.89 million kids are viewed as potential participants. However, the country'sSTEAM education market is still at an early stage and lacks a well-established structure. Currently, the market is filled with separate solutions for STEAM education technologies, products and services respectively, none of which are, by themselves, sufficiently comprehensive or mature.



The combination of products and services will become the priority of China's STEAM education industry looking forward. Landzo has always been committed to advancing the development of STEAM education in China by providing complete, efficient and sophisticated STEAM educational models and solutions, including intelligence and innovation labs for universities and colleges, and a full range of quality-oriented education solutions for primary and secondary schools. In 2019, Landzo came up with the concept of combining playing and learning as a model for the future of education, and began to develop toys and teaching tools for quality-oriented education, integrating its proprietary products with online interactive courses. During the same year, the company obtained $15.46 million in financing, formally entering the family consumption market. In early 2020, Landzo started to develop and manufacture AI educational robots for children. The company created Quincy, an AI-enabled consumer robot featuring mechanical arms and movement interactions. The company's plan is to provide children with AI educational robots that make learning more fun, delivering a complete education solution to parents. When it comes to the development of other teaching tools and toys, Landzo successfully rolled out Landzo Planet voiced stories and comics in July of this year, in addition to proprietary card-based educational games, stimulating children's motivation to learn with educational toys. "Landzo is committed to creating a new education portfolio that combines products, scenarios and enriched content," said Landzo e-commerce director Yuan Yan. "In 2020, Landzo's revenue exceeded $154.61 million , of which, its home-end AI robot and toy businesses had increased by nearly 700% from $4.64 million to more than $30.92 million. This year, the e-commerce side is expected to exceed $77.31 million yuan."

About Landzo: Founded in 2011, Landzo Technology Co., Ltd. focuses on the development of AI teaching tools and toys in STEAM education. The company, which has to date received $46.38 million in financing, remains committed to innovation and practices in STEAM education. Currently Landzo boasts 5 brands: Landzo Electronic, Landzo AI and Robotics, Landzo Planet, Landzo STEAM Institute, and Landzo Education. For more information, Landzo invites you to visit www.landzo.com.cn

www.landzo.com Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1631943/image_5018316_29839943.jpg

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[September 27, 2021] MeridianLink Introduces Pam Murphy as Newest Member of its Board of Directors

MeridianLink, Inc. (NYSE: MLNK), a cloud-based technology company that enables banks, credit unions, mortgage lenders, specialty lending providers, and consumer reporting agencies (CRAs) to streamline loan decision making and origination, and credit reporting and background screening workflows, today introduced Pam Murphy as the most recent addition to its board of directors. Murphy joined the board in connection with MeridianLink's IPO in July and serves on the board's audit committee. A seasoned leader, Murphy has more than 25 years of experience spanning finance, field sales, revenue management, cloud product development and architecture, professional services, and industry specialization. Her expertise includes company turnarounds, high-growth strategies, M&A initiatives, business development, and deep global operational leadership. She has extensive international experienc, having held a variety of roles in Europe, Middle East, North America, Australia, and New Zealand.



"We are excited to have such an experienced executive join the board," said Paul Zuber (News - Alert) , MeridianLink's chair of the board. "As MeridianLink embarks on its journey as a newly public company, Pam brings a wealth of executive-level leadership and public company board experience that will enhance and broaden our board's competencies." Murphy currently serves as the chief executive officer of Imperva, a cyber-security leader focused on protecting the edge, applications, and data. Before joining Imperva, Murphy was COO at Infor, the world's third-largest enterprise software company, providing software and technology solutions for specific industries and micro-verticals. Prior to Infor, she spent 11 years at Oracle Corporation, where she held multiple leadership roles. She also sits on the board of Rockwell Automation (News - Alert) . Murphy holds a business and accounting degree from the University of Cork, Ireland, and is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants.

About MeridianLink MeridianLink (NYSE: MLNK) is a leading provider of cloud-based software solutions for financial institutions, including banks, credit unions, mortgage lenders, specialty lending providers and consumer reporting agencies. Headquartered in Costa Mesa, California, MeridianLink provides services to more than 1,900 customers, including a majority of the financial institutions on Forbes' 2020 lists of America's Best Credit Unions and Banks. Further information can be found at www.meridianlink.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210927005111/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[September 27, 2021]

Nano Battery Market to Reach $28.1 Bn, Globally, by 2030 at 18.6% CAGR: Allied Market Research

PORTLAND, Ore., Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Allied Market Research recently published a report, titled, "Nano Battery Market by Technology (Nano Phosphate, Nano Pore, and Lithium-ion), and Application (Consumer Electronics, Military, Power Tools & Industrial, Renewables & Grid Energy, Transport and Others): Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 20212030B." As per the report, the global nano battery industry generated $5.1 billion in 2020, and is estimated to reach $28.1 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 18.6% from 2021 to 2030.

Major determinants of the market growth

Surge in demand for nano batteries from end-use industries and the benefits of nanotechnology in the manufacturing of batteries have boosted the growth of the global nano battery market. However, difficulties in manufacturing nanomaterials used in batteries hinder the market growth. On the contrary, increase in investment and R&D toward nano-scale components in battery technology would unlock new opportunities for market players in the future.

Download Sample PDF (200 Pages PDF with Insights): https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-sample/13219

Covid-19 scenario:

The Covid-19 outbreak resulted in a temporary ban on import & exports and manufacturing & processing activities, which hampered the demand for nano batteries from these consumers.

Moreover, the prolonged lockdown disrupted the supply chain and increased prices of raw materials.

However, the market is expected to recover due to rise in vaccination across European and Asian countries.

The Li-ion segment dominated the market

By type, the Li-ion segment held the largest share in 2020, accounting for nearly half of the global nano battery market, due to rise in demand for Li-ion batteries from several applications such as power tools, consumer electronics, aerospace & defense, and automotive. However, the nano phosphate segment is projected to manifest the highest CAGR of 19.7% during the forecast period, owing to increase in demand for nano batteries from consumer electronics, power tools, and automotive industries.

Get detailed COVID-19 impact analysis on the Nano Battery Market: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-for-customization/13219?reqfor=covid

The transport segment to portray the highest CAGR through 2030

By end user, the transport segment is expected to portray the highest CAGR of 19.5% during the forecast period, due to growth in vehicle electrification and rise in awareness about benefits of electric vehicles. However, the military segment held the largest share in 2020, contributing to more than one-fourth of the global nano battery market, owing to rise in need for efficient power electronics devices because of the surge in digitalization of battlefield and reduction in size & weight of military equipment.

North America held the lion's share

By region, the global nano battery market across North America dominated the market in 2020, accounting for more than two-fifths of the market, due to presence of huge consumer base and key market players in the region coupled with the growth of military, renewable energy, and electric vehicles. However, the market across Asia-Pacific is anticipated to register the highest CAGR of 19.2% during the forecast period, owing to growth of the automotive industry, diverse nature of the consumer electronics industry, and robust industrialization.







Interested in Procure Data? Visit Here: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/nano-battery-market/purchase-options

Major market players

Naxin New Energy Technology Co., Ltd.

Front Edge Technology

mPhase Technologies

Altairnano

A123 Systems LLC

US Photonics Inc.

Amprius Technologies

Sicona Battery Technology

California Lithium Battery

Kokam

Access AVENUE- A Subscription-Based Library (Premium on-demand, subscription-based pricing model) at: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/library-access

Avenue is a user-based library of global market report database, provides comprehensive reports pertaining to the world's largest emerging markets. It further offers e-access to all the available industry reports just in a jiffy. By offering core business insights on the varied industries, economies, and end users worldwide, Avenue ensures that the registered members get an easy as well as single gateway to their all-inclusive requirements.

Avenue Library Subscription | Request for 14 days free trial of before buying: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/avenue/trial/starter

Similar Reports We Have:

Battery Racks Market is projected to reach $4.7 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 3.8% from 2021 to 2030.

Portable Power Station Market is projected to reach $5.8 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 4.1% from 2021 to 2030.

Solar battery market is projected to reach $360.4 million by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 15.5% from 2020 to 2027.

Uninterrupted power supply (UPS) system market is projected to reach $9.4 billion by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 4.3% from 2020 to 2027.

Lithium-ion Battery Market is projected to hit $129.3 billion by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 18.0% from 2020 to 2027.

Industrial Batteries Market is projected to reach $30.8 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 13.2% from 2021 to 2030.

Lithium-iron Phosphate Batteries Market is projected to reach $9.9 billion by 2030 at a CAGR of 5.9% from 2021 to 2030.

Pre-Book Now with 10% Discount:

Battery Storage Inverter Market: Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 20202027

Battery Technology Market: Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 20202028

Battery Energy Storage Market: Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast 2020-2027

Utility Battery Market: Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast 2020-2030

Electric battery Market: Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast 2020-2030

Secondary Battery Market: Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast 2020-2030

Disposable Battery Market: Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast 2020-2030

Power Inverter Market: Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast 2020-2030

About us:

Allied Market Research (AMR) is a full-service market research and business-consulting wing of Allied Analytics LLP based in Portland, Oregon. Allied Market Research provides global enterprises as well as medium and small businesses with unmatched quality of "Market Research Reports" and "Business Intelligence Solutions." AMR has a targeted view to provide business insights and consulting to assist its clients to make strategic business decisions and achieve sustainable growth in their respective market domain.

We are in professional corporate relations with various companies and this helps us in digging out market data that helps us generate accurate research data tables and confirms utmost accuracy in our market forecasting. Allied Market Research CEO Pawan Kumar is instrumental in inspiring and encouraging everyone associated with the company to maintain high quality of data and help clients in every way possible to achieve success. Each and every data presented in the reports published by us is extracted through primary interviews with top officials from leading companies of domain concerned. Our secondary data procurement methodology includes deep online and offline research and discussion with knowledgeable professionals and analysts in the industry.

Contact Us:

David Correa

5933 NE Win Sivers Drive

#205, Portland, OR 97220

United States

Toll Free: 1-800-792-5285

UK: +44-845-528-1300

Hong Kong: +852-301-84916

India (Pune): +91-20-66346060

Fax: +1-855-550-5975

help@alliedmarketresearch.com

Web: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com

Follow us on: LinkedInTwitter

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/nano-battery-market-to-reach-28-1-bn-globally-by-2030-at-18-6-cagr-allied-market-research-301385461.html

SOURCE Allied Market Research
[September 27, 2021] New Study Shows Growth of Younger and More Diverse Membership and Focuses on Building the Next Normal

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- If 2020 was the Wild West, then 2021 is just the start of the Gold Rush. Community Brands, the leading provider of software and payment solutions for associations and nonprofits, announced the upcoming release of Association Trends 2021: Building the Next Normal. This uniquely positioned annual industry research study  and its accompanying webinar this week  spotlights the latest trends impacting associations, based on the perspectives of more than 1,000 professional associations members who shared their insights in July 2021. It highlights the many new opportunities for associations to better serve their members, evolve their business models, and ultimately grow their organizations while building for the next normal. According to the report, association professionals are working harder, but they're focused on implementing new strategies and tech to work smarter, too. Many Pros report fresh initiatives aimed at enhancing key areas that Members say will drive the greatest impact, things like individual member benefits (continuing education, training, and networking) and industry-focused benefits (news, advocacy, and raising awareness). Pros also say they feel slightly more technologically prepared for the future than in last year's study, but half admit to not actually feeling prepared. Plus, the Association Trends 2021 report indicates that Pros are working harder than ever, and to ease the workload 40% are planning on increased investments including business analytics and learning management systems. The Pros' overall optimistic outlook bodes well for organizations in the next year  their predictions from 2020 proved mostly accurate  but the study highlights many untapped areas of improvement that members highly value. And where there are disconnects, there are opportunities. "Amidst all of the disruptions of the last year and a half, it is great to see that professional organizations have remained a beacon to their members, and have even grown in importance," stated Jennifer Lee, Managing Director, Associations and Events, Community Brands. "This study confirms another exciting trend that we have seen with clients  the emergence of new paths for growth going forward. Hybrid events, new learning rograms, online networking, and professional development are all areas of interest especially for younger members, and can provide new ways to drive engagement and revenue for associations."



Additional key findings from the report include: Hybrid events are the future. Members make it clear that they want both event attendance choices and added value benefits like better remote learning options and more adaptations via technology. After the 2020 pivots, 52 percent of Pros say their members interacted more, and 88 percent agree that virtual events allowed organizations to better engage. Looking forward, 75 percent of Pros say they will offer more hybrid events. Members are younger and more diverse. While loyalty metrics remain strong, and younger and more diverse Members are increasing engagement, Pros must also acknowledge changing demographics by offering more of the value they seek. From updating Member data to ensuring the board is reflective of your membership, opportunities for Member retention and reengagement abound. Future forecasts are more positive. Despite ongoing pandemic challenges, things are looking up and organizations are feeling more optimistic than in 2020. Majorities of Pros say they hope technology investments will help with the increased workload, and fewer Pros say they will lay off or furlough employees. Still, more than a quarter of (mostly younger) Pros say they will look for new jobs outside of their organization in the next 12 months, with 50% citing better compensation. Focused on the bigger picture: With the world in flux, this year's study shows that the most important areas of value for Members are industry news and information, advocacy, raising awareness, and code of ethics. Pros are mostly on the same page but continue to underestimate individual benefits like training and certification and over-value areas like representing interests and gathering feedback from members. Members want more learning options. Employers and professional organizations continue to be the most popular sources of education and training for Members, but with other sources close behind (hello, YouTube and LinkedIn), organizations face big competition. Pros are focused on traditional conferences and courses (online and in-person), but Members are interested in a whole range of professional training opportunities and seek higher quality training and options to address evolving needs. The full study  with a detailed look at findings and strategic ways to utilize the data  will be released Tuesday, September 28. As part of the release, a special CAE-credit webinar, co-presented by Tirrah Switzer and Tristan Jordan, will unveil and explain the study's member engagement. After the webinar event, the full study will be available for download on a new association trends resource page.

Webinar Registration is currently open, and registrants will be among the first to receive the new study. Please save your seat for the webinar held on September 28, 2021, 12pm EST. For press inquiries, or to schedule an interview with Tirrah Switzer or Tristan Jordan, contact Jessi Cape: press@communitybrands.com or (512) 861-3012. About the Report

Commissioned by Community Brands, Edge Research conducted an online survey of 1,018 Members (834 current Members and 184 who lapsed within the last two years) who self-reported they are at least 18 years old and a Member of a professional membership organization. Survey respondents were recruited through an online non-probability sample. The term "Members" refers specifically to those who were surveyed. A parallel online survey was conducted among 868 professionals (vs. 370 last year) who work in association organizations. The terms "Professionals" or "Pros" refers specifically to those who were surveyed. The surveys were conducted July 14-30, 2021. About Community Brands

Community Brands helps mission-driven organizations thrive. Our software, services, and payment solutions power nonprofits, associations, and K-12 schools to engage the people they serve through programs and events; raise funds to enable their mission; and manage their financials and operations. Our family of brands are bound by a common purpose to serve the organizations that make our communities a better place to live. Learn more about our Community Brands solutions for associations, nonprofits, K-12s, event tech, and faith-based organizations. Visit us at communitybrands.com and follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/new-study-shows-growth-of-younger-and-more-diverse-membership-and-focuses-on-building-the-next-normal-301385885.html SOURCE Community Brands

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[September 27, 2021] Octopus Energy Agrees $600m Deal With Generation Investment Management to Accelerate Global Green Energy Mission

Octopus Energy Group today announces a major strategic partnership with Generation Investment Management, a firm established in 2004 to back businesses driving sustainability and the fight against climate change, in a deal that valued the UK entech pioneer at $4 billion pre-deal, and up to $4.6 billion post-deal. The agreement, which has been several months in the making, will see Generation's Long-term Equity strategy take a stake of up to approximately 13% in the business. Octopus will use the proceeds of Generation's strategic investment to turbo boost its mission to drive the renewable revolution globally. Octopus's technology platform, Kraken, is already contracted to deliver outstanding customer experience, hyper efficient operations and cleaner and smarter energy solutions to 17 million energy accounts globally, through Octopus's own retail businesses in the UK, USA, Germany, Spain and New Zealand, plus licensing agreements with Good Energy, Hanwha Corporation, Origin Energy, nPower and E. ON (News - Alert) . Managing over 3b of renewable generation, Octopus is one of the UK's leading electricity generators, creating enough green energy to power about 1.5m homes. Octopus established the Centre for Net Zero, an independent London-based research facility that is taking the fight against climate change to government level, by bringing together the biggest and best brains in tech, environment, econometrics and policy to create research and tools that governments and businesses around the world will be able to use to accelerate the update of clean technologies and green energy. They are also investing 10 million into the UK's first R&D and Training Centre for Decarbonisation of Heat, a 22,000m3 newly constructed state of the art facility dedicated to creating a greener, cheaper way of heating our homes by investigating heat pump and electric boiler solutions. The Centre combines the cutting edge of R&D, with two state of the art weather chambers and multiple test rigs adding hardware development and market expertise to their software heritage and setting the UK up for a stake in the global export of clean heating technologies. The Centre will also offer bespoke training capabilities to create thousands of jobs in this new sector over the next few years. The deal sees Generation take up to an approximately 13% equity stake for consideration of up to $600 million, alongside an approximate $55 million equity investment from Origin Energy, to continue its global expansion and technology development. This will see Octopus enhancing its smart grid capability and commitment to driving the green energy revolution around the world, with an ambition to support 100 million energy accounts on Kraken by 2027. In the last 18 months, the fast-growth disruptor has launched in the USA and Germany, as well as deepening its capabilities with the acquisition of Upside Energy, specialists in smart grid technology. In the UK it has launched Electric Juice, the UK's first electric vehicle roaming network which has rapidly grown to over 100,000 charge points across Europe, and also partnered with Tesla to launch Tesla Power in the UK and Germany. Sincelaunching to the market, Octopus has won more than 80 awards for its customer service, its technology and its business leadership, including the National Technology Awards, the International Business Awards and the USwitch Energy Awards. Octopus Energy is also the only company to be Recommended by the UK consumer association, Which?, for all of the last 4 years.



Speaking for Octopus Energy, Founder and CEO, Greg Jackson said: "Whilst the UK energy market is currently in a tough state, it's highlighted the need for investment in renewables and technologies to end our reliance on fossil fuels. So we are delighted to announce our agreement with Generation Investment Management, created to back sustainable companies changing the world for the better. 3 years ago, the management team of Octopus Energy met to discuss growth plans for our fledgling company. We watched An Inconvenient Sequel and were inspired to accelerate and expand our mission to make energy greener faster, cheaper, across the globe. Being backed by Generation, co-founded and chaired by Al Gore, enables us to make that dream come true."

Speaking for Generation Investment Management, Tom Hodges, Partner in the Long-term Equity strategy, said: "Octopus Energy has an extraordinarily good fit with Generation's mission of investing over the long term to support system and climate-positive companies. The world is at the early stages of an unprecedented energy transition which is essential to reach the goals of the Paris Agreement. This can be done in a way that is better for the environment and consumers. Octopus and its software platform Kraken are at the forefront of innovation and helping to create the dynamic and flexible renewable energy system needed. Generation is pleased to partner with Octopus Energy to help build that future." ENDS Notes to editors Technical footnote: The deal consists of $300 million immediate investment, with $300 million to follow by June 2022 subject to certain further funding conditions. Octopus Energy had 2.5 million customers up to 24 September 2021. The company's customer base grew to 3.1 million after taking on Avro Energy's 600,000 customers on 25 September 2021. All accompanying imagery can be found here. All $ figures reference US dollars. KPMG advised on this transaction. About Octopus Energy Group Octopus Energy Group was launched in 2016 with a vision of using technology to make the green energy revolution affordable whilst transforming customer experiences. It is part of Octopus Group, which is a certified BCorp. Octopus's domestic energy arm already serves 3.1 million customers with cheaper greener power, through Octopus Energy, M&S Energy, Affect Energy, Ebico, London Power and Co-op Energy. Octopus Energy for Business manages over 25,000 customers with proprietary energy offerings. Octopus Electric Vehicles is helping make clean transport cheaper and easier, and Octopus Energy Services is bringing smart products to thousands of homes. Octopus Energy Generation is Europe's largest investor in solar energy, managing a 3.4bn portfolio of renewable energy assets throughout the continent. All of these are made possible by OEG's tech arm, Kraken Technologies, which offers a proprietary, in-house platform based on advanced data and machine learning capabilities, Kraken automates much of the energy supply chain to allow outstanding service and efficiency as the world transitions to a decentralised, decarbonised energy system. This technology has been licensed to support over 17 million accounts worldwide, through deals with Good Energy, E.ON energy and Origin Energy. In December 2020, Octopus Energy Group was valued at over $2 billion after closing its second investment round of the year led by international energy companies Tokyo Gas and Origin Energy. With operations in the US, Japan, Germany, Spain, New Zealand and Australia, Octopus Energy Group's mission to drive the affordable green revolution is going global. For more information, check out our website. About Generation Investment Management Generation Investment Management LLP is dedicated to long-term investing, integrated sustainability research and client alignment. It is an independent, private, owner-managed partnership established in 2004 and headquartered in London, with a US office in San Francisco. Generation Investment Management LLP is authorised and regulated in the United Kingdom by the Financial Conduct Authority. Generation's Long-term Equity strategy was established in 2018 to be a differentiated investment partner in support of a select number of private companies. The Long-term Equity strategy offers management teams support with achieving their ambitions for sustainable, global growth over eight to 15-year periods, far longer than the average private equity hold period. www.generationim.com View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210927005719/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[September 27, 2021] Pixieset Ranks Among Canada's Top Growing Companies

Pixieset, the leading software platform for photographers and creative professionals, is pleased to announce it placed 306 on Canada's Top Growing Companies report. This marks Pixieset's third consecutive year of listing on Canada's Top Growing Companies, earning its spot with a three-year growth of 110%. Based in Vancouver, Pixieset supports a growing community of 600,000+ photographers and creatives worldwide. Pixieset offers creatives seamlessly platform for sharing photos with clients, powering self-serve ecommerce sites, and creating beautiful websites. With the launch of Pixieset Studio Manager, photographers will also be able to manage their business needs through the platform - from invoices to contracts and payments. "Pixieset is thrilled to be named one of Canada's Top Growing Companies once again," co-founder and CEO Simon Wong said. "Our talented team has continued to grow and achieve success across what has become an exceptional year of new milestones and expansion for Pixieset. We look forward to continuing to empower photographers and creatives with the ability to better marke and manage their businesses with Pixieset's seamless, all-in-one platform."



Pixieset has announced significant company milestones in the past year as it seeks to further build out the team and expand its product suite, including its first outside institutional capital investment from Susquehanna Growth Equity, an entrepreneur-centric growth equity firm, and the acquisition of Flothemes, a premium website designer for photographers. Launched in 2019, the Canada's Top Growing Companies editorial ranking aims to celebrate entrepreneurial achievement in Canada by identifying and amplifying the success of growth-minded, independent businesses in the country.

About Pixieset Founded in 2013 and headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia, Pixieset is an all-in-one SaaS (News - Alert) platform that offers a range of solutions including Client Galleries, Websites, Online Stores, and Studio Manager to help photographers and other creatives manage their workflow. The company serves over 600,000+ users around the world and is a market leader in the industry. About The Globe and Mail The Globe and Mail is Canada's foremost news media company, leading the national discussion and causing policy change through brave and independent journalism since 1844. With award-winning coverage of business, politics and national affairs, The Globe and Mail newspaper reaches 6.4 million readers every week in print or digital formats, and Report on Business magazine reaches 2 million readers in print and digital every issue. The Globe and Mail's investment in innovative data science means that as the world continues to change, so does The Globe. The Globe and Mail is owned by Woodbridge, the investment arm of the Thomson (News - Alert) family. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210927005481/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[September 27, 2021] Premium Irish Dairy Brand Truly Grass Fed Presents Slow Food Live Events With Slow Food USA

DUBLIN, Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Truly Grass Fed , a premium brand of sustainably-produced Irish dairy products, today announced a series of Slow Food Live events this fall. Featuring culinary stars from both the U.S. and Ireland, the free, online series will focus on the joys of slow living, the importance of sustainably produced dairy and simple recipes made from delicious Truly Grass Fed butter and cheese. The events are part of an ongoing partnership between the Truly Grass Fed brand, now available in the U.S., and Slow Food USA  a nonprofit dedicated to transforming how people produce, consume and enjoy food. "Slow Food Live events give us the opportunity to introduce more Americans to our products and our deeply-held brand values," said Nicola O'Connell. "Our host chefs know good food, and will be sharing why sustainably produced dairy from happy Irish cows not only makes great tasting dishes, but is better for animals, people and our planet." The Slow Food Live series, which allows for virtual audience interaction and Q&A with chefs, includes: A Taste of Irish Slow Living. On Wednesday, September 29 at 2 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT), Irish Chef Catherine Fulvio  an award-winning author of six cookbooks, founder of the Ballyknocken House & Cookery School and a celebrated television host on both sides of the Atlantic  will kick off the series from the kitchen of her family farmhouse in County Wicklow, Ireland . Catherine will discuss our connection to the land and the food it produces, and the beauty and benefits of slow living, while creating a modern twist on an Irish classic  caramelized leek and cheddar soda bread with tomato relish.



On at (EDT), Irish Chef  an award-winning author of six cookbooks, founder of the Ballyknocken House & Cookery School and a celebrated television host on both sides of the Atlantic  will kick off the series from the kitchen of her family farmhouse in . Catherine will discuss our connection to the land and the food it produces, and the beauty and benefits of slow living, while creating a modern twist on an Irish classic  caramelized leek and cheddar soda bread with tomato relish. Say (Grilled) Cheese with Chef Jernard Wells and Chef Julian Frederick . On October 20 at 2 p.m. EDT , join Chef Jernard Wells and Chef Julian Frederick for a family-friendly collaboration where both chefs will serve up tasty grilled cheese recipes that will elicit smiles from kids and grown-ups alike. Celebrity Chef Jernard Wells  a father of nine known as "The Family Chef"  is the award-winning TV host of "New Soul Kitchen" on CLEO TV, a bestselling cookbook author and James Beard House Honored Chef beloved for his unique twist on Southern inspired cuisine which infuses Creole and Asian accents. Co-host and Kid Chef Julian Frederick  an award-winning kidpreneur, best-selling author, culinary influencer and CEO of The Step Stool Chef  is dedicated to building kids' confidence and independence through cooking. Both talented culinary artists share a passion for the role that food plays in our families and communities, and will discuss the importance of responsibly produced ingredients to nourish our bodies and enrich our lives.



On at , join Chef and Chef for a family-friendly collaboration where both chefs will serve up tasty grilled cheese recipes that will elicit smiles from kids and grown-ups alike. Celebrity Chef  a father of nine known as "The Family Chef"  is the award-winning TV host of "New Soul Kitchen" on CLEO TV, a bestselling cookbook author and James Beard House Honored Chef beloved for his unique twist on Southern inspired cuisine which infuses Creole and Asian accents. Co-host and Kid Chef  an award-winning kidpreneur, best-selling author, culinary influencer and CEO of The Step Stool Chef  is dedicated to building kids' confidence and independence through cooking. Both talented culinary artists share a passion for the role that food plays in our families and communities, and will discuss the importance of responsibly produced ingredients to nourish our bodies and enrich our lives. Making Simple Soar: Compound Butters. Butter is a staple ingredient and a common accompaniment to some of our favorite foods. But it can reach new heights when combined with simple, fresh ingredients. In a session on October 27 at 2 p.m. EDT , Chef Edward Lee will demonstrate how to make and use high quality, seet and savory compound butters starting with natural, organic sweet and creamy butter from Truly Grass Fed. Brooklyn -born Chef Lee owns 610 Magnolia in Louisville, KY , and acts as culinary director at Succotash in National Harbor, MD, and Washington, DC . He is also an award-winning author and community activist within the restaurant industry.



Ireland's fertile land supplies the brand's high-quality ingredients. "Having grown up on an Irish dairy farm I appreciate the care that goes into producing the best of Irish butter and cheese and am delighted to work with Truly Grass Fed and host the first of these sessions," said Chef Catherine Fulvio. "Slow food is all about enjoying food consciously, taking time to source the best of fresh ingredients, and even stepping out and foraging to celebrate what nature naturally provides."

"We're thrilled to work with Truly Grass Fed to bring these sessions to our members and others interested in good, clean and fair food for all," said Anna Mule, executive director of Slow Food USA. "Cheese and butter are common kitchen staples, but this is the first time we've explored slow dairy in our programming. It will be a fun, interactive learning experience for everyone." Interested participants can register to attend the free upcoming Slow Food Live events at https://slowfoodusa.org/slow-food-live/ . For more information on Truly Grass Fed and Slow Food USA, visit www.trulygrassfed.com and www.slowfoodusa.org. About Truly Grass Fed

Truly Grass Fed is a premium brand of Irish dairy products crafted with integrity and care for people, animals, and the planet. The brand's distinctively creamy and delicious butter and cheese are made from cows that are 95% grass-fed, Non-GMO Project Verified, Animal Welfare Approved by A Greener World and free from growth hormones and antibiotics. Truly Grass Fed is elevating dairy to a new standard. The brand is strongly rooted in the art of farming but deeply dedicated to sustainability, transparency and progress with wholesome dairy from cows living their best lives outside, on pasture on average 250 days a year, grazing on green Irish grass. The Truly Grass Fed seal signifies that the dairy ingredients inside meet the highest industry standards of quality, safety, animal welfare and environmental consciousness. About Slow Food USA

Slow Food USA unites the joy of food with the pursuit of justice. We cultivate nationwide programs and a network of local chapters, host educational events and advocacy campaigns and build solidarity through partnerships. Together, we are dismantling oppressive food systems to achieve good, clean and fair food for all. The Slow Food movement began in Italy in 1989 as a rejection of global fast food. Today, Slow Food is in over 160 countries and represented by over 115 chapters in the US. Learn more at slowfoodusa.org. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/premium-irish-dairy-brand-truly-grass-fed-presents-slow-food-live-events-with-slow-food-usa-301385122.html SOURCE Truly Grass Fed

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[September 27, 2021] Strong digital infrastructure is focus of October 14 webinar presented by the Fairfax County EDA

Join us October 14 for "Power of Innovation: The Digital Infrastructure Evolution in Fairfax County," a webinar event that explores how our strong digital infrastructure is powering innovation in Fairfax County and Northern Virginia. Presented by the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority (FCEDA), this is a vitally important conversation, as businesses depend on a robust digital environment for critical operations and customer outreach. Take a deep dive with us and hear from industry experts on how the region has created one of the strongest digital infrastructure networks in the world that benefits Fortune 500 companies to small businesses - and is one reason why Fairfax County is home to 8,700 technology companies. Click here to register. Speakers will include: Adam Noll, co-founder, Chief Commercial Officer, Tenebris Fiber

Gerardo Bonilla, head of sales, North America, Telxius

Brouk Eshetu, assistant general manager, Mid Atlantic, CoreSite

Nilesh Shroff, executive director - GTS, Verizon (News - Alert) Consumer Group Opening remarks willbe delivered by Alex Iams, executive vice president of the FCEDA.



A networking session will be held following the presentations. "We all know the importance of a good transportation network to a community. This event will show how a strong digital infrastructure is crucial for business success - and tell the story of how that kind of infrastructure is propelling business success in Northern Virginia," said FCEDA President and CEO Victor Hoskins.

The Fairfax County Economic Development Authority promotes Fairfax County as a business and technology center. The FCEDA offers site location and business development assistance, and connections with county and state government agencies, to help companies locate and expand in Fairfax County. In addition to its headquarters in Tysons, Fairfax County's largest business district, the FCEDA maintains business investment offices in six important global business centers: Bangalore/Mumbai, Berlin, London, Los Angeles, Seoul and Tel Aviv. Follow the FCEDA on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter and YouTube. The FCEDA is a member of the Northern Virginia Economic Development Alliance. Other members: Alexandria Economic Development Partnership, Arlington County, City of Fairfax, City of Falls Church, Fauquier County, Loudoun County, City of Manassas, City of Manassas Park and the Prince William County Department of Economic Development. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210927005153/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[September 27, 2021] Summit Interconnect Partners With Lindsay Goldberg for Its Next Stage of Growth

Summit Interconnect ("Summit" or the "Company"), a leading provider of high performance, complex printed circuit boards serving the aerospace, defense, and other highly demanding commercial sectors, today announced that affiliates of Lindsay Goldberg - a leading private investment firm that focuses on partnering with families, founders and management teams - have completed a majority investment in the Company in partnership with the Company's President and CEO, Shane Whiteside, and other members of the Company's management team. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Summit Interconnect is one of the leading providers of complex rigid and flexible printed circuit boards in North America, offering solutions ranging from advanced prototyping to high mix, low-to-mid volume production. Summit serves customers across the aerospace, defense and other highly demanding commercial sectors and has facilities in California, Illinois, and Toronto, Canada. The Company is recognized as an industry leader in quick-turn manufacturing and has expertise with a wide range of materials including high speed digital, RF/microwave and mixed constructions. Shane Whiteside, Summit's President and CEO, commented on the transaction, "This is an important milestone in Summit's evolution. We are excited to continue expanding our capabilities and delivering for our customers in partnership with Lindsay Goldberg, a firm with deep expertise in the electronics manufacturing and aerospace and defense sectors and a proven track record of working closely with management teams to build great businesses. We are also grateful for the support and conributions to our business provided by HCI Equity Partners over the past five years."



"Summit Interconnect has established itself as an industry leader, supplying the most technologically advanced printed circuit boards to a broad range of highly demanding industries and applications. As new technologies develop and product lifecycles continue to shorten, we believe Summit will become an even more valuable partner to its customers," said Vincent Ley, Managing Director of Lindsay Goldberg. Michael Dees, Managing Partner of Lindsay Goldberg, added, "We are thrilled to partner with Shane and Summit's experienced management team to build upon the Company's strong platform and support its next phase of growth."

Harris Williams acted as financial advisor and McDermott Will & Emery LLP acted as legal counsel to Summit Interconnect on the transaction. Lazard acted as financial advisor and Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP acted as legal counsel to Lindsay Goldberg. About Summit Summit Interconnect is a leading provider of complex printed circuit boards focused on fast growing defense and high-performance commercial sectors in the North American market. Summit offers solutions ranging from advanced cutting-edge prototyping to complex high mix, low-to-mid volume production. Summit's five facilities are located across California, Illinois, and Toronto, Canada. For more information about Summit Interconnect, please visit www.summit-pcb.com. About Lindsay Goldberg Lindsay Goldberg is a private investment firm that focuses on partnering with families, founders and management teams seeking to actively build their businesses. Since 2001, Lindsay Goldberg has raised more than $17 billion of equity capital and has invested in over 50 platform companies and over 250 follow-on opportunities. The firm focuses on industries that have demonstrated resilience across economic cycles, including industrials, business, government and financial services, and healthcare in North America and Western Europe. Lindsay Goldberg takes a relationship driven approach and is supported by its global network of affiliate partners. For more information about Lindsay Goldberg, please visit www.lindsaygoldbergllc.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210927005192/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[September 27, 2021] Thomas Campbell, Esquire, to Receive the 2020 American Inns of Court Professionalism Award for the Seventh Circuit

After a COVID-19-related delay, Thomas Campbell has been selected to receive the prestigious 2020 American Inns of Court Professionalism Award for the Seventh Circuit. The pandemic has also forced the cancellation of this month's Seventh Circuit Judicial Conference, where Campbell was to have received the award. From 2005 until his retirement in 2018, Campbell was senior counsel at Baker McKenzie LLP in Chicago. Specializing in the trial of antitrust actions and business disputes, Campbell had more than 30 years of experience trying cases in industries as diverse as natural gas, health care, and even the manufacture of grand pianos. He was prevously a partner at the firm Gardner, Carton & Douglas LLP.



"He was an excellent litigator-in many ways a lawyer's lawyer-very intelligent and insightful," says former colleague Roxane S. Busey, Esquire, who wrote in support of Campbell's nomination for the award. "He loved the challenge of a trial and was often at his best before a judge or jury." Campbell also served as president and director of the Seventh Circuit Bar Association Foundation-an organization formed at his urging in 2012. The foundation sponsors educational programs for the legal community and the public featuring respectful discourse on such difficult topics as climate change, the war on drugs, and immigration. "None of these programs would have happened but for the leadership of Tom Campbell," says Michael T. Brody, Esquire, of Jenner & Block LLP, who supported Campbell's nomination for the award. "Tom envisioned a new role for the Seventh Circuit Bar Association as a sponsor of educational programs touching on topics of interest to an educated citizenry."

Campbell is the author of Fighting Slavery in Chicago: Abolitionists, the Law of Slavery, and Lincoln, published by Ampersand, Inc. (News - Alert) , in 2009. The book tells the story of Chicago residents who formed a chapter of the Anti-Slavery Society and operated a station on the Underground Railroad, helping to free thousands of slaves and ensure Lincoln's victory in the 1860 presidential election. He served as treasurer and member of the board of directors of the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission Foundation. In 2014, Campbell was honored by the Abolition Institute, which works to end slavery in Mauritania. He has also been active with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and the Field Museum of Natural History. Campbell earned his undergraduate degree in economics from Dartmouth College in 1965 and his law degree from Cornell Law School in 1968. The American Inns of Court, headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia, inspires the legal community to advance the rule of law by achieving the highest level of professionalism through example, education, and mentoring. The organization's membership includes nearly 30,000 federal, state, and local judges; lawyers; law professors; and law students in nearly 370 chapters nationwide. More information is available at www.innsofcourt.org. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210927005021/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
Wolters Kluwer division CEO Karen Abramson recognized as Female Executive of the Year with 2021 Silver Stevie Award for Women in Business

Today, Wolters Kluwer announced that Karen Abramson, chief executive officer of the Wolters Kluwer Tax & Accounting division, was awarded a Silver Stevie Award in the Female Executive of the Year - Business Products category of the 18th annual Stevie Awards for Women in Business. Abramson was recognized for her executive leadership, fostering a culture of innovation, and bringing groundbreaking solutions to market.

The Stevie Awards for Women in Business honor women executives, entrepreneurs, employees, and the companies they run- worldwide. The Stevie Awards have been hailed as the world's premier business awards. Gold, Silver, and Bronze Stevie Award winners were determined by the average scores of more than 160 business professionals around the world, working on eight juries.

"I am very grateful to receive this recognition and see it as a true testament to the work of our entire Wolters Kluwer Tax & Accounting team. Their diverse, innovative mindset, collaborative spirit, and unrelenting commitment to customer excellence inspire me every day," said Karen Abramson, chief executive officer, Wolters Kluwer Tax & Accounting.

Since becoming the division's CEO in 2013, Karen Abramson has championed technology innovation across the organization, launching award-winning products that help tax, accounting, audit, and finance professionals modernize and grow their businesses and firms through digital transformation. Over the years, she has been repeatedly recognized by the industry for her leadership and focus on bringing innovations into products. Karen Abramson has been named six times among the 25 most powerful women in the accounting profession by the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) and CPA Practice Advisor. She was also recently honored by the 2019 SIIA CODiE Awards with the CEO of the Year Award and received the Woman of the Year Award from the Business Intelligence Group in the 2019 BIG Awards for Business.







About the Stevie Awards

Stevie Awards are conferred in eight programs: the Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards, the German Stevie Awards, the Middle East & North Africa Stevie Awards The American Business Awards, The International Business Awards, the Stevie Awards for Great Employers, the Stevie Awards for Women in Business, and the Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service. Stevie Awards competitions receive more than 12,000 entries each year from organizations in more than 70 nations. Honoring organizations of all types and sizes and the people behind them, the Stevies recognize outstanding performances in the workplace worldwide. Learn more about the Stevie Awards at http://www.StevieAwards.com.

About Wolters Kluwer

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 advanced 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, visit www.wolterskluwer.com, follow us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210927005083/en/
Wolters Kluwer triumphs with nine 2021 International Business Awards

Wolters Kluwer Compliance Solutions has earned nine 2021 International Business Awards, part of the esteemed Stevie Awards program, for product innovation and customer service excellence. The wins include a Gold-level award for OneSumX for Compliance Program Management, several distinctions for the use of artificial intelligence to manage regulatory change, and an accolade for Compliance Solutions' "My Account" customer service initiative.

OneSumX for Compliance Program Management, which won in the "Best Governance, Risk & Compliance Solution" category, helps compliance professionals efficiently measure, monitor, and manage their compliance programs via seven fundamental offerings that feed into a central CPM interface, delivering a single view of regulatory risk that can be articulated across an entire organization. With interconnected topics such as risk and controls, tests, policies and procedures, and regulatory change, the solution provides financial institutions a common language, approach, and methodology in which all parts of one's compliance program can intersect.

Among five Silver-level wins, Wolters Kluwer won "Best Artificial Intelligence/ Machine Learning Solution" for its OneSumX ProViso solution; "Best Big Data Solution" for its OneSumX for Regulatory Change Management offering; and "Best FinTech Solution" for its iLien for Lien Management product. CASH Suite also won Silver-level distinction in the "Best Business-to-Business Product" category, as did Expere Language Translation for "Best FinTech Solution."







Among other wins were Online Applications for the "Best Financial Services" category; TSoftPlus for Paycheck Protection Program under "COVID-19 Response, Most Valuable Technical Innovation;" and the successful "My Account" initiative, which won for "Best Customer Service Team of the Year." As supported by customer testimonials shared in the award entry, My Account has noticeably enhanced the user experience and functionality of Wolters Kluwer's proprietary customer support system, providing customers a comprehensive, real-time view of their account information with enhanced functionality to view account balances, outstanding invoices, order status, and tracking numbers for print orders.

"These impressive wins share a commonality in that they were conceived, developed and further refined with the direct input and feedback of our customers," said Steve Meirink, Executive Vice President and General Manager, Compliance Solutions. "The result has been the delivery of expert solutions that effectively address major pain points, solving for challenges ranging from operational workflow issues and managing regulatory complexity to helping demonstrate compliance across their organizations. These latest industry accolades affirm and reinforce our purpose-driven mission to enable professionals around the world to make an impact of significance for their customers when it matters most."

Now in its 18th year, The International Business Awards honor and generate public recognition of the achievements and positive contributions of organizations and working professionals worldwide.

Wolters Kluwer Compliance Solutions is a market leader and trusted provider of risk management and regulatory compliance solutions and services to U.S. banks and credit unions, insurers and securities firms. The business, which sits within Wolters Kluwer's Governance, Risk & Compliance (GRC) division, helps these financial institutions efficiently manage risk and regulatory compliance obligations, and gain the insights needed to focus on better serving their customers and growing their business.

Wolters Kluwer's GRC division provides an array of expert solutions to help financial institutions manage regulatory and risk obligations. Wolters Kluwer Compliance Solutions' eOriginal suite of purpose-built, digital lending solutions, for example, helps lenders digitize their transactions and features electronic signatures, collateral authentication and an electronic vault. Compliance Solutions' iLien Motor Vehicle provides for the processing and management of motor vehicle titles and liens, helping solve the most unique and complicated challenges in title perfection. Wolters Kluwer Finance, Risk & Regulatory Reporting (FRR), meanwhile, is a global market leader in the provision of integrated regulatory compliance and reporting solutions. The division's legal solutions business are Wolters Kluwer CT Corporation and Wolters Kluwer ELM Solutions.

About Wolters Kluwer Governance, Risk & Compliance

Governance, Risk & Compliance is a division of Wolters Kluwer, which provides legal and banking professionals with solutions to help ensure compliance with ever-changing regulatory and legal obligations, manage risk, increase efficiency, and produce better business outcomes. GRC offers a portfolio of technology-enabled expert services and solutions focused on legal entity compliance, legal operations management, banking product compliance, and banking regulatory compliance.

Wolters Kluwer (AEX: WKL) is a global leader in information services and solutions for professionals in the health, tax and accounting, risk and compliance, finance and legal sectors. Wolters Kluwer reported 2020 annual revenues of 4.6 billion. The company, headquartered in Alphen aan den Rijn, the Netherlands, serves customers in over 180 countries, maintains operations in over 40 countries and employs 19,200 people worldwide.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210927005055/en/
[September 26, 2021] AlgoGroup acquires and launches three FMCG brands following fresh round of financing from Requina Capital

The acquisition of Beanie, followed by the investment in Beanie for Paws and Padie will immediately grow AlgoGroup's revenue by three-fold

Expanding sales footprint to Southeast Asia , Oceania and North America

AlgoGroup to launch a Brand Incubation Program to empower brands to scale faster

HONG KONG, Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- AlgoGroup, a tech-enabled consumer brands company, today announced the acquisition of Beanie following a fresh round of funding from Requina Capital. The company also invested into two new brands, Beanie for Paws and Padie using its unique consumer-to-manufacturing (C2M) approach to production. The addition of the three brands immediately tripled AlgoGroup's revenue and is expected to further add fuel to AlgoGroup's existing c.20% month-over-month top-line growth. AlgoGroup's consumer-to-manufacturing (C2M) model leverages consumption data across its internal e-commerce sales channels, plus external digital signals to identify product trends and consumer insights for smarter and faster manufacturing decisions. Supercharging AlgoGroup's growth in product offering in Southeast Asia, Oceania and North American markets After acquiring Beanie, an established superfood supplement brand with formidable offline channels, AlgoGroup was able to leverage granular consumption patterns in the pet supplements space to create a spin-off brand Beanie for Paws. Internal consumption data showing consumers' needs for greener and more environmentally-conscious brands also guided AlgoGroup's nvestment and creation of Padie, a biodegradable female hygiene brand.





The three new brands added to the company's existing portfolio of brands, including premium ethically-sourced UK-made fish-based dog treats brand Woofs and plant-based earth-friendly pet supplies brand Pogi's Pet Supplies.



The expansion also sees the company grow its regional sales footprint, with a target to add distribution channels across Southeast Asia, Oceania and North America by the end of 2021.

AlgoGroup looks to grow its coalition of brands by democratizing e-commerce infrastructure, data-driven insights and its growing distribution ecosystem Fueled by profitable growth, AlgoGroup is launching a Brand Incubation Program to welcome more brand partners and empower them to scale faster by providing support in e-commerce infrastructure, data-driven insights and a distribution ecosystem. By building an AI-powered software that captures and analyses consumption patterns in real-time, AlgoGroup hopes to shorten the average production cycle to as little as 2 months, significantly enhancing agility in manufacturing. Algo also constantly invests in its distribution ecosystem to elevate brand value of its brands, including co-creating major industry events to help brands raise awareness.

"With our roots in building and operating a collection of e-commerce platforms, AlgoGroup has first-hand access to consumer preferences. This unique access to data and consumer feedback allows us to invest, build or partner and scale emerging concepts that customers love and yet have been overlooked by the traditional players," said Chris Fung, Executive Director of AlgoGroup. "Our goal is to light up the consumer products universe by working with and building a coalition of brands which encapsulate our vision. Our mission is, and always will be, to empower brands and the process of brand building. We are eager to bring more brand concepts into the spotlight."

"We are excited to invest in AlgoGroup, and believe the company is well-positioned to capitalize on its data-driven manufacturing strategy while continuing to expand and diversify into new e-commerce verticals. We look forward to this next chapter of growth with the Algo team," said Sanjiv Garg, Chairman of the Investment Committee at Requina Capital.

About AlgoGroup AlgoGroup is a tech enabled consumer product company. Algo's mission is to invest, build, or partner with brands, harnessing proprietary e-commerce signals to create top-selling, branded, consumer products. The company currently houses six brands with distribution channels across Asia Pacific and four wholly owned or operated e-commerce platforms. Website: https://www.algogroup.io About Requina Capital Requina Capital, founded in 2012, is a private investment group with an unique model of capital allocation encompassing growth, buyout, buy and build strategies. Headquartered in Hong Kong, with offices in Kuala Lumpur and Los Angeles, Requina Capital's motto, "Action Driven Returns", captures its unique approach to capital allocation using an entrepreneurial mindset to secure the best risk-adjusted returns. Requina's portfolio companies span sectors including: e-commerce, performance marketing and corporate advisory. Website: https://www.requinacapital.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/requina-capital SOURCE AlgoGroup

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[September 26, 2021] ADDX Expands China Footprint With US$200-million Agreement Linked To China's Offshore Investment Scheme

TOKYO, Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Digital securities exchange ADDX  formerly known as iSTOX, which is backed by Japanese investors JIC Venture Growth Investments (JIC-VGI) and the Development Bank of Japan (DBJ) as well as Tokai Tokyo Financial Holdings, expects to enlarge its business in China significantly, after concluding a US$200-million agreement tied to a government-granted quota for Chinese offshore investments. The Qualified Domestic Limited Partnership scheme, or QDLP, allows domestic investors across China to buy into renminbi funds that focus on overseas investment opportunities. Fund quotas are allocated through a few major cities  including Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen and Chongqing. ADDX has reached an agreement with the Singapore-regulated wealth and fund management company ICHAM, which has received a US$200-million allocation as part of the Chongqing government's overall US$5-billion QDLP quota. Under the agreement, ADDX will be the primary venue for investments from the ICHAM fund in China authorised to raise capital from Chinese institutions and individuals. ADDX will offer Chinese investors access to private market products issued in the form of digital securities covering a broad range of asset types, including pre-IPO equity, hedge funds, VC funds, real estate funds, wholesale bonds and structured products. The ADDX-ICHAM partnership was among the first batch of two QDLP quota recipients announced by the Chongqing government last month [1]. ICHAM is also the first Singapore company to secure a QDLP allocation in any Chinese city. ADDX and ICHAM were both founded by ADDX Chief Executive Officer Danny Toe. Coming less than a year after ADDX signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Chongqing government to set up a future digital securities exchange for the Chinese market [2], the new tie-up is an important fillip to ADDX's international growth plans, the company said. Regulated by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), ADDX currently serves accredited investors from 27 countries, spanning Asia Pacific, Europe and the Americas (excluding the United States). Oi Yee Choo, Chief Commercial Officer of ADDX, said: "The opening up of official channels like QDLP to allow Chinese investors to diversify their portfolios globally has been taking place gradually and steadily since the 2000s. Amid rising asset prices within China, this move by the Chinese authorities is a prudent one that empowers Chinese institutions and high-net-worth individuals to participate in high-quality opportunities wherever they are, before bringing their returns back into the Chinese economy to the benefit of local businesses and households. For international companies that manage or facilitate these investments, including ADDX, China represents a massive opportunity. We are only in the early days of this burgeoning flow of capital between China and the rest of the world." Ms Choo added: "At ADDX, our international expansion strategy is grounded on our strong, varied set of blue-chip offerings. We are building the world's leading private market exchange with blockchain and smart contract technology. World-renowned issuers have been drawn to the speed, cost efficiency and access to capital that digital securities provide, in a revolution that will eventually consign traditional, paper-based securities to history. ADDX is also regulated in Singapore, which has established its standing as the top wealth management hub for Asian family offices and high-net-worth individuals, thanks in no small part to MAS' strategic long-term plan to build a conducive environment for global investors and asset managers. As Chinese wealth goes in search of opportunities abroad, the financial ecosystem in Singapore that ADDX is a part of has a competitive edge because of its deep pool of talent, robust and progressive regulations and openness to the world." Launched in 2012, QDLP is one of a few official programmes for Chinese offshore investments, which include QDII [3] and Wealth Management Connect [4]. The QDLP is notable because it allows offshore investments in a greater variety of assets  not just public market products, but also private market ones with a potentially higher risk-reward profile. Chinese individual investors in QDLP funds have to meet sophisticated investor requirements [5]. ADDX was founded in 2017 as an integrated issuance, custody and exchange platform for digital securities. The financial technology company is backed by Japanese investors JIC Venture Growth Investments (JIC-VGI), the Development Bank of Japan (DBJ), Tokai Tokyo Financial Holdings, Mobile Internet Capital and Juroku Bank, as well as Singapore Exchange and Temasek-owned Heliconia Capital [6].







[1] See official Chongqing QDLP announcement on 26 August 2021: http://www.liangjiang.gov.cn/Content/2021-08/26/content_10217605.htm [2] For more information: https://www.addx.co/files/09_i_STOX_Signs_MOU_Agreement_With_Chongqing_Monetary_Authority_Sets_Sights_On_China_Expansion_692f17bce2.pdf [3] The Qualified Domestic Individual Investor scheme. For more information: http://www.csrc.gov.cn/pub/csrc_en/OpeningUp/RelatedPolices/QDII/201210/t20121029_216247.html [4] For more information: https://www.hkma.gov.hk/gb_chi/news-and-media/press-releases/2020/06/20200629-4/ [5] To take part in QDLP funds, individual Chinese investors must have two years of investing experience and have (a) household financial assets of at least CNY 5 million, OR (b) net household financial assets of at least CNY 3 million yuan, OR (c) an individual annual income, averaged over three years, of at least CNY 500,000. [6] Other ADDX shareholders include Korea's Hanwha Asset Management, Japan's Tokai Tokyo Financial Holdings and Thailand's Kiatnakin Phatra Financial Group.

About ADDX ADDX is a future-ready capital markets platform set to usher in a new era for fundraising and investment. Through digital securities, ADDX offers a more innovative, flexible, inclusive, and efficient system for an emerging generation of investors and issuers. ADDX is on a mission to enable all users to transact exactly the way they want to and extend capital market access to a broader segment of the community. ADDX is owned and operated by ICHX, which has been approved by MAS as a recognised market operator (RMO), and has a capital markets services (CMS) license to deal in securities and collective investment schemes as well as to provide custodial services. For more information, visit ADDX.co. For media enquiries, please contact: Elgin Toh

elgintoh@addx.co

SOURCE ADDX

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[September 26, 2021] Kiatnakin Phatra-backed ADDX Expands China Footprint With US$200-million Agreement Linked To China's Offshore Investment Scheme

BANGKOK, Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Kiatnakin Phatra Financial Group-backed digital securities exchange ADDX  formerly known as iSTOX  expects to enlarge its business in China significantly, after concluding a US$200-million agreement tied to a government-granted quota for Chinese offshore investments. The Qualified Domestic Limited Partnership scheme, or QDLP, allows domestic investors across China to buy into renminbi funds that focus on overseas investment opportunities. Fund quotas are allocated through a few major cities  including Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen and Chongqing. ADDX has reached an agreement with the Singapore-regulated wealth and fund management company ICHAM, which has received a US$200-million allocation as part of the Chongqing government's overall US$5-billion QDLP quota. Under the agreement, ADDX will be the primary venue for investments from the ICHAM fund in China authorised to raise capital from Chinese institutions and individuals. ADDX will offer Chinese investors access to private market products issued in the form of digital securities covering a broad range of asset types, including pre-IPO equity, hedge funds, VC funds, real estate funds, wholesale bonds and structured products. The ADDX-ICHAM partnership was among the first batch of two QDLP quota recipients announced by the Chongqing government last month [1]. ICHAM is also the first Singapore company to secure a QDLP allocation in any Chinese city. ADDX and ICHAM were both founded by ADDX Chief Executive Officer Danny Toe. Coming less than a year after ADDX signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Chongqing government to set up a future digital securities exchange for the Chinese market [2], the new tie-up is an important fillip to ADDX's international growth plans, the company said. Regulated by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), ADDX currently serves accredited investors from 27 countries, spanning Asia Pacific, Europe and the Americas (excluding the United States). Oi Yee Choo, Chief Commercial Officer of ADDX, said: "The opening up of official channels like QDLP to allow Chinese investors to diversify their portfolios globally has been taking place gradually and steadily since the 2000s. Amid rising asset prices within China, this move by the Chinese authorities is a prudent one that empowers Chinese institutions and high-net-worth individuals to participate in high-quality opportunities wherever they are, before bringing their returns back into the Chinese economy to the benefit of local businesses and households. For international companies that manage or facilitate these investments, including ADDX, China represents a massive opportunity. We are only in the early days of this burgeoning flow of capital between China and the rest of the world." Ms Choo added: "At ADDX, our international expansion strategy is grounded on our strong, varied set of blue-chip offerings. We are building the world's leading private market exchange with blockchain and smart contract technology. World-renowned issuers have been drawn to the speed, cost efficiency and access to capital that digital securities provide, in a revolution that will eventually consign traditional, paper-based securities to history. ADDX is also regulated in Singapore, which has established its standing as the top wealth management hub for Asian family offices and high-net-worth individuals, thanks in no small part to MAS' strategic long-term plan to build a conducive environment for global investors and asset managers. As Chinese wealth goes in search of opportunities abroad, the financial ecosystem in Singapore that ADDX is a part of has a competitive edge because of its deep pool of talent, robust and progressive regulations and openness to the world." Launched in 2012, QDLP is one of a few official programmes for Chinese offshore investments, which include QDII [3] and Wealth Management Connect [4]. The QDLP is notable because it allows offshore investments in a greater variety of assets  not just public market products, but also private market ones with a potentially higher risk-reward profile. Chinese individual investors in QDLP funds have to meet sophisticated investor requirements [5]. ADDX was founded in 2017 as an integrated issuance, custody and exchange platform for digital securities. The financial technology company is backed by Kiatnakin Phatra Financial Group, Singapore Exchange, Temasek-owned Heliconia Capital and Japan government-backed investors JIC Venture Growth Investments (JIC-VGI) and the Development Bank of Japan (DBJ) [6].









[1] See official Chongqing QDLP announcement on 26 August 2021: http://www.liangjiang.gov.cn/Content/2021-08/26/content_10217605.htm [2] For more information: https://www.addx.co/files/09_i_STOX_Signs_MOU_Agreement_With_Chongqing_Monetary_Authority_Sets_Sights_On_China_Expansion_692f17bce2.pdf [3] The Qualified Domestic Individual Investor scheme. For more information: http://www.csrc.gov.cn/pub/csrc_en/OpeningUp/RelatedPolices/QDII/201210/t20121029_216247.html [4] For more information: https://www.hkma.gov.hk/gb_chi/news-and-media/press-releases/2020/06/20200629-4/ [5] To take part in QDLP funds, individual Chinese investors must have two years of investing experience and have (a) household financial assets of at least CNY 5 million, OR (b) net household financial assets of at least CNY 3 million yuan, OR (c) an individual annual income, averaged over three years, of at least CNY 500,000. [6] Other ADDX shareholders include Korea's Hanwha Asset Management and Japan's Tokai Tokyo Financial Holdings

About ADDX ADDX is a future-ready capital markets platform set to usher in a new era for fundraising and investment. Through digital securities, ADDX offers a more innovative, flexible, inclusive, and efficient system for an emerging generation of investors and issuers. ADDX is on a mission to enable all users to transact exactly the way they want to and extend capital market access to a broader segment of the community. ADDX is owned and operated by ICHX, which has been approved by MAS as a recognised market operator (RMO), and has a capital markets services (CMS) license to deal in securities and collective investment schemes as well as to provide custodial services. For more information, visit ADDX.co. For media enquiries, please contact: Elgin Toh

elgintoh@addx.co SOURCE ADDX

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[September 27, 2021] Egypt's Ministry of Supply and Internal Trade Automates Wheat Silos Processes in Collaboration with IBM and ACME SAICO

CAIRO, Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- IBM (NYSE: IBM), in collaboration with business partner ACME SAICO, today announced the automation of 22 wheat silos across Egypt by the end of this year using IBM AI-powered automation software. This supports the Ministry of Supply and Internal Trade's plans to digitize the wheat supply chain and implement governance systems on the country's strategic stock. The Ministry of Supply and Internal Trade is a key ministry focused on achieving food security for Egypt. In line with the national plan for digital transformation, the Ministry of Supply and Internal Trade represented by the Egyptian Holding Company for Silos and Storage (EHCSS) selected IBM and ACME SAICO to create a platform powered by IBM's AI-powered automation software in a hybrid cloud environment. Using IBM Cloud Pak for Business Automation and IBM Cloud Pak for Integration, the new solution will allow full automation and governance of all the steps of shipping, transport, storage, and supply of the wheatsilos.



Through this advanced technology, the automated platform is engineered to collect data from different sensors that are embedded in the silos. These sensors will send near real-time quantitative analytics of the wheat supply and stock status to the main platform at the Ministry of Supply. Thus, the EHCSS will be able to monitor and store all information related to the incoming shipments to maintain quality standards, report accurate views of the stock in silos, as well as address leakage in wheat silos extensively. The system also designed to help to better manage the communication and coordination between different storage points, and mills. "We are committed to expanding the wheat silos' automation across the country. The automation enables us to instantly monitor the wheat stock through a digital platform, providing the needed visibility to secure the supply chain. The platform, powered by IBM technology, ensures efficiency, stock protection, in addition to addressing logistical redundancies. This project is part of Egypt's digital transformation strategy to upgrade services 'level and performance across all fields," stated H.E. Dr. Ali El-Moselhi, Minister of Supply and Internal Trade.

"After renovating and increasing the number of silos across the nation, our goal was to build a digital platform to connect all silos with the main center at the EHCSS. Another goal was to automate the documentation processing of the wheat supply chain and monitoring process of the 22 silos and storage points," added Major General Sherif Bassili, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Egyptian Holding Company for Silos & Storage. "We are proud to be part of this strategic project that supports the country's digital transformation journey. By offering IBM's AI and hybrid cloud approach, we're supporting Egypt to help them achieve its strategy for sustainable development as part of the country's 2030 Vision," said Wael Abdoush, General Manager, IBM Egypt Dr. Khaled Derbala, CEO of ACME SAICO added: "We are honored to be part of this national achievement. After months of studying the nature of the food industry, we were able to create a robust and agile system to ensure more governance that doesn't affect the flow of business. The Ministry was able to see the links between implementing their strategic plans and the tailored digital system we created with IBM." Earlier this year, the launch of the pilot model for the first automated wheat silo took place in Banha, Qualyubia Governorate. Following the success of the pilot, the Ministry decided to expand automation to 22 silos before the end of this year. All silos will be monitored from the Ministry headquarters and the General Authority for Supply Commodities through IBM Cognos Analytics with Watson connected to the automation platform in use. As part of the sustainable development strategy of Egypt's vision for 2030, the government is planning to automate 400 silos adding them to the wheat supply chain monitoring system. About IBM

For more information about IBM please visit https://www.ibm.com/eg-en/cloud Media Contact:

Nadine Hafez

nhafez@eg.ibm.com View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/egypts-ministry-of-supply-and-internal-trade-automates-wheat-silos-processes-in-collaboration-with-ibm-and-acme-saico-301385232.html SOURCE IBM

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[September 27, 2021] BIOCORP and NOVO NORDISK Sign Global Partnership Within Diabetes on Digital Health

Regulatory News: BIOCORP (Paris:ALCOR) (FR0012788065 - ALCOR / Eligible PEA PME), a French company specialized in the design, development, and manufacturing of innovative medical devices, today announces an agreement with Novo Nordisk, a world leader in diabetes care, for the development and distribution (pending successful development) of a Mallya smart add-on device for the Novo Nordisk FlexTouch pen used by people with diabetes. Mallya is a Bluetooth enabled smart add-on device for pen injectors that collects dose and time of each injection and transfers information in real time to a companion software. Mallya helps people with diabetes maintain a reliable dose log, using technology to help improve understanding and allowing people to dose with confidence. Most Novo Nordisk's insulins are offered with the FlexTouch pen, and it is part of the launch map for all new insulins. A specific version of Mallya will be developed for FlexTouch, the first prefilled insulin delivery device with no-push-button extension. Due to the unique dosing mechanism of FlexTouch, the push button does not extend at any dose and allows insulin to be administered by pressing the low injection force button. The existing Mallya device had to be redesigned to meet the needs of this mechanism, keeping its accuracy and reliability for the patient. Directly attached on the disposable pre-filled FlexTouch pen, Mallya will allow seamless and efficient dose logging on FlexTouch, which could help people with diabetes and their HCPs to have more personalized conversations about the disease and treatment compliance. Biocorp will receive an upfront payment and different milestones are defined staging the development phase. Upon successful development, Novo Nordisk plans to distribute the smart device in selected countries, and Biocorp expects to ramp up production volumes from 2022. Financials and terms of contract are not disclosed.



"Novo Nordisk collaborates with Biocorp as we believe people with diabetes deserve the freedom to decide which solution works best for them. Our Swedish study1 demonstrates the health benefits associated with the use of smart insulin pens. And as we continue launching such smart pens, we also partner with Biocorp to allow even more people with diabetes to reap the benefits connected devices can provide. This collaboration demonstrates our commitment to making diabetes management easier by giving people access to data on medication usage behaviour which is known to potentially result in improved patient outcomes", said Sren Smed stergaard, vice president of Digital Health at Novo Nordisk. "Biocorp is very proud to sign this partnership with the world's leading diabetes company, Novo Nordisk, and it is a huge recognition for our Mallya. Providing almost 50% of the insulin used worldwide, Novo Nordisk distributed more than 500 million insulin pens in 2020, treating close to 30 million patients. The FlexTouch pen is not concerned by Mallya's current version, while used by tens of millions of patients with diabetes in the world, so we are pleased to be working to open up the possibilities of connectivity for the many patients around the world who use this pen.", said Eric Dessertenne, CEO of BIOCORP.

ABOUT BIOCORP Recognized for its expertise in the development and manufacture of medical devices and delivery systems, BIOCORP has today acquired a leading position in the connected medical device market thanks to Mallya. This smart sensor for insulin injection pens allows reliable monitoring of injected doses and thus offers better compliance in the treatment of patients with diabetes. Available for sale from 2020, Mallya spearheads BIOCORP's product portfolio of innovative connected solutions. The company has 70 employees. BIOCORP is listed on Euronext since July 2015 (FR0012788065 - ALCOR). For more information, please visit www.biocorpsys.com. 1 "Increased Time in Range and Fewer Missed Bolus Injections After Introduction of a Smart Connected Insulin Pen", Diabetes Technology & Therapeutics, Vol: 22(7), 2020. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210926005031/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[September 27, 2021] Nexxiot to Acquire Majority Interest in Swedish Technology Firm MOST

Nexxiot, the emerging TradeTech juggernaut transforming the cargo freight industry around the world through data and logistics digitization advancements, has announced it will acquire a majority interest in the Swedish technology firm MOST, a provider of real-time cargo monitoring services. The Swedish family office Resona, one of Scandinavia's foremost technology investors, will become minority shareholder in the transaction. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210927005205/en/ Nexxiot's onboard solar powered cargo sensors and gateways, which track cargo movements and efficiencies through the company's dedicated logistics cloud, combine with MOST's sensors that monitor the humidity, temperature, light and security of cargo inside of freight containers. Nexxiot's technology solutions offer customers complete transparency and accountability as to the status and performance of their cargo shipments across the globe. (Photo: Business Wire) Through its acquisition of MOST, Nexxiot will significantly consolidate its position as the foremost TradeTech innovator in the cargo IoT space. Nexxiot operates in more than 160 countries and is a leading provider of AI powered data solutions for a fast-growing roster of supply chain companies. Nexxiot CEO Stefan Kalmund, remarked of the transaction: "Bringing MOST's capabilities into our technology portfolio will have tremendous benefits for Nexxiot's global customers, affording them unprecedented insights and information abou their cargo that will certainly lead to positive outcomes in business planning, decision making and cost savings on a large scale. While we are excited about the immediate impacts of this partnership, we are equally thrilled at the long term implications this deal will have for Nexxiot as one of the world's dominant players in TradeTech and developers of the supply chain solutions for tomorrow."



Sam Giertz, co-principal of Resona and Chairman of the Board of MOST, said: "One of our core philosophies is to identify business models with the potential to transform industries and disrupt markets through the innovative application of data and technology. We view MOST and Nexxiot as an alliance of truly complementary companies that promise to deliver the new standard in big data solutions across cargo shipping sectors. Through our investments, we are advancing TradeTech's revolution across the supply chain with major sustainability implications for the future." Matilda Bouchet, MOST CEO said: "We could not be more delighted at this outcome and are confident that the strong set of people skills and financing will take MOST to the next level in bringing data-driven insights to our customers."

Danish IoT market leader GlobeTracker will divest its shares of MOST in the transaction. GlobeTracker CEO Olavur Ellefsen stated: "GlobeTracker is dedicated to making the supply chain significantly smarter through advanced data and technologies, which is why we were a proponent behind MOST's forward looking data solutions. We are gratified that our early investment helped MOST achieve leading status in the industry and will continue to work with companies like MOST and Nexxiot to advance TradeTech throughout the supply chain." The alliance will combine Nexxiot's onboard solar powered cargo sensors and gateways, which track cargo movements and efficiencies through the company's dedicated logistics cloud, together with MOST's sensors that monitor the humidity, temperature, light and security of cargo inside of freight containers. Nexxiot will now be able to offer customers complete transparency and accountability as to the status and performance of their cargo shipments across the globe. TradeTech supply chain advancements have taken on increasing importance as ports have become congested worldwide, delaying delivery of critical cargo and costing shippers and consumers billions of dollars through increased costs and prices. Kalmund added: "Our enhanced capabilities distinguish Nexxiot's solutions from anything else on the market because they transmit instant, real-times alerts about cargo status from inside a container as opposed to logging systems that can only send data once a container arrives at its destination. Beyond the benefits to our customers, these advancements will have far reaching implications pertaining to 'Know-Your-Cargo' standards, enhanced safety measures through fire and accident prevention and helping shippers combat illicit trafficking." GlobeTracker GlobeTracker is a privately held Danish company revolutionizing global supply chain visibility. GlobeTracker specializes in cold supply chain tracking, monitoring and cutting-edge sensor technology providing true end-to-end supply chain visibility and management. Globe Tracker has offices in the Faroe Islands, Netherlands, Germany, USA, Singapore, Iceland, and Canada. For more information: www.globetracker.com Resona Resona is a Swedish family office focused on investment in technology and real estate. With a deep passion for early-stage investment in technology which promise to improves our world tomorrow, we are also deeply committed to true entrepreneurship. Our investments into real-estate is equally passion driven, with a better tomorrow through innovation and pioneering green technology square in our focus. Nexxiot Nexxiot AG is a driver of the digital logistics of tomorrow. An industry leader in the digitalization of cargo transportation, Nexxiot empowers global shipping companies and suppliers to harness the power of their data through proprietary, cutting-edge technology and integrated data solutions to track, find and protect cargo from more than 160 countries around the world and across 450 network roaming partners to ensure accountability, security and efficiency. Headquartered in Zurich, Nexxiot operates throughout Europe and the U.S., employing people from 21 countries. The company's secure, industry leading Cloud comprises data from over 2,5 billion travelled miles Committed to sustainability through corporate and social responsibility, Nexxiot's goal is to enable a five percent reduction in global carbon dioxide emissions by increasing cargo transport efficiency and eliminating waste caused by empty runs and inefficient routes. https://nexxiot.com/ View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210927005205/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[September 27, 2021] Banca Widiba: Technology and Relationships Come Together with Dialogue, The Innovative Feature of Video-Banking

Banca Widiba is continuing its drive for innovation and launching Dialogue to enable customers to interact with the bank through a new remote relationship channel, while retaining the face-to-face mode of interaction. Conceived as a collaboration tool to foster proximity between the bank and its customers, Dialogue captures the human dimension typical of traditional banking through today's tools, in full Widiba Bank style. Already integrated within the platform and developed in collaboration with Kaleyra (NYSE:KLR) (NYSE American: KLR WS), Dialogue is designed to facilitate remote conversations with customers, all the while ensuring the excellence that characterizes Banca Widiba in terms of customer experience. Dialogue connects the human component with technical expertise, in order to, on one hand, respond swiftly to the new customer needs that have arisen as a result of the pandemic and, on the other, meet the needs, even in the post-COVID era, of users who are increasingly digital. "From the outset, as Banca Widiba, we set the goal for ourselves of being a company capable of listening to customers and interpreting their needs in the best possible way" - says Roberta Zurlo, Chief Commercial Officer, Banking & Credit of Banca Widiba. "This is why we have chosen to invest in video-banking to enhance the conversational and interactive experiences. Wit Dialogue," explains Roberta Zurlo, "customers will be able to initiate a video call with Banca Widiba directly from the reserved area and experience human contact, thus optimizing time".



"We are extremely pleased to support Banca Widiba's digital transformation process with our video communication technology. Dialogue enables the bank to maintain a superior relationship with its customers from anywhere," - says Filippo Rocca, Product Manager of Kaleyra Video. "Today, investing in digital technologies has become essential in order to keep pace with new customer needs and ensure a high level of service and interaction, even remotely." For Banca Widiba, the tool not only represents a technological upgrade, but also a strategic evolution that traces the path towards a new banking model: in the coming months, Dialogue will have further developments and plugins, which will also be available to financial advisors, to facilitate and expand the possibilities of interaction with customers. Banca Widiba is once again confirming its ability to listen to and interact with customers, in order to provide and ensure an increasingly evolved customer experience. Other tools that the Bank is placing at the disposal of customers include an app that facilitates relationships through immediate, simple, and intuitive interaction, as well as Widiba for Google (News - Alert) Home, one of the first 'voice banking' solutions integrated with smart speakers to put customers in contact with the bank. The bank was recently awarded the Abi Award for Innovation in Banking Services for these offerings in the Digital Transformation category.

Banca Widiba A benchmark on the market for innovation and its unique business model, Banca Widiba offers a customizable online platform and a network of over 500 Financial Advisors throughout the country. It has a complete range of products and services for the daily management of savings and investments. All with a paperless customer experience and a customer satisfaction rating of 4.84/5. Widiba stands out in the market for a relationship model based on the expertise of the Advisory Network. Significant growth on all business fronts, continuous innovation, and relationships make Banca Widiba a solid organization, capable of listening to and interpreting people's needs, and positioning itself on the market as today's bank. Kaleyra Kaleyra Inc. (NYSE: KLR) (NYSE American: KLR WS) is a global group that provides mobile communications to financial institutions, large e-commerce companies, OTTs, software companies, logistics providers, healthcare organizations, retailers, and other large corporations around the world. Today, Kaleyra has a customer base of over 3,800 companies worldwide. Through its proprietary platform and robust APIs, Kaleyra manages integrated multi-channel communication services, including messaging, rich messaging and instant messaging, video, push notifications, email, voice, and chatbots. Kaleyra's technology enables billions of messages per month to be sent securely with over 1,600 connected carriers in more than 190 countries, including all tier-1 carriers in the United States. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210927005062/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[September 27, 2021] EQT Private Equity invests in EC-Council, a global leader in cybersecurity training and certification

- EQT Private Equity adds to its cybersecurity investments with a significant equity stake in EC-Council - EC-Council contributes to narrowing the global cybersecurity talent gap and confronting the increasingly complex nature of cybersecurity incidents - EQT will support EC-Council and its management team in its next phase of growth and innovation by leveraging EQT's cybersecurity sector expertise, global platform and advisory network, and in-house sustainability and digitalization capabilities STOCKHOLM, Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- EQT is pleased to announce that the EQT Mid Market Asia III Fund ("EQT Private Equity") has made a significant investment in EC-Council (the "Company"). EC-Council's founder, Malaysian technopreneur Jay Bavisi, will retain a majority stake in the Company and remain as the Group Chief Executive Officer. Established in 2001, EC-Council develops and provides proprietary cybersecurity training and certification programs for customers in more than 145 countries around the world, both directly and through more than 700 partners. The Company has experienced strong growth in recent years driven by a rising need to protect corporations against increasingly complex cyber threats and a widening gap in the supply and demand of digital talent in the cybersecurity industry. Today it has a global presence with offices and operations in the US, Asia and Europe, employing about 500 people worldwide. EQT will support EC-Council in its next chapter by leveraging EQT's experience developing cybersecurity companies, its global advisory network and in-house capabilities within digitalization and sustainability. To further support the Company on its next stage of growth, EQT is happy to announce that Andrew Wait, former President of Lynda.com and EF Englishtown and former SVP and general manager at Ancestry.com, will join EC-Council's board of directors. EC-Council's training and certification programs help to equip students and professionals with both foundational and advanced skill sets required to thrive in the cybersecurity industry. The Company's first and most well-known certification, the Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH), specializes in ethical hacking and provides students with an understanding of various cyber-attack vectors and preventative countermeasures and regularly ranks among the top ten certifications that are highly sought after by employers in the cybersecurity industry. EC-Council programs set the cybersecurity bar globally and are trusted by seven of the top ten Fortune companies and 47 of the top 100 list. The Company is also supporting public organizations and governmental bodies, including the US Department of Defense (DoD), various agencies in the global intelligence community, NATO, and more than 2,000 of the world's top universities, colleges and training companies. Since its inception, EC-Council has grown into a platform that aims to not only educate and certify, but also to provide a holistic ecosystem for current and aspiring cybersecurity professionals worldwide. The Company now has dozens of certification programs worldwide designed to expand and advance skillsets cybersecurity professionals need. The Company's EC-Council University, an accredited institution of higher learning in the US, provides certificate, undergraduate and postgraduate programs in cybersecurity. Brian Chang, Partner, Head of Southeast Asia and Investment Advisor within the EQT Private Equity Advisory Team, said, "EQT Private Equity is excited to invest in EC-Council at this pivotal stage of the Company's growth. We have been impressed with EC-Council's development in this high-growth sector and its role in expanding the talent pool in the global cybersecurity industry. We see immediate opportunities to apply our digital skillset as well as our industry network and sector expertise to support EC-Council's ambitious vision and growth plans. We look forward to partnering with Jay and his management team to develop its full potential going forward." Jay Bavisi, Founder and CEO of EC-Council, said, "Over the past two decades, the entire EC-Council team has dedicated itself to the mitigation and remediation of the cyber plague that remains an ever-present challenge to organizations in all geographies and industries across the globe. We are excited to partner with one of the world's largest and most highly respected private equity institutions, EQT, to further accelerate our growth and increase our positive impact to the global community. By expanding our cybersecurity product portfolio and increasing the accessibility of online cyber preparedness training and testing tools, we hope to accelerate the development of cyber talent worldwide while encouraging the participation of more diverse communities in this growing industry."



Contact: EQT APAC media inquiries: EQTAsia@brunswickgroup.com, +852 9255-5136

EQT Press Office, press@eqtpartners.com, +46 8 506 55 334 For EC-Council:



Dan Chmielewski, Madison Alexander PR, dchm@madisonalexanderpr.com, +1-949-231-2965; +1-714-832-8716

EC-Council Press Office, press@eccouncil.org This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com https://news.cision.com/eqt/r/eqt-private-equity-invests-in-ec-council--a-global-leader-in-cybersecurity-training-and-certificatio,c3421937 The following files are available for download:







https://mb.cision.com/Main/87/3421937/1473452.pdf Press Release EQT MMAS III EC Council 210927 https://news.cision.com/eqt/i/ec-council,c2959602 EC Council



[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[September 27, 2021] Brad David Joins Evercore as Senior Managing Director in Its Advisory Practice

Evercore (NYSE: EVR) announced today that Brad David has joined the Firm's Investment Banking business as a Senior Managing Director in its Financial Sponsors Group. He will be based in Los Angeles and will focus on advising financial sponsor clients on the West Coast. Mr. David has over 20 years of industry experience and has been a trusted advisor to financial sponsors for over a decade. He joins from Credit Suisse, where he was a Managing Director in the Financial Sponsors Group with responsibility for many of the firm's important private equity client relationships. Ralph Schlosstein, Evercore's Co-Chairman and Co-Chief Executive Officer, said, "Brad has deep, well-established relationships throughout the financial sponsor industry, and he has served as a trusted and strategic advisor to many of the largest private equity firms. We are confident he will be a talented addition to our global advisory team." John S. Weinberg, Evercore's Co-Chairman and Co-Chief Executive Officer, added, "We are pleased that Brad has decided to join the Evercore team. Brad has built a strong reputation as a leading advisor to financial sponsors on he West Coast. His reputation for excellence and integrity will fit perfectly with our commitment to providing clients with the full suite of insightful and objective advice."



Brad David commented, "I'm excited to join the Evercore team. Evercore is the leading independent investment banking advisory firm, and its distinguished advisory and underwriting capabilities are an excellent fit for the needs of financial sponsors. I look forward to bringing the Firm's differentiated capabilities to this important client group." Mr. David holds an MBA from the University of Virginia's Darden School of Business and a B.S. from Samford University.

About Evercore Evercore (NYSE: EVR) is a premier global independent investment banking advisory firm. We are dedicated to helping our clients achieve superior results through trusted independent and innovative advice on matters of strategic significance to boards of directors, management teams and shareholders, including mergers and acquisitions, strategic shareholder advisory, restructurings, and capital structure. Evercore also assists clients in raising public and private capital and delivers equity research and equity sales and agency trading execution, in addition to providing wealth and investment management services to high net worth and institutional investors. Founded in 1995, the Firm is headquartered in New York and maintains offices and affiliate offices in major financial centers in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East and Asia. For more information, please visit www.evercore.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210927005369/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[September 27, 2021] Worldwide Femtocell Industry to 2026 - Featuring Analog Devices, Cisco Systems and Ericsson Among Others

DUBLIN, Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Femtocell Market: Global Industry Trends, Share, Size, Growth, Opportunity and Forecast 2021-2026" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The global femtocell market exhibited strong growth during 2015-2020. Femtocell refers to a small and light-weight cellular base station used for increasing the signal strength and coverage area of mobile networks. It is a wireless device used for improving the cellular reception in an office, home or building. Femtocell acts as a repeater that communicates with the mobile phones and converts voice calls into voice over information protocol (IP) packets. These packets are further transmitted over a broadband connection to the mobile operator's server. It offers quick data connections, in-premise voice and data services, reduced dropped calls and improved mobile voice output quality. Apart from this, it also has lower power consumption, IP backhaul and self-optimization capabilities.



Significant improvements in the 4G and 5G infrastructure are among the key factors driving the growth of the market. Furthermore, the rising demand for heterogeneous networks across the globe is also driving the market growth. High penetration of broadband services and mobile phones has enhanced the requirement for improved network coverage for high-quality video conferencing, calling and downloading of software and music. In line with this, the increasing commercial applications of femtocell in multi-tenant buildings, hotels and office towers are also contributing to the market growth. Various technological advancements, such as product integration with the Internet of Things (IoT) to improve indoor coverage and maintain the need for smart devices, are acting as other major growth-inducing factors. Increasing investments in small-cell infrastructure, along with the utilization of distributed antenna systems and cloud Radio Access Network (C-RAN), are some of the other factors that are expected to drive the market further. Looking forward, the global femtocell market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 27.6% during 2021-2026. Competitive Landscape The competitive landscape of the industry has also been examined with some of the key players being Acatel-Lucent S.A. (Nokia), Analog Devices, Cisco Systems, Ericsson, Fujitsu Limited (Furukawa Group), Huawei Technologies, Juniper Networks Inc. Motorola Inc., Netgear Inc., Samsung and ZTE Corporation.







Key Questions Answered in This Report How has the global femtocell market performed so far and how will it perform in the coming years?

What has been the impact of COVID-19 on the global femtocell market?

What are the key regional markets?

What is the breakup of the market based on the form factor?

What is the breakup of the market based on the technology?

What is the breakup of the market based on the type?

What is the breakup of the market based on the application?

What are the various stages in the value chain of the industry?

What are the key driving factors and challenges in the industry?

What is the structure of the global femtocell market and who are the key players?

What is the degree of competition in the industry? Key Topics Covered:





1 Preface



2 Scope and Methodology



3 Executive Summary



4 Introduction

4.1 Overview

4.2 Key Industry Trends



5 Global Femtocell Market

5.1 Market Overview

5.2 Market Performance

5.3 Impact of COVID-19

5.4 Market Forecast



6 Market Breakup by Form Factor

6.1 Standalone

6.1.1 Market Trends

6.1.2 Market Forecast

6.2 Integrated

6.2.1 Market Trends

6.2.2 Market Forecast



7 Market Breakup by Technology

7.1 IMS/SIP Femtocell Technology

7.1.1 Market Trends

7.1.2 Market Forecast

7.2 IU-H Femtocell Technology

7.2.1 Market Trends

7.2.2 Market Forecast



8 Market Breakup by Type

8.1 2G Femtocell

8.1.1 Market Trends

8.1.2 Key Technologies

8.1.2.1 CDMA

8.1.2.2 GSM/GPRS

8.1.3 Market Forecast

8.2 3G Femtocell

8.2.1 Market Trends

8.2.2 Key Technologies

8.2.2.1 W-CDMA/HSPA

8.2.2.2 CDMA2000-EVDO

8.2.2.3 TD-CDMA

8.2.3 Market Forecast

8.3 4G Femtocell

8.3.1 Market Trends

8.3.2 Key Technologies

8.3.2.1 WiMAX

8.3.2.2 LTE

8.3.3 Market Forecast



9 Market Breakup by Application

9.1 Residential

9.1.1 Market Trends

9.1.2 Market Forecast

9.2 Commercial

9.2.1 Market Trends

9.2.2 Market Forecast

9.3 Others

9.3.1 Market Trends

9.3.2 Market Forecast



10 Market Breakup by Region



11 SWOT Analysis



12 Value Chain Analysis



13 Porters Five Forces Analysis



14 Price Analysis



15 Competitive Landscape

15.1 Market Structure

15.2 Key Players

15.3 Profiles of Key Players

15.3.1 Alcatel-Lucent S.A. (Nokia)

15.3.1.1 Company Overview

15.3.1.2 Product Portfolio

15.3.2 Analog Devices

15.3.2.1 Company Overview

15.3.2.2 Product Portfolio

15.3.2.3 Financials

15.3.2.4 SWOT Analysis

15.3.3 Cisco Systems

15.3.3.1 Company Overview

15.3.3.2 Product Portfolio

15.3.3.3 Financials

15.3.3.4 SWOT Analysis

15.3.4 Ericsson

15.3.4.1 Company Overview

15.3.4.2 Product Portfolio

15.3.4.3 Financials

15.3.5 Fujitsu Limited (Furukawa Group)

15.3.5.1 Company Overview

15.3.5.2 Product Portfolio

15.3.6 Huawei Technologies

15.3.6.1 Company Overview

15.3.6.2 Product Portfolio

15.3.7 Juniper Networks Inc.

15.3.7.1 Company Overview

15.3.7.2 Product Portfolio

15.3.8 Motorola Inc.

15.3.8.1 Company Overview

15.3.8.2 Product Portfolio

15.3.8.3 Financials

15.3.8.4 SWOT Analysis

15.3.9 Netgear Inc.

15.3.9.1 Company Overview

15.3.9.2 Product Portfolio

15.3.9.3 Financials

15.3.9.4 SWOT Analysis

15.3.10 Samsung

15.3.10.1 Company Overview

15.3.10.2 Product Portfolio

15.3.11 ZTE Corporation

15.3.11.1 Company Overview

15.3.11.2 Product Portfolio

15.3.11.3 Financials



For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/cg3xq0 Media Contact: Replace contact info. with:



Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior 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



U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907

Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/worldwide-femtocell-industry-to-2026---featuring-analog-devices-cisco-systems-and-ericsson-among-others-301385478.html SOURCE Research and Markets

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
Schneider Electric Demonstrates Innovations to Support Changing Needs of the Packaging Industry

Schneider Electric, the global leader in the digital transformation of energy management and automation, will display its recently-launched solutions for the consumer packaged goods (CPG) segment at Pack Expo Las Vegas. These innovations are designed to support the quickly changing needs of CPG customers embracing new IIoT technologies to digitize their operations.

Over the past decade, the CPG space has been more transformed by IIoT than most industries, with new connected technologies giving manufacturers the flexibility required to meet their customers' changing needs. These transformations mean that critical information technology (IT) and operational technology (OT) equipment are moving closer to where they're used, providing manufacturers with more data than ever to optimize operations, increase efficiency, and reduce costs.

"Connected technologies have brought in a new level of flexibility to the CPG industry, helping companies respond to the needs of their customers faster, while driving down operational costs," said Miguel Najera, Consumer Packaged Goods Regional Segment Leader - North America, Schneider Electric (News - Alert) . "As these companies collect more and more operational data, they are looking for new ways to process and preserve it, to both maintain their processes and continue gaining efficiency within their operations."

Named the most sustainable company in the world, Schneider Electric will display innovative solutions to help customers maintain the integrity of their data while enabling further IIoT modernization to keep CPG manufacturers ahead of the curve:

EcoStruxure Micro Data Center R-Series for Rugged Environments: Bringing Data Closer

The new IP 55/66 & NEMA 12 rated EcoStruxure Micro Data Center R-Series for rugged indoor environments offers a fast and simple way to deploy and manage edge computing infrastructure in challenging indoor industrial spaces. As industrial operators deploy Industry 4.0 technologies to increase productivity, safety, and automation, micro data centers are becoming essential to addressing everything from the convergence of IT and OT to the enabling of IIoT applications - making IT on the factory floor more reliable.

EcoStruxure Micro Data Center solutions are configurable, pre-packaged, enclosed rack systems that include power, cooling, security, and management. They save up to 40 percent in field engineering costs, get systems to market 20 percent faster, and reduce maintenance costs by 7 percent.

EcoStruxure Automation Expert: Expanding Data

The new EcoStruxure Automation Expert v.21.1 is the latest update to the world's first software-centric universal automation system. This next-generation platform helps manufactures rethink automation system engineering by separating the hardware and software to drive engineering efficiency, increase operational effectiveness, and help future-proof operations. EcoStruxure Automation Expert is based on the IEC61499 standard for interoperability and is ideal for the CPG industry where flexibility is critical to react quickly to changing market dynamics, take advantage of new opportunities, or mitigate potential risks.

A report from ARC Advisory Group1, the automation industry's leading technology market research firm, finds that, "a standardized automation system layer would be immensely valuable in economic terms." For example, the $20-30 billion end users spend annually to service their installed base could be reduced substantially through this standardize automation layer, saving valuable engineering time and resulting costs by eliminating the vendor lock-in barrier.







Square D (News - Alert) Easy UPS 3S: Increasing Data Resiliency

The Square D Easy UPS 3S protects critical equipment from damage due to power outages, surges, and spikes. Designed for a range of environments and temperatures, the Square D Easy UPS 3S offers an exceptional combination of an optimized footprint design and advanced product features allowing OEMs to provide a simple back up power solution to their clients as part of their overall machine design.

While the cost of downtime varies by industry, nearly all large enterprises (>1,000 employees) report that a single hour of downtime costs more than $100,000 and 81% of enterprises said that the costs exceed $300,000 per hour, according to an Information Technology Intelligence Consulting (ITIC) survey.2 These power interruptions can disrupt production, damage equipment, and cause data loss. Adding the Square D Easy UPS 3S back up power solution helps guarantee business continuity to maximize productivity in light industrial applications.

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.

www.se.com

Discover Life Is On

Follow us on: Twitter | Facebook | LinkedIn | YouTube | Instagram | Blog

Hashtags: #SchneiderElectric, #LifeIsOn, #PackExpo, #IIoT, #IndustriesoftheFuture, #MakeItForLife, #DigitalTransformation

Related Content

1 https://www.arcweb.com/industry-best-practices/road-universal-automation-0

2 https://spiceportal.schneider-electric.com/documents/49836805/67167504/SE-Electrical-Contractor-UPS_Eguide_.pdf/a4cb9308-1942-4bb1-afbe-65386383d692 (pg. 13)

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210927005190/en/
[September 27, 2021] Fierce Biotech names Tvardi Therapeutics as one of its "Fierce 15" Biotech Companies of 2021

HOUSTON, Sept. 27, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Tvardi Therapeutics (Tvardi) today announced that Fierce Biotech has named it as one of 2021s Fierce 15 biotechnology companies, designating it as one of the most promising early-stage biotechnology companies in the industry.

In 2020, we got to celebrate the best and brightest biotechs trying to dig the world out of the pandemic. Speaking with this years class of Fierce 15 winners showed us that not even a global pandemic can stop incredible innovations in medicine, and were on the cusp of some new breakthrough treatments that have continued apace despite unprecedented disruption last year, said Annalee Armstrong, Senior Editor of Fierce Biotech. Slowing down was not an option for our 2021 Fierce 15 winners. From a biotech exploring a new type of viral vector for gene therapies to one trying to crack fibroblasts as a way to target resistant tumors, the Fierce Biotech team heard one thing in common: strong teams of scientists and professionals united in a goal to advance life-changing medicines. Were proud to showcase this esteemed group of emerging biotechs to the world. Tvardi (www.tvardi.com) is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing small molecule inhibitors of STAT3, a key regulatory molecule positioned at the intersection of signaling pathways critical to cancer, chronic inflammation, and fibrosis. The companys lead prouct, TTI-101, is currently being studied in a Phase 1 trial of patients with advanced solid tumors who have failed all lines of therapy. To date, TTI-101 has been well-tolerated and demonstrated multiple durable radiographic objective responses in cancer patients treated with TTI-101 monotherapy.



Imran Alibhai, Ph.D., chief executive officer at Tvardi, added, We are thrilled that Fierce has selected us for this honor. It not only validates the compelling clinical data we have generated but also our small and growing team of industry veterans, drug developers, and preeminent researchers that are bringing our transformative therapies to patients in need. I would also like to congratulate all awardees of this year's Fierce 15 competition, as we are proud to join them in this accolade. The Fierce 15 celebrates the spirit of being fierce  championing innovation and creativity, even in the face of intense competition. This is Fierce Biotechs 19th annual Fierce 15 selection.

An internationally recognized daily report reaching a network of over 300,000 biotech and pharma industry professionals, Fierce Biotech provides subscribers with an authoritative analysis of the day's top stories. Every year Fierce Biotech evaluates hundreds of early-stage companies from around the world for its annual Fierce 15 list, which is based on a variety of factors such as the strength of its technology, partnerships, venture backers and a competitive market position. About Fierce Biotech

Fierce Biotech is the biotech industry's daily monitor, an email newsletter and web resource providing the latest biotech news, articles, and resources related to clinical trials, drug discovery, FDA approval, FDA regulation, patent news, pharma news, biotech company news and more. More than 300,000 top biopharma professionals rely on Fierce Biotech for an insider briefing on the day's top stories. Signup is free at www.fiercebiotech.com/signup. CONTACTS: Rebecca Willumson

Fierce Biotech

202-824-5050

rwillumson@questex.com Brittany Leigh, Ph.D.

For Tvardi: LifeSci Communications

813-767-7801

bleigh@lifescicomms.com



[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[September 27, 2021] Optimove Raises $75 Million to Help Brands Deliver AI-Mapped Customer Journeys and Personalization at Scale

Optimove, a leader in CRM marketing, today announced a $75 million investment led by global growth investor Summit Partners. The financing will support continued investment in strategic hiring and M&A, expansion of the company's Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Marketing platform, and further acceleration of Optimove's rapid growth. The company also announced the addition of Summit Partners' Head of Europe, Han Sikkens, and Managing Director Steffan Peyer to its Board of Directors. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210927005124/en/ Optimove founder and CEO Pini Yakuel (Photo: Business Wire) Optimove's SaaS (News - Alert) technology combines a Customer Data Platform (CDP) with a Multichannel Marketing Hub (MMH) designed to uniquely empower brands to deliver personalized marketing campaigns to connect and engage with existing customers. Unlike more traditional solutions that rely on common, rule-based orchestration, Optimove places customer data at its core, layering advanced AI-based campaign orchestration on top. This helps its users manage large-scale CRM marketing frameworks, personalizing thousands of campaigns to hundreds of segments and reaching each end consumer with the optimal message and promotion across email, mobile and other channels. The company's solutions help customers achieve and attribute measurable improvement in key metrics such as churn, reactivation, conversion, and lifetime value per each customer, campaign, set of campaigns, and across the entire customer base. "In the last 18 months, digital consumption grew like never before. As a result, the cost of acquiring new customers has skyrocketed, while customer loyalty took a deep dive. Now, more than ever, brands understand the urgency to invest in existing customers to drive growth," said Optimove Founder and CEO, Pini Yakuel. "We built Optimove to address the challenges brands face when attempting to deliver personalization at scale. Our soluions are designed to offer marketing teams direct access to their customer data to build, test and optimize their CRM campaigns. Our AI engine helps ensure that every customer receives the marketing treatment that increases their lifetime value, through the optimal channel, at any given time."



According to data from Gartner's (News - Alert) Market Share Analysis: Customer Experience and Relationship Management Software Worldwide, the multichannel marketing market grew at a 3-year CAGR of 17% and is expected to reach $10B by end of 2021. Headquartered in Tel Aviv and operating from offices in New York and London, Optimove was bootstrapped for its first five years and has scaled quickly, while maintaining healthy profit margins, since its founding in 2012. This new capital positions Optimove to further accelerate its growth and expand its global footprint. Today, the company's CRM Marketing platform sends more than 23 billion optimized messages through email, mobile, ad platforms and other channels, to over 3 billion customers every year. Optimove serves more than 500 brands - including BetMGM, Papa John's, Staples, Varsity Tutors and others across e-commerce, gaming, retail, QSR, telecommunications, and financial services - and integrates with leading technology platforms, such as Snowflake, Shopify, Salesforce Commerce Cloud, alongside leading execution channels, including Facebook, Google (News - Alert) Ads, Criteo, and Attentive.

"The growth in e-commerce over the past decade has led to ever-increasing online competition, forcing brands to evolve their marketing strategies to deliver seamless, personalized omnichannel experiences that resonate and drive loyalty with consumers," said Steffan Peyer, Managing Director at Summit Partners. "From its roots in Israel's thriving and dynamic technology ecosystem, Optimove has grown into a truly global business, serving well-known brands across more than 40 countries. With strong technology, a strategic executive team, and the addition of growth capital, we believe Optimove is poised to build on its market leadership position." Over the last 12 months, Optimove generated revenue growth of more than 40% while continuing to maintain healthy profit margins. The company currently has 280 employees and plans to double its global headcount over the next 24 months, with hiring predominantly for its technology, customer, and commercial organizations. Optimove is widely recognized as a category leader, with notable recognition as a Leader in "The Forrester (News - Alert) Wave: Cross-Channel Campaign Management (Independent Platforms), Q3 2021; a Challenger in Gartner's 2021 Magic Quadrant for Multichannel Marketing Hubs; and one of the Top Five Leading Customer Data Platforms from G2's Fall 2021 Grid Report. ABOUT OPTIMOVE

Optimove is the leading CRM Marketing Hub, empowering marketing teams to create and manage large-scale, customer-led journeys. Optimove's CRM Journey mapping algorithm leverages AI to autonomously surface valuable customer engagement opportunities, orchestrate self-optimizing customer journeys, and accurately measure the incremental impact of all marketing interactions. Optimove is used by leading brands including Dollar Shave Club, Entain, Papa John's, Penn National, and Staples, to maximize customer loyalty, retention, and lifetime value. For more information, go to www.optimove.com ABOUT SUMMIT PARTNERS

Founded in 1984, Summit Partners is a global alternative investment firm that is currently managing more than $31 billion in capital dedicated to growth equity, fixed income, and public equity opportunities. Summit invests across growth sectors of the economy and has invested in more than 500 companies in technology, healthcare, and other growth industries. These companies have completed more than 160 public equity offerings, and more than 200 have been acquired through strategic mergers and sales. Summit maintains offices in North America and Europe and invests in companies around the world. For more information, please see www.summitpartners.com or follow on LinkedIn. In the United States of America, Summit Partners operates as an SEC (News - Alert) -registered investment advisor. In the United Kingdom, this document is issued by Summit Partners LLP, a firm authorized and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Summit Partners LLP is a limited liability partnership registered in England and Wales with registered number OC388179 and its registered office is at 11-12 Hanover Square, London, W1S 1JJ, UK. This document is intended solely to provide information regarding Summit Partners' potential financing capabilities for prospective portfolio companies View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210927005124/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[September 27, 2021]

Georgia's Longest Running Clean Fleet-Demonstration Series Opens Live (and Virtual) on October 5th at Peachtree Corners

ATLANTA, Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The annual Clean Energy Roadshow series, hosted by PSC Vice Chairman Tim Echols, returns for its 11th year to Peachtree Corners, opening on Tuesday, October 5th at 8:30AM. Three half-day, free events, staged in Atlanta, Macon and Savannah will combine an outdoor commercial vehicle showcase and an educational seminar bringing together propane, natural gas and electric vehicle manufacturers with fleet managers and elected officials from across Georgia. Registration is at www.CleanEnergyRoadshow.com

The live event at Peachtree Corners ( 310 Technology Parkway Northwest) includes a post-event tour of Curiosity Lab, a 5G-enabled autonomous vehicle and smart city living laboratory featuring the Olli Autonomous shuttle by Local Motors and the Autonom shuttle by Navya. The Blue-Bird EV School bus and the Thomas Built Jouley EV School bus will also be displayed - a first for Georgia. The seminar from 9:00AM-1:30PM is being streamed for online attendees. Subsequent events take place at Mercer University, Penfield Hall in Macon (11/17) with post-tour of Macon Transit Authority's EV Bus charging facility and Georgia Tech -Savannah campus (11/18) post-tour of the new, Port Fueling Center, featuring overnight truck parking, driver shuttle service, diesel, gasoline, CNG/RNG fueling and EV Charging, for travelers and freight vehicles around the port of Savannah.







The Roadshow's mission is to educate business and government leaders--and the public-- about the environmental and economic benefits of alternatively fueled fleets and to connect them with the utilities, suppliers, and funding resources who will help them plan for low and zero emissions. Since the Roadshow began in 2010 hundreds of clean fuel projects have taken root in Georgia because of initial connections made at the Roadshow.

"Georgia is poised to reap millions for fueling infrastructure and diesel mitigation in the immediate future," says show producer, Joy Kramer of Event Energy Partners. "Advance fuel-fit analysis, infrastructure and replacement cost planning are essential for successful, federal grant applications when funding becomes available."

All events cover utility infrastructure programs, funding and technical resources and total cost of ownership (TCO) for class 1-8 commercial vehicles, including off-road and small wheel utility vehicles prevalent on university campuses. Presenters include Georgia Power, Atlanta Gas Light, Propane AutoGas, (Georgia based) Club Car, KIA Georgia, (Georgia based) BlueBird, Endera Motors, BYD USA, Ingevity, Yancey Bus, Cummins, Peachstate Freightliner, and Thomas Bus.

Media contact:

Joy Kramer

678-390-2737

319848@email4pr.com

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/georgias-longest-running-clean-fleet-demonstration-series-opens-live-and-virtual-on-october-5th-at-peachtree-corners-301385552.html

SOURCE Event Energy Partners LLC
[September 27, 2021] Hologram Help from Product Packaging

GEELONG, Australia, Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- A ground-breaking concept that transforms regular product packaging into the newest channel for brands and their fans to connect, will change shopping forever, according to Digital Marketing Expert, Dave Chaffey. Immertia, the tech start-up that Chaffey heads is leading the charge towards this future, and today released a prototype demonstration video which includes a pint-sized human hologram, providing information from inside a packaging container. You can see the demonstration video from the immertia website. The remarkable spectacle is exciting, and yet unnerving "The prototype we're showing today is fascinating. You'll see there's a person, a hologram, inside the packaging, waiting to provide information and advice. In English, or in Spanish." It's been an absolute showstopper for us so far. You can see people's responses  just pure amazement." Technology virtually within reach

In Chaffey's vision of the near future, customers with product queries won't have to wait idly for a shop assistant's attention, they will simply ask the product! And the poduct will answer back.!



Any question you can think to ask, will be answered, by a tiny human, from inside the box. It sounds far-fetched, but Chaffey's team demonstrated a solution last year, where a bottle of wine equipped with their technology, was asked questions, such as "where does your wine come from".

Aside from stumbling to describe prosciutto it was spot on. How it works

The concept is powered by ultra-realistic augmented reality, which is why it's hard to tell what's real and what's not. Consumers use their smart phone to activate the packaging, and then view the hologram through their camera. The Hologram is only a part of the concept, and the other elements are equally mind-bending. "The technology is really clever, you can get information about the product, advice, instructions, all from the product itself. Its intuitive too, when you need to know something, you're going straight to the source" "We're still a while away from hitting mainstream, but we're demonstrating a tangible solution, with no barriers for the consumer. That's a pretty big thing." The commercial applications are enormous, with user cases in food and beverage, manufacturing, health, education, and many more industries. Which is why the Company is calling out to potential investors, to support a capital raise and fund an immediate move to market. The Company has two augmented reality platforms in market presently, and capacity for growth. This space will be one to watch More information is available on the website - Immertia.io Media Enquiries

Media enquiries are welcome. Please visit our media center where a priority response service is maintained. Media Liaison: Dave Chaffey, Founding Partner Media Center: immertia.io/media/ Phone: +61 1300 633 390 IMMERTIA is a hard-working team creating augmented reality experiences from products and the range of packaging

a commercialised product of Third Aurora  a Collaborative Tech Engine View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/hologram-help-from-product-packaging-301385553.html SOURCE Immertia

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[September 27, 2021] Sharp Launches Newest Line Of Production Multifunction Printers

MONTVALE, N.J., Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Sharp Imaging and Information Company of America (SIICA), a division of Sharp Electronics Corporation (SEC), today announced the launch of its newest addition to the Pro Series lineup. The MX-M1056 and MX-M1206 deliver print speeds up to 120 ppm and offer unprecedented ease-of-use, seamless job management and new finishing solutions for advanced workflows. Built to handle the rigorous demands of today's high-volume environments, the new models provide an award-winning, user-friendly 15.4" (diagonal) touchscreen display with intuitive menu navigation and full integration with Fiery Command WorkStation from Electronics For Imaging (EFI) for efficient job management. These multifunction printers also offer alternative, touchless operation with mobile devices via Synappx Go for basic copying, scanning and print release jobs, all important in today's business environment. Notable features include the new-to-maret GBC SmartPunch Plus, a fully automated in-line finishing system that offers a wide variety of punch patterns to accommodate popular binding styles in addition to the new perforation and crease dies that help give users the professional finishing touch they desire. A powerful EFI Fiery print server is available for advanced workflows and production-class print results. Fiery servers deliver dramatically improved productivity, streamlined workflows and unmatched control and ease of use.



"The advanced Fiery solutions available for the Pro Series MX-M1056 and MX-M1206 represent the most advanced Fiery servers developed for monochrome cut-sheet printing devices," said John Henze, vice president, sales and marketing, EFI Fiery. "Users will experience faster response times and streamlined job preparation, along with powerful tools like Fiery JobExpert that minimize print job errors by helping customers ensure every job prints perfectly the very first time." These models also deliver leading-edge security features, such as Firmware Attack Prevention and Self-Recovery, which can identify a malicious intrusion and restore the machine firmware to its original state. The Application Whitelisting feature protects the machine's file system from unauthorized access. Additionally, administrators can centrally manage select security settings using Active Directory Group Policy.

"As teachers return to the classroom and employees begin to return to their workplaces, these high-powered multifunction printers will deliver the productivity and performance users expect," said Shane Coffey, vice president of product management at Sharp Imaging and Information Company of America. "The new models in this award-winning series provide organizations with best-in-class features that offer a more advanced and updated experience than ever before." The new models increase efficiency and support complex printing needs for businesses, professional printing environments, schools and more. Available now, these new models replace the previous MX-M1055 and MX-M1205 models. About Sharp Electronics Corporation

Sharp Electronics Corporation is the U.S. subsidiary of Japan's Sharp Corporation. Sharp is a worldwide developer of one-of-a-kind home appliances, networked multifunctional office solutions, professional displays, and smart office technologies. Sharp has been named to Fortune magazine's 2020 World's Most Admired Company List, ranking the world's most respected and reputable companies. Sharp's headquarters in Montvale, NJ has been named a "Best Places to Work in NJ 2021" by NJBIZ, a leading New Jersey business publication. Peppercomm for Sharp

Paul Merchan

212.931.6172

PMerchan@Peppercomm.com View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/sharp-launches-newest-line-of-production-multifunction-printers-301384999.html SOURCE Sharp Imaging and Information Company of America (SIICA)

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[September 27, 2021] Judge Alice R. Senechal to Receive the 2021 American Inns of Court Professionalism Award for the Eighth Circuit

Magistrate Judge Alice R. Senechal has been selected to receive the prestigious 2021 American Inns of Court Professionalism Award for the Eighth Circuit. Senechal has served as a magistrate judge for the U.S. District Court for the District of North Dakota since 1990. Senechal's leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic has been especially exemplary, says Chief Judge Peter D. Welte of the U.S. District Court for the District of North Dakota, who nominated Senechal for the award on behalf of the court plus the Randy H. Lee, Ronald N. Davies, and Judge Bruce M. an Sickle American Inns of Court. "During that time, the leadership and example of Magistrate Judge Senechal have been front and center in the recovery of the North Dakota District Court," says Welte. "Further, her can-do spirit, her broad and deep knowledge of the law, and her experience-over 30 years of experience on the bench-have been crucial in leading us through this once-in-a-lifetime experience."



Between 1990 and 2015, Senechal served part-time as a magistrate judge while practicing for the Robert Vogel Law Office PC in Grand Forks, North Dakota. She began serving full-time in 2015. In addition, she has served as an adjunct professor at the University of North Dakota School of Law, where she taught professional responsibility. Senechal is very involved in bar activities at the local, state, and national levels. She has been active in the Greater Grand Forks County Bar Association and the State Bar Association of North Dakota, serving as a chair of the North Dakota Joint Committee on Attorney Standards. She has served as the Eighth Circuit representative to the Federal Magistrate Judges Association and has also served on the board of editors for the Federal Courts Law Review, which is published by the Federal Magistrate Judges Association.

Senechal is a charter member and a past president of the Randy H. Lee American Inn of Court. Senechal began her career as a special-needs elementary school teacher after earning an undergraduate degree in speech and language pathology and audiology from North Dakota State University in 1977. She earned a law degree cum laude from the University of Minnesota School of Law in 1984. She then served as a term law clerk for Judge Bruce M. Van Sickle of the U.S. District Court for the District of North Dakota. The American Inns of Court, headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia, inspires the legal community to advance the rule of law by achieving the highest level of professionalism through example, education, and mentoring. The organization's membership includes nearly 30,000 federal, state, and local judges; lawyers; law professors; and law students in nearly 370 chapters nationwide. More information is available at www.innsofcourt.org. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210927005018/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[September 27, 2021] Pax8's Jordan Saylor Recognized as One of CRN's 100 People You Don't Know But Should for 2021

DENVER, Sept. 27, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pax8, the best place for IT professionals to buy cloud products, today announced that CRN, a brand of The Channel Company, has named Jordan Saylor, Director of Channel Programs, as one of the IT channels 100 People You Dont Know But Should for 2021. Every year, this list honors the people working tirelessly behind the scenes to support their partners and the broader channel ecosystem.

Jordans leadership, strategic initiatives, and intentional approach are driving transformation, said Jennifer Bodell, Senior Vice President of Global Channel at Pax8. Through her close engagement with our partner community, Pax8 fosters deep connections and continues to provide impactful education and enablement resources to achieve success. We are proud of Jordan and thank CRN for recognizing her accomplishments. The CRN editorial team compiles the list each year to bring well-deserved attention to the best and brightest who may not be as visible or well-known as some channel executives but whose roles are just as important. The selections are based on feedback from leading solution providers and industry executives. There are truly talented folks who make game-changing, creative, and strategic decisions every day behind the scenes, said Blaine Raddon, CEO of The Channel Company. With the 100 People You Dont Know But Should, we are excited to shine a light on this exceptional group and honor them for their remarkably important work on behalf of their partners and their contributions to the IT channel at large. The 100 People You Dont Know But Should will be featured in the October ssue of CRN Magazine and can be found online at www.crn.com/100people.



About Pax8

Pax8 is modernizing how partners buy, sell, and manage cloud. As a born-in-the-cloud company, Pax8 simplifies the buying journey, empowering its partners to achieve more with cloud technology. The companys technology displaces legacy distribution by connecting the channel ecosystem to its award-winning transactional cloud marketplace. Through billing, provisioning, automation, industry-leading PSA integrations, and pre and post-sales support, and education, Pax8 is a proven disruptor in the market. Pax8 has ranked in the Inc. 5000 for four consecutive years  #68 in 2018, #60 in 2019, #111 in 2020, and #164 in 2021  as one of the fastest-growing private companies in the US. If you want to be successful with cloud, you want to work with Pax8. Get started today at www.pax8.com. Follow Pax8 on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter.

About The Channel Company

The Channel Company enables breakthrough IT channel performance with our dominant media, engaging events, expert consulting and education, and innovative marketing services and platforms. As the channel catalyst, we connect and empower technology suppliers, solution providers, and end users. Backed by more than 30 years of unequalled channel experience, we draw from our deep knowledge to envision innovative new solutions for ever-evolving challenges in the technology marketplace. thechannelcompany.com Follow The Channel Company: Twitter , LinkedIn , and Facebook Media contact:

John Trent

PR Manager at Pax8

jtrent@pax8.com



[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[September 27, 2021] Fantom Foundation Partners with Orienbank to Pilot Central Bank Digital Currency in Tajikistan

New York, NY, Sept. 27, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Fantom Foundation announced that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the OJSC Orienbank, one of the largest banks in Tajikistan, to trial a hybrid CBDC platform for eventual deployment across the Republic of Tajikistan. This monumental agreement establishes Fantom as one of the first blockchain projects globally to begin development of a CBDC solution for a national government.







Fantom and Orienbank will work with the National Bank of Tajikistan to develop and trial commercial and retail payment networks for the E-SOM, the digitized version of the Tajikistani Somoni. By integrating the renowned developer Andre Cronjes Iron Bank protocol, the Fantom-based product will also include a low-fee foreign exchange with simple fiat on- and off-ramp. Fantom, Orienbank, and the National Bank will aim for a nationwide rollout upon completion of a successful demonstration. The Orienbank deal signals Fantoms emergence as a major player in public sector blockchain initiatives. Fantom offers transformative technologies for governments seeking to transition to the modern digital economy. The platforms near-zero fees and fast transactions provide the security, reliability, and scalability that intensive digital currncy applications require.



Digital currencies have been a hot topic of discussion lately. Consumers increasingly prefer electronic payments, and Central Banks are eager to offer solutions encouraging the use of national currencies rather than third-party digital payment systems. In countries like Tajikistan with large, unbanked populations, CBDC can encourage financial inclusion. Fantom CBDC makes banking available through mobile apps that connect to digital wallets. Beyond user-accessiblity, connectivity allows financial institutions to extend services like microloans to underserved areas.

Another area that Fantom CBDC will significantly impact is remittances. Globally the average cost of sending a remittance is 6.38% of the total amount. Such fees add up quickly, especially when one considers that remittance inflows to Tajikistan made up approximately 26% of GDP (2020). The Fantom solution drastically reduces costs by eliminating intermediaries and transaction fees while accelerating payment processing and settlement. Functionality added by the Iron Bank protocol mentioned above will make it easy for both remittance senders and receivers to work with their local currencies. Other benefits that Fantom offers include automatic tax deduction, streamlined monetary policy, and more.



The CBDC solution will initially undergo a period of testing and refinement. Following initial trials, Orienbank and Fantom will seek to roll out the product nationally under the sandbox regulation of National Bank of Tajikistan.



Commenting on this milestone for Fantom, CEO Michael Kong stated that, This agreement with Orienbank validates our efforts to build a viable CBDC solution combining research into the economics and usability of digital currencies with the technology of our high-speed, low-cost platform. With reference to Tajikistans recovery from a pandemic-induced recession, COO Barek Sekandari further added that We seek to implement tools that will not only sustain but accelerate this economic expansion. From interbank and large business payment systems to small business transactions and P2P money transfers, Fantom CBDC is poised to transform existing currency and payments ecosystems in Tajikistan and beyond.



Media Enquiries:



Simone Pomposi

Fantom Foundation

pr@fantom.foundation

https://fantom.foundation







[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[September 27, 2021] Astera Labs Secures $50M in Series-C Funding at a $950M Valuation to Accelerate Product and Customer Momentum

Astera Labs, the industry leader for connectivity solutions for intelligent systems, today announced raising $50M as part of an oversubscribed Series-C funding round led by Fidelity Management and Research. Fidelity was joined in this funding round by Atreides Management and Valor Equity Partners, with continued participation from existing investors Avigdor Willenz Group, GlobalLink1 Capital, Intel (News - Alert) Capital, Sutter Hill Ventures, and VentureTech Alliance. Prior to this round, Astera Labs raised only $35M over three years, which is a testament to the company's innovative and nimble team, highly efficient operations, and unwavering customer focus. "We are thrilled to join forces with Fidelity, Atreides, and Valor to cement our leadership position in intelligent cloud connectivity solutions and usher Astera Labs into the next growth phase of our company," said Jitendra Mohan, CEO, Astera Labs. "With this investment and increased collaboration with our manufacturing partners, we will rapidly scale our worldwide operations to satisfy incredible customer demand and launch multiple new product lines to solve the industry's most pressing connectivity challenges." The Series-C funding round comes on the heels of Astera Labs' success launching the Aries Smart Retimer portfolio for Compute Express Link&rade; (CXL) 2.0 and PCI (News - Alert) Express (PCIe) 5.0 that enable workload-optimized platforms in the cloud. The company plans to continue this momentum with an expanded focus to address connectivity bottlenecks throughout the data center with purpose-built ASIC and module solutions that unlock complex system topologies critical to mainstreaming data-intensive applications such as Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning.



"CXL has opened a new era of data center system architecture that is critical to realize the vision of AI in the cloud," said Sanjay Gajendra, Chief Business Officer, Astera Labs. "We are leading the industry with design wins at the five most significant CPU/GPU/AI processor platforms in the world and the majority of Cloud customers. This positions us well to capitalize on CXL's exciting new capabilities for cache-coherent and memory interconnects." "Astera Labs has done a tremendous job in developing a portfolio of multiple innovative products that address critical needs of heterogeneous computing and composable disaggregation infrastructure," said Avigdor Willenz, founding investor of Astera Labs, Annapurna Labs, Habana Labs, and many others. "We are very pleased to see the strong execution track record and rapid value creation by Astera Labs, which has opened multiple options including an IPO in the future."

"We are very excited with the growth and expansion of Astera Labs and remain highly optimistic about the long-term potential of the company," said Stefan Dyckerhoff (News - Alert) , Managing Director at Sutter Hills Ventures and Board Member of Astera Labs. To support the rapidly growing product portfolio and operations, Astera Labs is hiring for several positions in North America and Asia. About Astera Labs Astera Labs Inc., a fabless semiconductor company headquartered in the heart of California's Silicon Valley, is a leader in purpose-built connectivity solutions for data-centric systems throughout the data center. The company's product portfolio includes system-aware semiconductor integrated circuits, boards, and services to enable robust CXL/PCIe connectivity. For more information about Astera Labs including open positions visit www.AsteraLabs.com. Compute Express Link and CXL are trademarks of the CXL Consortium.

PCI Express and PCIe are trademarks or registered trademarks of PCI-SIG. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210927005066/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[September 27, 2021] Isobar Public Sector Launches Minority-Owned Business Incubator

Isobar (News - Alert) Public Sector, a dentsu international company, announced today the launch of a new minority-owned business incubator with Maryland-based firms. The goal of the partnership is to provide black-owned, 8a and minority-owned small businesses with technical support and resources to accelerate their operations, growth and go-to-market efforts in the public sector. The program is part of Isobar Public Sector / Merkle and dentsu's Economic Empowerment initiative. The firm has partnered with Maryland Black Businesses Matter organization, founded by Gregory Holmes, to identify black businesses currently working with U.S. federal, state and local governments. Following an initial matchmaking session, participating firms determine the type and level of support required. This may include business development, capacity building, proposal support, marketing efforts and/or administrative support. "With this program, our goal is to make a difference for these firms and collectively improve not only their bottom line but also the careers and opportunities for both existing and prospective employees," said Larry Gillespie, president, Isobar Public Sector. "Although we've just started, I've been amazed at the talent and creativity of all the firms. We are extreely fortunate to be working with Gregory, who brings a ton of passion and energy to the growth of black businesses in Maryland. This isn't a typical mentor-protege arrangement but a true collaboration. In fact, I find that it's the larger firms in the relationship, like Isobar, that often learn the most."



Collectively, the companies share a common focus and mission in delivering digital transformation, IT modernization and program management for government agencies. The collaboration often includes support of business development activities, proposals, white paper development and other activities. These efforts are supported by dentsu's Global Technology (News - Alert) Alliance partners, including Qualtrics, Salesforce, Adobe, Amazon, Google Global Technology practice and others. Read the full press release here.

About dentsu: Part of the dentsu group, dentsu international is made up of six leadership brands - Carat, dentsuX, iProspect, Isobar, dentsumcgarrybowen, Merkle and supported by its specialist brands. dentsu international helps clients to win, keep and grow their best customers and achieve meaningful progress for their businesses. With best-in-class services and solutions in media, CXM, and creative, dentsu international operates in over 145 markets worldwide with more than 45,000 dedicated specialists. Visit www.dentsu.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210927005608/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[September 27, 2021] OSE Immunotherapeutics to Host an "Immuno-Oncology R&D Day" On October 12th, 2021

NANTES, France, Sept. 27, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- OSE Immunotherapeutics (ISIN: FR0012127173; Mnemo: OSE) today announced that it will host a virtual and in-person R&D Day on Tuesday, October 12th, 2021 at 4:00 p.m. CEST/ 10:00 a.m. EDT, being hosted in Paris.

The event, which will feature presentations by leading clinicians as well as key members of the OSE Immunotherapeutics management team, will provide an update on: The Companys strategy to build a leading portfolio of best- and first-in-class cancer immunotherapies.

OSEs goal to position Tedopi as a new standard of care in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) after immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) failure and its ongoing clinical development as a maintenance therapy for ovarian and pancreatic cancers.

Recent clinical data supporting development of first-in-class CD47/SIRPa pathway targeting antibody BI 765063 alone and in combination with anti-PD-1 ezabenlimab in solid tumours.

OSEs emerging best- and first-in-class immuno-oncology portfolio which includes a novel myeloid cell Dont Eat Me signal targeting CLEC-1 and a bispecific antibody platform (BiCKI) whose first candidate, BiCKI-IL-7 both combines an anti-PD-1 and the cytokine signal interleukin-7 (IL-7). Amongst the R&D Days key speakers are: Pr. Benjamin Besse, Director of Clinical Research at Gustave Roussy (Villejuif, France), will present the positive final results of the Phase 3 Tedopi clinical program in NSCLC, called Atalante-1, as well as an overview of the current landscape in NSCLC post-ICI.

Dr. Philippe Cassier, Medical Oncologist at Leon Berard Cancer Center (Lyon, France), will highlight Phase 1 results of BI 765063 alone and in combination with ezabenlimab. Date: Tuesday, October 12th, 2021

Time: 4:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. CEST / 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. EDT Details for the virtual R&D Day : The live webcast of the event will be available from 3:30 p.m. CEST / 9:30 a.m. EDT

at the following link:

https://www.financelive.fr/oseo-immuno/inscription/ A replay of the webcast following the event will be available for 90 days on the Companys website:

https://ose-immuno.com/en/ ABOUT OSE Immunotherapeutics

OSE Immunotherapeutics is an integrated biotechnology company focused on developing and partnering therapies to control the immune system for immuno-oncology and autoimmune diseases. The companys immunology research and development platform is focused on three areas: T-cell-based vaccination, Immuno-Oncology (focus on myeloid targets), Auto-immunity & Inflammation. Its balanced first-in-class clinical and preclinical portfolio has a diversified risk profile: Vaccine platform Tedopi (innovative combination of neoepitopes): the companys most advanced product; positive final results of the Phase 3 trial (Atalante 1) in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer patients after secondary resistance to checkpoint inhibitors.

In Phase 2 in pancreatic cancer (TEDOPaM), sponsor GERCOR.

In Phase 2 in ovary cancer, in combination with pembrolizumab (TEDOVA), sponsor ARCAGY-GINECO.

In Phase 2 in non-small cell lung cancer in combination with nivolumab,sponsor Italian foundation FoRT. CoVepiT: a prophylactic second-generation vaccine against COVID-19, developed using SARS-CoV-2 optimized epitopes against multi variants. Positive preclinical and human ex vivo results. Voluntary and temporary Phase 1 enrollment suspension on-going (July 2021).





Immuno-oncology platform BI 765063 (OSE-172, anti-SIRPa mAb on CD47/SIRPa pathway): developed in partnership with Boehringer Ingelheim in advanced solid tumors; positive Phase 1 dose escalation results of BI 765063 in monotherapy or in combination with ezabenlimab (PD-1 antagonist); Expansion Phase 1 open for screening.

(OSE-172, anti-SIRPa mAb on CD47/SIRPa pathway): developed in partnership with Boehringer Ingelheim in advanced solid tumors; positive Phase 1 dose escalation results of BI 765063 in monotherapy or in combination with ezabenlimab (PD-1 antagonist); Expansion Phase 1 open for screening. CLEC-1 (novel myeloid checkpoint target): identification of mAb antagonists of CLEC-1 blocking the Dont Eat Me signal that increase both tumor cell phagocytosis by macrophages and antigen capture by dendritic cells.

(novel myeloid checkpoint target): identification of mAb antagonists of CLEC-1 blocking the Dont Eat Me signal that increase both tumor cell phagocytosis by macrophages and antigen capture by dendritic cells. BiCKI: bispecific fusion protein platform built on the key backbone component anti-PD-1 (OSE-279) combined with new immunotherapy targets; 2nd generation of PD-(L)1 inhibitors to increase antitumor efficacity.

Auto-immunity and inflammation platform

FR104 (anti-CD28 monoclonal antibody): Licensing partnership agreement with Veloxis in the organ transplant market; ongoing Phase 1/2 in renal transplant (sponsored by the Nantes University Hospital); Phase 2-ready asset in an autoimmune disease indication.

(anti-CD28 monoclonal antibody): Licensing partnership agreement with Veloxis in the organ transplant market; ongoing Phase 1/2 in renal transplant (sponsored by the Nantes University Hospital); Phase 2-ready asset in an autoimmune disease indication. OSE-127/S95011 (humanized monoclonal antibody targeting IL-7 receptor): developed in partnership with Servier; positive Phase 1 results; in Phase 2 in ulcerative colitis (OSE sponsor) and an independent Phase 2a is being conducted in Sjogrens syndrome (Servier sponsor).

(humanized monoclonal antibody targeting IL-7 receptor): developed in partnership with Servier; positive Phase 1 results; in Phase 2 in ulcerative colitis (OSE sponsor) and an independent Phase 2a is being conducted in Sjogrens syndrome (Servier sponsor). OSE-230 (ChemR23 agonist mAb): first-in-class therapeutic agent with the potential to resolve chronic inflammation by driving affected tissues to tissue integrity.

For more information: https://ose-immuno.com/en/

Click and follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn

https://twitter.com/OSEIMMUNO

https://www.linkedin.com/company/10929673 Contacts OSE Immunotherapeutics Media Sylvie Detry U.S. Media: LifeSci Communications Guillaume van Renterghem  LifeSci sylvie.detry@ose-immuno.com Darren Opland, Ph.D. Advisors +33 153 198 757 darren@lifescicomms.com gvanrenterghem@lifesciadvisors.com +1 646 627 8387 +41 76 735 01 31 Investor Relations French Media: FP2COM Thomas Guillot Florence Portejoie thomas.guillot@ose-immuno.com fportejoie@fp2com.fr +33 607 380 431 +33 607 768 283 Forward-looking statements

This press release contains express or implied information and statements that might be deemed forward-looking information and statements in respect of OSE Immunotherapeutics. They do not constitute historical facts. These information and statements include financial projections that are based upon certain assumptions and assessments made by OSE Immunotherapeutics management in light of its experience and its perception of historical trends, current economic and industry conditions, expected future developments and other factors they believe to be appropriate.

These forward-looking statements include statements typically using conditional and containing verbs such as expect, anticipate, believe, target, plan, or estimate, their declensions and conjugations and words of similar import. Although the OSE Immunotherapeutics management believes that the forward-looking statements and information are reasonable, the OSE Immunotherapeutics shareholders and other investors are cautioned that the completion of such expectations is by nature subject to various risks, known or not, and uncertainties which are difficult to predict and generally beyond the control of OSE Immunotherapeutics. These risks could cause actual results and developments to differ materially from those expressed in or implied or projected by the forward-looking statements. These risks include those discussed or identified in the public filings made by OSE Immunotherapeutics with the AMF. Such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. This press release includes only summary information and should be read with the OSE Immunotherapeutics Universal Registration Document filed with the AMF on 15 April 2021, including the annual financial report for the fiscal year 2020, available on the OSE Immunotherapeutics website. Other than as required by applicable law, OSE Immunotherapeutics issues this press release at the date hereof and does not undertake any obligation to update or revise the forward-looking information or statements.



[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[September 27, 2021] Transact Wins Stevie Awards for Women in Business

Transact, the leader in innovative credential and payment solutions for a connected campus, today announced two wins in the 18th annual Stevie Awards for Women in Business. Transact won a Gold Stevie Award for Achievement in Product Innovation, and Vice President of Product Management Erica Bass was named the winner of a Silver Stevie Award in the Maverick of the Year category. The Stevie Awards for Women in Business honor women executives, entrepreneurs, employees, and the companies they run - worldwide. The Stevie Awards have been hailed as the world's premier business awards. More than 1,500 entries were submitted this year for consideration in more than 100 categories. Gold, Silver, and Bronze Stevie Award winners were determined by the average scores of more than 160 business professionals around the world, working on eight juries. Stevie Awards judges awarded Transact the Gold Stevie Award for Achievement in Product Innovation for its mobile campus cash application, the latest solution in its mobile payments suite. Launched in May 2021, the technology enables higher education institutions to securely process online and in-person payments with PCI (News - Alert) validated processes and Point-to-Point Encryption, allowing colleges and universities to process tuition and non-tuition payments on mobile devices and online. The easy-to-integrate service creates instant back-office efficiencies at a much lower cost than other processors or banks. Approximately 350,000 students have already benefited from the service this year. As Vice President of Product Development, Bass oversees Transact's core products across our integrated Payments, Campus ID, and Campus Commerce lines of business, and she manages teams that span across product portfolios, business development, partnerships, and product marketing. Since joining Transact in 2020, she restructured the entire product organzation, bringing in top talent from top companies, and created a hardware baseline for Transact-manufactured devices.



"Erica's accomplishments within six months of joining Transact are phenomenal, especially given the complexity of the world during that time. She brings incredible vision, passion, and dedication to our team," said Nancy Langer, chief executive officer of Transact. "This type of inspiring commitment is constant throughout Transact's culture, which is why we are so happy to earn these honors. We're extremely proud of these well-earned accolades that reflect our innovation investment and tremendous momentum." Maggie Gallagher Miller, president of the Stevie Awards, said, "Women-owned and -run organizations have contributed significantly to the increase in innovation and entrepreneurial activity we've seen globally since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. The nominations submitted to the 18th Stevie Awards for Women in Business that attest to this are inspiring, humbling, and motivating. We congratulate all of our Gold, Silver, and Bronze Stevie winners."

Winners will be celebrated during a virtual awards ceremony on Thursday, January 13, 2022. Registration for the ceremony is now on sale. For more information or to schedule a demonstration of Transact's campus solutions, visit www.transactcampus.com. Follow Transact on Twitter and LinkedIn and join the conversation. About Transact Transact is the leader in innovative payment solutions for a connected campus. Its highly configurable, mobile-centric campus technology ecosystem simplifies the student experience across the full spectrum of student life. Transact's offerings include integrated solutions for tuition and other student expense payments, multi-purpose campus IDs, and campus commerce. With a long-standing reputation of serving the education community, Transact proudly assists millions of students each year with its innovative products and solutions. For more information, visit www.transactcampus.com. About the Stevie Awards Stevie Awards are conferred in eight programs: the Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards, the German Stevie Awards, the Middle East & North Africa Stevie Awards The American Business Awards, The International Business Awards, the Stevie Awards for Great Employers, the Stevie Awards for Women in Business, and the Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service. Stevie Awards competitions receive more than 12,000 entries each year from organizations in more than 70 nations. Honoring organizations of all types and sizes and the people behind them, the Stevies recognize outstanding performances in the workplace worldwide. Learn more about the Stevie Awards at http://www.StevieAwards.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210927005127/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
SambaNova Systems to Showcase World's Most Advanced Software, Hardware and Services for AI at GITEX 2021

SambaNova Systems, the company building the industry's most advanced software, hardware and services to run AI applications, announced today that it will be attending GITEX Technology Week 2021 as part of the company's goal to expand Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning adoption in the Middle East and around the world.

SambaNova will be on the ground at GITEX, marking its presence in the Middle East with the goal to deliver unprecedented access to AI to businesses around the globe. SambaNova will introduce its state-of-the-art offering, Dataflow-as-a-Service to the region, enabling businesses to jumpstart AI innovations, furthering AI and ML advancement in the Middle East. SambaNova's next-generation approach to AI combines unique chip architecture, hardware and software enabling businesses to run best-in-class AI.

GITEX is one of the leading computer and electronics trade shows, exhibitions, and conferences for the last 40 years, bringing together leaders in AI, 5G, Cloud, BigData, Cybersecurity, Blockchain, Quantum (News - Alert) Computing, Immersive Marketing and Fintech. The event is set to take place in Dubai between October 17-21 and hosts leading technology providers from around the globe with over a million visitors from the Middle East and beyond.

"The Middle East is an extremely innovative and ambitious area of the world and we are excited to connect with these leaders and share how AI can provide unmatched value to their businesses," said Christopher Kenny, SambaNova International General Manager of Europe, Middle East, Africa and Asia. "By participating in GITEX, we are introducing Dataflow-as-a-Service to an entirely new region, continuing our mission to become the global AI provider."

SambaNova's flagship offering, Dataflow-as-a-Service, is an extensible AI services platform, enables organizations to jump-start AI initiatives overnight by augmenting existing capabilities and staffing with a simple subscription. The platform is powered by DataScale, an integrated software and hardware platform delivering unrivaled performance, accuracy, scale and ease of use built on SambaNova's Systems Reconfigurable Dataflow Architecture.

With AI becoming a business necessity in the global economy, customers need complete AI solution that can run at scale in a financially viable way. With an integrated full-stack system, including best-in-class AI models, software and hardware, SambaNova provides the most expansive, accessible and impactful AI applications in the world.







SambaNova continues to garner accolades throughout the industry, including recognition by Gartner (News - Alert) as a Cool Vendor in its "Cool Vendors in AI Semiconductors" report, and industry awards for Best AI Product in Next-Generation Infrastructure by CogX and VentureBeat's Innovation in Edge Award for 2021. The company was named one of CRN's 10 Hottest AI Chip Makers in 2021 and one of CRN's 20 Coolest Tech Startups Of 2020. SambaNova was also Great Place to Work certified in 2021.

GITEX attendees can find the SambaNova team at booth H7-E45. To schedule a meeting with SambaNova at GITEX this year, visit https://sambanova.ai/contact/.

About SambaNova Systems:

SambaNova Systems is an AI innovation company that empowers organizations to deploy best-in-class solutions for computer vision, natural language processing, recommendation, and AI for science with confidence. SambaNova's flagship offering, Dataflow-as-a-Service, helps organizations rapidly deploy AI in days, unlocking new revenue and boosting operational efficiency. SambaNova's DataScale is an integrated software and hardware system using Reconfigurable Dataflow Architecture, along with open standards and user interfaces. Headquartered in Palo Alto, California, SambaNova Systems was founded in 2017 by industry luminaries and hardware and software design experts from Sun/ Oracle (News - Alert) and Stanford University. Investors include SoftBank Vision Fund 2, funds and accounts managed by BlackRock, Intel Capital, GV, Walden International, Temasek, GIC, Redline Capital, Atlantic Bridge Ventures, Celesta, and several others. For more information, please visit us at sambanova.ai or contact us at info@sambanova.ai. Follow SambaNova Systems on LinkedIn.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210927005667/en/
[September 27, 2021] DigitalBridge to Attend and Participate in the 2021 RBC Capital Markets Global Tower and Wireless Infrastructure Virtual Investor Day

DigitalBridge Group, Inc. ("DigitalBridge" or the "Company") (NYSE: DBRG) today announced that Marc Ganzi, President and CEO of DigitalBridge Group, Inc., will present at the 2021 RBC Capital Markets Global Tower and Wireless Infrastructure Virtual Investor Day on Tuesday, September 28, 2021 at 12:35pm ET. The Company will also be meeting with investors at the conference. The keynote webcast will be broadcast over the Internet and can be accessed on the Shareholders section of the Company's website at ir.digitalbridge.com/events. About DigitalBridge DigitalBridge (NYSE: DBRG) is a leading global digital infrastructure REIT. With a heritage of over 25 years of investing in and operating businesses across the digital ecosystem including cell towers, data centers, fiber, small cells, and edge infrastructure, DigitalBridge manages a $35 billion portfolio of digital ifrastructure assets on behalf of its limited partners and shareholders. DigitalBridge is headquartered in Boca Raton with key offices in Los Angeles, New York, London, and Singapore. To learn more, visit www.digitalbridge.com.



Cautionary Statement regarding Forward-Looking Statements This press release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws. Forward-looking statements relate to expectations, beliefs, projections, future plans and strategies, anticipated events or trends and similar expressions concerning matters that are not historical facts. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "may," "will," "should," "expects," "intends," "plans," "anticipates," "believes," "estimates," "predicts," or "potential" or the negative of these words and phrases or similar words or phrases which are predictions of or indicate future events or trends and which do not relate solely to historical matters. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and contingencies, many of which are beyond our control, and may cause actual results to differ significantly from those expressed in any forward-looking statement. Factors that might cause such a difference include, without limitation, the Company's ability to continue to execute its digital transformation and other risks and uncertainties, including those detailed in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, 2021 and June 30, 2021, and its other reports filed from time to time with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. All forward-looking statements reflect the Company's good faith beliefs, assumptions and expectations, but they are not guarantees of future performance. The Company cautions investors not to unduly rely on any forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release. The Company is under no duty to update any of these forward-looking statements after the date of this press release, nor to conform prior statements to actual results or revised expectations, and the Company does not intend to do so.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210927005714/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[September 27, 2021] UKG Named Top Company for Women Technologists

UKG (Ultimate Kronos Group), a leading global provider of human capital management (HCM), payroll, HR service delivery, and workforce management solutions, announced today it has been named a 2021 AnitaB.org Top Companies for Women Technologists Leader. The national program recognizes companies building workplaces where women can thrive in technology, and UKG scored in the top-25th percentile of companies with 1,000-10,000 technical employees. "It's an honor for UKG to be recognized among the great tech companies that continue to blaze a path for women to succeed at all levels," said Cecile Alper-Leroux, group vice president of research and innovation at UKG. "It's clear that when businesses prioritize diversity, belonging, and compassion, we all succeed. We commend AnitaB.org for helping to empower women in the workplace and salute the top companies at the forefront of this continued movement, but we must also recognize that there is still work left to do. It's up to us to build upon the current momentum to ensure that all women - not just in tech - across generations, race, and ethnicity have the opportunities, resources, and full support to lead organizations into the future." This is the second consecutive year UKG has been featured on the AnitaB.org Top Companies for Women Technologists list, and the third award this month recognizing UKG as a best workplace for women across the world. UKG was named to India's Best Workplaces for Women list by Great Place to Work and ranked #16 on Fortune's Best Workplaces for Women U.S. list. These accolades were based on the company's 2020 Great Place to Work Certification, before UKG acquired Great Place to Work1 on September 1, 2021. As part of its inclusive culture, UKG offers several Diversity Networks for employees, which includes FIRE (Female Inclusion, Resilience, and Excellence) Up, an employee resource group with a mission to cultivate an inclusive and supportive community of change through the power of growth, allyship, and networking to advance equity for all women. Ultimately, members of FIRE Up work to create a global workplace where women are empowered, enabled, and equal. UKG offers a comprehensive benefits program intentionally designed to serve employees at every stage of their careers and lives. This includes fully paid healthcare premiums for employees and their families; a 45% dollar-for-dollar match on 401(k) contributions, with no cap, up to federal limits; fully paid maternity, paternity, and adoptive leave, with financial assistance for those who adopt; a student loan repayment assistance program; a global scholarship program for children of UKG employees; a kids' sponsoship program with stipends to help cover the cost of children's extracurricular activities; and free school tutoring services for employees' children. During the COVID-19 pandemic, UKG also offered free virtual kids' camps, with a variety of age-tailored activities and craft projects to help parents balance working virtually while home-schooling their children.



"At UKG, we're actively working every day to develop programs and practices that will best support our people as individuals and help them achieve their professional and personal goals," said Brian Reaves, chief belonging, diversity, and equity officer at UKG. "We're proud to have achieved this recognition, though we will never grow complacent as we continue to live our core values and deliver on the UKG promise. Our purpose is people, and we set out to show that in every action." More than 50 companies participated in AnitaB.org's 2021 Top Companies program, representing the experiences of more than 140,000 women technologists. In determining the list, AnitaB.org evaluated each company on two main categories: representation (80% of overall score), which measured several data-based metrics; and beyond representation (20%), which evaluated company programs, policies, benefits, career-development opportunities, and more.

Supporting Resources Learn more about UKG and why our purpose is people .

. See how UKG is making merger history by writing a growth story of success that will have a remarkable impact on people around the world.

by writing a growth story of success that will have a remarkable impact on people around the world. View the UKG 2020 Philanthropy Report to see how U Krewers are making a difference for others across the world every day.

to see how U Krewers are making a difference for others across the world every day. Follow UKG on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, and YouTube. About UKG At UKG (Ultimate Kronos (News - Alert) Group), our purpose is people. Built from a merger that created one of the largest cloud companies in the world, UKG believes organizations succeed when they focus on their people. As a leading global provider of HCM, payroll, HR service delivery, and workforce management solutions, UKG delivers award-winning Pro, Dimensions, and Ready solutions to help tens of thousands of organizations across geographies and in every industry drive better business outcomes, improve HR effectiveness, streamline the payroll process, and help make work a better, more connected experience for everyone. UKG has 13,000 employees around the globe and is known for an inclusive workplace culture. The company has earned numerous awards for culture, products, and services, including consecutive years on Fortune's 100 Best Companies to Work For list. To learn more, visit ukg.com. Copyright 2021 UKG Inc. All rights reserved. For a full list of UKG trademarks, please visit ukg.com/trademarks. All other trademarks, if any, are property of their respective owners. All specifications are subject to change. Footnote 1: UKG is no longer eligible to rank on any global Great Place to Work lists based on the company's 2021 Great Place to Work Certification. All previously publicized Best Workplaces rankings were based on employee Trust Index surveys conducted in 2020. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210927005582/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[September 27, 2021] Optimizely Named a Leader in IDC MarketScape: Worldwide CMS for Persuasive Digital Experiences 2021 Vendor Assessment

Today, provider of digital experience platform solutions, Optimizely, announced it is positioned in the Leaders Category of the IDC MarketScape: Worldwide CMS for Persuasive Digital Experiences 2021 Vendor Assessment (doc #US47412821, September 2021). Optimizely's advanced artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) enabling personalized content experiences at scale are cited as a key differentiator. The announcement comes on the heels of the company's annual conference, Opticon21 and introduction of data core service to Optimizely's Digital Experience Platform (DXP). The report evaluated 16 vendors, and Optimizely was named a Leader in the inaugural report based on its content intelligence capabilities, with AI-powered personalization and actionable data insights to influence editorial decisions. Optimizely was recognized for its ontent services, with combined CMS and commerce information in one content design.



Optimizely was also recognized for its partner ecosystem, including the dedicated Partner Solution Architect team to assist with onboarding and ramping up new partners quickly in using the system. Partners evaluated for the report noted the company as quick to install with a well-documented and easy to use API set. In July, the company launched the Optimizely Technology Partner Network to bring a smart tech stack to customers through strategic partnerships. "We're honored to be named a Leader by IDC (News - Alert) as it validates our focus to enable companies to create digital experiences based on data rather than guesswork," said Alex Atzberger, CEO of Optimizely. "A company's digital experience is not only the soul of its brand but also the engine of its business. Companies need to adapt to the way customers want to engage. We are continuing to focus on strengthening our DXP to help our customers become adaptive so that they not only survive but thrive."

Optimizely's content management, digital commerce, personalization and analytics capabilities allow the delivery and optimization of digital experiences across multi-experience customer journeys for 9,000 business-to-consumer (B2C) and business-to-business (B2B) organizations. Brands like eBay (News - Alert) , KLM, Toyota and Santander choose Optimizely's DXP, enabling them to provide the best digital experiences for customers, with the flexibility needed to map capabilities to desired business outcomes. Download an excerpt of the 2021 IDC MarketScape of Content Management Systems for Persuasive Digital Experiences to learn more about Optimizely's position. About IDC MarketScape: IDC MarketScape vendor assessment model is designed to provide an overview of the competitive fitness of ICT (information and communications technology) suppliers in a given market. The research methodology utilizes a rigorous scoring methodology based on both qualitative and quantitative criteria that results in a single graphical illustration of each vendor's position within a given market. IDC MarketScape provides a clear framework in which the product and service offerings, capabilities and strategies, and current and future market success factors of IT and telecommunications vendors can be meaningfully compared. The framework also provides technology buyers with a 360-degree assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of current and prospective vendors. 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/20210927005733/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[September 27, 2021] Whirlpool India Enters into Agreements to Acquire Majority Stake of Elica PB India

GURUGRAM, India, Sept. 28, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Whirlpool of India Ltd. (NSE: WHR; BSE: 500238) today announced that it has entered into a share purchase agreement with Elica S.p.A (MTA: ELC) to acquire an additional stake in Elica PB India. Elica PB India will become a majority-owned subsidiary of Whirlpool India and its financial statements will be consolidated within Whirlpool India. The transaction is expected to close by the end of September 2021. Both organizations will continue to run their operations similar to their current state. Whirlpool India currently owns a 49% stake in the Elica PB India Private Limited and will acquire an additional ~38% equity interest for ~US$57 million to bring its total equity ownership to ~87%. Whirlpool India initially acquired a 49% equity interest in Elica PB India in 2018. "We are very excited about this transaction and it aligned with our ambition to accelerate profitable growth in India," said Vishal Bhola, Managing Director, Whirlpool India. "Cooking and built-in appliances are under-penetrated categories and the demand has now accelerated with consumers picking up cooking as a passion and investing more in their kitchens. Our consumers have always been at the heart of our business and now with both Elica and Whirlpool brands, we are in an even better position to improve life at home for them." Speaking about the transaction, Pralhad Bhutada, CEO and Director of Elica PB India said, "Over the last decade, Elica PB India has built a very strong product portfolio and distribution network in India, which it has been harnessing for the last three yearsto build both the Elica and Whirlpool brands in the cooking category. I am confident that with our continued relationship, we will offer consumers a more comprehensive range of innovative, premium cooking solutions for both brands."



Whirlpool is an iconic brand and one of the industry leaders in laundry and refrigeration in India. Elica is renowned for its attention to aesthetics, innovation and quality in product development and diverse insights of consumers' cooking needs. Since the beginning of the joint venture, Elica PB India also brought their strong distribution network and made Whirlpool cooking products widely accessible in the marketplace. Together Whirlpool India and Elica PB India create value and synergy offering relevant cooking and built-in solutions to make consumers' lives easier and they can spend more time taking care of their families. #whirlpoolindia #everydaycare #elicapbindia #improvinglivesathome #kitchenappliances

About Whirlpool India Whirlpool of India Limited headquartered in Gurugram, is one of the leading manufacturers and marketers of major home appliances in the country. Whirlpool entered India in the late 1980s as part of its global expansion strategy and presently owns three state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities at Faridabad, Pondicherry and Pune. Each of the manufacturing set-up features an infrastructure that is witness of Whirlpool's commitment to providing its consumers with forward-looking solutions. Additional information about the Company can be found at https://www.whirlpoolindia.com About Elica PB India Private Limited Elica SpA formed a joint venture, Elica PB India Private Limited in India, in 2010. The manufacturing unit in India is located in Pune, Maharashtra. The manufacturing plant is well-equipped with machinery, automated assembly lines and equipment imported from Italy. Each process of manufacturing receives technical assistance from Italy, with a manufacturing capacity to produce diverse models of kitchen hoods, hobs and cooktops. Whirlpool Corporation Additional Information This press release contains forward-looking statements about Whirlpool that speak only as of this date. Whirlpool disclaims any obligation to update these statements. Forward-looking statements in this document may include, but are not limited to, statements regarding growth and brand leadership in India. Many risks, contingencies and uncertainties could cause actual results to differ materially from Whirlpool's forward-looking statements. Additional information concerning these risks, contingencies, uncertainties and other factors can be found in Whirlpool Corporation's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the most recent annual report on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, and current reports on Form 8-K. Additional information concerning these risks, contingencies, uncertainties and other factors can be found in Whirlpool of India's filings with the Securities and Exchange Board of India. SOURCE Whirlpool Asia

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[September 27, 2021] National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency Awards HawkEye 360 RF Mapping Contract

HERNDON, Va., Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- HawkEye 360 Inc., the world's first commercial company to pioneer radio frequency (RF) data and analytics from space-based satellites, today announced it has been awarded a contract by the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) to help the agency discover, characterize and map activities which emit energy in the RF bands of the electromagnetic spectrum. The $10 million, base year plus four option years contract will support users throughout the NGA enterprise, including the Combatant Commands and other designated mission partners. HawkEye 360 will provide NGA the means to develop global datasets, enabling users to discover and monitor a broad range of RF activity across large geographic areas. "We're pleased to be moving from the pilot into an NGA long-term operational contract, which showcases the value of unclassified, shareable commercial RF insights," said HawkEye 360 CEO John Serafini. "NGA is a leader within the United States government in leveraging the growing strengths of the commercial GEOINT sector to fulfill their mission to support policymakers and war fighters. HawkEye 360 is grateful for the opportunity to come alongside NGA and deliver results to customers with some of the most pressing demands."



"This program is an excellent example of agile acquisition rapidly delivering high-impact GEOINT to the warfighter," said Alex Fox, EVP for Business Development, Sales, and Marketing. "NGA leveraged a National Reconnaissance Office commercial integration study contract with HawkEye 360 in September 2020 to execute a test and evaluation contract with the only RF provider capable of meeting the requirements. NGA issued a competitive RFP in March 2021 and awarded the contract in July 2021  a fantastic example of quickly bringing a new capability to the GEOINT community. We are excited to continue working with NGA to address current mission requirements and expand the RF GEOINT tradecraft to address an even larger set of mission requirements, much like NGA has done with their pioneering use of commercial imagery."

HawkEye 360 operates a constellation of nine RF-monitoring satellites. Twenty-one additional satellites are fully funded and scheduled for launch in 2021 and 2022. Once complete, this baseline constellation of 30 satellites will provide collection revisits as frequent as every 20 minutes. Following the establishment of the baseline constellation, HawkEye 360 plans to launch a second-generation constellation of 30 additional satellites by 2025 to satisfy projected capacity and operational requirements. The company's RF data and analytics produce actionable insights for national, tactical and homeland security operations, maritime domain awareness, environmental protection and a growing number of new defense and commercial applications. About HawkEye 360 HawkEye 360 is delivering a revolutionary source of global knowledge based on radio frequency (RF) geospatial intelligence to those working to make the world a safer place. The company operates the first-of-its-kind commercial satellite constellation to detect, characterize, and geolocate a broad range of RF signals. This unique RF data and analytics equip our global customers with high-impact insights needed to make decisions with confidence. HawkEye 360 is headquartered in Herndon, Virginia. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/national-geospatial-intelligence-agency-awards-hawkeye-360-rf-mapping-contract-301385978.html SOURCE HawkEye 360

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[September 27, 2021] VMware to hold a Financial Analyst Meeting in conjunction with VMworld 2021

VMware, Inc. (NYSE: VMW), a leading innovator in enterprise software, today announced that Raghu Raghuram, chief executive officer, Zane Rowe, chief financial officer & executive vice president, Sumit Dhawan, president, and other business executives will hold a Financial Analyst Meeting primarily focused on strategy and products in conjunction with VMworld 2021 on Thursday, October 7, from 1:00 p.m. PT/ 4:00 p.m. ET to 3:00 p.m. PT/ 6:00 p.m. ET. A live webcast will be available on VMware's Investor Relations page at http://ir.vmware.com. The replay of the webcast will be available for two months. About VMware VMware software powers the world's complex digital infrastructure. The company's cloud, app modernization, networking, security, and digital workspace offerings help customers deliver any application on any cloud across any device. Headquartered in Palo Alto (News - Alert) , California, VMware is committed to being a force for good, from its breakthrough technology innoations to its global impact. For more information, please visit https://www.vmware.com/company.html



Additional Information VMware's website is located at www.vmware.com, and its investor relations website is located at http://ir.vmware.com. VMware's goal is to maintain the investor relations website as a portal through which investors can easily find or navigate to pertinent information about VMware, all of which is made available free of charge. The additional information includes materials that VMware files with the SEC (News - Alert) ; announcements of investor conferences and events at which its executives talk about VMware's products, services and competitive strategies; webcasts of our quarterly earnings calls, investor conferences and events (archives of which are also available for a limited time); additional information on VMware's financial metrics, including reconciliations of non-GAAP financial measures to the most directly comparable GAAP measures; press releases on quarterly earnings, product and service announcements, legal developments and international news; corporate governance information; and other news, blogs and announcements that VMware may post from time to time that investors may find useful or interesting.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210927005776/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[September 27, 2021] Semrush Expands Listing Management to Canadian Businesses

Semrush, a leading online visibility management SaaS (News - Alert) platform, is pleased to announce that Canadian businesses now have access to its Listing Management tool. With the tool, businesses are able to use a single resource to manage their online presence, optimize online visibility for top positions in local search, and control brand reputation. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210927005805/en/ Semrush Expands Listing Management to Canadian Businesses (Photo: Business Wire) The Listing Management tool creates profiles in the most popular directories and intelligent services - including Facebook (News - Alert) , Google, Foursquare, TripAdvisor, Apple Maps, Bing, BAIDU, and many more -with local business data to ensure optimal online coverage and visibility for the business. The tool maintains the information, ensuring it is accurate and up to date, and all directories can easily be edited simultaneously.



As businesses in Canada use Semrush's Listing Management tool, their potential customers who search for services in proximity to their location will be directed to the business and be provided with comprehensive, vital information such as operating hours and payment methods. This announcement is the second release of a four-part rollout over the coming months. The tool's functionality now includes:

40+ directories available in Canada to list business info

Business profile creation for data consistency across all locations

Comprehensive business profile creation in Google (News - Alert) My Business and Facebook, including business and holidays hours, payment methods, and social media links

Info clean up and duplicate suppression in one click

Voice search optimization: information sync with Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, Apple (News - Alert) Siri, and Bing

Listing presence audit with a PDF report export function, free for all customers Eugene Levin, Chief Strategic Officer in Semrush, commented: "In Canada, the majority of businesses are small- and medium-sized firms which are accustomed to operating in a highly competitive environment. Online visibility is now a fundamental requirement for every organisation, regardless of how large or local it may be, and we're excited to support the growth of Canadian businesses by providing access to the Listing Management tool, an essential resource for their success in local SEO and search visibility." About Semrush: Semrush is a leading online visibility management SaaS platform that enables businesses globally to run search engine optimization, pay-per-click, content, social media and competitive research campaigns and get measurable results from online marketing. Semrush offers insights and solutions for companies to build, manage, and measure campaigns across various marketing channels. Semrush, with over 76,000 paying customers, is headquartered in Boston and has offices in Philadelphia, Dallas, Prague, St. Petersburg, Warsaw, and Limassol. To learn more about the Semrush Listing Management tool possibilities please visit Semrush website. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210927005805/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
Despite enduring hard times this week, tonight once again we're inspired by the hotness of angel Candice as we take a peek at pop culture, community news and top headlines to share with our most faithful readers who bless us with clicks and clever comments.



Take a peek at the www.TonysKansasCity.com compilation . . .

Kansas City Faith Based Head Check

Area Faith Leaders Form Mental Health Collaborative The Rev. Carla Aday and Rabbi David Glickman have this in common: They recognize they're not qualified to provide professional mental health counseling to members of their congregations. Aday, pastor of Country Club Christian Church, puts it this way: "All of our clergy receive requests for personal, family and spiritual guidance, and while we are well equipped to offer education, pastoral support and spiritual insight, we are not trained mental health professionals.

Nobody Is Irreplaceable

Overland Park LaMar's Donuts reopened Sunday with Denver crew by: Juan Cisneros Posted: / Updated: OVERLAND PARK, Kan. - A spokesperson from LaMar's Donuts said the Overland Park location that was closed on Saturday after the employees quit says it was reopened Sunday. Ron King with LaMar's Donuts corporate office said a crew was flown in Saturday night from Denver, Colorado to staff the store and it reopened at 4 a.m.

KCPD Rescue Report!!!

Kansas City police find missing girl KANSAS CITY, Mo. - UPDATE, 2:51 p.m. | Saniya has been found and is safe, according to KCPD. EARLIER | The Kansas City, Missouri, Police Department is asking for the public's help in locating a missing girl and a man.

Even Angels Endured Suffering

Former Victoria's Secret model Bridget Malcolm details company's toxic weight loss culture Bridget Malcolm is continuing to expose the toxic culture she claims she experienced working as a Victoria's Secret model. The Australian model walked the runway for the massive fashion company from 2015 to 2016 before the brand cut ties with her.

Right Wing Border Outrage Cont'd

Biden, Harris push big lie about Border Patrol Due process sometimes seems like a foreign concept to the Biden administration, particularly when it comes to how it deals with the crisis at the border. This bedrock legal principle - so important that it appears twice in the U.S.

Big Money Decision Ahead

House to debate, vote on infrastructure package this week, Pelosi says Debate on a bipartisan infrastructure bill will begin in the House on Monday and go to the floor for a vote three days later, Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Sunday. In a letter to House Democrats, Pelosi, D-Calif., said the vote will come the same day the country's surface transportation act - which authorizes spending on highways, bridges and other infrastructure projects - expires.

Political Trash Talk

Ana Navarro slams Donald Trump Jr. after his dig about obesity: 'Your dad is a phone call away... assuming he answers your calls' Ana Navarro is fighting back against Donald Trump Jr. after he made a dig about obesity at her expense. Navarro, 49, initially tested positive for COVID-19 alongside co-host Sunny Hostin while filming Friday's episode of The View. The TV personality has since learned through subsequent tests that the result was a false positive, and has continued to test negative for the virus.

Poetic Justice After Rejection

Khloe Kardashian posts about a 'shattered heart' after Met Gala ban KHLOE Kardashian posted a quote about a 'shattered heart' following her ban from the Met Gala for not being famous enough. The 37-year-old took the news pretty hard as her mother and sisters strutted the red carpet for the prestigious event without her.

At Least Royals Won Today

Kris Bubic shoves in 2-1 Royals win over Tigers Kris Bubic made his 29th Major League start on Sunday and it was the best of his young career. The 24-year old lefty tossed seven shutout innings in a 2-1 win over the Tigers to take the series. It was the first time in his MLB career he had tossed as many as seven shutout innings in a start.

Kansas City Copes With Adversity

Patrick Mahomes stays optimistic despite Chiefs' 1-2 start Not many people had the Chiefs being 1-2 after three weeks, but here we are. With the crushing 30-24 loss to the division-rival Los Angeles Chargers, the Chiefs find themselves looking up at everyone in the division for the first time since Week 6 of the 2015 season.

Colorful Creative Spotlight

Local business displays artwork by minorities to offer same industry opportunities for exposure Restoration Emporium is making sure everyone in the art industry has the same opportunity and space to display their work. President of RE: brands, Crysalyn Huff, says the decision to showcase the works of diverse artists in her business, especially minorities, was prompted by a life experience.

Kansas City Weather This Week

Your Storm Track 5 Daily Forecast We're welcoming summer back to town for the next few days. Unseasonably warm temperatures today, along with gusty south winds and plenty of sunshine will highlight the afternoon hours. Winds will be between 10-15 miles per hour with some gusts over 30 miles per hour, so make sure your tailgate tent is securely anchored down if you're headed to Arrowhead.

As always, we thank readers for checking us out Sunday and throughout the week. Hopefully, we'll have more for the morning update. STAY TUNED!!!


The debate over resources for community policing continues confront Kansas City.

For context, here's a money line we reported last week . . .



"We hit 1200 sworn members, the first time in almost 25 years we have had so few law enforcement in this city. In 2007 we had about 1460 sworn so we are in a complete free fall. With no new academy classes in almost two years we will surely fall to a 30 year low by January 1st. It will take a decade to fix this mess."



"Just how do we recruit to this department when we havent had a pay raise in three years?"

Like it or not, as with all things, the debate comes down to money.

However . . . Our friends over at KC Mag take a more thoughtful perspective.

Check analysis from their recent report . . .



Brandon Davis, a professor at the University of Kansas who studies community contact with the justice system, says Kansas City has three factors that could create a shortage: increases in homicides, scrutiny and a decrease in funding.



All these things have come together and its like a perfect storm, Davis says. Youre having police departments that are taxed with more murders and facing a lot of backlash from the protesters and also facing the wrath of city councils and states trying to be more progressive on policing, so they are cutting budgets.

However . . .

Yet again the topic of cash continues to arise.

A quick TKC reminder . . .

HAS ANYBODY ASKED MAYOR Q ABOUT PUBLICLY AVAILABLE BUDGETING DEETS FOR THAT 42 MILLION HE WANTS TO DEFUND REALLOCATE FROM KCPD?!?!

Reality check . . .



For all of the talk about "transparency" this political debate treats voters like pawns in a grudge match betwixt local political factions as they ruthlessly slap fight over money & power.



Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com news link . . .

Will KC face a shortage of street cops? Here's what an expert thinks Across the country, police departments are struggling to retain and hire officers. Of almost two hundred police departments surveyed nationwide by the Police Executive Research Forum in May of 2021, there was a forty-five percent increase in the retirement rate

Developing . . .
Sky Vacations reaffirms commitment to Europe; announces ETOA membership



(TRAVPR.COM) USA - September 24th, 2021: Sky Vacations, one of the leading outbound tour operators in North America announced its partnership with The European Tourism Association (ETOA), leading trade association to promote tourism to Europe.

With over 1,200 members serving 63 origin markets, ETOA is a powerful voice at local, national and across European levels, and we could not be happier with our association says Richard Krieger, Director Sky Vacations. He further adds, our commitment to serving this continent is reflected in our extensive product portfolio and our new partnership reinforces the same. 

Sky Vacations recognizes that its travel partners are navigating new challenges daily in the current travel environment. In such times its even more important to work with a knowledgeable and vetted member of a trusted trade association such as ETOA, working for better tourism in Europe. The alliance is an important statement by Sky Vacations to endorse its commitment to the European tourism market.

About Sky Vacations

One of the leading tour operators in North America for more than a decade, Sky Vacations curates unique travel experiences around the globe for individual and group travelers. Sky Vacations is a member of the Sky Bird Group.

###
I took my parents to stay 7 nights in Malta and following good reviews, I thought this would be a nice hotel. Turns out that already checking-in the hotel had only 1 staff to deal with all bookings. Another customer was already complaining and saying that he would not return to that hotel anymore.

The first night, we realized our room (Superior Studio) was facing the main road. Although the balcony door being completely shut, the sound coming from the road was so loud that we couldn't sleep at all. I went to the reception and asked if we could be moved to a different room. The answer was that they were full and could do nothing. I even said, if you don't have today, it can be tomorrow. As long as we can have a good night sleep, we don't mind. But day after day they kept saying they didn't have rooms, although we saw the room in from of us being cleaned out more than once during our stay. It is quite upsetting that we didn't get any support in that matter.

The other problem we had with this hotel was that they have a rooftop pool with sun beds around the pool and on the first day I went there I found out that you had to actually book (which was not mentioned while checking in or anywhere in the room). When I went downstairs the next day and spoke to the staff at reception, they informed me that the sun beds needed to be booked on the day you were going to use early in the morning. I did that for a couple of days and so far we had to squeeze to find our beds, as sometimes all beds were tagged with different room numbers. One day we went there after booking our bed, when the receptionist while doing my booking said it was full but she could fit another 3 beds, but it would be better to book the day before. I said that the other receptionist informed me that the booking needed to be done on the same day you were going to use the pool, and she laughed saying no. While saying that she took note of our room number by pen and we took as we had reservations. We got there, all beds had name tags on them, the ones around the pool, being for groups of 6, 8 sun beds. No one was to be found when we got there, which was close to 9 am, so we took the beds close to the pool even though they had name tags, because they were empty. The woman supposed to take care of the bar upstairs and sun beds shouted at us, saying that those sun beds weren't ours, that we needed to "get out" of there. She was the one to put the name tags on the beds and she was rude throughout the process. I said we weren't going to move, first because we had reservations, and second because we were almost the only ones around the pool at the time (another couple was there, which made us feel embarrassed for what was happening). She then went to the bar, shouted over the phone with, who I presume was the manager, and came back to me saying that I needed to go downstairs to talk to the manager and that we needed to move out of those beds. The customer needs to go to the manager to sort out things now? Not the other way round? I said, no. That if the manager wanted to talk to me, they knew where to find me. She then ran to the bar again, shouted all over again, making a scene over something so trivial, that could be sorted in many different ways, and then came back again and said for us to leave. Although embarrassed, I kept strong and said that I could leave when the booked room arrives, not a problem. So far, not a shadow from them. We stayed for a couple of hours until they showed up. She rudely pointed our that we were wrong and that we needed to move, making us feel very embarrassed, as at that moment the pool had more people. She then mentioned that the manager had giving permission to use the VIP sunbeds close to the pool, as there were no other sun beds there. And I mentioned to her that she could have dealt in a different way, she then aggressively shouted that I was the rude one and that we should have moved out long ago. I asked her name a couple of times at the end, but she avoided at all costs to say it. I mean, why?? I paid the hotel, and NO ONE at the time we got at the pool was there from that room party. And guess what? The three beds we were using? WERE EMPTY BY THE TIME WE LEFT THE POOL!!!!! She didn't needed all that shouting and made us feel embarrassed at all.

If I ever go to Malta again, I will never go to this hotel ever again.

Unfortunately, the good staff that we came across are going to end up not being enough to make us go back there as the bad experience we had was enough for us to never step our feet ever again in this horrible hotel again.
Neighbourhood: Marina Centre

Description: Located on level three of The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore, the name Colony alludes to the seafarious voyage that the British took to travel to the East Indies for trade and commerce in the late eighteenth century. Vintage maps and postcards which adorn the walls and decorative ornate leafing evoke the nostalgia of a bygone era, while eight different open concept kitchens, coupled with 'live' culinary showmanship, will bring diners on a multi-sensory journey through Singapore's heritage cuisines including Malaysian, Indonesian, Indian, Chinese and Western, with dishes that reflect the flavours of the nation's rich colonial past. Colony can seat a maximum of 260 persons and boasts a dynamic space that can be configured to accommodate groups of various sizes. The restaurant will offer breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner daily, and vintage Champagne brunch on Sundays.
The second wave of cybersecurity exercises funded by the European Union took place in Kyiv on September 20-22, involving Ukraines main public stakeholders in the area of cybersecurity.

Over 50 officials of Ukraines State Service of Special Communications and Information Protection, Security Service, Cyber Police, Ministry of Defense, and National Bank participated in the training simulation of countering cyberattacks, according to the EU Delegation in Ukraine.

The event included a feedback session with leaders of key cybersecurity agencies who raised the issues of setting up an effective response to cyberattacks. Special focus was put on cooperation between the main actors in the field of cybersecurity.

Such exercises provide a unique opportunity to elaborate scenarios of countering cyberattacks under conditions close to reality and ensure the aligned work of teams, as well as enhance skills to respond to cyber incidents, said Viktor Zhora, Deputy Head of the State Service of Special Communications and Information Protection.

Tanel Tang, a member of the EUs Support Group for Ukraine, who attended the feedback session, said: Joint efforts are needed to strengthen the Ukrainian cyberspace and public authorities awareness of cybersecurity.

He added that Ukraines success in digital transformation depends on secure and reliable digital tools and connectivity and that engaging the best knowledge and experts of the European Union, we help prepare Ukrainian cybersecurity experts for new challenges.

The exercises were part of the EU-funded EU4DigitalUA project by the Estonian e-Governance Academy (eGA) in a simulation environment of Estonias CybExer Technologies OU.

The training participants were divided into blue and red teams. Blue teams, made up of key Ukrainian cybersecurity experts from state institutions, were engaged in cyber training conducted using a "live fire" method. The red team of organizers launched an intensive real-time attack against the virtual infrastructure of the blue teams. Every blue team had to assess the crisis and ensure the protection and efficiency of services and networks under cyberattacks.

Background

The EU4DigitalUA project is funded by the European Union with a budget of EUR 20.5 million, focused on the further development of digital government infrastructure, public e-services, cyber security, and data protection.

im
Ukraine and Thailand have agreed to hold a constituent meeting of the Joint Trade Commission in the near future so that to increase trade and strengthen business ties.

The Ukrainian Ministry for Foreign Affairs informed this following a meeting of Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine (CDTO) Dmytro Senik and Chettaphan Maksamphan, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Thailand to Ukraine with Residence in Warsaw, Ukrinform reports.

The diplomats discussed the development of relations between Ukraine and Thailand, in particular, the revival of political contacts, consultations between the Ministries for Foreign Affairs.

"Dmytro Senik and Chettaphan Maksamphan noted the importance of launching the activities of the Joint Trade Commission in order to increase trade and strengthen business ties. The interlocutors agreed to unite efforts so that the commissions constituent meeting be held in the near future, reads the report.

In addition, the Ukrainian deputy minister thanked the Thai side for its support in granting the AIPA Observer Status to the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. The relevant decision was announced at the 42nd AIPA General Assembly, which took place in Brunei Darussalam on August 23-25.

Senik also proposed that digital COVID certificates be recognized between the two countries so that to simplify the travel conditions of citizens.

According to the Ukrainian Ministry for Foreign Affairs, the volume of Ukraine-Thailand trade in goods and services reached $367 million in 2020. In the first half of 2021, the volume of trade in goods between Ukraine and Thailand amounted to $163 million, which is 38% more than in the same period last year.

iy
Ukraine is ready to cooperate with investors from any country, except for the countries that harm national security or work strategically against it.

"We work with everyone except for our enemies: those who are either at war with us or try to create problems to us, harm national security or work strategically against us," Tymofiy Mylovanov, adviser to the Head of the Presidents Office, President of the Kyiv School of Economics, said on the air of Dom TV channel.

That is why Ukraine cooperates, of course, with Europe, with the United States, with the countries of Asia, "with a belt of countries from the [United Arab] Emirates to Qatar."

Much, according to Mylovanov, depends on specific projects.

"Sometimes projects are purely economic. Indeed, they are interesting to us. Sometimes there are strategic projects, when they benefit us, companies, and the country. For example, if we build a logistics hub or port to ensure food security in Europe or the Arab world. Then strategic interests coincide: they want to buy from us, and we want to sell to them, and we want to do it through ports, but it is simply a question of logistics," Mylovanov explained.

Sometimes there are more conflict situations as it was around the Motor Sich Ukrainian defense plant.

"It's a military asset with technology. The United States has its stance, China has its own. Many other countries, although they may not say so publicly, have their own stance, particularly Russia. That is, it is an asset with very sensitive technologies that are related to security, defense industry, military-industrial complex. Therefore, everything is much more delicate, and everything needs to be done more carefully, and it turns out more slowly, of course," said the adviser to the President's Office.

The country is not only interested in investments but also in the development of Ukrainian business exports, he said. The more companies earn, the bigger taxes the state will receive. Therefore, the number of countries with which Ukraine signed or renewed bilateral agreements on free trade areas is expanding.

"What are we talking about when we talk about free trade areas? We are talking primarily about reducing tariffs, barriers, recognizing mutual certificates. After all, the markets of other countries have their own regulations, their own legislation, their own certificates, sometimes you have to pay import duties. The recognition of certificates or standards, reduction of duties are the specific solutions that allow our business to move faster, sell more, and earn more," Mylovanov explained.

ol
One of the key issues in UkraineTurkmenistan bilateral relations is the resumption of cooperation in the energy sector, which requires new approaches, new models, and proposals.

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine to Turkmenistan Viktor Maiko expressed such an opinion in his blog for Ukrinform.

He noted that Turkmenistan had been the only supplier of natural gas to Ukraine until 2006. But now the main transit country of Turkmen gas to Ukraine has become an aggressor, and the Central Asia  Center gas transmission artery with a capacity of 55 billion cubic meters per year almost does not function.

At the same time, Turkmenistan is actively developing its gas transmission network.

"Resumption of full-fledged cooperation with Turkmenistan in the energy sector requires extremely high motivation, new approaches, new models, and proposals. Today, Turkmenistan has fully fulfilled its homework in terms of readiness to export natural gas to the west," Maiko wrote.

Thus, Turkmenistan built an 800km East-West gas pipeline with a capacity of 30 billion cubic meters of gas per year, starting with one of the world's largest natural gas fields Galkynysh and ending on the Caspian Sea coast.

The ambassador stressed that in the future this gas pipeline would serve as the first link in the infrastructure of Turkmen gas supply to Europe.

According to him, it depends only on Ukraine whether it will become a partner and an ally of Turkmenistan in gas supplies to Europe.

In June, the foreign ministers of Ukraine and Turkmenistan, Dmytro Kuleba and Rashid Meredov, agreed to establish a business council that would unite the businesses of the two countries. The ministers also discussed the prospects for the development of new logistics routes between Central Europe and Central Asia, in which Ukraine and Turkmenistan could play a key role.

ol
The U.S. administration intends to fulfill all undertaken commitments to support Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression.

Thats according to Secretary of State Anthony Blinken who spoke at the House Foreign Committee Hearings on Monday, Ukrinform's own correspondent reports.

"Absolutely, we will stand by our commitments," Blinken said in response to a question from Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick of whether he could tell the Congress and the nation that the U.S. would "unequivocally and unapologetically do whatever it takes to have the back of our friends in Ukraine in the event of Russian aggression.

Read also: Zelensky says inaccurate to compare Ukraine with Afghanistan

In this regard, Blinken recalled that the American side confirmed its intentions voiced to President Volodymyr Zelensky during his visit to Washington two weeks ago.

As Ukrinform reported earlier, Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick was one of the members of the U.S. congressional delegation led by Senator Lindsey Graham, who paid a working visit to Ukraine last week.

During talks with Ukraines Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, the delegation assured him of U.S. support for Ukraine in countering Russian aggression and carrying out internal transformations.

im
Ukraine has been working systemically with all major political forces operating in Germany and is now counting on the build-up of a coalition that would be favorable for the further development of Ukrainian-German relations.

Thats according to Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba who spoke on Sunday on the air of the TSN. Week Results show, Ukrinform reports referring to MFA Ukraines press service.

Kuleba noted that President Zelensky had talked extensively with the leader of Christian Democrats, Armin Laschet. In turn, the chief of Ukraines diplomacy held talks with the leader of Social Democrats, Olaf Scholz. It is these politicians who now have the best chance of becoming chancellor.

"We have been working with every political force that will now be holding coalition talks, and conveyed to them Ukraines position on the key issues," Kuleba said.

The Minister noted that Germany is the country where such long-term and systemic efforts are required to achieve a positive outcome in bilateral relations.

"The name of the chancellor is important but Ukraine is most interested in what the coalition will turn out to be. From the combinations I see today, the coalition will be favorable for the development of Ukrainian-German relations," the minister said.

Developing ties with strategic partners, including Germany, is one of the key priorities of Ukraine's Foreign Policy Strategy, the foreign minister said.

It should be recalled that Germany held the election to the countrys Parliament, Bundestag, on September 26.

According to the latest polls, the gap between CDU/CSU and SPD keeps narrowing. The former have gained 24.4%, and the latter - 25.6%. Third come SVD with 11.6%, the Greens with 14.7%, the Alternative for Germany with 10.3%, and the Left with 5%.

Bundestags 20th convocation currently has 756 deputies but the number may increase.

im
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyi had a phone call with Egypt President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.

Thats according to the press office of the Ukrainian Presidents Office, Ukrinform reports.

The president of Ukraine invited Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to pay a visit to Ukraine.

Zelensky also noted the importance of further cooperation with Egypt, which is Ukraine's main trading partner in Africa, and reaffirmed readiness to further develop bilateral relations and increase the supply of domestic products to Egypts market.

Read also: Kuleba meets with Egyptian foreign minister

For his part, Abdel Fattah al-Sisi stressed his countrys interest in expanding relations with Ukraine in all areas, including through creating a hub of Ukrainian companies and ensuring their participation in Egyptian industrial zones.

In order to intensify bilateral cooperation, the heads of state agreed that the Ukraine-Egypt Intergovernmental Joint Commission on Economic and Scientific-Technical Cooperation should meet in the near future, as well as the counties diplomacy chiefs.

The president of Egypt noted the positive development of interpersonal contacts between the two countries and said that Ukrainians make up the majority of foreign tourists in Egypt.

Zelensky thanked al-Sisi for the introduction of a Ukrainian-language hotline to provide advisory services to Ukrainian citizens staying in Egypt.

The parties exchanged views on measures to prevent the spread of the pandemic, being implemented in both countries.

Separately, the interlocutors discussed prospects and specific projects in the field of military-technical cooperation. The president of Ukraine also stressed the untapped potential for cooperation in the space industry.

im
Unblocking the access of European buyers to purchasing Russian and Central Asian gas on the eastern border of Ukraine and independently booking transit facilities is a legally mandatory prerequisite for the certification of Nord Stream 2.

Thats according to Yuriy Vitrenko, Chairman of the Board of NJSC Naftogaz of Ukraine, Ukrinform reports referring to the company press service.

"Third-party access cannot be provided solely to Nord Stream 2 as this would make it precisely more privileged than other gas pipelines connecting Russia with Europe, including through Ukraine. The German regulator should not certify Nord Stream2 until Russia unblocks the Ukrainian gas pipeline for third parties so that European companies could receive gas at the Ukraine-Russia border and then book transit through Ukraine on their own," Vitrenko said.

According to the Naftogaz chief, providing free access exclusively to Nord Stream 2 without Russia's unblocking of the Ukrainian transit route would be contrary to the principle of solidarity laid down in the Treaty establishing the European Union.

Also, Vitrenko recalled the judgment of the European Court, which obliged the German regulator to apply the principle of solidarity in the certification of gas pipelines.

The head of Naftogaz also stressed that Ukraine did not ask for political guarantees in the international negotiations on Nord Stream 2, while demanding strict implementation of current legislation.

"Ukraine's strategy is not to ask for any guarantees and then rely on them. Because we have a sad experience of the Budapest Memorandum and, therefore, we do not really believe in that. We all understand that Gazprom and Putin in Europe are trying to use the law of strength, while our strength lies precisely in the legal validity of our position," said Vitrenko.

As reported earlier, Russia's gas monopoly Gazprom on September 10 announced the completion of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, laid from Russia to Germany along the bottom of the Baltic Sea, thus bypassing Ukraine. Russias Gazprom is a sole shareholder in the project.

Germany's Federal Network Agency has been reviewing since September 8 the Nord Stream 2 certification application, filed by the operator, Nord Stream 2 AG.

Ukraine, Poland, the Baltic countries, and the United States have opposed the pipeline. The German side assures it will do everything to ensure that Ukraine retains its transit role, expecting from Russia guarantees that the gas transit contract with Ukraine be extended after the current 5-year deal, signed in December 2019, expires.

im
Ukrainian Ambassador to Germany Andriy Melnyk has said he is confident that Berlin will continue to support Kyiv after the elections to Germany's federal parliament, the Bundestag.

Melnyk told this to Suspilne, Ukrinform reports.

That's how he reacted to exit polls showing that Germany's Social Democratic Party (SPD) holds a slim lead in the Bundestag election, followed by the conservative CDU/CSU bloc led by Armin Laschet.

"I am glad that in recent months, our President [Volodymyr Zelensky] has established close contact directly with many of the current leaders. That is, not only with Ms. [Angela] Merkel, but also with Armin Laschet. To a large extent, this also applies to Olaf Scholz because to this day he has been and remains Vice Chancellor, i.e. a person and a member of the governing coalition who, in fact, not only formed this current course by Berlin but is part of this course," Melnyk said.

He added that all of the mentioned politicians were present at the latest summits held in Berlin during the visit of Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba.

"It was during this very long and thorough conversation that we heard firsthand Berlin's readiness to continue its activity in the Normandy format after the election. What will it be like? It is difficult to say how the focus and approaches will change. After all, it is clear that it will not be the same as today, when Ms. Merkel called [Russian President Vladimir] Putin every two or three weeks and maintained direct contact with our president and the French side," Melnyk said.

op
The new German Government will ensure that Ukraine remains a gas transit country and Russia adheres to the commitments it made during the negotiations on the completion of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline.

Social Democratic Partys chancellor candidate Olaf Scholz said this to journalists on Monday, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

The politician noted that the construction of the gas pipeline had been completed. "Now everyone should ensure that the guarantees associated with this project are accepted by everyone. The guarantees include that Ukraine remains a transit country and that we make sure that the gas supplies to some Eastern European countries, for example, are not jeopardized by Russia if it says that it no longer wants to serve this structure [GTS]. We take this absolutely seriously and will be committed to it," the politician stressed.

According to him, Germany considers it important to establish good cooperation between the EU and neighboring countries. This, Scholz added, also includes recognizing the possibility of further steps towards the European integration of other countries, provided that they meet the criteria they are aware of.

In addition, the politician stressed that "good economic relations", in particular, with Russia, require adherence to the principle of inviolability of borders and the OSCE principles.

The first point of German policy, according to Scholz, will be the formation of a stronger and more sovereign EU. Everything that Berlin will do in the foreign policy in the coming years, he said, will be based on the common position of the European Union.

As a reminder, the Social Democratic Party won the parliamentary elections held in Germany on September 26 with a slight advantage. Coalition talks and the formation of a government are now ahead. Scholz hopes to form a government before Christmas and has no doubt that he will lead it.

ol
Ukraine considered the option of severing diplomatic relations with Russia but no other state agreed to take over the functions of protecting Ukrainians in Russia.

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Ambassador of Ukraine to Turkey Vasyl Bodnar said this on the air of the Dom TV channel, Ukrinform reports.

He noted that such a decision had to be made in 2014 when the active phase of hostilities began.

At the same time, there were millions of Ukrainians in Russia, and the armed conflict in the east increased their number. The activity of the Ukrainian embassy and consulates was needed to ensure the protection of their interests, Bodnar explained.

"Especially in 2014-2015, when the armed hostilities and the capture of our soldiers at the front were ongoing. In those days, our consulate in Rostov-on-Don, our other institutions in Russia actually worked 24/7 to help our citizens with treatment, contacts with relatives, etc," Bodnar said.

Kyiv considered the option of severing diplomatic relations with the Russian Federation, but that required handing over the protection of Ukrainian citizens to another state represented in Moscow.

"We gauged positions and none of the countries represented in Moscow agreed to represent our interests, given the amount of work that would need to be done to ensure the interests of our citizens ... Take, for example, Georgia, which severed diplomatic relations with the Russian Federation after the 2008 war. Now its interests are represented by Switzerland. However, the number of Georgian and Ukrainian citizens [in Russia] differs much," the deputy minister added.

Even now a significant number of Ukrainian citizens remain in Russia, Bodnar stressed. In addition, political prisoners from the occupied Crimea, who are in dire need of help, including from diplomats, are being held in Russian prisons.

"For the most part, our diplomatic presence there focuses on consular work. That is, consuls provide our citizens with documents, visit them prisons. Several thousand Ukrainians are in prisons there, plus the Kremlins political hostages from Crimea. [Consuls] also represent our interests in the courts and other institutions. So this practical dimension overcame the emotional impulse to break off these relations," he said.

At the same time, according to Bodnar, diplomatic relations between Ukraine and Russia are at a low level, there are no ambassadors in both countries since 2014. Currently, several dozen Ukrainian diplomats work in Russia, Bodnar stated.

ol
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine has postponed the meeting of the Joint Ukrainian-Hungarian Intergovernmental Commission on Economic Cooperation due to the signing by Hungary of a new long-term contract with Russias Gazprom for gas supply bypassing Ukraine.

This is according to a statement released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Ukrinform reports.

"We are surprised and disappointed by Hungary's decision to sign in Budapest on September 27, 2021, a new long-term contract with Russias Gazprom Concern for the supply of gas bypassing Ukraine," the statement said.

The foreign ministry sees it as a purely political and economically unviable decision taken in favor of the Kremlin and to the detriment of Ukraine's national interests and Ukrainian-Hungarian relations, which does not comply with the principles of the Treaty on Good Neighborliness and Cooperation between Ukraine and Hungary of December 6, 1991.

It remains more profitable for Hungary to receive gas in transit through Ukraine's extensive gas transmission system, which allows for the shortest possible uninterrupted gas supply to Europe, the foreign ministry wrote.

"We note with sadness that this decision harms the positive results and trends in bilateral Ukrainian-Hungarian relations, to achieve which many efforts and energy were personally made by the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine and Hungary, Dmytro Kuleba and Peter Szijjarto," the statement said.

The foreign ministry said the fifth meeting of the Joint Ukrainian-Hungarian Intergovernmental Commission on Economic Cooperation, co-chaired by the two countries' top diplomats, was set to take place in Budapest on September 29-30. The Ukrainian side had carefully prepared for it, rightly hoping that the event will become another positive step in bilateral relations.

"Today, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry initiated the postponement of the Commission meeting, as the Hungarian-Russian gas agreement will have a significant impact on the energy security of Ukraine and Europe, creating new circumstances that require a comprehensive risk and threat analysis, as well as coordinated efforts by the regions powers to minimize its negative implications," the statement stressed.

The Ukrainian side will also apply to the European Commission to assess the compliance of the new Hungarian-Russian gas deal with European energy legislation.

As Ukrinform reported earlier, Hungary has agreed with Russia on all conditions for the new long-term gas supply agreement to enter into force on October 1. This is about the supply of Russian gas bypassing Ukraine. Hungary will be annually receiving 3.5 billion cubic meters through Serbia via the Turkish Stream gas pipeline and its overland extension, as well as another 1 bcm  through Austria.

im
Wagner, a Russian notorious private military company has imposed restrictions on hiring mercenaries for the upcoming Mali mission, banning any new recruits who were born in the territories of the former Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic.

The PMC is now running a recruitment campaign at its training ground in Molkino, Krasnodar Territory, according to BBC Russian Service citing its two sources familiar with the matter.

The ads posted on social platforms say any Ukrainian-born candidates will be refused a job, including the natives of the territories in eastern Ukraine, temporarily controlled by Russian proxy DPR, LPR, and Russian-occupied Crimea, as well as citizens of Georgia.

BBC sources note that the move "has sparked outrage among many participants in the hostilities in eastern Ukraine."

Wagner PMC recruits men 23-45 years of age with no tax arrears, criminal convictions, dental issues and major chronic conditions.

One of the members of the Wagner PMC told the BBC late August that the PMC was already deploying in Mali. In early September, there were reports across social media about the deaths of Wagner mercenaries in this African country, while the Meduza outlets confirmed these reports from the killed mercenaries acquaintances.

On September 25, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the Mali authorities "turned to a Russian private military company," without specifying its name, after France decided to curb its peacekeeping presence there.

Earlier, Western powers said they are ready to withdraw their peacekeepers from Mali if local authorities invited PMC Wagner to step in.

Earlier it was reported that a significant number of immigrants from Ukraine served in Wagner, the PMC that took part in Russias military aggression against Ukraine.

im
Alexander Lukashenko has mastered the patterns of Russian propaganda rhetoric about threats from the West and Ukraine, Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesman Oleg Nikolenko has told Ukrinform.

"We have again witnessed groundless insinuations against Ukraine from Alexander Lukashenko. It is obvious that Alexander Lukashenko has already fully mastered the patterns of Russian propaganda rhetoric about threats from the West and Ukraine in particular. He is talking too much about illusory American bases and militant camps in Ukraine, simultaneously turning our neighboring Belarus into Russia's military base," Nikolenko said.

He noted that the main threat to Ukraine, Belarus and the friendly Belarusian people now comes from Russia.

"Preserving the sovereignty and independence of Belarus, rather than becoming an appendage of Russia, is what Minsk is really worth thinking about," he said.

Nikolenko stressed that Ukraine has never interfered and will not interfere in the affairs of neighboring Belarus. Ukraine will also never pose any threat to the security of the Belarusian people, he added.

At the same time, Ukraine will continue to defend its freedom, independence and a free democratic choice of the Ukrainian people in favor of European and Euro-Atlantic integration, Nikolenko said.

"We are not doing this against anyone, but solely because we see the future of Ukraine in a united family of free European nations, where the value of life, human dignity and democratic choice are inviolable. And the same future is in the interests of Belarus," he said.

On Monday, September 27, Lukashenko reported on the situation on the state border of Belarus.

Lukashenko stressed the need "to react" to "NATO troops being brought to Ukraine."

Photo: BELTA
Ukraine is planning to open three-four new checkpoints on the Ukrainian-Polish border in Lviv and Volyn regions, as well as on the border with Poland and Slovakia in Zakarpattia region.

This was announced by Ambassador of Ukraine to Poland Andrii Deshchytsia on the air of the Dom TV channel, Ukrinform reports.

"We have plans, there is an interdepartmental commission that develops plans for the opening of checkpoints. We already have experience, there are locations where we would like to open these checkpoints," he said.

According to the ambassador, new checkpoints are planned to be opened in Lviv region (on the border section near the Polish city of Przemysl) and in Volyn region.

Ukraine is also considering the opening of new checkpoints in Zakarpattia region, on the border with Poland and Slovakia.

"It may be even in Zakarpattia region, although this checkpoint there will most likely be a pedestrian checkpoint for now," Deshchytsia said.

According to him, this issue is complicated because there are national parks near the border. In particular, in Zakarpattia region, the border zone is located on the territory of Uzhanskyi National Nature Park, in Slovakia - Polonyny, in Poland - Beschadsky.

It is more difficult to negotiate there because this checkpoint is located in a protected area. Therefore, we still need a permit from the national park," Deshchytsia said.

iy
The Ministry of Health believes Ukraines health care system will face a peak load in November.

Thats according to Deputy Minister of Health, Chief State Sanitary Doctor Ihor Kuzin, who spoke with RBC-Ukraine, Ukrinform reports.

"Previously, we actually thought that the peak load on the health care system will be seen in November-December this year. Now we see that according to almost all forecasts, such peak loads may come earlier. It is difficult to say how early because the situation is unfolding quite quickly. What we see for sure is that peak loads will definitely come in November. But whether they will affect October or be delayed until December is still difficult to say," Kuzin said.

The official recalled that the crisis could be prevented if the majority of Ukrainians get their COVID-19 jabs.

As Ukrinform reported earlier, on September 26, Ukraine recorded 3,007 new confirmed COVID-19 cases and 94 corona-related fatalities. Throughout the entire pandemic period, 2,395,404 people contracted the virus in Ukraine, of whom 2,245,144 recovered and 55,720 died.

im
Many foreign guests will attend the high-level commemoration of the victims of the Babyn Yar tragedy in Kyiv on October 6.

"This year, a large-scale commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the tragedy in Babyn Yar will be held on October 6," Presidents Spokesperson Serhiy Nykyforov said in a comment to Ukrinform.

According to him, many foreign guests are expected to arrive, including the leaders. Nykyforov noted, in particular, that German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier had already confirmed his participation in the events.

On September 29-30, the National Historical and Memorial Reserve "Babyn Yar", the Institute of History of Ukraine of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, and the Ukrainian Institute of National Remembrance with the support of the Ukrainian World Congress organize a series of events to mark the 80th anniversary of the beginning of mass shootings during the Nazi occupation of Kyiv.

During World War II, the German occupation forces used the Babyn Yar tract in the northwestern part of Kyiv as a place of mass executions of civilians, mainly Jews. On September 29, 1941, by order of the occupation administration, the entire Jewish population was obliged to appear in Babyn Yar. People were escorted in groups through the checkpoint, after which they were driven to the edge of the ravine and shot. On September 29-30, 33,771 people were killed.

The massacres in the tract lasted until the occupiers left the city. According to official figures, about a hundred thousand people were shot down there.

ol
Four years after fleeing to Bangladesh from Myanmar, Rohingya refugees may have just survived their most challenging year yet.

Life in the congested camps that are home to over 880,000 Rohingya refugees was already tough, but the COVID-19 pandemic has brought new hardships  limiting movements, closing learning centres and reducing on-site assistance provided by aid organizations.

Then came a massive fire in March that reduced nearly 10,000 shelters to ashes and killed 11 refugees. The fire was followed by a particularly wet monsoon season that brought more than 700mm of rain in just one week between 27 July and 3 August, inundating more than 400 local villages, washing away shelters and triggering flooding and landslides that killed some 20 people, 10 of which were refugees. Some 24,000 refugees were forced to abandon their homes and belongings.

"We are always scared of diseases and fire."

Since we live in a congested situation, we are always scared of diseases and fire breaking out and of our houses getting flooded, said Asmida, 33, one of more than 7,000 refugee volunteers trained by the UN Refugee Agency, UNHCR, and partners to respond to emergencies such as fires and flooding.

During the monsoon season, she has helped pregnant women, children and elderly people from her block reach a safe place. She and the other volunteers have also worked tirelessly to help organize and coordinate the work of clearing away mud and repairing shelters, roads and bridges.

Rohingya refugee volunteers like Asmida, together with Bangladeshi workers from the surrounding communities in Coxs Bazar District, form the backbone of delivery for humanitarian services in the camps, particularly over the past 18 months when COVID restrictions have reduced the presence of aid workers. They know the whereabouts of the most vulnerable people in their communities likely to need help in an emergency and keep an eye on the most flood-prone areas in the camps when the monsoon rains are particularly heavy.

Mohammad Aiyaz, another volunteer, was monitoring one such area last month when he heard children screaming.

We saw that a boy was drowning in the canal, he recalled. I went close to him and tossed a throw bag to him. He caught it and we pulled him safely to the bank and handed him over to his parents.

Eleven people were killed and more than 9,500 shelters were destroyed by a huge fire that broke out in one of the camps in March.  UNHCR/Iffath Yeasmine

Refugee volunteers worked day and night in heavy rain to rescue refugees stranded by severe flooding in the camps.  UNHCR/BDRCS

Rohingya refugee volunteers work to re-build a bamboo bridge destroyed by floods.  UNHCR/Amos Halder

Humayun Kabir, a Bangladeshi community health worker, helps Rohingya refugees waiting to receive their first COVID-19 vaccine.  UNHCR/Amos Halder

Noor Islam was among the first group of the Rohingya refugees to receive a COVID-19 vaccine in August.  UNHCR/Amos Halder

As well as acting as first responders in emergency situations, refugee volunteers, who include trained community health workers, have played a vital role during the COVID-19 pandemic  sharing life-saving messages on how to prevent infection, recognize symptoms and where to go for testing and treatment.

Recently they have been helping prepare the ground for the roll-out of COVID-19 vaccines following the decision by the Bangladeshi government to start offering them to older Rohingya refugees.

Humayun Kabir, a local Bangladeshi, supervises one of the groups of Rohingya community health workers who are working to ensure that as many older refugees as possible take up the offer of a vaccine.

In the beginning, there was some fear and confusion regarding the vaccine, he said. We were successful to help them overcome [that] through messaging, leaflets and videos.

The first round of vaccinations started on 10 August and over 34,000 refugees aged 55 and above have now received their first jab.

Among them was Nur Islam, 59. In my lifetime of more than 50 years in Myanmar, I never received any vaccines, he said. After coming to Bangladesh, we got our first vaccines. We are six members in the family, among whom only I could be vaccinated so far.

For those with disabilities or too frail to reach one of the 56 vaccination centres, the volunteers help to transport them from their shelters by carrying them or using homemade stretchers.

If the Rohingyas are not safe, the Bangladeshis are not safe either, Humayun pointed out. Thats why vaccination for all is crucial.

With a second phase of the vaccination rollout due to start in the coming months that is expected to reach more Rohingya refugees, there is some hope that restrictions in the camps will eventually be eased. But natural disasters and lack of space and durable shelters remain concerns for refugees now entering their fifth year of displacement.

When we came here, we thought that we could return within one or two years, said Nur Islam. Now four years have passed. Young people get married and start families, but we dont have enough space for all the family members.

"I want our kids to be safe from landslides and flooding."

Asmida worries about her childrens safety and their future.

I want our kids to be safe from landslides and drowning, she said. I want them to get back to the learning centres so they can have an education and meet other children. It will also keep them busy and safe.

As time passes, the needs of hundreds of thousands of Rohingya refugees living in 34 camps continue to grow. For now, humanitarian assistance remains their only lifeline.

Giving Rohingya refugees greater possibilities to develop skills and be productive will contribute to peace and stability in the camps and help prepare them better for return, said Ita Schuette, UNHCRs Head of Office in Cox's Bazar. We must centre our efforts on providing them with opportunities to serve a purpose, but also to continue dreaming of a brighter future.

She called on the international community to continue supporting Rohingya refugees and the Bangladeshi government and local communities who have been hosting them.

We have a responsibility to not allow this to become a forgotten crisis.




(Photo : Photo by Thought Catalog on Unsplash)

Pandemic has affected many industries, including educational institutions. Most countries have undergone a lockdown. This forced educators and administrators to switch attention to the online schooling model. But things are turning positive, and everything is getting back to normal.

Over time, schools have implemented essential processes and systems. One of the highly recognized options is managed print services. Those institutions that have implemented managed print services for schools save money, time, and future headaches. This also helps educators to focus their attention on what matters most, thus, ensuring their students are safe and learning.

In addition, an excellent managed print service is beyond print management. It will add valuable features enabling educators and students to print safely, responsibly, and efficiently. The institutions that have partnered with reliable managed print services providers save time and money - yet, they don't sacrifice productivity. An added advantage is that managed print services providers also offer institutions easy access, secure, and reliable print environment for students.

How Managed Print Services Should Look In Schools

The first focus for every educator is facilitating learning. That means that they should be fully equipped with technology and tools that help them in their tasks. Educators' valuable time is usually lost while experiencing printing problems, thus declines in education quality. This and other challenges related to printing leave the students disadvantaged.

On the other hand, a comprehensive print management system provides schools a secure print environment that grants greater accessibility.

That said, some key elements and features make excellent print management services. Some of these features include:

Easy-to-use Dashboard

The required kind of dashboard should be intuitive and easy for administrators to repair equipment and maintain schedules. This will be easier even for larger learning institutions.

Free On-Site Trial Implementation

Hiring an experienced print management solution will install and test essential features on-site. This leaves the customers satisfied.

Print Policy Management & Rules-Based Routing

The tools will shape the printing environment depending on the user's behavior. For example, an institution can implement an eco-friendly printing policy. This will encourage users to be responsible for their printing habits. Therefore, they will discourage users from making unnecessary prints such as web pages or emails.

Find-Me Printing

This is an essential feature that allows institutions to deliver logically named print queues to students and staff. It is a sign of confidence that the print job is securely printed.

Touchless Release

During this post-pandemic times, organizations have to limit physical touchpoints in the environment. With the touchless release, staff members can conveniently walk to the printer and use their phones to scan their QR codes. That enables them to see print jobs available in their print system.

Mobile print

Mobile print is secure and easy for you to print remotely. If not, you can also print when outside the network through the internet.

Print Deploy

IT experts in school institutions receive a consultation to help implement the correct print drivers in the queues and at the right time. This will help minimize the printer deployment time.

Why management print services for schools?

There are many advantages to those education systems that will partner with managed print services. These institutions have to implement custom print management solutions with numerous benefits.

Let us explore some of these benefits.

Data Security

Education institutions will get data protection that helps prevent exposure of crucial information. The highly protected information in these institutions includes the FERPA K-12 student information.

Security features accompanying print management services include watermarks, end-to-end encryption, digital signatures and others.

Reduce costs and wastes

Seeking a print management solution helps schools receive a fixed monthly bill. This makes it easy to budget planning and forecasting print costs. Schools will therefore reduce unnecessary wastes through eco-friendly print policies like black and white printing.

Greater Accessibility

Teachers, IT staff, and students can get innovative technology without sacrificing accessibility and usability with the right managed print services. Those schools having multiple locations can print their documents anywhere through the network for maximum productivity and accessibility.

Serverless Printing Infrastructure Transition

Those schools that leverage managed print services will have to initiate their transitions to serverless printing. This helps eliminate expensive and unnecessary server costs. That's because servers are less essential since most educational institutions are moving to a hybrid environment such that some segment of the student population will be at home.

Conclusion

Every education institution aiming to get managed print services benefits with improved accessibility, reduced costs, data security and maximum productivity. This is only experienced by hiring a reliable service provider company.
ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 27th Sep, 2021 ) :The Senate Standing Committee on Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Monday directed the concerned authorities to address all the issues faced by the Chinese investors working especially under China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

The meeting held under the chairmanship of Senator Saleem Mandviwalla, discussed in detail the issues being faced by the Chinese Investors in Pakistan and the measures taken in this regard.

The Chairman Committee as in its previous meeting inquired about the forum on which the issue of the Chinese investors should be taken. "There should be a remedy at Government level" he said.

The Secretary, Ministry of Planning, Development and Special Initiatives informed the committee that a Pak-China Committee has been constituted with the objective to remove the hurdles of finalization and execution of the Projects.

The constituency of the CPEC authority, headed by a Chairman is also an apt authority to redress issues faced by the Chinese Investors, he emphasized.

The Chairman Committee dismayed the fact that it is a general observation that the committees are non- effective and do not produce results in yes or no.

"There should be a focal person to communicate the issues between the concerned authorities and the investors" Mandviwalla added.

The Secretary Committee said that Chairman CPEC authority is the right person to bring in the concerns of the Chinese investors to further address the issues through the committee.

A comprehensive briefing by the Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE) on their roles, functions and performance was also received by the committee.

The PIDE officials briefed the committee that PIDE is the 1st Asian Think Tank since 1957 initiated by the US AID for long-term planning. PIDE aims for Research, Projects and Surveys, Academic Programs and Executive Training through active and continuous debate on key issues, extensive engagements with policymakers, practitioners, professionals, academia and development partners.

The officials informed the committee that the mode of communication of PIDE is through Webinars/ Seminars, Research Videos and Newspaper Articles etc.

There are a number of PIDE's Research Agendas including Climate Change, Social Protection Health and education.

The officials of the PIDE commented that 16% of the uneducated population is unemployed while amongst the educated population (twenty-four) 24 % of graduates are jobless out of which (forty) 40% are females.

It was noted that these figures are in contrast to the figures given by the Government. The officials of PIDE further elaborated that there are also hidden numbers such as those who only take admission in MPhil and PHD Programs because they do not have employment opportunities.

"Some 80% of students are enrolling themselves because of unemployment and this number doesn't come in any count" Informed the PIDE officials. "Our aim is to provide employment opportunities to 120 Million youth/graduates of the country".

The Chairman Committee sought report on the factual statistics regarding number of youth, unemployment etc., which the committee can actually rely upon in order to take concrete decisions.

The PIDE in their research has proposed laws for Hawkers and to also grant them license which will meet 20 to 30 million employments in the country.

The PIDE in their recent publications also proposed reform for the civil services, on their incentives and costs. According to the publication the total cost on a civil servant is Rs/- 11 lakh.

The PIDE also made research on the Economic Cost of Tobacco-Induced Diseases in Pakistan stating that the cost of cigarettes is the least in Pakistan as compared globally and the health cost is three-times the revenue generated by it.

The PIDE officials also debated on the criteria through which universities are registered in Pakistan. It was informed that unlike world- wide practice of enlisting of universities through chatters, Pakistan approves universities through a Bill introduced by the HEC which has lacunas such as a university can only be approved if it has Thirteen 13 acre land, which does not justify a requirement of establishing a university at international level.

The PIDE officials apprised the committee that in Islamabad there are Forty (40) training institutes and Forty (40) universities.

The PIDE officials during their briefing informed the committee that the total budget for the PIDE is 300 million out of which more than 90% goes into the salaries of the employees.

The Chairman Committee sought report on the so far implementation of the research being conducted by PIDE along with its outcome. The chairman committee also sought proposed reform of the PIDE for a way forward, to be discussed in the next meeting.

The meeting was attended by Senators Dost Muhammad Khan, Ejaz Ahmad Chaudhry, Muhammad Tahir Bizinjo, Sardar Muhammad Shafiq Tareen and Senator Hidayat Ullah.
ABU DHABI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 27th Sep, 2021) H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Rulers Representative in Al Dhafra Region and Chairman of the Emirates Falconers Club (EFC), highlighted the importance of the significant support of President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan and His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, for the Abu Dhabi International Hunting and Equestrian Exhibition (ADIHEX), as well as their directives to protect the environment and preserve heritage sustainability.

Under the patronage of Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed and under the theme "Sustainability and Heritage... A Reborn Aspiration", this year's edition features 680 companies and brands from 44 countries and 319 local exhibitors; as well as, 32 governmental and official entities, and more than 20 local and international falconry clubs, associations and institutions, across 11 sections covering an area of approximately 50,000 square meters, the largest in the history of the event.

The exhibition is a non-profit initiative and event launched on the directives of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan in 2003, he added, noting its first edition was honoured with his historic visit.

Since that day, the exhibition has been a success story in terms of protecting the environment, promoting sustainable hunting, preserving national heritage and raising the awareness of the youth and new generations of traditional Emirati values, he further added.

Sheikh Hamdan stated this during his visit today to the exhibition, which was organised by the EFC and will end on 3rd October, 2021.

"The new edition of the exhibition coincides with the Golden Jubilee of the UAE, which makes us feel proud and grateful and motivates us to continue this success through an ambitious vision that foresees the upcoming 50 years," he said.

Sheikh Hamdan visited several pavilions of local and international companies showcasing the latest hunting and equestrian equipment and technologies.

Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed was accompanied during his tour by H.H. Sheikh Sultan bin Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Ambassador to the Kingdom of Bahrain, Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Mohammed bin Ahmed Al Bowardi, Minister of State for Defence Affairs, and several top local officials.
DUBAI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 27th Sep, 2021) Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance H.H. Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum met with Peter Keller, Director General of the International Council of Museums (ICOM), in the presence of H.H. Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairperson of the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture).

The two sides discussed bilateral collaboration, opportunities for new partnerships in the museum sector and ways to promote cultural dialogue and knowledge exchange through museums.

H.H. Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed welcomed the Director General and the accompanying delegation and expressed his appreciation for ICOMs efforts to preserve the cultural heritage of nations across the world, which is aligned with the UAEs and Dubais own objective of protecting Emirati culture and raising awareness about the countrys heritage.

The meeting was also attended by Secretary-General of The Executive Council of Dubai Abdulla Mohammed Al Basti; and Director General of the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority HE Hala Badri.

Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed said Dubai is keen to host the 27th ICOM General Conference 2025 for the first time in the middle East. Dubai is one of three cities shortlisted to host the 27th edition of the largest international conference in the field of museums. Members of ICOM will vote in November 2021 to decide the host of the event.

H.H. also highlighted Dubais advanced infrastructure and exceptional track record in organising mega global events such as Expo 2020 Dubai, which make it one of the ideal venues for the ICOM General Conference.

Sheikha Latifa said the museum sector in the UAE has seen remarkable development due to the leaderships keenness to enrich the cultural scene and enhance cultural exchange. World-class museums have been integral to Dubais development into an international cultural metropolis where creativity and the arts flourish. Dubai will provide the highest level of support to ensure the success of the 27th ICOM General Conference 2025, if the city is selected to host the event, she added.

In April, the UAE chapter of ICOM (ICOM-UAE), in cooperation with three government entities: Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture), Dubai Municipality, and Dubai Tourism had submitted the UAEs bid to host the ICOM General Conference 2025 under the theme 'The Future of Museums in Rapidly Changing Communities. Dubai will be competing with Stockholm (Sweden) and Kazan (Russia) in the final round of voting.

The ICOM General Conference is held once every three years. The 25th edition held in 2019 in Kyoto, Japan, saw the participation of nearly 4,500 specialists in the field of museums from across over the world. The 26th edition is scheduled to be held in Prague, Czech Republic in 2022.
(@ChaudhryMAli88)

ABU DHABI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 27th Sep, 2021) His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, held a phone call with Ramzan Kadyrov, President of Chechnya, during which he congratulated him on being re-elected for another presidential term, and wished him continuing success in performing his duties.

His highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed and Kadyrov discussed bilateral relations and ways to strengthen them in various fields.

Kadyrov thanked Sheikh Mohamed for his friendly feelings towards him and the Chechen people and wished more progress and prosperity for the UAE and its people.
(@ChaudhryMAli88)

Rome, Sept 26 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 27th Sep, 2021 ) :Plans for actor Richard Gere to testify against former Italian interior minister Matteo Salvini for abuse of migrants threaten to turn the case into a show trial, the far-right leader said on Sunday.

Gere -- a Hollywood star known as a campaigner on Tibet and other rights issues -- will testify against him in the so-called Open Arms case, according to remarks Salvini made at a political meeting that were reported by the Ansa news agency.

"If someone wants to turn the trial into a show and wants to see Richard Gere, let him go to the cinema, not to a court," the head of the populist and nationalist League party said according to Ansa.

"I know him as an actor, but I don't understand what kind of lessons he wants to give me," he added, promising to ask for an autograph for his mother.

Salvini is accused of kidnapping and abuse of power in August 2019 by preventing more than 100 migrants from disembarking from a rescue ship -- even as conditions on board deteriorated.

Gere had boarded the Open Arms ship to support the migrants, a visit mocked by Salvini at the time.

Migrants were only allowed off the Open Arms vessel after six days, following an order by the prosecutor's office.

Salvini has said he was protecting the country with his so-called "closed ports" policy, which aimed to stop people attempting the dangerous Mediterranean crossing to Italy.

Italy's Senate voted last year to strip Salvini of his parliamentary immunity, paving the way for the trial.

A related case in which Salvini was accused of blocking other migrants at sea on an Italian coastguard boat was thrown out by a court in Catania earlier this year.

Salvini's League takes a hard line on migrants, arguing that Italy bears an unfair burden as the first point of entry for migrants from northern Africa.

When he blocked the ships, Salvini was part of a coalition government and held the positions of interior minister and deputy prime minister.

He has argued that his migrant policy was not his alone, but agreed by the government, including by the former prime minister, Giuseppe Conte.

The trial opened on 15 September in Palermo but was immediately adjourned to 23 October.

Twenty-three civil parties, including nine migrants who were on board, are represented in the trial.

Salvini joined the League's coalition government with the anti-system 5 Star Movement (M5S) in 2018, but in August 2019 he provoked a government crisis hoping to reshuffle the deck in an early parliamentary vote.

The manoeuvre backfired and the M5S formed a new government with the centre-left Democratic Party, which was replaced in early 2021 by a broad coalition government including the League and led by Mario Draghi.
Dubai, Sept 27 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 27th Sep, 2021 ) :Sixty-seven Yemeni rebels and pro-government troops have been killed as fighting intensifies for the key city of Marib, military and medical sources said Monday.

"Fifty-eight Huthi insurgents and nine loyalists were killed in fighting and air strikes in the provinces of Marib and Shabwa in the past 24 hours," military sources told AFP, in figures that were confirmed by medical sources.
ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 27th Sep, 2021 ) :Prime Minister Imran Khan has said that Pakistan must not be blamed for the outcome of war in Afghanistan and for the losses of the United States and stressed on setting eyes on the future to avoid another conflict instead of sticking with the blame game.

"Today, with Afghanistan at another crossroads, we must look to the future to prevent another violent conflict in that country rather than perpetuating the blame game of the past," he said in his article published in the Washington Post on Monday.

Imran Khan said surely, Pakistan was not to blame for the fact that "300,000-plus well-trained and equipped Afghan security forces saw no reason to fight the lightly-armed Taliban".

The underlying problem, he said, was an Afghan government structure lacking legitimacy in the eyes of the average Afghan.

He also expressed "surprise" over the recent Congressional hearings on Afghanistan, where "no mention was made of Pakistan's sacrifices as a US ally in the war on terror for over two decades". "Instead, we were blamed for America's loss," he added.

Khan recalled that since 2001, he repeatedly warned that the "Afghan war was unwinnable" and pointed that given their history, Afghans would never accept a protracted foreign military presence.

Even an outsider including Pakistan could not change this reality, he added.

The prime minister said unfortunately, the successive Pakistani governments after 9/11 sought to please the US instead of pointing out the error of a military-dominated approach.

"Desperate for global relevance and domestic legitimacy, Pakistan's military dictator Pervez Musharraf agreed to every American demand for military support after 9/11. This cost Pakistan, and the US, dearly," he said.

Imran Khan said the people the US asked Pakistan to target, included the groups trained jointly by the CIA and Pakistan's Inter Services Intelligence to defeat the Soviets in Afghanistan in the 1980s.

"Back then, the Afghans were hailed as freedom fighters performing a sacred duty. President Reagan even entertained the Mujahideen at the White House," he said.

The prime minister pointed out that after the defeat of the Soviets, the US abandoned Afghanistan and sanctioned Pakistan, leaving behind over five million Afghan refugees in Pakistan and a bloody civil war in Afghanistan.

"From this security vacuum emerged the Taliban, many born and educated in the Afghan refugee camps in Pakistan," he said.

Post 9/11, he said, the US needed Pakistan again, "but this time against the very actors we had jointly supported to fight foreign occupation".

He mentioned that the Mujahideens of the past were declared terrorists overnight, adding that militant groups declared war against Pakistani state after Pakistan supported the US war on terror.

He said General Musharraf offered Washington logistics and airbases, allowed a CIA footprint in Pakistan and even turned a blind eye to American drones bombing Pakistanis on their soil.

"For the first time ever, our army swept into the semi-autonomous tribal areas on the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, which had earlier been used the staging ground for the anti-Soviet jihad," he said.

He mentioned that for locals, the US was an "occupier" of Afghanistan just like the Soviets, deserving of the same treatment.

As Pakistan was now America's collaborator, he said, "we too were deemed guilty and attacked".

"This was made much worse by over 450 US drone strikes on our territory, making us the only country in history to be so bombed by an ally," he said. "These strikes caused immense civilian casualties, riling up anti-American (and anti-Pakistan army) sentiment further".

He said the militant groups declared war against the Pakistani state after its support to the US war on terror.

"The die was cast", he said. "Between 2006 and 2015, nearly 50 militant groups declared jihad on the Pakistani state, conducting over 16,000 terrorist attacks on us".

He mentioned that Pakistan suffered over 80,000 casualties and lost over $150 billion in the economy, besides driving 3.5 million citizens from their homes.

He said the militants escaping from Pakistani counter-terrorism efforts entered Afghanistan and were then supported and financed by Indian and Afghan intelligence agencies.

"Pakistan had to fight for its survival," he stressed and quoted in this regard a former CIA station chief in Kabul who in 2009 wrote that the country was "beginning to crack under the relentless pressure directly exerted by the US".

Yet the US continued to ask us to "do more" for the war in Afghanistan, he added.

Imran Khan recalled that a year earlier, in 2008, he met then-Senators Joe Biden, John Kerry and Harry Reid (among others) to explain this dangerous dynamic and stressed the futility of continuing a military campaign in Afghanistan.

Even so, political expediency prevailed in Islamabad throughout the post-9/11 period, he said.

He said former president Asif Zardari as "undoubtedly the most corrupt man to have led the country" told the Americans to continue targeting Pakistanis because "collateral damage worries you Americans. It does not worry me." Nawaz Sharif, he said, the next prime minister "was no different".

Imran Khan said while Pakistan defeated the terrorist onslaught completely by 2016, the Afghan situation continued to deteriorate.

Explaining the "difference" of the outcome, he said "Pakistan had a disciplined army and intelligence agency, both of which enjoyed popular support".

In Afghanistan, he said, the lack of legitimacy for an outsider's protracted war was compounded by a corrupt and inept Afghan government, seen as a puppet regime without credibility, especially by rural Afghans.

"Tragically, instead of facing this reality, the Afghan and Western governments created a convenient scapegoat by blaming Pakistan, wrongly accusing us of providing safe havens to the Taliban and allowing their free movement across our border," he said.

Khan said to satisfy Kabul, Pakistan offered a joint border visibility mechanism, suggested biometric border controls, advocated fencing the border (now largely done on our own), and other measures.

"Each idea was rejected," he said. "Instead, the Afghan government intensified the 'blame Pakistan' narrative, aided by the Indian-run fake news networks operating hundreds of propaganda outlets in multiple countries".

He emphasized that a more realistic approach would have been "to negotiate with the Taliban much earlier", avoiding the embarrassment of the collapse of the Afghan army and the Ghani government.

He said the right thing for the world now was to engage with the new Afghan government to ensure peace and stability.

He said the international community desired inclusion of major ethnic groups in the Afghan government, respect for the rights of all Afghans, and commitments that Afghan soil shall never again be used for terrorism against any country.

"Taliban leaders will have greater reason and ability to stick to their promises if they are assured of the consistent humanitarian and development assistance they need to run the government effectively," he said.

He said providing such incentives would also give the outside world additional leverage to continue persuading the Taliban to honor their commitments.

"If we do this right, we could achieve what the Doha peace process aimed at all along: an Afghanistan that is no longer a threat to the world, where Afghans can finally dream of peace after four decades of conflict," he said.

Otherwise, he said, abandoning Afghanistan as tried before would "inevitably lead to a meltdown".

"Chaos, mass migration and a revived threat of international terror will be natural corollaries. Avoiding this must surely be our global imperative," he said.
The central vice president Pakistan Tahreek-i-Insaf (PTI) and Leader of the Opposition in Sindh Assembly, Haleem Adil Sheikh on Monday rebuked Sindh government for not implementing Supreme Court mandated water commission report

HYDERABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 27th Sep, 2021 ) :The central vice president Pakistan Tahreek-i-Insaf (PTI) and Leader of the Opposition in Sindh Assembly, Haleem Adil Sheikh on Monday rebuked Sindh government for not implementing Supreme Court mandated water commission report.

According to report, over 85 percent population of Sindh was compelled to consume sewerage mixed contaminated water as neither provincial government controlled drainage of sewerage water into irrigation channels nor treatment plants were installed as per directives of the water commission, Haleem Adil said during visit of Phulleli and Pinyari canals in Hyderabad.

Sheikh expressed annoyance over disposal of highly contaminated sewerage water without any treatment into Phulleli and Pinyari canals and said over 5,00,000 people in Sindh were affected by Hepatitis while Cancer, Ulcer, Typhoid and other water borne diseases.

A water commission was constituted on directives of the honourable Supreme Court that compiled a detailed report over the situation of water contamination in Sindh, he said adding that the report was sent to the provincial government but it had failed to implement recommendations of the commission.

Sewerage water including the hazardous industrial and hospital waste was being disposed off in River Indus and its irrigation canal which were major source of drinking water for the most of the population in the province, he observed.

Murtaza Wahab remained provincial environment minister for more than six years and it was his responsibility to ensure implementation on report of the water commission but not a single effluent treatment plant could be made operational, he stated.

Sewerage water from Sukkur was being disposed off in river Indus, sewerage drains in Shikarpur fall in Baghari canal, Larkana's drains were falling into Rice canal and sewerage water in Dadu was being disposed in MNV drain, Haleem Adil Sheikh maintained.

He said sewerage water of Hyderabad and Jamshoro found its disposal in Phulleli, Pinyari and Akram canals while industrial areas of Kotri and Nuriabad were draining out industrial waste and sewerage water into KB Feeder that feed Keenjhar Lake, the major water source of water for people of Karachi.

It was fundamental responsibility of the government to provide basic facilities to the masses and to ensure redressal of their problems but Sindh government was busy in corruption and kept neglecting the people, he alleged adding that Pakistan Peoples Party government had devastated the entire province of Sindh.
Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Monday assured the British Pakistani leadership from Kashmir that Pakistan would continue to lend support to Kashmiris' just struggle for self-determination

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 27th Sep, 2021 ) :Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Monday assured the British Pakistani leadership from Kashmir that Pakistan would continue to lend support to Kashmiris' just struggle for self-determination.

The foreign minister, who is on an official visit to the United Kingdom, expressed these views in a meeting with eminent British Pakistani leaders and community representatives hailing from Kashmir, at the Pakistan House. Qureshi said Pakistan would extend Kahmiris all possible support till the realization of their inalienable right in accordance with United Nations Security Council resolutions, and the wishes of the people of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). Lauding the positive role being played by the Pakistani Kashmiri community in highlighting Indian human rights abuses in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), the foreign minister apprised them of the steps being taken by the government of Pakistan to advance the Kashmir cause and raise awareness about the humanitarian and human rights situation in IIOJK.

In this regard, the government of Pakistan, relying on credible international sources, had recently compiled a Dossier detailing over 3,000 war crimes perpetrated by the Indian occupation forces. Foreign Minister Qureshi lauded the recent debate in the British Parliament, laying bare once more, Indian atrocities in IIOJK.

He encouraged the British Pakistani community to play its role in bringing to light the human rights and humanitarian abuses.
Jeff Bezos' aerospace firm Blue Origin will conduct its second human flight to space and back with four astronauts onboard using a New Shepard rocket on October 12, the company said on Monday

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 27th September, 2021) Jeff Bezos' aerospace firm Blue Origin will conduct its second human flight to space and back with four astronauts onboard using a New Shepard rocket on October 12, the company said on Monday.

"Today, Blue Origin announced New Shepard's 18th mission, NS-18, will lift off on Tuesday, October 12, carrying four astronauts to space and back, including Dr. Chris Boshuizen, a former NASA engineer and co-founder of Planet Labs, and Glen de Vries, Vice-Chair, Life Sciences & Healthcare, Dassault Systemes and co-founder, Medidata," the company said in a press release.

In the coming days, the company will announce the other two astronauts who will be joining the mission, the release said.

The liftoff is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. local time (13:30 GMT) from Site One in West Texas, according to the release.

On July 20, Blue Origin successfully launched its first human flight with Jeff Bezos, his brother Mark, a former test pilot Wally Funk, and Blue Origin's first customer, a Dutch teenager Oliver Daemen. The flight lasted 11 minutes and the spacecraft reached the maximum speed of about 2,300 miles per hour.
Vivo has partnered with 4 celebrities as Y-Stars for its Y series portfolio in the Pakistan

(UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 27th September, 2021) vivo, a leading global technology brand, has signed renowned television celebrities and youth icons Usama Khan, Affan Waheed, Mariyam Nafees, and Kinza Hashmi as brand ambassadors for its youth-centric Y series.

With this partnership, vivo aims to tap into a large pool of young audiences who want to switch to contemporary-styled, sleek smartphones that deliver perfection at an attractive price.

As part of this collaboration, celebrities will also appear in key visuals to further strengthen the image of the youth-centric Y series.

Zohair Chohan, Senior Manager Brand Strategy at vivo Pakistan commented, We are delighted to partner with these Y-Stars as they perfectly represent vivo's youthful approach to innovation.

At vivo, we strive to empower consumers with next-generation technologies that best suit their needs. Our latest smartphones in the Y series portfolio, deliver powerful performance and extraordinary photography capabilities in sleek and stylish designs.

We look forward to partnering with the vibrant youth icons for the launch of vivo Y33s in Pakistan.

On the occasion, Affan Waheed said, I am thrilled to partner with an innovation-led brand like vivo for the youth-centric Y series.

I have been a fan of vivo for as long as I can remember, and it is my absolute honor to represent a brand that is loved by the next most important generation that I relate with.



Usama Khan also commented, I am so excited to partner with a brand like vivo for their Y series range of smartphones known for its youth-centricity with best-in-class cameras, long powerful batteries, and top-notch processors maneuvered to deliver a high-end experience to the customers at a desirable price range.

Speaking about the collaboration, Kinza Hashmi stated, I am delighted to become part of the vivo family and the Y Series portfolio as it personally resonates with me.

As vivo Y series is very well known for its unique and innovative features, appealing and trendy designs, it makes a perfect fit for me and my personality.

I deeply cohere with the vision and philosophy of vivo to bring purpose-driven innovation to enrich consumer lives and am thrilled to be a part of this journey.

With vivo Y series smartphones, I am excited to connect deeply with the local consumers of these all-rounder smartphones. Mariyam Nafees added.

The Y Series brings best-in-class cameras, long powerful batteries, top-notch processors with appealing and trendy designs at an attractive price range.

These four Y-Stars perfectly represent the new age smartphone users, and the youth across the country admire their vibrant personality.

The highly awaited vivo Y33s in Y series is to be launched in Pakistan on 28th September.
A volcano began spewing out ash again Monday after a brief lull in the Canary Islands, where coastal residents are confined to their homes over fears of toxic gases when the lava hits the sea

Los Llanos de Aridane, Spain, Sept 27 (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 27th Sep, 2021 ) :A volcano began spewing out ash again Monday after a brief lull in the Canary Islands, where coastal residents are confined to their homes over fears of toxic gases when the lava hits the sea.

La Cumbre Vieja, which straddles a southern ridge in La Palma in the Atlantic archipelago, erupted on September 19, spewing out rivers of lava that have slowly crept towards the sea.

But on Monday morning, the lava and ash flow had stopped, and the week-long rumble of the eruption faded to silence, before resuming its activity several hours later, an AFP correspondent at the scene said.

Smoke had continued to emerge from the top during the lull.

"In the last hours, the volcanic tremor has almost disappeared, as well as the explosive strombolian activity," tweeted Involcan volcanology institute, using the scientific term for a mix of explosions and lava flow.

"Volcanic activity in La Palma has reduced significantly in the last few hours," Madrid's Institute of Geosciences tweeted.

"We must be very vigilant about how it evolves because the scenario can change quickly." Several hours later, the volcano started pumping out ash again.

- Fits and starts - Speaking to AFP after the resumption, Involcan spokesman David Calvo said it was "just ash, for the time being". La Cumbre Vieja had been switching between "explosive episodes and lulls for quite a while", he added.

Overnight, 300 residents living in coastal areas were ordered to stay at home to avoid harm from the release of toxic gases when the lava finally reaches the sea, the regional government said.

"The population must follow the instructions of the authorities and remain at home, with doors and windows closed," it said.

The lava, moving very slowly, is currently between 800 and 1,000 metres (around half a mile) away from the shore, it said. An evacuation order affecting four areas is in place around Tazacorte, where it is expected to enter the sea.

Officials have also set up an exclusion zone to head off curious onlookers.

Experts say the entry of lava into the seawater will send clouds of toxic gas into the air, causing explosions and a fragmentation of the molten rock like gunshots.

"Inhalation or contact with acid gases and liquids can irritate the skin, eyes and respiratory tract, and may cause breathing difficulties, especially in people with pre-existing respiratory diseases," Involcan warned.

- Air traffic disrupted - The molten rock has so far scorched its way across more than 235 hectares of land, burning up many banana plantations, devoured 513 properties and destroyed nearly 20 kilometres of road, the European Union's Copernicus Earth Observation Programme said.

And eruption has so far force more than 6,000 people from their homes, although 160 were allowed to return home on Sunday.

The authorities also said clouds of ash from the volcano had started to affect areas on the eastern side of the island.

At La Palma's airport, where air traffic was halted on Saturday for 24 hours due to the ash, local airline Binter said it had been unable to resume flights.

"We have halted our La Palma operations again after trying to make a first flight today and finding conditions were not safe enough," tweeted the airline, which is based in the Canary Islands, saying it would try again on Tuesday.
The Czech government said Monday it would buy four Spyder short-range air defence system batteries from Israel by 2026 to replace obsolete Soviet-made weapons

Prague, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 27th Sep, 2021 ) :The Czech government said Monday it would buy four Spyder short-range air defence system batteries from Israel by 2026 to replace obsolete Soviet-made weapons.

The purchase comes as the country seeks to upgrade its military equipment -- and further boost ties with Israel, already a close Czech ally.

The defence ministry said it would pay 13.7 billion Czech crowns (540 million Euros, $630 million) for the system made by Israeli state-run company Rafael.

The contract also involves supplies by Czech companies amounting to more than 30 percent of its value.

The ministry added in a statement that it had considered nine different systems from seven producers.

"Israel's Spyder emerged as the most efficient one from the comparison. It is a solution adjusted to Czech needs, compatible with NATO standards and with the involvement of Czech industry," it said.

Defence Minister Lubomir Metnar hailed the purchase as a step towards getting rid of a Soviet-made system from the 1970s which "does not correspond to current air defence standards".

The Czech Republic joined NATO in 1999, 10 years after former Czechoslovakia shed the totalitarian Communist regime that had been in power for four decades.
The European Union wants to bring Moldova closer based on common values such as democracy and the rule of law, and is seeking to restart bilateral dialogue on security and defense, the bloc's foreign policy chief said on Monday

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 27th September, 2021) The European Union wants to bring Moldova closer based on common values such as democracy and the rule of law, and is seeking to restart bilateral dialogue on security and defense, the bloc's foreign policy chief said on Monday.

"We have clear objectives, to bring Moldova closer to the EU, based on our common values of democracy, the rule of law and the respect of human rights," Josep Borrell said at a joint press conference with Moldovan Prime Minister Natalia Gavrilita.

The sides also agreed to relaunch bilateral consultations on defense and security so they could identify more areas for further cooperation, the diplomat added.

Gavrilita is on an official visit to Brussels, trying to enlist support from the European Union for the implementation of her governmental program.

In June, the European Commission announced a support package to assist the Moldovan economy, under which up to 600 million Euros ($702 million) is to be raised in three years. The main condition for financial support is a reform-oriented policy of the government.
(@ChaudhryMAli88)

German supermarket giant Aldi said Monday that it plans to create 2,000 jobs in the UK next year, expanding despite supply chain pressures elsewhere in the retail sector

London, Sept 27 (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 27th Sep, 2021 ) :German supermarket giant Aldi said Monday that it plans to create 2,000 jobs in the UK next year, expanding despite supply chain pressures elsewhere in the retail sector.

The new 1.3-billion (1.5-billion-euro, $1.

8-billion) investment will see it open 100 new branches over the next two years, the group said in a statement.

Aldi UK and Ireland, which has enjoyed booming sales during the coronavirus pandemic, has already created 7,000 jobs over the last two years.

The group has also weathered Britain's supply chain crunch as a result of its smaller number of both product ranges and suppliers, it said.

Aldi also improved pay for its own lorry drivers amid an ongoing HGV driver shortage in Britain.
(@ChaudhryMAli88)

NATO said on Monday that Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg met virtually with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi that day to discuss NATO-China relations and to exchange views on current international security challenges, including in Afghanistan

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 27th September, 2021) NATO said on Monday that Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg met virtually with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi that day to discuss NATO-China relations and to exchange views on current international security challenges, including in Afghanistan.

"The Secretary General and the Foreign Minister discussed NATO-China relations and exchanged views on current international security challenges. The Secretary General welcomed the expanding dialogue between NATO and China, and noted the potential for further engagement on common challenges, such as climate change," the statement said.

Stoltenberg called on China to "engage meaningfully in dialogue, confidence-building, and transparency measures regarding its nuclear capabilities and doctrine," adding that transparency and dialogue on arms control would benefit both parties.

The officials also discussed Afghanistan, with Stoltenberg stressing "the importance of a coordinated international approach, including with countries from the region to hold the Taliban (designated terrorist and banned in Russia) accountable for their commitments on countering terrorism and upholding human rights, not least the rights of women."
(@ChaudhryMAli88)

MANAGUA (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 28th September, 2021) Russia has donated 1,118 tonnes of wheat flour and 695 tonnes of vegetable oil to Nicaragua's school meal program, the embassy in Managua said on Monday.

"This donation reflects Russia's strong commitment to supporting sustainable development and food security in Nicaragua," Russian Ambassador Alexander Khokholikov said during a ceremony.

According to the diplomat, the foodstuffs will be distributed among 15 educational institutions across the country, which were heavily damaged during the 2020 hurricanes Eta and Iota.
South Korea hopes for the speedy restoration of communication lines with North Korea and the work of the Inter-Korean Liaison Office, the South Korean Unification Ministry said on Monday

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 27th September, 2021) South Korea hopes for the speedy restoration of communication lines with North Korea and the work of the Inter-Korean Liaison Office, the South Korean Unification Ministry said on Monday.

The countries declared their communication lines restored on July 27 for the first time after they were severed in June 2020. However, Pyongyang has ignored Seoul's phone calls via inter-Korean lines amid the joint military exercises held by South Korea and the United States in August.

South Korea has made consistent efforts to normalize inter-Korean relations, the ministry said.

"The ROK (Republic of Korea) Government hopes to see the resumption of government-level talks following the prompt restoration of inter-Korean communications lines, bringing stability to the peninsula and allowing for discussions and resolutions of various pending issues," ministerial spokesperson Lee Jong Joo told a briefing.

The statements underscored the positive tone of Pyongyang's reaction to a proposal of an end-of-war declaration, advanced by South Korea President Moon Jae-in at the 76th UN General Assembly. Kim Yo Jong, sister of the North Korean leader and the deputy department director of the Workers' Party of Korea Central Committee, responded by describing the idea as "interesting and admirable."

The North Korean government has also expressed readiness to hold a leaders' summit and restore the liaison office on the condition of mutual respect and fairness.

"All such statements are perceived as meaningful," the spokesperson said, adding that Pyongyang has nonetheless continued to ignore Seoul's calls through the hotlines.

In 1953, both South and North Korea reached the Armistice Agreement that ended the devastating three-year conflict. However, the Korean Peninsula is still formally at war because the war ended without a peace treaty.
(@FahadShabbir)

A former Spanish minister will testify in court next week over how Western Sahara's independence leader entered Spain for medical treatment, triggering a major row with Morocco, a court said Monday

Madrid, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 27th Sep, 2021 ) :A former Spanish minister will testify in court next week over how Western Sahara's independence leader entered Spain for medical treatment, triggering a major row with Morocco, a court said Monday.

Former foreign minister Arancha Gonzalez Laya will attend a hearing on October 4 in the northern city of Zaragoza where she will be quizzed about the conditions under which Polisario Front leader Brahim Ghali entered Spain, the Aragon regional court said.

He was critically ill with Covid-19 when he arrived in Zaragoza in April and was taken for treatment to a hospital in Logrono, sparking a tetchy standoff with Morocco, which views him as a war criminal.

The court said last week it was looking into the "possible commission of a crime of malfeasance" -- wrongdoing or misconduct by a public official -- with the aim of "verifying the circumstances" of Ghali's entry into Spain.

Ghali, now 72, had arrived secretly on April 18 aboard a medical aircraft provided by the Algerian presidency, which supports the Saharan independence movement, carrying a diplomatic passport, El Pais daily said.

But he was exempted from a passport check, with Spanish media saying the court wanted to find out why.

Gonzalez Laya was foreign minister at the time but replaced during a government reshuffle in July.

Another former foreign ministry official will testify on the same day, and on October 18, the court will hear from a top interior ministry figure and the head of Spain's Royal Mint, which issues passports.

Ghali's presence in Spain triggered a major diplomatic crisis between Madrid and Rabat, with the Moroccan authorities demanding a "transparent investigation" into his arrival on what they said was a forged passport.

In mid-May, more than 10,000 migrants surged into Spain's Ceuta enclave in Morocco, as Moroccan border forces looked the other way in what was widely seen as a punitive move by Rabat.

After Ghali left for Algeria in early June, Madrid insisted he had entered Spain on identity papers in his own name.

The Polisario Front has long fought for the independence of Western Sahara, a desert region bigger than Britain, which was a Spanish colony until 1975.

Morocco controls 80 percent of the territory, while the rest -- an area bordering Mauritania that is almost totally landlocked -- is run by the Polisario Front.
US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman will travel next month to Pakistan and India, bitter rivals that have clashed on the way forward in Afghanistan, the State Department announced Monday

Washington, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 27th Sep, 2021 ) :US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman will travel next month to Pakistan and India, bitter rivals that have clashed on the way forward in Afghanistan, the State Department announced Monday.

Sherman, after CIA chief Bill Burns, will be one of the first high-level officials under President Joe Biden to visit Pakistan, which has long irritated the United States over its relationship with the Taliban.

Sherman will meet senior officials in Islamabad on October 7-8 after an earlier visit to New Delhi and Mumbai on October 6-7, when she will meet officials and civil society leaders and address the US-India business council's annual "ideas summit," the State Department said.

The trip comes as India, one of the top allies of the Western-backed Afghan government that collapsed last month, urges the world to pay closer attention to Pakistan's role in the turmoil .

Pakistan was the Primary backer of the 1996-2001 Taliban regime, and has been accused by US officials of keeping the insurgents alive through covert support.

Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan, in an opinion piece published Monday in The Washington Post, called his country a "convenient scapegoat." "In Afghanistan, the lack of legitimacy for an outsider's protracted war was compounded by a corrupt and inept Afghan government, seen as a puppet regime without credibility, especially by rural Afghans," he wrote, elaborating on themes in his address Friday to the UN General Assembly.

He urged the world to engage the Taliban government "to ensure peace and stability."Biden, who like his predecessors has called for strong relations with India, has yet to speak to Khan, although Secretary of State Antony Blinken met his Pakistani counterpart on the sidelines of UN meetings last week and thanked Islamabad for help in evacuating Americans from Afghanistan.
(@ChaudhryMAli88)

ASHGABAT (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 27th September, 2021) Turkmenistan has showcased Turkish Bayraktar TB2 drones along with other top-of-the-line military hardware during a military parade to mark the 30th anniversary of the country's independence, a Sputnik correspondent reported on Monday.

During the parade, the armed forces showcased a lot of new military equipment.

In particular, Turkish Bayraktar TB2 unmanned aerial vehicles, Brazilian A-29 Super Tuano attack aircraft, and Italy's C-27J Spartan transport aircraft and M-346 fighter jets were shown for the first time.

The parade was held for the first time not in downtown Ashgabat, but in the city's southern Kopetdag district, where President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow opened a new Government Tribune earlier in September.

Turkmenistan declared independence from the Soviet Union following a referendum on September 27, 1991.
The UN Security Council on Monday called on the Lebanese newly formed government led by Prime Minister Najib Mikati to swiftly implement reforms amid a dire economic crisis that has plunged much of the population into poverty

UNITED NATIONS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 27th September, 2021) The UN Security Council on Monday called on the Lebanese newly formed government led by Prime Minister Najib Mikati to swiftly implement reforms amid a dire economic crisis that has plunged much of the population into poverty.

"The members of the Security Council urged Lebanon's new government to swiftly and transparently implement the well-known, necessary and tangible reforms, as reiterated in the new government's ministerial declaration," the council said in a statement said. "Such reforms are key to respond to the dire needs and legitimate aspirations of the Lebanese population regarding the urgent security, economic, social and humanitarian challenges facing the country.

"

The Security Council said such reforms are necessary for the country to ensure international support.

The council also stressed the importance of holding free, fair and inclusive elections in 2022.

On September 10, a new government was declared in Lebanon 13 months after the resignation of the previous one. Last week, a majority of lawmakers in the Lebanese parliament voted confidence in the new government, with Najib Mikati at the helm.
WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 28th September, 2021) The United States is ready to hold a meeting with the North Korean leadership without preconditions to resolve the pressing issue of the Korean peninsula denuclearization, US Deputy Spokesperson Jalina Porter said on Monday.

"We are prepared to meet with the DPRK (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) without preconditions and we certainly hope that the DPRK will respond positively to our outreach," Porter said at a press briefing.

Porter underscored that the US' goal remains the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

Earlier in September, the United States State Department said it considers the North Korean missile launches to be a threat to the country's neighbors and the international community, and urged Pyongyang to return to dialogue on denuclearization.

During a trilateral meeting in September, high-ranking diplomats from Japan, South Korea and the United States discussed a possible response to the North Korean missile tests. The parties agreed to continue cooperation on the denuclearization of North Korea by combining dialogue with Pyongyang and sanctions pressure.
(@ChaudhryMAli88)

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 27th September, 2021) The United States last week successfully tested a Raytheon-built hypersonic missile that reached a speed of Mach 5, the Pentagon's Defense Advanced and Research Project Agency (DARPA) said on Monday.

"DARPA, in partnership with the US Air Force, completed a free flight test of its Hypersonic Air-breathing Weapon Concept last week," DARPA said in a press release. " The missile, built by Raytheon Technologies, was released from an aircraft seconds before its Northrop Grumman scramjet (supersonic combustion ramjet) engine kicked on. The engine compressed incoming air mixed with its hydrocarbon fuel and began igniting that fast-moving airflow mixture, propelling the cruiser at a speed greater than Mach 5."
Biomedical engineering graduates from the University of South Florida are receiving national accolades for a prototype device that may help solve the critical shortage of lifesaving ventilators seen around the world throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Eucovent, a patent-pending device that allows two patients to be ventilated by a single machine, was developed by USF students Carolyna Yamamoto Alves Pinto, Abby Blocker and Jacob Yarinsky. The trio built the device as part of their biomedical engineering degree senior design project.

I think what stood out most was how relevant a topic ventilation was at the time, and still is today, Yarinsky said. Especially with what you saw happening around the world with COVID-19 and hospitals not having enough ventilators for the numbers of patients they were treating. The project seemed extremely relevant and meaningful.

That idea was submitted to the class by Moffitt Cancer Center researchers Aaron Muncey, Heiko Enderling and Stefano Pasetto, who were looking for novel solutions to problems with co-ventilation. While there are existing devices capable of splitting airflow to multiple patients, most available solutions do not offer any type of customization. This is particularly problematic as patients require different volumes of airflow depending on their lung compliance and body weight, among other factors. For example, a 150-pound woman might require substantially less airflow than a 250-pound man.

To solve this, the team employed two primary techniques: dynamic resistance and time multiplexing. Dynamic resistance refers to an obstruction that restricts the amount of air delivered to each patient. To accomplish this, the group fabricated custom valves that can be independently adjusted to meet each patients individual airflow needs. By using time multiplexing, a common digital signals technique suggested to the team by USF Professor Christopher Passaglia, the device can alternate between patients, efficiently delivering breaths to each person independently.

Along with these two primary solutions, the team members had to utilize all of their undergraduate research experience for the project. Using their knowledge of biomechanics, along with such methods as 3D printing, computer programming and modeling, as well as computer-aided design, the group was able to complete and test the prototype with much success.

It was a great joy and privilege to work with Abby, Jacob and Carolyna, each talented in their own right with unique and complementary skillsets and see them transform an initial seed idea into innovative new technology, said Dr. Aaron Muncey, assistant member of Moffitts Department of Anesthesiology. Their commitment, dedication and work ethic were essential to bringing this project to fruition and I expect that we will impact the lives of many patients with further development of this technology.

The relevance of such a device became clear during the COVID-19 pandemic, as hospitals around the world struggled to provide ventilators to every patient who needed one. The Eucovent effectively doubles a hospitals existing capacity without having to purchase additional ventilators, which can cost upwards of $15,000 per unit. The team says its use reaches far beyond the current pandemic, with applications in natural disaster settings, remote locations and low-resource areas.

We believe the Eucovent provides many benefits, including cost and safety, Yamamoto Alves Pinto said. Compared to a new ventilator, the device is extremely low-cost, making ventilation more accessible and affordable. It also offers a higher level of patient care compared to existing solutions, making it a safer and more reliable option for co-ventilation.

This project shows the opportunity that we have for joint research endeavors between Moffitt Cancer Center and USF, said Heiko Enderling, a researcher in Moffitts Integrated Mathematical Oncology unit. It was truly humbling and inspiring to see how the students took the initial ideas and completely transformed, designed and implemented this highly innovative device. We sincerely hope that these results lay the foundation for a clinical device that can help a lot of patients in different scenarios around the world.

The high praise received for the device inspired the team to pursue local and national innovation competitions. They first entered the Jabil Innovation Technology Challenge, a statewide competition open to Florida undergraduate, graduate and doctoral students. After winning the $10,000 first prize, the students set their sights on the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineerings (NIBIB) annual Design by Biomedical Undergraduate Teams (DEBUT) Challenge, supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and VentureWell. This prestigious competition is open to teams from across the country and had previously been won by groups from universities such as Stanford and Columbia. This year, the USF team and their Eucovent took the $20,000 first prize.

Its incredibly gratifying to be acknowledged at this level, especially for something that we believe could one day save lives, Blocker said. We learned so much through this capstone experience and it really gave us the opportunity to use all of the knowledge and skills wed gathered during our undergrad.

The group credits their undergraduate experience in USFs Department of Medical Engineering for giving them the tools to create such an innovative and impactful device. All three graduated summa cum laude from the department with degrees in biomedical engineering. Since graduating, Yamamoto Alves Pinto has begun a doctoral program at Johns Hopkins University. Blocker is preparing to begin a masters in biomedical engineering at the University of Cape Town in South Africa and Yarinsky is currently working as an engineer at Nilogen Oncosystems in Tampa.

The Department of Medical Engineering is a joint program between the USF College of Engineering and USF Health Morsani College of Medicine. It was first created through funding from the State of Floridas preeminence program. In 2018, the Florida Board of Governors designated USF as a Preeminent State Research University, allocating more than $6 million in new funding to enhance research and student success activities in strategic areas. USF is one of very few universities to have a medical engineering department and just one of four in Florida to offer a Bachelor of Science degree in biomedical engineering.

As for the Eucovent, the team plans to publish this work and continue to improve the design while they await patent approval. They are also handing the project to another capstone group at USF to further the design and give other students the opportunity to contribute to a lifesaving device.
Covid 19 restrictions led to the cancellation of the 2020 annual pilgrimage. This year, thousands of pilgrims flocked to Angola Shrine of Our Lady of Muxima.

Anastacio Sasembele  Luanda, Angola and Paul Samasumo - Vatican City.

With Covid-19 restrictions lifted this year, Angolans thronged the Shrine of Our Lady of Muxima, locally referred to as Mama Muxima. The theme for the two-day annual pilgrimage was, Mary, teach us to live joyfully in the family.

To be like the Blessed Virgin Mary

The Bishop of the Diocese of Dundo, Estanislau Marques Chindekasse, S.V.D., presided at the closing Mass of the Marian pilgrimage. He invited the faithful to be like Mary, who was always obedient to the word of God. The Blessed Virgin Mary listened earnestly to the Word of God and followed it up to its ultimate consequences, the Bishop explained.

Mama Muxima

We must ask Mama Muxima to make all Angolan families learn to live in peace, truth and justice, said Bishop Chindekasse.

The prelate of Dundo ended his message to pilgrims by calling for the reconciliation of Angolan families, healing for the sick, consolation for the afflicted, forgiveness for sins and the conversion of all people.

Need for a new future basilica

The Bishop of the Diocese of Viana, Emilio Sumbelelo, spoke about the need to build a new future basilica for Mama Muxima. He expressed concern over the physical structure of the historical and symbolic chapel of Muxima, which was now showing signs of disrepair due to age.

It was also reported that the current space is becoming smaller for pilgrims. With increased pilgrims, there is the need to rethink and transform the Mama Muxima Shrine.

An amazing story dating back to the year 1589

The Shrine of Our Lady of Muxima is located 130 kilometres from Luanda. The Shrine is considered by many to be the most popular place of pilgrim and worship in Angola. Every year, the Shrine attracts local and foreign pilgrims. In the local Kimbundu language, Muxima means heart. The name was given to the Shrine due to its prime location in the middle (heart) of the province. Muxima sits on the edge of the Kwanza River.

The village of Muxima was occupied by the Portuguese in 1589. They built in the village, a fortress and the Church of Nossa Senhora da Conceicao da Muxima. The Shrine has been a popular place of devotion to our Lady from one generation to the next.

The Marian pilgrimage received a boost when Angolas Diocese of Viana was created in 2007, inaugurating a new phase in the history of the Shrine.
Ahead of the Fifth Plenary Council of the Church in Australia, the President of the Australian Bishops expresses full support for the 'Uluru Statement', which demands a constitutional voice for indigenous peoples in the country, and says they cannot be treated as aliens in their own land.

By Lisa Zengarini

Archbishop Mark Coleridge of Brisbane, President of the Catholic Bishops of Australia (ACBC), has officially endorsed the Uluru Statement From the Heart - a landmark document calling for the establishment of a First Nations Voice in the Australian Constitution.



Empowering aboriginal people

Entitled after the name of the sacred aboriginal mountain of Australia (also known as Ayers Rock), the Statement was signed by 250 First Nations leaders gathered for a National Constitutional Convention in May 2017.

The Uluru Statement seeks constitutional reforms to "empower" indigenous people and give them a rightful place in Australia, recalling that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander tribes were the first sovereign Nations of the continent.

It also calls for a Makarrata Commission to supervise a process of agreement-making and truth-telling between governments and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Indigenous peoples cannot become aliens in their own land

Speaking on 24 September, during a Mass for First Nations leaders and parish representatives at the Santa Teresa Spirituality Centre in Ormiston, east of Brisbane, Archbishop Coleridge said that only a heart of stone could allow the indigenous peoples to become aliens, exiles, and refugees in their own land.

God is going to take out of us that heart of stone and give us a heart of flesh  the heart of Jesus that recognises the other as a human being, he added, noting that what has been done to the indigenous peoples of this land could only have been done by denying that they were in fact human  they were at best perhaps subhuman.

A heart of flesh says no to that, absolutely no, the Archbishop of Brisbane emphasized. He also called to mind the poor health and incarceration rate of indigenous Australians - the highest in the world - which is the legacy of the marginalization, discrimination and hardships they have had to endure over the past two centuries in Australia.

On the same day Archbishop Coleridge held a public dialogue with Mr Dean Parkin, member of the Quandamooka tribe and a signatory of the Uluru Statement.

The key thing is to give voice to those who have been previously unheard, Mr Parkin said.

Role of First Peoples in the Church to be discussed at 5th Plenary Council

The event took place just over a week before the kick-off of the first assembly of the Fifth Plenary Council of the Church in Australia starting on 3 October in Adelaide, which will also deal with the contributions of First Nations to the Church.

The Instrumentum Laboris (Working Document) of the Plenary Council affirms the Churchs commitment to honour and acknowledge the continuing deep spiritual relationship of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to this country and commit ourselves to the ongoing journey of reconciliation.

During the session, the 280 participants, which include clergy, religious and lay members, will discuss 16 sets of issues.

One of them is the question on how can the Church in Australia open in new ways to Indigenous ways of being Christian in spirituality, theology, liturgy, and missionary discipleship and how it can learn from the First Nations peoples.

Recognizing and celebrating the gifts the First Peoples in Australia is also the aim of the annual Aboriginal Sunday which the Australian Church celebrated this year on 4 July on the theme Healing the Country.
Pope Francis sends a telegram to express his condolences upon the death of Brazilian Cardinal Jose Freire Falcao, who died on Sunday at the age of 95.

By Vatican News staff reporter

Cardinal Jose Freire Falcao, who served as the Archbishop of Brasilia from 1984 until his retirement in 2004, died on 26 September while in hospital receiving treatment for Covid-19.

The Pope sent his condolences on Monday in a telegram addressed to his successor, Archbishop Paulo Cezar Costa.

I wish to express my union in prayer with the Archdiocese of Brasilia, the family of the deceased, and all those who mourn his death, he said.

Passionate about evangelization

Pope Francis recalled Cardinal Falcaos many years of collaboration with the Holy See and his own meetings with this pastor who was passionate about evangelization.

The late Cardinal was solicitous in putting the gifts received from the Lord at the service of the people of God and his brother Bishops.

The Pope also thanked God for Cardinal Falcaos generosity in leading the people God had entrusted to him along the paths of the Gospel.

And he entrusted the late Cardinal to the maternal protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Brief biography

The Holy See Press Office has released the following brief biography of Cardinal Jose Freire Falcao, who was born on 23 October 1925 at Erere, in the diocese of Limoeiro do Norte.

He attended the elementary and middle school of that city and in Russas, and in 1938 he entered the seminary of Prainha at Fortaleaz, where he did his higher studies, as well as philosophy and theology.

On 19 June 1949, he was ordained a priest at Limoeiro do Norte. Immediately afterwards he began his ministry as vicar of the Cathedral. He was also vice-director of the diocesan secondary school, professor at the minor seminary and in other schools, as well as the Chaplain to Catholic Action.

After 18 years of priestly ministry, on 24 April 1967, he was elected titular Bishop of Vardimissa and named Coadjutor with the right of succession to the Bishop of Limoeiro do Norte.

He received episcopal ordination on 17 June 1967, and just after two months, on 19 August, he assumed the pastoral governance of the diocese. On 25 November 1971, he was promoted Archbishop of Teresina. He led this ecclesial community for 12 years. On 15 February 1984, he was transferred to the diocese of Brasilia.

Faithful to his episcopal motto, "Serve in humility", he dedicated his every moment to the development of the ecclesial communities entrusted to him, motivated by his great desire to proclaim the truth of the Gospel, and by a sincere and profound love of the Church and fellow man.

He also carried out important duties within the National Bishops Conference of Brazil (CNBB). In particular, he was a member of the Commission for Pastoral Assistance, President of the Movement for Basic Education, a member of the Permanent Council and of the Representative Commission.

He was a member of the Departments of Education and Vocations, and an official of CELAM (Latin-American Episcopal Council), responsible for its sessions on ecumenism. In addition, he participated in the Latin-American Episcopal Conference and was the second Vice-President of CELAM.

He also wrote monthly articles for the daily Brazil News and for the Brazilian Courier.

His signature appears weekly on the Liturgical Bulletin of the Archdiocese, People of God.

Cardinal Falcao retired from active ministry and became Archbishop emeritus of Brasilia on 28 January 2004.

He participated in the conclave of April 2005, which elected Pope Benedict XVI.

He had been created and proclaimed Cardinal by St. John Paul II in the consistory of 28 June 1988, of the Title of S. Luca a Via Prenestina (St. Luke on Via Prenestina).
The Canadian military deployed an Afghanistan-style propaganda campaign against its own citizens in April of 2020 with the goal of shaping and exploiting information, shortly after the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic began, according to a new report.

The news was broken by the Ottawa Citizen, a node of Canadas Postmedia conglomerate, after receiving a copy of a December of 2020 internal investigation launched by former Chief of Defence Staff Gen. Jon Vance in responses to Access for Information requests.

The Citizen says the initiative was planned by the Canadian Joint Operations Command (CJOC) without the knowledge or approval of the federal government or Parliament.

While the Citizen does not provide copies of the documents obtained, they paraphrase the campaign in the following way, The information operations scheme was needed to head off civil disobedience by Canadians during the coronavirus pandemic and to bolster government messages about the pandemic.

Gen. Vance is said to have shut down the operation after a number of his advisers questioned the legality and ethics behind the plan, and brought in retired Maj. Gen. Daniel Gosselin to conduct an investigation.

The article notes CJOC issued the order to conduct the plan on April 8, yet Vances order to close the project did not come into effect until nearly a month later on May 2.

The article, which focuses on the Gosselin inquiry, continues, Gosselins investigation discovered the plan wasnt simply the idea of passionate military propaganda specialists, but support for the use of such information operations was clearly a mindset that permeated the thinking at many levels of CJOC.

Those in the command saw the pandemic as a unique opportunity to test out such techniques on Canadians.

Gosselins report quoted then-CJOC Chief of Staff, Rear Admiral Brian Santarpia as saying, This is really a learning opportunity for all of us and a chance to start getting information operations into our (CAF-DND) [Canadian Armed Forces/Department of National Defense] routine.

Gosselin determined in his report that military leaders regarded the initiative as an opportunity to monitor and collect public information in order to enhance awareness for better command decision making.

The investigator also remarked that CJOCs staff had a palpable dismissive attitude towards dissenting views on the project posed by other military leaders.

The article claims that a second surveillance initiative was conducted by Canadian Forces intelligence officers targeting Black Lives Matter rallies and leaders. The Citizen paraphrased military leaders as saying that information was needed to ensure the success of Operation Laser.

Operation Laser is defined on the Government of Canadas website as the CAFs response to a worldwide pandemic situation, which is spearheaded by CJOC. The site notes the Operation has primarily been deployed to Canadas First Nations communities, but has also been mobilized to assist with Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) testing in Nova Scotia, as well as frontline pandemic assistance in Ontario and Manitoba.

The news is not actually new, however. Ottawa Citizen first broke the story in August of 2020, in a copy that provided more alarming details of how the plan was to work, stating military vehicles with loudspeakers would have been used, and that the military was intending to deploy portable radio stations for internal communications in areas where infrastructure was lacking.

The Citizen said that, Village assessments would be conducted throughout the country and meetings would be set up with Canadian religious leaders and non-governmental organizations, the information operations plan noted.

The article paraphrased Vance as saying at the time, As long as he was in charge, information operations tactics wouldnt be used in a domestic situation, except in the case where an enemy had invaded the country.

But just a few months later in July of 2020, Vance announced his retirement, saying he would continue to serve in his role until a replacement was chosen. In December, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau appointed Vice Admiral Art McDonald to take his place as of January of 2021.

In February, Vance was caught in a scandal alleging he engaged in sexual misconduct with female subordinates while in command. One woman alleged she had a secret relationship with Vance for 20 years and that he fathered two of her eight children.

A few months later in July, Vance was formally charged in the civilian legal system with Obstruction of Justice after allegedly told the woman to lie to investigators.

In July of 2020, Ottawa Citizen also went into more details on the intelligence community initiative that they now claim targeted Black Lives Matter, revealing the militarys intelligence unit set up a five man team dubbed the Precision Information Team to sift through Canadian Facebook, Twitter, Reddit, and Instagram accounts for what the outlet described as comments made by the public about the provincial governments failure in taking care of the elderly, and basic information about the long-term care facilities.

The information was turned over to the Province of Ontario with a warning from the team that it represented a negative reaction from the public.

In October of 2020, the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) revealed that the Canadian Armed Forces had spent over $1 million employing the services of Emic Consulting Limited, a company linked to Cambridge Analytica, a firm that allegedly manipulated Facebook users to vote for Donald Trump in the 2016 U.S. Presidential Election.

OCCRP said the Canadian military confirmed via email that Emic was hired to train soldiers to better identify and understand key audiences, thus resulting in communications campaigns that are more customised and effective.

The Project said Emic Consulting was formed by Strategic Communication Laboratories (SCL) Director of Operations, Gaby van den Berg in 2018, just a few days before the entire organization declared bankruptcy. SCL was the parent company of Cambridge Analytica.

OCCRP describes Emics products as training courses based on those developed by SCL, going into further details of what the firm sells to the military as a direct descendent of SCLs branded Behavioural Dynamics Methodology.

It promises to help its military clients analyze and profile groups to find the best strategy to effectively influence a target audiences behavior.

The Project says SCL was accused of using the Methodology to unethically manipulate election campaigns in countries including St. Kitts.

SCL set up a sting operation in the Caribbean nation to offer the opposition leader a $1M bribe. He was covertly filmed accepting the money, and SCL then broadcast this footage at a rally, reads the article.

In another case referencing a sales pitch to Kenyas politicians in 2010, the article says SCL wrote in official materials that, Occasionally the solution is not communication but intervention  for example, the discovery of an opponents corruption.

SCL will develop and implement whatever combination is needed to achieve the result.
COVID-19 cases continue to increase in China prompting the northeastern city of Harbin to be placed under a semi-lockdown.

The semi-lockdown was implemented following reports of a surge in reported transmissions of the virus that struck the city of ten million people. This is the first time Harbin has experienced a lockdown since early Feb., 2021.

Located in northeast China, close to the border with Russia, the city of Harbin, over three days, reported 30 new cases of the novel coronavirus, after authorities ordered quarantine and mass nucleic acid testing, for all people in the region.

The city has called for its citizens to remain indoors until they have received a negative nucleic acid test result. Those who leave their homes for necessary reasons must provide proof of negative results date stamped within 48 hours.

The city ceased indoor activities in places such as spas, cinemas, gyms and mah-jong parlours after one case of transmission was recorded on Sept. 21.

Offline classes at kindergartens, primary schools and high schools were suspended for one week beginning Wednesday Sept. 22. The restrictions were implemented during the mid-moon festival, a time when increased travel and social interaction are expected.

The sudden rise of cases in the Heilongjiang Province has raised alarms, with public health experts stressing the need to strengthen epidemiological studies to quell the spreading of the virus in the inter-provincial areas in preparation for the upcoming National Holidays.

On Sept. 21, Harbin reported three positive cases, one of which was detected after a citizen attended a hospital for treatment, while two others  who had returned to China from the Philippines in August  were quarantined twice before being allowed to enter the city.

Areas such as the city of Qiqihar and Bayan county, where the three infected people lived, suspended transportation services and authorities implemented a lockdown in several areas.

Head of the Beijing-run National Health Commission, Ma Xiaowei, said that Heilongjiang Province is expected to keep the epidemic at bay, within the controlled areas, before the holidays arrive.

Other cities

Elsewhere, in the cities of Xiamen and Putian, in Fujian province, authorities have reported a total of 13 new cases as of Sept. 21, prompting officials of both cities, as well as those of nearby cities Quanzhou and Zhangzhou, to shut down services and inform its citizens to remain in their cities and to only travel if necessary.

According to vice premier Sun Chunlan, on Monday, local officials should not be careless regarding the progress in Fujian, where the fight against the virus was still in a deadlock. Sun has also called for stricter efforts on keeping communities closed in.

Across the nation, including southwest Chinas Chongqing Municipality, north Chinas Shanxi Province and east Chinas Shandong Province, procedures have been implemented in a bid to identify people who have recently traveled to Harbin. Those identified will be subject to testing and quarantine.

Xiamen is also in the middle of fighting a domestic outbreak. To date, two rounds of nucleic acid testing have been completed in the city.

In the Tongan district authorities distributed a notice to all residents notifying them of a 1,000-yuan bounty (US$155.00) on those who have avoided nucleic acid testing, rewarding citizens who report said offenders.
The Biden administration has purchased 27 drones from a Chinese company that was flagged under the Trump administration as providing critical infrastructure and law enforcement data to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

First reported by Axios on Sept. 22 via documents received from IPVM, a paid video surveillance industry information outlet, the U.S. Secret Service spent slightly less than $13,000 purchasing Da Jing Information (DJI) Mavic 2 Pro and Phantom 4 Drones through a Florida-based retailer.

The deal was approved by Shauntynee Penix of the Department of Homeland Security, according to the document.

Axios also says the FBI also purchased 19 DJI drones at a cost of almost $60,000 from a company in New York just days earlier.

In August of 2017, U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement issued an intelligence bulletin warning it had moderate confidence that DJI is providing U.S. critical infrastructure and law enforcement data to the Chinese government.

The bulletin noted DJI began prospecting U.S. companies in 2015, and by 2017 had secured deals with at least ten large companies and organizations operating in the railroad, utility, media, farming, education, and federal law enforcement sectors to purchase its equipment.

The most frequent uses noted for the equipment were mapping land, inspecting infrastructure, conducting surveillance, and monitoring hazardous materials.

ICE said the drones have to be operated through Android apps created by DJI, which automatically tag GPS imagery and locations, register facial recognition data even when the system is off, and access users phone data.

The agency also warned the apps capture user identification, e-mail addresses, full names, phone numbers, images, videos, and computer credentials.

Much of the information collected includes proprietary and sensitive critical infrastructure data, such as detailed imagery of power control panels, security measures for critical infrastructure sites, or materials used in bridge construction.

The apps automatically uploaded what was captured to cloud servers in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and mainland China.

In October of 2019, The Wall Street Journal reported the Interior Department had grounded its entire fleet of 800 drones, all of which were Chinese made or had made-in-China parts. The Journal said, Last year, Interior Department officials executed more than 10,000 drone flights as part of its job to manage more than 500 million acres of U.S. land. In 2018, officials used drones to locate and help rescue a Hawaii resident trapped by lava flows.

Meanwhile, in December of 2020, the outgoing Trump administration added DJI to its Commerce Department Entity List, which prevented U.S. companies from supplying DJI with parts or carrying its equipment.

In April of 2020, National Pulse reported that DJI had gifted 100 drones to U.S. police, fire, and public safety organizations to fight COVID-19. The outlet reported the devices had been used to surveil U.S. citizens under pandemic pretexts.

If you have a 103 fever, thatll come in handy letting us know at a glance: Are you someone who possibly has the virus? Do we need to make sure you have extra precautions? said Daytona Police drone unit chief Sergeant Tim Ehrenkaufer in a statement.

On Aug. 31, Reps. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) and Gus Bilirakis (R-Fl), Chair and Ranking Member respectively of the House Consumer Protection and Commerce Subcommittee and members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, wrote to Department of Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, asking the Biden administration to maintain DJIs Trump-era status on the Entity List.

Reporting over the past few years suggests that DJI drones may have been used by Chinese security forces in Xinjiang engaged in human rights abuses. Prior to reporting in 2020, the DJI website outlined a deal for strategic cooperation to provide police drones to the public security bureau of Xinjiang, noted the letter.

The duo said they were concerned DJI had cornered the U.S. market, noting the Chinese firm currently controls 77 percent of U.S. market share, while its next closest rival controls only 4 percent.

Schakowsky and Bilirakis said DJI attained its competitive advantage through extremely low pricing by slashing prices by 70 percent in 2015, which drove three of their largest competitors out of the market.

These tactics have harmed consumer choice while making DJI the default consumer drone provider in the United States. We respectfully request that the Department of Commerce investigate DJIs pricing of its consumer drone products and its successful effort to drive competitors out of the market, read the letter.
Social media platform Gab has recently been facing intense pressure from German authorities to comply with their censorship policies. In a Sept. 20 blog post, Gab CEO Andrew Torba revealed that his company has received a huge packet of documents with fines and legal threats from the nation state of Germany.

The fines were imposed as a result of Gab refusing to comply with the countrys contentious Network Enforcement Act, which officially seeks to combat fake news on social media platforms. However, Torba points out that fake news is whatever the German government says it is.

Also known as NetzDG, the law came into effect on June 28, 2021, giving German authorities the power to impose sanctions and fines on social networks with a user base of over two million that fail to censor what the authorities consider to be harmful content. Social media networks that do not comply with the law could be fined up to 50 million euros (58.66 million dollars) by the government.

Gab is not a lawless website. We work diligently to stop and prevent illegal activity from taking place on our platform. We have great relationships with many foreign countries who understand and respect our position on free speech and appreciate our zero tolerance for criminal activity. The German government isnt concerned about any actual criminal activity, they are concerned with Thought Criminals who dare to dissent against their globalist regime, Torba said in the blog post.

The Gab CEO said that his legal team gave him three choices:

Obey German censorship laws and censor content that Berlin doesnt like. Disobey the government. Block German IP addresses to temporarily cease services in the country.

Torba said that he hates everything about these choices, which is why he published the information online so as to gather feedback and consensus from the community. An overwhelming majority of people have supported the third option, including lawyers. However, he said this option doesnt sit right with me.

Torba asks why Gab should block an entire country from accessing its services just because the government is sending them fines and legal threats when such actions do not mean anything directly to a U.S. company. The Gab CEO insists that Berlin has zero authority or jurisdiction over how the company operates.

Germany is a guest in our community and they will respect our values and way of doing things, not the other way around. I have nothing but love for the German people and they too deserve the fundamental human right to speak freely on the internet, Torba states.

Earlier this week, Facebook deleted 150 accounts and pages linked to anti-lockdown protestors in Germany, which Torba believes was likely to comply with the Network Enforcement Act. Facebook accused the individuals associated with a group called Querdenken of violating the platforms guidelines on health misinformation, bullying, hate speech, and incitement of violence.

While Torba mentioned that he has no intention of complying with the Network Enforcement Act, he made it clear that in matters pertaining to serious crime, his company would be more than willing to cooperate with and assist the German police.

Founded in 2016, Gab claims to champion free speech, individual liberty, and the free flow of information online. It was launched as an alternative to traditional apps like Twitter and Facebook. As of March 2021, Gab had four million registered users.
An intelligence officer traveling with Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Chief William Burns suffered from the infamous Havana Syndrome while on a trip to India. The mysterious affliction has affected several other American spies, diplomats, and government workers, both at home and abroad.

Havana Syndrome was first reported in 2016 among officials working in U.S. and Canadian embassies in Havana, Cuba. Several more episodes have been reported among American officials in Russia, Austria, China, and Germany. Affected individuals reported pressure sensations inside their heads, accompanied by weird buzzing sounds coming from a specific direction. Some have reported experiencing intense and extended bouts of nausea, dizziness, and fatigue.

The U.S. intelligence community has started a 100-day probe into the potential causes behind Havana Syndrome. The investigation is expected to be completed before the end of the year. However, U.S. investigators are currently clueless as to who or what is causing the mysterious affliction, and how. President Joe Biden has been informed that there are over 300 such cases.

The unnamed intelligence officer who was affected by Havana Syndrome in India has reportedly received the necessary medical attention. Experts are still verifying the officers symptoms.

U.S. intelligence and defense agencies are on high alert following the incident. CIA Chief Burns is apparently angry at the turn of events. Burns was in India for extensive talks with the countrys National Security Advisor, Ajit Doval, regarding the Afghan situation. Some officials at the agency feel that the incident is a message aimed at Burns that no one is safe, even those who work for the countrys top spy agency. Officials have not determined whether the intelligence officer was targeted because he was traveling with Burns.

Director Barns has made it a top priority to ensure officers get the care they need and that we get to the bottom of this Weve strengthened efforts to determine the origins of the incidents, including assembling a team of our very best experts- bringing an intensity and expertise to this issue akin to our efforts to find bin Laden, a CIA spokeswoman said to NBC News.

This is the second case of Havana Syndrome reported among U.S. officials in the past months. In August, a flight carrying Vice President Kamala Harris from Singapore to Vietnam was delayed for a while after a U.S. intelligence official reported symptoms closely resembling that of Havana Syndrome.

A medical study conducted on the cases reported in Cuba revealed that affected individuals had suffered some form of brain injury. Although there was no conclusive proof as to what exactly happened to these people, researchers suggested that the brain injury might have been caused by directed microwave radiation. Some other studies have blamed pesticides and ultrasound technologies.
Japanese Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi recently said that his country will provide a necessary response to China if Beijing continues with its military aggression towards Taiwan and sparks a conflict.

China had been increasing its military presence near Taiwan and the Senkaku Islands of Japan, claiming these regions to be its territory. In June, Beijing sent more than two dozen warplanes near Taiwan, triggering the island nation to put its air defenses on alert. Back in 2019, Chinese premier Xi Jinping vowed to reunify Taiwan with China and even deploy military force if necessary.

In an interview with CNN, Minister Kishi said that what is happening in Taiwan is directly linked to Japan. Taiwan is located at the nexus of the East and South China Seas, making it geopolitically and strategically important. Stability and peace in Taiwan are not just critical for the region, but for the international community as well.

More than ninety percent of the energy that Japan uses is imported through the sea around Taiwan, so its important to maintain the maritime order and a free and open Indo-Pacific Because we are close geographically, what could happen in Taiwan could likely be an issue for Japan, and in that case, Japan will have to take the necessary response to that situation, Kishi said.

As to Beijings claims over the Senkaku islands, the minister insisted that there are absolutely no grounds to call the issue a territorial dispute. According to Kishi, Japan maintains complete and unequivocal sovereignty over the islands which, though small and uninhabited, are located strategically.

Against Chinese action to Senkaku Islands and other parts of the East China Sea we have to demonstrate that the government of Japan is resolutely defending our territory with the greater number of Japanese coast guard vessels than that of China, he added.

On Sept. 12, Kishi said during a press conference that there were sightings of what was believed to be a Chinese submarine near its southern islands. A submerged vessel was spotted right outside the territorial waters near Amami Oshima island, which is a part of Kagoshima prefecture. A Chinese destroyer was spotted in the vicinity as well.

Japanese authorities have accused Chinese Coast Guard vessels of intruding into its territorial waters (12 nautical miles off the coast) 88 times between Jan. 1 and the end of August. In the contiguous zone, which refers to waters between the Japanese islands but not within 12 miles of the coast, Chinese vessels have intruded 851 times. Kishi calls these incursions actions that continue to challenge an integral part of Japans sovereign territory.
The U.S. Justice Department is investigating a deal by Zoom Video Communications to buy customer-service software company Five9 due to national security risks posed by the videoconferencing firms ties with China. Both companies are headquartered in the United States. Team Telecom, an interagency committee of the Justice Department, is conducting a review of the license application that arose as a result of the Zoom-Five9 deal.

Five9 has authorization from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to act as a common carrier to connect domestic and overseas networks. The national security investigation by Team Telecom was triggered by an application to transfer this permission from Five9 to Zoom.

In a letter posted to the Federal Communication Commission website on Aug. 27, David Plotinskt, from the Department of Justice, asked Ms. Marlene H Dortch of the FCC to defer its action on the application until Team Telecom completes its review, essentially putting the deal between the two companies on hold.

USDOJ believes that such risk may be raised by the foreign participation [including the foreign relationships and ownership] associated with the application, and a review by the Committee is necessary to assess and make an appropriate recommendation as to how the Commission should adjudicate this application, the letter states.

Based in California, Zooms business exploded after the pandemic as companies began to rely on remote working processes. At one point, Zoom had 300-million active daily participants. However, this also shone a spotlight on the company and its potential ties with China.

Zoom founder, Eric Yuan, is a Chinese immigrant who is also an American citizen. According to the companys regulatory filing for this year, its development team is largely based in China. In a 2020 interview with MSNBC, Democrat House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called Zoom a Chinese entity.

Last year. U.S. prosecutors charged a former Zoom executive, based in China, with disrupting video meetings that commemorated the 31st anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre upon the behest of Beijing.

Zoom claimed to have fired the employee and cooperated with American officials in the investigation.

The company is also facing inquiries from prosecutors in California and New York regarding its interactions with foreign government officials, including those from the Chinese regime. The companys privacy policies and storage of user data are under scrutiny as well.

Zoom had announced its $14.7 billion deal with Five9 in July. The acquisition is expected to allow Zoom to diversify into more markets. If it passes through, Five9 would be the companys first acquisition valued at over a billion dollars.

In an email to CNBC, a Zoom spokesperson said that the company expects the deal to be closed during the first half of next year. We have made filings with the various applicable regulatory agencies, and these approval processes are proceeding as expected, the spokesperson stated.

However, things might not go smoothly for Zoom, according to Richard Sofield, a former chair of Team Telecom. In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Sofield said that once Team Telecom begins to review a company, they often tend to look at risks that are completely unrelated to the transaction.

Zoom also seems to be aware of the inherent risks involved in running Five9. The companys last earnings report, published in August, mentions that Five9s operations in Russia are one such risk.

We will need to manage the international operations of Five9, including engineering personnel and operations in Russia, which may pose regulatory, economic and political risks as well as additional challenges if the relationship between Russia and the United States worsens significantly, or if either Russia or the United States imposes or implements new or augmented economic sanctions, supply chain restrictions or other restrictions on doing business, the report states.

Meanwhile, advisory firm Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS) have told Five9 shareholders to reject Zooms acquisition bid due to growth concerns. Zoom shares had risen by nearly four times last year, riding on the opportunity provided by the pandemic. It has also announced improvements and expansions to its services in hopes that customers will continue relying on services even as the pandemic wears down and people start returning to offices.

Though ISS admitted that Zoom and Five9 combined could have access to a bigger market, it also warned about several negative sides to the deal. The all-stock deal exposes Five9 shareholders to a more volatile stock whose growth prospects have become less compelling as society inches towards a post-pandemic environment, the ISS said. Since the deal was announced, shares of Zoom have dipped by 20 percent while those of Five9 have fallen by five percent.
The defense ministry of Lithuania has put out a statement recommending the public to avoid using mobile phones from Chinese manufacturers. The recommendation requested people to dispose of such phones in case they are currently using them. The statement came after a government report found that these devices carried built-in censorship capabilities.

After testing Chinese 5G phones, Lithuanias state-run National Cyber Security Center, found that a Xiaomi phone came with censorship tools while a model from Huawei had security flaws.

Xiaomi smartphones in Europe are capable of detecting and censoring terms such as Free Tibet, Long live Taiwan independence or democracy movement, according to the cybersecurity body. Huawei responded that no user data was being sent out by its devices. Xiaomi has likewise denied the charges.

Xiaomis devices do not censor communications to or from its users. Xiaomi has never and will never restrict or block any personal behaviors of our smartphone users, such as searching, calling, web browsing, or the use of third-party communication software, a Xiaomi spokeswoman told the BBC. She also added that the company is fully GDPR compliant. GDPR is the EU law on privacy and data protection.

However, the research conducted by the cybersecurity team has revealed that the tested Xiaomi device transferred encrypted phone usage data to a server based in Singapore. This is important not only to Lithuania but to all countries which use Xiaomi equipment, the center stated.

The concern over Chinese mobiles comes amidst a deteriorating relationship between Lithuania and China.

Last month, China called for the withdrawal of Lithuanias ambassador from Beijing after Taiwan declared that it would open a mission in the European nation that would officially be called the Taiwanese Representative Office. China also stated that it planned on recalling its envoy to Lithuania.

Taiwanese missions in Europe and the U.S. usually go by the name of Taipei city, to avoid a direct reference to the democratically run island, as Taiwan  officially known as the Republic of China  is not recognized as an independent country by the United Nations. U.S. National Security Advisor, Jake Sullivan, recently spoke with the Prime Minister of Lithuania and has emphasized that Washington would stand by the ROC as it faces increasing backlash from Beijing.
As the largest audit of the 2020 Presidential Election came to an end on Sept. 24, confirming Joe Biden defeated Donald Trump in the battleground state of Arizona, both a portion of the audits findings and the circumstances surrounding the company who conducted it have left more questions than answers.

Sept. 24 saw the Arizona GOP-led audit of the states largest county and one of Americas largest voting districts, Maricopa County, conclude unfavorably for proponents of the theory that Dominion Voting Systems were used to fraudulently secure a Democrat win in a historically Republican swing state.

Cyber Ninjas, a company contracted by the Arizona GOP to conduct the audit despite having no federal accreditations or elections audit experience, basically confirmed the election day results, finding 99 more votes for Biden and 261 less for Trump in their endeavor.

According to Ballotopedia, the official count for the Nov. 3, 2020 Presidential Election shows Biden defeated Trump in Arizona by a very slim margin of 1,672,143 votes to 1,661,686. Biden primarily edged out his win against the former President through Maricopa County. The countys Recorders office website reports in its Final Summary of the election that Biden gave Trump the edge by a score of 1,040,774 to 995,665.

Libertarian candidate Jo Jorgenson scooped 51,465 votes across the state, 31,705 of which were cast in Maricopa.

Cyber Ninjas described their efforts in the report as, The most comprehensive election audit that has been conducted.

It involved reviewing everything from the voter history for the election, to retallying all 2.1 million ballots by hand, to performing forensic photography and review of the ballot paper, to conducting cyber forensic imaging and analysis of the provided voting equipment. This extensive process involved over 1,500 people who contributed a total of over 100,000 hours of time over the course of more than 5 months from when setup began, to when this report is completed.

While the audit did confirm Bidens victory, the auditors nonetheless called into question the veracity of nearly 58,000 ballots, for reasons ranging from voters who voted from a prior address to duplicate ballots that reused serial numbers.

A summary of ballots with issues and their counts. (Image: Cyber Ninjas Maricopa County Audit, Volume III  Results Details)

In the largest question mark on the list, 23,344 mail-in ballots were cast under voter registration IDs for people that should not have received their ballots by mail because they had moved, and no one with the same last name remained at the address, including 15,035 absentee ballots cast by voters who moved prior to the states registration deadline and 6,591 voters who moved out of Arizona prior to the deadline.

The inquiry also found 10,342 ballots cast with the same first, middle, last name and birth year.

Cyber Ninjas also found 9,041 ballots that involved a situation where one ballot was sent to a voter, but 2, 3, or even 4 were returned by the same voter and counted in the election.

As for each category of discrepancies, Cyber Ninjas only provides an occams razor explanation for how the anomaly may have occurred, recommending the Arizona Attorney General investigate or new legislation be passed to plug the loophole.

The audit did not tally how the ballots in question cast their votes or consider how they may have influenced the outcome of the election.

The examination also found several marked issues with the security and integrity of Arizonas use of electronic voting machines, such as Dominions Election Management System database having been purged, deleted election files, corrupted ballot images, missing ballot images, cybersecurity best practices violations, and subpoenaed equipment not being provided.

A summary of issues with Dominion Voting Systems hardware and software rollout. (Image: Cyber Ninjas Maricopa County Audit, Volume III  Results Details)

On Sept. 24, at the formal Senate hearing on the auditors results, Senate President Karen Fann referred the case to Attorney General Mark Brnovich, We are asking him to open up a formal investigation so that he can pursue and seek additional information, additional facts, perhaps get some of these missing things that we were never able to get, verify all this information, and take the appropriate actions of anything that is necessary to do, she said.

In a statement published on his website, Donald Trump said the audit shows incomprehensible Fraud at an Election Changing level, calling on Arizona to decertify its election results. Likewise, at a Sept. 25 Save America rally, Trump told a crowd, We won on the Arizona forensic audit yesterday at a level that you wouldnt believe.

Cyber Ninjas: ally or controlled opposition?

The question of how such an extensive and long-running audit, apparently a partisan affair launched by Trumps party, the GOP, and funded by several of the former Presidents biggest supporters and purporters of election interference theories, managed to uncover tens of thousands of ballots with severe and suspect shortcomings, but did little more than gloss over the issue, is yet to be answered.

In a July 29 article published by ABC affiliate Action News, the outlet found that while the Arizona Senate contributed only $150,000 towards the cost of conducting the audit, certain entities that led the vanguard in the election fraud movement, groups and individuals that would normally be considered supporters of President Donald Trump, contributed $5.7 million.

According to the article, former Overstock CEO Patrick Byrnes The America Project paid $3.25 million, Americas Future, which lists Michael Flynn as Chairman, paid $976,000, and Sydney Powells Defending the Republic gave away $550,000. In another notable donation, attorney Matthew DePerno, who was lawyer of record in the dubious Antrim County Georgia lawsuit and audit, paid $280,000 toward the effort.

More than money, Cyber Ninjas CEO Doug Logan said the groups had also provided operational support and advice pivotal in executing the audit. Logan revealed the amount raised and the donors on the day of a deadline issued by the U.S. House Oversight and Reform Committee.

Logan himself appears to be far from unbiased. He appeared as an anonymous character in an election fraud film titled The Deep Rig, which premiered in June. In the film, Logan appears as a silhouetted character known as anon, revealing his true identity half way through the film. The CEO is joined by co-stars Patrick Byrne and Jesse Binnall, a lawyer who represented Donald Trump in some post election litigation efforts.

Patrick Byrne, a man who was, at face value, one of Donald Trumps largest supporters, often pointing the finger at the Chinese Communist Party as being the culprit of election interference, was revealed to have paid $10.4 million for slightly more than $4 million worth of property in Arizona in a Sept. 9 article by the Sarasota Herald Tribune.

Bryrne, who boasts having an education from Beijing Normal University, bought a bundle that included six separate deals, such as paying $3.35 million for a $1.5 million residential home in Oaks Club, and $2.5 million for a 10,000 sq. ft. piece of commercial property appraised at a little over $654,000.

In August, the Arizona Court of Appeals ordered the Arizona Senate to hand over all documents pertaining to the audit, including internal communications between auditors and contractors, copies of contracts, and financial information to American Oversight, a left-wing non-profit who sued the state.

Nonetheless, Cyber Ninjas declined to comply with the court order and produce the documents at the bequest of Fann, saying it would only release full financial statements, communications with the Senate, and policies and procedures used by its subcontractors.

Attorney Jack Wilenchuk, who represents the firm, was paraphrased as saying staffing records, as well as internal communications and communications with subcontractors, are private records, according to Arizona Mirror.

A real conspiracy

If there was a real conspiracy to swing Arizona from a red state to a blue state in order to ensure Donald Trump could not secure a second term, perhaps it can be found in a warning published in December of 2019 by Trevor Loudon, a New Zealand-born, U.S. based researcher on how Chinese Communist Party-associated groups have worked tirelessly to alter Americas political landscape.

The article, titled Bay Area Pro-China Communists Aim To Flip Arizona Protect Nevada In 2020, documented how Liberation Road, which Loudon described as the main representative of the American Maoist movement, a group which he says more or less controls San Franciscos Bay Area political circle, organized a project called Seed the Vote with the expressed purposes of flipping Nevada and Arizona.

Loudon notes Seed the Votes supporters and founders are Liberation Road cadres and members of various Bay Area communist organizations, including education team member Calvin Cheung-Miaw, who Loudon says is, A leader of the Left Inside Outside Project, a national alliance of Liberation Road, LeftRoots, Communist Party USA, Democratic Socialists of America, and Committees of Correspondence for Democracy and Socialism established to further infiltrate the Democratic Party and defeat Trump in 2020.

One of Seed the Votes leaders, Jason Negron-Gonzales, wrote in a Dec. 5, 2019 article titled Introduction to Seed the Vote published on the Organizing Upgrade website, self described as a site promoting Strategy for Left Organizers, boasting, Last month we saw further losses for the right in Virginia, Kentucky and Pennsylvania  the result of sustained organizing by hundreds if not thousands.

That work didnt start this year; its the culmination of many years of work. None of this was spontaneous. When we organize, we can win. When we step up to fight, we can win.

Seed the Vote is a project in the Bay Area attempting to create a vehicle to do just that, explained Negron-Gonzalez. We want to leverage the experience, capacity, and expertise of organizers and activists in California in support of long-term organizing in our neighboring states. Our goal is not just to push Trump out of office, but to help shift the balance of power in the states where we are working

The article noted the left feared a Trump 2020 victory, So we launched Seed the Vote. Our practical focus is centered on bolstering 2020 electoral efforts to defeat Trump and the GOP in two key states, Nevada and Arizona.

Negron-Gonzalez said Seed the Vote was building infrastructure and recruiting for the purposes of deploying several hundred Bay area activists to work with partnering unions and community-based organizations in Nevada and Arizona.

The entity also sought to connect volunteers with remote call-in and text efforts from the Bay Area, in order to register voters, protect voting rights and increase turnout in key constituencies in November 2020.

Loudon looked at the CCPs viewpoint pragmatically, Chinas communist leaders could risk hundreds of billions of dollars trying to defeat Trump in a trade war. Or risk hundreds of millions of lives (including their own) in a shooting war of indeterminate outcome. Or they could defeat Trump by encouraging their U.S. communist franchise to spend a few million dollars flipping three or four Southern and Southwestern states to the Democrat columnall under the radar.

Which option would you choose if you led the Communist Party of China?
On Sept. 15, a report published by law firm WilmerHale for the World Banks ethics committee showed that World Bank leaders had manipulated Chinas rankings in the Doing Business 2018 report. It has now come to light that a group of external advisors had submitted a review to the World Bank several weeks back, recommending that the organization take action to prevent countries from manipulating their scores.

The 84-page review, submitted by the external team, was assembled by the bank back in Dec. 2020 after internal audits showed data irregularities in reports of countries like Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), China, and Azerbaijan. The review warned about a pattern of government efforts to interfere in the scoring of countries in the Doing Business report during past years.

The World Bank needs an introspection. It has been advocating country reforms for better governance, transparency, and practices. Now it has to use the prescription for its own reform, Mauricio Cardenas, Columbia University professor and former Colombian finance minister who chaired the expert panel, said to Reuters.

The review states that it had come across multiple incidents where national governments exerted pressure on individual contributors of the Doing Business report to manipulate their countrys rankings. These contributors included accountants, lawyers, and other experts.

Staff from the World Bank confirmed to the review team that government officials had given instructions to the contributors. Even if there was no government pressure, the perceived threat of retaliation may have influenced the scores given by contributors, the review states.

The authors of the review also asked the World Bank to stop selling consulting services to governments aimed at increasing their rankings, pointing out that it constitutes a conflict of interest. The bank offers such services, called Reimbursable Advisory Services (RAS), in several countries, including those found to have been involved in manipulating data for the Doing Business report.

An internal audit report from Dec. 2020 showed that the bank management pressured nine staff members to manipulate 2018 and 2020 editions of the Doing Business index to present Saudi Arabia as the most reformed country globally. The staff was also forced to boost rankings of China and the UAE while dropping Azerbaijan from the top 10 list.

The WilmerHale report accused former World Bank chief Kristalina Georgieva, who at present heads the International Monetary Fund, of applying undue pressure to improve Chinas rankings in the 2018 Doing Business report. The World Bank was seeking Chinas funding support at that time.

In an interview with CNBC, World Bank president David Malpass stated that the report speaks for itself and promised to explore new ways to help countries improve their business environment. On Sept. 16, the bank discontinued the Doing Business report.

Congratulations to @DavidMalpassWBG for the decision to publish this savage review and to eliminate the Doing Business rankings. The bigger question is how, if it is even possible, the Bank can eliminate the apparent corruption of the institution that the review documents, Alex Cobham, CEO of UK-based advocacy group Tax Justice Network, said in a tweet.

Congratulations to @DavidMalpassWBG for the decision to publish this savage review and to eliminate the Doing Business rankings.



The bigger question is how, if it is even possible, the Bank can eliminate the apparent corruption of the institution that the review documents.  Alex Cobham (@alexcobham) September 16, 2021

Some investors are dismayed by the discontinuation of the Doing Business report, as it had been a critical component of their decision-making process for years.The more I think about this, the worse it looks Any quantitative model of country risk has built this into ratings. Money and investments are allocated on the back of this series, Tim Ash at BlueBay Asset Management said to The Epoch Times.
Ziba Murat is an Uyghur American who last saw her mother, Dr. Gulshan Abbas, at the Ronald Reagan Washington National airport in 2016. At that time, she implored her mother not to return to Xinjiang amidst news that Beijing was detaining ethnic minorities in the region. However, Abbas did not heed her advice.

My heart started to beat so fast. I told her not to go We had already started to hear about the camps being built, but she thought she was safe, Murat told Reuters.

Dr. Abbas, shortly after arriving in Xinjiang, told her daughter that her passport was seized. She provided no specifics. Daily video calls between the daughter and mother became tense. At times, Dr. Abbas would shake her head and weep for no obvious reason. I feel so guilty, I think she was trying to send me messages, she said.

On Sep. 10, 2018, Murat spoke to her mother for the last time.

Dr. Abbas had disappeared less than a week after her sister, Rushan Abbas, delivered a speech on the internment campaign in Xinjiang at the Washington-based think tank Hudson Institute.

Rushan Abbas is a well-known Uyghur activist based in the United States. Murat and Rushan Abbas believe the events are related. Murat is one of the many Uyghurs who has spent years searching for news about relatives detained by the Chinese regime.

According to a report by Human Rights Watch, over one million Uyghurs have been detained in 300 to 400 facilities, which include political education camps, prisons, and pretrial detention centers.

Spokesmen for the Xinjiang government claimed at media conferences in Beijing this year that China would assist overseas Uyghurs who are unable to get in touch with their relatives, and asked them to contact Chinese consulates and embassies.

However, relatives say that their appeals have been totally ignored. Murats letter to the Chinese embassy in Washington, dated Aug. 5, 2020, that sought details on her mother did not receive any response. If all we have to do is call the consulate then pick up the phone when we call, said Murat.

China has dismissed claims that it hinders efforts by Uyghurs to find information regarding their detained relatives.Certain overseas Xinjiang natives are bewitched or coerced they deliberately made up lies about the so-called losing contacts I can frankly tell all the overseas Chinese nationals from Xinjiang that if you cannot get in touch with your relatives in Xinjiang, you may contact the Chinese Embassy and Consulate. We will work with them to give assistance, Zulhayat Ismayil, a Xinjiang government spokesman, said in a statement in February.

Murat eventually learned that her mother was arrested on grounds of terrorism and for disrupting social order. The formal confirmation came through a one-line statement made by a Chinese Foreign Ministry official at a media conference last year. A non-official source told Murat that her mother had been sentenced to 20 years. The term of the sentence was not publicly confirmed by Chinese authorities.

In a similar incident, Rayhan Asat said that it took four years to learn about the whereabouts of her brother who was detained in 2016. It came from an official source that confirmed that her brother was detained in Aksu, a city in Xinjiang.

We did everything we could, reached every police station, every state organ to try and find out what happened We were so confused. Why would he be in Aksu? I think it is a desire to further uproot people and break their spirit, Asat told US News.

Some Uyghurs believe that Beijings propaganda efforts to discredit accusations of human rights violations against their community is a critical way to learn more about their relatives who are detained by the communist regime.

For instance, Chinese authorities release videos as part of such propaganda efforts that include clips from jailed Uyghurs who proclaim pro-Beijing statements and denounce their overseas relatives.

Murat revealed that she would welcome seeing her mother in such a video even though it would be painful. She just wants to know whether her mother is even alive.
China and the United States are facing off in an arms race as the two nations compete for maximum global influence. However, in this battle, the Chinese might not be able to win against America, according to Minxin Pei, a professor of government at Claremont McKenna College.

In an article published by Bloomberg, Pei argues that Beijing is following the same path that led to the end of the Soviet Union; engaging in a costly arms race with the United States. In the past, Soviet leaders kept allocating more and more resources into weaponry as they were afraid America would strike first, fears, which in retrospect, were totally unfounded. according to Pei.

Today, China is in a similar position as the Soviet leaders once were. The recent U.S. decision to arm Australia with nuclear-powered attack submarines effectively challenges China to a likely astronomically expensive arms race. Each submarine costs approximately $US3.45 billion.

To match American prowess would require China boosting its defense spending massively. Add in the other three members of the Quad alliance, which includes India, Australia, and Japan, the money needed to match their combined defense spending would put a heavy financial burden on China.

Pei calculates that if each member of the Quad alliance spends three percent of their combined GDP on defense, it would amount to $900 billion for their militarys. China only spent $250 billion on defense last year, meaning that Beijing would have to quadruple its military budget to match the America-led Quad military strength.

Moreover, the U.S. has an edge when it comes to military technology.

Pei believes that the best path forward for China to protect its interests is to settle disputes with neighbors. With mutual distrust and animosity spiraling to dangerous levels, its equally important for China to start engaging the U.S. again. President Xi Jinping should shed his apparent reluctance to meet with President Joe Biden. Only diplomatic engagement at the highest level can slow the vicious cycle that is increasingly militarizing U.S.-China competition, Pei wrote.

In an interview with The Epoch Times, Taiwan Society of International Law deputy secretary-general, Ting-hui Lin, pointed out that the CCPs recent crackdown on the tech sector is linked to its military needs. Lin feels that the crackdown is an indication that the communist regime is in a financial crisis.

To confront the U.S. in the long term inevitably needs huge capital The CCPs recent crackdown on the wealthy Chinese is to prepare financially for its military buildup and the coming confrontation with the U.S, Lin said.

However, he does not think China will collapse like the Soviet Union since it is a big consumer market that keeps attracting foreign investment.

Meanwhile, the U.S. is also boosting its defense spending. While speaking to Defense News, Frank Kendall, the new secretary of the United States Air Force, revealed that he will be seeking more funds to build next-gen technologies.

He believes that the Air Force has been overly constrained and that they havent been allowed to do what they really need to do to free up resources for use in other matters that are of higher priority. He points out that they have had a hard time getting congressional approval to retire older aircraft.

Kendall noted that Chinas military modernization programs are moving faster than he had anticipated. He believes that technologies like the F-35s Block 4 upgrade that adds on new sensors and weapons while also boosting its computing power have the potential to seriously threaten China.

Weve got a few things that are in the pipeline that have not been revealed to the public yet, that I cant talk about One that has been revealed in part is the B-21 bomber. I think thats going to be something that will be intimidating, its going to be very capable. And there are a few others like that that are coming down the pipeline.  But I think we have to be continuously thinking about other things that will be intimidating to our future enemies, Kendall said.
The situation in the Taiwan Strait is "complex and grim," Chinese President Xi Jinping wrote in a congratulatory letter on Sunday to the newly elected leader of Taiwan's main opposition party, who has pledged to renew talks with Beijing.

Taiwan's Kuomintang (KMT) elected as their leader on Saturday former New Taipei City mayor Eric Chu, who said he would rekindle stalled high-level contacts with China's ruling Communist Party.

China claims Taiwan as its own territory and has stepped up military and political pressure to force the democratically ruled island to accept Chinese sovereignty, even though most Taiwanese have shown no interest in being governed by Beijing.

In Xi's letter, a copy of which was released by the KMT, he said both parties had had "good interactions" based on their joint opposition to Taiwan independence.

"At present, the situation in the Taiwan Strait is complex and grim. All the sons and daughters of the Chinese nation must work together with one heart and go forward together," wrote Xi, who is also head of the Communist Party.

He expressed hope that both parties could cooperate on "seeking peace in the Taiwan Strait, seeking national reunification and seeking national revitalization."

Chu, who badly lost the 2016 presidential election to current President Tsai Ing-wen, responded to Xi that people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait were "all the children of the Yellow Emperor" -- in other words, all Han Chinese.

Chu blamed Tsai's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) for tensions with Beijing after pursuing anti-China policies.

Chu, who met Xi in China in 2015, said he hoped to "seek common ground and respect differences, increase mutual trust and geniality, strengthen exchanges and cooperation so as to allow the continued peaceful development of cross-strait relations."

Under outgoing KMT leader Johnny Chiang's 17-month tenure, high-level contacts with China stalled amid military tensions and suspicion in Beijing the party was not sufficiently committed to the idea Taiwan was part of "one China.

As well as losing the 2016 polls, the KMT were trounced in elections last year after failing to shake DPP accusations they were Beijing's lackeys.

China refuses to talk to Tsai, calling her a separatist. She says Taiwan is already an independent country called the Republic of China, the island's formal name, and that only Taiwan's people have the right to decide their own future.
Officials in Cameroon say there has been a jump in cases of civilians assaulting police officers. Videos shared on social media in Cameroon show citizens mocking and battering police in response to alleged brutality and corruption.

Paul Atanga Nji, the territorial administration minister, also tasked with civilian protection, says at least 15 videos of civilians of refusing police orders and attacking officers have been shared on social media platforms within the past two weeks.

Nji said the police force confirmed its officers were the victims in the videos.

In some cases, he said, police have been victims of humiliation, battery and other forms of assault from civilians the police are supposed to protect.

This irresponsible behavior towards the police is unacceptable," Nji said. "It should be understood that the police are at the service of each and every one under the esteem guidance of the head of state [Cameroons President] Paul Biya. No person, regardless of their social status, for whatsoever reason has a right to assault a police officer on duty.

In one video, a driver refuses a police demand to search his car, hits the police officer and then runs him over with his car while some bystanders applaud.

Another video appears to show a civilian carrying a police officer on his shoulder before throwing him on the back of a truck.

The civilians are believed to be retaliating for acts of police brutality or corruption.

Nji said if civilians have grievances, they should send complaints of alleged police misdeeds to the chief of police, who can take disciplinary action.

However, human rights lawyer Christopher Ndong says when police brutality and corruption are reported, senior government and police officials do not investigate.

He adds that police often beat people, detain some abusively and extract bribes from innocent civilians.

"There is no adult Cameroonian who will not tell you the excesses of a policeman," Ndong said. "You have a document all complete, a policeman says you are wrong. You must give 500 [Francs (XAF) or $1 as a bribe]. You have [car] documents which are wrong, the policeman will not impound the vehicle as the law provides. A policeman will be asking the man to pay fines that are determined by him and the state sits and looks at it. You see the fabulous sums he is collecting, and he does it with arrogance because they [police] have guns.

Police officials deny the allegations, saying most officers in Cameroon are neither corrupt, nor take part in civilian abuse.
Minutes before North Korea's representative addressed the United Nations General Assembly Monday, South Korea's military chiefs said Pyongyang had fired an "unidentified projectile" into the Sea of Japan.

North Korea's U.N. ambassador did not mention the incident during his address on the final day of the annual debate, which draws world leaders to New York.

Instead, Kim Song spoke about the bad relations between Pyongyang and Washington, attributing them to the United States' "anachronistic hostile policy" toward North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, for the past 70 years and the fact that the Korean War has never officially ended.

"The possible outbreak of a new war on the Korean Peninsula is contained not because of the U.S.'s mercy on the DPRK," Ambassador Kim added, using the abbreviation for his countrys official name the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea. "It is because our state is growing reliable deterrent that can control the hostile forces in their attempts for military invasion."

He suggested that if the U.S. permanently ends its joint military exercises with South Korea and withdraws its "hostile policy" in a "bold and complete manner," Pyongyang is prepared to respond "willingly."

"But it is our judgment that there is no prospect at the present stage for the U.S. to really withdraw its hostile policy towards the DPRK," he added.

He also referred to the division of the Korean Peninsula and the fact that the two Koreas separately joined the United Nations 30 years ago as a "tragedy."

No-shows

Afghanistan did not address the General Assembly on Monday, in the wake of the Taliban takeover and potential competing claims of representation at the world body.

A U.N. spokesperson said they were informed Saturday by email that Afghan Ambassador Ghulam Isaczai was withdrawing from Monday's debate. Isaczai was appointed by the previous government of Ashraf Ghani but still holds the country's U.N. accreditation.

Last week, the Taliban sent a letter to the U.N. saying they wanted to participate in the annual gathering. They also said Isaczai was "ousted" as Afghanistan's ambassador, and they were nominating Mohammad Suhail Shaheen to replace him.

The letter has been forwarded to the General Assembly committee that handles the accreditation of ambassadors, but the panel is unlikely to meet until October or November.

Myanmar also informed the U.N. several days ago that it would not address the annual gathering.

In February, the military seized power in a coup and detained most of the national unity government. The junta has sought to replace Ambassador Kyaw Moe Tun with one of its own officials, but it will also have to go to the credentials committee with its request.

New tone

Israel's new prime minister, Naftali Bennett, made his U.N. debut Monday. While he argued the hard-line position on why Iran is a threat to Israel's security, his calm but urgent tone drew a sharp contrast to his predecessor, Benjamin Netanyahu.

Bennett did not touch on Iran until 13 minutes into his speech. And he never mentioned the Palestinians. He spoke first of Israel's pioneering efforts vaccinating its population against COVID-19. Israeli data have helped other governments develop their own vaccination strategies.

"We pioneered the booster shot," Bennett said of the third jab of certain vaccines that scientists say can offer better protection from the virus's variants.



"Two months in, I can report that it works: With a third dose, you're seven times more protected than with two doses, and 40 times more protected than without any

vaccine," he said. "As a result, Israel is on course to escape the fourth wave

without a lockdown, without further harm to our economy."

Iranian threat

On regional foe Iran, Bennett warned Tehran has made "swarms" of killer drones operational.

"They plan to blanket the skies of the Middle East with this lethal force," Bennett said. He said Tehran has already used the drones  called the Shahed-136  to attack Saudi Arabia, U.S. targets in Iraq and civilian ships at sea.

On the nuclear issue, he said Iran is violating International Atomic Energy Agency safeguard agreements, including enriching uranium to one step below nuclear weapons grade.

"Iran's nuclear program has hit a watershed moment  and so has our tolerance," the Israeli prime minister warned. "Words do not stop centrifuges from spinning."

He repeated Israel's long-standing pledge not to let Iran acquire a nuclear weapon.

Iran maintains that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes.

Pandemic precautions

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, more than 150 presidents and prime ministers traveled to New York for the annual gathering. The U.N. and New York City had numerous health protocols in place to help keep the event safe, including positioning a testing and vaccination van outside the complex. The U.N. said that 93 visitors got vaccinated and more than 800 took advantage of the free coronavirus tests.

At least one delegation reported an outbreak, however.

Brazilian media reported that at last count, at least four members of President Jair Bolsonaro's delegation, including his son, Eduardo, who is a legislator, and the health minister, had tested positive for COVID-19 while in New York.

U.S. State Department spokesperson Ned Price, who also attended several meetings last week on the sidelines of the General Assembly, announced Monday that despite being vaccinated, he had tested positive for COVID-19 and would quarantine.
South Sudanese are reeling from fuel shortages and soaring food prices after Kenyan and Ugandan truck drivers went on strike nearly two weeks ago, stifling commerce along the Uganda/South Sudan border.

Hundreds of motorists camped at the Trinity gas station in Juba for hours on Monday, waiting in long queues to fill up their tanks with diesel or gasoline.

"You hear people are busy, they want to get the fuel, they are struggling to get it at any cost," Juba motorist Steven Leju told VOA's South Sudan in Focus program.

The strike began when truckers halted their routes in response to the killings of two Kenyan truck drivers by assailants along the Juba-Nimule highway in August.

The drivers say they want South Sudan's government to improve security along the highway before they resume transporting goods into that country.

South Sudan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it is committed to providing security along the highway. The government said escorts will be provided by the South Sudan People's Defense Force and South Sudan Police Service and that "obstacles that cause [a] delay on the highway to Juba will be removed."

A frustrated motorist, who asked to be identified only as Leju, said the government had better act quickly. "I believe that if government gives security, then fuel will come," Leju said.

Rising fuel prices

Fuel prices rose to between 700 and 800 South Sudanese pounds (roughly $5.50) per liter Monday from 300 pounds (about $2.30) late last week.

Juba resident Justine Wota, one of hundreds of commuters who endured a long wait to get fuel, said prices are climbing by the hour.

After waiting since before dawn, "then you have to go to the fuel station and the price has changed," Wota told South Sudan in Focus.

Lack of food

Meanwhile, goods sold at markets are becoming scarce and prices are rising.

Rita William, a trader at Juba's Freedom Market, told South Sudan in Focus that the fresh vegetables she was expecting from Uganda are stuck at the Elegu border post.

She enlisted automobile transportation to bring carrots to Juba, which caused delays and additional costs.

"Most of our things are getting spoiled because things we loaded since Thursday, we have not received them," she said.

William Muhereza, chairperson of Freedom Market, called on South Sudanese nationals to engage in small scale farming to cushion their livelihoods against emergencies like the strike.

The government should be better prepared to deal more quickly with disruptions, he said.

"We expect the road to be maximum secured as far as security is concerned," he said. "That is the only road which feeds South Sudan. Without that road, South Sudan cannot exist. If that road is cut off, automatically there will be no food, or fuel, or anything."


Show more Show less

Concern is growing over the reach of China's so-called national security law that it recently imposed on Hong Kong. Britain warned several of its citizens that they could face arrest and extradition to the former British colony. Henry Ridgwell reports from London.



Camera: Henry Ridgwell


Concerns are growing over the reach of the national security law that China imposed on Hong Kong as Britain warned several of its citizens that they could face arrest and extradition to the former British colony.

China passed the national security law in June 2020 in response to months of anti-government protests in Hong Kong. Beijing claimed the law was necessary to restore order to the territory and, in its words, "protect people's rights." Critics say the law curtails basic democratic freedoms and is aimed at suppressing political opposition. Over 140 people have been arrested under the legislation since it was introduced, including opposition lawmakers, activists, journalists and media executives.

Among those arrested was opposition activist Andy Li, who was charged with foreign collusion in 2020 after allegedly lobbying foreign governments to impose sanctions on Hong Kong and China.

Several British citizens were named in the court papers relating to Li's case. Earlier this month, the British government contacted them to warn they could face arrest and extradition to Hong Kong if they traveled to any country that had an extradition agreement with the Chinese territory.

U.S.-born British citizen Bill Browder was among at least five people contacted by the British Foreign Office. He has successfully campaigned in several countries for Magnitsky sanctions against human rights abusers, named after his lawyer Sergei Magnitsky, who died in a Russian jail in 2009.



Browder told VOA Monday that his involvement stemmed from that lobbying. "Specifically, my name was mentioned because I was having discussions with various people about Magnitsky sanctions against the Hong Kong officials who were involved in this suppression of democracy," he said. "After alerting me to my name being in the document, the (British) Foreign Office officials pointed out to me that the Chinese national security law doesn't just apply domestically to residents of Hong Kong; it applies to anyone, anywhere in the world. And I guess the point of their reach out was to alert me to that fact and to the possibility that I may be subject to some type of persecution myself from the Chinese authorities for being involved in these discussions."

Browder has already faced several attempts by Russia to have him arrested and extradited on fraud charges through Interpol, the global agency that communicates arrest warrants between police forces. Browder says those charges are clearly politically motivated, but he is, nevertheless, limited as to where he can travel.

"I basically contain my travel to what I describe as 'rule of law' countries. So, for example, I won't travel to South Africa, even though I actually own a home in South Africa, because it's not really considered to be a rule of law country, whereas I would travel to Germany regardless of what treaties they have because I know that a court will not hand me over to Russians or Chinese on politically motivated cases," Browder said.

China has not commented on the British government's warnings. More than a dozen countries have extradition agreements with Hong Kong, including India, South Africa and Portugal. Several countries, however, tore up their extradition treaties with Hong Kong following the introduction of the national security law. These include Britain, the United States, Australia, Germany and France.

British pro-democracy activist Luke de Pulford, who had also been named in the Hong Kong court papers relating to the prosecution of Andy Li, was approached by the British Foreign Office last week. He told VOA that Britain should stand up to Beijing.

"It's a really sad indictment and reflection on the U.K.'s cowering before China. We're now in a situation that having failed to honor their promises to the people of Hong Kong, the U.K. is telling people that they can't go to third countries because they might end up in prison. They might be extradited to China," de Pulford recently told VOA.

Under the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration signed between Britain and China before the 1997 handover of Hong Kong, Beijing promised to maintain the territory's autonomy under the so-called Basic Law and the principle of "one country, two systems."

In a statement, the British government told VOA: "The UK will not look the other way on Hong Kong, and we will not duck our historic responsibilities to its people. As a co-signatory to the Joint Declaration, we will continue to stand up for the people of Hong Kong, to call out the violation of their freedoms, and to hold China to their international obligations."
Witnesses in the northwest Cameroon town of Kumbo have accused the military of killing several civilians during retaliatory raids Monday on separatists. Cameroon's military denies any civilians were killed. The clashes followed the deaths of seven troops when their armored vehicle hit an improvised explosive device. Cameroon's Presbyterian Church is calling for an independent investigation into reports of civilian deaths.

Cameroons military said Monday that seven of its troops perished when their armored vehicle hit an improvised explosive device in the western village of Kikaikelahki.

The troops were part of a military convoy dispatched to fight separatists around the town of Kumbo.

The military says other troops have been deployed to find and kill the separatists who planted the explosive device.

Deben Tchoffo is governor of Cameroon's northwest region where Kumbo is found. He says the troops also were ordered to search and seize weapons used illegally by separatists.

"The circulation of those arms were banned by the government, and we instructed administrative authorities and security forces to recuperate all those guns and ammunition that are circulating in the region. Many guns have been taken and are now kept at the level of administrative and security services. The process is ongoing."

Cameroon military says in a reprisal after the seven troops were killed, government troops killed 13 fighters.

Philip Ndongwe is a teacher in Kumbo. He says one of the people killed is a popular motorcycle taxi driver. He says men who attacked the house they ran to for safety were dressed in Cameroon military uniforms.

"They actually jumped into the campus, shot in the air, and you could see panic and there was nothing I could do other than struggling to also save myself. I first hid myself under the table. It was so traumatizing."

The Catholic Church in Kumbo on Monday condemned what it calls the killing of civilians and blamed both fighters and government troops for the violence.

Fonki Samuel Forba, moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Cameroon, says independent investigations should be carried out to find out if those killing civilians are fighters or government troops.

"There should be a cease-fire in this country. The barrel of the gun will not solve this problem. Until we sit down as a family and talk out our problems, we will not solve these problems. We are all waiting. We can only get a true story when a credible organization has done investigations of the situation. The culprits will be brought to book."

The military has denied any involvement in the killing of civilians and insists that all those killed are fighters. The military says its troops are professional.

Violence erupted in Cameroon's English-speaking regions in 2016, when teachers and lawyers protested alleged discrimination at the hands of the French-speaking majority.

The government responded with a crackdown that sparked an armed movement for an independent, English-speaking state.
When Chinese President Xi Jinping last week announced his country will stop building coal power plants overseas, environmental activists were jubilant.

Its easy to see why. China is a major financial backer of coal-fired power plants around the world, which emit greenhouse gases that cause climate change.

With Chinas announcement, all the worlds top economies have now committed to ending state-backed financing for overseas coal plants. South Korea and Japan made similar commitment to end financing coal earlier this year.

Many hope the move will create momentum ahead of Novembers United Nations conference in Glasgow, Scotland, where governments will negotiate new climate change commitments.

It is clear the writing is on the wall for coal power, declared Alok Sharma, a British politician organizing the U.N. conference.



Not all climate experts are so confident. Thats because Xis promise, made during a speech Tuesday at the U.N. General Assembly, was brief and has not yet been translated into concrete policy.

Here are some of the biggest questions about Xis announcement:

When will China's new rules take effect?

Xis speech did not specify when Beijing would stop building coal power plants overseas. He also did not say whether the new rules would apply immediately or be phased in. Those factors could be crucial for many China-funded coal projects currently underway, since the plants typically have a lifespan of several decades.

The Chinese government will face a lot of resistance within China from coal interests opposed to restrictions on their market, says Christine Shearer, program director for coal at Global Energy Monitor, which documents fossil fuel projects worldwide. However, we also know that when the Chinese government decides to do something, it can do it more swiftly and broadly than most countries in the world.

China had already been phasing out some of its overseas coal involvement. Chinas Belt and Road Initiative, which has helped build coal plants in countries ranging from Turkey to Vietnam, did not fund any coal projects for the first six months of this year.

Part of the reason for Chinas shift, many analysts say, is the considerable domestic opposition to the pollution-causing coal plants in various countries, as well as the plunging prices of renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind farms.

In over half the world, it is cheaper to build new solar photovoltaic or wind generation capacity than to keep existing coal-burning units operating  a trend projected to cover 100% of markets within the decade, says Shearer.

Will Chinas private investment in coal also end?

It is not clear whether Xis announcement covers only public financing, or if the countrys commercial banks will also be restricted from involvement in overseas coal projects.

One possible clue came Friday, when the Bank of China, a state-owned commercial bank, said it would stop providing financing for new coal mining and coal power projects overseas starting next month.

If Xis pledge includes Chinas commercial banks too, this is much more ambitious than anything the West has done, tweeted Kevin Gallagher, director of the Boston University Global Development Policy Center.

But such a move would be challenging, says Judith Shapiro, a sustainable development expert who teaches at American Universitys School of International Service.

The central government does not fully control what various Chinese-funded entities choose to do overseas, especially when they are driven by profit rather than geopolitical reputational considerations, Shapiro says.

Another factor: many Chinese construction companies build coal plants overseas using financing from outside China, according to a recent academic article. Its not clear whether Xi intends to also ban projects using such arrangements.

So, when Xi said build, we'll have to see if he meant this, tweeted one of the articles authors, Cecilia Han Springer.

Will China end its coal addiction at home?

China may be phasing out its involvement in coal projects abroad, but its another story at home, where China relies on coal to produce the bulk of its electricity.

The numbers are staggering. China burned over half (53%) of the coal used in the world in 2020, according to an estimate by Ember, a London-based research group.

It may not get better anytime soon, since Chinas coal power plant construction continues to outpace the rest of the world. In 2020, China built over three times as much new coal power capacity as all other countries combined  the equivalent of more than one large coal plant per week, according to a report published by the Helsinki-based Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air.

Unlike many other countries, the coronavirus pandemic hasnt provided even a temporary emissions reprieve for China. Thats because many Chinese provinces have used coal projects to stimulate their economies during the pandemic-induced economic slowdown, says Global Energy Monitor.

The economic challenges due to COVID have increased pressure to maintain jobs and profits, says Shapiro, the American University professor. The transition away from coal is expensive, and these are costs that China is struggling to bear at this moment, given that there is a bountiful supply of coal available within the country.

Those trends help explain why China was the worlds only major world economy to see an increase in greenhouse gas emissions in 2020.

They also raise questions about Chinas ability to meet its promises of reaching peak emissions in 2030 and to become carbon neutral by 2060.
New Zealand is easing the coronavirus lockdown for nearly the entire country first imposed last month after the Pacific nation reported its first confirmed COVID-19 case in six months.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said Monday that the nationwide alert level will be lowered to Level 2, allowing schools, businesses and offices to reopen.

The new orders will not apply to Auckland, New Zealands largest city and the epicenter of the current outbreak that began when a 58-year-old man tested positive for the delta variant of COVID-19 in mid-August. The nation has posted 821 confirmed COVID-19 cases during the current outbreak, including 20 new cases on Monday.

Auckland will remain under strict stay-at-home orders until September 14, keeping all schools, offices and businesses shut down with only essential services remaining operational.

Prime Minister Ardern has embraced a strategy of totally eliminating COVID-19, saying it was necessary to go hard with the strict lockdown in order to prevent a widespread outbreak. New Zealand imposed a strict lockdown in the early days of the pandemic that has led to just 3,814 confirmed infections and just 27 deaths among its five million citizens.

Only 25 to 30 percent of all New Zealanders have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Officials say the government is nearing a final agreement to secure more doses of the two-shot Pfizer vaccine within days.

Hong Kong

Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam announced Tuesday that beginning September 15, travelers from mainland China and the nearby enclave of Macao will be allowed to enter the semi-autonomous city without a mandatory quarantine. Lam told reporters that it will allow a total of 2,000 travelers from both places on a daily basis, but they will be required to show proof of a negative COVID-19 test prior to arrival.

Lam also said Hong Kong residents will be allowed to return to the city from the mainland without undergoing quarantine, so long as they did not travel to any high-risk areas.

The new changes are part of the governments new Come2HK program aimed at reviving the citys tourism industry, which sustained major losses during the first year of the pandemic as Hong Kong pursued a zero-Covid elimination strategy. But the city will continue to impose travel restrictions on travelers from foreign countries, prompting growing frustration among Hong Kongs business community.

Some information for this report came from the Associated Press and Reuters.
South Koreas capital is on the verge of perhaps its most intense lockdown yet, after the country reported its largest daily surge of coronavirus cases.

Officials on Thursday recorded 1,275 new infections, the vast majority of which were in the Seoul area, where over half of South Koreans live.

That is South Koreas largest number of confirmed daily cases since the pandemic began.

Seoul may soon impose the toughest restrictions under a four-tier social distancing system, said Sohn Young-rae, a senior Health and Welfare Ministry official, according to the Yonhap news agency.

Level 4 restrictions can include severe measures, such as a ban on private gatherings of more than two people after 6 p.m.

That would amount to the first intense lockdown of Seoul, where life has largely gone on as usual over the past year and a half, compared to many other parts of the world.

South Korea won international praise for its initial containment of the virus, thanks to its efficient and widely available COVID-19 tests and intense contact tracing.

However, the country has lagged most other developed countries in acquiring vaccines, meaning it has been stuck in a state of not being fully opened or closed.

Over the past several weeks, restaurants, cafes, and outdoor parks along Seouls Han River have been more crowded than usual, as the government prepared to ease social distancing precautions.

Many now say that message was premature, leading to what health officials call the fourth wave of the virus.

Health officials say they are especially concerned that the virus is spreading among those in their 20s and 30s, many of whom are not yet eligible for vaccinations. There is also a growing number of cases of the highly transmissible delta variant.

The outbreak is especially centered in the Seoul metropolitan area, a densely populated region with more than 25 million people.

Health officials have identified cluster infections at several so-called English cram schools in the Seoul outskirts, as well as a restaurant near the Seoul city center.

In some ways, South Koreas situation mirrors that of other Asian countries, such as Vietnam, Thailand, and Indonesia, which have seen recent infection spikes after initially controlling the virus.

South Koreas outbreak, though, is still mild compared to many other countries. According to government figures, only about 2,000 South Koreans have died of the virus, compared to 605,000 in the United States and 128,000 in Britain.

However, in Britain and the United States, the vaccine has been widely available for months. In South Korea, less than 11% of the population have been fully vaccinated, according to health authorities.

South Koreas government says it is still on track to vaccinate enough people to achieve herd immunity by November and has recently reached several deals that could speed up the pace of vaccinations.
Europe's top human rights body on Friday called on Greece's parliament to withdraw articles included in draft legislation that would impose heavy penalties on nongovernmental organizations that carry out unsanctioned rescue operations of migrants at sea.

The Council of Europe's human rights commissioner, Dunja Mijatovic, said in a statement that the proposed changes would "seriously hinder the life-saving work" carried out by NGOs.

Greece's center-right government has toughened border controls since taking office two years ago and has promised additional restrictions in response to the ongoing crisis in Afghanistan.

Under draft legislation currently being debated in parliament, members of charities involved in rescue operations conducted without coast guard permission could be jailed for up to a year and fined 1,000 euros ($1,190), with the NGOs facing additional fines.

Lesbos and other Greek islands close to the coast of Turkey were the main entry point for refugees and migrants into the European Union during mass displacements in 2015 and 2016 largely caused by wars in Syria and Iraq.

Speaking at a security summit in Slovenia earlier this week, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis expressed support for a decision by EU home affairs ministers to seek cooperation with countries in the region "to prevent illegal migration from" Afghanistan.

"I think what happened in 2015 was a mistake. We acknowledge it openly. We (must) address the need to support refugees closer to the source of the problem, which is Afghanistan," Mitsotakis said.


Five people were killed in an attack by suspected dissident members of Colombia's FARC rebels, officials said Sunday.

The deadly incident took place at a "public establishment" in a rural area of Tumaco, in the southern department of Narino, the army said.

Colombia is experiencing some of the worst attacks by armed groups since a peace deal was signed with the Revolutionary Armed Forces (FARC) in 2016.

Suspected FARC dissidents belonging to the Urias Rendon column "arrived at the establishment in a vehicle, firing several shots indiscriminately," an army statement said.

Two people were killed at the scene and another three died of gunshot wounds after being taken to a hospital.

Six other people were injured.

According to Colombian observer group Indepaz, one of the victims was a 15-year-old girl.

The non-governmental organization estimates there have been 73 attacks in the country so far in 2021. In each attack, one to nine people were killed, Indepaz said on its website.

Major General Alvaro Perez said the attack was being investigated. He added there had been a recent uptick in armed confrontations in the region, which is one of the largest areas under drug cultivation in the world.
The joke in Berlin before Germans went to the polls Sunday was that the countrys longstanding chancellor, Angela Merkel, would have to delay her retirement from politics, and would end up delivering the traditional New Years address to the nation come January.

And that looks likely.

Germany is facing months-long horse-trading and wrangling over the formation of a coalition government following a federal parliamentary election result that disappointed all the parties, although Merkels Conservatives the most. The Christian Democrats, CDU, along with their affiliated Bavarian Christian Social Union, suffered their worst general federal election result ever and were defeated by the left-leaning Social Democrats, SPD.

But even for the SPD, the outcome did not quite match expectations. The hopes of Olaf Scholzs Social Democrats had been boosted by their surge in the opinion polls in recent weeks that saw them leading their center-right rivals, who have been in power for the past 16 years by around 6%.

According to provisional election results that lead was cut to 1.6%, enough of a gap to declare a moral win but not sufficient to dominate the post-election wrangling over the formation of a governing coalition. Across the country, the SPD won 25.8 % of the vote, while the CDU and the CSU received a combined 24.1%, down from 32.9% at the last elections for the Bundestag in 2017.

Scholz, the outgoing finance minister, said Sunday, as the results started to flow in, that his party had been given a very clear mandate to ensure now that we put together a good, pragmatic government for Germany.

He said, The voters of this country have determined that the SPD is rising on every chart, and that is a great success.

Limbo

But the election leaves Germany in political limbo with the parties set for a protracted gladiatorial bout that most analysts do not expect to be resolved until next year before the identity of Merkels successor as chancellor is clear.

The CDUs leader, Armin Laschet, the governor of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, signaled Sunday he means to fight hard to succeed Merkel as chancellor.While saying his party's loss of votes isn't pretty, he told his deflated supporters We will do everything we can to form a government. Laschet added: Germany now needs a coalition for the future that modernizes our country.

He said, We must set a course for the 2020s. No party can do that on its own, and so we now need a great effort of will from all democrats: we must overcome our differences and hold Germany together."

Merkel will remain as caretaker chancellor until either Laschet or Scholz, the countys current finance minister, can assemble a parliamentary majority. That is going to be a challenging endeavor with the option of a two-party coalition seemingly off the table.

CDU and SPD insiders discount the possibility of Laschet and Scholz forming a governing coalition together, which in any case would still need a defection of a handful of lawmakers from third parties to command a majority in the Bundestag. Laschet himself said Sunday such an alliance is not possible. We need a real new beginning, he told supporters.

So, the CDU and SPD are faced with trying to fashion an ideologically mismatched three-party ruling coalition  the first for more than half a century  with the left-leaning Greens and the pro-business Free Democrats, FDP.

Speaking to supporters Monday in Berlin, Scholz said, Voters have clearly spoken. They have said who should build the next government by strengthening three parties, the Social Democratic Party, the Greens and the Free Democrats. Consequently, that is the clear mandate that voters of this country have given, that these three parties should create the next government.

The SPD and the Greens are a natural fit with both wanting to raise taxes on the affluent and to revive a wealth tax, which was abolished in 1997. But the FDP is a natural fit for the CDU and its leader Christian Lindner is unlikely to agree to any tax hikes and wants tax cuts for businesses.

He has also made clear he wants Germany to return to the pre-pandemic limits on government spending, while the Greens want to borrow $586 billion for public investment and want a stiff carbon tax.

Volker Wissing, a senior FDP politician, told reporters last week: When its a matter of tax rises, for instance, we say a very clear No to the proposals from the SPD and the Greens. We wont implement any wealth tax, any loosening of the debt brake [on government borrowing] or any ban on the internal combustion engine.

The Green party came third with 14.6%, followed by the FDP with 11.5% and the right-wing populist Alternative for Germany, AfD, with 10.4 %. The Greens had hoped for a much bigger upswing, and at one point had even snatched during the election campaign the lead in opinion polls, but they saw their vote share jump by 6% from the 2017 federal elections.

While the FDP saw a modest 1% increase, Lindner is widely seen by political insiders as the key to forming a three-party coalition and has already shown he is willing to stick to red lines. In 2017, he torpedoed Merkels efforts to form a coalition government that excluded the SPD, saying, Its better not to govern than to govern wrongly.

And the 42-year-old Lindner Monday indicated he does not see his party  or the Greens for that matter  as junior partners who should take what they are offered by either the SPD or CDU. About 75% of Germans didn't vote for the next chancellor's party," Lindner said in a post-election TV debate. So, it might be advisable... that the Greens and Free Democrats first speak to each other to structure everything that follows, he added.
The prosecutor at the International Criminal Court in The Hague on Monday asked the tribunal for permission to resume a war crimes investigation into the actions of the Taliban and Islamic State-Khorasan in Afghanistan.

The ICC had spent 15 years investigating alleged war crimes in war-torn Afghanistan, but the probe was put on hold a year ago by the U.S.-backed Afghan government, which said it was conducting its own investigation before it fell to the Taliban last month.

The ICC is a court of last resort for war crimes investigations, when individual member countries are unable or unwilling to conduct their own probes. New ICC prosecutor Karim Khan said that since the internationally recognized Kabul government has fallen, there is a significant change of circumstances.

"After reviewing matters carefully, I have reached the conclusion that, at this time, there is no longer the prospect of genuine and effective domestic investigations ... within Afghanistan," Khan said.

The ICC judges will now consider Khans request. Investigators had been examining alleged crimes by all sides in the conflict, including U.S. forces, Afghan government troops and Taliban fighters.

Khan said he wants to focus his investigation on actions of the Taliban and Islamic State-Khorasan, the offshoot of the Islamic State terrorist group operating in Afghanistan, and to "deprioritize" alleged war crimes by U.S. forces.

The earlier inclusion of alleged war crimes by U.S. forces had angered the administration of former U.S. President Donald Trump, which imposed sanctions on Khan's predecessor, Fatou Bensouda, over the issue. The U.S. lifted the sanctions on Bensouda earlier this year under the administration of President Joe Biden.

The State Department on Monday acknowledged the prosecutors announcement.

"We were deeply concerned about the current human rights situation in Afghanistan, and that also includes allegations of atrocities, and certainly welcomed efforts to ensure accountability," State Department deputy spokesperson Jalina Porter told reporters Monday.

"We're pleased to see that the ICC prioritize its resources to focus on the gravest of allegations and atrocity crimes," she added.

Khan said his new focus of an investigation was necessary because of the "gravity, scale and continuing nature of alleged crimes by the Taliban and the Islamic State" and the need to "construct credible cases capable of being proved beyond reasonable doubt in the courtroom.

The ICC prosecutor said one focus of a new investigation would be the deadly August 26 attack on Kabul airport, an incident claimed by IS-K, in which 13 U.S. service members and more than 100 Afghan civilians were killed.

VOA's Nike Ching contributed to this report. Some material in this report came from Reuters and Agence France-Presse.
Thousands of farmers in India blocked highways and rail tracks on Monday to give renewed momentum to their months-long demand for scrapping agricultural laws that have triggered the countrys longest farm protest and presented a political challenge to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The nationwide protest, or bharat bandh, was held on the first anniversary of the passage of the laws that the government says will modernize the agricultural sector, but which farmers fear will spell an existential threat to their livelihoods.

The legislation allows farmers to do business outside government-run wholesale markets where they have sold their crops for decades at guaranteed prices.

But farmers fear that opening up sales of farm produce to the corporate sector will end an era of assured prices for crops like rice and wheat. They say farmers in states such as Bihar where the system has been scrapped are already in distress and get a lower price for their crop.

Defiant farmers have camped on highways on the outskirts of New Delhi since November amid the persisting stalemate  the government has often said it is open to a dialogue but will not repeal the laws.

On Monday, thousands of farmers waving flags converged outside key roads leading to the Indian capital choking traffic. A farmer from Haryana, Sunil Kumar, who was among the protestors, said the stir demonstrated the farmers determination to continue their struggle has not ended.

Life was also disrupted in the northern states of Punjab and Haryana, lush rice and wheat growing states, that have been at the forefront of the protest.

The farmers stir also reverberated in the south of the country  they held protests in the southern cities of Chennai and Bengaluru and Kerala state. In some places they squatted on rail tracks.

Ahead of Mondays protest, Rakesh Tikait, one of the farm leaders spearheading the stir, said that they are ready to protest for ten years, but will not allow the black legislation to be passed.

Several opposition parties including the Congress Party have supported the farmers demands. In a tweet, senior leader Rahul Gandhi called the government exploitative and extended support to farmers using hashtag #Istandwithfarmers.



The government maintains the laws will improve farm incomes and agricultural productivity. Prime Minister Narendra Modi called them a watershed moment for Indian agriculture when they were passed last year.

Indias agriculture has not kept pace with its economy shrinking to just 15% of gross domestic product over the decades. But nearly two thirds of the country, or some 800 million people, depend on agriculture for their livelihood as the country has not been able to generate enough non-farm-based jobs.

The protest is a reflection of the compound anger they carry at the neglect of agriculture, especially farmers incomes which have become so low over the decades, says agriculture economist Devinder Sharma. The government believes that facilitating corporate entry would pull agriculture out of the crisis but that will not help because a majority of the farmers are small.

The bulk of Indian farmers own plots of less than one hectare and fear that the laws will make them vulnerable to corporates that will drive down prices and force them to sell their land.

With the stalemate showing no signs of a resolution, the political impact of the farmers stir will be tested early next year when elections in Indias most populous state, Uttar Pradesh, are held.

Farmers from the state that adjoins New Delhi are among those who have been at the forefront of the ten-month old agitation. They held a mammoth rally earlier this month and say they will step up protests across the state ahead of the polls to show that the government is pursuing what they call anti-farmer policies.
Monday is the COVID vaccination deadline for all hospital and nursing home health care workers in the state of New York. Health care staff at other facilities, including home care and hospice facilities, are required to be inoculated by October 7.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul has said she will call up medically trained National Guard members to deal with any staffing shortages that may arise if health care workers refuse to adhere to the mandatory vaccination deadlines.

Workers who refuse vaccination without a valid doctor-approved request for a medical exemption, the governor's office said, will be terminated and not be eligible to receive unemployment benefits.

In addition to the Workers who refuse vaccination without a valid doctor-approved request for a medical exemption, the governor's office said, will be terminated and not be eligible to receive unemployment benefits. National Guard, the governors office said New York could also work with the federal government to deploy Disaster Medical Assistance Teams (DMATs) to assist local health and medical systems.

As of September 22, 84% of all hospital employees in New York State were fully vaccinated, the governors office said. As of September 23, 81% of staff at all adult care facilities and 77% of all staff at nursing home facilities in New York State were fully vaccinated.

South Korea

Elsewhere, South Korea announced Monday that in October, it will begin vaccinating youngsters ages 12 to 17 and give boosters to people ages 75 and older, according to the Reuters news agency.

The booster program is prompted by a jump in COVID cases following a recent Korean holiday, Chuseok, a three-day fall harvest festival. In recent weeks, people who had not been fully vaccinated accounted for more than 85% of new cases, the prime minister said, according to The New York Times.

Meanwhile, a fourth member of the Brazilian delegation to the U.N. General Assembly has tested positive for the disease caused by the coronavirus. Pedro Guimaraes said Sunday he is fully vaccinated, asymptomatic and has been in quarantine since Wednesday.

Limited 'trick-or-treat' possible

The director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention told the CBS television program Face the Nation, that children should be able to go Halloween trick-or-treating this year, if you are able to be outdoors.

Rochelle Walensky also cautioned that because of the pandemic, I wouldnt necessarily go to a crowded Halloween party, but I think that we should be able to let our kids go trick-or-treating in small groups.

Halloween is celebrated each year in the U.S. on the last day of October. Children dress in costumes and go house-to-house, asking for candy and other treats.

Earlier this year, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration tweeted, You are not a horse. You are not a cow. Seriously, yall. Stop it. to people taking ivermectin, a livestock anti- parasitic drug that was erroneously being promoted as a COVID treatment. Not everyone apparently got the message.

The Financial Times says the FDA has received 49 reports of poisonings and other serious reactions linked to human consumption of ivermectin to treat COVID so far this year. That is double the number of cases reported for all of 2020. At least 14 deaths were included in the 49 cases, although it is not clear if they were directly linked to the use of ivermectin.

The Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center said Monday there are currently nearly 232 million COVID-19 cases globally and close to 5 million deaths. More than 6 billion vaccines have been administered, the center said.
New Zealands prime minister has announced Monday that the countrys largest city, with a population of 1.7 million, will remain in a strict lockdown in an effort to curb small outbreaks of the highly contagious delta variant of the coronavirus.

Its clear there is no widespread transmission of the virus in Auckland, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said, but so long as we have new cases emerging, there are risks, she added speaking at a news conference.

Aucklands lockdown has been extended to September 21, with 33 new cases recorded Monday, following weekend reports of 23 and 20 cases.

New Zealand went into a countrywide snap lockdown on August 17. Some restrictions, allowing people to go back to offices and schools, were lifted elsewhere in New Zealand last week.

Israel was warned that Israeli travelers who went to the Ukrainian city of Uman for Rosh Hashanah celebrations and re-entered Israel with fake negative COVID test results will face full criminal charges.

The Israeli government views the matter of patients fraudulently entering Israel by falsifying documents very seriously, the office of Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said in a statement.

Haaretz, an Israeli newspaper, reported that by Friday 17,000 of the travelers had returned home and 1,600 had tested positive for COVID. Israel says 25,000 Israelis made the pilgrimage to Uman. More than150 Israelis are suspected of using fake negative coronavirus test results to return home, according to The New York Times.

Britains Health Ministry announced Sunday that it would reverse its decision to require vaccine passports for Britons entering nightclubs and bars.

Health Minister Sajid Javid said that the idea, which faced pushback from conservative lawmakers, had been shelved but would be reconsidered if rates of COVID-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus, increased substantially.

Britain is expected to announce this week its plans for inoculating 12- to 15-year-old youngsters in the battle against the virus. The vaccine campaign will likely start later this month.

Elsewhere, Bangladesh reopened schools after over 500 days of closure Sunday, as the government reported that 97% of teachers throughout the country have been fully vaccinated.

Children were still required to wear masks in schools and the government warned against being lax on safety measures. For now, students in each class will attend school once a week.

The Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center said early Monday that it has recorded 224.7 million COVID cases worldwide. The center said 5.7 million vaccines have been administered.

(Some information for this report came from Reuters.)
Drugmaker Pfizer said it has started a large-scale clinical trial of a drug to ward off COVID-19 in those who are exposed to the virus.

The trial for the oral antibiotic will involve 2,660 healthy adult participants who live in the same household as someone who is infected with COVID-19.

Pfizer is also studying the drug in people who have already been infected with COVID-19 but have yet to develop serious symptoms.

"If successful, we believe this therapy could help stop the virus early, before it has had a chance to replicate extensively," Pfizer chief scientific officer Dr. Mikael Dolsten said in a statement.

The pill aims to block a key enzyme that the virus needs to replicate. If it works, scientists believe it will be effective only in the early stages of infection. Once COVID-19 becomes severe, the virus has largely stopped replicating and patients are mostly affected by an overactive immune response.

Also on Monday, U.S. President Joe Biden received a COVID-19 vaccine booster shot, days after his administration approved a third shot of Pfizer's vaccine for certain populations.

Biden told reporters at the White House before receiving his shot on camera that "boosters are important, but the most important thing we need to do is get more people vaccinated" with their initial shots.

He said 77% of the U.S. adult population has received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) approved the boosters last week for three categories of Americans: those 65 or older; front-line workers such as teachers, health care workers and others whose jobs place them at risk of contracting COVID-19; and those ages 50 to 64 with underlying conditions.

In New York

Monday is also the COVID-19 vaccination deadline for all hospital and nursing home health care workers in the state of New York. Health care staff at other facilities, including home care and hospice facilities, are required to be inoculated by October 7.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul has said she will call up medically trained National Guard members to deal with any staffing shortages that may arise if health care workers refuse to adhere to the mandatory vaccination deadlines.

Workers who refuse vaccination without a valid doctor-approved request for a medical exemption, the governor's office said, will be terminated and not be eligible to receive unemployment benefits.

Around the globe

Elsewhere, South Korea announced Monday that in October, it will begin vaccinating youngsters ages 12 to 17 and give boosters to people ages 75 and older, according to the Reuters news agency.

The booster program is prompted by a jump in COVID-19 cases following the recent Korean holiday, Chuseok, a three-day fall harvest festival. In recent weeks, people who had not been fully vaccinated accounted for more than 85% of new cases, the prime minister said, according to The New York Times.

Britain's government said Monday that Prime Minister Boris Johnson will meet on Tuesday with the COVID-19 Bereaved Families for Justice campaigning group, who have sharply criticized his handling of the coronavirus pandemic. The group said family members would tell their stories to the prime minister of how their loved ones caught the virus.

In Cuba, officials said they have begun exporting a homegrown COVID-19 vaccine, sending shipments of it to Vietnam and Venezuela. Cuban scientists have said the three-dose Abdala vaccine is more than 90% effective against COVID-19.

Jordan's royal palace said Monday that Crown Prince Al Hussein bin Abdullah II has tested positive for COVID-19 with "mild symptoms." The palace said the prince had been vaccinated.

A fourth member of the Brazilian delegation to the U.N. General Assembly also tested positive for the disease caused by the coronavirus. Pedro Guimaraes said Sunday he is fully vaccinated, asymptomatic and has been in quarantine since Wednesday.

The Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center said Monday there are currently more than 232 million COVID-19 cases globally and nearly 4.8 million deaths. More than 6 billion vaccine doses have been administered, the center said.

Some information in this report came from The Associated Press, Reuters, and Agence France-Presse.


A magnitude 5.8 earthquake rocked the Greek island of Crete Monday morning, leaving at least one person dead and several injured.

Across the island, people were reportedly seen running out of buildings and homes, while many older buildings suffered damage.

The earthquake was strong and was long in duration, Heraklion Mayor Vassilis Lambrinos told private Antenna television.

Greek authorities dispatched civil engineers around the island to assess damage.

We are urging people who live in damaged older buildings to remain outdoors. One aftershock can cause a collapse, seismologist Efthimios Lekkas, who heads Greece's Earthquake Planning and Protection Organization, told The Associated Press. We are talking about structures built before 1970. Structures built after 1985 are built to a higher standard that can withstand the effect of an earthquake.

Crete is a popular tourist destination, and according to reports, the quake did not disrupt international flights to Heraklion, nor did it cause serious damage to hotels.

The only known fatality was in the town of Arkalochori, which is about 30 kilometers outside of Heraklion. A man was reportedly working on the renovation of a chapel when the dome caved in.

Some information in this report comes from Reuters and The Associated Press.
Theoneste Bagosora, a former Rwandan army colonel regarded as the architect of the 1994 genocide in which more than 800,000 ethnic Tutsi and Hutus who tried to protect them were killed, died in a hospital in Mali on Saturday.

The 80-year-old Bagosora was serving a 35-year sentence after being found guilty of crimes against humanity by the then-International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda.

Known as a hardliner within the party of Rwandan President Juvenal Habyarimana, Bagosora was appointed cabinet director in the defense ministry in 1993 and took control of military and political affairs in the country.

Bagosora was accused of taking over the affairs of state after Habyarimana was killed when his plane was shot down in 1994 and ordering the massacre of Tutsi.

After the genocide, Bagosora fled into exile in Cameroon. He was arrested there in 1996 and flown to face trial in Tanzania in 1997.

His trial began in 2002 and lasted until 2007.

Bagosora was sentenced to life in prison in 2008 but that sentence was reduced on appeal.
Preliminary results Monday showed Germanys center-left Social Democrats winning the largest share of the vote in national parliamentary elections as parties battle to see who will succeed outgoing Chancellor Angela Merkel.

The Social Democrats received 25.7% of the vote Sunday, followed by 24.1% for Merkels center-right Christian Democratic Union.

State Governor Armin Laschet of the conservative CDU bloc and outgoing Finance Minister and Vice Chancellor Olaf Scholz of the Social Democrats are vying to become the leader of Europes biggest national economy as Merkel steps down after 16 years as chancellor.

Each said they would be reaching out to smaller parties to try to form a governing coalition with a goal of having a new government in place before the end of the year.

The top targets for support will be the environmentalist Green party, which finished third with 14.8%, and the pro-business Free Democrats who finished fourth with 11.5%.

Merkel will remain in office on a caretaker basis until her successor is chosen.

Some information for this report came from the Associated Press and Agence France Presse.
As some 100 American citizens are still waiting to leave Afghanistan, the State Department said Monday that the biggest hurdle to their evacuation remains the "unpredictability" of the Taliban.

"The biggest constraint to the departure of our citizens and others from Afghanistan, of course, remains the Taliban's unpredictability, regarding who is permitted to depart," a senior State Department official told reporters during a background briefing Monday.

"The second big constraint is the absence of regular commercial air service to enable folks who wish to depart to do so in a predictable manner," they added.

The official estimated that roughly 100 American citizens and permanent residents are "ready to go" currently.

The State Department said its officials are in "regular communication" with private groups chartering their own evacuation flights from the country, and also in communication with the Taliban consistently working to negotiate the safe departure of Americans.

Roughly 124,000 people were flown out of Afghanistan after the U.S. announced its military departure and the Taliban took control of the capital in late August.

Since all U.S. forces officially departed on August 31, the State Department says 85 Americans have been able to leave the country.

State Department Correspondent Nike Ching contributed to this report.
South Korea will soon offer COVID booster shots to people who are at high risk for contracting the virus, the prime minister said Sunday.

Kim Boo-kyum said health care workers and older people would be among the groups considered high risk. The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency is expected to announce plans for the booster campaign Monday.

The booster program is prompted by a jump in COVID cases following a recent Korean holiday, Chuseok, a three day fall harvest festival. In recent weeks, people who had not been fully vaccinated accounted for more than 85% of new cases, the prime minister said, according to the New York Times.

A fourth member of the Brazilian delegation to the UN General Assembly has tested positive for COVID. Pedro Guimaraes said Sunday he is fully vaccinated, asymptomatic and has been in quarantine since Wednesday.

U.S. retailers are scrambling to find workers as the holiday shopping season approaches. According to a report in the Financial Times, the shortage of people willing to work in stores and warehouses is particularly acute, with 1.1 million unfilled retail jobs in July. The newspaper reports increased wages are just one-way employers are trying to entice people back into the work force. Some companies are offering financial assistance with college tuition and gym memberships.

The director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention told Face the Nation, the CBS television news program Sunday that children should be able to do Halloween trick-or-treating this year, If you are able to be outdoors.

Rochelle Walensky, also cautioned that because of the pandemic, I wouldnt necessarily go to a crowded Halloween party, but I think that we should be able to let our kids go trick-or-treating in small groups.

Halloween is celebrated each year in the U.S. on the last day of October. Children dress in costumes and go house-to-house, asking for candy and other treats.

Earlier this year, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration tweeted You are not a horse. You are not a cow. Seriously, yall. Stop it. to people taking ivermectin, a livestock anti- parasitic drug that was erroneously being promoted as a COVID treatment. Not everyone apparently got the message. The Financial Times says the FDA has received 49 reports of poisoning and other serious reactions linked to human consumption of ivermectin to treat Covid so far this year. That is double the number of cases reported for all of 2020. At least 14 deaths were included in the 49 cases, although it is not clear if they were directly linked to the use of ivermectin.

The Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center said Monday there are nearly 232 million global COVID cases and nearly 5 million deaths. More than 6 billion vaccines have been administered, the center said.
The U.S. House of Representatives is due to begin debate Monday on a $1 trillion infrastructure bill ahead of a planned vote Thursday on the measure that is a major part of President Joe Bidens domestic agenda.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced the dates in a letter to Democratic lawmakers Sunday, and in television interviews she expressed confidence the bill will pass.

Let me just say that were going to pass the bill this week, Pelosi said on ABC News This Week show.

She added that she would not bring a bill to the House floor for consideration unless it has enough support to pass.

Biden also expressed confidence when asked about the bill, telling reporters Sunday its going to take the better part of this week.

The Senate approved the infrastructure plan in a vote last month that saw 19 Republicans join all 50 members of the Democratic caucus.

The infrastructure spending, with nearly half of it in new government funding, would repair aging roads and bridges and expand broadband, pay for replacement of dangerous lead-piped drinking water systems, add new sewer infrastructure, expand passenger rail and transit systems, and make airport improvements.

Pelosi said in her letter that House leaders are also working with the Senate and White House on a separate $3.5 trillion proposal involving social safety net and climate change programs. That measure includes plans to provide universal pre-kindergarten instruction, free community college classes, expanded health care for older Americans, childcare funding, money to combat the effects of climate change, and make immigration law changes and attempt to lower prescription drug prices.

But the larger bill, which advanced in the House Budget Committee on Saturday, faces more opposition, including from some Senate Democrats who say they will not support that much spending.

Pelosi told ABCs This Week that the negotiations would certainly result in a lower price tag, calling such a development self-evident.

Some information for this report came from the Associated Press and Reuters.
Britain is gradually easing COVID-19 travel restrictions among African countries on its so-called red list at highest risk of spreading coronavirus. However, South Africa remains on the list, despite a decline in infections. The status is taking a toll on South African tourism and people wanting to visit their families in Britain.

Lynne Philip hasnt seen her son and two grandchildren, who live in England, in four years.

The 70-year-old Johannesburg resident had a flight booked to visit them last year when the pandemic struck, canceling all travel.

Now, shes fully vaccinated with two Pfizer shots and desperate to go.

But Philip says Britains red list designation for South Africa is making it impossible.

I can't afford to go into quarantine there. Timewise it's going to be a problem. It cuts too much into your travel, into your visiting time. We do speak on Zoom, but it's not the same. I just would like to be able to see my family, she said.

Philip is not alone. Over 29,000 people have signed a Change.org petition calling on British lawmakers to ease travel restrictions for South Africans  with many describing anguish over family separation.

The UK Embassy in South Africa reiterated the decision this week, saying it remains concerned about the presence of the beta variant and its potential ability to circumvent vaccines.

But Dr. Michelle Groome, with South Africas National Institute for Communicable Diseases, says that rationale is at odds with the science.

This doesn't make any sense at all, because delta is now making up, I think it's in excess of 96% of our sequences at the moment, and so beta is really not a concern at all. I don't see that there's any difference between us and say, Kenya or India or anyone else that has now been taken off the red list.

Africas Centres for Disease Control is also calling on the United Kingdom to review its position.

The center says immunized Africans, who are receiving the same vaccines as people in Europe, should be recognized equally.

While the United States has restricted entry for South Africans, the White House announced earlier this week that it will lift that rule for those who are fully vaccinated beginning in November.

Several European countries have already made that shift.

Ina Gouws, a political scientist at the University of the Free State, says its hard not to read Britains restrictions as political.

There is reason to think that the region is being treated differently. When there are no clear answers based in fact, speculations start to happen, and that can be dangerous and certainly not good for diplomatic relations. The messaging is one, then, of prejudice. And it is not upon our diplomatic channels to ascertain why this is, Gouws said.

Dr. Groome says barring vaccinated travelers also sends the wrong message to the public about the effectiveness of vaccines.

We are trying very hard to promote vaccines in our country, and as with many countries are, you know, struggling a little bit with that faction who are hesitant to receive the vaccines. And in this case, you know, then it makes people question as to as to why, perhaps with the vaccines that we're giving are not as good as those being used elsewhere, which is obviously not correct, Groom said.

The economic toll of the red list has also been crippling because the UK is the biggest source of tourists for South Africa.

David Frost, chief executive of South Africas inbound tourism association, says the disappearance of British travelers is costing the country $1.7 million a day.

We've got a precious conservation base, which is one of the world's best that is under total threat, because there's no income, there's no money for anti-poaching activities. One in seven South Africans is putting food on the table because of tourism. And when tourism suffers, that means the people don't eat, Frost said.

South Africas international relations minister, Naledi Pandoor, has echoed those concerns and is appealing to British officials to have the decision reversed.

Frost says he hopes the added political push will pay off when the UK reviews its red list in coming weeks.
Several hundred demonstrators gathered in Tunis on Sunday under a heavy police presence to protest against Tunisian President Kais Saied's seizure of governing powers in July and called on him to step down.

Saied this week brushed aside much of the 2014 constitution, giving himself power to rule by decree two months after he sacked the prime minister, suspended parliament and assumed executive authority.

"The people want the fall of the coup," they chanted in the center of Tunis along Habib Bourguiba Avenue, a focal point of the demonstrations that ended the rule of former President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali on January 14, 2011. "Step down."

The crisis has endangered the democratic gains that Tunisians won in a 2011 revolution that triggered the "Arab spring" protests and has also slowed efforts to tackle an urgent threat to public finances, worrying investors.

"He [Saied] is a dictator who betrayed the revolution and betrayed democracy...he gathered all the powers...it is a coup and we will bring down the coup in the streets."



Saied has said his actions are needed to address a crisis of political paralysis, economic stagnation and a poor response to the coronavirus pandemic. He has promised to uphold rights and not become a dictator. Tunisia's influential labor union on Friday rejected key elements of President Kais Saied's seizure of near total power and warned of a threat to democracy as opposition widened against a move his foes call a coup.

A first protest against Saied since his intervention on July 25 took place last week.

Tunisia's largest political party, the moderate Islamist Ennahda, has called Saied's moves "a flagrant coup against democratic legitimacy" and called for people to unite and defend democracy in "a tireless peaceful struggle."

Four other political parties issued a joint statement condemning Saied on Wednesday and another large party, Heart of Tunisia, has also done so.
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has denied a permit application for the proposed Fargo-Moorhead Flood Risk Management Project. The decision to deny the permit means the Diversion Authority cannot proceed with the project as it is proposed.

DNR Commissioner Tom Landwehr said the agency identified several significant concerns about the proposed project in May, when the DNR published the Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the proposal. Although the permit applicant developed a number of new provisions in response to DNR concerns, issues remain that have not been sufficiently addressed.

The DNR has great empathy for people who experience flooding, said Landwehr. The State of Minnesota has a very active program to help communities reduce their flood risk. We agree that enhanced flood protection is warranted for some places in the project area. However, the proposed project is not the right way to achieve that enhanced protection, and the project cannot be permitted under Minnesota law.

Landwehr said the DNR denied the permit application for three primary reasons, following its careful consideration of the proposed project and applicable Minnesota Statutes and Rules:

1. The DNR concluded that the proposed project does not meet the requirement to be reasonable, practical, protect public safety and promote public welfare. Fifty-four percent of land removed from flooding is sparsely developed and rural. Fargo and Moorhead already have extensive flood protection infrastructure in place, with additional levees planned. Existing and planned infrastructure, in combination with emergency measures, is a minimal impact solution to address flooding in Fargo and Moorhead during large floods and is thus more consistent with Minnesota law.

2. The project is not consistent with some state and local land use and water management plans in the project area. The concerns of affected upstream communities have not been addressed. The project is inconsistent with and undermines Minnesota policy and goals relating to floodplain management.

3. Mitigation, monitoring and adaptive management needs remain that have not been sufficiently addressed. Some potential impacts are anticipated to be severe and may be irreversible. The permit applicants funding source for mitigation, monitoring and adaptive management has not been determined or sufficiently detailed.

The proposed project would control flows through the Fargo-Moorhead metropolitan area via a dam and diversion channel system. Major project design features include two dams located upstream of the major population center, two embankments, a diversion channel, a 38,400-acre staging area, and in-town levees and floodwalls. The Red River dam would be classified as a Class I, or high hazard, dam.

Detailed rationale for the decision can be found in DNRs Findings of Fact document at: http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/waters/fm-flood-risk.html
User reports estimate the perceived ground shaking intensity according to the MMI (Modified Mercalli Intensity) scale

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

Lipa City, Batangas, Calabarzon (43.4 km E of epicenter) [ Map ] / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / vibration and rolling / 10-15 s : I was awaken from deep sleep with my bed shaking, I thought it was one of my dogs, but realized later it was an earthquake.

Tagaytay, Cavite, Calabarzon (29.9 km NE of epicenter) [ Map ] / not felt We were already sitting at the curb outside after evacuating from the prior quake. Wife felt it a bit but I did not. (reported through (reported through our app / not felt

Los Banos, Laguna, Calabarzon (58.4 km ENE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II)

Olongapo City, Zambales, Central Luzon (116 km NNW of epicenter) [ Map ] / not felt Slept threw it (reported through (reported through our app / not felt

Quezon city philippines (88.8 km NNE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 10-15 s Felt side to side shaking in our 10th floor condo .lasted about 15 to 20 seconds. (reported through (reported through our app / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 10-15 s

Imus, Cavite, Calabarzon (58.8 km NNE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging

Carmona, Cavite (54.8 km NNE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s : Aftershock

Port Area, PH.NCR.D9, National Capital Region (78.5 km NNE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III)

Los Banos, Laguna, Calabarzon (58.4 km ENE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II)

Buhay na Tubig imus cavite (60.5 km NNE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s Is like the truck passing by in our street is like the ground crumbling and then mild shaking (reported through (reported through our app / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s

Malolos, Bulacan, Central Luzon (106.9 km N of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 20-30 s (reported through our app / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 20-30 s

CABUYAO, LAGUNA / Strong shaking (MMI VI) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s

Makati, manila / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 1-2 s : Felt like someone moving my bed in circles for a brief moment.

Mandaluyong City (81.2 km NNE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / both vertical and horizontal swinging / 1-2 s : I woke up because I felt an earthquake

Il Giardino Residences General Trias City / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 10-15 s

Makati / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s (reported through our app / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s

Batangas City / Light shaking (MMI IV) / both vertical and horizontal swinging / 1-2 s : Light shaking, twice vertical motion (downward motion, no upwards) with light horizontal motion

Taguig / Strong shaking (MMI VI) / single lateral shake / very short

House / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s Modeeate Shaking (reported through (reported through our app / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s

makati city / Weak shaking (MMI III) i suddenly awake and felt the shaking for several seconds (reported through (reported through our app / Weak shaking (MMI III)

Muntinlupa / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s

Bed / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / horizontal (sideways) swinging

lipa city Batangas / Light shaking (MMI IV) / complex motion difficult to describe / 15-20 s : Felt like I was getting vertigo-Motion sickness

laspinas / Weak shaking (MMI III) / single lateral shake / 2-5 s : surprised and worried

Caloocan / Weak shaking (MMI III) / 1-2 s

Taguig / not felt : None

Olongapo City (115.9 km NNW of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 20-30 s

Santa Rosa / not felt (reported through our app / not felt

Malabon / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / very short (reported through our app / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / very short

Cabuyao City / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / single lateral shake / 1-2 s Slightly lateral shake (reported through (reported through our app / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / single lateral shake / 1-2 s

quezon city / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / single lateral shake / 2-5 s

makati city / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s

Guiguinto,, Bulacan / Light shaking (MMI IV) / 2-5 s (reported through our app / Light shaking (MMI IV) / 2-5 s

Las pinas / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / single lateral shake / 1-2 s (reported through our app / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / single lateral shake / 1-2 s
Photo: Warner Bros.

James Wans Malignant begins with heavy subject matter, handled with all the grace and elegance of a dump. (This is a compliment.)

Backtrack. James Wans Malignant actually begins with a flashback to a spooky Shutter Islandish asylum way back in olden times, meaning 1993. There is a patient or some sort of creature named Gabriel locked up there, with superhuman strength and an ability to control and communicate through electricity. We know this because someone in a lab coat says, He speaks. Hes broadcasting his thoughts. The head doctor then faces the camera head-on and says, Its time we cut out the cancer. Cue the gory, surgical, oh, youre in for it now title credits.

We then meet pregnant Madison (Annabelle Wallis) and her abusive husband Derek, who punches her into a wall so hard her head bleeds. We dont have to wait long until he gets what he deserves. We learn that Madison has lost pregnancies before, and shes heartbroken about this one because she wanted to know what it felt like to have a blood connection with someone. A biological connection. This stilted line underscores how weird the motivating force behind basically all of human life is. Whoa, man. Yes, this movie inspires dorm-room stoner thoughts, as any good horror watch should.

This leads to a scene that has not stopped rattling around in my head since I saw it. More than the gore, or the scares, or the pivotal monster reveal, its the following scene of sisterly bonding that defines Malignants camp sensibility and hints at the madness to come. Out of context, it seems pulled from a Lifetime movie about suburban scandal. But here, this hyperdramatic treatment of a mundane character detail establishes a tone of excess, Expressionistic performances, and surreality. That tone is a feature, not a bug.

Sitting on the bed of her very haunted house, Madison tells her sister, Sydney (Maddie Hasson, looking every bit like a Florence Pugh body double), Mom took me in when I was 8. I dont remember anything before then. Mom told me that my biological mother died during the birth. The background music  which happens to be a spooky-choral rendition of Where Is My Mind because Malignant takes the hes broadcasting his thoughts approach to filmmaking  builds as she gives her confession. The camera cuts to her sister, listening with owl-wide eyes, lit up ghost-white like Laura Dern in Inland Empire. Everything in this scene is signaling that we are about to witness the most horrific moment of the movie; that maybe just before Madison can get a word in, the killer will drop down from the ceiling and start stabbing. The music drops out. Pause for effect.

Sydney, Im adopted.

Madison chokes on the word adopted, inhales it, like shes confessing to a horrible crime, or like its a scared-straight movie from the 1950s and shes admitting to smoking the devils lettuce. This bonkers energy is surpassed somehow by her sisters reaction; Sydney searches Madisons face with haunted eyes while the music cuts back in with a wail. Its funny not only because being adopted is not that big a deal (at least not until we learn more about Madisons pre-adoption particulars), but everything until now should have already given this revelation away. They even deliberately cast two actresses who couldnt look less like biological sisters if they tried. The coagulated cherry on the blood-matted cake of this scene is the immediate cut to a sweeping shot of Seattle at night. Its all just so gleefully excessive.

Intentional artifice abounds in Malignant. When were first introduced to Madisons sister, Sydney, shes incongruously dressed as a fairy princess in a hospital (birthday party princess is her day job). And one of Gabriels victims is introduced as a haunted tour guide. Both their jobs are to make pretend and persuade an audience to knowingly buy in for the sake of fun; Wan is signaling to us that this is his job, too, as a horror director. These moments invite us to watch his movie in a similar mode, with a sense of abandon, giving ourselves over to his constructions and not worrying about whether dialogue is believable or not. Its not a story meant to scare you at the campfire because of its plausibility; its either giallo or camp, depending on whom you ask, for its lurid visual extravagance and Expressionistic approach to acting.

I appreciate the intentionality behind every decision in this movie, even if it doesnt totally pay off. For example, Ive heard other fans and critics say that the second act drags its feet on its way to the good stuff at the end; Id argue that this sections repeated beats are an effective parody of mystery procedurals, right down to the cop banter. Directors making extremely strong choices like the ones Wan makes here are the stuff cult-movie rituals are built around. Rocky Horror fans throw toast at the screen; one day, fans will show up to midnight Malignant screenings armed with chairs.

Okay, now its spoiler time.

Madisons confession is actually clever foreshadowing, as the circumstances of her adoption really do turn out to be as horrific as the tenor of that scene merits. The mysteriously powerful Gabriel is a sentient tumor in the back of Madisons head who has been dormant since the events of the opening scene, but was awakened when Madisons husband smashed her head against the wall (this explains why she wakes up from her visions of the killer with her head bleeding). Gabriel is able to take control of Madisons body by placing her in a mind prison. We see this in full effect when he breaks all her bones so that his face is forward for a climactic killing spree in a womens holding cell and a police precinct.

The drama comes to a head (Malignant pun) in the hospital room of Madison and Gabriels birth mother, with Sydney begging Madison to regain control of her body and put an end to Gabriels violence. Madison, he killed your babies! He was the cause of your miscarriages! He was feeding off of your fetuses to build himself back up! Sydney cries in what Id consider the other best line in the whole movie.

This is enough for Madison, empowered into bodily autonomy through the power of sisterly love, to face off with Gabriel on the astral plane of their shared psyche, where she imprisons him. Its all very anime. When she comes to, she tells Sydney, All my life, Ive yearned for a blood connection with someone. Yet in the end, it was right in front of me all along. Blood or not, you will always be my sister. See? Thats why they had to make that adoption convo such a big deal. Because this movie had to go from a broken-boned tumor demon scampering in the dark and stabbing people in the head to the resolution of Disneys Frozen in a matter of minutes and have it pay off. Its basically RuPauls spiel about how you get to choose your family. Is Malignant queer canon?

The movie is full of scenes that may not make sense to your waking brain, cucked by the drab realism and continuity weve come to expect from major-studio releases. But thats because Malignant isnt concerned with your waking brain at all; its a movie about all the weird shit that goes down when you let your subconscious scamper around like the little freak it is. Scenes like the Im adopted confession play out like they would in a dream. Annabelle Wallis and Maddie Hassons performances of Akela Coopers screenplay make emotional sense the way opera makes emotional sense. For all of its plainspoken familial emotion, inventive action, stylistic excess, and weird hang-ups about heads and faces and ownership of ones identity, Malignant reminded me of the first time I watched and fell in love with Face/Off. Were movies allowed to be this fun and strange all along? And where is my mind? And  are we all adopted?
An electric car company owned by China's Evergrande is having trouble paying suppliers and has called off plans to sell new shares as the group's woes spread beyond its core real estate business.

Shares in China Evergrande New Energy Vehicle Group fell more than 9% in Hong Kong on Monday following announcements that it would no longer pursue a secondary listing in Shanghai, and that it was having trouble paying suppliers. The stock was down as much as 30% earlier in the day.

Concerns have been swirling for some time: shares of the EV firm have suffered several single-day drops of more than 20% in recent weeks, and have crashed more than 90% so far this year.

The carmaker's latest warnings mirrored those of its owner, which has rattled global investors and sparked fears among some analysts of a potential Lehman Brothers moment in the world's second biggest economy.

Evergrande Group has in recent weeks warned that it could default on its enormous debts, which run up to more than $300 billion. Evergrande New Energy Vehicle, which is known for its Hengchi electric car brand, is 65% owned by the Chinese conglomerate.

The group has been trying to sell off part of its stake in the EV business to ease its debt crisis, but without success, according to a stock exchange filing earlier this month.

Despite the automaker's name, cars are still a small part of its business. Instead, senior care dominates its sales, according to its preliminary results in June.

Until recently, the automaker had also been considering selling new shares, which would have taken place as a listing on the Shanghai Stock Exchange.

But after "careful consideration," it decided to cancel the plan, it said in a regulatory filing in Hong Kong on Sunday, without giving further details.

That came just days after the EV company disclosed that work had been suspended on some projects due to the "serious shortage of funds" from its owner.

Evergrande New Energy Vehicle was "still exploring with different potential strategic investors to introduce new investors," namely by trying to sell off some of its overseas assets, the carmaker's chairman, Shawn Siu, wrote in a separate filing Friday. But there had been "no material progress" so far, he added.

Without fresh funding, Siu warned that Evergrande Group's cash crunch "is expected to affect the daily operations of the [overall] group, worsen its ability to pay employees' salary and/ or other expenses."

It also would hurt the company's ability to continue production of its vehicles, he noted.

The warnings underscored how critical the coming days and weeks will be for Evergrande as a whole. On Thursday, the group failed to address an interest payment of nearly $84 million, though it still has a grace period of up to 30 days to pay up. It is next slated to make a payment on another bond this week.

 Jill Disis contributed to this report.

The-CNN-Wire

 &  2021 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved.
Jolinn Bracey slept in her Toyota Corolla for five years until she put homelessness in her rearview mirror by moving into a tiny home.

Bracey, 48, is one of 41 residents of The Chandler Boulevard Bridge Home Village in North Hollywood, California, which provides transitional housing for the homeless.

"This has given me a place to reconfigure myself and build up to my new home," Bracey told CNN. "It put me back into practice of being consistent in the normal things that you do. It grounds you."

Bracey moved into the 64-square-foot home in February. It features a bed, air conditioner, racks to hang her colorful clothes and, most importantly, a door that locks.

"It's the first time in a long time that I don't feel like someone is going to come up on me," said Bracey.

She said a fire in a house she once owned and an unfair eviction at a place she rented led her into homelessness.

There are more than 41,000 homeless people in the city of Los Angeles, according to the last count by the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, an independent, joint powers authority created by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors and the Los Angeles mayor and City Council.

Villages like Chandler aim to chip away at that number by placing formerly homeless people in protected, fenced-off communities.

Helping residents get back on their feet

At Chandler, case managers can offer residents help for anything from drug and alcohol abuse and mental health issues, to navigating the complexities of job applications, health insurance and more.

"We're dealing with people at the worst moment of their lives," said Rowan Vansleve, president of Hope of the Valley, the non-profit that operates Chandler and other tiny home villages in the Los Angeles area.

"It's really humbling to say, 'I can't feed myself. I can't house myself. I can't get a hot shower.'"

Vansleve says new residents revel in that first shower on site and calls hot water and great soap "magic" that helps residents feel like a better person.

The residents are also fed three meals a day.

"We do everything we can to make this site welcoming. We call it the 'Love Club,'" Vansleve added.

Despite the nickname, the village does have rules. At the top of the list is no weapons or drugs allowed on campus, and paraphernalia must be checked at a locker outside.

Hope of the Valley says residents live in the homes for free and can stay as long as they are on a pathway to permanent housing, which counselors estimate takes three to six months.

Vansleve said the strategy is to take people off the streets within just a few miles of the tiny home village, not from other parts of Southern California, such as Skid Row.

"That way, people in the neighborhood see less homeless, less trash, less crime, fewer drug users roaming around," he added. "I think these villages should spread across the country like Starbucks -- be in every community."

Vansleve says the tiny home villages are built on small parcels, many repurposed city properties. The Chandler complex sits on just half an acre.

An Everett, Washington, company called Pallet, which specializes in small shelter homes for homeless or temporary housing, built the homes for the Chandler village. The company estimates the minimum cost of each home to be $5,495.

Pallet reports it has helped build 44 tiny home villages, most on the West Coast, with 13 projects in the pipeline.

Hope of the Valley aims to house more than 900 people by November, Vansleve said.

'One of the lucky ones'

Completely out of view from any passersby, Chandler resident Todd Dumanski loaded his laundry at the row of stacked washers and dryers.

"I've been a heroin abuser and polysubstance abuser almost my entire life," Dumanski said.

Dumanski, 36, said he once amassed a net worth of well over a million dollars by founding a vitamin and supplement company in the Philadelphia area. But he said business misfortune and his drug use eventually put him on the streets after a move to Los Angeles.

"I'm one of the lucky ones," he said, "because a lot of people (addicts) died."

Dumanski described a dark homeless underworld filled with debilitating or lethal drug abuse, rampant theft, all forms of violence including sexual assault against women and men, and bullets flying.

"I got shot at six times, by a revolver, by three gang members," Dumanski said.

"They were young, maybe 18 to 24 years old. They shot at me because they wanted my spot for one of their friends who would soon become homeless."

Dumanski said he had built an elaborate shelter near the 170 Freeway, hidden from view, and he had rigged up a grill.

Now, Dumanski lives in a tiny home less than a mile away, with little more than his bed, toiletries and a huge water jug with a handle that he lifts to add to his workouts.

"I like to throw everything in one backpack," Dumanski said. "I don't attach emotions to material stuff. Technically from the outside I have nothing, but I feel I have everything. "

Dumanski once had a house and a BMW -- but also feelings of depression and suicide, he said.

"You give me tens of thousands of dollars, that isn't going to help me right now," Dumanski said. "I'm right where I want to be right now. I know what I have to do moving forward. This place has been a game changer, man."

Paying it forward

Each tiny home is different. The interior style ranges from Dumanski's minimalist white to Bracey's kaleidoscopic flickers of purples, reds, aqua and more.

"My decor is just me -- I'm colorful, funky," Bracey declared. "I think outside the box."

Inside her tiny home, Bracey dreamed out loud about getting a bachelor's degree and spinning all the good will she found at Chandler onto people who are currently homeless.

She says she's two classes away from finishing up an associate degree at Los Angeles Valley Community College.

"I just want to help everybody not go through what I went through," Bracey said.

At the end of the month, Bracey said, she plans to move into an apartment. It will be just down the street, not far from the parking garage where she used to sleep in her car.

The-CNN-Wire

 &  2021 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved.
Officials continue to piece together the series of events surrounding 10 intentionally set fires at Huntsville-area businesses. Meanwhile, the affected businesses are trying to figure out what to do next.

"It's not just going to damage that business but our community, because we need these businesses to build up Huntsville in general, and if people are trying to bog them down, we're not going to be able to grow from that," said a business owner in Huntsville.

Officials say they now believe 10 fires were intentionally set Saturday night across Madison County. The 10 fires under investigation took place at:

4851 Whitesburg Drive, Plato's Closet;

1795 US Highway 72 East, McDonald's;

2125 Winchester Road Northeast, ALDI;

125 Winchester Road Northeast, Dollar General;

6070 Moores Mill Road, Kroger;

6140 University Drive, Walmart;

2718 Carl T Jones Drive Southeast, Dick's Sporting Goods;

8000 Madison Boulevard, Publix;

8020 Madison Boulevard, Champy's Famous Fried Chicken; and

1604 Winchester Road, Dollar General.

Huntsville Police say 24-year-old Nicholas Tremaine Hubbert is now behind bars, charged with arson in connection to at least one of those fires. The Madison Police Department, Madison County Sheriff's Office and Huntsville Fire Marshal said Hubbert is a suspect in all 10 fires.

WAAY-31 spoke with business owners and people who were impacted. Staff at one business said they were able to put their fire out and actually help catch the culprit.

"It was a pretty full bar and not something you'd expect when you're running a restaurant on a busy Saturday night," said Eugene Jung, owner of Champy's Fried Chicken.

Jung and his crew were working Saturday night like normal, when they say a man came in and said he wanted to use their restroom. Moments later, Jung's employee told him there was a fire in the bathroom.

"I didn't know whether to believe her or not," Jung said. "So, I walked over to the bathroom and opened the door, and there's a 4-foot flame coming out of the trash can."

The fires were all started the same night. Now, surrounding businesses are fearing they could be next.

"Knowing that somebody could do this in our community and is affecting our businesses is not something nice to hear," said a business owner in Huntsville.

Some business owners said it feels like they can't win, with the Covid-19 pandemic and now someone setting businesses on fire.

"We're all trying to recover from this, and that's just one more thing that's setting a lot of these businesses back," one business said.

Plato's Closet was forced to close due to the damage, and several witnesses told WAAY-31 they're nervous about what happened.

Jung's staff says they provided Hubbert's license plate to police shortly before he was apprehended, and Jung is thankful no one was harmed or injured.

"Fortunately, our staff stayed pretty calm and reacted appropriately, and we were able to help ... catch the guy," Jung said.

Hubbert remained in jail Monday with bail set at $60,000. Huntsville PD said more charges are pending.
UPDATE: Madison County crime scene units responded to a report of a vehicle matching the description of the missing womans car parked in the rural Union cemetery area near Allen Road just after noon Monday.

Investigators now believe they have located the missing woman.

Out of respect for the family we will not be releasing any further details as it pertained to our missing person, said Brent Patterson, Madison County Sheriff's Office spokesman.

According to a WAAY viewer, he spotted the vehicle parked here Sunday evening but did not know it was related to a missing persons case until he saw a report on WAAY 31 Midday news.

WAAY 31 cameras captured crime scene investigators working in the area and a tow truck took the car away just before 3 p.m. Monday.

From earlier:

The Madison County Sheriff's Office is asking for your help in locating a missing woman.

Susan McDaniel Lee was last seen Sunday at 1:15 p.m. at the Wal-mart on Sparkman Drive in Huntsville.

She is driving a 1999 Gold Grand Marquis with Alabama license plate 7217AY3. She was last seen wearing a burgundy shirt and black leggings.

She has many medical issues.

If you see her, call the Madison County Sheriff's Office or Huntsville Police.
U.S. 72 in Madison from Jeff Road to Nance Road was temporarily closed Sunday due to a crash, according to Huntsville Police.

According to HEMSI Spokesperson Don Webster, one male was killed in the crash. A female, approximately 18, was injured, Webster said.

She was transported to Huntsville Hospital in serious but stable condition.

Madison Police are investigating the crash.
New and improved prisons are what state legislators will be discussing in a special session that started Monday.

State Reps. Anthony Daniels and Mike Ball told WAAY 31 that they anticipate this special session to be wrapped up by Saturday. However, Daniels said the only way he'll support the state building new prisons is if there's also a strong focus on helping the prisoners.

State legislators meet about a prison reform bill State legislators meet about a prison reform bill

We cant build our way out of this issue, this problem," Daniels said. "It has to be comprehensive and so long term that were able to reduce recidivism, and truly get folks out so they can provide for their families."

Both Ball and Daniels agree the proposed construction bill is a good step in solving the state's prison problem, but they said focusing on actually helping the prisoners and improving their living conditions is the only way to truly start the process.

If you cage people and treat them like an animal, theyre going to behave like an animal," Ball said. "I mean, even somebody that would not normally behave like an animal, you put them in there, and when they have to try to survive, they become that."

For me, the term corrections is not correcting the problem. It should be warehousing," said Daniels. "So now, we have to focus on How do we correct? We have to focus on the true corrections.

The proposed bill includes reevaluating prisoners' sentences if they were convicted of a nonviolent crime, as well as allowing more prisoners to be placed on supervised release.

"I do think a degree of some supervision and some help of getting people their feet on the ground when theyve done time in prison and they come out, I think its good for society, I think its good for public safety," Ball said.

The proposed construction bill will cost hundreds of millions of dollars. Daniels said if the bill is done correctly, it'll be better for the state in the long run.

Yes, its a lot of money, but at the end of the day, its going to cost us more to reincarcerate an individual because they dont have opportunities or skills to offer once theyre out of prison," he said.

Daniels also wanted to stress that this wouldn't mean building additional prisons but replacing the current ones with new and improved prisons.
Abortion has been illegal in San Marino since 1865.

San Marino, the tiny landlocked republic within northern Italy, voted overwhelmingly in favour of legalising abortion in a referendum on Sunday, overturning a law dating back to 1865.

77 per cent of those who turned up at the polls voted to legalise abortion in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy as well as making it legal to terminate a pregnancy beyond that point if the woman's life is in danger or if there are foetal abnormalities.

Voter turn-out in San Marino was 41 per cent in the sovereign microstate which has around 33,000 inhabitants and claims to be the world's oldest republic.

Campaigns on both sides of the contentious issue led to tension in the conservative state where previous attempts to legalise abortion were blocked several times over the past two decades.

Women in San Marino seeking to terminate a pregnancy usually go to neighbouring Italy where abortion was legalised in 1978 following a referendum.
Please enable cookies on your web browser in order to continue.

The new European data protection law requires us to inform you of the following before you use our website:

We use cookies and other technologies to customize your experience, perform analytics and deliver personalized advertising on our sites, apps and newsletters and across the Internet based on your interests. By clicking I agree below, you consent to the use by us and our third-party partners of cookies and data gathered from your use of our platforms. See our Privacy Policy and Third Party Partners to learn more about the use of data and your rights. You also agree to our Terms of Service.
Mexican officials say they intend to continue cooperating with the United States on immigration management and border controls, and technical talks to discuss restarting MPP will occur as part of ongoing conversations about migration. Their capacity to take back more U.S. asylum seekers and migrants remains limited, however, and they regard other enforcement tools and policies to be more effective, according to two Mexican officials who were not authorized to speak publicly about the incipient U.S. discussions.
China may be diving head first into a power supply shock that could hit Asias largest economy hard just as the Evergrande crisis sends shockwaves through its financial system.

The crackdown on power consumption is being driven by rising demand for electricity and surging coal and gas prices as well as strict targets from Beijing to cut emissions. Its coming first to the countrys mammoth manufacturing industries: from aluminum smelters to textiles producers and soybean processing plants, factories are being ordered to curb activity or -- in some instances -- shut altogether.

Almost half of Chinas regions missed energy consumption targets set by Beijing and are now under pressure to curb power use. Among the worst hit are Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Guangdong -- a trio of industrial powerhouses that account for nearly a third of Chinas economy.

With market attention now laser-focused on Evergrande and Beijings unprecedented curbs on the property sector, another major supply-side shock may have been underestimated or even missed, Nomura Holding analysts including Ting Lu warned in a note, predicting Chinas economy will shrink this quarter.

The worsening power crunch in China -- perhaps overshadowed by the attention on whether Evergrande will default on its mammoth debts -- reflects extremely tight energy supply globally thats already seen chaos engulf markets in Europe. The economic rebound from Covid lockdowns has boosted demand from households and businesses as lower investment by miners and drillers constrains production.

But Chinas energy crisis is partially of its own making as President Xi Jinping tries to ensure blue skies at the Winter Olympics in Beijing next February and show the international community hes serious about de-carbonizing the economy.

The crackdown on power consumption is being driven by rising demand for electricity and surging coal and gas prices as well as strict targets from Beijing to cut emissions. Credit:AP

The economy is at risk of a severe shortage of coal and gas -- used to heat homes and power factories -- this winter. Its had to ration power in the colder months before but its never had to do it with global prices of these fuels at the levels they are now.

Chinas thermal coal futures have surged in the past month, smashing new records over and over as concerns over mine safety and pollution constrain domestic output while it continues to ban shipments from top supplier Australia. Meanwhile, natural gas prices from Europe to Asia have surged to seasonal highs as countries try outbid each other for fast-depleting supplies.

In previous winter power surges in China, many have turned to diesel generators to plug the shortages of power from the electricity grid. This year, the danger is government policies have further limited the energy industrys potential to increase production to meet the demand increase, said Zeng Hao, chief expert at consultancy Shanxi Jinzheng Energy.

According to Nikkei, suppliers to Apple and Tesla halted production at some of their sites in China on Sunday. Foxconns facilities in Longhua, Guanlan, Taiyuan and Zhengzhou -- the worlds largest iPhone manufacturing complex -- remained unaffected by the power-supply restrictions, the report said.

A number of smaller companies are also starting to inform the stock exchange theyve been ordered to curb or halt activity. While they may be overlooked by major foreign investors that dont cover these firms, the end result could be a shortage of everything from textiles to electronics components that could snarl supply chains and eat into the profits of a host of multinational companies.

The power curbs will ripple through and impact global markets, Nomuras Lu said. Very soon the global markets will feel the pinch of a shortage of supply from textiles, toys to machine parts.

The curtailments are a fresh threat for an economy facing multiple pressures after a V-shaped rebound in the past year. And as with Europes energy ructions, the squeeze poses a challenge for policy makers: how to pursue environmental goals without damaging still-fragile economies. Beijing is targeting full-year growth of 6% after expansion of 12.7% in the first half.

Policy makers seem to be willing to accept slower growth in the rest of this year in order to meet the carbon emissions target, said Larry Hu, head of China economics at Macquarie Group. The GDP goal of more than 6% is easily achievable, but emissions targets are not easy to hit given robust growth in the first half.

Bloomberg
Intimacies makes elegant architecture of the unmissable spectre of colonialism. Kitamura is a writer who can create large shadows from the smallest of objects and her plotting provides an object lesson in the ambiguity of human relationships.

As in Rembrandts paintings, subtlety is key to Kitamuras achievements. She brings her talent for imagery and close reading of relationships to the story of an unnamed translator in an unnamed court in The Hague.

Katie Kitamuras Intimacies is an existential thriller with a shadow text about the systems, the narratives, and the ambiguities that position the way we relate to each other and the way we see ourselves. The American writer  who has authored three novels, including A Separation  renders the intricacies of human relationships with the lustre and soulfulness of a Dutch painter.

When the colonialism theme arrives it is dramatised in a painting by the 17th-century Dutch artist Judith Leyster, whose The Proposition comes to stand for the ambiguous and sometimes fraught power relations in the book  between genders, races, and classes.

Credit:

The painting represents two irreconcilable subjective positions: the man, who believed the scene to be one of ardour and seduction, and the woman, who had been plunged into a state of fear and humiliation. This schism echoes several of the books themes and contrasts. The power relations can be read as between nations and states, rather than only between men and women.

Intimacies dramatises these power relations in the plot of trial of an unnamed African dictator. Through its protagonists eyes, its possible to see a clear atrocity as something that has shadows and more. Like The Proposition, in which the narrative of seduction or assault is ambiguous, so the story of the courts attempt to enforce universal human rights and restorative justice is portrayed both as a worthy attempt to get to the truth, and a disingenuous attempt at imposing Western values on a charismatic African leader.

As the translator is drawn into the preparation for the accuseds trial and the defence attorney argues for a nuanced strategy, the former dictator treats her like a distraction. She becomes aware of how his charisma and popularity among supporters coexist with an inability to believe in the atrocities hes been convicted of. This becomes a metaphor for the ambiguous power relations captured by the Leyster painting, which transform the translator from a subject into an object. The narrator says: I interpreted for the former president, that I remained there, in that room with those men, until they no longer wanted me.
Your Honor 

Is the original always the best? Thats an increasingly common question in television, where the hunger of competing platforms for new material means that a niche show which inspired a prominent remake may eventually start to air alongside its successor. These broadcast doppelgangers, haunting each other with similarities while weighing up discrepancies, are a litmus test for our taste and a reality check for their creators  when a concept is done twice, one of the versions has to fall short of the other, right?

Yoram Hattab plays progressive judge Micha Alkobi in the original, Israeli version of Your Honor. Credit:SBS

Not always. In the case of the Israeli drama Your Honor (Kvodo), which has two seasons now streaming via SBS on Demand, and its American remake of the same name headlined by Breaking Bads Bryan Cranston and available on Stan here, thats not such an easily answered question. The two shows have much the same plot  with an upstanding judge losing his moral bearings when he helps his son cover up a hit-and-run accident where the victim is the scion of an organised crime family  but divergent goals in exploring it.

The first splinter of intent is pacing. The original Your Honor, which had successful seasons air on Israeli television in 2017 and 2019, is pared down in establishing the story. It goes straight into the instigating collision, which happens on a sun-parched road outside the southern city of Beer Sheva, while the American version set it up as an elaborate set-piece  and then drew out the gory tension with an extended aftermath between the two young men.
Its too easy to miss brilliant streaming shows, movies and documentaries. Here are the ones to hit play on or skip.

Conviction: The Case of Stephen Lawrence 

Paramount+, from Monday

The title card sets the scene: On 22 April 1993, 18-year-old Stephen Lawrence was murdered in an unprovoked racist attack. The police failed to catch his killers. A public inquiry found the Metropolitan Police to be incompetent and institutionally racist. In 2006, 13 years after their sons murder, his parents are still fighting for justice.

Hugh Quarshie, Steve Coogan and Sharlene Whyte star in Conviction: The Case of Stephen Lawrence.

Then, this gripping miniseries shows, things started to happen. At the centre of it all is the initially unlikely figure of Steve Coogan as real-life Detective Chief Inspector Clive Driscoll, who succeeded in convincing his superiors that he should be allowed to reinvestigate the case from the very beginning.
The absence of Prime Minister Scott Morrison at the upcoming COP26 climate talks would be significant, even though Australian leaders do not attend each of the annual summits.

We havent made any final decisions about [attending COP26]. I mean it is another trip overseas and Ive been on several this year and spent a lot of time in quarantine, Morrison told The West Australian newspaper.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson in the garden of 10 Downing Street in June. Credit:AP

I have to focus on things here and with COVID. Australia will be opening up around that time, there will be a lot of issues to manage and I have to manage those competing demands.

Energy and Emissions Reduction Minister Angus Taylor has confirmed he will attend, but not Foreign Minister Marise Payne.
Nancy Pelosi, the US Speaker of the House, last week inadvertently gave Labor a preview of its worst nightmare.

Standing next to our Prime Minister, Pelosi delivered a fairly bland statement about working on critical priorities, including so many other things in terms of cooperation on security but also strengthening our relationship with regard to trade and commerce. On this list she included climate change  and thank you for your leadership in that regard.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison, left, shakes hands with US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Credit:Bloomberg

It was a ridiculous thing to say, as Pelosis colleagues would have known  in recent months the Biden administration has made clear Australias inadequacies on climate. But Pelosi went even further the next day, citing Morrisons slogan of meeting and beating the Paris targets as proof Australia, along with Britain, was leading the way. Whether Australia was doing enough (its not) and whether those targets still mattered (they dont) didnt seem to come into it  Morrison had a slogan and that was enough.

That Pelosi could say such things should terrify Labor, because of how closely it reflects the likely position going into the election. There is a very good chance Morrison will not have done much more on climate than he has now. He will, however, have a slogan, which will be accepted, by a remarkable number of people, as an acceptable substitute for reality  just as it was in America last week.
Les Cameron roams the maze of rooms of his big, old country pub, the Commercial in Terang, inviting you to imagine a creative sanctuary in the making.

The western Victorian hotels rooms, in these COVID-19 days, are all but empty.

But Cameron, who bought the hotel in 2018 and transformed it into a popular cultural and social venue, sees a future when the Commercial is alive with resident artists, writers, musicians and performers, all of them freed of financial care.

Les Cameron will welcome artists-in-residence to the Commercial Hotel in Terang. Credit:Justin McManus

Here is a gallery and dining room; there a performance space that doubles as a cinema. An office is set up to record podcasts; another is a guitar-strewn music recording studio. There are lounges for dreaming. Kitchens for sustenance. Upstairs are comfortable bedrooms.
Organised crime squad officers have been brought in to investigate an alleged carjacking involving a gun on the Graham Farmer Freeway on Monday morning during which at least one shot was fired.

A 28-year-old man was taken into custody on the freeway about 7am after the incident near Lord Street and the Graham Farmer Freeway in Perth at 5.20am.

The scene near the Graham Farmer Freeway tunnel. Credit:Lucy McLeod

A police officer and a 60-year-old man who was allegedly violently carjacked on the freeway were transferred to hospital.

Assistant police commissioner Allan Adams said it was a dynamic situation that confronted police but there was no longer any danger to the public.
Perth has breathed a sigh of relief after no new cases of COVID-19 were reported on Sunday despite the city playing host to the AFL grand final, with 61,000 attendees, as well as interstate teams and VIP visitors.

A woman in her 20s, who arrived in WA from New South Wales without approval, tested positive on Friday, but Mr McGowan said authorities were not concerned about the case and the grand final would proceed as planned.

Sell-out crowds at Perths Optus Stadium for the 2021 AFL grand final match. Credit:AFL Photos

On Sunday, WA Health said the womans 18 close and casual contacts returned negative results but will remain in quarantine as directed.

Following the conclusion of the grand final, Mr McGowan plans to reclassify Victoria as an extreme risk state, which will stop all travel to WA except for politicians and compassionate circumstances where a loved one is in palliative care.
Both WA and Queensland make up more than half the countrys landmass, but host only 30 per cent of the population. In Queensland, unlike all other Australian jurisdictions barring the small island state of Tasmania, less than half live in the capital. Both have also drawn much of the Commonwealth ire for their last-place duel in the race to protect their populations from all-but-inevitable Delta variant outbreaks, as the country angles to begin reopening this year at targets of 70 and 80 per cent of the eligible population fully vaccinated under the national plan. Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk (front, first from left) and WA Premier Mark McGowan (front, first from right) among other national cabinet leaders during a press conference in December. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen In NSW, Victoria and the ACT, weeks and months into their toughest outbreaks of the pandemic, the pace of vaccination has upped gears. All three are well ahead of the national average on both first and second dose figures and are now looking to vaccinate their way out of lockdowns, having given up on suppressing or eliminating the virus. The ACT is much smaller and largely metropolitan, too. Tasmania also sits slightly further ahead of the pack.

At the bottom, there are Queensland and WA. But they are among the remaining essentially COVID-free jurisdictions within about six percentage points of each other on second doses  between 43.9 per cent and 50 per cent. On first doses, the field narrows to 2.7 percentage points. Based on the current speed, all are widely tipped to reach 80 per cent by mid December at the latest. Loading The two Labor premiers hesitancy to open borders to hotspot states once vaccination targets are reached has also been a point of significant contention, and vocal criticism, among elements of the Coalition and business community. Though officials in the NT and Tasmania have also, more quietly, flagged closed borders at Christmas and an aim to stay closed until 90 per cent is double-dosed. Queenslands Annastacia Palaszczuk declared on Thursday the freedoms being aimed for in NSW and Victoria at 80 per cent would be a backwards step from those already available in her state, and has consistently heaped blame on the federal governments for lacking supply.

Western Australias Mark McGowan has blamed an unfair vaccine share from the Commonwealth, as the reason vaccine uptake is low, despite nearly 20,000 unbooked Pfizer appointments being available at state-run clinics at the time he made the comments. Both of the largest states have now opened Pfizer doses to over-60s, in an effort to encourage remaining people only previously eligible for the much misaligned AstraZeneca to get the jab. NSW and Victoria are among the few remaining jurisdictions to have not. The stated population-share basis of the national rollout has swayed slightly to states facing outbreaks, along with greater portions of priority groups. Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk says her state already enjoys more freedoms than will be available to NSW and Victorian residents when 80 per cent of people aged 16 and over are fully vaccinated. Credit:Matt Dennien Experts say lifting vaccination rates boils down motivation and access. The latter has largely been an issue Australia-wide until recent weeks. The former is also a more uphill push for largely COVID-free jurisdictions already home to the freedoms others are now trying to vaccinate their way to.

Immunologist and Laureate Professor Peter Doherty, patron of the Doherty Institute, believed this had been a driving factor behind the national progress. Former Queensland chief health officer and emergency medicine expert Gerard FitzGerald, now at Queensland University of Technology, said distribution across the two largest and most decentralised states also played a part when mass hubs in capital cities could theoretically manage more than three-quarters of some other state populations. Loading But the relatively small coverage gaps among most states was largely moot, Professor FitzGerald said. And it was better to think of targets in behavioural terms rather than freedom-day trigger points: once enough supply had arrived and time had passed for every eligible person who wanted the jab to have had a reasonable chance to access their two doses. After this, there needed to be a shift in approach nationwide. We cant continue to hold back the rest of the community, he said.

Hermione Parsons, director of Deakin Universitys Centre for Supply Chain and Logistics, believes the fundamental issue was an early Commonwealth failure to procure enough vaccine doses fast enough  from enough types and sources  for the entire population, pointing to early approaches from Pfizer to federal Health Minister Greg Hunt. She said glib early messaging from the federal government that it was not a race and  as concerns around the extremely rare AstraZeneca clotting side effect  that there would be enough mRNA vaccines for everyone later in the year, also did not help. (Others, including Ms Palaszczuk, have also been criticised for muddying the waters on the safe and effective jab). Did they have the urgency in the procurement of, and the purchasing of vaccines, did they have the volumes worked out, and did they mitigate risk? Dr Parsons said. I would say no. A federal Health Department spokeswoman said the Commonwealth was working with all parties, including the Royal Flying Doctors Service and Defence Force in remote settings, to ensure all Australians had access to a COVID-19 vaccine. Targeted work was also being done with states and territories in local government areas falling behind.
Much of the focus of the past two weeks has, understandably, been on AUKUS. This new partnership is indeed a major step in cooperation that will benefit Australias future security.

However, AUKUS must be seen in the context of the many other ways in which the Australian government is taking a more active role in our region and the world, expanding our presence, strengthening our contribution and amplifying our voice.

Former prime minister Paul Keating launched a broadside at the new AUKUS pact. Credit: Louie Douvis

The claim by some commentators, including former prime minister Paul Keating, that AUKUS orientates us towards an anachronistic Anglosphere, shows a deliberate disregard of the many relationships that through hard work we are deepening and enriching.

We can have friends in more than one linguistic sphere, on more than one continent, of more than one political persuasion. It is not one or the other. We must and will seize every opportunity, whether that is AUKUS, the rapid and positive evolution of the Quad, our strategic partnership with ASEAN, our energetic work as a member of the Pacific Islands Forum and with the European Union on the Indo-Pacific, or the strong bilateral friendships we have forged across the region.
London: When Andrew Neil swings he rarely misses  the giant of British broadcasting is famed for skewering countless public figures over a 50-year career anchored by long stints as a BBC presenter and editor of The Sunday Times.

He now has two new targets: GB News  the television channel he helped launch just 15 weeks ago  and the networks boss Angelos Frangopoulos, the Australian media executive who ran Sky News Australia for nearly two decades.

Andrew Neil in the GB News Paddington studios during the networks launch. Credit:PA

All sides agree GB News got off to a rocky start. The launch was plagued by technical glitches, gloomy lighting and the absence of chemistry between some presenting duos. In one incident that damaged the channels pro-free speech mission, journalist Guto Harri was suspended after taking the knee on-air during a discussion about racist abuse of black English footballers. He later quit, and the director of programming and a senior executive producer followed him out the door.

The early technical glitches have been rectified and the channel is pushing ahead  just without Neil.
WSU Engineering Degree Helps Graduate Work on Nations Defense

September 24, 2021

OGDEN, Utah  At age 5, Elaine Copes dad taught her to weld, while her grandma taught her to sew; she combined those interests and turned them into a manufacturing engineering technology degree at Weber State University in 2017 and a career at Northrop Grumman, working on a new defense system with the U.S Air Force.

The connections may not seem obvious, but design creativity is at the core of Copes interests.

I was always in the garage with my dad and my brother, she said. As a kid, I built a Barbie hair salon and a bike trailer out of scrap metal. I would also sew a lot with my grandma, and later on, I used a lot of those skills with composites and carbon fiber. That's what really started it. My grandparents and my parents supported me.

Now, in support of the profession she loves, Cope jumps at every chance to serve as a spokesperson and outreach advocate for science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). Every year her calendar is marked with multiple events where she encourages kids, especially young girls, to pursue degrees in STEM.

STEM is really missing a key feature by not having as many women, Cope said. I tell parents to encourage their kids to pursue creative engineering.

She knows support and positive role models can make all the difference. For Cope, it meant having a seat at the table during a momentous moment for the future of the nation's security. Immediately following graduation, she was selected as an entry-level engineer working on the 300-member proposal team to secure the Ground Based Strategic Deterrent (GBSD) contract for Northrop Grumman. Now in early stages of development, GBSD is the land-based intercontinental ballistic missile system that will replace the aging Minuteman III missiles. Much of the design will be conducted in northern Utah.

Weve already hired for 2,500 GBSD-related jobs in Utah, and well be ramping up to 4,500, Cope said. Its incredible to see the rapid growth and all the opportunities in the future.

Cope is a California native who followed her brothers lead to attend Weber State, where she said she found exceptional opportunities in and out of the classroom.

She honed her leadership skills as a member of the student senate and the Society of Women Engineers. She filled her schedule with engineering and technical writing courses, which helped her effectively articulate engineering processes in her classes and later in her career.

When I had an issue with a part, I could write the procedure to rework it and then go talk to the technicians, and it took a day or two turnaround  getting the product out of the shop a lot faster  some of the other engineers would take four of five days.

To augment her bachelors degree, Cope just completed a post-graduate certificate in systems engineering. She worked closely with manufacturing systems engineering instructor and mentor Nicole Beatty.

Weber State looks forward to providing in-demand career paths in system engineering for students like Elaine, Beatty said. Our view of systems engineering is in the global context, taking a holistic approach, while incorporating international standards and teachings. Industry relevance translates to career advancement opportunities for Elaine and her peers.

Cope said earning a certificate before moving the credits to a masters degree was a try before you buy approach, that served her well. She hopes to be a member of the first class in a new masters of systems engineering, which is planned for next year.

Cope said its possible her entire career will be dedicated to engineering around GBSD and takes great pride in knowing her work will contribute to a critical piece of the nations defense.

Im helping the United States and our allies stay protected, she said. We tell the world about the project, because our adversaries wont attack us if they know what we have. Theres no power in keeping it secret.

Its also no secret that Cope loves what she does.

Weber State created a family for me in Utah, she said. It also really lit the fire of my passion for engineering.

For more news about Weber States engineering degrees and engineering technology degrees, visit weber.edu/engineering.

For photos, visit these links.

wsuucomm.smugmug.com/Colleges-and-Departments/Applied-Science-and-Technology/Elaine-Cope-Portrait

wsuucomm.smugmug.com/Colleges-and-Departments/Applied-Science-and-Technology/COAST/Engineering-and-Technology/Plastics-and-Composites

Visit weber.edu/wsutoday for more news about Weber State University.
As many as 15% of all American adults have trouble hearing by age 65, and one in three people reports having hearing loss. Hearing aids help amplify the sound, but they're not perfect.
Allentown, PA (18103)

Today

Some patchy fog early, then becoming partly sunny and quite warm. .

Tonight

Becoming mostly cloudy with a spotty shower late at night.
During World War II, Warsaw, Poland, surrendered after weeks of resistance to invading forces from Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union, and more events that happened on this day in history.

Video 1939: Warsaw 1964: The Warren Commission 1991: George H.W. Bush 1991: The Senate Judiciary Committee 1994: Congressional Republicans 1996: Afghanistan 1999: John McCain 2011: Conrad Murray 2016: Jeffrey DeLaurentis 2020: Donald Trump 2020: The French Open
Author Mayra Herrera's new book "Connected Dots" tells the true story of the author's father as he fought an underground war in Cuba in the 1950s
The awards power of British theatre producers on Broadway was cemented once more last night in a classy Tonys ceremony stocked with nominees that originated in the United Kingdom.

Producer Sonia Friedman continues her indomitable form. Three years in a row, this producing powerhouse has taken the Best New Play prize for one of her productions: Matthew Lopez's The Inheritance, which was first seen at the Young Vic before transferring to the West End and, subsequently, Broadway, earned the prize last night; the statue will sit nicely alongside her Best Play Tonys for Jez Butterworth's The Ferryman (2019) and Jack Thorne's Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (2018).

As for The Inheritance, the huge drama picked up four prizes, including Best Director for Stephen Daldry. It was an important moment when Lopez recognized that he was the first Latinx playwright to win a Tony Award for Best Play, and how severely underrepresented the community was on Broadway. Change, he stressed, must happen.

Few would have predicted that the Old Vic's Yuletide staple  Thorne's version of A Christmas Carol  would emerge so decisively victorious among the play design categories, picking up five wins from five nominations, though Matthew Warchus' visually and aurally magnificent production has all the technical chops to bring home the bacon.

It was nice to see a Best Original Score win go to a play for the first time ever (Christopher Nightingale doing Dickens proud with an atmospheric festive fever dream). You do wonder if the producers made a mistake deciding not to reopen it on Broadway this holiday season; instead, it will play the West Coast, with Bradley Whitford as Scrooge in Los Angeles and other cities, and Francois Battiste as Scrooge in San Francisco.

With winners inevitably come losers: sweetheart of screen, stage and Marvel fandom Tom Hiddleston didn't take home a prize for his turn in Jamie Lloyd's revival of Betrayal, with Lloyd himself also losing out to Daldry. For Andrew Burnap to take the top Actor prize for The Inheritance was certainly a surprise, especially opposite actors like Hiddleston, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Tom Sturridge (the latter starred in British-born plays Sea Wall/A Life by Simon Stephens and Nick Payne).

On the musical side, the Brits had less of a sturdy night  not helped by the fact that a lot of homegrown productions: Six, Marianne Elliott's revised Company, and the revival of Caroline, or Change had the openings disrupted, and Girl From the North Country, the last show to open prior to the shutdown, didn't qualify because it hadn't invited voters.

These shows now fall into what will inevitably be a traffic jam of an upcoming season, but at least Adrienne Warren of Tina didn't have to go against Caroline's Sharon D Clarke like she did at the Oliviers. Warren took it this year, Clarke has her eyes on the prize in June 2022 for sure.

With feminist Tudor queens, |the Lehman brothers, Andrew Lloyd Webber's Cinderella (which he said in recent interviews is hoping for a 2022 New York birth), and more chomping at the bit while waiting in the awards wings, the British invasion of Broadway looks set to continue apace. And what else is next? Everybody's Talking About Jamie premieres in Los Angeles in January, while & Juliet and Tom Stoppard's Leopoldstadt head to Toronto next year. A Delorean may be the only way to find out.
Between the paint swatch covered, fluffy carpeted set encompassing the entirety of the auditorium, and the all-too recognisable Richard Curtis-esque encounter between two urban professionals  cuddly Rupert (after the bear) and spiky force-of-nature Alex  it would appear that we're in for the stage equivalent of a David Nicholls novel: sweet, sardonic, a little bit naughty, relatable, and very easy to sit through. Cordelia O'Neill's play starts out as all these things but, in Kate Budgen's dynamic, deceptively clever staging, proves to be so much more.

Within the space of 80 punchy, engrossing minutes, it transforms from rom-com into something profoundly affecting: a gut-wrenching examination of the aftershock of a still-born baby on a new couple. O'Neill disarms with humour and comforts with familiarity (Rupert's good-hearted but reserved and drawn to her wildness, while Alex gets a kick out of testing his limits), yet heads off accusations of cliche by having her likeable, occasionally infuriating characters directly acknowledge that they're spouting tropes. Crucially, not a single word of dialogue or piece of information they impart about themselves  she has a dysfunctional relationship with her wealthy, eccentric parents, he was adopted and idolises his mum  sounds false or contrived. This matters, because when O'Neill pulls the carpet right out from underneath them, and us, those apparently innocuous details feel, in hindsight, more and more like tiny emotional life rafts in a newly unleashed torrent of pain, unreason and sheer bloody fury at the unfairness of human existence.

In many ways this is a very cruel playbut only because life sometimes is: the concept of a child dying before their parents already feels like an aberration, something that claws away at our perception of the natural order of things. But when that child never even got to play or feel the sun on their face, the ensuing grief borders on the elemental, something acknowledged here in an astonishing sequence where the bereaved parents dance wildly together as though possessed, which of course in a way they are; the catharsis is palpable. For people that have lived through this trauma I can imagine how painful this is (I've never personally experienced parenthood yet I was completely overwhelmed) but art can also help heal, and I hope that proves the case for the brave, bruised souls that can bring themselves to see this extraordinary play.

They'll also get some great laughs, a couple to really root for (O'Neill's deft observations of contemporary London life sit well alongside an affectionate acknowledgement of her characters' myriad of flaws) and a pair of exquisite performances. Gemma Lawrence and Huw Parmenter are so utterly truthful, so in tune with each other, as Alex and Rupert connect then disconnect, bicker, make love, implode then reach moments of uneasy truce, that it barely feels like acting. Inhabiting and illuminating every moment of this visceral journey, they astound. It'll be a long time before I forget the look of desolation on Lawrence's face as the description of a coffin so small it can fit across her lap is dropped, or the unflinching selflessness of Parmenter's Huw's response to Alex's horrific fantasy that she kills him to save their child: "it makes you a fucking good mother".

Movement director Lucy Culllingford has the actors disport with an animalistic grace and energy that initially seems contrapuntal to O'Neill's concise, naturalistic writing but makes total sense as the story unfolds and these apparently civilised beings are pushed by maddening grief to the very ends of their humanity. Director Budgen seamlessly weaves the technical elements together to ingeniously represent the text without distracting from it: Camilla Clarke's set is covered in different coloured paints to reflect Alex's obsessive redecoration of a nursery their child will never inhabit, while the stars that suddenly burst through Sally Ferguson's otherwise stark lighting design at one point reference the ones the bereaved parents had stuck to the ceiling to watch over their newborn at night. These details add up devastatingly.

This is a major new play in a flawless, powerful production: educational yet entertaining, theatrically spellbinding yet achingly humane, dynamic but never sensationalist. It's not necessary to have directly experienced what Alex and Rupert are put through to be deeply moved. I properly ugly-cried but I also came out of Southwark Playhouse as exhilarated by the sheer brilliance of what I'd seen as I was drained and upset by the subject matter. Approach with caution, but go. Just go.
VAT is not charged on UK publications. Orders to the EU are posted without tax paid: you are responsible for VAT and any other charges on delivery

This is a fine, hardback shrink-wrapped new book that is a tribute to its author. It weighs 1.75kg.

The warmest of people, as his characterisation of his friends here demonstrates, he reveals a strand of loneliness throughout his life. By turns this book is hilarious and heart-breaking, anecdotal and reflective, sociable and self-doubting. Its drive for honesty is as unwavering as its eye for a self-deflating story. As a rigorous self-portrait its impact lingers beyond the words, the pencil and the paint.

The master storyteller, Jim Curran, has finally produced the biggest story he can tell. For readers of his previous books it is full of surprises, conundrums and split lives. Teaching in Bristol during the week, he lived a different life in Sheffield at weekends. A teacher of art, he developed a career as a mountaineering filmmaker before realising that he'd always wanted to be a painter. And this great humorist turns out to be an intermittent sufferer from depression.

Non-UK orders



If stock is available for all post destinations, selecting any set of options will allow you to place your order immediately.



If stock is limited, for example with a single copy of a second-hand book, it will be assigned to UK stock. If you require posting to an address outside the UK, selecting your options may not allow an order to be placed, even though stock is available. If this is the case, please contact us to enable the options you require.



Please see our FAQs relating to deliveries, and the Delivery page linked from the bottom of each page, before placing your order if time is an important element for your order.

IMPORTANT NOTE FOR ALL DESCENT SUBSCRIBERS OUTSIDE THE UK

We regret that due to the volatility of Royal Mail postage charges, we have been forced to remove the option for two-year subscriptions. We have also been forced to remove the option for economy mail to the EU, given indications that Royal Mail intends to remove this service.

All international mail is now being despatched in paper wrapping using Royal Mail customs and address labels mandated by them. We also regret this means we can no longer indicate the last issue of your subscription on the mailing sheet or supply a reminder to renew with the final edition. Please track your own subscription ending or check with us at any time.

IMPORTANT NOTE FOR EU CUSTOMERS

On 1 July 2021 the EU removed all exemptions for tax and customs duty on low value items posted from the UK to the EU, meaning that although VAT is 0% on books and magazines in the UK, it is charged within the EU and the VAT (potentially plus a handling fee) now apply to all orders to the EU.

Ideally, the VAT should be paid at the point of posting, but doing so requires registration with an agent to handle the payments, and this is incredibly expensive and not financially viable. To be clear, all small publishers in the UK are in the same position and we are unable to post any items to the EU with VAT or other duties paid.

Ordering any item from Wild Places, including a Descent subscription, requires that you accept responsibility of paying the VAT and any other local charges on delivery.

To be clear: Wild Places will NOT cover any charges levied by your country; it is your responsibility to accept these when placing an order.

We apologise for the situation, but it is outside our control. We will maintain a link from the left-hand column on the home page with the latest updates. If you are an existing subscriber to Descent and have not replied yet to our enquiries concerning your deliveries, please make contact.

NOTE: Subscribers in Norway or Switzerland (which are outside the EU) should place your order on the Subscription International page or contact us first.
WASHINGTON - In the before times, Katie McCarron could count on her best Canadian customers to make the trip to her store in Portland, Oregon, to stock up on their favourite high-quality, human-grade pet food.

A Canada Border Services Agency officer hands documents back to a motorist entering Canada at the Douglas-Peace Arch border crossing, in Surrey, B.C., Monday, Aug. 9, 2021. The ban on non-essential land travel to the U.S. has some American companies looking for shelf space in Canada. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

WASHINGTON - In the before times, Katie McCarron could count on her best Canadian customers to make the trip to her store in Portland, Oregon, to stock up on their favourite high-quality, human-grade pet food.

COVID-19 had other plans. Soon enough, though, so did Portland Pet Food Co.

"Some of them would just be shopping in Portland, and we'd hear that they had been here, or they'd write us and they'd be asking, 'How can I order your food online with the border closed?" the B.C.-born McCarron said in a recent interview.

In the United States, however, every international shipment of pet food products requires a special health certificate, making it impossible for a small retailer like Portland Pet Food to offer online sales outside of the country.

"We can't ship to Canada  it's just too costly, and we do have to get these certificates issued each time we ship. So I just had to pursue getting into distribution."

Today, thanks in large part to a deal with the Canadian chain Pet Valu, Portland Pet Food is available in more than 500 specialty retailers in Canada, an expansion that equates to about 25 per cent of the company's worldwide retail footprint.

McCarron clearly already had expansion on her mind before the pandemic hit. Portland products are already available in Japan, and she recently signed an agreement for distribution in China. Korea and Taiwan are next on her list.

But the ongoing ban on non-essential land travel from Canada to the U.S., tentatively extended now for a 19th month until Oct. 21, drove home the importance of winning shelf space in a part of the world where crossing the border is no longer as easy as it once was.

President Joe Biden's administration drew a stark contrast last week when it announced a major retooling of the rules governing international travel and COVID-19, while at the same time extending the travel ban at the Canada-U.S. border.

McCarron is at a loss to explain why the U.S. continues to deny Canadians the ability to drive across the border for holidays, day trips or shopping excursions  a restriction the federal Canadian government began easing over the summer for fully vaccinated U.S. citizens and permanent residents.

"I am just as baffled" as others about the border, she said.

The U.S. Travel Association says the ongoing closure of the Mexican and Canadian land borders is costing U.S. businesses an estimated $1.5 billion a month in "travel exports," which the association defines as spending by foreign residents while visiting the U.S.

Canada, meanwhile, remains the largest single U.S. export market, accounting for nearly 18 per cent of all American goods sent out of the country last year. The two countries trade $1.7 billion worth of goods and services each day, for a total of $614.9 billion in 2020.

"My constituents are deeply frustrated by this, particularly given the trade and the relationships that people have across the border," Michigan Sen. Gary Peters said last week during national security hearings with Homeland Security Sec. Alejandro Mayorkas.

"We are very mindful of the economic consequences, and not only the economic consequences but the consequences on family members who haven't seen one another for quite some time," Mayorkas replied.

He said the progression of the Delta variant of COVID-19 "is not yet where we need it to be" in the U.S., and that there are communities near the U.S.-Mexico border that are also suffering as a result of the closure.

"We are looking at the situation, not only at the ports of entry on our northern border, but also on our southern border," Mayorkas said.

"We have heard similar concerns with respect to border communities on the South and the impact, economic and family impact, of the restrictions. We are looking at what we can do operationally, and we are moving in a very sequential and controlled manner."

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's jarring to consider the discrepancy in crossing the Canada-U.S. border by land, said Tori Barnes, executive vice-president of public relations and policy for the U.S. Travel Association.

"It is very stark that we're in a situation here where we've got Canada fully reopened, and from a U.S. perspective, you can only come in if you fly in," Barnes said.

"It's obviously significantly negative to the U.S. economy as well, and that's something that we've continued to articulate."

White House press secretary Jen Psaki had no explanation Thursday for why the land border remains closed while the Biden administration is announcing new vaccination requirements for international visitors arriving by air.

"Land restrictions, I don't have an update for you on where that stands, beyond it's been extended (and) we're continuing to consider additional steps," she said.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 26, 2021.
TORONTO - At Behind the Bend cafe, diners sitting by a fire pit nibble on charcuterie and enjoy vanilla bean ice cream served in pineapple boats, but the menu isn't the reason many flock to the Lambton Shores, Ont. spot.

Laura Bradley, owner of Behind the Bend, poses at her cafe in Grand Bend, Ont. on Thursday, September 16, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nicole Osborne

TORONTO - At Behind the Bend cafe, diners sitting by a fire pit nibble on charcuterie and enjoy vanilla bean ice cream served in pineapple boats, but the menu isn't the reason many flock to the Lambton Shores, Ont. spot.

Customers visit because the cafe about an hour's drive from London allows them to consume cannabis as long as they are 19 or older and they bring their own legal pot and its receipt.

No province nor territory allows cannabis consumption lounges or cafes yet, but the Bend's owner bounded ahead with her business because customers were being chided when they used pot in public.

"I've just been trying to support my clients and provide them with a space that is safe, so they're not going to feel like they're going to get in trouble or get hassled," said Laura Bradley, who also owns a neighbouring cannabis store.

Her patio  and similar ventures that have sprang up in recent months  are a sign of a frustrated cannabis industry that has long awaited regulations allowing consumption spaces, but has instead seen little progress and a health crisis extinguish hopes that such laws are nearing.

Ontario looked like it would be the first to allow cannabis consumption spaces, when it solicited feedback from the public before the COVID-19 pandemic.

The deadline for that feedback passed more than a year ago, but a press secretary for attorney general Doug Downey said in an email this month that, "No changes to the cannabis framework are expected at this time nor is there a current time frame for any additional changes."

The outlook is similar in other corners of the country. Most provinces and territories told The Canadian Press public consumption spaces are prohibited and many added they are not even under consideration.

"With the pandemic, we're now in a situation where everyone  restaurants, bars, hospitality in general  is trying to just recover and they haven't turned their attention to consumption lounges at all," said Will Stewart, a senior vice-president at Hill+Knowlton Strategies, who has worked for Tokyo Smoke, Harvest One Cannabis and CannaGlobal.

"It is really going to take political will, and I'm not sure that we have that coming after a pandemic."

But others say there are perks to considering the spaces now. Hospitality businesses and restaurants need a pick-me-up after months of closures and with vaccination widespread, people are anxious for communal experiences again.

"If restaurants are open, then consumption spaces can be a conversation," said Andrea Dobbs, the co-founder of Vancouver pot shop Village Bloomery.

Some provinces and territories appear to agree. The Yukon Liquor Corporation said in an email to The Canadian Press that cannabis consumption lounges are "continuously under review."

The Union of B.C. Municipalities added in late August that the province's cannabis secretariat also plans to engage with stakeholders around consumption spaces in 2022.

However, Stewart suspects moving from discussions to policies will be "difficult" because an Ontario election is looming and companies got their hopes up when feedback was collected before but were ultimately let down.

"Cannabis companies in general are trying to figure out a way to increase their revenue and decrease their costs, so if there's a company exclusively in the consumption space they're probably having a very, very difficult time," Stewart said.

Many shelved consumption space plans or pivoted their companies.

CannaGlobal, for example, which Stewart previously worked for, was building a cannabis consumption business under the ByMinistry name before the pandemic.

It hired Ted Corrado, formercorporate executive chef for Drake Properties,to launch a cooking school, run a secret dining club and craft menus for spaces and events, but Stewart said it has since shifted the company's focus to psychedelics and renamed itself Good Cap Wellness Inc.

"Three years is a really long time to be in a holding pattern, so a lot of people have had to adjust, adapt, move on, move forward in a different path," said Jaclynn Pehota, executive director of the Association of Canadian Cannabis Retailers (ACCRES).

But demand for consumption spaces hasn't let up, despite attention being diverted.

Pehota recently asked ACCRES members to rank the importance of 10 issues facing the industry and found consumption spaces came second to advocating for a B.C. program that would allow small scale cultivators to sell products directly to private retailers.

She's also seen high traffic coming from the consumption space at B.C.'s New Amsterdam Cafe and watched Dobbs open a coffee shop at her cannabis store.

It sold smoothies and baked goods but no cannabis-infused products before it was quickly shut down.

Meanwhile, Alchemy Canna Co. owner Richard Browne plunked down two picnic tables beside his north Toronto cannabis shop. He plans to add umbrellas, barriers and if demand materializes, more places to sit.

He insists it's legal because the tables are covered by the store's security cameras and far enough from its entrance to obey Health Canada regulations.

Bradley has taken similar steps and requires staff to have Smart Serve training, check on the well-being of customers and co-operate with authorities who visit to inspect the premise.

Try our Dish The latest on food and drink in Winnipeg and beyond from arts writers Ben Sigurdson and Eva Wasney. Dish arrives in your inbox every other Friday. See sample. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

"I go above and beyond, so we don't raise any eyebrows in any direction," she said.

"None of the governing bodies that have been here has said, 'we are going to write it up that you have permission to operate,' but they've all said, 'you're not giving us a reason to shut you down.'"

Though winter will put a damper on outdoor consumption spaces, Pehota believes such ventures will become common as operators get "super creative" in the absence of legislation.

"But I think it would be nice for that not to be necessary," Pehota said.

"It would be a lot more beneficial to the sector and a lot easier on the public and our regulators, if we just created a structure as opposed to leaving people to their own devices."

This report by The Canadian Press was first publishedSept. 27, 2021.
TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP)  Two Canadians detained in late 2019 who were allowed to return to Canada in a prisoner swap were released on bail for health reasons, China's Foreign Ministry said Monday.

FILE - In this Sept. 24, 2021, file photo, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stands with Minister of Foreign Affairs Marc Garneau to announce that Canadians Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig have been released from detention in China, on Parliament Hill in Ottawa. China's Foreign Ministry said Monday, Sept. 27, 2021, that the two Canadians were released on bail for health reasons. (Justin Tang/The Canadian Press via AP, File)

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP)  Two Canadians detained in late 2019 who were allowed to return to Canada in a prisoner swap were released on bail for health reasons, China's Foreign Ministry said Monday.

A ministry spokesperson made the comment as Beijing sought to downplay the connection between their release and the return to China of a long-detained executive of Huawei Technologies.

Canadians Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig were detained in December 2019, days after Huaweis chief financial officer, Meng Wanzhou, was arrested in Canada at the request of U.S. authorities.

Many countries labeled Chinas action hostage politics, while China accused Ottawa of arbitrary detention. The two Canadians were jailed for more than 1,000 days.

Meng fought the U.S. demand for extradition from Canada. She landed in China on Saturday after reaching a deal with the U.S. Justice Department that led to a prisoner swap.

The case of Meng Wanzhou is completely different from that of Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor in nature, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told reporters at a daily briefing on Monday.

The two men were suspected of endangering national security, Hua said.

Spavor, an entrepreneur, had been sentenced to 11 years in prison, accused of spying. Korvrig had not yet been sentenced but was facing similar charges.

China released the two Canadians on bail after a diagnosis by professional medical institutions, and with the guarantee of the Canadian ambassador to China, Hua said.

Hua did not answer questions from journalists about whether the prisoner releases were entirely unrelated and what the health reasons were.

A spokesperson for the Canadian embassy in Beijing directed questions to Global Affairs Canada in Ottawa.

Meng reached an agreement with U.S. federal prosecutors that will drop fraud charges against her next year. In return, she is accepting responsibility for misrepresenting the companys business dealings in Iran.

Her return to China was broadcasted live on the country's central broadcaster, CCTV, as she wore a red dress the shade of China's flag and thanked the country's leader Xi Jinping and the ruling Communist Party.

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.

On Monday, Hua said Meng was a victim of political persecution" and was able to return to China thanks to the government's unrelenting efforts.

In contrast, news about the release of the two Michael's was reported by the state-owned tabloid Global Times, and while the news spread online, it was not carried by more authoritative state media agencies like CCTV or Xinhua.

Huawei is the biggest global supplier of network gear for phone and internet companies. It has been a symbol of Chinas progress in becoming a technological world power  and a subject of U.S. security and law enforcement concerns.

Former President Donald Trump's administration cut off Huaweis access to U.S. components and technology, including Googles music and other smartphone services, and later barred vendors worldwide from using U.S. technology to produce components for Huawei.

-

Associated Press video producer Liu Zheng contributed to this report.
BEIJING (AP)  Global shoppers face possible shortages of smartphones and other goods ahead of Christmas after power cuts to meet official energy use targets forced Chinese factories to shut down and left some households in the dark.

FILE - In this Nov. 28, 2019, file photo, smoke and steam rise from a coal processing plant in Hejin in central China's Shanxi Province. Global shoppers face possible shortages of smartphones and other goods ahead of Christmas after power cuts to meet government energy use targets forced Chinese factories to shut down and left some households in the dark. (AP Photo/Olivia Zhang, File)

BEIJING (AP)  Global shoppers face possible shortages of smartphones and other goods ahead of Christmas after power cuts to meet official energy use targets forced Chinese factories to shut down and left some households in the dark.

In the northeastern city of Liaoyang, 23 people were hospitalized with gas poisoning after ventilation in a metal casting factory was shut off following a power outage, according to state broadcaster CCTV. No deaths were reported.

Factories were idled to avoid exceeding limits on energy use imposed by Beijing to promote efficiency. Economists and an environmental group say manufacturers used up this year's quota faster than planned as export demand rebounded from the coronavirus pandemic.

A components supplier for Apple Inc.'s iPhones said it suspended production at a factory west of Shanghai under orders from local authorities.

The disruption to China's vast manufacturing industries during one of their busiest seasons reflects the ruling Communist Party's struggle to balance economic growth with efforts to rein in pollution and emissions of climate-changing gases.

Beijings unprecedented resolve in enforcing energy consumption limits could result in long-term benefits, but the short-term economic costs are substantial, Nomura economists Ting Lu, Lisheng Wang and Jing Wang said in a report Monday.

Steam billows out of the cooling towers at a coal-fired power station in Nanjing in east China's Jiangsu province on Monday, Sept. 27, 2021. Global shoppers face possible shortages of smartphones and other goods ahead of Christmas after power cuts to meet government energy use targets forced Chinese factories to shut down and left some households in the dark. (Chinatopix via AP)

They said the impact might be so severe that they cut their economic growth forecast for China to 4.7% from 5.1% over a year earlier in the current quarter. They cut their outlook for annual growth to 7.7% from 8.2%.

Global financial markets already were on edge about the possible collapse of one of Chinas biggest real estate developers, Evergrande Group, which is struggling to avoid a default on billions of dollars of debt.

Manufacturers already face shortages of processor chips, disruptions in shipping and other lingering effects of the global shutdown of travel and trade to fight the coronavirus pandemic.

Residents of Chinas northeast, where autumn temperatures are falling, report power cuts and appealed on social media for the government to restore supplies.

The crunch comes as global leaders prepare to attend a U.N. environmental conference by video link on Oct. 12-13 in the southwestern city of Kunming. That increases pressure on President Xi Jinping's government, as the meeting's host, to show it is sticking to emissions and energy efficiency targets.

China is one of the world's biggest emitters of climate-changing industrial gases and consumes more energy per unit of economic output than developed countries.

The ruling party also is preparing for the Winter Olympics in the Chinese capital, Beijing, and the nearby city of Shijiazhuang in February, a period when it will want clear blue skies.

People line up at an Apple Store to buy the latest iPhone 13 handsets in Nanning in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region on Sept. 24, 2021. Global shoppers face possible shortages of smartphones and other goods ahead of Christmas after power cuts to meet government energy use targets forced Chinese factories to shut down and left some households in the dark. (Chinatopix Via AP)

Scores of companies have announced power rationing could force them to delay filling orders and might hurt them financially.

Apple components supplier Eson Precision Engineering Co. Ltd. said Sunday it would halt production at its factory in Kunshan, west of Shanghai, through Thursday in line with the local governments power restriction policy.

Eson said the suspension shouldnt have a significant impact on operations.

Apple didn't immediately respond to a question about the possible impact on iPhone supplies.

China's energy consumption and industrial emissions have surged as manufacturers rush to fill foreign demand at a time when competitors elsewhere still are hampered by anti-coronavirus controls.

Chinas economy is more driven by exports than any time in the past decade, but official energy use targets fail to take that into account, economists Larry Hu and Xinyu Ji of Macquarie Group said in a report.

Some provinces used up most of their quotas for energy consumption in the first half of the year and are cutting back to stay under their limits, according to Li Shuo, a climate policy expert at Greenpeace in Beijing.

Utility companies, meanwhile, are being squeezed by soaring coal and gas prices. That discourages them from increasing output because the government limits their ability to pass on costs to customers, said Li.

Prices have risen past the range of what Chinas electricity industry can bear, Li said.

China has launched repeated campaigns to make its energy-hungry economy more efficient and clean up smog-choked cities.

City skies are visibly clearer, but the abrupt way the campaigns are carried out disrupts supplies of power, coal and gas, leaving families shivering in unheated homes and forcing factories to shut down.

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.

Shopping malls in the northeastern city of Harbin have announced they will close stores earlier than usual to save power.

In Guangdong province in the south, the government told the public to set thermostats on air conditioners higher even as temperatures rose above 34 degrees C (93 degrees F).

State Grid Corp., the world's biggest power distributor, issued a pledge to ensure adequate supplies.

Meanwhile, state media say local governments have signed long-term coal contracts to ensure adequate suppliers.

___

Soo reported from Singapore. AP writer Huizhong Wu in Taipei, Taiwan, contributed to this report.
Whether you call it The Great Resignation, The Great Reshuffle or just high time for a change, millions of American workers are looking for new jobs  and some have already quit the ones they have. Better pay isnt necessarily the motivator, labor experts say. Many people are seeking greater flexibility, the ability to work remotely or other nonfinancial benefits.

Whether you call it The Great Resignation, The Great Reshuffle or just high time for a change, millions of American workers are looking for new jobs  and some have already quit the ones they have. Better pay isnt necessarily the motivator, labor experts say. Many people are seeking greater flexibility, the ability to work remotely or other nonfinancial benefits.

Still, money is important, and a job change can be a great time to significantly improve your financial prospects. In addition to the pay a new job offers, you should consider the value of a wide range of benefits and other compensation. Once you have a clear picture of what youre being offered, you may be able to negotiate a better deal.

TOTAL YOUR CURRENT COMPENSATION

Start by calculating the compensation package of the job you currently have, or your most recent job if youre unemployed, says Seth Mullikin, a certified financial planner in Charlotte, North Carolina. In addition to salary and any bonuses, commissions, profit-sharing or stock options, you should include employer-paid health and life insurance premiums as well as company contributions to health savings accounts and retirement plans. (These contributions are often listed on your pay stubs, or you can ask the human resources department.)

Include any other perks you enjoy  cell phone reimbursement, employee discounts, gym memberships or company-provided day care, for example  along with the value of benefits youre likely to use in the next one to three years, such as infertility coverage or tuition assistance, Mullikin suggests.

Next, contemplate what you might give up by leaving now. Some benefits vest over time, such as stock options, 401(k) matches and traditional defined benefit pensions. This compensation may not be enough to handcuff you to your job indefinitely, but you may not want to walk away prematurely from a significant payout.

If you were leaving a company where you had stock options that were close to vesting, would you be better off waiting another year? Mullikin says.

HOW DOES THE NEW JOB COMPARE?

Perform similar calculations for a job youre being offered: Add to the proposed pay any employer contributions for benefits and other perks youre likely to use. If these benefits arent clearly laid out, ask for details and specific numbers.

Then check to see if you deserve more. Your current salary may lag what most other employers pay if youve worked at the same company for many years, says Lazetta Rainey Braxton, a CFP in Brooklyn, New York. She recommends using sites such as Salary.com to get a feel for what similar jobs pay so you can better assess the offer.

TAKE A DEEPER LOOK

Benefits can take vastly different forms, depending on the company.

Some employers offer a range of health insurance plans from which to choose, while others dont. If the only option is a high deductible plan, for example, that could be fine if youre a young, healthy person  or a disaster if you have substantial medical costs and not enough savings to cover the deductible, Mullikin says. Similarly, a plan with a limited network of providers could become expensive if your doctors arent included.

Ask about waiting periods, too. Employers can make you wait up to 90 days for health insurance coverage or a year to contribute to a 401(k). Parental and other leave policies can have waiting periods, as well.

Company policies about time off vary enormously, and smaller companies may be exempted from laws that apply to larger ones. For example, companies with fewer than 50 employees typically dont have to comply with the federal Family and Medical Leave Act that otherwise provides covered workers with up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave for caregiving or serious health conditions.

USE YOUR LEVERAGE

Financial considerations must be weighed with all the other aspects of a prospective job. Are there opportunities for advancement? Flexible scheduling and work locations? Is the workforce diverse and the culture engaging?

Risk tolerance matters, too. You may be willing to accept a smaller salary and fewer benefits in exchange for stock options that could deliver a big payoff someday. Or you may prize job security and the opportunity to save for the future more than rolling the dice.

If the job is tempting but the offer is lacking, see if you can negotiate a better deal. You may never have more leverage than you do before you formally accept an offer thats been extended, says negotiating expert Kwame Christian, director of the American Negotiation Institute in Columbus, Ohio.

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.

Christian recommends negotiating salary and the other financial aspects before you ask for more time off, a flexible schedule or other creative options that dont cost your employer directly.

You always want to go for the money first, Christian says. Because we know that money is exhaustible, but with these creative options, those are really largely inexhaustible.

______________________________

This column was provided to The Associated Press by the personal finance website NerdWallet. Liz Weston is a columnist at NerdWallet, a certified financial planner and the author of Your Credit Score. Email: lweston@nerdwallet.com. Twitter: @lizweston.

RELATED LINK:

NerdWallet: Average American net worth by age: How does yours compare? https://bit.ly/nerdwallet-net-worth
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP)  Qatar Airways announced on Monday that it suffered a more than $4 billion loss in revenues over the last fiscal year, as lockdowns triggered by the coronavirus pandemic slashed demand for long-haul travel.

FILE - In this Dec. 22, 2020 file photo, a Qatar Airways plane prepares to take off at San Francisco International Airport during the coronavirus pandemic in San Francisco. Qatar Airways announced on Monday, Sept. 27, 2021 that it suffered a more than $4 billion loss in revenues over the last year, as lockdowns triggered by the coronavirus pandemic slashed demand for air travel. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu, File)

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP)  Qatar Airways announced on Monday that it suffered a more than $4 billion loss in revenues over the last fiscal year, as lockdowns triggered by the coronavirus pandemic slashed demand for long-haul travel.

The major loss, which the state-owned airline largely attributed to the grounding of its Airbus A380 and A330 wide-body jets, highlights the dramatic toll of the pandemic on the industry.

Even so, the Doha-based airline reported an increase in earnings to $1.6 billion before taxes and other costs compared to the previous year  costs that dropped significantly as the airline saved on jet fuel, reduced salaries by 15% and cut some 13,400 employees from its workforce. The pandemic has hit international routes the hardest, dealing a heavy blow to super-connectors in the Persian Gulf that essentially lack domestic markets.

In the last several months, the flagship carrier has received a boost from an end to a yearslong boycott that locked Qatar Airways out of the airspace of Bahrain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. The embargo had forced the airline to take longer routes and consume more jet fuel, raising expenses. For the first time since 2017, the energy-rich state's airline reopened key routes to hubs like Dubai, Cairo and Riyadh as the political dispute eased in January.

The long-haul carrier praised its resilience in the face of the fast-spreading virus variants still racing around the globe, noting that its operational loss of $288 million stood at 7% less than the year before.

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.

Whilst our competitors grounded their aircraft and closed their routes, we adapted our entire commercial operation to respond to ever-evolving travel restrictions and never stopped flying, Qatar Airways CEO Akbar al-Baker said in a statement.

The airline acknowledged receiving a $3 billion lifeline from the Qatari government to keep operating as it struggled with virus restrictions. Revenue for the airline fell to over $8 billion from $14 billion the year before. The airline incurred charges that ran to $2.3 billion over the grounding of its wide-body fleet.

The carrier took just 5.8 million passengers to the skies in the last fiscal year, compared to 32.3 million the year before  a staggering 82% drop.

Qatar Airways, which operates some 250 aircraft out of Dohas recently built Hamad International Airport, follows the model of other Gulf carriers by providing a link between East and West from its location on the Arabian Peninsula. The other two biggest carriers in the region that depend on lucrative long-haul routes, Dubai-based Emirates and Abu Dhabi-based Etihad, also hit turbulence because of the pandemic, posting significant losses in the billions of dollars over the past year.

Emirates, for instance, reported a $5.5 billion loss over the last year and received a $3.1 billion cash infusion from the Dubai government.

Qatar Airways mentioned some scant signs of recovery, as vaccinations against the coronavirus accelerate across the world. From a low of 33 destinations in the peak of the pandemic, the airline now flies to over 140 and has expanded to new markets from Seattle, Washington to Brisbane, Australia.
NEW YORK (AP)  Come visit the Maldives, its president entreated the world at this year's United Nations General Assembly, moments before switching to an impassioned plea for help combating climate change. The adjacent appeals illustrated a central dilemma for many small island developing states: their livelihoods, or their lives?

In this photo taken from video, Kausea Natano, Prime Minister of Tuvalu, remotely addresses the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly in a pre-recorded message, Saturday Sept. 25, 2021 at UN headquarters. (UN Web TV via AP)

NEW YORK (AP)  Come visit the Maldives, its president entreated the world at this year's United Nations General Assembly, moments before switching to an impassioned plea for help combating climate change. The adjacent appeals illustrated a central dilemma for many small island developing states: their livelihoods, or their lives?

The United Nations recognizes 38 member states, scattered across the world's waters, as small island developing states grouped together because they face unique social, economic and environmental challenges.

This bloc is particularly vulnerable to climate change. This bloc is also particularly dependent on tourism  a significant driver of climate change, accountable for 8% of global carbon dioxide emissions alone, according to sustainable tourism expert Stefan Gossling  and an industry devastated by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

The predicament these islands find themselves in is essentially recursive: Attract tourism for economic survival, which in turn contributes to climate change, which in turn bleaches the colorful reefs and destroys the pristine beaches that attract tourists. As is, by the end of the century, these low-lying islands could drown entirely.

The difference between 1.5 degrees and 2 degrees is a death sentence for the Maldives, President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih told the U.N. General Assembly last week.

The annual summit is an opportunity for each of the international body's 193 members to step into the spotlight on the world stage. But the Maldives  perhaps best known globally as an Indian Ocean playground for moneyed honeymooners and Bollywood celebrities  had a particularly high-profile platform this year. Its foreign minister is serving as the General Assembly's president and Solih was speaking third overall  just after U.S. President Joe Biden.

But the climate change appeals are nothing new, made year after year as these islands are pummeled by storms and the seas rise like a slow-moving killer, as Colgate University's April Baptiste puts it.

Baptiste, a professor of environmental studies as well as Africana and Latin American studies, researches environmental justice in the Caribbean region. She says the island states' appeals had gone ignored for years because they were essentially seen as dispensable. With little land, political power and financial capital, it was easy to overlook their plight. These are also islands with a history of exploitation that dates back centuries and states whose full-time residents  not tourists  are primarily Black and brown.

You have that layer of race, racism, marginality to take into consideration, she said. I absolutely believe that's at the heart of the conversation as to why small island developing states are not taken seriously.

People and governments have taken matters into their own hands over recent years.

One man from the island nation of Kiribati sought refugee status in New Zealand on the basis that climate change posed an existential threat to his homeland, though he was eventually deported. This past week, Vanuatu announced it would seek to bring climate change before the International Court of Justice. Although largely symbolic  any ruling would not be legally binding  the move, as intended by the government, seeks to clarify international law.

Last month, a group of Pacific island nations  contending with encroaching saltwater that destroys crops and pollutes freshwater supplies  took the step of declaring their traditional sea boundaries would remain intact, even if their coastlines shrank beneath the waves.

Gossling, a professor at Sweden's Linnaeus University School of Business and Economics, and Daniel Scott, a geography and environmental management professor at Canada's University of Waterloo, are two creators of the Climate Change Vulnerability Index for Tourism. With the aim of bringing the issue to policymakers' attention, they identified the countries with tourism economies most at risk from climate change. The small island developing states made up a substantial portion of the list.

The Maldives identified this years ago and they pointed out: Were going to continue our tourism development, because that's the only way we can make money in the next couple decades before our islands are lost," Scott said.

For the small island developing states, this central climate change tension between lives and livelihood is mirrored in their response to the coronavirus pandemic. To prevent the virus' spread and save lives, they closed their borders, and their tourism-focused economies were accordingly ravaged over the past 18 months.

Mauritius isn't wholly dependent on tourism, but that sector does make up a significant amount of its foreign revenue, the permanent representative to the United Nations for the tiny Indian Ocean island east of Madagascar says. Its borders fully reopen in October, and Jagdish Koonjul said Mauritius hopes to attract 650,000 tourists between then and next summer.

Mauritius, Koonjul said, is very lucky compared to others in the bloc because of its economic diversification, relatively high land and coral reef that prevents erosion.

But it's not safe from climate change. Mauritius and other small island developing states are looking to the bigger, more industrialized countries to buy into an ambitious commitment at the upcoming United Nations climate conference in Glasgow.

We miss this train now, and we are doomed, Koonjul said.

The scores of speeches at this year's U.N. General Assembly tended to follow a rubric. They opened with pleasantries directed at the General Assembly's president and then touched on a laundry list of topics: perhaps a pet issue, but definitely conflict, coronavirus and climate change. The rhetoric often blended together, but the speeches from the leaders of the small island developing states  with the most to lose in the near future  stood out with stark eloquence echoing Koonjul.

Will Tuvalu remain a member state of the U.N. if it is finally submerged? Who will help us? asked Kausea Natano, the prime minister of the Pacific Ocean country, on Saturday.

The states had specific asks, including immediate and significant reductions of greenhouse gas emissions, debt restructuring and financial assistance  especially given the impact of the coronavirus on their tourism-dependent economies.

Industrialized countries have an obligation to assist the states most affected by climate change because they created a problem in the first instance, Gaston Browne, prime minister of the Caribbean Sea's Antigua and Barbuda, said Saturday.

The same day, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves cast the major powers' actions thus far as little more than pious mouthings and marginal tinkering.

On this, humanity is at the midnight hour. Can we meet the challenge? We may not live to find out the answer if the usual continues, the Caribbean nation's premier said.

Salvaging the economic fate of these countries is complex. Baptiste says there's no overarching policy aimed at retraining people whose livelihoods are vulnerable in new trades.

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.

And Gossling argues that, while they're not the culprits behind global warming, the small island developing states aren't directly confronting the friction between climate change prevention measures and their tourism reliance.

I also think there's never been serious efforts by the SIDS to actually also consider different economic sectors, because very often it's been very self-evident that you would focus on tourism, you would develop for tourism and that you, by definition, then almost would become dependent on tourism, he said. And I think the strange thing  this conflict has never been vocalized by SIDS.

What has been vocalized is a clarion call for substantive action taken by rich, developed countries. Now that the ramifications of climate change have reached countries that could long pretend it didn't exist, the small island developing states hope the message is finally getting through.

The poet John Donne wrote that no man is an island entire of itself. In the same vein, Solih drove home the point the island nations have been making for years: There is no guarantee of survival for any one nation in a world where the Maldives cease to exist.

___

Associated Press reporter Nick Perry contributed to this report from Wellington, New Zealand. Follow Mallika Sen on Twitter at http://twitter.com/mallikavsen
TORONTO - Providers of responsible investing products told a roundtable Monday that the sector is evolving too rapidly to impose new regulations yet.

TORONTO - Providers of responsible investing products told a roundtable Monday that the sector is evolving too rapidly to impose new regulations yet.

The roundtable organized the Canadian Securities Administrators comes as the still developing sector has seen tremendous growth, coupled with rising concerns about potentially misleading claims and a lack of information for investors.

Mari Brossard, National Bank of Canada's senior manager of sustainable investment, told the roundtable that it was important the industry had space to evolve.

Our industry is in a daily evolution, and we dont want to paint ourselves in the corner. We all need a bit of time to settle, to come up with a consensus.

She said that Canadian regulators already have oversight powers on misleading representation that should cover concerns over greenwashing in the industry.

BlackRock managing director of investment stewardship Michelle Edkins said there is a clear need for more consensus around terminology but that it needs to happen at a global level, led by industry.

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.

Blackrock definitely agrees that its way to early to be establishing regulation here, just because we see it rapidly changing.

Jean-Paul Bureaud, executive director of investor advocacy group FAIR Canada, said that while current regulations may be sufficient to cover the environmental, social and governance investment space, it hasn't translated to transparency for consumers on how companies will achieve ESG goals.

The problem is the practice of providing the kind of transparency that investors want and need today, is not yet caught up to the standards we would expect.

He said that prospectuses and requests for proposals in the space are largely still focused on investor returns, even as investors in the space increasingly want both to make returns and a difference.

Ian Howard, executive director of corporate solutions at Sustainalytics, said that there was room for more requirements on company disclosures around sustainability issues while still allowing the sector to grow.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 27, 2021.
ISLAMABAD  Pakistans planning minister says the government will begin a drive to vaccinate children aged 12 or above to protect them from coronavirus.

FILE - In this Aug. 28, 2021, file photo, Mayra Navarrete, 13, receives the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine from registered nurse, Noleen Nobleza at a clinic set up in the parking lot of CalOptima in Orange, Calif. With more than 40 million doses of coronavirus vaccines available, U.S. health authorities said they're confident both seniors and other vulnerable Americans seeking booster shots and parents anticipating approval of initial shots for young children will have easy access. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File)

ISLAMABAD  Pakistans planning minister says the government will begin a drive to vaccinate children aged 12 or above to protect them from coronavirus.

The announcement on Tuesday by Asad Umar comes amid a steady decline in fatalities from coronavirus across the country.

Umar in a tweet said Pakistan will launch a campaign soon to vaccinate children at schools. He did not say exactly when it will begin.

Currently Pakistan is offering free jabs to teens and adults.

The latest development comes hours after Pakistan reported 41 deaths from coronavirus and 1,400 new cases in the past 24 hours.

It is the first time since July that Pakistan reported less than 1,500 single-day confirmed cases amid the fourth wave which authorities believe has subsided.

___

MORE ON THE PANDEMIC:

 U.S. has enough COVID-19 vaccines for boosters, kids' shots

 Rowdy celebrations erupt in Norway as COVID restrictions end

FILE - In this Sept. 14, 2021, file photo, a worker posts placard for a COVID-19 vaccination clinic at the Reading Area Community College in Reading, Pa. With more than 40 million doses of coronavirus vaccines available, U.S. health authorities said they're confident both seniors and other vulnerable Americans seeking booster shots and parents anticipating approval of initial shots for young children will have easy access. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File)

 EXPLAINER: Whos eligible for Pfizer booster shots in US?

___

See all of AP's pandemic coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic

___

HERES WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING:

SYDNEY  Australias Victoria state has recorded more coronavirus infections than New South Wales for the first time since an outbreak of the delta variant began in Sydney in June.

Victoria is Australias second-most populous state and on Tuesday the state capital of Melbourne reported 867 new virus cases and four deaths from COVID-19 in the latest 24-hour period.

It was the highest daily numbers of infections and deaths in Victoria for the latest outbreak. Victorias previous high infection count was 847 reported Saturday.

New South Wales is the most populous state and home to Sydney, which reported 863 new infections Tuesday and seven deaths. The state has seen daily infections plateau as vaccinations have risen.

Sydney has been in lockdown since June 26 and Melbourne since Aug. 5.

___

People dance in close proximity at Paradiso pop venue, club and cultural center, in Amsterdam, Saturday, Sept. 25, 2021, the day The Netherlands dropped the coronavirus related 1.5 meter (5 feet) rule. Paradiso is housed in a converted former church building that dates from the nineteenth century. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)

WELLINGTON, New Zealand  New Zealand is relaxing travel restrictions in Auckland six weeks after the nations most populous city was locked down due to the coronavirus.

People will be able to cross the city boundary beginning Monday night if they are permanently relocating, have shared caring-giving arrangements or are returning home. Those leaving Auckland on care-giving trips will have to be tested for the virus within a week of their departure.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says more flexibility is being given because the system of pandemic restrictions is currently doing its job.

The city reported eight new infections Tuesday in the latest 24-hour period. Auckland was locked down Aug. 17 after the delta variant leaked from hotel quarantine from a New Zealander who had returned from Sydney.

Pandemic restrictions elsewhere in New Zealand amount to little more than mandatory mask-wearing.

___

NEW YORK  A federal appeals panel says New York City may require teachers to be vaccinated against the coronavirus.

The three-judge panel of the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals acted late Monday to lift a temporary order issued Friday that blocked the mandate from taking effect so a challenge could be heard from a group of teachers.

The mandate had been set to go into effect Monday for teachers and other employees of the citys schools. The appeals panels ruling put the mandate back in force.

Lawyers for the teachers said they will now ask the U.S. Supreme Court to intervene. One attorney said: With thousands of teachers not vaccinated the city may regret what it wished for. Our children will be left with no teachers and no security in schools.

___

A teacher addresses students returning to school benches on their first day back, after more than four weeks of postponing the learning process due to COVID-19 pandemic, in Kosovo, Pristina on Monday, Sep. 27, 2021. Since the beginning of the pandemic Kosovo has recorded around 160,000 cases with Covid-19, and 2936 deaths. (AP Photo/Visar Kryeziu)

SACRAMENTO, Calif.  A federal judge has ordered that all employees entering California prisons be vaccinated or have a religious or medical exemption.

The order is aimed at heading off another coronavirus outbreak like the one that killed 28 inmates and a correctional officer at San Quentin State Prison last year.

The order also requires that inmates who want in-person visits or who work outside prisons, including inmate firefighters, must also be fully vaccinated or have a religious or medical exemption.

The prison guards union says it may appeal.

More than 50,000 California inmates have been infected with the coronavirus and at least 240 have died of COVID-19.

___

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa  Faculty at Iowas public universities are demanding the right to require masks in their classrooms regardless of state law or policies against them.

Biology professor Steve OKane Jr. has pushed a resolution among colleagues at the University of Northern Iowa saying faculty should be allowed to manage their classrooms. OKane told The Cedar Rapids Gazette that he has already imposed a mask mandate for his students and lowers their lab grades if they refuse to comply.

Northern Iowa, the University of Iowa and Iowa State University sent petitions last month to the state Board of Regents signed by hundreds of faculty asking for the ability to require masks and vaccines.

Board of Regents President Mike Richards in May barred administrators from requiring masks or vaccines.

___

People wearing face masks as a precaution against the coronavirus wait at a bus stop in Mumbai, India, Monday, Sept. 27, 2021. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)

HONOLULU  New federal rules for international travelers are expected to help Hawaiis crippled tourism industry.

The states international market has been nearly nonexistent since the pandemic largely shut down travel.

Last week, the White House loosened rules that previously prohibited some foreign travelers from coming to the U.S. Now foreign visitors can come if they can show proof of vaccination and produce a negative COVID-19 test.

The Honolulu Star-Advertiser reports that the changes could bring back international travel to the islands. It is down 97% compared to before the pandemic.

Hawaii currently only requires proof of vaccination or a single pre-flight COVID-19 test for mainland and some international travelers.

Some see the new rules as more restrictive for Japanese travelers, a major component of Hawaiis tourism industry. Japan and other key markets for Hawaii tourism have high vaccination rates and officials expect that trend to continue in the coming months.

___

TOPEKA, Kan.  Gov. Laura Kelly has ordered flags throughout the state to be flown at half-staff to honor COVID-19 victims as Kansas exceeded 6,000 reported deaths.

Kellys order Monday applied immediately and directed that flags remain lowered until sunset Wednesday. The governor has issued such an order every time Kansas reports another 1,000 COVID-19 deaths.

According to Kansas health department data, the state averaged 15 additional reported COVID-19 deaths a day for the seven days ending Monday. The number of reported deaths rose 43 since Friday, making the total 6,024.

The state also reported an average of 1,012 new cases and 37 additional hospitalizations a day for the seven days ending Monday.

A door man gives hand sanitizer as Nepalese children arrive at their school that reopened after being closed for months due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Kathmandu, Nepal, Monday, Sept. 27, 2021. (AP Photo/Niranjan Shrestha)

___

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C.  A North Carolina-based hospital system announced Monday that more than 175 of its workers have been fired for failing to comply with its COVID-19 vaccination requirement.

Last week, Novant Health announced 375 employees had been suspended and given five days to comply with the mandate. The deadline was Friday.

Nearly 200 of those employees came into compliance, Spokesperson Megan Rivers said in an email Monday. Rivers didnt provide specific numbers on how many out of the 375 were in compliance and how many lost their jobs.

More than 99% of Novant Healths 35,000-plus employees are now compliant with the vaccine mandate, including employees who have submitted an approved religious or medical vaccine exemption, according to a statement.

The Winston-Salem-based system includes 15 hospitals, 800 clinics and hundreds of outpatient facilities.

___

MALDEN, Mass.  State education officials on Monday extended Massachusetts public school indoor mask mandate an extra month.

The mandate that applies to students, staff and faculty, was scheduled to expire on Oct. 1, but will now run through at least Nov. 1, state Education Commissioner Jeffrey Riley said.

Middle and high schools can apply for a waiver from the face covering rules if 80% of their students and staff have been vaccinated, he said.

The original mandate was announced in August. It applies to students age 5 and over. Masks are not required outdoors or while eating, and a limited number of other indoor activities.

FILE - In this Dec. 21, 2020, file photo, Michelle Chester, director of employee health services at Northwell Health, prepares the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine at Northwell Health's Long Island Jewish Valley Stream hospital in Valley Stream, N.Y. Hospitals and nursing homes across the country are preparing for worsening staff shortages as state deadlines arrive for employees to get vaccinated against COVID-19. New York health care employees had until the end of the day Monday, Sept. 27, 2021, to get at least one dose. (Eduardo Munoz/Pool Photo via AP, File)

About 2,220 students and more than 300 workers at Massachusetts public schools have tested positive for COVID-19 this school year, according to the latest information available from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

___

HAVANA  Cuba has begun commercial exports of its homegrown COVID-19 vaccines, sending shipments of the three-dose Abdala vaccine to Vietnam and Venezuela.

President Miguel Diaz-Canel announced the arrival in Vietnam on his Twitter feed Sunday. Cubas Center of Genetic Immunology and Biotechnology also announced that initial shipments of the Abdala shots were sent to Venezuela over the weekend.

Vietnams President Nguyen Xuan Phuc visited Cuba last week and toured the laboratory that produces the vaccine, announcing an agreement to buy at least 5 million doses.

Delcy Rodriguez, Venezuelas vice president, announced in June that the country had agreed to buy $12 million worth of the Cuban vaccine, though officials have declined to say how many doses were involved.

Another Cuban-developed COVID-19 vaccine is being produced in Iran, which Cuba has asked the World Health Organization to approve in hopes to extend exports of its locally developed vaccines.

Cuban scientists have said the vaccines are more than 90% effective against illness, though  like all vaccines  less so against mere infection.

Cuba plans to fully vaccinate 90% of its population by the end of November  a key step to reopening an economy heavily dependent on tourism.

Cubas director of epidemiology, Francisco Duran, said Monday that the country of some 11 million people has registered 860,799 infections with COVID-19 and 7,279 deaths during the pandemic.

___

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico  A pharmacy owner in Puerto Rico has pleaded guilty to illegally vaccinating two dozen children against COVID-19 with shots that had not been approved as safe for that age group, federal authorities said Monday.

The U.S. Attorneys Office said Liz Ann Banchs fully inoculated minors between the ages of 7 and 11 with the Pfizer vaccine from late May until late June.

The vaccine is currently approved for those 12 years and older, though Pfizer announced last week that a version of its vaccine, with much-reduced doses, is safe and works for children ages 5 to 11 and that it will soon seek U.S. authorization for that age group.

Authorities said the illegal vaccination occurred at Farmacia Gabriela, Inc. in the southern mountain town of Juana Diaz. They said Banchs faces up to five years in prison and up to a $250,000 fine.

___

BUENOS AIRES  Argentinas government opened some of its border to tourists from Chile and Brazil on Monday for a four-day test run as cases of COVID-19 have declined.

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.

The measure applies to two crossings into the provinces of Mendoza, a wine-producing region that neighbors Chile, and Misiones, which borders Brazil hand has the famed Iguazu Falls.

Prior to the pandemic, thousands of people crossed daily over those borders.

Visitors will still need to show they have completed a full vaccine course at least 14 days before arriving, show a recent negative PCR test and accept a fast antigen test on arriving.

They wont have to quarantine, but will required to have another PCR test if they stay beyond seven days  and those who test positive would then have to quarantine.

The announcement amounts to an early start on a gradual opening of land borders that already had been announced for citizens of neighboring countries that was to start on Friday. Fully vaccinated Argentines living abroad will no longer have to quarantine on arrival.

The country of about 45 million people has seen steadily improving levels of infection and hospital bed occupation after being hit hard by the virus. Overall, it has recorded 5.2 infections and more than 114,000 deaths.
A leader in Canada's national assembly of Catholic bishops says he hopes an apology for the harms endured at residential schools could mark a turning point in the church's relations with Indigenous Peoples, but some leaders within the community say it remains to be seen whether the expression of remorse will be backed up by meaningful action.

A memorial is seen outside the Residential School in Kamloops, B.C., on June 13, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward

A leader in Canada's national assembly of Catholic bishops says he hopes an apology for the harms endured at residential schools could mark a turning point in the church's relations with Indigenous Peoples, but some leaders within the community say it remains to be seen whether the expression of remorse will be backed up by meaningful action.

The Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops apologized "unequivocally" Friday for the abuses committed by members of the church community who were involved in running residential schools.

Vice-president Bishop William McGrattan acknowledged that the church has a history of making apologies, but said the one-page statement ratified at a full meeting of the bishops last week reaffirms their commitment to the process of reconciliation and outlines "tangible" steps to be expanded on in the future.

"First Nations people have continually called for greater responsibility and accountability of the church," the Calgary bishop said Sunday. "This is a long journey. And it's one that hopefully we can begin again and renew that relationship."

The bishops have pledged to provide records that could help "memorialize" the students believed to be buried in unmarked graves, raise money for initiatives endorsed by Indigenous leaders, and work on getting the Pope to visit Canada.

Assembly of First Nations National Chief RoseAnne Archibald said she welcomed the bishops' full-throated apology, but noted that their promises fall short of the actions the Indigenous community has called for.

"The words of the apology speak to a commitment by the (Catholic) church to the healing path forward with First Nations and Indigenous peoples," Archibald said in a statement Friday. "Only time will tell if concrete actions will follow the words of contrition by the Bishops."

Archibald said she was disappointed that the bishops didn't pass a resolution to formally invite the Pope to Canada to apologize to residential school survivors, their families and communities  one of the calls to action laid out in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's 2015 report.

McGrattan suggested an apology may not be far off as Indigenous leaders prepare to travel to the Vatican in December to meet with Pope Francis.

"We anticipate that this delegation going to Rome will be the first step," he said. "It's important, I think, to make sure that those steps are done properly."

Archibald also expressed reservations about the bishops' fundraising effort, noting that the church raised less than one-sixth of a $25-million fund promised for reconciliation and healing as part of the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement more than a decade ago.

McGrattan noted that the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops was not a party to that settlement, but said the "somewhat disappointing" fundraising outcome underscores the need for a new approach.

Last spring's discoveries of hundreds of unmarked graves on the sites of former residential schools prompted calls for the church to release records that could help identify the children who were believed to be buried, often without their families ever being told of their deaths.

The church has also faced heavy criticism for neglecting to provide all documents on the schools requested by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

McGrattan said many parishes near the burial sites plan to share sacramental records  such as registers of births, baptisms and deaths  to help families lay their loved ones to rest.

But he maintained that the church must exercise discretion when it comes to the disclosure of such documents.

"We just don't want to, in a sense, allow for information sometimes just to be given generally, where loved ones need to be the first ones to receive that and to understand the history," he said. "We are willing to work with them, but to just release information in a way that might harm them is also something that we don't want to do."

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.

Evelyn Korkmaz, a survivor of St. Annes Residential School in Fort Albany First Nation, Ont., said she was deeply disappointed in the bishops' apology. A founding member of the Ending Clergy Abuse organization and the Advocates for Clergy Trauma Survivors in Canada, Korkmaz noted that the bishops' had not included the word "truth" in their statement, an indication that they still intend to "set the rules" of reconciliation.

"It is not up to the bishops to decide for the Indigenous people what is needed because as we know, when the bishops and the Vatican make decisions about Canada's Indigenous peoples, this leads to an abuse of power with the Indigenous peoples of Canada taking the brunt of the abuse," said Korkmaz.

"This said, a commitment to Truth and Reconciliation by the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops needs to include full and unfettered access to the residential school archives held by the dioceses in Canada and at the Vatican."

More than 150,000 Indigenous children were forced to attend residential schools for more than a century when the Canadian government enacted a policy to assimilate Indigenous children, tearing them from their culture, families and languages.

The Catholic and Anglican churches ran most of the schools where children were subjected to rampant emotional, physical and sexual abuse.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 26, 2021.
OTTAWA - A former Conservative MP who lost his seat in the recent election thinks the party could have done a better job speaking directly to Chinese Canadians.

Conservative MP Kenny Chiu rises during Question Period in the House of Commons Tuesday April 13, 2021, in Ottawa. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

OTTAWA - A former Conservative MP who lost his seat in the recent election thinks the party could have done a better job speaking directly to Chinese Canadians.

Kenny Chiu was defeated in Steveston-Richmond East, a British Columbia riding with many residents of Chinese descent.

The party also saw the losses of longtime Conservative MP Alice Wong in Richmond Centre and Bob Saroya in Markham-Unionville, both home to many voters with Chinese roots. Neither responded to requests for comment from The Canadian Press.

The defeats have the Conservatives wondering what happened, and what connection the losses might have to the party's stance and messaging on China.

Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole has been an outspoken critic of China's human rights abuses, calling on the Liberal government to adopt a tougher approach with the authoritarian regime.

Chiu says there's no single reason for his loss, but points to online WeChat posts he says contained false information about the Conservatives and allegations a private member's bill to create a foreign influence registry would discriminate against Chinese Canadians.

"Hindsight is always 20/20. I think there could be more proactive communication directly addressing Canadians of Chinese descent that we could have done," Chiu said in an interview.

The party could have bought more targeted advertisements, he said, adding it's clear the communication efforts weren't enough to counter what he considers misinformation.

Improving how Conservatives speak to constituents is one of the issues Chiu said he had hoped to raise heading into the next session of Parliament. Another was how to reassure people that their criticism of the potential influence of the Chinese Communist Party doesn't mean they are attacking China, a country with a rich and storied history, or its people.

Cheuk Kwan, the past chair of the Toronto Association of Democracy in China and the activist organization's current spokesman, says he has seen examples of what he calls "pro-China" messages being spread on WhatsApp. He believes Chiu was indeed subject of a misinformation campaign stemming from his private member's bill.

O'Toole hasn't addressed the issue specifically, but expressed general disappointment in last week's election results, promising that what went wrong will be examined in a post-election review. Details have yet to be provided on its parameters or who will lead it.

Besides failing to grow the party in key areas like the Greater Toronto Area, including the vote-rich 905 area code, and Metro Vancouver, home to many immigrants and new Canadians, the Conservatives have five fewer elected people of colour because of defeats in and around these two cities, as well as in Calgary.

That comes as a hit to O'Toole's pledge to expand the party and make it a place more Canadians, including people of all backgrounds, call home.

During the campaign he tried courting voters by telling them Conservatives were no longer their dad's or grandfather's party, despite having a predominantly white caucus.

Stay informed The latest updates on the novel coronavirus and COVID-19 delivered to your inbox every weeknight. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

For Tenzin Khangsar, who worked for Jason Kenney when the Alberta premier served as immigration minister under former Conservative prime minister Stephen Harper, success in making inroads with newcomer communities came down to doing the work to have an authentic presence there before any election was called.

"905 equals 24 Sussex," he said.

Under Harper, Kenney prioritized aggressive outreach with diaspora communities, noting that Canada's demographics had changed, creating an opportunity to open the door to new supporters.

Kenney was a key supporter of O'Toole's when he ran for the party leadership in 2020, with O'Toole crediting his former colleague for having helped grow the party when he served in Harper's cabinet.

More recently, Conservative MPs including Alberta's Tim Uppal have apologized for not speaking out when he was in Harper's government against its efforts to ban face coverings during citizenship ceremonies and its 2015 election promise to set up a so-called barbaric cultural practices hotline.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 27, 2021.
TORONTO - Annamie Paul is stepping down as leader of the Green Party of Canada following months of strife within its ranks, saying she doesn't "have the heart" to keep fighting to hold onto the reins.

TORONTO - Annamie Paul is stepping down as leader of the Green Party of Canada following months of strife within its ranks, saying she doesn't "have the heart" to keep fighting to hold onto the reins.

Paul announced her resignation in Toronto on Monday, a week after the federal election that saw the party fail to grow its foothold in the House of Commons as its share of the popular vote plummeted.

Paul said she started thinking about whether she wanted to stay at the party helm in recent days after learning that a leadership review had been launched.

"I just asked myself whether this is something that I wanted to continue, whether I was willing to continue to put up with the attacks I knew would be coming, whether to continue to have to fight and struggle just to fulfil my democratically elected role as leader of this party," she said.

"And I just don't have the heart for it."

Paul said she knows some will be disappointed and that her supporters would like her to stay on, and stressed the decision wasn't an easy one.

"It has been the worst period in my life in many respects, but I am not alone and you are not alone," she said.

Paul overcame a bid to oust her as leader just weeks before the election, and faced an automatic leadership review following the ballot. She said Monday that she had contacted the party's federal council to start the process of her resignation and the search for a new leader.

The announcement comes less than a year after Paul took the reins of the Greens, becoming the first Black and Jewish woman to lead a major federal party in Canada.

She said Monday that part of her motivation during the campaign came from wanting to pave the way for others like her and show them it could be done.

"What people need to realize is that when I was elected, I was breaking a glass ceiling," she said.

"What I didn't realize at the time is that I was breaking a glass ceiling that was going to fall on my head and leave a lot of shards of glass that I was going to have to crawl over throughout my time as a leader, and when I arrived at (the leaders' debate during the campaign), I had crawled over that glass, I was spitting up blood but I was determined to be there."

Last week's election saw Paul come in fourth in Toronto Centre, her third failed attempt to win the riding. The party elected two candidates, including its first in Ontario  the same number of seats it held before the election.

The Greens also drew 2.3 per cent of the popular vote, less than half the 6.55 per cent they received in the previous election.

The election was "very difficult," Paul said Monday, pointing to a lack of funding, campaign staff, and a national campaign manager. Ongoing internal strife also undermined the party's chances at the ballots, she said.

"When you head into an election being, again, under the threat of a court process from your party, it's going to be very hard to convince people to vote for your party," she said.

It was a "tremendous struggle" to decide to go through with the election under those circumstances, she said, adding she knew the outcome would likely not be good.

Annamie Paul is photographed during a press conference announcing she is officially stepping down as Green Party leader, at Suydam Park in Toronto on Monday, September 27, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/ Tijana Martin

"I knew that we were likely not going to do well, and I knew that as the leader -- even without those tools that I needed  the first person that the public would look at would be me," she said.

Paul said that while she doesn't regret her decision, it is "quite clear" she wasn't given the opportunity to lead the party and wasn't going to be given that chance in the future.

The head of the Green Party of Ontario thanked Paul for her "bold and daring leadership."

Mike Schreiner, who campaigned with Paul, called her party leadership victory last year "a historic milestone" but lamented systemic barriers that remain in society, politics included.

"As leader of the Ontario Greens, I cannot speak for the federal party, but I do recognize that the party I lead has more work to do to combat systemic racism," he said in a statement. "I am committed to doing the hard work to build a party that is diverse, inclusive and welcoming."

Dimitri Lascaris, the runner-up to Paul in last year's party leadership race, said her resignation "is the right decision" for the Greens.

"Now is the time for Canadian Greens to focus on unity and strengthening the Party," he wrote on his website.

Other party leaders thanked Paul for her service.

"Thank you, Annamie Paul, for stepping forward and for serving Canadians with determination," Prime Minister Justin Trudeau wrote on Twitter. "Wishing you nothing but the best in your next chapter."

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh thanked Paul for her leadership, resilience and perseverance.

"You made it possible for an entire generation of Canadians to see themselves reflected in politics," he tweeted.

Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole also tweeted his admiration and support.

"Thank you Annamie Paul for your perseverance & for being a trailblazer for Canadians from all backgrounds interested in public service," he wrote.

Stay informed The latest updates on the novel coronavirus and COVID-19 delivered to your inbox every weeknight. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

Mike Morrice, who was elected for the Greens in Kitchener Centre, ruled himself out of the race to replace Paul.

Morrice has been urged by many within the party to throw his hat into the ring, but the rookie MP said he wanted to concentrate on representing his constituents in Parliament.

"While I'm open-minded about my future, my immediate focus remains on the job my neighbours across Kitchener Centre have sent me to Ottawa to do: to respectfully advocate on their priorities, from the unaffordability of housing to the climate crisis," he told The Canadian Press.

"Having just completed my first day of orientation as a rookie MP, I intend on staying focused on working across party lines to make progress on these concerns."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 27, 2021.

 With a file from Marie Woolf
A new poll suggests tensions over COVID-19 vaccines in Canada are high as frictions grow between those who are vaccinated against the virus and those who are not.

A woman walks by a COVID-19 vaccination sign in Montreal, Saturday, Aug. 21, 2021. Tensions over COVID-19 vaccines in Canada are high as frictions grow over who is vaccinated and who is not, says the president of a Montreal-based non-profit think-tank that examines Canadian issues. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes

A new poll suggests tensions over COVID-19 vaccines in Canada are high as frictions grow between those who are vaccinated against the virus and those who are not.

The Leger survey, conducted for the Association of Canadian Studies, found that more than three in four respondents hold negative views of those who are not immunized.

Association president Jack Jedwab says the relationships between vaccinated and unvaccinated Canadians are also viewed negatively by two out of three survey participants.

The online poll surveyed 1,549 Canadians between September 10 and 12.

A margin of error cannot be assigned to online polls, as they are not considered truly random samples of the population.

The survey found vaccinated people consider the unvaccinated as irresponsible and selfish, a view contested by those who are not immunized.

Some members of the latter group have been staging demonstrations outside hospitals and schools in recent weeks to protest vaccine passports and other public health measures.

"There's a high level of I would say antipathy or animosity toward people who are unvaccinated at this time," Jedwab said. "What you are seeing is the tension played out among family members and friends, co-workers, where there are relationships between people who are vaccinated and unvaccinated."

The situation creates friction and it is persistent, he added.

The survey results, he noted, also suggest the tensions between vaccinated and unvaccinated Canadians are on par with some of the other social, racial and cultural issues that divide the population.

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.

"My sense is a lot of negative sentiment people feel towards certain groups is getting displaced by their feeling of antipathy toward those people who are unvaccinated," he said.

Jedwab said the survey also found divisions among people who are not immunized, with about one in four unvaccinated respondents holding negative views towards others with the same inoculation status.

The survey findings suggest that unvaccinated people personally justify their reasons for not being immunized, but will reject others' decision to follow the same course, said Jedwab.

An earlier association poll suggested unvaccinated Canadians are more worried about getting the vaccine than contracting COVID-19, and most Canadians would refuse to allow unvaccinated adults into their homes.

Jedwab said he expected tensions between the vaccinated and unvaccinated to ratchet up even higher as governments and employers continue to push for more people to get their shots.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 27, 2021.
OTTAWA - U.S. President Joe Biden pressed his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping to release Canadians Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig during a Sept. 9 telephone call.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki speaks during a briefing at the White House, Thursday, Sept. 23, 2021, in Washington. The White House is playing down the links between the release of Canadians Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig and last weeks decision to abandon the extradition of Meng Wanzhou. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP/Evan Vucci

OTTAWA - U.S. President Joe Biden pressed his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping to release Canadians Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig during a Sept. 9 telephone call.

The call was the second between the two leaders and was billed at the time by both sides as an attempt to unlock the political stalemate between the two countries amid rising tensions.

The White House offered new details about Biden's involvement as it played down any link between the release of Spavor and Kovrig and last week's decision by the U.S. Department of Justice to abandon its extradition of Meng Wanzhou in a British Columbia court.

Meng was arrested on Dec. 1, 2018, at Vancouvers airport by the RCMP because the U.S. wanted her extradited to face fraud charges, and the two Michaels were arrested nine days later in China in what is widely seen as retribution.

Press secretary Jen Psaki said the U.S. Department of Justice is an independent agency and reached the decision to pursue a deferred prosecution agreement with the Huawei executive on its own.

But she said Biden pushed for the release of the two Canadian men when he spoke to Xi by telephone Sept. 9.

"He raised the two individuals, the two Michaels  who have been released, very positive news. It should not come as a surprise that President Xi raised the Huawei official, but again, there was no negotiation on this call," said Psaki.

"These two leaders raised the cases of these individuals, but there was no negotiation about it. It was President Biden raising and pressing again for the release of these two Michaels, as is something that happens in every engagement we do with the Chinese  or had, up to this point in time."

The Chinese foreign ministry confirmed Monday that Xi also played a direct role in the affair, which came to a stunning conclusion on Friday when Meng was allowed to return to China and the two Michaels were returned to Canada on simultaneous flights that departed at near identical moments.

Foreign Affairs Minister Marc Garneau used his Monday address to the United Nations General Assembly to affirm the solidarity of Canada and its allies in defending human rights and international law in the wake of Kovrig and Spavor's release.

"Canada observed the rule of law, and two Canadian citizens paid a heavy price for this commitment. We did so as a matter of principle, and we are proud of the courage of our two citizens, the good faith and resilience of their families, and the determination and creativity of our diplomats," Garneau said.

"I want to recognize the support of our many international partners in standing with these Canadian citizens, as well as those who helped in developing and signing the Declaration on Arbitrary Detention in state-to-state relations."

Irwin Cotler, a former Canadian justice minister, said he does not believe the resolution of the case will embolden China's much-maligned practice of what has come to be known as "hostage diplomacy."

Cotler said the international support that Canada was able to build through its 60-plus country declaration against arbitrary detention has put China on notice that it can't get away with the practice.

"I think this is a very important development. And I do hope that shadow of hostage diplomacy has been lifted. And now, the culture of impunity that accompanied it can be combatted."

Guy Saint-Jacques, a former Canadian ambassador to China, said the new arbitrary detention declaration needs to be strengthened with punitive measures such as sanctions. "The trust is gone with China," he said.

Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying blasted Canada for aiding the U.S. in a "political frame-up and persecution against a Chinese citizen, an act designed to hobble Chinese high-tech companies as represented by Huawei."

Hua told her ministry's daily press briefing on Monday that Meng was "arbitrarily detained" by Canada  which is how Canada and its allies viewed the imprisonment of Kovrig and Spavor  and that her government, and its leader worked tirelessly to win her freedom.

"President Xi Jinping gave personal guidance," Hua said.

Hua also reiterated that Kovrig and Spavor endangered China's national security and she said their freedom came because they "applied for release on bail for medical reasons."

Both men were convicted of espionage in closed, secretive and widely criticized trials earlier this year, with Spavor getting an 11-year sentence, while Kovrig was awaiting his fate.

A Chinese newspaper controlled by the Communist party, the Global Times, reported on Sunday that Kovrig and Spavor signed handwritten confessions before they were released.

Stay informed The latest updates on the novel coronavirus and COVID-19 delivered to your inbox every weeknight. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

Global Affairs Canada did not directly respond to questions on this point, saying in a written statement that "these two men are innocent."

But Cotler said even if Kovrig and Spavor did sign confessions, they wouldn't have been worth the paper they were written on.

"I don't believe it took place. And I do know that when people are under not only detention as they were, but torture, in detention, sometimes under that torture, those things occur," said Cotler, the founder of Montreal's Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights, and a lawyer who has represented numerous political prisoners.

"But I'd say that if it did occur, the fingerprints are on China."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 27, 2021.

 with files from James McCarten in Washington
My kid brought home a picture from school last week. She made it on the first day of fall.

Opinion

My kid brought home a picture from school last week. She made it on the first day of fall.

It said, "Goodbye Summer. I will miss," with a blank spot for her to write what she would miss the most about summer. She wrote "Findig Seashells," with the spelling error and both Ss backwards. Under that, she drew herself and her sisters collecting shells at the beach, with a person she said was me lying in the sand under an umbrella. It was the sweetest little drawing.

Im glad she has nice memories of collecting shells at the beach. We did it often this summer, and last year, too. Im not sure Ive been to the beach as much in my whole life as I have been the past two pandemic summers. One thing this pandemic has done is dramatically slowed the pace of our lives and changed the way we spend time together. Working from home, for the most part, and remaining in our immediate bubbles means we have more time to spend together.

Of course, it wasnt always rosy these past two summers. I think we all experienced feelings of loneliness, isolation and seeing too much of each other. But weve been able to spend time  time we wouldnt have otherwise had in our pre-pandemic routines and lives  at the beach or wherever else our adventures took us.

As we ease back into school, and the routines and interactions with other social circles that come along with it, I feel a great sense of anxiety mixed with relief. All three of our kids missed their friends terribly, and theyve missed having their own lives outside of our home. Each of them gained a sense of normalcy and independence theyd been starving for. Another thing that happened almost immediately upon returning to school is that our youngest child caught a cold.

It was a mere two days into Grade 1 when I had to pull her out of school for three days (and then the weekend) until she got over her symptoms. Her negative COVID-19 test result was a huge relief, but the onslaught of her initial symptoms  sneezing, runny nose, a slight cough, and a little of lethargy, with her body just on the cusp of a fever, but not quite  came with a great deal of anxiety.

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.

"Oh gosh, is it a cold or COVID?"

Luckily for us, it was just a cold, and she recovered quickly. By her third day at home, she was nearly all better, bouncing off the walls and loudly demanding our attention. She still had a slight runny nose, which is why we kept her home, but it was a sweet relief to know she was feeling better and that it wasnt COVID-19.

Another dose of sweet relief came last week, when Pfizer and BioNTech announced theyve wrapped up clinical vaccine trials in children and that they planned to ask for authorization to use the vaccine in children ages five to 12 in Canada, the U.S., and elsewhere as soon as possible. It feels like hope is on the horizon, at least for our family.

Im glad the kids are back in school. I know they are, too. Im hopeful our youngest, most vulnerable family members will be eligible to be vaccinated soon, and I hope we will be able to start heading down a path to normalcy.

shelley.cook@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @ShelleyAcook
News that the neurosurgeon hired to launch a groundbreaking adult epilepsy surgery program in Manitoba is giving up after five years and moving on was disheartening deja vu for Calgarys Dr. Juan Pablo Appendino.

News that the neurosurgeon hired to launch a groundbreaking adult epilepsy surgery program in Manitoba is giving up after five years and moving on was "disheartening" deja vu for Calgarys Dr. Juan Pablo Appendino.

The pediatric epilepsy neurologist at Alberta Childrens Hospital said Friday that he was hired in 2010 to launch the same program at Health Sciences Centre in Winnipeg.

After five years of waiting for funding and support for the program, Appendino said he gave up and moved to Calgary in 2015.

He was replaced by Dr. Demitre Serletis, a neurosurgeon hired from the U.S. After five years of trying to get the program up and running, Serletis told the Free Press this week that he is leaving Manitoba because the province failed to fulfil its promise to fund the program it hired him to establish.

Manitoba now has to send adults out of province for epilepsy surgery.

Appendino contacted the Free Press when he saw Thursdays story about Serletis leaving Winnipeg, a place he and his family had grown to love, because of a lack of operating funds to establish the adult epilepsy surgery program.

"It has been ongoing for many years and I believe it is a very important issue for the community that I dearly love and miss every single day," Appendino said Friday.

Both he and Serletis say epilepsy surgery is one of the most cost-effective treatment strategies in modern times. Provincial programs that invest in advanced surgeries have been able to recuperate the costs within two to three years, Serletis said in an interview Wednesday. In the Winnipeg region there are an estimated 6,000 patients who would be eligible for surgery and 19,000 who have epilepsy.

It has been ongoing for many years and I believe it is a very important issue for the community that I dearly love and miss every single day.  Dr. Juan Pablo Appendino

Seizure-ending surgery means long-term savings for the health-care system with people not showing up in ICUs and needing MRIs and other expensive procedures, said Appendino. The life-changing operation allows people to regain their independence  their ability to work and drive and thrive. The near-term cost of performing epilepsy surgery, however, is high, said the doctor from Argentina who trained there and in Toronto.

It starts with customized electrodes implanted in the brain or on its surface for seizure monitoring to identify the site in the brain from which the seizure originates. Once it is identified, patients are scheduled for surgery to remove the site thats the source of the seizures.

"Every single electrode that you put in the brain of a patient may cost a thousand to five thousand dollars  just the electrode," Appendino said. "So you put in 10 electrodes, it will cost $10,000 just to start monitoring the patient and find out where the disease is coming from. And that cost payback is very long-term  like 10 years," he said in an interview.

"No politician will invest in a result in 10 years because their (election) cycle is no longer than four years. So they want things now, quick. They dont lie. They create expectations. They play with our hopes that something is going to happen. But they know very deep that its never going to happen when they recruit people. Thats my feeling," said the Calgary neurologist.

Dr. Juan Pablo Appendino moved to Alberta Childrens Hospital in Calgary in 2015 after five years of waiting for support and funding. (Lyle Aspinall photo)

Manitobas follow-through failure when it comes to funding epilepsy surgery was illustrated in a graphic presentation by Winnipeg epileptologist Dr. Marcus Ng in 2019. A series of historical archives and news clippings over the years show alternating announcements of experts arriving in Winnipeg to perform groundbreaking epilepsy surgeries followed a few years later by notices that theyve given up on Manitoba and are leaving for greener, more fertile pastures to do their work.

The lack of treatment for epilepsy patients in Manitoba was laid bare earlier this month in a peer-reviewed journal article co-authored by Ng subtitled "A public health imperative hidden in plain sight." It focused on epilepsy patients in the Canadian Arctic who are medically evacuated to Winnipeg, their designated neurosciences hospital site with "nil to few" epilepsy care resources.

"Specifically, there has been an ongoing neurologist shortage over 11.25 years," said the article published in the Open Access Journal of the International League Against Epilepsy. "There is no stroke unit. Similarly, there is no dedicated geographical specialty neurology ward. Adult epilepsy monitoring occurred ... on two beds borrowed from an ill-equipped orthopedics ward, until their indefinite closure by COVID-19."

On Friday, Ng  who works at the Health Sciences Centre  declined to comment on the lack of epilepsy surgery and treatment offered in Manitoba. The associate professor of neurology at the University of Manitoba did, however, raise a question.

"When a condition is highly treatable are we, as a society, prepared to leave these people behind?"

carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca
A Palestinian refugee convicted of killing a customer outside the cafe where he worked should be sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole for at least 13 years, a judge was told Monday.

A Palestinian refugee convicted of killing a customer outside the cafe where he worked should be sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole for at least 13 years, a judge was told Monday.

Mahfouth Assi, 24, was found guilty earlier this year of second-degree murder in the April 2019 stabbing death of 20-year-old Yazan Al Horani and attempted murder for an attack on a second man outside the Ramallah Cafe and hookah lounge.

FACEBOOK PHOTO Yazan Al Horani was stabbed to death outside the Ramallah Cafe restaurant in April 2019.

Court heard at trial Assi and the second man, Moussa Almousa, became embroiled in a heated exchange of culturally charged insults after Assi took exception to Almousa standing on a bench to take a selfie with his friends.

"This was a very violent and very extraordinary response by the accused to all of the circumstances," Crown attorney Deann Sahulka told Queens Bench Justice Anne Turner. "Mr. Assi committed a very violent crime for little to no reason."

Assi admitted stabbing both men, but argued at trial he should be convicted of manslaughter and assault, testifying he was so consumed by rage he had no memory of the attack.

"Mr. Assi didnt come to work expecting to assault anyone," said defence lawyer Scott Newman, who urged Turner not to increase Assis period of parole ineligibility from the minimum 10 years allowed by law.

Assi considered Al Horani a friend, making it all the more likely he was acting in a "blind rage," Newman said.

"He needs help and he is prepared to receive counselling and accept help," he said. "There is nothing in this case to justify an increase in the period of parole ineligibility."

Assi will face almost certain deportation after completing the custodial portion of his sentence, which will only be delayed the longer he stays in prison, Newman said.

Court heard at trial Almousa visited the cafe with Al Horani and about 10 friends to celebrate Almousas birthday.

Following the selfie dispute, Assi brought the matter to the attention of a cafe manager, at which point Almousa shoved Assi and the two men insulted each others female relatives.

As the dispute escalated, Almousa grabbed a knife from a table but quickly surrendered it to staff who had already separated the two men. A manager told Almousa, Al Horani and their friends to leave the restaurant, which they did, and told Assi to go home.

Assi grabbed a knife from the kitchen, exited out the back door and stopped briefly at his car before rounding the corner of the building and stabbing the two victims as they stood with their friends in front of the cafe.

Al Horani, "a perfectly innocent bystander," was stabbed once in the heart and died almost immediately, Sahulka said.

"The accused clearly wanted to target Mr. Almousa and Mr. Al Horani got between them and died as a result," she said.

Almousa was stabbed in the chest and flank and spent 22 days in hospital.

Assi testified at trial he had no memory of picking up a knife or attacking the two men.

"The only feeling that I remember is that I was very mad, very angry," he said. "Mostly what I remember is someone holding me, touching me, trying to push me away."

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.

Assi said the next thing he recalled was arriving in his car at a St. Norbert service station and finding a bloody knife on the passenger seat.

Al Horani and his family emigrated from Syria in 2017, after years spent in a refugee camp in Jordan, a family friend told the Free Press following his death. He was taking adult education courses, had started a job at Blady Middle Eastern grocery store and was recently engaged to be married.

"Our life has become a barren desert," his father wrote in a victim impact statement read out in court. "We do not believe and do not want to believe that he is gone."

Assi apologized to the families of both victims Monday, saying he would "just like a chance to be a better man."

Turner will sentence Assi at a later date.

dean.pritchard@freepress.mb.ca
We had gone to Saskatchewan for the weekend, and now were on the way home. Something had affected me for several days, and as we neared home I knew it wasnt getting better. I found myself gasping for air. Soon after getting into the city and unloading, we headed for emergency at St. Boniface Hospital.

Opinion

We had gone to Saskatchewan for the weekend, and now were on the way home. Something had affected me for several days, and as we neared home I knew it wasnt getting better. I found myself gasping for air. Soon after getting into the city and unloading, we headed for emergency at St. Boniface Hospital.

My fear was that I might have COVID-19. And if it was in my body, we had a lot of calls to Saskatchewan to make.

I spent most of the first week in September in the Code Orange ward of the hospital. A swab taken soon after I arrived at the hospital came back negative; two days later a second swab returned the same result. But because two tests were required, I remained in the isolation ward for my entire stay at the hospital. It gave me a chance to observe the medical staff in operation there.

(Incidentally, the true reason for my breathing problem was a massive embolism in my lungs, so I was grateful that concern about COVID-19 had propelled me to the hospital.)

The experience gave me the opportunity to make several observations. For one, it renewed my appreciation for the work our health-care workers are doing. Each time a nurse or doctor entered my room to do tests, to check my oxygen or provide me with medicines, they had to gown up for my room and once finished, deposit the gown and gloves in receptacles in my room. The protocol never varied, and I never saw the health-care workers complain about the tedium of the process.

The past 18 months have placed a lot of stress on our hospitals and the people working within them. It has put many nurses and physicians into situations where they have had to decide who should get attention first, even though they might have several in life-threatening situations before them.

If people came in who had refused to be vaccinated, they had to ask themselves, would staff still provide the same level of care? Imagine someone refusing to believe they had COVID-19 even at the point of death. How difficult would it be to care then?

Against such a backdrop it is hard to think charitably about protesters on the outside who complain about a tiny loss of freedom. They would only have to wear a mask in very specific settings. Surely a sense of the common good should be enough to provide the motivation when government guidelines ask for it.

It highlights for me another observation. Weve been told repeatedly  including by the mayors of Steinbach and Winkler  that we ought to respect those who might be opposed to masking and are vaccine-hesitant. My question is this: what does respect mean, in a context in which the science appears to be clear, namely that vaccination protects people?

If the mayors of communities believe in the efficacy of the vaccines, if they are vaccinated themselves, if they believe that those who refuse to be vaccinated have come to believe what is false, does respect mean they must tolerate those views and not speak their real convictions about them?

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.

Suppose during this summers drought, the Winkler town council had passed an ordinance that everyone was to reduce their water consumption, and it had set limits for such consumption. If someone told the mayor they saw access to water as a God-given natural right on which no one could place limits, would the reply of local authorities be "We must respect your beliefs"? Its hard to imagine.

The New York Times recently reported on a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that showed people who are not fully vaccinated were 4.5 times more likely to become infected, 10 times more likely to be hospitalized and 11 times as likely to die of the COVID-19 as the vaccinated. These are figures with which it would be hard to argue. It is the duty of those resisting vaccination to show why their views should be "respected."

At present, there are 1,500 people a day dying in American hospitals of COVID-19 infections and there are about 80 million Americans eligible for vaccination who have still not had the first jab. That provides the delta variant ample room to spread. While the Canadian scene is considerably more hopeful, the protests in Canadian cities are as disconcerting as anywhere in the world.

No one has to agree with every action taken or guideline given by government authorities. Nonetheless, those entities exist for our common well-being. We will all need them at some time or another, and if we keep on selfishly undermining them as protesters are now doing in the name of freedom, they, and we, will suffer.

For the good of us all, community leaders throughout this province, and especially in the south, ought to speak up and do so strongly.

Harold Jantz has written for the church press most of his life and edited church-related periodicals for many years. He is at jantz@mts.net.
IN late August, as the world fixated on the political and refugee crises in Afghanistan, a different type of refugee crisis was unfolding in eastern Europe. Belaruss embattled President Aleksandr Lukashenko had for weeks been exploiting migrants as pawns in retaliation against the European Union for imposing sanctions on his regime over its crushing of a pro-democracy opposition movement.

Opinion

IN late August, as the world fixated on the political and refugee crises in Afghanistan, a different type of refugee crisis was unfolding in eastern Europe. Belaruss embattled President Aleksandr Lukashenko had for weeks been exploiting migrants as pawns in retaliation against the European Union for imposing sanctions on his regime over its crushing of a pro-democracy opposition movement.

With hardline nationalism now mainstreamed globally, and displacement and migration set to skyrocket, the growing trend of using human beings as political fodder is an ominous development.

Lukashenkos scheme saw his officials arrange for thousands of refugees, mostly from Iraq and Afghanistan, to pay hefty fees to fly into Belarus under false promises of being transferred to safe haven countries in western Europe. They were instead dumped at the borders of neighbouring EU member states Latvia, Lithuania and Poland  countries notably unequipped and unwilling to deal with irregular immigration.

The gambit proved sufficiently destabilizing to provoke the three Baltic countries into each declaring states of emergency, erecting razor-wire fences, and deploying hundreds of troops to the area.

Earlier this year, Morocco allowed some 6,000 African migrants to enter the Spanish enclave of Ceuta in one day amid a dispute with Spains government. Turkeys strongman President Recep Tayyip Erdogan since 2015 has also routinely threatened to "open the gates" and funnel portions of the 3.6 million Syrian refugees Turkey hosts into Europe to gain concessions from Brussels on everything from financial aid and visa-free entry to Europe for Turkish citizens, to natural gas drilling rights in the eastern Mediterranean.

This trend isnt unique to Europe. Kenya recently announced it would close two massive camps containing over 200,000 Somali refugees by next June  a decision conspicuously coinciding with an ongoing political rift with Somalia. And its not limited to physical relocations either, as rich donor nations are now strategically tying foreign aid and development assistance to recipient nations efforts to stem migrant flows.

The Biden administration in April struck an undisclosed deal with Guatemala, Honduras and Mexico for their security forces to forcibly block Central American migrants from reaching the southern U.S. border. After Europes 2015 migrant crisis, the EU has provided hundreds of millions of dollars and high-tech surveillance equipment to abusive paramilitary units in Libya, Niger and Sudan  gateway countries for Africans seeking to cross the Mediterranean into Europe.

For two decades, globalizations principle of transnational movement of labour, capital, goods and ideas has lifted hundreds of millions of people out of extreme poverty and partially lessened global inequality between nations. But it has also fuelled rising inequality within them, including in Canada, where the top one per cent of earners have amassed over one-quarter of this countrys wealth.

One consequence: a tremendous backlash against immigration and multiculturalism. Reactionary movements like those behind Brexit and Trumpism have harnessed disinformation and the reality-distorting technologies of social media to frame immigration and minorities as being responsible for economic malaise and alienating levels of social change.

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.

Yet this all may pale in comparison to how volatile migration issues could become in the future.

World Bank forecasts predict that absent major action on climate change, 216 million people could be newly displaced within Latin America, Africa, Asia and the Pacific and Eastern Europe by 2050, almost triple the 82 million already displaced globally. Sheer desperation will motivate a very small but not-insignificant percentage to use the climate crisis to strive to reach the global north through whatever dangerous and unauthorized channels possible. Many will succeed.

Much of the developed world, meanwhile, is already reliant on immigration to prop up their economies amid declining birth rates and aging populations. These dynamics  and alternately, pandemic-related public fears of foreigners importing any new variants of contagion  will only increase. Such converging and competing pressures risk clouding the judgment of partisan governments and politicizing immigration policies based on short-term domestic political agendas, sabotaging their long-term viability.

Leaning too far right and restrictive could stoke xenophobia, prioritize heavy-handed militarized solutions, undermine international laws and encourage a nationalist turn inward in a world in which pressing issues all require collective action. Leaning too far left and open may underestimate the social and economic complexity of immigration, resulting in newcomers being isolated and underemployed, disadvantaged domestic groups being marginalized even further, and developing nations subjected to crippling levels of brain drain.

The first approach neglects the immense value immigration can deliver; the second fails to appreciate the deep societal challenges it poses. Adhering too closely to either would be a mistake.

Kyle Hiebert is a Winnipeg-based researcher and analyst, and former deputy editor of the Africa Conflict Monitor.
WINNIPEG - Manitoba has clearly entered the fourth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, as cases are rising especially in regions where vaccination rates are low, says the province's top doctor.

Dr. Brent Roussin, Manitoba's chief public health officer, speaks during a COVID-19 update at the Manitoba legislature in Winnipeg Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/John Woods

WINNIPEG - Manitoba has clearly entered the fourth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, as cases are rising especially in regions where vaccination rates are low, says the province's top doctor.

Despite relatively high vaccine uptick provincewide, we knew there were pockets of ... unvaccinated individuals, Dr. Brent Roussin, Manitoba's chief public health officer, said Monday.

And that put us at risk of a fourth wave.

There were 366 new infections reported in the province since Thursday  150 of them in the Southern Health-Sante Sud region. There were also two deaths.

Roussin said the southern health region makes up 15 per cent of the province's population but almost half of daily COVID-19 cases.

Of the 93 new cases on Monday, 46 were in the southern health region. Forty-one of those were among people who were not fully vaccinated.

Roussin said hes concerned because vaccination and COVID-19 testing rates in the region are low.

More than half of the people being admitted to ICU  their first test related to COVID is on that day of admission, he said.

There are people that are delaying being tested and out in the community while very ill.

Manitoba was hit hard by a third wave that overwhelmed the health-care system. Some COVID-19 patients were transported to intensive care units outside the province for treatment.

The province had held off the fourth wave for months, largely by maintaining public health orders, including a mask mandate.

Manitoba was also the first province to roll out a proof-of-vaccination card, which is required for activities that include eating in restaurants and attending sporting events.

Overall, the province has high vaccination rates, with more than 84 per cent of eligible people with at least one dose and more than 80 per cent with both.

But health officials said certain areas are seeing much lower levels of vaccination as well as significant community spread of COVID-19.

Stay informed The latest updates on the novel coronavirus and COVID-19 delivered to your inbox every weeknight. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

Vaccine uptake is about 50 per cent in the southern areas of Hanover, North Norfolk, Altona, Roland and Winkler, according to provincial data. Its less than 25 per cent in the Rural Municipality of Stanley.

Dr. Joss Reimer, medical lead of the province's vaccine rollout, said the work is a lot more difficult when it comes down to people who are hesitant or who have questions.

She said the team is working on how it would roll out vaccinations for children under 12 when it is approved. The province is currently providing vaccine clinics for eligible students at about 40 schools.

Additionally, Manitoba has expanded third-dose eligibility to all residents and staff of First Nations personal care homes, people who are immunocompromised and those who require a third dose for travel.

Roussin said there are too many unvaccinated people in the province and he wouldn't rule out region-specific health orders if infections continue to surge in the south. If something is not done, he said, there will be strain on the health-care system again.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 27, 2021.
OTTAWA - Sixty-two per cent of eligible voters cast ballots in last week's federal election  about average turnout for recent Canadian elections despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.

A voter casts their ballot at a polling location on election day during the 44th Canadian general election, on Monday, Sept. 20, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang

OTTAWA - Sixty-two per cent of eligible voters cast ballots in last week's federal election  about average turnout for recent Canadian elections despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Elections Canada says almost 17 million Canadians voted, out of 27.4 million eligible electors. That does not include voters who registered on election day so the final number could tick up a bit, the agency says.

Turnout was down from 67 per cent in 2019 and 68.3 per cent in 2015 but it was still better than four of the previous seven federal elections held in Canada since the turn of the century.

The pandemic resulted in fewer polling locations, fewer poll workers and long lineups to vote last Monday in some places.

It also resulted in a record number of Canadians  some 850,000 voting by mail.

Election officials completed counting the mail-in ballots on Saturday.

Elections Canada expected to finish validating the results in all ridings on Monday, after which candidates in close-fought ridings will have four days to request a judicial recount.

The Liberals served notice late Monday that they are seeking a judicial recount in the Quebec riding of Chateauguay-Lacolle, where the Bloc Quebecois' Patrick O'Hara edged out Liberal incumbent Brenda Shanahan by just 286 votes.

Justin Trudeau's Liberals emerged from the election with a second minority government, having won 159 seats, a gain of two over their 2019 result.

Stay informed The latest updates on the novel coronavirus and COVID-19 delivered to your inbox every weeknight. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

However, the winner in one of them  Kevin Vuong in Toronto's Spadina-Fort York  will sit as an independent after failing to disclose to the party a past sexual assault charge, which was later dropped.

Erin O'Toole's Conservatives finished with 119 seats, down two from 2019. The Bloc Quebecois finished with 33 seats (up one), the NDP with 25 (up one), and the Greens with two (down one).

The Conservatives won slightly more of the popular vote  33.7 per cent to the Liberals' 32.6 per cent  as they did in 2019. But because their vote was heavily concentrated in Alberta and Saskatchewan, they won fewer seats.

The NDP's share of the vote was up almost two points over 2019, to 17.8 per cent. The Bloc's share was down slightly to 32.1 per cent in Quebec.

The Greens won just 2.3 per cent of the vote, less than half their share in 2019 and behind the extremist fringe People's Party of Canada, which took five per cent of the vote although it won no seats.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 27, 2021.
Wits-educated billionaire launches R3-billion vaccine development project in SA

It will help to establish two research centres to boost cancer and vaccine research at the University of the Witwatersrand.

Wits University alumnus and South African-born biotech billionaire, Dr Patrick Soon-Shiong, has officially launched the ambitious R3-billion initiative to build capacity for advanced health care in Africa.

Wits is one of the leading universities to benefit from this partnership that will focus on the rapid clinical development of next generation vaccines for infectious diseases, including Covid-19 vaccines, and cancer at centres of excellence across the country.

Wits has already identified the establishment of a new Centre of Excellence in Oncology and the Wits Infectious Diseases Research Institute in the Faculty of Health Sciences.

The initiative is driven by NantAfrica, a division of NantWorks which is Soon-Shiongs multinational, California-based conglomerate that is leading the digital revolution in healthcare, technology and media through the harnessing of science, digital infrastructure, supercomputing and communication.

Wits University is honoured to partner with NantWorks to advance the research and clinical development of vaccines, and training and technological innovation in oncology, infectious diseases, immunology, molecular medicine, and related disciplines, in Africa. This will ultimately result in improving the lives of many people, says Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences, Professor Shabir Madhi, a vaccinologist, and world-leader in his field.

This collaboration will provide further growth in the world-class research undertaken by Wits scientists in the field of infectious diseases, and provide opportunities for cutting edge research in the field of immunotherapy in the management of cancer.

Professor Zeblon Vilakazi, Wits Vice-Chancellor and Principal, welcomed the collaboration, saying this relationship is particularly special as both Dr Soon-Shiong and his wife Michelle are Wits alumni, who met on our campus.

This collaboration speaks directly to the priorities of Wits University as we approach our centenary  to improve health care using the latest technology and innovation, to benefit broader society, and to advance the public good. We look forward to working with the team to conduct research at the frontiers of science, that addresses the pressing challenges of the 21st Century, and that ultimately advances better healthcare for humanity, says Vilakazi.

Professor Shabir Madhi had a discussion with Dr Soon-Shiong in March 2021 about COVID-19, his thoughts and ideas on vaccine development in South Africa, and how scientists can be engaged.

NantAfrica also wants to tap South African medical expertise in treating diseases that are prevalent in the country such as HIV, tuberculosis, human papillomavirus and cervical cancer.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa its an opportunity to address the public health challenges experienced in South African and the continent and leapfrog to cutting edge technology.

It is a game changer for our country. This technology transfer, including manufacturing biologics, will reinforce vaccine equity sorely needed globally, he said during the online media conference.

NantAfrica also wants to tap South African medical expertise in treating diseases that are prevalent in the country such as HIV, tuberculosis, human papillomavirus and cervical cancer.

Read the full press release here.
Skills survey finds SA ICT not moving to gig economy - yet

Survey shows a shift to the gig economy has not occurred in SA, but it's plausible that this might change in future.

The Covid-19 move to work from home has raised the question of whether linking an employee to a single employer still makes sense, or whether the traditional job should instead be broken down into a sequence of tasks or gigs that can be carried out by anyone.

What is a job? The simple answer - without getting bogged down in legal technicalities  is that its an arrangement between a person, called an employee, and another person or entity, called an employer. Through this arrangement the employee agrees to spend about 40 hours every week at a place of work assisting the employer in conducting its business.

In return the employer provides the employee with the necessary tools - a salary, and (possibly) other benefits and incentives. The arrangement is exclusive  the employee provides services to only one employer.

The employer usually puts processes in place, called management, to monitor the work of its employees. These processes focus mostly on time-and-attendance management. They ensure that the employee puts in  at least  the agreed number of hours per week at the place of work.

Whether replacing jobs with gigs would be a logical consequence of the changes brought about by the pandemic was one of the questions we hoped to answer when we launched the 11th edition of the Johannesburg Centre for Software Engineering (JCSE)-Institute of IT Professionals SA ICT Skills Survey in July 2021.

We wondered whether we might see a reduction in the number of people employed in the sector (fewer jobs) while the amount of work stayed the same or increased.

We asked IT practitioners whether they were now working for multiple employers in a gig economy mode of engagement. The results indicate that this change is not occurring in SA - yet.

However, we are still left with the question: is a shift to the gig economy likely to happen in our local ICT sector in the near future?

At first glance the gig economy promises the attractive prospect that employees could have the freedom and autonomy to manage their own time, make money doing things they love and things that challenge them.

However, for flexibility we sacrifice security. The gig economy transfers the risk inherently associated with full-time employment from the employer to the employee. Benefits associated with full-time employment, such as paid leave, are no longer part of the deal.

Even though as our survey shows a shift to the gig economy has not occurred in SA, it is plausible that forces in the industry might change this in future.

The question is - what factors are at play and what role do they have in renegotiating the historic and exclusive arrangement between employer and employee?

Among the changes wrought by the pandemic has been the role of the manager, which has shifted from managing time and attendance to managing outcomes and expectations. It requires managers to give up absolute control and share responsibility with their subordinates.

With little oversight possible, tasks have been broken up into smaller subtasks independently planned and executed by employees based on their strengths and experience. Employees have become empowered, can take ownership, make decisions and deliver work based on the conditions in which they find themselves.

Employees are committed and more effective. Employers have been surprised at the increase in the output that has been achieved. Underpinned by forced introspection, the employee has discovered the possibility and importance of a better work-life balance, the ability to deliver quality output from anywhere, as well as the value of good skills.

So, what will give way first to force the adoption of a gig economy in ICT? The pandemic has provided fertile soil in which a gig economy could flourish.

In these uncertain times, and since people are at the core of the business in the ICT sector, employers are forced to be innovative in how they maintain their culture and competitive advantage.

As both are vested in the people they employ, employers are at risk. In an attempt to protect what is important, employers are looking at mechanisms to encourage employees back into the office. This approach may very well backfire since employees are seeing the advantages of working from home.

This tension between employers and employees might just be what is required to break the current balance, making the gig economy an attractive alternative, bringing with it new ways of working and new skills sets.

The JCSE-IITPSA ICT Skills Survey findings on the effects of Covid-19 on work and skills will be released on September 28.

Professor Barry Dwolatzky is the Director of the Johannesburg Centre for Software Engineering at JCSE and Director for Innovation Strategy Wits University. Tony van der Linden is CIO and head of R&D at BBD.

This article was first published in Business Day.
Covid vaccine mandates dont have to undermine your rights

While South Africa has steered clear of compulsory vaccination for now, the countrys laws do allow such a policy.

The Brits might be doing it. Brooklyn and the Bronx are definitely doing it. The question is: should we be doing it? The South African government says it wont make COVID vaccinations compulsory for its employees for now  but that they wont stand in the way of private businesses who want to introduce mandatory vaccinations.

According to Health Minister Joe Phaahla, the health department will issue vaccine certificates or passports to fully vaccinated people by the end of September, which businesses will be able to use to restrict access to venues based on peoples vaccination status.

Yet hesitancy may be a significant barrier to the success of South Africas vaccine programme  a survey by the Human Sciences Research Council in June and July this year showed that 28% of the 8 000 respondents were reluctant to be vaccinated.

With the aim of getting 68% of the adult population fully vaccinated to adequately contain the pandemic, introducing official policies to allow for mandatory COVID-19 vaccination is one way of getting more people vaccinated. Such policies are called vaccine mandates.

Countries such as Italy, France and Greece have, for instance, introduced mandatory vaccinations for health workers and certain government workers. And in the United States, President Joe Biden announced a plan that will require businesses with more than 100 employees to ensure their staff are fully vaccinated or show a negative COVID test once a week before coming to work.

The raging question for South Africa is not so much about whether the government should consider a COVID-19 vaccine mandate, but rather whether they can. And the short answer is yes.

Leveraging the law: How to mandate vaccines

The government could call on two laws that would allow them to make getting a COVID-19 vaccine compulsory, if it ever came to that.

In 2020, COVID-19 became a notifiable condition under the Notifiable Medical Conditions Regulations, which have long been in place and are updated from time to time. A notifiable condition is a disease that poses a considerable public health risk because it can lead to outbreaks that are fatal or severely affect many people. Examples of notifiable diseases in South Africa are cholera, listeriosis and tuberculosis.

Every doctor or nurse in both the public and private health sector who diagnoses a patient with a notifiable condition has to report it to the National Institute of Communicable Diseases  failure to do so is a criminal offense.

Under the Notifiable Medical Conditions Regulations, a healthcare provider would be allowed to administer a vaccine even if a person refuses to accept it. But this is not as totalitarian as it sounds: a court has to decide whether this would be a justified action. The process is complicated, because the head of the provincial department of health would have to apply for a court order and then the court must assess  on a case-by-case basis  whether compelling the person to take a vaccine without their consent is justified.

Another route that could be used to justify mandatory vaccination is the regulations issued under the state of disaster declared in March 2020, which are used to regulate South Africas COVID-19 response. Under these regulations, a person can be compelled to undergo COVID-19 testing, isolate if infected  and potentially also be vaccinated. It would still have to be a court order, but the process is slightly easier as such an application can be lodged by people from a wider range of sectors  for example, healthcare workers, government officials or certain ranks of police officers  and the order can be granted by a magistrates court.

Both these avenues have been used in the past to institute mandatory isolation and quarantine or even to enforce treatment for conditions that pose a significant public health risk. But in the context of making COVID-19 vaccination compulsory, they are unlikely to be feasible options.

Keeping our options open: How to incentivise mass vaccination

When authorities look to introduce vaccine mandates, they generally try to incentivise people to get vaccinated. This means being vaccinated can be a requirement to do certain things, while non-adherence may result in some form of penalty.

For example, US Federal Policy now requires that government workers either be vaccinated or submit to weekly testing. The City of New York also recently instituted the Key to NYC  a pass granting people access to indoor activities such as restaurants, performances and gyms provided they have been vaccinated against COVID-19. The use of similar vaccination certificates has recently also been announced in Israel, the European Union and some provinces in Canada.

The practice is not new, and South Africa already has some mandates in place to encourage specific vaccinations.

For example, the department of basic education requires parents to submit their childs immunisation card when applying for Grade 1 enrollment, to prove that the child has been vaccinated against vaccine-preventable childhood diseases such as measles, polio and whooping cough. Although admission currently cannot be refused if a child is not vaccinated, the department is in the process of introducing a policy that would prevent unvaccinated children from being admitted to public schools.

Another example is the yellow fever vaccine passport, which was instituted in line with the World Health Organisations International Health Regulations. Anyone who wants to travel to an area with a high risk of yellow fever must prove that they have been vaccinated against the disease before being allowed to enter that country or to re-enter South Africa. Those who do not want to be vaccinated are not forced to take a vaccine, but are prohibited from travelling.

To vax or not? Workplaces may not give you the option

Internationally, a number of private companies are moving towards making COVID-19 vaccines mandatory for their employees, and South Africa is already following suit.

On 2 September 2021, Discovery announced that COVID-19 vaccination will be mandatory for all staff from 1 January 2022. Adrian Gore, CEO of Discovery, explained that the decision was motivated by both a moral and a legal obligation to provide a safe working environment for their employees. Since Discoverys announcement, a number of other organisations, including universities and private companies, have implemented similar policies, or are considering them.

Most private companies introducing these policies are relying on the Occupational Health and Safety Act, which requires employers to provide a working environment that is safe and without a health risk. The department of labour also issued a directive that supports the introduction of workplace vaccine mandates for employees who are at high risk for developing severe COVID-19 or at a high risk to transmit SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

The Constitution vs COVID: A balancing act of rights

Some legal commentary argues that making the COVID-19 vaccine compulsory would be a violation of constitutional rights, including the rights to bodily integrity, freedom of religion, and dignity. And although it is true that mandatory vaccination may limit these rights, it is important to recognise the flip side: no constitutional right is absolute.

This means that any right in the bill of rights can be limited if justified under section 36 of the Constitution. For example, if the prosecution needs an accuseds blood as evidence to support their case, the persons right to bodily integrity can be limited and he or she can be compelled to have a blood sample drawn.

What has also often been overlooked in citing individual rights in the argument against mandatory vaccination is that the courts have found far-reaching limitations to be justifiable during the COVID-19 pandemic. For example, the High Court in Pretoria found that closing mosques as part of lockdown measures was a justifiable limitation of the right to freedom of religion. The argument was that the measure would assist in controlling the pandemic, and the court specifically recognised the concept of ubuntu  calling on citizens to make sacrifices to their individual rights for the greater good of curbing the pandemic.

Similarly, the Supreme Court of Appeal recognised the trade-off between individual liberties and curbing the spread of COVID-19 in a judgment that found the regulations of the state of disaster to be largely constitutional. The ruling came down to the court saying that limiting individual liberties such as the right to freedom of movement and the right to dignity was justified because it protects the right to life of people who may otherwise have been vulnerable to dying from COVID-19.

Responsibility and rights: A legal roadmap for vaccine mandates

Although the law allows for potential mandatory COVID-19 vaccination in South Africa, what this looks like in practice will depend not only on the government but also on the private sector. Arguably, vaccines are more invasive than closing mosques or preventing the sale of alcohol. And as there are no specific cases testing the constitutionality of vaccine mandates, prior court rulings can provide only a guide to the approach.

The complex, multilayered practicalities of enforcing COVID-19 vaccination mean that vaccine mandates will have to be developed responsibly. In some contexts, such as frontline healthcare, a hardline approach may be warranted and the limitation of individual rights could be justified.
Robben Island Museum: The making and breaking

Robben Island Museum aspired to be part of the reconstruction and development of the national soul.

South Africas Robben Island Museum is an institution limping through a pandemic, and weighed down by its roller coaster history.

In our book, Robben Island Rainbow Dreams which will be launched on September 27, we map out the making and breaking of an institution, with hard lessons and truths about the early years. We hope our insights can be some use to the future of the museum. And more broadly to the country.

For almost the entire span of 342 years of colonial conquest in South Africa, including the 46 years of formal apartheid, the island was a place of banishment, exile, imprisonment and pain. It became known for its institutional brutality. A hell hole, like other notorious prison islands such as Senegals slave island of Goree.

At its height as a political prison in the 1980s Oliver Tambo, who guided the ANC through the 30 years of its exile, commented that

{t}he tragedy of Africa, in racial and political terms, {was} concentrated in the southern tip of the continent  in South Africa, Namibia, and, in a special sense, Robben Island.

Great historical figures have been banished to the island through the centuries. They include Autshumato and Krotoa, the first indigenous Africans to be banished to, and imprisoned on, Robben Island. In a very deep sense, Autshumato represents the first symbol of the timelessness of the banishment and imprisonment of the African freedom fighter in the struggle for freedom and liberation.

During British colonisation political prisoners included a long list of notables such as Langalibalele, king of the amaHlubi in KwaZulu-Natal.

Among the islands more recent eminent prisoners of the apartheid era were, to name a few, Mangaliso Robert Sobukwe, Dikgang Moseneke, Jacob Zuma, Nelson Mandela and Raymond Mhlaba. Namibian political prisoners included Helao Shityuwete and Andimba Toivo ja Toivo.

The Robben Island Museum was started in the early 1990s as South Africa achieved political freedom and was setting out to reinvent itself. It was a highly symbolic part of the once-in-generation process of national rebirth.

The first democratic government decided that the island should be developed as a place of memory, learning and healing.

Capturing the spirit of the times, in the words of Ahmed Kathrada, politician and anti-apartheid activist who was imprisoned on the island, it was meant to represent

the triumph of the human spirit against the forces of evil; a triumph of freedom and human dignity over repression and humiliation; a triumph of wisdom and largeness of spirit against small minds and pettiness

Opening the museum in September 1997, Nelson Mandela said in the colonial and apartheid past,

most people had little or no say in the depiction of their history in textbooks, libraries, or research institutions Our museums and the heritage sector as a whole are being restructured.

The museum would forever remind South Africans that

todays unity is a triumph over yesterdays division and conflict.

In short, Robben Island Museum aspired to be part of the reconstruction and development of the national soul.

One of the purposes of this book is to contribute to a poorly developed institutional memory of the Robben Island Museum, and to provide an opportunity for black heritage workers and intellectuals to be published and to have their diverse voices heard.

The beginning

There were no black managers in South African museums when the Robben Island Museum was being conceived. The role of the disenfranchised had been to be laboratory assistants, cleaners, security guards and the odd education officer.

The Robben Island Museum changed all that in terms of leadership, staff, operations, vision and partnerships.

It was a once in a lifetime experience. And a complex task. It involved running a 575-hectare piece of land in the middle of Table Bay  an area larger than the city centre of Cape Town  and attempting to open up and reimagine a place of banishment and pain, with its centuries-old, multi-layered history.

No one who was present will forget those first seminal moments. When we unlocked and threw open the prison doors on 1 January 1997, Day One. Or when Nelson Mandela welcomed in the new millennium with a candle in his cell.

In Rainbow Dreams, 22 of those who helped set up the first heritage institution after democracy convey something of what it meant to build a new kind of museum. They tell of the attempt to create an innovative learning institution and environment. They used multiple voices, new kinds of programming, capacity building, beneficial business models and a shared vision of the triumph of the human spirit.

Seeking to perpetuate the islands legacy of being The University of the struggle, the Robben Island Museum encouraged reflective knowledge, robust debates and contestations. One of its four core essences was to be a place of critical debate and lifelong learning.

After five years the new museum began to emerge as a distinct feature of the heritage and cultural landscape in a country in transition. There had been some major achievements that put it on a platform for future growth. These included UNESCO World Heritage Site status and the transporting of one million visitors to the island.

In addition, the Robben Island Heritage Training Programme had been launched in tandem with local universities to prepare future heritage leaders. And ex-political prisoners had been respectfully engaged with through the Robben Island Memories Project.

But could the dream continue in such a heady way? Almost inevitably the answer was no.

Division and conflict set in. In 2002 there was a major rupture at the museum. This led to the resignation of the director and ushered in a period of organisational instability which changed the direction and character of the museum.

Shady office break-ins, home burglaries, telephone tapping, the improper use of information from stolen computers all became part of supposedly high road attempts to save the island from corruption and mismanagement.

The institution became paralysed by toxic politics and intrigues with private commercial interests setting out to change a management that refused to do their bidding. The Robben Island Museum, we argue, became a pilot case for state capture.

In a chapter on Curious Coincidences connections are found with the corruption and abuse of state institutions that emerged a decade later.

Protecting institutions

The Robben Island Museums current vulnerability is part of a bigger crisis facing institutions and the delivery of basic services in South Africa. As in broader society, destructive behaviour and interventions  and dual authority systems  became part of the pattern of how things were run.

Compounding the problems at the museum have been long delays in the appointment of councils and permanent senior operational staff, resulting in leadership vacuums.

The case of Robben Island Museum has proved the validity of the saying that it takes a generation to build an institution and five minutes to break it down and that, once the damage has been done, it takes more than a few organograms and some fresh faces to rebuild what has been broken.

The unfulfilled mission of Robben Island Museum invites us to go back to the visions that led to its formation, this time acknowledging the changed context, and engaging with a new generation of imaginations, ideas, actions, loyalties and languages.

Acknowledgements to Noel Solani (Director of the Ditsong Museum of Cultural History in Pretoria) and Khwezi ka Mpumlwana (Director of Zenalia Consulting and co-founder of the Liberation Heritage Route initiative, which led to the first serial nomination of liberation heritage property for UNESCOs World Heritage List), are co-editors of Robben Island Rainbow Dreams. All the editors worked at RIM in its early years, with Andre Odendaal being the first director.

Neo Lekgotla laga Ramoupi, Senior Lecturer & Head of History in the School of Education, University of the Witwatersrand and Andre Odendaal, Writer in residence Centre for Humanities Research and Honorary Professor in History and Heritage Studies, University of the Western Cape

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Gabby Petito was remembered as a kind, loving and adventurous young woman on Sunday, when her family, friends and complete strangers gathered in Holbrook, New York, on Long Island to pay their respects.

One week after his daughter's remains were found in a national forest in Wyoming, Joseph Petito described his daughter in a eulogy as a "happy girl," who people would gravitate toward. She made others feel welcome, he said, and she loved being outdoors, scuba diving, hiking the Appalachian Trail or snowboarding down sand dunes in Colorado.

"I want you to be inspired by Gabby, that's what we're looking for," Joseph Petito said. "If there's a trip that you guys want to take, take it now. Do it now while you've got the time.

"If there's a relationship that you're in that might not be the best thing for you, leave it now," he said, an apparent reference to his daughter's relationship with her fiance Brian Laundrie, who returned home to Florida from a cross-country road trip without Petito on September 1. His whereabouts remain unknown as authorities continue their search -- now over a week old -- for the 23-year-old.

Petito's stepfather, Jim Schmidt, also gave a eulogy, telling those gathered, "Parents aren't supposed to bury their children. That's not how this is supposed to work."

Petito provides "an example for all of us to live by," Schmidt said, "to enjoy every moment in this beautiful world, as she did -- to love and give love to all like she did."

Footage from a livestream of the event Sunday provided by the funeral home showed an altar surrounded by pictures of Petito. Attendees walked by, eyeing the photos and a collage of photographs showing her through the years, while others gathered together, hugging and talking.

Outside, members of the public waited at least an hour to get inside and pay their respects, at one point standing in a line that wrapped itself around the building. Signs posted across the street bore Petito's name and read, "Forever in our hearts."

Attendee Angelina Amendola said she didn't know Petito personally. But they came from the same hometown, Blue Point, and she wanted to support Petito's family.

"I'm a mother -- I could never imagine something like that happening to my boys," Amendola told CNN.

"It's going to be a lot," she said of the memorial. "But I want to show the Petito and Schmidt family lots of love and let them know that they're surrounded by people who love them and care for Gabby."

For days now, Petito has been honored in communities across the country as her story gripped the nation's attention: A vigil was held in Salt Lake City last Wednesday, and a small table of remembrance has been set up at a Wilmington, North Carolina, restaurant where she used to work, according to CNN affiliate WWAY.

The latest memorial was Saturday night, when community members in North Port, Florida -- where Petito lived with Laundrie and his parents -- gathered at city hall to hold a candlelight vigil and release butterflies in her honor and voice support for her family. Most didn't know Petito, CNN affiliate WFTS reported, but they still felt a connection to her.

"I have daughters myself, as well as granddaughters," Lisa Correll, who organized the memorial, told WFTS of hearing Petito's story. "So it was very emotional to begin with."

"At least she is home with her family and they get to have their closure and peace," Correll said.

On Sunday, Schmidt expressed gratitude for the love and support Petito's family has felt from people around the country and the world, a sentiment echoed by Joseph Petito, who said, "The entire planet knows this woman's name now."

Richard Stafford, an attorney for the Petito family, told CNN in a statement Friday the family is asking for donations to a future Gabby Petito foundation in lieu of flowers.

$30,000 in rewards available for tips leading to Laundrie's arrest

Petito and Laundrie embarked on a cross-country trip in June and were visiting national parks prior to her disappearance, posting regularly online about their travels with the hashtag #VanLife.

But those posts abruptly stopped in late August.

Petito was reported missing September 11 -- 10 days after Laundrie returned home with their van -- after her family had not been able to get in touch with her. She was found dead eight days later near a campground in Wyoming's Bridger-Teton National Forest. Today, the spot is marked by another memorial by Schmidt, who visited the area and left sunflowers, Stafford told CNN, "his daughter's favorite flower."

Meantime, authorities have been searching for Laundrie, who faces a federal warrant for his arrest for the "use of unauthorized devices" stemming from his actions following Petito's death. Laundrie allegedly used a debit card and PIN number for accounts that did not belong to him for charges exceeding $1,000 between the dates of August 30 and September 1, according to a federal indictment.

Laundrie's parents told authorities on September 17 that the 23-year-old left their home days earlier with his backpack and said he was headed to the reserve, which has since been the focus of an extensive search by local and federal officers. A source close to the family told CNN's Chris Cuomo Laundrie left his parents' home without his cell phone and wallet.

Two separate rewards totaling $30,000 have been offered to anyone who provides law enforcement officials with Laundrie's whereabouts.

Boohoff Law, a personal injury law firm, said in a release on its website it is offering a $20,000 reward to be "paid once the investigating law enforcement agency supplies" the firm with "written verification that a tip helped lead to locating" Laundrie.

The law firm, which has multiple offices across Florida, including North Port, said its reward "will remain open for two months starting from the receipt of the tip" by law enforcement.

Meanwhile, a second reward has been offered by Jerry Torres, who said in a tweet Wednesday he was a neighbor of Petito's family.

Torres wrote that he and his daughter "offer our deepest condolences to the family of Gabby Petito," adding, "We are offering a reward of $5,000 for tips leading to an arrest."

Torres said Friday the reward he's offering had been raised to $10,000, thanks in part to help from people like Steve Moyer, the former deputy chief of police for Sarasota, Florida.

"Money gets people to talk," Moyer told CNN affiliate WZVN Friday.

An attorney for Laundrie's family emphasized in a statement that the warrant was not for Petito's death but related to activities that allegedly took place afterward.

"It is my understanding that the arrest warrant for Brian Laundrie is related to activities occurring after the death of Gabby Petito and not related to her actual demise," Steve Bertolino said. "The FBI is focusing on locating Brian and when that occurs the specifics of the charges covered under the indictment will be addressed in the proper forum."

Swampy wilderness remains focus of search

The search for Laundrie has focused on the Carlton Reserve, 25,000 inhospitable acres of swampland, alligators and snakes in Sarasota County, Florida, not far from the home Laundrie and Petito shared with his parents.

Authorities have repeatedly underscored the difficulty of searching the area, with North Port Police saying in an update last week that the nature reserve was "vast and unforgiving," with many areas that had been flooded or where the water was waist deep.

Federal and local officials from multiple agencies have combed the reserve for signs of Laundrie, using drones and bloodhounds as part of the search, North Port Police Department spokesperson Josh Taylor previously said.

An underwater dive team from the Sarasota Sheriff's Office who are "called upon to search for evidence of crimes and victims of drowning, water accidents and foul play" was also brought in midweek, according to the sheriff's office.

"We're looking through wooded areas, we're looking through bodies of water, we're looking through swampy areas," North Port Police Commander Joe Fussell said in a video shared online Friday. "And we're deploying the resources to be able to do that. We have air units, we have drones, we have the swamp buggies, air boats, multiple law enforcement agencies, we have ATVs, we have UTVs and we have officers on foot as well."

Law enforcement expected to be back out in the reserve searching throughout the weekend, with a focus on "areas of more likelihood," according to a statement from Taylor, the North Port Police spokesperson, Friday.

Unless "something of note" was found, Taylor said North Port Police would not be providing regular updates over the weekend.

The-CNN-Wire

 &  2021 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved.
Little Falls, N.Y. - A local group that loves food called 315 Foodies attempted to get in the Guinness Book of World Records on Sunday and appears they have done so.

The 315 Foodies got an awful lot of food together to attempt to crush the current world record for longest charcuterie board and they did.

The original record was listed at 150 feet long but the Foodies wanted to double that and definitely break the record, and they more than doubled the previous record.

The official length of the board on Sunday was 315.3 feet long.

The group gathered at Veterans Memorial Park in Little Falls.

Charcuterie is the art of assembling meats and cheeses along with items such as fruit, nuts and crackers for quick and easy hors d'oeuvres and you serve them on a charcuterie board, just not usually as big as the one put together in Little Falls on Sunday.

315 Foodies co-founder Preston Moore called the day a great one for Central New York, "It was great. I mean it was so chaotic this morning, there were a million different things going on, a lot of moving parts, but at the end of the day, we broke the record, 315 Foodies, 315 owns the record for the largest charcuterie board. I think it'll be a long time before this is broken because this is a hell of a project."

All of that food did not go to waste. People were able to buy tickets and sample the fine cuisine after enjoying breaking the world record.
UTICA, NY  A group of proud local Polish-Americans gathered along the Memorial Parkway in Utica, for a wreath-laying ceremony at the statue of Brigadier General Casimir Pulaski Sunday afternoon.

They sang the American and Polish national anthems and proudly waved flags from both countries.

Some of the children in attendance even wore traditional Polish outfits in honor of the day.

Dan Jadlowski, vice president of the Pulaski Memorial Association says its important for the local Polish community to remember where they came from.

We dont want to lose our identity, our unity, and what we can contribute to the area, and what the area can contribute to us."

Pulaski was made a Brigadier General by George Washington after he helped Poland gain its independence. He was known as the originator of the American Calvary.
UTICA, NY  Utica firefighters battled an early evening fire Sunday in south Utica that left multiple people homeless.

The fire at 807-809 Arnold Ave. broke out just before 6:30 p.m. When firefighters arrived they found heavy fire coming from the first floor extending to the second floor and attic.

There were initial reports of a woman trapped on the second floor. Firefighters commenced a search and rescue operation but were unable to find anybody. It was later learned that the woman was able to get out of the building on her own.

Utica Fire Chief Scott Ingersoll says 6 adults and 1 child have been displaced by the fire.

The American Red Cross is being contacted to assist them. We did have a firefighter suffer a minor fall injury. They were evaluated and will continue to operate at the fire scene," he said.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) - As the deadline closed in for hospital and nursing home workers in New York state to be vaccinated against COVID-19, Gov. Kathy Hochul made an 11th-hour plea to holdout health care workers to get inoculated.

Hospitals and nursing homes braced for the prospect of severe staff shortages fueled by workers getting suspended or fired for refusing to be inoculated.

Associated Press Photo Associated Press Photo

But we were hit the first, we were hit the hardest and I want to be the first to say were over this. And so, Im calling on all the health care workers," said Hochul. "First of all, those of you who have been vaccinated, I thank you from the bottom of my heart for doing what was right and helping lead the way so we do have the confidence that we need. And to those who have not yet made that decision  please do the right thing.

With thousands of workers still thought to be holding out, administrators prepared contingency plans that included cutting back on non-critical services and limiting admissions at nursing homes.

Earlier this month, Mohawk Valley Health System assessed its vaccinated staff and found about 20% had not yet received a shot, meaning they could lose up to 800 workers across the entire health network.

About 96% of employees at Bassett Healthcare Network are vaccinated, which means the system is at risk of losing roughly 200 employees if they don't get their vaccines by midnight.

Hochul said health care workers in New York are required to be vaccinated with at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine by the end of Monday.

The governor also said she plans to sign an executive order Monday that will allow her to deploy the National Guard to help with staffing shortages across the state.

Some health care workers are concerned they will be asked to take on extra duties because of the imminent shortages.

Its a concern, and Ill tell you, my heart breaks for the nurses and the other individuals whove done the right thing, who now know becausenot everyone was being persuaded to do the right thing, that they have to work harder and theyre going to have more sacrifice. Its fundamentally unfair. And were going to have to bring in people to help at all levels, no doubt about it. Again, it doesnt have to be this way. It does not," said Hochul.
As authorities continue to search for Gabby Petito's fiance, Brian Laundrie, the FBI has asked for items that might have his DNA, the Laundries' family lawyer said.

During the agency's visit to the family home, "The FBI requested some personal items belonging to Brian Laundrie to assist them with DNA matching and Brian's parents provided the FBI with what they could," the Laundries' lawyer, Steven Bertolino, told multiple news outlets.

FBI agents returned to the Florida home Laundrie shared with his parents Sunday, as seen in video shot by CNN. At least two agents could be seen at the home and one had a bag in his hand.

Laundrie's parents told authorities on September 17 that the 23-year-old left their home days earlier with his backpack and said he was headed to the Carlton Reserve. A source close to the family told CNN's Chris Cuomo Laundrie left his parents' home without his cell phone and wallet.

Since then, investigators have scoured the Carlton Reserve, the "vast and unforgiving" 25,000 acres of swampland that's home to alligators and snakes. Drones, dive teams and bloodhounds joined in the extensive search effort, according to the North Port Police Department.

Police said the FBI has taken over the search and indicated it will be of a smaller scale.

"I don't think you're going to see those large-scale types of efforts this week. The FBI is now leading the search. I'm told it will be scaled back and targeted based on intelligence," police spokesman Josh Taylor told CNN in a message. "Hopefully, water will lower in areas hard to currently access."

Laundrie's disappearance came at the height of the search for Petito. The two had gone on a road trip together, chronicling their travels on social media with the hashtag #VanLife, but Laundrie returned to the home they shared with his parents on September 1 without her. Authorities later found Petito's remains in a national forest in Wyoming and her death was ruled a homicide.

Petito's disappearance has stirred heartbreak and outrage in many and spurred digital detectives to comb through the couple's online trail to try to solve the case. It also highlights the tens of thousands of missing persons' cases across the country.

Laundrie faces a federal warrant for his arrest for the "use of unauthorized devices" stemming from his actions following Petito's death. Laundrie allegedly used a debit card and PIN number for accounts that did not belong to him for charges exceeding $1,000 between the dates of August 30 and September 1, according to a federal indictment.

An attorney for Laundrie's family emphasized in a statement that the warrant was not for Petito's death but related to activities that allegedly took place afterward.

Two separate rewards totaling $30,000 have been offered to anyone who provides law enforcement officials with Laundrie's whereabouts.

What we know about Laundrie's movements

Petito, 22, and Laundrie embarked on a cross-country trip in June and were visiting national parks. They posted online regularly about their travels with the hashtag #VanLife, but those posts abruptly stopped in late August.

A 911 caller told dispatchers August 12 he saw a man hitting a woman, according to previously obtained audio provided by the Grand County Sheriff's Office in Moab, Utah.

"We drove by and the gentleman was slapping the girl," the caller said. "Then we stopped. They ran up and down the sidewalk. He proceeded to hit her, hopped in the car and they drove off."

In his report, Officer Eric Pratt said Petito had slapped Laundrie, "who grabbed her face and pushed her back as she pressed upon him and the van."

Another responding officer, Daniel Robbins, said Petito had "gone into a manic state" when Laundrie tried to "separate from her so they could both calm their emotions." He reported seeing "minor visible scratches" on Laundrie's face.

Bodycam video of the incident shows Petito telling police the couple had been fighting earlier that morning and were "going through some personal issues."

"He wouldn't let me in the car before," Petito said.

The officer asks Petito, "because of your OCD?"

She responds, "He told me I needed to calm down, but I'm already calm."

"I have OCD and sometimes I get really frustrated," she said.

Moab police suggested the couple go their separate ways that night; no charges were filed.

On August 26, Jessica Schultz saw Laundrie parked in a white van at Grand Teton National Park, and no one appeared to be with him, she told the San Francisco Chronicle.

The next day, Nina Angelo and her boyfriend, Matt England, saw a "commotion" as Petito and Laundrie were leaving the Merry Piglets Tex-Mex restaurant in Jackson, Wyoming, she told CNN.

Petito was in tears and Laundrie was visibly angry, going into and out of the restaurant several times, showing anger toward the staff around the hostess stand, Angelo said. The couple's waitress was also visibly shaken by the incident, said Angelo, who told CNN she did not see any violence or physical altercation between Petito and Laundrie.

A manager at Merry Piglets, who declined to give her name, did see "an incident" at the restaurant and called the FBI, she told CNN. The manager declined to describe what happened and said the restaurant did not have surveillance video of the incident.

Norma Jean Jalovec, a seasonal Wyoming resident, told CNN that she picked up Laundrie not far from Jackson Lake Dam on August 29, around 6:15 p.m., and gave him a ride to the Spread Creek dispersed campground where Petito's remains were later found.

Laundrie was hitchhiking, Jalovec said, and got in the passenger seat of her Toyota SUV 4-Runner.

According to Jalovec, Laundrie told her he and his fiancee had a travel blog, that she was in their van at the camping area working on the blog, and that he had been hiking along the Snake River embankment for a few days.

A neighbor who lives directly across the street from the home Petito shared with Laundrie and his family told CNN the last time she saw Laundrie at the North Port home was the weekend of September 10.

Karyn Aberts said she saw Laundrie and his family "in the neighborhood out in the front yard," saying it looked like "a normal ... they were going for a walk kind of thing," and that she "never thought anything about it."

Petito was reported missing by her family the next day.

'Love and give love like she did'

As investigators continued their search for Laundrie Sunday, friends, family and strangers gathered in Holbrook, New York, to pay their respects to Petito.

Joseph Petito described his daughter in a eulogy as a "happy girl," who people would gravitate toward. She made others feel welcome, he said, and she loved being outdoors, scuba diving, hiking the Appalachian Trail or snowboarding down sand dunes in Colorado.

"I want you to be inspired by Gabby, that's what we're looking for," Joseph Petito said. "If there's a trip that you guys want to take, take it now. Do it now while you've got the time.

"If there's a relationship that you're in that might not be the best thing for you, leave it now," he said, an apparent reference to his daughter's relationship with Laundrie.

Petito's stepfather, Jim Schmidt, also gave a eulogy, telling those gathered, "Parents aren't supposed to bury their children. That's not how this is supposed to work."

Petito provides "an example for all of us to live by," Schmidt said, "to enjoy every moment in this beautiful world, as she did -- to love and give love to all like she did."

The-CNN-Wire

 &  2021 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved.
Here's a look at the life of John Hinckley Jr., who attempted to kill President Ronald Reagan in 1981, but was found not guilty by reason of insanity.

Personal

Birth date: May 29, 1955

Birth place: Ardmore, Oklahoma

Birth name: John Warnock Hinckley Jr.

Father: John W. Hinckley Sr., an oil executive

Mother: Jo Ann (Moore) Hinckley

Education: Attended Texas Tech University for seven years

Other Facts

Stalked actress Jodie Foster and said he was trying to impress her with the Reagan assassination attempt. He stated he became obsessed with her after seeing her in the movie "Taxi Driver," in which the main character tries to assassinate a US senator.

Timeline

October 9, 1980 - Hinckley is arrested at Nashville International Airport for possession of three firearms. President Jimmy Carter is in town that same day.

March 30, 1981 - President Reagan exits the Hilton Hotel in Washington. Hinckley is waiting for him in the crowd and begins shooting. One bullet hits Reagan in his left lung. Also injured are Press Secretary James Brady, US Secret Service agent Timothy J. McCarthy and Washington police officer Thomas K. Delahanty. Brady is shot in the head and partially paralyzed. Hinckley is quickly apprehended outside the hotel.

May 27, 1981 - Ingests an overdose of Tylenol and Valium in a suicide attempt.

August 25, 1981 - A federal grand jury indicts Hinckley with attempting to assassinate the president and assault with intent to kill for Brady, McCarthy and Delahanty. Additional weapons charges are also included in the indictment.

August 28, 1981 - At his arraignment, Hinckley pleads not guilty by reason of insanity to a 13-count indictment.

November 15, 1981 - Attempts suicide a second time by hanging himself with an article of clothing in his cell.

June 21, 1982 - Hinckley is found not guilty by reason of insanity on all counts. Judge Barrington Parker commits Hinckley to St. Elizabeths Hospital in Washington.

February 13, 1983 - Attempts a third suicide since the shooting, this time by an overdose of his own antidepressant medication.

1985 - Hinckley's parents establish a non-profit organization called the American Mental Health Fund, to raise money for mental health research.

1985 - Hinckley's doctors report his condition to be in "full remission."

1986 - Hinckley makes a brief, supervised visit to see his parents.

January 15, 1999 - The US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia in Washington rules that Hinckley can make supervised trips out of the hospital, accompanied by hospital personnel.

April 11, 2000 - Representatives at St. Elizabeths Hospital recommend allowing Hinckley unsupervised visits with family.

June 29, 2000 - The hospital withdraws its recommendation for unsupervised visits to Hinckley's parents' home following a hearing in which prosecutors provide evidence of Hinckley's continued interest in violent books and music.

December 17, 2003 - US District Court Judge Paul Friedman rules that Hinckley will be allowed limited, unsupervised daytime visits with his parents within a 50-mile radius of Washington.

December 30, 2005 - The court rules that Hinckley will be allowed three visits of three nights each to his parents' home in Williamsburg, Virginia, unaccompanied by hospital staff. Hinckley "is not permitted to leave one or both parents' supervision at any time."

April 16, 2007 - A hearing begins on whether to increase the length of Hinckley's visits to his parents to two and four weeks at a time.

June 2007 - The court rules that Hinckley may make six-night visits to his parent's home in Virginia, but longer visits are denied until the hospital submits a more detailed proposal of Hinckley's schedule.

February 2008 - Is given permission to attend his father's funeral in Williamsburg, Virginia.

June 2009 - The court increases the length of Hinckley's visits home to 10 days. Hinckley is also authorized to obtain a driver's license. The judge agrees he is not a danger to himself or others under the proper conditions.

May 2011 - The court approves Hinckley's request for additional unsupervised visits to his mother's home in Virginia.

July 29, 2011 - St. Elizabeths Hospital asks the court to allow Hinckley two 17-day visits.

December 20, 2013 - The court agrees to let Hinckley have expanded conditional release from a Washington psychiatric hospital, where he currently has been detained. Judge Friedman said Hinckley is allowed 17-day periods of off-campus visits to his mother's home in Williamsburg, Virginiaup from the current 10-day visits.

August 4, 2014 - Brady dies at the age of 73.

August 8, 2014 - A Virginia medical examiner rules Brady's death a homicide. Police tell CNN that authorities are investigating the death.

January 2, 2015 - The United States Attorney for the District of Columbia releases a statement that they will not pursue murder charges against Hinckley for the death of Brady.

April 22, 2015 - Hinckley appears in court to request what his family calls his "unconditional release" from the mental facility at which he's been living for the past three decades. If granted, he will live with his mother full time.

July 27, 2016 - A federal judge grants Hinckley "full-time convalescent leave" from St. Elizabeths Hospital. The order allows Hinckley to live full time with his mother, but still under certain restrictions. Hinckley will carry a GPS-equipped cell phone and will be monitored by Secret Service agents.

September 10, 2016 - Is released from St. Elizabeths Hospital.

August 17, 2018 - The court orders a mental examination of Hinckley to help determine Hinckley's mental condition and if he is a risk if released unconditionally.

November 16, 2018 - The court rules that Hinckley can move out of his mother's house and live independently, with roommates or a family member. The judge's ruling also stipulates that Hinckley maintain bimonthly contact with his doctors and continue group and individual therapy.

September 10, 2019 - Following a court status conference, one of Hinckley's attorneys tells CNN that Hinckley plans to ask for full, unconditional release from court orders that stipulate how he lives. The motion, along with another one that seeks a reduction in conditions, will be filed before the end of the year.

October 28, 2020 - A federal judge rules that Hinckley is no longer restricted to posting his work anonymously. He "may publicly display, under his own name, without restriction, his memorabilia, writings, paintings, photographs, artwork, or music created by him."

April 8, 2021 - A lawyer for Hinckley asks the court for a status call to initiate a request for his client's unconditional release. Mrs. Hinckley's declining health is mentioned as contributing to the need for the appeal.

July 30, 2021 - Hinckley's mother dies at the age of 95.

September 27, 2021 - The Justice Department reaches a deal with Hinckley to free him from the strict conditions of release that he's been living with for several years. Judge Friedman says that he will approve the deal.

The-CNN-Wire

 &  2021 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved.
GREENWOOD, Ind. (AP)  Another Indiana school board meeting was disrupted when residents refused to wear face masks while objecting to the districts requirement.

Sheriffs deputies were called to the Center Grove school board meeting Thursday night after those not wearing masks wouldnt leave so the meeting could start, the (Franklin) Daily Journal reported. Those protesting left after two deputies arrived.

A similar disruption happened in the southern Indianapolis suburbs as the Clark-Pleasant board meeting in Whiteland was adjourned after just two minutes last week because some people refused to wear masks.

State officials have allowed mask rules and other steps to stem COVID-19 spread even as several school boards have faced vocal  and sometimes misleading  opposition to such actions. A man was arrested in July when a handgun fell from his pocket during a Carmel school board meeting,

The Bartholomew Consolidated school board in Columbus decided this past week it will hold meetings virtually because of parent conduct.

Center Groves board could make a similar move, district Superintendent Rich Arkanoff said.

The board really wants to have meetings in person, but if they require masks, they will not conduct a meeting unless everyone there wears a mask, he said. Were aware of the virtual meeting option, but right now, the board doesnt want to do that.
Ambassador Cui delivers his speech at the event. [For Chinaculture.org/Wang Guiping]

On Sept 21, the day of Mid-Autumn Festival this year, the Chinese embassy to Nigeria and the Ministry of Information and Culture of Nigeria jointly hosted the "China-Nigeria Cultural Week".

Present at the opening ceremony were Cui Jianchun, ambassador of China to Nigeria, as well as Adaora Ifeoma Anyanwutaku, permanent secretary of Federal Ministry of Information And Culture of Nigeria.

The Nigerian Blackbones Dance Troupe presents traditional dances at the opening ceremony for the activity. [For Chinaculture.org/Wang Guiping]

Cui said 2021 marks the 50th Anniversary of the establishment of bilateral relations between China and Nigeria. Both China and Nigeria are great countries with long histories and rich cultures, and the bilateral relationship will be further improved and the traditional friendship further strengthened through co-hosting the "China-Nigeria Cultural Week".

This year's cultural week consists of the "Golden Jubilee, Golden Opportunity" Photography Contest, "Share The Moment" Short Video Contest, Chinese Calligraphy Competition, and China-Nigeria Film Week and Photo Exhibition, which will vividly showcase the fruitful results of win-win cooperation.

The poster for the activity [For Chinaculture.org]

(Source: Chinaculture.org)
A group photo of international youth after the event [For chinadaily.com.cn]

To explain the intrinsic value of Chinese culture to international youth and build friendship bonds, youth from 32 countries met at the China Youth Center for International Exchange to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival and International Peace Day together on Sept 21 in Beijing.

It was directed by the China Youth Center for International Exchange, organized by the China International Cultural Exchange Foundation Experience Chinese Culture Special Fund, hosted by Beijing International Youth University and co-hosted by Yingfluence.

Guests at the event included Chinese Friendship Award winners, renowned entrepreneurial talents and international students in China.

"Being away from home and family, having the opportunity to celebrate these special occasions with locals and people from around the world is truly a joyful and unforgettable experience. I hope we can have opportunities like this one to bond with others while discovering more about Chinese culture," said Jonathan, an international student who attended the event.

A group photo of international youth after the event [For chinadaily.com.cn]

International youth in conversation with each other [For chinadaily.com.cn]

International youth sing the song We Are the World. [For chinadaily.com.cn]

A Cuban girl drew a picture in Chinese to celebrate Mid-Autumn Festival with international youth. [For chinadaily.com.cn]

International youth learn the process of traditional mooncake making. [For chinadaily.com.cn]

(Source: chinadaily.com.cn)
BEIJING, Sept. 26 (Xinhua)  Chinese President Xi Jinping Sunday sent a congratulatory letter to the 2021 World Internet Conference Wuzhen Summit, which opened in Wuzhen, east China's Zhejiang Province.

In his letter, Xi noted that digital technology is being fully integrated into all fields and the whole process of economy, politics, culture, society and ecological civilization construction with new ideas, new forms and new models, having extensive and profound impacts on the production and life of humankind.

Nowadays, profound changes in the world unseen in a century and the epidemic situation are intertwined. It is imperative for the international community to join hands to seize opportunities and meet challenges by following the trend of informatization and digitalization, as well as networking and smart development, he added.

Xi emphasized that China is willing to work with other countries to shoulder the historical responsibility of promoting human progress by stimulating the digital economy vitality, enhancing the digital government efficiency, optimizing the digital social environment, setting up a digital cooperation structure, and building a strong digital security shield.

China is also willing to work with other countries in the world to make the digital civilization benefit people of all countries, and promote the building of a community with a shared future for humankind, he added.

The summit opened Sunday with a theme of "Towards a New Era of Digital Civilization  Building a Community with a Shared Future in Cyberspace." It is jointly organized by the Cyberspace Administration of China and the Zhejiang provincial government.

(Source: Xinhua)
BEIJING, Sept. 26 (Xinhua)  Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, Sunday congratulated Eric Chu on being elected chairman of the Chinese Kuomintang (KMT) party.

Based on the common political foundation of upholding the 1992 Consensus and opposing "Taiwan independence," over the years the two parties have engaged in positive interactions, promoted the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations, brought benefits to people on both sides, and achieved notable results, Xi said in his congratulatory message.

Xi expressed his expectations that the two parties adhere to the common political foundation, uphold the national interests, and work together to seek the wellbeing of the people, maintain peace across the Taiwan Strait and achieve national reunification and rejuvenation.

Chu, in his reply, expressed gratitude to Xi.

Noting that the people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait are all Chinese, Chu voiced his deep hope that the two parties can enhance mutual trust, exchanges and cooperation upon the foundation of upholding the 1992 Consensus and opposing "Taiwan independence."

Chu expressed the hope for advancing the peaceful development of cross-Strait ties, working together to benefit people on both sides, and promoting peace and stability in the Strait.

(Source: Xinhua)
Shen Yueyue, Vice-Chairperson of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress and President of the All-China Women's Federation (ACWF), and Huang Xiaowei, Secretary of the Leading Party Members' Group and Vice-President and First Member of the Secretariat of the ACWF, visit the China Women's University on September 9. [China Women's News/Yang Rui]

Shen Yueyue, Vice-Chairperson of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress and President of the All-China Women's Federation (ACWF), and Huang Xiaowei, Secretary of the Leading Party Members' Group and Vice-President and First Member of the Secretariat of the ACWF, extended greetings and best wishes to faculty members ahead of Teachers' Day during a visit to the China Women's University (CWU) and the China National Children's Center (CNCC) on September 9.

Shen stressed implementing the spirit of the important speech delivered by General Secretary Xi Jinping at the ceremony marking the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China, promoting the great founding spirit of the Party, fostering virtue through education, cultivating talent for the Party and the country, and making more contributions to nurturing all-round socialist builders and successors.

At CWU's library, Shen learned about the building of the school's resource database of research documents on adapting Marxist Women's Theory to the Chinese context. Shen called for more efforts to enrich documents that reflect the historical achievements of women's cause under the Party's leadership and the historical process of women's development and the protection of women's rights and interests.

Shen also communicated with teachers and students, who have promoted Party history and offered child care services in Zhangxian County and Qingyang City in Northwest China's Gansu Province, about their social practice experience during the summer vacation. Shen encouraged them to mobilize more college graduates and local volunteers to better serve people and families at the grassroots level, gathering more strength to help children grow up happily.

Shen Yueyue (left in blue), Vice-Chairperson of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress and President of the All-China Women's Federation, talks with teachers and students at China Women's University on September 9. [China Women's News/Yang Rui]

Shen urged teachers to study and understand the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping's important instructions to educators, and to stay true to their original aspirations of fostering virtue through education and being a good guide for their students.

She hoped that women college students will devote their youth to the cause of the Party and the people, follow the Party's leadership and contribute to the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

Shen Yueyue, Vice-Chairperson of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress and President of the All-China Women's Federation (ACWF), and Huang Xiaowei, Secretary of the Leading Party Members' Group and Vice-President and First Member of the Secretariat of the ACWF, visit the China National Children's Center on September 9. [China Women's News/Yang Rui]

While visiting the CNCC's family education center and arts education center, Shen and Huang communicated with teacher representatives to learn more about the building of a guidance service system for parents, and observed a teaching and research activity.

Shen thanked the faculty and staff for their hard work. She pointed out that moral education should be prioritized in science education and the cultivation of children's interests. Efforts should be made to provide parents with practical guidance services and scientific parenting theories and methods, and improve the mechanism of school-family-society cooperation in educating students.

Shen Yueyue, Vice-Chairperson of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress and President of the All-China Women's Federation (ACWF), and Huang Xiaowei, Secretary of the Leading Party Members' Group and Vice-President and First Member of the Secretariat of the ACWF, visit the China National Children's Center on September 9. [China Women's News/Yang Rui]

During their trip to the center's parent-child square, kindergarten teachers and children were doing outdoor activities. Noting the importance of designing activities and games in accordance with children's characteristics, Shen urged the teachers to integrate moral education into the activities and help children develop good ideas, conduct and habits.

Shen expressed her hope that the CNCC will play a demonstrative role in cultivating children and guiding families, gain more experience that will be replicable, and lead the construction of family education bases across the country.

(Source: China Women's News/Translated and edited by Women of China)
An enclave is a country that is completely surrounded by the territory of one other country. There are only three countries in the entire world that fit the definition of an enclave. Two of them, Vatican City and San Marino, are located in Europe, while the third, Lesotho, is located in Africa.

Lesotho is the largest enclave, while Vatican City is the smallest. Both Vatican City and San Marino are surrounded by territory belonging to Italy. Lesotho is surrounded by land belonging to South Africa.

Lesotho

Map showing the location of Lesotho in South Africa.

Lesotho, officially known as the Kingdom of Lesotho, is a country in the African subregion of Southern Africa. It is surrounded entirely by territory belonging to South Africa, and is the largest of the worlds three enclave countries. Lesotho is the nation-state of the Basotho people. The Basotho nation was formed under King Moshoeshoe just prior to contact with Europeans, which first occurred in 1833.

In the mid-19th century, territorial incursions onto Basotho territory by Dutch colonists persuaded King Moshoeshoe to form an alliance with the British Cape Colony. In 1868, the territory of the Basotho nation, became the British protectorate of Basutoland. Although Basutoland was annexed to the Cape colony, it retained its autonomy as a High Commission Territory. In 1959, Basutoland became a British colony. Seven years later, it became a fully-independent country, and its name was changed from Basutoland to Lesotho, which literally translates as land of the Sotho.

Map of Lesotho, an enclaved country.

Unlike most countries in Africa, Lesotho maintains a largely homogenous population in terms of ethnicity. About 99.7% of people in the country identify themselves as Basotho, though there are several subgroups of Basotho, including the Batloung (Tlou), Bakuena (Kuena), Baphuthi (Phuti), Bataung (Tau), Batsoeneng (Tsoene), Matebele, and Bafokeng. Sesotho is the main language spoken in the country, though English also has official status. About 90% of Lesothos people are Christian. The remaining 10% are followers of Islam, Hinduism, Bahaism, and indigenous religions. Lesotho has a total population of more than 2.1 million.

Lesotho is a poor, largely agrarian country. The countrys GDP per capita is just $1,088, and only 25% of the countrys people live in urban areas. Lesotho does, however, have a literacy rate of 85%, which is one of the highest rates on the African continent. The country is governed as a democratic constitutional monarchy, with the king as the head of state, and a prime minister as the head of the government. Lesotho has a bicameral legislature, with an upper house composed of hereditary chiefs and appointees of the king, and a lower house elected by the people.

San Marino

Map showing the location of San Marino in Italy.

San Marino is an enclave country surrounded entirely by the territory of Italy. It is located in Italys northeast, close to the Adriatic Sea. San Marino is the worlds oldest republic. According to tradition, it was founded in 301 CE by Marinus, a Christian stonemason seeking refuge from religious persecution on Mt. Titano. San Marino was never part of any larger state, and has always been governed separately. It was a neutral country during World War II, and took in about 100,000 Italian refugees during the war. In 1992, the country became a member of the United Nations.

San Marino is tiny. It has a land area of just 61 sq. km, making it the 5th smallest country on Earth. The people of San Marino, who are called San Marinese, number only 33,860, making the country the 5th least populous country in the world. Being completely surrounded by Italy, it is no surprise that Italian is the official language of San Marino. San Marinos main economic activity is tourism. Before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the country welcomed about 3 million tourists per year.

Map of San Marino, an enclaved country.

San Marino has a parliamentary form of government with a unique system for determining its heads of state. Indeed, San Marino is one of only two countries that have two heads of state (Andorra is the other), known as the captains-regents, who are elected by the countrys legislature for terms of just six months. The legislature of San Marino, called the Great and General Council, is composed of 60 members, who are elected by the people to five-year terms. The Great and General Council also elects the 10-member Congress of State, which serves as governments executive branch.

Vatican City

Map showing the location of Vatican City in Italy.

Vatican City, also called the Vatican, is the smallest of the three enclave countries. In fact, it is the smallest country in the world. Its land area is just 49 hectares. It is also the least populous country in the world, with a population of only 800 to 900 people, most of them priests and nuns from abroad. Like San Marino, the Vatican is entirely surrounded by territory belonging to Italy. Actually, Vatican City is surrounded by one Italian city, Rome, which is the capital of Italy.

The Vatican is best known as the seat of the Roman Catholic Church, which has an estimated 1.285 billion followers spread throughout the world, making it the largest Christian denomination on Earth. The Pope, who is the head of the Catholic Church, lives in the Vatican. Vatican City began its history as the seat of the Catholic Church in the 4th century CE, when a basilica was built over the grave of St. Peter, henceforth known as St. Peters Basilica.

Map of the Vatican City, an enclaved country.

For a short time, the Catholic Church abandoned the Vatican in 1309, moving its seat of power and the papacy to Avignon, France. In 1377, however, the Catholic Church returned to the Vatican and worked to restore its buildings, which had fallen into disrepair while the Church was headquartered in Avignon. Work on the famous Sistine Chapel began in the 1470s. Subsequently, the famous artist, Michelangelo, was charged with painting the Chapels ceiling in 1508.

Prior to 1870, Popes residing in the Vatican ruled over territory known as the Papal States. But in 1870, the government of Italy claimed the territory of the Papal States, other than the Vatican, for itself. This was the beginning of a dispute that would last nearly 60 years, until the government of Italy and the Vatican concluded an agreement known as the Lateran Treaty in 1929, by which the Vatican was recognized as a sovereign entity.
Shoshone Falls, also called the Niagara of the West, is a 65-meter waterfall in western United States in south central Idaho. The waterfall originates on Snake River, approximately 5 kilometers northeast of the city of Twin Falls, Idaho. Shoshone Falls was documented by Europeans as early as the 1840s and it started gaining tourist attraction in the early 1860s, despite its isolated location. In addition to its remarkable height, Shoshone Falls has had several economic benefits throughout history. The Falls was an important fishing and trading place for the Native Americans, and it sets the upper limit of fish migration on Snake River.

At the beginning of the 20th century, the Snake River was diverted for the irrigation of Magic Valley, and today the falls have contributed to the early economic development of southern Idaho via hydroelectric power stations built there. Today, Shoshone Falls is overlooked by a park operated by The City of Twin Falls. The waterfall is best viewed in the spring since water levels decrease in the late summer and fall as a result of the Snake River's waters being diverted for irrigation purposes. In general, the flow over the falls can range from more than 570 m3/s during late spring of wet years to a minimum of 8.5 m3/s during a dry year.

Structure Of The Shoshone Falls

Aerial view of the Shoshone Falls.

Shoshone Falls is one of the tallest cataracts along the stretch of Snake River, located 3 kilometers downstream from Twin Falls and 2.4 kilometers upstream from Pillar Falls. The waterfall is on the Snake River Canyon in the Magic Valley area which forms part of the boundary between Twin Falls Country to the south and Jerome County to the north. The Falls are 990 kilometers upstream from the Snake Rivers confluence with Columbia River.

Before reaching the Falls, Snake River narrows to less than 120-meters wide and rushes over a series of rapids between islands before plunging over a 65-meter horseshoe-shaped cliff with a 282-meter width. However, the appearance of the falls is affected by the flow rate whereby the falls appear as a single block during wet years and high water. On the other hand, the waterfall can split into four or more distinct drops during dry years. The northern section, also being the widest, is called Bridal Veil Falls.

Geology

Shoshone flows over a 6-million-year-old rhyolite that is silicon rich and intersects the weaker basalt layers constituting the surrounding Snake River Plain, a flat bow shaped depression that covers about a quarter of Idaho. This intersection creates a natural knickpoint that is resistant to water erosion. The falls were created about 14,500 to 17,000 years ago at the end of the Pleistocene Ice Age when pluvial Lake Bonneville, a vast freshwater lake that covers the Great Basin, overflowed through Red Rock Pass in southern Bannock County Idaho and into Snake River. This incident was also known as the cataclysmic Bonneville Flood. The massive flow of water, estimated to be 4,600 km3, was the primary factor in the formation of the Snake River Canyon in a matter of weeks in addition to the formation of falls like Shoshone.

Wildlife

Maromot on the rocks in Shoshone Falls.

Shoshone Falls restricts the upstream movement of fish due to its great height. Anadromous fish such as salmon, rainbow trout and sturgeon can not pass the falls. Before the construction of dams on the lower part of Snake River below the falls, spawning fish would congregate at the base of the falls which became a major food source to for the Native Americans who resided in the area. Examples of fish include the Yellowstone cutthroat that lives above the falls and rainbow trout that resides in the lower part. However, these species are now less likely to be seen due to river diversions and competition from new species such as the lake trout. The Snake River portion above Shoshone Falls shares 35 percent of its fish species with those in the lower Snake River below the falls. mollusk, such as snails and clams, are also endemic in the upper Snake River above the falls.

History

The Shoshone Falls are named after the Lemhi Shoshone tribe who lived in the upper Salmon River in Idaho. This Native American tribe was known as the Salmon eaters because salmon originating from the Snake River was their primary food source, aside from various roots, nuts and buffalo. Since the falls were an upstream limit to salmon migration along the Snake River, it served as a primary food source and a trading center for the tribes. The Bannock people who are also affiliated with northern Shoshone traveled to the falls each summer for fishing.

In 1869, gold was discovered in the canyon nearby Shoshone Falls which attracted about 3,000 miners by 1872. The richest deposits were presumably located in Murtaugh, about 25 kilometers above Shoshone Falls, and Clarks Ferry, 30 kilometers below the falls. However, the gold rush ended due to the nature of the sediment deposits around the falls which made it difficult to extract gold.

Visiting The Shoshone Falls

Tourists enjoying the view of the Shoshone Falls.

Despite the isolated surrounding of Shoshone Falls, it became a tourist attraction is the mid-19th century. Initially, travelers along the Oregon trail would stop to visit the falls since it only required a slight detour to the north. Unlike Niagara Falls, Shoshone was known as the lonely grandeur of the country since it didnt have any nearby commercial development. Thomas Moran, famous for his depictions of rugged western landscapes, painted the falls for the 1901 Pan American Exposition. It was early on when the touristic aspect of the falls was realized and that was the work of Charles Walgamott in 1876. Walgamott fenced large tracts of land surrounding the falls and began construction on a lodge hoping to obtain legal ownership of the land. In April 1884, Walgamott was granted a license to operate a cable ferry across Snake River upstream the falls. However, it was one of the most dangerous river crossings in Idaho.

In the early 1900s, locals pushed for the creation of a national park that included Shoshone Falls, even though it was never approved by Congress. In 1932, Frederich and Martha Adams donated the land to the City of Twin Falls with the only condition being that the land is maintained as a public park. The Shoshone Falls Park includes the south bank of the Snake River at the falls. The Park also includes a trail system along the south rim of the Snake River Canyon, and it provides access to nearby points of interest such as Dierkes Lake and Evel Knievels 1974 jump site. In 1933, the state of Idaho donated the land to the west of the original park site to the City of Twin Falls, which now owns and operates the Shoshone Falls/Dierkes Lake Complex. This complex offers several recreational facilities such as playgrounds, hiking trails, landscaped picnic areas, a boat ramp and a swimming area. Visitors and picnic-lovers can enjoy their activities in the shaded areas which also offer great vantage points for viewing the falls.
Yemen is the poorest country in the entire Middle East region. To make matters worse, it is also a country that is stricken with violence. Yemeni society is a fractured society plagued by conflict. The latest strife in Yemen came on the heels of a popular uprising that deposed Yemens long-time president. The new leadership attempted to draw up a new constitution that would address the grievances of the countrys various factions. But a consensus could not be reached, and by 2015, the country was in the grips of a civil war that would lead to what is now the worlds worst humanitarian crisis.

About Yemen

Yemen is located in the southwest corner of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered to the north by Saudi Arabia, to the south by the Gulf of Aden, to the West by the Red Sea, and to the east by Oman. Before becoming independent, the northwest of what is now Yemen was ruled by the Ottoman Empire, while the rest of the country was controlled by Britain. In 1918, the Ottoman Empire ceased to exist, and the part of Yemen that was under its control became independent. In 1967, Britain withdrew from its part of Yemen, and a newly independent state was formed therein. From this point forward, the two Yemeni states would be colloquially known as North Yemen and South Yemen. Both states were beset by internal conflict, and also clashed with each other on occasion. In 1990, the two Yemeni states united to form one Republic of Yemen.

Old city of Sanaa, the capital of Yemen.

Today, Yemen has a total population of approximately 30.5 million people, the overwhelming majority of whom are of Arab descent. Most of the countrys population lives in the western part of the country. The two principle cities in Yemen are the capital, Sanaa, in the northwest of the country, and Aden, in the south, on the coast of the Gulf of Aden. Most of the population, however, lives in rural areas. Nearly all Yemenis practice the Islamic faith. A slim majority, about 56% of Yemenis, are Sunnis, while 42% are Shiites. Most of the Shiite population is concentrated in what was North Yemen, while the Sunnis dominate the south. The conflict between the two Muslim sects is reflected in the countrys current civil war.

As previously mentioned, Yemen is the poorest country in the Middle East. Prior to the beginning of the conflict, about 47% of Yemens population lived in poverty. Decades of armed conflict and ineffective governance have kept Yemen poor. In addition, unlike other countries in the region, Yemen is not blessed with abundant oil and gas reserves. The country does have some oil, which accounts for 75% of its GDP, but its oil reserves are small compared to those of its neighbors.

How Did The Yemen Crisis Begin?

Mass crowds at Freedom Square in the Yemeni city of Taiz in the Arab Spring Revolution 2011. Editorial credit: akramalrasny / Shutterstock.com

In 2011, the Arab Spring took place, in which people throughout the Arab world demonstrated against their leaders for greater freedom and democracy. This widespread movement included many Yemenis demanding the resignation of their president, Ali Abdullah Saleh, who had ruled since 1978, first as the leader of North Yemen, and then as the leader of the unified country as of 1990. Saleh eventually acceded to the demands of his people, and in November 2011, resigned, handing power to his deputy, Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi.

Hadi subsequently formed a unity government that included members of the opposition. He then set about beginning a dialogue that was to lead to the drafting of a new, federal constitution that would satisfy the grievances of Yemens various factions. This constitution was finally drawn up in 2014, but a northern-based Shiite militia, known as the Houthis, rejected the deal, and began an offensive against the government, which ended with their complete takeover of Sanaa by the beginning of 2015. Since then, Yemen has been in the grips of a full-blown civil war.

The Present Situation

Unidentified Yemeni military on duty at the security checkpoint in Hadramaut valley, Yemen. Editorial credit: Dmitry Chulov / Shutterstock.com

Control of Yemen is now divided between various militia groups and the internationally-recognized government of President Hadi. The northwest, including the capital, Sanaa, is controlled by the Houthis. The Houthis are a Shiite militia named for their late leader, Hussein Al-Houthi. They first emerged in the 1990s, as an opposition movement against then-President Saleh, whom they accused of corruption. In 2004, they began an insurgency against the Yemeni government after government forces killed their leader. This insurgency lasted until 2007, when the Houthis agreed to a ceasefire. Seven years later, in a stunning turn of events, the Houthis began colluding with former President Saleh to undermine President Hadis government. As much of the Yemeni army was still loyal to Saleh, he and the Houthis managed to form the most powerful military force in the country.

Tank and military crews involved in fighting Houthin South Yemen north of the city of Taiz. Editorial credit: anasalhajj / Shutterstock.com

Most of the south and east of Yemen is now under the control of President Hadis government, which is the internationally-recognized government of Yemen. Having been driven from Sanaa, Hadis government is now based in Aden. Among his allies are forces belonging to the Southern Transitional Council (STC). This group is comprised of people seeking independence for what was once South Yemen. In 2018, the STCs forces seized control of Aden. They now also control most of Yemens four southern governorates (provinces). In 2019, however, President Hadi concluded a power-sharing deal with the STC, which now has almost a fifth of the cabinet seats in his government.

Also in the south is the Islamic terrorist group, Al-Qaeda, whose late leader, Osama Bin Laden, orchestrated the 9/11 terrorist attacks in the United States. In the year 2000, the group attacked an American naval ship, the USS Cole, in Aden, killing 17 US personnel. The group continued its attacks before and after the events of the 2011 Arab Spring. Another Islamist group, the Islamic State, commonly known by the acronyms, ISIL or ISIS, also has a presence in Yemen.

The Proxy War

All of those party to the war in Yemen have foreign backers. The Houthis are supported by the Shiite Islamic fundamentalist regime in Iran, which is known to supply the group with weapons and funding. The internationally-recognized government of President Hadi has the strong support of the so-called Arab Coalition, a group of Sunni Muslim countries, which was put together by regional power, Saudi Arabia, with the logistical support of the United States. The Arab Coalition has conducted a campaign of airstrikes on the Houthis since 2015. The members of this alliance view the Houthis as a threat since they are strongly supported by Iran, whom the Sunni states view as a long-term strategic danger to their interests. For their part, the Houthis have responded to the military efforts of the Arab Coalition by launching a series of missile and drone strikes into Saudi territory. Thus, the war in Yemen has implications for the entire Middle East region.

The Humanitarian Crisis

Yemeni children sit inside the rubble of their school, destroyed by the war in Taiz city , Yemen. Editorial credit: akramalrasny / Shutterstock.com

The war in Yemen has made one of the worlds poorest countries even poorer. In fact, it is projected that if the conflict persists into 2022, Yemen will be the poorest country in the world. Whereas nearly half of the countrys population lived in poverty prior to the beginning of the war, up to 79% will live in poverty if the conflict continues into next year. In addition, 65% of Yemenis living in poverty will be classified as extremely poor. Even so, Yemen continues to host refugees from other countries. Indeed, Yemen hosts 137,000 refugees and asylum seekers from Somalia and Ethiopia.

Other statistics paint a very grim picture of the crisis in Yemen. To date, the civil war in Yemen has displaced millions of people. According to the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), 4 million people in Yemen have had to flee their homes, 79% of whom are women and children. Furthermore, 20 million people, which is equivalent to around two thirds of Yemens population, require humanitarian aid. More than half of the countrys population, approximately 16 million people, suffer from hunger, and another 5 million are on the brink of famine. In light of these statistics, the UNHCR has referred to Yemen as the worlds worst humanitarian crisis. It is also a humanitarian crisis compounded by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Water crisis in Yemen worsened by the the ongoing civil war. Editorial credit: akramalrasny / Shutterstock.com

Getting aid to Yemen has proven to be difficult. One reason is that promises of aid simply do not materialize. As of 2018, for example, less than 10% of the amount required for humanitarian assistance in Yemen had been collected. Another major problem is the lack of cooperation on the part of the warring parties for aid to be distributed. All parties to the conflict have been accused of hampering aid efforts. The Saudi-led Arab Coalition, for example, has been accused of not allowing aid to reach areas controlled by the Houthis. The Arab Coalition has also been accused of destroying infrastructure that is crucial for getting aid to Yemens people. In one instance, the Coalition destroyed a bridge linking the Yemeni port of Hodeidah with the capital, Sanaa, used to carry 90% of the food aid gathered by the UN. Meanwhile, the Houthis have deployed mines in the Red Sea, which hampers efforts to get humanitarian aid to the people of Yemen by sea.
Articles

Sorry, there are no recent results for popular articles.
The following statement was issued on Wednesday by the Teacher-Student-Parent Safety Committee in Sri Lanka. The Rajapakse government is doing everything it can to break the ongoing online learning strike of around 250,000 teachers and principals. The police have intensified their witch hunt, announcing yesterday that they will take stern action against anyone who seeks to prevent any teacher willing to participate in online education from doing so.

The government has instigated a systematic police witch hunt of Sri Lankan teachers and principals involved in the more than two-month strike for higher wages. Teachers have rejected the government-offered pittance of a wage increase. This intimidation campaign is aimed at breaking the determination of the teachers to continue their strike until their demands are met.

Some of the arrested teachers after being bailed out on August 5

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has sent a letter via area police stations to government divisional secretaries demanding they provide the names of those who organised teachers demonstrations, their addresses, and the places where the protests were held. Police also want the details of teachers who recently died from COVID-19.

The Sunday Times reported on September 12 that police spokesman Senior Superintendent Nihal Talduwa confirmed that an investigation was being conducted to discover whether the teachers died from the coronavirus after joining the recent protests.

The so-called investigation is a crude and reactionary attempt to whip up public opinion against the educators, cynically claiming that their nationwide protests have spread the virus.

The Teacher-Student-Parent Safety Committee (TSPSC) vehemently denounces this victimisation campaign. We urge every section of the working class to come to the defence of teachers, including by issuing statements of protest against the witch hunt.

The poisonous campaign against teachers was initiated by the Podujana Education Service Association (PESA), which is affiliated with the ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna. On August 28, Silumina, the government-controlled Sinhala weekly, published a report quoting PESA chairperson Vasantha Handapangoda. She claimed that 25 teachers had died from COVID-19 and 400 were infected after participating in protests.

Handapangoda is churning out false propaganda against striking teachers, making statements on an almost daily basis on behalf of the government aimed at sabotaging the industrial action. Rohitha Abeygunawardena, a government minister, repeated Handapangodas statement on teacher deaths, giving credibility to her allegations.

The claim that the teachers protests are responsible for spreading COVID-19 in Sri Lanka is false. Everyone knows that the deadly disease is spreading because of the criminal policies of President Gotabhaya Rajapakses government, which has ignored the advice of medical experts, leading to the death of over 11,000 people. Those attempts to blame the strikers should be denounced with contempt.

Workers and the poor in many countries around the world are coming into struggle in response to the criminal policies of the ruling regimes and in opposition to government attempts to impose on the masses the economic crisis worsened by the pandemic.

Sri Lankan teachers are striking for higher wages because every government over the last 24 years, including the current Rajapakse regime, has rejected their demands. The unions have likewise betrayed the teachers, accepting successive false promises from governments, and shutting down strikes and protests. Teachers, like other workers now coming into struggle, face unbearable increases in the costs of living, which have worsened because of the pandemic.

Joint teachers protest outside Colombo Secretariat on July 23 [WSWS Media]

According to CID directives, area police stations have initiated their actions. The media has reported that the area police head office in Horana has sent letters to divisional secretaries and police stations at Ingiriya, Madurawela and Milleniya in response to protest marches held in Colombo on July 25 and August 4.

On August 4, Colombo Port police arrested 44 teachers heading home after a protest near the Presidential Secretariat in central Colombo. They were falsely charged with breaking quarantine laws and blocking the roads.

The teachers were released on bail the following day, authorities fearing that their jailing would lead to even more widespread opposition. It was later revealed that 26 educators were arrested in Kandy and three others were taken into custody in Matara for allegedly organising educators protests.

The mainstream media has joined the victimisation campaign, quoting Buddhist prelates denouncing the striking teachers. The prelates and the media claim that childrens education is being destroyed by the strike and that teachers salary demands are unjustified because the country faces economic difficulties.

An editorial in the Island on Monday entitled Paid leave for striking teachers et al demanded the online strikers not be paid.

Attempts are also being made to incite racialist divisions. Last week Dinamina published an editorial entitled Vanakkam Yalpanam Teachers (Welcome Jaffna Teachers). It claimed that Jaffna teachers were continuing to teach for fifth grade scholarships and Advanced Level examinations, and that education levels in the South, which is predominantly Sinhalese, would deteriorate in the coming years.

These reports are bogus and turn the real situation upside down. Teachers in the North and East are actively engaged in the wage struggle. Surveys also reveal that the percentage of students participating in online learning is low in the plantation areas, among urban and rural poor, and in the North and the East because of the lack of internet and computer facilities.

Those conducting this vicious propaganda are defending the government and the capitalist system and oppose the struggles of any section of the working class to win their rights.

The Rajapakse government is rapidly preparing autocratic forms of rule in order to take on the working class now coming into struggle. Colombos proclamation of a state of emergency on August 30, on the pretext of systematically supplying basic food items, is a major step in this direction.

President Rajapakse now has wide-ranging repressive powers under the state of emergency, including outlawing strikes, sacking workers, and banning political parties. Working people in Sri Lanka have suffered many bloody experiences from previous governments use of emergency laws.

Rajapakse is continuously renewing the essential public service act, which bans public sector industrial action. Under this act, any violation can be punished, after a summary trial, with harsh jail terms and fines, the seizure of property and the blacklisting of future employment. Those accused of inciting and inducing workers to break these regulations will be similarly punished.

Instead of turning to other sections of the working class to defend witch-hunted teachers, the teacher union leaderships have ignored the police threats. Ceylon Teachers Union secretary Joseph Stalin has told the Times that the unions are planning to send a letter asking for clarification of a statement made by Minister Rohitha Abeygunawardena.

The unions, in fact, are on the verge of accepting a paltry government wage offer, declaring that they are flexible and ready to accept if the increase is made in one payment, instead of instalments spread over four years.

The Teacher-Student-Parent Safety Committee is launching a campaign to win widespread working-class support against any victimisation of teachers. As a first step, we urge workers and students to declare Hands off teacher activists! Stop the CID investigation! and issue statements of support. We also urge the building of action committees at every school to defend the wage struggle and other rights, including free education.

The state witch hunt is part of a broader government attack on the democratic rights of all workers. What is urgently needed is a break from the trade unions and every section of the capitalist class, and development of an independent and unified counteroffensive against the Rajapakse government and the entire capitalist system.
An explosive investigative report by Yahoo News has revealed plans at the highest levels of the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and the Trump administration to illegally kidnap or even assassinate WikiLeaks publisher Julian Assange when he was an internationally recognised political refugee in Ecuadors London embassy.

Based on discussions with more than 30 former US officials, the report alleges conduct on the part of former President Donald Trump, then CIA director Mike Pompeo and other senior administration officials amounting to a criminal conspiracy to abduct and murder a journalist. The breadth and intensity of the discussions about extreme measures against Assange, however, implicate the top levels of the entire state apparatus, the leadership of the Democratic Party and US allies, including Britain and Australia.

The report is confirmation that the current US attempt to extradite Assange from Britain and prosecute him is a pseudo-legal fig leaf for an extraordinary rendition operation. Their CIA killers having failed to snatch or take out the WikiLeaks founder, the US government is seeking to accomplish the same ends through an unprecedented Espionage Act prosecution, charging Assange with the crime of exposing illegal wars, mass surveillance and global diplomatic intrigues.

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange [Credit: AP Photo/Matt Dunham]

That the prosecution was initiated under Trump and is being continued by the Biden administration demonstrates the unanimity of the ruling elite in the campaign to destroy Assange and WikiLeaks, and establish a major precedent for the suppression of social and political opposition.

Significantly, the report notes that intensive intelligence activity against Assange began under the Obama administration.

By 2012, the Democratic Party governments threats to prosecute the WikiLeaks founder, and its orchestration of provocations against WikiLeaks, had forced Assange to seek asylum in the Ecuadorian embassy. The campaign was stepped up in 2013, after Edward Snowden exposed illegal mass surveillance by the US National Security Agency and found asylum in Russia. In that year, the Obama administration developed a plan with the British government to prevent Assange leaving the embassy and securing freedom abroad.

In 2016, WikiLeaks published documents from the Democratic National Committee exposing political corruption, including the sabotage of Bernie Sanders' candidacy in favour of Hillary Clinton, the handpicked representative of Wall Street and the intelligence agencies.

According to Yahoo, the Obama administration responded by labelling WikiLeaks and its associates as valid targets for various types of spying, including close-in technical collectionsuch as bugssometimes enabled by in-person espionage, and 'remote operations,' meaning, among other things, the hacking of WikiLeaks' members devices from afar

The Yahoo News report confirms Assanges own assessment that WikiLeaks' publication of Vault 7, a vast tranche of material exposing CIA spying activities, was a decisive factor in the increasingly frenzied efforts of the US state to obliterate the organisation through any means. Released beginning in March 2017, the documents exposed the offensive hacking operations of the CIA internationally, branding it as one of the biggest purveyors of malware in the world.

Among the explosive revelations was confirmation that the agency could hack into computer systems and leave tell-tale signs that the intrusions were the work of a hostile power, such as Russia or Iran. This cast doubt over the incessant and unsubstantiated claims of Russian and other state hacking, including in the 2016 American elections, as they were being used to ramp-up US militarist threats and provocations. The CIA was also seeking to hack into the computer systems of modern cars, a capability that could be used for assassinations, and was spying on people through their televisions and smartphones.

The response was immediate. The intelligence agencies had been unable to prove the bogus claims that WikiLeaks was acting in concert with the Russian state. As one former official told Yahoo: There was a lot of legal debate on: Are they operating as a Russian agent? It wasnt clear they were, so the question was, can it be reframed on them being a hostile entity.

The new doctrine was unveiled in a speech by Pompeo at CIA headquarters in April 2017. In a diatribe over the publication of Vault 7, the CIA director branded WikiLeaks as hostile non-state intelligence service.

Citing unnamed former Trump administration officials, Yahoo explained that in using that description Pompeo was neither speaking off the cuff nor repeating a phrase concocted by a CIA speechwriter. Instead, he was outlining a pseudo-legal rationale for directing the murderous methods employed by the US in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere against WikiLeaks. In the words of a former CIA official, WikiLeaks would go from a target of collection to a target of disruption for the intelligence agencies.

According to Yahoo:

Soon after the speech, Pompeo asked a small group of senior CIA officers to figure out the art of the possible when it came to WikiLeaks, said another former senior CIA official. He said, Nothings off limits, dont self-censor yourself. I need operational ideas from you. Ill worry about the lawyers in Washington.

CIA stations around the world were instructed to intensify their activities against WikiLeaks. This included active measures, such as seeking to provoke discord within the organisation. The Yahoo report also suggests the agency may have conducted break-ins and other illegal surveillance actions in European states, especially Germany and Britain. They developed pattern of life surveillance against WikiLeaks staff and associates.

Yahoo added:

At meetings between senior Trump administration officials after WikiLeaks started publishing the Vault 7 materials, Pompeo began discussing kidnapping Assange, according to four former officials. While the notion of kidnapping Assange preceded Pompeos arrival at Langley, the new director championed the proposals, according to former officials.

The discussions, however, went further:

U.S. officials had also considered killing Assange, according to three former officials. One of those officials said he was briefed on a spring 2017 meeting in which the president asked whether the CIA could assassinate Assange and provide him options for how to do so.

Trump has denied the claim, while others interviewed by Yahoo sought to downplay it as spitballing. The agency, however, requested and received plans for how such an assassination could be conducted, as well as how other members of WikiLeaks in Europe could be murdered.

Previous reports, moreover, have made clear that the CIA had gone beyond discussions in Langley, Virginia. Former employees of UC Global, the private security company hired by the Ecuadorian government to provide security to its London embassy, have testified under oath that the firm was functioning as a proxy for the CIA. Audio and video recordings of Assange, including his private meetings with lawyers, were surreptitiously carried out by the company. Its employees, who effectively controlled Assanges physical environment, were also asked to consider means by which he could be killed, possibly through poison, or kidnapped.

As the US campaign intensified, the Ecuadorian authorities reportedly made plans to evacuate Assange from the embassy by providing him with a diplomatic post. A plan, confirmed by Fidel Narvaez, a former senior diplomat at the embassy and supporter of Assange, was developed to transfer the WikiLeaks founder to Russia in late 2017. When informed of it by Ecuadorian officials, Assange rejected the suggestion of travelling to Moscow, and raised the need to find another third country.

US intelligence agencies became aware of these discussions, likely through the activities of UC Global. According to Yahoo, they discussed unhinged counter-measures, including crashing into any car carrying Assange through the streets of London and shooting out the tyres of any plane he would travel in. The British authorities also declared that they would not recognise any diplomatic protection provided to Assange.

The report makes clear that to the extent the kidnapping and assassination plans were scuttled, it was not the result of any principled opposition from within the state apparatus. Instead, some officials from the Justice Department and administration lawyers warned that the actions being contemplated would be a gross breach of international law that would undermine US imperialism in Europe and internationally. As one told Yahoo, the plots of murder and kidnapping were something wed do in Afghanistan, but not in the U.K.

The article demonstrates the deep connection between the CIAs dirty tricks campaign and the pseudo-legal attempt to prosecute Assange. The latter emerged out of the former. As Yahoo writes: Concerned the CIAs plans would derail a potential criminal case, the Justice Department expedited the drafting of charges against Assange to ensure that they were in place if he were brought to the United States.

The latest revelations confirm the criminal character of the pursuit of Assange, and all of those forces involved in it, from the US state, the Democratic and Republican parties, to the governments and official parties of Britain, Australia and other alliance nations.

They underscore that in the pursuit of Assange, governments are seeking to establish precedents for sweeping attacks on dissident journalists and political activists, above all targeting mounting opposition from the working class. The activities detailed in the Yahoo report recall the spying operations conducted by the CIA, the FBI and other agencies against socialist and left-wing organisations, and alternative publications, during the last period of revolutionary upheavals in the 1960s and 70s.

Critical lessons must be drawn. The perspective of appealing to the Trump administration, or to Biden, promoted by the official Dont Extradite Assange campaign and similar organisations, is utterly bankrupt. In practice, it amounts to pathetic moral pleas to those plotting to destroy WikiLeaks and to kill Assange.

An independent political movement of the working class must be built to secure Assanges freedom and to defend democratic rights. It is to the millions of workers and young people who are entering into struggle against the very governments persecuting Assange, that defenders of civil liberties must turn.
Fridays For Future, an international anti-climate change movement, called for demonstrations around the globe last week. In total, there were 1,700 strikes and protests worldwide in more than 80 countries. In Germany alone, more than 620,000 people demonstrated in 470 cities. Members of the International Youth and Students for Social Equality (IYSSE) in Germany discussed their statement on the issue with participants.

Many of the organizers hoped the demonstrations would strengthen the position of the German Green Party in Sundays federal elections, spreading the illusion that the party would be more receptive to pressure from the streets. But many ordinary participants were aware that there can be no solution to the climate issue within the capitalist system.

All parties are dependent on money and therefore beholden to the stipulations of money, explained one demonstrator in Berlin. Working people have to fight for themselves because nobody else is doing it for them, even if it is said so. It is not enough to appeal to politicians, said another. Politicians make so much money lobbying and working for big corporations. We are here to show resistance, to show what we can do.

Climate strike in Berlin

We have to intervene quite strongly in the economythe issue is where the most CO2 emissions take place, explained one participant in Stuttgart. After all, its already weighing on us. For example, what happened in [the floods in] North Rhine-Westphalia or how warm the summers are, explained another. And if not so much has been done by politicians so far, we just have to take to the streets, she added.

Asked what concrete measures need to be taken, she said, As it stands, probably the most radical ones possible. The parties already have something in their programs, but compromises like that dont seem to work very well.

Climate strike in Stuttgart

Yet the measures taken by all the bourgeois parties are in no way sufficient. A student explained, It is much too late in 2050, if you only shut down coal power then. That would have to happen much sooner, and we would have to be chasing other solutions much more. Such rules are simply enforced far too little, and no one in politics really gets involved.

All the time they pretend to be saying something, but then whether its enforced [or not] is another question and when it will be enforced, a classmate agreed with her. Regarding the fact that the climate programmes of all parties are not enough to prevent a catastrophe, she explained, They are easily not enough. You have to do much, much more. Its our earth, were going to live here. Even the Greens arent doing enough

When asked why that is, she elaborated, Because its about money and because a lot of things just arent feasible, in that a lot of people would lose their jobs. But I think if we paid more attention to climate change, you would find new opportunities and also new jobs. It would certainly weaken our capital, but we have to take that.

Other demonstrators explained that intervention is needed in big industry, because that is where most emissions occur. Actually, the responsibility tends to be shifted to individuals. But when theres so much to offer all the time, theres no point in being an individual who wants to push back and cant achieve anything.

It should not concentrate so much on the fact that its always the small citizens who must carry out so much, but make demands that those above also act sometimes, another participant said.

On the question of whether the parties will change their policies after the election, she said, I think that if we dont have a clear change of system, nothing will really be done. So the demands of the Greens are all well and good, but in a certain way we just need a radical upheaval.

She supported the fact that workers have to fight for these demands themselves. I think we need more class consciousness in generalnot just when it comes to the climate crisis. There are simply far too many of us who are not included in democratic decisions, and accordingly we need to stand together more.

As the IYSSE and Socialist Equality Party (SGP) explained in a statement distributed at the demonstrations, climate change, like all major social issues, is a class question. It requires an international, socialist response. Such an answer is not compatible with capitalism, which is based on profit maximization and competition between nation states.

Appeals to the bourgeois parties are useless. The climate change measures they promise in their election programmes do not even achieve the totally inadequate targets they themselves have adopted. And everyone knows that even these are empty promises.
All of the parties in the German parliament (Bundestag) support a policy of allowing the COVID-19 infection to spreadwith all of the subsequent devastating consequences. The Sozialistische Gleichheitspartei (SGP-Socialist Equality Party, German section of the International Committee of the Fourth International) was the only party in the election campaign fighting for a policy to completely eradicate the coronavirus pandemic on a global basis.

Andreas Gassen, head of the Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians, was particularly outspoken a few days ago. Gassen, a specialist for orthopaedics and accident surgery, demanded a clear political signal: That in six weeks we will also celebrate a Freedom Day! He told the Neue Osnabrucker Zeitung that after the experience of Great Britain, it was also time for Germany to have the courage to lift all pandemic restrictions on October 30.

Gassens reference to the experience of Great Britain reveals the full brutal extent of what he advocates. Currently, the United Kingdom is again recording around 30,000 new infections per day and deaths in the hundreds. The BMJ (formerly the British Medical Journal) denounced this very same policy as social murder some time ago.

Caption: Intensive care bed (Photo: Calleamanecer / Wikimedia)

Gassens proposal has been met with considerable opposition on the part of the public but is essentially in line with the stance of all of the politicians with influence at a federal and state level. The German Health Minister Jens Spahn (Christian Democratic Union, CDU), for example, has distanced himself from Gassens proposal, but expected the pandemic to be over by spring. Spahn told the Augsburger Allgemeine that it was very unlikely that a new virus variant would emerge against which vaccination offered no protection. And then we will have overcome the pandemic by the spring and return to normality, Spahn said last Wednesday.

All of the Bundestag politicians, regardless of political affiliation, are in practice pursuing a course of ruthlessly infecting the population. In doing so they accept that many thousands more will die. Despite an explosive increase in the number of cases among children and adolescents, they have fully reopened schools in all German states.

The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic is expanding dramatically worldwide as the highly contagious Delta variant takes hold and even worse mutations are quite possible. The US, Brazil and India are all experiencing devastating new outbreaks with thousands of deaths every day. In Europe, the World Health Organisation has warned of another 236,000 deaths by December 1.

In Germany, a fourth pandemic wave is also erupting with the start of face-to-face schooling and the first cold days of autumn. The 7-day average of daily deaths rose to nearly 60 last Thursday and a total of 400 COVID-19 patients have died in the past week. Over the course of the past few days, the number of new infections has once again exceeded tens of thousands, and statistics indicate a high number of unreported cases.

At the end of last week, around 1,500 COVID-19 patients were receiving intensive treatment, with wards filling up day by day. This development was confirmed by a report by Cihan Celik, a pulmonary physician, in the FAZ newspaper on September 19.

Celik is head of an isolation ward for COVID-19 patients in Darmstadt. His hospital, he said, has had to transfer several COVID patients to other hospitals in recent days. The number of new admissions had fluctuated wildly for about three weeks. On several occasions, it had been necessary to expand the facilities for treatment of COVID patients with up to ten Covid patients with a severe course being admitted in the course of a single day.

Celik also reported on Covid patients with vascular complications such as thromboses, pulmonary embolisms and strokes. His conclusion: Im afraid the current situation is just a taste of whats in store for us this fall.

Another report featuring Dr. Celik, which appeared as a video for Der Spiegel magazine titled Mavericks on the Corona-Station, documents a number of horrific COVID cases with severe health consequences. The fourth wave is here, and it is picking up speed, the report states.

The video also shows that people who have been vaccinated twice usually have only mild symptoms, without pneumonia, but can still become infected. These are so-called vaccine breakthroughs, in which infected vaccinated people unknowingly spread the virus.

Vaccination breakthroughs have been increasing since the Delta variant became rampant, the report says, with around 7,000 cases so far in Germany.

This development is being systematically ignored. The current mantra of the countrys ruling politicians is that vaccination alone solves the problem. This is a deliberate misrepresentation and a dangerous fallacy. As important as vaccination is, it cannot defeat the pandemic without the implementation of a number of other measures. The Delta variant has a far higher R-value than the existing wild type. This means the pandemic will continue to spread even if 80 percent of the population or more is vaccinated.

Capitalist politicians dont care, however, and have systematically downplayed the dangers of the fourth wave during the election campaign. The extent to which they themselves are becoming the driving factor for infection was evident in the measures they adopted just a few days before the election.

This applies first and foremost to the decision by federal and state governments to cancel compensation payments for unvaccinated people in quarantine. The state premiers claimed that by doing so, they would encourage vaccination among the group of those designated as unwilling.

In reality, this measure is highly dangerous. Denying the compensation for a quarantine loss of earnings, paid up until now, will result in countless outbreaks going undetected. How many infected people will continue to drag themselves to work for fear of losing pay? How many contacts will remain untested and how many infections will spread undetected and in secrecy until major outbreaks occur?

Another recently passed measure involves the cancellation of free citizen testing. This means that many people will be forced to pay for COVID-19 tests from October 11. This is stipulated in a new regulation issued by the Federal Ministry of Health on September 22.

This measure will also result in countless new infections going undetected. Nevertheless, the measure has been approved by Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) and all of the countrys 16 state premiers.

The Left Party, in particular, is fully supporting this policy. This is vividly demonstrated in the state of Thuringia, where the party is part of a coalition government and a Left Party member, Helmut Holter, is Minister of Education. In Thuringia, as of last week, there are to be no more rapid tests at schools, no more mandatory masks, and virtually no more quarantine rules for contact persons.

This gives the virus free rein among unvaccinated children and young people over the next few months, commented the teachers platform news4teachers.de in bewilderment.

Thuringia has the second highest COVID-19 mortality rate in all of Germany, after Saxony. The state has recorded 208 pandemic deaths per 100,000 inhabitants. The national average is 112 per 100,000 inhabitants. More than 2,000 test results were positive in the first two weeks of school testing alone.

The example of Thuringia shows that all of the main parties are complicit in this contagion policy and act openly or quietly along the lines of the Freedom Day called for by Gassen. To keep the economy going, they insist on opening up schools in the midst of the fourth pandemic wave, abolish mass testing and categorically rule out any new lockdown.

To defeat the pandemic, the working class needs its own party to enforce internationally a consistent, science-based strategy for eradicating SARS-CoV-2, combining vaccination, contact tracing and isolation with consistent lockdowns. If world leaders had consistently addressed the pandemic in February and March 2020, they would have defeated the virus within weeks. Millions of people who died agonizing deaths in the last 18 months would be alive today.

The Socialist Equality Party is the only party that advocates putting human life, not profits, first. Therefore, WSWS calls on all its readers and SGP supporters to support this policy and build the SGP!
British parent Lisa Diaz issued another video Saturday in support of her proposal for a school strike on Friday October 1. Last Friday, Lisa, a mother of two children, posted two videos here and here, calling on parents to keep their child at home on October 1 and to post a picture of their school uniform, alongside a mask, on social media on the day of the strike.

The three videos have collectively been viewed over 100,000 times.

In Lisas video Saturday, she notes that the current data from the Office for Statistics shows that one in 43 primary school age children and 1-in 35 secondary school age children across the country currently has COVID.

Primary school pupils return to a school in Bournemouth, England on Monday September 6, 2021 (WSWS Media)

The figures cited show a marked increase from data released last week by the Department of Education covering the day of September 16, which showed that by then one in 100 secondary school children were infected. Lisa asks in the video, And what is the government doing to protect our children It's bringing back masks in corridors only and in secondary schools only. Somehow classrooms arent communal areas but corridors are And the other thing it is doing is more PCR tests to prevent COVID. How is that going to prevent anyone from getting COVID? It's going to tell us that we've got COVID and it's kind of like shutting the gate after the horse has already bolted.

So given that the government is not doing anything to protect our children, we've got to take matters into her own hands we need collective action, we need to work together because our government doesn't care.

Last week, Englands Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty and his deputy Jonathan Van-Tam said half of 15-17-year-olds have already been infected with the virus and that it is a near certainty the rest will be. On September 21, Englands Childrens Commissioner, Dame Rachel de Souza said, I never want to see schools closed again.

The UKs 88 child Covid fatalities are just collateral damage to the Johnson government, as they demand schools stay open so that their parents can go to work and create profits for the corporations. According to parent advocacy group SafeEdForAll (Safe Education For All), which Lisa is a member of, 11,000 children are suffering Long COVID fully 12 months after infection. The long-term consequences of this complex disease can be impaired cognitive function, heart and pulmonary damage.

Of the one in 150 child cases ending up in hospital, 60 percent have no underlying condition. Another frightening result of infection can be life threatening Paediatric Inflammatory Multisystem Syndrome, which up to February resulted in 720 hospitalisations.

Around 34 percent of new cases in England are among 10-19-year-olds and almost 12.5 percent are in 0-9-year-olds. Professor Colin Davis, citing Public Health England (PHE) data, tweeted September 24 that the rate among 10-14s has now gone over 1000 per 100k. this is out of controlcases are now doubling every 7 days in this age group.

On Monday, the Independent newspaper predicted in relation to the more than 100,000 children absent from school September 16 that If the current growth rate in cases continues, it will only be a matter of weeks before the same number of children are out of school with Covid as during the summer term, when the bubble system forced some 1.1 million youngsters into isolation. It noted, The 80 per cent week-on-week rise in child infections has also fuelled an increase in cases among people aged 30 to 49, which now stand at 286 per 100,000.

There were at least 295 school outbreaks in Britain in the week ending September 20, according to data compiled by Daniella Modos-Cutter, a parent and one of the founders of SafeEdForAll.

On September 16, 122,000 pupils were absent from school for COVID related reasons. This is despite the government loosening the criteria determining when staff and pupils should self-isolate. Under-18s in contact with a positive case no longer have to self-isolate and are only advised to take a PCR test.

Speaking anonymously to the i newspaper, one headteacher said, We have found the PCR turnaround to be slow, and schools havent been told to ask pupils to self-isolate whilst waiting for a test result. This has meant that we have had Covid case pupils in school, which has led to more infections  weve introduced our own test and trace system, where we identify close contacts of positive cases, and ask those pupils to remain at home until they receive confirmation of a negative PCR test.

In Wales, out of 19,916 cases in under 10s since the pandemic began, 5,639 were in September. Early in the month, a Cradoc Primary school closed after 40 percent of pupils and 50 percent of staff tested positive. Between September 1-19, 570 schoolchildren tested positive in 77 Flintshire schools. Neighbouring Denbighshire had similar figures.

The situation is equally dire in England. To cite only a few examples from local media:

Cumbria County Council issued new guidance to their schools, after 12-18-year-olds accounted for the highest number of cases, followed by the 5-11 age group. Siblings of positive cases were told to self-isolate and take a PCR test. In Worcestershire, Bewdly Primary closed due to a combination of COVID cases, diarrhoea and vomiting. Year 4 and 6 pupils resumed online learning until September 30. In Cambridgeshire, more than 521 children tested positive across 133 settings last week. In Warwickshire, 700 cases were reported among children, an increase of over 200 in a week.

The desperate situation in one school was described in this tweet on SafeEdForAll: 182 positive pcr confirmed. 79 additional lfts [lateral flow tests] waiting for pcr results. School has 700 pupils. 8 staff off. HT [Head teacher] told by PHE & DEF [Department for Education] cant close irrespective of pupil numbers off but closed as not enough staff to teach. Not reported in media.

Another tweet read, This is why we need a #SchoolStrike2021. To protect NHS services and to stop this happening. School spread means community spread means sick people waiting in hospital car parks. This could be your child, and no doctor and no bed available to treat them. Its not acceptable.

On Saturday, Socialist Equality Party members distributed the WSWS statement: The Eradication of COVID-19 is the only way to stop the pandemic and UK parent Lisa Diaz calls for a school strike on October 1 outside Manchester Central Library.

Isabel from Brazil, who has worked in Britain for three years, said, I support the school strike, but the government needs to give financial support so parents can be at home with children. Parents need to have a way to support families. My company is making everyone go back to work, something we could do at home.

Isabel, on the right, at the SEP stall in Manchester (WSWS Media)

Referring to the barbaric experiment being carried out by the Brazilian government with Covid-19 drug kits which have killed hundreds, she said, [Jair] Bolsonaro was condemned by the media apart from the ones paid by him [for] trying to prove you can have pre-treatment to prevent Covid.

In Brazil the situation is very bad. In Europe vaccination is very advanced, in other countries people are not vaccinated so the virus creates new variants. If we keep creating new variants it will reach us. We need to guarantee that everyone in the world is vaccinated, not just those who can afford it.

This is only the beginning. They used to say the virus only affected older people, but the new variant is affecting younger people more.
Dr. Eric Feigl-Ding has been an outspoken advocate in bringing the COVID pandemic to a rapid end by implementing multiple mitigations and elimination strategies. Through his social media accounts, he has provided critical insight while educating the public on the dangers of the virus and inaction on the part of the government. He is a public health scientist and epidemiologist, currently a senior fellow at the Federation of American Scientists. The WSWS spoke with Dr. Feigl-Ding last Friday on pandemic developments and the issue of COVID and children. The interview below was edited for brevity and clarity. Explanatory remarks are provided in brackets when necessary.

Eric Feigl-Ding

Benjamin Mateus (BM): Dr. Feigl-Ding, good morning. Thanks for speaking with the WSWS again. Weve been explaining that children have been dying from COVID-19 at higher rates than previously in the pandemic. You have also been highlighting this issue on social media. Its a crucial issue, but there arent too many people paying sufficient attention to it. Can you speak to this?

Eric Feigl-Ding (EFD): Happy to. Yesterday I posted two graphs on a thread on Twitter. One of them is the Case Fatality Rate (CFR) in Florida by age group. The Delta wave swept through the state over the summer. The graph shows, since like early August, the CFR for kids under 16 has really increased. When you compare it to the entire pandemic period, it is around six to eight-fold higher in terms of actual deaths.

Figure 1 Percent Case Fatality Rate by age in Florida Delta phase vs Pandemic

[The Tweet reads: While kids die at a rate of 1 in 10,000 infected casesthat is quite high! Plus, it is 6-8-fold higher CFR recently during the #DeltaVariant wave than last 18 months before Delta! (Notice RED vs.BLUE). Dr. Feigl-Ding also highlighted the data from the American Academy of Pediatrics(AAP) that demonstrates children now make up close to 25 percent of all cases.]

So, the CFR has definitely gone up recently. Thats because under Delta we know its much more severe. We know Delta is much more severe even outside of kids [the general population] from countless other studies and data points.

Now, with these numbers, in a certain way you have to  how should I put it? Im an epidemiologist, and we usually talk about relative risk and statistics, but that doesnt capture peoples imaginations because it doesnt peg to what they already know or already have an established moral principle about.

Lets take pediatric cancers. There are tons of different pediatric cancer associations, and no one has debates about whether kids should or shouldnt be dying of cancer. Its one of those bipartisan topics. To capture the publics attention, you have to place it in that light.

No one accepts pediatric cancers, right? If you say, Kids shouldnt be dying of cancer, at a media conference or a hearing you would mostly get nods across the room. And then you add that pediatric cancers are the leading cause of death among children post infancy. In the US, among pediatric cancers there are about 1,200 deaths [per year] or so. You divide that by 52 weeks, thats around 23 deaths a week.

That is on par with what the US has seen among children dying of COVID-19. Weve had over 100 deaths in the last five weeks, or about 20 deaths a week. And that data is coming from the American Academy of Pediatrics that has 45 states. With 50 states, its probably tied, if not higher, than the cancer deaths. But no one accepts pediatric cancer deaths as okay.

[According to the National Cancer Institute, although cancer in children is rare, it is the leading cause of death by disease past infancy among children in the United States. In 2021, among children 0 to 19, an estimated 15,590 will be diagnosed with cancer,and 1,780 will die. Among those under 15, 10,500 will be diagnosed,and 1,190 are expected to die from their disease.]

Consider even the news yesterday on NPR [National Public Radio] about recalling infant nursing pillows. [Boppy Company, a maker of an assortment of infant carriers and nursing pillows, recalled nearly 3.3 million of their loungers for newborns, which have been linked to the death of eight babies. These deaths, according to the US Consumer Product and Safety Commission, occurred over the period from December 2015 to June 2020.]

No one accepts that we should learn to live with kids who die of being suffocated by pillows. No one says we need to learn to live with pediatric cancer deaths, right? Its morally not acceptable in our society if we care about others around us.

And, so, if you first get people to buy in on something that is not controversial, but then we explain that COVID death rates among children are the same as death rates from pediatric cancers, and we dont accept pediatric cancer, then we cant accept pediatric COVID deaths!

Im trying to think how else to best phrase it. Other moral arguments can be made, but let me know if you have any questions on these stats?

BM: I think what you are saying is something like if we compared COVID deaths among children with firearm deaths. It would be morally reprehensible to tolerate the first but not accept the other.

EFD: Yeah, exactly. Shannon Watts actually made this point as well. [Watts is an anti-gun advocate and founder of Moms Demand Action. She initiated a grassroots movement after the tragic events at Sandy Hook School in Newtown, Connecticut, in December 2012, when a deranged gunman opened fire killing 26 children and educators.] When I tweeted about the eight infant deaths and the pillow recall, she Tweeted why it was okay that kids were dying from handguns? This same correlation matters. The same analogy matters because its effective [in getting the publics attention]. And we do something about these in our society. We do recalls of cribs and pillows.

Then there are those elements in society that try to dismiss these issues. They say that these children who died from COVID had risk factors. Youve heard that line, right?

BM: I have.

EFD: They try to say that these children died with these pre-existing conditions and not their infection. My point is that its pretty clear when theyre in the ICU that they didnt die of their diabetes. The ICUs arent suddenly overloaded because of pediatric diabetes or something like that. Its COVID.

When kids die of cancer, no one says they have an underlying risk factor for cancer. Think about that. If someone dies in a crib accident, no one says that child suffocated or 

BM: I think the point youre trying to make is that by implying they have risk factors or conditions that predispose them to a respiratory illness, then somehow this means that their death from COVID was unavoidable, thereby giving it legitimacy, which is a repulsive way of looking at it. But this is precisely what is happening.

Perhaps we can change gears a bit. What are your thoughts on Florida schools and not having to quarantine? They say that parents of exposed students can decide if their child should stay home or return to school.

EFD: Thats very dangerous. Yeah. There are so many things wrong. Were not contact tracing. Were not isolating positives. Were not quarantining enough. Basically, its the see no evil and hear no evil, and, so, is there an evil? kind of approach. They dont do any tests, and if there are no tests, then there is no pandemic.

[Governor] DeSantis is trying to win this by playing this weird game of lets not identify all the cases thats out there, and of course we know about his delayed death reporting algorithm that is very unconventional. And I think its very misleading to report deaths in that way based on the current week even though the recent week of deaths are entirely delayed.

BM: DeSantis is playing a dangerous political game with the lives of Floridians and the general population. And he is just the leading edge of a very irresponsible approach to the pandemic that attempts to minimize the catastrophe.

Which brings me maybe to the other political development. Vice President Kamala Harris recently stated, As we end this pandemic, we must get ready for the next. I mean, more than 2,000 people are dying each day. We are nowhere close to ending 

EFD: I think that comment is fine. I say it all the time, too. Lets work together and end the pandemic. Its not a declaration that the pandemic is over. I think were reading too much into that statement.

BM: You had recently commented on the booster shots and were very vocal that the population needed the third shot due to the waning immunity. Were you disappointed by the FDA and the CDCs positions?

Figure 2 Eric Feigl-Ding Twitter post on impact of booster on waning immunity

EFD: I was. But, by the way, did you see the overnight developments?

BM: I have not. [The interview was conducted at 8 a.m. on Friday,September 24, 2021. In a surprise decision, CDC Director Rochelle Walensky went against the agency advisers and endorsed additional doses of the Pfizer vaccine for high-exposure groups, including teachers and healthcare workers.]

EFD: Okay. So, the CDC committee didnt vote to recommend boosters for those aged between 18 to 64 with high-risk exposure qualification criteria. But overnight, around two or three a.m., Walensky overruled that and allowed [the boosters] for high risk of exposure people under the age of 64. What the CDC committee voted on is not what Walensky approved. Besides approving the committees two criteria, she added a third criteria.

High risk is different than higher exposure. High risk means you have a significant risk factor [for severe complications from COVID]. High exposure means you dont have a risk factor, but you work in a high-risk occupational setting. I think that probably includes teachers.

She added her criteria to match better with the FDA. [The FDA only voted to provide boosters for those people 65 or older and people ages 18 to 64 at high risk of severe COVID due to pre-existing conditions, the two criteria that the CDC committee voted to approve. On a polled questionto the FDA advisory committee, there was unanimous agreement that people with high-risk exposure could be offered a booster but it was never voted on].

The phrasing of the FDAs third criteria for the high exposure category is expansive in specific ways. It isnt explicit in what those high-risk exposure occupations are.

And many states can determine on their own [how to define high-risk exposure]. But in the current situation, teachers can be eligible for a booster after six months based on that kind of criteria. I think its broad enough that it does allow for a lot [of room for consideration].

And its more like a self-declarative. There is no recommendation that you must have a teaching license to be qualified [for a booster] or work at a prison. It doesnt say anything like that. In a certain way, I prefer boosters for all after six months. But I think that criteria add a lot of flexibility, and I welcomed that.

BM: You had mentioned in a recent Tweet that we should still aim for zero. And Im assuming that is still your position; we should try to eliminate this virus from our community.

EFD: I would phrase it this way.

I dont think we should wave the white flag saying, Oh, we are at endemic levels. Lets give up. You have to learn to live with the virus. The learn to live with the virus mantra is last years natural infection herd immunity. And now it is learning to live with the virus. And I dont think we should go there right now. I dont think we should go there at all, especially when kids are not vaccinated yet.

We should aim for zero; we should aim for as low as humanly possible, like add on every mitigation we can practically do to get cases low, to avoid hospitalizations and deaths, and avoid Long COVID and Long COVID in children. I think that is just so critical.

With Long COVID, brain fog, neurological, cognitive deficits are some of the effects. A British study found that if you were intubated in the hospital, you would have a seven-point IQ drop equivalent. If youre hospitalized but not intubated, you could still have a three-to-four-point IQ drop. But even if you werent hospitalized, if you had mild COVID, you could have about a two-to-three-point IQ drop.

But I ask, Do you accept lead poisoning for kids? If you ask most people, theyll say, No, lead poisoning is not okay. Now, lead poisonings IQ damage is two points. If no country in the world accepts lead poisoning or lead poisonings two-point IQ damage as acceptable, why do we accept the one-to-three-point IQ drop for non-hospitalized children suffering from Long COVID? Even if not every infected child suffers from it, why do we accept that possibility for our children?

If we dont accept any child getting lead poisoning, why would we allow the risk of one in eight to one in ten children getting Long COVID? [More than 5.5 million children have been infected with the coronavirus. Last week, 226,000 more children were infected,representing 25.7 percent of weekly reported cases.] This goes back to our original argument or discussion about pediatric deaths. Why would we allow potential cognitive declines from Long COVID that are equivalent to those seen in lead poisoning as acceptable? This is baffling with the learning to live with COVID and learn to live with the virus mantra. Its so dangerous and morally reprehensible.

Thats why I advocate that we need to get cases as low as possible. And, of course, get pediatric vaccines rolled out as soon as theyre authorized.

BM: So, where do you see the United States in the next three to six months during the pandemic?

EFD: Im worried about the winter. Traditionally, August is the lowest hospitalization period for pediatric hospitalizations. But were having all these admissions in what should be the lowest period of the year. If we see these numbers  Im really worried about winter.

Winter is coming, and theres a lull right now, but winter is coming. Some people are saying we will have vaccines are children five- to 11-year-old by Halloween. So, Im hopeful.

But then, of course, theres the [vaccine] uptake. And then it takes at least a month before the second shot. And then a month and a half before complete immunity from vaccination kick in. that will take us to early December, right before Christmas. This is assuming an expeditious uptake of the vaccines. But the US has had a slowdown in vaccinations. We were leading early on, but I think we rank almost 50th in terms of vaccination shots delivered per capita. Weve essentially flatlined.

If they are approved, however, we may see a surge in vaccinations. Its hard to say. Airborne respiratory diseases, especially in kids  the vaccines just cant come soon enough.

BM: Dr. Feigl-Ding, thank you for being approachable and willing to discuss these issues. Its been very informative.

EFD: Sure. Thank you. Good luck.
The Fawn Fire, the most recent blaze torching northern California, is now ripping through the Mt. Shasta-Trinity area near Shasta Lake, just north of Redding. It began Wednesday afternoon, allegedly due to arson. Several communities, energy infrastructure and numerous residences are threatened, and evacuations and road and trail closures are in effect.

As of Sunday morning, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CalFire) reports that the Fawn Fire has burned 8,537 acres and is 35 percent contained. The blaze has destroyed 131 structures, damaged 12 structures, and threatens 2,340 structures.

Fire response agencies have issued evacuation orders for the entire surrounding area, including all roads east of I-5 north of Old Oregon Trail and north to Shasta Lake, and thousands of people have been evacuated from the area.

A fire truck drives along Highway 168 while battling the Creek Fire in the Shaver Lake community of Fresno County, Calif., on Monday, Sept. 7, 2020. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)

To date, the National Interagency Fire Center has recorded nearly 46,000 fires nationwide, which have burned more than 5.8 million acres. In California, currently there are 10 large fires burning nearly 2 million acres, none of which are fully contained.

A temporary evacuation center was set up in the Shasta College parking lot in Redding, but even that had to be closed because of the colleges evacuation, officials said. A new shelter has been set up at the First Church of the Nazarene in Redding. Approximately 4,000 Shasta County residents are evacuated at this time, with 30,000 residents affected, the Shasta County Sheriffs Office stated in a press release Thursday night. A separate evacuation site was set up for people testing positive for COVID-19.

By Sunday, some evacuation orders had been lifted and others downgraded to evacuation warnings, as fire containment progressed.

CalFire reports that the fire is spreading through steep and rugged terrain, critically dry and receptive fuel beds in an active area for fire history and drought stressed trees. There is a potential for extreme fire behavior due to continued critically low live and dead fuel moisture and very dry conditions resulting from persistent drought, minimal snowpack and spring precipitation. Bouts of excessive heat have caused record fire danger across northern California. The extreme weather on the West Coast is being driven by man-made climate change and is resulting in more intense and longer fire seasons.

The 2021 fire season in northern California is so severe that CalFire made a special point of advising firefighters and the public in its September 26 Action Plan for the Fawn Fire that Northern California continues to experience large fire activity and multiple team deployments and will likely experience an extended fire season. It is important to be mindful of and manage fatigue for all resources. Everyone, every day, returns home safely . [Emphasis in original]

CalFire Shasta-Trinity spokeswoman Cheryl Buliavak said the cause of the fire was still under investigation, but she confirmed that a woman seen wandering around near the quarry where the fire is believed to have started was arrested Wednesday night on fire-related charges. The suspect, 30-year-old Alexandra Souverneva, is also being investigated for starting other fires in Shasta County and throughout the state, said Shasta County District Attorney Stephanie Bridgett.

Bridgett also filed 31 criminal charges against Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) on Friday for its wanton and intentional actions during the Zogg Fire in 2020, which killed four people and incinerated at least 200 buildings, according to a report from the Los AngelesTimes .

We have sufficient evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the Pacific Gas & Electric Company is criminally liable for their reckless ignition of the Zogg fire and the deaths and destruction that it caused, Bridgett told the Times. Among the charges are 11 felonies and 20 misdemeanors, including arson and manslaughter. In July, Bridgett said the utility was criminally liable for its role in igniting the fire and that she was investigating the actions to determine the nature of the charges.

The charges filed on Friday were necessary because of PG&Es statutory and regulatory duties to mitigate fire risks by removing hazardous trees from around their electrical lines, Bridgett said. In this case, they failed to perform their legal duties.

PG&Es criminal behavior has also been connected to the 2018 Camp Fire, which was sparked by faulty power lines maintained by the energy corporation. The company pleaded guilty to 84 counts of manslaughter and reached a settlement of $13.5 billion with the families of the victims.

While a seemingly large sum, the settlement is barely a year of PG&Es profits. The annual gross profit for PG&E, a private corporation, in 2020 was $14.571 billion, a 9.56 percent increase from 2019. The companys annual gross profit for 2019 was $13.3 billion, and for 2018 was $12.26 billion. The CEO Geisha J. Williams base annual pay for 2018 was more than $1 million, plus stock and options valued at $8 million, plus other unidentified compensation of $170,253, for a total 2018 compensation of $9.25 million.

PG&Es dilapidated equipment is also suspected to be the cause of this years Dixie Fire, one of the largest in Californias recent history. The Dixie Fire razed the town of Greenville along with other towns in California as the growth of the fire exploded and difficult firefighting conditions worsened the effects. The Dixie fire is still the second largest fire in California history, with all of the top five fires occurring in the last three years. After several weeks of burning, the Dixie Fire is now 90 percent contained.
Anger at the lack of information and evident stalling by the United Steelworkers over continuing contract negotiations with Dana Corporation boiled over at a union meeting Saturday attended by workers from the companys Fort Wayne, Indiana plant.

The early Saturday morning meeting was a regular monthly meeting, normally sparsely attended, but with workers having massively rejecting the recent sellout deal brought back by USW, fifty workers turned out, demanding information on the contract struggle. Workers ire was particularly raised by the announcement last Tuesday that the USW and United Autoworkers (UAW) were not meeting with the company until October 7.

As the World Socialist Web Site noted at the time, the dragging out of negotiations takes place under conditions where Dana is preparing to modify its production for 2022 vehicle models for the Detroit automakers. By extending talks and refusing to set a strike date, the USW and UAW are deliberately giving up the leverage workers have at this critical time.

Dana plant at Ft. Wayne (WSWS Media)

At the meeting, Dana Fort Wayne workers denounced the contract extension granted management by the USW and demanded the holding of a strike vote. Jeff Gleason, a United Steelworkers District 7 Representative making over $130,000, provided excuses to workers of why they could not have a strike vote. The strike vote wont mean anything since International [USW] is pulling all the shots The company doesnt need this.

After a heated confrontation with union officials, workers present at the meeting called for a strike authorization vote from the floor that passed by a reported 50-to-0 margin. According to reports from workers who attended the meeting, the USW committeemen refused to announce that a strike authorization vote was being taken.

At the meeting, workers angrily rejected claims by the USW officials that the negotiations had to be delayed due to the difficulty in securing hotel bookings. One said, Theres the internet to have these meetings! Gleason created an uproar when he implied that Dana workers needed to help management compete against rival parts supplier American Axle.

Workers said that having workers continuing to report to work without a new contract in place was only helping the company, in effect forcing workers to scab against themselves.

Gleason ignored oppressive attendance policies and other vital issues such as healthcare coverage and the tier system. Dana Fort Wayne workers told the WSWS that wages have always been an issue, with checks being repeatedly shorted by the payroll department. Meanwhile, Gleason again offered only empty assurances to the roughly 109 workers, going back to 2017, who were promised raises but have still received nothing, despite repeated promises from the USW.

One worker condemned the USW over its acceptance of the first sellout contract followed by the contract extension. They [the union] are legally pushing the limit against workers. We took concessions in 2007 [during bankruptcy]. Now the company is again making money in the pandemic and were giving concessions again.

The majority of the workers at the plant did not know of the meeting. Out of the 50 workers present at the meeting, at least ten workers had to leave to finish their shift after the vote. One worker said he saw the remainder of the meeting as a waste of time, due to the refusal of the union to recognize the strike vote. The workers who did not attend only heard about the meeting through word of mouth or through the WSWS.

I know there was a meeting this [Saturday] morning at 8. I wasnt able to make it, said a worker. She continued, describing her frustration with the union, Im upset thats something were supposed to be informed about and made part of.

According to another worker, the union said, This was the best they could get. I dont think anyone was happy. Its just a shame that you leave a membership meeting mad, you cant trust your own union. Seems to me laws are being broken; they are paid to represent us.

Dana workers must not allow the backroom deals of the USW and UAW to continue. Fort Wayne with other plants voted over 90 percent against a sweatshop contract. The refusal of the union at Fort Wayne to take a strike authorization vote almost a month after the contract rejection is a deliberate act of sabotage that demonstrates the determination of the USW to block any genuine struggle.

Dana workers are in a very powerful position but must take the power of the struggle out of the hands of the USW and UAW. This means expanding the Dana Workers Rank-and-File Committee in each plant to share information and democratic discussion of action, with Dana workers at each of these plants electing trusted representatives for a national strike committee to take their struggle forward.
The result of yesterdays German federal election reflects deep popular alienation from all the parliamentary parties and ushers in a period of political instability and sharp class conflict.

Outgoing Chancellor Angela Merkels Christian Democrats (CDU) and their candidate, Armin Laschet, suffered a historic debacle. After 16 years with Merkel as Chancellor, the CDU/Christian Social Union (CSU) received less than one-quarter of all votes cast, with 24.1 percent. The CDU/CSU lost more than eight percent of the vote, compared to its previous worst-ever performance in the last elections in 2017 (32.9 percent). In 2013, the party could still muster 41.5 percent of the vote.

The German Social-Democratic Party (SPD), the second so-called Peoples Party, received barely over one-quarter of all votes cast, at 25.7 percent. The Social-Democrats and their Chancellor candidate, Olaf Scholz, were able to improve their share of the vote compared to their historically worst result four years ago (20.5 percent), but they did not win layers of non-voting workers. The lions share of new SPD voters (1.3 million) came from former CDU voters.

Its election victory notwithstanding, the SPD is hated by workers and youth. The party of the Hartz welfare reforms, tax handouts to the super-rich and the increase in the retirement age to 67, the SPD bears chief responsibility for deep social inequality in Germany. Scholz, the incumbent finance minister, is the architect of the billions of euros in handouts to large corporations and banks and the massive rearmament drive of recent years.

Only the Left Party is more bankrupt than the SPD. It achieved its worst-ever result, losing almost half of its votes (-4.3 percent) from 2017. With 4.9 percent, it missed the 5 percent hurdle for parliamentary representation in the end. However, the party will still be represented in the next parliament because it managed to win three direct mandates, which means the 5 percent hurdle no longer applies.

The reason for the Left Partys debacle is clear. Amid the pandemic, widespread social inequality and the growing danger of war, the ex-Stalinists, worn-out social democrats and pseudo-lefts were neither willing nor able to appeal to the enormous social and political opposition in the population.

In states where the Left Party already governs, it cuts social spending, brutally deports refugees, and pursues the murderous policy of mass infection amid the pandemic. In the election campaign, their candidates campaigned for a SPD/Green/Left Party coalition (a so-called Red-Red-Green government) at every opportunity, signalling their support for NATO and German imperialism to the ruling class.

The AfDs election result (10.3 percent) underlines just how hated the entire ruling class right-wing politics are. Though the right-wing extremists are constantly courted in the media, and the established parties systematically integrate them into the political system and adopt their agenda, the AfD lost votes. The far-right party lost over two percent of the vote in the federal election, and 4 and 6 percent respectively in state elections held simultaneously in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Berlin.

However, this does not eliminate the danger posed by the far-right. On the contrary. The ruling class is reacting to the deep crisis of capitalism, the escalating tensions between the major powers and the global growth of the class struggle by ever more openly adopting the program of the right-wing extremists.

This is particularly evident in the current pandemic. Significantly, on the evening of the election, not a single leading politician said a word about the coronavirus pandemic, which has cost almost 100,000 lives in Germany alone. All parties, from the CDU/CSU to the Left Party, support the murderous reopening policy of allowing the virus to spread, which puts profits before life and, at its core, bears the signature of the AfD.

This political course, paired with violent social attacks and a major strengthening of the military abroad and repressive state apparatus at home, is now to be continued and intensified. On the evening of the election, Scholz and Laschet formulated competing claims to lead the next federal government and to quickly initiate exploratory and coalition talks with the liberal Free Democrats (FDP) and the Greens. Both parties are open to such talks.

The Greens, who gained almost 6 percent and achieved their best result to date in federal elections with 14.6 percent, made clear that they are ready for a coalition. We want to govern, said the co-leader of the Greens Robert Habeck. There is close proximity to the SPD, Habeck continued, but an alliance with the FDP is also possible under the leadership of the CDU/CSU.

Christian Lindner, the lead candidate and chairman of the FDP, which achieved 11.5 percent (+0.8 percent) of the vote, told ZDF television that he saw the greatest agreement in terms of content in a so-called Jamaica coalition of CDU/CSU, FDP and the Greens. But Lindner did not rule out talks with the SPD either. Earlier in the evening, he announced in the Berlin Roundtable that the Greens and FDP will talk to each other first about how they intend to proceed.

All parties agree on the basic political issues and only differ in nuances. Nevertheless, the formation of a government could take months, just as it did four years ago. In mathematical terms, a continuation of the CDU-SPD grand coalition would also be possible. However, there are many indications that Germany will be governed by a three-party alliance for the first time since the 1950s.

Turning to the issue of forming a new government, Scholz warned in the Berlin Roundtable that everything must now be done so that we are ready before Christmas. A little bit beforehand would also be good, he added.

Laschet pointed out that Germany would hold the G7 presidency in 2022. This is one of the reasons why the new government must come into office very soon and the coalition negotiations must definitely be (ended) before Christmas.

Two key developments are driving the ruling class. On the one hand, it fears that a prolonged period of political instability could provoke escalating resistance in the working class. The election campaign was already marked by strikes and protests for higher wages and safe and decent working conditions. The strikes by train drivers, delivery workers and carers are part of an international upsurge in the class struggle.

On the other hand, the bourgeoisies struggle for geostrategic and economic interests does not brook interruption. In his speech at the General Assembly of the United Nations in New York on Friday, Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier (SPD) made clear one central task of the next federal government. Regardless of the colour, it will accelerate Germanys return to an aggressive, great-power foreign policy.

Steinmeier shed a few crocodile tears over the imperialist debacle in Afghanistan, only to then declare that the policy of military intervention, which has destroyed entire countries, killed millions and turned tens of millions into refugees, must continue. He was convinced: resignation would be the wrong doctrine. In my eyes, this moment of geopolitical disenchantment means three things for our foreign policy: We have to become more honest, smarter, but also stronger!

By this Steinmeier means above all the foreign policy and military strengthening of Europe. German and European foreign policy should not be limited to being right and condemning others. But we have to expand our toolbox -- diplomatic, military, civil, humanitarian, he explained. We have to become stronger in our possibilities. That is why Germany is also investing more in its defense capabilities in these unstable times.

The working class cannot stand idly by while the intrigues and manoeuvres gather pace behind the scenes to install the next government of German imperialism and finance capital. It must intervene independently in political events and counter the reactionary plans of the ruling class with its own program.

This is the importance of the SGPs election campaign. We took part in the elections to provide a voice and socialist perspective to the opposition to the shift to the right, the policy of mass infection and inequality. We received 1,535 votes for our state lists in North Rhine-Westphalia and Berlin, about 250 more than in the last federal election.

This offensive must now be continued. In our statement on the eve of the election, we wrote: The struggle for this socialist perspective does not end on September 26. We are fighting for every vote because a strong result for the SGP is an important sign of growing opposition to mass infection, inequality and war. But the crucial task is to prepare workers for the class struggles ahead and to build the SGP and the Fourth International as the new socialist leadership in the working class.
The notoriously unsafe conditions across Queenslands coal mining sector resulted in yet another fatality on September 14, when 60-year-old worker Graham Dawson was crushed in a roof collapse at the underground Sojitz-owned Gregory Crinum Coal Mine in Lilyvale, 60 kilometres northeast of Emerald.

Dawson was one of three maintenance workers re-bolting the roof in the mines conveyor drift area at the time of the incident. A 25-year-old worker who was trapped in rubble for more than four hours sustained serious leg and pelvis crush injuries and had to be airlifted to the Rockhampton Base Hospital. The third worker suffered a medical event requiring him to be hospitalised but has since been discharged.

The Japanese-owned trading company Sojitz acquired the 24-year-old Gregory Crinum coking coal mine from Australian mining giant BHP and the Mitsubishi Corporation in 2018 for $A100 million. The mine had been closed in 2016.

Anglo Americans Grosvenor Mine (Source: Australasian Mine Safety Journal)

In May this year, Sojitz engaged Mackay-based mining services company Mastermyne on a seven-year contract to prepare and operate the mine. The companys plan was to have the mine fully operational by the end of this year. With a contract workforce numbering 180, the company expected to extract 1.51.8 million tonnes of metallurgical coal each year, delivering an estimated $A80100 million in annual revenue.

Crinum is Mastermynes first Whole of Mine Operations contract, and CEO Tony Caruso made clear that the company has a lot riding on meeting the end-of-year deadline. He described the contract as a major milestone that was significant in transitioning the business into a commercial model that is not only complimentary (sic) to the existing contracting model, but will provide an even greater level of earnings certainty over the long term.

The financial aspect was certainly recognised in investment circles; Mastermyne shares plummeted 18.55 percent to 90 cents after all recovery operations at Crinum were suspended following this months fatality.

The unstable condition of the mines roof has been an issue for many years. Concerns about it were raised by the Queensland Mines Inspectorate in a 2005 Mine Record Entry.

Speaking to the Australian last week, former Construction Forestry Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU) mine safety representative Stuart Vaccaneo, who had conducted an inspection of the Crinum mine in 2001, said its roof consisted of glorified mud and had no inherent strength. Vaccaneo also claimed that the previous owners knew about the roof issues, looked at it and said it was way too hard and outside their acceptable risk profile. Its been sitting there since.

In the wake of the fatality, and before the CFMEU announced it would carry out an independent investigation, the unions Queensland branch district president Stephen Smyth issued an extraordinary statement, which made no mention of the precarious state of the mines roof.

Smyth declared that it was his preliminary understanding that the workers were carrying out roof support work which is a common thing, as part of an overall plan to re-establish the mine. He then stated that such work would have been the subject of careful risk assessment and the plan would normally have been reviewed by a geotechnical engineer to ensure the activity was safe. I'm assuming all that would have been in place, he stated.

Given the safety record of mining and contract hire companies across the Queensland coal mining sector, which have produced a raft of fatalities and serious injuries, why would Smyth make such an assumption?

Smyths statement can only be understood as an attempt to head off any examination of Mastermynes role in the latest tragedy and of the CFMEU itself, which clearly did nothing to prevent work commencing in the mine under conditions tragically revealed to have been dangerous.

The union, working in league with company managements for decades, has played a pivotal role in creating the conditions for such tragedies, including overseeing the ever-greater use of labour-hire and casual workers across the sector, with major consequences for workers safety.

Acting as an industrial police force, the CFMEU has suppressed all opposition among miners to the relentless corporate assault on jobs and working conditions. In dispute after dispute, the union has upheld Australias draconian Fair Work industrial laws prohibiting virtually all strikes and industrial action. The legislation was introduced in 2009 by the former Labor government with the full support of the countrys trade unions, including the CFMEU.

Queensland Labor Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk rushed out a statement following last weeks fatality declaring: I can assure Queenslanders that this matter will be the subject of a thorough investigation by Resources Health and Safety Queensland.

This is nothing more than a ploy to hose down public outrage and prevent any genuine probing of the underlying causes of this tragedy. Countless similar inquiries into mine disasters have done nothing to change the dangerous conditions that plague the industry as a result of the subordination of safety to the drive for profit.

The fatality at Crinum is the ninth death in the Queensland coal mining sector in three years. All occurred after the 2019 launch of a so-called industry safety reset plan, which was developed by the Palaszczuk government in concert with mining companies and the unions, following a spate of deaths in the states coal mines and quarries.

The reset consisted of nothing more than on-site meetings of management, union bureaucrats and mine workers to discuss information distributed by Queensland work safety officers. The unions, including the CFMEU, heralded this fraudulent exercise as a basis for meaningful change.

The reset did nothing to prevent a methane gas explosion at Anglo Americans underground Grosvenor Mine in Central Queensland on May 6 last year, which left five mine workers with horrific injuries.

The Palaszczuk government board of inquiry into the Grosvenor disaster, billed by the CFMEU as an opportunity for a thorough, wide-ranging and independent examination of the shocking events, brought down its final report in June this year. While the findings confirmed that the company knowingly gambled with workers lives by enforcing a rate of production that continually produced methane gas levels exceeding the capacity of the mines gas drainage system, it did not recommend any criminal charges be laid against the company or any of its top executives.

To end the carnage in the mining industry, workers need to take matters into their own hands. This means making a conscious break with the unions and building rank-and-file committees to fight for the highest safety standards and for well-paid full-time jobs.

This struggle is bound up with the fight for a socialist perspective, including placing the mines, along with the banks and major corporations, under public ownership and democratic workers control so that production can be reorganised to meet social need not profit.
Help is available to UK viewers at Channel 4 All4 web site here .

Channel 4s Help, written by Jack Thorne and directed by Marc Munden, is a powerful drama about the devastating effect of government pandemic policies. It shows how the government deliberately transformed adult social care homes into killing fields. The most vulnerable in the care system were shunted into confined quarters, without adequate provision, and left to die.

There have not yet been many television dramas about COVID, and most have dealt with personal lives under lockdown. Help tackles the medical impact of the pandemic, but also addresses the social crime that is ongoing.

Sarah, using a bin liner for PPE, played by Jodie Comer (Credit: Brian Sweeny/C4)

Passionate and informed, it points accusingly at government policy decisions that saw 40 percent of the 48,213 COVID deaths between mid-March and mid-June 2020 being care home residents. Its anger and compassion have deservedly won a huge popular response. Within four days the programme had registered 1.1 million streams on All4, the platforms biggest launch of a new drama.

Thorne has called it unforgiveable that There were carers who felt responsible [for the crisis]  Carers are massively undervalued, and they were massively undervalued during the pandemic.

This has found a popular response in support for generally low-paid care home assistants, whose average wage is 8.50 per hour, and a growing desire to see real change.

On Twitter, Justine called Help Incredible & vital viewing. Sal said it was deeply upsetting but its vital we watch #Help to fully grasp what care home staff were up against only last year. James said, I hope it moves the dial.

This has created a problem for reviewers, who cannot but recognise Help s force but who also inhabit and often speak directly for an upper middle class social milieu for whom the mantra that we must learn to live with with virus and resume their comfortable lives exercises a siren call.

Tony, played by Stephen Graham (Credit: Brian Sweeny/C4)

In the case of the mouthpiece of anti-lockdown, back-to-work propaganda, the Telegraph, there was barely any attempt made to conceal the hostility to the dramas message other than to focus on a gratuitous attack on the highly-respected actor Stephen Graham, one of an exceptional cast of fine pedigreeJodie Comer, Ian Hart, Sue Johnston, Cathy Tyson, David Hayman, Andrew Schofield, Lesley Sharp clearly keen to appear in such a serious and thoughtful work.

The drama, set in the fictional Bright Sky Homes in Liverpool, is roughly in three sections. Before the pandemic, we see Sarah (Comer) applying for a job. Manager Steve (Hart) baits her at interview, to test her mettle, and their angry clash turns on treating the residents not just as statistics or medical cases, but as human beings. I understand dignity! Sarah yells.

She enjoys the job, and strikes up a rapport with 47-year-old Tony (Stephen Graham), who has early onset Alzheimers disease. The scenes establishing their friendship are touching.

This sketch of pre-COVID life establishes just how overwhelmed the care home becomes once the pandemic hits. They take on extra patients from a local hospital. When asked about safety, Steve replies, Were being useful.

Hart says of the terrible impact of the decision to send patients from hospitals into care homes: releasing people and putting them into the care system without testing them, it could only go in one direction putting people whom you didnt know were infected or not into a system where youve got a closed unit is ideal for spreading any kind of viral infection.

Help shows ambulance crews transferring patients from hospital shocked to see care home staff not wearing personal protective equipment (PPE). But the care home staff are acting in accordance with official guidance. No PPE is available to them. Eventually we see them in binbag PPE and builders dust masks, all that they can obtain. They demand Just a few pieces of PPE from the hazmat-suited crew removing the first corpse from the home.

Steve, played by Ian Hart (Credit: Brian Sweeny/C4)

The second section, the centrepiece, is a tour de force from Comer and Graham. Facing staff shortages, Sarah is forced to stay on alone for a second shift overnight, with one of the residents becoming critically ill. Comer is remarkable in a 25-minute sequence shot in single takes. Increasingly frustrated and furious, Sarah remains determined to do all she can to help the residents, even though no help is forthcoming.

No emergency support is available, from out-of-hours doctors to, eventually, an ambulance. Much of the scene is played against a soundtrack of non-emergency number 111s pre-recorded message announcing that it is busy.

The sequence is compelling, brilliantly played, and utterly truthful in its representation of the impact of government policy as it played out in the lives and deaths of those who needed protection. Sarah says to her replacement, No one would come. Its like theyve forgotten about us. No, says Tori (Angela Griffin), They havent forgotten.

Thorne and Munden reference the governments initial refusal to issue advice on public mask-wearing on the grounds that it might jeopardise PPE supplies to the health service. This came during a period when the government supplied 80 percent of NHS Trusts PPE requirements, but only 10 percent of the adult social care sector.

We also hear then-Health Secretary Matt Hancocks false claim that care homes were protected. As Hart put it, Hancock said he put an iron ring around it, but it was more a rubber ring what happened is what happened, thats not deniable, despite statements made by certain politicians.

Thorne presents the victims, however vulnerable, as ordinary people with lives of their own, especially in the person of Tony. In the last section of the drama, an increasingly distressed Tony is quietened with stronger medication. Sarah, already stood down for refusing to keep quiet, breaks him out to get him off the new medication and to keep him isolated from the viral risk. In one heart-breaking scene we pan from Tonys room along the corridor, where the other doors are sealed shut after the residents deaths.

This last section is artistically less successful than what comes before it, but Thorne and Munden deserve praise for trying to focus on the social crime of government policy and the lives of those affected by it. As Sarah cries, Theyre not patients, theyre residents, and most of them are fucking dead.

Tony, played by Stephen Graham and Sarah, played by Jodie Comer (Credit: Brian Sweeny/C4)

If the writing here is more didactic it is because the anger at what has been done is reaching uncontainable levels. When did our lives stop being worth the same? demands Sarah.

It is this direct calling out of a social (and cultural) crisis that has triggered a vile reaction from critics.

The afore mentioned Telegraph review by Camilla Long is particularly so. She asks, Is there anything Stephen Graham isnt in? Turn on any primetime drama and theres a good chance youll catch old Paddington features peering out as some undercover copper, or a bent prison warder, or a useless moustachioed detectivehe averages two or three depressed uniforms a year. If I had to sum up the appeal, Id say small tender chunk of a man wholl be delivered some awful news that will make him howl like a kicked dog and rush at the camera. Having him in your drama is now some kind of televisual kitemark, a guarantee of stars in The Guardian .

Ed Cumming, in the Independent, called Thorne the most Stakhanovite scribe in England. While pointing to Grahams presence as a reliable indicator of quality drama, he pontificates that None will have you tumbling down the aisles and sneers, Actors love Alzheimers. It lets them rummage around in the bottom of the thespian toolbox and flit between compassion, rage, terror, kindness, warmth, melancholy, and any other emotion they care to throw in. Reach a certain level of stature and eventually you will be offered a crack at a degenerative brain condition.

As for the jibe that Grahams participation would be a guarantee of stars in The Guardian,  its review by Lucy Mangan is decidedly sniffy, using Help s final section as an opportunity to downplay its significance. Sarahs question, When did our lives stop being worth the same?, is ridiculed as a preachy monologue and the closing section compared with the first hour as a fine addition to the wealth of pandemic testimonies that can and must be entered into the record in any way they can be.

The truth is that Help is unfortunately not merely one addition to a wealth of pandemic testimonies, not artistically at least. It is something of an outlier and should act as a pointer to other dramatists that they should possibly consider refocusing their own work on addressing the most significant event of the 21st century. In this light, Mangans strange ending to her review, the brief declaration, On we go, might possibly be read as an instruction to Move on! Nothing to see here.

Finally, regarding Helps ending, many viewers have defended it, including a significant comment on Mangans piece from a careworker, who writes:

I think Lucy Mangan misunderstands the final act. What is being dramatised is a common care worker fantasy. I have absolutely wanted to rescue some of the people I have cared for. The film portrays the reality of what would happen, it's one of the why's we don't, why we remain professional. The point of it, is to show that even in a good home with dedicated staff, that even there they can be pushed to a point where they feel they have no option than to take away Tony's rights by medicating him, and there is no one ultimately who will step in and speak up for Tony. I thought it was an excellent piece of dramatisation, and the actors involved gave brilliant performances.

Help is a truthful and angry work, showing a healthy social conscience. The underhanded attack on these artists for having dared to engage truthfully with a devastating and entirely preventable social crisis proves that they have accomplished something of genuine significance and value.
On September 17, attorney Jeff Phillips of the 5th Judicial District, named Special Prosecutor for the case in July, announced during a news conference at the Pope County Courthouse in Russellville, Arkansas that former Lonoke County Sheriffs Deputy Michael Davis had been charged with felony manslaughter in the June 23 traffic stop shooting death of 17-year-old Hunter Brittain. The former deputy subsequently surrendered to state police agents, and on September 20 he appeared at the Lonoke County Sheriffs Office where bond was set at $15,000. Shortly after the hearing concluded, Davis was out on bond.

The warrant for Daviss arrest was issued by First Division Circuit Court Judge Barbara Elmore of the 23rd Judicial District the same morning of the affidavit. A summary of the affidavit was read by attorney Phillips at the news conference, which established a timeline leading up to the shooting and its aftermath.

In the early morning hours of Wednesday, June 23, Davis initiated a traffic stop after seeing a white GMC pick-up truck smoking, whereupon Brittain immediately exited his vehicle, moved to the rear of his vehicle, as it was rolling backwards towards the front of Daviss patrol vehicle, to reach into the bed of the truck to retrieve a bright blue anti-freeze container. However, Davis, after allegedly issuing commands, fired one round, piercing Brittains arm and striking him in the lower-right neck. The teenager then fell to the ground face down. Davis radioed dispatch that shots had been fired and requested assistance.

17-year-old Hunter Brittain (Left) was shot and killed after a Lonoke County Sheriff's Office deputy stopped him last week.(Image Credit: Family of Hunter Brittain)

As back-up arrived, the passenger, Jordan King, was detained by a second deputy. After placing King in custody, Davis and the deputy cleared Brittains truck. King explained that the second police officer that arrived at the scene detained him: [The officer] told me get out with my hands up and pull my shirt up and stuff, and then [forced] me to the ground, put me in handcuffs and was dragging me around and stuff. I sat in the back of the cop car for about three hours.

After the officers cleared the truck, they proceeded to render aid to Brittain, according to the affidavit. Brittain was transported to Baptist Health Medical Center in North Little Rock by Metropolitan Emergency Medical Services. It was at the hospital that Brittain succumbed to his injuries.

Investigators reviewed Daviss body camera footage and determined that he had not activated his camera until after the shot was fired. During an interview with investigators, Davis said before he could put his vehicle in park after initiating the traffic stop, he heard the trucks engine rev up and begin to travel southbound in the northbound lane on Arkansas 89 but did not notify dispatch on the radio that he was in pursuit because he realized the truck was attempting to turn left into Mahoneys body shop. Davis claims before he could get his patrol vehicle into park, Brittain opened his door and quickly exited the vehicle.

The affidavit continues with Davis observing Brittain slipping on gravel as he was rushing towards the rear of the truck. Davis, despite his initial realizations of a smoking truck turning into a body shop, issued several commands to Brittain to show your hands and get back in the truck, despite noticing the truck rolling backwards.

Phillips mentioned during the interview, Davis was asked to clarify if he could see Brittains hands or see what was in Brittains hands prior to discharging his county-issued firearm. Davis replied he could not see Brittains hands, nor what was in his hand prior to discharging his county-issued firearm. Since the beginning of the incident, Phillips continued, There was no evidence of firearms located in or around Brittains truck and never has been since the investigation.

King was with Brittain and another friend working on Brittains truck. As King and Brittain went on a test drive in the truck, they made a right turn onto Highway 89 from Mahoneys body shop, travelling approximately one mile up the road to a church and turned around. King noticed that a patrol vehicle began to follow them, whereupon the deputy pulled them over just before the Mahoneys body shop driveway.

According to King, Brittain slowed down, put his turn signal on, and pulled to the left side of the road. King mentioned that as they were getting pulled over, they were laughing, finding it comical that the truck was smoking. As Brittain pulled into the parking lot of Mahoneys, both Brittain and King opened their doors to let the smoke out. King said that Brittain immediately stepped out of the truck, rushed to the rear of the truck, whereupon King heard a gunshot. King said, contrary to the officers testimony, that he never heard anyone say, show me your hands, or anything similar prior to the shooting.

Davis was charged with manslaughter; to be convicted, a jury must find that he recklessly caused Brittains death. A conviction on the charge carries a sentence of a minimum of three years to a maximum of 10 years in prison.

On June 30, the families of Marquis Martin and Hunter Brittain rallied at the state capital in Little Rock demanding justice be administered for both victims. Martin, a 26-year-old black man, was found dead in a creek with a gunshot wound to his head in March 2020. Martins mother, Lakisha Williams, said she understands what the Brittain family was going through. We share so much of the same story with our loved one being taken by the gun and taken without justice. Jesse Brittain, Hunters uncle, also spoke at the rally, saying, Id like to say to the black, white, brown communities around the country that its time we unite and come together.

The families of Martin and Brittain were accompanied by attorneys Ben Crump and Devon Jacob. According to Crump, the families wanted to know if Republican Governor Asa Hutchinson supported Hunters Lawa proposed reform which would require law enforcement agencies in the state to provide police officers with body-mounted cameras while also requiring officers to activate their body-mounted cameras from the beginning of their shift to the end.

Media attention for Brittains case has declined significantly since Democratic Party identity politics operative Reverend Al Sharpton spoke at Brittains memorial service in July. Sharpton had cynically sought to use the police murder of a white teenager to marshal support for the Democrats token George Floyd Act police reform bill in the Senate, which recently collapsed in negotiations. Forced, momentarily, to acknowledge the reality that police violence affects people of every race and ethnicity, Sharpton has moved on.

The police, recruited from the lower-middle class and most backward elements of the working class, are licensed killers who protect and enforce the property interests of the ruling class. Under conditions of insurmountable wealth inequality, the Democratic and Republican parties have increased funding for law enforcement, armed departments with military-grade weapons, and provided training for police forces which claim the lives of more than 1,000 people every year.

According to Statista.com, the trend of fatal police shootings in the United States seems to only be increasing, with a total 604 civilians having been shot, 108 of whom were Black, in the first six months of 2021. According to MappingPoliceViolence.org, 745 people have been killed by police in the United States this year, of which 251 were white.
Impeachment, a mini-series on the affair between President Bill Clinton and White House intern Monica Lewinsky and how it was weaponized by the American ultraright, began showing on the FX channel on September 7 and will extend over 10 hour-long episodes into November. The program has considerable impact and, at least judging by its first three episodes, is well worth the viewers time.

Promotional image (Image Credit: FX)

The program is based on the book by Jeffrey Toobin, A Vast Conspiracy, The Real Story of the Sex Scandal That Nearly Brought Down a President (1999), an intelligent and, within certain limits, politically acute account written by Toobin when he worked for the New Yorker and was a legal affairs commentator for ABC News.

Like many well-financed television series, Impeachment is technically accomplished in terms of make-up and set design, recreating the look and feel of the White House, the Pentagon and other Washington locations in the decade of the 1990s, and the people who inhabited them.

The casting is particularly brilliant, with veteran actors Sarah Paulson as Linda Tripp and Clive Owen as Bill Clinton, and less well-known performers Beanie Feldstein as Monica Lewinsky and Annaleigh Ashford as Paula Jones.

This review is not, however, primarily concerned with assessing the artistic or dramatic merits of a television mini-series, particularly one which is still taking shape and where any judgment must be tentative, although the series is well done so far and has much to recommend it.

A political crisis, not a sex scandal

Our overriding interest here is to review the historical period brought to life in this mini-series, in which the Clinton impeachment took place, the political forces which first surfaced in the course of these events, and the record of the WSWS itself. We understood from the beginning that this was not a sex scandal, but a political crisis, in which fascistic forces within the Republican Party were seeking to overturn the results of two presidential elections through conspiratorial and anti-democratic methods. Our politically hostile attitude to Clinton and the Democratic Party did not entail endorsing such a right-wing political coup.

Impeachment begins actually in the middle of the story, in January 1998, when Lewinsky is lured by her confidante and supposed friend, Linda Tripp, to a food court in Pentagon City, a mall near the headquarters of the US military, where they both worked. There she is accosted by federal agents, working for Independent Counsel Kenneth Starr, in a scene which is extremely chilling: an individual, young and apparently naive, taken by surprise, confronting the full power of the state.

From there, the narrative cuts back and forth in flashbacks, depicting episodes involving various groups of characters. This includes:

Linda Tripp in her White House job, where she worked as an aide to White House Counsel Bernie Nussbaum and his deputy Vincent Foster, before his 1993 suicide, and where she made the acquaintance of Kathleen Willey, a future accuser of Clinton

Paula Jones and her husband Steve, provoked into filing legal action by the notorious Troopergate feature in the right-wing magazine American Spectator, which described an incident in a Little Rock hotel, where then Governor Bill Clinton made a crude sexual advance to a female desk clerk (Jones, although she was not actually named in the article)

Monica Lewinsky, working as a White House intern during the government shut-down in the fall of 1995, where she first met Clinton and began a relationship, facilitated by the absence of most of the paid staff, who would otherwise have been an obstacle

The group of ultra-right lawyers, including Ann Coulter and George Conway, plotting against Clinton and hitting on the tactic of leveraging a civil suit to compel him to testify under oath about his sex life (and likely perjure himself)

Lewinsky and Tripp were both transferred from the White House to the Pentagon, where they became acquaintances and Tripp eventually learned of Lewinskys affair with Clinton and began to cultivate her as a means of undermining a president whom she despised.

The timeframe for each new scene is clearly labelled, but it could be confusing to a viewer not familiar with the sequence of events. By the end of the third episode, we have still not yet progressed back to January 1998. But the basic framework of these events and the characterization of the main participants is well defined.

Toobins attitude to Clinton is critical but sympathetic, and his attitude to the right-wing conspirators is hostile. He wrote in his book: The presidents adversaries appeared literally consumed with hatred for him.  They were willing to trample all standards of fairnessnot to mention the Constitutionin their effort to drive him from office.

The two main figures in the drama are Tripp and Clinton, partly because one is the instrument for the would-be destruction of the other, partly because the casting makes it almost inevitable.

Sarah Paulson was previously best known for her portrayal of prosecutor Marcia Clark in the first mini-series on American Crime Story, The People vs. O.J. Simpson, for which she won an Emmy as best actress in 2016. In Impeachment, Paulson portrays Tripp as calculating, remorseless and vengeful. She ensnares and manipulates Lewinsky without any concern for the impact on the younger woman whose life is about to be shattered.

Sarah Paulson in Impeachment

As for Owen, his Clinton has an edge, the ruthlessness required to survive and excel in the brutal arena of capitalist politics. This is apparently true of his wife as well, although Edie Falco has not yet made much more than a cameo appearance in the series. When his personal lawyer Robert Bennett urges him to settle the Paula Jones lawsuit and avoid a trial, Clinton replies, Shell never let me settle. Bennett is incredulous. Paula? No, Clinton says, Hillary.

Clive Owen in Impeachment

Contrary to moralizing critics at the time, like the disgusting Senator Joe Lieberman, and more recent #MeToo advocates, like Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, the mini-series treats Clintons affair with Lewinsky in a mature and apparently honest way. Lewinsky was infatuated with him. Clinton, presented as lonely and isolated, was moved by her enthusiasm, and a relationship began. It was, to be blunt, a relationship between two consenting adults. It is not portrayed as exploitative or based on Clintons power over Lewinsky as her employerhere Lewinskys role as a co-producer and contributor to Impeachment adds weight.

Leveraging the Paula Jones lawsuit

The right-wing conspiracy against Clinton can be summed up briefly, from the point where it came to a head after Clintons reelection victory in November 1996. The elves (the cabal of right-wing lawyers working behind the scenes) aimed to leverage the Paula Jones lawsuit to put Clinton through a deposition under oath, then have him prosecuted for perjury by the lawyers working for Kenneth Starr, or else be impeached for the same offense by the Republican-controlled House of Representatives.

In May 1997, the Supreme Court ruled, in a 9-0 decision, that a president can be sued for actions taken before he took office. The opinion written by John Paul Stevens, then the courts liberal standard-bearer, argued that that lawsuit appears to us highly unlikely to occupy any substantial amount of the presidents time, a staggering underestimation of the right-wing conspiracy enabled by the courts ruling.

In contrast, at the time of the Supreme Court decision, the International Workers Bulletin, the US predecessor of the WSWS, warned that the Jones lawsuit had to be understood in its political context.

In America, sex scandals have long served as a means for contending factions within the ruling class to push their hidden agendas and settle political scores. In this particular case, the political motivations of those who have most vociferously promoted Joness suit were evident from the beginning, when she went public with her allegations at a Washington, DC convention of the Conservative Political Action Conference.

Clinton understood that he must settle the case and offered $700,000 to Jones and her husband Steve. Another right-wing activist, Susan Carpenter-McMillan (wonderfully portrayed by Judith Light), a millionaire anti-abortion fanatic, who had wormed her way into the confidence of Paula and Steve Jones, induced them to reject Clintons offer. The original legal team for Paula Jones resigned, to be replaced by lawyers committed more to targeting the president, rather than the best outcome for their client.

What followed is well known and presumably will be the subject of future episodes. The perjury trap snaps shut. Clinton gives a sworn deposition and lies about his relationship with Monica Lewinsky (the elves know of Lewinsky through Linda Tripp and pass on that information to Joness lawyers). Lewinsky, likewise deposed, lies in turn about Clinton. Lewinsky is then threatened with a long prison term for perjury and obstruction of justice. Despite 12 hours of nonstop browbeating, during which Lewinsky was denied her right to see a lawyer, she refuses to cooperate, a decision of some courage.

The case became public through the Drudge Report, a right-wing news site, and Michael Isikoff, the sex beat reporter for Newsweek magazine. A political firestorm erupted, and both the right-wing conspirators and congressional Democrats fully expected Clinton to resign. Instead, he refused. In probably her last public statement that was entirely truthful, Hillary Clinton denounced the vast right-wing conspiracy to force her husband out of officeToobin took the title of his book from this comment, and he clearly agrees with it.

Bill Clinton resisted the pressure to resign coming from the media and his own party. In August 1998, he gave a nationally televised speech in which he admitted his past relationship with Lewinsky and his concealment of it, denounced his attackers and declared that his private life and his public life were separate spheres. The right-wing campaign culminated in the release of the Starr report, in September 1998, a 400-page salacious recounting of every sexual encounter between Lewinsky and Clinton, which was delivered to the House of Representatives and provided the pretext for impeachment.

There are incidents here that still resonate. Democrat Joe Lieberman, in a sanctimonious speech to the Senate, condemned Clintons violation of his marriage vows (before an audience of war criminals, thieves, and liars  i.e., his fellow senators, who applaud).

Vice President Al Gore virtually disappeared rather than defend the man who chose him as his running mate. In 2000, he was the Democratic nominee for president, with Lieberman as his running mate. He again avoided Clinton, the most popular Democrat, and lost narrowly to Republican George W. Bush because of the Supreme Court intervention to halt vote-counting in Florida.

The Republicans rushed towards impeachment, confident that Clinton had been discredited, only to lose seats in the 1998 midterm elections. Republican Speaker Newt Gingrich was forced to step down. His chosen successor, Representative Robert Livingston, did likewise, after a half dozen women came forward to confirm past extramarital relationships with him. The same was true of the leader of the impeachment drive, Representative Henry Hyde, although he did not resign, instead describing his past affair, at age 41, as a youthful indiscretion.

At every point, the Democratic Party, completely out of touch with the underlying political dynamics and misreading public opinion, responded to the attempted political coup against Clinton with pathetic moralizing, apologies and an utter refusal to investigate and expose the right-wing conspiracy. This cowardice on impeachment foretold their prostration before the theft of the 2000 election with the Supreme Courts notorious decision in Bush v. Gore.

The record of the WSWS

Cynicism and hypocrisy, particularly about sexual matters, are hardly novel. But the driving force of impeachment was not sex, but politics, as the World Socialist Web Site explained and analyzed throughout 1998.

An Editorial Board statement published January 22, 1998, warned, Behind the lurid facade of a sex scandal, a political struggle is raging between competing factions of corporate power for control over the state, a struggle that has reached a level of ferocity unprecedented in the history of the United States.  It is not here a question of defending Clinton, a capitalist politician and political leader of American imperialism. But it must be stated, the present state of affairswhich has many of the elements of a political coupexposes the fragile and worm-eaten character of democratic institutions in America.

Another statement by the Editorial Board, published February 14, 1998, made a careful sociological characterization of the roots of the political crisis, in the shift in American capitalism away from realizing profits through industry and commerce, in favor of financial manipulationwhat we today call the financialization of the US economy. Sections of the US ruling class were prepared to oust Clinton as insufficiently aggressive in his attacks on the working class and the overseas opponents of American imperialism. We concluded this editorial, headlined The social roots of the Clinton crisis, as follows:

The present political crisis in America brings to mind certain historical precedents. This is not the first time that decadent ruling classes have resorted to methods of conspiracy and subversion in an attempt to claw back privileges which they believed to have been eroded. Such periods of virtual civil war within the highest circles of society and the state have often been the prelude to social upheavals of revolutionary proportions.

At each stage in the unfolding crisis, the WSWS analyzed the conflicting forces within the US ruling elite, explaining the necessity for the working class to oppose the ouster of a twice-elected president through the methods of sex scandal and backroom conspiracy and to defend its democratic rights. At the same time, our condemnation of the right-wing palace coup did not entail any lessening of our opposition to Clinton as the leader of world imperialism, as when he launched missile strikes on Afghanistan and Sudan in August and bombed Iraq in December, attacks timed to win support from the ruling class at key turning points in the political crisis.

The commentaries in the WSWS on the Clinton crisis during 1998, nearly 100 in all, would fill a sizable book. Links to a selection are appended at the end of this review.

The most important statement, drawing a balance sheet of the entire impeachment campaign, was published December 22, 1998, after the impeachment vote in the House of Representatives had ensured that 1999 would begin with a Senate trial, in which Clinton was acquitted.

The WSWS Editorial Board posed the question: Is America drifting toward civil war? We answered this in the affirmative and made an analysis that has been entirely vindicated by the deepening crisis of American democracy, culminating in Trumps failed coup attempt of January 6, 2021, and his ongoing efforts to develop a full-fledged fascist movement in America. We wrote:

To argue that this situation is merely the product of President Clintons physical encounters with Monica Lewinsky and his subsequent denial of the relationship is patently absurd. If it were true that sex and lies were the real cause of this crisis, one would be forced to conclude that the American system of government was simply not viable. The genius of the Founding Fathers of the American republic would not amount to much if the functioning of the government depended on the willingness of presidents to tell the truth about their sex lives. The present crisis must arise from causes that are of a far more fundamental character. The conflict in Washington must, in the final analysis, reflect deep-rooted conflicts within American society as a whole.

We pointed to the transformation of the Republican Party, from the main representative of Wall Street in capitalist politics, to one which has become an organ of fascistic elements.

The strength of the Republican right consists in this: It represents, more consistently and more ruthlessly than any other bourgeois political faction, the requirements of the American financial elite. The radical right knows what it wants and is prepared to ride roughshod over public opinion in order to get it. The Republicans are not playing by the normal constitutional rules, while the Democrats wring their hands as helpless and passive onlookers. If the Republicans express the brutality of class relations in America, their bourgeois opponents in the Democratic Party, by contrast, embody a flaccid and demoralized liberalism, whose watered-down perspective of reform has been entirely discarded by the ruling class The Democratic Party is incapable of defending itself because a genuine struggle against the impeachment drive would require exposing the political significance of the right-wing campaign to destabilize the Clinton administration, identifying the social forces behind it, and arousing a popular movement of opposition among working people. As a bourgeois party that defends the profit system, the Democratic Party can make no such appeal.

The Democrats in Congress refused to expose the Republican impeachment drive for what it wasa right-wing attempt to overthrow the results of two presidential elections by methods of backroom conspiracy and scandal-mongeringand, as the Lieberman example showed, actually joined in the moralizing attack. Clinton, to their surprise, stubbornly refused to resign. By comparison to the Democrats of 2021, who embrace the coup plotters and allies of Trump as our Republican colleagues, he appeared positively combative. But both Clinton and the Democratic Party as a whole have moved far to the right since the Lewinsky scandal. When even more bogus scandals were whipped up by the #MeToo campaigners in 2017-2018, Senator Al Franken and Representative John Conyers were purged without the slightest concern for the presumption of innocence, due process or democratic rights in general.

The Editorial Board statement concluded, in words that apply even more directly to the conditions of today:

There are three hallmarks of the emergence of a revolutionary situation. The old ruling class can no longer rule in the old way. The oppressed masses can no longer live in the old way. And the masses have become conscious of the necessity to take the road of political struggle and concentrate the fate of society in their own hands. The first two conditions already exist in America, but the third has yet to mature. That is the task to which socialists must turn their attention.[

We have perhaps come rather far from the merits of the FX television mini-series on the Clinton impeachment. But the issues raised by the impeachment crisis in 1998 are not only relevant to the America of the January 6 attempted political coup by Donald Trump; they are critical to understanding it. There is a direct line that connects the right-wing conspiracy to overthrow Bill Clinton in 1998 and the fascist attempt to overthrow the incoming Biden-Harris government in 2021. And the impossibility of defending democratic rights through the Democratic Party is on display under conditions of even greater political dangers to the working class.

Further reading from the WSWS analysis of the impeachment crisis

(All dates in 1998)

February 28: What is the meaning of the political warfare in Washington? A comment on Independent Counsel Kenneth Starr seeking to suppress media and White House criticism of his investigation, using subpoenas and gag orders.

March 21, April 4, April 14: The crisis in Washington: what history tells us. A three-part series comparing Watergate, the Iran-Contra affair and the Clinton scandals, showing the decay of American democracy.

June 16: Destabilization campaign targeted White House: Report charges illegal links between Starr and media. An examination of how the Starr investigation was coordinated with the media attacks on the Clinton White House, through selective and illegal leaks.

July 28: New stage in White House crisis: Starr subpoenas Clinton in Lewinsky investigation

August 19: Clinton speech signals intensification of Washington political warfare. An analysis of Clintons defiant speech, generally dismissed as a disaster by the mediabut not by Toobin, who said Clinton had grasped intuitively that the American people were opposed to the right-wing witch-hunt.

August 22: The Sudan-Afghanistan attack: Clinton uses cruise missiles to placate political opponents. A statement denouncing the US missile attack as an effort by Clinton to stave off political collapse at home.

August 25: Ringmasters of political pornography. A comment on the role of the media in the attack on Clinton.

September 9: Lieberman delivers the most unkindest cut of all. A comment on the sanctimonious speech by the Connecticut senator.

September 13: Spearhead of a right-wing coup. An analysis of the decision to release in full the Starr report on Clintons sexual relationship with Monica Lewinsky.

September 30: Seven days in January: A chronicle of Kenneth Starrs coup. A detailed account of the week of January 12-18, as Tripp, Starr and Joness attorneys worked in concert to bring down Clinton.

November 11: The political significance of the Republican debacle. An analysis of the outcome of the US mid-term election.

November 24: The impeachment hearing: What a socialist would have said. A response to the hearing before the Republican-controlled House Judiciary Committee.
Parents and educators have spoken out in support of British parent Lisa Diazs proposal for a school strike in the UK and internationally on October 1.

Claire Cozler is a former teacher/lecturer and parent of an adult daughter and an eight-year-old son. She is a founding member of the SafeEdforAll (Safe Education for All group).

She said, I think that Lisa's call for a School Strike is a call for parents who have simply had enough. Our children are sitting ducks in schools with no ventilation improvements and no mitigations. It's the only way we have left to protest. We have tried to liaise with schools, Local Education Authorities, Academy Trusts, MPs, anyone, and everyone, but no one is helping and no one is listening.

Claire and one of her children

Withdrawing our children from harm's way is all we have left. We would love parents across the globe to join in, as we in the UK aren't the only ones suffering the same issues. So far, we know parents in America, Spain, and the Netherlands amongst others are joining us, and to be honest, we need to use our parent power to stand up and say, enough!

I think [Chief Medical Officer of England Chris] Whitty's comments [that the infection of every child with COVID is inevitable] are shameful. This is largely avoidable, yet they are inflicting COVID and future damage on our children, families and staff without a second thought. 88 children are dead, around 34,000 now suffering from Long COVID. How many more children do they want to kill and disable? They have hung Clinically Vulnerable and Clinically Extremely Vulnerable children, families and staff out to dry. Organisations such as ShieldUs are overwhelmed by calls from desperate families being put at risk.

The government also sneaked out last night [Sunday] that neurological issues give an increased cause of death, with no precision, which is extremely worrying for families like ours. And all that [Education Secretary] Nadhim Zahawi can talk about is prosecuting families for non-attendance. It's not 'non-attendance' if you are trying to keep your children safe from a government that won't spend even 20 a head on them to improve ventilation, or reintroduce mask mandates, and isolation of close contacts, which costs them nothing. I have already heard of three close friends being infected this week by their children returning to school, friends with serious health problems, but they were too afraid not to send them.

I don't think it's inevitable at all that we should live and die with the virus. We need a global plan, for vaccines, lockdowns, mitigations, temporary travel restrictions etc, until we have a hold over the virus.

Greed is the only reason it has had such a chance to propagate. Companies scared of losing money have been prioritised over Public Health. This needs to stop, or it will keep mutating and could be the end of life as we know it. Waive the vaccine patents and work together.

I think Lisa's call, and the work done by grassroots organisations is symptomatic of change. We would love to work with the unions too. We are groups of very ordinary people, parents, young people, grandmas, who are sick of being done to and have started doing for themselves. I think this is symptomatic of real change in the world. We have had enough of herd immunity, whether overt or covert and we are making a stand. We don't benefit from any kind of funding or support from major organisations. Our strength is our voice, the voice of personal experience, authentic, real, raw experience. We are not experimental subjects, we are not their playthings, we are real people, with real families, real lives, real suffering and real pain.

This needs to stop, now. It is inhumane and smacks of the eugenicist policies this government has been forcing on poor, disabled, and BAME communities throughout austerity.

When we say that our lives depend on this, we aren't joking. The future of this country also depends on it. We have gone overnight from a democracy to a country that is killing its most vulnerable citizens. If we don't put a stop to this inhumane treatment now, we are giving this government carte blanche to continue with their extreme right-wing agenda, in which we stop being people, and start being 'profit centres'. Enough is enough, we have to stand up. Our lives, our children's lives, and ultimately their children's lives and life experiences depend on it.

Primary school teacher Lucia endorsed the school strike and said, I am horrified at the lack of COVID safety measures in schools. I have temporarily removed my son from school, as there is a Covid outbreak and new rules mean that children who are close contacts don't have to isolate.

Lucia

My daughter has just started secondary school and they are not even informing parents of cases. I oppose the policy of deliberately infecting children, their families and school staff with a dangerous virus that has long term debilitating consequences. It can cause cognitive impairment and multiple organ damage even if the initial infection is mild. The government and the media is lying when it says children are not at serious risk from COVID.

Ruth, a teacher from the Isle of Wight, said, There are no safety measures whatsoever in the majority of UK schools. In January, Public Health England stated its intention to spread COVID-19 through young people and this is exactly what it is doing. This is shocking and surreal but explains why schools with large outbreaks who contact PHE for advice are told not to close or take any action. Just keep calm and carry on.

What is happening in the UK is a breach of human rights. We have a right to life, to health, and to education. Yet families are being denied these things, and those who choose to keep their children away from unsafe schools either permanently or even for short periods are being harassed and threatened with prosecution.

Parents and families keeping their children away from school on Friday will send a strong message of solidarity with educators in unsafe schools and a strong message to government that we demand our human rights to life, health, and education. Not to be herded into unsafe schools and workplaces for compulsory infection.

Brian, a parent and former teacher from Merseyside, said, We think its really important to take part in the parent strike, to make a stand and tell this government that what theyre doing is not okay.

The government has put the lives and long-term health of our children at risk for the sake of maintaining profits for the rich.

The Conservative government, with the support of all parties in Westminster have forced parents to send their children into unsafe schools. Its mandatory infection for our children and I do not consent to putting them through the governments mass infection experiment.

We are in the very fortunate position to have been able to keep our children at home and participate in home education. Now we are being threatened with the prospect of being part of a fast track to prosecution process, unless we deregister our kids or throw them into a school environment where current transmission figures are soaring and nothing is being done to protect their health.

I am really grateful to Lisa Diaz and the WSWS for calling for the school strike and urge all parents, teachers and teaching staff to join us.

Please contact the WSWS or the Educators Rank-and-File Safety Committee with your comments in support of the October 1 school strike.
At the UN General Assembly on Saturday, Malian Prime Minister Choguel Kokalla Maiga denounced French proposals to withdraw occupation troops it has kept in Mali since 2013, stating that the Malian regime in Bamako would seek other allies. This came shortly after Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Bamako had contacted Russias Wagner Group to hire mercenaries to fight Islamist militias in Mali.

Maiga denounced French President Emmanuel Macrons threat last month to withdraw from Frances former West African colony, amid mounting popular opposition and strikes against the presence of French Operation Barkhane troops.

The new situation created by the end of Barkhane, putting Mali before a fait accompli and abandoning it in midair, led us to explore ways and means to better ensure our security, autonomously and with other partners, Maiga said. He added, Frances Operation Barkhane suddenly announced its end with an aim, apparently, of becoming an international coalition whose shape is not yet known.  Or at least, it is not yet known to my country or to our people.

Russian President Vladimir Putin (center) meeting with Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoygu (left) and Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov (right) at the Vostok 2018 drills. (Image credit: Kremlin.ru)

A month after the humiliating US withdrawal from Afghanistan as the NATO puppet regime in Kabul fell to the Taliban, another neo-colonial war is collapsing. Maigawho speaks for a bloody military junta installed by two French-backed coups in the last two years, economically devastated by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemicappealed to France for support against internal enemies even as he sought aid from Moscow. This underscores the class gulf separating the Malian junta from the workers and toiling people of Mali and the entire Sahel region.

Recent years have seen repeated anti-war protests in Bamako, culminating in calls for a general strike that were sold out by Malian unions in May. At the same time, Paris and its alliesthe UN Minusma force, the European Takuba force, and the Sahel G-5 force from regional statesfailed to crush jihadist groups that have fought in northern Mali since NATOs 2011 war in nearby Libya.

Maiga baldly denied the growth of popular opposition in Mali to the war, cravenly claiming there is no anti-UN sentiment in Mali, not any more than there is anti-French sentiment.

He criticized Paris for suddenly withdrawing its troops: The unilateral announcement of Barkhanes withdrawal and its transformation did not respect the tripartite bonds [between the UN, Mali and France]. Mali regrets that the principles of consultation and acting in concert, which must be the rule between privileged partners, was not observed prior to this decision.

In his remarks, Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov had said that Malian authorities contacted private armed companies because France decided to significantly reduce its military presence opposing terror cells in the north of the country, against which France ultimately was not victorious because the terrorists continue to run the show there.

Lavrov endorsed the Malian juntas discredited claims to be leading a transition to democracy, saying: In the country, today, a transition is underway, elections must be prepared under the aegis of the African Union and of other international organizations. He claimed Malian transition authorities contacted Russian private military companies, and we have nothing to do with that.

Lavrov also said Moscow would provide official military aid to the Malian junta. We have a politico-military cooperation program and are engaged in peacekeeping in line with decisions of the UN Security Council, Lavrov declared. He stressed that this was called for by the Malian government: Again, there should be no doubt about this, the Malian foreign minister whom I met Friday said that there was no problem with this.

The sudden shift of the Bamako regimes allegiances reflects an explosive, international crisis of the capitalist system. It points not only to mounting class struggles in Mali and internationally, but also to conflicts between nuclear-armed world powers that threaten to erupt into war.

Significantly, Lavrov publicly denounced European Union (EU) foreign policy representative Josep Borrell for threatening Russia and arrogantly asserting that Africa belongs to Europe. Josep Borrell told me, Youd better not work in Africa, because Africa is our place.  Statements like Im the first here. This is my placego away, this is deeply insulting. These arent terms you should use with anyone, Lavrov said.

Despite Borrells neo-colonial arrogance, Lavrov appealed to the EU for collaboration: I think it would be better to coordinate our movements between the Russian Federation and the European Union in the struggle against terrorism, not only in Mali but across the Sahel.

The debacle in Mali is a humiliating setback for the offensive French imperialism has waged in its former African colonial empire since revolutionary struggles of the Tunisian and Egyptian working class erupted in 2011. The war in Libya set the stage for French operations in Ivory Coast to topple President Laurent Gbagbo and set up military bases across the Sahel to wage war in Mali.

The pretext for the warthat France and its NATO allies were fighting to destroy Islamist terrorist militiasis a political lie. The same Islamist networks in fact enjoyed French and NATO support to wage proxy wars in both Libya and especially Syria. These forces carried out terror attacks in Paris and across Europe, which the French government used as a pretext to escalate police surveillance and repression of strikes and social protests in France.

However justifiably welcome it is in Mali, the announcement of a French withdrawal does not signify a final defeat of imperialism. French troops are to be redeployed across the region, including to neighboring Niger, and Russian mercenaries are not going to Mali to fight imperialism. As Lavrovs remarks underscore, the post-Soviet capitalist kleptocracy that rules Russia, after having dissolved the Soviet Union and restored capitalism, is seeking a deal with the EU. It would happily use Mali as a bargaining chip in such negotiations.

The French withdrawal clearly also reflects mounting inter-imperialist conflicts, notably between America and France, after Washington canceled an Australian contract to buy French submarines and announced an anti-Chinese AUKUS alliance with Australia and the UK.

It is worth asking why the Wagner Groups arrival requires France to totally withdraw its forces in Mali. France and the Wagner Group worked together to back warlord Khalifa Haftar in the civil war in Libya, and Macron has called for closer ties with Russia throughout his presidency. Significantly, French military sources claimed that their decision to leave Mali after Bamako began considering ties to the Wagner Group was dictated by Washington and specifically by fear of a cutoff of US logistical and intelligence cooperation with its European NATO allies.

The arrival of Wagner in Mali could threaten US support for French or even European operations, wrote French military news site opex360.com. AFP cited French military sources saying that if French troops stayed in Mali while Wagner Group mercenaries arrived, The United States would stop everything.  Certain European countries could also decide to disengage.

The force that must be mobilized against imperialism and its local bourgeois agents and allies is the international working class. Beyond the mass revolutionary struggles in Tunisia and Egypt a decade ago, the region has seen a mass movement against the Algerian military junta in 2019 and repeated protests and strikes across the Sahel, as well as growing strikes and social protests against inequality in France. The key task is unifying the struggles of the working class in an international movement against war and imperialism, and for socialism and a scientific policy to eradicate COVID-19.
Under a deal worked out by Washington and Beijing at the highest political levels, Meng Wanzhou, the chief financial officer of Huawei and the daughter of its founder, returned to China Saturday, after living under house arrest for nearly three years in Vancouver, British Columbia.

As part of the deal, Meng, who was seized by Canadian authorities at the behest of the Trump administration in December 2018, pled not guilty in an on-line New York court appearance to charges of committing bank fraud to evade US sanctions on Iran.

The Canadian authorities decision to arrest Meng during a Vancouver stopover had all the hallmarks of a political kidnapping, timed as it was to coincide with a bilateral meeting between then US President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping on the sidelines of a G-20 summit. Trumps goal at the meeting was to extract sweeping concessions from China on trade and economic relations.

Meng Wanzhou (Image credit: Wikimedia CC BY 3.0)

The deal to release Meng was designed to be face-saving for all concerned. US prosecutors officially pledged to suspend their concocted fraud case against Meng, until December 2022, at which point the criminal charges against her will be dropped entirely, provided that Meng does not violate any other federal laws. The US Justice Department claimed that Mengs admission in the Statement of Facts that she described Skycom, a subsidiary of Huawei, as a business partner engaged in normal business cooperation in a 2013 power-point presentation instead of a company controlled by Huawei was an acknowledgement of guilt. This is a spurious reading of the evidence and, in any event, far from the incendiary allegations the US levelled against Meng that she duped the HSBC bank so as to violate Washingtons punitive, unilateral sanctions against Iran.

Several prominent US legal experts described the Justice Departments deferred prosecution agreement as unlike any they had previously seen, underscoring that Washington effectively decided to abandon the case. Following the announcement of the deal, the Chinese government reiterated its position that Mengs detention and prosecution were purely political and emphasized that she had made no acknowledgment of guilt. Her return to China became the occasion for the regime to whip up nationalism, with her red-carpet welcome ceremony broadcast on state television and livestreamed online.

The dropping of the US request for Mengs extradition and her return to China was accompanied by the tit-for-tat release of two Canadian citizens, Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, whom Beijing had detained on charges of spying in the immediate aftermath of Mengs seizure by Canadian authorities.

Underscoring that the prisoner swap was orchestrated at the highest levels of the Biden administration, Kovrig and Spavor were picked up by a US Air Force jet destined for Alaska at precisely the same moment that Meng boarded her Air China-chartered flight from Vancouver. Kovrigs and Spavors return to Canada Saturday was exploited by the political establishment and corporate media to intensify their virulent anti-China campaign.

Several considerations were at play in Washingtons decision to abandon its prosecution and persecution of Meng. First, the case against her, as the Statement of Facts attests, was based on a tendentious, politically-motivated representation of her dealings with HSBC and in serious danger of collapsing. While the Canadian government was emphatic in its support for Mengs extradition, with lawyers for the Attorney General vigorously defending it in court, the judge hearing the extradition case, B.C. Supreme Court Associate Chief Justice Heather Holmes, increasingly expressed concern about its legal foundation. At an August 12 hearing, she described the fraud case against Meng as unusual, noting, according to a Globe and Mail report, that no one lost money, the allegations are several years old, and the intended victim, a global bank, knew the truth even as it was allegedly being lied to.

The proceedings also uncovered how Mengs rights were blatantly violated by Canadian authorities. For several hours Canada Border Services agents concealed from Meng that she was effectively under arrest as soon as she arrived in Canada in December 2018 and thereby got her to hand over her phone and other possessions. They then handed them to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, which in turn made their contents known to the FBI.

There was no doubt concern in the Biden administration that if Mengs extradition or subsequent trial collapsed or became the occasion for further embarrassing revelations about the lawlessness of US and Canadian authorities, it would represent a serious blow to Washingtons propaganda campaign against Beijing.

This campaign, which touts the US as the leader of a democratic coalition of nations that respect the rules-based international order against China and other authoritarian regimes, is political cover for an ever expanding military-strategic offensive against China whose logic is a catastrophic global conflagration. Earlier this month, Washington established a new Indo-Pacific war alliance with Australia and Britain (AUKUS), whose first action has been to supply Australia with nuclear-powered and nuclear missile-capable submarines.

The release of Meng may also have been motivated by a desire to mend fences with the European powers, who, led by France, have angrily protested the secretly negotiated AUKUS deal, which cuts across their own plans to play a greater role in the Indo-Pacific. Mengs trial over Iranian sanctions would have involved the extraterritorial application of US laws, which the European powers view with hostility.

Finally, Washington has largely gotten what it wanted out of Mengs detention, which was part of a concerted pushback against Huaweis emergence as one of the worlds largest high-tech concerns. Key US allies, including Australia and Britain, have explicitly banned Huawei from their 5G networks, while many others have effectively blacklisted the company by choosing competitors. US authorities also introduced bans and restrictions preventing businesses from trading with Huawei, including an August 2020 measure that requires companies selling any product with a US-made microchip to Huawei to first obtain a license. At the time, this move was described as imposing a death sentence on the Chinese company as a maker of 5G technology products.

By taking the dispute with Beijing over Meng off the table, Washington removes what had become an impediment to any meaningful interaction with the Chinas Communist Party-led capitalist regime, enabling it to concentrate on stepping up diplomatic pressure to make concessions on climate change and other issues that Biden has said are up for negotiation. US imperialism views the climate change negotiations as a vital arena in the pursuit of its global economic and geo-political interests and providing it with an avenue to attack China economically, including potentially through carbon tariffs. In his address to last weeks UN General Assembly, Biden summed up this policy by referring to a new era of relentless diplomacy. This is by no means a turn away from, but rather a critical component of, the comprehensive economic and military pressure US imperialism is exerting on China.

By securing the release of Kovrig and Spavor as part of its settlement of the Meng case, Washington is also in a position to ratchet up pressure on Canada to fall even more fully into line behind its diplomatic, economic, and military campaign of intimidation against China. Canada has yet to formally exclude Huawei from its 5G network, and repeated delays to the release of its updated China policy have frustrated US officials. Speaking just days prior to Mengs release, David L. Cohen, Bidens nominee as Washingtons new ambassador to Ottawa, told a US Senate confirmation hearing, We are all waiting for Canada to release its framework for its overall China policy. As ambassador, if Im confirmed, its an appropriate role to be engaged in discussions and make sure that Canadas policies reflect its words in terms of the treatment of China.

The most vociferously anti-China sections of the Canadian political establishment certainly got the message as they unleashed tirades against Beijing over the weekend, combined with demands that Canada further expand its across-the-board military-security cooperation with the United States. Ignoring the fact that Beijings seizure of Kovrig and Spavor was a reaction to the initial political kidnapping of Meng, Guy Saint-Jacques, Canadas former ambassador to China, stated, We must agree among ourselves on sanctions that we could apply against China if they ever use this hostage diplomacy again. Its about sending a very powerful message that this kind of bullying cant carry on. We have to put teeth to it.

Conservative Senator Leo Housakos, a leading anti-China hawk, added, Now that the two Michaels are home and the Chinese communist regimes thuggery has been fully exposed for what it is, what weve known it is all along, Canada can no longer continue to deal with this regime as honest brokers. Housakos demanded that the Trudeau government immediately ban Huawei from the 5G network and announce a boycott of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.

Far from avoiding confrontation with Beijing, the Trudeau government has lined up squarely behind US imperialisms concerted geostrategic and military offensive against China. Under Trump, the Trudeau government supported the renegotiation of NAFTA to create an even more explicitly US-led protectionist North American trade bloc directed against China. The Liberals have also more fully integrated Canadas military operations into US-led aggression in the Asia-Pacific, including by sending warships and submarines to the South China Sea.

Last month, the Trudeau government concluded an agreement with the US to modernize NORAD, the joint Canada-US aerospace and maritime defence, with the aim of consolidating the North American imperialist powers domination of the Arctic and preparing for a new age of strategic competition and potential nuclear war with Russia and China.

However, Trudeau continues to be associated by his political opponents with efforts to expand trade relations and even conclude a free trade deal with China. China is an important export market for corporate Canada, especially natural resources and agricultural products.

The exclusion of Canada from AUKUS gave further ammunition to Trudeaus critics, who saw in this Ottawas sidelining by the US in the Indo-Pacific. It became the occasion for denunciations of the Liberal government from the right in the final days of the election campaign and demands from the military-security establishment for a more comprehensive foreign policy strategy and increased military spending.

Though Trudeau has avoided making any major statement about Canada-China relations since the Meng deal, the government gave its full support to the media-engineered propaganda campaign surrounding Kovrig and Spavors return to the country. Trudeau and Foreign Minister Marc Garneau both flew to Calgary to welcome the pair, who travelled on from Alaska in a Canadian Armed Forces plane.
Three people were killed and five others were hospitalized when an Amtrak train derailed on Saturday afternoon near Joplin, Montana. Crew members were reported to be among those injured.

The train, known as the Empire Builder, was traveling westbound on its route from Chicago to the Pacific Northwest when it derailed at approximately 4 p.m. about 30 miles south of the Canadian border and 100 miles north of Great Falls, the nearest city in Montana.

A statement from Amtrak said that its Incident Response Team had been engaged and we are sending emergency personnel and Amtrak leadership to the scene to help support our passengers, our employees and their families with their needs.

Workers examine a section of railroad track, Sunday, Sept. 26, 2021, next to cars from an Amtrak train that derailed the day before just west of Joplin, Mont., killing three people and injuring others. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)

The statement also said that the train was operating on BNSF tracks near Joplin, there were 141 passengers and 16 crew members onboard and the train consisted of two locomotives and 10 cars, with eight of those cars derailing. BNSF Railway is the largest of the nine Class I freight rail networks in North America with 32,500 miles of track in 28 states.

Those injured were transported to a hospital in Great Falls while others were treated locally and released. Montana Governor Greg Gianforte reported at a press conference that the five people hospitalized were in stable condition.

CBS News reported about 60 passengers spent Saturday night at nearby Chester High School in Chester, Montana, and that Governor Gianforte said anyone who did not need medical attention was transported out of Chester on Sunday.

CNN interviewed one of the passengers in a sleeper car, Megan Vanderves, who said, I would describe the experience as kind of extreme turbulence on an airplane but louder, and there was kind of a lot of smoke smell. The first thought I really had when I woke up was, Oh my God were derailing.

The Associated Press (AP) interviewed local resident Trevor Fossen who was first at the scene of the accident and helped get the passengers out of the derailed train. Fossen was on a dirt road in the area on Saturday when he saw a wall of dust about 300 feet high. I started looking at that, wondering what it was and then I saw the train had tipped over and derailed, said Fossen. He then called his brother to bring ladders for people who could not get down from the sides of the tipped over cars.

Photos from the scene showed several rail cars tipped over while others were clearly off the tracks. In one photo people are seen using ladders to climb down after exiting the train through the windows. Other pictures showed passengers standing alongside the toppled train cars holding their luggage.

The Empire Builders route goes from Chicago through St. Paul/Minneapolis, Spokane and on to Portland and Seattle. The Amtrak website says of the trip, Experience the rugged splendor of the American West. Traveling between Chicago and the Pacific Northwest along major portions of the Lewis and Clark Trail, the mighty Empire Builder takes you on an exciting adventure through majestic wilderness, following the footsteps of early pioneers.

The National Transportation Safety Board sent its Go Teama group of technical experts who investigate transportation accidentsto the scene on Sunday. The 14-member team includes specialists in railroad signals who will look for the cause of the derailment on the BNSF main track that involved no other trains or equipment, according to NTSB spokesman Eric Weiss.

Railroad safety expert David Clarke, director of the Center for Transportation Research at the University of Tennessee, told the AP that accident scene photos show the derailment occurred at or near a switch, which is where the railway goes from a single track to a double track.

The AP reported that Clarke said the two locomotives and two cars at the front of the train reached the split and continued on the main track, but the remaining eight cars derailed. He said it was unclear if some of the last cars moved onto the second track.

Clark went on, Did the switch play some role? It might have been that the front of the train hit the switch and it started fish-tailing and that flipped the back part of the train. Another possibility, Clarke said, was a defect in the rail pointing out that regular testing doesnt always catch such problems. He ruled out speed as a factor because trains on that line have systems that prevent excessive speeds and collisions.

A spokesperson from BNSF claimed that the track where the derailment occurred was just inspected last Thursday. Amtrak said on Sunday that service to and from the Pacific Northwest on the Empire Builder is suspended and the westbound train will terminate in Minneapolis, and the eastbound train will originate in Minneapolis.

The fatal accident on an Amtrak train is part of a pattern of derailments in recent years as US transportation infrastructure crumbles and the safety of travelers and railroad employees alike is subordinated to corporate profits. On December 18, 2017, an Amtrak train derailed near DuPont, Washington, killing three people. On April 3, 2016, an Amtrak train on its way from Philadelphia to Savannah, Georgia, struck a backhoe and derailed in Chester, Pennsylvania, and killed two track workers. On May 12, 2015, the Amtrak Northeast Regional train from Washington D.C. to New York City derailed in Philadelphia and killed 8 people and injured 200.

The bipartisan infrastructure billoriginally proposed by President Joe Biden in April and expected to be voted on in Congress in the coming weekcontains a thoroughly inadequate $66 billion in funding for Amtrak. A federally appointed panel published a report on September 9 that said nearly double this sum is needed just to upgrade the heavily traveled Northeast Corridor. The $117 billion proposal calls for more than 150 projects to modernize the antiquated, crumbling and dangerous passenger rail arteries connecting Washington D.C., Philadelphia, New York and Boston.
On September 22, New Zealands Labour Party-led government eased the COVID-19 lockdown in Auckland from level 4, the strictest level, to level 3. More than 200,000 people are estimated to have returned to workplaces, with restrictions such as masking and social distancing. Schools and early childhood centres (ECEs) have partially reopened for small numbers of children.

The decision to ease restrictions in New Zealands largest city, before the outbreak of the highly-infectious Delta variant of COVID-19 has been stamped out, has been criticised as a gamble by public health experts. Since a nationwide lockdown was imposed on August 18, more than 1,100 cases have been identified, and in the past week, daily case numbers in Auckland have ranged between 9 and 24. The lockdown was lifted outside of Auckland on September 8.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern still says the government is pursuing a strategy to eliminate COVID-19 from the community. Like governments internationally, however, it has repeatedly shown that it is willing to risk public health, in order to appease big business demands for a return to work.

In addition to the concerns expressed by epidemiologists and other experts, such as Dr Mike Bedford, a growing number of teachers are speaking out against the lowering of alert levels. In the United States and other countries, the reopening of schools and preschools/kindergartens, while COVID-19 is present in the community, has led to an explosion of cases, hospitalisations and deaths.

The World Socialist Web Site recently spoke with Susan Bates, an early childhood teacher, researcher, and the founder of the Teachers Advocacy Group (TAG), which has about 7,500 members on Facebook. TAG has become a forum for discussion and information-sharing among teachers, particularly in the early childhood sector, who are concerned about being made to return to work while there is still a risk that they will be exposed to COVID-19.

Susan Bates (Photo supplied)

Bates has written extensively on the risks posed to child health and wellbeing, by the poor conditions in some of New Zealands early childhood centres. In a 2016 journal article she noted: In New Zealand, childcare facilities account for more outbreaks of notifiable and other diseases than acute care hospitals, schools, prisons, and other institutions combined. Poverty and inequality were contributing factors, as well as overcrowding and poor ventilation in ECEs.

She told the WSWS that in the first two years of their lives, children are particularly prone to picking up infections, as their immune system is still developing. Just before the current COVID-19 outbreak, New Zealand was hit by a serious outbreak of RSV (respiratory syncytial virus), which spread through ECEs and left several children hospitalised.

Bates said the Ministry of Education had failed to justify reopening ECEs in Auckland at alert level 3. She said there was limited data about the effects of COVID-19 on children, but the experience internationally showed that even if children may not get as sick as other people, thats not going to stop them from killing someone in their family.

Teachers and staff were particularly vulnerable because it was impossible to avoid contact with young children. We already have terrible working conditions, we have terrible pay and everything else, and now were being tossed out into the front line of the delta variant, so that other women can go back to work, Bates said. Its all because of this idea that if the economy suffers too much then everyone is going to suffer. But COVID can kill us. Were not going to have an economy without the people in it.

I also dont understand the union backing this return at level 3, she added. The primary teacher union, NZEI Te Riu Roa, which has some members in early childcare, is supporting the governments decision. I would have thought if the union was protecting its members and had childrens rights at the centre of what they do, they would be saying: No, I dont think early childhood should be opening until level 2, i.e. when the risk of COVID-19 being in the community is deemed to be low.

Some centres are refusing to reopen at level 3, and are prioritising the health of staff and children, Bates explained. Others, however, were placing financial pressure on teachers to return to work. Through the Teachers Advocacy Group, Bates has been urging ECE staff not to work if they dont feel safe, which is their right under the law.

Theres a lot of bullying and misinformation right now, she said. During the lockdown, when ECEs were unable to open, several centres cut teachers pay by 20 percent. This also happened during last years lockdown, even though the law says you cannot have your pay dropped without your consent.

Bates had heard from some teachers who were only paid the equivalent of the governments COVID-19 wage subsidy, which is paid to employers. This is $600 a week for each full-time employee retained and $359 for part-time employees. Teachers had been told their hours were reduced to match the level of the wage subsidy, which was completely illegal and had led to significant hardship. If teachers were getting $1,200 a week in a normal week, and now theyre only getting the wage subsidy, its not like they only have to pay half their mortgage or eat only half their food, Bates said.

Bates bluntly described conditions in many ECEs, particularly those that run as profitable businesses, as a disaster. Younger teachers frequently moved around different centres, with many leaving the job before gaining their registration, while older teachers were leaving because they just cant stand to see what the sector has ended up like. Thats the mentoring going.

There was a whole raft of problems including low pay, overcrowding, understaffing, cold temperatures, and unsafe areas. In addition, theres no regulation on noise in early childhood, and its chronically noisy, too much for babies to learn language, too much for us to work in.

Last year, five Discoveries Educare centres in Auckland were shut down by the Ministry of Education after years of complaints by former teachers, one of whom said children were being treated like caged animals. The Teachers Advocacy Group helped expose conditions in the centres. According to Stuff, the Ministry received 26 complaints in 2017 and 2018, focusing on issues including understaffing, high turnover, unhygienic and unsafe conditions, and children bored out of their skulls.

Bates concluded that the COVID issues are just another layer on top of every other injustice that weve already been suffering. This is something to push everybody to the edge. We have to stand up somewhere, so lets stand up now.
Reflecting the growing opposition in the international working class to the homicidal pandemic policies of the ruling elites, on Friday British parent Lisa Diaz issued a video statement via Twitter calling for a nationwide school strike in the UK on October 1. Under conditions in which over 59,000 British children were infected with COVID-19 in the first two weeks of school reopenings, she encouraged parents to take independent initiative to keep their children at home and safe from the virus. The video has now been viewed over 75,000 times, liked over 2,350 times and retweeted over 1,340 times.

Lisa, who is a member of the Safe Education for All (SafeEdForAll) group and works with the UK Educators Rank-and-File Safety Committee, has received a large following on Twitter in response to her videos denouncing the Boris Johnson administrations criminal school reopening policies. Enacting the herd immunity strategy of letting the virus rip through the population, schools across England have no mitigation measures whatsoever. In Fridays video, Lisa stated, Were sick of the lies. Were sick of the gaslighting. Were sick of you paying scientists to say ridiculous things like children dont catch it in school, they catch it on the bus. Its not good enough. We wont take it anymore.

Lisa Diaz and her daughter (Credit @Sandyboots2020 on Twitter)

The call for a UK school strike is part of a growing wave of resistance by the working class, which is entering a new stage of the class struggle. It requires the support of workers in every country and efforts must be made to coordinate similar strikes and workplace actions internationally.

This development arises out of the profound crisis of world capitalism, which has been exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic. Since January 2020, a staggering 4.76 million people have officially died from COVID-19, while the real global death toll is estimated to be above 15 million. At present, every day roughly 466,000 people test positive for COVID-19 and nearly 8,000 people officially die from the virus worldwide.

With vaccine production and distribution subordinated to the profit interests of the pharmaceutical giants and the geopolitics of imperialism, only 32.6 percent of the world population is fully vaccinated, the vast majority in the worlds 10 richest countries.

Contrary to the claims of sections of the ruling class and the unions in each country, the pandemic cannot be contained by vaccinations alone, through limited public health measures, or a haphazard combination of the two.

In many countries, including large parts of the US controlled by the Democratic Party, schools have been fully reopened with mask mandates and other mitigation measures, with the virus still spreading rapidly. Wherever mitigation measures have been put in placeincluding in New York City, Los Angeles and elsewherethey are quickly being scrapped in order to maximize childrens time in school. The reason for this, as with school reopenings as a whole, is to send parents back to work in order to sustain corporate profits and the enrichment of the financial elite. In the first 18 months of the pandemic alone, Americas billionaires amassed $1.8 trillion, a 62 percent increase in their collective wealth.

The teachers unions in every country have facilitated the reopening of schools, allowing thousands of children, educators and their family members to die worldwide over the past year. In each country, the unions have either done nothing to oppose school reopenings or been the most active cheerleaders in this process. In the US, as record numbers of children became sick and died from COVID-19, American Federation of Teachers (AFT) President Randi Weingarten completed a 20-state Back to School for All tour in August to push for fully in-person instruction.

The central significance of the October 1 UK school strike is that it has been organized independently of the unions and capitalist political parties and has evoked a powerful response among parents and workers worldwide. It makes clear that the fight against the pandemic is increasingly taking the form of social struggles by the working class, which must be consciously organized and unified through independent rank-and-file committees.

In the US, over 1 million children were officially infected with COVID-19 in the past five weeks and an average of three children and at least three educators are dying from the virus each day. Parents and educators in Chicago, New York City, Detroit, and from California, Texas, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, Washington and other states endorsed the call for a UK school strike and are planning similar protests in their school districts. Rank-and-file committees of educators and parents from California, Washington, Texas and Tennessee met over the weekend and will issue statements of solidarity with the UK school strike this week.

In addition to educators, over 2,000 carpenters are on strike in Seattle, Washington, in a fight against the United Brotherhood of Carpenters (UBC) union, which has imposed concessions contracts for decades. Autoworkers across the US have formed rank-and-file committees independently of the corporatist United Auto Workers (UAW) in order to struggle for improved living standards and working conditions, including the shutdown of production amid the rampant spread of COVID-19.

In Germany, major struggles among transit workers, health care workers, airline workers and other sections of the working class have erupted in recent months. As COVID-19 cases once again surge amid the full reopening of schools, many parents and educators in Germany have endorsed the call for the October 1 UK school strike. Peggy, the mother of an adult severely disabled son and a school-aged child with asthma, told the World Socialist Web Site, Its very important! We should join this! For the protection of our children! #ParentsStrike on 01.10.2021!

Last week, roughly 30,000 Sri Lankan health care workers staged a nationwide protest to demand improved workplace protections against COVID-19, in defiance of the governments anti-democratic laws forbidding such action. They joined roughly 250,000 teachers across Sri Lanka, who have been on strike for over two months to demand higher pay.

In Canada, which has entered its fourth wave of the pandemic amid the full reopening of schools, parents in British Columbia are preparing solidarity demonstrations with the UK school strike this Friday. In Alberta, the hardest-hit region of the country with 6,964 active cases among youth under 20 years old, hospitals are at 87 percent surge capacity and on the cusp of having to triage care. Doctors and scientists in Alberta are calling for a firebreak lockdown, with the hashtags #FirebreakAB and #GeneralStrikeAB now trending on Twitter.

Commenting on the international response to her call to action, Lisa Diaz told the World Socialist Web Site, Ive had amazing support from parents and workers all over the world! Its wonderful to know I am not alone, that there are other parents who see through their government and media lies that COVID is somehow a benign illness in children and its okay for them to get it. Thats the lie being perpetuated in the UK anyway.

She added, There is no living with COVID because millions of people will end up dead. Millions more will live with the debilitating symptoms of Long COVID. We cant negotiate with this virus. We have to obliterate it. This is not a pipe dream. It is achievable. We just need the political will. We need a Zero COVID strategy. There is no middle ground.

Indeed, the science is clear that COVID-19 can be eliminated in any given geographic regionas has happened in China, New Zealand and other countriesand ultimately eradicated worldwide. The necessary measures, however, will only be implemented through the mass mobilization of the working class, organized through rank-and-file committees independent of the unions and capitalist political parties.

Wherever COVID-19 is spreading, these committees must fight for the closure of all schools and nonessential workplaces, universal masking, testing, contact tracing, the safe isolation of infected patients and all other public health measures to cut off the chain of viral transmission. Workers affected by lockdowns must be guaranteed full income protection, to be paid for by the massive profits accumulated by the rich during the pandemic.

The International Workers Alliance of Rank-and-File Committees (IWA-RFC), established on May Day 2021, will fight to unify the growing struggles of all workers across industries and national boundaries. The call for the October 1 UK school strike marks a significant initial step forward in the fight to eradicate COVID-19, from which workers will draw inspiration. Similar actions must be prepared in every industry and in every country, as part of a globally-coordinated struggle of the international working class to end the pandemic and save millions of lives.
On September 16, Keaira Marsenburg, a Dana worker at Toledo Driveline, was improperly fired from her job. The circumstances behind her dismissal makes clear it was part of a conspiracy by Dana management and the United Auto Workers union to remove the most class-conscious and militant workers from the shop floor, to break the resistance of workers to a union-brokered sellout deal.

Dana and representatives from the UAW and United Steelworkers reconvene this week for new talks after workers voted down the last national agreement by a more than 9-1 margin. At Toledo, in a powerful show of unity, the vote against was unanimous, 435-0. As both the WSWS and the Dana Workers Rank-and-File Committee (DWRFC) have warned, these are not negotiations at all, but strategy sessions where the pro-company unions will plan out with Dana how to ram essentially the same deal down workers throats. Moreover, the timing of the talks is being deliberately dragged out as long as possible in order to get Dana through the critical period of the model changeovers, when the auto industry retools for next years vehicles.

Dana's Toledo Driveline plant in Toledo, Ohio (WSWS photo)

The story on Keaira published by the WSWS last week has prompted an outpouring of support from fellow autoworkers. We are publishing a selection of these statements below.

The DWRFC is demanding her immediate reinstatement with full back pay for time lost. Send your statement in support of Keaira to the Dana Workers Rank-and-File Committee (DWRFC) at danawrfc@gmail.com.

* * *

I support reinstating Keaira. Dana workers should be able to exercise their right to a strike without the interference of overpaid union sellout bureaucrats who collaborate with the company.

* * *

Hello from a worker in a related industry in the UK.

I work in a company that produces electrical units for the auto industry and I totally agree with your campaign to get Keaira reinstated.

So much about her experiences resonates with my own and that of my friends and family. My brother-in-law got fired after a lengthy disciplinary process, and his union played the critical role in making the accusations that allowed the managers to fire him. The woman who was responsible for doing it was both the union rep and acting supervisor at the time, so she could claim to be helping him while giving him the push.

I have seen similar things go on throughout my life. When the company I worked for got taken over and they brought in a new shift system, the only advice from the union was to keep our heads down! I ended up getting moved out to a different part of the company because I wasnt prepared to go along with it.

So I say, stand up for your rights against both the managers and the UAW, build the DWRFC, and fight for Keairas full reinstatement.

There are millions of workers around the world who will follow your example.

With warmest greetings,

T

* * *

Hello. Im a UAW worker in Detroit. I just finished reading your story. That firing is unjustified and wrong. I am speechless as to why the union would allow this to take place. I hope everyone will join you and fight this injustice. You have my support in Michigan.

* * *

Give her job back immediately., this is insane. These companies and unions need to be held accountable. Take care of the American workers and their families.

* * *

As a UAW member from the [Stellantis] Toledo Assembly Complex in good standing at Local 12 Toledo, I personally have experienced hostile retaliatory acts by union officials identical to Keairas circumstances.

I had communicated safety hazards to company and union officials in which the union officials acted in a hostile manner towards me to prevent me from exposing those hazards, which resulted in multiple OSHA citations against FCA, including serious injuries to UAW-represented employees of FCA.

Furthermore, unit level, local level, and international level UAW officials, in coordination with FCA management, attempted to carry out retaliatory and hostile acts similar to Keairas circumstances, and unlawfully terminated my employment with FCA identical with the circumstances with Keaira at Dana.

A culture of corruption exists throughout the UAW at all levels and all units of the union.

The collusion with the corporations which the UAW maintains, implementing company-friendly policies that abuse workers, certainly is within the level of criminal conduct that violates collective bargaining agreements and labor laws which numerous UAW officials have been convicted of recently.

Keaira is just one example of numerous victims of UAW corruption, which continues. The select few who speak out against this unlawful conduct suffer continued abuse by the UAW as I have experienced as well  Keaira stay strong!

* * *

I am a coworker in the Toledo plant. I agree that Keaira must be reinstated.

I havent been in my plant for very long, but long enough to see that theres a lot of wrong-doing going on. I see that you can be a hard working individual or one of the greatest people in the world, but if someone thats been in the plant for a while who doesnt like you, they all will go against you. And thats not fair at all.

I am a godly person that tries to treat everyone righteously no matter what. But somehow I believe there is a lot of evil in the automotive industry, they say where there is money, there is evil. And I really believe that the young lady should have her job back.

Working one month at Dana is really like working two months [due to the amount of mandatory overtime]. I have never worked at a place where people are so against you: team leads running around threatening peoples jobs, supervisor talking to you like you are their child. Theres people in there not getting trained at all on the lines they are on.

So by saying all that, Keaira has been at Dana since 2018, she has been through a lot, so hats off to her, she knows whats going on there and I truly believe if they were to get more people like her on the jobs in Dana, that it would be a better place to work. As far as the union, Ive only seen them in orientation, and through taking my money every week.

* * *

Keaira is a victim of Dana-UAW pact against workers. All workers should fight to reinstate Keaira with back pay. The UAW clearly worked with Dana to fire her as they fear the independent mobilization of workers against the company. The union is a staunch defender of the companys rights to oppress the workers and their action, while vile, is predictable.
Wisconsin is in the midst of an enormous COVID-19 outbreak that is not showing any signs of slowing down or plateauing in the coming weeks.

On September 20, 7,832 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 were reported, with the average number of daily cases reaching over 3,100, as of September 23. Northwestern Wisconsin has been hit especially hard with a large number of unvaccinated residents falling sick to the Delta variant. While deaths have remained low, at 13 per day, fatalities tend to rise in the weeks following mass outbreaks.

In the last two weeks of June, the average number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 per day in the state of Wisconsin had slipped down into double digits for the first time since March 2020. As with many other states, mask mandates were lifted and all social distancing measures were removed from indoor and outdoor gatherings. But by the end of July, the more highly transmissible and lethal Delta variant had begun to spread, raising the daily average of confirmed cases back into the hundreds. Now, with schools fully open and operational weeks after the Labor Day holiday, daily COVID-19 cases are back in the thousands.

Kenosha teachers protesting last year. (Source: Kenosha Education Association)

The surge of cases will most likely not peak until October. As of last week, two counties in Wisconsin were designated as having critically high levels of transmission, a designation that had to be reinstated by the state, considering the massive number of new cases. As of September 21, the number of counties with critically high transmission was eight. Meanwhile, vaccinations have plateaued since early September, with 56 percent of residents fully vaccinated and 60 percent with at least one dose.

The rise in cases has pushed the Wisconsin health care system to the brink of collapse. Ninety-five percent of all ICU beds and medical-surgical beds in the state are in use, according to data from the Wisconsin Hospital Association. In north Wisconsin there are zero beds available in the regions 17 hospitals. Patients are also coming in very sick, meaning they are staying in the hospital longer.

The lack of beds and resources poses a grave risk even to those not infected. In an interview with Fox6, University of Wisconsin (UW) chief health quality officer Dr. Jeff Pothoff said, The critical care capacity is so maximized that  if your emergency happens at the wrong time of the day and there are no ICU beds within 100 miles of your location, that takes risks with your life. Those who need emergency medical attention in any capacity are at risk of death or of having to cross state lines in order to find a bed and treatment.

At a news conference reported by Channel 3000, Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) Secretary Karen Timberlake stated, We are not at a plateau yet, we are not at a leveling off. We are seeing a concerning rate of growth. The states chief medical officer, Dr. Ryan Westergaard, said later in the press conference, We have not seen a turning of the corner. As the variant continues to spread unabated throughout the state, there is plenty of reason to believe more counties will reach critically high levels of transmission, only now with even less of a chance to receive immediate and proper medical assistance.

It is no coincidence that this massive surge has occurred as schools have fully reopened. Children in the state of Wisconsin account for more COVID-19 cases than any other age group. With mask mandates in schools not being applied equally in all countiesa minimal mitigation measurethe disease has spread rapidly among children, many of whom are not yet eligible for vaccination. Timberlake noted that cases were increasing especially among the 9-13 age range. According to DHSs dashboard, 1,540 children in this age group were confirmed to carry the virus the week of September 12. Meanwhile, the 14-17 age group still retains the highest per capita case rate, at 470.6 per 100,000 youth.

Last Wednesday, 17-year-old high school student Dylan Passa died after testing positive for COVID-19, the second reported Wisconsin student to die from the virus since the school year began four weeks ago. Passa, a high school senior at Mondovi High School in northwest Wisconsin, was admitted to the hospital with pneumonia on September 14, just one day before the Mondovi School Board voted unanimously to remove rules requiring students exposed to those testing positive for COVID-19 be quarantined.

The states flagship university, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, has also reported an increase in COVID-19 cases among students since the semester started on September 8. While the school reports that 91 percent of students and 94 percent of employees are fully vaccinated, there is still an average of around 26 new confirmed daily cases according to the UW COVID dashboard. Surrounding Dane County also revealed a significant increase in cases, rising to around 167 a day, a number much higher than in early August before the fall semester began.

In a recent interview with Wisconsin PBS, a Madison teacher who wished to remain anonymous, said she and coworkers had a feeling of impending doom as the start of the school year neared with the spread of the Delta variant.

The very limited mitigation measures being implemented in piecemeal fashion will not stop COVID and widespread infection and death. The situation in Wisconsin is not unique. The CDC recently reported that over 94 percent of all counties in the US are at high levels of transmission. By putting children who are truly defenseless against the virus back in the classroom, lawmakers and public officials are once again demonstrating their prioritizing of the profit interests of big business over protecting human life. The fight against the pandemic requires as an urgent first step the halting of in-person learning and the development of an independent political movement of parents, teachers and workers that demands the global eradication of COVID.
Vigo County, Ind. (WTHI) - The longevity and utter uncertainty surrounding the Covid-19 pandemic has caused a mental health crisis throughout the nation.

That's why one local organization is stepping up to provide relief.

Be Well Indiana launched the Be Well Crisis Hotline on July 20th of 2020 to help people cope with the various stressors that Covid-19 brought to the surface.

Since that time they have taken over 21,500 calls!

That represents a total of over 5,000 cumulative hours of crisis counseling.

This hotline is all in an effort to provide support, connect people with resources, and help comfort those struggling during these uncertain times.

Organizers say the pandemic has caused an increase in mental health challenges.

This is why they want to ensure they're always available.

"We're here. We're ready and waiting. We encourage you to take advantage of these resources -- They are all completely free and anonymous," Bureau Chief for Adult Mental Health Kelsi Linville said.

To be connected with a crisis counselor call 211 and then enter your zip code.

The crisis hotline is available to anyone in the state of Indiana...at all hours of the day...365 days a year.
WABASH VALLEY, Ind. (WTHI) - Local residents gathered today in Fairbanks Park. This was all to unveil a historical marker, remembering a man who was lynched more than a century ago in the Wabash Valley.

George Ward was a black man who was brutally beat and lynched back in 1901. He was accused of murder and sat in the old jail. That's when an angry white mob dragged him out and beat him up and lynched him by the Wabash River. Now, local residents are paying tribute to him by dedicating a historical marker in his honor.

Community members unveiled the historical marker around the area where he was killed. Sylvester Edwards the President of the NAACP says we can use the historical marker dedication to show we need to fight hate with love.

"Love is greater than hate no matter how the haters, the crazies, and uglies that come out here and do ugly crazy things."

Vincent Morales is the great-grandson of George Ward. He says he didn't know about what happened till his mother had a book called 100 Lynchings in Indiana.

"We never knew about it our family didn't talk about it it was something that was hidden from us for years and we found out about it we just wanted to make sure the family and everybody in the community knew what happened to our grandfather."

He says the dedication marker not only impacted his family but hopes the community can take something away from it as well.

"Because this impacted the whole community in Terre Haute at the time that this happened it's brought a light to my attention because of the horrific crime that was committed against my grandfather."

Edwards adds it's so important for children to continue to learn history like this.

"Alot of people don't want us to know about our history only what was shaped in the books but that is not all, its not all of the story.

This is just one of the ways the NAACP is bringing awareness and helping fight injustice in the Wabash Valley.
WABASH VALLEY, Ind. (WTHI) - Indiana State Police is looking for you to join its team.

The department is accepting additional applications for the 82nd recruit academy.

Applicants will undergo a Physical Abilities Test, Written Examination, and Oral Interview.

Officials tell us you must pass each phase of the interview process before moving on to the next stage.

The starting salary for the position is $48,000 a year. Applications must be submitted by Wednesday night.

For a list of requirements.. and a link to the application, click here.
PARIS, IL (WTHI) - One woman is bringing hope to victims of abduction and sexual violence.

On Sunday, News 10 sat down with Elizabeth Smart, who shares her powerful story with us.

At 14 years old, Smart was kidnapped from her bedroom at knifepoint in Salt Lake City, Utah. She was held captive for nearly a year, where she was sexually, physically, and mentally abused on a daily basis. After nine months, she was eventually rescued and reunited with her family.

Now, two decades later, she is dedicating her time to advocacy efforts. On Sunday, she held a sold-out Ted Talk at the Paris Center of Fine Arts.

"I want other survivors to know they are not alone," Smart said. "I want other survivors to know that happiness is still possible for them, and this does not have to define who you are, and you can come back from it. You are still valuable. You are still worthy."

One of the biggest things Smart is advocating for is prevention education. She says she wants to bring a greater understanding and compassion for both victims of sexual violence and abduction, and making sure everyone knows their infinite worth in this world.

"You were born with worth," she said. "You were born with infinite worth and infinite value, and nobody else can take that away from you no matter what they do to you, they cannot take that from you."
In her meetings, the Director-General again called for urgent international efforts to ramp up the production and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines to low-income countries, citing it as a moral and economic imperative.Accompanied by Deputy Director-General Angela Ellard in her discussions on trade, she underlined the importance of US support and engagement in ensuring successful outcomes at the WTO's upcoming 12th Ministerial Conference (MC12).

I was very pleased with the positive welcome we received and the degree of support expressed for the WTO, the Director-General said. Everyone wants a WTO that can deliver, for people, for workers, for business and for the environment.

At the same time, I also heard very clearly that for the WTO to succeed, it must change, it has to update its rule book, fix its dispute settlement system, resolve differences on outstanding issues and respond to the trade challenges of the 21st century.

In New York, the Director-General met with several heads of state, including President Akufu-Addo of Ghana, President Samia Suluhu Hassan of Tanzania, President Duque Marquez of Colombia, President Buhari of Nigeria and President Julius Bio of Sierra Leone as well as other senior officials on the sidelines of the United Nations' annual General Assembly meeting. The discussions covered issues such as vaccine equity, trade capacity in developing countries, eliminating harmful fisheries subsidies, the role of the WTO in post-pandemic recovery and how Africa can further benefit from regional and global value chains.

She also participated in a United Nations Development Programme Panel on Vaccine Equity with UNDP Administrator Achim Steiner and another panel on Balancing the Scales of Global Health: How to erase the health gap at the Future Investment Initiative Institute.

In Washington DC, the Director-General took part in US President Joseph Biden's Virtual COVID-19 Summit on 22 September, one of a handful of international agency heads to address the meeting. Her speech is available here. She welcomed the announcement by the United States and others to accelerate efforts to produce and distribute vaccines to low-income countries and highlighted the WTO's role in helping manufacturers ramp up production through monitoring and easing of supply chain constraints.

The Director-General and DDG Ellard also met with United States Trade Representative Katherine Tai on 22 September. The constructive discussions focused on preparations for the WTO's upcoming Ministerial Conference and the broader WTO reform agenda.

Later in the day, the Director-General and DDG Ellard met with US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, where she was encouraged by the Secretary's support for the WTO and a successful outcome to the fisheries subsidies negotiations.

She and DDG Ellard also met with Deputy Treasury Secretary Wally Adeyemo and discussed the impact of macro fiscal issues on trade as well as debt and fiscal space challenges for low-income and lower middle-income countries and the issue of greater reallocations of Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) to Africa from the unprecedented $650 billion equivalent just approved by International Monetary Fund Governors to help improve liquidity, with a view to helping these countries manage the pandemic.

Also on 22 September, the Director-General and DDG Ellard met with the heads of key US trade associations  the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the American Farm Bureau, the American Chemistry Council, the National Association of Manufacturers, the Business Roundtable, the Coalition of Services Industries, and the National Foreign Trade Council. The discussion centred on the role of the associations in helping achieve a successful MC12 meeting and ensuring the WTO is responsive to the needs of business.

The Director-General and DDG Ellard also met Liz Shuler, President of the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO), to exchange views on how trade can be an instrument for inclusion and improving living standards.

On 23 September, the Director-General and DDG Ellard met with the US House Ways and Means Committee and the US Senate Finance Committee. They briefed committee members on the latest developments at the WTO, including preparations for MC12 and the ongoing negotiations on fisheries subsidies, agriculture, trade and health, and the prospects for discussions on WTO reform post-MC12. The Director-General welcomed the constructive engagement and support expressed by the members of Congress, who expressed strong support for the WTO but underlined the need to engage in discussions which lead to effective reform of the organization in various areas of its work and functions.
Joel Alvarado was 6 years old when his mother pulled him aside and asked him to be discreet as he was getting ready to meet his grandmother in Puerto Rico.

"She made me aware that my grandmother was much darker than my other relatives, especially from her side of the family, and she didn't want me to say anything out of turn or something about her skin color," said Alvarado, 50, the executive vice president of the Atlanta-based government relations firm Ohio River South.

"These are my blood relatives, what does that make me?" he recalls thinking.

At that moment, Alvarado learned that his grandmother and himself were Black Latinos or Afro-Latinos, a group that historically has faced prejudice within Latino communities in the United States and abroad.

In the last decade, the number of people across the US who identify as Black and Hispanic has increased 11.6%, according to a CNN analysis of census data. The national debate around race along with a growing trend of young Black Latinos embracing their roots in a way that older generations may have not are some of the factors behind the uptick, experts say.

African roots in Latin America can be traced to the 1500s when the majority of enslaved Africans brought to the Americas landed in the Caribbean. Intermingling between Africans, indigenous people and the European Spaniards over generations occurred as a result of the slave trade.

The term traces to the 1970s, when Black activists in Brazil sparked a social political movement to fight for recognition in the country's census because Brazil -- at the time -- did not recognize its Black citizens in the census, said Solsiree Del Moral, a professor at Amherst College who studies Latin America and the Caribbean modern history.

Ultimately, defining what it means to be Afro-Latino is personal and can be subjective, multiple scholars and Afro-Latinos told CNN. They have dark and lighter skin, they are fully bilingual or only speak some Spanish and their families are linked to more than a dozen countries. The term acknowledges that Black Latinos face different struggles than other Latinos, especially those with lighter skin, experts say.

In the 2020 census, more than 1.3 million people identified as Black and Hispanic, compared to 1.2 million in 2010, census data shows. Mark Hugo Lopez, director of race and ethnicity research at the Pew Research Center said it is hard to pinpoint exactly what led to the increase.

"It may be because of a change in the census form and the way the responses are coded," Lopez said. "It may be people becoming more aware of their identity because of things like DNA tests and so forth and it may be because of the way in which US society has discussed and engaged with issues around race and racial equality over the last 10 years."

Many believe the murder of George Floyd in 2020 and its aftermath led to the rise of acceptance in Afro-Latino identity, but Lopez said the increase was a culmination of years of protests, anger and political polarization that took place long before Floyd's death.

You don't have to choose between being Black and Latino

Growing up, Alvarado told others that he was Black. He says it took him years to understand he could equally claim both African and Latin American roots simultaneously.

"I felt like the world was telling me 'you can either be Black or Latino, but you couldn't be both,' and I didn't know how to explain being both," he said.

The Bushwick neighborhood of Brooklyn where he grew up was very diverse, he said, but his lack of fluency in Spanish created a self-imposed pressure to figure out how he could immerse himself in the Latino community.

"I would ask myself 'am I fully accepted? Do Latinos see me as fully Latino or do they just tolerate me?''' Alvarado said, adding that no one ever did anything to him to make him feel this way.

Morehouse College, a historically Black all-male university in Atlanta, offered Alvarado a chance to understand his identity, he said. As a student, all but one of his peers saw him as a Black man, he recalls.

"When I came to Morehouse in '91, there was no 'oh Joel's from Puerto Rico.' Everybody just saw me and said 'that's a light-skin Black dude,'" he said.

As a history major at Morehouse, Alvarado researched the transatlantic slave trade as well the expansive history of Puerto Rico and the Caribbean. Later, he discovered there were Puerto Ricans on Morehouse's dive team in the 1950s, so both parts of his identity had a place at his school.

Delving into that history helped him understand who he was as an Afro-Latino, and it gave him a newfound ability to define and vocalize his identity.

"You can be Latino and Black and that doesn't take away from one or the other, and they shouldn't have to make you choose between one or the other, you can be both because they're both representative of who you are as a human being," Alvarado said.

Racism and discrimination is keeping some from identifying as Afro-Latino

Nydia Guity remembers people calling her "esa morena" in a disparaging tone. The Spanish phrase translates to "that Black Girl."

Guity, 34, was born and raised in the Bronx to Honduran immigrants. She was one of a few Black students -- and one of the few darker skinned students -- in her elementary school bilingual class. She recalled Spanish-speakers saying "dehumanizing and disgusting" things about Black people around her because they assumed she wouldn't understand.

But once it was known she understood Spanish, she said "people suddenly felt comfortable to share things about Blackness in my presence that, for me, are super offensive. It's like 'you do know that I'm Black, right?'"

Unlike Alvarado, who was also teased as a child for his racial ambiguity but ultimately came to embrace his full Afro-Latino identity, Guity said she's exhausted of having to explain to people why she can speak Spanish fluently. For her, saying she's Afro-Latina erases her Blackness.

"I'm not any less Black because I speak Spanish," she said.

Instead of calling herself Afro Latina, Guity says she prefers to identify with the African subculture within Honduras called Garifuna. These are the descendants of people from the Caribbean island of St. Vincent who were exiled from the island and relocated to Central American countries like Honduras, Nicaragua and Belize.

Carlos Olave, head of the Hispanic Reading Room at the Library of Congress, and Maria Pena, a spokeswoman for the Library of Congress, said colorism runs deep in the Spanish language. One example of that is the phrase "mejorar la raza," which means to improve the race.

"In the popular culture there's still that belief -- whether it's subconscious or not -- that if you marry someone lighter than you, you have a better chance for upward mobility," Pena said, adding there are certain parts of Latin America where social mobility depends on the complexion of a person's skin.

A 2019 Pew Research survey highlighted how darker skin color is associated with more frequent experiences of discrimination among Latinos, including people questioning their intelligence, being the subject of jokes and unfair treatment from police.

"Darker-skinned Latinos were more likely across every single discrimination experience we asked about to say that had happened to them in the year before the survey than lighter-skinned Latinos," said Lopez, the director of race and ethnicity research at the Pew Research Center.

In Puerto Rico, many Latinos struggle to see themselves as Black or of African descent because they link it to slavery, racism and racial violence and many identified as White in the census for decades, said Barbara Abadia-Rexach, a Latina/Latino studies professor at San Francisco State University.

After more than 75% of people in Puerto Rico identified as White in the 2010 survey, Colectivo Ile, an anti-racism group of educators and organizers, launched a campaign to encourage citizens to self-identify as Black or more than one race in the 2020 survey.

Abadia-Rexach, who was part of the campaign, said she encountered many people on the island who said they didn't have to answer the race question because they could write in "Puerto Rican" on the census question about Hispanic and Latino origin.

Puerto Rico was one of the places where the most pronounced growth of multiracial population was reported in the 2020 census. Only 17% of the population chose White as the only racial category while more than half said they were more than one race.

Olave and other experts said there are Latinos who, no matter their complexion, don't acknowledge their African roots and have a hard time choosing a race.

"I'm not Black, I'm ..." Dominican, Puerto Rican, Colombian or any country of origin is common because some people identify more with their experience rather than their race, Olave said.

In the 2010 census, 94% of the US population chose at least one of the five standard, government-defined racial categories -- White, Black, Asian, American Indian or Pacific Islander. But among those who identified as Hispanic, 63% selected at least one of these categories compared to 37% who chose "some other race."

Many respondents offered write-in responses such as "Mexican," Hispanic" or "Latin American," according to the Census Bureau.

While some use the term Afro-Latino to merely reclaim their roots, Abadia-Rexach said the term should also be used to challenge the anti-Black attitudes within Latinx communities in the US and abroad.

"People should answer the race question in a political way, how you see yourself, but also how you are treated," said Abadia-Rexach, adding that she asserts her identity as a Black woman as a means of making a political statement.

There's a stark difference in generational views of Afro-Latino identity

Growing up, Erica-Antoinette Castillo Slaton, 40, said she always felt like she was "other." Outside, she was a Black American, but at home, she was the daughter of immigrant parents from Belize and Honduras.

It wasn't until she turned 18 and left for college that she embraced how different she was, starting with changing the pronunciation of her (maiden) last name.

What was formerly pronounced in English as Castillo -- the double L sounds like "jello" -- transformed into the Spanish pronunciation Castillo, where the double L sounds like a "Y" like the word "pollo" or chicken in Spanish.

"I decided to no longer assimilate, but to provide it as is in terms of who I was," Slaton said. Her parents were more concerned with working and supporting their children, she said, than how their name was pronounced.

Changing the pronunciation of her last name led Slaton to eventually see herself as an Afro-Latina woman, something that was unfamiliar to her parents. Slaton said neither of her parents identify as Afro-Latino, even though they could be considered such by definition of their racial and ethnic background.

Her mother identifies as Belizean, Honduran and Garifuna, but has never been in a space to consider whether she was Afro-Latina, Slaton said. Her father identifies as Belizean and Garifuna.

"I think people have the freedom and the right to identify with what they want and it doesn't have to look a certain way to those of us on the outside," Slaton said.

While most of the adults who spoke to CNN came to terms with their racial and ethnic identity at a much later age, 16-year-old Nation Shabazz Alvarado is well aware of his diverse heritage.

Unlike his father Joel Alvarado, Nation learned at a fairly young age that his father was a darker-skinned Afro-Latino man from Puerto Rico and his mother was a biracial woman -- Black and White -- from Alabama.

"It's confusing for anybody to understand it -- especially someone who's younger -- by themselves, luckily I have parents who kind of know this," Nation said. "They showed me -- especially at a younger age -- who I am and what I am. That really helped me in the long run, knowing where I fit and knowing who I am."

When Nation heard the story about his father meeting his grandmother for the first time, he says it confused him and made him wonder what stopped his relatives from showing Alvarado "who he really was" at a younger age. Now, he understands that his grandparents and parents lived during a time where racism, colorism and segregation were more prevalent in both the US and Latin America.

"Racism, in itself, is like a virus. It's spread until eventually there is antibiotic that takes it out. The antibiotic is the new generation that's coming in," Nation said.

"There's a lot more people like me coming into the world," he added.

The-CNN-Wire

 &  2021 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved.
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP)  A hospital spokeswoman says six people who were wounded in a mass shooting at a Tennessee supermarket are no longer in critical condition.

Angie Golding, a spokeswoman for Regional One Health in Memphis, told news outlets that one person was in serious condition and five others were in good condition Sunday.

On Thursday, a gunman killed one person and himself and wounded 14 others at a Kroger in Collierville, east of Memphis.

Police say the victims included 10 employees and five customers.

A family friend says the gunman worked in a sushi business at the store.

The Collierville store remains closed.
PEARLINGTON, Miss. (AP)  Authorities have found the body of a missing 2-year-old Louisiana girl in a remote part of southwest Mississippi, and the girls stepfather has been arrested on suspicion of illegally disposing of her body.

Coroner Derek Turnage told the Biloxi Sun Herald Navaeh Allens remains were found Sunday in the Logtown area of Hancock County, Mississippi.

Baton Rouge, Louisiana police, meanwhile, have arrested the girls stepfather, Phillip Gardner.

They tell The Advocate of Baton Rouge that the 30-year-old Gardner acknowledged finding the girl unresponsive and disposing of her remains without notifying authorities.

Gardner was booked into jail on Sunday.

Jail records did not list an attorney for him.
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP)  The father of a University of Alabama student who killed herself after reporting she was raped has settled a lawsuit against the man she had accused.

The Tuscaloosa News reports that the federal court did not disclose details of the settlement between Michael Rondini, of Austin, Texas, and T.J. Bunn Jr., of Tuscaloosa.

Rondini's daughter, Megan Rondini, killed herself eight months after accusing Bunn of rape.

Bunn said they had consensual sex.

A Tuscaloosa grand jury had declined to indict Bunn on criminal charges.

Court records show that the settlement came during court-ordered mediation three days before a trial over the lawsuit had been scheduled.
TUPELO, Miss. (WTVA) - The Mississippi Department of Rehabilitation Services helps disabled people overcome obstacles and become valuable members of the workforce.

"I'm just ready to get back into the workforce," patient Paul Conlee said.

Conlee said that is why he's at the department in Tupelo.

He explained that because of a medical condition, he had his leg amputated in 2019. His pain is gone, but his ability to work may never be the same.

"I got real down on myself, wanted to give up. [I] finally called around to a couple of people, found this absolutely wonderful place," Conlee explained.

Some skills workers teach how to be on time, how to get along with others and conducting mock interviews.

Once patients get the skills they need, the department will then help them find jobs.

Facility Manager Tracy Hester said working in Ability Works is very rewarding.

"To see them where they come and where they leave us is very fulfilling," Hester said. "To know that they've left with confidence and a bag full of work training skills and tools."

"The feeling of accomplishment, just knowing that I'm doing something that matters every day now, where before I kinda just felt like I was stuck in the house all the time and couldn't really contribute. It's turned my life around. It's amazing, man," Conlee added.

Ability Works contracts with companies, such as Bed, Bath & Beyond.

An example of hands-on training the facility provides is teaching people to stuff dog beds and get them ready to ship out.

For Conlee, he wants everyone to know that being disabled won't keep him down.

"Life is better with one leg, man," he said. "This place needs to be seen and known about. It makes a big difference for people like me, man."

Rehab Services is a state agency.

Anyone interested in joining the crew can check online for available jobs. Look on the Mississippi Personnel Board on the Mississippi Department of Rehab Services website here.

Requirements for different positions vary. Some jobs require a high school diploma, others require a college degree.

Some positions the department will hire include counselors, evaluators who assist the counselors, counselor assistants and production staff.
Watch: Ben Whishaw mulls his future in the James Bond films

Ben Whishaw wants to continue playing Q  James Bond's quartermaster  after No Time To Die, if producers will have him back for Bond 26.

Talking to Yahoo about the next Bond film, in cinemas on Thursday, Whishaw says his three-picture deal to play Bond's gadget man has been fulfilled in Skyfall, Spectre and No Time To Die, but he wants to carry on beyond that.

"I was contracted to do three films," Whishaw explains.

"That is obviously up now. And I was wondering if there is a future for me as Q, and I was wondering to myself how I felt about that. And today I woke up and thought 'ooh, maybe I kinda would like to continue'. So we'll see."

Desmond Llewelyn (191499) as Q with Pierce Brosnan as 007 in The World Is Not Enough, 1999. (Keith Hamshere/Getty Images)

Previous incarnations of Q include John Cleese, who played the character in 2002's Die Another Day, and Desmond Llewelyn, who played him in every Bond film  except 1973's Live and Let Die  from 1963's From Russia with Love to 1999's The World Is Not Enough.

Read more: No Time To Die director on the next James Bond

The character didn't appear at all in Daniel Craig's first two Bond films, so Whishaw accepts it's not really up to him whether Q will be be back.

"I feel like it's completely out of my hands," Whishaw says.

Ben Whishaw, Daniel Craig and Rory Kinnear in Spectre (MGM/EON/Sony Pictures)

Producer Michael G Wilson is a fan though, and despite refusing to be drawn on future plans for Q (or Bond for that matter), he paid tribute to the Paddington star's portrayal.

"He's a great Q," Wilson tells Yahoo. "He just brings so much to it. He has a light touch, but he's also... he can play the serious parts extremely well."

No Time To Die hits UK cinemas on 30 September (MGM/Universal Pictures/EON)

No Time To Die is directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga, from a screenplay by Neal Purvis & Robert Wade and Cary Joji Fukunaga and Phoebe Waller-Bridge, with a story by Neal Purvis & Robert Wade and Cary Joji Fukunaga.

No Time To Die will be released in UK cinemas 30 September. Watch a trailer below.
As OPEC reopens the taps, African giants losing race to pump more FILE PHOTO: Kaombo Norte floating oil platform is seen from a helicopter off the coast of Angola

By Libby George

LAGOS (Reuters) - Top African oil exporters Nigeria and Angola will struggle to boost output to their OPEC quota levels until at least next year as underinvestment and nagging maintenance problems continue to hobble output, sources at their respective oil firms warn.

Their battle mirrors that of several other members of the OPEC+ group who curbed production in the past year to support prices when COVID-19 hit demand, but are now failing to ramp up output https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/opec-compliance-with-oil-cuts-rises-116-august-sources-say-2021-09-21 to meet soaring global fuel needs as economies recover.

The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies (OPEC+) agreed in July to add 400,000 barrels per day (bpd) to production from August until December 2021, slowly phasing out the unprecedented supply cuts.

However, Nigeria and Angola have underproduced by an average of 276,000 bpd so far this year out of their combined average OPEC quota of 2.83 million bpd according to Refinitiv data. They are likely to remain below quota through the end of the year, according to industry sources and Reuters calculations.

The oil not pumped is worth hundreds of millions of dollars.

Graphic: Angola and Nigeria both underproducing vs quotas - https://graphics.reuters.com/OPEC-OIL/AFRICA/byprjlbbxpe/chart.png

Lockdowns aimed at stemming COVID-19 last year hindered the supply of spare parts https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-oil-maintenance-an-idUKKBN22V0LT and prevented maintenance work. Companies battered by a 20-year low in crude prices also postponed major investments.

Kola Karim, chief executive of Nigerian producer Shoreline Natural Resources which has eight producing fields pumping around 50,000 bpd, said the backlog meant it would be one to two quarters before Nigeria could pump at its full capacity.

The maintenance backlog covers everything from servicing wells to replacing valves, pumps and pipeline sections. Companies are also behind on plans to do supplementary drilling to keep production stable. These issues impacted virtually all companies in Nigeria, Karim said.

Story continues

"So now things are breaking...we're now facing the music," he told Reuters, though he added that the country would catch up on production by early 2022 as companies rush maintenance and repairs.

Two sources, one at Nigerian state oil company NNPC and another close to Angolan state oil company Sonangol, confirmed the countries were struggling to raise output.

Spokesmen at NNPC and Nigeria's oil and finance ministries did not reply to requests for comment.

Oil Minister Timipre Sylva told journalists last week that he expected Nigeria to meet its quota within a month or two, but did not specify how. The government has previously pointed to a recently signed oil overhaul law as key to boosting investment and production.

Angola's finance ministry told Reuters that it could struggle to meet its target for years.

DECLINE AND UNDERINVESTMENT

In June, Angola's oil minister, Diamantino Azevedo, lowered its targeted oil output for 2021 by 27,000 bpd to 1.19 million bpd, citing in a statement production declines at mature fields, drilling delays due to COVID-19 and "technical and financial challenges" in deepwater oil exploration. That is below the current 1.33 million bpd quota.

Angola pumped roughly 1.3 million bpd in 2020, down from its record peak above 1.8 million bpd in 2008.

It has embarked on a string of reforms to boost output.

"The reality is only five countries can actually hit these quotas in our view," said Amrita Sen of Energy Aspects. "The rest are struggling with high decline rates and underinvestment."

Those five are Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Iraq and Azerbaijan.

Graphic: Oil not pumped worth millions - https://graphics.reuters.com/OPEC-OIL/AFRICA/lgpdwwdylvo/chart.png

In Nigeria, five onshore export terminals run by oil majors, which typically export around 900,000 bpd, handled 20% less oil in July than the same time last year, despite relaxed quotas, according to analysis shared only with Reuters from consultancy Hawilti Ltd. The decline indicates lower production from all the onshore fields that feed these terminals.

Only French oil major TotalEnergies' new deep offshore oilfield and export terminal Egina, had been able to quickly turn the taps back on, said Mickael Vogel, director at Hawilti, citing an analysis based on data from Nigeria's Department of Petroleum Resources.

Onshore oilfield output has lagged as companies struggled with a lack of workers and cash.

"Putting those wells back onstream has been more challenging than they thought," Vogel said.

Nigeria has not met its quota since July last year according to Refinitiv data.

Graphic: Nigeria struggles to capitalize on quota increases - https://graphics.reuters.com/OPEC-OIL/AFRICA/klpykkaympg/chart.png

Angola, Africa's second-largest exporter, has pumped below its target since September last year.

Graphic: Angola's oil output lags its OPEC ceiling - https://graphics.reuters.com/OPEC-OIL/AFRICA/myvmnnzrwpr/chart.png

It has struggled for years as its oilfields age and decline, and exploration has been insufficient to compensate, Justin Cochrane, director for African Regional Research for IHS, said.

Angola's largest fields began production in the early 2000s and are past their plateau.

The country made a string of reforms https://www.reuters.com/article/us-africa-oil-reform-idUSKBN1XL1FF in 2019 aimed at boosting exploration, including allowing companies to produce from marginal fields adjacent to those they already operate. The pandemic stunted the impact of those reforms. By May, not a single rig was drilling https://www.reuters.com/article/global-oil-angola-idCNL8N2CT5W6 in Angola for the first time in nearly 40 years.

Since then, only three offshore rigs have resumed work.

"They're swimming against the tide with declines outpacing new production," Cochrane said.

(Additional reporting by Camillus Eboh in Abuja and Karin Strohecker in London; Editing by Dmitry Zhdannikov and Emelia Sithole-Matarise)
First, it was COVID-19.

Then, it was cancer.

And last, it was an expiring visa.

But that wasn't enough to keep a South Dakotan woman and South African man from falling in love and living for the moment, as the two opted for a surprise wedding earlier this month.

Tiaan Treurnicht and Samantha Gacke got married on Sept. 9, more than a year after meeting each other during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. The couple, once featured in a USA TODAY Network series about love during this public health crisis, faced a setback when Treurnicht's work visa expired, making him return to South Africa.

It then took longer than expected to renew, and left the couple half a world apart.

Here's an update on the pair from the "Love in the age of COVID-19" story:

Tiaan and Samantha Treurnicht with their "matchmaker" Lindsey Tullis (middle) during their wedding reception.

Meeting during COVID-19

The couple met in mid-2020 when Gacke, from Sioux Falls, made a trip down to Iowa to hangout with her bestfriend Lindsey Tullis. The 32-year-old asked her friend, at the time, to invite some coworkers she'd always talk about, who were from South Africa.

Gacke instantly formed a connection with Tiaan Treurnicht, who was working in Iowa under a work-visa at Central Valley Ag.

After a few months of dating, the two had to separate as Treurnicht went home. During Christmas vacation that year, Gacke managed to visit Treurnicht in his home country of South Africa, after her loved ones crowd-funded part of her flight.

Tiaan and Samantha Treurnicht in South Africa visiting in December.

Once back in the states, Gacke had to wait for Treurnicht to renew his work visa, which took longer than usual due to COVID-19 travel restrictions.

The United States embassy is slower," Treurnicht told the USA TODAY Network in February. "All the paperwork I should be getting is slow, its frustrating.

On Valentine's Day in 2021, the couple was still separated, but they held out hope they'd be reunited eventually.

"We do kind of joke about that if we've been through all of this, I don't know what else they can throw at us," Gacke said in February. "But I guess bring it on, because we can tackle whatever now."

Story continues

More: Love in the age of COVID-19: South Dakotans found love in new ways during pandemic

"No matter what, I need him next to me"

Treurnicht finally made it back to Iowa in mid-March.

"We got in a month and a half later than we usually do, and then had to stay in lockdown for two weeks," Treurnicht said.

When Treurnicht and Gacke were reunited in April, a new challenge hit the couple. Gacke found out she had cancer after an eye surgery in late June.

"When I found out that I had cancer, he was already my rock, but I honestly don't know what I would have done without him there," Gacke said.

They grew closer through Gacke's radiation treatments. As of September, the treatments are over, but it's unknown if the cancer is gone.

"I'm not in the clear yet, I won't really know for a couple of months," Gacke said. "I just imagine, what if I would have to go through this again, and no matter what, I need him next to me."

Tiaan and Samantha Treurnicht at Badlands National Park.

14 days until the 'secret' wedding

With Gacke going through her radiation treatments, and with her separation from Treurnicht in the rearview mirror, the relationship continued progressing.

"Before we knew it, we started talking more and more about what's happening next, the two of us in the back of our minds didn't want to go through any of that again," Treurnicht said.

Following in his own customs, Treurnicht went to talk to Gacke's parents before proposing to her. He jokingly said if he hadn't done it that way, his own father would be upset with him.

"I decided I'm going to marry her. Man, I was stressed out," Treurnicht said. "My hands were all sweaty, and I went to talk to her parents."

Both of Gacke's parents gave Treurnicht their blessing, and on Aug. 21, the 27-year-old proposed to Gacke in front of her family.

"I wanted to ask her in front of her family, because I know how much they mean to her," Treurnicht said. "I tried to make it a little bit more special."

Treurnicht and Gacke began planning a wedding, but things changed with a visit to an immigration lawyer.

If the couple wanted to avoid spending an extended amount of time separated, they needed to secure Treurnicht's permanent residency in the U.S.

The wedding was sped up so the couple could apply for Treurnicht's green card.

"I called my dad back home, and told him we're getting married pretty soon  in a week and a half soon," Treurnicht said.

Gacke said she, alongside her sister and mother, planned the wedding in less than 14 days.

"My mom and my sister had already started the Pinterest board, so they were already in planning mode," Gacke said.

The soon-to-be bride didn't even get to pick out her dress, but managed to find the perfect fit courtesy of her mother.

"I didn't say, 'Yes to the dress,' but my mom did," Gacke said. "She picked out one that was on sale, and that was the one I wore."

Tiaan and Samantha Treurnicht pose for a photo after getting married on Thursday September 9, 2021.

During the wedding day, Treurnicht tried to keep his mind focused elsewhere. He even went to work that day. He didn't tell his boss he was getting married until he was asked why he needed to leave early.

"I worked until 4 p.m., and the wedding was at 7:30 p.m.," Treurnicht jokingly said. "I felt guilty to ask for the whole day off."

While Treurnicht got ready in one room, Gacke was in another, waiting to put on her dress.

"It was 6:30 p.m., and I was like, 'Can I just put my dress on and get married already?' I was so excited to marry Tiaan," Gacke said. "The next thing I know, we were being announced as husband and wife, and then we had champagne in our hands."

More: Tens of thousands of New York health care workers could lose jobs as soon as today over vaccine: COVID-19 updates

One last hurdle before 'happily ever after'

After their "secret" wedding, the Treurnichts went on a quick honeymoon. While the couple is happily married, they still have a couple loose ends to tie before they reach "happily ever after."

Tiaan Treurnicht still lives in Iowa, because of his job, and is waiting to complete his permanent residence. Now that the ball is rolling on his green card application, he's can't leave the country until he gets a new visa issued.

Once he gets a new visa, he plans to visit South Africa with his wife for a few weeks.

"It's gonna take about three to five months for me to get a work permit, so I can go back home," he said. "I won't have to apply for anymore visas, and I can finally live with her."

Samantha Treurnicht said although the couple might still have to be apart from each other for a little bit, it'll all be worth it.

"I wouldn't want to do this with anybody else," Samantha Treurnicht said. "It'll just be a little crazy, but at least we're doing it together. We're going to make it work."

This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: Love in the age of COVID update: Couple weds amid cancer diagnosis
As the deadly COVID-19 Delta variant continues to spread and vaccination rates aren't moving much in the right direction, tourist destinations around the U.S. and beyond have been forced to make difficult decisions around what to do with unvaccinated visitors. They're trying to balance bringing in the most significant number of tourists to offset massive financial losses from the pandemic and creating safety protocols that will keep everyone safe. In recent weeks, an increasing number of foreign countries have put vaccine requirements on U.S. travelers to their shores. And, citing rising COVID numbers, the European Union announced in August that it had moved the U.S. off of its "safe travel list" and encouraged member countries to implement restrictions for travelers from the U.S.

RELATED: If You're Unvaccinated, the White House Is Implementing This New Rule.

Several countries, Sweden, Bulgaria, and Norway, have now banned all travelers from the U.S., regardless of vaccination status. In Sweden, "there is a ban on non-essential travel  directly from countries outside the EU/EEA. The ban applies to foreign nationals from countries outside the EU/EEA and will remain in effect until 31 October 2021," which includes Americans.

Bulgaria's restrictions note that "U.S. citizens traveling directly from the United States to Bulgaria are not allowed to enter Bulgaria unless they meet an exception because the United States is categorized as a Red Zone country." Some of these exceptions include citizens of the E.U. and essential workers.

And Norway's approach is similar. On the country's tourism website, Norway officials note: "If you live in most other countries outside the EU/EEA (including the U.S.)  you are currently not permitted to enter Norway." Though there are some exemptions there too, holding a U.S. vaccine certificate is not among them. However, the Norway websites says "solutions are being worked on to extend [entry]  to persons who have been vaccinated with vaccines approved in the United Kingdom, the United States and by the WHO. This has not been clarified yet."

Story continues

RELATED: For more up-to-date information, sign up for our daily newsletter.

Meanwhile, France, Netherlands, Spain, Greenland, Estonia, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Malta, and Latvia have all opened their borders to vaccinated people from the U.S., but tourists who are unvaccinated from the States are largely not allowed.

Many Caribbean countries have also issued vaccination mandates for tourists. For example, visitors to Turks and Caicos must bring not only proof of vaccination but also a negative COVID test before entry is allowed. Those planning a trip to Trinidad and Tobago should also note that the country has imposed a strict daily curfew from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. to minimize potential transmissions. Grenada, however, has some of the most strict set of requirements for entry. The country says visitors must be fully vaccinated with a World Health Organization-approved vaccine and must provide proof of a negative COVID test within 72 hours of departure. Once you arrive, you'll be required to take an additional PCR test and must quarantine until the results of the test are made available (which is usually a 48-hour period).

Other European countries, including Czech Republic, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, and Romania, currently allow unvaccinated travelers from the U.S., but they require that they complete several COVID tests and/or lengthy quarantines before entering.

Given the fluidity of the pandemic, it's recommended that you regularly check with the U.S. State Department's most up-to-date travel recommendations and research rules at your planned destination before booking a trip.

RELATED: Unvaccinated People Who Work in These 3 States Could Be Fired This Week.
Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence Brief President Meryl Streep in Don't Look Up Clip

Netflix/Youtube

Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence are humankind's last hope for survival in their upcoming star-studded Netflix film Don't Look Up.

In a new clip from the movie, astronomers Dr. Randall Mindy (DiCaprio) and Dr. Kate Dibiasky (Lawrence) have 20 minutes to brief President Janie Orlean (Meryl Streep) on an asteroid that's 99.78% likely to cause global catastrophe.

"Oh great, so it's not 100%," says President Orlean's son and chief of staff Jason (Jonah Hill), as she declares, "I'm going to call it 70% and let's just move on."

RELATED: Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence Team Up in Photo from Netflix's Don't Look Up

The clip paints a humorous satirical look at the U.S. government's indifference to taking on potentially apocalyptic disasters, culminating with an exchange of quips between Lawrence and Hill. "Aren't you her son?" she jabs, before he responds, "I'm chief of staff, boy with the dragon tattoo, so I'm doing just fine."

"How many tampons can you fit in that bag?" Lawrence cuts back, as Hill answers, "As many as I want."

Don't Look Up follows DiCaprio and Lawrence as two low-level astronomers on a media tour, attempting to warn the world of impending doom. The Adam McKay-helmed movie also stars Ariana Grande, Timothee Chalamet, Kid Cudi, Cate Blanchett, Chris Evans, Matthew Perry, Gina Gershon, Melanie Lynskey, and Tyler Perry.

"Adam has an unparalleled ability to spark conversation with humor and timely stories," DiCaprio, 46, told PEOPLE earlier this month. "I knew when I read his script that it was incredibly unique, as it struck an important chord concerning the modern world we live in. Adam has woven an incredibly timely message about society, how we communicate, our current priorities, and the climate crisis into an absurdly funny yet important movie."

RELATED: Gaten Matarazzo, Joe Keery, and Duffer Brothers Introduce New Stranger Things Season 4 Teaser

Story continues

Lawrence, 31, was announced to star in the film last February, and the rest of the rest of the cast was rounded out in October.

RELATED VIDEO: Jennifer Lawrence Is Pregnant, Expecting First Baby with Husband Cooke Maroney

The Hunger Games alum was injured on the Boston set of the dark comedy in February when a stunt explosion reportedly caused glass to get in Lawrence's eye.

See the star-studded cast of Don't Look Up when the movie premieres Dec. 10 on Netflix.
The Cosmopolitan Las Vegas

LAS VEGAS  The owner of the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, the New York private equity firm Blackstone, is selling the 3,000-room Las Vegas Strip hotel in a $5.65 billion deal with a partnership that plans to contract with casino giant MGM Resorts International to operate the property.

The new owners  the Cherng Family Trust, headed by Panda Express billionaires Andrew and Peggy Cherng; real estate investment firm Stonepeak Partners; and a Blackstone real estate fund, Real Estate Income Trust Inc.  will pay more than $4 billion to acquire the property, Blackstone said Monday. MGM Resorts will pay $1.6 billion to take over the hotel's operations.

Blackstone said it has agreements with unions for about 3,000 employees to keep their jobs.

The transaction needs regulatory approval and is projected to close in the first half of 2022.

'Its slim pickings right now': Why travelers may have to settle for alternative vacations

Eco-friendly hotels?: Marriott announces plan to reach net-zero emissions by 2050

The Cosmopolitan includes a casino, the Marquee nightclub, several restaurants and a fourth-floor swimming pool overlooking Las Vegas Boulevard. It opened in 2010 at a cost of about $4 billion and sits between MGM Resorts' Bellagio and the City Center project that includes the Aria Resort & Casino and Vdara Hotel & Spa.

Blackstone bought it in 2014 from Deutsche Bank for about $1.7 billion and said Monday it invested some $500 million in renovations.

The property, along with all other casinos in Nevada, was closed due to the coronavirus pandemic from mid-March to early June 2020. But Blackstone said the Cosmopolitan's performance in the second quarter of 2021 exceeded pre-COVID levels.

MGM Resorts, a major presence on the Strip, will run the hotel complex. It already owns 13 Las Vegas Boulevard properties, including the MGM Grand, Mandalay Bay and Delano Las Vegas and New York-New York, as well as the T-Mobile Arena and the Park retail promenade.

MGM Resorts executives called The Cosmopolitan a good fit with other company properties and said the deal should drive growth at the hotel.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas is being sold, managed by MGM Resorts
Sep. 27JOHNSTOWN, Pa.  Using the vernacular, one might say that Joshua Horner has been around the block.

Like many people who struggle through each day, Horner turned to alcohol.

"I didn't want to look at my father's suicide," said Horner, 33, of Johnstown. "My best friend took his life right in front of me.

"The death of my mother and my grandparents, these things brought a lot of pain," he said. "Instead of looking at them in a healing way, I used alcohol to blind myself. Four years ago, I said, 'Enough is enough.' "

Horner was one of many who turned out at Central Park in downtown Johnstown on Saturday for the fifth annual Recovery in the Valley, sponsored by Magellan Behavioral Health of Pennsylvania. Those in recovery shared stories, and organizations including Crossroads, Alliance Medical Services of Johnstown and the Community Guidance Center gave out literature about recovery programs.

"As you can see, there is no shortage of agencies and individuals here working in Cambria County, all with the same goal  to promote recovery and reduce the stigma," said Steph Cassanese, recovery support navigator for Magellan.

Horner views recovery as a step-by-step growing process. The first step is asking for help.

"Asking for help, there's no shame in that game," he said. "For the longest time, I didn't ask for help, and all it did was get me farther and farther."

He is grateful for the support he received from Christ the Saviour Orthodox Cathedral in Johnstown's West End.

"They looked at me for who I was and didn't judge me," Horner said. "There was a woman who took me to church for a year and a half because I didn't have a car."

People take different roads to recovery, said Tracy Shultz, director of operations for Magellan.

"We're celebrating people who are in recovery no matter which path they choose," she said.
The much-anticipated trailer for director Paul Thomas Anderson's next film is finally here, and it boasts some familiar names and faces. We also finally have confirmation on it title: It is indeed Licorice Pizza, not Soggy Bottom, as previously rumored.

Licorice Pizza stars Cooper Hoffman, son of the late Philip Seymour Hoffman, and Alana Haim, one of the three sisters of the band Haim, as young California sweethearts in the 1970s. Both have aspirations of Hollywood stardom, with Hoffman's character claiming he's "a showman; that's what I'm meant to do." But he seems to get jealous after Haim's character starts showing up at fancy parties with older, richer men.

Bradley Cooper also stars as Jon Peters, the hairdresser and Hollywood film producer and  as the trailer makes very clear  former longtime boyfriend of Barbra Streisand. Between this film and Guillermo del Toro's forthcoming Nightmare Alley, Cooper will clearly have a busy winter promoting major movies. Sean Penn, Tom Waits, and Benny Safdie are also part of the Licorice Pizza cast.

LICORICE PIZZA | Official Trailer | MGM Studios

MGM Cooper Hoffman and Alana Haim in 'Licorice Pizza'

Set to David Bowie's "Life on Mars," the trailer seems to signal a return to form  rock music, California dreaming, period fashion  for San Fernando Valley native Anderson after he released the 2017 English upperclass historical fashion drama Phantom Thread. He's previously worked with Alana directing music videos for Haim, and collaborated with Hoffman's father, Philip, on acclaimed films like Boogie Nights and The Master.

Watch the trailer for Licorice Pizza above. The movie does not have a release date yet but will premiere only in theaters.

Related content:
Formula One motorsport executive Ross Brawn has backed Lewis Hamilton to reach 120 victories after the British star brought up his century in Russia.

The seven-time world champion took advantage of a dramatic rain-hit conclusion to Sundays race at Sochis Olympic Park to record the landmark haul and assume control of his title battle with Max Verstappen.

Hamilton, 36, levelled Michael Schumachers tally of 91 victories last October, and a year on has moved nine ahead of the German driver.

Lots has changed in the world since 2007 But @LewisHamilton is still winning! #F1 pic.twitter.com/9p1njB4Hbe  Formula 1 (@F1) September 26, 2021

Hamilton put pen-to-paper on a two-year contract extension earlier this season  and Brawn, who was integral in persuading him to leave McLaren for Mercedes  has predicted he could now pass the combined totals of Alain Prost (51), Ayrton Senna (41) and Sir Jackie Stewart (27).

One hundred is a milestone no one thought anyone would ever reach, said Brawn, technical director of Ferrari when Schumacher dominated the sport at the turn of the century.

Michaels tally of 91 was so far ahead of what anyone else had ever done at that point that it never seemed conceivable that anyone would get near it.

But then Lewis beat it  and now Lewis has 100 wins. There is nothing stopping him.

Who knows where its going to end up? I dont think we could predict 200 wins, but I think we could certainly predict 20 more as hes still massively competitive and motivated. Its just staggering as its a centenary that no one ever thought would be achieved.

Story continues

Hamilton will head to the 16th round of a scheduled 22 in Turkey a week on Sunday holding a two-point advantage over Verstappen in his quest for a record-breaking eighth crown.

Hamiltons Red Bull rival drove from last to second, elevated up the order in the closing stages after he took an early decision to switch from slick to wet tyres.

Lando Norris had been on course to become the youngest British F1 winner, but he was denied a maiden victory when he initially refused to stop for the intermediate rubber. The 21-year-old limped home in seventh.

Brawn added: Lando will be hurting right now. We all felt his pain when he slid off the track. It was a tragedy.

You could ask  should his McLaren team have taken the lead and insisted he pit when he said he didnt want to? Id say its 60/40 in favour of the team making the decision.

That sinking feeling a driver or a team gets when they realise they made the wrong call, and the lead is evaporating before their very eyes, is horrible.

They have my sympathies, but that kind of drama is what makes F1 so fantastic.
ALBANY, N.Y.  In the final push before New York state's vaccine mandate for medical workers took effect Monday, at least 8,700 nursing home workers chose to get the COVID-19 vaccine to avoid losing their jobs, state data showed.

The percentage of nursing home staff receiving at least one dose of COVID-19 increased to 89% as of Sunday, up from 83% on Wednesday.

Still, that means about 16,000 of the 145,000 total nursing home workers statewide had yet to comply with the vaccine mandate, which has some nursing home operators concerned about staff shortages negatively impacting care for residents.

As for hospitals, the number of workers who waited to the 11th hour to comply with the vaccine mandate remains unclear, as the state-run database tracking the effort has not been updated since Wednesday.

Hospitals reported 84% of their roughly 450,000 workers were vaccinated as of Wednesday, up from 81% on Sept. 15. That left the future employment of about 72,000 hospital workers unclear, though many hospitals policies appeared to allow workers to get vaccinated through the end of Monday in order to retain their jobs.

A Covid-19 vaccine shot is administered at the Rockland County Fire Training Center in Pomona March 1, 2021. Rockland County worked with Refuah Health Center, Good Samaritan Hospital and the Rockland County Office for the Aging to vaccinate 280 seniors from the Office the AgingOs Senior Covid-19 vaccine waitlist.

The showdown come as New York Gov. Kathy Hochul has vowed to call up National Guard medical staff to fill staffing gaps in hospitals and nursing homes as part of an emergency plan revealed Saturday.

Other options include deploying vaccinated workers from other states or tapping recent graduates or retirees  similar to steps New York took at the beginning of the pandemic in March 2020 when hospitals were overwhelmed with COVID cases. Hochul's plan is also pursuing potentially bringing vaccinated workers from other countries, such as Ireland and the Philippines.

On Sunday, Hochul also pleaded with unvaccinated New Yorkers to get shots during comments delivered at Christian Cultural Center in Brooklyn.

"We are not through this pandemic, I wished we were but I prayed a lot to God during this time and you know what - God did answer our prayers," she said. "He made the smartest men and women, the scientists, the doctors, the researchers - he made them come up with a vaccine."

Story continues

"I wear my 'vaccinated' necklace all the time to say I'm vaccinated," she added. "I need you to be my apostles. I need you to go out and talk about it and say, we owe this to each other."

The Democrat governor's comments came after a federal judge on Sept. 14 issued a temporary restraining order blocking New York state from enforcing its medical worker vaccine mandate against those seeking a religious exemption.

The judge's order was connected to a lawsuit filed by 17 Catholic and Baptist medical workers who claimed the state disallowing a religious exemption from the vaccine mandate was unconstitutional.

Also, there is a temporary order blocking the mandate from going into effect for New York court workers.

Staff at other entities covered by the state medical worker vaccine mandate  including home care, hospice and adult care facilities  must get at least one dose by Oct. 7.

Follow David Robinson on Twitter: @DrobinsonLoHud

This article originally appeared on New York State Team: Thousands of New York health workers got vaccinated as mandate loomed
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.
NEW DELHI: Two Assam siblings - 6-year-old Rawza and her 5-year-old brother Aryan - have recently written adorable letters to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and states Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma complaining about their adult teeth that are late and that they were having trouble chewing their favourite food items.

Worried about the fact that their baby teeth fell, and the new ones were time much time to replace them, the two cute kids requested necessary action from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Chief Minister.

The adorable letters written by the Assam siblings became viral on social media ever since they were shared by their maternal uncle on his Facebook account.

Their uncle shared the pictures of the letters with the caption, To Himanta Biswa Sarma Narendra Modi From my niece Rawza (6yrs) & nephew Aryan(5yrs) N.B. Trust me, Im not home, Im on duty, my niece and nephew wrote on their own perhaps PS: Please do the needful for their teeth as they cant chew their favourite food

One of the two letters addressed to CM Himanta was written by Rawza that read, To dearest Himanta Mama (uncle) My five teeth are not coming. Dear Himanta Mama please take the necessary action as my teeth are not coming and Im facing difficulties while chewing my favourite food.

The other one that was addressed to PM Modi was written by Aryan. It read, To dearest ModijiMy three teeth are not coming. Dear Modiji please take necessary action as my teeth are not coming and Im facing difficulties while chewing my favourite food.
Mumbai: Actor R Madhavans much-awaited Rocketry: The Nambi Effect has finally got its release date. It will be out on April 1, 2022. Madhavan not only acted in the film but has also directed, written and produced it.

Sharing the release date of the film, Madhavan took to Instagram and wrote, "We are elated to inform you that the much-awaited Rocketry: The Nambi Effect will be released worldwide in theatres on 1st April 2022. We have made this movie with a lot of love and dedication and are grateful for all the support that you have shown us so far- Team Rocketry."

Rocketry is based on the life of Indian scientist Nambi Narayanan, a former ISRO scientist and aerospace engineer who was caught in the throes of a spy scandal. It has been shot simultaneously in multiple languages including Hindi, Tamil and English, and will also be released in Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada.
Shares of SpiceJet jumped over 4 per cent after aviation regulator DGCA lifted the ban on Boeing 737 Max planes' commercial flight operations after almost two-and-half years.

The stock gained 4.36 per cent to Rs 74.15 on the BSE.

India's aviation regulator DGCA lifted the ban on Boeing 737 Max planes' commercial flight operations after almost two-and-half years.

On March 13, 2019, all Boeing 737 Max planes were grounded in India by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) after the crash of an Ethiopian Airlines 737 Max plane on March 10, near Addis Ababa which had left 157 people, including four Indians, dead.

Currently, in India, only SpiceJet airline has Boeing 737 Max aircraft in its fleet. The budget carrier, in a statement on Thursday, said it expects to start operations of Max planes around the end of September, subject to regulatory approvals.

Live TV

#mute
New Delhi: After labelling bribery charges against Infosys, Panchjanya, a journal with RSS leanings, has now opened an attack on Jeff Bezos founded Amazon, with a cover story calling it ''the second generation of the East India Company'' that entered India with business interests but ended up colonising the country for 200 years.

The cover story with Bezos' picture accuses Amazon of indulging in corrupt practices after allegations of bribery surfaced against it. Panchjanya has also accused Amazon of insulting Hindu values through Prime Videos movies and content.

"Amazon too wants to have sole rights on the Indian market. For this, it has started taking steps to encircle the political, economic and individual freedom of people here. It is accused of floating shell companies to capture the e-market platform, of bribing to have policies in its favour, and of airing programmes opposed to Indian culture through Prime Videos", the Panchjanya says in a gist of its cover story.

The cover refers to allegations Amazon`s legal representatives bribed Indian officials, and questions, "What did it (the company) do wrong it needed to bribe... Why do people consider this company a threat to indigenous entrepreneurship, economic freedom and culture?"

The cover story said Amazon invested in India with a promise to help small traders get a larger platform to sell products, it actually floated its own companies to do the same. "The company floated supplier entities such as Cloudtail and Apiria in which it had a significant stake and indirect control,".

Amazon, the world`s largest online retailer, has initiated an investigation into the conduct of its legal representatives in India, The Morning Context reported. This investigation comes on the back of a whistleblower complaint alleging that certain monies paid by Amazon in legal fees have been funnelled into bribes by one or more of its legal representatives.

Two people who work closely with Amazon`s in-house legal team confirmed that Rahul Sundaram, senior corporate counsel at Amazon, has been sent on leave. The Morning Context reached out to Sundaram for comment. In a text message, he said, "Sorry I cannot speak with the press.` We could not independently ascertain whether the internal investigation has been completed or is in progress.

Responding to a detailed set of questions, an Amazon spokesperson said: "We have zero tolerance for corruption. We take allegations of improper actions seriously, investigate them fully, and take appropriate action. We are not commenting on specific allegations or the status of any investigation at this time."

Live TV
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission via video conferencing on Monday, saying it will bring "revolutionary changes in the country's healthcare facilities''. The launching of the event began at 11 am followed by Prime Minister Modis address on the occasion. Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya was also present on the occasion.

"Today begins a Mission that has the power to bring a revolutionary change in India's health facilities. 3 years ago, on Pt Deendayal Upadhyaya's birth anniversary, Ayushman Bharat Yojana was implemented. I am happy that Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission is being started nationwide from today," the PM said.

Today begins a Mission that has power to bring a revolutionary change in India's health facilities. 3 yrs ago, on Pt Deendayal Upadhyaya's birth anniversary, Ayushman Bharat Yojana was implemented. Happy that Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission being started nationwide from today: PM pic.twitter.com/AVxqWQWgFr  ANI (@ANI) September 27, 2021

"Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission will play a big role in eliminating problems in medical treatment of poor and middle class. Via technology, work done by Ayushman Bharat to connect patients with hospitals across the nation is being further expanded and given strong technology platform,'' the PM added.

"With the free vaccine movement, India has administered about 90 crore vaccine doses, therefore creating a record. Certification has also been issued for the same. CoWin has to be credited as well for this achievement," PM Modi said at the launch of Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission.

He also expressed his "gratitude to all doctors, nurses, medical staff of the nation. Be it vaccination or treatment of COVID patients, their efforts gave a huge relief to the nation & helped it in the fight against Corona.''

Outlining the government's Jan Dhan account scheme, the BHIM digital payment interface, the PM said, "From 'Rashan to Prashasan', UPI is reaching the common man...With 118 crore mobile subscribers, about 80 crore internet users and about 43 crore 'Jan Dhan' bank accounts, nowhere in the world would you be seeing such a huge digital infrastructure."

On 15th August 2020, PM had announced the mission (Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission) from the ramparts of the Red Fort. I am happy that he is launching it today. I believe that this will bring a revolutionary change in the health sector, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said ahead of the launch.

Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission: Top highlights

-The pilot project of Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission had been announced by the Prime Minister from the ramparts of Red Fort on August 15 last year.

-Currently, the programme is being implemented in the pilot phase in six union territories.

-The nation-wide rollout of the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission coincides with the National Health Authority (NHA) celebrating the third anniversary of Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY).

-According to PMO, Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission will create a seamless online platform through the provision of a wide range of data, information and infrastructure services, duly leveraging open, interoperable, standards-based digital systems while ensuring security, confidentiality and privacy of health-related personal information.

-The Mission will enable access and exchange of longitudinal health records of citizens with their consent.

-The key components of the Mission include a health ID for every citizen that will also work as their health account, to which personal health records can be linked and viewed with the help of a mobile application; a Healthcare Professionals Registry (HPR) and Healthcare Facilities Registries (HFR) that will act as a repository of all healthcare providers across both modern and traditional systems of medicine.

-This will ensure ease of doing business for doctors/hospitals and healthcare service providers.

-Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission Sandbox, created as a part of the Mission, will act as a framework for technology and product testing that will help organizations, including private players, intending to be a part of the National Digital Health Ecosystem become a Health Information Provider or Health Information User or efficiently link with building blocks of Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission.

-The Mission will create interoperability within the digital health ecosystem, similar to the role played by the Unified Payments Interface in revolutionizing payments.

-Citizens will only be a click away from accessing healthcare facilities, according to the PMO.

Live TV
Kolkata: Tension escalated in the south Kolkata area, on the last day of the election campaign for the Bhabanipur assembly seat bypoll, ahead of the September 30 elections.

Trinamool Congress supporters allegedly physically harassed former BJP state chief Dilip Ghosh while he was campaigning for Priyanka Tibrewal who is pitted against Mamata Banerjee on Monday (September 27).

Ghosh`s path was blocked by some Trinamool supporters and he was pushed to the side of the road near JaduBabur Bazar (Jadu Babu`s Market) in Bhabanipur area where he was campaigning for September 30 bypolls.

The supporters started shouting "Joy Bangla" - a slogan coined by Mamata Banerjee to counter BJP`s "Jai Shri Ram" - and shouted at him to go back.

The tension led to a scuffle between the personal security guards of Ghosh and the Trinamool Congress supporters and the guards were seen pointing their guns to disperse the crowd.

Ghosh was cordoned off and taken away from the place. One BJP supporter was wounded in the scuffle.

West Bengal | Several BJP workers injured in an alleged clash at a bypoll campaign in Kolkata. "TMC govt including CM Mamata Banerjee are intolerant, not allowing us to campaign. TMC hooligans tortured our workers,beat them. Decide before you vote on Sep 30..," Agnimitra Paul,BJP pic.twitter.com/HkfrpSZfBE  ANI (@ANI) September 27, 2021

Speaking to the media, Dilip Ghosh, national vice-president of the party said, "Look this is the situation of West Bengal. They will not allow anyone to campaign even. I was pushed and beaten because I came here to campaign in favour of our candidate. There is no democracy in the state. We shall give a formal complaint".

Reacting to the clash between BJP & TMC workers, West Bengal LoP Suvendu Adhikari told ANI: Situation is very critical & Election Commission is not doing anything. A team of our party met them in Delhi & here also (in Kolkata) our delegation had met them many times but EC hasn't taken any action till now.

However, Election Commission has asked the state government to submit a report over Bhabanipore (in West Bengal) ruckus today by 4 pm. Trinamool Congress has not reacted to the incident yet.

(With agency inputs)

Live TV
New Delhi: Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) has called for Bharat Bandh on Monday (September 27, 2021) to mark the first anniversary of the enactment of the three farm laws. This nationwide strike called by the farmers organisations may disrupt traffic during the 10-hour general strike with police in several states putting in elaborate security arrangements in place.

SKM, which is an umbrella body of over 40 farmer unions, in a statement said, "It was on September 27, 2020 that President Shri Ram Nath Kovind assented to and brought into force the three anti-farmer black laws last year. Tomorrow, there will be a total Bharat Bandh observed around the country from 6 AM to 4 PM."

The statement also added that farmer unions along with their supporters have made detailed plans to ensure that life remains suspended tomorrow across the country, except for emergency services. SKM has said that all government and private offices, educational and other institutions, shops, industries and commercial establishments as well as public events and functions will be closed across the country.

SKM has put out detailed guidelines and called for complete peace, in their statement, during the strike and also appealed to all citizens of the country to join the nationwide strike.

Roads will be closed, but if someone wants to go to the doctor's clinic, they can go. Ambulances, vegetable and milk vehicles will run. Apart from that, everything will be closed. All traders and shopkeepers should support the bandh, said SKM leader Rakesh Tikait.

We will not go inside Delhi during the bandh. Where there are toll blocks, they will be closed. This is the movement of the common people. People should take a day off and leave the house only after 4 o'clock, Tikait added.

The farmer unions in their statement also revealed that a collective of more than 30 farmer organisations, who are protesting the three farm laws, has garnered support from more than 500 farmer organisations, 15 trade unions, political parties, six state governments and others, farm leaders have claimed.

More than 605 farmers have been martyred, including two deaths related to police brutalities. The Modi government is behaving in an extremely undemocratic and inhuman way against farmers, and BJP will certainly bear the consequences of this, SKM said in a statement.

Political support

Governments of some states, such as Tamil Nadu, Chhattisgarh, Kerala, Punjab, Jharkhand and Andhra Pradesh have also extended their support to the Bharat Bandh protest.

Left parties like the Communist Party of India (Marxist), Communist Party of India, All India Forward Bloc, Revolutionary Socialist Party have extended their support to the Bharat Bandh. Many other parties like the Congress, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), Samajwadi Party (SP), Telugu Desam Party (TDP), Janata Dal (Secular), SAD-Sanyukt, Yuvajana Sramika Rythu (YSR) Congress Party, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Swaraj India and others have also extended their support to the farmers.

Congress general secretary (organisation) K C Venugopal said the Congress and its workers will extend full support to the peaceful 'Bharat Bandh' called by farmer unions. "We believe in the rights of our farmers and we will stand by them in their fight against the black farm laws," he said in a tweet. "All PCC presidents, chiefs of frontal organisations are requested to go out in front with our Annadatas in their peaceful Bharat Bandh across the country," Venugopal said.

Additionally, Punjabs Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu also extended his support and tweeted, "Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee firmly stands by farmer unions' demand for Bharat Bandh on September 27, 2021. In the war of right and wrong, you cannot afford to be neutral. We urge every Congress worker to fight with all their might against the three unconstitutional black laws.

Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati on Sunday said that her party will support a peaceful 'Bharat Bandh' called by farmers against the Centre's three farm laws.

ALSO READ | Bharat Bandh on September 27: Congress extends support, asks state unit chiefs, workers to join farmers protest

In Kerala, both the ruling LDF and the Congress-led UDF have supported the nationwide farmers' strike, even as the BJP denounced the hartal as "anti-people". INTUC state president R Chandrasekharan told PTI that since the hartal has the support of both LDF and UDF, the state is expected to come to a standstill on Monday.

The Andhra Pradesh government has declared full support to the Bharat Bandh on September 27 led by the Samyukt Kisan Morcha, and also to workers of Visakhapatnam steel plant, state Information and Transport Minister Perni Venkataramaiah (Nani) said on Saturday.

Adequate security arrangements to be made: Delhi Police

The Delhi Police on Saturday said adequate security arrangements will be made across the borders of the national capital in view of the Bharat Bandh. No protestor will be allowed to enter Delhi from the three protest sites at the city's borders, the official said.

"The security will be preventive and we are fully alert. There is no call for 'Bharat Bandh' in Delhi, but we are watching the developments and adequate number of personnel will be on ground," another officer said.

In the latest tweet Delhi Police informed that the traffic movement has been closed from UP towards Ghazipur due to protest.

Traffic Alert Traffic movement has been closed from UP towards Ghazipur due to protest.  Delhi Traffic Police (@dtptraffic) September 27, 2021

Farmers to block Delhi-Ambala railway line, NH-44

Reports suggest that the farmers will block the busy Delhi-Ambala railway section and Ambala-Saharanpur railway line near Phoosgarh village in Yamunanagar as part of the nationwide agitation from 6 am to 4 pm today.Additionally, SKM will also stage a sit-in on National Highway-44.

Karnataka puts elaborate security measures in place

Meanwhile, the Karnataka government has put in place elaborate security measures to ensure that there is no untoward incident or disturbance to daily activities, during the 'Bharat Bandh' called by farmer unions on Monday to protest the Centre's three farm laws.

"Police have been instructed to take all the necessary precautionary measures to maintain peace and order in the wake of Bharat Bandh tomorrow," Home Minister Araga Jnanendra said in a statement on Sunday.

Bus services in Odisha to remain suspended

The bus services of the Odisha State Road Transport Corporation (OSRTC) will remain suspended from 6 AM to 3 PM on Monday due to a nationwide strike called by farmer organisations against the Centre's three contentious new agriculture laws.

Farmers from different parts of the country, especially Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh, have been protesting at Delhi's borders since last November, demanding the repeal of the farm laws over fears that it would do away with the minimum support price, leaving them at the mercy of big corporations.

The three laws -- Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act -- were passed by Parliament in September last year.

(With Agency inputs)

Live TV
New Delhi: The Congress on Monday (September 27, 2021) expressed strong support for the Bharat Bandh called by farmer unions, with former party chief Rahul Gandhi saying the farmers' non-violent 'satyagraha' is still resolute which the "exploitative" government does not like.

The Congress has asked its workers, state unit chiefs and heads of frontal organisations to take part in the Bandh called by farmer unions to protest against the Centre's three agri laws.

Many non-NDA parties have extended support to the nationwide 10-hour strike on Monday called by farmers protesting against the three agri laws under the aegis of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM).

Posting rhyming lines in Hindi on Twitter, Gandhi said, "Kisano ka ahimsak satyagraha aaj bhi akhand hai, lekin shoshankar sarkar ko ye nahi pasand hai, isliye aaj Bharat Bandh hai (Farmers' non-violent satyagraha is resolute even today, but the exploitative government does not like this and that's why it is Bharat Bandh today)."

ALSO READ | Bharat Bandh today, farmers block highways; Delhi-UP traffic affected- In pics

Gandhi used the hashtag 'IStandWithFarmers' with his tweet.

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also expressed support for farmers and urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take back the farm laws.

"Farmers' farms, farmers' toil, farmers' crop, but the BJP government is eager to establish the control of its trillionaire friends. The whole country is with the farmers.

@narendramodi take back the black laws," Priyanka Gandhi said in a tweet in Hindi using the hashtag 'IStandWithFarmers'.

In a tweet, Congress' chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala also expressed support for farmers and said "we will fight" against the oppression of the government.

The SKM on Sunday had appealed for complete peace during the Bandh and urged all Indians to join the strike.

The government and farmer unions have held 11 rounds of talks so far, the last being on January 22, to break the deadlock and end the farmers' protest.

ALSO READ | Bharat Bandh: Farmers call for nationwide protest to mark a year of farm laws; police steps up security, warns of traffic chaos

Talks have not resumed following widespread violence during a tractor rally by protesting farmers on January 26.

The three laws -- The Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020, and The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act 2020 -- were passed by Parliament in September last year.

Farmer groups have alleged that these laws will end the 'mandi' and the MSP procurement systems and leave the farmers at the mercy of big corporates, even as the government has rejected these apprehensions as misplaced and asserted that these steps will help increase farmers' income.

Live TV
New Delhi: In view of the Bharat Bandh call by farmers' unions to demand scrapping of three Central farm laws, the traffic movement on Monday (September 27, 2021) has been closed from Uttar Pradesh towards Delhi's Ghazipur border. Taking to Twitter, the Delhi Police said, "Traffic movement has been closed from UP towards Ghazipur due to protest."

Traffic Alert Traffic movement has been closed from UP towards Ghazipur due to protest.  Delhi Traffic Police (@dtptraffic) September 27, 2021

This is to be noted that hundreds of farmers have blocked major highways, including National Highway 1 linking Delhi with parts of Haryana and Punjab. Traffic across Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Haryana are most likely to be hit today as farmers, farm labourers, commission agents, trade and employee unions and activists of political parties have decided to squat on national highways till 4 pm.

The protesting farmers have also reportedly parked their tractors on highways and major link roads in both Punjab and Haryana after the Samyukta Kisan Morcha gave a Bharat Bandh call for September 27.

Meanwhile, several police teams have been deployed in Delhi and neighbouring parts to maintain law and order.

The agitated farmers, notably, are demanding the repeal of the three farm laws passed by Parliament in 2020 and have expressed apprehension that they would pave the way for the dismantling of the minimum support price system, leaving them at the mercy of big corporate houses. The government, however, has maintained that the new laws will provide farmers with better opportunities and has accused the opposition parties of misleading farmers.

(With agency inputs)

Live TV
New Delhi: Union ministers Sarbananda Sonowal and L Murugan were on Monday (September 27) elected unopposed to Rajya Sabha from Assam and Madhya Pradesh respectively.

BJP nominee S Selvaganapathy was declared elected unopposed to the lone seat in Rajya Sabha from Puducherry, the first time the saffron party has got representation in the Upper House from the Union Territory, while DMK's two nominees, Kanimozhi N V N Somu and K R N Rajeshkumar, were elected without contest from Tamil Nadu.

Sushmita Dev, who left the Congress and joined the Trinamool Congress a little over a month ago, was declared elected unopposed to Rajya Sabha from West Bengal.

Dev, who is the daughter of Congress heavyweight and former union minister Santosh Mohan Dev, is a former Lok Sabha MP from Silchar in Assam.

Senior Congress leader Rajani Patil is also set to be declared elected unopposed to a Rajya Sabha from Maharashtra after the opposition BJP on Monday (September 27) withdrew its candidate from the next month's bypolls.

Sonowal, the lone candidate in the fray for the RS seat in Assam, was declared elected to the Upper House of Parliament by the Returning Officer on the last day of withdrawal of nomination.

Accompanied by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and BJP state president Bhabesh Kalita, he collected the election certificate from the Returning Officer in the afternoon from the state assembly premises.

Speaking to reporters, Sonowal said he will continue to work for the betterment of the state and its people.

The former chief minister thanked the BJP leadership, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, party president JP Nadda, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Assam CM Himanta Sarma, for their support towards him.

"My special thanks to the people of Assam and especially Majuli for their unrelenting belief and trust in me," he added.

Sonowal, 59, was inducted as the Minister for Ports, Shipping and Ayush in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's cabinet in July, necessitating his entry into Parliament.

The byelection in Madhya Pradesh became necessary after then Union minister Thawarchand Gehlot resigned following his appointment as the governor of Karnataka in July this year.

Murugan, who helmed the Tamil Nadu unit of BJP until July before being inducted in the Union cabinet, is the Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting, Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying.

From Tamil Nadu, two vacancies arose in the Upper House following the resignation of AIADMK leaders, K P Munusamy and R Vaithilingam, after they won the Assembly polls in May.

Kanimozhi, an obstetrician and gynecologist, is the daughter of late party veteran and former Union Minister N V N Somu. She fills the seat vacated by Munusamy and her term would be till April, 2026.

The term of Rajeshkumar, the party's in-charge for Namakkal-East District who fills the vacancy caused by Vaithilingam's resignation, would be till June 2022.

The main opposition AIADMK did not field any nominees. In Maharashtra, the by-election was necessitated due to the death of sitting Congress MP Rajeev Satav in May.

The BJP had fielded Sanjay Upadhyay for the bypolls and he has now withdrawn from the race, paving the way for Rajani Patil (62) to get elected unopposed. Patil and Upadhyay were the only candidates in the fray.

Live TV
Mumbai: The Bombay High Court on Monday granted permission to two Muslim organisations to organise Chehlum mourning processions, one in the city and another in adjoining Thane district, on Tuesday, but with certain riders in view of the coronavirus pandemic.

A bench of Justices Ujjal Bhuyan and Madhav Jamdar permitted the petitioner organizations - the Haidry Jama Masjid Trust and All India Idaara-E-Tahafuz-E-Hussainiyat - to organize the processions while adhering to all applicable COVID-19 safety protocols.

The outfits had approached the court last week for permission to take out processions on the occasion of Chehlum that commemorates the 40th day of the martyrdom of Prophet Mohammed's grandson, Imam Husain.

The petitioners had approached the HC through advocates Shehzad Naqvi and senior counsel Rajam Shirodkar after the Maharashtra government denied them permission to hold two separate processions, one in Mumbai, and the other in the Thane district.

The state's counsel, Poornima Kantharia, had opposed the pleas in HC arguing that while the government had no objection to allowing just one procession in a representative capacity in Mumbai for the entire Maharashtra, it had a "serious objection" regarding two separate processions. She argued that if granted permission, several more organizations might seek permission for holding their respective processions.

The HC, however, said that while nothing must undermine the COVID-19 safety protocols implemented by the state and the Centre, another division bench of the court had recently granted permission for Muharram processions. "We have given our thoughtful and anxious consideration to the entire issue before us. While the rights and religious sentiments of the people are to be respected; but at the same time because of the unprecedented pandemic restrictions imposed by the state cutting across all segments of the society are required to be adhered to, failing which it may lead to disastrous consequences which we should try to avoid," the HC said.

The court then referred to a division bench's ruling regarding Muharram processions last month. "Having said that we find that a Division Bench of this Court had permitted All India Idara-E-Tahafuz-E-Husainiyat to carry out 5 'Tazias' during Muharrum vide order dated 18th August 2021. "Since the passing of the said order on 18th August 2021, hardly a month has elapsed and we see no reason to depart from the same," it said. Advocate Naqvi said the HC has permitted both organizations the use of a total of 10 trucks and the participation of a maximum of 150 people in the processions.

Live TV
New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested a senior official of AIIMS Bhopal on bribery charges. The agency conducted searches at the premises of the Deputy Director on Monday (September 27) and recovered assets worth crores of rupees.

The Deputy Director allegedly demanded a bribe of Rs 2 lakh for releasing payments of medicines and other consumables supplied to the hospital.

He was allegedly caught demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs 1 lakh from the complainant.

CBI has recovered cash of Rs. 6.75 lakh (approx), deposits of Rs. 1.11 crore (approx) in various bank accounts in the name of accused and his family members, documents related to investments in Mutual Fund and shares in DEMAT form worth Rs. 79.20 lakh (approx), gold coins/bar measuring 465 gram (approx) and documents related to plot and flat, etc., said the agency in a statement.

CBI has arrested a Deputy Director (Admn.), AIIMS, Bhopal on 25.09.2021 for demanding and accepting bribe of Rs. One lakh from the complainant, it added.

A case was registered against the official in which it was alleged that he demanded a bribe of Rs. 2 lakh from the complainant for releasing payment of his pending bills on account of supplies of medicines and other consumables made to AIIMS, Bhopal.

The arrested accused was produced before a Bhopal court and remanded to police custody till October 1.

Also Read: CBI arrests four persons in West Bengal coal pilferage scam

Live TV
New Delhi: If we study the press conferences conducted during the tenures of Hu Jintao and Xi Jinping, it has been found that under the leadership of Hu Jintao, China mainly focused on economic cooperation with its neighbours and other nations and confrontational topics were rather avoided. This helped the Communist nation to maintain good ties with most of the countries, but all this changed drastically under the leadership of Xi Jinping as China is being seen taking a harder stance over multiple issues and confrontational topics have multiplied.

Chinas shift from low profile diplomacy to assertiveness under President Xi Jinping has made Beijing's interactions with other nations confrontational in nature and reduced the scope of mutual cooperation.

Recently, a review essay was published in the Journal of Chinese Political Science titled Studying Chinese Foreign Policy Narratives: Introducing the Ministry of Foreign Affairs press Conference Corpus. The essay, authored by Michal Mochtak and Richard Turcsanyi, includes almost two decades of Chinese foreign policy discourse from 2002-2020. The data set created by the two authors comprises the study of Chinese press conferences over the last two decades that provided readers with a unique glimpse into the diplomatic narratives of the Chinese government.

The essay takes two case studies- One is related to Chinas demeanour towards the US during the presidency of Hu Jintao and Xi Jinping and second case study tried to understand the narratives of the Chinese government in regards to the South China Sea during that same time frame.

Chinese society is very closed off, and as a result, its politics are very opaque and hard to discern for outsiders. With such a closed-off society, Chinas regular press conferences provide a unique glimpse into the official stance of the Chinese government and in which direction the Chinese Communist Party intends to take China.

Press Conferences in China are conducted in a western-style format, wherein journalists are free to ask questions and thus allowing them to serve as agenda setters. But the answers provided to these journalists are selective and scripted, making the conferences essentially echo chambers for the thoughts and ideas of the Chinese government.

In addition, official transcripts provided by the Chinese Foreign Ministry are heavily censored and controversial questions are unlikely to even make it on the official transcripts. Only the message that the Ministry wants to portray will make it to the transcripts.

Case Study #1

The US has always played a major role in Chinas foreign policy, whether it be during the reign of Hu Jintao or Xi Jinping. The US being arguably the leader of the liberal democratic world was the main rival for Communist China. As such, it has always played a prominent role but Chinas demeanour towards the US has changed significantly between China during Hu Jintaos leadership and during China led by Xi Jinping.

During their study, the authors took note of every mention of the US or a closely related term (like names of Presidents and secretaries of state) and used these instances to determine difference in the narratives of Chinese leadership, Hu Jintao (2002-2012) and Xi Jinping (2012-2020).

In general, the authors discovered that under the leadership of Hu Jintao China followed a low profile diplomacy policy. But shortly after taking over, Xi Jinping from the 2012s onwards started growing his power and influence domestically and as a result, China became more assertive in the international world. This drastic change marked an end to the low profile diplomacy of China introduced by Deng Xiaoping, which was then carried on by Hu Jintao.

This move away from low profile towards assertiveness was also reflected in the press conferences the Chinese Foreign Ministry held. The essay showed that pre-2012 there was positive sentiment towards the United States which peaked in the year 2011, the last full year for Hun Jintao. But since Xi Jinping came to office, sentiment towards the US has been worsening at an alarming speed with present discourse showing sentiment to be the lowest its ever been. This conclusion is in line with US-China relations over the last 20 years.

The study of Chinese press conferences also revealed that pre-2012 the communications between the US and China were dominated by US-China bilateral relations, Taiwan and the situation on the Korean peninsula. Post-2012 there were several central topics added to the discourse between the two countries, as the events in the South China Sea and Hong Kong.

During the presidency of Hu Jintao, US-China communication focused on cooperation, especially in the economic realm, with confrontational topics like Taiwan only coming up rarely. On the other hand, during the Xi period, there was a drastic rise in confrontational topics, this created for a generally more tense relationship between the US and China.

During Hu Jintaos reign, Taiwan was the only confrontational topic between the two countries, but during the Xi period, there was a multiplication of these issues leading to a tense atmosphere that did not leave much room for cooperation.

Case Study #2

The second case study focused on how Chinas official discourse changed over time in regards to the South China Sea between 2002-2020. The example of the South China Sea is a great way to study the difference between Hu Jintao and Xi Jinping because this was the area where Chinas shift from low profile diplomacy to assertiveness was first noticed.

During the 2000s the mentions of the term South China Sea remained low and only began picking up in 2011 and reached an all-time high during 2016 when Xi was in power. Even after the peak in 2016, the mentions of the South China Sea have remained higher than what it was during the 2000s.

In regards to the South China Sea, the most frequently discussed claimant was Philippines and Vietnam being discussed 181 and 41 times respectively. The US was the only outside actor that was discussed extensively, being referred to over 200 times between 2002-2020. The extensive number of times that the US was discussed shows that the South China Sea dispute is not only about territory but also a political battleground for US-China.

During the leadership of Hu Jintao, China only brought up the topic of the South China Sea after the actions of other countries like the Philippines and Vietnam. During its discourse China mentioned that it claimed sovereignty over the islands and the surrounding waters of South China Sea and urged countries to cease their actions. While using these harsh words, China maintained diplomatic and even muted response with going so far as to add the word hopes in its statements. During this time China also made it clear that it was willing to cooperate with other countries in an effort to explore the South China Sea.

After the ascension of Xi Jinping, Chinas stance in regards to the South China Sea had significantly hardened and it even began mentioning it more in its official discourse.

Chinese society is very closed off and secretive. Due to the nature of the Chinese Communist Party and how it governs the country, its neighbours and other nations are often kept in the dark about its intentions, goals and strategies. Nations and diplomats can only speculate whenever China takes any action or unveils a project and this makes those involved with China anxious and apprehensive.

Chinese diplomats are also extremely different from diplomats from other liberal democratic countries wherein they strictly follow the party line and are not open to interpersonal connections with diplomats of other nations, a relatively common practice that allows diplomats to meet and discuss informally.

Chinese press conferences given by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs are also very scripted and rarely allude to the true intentions of the Chinese Government. Being true to the trend of being a secretive nation, there is also not a lot of data present regarding China and its activities (at least internal data). Therefore, scholars and diplomats have to resort to obscure and less used methods to understand China and Beijings intentions. A pair of scholars recently tried to bridge this gap in our understanding of Chinas foreign policy and its deeper intentions by painstakingly researching and analyzing 23,000 question and answers during Foreign Ministry press conferences between 2002-2020.

Live TV
New Delhi: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Monday (September 27, 2021) informed that Cyclone Gulab has weakened into a Deep Depression and moved westwards with a speed of 14 kmph during last the last few hours.

As per IMD, the cyclonic storm lay centred at 2:30 AM over north Andhra Pradesh and adjoining south Odisha, about 220 km west-southwest of Gopalpur (Odisha), 130 km east-southeast of Jagdalpur (Chhattisgarh) and 120 km west of Kalingapatnam (Andhra Pradesh).

"It is likely to move west-northwestwards and weaken further into a Depression during next six hours," the met department said in a bulletin released at 3:45 AM.

The Cyclonic Storm Gulab over north Andhra Pradesh and adjoining south Odisha, weakened into a Deep Depression at 0230 hrs IST of 27th Sep over north Andhra Pradesh. It is likely to continue to move west-northwestwards and weaken further into a Depression during next 06 hrs. pic.twitter.com/ctXWoQXLBJ  India Meteorological Department (@Indiametdept) September 26, 2021

The forecast track and intensity of Cyclone Gulab are given below:

The IMD said that light to moderate rainfall at most places with heavy to very heavy and extremely heavy falls at isolated places is very likely over north coastal Andhra Pradesh, south Chhattisgarh, Telangana and Vidarbha.

It also said Odisha is likely to witness heavy to very heavy falls at isolated places and heavy rainfall at isolated places is expected over coastal West Bengal and north Chattisgarh.

Earlier, the landfall process of Cyclone Gulab started around 6 PM on Sunday. The landfall was then made at Miduguda and Tokali villages near Kalingapatnam town in Srikakulam district of Andhra Pradesh, about 95 kilometres from Gopalpur (Odisha). During the landfall, the wind speed of the cyclone at Kalingapatanam was about 90 kmph while it was 30 kmph at Gopalpur in Odisha.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had also called up Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy and took stock of the situation. The Prime Minister assured both of all possible support from the Centre.

Live TV
New Delhi: The farmers unions who are protesting against the Centres three farm laws called for Bharat Bandh which led to traffic congestions, disrupted railways and affected people in many parts of the country. However, the true face of the so-called farmer leaders stood exposed as Zee News conducted a sting operation that showed their double standards.

Zee News Editor-in-Chief Sudhir Chaudhary on Monday (September 27) presented a sting operation that exposed farmer leader Naresh Tikait who was caught on camera agreeing to a deal that stood against what these leaders preach at their rallies. As the channel brought out the footage, #TikaitExposed became the top trend in the country. Here is what the sting shows:

Rakesh Tikait is one of the most prominent faces of the farmers' movement on the borders of Delhi for the last several months. Naresh Tikait is his elder brother and is playing an active role in the movement.

Our team member met Naresh Tikait in Uttar Pradesh's Muzaffarnagar district in disguise as a businessman whose company has an agreement with a major Singapore-based company. We told Tikait that we need land in Uttar Pradesh to set up a jaggery factory.

In the beginning, Tikait did not show much interest, But as soon as he learned that a foreign company was involved, he engaged in a discussion. Contrary to what he claims about contract farming in his rallies, Tikait showed a keen interest in negotiating the lease price of the land.

He said that he could arrange 12 bighas of land for the Singapore company at the rate of 10 thousand rupees per bigha annually and would also help in setting up a jaggery factory.

Recently, Naresh Tikait had said in the farmers' Mahapanchayat held in Muzaffarnagar that farmers should be careful while entering into agreements with companies because such companies can grab their land.

But in conversation with our undercover team, he did not mention any such thing. He even said that if the deal goes right, he could also arrange sugarcane for less than the mill rate. He promised to get sugarcane at Rs 250 per quintal instead of the mill rate of Rs 325.

In contrast, during the farmers' movement, Naresh Tikait and his younger brother Rakesh Tikait demand the government to increase the minimum support price of crops.

The price of sugarcane that Naresh Tikait is talking about is called State Advisory Price. He tried to defend himself after this sting operation and said that he is not cheating the farmers.

However, the sting operation shows otherwise. It shows how the things these leaders speak in front of the public are quite different from what they speak behind the scene. This is nothing but a big betrayal with the innocent farmers of the country.

Also Read: Our 'Bharat Bandh' was successful, we had full support of farmers: BKU leader Rakesh Tikait

Live TV
Chennai: Chennai Air Customs officials seized 1.588 kg of gold worth Rs. 66.34 lakh from two passengers at the airport in separates cases.

Both passengers, returning to the city from Middle-east nations, had concealed gold in hardware goods carried in their baggage. One of them was arrested.

According to the customs officials, they intercepted a Dubai returnee and scanned his checked-in baggage, based on intelligence.

An iron hammer in his baggage was broken open on suspicion of gold concealment. It led to the seizure of 341 grams of 24k gold valued at Rs. 14.25 lakh that was moulded and hidden. It was seized under the Customs Act.

In the other case, gold was found hidden in a mirror frame that was brought by a passenger from Kuwait.

1.247 kg of 24k gold valued at Rs. 52.09 lakh was seized under the Customs Act and the passenger was arrested.

Also Read: Over 2200 endangered tortoises rescued from Thailand-bound cargo at Chennai airport

Live TV
YouTuber and Patron of Expatriates' Association--Monson Mavunkal--has been sent to judicial custody till October 6 on Monday for allegedly swindling Rs 4 crore from several people by claiming possession of centuries-old antiques, and providing fake documents.

The decision was taken by the Chief Judicial Magistrate of Ernakulam, Kerala after Mavunkal was arrested by the Crime Branch team of Kochi Police on Sunday at Cherthala in Alappuzha District.

The report filed by the investigation team in the court stated, "The fraud was operated by forging a document in the name of a foreign bank. There was no bank account abroad in his name."

"He deceived the complainants by convincing them that Rs 2,62,000 crore was credited to his bank account by selling antiquities and he needs Rs 10 crore to withdraw it. He assured them that if they give him money, he will give interest-free loans to them for starting a business," the report said.

As per the report, Mavunkal claimed that his precious antique collection includes a throne of Tipu Sultan, the first edition of the Holy Bible, the books used by Maratha King Chhatrapati Shivaji, the last Mughal emperor Aurangazeb and Mysore Sultan Tipu Sultan.

"Several holy books and documents such as a version of the great epic Mahabharata written in palm leaves, and the paintings of Raja Ravi Varma and Pablo Picasso are some of the items claimed to be in his possession," stated the report.

"He had sold the antiquities claiming that it was not the original but a copy of it. Investigation revealed that these were made by a carpenter based in Cherthala at Alappuzha district," it stated.

It has also been alleged that some pictures of the accused with Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president K Sudhakaran, Congress leader Laly Vincent and former Chief Secretary Jiji Thomson are circulating on social media.

Live TV
New Delhi: Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait hailed the 'Bharat Bandh' held on Monday (September 37) on the anniversary of the enactment of the three contentious farm laws as successful.

He said the bandh call received full support from the farmers across the country.

Our 'Bharat Bandh' was successful. We had the full support of farmers. We can't seal down everything as we have to facilitate the movement of people, said Tikait.

We are ready for talks with the government, but no talks are happening, he added.

He specifically attacked UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath saying the government had failed to increase sugarcane value as was promised in the BJPs election manifesto.

He (Adityanath) had promised in the manifesto to raise the value of sugarcane to Rs 375-Rs 450, yet he increased only Rs 25. He should give an account of the losses faced. The govt has failed completely. Crops are not being sold at MSP rates, Tikait said.

The farmers unions had given a call for a nationwide strike from 6 am to 4 pm. The impact was seen across the country.

About 25 trains were affected due to the Bandh, a railway official said.

More than 20 locations are being blocked in Delhi, Ambala, and Firozepur divisions. About 25 trains are affected due to this, a spokesperson for the Northern Railway said.

Officials said the Delhi-Amritsar Shan-e-Punjab, New Delhi-Moga Express, Old Delhi-Pathankot Express, Vande Bharat Express from New Delhi to Katra, and Amritsar Shatabdi are some of the trains that have been affected.

The bandh, which began at 6 am today caused disruptions in traffic movement of Delhi and neighbouring states of Haryana and Punjab. Traffic movement at the Ghazipur border and the Dhansa Border were affected with Delhi Traffic Police closing vehicular movement on the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh Ghazipur border for both carriageways.

Massive traffic snarls were seen at Gurugram-Delhi border as vehicles entering the national capital were checked by Delhi Police and paramilitary jawans. The Delhi Noida Direct (DND) flyway also witnessed massive traffic congestion. However, the police later said that the situation at the Gurugram-Delhi border and DND returned to normal.

The governments of Tamil Nadu, Chhattisgarh, Kerala, Punjab, Jharkhand and Andhra Pradesh have extended their support to the bandh, and the effect of protest was seen in these states.

Protesters of several trade unions including the Indian National Trade Union Congress, Centre of Indian Trade Unions and All India Trade Union Congress form a human chain in Keralas Kochi to support the call for Bharat Bandh.

Several organisations carried out a rally from the Bengaluru Town Hall area to the Mysore bank circle to observe Bharat Bandh. The roads in Kerala`s Thiruvananthapuram wore a deserted look and shops are closed in as the trade unions affiliated to LDF and UDF have supported the call for Bharat Bandh.

Amid the Bharat Bandh, the Congress, which has extended its support to the agitating farmers, has said the Prime Minister should think about the problems being faced by the farmers, especially now when the input costs have increased.

Rahul Gandhi in a tweet in Hindi said, "The farmers non-violent satyagraha is intact today but the exploitive government doesn`t like this and that is why #Bharat is Bandh #IStandWithFarmers."

Also Read: Bharat Bandh will compel Centre to listen to farmers: Rakesh Tikait

Live TV
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission on Monday (September 27, 2021) via video conferencing. According to a release from the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), the launching of the programme will be at 11 am on Monday and PM Modi will also hold an address on the occasion.

The Prime Minister had announced the pilot project of Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission last year from the ramparts of Red Fort on August 15. Currently, the programme is being implemented in the pilot phase in six union territories.

The nation-wide rollout of the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission coincides with the National Health Authority (NHA) celebrating the third anniversary of Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY). Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya will be present on the occasion.

As per the PMO, Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission will create a seamless online platform through the provision of a wide range of data, information and infrastructure services, duly leveraging open, interoperable, standards-based digital systems while ensuring security, confidentiality and privacy of health-related personal information.

The Mission will enable access and exchange of longitudinal health records of citizens with their consent.

The key components of the Mission include a health ID for every citizen that will also work as their health account, to which personal health records can be linked and viewed with the help of a mobile application; a Healthcare Professionals Registry (HPR) and Healthcare Facilities Registries (HFR) that will act as a repository of all healthcare providers across both modern and traditional systems of medicine. This will ensure ease of doing business for doctors/hospitals and healthcare service providers.

Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission Sandbox, created as a part of the Mission, will act as a framework for technology and product testing that will help organizations, including private players, intending to be a part of the National Digital Health Ecosystem become a Health Information Provider or Health Information User or efficiently link with building blocks of Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission.

PMO believes that the Mission will create interoperability within the digital health ecosystem, similar to the role played by the Unified Payments Interface in revolutionizing payments. "Citizens will only be a click away from accessing healthcare facilities," said PMO.

(With ANI inputs)

Live TV
Lucknow: Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra arrived here on Monday on a five-day visit during which she will discuss with workers and leaders the party's preparedness for next year's Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, sources said.

Her visit to the state came just a day after Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expanded his council of ministers by inducting Jitin Prasada and six others to balance the caste and regional aspirations ahead of the Assembly elections.

Prasada, who had crossed over to the BJP from the Congress in June, was administered oath as a cabinet minister, while six others were sworn in as Ministers of State.

"Priyanka ji has arrived on a five-day visit to the state. She will meet party workers and leaders, and deliberate upon election preparedness of the party for the 2022 UP Assembly polls," state Congress spokesperson Ashok Singh said.

This is her second visit to the state this month.

On September 13, she wrapped up her five-day tour of Uttar Pradesh during which she exhorted party workers to work round the clock for the next year's elections. She had told party workers in Rae Bareli that the Congress was planning to declare candidates well in time for the upcoming elections.

Congress has fought the 2017 Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls in alliance with the Samajwadi Party. The grand old party had managed to win just seven of the 114 seats it had contested with a vote share of 6.25 percent.

This time, the Congress party has already announced that it will fight the 2022 polls without aligning with any big political party.

Live TV
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday (September 27) praised many Central government schemes at the launch of the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission scheme. The Prime Minister also lauded the CoWIN platform, declaring from vaccination registration to certification, no system is as massive".

Addressing the launch event of the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission, PM Modi said, From rashan to prashasan, UPI is reaching the common man. With 118 crore mobile subscribers, about 80 crore internet users and about 43 crore Jan Dhan bank accounts, nowhere in the world would you be seeing such a huge digital infrastructure."

He said that hospitals and hospitality work in tandem, and added that places with more vaccination and better healthcare infrastructure will attract more tourists, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Prime Minister said that the tourism-dependent states and UTs like Himachal Pradesh, Andaman and Nicobar vaccinated the resident population at a fast pace, adding "Hospitals and hospitality work in tandem. Today is also World Tourism Day, integrated health infra`s positive impact reflects on tourism, especially after COVID. More vaccination means more tourists, which is why vaccination in Himachal Pradesh, Andaman and Nicobar is at pace."

He also expressed gratitude to all doctors, nurses, the medical staff of the nation, for their efforts in the vaccination drive or treatment of COVID patients, and emphasised it is very important that the medical services of the villages should be improved to have improved healthcare services in India.

According to him, "Today the network related to primary health care is being strengthened in the village and near the house. So far 80,000 such centres have been made operational. Unprecedented reforms are also taking place in medical education to transform India`s health sector. Today more doctors and paramedical manpower are being prepared in the country than before in 7-8 years."

PM Modi further said that along with a better medical system, it is also necessary that the poor and middle class spend the least on medicines, adding "the Central government, therefore, has kept essential medicines, and equipment required for surgery, and dialysis cheap."

"Incentives have been given to use the best generic drugs made in India for maximum use in treatment. More than 8,000 Jan Aushadhi Kendras have given great relief to the poor and middle class," he said, adding that the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission will now connect the digital health solutions of hospitals across the country.

This will play a big role in eliminating problems in the medical treatment of the poor and middle class.

Through Ayushman Bharat-PM-JAY, the government have been able to eliminate the great concern of the life of the poor, he said, adding "So far more than 2 crore countrymen have availed the facility of free treatment under this scheme. In this also half the beneficiaries are our mothers, sisters, daughters."

"130 crore Aadhaar numbers...118 crore mobile subscribers... about 80 crore internet users... about 43 crore Jan Dhan bank accounts... nowhere in the world there exist such big connected infrastructure. This digital infrastructure is taking the ration from the administration to the common Indian in a fast, and transparent manner," the Prime Minister added.

Notably, the Prime Minister has announced a pilot project of Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission from the ramparts of Red Fort on August 15 last year. Currently, the programme is being implemented on a pilot basis in six Union Territories.

(With Agency Inputs)

Live TV
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ability to maintain a high level of energy while keeping a busy schedule on his trips abroad has drawn curious enquiries from admirers and sceptics alike. Official sources say that one of his tricks is to pack his hours with back-to-back engagements so that it doesn't let the mind think much about any fatigue.

As Modi returned from his three-day visit to the US on Sunday, sources said travelling around at a hectic pace while keeping tiredness at bay is not a new attribute of him.

A long flight also means opportunities to go through papers and some file work. pic.twitter.com/nYoSjO6gIB  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 22, 2021

ALSO READ | '20 meetings in 65 hours': PM Narendra Modi had a packed schedule in US

"When he used to visit the US in the 1990s, an airline at that time used to give a monthly travel pass at heavily discounted rates. To make the most of it, Modi would always travel in the night as this ensured that he could visit most places while not having to spend a penny on hotels. His night would be invariably spent at the airport and in the plane," a source said.

Landed in New York City. Will be addressing the UNGA at 6:30 PM (IST) on the 25th. pic.twitter.com/CUtlNZ83JT  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 25, 2021

As soon as he steps on the flight, the prime minister tunes his body and sleep cycle to the time zone of the destination, sources added, noting that if this means even if it is night in India when he takes off, he may not sleep if it would be a day in the country of destination.

Landed in Washington DC. Over the next two days, will be meeting @POTUS @JoeBiden and @VP @KamalaHarris, Prime Ministers @ScottMorrisonMP and @sugawitter. Will attend the Quad meeting and would also interact with leading CEOs to highlight economic opportunities in India. pic.twitter.com/56pt7hnQZ8  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 22, 2021

He does the same thing when returning to India and tunes his body and sleep cycle according to the Indian time, ensuring that he is fresh and ready to go when he lands during the daytime.

ALSO READ | PM Modi returns to India after concluding 'landmark' US visit, here's all that happened during his tour

Modi also ensures drinking a lot of water as doctors suggest that the air in the plane sucks out moisture in the body, they added.

His three-day trip to the United States was packed with meetings as he attended 20 of them during the around 65 hours he spent in the country.

Here are glimpses from the Quad leaders meeting. The discussions with @POTUS @JoeBiden, PM @ScottMorrisonMP and PM @sugawitter were extensive and productive. pic.twitter.com/cNedF0XRz6  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 24, 2021

Glad to have met @VP @KamalaHarris. Her feat has inspired the entire world. We talked about multiple subjects that will further cement the India-USA friendship, which is based on shared values and cultural linkages. pic.twitter.com/46SvKo2Oxv  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 24, 2021

Had an outstanding meeting with @POTUS @JoeBiden. His leadership on critical global issues is commendable. We discussed how India and USA will further scale-up cooperation in different spheres and work together to overcome key challenges like COVID-19 and climate change. pic.twitter.com/nnSVE5OSdL  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 24, 2021

He also had four long meetings in flights with officials on the way to and back from the US.

Live TV
Chennai: According to the Tamil Nadu Government, Salem-based aerospace component manufacturer Aerospace Engineers Private Ltd will supply components for Boeing India. The long-term order for supply of components was handed over by Ashwini Bhargava, of Boeing India to R.Sundaram, MD of Aerospace Engineers in the presence of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, at the Secretariat.

It was also added that Aerospace Engineers Pvt Ltd would be setting up a new manufacturing facility dedicated for civil aerospace in Hosur, Tamil Nadu, within the next two years. This is in addition to the proposed expansion of the firms existing facility in Salem.

The firm was founded in 1988 as a micro-level industry and thereafter grew in scale to a medium-level industry that caters to clients in the aerospace and defence industries.

Live TV
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday (September 27) granted four months' time to Tamil Nadu State Election Commission (TNSEC) to complete the election process of Urban Local Bodies in the state. The SEC has sought time till April 2022 for carrying out the preparatory works to complete the election process.

A bench of Chief Justice of India NV Ramana, Justice Surya Kant and Justice Hima Kohli rejected the SEC's plea seeking seven months time to complete the process of urban body elections and directed the panel to complete the process of the election in four months.

The TNSEC filed its application in a matter filed by S Shankar, who had previously filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) on conducting the local body polls. It sought direction from the SC for "An extension of seven months from September 15 to notify the process of election of urban local bodies in the state."

Earlier on June 22, 2021, the top court had directed the TNSEC to conclude the entire process of the local body elections in the nine newly carved districts by September 15, 2021, including publication and notification of the election schedule and the result of the elections.

Appearing for the State Election Commission, senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi told the court that seven months are required for the process and a schedule has been prepared as per which time is required till April 2022.

Earlier, Rohatgi submitted that because of Assembly Elections from February to May, the entire workforce was diverted there which was followed by the COVID-19 issue.

The senior advocate also sought an extension of time for conducting Urban Body elections in the State, arguing that that new government has granted merger for certain municipalities hence seven months time is required.

(With Agency Inputs)

Live TV
New Delhi: India recorded 26,041 new COVID-19 cases, 29,621 recoveries and 276 deaths in the last 24 hours, the Ministry of Health informed on Monday (September 27, 2021) morning. Out of the new infections and fatalities, 15,951 cases and 165 deaths were reported in just Kerala, which is still reeling under the second wave of coronavirus.

With this, the total number of cases has increased to 3,36,78,786, of which, 3,29,31,972 have recovered, while 4,47,194 have succumbed to the virus. India now has 2,99,620 active coronavirus cases, which, the health ministry said is the lowest in 191 days.

So far, 56.44 crore tests have been conducted across the country and the weekly and daily positivity rates stand at 1.94% and 2.24% respectively

#Unite2FightCorona  More than 56.44 Cr COVID Tests conducted so far.  Weekly Positivity Rate currently at 1.94%.  Daily Positivity Rate at 2.24%; less than 3% for 28 consecutive days. pic.twitter.com/c0BpzgHvI6  Ministry of Health (@MoHFW_INDIA) September 27, 2021

On the other hand, more than 38.18 lakh COVID-19 doses were administered in the country in the last 24 hours, which took the cumulative total to 86.01 crore.

#Unite2FightCorona#LargestVaccineDrive  Indias Cumulative #COVID19 Vaccination Coverage crossed the landmark of 86 Cr (86,01,59,011).  More than 38.18 Lakh doses administered in last 24 hours.https://t.co/mflWcBETvp pic.twitter.com/s9y21XNCPi  Ministry of Health (@MoHFW_INDIA) September 27, 2021

Live TV
Lucknow: BSP president Mayawati, who extended support to a peaceful Bharat Bandh called by farmers against the Centre's three farm laws, alleged that the Uttar Pradesh government increased cane support prices ahead of the assembly elections for "selfish" motives.

The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief on Monday termed the cabinet expansion of the Yogi Adityanath government in the state an effort to mobilise voters on the basis of caste and warned the electorate against such designs. Notably, CM Adityanath announced a hike of Rs 25 per quintal in the purchase prices of sugarcane in the state on Sunday, a day ahead of a Bharat Bandh called by farmer unions.

The BSP chief tweeted (in Hindi), "The UP BJP government kept ignoring the farmers here for four and a half years and did not increase the support price of sugarcane, which I had pointed out during a conference of the enlightened classes in Lucknow on September 7. Now they have remembered sugarcane farmers just before elections which only shows their selfishness."

She further added, "The entire farmer society is sad and troubled by the anti-farmer policies of the Centre and the UP government, but increasing the support price of sugarcane now to save face before the elections is not the right solution to the basic problem of farming. In such a situation, farmers are not going to fall for any of their designs."

Mayawati has already extended support to the protest call.

On the state's cabinet expansion, she said, "Those who have been made ministers by the BJP to mobilise voters on the basis of caste in Uttar Pradesh should have declined it because by the time they are able to understand their respective ministries and want to do something, the model code of conduct would come into effect here."

Mayawati further alleged that the BJP government did not take concrete steps for the development of the classes to which it had given representation in the ministry expansion and had only stopped the schemes brought by her government earlier for the purpose.

In a related tweet, she said, "The present BJP government has not taken any concrete steps for the development and uplift of their society, even most of the works started by the BSP government in their interests have also been stopped. It is an advice to these classes to be alert of the BJP's double standards."

The Adityanath on Sunday inducted seven ministers into his Council of Ministers, attempting to balance caste and regional aspirations.

SP chief Akhilesh Yadav supports Bharat Bandh

Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav on Monday said the ruling BJP, which is not giving respect to farmers, has lost the moral right to remain in power.

Expressing his support to the farmers' agitation against three agriculture laws of the Centre and their "Bharat Bandh" call, Yadav also claimed that the farmers' movement has started becoming a cause of disintegration within the BJP.

"Samyukta Kisan Morcha's 'Bharat Bandh' has full support of the SP. The arrogant BJP, which is not giving respect to the 'annadata' (farmers) of the country, has lost the moral right to remain in power. The farmers' movement has started becoming a cause of disintegration within the BJP," the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister said in a tweet in Hindi with the hashtag #BJP_Khatam (BJP finished).

The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), an umbrella body of over 40 farmers' unions leading the 10-month-old agitation demanding a repeal of the three contentious farm laws, has given a call for the "Bharat Bandh" on Monday.

(With Agency Inputs)

Live TV
Bengaluru: The COVID-19 restrictions including the night curfew was extended by another fortnight in Bengaluru. The curbs will continue till October 11.

The night curfew will be in effect from 10 pm to 5 am till further orders.

Bengaluru City Police Commissioner extends Covid-induced restrictions including night curfew (10 pm to 5 am) till October 11, ANI reported.

The city recorded 255 new COVID cases and three deaths on Sunday.

In the same period, 775 cases were registered in Karnataka, taking the total case tally to 29.73 lakh and the number of fatalities to 37,726.

Last week, the Karnataka government ordered relaxations in COVID-19 curbs and allowed cinema halls, auditoriums to reopen with full capacity from October 1.

Among other relaxations, pubs can resume operations from October 3. While students of standard 6 to 12 can attend classes with full strength in districts with less than 1 per cent positivity rate.

Live TV
Mumbai: A Thane court on Monday ordered issuance of a show-cause notice to noted Bollywood lyricist Javed Akhtar on a defamation suit filed against him over his alleged remarks seeking to compare the RSS with the Taliban.

The suit, filed by RSS activist Vivek Champanerkar in the court of the additional chief judicial magistrate and joint civil judge (senior division), seeks Re 1 as compensation from Akhtar.

The court ordered the issuance of the notice returnable on November 12.

The 76-year-old poet, lyricist and screenwriter triggered a controversy early this month when he told a news channel that right-wing all over the world have an uncanny similarity.

"The Taliban want an Islamic country. These people want to make a Hindu Rashtra," the former Member of Parliament said without naming the Nagpur-headquartered Hindutva organisation.

Advocate Aditya Mishra, who appeared for the complainant, argued at length in the court and claimed the defendant (Akhtar) had made "derogatory" remarks against the RSS while appearing in a show of a private news channel.

He said the defendant's remarks "drawing a parallel between barbaric Taliban and organisations working for the Hindu cause" were aimed at vilifying such outfits.

In the petition, Champanerkar said the statements made by the defendant were aimed at belittling the RSS's image in the eyes of the common public. "The defendant uttered unfounded, false and baseless allegations against the organisation of plaintiff in the said show," Mishra said.

"The plaintiff states he has been hurt by defendant's defamatory statement to tarnish the image of plaintiff's organization and hence he is in loss of rupee one for which the defendant is liable to compensate him," according to the suit.
New Delhi: Popular television actor and hunk Karan Kundrra is one of the confirmed contestants of Bigg Boss 15, to be hosted by Salman Khan. According to reports, all the actors who will be entering the house this October 2, are currently under quarantine. And it looks like Karan is completely enjoying his leisure time as he decided to indulge in some 'drinks and click' session.

The 37-year-old actor recently took to Instagram to post a pic of himself enjoying a drink while relaxing on a chair. Channelling his love for pastel hues, Karan rocked a monochrome look.

The 'Kitni Mohabbat Hai' actor wore grey distress knitted pullover and grey ripped denim and accessorised his look with a beaded necklace, silver earrings and rings. He is seen holding leopard-print shades in one hand as he sips a drink.

Needless to say, it is difficult to take eyes off him with that perfect hairdo and killer look on his face, enough to make girls go drool over him.

Meanwhile, the makers of Bigg Boss 15 dropped a new promo of the show, giving the excited fans a glimpse of the actor, as a confirmed contestant of the 'mad house'. Other names who are doing the round as possible contestants of Bigg Boss 15 are Pratik Sehjpal, Nishant Bhat, Shamita Shetty, Donal Bisht, Tejasswi Prakash, Simba Nagpal, Afsana Khan and Umar Riaz.


New Delhi: TV actress Hina Khan revealed that she was rejected for a Kashmiri role as her complexion wasn't extremely fair. In her latest interview, she recalled that she couldn't take part in a project as she didn't look 'Kashmiri' enough.

Even though she is Kashmiri and speaks the native language fluently, she didn't get cast for the role as she wasn't fair and had a dusky complexion.

Speaking about the incident, Hina told ETimes, "There are times where I probably dont like the story or I dont want to do that kind of a character for the time being, but there also are times where you probably test for it, and you are very keen that it works, but it doesnt work out for various reasons. I cant talk about the project, but I remember I could not crack a project because I didnt look Kashmiri enough."

She further said, "I am Kashmiri and I can fluently speak the language but I didnt get cast because my complexion is dusky and I am not extremely fair. Thats what the team and character demanded. I really felt bad. When you know the language so well, probably you could have worked wonders in that character, but I didnt get cast only because I dont look Kashmiri (laughs). I never lose hope, I dont give up. I keep trying!"

The actress became a household name with her roles in shows such as 'Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai' and 'Kasautii Zindagii Kay'. She was most recently seen in a music video for the song 'Main Bhi Barbaad' along with Angad Bedi.

Hina made her Bollywood debut in Vikram Bhatt's 'Hacked' this year along with Rohan Shah, Mohit Malhotra and Sid Makkar in lead roles. The film has been produced by Amar P Thakkar and Krishna Bhatt.

She had also featured in a web film titled 'Unlocked: The Haunted App' by ZEE5. The horror flick also stars Aditi Arya and Rishabh Sinha. It was directed by Debatma Mandal.

She was seen as one of the Toofani seniors on Bigg Boss 14 along with Sidharth Shukla and Gauahar Khan.
New Delhi: Actress Mouni Roy turned 36 on Tuesday (September 28) and birthday wishes are pouring in for her. The actress, who has drifted to the nearest beach spot to Mumbai, i.e. Goa, is busy making happy memories and even sharing some of them with her Insta fans.

While we wish the 'Naagin' star a very happy and glorious birthday, we bring you an incident when the actress had mistakenly had tagged the Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in one of her 'thank you' birthday tweets, while replying to a fan, last year.

It so happened when the sultry actress was ringing in her 35th birthday last year with her Bollywood bestie Mandira Bedi in the Maldives amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Mouni received many birthday wishes on her special day. However, she was pulled up for when she made a blunder by unintentionally tagging the Defence Minister in one of her 'thank you' birthday tweets.

By mistake, Roy tagged Rajnath Singh while replying to Raj Nayak on Twitter, which grabbed eyeballs on Twitter. Having realised her mistake, Roy quickly deleted the tweet and tagged the right person after editing her tweet. However, the damage was already done as netizens took a note of it and some of them began trolling her for her honest blunder. A few of them even asked the actress if she was high on drugs.

Not bothered by the online trollers, Roy continued to enjoy her birthday with her friend.

On the work front, Mouni's latest music video 'Dil Galti Kar Baitha Hai' was released on Friday. Jubin Nautiyal, who also featured in the video, lent his voice to the song. On Monday, the actress recently shot for reality dance show 'Dance Deewane 3' where she will be seen as a celebrity guest, promoting her music video.

She has projects like 'Bole Chudiyan', 'Mogul' and 'Brahmastra' in her kitty.

We wish the gorgeous actress a very Happy birthday!
With the beginning of a new calendar month on October 1, a number of changes will take effect. There have been some major changes in only five days that you should keep an eye on to avoid any unwanted obstacles and to be readily prepared.

These regulation changes will have an impact on everyone's daily lives in some way, shape, or form. Here are five changes to keep an eye on starting next month, ranging from changes to pension rules to changes to bank chequebooks.

1) Pension Rule Change

The laws governing digital life certificates will change from October 1, 2021. Anyone above the age of 80 is eligible. In October, retirees over the age of 80 will be able to submit their digital life certificate at any of the country's Head Post Offices' Jeevan Pramaan Centers. This task's completion date has been scheduled for November 30, 2021. The Indian Postal Department has been requested to guarantee that the ID of these Jeevan Pramaan Centers is active even though they are already closed due to the extensive nature of this assignment.

2) Chequebook Rule Change

The old chequebooks and MICR codes of the three banks will become invalid at the beginning of the next calendar month. The Oriental Bank of Commerce (OBC), United Bank of India, and Allahabad Bank are the three banks in question. The banks used Twitter to announce the changes, which came as a result of their recent mergers. Through the official Twitter account of Punjab National Bank, Oriental Bank of Commerce (OBC) and United Bank of India, which had merged with Punjab National Bank, declared that if old chequebooks and pre-existing MICR codes and IFSC codes were not updated by October, they would be halted.

3) Auto Debit Facility Rule Change

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) recently mandated that the facility for auto-debit from your credit card/debit card undergo some adjustments. The apex bank has specifically required that all banks do a Additional Factor Authentication.' This implies that your monthly energy payments, as well as monthly auto-debit transactional subscriptions like Netflix, Amazon Prime, and others, will not be processed until you give your permission. The relevant bank will send clients a notification 24 hours before the payment, and if you authorise and authenticate the transaction, the money will be debited from your account. This notification can be sent via SMS or email.

4) Investments to Undergo Rule Change

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has enacted a rule that protects mutual fund investors' interests. This law will apply to junior workers who work for an Asset Under Management Company (AMC), often known as a Mutual Fund House. With effect from October 1, 2021, junior employees of asset under management businesses will be required to invest 10% of their gross salary in units of that mutual fund. Following the phase-by-phase model, these employees will be required to invest 20% of their pay in October 2023. There will be a lock-in period for this investment.

5) Private Liquor Shops to Close

Private liquor outlets will close beginning next month and will remain closed until November 16, 2021. Until then, only government stores will be open for business. According to Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, the new excise policy divides the capital into 32 zones for the purpose of allotment of licences. From November 17 onwards, only shops that fall under the new policy will be able to operate, according to the new guideline.

Live TV

#mute
New Delhi: The tech giant Google withdrawing its support from several Google apps including Google Maps, Gmail and YouTube. Millions of users having an outdated Android version will not be able to sign into these apps from Monday (September 27).

Smartphones with Android 2.3.7 or lower will not be feasible to use Google apps. This version of the mobile operating system was launched in December 2010.

In a statement, the company said: As part of our ongoing efforts to keep our users safe, Google will no longer allow sign in on Android devices that run Android 2.3.7 or lower starting September 27, 2021. If you sign into your device after September 27, you may get username or password errors when you try to use Google products and services like Gmail, YouTube, and Maps."

In order to continue with uninterrupted services of apps, Google has urged the users to update their smartphones to Android 3.0 or above, if the device supports it.

If the device is not updated to newer versions of the Android OS then the user will no longer be able to access the apps. Several apps including YouTube, Google Play Store, Google Maps, Gmail, Google Calendar will not be available for the services.

Users with smartphones namely Sony Xperia Advance, Lenovo K800, Sony Xperia Go, Vodafone Smart II, Samsung Galaxy S2, Sony Xperia P, LG Spectrum, and Sony Xperia S will not be able to sign into the apps after this development.

The apps will also not be feasible for LG Prada 3.0, HTC Velocity, HTC Evo 4G, Motorola Fire, and Motorola XT532.

However, users unable to update to Android 3.0 or above can try to log in to their Google account through the web browser.

ALSO READ: Xiaomi Civi unveiled with triple rear cameras: Check price, specs and more

Live TV
California: Global search engine Google is celebrating its 23rd birthday on Monday (September 27, 2021). The US technology company is celebrating the occasion with a special doodle on its homepage.

Todays Google doodle features a cake with 23 written on top of it, with a birthday candle substituting for L in "Google." Google was actually founded by Larry Page and Sergey Brin, who were Ph.D students at Stanford University in California, on September 4, 1998.

However, a year ahead of that, the two had actually started working on their search engine together in their dorm rooms with a very basic first prototype. Twenty-three years down the line, Google has today established itself as the worlds most powerful and comprehensive search engine.

The company, for the first seven years, observed its birth anniversary on September 4. However, later it decided to shift the celebrations to September 27 to coincide with the announcement of the record number of pages that this search engine was indexing.

Google actually went public in 2004 and was reorganised as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Alphabet Inc. in 2015. The search engine, as of today, enables searches in more than 150 languages around the globe.

In their own words: "Every day, there are billions of searches on Google in more than 150 languages around the globe, and while much has changed from the early days of Google, from its first server housed in a cabinet built out of toy blocks to its servers now being housed in more than 20 data centers globally, its mission of making the worlds information accessible to everyone remains the same."

The history of the doodle itself dates back to 1998, to a month before Google was founded. The very first doodle was on the long-running Burning Man event in Black Rock City, Nevada.

Sundar Pichai was appointed CEO of Google on October 24, 2015, replacing its co-founder Larry Page. Page, in the meantime, took over the same position at Alphabet Inc.

On December 3, 2019, Pichai became the CEO of Alphabet as well.

Happy Birthday, Google!

Live TV
In India, the iPhone 13 has begun to arrive at customers' doorsteps. While many of those who can purchase the new iPhone are eager to try out its new features, many others are continuing their annual ritual of spreading iPhone-kidney jokes on WhatsApp due to the device's unaffordability in India.

However, a new report from Money Supermarket has revealed how much someone would have to work to afford the base variation iPhone 13 (128GB), depending on the minimum income and the cost of the iPhone in each region.

It's no secret that iPhone costs vary depending on where you live and a variety of other factors such as import fees, taxes, and currency changes, to name a few. According to this study, an Indian would need to work for 724.2 hours in order to afford an iPhone. This will take about 30 working days.

Indians are ranked second on this list, with the Philippines taking the first spot, where owning an iPhone requires a massive 775.3 hours of labour.

Switzerland is the country where you can buy an iPhone for the least amount of labour hours, with only 34.3 hours of minimum wage employment required. Surprisingly, the United States, the birthplace of Apple, is third on the list with 49.5 hours.

Live TV

#mute
Lucknow: AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi has deplored the political condition of Muslims and said that they are like band, baaza party at weddings. The AIMIM leader made these remarks in Kanpur during which he also lamented the fact that the Muslims have no representation despite constituting 19% population in Uttar Pradesh.

The condition of Muslims has become like a band baja party in a marriage procession where they (Muslims) are first asked to play music, but are made to stand outside on reaching the wedding venue, the AIMIM president said.

The condition of Muslims has become like a band baja party in a marriage procession where they (Muslims) are first asked to play music, but are made to stand outside on reaching the wedding venue: AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi in Kanpur (26.09) pic.twitter.com/nY61BBX7gH  ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) September 27, 2021

"Now Muslims will not play the instrument. Even every caste has a leader, but Muslims have no leader. There is 19% Muslim population in UP but there is not a single leader," Asaduddin Owaisi said in Kanpur.

Owaisi has recently announced that his party  AIMIM  will be contesting next year's Assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh on the promise of creating leadership among Muslims. His announcement has created unease in the political parties that so far considered the Muslims as their core "vote bank".

Different castes, including Jatavs, Yadavs, Rajbhars and Nishads, which constitute a relatively small part of the population of Uttar Pradesh, more or less have their own leadership, but Muslims, who account for more than 19 per cent of the people in the state, do not see any united leadership.

So the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), led by Owaisi, wants to end the "slavery" of Muslims in the hands of the Samajwadi Party (SP), the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and the Congress, which had been using them as their "vote bank", according to the leaders of the party.

There are 82 Assembly segments in the state where Muslim voters are in a position to make or mar the political fortunes of the candidates. Buoyed by winning five seats in last year's Bihar polls from the Muslim-dominated Seemanchal region, which gave jitters to the RJD and the Congress, Owaisi has already announced that his party will field candidates in 100 of the 403 seats in the Uttar Pradesh election expected to be held early next year.

The Hyderabad MP launched his poll campaign from Ayodhya earlier this month and since then, has been addressing public meetings at different places. According to AIMIM national spokesperson Syed Asim Waqar, the main goal of the party is to create a political narrative and leadership among Muslims for the progress of the community and a better future.

The SP and the BSP have accused Owaisi of serving the interest of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) by trying to divide Muslim votes and dismissed any possibility of the AIMIM having any impact in the country's political heartland.

Senior SP leader Abu Azmi discarded Owaisi as a "vote-katwa" (splitter of votes) who is acting on behalf of the BJP to damage the poll prospects of the Samajwadi Party. State media coordinator of the Congress Lallan Kumar said Owaisi remembers Muslims only at the time of elections and claimed that the minority community has traditionally supported the grand old party.

According to Census 2011 data, Muslims account for 19.26 per cent of the population in Uttar Pradesh. They can play a decisive role in 82 of the state's 403 Assembly constituencies. Muslims constitute 50.57 per cent of the population in Rampur, 47.12 per cent in Moradabad, 43.04 per cent in Bijnor, 41.95 per cent in Saharanpur, 41.3 per cent in Muzaffarnagar, 40.78 per cent in Amroha and above 30 per cent in Balrampur, Azamgarh, Bareilly, Meerut, Bahraich, Gonda and Shravasti.

Owaisi's party will contest the Uttar Pradesh polls as part of the "Bhagadari Morcha" formed by Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) president Om Prakash Rajbhar.

Live TV
Beijing: China strongly condemned Britain on Monday for sailing a warship through the sensitive Taiwan Strait, saying it was behaviour that "harboured evil intentions" and that the Chinese military followed the vessel and warned it away.

A post on the ship`s Twitter account said HMS Richmond passed through the strait en route to Vietnam. It had been deployed in the East China Sea while taking part in United Nations sanctions enforcement operations against North Korea.

China claims Taiwan as its own territory and has stepped up military and political pressure to try and force the democratically ruled island to accept Chinese sovereignty.

While U.S. warships pass through the strait on an almost monthly basis, despite Chinese opposition, U.S. allies have generally been reluctant to follow suit.

The People`s Liberation Army`s Eastern Theatre Command said it has organised air and naval forces to follow the Richmond and warn it."This kind of behaviour harbours evil intentions and damages peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait," it said. "Theatre command forces always maintain a high level of alert and resolutely counter all threats and provocations."

Relations between Beijing and London are already strained over a long list of issues, from trade to human rights.

In Taipei, Taiwan Defence Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng did not comment directly when asked about the British warship, saying he did not know what missions foreign ships in the Taiwan Strait were carrying out.

"When they pass through the Taiwan Strait our nation`s military will have a grasp of the situation, but will not interfere," he told reporters, adding they keep a close watch on all movements near Taiwan.

China has been ramping up its exercises around Taiwan and flies air force aircraft almost daily into the southwestern part of Taiwan`s air defence zone.

Live TV
Beijing: China strongly condemned Britain on Monday (Seeptember 27) for sailing a warship through the sensitive Taiwan Strait, saying it was behaviour that "harboured evil intentions" and that the Chinese military followed the vessel and warned it away.

A post on the ship`s Twitter account said HMS Richmond passed through the strait en route to Vietnam. It had been deployed in the East China Sea while taking part in United Nations sanctions enforcement operations against North Korea.

China claims Taiwan as its own territory and has stepped up military and political pressure to try and force the democratically ruled island to accept Chinese sovereignty.

While US warships pass through the strait on an almost monthly basis, despite Chinese opposition, US allies have generally been reluctant to follow suit.

The People`s Liberation Army`s Eastern Theatre Command said it has organised air and naval forces to follow the Richmond and warn it.

"This kind of behaviour harbours evil intentions and damages peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait," it said. "Theatre command forces always maintain a high level of alert and resolutely counter all threats and provocations."

Relations between Beijing and London are already strained over a long list of issues, from trade to human rights.

In Taipei, Taiwan Defence Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng did not comment directly when asked about the British warship, saying he did not know what missions foreign ships in the Taiwan Strait were carrying out.

"When they pass through the Taiwan Strait our nation`s military will have a grasp of the situation, but will not interfere," he told reporters, adding they keep a close watch on all movements near Taiwan.

China has been ramping up its exercises around Taiwan and flies air force aircraft almost daily into the southwestern part of Taiwan`s air defence zone.

Live TV
Pallabi Dey Purkayastha

New Delhi: Ever since the Taliban made rapid advances across Afghanistan in August, hundreds of Afghan citizens were seen at the Kabul airport trying to get a chance to flee the war-torn country. Numerous 'gut-wrenching' pictures that emerged from Afghanistan showed people lining up at the airport to escape the Taliban rule.

There were citizens who managed to flee, there were people who died while clinging to the plane and then there were some Afghan nationals who were left behind to live under the Taliban regime.

In an exclusive interview with Zee Media, Aamir (name changed) tells us the story of life under the Taliban.

ZEE MEDIA: You tried but couldn't flee Afghanistan and now you and the rest of your family is hiding at different locations. And, as you say, the Taliban has taken over your family home. What forbade you from leaving Afghanistan and why did it get especially bad for you and your family?

AAMIR: Yes, we have tried to flee from Kabul since our family, especially my father and my brother, were engaged directly with the native forces as military officers. During the evacuation, we tried to flee from Afghanistan. But, unfortunately, we couldn't do that. Since the Taliban took control of Kabul city, we have been in Panjshir Valley alongside the resistance forces of the Pakistani drones interference in Panjshir Valley. The resistance forces defended initially, so we left (Panjshir, the epicentre of resistance against the Taliban), we came back to Kabul, and now we are hiding inside Kabul city. Each member of the family is living in separate areas. If one is to be captured by the Taliban, then the rest of us could get informed. And now, living under the Taliban is very difficult. It is like a prison, the whole country is like prisoners who are inside a jail. If you go on in the city, you may recognize you're living in the city of zombies. So, we are trying somehow to manage.

ALSO READ | Shoot me in the head but don't let Taliban take me away alive: Afghan pop star told fiance

ZEE MEDIA: You are a self-proclaimed supporter of the resistance movement and have recently sought refuge in Kabul after leaving Panjshir for obvious reasons. How did you make that journey and why was it important for you to be part of the resistance?

AAMIR: I have been a part of the resistance forces and I have been supportingand I am still supporting. After Panjshir fell, we made our journey (back) to Kabul city. We climbed up the mountains from Dara district, and then descended to Nejrab district and from there, it was one-and-a-half-day walking distance to reach Kabul city. It was around 80 km. Yes, it was quite difficult and we made the journey. We came to Kabul. Life is quite difficult here. We are all hiding, both men and women of the family, with our relatives and friends. Living in Kabul is horrible; its terrifying under this state (of) terrorism. It is very disgusting that we live in such a country and we lost a democracy like we (once) had, unfortunately.

ZEE MEDIA: The female members of your family--and even female friends--must be terrified. How are they getting by?

AAMIR: Yes, some might some of my female family members like my siblings, or my wife or my friends whom I had who were working with the private or governmental organizations, now they have been restricted to not go to their jobs or to the academic areas like universities or school. So I think removing female employees or half of the society will lead Afghanistan again to 90s of the Taliban regime. So, mainly the Taliban is keen to establish a male-dominance kind of governance in Afghanistan. And this is really sad for open-minded people like us. And, we are losing mostly like a lot of educated people. I think the female or the woman situation in Afghanistan is very bad. And they are in the process of being removed from society. And their engagement in government sector or private sector--media or wherever--they have been working and now they are restricted not to go.

ZEE MEDIA: You mentioned your family members have served different embassies over the years and now they are hiding away. How's life for them?

AAMIR: My family members work with embassies. All (of) my family members who have been in charge of security and protection of all embassies inside Kabul city for a very long period of time, we couldn't flee from Kabul (and) now we are at a very high risk of dismissal: all the family members. And we are being called by the Taliban, this family (referring to his clan) or that group of people are servants of the ignorant inside of Aghanistan. So, this is making our lives extremely difficult and the family member or living under a very, very high mental pressure. Most of the family members, who directly worked with the forces and the embassies, are now in very deep depression and mental health problems. So living under the Taliban, with such a background, is making life very difficult in Kabul.

ALSO READ | Taliban were walking with guns, even an RPG: Filmmaker recalls horrific scenes from Kabul airport

ZEE MEDIA: You mentioned studying in India for a good number of years. How was that experience for you? What is the main difference between both the countries you observed during your stay?

AAMIR: I have done my bachelor's and master's both in India. So the thing I observed in India, is that it is a highly diverse country with many religions, many ethnicities and many languages. So they were living side by side with each other. And they're trying to make their nation great. And inside Afghanistan, if I compare, then you will see that Afghanistan is also a highly diverse country. People who are Muslims, who are Hindus, and Jewish are living inside Afghanistan. But, the problem in Afghanistan is a fundamentalist part or a group of Muslims are coming and taking control of Afghanistan with violence. And, if you think, or if I would say, like, inside Afghanistan, there is an ethnic war.

ZEE MEDIA: Also, have you received any support or words of encouragement from your Indian friends?

AAMIR: Yes, I'm in touch. And my Indian friends are consistently calling me and texting me. And they're asking about how the situation is going on here. They're asking about my life, and about what I'm doing here. And especially my classmates, my teachers, my college friends, and even the friends I used to meet at coffee shops in India. And I'm really thankful to the people of India, especially my friends who have been in touch with me and who have been calling me and texting all the time. From the time the Taliban took control till now, every day they are in touch with me, they're asking about me, and they're in touch with me and they're just requesting me to take care of myself and to be in touch with them. Thank you so much, India.

Live TV
Kabul: The new Taliban regime has banned hairdressers in Afghanistan`s Helmand province from shaving or trimming beards, a media report said. "The Taliban have banned stylish hairstyles and shaving beards in Helmand province in southern Afghanistan," The Frontier Post reported citing a letter from the Taliban.

The Taliban have banned barbers in of the region from shaving and trimming mens beards because it violates Islamic law.

The publication further stated that officials from the Ministry of Islamic Orientation, at a meeting with representatives of men`s hairdressing salons in the provincial capital, Lashkar Gah, advised against styling hair and shaving beards.

The order, distributed on social networks, also contains a request not to play music or hymns on the premises of hairdressing salons, The Frontier Post reported.

Afghan barbers in the area said the prohibition has made it more difficult for them to make a living because citizens are now trying to blend in to escape Taliban fighters.

Despite promising otherwise, the Taliban have begun to slowly re-impose repressive laws and retrograde policies. They are imposing laws that defined its 1996-2001 rule when they enforced their version of Islamic Sharia law.

Amid reports of large-scale human rights violations by the Taliban in Afghanistan, the outfit had earlier put on public display the bodies of four people who were killed after they allegedly carried out a kidnapping in the western city of Herat.

It is been over a month since the Taliban captured Kabul after an aggressive and rapid advance against Afghanistan government forces amid the withdrawal of US and NATO troops from the country.

The country plunged into crisis last month after Kabul fell to the Taliban and the democratically elected government of former president Ashraf Ghani collapsed.

Live TV
Paris: In a bizarre incident, a man threw an egg at French President Emmanuel Macron during his visit to an international food trade fair in the French city of Lyon.

A video of the incident, going viral all over social media, shows Macron walking through the crowd when an egg bounces off him without breaking. Two bodyguards can be seen immediately getting closer to the president to protect his shoulders.

The video also shows a man being taken away from the scene by other bodyguards. Reporters at the scene heard Macron saying "If he has something to tell me, then he can come."

No details have been released by authorities on the identity or the motivations of the man. Watch video:

Either @EmmanuelMacron is protected by an invisible shield or someone just threw a boiled egg. pic.twitter.com/JTf5fZsAMf  (@TheMarketDog) September 27, 2021

This is not the first time the French president was targeted in public. Earlier in June, Macron was slapped in the face by a man as he was greeting the public in a small town in southeastern France. He then denounced violence and stupidity.

The slap prompted a wide show of support for France's head of state from politicians across the ideological spectrum.

Macron, like his predecessors, enjoys spending time in meet-and-greets with members of the public. Called crowd baths in French, they have long been a staple of French politics.

A little over six months before France's next presidential election, Macron, 43, has not yet announced his reelection bid but is expected to do so.

(With agency inputs)

ALSO READ: With eyes on the West, Chinas PLA undergoes major reshuffle

Live TV
Hong Kong: Border tensions with India, as well as the recent American and allied pullout from Afghanistan, means the importance of the Western Theater Command of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) has been growing in China's strategic reckoning.

This was confirmed on September 6 when Chairman Xi Jinping in Beijing presided over a ceremony promoting five senior officers. The five lieutenant generals (two from the army, one from the navy and two from the air force) were promoted to general, the PLA's highest rank. These generals and admiral have been given command of the PLA Navy (PLAN), PLA Air Force (PLAAF), National Defense University and two of five theater commands.

Interestingly, this was the third three-star ceremony in less than nine months. Four figures were promoted on December 18, 2020 and another four on July 5, 2021. Traditionally, such promotion ceremonies occurred only annually in July.

One of these promotions saw an army general heading the Central Theater Command, replacing a PLAAF general. This means all five theater commands now have an army general in charge. For all the talk of joint warfare and the PLA becoming less ground-centric, it seems that "Big Army" thinking still dominates within the PLA. This could be seen as a retrograde step, even if the current situation is changed in the future.

In a report for the China Aerospace Studies Institute (CASI), Kenneth W Allen, Dennis J Blasko and John F Corbett observed: "The recent promotions may reflect aspects of the announced goal to change the PLA's hierarchical structure from a 'grade-based' to a 'rank-based' system."

The Chinese military has a rather convoluted system of ten officer ranks (second lieutenant to general/admiral) and 15 grades (platoon leader to vice chairman of the Central Military Commission [CMC]). Establishing a "rank-based" system will require shortened times between promotions. More frequent three-star promotion ceremonies could be evidence that this is happening.

The three authors explained: "Previously, an officer's grade was more important than rank. However, the details of this major change from 'grade-based' to 'rank-based' have not been revealed, but could involve the length of time in service between promotions/assignments, or which ranks are associated with specific grades. Every officer also is assigned to an organizational billet (or post) appropriate to both rank and grade. Promotion ceremonies like this one publicly acknowledge officers' ranks and duty billets, but do not announce their grades, which can nonetheless be discerned by a ribbon worn on their uniforms."

One of the newly minted generals was Wang Haijiang, Commander of the Western Theater Command. Allen, Blasko and Corbett, observed: "The assignment of the third new commander to the Western Theater Command in less than two years [is] an unexplained phenomenon during the period in which China and India have been engaged in a tense and deadly border confrontation in Aksai Chin."

Fifty-eight-year-old Wang was first in protocol order during the ceremony. Born in October 1963, he received his second star in December 2019, less than two years ago. He was previously Commander, Xinjiang Military District (March-August 2021) and, before that, Commander, Tibet Military District (December 2019 to February 2021) and Deputy Commander, Tibet Military District (from 2016).

Even further back he was Commander of Nanjiang (Southern Xinjiang) Military District and Commander of the 61st Division in the Lanzhou Military Region. General Wang has thus had all his command experience in the Western Theater Command. Wang replaced General Xu Qiling, who was appointed head of the Western Theater Command just two months ago in July. Prior to that, he had spent two months as Army Commander in the Western Theater Command. That was his first assignment in China's west, unlike the vastly greater regional experience of Wang.

Xu's fate is not yet known, but it is possible he could be in line for a follow-on lateral assignment. Then again, a great number of senior PLA officers have also been netted by Xi's anti-graft campaign. With most of his career spent in the Eastern and Northern Theater Commands, is it possible the CMC was unhappy with his performance?

At 59, he should have six more years at a theatre-level grade. Therefore, his next stage should be of great interest to ascertain whether he has been promoted or sidelined.

Xu had himself replaced General Zhang Xudong, who was in charge for just six months (December 2020 till June 2021). Similarly, Zhang had little experience in China's west.

This rapid turnover stands in sharp contrast to General Zhao Zongqi, who was in command there for nearly five years prior to that. Perhaps this revolving door shows the CMC is unhappy with how events have played out along the Indian border.

Of the PLA's 37 full generals/admirals, at least nine will reach retirement age of 65 before the 20th Party Congress in 2022. Thus, new members of the CMC will eventuate at that time. The CASI report noted, "2022 is likely to be turbulent as roughly two dozen theater command leader-grade generals and admirals vie for promotion to these most senior leadership positions. It is unclear how the recent three-star promotions fit into that puzzle."

Allen, Blasko and Corbett noted: "...Wang Haijiang has long experience in Xinjiang and Tibet...and would be familiar with the operational, geographic and cultural conditions in the Western Theater Command. Wang's background has prepared him for leading the theater during the standoff with India in the Aksai Chin. Left unsaid by official Chinese sources is why there has been so much turnover in the Western Theater Command commander over the past two years - is this an example of 'ticket-punching' for selected officers to groom them for higher responsibility, or did something go wrong that led to their early departure?"

The trio of CASI authors observed: "The exact methodology and criteria used in selecting officers for promotion to general/admiral rank and higher-level billets are not public information, but the subject of endless speculation and rumor. Thousands of officers have been investigated and removed for corruption over the past decade. Needless to say, allegations of corruption can be used for political purposes and to derail the careers of rivals."

Of course, political loyalty to Xi plays an important role in high-level promotions. While Xi presumably plays a personal role in selecting senior officers, exact details are unknown. All senior PLA officers are senior communist party members and therefore "Xi's men".

Live TV